Edition 10 | May 4, 2026 - May 10, 2026 | Wine for the Week Ahead

 

Kicking the week off on Monday, May 4th, Mars, which is still in Aries, makes a square to Jupiter in Cancer. This is some really fun energy to start the week off with, it's galvanizing, it's “I can do anything energy". There is a little bit of a conflict here between wanting to take care of ourselves (cancer) and overdoing it (Aries), between being super courageous and being overly cautious. But overall, it's a very positive start to the week and a great time to get things done. Compliment this energy by powering through your to-do list while sipping a glass of Txakoli. The light, bright, citrusy Basque white that's so easy to sip, so crisp it feels like a celebration, and low alcohol, so it won't interfere with your to-do list progress.  

 

Then on Wednesday, May 6th, Pluto in Aquarius stations retrograde. Pluto transits are always interesting because it is the farthest from us, which means everything it does takes a while. For example, Pluto first entered Aquarius in 2024, and it was the beginning of a 20-year transit. Pluto rules the processes of death and rebirth, as well as the hidden forces of power and control. Aquarius rules the collective, meaning everything from society, technology, humanitarian ideals, and the network that connects us all. Which means Pluto in Aquarius is all about transforming our society, technology, and power structures. Essentially, what it means to be human in an increasingly digital world. 

 

But again, that has been the case since 2024. What's happening this week is that Pluto, in Aquarius, is stationing retrograde. A retrograde starts on the 6th but will last for about 6 months. While in general, Pluto in Aquarius might have more to say about the collective, when Pluto is retrograde, that's when the transformations start to get more personal. 

 

This might be a time when you find yourself questioning your relationship to things like social media or AI. Or grappling with the ever-thinning line between your public and private life and how you (we?) might be giving our power away without even realizing it. Again, it's Pluto, so it's a long period of retrograde, and its slow-moving effects might seem subtle, until suddenly they're not. 

 

As you begin this personal period of reflection, we recommend putting down the phone and connecting instead with some Mencia. Mencia is a medium-bodied red grape native to the western part of the Iberian peninsula - i.e., Spain and Portugal. It's often linked to wines like Pinot Noir and Gamay, though it is definitely a slightly bigger, definitely darker version of those two wines. In addition to the fruit notes like blackberry and pomegranate, this is also a very floral wine and most notably this wine is known for its ability to age. It's a wine to sit with for sure, something that may seem subtle and familiar at first, but is hiding a lot under the surface. 

Fittingly for all of our talk of Pluto, the card this week is Death. Death symbolizes endings, transformation, and rebirth — the clearing away of what no longer serves to make space for the new. And the wine pairing for this card is Mourvèdre. Mourvèdre is brooding, earthy, and powerful; it mirrors the depth and shadow of change while hinting at renewal.

 

If you want to full Tarot and wine pairing guide, with pairings for all 78 cards and more, check it out here!