Drew Barrymore on Winemaking and Rosé
Drew Barrymore. Girl next door. Producer. Actress. Now you can add Vintner. Drew Barrymore in the vineyards of Carmel Road. I’m in Monterey, California by request. An interview with Drew Barrymore. Yes, that Drew Barrymore. I accept this assignment with a rush of excitement, and butterflies. Oh, there was vetting. A list of potential questions. […]
Wine Books for Summer Time Leisure
Not something you often hear people requesting. Many wine books are technical, meant for industry wine geeks. I have several of the aforementioned wine books in my personal library, and they’re quite good from an insider’s perspective. However not always riveting reading. Do you love a can’t put it down read? The kind that reel you […]
Quilt: A New Wine and The Very Fabric of Joe Wagner
Quilt: A New Wine and The Very Fabric of Joe Wagner Video Interview with Joe Wagner of Copper Cane https://www.youtube.com/embed/wrO2k0YfHhg Joe Wagner is no stranger to the wine business. He grew up in it. Grandson of the founder of Caymus Vineyards, he’s watched every aspect of winemaking. From farming to the business of wine since he could […]
Champagne Only Comes From Champagne ~ Champagne Gosset
A Day in Champagne, with Champagne Gosset {Video} Interviews Below Sometimes wishes do come true. In a wine oriented mind, it might be the bottle of your dreams. A visit to a place you’ve never been but can only imagine. The history of a region emblazoned in your memory from books and photos. As it […]
Judging & Tasting Chocolate in Oregon. Difficulty Level 8.
I am judging & tasting chocolate in Ashland, Oregon. Chocolate. Yep. Judging & tasting chocolate. It is the pied piper of the calorie wagon. Tasting chocolate is not a one size fits all deal. I take this assignment with the seriousness of a policeman writing a traffic ticket. I’m willing to sacrifice to help others. We’re taking […]
The Mastery of Luxury : Winemaker Julie Lumgair
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes We’re walking in the Rutherford Dust. It’s a region of Napa Valley, and it’s the nickname for the AVA of Rutherford. It’s known as Rutherford Dust because in the summer it is so hot and dry there. The earth dries up like a snail in the Sahara. There is even a group winemakers & […]
Elegant & Rich Merlot. Stags’ Leap Winemaker Dishes. VIDEO
After tasting through eight or nine superb wines at Stags’ Leap with winemaker & GM Christophe Paubert, I had to understand more about his philosophy and his background to understand what he is creating in Napa Valley. If you can make a very good Cab why can you not make a very good Merlot? Merlot […]
The Magic of Italian Wine is Alive at VINO: Featuring Feudo Disisa
I flew to New York City to attend a big event recently celebrating the winemakers of Italy and their wines. It’s called VINO and honors notable wine and vintners in Italy. From the launch of the first tasting event, the vibe was electric. Over 150 brands represented, seminars included wine experts covering topics from Rosé […]
St. Francis Winery Creates a Masterpiece of Experience
St. Francis Winery Masters the Pairing and the Wine Compressed Persimmon & Grilled Asian Pear paired with 2015 White Cuvée Blanc Sonoma Valley Experience. It’s the soul of a business. St. Francis Winery gets this. Experience can create indelible and everlasting memories. If done right it becomes a megaphone for a winery. Anyone can pour a glass […]
Romance & Rosé To Take Your Breath Away
Romance is in the air and spring is on its way! The birds are chirping, and the mustard is thriving in the Napa vineyards. The theme of love shines with romance & rosé. Romance & rosé act like a temptress, softly seducing the senses like a fervent kiss on the lips. Stepping into pink when […]
Summit Lake Vineyards: Vintner Bob Brakesman
The Winter View of Summit Lake Vineyards, overlooking Pope Valley. A hideaway, high atop Howell Mountain. Summit Lake Vineyards High on top of Howell Mountain, lies a stunning tasting destination. It’s richness enhanced by a solitude of quiet and pristine views of much of Pope Valley. This is not one of the posh, pricey settings […]
Boutique Chic: Handcrafted Artisan Napa Valley Wines
Crosby Roamann, Handcrafted Artisan Napa Valley Wines Crosby Roamann’s Scott & Juliana McBride I am in the Crusher District of Napa Valley. It is in Napa proper, on the fringe of south Napa. This area enjoys a quiet solitude off the much-traveled route of Highway 29. It’s a peaceful destination with a handful of wineries and […]
Drake White: Love, Grit & Spark
New Album, New Destinations. Drake White is taking his show on the road. Named by Rolling Stone Top 10 Country Artists You Need to Know. Napa is the land of artistic convergence. It is a place where you will run into winemakers, artists, musicians, writers of all genres and the occasional star or starlet. There are […]
Beyond the Bubbles: Insider’s Look at Schramsberg
Schramsberg is likely the greatest sparkling wine in the business. This holiday season, keep your eyes on the bubbles. Sparkling wine & the French version, Champagne, are synonymous with celebration. These fabulous concoctions deserve a place in our everyday life. Not reserved solely for celebration. Before you purchase that next bottle, sink your teeth into […]
Rescuing a Varietal: Greek Wine & Vangelis Gerovassiliou
A Little Sojourn Into Greek Wine Is Greece on your oenological radar? With the history behind it, it should be. Consider this; wine’s place in history began in Greece over 6,500 years ago. Not only that, they have over 300 Greek wine varietals originating in Greece. Today we travel to Greece and Thessaloniki, the 2nd […]
Bells Up Winery: Newburg, Oregon
When Sara Specter reached out to me to encourage me to visit her winery in Newburg, Oregon, I thanked her but truly had no short term plans to taste in Oregon. I was truly focused on my back yard of Napa. I was bouncing between wineries like a ping pong ball being hit by Forest […]
Salud! Celebrates 25 Years and a Record Breaking Fundraiser
Salud! Oregon Winemakers Make a Difference! For the last 25 years, Oregon winemakers have been raising funds for the Salud! Program. Established in 1991, the program (a partnership of the winemakers and the physicians of Tuality Healthcare ) has been 100% funded from the proceeds of the annual Oregon Pinot Noir Auction. The goal? To […]
Hawaii Food & Wine Festival’s Wine Guru on Rare Wine
photo credit: Travis Okimoto, Hawaii Food and Wine Festival The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, the brainchild of Chefs Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi‘s kicks off this week. To choose the right wines for each event, event officials taste close to 12,000 bottles of wine. The tastings result in the best for pairing and tasting sessions. After six successful […]
A Little Romance in Sonoma’s Russian River: La Crema
La Crema highlights it’s Russian River Valley’s beginnings with its historic new tasting room. A little romance backstory. Saralee McClelland and her future husband Richard Kunde met at the Sonoma County Fair office. Saralee was a champion of the fair and the competitions involved. While Richard of the Kunde family of winemakers) had a deep love for farming and Sonoma […]
Harumph Wines. Delicious Nectar, Comedic Roots.
“When you have Mel Brooks blessing on your wine, there’s got to be something pretty fabulous about it.” Harumph Harumph, Cabernet Sauvignon Creating a solid brand name for a bottle of wine is as much a science as it is luck. The brand like the wine has to stand out. Be memorable. To position itself strategically […]