The 2013 Passport to Cabernet took place at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco on May 6. The annual event is put on by the California Cabernet Society. It’s goal is to promote California Cabernet Sauvignon and to highlight the most recently harvested vintage through barrel samples. This year ...
Monday was a big day at AT&T Park. San Francisco Giants fans reminisced about Willie Mays on his 82nd birthday. That morning, the team had also popped corks in honor of a new venture with Mumm Napa, the Mumm Napa Giants Brut Prestige Sparkling Wine. Photo: Fred Swan The Giants’ World Se...
Thomas Riley recently published a thoughtful overview on the current debate about balance, ripeness and alcohol levels in California wine. It’s a difficult, multifaceted issue with intelligent and passionate people on all sides. And there isn’t one right answer. In a discussion on my Faceboo...
I was in Paso Robles last weekend for the Cabs of Distinction events (more on that soon). There I met up with Guillaume Fabre, production manager at L’Aventure winery where he’s worked since arriving from France in 2004. As of 2007 he’s also been producing Rhone-varietal wines under his own ...
Passport to Dry Creek Valley - Saturday and Sunday The biggest event this weekend is Passport to Dry Creek Valley. However, if you don't have tickets already you will need to hope for cancellations. You can get on the waiting list at 707-433-3031. Soirée “An Evening of Luxury Unveiled” in...
| Sun May 19 @10:30AM - Daily Vineyard Tours at Vino Noceto — Plymouth |
| Mon May 20 @10:30AM - Daily Vineyard Tours at Vino Noceto — Plymouth |
| Tue May 21 @10:30AM - Daily Vineyard Tours at Vino Noceto — Plymouth |
| Wed May 22 @10:30AM - Daily Vineyard Tours at Vino Noceto — Plymouth |
| Thu May 23 @10:30AM - Daily Vineyard Tours at Vino Noceto — Plymouth |
| Fri May 24 @10:30AM - Daily Vineyard Tours at Vino Noceto — Plymouth |
| Sat May 25 Spring Art Gala |
| Sat May 25 @10:30AM - Daily Vineyard Tours at Vino Noceto — Plymouth |
| Sat May 25 @11:00AM - 05:00PM Rocks & Rhones Festival at Pleasant Valley Wineries |
| Sun May 26 @11:00AM - 05:00PM Rocks & Rhones Festival at Pleasant Valley Wineries |
The 2013 Passport to Cabernet took place at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco on May 6. The annual event is put on by the California Cabernet Society. It’s goal is to promote California Cabernet... Read more...
Monday was a big day at AT&T Park. San Francisco Giants fans reminisced about Willie Mays on his 82nd birthday. That morning, the team had also popped corks in honor of a new venture with Mumm Napa,... Read more...
Thomas Riley recently published a thoughtful overview on the current debate about balance, ripeness and alcohol levels in California wine. It’s a difficult, multifaceted issue with intelligent and... Read more...
I was in Paso Robles last weekend for the Cabs of Distinction events (more on that soon). There I met up with Guillaume Fabre, production manager at L’Aventure winery where he’s worked since arriving... Read more...
Passport to Dry Creek Valley - Saturday and Sunday The biggest event this weekend is Passport to Dry Creek Valley. However, if you don't have tickets already you will need to hope for cancellations.... Read more...
The Taste of Oakville media and press tasting held at Robert Mondavi Winery on April 15 saw 47 producers of Oakville AVA pour current releases. Some Oakville wineries also poured library wines. I discussed... Read more...
I attended the 2013 Sonoma in the City (San Francisco) trade and media tasting on April 16. It was a three-hour long, walk around tasting. Every AVA in Sonoma County was represented and at least 130... Read more...
Santa Cruz Mountains Wineries Passport Day: Saturday, April 20 Taste wines from one of California’s best, but least known, wine regions. Visit wineries that are not normally open to the public. Complete... Read more...
People, especially Americans, put undo focus on some numbers. Every week news outlets tell us which movies had the biggest box office revenue. They don’t tell us what the films are about or if they’re... Read more...
Serving temperature has a big affect on how a wine smells, tastes and feels in your mouth. Even a very good wine can be awful at the wrong temperature. Improper storage temperature can also shorten... Read more...
2009 is the inaugural bottling of The Cornerstone, a best barrels blend of Cornerstone Cellars Bordeaux varieties. The intent is to produce a top-quality, age-worthy wine that is also a clear expression... Read more...
Laetitia Vineyard and Winery primarily produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wine from its estate vineyards in the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA. Their site is about 5 miles southeast of the town of... Read more...
The Lange family has been growing grapes in Lodi since 1916. They have expanded their land holdings and areas of involvement within the wine business substantially over the years. In 2006 they established... Read more...
Borra Vineyards is among the oldest and best wine producers in Lodi. Stephen Borra etablished the winery in 1975 on 30-acre Barbera and Carignane vineyard he purchased from his family in 1966. Borra acquired... Read more...
Wren Hop Vineyards is a small, Santa Rosa-based label operated by the father and son team of James McDonough and... James McDonough. The focus is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from top vineyards in the Russian... Read more...
The Soberanes Vineyard is the newest planting (2008) from the Garys (Pisoni and Franscioni) in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. It’s a long, rectangular 35-acre plot running on a slope immediately to the... Read more...
The 38-acre Sierra Mar vineyard, owned by Gary Franscioni, was planted in 2007. It’s up in the hills in the southern third of the AVA and includes Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viognier and the Hyde-clone Chardonnay... Read more...
Frostwatch is a small, family owned-and operated vineyard in Bennett Valley. They produce Chardonnay, a white Bordeaux-varietal blend called Kismet (which I’ve reviewed previously), Pinot Noir and Merlot... Read more...
Stuart Smith founded Smith-Madrone Winery in 1971. He still operates it with his brother, Charles. Together they make small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Riesling from steeply sloping,... Read more...
Voss Vineyards makes Sauvignon Blanc from a single, organically-farmed vineyard in the Yountville AVA. In past years, the wine has been made solely in stainless steel. In 2012, however, they experimented... Read more...
