Napa Valley Wines
Pine Ridge Vineyards 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Loyal readers, you are in for a treat: a review of a wine from the U.S.! I kid (a little). The truth is, with the six month stay in Argentina and this three month trek in Italy, I have (obviously) focused on wines from the regions I have been exploring. But before I was a … Continue reading
Variety Focus: Merlot
It may have been dissed in the wine movie “Sideways” and received a lot of scrutiny shortly thereafter, but Merlot is actually an incredibly popular grape: along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Merlot is one of the primary grapes in Bordeaux wine. Its dark color and smooth tannins add complexity to … Continue reading
History of wine in the U.S.
In his book “The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American Wines”, published in 1866, winemaker George Husmann states: I firmly believe that this continent is destined to be the greatest wine-producing country in the world; and that the time is not far distant when wine, the most wholesome and purest of all … Continue reading
Book Review: “A Very Good Year” by Mike Weiss
An expose on the relationships between the people behind a winery? We’re in. In “A Very Good Year: The Journey of a California Wine from Vine to Table”, San Francisco Chronicle journalist Mike Weiss spends one year of his life following winery Ferrari Carano as owners Don and Rhonda Carano, vineyard manager Steve Domenchelli, winemaker … Continue reading
Giving back: Napa Valley’s V. Sattui and the Adopt-A-School program
It is so good to hear of companies giving back to their community, especially when it is a company that is already dear to your heart. We recently learned that one of our favorite Napa Valley wineries, V. Sattui, has teamed up with an Adopt-A-Schoo program to provide sixth grade students with a unique look … Continue reading
Book Review: "The Wine Bible" by Karen MacNeil
There could not be a more appropriate name for the book which I consider to be the leader in wine literature. Wine buffs and beginners alike will learn a fascinating thing or two from Mrs. MacNeil, who spent ten years penning the book that changed the wine world. If you are a bit of a … Continue reading
Wine 101: The Basics of Major Varietals and Wine Regions
Welcome to the beginning of my favorite section of this blog: Wine 101. Each post will be dedicated to wine education: from general descriptors to notes on regions, wine making practices, wine terms… a little bit of everything to aid you in learning more about the fascinating world of wine. We are beginning with a … Continue reading