California's Wine Regions, Terrior, Day Trips, Wine Tasting
In California’s world of wine there are two competing camps sprouting up from Temecula to Paso Robles to Napa. The first camp of wineries are estates, places where you can … Continue Reading Rising California Winemakers Eschew Estates For Industrial Space
Somewhere, somehow, you’ve come across a Michael David Wine. You’ll find this California wine in Costco, Total Wine, BevMo and other big box emporiums. They favor names like Freak Show, … Continue Reading Misfits & Mavens of Lodi’s California Wine Show Off Zins, Syrahs & Barberas
California wine is found in many isolated areas. Like Harmony Cellars right off California’s infamous Highway 1. Sitting west of Paso Robles this coastal town named Harmony hosts a total … Continue Reading California Wine On Highway 1 – PCH (Pacific Coast Highway)
California wine regions were pummeled by wild weather spouting atmospheric rivers drenching us in the winter of 2022-2023. The big question all year has been, ‘What affect will that water … Continue Reading Water Into California Wine: Is This 2023 Vintage the Best Of The Decade?
When a porous cork enclosure is the only thing blocking oxygen from your California wine there’s plenty of room for failure. As one winemaker said to us several years back, … Continue Reading Screw Caps Vs Cork In California Wine Bottles: Which Works Best?
California wine tasting rooms in Sonoma, Napa, Monterey, Lodi and Paso Robles continue proliferating in downtown city centers or in clusters of industrial areas like Lompoc’s Wine Ghetto or Paso’s … Continue Reading Downtown Wine Tasting: It’s Not Your Parents’ Wine Tasting Style
Alcohol is such an important taste component of California Wine that you wonder what it could possibly taste like with out it. We took a test drive of an ‘Alcohol … Continue Reading Will Alcohol Removed Wine Satisfy an Oenophile’s Palate?
The cost of tasting an estate California bottle of wine has escalated since the pandemic altered our lives (just one more inflation hit.) There are a few ways to mitigate … Continue Reading Cutting the Cost of Estate Wine Tasting With Regional Winery Passports
You love the California wine you just tasted and your host is dangling this offer, ‘We’ll waive today’s tasting fee if you join our club, today.’ A friend of ours … Continue Reading Wine Club Pros & Cons: Do I Really Want You To Ship All That Wine To Me? Part 2
Sitting in a winery reading a sign, “Let’s Make Pour Decisions,” I decided, why not. Pour me some Viognier, the white wine for red wine lovers. Dono del Cielo Vineyard … Continue Reading California Gold Country Zinfandels, Chardonnays & Petite Sirahs
Paso Robles locals have a love/hate relationship with Justin Vineyards & Winery. Some Paso locals swear at Justin while some locals swear by this vintner perched in the foothills west … Continue Reading A Central Coast Love/Hate Story With Justin Winery
29 bottles of wine on the wall. Six styles of port on the wall and a very tasty Syrah on tap. You’ll find all these at Hart2Hart Vineyard & Winery … Continue Reading California Gold Country: 29 Bottles of Wine on the Wall
Wine clubs are curious things. You might love a particular wine so they give you a 20% discount, they’ll ship wine to you and offer complementary tastings while visiting (including … Continue Reading Wine Club Pros & Cons: Do I Really Want You To Ship All That Wine To Me? Part 1
Would you go to Christmas dinner without a bottle of wine to share? If you are a reader of these columns, of course you would bring a bottle! Bringing a … Continue Reading This Holiday Sample Wines Your Family Brings In a Blind Tasting
Pour a young tannic Cabernet through Haley’s Corker and you’ll strip out all the harsh tannins. Pour a buttery Chardonnay through Haley’s Corker and you’ll strip out the butter. So … Continue Reading Haley’s Corker & the Aeration of California Wine
Full disclosure here, we’re not big fans of dry Italian varietals. But if you like dry Italian wine you’ll love Bella Luna Estate Winery in Templeton (South of Paso Robles.) … Continue Reading Italian Wine on the Dry Side Cooled by the Templeton Gap