DISCLAIMER: Wine-Blog is a journal of my PR wine activities and learnings. 1) I occasionally write stories about wine clients, but don't charge them for that time. 2) All wine reviews originate from free samples, sent by PR people representing the brands. 3) Images are mostly mine, some are purchased, a few rare ones are […]

DISCLAIMER: Wine-Blog is a journal of my PR wine activities and learnings. 1) I occasionally write stories about wine clients, but don't charge them for that time. 2) All wine reviews originate from free samples, sent by PR people representing the brands. 3) Images are mostly mine, some are purchased, a few rare ones are […]

DISCLAIMER: Wine-Blog is a journal of my PR wine activities and learnings. 1) I occasionally write stories about wine clients, but don't charge them hours for that time. 2) Wine reviews (and trips) originate from free samples sent by PR people representing the brands. 3) Images are mostly mine, some are purchased; a few rare […]

Disclosure: Public Service Announcement From UC Davis, this is a reminder about the upcoming Current Issues in Vineyard Health course, offered by UC Davis Extension scheduled. It will be held on Tuesday, December 5. The course is lead byAs Dr. Deborah Golino, Director of Foundation Plant Services, and UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Depa...

DISCLAIMER: Wine-Blog is a journal of my PR wine activities and learnings. 1) I occasionally write stories about wine clients, but don't charge them hours for that time. 2) Wine reviews (and trips) originate from free samples sent by PR people representing the brands. 3) Images are either mostly mine, some are purchased; a few […]

Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc 2016, from Chile, which went down so darn easily, it's way too easy to enjoy, in a good way. It was this side of dangerous, because I had to remind myself that I was tasting, not sailing on a yacht in the Cowes Week Race. I did enjoy enough to get it […]

When I began to read about the Pedroncelli Winery's celebrations for their 90 year anniversary, I was thrown back in time, remembering when I first came to meet Julie Pedroncelli. It was in the early 90s, and I had begun Cat O'Wine Tales. (I was out photographing, for what would become a feature story in […]

Real story: When in Boston, I was a bit lost, so I asked a police offer, "How do I get to Harvard?" His answer, "Study haaad." How does anyone learn about wine? Well, if you spend 25 years in it, you'll have a great background in whatever companies that employ you. Or, you can just […]

Two Rieslings ~ Schloss Johannisberg Gelblack and Urbano by Nik Weis… Two very different, but equally delicious, Rieslings. Thus begins the season of thanks. And, I am so thankful that my wine journey has including Rieslings. Dry, off dry, I love them all, because they're so versatile and food friendly. Usually lower in alcohol, you […]...

I spent about 10 years enjoying the reading and studying that I did with astrology, beginning in the 60s.As  I wanted to know howAs Leon Pinkham could read my astrology chart via an ephemeris, and know so much about me in that reading; telling me things about myself, that I didn't even want to admit to […]

This bottle of wine has been worth saving, since it arrived in September. The 2016 Reserva Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile had Halloween written all over it, right? A reliably tasty wine from Casillero del Diablo, this is something you can bank on as a great value. I don't care what grape variety […]

What the 12-day, California wine country experience many of us just had: some were longer with more devastation, some were shorter, with minor problems. Bottom line: ask anyone involved in this perfect, epic fire storm, and they'll tell you that they've been traumatized. This is my own exhausting story. During that time, I didn't have […]...

In 1993, the Rutherford American Viticultural Area (AVA) was established. The Rutherford Dust Society was then established in 1994, by growers and vintners, to support a cohesive educational program going forward. Total acreage for the AVA is 6,840, while 4,371 acres are dedicated to vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon isAs the major planting, by 67 perc...

My recent blog post, entitled In Vino Duplicitas ~ The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger ExtraordinaireAs has signaled, evidently, that I now have an interest in wine auctions. And, I do for purely voyeuristic enjoyment. I've thought about going back and reading the book again, to create aAs "Most Wanted." list.As  (I think I will. […]...

Art and Wine Shine in Geyserville Geyserville is a very quiet, wine country community, for those who haven't discovered it yet. Visiting it guarantees that you'll encounter tourists meandering through the little Main Street, which brings you into and leaves town swiftly. At one with what they're doing, tourists enjoy walking between eateries and ta...

The Wine of the Week, from Juicy Tales, is the Gratien & Meyer Crémant de Loire. Exciting, tiny pink bubbles, from a winery that's been making wine for over 150 years. They have heritage, they have tradition, and they have this sparkling wine, which is way to easy to enjoy! I found it to be […]

Every year, I've heard about The Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation'sAs  wine classic. It's one I've never attended; however, I've heard glowing reports for a very long time. If I were anywhere near it, I'd be there! The wine classic is a 501 (C)(3), which means that it benefits local charities. This year is the […]...

In Vino Duplicitas ~ The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire, written by Peter Hellman… From the very start, it will suck you in and have you turning pages for more. Highly prolific author Peter Hellman has detailed the steps taken by the world's largest wine con man, ever. In the world of […]

Last fall, we moved to Geyserville. We hadn't thought of it as moving to a senior community; but, in some ways, it really is conducive to a more mature living location. I have gray hair coming in, so that qualifies, right? Before living here full time, Geyserville was a place to visit for a few […]

Shana Tova, to all of my Jewish family and friends! Raised as a Catholic child, religion was a great comfort to me; as an adult, the dogma became difficult. So, like many people during the 60s and 70s, the Beatles and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi were so intriguing that that culture introduced me to a new […]

Tailgate parties, the rage in parking lots… All I know is… when people are all drinking from cans and it's all about beer, just hand over the equal packaging opportunity in wine, thank you very much. And convenient: no wine openers needed or glass to lug around. And, according to Nielsen ratings 2016: U.S. sales […]

This is not a paid advertisement. It's the result of an incoming Email from Heringer Estates. I find this particularly useful, for seeing brix's rising levels in only one week, and what brix levels go with which varieties. Ready or not here they go! Whites, rosés, and reds are all briskly moving along. With last […]

Karibu in Swahili means welcome; so Welcome to Welcome… This is part of my current learning curve, as I prepare stories for Karibu Vineyard's new Web site. It's in the process of being developed: Lyla Moore has created the logo. Jose's creating the website, coding it, adding pictures, you know… You've all either built sites […]...

During this month of September, Concannon Vineyard will be celebrating for the entire month, due to their important Cabernet Sauvignon contributions, as it relates to California's wine history. It all began in the Livermore Valley, ladies and gentlemen. Cabernet Sauvignon Clones #7 and #8 originated in the United States at Concannon Vineyard…...

What a delicious wine blend of Malbec and Bonarda is this 2016 Santa Julia Tintillo. But then you might ask, "Isn't a lot of Malbec wine coming from Argentina?" To which I'd say, "Sure, but how many of them are also blended with Bonarda?" For the most part, gotcha, because you hear "Malbec" and not […]...

This book has been in my library ever since I was working with Concannon Vineyard. I was hired, because of my expertise with Petite Sirah. At that time, Concannon wanted the world to know that Concannon Vineyard was the first – ever – to varietally label Petite Sirah. I expanded my services to include everything […]

Rosé Wine,As by Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW ~ Let me start with the finish. Loved the book, read it to this very last statement on the back cover: If you're a beginner, Rosé Wine offers the ideal starting point, and it also serves as a great resource if you're an enthusiast looking to expand your horizons. Here's […]

Those of us who live in Sonoma wine country are familiar with Luther Burbank, if only because of our allergies. This is the place where Luther Burbank settled and went on to cross breed so many new plants that the pollen count is through the roof. Meanwhile, nearly everyone in the US has benefited from […]

My very first blog posting on December 29, 2005, this was my first wine blog topic. I'm doubling back 15 years later, and not much has changed, in terms of the questions surrounding this intriguing and exclusive wine grape variety. If you've been lucky to taste some spectacular ones, you're a rare palate in the […]

Who arrived in Sonoma County first to begin growing wine grape and making wines, for instance, is rarely discussed. This is perhaps because it was so fleeting, in the grand scheme of time. Yet, it's very important to note and not be left trailing into the sunset. If we forget history, and all that jazz… […]

I wish I had time to just take questions and answers, and be paid handsomely. I'd spend the rest of the day eating bonbons and writing kids' books. Alas, that extra time is spent answering a myriad of questions I never saw coming. Good ones, I'll give them that. I get a lot of really […]

What goes into the planting of a vineyard, by Hugh Hamilton of McLaren Vale, is worth our time. The planting of a vineyard is far from as simple as this video (below) makes it look. I got an Email from Hugh Hamilton Wines in the McLaren Vale of South Australia. Don't we just love how […]

Working with great winemakers is delightful. Just as the days when I was in rock radio, there were stars that I constantly rubbed shoulders with, now the stars are winemakers. When moving to California, I turned my attention to some quieter stars, who are all as equally as talented, but in a different science. Just […]

A Red and a White, under Blue skies… What more can we ask of summer? Good wine, you say? Yeah, I'm with you on that one. RED: 2016 Reserva Casillero del Diablo Merlot WHITE: 2016 Reserva Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay Under blue skies…   2016 Reserva Casillero del Diablo Merlot, Chile A classic, New World-styled […]

To get it all into context, as I continue to learn and put it into perspective… Napa County, Napa Valley, City of Napa, and Atlas Peak… (in descending order of acreage) There's a lot of history there, that's very important. The reason is the setting up of five mountainous AVAs. So, anyone in this AVA […]

Do we really think the Russians haven't been here before, claiming some of the United States for themselves? If we don't think so, we need to re-think (or remember) that ASAP. Who arrived in Sonoma County first to begin growing wine grape and making wines, for instance, is rarely discussed. This is perhaps because it […]

Having been in radio, and knowing that if you're playing someone's music in your tasting room, you need to be paying for it. I'm going to share what I just got from Jim Trezise of WineAmerica.org. Next Step on Music Licensing: AAs BillAs  Just yesterdayAs a bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress that would help alleviate some […]...

As we finish our summer in July, August, and early September, here is a spalshingly refreshing, white wine for those lingering pool parties and trips to the beaches… Right out of the gate, let me say this 2016 Ferraton Père & Fils Côtes du Rhône Samorëns Blanc just knocked me out with its gorgeous flavors. […]

Just can't get enough of this one, as I watch people struggle all the time, including nervous waitservers. Why is pulling out a cork so darn intimidating? Because very few of us in our American culture were raised on wine, so we don't know how darned easy it is. As we're on stage when it's […]

[Image above is from the SevenFifty Daily Website.] On July 17, 2017, SevenFifty Technologies, Inc., the online platform for the beverage alcohol trade, launched SevenFifty Daily, a new online magazine, covering the business and culture of drinks. SevenFifty Daily is definitely on my radar screen. Editor in Chief Erica Duecy has created a Platform ...

Everyone loves to call Napa the Disneyland of Wine for adults. In many regards, it is.As  Now, if you love Disney… on top of that… take it to the next level. I don't know how many times I had passed the Silverado Vineyards winery sign… too many to count, that's for sure… but I never […]

2016 Trivento Argentina White Orchid Reserve Torrentes Mendoza, Argentina + blueberries! Yeah, blueberries… When I tasted this luscious wine, we had just purchased some blueberries from the farmers' market. They were just sitting on the counter, where I was tasting. After I had professionally tasted the wine, thinking I was finished, with hun...

Each year I enjoy putting a list together of the best wine and food books I read throughout the year, and recommend them for the holidays. Since I have a great collection – already – for 2017, I thought I'd share for summer reading. We've still got six weeks to go. So, sit back, glass […]

I love to laugh. It's good for disposition of mind, body, and soul. And, I love anyone who can make me laugh… Jennifer Todryk is just such a person. I was asked if I would review her newly released book, W(h)ine ~ 50 Perfect wines to Pair with your child's ROTTEN behavior. At first, I […]

The Art of Portuguese Tiles A great joy was visiting Portugal, a few years ago. That visit has stayed with me, in every aspect to this very day. Enoforum Wines, with Delfim Costa, Luis Rui, and Isabel Ramos led me to the alter of Portuguese wine. It happened not just by having me taste and […]

[Image to right: Monique Soltani holding the 2013 Tres Sabores Cabernet Sauvignon, which she watched from vine to wine, to wine the glass!] I asked the members of PS I Love You – on a first come, first served basis, "Who would like to work with a media person (Monique Soltani, but they didn't know […]

Posting from a press release… This isn't in the future, anymore. It's our present, and I endorse the health benefits of marijuana. All images have been borrowed from The Herbal Chef, Christopher Sayegh‘s Instagram page. (I've only edited the following, as I use the Gregg Reference Manual, in my writing.) CANNABIS CUISINE, A CEREBRAL EXP...

Amarone della Valpolicella is the long of it; Amarone is the short version. It's an Italian, dry red wine that's typically rich in flavor. "Amarone," in Italian, translates to "the Great Bitter." This is to distinguish it from Recioto, which is produced in the same region. Passito ~ This is a generic term for wine […]...

As the Ron Rubin Winery's PR person, I got to work on this really amazing, philanthropic story for Ron Rubin. Since I worked in collaboration with U.C. Davis, I'm just going to share it in its entirety. Ron Rubin's 40-Year Dream has now evolved into 6+ years of giving back to his wine community. This […]