2019 Alexander Valley Vineyards Rosé of Sangiovese Any member of the California wine community can agree that the Wetzel family is part of the fabric of the Healdsburg and Alexander Valley wine, cultural and philanthropic worlds. Their Alexander Valley Vineyards was a family business from the start. And although the Alexander Valley Vineyards Rosé I’m […]
Wine of the Week: 2016 Brancaia TRE Toscana IGT, Tuscany Brancaia is an acclaimed Italian wine estate led by the philosophy: Resist the Usual. What does this mean? It refers to the winery’s determination to stick to the highest standards. And in the case of this week’s Wine of the Week, it also means offering […]
This Sonoma County version of the classic, Greek cucumber salad is my pick for an accompaniment to a meal of garlicky lamb and Pinot Noir. The base of a Tzatziki recipe is the aphrodisiac of cucumber.
Wine of the Week: 2018 Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford, Napa Valley Long Meadow Ranch is a multi-faceted operation with Napa Valley vineyards and the highly acclaimed Rutherford Estate. (Rutherford is a Napa Valley AVA known for world class Cabernet Sauvignon.) They also have a restaurant called The Farmstead where Napa residents and tourists […]
2018 Three Sticks Wines Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, CA The world as we know it has tilted a bit on its side and typical wine tastings, vineyard tours and food experiences are on hold until we are allowed to socialize in the world. For now, wine tasting or simply drinking is a private […]
The Wine Country way to cook chicken Vintner Allie Ketcham, proprietor of Ketcham Estate Winery in California’s Russian River Valley shared this easy chicken recipe with us. It’s her family recipe, inspired by one of her favorite restaurant dishes. This chicken in caper sauce is her version of the chicken paillard at Bistro Ralph, a […]
As I think about holiday gifting for the 2019 season, I am evacuated from my home in Healdsburg and just hoping and praying that all returns to normal soon. And although my intention was to simply give you a list of stocking stuffers and so forth, this whole experience has me thinking about gift-giving in […]
How to host a Sonoma wine salon For those not familiar with Sonoma County, it is a glorious wine region sandwiched between the Napa Valley and the Pacific Ocean. Sounds like a dreamy place, right? It is. But unlike the wine country of Napa, Sonoma County is an expansive, diverse agricultural region with multiple microclimates […]
The annual for people who love pigs and Pinot Noir In my recent story on the World of Pinot Noir event held every spring in Santa Barbara, I explained why Pinot Noir events are in a league of their own. It’s about the people. Pinot lovers are passionate people on a quest for knowledge about […]
