Everyone deserves a delicious cocktail this holiday! Here are our top picks for festive spirits this season!
Understanding Rioja is as easy as one, two, three. 1) There are three wine-growing regions—Rioja Alta, Alavesa, and Rioja Baja; three types of wine—white or “blanco,” rosé or “rosado,” and red or “...
Naoussa Appellation, Macedonia, Greece
Greece is home to some of the world’s most interesting grape varieties, yet the wines they produce have never received much fanfare. Even visitors to the country may not venture beyond a simple loc...
France and the Wines of Bordeaux
France and the Wines of Bordeaux Winemakers around the globe look to France as the benchmark; Burgundy for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Rhone Valley for Syrah, Bordeaux for Cabernet Sauvigno...
Spain's Private Vintner's Club - Grandes Pagos de Espana
Spain's Private Vintner's Club - Grandes Pagos de Espana Finca Sandoval owner and journalist Victor de la Serna and Carlos Falcó Fernandez de Córdova, Marquis de Griñon, presented a selection of tw...
Why Sommeliers Love Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a favorite of sommeliers and winemakers alike. This noble red variety from France's Burgundy region makes an intensely flavored, complex, high acid wine with incredible longevity, but...
After New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day is the second worse night to dine out. Expectations are high, menus are fixed, everyone is rushed and stressed, and overall quality of food and experience is ...
The word “sommelier”, or wine waiter, may have stemmed from the old French words “sommerier”, “somier”, and “bête de somme”. In this old French language, a “bête de somme” was a “beast of burden” a...
ZinFest Wine and Cheese Pairing
Part of the bounty of Northern California is its plethora of artisanal cheeses, which are featured proudly alongside the traditional European choices in shops and farmer’s markets. You might see th...
Mineral Waters to Improve Mineral Perception in Wine
One of the more confounding elements in wine is minerality. Even in the more comprehensive, advanced-level wine tasting classes I often see blank stares when it comes to this topic.
Champagne Bureau Tasting – San Francisco
The Champagne Bureau’s annual trade tasting took place October 21, 2014 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco’s Union Square. With 37 brands represented, it was important to get there early an...
74th DOCG Granted – Italy Celebrates a Serious Barbera
After a frenzy of new DOCG’s, many of them granted for less than serious wines in less than serious styles (think sweet, red and sparkling), Italy’s 74th DOCG, or Denominazione di Origine Controll...
The History & Future of Wine in Livermore Valley
Livermore Valley was once one of California’s prime sources of grapes. In 1882, Charles Wetmore planted cuttings of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from Chateau d’Yquem in his Cresta Blanca Vineyard.
Manton Valley Approved as Tehama County’s 1st AVA
Leland Stanford planted vineyards at Vina in Tehama County in the mid 1800’s, but it wasn’t until August 1, 2014 that the area was recognized as an official American viticultural area. The new AVA,...
Strada del Sagrantino, San Francisco
For lovers of Umbrian wines, the Sagrantino Umbrian Essence event, held on June 10th at San Francisco’s The Press Club, was a rare treat. Eight producers were on hand to showcase their wines, with ...
Sicily’s Noble Red – Nero d’Avola
Dating from early Greek settlements here, Nero d’Avola is one of Italy’s top five grapes and the most noble of Sicily. It is still known as Calabrese, meaning “from Calabria”, or possibly even de...
2012 Vintage Challenging in Burgundy
Temperatures rose quickly in the tent at the Hotel Vitale’s Americano Restaurant last month, and not just because of the unseasonably warm San Francisco weather. Women were swooning over the charmi...
I can hear a soulful Edith Piaf lamenting, “Mon Dieu”. With the French Paradox we learned that drinking wine in moderation, with even a rich meal, may be beneficial to our health and lower chances ...
Have you tasted that amazing 98-point Cabernet from NextNewWinery? It was featured in Wine Speculator and Bob Park’s Wine No-Advertising.
On September 17th and again a week later, several of Chile’s prime agricultural zones were hit with severe frost, the worst in decades. The world will enjoy less of Chile’s fruit and wine as a result.
Champagne is going green. The CIVC has approved a new bottle (2 oz total weight) reducing the region’s CO2 output by 8,000 metric tons.
Cava is always a bargain, but the elegant, lemony and slightly yeasty Anna de Cordoniu Cava Brut nv $15 is especially a good deal. Ideal for showcasing delicate seafood and shellfish dishes, it als...
Fall Release Report – Southern Italy
From the hot, dry, challenging 2012 vintage across Italy’s south and islands, look for success stories including the 2012 Cusamano Benuara Sicilia IGT $18, Nero d’Avola with 30% Syrah, a nice cross...
Fall Release Report – Northern California
Toast to another great year with the tart strawberry, lemon peel, and Campari-esque nv Scharffenberger Brut Rosé Excellence Mendocino County $18. Despite unusually cool weather throughout much of t...