Martinelli Winery
Longtime Sonoma County grape growers make fruit-forward wines with palpable restraint. The first Martinellis began growing grapes in Sonoma County in the 19th century, and some of the […]
Hurray for Oregon Chardonnay
Five wines speak eloquently in virtual tasting/seminar “Oregon Chardonnay: Shifting Perceptions of the Variety in the Willamette Valley.” Five months of researching the next edition of Fodor’s Napa
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Following the Oregon Wine Trail in California
Master class surveys Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, followed by a broader tasting including other varietals. I hit the Oregon Wine Trail on March 4th – albeit in SanFrancisco
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Tin City
Boutique wine, beer, and spirits makers’ passion and iconoclasm set the tone at welcoming Paso Robles light-industrial hangout. To experience the creativity and fervor of Paso Robles’ indie
Peju Winery Sets Lofty Goal
Rutherford tasting space’s art, setting, wine, and hospitality make for a memorable occasion. “To be the highlight of every guest’s visit to the Napa Valley” is the goal
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Napa Couple “Living the Dream” on Mt. Veeder
“Nothing prepares you for owning a winery,” laughs its winemaker, recalling three major catastrophes in Fontanella Family Winery’s first decade. A decade ago lawyer-turned-vintner Karen Fontanella and her
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California Petite Sirah I Really Do Love You
In the right hands this native French varietal makes lush, evocative wines. Petite Sirah pearls of wisdom flowed like the deep-purple wine itself during the summer 2019 P.S.
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Tablas Creek Vineyard
Rhône varietals are this Paso pioneer’s specialty. The visionary founders of Paso Robles’ 120-acre Tablas Creek Vineyard focused their attention on varietals native to southern France, particularly the
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Hotel San Luis Obispo
New boutique hotel charms guests with eco-friendly touches and minimalist style. During a recent stay at the Hotel San Luis Obispo, I wasn’t particularly pining for Healdsburg but
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Winery First Date Inspires Couple’s Foray into Winemaking
Can a California gal turned European supermodel find post-career bliss farming mountain grapes with her businessman husband? I posed this question in a just-published piece about Dos Lagos
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