It’s been a few months since I visited the Livermore Valley Wine Country on a pre-excursion to the 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC), but my memory has not faded at the impressive wines being churned out by this little known region. With its close location to the San Francisco Bay Area where I live, it’s
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Obligatory disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of A Perfect Score to read for this post. Released in September by Center Street, A Perfect Score ($26; 207 pgs.) tells the story of the founding and growth of the HALL and WALT wineries from the intertwined perspectives of its two founders, Craig and Kathryn Hall.
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Obligatory disclaimer: Everything consumed during this visit to Bella Grace Vineyards was free to me, including the companionship. The Havill Family In August, I accepted an invitation from the Dallas Wine Chick to join in on a day trip to Amador County’s Bella Grace Vineyards along with a handful of other wine bloggers. Our group
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Which Pinot Noir Region Marks the Spot? Pinot noir isn’t a favorite wine varietal of mine, but since I moved back to California in 2013, I’ve been intrigued by how pinot noirs of different winegrowing regions can be markedly different here. The grape is typically used to produce light-bodied, low tannin wines with light fruit.
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Last week, I posted Part 1 of this two-part series on the most memorable wines from the 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC), based in Lodi. I also participated in the Livermore Valley pre-excursion, so those wines crop up here. And they crop up on Instagram, where I first posted this picture from our Concannon dinner:
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This was my third year attending the Wines Bloggers Conference (WBC), and I feel like I’m getting the hang of the endless wine sampling challenge that it is — three to four days full of it, if you add an excursion! I’m still forgetting hair ties to assist with the spitting, though. Maybe I need
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Justice Grace Vineyards Shoe Shine Petite Sirah 2011 North Coast, California I met Eric Cohen, winemaker and owner of Justice Grace Vineyards, in May at a cheese-tasting event at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. His passion was obvious, but not just for wine. He’s most passionate about using his wine to promote social
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Extremely Rare Rare Red 2012 Black Blend Central CA I can’t lie, I think the name of this wine is hilariously death metal. Throw a few more adjectives in there, and it’d also be its own thesaurus. Although I’ve reviewed wines from the Scotto Cellars portfolio before, I have to admit to apprehension at that
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Two weekends ago, I checked out Urban Vines, an annual Oakland wine festival that highlights African American winemakers, a markedly underrepresented group. Its theme is “A Toast to Diversity,” and the event was founded by Sip & Swirl, an event planning company that specializes in urban-based wine, food, and travel. It’s also held in Chicago.
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Scotto Cellars is a family-owned winemaking company based in California with vineyards in Amador County, Lodi, and Napa Valley. I received sample bottles of two wines in their Heavyweight line: the petite sirah and the cabernet sauvignon, both sourced from the greater Central Valley. Obligatory disclaimer: Sample means these wines were free to me, but
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