Tag Archives: California Wine

Two stunning (though not surprising) chardonnays

I cut my wine teeth when “ABC,” or anything but chardonnay, was all the rage. This was the golden era of buttery, oaky chards that cried out for “chicken in a cream sauce,” and I found myself gravitating more toward … Continue reading

Posted in Burgundy, California, Oregon | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Bedrock and Tablas Creek make gains for boxes and kegs

Two of my favorite California wineries made announcements this past week that should help push the needle further on alternative packaging for wine. On February 1, Morgan Twain-Peterson, co-owner of Bedrock Wine Co., announced on Instagram that Bedrock was releasing … Continue reading

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Grgich Hills celebrates 40 years in Napa Valley

Grgich Hills Estate celebrated its 40th anniversary this weekend. The winery was established by Mike Grgich and Austin Hills in 1977, and was Grgich’s breakout after the Judgment of Paris in 1976. That was the famous tasting in which the … Continue reading

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Fifty Years of American Winemaking, All in One Hour on October 29

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History is 50 years old this year. As part of the birthday celebrations, the museum’s food and wine history project will host a discussion of “Fifty Years of American Winemaking” on Wednesday, October … Continue reading

Posted in California, Local Wine, New York, Oregon, Wine | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

What’s Your Sign? Sun or Soil?

There are wines of the sun, wines of the soil, and wines of the test tube. I enjoy the first, love the second, and try to avoid the third. It’s not that simple, of course. Wine never is, or we … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, California, France, Wine | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Chicken in Cream Sauce

Dinner on Austrian Airlines made me think of California chardonnay. Not that I wanted any, as the fruity, simple zweigelt was fine, but the in-flight entree en route from Washington to Vienna was chicken in cream sauce and that always … Continue reading

Posted in California, Wine | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Hurricane Sandhi

For the record, hurricanes suck. Especially this one, named Sandy, though at this hour (8 pm ET Monday October 29) we haven’t seen the worst of her. After all, I still have power to write a blog post with. But … Continue reading

Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Rants, Too Much Alcohol!, Wine | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Touring Sonoma vineyards with Greg La Follette

During my visit to Sonoma County last month, I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon and evening with Greg La Follette, producer of acclaimed pinot noir and chardonnay from Sonoma and Mendocino counties. We trundled around the lower Sonoma … Continue reading

Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Terroir, Washington Post, Wine | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Let Red Car take you for a ride along the Sonoma Coast

When I hear winemakers and others in the trade speak favorably of a winery, I’ve learned to take notice. So when in the first hours of my visit to Sonoma County last month, I heard several people mention Red Car … Continue reading

Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Wine | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Hirsch Vineyards: Pinot Noir along the extreme Sonoma Coast

In Europe, winemakers are geologists, while in America they’re chemists. This generalization is as dangerous as any other, but it reflects an important difference in point of view between Old and New World winemaking. The distinction may be blurring, but … Continue reading

Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Wine | Tagged , , | 7 Comments