Oh, that elusive reference wine drinkers make to “terroir” sets my wine 101 readers to wonder…what the heck is this person trying to say with that one word? Short answer: Everything that went into getting that grape to become that wine. According to the Oxford Dictionary, terroir is “The complete natural environment in which a…
My husband Eddie and I spending a day wine tasting in Santa Clarita (SCV) is not news. But wine tasting at two different vineyards within ten minutes of our house in SCV is. Chris and Jeannie Carpenter of Newhall have a cellar I have long coveted. Free standing and temperature controlled, with an attached sitting…
It’s been hit or miss for me to meet with L’Aventure winemaker/owner Stephan Asseo. Met him at a tasting event once and then missed him at his winery the next time. So when day #3 of the Paso Cab Collective ended and I got a text from writer Michael Cervin inviting me to come along…
Dating back to antiquity, most of what is now the Republic of Macedonia was known as the Kingdom of Paeonia. The peoples who inhabited these lands were primarily of Thracian stock. In 356 BCE, Phillip ll of Macedon took control of Paeonia. Under his reign, King Phillip not only brought in Greek culture, the tradition…
The Vineyard Team is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving resources and promoting sustainable farming practices. Their Mission Statement: “The Vineyard Team will identify and promote the most environmentally safe, viticulturally and economically sustainable farming methods, while maintaining or improving quality and flavor of wine grapes. The Team will be a model for wine grape…
Last Friday night we let our 14 year-old daughter terrorize the mall with her friends from 5-6pm. We figured one hour was not enough time for Paul Blart mall cop to drag them by their heels over to us at the wine bar. (Thrilling being a parent in SCV isn’t it?) Anyway we settled in…
I belong to a group known as the Century Club. In order to be a member of this most unique group, one must meet the requirement of having sampled a minimum of 100 grape varietals. Now that is varietals, not wines. When you think about it, many people who enjoy wine seldom get beyond the…
We played a game the other day in the Pulchella Tasting Room. Winemaker Steve Lemley removed his tasting notes and we spent nearly two hours talking winemaking practices, the effects of the past 2010 and 2011 cold Paso years and that these wines we were to taste were from the “2012 No Excuses” vintage –…
Last week a much-needed rain storm pummeled Santa Clarita, but the day of the much-anticipated Opolo Wine Pairing Dinner at Salt Creek Valencia, it was a beautiful day. And the patio at Salt Creek screams out for events! Perfect for a group of, I don’t know, maybe 60, to mingle, hear a speaker, have their…
To those that know me it is no secret that I am in love with Paso Robles. Yes, I still collect wines from France and Italy but Paso is growing to become a second Napa Valley in my opinion. This area has a wide variety of wines to select from over 300 vineyards producing many…
