Last time we visited the grand Clos Pegase was…before I started writing about wine! Over ten years! Eddie, the husband, looked for photos…and lo and behold we were there February 6, 2004! Definitely overdue for a visit! And gotta hump that thumb again! Visiting Clos Pegase – Over A Decade Later This “need for a…
I’m a fan of The Farm Winery wines. In reading their latest newsletter it made me think: I find so many people either don’t know that winemaking isn’t all glamour and/or they really don’t think about or appreciate what work goes into every bottle. The latter is probably the most pervasive and is why I…
A Continuation of Abe Schoener’s [The Scholium Project]… A NEW LESSON IN THE MORAL NATURE OF WINEMAKING: LES JARDINS DES ESMÉRALDINS The Wines: Transcendental and somehow Historical at once When we taste, he is very eager for our impressions, our reactions. He watches our faces, especially our eyes, carefully. He is clearly proud of how…
A Continuation of Abe Schoener’s [The Scholium Project]… A NEW LESSON IN THE MORAL NATURE OF WINEMAKING: LES JARDINS DES ESMÉRALDINS Questions of Technique: the Beginning of Thinking The first bottle is a white wine from 2004. He makes only two wines, one red, one white. The white, 100% Chenin. Six years in barrel before…
I don’t know about you, but most of the time it seems that vintage doesn’t matter with California wines. Yes, there are slight variations but the overall high quality grapes and good winemaking tend to result in great wine every year. 2011 has seemed to be an exception. As I work my way through the…
Wine education is always a good thing, and when you have the opportunity to attend a class led by Tim Gaiser, renowned Master Sommelier and wine educator – even better. With only somewhat over 200 people in the world having obtained this designation, Tim’s vast wine knowledge and entertaining speaking style always make his presentations…
Last week in the SCV Beacon I shared all that I was expected to learn at my Level 1 Sake class awarded by Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). This week I want to share some of what I learned that I thought readers might enjoy: A small wine glass is “ideal for serving premium…
Toronto, Canada: Liz Palmer’s first book takes wine lovers to the heart of Champagne with the launch of The Ultimate Guide To Champagne. One of North America’s leading experts on Champagne, Liz Palmer wrote The Ultimate Guide To Champagne with a strong personal passion for Champagne and the region. This ground-breaking book has received critical…
I just had a very nice tasting with a female vintner new to me – and I bet new to most for making wine here and in Bordeaux? Really? Read on as all will be revealed after the tasting. Tasting RareCat 2014 Grenache Rose “Brigitte”, California (East Napa Valley, sourced near Davis) $24 With a…
What do 3 winemaking couples in Simi Valley have in common with 2 winemaking couples in Santa Clarita besides, of course, wine? Both have websites, belong to their local vintner’s association, a tasting room – or one very soon- and have met at the same crush pad in Paso Robles. Thousand Oaks via Paso Gary…