We spent last weekend celebrating Earth Day in Paso Robles, in case you missed all my hints in the Dear Wine Friend e-newsletter. We started out with a lovely tour and overnight accommodations at the Creekside Bed and Breakfast formerly owned and operated by Per Cazo Cellars owners Dave and Lynne Teckman. From there we…
On behalf of the Paso Robles CAB Collective, I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend the CABs of Distinction Gala, April 26, 2014 at River Oaks Hot Springs, Paso Robles, CA. Explore the appellation’s most sought-after collection of Cabernet Sauvignon and red Bordeaux varietals, enjoy exclusive access to winemakers and savor…
Family Winemakers of California http://familywinemakers.org (FWC) is an organization dedicated to preserving the diversity of California wine and supporting family owned wineries. Anyone who produces wine commercially or who grows wine grapes can join, although membership is dominated by wineries with an annual production of less than 5,000 cases. These small wineries also get a…
CABs of Distinction Expands to Five-day Event The Paso Robles CAB (Cabernet and Bordeaux) Collective (PRCC) announced details for its second annual CABs of Distinction events, April 22 – 26, 2014. After the success of the inaugural CABs of Distinction event (launched last year to celebrate and promote Cabernet Sauvignon and red Bordeaux…
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 –…
Second Annual Sierra Pelona Valley Wine Festival http://www.sierrapelonavintners.com/ Do you know what an AVA is? It is the abbreviation for “American Viticultural Area”, which is an officially designated wine grape-growing region in the United States. Creation of a new AVA has to be approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the…
An interesting thing that happens at large wine events: camaraderie grows as wines are consumed, people tend to become chattier and want to share their discoveries of the day. So instead of just keeping track of what I was digging at the Family Winemakers Pasadena tasting, I listened to the buzz coming from Santa Clarita…
There’s a new local flavor in town. You don’t have to leave your home to try it. Comes in many varieties and styles. And it involves wine, of course. Lisa Madison is a beautiful blond. I wished she wasn’t. When I met her at Lee’s Wine Bistro last week to discuss her wine knowledge, interests…
DAOU Vineyards was next on our list of wineries that I had selected for Jordan and Natasha Siperstein. The DAOU staff welcomed us, as they do all of their guests, with open arms. Lisa Colwell (Assistant Tasting Room Manager) introduced herself and led us to a beautiful private tasting room that was set for a king. …
I woke up one morning to a message from friend and fellow Eve’s Wine 101 contributor Gregory Alonzo: “Hi Michael … Recently I have had several emails from European acquaintances who want to know more about our Zinfandel, especially those of higher alcohol content. As you probably know, California Zin is tough to find in…