What a night at Grape of the Night (GOTN)! As always, my favorite group of people tantalized our palates with unique Cabernet Sauvignons from Paso Robles. Yes, we all know the reputation of the heavy hitters from Napa and Sonoma such as Screaming Eagle, Caymus, Phelps Insignia, etc. However, during my last visit to Paso,…
Grilled Lamb Chops with Pan-Roasted Grapes and Zinfandel Courtesy of Chef Ian McPhee of McPhee’s Grill Templeton (find this and other recipes at http://www.pasowine.com/) Serves four I like to serve these chops with creamy goat cheese mashed potatoes. Just make your favorite mashed potatoes and stir in some fresh goat cheese. Yep, that simple. 8 lamb loin…
Paso Robles and Santa Barbara garner plenty of attention when it comes to wine, but insiders know the Arroyo Grande Valley as an up-and-coming hot spot that tourists often miss. Equal parts down-home charm and polished sophistication, the Arroyo Grande Valley Wine Trail is a fantastic getaway for anyone seeking a change of pace…and some…
The 27th Annual Ojai Wine Festival www.ojaiwinefestival.com Wow. Hard to believe this festival has been around 27 years and we had yet to attend it. It was time to remedy that. In less than an hour and a half from leaving the Santa Clarita Valley we were at beautiful Lake Casitas in the Ojai Valley. …
In this, the eighth annual LA WineFest to hit the historical Raleigh Studios the first weekend in June, my husband had this comment, “Joel’s doing a great job of introducing wine to the hipsters.” The “Joel” is Dr. Joel Fisher, the founder of the event, and he continues to find new wines and spirits every…
Does anyone remember this? Years ago, long before I had started writing about wine but had definitely developed a passion for it, I recall reading something disturbing in a leading wine magazine. The author of the article wrote something to the effect that Zinfandel would never be capable of producing a wine that would elicit…
As you already know, a cult rosè craze has been going on for the past 5 years over sophisticated European style rosè. Cypher Winery and more than 20 of the top rosè producers in Paso Robles would like to personally invite you to a grand tasting of the best European style rosè in our AVA….
Even though my actual career is writing about wine and spirits and consulting for wine based businesses and events, it seems that I’ve been organizing and hosting a lot more charity wine events than usual.And there is always one winery that has supported all of the non-profit events when asked by me, or by others:…
Picture this scenario: You are in a college classroom, for the first time or later in life as a returning student. Now a step further, at your seating place sit six wine glasses each holding approximately an ounce of Petite Sirah. Yes, that inky, almost black, rich red wine that can turn your teeth purple…
Day two of the Cab Collective began with a seminar and tasting moderated by Steve Heimoff, the West Coast Editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Panelists included Gary Eberle, owner/enologist, Eberle Winery; Scott Shirley, winemaker, Justin; Kevin Willenborg, winemaker, Vina Robles; Steve Peck, winemaker, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines; David Galzignato, winemaker, Jada Vineyard & Winery;…