BIG SUR, CA – The Big Sur Foragers Festival announces its Grand Celebrity Chef Dinner at Ventana Inn & Spa. The “Foragers Dinner” at the Restaurant at Ventana will be held Saturday, January 17th, 2015 beginning at 6:00 pm. The multi-course dinner, destined to be a memorable feast paired with an incredible wine selection, costs $175.00 per person….
Martinelli Winery http://www.martinelliwinery.com/ More than three years ago, my wife Karen and I were having dinner at Marche Bacchus, one of our favorite restaurants in Las Vegas when we made the acquaintance of fellow diner and consummate wine expert Rick Fraga. Since that meeting, we have become good friends and have always marveled at Rick’s…
Last Sunday I attended the 1st Annual Pinot Days Southern California at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica airport. Forcing myself out of my comfort zone I went over the hill for a tasting from over 85 producers. Organizers Steve and Lisa Rigisch had one goal: To educate people about Pinot Noir. About the Pinot…
The Scholium Project http://scholiumwines.com/ The last time [and first time] I met Abe Schoener and his minions, it was in Los Angeles and he was discussing the great overriding importance of the husbandry of microbes in winemaking and how the microscopic critters at his winery The Scholium Project are essentially left alone to do their…
In the spirit of the holidays this week’s column will tackle such questions put forth as: Is it truly fair to pour the Good wine to those that know and the Bad to those that don’t? Which category does Nouveau Beaujolais appear in? And, finally, how can you get through the holidays without taking the…
Ravenswood http://www.ravenswoodwinery.com/ Long ago, before the internet took over all our lives, I became a fan of Zinfandel. At the time, it was always a good bet to look for the three Rs of Zinfandel. What? You say there’s no R in Zinfandel? You’re not looking closely enough. If you bring your face closer to…
Santa Rosa, Calif. – The cover feature for the November-December 2014 issue of Vineyard & Winery Management (V&WM) magazine, a bimonthly trade publication covering the North American wine industry, recognizes the “20 Most Admired Winemakers in North America.” Last year the magazine featured admirable people from many different aspects of the wine industry. The 2014…
Collier Falls http://www.collierfalls.com/ A recurring theme during our recent visit to Sonoma was the early and quick harvest. Typically, with our visit happening in early October, there would have been plenty of grapes still on the vines. Not so this year. But, that didn’t make our hour-plus ATV vineyard tour with Barry Collier at Collier…
Driving on Creston Road through Creston we caught a glimpse of a sign as we flew past that said B&E Vineyard. It was unanimous by all to turn around and check out this winery that none of us were familiar with. Driving up to the tasting room you can see their beautiful vineyards as you…
COMSTOCK WINES http://comstockwines.com/ One of the many benefits of spending a day visiting wineries with Martinelli Winery wine educator Rick Fraga is that conversations with personnel from other wineries inevitably turn to business topics, especially, in this case, harvest. [Okay, they also talk about parties, but that’s a story for another day.] By all accounts…