I know, I know. It was just a few weeks ago that I was saying that, in spite of my fondness for other varietals, my go-to grape is still, ultimately, Zinfandel. Well, somehow I am going to have to reconcile that with the results of what was possibly the finest group of wines that I…
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…
Admittedly, for me, the wine selection is the most important part of my evening [sometimes lunchtime] meal. With my penchant for BYOB, I’ve usually picked the wine well in advance of my entrée. Fortunately, I am convinced that my beloved Zinfandels and California Rhones go well with any cuisine. The only problem with this approach…
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:…