LOMPOC, CA – Tucked between the Santa Rosa and Purisima Hills in western Santa Barbara County, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) is a world-class wine-growing region renowned for its cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Just minutes from downtown Lompoc, this unique valley offers visitors an immersive experience where maritime breezes, diverse soils, and passionate…
You may recall that a couple of days before our visit to Ridge Lytton Springs, Joel Peterson of Once & Future Wines had opened a bottle for us of the Ravenswood Belloni Zinfandel from 1993. Much to our surprise, Shauna shared barrel samples with us of the 2024 Belloni Zinfandel. Quite the coincidence! Even in…
Organized together with The SOMM Journal, the three-day intensive immersion allowed a selected group of trade to explore the potential of High Valley AVA through in-depth seminars and extensive comparative tastings of volcanic wines CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif., /PRNewswire/ — April 13th marked the successful launch of Brassfield Estate Winery High Valley Volcano Camp’s first edition. Organized by the winery in…
A Peruvian Culinary Journey Launching June 4, 2025 Photo credit: Sakhon Nhek Founded in 1987, in the Carneros appellation of Northern California by the Champagne Taittinger family, Domaine Carneros is a grower producer of ultra-premium sparkling wines and limited production pinot noirs. Domaine Carneros has become the benchmark for California sparkling wine, reflecting both the…
Finishing touring the Bedrock Vineyard, our glasses were now empty and we were getting thirsty again and perhaps a little hungry as well. We were ready to head back to the tent to enjoy the rest of our tasting as well as the delicious cheese, fruit and meat platter to accompany it that Aiste had…
(Photo Left to Right: Aiste Ballou, Chris Cottrell, Emily Rasmussen, Joel Peterson) Our visit with Mike and Kendall Officer of Carlisle Winery was only the start of our informal Historic Vineyard Tour. Emily Rasmussen is the Executive Director of the Historic Vineyard Society and is in addition co-owner of Desire Line Wines Co. with her…
This week my wine column is dedicated to hand-picked wine-centric events in both Southern and Northern California. I emailed my contacts from LearnAboutWine.com and LocalWineEvents.com for their best upcoming events and added in why they are trip-worthy for you: From LearnAboutWine.com Here are three great events from founder and CEO Ian Blackburn that I’ve enjoyed…
Driving from our base in Hopland (more about that in our next article) to Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in the Anderson Valley, it became evident that Mendocino County is not your typical wine country. Taking the winding roads to the small town of Philo provided a breathtaking scenic experience of beautifully forested mountain driving. The Greenwood…
October 22, 2024 – Domaine Carneros, grower producer of ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wine and limited production pinot noirs, announces the unveiling of one of wine country’s swankiest new venues, the Salon des Rêves. Imagined as a speakeasy style lounge where locals and visitors can experience luxury offerings of oysters, caviar, ceviche and tinned fish, in addition…
Boutique Paso Robles winery expands tasting room and culinary pairings (Paso Robles, CA) – Anita and Varinder Sahi, proprietors and winemaker of Copia Vineyards and Winery, invite guests to embark on an exquisite sensory journey with Copia’s signature wine flight with optional seasonal curated small bite pairings in their new location in the Adelaida Vineyard District…
