Cherry Pie Wine Brings Old World Style Highlighting California AVAs

  Cherry Pie Wines began with a vision of making Burgundian-style Pinot Noirs expressed by different iconic vineyards and AVAs throughout California. The vineyards are chosen specifically for their proximity to the ocean in places where the temperatures vary due to the fog and wind. Cherry Pie Wines looks to places like the Carneros region […]

The Magic of VML Winery

      The story of VML Winery began with a fourth-generation Italian winemaker who had a passion to make single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Sonoma Coast and the Russian River Valley because of its cool climate and ideal soils.   Virginia Marie Lambrix’s family has been making wine in the Veneto region […]

Special Wines of All Kinds Part Two

        As promised, I’m continuing to work through some of the higher-end, interesting, or special occasion samples that I’ve had the opportunity to taste. Today it’s a concentration of sample wines from California.   Sparkling         2019 Sonoma Cutrer Grand Brut Rosé – This blend of 70 percent Pinot […]

SIMI Winery: Tragedy to Triumph

SIMI Winery: Tragedy to Triumph

          SIMI Winery started with the hard work and persistence of two immigrant brothers.  But it continued due to the determination of one 18-year-old girl who would not let tragedy end her family’s legacy.         That legacy, shown in this anthology video, carried on for more than a century […]

Crab and Chardonnay = Utopia

Rabun

Crab and Chardonnay = Utopia     From blending sessions to vertical tastings to blind tastings, I’ve been blown away at the creativity of wineries since the pandemic began. Just when I thought I had seen almost everything, I was invited by Raeburn Winery to celebrate the kickoff of Dungeness Crab season.       […]

Seven Expressions of One Grape

Seven Expressions of One Grape

      Theresa Heredia, Winemaker of Gary Farrell Winery, Courtesy of Gary Farrell Winery   Pinot Noir is a grape that is not known for being easy.  As Natasha Hughes, MW, once said, “When Pinot producers get it right, the wines have it all: gorgeous aromatics, silky texture, bright acidity and supple tannins. What’s […]

Smith-Story Wine Cellars: Breaking The Mold In The Story of Wine

Smith-Story Wine Cellars

  Lord Sandwich from Smith-Story Wine Cellars poses with me, his loyal subject   It’s rare that I write a story of an untraditional winery.  Wineries aren’t crowdfunded.  Winery dogs are the norm.  They don’t become brand ambassadors with 72,500 Instagram followers, a label of their own and a charity of their own.  But, you […]