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 […]

Finding a Balance with Quivira Wines

    One of the key benefits of writing about wine is discovering family wineries that you wouldn’t find on your own. I was sent sample bottles from Quivira Vineyards, and I happily discovered a family of great wines – all under $30 – that delivered great quality for the price.         […]

Second Half 2020 Sample Roundup

      It’s sample time and I never knew what a challenge these would be in the time of COVID.  Usually, I invite friends over and pop open a few bottles, and, if my husband is in a cooking mode, then I get to use my pairing skills.  When the pandemic happened, the samples […]

Bibiana Gonzalez Rave and Jeff Pisoni: Power Couple in Wine

Power Couple in Wine

  Bibiana Gonzalez Rave and Jeff Pisoni, Courtesy of Alma de Cattleya   Bibiana Gonzalez Rave and Jeff Pisoni, the winemakers for Alma de Cattleya and Lucia Vineyards, are examples of a true power couple in wine. These two have been married since 2011 and talked about how they are dedicated to helping the other make better wine. […]

Fathers & Daughters Cellars: Generations of Fathers, Daughters and Wine

Father & Daughters Cellars

Sarah, Guy and Ella Pacurar   As a mom to a 14-year-old daughter, I love the special bond that she has with her dad.  There has been much discussion about the special relationships that happen between fathers and daughters. Lately that was highlighted with the #girldad hashtag that came about after ESPN Reporter Elle Duncan […]

Sixmilebridge Vineyard: The Second Chapter of Jim Moroney

Sixmilebridge vineyard

Sixmilebridge Vineyard: The Second Chapter of Jim Moroney   Jim Moroney, Proprietor Sixmilebridge Vineyard For forty years, Jim Moroney was a champion of free press and led Dallas’ only daily paper through a digital transformation. But as he told me, “When you work for a public company like A.H. Belo Corporation, you have a shelf […]

Talking Villa Maria Wines with Snooth and Winemaker Kathrin Jankowiec

New Zealand wines

New Zealand has been making wines since the 1850s, but the modern wine industry in New Zealand began in the mid-20th century and expanded rapidly in the early 21st century with the sustainable practices and modern winemaking techniques. Recently, I attended a Snooth virtual tasting with Co-Founder and Chief Taster Mark Angelillo from Snooth and […]