The perfect food and wine pairing can make or break a meal, but how do you pull it off? Do you serve a new wine with each course? What if your guest wants to keep sipping what is in their glass, and you’re moving on to the next course and next wine? These aren’t major […]

A visit to a wine bar or wine shop can be daunting with what appear to be endless choices. You know you like red wine, but not all red wines. You’ve often wished there was a way to figure out what you like without randomly buying bottle after bottle until you find the wines you […]

Barbera Barbera: Prince of Darkness, Goddess of Light—well not exactly, but Barbera is characteristically dark in color and light in taste. It’s a fairy tale of red and black berry flavors with high acidity, relatively low tannins, and a spicy finish. A charming and quaffable Italian varietal, Barbera pairs well with braised meats and roasted […]

There are many reasons to attend this year’s Wine & Food Affair, but here are my top seven. If you don’t already have your tickets, get them ASAP. If you have your tickets, keep reading so you don’t miss the best parts of the Wine & Food Affair weekend. #1 – The Scenery No matter […]

I’m often asked by wine drinkers, what’s an AVA and why should I care? The short answer is AVAs can help you figure out what type of wine you like and how to find more with similar characteristics. But there is also a longer and more comprehensive answer. In honor of back-to-school and the love […]

Introduction  Orange wines aka skin-contact or amber wines are having a moment —an ongoing moment that started 8,000 years ago. Simply put, orange wines are white grape varieties made in the manner of red wines with extended contact on the skins, resulting in wines full of texture that are both elegant and complex as well […]

Wine lovers’ interest in alternative wine packages is rapidly growing. Putting wine in non-glass containers isn’t something new. Yet, premium quality wines in alternative packaging—especially environmentally friendly and recyclable packaging—haven’t always easy been to find. I wasn’t sure what I’d find as I explored the offerings along the Wine Road, but was pleasantly surprised at […]

  You can’t come to Sonoma and not taste Zinfandel. Well, you could but why would you? Especially since the area is one of the premier Zinfandel growing regions where the grape has been grown since the 1800’s. Zinfandel is a medium-bodied dry red wine with a range of dark fruit flavors that include raspberry, […]

The Wine Road just launched a new program available to folks who already love and talk about the Wine Road to become certified ambassadors. How cool is that! What Does It Mean? One definition of an ambassador is someone who is authorized to speak for or represent a government or organization. Think of a Wine […]

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the Noble Grapes noted for its high acidity and aromatics. Flavors range from lean, green and grassy; to creamy with notes of passion fruit and fleshy peach depending on climate and how the wine is aged be it in stainless steel or oak. Texture is the name of the game with […]