The joys of wine appreciation include checking out unusual or lesser-known varietals. This means varietals that aren’t the standard Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, etc. When wine tasting Along the Wine Road or elsewhere, I find most wineries have some of the standard classic varietals, but I’m seeing more lesser-known varietals […]
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 […]
Ready to venture out and enjoy wine tasting again? Please keep reading. They’re Open By the end of May, a few wineries had reopened their doors for tasters. Others needed more time to retool their tasting venues to accommodate social distancing. During the month of June, winery after winery reopened their doors with renewed enthusiasm. […]
The annual Wine Road Barrel Tasting is just days away, and attendees always seek the ultimate Barrel Tasting experience. Here are some tips to help you create that ultimate Barrel Tasting experience. Let’s Start with Some Details The focus is to taste newbie wines directly from the barrel before they are bottled, meet the winemakers […]
We love wine—how it tastes, how it smells, how it enhances a meal—yet we sometimes struggle with the question, What am I tasting? After a tasting weekend along the Wine Road, your work colleague asks you to describe your favorite wine. You know which wine was your favorite, but you can’t describe what you liked […]
Wine Road harvest tasting experiences can include more than just sipping wine. With harvest upon us, wineries are offering an array of experiences. How about going behind the scenes on a cellar tour to see the action of harvest first hand, or conduct your very own wine blending trials. Take an in-depth vineyard and cellar […]
Rhône wine varietals and blends have always been a favorite, so when more of these fruit-forward, food-friendly wines started being more readily available along the Wine Road, I was thrilled. What Are Rhône Wines? Rhône wines are made from grape varieties that originated in the Rhône region of Southern France. Some Rhône wines were being […]
Barrel Tasting along the Wine Road (March 2-4 & 9-11, 2018) offers wine lovers the opportunity to buy wine futures. Why bother to buy wine futures? So glad you asked. Background of Barrel Tasting & Wine Futures The Wine Road’s first Barrel Tasting was 41 years ago! Offering wine futures might not have been the […]
Even though Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir might be your favorite go-to wines, do you ever explore some of the lesser-known varietals? Trying new wines can be fun, exciting, and palate expanding. When I recently paired Mounts Grenache with juicy pork tenderloin rubbed with a spice blend, or deLorimier Malbec with skirt steak and […]
If you fly out of the Sonoma County Airport (STS), up to one case of wine flies free if you travel on Alaska Airlines. That is a screaming deal, folks. Wine Flies Free Here is how it works: Book a flight on Alaska Airlines into the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, located just north […]