The Wine Road podcast, subtitled the Wine When and Where of Northern Sonoma County, is an amazing source for interesting stories, curated daytrip itineraries, wine recommendations, and so much more.   Birth of a Podcast In 2016, when the Wine Road podcast started, there weren’t a lot of quality, professionally produced podcasts. But, Beth Costa, […]

Port style and Late Harvest wines have sweeter profiles than other wines. Port, is traditionally made with Portuguese grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz. Alcohol, usually grape brandy, is added during fermentation, which fortifies the wine. Late harvest wines are made from grapes high in brix/sugar content that are left […]

My husband and I love to cook, and are always scouting for new recipes, especially those that pair well with wine. But websites that don’t bombard you with pop-up ads and other annoyances are increasingly hard to find. However, I can recommend two terrific ad-free recipe resources: the Wine Road Podcast and the Wine Road […]

Chardonnay is planted widely around the world.  It’s sometimes called the chameleon grape given its propensity to display characteristics that reflect the particular climate and region where it’s grown. It can be coy or bold in personality and run the gamut stylistically from rich and creamy to lean and lithe. Hone your palate by tasting a […]

Pinot Noir is synonymous with Sonoma County as one of the flagship wines of the Russian River Valley region. Light bodied with moderate to high acidity gives Pinot Noir a structure that makes it eminently pair worthy with a wide range of foods. A cool climate grape, Pinot Noir can be finicky and difficult to […]

Widely planted and universally loved, Sauvignon Blanc is well known for it’s spiky, lively acidity. 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.  Zesty, zippy and zingy –Sauvignon Blanc has swing […]

Syrah, a Rhône varietal, is a medium bodied to full-bodied dry red wine. For many years Syrah was ignored by consumers, it struggled to find it’s place at the table and stylistically many Syrah’s were pushed to the far side of the jam jar. Today winemakers embrace the inherent wild nature of the grape and […]

A winter trip to Wine Country is the perfect cure for those post-holiday blues, and here are the top reasons you should plan your visit today! Far From the Maddening Crowd Tired of mobbed venues and too many people to deal with? You can find many uncrowded tasting rooms during the winter months along the […]

Chardonnay is one of the world’s most planted white grapes. Its many styles, from creamy to bright, oaked or unoaked , make it a versatile choice for a variety of pairings. Chardonnay is typically full to medium in body and acidity with low to no tannins. From bold and rich, to lean and lithe it’s […]

Widely planted around the world, Sauvignon Blanc has an array of styles from lean and bright, to juicy and plush. Sauvignon Blanc typically offers great aromatics and flavors that range from zesty citrus, to tart apple, to creamy peach and lean nectarine. Best bets for paring are briny oysters, Thai food, crab cakes, and goat […]