Paying Tribute to Wente Vineyards- California’s First Family of Chardonnay #ChardonnayDay

The Livermore Valley is the wine region that is closest to my home.  It’s only 30 minutes away.  Given its proximity to where I live,  one might think I would be a frequent visitor.  But for various reasons that hasn’t been the case.  But when I do visit the Livermore Valley,  I always consider a visit…

Back To Back White Burgundy; Chablis vs Côte de Beaune #Winophiles

This month (and next!) the French Winophiles will be taking a virtual tour of Burgundy, the birthplace of two of the world’s most revered grapes – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir!  For May , I’m focusing on Chablis and Côte de Beaune .  I’ve chosen to focus on white Burgundy, which for the uninitiated are wines crafted…

An Awesome Judgment of Paris Inspired Blind Tasting #JOP40

The Pacific Point Wine Tasting Club (“PPWTC”) does a Judgment of Paris inspired blind tasting My wife and I founded the Pacific Point Wine Tasting Club in 2010.  Originally conceived as a neighborhood based wine tasting club, the club’s membership has grown dramatically. That’s primarily because friends of friends have joined the fun over the…

Chablis:The Spirit of Chardonnay – In The Glass And At The Table

I love minerally, acid-driven white wines. They are refreshing and delicious on their own, and a great companion for a wide variety of foods at the table. So, I was thrilled when I received four sample bottles of Chablis from Pure Chablis a couple of months back. About Chablis Pure Chablis is a trade organization that…

Top 25 IPOB San Francisco Tasting Favorites

Last week I attended the In Pursuit of Balance (“IPOB”) San Francisco consumer tasting held at City View at Metreon.  IPOB is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 to promote dialogue around the meaning of balance in California pinot noir and chardonnay. “This growing group of producers is seeking a different direction with their wines, both in the…

Wine of the Week;2008 Iron Horse Brut

Every Thursday I feature a wine I particularly enjoy, whether it’s something new and different, is a great value, or from a producer worth checking out.  For this week, my Wine Of The Week is the 2008 Iron Horse Vineyards Classic Vintage Brut. The Winery Iron Horse Vineyards is a small, independent, estate, family owned wineries located…

Wine of the Week: 2011 Thierry & Pascale Matrot Bourgogne Blanc

Every Thursday I feature a wine I particularly enjoy, whether it’s something new and different, is a great value, or from a producer worth checking out.  For this week, my Wine of the Week is the 2011 Thierry & Pascale Matrot Bourgogne Blanc. The Winery Domaine Matrot is one of the oldest estate-bottlers in Burgundy. It has been distributed in…

La Paulée Burgundy Week Tasting

Since I got into, as I call it, “the wine thing” about 10 years ago, I’ve sought out and tasted wines from the world’s major (and a few not so major) wine regions – France, Italy, Spain, California, Oregon, Washington, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Portugal, Greece, and even Croatia. All to varying…

TGIF Bubbly; J Cuvée 20 Brut

My wife and I usually make it a point to drink sparkling wine on a weekly basis.  It’s typically Friday night…thus “T.G.I.F. Bubbly”  It’s a celebration of sort, to the end of the work week. And hey we love bubbly…so why wait for a special occasion? This week’s selection is the J Vineyards and Winery…

Wine Pairing Recommendations For Global Street Food #SundaySupper

This week’s #SundaySupper theme is all about Global Street Food. You know – that ready-to-eat food served up at mobile street carts, food trucks, movable market stalls, and food parks. One of the things I love about living in the San Francisco Bay Area is its diversity.  It’s a (mostly) delightful, if sometimes quirky mash-up of…