Wine of the Day: 2015 Markus Wine Co. Zietlos Red Blend

This is an alluring, suave, and harmonious wine that is emblematic of outstanding wines being crafted in the Lodi AVA This wine is a  predominately a blend of Syrah and Viognier  from the Borra Vineyards Gill Creek Ranch that were picked on the same day and co-fermented in the Northern Rhône tradition.  Old vine Carignan  and Petite Sirah from the…

Wine of the Week; 2010 Stage Left Cellars Go Getter

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 2010 Stage Left Cellars Go Getter The Winery Stage Left Cellars is an urban winery located in Oakland, California not too far from…

2013 Rhone Rangers Grand Tasting- The Best of Rhone Rosés

I attended, as media guest, the 16th annual “Celebration of American Rhone Wines” in San Francisco, at Fort Mason Center last weekend.  Rhone Rangers is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Rhone varietal wines produced in the U.S. The two-day event featured a Winemaker Dinner on Friday catered by The Girl and The Fig. The dinner also featured…

Wine Of The Week: 2009 Lone Madrone Points West White

The 2009 Lone Madrone Points West White is my Wine of the Week (“WoW”) for August 26th-August 31st. The Winery Lone Madrone is located in Paso Robles.  It was founded in 1996. It co-located with Kenneth Volk Vineyards, and the oh so cool Fat Cat Farms where they been growing organic herbs for 20 years (they have over 30…

Fall 2011 Ridge Wine Blogger Tasting – Lytton Estate Rhones And A Surprise!

Last Sunday Christopher Watkins, Tasting Room Manager for Ridge Vineyards hosted the Fall 2011 Wine Bloggers Tasting at Ridge, Lytton Springs in Healdsburg.  An intimate group of wine bloggers, many of whom I followed and am a fan of, met in the barrel room.  It was great to put faces with names.  That made the…

Do you know the way to Viognier?

We recently went to dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant.  We decided to take a bottle of 2008 Yalumba Viognier –Eden Valley South Australia ($14/bottle; 14.5% A.B.V).  It’s a wine I purchased from my favorite wine store, K&L Wine Merchants six months ago.  It paired wonderfully with the Thai dishes we selected, Crab fried-rice, Pad…