The Bay Area’s food and wine scene is, of course, world-class and often pretty innovative. A new Oakland winery is producing a vintage like no other where flowers — not grapes — are the star of the bottle. Cornell Brand; KGO-TV Free Range Flower Winery (“FRFW”) is a family-owned urban winery located in Oakland, California, that…
Author: Martin D. Redmond
Celebrate Harvest Season Livermore Valley Style!
For winemakers, harvest season, when the bulk of the grapes are pick, pressed and fermented, brings anxiety, long hours, and a multitude of critical decisions to be made. Also, know as crush season, it has historically also been a time to celebrate the harvest. That’s especially true this year for the annual Livermore Valley’s Harvest Wine…
The French #Winophiles Sip Grower Champagne – An Invitation To Join
A good friend of mine has told me on innumerable occasions that “Champagne is the only drink that is socially acceptable to drink any time of day” I heartily agree! This month the French #Winophiles, a group of wine writers that explore French wine, food and travel the third Saturday of every month, will be exploring…
Wine Of The Day: 2017 Rombauer Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
This delicious and very food friendly wine offers high QPR. More please! Introduced with the 2014 vintage, the Rombauer Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc was their first new varietal wine introduced in more than 20 years, and only the second white wine in their long history. The fruit for this wine comes from four carefully…
The Pleasures of Provençal Rosé #Winophiles
This month the French #Winophiles are celebrating French Rosé! I was provided with three sample rosés from Provence by our sponsors the Provence Rosé Group, and Teuwen Communications. As always, opinions are my own. Whenever I think of rosé, the first place I think of is Provence. That because the rosés of Provence are the…
Wine Of The Day: 2017 Scheid Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé
…it’s dry, crisp, refreshing and versatile at the table while offering wonderful quality for the price! The wine is a blend of 95% Pinot Noir, 5% Syrah from four of Scheid’s estate vineyards –Mesa del Rio, Riverview, San Lucas and Viento – situated in the cool climate region of California’s renowned Monterey County. The grapes were destemmed, lightly…
Lodi Chronicles; Lodi, California Rosé: Summertime In A Glass
As you may know if you follow this blog, I’ve been contributing to Visit Lodi! Conference & Visitors Bureau blog. Visit Lodi is the official travel website for Lodi, California. From time to time I share the blog posts I’ve written for Visit Lodi here. My latest piece written for Visit Lodi is entitled Lodi, California Rosé:…
Pinots d’Alsace?…Yes Please! #Winophiles #AlsaceRocks
This month our French Winophiles group is teaming up with Wines of Alsace, and Teuwen Communications for their Alsace Rocks! promotion. As part of the promotion I was provided with 4 sample wines (as always opinions are my own!) My Pinot Flight included at least one of the four Pinot grape varieties of Alsace – Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris,…
Wine of the Day; 2014 Dominio del Aguila Pícaro Clarete
Don’t call it rosé. It’s pink, but it’s clarete…This is an alluring and memorable wine, I won’t forget anytime soon! Don’t call it rosé. It’s pink, but it’s clarete. Many years ago this was a common product of Ribera del Duero, not classically a rosé but certainly pink in color, made by the direct pressing…
Wine of the Day; 2016 Fields Family Wines Vermentino DeLu Vineyard
This is easily the best Vermentino I’ve every had! There’s remarkable depth, complexity and texture here. Fruit sourced from the Delu Vineyard in the Alta Mesa sub-AVA of Lodi. Fermented until dry in stainless steel. Thereafter, raised in neutral French Oak on its fine less for 5 months. Color – Pale straw yellow Aromas –…