Wente Vineyards Homegrown Concert Series – Good music, good wine and good friends!

One of my favorite summer time activities is listening to live music at a winery. There’s just something special about the collective experience that makes listening to live music, on beateous winery grounds, with  loved ones, food, and a few glasses of wine, more that the sum of its parts . The challenge can be,…

Wine of the Week: 2012 Donkey and Goat Lily’s Cuvée Sparkling Chardonnay

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 2012 Donkey and Goat Lily’s Cuvée Sparkling Chardonnay. Winery Donkey and Goat Winery is a family owned and operated urban winery…

How I Lost My Chablis Virginity!

Late last year (I’m invoking the tried and true cliché; ‘better late than never”;-) I had the pleasure of attending a lunch hosted by the Pure Chablis, at one of San Francisco’s best restaurants, Boulevard.  The Pure Chablis folks were touring the U.S. evangelizing the virtues of Chablis (pronounced Sha-blee). My own experience with Chablis? None!…

Wine of the Week – Bedrock Wine Co Heritage Compagni Portis

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 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Compagni Portis  The Winery Bedrock Wine Co. is an “itsy-bitsy winery making wine in a converted…

Wine of the Week; 2005 Domaine Carneros Le Rêve

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.  My Wine Of The Week is the 2005 Domaine Carneros Le Rêve The Winery Domaine Carneros was founded in 1987 by Champagne Taittinger of France in partnership with Kobrand Corporation. It is located in…

Wine Of The Week: 2009 Copain Syrah Les Voisins

My Wine Of The Week for October 13 – October 19 is the 2009 Copain Syrah Les Voisins. The Winery Copain Winery was founded by winemaker Wells Guthrie in 1999.  The winery sits atop a hillside with an astounding view of the Russian River Valley.  As I looked out over the valley on gorgeous Indian summer day, I was struck with a…

Wine of the Week: Robert Mondavi Winery Chardonnay Reserve

The 2010 Robert Mondavi Winery Chardonnay Reserve is my Wine of the Week (“WoW”) for September 22-September 28. The Winery The Robert Mondavi Winery was established in 1966 by Robert Mondavi, one of the most influential and esteemed winemakers in California history (Click here for his story).  It was the first major winery built in Napa Valley. For decades it was California’s most…

Wine Of The Week – 2010 La Follette Sangiacomo Chardonnay

My Wine of the Week (“WoW”) for August 5th-August 11th  is the 2010 La Follette Sangiacomo Chardonnay The Winery La Follette is a small Sonoma County winery specializing in producing small-lot Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.  Additionally, they also produce a Pinot Meunier, a grape you don’t find bottled as a single varietal very often.  The winery is…