This year’s wine selections are a plethora of different varietals from the Napa Valley, Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley and Sierra Foothills. Some are safe selections and some I chose ass experiments to see how they would pair with Thanksgiving fare. So is there rules for selecting the right wines for your Thanksgiving dinner? There…
Category: Merlot
AO Collective – Alpha Omega Winery, Tolosa Winery & Perinet
We spent an amazing morning learning about the umbrella brand known as the Alpha Omega Collective and tasting wines from Alpha Omega Winery as well as the two sister properties, Tolosa Winery and Perinet. It was an exciting day with three unique Winemakers, discussing the philosophy behind their wines and what ties the AO Collective together….
Acacia House Revived Into High-End Restaurant & Resort in Napa Valley
Las Alcobas, the controversial resort just north of Saint Helena has revived a piece of Napa Valley history by renovating the old Victorian Acacia House into a comfortable, friendly, fine dining restaurant ran by Top Chef Masters winner and The Next Iron Chef competitor Chris Cosentino. I have only lived in Saint Helena for four years, and…
VGS Chateau Potelle Tasting House & Gardens – Food & Wine Pairing
Last week I was invited to do one of my favorite things, a food and wine pairing. What could be better on a post-election Wednesday than some exquisite food bites from a Michelin-starred restaurant paired with elegant wines? After a rough week of political rants and a nation on edge, I was certainly looking forward…
Yao Family Wines in St. Helena – It’s Not Just a Name.
I was excited to get a chance to check out the fairly new Yao Family Wines tasting room located off Highway 29 in Saint Helena. If you are or aren’t a basketball fan, you would recognize Yao Ming. Standing a staggering 7ft 6in, Yao Ming played for the Houston Rockets for almost a decade, retiring…
Visit to Venge Vineyards – Small Production Wines with a Relaxing Atmosphere
Venge Vineyards is a small production winery featuring many 90+ point wines and a nice quiet atmosphere for tasting by appointment only. Venge sits on 25 acres off the Silverado Trail about 1-1/2 miles south of Calistoga. The tasting room, located behind the production facility, is a quaint little cottage with a cozy sitting area…
Davis Estates – High Tech Innovation & Stylish Architecture Meet Traditional Winemaking
On May 14th 2016, the new Davis Estates tasting room and caves opened for business with three wine experiences, by appointment only. Two weeks ago while having lunch at SolBar in Calistoga, I decided to try the Davis Estates Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. It was so good, crisp and refreshing, I immediately thought to email them to get…
Visit to Duckhorn Vineyards – Saint Helena
A Visit to Duckhorn Winery and Vineyards – Saint Helena Last Saturday, a few friends and I decided to go for a wine tasting after breakfast at the Meadowood Grill. I hadn’t been to Duckhorn Vineyards in quite a while and figured it was early enough to get a reservation. I used Open Table through the link from Duckhorn’s website…
Visit to Hourglass Winery – Calistoga
On May 10th, 2016 I got the privilege to visit and taste wines at Hourglass Winery. I was at Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen in Saint Helena enjoying happy hour at the bar. As always, I was perusing their ever-changing wines by the glass when I asked about the Hourglass Blueline Estate Merlot. Normally I would never…