Durant & Booth Tasting Salon – A Piece of Napa Valley History in Oakville

Durant & Booth has closed their Oakville tasting salon as of June 10th, 2018. However, their wines are still available on Vivino. Durant & Booth Tasting Salon is relatively new to the Napa Valley but the building that houses the tasting room is a historic gem. Located in the small town of Oakville, lies Oakville Grocery, a popular…

What Wines are Winter Wines? Wine Pairing in a Winter Wonderland

What wines do you think go best on a blustery day or night, rain and snow falling like crazy? I feel like summer disappeared so quickly, I didn’t have time to pull out the jackets and sink into hibernation mode. One thing I do notice is that my palate changes through the seasons like clockwork….

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…

Schramsberg Vineyards – Méthode Champenoise in Napa Valley

When friends come to town, I am always looking for a unique place to start the day; and three million hand stacked bottles of sparkling wine in a 2-1/2 mile cave is an excellent choice. Last Saturday was my second time at Schramsberg Vineyards. About 3-1/2 years ago, before I lived in the Napa Valley,…

2009 LaFond Pinot Noir – Blue Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

Since I am not currently in the Napa Valley, I have found myself cooking more and more. One of my favorite, quick appetizers is bacon wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese. I have prepared several versions of these, including goat and gorgonzola, but the harder blue cheese seems to work the best. I chose the…