Once upon a time in Napa Valley, “field blend” red wines graced many a table.   Popular as they were, whims drove vineyards to change vine composition such that today to find a true single vineyard “field blend” in Napa Valley is a rarity. What is a Field Blend Red Wine? To be a “field blend”, […]

With a title such as that, any reader, let alone a Petite Sirah aficionado, would want any introductory banter about the present weather in Napa Valley, the blooming mustard, the cloudless sunny days sparking the hope for a good vintage year ahead or any other whimsical observations to quickly wrap and move on to the […]

As 2010 wound to its finish, it did not extinguish meekly as the week leading up to New Year’s holiday was loaded with fast-paced last minute dealings, surprise visitors from out of town and an ever mindful realization that time is indeed fleeting.   When a week that was seemingly larger than life finally screeched to […]

Seemingly out of nowhere the week before Christmas has fallen upon us and here in the Bay Area and Napa Valley residents are enduring rain storm after rain storm.   Water is beginning to stand in low-lying vineyards and despite this, the first few blooms of mustard have risen above tall healthy green blades of grass […]

Thanksgiving has come and gone leaving its aftermath of leftovers in the refrigerator, holiday decorating and shopping to finish and for many, an insurmountable backlog of work waiting in the office.   Surfacing for air the week after Thanksgiving may be an accomplishment in and of itself without trying to dream up an involved food and […]