Zinfandel, long known as California’s red wine grape jewel, is synonymous with barbeque as barbeque is to summer dining.   As August wrapped up this week and Labor Day looms immediately ahead, there is no better tribute than firing up the charcoal grill and pulling a bottle of California’s classic red wine. As cliché as […]

Part of enjoying wine is learning about wine.   No matter how much one learns, there is always the possibility to learn more.  When one discovers a delicious new wine grape varietal, it is almost like stumbling across a hidden treasure. Earlier this year I discovered Pinotage.   While it was my first acquaintance with the grape, […]

As the 4th of July approaches, there is a spirit of independence and celebration in the air in Napa Valley.   The first sense of freedom came when our heat wave broke on Monday evening, which sent the triple digit temperatures of the weekend packing.    As Napa Valley residents seem to breathe a collective sigh relief, […]

Never.    Zinfandel, or “Zin” as aficionados lovingly call it, is a red wine which has a broad spectrum of tastes.   Some are spicy, some are “jammy”, and some are as smooth as silk.    How is it that a Zinfandel can vary so drastically from one winery to another?    Why is it that these different descriptive […]