It is no secret that Rosé is summer’s companion.  Often cheeky in its acidity, flavor and sweetness, it coyly hints of the arrival of summer freedom and the possibilities that lie therein.  It pairs well with hot weather:  no matter if your climate is dry or humid.  Slowly sipping Rosé on a hot […]

What exactly is a “proprietary blend” wine?   It certainly sounds fancy and depending on the marketing, it could be intimidating.  The wine means simply what the word implies:  this is a winemaker’s own special blend of either red or white grapes to make a wine that he or she believes unique enough to have marketable […]

Harvest in Napa Valley is a unique time when the early evening’s sky hosts the final hues of a warm, tired fading orange sun and a delicate papery moon above in a blue, lavender colored sky.  The afternoons yield spikes of heat and the nights dip into a lulling chill encouraging rest.  The air is […]

Pinot Noir over the last decade has been a red wine varietal that has triggered passionate conversations, some of which have been full of content and others full of bandwagon generated fluff.  The finicky grape is one that requires a careful climate, a rich soil and a talented hand in the ultimate making of its […]

The obvious answer is grapes.  A vineyard, however, is so much more as it ties to a specific place, a specific soil composition and a specific climate.   Those elements combined with the skilled hand of an artful winemaker can produce a bottle of wine that is so unique that you will recognize that vineyard’s fruit […]