“Mon Chou” … my sweetheart … my darling … when used in casual conversation among the French.  When found made as a red wine, Mon Chou will equally enamor you. Elyse Winery (“Elyse”) located on Hoffman Lane in Napa Valley makes a red wine under its Jacob Franklin label called “Mon Chou” that is a […]

With autumn in full swing, colorful leaves begin to adorn grape vines in Napa Valley and in the rest of the country paint the treetops of skylines to only fall poetically to the ground.   Autumn’s palette fills with orange, yellow, burgundy red, crimson red and brown to create warm hues on leaves previously kissed by […]

Generally when visiting tasting rooms at wineries throughout Napa Valley I overhear all things imaginable:  a tourist wondering what “big game” can be hunted in the valley, others lamenting how they have no self-discipline to cellar but discipline to consume, brash statements of “this” is a “good” cabernet sauvignon (without regard to the differences in […]

One year ago, as rain relentlessly poured, I stood in a winery and listened to a sage industry veteran talk about obscure grapes and which were his favorites.   There was no doubt which was his favorite:   Malbec.    As he effervesced with passion and his face lit with emotion, he forgot his post in the tasting […]