People are passionate about wine.  They are even more passionate about red wine.  There is something luxurious, rich, warm and deep that unfolds from a glass of good red wine.  Too often we focus on standard red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.  There are, however, other varietals in the wine […]

    Tempranillo is that wonderful Spanish red wine grape that invokes images of rustic cuisine, tapas and sun-soaked Spanish country-side.  The grape uniquely originates in Spain and has seen introduction and increased popularity in the United States.  It is a pleasant departure from the readily available Bordeaux and Rhone varietals found throughout Napa Valley. […]

  Summer, winter, spring or fall . . . no matter the season each week I create a recipe to pair with a bottle of wine.   In some instances, it is the recipe that dominates and other times it is a particular bottle of wine that I wish to feature which controls the pairing.   Yet […]

Much of the country the last few weeks have been gripped by high heat temperatures yet summer weather has been slow to arrive in Northern California.   Like a pot rolling to a slow simmering boil, temperatures only just this week have reached into the 80’s throughout the Bay Area and may even flirt with the […]

October is a month that typically involves lingering.   Knowing that the holidays loom ahead (and that those months are characterized by hustling, bustling, preparation, planning and more preparation) is enough incentive to take one’s time coasting through October.   Harvest activities are still on-going this year at most wineries due to the unseasonably chilly summer that […]