As the year 2009 closes out this week, most of us have a sense that age and time are fleeting.   It seems as if it was not that long ago that many of us were throwing the door open and greeting the arrival of 2009 with hope and enthusiasm.   As we prepare to do the […]

In the midst of the holiday season, sweets, cookies and baked goods bombard the senses.   Despite the potential for sugar overload, there is the possibility to pair a wine that is semi-sweet:   Riesling. Riesling is most notably planted in Germany, but can be found planted in France, Italy, the United States and other countries.   In […]

Colder temperatures descended upon Napa Valley last week and were only banished from the region by the arrival of several days of rain, mist and clouds.   Wintery weather has finally arrived and nearly all of the autumnal leaves have fallen from the grape vines.   Accompanying these conditions is the distinct chill of oceanic dampness in the […]

‘Tis the Season . . . for Dungeness Crab and Sparkling Wine!    While December can bring colder temperatures and often inclement weather, it makes up for it by delivering fresh Dungeness Crab to the Bay Area.   In the Bay Area, Dungeness Crab season typically begins in December and thus the delicious seafood finds its way […]

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but its wake has left most refrigerators loaded with leftovers and a waning interest in them.    If culinary doldrums were not enough to wrestle with, hectic holiday schedules kick off this week with events, office parties, shopping, and parties with friends and neighbors on the nearby horizon.    Despite these constraints, […]