February 2012
7 posts
Sonoma's Secret Society Unmasked
SONOMA, CA—You can look for it all you want in Napa Valley but you won’t find it. Paso Robles is in transition. Veiled by a long tradition of ranching, their Bohemian wine culture is still evolving. San Luis Obispo and Edna Valley are too closely defined by the collegiate orbit of Cal Poly. Santa Barbara’s faction, though very much alive and well, doesn’t quite feel authentic...
New Lake Trail at Fritz Winery
GEYSERVILLE, CA—Late today, I paid a quick visit to Fritz Winery in Geyserville, CA. I’d like to report on some new improvements to the grounds. 1) They have created a walking path down to “Lake Fritz” and cleared some of the overgrown brush. Now you can even see the lake from the tasting room. Beautiful and serene. 2) They’ve painted the picnic tables too. My shortcut:...
Love Markham Vineyard: History & Modernity
ST. HELENA, CA—Few people are surprised to hear that Charles Krug, Schramsberg, and Sutter Home wineries were in business in 1874. Less widely known is that they were the only three wineries operating in Napa Valley that year, when Jean Laurent founded the St. Helena winery that, less than a century later, would become known as Markham Vineyards.
One of the things I really like about visiting...
Visiting With "Bachelor" Ben Flajnik
SONOMA, CA—A line-up of lovely ladies formed a human wall, blocking the front door to my downtown office last night. For a fleeting moment I imagined, “At long last, my time in the sun has arrived!” Of course, then I spotted the long stemmed red roses firmly in everyone’s hand and remembered that winemaker Ben (the “Bachelor”) was making a pre-Valentine’s Day...
NAPA, CA—California Wine Travel Insider, Tom...
NAPA, CA—California Wine Travel Insider, Tom...
Report on ZAP Grand Tasting at S.F. Concourse
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—The much anticipated 2012 Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Grand Tasting (aka ZAP Grand Tasting) was held last Saturday, Jan. 28 at The Concourse in San Francisco. Though it is now but a distant memory, memories from that day were so fruitful that I’ll be dreaming of the goodhearted strangers and full bodied wines I enjoyed for weeks to come.
Held annually in...