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The first time you go wine tasting, you won't be very good at it. Yes, there's skill involved. As a wine tasting pro, I'm sharing some of my best tips so you can aspire to be as good at it as I am. Someday. Don't wear fragrance. Strong perfumes, colognes, and even lingering smoke can ruin wine tasting. Your sense of smell is a huge part of your sense of taste. Try holding your nose and tasting your favorite Cabernet Franc, and you'll discover that all nuances are gone. Plus, even before you taste, you should be taking in the aromas of the wine. Sometimes, the "nose" of the wine is ... Continue reading...

During my last Napa Valley wine tasting, I visited The Castle because that's just something you do. When Napa people talk about the Castello di Amorosa, which they often do, they never use its full name. It is like a celebrity that way. When "Rolling in the Deep" plays, no one says "that Adele Laurie Blue Adkins sure can sing." Overkill. Adele is enough. So, when you ask Napa Valley locals what wineries are on the "must visit list," and they definitively answer "The Castle," they are implicitly acknowledging that the remarkable edifice built on 171 acres overlooking Calistoga is something so ... Continue reading...

Let's say you have two days in Santa Barbara Wine Country. On the first day, wine tasting is an absolute. On the second day, go wine tasting again. There are more than 120 wineries in the area, so you will have barely scratched the surface. If you are staying for more than two days, you might start wondering about what's under the surface. Here are some ideas for how to enjoy the non-wine delights that Santa Barbara Wine Country offers.... Feed an Ostrich. An Ostrich can run as fast as 45 miles per hour, be as tall as 9 feet, weigh as much as 350 pounds, and can kill a lion with one kick. So ... Continue reading...

If something can be called one-in-a-million, then it is still 10 times more common than Grapeline's brand new Mercedes Panoramic touring van. The new vehicle is a first-of-its-kind hardtop convertible that seats 19. In the U.S., which has almost 300 million registered vehicles, there are only 30 of the Panoramics, making it literally a one-in-10-million sight.    On April 27, 2019, the new Panoramic made its inaugural voyage with customers on board, taking guests on a wine tour featuring the Big Red Festival in Temecula Valley Wine Country. Among the 18 guests were Grapeline co-founders John ... Continue reading...

Still haven't nailed down Mother's Day plans? A day in Napa Valley wine country always scores an easy A from the woman who taught you all you needed to know about caring for others.  From classic sit-down brunches, to a vigorous work-up-a-sweat hike, Napa Valley serves up diverse maternal indulgences. For a traditional brunch with the whole brood, try out the newest Napa food and wine venue, The Village at Vista Collina Resort. Executive Chef Vincent Lesage’s extensive menu includes made-to-order omelets, assorted seafood, prime rib, farmers' market fruits and vegetables, and decadent ... Continue reading...

That instant when you first saw the man who would become the love of your life.  The exact time when your baby was born, and you first cradled her in your arms.  Your life is marked by significant moments that change your course and become indelible memories. Like people, wine countries have a life cycle.  And just as in our lives, there are significant events that can make a really big difference.  For three of California’s wine regions, a single event catapulted each from obscurity to fame.    For Temecula Valley Wine Country, the date was July 9, 1976.  On that day, at a luncheon at the ... Continue reading...

A few years ago (OK, more than a few), when I was just North of legal drinking age, I attended a wedding where the only beverage served was rosé Champagne. I thought it was the fanciest thing in the world and drank way more than my fair share, something I regretted mildly the next day until my Advil kicked in.  Those intoxicating little bubbles were irresistible. How exactly do bubbles end up in some wine but not in all? Is it like soda, where the carbonation is forcibly added to the liquid?  Surely not. Wine snobs would never stand for something so crass. As it turns out, the soda pop method ... Continue reading...

Gary Eberle is a friendly guy who likes to sit on his front porch with his two black poodles by his side and a glass of Cabernet in his hand. That’s who he was when I met him last month during the Vintage Paso Festival.   Gary Eberle is also perhaps the most well-known trailblazer in Paso Robles wine country. He is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of Paso‘s burgeoning wine industry, and his resume is filled with firsts and surprising accolades.  Gary's path to the front porch of one of Paso Robles' most iconic wineries is anything but typical.  Along the way, he sacked future ... Continue reading...

March Madness has begun. Water cooler conversations center on Cinderella stories, acrobatic alley-oops, downtown treys, and gravity-defying hang time. Meanwhile, Santa Barbara wine region has no hometown favorite to cheer, but does have a different kind of hang time to celebrate. Compared to other wine regions, the growing season here is longer, meaning that fruit has a considerably longer “hang time” on the vine.  An East-to-West oriented coastal valley, which is unique among California wine regions, allows a deep inland flow of cool, moist ocean air.  The lengthened ripening pattern and ... Continue reading...

On a recent trip to Napa, I tasted a Cain Five Cabernet, and for me it was a sublime moment.  Here are some other moments in wine history that are of note:     8000 BC -- The earliest known wine production occurred in Colchis, now known as Georgia.  No, not the Georgia next to Alabama.  The Georgia next to Azerbaijan.   4000 BC -- Discovered in Armenia, the ruins of the oldest winery are believed to date back to 4000 BC, and some historians believe they may date back to 7000 BC.   20 to 30 AD   -- Jesus turns water into wine while attending the Wedding at Cana.  The miracle is known as the ... Continue reading...