YOUR ADVENTURE STARTS HERE

January is California Restaurant month. If you eat food, and if at any time in January you'll be in California, then you'll be happy to learn that we are now in the midst of California Restaurant Month. For those of you who read my scintillating blog on International Pinot Noir Day (posted on August 17), it will come as no surprise that restaurants in California have their very own month. After all, Pinot Noir has its own day... as do many other wine varietals, and many more obscure things, including Fried Green Tomatoes as one example of how absurd the everything-has-its-own-Day trend has ... Continue reading...

Not long ago, I went on a Grapeline wine tour, which is not a big deal for me. Because I go wine tasting a LOT. But if you have never been on a wine tour, you might want to know what it's like. If so, read on. I woke up at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, and I was already happy. The Fairmont is not actually in the town of Sonoma, but rather in the nearby burg of Boyes Hot Springs. The name refers to the hot water that makes its way to the surface from the ancient mineral springs 1100 feet below the Fairmont. Soaking in these naturally heated mineral-rich waters is one of the many ... Continue reading...

When it comes to wine tasting tours, options abound. Here's a little primer from your friendly Wine Country Guru Gal, so you can be a guru too when it's time for you to shop wine tours. There are two categories of wine tours. One is the private tour, where you and your group have a vehicle and a itinerary that is exclusive to you. Think: chartering a private plane. The other is a shared tour, also called a public tour, or a join-in tour. For a shared wine tour, you join like-minded wine lovers and spend the day tasting with them. Think: buying two seats on an airliner. The private option is a ... Continue reading...

In this, the third installment of my "Food and Wine Love Affair" series reviewing Temecula Valley Wine Country edibles, I present the culinary offerings at South Coast Winery Resort and Spa, at Fazeli Cellars, and at Miramonte Winery. More than once, after discovering I am familiar with Temecula Valley Wine Country, someone has asked me if I've had the banana pancakes at The Vineyard Rose Restaurant at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. As of this week, I can answer in the affirmative, and also understand why this breakfast item is a widespread topic of conversation. The Rolling Hills Bananas ... Continue reading...

I showed up at a holiday gathering recently and presented the host and hostess with a very expensive bottle of Caymus Cabernet. They recognized the renowned vintage, and for a moment they were obviously impressed, but that reaction quickly passed. My penchant for selecting the perfect showing-up-at-your-party gift was surpassed into oblivion by an ancient king from the Bible. You see, immediately after I walked in, Salmanazar showed up. Salmanazar is a HUGE bottle of wine. In this case, a huge wine bottle containing 9 liters of Rombauer Chardonnay, a heralded Napa elixir -- the equivalent of ... Continue reading...

The people have chosen. And by people, I mean NOT the highly-trained and super-sensing professional wine critics whose opinion we rely on to help us justify spending way too much for a bottle of wine because it has a 90+ score attached to it. Just regular people who know good wine when they taste it. On the afternoon of October 28, it was sunny and warm, with temperatures in the mid 80's, and a light breeze stirred the shade umbrellas in the courtyard of the palace-like Fazeli Cellars. The perimeter of the courtyard was lined with tables draped in beige linens, and covered with a continuous ... Continue reading...

Mike Miles had a birthday this week. Who is Mike Miles? He's a hard working, unassuming family man who is respected and loved by his family, friends, and coworkers. And he's a guy who makes the world a better place for a LOT of people. I joined some of my Grapeline cohorts at Peltzer Winery in Temecula on Mike's actual birthday to surprise him with some Bundtlets with lit candles, some festive balloons, and a ear-punishing rendition of the Birthday Song. But Mike wasn't at Peltzer to celebrate his birthday. He was there to do his best to make sure others have a really fun and memorable time. ... Continue reading...

I'm a minority. I'm among the 25% of U.S. consumers who DO NOT consider themselves an NFL fan. Interestingly, 70% consider themselves fans, which means some people are in neither category. The remaining 5% chose "I don't know" as their answer. Really? You can't commit on that subject? How do you choose an outfit to wear each day, or an ice cream flavor, or a spouse? Sorry, I lateraled. 70% of you know what I just said. Back to America's football obsession. For all you pigskin peepers, I'm going to give you two reasons to give up your fan-dom. The first relies on inescapable logic. The second ... Continue reading...

The other night, as I sipped on a satisfyingly crisp Birichino Vin Gris, I wondered about the type of grapes that go into making Rosé, which led me to ponder how grapes transform from fruit to wine. And although I know more on the topic than the average person, I realized that my curiosity exceeds my knowledge when an image of Lucy stomping grapes was the main thought coming to mind. Know what? People still do that! But when they do, they are more likely to become an internet meme (a la “The Grape Lady”) than to produce a drinkable beverage. OK, so, we’re all clear on the concept that wine ... Continue reading...

Have you ever really enjoyed a bottle of Napa wine if you’ve never heard of Stag’s Leap? Questionable, really, since Stag’s Leap Winery is one of the pillars of the international wine scene. What else could it be with the Golden Child of the area at its helm? The winery itself is so famous, in fact, that it inspired the formation of the Stags Leap viticultural district in 1989, nearly 100 years after the winery was founded. But let’s get back to discussing the person who’s currently in charge of keeping the legend alive. French winemaker Christophe Paubert settled in Napa after first working ... Continue reading...