Doffo and South Coast Take Top Honors at Temecula’s People’s Choice Blind Tasting 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 ... Continue reading...

Celebrating a Birthday the Grapeline Way: Cheers to Our Wine Tour Host Celebrating Mike Miles on His Birthday 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. Surprise Celebration at Peltzer Winery 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 ... Continue reading...

Why Wine Country Beats Football Every Time? 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 ... Continue reading...

Wine Is a Decision 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 ... Continue reading...

Stag’s Leap Winery: A Napa Icon with a French Touch 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. Christophe Paubert ... Continue reading...

Francis Ford Coppola’s Sonoma Wine Wonderland Celebrity Winery Owners There are two kinds of wine-loving celebrities. The kind that start a winery, or buy one, and then pour tons of energy and money into making really amazing wine. And the kind that are really into having their name on a wine bottle. Guess which ones annoy me. Go on. Everyone who is (or was) anyone has a winery these days: Drew Barrymore, Sting, Jason Priestley, even the now detached duo of Brangelina. But let’s not go there; it’s too soon. Francis Ford Coppola: The Icon If we’re going to talk about celebrity winery owners, ... Continue reading...

Celebrate Wine Country Harvest with Grapeline Harvest is upon us, and it’s time for grapes to come off the vines and take their next step on their journey to your wine glass. Throughout history, harvest has been marked by two distinct and diametrically different activities. First is a barrage of hard work - a keep-at-it-until-you’re-bone-tired effort. The crops are ready, but the window of time in which to reap the bounty is unforgivingly limited. Second is a party. Throughout the ages the celebration of harvest has included dubious activities like feasting, dancing, and the performance of ... Continue reading...

Benziger Winery: A Biodynamic Gem in Sonoma Valley Wine grape vineyards. Oak barrels. Stainless Steel Tanks. Scottish Highlands Cattle. Which one of these doesn't belong? If you guessed that this is a trick question, you're right. And if you answered that they all belong, then you've probably been to Sonoma Valley's Benziger Winery. Award-Winning Winery Tours Benziger Winery, located in the Glen Ellen neighborhood of Sonoma Valley, has a great winery tour. You can take my word for that, or you can check with the Sonoma Index Tribune, which proclaimed it the People's Choice for The Best Winery ... Continue reading...

How to Taste Wine Like a Pro To all of you holier-than-thou wine snobs who say there is a specifically correct way that we should be tasting our wine - and consequently any other way is wrong - I say: Hey, turns out you’re right! Discovering the Right Way to Taste Wine I enjoy wine. To do so, I used to follow a simple three-step process: I pour some wine in a glass. I put the wine in my mouth, and then... I enjoy it. It really is that simple. No fanfare, no commentary, no intricate procedures. Wine is actually very easy to enjoy. So I don’t need some bow-tied, French-accented Master Sommelier ... Continue reading...

Rombauer vs. Far Niente: The Buttery Chardonnay Debate When you ask her which is her favorite wine, my best friend Tiffany does a shoulder shimmy and uses a Juliette Binoche accent to say "Rrrroommmbaaauuueeerrr." Even uttering the name of Napa's Rombauer Chardonnay is an intoxicatingly happy event. Rombauer: The Defining Butter Bomb Rombauer Vineyards, located in the St. Helena area of Napa Valley, produces what might be the defining Butter Bomb. Secondary Malolactic Fermentation converts the tart malic acid, naturally present in grape must, to the smoother lactic acid with the buttery ... Continue reading...