A long, long time ago somebody - probably while staring despondently at a broken vessel and a river of spilled Cabernet Franc - realized that oak barrels were way better for containing wine than fragile clay amphoras. Eventually, oak barrels became the norm for aging wine, and the characteristics that oak imparts on the flavor of wine became desirable for many varietals. But barrels lose their oakiness after a few uses So vintners often sell used barrels to whiskey or bourbon distillers who appreciate the already seasoned wood. Recently, somebody - probably inspired by a couple glasses of ... Continue reading...

August 18 is a very important day. It is international Pinot Noir day. I found out about this important factoid in an email I received from Alma Rosa Winery in the Santa Barbara region. Alma Rosa - no surprise here - is known for vinting up some exceptional Pinot Noir. My discovery of this significant occasion raises several questions. What does one do to celebrate Pinot Noir Day? Who gets to decide that a certain day should be named something special? If Pinot Noir has its own day, does that make Sauvingnon Blanc feel kind of neglected. Do fried green tomatoes have their own day? OK, let’s ... Continue reading...

The History of Temecula California Temecula Wine Country celebrated its 50th birthday in 2018. In an earlier blog (see my fascinating post from February 12, 2018, titled "50 YEARS OF TEMECULA WINE COUNTRY"), I shared the story of the Cilurzos, who planted the first commercial wine grapes in Temecula back in 1968. And also, the story of Ely Callaway, who began planting in 1969, and in 1971 became the first winery in Temecula Valley. However, like most California wine regions, the area's first wine producers were not commercial ventures, but rather the missionaries, who planted and harvested ... Continue reading...

Sonoma is where it all started. It's the birthplace of California, the state, and also the birthplace of fine wines in America's most prolific wine-producing state. On June 14, 1846, a band of about 30 American settlers invaded the Mexican outpost called Sonoma, and took as a prisoner of war Sonoma's commander, retired general Mariano Vallejo. Using red paint, they decorated a cotton sheet with a star, a grizzly bear, and the words "California Republic." The so-called "Bear Flag Revolt" created an independent Republic of California that was extremely short-lived. Three weeks later, American ... Continue reading...

In 1828 - 22 years before California Statehood - El Paso de Robles ("The Pass of the Oaks") became an officially recorded place. Over the generations the name shortened to Paso Robles. The region has an interesting and varied past. Blessed with mineral-laden hot springs that are said to have powerful healing effects on the human body, Paso Robles became a destination in the early 1900's for wealthy spa-goers including many celebrities. Jack Dempsey, President Theodore Roosevelt, Douglas Fairbanks, Boris Karloff, Bob Hope, and Clark Gable were among those who stayed in Paso Robles. In 1954, ... Continue reading...

Santa Barbara wine country, as we know it today, began in 1962 when Pierre Lafond opened Santa Barbara Winery, the first winery in Santa Barbara County since prohibition. But really, the wine making tradition dates back to 1782 when Father Junipera Serra planted mission grapes to provide communion wine for the Franciscan monks and their congregation. By the late 1800's, vineyard cultivation had expanded to 45 vineyards comprising 260 acres. Prohibition put the kibosh on wine-making in the region, and even after its 1933 repeal, the once-burgeoning wine industry lay dormant for more than a ... Continue reading...

Napa Valley is, undoubtedly, the most famous and awarded wine country in the United States. Surprisingly, the Valley produces a relatively small amount of wine compared to the rest of the world, and even compared to the rest of California. Just 4% of California wine grapes grow in Napa Valley. And Napa’s wine production comes in at only 0.4% of worldwide totals. Napa Valley was a relatively unknown wine region prior to the 1976 judgment of Paris, which shone an international spotlight on Napa wine and launched a stunning advancement in the recognition of this tiny and beautiful Northern ... Continue reading...

Which winery has the best wine club in the world? Well, if memberships are votes - and it seems to me the best "vote" for a wine club is a person who pulls out their Travel Rewards Gold Card and says "sign me up" - then the best wine club in the world is the one offered by Tobin James Winery in Paso Robles. Purportedly, Tobin James has more wine club members than any other winery -- a whopping 30,000 as recently reported by staff. I've heard their wine club is the largest so many times from so many different sources, that I believe it. There's not really an official arbiter of wine club ... Continue reading...

Lots of people go out wine tasting with Grapeline every year. More than 25,000 in fact. It seems they all want to know the same thing, because the most frequent question to Grapeline hosts is this... What's the best winery? I talked with several Grapeline hosts, and now I know the answer. Do you want to know? Of course you do. You're just like those other 25,000 people. The answer, it turns out, is that there is no best Winery. I know that answer is like a "fly in your Chardonnay." But hear me out. One host explained to me that people go to wineries for so many different reasons, the answer ... Continue reading...

Last year, our Sonoma Valley wine region experienced devastating fires. Our hearts broke as many of our partners, friends, and co-workers faced the unthinkable. But now, our hearts swell with pride at how the people of Sonoma have banded together and come back stronger than ever. . Kim and I have a deep love for every wine country region in California. Those valleys are our “happy places," and Grapeline exists because of a desire to share those experiences with others. We want to do everything we can to help Sonoma get back on its feet, and that’s how our “Sonoma Series” was born. Last month, ... Continue reading...