We’ve all heard it before: There is no better wine pairing than potato chips and sparkling. Could this be true? Was it the holy grail? Quite possibly. But what happens when you take some amped up Neal Brothers’ kettle chips, in flavors like Pink Himalayan
I’ve long been a fan of Spirit Works, a small craft distillery in Sebastapol’s Barlow. Since their initial launch of vodka and gin in 2012, Tim & Ashby Marshall have been distilling grain to glass spirits that truly have a terroir of their own Continuing
It’s that time of year again! Fall arrived with a bang this morning, after a brief Indian Summer. It’s also time to spotlight one of my favorite events: Pinot on the River, on October 23rd. This spectacular showcase of Pinot Noir is probably one
The first thing you notice upon walking into the historic Clift Hotel lobby is a hint of old cigar smoke, and not because someone just left. The hotel was opened in 1913 by Frederick Clift on his family property to serve for use at the
I did it! Last month, after a year and a half, I passed my Certified Spirits Specialist exam. PHEW! A must do for anyone who is serious about spirits, this credential, administered by the Society of Wine Educators was more rigorous than I anticipated, but
You might not expect a dark and delicious red wine to come from Oregon’s Applegate Valley, but Troon Vineyard’s 2013M&T Reserve is just that. This co-fermented blend of Tannat and Malbec is surprisingly low in alcohol at only 13.7%, but is rich in flavor! Intensely
When industry blogger and General Manager of Cornerstone Napa announced he was leaving California for the wilds of southern Oregon and Troon Vineyard, my first reaction was “what the heck?”. Craig Camp had been instrumental in exposing a luxury Napa Valley brand to a
Driving up a dusty dirt road, at the edge of a vineyard in Lodi, you could see the history in the vines. These gnarled old beasts were baking in the late spring heat, and you could just feel the struggle as they worked to survive
Cruising along on a breezy but warm spring morning in Lodi, we were off on Day 2 of our adventures of “Anything but Zin”. Today, our first stop was Lodi’s oldest vineyard, the some120+ year old Bechthold Vineyard. Bechthold Vineyard was planted over a century ago
At long last, the foggy days of “summer” have parted, and the weekend arrives, full of promise and sunshine. Summer begs for refreshing cocktails, and lighter, brighter beverages. But what does a girl who loves her Manhattans do with this? Enter Carpano Bianco, the dry,
Markus Bokisch was raised in California, but has a long history of ties to Spain. As a child, Markus spent his summers there, and as is the norm in European tradition, water & wine were served at meals. It is in this spirit that
Ah amaro, how I love thee! With hundreds of unique amari to choose from, Cynar is unusual in that it’s make from artichokes. While it might seem odd that a beverage would be made from what is basically the flower of a thistle, there are
