As summer winds down and fall waits patiently around the corner, last “hurrahs” are sought in the final full week of August.   People push to find time to entertain outdoors and grasp at the final elements of summer to savor until next year.   It seems this summer has passed faster than others past and this [...]

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Summer continues to perplex much of the nation.   The majority of the country continues to belabor under the stronghold of a crippling heat wave; yet California’s Bay Area and Napa Valley pass each day with cooler than average temperatures.   No matter the weather that you may be experiencing, Colombard can be delightful in any summer [...]

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As June winds to an end, our days are seemingly longer accompanied by rays of light painting the sky with varied warm hues until long into the evening.   Aromas of ripening stone fruit and strawberries fill the air and the garden landscape is dotted with brightly colored blossoms of various vegetables yet to come.  Flowers [...]

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Summer … it has finally arrived in its entire splendor.   Bringing warm lazy afternoons and fresh fragrant ripening stone fruit, late June in Napa Valley always manages to deliver a sense that time has temporarily stopped and that the rest of the world is far away.   It is on days such as these that it [...]

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Memorial Day weekend looms ahead and May for many areas of the country (including Napa Valley) has been fraught with cooler temperatures and lingering rain.   Yet this week most of the country has suddenly been gripped with steamy hot summerlike temperatures and even Napa is hurrying to join such weather festivities and anticipating quickly reaching [...]

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There is an excitement in the air this week in Napa Valley.   Is it an exclusive, fancy event?  No.   Is it the presence of some major celebrity chef?   No.   It is the mere simple presence of… bud break!    The first of many tiny green leaves have emerged on the grape vines and signal a burst [...]

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Port, that pleasing after dinner wine, is best known for its sweeter and “fortified” representation of your favorite wine grape.  Like any other wine, no two ports are alike and can vary greatly.   First, there are four primary types of port:  (i) vintage (which is a single grape port and often very expensive); (ii) ruby [...]

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In the midst of the holiday season, sweets, cookies and baked goods bombard the senses.   Despite the potential for sugar overload, there is the possibility to pair a wine that is semi-sweet:   Riesling.
Riesling is most notably planted in Germany, but can be found planted in France, Italy, the United States and other countries.   In Napa [...]

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‘Tis the Season . . . for Dungeness Crab and Sparkling Wine!    While December can bring colder temperatures and often inclement weather, it makes up for it by delivering fresh Dungeness Crab to the Bay Area.   In the Bay Area, Dungeness Crab season typically begins in December and thus the delicious seafood finds its way [...]

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This weekend surprised Napa Valley with an uncharacteristic thunderstorm and cool, cloudy weather.   While the moisture was welcomed, it certainly was atypical for Harvest.   However, it provided ample opportunity to mull over autumn recipes and pour a white wine better suited for slightly cooler temperatures:   Chardonnay.
Chardonnay originally hails from France and in the region of [...]

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