White Wine | The Casual Connoisseur
Aug 25 2010
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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Aug 18 2010
Napa Valley, traditionally known for its warm climate for growing grapes, does house a few American Viticultural Areas (each an “AVA”) which are cooler in temperature and best-suited for growing grapes such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. Most commonly recognized is Los Carneros AVA located at the southern end of the valley, but [...]
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Aug 11 2010
Coasting into the second week of August, many find themselves making a “Summer Bucket List” filled with things and activities that seemingly must be done before summer ends. There is one wine in Napa Valley that quintessentially captures the essence of summer and for me, it would be remiss to not feature it: Benessere Vineyards’ [...]
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Jul 28 2010
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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Jul 07 2010
As temperatures rise and seemingly hang naturally in the 90 degree range and heavy humidity holds much of the nation hostage, each has his or her own arsenal to combat the dog days of summer. In the world of wine, however, when long heat waves take hold, red wine is left to cellar and instead [...]
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Jun 23 2010
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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Jun 09 2010
Early June days bring warm temperatures, bright sunshine and the start of bountiful varied produce in the garden. It is a special time in Napa Valley where temperatures are generally delightful, people linger at the farmer’s markets and life seems to leisurely slow down. In early spring, the air was abundant with floral aromas and [...]
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May 19 2010
Earlier this year I featured chardonnays from another vintner in Napa Valley which I believe embrace and capture the nuances of the actual Chardonnay grape. To prove that this feat is on the rise, prevalent and obtainable, I have selected another Chardonnay of similar style.
As I have in the past regaled the merits of merlot, [...]
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Apr 28 2010
Spring has sprung in Napa Valley and as the days warm, floral and spice aromas waft all around through the air. It is a romantic time to be in wine country with flowers blooming, grapes starting to set on vines and herbs coming into season. With temperatures reaching into the upper 70’s on the weekends, [...]
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Apr 01 2010
As Napa Valley prepares to wave goodbye to winter and revels at the wildflowers bursting along the edges of Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail, dreams of fresh, clean flavors spring forth and the palate begins to warm to white wines. Still not warm enough yet for the bright acidity and lemongrass nature of Sauvignon [...]
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