Petite Sirah is one of those red varietals that rarely do I reach for except for during the dregs of winter.  Notoriously rustic, complex, rich and often lumbering across the palate in a no-nonsense sort of way, Petite Sirah readily pairs with comfort food and is in ready reach on a dark, stormy night.   Yet, […]

With the holiday weekend ahead, of all the wines that could be served in backyard barbeque celebrations, if the evening temperatures cool and are moderate then Zinfandel should be one within easy reach.   Widely planted throughout California, Zinfandel is the red varietal that perhaps comes in second presently to the famed Cabernet Sauvignon.   The varietals, […]

Winter continues to sidestep the true arrival of spring in the Bay Area as rains fall heavily and fog ensconces homes in the evening.   Continued moisture ensures blooms and on pace, spring continues to press forward despite slightly abnormally wet conditions. Whether in the rain, the fog or by luck of catching a break in […]

Once upon a time in Napa Valley, “field blend” red wines graced many a table.   Popular as they were, whims drove vineyards to change vine composition such that today to find a true single vineyard “field blend” in Napa Valley is a rarity. What is a Field Blend Red Wine? To be a “field blend”, […]

With a title such as that, any reader, let alone a Petite Sirah aficionado, would want any introductory banter about the present weather in Napa Valley, the blooming mustard, the cloudless sunny days sparking the hope for a good vintage year ahead or any other whimsical observations to quickly wrap and move on to the […]