Summer, winter, spring or fall . . . no matter the season each week I create a recipe to pair with a bottle of wine.   In some instances, it is the recipe that dominates and other times it is a particular bottle of wine that I wish to feature which controls the pairing.   Yet […]

Red wine:  there are so many varietals and so many personal preferences.  Yet if red wine has one common denominator it is that it is good, pure and simple.   Whether your preference is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Pinot Noir or other varietals, when red wine grapes are made into a blend, the wine has the […]

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”, […]

During the month of December, typically rain systems roll down off of the Pacific Ocean to shower on the Bay Area and across to Napa Valley before mustering themselves into snow for the Sierras a few hours to the east.   Some years during the month of December, moments of sun can be difficult to catch […]