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 […]

Thanksgiving has come and gone leaving its aftermath of leftovers in the refrigerator, holiday decorating and shopping to finish and for many, an insurmountable backlog of work waiting in the office.   Surfacing for air the week after Thanksgiving may be an accomplishment in and of itself without trying to dream up an involved food and […]

This past week Napa Valley has received the gift of unseasonably warm temperatures with seemingly never ending warm rays of sun.   The leaves on the grape vines have peaked and in certain American Cultural Areas (“AVAs”) such as Yountville and Carneros, autumnal colors literally carpet the landscape.   Wandering in among the vines, (as depicted in […]

Of course the answer to the title of this week’s article is “yes”.   Your eyes did not deceive you.   Italy, despite its prowess with all things Sangiovese and Super-Tuscan, does grow grapes specifically to produce Burgundy style red wines.  Before you race to your corner wine shop ready to stump the local clerk or armed […]

In the world of wine, as most know, there is no legal definition for “proprietary red”.   Largely ambiguous when used in relation to a wine, the word “proprietary” infers a sense of exclusive right by the winery to the goodness that waits in that bottle and generally reflects a unique craftsmanship that a winery is […]