Rainy season continues to linger in Napa Valley and presently it seemingly delivers a storm every few days.  With such weather comes the ideal opportunity to drink red wine but as spring also nears, one finds that the palate is somewhat exhausted from heavy tannins.  This bears a timely educational question.    Is all red wine […]

If there is a grape which is followed with fervor and passion in Napa Valley, it is Petite Sirah.   Despite its name’s diminutive reference, the grape is capable of creating a big, bold tannic red wine loaded with complexity.  Primarily grown today in California (despite initially being grown in France), this grape is adored by […]

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 […]

Generally those who appreciate wine have an obscure grape that they each hold dear.   For me, that grape is Alicante Bouschet.   Presently, less than one percent of the grape is planted in California and it is difficult to find a vintage made with one hundred percent of the grape.   Alicante Bouschet was not originally obscure […]

One year ago, as rain relentlessly poured, I stood in a winery and listened to a sage industry veteran talk about obscure grapes and which were his favorites.   There was no doubt which was his favorite:   Malbec.    As he effervesced with passion and his face lit with emotion, he forgot his post in the tasting […]