Mad for Merlot?   Is this possible?   Have I finally tasted enough wine to have lost my own wits and sense?   Hardly.  Instead, let it be known that anyone who turns up his or her nose at the possibility of being “mad for merlot” cannot claim to be a true wine aficionado. Merlot is a grape that (as […]

January in Napa Valley typically brings strong rainstorms from the Pacific Ocean, creating cold dark and stormy nights.    Candles are lit in living rooms and the air outside is permeated with the smell of wood fires burning in neighboring fireplaces.   As the winds bluster, the rain falls and a chill fills the air, it is […]

As the year 2009 closes out this week, most of us have a sense that age and time are fleeting.   It seems as if it was not that long ago that many of us were throwing the door open and greeting the arrival of 2009 with hope and enthusiasm.   As we prepare to do the […]

Colder temperatures descended upon Napa Valley last week and were only banished from the region by the arrival of several days of rain, mist and clouds.   Wintery weather has finally arrived and nearly all of the autumnal leaves have fallen from the grape vines.   Accompanying these conditions is the distinct chill of oceanic dampness in the […]

As Thanksgiving nears this week, there seems to be not enough time to get everything done and not enough room in the refrigerator as it continues to fill to capacity pending the upcoming feast.   Yet, for many, guests are starting to arrive in advance.   These same guests are still looking forward to be entertained and […]