My last excursion to visit a winery before the sheltering in place went into effect in Los Angeles took me for a day to Temecula to visit Chapin Family Vineyards. What makes Chapin stand out is the Italian varieties they produce. Although Chapin focuses on red wine and two that are unusual for Temecula, Montepulciano,
Soul of the Lion: The Story of DAOU Estate’s Outstanding Wine
The thrill for a wine writer is the ability to sample an exceptionally outstanding wine, but often the story behind compels me to compose the article. In the case of DAOU Family Estates, the biographical history behind the wine Soul of the Lion drew me to write this piece. Although this wine is extraordinary, it
Stay At Home: Eleven Wines To Savor At Your Leisure
We may not be able to travel to visit wineries at this time, but we certainly stay at home and enjoy a bottle of wine in the comfort of our houses. Many wineries are offering special deals and free shipping. Our local wine shops will allow curbside pickup and in California, the ABC relaxed the
Discover Sonoma County & Rodney Strong Vineyards
Building a base or a foundation is the center for any artist, musician, and also for creating wine. Those wineries that were the pioneers of the wine industry in the 1960s and 1970s laid the groundwork for California winemaking. One winery which played an important role in the establishment of the Sonoma County Wine Industry
Discovering Gilbert Arizona
This post is an excerpt from an article I wrote on Gilbert Arizona for FWT Magazine. Gilbert Arizona has become the fastest-growing city in the Phoenix area. Its popularity can be seen as one walks down Gilbert Rd in the heart of Gilbert’s Heritage District. Not only is the town popular with snowbirds, especially those
Zinfandel Wine: Defining Lodi’s Heritage
Although Lodi grows many different varietals, the area is also known as the Zinfandel capitol of the world. Of late, I have enjoyed two Zinfandels that attest to the regional heritage of producing exceptional Zinfandel wine. Lodi dates back to the 1850s. In the 1880s, Zinfandel was one of the primary grapes grown in the
From German Wine to Bordeaux Wine Click Different Does it Right
The goal of Clink Different is to get wine enthusiasts to Experience the Wines of Europe. The program is a joint effort between Germany, DWI, German Wine Institute, and Bordeaux, CIVB, Bordeaux Wine Council. The program’s intention focuses on increasing the public’s awareness of PDO wines from Bordeaux and Germany. To accomplish Clink Different goals,
Los Angeles Restaurant: Discover Sibling Rival
New to the Los Angeles restaurant scene is Sibling Rival at the Hoxton Hotel downtown. The restaurant showcases a modern innovated take on American Cuisine. Think American eatery meets French Bistro. Executive Chef John Taube IV brings a fresh look making the cuisine marvelous as he blends so many unusual flavors to each dish. Sibling
Lenné Estate: The Best of Yamhill-Carlton AVA
On a recent visit to the Willamette Valley, I got to visit a winery, Lenné Estate, that you might call an anomaly because of its terroir. The soils are peavine series, a soil that is moderately deep, well-drained, and forms in clayey colluvium and residuum derived from sandstone, siltstone, basalt, tuffaceous rock, and shale located
Kyra’s Bake Shop: A Gluten-free Bakery At Its Sweetest
Baked goods for the gluten-free diet can be daunting. Add in the dairy-free diet, and bread and desserts are almost non-existent unless you are a connoisseur of sorbets. Recently on a trip to Oregon, I discovered to my delight Kyra’s Bake Shop, a gluten-free bakery haven with an array of delicious pastries, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes,
