Some of the many delights of traveling are discovering an unexpected site, cozy restaurant, or photo op that takes you by surprise. The whole region of Mudgee was like that for me. An unknown (to me) wine region, that was one of my excursions to Australia Wine Country with the Wine Media Conference. Now, you’ve
Escape to the South Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley spans 150-miles from Portland to Cottage Grove, with the Willamette River flowing along its entire length. Most people think of the Willamette Valley as the area between Salem and Portland, but this article will delve into the South Willamette Valley that includes the cities of Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield and Cottage Grove. Recently
Show Me Missouri Wine
The wine industry has played a significant role in both the history of Missouri and the United States. Our wine heritage must include Missouri wine because the state was the number one wine producer in our country during the mid-1800s and also home to the first AVA in the US Appellation system. After several visits
Bells Up Winery: Wine Music Hits All the Notes
Music is an essential part of the wine message at Bells Up Winery in the Willamette Valley. Music comes in many forms for David and Sara Specter, owners of the winery. As you enter the winery you first encounter the music with their logo of the French horn. I would say in their own way
Holiday Red Wine To Enjoy This Winter
When I think of Christmas and New Year’s, I think of red wine. Perhaps it is because red is such a prominent color at this time of the year or the fact that I think of the gorgeous variations of the hues that come forth with the variety of red wines. With red on my
Dancin Vineyards: The Delights of the Rogue Valley
Autumn is the ideal time of the year to visit Dancin Vineyards in the Rogue Valley AVA. Not only does the wine dance, but the fall colors of the foliage create an exquisite performance as if they are dancing in the wind. All this makes visiting this winery spectacular. The story of Dancin is a
Organics & Biodynamics In Australia’s Mudgee
On my recent trip to Australia, I spent 2 1/2 weeks visiting about six cities and three wine regions, including Mudgee. Kind of like a pig in, you know what- immersed in my element because I live for wine, travel, and food. I attended the Wine Media Conference for the first time, and its first
New Wine Tasting Rooms for Liquid Farm & Crawford Family Wines
A trip up to Santa Ynez, Solvang, and Los Olivos is always fun, especially when visiting old wine friends. My visit took in both Liquid Farm and Crawford Family Wines. Although I love their wines, they both have new wine tasting rooms that I wanted to check out, which I found worth the visit. I
Vidon Vineyard: From NASA Scientist to Winemaker
From space to the vineyard, life has taken many spins around this earth for Don Hagge of Vidon Vineyard. Visiting his hideaway gem of a vineyard with its magnificent views of the Willamette Valley, one would never know that Don had played a specific role in the Apollo space mission. You might call Don an
Visiting Solvang Winery Lucas & Lewellen
It takes a balancing act to oversee the 50 different wines that compose the portfolio of Lucas & Lewellen Estate Vineyards, a Solvang winery, but winemaker Megan McGrath Gates does it with panache. It began as a friendship in 1975 between Louis Lucas, a viticulturist, and Royce Lewellen, a Superior Court Judge, and moved on
