Monthly Archives: February 2015

Is Wine the Gateway Drug to Caring About Climate Change?

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I have said it before and I will say it again: Drinking and enjoying wine from around the world is a gateway drug for caring about climate change.

Because global warming and climate change is impacting wine regions around the world, including Australia which is being celebrated with #ShirazWeek in Vancouver , check out this AUS climate change booklet published last week, Feb. 15 2015, which seeks to improve public understanding on this global topic in order to curb carbon emissions Continue reading →

Shiraz Week: Sat. Feb. 21 – March 1, 2015

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I guess one day isn’t enough for a wine this big…

That must be why Shiraz will be celebrated for a week –from Saturday February 21st – Sunday March 1st, 2015– instead of just one day like Cabernet Sauvignon (last Thursday in August–the Thursday before Labor Day), Chardonnay (last Thursday in May before Memorial Day), and other days set aside to take note of various varietals.

Continue reading →

PS I Love You: Time for Dark and Delicious and a Glass of Rock Wall Petite Sirah!

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One of the best ways to get to know a type of wine is to taste a whole lot of them at the same time.
And the best way to discover which wines pair with which foods is, again, to taste a lot of foods with that wine!
Coming to your rescue on Friday,  February 20, 2015 from 6-9pm at Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda CA is DARK & DELICIOUS, the preeminent, Petite Sirah event organized by PS I Love You, Inc, a Petite Sirah advocacy group.

What are you in the mood for this Valentine’s Day?

If you are in the mood for beautiful weather (70s and 80s) and gorgeous sunsets at the beach this Valentine’s Day with a generous helping of great wine and good food, then you should head to Ventura County  for the Valentine n Wine 5 day event starting tomorrow Th. Feb. 12, continuing Friday the 13th, Valentine’s Day, Sunday, and all the way to President’s Day, February 16th.

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balmy Ventura beach sunset Tuesday February 10

In addition to tasting at 11 area wineries plus several more wineries at the Custom Crush facility in Camarillo, with your passport you’ll experience: Continue reading →

I Want A TROUBLEMAKER For A Lover…

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“I want a trouble-maker for a lover:

Blood spiller, blood drinker, a heart of flame,

Who quarrels with the sky, and fights with fate,

Who burns like fire on the rushing sea.”

#862: From Rumi’s Kolliyaat-e Shams-e Tabrizi Edited by Badiozzaman Forouzanfar (Tehran, Amir Kabir, 1988) from the website The Iranian

Last week I participated in a wine tasting where we had the opportunity to chat live on Twitter with winemaker Austin Hope of @HopeFamilyWines from California’s Central Coast and makers of Treana, Liberty School, Austin Hope, Candor, and Troublemaker wines.

As part of a promotion for the Boston Wine Expo which celebrates wine, food, and culture from the greatest wine-growing regions of the world February 14-15, 2015 at the Seaport Hotel, Boston, MA. I was sent three wines for this tasting. Here are our thoughts on the B7 nad B8 TROUBLEMAKER.

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Trouble Maker B7 Continue reading →

The Duck Has Landed!

Usually it’s wine that arrives for twitter tastings.

But this time it was DUCK!

Because when I was invited to participate in a twitter tasting for DUCK #BWEChat #discoverduck I said HECK YEAH! Continue reading →