Cantina Sociale di Quistello Lambrusco “80 Vendemmie” Rosso di Quistello I.G.P.

“Hey, we’re in the area, should we come by?” We all know these phone calls– or the knock on the door– and as happy as we are to have the unexpected guests, what to serve? An unexpected wine! Sure you can probably put together a cheese platter and open a bottle of wine, but we have another sparkling idea: LAMBRUSCO and PIZZA.  Continue reading →

Lodi’s Organic Bokisch Vineyards Sparkling Albarino and Rosado Paired with Turkey and Trimmings

What’s the best way to brighten up the dark days of winter? Sparkling organic wine, of course! And you’ll be happy to know that if you have both a rosado as well on the table, you’ll have a wine that works from a greeter wine to a dinner of turkey and all the way to apple pie. Continue reading →

Special Wines for Special Occasions: Champagne!

For winophiles like me, it’s exciting to find a special bottle of wine for a special occasion. We all have our favorite sources, and we know who we can trust with recommendations. We love going and perusing the bottles and learning more about the wines inside, imagining the pleasures within, especially when we see the Demeter insignia on the labeling indicating that the wine is certified biodynamic. Sue and I love Point du Chene in Ojai which has a nice selection of organic and biodynamic wines made by small producers, and here in Midtown Ventura near my home, there’s a new wine store specializing in natural wine that I look forward to visiting. In Los Angeles, Sliver Lake Wine has a great selection of interesting wines while Wine House LA seems to have everything.   

But sometimes, we’re already on our way to the special occasion gathering when the call comes with a request: “Can you stop by the store and get some Champagne?” Continue reading →

3 Maipo Valley Cabs vs 3 Napa Valley Cabs

Looking for a Cab for Christmas? You’ve probably considered a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa but what about one from Chile’s Maipo Valley? And what about pairing a Cab or two with a festive meal that’s easy on the eyes, the wallet, and the effort in the kitchen like this Cabernet Sauvignon Braised Pomegranate Pot Roast which we have a recipe for you below? And Kathy’s No Damn Mayo Waldorf goes great with these Cabernet too; Continue reading →

Celebrating Cabernet Franc with 4 From Around the World

In the Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc stands alone, usually as a red wine, but sometimes sparkling, or a rose. Just south, in Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc blends in with a team usually led by Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. The rest of the world generally followed Bordeaux’s path by growing Cabernet Franc to create a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. While these Bordeaux style blends are certainly delicious, it’s a worthwhile endeavor to enjoy elegant, herbal Cabernet Franc on its own merits. And no better time than Cabernet Franc Day celebrated each year on Dec. 4. As we wrote in “Seven Reasons to Celebrate Cab Franc”-– Continue reading →

Foradori ‘s Bio Teroldego

What grows together goes together. This is a famous adage which helps when thinking about wine pairing: choose dishes from the region where the wine grows. But how often do you get to pair a cheese made from cows that graze near the vines and that contribute to the vine’s health and welfare as determined by Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic principles??

Following the Wine Media Conference on Lake Garda in Lombardy, fellow LA Wine Writer Melanie Webber and I rented a tiny manual transmission car, Continue reading →