Art Predator Gwendolyn Alley leads an informal tasting of Gold Coast wines on the Gold Coast; photo by Karen McMahon
What better way to spend a summer day than tasting Gold Coast Wine Competition wines along the Gold Coast? Many California county fairs like the Orange County Fair and regions like the California Mid-State Fair are famous for their commercial wine competitions, and winning wineries proudly display their medals. Wineries large and small submit their wines to see how they stand side by side. Ventura County winemaker Steve Holt, a frequent judge, realized that the Ventura County Fair was missing something– a commercial wine competition that would celebrate and showcase local and regional wines, and even wines from beyond the central and southern coastal regions. Plus an opportunity to taste the wines!
Gold Coast red wines on the Gold Coast include Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, and merlot
So in 2024, Steve Holt started the “Gold Coast Wine Competition” Continue reading →
Vilarnau organic cava from Spain pairs well with seafood dishes like anchovies, halibut, swordfish
On July 12, join Spain and the world to toast International Cava Day and celebrate Spanish sparkling wine made in the traditional method from grapes indigenous to Iberia like Xarel·lo, Macabeo, Parellada. Cava comes in various styles from light, fresh and young perfect for tapas to older and more complex to pair with meals to sweeter versions; basically there’s a Cava to go with every occasion and dish. D.O. Cava also has pairing ideas: check out this chart or use it in Cava cocktails like these as suggested by D.O. Cava.
Here’s another reason to celebrate Cava: there’s a good chance that the Cava in your glass is organic.
Lake Tahoe view from above high above Incline Village, NV
As we drove up from Southern California along the eastside of the Sierra on Friday July 3, we were surprised by the crowds along the Nevada shore of Lake Tahoe and the traffic that crawled through Kings Beach.
What’s better than enjoying a glass of wine in the mountains near a river or lake in the summer? Not much– guess I’m not the only one who thinks so!
I recently learned that a visit to Lake Tahoe is predicted to be the most popular lake this summer by far! Continue reading →
