After a week at Radici del Sud’s XX event focusing on the wines of southern Italy, IMHO Pulgia should pull out all the stops and promote Rosato, which is Italian for a pink wine made from red grapes. The winning Rosati at Radici del Sud came from Primitivo and Puglia, where rosati comes in many hues, styles, and textures— something for everyone! And much of it is very affordable. Do I have your attention yet? Continue reading
Author Archives: Gwendolyn Alley aka Art Predator
From Luberon with Love: Four Organic Chateau de Sannes Rosé Paired with Venison Bourguignon
While in northern Tuscany at a retreat with new friends, I expected to drink Italian wine — and lots of it! Instead, the cocktail game was on point, and then some, with professional and brilliant mixologists. Then for our final evening together, someone brought organic wine from where he works, Chateau de Sannes, Luberon, in the south of France! Marc-Antoine was also the chef that night— he spent several days marinating in red wine then cooking venison to make a Bourguignon style stew and a potato gratin to pair with the wines he brought. Obviously, the venison stew went with the four red wines, but I also enjoyed how the venison stew went with the four Rosé— and appreciated the quality and affordability of the twelve organic wines we tasted together. With the warm days of summer here, Rose Day upon us Saturday June 14, let’s celebrate the longer days with these organic Rosé from France! Continue reading
Organic Côtes du Rhône Rosé with Salmon Cakes, Squash Soup, Salad
Rosé Day –the second Saturday of June each year–officially marks the start of Rosé season for many, and what better way than with organic Rosé from the Côtes du Rhône region in southern France? So many foods go well with Rosé— think smoked meats, cheeses, seafood, quiche— that it can be hard to decide what to choose! Sue wanted to do something different and suggested salmon cakes — a first for us here on Wine Predator. Since we had a winter squash that needed to be used, and a perfectly ripe organic pear, we knew the direction we would go to round out the meal.
Visiting Tuscan Vineyards and Enjoying La Maliosa’s Procanico to Celebrate World Biodiversity Day
Tasty RTDs? On A Mission for Easy Cocktails and Light Bites? Start here!
Do you love a classic Margarita, a sophisticated Cosmopolitan, or a smooth Espresso Martini— but you don’t want to mess with making them from scratch or searching out the ingredients? Mission Cocktails is on a Mission to deliver bar-quality, ready-to-pour drinks, AND to make a difference: every bottle sold helps fund meals for families in need, with over 100k meals provided so far. Wow! And today May 13 is World Cocktail Day! No better way to celebrate this Mission than with a Mission cocktail and light bites!
We recently enjoyed taste testing a sample box with five of Mission’s award winning cocktails, Continue reading
Discovering Virginia Wine + Cuisine via the Governor’s Cup Case 2025: 3 Red Blends with Ham, Gratin, Greens
Festive April 26 Earth Happenings: SB Natural Coast Wine Fest plus SB Earth Day Fest and more!
As we near the end of Earth Month, in California we received needed rain— even 6″ of snow in Tahoe. Our rain gauge shows a half inch and our rain barrels are all topped off again. This rain shouldn’t put a damper on today’s festivities— we might get a little more but that should be it. Which is great for area farmers and gardeners, and for people at local festivals like the Natural Coast Wine Festival in Santa Barbara just down the street from the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival — which is where we are headed! Then tonight we’ll go see Fantuzzi at Art City. Also this weekend is the Replant the Forest Fest in Santa Paula.
First, what in the world is the “Natural Coast?” Continue reading









