June 2017 photo at Acquiesce, Lodi by Gwendolyn Alley
When you think of wines from the Lodi area, what comes to mind for most people is ZINFANDEL — and plenty of it!
But in the past few years, particularly thanks to tasting wines from Cantara Cellars as well as participating in twitter tastings and from attending the 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference in Lodi plus a press trip to Lodi last June, I’ve come to appreciate and advocate the range of wines coming from this region of California.
Today I want to introduce you to a winery in Lodi that specializes in white wines from the Rhone Valley: Acquiesce. Continue reading →
When I heard that the French Winophiles were getting samples “to roam the range of Rhone,” I asked Sue if she was up for making Canard à l’Orange aka Duck à l’orange. We had made it one summer for a twitter tasting, and wow, was it spectacular, and it paired so well with the under $20 Rhone wonders on the table, I could only imagine how well it would go with an M. Chapoutier 2015 – Chateauneuf-du-Pape “La Bernardine” Rouge blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah.Continue reading →
In March here on Wine Predator for Women’s History Month, we feature women in wine we adore: women winemakers, women winery owners, and other important women in wine. Continue reading →
Sue is big on bidding at silent wine auctions and other charity raffles. And often she wins!
Last year at the Ojai Wine Festival, Sue saw this library vertical from Ranchita Canyon and won these lovely three red wine blends. When we were brainstorming what we should do for Open That Bottle Night which rolls around on the final Saturday of February, she volunteered to share these — and to make a lasagna to pair with them! Continue reading →
Hello Wine Pairing Pilgrims! Please join the Wine Pairing weekend crew on a sacred journey this April to Navarra, Spain, home to the Camino de Santiago as well as a cuisine that pairs heavenly with the region’s wines!
As you can see from the map above, Navarra is located in the upper part of Spain near Rioja and France, and the city famous for the “running of the bulls” — Pamplona — is located there.
Navarra’s history is intertwined with the Camino de Santiago Continue reading →
Oysters and sparkling wine are always a hit: non-fussy, a big crowd pleaser, a bit exotic and exciting!
Seriously, though, when throwing an Oscar party or just a film night with friends, it is very important to be able to relax and enjoy the show with your guests.
So go with a nice cheese plate, some simple finger foods, along with bubbles on ice, and maybe even a berry pie — so easy!– that you can make ahead and smell while it cooks and cools! (Just buy the crusts, toss the berries in a little flour and sugar, and you’re good to go!)
Cocktails are classy and fun when made with bubbles, but they can be more work than setting out wine and beer — unless there’s someone at your gathering who would rather make cocktails than watch commercials! A salad is always nice to have as well — something crunchy and fresh — people can dress their own.
This first weekend of March World Of Pinot Noir returns to the exclusive Bacara Resort located on the coast just north of Santa Barbara.
Along with flowing pinot filling dump buckets will be buckets of rain and mud, so bring your umbrella and prepare for possible road closures!
That’s right, due to the extensive damage to the hillsides caused by the Thomas and other recent fires and predictions of a serious winter storm, this year’s World of Pinot Noir requires a bit more than a light jacket for cool evenings: bring an umbrella and a rain jacket — and you should consider some mud boots as well as planning on possible road closures, detours, and worse. Seriously: be sure to have cold weather clothes in your car along with snacks and plenty of water so you don’t indulge in that bottle of Pinot Noir I know you have tucked in there somewhere! Continue reading →
