“Congratulations on writing 1000 posts on wine predator!” says WordPress.
As such, it seems appropriate to make it about “Local Love, Local Wine” because while I first started going wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma then worked at Ridge Vineyards in the early and mid-80s, in the mid 1990s, I got back into wine as the Art Predator by writing a newspaper column that included “all that engages the whole soul” from art to literature to film to wine to food, all local. I didn’t make a lot of money in that gig, but I did have trade: free food and drink at many area restaurants.
One of the restaurants, the long gone Nora’s of Ojai, featured wines from The Ojai Vineyard Continue reading →
Donnachiara’s falangina paired with shrimp bisque and aglianico paired with seared blue fin tuna.
As I near my 1000 post on this blog, I’ve been reflecting on some of the factors that shaped it and participating in Wine Studio’s educational programs on Tuesday nights at 6pm since 2014 is one of them. Through Tina Morey, I had access to wines I wouldn’t have been able to taste otherwise, and via the educational format with experts and others chiming in on twitter as we taste through wines, I learned a lot. Recently, Tina ended the WineStudio season with a special event hosted by Susannah Gold with Donnachiara’s Ilaria Petitto. For Wine Predator Post #999, here’s my write up from the conversation and my thoughts about the wines and pairings.
At Donnachiara they say they tend their vines as carefully as window boxes “even though the locations can be distinctly challenging. This process makes for superior vines, grapes, and ultimately wines.”
Donnachiara is located in Campania, which is famous for the beautiful landscape of the Amalfi coast, the volcanic fields of fire and as the home to 10 of the 55 UNESCO sites in Italy;Mount Vesuvius is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The presence of Mount Vesuvius is everywhere, but as Ilaria Petito says in a ZOOM call with members of #WineStudio, “Vesuvius is sleeping; better for us! Thanks to Vesuvious, the soil is volcanic.”
Duckhorn Vertical paired with lamb shanks with pomegranate gravy on mashed potatoes
It’s time to give merit where merit is due: much maligned MERLOT.
Well, maligned about 15 years go. That is one seriously long lasting hangover!
People in the know KNOW that merlot is the way to go if you’re looking for a mellow companion to a heavy hitting meal. From lamb to duck to salmon to tuna steaks to prime rib, MERLOT marries fruit with herbal notes to make your meal merry.
Having started out in wine working the tasting room at Ridge Vineyards (which at that time was outside on a picnic table under a deck!), I’ve long been a fan of Zinfandel. My writing partner, Sue Hill, grew up in an Italian family making ravioli by hand and drinking Pesenti Zinfandel from Paso Robles.
Knowing there’s a relationship between Primitivo and Zinfandel, we proposed to the Italian Food Wine Travel group to take a look at Italy’s Primitivo and ask “Is Primitivo The Godfather of Zinfandel”? Continue reading →
As the world waits with baited breath for the results of the 2020 US election, there is still much to celebrate. We have a democracy. Even with rampant voter suppression, a record breaking number of us voted.
And there are personal reasons too to celebrate.
Thanksgiving, Solstice, Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Years are all on the horizon.
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 