Thirty years ago, San Francisco Bay Area attorney Jayson Pahlmeyer set out to make a very specific style of red wine, Mouton Bordeaux, and he chose Napa Valley to do so. He worked with professors from Bordeaux, sending samples of soil, and they returned with these results: grow corn. He persevered, and eventually, a place was found to develop his dream and find success– in part because in 1981 he smuggled vines in from France! Not to mention one of his wines getting a cameo in a major Hollywood film (scroll down for the clip).

Now, thirty years later it’s women that call the shots, and wines made by women that we’re celebrating during March’s Women’s History Month. Today Jayson’s daughter Cleo runs the show as President of Pahlmeyer since 2017, and in terms of winemaking, women have held this job for a number of years as well! In 1993 Continue reading →

The picnic basket, James! James Donzella, that is! He takes people in his historic vehicle on a tour with lunch and tasting at Clos des Amis. Details below.

Many of Ventura County’s vineyards back right up to wild lands — and by wild lands, I mean the Los Padres National Forest which provides excellent habitat for wild animals including bears.

So maybe not tigers, and while we DO have mountain lions in our woods, they are not as interested in the grapes as the BEARS are and the deer and raccoons too!

Let’s keep the mountain lions on the labels and not in the vineyards! especially during our lunch break with sandwiches from Fillmore’s Roan Mills Bakery.

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I admit it: while I don’t use straws for any other drink, I love having one in my margarita to drink through and to stir the ice.

But no more. It’s the last straw.

The last plastic straw that is.

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