Tag: Napa
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East of Rutherford, Chiles Valley AVA
On my last trip to Napa, I wanted to visit an AVA I had never tasted before. From Rutherford on the Napa Valley floor, my husband and I followed Highway 128 east for about 25 minutes in a narrow and winding path passing Lake Hennessey on the left (cover photo) and the Vaca Mountains on […]
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Carneros spotlight: Sonoma’s Etude Winery
Straddling both Napa and Sonoma counties, Carneros AVA grows some of the most concentrated Pinot Noirs in California. Often more voluminous in flavor than their Coastal counterparts, Carneros Pinot Noir typically has a deep berry (red cherry) flavor, hint of herb, and are made in a style that utilizes oak treatment to balance the intensity […]
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A Serious Wine: Napa’s Howell Mountain Cabernet
About a year ago, six of us piled into an SUV from the floor of Napa Valley in St. Helena for a half-hour climb straight up the Vaca Mountain Range, rising from the eastern side of the Valley to 1400 feet of elevation and beyond. It was 10:00 am and as we zigzagged up the […]
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Passion and Points: The Story of HALL Wines
Sometimes, Napa gets a bad rap. No, really. The world-famous valley in California, notable for producing some of the world’s most exquisite Cabernets, is sometimes talked down upon. Recently I was in an off-the-beaten-path wine region of California and a local wine producer commented that you wouldn’t find him on a beach in Hawaii cashing […]
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Wine and Baseball: Two of the Finest Found at AT&T Park
On our last trip to Napa (August 2015), we decided to spend one night in San Francisco to see our beloved Nationals get revenge on the Giants for the 2014 NLDS. I was excited to visit AT&T Park, located right on San Francisco Bay in the heart of downtown. And I was thrilled to watch […]
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Four Cabs from Four Regions: Which Came Out on Top?
Cabernet is the “king” of grapes in many people’s opinion. Rich and intense in flavors, Cabernet Sauvignon often typifies the “international” varietal of wine, and is grown in every major wine growing country in the world. So when I read about some exciting Cabs from the new world, I had to try them and invite […]
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Wine Trippin’: Plan the Perfect Wine Country Weekend
With the new year upon me, I am eager to get out of the grey cold of DC and into beautiful wine country. Hubby and I have been to northern California five times and several times to the wine region in Virginia as well. Both are stellar destinations, but I am a California girl at […]
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Spring Mountain District: Exploring a Less Traveled AVA
While not nearly as distinguishable (um, regulated) as French or Italian wine-growing regions, many AVAs in California have an unique taste and history. The hubby and I decide to venture into Spring Mountain AVA, known for Cabernets that are intense in fruit flavor balanced by structured tannins. Two minutes away from the crowds of downtown […]
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Me in a Glass: The American Classic, Schramsberg Brut Rosé
Tucked into the forested hillside of Diamond Mountain, Schramsberg Vineyards embodies the spirit of French Champagne by hand-riddling each bottle in the traditional bottle-fermentation method. The story of Schramsberg is also the story of a German immigrant and pioneer, Jacob Schram, who dug the first hillside cave in Napa in 1870. But it was not […]
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The Wine Geek’s Essential Napa Packing List
The day is finally here! I actually get to do all of the things on my “Calistoga, Here We Come!” itinerary (that’s the actual title, by the way). What to pack? After careful consideration, Here is my ultimate wine country packing list. Giant wine map of Sonoma and Napa. If you are a serious wine […]