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Tasting the refined wines of Sicily today, you’d never guess that until recently, a significant amount of the grapes grown on this Italian island ended up as bulk wines, sometimes secretly blended into the wines of other European countries. In...
Visiting Peter Vinding-Diers’ Winery in Sicily I have no idea how one of the great winemakers of the world found his way to this little hilltop farm in the middle of nowhere, Sicily. Seriously, if I hadn’t been in...
On route to Cavalchina winery in Northeast Italy, the backroads suddenly looked familiar. I realized that several years ago, I passed near the small town of Sommacampagna, Cavalchina’s home base, on my way from Parma to the Lake Garda area...
On my first trip to Santa Barbara County a decade ago, I met a young winemaker who was memorable for his South African joie de vivre, his good wines, and love of surfing in the nearby Pacific Ocean. Not surprisingly,...
The growing interest in low and non-alcoholic (NA) beverage alternatives represents a significant shift in consumer preferences, driven by various factors such as price sensitivities, lifestyle choices or other. This trend is particularly noticeable among younger consumers who are drinking...
Can you think about spirits production the same way you think about wines – with terroir and everything? The other night, I met an interesting guy who thinks so. Thomas Soltau, the Louisiana native who founded Sugarfield Spirits, believes “you...
A large part of the appeal of this Prosecco is the bottle itself. The glass is beautifully embossed, and the label is sparkly and fun. This presentation is designed to appeal to party-goers around the world, and the producers are...
EHLER’S ESTATE History Comes Full Circle In 1885, German Immigrant Bernard Ehlers founded Ehlers Winery, purchasing 42 acres of land from a viticulturist. Ehlers had made his fortune during the California Gold Rush, not as a prospector but as a...
Low-Alcohol Pinot Grigio: 2023 Cantina Zaccagnini Pinot Grigio, Terre di Chieti IGT Notably, this pinot grigio is fairly low in alcohol, at 12.5%. That, and the price, are good reasons to keep this white wine on your radar for casual...
There is a comfortable tasting room in downtown Napa, just a few blocks from the river, serving highly rated wines in a welcoming, comfortable setting. On a Spring or summer evening, you may want to sit and sip in the...
The 85th anniversary event honoring the Top of the Mark, an iconic San Francisco hotel lounge, turned into a grand 1920’s dance party in May, 2024. Opened during Prohibition, the Mark Hopkins hotel at the summit of the city’s celebrated...
You know how everything that happened before you were born seems like ancient history? I have that same feeling about events and people in the wine world that occurred before I started exploring it. Fortunately, esteemed international winemaker Peter Vinding-Diers...
One of the few gay-owned wineries in the San Francisco area, VOON takes its name from the nickname of founding partner Evan Anderson. He brings imagination and cultural references to the table by taking visual advantage of VOON’s double O’s....