Sonja Magdevski, owner and wine maker at Casa Dumetz Wines, held a special event for wine club members, a barrel tasting of some of her 2018 vintage wines. Sonja began her adventure into commercial wine making in 2008, with a focus on Rhone varietals.  She bottles under three labels: Casa Dumetz, Clementine Carter, and The Feminist Party. Sonja does not…

The Wine House, a wonderful wine shop in West Los Angeles, hosted Stolpman Vineyards for a grand tasting earlier this month. I’m a huge fan of The Wine House and they do an exceptional job with their tastings. First of all, events are not oversold, meaning you aren’t endlessly waiting in line at the tables and you can actually chat…

A recent visit to the lovely Central Coast included visits to three wineries new to me. My daughter, Hilary, had previously visited Riverbench and one of my friends recommended Dierberg and Sunstone. Riverbench is situated on the southeastern edge of the Santa Maria Valley, the northernmost AVA in Santa Barbara County. Pinot Noir vines make up the majority of the…

In the October 4 article, I touched on the topic of retronasal olfaction.  While researching this additional nerve center that enables us to smell, I discovered fascinating facts about our amazing sense of smell.  This post is dedicated to the most important sense as we learn about and enjoy wine. Our tongues can only perceive the tastes of sweet, salt,…

You’re invited to a holiday party and want to bring a gift.  A bottle of wine is usually a good choice–but which one?  How much do you want to spend?  How well do you know the person or people for whom you are selecting the bottle?  Are they avid wine drinkers?  We’ve all stood in front of rows of wine…

              Fully half of our second busy day was spent at Crown Valley. This enormous 8,000 acre property is home to vineyards, Black Angus cattle, elk, long horn steer, watusi, and blackberries. The enterprise also includes a brewery, distillery, and various hospitality properties.  An unexpected feature is the family’s not for profit Tiger Sanctuary…

Our Missouri Wine Board hosts had planned another busy day for us, packed with activities.  We began with a grand tour and tasting at Chaumette.  Hank shared some fascinating history with us about the name “Chaumette” and the influence of the French immigrants who settled in St. Genevieve. As we began tasting some of the wines, he used the classic…

Some History   My introduction to Missouri wines occurred at last year’s Wine Blogger’s Conference in Sonoma. I was not aware that the state was a wine producer and the handful of wines I tasted were impressive. The Missouri Wine Board offered an opportunity to visit one of the wine growing areas and I jumped at the chance. Missouri’s wine…

No matter where you live, you have likely been experiencing some very warm summer weather.  Grilling and barbecuing are favorite pastimes as we enjoy all of the wonderful foods the season offers.  I checked in with some of my favorite wine retailers and asked them about their favorite red wines for summer. Jeff Zimmitti owns and operates Rosso Wine Shop…

Spring has sprung in most parts of the country and that means that it’s officially rosé season! Many people may enjoy rosé year round, but my cravings really hit when the weather warms. Rosé has come such a long way over the past ten or so years. Some of you will remember the days (much longer ago than ten years!)…