On May 15, Stu and Charlie Smith, along with François Bugué, the Smiths’ associate winemaker, celebrated Smith-Madrone Vineyard & Winery’s 55th birthday. The celebration marked Stu’s signing of the paperwork in 1971 to acquire the Spring Mountain property that is home to Smith-Madrone’s vineyards and winery. Stu and Charlie started planting the vineyard the next year and their first vintage was […]
We may not have quite reached the summer equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, but summer weather is definitely here. We’ve just returned from the Midwest where the temperatures were in the 70s and 80s with similar humidity. The landscape was beautiful and green, but that humidity was not very pleasant. We’re now back to the dry heat we are used […]
Today we’re sipping wines made in three French wine regions. All are white wines with relatively low alcohol but very different flavor profiles. And, as you might expect from French wines, all are made to enjoy with food. Our tasting begins in Champagne before moving to the South West France and ends in the Loire Valley. Champagne everyone will recognize, […]
Rosé is welcome in my glass regardless of the season, but, in springtime a gorgeous rosé reflects the color and vibrance of the season especially well. And just as I have an equal appreciation for both vibrant and delicate colors in our garden, I appreciate rosés of every shade. Today we are sipping a Languedoc rosé that is as perfumed […]
We’re returning to Spain’s Rioja wine region again for another sip of Tempranillo. This time the wine is 100% Tempranillo, once again made by Campo Viejo. In anticipation of warming weather this tasting comes with two cocktail recipes using Tempranillo that are commonly enjoyed in Spain. Both are easier to make than sangria, not as boozy and perfect for a […]
In 2021 Robert Hall Winery started an exciting vineyard trial intended to prove whether regenerative organic farming practices would succeed in the winery’s estate vineyard. Regenerative organic practices require organic farming as a baseline — requiring certified organic inputs and prohibiting the use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides. Additionally, it uses ground cover along with no-till in the vineyard and […]
The New Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook is more than recipes. It also takes a nostalgic look back the history of Cafe Beaujolais, a restaurant that has been serving meals in the quaint village of Mendocino on California’s north coast since 1968. As you might expect, Cafe Beaujolais has had several owners over the years, but none did more to establish the […]
One of the many things I learned during weekly wine tastings at a local wine shop years ago is the pleasure of discovering a delicious wine for not very much money. It has become increasingly enjoyable as I have watched the price of some wine reach a crazy expensive level. The Tempranillo blend we’re tasting today definitely fits the delicious-wine-for-not-very-much-money […]
Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse for a glass of bubbly, assuming you need one to enjoy a glass of bubbles. What I enjoy most about traditional method sparkling wines is their freshness and acidity, relatively low ABV and of course those energetic bubbles. They are beautiful in your glass and pair with almost any kind of food from appetizers […]
We have posted two wine reviews during January this year, so clearly we did not participate in Dry January. We do have an appreciation for wines with lower alcohol, however, and it factors significantly in the wines we choose to drink. Some critics will say balance is more important than ABV and don’t list ABV in their reviews, but both […]
We enjoy wine, food and travel. Pull That Cork is a chronicle of our wine adventures, the food and wine pairings we create and our travels which are increasingly organized around wine.