I’ve only ever heard wine friends refer to DAOU Family Estates as Daou, but family is integral to the story of the winery established by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou. And, DAOU Soul of a Lion is the wine they make and dedicate to their father, Joseph, who through his own actions gave them the courage to follow their dreams. […]
Recently we spent a couple of days in the Paso Robles wine region. The three-and-a-half-hour drive makes Paso too far away for a day trip, so we planned an overnight stay. For us, wine travel in the time of COVID means looking for lodging in a small rural property and for wine tasting experiences that are outdoors. Planning ahead is […]
Monastrell, called Mourvèdre and Mataro elsewhere in the wine world, comprises more than 75% of plantings in the dry, inland wine region of Jumilla located in Spain’s southeast corner. And Jumilla is home to Europe’s largest planting of ungrafted 90-year-old bush vines. What better way to discover Jumilla than with a tasting of wines comprised entirely of Monastrell? The three […]
Rodney Strong Vineyards has recently undergone a refresh. The most noticeable change to consumers who visit the winery will be in the remodeled tasting room; to anyone who picks up a bottle of Rodney Strong wine it will be the newly designed wine labels. But less visible changes have been going on behind the scenes for some time in the […]
Winemaker José Luis Moreira da Silva, Zé Luis as he is known more informally, has the challenge of making wine in two Portuguese wine regions. The two regions could not be more different in terms of growing conditions and grape varieties. Fortunately the distance between Vinho Verde and the Douro is not too great, about 90 minutes by car. In […]
The flower garden beneath our second-floor room is in full bloom. Raspberry bushes bear ripe fruit waiting to be picked. Paisley and Clifford, two relaxed longhorns, graze the pasture just beyond the garden. Close by a flock of chickens scratch and peck among the olive trees, with their nighttime roost (a re-purposed travel trailer) set safely within their fenced area. […]
Recently I was invited to sit in on a virtual tasting of Kenwood Vineyards wines paired with cheese. During the tasting Kenwood Vineyards winemaker Zeke Neeley gave us the behind the scenes details of each wine we tasted while chef and cookbook author Gaby Dalkin created a cheeseboard. I came away with a greater understanding of the different ranges of […]
Sosie Wines proprietors Regina Bustamante and Scott MacFiggen are well acquainted with the wines of France, and that influence is reflected in the wines they craft. They source grapes from a number of very special vineyards in Northern California and take a light hand in winemaking. Rossi Ranch in Sonoma Valley is one of those special vineyards. We received this […]
Austria, Spain and Chile are represented in this group of white wines imported in the US by González Byass. In addition to the importer they share affordability and offer a variety of grape varieties to enjoy for summer sipping. We received these wines as tasting samples. 2020 Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen, Wachau, Austria — pale yellow with aromas […]
Summer is here, temperatures are rising and we’re enjoying lighter meals. We’re grilling and trying to keep cool. White wines are more likely to grace our dinner table this time of year and Grenache Blanc is a delicious choice to accompany meals or sip before dinner. Grenache Blanc from Napa Valley isn’t the most common of choices, but Priest Ranch […]
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.