Author: Nancy (CSW)

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Vasse Felix: A Taste of Margaret River

Today we are traveling the only way we can, through the wine in our glass, and we are thankful to do so. No passport required, no long airplane flight, no jet lag. Two wines from Vasse Felix in South West Australia’s Margaret River will introduce us to the region and begin at the beginning. Vasse Felix is the the first […]

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New Releases from Flora Springs

If, like us, you are on winery mailing lists you have received emails announcing spring release wines. It’s a welcome bright spot, especially this year when so little is normal for most of us. Today we are sharing two recent releases from Flora Springs that we received as tasting samples. Spring wine releases this year will be especially important to […]

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Two New White Wines from Kenwood Vineyards

Winemakers are a curious lot. They are always on a quest to identify unique vineyard sites and expressions of grape varieties. Every vintage brings with it unique challenges and opportunities to craft interesting wines. Kenwood Vineyards has introduced two white wines for winter sipping and beyond. We received both wines as tasting samples. Both of these wines are new additions […]

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Terra Alpina Wines from Alois Lageder

My travels to the Dolomites in northeastern Italy are limited to the wine in my glass. But I have to say that virtual travel is one of the great pleasures of wine. The Dolomites, with their jagged peaks, steep slopes, valleys cut by glaciers and alpine rivers, have created a complex terroir that defines Trentino-Alto Adige. Today we are tasting […]

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The Paring: Wines with an Edge

The Paring has a backstory that includes winemaker Matt Dees and two of Santa Barbara County’s acclaimed wineries, JONATA and The Hilt. Through common ownership there is a connection to Napa’s cult wine, Screaming Eagle. Impressive connections. But when we receive wines as tasting samples for review we taste them without learning more about them than what is on the […]

Red Wines for Winter Meals and Beyond

This time of year we work red wines into our wine rotation much more often than in the summer months. Red wines just pair better with braised meals and chill winter evenings than salads and triple-digit afternoons. But until those very warm temperatures descend upon us in late summer, red wines will also pair well with grilled meats and veggies […]

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Sipping Cava and Sherry for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, so if you haven’t already made a plan now is the time to do so. To aid you in planning your celebration we are sharing three Spanish wines today, all were sent to us as tasting samples, that will get you off to a delicious start and then finish your evening with something sweet. We […]

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Vintage Longbottom: A Taste of Persistence

We were recently introduced to the wines of Vintage Longbottom, made by Kim and Margo Longbottom in South Australia, when we received several wines as tasting samples. We opened the two white wines and tasted them without knowing anything about the winery or how they were made. When I went looking for background on the wines and Vintage Longbottom, I […]

Experience the Hess Collection Winery

Hess Collection Winery sits above Napa Valley on Mount Veeder. The drive to Hess from Napa takes you through residential neighborhoods that eventually give way to mountain forest. As the winding road narrows the sights and smells of forest replace those of Napa’s valley floor and it is no longer obvious you’re in wine country. Once you arrive at the […]