Pull That Cork

Domaine de Bila-Haut: Roussillon Wines from Michel Chapoutier

August 5, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) 3 comments

Maison M. Chapoutier is a family-owned winery (and négotiant business) located in Tain-l’Hermitage in the northern Rhone. The family’s winemaking history dates back to 1808 and is closely linked with Hermitage. Though the family’s winemaking roots are in the northern Rhone, current winemaking interests also include vineyards in Alsace, Portugal, Australia and the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France.

Africa — Our Dream Vacation Come True

July 31, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) 10 comments

Pete and I have wanted to visit Africa for a long time. It’s something we have talked about over the years, often in the afternoon with a glass of wine in hand, in our back yard. Vacation day dreaming! But finally our plans turned from wistful thinking to planning…over a year of planning actually.

Sauternes and Cherries — A Special Summer Pairing

July 23, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) 2 comments

Those of us who are regular tasters at the Thursday night wine tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton know one of George’s great loves is Sauternes and cherries. Not just any cherries mind you. They must be cherries that are not overly sweet, just a touch of tartness is what’s desired to counter the sweetness of the Sauternes.

Rosé Rocks!

July 16, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) 2 comments

Rosé is one of the things I like the most about summer. Every year we look forward to seeking out new, and familiar, rosés to enjoy as outdoor temperatures rise. I love rosé for many reasons.

#LodiLive Summer White Wine Tasting

July 9, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

If you’re like many people you think of Lodi as red wine country and Zinfandel country in particular. And while it is true the majority of wine grape production in Lodi is red, there is quite a variety of white grape production as well. Some exciting white wine is being produced in Lodi and this tasting includes just a sampling of those wines.

Fields Family Wine — Marching to the Sound of Their Own Drummer

July 2, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) 4 comments

Ryan Sherman loves to talk wine, but he loves making wine even more. He grew up in Lodi which means an exposure to vineyards and winemaking was inescapable. He grew up with kids whose parents were farmers and winemakers, though his parents were not. Ryan’s family was in real estate and he pursued a career in commercial real estate himself. He eventually circled around to winemaking, establishing Fields Family Wines with partner Russ Fields in 2008.

SakéOne — They Brew Saké in Oregon and Import Saké from Japan Too!

June 27, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

SakéOne has been brewing quality saké in Forest Grove, Oregon just west of Portland for nearly twenty years. They produce 80,000 cases of Saké per year. In addition they import quality saké from Japan into the US. Their brewing experience makes them uniquely qualified to choose the best Japanese saké for import.

Learning About Wine with #WineStudio — Hungary and Slovenia

June 25, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

#WineStudio is an online Twitter-based wine tasting and discussion organized by the folks at Protocol Wine Studio. They are wine geeks with a passion for teaching and promoting wines from around the world. We just completed their session on Hungary and Slovenia and like what we tasted.

Mokelumne Glen Vineyards — Meet the Winemakers

June 20, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

Mokelumne Glen Vineyards in Lodi is home to over 40 German and Austrian grape varieties. Even though commercial wine production ceased at MGV in 2009, wine is continuing to be produced by a group of winemakers on both a commercial and home winemaking level. They are an interesting and diverse group, drawn to this unique collection of grape varieties in the most unexpected location.

Wine Pairing Weekend: Rolled Pork Florentine on the Grill, Which Wine Pairs Best?

June 13, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) 5 comments

Wine Pairing Weekend is the idea of food blogger David Crowley. His goal was to get food bloggers writing about wine and wine bloggers writing about food. We thought it sounded like a fun idea and jumped right in. Read about what we grilled and what wine we though went best.