Today we’re tasting three red wines made by McManis Family Vineyards. All three are sourced from estate vineyards in the Lodi AVA. We received these wines as tasting samples. The McManis Family farms vineyards in three Lodi sub-AVAs: Borden Ranch, Clements Hills and Jahant. Their vineyard holding also include vineyards in the Clarksburg AVA and the little-known River Junction AVA […]
Lisa Amaroli is director of winemaking at Benziger Family Winery and Jamie Benziger is head winemaker at Imagery Estate Winery. Neither woman set out with the singular focus of becoming a winemaker, but both found their way to winemaking through hard work and a passion for their craft. I had the opportunity to meet both women during a recent virtual […]
Fully realizing wine and chocolate pairing is not to everyone’s taste, we’re sharing a wine and chocolate pairing for Valentine’s Day because we also recognize many will think the pairing is a grand idea. We recently received three wines from 7 Deadly Wines and three chocolate bars made by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company as tasting samples, so we are proceeding with […]
Calla Lily Estate encompasses 95 acres on the eastern slopes of Howell Mountain. Vines were first planted in 1995, though Hong Kong businessmen Anthony Fung and Andy Chui established Calla Lilly in 2013. Current plantings include 12 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, five acres Petite Sirah and one acre each of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Cary Gott has […]
I gathered recently with Zeke Neeley, Kenwood Vineyards winemaker, and a group of wine enthusiasts for a virtual tasting of four wines sourced from the historic Jack London Vineyard located on the slopes of Sonoma Mountain. The story that unfolded is one of appreciation for the wilds of Sonoma Mountain, relationships solidified with a handshake and the delicious wine that […]
It’s hard to remember a year more difficult than 2020. The loss of my parents marked the most sorrowful years for me personally, but collectively this is the most difficult year I can remember. The bad news has continued since February and the worst may not be behind us. Coronavirus, COVID-19, stay-at-home and social distancing became part of my everyday […]
The number of wines to choose from is literally endless. With so many countries and grape varieties to choose from why drink the same wine twice? Well, especially when you discover a winery making quality wines that suit your palate it’s hard to resist going back to a wine you know you will enjoy. And if that winery also follows […]
With all of us having smaller celebrations over the holidays this year it follows that purchasing wine in smaller bottles might be a good idea for many of us. And I like the idea of drinking better wine rather than drinking more wine. We’re happy to share these little gems with you that we received as tasting samples from Robert […]
Change is a constant in our world and in the world of wine. It’s probably fair to say that change in younger wine regions is greater than in long-established ones. As viticulturists learn the intricacies of soil and climate, where varieties are planted can change. And viticulturists and winemakers must at least respond to changes in the climate if not […]
The more I read about District 7 wines the more impressed and curious to taste the wines I became. Some of the qualities that attracted me include: family ownership, certified sustainable vineyards and winery, 100% estate vineyards, a commitment to renewable energy and community support. Today we’re sharing four wines from District 7 that we received as tasting samples. District […]
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.
