Most of Australia is far too hot and dry to support vineyards, but many coastal areas are well suited to viticulture and this is where most of Australia’s wine regions are located. As you might imagine in a country the size of Australia there is a big range of climates and soil types as well as grape varieties. All of […]
Today we’re taking a quick trip to northern Spain’s Navarra DO (Denominación de Origen) situated south of the the Pyrenees Mountains. The region is known for its bright rosé wines, a small amount of white wine and predominantly red wines made using Tempranillo and Garnacha along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. These are wines for every season to serve with […]
James Downes met us in the tasting cottage at Shannon Vineyards on a crisp spring morning. The cottage was James’ home in his bachelor days and looks out over a beautiful garden, vineyards and waterway. All of it had been washed clean by early-morning rains. Click on individual photographs in galleries to view. Close to return to the post. Shannon […]
It might appear that we just can’t get enough rosé and I suppose that’s true. With more rosé choices than ever from wine regions around the world, it is difficult not to be curious about them. Today we have one more group of rosé wines, made using a long list grape varieties, that takes us to Italy, New Zealand, France […]
Flora Springs Winery sits at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains at the western end of Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena. This stone winery has a long history in Napa Valley and may or may not be home to ghosts. We recently received three wines from Flora Springs as tasting samples and there is nothing spooky about any of these […]
Both the Kautz family name and Ironstone Vineyards are familiar to me, as they are to many residents in and around Lodi where I associate the Kautz name with farming and viticulture. The sprawling Ironstone winery, located in the Sierra Foothills town of Murphys, is a destination winery. In addition to wine tasting and the wine cave there is a […]
If ever I have heard a story of two wine lovers who made their dream come true, it’s that of Karen and John Troisi and their Jean Edwards Cellars. We recently sat down with the busy couple behind Jean Edward Cellars at their new tasting room along Sonoma’s Vine Alley. We talked Cabernet Sauvignon, winemaking and their love of dogs […]
The Rombauer Vineyards’ tasting room is situated overlooking the Napa Valley in St. Helena on the top level of the winemaking facility that is built into the hillside. The area is wooded and beautifully landscaped. It is the perfect place to taste and enjoy the wines of Rombauer Vineyards. I love tasting wine like this: unhurried and in a beautiful […]
If it’s October, then it’s time to celebrate Merlot. For the past five years the Merlot Movement has gained momentum with Merlot tastings and social media sharing during October using the hashtag #MerlotMe across social media platforms. The effort is supported by a group of California and Washington state wineries who have declared October International Merlot Month. You will find […]
This summer has been warmer than the past few. We have been hit with heat waves lasting several days that have brought temperatures over 100º F. In between we’ve enjoyed cooler temperatures in the 80s and 90s with mornings and evenings that cool off nicely. This is when we reach for red wine, otherwise it’s mostly rosé and white wine. […]
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.