J. McClelland and 50 Harvests wines are the top tier of wines crafted by Scotto Cellars. Both are sourced from Napa Valley vineyards and made at the Scotto’s Napa Valley winery, Steel Canyon Cellars. Winemakers Mark Smith, Mitch Cosentino and Paul Scotto collaborate on these wines, which we received as tasting samples. The J. McClelland brand pays tribute to John […]
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 […]
Today’s Cellar Note brings you a taste of Chardonnay grown and made in the mountain appellation of Spring Mountain District. Spring Mountain District AVA sits above the Napa Valley on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains that separate Napa Valley from Sonoma Valley. The Stony Hill Vineyard Chardonnay was provided as a tasting sample. 2015 Stony Hill Vineyard Chardonnay […]
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 […]
The Thursday before Labor Day has been designated #CabernetDay since 2010. It’s another of those wine days created to highlight a specific grape variety. In this case, according to my interpretation at least, we are free to celebrate with any of the grape varieties that have Cabernet in the name. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, of course, come to mind […]
Most Monday evenings we are home enjoying a meal with our friend, Dave. Dave is super into wine. Red wine. He’s not a fan of white wine and isn’t persuaded by bubbles. We know better than to pour a rosé. So Mondays have become a red wine day in our house which, of course, is a good thing because we […]
What do wine bloggers do on a day off? Taste wine, of course. It’s a bit like a busman’s holiday — not that we’re complaining! Last Friday we took a slight detour through the southern end of Napa Valley on our way to a evening get-together with friends. For some time we have been wanting to stop and taste the […]
Silverado Vineyards has been a landmark in the Napa Valley for us nearly as long as we have been visiting Napa. The winery sits at the top of a knoll above the Silverado Trail and is about a 90-minute drive from our home. In spite of knowing right were Silverado Vineyards is located, we only recently visited for the first […]
On May 24, 1976 Chateau Montelena’s fortunes changed for the better — and in a big way. Jim Barrett’s 1973 Chardonnay won the Judgement of Paris white wine competition. It wasn’t just any competition. The Judgement of Paris was organized as a blind tasting of California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon against France’s best Burgundy and Bordeaux. Not insignificantly the competition was in France and the judges were French.
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.