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.
Wine, of course, cannot literally run through your veins, but the phrase certainly applies in a figurative sense to the current generations of the Scotto family.
If someone says Rombauer Vineyards to you, what is the first thought that comes to mind? I’d be willing to bet it’s: Chardonnay. Even Rombauer Vineyards’ winemaker, Richie Allen, jokes that some people think Chardonnay is all that Rombauer produces.
A recent tasting of Cabernet Franc from around the world got me thinking about the variety. I love the flavors and aromas Cabernet Franc produces, that combination of dark fruit, berries and vegetal notes. But what I didn’t know is that Merlot the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère. Pretty impressive offspring, I’d say.
Howell Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA), located within the Napa AVA, was the first sub-appellation to be designated in 1983. Howell Mountain is located on the northeast side of Napa Valley. The AVA ranges from 1400 to 2200 feet, putting it above the fog line.
Here is what we have been tasting in the last week or so. It is a bit of this and that. Three of these wines we have tasted before and have updated our previous posts. As always, it is interesting to taste how wines change over time.
Birthdays are a very good reason to celebrate with good food and wine.
On a recent weekday I spent a day wine tasting in Napa Valley with a group of friends. The weather was warm for December, in the mid 60s, and mostly overcast. The drive from Stockton to Napa takes us through the San Francisco Bay Delta.
I recently saw a wine rated 97 points that had “spirituous heat from relatively high alcohol”. That got me thinking about wine rating and scoring.
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.