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 […]
When I think of Oregon wine my mind automatically goes to Pinot Noir and the Willamette Valley. Without a doubt Pinot Noir is Oregon’s signature variety and the Willamette Valley its best-known wine region, but as I learned during a recent online seminar sponsored by the Oregon Wine Board, Pinot Noir just scratches the surface of an evolving wine scene […]
We recently received three wines from Fathers + Daughters Cellars as tasting samples. F + D is a new winery to us, so we were as curious to taste the wine as we were to learn about the people behind the wine. We discovered a story of family and a highly-regarded Anderson Valley vineyard. Guy Pacurar and his wife Sarah […]
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 good news about these four wines just keeps on coming. All are imported into the US by González Byass USA, who sent these wines to us as tasting samples, and are part of the González Byass family of wines. That’s good news because these wines are widely available in the US and all are under $20, mostly by quite […]
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 […]
The first thing I noticed about Shashi Singh was her broad smile. It was evident even at a distance as she drove a small tractor along the edge of her Syrah vineyard. She had been working at the back of the vineyard and was dressed in work clothes and boots. She stepped off the tractor and welcomed us to her […]
Shelter Spätburgunder is the middle-tier Pinot Noir made by Hans-Bert Espy and Silke Wolf at their small winery in Kenzingen, Baden. The couple farm just a few hectares of vines north of the Kaiserstuhl where the soils have transitioned from volcanic to limestone and loess. Growing conditions are a bit cooler here too, thanks to the influence of the Black […]
Eleanor Garvin and Dennis Sherman traveled to France from Maryland on one-way tickets in 1983 and cooked their way through several wine regions before permanently settling in Burgundy. Could there be a better way to learn about the food and wine of France and Burgundy in particular? I don’t think so. That knowledge, accumulated over 30 years spent getting to […]
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.
