Viognier Archives

Rhone Rangers 2014: Celebrating American Rhone Wines

April 11, 2014 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

What a spectacular day! The weather was much too warm for early April, but perfect for an outing to the Richmond side of San Francisco Bay. Can’t say I had ever been to Richmond before, just driven through the city on the way to somewhere else. So, when I noticed the Rhone Rangers celebration was to be held in part at Craneway Conference Center and Pavilion at Ford Point, Richmond I was curious.

Callaghan Vineyards – Elgin, Arizona

September 13, 2013 by Peter Comments are Disabled

Kent Callaghan listens more than he talks. He’s reserved and unassuming. He’s had his hands in the dirt of his Elgin vineyard since at least 1990. I’m guessing he has learned something about that vineyard every day since. It’s reflected in the wine he makes. If you have visited his winery and tasted his wines, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Lawrence Dunham Vineyards — Wines From Southeastern Arizona

August 27, 2013 by Nancy (CSW) 4 comments

Curt Dunham and Peggy Fiandaca have transformed their appreciation for good wine into Lawrence Dunham Vineyards. They could not have chosen a more scenic location than at the foot of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona.

Santa Barbara White Wines With #winechat

July 30, 2013 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

We recently had the opportunity to taste a selection of six white wines courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association as part of #winechat on Twitter. The timing could not have been more perfect. With summer temperatures well into the “hot” range, white wines are definitely in order.

Murrieta’s Well

June 26, 2013 by Peter Comments are Disabled

An online tasting with wines from Murrieta’s Well and Charles Communications Associates.

Côtes du Rhône – Everyday Blends

May 7, 2013 by Nancy (CSW) 2 comments

Thursday night at Fine Wines of Stockton we tasted wines from the Rhône River Valley. The valley is long, stretching from just south of Lyon, along the river to the Mediterranean, some 150 or so miles (3). Over twenty grape varieties may be used to produce wines in this region, with specific requirements for individual AOCs (appellation d’origine contrôlée).

The Rhone Rangers – Old World Inspiration, New World Innovation

March 28, 2013 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

Our wine education continued recently at the San Francisco Weekend Celebration of American Rhone Wines. This two-day event was sponsored by The Rhone Rangers (1), “a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to promoting the enjoyment of Rhone varietal wines produced in the United States”.

Pasos Vineyards – A Winery Profile

February 18, 2013 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

We had the good fortune to spend some time recently visiting with Antonio Pasos of Pasos Vineyards. His tasting room is located in Vino Piazza, The Winery Plaza in Lockeford, California.

A Twisted Journey to Twisted Wines

February 6, 2013 by Peter Comments are Disabled

A couple of weeks ago Nancy and I went up Highway 4 to Bear Valley, Ca. to do some cross country skiing. We go several times each year and usually go straight up and back. This time, though, our trip took a twisted turn.

Holiday Wine Tasting With Carolyn Wente

November 29, 2012 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

Our friend Dave joined us for a recent online tasting with Carolyn Wente, CEO of Wente Family Estates. She shared some of her favorite Holiday recipes with us as we tasted some of the Wente wines.