Steve Ledson Built a Winery, on the Way to Building His Dream Home
My personal history leading into this story I remember driving along Route 12 to the town of Sonoma from Santa Rosa years ago, and seeing what looked like a Gothic castle being constructed in the distance. Once it’s 16,000 square foot massive outer shell was set into place, drivers (including yours truly) would just have [...]
Could “Drops of Jupiter” be THE “Paradigm Shift” [PS] I’ve Long Been Awaiting?
Image: Sony Music Entertainment Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a Petite Sirah freak. It’s done it to me, that Petite. It began in 2002 when I was the Foppiano family’s wine publicist. “Put on a Petite Sirah symposium,” Louis told me. He had no idea that I could do a couple of things [...]
Saying Goodbye to Robert “Budge” Brown ~ RIP ~ May 18, 2011
UPDATE: The service for Budge is on Saturday May 28th, 2011, 11:00 a.m., at the Quail Lakes Baptist Church in Stockton, CA. The address is 1904 Quail Lakes Dr., Stockton, CA 95207. Off Interstate, Exit 5 March Lane, and go East. The first left past the freeway is Quail Lakes Drive. Turn Left. Follow Quail [...]
The Onomastics of Band Together™ Wines
As a child, I used to ask my mother, “Mum, what does _ mean?” to which she’d always reply, “Look it up in the dictionary.” After a few times of her saying that to me, I always knew that I could just save time by looking it up. She obviously wanted to instill a habit [...]
What’s funny, sexy, and blue all over?
The Mutineer Magazine Holiday Comedy Festival at Sonoma’s Jacuzzi Vineyards on December 11! I may be wrong, and please tell me if I am; but, I can’t remember a wine magazine ever doing something like this… And, I mean holding a specific event, whose singular purpose it to raise funds for a worthy cause. Again, [...]
Charity Case Wines ~ It Still Takes a Community to Raise a Child
Once I had a boss who was a philanderer. That was during my teaching days. My students were all 18 years or older, so what I’m about to tell you doesn’t have to do with children, it has to do with young women who were of legal age. While teaching in Maine, I walked into [...]
The Rhone Rangers Have Undertaken a Noble Cause, all sparked by an Eric Asimov Question
The question? “Is There Still Hope for Syrah?” He went on in his story to further ask? “THERE’S a joke going around West Coast wine circles: What’s the difference between a case of syrah and a case of pneumonia? You can get rid of the pneumonia. It would be funnier if it weren’t so sad…” [...]
Wine, Women, and Shoes ~ What a trip!
First of all, I learned something very important at this event… But, let me digress for a minute. A while ago, I wanted to protect my camera from my husband. He’s lovely… no problem there, he’s just been known to drop a few things, so I bought him his own camera. Now that he has [...]
