Wines of the Week ~ Best of the Best
West Cape Howe wine company delivered four wines to my office. I thought to myself, this is going to be an interesting week. I’ll be opening one bottle a day, and by Friday I’ll be able to post my findings. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men went astray in this office. I [...]
A Really Reluctant Blog Posting about R.A. Harrison Family Cellars
[Image of Nobility was borrowed from the R.A. Harrison Family Cellars Website.] Why am I reluctant? Not because there’s anything wrong with Roger Harrison’s effort as a winemaker; but, rather, because there’s everything right about it… To write his story would mean that I’d have to open his bottle of nectar; and, I’m not one [...]
The Earliest History of Grape Growing in Suisun Valley
[Image courtesy of Gary Mangels] Mae Fisher Purcell wrote for the Eighteenth Anniversary Edition And All County Chamber of Commerce Atlas of Solano County, Information-Section 4-1935, in a story entitled, “Claus Mangels Renowned Solano Winery and Notable Estate is Beauty Spot of Suisun Valley: When Omar Khayyam, poet-tentmaker, wrote in his immortal Rubalyat the lines… [...]
2010 Petite Sirah Symposium is a Continuing Success
The Petite Sirah Symposium began in 2002, and was sponsored by Foppiano Vineyards. Louis Foppiano had had a meeting of Petite Sirah growers and producers prior to 2002, and he asked me to create a current PS Symposium. It proved to be very successful, and those annual meetings continued at Foppiano until 2007. At that [...]
Suisun Valley’s Climate is Revealed Through a Study of Terra Spase
As I read writers stating that the climate of Suisun Valley is warmer than Napa’s, I’m reminded of the many hours I sat in on a study being conducted by Dr. Paul Skinner of Terra Spase and Vineyard Investigations, of Napa Valley. I was also there to read the final report, interpret it, write a [...]
The 8th Annual PS Symposium is Sold Out!
If you missed signing up for the Symposium, you’ll still be able to watch it live on the Internet, on July 27, as it’s happening. This link to www.psiloveyou.org/live takes you to our live streaming, which will be active by 8:30 a.m., on July 27, 2010. EVENT SCHEDULE ~ AGENDA 8:30 – 8:35 a.m. WELCOME [...]
Dusting myself off, after having attended the Rutherford tasting, and reflecting on greatness
Last week I was very fortunate to attended the annual Rutherford Dust Society tasting at Francis Ford Coppola’s Rubicon Estate. Napa Valley has many sub American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within “Napa Valley” itself. Each has a unique terroir, which is why Napa Valley can continue to be subdivided into more AVAs. While at Robert Mondavi [...]
