I didn’t think, upon receiving an assortment of samples from Oregon’s Raptor Ridge, that I’d find their Tempranillo a stand-out among the offerings. This Willamette Valley winery heads south to the Rogue Valley–practically in California–to source the grapes for this Oregon Tempranillo. Though Spain’s Rioja region is the premiere destination for Tempranillo, Raptor Ridge’s Oregon version provides [More]
Did I lose you at vegan jerky? Hold on; let me explain. My friend Pamela Braun, creator of the food blog My Man’s Belly, sent me a review copy of her new book: Jerky Everything. So if you’re concerned about a lack of meat, DO NOT PANIC as the subtitle of the book is: Foolproof [More]
Just back from being the guest host on a wine-themed voyage via Un-Cruise Adventures. Part of my duties involved a daily wine program during cocktail hour. I got to run wild as far as the format and the selection of wines. So I presented a mix from both Washington State and Oregon, with bottles comprising [More]
You know I love Chardonnay with oak. So while I’ve been a guest host on this wine-focused Un-Cruise, I was pleased to discover a wine featured on the ship’s list: 2012 Brick House Chardonnay “Cascadia” from the Ribbon Ridge region of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. ($35 on Wine-Searcher) The on-board bartender (YES!), Daniel, commented that it’s [More]
I am leaving shortly to embark on an excellent journey with Un-Cruise Adventures along the Columbia and Snake rivers. They have tapped me to be a guest host on a wine-themed cruise. I’ll be on this boat, the S.S. Legacy: Un-Cruise Adventures has put me in charge of a daily wine program of my design and I [More]
Is there a more exciting wine region in the world right now than Sicily? And, within this island, anything cooler than what’s happening in the area surrounding Mount Etna? No. It was a pleasure to be invited to a lunch given by Planeta, whose six wineries ring Sicily. Our special guest was Alessio Planeta and our focus [More]
As you well know I am a fan of sparkling wine in all forms, from the humble to the sublime. Recently had a friend/hero bring back (per my request) a bottle of Haywire The Bub from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. It’s a single-vineyard (Secrest Mountain) vintage-dated bottle (2012) that I love for many reasons, which [More]
I may retire the phrase “dessert wine” on this blog. Because it compartmentalizes a wine like the Donnafugata Ben Ryé to occasions when dining out and ordering something sweet to eat at the end of the meal. Don’t get me wrong, I love dessert and have nothing but respect for pastry chefs. (I actually did an internship [More]
