By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger You may not know his name – not immediately, maybe, but keep reading – but you sure know his contribution to wine lovers. He created the $1.99 Charles Shaw wines sold at Trader Joes. His name is Fred Franzia and he passed away in September. He was 79. His signature wine became so popular they developed a cult following, not … [Read more...]
Wine
September Is California Wine Month And Here’s How To Celebrate
September is California Wine Month and there are several opportunities to raise a glass or two to mark the occasion. California Wine Month celebrates the annual harvest season and there are festivities that include immersive harvest experiences to special wine tastings to wine festivals, along with suggestions for ways to partake in the enjoyment of Golden State wines at … [Read more...]
Paso Robles Wine Tasting Tour Coming To San Diego On June 23
Paso Robles is a town surrounded by an extensive wine country in the rolling golden hills of Central California. It is well known by wine aficionados for its Pinot noirs and other varietals. It is a five-hour drive from San Diego or you could take Amtrak and arrive in about seven. Now, tho, there are direct flights from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to San Luis … [Read more...]
California Wine Festival Carlsbad Has Wines, Spirits, Beer & Even Food – A Review
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger Got wine? They sure do at the California Wine Festival. Along with spirits, beers, a band and even food. Yes, there's food at a wine festival (not a food and wine festival) with food trucks and vendors offering samples even to GA ticket holders. The VIP section is like a gourmet treat. Of course, it is indeed the wines that … [Read more...]
California Wine Festival To Hold Event In Carlsbad May 20-21
The California Wine Festival sets its roots in Carlsbad on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21. It will be held at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, which is just north of Batiquitos Lagoon, a beautiful setting to be sure, certainly for an upscale (but casual) wine festival. The events features sample pours from winemaking regions across California, paired with gourmet appetizers … [Read more...]
California Wine Festival 2022 In Dana Point Dates & Details
The dates and details for the 2022 California Wine Festival in Dana Point, have been set and here is all the information you need to know about this tasty, classy and very scenic event. The two-day festival of wines, craft beer and food is April 22-23. The corks first come off with a Friday evening sparkling wine reception at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel and continues with … [Read more...]
Michigan Wineries Win Multiple Medals At The TEXSOM International Wine Competition
Traverse Wine Coast Uncorks Some Of Its Finest Wines By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Nightlife Blogger Michigan is more than a football, basketball and auto manufacturing state. In fact, it's fast becoming a wine state, as proven at the TEXSOM International Wine Competition where Michigan wineries won 69 medals representing 17 wineries from the Traverse Wine … [Read more...]
When Buying A Good Bottle Of Wine, Drink It Quickly Instead Of Saving It For Later
Why It's Better To Consume Sooner Rather Than Later And Other Storage Tips By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger Are you the type of person that when they get something to eat or drink you really like, you rip into it immediately and down it so fast y0u turn around afterward and ask, "what happened to it!?" Or are you the type that likes to savor … [Read more...]
Winemakers Optimistic About A Banner Year For Michigan Wines
Traverse City Wine Coast Vintners Exited About 2020 Vintage With bottling of wines coming up, vintners at Traverse Wine Coast feel wines from the the 2020 vintage could be very good. good one. Maybe great. "We're feeling optimistic about the wines in general, both for whites and reds," said Lee Lutes, Black Star Farms winemaker. We're seeing wine quality that … [Read more...]
These Michigan Wineries Are Welcoming Travelers For Wine Tasting
Socially-Distanced Wine Travel Destinations In The Wolverine State When making travel plans to go wine tasting, it's pretty unlikely you will say "hey, let's go to Michigan!" But these wineries in the state's southwestern wine country near Lake Michigan are ready to welcome travelers to try their wines, food and even craft beers and local spirits. Below what you … [Read more...]
Big Surprise: People Drank More Wine In 2020. Now What’s In Store For 2021?
It's not surprising that wine sales increased in 2020. It makes sense that while people spent more time at home in 2020, some of them also drank a glass or two of wine. And, when people purchased wine last year, many of them used wine shipping services. Now that we know the wine consumption patterns from 2020, let's consider what wine sellers might expect for 2021. Social … [Read more...]
Formula 1 Drivers To Celebrate Wins With Ferrari Trento Sparkling Wine
F1 Winners To Toast Success With This Italian Brand On The Podium Ferrari Trento, the three-time winner of the "Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year" at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships, is now the official sparkling wine of the Formula 1 racing series. That means when the top three drivers of races step to the podium for the traditional … [Read more...]
How And Where To Find Good Wines For Less Than $5 For Stay-Home Drinking
Tips On Shopping For Wine, Red Vs. White & Recognizing A Cheap Wine From A Bargain By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger I don't know about you, but I don't really want to spend a lot of money on wines when I'm at home and by myself. And in this COVID-19 era, I'm at home and by myself a lot these days. As such, in order to add a little "excitement" … [Read more...]
Paso Robles Winery Rabble Wines Acquired By O’Neill Vintners and Distillers
Fast-Growing Wine Company Seeks To Appeal To Young Drinkers Rabble Wines has been a hit with young wine drinkers, in large part because of its highly creative augmented reality (AR) labels. That appealed to O'Neill Vintners and Distillers, which has purchased the Paso Robles winery. Details of the transaction were not released. "The acquisition signals … [Read more...]
New Wine App Allows You To Scan & Learn About The Wines You Are Buying
Winerytale Provides Customers With Information From Wineries Directly On The Bottle When you're in the wine section of a store, do you ever wonder if that bottle you're looking at is any good? Do you think that while it looks interesting you wish new more about it and the winery that makes it? Well, with the Winerytale app, you can do that because you just hold it … [Read more...]
Here Are The World’s 30 Best Wines According To The International Wine Challenge
This Red From Portugal Wins The Top Prize From A Panel Of Professional Tasters The world's 30 best wines for 2020 have been awarded at the International Wine Challenge, the planet's most influential and rigorously-judged wine competition. The wines were judged by 90 wine tasters from around the world and a selection from Portugal was the overall winner, taking the … [Read more...]
Napa Valley Gets A Brandy-Only Tasting Room, California Brandy House
Tasting Of Luxury California Brandies In Downtown Napa You may think of Napa Valley as a place to go wine tasting, but it is now a place for brandy tasting, too. California Brandy House is the first stand-alone tasting room dedicated solely to luxury California brandies. Located in downtown Napa at First Street Napa, it initially showcases two leading brandy … [Read more...]
Pennsylvania Winery Releases Sh!tshow Wine To Reflect 2020
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Red Blend A Great Marketing Move By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Editor Published Oct. 27, 2020 Sometimes, wine is more than about flavor. It's about marketing and a Pennsylvania winery has uncorked a perfect campaign by releasing a wine that reflects the year that is 2020. It is called Sh!tshow. "It was actually the idea … [Read more...]
Whitehall Lane Winery Releases New Wines With Help From UC-Davis
Camminare Noir and Paseante Noir Wines Use New Sustainable Grape Varieties Whitehall Lane Winery in Napa Valley has released two new wines, a Camminare Noir and Paseante Noir, with the help of UC Davis University. The family-owned winery got together with Dr. Andrew Walker of UC Davis as well as Dr. Paul Skinner of Vineyard Investigations in Napa Valley, to … [Read more...]
Global Champagne Day Is Oct. 19 And We Sure Need A Drink In 2020
Need A Reason To Celebrate? How About To The End Of This Challenging Year By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger Global Champagne Day is Oct. 19, and maybe we can pop the cork to 2020 almost being over because that would certainly be something to celebrate. After all, with closures, shutdowns, the cancelation of events all around the globe, travel at a … [Read more...]
Downtown Napa Gets A New Wine Tasting Room, Quilt & Co.
A Lounge-Type Setting From Local Winemaker Joseph Wagner By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Editor Published on Aug. 28 One may think downtown Napa needs another wine tasting room the way Tom Brady needs another Super Bowl ring, but Joseph Wagner doesn't see it that way. The fifth-generation winemaker and Napa native is opening Quilt & Co., which features … [Read more...]
Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chuck Is Back To Two Bucks (In California)
Iconic Wine Is Again Just $1.99 A Bottle By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine & Spirits Blogger Two Buck Chuck, the iconic wine and signature item of the Trader Joe's affordable gourmet grocery store, is back to costing two bucks. In California, anyway. Charles Shaw wine pretty much carried the Trader Joe's brand on its back until people realized the … [Read more...]
Get Ready For Great Deals On California Wines
A 'Grape Glut' Is Good News For Wine Lovers By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine & Spirits Blogger The great "grape glut" has hit the Golden State again with supply outpacing demand, and that means to get ready for cheaper California wines. According to the industry newsletter from the Allied Grape Growers (AGG), as much as 10% of the "grape crush" was left on … [Read more...]
It’s Wine Harvest Season In Temecula; Here’s The Top Events
Grape Stomping & Music In Southern California's Wine Country October is Rocktober for many people with Oktoberfest and Halloween. But it's also harvest time for grapes and in the Southern California wine country of Temecula Valley that's cause for celebration. Below are events that will have you stomping not only grapes but to music and drinking wine. • Sit, Somp … [Read more...]
37th Annual Santa Barbara Vintners Festival Features 70 Local Wineries
Wines Pair With Restaurants & Live Music In A Sensational Setting If you have been curious about the wines from the Santa Barbara wineries but have not had the chance to make it up to this gorgeous and cozy Southern California city, then the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival is exactly what you need. The 37th annual event takes place with the Grand Tasting on … [Read more...]
These Are My Favorite Trader Joe’s Inexpensive And Great Wines (For Now)
How I Find Fantastic Red Cabs From Napa, Sonoma & Chile As Cheap As $3.49 By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger The past several months, I've become somewhat of an expert at finding inexpensive – but very good – wines at Trader Joe's. It started when I was in walked into the TJs in Monterey CA. I was staying on my friend's boat and had a few … [Read more...]
Top Wines To Serve And Drink For Thanksgiving Dinner & Dishes
Perfect Wine Pairings For The Big Feast By Jack Tingley, Special To PubClub.com Thanksgiving is one of the biggest days for drinking wine in America. The problem is knowing what to bring, serve and drink because we don't eat Thanksgiving foods very often – sometimes only once a year. But not to fear, here's several suggestions for pairing wines with Thanksgiving … [Read more...]
Just The Wine Reduces Sulfates In Wine – But Does It Work? A Review
Product Testing For Wines, Champagne And Beers By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger After years of being a Chardonnay-exclusive wine drinker, I've started drinking mostly reds lately. Part of this is budget – you can get a quality red wine for about half the price of a decent chardonnay – and part is the fact that here in California it can be difficult to … [Read more...]
Virginia is for (Wine) Lovers: A Central Virginia Winery Crawl
Three Top Wineries To Visit In This Scenic Southern State By C. Benjamin Lovell, Special To PubClub.com Give me books, French wine, fruit, fine weather, and a little music played out of doors by somebody I do not know.’ – John Keats While English Romantic poet John Keats never had a chance to enjoy the idyllic winding roads and pastoral hills of Virginia’s wine … [Read more...]
Travel Blogger Daily Blog: Wine-Ing But Not Whining, While Tasting Monterey County Wines
Wineries Have Created A California Culture South Of Napa And Sonoma By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger It's getting to the point now where you can't walk out the door in Monterey County, CA, without someone sticking glass of wine in your hand. The region is that proud of the wines produced in its many wineries. The locals will talk passionately … [Read more...]
Georgo’s Wine Makes Good Greek Wines – A Blogger’s Review
A Blend Of Grapes From Greece And Sonoma County Winemaking By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger When I was a youngster, our Greek neighbors called all us kids over to their house to do something that sounded like would get us in a lot of trouble with our parents. So we immediately raced over there, of course. They wanted to use us to stomp grapes for wine … [Read more...]
Carmel Winery Giving A Free Tasting For Wine Country Fires Donations
Dawn's Dream Collecting Items To Help Victims In Santa Rosa By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger Carmel winery Dawn's Dream is raising a hand – and you can raise a glass – to help victims of the California wine country fires that have destroyed part of Napa Valley, Somoma County and the town of Santa Rosa. It is offering a free wine tasting at its … [Read more...]
Two Buck Chuck Celebrates 15 Years At Trader Joe’s Stores
Nearly A Billion Bottles Or Charles Shaw Wines Have Been Sold At TJs It is an icon, a symbol of great value and the signature item of a speciality food store. Two Buck Chuck, the venerable cheap wine that's good enough to drink and even brag about and use at house parties, turned 15 in 2017. Introduced by Trader Joe's in 2012 it's become one of the most popular wines of … [Read more...]
The $28,000 Bottle Of Wine (And We’re Not Kidding!)
Wally's Beverly Hills Has A High-Priced Wine Cellar You Won't Believe That Includes The Coveted Chevel Blanc By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Blogger If you are one, like me, to dream of the occasional extravagant lifestyle, where money is never a consideration for anything you do or anything you buy, then step inside this place with me in one of the richest places on … [Read more...]
What’s In Your Glass For National Wine Day May 25 – Top Tips For Celebrating
Uncorking Vino For #WineLovers Celebration On #ThirstyThursday National Wine Day is May 25 so what are you drinking that day and where are you drinking it – at home, at a bar, restaurant or perhaps a winery? If it helps you to decide, May 25 in 2017 is on a Thursday, which the thirsty people on social media know as #ThirstyThursday. No doubt it will be a widely-used … [Read more...]
Since When Did Two Buck Chuck Become Three Buck Chuck?
Trader Joe's Beloved Wines Now $2.99, Even In California By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger Did I miss the announcement? When Two Buck Chuck increased its price from its long-standing original price of $2 to $2.50 a few years ago, it made national news. But when did it go up to three dollars!? I just discovered this the other day while in Trader … [Read more...]
Top Twitter Wine Chats For Wine Lovers & Bloggers
Calling All #WineLovers For Meeting On Social Media If you like wine and like talking about it – or, rather, Tweeting about it – then check out these chats that are specific to wines and wine lovers. They are Twitter chats and each week they focus on different aspects of wine. The participants are wine lovers, bloggers and wine industry pros. So they are a great way to … [Read more...]
Dutton-Goldfield Winery Saturday Vineyard Stroll 2016 Dates
Tastings & Lunch In California's Russian River Wine Country Dutton-Goldfield Winery in California's Russian River wine country – known primarily for its Pinot Noirs – has released the 2016 dates for its Saturday Vineyard Stroll. The dates are: • June 11 • July 23 • Aug. 27 • Sept. 10 • Sept. 24 The strolls take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The cost is $65 ($50 … [Read more...]
From #BeerLover To #WineLover; I Blame Monterey & Carmel
Wine Tasting Rooms Part Of The Drinking Conversion There was no defining moment when it happened, no sudden realization that struck me like getting conked in the head by an errant champagne cork or having a thought-provoking incident. Rather, it's been a gradual thing, like slow-moving buzz that starts tingling the toes and eventually makes its way up the veins to … [Read more...]
Why It’s Okay For Men To Drink Rose Wines
New #WineLover Gets An Education From Holman Ranch Winery The second thing that Carla, a friend giving me my initial wine education, said to me was "don't ever drink rose in public." Her point was that rose, being a blend of red and white grapes, was a clear indication to girls that a guy drinking it was not a good decision maker. And girls like take-charge, confident … [Read more...]
How El Nino Is Affecting California Wine Production & Quality
Holman Ranch Winemaker Predicts A Good Year For Wines El Nino has been great for the ski resorts – Mammoth has had more than 250 inches of snow as of early March – but what affect is it having on California's wine country, wine production and wine quality? Greg Vita, winemaker at Holman Ranch winery in Carmel Valley, said that if certain conditions occur, this could be … [Read more...]
French Domaine Grosset Is The Best Wine I Had All Year
Rustic, Old-World Red Is From The South Of France Of all the wines I had during 2015, the one I liked the best was a French wine, Domaine Grossett. It was a 2008 Brotte. A dark red, it had a rustic, old-world taste to it. This is not one for lovers of light reds, it's one for those who like a wine that makes a statement. Yet it also proved to be smooth; it went down … [Read more...]
Wine Room Added To Coppola Resorts Turtle Inn Belize
#WineLovers Have A Place To Drink In The Tropics When in Belize, you may be drinking rum and beer because of the tropical environment. Unless you are at the Turtle Inn. That's a Family Coppola Resort and since Francis Ford Coppola has two wineries in Sonoma County, CA, this is a fine place for wine and wine lovers. And now, the Turtle Inn has added a wine room. It features … [Read more...]
Champagne Is Good For The Brain, Study Says
Bubbly Buzzing On Social Media; Can Help Memory Here's something to celebrate: Champagne is good for the brain. That's what a study in England said, and it's got social media, well buzzed. The study – which was actually conducted in 2013 – says the bubbly may help prevent forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease and help with people's memory. It was conducted by … [Read more...]
Holman Ranch Winery Offers Free 1-Year Wine Club
Holiday Gift Cards For Carmel Valley Tasting Room Membership Holman Ranch winery, located in Carmel Valley, CA, is in the spirit of the holiday season. It is giving away a one-year membership to its Estate Club. Those who purchase a wine club as a holiday gift will be entered into a drawing for the complimentary membership. The winner will be drawn on Dec. 23. Holman Ranch … [Read more...]
Red Wine Gets More Proof It’s Good For Your Health
Study Shows Benefits For Those With Type 2 Diabetes A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine provided another boost for red wine and it's health benefits. It revealed that a glass of red wine could be good for people with Type 2 diabetes. A two-year study by Israeli researchers involved 224 people being given mineral water, red wine and white wine … [Read more...]
A Guide To California Wineries And Wine Tasting Rooms
To experience wine tasting in California, you no longer have to go to the wineries. Instead, a number of wineries have opened tasting rooms in smaller cities and towns, and that is something that gets a big "cheers" from PubClub.com. The cool thing is that it's not just one tasting room, but several. So you can bounce around to four, five or, in the case of Santa Barbara and … [Read more...]
The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Guide To Buying & Drinking Wine
Tips For Men On How To Seem Like A #WineLover You love beer. So, too, does PubClub.com. But there are times when you – we – need to drink wine. Corporate gatherings, a private dinner party, a friend's birthday celebration at a restaurant, weddings and, of course, trying to act classy with the wife, girlfriend or attempting to impress a new date or even the boss or … [Read more...]
The Changing Attitudes About Pairing Wines With Food
White Wine With Fish And Reds With Meat Not A Drinking Rule There's a long-standing philosophy that says "white wine with fish, red wine with meat." The theory has been white wine paring with fish, chicken and turkey, while red wines were better suited for dark meats; steak, ribs, etc. But in reality, that's not the case; it was more about matching colors than … [Read more...]
The Single Guy’s Guide To Meeting Girls At Wine Festivals
Tips For Beer Drinkers At Wine Events Don't be turned off going a wine festival just because you are a beer drinker. There are several reasons to go to wine festivals – other than being dragged to one by a spouse or significant other – and the #1 reason is that wine festivals get a lot of girls! But you just can't show up to these things. You have to look the part … [Read more...]
Super Bowl 50 San Francisco Names Sonoma County Official Wines
Wine Lounge To Be Part Of Fans Village Sonoma County, not Napa Valley, has been awarded the title of Official Wine Supplier of the 2016 Super Bowl 50, taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area Feb. 7 of that year. With so many wine areas to choose from – including Monterey to the south and Mendocino to the north – it's a win-wine situation for the Super Bowl and fans. This … [Read more...]
September Is California Wine Month, A Fine Time For #WineLovers
Wineries, Tasting Rooms & Events Highlight Harvest Season In the eyes of some, every month in wine month in California. After all, the state has several wine growing regions – Napa, Sonoma, emerging areas in Monterey and Paso Robles, as well as Santa Barbara, Temecula and even Malibu in Southern California – and has thousands of wineries. But the Golden State's … [Read more...]
Gettysburg Has Not Only Civil War History But Wineries & Wine Events
A Guide To Events, Tastings & Wineries At An Historic U.S. Destination One of the most historical cities in the United States may be best known for a famous Civil War battle, but things are much more civil these days. In fact, Gettysburg, PA, is a place where you can go on scenic drives, walks or bike rides through its vast apple, peach, apricot and pear trees, … [Read more...]
CellarPass Your Ticket To California Wine Events & Tasting Rooms
Putting A Cork On The Worries Of Visiting Wineries Wine is a drink for relaxation, but it's easy to have an anxiety attack when you're trying to get tickets to a wine festival and even wine tasting rooms at popular wineries. But with a website called CellarPass, you can put a cork on the worries, as it is a tasting room and food and wine events search and reservation … [Read more...]
#WineWedneday Hashtag A Good Excuse For Midweek #WineLovers
I'll Drink (Wine) To This Weekly Social Media 'Holiday' Sometimes, I get the feeling that certain social media hashtags were created not because there is something important to share, but as an excuse to justify behavior that normally would seem a bit off kilter. Or, in the case of #WineWednesday, a midweek celebration of wine when such a thing is usually reserved … [Read more...]
A Night Of Luxury At Vendange, Carmel’s Wine-Themed Hotel
Savoring Unique Accommodations In Monterey Bay, CA Wine and Carmel, CA, go together like golf and Pebble Beach. But to put them together in a hotel? A themed hotel? In Carmel!? What a brilliant idea! That's what the owners of Vendange Inn & Suites have done and much to their credit the execution is as grand as the idea. I can tell you this because I've had a … [Read more...]
Looking Forward To The 2013 San Diego Wine & Food Festival
Annual Event Features Great Wines, Food, Beer – And Socializing It is upon us again. One of San Diego's top events of the year – a "must-do" on anyone's social calendar – is taking place the weekend of Nov. 21-22. It's the San Diego Wine & Food Festival and it is something I look forward to each and every year. Even though I don't even live in San Diego! Yet I drive … [Read more...]
It’s Party Time At An Australian Wine Festival
A Day On The Green At Siromet Winery In Brisbane More Like A Music Festival I'm going to a wine festival today. In Australia! And this is not just any wine festival, it's a rock concert with wine. There are several local bands playing, the event takes place in a big field. It goes from 3-10 p.m. It's called A Day On The Green at it takes place Siromet Winery In … [Read more...]
Get Your Tickets Now For The 2013 San Diego Wine & Food Festival
Grand Tasting On Embarcadero Highlights 10th Annual Event Nov. 18-24 You know you want to go, so get out the dough. Or, rather the credit card. The dough – and what's made with it – comes later. The 10th annual San Diego Wine & Food Festival is Nov. 18-24. And while it may seem a bit of advance planning overkill to get tickets in October, before you've even thought … [Read more...]
Trump National Wine & Beer Festival 2013 Date is Aug. 25
Tickets Now On Sale For 5th Annual Event Featuring Craft Beers And California Wines Get out your smart phone, put in the date and set the reminder. The Trump National Wine & Beer Festival is Sunday, Aug. 25. Now in its fifth year, the Trump Wine & Beer Festival has become one of the top social events of the South Bay, as well as parts beyond. People go not just … [Read more...]
Michael’s On Naples Brings In Italian Winemaker For Dinner Pairing
Vietti Wines To Be Paired With Six-Course Meal At Long Beach Restaurant This sure is going the distance to make a wine pairing with dinner memorable. Winemaker Luca Currado Vietti of Vietti Wines is coming in all the way from Italy to be on hand for a six-course dinner at Michael's On Naples in Long Beach, CA. The event takes place July 17 at 6:30 p.m. This seemed so … [Read more...]
Venetian Las Vegas Featuring Rum, Tequila & Wine Events For Carnevale
Italian Summer Festival Comes To Vegas With Several Fun Cocktail Happenings Carnevale, the biggest of the numerous festivals that take place in the small villages and towns of Italy throughout the summer, is coming to the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. It's a three-month celebration running from May 27-Sept. 8. The highlights, at least for me, are events featuring rum, … [Read more...]
Galante Is My Favorite Tasting Room On The Carmel Wine Walk
Good Wines Combine With Friendly Conversation In This California Gem Of all the fine wine tasting rooms as part of the Carmel Wine Walk, Galante is my favorite. That's because the hostess, Jenna, is lively and lovely, mildly sassy, loves Jimmy Buffett, will have wine herself with you, breaks out cheese and crackers and doesn't mind giving you an extra pour if you are … [Read more...]
Wine Tasting In The South Bay Goes From Bottle Inn To Baleen To FishBar
A Tasting By The Beach, Half-Priced Wines By The Harbor And Reverse Happy Hour I went on a wine tasting tour recently in California. It was not in Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez Valley or even Monterey or Mendocino County. Instead, it was a tour of my own design and right here where I live, in the South Bay Beach Cities of Los Angeles. Inspired by a Tweet … [Read more...]
Beer vs. Wine: When To Choose Which One To Drink
Beer Is For Partying While Wine Is For Reflecting Beer and wine, two great things in life to be sure. But beer verses wine? I love them both, but sometimes I feel like having a beer and at other times I prefer to be drinking wine. So what determines which will be quenching my thirst's desire? Well, it's really a mood thing. When I'm in the wild whoop-it-up frame of … [Read more...]
Corks And Oak Barrels Are Things I’m Learning About Drinking Wine
This Beer Drinker's Palate Is Starting To Adapting To Vino I'm a beer drinker who is learning about wine. And two things I have learned of late have nothing to do with what I know about the taste and quality of beers. Oh, these wines are indeed so complex! One has to do with corks. And the other is the oak barrels in which the wine is stored. One I inquired about and the … [Read more...]
Tennessee Votes Down Wine In Grocery Stores By One Vote
A Rocky Failure For Rocky Top's Arcane State Liquor Laws My first reaction when I learned that Tennessee – my home state – had failed by one vote a provision that could have allowed wine to be sold in grocery stores was "why are they still living in the 1800s!?" Then I saw that the one vote that was expected to have put it over the top came from a representative from … [Read more...]
California Party Weekend In Carmel, Santa Cruz And Wine Tasting
Four Fun Days In Three Great And Gorgeous Coastal Cities As great as the beach life is in Southern California, I also enjoying heading up the coast on occasion to the upper central coast of the state. And so on this particular weekend I was invited on a press trip for two nights in Carmel. Well, it's a 6-hour driver from Los Angeles on the 101 Highway (a scenic six … [Read more...]
Price of Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chuck Wine Rising In California
Increase Goes From $1.99 to $2.49; Well It Was Good While It Lasted Two Buck Chuck, the Charles Shaw signature wine of the affordable and loveable gourmet grocery store Trader Joe's, is now Two-And-A-Half Buck Chuck in California. Effective Jan. 16, the price of a bottle rose from a buck-99 to $2.49. “We work hard to have every item in the store at an intersection of … [Read more...]
James King Shows Wine The Fun Way at LA Travel & Adventure Show
Learning How To Drink Wine Before Enjoying A Wine Tasting Is wine complicated? Intimidating to order in a restaurant? It can be, but doesn't have to be, says wine consultant James King. In fact, he's got a simple solution. "The only way to learn about wine is to drink wine," he said. "So the more you drink, the more you learn." Now that sounds like instructions the … [Read more...]
California Cultures Mix at Mendocino Crab Wine & Beer Festival 2013
It goes without saying that cracking crabs and drinking beer go together. That's commonplace along the East Coast, particularly in Maryland, home of crab cakes and beer. But it also happens in California. Except people in this part of the country – in particular in the northern part of the Golden State – must always put their own special touch on things. So when they host a … [Read more...]
Ready to Party At The San Diego Wine & Food Festival
One Needs To Be In Shape For Whirlwind Of Fun Events Bring it on. I'm ready. Up to the challenge. I've been working out, doing deep breathing exercises, practicing curls with wine glasses. The reason for all this preparation is the San Diego Wine & Food Festival, a multi-day event of saturation and satisfaction. Of indulgence and inspiration. This is one of the … [Read more...]
Catalina Express’ New San Pedro Terminal Has Party Hosting Potential
Vegas-Like Outdoor Waterfront Lounge Ideal For Holding Wine Tastings And Beer Festivals Catalina Express, the company that runs the ferries from Southern California ports to Catalina Island, held an event to celebrate the opening of its sleek new terminal in San Pedro the first Thursday in November. It had food prepared by the new bistro's executive chef (Laurel Lyman), … [Read more...]
Day Tripping – And Tripping – In Switzerland’s Wine Country
Trains, Boats and Wine Tasting in Lake Geneva's Lavaux Region My last day in Switzerland was a whirlwind. It was one of train rides, a boat trip, boarding a boat that went nowhere, a drive through vineyards to wine tasting at a winery with a stunning view of Lake Geneva, slamming a couple of beers in Lausanne, getting back to Zurich for dinner and closing the night in one … [Read more...]
The Anatomy of Wine Tasting Events
In The Beginning They Are Sophisticated But In The End It's Really About The Party I love wine tastings and wine festivals. I enjoy them much more than I actually enjoy the wines. That's because they are fun events, and I find it fascinating to watch the demeanor and the mood of the people change as the event progresses. Most people arrive savvy and sophisticated and … [Read more...]
Don’t Shy Away From Swiss Wines in Switzerland’s Restaurants
Regional Wineries Produce Excellent White and Red Pairings For Diners By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Wine Blogger I know what you're thinking. You're in a restaurant in Switzerland and are in the mood for a glass of wine with your meal. You're familiar with the French wines, of course, and the menu also has selections from South Africa. You know South African … [Read more...]
Go Wine Tasting in Santa Barbara Without Leaving Downtown
Urban Wine Trail Consists of Tasting Rooms From 17 Local Wineries The biggest drag about going wine tasting is that someone has to drive. Or you have to hire a driver, limo or other costly transportation. But not in Santa Barbara. The growing Southern California wine region has opened tasting rooms downtown, which means you can spend the day at the beach and go wine … [Read more...]
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience Has Many Events
The 20th Annual Event is May 22-26 And Includes A Wine Tasting Stroll Down Royal Street When one normally thinks of New Orleans – and the French Quarter in particular – they think of Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras and JazzFest. And for good reason; those are all good reasons to go to and play in the Big Easy. But the city also has other more refined places and events, and … [Read more...]