Lugana Wines: Liquid Gold from Glacial Soils
Not far from the soaring Alps of northern Italy lies a placid lake in a dream-like setting. At this northerly latitude we expect brisk days and a Continental climate. Instead, we find a pocket of Mediterranean-like climate, where grapevines grow amidst lemon...
Vino “Col Fondo”: Italy’s Ancestral Sparkling
Maybe decade ago, we began hearing a quiet, fizzy buzz about a sparkling wine style born of an ancient production method. You may have heard of it referred to by a few names — pét-nat, méthode ancestrale, Col Fondo, and Sui Lieviti, to list a few. That quiet...
Beyond Bubbles: Prosecco and the Land of Valdobiaddene
Walking the covered porticoes and lively piazzas of Italy at aperitivo hour, you’ll witness the exuberant beauty of Italian Prosecco pulled from chilled ice buckets filling glass after glass at every bar and café. Nothing captures the Italian lifestyle like an...
Arianna Occhipinti- Sicilian Winemaker
Passionate winemaking from Vittoria Sicily – A salute on International Women’s Day Meet Arianna and sip her SP-68 Rosso, made from a co-fermentation of indigenous red grapes grown bio-dynamically on the road bearing this same name – SP 68. Meet Arianna 📌...
Tis the season… for Mustard!
….In the Vineyard that is! Golden waves of billowing mustard among the vines of Dry Creek Valley. Beyond beauty, mustard performs magic for the soil and the vine every spring. Like any cover crop, it protects against erosion, invites water...About Mary Beth
Crushing on.....
silky pasta -- strong coffee and bright wines -- a world map -- and a good dance beat 
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It was a beautiful evening at the “Aromatic Whites & Rose’” walk-around tasting at the Gravenstein Grill — the first of their Summer Wine Series. I discovered some truly (truly) stellar wines and sipped new vintages of favorites, poured by their talented winemakers. ![]()
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Chris Sawyer knows how to throw an intimate party with all the best guests (and lovely atmosphere, delicious passed apps) to accompany the killer wines from our beautiful North Coast. ![]()
I also sipped some of the most beautiful examples of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc I’ve ever enjoyed [have to call out Porter Creek Vineyards and Davis Family Vineyards (Chard) and Quivira Vineyards and Seawolf Wines (SB)]. And I think I actually teared up over the Davis Family 2013 “Gratitude”, Sara Lee’s Vineyard Lat-Harvest Viognier. Thank you Cooper Davis for sharing the story behind this nectar. ![]()
Follow Chris and the Gravenstein Grill so you don’t miss the next event. So lovely.
And it begins. Day 1 of 2.5 judging the 2023 Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition. 117 reds ahead of me just today. Sip, judge, spit. Repeat.
A beautiful wine! Smith Story Wine Cellars’ Smith Story Wine Cellars inaugural release of a white Rhône blend-![]()
Fleur Blanc, Dry Creek Valley, 2022. ![]()
Its nose is orange blossom. Its gossamer light entry is a mineral beauty, then broadens into perfect palate weight carrying juicy green melon, citrus and a touch of sea salt. I literally swooned over it in the tasting room. Last night, enjoyed with mild Indian curry, then another glass just for sipping. ![]()
The blend- 50% Picpoul 50% Bourboulenc - yes!![]()
It will be perfection with raw seafood, oysters, salads, light pastas, and warm days… and I also suggest omelettes and eggs! Think Mother’s Day brunch, lunch or a beautiful gift.![]()
I recommend wholeheartedly. ![]()
Same for Allison and Eric - the phenomenal and coolest humans behind this craft winemaking venture. The first line of their mission statement captures why: “Smith Story Wines are made with respect for the land, kindness for the grower and, love from the winemaker.” This is their north star - care and support of the people in this industry - and they carry it forward with their daily actions and choices. ![]()
Check out the FLEUR BLANC on their website. But if you’re in the northern Sonoma area, I recommend a detour and stop for a taste of their other temptations too: ![]()
—their delicious, and also new, BRAVE carbonic Zinfandel(served chilled!)![]()
—the Cabernet Franc you’ve been dreaming of![]()
— and the 8th vintage release of a perennial Smith-Story favorite, their incredible Sauvignon Blanc. This vintage is stunning. ![]()
Enjoy!![]()
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Allison Smith Story Eric Story #sipsonoma #drycreekvalley #winelover #stayhealdsburg #sipwine #farmtobottle #craftwine #sonomawine #brightandbalanced #crushonwine #rhoneblend #whitewineblend #wineeducator