Articles

The wines of Napa Valley 2025

by  |  06-02-2025

To taste the wines of Napa Valley is for me, a taste of fond melancholy. This is perhaps a strange comment for most people to hear, but it’s because I have a personal relationship to... more »

Tres Sabores – Rutherford Perspective Zinfandel 2022

by  |  14-01-2025

I’ve surfed many waves in San Francisco. Unfortunately none of them were in the water, but instead economically in this expensively-fickle city. I think it was perhaps the Big One in 2008/09 that really did... more »
Photo from Cain winery

Cain and persistence through ashes

by  |  11-07-2024

I was seeing my family for Christmas in 2021, but I was also seeing the harsh realities of making wine in California in these modern times. A light rain misted the road as I arrived... more »
Grgich in October, 2008 at his winery, thus the pumpkin theme.

Mike Grgich / Miljenko Grgić

by  |  18-12-2023

Two notable humans reached a century of existence this year, only to then depart from this crazy world. But, despite this tenuous link of both living to 100 years of age, I would however posit... more »

Ridge – Frediani Valdiguié 2021

by  |  25-09-2023

When I was still working for a winery in Napa Valley many years ago now, my mom asked me, “Hey, what ever happened to Gamay Beaujolais? That was one of my favorite Napa wines, but... more »

A visit to Vine Hill Ranch

by  |  21-01-2022

When talking about vineyards in Napa Valley, inevitably one name will always come up: To-Kalon. Known for being the source of many sought-after wines and more infamously for being the source of protracted legal battles... more »

In The Glass: Jack Winery – Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

by  |  24-08-2020

My last trip to Napa Valley was for a wine writing symposium which meant staying in the valley for an entire week. For someone from San Francisco used to day trips up there, it was... more »

Playing the game of Three-Cab Monte

by  |  14-02-2020

I was leading a tasting recently and out of random curiosity, one of the clients asked, “By the way, what Cabernet Sauvignons can you recommend?” I wasn’t really expecting that as we were tasting through... more »

In Cain I Trust

by  |  17-06-2019

When writing about wine, everything digital is your best friend–right after a spittoon. A lightweight laptop, or in a pinch, the mobile, armed with either Google Keep for quick notes or Excel for longer tastings... more »

The Mas Doix – Lede Family partnership

by  |  28-03-2019

In Priorat, you hear a great deal but often know very little. This was shown no better than hearing changes were afoot last year with Mas Doix in the village Poboleda but not really knowing... more »