The Torres Family has been making wine in the Penedes region of Spain for 145 years! They have expanded their holdings and production with the succession of each generation and now make wine not only in their home base of Barcelona but all across Spain, Chile and...
Every now and then I find a wine or a winery that gets me excited about the wine business and makes me want to share the news with everyone! This is one of those times. Clay and Margarita Shannon and their wineries, Vigilance and Shannon Ridge are just what the doctor...
Belinda Jensen says we are behind in our precipitation and I haven’t seen the sun for near a week so I am very much ready for some warmer spring weather!!! It’s time for asparagus and ramps and I found a handful of Morels. I just about have the garden set for summer...
Here’s hoping you have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend. This a time when folks enjoy some time outdoors, work on projects around the house and hopefully get the grill smoking. We also want to remember the reason we are enjoying this time off and all the freedoms...
Bill Spence still looms large at about 6 feet 5 inches of height. His passions are viticulture, winemaking and New Zealand’s national sport, Rugby. Driven by the wine bug, he and his older brother Ross began growing grapes in West Auckland in 1969. They were the first...
What a great spring we are having! It’s about time. We have put up with so much of a challenge from the elements it sure feels nice to get some pleasant weather. Speaking of putting up with challenges, your mother has been dealing with you for a while and if you’re...
Fred Cline learned his love for farming and winemaking from his maternal grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi (of pump and spa fame). On Jacuzzi’s Oakley, California farm, Fred helped him produce Zinfandel, Mourvedre, and Carignane for personal consumption. After graduating...
On the beautiful Ionian coast of Calabria lies the Southern Italian DOC of Ciró. In this ideal area for viticulture nestled between sea and mountains, grapes have been grown and wine has been made for a thousand years. The local cuisine is spicy and sea inspired. The...
Around my house we drink wine every day so no one loves a bargain better than me. I don’t think I should have to compromise on quality, flavor and complexity when I spend $15 or less on a bottle. The truth is don’t have to. Most of the wines I buy are between $8 and...
The Wild Horse winery started as batch of Pinot Noir fermented in a plastic bucket and punched down with a baseball bat in Kenneth Volk’s garage circa 1981. The horse label was chosen to honor the mascot of his alma mater, Cal Poly in beautiful San Luis Obispo. From...
