What makes a Crisp Wine?
You’ve probably heard the word “crisp” uttered by the puckered lips of one of your [...]
WINE COUNTRY PRE-SEASON UPDATE!
Dear Friends,As you are probably aware, the 2016-2017 winter was one for the books! After [...]
A decade in retrospect, the 2007 Vintage from Frank’s Cellar
On Saturday, March 11, we tasted 10 wines from the 2007 vintage and shared them [...]
Phenolics in Wine
“It’s Greek to me!” You might hear winemakers talk about phenolics and to the general [...]
The Ten Most Important Things to Know About Wine
The 10 Most Important Things to Know About Wine 1) Be honest. If you like [...]
100 Years of Napa Valley Winemaking History 1917-2017
In 1917, the United States was two years away from passing the Volstead Act, known [...]
The 411 on Phylloxera
Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Phylloxera” Grapevines, like all living things, are subject to disease and other pests. [...]
Scientists Uncover More Information About Resveratrol’s Anti-inflammatory Properties
Resveratrol helps wine grapes protect themselves. It also holds medical promise. From fighting depression to [...]
Champagne can improve your Love Life
Champagne can Improve your Love Life… Yes it really can! By Christopher Walkey Your mind [...]
Napa Valley Wine Appellations ~Part Two~
Napa Valley Appellations Picking up where we left off last week at the southern end [...]
Napa Valley Wine Appellations ~Part One~
Napa Valley Appellations People sometimes forget that Napa Valley is a valley and that there [...]
What is a Microclimate?
Microclimate is a word English teachers love: the definition is self-explanatory. But while it seems [...]
What is a “crisp” wine?
You’ve probably heard the word “crisp” uttered by the puckered lips of one of your [...]
California Pinot is every bit as good as Burgundy
Pinot Noir harvest time at Pisoni Pinot noir is widely considered to produce some of [...]
California Wine Country 2016 Harvest Report
Frank Melis’ 2016 California Wine Country Harvest Report Dear Friends, Although I didn’t drive [...]
Myth or Reality? The top four misconceptions about wine.
Whenever you have something that is so widely enjoyed and in so many different was [...]
Tempranillo – The NEXT hot California Varietal!
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel are the top five most planted red [...]
Petite Sirah deserves some love!
Can anyone tell me why California Petite Sirah doesn’t get more love from the cognoscenti? [...]
Rosé is NOT just SWEET PINK wine! Here’s why….
When I first got into the wine industry a few decades ago, rosé was anything [...]
2016 Harvest Report – Part Two
Dear Friends, As promised, two pre-harvest reports for you. Last time we shared some [...]