Fiona Fang

Celebrate World Cocktail Day with a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Cocktail

Contributed by Fiona Fang - May 13th marks World Cocktail Day, the same day in 1806 when “Cocktail” was first defined. Have you ever tried cocktails made with an interesting twist of wine? How about a refreshing Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc cocktail perfect for the rising temperatures? Flip Mode by Saeed House (Photo Credit: Saeed House) A Mixologist Crafted Tropical Sauvignon Blanc Seasoned mixologist Saeed “Hawk” House (@cocktailsbyhawk), who has been featured in Food & Wine, Esquire and Forbes for his delicious creations, has partnered with multi award-winning Brancott Estate to create “Flip Mode”, a unique spring/summer inspired cocktail using Brancott [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-05-13T12:52:38-07:00May 10, 2021|

Wine that Connects Cultures, from Asia to America and Beyond

Making a great wine is an orchestration of art and science, passion and hard work. ShunYi Cellars caught my attention recently, which started with the Founder’s personal story of wine discovery that inspired his mission to craft quality wines showcasing premium Californian terroir to bridge cultures and share values. ShunYi's inaugural wines in their vineyards. Meaning of Shun Yi Emperor Shun, highly regarded for his wisdom and integrity, is said to come from the city of Jinan in Shandong Provence, where Founder George Zhang was born. Residents of Jinan are known as “Shun Yi” – descendants of Shun. Interestingly, Shandong [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:29:30-08:00November 13, 2020|

Celebrate Champagne Day This Friday with These Ideas!

This Friday (Oct 23) marks the 11th annual global Champagne Day. Besides sharing a bottle with family and friends, learning about the art of Champagne (see resources below), you can also try some delicious Champagne food pairings while playing a special Champagne playlist. Although it comes in a great variety, Champagne in general is surprisingly versatile to pair with different types of cuisines and tastes. Credit: Comite Champagne Know Your Dryness/Sweetness First, pay attention to the sweetness/dry scale of your Champagne. If you are serving more than one bottle, start with the driest, working up to the sweetest.The designations for [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:29:53-08:00October 21, 2020|

Exquisite Wine and Dine Open-Air at the Breathtaking Ram’s Gate Winery

Known for their small lot premium wines, innovative culinary experiences and beautiful farmhouse-meets-modern design, Ram’s Gate is a modern winery nestled between Sonoma and Napa at the heart of Carneros Valley. This fall, Ram’s Gate will open new Veranda and Arbor venues for private outdoor tasting experiences. The very first Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs by Director of Winemaking Joe Nielsen, who joined Ram’s Gate team in 2018, will also be released. These wines will be featured throughout the tastings and available for purchase at the winery. Ram's Gate Winery Veranda By the Fire The new Veranda Experience offers guests a [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:30:19-08:00October 17, 2020|

How You Can Help Our Community Recover

Our wine community is fighting multiple challenges yet again, affected by the Glass Fire shortly after LNU fires were contained in an already difficult year. However, there are some ways you could make a difference while connecting with the community.How? Here is a short list of resources for you to check out. Offer a helping hand: Volunteer! You can volunteer both in-person or even from home by preparing and delivering food, helping at animal rescue shelters, promote social media, translate, etc. For area-specific volunteer opportunities, visit:Napa area: Napa Disaster Relief Volunteering Sonoma area:Sonoma Disaster Relief Volunteering Many ways you can [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:31:30-08:00October 5, 2020|

A Silver Lining for Chianti Classico

Needless to say, 2020 has been challenging for most of us. Fortunately, some vintners in Italy are trying to make the most of the situation despite an overall decline in wine sales. Chianti Classico Consortium, one of the oldest Italian wine consortiums with 515 Chianti producer members, remarks how vineyards have “never looked so good” as a result of winemakers having extraordinary time to dedicate greater care on the 2020 vintage. Beautiful vineyard slopes of Chianti. New opportunities for Chianti wineries To provide extra support for Chianti producers and boost local economy, the organization launched several initiatives, such as financing [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:31:58-08:00September 27, 2020|

Breathless Winery Wins “Rising Wine Star Winery of the Year” Award

In less than 10 years since it opened, Breathless Wines has already won multiple awards, including the San Francisco Wine Competition, American Fine Wine Competition, Wine Enthusiast, among others. This time, it is awarded by LuxeSF, a luxury marketing organization, as their “Rising Wine Star Winery of The Year”, after a tough competition with 74 other nominations across 5 award categories, selected by a 14-person panel of respected industry veterans. Have you tried Breathless Wines yet? They are currently offering a special duo Blanc De Noir and Brut Rose pack at $60 including shipping this week until September 18. Better [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:33:57-08:00September 14, 2020|

A Legacy Sparkling with Personality

Hailing from a pioneer winemaking family in Napa, Paula Kornell is a Napa native who has seen the region’s rise from idyllic countryside to a world-renowned premium wine destination. Paula has acquired decades of experience throughout the wine industry, having held management positions at Mondavi, Phelps and other wineries. She has been a member of the Board of Napa Valley Vintners and served a term as its President, and has also chaired the famous Napa Wine Auction several times. Paula Kornell serving her wines at home. Meeting Paula Kornell and Tasting Her Very First Vintage Now, Paula is carrying on [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T17:35:43-08:00September 11, 2020|

Outlawed – Watch Outlaw Country Musician Elizabeth Cook Perform Live at Home With a Glass of Paso Robles Wine

This summer is time for delicious wine and safely distanced live music! The exciting Robert Hall At Home Sessions we announced earlier continues with an incredible line-up of talented independent musicians for you and your community to watch from home, and enjoy authentic Paso Robles wine for the occasion. Next Wednesday September 2, the fourth virtual concert will feature contemporary Outlaw singer songwriter Elizabeth Cook, known for her appearances on David Letterman, “hip hard-country delivery, comedic gifts and magnetic personality”. Elizabeth Cook. Credit: Robert Hall Winery Watch From Home You can watch the performance live, and get an exclusive behind-the-curtains [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:09:56-08:00August 27, 2020|

Not Just Another Wine Auction: Portland Trailblazer Star turned Winemaker CJ McCollum and Wine for Social Good

With its natural terroir ideal for growing Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley is also Oregon’s largest wine growing region with over 70 varietals. Willamette Valley Winery Association is their wine industry association, which organizes an annual Pinot Noir auction that just ended on August 13. This year, 74 wine lots from the 2018 vintage made exclusively for the auction were sold, with proceeds this year not only supporting the Association’s education and marketing initiatives, but an additional $100,000 dedicated to the James Beard Foundation’s Open For Good Campaign – Food & Beverage Investment Fund for Black and Indigenous Americans. From the [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:11:07-08:00August 20, 2020|

Celebrate Jewish New Year with Innovative Kosher Wines from Around the World!

What better way to start the Jewish New Year than sharing great wines with loved ones? Traditionally, wine or grape juice is an important part of Kiddush, which means “sanctification” in Hebrew, a ceremony where a blessing is recited over wine or grape juice. Wine and Pomegranate, a fruit symbolic of good deeds and wishes. Royal Wine Corp is bringing a fresh selection of kosher wines from California, Israel, France and South Africa just in time for Rosh Hashanah, which falls on September 18th this year. Organic Kosher Wine with Noble History If you are sensitive to sulfites and want [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:11:30-08:00August 14, 2020|

#DrinkSouthAfrican Now!

Have you ever tried South African wines? If not, now is a great time to enlighten your wine experience with some unique wines from this country known for their high quality yet affordable wines, with a rich history in winemaking. Beautiful vineyards of South Africa. Credit: Wines of South Africa Wine Sales Devastated By Covid-19 Restrictions A lot has happened in South Africa since our last post about their wine exports resuming after an abrupt ban in March due to Covid-19. National alcohol sales ban has remained in effect, except for a brief period in June, with no end in [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:12:10-08:00August 6, 2020|

A Breathless Experience: My First Time Breaking A Wine Bottle With a Saber

Have you seen a champagne or sparkling wine bottle being broken open with a saber? I have not, until I was very lucky to have a chance to try it at Breathless Wines, known for their traditional method (the original method for making Champagne) sparkling wine in Healdsburg when Dr. Thach and our group visited! What is Sabering? A saber is a type of sword with a curved blade associated with light cavalry in the early modern and Napoleonic periods. The technique of breaking open a champagne bottle using a saber, called “sabrage”, was popularized after the French Revolution, when [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:12:34-08:00July 28, 2020|

Toast to an Eclectic Mix of Live Music this Summer with Robert Hall Virtual Concert Series!

Paso Robles winery Robert Hall is hosting a virtual music concert series, Robert Hall At Home Sessions, live-streaming indie musicians directly from their homes starting this Wednesday July 22. After each concert, the audience will have a special chance to peek behind the scenes and learn directly from the artists about their journeys, personal stories and more. First Up: Roots Rock Duo, Larkin Poe A different artist will be revealed before each session. This four-session series kicks off with Grammy nominated Larkin Poe, a roots rock sister duo Rebecca and Megan Lovell based in Nashville. Their latest LP, “Self Made [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:21:25-08:00July 21, 2020|

Have You Ever Heard of an Italian Wine Grape Called Colombana?

Considered to be a very ancient grape, Colombana Bianca is a white grape from Tuscany, also known by the names “Colombana Peccioli and Verdea.” Legend states it was brought to Italy by an Irish missionary called St. Columban. He travelled throughout Europe, and gathered many followers who brought vine cuttings to northern Italy. They planted the vine and began to make wine near the towns of Pisa and Milan, but over the centuries the Colombana vines were replaced by other varieties, so it became very rare and was thought to have nearly disappeared. Slopes of Fattoria Fibbiano. Credit: Fattoria Fibbiano. [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:27:39-08:00July 9, 2020|