Favorite Winery Experiences

Favorite Winery Experiences features articles describing a favorite winery tasting room experience and why it was so exceptional.

How to Plan the Perfect Wine & Art Painting Party

A Wine & Painting Party Can Be Loads of Fun. Photo Credit: Porch.com Contributed by Maria Jose Meneses - You don’t have to be a great artist to enjoy painting. Painting is more active and engaging than streaming a movie and less competitive than board game night. But when you invite your friends and add some delicious wine and nibbles, it can be a blast. Even your least artsy friend will enjoy seeing what they created after an entertaining evening. Preparing for a paint and sip party is a little different than setting up a dinner party or game night. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-02-01T18:07:51-08:00February 1, 2023|

Jordan Winery Wins Prize for Best Halloween Party

There are many wineries in the US that are known for their innovative wine events, such as lobster dinners, dog walks through the vineyard, and colorful holiday wine-themed parties, but no one can compete with Jordan Winery’s Annual Halloween Party. Each autumn, members of the wine trade and special clients pray they receive an invitation to attend. If they don’t, they can request a position on the waitlist, and hope someone cancels. But this rarely happens. Galactic Queen and Avatar Attend Jordan Winery's 2021 Halloween Party Unusual Invitations Part of Jordan Winery’s Appeal Part of the pleasure in receiving an [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-11-01T10:37:29-07:00October 31, 2021|

Meditating with Champagne

NOTE: Portions of this post were originally published in Forbes. Meditating with Champagne Recently I was invited to attend a Zoom webinar where we learned how to meditate with Champagne. It was organized by Champagne Henriot, who developed a partnership with Dr. Elisha Goldstein, the Founder of the Mindful Living Collective. At first I was a little skeptical, but after we completed the 10 minute meditation and debriefed it, I found it was not only an eye-opening experience for me, but for others as well. In fact the process has been so successful, that Champagne Henriot trade-marked the experience as [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-06-24T16:09:01-07:00June 24, 2021|

Peacocks and Torture Chairs Make for a Magical Visit to Castello di Amorosa Winery

(Contributed by Cosimo Lindstadt) My most memorable winery visit was during a week-long vacation to Napa Valley with my girlfriend. Driving west through the lush green valley floor, we caught our first glimpse of the winery: A beautiful 13th century Tuscan castle with complete with turrets – Castello di Amorosa Winery. Driving up the steep drive-way, we passed acres of vineyards on each side, with the tiny pale green leaves of budbreak. Right after parking our car and walking up to the castle, we spotted a bright blue peacock strutting along a rock wall. It was then that we knew [...]

By Guest Contributor|2021-03-23T18:20:39-07:00March 23, 2021|

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|

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|

Favorite Winery Experience at Quatro Quatros in Baja, Mexico

(Contributed by Melanie Sanchez) My favorite winery experienced happened at Quatro Quatros Winery in Ensenada, Mexico. “Quatro Quantros” means “four fours” in English, and refers to the 144 acres on which this winery is located. It also includes a hotel with 19 cabanas, spa and restaurant. What is very exciting about this winery is its location on a hill overlooking the ocean. Also, it is only 80 miles south of San Diego, so you can cross the border and visit for the day. Ocean View, Vineyards, and Cabanas at Cuatro Cuatros Winery My family and I drove down from San [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-06T21:04:10-08:00July 22, 2020|

How a Winery Nearly Destroyed By Wildfires and Ravaged by COVID Still Manages to Enchant Visitors

(Contributed by Avery Shive) I’ll never forget my first visit to Soda Rock Winery, located in Sonoma County outside the town of Healdsburg. My mother, two sisters and I had planned a glamorous girls weekend visiting top tier wineries in California Wine Country towards the end of November 2019. Our goal was to have fun, but to also support the wineries by visiting after the devastating fires that swept Sonoma County in October. Avery and her sisters at Soda Rock Winery after Wildfires Wildfires Rage Over Soda Rock Winery When we heard about the affect the fires had on Soda [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:33:33-08:00June 30, 2020|

My Favorite Wine Tasting Experience at Caymus Vineyards, Napa Valley

(Contributed by K. Mead) My absolute favorite wine tasting was at Caymus Vineyards, one of the oldest Napa wineries, started by the pioneering Wagner family winemakers. Located just north of Napa in Rutherford, Caymus is situated amongst vineyards that produce some of the highest quality grapes Napa Valley has to offer. Each year they craft highly-regarded wines, such as their signature Caymus Cabernet. Outdoor Tasting at Caymus Vineyards. Credit: Meyer Sound for Caymus Vineyards Cozy Wine Tasting on a Cold Fall Day I had the pleasure of stopping by Caymus for a tasting in late fall of 2019. Grey and overcast, [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:42:49-08:00June 4, 2020|

Best Wine Tasting Experience at Serego Alighieri Winery in Italy

(Contributed by Gabriele Brusamarello) - My best tasting room experience was at the Serego Alighieri Estate, in the heart of the Valpolicella wine region in Italy. Located just a few miles away from the historic and magical city of Verona and beautiful Lake Garda, the winery estate was establish in 1353. It was a sunny and warm day in spring 2012, and I went to visit the winery with some basketball teammates since we were playing for the Verona basketball team. When we first arrived, we were surrounded by nature, astonished by the historic beauty and uniqueness of the location, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:47:56-08:00April 30, 2020|

Elephant Motif and Farm-Stay Wine Experience at Zo Winery

Contributed by Keira Fernandes – This month we had a great educational wine-tasting on the campus of Sonoma State University with Zo Winery. They are located in the Dry Creek AVA of Sonoma County, just three miles outside of the town of Healdsburg. What is unique about Zo Winery is that they not only offer wine-tasting, but a farm-stay wine experience. They also have a very special focus on elephants, with every wine label graced by an elephant motif. The Elephant Connection The 11-acre vineyard was purchased by David Eckert in 1999 and named after his son Enzo. Enzo’s name [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:50:29-08:00February 23, 2020|

A Magical Field Trip to Hanna Winery in Sonoma

(Contributed by Jennifer Schiff) In October the SSU Wine Sense Club put on an extravagant field trip to Hanna Winery in Alexander Valley. Driving up the long and beautifully landscaped driveway, everyone was very impressed with the Spanish style architecture of Hanna Winery and the sweeping views of the valley. Our tasting took place under the large oak tree below the tasting room, and was facilitated by Shelby Lozinto, an intern at Hanna and also our Wine Sense Club president. Hanna Winery - Photo Credit: Hanna.com About Hanna Winery Hanna Winery was first started in 1985 by Dr. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T20:00:36-08:00November 8, 2016|

A Visit to Three Outstanding Santa Cruz Wineries: Pelican Ranch, Armida and Loma Prieta

(Contributed by Itze Monserrat Peña-Andrade) This past weekend a few members from the SSU Winesense Club took a field trip to visit the Santa Cruz wine region. This is a beautiful wine region near the ocean with over 120 wineries in the nearby hills. For more information about the Santa Cruz Winergrowers Association and wine maps, click here. We arrived Friday in Capitola, and set out to visit two small tasting rooms. SSU WineSense Members in Santa Cruz Pelican Ranch Pelican Ranch Tasting Room The first tasting room we went to was a small winery that [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T20:01:39-08:00April 30, 2016|

Tasting Sparkling Honey Wine at Heidrun Meadery, Point Reyes, California

Visiting Heidrun Winery (Contributed by Erica Schreckenghaust) On a beautiful sunny day a small group of Wine Sense Members visited Heidrun Meadery in Point Reyes. We were on a quest to taste “the wine of the Norse gods” – wine made from honey. Mead was the only beverage that the Norwegian god Odin would drink, and it had to be from Heidrun, a special goat that would produce mead in her udder. About Heidrun Meadery Heidrun Meadery is one of the few, if not the only, meaderies, who make their mead in the Methode Champenoise style, which creates [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T21:54:39-08:00June 29, 2015|

SSU Wine Sense Club Students Take Field Trip to Hamel Family Vineyards

Hamel Family Vineyards (Contributed by Erica Schreckenghaust ) - One of the main goals of the Wine Sense Club is to create connections between wine professionals, wineries, and students. We appreciate all of the people who have come to visit us on campus over the years but wanted to create an organic way for students to get the all-encompassing experience of a brand. In attempt to do this the Executive Board have organized fieldtrips all over Sonoma and Napa Valley during the Spring semester. Hamel Family/ Brand History: To kick off our series of field trips we had the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T21:56:43-08:00April 13, 2015|