Wine Stars

Wine Stories and News for the Young at Heart

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|

Hike, Picnic and Taste Wine at La Crema Winery’s New Outdoor Tasting Experience

As wineries slowly start re-opening in California, many are getting creative in the types of experiences they offer, because currently most tastings must be outdoors and include food. With this in mind, La Crema Winery took advantage of their beautiful Saralee’s Vineyard property to offer walking tours and picnics in the relaxing gardens surrounded by rolling vineyards. Guests must make a reservation online in advance. When they arrive, they are provided with a map of suggested walking trails to explore the vineyards and take in the beautiful vistas of the Russian River Valley. Upon conclusion of the walking [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:44:29-08:00June 4, 2020|

Wine Tasting in Paris and Falling in Love with Champagne

(Contributed by K. Lewis) - My favorite tasting experience I have ever had was during the Summer of 2017 in Paris, France. I went on this trip with my mom and aunt, and after exploring the city throughout the weekend, we ended our trip with a wonderful Champagne tasting on a small boat sailing down the Seine River. The tasting consisted of three different Champagnes. I knew I really liked wine at the time, but this was one of the first times I remember gaining an understanding of the fact that different types of sparkling wine actually taste very distinctive [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:44:56-08:00June 2, 2020|

Pink Prosecco is Coming in 2021!

Great news! If you enjoy Prosecco, a new “pink version” called Prosecco DOC Rosé will make a sparkling debut in 2021. This past week the Prosecco DOC’s trade Consortium announced the hallmark decision by the Italian National Wine Committee to finally approve introduction of Prosecco DOC Rosé after years of discussion. A Glass of Sparkling Pink Prosecco Rules for Producing Prosecco DOC Rosé While sparkling rosé wines are nothing new, Prosecco DOC wines, like Champagne, is a protected designation in which wines must follow strict regulations (such as percentage of grape varieties used and fermentation methods) to be labelled as [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:45:45-08:00June 2, 2020|

How Does Casarena Winery Produce Such Distinctly Different Argentinian Wines?

Nestled on the sandy soils of Luján de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina, Casarena Bodegas y Viñedos is recognized for its single vineyard wines, with an estate that encompasses four vineyards each with its own distinctive micro-terroirs to create seven varietal wines for its flagship line, Casarena Single Vineyard wines. Casarena's sandy vineyards below the Andes. Credit: Casarena Winery & Vineyards Winemaking expertise Combining rich tradition with expertise in wine growing and winemaking, including collaborations with Michel Roland and his team, single blocks of high-quality and low yield are identified. 30% of the grapes are fermented in new French oak barrels, [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:46:21-08:00May 26, 2020|

Famous Tuscan Winery Releases New Vintage with Focus on Sustainability

In April, world-renowned Ornellaia Winery in Tuscany, Italy, released its Grand Vin, Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2017. The name “Solare”, “radiant” in English, was chosen to define this vintage – unusual frost, heat and drought extremes, which nonetheless resulted in an elegant wine of bold personality. Ornellaia Solare 2017. Credit: Ornellaia How Does Ornellaia Solare Taste? Estate Director Axel Heinz remarked about the surprisingly harmonious wine crafted by winemakers’ gentle handling of slightly younger grapes. Solare has characteristic notes of liquorice and blackberries with velvety tannins, yet rich acidity and roundness with “Mediterranean sumptuousness”. From an Unpredictable, Extreme Climate A stark contrast [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:49:55-08:00May 21, 2020|

Wine is My Love Potion: Adventures as a Harvest Intern

(Contributed by Alexandro Gomez) Wine is my love potion. Never before would I have thought wine could be this interesting. It all started in the summer of 2019 when I met the Robledo family, owners of Robledo Family Vineyards in Sonoma, California. They established the first tasting room in the United States that is owned by a former Mexican migrant vineyard worker and his family. After much discussion of my interest in wine, they offered me a harvest internship. Although I was very excited about this opportunity, I was also scared and nervous as I knew nothing about harvest or [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:51:09-08:00May 20, 2020|

Innovative Winery Launches Nature Hikes and Wine-Tasting Picnics with Social Distancing

American wineries have shown much innovation in reaching out to wine consumers via virtual tastings, tours, and other online methods due to the closing of tasting rooms with COVID19. However, one winery has found a very unusual means of connecting with consumers again by scheduling educational nature hikes in Sonoma County. Hiking at Jordan Winery, Sonoma County, California This weekend, Jordan Winery is set to become the first winery to reopen in Napa and Sonoma, using the Sonoma County park/trail reopening health order (effective on May 13) as its path. These educational nature hike packages for two include [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:51:37-08:00May 19, 2020|

A Heavenly Visit to Hanna Winery in Sonoma County

In October the Wine Sense Club put on an extravagant field trip out to Hanna winery in Alexander Valley. Driving up the long and beautifully landscaped driveway of Hanna Winery, the Wine Sense club was able to take in the picturesque views of the valley. The club’s wine tasting excursion took place under the large oak tree below the tasting room. Shelby Lozinto, the President of the Wine Sense club arranged a private tasting for the club and presented a selection of the Hanna wines to the club members. Hanna Winery in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County. Photo Credit: Hanna [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:52:03-08:00May 15, 2020|

Prosecco Production Keeps Up With Growth Projections Amid Covid-19 Concerns

According to the Prosecco DOC Consortium, data from end of March showed that Prosecco DOC production quantities continue to meet expected demand to meet growth projections at least until the next harvest, despite current supply chain impacts of Covid-19. Available quantities ending April 1 amounted to at least 2,217,000 hectoliters, with an extra 550,000 hl in reserves from the 2019 vintage if demand increases. Vineyard in Prosecco Region Ongoing Challenges However, multiple challenges remain which the Consortium is closely monitoring. According to Stefano Zanette, President of Prosecco DOC Consortium, the 2020 harvest is expected to have lower than average fertility. Additionally, producers [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:54:16-08:00May 15, 2020|

How I Fell in Love with Wine in Montenegro

(Contributed by Makenna White) My relationship with wine is different from most Americans growing up. I have Danish family members that we would visit every couple years and my cousins, a couple years older than me, would have their own glasses of wine at dinner. After our first visit there, my parents introduced us to alcohol the same way many Europeans introduced their children to alcohol. They made it accessible for my brother and I to try, making drinking alcohol not seem forbidden and therefore “desirable.” As a kid having a sip of mom’s wine and dad’s rum and coke, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:54:37-08:00May 12, 2020|

South African Wines Now Shipping Again After COVID Halt

During the middle of harvest season for South African vintners in March, business activity was ordered to stop by their Government to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Alcohol production, national sales and tasting rooms were prohibited, followed by an export ban on April 16th, grinding the entire industry (except sanitizing alcohol) to a halt. Vineyard in South Africa Wines of South Africa Wines of South Africa, the organization representing all exporting South African wine producers, has been actively lobbying to lift restrictions. Their efforts were successful when Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma announced permission of packaged and bulk [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:47:20-08:00May 7, 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|

Learn About Champagne from the Experts – Free!

What do you think of when you hear “Champagne”? While the name is sometimes used generically for sparkling wine especially in the United States, Champagne only comes from Champagne, France. The name is actually protected by French statutes since 1887, with over 120 national jurisdictions today restricting the use of the name to sparkling wines exclusively produced from grapes in the French region and using the traditional method (méthode champenoise, also is a protected designation). Sparkling Glasses of Champagne. Photo Credit: Comité Champagne The Official Comité Champagne Behind its exclusivity and luxurious connotations, Champagne – both the wine and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:48:18-08:00April 23, 2020|

Grapes Still Stomped by Foot at Pax Wines in Sebastopol, CA

Contributed by Keira Fernandes - Have you ever felt the soft squishy feel of grapes underneath your bare feet? Well, this is the way they still make some of the wine at Pax Winery in Sebastopol, California. That’s because owners Pax and Pam Mahle believe in making wine the old-fashioned way. Not only do they stomp their wine grapes by foot, but they refrain from using chemicals or any unnatural additions to their wines. Pax Winery also leaves the skins on the grape for as long as possible to allow for natural fermentation as well as getting maximum flavor. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:48:45-08:00April 21, 2020|

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