California Archives - Dr. Liz Thach, MW

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Wine Tasting Trip To California

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Wine Tasting Trip To California. Photo Credit: UnSplash (Contributed by Harriet Martin) If you’re a wine enthusiast who’s lucky enough to be visiting California, you’re in for a treat. Renowned for its world-class wines and stunning vineyard landscapes, the state is a dream for wine enthusiasts. With over 6,000 wineries, stunning national parks and 840 miles of pristine coastline to explore, there’s a dreamy wine tasting trip for everyone in this sunny paradise. Here, we take a look at how to get the most out of your wine tasting trip to California. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-04-21T18:11:41-07:00April 21, 2026|

Organic Wine & Food Dinner at Stanly Ranch Auberge in Napa Valley

Stanly Ranch Auberge is a New Luxury Resort in Napa Valley. Photo Credit: Stanly Ranch As one of Napa Valley’s newest resorts (2022), the Stanly Ranch Auberge Collection is making a splash with a focus on fresh, organic foods paired with local organic and sustainable wines. A perfect example was a recent wine and food pairing dinner at The Grange, their outdoor dining area surrounded by a sumptuous chef’s garden filled with rows and rows of delicious, fresh, organically grown vegetables. Featuring the organic wines of Quintessa Winery, the dinner was limited to 40 guests (including non-resort guests) and began [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-01-25T12:05:17-08:00October 30, 2025|

Celebrating Food & Wine at the ‘Taste of Sonoma’ Festival

Guests Enjoy Socializing With Friends at the Taste of Sonoma Food & Wine Festival. Photo Credit: Thach As a Sonoma County native, over the years I've attended the Taste of Sonoma Food & Wine Festival on multiple occasions. However this year I went with the express purpose of interviewing strangers about why they decided to attend. I learned some interesting facts! The 'Taste of Sonoma' festival has been offered for more than a decade at different locations around Sonoma County. This makes perfect since, because Sonoma County is not only home to more than 500 wineries, but also some of [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-07-17T09:33:24-07:00July 17, 2024|

The Inspiring Story of Calera Winery and Josh Jensen

Josh Jensen, Calera Winery Founder and Mike Waller, Current Calera WInemaker CALERA Not only do I believe that the Pinot Noir wines from Calera are some of the best in California, but the story of how this historic winery and vineyard came to be is equally compelling. Here is quick recap of the visionary story of Josh Jensen and his successor winemaker, Mike Waller. Upon returning from a wine trip to Burgundy in 1971, Josh Jensen spent two years driving up and down the coast of California in search of a location that had limestone soil and the right climate [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-06-11T20:48:40-07:00June 11, 2024|

Sheep and Chickens in the Vineyard at La Crema Winery in Sonoma County

Sheep in the Vineyard at La Crema Winery Help with Regenerative Farming LA CREMA I have visited La Crema Winery in Sonoma County many times over the years, and it is always a delight, because the winery tasting room is next to the famous Saralee's Vineyard in the Russian River Valley AVA. Saralee and Richard Kunde were the original owners of the vast vineyard, and over the years they planted many different grape varieties to enjoy. They also hosted large charity events, which were always fun to attend. In 2012, Saralee sold the vineyard to Jackson Family Wines, who have [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-12-14T12:04:14-08:00December 14, 2023|

Why Sommeliers Admire The Petaluma Gap Wine Region In Sonoma County

Tasting Wines of the Petaluma Gap at the Annual 'Wind to Wine Festival' PETALUMAGAP.COM I live in the Petaluma Gap wine region of Sonoma County, and have been so impressed with the growth of wineries here. In the last few years it has grown from just a handful of wineries to over 20 different wineries to visit! The cooler, windier region specializes in wines made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah grapes, but they also make other types of wine as well. For this article I interviewed 6 sommeliers to find out what types of food they recommend pairing with [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-10-02T10:41:56-07:00October 2, 2023|

The Lion, The Wine and The Belly-Dancers: DAOU Vineyards Release Party

Probably one of the most enchanting wine release parties in California is the annual “Soul of a Lion” event held at DAUO Vineyards in Paso Robles each Spring. The wine is a delicious Bordeaux blend, made primarily of cabernet sauvignon, and was named in honor of George and Daniel Dauo’s father, Joseph Daou. The story behind the name is that Joseph always exhibited “the soul of a lion,” in that whatever hardships knocked him down growing up in war-torn Lebanon, he always jumped back up and faced life with the courage and strength of the “king of the jungle.” Daniel [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-04-02T12:20:08-07:00April 2, 2023|

Gundlach Bundschu Celebrates 160 Years Of Winemaking, Grape Growing, And Humorous Tricks

Humorous Trick to Share Sonoma Valley Wines on Napa Valley Wine Train in 1990. GUNDLACH BUNDSCHU In 1858 Jacob Gundlach immigrated from Bavaria and purchased 400 acres of land in Sonoma Valley, California to plant grapes and start a winery. Today, Gundlach Bundschu is considered to be California’s oldest continuously family-owned winery, with 6th generation, Jeff Bundschu, now at the helm as President. But the winery isn’t just known for award-winning wines, but also for its culture of fun, rock ‘n’ roll parties, and humorous tricks played on fellow vintners over the years. It was also on a Halloween evening in [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2022-11-12T15:40:41-08:00November 12, 2022|

The Untold Story Of Helen Bacigalupi’s Wild Drive Over The Mountain To Deliver Sonoma Chardonnay To Chateau Montelena

Helen Bacigalupi at Age 96, Co-Founder of Bacigalupi Vineyards & Winery, Sonoma County, CA. BACIGALUPI VINEYARDS I really enjoyed reconnecting with Helen Bacigalupi again after all of these years. I first met her 9 years ago to interview her for my Call of the Vine book when she was 87, and now she is 96! She is still filled with intelligence, grit, drive, and a fun sense of humor. This story below was first published on Forbes.com, with permission to republish here. Go Helen! There is a well-known story in Sonoma County, California that the majority of the grapes that [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2022-09-19T15:47:34-07:00September 19, 2022|