Podcast: Lane Tanner, the “Pinot Czarina of Santa Barbara County,”

Why Smaller Can Sometimes Be Better The quality of a wine is not always dictated by the sweetness of the juice.  Many winemakers make decisions on when to pick by simply measuring the degrees brix (percentage of sugar) in their grapes, and generally pick when the sugars are at their highest possible level.  Lane and…

Thoughts on the Wettest of Vintages The vineyards are flooding.  Southern California is currently experiencing what the forecasters are calling “the largest weather event in the last six years.” (Let’s just forget about “Stormageddon” two years ago – too bad they used that one up already). Some of the vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley…

Is wine good for you? The pendulum always swings when it comes to what foods and beverages are good for your health. I remember in the 70’s we were told that fat was bad, and along with that came cheese, avocados, butter, and bacon. Oh, the horror. People switched to margarine. I remember tubs of…

I’ll never forget the first time I fell in love with Grenache. I was at a fancy restaurant on an otherwise unmemorable date, and I decided to splurge on the tasting menu with wine pairing. The main course came with a glass of red wine, and upon my first sip my taste buds ignited with…

Cool Climate Wines Make for Better Companions The above shot was taken in September at the Eastern edge of the Santa Ynez Valley, while I was driving up to the winery in Santa Maria during crush.  I live in Santa Barbara and have to drive over “The Pass” on the 154 to get up to…

Introducing California’s First Pinot Alternative Grenache is a very interesting and challenging grape.  A wine made from 100% Grenache can have the weight of a Pinot Noir: a medium to light bodied red. I t doesn’t normally lend itself to making big, tannic wines.  (Side note: a lot of the Grenache that you see in stores…