A Taste of Wine

In my last column, I shared some recent experiences in the great desert, from Rancho Mirage to La Quinta.  Palatial resorts, princely restaurants and the hauntingly beautiful Santa Rosa Mountains all caught my attention. In Palm Desert on El Paseo at Portola, a relaxed European style restaurant, …

About 2 hours drive time from the hustle and bustle of the San Diego coast, spread out like a canvas panorama at the base of  Highway 74, lies a group of desert communities that includes:  Palm Springs,  Rancho Mirage, Palm  Desert, Indian Wells and …

The VINO CALIFORNIA Grand Tasting is the ultimate celebration of Italian wine. Featuring exclusively native varietals, this walk-around tasting promises an authentic Italian experience with each sip. Join VINO CALIFORNIA and pay homage to Italy’s rich winemaking heritage. Discover the …

Of all the great wine countries of the world, Spanish wines seem the most mysterious.  There’s a lot to learn. In my two trips to Spain, once to Barcelona in the northeast and Granada, in the south, Barcelonawas easily the most vibrant city. Its all-night wineries …

When I learned that the legendary Castello Banfi of Montalcino was making a presentation in San Diego and had chosen San Diego’s Solare Ristorante Italiano for a select dinner to pair its lineup of magnificent wines, I circled the date in day-glow red. …

Here in the San Diego area, not much is said or done about two kinds of wine that are  household words back East, where its cold and some times snowy.  Mulled wine and Ice wine will always spice up a gathering and …

I looked at him quizzically, not really accepting if this concept of “just wine” would go over for an event of the size he was hoping for.  That was two years ago, and I had just met David Frachetti for the first time …

Saturday March 7th and 8th, the bloom is on the vines of Temecula when more than 30 wineries, together, open their barrels for introductory tastes and bites, for guests with self-guided passports, at the World of Wine event (WoW). I’m up …

A wine producer in Tuscany has launched the first certified vegan Chianti: indeed, the wine produced by Fattoria Casabianca, in the Siena area, is said to be vegan because “the grape is traced every step of the way, from our organically …

A movie premier would pale in comparison. A presidential inauguration  would need more star-power to match up.  New Years Eve at the Ritz might not attract enough thirsty wine drinkers as the annual coming-out event for the latest vintage Silver Oak Napa …