Into The Great Wide Open

Into The Great Wide Open

Tom Petty is one of my favorite musicians (RIP) and his music continues to be part of my life’s soundtrack. I chose “Into The Great Wide Open” as the title for this piece, because it fits perfectly with my current phase in life. Into The Great Wide Open… A couple of...
Foie Gras & Wine Pairing Ideas

Foie Gras & Wine Pairing Ideas

I am an admitted California wine and food geek and the best thing I ever ate was fois gras on brioche toast, with a perfectly poached egg on top, all swimming in a rich, creamy sauce, paired with a white Rhône wine. It was at a restaurant called “Le Jardin” in...
The Fantasies of a Tasting Room Manager

The Fantasies of a Tasting Room Manager

I’ve spent much of my 30-plus year career managing tasting rooms. I’ve worked for small, family owned wineries and large corporate wineries and I’ve worked in the middle of town and way out in the country. Visitor demographics vary widely, depending on the winery, the...
Passion In The Tasting Room

Passion In The Tasting Room

Passion In The Tasting Room Wine inspires passion, or it should, anyway.  Any wine lover will tell you about lovely, wine-drenched conversations that they have enjoyed with colleagues, friends and loved ones. In my wine circles, we have solved the world’s problems...
Judging Wine Is Not For Wimps!

Judging Wine Is Not For Wimps!

We sit, the five of us, in pristine white lab coats, as if ready to perform some bizarre experiment. The first trays of wine glasses are wheeled in, tinkling merrily, and we get to work. We swirl each glass, check the color of the wine inside and dive in with our...