You are here: Home / Archives for Joe Becerra

Legend of Stag’s Leap

by 2 Comments

legend of stags leap

Stag’s Leap – the craggy portion of the mountain

Legend of Stag’s Leap and the land of Cabernet Sauvignon

Stag’s Leap legend tells the tale that the Native Wappo would marvel at a stag that was able to make incredible leaps over the jagged rock formations pictured above. Specifically, the Wappo would witness the stag leaping over the u-shaped rock formation in the center of our photo above.

The stag’s leap was even more impressive when a full moon was situated just above the mountain—the stag’s silhouette against the moon and its impressive jump filtered through the land for many years. Today, the legend lives on in the names of two wineries and the AVA of Stag’s Leap established in 1989. The two wineries are Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Stag’s Leap Winery.

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is the more famous and well known because of its historic Cabernet victory in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. Warren Winiarski is one of Napa Valley’s legendary winemakers. His 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon was rated the top wine at the Judgement of Paris, besting a list that included Grand Cru Bordeaux wines. The results shocked the wine world and brought fame and fortune to the Napa Valley.

In 2007, Warren sold his winery to the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in the state of Washington and the Antinori Family of Italy.  In 2014, Stag’s Leap Cellars opened a beautiful visitor center and  tasting room facing the mountains and the vineyards below it. It is a dramatic and inspiring view of one of nature’s great works of art.  The Stag’s Leap Cellars tasting room is open daily from 10 to 4:30.  Check the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Website for tasting and touring choices.

Greeter at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
The Greeter at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

Stags Leap Winery has an origin date of 1893. The winery is now part of the Treasury Wine Estates. The Stags Leap Winery Website.

Wineries in Stags Leap District AVA

Take a ride along the Silverado Trail, where it begins at Trancas Street and head to the north. The first AVA is Oak Knoll. Oak Knoll gives way to the Stags Leap District AVA. The area is famous for Cabernet Sauvignon. The names of Shafer Vineyards, Pine Ridge, Clos du Val, and Odette Estate are all synonymous with high-quality AVA. See all the wineries in the Stags Leap District AVA.

Additional Napa Valley resources

How One Winery Mastered Take-Out, Made-At-Home & Pick-Up Wine Pairing in the Era of COVID-19

by Leave a Comment

Lakewood Vineyards

COVID-19 has affected virtually all industries, with the service and hospitality sectors taking an exceptional hit. With restaurants, bars, and pubs all being closed to the public for indoor dining, pick-up, take-out, and delivery services have been expanding and adapting at a rapid pace to keep these establishments from closing their doors for good. Like their food-based counterparts, breweries and wineries have also been impacted by “Safer at Home” policies, fighting hard to stay operational. Most are trying their best to offer ship-to-home services in lieu of tastings and tours, but will these efforts alone be enough? 

Certain wineries don’t think so, and are finding creative ways to appeal to a larger audience and keep their operations afloat. Lakewood Vineyards, an award-winning winery located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, decided to use this unprecedented opportunity to engage with their potential customers in a much more personal way. While they can only have 10 folks in their establishment at a time, they can virtually visit the homes of hundreds of their loyal fans and followers. The founding family and winery staff have taken to social media with not one, but two different Facebook video series focused on Lakewood wine and food pairings. These efforts, partnered with their limited in-person services, have allowed them to offer wine pairing advice for take-out fare, made-at-home meals, and pick-up grub. 

Wine Pairing for Take-Out 

Much like many of us who are ordering in food from apps, the Take-Out Pairings series was created to support local restaurants and offer up suggestions for exceptional wine pairing for each category of takeout. Each video features different members of the Lakewood team and focuses on a new local establishment. So far, they have covered pub favorites, BBQ, vegetarian meals, and brunch! While their recommendations are tailored to their vintages, viewers could choose to substitute any winery’s bottle of the same variety. 

Wine Pairing for Made-At-Home 

On the off chance that you’re not looking to pair delicious wines with local eats, then Cook + Cork may be more your style. In this weekly, Chopped-style cooking show, Lakewood staff members face-off to create a unique meal to pair with a specific Lakewood wine, using required ingredients that come from local businesses. Each chef is competing for the coveted Golden Spoon, and winners are decided via popular vote after each episode airs. It has proven to be a fun, feel-good way to learn about different wines from various members of the staff, and learn a thing or two about what foods you could cook up at home to pair Lakewood wines with. Plus, we love that it is supporting other area businesses that have been hit by COVID.

Wine Pairing for Pick-Up 

Some businesses still allow in-store pick-up of food and beverage, and Lakewood Vineyards falls under that category. If you’re local to the area, they’re happy to welcome you to their retail shop. While visitors can’t stay for a tasting or guided tour, they are invited to pick up a to-go lunch from a local establishment and then swing by the retail room to grab a bottle of wine personally recommended by a Lakewood steward. With New York planning phased reopening, visitors will soon be able to enjoy their food and drinks on the Lakewood grounds, too. The extensive trails and quaint gazebo will make for the perfect spot for a secluded picnic that both supports local businesses and complies with ongoing social distancing requirements. 

Wine lovers don’t have to forgo delicious wine pairings just because they’re at home on lockdown. Thanks to Lakewood Vineyard’s efforts, wine enthusiasts everywhere can get virtual advice on how to pair wine with take-out classics and how to match home-made meals with their favorite varietals. Local customers even get on-the-spot advice on which bottle to enjoy with their take-out. 

Are you a winery looking to keep your sales booming despite COVID-19? Take a page from Lakewood Vineyards’ book and start creating virtual content that’s informative, fun, and timely! This is a unique opportunity to meet the ever-changing needs of winery audiences everywhere. How will you do it?

Article by Matt Salvadore representing Lakewood Vineyards

Underwater wine aging

by 1 Comment

Yes, that’s correct. One winery is experimenting with aging wine underwater. It sounds like a crazy idea, but there is a reason behind the madness.

Wapisa experiments

The impetus goes back to the year 2010. What happened that year was the discovery of cases of 170-year-old Champagne bottles underwater. They were from the ruins of a shipwreck in the Baltic sea, heading to the wine cave of Catherine II of Russian.

Once the bottles were recovered, the Champagne was very drinkable to the amazement of wine experts around the world. Could it be that the saltwater sea is a perfect environment for aging wine?

Ten years later, we turn to the winery of Wapisa. Wapisa is an Argentine winery in Patagonia in the region of Rio Negro. The winery is 25 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. One thousand, five hundred bottles of a Wapisa red blend wine are aging at two different depths in the Atlantic Ocean. One set is at 6 meters and the other is at 15 meters. The experiment will last seven months. Then the taste and comparison will begin with the cellar-aging wine and the ocean-aging wine. The hypothesis is that one month of aging in the sea equals one year of aging in a wine cellar.

The experimental wine is a 2017 red blend consisting of 50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet, and 20% Merlot. Patricia Ortiz is the owner of the Wapisa winery, along with the Tapiz and Zolo wineries in Mendoza. Several years ago we visited and toured the Tapiz Winery. It is a first-class organization with the latest equipment and great winemakers, including consulting winemaker Claude Berrouet, once the winemaker at the famous Chateau Pétrus in Bordeaux.

We love the Tapiz and Zolo wines. If you see them in wine shops, give them a try. They are terrific value wines. I particularly enjoy the Tapiz “Alta Collection” Malbec for $15. A year ago, I found the 2016 Wapisa Malbec at a Costco store for $14.99. The wine was fantastic and I posted a review on our sister Website, GoodCheapVino.com.

I expect to keep tabs on the experiment, and maybe even taste the wine in the future. I am looking forward to finding out if the underwater aging of wine is the new thing. If it works, perhaps the oceans of the world will be filled with wine bottles.

Video of the Wapisa Red Blend underwater

Argentine Wine Country

Tasting Rooms are Planning How to Reopen

by Leave a Comment

Just maybe the wine country will open later this year. Wineries and tasting rooms are making plans for the day they will be allowed to open their doors to tourists and wine country fans. What will tasting rooms look like when that occurs?

tasting rooms have plans for when open
Outdoor seating is ideal for social distancing

The Wine Institute and the Napa Valley Vintners are working on a set of protocols to open tasting rooms. In this scenario, your trip to the tasting room could look like this.

The tasting room of the future?

You will make an appointment online with one or more wineries. You will sign a waiver and consent form.

There will be a list of tasting options for your perusal. Or, you might like to order a glass of wine or a bottle of wine and enjoy the vineyard views. You will prepay for your visit.

There will also be a list of precautions the winery is taking for sanitizing the tasting room, tables, glasses, and the like. You’ll need to wear a mask, except while sipping wine.

When you arrive at the winery, there will be a drive-through area. The winery staff will check your reservation, tell you where to park, and assign you to a table. They may also take your temperature and ask about your state of health.

Your glass and/or bottle of wine will be waiting for you, chilled and ready to taste. The server will be the appropriate distance away and walk you through the tastings. If there is food included, it will likely be crackers or breadsticks in wrapped packages. I wonder if we’ll be able to bring our own picnic lunch to enjoy outdoors.

It is likely that wineries will be more aggressive in pushing their wine clubs. The wine club is important because it is direct to consumer and provides the most profit for the winery.

If you order wine for purchase, it will be a paperless transaction.

Other considerations

Will this be a day trip, and how many tasting rooms will travelers visit in an outing? If it is an overnight trip, what are the considerations for lodging and dining?

It is more likely that the tasting room experience will be more for the serious wine drinkers. The typical fun and socializing while tasting wine will be lost.

Will the tasting room experience under this situation be enjoyable enough for return visits to wine country?

We look forward to the day when we will be able to visit tasting rooms. The big question is, when that happens, will people come to the wine country and be comfortable in the tasting room? That is an unknown, and there are many factors controlling the opening of tasting rooms and restaurants. Will there be fewer cases of Coronavirus, or will there be another spike in the Fall?

All factors point to a long period of time before a tasting room will look like it did pre Coronavirus.

Amsterdam restaurant is using mini-greenhouses to protect customers. Could they be used in our tasting rooms and restaurants?

Sonoma’s Wine Road

I think this is a very entertaining video in Sonoma that is part of the Wine Road association. Watch it and support these wineries.

Napa Valley Olive Oil Company – since 1931

by 3 Comments

Wine Country traveling is still not an option. Only time will tell when we can get back to traveling to the Napa Valley. Put this idea on your Napa Valley future travel plans.

napa valley olive oil
Naap Olive oIl On Charter Oak in St. Helena – since 1931

Napa Valley Olive Oil Company

From the name, one would suspect the Napa Valley Olive Oil Company would be one of the several high-end boutique style shops in St. Helena. Napa Valley Olive Oil Company is anything but Napa Valley chic. The Napa Valley Olive Oil Company operates out of a late 1800 wood barn structure. Inside it is as casual as can be. Most customers seem to be regulars who come and go with a couple of jugs of olive oil. 

Delicious olive oil at a terrific price

I purchased a half-gallon of extra virgin olive oil for $27.50. I sampled it with a cube of French bread, and the olive oil is the real deal. This olive oil is a terrific bargain for those who cook with olive oil. A couple of weeks before, I purchased a 375ml bottle of olive oil at a high-end winery for $30. Ouch! That one I will save for particular foods and cooking. 

The Napa Valley Olive Oil was started in 1931 by Gugliermo Guidi. The Particelli and Lucchesi family now run the company. The store is a throwback to the golden era of the Napa Valley. That is the way the family wants to run the operation. Besides their essential extra virgin olive, they offer 20 different infused olive oils and 20 types of balsamic vinegar. Cheese, pasta, salami, and loaves of bread are available. We love this store!

The company also has a store in the town of Napa. That store is more attractive inside and out. The St. Helena store is at 835 Charter Oak Ave. Oh, one more thing, they do not take VISA or any other charge cards, it is cash or check, only just like the old days.

Napa Valley Olive Oil – Video

Wine Country News

Wines of Rugged Rockpile

by Leave a Comment

Rugged Rockpile – where grapes struggle, but thrive

Rugged Rockpile – Above Lake Sonoma

Rockpile is a small wine appellation (AVA) above Lake Sonoma in the Dry Creek Valley. By the looks of it, you would hardly expect any vines to grow here. Yet, in Rockpile the vines are stressed to the max and produce big, full-flavored and complex wines. One can drive through the Rockpile area, but there are no wineries to visit. If you are a wine country geek, it is worth the drive through the area. There are only eight growers in Rockpile.

How to get to Rockpile

image of Rockpile
These Rockpile vineyards belong to the Mauritson Family – about 40 acres of vines

Rockpile AVA features

Rockpile received its AVA status in 2002. What sets this small AVA apart as a wine region is its elevation, climate, steep terrain, and soil. All the vines are from 800 feet to 2000 feet elevation. During the summer months, the Pacific Ocean brings in a daily dose of fog far inland, but it rarely tops the 800-foot elevation. During the growing season, Rockpile enjoys sunshine from morning to dusk.

The Pacific Ocean provides windy conditions in the afternoon to Rockpile. This cools the vines. The soil is mostly rocky and the vines grow on steep terrains. The wind factor and the soil factors stress the vines. This reduces the crop yields and intensifies the flavors in the small number of grape clusters.

Rockpile Wines

Most of the vineyards in Rockpile are Zinfandel grapes. Other red grapes in Rockpile vineyards include Petite Sirah, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petite Verdot. Winemaker Clay Mauritson, of Rockpile Vineyards and Mauritson Vinyards, makes a Port from a small acreage of grapes that are traditional Porto grapes: 25% Tinto Cao, 25% Tinta Madeira, 25% Touriga Nacional, 25% Sousão.

Because the Mauritson Family owns the most Rockpile vines, it produces the most cases of Rockpile wines. Other well-known wineries producing Rockpile wines are Carol Shelton, J.C. Cellars, Rosenblum, Rock Wall Wines, and Segheseo. These producers contract with Rockpile growers. The grape production is small; therefore, the Rockpile wines are in limited amounts.

Once the wine country is again open to travelers, visit one of these wineries to taste the unique style of Rockpile. Mauritson is on Dry Creek Valley Road and has an excellent tasting room and staff.

Rockpile wines are also available at fine wine shops. Use Wine-Search.com and the Keyword “Rockpile” to search for these wines selling near you. Here is a full list of wineries producing Rockpile wines.

rugged rockpile
Rockpile Zinfandel from produces Mauritson and Rosenblum

The Under-Appreciated Lodi Wine Country

by Leave a Comment

Lodi does not get the respect it deserves, especially when compared to the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Willamette Valley, Columbia Valley, and others. Lodi is the underdog, the underappreciated wine region of the world.

Do you know that the Lodi Wine Region grows more grape varieties than any other wine region in the United States? Do you know that Lodi has the most vineyard acreage of any wine region in the United States.?

We know wine country travel is out for the foreseeable future, but you can always buy Lodi wine. Let’s give Lodi a little respect and see what makes this wine region a special place.

Lodi wine country getaway
Why Lodi is an important wine region

The Lowdown on Lodi Wine Country

Old Vine Zinfandel

Lodi is famous for old vine Zinfandel. There are several vineyards in Lodi that are well over 100 years old. Many Zinfandel wines from Lodi are made big, bold and jammy. Those are popular in supermarkets and make a winery economically healthy. But there is another side to Zinfandel in Lodi. This Zin is made in a restrained food-friendly style and one which reflects the “place” of Lodi. Most impressive are the wineries that are participating in the Lodi Native Project. These six wineries are making exemplary Zinfandel wines. These Zins are vinted with native yeast, old barrel treatment, and little interference by the winemaker. It is truly a remarkable project and one that should be a model for other wine regions.  See which wineries are making great Zinfandel wine in Lodi and purchase their wines.

Spanish Grape Varietals

Could Zinfandel be taking a backseat to Spanish grapes in Lodi?  Could Albariño, Garnacha Blanca, Verdejo, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell, and other Spanish grapes become Lodi’s favorites?  Marcus Bokisch of Bokisch Vineyards is the vintner most responsible for establishing these grapes in Lodi. Marcus grows these Spanish varieties for his wines and other wineries in Lodi. Marcus had spent many years in Spain and moved to Lodi because he felt confident that Spanish grapes could flourish there. We’ve tasted several of the Bokisch Spanish wines, and they are excellent and very nicely priced. See more about Bokisch Vineyards.

Bokisch Garnacha Blanca
Bokisch Garnacha Blanca

Southern Rhone Grape Varietals

Or could it be that Rhone wines become the best of Lodi? Acquiesce Winery leads the way in white Rhone wines. No reds at Acquiesce, just delicious Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Marsanne. Onesta is another winery to watch for Rhones, and they make the red wine, Cinsault. Have you ever heard of it?  Borra Vineyards is another winery in Lodi producing delectable Rhones.

Onesta Rosé of Cinsaut – Cinsaut is a Rhone grape

German Grape Varieties

Mokelumne Glen Vineyards in Lodi is where German grape varieties flourish. I was dumbfounded to learn that this vineyard, just along the Mokelumne River, grows 40 plus varieties of white and red German and Austrian grapes. Have you heard of Kerner, Kanzler, Morio Muscat, or Affenthler Balu? The owners are Bob and Mary Lou Koth. They started their vineyard in 1970. They did make wine at one point, but because their grapes were in such demand, why make wine? For many of their grapes, a lineup of winemakers await, hoping to buy some each year.  Most distinguished among the winemakers buying grapes from Mokelumne Glen Vineyards is David Ramey of Ramey Wines. David Ramey has a second label, Sidebar. Wow, what a tantalizing dry and floral Kerner white wine he makes from Mokelumne Glen. Markus Niggli of Marcus Wine Company and Borra Vineyards is the most notable of Lodi winemakers utilizing grapes from Mokelumne Glen Vineyards.

lodi grows German grapes
David Ramey’s Sidebar label – Kerner variety

Lodi Rules Project

Lodi Rules is all about sustainable farming. Sustainable farming is a loosely- used term and seems to mean something different in every farming community. Lodi has taken its rules of sustainable farming to a rigorous level. This is a list of 75 plus practices that will sustain the vineyard, the farm, the workers, and the entire health of the ecosystem. To be certified, a vineyard must receive verification by a  third-party review. The Lodi rules just might be the most rigorous of any wine region. I love buying and drinking  wine that is produced by this type of commitment. Details Lodi Rules.

Lodi Rules winemakers

Wine Region of the Year

In 2015, Lodi wine country was recognized by the Wine Enthusiast as the “Wine Region of the Year.”  This was great for Lodi wine, living in the shadow of the great Napa Valley and other wine regions in California. Please go to our extensive resource to find out more about traveling to Lodi Wine Country: Lodi Wine Trails.

Look for Lodi wines at fine wine shops and online stores. Many supermarkets carry labels like OZV Zinfandel, Michael David Petite Sirah, Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel, and others. These are good values, but also look for the wines from Lodi made by the small producers: Bokisch, Acquiesce, Harney Lane Winery, St. Amant, and Van Ruiten.

Recipes from Wine County – Sonoma

by Leave a Comment

Recipes from Sonoma Wine Country
Recipes from Sonoma Wine Country

Last time we highlighted recipes and wine pairings from the Napa Valley. Now it’s time for recipes from Napa Valley’s neighbor, the great Sonoma Wine Country. The wine towns of Healdsburg and Sonoma are culinary centers, and their respect is worldwide. Sonoma is a big County with wineries in many different wine appellations. From the coast to the Mayacamas Mountains, there are several climate zones. See the difference between Sonoma County, Sonoma, the city, and Sonoma wine country. While we currently cannot go to the wine country, we can create these fabulous recipes and purchase wine from these wineries.

Sonoma Winery Recipes

St Francis Vineyards and Winery

The St. Francis Vineyards and Winery are in the Sonoma Valley, at the northern end of Highway 12. The winery has an executive chef and has a wonderful array of recipes and wines to match. Here are some favorites.

Jordan Winery

Jordan Winery is in the Alexander Valley on Highway 128, a few miles from Healdsburg. Jordan is most famous for its Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Their Chardonnay is exquisite as well. Jordan also has a chef and these are a few of their great recipes.

Merry Edwards Winery and Vineyards

Merry Edwards Winery is in the heart of the Russian River Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the main grapes of this AVA. Merry Edwards is one of the great winemakers of our time. Last year, Merry Edwards sold her winery to the Roederer Family of Champagne fame.

Rodney Strong Vineyards

We started visiting the Rodney Strong winery way back in the early 1970’s. There were not that many wineries in the Russian River Valley in that era. The winery produces an extensive amount of wines. The Rodney Strong wines found in supermarket shelves are always a good wine buy. Check out these recipes from Rodney Strong.

Kendall Jackson

Kendall Jackson is one of the most recognizable labels at supermarkets and wine shops. The main winery is in Santa Rosa on Fulton Road. The tasting room is lush and the gardens amazing. Kendall Jackson owns several other wineries in California. Here are a few top Kendall Jackson culinary delights.

Ferrari Carano Vineyards

The Ferrari Carano winery is one of Dry Creek Valley’s most notable destinations. Tourists love the tasting room and the fabulous gardens. It really is a special place. One of the most popular wines by Ferrari Carano is the Fumé Blanc. It is one of the biggest sellers in fine supermarkets and shops. Here is a sample of recipes from owner Rhonda’s Kitchen.

Mill Creek Vineyards and Winery

Mill Creek Vineyards and Winery are on Westside Road, a five-minute drive from downtown Healdsburg. The winery is in Dry Creek Valley, but a short distance to the west is the Russian River Valley. Mill Creek is a cute little winery with a working watermill. The winery is a great spot for a picnic lunch. The wines are delicious and so are these recipes.

Kunde Family Winery

Kunde is one of the oldest family-owned wineries in California. Kunde is in the Sonoma Valley region, on Highway 12. There are many activities for the tourist at the winery. A cave tour and hike to the top of a steep vineyard hill are among the highlights.

Stay safe in your home and cook some of these fantastic meals with your family. Practice your food and wine pairing skills. Let us know what you try!

Recipes from Wine Country – Napa Valley

by Leave a Comment

Many of us are cooking at home. We are learning, creating, and wine pairing. One of our favorite ways to discover recipes and match with a bottle of wine are recipes from wine country. Many wineries provide fantastic recipes on their Websites. We will start with the Napa Valley and see which dishes are worthy of a try in your home. These are just a few of the wineries in the Napa Valley that post recipes from their resident chef or family members. It is a terrific resource for foodies, home cooks, and wine lovers. If you like a recipe, why not order some wine from the winery’s online wine shop. Treat yourself; you deserve it!

Napa Valley Winery Recipes

Ceja Vineyards

Ceja Vineyards is in the Napa Valley, but its tasting room is in the city of Sonoma. Ceja is one of the leading Mexican Family-run wineries in California. Amelia Ceja has some fantastic recipes on the Ceja Vineyards Website. Here are a few to try.

Robert Sinskey Winery

Robert Sinskey is at the forefront of Biodynamic and sustainable farming. The winery does food pairings and has a beautiful vegetable garden. Check out these recipes from the Robert Sinskey kitchen.

Peju Province Winery

Peju Winery is a fixture on Highway 29 in the Rutherford Area. Peju is family-owned and has long been an advocate of food and wine pairings.

St. Supéry

Since 1989, St. Supéry has remained one of Napa Valley’s excellent wineries. All their wines are Estate wines and certified Napa Green. St. Supéry is on Highway 29 in Rutherford.

Chateau Montelena

Chateau Montelena is in Calistoga, at the northernmost end of the Napa Valley. A lovely Chateau and lake await the visitor to Montelena. Did you know that the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was the winner of the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris? Read more about this.

Duckhorn Vineyards

Duckhorn Vineyards has a lovely tasting room on Lodi Lane, off the Silverado Trail. Duckhorn Vineyards is famous for its lineup of red wines. Duckhorn owners also have GoldenEye in the Anderson Valley, Paraduxx in the Napa Valley, and Calera in San Benito County.

Silver Oak

Silver Oak is the master of Cabernet Sauvignon. They produce two, one from the Napa Valley and the other from the Alexander Valley. If you love pizza and pasta, Silver Oak has some fantastic recipes from Chef Dominic Orsini.

This is a small sampling of wineries in the Napa Valley that share their recipes and wine pairing suggestions. We enjoy the above wineries and have visited them on many occasions. See Napa Valley Wine Trails

Next time on Wine Country Getaways – Recipes from Sonoma Wine Country

Ten Wine Things to Do at Home

by Leave a Comment

We hope this finds you and your family healthy and coping with our gut-wrenching crisis. I am finding wine more enjoyable these days. Maybe these ten wine things to do at home will somehow ease the day.

wine things to do at home
Ten wine things to do at home during the Pandemic

Host a virtual wine happy hour

ten things to do at home with wine

We are doing this with five couples, each in our homes. We are scheduling this for once a week at 5 pm. Each couple has a glass of wine in hand. In just a short order, we have lots of laughs. It is so good to see our friends. We cannot hug, but we feel the vibes. We are using Zoom, but there are several other ways to do this.

Order wine to your door

order wine online

Stock up your wine collection. Support your local wine shop and wine from wineries that you enjoy. Try some wines from different wine regions. Have you tried Oregon Pinot Noir wines? Try some fantastic Syrah and Cabs from Washington. Try wines from abroad. We have ordered wines from Weimax Wines, K&L Wines, and a couple of wineries in Sonoma. There are many wineries offering discounts on wine and shipping costs.

Pair food and wine

Many of us are cooking more home-cooked meals. It is rewarding and therapeutic. It is an excellent sense of accomplishment to get a gourmet meal to the table. Preparing a meal includes pairing it with the proper wine. Choose a wine and see how it works. Here are some tips.

St francis wine and food
Pan Seared Day Boat Scallop paired with St. Francis Sauvignon Blanc

Improve your wine tasting skills

Take a look at the back label of a wine bottle to see if it has tasting notes. If it does have a description of the wine, it probably comes from a PR person. What do you think about the wine? Why do you like it? How do you rate it on a scale of One to Five? Use this easy-scoring method and rate the wine you are having for dinner. Even better, open a couple of bottles of similar wines. Then compare and evaluate them. Don’t worry, the wines will keep for a few days after opening. Keep them in the fridge.

wine score card
Easy wine scorecard for home wine tasting – Download and Print

Watch wine-related movies

Check out our list of the best wine movies to watch. The latest is “Uncorked,” now streaming on Netflix. Our favorite all-time wine movie is “Sideways.” “Sideways” take place in the Santa Barbara wine country. Once the Shelter- in-Place is over, you can relive the “Sideways” movie by following the Sideways Wine Trail.

Read a good wine fiction novel

Curl up with a good novel that has wine as the theme. We have a list of great wine mystery books on this page. We also like the Commissario Brunetti books by Donna Leon. These mysteries take place in Venice, Italy. Wine and food are always in play here.

Take part in a virtual tasting room at a winery

All winery tasting rooms in California, Oregon, and Washington are closed during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Many wineries are taking to a Virtual Wine Tasting. The San Jose Mercury News has a list of wineries offering Virtual Wine Tastings.

Take a free wine course

If you have a library card, you can download the App “Kanopy” and have access to a ton of free movies and educational videos. Great Wine Courses offers several including “The Everyday Guide to Wine,” Becoming a Knowledgeable Wine Buyer,” and “Winemaking from Harvest to Bottle.”

Listen to Wine Podcasts

There are plenty, some great and some not so great, podcasts. We like GrapeRadio and Wine Enthusiast Podcast. We also like to listen to cooking podcasts. Chef Samin Nosrat has a new podcast related to staying at home. Home Cooking gives some excellent tips for cooking during the Shelter-in-Place.

Check your wine geek inventory

How are your wine gadgets? Do you need a great corkscrew, a decanter, a wine cooler, or more wine glasses? Now is a good time to shop online for wine items. Wine Gadgets

CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY REGIONS:

Carneros • Livermore • Lodi • Mendocino • Monterey • Napa Valley • Paso Robles • Santa Barbara County • Santa Cruz Mts. • Sierra Foothills • Russian River • Sonoma Valley

Sign up for wine country news from Janelle and Joe

* indicates required