Blog 

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Monte Rio Cellars 2022 Flame Tokay ‘Chandler’, Lodi

I love exploring grape varieties and have tried quite a few. But this week I tried a new grape variety that I knew very little...

28 August, 2024

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Santa Teresa 1796 Rum Dinner at Verse Restaurant in North Hollywood

I hurried back to LA after a few days in the Central Coast so that I could make it to a dinner at Verse in...

24 August, 2024

Crush On This Wine Tips: Acidity vs Tannins in Wine

Understanding wine is a challenge. No matter how little or how much you know, it is a never-ending process of learning and a very humbling...

22 August, 2024

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Tercero Wines Curiosity #1, Santa Barbara County

If you have met Larry Schaffer, owner and winemaker of Tercero Wines, you know he is thoughtful, knowledgeable, and talkative. But he is also curious....

21 August, 2024

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Celebrating Frank Ostini and Gray Hartley of Hitching Post Wines at La Paulée Dinner at Sta. Rita Hills Wine & Fire Weekend 2024

Long tables were set up forming a large rectangle. Numerous wine glasses sat at each seat. We took our seats and the wine started flowing....

17 August, 2024

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Marchelle Wines 2023 Pinot Meunier, van der Kamp Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain

As I have said in the past, I have not found a Pinot Meunier I have not loved. And this week is no exception. On...

14 August, 2024

Troon Vineyard Offers A Viable Example for All Wineries

Today’s wine consumer is placing new demands on the wine industry that reflect broader trends in consumer preferences and societal needs. For many, sustainability and...

13 August, 2024

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Blessed Bread Food Truck and Brioche Bread Sandos

If you think bread, carbs, and gluten, are your enemy, you will not want to read any further. But if you are a bread lover,...

10 August, 2024

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Inman Family Wines 2022 Whole Buncha Love Pinot Noir & Grenache Blend, Russian River Valley & Alexander Valley

Some grape varieties are typically made as single varietal wines and are not blended with other grapes. Other grape varieties are commonly found in wine...

07 August, 2024

Four Graces Winery is Strength in Numbers

Four Graces Winery owes its success to a quartet of sites in Oregon's Willamette Valley....

06 August, 2024

Crush On This 4th Anniversary: What Wines Are We Currently Crushing On?

It’s the 4th anniversary of Crush On This. Each anniversary we share something we are crushing on. The first episode was our very first wine...

01 August, 2024

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Idlewild Wines 2021 Brachetto, Fox Hill Vineyard, Mendocino

The very first wine that captured my attention was Brachetto d'Acqui. A slightly sweet, slightly effervescent wine from Piemonte, Italy, it stole my heart. So,...

31 July, 2024

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Dinner at Panther Ridge Vineyard and Three Expressions of Pinot Noir

Located 1,000 feet up on Sonoma Mountain, Panther Ridge Vineyard sits above Sonoma Valley on the eastern edge of the Petaluma Gap. Looking out from...

27 July, 2024

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Terah Wine Co. 2023 Vermentino, Clement Hills, California

With temperatures in the 90s and 100s this past week, there is no doubt that summer is here. And when it is so hot outside,...

24 July, 2024

To those who say they do not like Chardonnay, it is time to get Frank! 

Chardonnay is a polarizing grape. Some love it but some hate it. For those who say "ABC - Anything But Chardonnay", I implore you to...

23 July, 2024

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Kobza Wines 2019 Mourtaou, Cienega Valley

Spending the weekend in the Cienega Valley, I visited Crave Wine Bar & Shop located on the 600 block of San Benito Street in historic, downtown...

17 July, 2024

The Blind Leading The Blind: A blind wine tasting of Prosecco DOC wines

When we taste wine, we start with our eyes. Without our sight, we cannot see the color of the wine but we can use our...

16 July, 2024

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: The Versatility of Madeira with Food with Miles Madeira and Cossart Gordon Madeira

Some people say sparkling wine is a wine that can be paired throughout a meal, to which I agree. But do you know what else...

13 July, 2024

Crush On This: Easy Appetizers and Wines for Pairing

When you know guests are dropping by, having a few easy appetizers are a must. And of course, some good wines that complement each bite....

11 July, 2024

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Alma de Cattleya 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County

On a hot summer day, a crisp and refreshing white wine is in order. So on this summer day, I opened a Sauvignon Blanc. I...

10 July, 2024