This story originally appeared in The Napa Valley Register.
There are few great wines in the world that will make people stop in their tracks. These are wines that we read about, talk about with reverence, and occasionally, if we are fortunate, we get to taste them.
One of these, probably the most famous of them all, is Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy, France.
I had the privilege to taste Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux, Cote de Nuits, France 1996 in a seminar at Pebble Beach Food and Wine a few years ago. It was my first time tasting Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and in all probability, I thought, my last.
These wines are sought after by wine collectors around the world and bottles will range from $2,000 to $20,000, or more. These stratospheric prices, combined with the limited production, make Domaine de la Romanée-Conti a wine for the wealthiest collectors in the world.
22 June, 2017
The story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register.
My recent trip to France included a one-day stop in Champagne, and I looked forward to visiting with great anticipation. I have had the privilege to visit many wineries around the world and go into their barrel rooms and cellars. But since I first began studying wine, I have been dreaming about going to Champagne. I remember reading about the damp cellars in Champagne that have survived the centuries that have included two world wars. I recall reading about the cellar walls of chalk that rubs off onto your hands when you touch the walls.
When I would conjure up Champagne, I pictured grey skies, a cold climate, large chateaus and slopes lined with vineyards. Located in the north of France, the region of Champagne is actually home to the northernmost vineyards in France, more northern than Alsace. It is a region known for a cold climate with harsh weather conditions. With an average temperature in the low 50s, Champagne receives barely 1,650 hours of sunshine annually. The oceanic climate brings steady rainfall and the weather, coupled with limestone and chalk soils, is what contribute to the minerality, high acidity and lack of ripeness found in the grapes of Champagne.
13 June, 2017
This story originally appeared in California Winery Advisor. When thinking of the perfect location for a wedding, does anything conjure up romance more than a vineyard? Vineyards are picturesque. There is a romanticism. The views are ideal for photographs. And vineyards can fit all wedding styles, from intimate to large, informal to formal. While there are many wineries with event space, not every winery is able to host a California winery wedding. Here are four wineries from Sonoma to Paso Robles offering unique venues for wineries.

Top Sonoma County Winery Wedding Locations

Rolling hills and valleys, groves of majestic redwood trees and world class wines, Sonoma County stretches from the Pacific Coast in the west to the Mayacamas Mountains in the east. There are more than 400 wineries within the 17 appellations. One of these appellations is the Sonoma Valley AVA which centers around the southern portion of Sonoma County and includes the towns of Santa Rosa and Kenwood where two of the California winery wedding venues are located.
08 June, 2017
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