07 Jul Please The Palate July 2026 Newsletter

Summer has always felt like the season when we take a short breath. The first half of the year is behind us, harvest is on the horizon, and there is just enough time to reflect before the pace picks up again. Each summer also marks another year for Please The Palate. But this summer is especially meaningful because June 7 marked the 15th anniversary of Please The Palate. When I started this business in 2011, I wanted to combine my passions for wine, travel, marketing, event planning, and storytelling to create memorable experiences. Fifteen years later, I still wake up excited to discover something new, explore new wineries and regions, meet the people behind the wines, and share their stories. The industry has certainly changed over those fifteen years, and so has my business, but my curiosity and love of wine remain exactly the same.

The anniversary also came with some exciting recognition. At the Wine Travel Awards, I was honored to receive the Judges’ Choice Award for Wine & Food Influencer in the Expert Opinion category. Even more exciting, The Festival of Undiscovered Grapes was named the Voting Winner for Enogastronomic Event of the Year, a wonderful acknowledgment of the wineries, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and attendees who have embraced the festival’s mission to celebrate California’s lesser-known grape varieties.

I was also thrilled to learn that I was selected for the longlist of the 67 Pall Mall Global Communicator Awards 2026. Out of a record 677 entries, only 213 communicators advanced to the longlist, and I was recognized in three categories:

• Best Global Wine Communicator in Audio (Tenuta Bocca di Lupo Award)
• Best Global Wine Communicator in Long-Form Writing (Laurent-Perrier Award)
• Best Global Wine Communicator in Short-Form Writing (TEXSOM Award)

Finalists and winners will be announced in early July, and I am honored simply to be included among so many talented wine communicators from around the world.

The past few months have also been filled with opportunities to continue learning. I had the privilege of judging four wine competitions over the last two months, beginning with two new experiences for me: the Pacific Rim Wine Competition in San Bernardino and the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition in Sacramento. I also returned to two competitions I always enjoy – the Central Coast Wine Competition in Paso Robles and the Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition in San Diego.

Judging wine is a great way to sharpen my palate (as well as stain my teeth – see above!). Spending long days tasting alongside talented sommeliers, retailers, educators, fellow journalists, and sometimes winemakers is both humbling and inspiring. Beyond evaluating wines, it challenges my palate, exposes me to emerging regions and producers, and allows me to exchange ideas with some of the most respected professionals in the industry. Every competition makes me a better taster.

Wine competitions are also beneficial for wineries and, ultimately, consumers. Wine competitions provide wineries with objective feedback from experienced judges and offer valuable recognition in an increasingly competitive marketplace. A medal can introduce consumers to producers they may never have discovered otherwise and can provide an important marketing tool, particularly for smaller wineries that don’t have large advertising budgets. And for consumers, these medals can serve as a helpful starting point when faced with hundreds of bottles on a shelf.

California also kept me on the road this quarter. Between winery visits, podcast interviews, and wine deliveries, I found myself traveling throughout the state, from Santa Barbara and Paso Robles to Napa, Sonoma, Livermore Valley, and, for the very first time, California’s beautiful Sierra Foothills. The Sierra Foothills quickly became one of the highlights of the season, where I recorded several interviews for the Wine Soundtrack USA podcast while exploring a region rich in history and exciting wines.

One of my favorite events this spring was returning to Cab Franc-a-Palooza in Livermore Valley. In addition to enjoying the wines, I helped manage the retail component of the event, which was offered for the first time, making it easy for attendees to purchase the wines they discovered. I love helping connect people with wines they love and knowing those bottles will be enjoyed around their own dinner tables long after the event ends.

That same philosophy continues with The Festival of Undiscovered Grapes. We wrapped up fulfillment of all 2026 wine orders in April, delivering nearly 1,900 bottles from the San Jose and Los Angeles festivals. While those deliveries are complete, planning for 2027 is already well underway. I’m excited to share that the Festival will return to San Jose on Saturday, January 30, 2027, and Los Angeles on Saturday, April 3, 2027. There is plenty of work ahead, but I can’t wait to continue introducing even more people to California’s remarkable under-the-radar grape varieties.

As always, the coming months promise more travel, more stories, and plenty of discoveries in the glass. Thank you for following along over these past fifteen years. Whether you’ve been with me since the beginning or have only recently joined this journey, I truly appreciate your support. Here’s to continuing the adventure.

View the entire Please The Palate July 2026 Newsletter