Tag Archives: Napa Valley Register

Oceano Wines – Making a splash on the San Luis Obispo coast

Written by Allison Levine on
Wine

There are so many small producers in California and it is always fun to be introduced to new wineries. I recently sat down with Rachel Martin from Oceano Wines from the San Luis Obispo Coast. The San Luis Obispo Coast is a pending AVA where the wineries sit only a few miles from the ocean. Oceano Wines sources from Spanish Springs Vineyard which sits only a mile-and-a-half from the ocean. The proximity to the ocean is definitely reflected in the minerality and salinity of the wines and you can read more about Oceano Wines in my recent column in the Napa Valley Register and re-posted here.

The San Luis Obispo coast sits south of Paso Robles and north of Santa Barbara. This pending AVA was first established in the 1870s, and today there are 30 member wineries who all average five miles from the coast. There is a total of 5,000 vineyard acres planted and 20 grape varieties grown, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir taking the lead. Read More +

Moscato d’Asti – Spring in a Glass

Written by Allison Levine on
Wine

It’s fun! It’s flirty! It’s sweet yet balanced with acidity! It’s delicious! It’s Moscato d’Asti. I had the the pleasure to recently spend a week in Asti in Piemonte, Italy, visiting wineries and drinking lots and lots of Moscato d’Asti. This light and refreshing wine will transport you to a spring picnic in the park. But Moscato d’Asti, a wine made from passion, also has a serious side and I wrote about this wonderful wine in the Napa Valley Register which I am sharing here.

Rainy, cold weather getting you down? Longing for spring to come? Open up a bottle of Moscato d’Asti and transport yourself to a picnic in the spring. No matter the time of the year, no matter the temperature outside, Moscato d’Asti is fresh and is like spring in a glass.

Now, your first thought might be, “but Moscato d’Asti is a sweet wine.” It is OK to admit you like a little sweetness in your wine. When a little residual sugar is balanced by bright acidity, there is nothing not to like. And Moscato d’Asti is just that. It is fun, fruity, light and refreshing but it is also a serious wine with a lot of care is put into making it.

The first written records of the Moscato Bianco grape in Piemonte, Italy were in the 1300s. Today there are 10,000 hectares planted, of which 1,400 hectares are planted on hills, across 52 municipalities in the provinces of Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo in Piemonte. Read More +

A new year, a new decade, new inspiration

Written by Allison Levine on
Lifestyle Wine

Advice is given to use by many people in our lives. Our parents, our teachers, our mentors, friends and strangers can share a few words that can impact us for ever. Perhaps these are words we heed on a daily basis or we try to integrate into our lifestyle. What advice do you carry with you? In my recent column in the Napa Valley Register I shared some of the advice that winemakers have shared with me when interviewing them for the Wine Soundtrack podcast. Perhaps you have been given some of the same advice or perhaps some of these words will inspire you. Either way, may this be a wonderful new year!

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When I was a little girl, my mom said something to me that I would never forget. I was nervous about going to a party and whether I would know people and have fun. She told me that you make your own good time. I could go with a negative attitude and would likely not have fun. Or I could go with a positive attitude and see what would happen.

This advice is something that I have carried with me throughout my life, and I approach everything I do with a positive attitude and an open mind.

Read More +

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