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Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Signorello Estate

Less than a year ago, fires ravaged Napa and Sonoma. Thousands of acres burned, homes were destroyed and lives were lost. As we watched the news from afar, we received messages about wineries burning down. When the smoke began to clear (both literally and figuratively), we saw that most of the wineries remained standing. Less than a dozen of the hundreds of North Coast wineries were destroyed and one of them was Napa Valley's Signorello Estate. [gallery ids="19212,19213,19214"] Ten months later, the remains of the fire in Napa can be seen by the burned trees and charred land. But businesses are running and wineries are getting ready for another harvest. And, that includes Signorello Estate. Because of their strength, resilience and overall positive attitude, Signorello Estate is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

11 August, 2018

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Festival Napa Valley

Two things that go well together are wine and music. And for ten days each year, wine and music come together for Festival Napa Valley. Epitomizing the elegance of wine country life, Festival Napa Valley is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Every July, for ten days, more than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants and vintners participate in Festival Napa Valley. Extraordinary performances in breathtaking locations make up many of the experiences for guests. There are vintner luncheons, winemaker dinners and most importantly, the concerts.

The arts are such an important part of our lives. Research has found that learning music facilitates learning other subjects. Music helps with language development, spatial-temporal skills and increased IQ. Music makes us happier and less stressed. I grew up in a family of professional classical flutists and started playing at a young age. I played in orchestras my entire childhood and went to music camp each summer. Music has played such a significant part in my life and gives me great pleasure to see other young people experiencing the same.

28 July, 2018

Six wines from Napa Valley that are not Cabernet Sauvignon

This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. Perhaps diversity is not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Napa Valley. Especially for people who live outside of Napa, if asked what wine comes from Napa, they will always say “Cabernet Sauvignon.” But, no matter how good the Cabernet is, Napa offers so much more.

According to the Napa Valley Vintners, there are 45,000 acres under cultivation in Napa Valley. There are more than 34 different wine grape varieties grown in Napa County, and 23 percent of the vineyards are planted to white wine grapes and 77 percento red wine grapes. Forty-seven percent of the grapes planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, with Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel making up another 41 percent of the total grape production. That leaves 12 percent of the grapes planted to other grapes and here are six of the grapes to look out for. Semillon - Fine Disregard 2016 Milhouse Semillon, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley ($25) In 2016, there were 724 tons of Semillon in the Napa Valley and Fine Disregard produces 218 cases of their Semillon. A personal project by winemaker Mike Schieffer, assistant winemaker at Truly, and Kate Maraden, a viticulturist and plant pathologist, the Semillon comes from a half-acre block planted on the eastern edge of Oak Knoll District in 1994. The resulting wine is clear and bright with notes of lemon curd, citrus zest, tree fruits and minerality and a lovely mouthfeel that is both round and delicate with racy acidity.

19 June, 2018