The Youngest Winemaker Raises A Quarter of a Million Dollars

Written by Allison Levine on December 4, 2018

Lifestyle Wine

How old do you think the youngest winemaker is? What if I say 10 years old? That is right! Meet 10-year-old Cruz Bilbro who is a who is 10 and he just raised ALOT of money for charity! And, if you want to help him raise more money, mark December 9, 2018 on your calendar and read my story from the Napa Valley Register below.

Winemaker Cruz Bilbro is the fifth generation in his family to make wine. But what sets him apart from other multi-generational winemakers is that he is only 10 years old.

When Cruz asked to make wine, Jake agreed but said he would make it for him, and his goal was not to profit from his son. Cruz selected Grenache from the property and went out with the crew to pick grapes. He worked the forklift, measured the brix and temperatures and did all of the punch-downs. Jake guided his son along each stage, explaining his options, but each and every decision was made by Cruz. Read More +

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Vintners Inn, Santa Rosa

Written by Allison Levine on November 24, 2018

Travel Lifestyle

Traveling to Sonoma County, I have found myself staying at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa on numerous occasions. A luxury hotel located on a vineyard trail, the Vintners Inn has the feel of a villa in Italy. The rooms are warm and spacious and always inviting. But, on my most recent visit, I stayed in one of the newest rooms at the Vintners Inn and that is why it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

The Vintners Inn is situated on 98 acres and is owned by Rhonda Carano of Ferrari Carano Winery. In 2016, the property underwent a renovation which added 34 rooms, for a total of 78 guestrooms and suites spread across five two-story villas. Read More +

Sonoma Winemaker Kathleen Inman Returns to her Napa Roots

Written by Allison Levine on May 22, 2018

Lifestyle Wine

This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register.

After much anticipation, The Studio by Feast It Forward is opening in downtown Napa. Bringing together food, wine, design, art, music and philanthropy under one roof, The Studio is a live studio experiential showroom and wine collective. The wine collective includes 16 producers, most of whom are from Napa Valley. But one of these producers is Inman Family Wines from Sonoma whose roots are in Napa.

Inman Family Wines is owned by Kathleen Inman, née McGowan, who was born at the St. Helena Sanitarium, as was her mother. Her father was also born in Napa, as well as some of her great-grandparents. Kathleen attended Napa High and was the editor of the high school page that used to run in the Napa Valley Register. As a featured vintner at the wine collective at The Studio by Feast It Forward, Kathleen is “excited to have my wine be in Napa because it is my hometown.”