Travel

This story originally appeared in California Winery Advisor. Head to Wine Country in Style with JetSuiteX Who hasn't dreamed of living a life of luxury? Have you...

14 September, 2017

This story originally appeared in California Winery Advisor. After having explored the wine regions of “alta” California, including Napa, Sonoma, Monterey, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Malibu and Temecula, it is time to...

05 September, 2017
When asked what I love to do, I explain that I love to travel and explore different cultures. I especially liked to learn about cultures through their food and wine and a perfect outing for me is a delicious meal and good company. So a movie about traveling through the country while eating is very appealing to me. And the newly released The Trip to Spain, the third in a series of culinary road comedies featuring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, is just that. Gorgeous scenery, delicious-looking food and witty banter make the movie The Trip to Spain the Please The Plate pick of the week.
26 August, 2017
This story originally appeared in California Winery Advisor. A trip to wine country is for wine tasting, of course. But in between winery visits, there are restaurant stops, perhaps an afternoon at the spa and shopping. Why not go on safari while you are there are well. Yes, a safari, just like in Africa! Safari West is a 400-acre wildlife preserve located in the heart of wine country in Santa Rosa. Founded in 1993 by Peter and Nancy Lang, Safari West is a privately funded property that focuses on conservation and preservation of endangered wildlife animals. Currently, there are 90 species on property and 900 animals, ranging from giraffes, zebras, and monkeys to hyenas and cheetahs. Except for the international birds, all the animals are originally from Africa.
25 July, 2017
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. #DrinkPink #ThinkPink #PinkWineMakesMeHappy #RoséTime #RoséAllDay #RoséEveryday – The hashtags for rosé wine abound! With summer here, the shelves are lined with various shades of pink.
Rosé is so refreshing, so delicious and the perfect wine to pair with just about anything. Rosé wines are made all over the world but the home of rosé is Provence, France. As the sun shines, the temperatures rise and I open a bottle of rosé, I recall my recent visit to Provence and to Chateau Gassier.
Provence is a large region in the southeast of France. There are three main AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) in Provence: Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, Côteaux Varois and Côtes de Provence.
11 July, 2017
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register.

Marseille, France, the second largest city in France after Paris, is known for its busy harbor and urban energy. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, visitors come for the beaches, the port, the ancient history, the cultural diversity and the food. So, when I had a day in Marseille, we wandered the streets stopping into boutiques, walked along the port and enjoyed some meals. And then we happened upon a winery in the middle of the city.

As we walked along Rue de l’Évêché, we passed a market, a salon, a few restaurants and then, surrounded by these businesses, was Microcosmos Chai Urbain, an urban winery owned by Fabienne and Lukas Völlmy. Originally from Burgundy, Fabienne, who holds a B.S. in chemistry and a master’s degree in enology, and her husband, Lukas, opened Microcosmos Chai Urbain in 2012 in the old part of Marseille. Buying a winery can be cost prohibitive to a young winemaker starting out and Fabienne was inspired by the urban wineries in San Francisco and Abe Schoner’s maverick, one-man wine-making Scholium Project.

05 July, 2017
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
Show more
Loading...
Copied!