Springtime is here in California vineyards! Grapevines, just like your beloved garden at this time of the year, need some care and attention. Let’s see what vineyard managers and workers are up to this season.   Vineyard Protection The vineyard … Read More »

From time to time, I must use my legendary French charm to convince somebody to pause, empty their mind, pour themselves a glass of wine and just taste. Let me repeat, just taste. However, the wine business has always been … Read More »

The first quarter of 2017 is underway. Let’s see what wineries are up to… Vineyard Activities Vines are currently in the dormant stage in vineyards across California. Vineyard managers are planning their pruning strategy, which is the most important operation … Read More »

Many people are interested to know if our wines would benefit from decanting or aerating, versus pouring straight from the bottle. This is an important aspect of tasting wine, since we want our wines to showcase their best attributes.     … Read More »

Sometimes I receive questions on Facebook asking me if I have tried the latest wine gadget to hit the market. A recent question referred to the new Coravin corkscrew, the “Elite Two.” As I was replying that I have not … Read More »

Brix is the name of a very good restaurant located in Yountville in the middle of the Napa Valley. Brix (the amount of sugar content in a liquid) is also one of the essential data points in grape analysis; one … Read More »

I grew up in the Bordeaux region of France, which is well known for its Chateaux and vineyards, the coastal climate of the Atlantic and its historical towns. My family’s only remote connection to wine is through my grandfather. Indeed, … Read More »