Author Archives: joe
ZAP Changes Venue for Grand Tasting – We Have Two Tickets to Give Away
We have a pair of tickets to give away for the main event, the Grand Tasting, and a pair of tickets to give away for the Epicuria Food & Zin Pairings event on Thursday, January 26 from 6 to 9 pm. We will take submissions on the comment section below. This contest will run through December 31. Continue reading
European Wine Bloggers Conference Begins October 14, 2011
This evening we set off to Italy for the European Bloggers Conference IV. We are very excited because the agenda of conference sessions and wine country excursions are “molto fantastico.” We can only wonder how we will be able to manage the consumptions of so much fine wine and food that the Italian wine consortiums have in store for the 216 wine bloggers that will attend this amazing wine soiree. The conference headquarters are in Brescia, Italy, which is situated in the heart of the Franciacorta wine territory, notably known for its fabulous sparkling wine. Continue reading
Closures again
I’m very old fashioned when it comes to wine closures. Most of my 40-year career of wine drinking has involved opening wines with a real cork. I get a thrill each time I use my waiter’s corkscrew to open my wine. Continue reading
Escaping the Napa Valley Crowds
Another frequently received email to WineCountryGetaways.com asks: “How can I avoid the crowds when we visit the Napa Valley?” Continue reading
Napa Valley Travelers Beware – Harvest is near
The most exciting and rewarding time of the year in the Napa Valley wine country, and for that matter all of wine country, is harvest time. This is what every winemaker, vineyard manager, and winery owner awaits throughout the vineyard year. Continue reading
First Impressions of Virginia Wine – Wine Bloggers Conference
It was also fun to hear several references to the Napa Valley. Once again as in Washington bloggers conference a year ago everyone is shooting to topple the king. I don’t see any Virginia wines available where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Much of it is consumed in Virginia and much makes its way to Canada and the U.K. Ther is much more to learn about Virginia wines as the wine bloggers conference rolls along.
Continue reading
A Day in Rutherford’s Dust
Interestingly, when the wines were unveiled we learned that the first flight of wines were all from the eastside of the Rutherford AVA and presented from south to the north. The second flight represented wines made from vineyards on the westside from north to south.
Continue reading
American Sommelier Association – 6 Day Training in Napa Valley
I received this information from the American Sommelier Association and thought I would pass this on to our readers. In these economic times there are many out of work or in transition wanting to shift careers. Perhaps this intensive course may pave the way for a future career in the wine business. It appears that there are some scholarship funds that can reduce the cost of the training course by 50%.
Continue reading
“Which are the best Napa Valley Wineries to Visit”
We frequently get emails from visitors to our Website, WineCountryGetaways, asking for advice. The most common email goes something like this: “We will be in San Francisco in September and want to spend two days in the Napa Valley. Can you please tell us which are the best wineries to visit?”
Continue reading
A few different things to do in the Napa Valley
Take the food and wine tour at the Robert Sinskey Vineyards. This has always been a favorite spot of ours. Too bad they closed their picnic area to visitors. We used to love to sit on the patio area across from the vineyards enjoying the view and our lunch with a glass of the Sinskey Pinot Blanc. Continue reading
