September 29, 2016 5:34 am
Published by admin
Wine tastings are common wine club events If you’re a member of a Napa Valley wine club (and why not?) you may be invited to a wine tasting. If it’s outdoors, plan for the weather, especially this time of year. Dress well but comfortably. There’s an art even to handling the glass of wine. Hold it by the stem or base, so your hand doesn’t warm it. Try to look at the wine against a white background to assess its clarity and color. White wines get darker with age, while red wines get browner. Put the glass on a flat... View Article
September 28, 2016 5:28 am
Published by admin
Joining a California wine club If you’re a big fan of California wines, you should definitely join a wine club. You join one by agreeing to buy a certain number of bottles every year, and the club delivers them to you. They may also send information on the wine and what sort of food it’s best paired with. In the most exclusive wine clubs, you get a higher level of membership by agreeing to buy more wine. Joining should be free, and you should be able to cancel at any time, but be sure to read the terms before joining... View Article
September 23, 2016 1:39 pm
Published by admin
Wine clubs learn about the harvest Grape harvest season in Napa Valley is upon us. Already, the winemakers have tested the first few grapes to see if they’re ripe. Sometimes the grapes are harvested mechanically, but other times they’re harvested by hand. This latter approach is obviously a lot more work, but in many cases the result is a much better wine. Mechanical harvesting involves shaking the grapes until they fall off the vine, which can rupture some of them. However the grapes are harvested, they have to be sorted by hand. Grapes that are green, moldy or shriveled have... View Article
September 22, 2016 1:17 pm
Published by admin
Cabernet Sauvignon a famous California wine It’s that time of year again. Throughout Napa Valley, the grapes are being harvested for Cabernet Sauvignons that won’t be sold for a few years yet. It’s been a dry year in California, but the Cab grape is famous for enduring the elements while retaining its quality. Its tannins mean that it lasts a long time in the barrel, and interacts with the oak to bring out new flavors as it ages. This results in the famous nose and palate of the California Cab, which includes such elements as cassis (blackcurrant), black cherry and... View Article
September 15, 2016 3:14 pm
Published by admin
Wine tours of Napa Valley In Napa Valley, the grape harvest season is upon us. If you want to see the wineries at their busiest, this is the time. If you’d rather have the chance to actually talk with the winemakers and not be underfoot while they’re trying to get things done, this is the time to schedule a visit for somewhat later in the year. A number of travel companies have set up wine tours of the Napa Valley area in which you can visit a series of vineyards accompanied by other wine lovers. You can learn all about... View Article
