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7.77 Acres and a Man. What the Frick?

7.77 Acres and a Man. What the Frick?

On Father’s Day I took John to Bravas, a fantastic Spanish tapas restaurant just off the square in Healdsburg – a restaurant we have been dying to try. You should have seen the look on his face when he saw that EVERY SINGLE WINE on the menu was available by the glass, carafe (half-bottle size), and full bottle. As soon as I saw that, I knew that we would be drinking our way through the menu one…

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P-P-P Pinot anyone? This unique WHITE wine from Pennyroyal Farm in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley is a blend of all three Pinot grapes - Pinot Noir (45%), Pinot Blanc (33%), and Pinot Gris (22%). They call it Pinotrio. A really nice, textured, aromatic and flavorful wine. I tasted it blind and was able to say what it WASN’T - “it’s not Chard, not Sauv Blanc, not Riesling, not …”. I haven’t had enough white Pinot Noir to pick it blind, obviously. —————————————————————— #mendocino #mendocinocounty #mendocinowine #mendocinowines #pennyroyalfarm #wine #winery #winetasting #whitewine #whitewinelover #pinotnoir #pinotgris #pinotblanc #pinotrio #pinot #instawine #winestagram (at Forestville, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQBx2CVtAbK/?utm_medium=tumblr

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I drove a home made pizza all the way from Los Ángeles after my girls weekend with @shutthefrontdworsky. It needed something fun to pair and I chose these two canned sparkling wines from Two Shepherds Winery. I have been avoiding canned wines but we love the winemaking at this Sonoma winery so we figured “if he makes it - it’ll be good.” And it was. We have consumed all the cans we purchased. The pizza pairing was a Pet Nat of Picpoul and a sparkling blend of Cinsault and carbonic Carignan. Both under 11% alcohol. Delicious stuff. ————————————————————- #cannnedwine #wineinacan #canwine #naturalwine #naturalwines #organic #organicwine #organicwines #organicwinery #twoshepherdswine #sonoma #sonomacounty #sonomawine #sonomawinecountry (at Mom´S Beach, Forestville) https://www.instagram.com/p/CP6vY4utEJl/?utm_medium=tumblr

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You’ve all had Ribolla Gialla from Napa Valley, right? Okay, maybe not all of you. If you’re looking for something other than Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, this is your wine! Grassi Winery is one of the few producers making wine from this Northern Italian grape. Beautiful deep yellow color, bold texture, flavor of lemon, apple, and more than a hint of salinity and the sea. We enjoyed a 2016 which is drinking beautifully and showing no signs of age. The wine paired perfectly with John’s amazing meal - hot smoked salmon, shrimp, and roasted potatoes. Everything was fantastic but the smoked salmon simply divine. Moist and tender with just the right amount of smokiness. The wine was not intimidated by any of the food flavors. —————————————————————- #grassiwinecompany #grassiwine #ribollagialla #ribolla #vino #vinobianco #wine #whitewine #whitewinelover #napavalley #napa #napavalleywine #napawinery #winestagram #instawine https://www.instagram.com/p/CP3kCcOt_eT/?utm_medium=tumblr

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You like a nice Barbera? I’m sure the food and wine pairing police will knock down my door for having a red wine with a potato frittata and radish /cucumber salad. But I was in the mood, so there. We tasted several juicy Barbera wines in Amador on our last two visits and Easton winery was one of the places whose Barbera was the best of the bunch. My husband is always looking for older wine and couldn’t resist getting a bottle of their 2012 Barbera, which is what we opened for dinner. I’m glad we opened the wine as it is starting to show a hint of age - slight browning at the edges and some raisin on the palate. But still very nice and plenty of that berry that I love so much from a Barbera. I have quite a few bottles of Barbera from multiple wineries in Amador and am plotting a side-by-side-by-side-by-side-by …. well, you get the picture. A winery vertical tasting of Barbera. —————————————————————- #barberawine #amadorwine #amadorcounty #amadorwinecountry #eastonwines #terrerougewines #amadorwineries #wine #winetasting #wineandfoodpairing #wineandfood (at Mare Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPtFKn7tani/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Canned wine, meet wine snob

Canned wine, meet wine snob

I have standards. There, I said it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, especially when it comes to wine. Over the years I have drawn lines that under no circumstances would I cross. I will not drink crappy wine just because that’s all there is. So if I show up at your house and all you have is Two Buck Chuck or some similar wine swill, I’ll politely pass. Pour me a brew. Or water. Or…

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It’s rare that my wine choice lined up with one of these wine “holidays.” But yesterday my sushi seemed to need this 2019 Truett-Hurst Russian River Chardonnay. And it so happens it was National or World or International or Intergalactic Chardonnay Day, or some such thing. And coincidentally, a good day and meal for Chardonnay. This particular beauty we purchased a few weeks ago at the winery after tasting 7-8 wines and getting a real appreciation for their wine making style. The winery is located in Dry Creek Valley right off Dry Creek Road surrounded by organic and biodynamic vineyards and their farm. In previous years the “Swallowtail” Chard was made from Dry Creek fruit but the 2019 was made from Russian River grapes to create a classic RRV Chardonnay. Barrel fermentation and ageing on the lees produces a beautiful golden color and downright silky texture and lovely mouthfeel. Beautiful floral aromas to complement the peach / nectarine. On the palate, stone fruit, ripe apple, lemon, and a hint of vanilla. Not a “California” Chard the way the masses like it, but the way people who give a sh*t about wine like their Chard. —————————————————————- #chardonnayday #nationalchardonnayday #chardonnay #chardonnayallday #chardonnaywine #chardonnaylover #whitewine #whitewinelover #whitewines #drycreekvalley #drycreekvalleywines #wine #winetasting #winetasting🍷 (at Russian River, Sonoma California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPa7SfntgtV/?utm_medium=tumblr

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It’s rare that my wine choice lined up with one of these wine “holidays.” But yesterday my sushi seemed to need this 2019 Truett-Hurst Russian River Chardonnay. And it so happens it was National or World or International or Intergalactic Chardonnay Day, or some such thing. And coincidentally, a good day and meal for Chardonnay. This particular beauty we purchased a few weeks ago at the winery after tasting 7-8 wines and getting a real appreciation for their wine making style. The winery is located in Dry Creek Valley right off Dry Creek Road surrounded by organic and biodynamic vineyards and their farm. In previous years the “Swallowtail” Chard was made from Dry Creek fruit but the 2019 was made from Russian River grapes to create a classic RRV Chardonnay. Barrel fermentation and ageing on the lees produces a beautiful golden color and downright silky texture and lovely mouthfeel. Beautiful floral aromas to complement the peach / nectarine. On the palate, stone fruit, ripe apple, lemon, and a hint of vanilla. Not a “California” Chard the way the masses like it, but the way people who give a sh*t about wine like their Chard. —————————————————————- #chardonnayday #nationalchardonnayday #chardonnay #chardonnayallday #chardonnaywine #chardonnaylover #whitewine #whitewinelover #whitewines #drycreekvalley #drycreekvalleywines #wine #winetasting #winetasting🍷 (at Russian River, Sonoma California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPa7SfntgtV/?utm_medium=tumblr

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All wine regions have their iconic vineyard locations - the ones that other wineries make sure appear on the label so the buyer knows the quality. Two families in Sonoma County’s Russian River AVA have their vineyards pop up on labels for some of the most iconic wineries in the region: Williams Seylem and Gary Farrell to name just a few. Two in particular caught our attention because these wineries also make wines for their own label: Rochioli Vineyards and Bacigalupi Vineyards. Check out our blog post (link in profile) to hear about our recent tasting there. “Tasting at the source” my hubby called it. You can either taste wine from grapes sold to other wineries or taste wine made by the people who grow the grapes. ————————————————————— #rochioliwinery #bacigalupivineyards #bacigalupi #bacigalupivineyard #rochiolivineyards #russianriverava #russianrivervalleypinotnoir #russianrivervalley #russianrivervalleywines #wine #winecountry #winecountryliving #winestagram #instawine #instawines (at Russian River, Sonoma California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPTJk1FN9Oc/?utm_medium=tumblr

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This wine is bottled at the source

This wine is bottled at the source

As we continue to taste our way across the wineries of Sonoma County, we have learned so much about the history of this fascinating wine region and the families that have helped it become one of the country’s best sources for wine. Two learnings in particular stand out. First, the influence of Italian immigrants on the Sonoma wine scene is massive. Second, there are some very special vineyard…

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What to pair with sushi? Many people choose bubbles but I thought this crisp, dry, lush 2017 Porter Creek Viognier would hit the spot. And it did! Porter Creek is a fantastic organic winery on Westside Road in the heart of the Russian River Valley. They have a very wide portfolio of wines, white and red, and we haven’t had one that was less than excellent. Put it on your visit list when coming to Sonoma wine country. ————————————————————— #portercreek #portercreekwinery #russianriverava #sonomawinecountry #sonomacounty #viognier #whitewine #whitewinelover #whitewinelovers #wineandsushi #sushi (at Mare Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPN_iudNzH-/?utm_medium=tumblr

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This deep, dark inky beauty really made my night! I have always had a soft spot for Petite Sirah and taste it whenever we see it. On a recent trip to @truetthurstwinery I sweet-talked a splash to taste and endless up buying a bottle. This 2017 Estate PS was all black fruit, pepper, spice, and chewy tannins. Exploding aromas and so dark I couldn’t see through it at all. Just how I like my PS. If you haven’t been to the winery, fix that. It’s on Dry Creek Road in the Dry Creek Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Great wines and a special tasting experience in the beautiful patio. —————————————————————— #truetthurst #drycreekvalley #drycreekava #petitesirah #redwine #wine #winetasting #sonomacounty #sonomawine #sonomawinecountry #sonomawines #sonomawineries #winestagram #instawine (at Mom´S Beach, Forestville) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPGws_ANH96/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Natural wine: not just for hipster somms

Natural wine: not just for hipster somms

If you are even casually interested in wine, you have surely read articles or blog posts extolling the virtues (or highlighting the downsides) of “natural” wines. For every wine enthusiast that champions natural wine, there is a wine spectator that thinks it is undrinkable swill. For those of us that are lucky enough to live close to cosmopolitan cities like San Francisco, natural wines are sort…

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It was a meat kind of meal, what can I say? Rack of Elk from the fantastic Willowside Meats in Santa Rosa. Lamb Chops from Keller Crafted Meats in Sacramento. And Jalapeño Brats from Panizzera Meat Company in Occidental. This protein-a-thon needed a strong red so I chose this 2018 Carignane from Porter Creek Winery in Sonoma (grapes from an 80-year-old vineyard in Mendocino). A great pairing! Swipe to see photos of the food. ————————————————————- #meat #meatlover #meatlovers #panizzerameatco #willowsidemeats #kellercraftedmeats #carignan #cariñena #wine #redwine #winestagram #instawine #mendo #mendocino #mendocinowine #portercreekwinery https://www.instagram.com/p/CPBzQ8atMRy/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Our first trip together to taste Mendocino wines. It was a quick trip - about 27 hours. But we made the most of our Mother’s Day trip by staying at the fantastic The Madrones. Nine guest rooms total, we lucked out and got the Living Room. Large, beautifully designed room. On the property there are three winery tasting rooms (Drew, Longmeadow Ranch, and Smith Story). We hit the first two and will get the next one when we go back up. The on-premises restaurant Wickson was simply spectacular. We had lunch and dinner there. Monday we woke up and did a bit of hiking in one of the few places in CA that still has virgin old growth coastal redwoods. Swipe to see some photos of some of these giant trees! Post-hike we hit PennyRoyal Farm on the way out of Booneville. Amazing cheeses and a unique white white Blend of Pinot Blanc, Gris and Noir. ————————————————————— #andersonvalley #andersonvalleyava #andersonvalleywine #mendocino #mendocinocounty #mendowine #mendocinowine #longmeadowranch #smithstorywines #themadrones #wicksonrestaurant #pinotnoir #chardonnay (at Philo, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/COwY4xhN6NJ/?igshid=jne6utjmed2n

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Any beer lovers out there? How about fans of Russian River Brewing? I know of all clamor for Pliny the Elder (and people literally sleep on the sidewalk for Pliny the Younger). But for me, when push comes to shove, the go-to Russian River IPA is this Blind Pig. ——————————————————— I enjoyed this brew with lunch at Backyard Forestville, my new favorite restaurant. Great bbq, amazing pickles, and homemade flaky biscuits. 😋 ———————————————————Happy Sunday (and happy Easter to all my orthodox friends). ————————————————————— #russianriverbrewing #ipa #beer #beerstagram #instabeer #instabeerofficial #cerveza #cervezaartesanal #brew #brewery #russianriver (at Backyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/COYh2O1rAaJ/?igshid=1x4ocpxldinmt

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We had some new friends over and thought it would be great to give them a deep dive into Croatian wine to pair with cheese, charcuterie, chicken paprika, and roasted potatoes. The three bottles that we served collectively cost $100 in our web wine store (link in profile). Not bad when you think that the average Napa Valley Cabernet runs about that amount, or higher. ————————————————————— Wine # 1 was a Vugava from Stina Vino, one of our favorite imports. Vugava is a white grape mostly grown on the Croatian island of Vis. Profile-wise, it resembles Viognier. There has been speculation that Vugava is in fact the ancestor of Viognier. $20 a bottle for this gem. —————————————————————- Wine #2 was a Plavac Mali from the famed Dingač region from producer Saints Hills. A really smooth example of this classic Croatian red wine - full-bodied, balanced, lush, nice aroma and flavor. —————————————————————- Wine # 3 - Ahearne Vino “Southside” Plavac Mali from grapes grown on the island of Hvar. The #wotn for me. Bursting with aroma - plum, raisin, spice, a bit of beautiful earthy funkiness. On the palate - bright fruit with great acidity and an amazingly long finish. Yum! ————————————————————— #ahearnevino #joahearne #croatia #croatiafulloflife #croatiawine #croatiafullofmagic #croatianwine #croatianwines #winesofcroatia #plavacmali #vugava #dingač #saintshillswinery #stinavino (at Mare Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/COQXMomreGX/?igshid=1nhvdl6x90cfa