Tag archives: wine
Some destinations do not clamor for your attention; they quietly unfold around you, and Paso Robles is one of them. Rolling vineyards, mineral-rich hillsides, and luminous evening skies invite you to slow down and experience a wine region through its people, its cellars, and its light. Tucked into the California Central Coast, it offers a […]
There’s that old saying, “Have your cake and eat it too.” Well, this fall I discovered how to have your wine and wellness too, at the legendary Golden Door, a Japanese-inspired luxury spa retreat tucked into the tranquil hills of San Marcos, California. Just north of San Diego, this world-renowned wellness sanctuary has long been […]
You might not know Roero yet – but if you love Nebbiolo from Barolo or Barbaresco, with deep tannins and perfume, you should. I just returned from Piemonte’s Roero wine region, where the same grape produces red wine that feels noble and graceful, and where Arneis, its white counterpart, shines brightly. Roero is nestled just […]
Santa Barbara County’s wine festival of record is reinventing itself. It’ll be same in all the right ways: consumers mingling with winemakers and chefs, and plenty of samples of some of the best wines California has to offer. But Wine Camp is new for 2025, promising immersive moments meant to both enlighten and delight. The […]
Late summer in the Caribbean is when the sea whispers adventure. The trade winds steady your sails, the water is still bath-warm, and the harbors, so crowded in winter, unfold into elegant calm. On a recent yachting journey, I was asked to curate the wine pairings for our group, and it reminded me why I […]
It’s a new decade at Gainey Estate Vineyards. The stalwart Santa Barbara wine brand has a prolific 40-year history in its rear-view mirror, and a robust portfolio of world-class and award-winning wines to show for it. But it may be more accurate to say it’s a new era at Gainey. Because while the brand remains […]
When one mentions California wine country, names like Napa and Sonoma often take center stage. But for the sophisticated traveler seeking authenticity, heritage, and a slower, more personal pace, Lodi offers a compelling and often overlooked alternative. During my recent stay, I discovered a region where old vines meet new vision, and where luxury lies […]
Oenophiles and gourmands were out in force at the weekend for the two-day California Wine Festival with a rare and reserve-level opening night at the Hilton’s Plaza del Sol and a beachside bash opposite Chase Palm Park billed as “an event for the senses” with 250 wines from more than 70 vintners and 30 eateries […]
In Sonoma Wine Country, the morning sun filters through a veil of coastal fog, softening the contours of rolling vineyards that stretch toward the Pacific. A cool breeze carries the scent of wild herbs and sea air, while rows of chardonnay and pinot noir glisten with dew. This is a landscape shaped by nature’s contrasts, […]
Fifty years can teach you a lot about growing wine. These days, Fred Brander knows full well that Bordeaux grapes – reds like cabernet sauvignon and whites like sauvignon blanc – grow really well in the warm eastern stretches of the Santa Ynez Valley. But in the beginning – 50 years ago – it was […]
Warm Mediterranean breezes carry the promise of relaxed elegance as they dance across sun-drenched skin, mingling with the scent of blooming bougainvillea and lavender. Imagine stepping onto a pristine white-sand beach, the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Côte d’Azur lapping at your feet. Elegant French locals stroll by with effortless style, their laughter a soundtrack […]
Eli Parker tips his cowboy hat to other Rhône pioneers in Santa Barbara County – men like Bob Lindquist and Andrew Murray, who were early champions of grapes like syrah and grenache. But there’s no denying that Parker was on the leading edge of the area’s Rhône movement, too – recognizing in these grapes their […]
Everything was coming up roses at the idyllic 500-acre San Ysidro Ranch when Beanie Baby billionaire owner Ty Warner hosted a PJs and roses bash for 60 guests to promote the top French label Champagne Perrier-Jouët, known for its floral decorated bottles. The brand’s Belle Epoque Brut 2015 and Belle Epoque Rose 2012 was available […]
What do you get when you mix 45 wineries, 20 food vendors, one charming historic plaza, and a whole lot of Santa Barbara sunshine? The wine and food event of the year. On Saturday, May 17, the iconic El Presidio de Santa Bárbara came alive with the sights, sounds, and scents of the 2025 Grand […]
“How do you create a food and wine experience that actually means something?” It’s the question I was asked again and again when I spoke at FestForums earlier this year on the art of designing culinary festivals. It’s also the question I carried with me every day over the past year as I stepped behind […]
There’s something about the desert air, a splash of poolside glamour, and the hum of classic convertibles cruising by that makes me fall in love with Palm Springs all over again – every single time. This year, I was lucky enough to experience the magic during Modernism Week’s 20th anniversary and let me say… it […]
The mastermind behind the whimsical Future Perfect wine brand is also the driving force behind the inaugural Corkscrew Comedy Festival, slated for this weekend. It’ll be three days of stand-up comedy across multiple venues in the Santa Ynez Valley. Barrels of wine – and laughs – guaranteed. “I’ve always loved producing,” says Doench Stricker, who’s […]
Anna Vocino and Loren Tarquinio have lived in the Santa Ynez Valley since just before the pandemic, when the formerly L.A.-based power comedy-writing-producing married couple turned their “getaway escape patch” into their full-time home. More than five years later the married partners are joining with two other couples with entertainment and/or winemaking backgrounds to produce […]
My posh trip to Napa wine country began elegantly as we soared out of a private terminal at Van Nuys Airport on Aero’s LA-Napa service on a semi-private plane. In just a little over an hour-long, smooth flight – Erewon fresh avocado tartine/toast, sweet berries and coffee served with cloth napkins in flight – a […]
As a wine lover, writer, and wine travel media personality, there are few things I enjoy more than discovering wines that surprise and delight – and pinot noir continues to be one of those wines that never gets old. While I typically reach for a glass of pinot during cozy fall evenings, the Global Blind […]
