The Unique History of Zinfandel

Zinfandel was America's grape. There was no Zin in Europe, so the opinion was it's an American original. In the 1990s, that all changed.

The Anti-Alcohol Movement

  This one is aimed at the wine industry. 

  The anti-booze, neo-prohibitionists, and sober curious people are having their day. That shouldn't be treated as a problem for those in the wine biz, but it is for many, and that's a mistake.

Wine Spectator's Top 100

Wine Spectator magazine puts out an annual Top 100 list based on wines they've tasted in the past year. Rankings are based on quality, value, and availability. Sonoma County did well this year.

Russian River Valley Neighborhoods

Sonoma County's Russian River Valley appellation (grape growing area) is well-known, especially for Pinot Noir. It's a huge region with a total land area of 160,000 acres, or 250 square miles, with 15,000 acres of wine grapes planted.

With this big of an appellation, you often find sub-appellations to define smaller areas based mostly on microclimates and soil types. While there are a couple sub-appellations, Green Valley and Chalk Hill, some local winemakers and grape growers decided to divide it up into unofficial neighborhoods.

National Zinfandel Day!

Wednesday, Nov 19th, is National Zinfandel Day, so do the patriotic thing and celebrate!

Unsold Grapes, Vines Pulled Out

It was a tough year for grape growers. Not just a cyclical "normal" tough year, but really tough. The following is taken from an 11/12/25 article by Sarah Doyle in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat that is only available to subscribers. I'll hit a few highlights while trying not to plagiarize.   :)

Veteran-Owned Wineries

For Veterans' Day, the following are veteran-owned wineries in California. Probably not a complete list, but what I could find online.

The 2025 Grape Harvest Wraps Up

It's just about the end of the harvest for everyone, though there's still plenty to do in the cellar. So, how do things looks this year for North Coast wine grapes?

To Age or Not to Age

That is the question you might ask with wines you've purchased or wanting to purchase. Should I, or can I, drink this now or is it best to wait 3 years, 10 years, or a couple of weeks?

It's complicated as it depends on the wine, the storage conditions, and your preference.

Interesting Sonoma County Vineyards (Part 2)

The previous post was Important Vineyards in Sonoma County. This is a follow-up of other vineyards that didn't make that list, but are still interesting, and somewhat important.

Important Vineyards in Sonoma County

Not necessarily the best, oldest, biggest, or most famous vineyards, though they could be. These are important because of their influence. We are talking about the vineyards that grow wine grapes, not wineries. 

Who Controls Wine (Plus Beer and Spirits) Availability?

Like many businesses, the alcohol biz tries to exert control over the country's laws that affect their bottom line through lobbies and contributions. You can blame them, as alcohol in the U.S. has a ton of federal, state, and county rules on what you can do.

One segment outspends everyone else by a large margin.