A Look at Napa Over the Years - With Graphs

Three graphs that tell a tale of trends in Napa wine. Every pictures tells a story, don't it?

Picking a Value Bottle of Wine

Shopping for wine? Are there tricks to help pick out a bottle that will be great, but won't cost a fortune? Yes. The previous post from a couple of days ago talked about shopping by wine regions in California. This one talks more about the who, what, and where of buying. It's not guaranteed, but it's better than choosing a wine because of the flowers on the label or because you like Snoop Dogg.  :)

Getting Value in a Wine Purchase

Different grape growing areas of California have different wine prices. Location, location, location.

Napa Valley is the most expensive wine region in the country. Why? Supply and demand. That doesn't mean wines from other parts of the state are of lesser quality. Following are some premium California wine regions with lower priced wines.

The Future of Growning and Making Wine

Looking not too far into the future, what do we see for changes in the way grapes are grown and wine is made? Like other predictions, this is making assumption on current trends. There is always the unforeseen.

2020 Calif Wildfires Impact on Wine Making

2020 saw the largest area burnt in California in one year plus five of the top seven fires occurred in 2020. Disruptions from the fires and wildfire smoke caused some of the worst problems ever for the local wine industry. The wines from that year are often found for sale now so this is a good time to revisit the issues that grape and wine production workers went through that year.

Napa Tourism Bounces Back

There's been plenty of bad news out of the wine industry recently. It's not all gloomy, however, as Napa seems to be doing fine. The article linked below is from a Napa tourism group reported by the Wine Spectator.

Inexpensive Wine Tastings in Sonoma County

Last week was Napa wine tastings for under $50. This week it's Sonoma tastings up to $20.

A basic wine tasting in Sonoma County goes for about $25 to $40. There are exceptions on both sides of those numbers. Following are some $20 and under tastings. Most of these wineries will also offer more expensive options.

Napa Wine Tasting for Under $50

Napa Valley is all about lux experiences for many, but some of us are on a budget. These Napa wineries offer tastings for under $50pp. Almost all offer several options for tastings, and they may range from something like $40 to $100. Some will waive the tasting fee with a purchase, so be sure to ask.

Amador County, Home to Some of California's Oldest Wineries and Vineyards

About 80 miles due east of the hustle, bustle, and high prices of Napa is one of California's lesser known and lightly visited wine regions. Amador County is part of the larger Sierra Foothills wine region. Within Amador is the central wine hub of Shenandoah Valley that you enter from the town of Plymouth (pop. 1,100, founded in 1852 as a mining camp). In some ways, you are entering Napa Valley 40 years ago.

Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2024

  The Sonoma County Harvest Fair has been going on since the mid-1970s opening with the 80s and 90s probably its high point. The wine judging is on any wine entered that is made from Sonoma County grapes.

   This year's winners can be found here. There's also amateur wine and professional food competitions.

High & Low Quality Wines

This isn't about points or awards, it's about ingredients. A more natural product vs. one manipulated by lots of chemicals. Many people check ingredient labels when grocery shopping. What about the alcoholic beverages that you consume? Well, there's a problem.

One of the Best Places to Visit? Sonoma County!

Travel & Leisure says Sonoma County has "charming small towns, incredible wine, and a stunning coastline" offering a lot more than just wine. That's the one thing making Sonoma different from other wine regions, the opportunity to do more than just drink wine.