Benefits of Wine

You've read all the studies saying red wine does this or that for you. 
You have seen some doctor quoted as saying a glass of wine helps digestion, helps you get to sleep, is good for your heart, etc. Well, all that health-related stuff is fine, but let's get right to the point of the true benefits of finishing that bottle.

Fall 2015 Events in Sonoma County

It's harvest season and there's lots to see. You can even smell the harvest! Great weather, great wine, great food, and great music.

There are many events going on during the autumn season. Enjoy the bounty of Sonoma County.

Staggering Statistics on the California Wine Industry

The California wine industry is big. How big? We often talk in terms of millions and billions when describing the wine business and its impacts. Some stats follow--mostly taken from The Wine Institute, an advocacy group for the California wine industry.

You Can't Stop Drinking Good Wine, it's Addicting

Once you get hooked it's hard to unplug from the fine wine habit. No, I'm not talking about alcohol addiction here--at least I don't think I am. An abuser is someone with a social/medical problem. People who like good wine are aficionados and that sounds so much better.

Having lunch at a Sonoma County winery

You've got a day of wine tasting planned. Don't forget to plan for lunch. You'd be surprised how many people do. Then about 3 pm they're thinking, "I'm starved!" You want a break from tasting to load up on some food.

Some options in Sonoma County:

2015 Harvest is Underway!

Social media has been buzzing with the start of the wine grape harvest. Yes, it's early again this year. Following are some pictures taken this morning at Paradise Ridge Winery in the Russian River Valley.

Why we live in Sonoma County

Visiting somewhere and actually living there can be quite different. I know people who have moved to places like Hawaii or Seattle because they were such great places when they visited. Then maybe a couple years later they leave because it wasn't what they thought.

I've been in Sonoma County for 35 years. No, I don't live here because it's cheap. There are things more important than money apparently.

Visiting Sonoma County for the beer, too

Recently there was a nice Wall Street Journal article on the quantity and quality of beers available both at local breweries and at tap rooms in the county. No trip to Sonoma is complete without stopping at some of the famous breweries like Bear Republic, Lagunitas, and Russian River plus some of the smaller, mostly unknown ones, like Plow and Petaluma Hills. There are many tap rooms such as Hop Monk and Sprenger's carrying local beers, other California brews, and beers from all over. You can find hard cider makers, too.

Cooperage, Santa Rosa's newest brewpub
Image from beer.blogs.pressdemocrat.com

WSJ article

Brewery, distillery, and cidery listings

Red Wine is the Answer (again)

Don't want to age like granny did? Here is one more potential health benefit to drinking red wine every day. Does it actually work? Don't take a chance! Start your wine regimen today!

Red wine could slow brain ageing

Wine Varieties Go In and Out of Popularity

"Everybody" wants a Pinot Grigio or a Moscato (this year). 

The funny part is that the consumers drinking these wines think they've discovered the way out of the boring ol' Chardonnay and Merlot habit. Well, they're not the first. Wine varieties go in and out of popularity--as do wine styles for that matter. This isn't something discovered by the Millennials, as some believe.

What wine for .....?

Today, August 5th, is National Underwear Day. In the past I've tried to pair the appropriate wine for various national "holidays" like Pizza Day (easy) or Doughnut Day (not so easy).

So, what wine should you serve for National Underwear Day? Well, I'm not sure. I don't recall ever sitting around in my underwear and saying anything like, "Hmm, this Zinfandel isn't quite right. It needs a pair of shorts." If anything I suppose Champagne sounds appropriate. If you're sitting around in your underwear and drinking it's either a celebration deserving sparkling wine or you drink in your underwear every day and may have a problem. We'll say it's the former.

If you're going commando this does not apply to you.

Sparkling Red(!) Wine

"Serious" sparkling wines were clear or had a slight salmon color. Then pink bubblies got popular and serious, too (they weren't all sweet and syrupy). How about sparkling red wines? Yes, there is such a thing!

Maybe you remember Riunite Lambrusco, a sweet, syrupy, cheap, slightly bubbly red wine that was very popular 30 or 40 years ago. It's been the butt of jokes amongst the wine snobs. Currently there's a bit of a resurgence for dry, food friendly red sparkling wine.