Cabernet Franc on an Upswing?

Cabernet Franc is one of the so-called Big Five Bordeaux grapes, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. As with some of these it's often used as a blending grape. On its own you'll find a leaner, floral, and often herbaceous wine. The best have a nice complexity and can age.

Future Issues with the California Wine Industry

There are short- and long-term potential shake-ups coming to the local wine industry. Following are a few things that may have a large impact on the local wine biz.

Just as we're getting ready to pick grapes ...

No, there's no opportune time for a wildfire. These lightning strike fires in the Bay Area have come just about the time many are wanting to begin picking their grapes. The main wine areas affected are parts of Sonoma, Napa, and Santa Cruz.

Geyser Peak Winery

 Geyser Peak was the 29th bonded winery in the state when it started up in 1880. That's a seriously long time for a California winery to be around. In that long history there have been changes, of course, and not always for the best.

Inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County

Everybody likes a deal. Maybe these aren't quite everyday cabernets for all budgets, but qualifies as reasonably price cab from a premium wine growing area, Sonoma County. The good news is Sonoma cab is a lot cheaper than Napa cab. These are ones that should be good most any vintage year and under twenty-five bucks.

Cabernet Sauvignon is king of the red wines so tends to be more expensive than most others, but it Sonoma County it's Pinot Noir that seems to have gotten the press (and price increases). This means you can find some good cabs at reasonable prices.

Sonoma County Harvest Update

 I sat in on a webinar presentation on Aug 12th hosted by Sonoma County Winegrowers along with a representative from the grape growing side (Cameron Maurtison) and the winemaking side (Nicole Hitchcock).

Cameron is from a well-known wine family, the Mauritsons, who own several hundred acres of grapes in northern Sonoma County and in nearby Lake County. He is part of the family's 6th generation working in the local wine biz.

Nicole works for J winery, purchased a few years ago by Gallo, and is known for their sparkling wines. 2015 was her first harvest at J (the year Gallo purchased the winery).

The First Thing to Know About Premium Wines

If you only want to know one thing about wine it's that there is no one right answer.

Why bring this up? Whether you're shopping for clothes, a TV, or a car there are always lots of different opinions and you probably know there is no one answer that fits everybody. Why do folks thing wine is sometimes different?

What "Dry" Wine Means

Wine grapes, like any fruit, make sugar and are picked sweet, very sweet actually. It's quite the science to pick at just the right level of sweetness as the final alcohol level and many characteristics of the wine are at stake. Yeast converts this sugar into alcohol during fermentation.

Always Wanted to Own a Vineyard?

Okay, let's say you're rich and want to be a discerning farmer. How about a fancy house and fancy vineyards? This is what a lot of people dream of, and why not? These aren't inexpensive. All are in Napa or Sonoma County. Wine Country livin' for the rich and maybe famous.