Ten Places to Visit in Sonoma County

I was reading a Wine Enthusiast article about 10 Places to Visit in Napa Valley and thought Sonoma needs one of those lists! Okay, there are probably a few of those out there already. Here's another.

The Stages of Drinking

Happy holidays! It's that time of year. Here's a little something to help you recognize your current state while you're yucking it up with family, friends, and coworkers.

Wine is Not About How Much You Know

It's easy to be intimidated by someone who knows more about wine than you. But you know what? In any area of life there will be people who know more than you -- even in your own profession, right? So don't worry about not knowing how to read a French wine label or the difference between Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Relax. Enjoy.

Legends of Sonoma County Winemaking

A nice article on the current whereabouts of Dick Arrowood (Chateau St. Jean), Brice Jones (Sonoma-Cutrer), and Joel Peterson (Ravenswood). These three gentlemen had a lot to do with putting Sonoma County on the wine map. All are 70 years old or so and should be retired, but can't quite let go of the grape.

Article from Palate Press

Sonoma County Red Wines for Winter Meals

It's getting to be that time of year when you can put away those rosés, Sauvingnon Blancs, and Pinot Noirs  and break out the heavy-duty wines. Not that there's anything bad about drinking Sauv Blanc in cold weather. I mean it's not like wearing white pants after Labor Day...

Usually foods get a bit heavier in winter and so can the wines.

Wine Marketing Buzzwords

Wine is a jargon-rich world. Maybe not as bad as the high-tech biz, but it can still be pretty intimidating.

There are lots of terms used to help sell wine. Some are a bit geeky and might actually scare off  people. What these all have in common is that none are any sort of guarantee of wine quality and whether you'll actually like it. Some of these might be on the bottle's label; others are thrown around by the folks who sell wine.

Cannabis and Constellation Brands

  Constellation Brands, a wine, beer, and spirits conglomerate based in NY State, owns the likes of Corona beer, Casa Noble tequila, and many wine brands including Ravenswood and Robert Mondavi. They are now in the cannabis business.

Post-Fire Sonoma: Economic Impact

You saw the devastation on TV. It looked as if most of Sonoma and Napa counties were burning. Unhealthy smoke filled the air. That part is over, but thousands of homes were lost, tens of thousands of people displaced, billions of dollars will be needed to rebuild. Of the hundreds of wineries a couple were lost and another couple dozen had some, mostly minor, damage.

The fires affected not only Sonoma and Napa, but adjacent Mendocino, Lake and Solano counties though Sonoma took the biggest hit, more specifically Santa Rosa and parts of Sonoma Valley. Most of Sonoma County is untouched by the fires.

Post-Fire Sonoma: When Should You Visit?

After the horrendous fires and the news coverage it seemed like Sonoma County pretty much burnt to the ground. It is currently estimated about 170 square miles burned, or about ten percent of the county's land area. The most damaging was in the northern part of Santa Rosa. Most of the acreage burned were steep, remote hillsides where the fire could not be easily controlled.

That leaves 90% of the county untouched, including most of the wine areas. As it turns out vineyards make a pretty good fire block.

Sonoma Post-Fire: Rebuilding the Tourism Industry

As cataclysmic as the last couple weeks have been you can see a return to normalcy beginning. Maybe not so much for those that lost their home, business, or a loved one, but in an economic sense.

Restaurants and other businesses are reopening. The big question is, "Have we scared away too many visitors?" Even though the destruction was only a small part of Sonoma County, people may be staying away in droves. Tourism is a really big piece of the local economy.

Post-Fire Sonoma County FAQs

An almost unimaginable disaster struck several counties, including Sonoma and Napa, with the bulk of the damage and loss of life in Sonoma's largest city, Santa Rosa. People will have questions about the wine and about visiting the area. Here's the information and speculation we have now.

Zinfandel Confuses a Lot of People

Many folks aren't really sure what Zinfandel is supposed to be. It's certainly had its share of mystery, changes, and ups and downs in the marketplace.