It is always a pleasure for me to review previous stories I have contributed to Industry Magazines over the years. Indeed, I learn a lot when writing them, but also have distinctive memories of the trips or tastings involved. Here is an article from a decade ago! Published in The Tasting Panel Magazine, which I still am working with after all this time. Enjoy this read!
Brunello di Montalcino: Fine Tuning History Inside The Bottle
The rumblings are true. I will be revisiting my college days by spinning vinyl at Winery Sixteen 600 (589 1st St West in Sonoma) for Vinyl Sunday. Together we will be celebrating Grenachista in honor of International Grenache Day this Friday. Get your tickets while they are still available: pre-sale saves you 5 clams.
To review your Grenache knowledge, watch this video produced for that purpose a few years back. Enjoy & hope to see you there!
I am getting excited for my first time at the Wine Bloggers Conference, this year in Lodi, CA from August 11-14. Hopefully much of it will be indoors as the Central Valley can get pretty toasty in the summer!
If you happen to attending as well, then make time on Friday evening for a Charles Communications event with me spinning vinyl on the Klinker Brick patio! RSVP to Greer Shull at rsvp(at)charlescomm.com or 415-701-WINE to save your space.
The results are in! Check out the wines that won at SFIWC 2016 this year. Also, enjoy a few pics from my days judging at Hotel Nikko while you are at it. Cheers! Christopher
Pink Out! The start of a colorful flight of Rosé on Day 1; (clockwise from left); Taking a break with my fellow judges, wine guru Jeffery Stivers and New Orleans-based wine and spirits radio personality Tim McNally; #StrengthInNumbers: Selfie Deluxe with my fellow judges sommelier Eduardo Dingler of Morimoto Napa; wine educator Ian Blackburn of LA-based WineCloudInc; sommelier Tonya Pitts of One Market SF, author, wine personality and star of Check Please Bay Area Leslie Sbracco, and author, sommelier and proprietor of A16 and RN74 in SF, Shelley Lindgren; The magnificent menu for the Judges Dinner at Hotel Nikko International, with dazzling wines provided by Gloria Ferrer and Jaimeson Ranch wineries.
In this article I wrote, just published in the June issue of Napa Sonoma Magazine join me on an exploration of some fantastic winery estates; Keller Estate, Three Sticks at the Adobe, Bacigalupi Vineyards, Palmaz Vineyards, Chappellet and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
Read the entire article at Wine Tasting Adventures!
First of all a big THANK YOU to the wonderful folks at Gloria Ferrer, Wilson-Daniels, Deutch Family, Keller Estate, Banfi, Ramey, Failla, Aril, Goosecross, Grieve, Arista, Garnet, Palm Bay Imports, E&J Gallo, Rodney Strong, Southern Wines & Spirits, Republic National Distributing Co & Grand Vin, and especially my assistant Teale. They all made this happen!
For those staying local this weekend here is a nearby option to taste wines from over 30 Mendocino wineries!
Taste of Mendocino will be pouring their best wines, with numerous artisanal food producers serving up delicious bites to complement. Take a trek to SF, at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, Gallery 308, 2 Marina Blvd, Bldg A. Tickets are $60.
Take the shortcut to Tuscany, via Telluride Wine Festival! Join me and Lars Leicht from Banfi to taste through an amazing samplings of 
Vermentino and Bolgheri Rosso from the coast; a new single vineyard Chianti, and bringing it all together with the newly released 2011 Brunellos. Fantastico!
Extraordinary Tuscan Experience
with Cru Artisan Wines/Banfi Vintners
June 24, 2016 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm
La Pettegola Vermentino Toscano
Another great seminar and guest at Telluride Wine Festival! Jeff Boyer of Ramey Wines, to discuss and taste through a selection of their wines.
The Taste of Two Valleys will encompass the wines of David Ramey, whom has crafted world-class Chardonnay and Syrah with premium grapes grown in Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast appellations in Sonoma County for two decades. Join us Friday, June 24 from 3:30-4:30pm!
Ramey 2013 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
Here is a reason to finally get those Telluride Wine Festival tickets! Join me and winemaker Ehren Jordan for the stimulating seminar Que Syrah Shiraz on Friday June 24, 11am to noon.
We will talk you through these cool climate and warm climate Syrahs from California, Washington State and Australia. Each exhibiting unique profiles and unexpected depth: