CQ1: Attack of the Drosophila! Do Fruit Flies Ruin the Taste of Wine?

Date: Mon, Nov 24, 2008 Wine Tasting

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Date: Fri, Nov 21, 2008 Wine Tasting

My apologies for the lack of current articles this fall. It's been a busier harvest than usual. First, our harvest was even more time and labor-consuming than usual . . . I have some great ideas for 2009 that I am anxious to implement! We will soon have a Featured Customer series, customer polls, an adopted vine, instructions on how to make your own aroma kit, and other activities.

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Date: Fri, Nov 21, 2008 Wine Tasting

My apologies for the lack of current articles this fall. It's been a busier harvest than usual. First, our harvest was even more time and labor-consuming than usual . . . I have some great ideas for 2009 that I am anxious to implement! We will soon have a Featured Customer series, customer polls, an adopted vine, instructions on how to make your own aroma kit, and other activities.

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Return to Wine Blogging

Date: Fri, Nov 21, 2008 Wine Tasting

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End of 2008 Harvest

Date: Wed, Nov 19, 2008 Wine Tasting

Between the late freezes, searing spring heat, and unforgiving Mojave heat in August, vineyards across much of California suffered crop losses of 30% to 50%, sometimes even more. According the wine press, what this means is the quality of the remaining crop was very high. But this is not entirely true.

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End of 2008 Harvest

Date: Wed, Nov 19, 2008 Wine Tasting

Between the late freezes, searing spring heat, and unforgiving Mojave heat in August, vineyards across much of California suffered crop losses of 30% to 50%, sometimes even more. According the wine press, what this means is the quality of the remaining crop was very high. But this is not entirely true.

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End of 2008 Harvest

Date: Wed, Nov 19, 2008 Wine Tasting

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Just Desserts: Serving Stickies for the Holidays

Date: Mon, Nov 17, 2008 Wine Tasting

Many people just pour it over some high-quality vanilla bean ice cream with some fresh berries or shaved dark chocolate. But a quality dessert wine is so much more than just a sweet pick-me-up. At the end of a meal, a complex, layered dessert wine is both dessert and digestif, particularly when served with some crisp fruit and mellow cheeses. Some dessert wines, particularly the whites, are mellow enough to be served with roasted quail and other savory treats. During the holidays, a good dessert wine makes an instant course for a quickly pulled together dinner, and can even be used as part of the preparation.

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Just Desserts: Serving Stickies for the Holidays

Date: Mon, Nov 17, 2008 Wine Tasting

Many people just pour it over some high-quality vanilla bean ice cream with some fresh berries or shaved dark chocolate. But a quality dessert wine is so much more than just a sweet pick-me-up. At the end of a meal, a complex, layered dessert wine is both dessert and digestif, particularly when served with some crisp fruit and mellow cheeses. Some dessert wines, particularly the whites, are mellow enough to be served with roasted quail and other savory treats. During the holidays, a good dessert wine makes an instant course for a quickly pulled together dinner, and can even be used as part of the preparation.

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Just Desserts: Serving Stickies for the Holidays

Date: Mon, Nov 17, 2008 Wine Tasting

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A Great Affair: 10 Steps for Easy Entertaining

Date: Wed, Nov 12, 2008 Wine Tasting

The key to entertaining is to plan ahead. I have organized wine affairs for almost twenty years—intimate dinners for six, winemaker dinners for fifty, and open house hors d’oeuvres for hundreds. I also love impromptu dinners with family and friends, so I’ve refined my entertaining preparations to the following ten steps, and the most important is number ten—have fun.

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A Great Affair: 10 Steps for Easy Entertaining

Date: Wed, Nov 12, 2008 Wine Tasting

The key to entertaining is to plan ahead. I have organized wine affairs for almost twenty years—intimate dinners for six, winemaker dinners for fifty, and open house hors d’oeuvres for hundreds. I also love impromptu dinners with family and friends, so I’ve refined my entertaining preparations to the following ten steps, and the most important is number ten—have fun.

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A Great Affair: 10 Steps for Easy Entertaining

Date: Wed, Nov 12, 2008 Wine Tasting

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Harvest Pizza

Date: Wed, Oct 15, 2008 Wine Tasting

Homemade pizza is one of our favorite harvest dinners. We start a batch of fresh dough in the bread machine, frequently peppered with herbs from the garden. We let it rise while we finish up on the crushpad, and then collect some heirloom tomatoes and baby squash from the garden, and the last few leaves of basil before a frost. A few vegetables and odds and ends from the crisper, we can assemble a loaded up, homemade pizza that is hot, fresh and quickly prepared.