Browsing Tag

Napa Valley

Goble Properties Napa Retreat

Last week was the Goble Properties staff retreat in Napa Valley, and it was great to spend time with some of my favorite people. The last few years have been very busy so it was good to pause and take a deep breath. We hadn’t taken the time for a retreat in seven years — way too long!

We had breakfasts outside in the crisp mornings, rode bikes to nearby wineries, explored downtown Calistoga, and generally goofed off about half the time. Over the 3-day event we tasted wines at two different wineries: Lava Vines and Mi Sueno. In the …

Wine Reviews,

Delectable Wine

Ever hear of the Delectable Wine app? Well now you have. Go check it out and follow me to see what I’ve been drinking.

It’s been a long time since I posted an Uncorked Thought. Not that I haven’t had some great wine experiences lately, it’s just that they’ve all taken second place to my book promotion. But I do post most of the wines I drink on Delectable and would love to see what you’re drinking as well.

If you’re looking for an AMAZING wine, I highly recommend all the wines from Realm Cellars. Juan Mercado …

Wine Reviews,

Ovid Vineyards

My friend Ken Wytsma once said a vineyard is like studying history without having to engage your mind. I’m not completely sure what Ken meant by the comment, but it struck me as true. Years ago somebody chose to plant a vineyard in a unique place with a specific varietal to nourish the land, climate, and fruit with the hope of a delicious outcome. A lot of history — human, cultural, and geological — is represented in a glass of wine.

The quote came to mind when D’Aun and I recently visited Ovid Vineyards, a truly unique vineyard high …

Wine Reviews,

Tierra Roja Vineyard & Winery

It’s always fun to find a great wine, but it’s even more fun when you find out there are all kinds of connections. Such is the case with Tierra Roja Vineyard & Winery in Napa Valley.

Remember when I wrote about visiting The French Laundry? One of the sommeliers took pity on me and began recommending various wines. When he found out D’Aun and I were big fans of DeSante wines he suggested Tierra Roja because David DeSante is the winemaker. Makes sense — if I like the wines David puts his name on I’m likely to like the wines …

Wine Reviews,

Vine Hill Ranch

Sometimes the simplest experiences — like wine tasting — become memorable moments. Such was the case during our visit to Vine Hill Ranch, which produces grapes for some of the finest wineries in the region. This includes their own label, VHR.

It all began when sommelier Erik Johnson suggested we try the 2011 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon. It was so good somebody deserved to be thanked formally! So I found the email address for Bruce Philips, the third generation operator of VHR. I sent a simple thank you for creating such a wonderful wine.

In under 24-hours Bruce responded with …

Family, Wine Reviews,

French Laundry…the wine

We loved the wine pairing choices that The French Laundry created for us. If you missed it, here’s the link to the dinner menu. If the photo is too difficult to read for you, I posted the wines below.

Gaston Chiquet, Blanc de Blancs d’Ay, Grand Cru, Champagne MV

Rudi Pichler, Grumer-Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau 2009

Francois Raveneau, chablis 1st Cru, “Montee de Tonnerre,” Burgundy 2008

Araujo, Cabernet Sauvignon, “Eisele Vineyard,” Napa Valley 2006

Failla Estate, Syrah, Sonoma Coast 2009

Oremus, Tokaji-Aszu, “5 Puttonyos,” Tokaji 2002…

Family,

French Laundry

Seriously, there are no words….so I’m just going to post this and let it speak for itself. An amazing anniversary dinner!

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Family,

29 years, 364 days…

Tomorrow is our 30th anniversary. As you might expect, no blog update tomorrow! But before we turn 30 as a married couple it seemed appropriate to post an update.

D’Aun and I have had a great time here in the Napa Valley. It’s the perfect place to reflect on what we’ve tried to create in our marriage: peace, trust, rest, honesty … la dolce vita, as the Italians say. Grape growers talk about finding harmony and balance in the grape; D’Aun and I talk about the same thing in our relationship. Corny? Well, maybe. But still true.

D’Aun and …