Browsing Tag

Napa Valley

Mi Sueno … An American Success Story

I grew up around small business owners, and my company works with hundreds of them. Most of them are driven by a love for work and a wish to move beyond their humble beginnings. The hope of “rags to riches” is a huge motivation and is truly an all-American dream.

Rolando Herrera is the living definition of that dream.

Rolando and his parents left Mexico and came to the United States when he was a young boy. Settling in Napa Valley, Rolando was raised around the wine industry. As a teenager he took every job he could find: dishwasher at …

Wine Reviews,

Thanksgiving Taste Test – Tofanelli and Turley

They say you should never buy a wine by its label. Generally, I agree with that. But how can you ignore a wine that has a young 1920’s vintage woman riding a motorcycle in a vineyard on the label? You can’t, so I bought a bottle of Tofanelli Family Vineyard Zinfandel, and I’ve been one of their biggest fans since.

Sebastian DiGiuilo and Irene DalPorto, parents of Pauline DiGiulo Tofanelli, purchased a track of land just south of Calistoga in the 1920’s. They planted Zinfandel and Charbono, among other varietals, and sold their grapes to some of the biggest …

Wine Reviews,

Mr. Caymus

Until the 1980’s, I don’t think I had ever gone to Napa Valley. There was no reason to, really. I didn’t drink wine and it was just another farming region as far as I was concerned. Besides, it had only recently become famous for the Judgment of Paris.

But after our life-changing trip to Bordeaux, D’Aun and I knew we had to visit Napa. It was our first day of wine tasting, hopping from winery to winery. We were both enchanted by the beauty and calmness of the Valley (remember, this was before the crowds).

At some point …

Wine Reviews,

Uncorked Thoughts

One of my favorite things to do is enjoy a great bottle of wine with friends and family. It wasn’t always this way: I was raised by parents who frowned on drinking alcohol. But then again, I had a Grandfather who distilled moonshine during Prohibition. Thankfully, other influences have kept me from both extremes!

It was a visit to Bordeaux in the 1980’s when D’Aun and I discovered the joys of great wine. When I got home from that trip I built a simple wine rack in the basement and began collecting Chateau Mouton Rothschild wines. That didn’t last long …