Latest Blog Entries

Music and Merlot: A Preview of the Wine World’s Summer Concert Series

May 18, 2013 | Discuss

By Bob Johnson Whether you prefer red, white, blush or bubbly… and whether you listen to rock, jazz, blues or country… two of the great joys of life are wine and music. And when you can find a way to combine the two, well, that’s about… Read more

Is It White? Is It Rosé?

Apr 28, 2013 | 2 Comments

By Glen Frederiksen Ask a winemaker the questions posed in the headline, and it’s enough to make him or her blush. Most casual wine drinkers know the basic differences between red wine and white wine. Aside from color, they know that red… Read more

Basilic Restaurant: Swiss Precision on Balboa Island

Apr 23, 2013 | Discuss

By Mary Frederiksen On a recent trip to Newport Beach, California, we happened on a wonderful dining spot on Balboa Island. We had done some research prior to our trip and were intrigued by a highly rated restaurant named BASILIC. This intimate… Read more

San Antonio Winery: A Hidden Gem in Downtown Los Angeles

Apr 20, 2013 | Discuss

By Glen Frederiksen The greater Los Angeles area, also called “the Southland,” is the second largest major metropolitan area in the United States. Today, it is nothing but houses, businesses, and skyscrapers jammed together in a… Read more

Chateau de Sours: The Sweet Smell (and Taste) of Success

Apr 13, 2013 | Discuss

By Glen Frederiksen Two of the linchpins that have kept French wines, particularly those from Bordeaux, at the top of the wine world pyramid for the past two centuries are the unbending quality of the wines produced, and the adherence to… Read more

Fans of Fortified Wine Should Get to Know Blandy’s

Mar 26, 2013 | Discuss

By Glen Frederiksen Quick now: Name the three most common fortified wines. For most, it is fairly easy to tick off the top two. Port, whether made in Portugal or in any number of New World appellations, quickly comes to mind. Likewise,… Read more

Mad For Marche Bacchus

Mar 25, 2013 | Discuss

By Mary Frederiksen Last week, Glen and I dined at another top restaurant here in Las Vegas. We feel it is our mission to try as many great restaurants as we can before we become too old to enjoy them. It is a tough assignment, but someone has to… Read more

Long Island Wine Country: Planning Your Trip

Mar 15, 2013 | Discuss

By Bob Johnson Part 5 of a 5-Part Series If this series has motivated you to plan a trip to Long Island wine country, you’ll be happy to learn that numerous resources are available. But before going any further, let me tell you about… Read more

Sparkling Pointe: Long Island’s Destination for Those Seeking Bubbly Bliss

Mar 13, 2013 | Discuss

By Bob Johnson Part 4 of a 5-Part Series Some of the best California sparkling wines I’ve ever tasted were made during the mid-1990s at Roederer Estate, located in the bucolic Anderson Valley of Mendocino County. That makes perfect sense… Read more

Roanoke Vineyards: Benchmark Bottlings from a Long Island Wine Pioneer

Mar 11, 2013 | 1 Comment

By Bob Johnson Part 3 of a 5-Part Series You might say that Richard Pisacano gets around. Now, before you go and get on the phone with Mrs. Pisacano (Soraya), let me explain: Pisacano gets around Long Island — specifically, the North… Read more

Macari Vineyards: Taking a Biodynamic Approach Before It Was Cool

Mar 07, 2013 | Discuss

By Bob Johnson Part 2 of a 5-Part Series We hear a great deal about Biodynamic winegrowing these days. Not every winery goes to the extremes that a Biodynamic approach requires, but almost all wineries now take stewardship of their land very… Read more

Long Island: It’s Not the Variety, But the Style That Counts

Mar 05, 2013 | Discuss

By Bob Johnson Part 1 of a 5-Part Series The first wine variety from Long Island to gain widespread attention was Merlot. More recently, some very well-made bottlings of Cabernet Franc have been turning heads. I found nice renditions of… Read more