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Making the transition to drinking wine, particularly good wine, can be an intimidating undertaking for many potential wine enthusiasts. Whether stranded in Box Wine Country or an enlightened beer drinker looking to expand to new horizons, the culture surrounding fine wine can be off putting to newcomers who are unfamiliar with the proper customs and traditions of wine tasting. The often lofty price of fine wine has bred a stigma of snobbery around wine connoisseurs, when in reality, enjoying a good glass of wine can bring people together. In order to enjoy wine culture, or even host your own wine tasting event, there is no need to overextend your pocket book, selecting only the top shelf bottles. Wine tasting is about community, not exclusivity. Here are a few helpful tips and reminders to blend in with the wine tasting veterans.

1. Enjoy, but don’t over enjoy Wine tasting is about sampling, not chugging. If you enter a wine tasting with the sole intention of getting as drunk as possible, perhaps a kegger would be a more suitable venue. Not only is it considered rude to be overly intoxicated, overindulging yourself means less wine for other guests. Read the rest of this entry »

Though not an actual nation state, with central government, defending armies and a working class dedicated to nothing other than producing the best wine possible, wine country exists figuratively as the worldwide hub for wine-growing. Located in the northern region of California, wine making has been documented as a popular hobby and occupation in these parts dating back to the mid 1800′s. Agoston Haraszthy, a Hungarian-American traveling writer and pioneer, is generally credited as the “Father of Winemaking in California,” which by default makes him more or less the father of American winemaking. Born in what is now Budapest to a Hungarian noble family, Haraszthy bought a small vineyard when he first relocated to the Sonoma area, approximately 50 miles north of San Francisco, he purchased a small vineyard, which he christened “Buena Vista,” likely referring to the pleasant view. He soon expanded his winery, eventually spanning more than 5,000 acres, instituting many techniques that were common practice in Europe, but still new to the United States. When he published a 19-page paper entitled “Report on Grapes and Wine in California” in 1858, he helped to establish himself as the premiere wine making guru in the area, giving helpful guidance and advice for those hoping to plant their own vineyards, and encouraging local Californians to grow their own grapevines. Read the rest of this entry »

1. 2009 Eberle Estate Chardonnay, price: 19 Hailing from the hills of Paso Robles, CA, this bottle of wine offers a prevailingly citrus taste, with noticeable, but not overwhelming, fruit flavors including pineapple, pear and green apple combined with a trace if light toasted oak. Though this glass can certainly be enjoyed on its own, the crisp refreshing taste makes it a great summer wine, ideally paired with a variety of seafood, including scallops, oysters and salmon or just a simple summer salad. The Eberle Estate is versatile enough to hold up next to even a simple guacamole or cheese and cracker appetizer as well. Read the rest of this entry »

1. Rancho Zabaco 2006 Dancing Bull Zinfandel, price: 10 Layered with spicy black pepper, fruit flovors and vanilla, this bottle offers an all over the place experience that hits every part of the palate. After all, you can’t expect a dancing bull to stay contained in just one spot. Among its distinct fruit tastes, blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and strawberry are all clearly discernable. It’s unique life-giving zest can bring out the best of almost any heavy dinner entre, though this bottle is perhaps best paired with intense meats and rich sauce pastas, to better hold up against the Dancing Bulls inimitable taste. It has been said to be a particularly nice complement to barbecue flavored dishes. Read the rest of this entry »

Taking home 14 spots in Wine Spectator‘s 2009 list of the Top 100 Wines, an annual tradition by the highly regarded magazine, the Columbia Crest Winery has firmly established its position as one of the premiere wine producers in the United States, perhaps even worldwide. If capturing 14 of the top 100 wasn’t enough to impress the top wine connoisseurs of the world, Columbia Crest put an exclamation point on its year by registering the top rated wine on the list, its Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Reserve 2005. Read the rest of this entry »