Last night I participated in a live event at ToutSuite Social Club in Napa called Montelena Live: 2011 Ain’t So Bad. The name is ironic, as the 2011s from Chateau Montelena are nothing short of spectacular. As Bo Barrett and winemaker Cameron Parry explained, the goal at Montelena is to stay as true as possible to the […]
Tag: Napa
The Move To Napa: Chatting with Elizabeth Smith on Blog Talk Radio
On February 22, 2014, I had the pleasure of chatting with The Iowa Wino, Dan Goderis, on Blog Talk Radio about my journey to Napa. You can also catch up with Dan on Twitter. I hope that you will listen and remember that you can have anything you want, as long as you have the […]
What I know after four weeks in Napa
Part of me feels like I should apologize to you, my readers, for my absence from writing. The other part of me is still trying to realize that my life in Napa is real! I still can’t believe I live here. I am also still adapting to a new time zone and a new life […]
Napa, here I come!
No, it’s not a just a trip, but it’s a brand new life for me! Taking off the end of 2013 really allowed me to relax and open my heart and mind. When my part-time wine business employment ended, I didn’t panic, but just decided to breathe. I reached out to my wine and travel […]
Jaffe Estate Transformation and Metamorphosis
Recently I wrote about Jaffe Estate and participated in the fourth annual #CabernetDay with the 2007 Metamorphosis, Jaffe Estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon. I posted a review of the Metamorphosis as part of a fun, collaborative, he said, she said post with one of my favorite up-and-coming wine bloggers, Uncorked Remarks, so get over there and check […]
Being thankful in spite of adversity: saying goodbye to 2012
I really thought 2012 was going to be my year. However, beginning in the summer, life began to change for the worse. I had a few health scares and issues. I had to move suddenly due to leak and mold issues in the place I had lived for 16 years. Out of the blue, my partner walked […]
The heart and soul of MTGA Wines: winemaker Mike Anderson in his own words
I was born and raised in the Napa Valley after my parents and grandparents had moved to St. Helena to get into the wine industry in the early 1980s. It was a fantastic place to grow up, but as with many small towns, it became far too small after 18 years, so it was time […]
This is NOT White Zinfandel: 2011 Passaggio Rose Colored Glasses Rosé
My friend Cynthia Cosco, winemaker at Passaggio Wines, has done it again. She’s taken a unique blend of grapes, used stainless steel fermentation, and created a wonderful and different Rosé. The blend is 82% Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, 18% Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, but the 2011 Passaggio Rose Colored Glasses ($17) is NOT white Zinfandel. I […]
2nd Annual Cabernet Day with Caymus Cabernet
Yesterday, September 1, 2011, was the 2nd Annual Cabernet Day, a day where Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc lovers celebrate Cabernet at gatherings and virtually around the world. For the second year, I was sent a sample of the 2009 Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (last year I tasted the 2008 Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, […]
