During these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, winery doors were abruptly shut to the public. There has been a scramble to revisit – or reinvent – one’s approach to public relations, marketing, and communications, in order to stand out among the crowd of wineries clamoring for sales, especially direct-to-consumer. Partnering with a public relations […]
Tag: wineries
Harvest Moon Winery: Punk Rock and Cool Zin by Joe Campbell
On a cold autumn evening smack dab in the middle of harvest in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, California, you will find Randy Pitts crushing grapes and rocking out to old-school, punk rock legends like Pennywise and NOFX. “Music motivates us. It inspires us with the little notes that dance around in our head […]
Wines for the 2019 Holidays and Beyond
As the weather and seasons change, as well as during the holidays, consumers often seize the opportunity to enjoy what wine experts sometimes feature as holiday or seasonal wines. However, I am of the belief that wines do not have to be seasonal in nature. I enjoy food-friendly, versatile wines that are appropriate for all […]
Leoni Farms: Winemaker Jon by Joe Campbell
Leoni Farms: Winemaker Jon by Joe Campbell (no relation to Jon) On many a weekend in the lovely small town of Sutter Creek, California, on Main Street, visitors will walk by the tasting room of Leoni Farms and hear the hearty laugh of Jon Campbell holding court. Conversations will range from television episode recaps of […]
plēb urban winery
I have visited plēb urban winery in Asheville, North Carolina, three times over the course of the past five months: October 2018, November 2018, and January 2019. I am planning another visit this month, February 2019, so make that four visits. This may qualify me as a plēbeian and that is OK. I am delighted to […]
Beth’s Smart Sip: 2014 Highlands Winery Zinfandel
My passion for zinfandel made the way it ought to be was reignited when I tasted this sample from Oakville’s Highlands Winery. It is not often that I use the word lovely and elegant when describing a zinfandel, but this is just that. Black cherry fruit and mouthwatering acidity lead into a subtle peppery finish. Structured, […]
Biltmore Winery: A Model of Quality and Hospitality
Biltmore has been synonymous with quality and hospitality since the estate’s inception in 1895, with its French Renaissance-style château designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted of New York’s Central Park fame. Today, Biltmore continues as a family-owned, self-sustaining 8000-acre estate and world-class destination, with hotels, restaurants, shopping, a plethora […]
Brunch with Friends: Sparkling Wines and Healthy Food Choices for All Budgets
For many, brunch is the earliest meal of the day when alcoholic beverages are deemed socially acceptable. It often conjures up images of Mimosas and Bloody Marys and calorie-laden breakfast and lunch foods, because after all, brunch is two meals rolled into one. People who brunch usually have limitless finances to spend on this leisurely […]
Celebrating #VAWineChat 50 and Founder Frank Morgan
Those of you who have been following my writing for the past seven years know that I am relatively new to the wine industry and wine writing world. My first “wine moment” was in 2008. A couple of years later, I visited my first Virginia winery, and in 2011, I attended my first Wine Bloggers […]
Greenwood Ridge Vineyards
On the drive to the kickoff event at Greenwood Ridge Vineyards for my inaugural Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association Aromatic White Wine Festival, I was nervous. It was billed as a winemakers’ media dinner and was not sure what the dress code was. I finally decided to dress neatly, but also casually and warmly, because it […]
