When I think of Africa, cool mists settling on the skins of grapes doesn’t exactly enter the picture. I see frickin’ hellish heat and arid plains, and I figure if a grape were introduced to this place, it would immediately be condemned to raisin hell. But this picture is all

In the movies, the debonair leading man pulls a bon mot out of the air with a wide grin, demonstrating his good breeding and social grace. The girls swoon as his words hang in the air. But one need not be Humphrey Bogart to deliver a festive toast.

It seems like everybody and their brother has a birthday in August. Do orgies happen during the holidays, yielding happy bundles nine months later? I counted 12 festive occasions in August amongst my friends and family, requiring enough gifts to further drain my dwindling money market. But when cash ... Read More »

Pinots (pronounced PEE -no) are beautiful things — big ones, small ones and nice, smooth round ones. They are long on flavor — fruity, dusty and even smoky — and I haven’t met many I didn’t like. The families’ wide variety of flavors, from Blanc to Noir (pronounced ... Read More »

Although most Americans are trying to boycott them, the French wine party is still hoppin’. Their braggart Bordeaux and Burgundy wines scream for attention and snooty Champagne rears its ego-filled head often, but the leisurely Loire (L’ WAHR) Valley is the shy wallflower hiding in the ... Read More »

Since Greece has been boozing it up for centuries, California’s wine scene seems infantile in comparison. Still, California wine does have its history. Sonoma Valley, although not quite as steeped in history as Napa, is home to California’s oldest operating winery, Buena Vista, dating ... Read More »

Down the coast from the wine meccas of Sonoma and Napa lies the quiet, burgeoning wine region Santa Barbara County. Known to some as Los Angeles’ weekend retreat for the wealthy, Santa Barbara also bursts with grapes nurtured by its rich soil and perfect climate. Dreamy, luscious Chardonnays, ... Read More »

With summer here, it’s time to rush outside and enjoy life while sprawled out under a tree. Add a soft blanket, a good friend and a bottle of light wine — and you have the ingredients for a picnic. Outdoor movies, concerts and fireworks provide the perfect opportunity to dine

So many good stories deal with humble beginnings. And any good rise-from-the-ashes dramatic account should feature creativity, innovation and a hero. America’s thirsty quest for wine is no exception. Our forefathers spied plump native fruit on a vine and eagerly pressed and fermented it to create ... Read More »

Have you noticed how much better good wine tastes when you’ve paid only pennies for it? To achieve this lofty financial rarity, look no further than Australia, the land of heat and inexpensive, yet incredibly yummy white wines. Australians love them some wine. Their per capita consumption rate ... Read More »

In a hectic world of head-banging schedules, life’s too damn short to worry about wine. It saddens and maddens me that we have to sacrifice the best things in life to save time. And, although trips to the wine shop still reign as a principal pastime for me, I imagine