JCB Tasting Lounge (Courtesy photo)

Best Sparkling Wineries in Sonoma and Napa

Bubbleheads, behold our guide to Sonoma and Napa wineries that specialize in sparkling - and what bubbles you shouldn't miss when you visit.

Five Spring White Wines to Enjoy in Sonoma County

This time of year is a conundrum. We have one muddy shoe in the rainy season, while the other is tap dancing under sun-kissed skies. We don’t dare leave our jackets in the hall closet … or do we? Our palates are just as confused but, in the end, can’t resist the urge to chase […]

2 Guys, 1 Pool Table, & Some Barrels

As a rule, I wince when I hear the words artisanal and Pinot Noir in the same sentence, conjuring as they do the pretension of restaurants that proclaim “house-made” and people who’ve watched the movie Sideways more than once. But exceptions prove rules, and every so often I’m lucky enough to be reminded of the […]

Get her tipsy, feed her chocolate.

I don't know about you, but I'm not above whetting my wife's more carnal appetites with enough wine and chocolate to impair her better judgment. I'm sure that's all very un-PC and certainly, as the father of young daughters, I live in mortal fear of the effects of alcohol on sensibility; but my wife's a big girl, and above all, she knows how I think, so I'm pretty sure our pending Valentine's Date - a savory symphony of handcrafted chocolate and wine at J Winery - will be consensual.