THE GRAPE BELT

Truchard Vineyards Are Not To Be Missed

For years I’ve been driving through Los Carneros – that rolling strip of vineyards and farms hugging the bottom of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys – without really understanding what it was I was looking at. Then I spent an afternoon at Truchard Vineyards. Now I get it. Want to learn more? Check out the rest of my review for the American […]

by Tom Riley

Jordan Vineyard And Winery — Take Another Look

Here’s another take on my recent visit to Jordan Vineyard and Winery, just outside of Healdsburg in the heart of Sonoma County. I can’t believe it took me so many years to visit this magical, hidden treasure. Don’t make the same mistake. If you’ve not been, plan to get there soon. If you’ve been there […]

by Tom Riley

Port — Not Just For Roaring Fires On Chilly Nights

When wine lovers think about Port, which isn’t nearly often enough, they imagine something that will thaw them out in the dead of winter. That’s fine, to a point, but Port isn’t just something to enjoy during the dark days of winter. It’s a year-round pleasure. If you’re not so sure about that, check out […]

by Tom Riley

Here’s How You Can Spring Into Great White Wines

I prefer to post only things that I’ve written, but every once in a while you run across a piece of wine writing that needs to be shared. That’s how I feel about Jon Bonné’s piece in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. There are too many of my friends who love to cook but claim that […]

by Tom Riley

So Few Places Like Jordan

If you set out to visit Jordan Vineyard and Winery expecting it to be like some of the other wineries you’ve been to, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Jordan doesn’t have many of the same things that most wineries offer. Jordan doesn’t have crowds. They don’t have guests two and three deep at a […]

by Tom Riley

Geek Of The Week — Assyrtiko

For many wine lovers, this white wine of Greece, principally from the volcanic island of Santorini, is a mainstream varietal, one they’ve been enjoying for years. That’s all well and good, but for the purpose of today’s lesson I’m not interested in those folks. It’s the rest of you who need to listen up. Summertime […]

by Tom Riley

Let’s Go Shopping — Back To The Bargain Aisle

In the coming months I’ll again be beating the drum of “try something new!” Remember, one of the nice things about making attempts to climb out of your wine rut is that you don’t have to go broke doing so. A recent listing in one of my favorite wine mags proves this point convincingly. What […]

by Tom Riley

The End Of The Road

Once we arrived in Nelson, we had only a few days left before it was time to head for home. We had begun to feel the tug of the familiar but were determined to squeeze the last few drops of fun out of our time away. We still had to get over to Marlborough to […]

by Tom Riley

North To Nelson…The Scenic Route

Our original plans called for us to make the one-hour flight from Queenstown in the south to Nelson in the north, but after some “what the hell are we thinking” deliberation, we decided to rent a car and drive. A little bit of research and some chatting with the locals in Q’town convinced us that […]

by Tom Riley

A Mad Dash Through Central Otago

One of our main objectives to visiting New Zealand, apart from enjoying the wild splendor of the south island, was to visit the heart of Central Otago and learn as much as we could in the little time we had. So, I polled some social media connections in the States, Australia, and New Zealand, and […]