PalateXposure

Rediscovering the Old and Finding the New I have been looking forward to this event for weeks. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been my lifetime companion (in fact, some days I think we are married).   However, I have frequently struggled with the quality of other varieties crafted by the very same wineries that produce outstanding Sauvignon Blanc. It was an interesting tasting that offered a “pour your own wine” format, where we all got to walk around a perimeter of tables laden with an … [Read more...]

WIZARD OF OZ rules the Day! Or Oscar Post-view of Emerald City named Napa I can only describe the following events as a transformative experience; the kind when one quietly pinches oneself as if to remind themselves that they are still residing in the real world, a fleeting yet immensely impactful joy ride like no other... a moment that feels more like a movie set than real life. Premiere Napa Valley is a fairy tale event; the sort that stays with you for a lifetime. Memories are made, friendships … [Read more...]

“There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder”  - Ronald Reagan A WHOPPER OF A DAY Today was a big day. No, not due to Super Bowl, sorry sports fans, (in fact I would go as far as say big "f...ing" day as our fierce leader of a VP once so poignantly stated.) Today is President Ronald Reagan's 100th Birthday. As I was retrieving a birthday cake in his honor from Whole Foods bakery, I inadvertently caused much angst … [Read more...]

I first met Timothy Milos at a tasting held at the Bentley Reserve in San Francisco, where I was first introduced to his lovely wines and warm presence. Curiously, Timothy’s last name literally means “nice” or “endearing” in Slavic, so perhaps it is not surprising that his persona matches his name. In any event, it was a very enjoyable encounter. I instantly knew that I needed to learn more about this engaging winemaker. I later caught up with Milos at a Hess hosted Mt. Veeder appellational … [Read more...]

Part I A few months ago, at a Cabernet tasting at Bentley Reserve, I was struck by a wine which gave me a pause, it was the sort of wine one hopes to find and when one does, they just can’t believe their good fortune. The wine spoke to me in ways that made the room quiet and my senses dance. Whenever I experience these types of sensory transformations, I instinctively know that it is a special treat. This head-turning wine was offered by an attractive, thoughtful woman that looked more … [Read more...]