California

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CHEFS AND OTHER WINE PROFESSIONALS REVEAL THEIR FAVORITE PAIRINGS Locating wineries that offer wine and food pairings, especially in their tasting rooms, is not easy. But when you light on such an establishment, you are in for a treat. My first such discovery was when I was casually wine tasting with a friend a few years ago and stumbled on J Winery.

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Of the grape varieties traditionally grown in France’s Rhone Valley, most American wine drinkers know only a few. But some of the lesser known Rhone varietals are beginning to get deserved attention from a number of California’s most interesting wineries.

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Dry rosé wine has long been appreciated in Europe, especially the south of France. Rosés from the Rhone Valley and elsewhere in Provence have been highly regarded for generations. These rosés are popular with the local cuisine (think garlic, tomato, fish, shellfish, poultry, game, dry sausages, olives, fresh vegetables, basil, etc.), especially during the summer months when a chilled glass is particularly refreshing.

A couple years ago as I was starting my own small lot winery in the neighborhood, I heard excited rumblings about a new San Francisco based festival called Pinot Days. It sounded like one of the many small quaint shows typical of Northern California, featuring some local wines, a little food, and attended by casual wine fans; the type of show I might attend if I happened to find myself in the area.

Sandy beaches cradle the vast Pacific Ocean on the Mendocino coastline; towering redwoods carpet the forests of Mendocino County’s state parks; in the winter, whales can be seen peeking up from the vast ocean waters, and everywhere you turn there’s a charming little town filled with cafés and curio shops. For visitors to Mendocino County, there’s no shortage of adventures to be had. With all of the activities Mendocino has to offer, it’s easy to forget that it’s also a thriving wine region. But if you skipped out on wine tasting while visiting the area, you’d be missing some of California’s finest and most diverse wines.

After driving for nearly four hours from San Francisco through winding roads and coastal highways, I pull into the long dirt driveway at Pacific Star Winery . Dust flies up from my car as I maneuver my way down toward the mid-sized redwood and stone winery overlooking the powerful Pacific Ocean. A pot-bellied beagle snoozes at the entrance to the winery while a calico cat mews loudly at me as I enter the tasting area. At the wine bar, a vivacious woman with long curly blonde hair entertains two guests from New York with tales of what’s inside their wine glasses .

Napa Merlot 2009 89 D/H 2008 93 D/H 2007 96 D/H 2006 92 D/H 2005 93 D/H 2004 91 D/H 2003 90 D/H 2002 96 D/H 2001 97 D/H 2000 86 D 1999 90 D 1998 82 D 1997 96 D 1996 94 D 1995 95 D 1994 98 D 1993 93 D 1992 93 D 1991 98 D 1990 92 D 1989 74 D Vintage Charts should be used for a generalized guide in...

Napa Chardonnay 2009 89 D 2008 95 D/H 2007 93 D/H 2006 88 D 2005 90 D 2004 90 D 2003 88 D 2002 92 D 2001 92 D 2000 88 D 1999 89 D 1998 85 D 1997 91 D 1996 90 D 1995 90 D 1994 94 D 1993 90 D 1992 92 D 1991 94 D 1990 90 D Vintage Charts should be used for a generalized guide in lieu of specific...

Update: IntoWine has partnered with the California Wine Club to offer you great deals on Aged Cabernet Sauvignon...