Nose, the smell and essence of a wine. Palate, the flavors and taste of a wine. Discover more of wines' heady mixtures.

Join me at
California Wine Jaunt
as I feature wineries in the
California Bay Area & beyond, and share as I go.
Here you'll find writings on local wineries and tasting rooms
with a few field trips sprinkled in.

For the latest winery & tasting room visits...

Guglielmo Winery, Morgan Hill

In its 4th generation of family winemaking,
the 1920s winery offers Old World charm
in the Silicon Valley...for more

on the town...wine news

"Integrity wines, the Watsonville based winery celebrates a
new milestone this winter with the release of their
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains"...more

3 Wineries to Add to Your List

If you're tired of visiting wineries
that are overcrowded and overpriced,
it may be time to seek out a new wine region... more

Nicholson Vineyards, Corralitos

From apple country to wine country,
my childhood stomping grounds
is growing up ...more

Jewel Like Liquid

The WIN Expo shows how California
winemakers improve your wines.
Take a tour! ...more

Monterey County Just Got a Label Upgrade

New to 2019. Wines from an AVA entirely within Monterey Co. Will have “Monterey County” on the label. Congrats!
To read about Pierce wines in Monterey...more

4 Chardonnays. A Side by Side Tasting.

 Chardonnay is the grand dame of white wines.
Read on to see how these Santa Cruz Mountain wines
are a crowd pleaser & food friendly....more

Holiday Pairings: Cheese, Wine, & Chocolate

From Brie & Champagne, to Merlot & Chocolate Cake.
Have your cake (and wine & cheese) and eat it too.
It's time to be adventurous!...more

Road Trip to a Land of Many Wines

33 hours of driving, one fire grilled steak, and a road trip
led me to a new wine region...more

Shadow Ranch Vineyard, Somerset

The juxtaposition of the stacked barrels reaching up to the chandeliers was a successful contrast in décor...more

Blended: a Winemaker's Studio, Gilroy

Here, it's all about the wine and the hospitality. One tasting room hosts wines from three very different, but very  passionate, winemakers...more

Force Majeure, Walla Walla, WA

With aim, the McBrides are striving to put the wine region on the minds and palates
of wine fans around the globe...more

Bay Area wineries & tasting rooms...

Santa Cruz Wineries

...tasting rooms from the Pacific coast
to the redwoods

Santa Clara Wineries

...wines from the Silicon Valley &
bucolic countryside

Monterey & Carmel Wineries

...vineyards in the valley floor & dotting the coast

Wine tasting tips...

Wine lingo
...a little wine tasting vocab

Nose & Palate

...scents and flavors for your next tasting

Tasting 101

...tips for your next wine jaunt