Taste of Wine
Italian wines have had a checkered life in the U.S.
Italian wines have had a checkered life here in the U.S. For a time, led by Chianti with its Sangiovese, the grape of origin in Tuscany, it seemed it was on every table either California grown and bottled, or brought over by an army of Italian makers, who sensed they could fill the jugs with [...]
Milagro Farm worth the backcountry trip up the hill
San Diego County is a late-bloomer in the booming California wine industry. Maybe it’s because in my home area, we have been so busy building homes and commercial properties, that we forgot our roots — growing and producing wine like the first missionaries in the 16th century.When the Franciscan fathers were sent north and settled [...]
Understanding wine labels is like learning another language
Federal regulators are eyeing the maze of wine label information on bottles of wine. I have before me five bottles of wine: a French, Italian, Australian and two California wines, one in Monterey and one in Temecula Valley. They couldn’t be more different in their presentations of information presumably to help buyers in making their [...]
Twisted Vine makes a fine comfort hangout for ‘grapeheads’
The latest creation to attract the burgeoning population of “grapeheads” who love chef-inspired cuisine paired with wines from all over the world, is bistro-wine bar Twisted Vine off the 56 Freeway at Camino Del Sur in San Diego. Twisted Vine at once offers nutritious global-inspired menu items by Executive Chef Mia Sailing, the fifth-generation Italian wine [...]
Follow the De Portola Trail to find some vine pleasures
There is a growing family of wineries in the Temecula Valley along De Portola Road. All put down roots less than 10 years ago and all are committed to small production, high-quality wines with a southern European character. The De Portola Trail runs south and generally parallel to the larger and busier Rancho California Road. [...]
Dolce Pane E Vino offers an old-world atmosphere
Tucked away in a small shopping center in Rancho Santa Fe, Dolce Pane E Vino has this pixie-like atmosphere to it, to the point that I am always looking for Alice in Wonderland to sit next to me in the bar, ordering up one of those fabulous wines that are racked up throughout the wine [...]
