Oct 9, 2008
For those of you who have ever considered moving to Wine Country, I dare say now is as good as time as any to give it a shot. Recently I’ve been exploring the housing market, particularly in the Sonoma Valley. What’s clear is that the Under $1 Million housing market in this neck of the woods has taken a hit. There exists on the market now homes that represent pretty good values—relative to what they would have cost just 2…
Oct 6, 2008
I’m not much of Handyman or Do-it-Yourselfer. I can mow a lawn like nobody’s business and hammer a nail. But taking a space and creating something in it? Not me. I didn’t get the "spacial" or "engineering" genes. So it’s with great trepidation that I have decided to attack the space you see in this post and create a place to store up to 10-15 cases of wine. However, before I begin and potentially dislodge the house from its foundation,…
Sep 12, 2008
The Feds are proposing to expand the Russian River Valley Appellation by 350 acres to the south, which will include Gallo’s acreage there. Why the hell not! It’s not as thought there is any real viticultural meaning the Russian River Valley AVA. The number of different climates, soils and rainfall totals you can find in this unwieldy appellation are probably too many to count on two hands. As it is currently configured, I don’t believe the Russian River Valley AVA…
Sep 10, 2008
This Story in the Mercury News concerning Livermore Valley confirms what I’ve been hearing from growers across Sonoma County. Namely, that while quality of the 2008 harvest looks very good across many varieties, the quantity is down. In some cases, it’s way down. One winery who buys from a number of vineyards across the county told me that it didn’t matter what vineyard he bought from, he was getting less grapes. In some vineyards where he normally has gotten 3.5…
Sep 8, 2008
A significant responsibility was laid upon my shoulders not too long ago: I’ve been charged with creating an itinerary for a Day in Napa Valley for a very old and very dear friend and her equally dear and loved husband who will again be coming up to see us for a spell. They are BIG wine lovers. We get together regularly and when they have come up from LA to visit, I’ve taken them on tours of Carneros, Russian River…