Behind the Scenes

Stay tuned for a hilarious Sarah Palin/Palin Syrah video, in time for election day.

Body, body, rock that body

I was watching Everybody Loves Raymond last night - and just about giggled out loud when one of that characters lamented their lack of motivation to work out after they've been drinking wine. Another character said "I love my body when I've been drinking wine. I feel good."

I came across this article about lack of health benefits associated with drinking wine and supposed reduced brain size. And if you do a google search there are articles and research data to support both the benefits and drawbacks of drinking red wine.

In this month's Bon Appetit there is an article explaining the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, focused mostly on consuming Olive Oil. By the way, the Med Diet also touts red wine as a health benefit.

Somewhere, always there is someone telling us not to do this or that or that that or THAT!

Hot Baths - NO!
Meat - NO!
Fats - NO!
Sugar - NO!
Carbs - NO!

In the end, I'm just going to make my way as best I can in this lovely world and do everything in moderation. So pass the steak, the red wine and daaaaahling, draw me a hot bath. Life is just too short to always be worrried and fretting.

Enjoy your Weekends:)

mix'n'match

The Washington Post commented on the practice of mixing grape varietals together to create unique blends

Who doesn't love a serene Viognier/Syrah/Zinfandel blend, right?

Back on earth where we speak a more commonly lay version of language -- I want to know what unusual pairings are popular?

Personally, I love this with this:




I learned how to make it as a young girl, living in Spain. Sacriligious, sure. Tasty, sure sure. Perfect AM wine beverage? Absolutely? Probably going to get me in trouble with wine snobs everywhere, probably.

How to make Kalimoxo.
(see, now don't say I never taught you anything!)

Legacy of Martini

Do you know your family significance and history?





Three wineries in Napa in the 1930's: Beaulieu, Inglenook and Martini all began illustrious post-prohibition journeys. Today the Napa Register is celebrating the life and times of Louis Martini.

As times change and as time passes, new pioneers become important and interesting (Santa Barbara Syrah, anyone?). But it is always important to reflect and look back at once was -

Is wine worth losing a limb for?

So often I hear of winemakers waxing poetically about the grandiosity of the grapes, vineyard techniques, sturdiness of a their swiss bottling line or the purity of a cooper's barrel from a special forest in a special micro-climate.

And it is possible to get swept up in the headiness of dreams and ambition. Causing one to forgo safety in the name of product.

Our hearts go out to this man.
And at the same time, our hearts ask ...
Have you ever forgotten to protect yourself in the name of inspiration?

traveling the world, one bottle at a time

Key Syrah Locations 

• France: Northern Rhône Valley
• California: Central Coast, Napa Valley,
Sonoma County
• Washington: Walla Walla, Columbia Valley
• Australia: Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Heathcote,
McLaren Vale

Whats your favorite region to drink?

Well, what do YOU call it?

Syrah Pseudonyms 

Shiraz, Schiras, Sirac, Syra, Syrac, Sirah, Hignin Noir, Candive, Entournerein, Antourenein, Serene, Serenne, Serine, Marsanne Noir and Balsamina. 

No matter what you call it, it always looks just about the same. Glorious, plump, juicy, inky, dusty and fragrant. It's harvest time, the fruit is coming in and staining hands a glorious fuschia color.

Artful arrangements of naked stems are appearing all over the cellar floor and crush pad.

It's almost too tough to sweep them up into the trash.

Everything associated with SyrahShirazSchirasSiracSyraSyracSirahHignin NoirCandiveEntournereinAntoureneinSereneSerenneSerineMarsanneNoirandBalsamina is beautiful.