Paul Hobbs Wine Dinner

Meritage Resort Wine Cave Dinner ... “You got to be in shape if you’re going to be a food and wine writer.” A squawk of laughter from Napa’s Meritage Resort’s Marketing Director Andrew Bradley, catching my humor and irony, as I climbed the final steps to the reception  for their Paul Hobbs Winery dinner.  And [...]

By | July 24th, 2017|Napa Stays, Napa Wineries|Comments Off on Paul Hobbs Wine Dinner

Taste of Napa – Festival Napa Valley

Wine, Beer, Food, Music ... Had me some kicks at the Taste of Napa tasting this last Sat afternoon. Hot as hell. Hate wearing a hat, but donned a SF Giants ball cap to protect my bald spot. One of the joys of getting older, losing your hair. Ha Ha!!! There were some excellent wines [...]

By | July 17th, 2017|Napa Eateries, Napa Wineries, Play in Napa|Comments Off on Taste of Napa – Festival Napa Valley

Taste of Howell Mountain

Out and about... To the Charles Krug Winery we go for the Taste of Howell Mountain event where 50 wineries were sampling their wares on beautiful grounds. While there was an ocean of good Cabs to be sampled the Insider found himself returning to the W.H. Smith tasting table for their 2012 Solo Howell Mountain [...]

By | June 21st, 2017|Napa Wineries|Comments Off on Taste of Howell Mountain

Taste of Howell Mountain

To the Charles Krug Winery we go for the Taste of Howell Mountain event where 50 wineries were sampling their wares on beautiful grounds. While there was an ocean of good Cabs to be sampled the Insider found himself returning to the W.H. Smith tasting table for their 2012 Solo Howell Mountain wine which is [...]

By | June 21st, 2017|Napa Wineries|Comments Off on Taste of Howell Mountain

Tenth Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival

Notes from the 10th Pebble Beach Food and Wine Fest... Thurs night was a total blast with great food snacks and awesome after party where the booze was flowing like water... Friday afternoon, a return to The Inn at Spanish Bay, where gorgeous fairways and greens line right up with the Pacific Ocean… so gorgeous, [...]

By | April 26th, 2017|David's Travels, Napa Wineries, Sonoma Wineries|Comments Off on Tenth Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival

CIA Copia Center

History of Napa in 8 Glasses .... To the CIA’s Copia Lecture hall where one of their beverage instructors, Traci Dutton, leads a lecture on the history of Napa in eight glasses. In her opening remarks Dutton said that half of the world’s soils are present in the Napa/Sonoma valleys, which is why there is [...]

By | April 20th, 2017|Napa Wineries|Comments Off on CIA Copia Center

Pebble Beach Festival

Extravaganza's Engaging Co-founder.... It was a kick to converse with David Bernahl, Monterey’s Restaurant 1833 owner and co-founder of the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival which is coming up on its 10th anniversary next week.  David was bubbling over with the enthusiasm about food and wine that I try to bring to the Insider. [...]

By | April 16th, 2017|David's Travels, Napa Wineries, Sonoma Wineries|1 Comment

Pebble Beach Sommelier

A Fine Wine Lounge .... With the 10th anniversary of the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival coming up next week, the Insider thought it’d be cool to check in with sommelier Jeffrey Birkemeier of the Stave Wine Lounge at the Inn of Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach. Last night’s dinner? Nice rack of lamb [...]

By | April 12th, 2017|David's Travels, Napa Wineries, Sonoma Wineries|Comments Off on Pebble Beach Sommelier