Tag Archives: California

Happy Father’s Day: Wine Recommendation Croad Vineyards Petite Sirah Paso Robles 2012

Posted on June 15, 2017 by waywardwine

Happy Father’s Day!

As a newly minted member of the dad club, it behoves me to recommend a wine to gift those dads out there. You can break the bank, if desired. But if you want him to actually open it on the day without spiraling into guilt-ville: think solid but not over-extravagant, drinkable now, keep it under $100, and if grilling is in this weekend’s plans, think red.

Heck, think this:   Continue reading →

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Celebrity and the Changing Landscape of Wine: Terry Hoage Wine Review

Posted on May 2, 2017 by waywardwine

Celebrity wine.

I have mixed feelings. It seems buying a winery has become salve for a small handful of midlife crises. Owning three Ferraris, an island, and six children just does not cut it anymore. Brangelina, Drew Barrymore, Dan Ackroyd, Dave Matthews, Sam Neill, Coppola, Johnny Depp, and more have dipped their gilt toes into wineries with various success.

And then there are football players: people we imagine crushing six packs of Bud into their foreheads. Yet some -beneath that sweaty, helmeted, shoulder-padded facade- actually drink wine. Mike Ditka, Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino, Charles Woodson, and Terry Hoage own wineries. Continue reading →

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Central California’s First Woman of Wine: Lane Tanner

Posted on February 27, 2017 by waywardwine

Today, we highlight another founding woman in wine (read about Italy last week: here).

Once upon a time, California was fun. Before Napa got too glitzy, land got outrageously expenses, and celebrities and investors bought wineries, there was the Central Coast: an experimental backroad full of talent looking to untapped grape varieties like Syrah, Grenache, and Pinot Noir. Continue reading →

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Wine Review Thacher Mourvedre Paso Robles 2012

Posted on July 14, 2016 by waywardwine

Our Monday recap tour of Paso Robles wineries continues with Thacher Winery. By chance, my beer brewing wife has a soulmate here. Sherman Thacher brewed at Los Gatos for sixteen years. But a switch to wine in 1993, marriage, and kids led to opening his namesake winery in 2004. They bought 54 acres of barley field tucked between hills on Paso’s west end in Adelaida. Aside from barley, pumpkins, and corn they also grow zinfandel and petite sirah (they source the rest). Once done, 3,400 cases make Thacher’s wines a limited commodity. Continue reading →

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Domaine Chandon Winery Review Napa Valley California

Posted on June 6, 2016 by waywardwine

Winding down our eight year anniversary trip to Napa Valley, we start our last day with bubbly for breakfast. Yesterday, Stags’ Leap stained us with their cabs (read here). So we may be a bit biased with fizz in our future.

Our rainy drive South finds Yountville and Chandon’s first vineyard: Continue reading →

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