winery - vineyard

You've probably had sparkling wine from California, prosecco from Italy, and maybe even authentic Champagne from France... but did you know some of the world's best sparkling wine comes from just across the channel in England? I didn't either till the folks at Nyetimber sent me a bottle to try recently. Not only was it absolutely phenomenal but I'm absolutely in love with the heritage and story since it is unlike anything I've encountered before.

For more than a year know, the world has been forced to adapt to an ever-changing series of lockdowns, guidelines, and disruptions to our daily life in the name of public safety. This article isn't to say what's right or wrong, only to support an industry that has given me so much personal enjoyment and an opportunity to learn, explore, and travel over the past decade. In California, wineries were lucky to have been able to re-open even while bars, breweries, and distilleries weren't - unless they were serving food. For the most part, California wineries were able to escape the worst restrictions by offering outdoor tastings with a few modifications. Unfortunately, with the most recent lockdown orders, wineries were as lucky. Thankfully, winemakers and vineyard owners are among some of the most innovative and creative people that I know and have already begun to introduce innovative ways to maintain their businesses through virtual tastings, interactive video streams, engaging with influencers, and leveraging the support of their wine club members. To help support them further, we've compiled a list of 50 wineries in California and what they are doing to adapt and what you can do individually to help them during this challenging time.

Napa has a reputation for being snooty and unapproachable but there are some gems that manage to produce exceptional wines while maintaining that approachable atmosphere that makes winemaking special. Wine is a luxury good and to some, that means it has to be something only accessible to the "right people" with the "right pallets". What I enjoy about the folks at Kenefick Ranch is that they are different and that's why I was excited to try Chris's Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon and share the experience with you guys.

Tolosa Winery, located in San Luis Obispo's Edna Valley manages to match beautiful landscapes and a gorgeous tasting garden with some of Central Coast California's best wines.

Members of the Millennial Generation tend to be more likely to get into craft beer than into great wines, which is a shame because many of them do not know what they are missing out on. Besides producing great beer, focused marketing is something that American craft breweries are really good at, and it is a business aspect that the wine industry should improve upon in order to invite younger aficionados.

Whenever you think about California winemakers, it is natural for your mind to gravitate towards established growing regions such as Sonoma and the Napa Valley; after all, these are places where vineyards routinely earn awards and widespread recognition. The truth about the Golden State is that it is blessed with numerous American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) beyond Napa and Sonoma, and one of the most overlooked is Lodi in the Central Valley.

By now, most of us have been hiding inside and stress is building up. While some of us are simply "done with" COVID, others are still being cautious. Heather and I fall into that later group but I've found a secret place about 90 minutes outside of downtown San Diego that is exactly what we needed for our mental health. We discovered Volcan Mountain last fall, before all this happened - but now, the winery has an even more special place in our hearts.

Columbia Crest winery has been in operation for just over 30 years and in that time it has helped transform the Columbia River area of Washington State into one of the top wine producers in the world. It's a little strange maybe that when you think of the West Coast and wine, it's typically California and specifically Napa, Sonoma, or even Santa Barbara area. No one told these guys though, but through scientific research winemakers here discovered that the soils and environmental conditions had world class potential.