A Wine Destination in Temecula – South Coast Winery
South Coast Winery is more than a winery; it’s a wine tasting destination. Boasting 76 luxury villas, and award winning restaurant, luxury spa, 14,000 square feet of conference and meeting space, and 38 acres of surrounding vineyards, South Coast Winery is now on my must see destinations on my next visit to Southern California. The winery has been named the Golden Bear Winery of the Year recipient for 2008 and 2009. South Coast Winery is more than a pretty destination; they produce a diverse selection of wines as well. With 72 wines, from various vintages, on their web site there […]
Folie a Deux A Shared Fantasy of Wine
Folie à Deux, French for shared fantasies; I can think of a few shared fantasies I’d like to have, but they may be a little more than PG-13 for this blog. Folie à Deux is an Oakville California winery focused on creating wines that deliver a memorable shared experience. Many know Folie à Deux from their racier little sister label, Ménage à Trois (lower cost red and white blends). The Folie à Deux label offers varietal focused wines at a good price point. The NectarView 2009 Folie à Deux Chardonnay The Stuff: 100% Chardonnay from Napa Valley vineyards in Oak […]
Nectar Wine Blog Top 10 Wines of 2010
Choosing the best of the best can be a challenge. With wine being so subjective to taste, the food you’re eating, your mood and even lighting, calling something “tops” carries a certain degree of uncertainty. As I looked back at the 168 wines that qualified for this list I began to salivate at the memory of the wines. Thirty of the wines scored 4 and 4+ along the way. Prices ranged from $20 – $120. While I can’t taste all of the wine out there, I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to taste the wines on […]
The Top Value Wines From 2010
These days everyone is looking for a value. $15 is the new $25 when it comes to wine prices. Finding quality wines at $15 and under can be little bit of a challenge. Never fear, I have tackled the often unenviable task of sipping through some swill to present 10 wines worthy of showcase. My top 10 list for 2010 contains several local favorites and a few nationally distributed stars as well. As I looked back through the reviews I discovered that 105 wines competed for these 10 spots. The white wines stood taller than the reds and Washington was […]
TV Dinners and Fine Wine Swanson Has You Covered
Turkey dinner with cranberry sauce and apple pie; the traditional Swanson TV dinner. Since 1953 Swanson has been synonymous with bachelor living, working families and modern convenience. In 1985 the Swanson family purchased 100 acres between Silver Oak and Opus One. W Clarke Swanson planted Merlot in the heart of Cabernet country, CA and that gamble paid off. Swanson built a reputation with quality Merlot and now expands that production to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and a few red blends. While Swanson TV dinners have become equated with microwaves and convenience, the wines have proven themselves […]