When I flew earlier this week I was one of the 15 Business Select Passengers on my flight–ooo la la. Getting to be at the front of the boarding line for "cattle-call" air is always nice; I appreciate the opportunity to pop my bag into the overhead bin before the general pushing and shoving begins and of course…
If you drink cheap white wine blends out of the jug or box; you've probably had Chenin Blanc. It has been a classic workhorse blending grape grown throughout the San Joaquin Valley of California for decades. It provides the acidic backbone that blending partners like French Columbard and Chardonnay typically lack. Think 1970s Gallo and Paul…
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are the perfect opportunities to enjoy a sparkling wine cocktail. To that end, I was asked to join News 10 in Sacramento on Sunday morning for a spot on these tasty concoctions. Tune in during the 8:00am hour where I'll share 3 recipes using Prosecco, and 1 using…
Tonight required a satisfying glass of red wine. You might be thinking the cause is the holidays; too much hustle, too much bustle. That is not the impetus for this sipping session. Tonight let's blame…the rats. (NOTE TO KATIE: Don't be grossed out-rats are not discussed for long!). There has been a rather robust rodent running amok…
If you've ever maintained a blog, you know how it feels to be writing for the blogosphere. If you haven't, suffice it to say, it can be a tad difficult to motivate oneself to get a blog entry out there. You don't really know whether you (a) have readers, and if you do, (b) have…
Tonight is night 2 on a bottle of 2008, Lodi OVZ from Oakridge Winery. I think I picked this up for about $17 at Compton's Market in Sacramento. Aromas of blackberry, bacon and a hint of coco. I love the saturated ruby color and the touch of toasted oak, vanilla and hickory smoke on the…
Wine—it's what I do. When I'm not writing , blogging,or tweeting about it, I'm creating Facebook trivia quizzes, watching video lectures and drinking the stuff—all while managing a family and all that entails. When I get a free moment, I try to study and read on the subject. As a result, earlier this month I thought, "what the heck" and signed up to…
Valentine's Day is Tuesday–Pick up a bottle of La Marca Prosecco, a light and fruity sparkling wine out of Italy. I remember it receiving a 91 or 92 WS rating; it is a perfect match for your V-day apps and sweets! I can usually find it in Sac at Corti's or Selland's and I see…
Blackberries, vanilla, raisins, and toasted oak… those are the aromas and flavors you may find in the 2007 Clesi Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles. Tonight I found this wine to be acidic up front, with a medium tannic sensation. The tannins ultimately faded, leaving a watery and woodsy feel lingering in my mouth. For fans of California fruit-bomb cabernets, you…
After winning a very intense tennis match last night, my partner, Susan and I met up with two other tennis buddies for a celebratory wine drinking spree. We deserved to celebrate! We were down 0-6 in the first set…..yet ended up with the match win. Our friends were celebrating their own win as well. I…
Susan Brown Uncorked 