Bouchaine Vineyards is the southernmost winery in the Napa Valley, and the oldest continuously operating winery in the district of Carneros beginning with Johnny Garetto who established a commercial winery here in 1929.  But grapevines were planted at this location long before then by a pioneer going by the colorful name of Boon Fly.  He was a major landholder and farmer from the 1850′s who eventually converted his orchards to vineyards.  His name is immortalized on local landmarks such as Fly Bay and Boon Fly’s Hill, not to mention the Boon Fly Cafe at Carneros Inn.   …

Winemaker Emilio Rodriguez of Terras Gauda in Rias Baixas

High expression, or “alta expresion” is a termed used in Rioja for new wave red Rioja, but in the northwest of Spain, winemaker Emilio Rodriguez of Bodegas Terras Gauda seeks ultimate expression of the heirloom whites of Rias Baixas and reds of Bierzo. Combine his wines with the tapas of Gerald Hirigoyen’s Bocadillos Restaurant, and one experiences the authentic flavors of Spain the way they are meant to be.
Rias Baixas is the only exclusively white wine appellation in Spain located in the northwest region …

There are only a few people in the U.S. wine industry for whom, if you mentioned their first name, everyone would know exactly who you were speaking of.  Zelma Long’s lifetime achievements would overwhelm anyone, but for Zelma, its just been a matter of intense curiosity, high standards and focus.  I caught up with her earlier this week to chat over scones at Jimtown Cafe in Alexander Valley.
Zelma was one of the first women to receive a Masters Degree from UC Davis and went on to become head winemaker at Robert Mondavi and Simi Winery during the 1970′s …

There are scores of white varietals from around the world for Americans to discover, but in a restaurant or for a crowd, sauvignon blanc is usually the go-to wine that seems to please everyone.  It is a classic grape variety that has distinct characteristics such as citrus flavors and crisp acidity, but each wine’s personality will be influenced by regional climate, winemaking technique or blending (such as with semillon in Bordeaux). 
This week I’ve been tasting Chilean sauvignon blancs in the $10-13 range that are fresh and fruity wines ideal for everyday enjoyment.  In Chile, the most notable …

At this point, everyone seems to know about the high quality and value proposition of Argentine wines.  Exports of bottled Argentine wines increased 10% by value and 8% by volume from 2008 to 2009, with exports to the US growing 30% and 32%  respectively.  Stats for the first four months of 2010 show no abatement.  This is no small feat given that exports of wine from most major wine regions declined by value during this economically-challenging time.  The US is by far Argentina’s largest export market with a  39% market share by value at …