California Wines

Regular Retail Price: $25.00 The Wine Spies One Day Price: $19.99 Varietal: Grenache Noir Region: California: Mendocino County Volume: 750 ml Alcohol %: 14.4 SUPER QPR ALERT: Today’s wine delivers a drinking experience that goes well above its selling price, earning it this special QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) Alert. In other words, it represent an outstanding value. SECRET SAVINGS ALERT: Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top...Read Full Story

Napa Valley’s First Dog Tasting Room & a New Breed of Wines The Frenchie Winery is the only tasting room designed exclusively for dogs.  In addition, the first two wines in a series bearing the Frenchie label are available for purchase at  the winery http://www.frenchiewinery.com/  and www.wine.com.  Each wine label depicts Frenchie as a unique historical figure, including Louis XIV and Napoleon and, soon, Marie Antoinette. Frenchie, a Dog like No Other The Frenchie Winery is named for a...Read Full Story

After six generations of pressing grapes in California, the Mirassou family has only one son left who owns a wine brand: Steven Mirassou. But he can’t legally use his own name on his bottles, despite the fact that Mirassou’s have been making wine since the mid-1800s, probably longer than any other CA winemaking family. He cannot use the family name because Gallo picked up the Mirassou brand in 2003. David Mirassou now represents that brand for Gallo, but the San Jose winery where they once...Read Full Story

Soda Rock Winery, the best winery for social gatherings and winery weddings in Sonoma’sAlexander Valley, recently held its annual charity event for the benefit of the Children of Vineyard Workers Scholarship Fund. The fundraiser, sponsored by Soda Rock Winery owners Ken and Diane Wilson, was themed “Viva Las Vegas” and was held in the winery on May 12. “The Wilsons, who began this fundraiser in 2002 in partnership with the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, donate 100 percent of the profits from this...Read Full Story

thumbprint cellars, one of Sonoma’s top wineries that features a wine bar and wine tasting, is honored to present the “Wigs Wine” fundraiser benefiting “Wigs for Kids,” a cause close to the heart of thumbprint cellars owner Scott Lindstrom-Dake. The three-day event will span June 8 through June 10, from noon to 6 p.m. daily. Scott Lindstrom-Dake originally grew his hair out to keep his neck warm on the ski slopes. When warmer weather arrived and it was time to cut off his long locks, Scott...Read Full Story

At this point, I think we can agree that Sonoma winemaker Ross Cobb now owes me some money. Certainly I’ve reviewed and featured a few of his wines here, with quite favorable results – though that’s not, of course, why I think he should be paying me (really, we’ve had enough of that alleged behavior lately, haven’t we?). No, I think he owes me money because I might have helped seal the deal on his latest gig. Finder’s fee? C’mon, a little slice off the top of that is kind of standard...Read Full Story

Regular Retail Price: $20.00 The Wine Spies One Day Price: $15.00 Varietal: Syrah Region: California: Anderson Valley (Mendocino County) Volume: 750 ml Alcohol %: 12.0 SUPERIOR WINE/HIGH QPR ALERT: Today’s wine, from Ferrari-Carano’s sister winery, Lazy Creek Vineyards, is a delicious, budget-minded Rose of Syrah that will knock your socks off. The combination of quality and value earns it this special combo award. SECRET SAVINGS ALERT: Subscribe to our Daily...Read Full Story

09 Langmeil Jackamans Cabernet Sauvignon (Barossa): The tannins might have grit, but everything else is silk-sheets levels of silky. $50 B+Read Full Story

Regular Retail Price: $29.00 The Wine Spies One Day Price: $22.00 Varietal: Chardonnay Region: California: Russian River Valley (Sonoma) Volume: 750 ml Alcohol %: 13.5 SUPERIOR WINE ALERT: Today’s selection from Marimar Estate Winery is a delicious, easy-drinking, no-oak Chardonnay that hails from the Russian River Valley region. If you love approachable, friendly, balanced chardonnay, take a good look at today’s special offering. SECRET SAVINGS ALERT: Subscribe to...Read Full Story

Winemaker Mark Clarin and Heather McGrail in the McGrail vineyard When Jim McGrail started a winery after retiring as a cop, he wasn't planning to win a major award and get famous. He just wanted his daughter to come home. Heather McGrail had moved from the family home in Livermore to Scottsdale, Arizona because she hated her job selling wine to grocery stores for Gallo. Jim McGrail "I said I'd never work in the wine industry again," Heather said, standing outside the 5-year-old...Read Full Story