Amador County – Wine Country the Way It’s Meant To Be
by Pam Baker
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If you’re looking for a wine region in California where crowds are rare, prices are reasonable, and the wines will please any critic, take a trip to Amador County. The region is home to 40 wineries, many of them small, family-owned businesses. Time slows down here. Think Napa Valley before the fame. The wine industry
Discover the Carmel Valley Wine Village – A Hidden Gem in Monterey County
by Pam Baker
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You may know many wine regions of the world well, but there are probably some you have yet to discover. If you’re on the search for some of California’s “undiscovered” wine regions, you’ll want to explore Carmel Valley Village. This hidden gem, located in Monterey County’s Santa Lucia Mountains, is home to more than 20
Seven Wines to Savor During Those “Lazy-Hazy-Crazy” Days of Summer
by Pam Baker
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Oh sweet, sweet summertime – it’s my favorite time of year. Summer means warm days, long hours of sunshine, birds chirping outside my window early in the morning, and the sounds of children playing in the street. We revel in backyard barbeques, picnics in the park, and time around the pool. And with the warmer
Exploring Western Australia’s Swan Valley Wine Region
by Pam Baker
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Swan Valley, Australia’s second oldest wine region, is just 25 minutes from Perth, Western Australia’s capital city. Like so many wine regions throughout the world, Swan Valley’s scenery is idyllic. Vineyard-covered hills, small rustic towns, and welcoming wineries, their picnic grounds surrounded by green grapevines and bubbling brooks, invite visitors to slow down and stay
What’s in Your Wine Cellar?
by Pam Baker
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Many people bring home mementos from their travels – artwork, t-shirts, refrigerator magnets, specialty foods, even music. I bring home bottles of vino for my wine cellar. Twenty-nineteen was, for my husband and I, a year of travel. And because we love wine, from Portugal to France, New Zealand to Australia, Oregon, Washington, and California,
How to Enjoy Wine Tasting during COVID-19
by Pam Baker
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It’s hard to think about the pleasure of wine tasting and wine travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wine tasting rooms in California, Oregon, and Washington are currently closed by mandate. I would imagine that’s true in any other state that’s currently under shelter-in-place orders. But being stuck at home doesn’t mean we have to stop
Tri-Cities: The Heart of Washington Wine Country
by Pam Baker
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With an abundance of wine tasting rooms spread across Washington, it’s easy to explore the delicious varietals grown in this exciting wine region. Seattle, Woodinville, Walla Walla, Leavenworth, and Vancouver all boast a high concentration of wine tasting rooms in easy walking distance of each other. But if you really want to immerse yourself in
New Zealand’s Delightful Wine Village
by Pam Baker
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Located in the southeastern region of New Zealand’s North Island lies the Wairarapa, an area of big skies, wide valleys and small towns full of character. And in the Wairarapa, at the heart of the classic New Zealand Wine Trail, is Martinborough, a delightful wine village with a population of 1,680. It’s here that some
The Sonoma County Wine is Back After Devastating Wildfires
by Pam Baker
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Lush green rolling hills filled with vineyards, historic small towns, and 50 miles of stunning Pacific Coast—this is Sonoma County. Chardonnay and pinot noir reign supreme here in a climate blessed with ample days of sunshine and cooling sea breezes. Less touristy and less congested than its famous neighbor, Napa County, Sonoma has long been
Viva Vino New Mexico – America’s First Wine Region
by Pam Baker
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California may be the most famous wine-growing region in the US, but New Mexico claims the title as the first in the New World. When Spanish explorers settled in the upper Rio Grande Valley, soon after, Franciscan monks followed with smuggled grapevine cuttings out of Spain. By 1629, they planted grapes, and the country’s first