
A Sense of Place: Gigondas Master Class with Nick Jackson, Master of Wine
by Lisa Morales
|
It was a stormy day in South Florida, with blinding rain and a lot of flooding. This did not stop me and a large group of wine lovers from attending a Gigondas Master Class with Nick Jackson, Master of Wine (MW). I knew that tasting the 2016 vintage, and learning from one of the few

Thunder Bay, Ontario, Should Be on Your Craft Beer Bucket List
by Dawn Damico
|
Thunder Bay, Ontario craft beer should be on your beer-bucket list. In 2021, people wondered if Thunder Bay could support five craft breweries. This northwestern city in Ontario, Canada, has just over 110,000 people. It was a legitimate question back then because we were in the clutches of a pandemic that closed restaurants and bars

Wineries in New Brunswick
by Lori Sweet
|
Did you know that the Atlantic province of New Brunswick produces wine? We were happy to investigate this on our recent wine-focused trip. Currently, there are 14 wineries in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. We are excited to share what we found in four of those wineries. What we discovered is that this emergent

Exploring Country Heritage Winery and DeBrand Fine Chocolates
|
The rich, nuanced flavors of fine wine and the velvety sweetness of premium chocolate can be the perfect pairing, but with so many flavor profiles in the chocolate, it can be challenging. I recently attended a webinar, one of my benefits as a member of the International Food, Wine, & Travel Writers Association, and received

Gowan’s Cider: Discover its Rich Heritage and Unique Flavors
by Pam Baker
|
Welcome to a world of rich heritage and unique flavors at Gowan’s Cider, where tradition meets innovation in every sip. Located in Anderson Valley, a hidden gem in the heart of California’s wine country, Gowan’s apple orchards date back to 1876. It has made cider for personal use for over a hundred years and commercially

Discovering Rodney Strong Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons
|
The legendary Rodney Strong established the 13th bonded winery in Sonoma County in the Alexander Valley. Significantly, he was a pioneer in planting grapes along the slopes of a hill rather than the valley floor. In 1971 he planted 15 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon on a perched terrace with red loamy soil. He felt this

Winemaking in the Tropics – Thailand’s Monsoon Valley Vineyard
|
Award-winning Thailand-based Monsoon Valley Vineyard, established in 2001, had its first harvest in 2006. The label’s picturesque 110-hectare vineyard can be found in the foothills of the mountain range dividing Thailand from its western neighboring Myanmar. Just 17 miles to the east, sitting on the Gulf of Thailand’s shores, is the popular resort town of

Paso Robles: Six Great Drinking And Dining Venues
When you think of the wine country in California, do Napa and Sonoma immediately come to mind? Naturally, other areas of the Golden State grow vineyards and produce wine – the Santa Ynez Valley, Temecula, and Monterey. But Paso Robles, a Central Coast town midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on US Highway 101,

Discovering the Wines of Rheinhessen, Germany on a BottleStops tour
|
Mainz, the capital of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, is a modern and lively city, with a wine culture dating back to Roman times. It is also Germany’s wine capital as well as the gateway to Rheinhessen, Germany’s largest wine-growing region. Over three days, a personalized tour with BottleStops introduced four wineries and a network