The Up and Coming Livermore Valley

For me Livermore was always a place I passed through on the way to somewhere else. Livermore sits at the base of Altamont pass and is the easternmost city in the San Francisco Bay area.  The climate is mild with warm days and cool nights which create ideal conditions for producing Chardonnay, Merlot... Read More

Zenaida Cellars: A Pleasant Surprise

Heading south on highway 101 from the San Francisco Bay area, we’re on our way to the San Simeon coastal area. Upon reaching Paso Robles, we head west on highway 46. Our last trip across this shortcut to California coastal Highway 1, was in the early 1980’s. As we drive along, we are amazed... Read More

Good Wine Requires Good Grapes

Few agricultural endeavors are as complex as winemaking. And at the end of the process, one gets to enjoy a good glass. Site selection, grape variety, soil preparation, sunlight control, fermentation management, even the type of cork used all play important parts in producing fine wines. Wine grapes... Read More

Northern California Wine Country

The terrain and climate of the wine areas of Northern California remind the visitor of nothing so much as rural France. But the scale is vastly smaller. Napa Valley is only 35 miles long and 5 miles wide, while Sonoma County covers 1,600 square miles along 60 miles of coastline  with only a few hundred... Read More