~ The Haywood Estate ~ Many years ago, a good friend of mine introduced me to a wonderful pairing that I still enjoy today:  Cambozola cheese, and Haywood’s “Los Chamizal – Rocky Terrace” Zinfandel.  Cambozola is pretty easy to find now – in fact, there’s a…

A busy weekend came to a close with a relaxing dinner Saturday evening.  With the weather warming and wonderful basil turning up in farmer’s markets, it was time to make the classic Pesto Genovese.  My recipe for this wonderul pasta…

Castello Banfi is, without question, among the leaders in the Brunello region.  What many people may not realize is the superb and affordable dessert wine they produce from  Moscadello grapes called “Florus”. The 2007 Castello Banfi “Florus” – Late Harvest…

After a recent discussion with some fellow wine afficionados about Carmignano and the lack of attention paid to those wines, I decided it was time to re-visit them. Carmignano may be the smallest DOCG zone of production in Italy, as…

Just at the base of the St. Helena highway sits an unpretentious, welcoming, log cabin building, mostly obscured by the towering Sequoia trees that lend their name to the winery.  Sequoia Grove Winery should be showing up on your radar, if it isn’t…