The Sta Rita Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) is a wine-growing region located in Santa Barbara County, California. The cool climate, marine influence, and diverse soil types create ideal growing conditions for a variety of grape varietals, including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Tracking Winemaking Notes

Often home winemakers make a practice of keeping a winemaking journal to track likes, dislikes, or fails, & successful vintages & blends.. These kitchen journals made the process of running a home winemaking hobby far more efficient. [Read More…]

Winemaking Tips Introduction

Are winemaking tips needed?  The first thing you must do is research, to learn the basics of the art, as there are a few fundamental tasks you should perform if you want to stand a good chance of ending up with a fine-tasting product. [Read More…]

The Traditionally, Oak & Wine Forever Married!

Oak & Wine is like peanut butter & jelly! It is one of the biggest influences on the flavor of the wine. It simply affects the maturity, flavor, and subtle texture. Some people are prejudiced against oaked wine and complain of even the slightest hint of oak. It is common for experts to agree that if a wine is =carefully aged in oak it does not taste like wood, but has improved characteristics. [Read More…]

Finding Wine Deals is a skill!

Finding wine deals can leave you feeling discontent and agitated after getting a bad bottle of wine. In fact, there is an air of satisfaction just knowing that you have found true wine values in your purchases. [Read More…]

Cabernet Sauvignon is KING when it comes to the world of winemaking grapes for wine production around the world. It shares the top position with Chardonnay which is a green-skinned grape species.

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Racking Wine is a Timing Game

Racking wine is one of the most essential parts of making stellar wine. Generally, you will need to rack the wine at least two times and in some cases, you may need to rack it as many as four times. Making sure that you rack in a timely fashion will ensure the wine is properly clarified as well as prevent off-flavors. [Read More…]

Introduction

Wine clubs have been sprouting up in recent years as a result of an increased interest in wine and greater wine consumption.  In fact, according to figures from the Wine Institute, sales of wine in the United States went up four percent in 2004. [Read More…]

What if you drop a glass of red wine on your tile floor?

Imagine that you are hosting a party for some of your best friends. The atmosphere is [Read More…]

Certain wines can certainly benefit from the addition of oaking with chips. Just a few of these wines include Chardonnays, Cabernets, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Merlots, Sauvignon Blanc, Burgundy, Pinot Blanc, and Fume Blanc. [Read More…]

2020 Wine for the Win!

While we are not a large traffic winery, I think everyone can agree, it has been one of those years for sure! I think the Google Wine Analytics screenshot speaks volumes for one of our more popular search results. [Read More…]

Winemaking can be an extremely satisfying hobby with a wonderful end result that can make for a wonderful gift idea! If you have ever experimented with brewing beers you may already be familiar with many similar steps with the process of winemaking. [Read More…]

Main flavors of wine

The four main flavors of wine are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. While this is the four flavors your tongue is really capable of tasting, the long-lasting impression that wine leaves in your mouth is far more complex. When drinking or tasting wine, [Read More…]

Making wine at home is a fun hobby, & if you have given some thought to the idea, but just haven’t quite gotten around to it yet, there is no reason to delay any longer! [Read More…]

Now that you have brought your favorite wine home, you need to know how to store it properly to make sure that you do not spoil it. [Read More…]

What is Sangria?

For years now a staple to my summertime diet has been to have a glass or two of sangria while sitting out on my patio on those warm summer evenings with friends. Sangria is a wine-based punch that originates from Portugal and Spain. The word “sangria” is derived from the Spanish word “sangre” which means blood. Sangria is usually made from red wine, sliced citrus fruit, sugar, and a spirit such as brandy or triple sec. [Read More…]

What is Wine Collecting?

Collecting wine can be a very fun and exciting hobby – especially when you try to [Read More…]

While wine can certainly be made from a variety of different vegetable matters, most wines are produced from grapes. Ironically, grapes commonly grow in areas where it is difficult if not impossible to grow other crops. Bordeaux, France is known for [Read More…]

Moderate wine consumption produces a better balance of these two. Additionally, wine has an anti coagulation effect which makes the blood less likely to clot. The health benefits of drinking alcohol can’t [Read More…]

Benefits of drinking wine

Longevity interests a lot of people who aren’t ready to give up their lives, just yet. Who look to healthy alternatives to culturally defined eating patterns and [Read More…]

Not sure what wines to buy? Always buy the same thing? Looking for a regular supply of wines direct to your door? If the answer is yes to any of the above, then you should consider [Read More…]

Storage is key after your wine has been bottled you will need to take careful steps to ensure that careful temperatures are maintained in order for the wine to remain stable. In most cases, it is best to store your wine in [Read More…]

The first date is nerve-wracking enough without having to worry about what wine to choose to impress your new friend! [Read More…]

Flavors are made of either – sweet, salty, sour, and bitter are all your tongue is really capable of tasting, the long-lasting impression that wine leaves in your mouth are far more complex. When you drink or taste wine, your taste buds and your sense of smell are [Read More…]

There are a few definitions of wine enthusiasts, & most would consider you a wine enthusiast if you go to lots of wine tasting events such as the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival and World of Pinot. There are many more events in wine regions all over the world. At these events, wine enthusiasts can go to taste the new [Read More…]

Our easy guide to choosing the right wine will make your life so much easier when the decision time comes.

Wine is a perfect way to enjoy your favorite dinner. It makes the dinner even more enjoyable. The taste and the experience one enjoys via [Read More…]

There is no better way to get to experience a variety of wine than going to a wine tasting. It’s a unique opportunity to taste wines, have an expert guide you through the tasting, give them points according to your own tastes. By the end of the evening, have a great idea of the type of wine that is your favorite. [Read More…]

If you have given some thought to the idea of making home wine, but just haven’t quite gotten around to it yet, there is no reason to delay any longer. [Read More…]

Almost everyone on the planet has heard of Chardonnay, in fact, it is so popular that some people even name their children after it. [Read More…]

There are many red wine benefits & is generally good for you, but it is important to know the specifics of these benefits because you can then [Read More…]

If you are visiting Spain, be sure to try the sangria recipe at your favorite restaurant or bar. This is a traditional Spanish drink and you will find it served in most bars and restaurants. Recipes vary from [Read More…]

Red wines have been very popular lately, thanks to medical reports about their antioxidant and heart-protecting properties. It’s true that red wines are amazing, but that doesn’t mean the other less noticed kinds of wine are bad. White wines are in fact divine, when it comes to their subtle aroma and taste it’s more than the senses with a right amount of sweetness and delicately combined with mild sources. [Read More…]

Last year Christmas came early for me when my fiance gave me my presents early. As I sat opening my many attractively wrapped packages, the one that excited and intrigued me was an attractive [Read More…]

First, it needs to be established that, yes, there are calories in wine. Indeed, almost anything you eat or drink contains calories unless it is made of almost entirely of water or chemicals. However, calories should be considered fuel for the body and a body will not function well without an adequate supply of [Read More…]

Aging wine allows many of the components of the wine to mellow out over time, and bring a harmonious balance to the flavor.

Wine is a complex substance. Open a bottle of it now, and it may taste fine. Open a bottle of the same wine several years from now, and the wine becomes something else entirely. Rough edges in the flavor will have smoothed out and the overall flavor of the wine will be more balanced and mellow. [Read More…]

Most American wines are mass-produced general wines; often having the brand name of the region where these are produced.

About 90 percent of American wines are produced in the California region. Cold areas like Napa Valley, Sonoma Country, etc are the primary wine-producing regions. The most prestigious wine in California is the Pinot & Chardonnay from the central coast area of Lompoc. This wine is almost equal to any classic European wine. California wines have higher alcoholic contents, aroma & flavor compared to any European wine. [Read More…]

How about teaming up your favorite meal with the best of wine this weekend? It sounds like a great idea but you might overindulge, and, well, you may not mind this but what about the wine hangover you have to face, the other morning. How about spending your entire Sunday afternoon sitting inside the bathroom, with one hand on your forehead and the other on your stomach? Scary isn’t it? [Read More…]

When you are serving a bottle of wine you might find it is difficult at first, but following these tips, you will look like a pro. [Read More…]

There are many different uses of wine. It is not only for consumption as it is a beverage with significant value and considered sophisticated. Wine is significant to many different cuisines, religions, and it has many different health related benefits. [Read More…]

Fruit Wines

There are many wines considered to be ‘fruit wines’. These wines have received the name as they have ingredients of different types of fruits contained in them, rather than by the use of grapes. [Read More…]

About Wine

To understand the most wine basics, you simply need to know wine is a beverage fermented from grape juice containing alcohol. Grapes have a natural chemical balance which allows them to ferment without the need to add any sugars, acid, enzymes, or any other types of nutrients to the ingredients. [Read More…]