For any of you movie buffs, the 1976 battle between French wines and their upstart American counterparts entitled the “Judgment of Paris” was chronicled in the highly fictionalized movie Bottleshock.  While Bottleshock was certainly entertaining and spotlighted the super cute Chris Pine, it didn’t exactly stick to the story. If you are interested in how the tale actually unfolded, pick up George Tabor’s Judgment of Paris.

Before reading Judgment of Paris, I assumed that most … Read more

Another pick from Trader Joe’s.  This wine was purchased for $9.99, a steal for a Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley, which is near Santa Barbara California.  For those of you who remember, this region was part of the Sideways journey.  I am pretty picky about Pinot and this is one of the growing regions that I think produces some of the best Pinot Noir in California.  My fave is Russian River and the … Read more

The R Collection is the introductory line by Raymond Vineyards, which traces it’s roots to the immediate post-Prohibition era in Napa.  The founder of Raymond Vinearyds, Roy Raymond arrived in Napa Valley in 1933 and married into the Beringer family.  After working at Beringer for more than 35 years, Roy and his sons started Raymond Vineyards with the family working side by side for their first crush in 1974.  Since then, Raymond Vineyards has earned … Read more

On January 17, 1920, the 18^th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States made “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States…for beverage purposes….” illegal. But, two little words were missing from that list: ownership, and consumption.  It was those 2 words that made all the difference in the years ahead.   

The Volstead Act, the body of law responsible for … Read more

This is a fun and flirty wine offered at an amazing price. While we were sent a sample of this wine, it retails for roughly $20 for a three liter box (4 bottles), which translates into $5 a bottle. It’s tough getting a good wine for $5 and this wine delivers. Plus, we really like the fact that it comes in an eco-conscious box with a spout, which made it the perfect wine for a … Read more