Wine Archives | The Wine Stay

Mother’s Day Wine Country Weekend — better than brunch

Still wondering what to do for Mother’s Day? If you want to make Mom feel special, there’s still time to plan a Mother’s Day wine country weekend. Get away from the people-packed city and experience the slower pace of Sonoma and Napa where springtime is in full bloom. Mother’s Day in wine country This is the year to surprise the mother in your life with a wine country getaway. Chances …

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Sommelier — much more than a wine steward

Wine geeks share a language of their own. What exactly does it mean when a wine expert describes a wine as crunchy, chunky, or chewy? Okay, you know what chewy means, but … chewy wine? Instead of trying to decipher the qualities of a wine that is muscular or tight, leave it to the sommelier. What is a sommelier? Dictionaries describe a sommelier (pronounced suh MUL yay) as a wine steward, but the job …

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Passport Weekend Countdown — your ticket to Wine Country

The annual Passport to Dry Creek Valley is a weekend wine extravaganza. And it’s coming up Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28. Wineries go all out for Passport Weekend, now in its 30th year. If you love wine, you need to know about this favorite wine event. Passport Weekend 101 This casual, upscale weekend is about immersing yourself in the good life of Sonoma Wine Country. There are hundreds …

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3 Tips for Great Holiday Food and Wine Pairings – a sommelier shares his secrets

What are the best food and wine pairings for the holiday season? Whether you’re planning on visiting friends and family or nestling in at home this winter — here are a few rules of thumb and classic pairings to make sure your dinners don’t disappoint. 1. In cold weather, go for the bold wines in your cellar. Cold weather calls for a hearty meal — a creamy soup, a rich …

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Terroir and Fine Wine — romance, mystery, allure

You can’t get too far in Sonoma Wine Country or Napa Valley without hearing about a wine’s nose and legs. And, people in the know like to throw around the word terroir. The rest of us may avoid it, not knowing exactly what it means, or even how to pronounce it (say “tare war” like you have a mouth full of marbles). What is terroir, anyway? Well that, it turns …

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Passionate About Pinot — you gotta love Sonoma County’s Pinot Noir

What is it about Pinot that makes it so popular? Even those of us who are white wine devotees will welcome a glass of the alluring red. People are passionate about their Pinot. It’s French, of course Pinot Noir — “black pine” in French — hales from the Burgundy region of France, where it’s aptly named Burgundy. These Pinots are considered the top of the line for this varietal. The …

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Wine Smarts – Wine Apps Reviewed

Tasting notes, reviews, price comparisons — which wine is the best? I’ve been searching for THE ultimate wine app for my phone, the one that will give me all the info I want with just a few swipes of my thumb. Take a short web browse and you’ll see that it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the choices. There are literally hundreds of apps available, so I decided to get some …

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