Wine Life - Houston

Chimney Rock is located in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. It was  originally established in 1980 by Hack and Stella Wilson on the site of a 185 acre golf course. Currently, t he winery  focuses on intelligent and sustainable grape farming combined with a soft touch in the cellar from winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna.  I had the opportunity to taste with Elizabeth Vianna earlier this week at a private event hosted by another Houston wine writer, Jeff Kralik, who writes under the name of  The Drunken Cyclist .  Vianna's goal is to allow the unique Stags Leap District soil and the fruit it produces to be showcased in distinctive wines that display a true sense of place.  The Stag's Leap AVA is a smaller and cooler appellation within Napa Valley that is known for creating Cabernet Sauvignon wines that combine both power and grace in the glass. The wines come from estate grown grapes which are hand harvested before being vinified in small lots from the forty distinct vineyard bl

In the December issue of Galveston Monthly magazine, I recommend some of my top scoring American Pinot Noir wines from a blind tasting hosted last month by Houston wine blogger, Jeff Kralik . The line up of American west coast Pinot Noir wines. Host and wine blogger, Jeff Kralik aka The Drunken Cyclist.

For the November issue of Galveston Monthly , I wrote a guide to help wine lovers find their favorites at the price point they need.

Nocera is a native grape from Sicily. It comes from the Messina province which is located in the northeast. Nocera is a quality red wine grape that is most known as a blender in the red wines of the Faro DOC. I had the opportunity to taste some pure versions (which according to Wine Searcher are rare) this week at a trade tasting held at Roma Restaurant in Houston. Wine production in the region dates back to the 14th Century BC, however, phylloxera decimated the vineyard area in 1881 leaving it at a fraction of its original size. The area boasts a Mediterranean climate with sunny days and coastal breezes, moderate rainfall, and mild winters, all ideal for grape growing. The Nocera grape is a bluish/black color and has a thick skin which allows for the production of structured wines with prominent tannins which are balanced by good acidity. High alcohol is common. Red wines produced from the grapes are an intense ruby color with purple highlights and aromas and flavors of dark fruits a

October is Texas Wine Month!  In this month's issue of Galveston Monthly magazine, I take a look at how the harvest went and what the expectations are for the 2022 vintage.  

In the September issue of Galveston Monthly, I'm celebrating California Wine Month with the Golden State's signature grape, Zinfandel. I am also sharing information on the ultimate experience for Zinfandel lovers, ZinEX, get more information on that event at  https://zinfandelexperience.com/