(All photos copyright protected and taken by Shawn Burgert) 

On occasion in the wine industry, there are inspiring and interesting wines, people, and places. In rare instances, one might discover a trifecta of all three. 

J Wrigley (Family) Vineyards hits the mark for everything people look for when hitting the wine trail. Kind hearted real people, a welcoming sense from them, a beautiful location, and of course great wines. A visit to the tasting room of J Wrigley in McMinville Oregon inside of the Wilamette Valley, would likely be the highlight to wine travelers day. 

I had a unique opportunity to meet with John and Jody Wrigley, in southern ...

Despite my physique, I am feeling a bit Slim Shady meets Ricardo Montalban (from Fantasy Island) in this moment. "Hello my name is…." My name is....Shawn Burgert; some call me the Wandering Wino. I have been given the honor to be your social media, blogging Mr. Roarke for the Wine Bloggers' Conference AKA #wbc14, to be held in Santa Barbara County this July. 

While I do not rap, or own a white suit, my purpose the next several months will be to help, via social media, wine bloggers for general questions about visiting Santa Barbara County. There is no ...

For wine travelers, great wine and dining experiences are often a partnership. That partnership may be dependant on great palettes, pairings, or simply an appreciation for the sensory experience. Nearly any wine traveler will appreciate stepping into hisory at the new Mattei's Tavern located in Los Olivos, just off Highway 154.

Mattei's Tavern partner and chef, Robbie Wilson, may be among the very best in the culinary world, but you would not know it with his humble approach, demeanor, and complete lack of pretense. I had the opportunity to sit down with Chef Robbie and discuss things that ...

(Photo above - Courtsey of Cobie Scott) 

Kurt Russell, Ampelos Cellars, and History Team Up! 

Actor Kurt Russell, along with actress Kate Hudson and Muse singer Matt Bellamy have teamed up with Ampelos Cellars over the past few years to produce local world class wines (in Sta Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County). The relationship began with Russell's GoGi label in 2008 and a beautiful Pinot Noir to be followed by the elegant GoGi 'Goldie' Chardonnay soon after. More recently, the collaboration produced a Rose under the Hudson-Bellamy label. I have yet to taste the Rose; however I have no ...

Super Bowl Wine

Getting ready for a Super Bowl party? Last year I created a list of some of the more common super bowl foods and wines to pair.  

While creating multiple dishes and wine to pair in a party atmosphere is a lot of fun, I thought about how many people may simply want to buy one wine. Reviewing the list of some of the great Super Bowl foods, I kept coming back to these key foods:

Pizza

Tacos

BBQ Ribs

Hamburgers

Buffalo WIngs

Chili

Pulled Pork 

Tri Tip 

Brisket

Cupcakes

These are Super Bowl staples, and any party ...

Like it or not, there are certain things in life that are dependable. Alcatraz is a secure prison, the bank will have my money when I ask them for it, politics gets some people emotional, Mc Donald's drive thru will stop all breakfast orders at 10:29 AM, and Andrew Murray will always deliver a quality wine that taste like I paid a lot more. 

Not all of these aspects are great, however they are dependable. Andrew Murray continues like clock work to keep the train going of high quality and amazing values. 

I must admit, I hit Costco ...

Last year's Food and Wine Challenge was my very first time attending, and it was an exciting event. The Ventura Wine Trail puts on this annual event showcasing the synergistic impact of wine pairings. Local wineries pair with local restaurants to show case their goods and take a spin at winning both the judges votes, as well as tickets holders for the People's Choice Award.

This is not your typical wine event as it is held on a Thursday night locally, and makes for an easy date night....well, that's what I am doing.

2014 Teams ...

Throughout the year I drink wine at dinners, various wine events, festivals, tasting rooms, and have samples submitted for review. In most cases it can be difficult to properly review a wine without bottle submission, however, there are moments when a wine seems to hit all cylinders even with a small pour. These are the wines that immediately say "Hello!" 

Some wine media produces publications with wines that are too scarce or soldout. Their 'Top 100' in my view often becomes much like going to a restaurant and looking at pictures of the food and then going home. 

Wines That ...