Wine Pairing Ideas for Valentines - 

If you want to avoid the crowds, bad service and "special menu" that is inflated for 24 hours, celebrate at home.

• Plank roasted copper river salmon    /     Hahn Family SLH Pinot Noir $30

Oysters on the half shell    /

     Montmassot Picpoul de Pinet $10(Ask Your Wine Shop For Languedoc Wines For Big Value)

Roasted rack of lamb        

Landmark Vineyards Overlook Pinot Noir $30

Steamed Lobster with drawn butter    

Balleto Sparkling wine $42

Balletto Rose is for drinking while you cook, light meals, salads, or aperitif. $20 

Pan seared filet mignon crusted with fresh ground pepper, rosemary ...

Earth Day Food & Wine Festival 

Located: Paso Robles at Castoro Cellars on Hwy 46 West

When: April 18 is the main event ( however the entire weekend is filled with events 17th-19th) 

Time: VIP 1:00 PM $115 and General Admission $75 at 2:00 PM and ends at 5 PM 

What: Group of people interested in sustainable practices that are some of the best local chefs, farmers, and wineries all getting together to party.

This just might be the most casual event you will find in the State without an ounce of pretension. These are some amazing people that simply ...

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 ...

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 ...

Chef Michael Voltaggio was one of the many celebrity chefs at Sunset Magazines' Savor the Central Coast. Savor CC for short, is an annual food, wine, and cooking event held in September at Santa Margarita Ranch in Paso Robles. (More event details) 

It really is so much more, with four days of events, winemaker seminars, gardening demonstrations, live music, cooking demos from celebrity chefs, cookbook signings, and all loaded with wineries/breweries/restaurants from all over the central coast. 

The best analogy just might be a real life experience from the pages of Sunset Magazine, or maybe just a Disneyland ...

(Recently shared in my wine segment on air (1590 News-Talk) with the Tom & Sandy show)  (Riverbench mentioned on air, but not listed below) 

Visiting wine country in Santa Barbara County and Edna Valley, California, may fulfill wine tasting dreams for any wine fan. One can drive up the sun-filled coast in a convertible or at least lower the windows a bit. Not only is there great diversity in regions and wine, but the Central Coast has some of the most picturesque wineries. While hitting the wine trail can be so much fun, planning the trip can be almost as exciting ...

Superbowl BBQ sauce! Here is a little something to get you and your guests ready for the big game!

A few years of my life I lived in Texas. Many have heard something along the lines of "there are three things in Texas…..God, football, and BBQ, and not always in that order." 

From my time and experience living in the Dallas area, I can verify this is in fact true. High schools have sold out football games with scoreboards better than many colleges in other States. There is a church on just about every corner. Anyone on the block ...

Superbowl food and wine pairing -  

Saying the word "Superbowl" instantly gives thoughts, feelings and images to many of us. I view the Super Bowl as a special holiday that includes: friends, family, food, alcohol, commercials, and maybe even acid reflux. Maybe it would be better said if I just used the word "party."

Whenever there are parties that involve feeding large groups of people, I often begin to think about the "how." I look for ways to provide tasty foods that are easy preparation, wines that pair, and if possible not to break the bank. 

Here are my top 10 ...