This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles. She frequently contributes wine and travel pieces to the Good Food Blog.
Blame it on the hangover from the movie Sideways, but Santa Barbara County is still known for its bright, fruity Pinot Noirs along with its often exquisite Chardonnays and Syrahs. But the now famous wine country has other stars. Recently, I got an opportunity to taste varietals such as Tocai Friulano, Albariño, Gruner Veltliner, …

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles. She frequently contributes wine and travel pieces to the Good Food Blog.
When you visit Paso Robles you think of the bold Rhônes or the zesty Zins. This is not Cab country like Napa Valley. But recently I tasted the 2009 Daou Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and was completely bowled over. The wine is elegant and well integrated with smooth tannins. In fact, the wine didn’t …

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles. She frequently contributes wine and travel pieces to the Good Food Blog.
Here’s a way to treat yourself this holiday season. Head to Napa Valley and make a reservation at Raymond Winery’s Wine Blending Studio.
I prefer to call the blending room a studio, because that what’s it looks like – sort of like the 1970s club, Studio 54. This is a blending experience like no other. …

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles.  She frequently contributes wine and travel pieces to the Good Food Blog.

Say the words food, wine and film, and I’m there. So when our friends Brenda and Marc Lhormer, founders of the Napa Valley Film Festival asked my husband Kirk to be on the jury, I naturally accompanied him.
The four-day festival held in November blended visual arts with culinary arts. Over 100 films were screened in four …

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles.  She frequently contributes wine and travel pieces to the Good Food Blog.

It’s surprising that Napa Valley, California’s culinary capital did not have its very own food and wine festival. But that changed last week, with the first annual FLAVOR! NAPA VALLEY. Over 120 wineries and 30 restaurants laid out the very best to showcase Napa’s bounty at various lunches/dinners and at the Appellation Trail staged at The …

This Saturday on Good Food, it’s all about Thanksgiving. Evan interviews Stacie Hunt of Du Vin Wine and Spirits and Splash Productions about Thanksgiving wines. In this outtake Stacie talks about her favorite dessert wines to enjoy on turkey – day.
Outtake Thanksgiving Dessert Wine by KCRW

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles.  She frequently contributes wine and travel pieces to the Good Food Blog. 
The first time I tasted Turley Zinfandel was at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in Yountville. The year was 1996 and we were there for Sunday brunch and ordered a bottle of Turley’s 1994 Moore Earthquake Vineyard. I still remember the velvety plumy notes of that Zin.
It wasn’t until 2004 on my first visit to Paso Robles …

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles.  She frequently reports here on her various wine travels.
“I have a whole moose in my freezer,” said Petra Martin.  That’s what prompted me to say, “Why don’t we do a moose curry?”  Petra agreed.
I was visiting Napa Valley’s Martin Estate winery owned by Petra and Greg Martin.
“We only eat what we hunt,” Petra said proudly. (This rule applies only at home, not when they eat out). The …

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles.  She frequently reports here on her various wine travels.

“You can take a very good wine and ruin it by blending,” remarks Judd Finkelstein.
Blending wine to a blissful cuvee is an art like creating a masterpiece on canvas or whipping up a perfect souffle.
I learned the art and science of blending four Bordeaux varietals at Judd’s Hill Winery’s blending day camp in Napa Valley. The tasting room resembled …

This guest-post comes to us from Mira Advani Honeycutt, author of California’s Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles.  She frequently reports here on her various wine travels.
Auction Napa Valley raised $7.3 million at its live auction, bringing the cumulative total to over $100 million in the auction’s 31 year history. The E-auction brought in another $359,000. Proceeds go to local non-profit organizations.
I’ve been attending this three-day non-stop food and wine celebration for many years. This year marked not only the whopping grand total, it was …