2007-04-18T23:09:04Z WineCountry.com urn:uuid:605cb468-29b4-3b60-a7d9-ad8ed7ef0bd6 2007-04-18T23:09:04Z 2007-04-18T23:09:04Z urn:uuid:904ef24c-6e92-4ac7-058c-6f08b4810b8c

This month is one of my favorites. Not because it's my birthday (my 40th this year—all well wishes are welcome!) or because of Easter brunch and Passover parties (although I love those), and certainly not because of the dreaded taxman. April is a most welcome month because the dogwood and wisteria are in bloom, the bulbs planted last winter have pushed up from the earth, and the wine valleys are visual riots of colorful flora.

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Erika Lenkert 2007-04-18T23:08:05Z 2007-04-18T23:08:05Z urn:uuid:4e496ca9-ad1b-ccc9-b6ff-bb8a299b5731

Anyone who&rsquo;s studied wine in books or in a formal wine course has probably heard of the Old World/New World debate. Based on the idea that wines from Europe (the Old World) are inherently different from those produced everywhere else (the New World), the debate has raged for years between lofty connoisseur types bent on drawing a stylistic divide between the two.

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Courtney Cochran 2007-04-04T22:29:10Z 2007-04-04T22:29:10Z urn:uuid:2b3292bc-f8f7-d6e6-fa7a-eb6546978e8c

<h1 class="headerContentName"> <strong>Wine With a Side of Fries </strong> </h1> <p class="betaNavLinks">What to quaff with these salty treats</p> <div class="authorName">by <a href="http://staging.www.winecountry.com/writers/w001/courtney_bio.html" class="authorName">Courtney Cochran</a></div> <p>Whatever wise guy once said &ldquo;some of the best things in life are free&rdquo; had it all wrong. </p> <p>Most of the best things in life, in my estimation, are just the appositive: cable TV, fabulous vacations, exquisite meals in high-end restaurants and fancy cars are just a few examples of some of the better things in life that are most decidedly NOT free.</p>

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Courtney Cochran 2007-04-04T22:27:16Z 2007-04-04T22:27:16Z urn:uuid:e0a19e3f-5065-5f48-dceb-8952e9a2e22a

<h1 class="headerContentName"> <strong>Where The Chefs Eat in Sonoma </strong> </h1> <div class="authorName">by <a class="authorName" href="http://staging.www.winecountry.com/writers/w002/erika_bio.html">Erika Lenkert</a> </div> <br /> As a travel writer my tactic for finding the best local flavor has always included accosting residents and prodding them for information&mdash;in a friendly way, of course. Living in Napa for six years and writing about wine country for the past decade, I no longer need to ask the staff in Sonoma's tasting rooms or regulars lingering around Sonoma or Healdsburg's squares for their favorite dining experiences.

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Erika Lenkert 2007-03-28T21:55:53Z 2007-03-28T21:55:53Z urn:uuid:5df2e098-b8a7-f0ed-bbeb-ad7ff20dbfca

<h1 class="headerContentName"><strong>The Cabernet Crown</strong> </h1> <p class="altHeaderCatName"> Why Cabernet is the King of the Valley </p> <p class="headerContentName"> </p> <div class="authorName">by <a href="http://winecountry.com/writers/w003/robert_bio.html" class="authorName">Robert P. Farmer </a></div> <p>And now, if you&rsquo;ll indulge me, a word about cabernet. If there is hierarchy among wines&mdash;and there is&mdash;Cabernet wears the crown. Here&rsquo;s why.</p> <p>The reasons for its monarchy are myriad, and as with kingdoms, not always clear or universally accepted. But what is clear is that the Cabernet supremacy is seldom disputed. So how did Cabernet achieve its eminence? For starters, popularity. It continues to be, in spite of the trendiness of other grapes, my favorite varietal. As it was for me, Cabernet is often the wine drinker's initiation varietal. Its name recognition, availability and approachability make it a secure jumping-off spot for the beginner. </p>

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Robert Farmer 2007-03-28T21:53:34Z 2007-03-28T21:53:34Z urn:uuid:a72b4824-b514-b787-41df-79ca28fec952

<h1 class="headerContentName"> <strong>Going Both Ways</strong> </h1> <p class="altHeaderCatName"><em>How to Hit Up Napa &amp; Sonoma in a Single Trip</em></p> <div class="authorName">by <a class="authorName" href="http://winecountry.com/writers/w001/courtney_bio.html">Courtney Cochran</a></div> <p>Rather like the sexes, Napa and Sonoma sometimes seem worlds apart.&nbsp; Farmers are from Sonoma, people often say, while the technology barons and other members of the monied set call neighboring Napa home instead.&nbsp; </p> <p>In some ways these stereotypes ring true: I&rsquo;m yet to spot a Ferrari in Sonoma but am rarely in Napa for more than 15 minutes before one or even two of the slick machines whiz by me en route to brunch at Bouchon or gallery hopping in St. Helena.&nbsp; </p>

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Courtney Cochran 2007-03-20T23:40:49Z 2007-03-20T23:40:49Z urn:uuid:dd0b8111-b161-2e7e-9eb3-bb4316578d4f

<h1 class="headerContentName"> Fame Among the Vines </h1> <div class="authorName">by <a href="http://www.winecountry.com/writers/w002/erika_bio.html" class="authorName">Erika Lenkert</a> </div> <p><br /> There's a joke commonly repeated in northern California that goes like this: What does it take to make a small fortune in wine country? The answer: A large fortune. While I have a hard time believing that the people and companies behind the multimillion-dollar wineries of Napa and Sonoma are running these businesses out of the goodness of their hearts, there is some truth in the saying. A peek into the backgrounds of a few winery proprietors proves that some of the biggest names in American business are behind places to swirl and sip&mdash;and ventured into winemaking after they made their fortunes. Read on and see if they sound familiar to you. </p>

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Erika Lenkert 2007-03-20T23:36:38Z 2007-03-20T23:36:38Z urn:uuid:a819e54d-d0e5-3494-0e5f-525c02c06577

<h1 class="headerContentName"> <strong>New Twist on Bubbly </strong> </h1> <p class="altHeaderCatName style1 style1"> Sparkling sake takes off stateside</p> <div class="authorName">by <a class="authorName" href="file:///writers/w001/courtney_bio.html">Courtney Cochran</a></div> <p>Just when I thought the world of bubbly couldn&rsquo;t get more interesting, sparkling sake changed my mind. Incorporating two of my favorite things &ndash; the delicious Japanese rice wine, sake, and sparkling wine production &ndash; sparkling sake is a welcome newcomer on the bubbly scene.</p> <p>Although the first bottles of sparkling sake (sock-ay) trickled into the US just a few years ago, the stuff is taking off quickly stateside thanks to a growing interest in all things wine-related around these parts. And besides this abundant enthusiasm, sparkling sake&rsquo;s delicate aromas and low alcohol content (many clock in at just about 5% alcohol &ndash; about the same as beer) make it a versatile drink that I like to think of as the wine cooler of the new millennium. </p>

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Courtney Cochran 2007-03-14T23:11:18Z 2007-03-14T23:11:18Z urn:uuid:b6ab8b3e-2288-d638-3fa8-7dc0d8770d53

<h1 class="headerContentName"> The New Magic of Meadowood </h1> <div class="authorName">by <a class="authorName" href="http://www.winecountry.com/writers/w002/erika_bio.html">Erika Lenkert</a> </div> <p><br /> Meadowood may be the hot spot for most of the wine-loving world during the extremely high-profile annual Napa Valley Wine Auction, which is held there each June. But around my household the luxurious hillside resort is the place to go whenever R&amp;R is an order and the credit card can afford it&mdash;especially given its recent improvements. </p>

<![CDATA[&copy; WineCountry.com]]> Erika Lenkert