Today marks a first for Cameron Hughes Wine: Fumé Blanc. So what, pray tell, is Fumé Blanc? In the 1800s Sauvignon Blanc was arriving in America and by 1960 was sadly degraded into a washed up, sweet, indistinguishable wine. Robert Mondavi decided it was time to refurbish the…
Fumé Blanc?
What is Carbonic Maceration?
Carbonic maceration is a process by which grapes are fermented in their skins in a carbon dioxide rich environment. The weight of all the grapes crushes the juice from the lower areas of the tank that holds the grapes and gas, and undergoes a somewhat more conventional fermentation…
Dormancy
What does wine dormancy and the winter season have in common? For those of us who celebrate daylight savings, it comes to an end this Sunday the 4th. Getting up in the mornings will be harder, and driving home from work will begin to occur under the blanket…
Calistoga AVA
Situated in the northernmost reaches of Napa Valley is the sub-appellation of Calistoga. Established in 2010, Calistoga is the home to the highest rate of steep slopes to valley floor of any AVA, meaning warm to hot days, cooler evenings, better drainage from the soils, and subsequently higher…
Chocolate & Wine
Wine and chocolate… It sounds like heaven on Earth, but there are a few things to keep in mind with regards to this delectable combination to fully enjoy your experience. Often times people will auto-pilot red wine with their chocolate, paying no mind to things like the wine’s…
Coombsville AVA
The Coombsville AVA is nestled in the cooler San Pablo Bay influenced area at the foothills of the southeastern end of the valley, hugging the Vaca range, and just east of the city of Napa (proper). The lesser known 16th sub-appellation of Napa Valley was established in 2011, which…
What is Pinotage?
Pinotage is a portmanteau of Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsault). Pinotage is an actual cross between the two grapes as well, created in 1925. Pinotage was created in South Africa. But what is Pinotage really? The story of Pinotage is one of a grape almost lost to history…
Red Mountain AVA
Red Mountain is the smallest AVA in the state of Washington, hovering around 1600 hectares (~4,000 acres), with around 240 hectares cultivated for winemaking purposes. A sub-appellation of the Yakima Valley AVA (which in turn resides within the greater Columbia Valley AVA), Red Mountain’s unique geographical location allows…
Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine by Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack
Buy this book. Seriously. Unless you are one of the 250 or so master sommeliers on this planet, there is a place in your life for this book. This essential guide is perfect for novices and intermediates alike. The pages of this book come alive with illustrations, colors,…
