Robert Craig Winery’s Post

Hi everyone - this week, let's travel further east of Napa and turn our attention to one of the smaller sub-AVAs: Wild Horse Valley. If you've never heard of Wild Horse Valley, it's because there aren't a lot of wines made there. Sitting above the fog line, this is the coolest of all the AVAs and benefits from its proximity to San Pablo Bay. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay do well, and tend to have higher acidity do to the higher elevation. The fruit is mainly sold to other wineries. Situated on the edge of this AVA, Kenzo, is the closest winery that I can recommend - with a caveat. Pre-2020 wines from Kenzo were made by "the first lady of wine" Heidi Barrett. Those wines were fantastic. Unfortunately, per Wine Searcher, Heidi left Kenzo in 2022 over a dispute with the owners over releasing their 2020 reds, which she felt may have been impacted by smoke from the Glass fire. She wanted to make it clear that she did not make those wines. Marc Nanes, was Heidi's assistant and has taken over winemaking duties. Hopefully, he can continue their legacy of great wines. Insider Tip: If you see 2020 Napa reds on store shelves it's best to steer clear unless you can ensure the grapes were harvested before the Glass fire on Sept 27th, or they weren't subjected to the smoke.  #wealthandwine #financeandvino #financialadvisor

Interesting Pinot Noir tasting It's been a while, but the time had finally come. This time we decided to organize a tasting around Pinot Noir from various interesting regions. Pinot Noir is a versatile, generally cool-climate grape that can often give a good expression of the terroir. Naturally, Pinot Noir is queen in Burgundy, where we can find the very best wines. Martin Schwarz – Spätburgunder-Portugieser 2017 The small region of Saxony is located in deep Germany. Here we find the Martin Schwarz vineyard with 6 hectares of vineyards on the steep slopes along the Saxon Wine Route. Wine management here is completely manual, partly because of the steep slopes. Bernard Rion Beaune 2020 It was in 1896 that the history of Domaine Armelle and Bernard Rion began. It was founded in Vosne Romanée and since then the know-how has been passed on from generation to generation. The 3rd generation of winemakers has now taken over and they are working the 9.5 hectares of vines in the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. https://lnkd.in/eCDF7kBP

In this piece for Business Insider, I share the five best states in the US for wine tasting.  Believe it or not, all 50 states grow grapes — even in cold and snowy places like Alaska and Vermont and tropical spots like Florida and Hawaii. I'm a certified sommelier (as you know), and there are five states I always recommend if you're looking for the best wine, wineries, and wine-tasting experiences. https://lnkd.in/gZ-HzskK

Why Domaine Evremond is about to be your new favourite English sparkling wine As the vineyards mature and the winery finds its rhythm, one can only imagine how future vintages will unfold. Although nearly seven and a half years have passed since the first vines were planted on an unseasonably cool day by the likes of your correspondent, the actual wines, born of friendship and ambition, are just beginning their journey. #FineWine #LuxuryWines #WineConnoisseur https://lnkd.in/eXErsDYS

Big wineries or small wineries: which produce better wines? The quality of wine isn't determined by the size of the winery but rather by factors like the winemaker's skill, philosophy of the winemaker, the quality of the grapes, and winemaking practices. Larger wineries may have more resources for consistent quality control, while smaller wineries can offer unique, artisanal products. Ultimately, both big and small wineries can produce excellent wines, depending on these factors.

How amateurs explore the Urban Winery Experience: 🍷🍇 They often visit traditional wineries outside the city. They might miss out on the convenience of urban tasting rooms. They may not know about online shops for easy access to diverse wines. How the pros do it: 🌟🍷 They enjoy the convenience of an urban winery with accessible tasting rooms. They join wine clubs to get exclusive deals and tastings. They leverage online shops to explore a wide variety of wines, including our popular Black Raspberry Sangria and Chambourcin. Share your favorite urban winery experience or comment below! #UrbanWinery #WineLovers #SupportBlackWinemakers

How amateurs explore the Urban Winery Experience: 🍷🍇 They often visit traditional wineries outside the city. They might miss out on the convenience of urban tasting rooms. They may not know about online shops for easy access to diverse wines. How the pros do it: 🌟🍷 They enjoy the convenience of an urban winery with accessible tasting rooms. They join wine clubs to get exclusive deals and tastings. They leverage online shops to explore a wide variety of wines, including our popular Black Raspberry Sangria and Chambourcin. Share your favorite urban winery experience or comment below! #UrbanWinery #WineLovers #SupportBlackWinemakers

"Great wines evoke emotion. People aren’t just buying wine; they’re connecting themselves to us through our practices and stories." - Lawrence Wine Estates CEO Carlton Mccoy Jr. San Francisco Magazine recently featured Lawrence Wine Estates in an article titled "Lawrence Wine Estates' Roster Of Napa Wineries Seriously Stuns." The article emphasizes the estate's commitment to biodynamic farming and terroir-driven wines, inspired by the traditions of the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and highlights the dedication to preserving the legacy of historic Napa wineries. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/g3_UtX4Y

Wine labels: A foreign language or a treasure map? 🗺️ Here’s a quick breakdown of common label terms: ⏱️ Vintage: The year the grapes were harvested. Older doesn't always mean better! 🍇 Varietal: The type of grape. Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay... ring any bells? 📍 Appellation: Where the grapes were grown. Think Bordeaux, Napa Valley, or Judean Hills. 🍾 ABV: Alcohol By Volume. Higher doesn't always mean higher quality! 🏞️ Estate Bottled: Means the winery grew the grapes and made the wine on their property. 🤷♂️ Reserve: Can mean... well, almost anything. It's not a regulated term! Did you know what all these meant? What's the most confusing term you've seen on a wine label?

How many of your favorite wines were aged in oak barrels? While the barrel seems like a simple vessel for wine aging, there’s a lot more to choosing the right barrel and barrel-aging than you would expect. Learn about all the factors that go into barrel-aging wine and why we use oak barrels for our Cypress Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon and Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. https://bit.ly/3JObRgW