Wines

On a recent sunny Napa morning, Janet and I were invited to the new Quilt Wine Lounge in Downtown Napa for a wonderful tasting of Joe Wagner’s line-up of current releases from his Coppercane portfolio.  Joe, of course, is the son of Caymus Vineyards’ Chuck Wagner, and creator of the famed Meiomi Pinot Noir, which

Almost 3 decades ago, just before moving my young family from Los Angeles to Hawaii, I organized a wine dinner with friends with a silly theme – Parker or Spectator 98 pts and above and a stipulation that the vintage was at least 10 years old.  Of course, most of the bottles brought were the usual

Our semi-annual visits to Napa Valley are remiss without a visit to Caymus Vineyards. Nestled in a bucolic area in the Rutherford Bench formerly known as Rancho Caymus, the name derives from the native American Wappo Indians that inhabited most of present day Napa Valley. Rutherford is considered the historical heart of Napa Valley, known

After a very long wait, 2021 is finally here! There is no better time than the present to make a fresh start after one of the hardest years of many of our lifetimes; like a Phoenix rising from the ashes. With that, I am delighted to announce that the Wine Club Makati will be taking

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is just around the corner and while our holiday gatherings might have gotten smaller, they’ve certainly become even more meaningful. We’ve put together special Christmas packs to brighten your holidays with only the best of the best in fine California wine. Get to know each pack

Shortly after my family and I moved to Honolulu in 1995, I attended a Duckhorn Vineyards Wine Dinner at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel and sat with Dan Duckhorn, who was presenting a new wine called Paraduxx. A unique luxury blend of estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Petite Sirah. Taking inspiration from the

If you have any knowledge of California wine culture, you most likely know of Duckhorn Vineyards, a powerhouse of Napa Valley that has reached global commercial success. From their success, Duckhorn was able to spin off different brands which excel in the different aspects and appellations of California and American wine. Of those brands is

Let’s be honest. Manila doesn’t have the best Happy Hour game – especially after the world paralyzing pandemic. But even before 2020, Happy Hours just weren’t very enticing here in Manila (and if I am wrong, sound off in the FB comments). This all changed for me recently, when one of my favorite restaurants (and

What’s the difference between corked and capped wines? Is one better than the other? When you think of wine, what do you think of? A Bordeaux glass full of luscious red wine? A vineyard in Napa Valley? As a wine professional, I always think of a cork and corkscrew, because without the screw, it is

Whenever I visit Napa Valley, where I am at the moment, one of the highlights of the trip is a visit to the beautiful vineyards and Winery Tasting Room of Cliff Lede Vineyards. Nestled just off the Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap District, and just minutes away from the quintessential Napa Valley town of