Conversing with Katarina When you combine brains, drive, innovation, initiative and a passion for wine, you get Katarina Andersson. She is truly a powerhouse in the world of Italian wines. Katarina is the Founder of the #WinesofItaly livestream and the Founder of Grapevine Adventures.  Although we are good friends, I had the pleasure of having her as a guest on #WiningHourChat last month.  We decided to follow-up with our interview, in case you missed it! Katarina has lived in Florence, Italy for the past 17 years. Although she is originally from Sweden, she totally knows her way around Italy and Italian wines.  First, we talked about her livestream. The #WinesofItaly…

Russian River Passion and Organic Farming at DeLoach Vineyards Located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, DeLoach Vineyards has been a leading producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Deloach was acquired by the Boisset Family Estates in 2003 under the guidance of Jean-Charles Boisset, who incorporated the Burgundian wine-making style and sustainable farming techniques.  DeLoach was certified organic by the CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) in 2008 and granted biodynamic certification by Demeter in 2009.  DeLoach Vineyards considers themselves stewards of the land, and “we take to heart the Native American proverb that “We do not inherit this land from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”…

Rich and Refined Wines in Napa Valley Photo from Raymond Vineyards Raymond Vineyards, located in the Rutherford AVA of Napa Valley, was founded in 1970.  Today, Raymond’s estate includes 300 acres in Rutherford, St. Helena and Jameson Canyon. Raymond Vineyards has deep roots, as it goes back five generations and is the offspring of two wine families (Raymond and Beringer) through marriage. Photo from Raymond Vineyards As of 2009, Raymond has been under the Boisset Family Estates and the guidance of Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset. Jean-Charles Boisset (Photo from Boisset Family Estates) This month, #WiningHourChat featured organic, biodynamic and sustainably farmed wines and wineries.  It was interesting to explore the differences…

Amador County Offers More than Gold–There’s Wine too! Amador County, is in the Mother Lode, or Sierra Nevada region of California.  Also known as Gold Country, Amador County was created in 1854, and was a prime location during the California Gold Rush of the mid 1800’s.  As people around the world began flocking to California for gold, this resulted in some becoming wealthy and new road, schools, and towns being built throughout California.  Moreover, at this time, California was admitted as a State in the Union (1850).  Today Amador County is not just known for its historical significance associated with the Gold Rush, it is also a prime location-for WINE!…

Exploring Washington Wine Month with CS Wines We all have our preferences (Italian wine for me) and tend to stick to them.  Sometimes, we are presently surprised when we go out of our comfort zone and try a new bottle, new winemaker or new wine region. August happened to be Washington State Wine Month, so for that month, we made wines of Washington the focus for #WiningHourChat. For the most part, everyone came to the table, or the twitter feed, with a different Washington State varietal each week.  For the most part, everyone enjoyed their WA wine and made plans to try other wines from that region.  We accomplished our…