5 Picks To Celebrate California Wine Month

This September marks the 20th anniversary of California Wine Month, celebrating the state’s 250-year winemaking history. It is Wine Wednesday and there is no better time to raise a glass to west coast wine. Here are 5 picks to celebrate California Wine Month in Southwest Florida.

Robert P. Koch, president and CEO of Wine Institute says, “The economic benefits are tremendous and just as important, the simple connections made over a shared bottle of California wine are timeless."

Grape vines are planted alll over California, and it's a big state. The wines here come from a variety of grapes grown in several different regions.

The first one comes from Napa Valley. I have always been drawn to the Le Pich label with its signature golden eagle. It's produced by the award-winning winemakers of Purlieu Wines.

Next is LANGETWINS Merrill Vineyards Chardonnay from Claksburg, California. The Lange's family have been farmers in California since the late 1800's. The twin brothers were the first in the family to make wine instead of just grow the grapes.

J Vineyard's tasting room is in Sonoma on the so-called Pinot Noir Highway. It's an area where the region's best pinot producers are located. J is also known for its outstanding sparkling wines many of which are made with pinot noir.

Moving a little farther south, we go to Paso Robles to celebrate California Wine Month with True Myth. This wine looks like it should be on a Thanksgiving table. The butterfly on the label is symbolic of the commitment the winery makes to the environment and preserving Pollinator Habitats.

Finally, 8 Years In The Dessert is becoming an iconic wine from renegade winemaker Dave Phinney, founder of Orin Swift Cellars. A non-compete contract prohibited him from producing zinfandel for years. This is the wine he came out with when he was able to legally work with the grape again.

If you are planning a trip to California's wine country, click here for a calendar of events and a complete guide to this month's festivities.

Enjoy Wine Wednesday. Drink Responsibly.

I know National Rosé Day is in June. But there is also an entire month dedicated to the fresh pink wine. That month being August. So I threw a party. Here is what we found, 9 sippers for a Rose All Day end of summer soiree.

Every August, I have a Rose All Day Soiree where we pop the corks on rosé wines from around the world. I prepare appetizers I think will work with the wines and so do many friends who attend. We had everything from prosciutto cups and stuffed grape leaves to chicken salad and mini chocolate cheesecake bites.

I had almost a dozen bottles of rosé and friends also brought some to share. This year, we went through 18 bottles. In addition, there were some reds, whites and brut Champagne, but we won't add those interlopers to the tally.

It was all in the name of research of course. I wanted some material for Wine Wednesday. Such a sacrifice. And what a horrible friend to force others to participate. All kidding aside, it was a lot of fun trying so many different kinds of rosé side by side.

The ones made from pinot noir had a more savory touch while those from grenache were more fruity. Those are two common grapes found in rosé.

First,  VARA Silverhead Brut Rosado was a surprise favorite. Surprise to many because it was from New Mexico. Most guests did not expect this blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Chardonnay to wow them. The syrah gave it a beautiful color and great body. It has some of the fruit characteristics you would expect, like raspberry and strawberry. $28

Miami Vices was another big hit. It caused lots of reminiscing from the good old days of the '80's.

Always Drink Responsibly