Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Luis Obispo's Edna Valley, smaller family-owned wineries craft crisp Chardonnay and
delicate Pinot Noir.
California's southernmost wine region is Temecula, where some vineyards were origin-
ally planted by Spanish missionaries in the early 19th century. There, at the edge of the
desert outside San Diego, less than 100 miles from Mexico, Rĥone and Spanish varietals
love the heat.
WINE-TASTING TIPS
Swirl
Before tasting a vintage red, swirl your glass to oxygenate the wine and release the
flavors.
Sniff
Dip your nose (without getting it wet) into the glass for a good whiff.
Swish
Take a swig, and roll it over the front of your teeth and sides of your tongue to get
the full effect of complex flavors and textures. After you swallow, breathe out through
your nose to appreciate 'the finish.'
If you're driving or cycling, don't swallow
Sips are hard to keep track of at tastings, so
perfect your graceful arc into the spit bucket.
You don't have to buy anything
No one expects you to buy, especially if you're paying
to taste or take a tour; but it is customary to buy a bottle before winery picnics.
Take it slow & easy
There's no need for speed. Plan to visit three or four wineries a day
maximum.
Don't smoke
Not in the gardens either. Wait until you're off-property.
The movie
Bottle Shock
(2008) takes liberties with the true story of the Judgment of Paris,
but it captures the rule-breaking flavor of the early days of winemaking in Sonoma and
Napa in the 1970s.
Building Better Brews
Blowing off some steam after work took on new meaning during California's Gold Rush
era, when entrepreneurs trying to keep up with the demand for drink started brewing beer
at steamy higher temperatures because they lacked ice refrigeration. The result was an am-
ber color, rich, malted flavor and such powerful effervescence that when a keg was tapped,
sometimes a mist would rise like steam. San Francisco's Anchor Brewing Company has
made its signature Anchor Steam amber ale this way since 1896.
