A worker in the vineyard at Tablas Creek. An unusually cold and foggy July marked one of the chilliest midsummers in decades around Sonoma, Napa and much of the Bay Area, leaving some growers apprehensive about potential delays. Then came August, with a modest warm-up that was just enough to push grapes towards a slow, …
California harvest 2025 begins: Insights from across the state Read More »
Iconic Napa Valley winemaker Cakebread Cellars has been crafting wines for 50 years. In 2025, drawing on those decades of experience, the Cakebread family debuted a new lineup of wines straight from the heart of California’s Central Coast. Bezel Wines launched nationwide this year, bringing the thoughtful craftsmanship used at Cakebread to a new and …
From Coast to Toast: 5 Perfect Moments for Bezel Wines Read More »
Brewers have been experimenting with pumpkin since colonial times, but the pumpkin beers we know today didn’t appear until the early 1980s. As the story goes, California-based photographer and brewer Bill Owens adapted a recipe attributed to George Washington, and added pumpkin pie spice to the second batch after finding the first lacked distinct flavor. …
This Simple Trick Takes Pumpkin Beer to the Next Level Read More »
Late last week, right as the American drinking public was cracking its first cold one of Labor Day weekend, a federal court ruled that a raft of President Donald Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs were illegal. The decision isn’t the final word. The case is headed straight to the Supreme Court, where Trump’s toadies will …
People Hate Trump’s Tariffs. People Love Beer. I Have An Idea. Read More »
A court has struck down Trump’s tariffs, but what does that mean for importers and the wider wine industry?
The Bay Area’s 21st Amendment Brewery is shutting down after 25 years of operation. According to a Thursday report from Brewbound, founders Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico Freccia plan to slowly cease operations at the San Leonardo production facility over the next 60 days, with the goal of shuttering completely by early November. They aim to …
Report: After 25 Years, 21st Amendment Brewery Will Shut Down by Early November Read More »
Rum continues to win hearts and fill jiggers and glasses by virtue of being one of the world’s most versatile and diverse spirits. Distilled from sugar cane juice, molasses, and other derivatives, it is crafted in column and pot stills, and matured in climates ranging from the humid Caribbean to cooler, continental warehouses. The result …
It’s that time of the year again. College football is back, and with it comes the return of beloved traditions like the University of Iowa’s Hawkeye Wave and Clemson’s running down The Hill. Of those traditions, though, none are quite as ubiquitous as the tailgate. And while every university in a Power Conference has their …
It started with European farmers distilling corn whiskey in late-1700s Kentucky. Today, bourbon is beloved worldwide and anchors a multi-billion-dollar industry — though its rise was a slow burn. From the spirit’s beginnings through much of the 20th century, bourbon saw important innovations and huge leaps forward, yet the category largely retained a modest, everyman …
Despite what the powers that be might tell us, there are no hard and fast rules dictating how and when to enjoy wine. Once you buy a bottle, it’s yours, and you can drink it in any context you wish. That said, it is true that the seasons often dictate the wine styles we gravitate …