California has a long and storied vineyard history. Despite the emergence of successful, smaller vineyards on the East Coast of the United States as far north as the finger lakes area of New York, California wine country, primarily Napa Valley and Sonoma, remain the heart of the U.S. wine industry in terms of production and popular understanding.

Robert Mondavi Wines

(more…)

Napa Wine Tours – How to Plan an Exciting and Rewarding Visit to the Famous Napa Valley Wineries. Recognized as one of the leading wine regions in the U.S., the Napa Valley draws in over 5 million visitors every year. Napa wine tours stand out as the most popular tasting tours on national level, and for good reason – they have so much to offer. Among other things, visitors that come here can sample award-winning wines, as well as taste award-winning meals at some of the numerous prestigious restaurants in the area.

Napa Valley California

(more…)

A trip to California’s Central Coast is all about replenishment and reflection and an appreciation of the spectacular natural beauty here that never seems to grow old. And what better place to get a new perspective on your daily life than a storybook cottage footsteps from the pounding surf and amazing energy of the Pacific Ocean?

If long walks along a driftwood-strewn beach are your idea of a trip to the sea, then Moonstone Beach in Cambria is probably a good candidate for your next outing to the California Coast. Cambria is a place where you can spend hours each day walking – on the beach, on the boardwalk and through a quaint, historic artist’s colony chock-full of art galleries as well as unique shops and good restaurants.

Cambria California

(more…)

A Wine tasting holiday is the ideal holiday if you’re enthusiastic about wine and good food, as they often come hand-in-hand. We’ve put together an excellent list of the top places to go for that perfect all-round fine wine tasting holiday. Some holidays are suitable for a weekend and some for slightly longer, and depending where in the world you live, some are even good for a day-trip!

Margaret River, Australia

(more…)

In 1994 John and Ellen Benish acquired the property, restoring the winery and residence. Their first release was 135 cases of 1995 Sangiovese. Since then they have added other Italian varietals, including Pinot Grigio, Moscato di Canelli, Sagrantino, and Aglianico. We make two proprietary blends, Sorridente (“smiling”), and Phenomenon. Oh, and we produce two awesome Zinfandels.

Benessere Vineyards

(more…)

San Francisco is the city Americans fantasise about, sing about and leave their heart in, a place of myth and magic on a par with Paris and Venice. One of California’s greatest native writers, John Steinbeck, called it “a golden handcuff with the key thrown away”. With a stunning waterfront setting that rivals Rio de Janeiro’s, and just 750,000 inhabitants, it is America’s most livable great city, and its fascinating mosaic of ethnic neighbourhoods is one of its most charming features.

San Francisco California

(more…)