St. Helena Wine Merchants

08/27/2010

Delicious Mail-Order Dessert: CAPOGIRO-This Philly institution's dense gelati rival Italy's finest, especially its Sicilian pistachio and the yellow watermelon spiked with grappa. $60 for 6 pints, www.capogirogelato.com

The Official Site for Capogiro Gelato Artisans, makers of Fine Artisanal Gelato and Sorbetto. We use local, hand-picked produce and milk from grass-fed, hormone-free cows. Our Philadelphia Gelateria serves 27 flavors, made fresh each morning.

08/04/2010

Thursday Night Yoga and Wine!

Yoga starts at 5:30 pm with Ann Yates
Certified Yoga Instructor: Enjoy an evening of revitalizing Yoga followed by an enjoyable wine tasting all in a relaxing candle lit atmosphere.

Wine tasting starts at 6:30 pm:
We feature wines from some of the finest boutique wineries in the world. Come taste the finest Napa has to offer.

Hope to see you here,

Jeff & Ann Yates

08/04/2010

It's been a long time since downtown Napa got a new hotel, so long that even old-timers can't quite remember when it happened last, but the AVIA is worth all the wait.
http://www.aviahotels.com/hotels/napa/

There's a spirited new stop in Napa Valley with the emergence of downtown Napa. And the new AVIA Napa hotel makes its mark by tapping into the insider's best of Napa. As your charming host, AVIA offers guests a full-fledged, premium Napa Valley hotel experience. But it's their skill as an ambassador...

07/21/2010

TWO URBAN LICKS: This Atlanta hot spot pioneered draft wines, and it's still leading the way. The 40-plus list leans hard on California, but don't overlook the inky Rhône red. 820 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE, Atlanta, 404-522-4622; http://www.twourbanlicks.com/sub-food.htm

TWO urban licks in Atlanta serves fiery American cooking. Live music Wednesday through Saturday.

07/09/2010

“Which asana goes best with Pinot Grigio? And when drinking a cab franc,
should one invert or just go with the hatha flow?

07/07/2010

Michael and Lynn Yates and their daughters Whitney and Mary operate the
35 acre Yates family vineyard in Mount Veeder, Napa Valley. One of our favorites is the Cheval, a small production of 100% Cabernet
Franc of exceptional balance and finesse, with forward red fruit tamed
by evident but silky tannins. For more information on the Yates and their wines,
please go to www.yatesfamilyvineyard.com

After seven years operating as “Napa Redwoods Estate” we have decided to include our family name on our label as you will see with the new 2005 vintage labels. “Yates Family Vineyard” is owned by Michael and Lynn Yates, with the winery and vineyard staffed by their two daughters Whitney and Mary. Ma...

07/06/2010

Children and wineries may not relish each other's company, but Napa Valley's got plenty to please the offspring while you swirl and sip. Opened last summer, Solage Calistoga http://solagecalistoga.com/ was built with families in mind. The cottages-hutlike from the outside but Design Within Reach on the inside-come with two beach cruisers, and pets are welcome. There's also a kids' pool, and the resort's spot-on restaurant, Solbar, has a kids' menu.

07/02/2010

The July issue of the St. Helena Wine Merchants e- News comes out today. Read about gourmet ice cream sandwiches, outrageous vacations and great wines! Please click on my 'Join My List' tab above and sign up to receive your copy!

05/28/2010

Airport food has improved dramatically over the past few years but there
are still plenty of bad in-transit meals to be had. To avoid them,
check out airportdining.net, whose editors have dissected the cuisine at
more than 100 travel hubs so you never have to settle for a sad-looking
salad at Wayne County or Charles de Gaulle again.

The Ultimate Source for airport restaurants and airport dining options...

05/18/2010

Going to Aculpoco? Check out the late-night hot spot Baby'O. With its faux-rock walls and hanging vegetation this club has been described as "Flintstones chic"—emphasis on the chic, since Madonna and Carlos Slim both party here. Costera Miguel Alemán 22, Costa Azul, 52-744-484-7474

05/12/2010

Mary Keehn, who brought us Humboldt Fog (Cypress Grove Chevre) has a new cheese called Purple Haze. It is a fresh goat cheese dusted with lavender and fennel pollen. Very Good!

05/07/2010

Hyperactive wine guy Gary Vaynerchuk is partnering with Virgin America airline to become wine consultant for all Virgin America flights, and his Wine Library TV bits will become part of the on-board entertainment system.

05/05/2010

Is There Really an Olive Garden Cooking School
in Tuscany?
It's one of the great mysteries of life, whether or not Olive Garden
actually has the Tuscan cooking school they claim to in their
commercials. The answer is ...Yes! The Olive Garden cooking school is actually the Tuscan Culinary
Institute, which was established by Olive Garden, but they only use it
several times a year.

04/20/2010

We tasted the 2008 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard last night...This wine manages to be both full-bodied and incredibly refreshing. Pure and deep on the palate, with lemon and pineapple at the core, and a long, crisp finish – not at all buttery. Just oh-so-delicious and honestly a notch above the ’04 Marcassin Three Sisters.

04/19/2010

Hong Kong has surged past the U.S. Wine Auction Market. Asia's major auction center has outsold the United States by 17 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

03/04/2010

Just a reminder: The St. Helena Wine Merchants is offering an opportunity to share Bryan Harrington Winery's collection of small production Pinot Noirs with you. The outstanding quality of his wines have been a great find. Please join us at the St. Helena Wine Merchants for an outstanding wine tasting event. Starts at 5:30 pm tonight March 4th. Cost is $10 and applies to the purchase of Bryan Harrington Wines.

10/28/2009

According to local legend, the great French white Burgundy, Corton-Charlemagne, owes its existence, not to the emperor Charlemagne, but to his wife. The red wines of Corton stained his white beard so messily that she persuaded him to plant vines that would produce white wines. Charlemagne ordered white grapes to be planted. Thus: Corton-Charlemagne!

10/26/2009

Sommeliers actually put more thought into the bottles of wine under $50, because it’s much harder to separate the good stuff from the mediocre in that range. The perception that wine stewards will look down on you unless you blow your entire allowanc...e on blockbusters actually irritates them—they’re there to guide you.