The theme, apparently, was California wines with ties to Mexico. Given that, here’s the range of California wines they could choose from: almost all of them. The California wine industry would produce few bottles of wine if it weren’t for the work of Mexican viticultural laborers. Citrus Vinaigrette.

Recently, the wife and I have been discussing a possible trip to California next year. Of course my choice would be Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley or Russian River Valley, the home of some of the best wines in the world. Tags: California Petite Sirah red wine few of the issues are for how long and where. must buy!

I was reading this months Wines & Vines something struck me about the piece entitled California Wineries Get Certified.' The 17-acre Deloach vineyards in Russian River Vallet, became one only 64-wineries or vineyards worldwide to achieve Biodynamic certification.' For a moment they had me. But I questioned my own knowledge.

Making my way past the French wines I landed in the California section. But the lure of the reds grabbed me and it was the California reds and people I either knew or recognized who convinced me that white time was up. Got back from the West Coast this morning and I hope to write up about day 1 of my wine country trip tomorrow.

When shopping for wine in a place like Sam's Club one should focus on bottles not from California (unless the wine buyer caught the wine geek bug one day and ordered some boutique stuff that is quite good and in that case stock up before it is gone) but -in my experience- South American and certain Spanish and Italian wines of good quality.

Clearly his arguments must be taken with a dash of salt, as he has California leanings. Even so, he asks good questions about Burgundy price and quality and compares this with price and quality in the Russian River Valley. In Did You See That? And you like it because it totally rocks! Have things gone too far in Burgundy?