You’re invited to the RISING Book Release Party on Sept. 17th in Monterey, Calif.! The RISING Book Release Party will be held Saturday, Sept. 17th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Pierce Ranch Vineyards Tasting Room, located at 499 Wave Street in Monterey (between Cannery Row and Lighthouse Avenue). During the event: Get … Read Entire Post
Mark your calendars! The Monterey Bay Book Signing Party for RISING will be Sat., Sept. 17th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Pierce Ranch Vineyards Tasting Room, located at 499 Wave Street in Monterey, Calif. In RISING, the second book in the DARK SURF series, several characters come to the Monterey … Read Entire Post
Exploring Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone I recently spent 2 nights in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone—home to 15+ wineries, a few brewpubs & taprooms, restaurants and more. Located just west of Highway 101, it’s right next to the beach (great for graysuits!) and easily walkable on foot from one end to the other. The … Read Entire Post
Another gem for you in Lake County, Calif. is Brassfield Estate Winery. The grounds alone are worth the drive up the hill and the wines are truly amazing. Brassfield Estate Winery & Vineyard is located in the western section of High Valley at High Serenity Ranch. I had the opportunity to … Read Entire Post
Here is the first of 2 winery gems in Lake County, Napa’s neighbor to the north: Steele Wines. Steele Wines has 5 labels and 20 wine varietals. I had the opportunity to sample a few from the Steele label, the namesake label for owner and winemaker Jed Steele. Steele 2013 Carneros Chardonnay … Read Entire Post
Here at Dark Surf Nightly we like to explore the “dark” side of the coast—including hidden gems and secret tips. Wow, do I have a hidden gem for you! The wineries of Lake County, Calif. Lake County is located just north of Napa County. Napa, of course, is a renowned & wildly popular wine … Read Entire Post
The 2005 Tempranillo. That’s what got me hooked on Pierce Ranch Vineyards wines. Until that wine, I didn’t even know Iberian varietals could be successfully grown in Monterey County. For decades, Monterey County has been widely known for its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. But when it comes to reds, I generally … Read Entire Post
My friends and I rarely leave the coast. (It’s a graysuit thing.) So, when we do head for the hills, we have to have a really good reason—like fabulous wines. If you want a quick getaway to a wine lover’s paradise, try Murphys in the central Sierra Nevada foothills in Calaveras County, … Read Entire Post
Which wine goes better with turkey—Chardonnay or Pinot Noir? The Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association has published a handy “Thanksgiving Wine Pairing” infographic. Check it out to see which traditional Thanksgiving foods pair best with which wines—and then taste for yourself. (For a larger downloadable version of the infographic, … Read Entire Post
A Dark Surf Nightly subscriber recently took me to what she describes as a hidden gem — Abnormal Wine Company. AWC is a self-proclaimed “urban winery,” tucked away in the North County San Diego community of Rancho Bernardo. It’s situated west of Highway 15 at 16990 Via Tazon #123. Abnormal … Read Entire Post
