Welcome to my Harvest Blog. In a few days, harvest will begin in Napa Valley. Needless to say, it’s the most exciting time of the year for us. I hope that with this blog, I can share some of the excitement and experience with you.

Hook & Ladder, “The Tillerman” White, Russian River Valley 2005 ($16/sample provided by the winery) Hook & Ladder Winery was started by former San Francisco firefighter Cecil De Loach who purchased ... I did try their white blend, “The Tillerman”, and look forward to finding other wines to buy ... and Sangiovese. Hook & Ladder is a bit coy about the blend of the white version only disclosing...

Well, folks, we’re off and running (and picking and shlepping and pressing and panting…)! Harvest 2005 has begun here on the hill and it’s all looking rosie (not rosé). The vines are lush and full of robust fruit. So far the fruit has been pretty ‘n plump and not a single raisin has been seen. We started off during the last week of August with a variety of grapes from some of our custom...

My gosh, how time flies! Has it really been three weeks since my last writing?!!! Harvest has been hustling along and this has been my first chance to sit at the old word processing machine for more than a couple minutes. I know my last column was quite the cliffhanger ...

A high-strung wild white at a pretty good price equals one cool performance by Pernod Ricard's Brancott Vineyards. Winemaker Julia O'Connell reports Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005 is 100% varietal, vinified in stainless steel. Alcohol content: 13%. Tasting Notes. Color...

Seven Tiki White Rum Fiji 40% alcohol by volume This is 42 Below’s newest product and is made in Fiji . It has a very restrained, clean and almost vodka nose and is a thick clear white spirit at room temperature. At room temperature it hints at cinnamon, malt and palm sugar and is vaguely reminiscent of syrah. Over ice the spicy notes become more pronounced and it takes...

Seven Tiki White Rum Fiji 40% alcohol by volume This is 42 Below’s newest product and is made in Fiji . It has a very restrained, clean and almost vodka nose and is a thick clear white spirit at room temperature. At room temperature it hints at cinnamon, malt and palm sugar and is vaguely reminiscent of syrah. Over ice the spicy notes become more pronounced and it takes...

Seven Tiki White Rum Fiji 40% alcohol by volume This is 42 Below’s newest product and is made in Fiji . It has a very restrained, clean and almost vodka nose and is a thick clear white spirit at room temperature. At room temperature it hints at cinnamon, malt and palm sugar and is vaguely reminiscent of syrah. Over ice the spicy notes become more pronounced and it takes...

If it seems we are awash with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, then I say drink it while the getting is good.  This Discovery Sauvignon Blanc 2005 is a new example of a minerally-slanted, otherwise "textbook New Zealand" wild white. Nearly 1/2 of the grapes came from the "Colonial Vineyard" in the Awatere Valley, just southeast of the Marlborough Plain.  The other half was sourced from...

... seemed like a sensible way forward. I had a bottle of Clos d’Yvigne ‘Princesse de Cleves’ 2005 Bergerac Blanc Sec 2005. It’s made from a happy blend of sauvignon blanc, sémillon and muscadelle...