Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
The Robert Mondavi Winery is historic for putting California, and New World wines, on the international stage. I was fortunate to have a chance to interview Kurtis Ogasawara, Winemaker for Robert Mondavi during VanWineFest 2024. I was told, “Growing up in Sunnyvale, California, Kurtis lived just outside of wine country in the Bay Area. When he went off to college,…
The Sauvignon Blanc grape traces its lineage to the historic vineyards of France’s Loire Valley, where it gained early recognition for its distinct aromatic profile and vibrant acidity. It is also one of two grapes, along with Semillon, which makes white Bordeaux blends. However, it was the New World wine regions that truly propelled Sauvignon Blanc to worldwide fame, reimagining…
Cabernet Sauvignon is the King of single-varietal red wines. The robust body, coupled with its signature notes of black currant, black cherries, plum, and cedar, creates a sensory journey that is both powerful and refined. Its ability to age with grace only adds to its majesty, as tannins soften and intricate layers unfurl, revealing the true artistry of winemaking. It…
The origins of winemaking in Napa Valley can be traced back to the 19th century when European immigrants recognized the valley’s potential for grape cultivation. Early pioneers like George C. Yount and Charles Krug established vineyards and laid the foundation for what would become one of the world’s most renowned wine regions. However, it was the fateful 1976 Judgment of…
This seminar at the Vancouver International Wine Festival helped us learn how California’s landscape and climate shape the Golden State and its wines. Each wine we tasted explored a different aspect of California from the coastline to the mountains, with a winery principal talking to us about the wine and the region. Our Moderator was DJ Kearney while our panelists…
I have a few Riedel glasses at home that I use for red Bordeaux blends, Pinot Noir, oaked Chardonnay, and aromatic white wines, but have not tested the theory that the shape of a glass can really positively or negatively affect the taste of the wine, until I attended this seminar at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, hosted by Alysha…
I was fortunate to be invited to taste two vintages of Seña wines from Chile paired with dishes at Black + Blue restaurant in downtown Vancouver. The wine luncheon and tasting was led by Mr. Michel Couttolenc, Fine Wines Director for Viñedo Chadwick and Seña. Seña is a joint venture winery started in 1995 between Napa Valley’s Robert Mondavi and Chile’s…
A whole year has passed since my 2021 Wine Quiz, which was related to wines, wineries, and winemakers I was able to interact with and write about on mywinepal.com. Here is my 3rd Annual 2022 Wine Quiz. There are 10 questions gleaned from my articles this year. I hope you enjoy it!
It is not every day that you get invited to a portfolio tasting of wines from Italy’s Antinori Estates. Many of you have probably heard of their most famous wine, Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT, a Super Tuscan, that helped lead the way to blend in International grape varieties, e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with Italy’s Sangiovese grape in Tuscany….
While the term “Cru” is most often used for the French classification system, the “Cru” concept can apply to any vineyard or group of vineyards recognized for their superior quality. This seminar at the Vancouver International Wine Festival took us on a global journey to some of the wine world’s greatest vineyards to discover what makes their terroir and wines…
