Fort Ross Vineyards, Estate Grown, Dedicated Farming, Masterful Winemaking, Profound Wines
Dedicated Farming, Masterful Winemaking, & Profound Wines BY LISA GMUR, CSW Clinging to a necklace of 30 small mountain blocks atop the steep coastal ridge on the wild Sonoma Coast sits Fort Ross Vineyard. Developed and planted by owners Lester and Linda Schwartz and their small crew, Fort Ross Vineyard is just one mile west […]
Farmstead The Story Behind the Wines
THE STORY BEHIND THE WINES BY LISA GMUR, CSW Nestled in the quaint Napa Valley town of St. Helena, is one of the busiest restaurants in the United States. In fact, more than ¼ million people dine there every year. That restaurant is called Farmstead and its offspring is a winery owned by the same […]
Lazy Dog Restaurant, Director of Bar Strategy & Marketing, Laura LaVigne
Laura LaVigneDirector of Bar Strategy & Marketing Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar Interview By Lisa Gmur, CSW Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar is an American casual dining restaurant chain that operates 42 restaurants across eight states including California, Florida, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Georgia and Virginia. There are also more on the way. The extensive […]
Dobbes Family Estate Making Wine & Giving Back
Making Wine & Giving Back By Lisa Gmur, CSW When Joe Dobbes launched his winery, Dobbes Family Estate, back in 2002. He had a vision; a Pinot Noir led, traditionally crafted Burgundian style portfolio from traditional and emerging AVAs primarily within the Willamette and Rogue Valleys. Before this, Joe had worked for 17 years in […]
Landry’s, Divisional Vice President of Wine & Spirits, Tylor Field III
Tylor Field IIIDivisional Vice President of Wine & SpiritsLandry’s Interview By Lisa Gmur, CSW The first Landry’s restaurant, Landry’s Seafood Restaurant, opened its doors in Katy, Texas back in 1980. The second restaurant was Willie G’s Seafood & Steaks which opened up in nearby Houston, a year later. One of the two who partnered up […]
The Chicks Hatch a New Career in Gaslighter Rose
The Chicks have hatcheda new career in wine. By Lisa Gmur, CSW The Chicks, (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) recently launched an emotional new album titled Gaslighter. It’s the first album in over a decade for this 13-time Grammy winning band. Well, the album has legs, as in the legs in wine lexicon. Gaslighter […]
Gloria Ferrer Winery, Winemaker Harry Hansen, Homecoming
Harry HansenDirector of WinemakingGloria Ferrer Winery Interview By Lisa Gmur, CSW The U.S. domestic sparkling wine category has seen pretty staggering growth over the last dozen years. According to Impact Databank, domestic sparklers crossed into the $28 million-case territory in 2020 in the U.S. and progress has been solid at the premium end, with the […]
Marriott International, Vice President Food & Beverage, Dana Pellicano
Dana PellicanoVice President of Food & BeverageMarriott International Interview By Lisa Gmur, CSW It all began with an A&W root beer stand. A fact I didn’t know, until now. That’s how Marriott founder J. Willard Marriott and his wife, Alice, got their young business off the ground; by quenching people’s thirst during Washington D.C.’s hot, […]
Long Meadow Ranch, Full Circle Farming in Napa’s Mayacamas Mountains
Full Circle Farming in Napa’s Mayacamas Mountains By Lisa Gmur, CSW In 1872, a gentleman and Civil War Veteran by the name of E.J. Church was given an opportunity to move from the east to the west. President Ulysses S. Grant himself signed the land patent granting 640-acres in the Mayacamas Mountains to Church. And […]
Goose Ridge Winery, Andrew Wilson, The Man Behind the Grapes
A Climate of Excellence Family Owned. Estate Grown. Andrew WilsonWinemakerGoose Ridge Estate Winery Interview By Lisa Gmur, CSW Washington State is the 2nd largest premium wine producer in the United States. There are more than 1000 wineries and currently 16 AVA’s. Washington State’s first grapes were actually planted in 1825 and continued to grow in […]