The Winery Raven of Paso Robles of California

Tongue firmly in cheek, I sometimes define ‘wine consultant’ as ‘someone lacking employment who will work for whoever pays them’. Although meant in jest, the implied question is valid: just what does a wine consultant do? More importantly, in this age, when every assistant in a retail shop styles him- or herself a sales consultant, who would hire one? The short answer is this: a wine consultant is someone who advises wine lovers about their passion. He or she advises buyers on what to buy (and a ...

The luxury wine group bought Bottom Line Ranch in the San Miguel District for an undisclosed sum. It is exclusively planted with Cabernet, featuring seven top clones on three drought-tolerant rootstocks. Alex Ryan, chief executive and president of The Duckhorn Portfolio, said the sub-appellation’s climate is ideal for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. ‘There is a reason why Paso Robles has the most Cabernet Sauvignon acreage of any appellation in California outside of Napa Valley,’ added ...

In the produce aisle of most US supermarkets, choices are clear: the organic section is to the right, or at the very least, organic items are identified on packaging or shelf-talkers. Shoppers willing to pay a few cents more per pound for broccoli grown without synthetic chemicals know where to reach. In the wine aisle? Not so much. There’s more than a bit of confusion, to date at least, with little-understood labels announcing wines are certified sustainable or made from organic grapes. Scroll ...