Many people have different ideas about what retirement is going to be like. Some buy a motorhome and tool around National Parks and retirement villages in the desert. Some envision time spent with

In my travels I have often found that some of the best places were the hardest to find. Some of my favorite experiences turned up unexpectedly. And some of my favorite moments have happened serendi

You know how you feel when you’ve had the flu, and been secluded in a room without the fresh air? Huddled in your house or bedroom, shivering under the covers, trying to heal, then when you are fee

“Why do you want Portuguese wine? We have many Ports from Portugal,” the wine steward at my local wine store asked me, the disdain in his voice evident.

“Because I’m doing research for an

When you think of enjoying wine, do you only think about the complexity, the fruitiness, the tannins, or the

In the early 1980’s these northern Arizona towns were sleepy villages with not much to offer. Fast forward 30 years and see a resurgence of history, culture, commerce and a newly created wine

Just outside of Cottonwood, on a hillside overlooking the Verde Valley, sits a lovely Tuscan Villa that is Alcantara Winery. Owners Barbara and Bob Predmore started this winery with the goal of cre

Cottonwood, called “The Biggest Little Town in Arizona” in the 1920’s, due to it prosperity from the bootlegging business, is today a beautiful community along the Verde River, in

Physical geography defines a bench as: a shelf-like area of rock with steep slopes above and below. Naramata Bench Wine Country, along the eastern shores of Okanagan Lake in Penticton, British Colu

I saw a picture of a gorgeous blue mountain surrounded by prolific vineyards next to a huge lake in a national magazine. It stopped me dead in my tracks. I looked closer. Where is this? Living in d

We still hadn’t had enough of the Okanagan Wine region after a day in Penticton and a day at the Naramata Bench. So, we headed south on a winding country road skirting the eastern shore of Sk

The epitome of the San Diego lifestyle: palm trees, sunshine, food and wine.

Liberty Station in Point Loma, the converted naval training

In my travels I have often found that some of the best places were the hardest to find. Some of my favorite experiences turned up unexpectedly. And some of my favorite moments have happened serendipit

Driving east through the back roads of San Diego County, through Alpine, hang a right, keep going south and east, then on to a dirt road, way to the end of the road, that’s where you’ll find Tim Peter

“Wine has a rhythm to it,” muses Denise Clark, musician, music lover, winemaker and co-owner of Altipiano Winery. “It’s like a symphony waiting to be played. There’s a beat and a rhythm of the vines s

In the wine world when we use the term “terroir”, we refer to the taste of a grape from a certain region, vineyard or plot. We say that we can taste a Continue Reading →

If Montreal is the food scene of Quebec, the Eastern Townships is the wine and cider scene. The area has the quaintness of France, with many French speaking people, but most are bi or tri-lingual. Pep

You never know where inspiration will come from: a picture in a magazine. In a most unexpected discovery, a scenic photo of Blue Mountains surrounded by prolific vineyards next to a lake reflected

Fueled by a thirst for craft drinks and an abundance of apple trees, eastern Canada is experiencing an artisanal craft cider explosion. Cider, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented apple juice, ca

At the turn of the century, Veronique Hupin and Michael Marler were looking to move to South America, maybe Chile and work at a winery. Or maybe start their own winery or just see what adventures l