William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Barnard Griffin is open for tasting in new digs. I popped over to Barnard Griffin winery yesterday to check out the new Bistro. Barnard Griffin is in the process of remodeling their facility, which includes a new Bistro, outdoor patio, glass studio and a re-built tasting room. The original tasting room is in the process of demolition and remodel, so they have temporarily moved the tasting room to the new Bistro. Yes, they are open and ready to pour you some wine. I'm told they will start serving some food within the week. New patio visible from the Bistro. The glass doors slide open when weather permits. Starting in July they will be open Wednesday through Saturday until 8PM! Stop by and check out the new digs and take time to enjoy some great wine. Tell them Wild 4 Washington Wine sent you. View of vineyards from the new patio. Outdoor fire pits will make evenings truly romantic. Deborah Barnard's glass clouds are displayed from the suspended ceiling.  T

Two wonderful Tobin James Cellars wines, courtesy of California Wine Club. Two Wonderful Wines from Tobin James Cellars. Tobin James does not submit their wines to competitions or for review. It was my pleasure this month to learn why; because they don't need to. This California winery is located in Paso Robles. When Tobin started his winery, there were only 7 wineries in Paso Robles, today there are 250. His commitment to making wine earned him the “Wine Person of the Year 2010” award from the Paso Robles Wine alliance. The longevity of this winery looks bright, Mr. James son is studying winemaking at Fresno State University. Tobin James Radiance 2010 Monterey County, Chardonnay This was my first experience tasting Chardonnay from Paso Robles. With a clear gold color, it opened with a toasty nose and a toasty finish. Swirling the wine in my glass, a subtle spice aroma tickled my nose. It had delicate flavors of ginger and fig, with a hint of tartness in the back palate.

Obsessed with New Zealand. As I write this post, I'm drinking a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and listening to Kiwi FM  out of Auckland, New Zealand on tunein radio . Slowly, slowly, I'm emerging from a month long funk. What happened? I've become obsessed with New Zealand and New Zealand wine. For over 30 days I've been trying to figure out how to justify time and money to commit to a visit to New Zealand wine country. You might recall my May review of two New Zealand wines . This is what started my obsession and subsequent funk. I truly, truly want to visit New Zealand, see the sights, take photographs, document my visit and especially taste those oh so lovely New Zealand wines. Fortunately, I'm finding some like minded souls, who have a similar obsession. We're talking back and forth, sharing experiences and connections. I'm hopeful I will find a way to visit New Zealand, one that makes sense financially and one that will expand my appreciation fo