Rhone Rangers, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to promoting American Rhone-style wines, supporting the winemakers who choose to put a New World spin on Old World wine, and — of course — educating the public about the unique and versatile wines produced from all of this research and labour. During the 2016 Rhone Rangers Seminar and Grande Tasting in San Francisco, I had the privilege to learn directly from local, West Coast winemakers who work to move beyond common “Syrah-stereotypes.”
Local artists, unique products, festive food, and of course craft beer and fine wine — this is what San Francisco is known for. And what better place to celebrate all things SF than on trendy Union Street in the upscale Pacific Heights district? That’s exactly what hundreds of Bay Area folks did this past weekend at the 40th Annual Union Street Festival.
Overcast clouds and a bit of rain didn’t stop the Bay Area from some big bites at Fremont’s Burger & Brew Fest last Saturday.
Fremont’s city hub closed it’s street to celebrate local cuisines and California craft brews. For $35, guests were allotted 10 5-ounce tasting pours — that’s 50 ounces of brewski! — and with reps presenting anywhere between 2 to 8 beers each, there was definitely something to please every palate.
The Breweries: Das Brew / Hanger 24 / Speakeasy / Mendocino Brewing Company / Golden Road Brewing / Stone Brewing Co. / Peak Organic / Goose Island / Elysian / 10 Barrel Brewing Co. / Deschutes Brewery / Shock Top / BudLight / Joe IPA
Now, I’m not going to lie to you, I’m a bit of a light weight when it comes to beers. But, like I said, with so many options at the Brew Fest, I knew I was bound to find something to appease my picky tastebuds….
Hello—does anyone visit anymore? I know I haven’t in a long while. Hah. Well for those of you that do, thank you. Appreciate you. I’ve written loads of articles since my last post, and I should (will!) update my portfolio soon enough. But, in the meantime, I want to blast out about a podcast I was recently a guest on. If you listen (and I hope you do), let me know how you liked it.
Below is a link to the podcast homepage, but of course you can listen to it on Apple, Spotify or wherever you prefer listening to your casts. Please enjoy and thanks for listening!
Stacy Briscoe, Managing Editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, joins Laura this week to share her journey into wine journalism and wine education. She tells us how she got her start and discusses her focus on regenerative agriculture, which she has written about extensively. Laura and Stacy discuss the experience of being a woman in the wine industry and the importance of having a supportive network, and Stacy shares some of her favorite wine recommendations.
Stacy joined Wine Enthusiast in 2022 after freelance writing for the publication for several years. Previous to this role, she was the managing editor for Wine Industry Network, the assistant editor of Wine Business Monthly and staff writer of Wines & Vines magazine. She has also written freelance for numerous publications including SevenFifty Daily, Sonoma Magazine and the SF Chronicle, among many others. Stacy regularly speaks at wine industry events, has completed her WSET Diploma, teaches WSET courses at the Napa Valley Wine Academy and, most recently, has been accepted as a Master of Wine Stage 1 student. Listen here.
Welcome back. I bring to you another round up of this week’s interesting wine-news find. There’s a lot—a lot. So take your time, enjoy, and remember:
