So, Your West Coast Oenophle is comfortably back in the saddle and penning these notes for Sostevinobile. But since taking on responsibilities for BlueStream, my new wine store, as well, I have been spending an inordinate amount of time on the road. Not a great excuse for procrastinating on this blog, but an excuse nonetheless.
Having been at my principal endeavor to launch Sostevinobile far longer than I ever had anticipated, I find myself less focused on discovering and rating new wines these days; rather, I am reengaging with wineries and an assortment of AVAs with which I have established relationships over the past 15 years.
Over this period, I have met with or vetted nearly 5,500 labels in California, Washington, and Oregon, assessing wines for how I might incorporate them into an extensive by-the-glass program for my yet unrealized wine bar operations. Now, as I build a bottle program, I have to assess wines from a different standpoint, as it is far more difficult to intrigue customers into trying an unfamiliar varietal or label when they must commit to a full bottle, rather than gamble on a single glass or demo pour. and, admittedly, part of my recent sojourns has been to validate my presence on the wine scene amidst the yet unfulfilled promise of Sostevinobile.
In the process, I’ve gained new insights into several of the place I have visited. Among these was the back country for Santa Barbara. Up until my recent trip, I had focused on grittier side of 
US-101, drawn by the cutting-edge endeavors along the Lompoc Wine Trail and the smattering of familiar names throughout the Sta. Rita Hills. Instead, I opted for the serene back roads of Ballard Canyon plus the quaint yet bustling downtown Los Olivos scene. Such a tranquil, idyllic setting! It was like combing Alexander Valley back in the 1980s, long before the transformation of Healdsburg into East Hampton West, when the roads were quaint and the wineries, apart from the fortified walls of Jordan’s twin châteaux, ramshackle and unpretentious. Not that I disparage other wine regions—if anything, there may be too much to love in Napa or Sonoma or the burgeoning enclaves of Paso Robles, so it was most welcome to hearken back to a time when winetasting was a leisurely, economical respite from urban pressures and glitz.
Speaking of Paso, I returned for another session of Rhône Rangers, which continues to resurrect itself from near obscurity to most dynamic trade organization in the industry. Little surprise that this annual February session keeps getting more popular, while interest in the expansive Paso Robles region, with its eleven sub-AVAs continues its post-pandemic boom. No wonder it’s now home to California’s first billion dollar winery, while staking its claim as most innovative wine destination!
I capped the first part of my peregrinations with a four-day stay in Napa. Unlike 2023, when I missed most of Première snowbound on Spring Mountain, this year’s sessions were basked in sunshine. Although I’ve attended this marathon event for countless years on running, this was my first time brandishing a paddle and covering it in its entirety.
Inveterate œnophile ready, willing & able to preserve your legacy
Given the proliferation of turnover in the industry lately, as much of the upcoming generation has been disinclined to take over the realm from their parents, I did have an ulterior motive in attending this benefit, but my efforts to leave with my own winery proved futile—at least for the moment. But I did gain tremendous insight into the Napa community. Yes, it unquestionably has evolved into a more elitist status since I first began trekking here, yes, its emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon and the strictures of Bordeaux approach a monoclonal level, and undoubtedly prices for its wines and events have grown beyond attainable for most, yet there remains an enormously collegial and beneficent community within the broader AVA that serves as a model for what the wine industry should be all about. Ti saluto (albeit with a $55 glass of Meritage)!