California Corks Visits – Quady Winery

The Central Valley, also called the Great Central Valley, extending from Shasta County in the north of California to Kern County in the south, it parallels the Pacific coast for about 450 miles and is almost totally enclosed by mountains. The San Joaquin Valley in the south embraces more than three-fifths of the entire basin, and the Sacramento Valley in the north makes up the remainder. The development of ranching and agriculture in the valley progressed rapidly after the California Gold Rush in 1849. Today this part of California contains some of the richest farmland to be found in the United States. The San Joaquin Valley produces more than 300 crops, including cotton, wine, and table grapes. About 20 percent of all wine grapes grown in California are found on vines in Fresno County, right in the heart of the state. You will also find peaches, apricots, wheat, rice, pistachios, almonds, and vegetables. With about 300 growing days per year, the valley produces about one-fourth of the food consumed in the United States. California is rich in so many ways and for those of us that enjoy her wines and the winery experience there are more than enough choices to choose from. With that in mind this article will be the beginning of highlighting wines, wineries, and winemakers from north to south of California’s Big Valley.

Markus Wine Co And Their Winemaker Markus Niggli

Swiss-born Markus Niggli was brought on by Steve Borra in 2006 to handle the cellar for Borra Vineyards, but Markus steadily climbed the ladder to winemaker in 2010. Markus was an early believer in natural winemaking with a goal of expressing the vineyard and each vintage as authentically as possible, resulting in his first releases of critically successful fresh and racy whites. These show his European influence with higher acidity, rather than the typical rich, full-bodied California style.

He has made a fan in noted wine writer Randy Caparoso, who wrote: “Borra now produces the most ‘contemporary’ style wines grown in Lodi today, period.”
But Markus does much more than make about 5,000 cases of wine each year. He works along with designers to come up with new labels; manages the cellar crew; and most importantly handles all wholesale and direct wine sales. Markus and his wife, Diane, are raising a family together in the City of Lodi.

Clear Lake wines and wineries is only a part of the focus of this article. While we will look at wines and wineries in the Clear Lake area, we will also consider other points of interest. As you are reading this article it is fair to say that you enjoy wine tasting and visiting wineries. Still if you are spending a day or days in any give wine area or region, we usually don’t spend our entire time in the tasting room. That being said, we will look at other ways to make the visit to this wine producing region of California by considering accommodations, dining, tasting rooms, and other activities of interest that Clear Lake has to offer.

While I don’t visit Clear Lake as often as I use to, the lake and the countryside hold fond memories for me. I remember staying at the Marina Hotel with my parents and later taking my family as well to enjoy a getaway. The Marina is a simple place to stay but it was oh, so convenient if you had a bass boat you want to launch. I remember going out with my dad in his boat and fishing for some lunker bass. Taking my family and just enjoying the stay for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In fact, both my father Jack Krause and my cousin Danny Krause did more than one Bass tournament at Clear Lake.

When I first started to drink wine, I tried to do it the as I had seen people in the movies or on television. You know with hand clasped around the glass’s bowl. Perhaps the television and movie screens aren’t the best resource for learning the ropes. Because yes, there is a proper way to hold a wine glass—and it matters. So, let us fine-tune our skills, and enhance our wine experience. Here is everything you need to know to hold your next glass of wine like a pro.

How You Hold a Wine Glass - Does it Really Matter?

There are so many different wine glasses to choose from. Decorative, elegant, and so many different types to select from in size, shape, and of course price.

Did you know that there is a wine glass for just about every kind of wine?

Some basic wine glasses are for full-bodied red wine, light-bodied red wine, Rose or a spicy red wine, sparkling wine, light-bodied white wine, and fortified wines.

We will share more on the different types of wine glasses in a future article; "Why are there so many different types of wine glasses?"

Before learning how to properly hold your wine glass, and if it matters, let's look at the "whys" of holding your glass of wine. How you handle your glass helps you get the most out of your wine experience for three main reasons:

Photo Courtesy Riedel Wine Glasses

You are planning to go to your first wine tasting at a winery. This adventure can be both exciting and intimidating. For those new to the Wine Trails of California, or any state for that matter, it may seem like certain wine and winery protocol and understand is required to enter the world of wine. The goal here is to provide some wine tasting tips that will help you to enjoy the winery experience. If you consider yourself knowledgeable about your winery adventures and tasting wine I hope that you enjoy these reminders.

While it is good to understand some basics you do not have to become a wine expert to enjoy you visit. With a little knowledge you can calm any pre-tasting jitters that you might have. While wine tasting at wineries and tasting rooms have some common etiquette, it is still about enjoying yourself and the wines that are served during your visit. Here are a few tips and important points to keep in mind to help you step up to your next tasting with confidence.

You Are in The Tasting Room - What to Expect

Photo Credit Cuvee Wine Cellars - San Carlos, CA