This show is from my recent visit to Buena Vista winery in Sonoma. We did a private tour with The Count of Buena Vista and then had some lunch and spent some time with Jean-Charles Boisset and Marnie Old to talk about their new book “Passion for Wine.”
Buena Vista Winery has a rich, delicious heritage as the first premium-and certainly the most colorful-of all of the wineries in California. And its founder, the self-proclaimed “Count of Buena Vista,” Agoston Haraszthy, was a vivacious and eccentric pioneer with a veritable love and unending commitment to California wine. Today the Count is portrayed by my friend, the multi-talented George Weber, who was the perfect tour guide and host as we walked this bit of wine country history. A winery lovingly restored by Jean-Charles that’s producing splendid wines for every taste. Learn more about Buena Vista winery here!
After our formal tasting and lunch we moved to the sun-lit patio to chat about “Passion for Wine – The French Ideal and The American Dream.
“Finally, an introduction to wine that takes the stiffness out of wine and puts the joie de vivre back in. You don’t need to memorize reams of data to feel in control when shopping or deciding what to drink with dinner. All you need to learn are the handful of powerful ideas that help capture and explain wine’s extraordinary variations of style. By instilling the confidence to make educated guesses based on a few central truths, this book will help you relax and savor what’s in the glass regardless of its grape or region. The genus of this introduction to wine is that it shares the compelling ideas and practical skills that separate the wine expert from the wine novice. Its authors make use of the lessons of Franco-American history, the principles of sensory science, and the predictability of Mother Nature to make sense of the wine with humor, humility, and no shred of pretense. Passion For Wine is also refreshingly direct in its embrace of the central truth behind wine’s appeal; that wine brings pleasure not simply through the sum of its flavors, textures, and scents, but also in its extraordinary ability to elevate life’s precious moments and strengthen the bonds of love and humanity that connect us all. Get a copy NOW!
Beth and I on the patio at Buena Vista with Jean-Charles and my guests Harrison Schenk and Sierra Scott
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
The wines of Buena Vista
