Given the surge of interest in so-called adventure tourism, it's no surprise that extreme activities have finally made their way to wine country. From mellow outings like deep-sea fishing and balloon rides to truly adrenaline-pumping options like skydiving and trapeze training, the options themselves are as varied as the highs they inspire.

Baby You Can Drive My Car
One of the most hair-raising things you can do in wine country is get behind the wheel of an Audi R8 and brave the hairpin turns and dramatic elevation changes at Infineon Raceway just south of Sonoma. We like Audi's all-inclusive package, which encompasses a wine country back roads tour, two nights' five-star lodging for two, catered meals and a day of racing along the breathtaking...

2.5-mile course ($3,295).
Audi Sportscar Experience @ Infineon Raceway * 29355 Arnold Dr., Sonoma, CA 95476
* (800) 733-0345 * audidrivingexperience.com

Continue reading my Top 10 list at WineCountry.com

Posted by Courtney at 11:21 AM •

Hey folks, if you're in or around Napa tomorrow please come out and join me along with four other wine authors as we chat and sign our wine books published in '07. Part of the St. Helena Public Library's 1st Annual "Books on Wine Festival," the event will be the first of its kind for St. Helena, and I'm totally tickled to have been included! Refreshments start at 6, author presentations are at 7 and author signings begin at 8:15. Besides Hip Tastes, other titles featured include "A Moveable Thirst," "New Classic Winemakers of California," "The Art of Terroir" and Small Plates, Perfect Wines." More info at shpl.org - I'd love to see you there!

Posted by Courtney at 09:05 AM • Comments (0)

Texas has long been known for many things - BBQ, the Alamo, Dynasty, a fantastic music festival called South By Southwest (to name just a few) - but until recently something the Lone Star State most certainly was not known for was its wine. On the heels of this year's well-attended Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, however, that's all changing.

In its 23rd year this year, the festival drew over 8,000 attendees and featured some 60 wineries and more than 70 chef participants over four days in April. The nation's second largest food and wine festival, this year's event was the first to draw significant critical attention where its wines were concerned, a phenomenon that's catalyzed a buzz about Texas wine that's quickly gaining momentum among curious oenophiles all over the country...

Continue reading my latest article at WineCountry.com

Posted by Courtney at 04:13 PM • Comments (0)

Woop, looks like another celeb designer has gotten in on the wine design thang. Busy Italian designer Roberto Cavalli - famous for his flamboyant, figure-hugging frocks worn by adventurous celebutantes on many a red carpet - has just released Roberto Cavalli Selection, a Tuscan IGT made with the assistance of Italian wine guru Carlo Ferrini. Just about 5,000 bottles were made of the debut vintage, 2004, a portion of which come in this appropriately flamboyant box covered in leopard print used in the designer's 1996 Spring/Summer collection and...

two black goblets. That's right, BLACK goblets. And while the black goblets are certainly impractical for those looking for the full wine tasting experience (in which a wine's appearance is a big part of enjoying the drink), I can't deny that they're dramatic, which suits Cavalli. In fact, I totally respect him for the leopard and black goblet flair. It's so...HIM.

Besides the leopard-print box packaging, a version of the wine called Cavalli Collection is also available packaged in a simple unlabeled black box. Much more boring, in my opinion. Each successive vintage the flamboyant Cavalli Collection versions will feature a new design from a past Cavalli line. Nice.

What's It Made Of?
It's made from a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Alicante Bouschet and aged in small oak barrels ("barriques" as the French say) for 18 months before spending an additional 12 in bottle prior to release. It's made at Agricola degli Dei, the designer's farm he's had for 30 or so years in Chianti; the wine was made in collaboration with his son, Tommasco.

And while the first bottles were for sale exclusively in Italy, word has it the good stuff will be for sale at "the most prestigious restaurants and wine shops of New York, Paris and London" beginning in March 2008. So much for the West Coast, huh? Guess that - just like when it comes to the fashion collections themselves - we're just not worthy. Ouch.

Posted by Courtney at 01:15 PM • Comments (0)

As part of the promotion for the recent Uncorked! Wine Festival at Ghirardelli Square - at which I gave a food and wine pairing seminar to a packed room at Cellar 360, so fun! - I appeared on the Bay Area's popular day time talk show, ABC's View From the Bay. In this clip also featuring View From the Bay's Nick Smith and local chef Kasey Passen, I chat about the festival and wine pairings for two delicious dishes prepared by Kasey - a summer salad and super rich chocolate dessert. Pictured here, a very funny moment at the end of the segment when Nick couldn't fit his hands into the gloves they gave him to roll the chocolate - we were all cracking up.

The clip should be live for about 60 days. Enjoy! Click on "continue reading" for the link.

Click here to watch me on View From the Bay

Posted by Courtney at 08:20 AM • Comments (0)

If the flurry of construction that's been underway along the waterfront in downtown Napa is any indicator, the once-sleepy city is on the brink of becoming a major tourist destination. And the Oxbow Public Market - at just three months' old one of the newest additions to the downtown area - may be one of the city's most promising new arrivals. Read on for the scoop on our favorite purveyors in this venue that looks poised to become the next big thing in a whole new Napa.

Spice Market
Whole Spice owners Ronit and Shuli Madmone bring a passion for the world's best spices to their charming shop inside the main Oxbow Market space. With 300 different spices - many of which are certified organic - and 50-60 custom blends, Whole Spice is a veritable oasis of smells and flavors derived from the likes of the familiar - think allspice and vanilla - as well as the exotic - ajowan or zhug, anyone? As you might expect, tastes, recipes and seasoning advice are doled out liberally...

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Posted by Courtney at 10:51 AM • Comments (0)