Susiestraight

LATEST ARTICLES ( 36 )

• Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa

  

  Here’s an advertorial piece I recently wrote… I’m shouting it from the rooftops, er, my computer keyboard – you really need to check this place out! Read more

  Posted on 10 October 2021 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• A Delicious Adventure at Domaine Carneros, a New Friend and Writing Again

  

  Last week, I had an unforgettable experience at Domaine Carneros with my new friend, James King, Owner/Founder of King Group Events. Read more

  Posted on 17 August 2021 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Are You Ready To Work From Home?

  

  With all the uncertainty about Covid 19 swirling around like Pinot Noir in a big Burgundy balloon glass, all of us are just a splash anxious about the future... Read more

  Posted on 15 March 2020 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Alcohol-Free Wines

  

  It’s January 5th and I haven’t had a glass of wine (or beer, or spirits…) all year. Like many others, I’m doing a “Dry January,” in other words, I’m alcohol-fre... Read more

  Posted on 05 January 2020 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Falling for Flora Springs

  

  As a wine writer, I am sometimes blessed with the opportunity to write about amazing, unforgettable places and Flora Springs is definitely one of them. I... Read more

  Posted on 08 October 2019 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Explaining Wine Enjoyment To Young Mormon Missionary Men

  

  Yesterday, I was asked to explain wine enjoyment to a group of shiny young Mormon missionary men. (Try saying Mormon missionary men three times fast – bet ya... Read more

  Posted on 14 September 2018 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Please Don’t Tell Me What I’m Tasting!!

  

  I’m noticing a disturbing new trend in tasting rooms (or maybe I’m just cranky). It seems that tasting room staffers, especially the young ones, are trained to... Read more

  Posted on 03 May 2018 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Into The Great Wide Open

  

  Tom Petty is one of my favorite musicians (RIP) and his music continues to be part of my life’s soundtrack. I chose “Into The Great Wide Open” as the title for... Read more

  Posted on 05 December 2017 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Millennials On Parade

  This particular piece has been fermenting in me for a while, but had to be expressed after I had a particularly bad millennial experience over Memorial Day... Read more

  Posted on 31 May 2017 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Foie Gras & Wine Pairing Ideas

  

  I am an admitted California wine and food geek and the best thing I ever ate was fois gras on brioche toast, with a perfectly poached egg on top, all swimming i... Read more

  Posted on 08 April 2017 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Square Peg Winery

  

  Last week I went on an unforgettable adventure to Square Peg Winery with my good friends, Jo and Jose Diaz. We have been friends for many years and different... Read more

  Posted on 08 March 2017 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• The County Bench – Best Happy Hour In Sonoma County!

  

  My sweetheart and I had the pleasure of experiencing Happy Hour at The County Bench in downtown Santa Rosa last week and I gotta tell ya, we were both really... Read more

  Posted on 06 February 2017 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Joseph Jewell Wines – OMG!

  

  Are you a rabid Pinot Noir fan like me? If so, let me clue you in to Joseph Jewell Wines, if you haven’t found out about them already. Read more

  Posted on 05 December 2016 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Cougar Juice

  

  Rombauer Chardonnay If you Google “Cougar Juice,” the first image you’ll see is a bottle of Rombauer Chardonnay. The Urban Dictionary refers to it as, “An... Read more

  Posted on 18 July 2016 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Wine Road Barrel Tasting Weekends – A Rant

  

  At the risk of sounding like an old-timer lamenting past golden days (wait – I AM an old-timer, I’ve been in the wine industry for over 30 years now), in my... Read more

  Posted on 06 March 2016 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• The Fantasies of a Tasting Room Manager

  

  I’ve spent much of my 30-plus year career managing tasting rooms. I’ve worked for small, family owned wineries and large corporate wineries and I’ve worked in... Read more

  Posted on 06 December 2015 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• “Sooooo, Are You a Somm?”

  

  Sooooo…are you a Somm? After over 30 years of actively working in many facets of the wine industry (winery management, sales, radio personality, wine writer,... Read more

  Posted on 30 November 2015 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Tasting Room Etiquette Tips From The Wine Wench® – For Visitors

  

  Tasting Room Etiquette Tips From The Wine Wench® - For Visitors Want to have a great time when you go wine tasting? Here are a few tried-and-true tips from... Read more

  Posted on 11 January 2015 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Passion In The Tasting Room

  

  Wine inspires passion, or it should, anyway.  Any wine lover will tell you about lovely, wine-drenched conversations that they have enjoyed with colleagues,... Read more

  Posted on 19 December 2014 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK

• Ten Ways To Grow Your Wine Club

  

  I’ve been managing wine clubs for wineries for many years. The memberships have ranged from start-ups to over 4000 members. Following are my favorite tips for... Read more

  Posted on 25 November 2014 DRINK, FOOD & DRINK