Author Archive: Catherine Fallis
It's all about wine at planet grape®, your go-to source of wine news, wine knowledge, wine reviews and recommendations. The online home of one of the world's top wine experts. The creation of Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis, aka grape goddess®. Extraordinary wine aficionado, amazingly informative and plenty of fun. Wine scholar, expert judge, consultant, and writer. A remarkable woman who has well deserved the highest accolades, and the most coveted award in the wine industry. Master Sommelier! Available for keynote speaking engagements, wine tastings, weddings, parties, all sorts of events. All about, or enhanced by, the joy of wine.
VICTORY FOR THE GODFATHER OF PASO ROBLES – GARY EBERLE
Former Penn State Linebacker Gary Eberle, fondly and accurately referred to as the Godfather of Paso Robles for his contributions to the wine industry there as well as his fundraising efforts on behalf of many local causes, youths in particular, is having a very, very good week. Sixteen months ago, he and his wife Marcy […]
CRISP WHITE WINES FROM THE ITALIAN ALPS
Catherine Fallis MS At the recent Age-Worthy Alto-Adige wine tasting put on by SUDTIROL WEIN/VINI ALTO ADIGE and moderated by the erudite and engaging Tim Gaiser MS, not a single Pinot Grigio was served, though it is their most planted white grape. Instead, the focus was on Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blanc), Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Nero […]
LODI ZINFEST 2015
ZinFest WineSchool Presented by Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis of planetgrape.com Lodi, California May 2015 Lodi Lake last weekend was transformed into the popular wine festival known as ZinFest, attended by folks as far away as Montreal and Fort Lauderdale. This is one of my favorite events of the year, as it celebrates not only the […]
2009 DOWS LBV PORT
{ THE SOMM JOURNAL } APRIL/MAY 2015 2009 Dow’s Late Bottled Vintage Port by Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis I’ll never forget my first wine tasting in San Francisco. I had just moved from Los Angeles as was excited to meet my peers so I put on a nice suit and pair of heels. Rookie move […]
THE DIRTY JULIUS – A SPARKLING WINE COCKTAIL WITH ORANGE JUICE & CREAM
A sweet, creamy and delicious wine cocktail that reminds you of an Orange Julius. However the addition of sparkling wine and vodka make it a little “dirty,” but fun! Background The idea of our cocktail, the Dirty Julius, started with just figuring out what wine we were going to mix with. For both of us, […]
FRENCH PREFER PINK OVER WHITE
Did you know? The French are now drinking more Rose than white wine. The dry Rose trend is increasing in other parts of the world as well, though in the good ole USA sweeter styles prevail. France’s most pale, delicate, ethereal Rose wines come from Provence, the country’s oldest wine region. While coral was the […]
ACE, GOOSE, CRIS – CAN SHERRY GET FANCY?
22 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } APRIL/MAY 2015 { planet grape } NO BAD RAP FOR THE UNDERAPPRECIATED WINE FROM ANDALUCÍA by Catherine Fallis, MS Ace, Goose, Cris— Can Sherry Get Fancy? LET’S FACE IT, THE STATE OF Sherry is a sad one. Producers struggle to keep this staid, hand-crafted, under-loved and under- priced […]
PLANET GRAPE’S GUIDE TO STARTING A WINE COLLECTION
Do you ever wonder what it might be like to step into a room chock full of your favorite wines, pick up a few bottles that are in their prime drinking range, and step back into your dining room? For many of us this is no more than a fantasy. Unlike the classic homes of […]
100 YEARS OF FREIXENET – CASA SALA GRAN RESERVA CAVA LAUNCH
Glass of Bubbly, Champagne & Sparkling Wine Magazine Issue 5, February/March 2015 Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava, or “Black Bottle Bubbly,’ is the world’s number one imported sparkling wine. And for good reason – it is easy on the wallet, available everywhere, and has the recognizable and innovative black glass bottle. In a similar vein, […]
COL D’ORCIA – AN ORGANIC ISLAND IN MONTALCINO
Elegant, regal, and silver haired Count Francesco Marone Cinzano, owner of Col d’Orcia in Montalcino, Tuscany, greeted a small group of San Francisco area wine experts, reviewers, sommeliers and press as we sat down in Sociale’s private dining room last Thursday. Sociale is a gem of an Italian bistro hidden down a narrow alleyway in […]
SAUVIGNON BLANC REGIONAL TASTING PROFILE – ARROYO SECO-MONTEREY
Summertime in a Glass Resident Master Sommelier, Catherine Fallis (a.k.a. grape goddess), gives us a nice overview of the Sauvignon Blanc found in the Arroyo Seco AVA located on California’s Central Coast in Monterey County. Here, some world-class Sauvignon Blanc is being produced in this unique, cool climate growing region. She explores several excellent wines […]
SAUVIGNON BLANC REGIONAL TASTING PROFILE – LIVERMORE VALLEY
SIAG Resident Master Sommelier, Catherine Fallis, aka grape goddess®, explores the Sauv Blanc from one of the New World’s oldest wine regions, Livermore Valley. Though it’s place in history undeniable, many have not had the good fortune of tasting and exploring this important wine region. It’s profound connection with Sauvignon Blanc dates back to the 19th […]
SAUVIGNON BLANC REGIONAL TASTING PROFILE – LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
This is our first installment in an extensive series of “Sauvignon Blanc Regional Tasting Profiles” authored expertly by our Resident Master Sommelier, Catherine Fallis (a.k.a. grape goddess.) These pieces are meant to highlight the world’s major Sauvignon Blanc producing regions and provide you with an overview of the styles, flavors, and characteristics of wines they […]
SAUVIGNON BLANC REGIONAL TASTING PROFILE – LODI, CALIFORNIA
One of the many lovely vineyards in Lodi. Photo Courtesy of the Lodi Winegrape Commission. Our second Regional Tasting Profile by Catherine Fallis, grape goddess, of Planet Grape and our Resident Master Sommelier. This time she tackles Lodi, California. Most may think “Zin” when it comes to Lodi, but like so many other varietals, Sauvignon […]
THE LADIES OF VINO NOBILE
A select group of sommeliers, wine merchants and journalists were invited to a presentation yesterday at St. Vincent Tavern & Wine Merchant in San Franciscohonoring “The Ladies of Vino Nobile,” Virginie Saverys, the new owner of Avignonesi, and her winemaker Ashleigh Seymour. Belgian Virginie Saverys was an investor in this well-known Tuscan estate since 2007, […]
FRANCE AND THE WINES OF BORDEAUX
Winemakers around the globe look to France as the benchmark; Burgundy for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Rhone Valley for Syrah, Bordeaux for Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, the Loire Valley for Sauvignon Blanc, and Champagne. France encompasses an extraordinary range of terrain and weather patterns. In the north, grapes sometimes […]
SAUVIGNON BLANC REGIONAL TASTING PROFILE – NAPA VALLEY
Summertime in a Glass Resident Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis In this Sauvignon Blanc Regional Tasting Profile, Resident Master Sommelier, Catherine Fallis aka grape goddess of Planet Grape, takes a look at the iconic Napa Valley – a terrific place for Sauv Blanc… Sauvignon Blanc is grown in many sub-appellations around the Napa Valley. Map courtesy […]
RIOJA IN THREES
Understanding Rioja is as easy as one, two, three. There are three wine-growing regions—Rioja Alta, Alavesa, and Rioja Baja; three types of wine—white or “blanco,” rosé or “rosado,” and red or “tinto.” And there are three main grape varieties for the red Rioja—Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo. There are three quality levels for red rioja as […]
FIESTY SPANISH REDS FROM LA RIOJA
Wine Adventure Magazine Fall 2005 Photo by Rioja DOCa Savvy women understand the power of red. While wearing it one exudes confidence, power, and femininity. Even a small statement such as a pair of fire engine red shoes, or a handbag, emphasizes feminine power and sexiness in ways pink only dreams of. Bullfighters too […]
SPAIN’S PRIVATE VINTNERS CLUB – GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPANA
Finca Sandoval owner and journalist Victor de la Serna and Carlos Falcó Fernandez de Córdova, Marquis de Griñon, presented a selection of two white and six red single estate wines yesterday at Absinthe in San Francisco that was well-attended by SF Bay area wine trade and media. Grandes Pagos de Espana, or GPE, was formed […]
IT’S ONLY NATURAL. SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC AND BIODYNAMIC WINES ARE BECOMING THE NORM
THE SOMM JOURNAL OCT-NOV 2014 Sustainable, organic, and biodynamic, known and discussed by the trade now as SOB, are three tiers of natural wine production. The health of the land, the plants, the animal and human community in and around the land, and the end-users are all taken into consideration. Sustainable farming takes a […]
CALIFORNIA MEETS MEDITERRANEAN – RICH REDS THAT ARE RIPE AND REFRESHING
THE SOMM JOURNAL FEB-MARCH 2015 One night this past fall I was advising a group of bankers about wines and the topic of Old Vine Zinfandel came up. Though they had selected an Amador Zin, I couldn’t help but rave about the hidden treasures in Lodi, where growers have something special yet they don’t […]
BLACK BEAUTY – SICILY’S SIGNATURE NERO D’AVOLA COMES IN A RANGE OF STYLES & PRICES
THE SOMM JOURNAL DEC-JAN 2014/2015 Lovers of esoteric grapes have plenty to choose from in Italy. One of those grapes, however, is enjoying a popularity that puts it squarely in the ranks of Italy’s top reds. Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s prime red grape, is now in the country’s top five, joining Nebbiolo (Barolo), Sangiovese (Brunello), Corvina […]
DIGGING DEEPER – NEW THOUGHTS ON THE BIRTHPLACE OF GRENACHE
THE SOMM JOURNAL OCT-NOV 2014 Any student of Sardinian wine will discover that the island’s beloved Cannonau grape is actually Grenache, or Garnacha. The common thought was that Cannonau was Garnacha brought from Spain to the island of Sardinia 500 years ago. But seeds tested from archaeological ruins of Sardinian Nuraghes – megalithic fortresses from […]
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