Blog

Navigating Wine Country’s Michelin Dining: A Practical Guide  When embarking on a culinary journey through the picturesque landscapes of Wine Country, choosing where to dine can be a delightful yet challenging task. As the owner of Gourmet Food & Wine Tours, I answer the phone, simply because I love to help your trip be the…

A Napa Legend In the world of culinary excellence, few names shine as brightly as Chef Michael Chiarello’s. A true legend in the culinary realm, his unexpected passing on Friday, October 7th 2023, sent shockwaves through the foodie community. As we mourn his loss, we also celebrate the indomitable spirit and graciousness that defined him….

You came, you sipped, you purchased. Follow a few simple guidelines and you can be sure you’ll match the flavors of your culinary creations with the wine you loved enough to purchase and haul home. Our insider tips will have you pairing like a pro at a glance! These tips can also be used when planning your Wine Country visit to Sonoma or Napa in Northern California. Tip #1 Pair light with light Pork is a mild meat, so you want to stay away from rich, robust reds that will overpower its flavor. Look for a lighter-bodied, fruitier red, like Craig Colagrossi’s Pinot Noir out of Sonoma County. Colagrossi’s wines can be tasted on the Sonoma Plaza at The Sonoma Wine Shop as well as in his Windsor tasting room closer to the Russian River. It pairs nicely with the…

Since starting our Sonoma Tours three years ago, I am often asked to recommend wineries for our guests to visit before or after our gourmet experience. This is not to be confused with the tasting rooms directly on the plaza. I will write another blog to showcase those. We use and have used wine from the list below to pair with delicious food based on both pairing and biodynamic qualities. Each winery will provide contrast as well. While one may be especially historic, another will offer biodynamic tours and yet another will focus on Italian varietals. Since working with the Boisset Collection and becoming educated on the benefits of chemical-free wine, our tours advocate supporting and purchasing biodynamic or sustainable wines whenever possible. For those that think they get a headache from red wine, they should try a red that…

So what makes Gourmet Food & Wine Tours so special? In short, our tours bring more value, because we offer more – a lot more. In January of 2016, we broke away from the typical format of offering mostly food with a couple wine stops and have not looked back. It is more accurate to think of us as a “progressive pairing tour,” since we offer beautiful wine, complimenting farm-to-table food at every stop – essentially, our tour lets you enjoy several restaurants, wine bars, and food vendors for the price of just one nice meal in Marin or Wine Country. It’s a new way to dine, one that is social, convivial, and educational…not to mention absolutely delicious. Each gourmet bite is carefully paired with a luxury (mostly local and boutique) wine carefully chosen to complement the dish. Instead of…