As I began to make plans for a short Easter weekend trip to Willamette Valley, I kept getting the question, “why are you driving nine hours for wine when you live in Napa?” Having done some research on the region’s easy access to wineries, restaurants, and outdoor splendor, I was able to formulate a basic […]

Last Winter, while studying at the International Wine Institute of Bordeaux, I attended a class on the wine region of Burgundy (Bourgogne in French). Discussing the nuances of Burgundian terroirs from the grapes and soil to the climate and vineyard placement, inspired a spontaneous trip to this fabled region. Within weeks I had found myself traipsing […]

I might have cried when my boyfriend surprised me with a hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley for our anniversary this year. Despite my fear of heights, taking flight aboard a wicker basket and colorful balloon has always been a bucket list item of mine. Our car headlights were alone on the road as […]

Finally, after a month of calling Bordeaux my home, I wandered to the Bordelaise Vineyards just outside the city. Choosing the oldest Bordeaux wine region of Saint-Émilion as the preface for my journey was rewarding in many aspects. Although the vineyards are what we came for, the village was equaling amazing. Surrounded by vines in every […]

Today marks one month since moving to the lovable French city of Bordeaux. While I have since settled into a daily rhythm filled with school and work, it still seems impossible to quit the feeling that I am on a holiday. How could I with weekend hiking trips in the countryside, day trips to the […]