A fabulous wine to have on hand for the coming spring holidays is Soquel Vineyards’ Trinity Rosso.
This full-throttle red wine is an amalgam of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. For the reasonable price of $16, what you get is a rich mouthfeel and soft tannins – along with a ripe blackberry flavor. “The length is elegant with sweet, creamy French and American oak,” say the folks at Soquel Vineyards.
Another red wine by Soquel Vineyards I would recommend is their 2015 Pyramid. A blend of 30% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, and 8% Petit Verdot, this is a beautiful Bordeaux-style blend with lush notes of blackberry, licorice and tobacco. This wine is $50, and perfect for the upcoming holidays.
Soquel Vineyards has a warm and welcoming tasting room. It has been voted Best Winery many times by Good Times readers, including for the Best Of awards of 2023.
Soquel Vineyards, 8063 Glen Haven Road, Soquel, 831-462-9045. Soquelvineyards.com
Land of Olives
I am totally smitten with Heraclea extra-virgin olive oil. Having lived in Turkey for a year, I am very familiar with their exceptional culinary offerings such as olive oil, olives, figs, apricots, and other produce. Izmir, where I lived, is well-known for all kinds of tasty food, including honey and honeycomb. Turkey shines when it comes to olive oil, and the rich, velvety oil made by Heraclea in the city of Milas is worth its weight in gold! All my food is prepared with olive oil, including french fries. I cook them for a lengthy time so they soak up as much oil as possible, a technique I picked up from Greek cuisine. (I lived in Athens for 12 years). Visit Heraclea.com for more info.
