Nancy Light is Vice President of Communications for the Wine Institute, a public policy association of 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses dedicated to enhancing the environment for the responsible consumption and enjoyment of wine. With two decades of experience in strategic communications for wine and related businesses, she is responsible for guiding the organization’s media relations, member communications and issues management agenda.
Light manages several Wine Institute programs designed to support the long-term growth and vitality of the California wine industry. “California First” is a new initiative to identify and communicate the positive and distinctive attributes of California wine to consumers, trade, media and public officials. She also managees Wine Institute's partnership with the California Travel and Tourism Commission to promote California wine and food nationwide with a multi-media campaign supported by a $12 million budget.
Specialties: Marketing communications, branding and messaging, crisis communications, issues management, media relations, executive media coaching, strategic partnerships, industry relations.
Will Clark readily admits that his passion in life is California Foothill wines. He retired from investment banking in the early 1990’s, and with wife Jeanne, opened up his shop at 200 Main Street in Downieville. Jeanne runs the antiques and collectibles shop next door.
“We came here to do what we really wanted to do,” said Will. “People don’t expect us to be here. But really, Downieville is the first town north of Nevada City where you can find good food, lodging – and major historical lore about the area.” It all comes together in a mountain setting at the confluence of two rivers, with an enormous amount of Gold Country history. Will boasts a stock of around 50 wines. Here are some of my favorites from the tasting:
2006 Hatcher Cabernet Sauvignon, Sierra Foothills. Will believes this is his current best value in a Cabernet Sauvignon. The Hatcher winery is located in Murphys, Calaveras County, and they source most of their fruit from vineyards near Angels Camp. The fruit for this wine was sourced from the vineyard of Lori Kautz. Winemaker Matthew Hatcher has crafted this wine to have aromas of tropical fruit, volcanic minerality, anise and other exotic spices. Flavor is lush and ripe with flavors of melon, ginger, and spice, ending in a clean finish. Enjoy with spicy Asian foods, BBQ, lamb. 14.6% alcohol. $17.50/bottle at 49 Wines.
Everyone has questions about drinking, but it can seem like every bartender (and bargoer) has different answers. Between the old wives' tales, half-truths, and whiskey-soaked conjectures, it's hard to know what to believe—until now.
Armed with cutting-edge research and a barfly’s thirst for the truth, cocktail instructor Brian D. Hoefling tackles the most burning questions and longest-held myths surrounding that most ancient of human pastimes—with the science to either back them up or knock them down. From the ins and outs of aging to the chemistry of a beer head and the science behind your hangover,Distilled Knowledge provides a complete and comical education that will put an end to any barroom dispute, once and for all.
As a seasoned “clambaker,” sommelier, and culinary school graduate, our Founder and CEO, Mary McAuley, had an “ah-ha” moment when charged with the task of selecting the wine for a (rather raucous) clambake she threw with her friends back in August 2011 in her seaside hometown of Mantoloking, NJ. Mary set out to help consumers who are lost when it comes to selecting a good wine to pair with certain foods, especially the coastal cuisine she grew up eating with her family and friends on the beach. She simultaneously realized the void for trustworthy brands on the American wine market and felt compelled to produce an artisanal and superiorly-crafted wine under a recognizable label to stand out from other big names sourcing from the untrustworthy bulk market or practicing unsavory production techniques. Ripe Life’s first wine, the Clambake Chardonnay, hit the shelves in July 2013 and was an instant success. Although Marys heart belongs to the sea, creating the Clambake Chardonnay has made her realize the plethora American occasions where people are 1. always drinking wine and 2. always eating the same things and plans to expand the collection to other lines in the near future with ideas like an aprés ski wine and a tailgating wine. Before graduating from The Institute of Culinary Education and, later on, The French Culinary Institute, she attended Georgetown University where she was a member of the Division I National Champion sailing team for four years and still makes it out on the water any chance she gets. Her death row meal would be a quarter pound of crémeux de bourgogne cheese with Rustic Bakery crackers, black cherry jam; paired with a 2001 Barbaresco.
Louise Miller is a beekeeper, educator, and founder of Solstice Honey. She is a member of the honey tasting panel gathered by the UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center, a group tasked with developing the Honey Flavor and Aroma Wheel. Also a member of the Xerces Society, she is an avid bee friendly gardener. Miller's passion for varietal and regional wildflower honeys and for bee health inspired her to found Solstice Honey, offering products and educational outreach that improve the quality of life of customers, of beekeepers, and of bees.
Naked Wines have a simple aim to connect winemakers and drinkers directly. The creation of this direct relationship helps users crowdfund their bottles directly from the vineyard via a monthly subscription. But, this is much more than just another wine club.
The service proves that there is more to wine than a pretty label on a bottle inside a supermarket. Each bottle comes with warm stories of families producing wine where angels (Naked Wine members) communicate directly with the winemakers.
BRIDGE COFFEE CO. is a small-batch, nano, craft coffee roaster. We source premium, specialty-grade coffee from around the world. These carefully selected green coffees are profiled, cupped, and roasted in small batches.
With nearly 15 years of roasting experience, the aid of modern technology and utilizing the finest coffee roasting equipment made, you can be sure your coffee is roasted to perfection and consistently delicious.
Small batch roasting is an artisan craft. It is our joy and honor to provide you with a wonderful cup of coffee.
Twenty years as the Publisher of Flying Adventures magazine (a Lifestyle Travel Magazine for people who own and travel on private airplanes, and are Food & Wine Connoisseurs), which has lead him to the most amazing wine experiences.
"I have been fortunate to taste some of the best wines ever produced, enjoyed dinners and detailed discussions with very famous winemakers and vintners, in their homes, wineries, special wine events, auctions, and I have made wine with them, made my own wine, and have participated in blind tastings, food & wine pairings with celebrity chefs. I am traveling the world Exploring Wine Regions, finding interesting and unusual wine experiences, an insiders concierge to share special and hard to find gems and travel experiences with you."
So what does he really know? Well he loves wine, and loves travel! And knows enough to know where to look, and what to look for! He’s traveling the world Exploring Wine Regions, finding interesting and unusual wine experiences, he’s an insiders concierge to share special and hard to find gems and travel experiences with you.