Catherine Fallis MS & Cindy Della Monica share “Secrets of Wine & Cheese Matching” “ZinFest wine lovers,” says Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis, “prepare your taste buds for lift-off!” In her 4-4:40 PM ZinFest Wine School presentation on Saturday, May 18, 2013, Ms. Fallis – a.k.a. the one and only grape goddess® – is teaming up with Cindy Della Monica, the owner of Lodi Wine Country‘s Cheese Central.  Ms. Della Monica, on her part, is a bonafide cheese goddess – or, shall we say, a walking encyclopedia on all things cheese (in the same way that Fallis is a walking, talking.. VIEW MORE »... Read More

The Academic Performance Index, more commonly refeared to as the API, is about to under go a serious remolding. According to the California Department of Education, the API has previously been dictated solely off CST standardized testing and the CHASSE high school exit exam. After pushing for changes, reformers got bill SB 1458 signed by Governor Jerry Brown. This bill will redefine our schools API score, demanding that they consist of only 60% of test scores with the other 40% to be determined.

As to be expected, many people are very excited about this change, and everyone is trying to get their peice of that 40%... Read More

Michael David Winery hosted their yearly Grower Barrel Flight Tasting for their Zinfandel growers this past April 24 and 25 at the winery’s Bare Ranch facilities This annual rite of Spring, organized Kevin Phillips –Michael David’s Vineyard Manager and VP of Operations – is put on to give the winery’s Zinfandel suppliers the opportunity to taste, and evaluate, over 60 of their own single-vineyard wine lots from the previous vintage, while the wines are still in a raw, unblemished state (without the influence of new or extended oak barrel aging).  The tasting is done “blind” – no one knows whose.. VIEW MORE »... Read More