Scott Butterfield

Scott Butterfield

Scott Butterfield is a published novelist, short story writer, and wine concierge. He has over a decade of experience as a wine buyer for retail locations and wine bars. A lucky little mortal, he’s traveled to wineries in Bordeaux, Tuscany, Austria, South Africa, New Zealand, and of course, Washington, Oregon, and California. He lives in Los Angeles and is at work on a book about the philosophy of wine tasting.

wine, wine review, wine tasting, red wine, pinot noir

Acacia Pinot Noir vs Halleck Vineyard (Wine Review)

By Scott Butterfield

If Pinot Noir were an animal, it’d be a chameleon. There seems to be no other grape that takes on its environmental surroundings quite like this highly-adaptable varietal. Preferring a cool climate, this thin-skinned grape is legendary for its versatility. It can be used to make white, red, rose, and sparkling wine of tremendous quality. 

Pinot Noir Wine ReviewsCarneros Pinot Noir from Acacia WinerySonoma Coast Pinot Noir Hillside CuveeVideo Pinot Noir Wine Review

The historic home for Pinot Noir is in Burgundy.…

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Ross Halleck and Caroline Styne

Food and Wine Pairing: Sonoma Whites & Pinots at AOC

By Scott Butterfield

The Los Angeles Wine Writers’ Group recently attended a special food and wine pairing at AOC, the restaurant featured in Condé Nast Traveler’s “50 hot tables” and on Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Wine List.” It’s credited with pioneering the small-plate tapas dining experience on the west coast. A.O.C. is helmed by Caroline Styne, a lifelong restaurateur and master sommelier. It features her inspired and adventurous by-the-glass selection paired with a casual yet innovative small plates menu.…

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small wineries, wine tasting, wine experience, red wine, white wine

7 Best Small Wineries in Sonoma 

By Scott Butterfield

The best small wineries in Sonoma are boutique wineries – those which make less than 5000 cases annually – are more high touch than high-tech. These places are labors of love. Wines are hand-crafted with exceeding attention and care. There’s freedom to experiment here with different styles and varietals. An approach that looks to expand your palette instead of stultifying it.It’s less about the glitz and glam. There’s no mass-production assembly line or corporate sponsorship. In fact,…

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Docks at Bodega Bay

Wine Tasting Near Bodega Bay: Top 8 Tasting Rooms

By Scott Butterfield

It’s now the perfect time of the year for wine tasting near Bodega Bay. This amazing area lies on a San Andreas Fault line, roughly 20 miles as the crow flies from Petaluma, about 30 minutes on the highway from downtown Petaluma to The Links Golf Club at Bodega Harbor, which rests at the southern opening of the bay.

If you’re flying in, book yourself into Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS) which is right in Petaluma,…

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Wine Festivals Reopening Post Lockdown

Wine Festivals: 2022-2023 Calendar

By Scott Butterfield

After a two-year lockdown, life is finally opening up again. So we scoured the web to put together this endemic 2022-2023 Wine Festival Calendar. It features 11 California Wine Festivals, including 4 in Sonoma and Napa, and 2 in Santa Barbara. Plus Nantucket, Oregon, and Colorado wine festivals, and a wine festival reopening in France. The Dana Point Wine Festival is happening too close to our publication date, so we opted not to cover it.All the festivals serve food,…

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Wine, Bottle, Reviews, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, Wine Pairing, Marlborough, White Wine

New Zealand vs California Sauvignon Blanc

By Scott Butterfield

California Sauvignon Blanc is like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in many ways. But the two varietals from different regions deviate in some respects as well. In this wine review, Ross Halleck and Harris Miner are in Sebastopol wine tasting and discussing the popular Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, comparing to the Halleck Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, judged Best of Class White and Best White Wine in California (94 pts) at the 2019 Orange County Wine Society.…

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Wine, Bottle, Reviews, Pinot Noir, California, Wine Pairing, Monterey

Sonoma Coast vs La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir (Wine Review)

By Scott Butterfield

In this wine review Ross Halleck and Harris Miner are in Sonoma wine tasting and enjoying two California Pinots; La Cream Pinot Noir from Monterey and Halleck Vineyard Hillside Cuvee from Sonoma Coast.

Table of contentsLa Crema Monterey Pinot Noir Tasting NotesHalleck Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Tasting NotesWine Review (Video)The Last Word

La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir Tasting Notes

2019 La Cream Monterey Pinot Noir

La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir is one of the most popular wines in the world.…

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Halleck Vineyard Estate Grown and Kosta Brown Pinot Noir from Sonoma, California

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir vs Halleck Vineyard (Wine Review)

By Scott Butterfield

In this post, Ross Halleck and Harris Miner are wine tasting in Sonoma and reviewing two of the best California Pinot Noir wines from the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast.

Table of contentsKosta Browne Pinot Noir (2016)Halleck Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir (2016)Wine Review [Video]The Last Word

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir (2016)

2019 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir belongs to a very special place.…

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