Did you know that today, May 9th, is National Moscato Day? Produced from the muscat grape–one of the oldest known varietals–this sweeter wine is typically enjoyed at meal’s end but has more versatility than you think.

Who doesn’t love the bubbly? Effervescent. Vivacious. Adjectives commonly used to describe sparkling wines also define a joie de vivre. They go hand-in-hand because where there’s a party, there’s a popping cork. Next time you’re looking to liven up a social gathering or special occasion there’s a new Prosecco to hit American shelves which is nothing less than festivity in a bottle.

In 1974, eighteen-year-old Doug Shafer and his younger brother spent endless hours after school clearing rocks from a seven-acre parcel of the Napa property their father had bought with an eye to planting Cabernet Sauvignon. They lugged the rocks off the hill in the heat of the valley sun. “By hand. By the thousands.” Thirty-two years later, in September 2006, Shafer Vineyards released the 2002 Hillside Select Cabernet, a vintage that Robert Parker had awarded a perfect 100 points. Doug Shafer’s well focused memoir, written with Andy Demsky, is the rocky-hillside-to-world-renowned-Napa-wine story of father John Shafer, son Doug and winemaker Elias Fernandez. The Shafer story is a tale of vision, luck, daring and modesty. There were plenty of mistakes along the way. There was the decision to plant Sangiovese in the hope that the varietal would be the next big thing. There was the misguided cold soaking of the 1985 [...]

The final day of my Oregon travels was devoted almost exclusively to the wines of the Applegate Valley. This region is brimming with under heralded juice just waiting to be unearthed. But considering that this part of Southern Oregon is also home to one of the most rapidly-developing craft beer scene in the country, it becomes clear that the Applegate is cloud nine for connoisseurs.

When it comes to the ancient art of making wine, it might seem that not much has changed in the past few hundred years. The most notable wineries consistently cling to methods that have been time-tested. So you’d be forgiven for not associating viticulture with state-of-the-art technology. But a boutique vintner out of Southern Oregon named James Devitt fused his passions in great wine and complex electrical engineering to create a unique auto-topping system for filling wine barrels. For winemakers, it could just be the next big thing.

When we last left off on the way up to the Pacific Northwest, I was somewhere around Weed, California, sipping on the suds at Mt. Shasta Brewing Company. It’s been a long journey. Since then, we’ve sampled so much beer and tasted unimaginable amounts of wine. I’m happy to report that Southern Oregon is a veritable wonderland of all things alcohol. Within these lush, verdant hills you’ll find more vineyards and breweries to count. And far more than can possibly be experienced in any one tour. Which means one thing: many happy returns!

I’m hitting the open road in search of craft. And not just any road, either. This is the Oregon Trail. It’s got history and it’s going to take me from the bustling crowds of the Bay Area all the way to the sparse, lush landscape of the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, I’m going to hit up a number of small-yet-significant purveyors of fine wine, beer and booze. The unexpected adventure is often the most exciting. I can hardly wait to see what surprises await…

Happy Saturday everyone! Your leisure is precious, so why waste it sipping on swill? Allow me to step outside the box with a couple of weekend recommendations that might not be on your radar, but will definitely be worthy of your time.