Why did we split “Reading Wine Labels” into two posts? Two reasons, one is practical – I hate writing novel length posts, and I suspect the audience likes reading them even less. The other has to do with content. Part 1 identifies virtually everything that is required to be on a wine label, or if present, needs to adhere to predefined ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Want to listen to your news on SNO? Across the Bridge airs regularly on KRYZ Community Radio 98.5 in Mariposa. Hosted by Kellie Flanagan, Managing Editor of Sierra News Online, the community service segment features news and information of interest to the people of the Central Sierra. The program is engineered and produced by Ron Iudice. You ...

Wildflowers were celebrating Earth Day at the Striped Rock Conservation Preserve, one of the Sierra Foothill Conservancy’s special areas that you can only visit with one of their docents. Where: Sierra Foothill Conservancy, Striped Rock Conservation Preserve Distance: 4.49 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 1,720′ – 2,160′ Date: April 22, 2018 Maps: Ben Hur Topographic Quad Dog Hike? No I ...

Frogs were singing and turtles were basking on logs at the Stockton Creek Nature Preserve where I learned how to identify some of our local amphibians and reptiles with the Sierra Foothill Conservancy. Where: Sierra Foothill Conservancy, Stockton Creek Nature Preserve Distance: 2.21 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 2,250′ – 2.406′ Date: April 15, 2018 Maps: Ben Hur, Buckingham Mountain ...

How do you read a wine label?  What are the real facts about the wine and what’s just marketing glitz?  Is there any way to ensure that a wine is good from the label on the bottle?  These are the most common questions asked by wine novices.  If you don’t have access to the wine maker or at least a ...

I had heard of the Racetrack at Death Valley and its mysterious moving rocks, but the stories that I had heard of the washboard road and that 3 1/2 hour drive had not put this adventure on my list until now. We rented a jeep for the day and took it where I didn’t want to take my personal vehicle. ...

If you want to see Yosemite Valley’s big waterfalls, now is a great time to go. Yosemite Valley is open and those waterfalls are putting on their best show right now. What is the best way to view the waterfalls? In person, of course. I took a little drive today to check out them out. Yosemite Falls is impressive, dropping ...

Wildflowers are putting on a show in the Hite Cove area right now. Redbuds were in their prime and the poppies were looking mighty pretty, along with all other kinds and colors of flowers. And those Sierra Newts were out and about. Where: Sierra National Forest Distance: 9.24 Miles Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Elevation Range: 1,400′ – 1,694′ Date: April ...

Can white wine be aged? Should white wine be aged? No matter how you ask the question, the answer given by most people is usually wrong. The ability to age white wine depends on many varying factors which Winery-Sage.com is here to help you identify. We’ve created a visual guide to help you judge whether your French Varietal white wine ...

We did not snowshoe Tamarack Ridge but we carried our snowshoes all day thinking that we would. We headed up above Shaver Lake to find well packed snow and once we left the main trails, that snow was pristine and untouched by people. Where: Tamarack Ridge SNO-PARK, Sierra National Forest Distance: 5.82 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevational Range: 7,354′ to 7,800′ ...