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EXPERIENCE WINE COUNTRY NEWS

Welcome to our Blog
Rows of dormant grapevines stretch toward mountains beneath dramatic blue-gray storm clouds in Sonoma Valley.
November 1, 2026

How Can a Sonoma Valley Wine Tour Help You Discover Regional Wine Characteristics?

There’s something fascinating about how two wines made from the same grape can taste so different depending on where they’re…
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Jen Cornell, Platypus Wine Tours private tour curator, smiling in front of a large Napa and Sonoma wine country map.
October 29, 2026

Top Wine Country Picks from Platypus Curator Jennifer Cornell

Even though Jen Cornell has more than 800 custom private wine tours under her belt, she has never created the…
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September 25, 2026

Napa Valley Before And Beyond The Vines

Sometimes the most revealing thing about looking through a different lens isn’t what changes, but what was there all along.…
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September 22, 2026

Top Wine Country Picks from Platypus Curator Laura Rickard

“I have been creating and guiding wine tours for the last 11 years and it is the best job ever!…
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September 22, 2026

Fig & Rosemary Shrub: Your Fall Glass, Two Ways

If “drinking vinegar” doesn’t immediately sound tempting, stay with me. A shrub is a centuries-old blend of fruit, sugar and…
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August 30, 2026

First Time In Wine Country? This Might Be Your Perfect Day

I remember my first trip to Napa before moving to wine country. I was on a corporate excursion following a…
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August 30, 2026

Wine Country Heirloom Tomato Panzanella

A late-summer Wine Country take on panzanella, built around ripe heirloom tomatoes, ciabatta, feta, fresh basil and that great, unfinished…
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August 27, 2026

Top Wine Country Picks from Platypus Guide Mike “Pav”

Mike “Pav” has always loved driving, but after 20 years in Napa Valley, it’s sharing the place he knows so…
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July 29, 2026

Harvest Traditions in Napa Valley & Sonoma Wine Country

Harvest season in Napa Valley and Sonoma Wine Country is filled with traditions—some rooted in centuries-old winemaking practices, while others…
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July 28, 2026

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Our guides bring more than wine country knowledge to the table. Platypus guide and professional chef Evonne Karie is sharing…
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July 27, 2026

Top Wine Country Picks from Platypus Guide Linda

One of the things Linda loves most about guiding is that every tour gives her a fresh perspective on the…
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June 29, 2026

Small-Production Sparkling Wines from Hidden Gem Wineries

The world’s most recognizable sparkling wines often come from famous houses with centuries of history. But some of the most…
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