“Thou shalt serveth thy clarets frigid as a chamber two moons after the autumnal equinox” —Carthusian proverb I was recently sent an article about the temperature to serve red wine and I thought I would share the article with you as we are often asked “what is the ideal temperature to serve red wine”? At Domaine Artefact we prefer to serve our red wine slightly chilled and let the wine’s aromatics come alive as it approaches room temperature (California room temperature). I realize everyone has their preference, but don’t hesitate to ask for an ice bucket with a little bit of [...]

The South Coast AVA in southern California includes all of Orange County and western portions of Riverside and San Diego counties, where coastal influences moderate the warmth of the southern California sun. There are more than 3,000 acres under vine in the appellation, much within the borders of the appellation’s sub-regions, the Temecula and San Pasqual Valley AVAs. Traditionally, Chardonnay dominated the acreage, but the area’s recent battle with Pierce’s disease has forced local wineries and vineyards to focus on more pest-resistant varietals. This is fostering an exciting new age of hardy Rhone, Italian and Iberian grape production. [...]

Mark Robinson discovered his passion for wine over 30 years ago when he was a student living in the bay area. He and his friends would travel to Napa and Sonoma when tasting was “free”. Over the past 20 years he has honed his palate through exploring the great wine regions of the world- visiting many regions in France, Italy, California and Oregon. Mark and his close knit group of wine aficionados met often and sampled a wide assemblage of premier wines. Mark is no stranger to fermentation and has made small batches of beer and wine through his career. Mark [...]

Mark and Lynn met as undergraduates while attending UCLA. After graduation, Mark received his B.A. in Biology and pursued a career as a fisheries biologist for the State of California in Northern California. After which he began teaching high school biology at De LaSalle before eventually moving to Southern California to teach chemistry at Vista High School. Lynn comes from a military family, allowing her to travel extensively while growing up. In her early career, she pursued architecture, which ultimately led to a successful career in commercial real estate. Lynn is a passionate horse rider who shares Mark’s affinity for wine. [...]