Jess Lander

Freelance wine, booze, food & travel writer based in Napa Valley, CA. 

Wine


SF Chronicle •

When fire threatened, how a Napa wine writer chose which bottles to save

“Do we have room for any of the wine?” It was early evening on Aug. 18 when my husband and I received a mandatory evacuation order due to the LNU Lightning Complex Fire. The cars were packed with our most important belongings, the cat was in her carrier, and the fire was still burning many miles away. So, knowing we weren’t in immediate danger, my husband and I headed for the wine cellar, set in the back of our landlord’s garage.
Decanter •

Sonoma travel guide: the perfect three-day itinerary

The second most renowned North American wine region, Sonoma, has long suffered the fate of being compared to the more famous wine valley that runs parallel to it: Napa. But outside of sharing a border, these two regions couldn’t be more different. Sonoma wine country is actually double the size of Napa Valley, extending far beyond the town of Sonoma to worthwhile destinations like Healdsburg and the Russian River Valley, the funky town of Sebastopol, and even the pacific ocean. Look out for Je
Decanter •

Must see Napa and Sonoma wineries: Five new visitor centres

With roughly 1,000 wineries between Napa and Sonoma, the pressure to stand out and outdo one another is on. This is good news for visitors, for wineries are in turn building stunning, state-of-the-art hospitality centers that offer a host of unique and luxurious tasting experiences. Here are five new spots—from old wine country favourites—to get the all-star treatment on your next trip to Napa and Sonoma.
Curbed SF •

Feast your eyes on these architecture-forward wineries

Thirty years ago, wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma was pretty straightforward—no cheese, or tours, accompanied your sampling back then. But the days of simply bellying-up to the nondescript tasting bar for a quick flight of wines are long gone. With roughly 1,000 options throughout the two regions, wineries are turning to cutting-edge architecture and design to set them apart from the competition. Today’s wineries invite guests to relax, take in the view, and stay awhile. Striking contemporary t