Craggy Range at Providence

Steve Smith, Craggy Range

Most Americans don't know much about New Zealand, save some sexy landscape shots from the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the wonky humor on "Flight of the Conchords." Yes, there are more sheep than people on New Zealand's two main islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, but it's not surprising when you consider that it's the world's youngest country, first settled by the Maori between 700 and 1,000 years ago. And contrary to what most people think, New Zealand is not a tiny island nation bobbing off the coast of Australia.

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Cep, Outside What You Know

Fog rolling over the knoll at Peay Vineyards on the "true" Sonoma Coast.Way, way out on the Sonoma Coast, on an isolated swath of land down 40 miles of winding, mountain roads, perched on a hilltop just four miles from the roiling and chilly Pacific Ocean are the Peay family vineyards. It’s often cold here. Sweater cold. Even in the summertime. And the risks of growing and ripening grapes here are great. Fortunately, though, when brothers Nick and Andy Peay were looking for vineyard land, they recognized that the rewards were potentially greater.

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Around the Blogosphere: Mumu Visits Domaine Begude

K&L's Rhône Valley and French Regional wine buyer recounts her visit with Catherine and James Kinglake of the Languedoc's Domaine Begude

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