Laura Ness

Los Gatos

Writer and Columnist at Freelance

Freelance Writer and Contributor at Edible Monterey Bay

Freelance Writer at Wine Industry Advisor

Her VineNess, wine lover, wine writer, food hedonist and columnist

Articles

Spring in the Vineyard at Domaine Messier - Edible Monterey Bay

4 days ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laura Ness

June 3, 2025 – May has a habit of throwing seriously hot days at you, followed by the oddball low-pressure system that drops in from the Gulf of Alaska, amping up the marine layer into a relentless fog machine reminiscent of a bad disco party. We had one of those last week when I visited Julie Fette and Luc Messier at their vineyard in what will someday be officially known as the Carmel Coast AVA, if the TTB ever gets around to checking the right box on the paperwork.
Love Thy Neighbor, Not Just at Quail

1 week ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laura Ness

May 30, 2025 – Things don’t always go as planned: ask Christopher Columbus. Headed to Carmel Valley for my husband’s birthday, we had plans to meet my Edible Monterey Bay colleague Aga Simpson at the newly re-opened restaurant Thai Village. “Under New Management!” the colorful banner declared from the rooftop. Their website indicated they would open for lunch at 12:30. Closed. Oh well. Café Rustica, too. “This place is a ghost town,” Aga declared.
Frank Family Philanthropy | WCTC

1 week ago | winecountrythisweek.com | Laura Ness

Combine the causes you care about with your life’s work and you can make a real and lasting impact for good. When Rich and Leslie Frank of Frank Family Vineyards made their passion for wine a primary focus, after careers in entertainment and broadcast, their newly found field brought them into contact with a whole different world of equally passionate people and causes.
Wine, Jazz, Sunshine, Good Vibes in Half Moon Bay

1 week ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laura Ness

May 27, 2025 – Clear skies and perfect wine tasting temperatures made for a most enjoyable day in the usually foggy coastal hamlet for the annual Half Moon Bay Wine and Jazz Festival. Dozens of wineries, many of them local, largely coordinated by the dynamic Patricia Eggers, joined with a great lineup of jazz bands and food trucks, to deliver a perfect trio of delectable harmony. Throw in a little shopping and a fantastic brunch at Johnny’s HMB, and it truly was the perfect coastside day.
After the Fall: First-generation Vietnamese Americans carry on parents’ entrepreneurship

1 week ago | mercurynews.com | Laura Ness

Sunnyvale is known for its rich tapestry of ethnic restaurants, many of them Asian. In honor of AAPI month, we’re highlighting two of them, both started by children of immigrants who fled Vietnam after the fall of Saigon 50 years ago. Brothers Eddie and Edwin Truong, first generation Vietnamese Americans, recently opened Teriyaki Madness in a Sunnyvale strip mall anchored by an REI, Safeway and 24-hour Fitness gym.
Serving up nostalgia at Johnny & Sanny’s in Mountain View

1 week ago | mercurynews.com | Laura Ness

Downtown Mountain View is a haven for diners and walkers, especially with Castro Street being largely closed to traffic. With its enormous outdoor space, warm service and classic menu items like chicken Milanese and carbonara, the newly opened Johnny & Sanny’s adds to Castro Street’s welcoming ambiance. Owner Angelo Sannino hails from Naples but has been in the Bay Area for the better part of his life.
Grape Escape: Meet Jose Reyes of CRŪ Winery - Edible Monterey Bay

2 weeks ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laura Ness

May 23, 2025 – “I feel so blessed to have this career,” says Jose Reyes, winemaker at CRŪ Winery since 2009, which means he’s been here for the last 16 years. “This is a dream.” Reyes has now been in the wine business for over three and a half decades, although he doesn’t look a day over 50. And with a son who has worked with him at CRŪ since 2011 and a young daughter who seems to have inherited his love of flavors, he has no plans to retire. “I love working with yeast and barrels,” says Reyes.
Saying Goodbye To a Beloved Local Chef

2 weeks ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laura Ness

May 23, 2025 – Sadly, we recently lost the irreplaceable and irreverently funny Beverlie Terra, who started the Farm to Table Wine dinner series at Chaminade Resort in Santa Cruz, where she worked for 26 years. She also taught worked as Executive Chef at Hayes Mansion in San Jose and as an instructor at Cabrillo College.
Santa Cruz Wine Stroll Shows Resilience

2 weeks ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laura Ness

May 20, 2025 – It was heartening to see the mostly very young crowd, including many UCSC students, enjoying Santa Cruz Mountains wines on a brilliant day in downtown Santa Cruz. With nearly 300 tickets sold, traffic was robust and kept my friend Katarina and me on our toes as we poured Kings Mountain Vineyards new 2024 Boathouse Rosé of Pinot Noir, made by winemaker Nathan Kandler of Thomas Fogarty Winery.
Grape Escape: Corral Wine Co. Opens in Carmel Valley Tasting Cottage

3 weeks ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laura Ness

May 16, 2025 – On a breezy and beautiful Sunday afternoon in Carmel Valley, Corral Wine Company owner Larry Bell proudly showed me around his newly updated new tasting room digs at 19 East Carmel Valley Rd. Located at what was most recently the Carmel Valley outpost of Albatross Ridge, and prior to that Cima Collina, Corral Wine Company now has beautiful outdoor seating options unlike anywhere else in the Village.