Hosted by Simon Kane, this sumptuous six-disc set takes a culinary and cultural tour of California's wine regions. From Napa Valley in the north to Temecula in the south, this award-winning series samples the very best the Golden State has to offer in good wine, good food, and good times. You'll meet award-winning winemakers, celebrated chefs, and distinguished hoteliers, and you'll experience magnificent views of some of the most glorious scenery on the planet. It's a Taste you'll savor again and again.
Review
"(British host Simon Kane's)enthusiasm for the state makes each segment a pleasure to watch. The photography is luminous, and the...soundtrack is a pleasure to experience. Even for someone who knows California well, this set features many out-of-the-way surprises, including bed and breakfasts as well as tempting restaurants. The interviews with winemakers, chefs, and owners of the featured inns add to the charm. This set would be an excellent addition to any public library, but particularly those in the Golden State." -- Library Journal, April 15, 2007
Product details
MPAA rating
:
Unrated (Not Rated)
Package Dimensions
:
7.7 x 5.5 x 3.5 inches; 1.28 Pounds
Media Format
:
Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, NTSC
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
I have done a bit of traveling in California and enjoyed seeing this series in particular. I like travelogues in general but it was fun to see so much of one state covered by this series. Simon Kane is from the UK and I get the feeling that we are getting a world class tour of countryside right in our backyard. His charm and enthusiasm for California is evident; he makes a great travel companion. There are good ideas on what to see in 18 different areas of the State. The traveler gets recommendations on restaurants and hotels for different price ranges and great values. I also recommend this series to any wine enthusiast; it's a must.
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2008
I found the first disc in this series so disappointing, I will not be watching the rest. I wanted good information about the Napa Wine Region - the inside scoop on remarkable wineries and interesting museums. The Napa disc was instead packed with one glowing B&B review after another. If you want a sneak peek at selected bed and breakfasts in the Napa Valley, rent it. If you have a hotel and are looking for concrete information on vacation activities, look elsewhere.
Mind you, I lived in California for nearly 10 years, and have traveled there a number of times in the past 30 years, but I never get tired of it, and I'm always on the lookout for new places to visit...and this video series gives plenty of ideas of places to see.
This video series was originally shown on British television. I've only watched a few of the DVDs of this set as my local library carries them, but I've enjoyed them very much and want to see all of the DVDs at some point. Sure, as someone else pointed out there are some specific businesses listed, but so what? It's not really done as an 'advertising' way but as a human interest story. Because of the various interviews, I have been inspired to actually learn more about not just the various destination, but even wines, foods and movies mention. I watched the 2005 movie "Sideways" because of the mention on the episode for Santa Barbara.
Anyway, I liked the overall videography and I think Simon Kane does a great job as the presenter in this series. I love watching any video about California and tourism and this one is very fun to watch in order to plan upcoming trips...or just to daydream of visiting the Golden State :)
