P.G. Forte's Blog, page 7
June 16, 2025
Musical Monday Am I Okay (Megan Moroney)
I think this song is just perfect for Allegra from Que Será, Syrah. The video, not so much. But the song sounds like her view of her relationship with Clay.
June 11, 2025
Wine Wednesday: Becker Vineyards 2023 Saignée Rosé
This rosé is made from a blend of varietals; Counoise, Cabernet Sauvingon, Tannat and Syrah--two of which I'm not at all familiar with. It's a little sweeter than I generally like, but this is Frosé season, so who am I kidding? Of course I'm drinking it. Although I might freeze some of it--just sayin'
This is house party wine. It's the wine you want if you're day drinking. There are a lot of floral notes on the nose--along with an intense sweet cherry scent. This is a very light bodied wine, the color is Millennial Pink. I mean, seriously; it is. It tastes like summer--strawberry and peach.
What interests me more than anything is the saignée method that was utilized in making it. Saignée means "to bleed. As I understand it, the juice from red grapes is collected right after the crush. They take this red wine juice and ferment it as if it were a white wine--resulting (supposedly) in a bolder rosé than some other methods.
In Que Será, Syrah I write a little bit about how rosé is made in the song, No Wines But Rosé.
No Wines but Rosé
(Sung to the tune of “No Day but Today”)
There’s no more red, there’s no more white,
We’ve drunk them all, should we call it a day?
No! Hold your glass, there’s still one flight.
No wines but Rosé!
I know you’ve heard (for I have too)
Reject, eject, white zinfandel is dreck!
But don’t discount La Méthode Saignée.
No wines but Rosé!
Might be too late to macerate,
To press, or bleed—but blend we may.
What do you say?
No time for Cabs, or Chardonnay,
We need cash now—c’mon, let’s seize the day!
No Chenin Blanc, no Viognier,
No wines but Rosé!
Que Será, Syrah
Pour Decisions: Book Three
They may be keeping secrets and telling lies, but a little white wine never hurt anyone.
Allegra
It’s not every day that you inherit one-third of a winery. I should be on top of the world, floating on Cloud Wine, as they say. Instead, don’t you just know it? I’m about to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life. And that’s saying something. My family has always viewed me as something of a screw-up, not always fairly. But in this case? They’re not only dead right about me messing things up; they don’t even know the half of it. Yet.
Complicating my quest to redeem myself, earn my sisters’ respect, and help them turn our winery into a straight fire success, is my low-key relationship with Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Romero. Sure, there are risks involved in sleeping with the enemy, but ‘what’s meant to be will find a way,’ right? And whether Clay believes it or not, I know we’re fated. With a capital F.
Clay
We’re Capital F somethin’ all right; but I don’t think it’s fate. Ever since Legs (AKA Allegra Martinelli) blew back into town, I’ve been flirting with disaster. Literally. I doubt that woman’s ever met a rule that she didn’t want to at least bend. And, as luck would have it, it’s my job to try and stop her. I love my job, and I think I love her. But there’s not enough wine in Napa to convince me that I’ll be able to hang on to them both.
Legs keeps likening us to Romeo and Juliet. And as I keep trying to remind her; that kind of story tends not to end well. I’m sure there are exceptions, but are we gonna be one of them? I guess we’ll find out.
June 10, 2025
Romance Writers Weekly ~Summer Chemistry ~ #LoveChatWrite
This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "What role does setting play in creating steamy summer chemistry?"
I think everything's hotter in the summer, don't you? I rely a lot on that when I'm writing a romance that's set in summer. In the book I'm working on now, Going Up the Country (which is a sequel to Going to the Chapel [see below]) my character Wyatt, relays this memory of one of his earliest encounters with his heroine, Arielle. I think being outside, being in the elements like this steams things up between the characters in a way that probably wouldn't happen in any other season.
My first night in Oberon, it rained like crazy. And crazy is definitely the operative word. I know Oberon has a reputation for being “different” and all, but thunder, lightning, hailstorms, and torrential downpours—that’s not the kind of weather you expect to encounter anywhere in coastal California. Not at that time of year. I was staying in a tent—or, at least, that was the plan—on the Browne family’s farm, just a short distance from the house.
The storm hit shortly after I’d turned in and, in a matter of minutes, my tent’s rain fly tore loose in the wind. As I climbed out of the tent to fix it, I was distracted by the sound of a screen door slamming. I glanced over at the house just in time to see Arielle come rushing out into the yard with a basket to take the laundry off the line.
I immediately headed in her direction, thinking I could maybe help her. But I hadn’t taken more than a few steps when something—some weird survival instinct, perhaps—kicked in and I froze. I’d told my brother earlier that I thought she looked like a goddess. And that was when she’d been dressed. I didn’t even have words for how she looked now.
I mean, okay. Sure, technically, she was still wearing clothes. She had on a nightgown—a perfectly respectable, white, T-shirt thingy that, under normal circumstances, would have kept her entirely decent. But, within seconds, the thin material was so wet you could see right through it. So, for all practical purposes, she was out there in the rain wearing, basically, fuck all.
I should have looked away at that point. I should have just turned myself around and gone back the way I’d come. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I was frozen in place, mesmerized by the sight of her.
Which is why I was still there, watching, when she gave up the useless battle to save the clothes from getting wet. Shaking her head in disgust, she threw the last, sopping towel into the basket. Then she turned her face to the sky and began to laugh. And then to dance.
She twirled in circles with her arms over her head, splashing and stomping like a kid. Eyes closed, mouth open, she drank the rain down, and spit it back out again, like a fountain. She was breath-taking. Joyful and playful and unrestrained and I think, in another moment, I might have torn off my own clothes and run to join her.
I was saved from disaster when it started to hail. Arielle shrieked in surprise when the first stones hit her. But she was still laughing as she grabbed her basket and ran for the house. I retraced my steps in a daze. But, by then, the damage was done. The fly, as it were, had flown. The tent was flattened. The most logical thing would have been to run for the house myself. There had to be a couch, or something, I could sleep on. I’d have settled for a dry patch of carpet, at that point. But my clothes were wringing wet by then, and Arielle’s no dummy. The minute she saw me, she’d have known I’d been outside awhile. And she’d probably guess why. So, I changed course once again, and headed, instead, for the weird trailer camper where Derek and his bride-to-be were staying.
I think I may have inadvertently cock-blocked my brother that night, which had to have sucked. But, on the other hand, it was his fault I was there in the first place. So why should I be the only one to suffer?
Now, hop on over to Brenda Margriet's page to find out how she creates that summer chemistry. And don't forget to check out her Silverberry Seduction series.
🩷SILVERBERRY SEDUCTION SEASONED ROMANCE: THE COMPLETE SERIES BOOKS 1 TO 5🩷
Five steamy, slow burn, contemporary romances with main characters 35 to 55 years old. ONLY $9.99
🧡Friends-to-lovers ❤️ Found family 💚 Second chance 💙 Opposites attract 💜 Fake relationship
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:
“Well done and heartfelt thanks, Ms Margriet! Keep 'em coming! I'll keep buying.”
“Brenda Margriet has a way with writing about the lives, loves and losses of the more mature relationships. Her stories have a certain quality that leaves you feeling loved and fulfilled.”
“Binge worthy!”
Https://books2read.com/SilverberrySeduction
GOING TO THE CHAPEL
In Waiting For The Big One, Gabby and Derek went from being friends to being lovers. Now, they're waiting for their "big day". But will it be the wedding of their dreams? Or a bride's worst nightmare?
A quick trip to Gabby's hometown turns into the wedding from hell when Gabby and Derek are plagued by hailstorms, lost reservations, voracious goats, angry bees and enough family drama to fill a barn.
Guess it's true what they say, "The course of true love never did run smooth." But can the happy couple hold it all together, or will their Big Day turn into a Big Mess?
https://Books2Read.com/GoingChapelJune 9, 2025
Musical Monday: Strawberry Wine (Noah Kahan)
Yes, it's another strawberry wine song! I'd never heard this one until I listened to the playlist for Kate Davies' book No Way, Rosé (book one in the POUR DECISIONS series, out now!). If you haven't read the book (or Kelly Jamieson's book, or mine) or listened to the playlist, you absolutely should. Kate's daughter Emily put the playlist together and it's really good. Of course, the book is, too, so she had some good motivation. lol
I did my own playlist, which is why mine is unedited and a million miles long. You see how it is.
https://books2read.com/Pour-Decisions
Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?
Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.
There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But these sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.
June 4, 2025
Wine Wednesday: Invention Vineyards 2022 Viognier
This might be my favorite Viognier. It smells and tastes like rhubarb, jammy and intense with hints of dried apricot and ripe strawberry. It's delightful. Light, crisp, with a touch of salinity.
It's not tremendously complex and I think it would make a nice accompaniment to brunch or afternoon tea, rather than anything too overtly savory.
The Heath family puts out some nice, understated white wines. This is a good example.
Que Será, Syrah
Pour Decisions: Book Three
They may be keeping secrets and telling lies, but a little white wine never hurt anyone.
Allegra
It’s not every day that you inherit one-third of a winery. I should be on top of the world, floating on Cloud Wine, as they say. Instead, don’t you just know it? I’m about to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life. And that’s saying something. My family has always viewed me as something of a screw-up, not always fairly. But in this case? They’re not only dead right about me messing things up; they don’t even know the half of it. Yet.
Complicating my quest to redeem myself, earn my sisters’ respect, and help them turn our winery into a straight fire success, is my low-key relationship with Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Romero. Sure, there are risks involved in sleeping with the enemy, but ‘what’s meant to be will find a way,’ right? And whether Clay believes it or not, I know we’re fated. With a capital F.
Clay
We’re Capital F somethin’ all right; but I don’t think it’s fate. Ever since Legs (AKA Allegra Martinelli) blew back into town, I’ve been flirting with disaster. Literally. I doubt that woman’s ever met a rule that she didn’t want to at least bend. And, as luck would have it, it’s my job to try and stop her. I love my job, and I think I love her. But there’s not enough wine in Napa to convince me that I’ll be able to hang on to them both.
Legs keeps likening us to Romeo and Juliet. And as I keep trying to remind her; that kind of story tends not to end well. I’m sure there are exceptions, but are we gonna be one of them? I guess we’ll find out.
June 3, 2025
Romance Writers Weekly ~ Spring Recipes ~ #LoveChatWrite
This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "The weather is getting warmer! Share a favourite recipe that says "Spring" to you."
Ooh. That's a good one. But, I have to say that anything between Memorial Day and Labor Day counts as summer to me, so I'm going to go with a summer recipe.
My mother and grandmother used to make the best pies. My favorite was always rhubarb. I'm the only one now (other than my sister) who really cares for it, so I rarely make a whole pie for myself. I'm too lazy for that. But I buy rhubarb whenever I see it and generally just stew it and eat it on everything. Scones, biscuits, toast, yogurt, ice cream, cocktails, even by itself.
I also don't measure anything. But I think you could go with about one pound of rhubarb, a cup of sugar, some water (maybe half a cup) and possibly one or more of these other ingredients--a dash of salt, a quarter teaspoon of either almond or vanilla extract, a teaspoon of tapioca pearls, or the juice and zest of half a lemon.
All of that depends on how sweet or thick you want it.
Chop the rhubarb, place all the ingredients into a saucepan, simmer until thick--maybe half an hour? And that's it. Enjoy it hot or cold.
Now, hop on over to Brenda Margriet's page to find out what recipe says "Spring" to her. And don't forget to check out her book, Reserved For You.
RESERVED FOR YOU
4+ stars on GoodReads!
Jemma needs her job on a reality TV show to support her ailing grandmother. Paul needs the program to promote his struggling new restaurant. Fraternizing between cast and crew is strictly forbidden. But the only woman Paul wants is the one he can’t have.
“Settle in for a good read with your favorite wine and gourmet take out, and let the sparks fly!” Cora Seton - NYT and USA Today bestselling author
https://books2read.com/ReservedforYou
POUR DECISIONSA New, Multi-Author Series Out Now!
Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?
Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.
There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But the sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.
https://Books2Read.com/Pour-Decisions
June 2, 2025
Musical Monday: Acapulco (Jason Derulo)
So this song really perfectly captures the dynamic between Clay and Allegra (Que Sera, Syrah). He absolutely does think his Mama is crazy. Not always in a good way. And yeah, Legs probably reminds him of that chaos a little too much. There's definitely some mixed signals there. Although, honestly, I think that's more on his end. And she probably does wear Versace from time to time.
But, mostly, I just really like the song.
Que Será, SyrahBy PG Forte
https://books2read.com/Que-Sera-Syrah
They may be keeping secrets and telling lies, but a little white wine never hurt anyone.
Allegra
It’s not every day that you inherit one-third of a winery. I should be on top of the world, floating on Cloud Wine, as they say. Instead, don’t you just know it? I’m about to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life. And that’s saying something. My family has always viewed me as something of a screw-up, not always fairly. But in this case? They’re not only dead right about me messing things up; they don’t even know the half of it. Yet.
Complicating my quest to redeem myself, earn my sisters’ respect, and help them turn our winery into a straight fire success, is my low-key relationship with Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Romero. Sure, there are risks involved in sleeping with the enemy, but ‘what’s meant to be will find a way,’ right? And whether Clay believes it or not, I know we’re fated. With a capital F.
Clay
We’re Capital F somethin’ all right; but I don’t think it’s fate. Ever since Legs (AKA Allegra Martinelli) blew back into town, I’ve been flirting with disaster. Literally. I doubt that woman’s ever met a rule that she didn’t want to at least bend. And, as luck would have it, it’s my job to try and stop her. I love my job, and I think I love her. But there’s not enough wine in Napa to convince me that I’ll be able to hang on to them both.
Legs keeps likening us to Romeo and Juliet. And as I keep trying to remind her; that kind of story tends not to end well. I’m sure there are exceptions, but are we gonna be one of them? I guess we’ll find out.
OR BUY THE SERIES:
POUR DECISIONShttps://books2read.com/Pour-Decisions
Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?
Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.
There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But these sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.
May 29, 2025
New Release from PG Forte: Que Será, Syrah (POUR DECISIONS Book Three)
Que Será, SyrahBy PG Forte
https://books2read.com/Que-Sera-Syrah
They may be keeping secrets and telling lies, but a little white wine never hurt anyone.
Allegra
It’s not every day that you inherit one-third of a winery. I should be on top of the world, floating on Cloud Wine, as they say. Instead, don’t you just know it? I’m about to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life. And that’s saying something. My family has always viewed me as something of a screw-up, not always fairly. But in this case? They’re not only dead right about me messing things up; they don’t even know the half of it. Yet.
Complicating my quest to redeem myself, earn my sisters’ respect, and help them turn our winery into a straight fire success, is my low-key relationship with Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Romero. Sure, there are risks involved in sleeping with the enemy, but ‘what’s meant to be will find a way,’ right? And whether Clay believes it or not, I know we’re fated. With a capital F.
Clay
We’re Capital F somethin’ all right; but I don’t think it’s fate. Ever since Legs (AKA Allegra Martinelli) blew back into town, I’ve been flirting with disaster. Literally. I doubt that woman’s ever met a rule that she didn’t want to at least bend. And, as luck would have it, it’s my job to try and stop her. I love my job, and I think I love her. But there’s not enough wine in Napa to convince me that I’ll be able to hang on to them both.
Legs keeps likening us to Romeo and Juliet. And as I keep trying to remind her; that kind of story tends not to end well. I’m sure there are exceptions, but are we gonna be one of them? I guess we’ll find out.
OR BUY THE SERIES:
POUR DECISIONShttps://books2read.com/Pour-Decisions
Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?
Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.
There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But these sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.
May 28, 2025
Wine Wednesday: Meiomi pinot noir
So, apparently, this is a very divisive wine. At least on Reddit, where all the experts live. Some people like it, some people think it's shit. Rumors abound that the winery uses an additive called Mega Purple to enhance the flavor, which is ironic because I tried this wine shortly after writing a scene ( for Que Será, Syrah) which involved the possibility that someone was using this or something similar (a grape juice concentrate) to boost the flavor of their wine.
In any event, I’m not a huge fan of pinot in general—we’ve discussed this—but I quite liked this wine. There was a lot of tobacco on the nose (cigar tobacco, to be exact) also lavender blueberry, sweet fennel and wet earth. I’d say it had good legs, but Reddit says I shouldn’t (cue eyeroll, because do I look like I care?). It’s off-dry with a silky mouthfeel and a lingering finish. Notes of cassis, black cherry, wild blueberries.
Here's the scene in question:
I mostly listen while the others talk—eating and drinking and attempting to figure out what I don’t like about this wine. It’s dark, round, full-bodied. Maybe a little too round for a cabernet. And a little too off-dry, as well. A little too flabby. Of course, Geno might be blending it with something else—a merlot, perhaps (because Sideways isn’t entirely wrong about that) or even white zinfandel, although Vitto would have to know if it’s something like that. “Do you think Geno’s adding a concentrate?” I ask Leo, who’s seated beside me.
And maybe I said it a little louder than necessary, because conversation instantly stops and everyone stares at me.
“What?” I ask, glancing around the table. “It’s not that uncommon, is it? I thought a lot of wineries did that?”
“Are you looking to throw down, Legs?” Gianni asks—and I’m pretty sure he’s joking, although not entirely. “’Cause those are fighting words.”
“Unless she’s right,” Leo says. “In which case…?”
And then we’re all looking at Vitto, who shrugs and says, “I mean, anything’s possible, I suppose. But no winery that wants to keep their reputation intact would even think of doing something like that. Even to suggest it is not good. That kind of talk that could ruin a winery. It’s only about one step above claiming that someone’s been adding wood chips to his chardonnay to give it more of an oaky flavor. Supermarket chains might do things like that but…”
“Unless she’s right,” Leo repeats.
Vito nods. “Yes. Fine. Unless she’s right. I hope she’s not but…I just don’t know. I’ll try and find out.”
“It was only an idea,” I say again, in a very small voice.
“You said what you thought,” Leo points out kindly. “That’s not wrong. It just never occurred to us before.”
I nod, to show I understand, but it’s clear they’re having strong thoughts about it now. And not happy ones. And I guess this makes it official. I am the family buzzkill.
Que Será, Syrah
Pour Decisions: Book Three
They may be keeping secrets and telling lies, but a little white wine never hurt anyone.
Allegra
It’s not every day that you inherit one-third of a winery. I should be on top of the world, floating on Cloud Wine, as they say. Instead, don’t you just know it? I’m about to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life. And that’s saying something. My family has always viewed me as something of a screw-up, not always fairly. But in this case? They’re not only dead right about me messing things up; they don’t even know the half of it. Yet.
Complicating my quest to redeem myself, earn my sisters’ respect, and help them turn our winery into a straight fire success, is my low-key relationship with Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Romero. Sure, there are risks involved in sleeping with the enemy, but ‘what’s meant to be will find a way,’ right? And whether Clay believes it or not, I know we’re fated. With a capital F.
Clay
We’re Capital F somethin’ all right; but I don’t think it’s fate. Ever since Legs (AKA Allegra Martinelli) blew back into town, I’ve been flirting with disaster. Literally. I doubt that woman’s ever met a rule that she didn’t want to at least bend. And, as luck would have it, it’s my job to try and stop her. I love my job, and I think I love her. But there’s not enough wine in Napa to convince me that I’ll be able to hang on to them both.
Legs keeps likening us to Romeo and Juliet. And as I keep trying to remind her; that kind of story tends not to end well. I’m sure there are exceptions, but are we gonna be one of them? I guess we’ll find out.
May 27, 2025
Romance Writers Weekly ~ Scents! ~ #LoveChatWrite
This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "It's May. Do certain flowers or scents inspire you? Tell us how."
Flowers absolutely inspire me--in so many ways. Of course many scents evoke memories, and those memories find their way into stories all the time.
The smell of Cecil Brunner roses takes me back to the years when my children were young and we had a HUGE rose bush in our back yard, and I helped my daughter create a hideout underneath the canes. Which in turn sparked memories from my own childhood--mostly books I had read. Various Rumer Godden books and Jean George's My Side of the Mountain series.
Lavender recalls the tiny little farmers market in Cayucos where I first tasted lavender lemonade. I can't count the number of books that's appeared in!
Jasmine reminds me of sitting in the grass on my college campus, reading a book under a tree with a cup of tea, while waiting to listen to Robin Morgan read from her latest work.
I've always loved daffodils and they inspired me to write a poem about them.
Now, hop on over to Jenna Da Sie's page to learn what scents inspire her.
IT’S RELEASE DAY!Que Será, SyrahPOUR DECISIONS, BOOK THREE
Check out the final book in this new, Multi-Author Series.
It’s not every day that you and your sisters inherit a winery. I should be on top of the world, floating on Cloud Wine, as they say. Instead, I’m about to make some of the biggest mistakes of my life. And that’s saying something.
Complicating my quest to redeem myself, earn my sisters’ respect, and help them turn our winery into a straight fire success, is my low-key relationship with Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Romero. Sure, there are risks involved in sleeping with the enemy, but ‘what’s meant to be will find a way,’ right?
https://Books2Read.com/Pour-Decisions
