Saturday, February 2, 2013
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Summer Wine and Charity
The Long Beach Grand Cru is an international wine competition and public culinary experience to benefit the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. Located at Rainbow Lagoon Park in Long Beach the Grand Cru Wine Competition has grown in size and prestige attracting wineries from around the world. It has gone from a one-day competition to two days. The public wine tasting and culinary event in August attracts over 1,200 guests. There are over 35 local restaurants who par
ticipate in the public tasting offering tasty morsels to accompany the competition wines. Marc and I were thrilled to be able to donate a wine gift basket to the auction that included a FREE wine tasting party from Wine Shop At Home, 2 bottles of Wine Shop At Home Wine, a barrel cork cage, a Fleur de lis bottle stopper, winery toggle and wine sayings tote bag valued at over $200.00. In addition to all of the auction items available, Rex Pickett, author of "Sideways" was on hand to sign copies of his new book "Vertical". Book review coming soon... Marc and I enjoyed tasting the food from local restaurants. It was a fun evening.
ticipate in the public tasting offering tasty morsels to accompany the competition wines. Marc and I were thrilled to be able to donate a wine gift basket to the auction that included a FREE wine tasting party from Wine Shop At Home, 2 bottles of Wine Shop At Home Wine, a barrel cork cage, a Fleur de lis bottle stopper, winery toggle and wine sayings tote bag valued at over $200.00. In addition to all of the auction items available, Rex Pickett, author of "Sideways" was on hand to sign copies of his new book "Vertical". Book review coming soon... Marc and I enjoyed tasting the food from local restaurants. It was a fun evening. There was so much going on during the summer it was impossible to keep up with the blog. Marc and I took a weekend trip to Paso Robles and had an amazing wine dinner at Denner. 
With the exception of the rabbit course that I did not try. Having had a pet rabbit when I was younger that is something that is absolutely not on the menu for me. That said, we enjoy the wines from Denner and have talked about them before in a previous post. We visited several new wineries on this trip and was thrilled to go to the new Herman Story tasting room. As most people know my favorite wines up until now have been Pinot Noir. I think that my tastes are evolving as I am having a love affair with Grenache. There are a few wines that every time I drink them I say, wow, I love this wine. Herman Story is one of those. The Herman Story website isn't fancy and neither is the tasting room. In fact, if you catch Winemaker Russel P From at the right time, you might see him pulling out a Coor's Light and he may even offer you one. That said, let me tell you about 
two of his wines that I adore. First, there is NUTS & BOLTS, a 2009 Syrah that is deep and rich in flavor. A big mouthful of dark fruit, plum, and maybe a little campfire(not that I would know anything about camping)... but there is a smokiness to it! I like the ON THE ROAD Grenache even better. This 2009 from Larner Vineyards is a party in your mouth. Think dark chocolate covered cherries and creamy coffee and maybe a little bacon? If you can keep this wine around for a few years, it may be even better but I doubt we will be able to hold on to ours that long. Needless to say, if you are in Paso, you must go to Herman Story. You will not be disappointed. Cheers!
With the exception of the rabbit course that I did not try. Having had a pet rabbit when I was younger that is something that is absolutely not on the menu for me. That said, we enjoy the wines from Denner and have talked about them before in a previous post. We visited several new wineries on this trip and was thrilled to go to the new Herman Story tasting room. As most people know my favorite wines up until now have been Pinot Noir. I think that my tastes are evolving as I am having a love affair with Grenache. There are a few wines that every time I drink them I say, wow, I love this wine. Herman Story is one of those. The Herman Story website isn't fancy and neither is the tasting room. In fact, if you catch Winemaker Russel P From at the right time, you might see him pulling out a Coor's Light and he may even offer you one. That said, let me tell you about 
two of his wines that I adore. First, there is NUTS & BOLTS, a 2009 Syrah that is deep and rich in flavor. A big mouthful of dark fruit, plum, and maybe a little campfire(not that I would know anything about camping)... but there is a smokiness to it! I like the ON THE ROAD Grenache even better. This 2009 from Larner Vineyards is a party in your mouth. Think dark chocolate covered cherries and creamy coffee and maybe a little bacon? If you can keep this wine around for a few years, it may be even better but I doubt we will be able to hold on to ours that long. Needless to say, if you are in Paso, you must go to Herman Story. You will not be disappointed. Cheers! Tuesday, August 2, 2011
LA Wine Accessories Launches Website
Every time I go wine tasting I also go shopping. I love finding those one of a kind items that 
you can't get anywhere but wine country. Almost every tasting room offers accessories or gifts. Most of the time you will see cookbooks, oil and vinegar in wonderful and unusual flavors, chocolate, specialty condiments, T-shirts with the winery's name and logo... but if you want something 
really special for yourself or as a gift for a wine loving spouse or friend, check out LA Wine Accessories. Our new online store, http://www.lawineaccessories.com/ specializing in Fleur de lis desig
ns, offers unique wine accessories and gifts at a very reasonable price. You won't find every wine gadget ever made but you will find something for the connoisseur and the novice alike. The Cork cages have become very popular. These are a perfect way to save those favorite wine memories. Want to add a little bling to your bottle? Our winery toggles are beautiful and creative bottle jewelry with six removable wine/martini glass charms. We are proud to say these are made in America of good old fashioned English pewter. 
If you are like me and you can't have enough candles in your home... You will have to have the wine bottle candelabra for your dinner table or bar. If you love to entertain, you will love the elegant products from Lunares. Lunares products are made from a proprietary metal alloy that will never tarnish, chip, peel or crack. The Artist Palette with the paintbrush shaped knife is a sophisticated way to serve an assortment of cheeses or appetizers. This much featured piece is a favorite of museums and press and is available in two sizes.
I happen to have a love of all things Fleur de lis, in French, Fleur means flower, and lis means lily. This decorative design is not only artistic but symbolic. Used on European flags and coats of arms for centuries it is most associated with the french monarchy although it still continues to appear in the arms of the King of Spain and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. It is also the ancient emblem of the city of Florence, and of the Swiss municipality of Schlieren. I have gathered some wine related products with this beautiful design and I hope you will want to display them in your home as much as I do in mine.
We will be adding new items and special promotions often so we urge you to sign up for our newsletter so that you can take advantage of the savings. Many items come with free shipping as well as a price match guarantee.
Cheers!
you can't get anywhere but wine country. Almost every tasting room offers accessories or gifts. Most of the time you will see cookbooks, oil and vinegar in wonderful and unusual flavors, chocolate, specialty condiments, T-shirts with the winery's name and logo... but if you want something 
really special for yourself or as a gift for a wine loving spouse or friend, check out LA Wine Accessories. Our new online store, http://www.lawineaccessories.com/ specializing in Fleur de lis desig
ns, offers unique wine accessories and gifts at a very reasonable price. You won't find every wine gadget ever made but you will find something for the connoisseur and the novice alike. The Cork cages have become very popular. These are a perfect way to save those favorite wine memories. Want to add a little bling to your bottle? Our winery toggles are beautiful and creative bottle jewelry with six removable wine/martini glass charms. We are proud to say these are made in America of good old fashioned English pewter. 
If you are like me and you can't have enough candles in your home... You will have to have the wine bottle candelabra for your dinner table or bar. If you love to entertain, you will love the elegant products from Lunares. Lunares products are made from a proprietary metal alloy that will never tarnish, chip, peel or crack. The Artist Palette with the paintbrush shaped knife is a sophisticated way to serve an assortment of cheeses or appetizers. This much featured piece is a favorite of museums and press and is available in two sizes. 
I happen to have a love of all things Fleur de lis, in French, Fleur means flower, and lis means lily. This decorative design is not only artistic but symbolic. Used on European flags and coats of arms for centuries it is most associated with the french monarchy although it still continues to appear in the arms of the King of Spain and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. It is also the ancient emblem of the city of Florence, and of the Swiss municipality of Schlieren. I have gathered some wine related products with this beautiful design and I hope you will want to display them in your home as much as I do in mine.We will be adding new items and special promotions often so we urge you to sign up for our newsletter so that you can take advantage of the savings. Many items come with free shipping as well as a price match guarantee.
Cheers!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sunday Wine Down Summer Tasting Party
Sunday is a day for rest, relaxation and WINE... We hosted our Sunday Wine Down Summer tasting party last weekend and it was fantastic. Along with some great wines from Wine Shop At Home we also enjoyed some tasty bites including crab cakes from "The Little Onion". We welcomed our guests with a sparkling wine called Petit Cadeau Semi Seco. Petit Cadeau is french for "little or small gift". This wine was lightly sweet with a delicate balance and the perfect amount of bubbles. It is an ideal partner for celebrating life's simple pleasures and special occasions. This delicious sparkling California wine is a blend of French Columbard, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Muscat, Viognier, PinotBlanc and Sauvignon Blanc.
With flavors and
aromas of green apple and pear with hints of orange and anise. It was one of the favorites of the evening. At only $19.50 a bottle this is a perfect gift as this wine can be ordered with your own customized label for weddings, corporate gifts or holiday gift giving!Our second wine of the evening was the Frisch 2010 Riesling. I am becoming a
huge Riesling fan and this wine was a good one but the third wine was a surprising favorite, the 2010 Nouveau Muse Rosato. I don't normally care for Rose's but this wine is far better than most I have tasted. It is a delightful pink color and tastes light and smooth with hints of strawberry, raspberry, cherry and aromas of spice. This central coast Rosato is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir, 10% Syrah, 10% Chardonnay and only $18.00 a bottle. Next in line was the 2008 Milano Barbera which we have talked about in a previous post. As of today the Barbera is sold out so that tells you just how good it was. On to our next red which was the EVO 2009 Mendocino Merlot. This is a special bottle with each label showing a beautiful tiger in half-profile, with one side of the face barely visible, communicating that a species, without our help, will fade quickly from view.A dollar from every bottle purchased goes directly to the National Geographic Big Cats Initiative with a guaranteed contribution of $25,000.00, now that feels and tastes good! Our last red was the Fog Vineyards 2009 Valley Mist Blend. This weekend wine is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Petit Sirah. This wine has aromas of blueberry, chocolate and raspberry with hints of leath
er and spice. This is a big bold wine with a long fruit driven finish. Last but not least was the 2010 Fleur Blu Muscat which was paired with dark chocolate mini brownies. We also shared some fun summer cocktail recipes like the Dirty Rose: 1 part Rosato, 3 parts grapefruit soda. Or the one we call Dusty's wine cocktail: 1 part Barbera, 3 parts lemonade. Our dog Dusty was kissing everyone on Sunday so we thought it only fair to name a drink after him. We finished all the bottles and enjoyed every drop. You can check out all the wines from Wine Shop at Home on my website: www.wineshopathome/dominiquesimon.Cheers!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Discoveries of French Wine from an Intrepid Gourmand
Guest Post By:
Augustine Blaisdell
French wine—never has there been a more daunting subject. Sure they’ve got some staple names: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, but the amount of others, the list could go on for miles. One of the keys to understanding French wine is that the name derives from the region in France where the grape is grown. Sounds simple enough, the next key is to determine what you like, the hard part is of course learning to describe that in French.
The first time I fell in love with a French wine was with a glass of St. Emilion, of which is was so good that I may have had another at a café called Le Luctrece, near the very touristy area of the St. Michel fountain. What made this wine so special, I can barely say, perfectly smooth on the palate perhaps, but like all first times you strive for that same exhilaration again and again to match that first discovery.
St. Emilion is nothing new. It’s a grand name and the makers of such know that it is, as it is usually, unfortunately, one of the more expensive bottles of wine on a wine list as well as in the stores. To have the illustrious title of a St. Emilion, it must be from the region of Bordeaux. It is blended from different grape varieties, the three main ones being Merlot (60% of the blend), Cabernet Franc (nearly 30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (around 10%).
I cannot begin to be the sommelier that I would like to be but it’s okay because I know what I like. And what I like is another wine called a Pic St. Loup. This was another joyous discovery made at one of my absolute favorite wine bars in Paris, Le Comptoir du Relais. The comptoir, French word for counter, is exactly that, a small wine bar, with no chairs, writing on the walls of how much everyone adores the place, and laminated pictures of the tapas menu items hanging from the ceiling. It’s a place that if you go to enough, you can discover the joys of being considered a regular.
The last time I went in late May the Pic St. Loup was not available as apparently that wine has a season, which is winter and not spring into summer, so instead we were recommended a St. Chinian, a combination of Syrah and Mourvedre coming from the Mediterranean coast. It went
perfectly with the quick grilled foie gras with red peppers and equally as well with the large hunk of ahi tuna with onions. This wine was a bio wine, which has become increasingly more and more popular as France starts to accept the trend of organically grown food and wine. To have the stamp of approval for a bio wine, the vineyard must be certified, and a long list of other requirements- while one may rejoice in drinking an organic wine, sometimes the taste can be slightly more earthy, which is not necessarily a good thing, luckily this was not the case with this wine. And with your Cheers like status where the men behind the bar know your name, they are happy to let you help yourself to another half bottle gratuit, which is to say for free, and that tastes pretty good as well!
Augustine Blaisdell
French wine—never has there been a more daunting subject. Sure they’ve got some staple names: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, but the amount of others, the list could go on for miles. One of the keys to understanding French wine is that the name derives from the region in France where the grape is grown. Sounds simple enough, the next key is to determine what you like, the hard part is of course learning to describe that in French.
The first time I fell in love with a French wine was with a glass of St. Emilion, of which is was so good that I may have had another at a café called Le Luctrece, near the very touristy area of the St. Michel fountain. What made this wine so special, I can barely say, perfectly smooth on the palate perhaps, but like all first times you strive for that same exhilaration again and again to match that first discovery.
St. Emilion is nothing new. It’s a grand name and the makers of such know that it is, as it is usually, unfortunately, one of the more expensive bottles of wine on a wine list as well as in the stores. To have the illustrious title of a St. Emilion, it must be from the region of Bordeaux. It is blended from different grape varieties, the three main ones being Merlot (60% of the blend), Cabernet Franc (nearly 30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (around 10%).
I cannot begin to be the sommelier that I would like to be but it’s okay because I know what I like. And what I like is another wine called a Pic St. Loup. This was another joyous discovery made at one of my absolute favorite wine bars in Paris, Le Comptoir du Relais. The comptoir, French word for counter, is exactly that, a small wine bar, with no chairs, writing on the walls of how much everyone adores the place, and laminated pictures of the tapas menu items hanging from the ceiling. It’s a place that if you go to enough, you can discover the joys of being considered a regular.
The last time I went in late May the Pic St. Loup was not available as apparently that wine has a season, which is winter and not spring into summer, so instead we were recommended a St. Chinian, a combination of Syrah and Mourvedre coming from the Mediterranean coast. It went
perfectly with the quick grilled foie gras with red peppers and equally as well with the large hunk of ahi tuna with onions. This wine was a bio wine, which has become increasingly more and more popular as France starts to accept the trend of organically grown food and wine. To have the stamp of approval for a bio wine, the vineyard must be certified, and a long list of other requirements- while one may rejoice in drinking an organic wine, sometimes the taste can be slightly more earthy, which is not necessarily a good thing, luckily this was not the case with this wine. And with your Cheers like status where the men behind the bar know your name, they are happy to let you help yourself to another half bottle gratuit, which is to say for free, and that tastes pretty good as well! Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Casa Dumetz & Triunfo Wine Dinner At The Old Place
A meal will always be more enjoyable when paired with a good wine! Last night Marc and I enjoyed a wine dinner hosted by Sonja Magdevski of Casa Dumetz Winery and Tim Skogstrom at the Old Place in Agoura.
The dinner menu consisted of a 1st course of bouquet of greens with a cambozola dressing paired with a 2010 Casa Dumetz Syrah Rose, the second course was a pan seared scallop with infused olive oil atop a creamy risotto paired with the 2010 Casa Dumetz Viognier. The third course was a mushroom cassoulet with a scotch egg paired with the 2009 Casa Dumetz Syrah Noir, followed by the main course of oak grilled short rib with Triunfo Bordeaux blend and last but not least, dessert, an entire skillet of Mixed Berry Cobbler paired with 
the Enchanto White Rhone Blend. I am having a hard time deciding what course was my favorite but I am going to have to go with the pan seared scallop with creamy risotto. As for the wine, I have tasted Casa Dumetz several times before and this time around I would have to say it was a toss up. Tonight, I enjoyed both the Syrah Noir and the Triunfo Bordeaux blend. The Syrah Noir is a specific Syrah clone, not a cross between Syrah and Pinot Noir although I think that would be rather interesting. The grapes are from the Tierra Alta Vineyard located in the Santa Ynez valley. One third of the harvest was bled off to ferment as Rose and the remaining skins were added to the primary fermentation. In the end the lots were combined to give them a final product that is pleasing and fragrant. The Viognier was also tasty especially with the creaminess of the risotto. Casa Dumetz is yet another local winery that is beginning to make a name for itself and not only because of it's celebrity owner Emilio Estevez. Emilio's fiancee and winemaker Sonja Magdevski is truly in a class by herself. I have not heard a lot about female winemakers so I was immediately interested in her story. Having moved to Malibu in 2002 while working on a Master's degree in journalism she took a part time job at a local florist. It was here that she met Emilio but that was not the beginning of her wine making journey. In 2003 Sonja made a trip home to the Republic of Macedonia. While on a tour of the village with her father they happened on some very old and untended grapevines which set in 
motion a plan to rejuvenate the village by replanting all of the old fields. Flash forward to Malibu where Sonja began helping Emilio with his grapevines and the love story of Casa Dumetz is written. Magdevski is on her way to making a name for herself at Casa Dumetz as well as being the winemaker for Tim Skogstrom and partner's new Triunfo Bordeaux blend and Enchanto White. Other projects are on the horizon including Sonja's Suds, a small production of sparkling Syrah Rose set to be released just in time for the holidays.
the Enchanto White Rhone Blend. I am having a hard time deciding what course was my favorite but I am going to have to go with the pan seared scallop with creamy risotto. As for the wine, I have tasted Casa Dumetz several times before and this time around I would have to say it was a toss up. Tonight, I enjoyed both the Syrah Noir and the Triunfo Bordeaux blend. The Syrah Noir is a specific Syrah clone, not a cross between Syrah and Pinot Noir although I think that would be rather interesting. The grapes are from the Tierra Alta Vineyard located in the Santa Ynez valley. One third of the harvest was bled off to ferment as Rose and the remaining skins were added to the primary fermentation. In the end the lots were combined to give them a final product that is pleasing and fragrant. The Viognier was also tasty especially with the creaminess of the risotto. Casa Dumetz is yet another local winery that is beginning to make a name for itself and not only because of it's celebrity owner Emilio Estevez. Emilio's fiancee and winemaker Sonja Magdevski is truly in a class by herself. I have not heard a lot about female winemakers so I was immediately interested in her story. Having moved to Malibu in 2002 while working on a Master's degree in journalism she took a part time job at a local florist. It was here that she met Emilio but that was not the beginning of her wine making journey. In 2003 Sonja made a trip home to the Republic of Macedonia. While on a tour of the village with her father they happened on some very old and untended grapevines which set in 
motion a plan to rejuvenate the village by replanting all of the old fields. Flash forward to Malibu where Sonja began helping Emilio with his grapevines and the love story of Casa Dumetz is written. Magdevski is on her way to making a name for herself at Casa Dumetz as well as being the winemaker for Tim Skogstrom and partner's new Triunfo Bordeaux blend and Enchanto White. Other projects are on the horizon including Sonja's Suds, a small production of sparkling Syrah Rose set to be released just in time for the holidays. You can purchase Casa Dumetz wines at the Cornell Tasting Room as well as several locations in Malibu, Ventura, Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Check out their website for locations:
Photos courtesy of Glenn.
CHEERS!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Food & Wine Fun
You have heard the old term June Gloom around L.A. for as long as you can remember but the forecast for June wine lovers is bright this month. Check out some of the fun wine events around L.A.!
LA Wine Fest 2011, June 11-12th
http://www.lawinefest.com/wordpress/
KCET Uncorked at Bouchon Restaurant, June 12th
http://www.kcet.org/events/2011/05/kcet-uncorked.html
25th Annual Ojai Wine Festival, June 12th
http://www.ojaiwinefestival.com/
Calabasas Malibu Food & Wine Festival, June 18th
http://valleywinefestival.com/
Wine Around By The Lake(Santa Ynez), June19th
http://www.visitthesantaynezvalley.com/wine-around-by-the-lake
Learn About Wine Stars of California, June 23rd
http://www.learnaboutwine.com/Stars-of-California
Santa Barbara Wine Festival, June 25th
http://www.sbnature.org/about/495.html
Cheers!
LA Wine Fest 2011, June 11-12th
http://www.lawinefest.com/wordpress/
KCET Uncorked at Bouchon Restaurant, June 12th
http://www.kcet.org/events/2011/05/kcet-uncorked.html
25th Annual Ojai Wine Festival, June 12th
http://www.ojaiwinefestival.com/
Calabasas Malibu Food & Wine Festival, June 18th
http://valleywinefestival.com/
Wine Around By The Lake(Santa Ynez), June19th
http://www.visitthesantaynezvalley.com/wine-around-by-the-lake
Learn About Wine Stars of California, June 23rd
http://www.learnaboutwine.com/Stars-of-California
Santa Barbara Wine Festival, June 25th
http://www.sbnature.org/about/495.html
Cheers!
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