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 participate 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!

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 designs, 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!

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 leather 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!

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!

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.

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:

http://www.casadumetzwines.com/Locations.html

Photos courtesy of Glenn.

CHEERS!

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!

The Malibu Wine Experience, The Big "BU"

From Napa Valley to Paso Robles to Santa Ynez there are so many wonderful wines to be found and enjoyed that it seems doubtful I will ever be able to try all of them. Especially since I tend to be a creature of habit and once I find one I really like I return to it over and over again. This past weekend Marc and I attended the Learn About Wine Event at the Viceroy in Santa Monica called the Big "BU". MALIBU, that is. The proceeds from the Silent Auction went to Meals on Wheels West and twelve wineries were on hand to shine a light on Malibu. Casa Dumetz, Cielo Malibu Estate Vineyards, Cornell Winery, Griffin Family Winery, Hoyt Family Winery, Jim Palmer's Malibu Vineyard, Rosenthal Estate and The Malibu Vineyard were all there. While it took decades for Paso and Santa Ynez to gain the attention of the masses, Malibu wines are already catching on. Although this event was small in comparison to other wine tasting events, that didn't matter because my favorite Malibu Cabernet Sauvignon was also there! Malibu Solstice is a small production vineyard situated in the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking Malibu and the Pacific Ocean. Donald Schmitz, the founder, planted the vineyard in 1995 and bottled his first vintage in 2001. Malibu Solstice is exceptional for a number of reasons. First is the fact that the vineyard is never watered. The moisture from the coast and the elevation of the vineyard give it a unique location which allows mother nature to take it's course. The only grapes that are grown here are Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the other unique things about the Solstice is that it is never blended. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is aged anywhere from 11 to 24 months in French Oak barrels with adjustments each year to the percentage of new and neutral oak to ensure balance. We were lucky enough to taste a 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008 South block. Each year brings a distinctly different taste. The 2002 is more earthy, the 2006 brings more spice and pepper, the 2007 , my favorite, is as well balanced as you get. The 2008 perhaps a little more fruit forward with cherry and dark fruit aromas but as it opens up you taste the pepper on the finish. This wine is only available at a few select locations as Malibu Solstice doesn't have a tasting room. You might be lucky to get a taste at Cornell Winery or pick up a bottle from one of the other select locations in Malibu. Only 2-300 cases of this wine are produced each year.

For more info on Malibu Solstice: http://www.malibusolstice.net/

Cheers to the King of Malibu Reds!

Malibu Family Wines

Location, location, location! In 1979 the Semler family moved to the hills of Malibu and have since transformed a once fire ravaged parcel of land into one of the most beautiful outdoor settings in Southern California. Saddlerock Ranch was once an avocado farm producing thousands of pounds of fruit. But now, the vineyards of Malibu Family Wines comprise 60,000 vines on the 65+ acres perfectly positioned at the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains. The tasting room that was once a hidden jem is now jammed on weekends with cars parked all along Mulholland Hwy. If you want to experience the magic that is Saddlerock Ranch you can join the wine club and attend the exclusive annual pick up party. Although the ranch is a private residence, I have been to the property a number of times for different wine and food tastings but the pick up party is always a favorite. As members you are invited to this exclusive event which includes all the wine you can drink along with appetizers and music in a enchanting setting. We were treated to complimentary pours of 2009 Savignon Blanc, Rose and 2004 Cabernet Savignon. A number of food tents revealed trays of cheese, fruit, croissant sandwiches, quiche, meatballs, chocolate chip cookies and brownies. As you drive into the ranch you are mesmorized by the exotic animals, Buffalo, Zebra, Camels, exotic birds and of course horses are all around. Relaxing on the perfectly manicured lawns we couldn't help but imagine how wonderful it must be to live there. But alas, it was just for a day, but a wonderful day it was.

Members also receive complimentary tasting flights at the tasting room. If you aren't a member make sure you stop by the tasting room to sample some of the wines from Semler and Saddlerock which now include a Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wine and Tawny Port. The tasting room is also a park like setting with live music on the weekends and even a movie night coming soon. Los Angeles is an international destination and now visitors can come to L.A., go to Disneyland, Grauman's Chinese Theater and go wine tasting in Malibu!

http://www.malibufamilywines.com/

Viva Italia

I love Italians. Their food, cars (FERRARI), language, and of course their WINE. Having been there three times, I still feel like I have not experienced a fraction of what they have to offer. On my list of future destinations is one place I have not been, the Piedmont region. I have, however, had some wonderful wines from this area. My weekend wine choice for this week is the Wine Shop At Home 2008 Milano Cellars Mendocino Barbera. Barbera is the third most planted red grape variety in Italy. This grape produces bold, robust, flavourful red wines. This particular wine comes from Mendocino where they have warm days and cool nights which allow the grape to ripen fully. This 2008 was aged in oak for two years and will age well for another 3-5 years. Marc and I drank it last night and I was pleasantly surprised. With aromas and flavors of licorice, oak and dark red fruit(cherry & raspberry) it was lovely. I will absolutely purchase this wine again but you can only order it from Wine Shop At Home. It is not available in stores. Pair this with pasta (my pick: Fettuccine Alfredo) Cream Chicken and mild cheese or drink it by itself as I did. At only $18.50 a bottle I highly recommend it.

You can order at: http://www.wineshopathome.com/dominiquesimon

Salute!

May

Monday... Monday... Here we are again. With Mother's Day behind us we can begin the countdown to Memorial Day. Until then, here are some wine events to keep you busy this month:



Wed. May 11th 6:30 PM
$75.00 + tax and gratuity -Napa Grill Wine Dinner with Peter Mondavi
http://www.thenapagrill.com/events.html




May 20-22nd Paso Robles Wine Festival
Prices range from $55 for a festival ticket to $325 for a weekend pass.
http://www.pasowine.com/events/wine-festival-tickets.php

Sat. May 21st from 2-5 PM
Learn About Wine Hosts The Big "BU" at the Viceroy
Cost is $59 in advance. We attended this event last year at a different location and it was great. Featuring Malibu Wineries such as Rosenthal, Casa Dumetz, Malibu Solstice, Hoyt, and Cielo just to name a few.
http://www.cvent.com/events/the-big-bu-malibu-at-the-viceroy/event-summary-6c262ea5ce284f2ba6382116c23ea8c1.aspx


Sun. May 22nd 11:30 AM- 4:30PM Club Culinaire of French Cuisine
Picnic Des Chefs, Vasor Park, Agoura Hills
$50.00 will get you what sounds like an amazing French menu with over 30 French and American wines available for tasting.

http://www.clubculinaire.us/

April Rewind

Wine Rewind... I'm back and have lots of wine to talk about. I will begin with a visit to Santa Barbara last weekend. There are a handful of good wines in SB but Jaffurs is one for serious wine drinkers. Jaffurs is off the beaten path and if you don't search it out you will miss a good thing. Jaffurs doesn't own any vineyards, they purchase grapes only from Santa Barbara vineyards. The Thompson vineyard seems to be a favorite. Jaffurs, specializing in Rhone varietals has recently got some rave reviews for their 2008 Bien Nacido Syrah(97 points from Robert Parker). Unfortunately, we did not get to try this one... What we did get to try was the 2009 Viognier, 2009 Grenache Blanc, 2008 Grenache, 2009 Santa Barbara Syrah, 2009 Petit Sirah (Thompson Vineyard), and last a 2007 Mouvedre. Since Syrah is the specialty here I am going to tell you about the one we bought and drank already, the 2009 Syrah from SB county. These grapes come from the Tierra Alta, Larner and Vernas Vineyards and they blend a few barrels of petit Sirah to round out the flavor. This wine has power, complexity and spice according to the winemakers. I tasted amazing flavors of ripe pure blackberry. It is full bodied with a nice long finish. Drink this with your favorite BBQ'd meats and braised short ribs. If you are heading up the coast to Santa Barbara this summer, make a pit stop at Jaffurs, you will not be disappointed.

Next wine stop... the 12th annual Valley Cultural Center's Food, Wine and Microbrew festival. This was a favorite of mine a few years ago but this year I will admit being disappointed. At $65.00 per ticket it was noticeably smaller this year. A few good restaurants returned with some tasty bites and there was at least one wine worth mentioning. The Maddalena Vineyards (San Antonio Winery) Il Conte d'Alba Stella Rosa Imperiale Moscato. I loved this and went back for seconds and yes even a third taste. This is a fantastic sparkling moscato from northwestern Italy.

Packed with flavors of peach, apricot and pear. I would drink this with all my favorites( cheese, fruit, fish, salads and of course dessert). This is a keeper at $14.95 a bottle. Bring on the bubbles!

Wine Shop At Home Tasting Party

On Sunday my husband and I hosted our launch party for Wine Shop At Home. The guest list was intimate and we served an assortment of cheese, fruit, salami and bread along with SIX wines.

We started with the Fleur Bleu 2010 White Bouquet. This central coast blend consists of 50% Riesling, 42% Gewurtraminer and 8% Chardonnay. Sunday just happened to be a gorgeous sunny day and this wine was perfect. The wine is light and delicate with a clean finish. I tasted Apple and Pear with a touch of honey. This wine is a thumbs up in my book but not the favorite of the day. Our second wine was the Lumiere de Vie 2009 California Savignon Blanc. Savignon Blanc (a Bordeaux grape varietal) can have a grassy, even unpleasant cat urine aroma. This wine did not!
Sav Blanc is not usually one of my favorites but this wine could change my mind. With Aromas of Apple, Pear, Peach and honeysuckle it would pair well with Roasted Chicken or Scallops.

On to the reds... first the 2009 Pied Violet Reserve Mendocino Merlot. Pied Violet or "Purple Foot" comes from the Mendocino applellation known for creating dark, complex red wines. This wine was jammy with blackberry, vanilla and oak aromas. Merlot's have gotten such a bad rap but this one was pretty good. I would choose this as a good weekend wine to share over dinner with family and friends. Next up, the Fleur Bleu 2008 Yorkville Highlands Six Petals Blend. We renamed this the Frankenstein blend. Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Viognier, Cabernet Savignon and Merlot. WHEW. That is a mouthful. NEXT... Halcyon 2009 Mendocino Cabernet Savignon. 90% Cabernet Savignon and 10% Mendocino Merlot. Cabs are consistant favorites with flavors of dark fruit, blackberry, licorice and leather. The oak and minerals give it some some good tannins but a fairly smooth finish. The last wine of the evening seemed to be the one everyone liked best. The 2009 Fleur Bleu North Coast Mourvedre. You can smell the Black fruit, Cherry, Brown Sugar, Vanilla and Plum. It was a big mouthful bursting with flavor punctuated with just the right amount of tannin and acidity. With a long finish this wine leaves you wanting more. This wine is ready to drink now or can lay down in your cellar for four to six years. I recommend this wine to any Rhone fans. I don't think it will disappoint. Until next time... Salute!

Rhone Reds

My husband and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary by heading to Paso Robles for a little tasting last weekend. The weather cooperated and I was thankful not to see rain. We visited several wineries but I am going to tell you about two of my favorites.

On Sunday after breakfast we headed to EPOCH. A little history first... In the early 1900's Paso had a famous resident. His name was Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Ignacy was a concert Pianist, composer and a statesman that owned several thousand acres in the area and in 1933 he won a gold medal at the state fair for his Zinfandel. Long story short... in 2004 Bill and Liz Armstrong purchased 350 acres which included Paderewski's Rancho and York Mountain Winery where Epoch's new tasting room now sits. We tasted four wines at Epoch. First was the 2008 Epoch Red, a blend of Syrah, Tempranillo, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Mourvedre. Then we had the 2008 Zin, a 2007 Tempranillo and last but definitely not least the 2008 Ingenuity. At $55.00 a bottle it is probably not an every day drinking wine but a special one for sure. This unique blend of 61% Syrah, 17% Grenache, 14% Petite Sirah and 8% Mourvedre is a delight for Rhone fans. It is fruit forward but with serious structure. I recommend a visit to Epoch and do it before the Ingenuity is gone. Only 415 cases of this were produced.

Next stop... DENNER! Said to be the hub because of the 400,000 tons of grapes they process each year, Denner is also a collaboration of seven winemakers. The top dog there is 25 year old Anthony Yount who became the Denner's winemaker in 2009. The Denner's own 126 acres and sell grapes to a number of wineries, Justin probably being the most well known. In addition, their wine maker's also collaborate on 10 different wine labels including Epoch. We tasted four wines at Denner. First was a Viogner, then a Grenache blend and then....The Ditch Digger! This blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mouvedre, 5% Cinsaut, and 5% Cinoise is a mouthful of ripe raspberries, black cherry, red licorice and cocoa. Don't let the name fool you, this is an elegant wine. Two thumbs up for this one. Last but again not least... Mother of Exiles is 70% Cabernet, 20% Petit Verdot and 10% Cab Franc. With a taste of black cherries, black licorice, caramel and leather this will not disappoint. We were lucky to have been able to take home The Ditch Digger as these wines SELL OUT. If you make it to Paso, Denner and Epoch need to be top on your list!

Wine Spectator did a feature in March on the Paso Robles Rhones including the two I talk about here and this month Paso will host Hospice du Rhone April 28th-30th. This event is like no other, we spoke to one winemaker who said he now volunteers at the event since it is a little expensive to actually attend. $795.00 for the weekend package but from what I understand well worth it for Rhone lovers. Last year the event hosted over 130 Rhone wine producers and importers from all over the world. For more info on this fab event: http://www.hospicedurhone.org/index.phpw

Cheers to the Rhone Reds!

April Wine

This weekend we visited The Wineyard. This is a fun little wine bar in Thousand Oaks. They offer wine tasting as well as wine by the glass and bottle. Lucky for me they were tasting BYRON. Everyone that knows me should know that I am partial to Pinot.

For those who are not familiar, Ken Brown founded Byron in 1984 on the eastern edge of the Santa Maria Valley. In 2003 Ken founded Ken Brown Wines where he continues to make outstanding Pinot Noir. Back to Byron... They specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I tasted four wines. A 2008 Santa Barbara Chardonnay and three 2009 Pinot Noirs. The one I am going to talk about here is the 2009 Nielson Vineyard Pinot Noir. From the first sip I knew this wine was for me. Smooth & velvety! I tasted dark cherry and plum with a bit of smoke. This wine has a nice lingering finish. You might think this a young wine but it has structure. I would say this is an outstanding Pinot and one I would buy again. Average price for this wine is around $32.00

Enjoy!

Here we go... Some of you might be wondering why I am writing a blog about wine? The answer is simple, I want to do something I enjoy. I left the security of my job late last year after years of frustration and in January, my husband and I went to LAW school. We took a class from Ian Blackburn at Learn About Wine. It was a 4 week crash course that taught me a great deal. I am pleased to say I passed the course but I am still learning and I want to share each step with you. I am going to talk about wine and hopefully in the process share some interesting facts and give you the skinny on what is happening around L.A.

Cheers!

April Events: http://valleycultural.org/food-wine-and-micro-brew-festival/

Micro brew Festival- April 28, 5-8:30PM: Westfield Promenade ***

http://www.cvent.com/events/wine-cheese-and-chocolate/event-summary-714fb26847ca40fd96be52f972487111.aspx

Learn About Wine- April 10, Wine Cheese and Chocolate