Filling your new calendar with wine events

Now that the snow has hopefully melted from our local vines and the disco ball has been removed from the Hyatt’s dance floor it’s time to focus on those pesky new-year resolutions. The first being to plan ahead as to not miss a single disco beat of wine-ish happenings in the Santa Clarita Valley.

All Corked Up is planning a Valentine’s dinner dance on Saturday, February 14th at 7:30 p.m. There will be a four course meal, one bottle of wine per couple and live music from the band Acoustic Soul, $85 per person, reservations required. allcorkedup.com

Alyse Korn Jazz quartet with Alyse on the piano, Scott Roewe on tenor sax and percussion, Marc Doten on bass and vocalist Kaspar Abbo will also be continuing their monthly performances at All Corked Up beginning January 31st.

Salt Creek Grille has many offerings for every day of the week. Starting with half-priced bottle Monday (any bottle under $100 is half-price), wine-down Wednesdays with discounted wine by the glass, formal wine pairing dinners, charity wine tastings on the patio and happy hour Monday through Friday 4pm-6:30 p.m. 661-222-9999

Valencia Wine Company will be holding a tasting basics class on January 31 at 4:00 p.m., $30 per person, reservations required. The Helen LaPrairie band will be performing Jan. 30 and on the 31st it’s jazz with Gerry Rothschild and Lynn Woolever. http://www.valenciawine.com/

Also hosted by Valencia Wine Company is the 2nd Annual Tournament Player’s Club (TPC) and West Ranch Art and Wine Gala on Saturday, October 3. The event will feature a world renowned art and wine auction and a five course dinner by executive Chef Daniel Otto. The evening benefits the arts in the Santa Clarita Valley.

John R. Kelley of Raven Oaks Vineyards will be pouring at the Blessed Kateri Women’s Guild Fashion Show Friday February 20th. http://www.ravenoaksvineyards.com/

La Bella Cucina Italian Restaurant in Valencia and Grape Crusader will be hosting a wine and food pairing on January 20th at 6:30 p.m. Five courses of Italian cuisine, paired with five Italian wines for 79.99 per person. Come hear the history of these beautiful wines and the vineyards that produce them. Bella Cucina Italian Restaurant, 27430 The Old Road, Valencia, 661-253-3900.

Local sommelier DiMaggio Washington has your entire year covered in wine classes at TPC. It’s a very nice website worth checking out. Get an education at worldwineeducation.com

May 30 is the annual Santa Clarita Valley Wine Classic held from 7-10 p.m. at the California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts), Main Gallery, 24700 McBean Parkway. This event highlights both new and cellar wines and benefits the SCV Youth Orchestra. Live music and catered fare rounds out the experience. scvwineclassic.org

LA Wine Fest runs Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Raleigh Studios, 5300 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood. This year’s event promises to be outstanding. lawinefest.com

For every wine lover, “The Perfect Pairing” two-pack DVD set, including both Bottle Shock and Sideways becomes available February. Both films are comedies that highlight the California wine industry.

For myself, as well as the above events, I want to meet Tommy Lasorda via the Grape Crusader, visit the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, get through a single malt Scotch tasting led by my husband and eclipse my year with a two week trip to Ferrara, Italy and have a drink at the world’s oldest wine bar in the world: Osteria Al Brindisi. Want to go with me? One word: read.

Post Script 1-11-09 to Wine & Restaurant vendors: Many calendar events came in after the 12-31-08 cut off date (given via e-mail to vendors) for this article to run in the newspaper on 01-09-09. Please see my Wine Calendar on the right for your updates, and be sure to check your e-mail inbox for other opportunities in the year when I will be asking for your events for the next All Events Column.