Herewe are again, not at Pier 59 in Hermosa Beach, but at Pier 59 Studios West, in SantaMonica, only a few blocks from the beach for the Los Angeles Rhone Rangers tasting event. (I was tempted by Stephen Abronson’s invite for an”After Party” at Pourtal too. See post from 8/9.)
Columbia Crest 07 Grand Estates Reserve Syrah. Edward Sellers 07 Vertigo and his 07 Cognito. Fess Parker 06 Syrah, Rodney’s Vineyard and 06 Big Easy Syrah, Santa Barbara County. Epiphany 06 Gypsy Red Blend, Santa Barbara. Justin Winery (Taste Justin yourself with Justin Baldwin himself: Salt Creek Grill on September 15 to benefit the Boys and Girls Club, 661-254-3063) 08 Savant Red Blend and 08 Syrah. Michael David 06 Incognito Red Blend. Treana 08 Syrah, Hope Family Vineyard. Unti Vineyards 07 Grenache Blend. Vines on the Marycrest 09 Summertime Rose.
And the best for me of the day was Zaca Mesa: Both 06 Z Cuvee and Z Three Red Blends, Santa Ynez Valley, 06 Mesa Reserve Estate Syrah, and 06 Estate Syrah.
Fun: Meeting up with my four pals that make up Hipster Enology, Goddess of Vino Denise Lowe and John Dickey, LearnAboutWine’s Ian Blackburn, Erin McGrath Davis of Wally’s Wine, Pourtal’s Stephen Abronson, winemakers and reps, and staff writers Michael and Karen Perlis that are due to write their own story…
And this guy…I watched this 23-year-old from the Wine Lab in Newport Beach sip and spit all day. By the end of my day I just had to get a pic of the New Look in Wine 101ness:
InFrance’s Rhone Valley, there are 22 grape varieties including thebetter-known Syrah and Viognier, to the up and coming Mourvèdre,Grenache, and Roussanne, to the truly obscure (but delicious) Counoise,Bourboulenc and Picpoul. What’s more, most of these grapes play wellwith others, and blends are often the most exciting of all.
