TOR Napa Valley Announces Four New Private Tasting Experiences for Summer and Harvest

July 27, 2020 by evebushman

ST. HELENA, Calif. /PRNewswire/ — TOR Napa Valley looks forward to welcoming guests back to the Napa Valley with a variety of new private experiences and tastings for summer and harvest. All tastings and experiences will be exclusively private and by-appointment-only, allowing guests the chance to visit some of Napa’s Grand Cru vineyards, walk amongst the vines and experience TOR’s famed wines—following the CDC’s extensive health and safe precautions and measures.

WHAT’S NEW FOR SUMMER AND HARVEST 2020

The Pritchard Hill Hike & Flight ($200 per person)

Greg Melanson’s Pritchard Hill vineyard is prime real estate for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Perched approximately 1500 feet above the valley floor. The vineyard shares august neighbors: across from Colgin and adjacent to Continuum and OVID.

After either a heart pumping vineyard walk or leisurely stroll, enjoy a tasting of TOR’s Grand Dames Chardonnays, followed by three vintages of TOR’s spectacular Melanson Cabernets paired with small bites.

The Black Magic Experience ($750 per person)

Only a select few can ever experience Napa Valley like this. The TOR Black Magic Experience is available on a very limited basis by-appointment-only.

Limited to a tiny handful of guests, this is a true behind the curtains peek into the life of a vintner at the top of their game, and what goes into making 100-point wines at TOR.

David Grega, TOR’s Associate Winemaker, will be the host for an exclusive tour of the haloed soils of the legendary Beckstoffer Dr. Crane. Beckstoffer To Kalon and Vine Hill Ranch.

Guests will then then have the rare opportunity to taste barrel samples considered for TOR’s next Black and Pure Magic wines, prior to relaxing over a delicious three-course lunch nestled in gardens beneath Vine Hill Ranch. With lunch, enjoy a selection of highly rated TOR wines.

Al Fresco Wines Experience ($125 per person)

Wheeler Farms’ 12-acre historic estate on Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena plays host to this al fresco tasting.

Guests will enjoy a stroll through Wheeler Farms’ gardens and state-of-the-art winemaking facility. Tastings feature five wines from a selection of Napa Valley’s First Growth vineyards, and the wines are paired with a cheese and charcuterie platter prepared by Chef Sarah Heller.

ABOUT TOR NAPA VALLEY
TOR Napa Valley produces single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in the Napa Valley. Tor Kenward has spent more than 40 years in the wine business and established TOR Wines in 2001 to produce wines from only the best blocks in great vineyard sites he knew and revered. In October 2016, Robert M. Parker Jr. said of TOR: “Tor Kenward is using his vast experience in the wine industry and impressive palate to find exceptional terroirs and produce fascinating wines that merit serious attention.”

ACME Fine Wines Announces New Private Tastings for Summer and Fall

July 22, 2020 by evebushman

ST. HELENA, Calif., /PRNewswire/ — St. Helena’s ACME Fine Wines, recently named one of Wine Enthusiast’s 50 Best Wine Retailers in America, announced that the boutique wine retailer will be open for private tastings. Proprietor Karen Williams and her sommelier team are looking forward to welcoming visitors and locals for the new in-person tastings, which are a terrific way for guests to expand their palate and wine knowledge, experience debut wines from superstar winemakers and learn first-hand the types of wines that ACME’s wine clubs offer.

Cult v. IPO Tasting
ACME is well known for helping to launch and promote micro-wineries and brands that achieve fame down the road. Internally dubbed “IPO” brands, these are debut projects carefully chosen by ACME’s dynamic team of sommeliers who are constantly scouting to bring the next big thing to their clients. This tasting features two cult wines (think brands like Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle and Scarecrow) alongside two soon-to-be-discovered IPO wines.

$500 per person, 90 to 120 minutes, four wines, exclusively for groups of four people. The Cult v. IPO Tasting is inclusive of charcuterie and cheese platter to enjoy alongside.

Under the Radar Tasting
ACME has long been recognized as the source for what’s new and what’s next coming out of Napa, Sonoma and beyond. This tasting features the ACME team’s recent favorite finds, well before anyone else knows about them. Examples include 2018 Belong Wine Co. Mourvedre, El Dorado County; 2017 Hudson Vineyards “Phoenix” Red Blend, Carneros; 2017 Sanguis “The Optimist” Red Blend Santa Barbara and 2017 West Pole Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast.

Kahuna Tasting
Kahuna: the name says it all! The Kahuna Tasting focuses on luxury wines and features only the best of the best that the ACME team tastes. Examples include: 2017 Kongsgaard Syrah, Napa; 2011 Levy & McClellan “Et Al” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley; 2014 Immortal Estate “Impassable Mountain” Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County and 2017 Behrens Family Winery “Parts Unknown” Red Wine, Howell Mountain.

$100 per person, 90 minutes, six to eight wines tasted

The Ultimate ACME Tasting
ACME’s Ultimate Extended Tasting Experience will showcase an array of bottles from all four ACME Wine Clubs: Under the Radar, Pulse, Zippo and Kahuna. Examples of wines featured in this tasting include 2019 Seabold “Adroît” Trousseau, San Benito; Benanti, 2017 Contrada Cavaliere, Etna Bianco, Sicily; 2017 Richard Peterson, Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands and 2017 Patria “Avoyelles” Red Blend, Oakville Ranch, Napa Valley.

$200 per person, 90-120 minutes, eight to ten wines. The Ultimate Tasting is inclusive of charcuterie and cheese platter to enjoy alongside.

ABOUT ACME FINE WINES
Founded in 2003 by Proprietor Karen Williams, ACME Fine Wines has long been regarded as one of the country’s premiere sources for both hard-to-find, highly allocated wines as well as debut offerings from new brands and rising star winemakers. ACME is located in St. Helena, California in the heart of the Napa Valley. For more information, please visit www.acmefinewines.com or call 707.963.0440.

Newhall Press Room is here with groceries to “Help People Out”

April 4, 2020 by evebushman

We recently ordered some amazing groceries from our local wine bar, the Newhall Press Room, not only because we needed them but because many of the foods offered we often ordered and enjoyed at the wine bar.

This was the caption for the photo, from my social media post:

What’s on your plate? It’s another day to #SupportLocal #StayHome #OrderIn and this time it was…groceries from Newhall Press Room – one of the owners delivered all of our favorites including Spanish Chorizo, Jambon de Paris, Aged Cheddar, Brie, their new 2017 Leviathan red blend wine as well as extra large eggs, chicken breasts and hamburger. If you need fresh or frozen fruits, dairy, meats, vegetables, breads or other staples check them out! We already made egg salad on the Ciabatta, next will be having a lovely cheese and charcuterie board! If you are in need, email is @ info@newhallpressroom.com for the entire pricing sheet.

This is from Dan Zebrowski, one of the three owners of Newhall Press Room, in answer to why they are providing this service:

“I am not sure why other restaurants did this, but for us it was mostly to help people out. We have a very small, scratch kitchen. Because we are small, we order daily and only enough for service. When all of this happened, we didn’t have a lot of stock at the restaurant.

We originally sent our first grocery list, exclusively, to our Press Club loyalty members (re-printed and posted below). We made the decision early on that we were going to keep our prices as low as we can. While it causes constant monitoring of our vendors and editing of our price sheet, it has kept our prices affordable and accessible. Honestly, we did not expect a lot of people to take advantage of this service. We just hoped that people who really needed it, would reach out to Press Room.

Our hopes were realized when 2 of the first 3 email responses we received were people who were “at risk” and/or worked in the medical field and couldn’t get to the grocery store before it had gotten picked clean. At that point, we decided that we were going to offer this service to our loyalty program members.

However, before we knew it, other people found out about what we were doing for our loyalty program members and wanted to take advantage of our service. After a little internal discussion, we decided to make our grocery list available to anybody who needed it. Now, we have some folks who just like the convenience, some people who just want to avoid the grocery store, and some people who truly need the help. It is for that latter group of people that we continue to offer groceries.

If you know of someone in need, please have them reach out to us directly at info@newhallpressroom.com.”

The Lodge at Torrey Pines to Debut Beyond the Cellar: A Spring Collectors Tasting

April 2, 2020 by evebushman

LA JOLLA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Winemakers and owners from some of the most exclusive California wineries will travel down the coast to The Lodge at Torrey Pines for its inaugural Beyond the Cellar: A Spring Collectors Tasting. The AAA Five Diamond La Jolla resort will host the wine tasting and purchasing event Friday, May 8, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. There are a limited number of tickets available for this exclusive event. Tickets are priced at $150 per person and can be purchased online at lodgetorreypines.com/beyond-the-cellar.

Riding off the success and model of The Lodge’s annual culinary festival, Celebrate the Craft, Beyond the Cellar is an event geared toward wine aficionados and collectors. Winemakers and winery owners will have the opportunity to showcase some of their rare and high-end vintages that are not readily available to the general public. Wholesale pricing of featured wines will range from $100 to over $1,000 per bottle and attendees will have the opportunity to purchase wine through the attending wineries, at retail value. The majority of the bottles available for purchase cannot be found in stores or ordered online.

Curated by The Lodge’s Advanced Sommelier Paul Krikorian, Beyond the Cellar will feature highly coveted wines and experts from Napa Valley wineries including Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente, Continuum Estate, Pulido-Walker, Spottswoode, Ramey Wine Cellars, Paul Hobbs, Flora Springs, Ovid, Lewis Cellars, Morlet Family Vineyards, Staglin Family Vineyard, Hundred Acre, Mirror, and Abacus by ZD Wines. Each featured wine will be poured by either the winemaker, owner or spokesperson, providing guests with an exclusive one-on-one guided tasting. Krikorian, along with other sommeliers, will be available throughout the event to provide expert insight and advice to attendees.

Wine tastings will be accompanied by artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, handcrafted chocolates, passed hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment by a jazz guitarist and a champagne greeting. Along with bottles and barrels from the wineries, guests will also have the chance to purchase fine glassware from Riedel, the premier wineglass and decanter manufacturer. Additionally, Riedel will provide guests with a surprise takeaway gift.

Guests interested in extending their Beyond the Cellar experience can also reserve a room package starting at $719 per night, which includes two tickets to the event.

About The Lodge at Torrey Pines:
The Lodge at Torrey Pines is an AAA Five Diamond award-winning property offering views of the world renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course and the Pacific Ocean. Guests of The Lodge can take advantage of the near perfect weather while hiking the Torrey Pines State Reserve, golfing on Torrey Pines Golf Course or relaxing at the spa. The Lodge pays tribute to the California Craftsman Movement and is modeled after Greene and Greene’s famed Gamble and Blacker houses in Pasadena, California, two of the finest examples of early 1900s Craftsman-style architecture. The Lodge features 170 spacious guest rooms and suites, a 9,500 square-foot full-service spa and two restaurants serving contemporary California cuisine. The Lodge is owned and operated by Evans Hotels and is in proximity to the San Diego International Airport, downtown San Diego and downtown La Jolla. The Lodge is located 11480 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037. For reservations, call (858) 453-4420 or visit http://www.lodgetorreypines.com.

Alessia Antinori to Headline South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, April 23 – 26, 2020

March 23, 2020 by evebushman

MIRAMAR BEACH, FLA. (PRWEB) – Alessia Antinori of Marchesi Antinori, the most famously iconic winemaking family in history, will pour her family’s highly prized Italian wines at the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, taking place April 23 – April 26, 2020, in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin (not to be confused with the Sandestin resort or Sandestin wine festival). With more than 600 quality wines and dozens of spirits to taste over four days, this annual award-winning charity event delivers an unparalleled wine experience.

Antinori’s wines will be featured in Culinary Village and will be paired with an exclusive menu of authentic Italian dishes by Festival Culinary Director, Scott Plumley.

“At the beginning in the renaissance period we were more merchants and then after a few generations we started to produce wine in the Chianti Classico. The last generation has been very important because we focused on buying land to plant vineyards to assure that we could guarantee the high quality of the product. The last period we started to focus on the quality of the product and on the vineyards which we owned to try to get the best from them,” said Antinori, whose family has been making wine for 26 generations.

Attendees will be able to engage with Antinori and learn how her family’s wineries have evolved over six centuries since being established in 1385.

“We are talking about a business which is human and nature related and for this reason we believe the way to succeed is to transmit values like passion, quality and integrity from generation to generation and for this reason we want to maintain it in the family,” said Antinori.

Antinori will also present one of the weekends popular tasting seminars where her family wines will be paired exclusively with award-winning cheeses and charcuterie presented by world-renowned cheese expert and educator Michael Landis of the Intitut du Fromage.

Alessia Antinori said the tasting attendees can expect “that they will understand our family, our passion, our lifestyle and that they can appreciate our wines through our values and tasting a good glass of wine!”

Another festival highlight will be the Jackson Family Wine World pavilion which will feature their Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Viogniers from California and “big reds” including Cabernet Sauvignons, French Bordeaux, Italian Super Tuscans, Australian Shiraz and more.

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival will present some of the most acclaimed winemakers and master distillers in the world, including Mariano Buglioni, the owner of the eponymous estate in San Pietro in Cariano, located in Valpolicella Classico; Greg Brewer winemaker and owner of Brewer-Clifton; Daniel DAOU, winemaker and proprietor, DAOU Family Estates; Jill DelaRiva Russell, winemaker of Cambria Winery; Jesse Lange, owner and principle, Lange Winery; Jared Himstedt, head distiller of Balcones Distilling; and Jessica Koga, Associate Winemaker, Davies Vineyards and Schramsberg Vineyards.

The festival kicks off Thursday at 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. with Winemakers & Shakers, held at Wine World in Destin. The VIP Wine Tasting is part of a 3-Day Package and takes place Friday, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., followed by the Friday Craft Beer & Spirits Jam, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. The Grand Tastings are Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The VIP Tasting can only be attended by purchasing the VIP Wine Festival 3-Day Package that includes most festival events as well.

Tickets can be purchased at SoWalWine.com.

The South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival is truly a celebration of wine, food and music that everyone can feel good about. This event is a major fundraiser for the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation with proceeds benefiting more than a dozen children’s charities in Northwest Florida.

Presented by Grand Boulevard at Sandestin and Visit South Walton, the festival offers the ideal backdrop for wine, charity and fun along the South Walton beaches, named among the best beaches in the country.

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is made possible by the generous support of the following Founding Partners: Visit South Walton Tourist Development Council, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Wine World of Northwest Florida and Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®. Resortquest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals is the Official Lodging Partner.

About South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival
South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is an annual charity event held the last weekend in April. The festival features a stunning showcase of some of the best wines in the world. Celebrity wine producers and chefs present fine wine and food pairings from the world’s most famous appellations. The Culinary Village offers a sumptuous array of foods to taste, wines to pair, as well as wine and food tasting seminars. The event is a major fundraiser for Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit SoWalWine.com.

Single Bottle Post: Knights Bridge 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon

December 27, 2019 by evebushman

In my recent trip to Napa Valley, while visiting Calistoga and one winery in particular, Knights Bridge, we were gifted a bottle of Cab at the end of our visit. I tucked it into our suitcase, with a few others, and felt that since it was a gift I should do one of my one-bottle posts in return. Below are my tasting notes, and below that is the blurb I wrote about their tasting room, the only tasting room housed in a former bank with the only bank vault turned wine vault.

Knights Bridge 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley, Sonoma County

320 cases

14.3% alcohol

Color: Opaque, the blackest of black cherries.

Aroma: Sweet plum, black cherry, mellowed balance of spice and tannin, milk chocolate, cigar and oak.

Flavor: Balanced and lingering flavors of ripe blue and black fruit, spice rack, with a slightly sweet finish.

Note on the bottle: I’m a sucker for a weighted bottle with a deep punt. It makes it nicer to pour from, and to me, it heightens awareness to the quality of the wine.

Conclusion: At about $100 a bottle, which is the standard rate for a Napa Valley Cab, I’d definitely pay for it to have it again. The balance and length, along with the dark fruit and spice, were exceptional.

From my article in SCV Elite Magazine:

Knights Bridge Vault

Also a winery I had learned about from WineLA.com, Knights Bridge was one I wanted to visit. Happy to find them in Calistoga, in the historic Calistoga National Bank building, where we enjoyed conversing with Kerry Andrews all about Calistoga and all they have to offer in a small-town feel. We viewed the only wine vault (former bank vault) in Napa, enjoyed cheese and charcuterie while tasting through their exceptional wines: 2018 Knights Bridge Sauvignon Blanc, Fairview; 2015 Pont de Chevalier Chardonnay, Estate Vineyard; 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Vineyard; 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dr. Crane Vineyard and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, To Kalon Vineyard. We enjoyed them all, especially the Cabs.

Book online: https://www.knightsbridgewinery.com/Visit-Us-Events/Private-Tastings-in-The-Vault

About (Excerpted From Facebook)

Knights Bridge was founded by a close circle of friends who celebrate a shared passion for wine and food, a love of farming and respect for nature.

The wines of Knights Bridge offer an opportunity to taste not only our unique estate wines, but also wines from some of California’s most prestigious vineyards. Knights Bridge searches California for exceptional sources of fruit from properties with a strong sense of place and the potential for producing extraordinary wines. Many of these celebrated properties have a long history of incredible vintages to their credit.

Founding Date: 2006

Estate Wines: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard Designate Wines: Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon (Oakville), Dr. Crane Cabernet Sauvignon (St. Helena), Berisini Vineyards Chardonnay (Carneros), Alder Springs Chardonnay (Mendocino)

https://www.instagram.com/knightsbridgewinery/

https://www.knightsbridgewinery.com/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

ZD Wines Introduces New Guest Experiences and Renovated Hospitality Destination

May 18, 2019 by evebushman

NAPA, Calif. (PRWEB) – Today the deLeuze family and ZD Wines unveiled the final stages of their renovated hospitality center, welcoming guests to a contemporary reception area, private tasting lounge, and custom kitchen. Sleek lines and refined natural elements come together in a modern aesthetic that puts ZD’s acclaimed wines at center stage.

The focal point of the new reception area is a large picture window showcasing the beautiful barrel room, allowing guests to peek into the working winery. Nearby, custom 13-foot tall sliding glass doors designed in Portugal enclose an inviting private lounge, complete with a fireplace and access to a patio garden. An extensive wine library showcases selections from their 50 years of winemaking before guests reach their new, modern kitchen.

Upstairs, tall glass doors blur the lines between indoors and out in the Vineyard View Tasting Room and Deck, where unobstructed vineyard views stretch from the east side of Rutherford all the way across the valley floor to the Mayacamas Mountains. A timeline told through historic bottlings and family photos provides an introduction to the winery’s rich history, which dates back to 1969.

“Decades ago, we offered tastings at a small bar tucked into the corner of our winery. Now, we can provide the opportunity to enjoy ZD Wines in a gracious, luxurious space that reflects our dedication to excellence,” said Brett deLeuze, President of ZD Wines. “We’re looking forward to the next 50 years of world-class wines.”

The winery has also introduced new hospitality experiences. Available now, the elevated offerings include:

Vineyard View Tasting—This seated tasting in the well-appointed Vineyard View Room & Deck allows guests to enjoy a selection of current release award-winning wines while taking in the valley floor views of Rutherford. Hospitality professionals lead guests through ZD’s 50-year history, winemaking, and eco practices. Cost: $40 per person.
The ZD Experience—During this unforgettable private cellar tour, guests explore ZD’s 50-year history, vineyards, and stewardship practices. After sampling wine maturing in barrel, guests are seated in the Vineyard View Room to a choice of current release Reserve wines or Library selections, along with artisanal cheese and charcuterie pairing. Cost: $125 per person.
The Abacus Experience—The ultimate way to experience all that ZD has to offer, including its pinnacle wine, Abacus. This innovative solera-style wine is a blend of every vintage of ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon dating back to 1992 (26 vintages). Guests will have a rare opportunity to taste the Abacus “solera” from barrel during their private cellar tour, along with other maturing wines. Afterwards, relax in the private lounge with a curated tasting of Reserve wines, including pours of a library and current Bottling of Abacus, paired with artisanal cheeses and charcuterie. Cost: $1000 for up to 6 guests.

Known for three core varietals, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, ZD Wines also crafts two small production whimsical wines, named “Rosa Lee’s Whim,” and a 50th Anniversary Sparkling Cuvée. ZD also recently released their 20th Bottling of Abacus, ZD’s solera-style Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

ZD Wines is open daily from 10am – 4pm at 8383 Silverado Trail in Rutherford. Reservations are required for all tours, and highly recommended for the Vineyard View Tasting. Appointments can be made by calling (800) 487-7757 or emailing experiences(at)zdwines.com.

About ZD Wines
ZD Wines is owned and operated by the deLeuze family, who is dedicated to producing world-class wines, farming organically and giving back to the community. Located in the Rutherford region of the Napa Valley, the winery and hospitality center offers sweeping valley views of premium Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards and the Mayacamas mountain range to the west. The deLeuze family produces wines from their certified organic vineyards in the Rutherford and Carneros regions, as well as organic vineyards in Napa, Santa Barbara, Monterey and Sonoma. With innovative winemaking practices, they produce wines of quality, consistency, and style. ZD Wines is currently celebrating 50 years of winemaking and can be found online at ZDWines.com and @ZDWines on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Vintage Eve Circa 3/2016: Tasting the New 2012 (And One 14 Rosé) Mystic Hills Vineyard Releases

April 2, 2019 by evebushman

It was a thrill to taste the newly released 2012 wines (and one 2014!) from Mystic Hills Vineyard because…every wine from their first release has received awards from various competitions! (Read more here) And this, just their second release, is poised for the same level of achievements.

I invited a few wine lovers over to share these first tastes, and to also chime in on the aromas and flavors they found. And, if you’re not interested in tasting notes know this: the tasting was a resounding success with all six guests agreeing that the wines were superb.

2014 H.E.A.R.T.S Rosé

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot

With vibrant aromas of fresh strawberry, ripe raspberry, wet stones and a hint of Meyer lemon it was followed up in the mouth with the same luscious red fruit flavors with the addition of apricot, red ruby grapefruit and a welcoming mild acidic finish.

We paired this Rosé with a BBQ Shrimp recipe that actually has no BBQ sauce or required barbequing; it was just all garlic, unsalted butter, Worchestershire sauce, lemon, pepper and Cajun seasoning. The Rosé was the perfect refresher between bites. 90 Eve pts.

Cabernet Sauvignon

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Sweet plum, cherry, black fruit, toasted marshmallow, wet bark and red rose wafted up in the nose of this Cab. The taste was all cherry, raspberry, earth and a bit of oak with mouth drying tannins. This one was voted “easy to drink” by the group.

Gran Trio

Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Blueberry, black currant, blackberry, incense and earth – all on the nose. Then with the taste we got beautiful red to blue fruit, spice, firm tannins and a nice long finish. As we let this open up in our glasses we noted more fruit developing. 90 Eve pts.

Unforgiven

Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec.

Aromas of dried blue fruit, cloves, mushroom and black pepper filled our noses. Once tasted we found robust jammy qualities with red fruit, spice and cracked pepper all in great balance.

My husband had guests wait to finish this stellar blend with a chocolate caramel Crème Brûlée he had made. As he torched the sugar and fresh mint into a crust, we waited expectantly. It was magical. 92 Eve pts. With the pairing, 93 Eve pts.

All three reds were paired with our cheese and charcuterie appetizer. Some also enjoyed the reds with the BBQ shrimp, and due to the pepper and spice in the dish, I agreed that it worked well.

http://www.mystichillsvineyard.com/

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Perlis Picks: Epic Times at Epoch Estate Wines

June 2, 2018 by Michael Perlis

In my last article, I mentioned that I’d next be writing about who went into the old Clos Solene spot at Tin City. Well, some technical difficulties have delayed that report, so this week you get…

Photo from Epoch Facebook page.

One of the benefits of living in Southern California, as do most of our Eve Wine 101 readers, is proximity to various wine regions. Santa Barbara wine country is just a couple of hours away, Paso Robles a little farther and a few more hours gets you to Napa, Sonoma and beyond.

Inevitably, once you do start visiting wineries, you’ll be presented with opportunities to join winery clubs. With so many wineries offering great wines, it is easy to get overwhelmed. How do you decide which clubs to join? For us, it is often, in addition to the wine quality, it is the feeling that we have a personal relationship with the people involved.

Epoch Estate Wines in Paso Robles is a great case in point. Karen and I first tasted the Epoch wines in 2010 when they were still being made at Denner. We had the good fortune to meet Kristen Darnell (née Carrillo), now Epoch’s Vice President of Sales and Personnel as well as newly hired winemaker Jordan Fiorentini. The wines were great, Kristen and Jordan were too, and the fact that the owners had purchased the old York Mountain Winery site to develop their winery [a place we had first visited in the 1980s] was icing on the cake. We were hooked.

A perk of being in a wine club is that members often get invited to special events. Recently, Epoch members were invited to the beautiful state of the art winery on York Mountain to attend not one but two events.

The first event, reserved for the top tier of Epoch members, started with a reception that included passed appetizers along with Epoch’s newly released white blend [Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne] and Rose [Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah] wines. Both were excellent but the Rose is really something special. Just ask my wife Karen.

Then, we were treated to an elegant sit-down dinner in the winery, paired with the great Epoch wines.

The 2015 Sensibility [Grenache and Syrah] was paired with Manchego & Prosciutto. The 2015 Zinfandel [with a touch of Grenache] was matched with Grilled Quail and the 2015 Veracity [Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah] with Wild Mushroom Risotto. Finally, the 2015 Estate Blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Tempranillo and Zinfandel was served with barbecued New York Strip with bone marrow butter and Roquefort whipped potatoes. The dessert table filled with petit fours and brownies topped off the evening, along with more wine to accompany them.

The next evening, open to all Epoch members, was a more casual affair with serving stations set up in the winery. The white blend and the Rose were available at the entry to the event along with various appetizers. The reds were paired as follows…

2015 Sensibility with two flatbreads – one wild mushroom and the other prosciutto and arugula.

2015 Zinfandel with bacon wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates.

2015 Veracity with Capicola and blue cheese skewers.

2015 Estate Blend with lamb sliders.

There was also Seafood and Chorizo Paella, which Karen really enjoyed with the Rose.

Although the events were markedly different from each other, they both really emphasized one thing to me. While the wines are delicious on their own, they really shine when they are paired expertly with the right dishes.

The other thing that always has struck me about Epoch is the amazingly nice people that work for them. Owners Bill and Liz Armstrong told me that this is the first requirement in their hiring process as almost anything else can be taught. Kudos on a job well done.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay Unveils a Refreshed Look for the Iconic Resort’s Oceanfront Restaurant, The Conservatory

March 28, 2018 by evebushman

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (PRWEB) – Perched atop a rugged ocean bluff overlooking sweeping views of pristine California coastline, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is thrilled to announce the debut of the resort’s newly renovated and re-concepted oceanfront restaurant — The Conservatory. Boasting a modern beach house aesthetic and a new vibrant menu curated by Executive Chef Xavier Salomon, the newly transformed restaurant combines fresh, homegrown cuisine and carefully crafted cocktails for an elevated, yet relaxed dining experience.

Greeting guests with dramatic floor-to-ceiling ocean views the moment they enter the lobby, The Conservatory invites guests to embark on a unique culinary journey inspired by fresh flavors of land and sea combined with Northern California’s rich local bounty. The new menu – served daily from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. – features handmade pasta dishes, the finest seafood and premium cuts, and decadent desserts that reflect distinct coastal flavors with a touch of Mediterranean flair.

Menu highlights include the photo-worthy ‘Towers’– offered in varying displays of seafood, cheeses, charcuterie, and vegetables – along with ‘Garden & Harvest’ items such as Chickpea and Avocado Tartine with wild arugula and grilled ACME sourdough; Lacinato Kale Salad with Point Reyes bleu cheese, satsuma, walnuts, and citrus vinaigrette; and Grilled Carrots with cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic caper vinaigrette.

Larger plates include Quinoa Pilaf with pine nuts, Meyer lemon, mushrooms, and arugula pesto; HMB Cioppino with Dungeness crab, cod, mussels, manila clams, and spicy tomato broth; and Heritage Pork Chop with lentils, eggplant, dates, pickled shallots, and Greek yogurt. Sweet treats, such as Baked Apple Crostata with honey kataifi and vanilla ice cream and Crème Catalan Mousse with honey roasted pear and amaretti cookie, round out the menu.

To complement the dishes, The Conservatory also offers a full slate of hand-crafted beverages inspired by the elements of the coast, including cocktails on draft. Innovative favorites such as The Redlands – combining Meyer lemon-infused tequila, orange liqueur, and egg white – as well as non-alcoholic creations such as the Juniper Tree – featuring Fever-Tree elderflower tonic, juniper berry syrup, and lime – offer guests a variety of flavor combinations to explore. In addition, the re-opened Conservatory bar features rare collectible bourbons, allowing guests to discover the range of this complex spirit – from rich and rounded to full-bodied and smoky.

Mirroring the resort’s elegant coastal décor, The Conservatory brings the beauty of Half Moon Bay’s pristine beaches and golden sunsets indoors with light earthy tones and hues of gray that combine modernity and high-design with the familiar comforts of home. Thoughtfully curated design touches are found throughout the bright and inviting space, including woven rattan, custom designed area rugs on warm hardwoods, and burnished bronze finishes. Ocean blue accents and sleek, neutral furniture complete the modern beach house look.

The Conservatory is open daily from 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Reservations are currently being accepted and can be made by calling (650) 712-7000. More information and full menu details can be found at ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/half-moon-bay/dining/the-conservatory.

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About The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay
Set atop a rugged bluff overlooking 50 miles of pristine California coastline, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is a 261-room spa and golf resort offering a relaxing and romantic setting. The timeless estate provides guests with a relaxed yet refined experience for a romantic getaway. For more information, please contact The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay at 650-712-7000. For room reservations, contact your travel professional, visit ritzcarlton.com/HMB or call Ritz-Carlton worldwide reservations at 800-241-3333. Visit ExperienceHalfMoonBay.com to learn more about the destination.