Eve’s How To: The Wine Night

March 18, 2022 by evebushman

We have a “wine night” with friends pretty frequently and it recently dawned on me that I’ve never written about how that works.

For some, or even most of you, you have some experience with this: you invite pals over, everyone brings a bottle or two to share over dinner, and you talk about the wines – why you chose them and how they fared during the evening. This blog post is to remind those with experience how to make it enjoyable for the newbie guest, and the how-to for a newbie host.

This one wine night I will use as an example is described a bit in this social media post: How was your last Wine Night with friends? We recently shared a 2019 Napa Hindsight Chardonnay that was new to me and Chablis-like due to its fresh fruit and no noticeable oak, then came the Grenache we mistook for Syrah or Mourvedre in a 2007 Domaine Du Pegau Chateauneuf Du Pape, a masterfully balanced 2000 Marcarini Brunate Barolo with dinner that benefitted from 6 hours of decanting, and two I was too tired to taste: 2010 Orma Super Tuscan and Camus VSOP Cognac. If I had to pick a favorite of the night it would be hard as the ones I had were all so good for many different reasons.

Now the details to help our wine 101ers:

Let your guests know what your menu is so they can bring a wine (or two) that they believe will be appropriate for pairing.

Always have a white to start. I’m amazed at how many people prefer sparkling, white or pink wines in general; so having at least one leaves no one out.

Decant any wine, in this case it was the Barolo, if you know requires it due to its youth or older age. Decanting allows more air to envelop a wine that needs to “open up” a bit before drinking. If you’re not sure, taste the wine before you serve it to guests. If it’s tight or tart decant it. You can also search the Internet for the same wine (same vintage year too) and see what others recommend.

Serve appetizers as well as a main course during your evening. Drinking wine without food causes early inebriation so having some starters helps. And as this may be when you are drinking your white wine, serve with cheeses, nuts, and crackers – nothing too big – unless you will be moving onto reds. If you do that before dinner then add in the charcuterie. Some wine people like charcuterie with whites too, it’s not my preference, but as in my recommendation for decanting – taste your food with your wine to educate your palate and form your own opinion.

When you do move onto reds you can do it a couple of different ways. Serve the lower alcohol wines first and move up the bigger ones last. You can decide what is served first depending on the menu. Big wine with big food. In this case we had the Barolo with a lasagna dinner, the Rhone that was more Grenache-based just before, and the Napa Chardonnay first. The Super Tuscan came at the end of the meal and the Cognac came last.

One other note on the order of the wines. If you have an amazing wine to share consider serving it early on in the evening. I had “palate fatigue” and couldn’t taste the final Super Tuscan or enjoy the Cognac, and I may have missed out.

Lastly, encourage your guests to taste each wine before committing to a full glass. That way if it isn’t their “cup of tea” they can move onto something else that is. I like to have at least two bottles open at a time to give guests that option.

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.

One Bottle Post: 2017 Hourglass Red Blend

June 5, 2020 by evebushman

We visited Hourglass winery in 2017 and were so smitten with their wines that we put ourselves onto a wait list to get put onto their allocation list. Took a couple of years I think and now we are just getting into some of our new wines. Starting with the 2017s and their Napa Valley red blend. First I’ll share some notes from the winery, and then my notes on the wine.

Here is what vintner Jeff Smith said about their then-current 2017 harvest, “2017 was our 20th harvest! Doesn’t seem possible, yet here we are. We’ve learned a lot in 20 years and the journey is just getting started. Hourglass debuted during a time of profound change in Napa Valley. The 1990’s ushered in a radical stylistic shift toward high pH winemaking. A style pioneered by brave winemakers who dared go where they were schooled not to. Modernism was born and I’m proud to say we helped put an indelible stamp on it. In the ensuing years, we rode the pendulum swing of ripeness to its edges, and helped define the spectrum of stylistic choices Napa affords. In the process, we learned a great deal….” Read more here.

2017 Hourglass Red Blend, Napa Valley

14.5% alcohol

Color: blackberry, red cellophane edge, opaque.

Aroma: Ripe and juicy black cherries, dried plum, dark chocolate, green peppercorn, dusty, mushroom and sage.

Flavor: Dried red cherry, red to dark fruit again, cherry liqueur, black pepper, charred steak, drying tannin.

With food: Ed had made a simple Bolognese with ripe red tomatoes – giving it both a meaty and acidic flavor. After a few minutes in my glass, and with food, the wine became more layered, showing dry and dark fruit, pepper and lingering dark berries.

Conclusion: Probably should lay this one down a bit as the difference between having it alone and then in my glass longer, and with food, was remarkable for me. Betting more swirling and decanting would also work. (I tasted this in early April, a few weeks into the Coronavirus quarantine, when I was getting more than anxious for the good stuff.) I gave the wine 94 Eve points without food and 95 Eve points with.

“Hourglass. . . two vineyards, a winery and a compilation of estate wines: a vision unfolding.”

https://www.hourglasswines.com

https://www.facebook.com/pg/hourglasswine/

Casanova di Neri Wine + Chef Giancarla Bodoni at Bar Toscana = A Taste of Tuscany

December 6, 2019 by evebushman

It was one of the nights that I will not be forgetting anytime soon. I knew we would have “lovely hors d’oeuvres made by Chef Giancarla, accompanied by the Casanova di Neri wine tasting” at one of my favorite places: Bar Toscana, but I was ill-prepared for tasting a Brunello di Montalcino that had not yet been released, never had food made by Chef Giancarla Bodoni that came all the way from the “Medieval village” created by Monteverdi Tuscany or met up with the movers and shakers for all three businesses.

Di Neri on the left, Chef Giancarla in white and a bit of Chef Luca on the right.

Just hitting the key points and heavy hitters blew my mind, here is my Facebook post:

W O W. It was one of those nights that can’t be covered in one social media post or one article. The short story is: we were one of the first in the U.S. to taste the 2015 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova Brunello di Montalcino well before the 2020 release, meet and learn from 3rd generation family member and general manager Gianlorenzo Neri, meet and taste foods made by Executive Chef Giancarla Bodoni of Monteverdi Tuscany – a boutique hotel and culinary academy, meet Michael L. Cioffi the owner of Monteverdi Tuscany, get a chance to say hello to Kathie and Mike Gordon the owners of Toscana, Bar Toscana and S.Y. Kitchen (and vintners as well), and Chef Luca Crestanelli of S.
https://www.parkviewortho.com/wp-content/languages/new/zithromax.html

Y. Kitchen…

Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova was a Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator, 100/100 from Robert Parker and 100/100 from James Suckling…to name just a few of their accolades. (Public Facebook link for photos are here.)

More Details

Fearful of missing anything, below you will find excerpts of news sent to me regarding each involved – Casanova di Neri, Monteverdi Tuscany and Toscana. These are just some of the notes I made at the event:

Gianlorenzo Neri, the third generation of the Neri family to work the winery, said that the 2015 is one of the best they’ve made in the past 20 to 25 years, with incredible potential for aging and drinkability now. The consortium had to approve the early release for the tastings, and had slapped a “sample” label on the bottles.

The vineyard was previously home to sheep before Neri’s grandfather planted grapevines there, the name roughly translates to Farmers of the Neri Family, and their home and offices are all in the same place. Neri said that he and his brother attended a high school for winemakers.

This tasting was part of a Taste of Tuscany tour through Brentwood, Santa Ynez and Napa Valley; introducing wine lovers to the new wine and food pairings by Executive Chef Giancarla Bodoni of Monteverdi Tuscany. Hotel owner Michael L. Cioffi commented that everything comes from the land, “the Tuscany of your dreams” with a landscape of green and gold that show vineyards, olive trees, and poppies. It all “reflects the majesty of the land.” The hotel is made from all reclaimed materials (part was a former school building and restored village) as it’s “important to part of the land they’re in.” It was “the land that captivated” Cioffi, just like the Neri family captivated him. Besides their marvelous Chef Giancarla in residence at Monteverdi Tuscany, famed Chef Nancy Silverton will be coming in March to cook at their academy. Chef Giancarla added, “Food grows everywhere” in Italy and she “ loves to teach, to share…is (her) true heart and soul.”

Restaurateur Kathie Gordon said that they take great pleasure in feeding people…and creating an enjoyable evening to remember; Casanova di Neri does the same thing with their wines. (Later Kathie shared their own wine: 2014 “Cocobacio”, Dove Meadow Vineyard, Bellebob Slope, Los Olivos District. The wine is a red blend of estate grown grapes, this vintage was 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese and 30% Syrah with 13.9% alcohol. The wines are cellared and bottled for them at Andrew Murray Vineyards. It was a lovely wine and available only at their restaurants.)

2015 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova Brunello di Montalcino Tasting Notes

Velvety aromas of plum, black pepper, figs, earth and a hint of eucalyptus followed by flavors of red to black fruit, bright but with good tannins, structure and balance. The bottle had been open for a few hours but not decanted.

About Casanova di Neri

Founded in 1971 by Giovanni Neri, Casanova di Neri Winery has become one of the most respected wineries in all of Italy. Upon the passing of Giovanni, his son, Giacomo, took over the reins in 1991 and today is recognized as one of the wine industry’s most influential producers. Wine critic James Suckling calls Giacomo “one of the masters of Brunello.”

This family-run cellar owes its success to a solid track record of powerful, luxuriant Brunellos and to the exclusive crus, Tenuta Nuova and Cerretalto… the wines of Casanova di Neri are renowned for their elegant, modern style and enjoy a steady flow of accolades from specialty magazines and contests the world over. In 2006, the Wine Spectator named their Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2001 the #1 Wine in the World, calling it “one of the best examples of the recent winemaking renaissance in Tuscany.” Casanova di Neri wines repeatedly score 100-points.

About Monteverdi Tuscany

Monteverdi Tuscany is a luxury boutique hotel centrally located between Rome and Florence, offering stunning panoramic views of the Val d’Orcia region of Tuscany, a UNESCO World Heritage Site…the six-year-old hotel is not confined within a single building but instead is dispersed throughout an idyllic, medieval village, with rooms and suites tucked in among authentic and fastidiously maintained properties. With its transformative restoration complete, the hotel now comprises eighteen individual rooms and suites plus three elegantly appointed villas…in addition, Monteverdi Tuscany boasts an award-winning farm-to-table restaurant, a Culinary Academy, a piano lounge and terrace bar, a separate enoteca and Library Bar, outdoor swimming pool and indoor heated spa pool, an award-winning holistic spa, yoga studio, a modern gym, an art gallery, and a beautifully restored 700-year-old church that serves as Monteverdi’s performing arts venue.

About Toscana

The talented culinary team at Toscana has firm Italian roots. Executive Chef Luca Crestanelli was born and raised in Verona, Italy, where he received his Culinary Arts degree…he was invited to work for the Gordon family, launching Bar Toscana in 2010. In 2013 the three partnered to open a third restaurant, S.Y. Kitchen in Santa Ynez, California.

The Gordons are grateful for the longevity of their restaurant and are actively involved in the management of Toscana, the adjacent Bar Toscana, Nerano in Beverly Hills and S.Y. Kitchen in Santa Ynez, California where they call home…

Vintage Eve Circa Nov. 2012: The Wines from Beni di Batasiolo

December 20, 2016 by evebushman

I didn’t know much about the Beni Di Batasiolo family-owned winery “in the heart of Barolo” until I saw a full page ad in Tasting Panel magazine listing six of their wines that have received 90 points or higher in ratings by Tasting Panel, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast magazines. So, suffice it to say, I was enthusiastic about reviewing the three samples I had received. Not to compare myself with the big guns, I left off rating numbers and will give you my tasting notes alone:

‘11 Cortese Gavi (100%) Hillsides

12.5% alcohol

I was greeted by a color of clear pale hay with a thin band of lemon on the edge. On the nose I got lemon-lime, pear, unsweetened butter, kiwi and ripe green apple. The taste delivered a nice viscosity over my mouth, a crisp acidity that made my taste buds stand up and take notice but didn’t dry my mouth, followed by the fruit-salad flavors of orange, lime, grapefruit and a bit of pineapple lingering in for a long finish.

Would like to try this wine again with a cold seafood salad, hummus and chips or Chinese food.

This elegant, fine white wine is made from Cortese grapes grown in the specific area of the village of Gavi. It stands out for …http://www.batasiolo.com/eng/

‘09 Sovrana Barbera d’Alba (100%)

14% alcohol

A lovely ruby red color that stretched out to a garnet edge was followed by aromas of black cherry, plum, mint, mushroom, earth, green bell pepper and the palest hint of cigar. The taste was bright red fruits, white pepper, pale tannins and a short finish. As I didn’t decant, I gave myself a full pour to try in 20 minutes and found…the fruit opened up and increased the length to a much longer finish.

The area of production of this wine extends over the hills of the Langhe in the Barolo wine-growing area…http://www.batasiolo.com/eng/

‘07 Barolo (100% Nebbiolo)

15% alcohol

Starting with a golden garnet color, this Barolo had nuances of blackberry, blueberry, black pepper, satiny chocolate and black olives on the nose that just coaxed me in to a taste. I got nice tannins, red fruits, pepper, a delicate dryness, stewed mushrooms, blackened game, toasted oak, smoke, tobacco and a medium length on the finish.

This wine is made from Nebbiolo grapes grown on the slopes of the Barolo wine-making area, which is formed by eleven villages all located on the lower spurs of the Langhe…http://www.batasiolo.com/eng/

Editor’s Note – this is a FOND memory: Last Thursday our editor, Michael Perlis, had an idea of a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Sunday. By Friday we met with the owner of the restaurant Cheers@All Corked Up for our venue and enlisted the help of the same people that helped us with a fundraiser for Haiti, the owners of All Corked Up wine storage.

Remember “Pour into Haiti”? Now we are asking your help at “Pour into Sandy” on 11/14. 100 per cent of the ticket sales, $25 at the door (reserve yours: 661-259-2000) and wine auction go directly to the American Red Cross. If you cannot attend, but would like to donate wine email me: eve@evewine101.com

Vintage Eve Circa 10/2011: Hawk and Horse Vineyards Twofer…and Then Some (02 Justin Isosceles and 08 Foxen Sea Smoke Vineyard Pinot Noir!)

May 24, 2016 by evebushman

Getting caught up on unsolicited (wines sent that I didn’t expect) and solicited (new friends that have the gift – of wine) produced this hodgepodge of tasting notes:

Hawk and Horse

http://www.hawkandhorsevineyards.com

2007 Red Hills

Lake County

Cabernet Sauvignon

14.1% alcohol

The color was a clear, beautiful ruby with slight tawny edge in one ounce tasting, purple in full glass. The nose ran from dust, white pepper, wet wood, cherry, dark plumy fruit, smoke, red licorice…very aromatic. The taste was of mellow tannins, bright mature fruit, and a little dry/dusty. And for the finish, the fruit pleasantly gave way to tannins, medium length, I’d say drink now, or wait and see if more complexity comes with age.

86 Eve pts.

2006 Red Hills

Lake County

“Latigo” Cabernet Sauvignon

“Dessert wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon wine grapes”

16.55% alcohol

A burst of deep chocolate, blackberry and white pepper on the nose was followed by a taste of vanilla and raisins, a viscous mouthfeel, very much like a Port, and a short, but not unpleasant, finish.

Justin and Foxen

http://www.justinwine.com

http://www.foxenvineyard.com

Thanks to new wine friends Molly and Derek, and my husband for taking us all to Roy’s for dinner, we were the lucky recipients of two wines from the Molly-Derek collection. (Due to the lighting, and the distraction of the great meal and service, my notes are sans color notations – too dark – and a little frugal. But, rest assured, each was given its fair due of drinking.)

Justin 02 Isosceles

Paso Robles

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 % Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, unfiltered.

Aromas of dark, mature cherry was followed in slow succession…wait for it…of blackberry, black plum, mushrooms, and wet oak with a slight bit of eucalyptus. The taste was slightly dry, an almost dusty mouthfeel and cigar smoke that made you think of the age on the wine. But that was quickly brought to perfect balance with the slightly-sweet plum, bringing a conclusion filled with juicy jamminess.

Molly had wanted the wine decanted, but it was too late as we were halfway through the bottle.

Then I remembered my Travel Vinturi in my purse, my favorite new gadget, and we tried the wine again. I then noted more mushroom, bell pepper, slightly drier, a little less fruit, more tannin, yet with nice black cherry noted by Molly. Drink now. 99 Frigging Eve pts.

08 Foxen Sea Smoke Vineyard Pinot Noir

Santa Rita Hills

Unfiltered.

Decanted 15-20 minutes. An aroma of deep fruit, mint, wet stone, anise, black pepper and black fruit followed by a taste of both the black fruit and black pepper pushing right up front, beautiful mouthfeel. Not a standard “bright cherry and stemmy” flavor that I usually note in Pinot Noirs, this Foxen was a bit of a surprise for me. And I was doubtful it was due to only 3 years in the Molly-Derek cellar… I’d say drink now, but save a bottle for next year, and the year after, and the year after that…

Vintage Eve Circa 9/11: Waugh-Wine-Isms and Wit

May 10, 2016 by evebushman

Novelist and column writer Auberon Waugh (1939-2001) wrote a wine book in 1986, that albeit is very dated when it comes to specific wine reviews, shows great wit. I found this interesting as my wit has all been drained from me after completing the Wine & Spirit’s Education Trust Level 2 course, that trains sommeliers to use wine descriptors that people understand. So I had to stop saying “cherry lifesaver candy” and instead use “ripe cherries”. I miss being caustic, and Waugh’s attitude is helping me regain my old self.

“Waugh On Wine” served to give me several anecdotes of wit and wine:

“…hosts that skimp on their wine should be exposed, ridiculed and humiliated.”

In complaining about using descriptors such as “cherries” and “smoke” in regards to Pinot Noir, Waugh said “…When describing tastes, one is bound to use some sort of shorthand, in any case, unless one is to embark on some baroque poetic fantasy on every occasion” and “I have been eating cherries all of my life, and breathing smoke for much of it, but I have never found a Burgundy which tasted of either – let alone tobacco, perfume, rose petals or lavender. If I found one of my wines tasting of any of those things I would send it back and demand an explanation. It is true that I once thought I detected a hint of cigar smoke in a Joseph Phelps Chardonnay I was given at a British Academy of Gastronomes lunch. But I had been told to look for it, and decided eventually that the smell probably came from my neighbor, a nice fat Sunday Times journalist…who was smoking a cigar.”

In his chapter on Aperitifs I love that Waugh wrote, “The general effect of cocktails is to anesthetize the brain, drive out the worries and preoccupations of the day and prepare men and women for each other’s company.”

In the Summer Wines section, Waugh makes a reference to illegal drugs that I would never dare write, “For those readers that are still old-fashioned enough to smoke pot, the only wine I ever found that went well with it was Deinhart’s Hochheimer Konigin Victoria Beng Riesling Kabinett.”

In writing about the Rhone wines Waugh gets more serious. He contends that the increasing prices in for Bordeaux and Burgundy have driven consumers over to Rhones: “Suddenly, wine drinkers are beginning to take the wine of the Rhone very seriously indeed. They are discovering virtues in the Syrah and Grenache grapes which they had quite forgotten about. Wines of the Rhone Valley have quite simply come to represent the best buy from France.”

In attesting that vintage port is by far better than any other type of port, Waugh wrote, “Those who cannot afford vintage port, or who cannot be bothered with all the business of storing and decanting it, should find a good tawny. Ruby is nothing but an inferior, younger form of tawny and generally comes under the heading of a low taste, although it is much favoured in certain quarters as a flavouring for surgical spirits, when it is called Red Biddy, and it is said to drive you mad, then blind, before killing you…all other ports…are inferior versions of the vintage port experience and proclaim your poverty to the world – which is not, really, the purpose of serving port.”

In describing California winemaking Waugh wrote, “I had thought to polish off Californian and Spanish reds in a single section with a little faint praise and some sneering remarks about the poor. No doubt they would taste quite nice but so does ginger beer. Who could be expected to pay attention to bottles with names like Firestone, Inglenook, Stony Hill or X-D Wines, let alone hold a serious conversation with them?…I find myself facing a personal crisis with roots in the cultural identity of us all. There can be no doubt that the Californians, for all their psychobabble and personal hygiene, are producing some very good red wines indeed.”

And my final, favorite, Waugh-on-Wine-ism: “According to Michael Broadbent, who is a Master of Wine and supervises Christie’s Wine Department, the best wine really only begins to develop – open out, show a leg, whatever – once it is in the glass. Within a space of two hours a wine which has lain undisturbed for twenty or thirty years will turn the gamut through tight, unsuspicious puberty, vivacious adolescence, joyful awakening, sensuous maturity, fat and crumbling middle age to sour, crabbed old age.” Funny, the way Waugh writes makes me want to drink, and write, many more joyful awakenings.

Here’s one last funny story about this book: I requested the book Waugh on Wine from a library in Temecula to be delivered to my local library for me to pick up. It comes in and the flyleaf has a sticker that reads, “Donated from the collection of Bob Foster”. I Google Foster, find him on Facebook, friend him, and then learn more about the former lawyer turned wine judge’s collection: 1400 books.

Saving Wine with Savino (Reviewed for DAYS by Eve)

December 11, 2015 by evebushman

The process: Savino is an elegant and easy-to-use wine preservation system that keeps your open bottle of wine fresh for days after it was first uncorked. Simply open a bottle of your favorite wine, enjoy a glass, pour the remainder of the bottle into your Savino wine preservation system, and insert the float to create a physical barrier between the wine and the oxygen. Place the top on the carafe to prevent accidental spills and – voila! You have successfully preserved your wine for days to come.

Eve’s Observations

First of all the Savino plastic version I was sent to review was pretty glamorous looking IMO, though they offer one in fancy glass too. But when I poured my leftover wine (yes, there is such a thing) into it and dropped in the little plastic Dreidel looking thing (the “float”) the gizmo just, you know, floated on top. The top lid clipped in and I put it in the door of my fridge to see what was going to change in the wine’s aroma and flavor when I tasted it again.

However, I simply didn’t see how the float and the lid would do the same as the vacuum seal I usually use. But it sure looked much nicer than the plastic cork sealer ever did.

These are my original tasting notes on the wine I was going to retry: Noceto NV Rosso Tuscan Style Red Blend, Amador County, 13.8% alcohol (SRP $18.00) – Diced black cherries, blackberry brandy, earth after a rainstorm; wholly appealing with dark juicy fruit, some tobacco, just enough pepper and spice to linger in for a medium finish. This one doesn’t need food or aeration either. 91 Eve pts. (As it was just a tasting I had most of the bottle left to pour into the Savino.)

I refrigerated the wine, as instructed, but was afraid the cold temperature would close off the aromas and/or flavors. So the next day I removed the Savino from the fridge thirty minutes before I tried the wine, but left the lid on.

Later, when I was ready to sample the wine I was worried that the float would slip out, or cause the wine to slosh and spill around it, so I was a wee bit more tentative than I am when pouring from a bottle. I needn’t have worried, It seemed to all work just fine. Just like pouring from a decanter.

Results

After one day: I got the same aromas, and on the mouth I still tasted the same flavor components I had found before. There was no sourness, loss of fruit or spice. Remarkable as I figured that since the seal wasn’t tight the wine would be compromised.

After two days: The aromas were the same. While tasting I got a tiny bit more tannin and cigar, like some welcome aging.

After three days: Aromas the same, color a little darker but the flavor was a bit more dry and musty.

Conclusion: I think the Savino is great for one to two days after opening a bottle, which is just fine! Because, heck, I can’t imagine it taking more than three days to finish a bottle of wine. I was just sampling, others would be, you know, drinking.

About Savino

Pour guests a glass of wine from the polished Savino decanter opposed to a half empty bottle.

Keep your presentation and quality of wine to the highest elevation and impress your guests.

Savino has both plastic (Enthusiast) and glass (Connoisseur) preservation systems, so there’s no need to worry about any accidental breakage if you choose to cool down poolside with a nice glass of wine.

Available online and at Brookstone stores nationwide (MSRP $29.95-59.95) http://savinowine.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

Vintage Beacon Circa 12/08: You may not have been there Sunday but you can get these wines…at Valencia Wine Company

March 17, 2015 by evebushman

Valencia Wine Company’s Annual Holiday Tasting was the wine affair of the season, as promised. Delayed a week by fire and freeway closures there wasn’t a lack of interest or attendance. People needed a holiday now and it served to get them ready for the real ones to come.

This 4th installment was a testament to proprietor Guy Lelarge’s wine influence in the Santa Clarita Valley. And, being the forth time around, wine, guests and good times quadrupled. Enough so that the wines sold, offered at a discount to attendees, were sure to be a hit at many holiday tables in the next few weeks.

And if you’re unsure about what to serve this season with your special meals, use this tasting as a gander into the Valencia Wine Company “store.” I dare you not to add a few delectable wines to your holiday planning list. Your company will know that you have done your research. So let’s get started, or as Simon from the American Idol show says, “Off you go”.

“I went to the first event, 4 years ago, we had 4-5 distributors, and that was a great event,” So stated frequent taster Tim Dixon. “There are so many high-end retail bottles being poured, wines that you never see at a tasting. And year after year it keeps improving. No one does tasting better, no matter where you go, than Guy Lelarge.”

“We did it again,” Lelarge explained. “The finest, the most high end, the best variety of wines from around the world are here.” I had to agree. Guy knew what to serve for the holidays.

My own tasting notes marked several high priced wines that I’ve never seen poured at a tasting before and included, but weren’t limited to (as I might have missed something): Chateau Fonplegade St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2005, Bourgogne Clark En Bollery 2005, Pope Cabernet Reserve 2005, Robert Summerland Pinot Noir Nugent 2005, M. Coz Meritage 2005 from Mitch Cosentino’s own property and his Cabernet Reserve 2004, Nickel & Nickel Medina Vineyard Chardonnay 2006, Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 and Chardonnay 2007, Ken Brown Syrah 2003 and Pinot 2005, Dampierre Grand Cuvee Champagne NV and his Blanc de Blancs, Bodegas Mauro 2005, Jocelyn Lonen Napa Cabernet 2005, Gaja Promis 2006 Montes “Napa Angel” Cabernet 2006… no less than 17 pages of wines.

“My favorites so far are everything at Mitch Cosentino’s table,” Said guest Oliver Thomas. I’d drank with Oliver at the Wine Company on occasion and knew his tastes, not always on his native France, to be impeccable. “I recommend that you try the Bodegas Mauro as well.”

The Mauro was a favorite for Sandi Gordon too, “It fits my tongue like a glove”.

From there guests Paul and Jo Ann Vindigni suggested the Chateau Trocard Bordeaux Blanc 2007 reasonably priced for less than $20. Denise Hollert like the La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdei 2001, again for less than $30. There were to be plenty of wines available, and just as appreciated, as their more expensive counterparts.

Paul Young, selling his Rhone varietals exclusively to Lelarge in Santa Clarita, had made a fan of local sommelier, George Skorka, with his Schoffit Pinot Blanc 2005 that Skorka simply described as ‘gorgeous’. I thoroughly enjoyed a decanted wine not on his list: Clos St Jean Chateauneuf du Pape 2006 created by winemaker Philippe Cambie.

From France we traveled to Australia and happily sampled Schild Barossa Shiraz 2006 that consistently had been awarded 90 – 96 ratings from Wine Spectator (WS) magazine throughout the years. Then while trying a Cigale Meritage we were told, by an unassuming 21 year-old taster, Anthony Storniolo, that the Wayne Thomas Petit Verdot 2005 was “A fruit forward wine with just enough tannin and dryness at the end.” I queried Storniolo as to his wine knowledge and he credited Certified Sommelier Instructor, DiMaggio Washington, and the class he had taken in wine appreciation that I keep meaning to take.

In New Zealand, John Adams lingered over the Hinton Pinot Noir 2004 with my husband Eddie before they moved onto a Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage 2007 from France. I savored the dusty Tohu Sauvignon Blanc 2007 run by the indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, while Darlene Gandara enjoyed her Italian wine, Gaja Promis 2006, “It’s a staple in our cellar”.

Mark White, who always promises a donation to his local Rotary club every time his name is mentioned in a story, gave local California vintners, Summerland, an ‘A’ for their Pinot Noir Santa Rita 2006. He also accompanied many of his favorites from the Southern Wine & Spirits table with a surprising giggle. His wife Julie, who I thought was coming to his rescue, wanted us to try her own pairing suggestion of brownies with a Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee 2001. I could see where the giggling in this relationship might have started. It was a fun pairing. The only one Lelarge didn’t personally arrange.

Other domestic wines we enjoyed were the Sbragia Merlot Home Ranch 2005, Pope Napa Valley Zinfandel 2005, Angeline Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and a Bridlewood Estate Syrah 2004 that well deserved its 92 WS rating.

Running into local winemakers, Tomas and Jenny Lukas, I decided to taste with them for awhile. Tomas especially enjoyed the Ken Brown wines, finding “The Syrah nose has pepper, mint, fruit undertones, stiff base…makes me want to eat something roasted.”

Tomas introduced me to his friends, Derrick and Maureen McKaughan, the former described as a drinker and wine expert while the latter said that she knows a good wine when drinks she it. We debated the rating systems between the different experts and preferred to rely on ourselves today.

Well, maybe not exactly on ourselves. Once again, we trusted Guy Lelarge to hold our one free hand.

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 guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. 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

Eve’s Wine 101: Wine Service at Your Home, an Event, Bar, Winery or Restaurant

October 31, 2014 by evebushman

In our years of writing about wine we have also had many occasions to serve wine in both public and private tasting events. Couple that with the countless events, bars, wineries and restaurants we’ve reviewed and I came up with a quick training guide for our consulting clients that I’d like to share with our wine 101ers.

This week’s column is an adaptation of my guide titled, “How To: Lead a Wine Tasting.” Normally this is a handout accompanied with an approximate 90-minute presentation. I also often use it as a check off list when I’m hired to lead a home tasting. For our purposes I used italics for items I felt needed a little further explanation. (So, to answer that question in your head, no, this is not a 90-minute lesson, just a synopsis. Email me if you need anything more: Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com)

Prep

Tell guests to avoid wearing perfume as it conflicts with detecting wine aromas.

Minty gum, mints, cigarettes should be avoided prior to tasting.

Prepare the menu, with or without food pairing.

Select a theme.

Ingredients

Anecdotes. (For home: Just like a comic warming up a crowd, you will also get revved up by telling one of your wine stories. It could have been your first wine experience, your last, anything that is short and funny. Think about it, you’ve probably told a few stories about wine over wine already, pick a couple. As your party progresses you may need a couple more, to keep the evening moving. For all others: You still need a good story, preferably about the winemaker/winery/liquor you are highlighting.)

2-ounce pourer. (For public and private events to control pours and inebriation.)

Napkin for use as a wine bottle drape.

White tablecloth, napkin, or menu – to discern wine color. (Prompt your guest to hold their wine over a white object to focus on color.)

Pour out buckets/spittoons.

Pens and menu for note taking.

WSET Flavor and Aroma chart. (See photo on the left. This is very handy for the server and for the guest to help discern descriptors.)

Information sheet about the winery if applicable.

Ice buckets. (If serving white, sparkling, or any red you need to chill down fast place bottle into bucket first, add in several cups of ice around your bottle, fill with water for the “ice bath.” Will chill your wine in 20 minutes that way. Be mindful of over-chilling as the cold will “shut down” a wine’s aromas. If the room temperature is mild, go ahead and remove after the 20, you can always pop back in if needed.)

Stemware. (Your choice. Most people think bigger is better, however, then your two-ounce pour looks smaller. Choose clear, large-bowled glasses without a design whenever possible. Crystal glassware, such as Reidel, are widely respected. Glass tumblers lower the chances of spillage.)

Wine identifiers. (If you are serving 6 or more people this is a nice touch.)

Decanters. (Always have one handy in case it’s needed to help a young red wine age a little more gracefully before served.)

Directions

Sample each wine to check for TCA before pouring samples to the guests. (TCA is an acronym for a much longer term referring to cork taint. You are looking for a bad taste, sometimes noted as cardboard, or anything you find off-putting in the wine’s flavor. Wine can be damaged by many things, heat and movement included, so though TCA is a commonly used term it may not be the term that applies to any particular wine that happens to have been damaged. And if the smell is funky taste anyway; often a freshly opened bottle smells differently than one that has been opened for a few minutes or more.)

If you can, greet your guests with a small taste, sparkling always gets the mood started.

Do not rush anyone. However, if a guest is very late, begin the tasting without them.

Tell guests about each wine before or as they are tasting.

Share your thoughts on aroma, and then ask for theirs.

Repeat for thoughts on flavor.

If a food pairing, ask for comments on if/how the wine changes with the food.

Have a general conclusion about the wine, liked/disliked, before moving on.

Prompt guests to use spittoon/pour out bucket to avoid inebriation.

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 guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. 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