Perlis Picks: Double Trouble Wine Room

July 29, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Downtown Newhall is fast becoming an all-in-one destination for the Santa Clarita Valley.

With a state of the art public library standing guard at the north end of Main Street and Newhall Refinery restaurant and Pulchella Winery tasting room near the southern end, along with everything else going on nearby and in-between, it is easy to see why this area’s popularity is only going to increase.

Recently, Karen and I had the opportunity to visit the Double Trouble Wine Room on Main Street, a joint project of Hoi Polloi Winery and Pagter Brothers Winery. Both wineries make their wines locally at SCV Custom Crush Services, sourcing grapes primarily from vineyards on California’s Central Coast.

PAGTER BROTHERS WINERY

For some years, I’ve enjoyed the wines made by Scott Pagter of Pagter Brothers Winery. I can’t remember all the details of when he shared the wine [under his previous wine label] with me at the much missed All Corked Up wine bar, but I do remember it being a pretty killer Grenache. [I also have very fond memories of Scott’s band Stupid Pony from those days. Fronted by excellent lead singer Sidney Iverson, I always looked forward to this band’s rare appearances.]

Scott and his brother Gib formed Pagter Brothers Winery in 2013 specializing in “big, bold reds.” That being said, the first wine we tried was the 2014 Chardonnay which was excellent, a fairly light wine but with a touch of oak on the finish to give it some body.

After that, though, we did move on to those big bold reds, tasting through a selection of wines from the 2014 vintage, mostly Rhone varietals with Syrah sourced from the White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Ynez and the Grenache from the Hoyt Vineyard in Paso Robles…

Notorious – blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah, named after Gib’s day job as an attorney.

Melodious – a reverse of the Notorious, 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache, a tribute to Scott’s music/entertainment background.

Syrah – 100% from the White Hawk Vineyard. This was delicious, but we also got a sneak peek of the 2015 vintage which if anything was even better.

In addition, Pagter Brothers makes a Tempranillo. I think Tempranillo does very well in Paso and this 2014 was no exception.

Finally, another sneak peek – the 2015 Tannat. From Paso’s Adelaida district, this wine belied Tannat’s reputation as being monolithic and unapproachable. Definitely the opposite of that, drinking very well right after bottling and will only get better. My fave of the Pagter Brothers tasting.

Scott told me that their motto is to “make wine they like to drink…so if no one buys it they can drink it.” With these wines, they’re not going to be able to keep much for themselves.

HOI POLLOI WINERY

My relationship with Doug Minnick, one of the three owner/winemakers of Hoi Polloi Winery, goes back several years as well. Doug is also one of the co-founders of the Garagiste Festivals and he and I first met when I interviewed him for our Eve’s Wine 101 website about the inaugural event that was coming up.

So, it was a natural progression to want to make wine. The special focus is on Syrah and Doug says they will soon be able to do side-by-side single vineyard Syrah tastings from all four of their Syrah sources – Sebastiano Vineyard [Sta. Rita Hills], Alta Colina Vineyard [Paso Robles], Hoppe Kelly Vineyard [Russian River Valley] as well as the iconic Larner Vineyard in Ballard Canyon. If you know Syrah, you know that Doug et al have connected with some pretty outstanding vineyards. I feel that Syrah is one of the best varieties for showing off differences in terroir, so this is pretty exciting stuff.

But they do make other wines besides Syrah. We started our tasting with the newly released 2016 Grenache Rosé from Colburn Vineyards in Paso Robles – one of the best Rosés that I’ve had.

We then moved to the reds by first tasting the 2015 “Illicit” Pinot Noir from Santa Maria and the 2014 “Touch of Evil” Cabernet Sauvignon from the Cass Vineyard in Paso Robles. Both solid wines.

Now, time for the red Rhones!

We eased into them, starting with the 2015 Syrah / Grenache Blend called Tryst, so called because while the 34% Grenache is entirely from Paso Robles, the 66% Syrah is a combination of Paso and cool-climate Sonoma. Makes for a very tasty wine.

Not messing around now, we tasted the Sebastiano Vineyard Sta. from Rita Hills and the Alta Colina Vineyard from Paso Robles, both from the 2014 vintage. I had already tasted these wines from last year’s Garagiste Festival in LA and knew what to expect. I was not disappointed. [Not tasted this time but tasted at that same festival was the 2014 “Double Exposure” blend from both of these vineyards, which was actually one of my favorites that day.]

We got a sneak peek here as well – the 2015 Petite Sirah from the Loma Seca Vineyard in Paso Robles. Delicious now, this wine is going to be fun to watch develop.

The Double Trouble Wine Room is definitely worth your time. Gorgeous facility, now with a patio, along with great wines poured by nice people. I expect this is a place you may want to become a “regular” at before it becomes too popular.

DOUBLE TROUBLE WINE ROOM

24338 Main St.
Newhall, CA 91321

Garagiste Wine Festival Brings Hidden Winemaking Gems to Hidden Architectural Gem

June 5, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Paso Robles, CA (PRWEB) – Garagiste Events Inc., producers of the renowned Garagiste Festivals, has announced that tickets are now on sale for The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, which returns to Los Angeles County on July 15th, at a stunning new historic location in Santa Monica, just a few blocks from the ocean (and close to the Expo Line).

Celebrating its fourth anniversary in Los Angeles, the festival features 50 micro-production, craft wineries from across California – including Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez and SLO counties; Livermore, Mendocino, Napa, Paso Robles, and Sonoma – and is the only wine event on the Los Angeles calendar to exclusively feature high quality, hand-crafted wines from commercial California ‘garagiste*’ winemakers.

“The great thing about our Urban Exposure festival is that Angelenos can discover these hard-to-find wineries, taste hundreds of their wines, and meet the winemakers all under one roof — for less than the cost of gas for a trip to wine country,” said Doug Minnick, Co-Founder of The Garagiste Festival. “Besides, the majority of these under-the-radar wineries do not have tasting rooms, are not on “wine country” maps, and are very difficult to find. But we bring them all together for our guests to discover at the Garagiste Festival. There’s nothing else like it.”

“And, in keeping with our tradition of unique venues with character, this year our attendees have an opportunity to discover hidden wine gems in a hidden architectural gem: a 100+ year-old Historic Landmark Classical Revival building in downtown Santa Monica,” continued Minnick. “Take the train, take in the ocean air and taste some of the best wines of your life. What’s not to love?”

Dubbed “one of wine’s premier events…fun and exuberant…not to be missed” by the Los Angeles Times, the Garagiste Festival is renowned for its ‘crazy thrill of discovery,’ one-on-one interactions with winemakers, fun ‘no-snobs-allowed’ atmosphere and interesting and intimate venues.

Time and Place: The Garagiste Wine Festival: Urban Exposure Grand Tasting will take place from 3pm – 6pm on Saturday, July 15th, with the Rare and Reserve tasting at 2pm, all at the ballroom and balcony at 1210 Fourth Street, right in the heart of Santa Monica. The event is a short stroll from the ocean and easily accessible by train via the Expo Line, which stops at Colorado and Fourth Street. And, for your designated driver, there is plentiful parking in the many public parking structures close by.

Winemakers: Among the fifty winemakers already scheduled to pour are Alta Colina Vineyards, Anglim Winery, Ann Albert Wines, Ascension Cellars, Bodega de Edgar/Hug Cellars, Brophy Clark, Burning Bench Winery, Caldera Cuvee, Caliza Winery, Carucci Wines, Chenoweth Wines, Cholame Vineyards, Cloak & Dagger Wines, Coruce Vineyards, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Deno Wine, El Lugar Wines, Enoteca Five, Golden Star Vineyards, Golden Triangle, Halcyon Wines, Hoi Polloi, Hoyt Family Vineyard, JPIII Wines, Kaena Winery, Kaleidos Winery, Loubud Wines, Malibu Ridge Wines, March Wines, MCV Wines, Metrick Wines, Monochrome Wines, Nowell-Smith Wines, Olsen Perri Wines, Pagter Brothers, Penville Wines, Press Gang Cellars, Prizm Winery, Pulchella Winery, Rendarrio, Ryan Cochrane Wines, SLYD Wines, Starfield Vineyards, Tao Winery, The Farm Winery, Theopolis Vineyards, Two Shepherds Wines, and Vinemark Cellars.

Tickets: To preserve an intimate experience with one-on-one interaction with winemakers, tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. Tickets are available at http://garagistefestival.com. For special discounts and updates on Urban Exposure, Taste of Garagiste mini-tastings and other Garagiste Festival events and news, sign up for The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/, or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook (http://on.fb.me/1rgBC80).

Festival Sponsors: ETS, Glenn Burdette, Bidwell Insurance, Farm Credit, Laffort, Digital Dogma, mWEBB Communications, Travel Paso, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. For sponsorship info, email info(at)garagistefestival(dot)com.

The festivals were named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News,* “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

*Garagistes (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011. Since then, the festival has helped thousands of consumers discover the remarkable wines of hundreds of true garagistes, who handcraft under 1,500 cases a year and pay close, hands-on attention to every wine they make.

Uncorked Wine Tours Releases “Top Paso Robles Wine Tour Stops” List

March 13, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Paso Robles, Calif. – Uncorked Wine Tours has released its list of Top Paso Robles Wine Tour Stops for the season and 2017.

“Paso Robles is really becoming a destination for wine, craft beer, and distillery lovers,” says Uncorked Wine Tours Owner Katie Hayward. “The wine offering in Paso is diverse – the vineyards here grow about 40 different varieties of grapes – so you really get to try a lot of wines during your tour, and meet some very interesting vintners.”

Topping the list of must-stops for 2017 wine tours in Paso Robles: Halter Ranch, in Paso Robles’ Adelaida District. “Halter Ranch was recently featured in Sunset Magazine, calling it a ‘Cadillac operation throughout.’ Visitors to Halter Ranch will love its beautiful, state-of-the-art winery, caves, and brand new tasting room with a giant patio. Many tours are complimentary, although they do offer more extensive tours of their historic 900-acre property for a charge.”

Next up on the can’t-miss Paso Robles wine tour with Uncorked is Shale Oak on Oakdale Rd, just off of Highway 46 West. “Shale Oak is a Gold LEED certified winery, and their commitment to sustainability and stewardship of the land has resulted in some tremendous, limited quantity wines, so every visit is unique. Shale Oak ups the ante with savory brownie and truffle pairings, and a very casual, warm vibe that our Paso Robles wine tour guests love.”

Also in the list of Paso Robles wine tour must-sees for 2017 is J Dusi, an elegant evolution of one of the area’s oldest wine-making families. “I love the story behind the wines at this place. Janell Dusi is a passionate winemaker, trained by her grandfather Dante on the art of old world Italian winemaking – something he learned from Italian immigrant parents Sylvester and Caterina. You’ll enjoy the rich tradition, and the wines – something you have to taste for yourself!”

Rounding out Uncorked Wine Tours must-sees for Paso Robles Wine Tours is the up and coming industrial-yet-chill Tin City. “Tin City has many garagiste style wineries, (Garagistes refers to a group of winemakers in the Bordeaux region, producing “Vins de garage,” or “garage wine.”) a brewery, a cider tasting room, and distillery, with more tasting rooms to come. It’s an unexpected location, tucked behind a service road off Highway 101 at the southern edge of Paso Robles. Tour guests enjoy Tin City’s collaborative tasting events, food trucks, festivals, and soon, an on-site restaurant.”

About Uncorked Wine Tours

Uncorked Wine Tours offers exceptional wine tasting excursions in Paso Robles Wine Country and San Luis Obispo’s Edna Valley. Led by Central Coast native Katie Hayward, Uncorked Wine Tours offers custom itineraries, personalized service, shuttle service, gift cards and more. Visit http://www.uncorkedwinetours.net to learn more.

Vintage Eve: Paso Garagiste Festival 2012, Taste and Tell a Friend

January 3, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

GARAGISTES – (gar-uh-zhē-stuh) n, Fr. – A term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their garage, who refused to follow the “rules.” Now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world.

Paso Robles is Perlis country. He has been our Paso Correspondent, so to speak, for a couple of years now. Low and behold, although he had run some pre-event articles for the upcoming Paso Garagiste festival, he was unable to attend and asked if Eddie and I could take his and Karen’s spots.

Oh, what a tough job we have, right? Well, it’s not exactly easy to make time for a six-hour round trip to attend a two-hour press event, but, I figured that after the event I would have lunch in Paso and visit a couple of wineries before heading home.

Again, it proved not to be so simple. It started like this:

The Windfall Farm property, which my husband said was more like the Ponderosa (TV home of the Cartwrights), is an awe-inspiring location. The former horse stalls, that were now home for two to five tasting tables, were open and inviting.

We started at the back of the building, with the intention of getting to the front within our two-hour window. As we advanced from stall to stall, we checked our watches only to realize that the winemakers were far too interesting and we lingered far too long, and had 20 minutes left on the clock and had only met with half of them.

We quickly zigzagged through the remaining stalls, only stopping where no one else was waiting in a ridiculous attempt to be fair with our time and cover as much as we could. However, we were ushered out with the rest of the press, on time.

(Note: The amount of time given to press is standard. This is not a complaint aimed at the organizers, the winemakers or myself. However, with that said, these small-lot winemakers cannot get their wine tasted by other means as most are sans tasting rooms. My hope is that the public tasting later held that afternoon multiplied how many people were able to learn about the winemakers. I’ll do my job in writing about it and I hope that the public will do theirs by telling all of their friends about the Garagiste movement, and specifically, which wineries they were charmed by.)

Of the wines we were able to try I was most charmed by:

Bodega De Edgar

www.bodegadeedgar.com

I loved everything I tasted:
2010 Tempranillo

2010 Toro de Paso (Merlot, Tempranillo, Grenache, Mourvedre)

2010 E-Square (A nickname for Edgar Torres and his wife. Syrah and Grenache)

2010 Mis Pasos (Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo.)

Bon Niche

www.bonniche.com

2009 L’entrée Malbec (Spice rack!)

2010 L’entrée Malbec (Perfumy aroma and meaty taste.)

Changala Winery

www.changalawinery.com

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Nice balance)

2010 Basque Blend (Stewed cherries, cigar, long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec.)

Cutruzzola Vineyards

www.cutruzzolavineyards.com

2009 Riesling, Riven Rock Vineyard (The Italian winemaker nailed this one with caramel apple, lemon-line and a POP! of sweet cantaloupe melon.)

2010 Riesling, Riven Rock Vineyard (Jasmine, honeysuckle with a mouth-coating viscosity.)

2009 Pinot Noir Gloria (Cherry, mushroom and a hint o’mint.)

Filipponi Ranch Cellars

www.filipponicellars.com

Everything they poured:
2010 Edna Valley Chardonnay (Can you say, “Oak, butter and fruit?” I did.)

2010 Paso Robles Syrah

2010 Paso Robles Mourvedre

2010 Lorenzo (A Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre blend)

Giornata Winery

www.giornatawines.com

All of their varietals are Italian, which winemaker Stephanie Terrizzi called “pizza wines.” And again, I liked them all, great food wines.

2010 Vermentino (Butter, jasmine, viscous.)

2010 il Campo Red (A blend)

2010 French Camp Vineyard Aglianco

2009 Luna Matta Vineyard Nebbiolo

Ground Effect Wines

www.groundeffectwine.com

2011 Gravity Check White Wine (Yes, the winemaker is a mountain bicyclist. I liked the crispness of this blend of Albarino, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Gris)

Henson Wines

www.hensonwines.com

2010 Henson Viognier (Honey, spice and melon)

2008 Henson Syrah, Chalone

J Dusi

www.jdusiwines.com

Janell Dusi is a fave of Mike Perlis. I became a fan too:
2010 Zinfandel Dante Dusi Vineyard (Black olives, robust plums and a perfect balance of spice and pepper.)

2010 Syrah Caterinas Vineyard

2009 Fiorento (Blend of Zinfandel, Syrah and Carignane.)

2007 Zinfandel Port (Perfect.)

JK Wine Company

www.jkwinecompany.com

Mostly Rhones:

2009 Katin Viognier

2009 Katin Grenache Blanc

2009 Katin Syrah, Glenrose Vineyard

2009 Arada Las Ramblas (Spanish style with Viognier, Chardonnay, Albarino and Grenache Blanca)

Liquid Farm

www.liquidfarm.com

2011 White Hill Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills (Outstanding)

2010 Golden Slope Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills

2011 Mourvedre Rose, Happy Canyon, Vogelzang Vineyard

Les Deux Chats

www.lesdeuxchats.com

Paso grapes, winemakers Chris and Patty Connolly live here in Valencia. I’ve reviewed their wines before, and I’m a member of their club.

2010 Roussanne

2010 Viognier

2010 Zinfandel

Rangeland Wines

www.adelaidasprings.com/rangeland-wines.html

2011 Flora Rose (Had a total of 9 varietals, nice balance of fruit and acidity.)

2010 Mistletoe Blend (Dark fruit, pepper, mushroom. A blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.)

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Red Zeppelin

www.redzeppelinwinery.com

Mr. Stillman Brown, brazenly working the room in a pink bubble gum colored suit, matching sunglasses, and bleached blond hair…had a way about him. I felt that even without the eye-catching clothes, this man could garner attention. And his wines definitely did:

2009 Black Zeppelin Central Coast Red Wine (Smoky plums, cracked pepper, cigar.)

2011 Colossus Syrah, Paso Robles (Bright, black cherry, balanced…and fun to drink.)

Vin Alegre

www.vinalegre.com

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 Merlot

2009 Primitivo

2011 Rose (A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Primitivo.)

Vines on the Marycrest

www.vinesonthemarycrest.com

The first time I tasted Victor and Jenni Abascal’s wines were at The Wine Classic, years ago, at Cal Arts, and they just keep getting better:

2011 At Last (A blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc)

2009 Heart of Glass (Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, my favorite blend.)

2009 My Generation (Zinfandel, Syrah, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah.)

2009 Syrah

How did it all end? We drove over to Artisan Paso Robles (http://www.artisanpasorobles.com/) for an outstanding lunch – BLT with shrimp and Bacon Tots – and drove home. We were tired. If we do this again: Spending the night!

Participating Wineries

Aaron Wines, Alta Colina Vineyards, Ambyth Estate, Anglim Winery, Argot Wines, Barton Family, Bodega de Edgar, Bodegas M, Bon Niche Cellars, Caliza Winery, Cayucos Cellars, Center of Effort, Changala Winery, Cloak and Dagger Wines, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Edmond August Wines, Filipponi Ranch Cellars, Giornata, Ground Effect Wines, Henson Wines, J Dusi, Jacob Toft, JK Wine Company, Kaleidos Winery, La Filice, Les Deux Chats, Liquid Farm, Luminesce, Nicora, Paix Sur Terre, Paso Port Wines, Per Cazo Cellars, Pipestone Vineyards, Ranchero Cellars, Rangeland Wines, Red Zeppelin Winery, Rendarrio Vineyards, Sinor La Vallee, St. Hilaire, Stage Left Cellars, STANGER Vineyards, Thomas Alexander Wines, Two Shepherds, Vin Alegre, Vines on the Marycrest, Von Holt Wines, Westberg Cellars and Zin Alley.

Description

An annual festival celebrating the artisan winemakers of Paso Robles and the Central Coast of California and beyond. Find the best from high-quality, small-lot winemakers at Paso Garagiste.
http://pasogaragiste.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paso-Garagiste/171568979573300?ref=ts&fref=ts

One Bottle Post: Workman Ayer 2013 “de facto”

December 2, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I’m a Rhône fan, but I’m also a Bordeaux/Zin/whatever is great fan. Point is that if asked I have a hard time picking just one wine as a favorite. Depends on where I happen to be, what’s on my plate and whose company I might be enjoying. So, in a nutshell, it depends on my collective mood. And the day I met Michel Ayer I was in a really good mood. Then again, every time since then my mood has only improved – by his Rhônes, all two of them. (What is a Rhône? A quick lesson can be had via the Rhone Rangers website: http://rhonerangers.org/)

Michel makes a white Rhône, a 100% Viognier; and a red Rhône, a Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre blend.

Previous Tasting Notes

Eve’s Wine 101: Tasting the First Rhones from Workman Ayer, July 2014, SCV Beacon.

Eve’s Wine 101: Garagiste Urban Exposure: Their First Wine Tasting at Union Station, July 2014, SCV Beacon

Eve’s Wine 101: Can’t Get Enough: STARS of California Part Two, June 2016, SCV Beacon

Catching up with Michel Ayer

Before the tasting I reached out to Michel to ask him what was new and what the future holds for him.

No particular challenges in the vineyards in 2013 despite continued drought conditions. Real challenges begin with 2015 and yields being down and therefore fruit prices being up. As for the future, hope to get over to California in January to pour at wineLA’s Stars of Santa Barbara in both Orange County and Beverly Hills, but have yet to solidify that plan. Am also working to expand production on our existing two wines as well as explore adding a Grenache dominant blend and a white Rhône blend (both initially likely only via mailing list).

Today’s Tasting

Workman Ayer 2013 “de facto” red wine, Central Coast

Syrah Grenache Mourvedre (aka GSM blend)

Aromas of black cherry, plum, red roses and a hint of black licorice and black olives.

Flavors included ripe and rich black fruit, green peppercorn, cigar, charred steak, that same hint of black olive and firm tannins. 90 Eve pts. at the first taste, 91 Eve pts. After 10 minutes in my glass. Other scores include: 91 from The Corkscrewer Report, 89 Wine Enthusiast magazine, and 88 from Connoisseurs’ Guide.

Tech Sheet

Vintage

2013 was a warm, dry growing season. In every single month from March through November, valley temperatures were above the historical average and precipitation was below. Thankfully, the rest of the growing season was fairly problem free – no massive heat spikes and less frost problems than normal resulting in a large, but high quality harvest – despite the drought conditions.

Vineyards

30% Los Alamos Syrah, 25% Ballard Canyon Syrah, 25% Santa Ynez Valley Syrah, 10% Los Alamos Grenache, .10% Los Alamos Mourvedre. Production: 100 cases 750 ml.

Winemaking

The bulk of the Syrah was from Los Alamos and was its typical self – big, fat, chewy, smoky. The Ballard Canyon Syrah was off the charts good with nice oak. Then there was some Santa Ynez Valley Syrah. We used two lots – the first pick and the last pick. The first pick was zingy and perfumy, which added a great backbone to the blend. The last pick was dark and brooding, but still nice aromas. It was a nice balance of the two. The Mourvedre was a bit tannic and structured, which was a nice addition. The Grenache was little softer than normal, but loads of nice strawberry. The blend was aged in approximately 40% new French oak for 20 months.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes

Bright, fresh aromas of strawberry, white pepper, anise, smoked meat, caramel and kirsch. Broad, expansive and mouthwatering on the palate, with flavors of sweet raspberry, strawberry, tart plum, earth and semi-sweet chocolate. Very long finish with continuing bright, fresh fruit and rich tannins. Remarkably forward now, but also deep and structured. The ol’ iron fist in a velvet glove!

https://www.workmanayer.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WorkmanAyer/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

‘Illegal’ Wine Blends and a ‘Peek Behind the Curtain’ of Big Wineries Add to Paso’s Garagiste Wine Festival Fun (and includes Pulchella)

November 3, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The Garagiste Wine Festival has announced that renowned winemaker Adam Lazarre will keynote the sixth anniversary Garagiste Wine Festival. His keynote, ‘A Peek Behind the Curtain of Big Wineries,’ kicks off the Grand Tasting main event on November 12th in Paso Robles. The festival also announced additional festival details, including the participation of Ascension, Onx and Pulchella wineries in the festival’s first ever “Illegal Blends – Garagiste winemakers break Old World Wine Rules” tasting seminar and the presentation of the 2016 Garagiste Scholarship Fund to Cal Poly at the festival’s Industry Night and Winemaker Shootout on November 10th.

Launched in 2011 in Paso Robles, which was recently named America’s Best Wine Country Town by Sunset Magazine, the Garagiste Festival festival offers four days of events that feature over 60 micro-production winemakers pouring over 200 wines. Tickets are on sale now athttp://californiagaragistes.com/buy-tickets/.

“It is so fitting that Adam Lazarre is our first Garagiste Festival keynote speaker – as a winemaking visionary and renegade, Adam has made both a million cases a year and a hundred, and is one of the creators of superstar wines Rex Goliath and Cycles-Gladiator,” said Doug Minnick, Co-founder, The Garagiste Festivals. “Adam will offer his unique perspective on winemaking at both ends of the spectrum (as well as tastes of some awesome wines) – but don’t get too serious, Adam is both irreverent and entertaining – and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of wine.”

In addition to his winery, Lazarre Wines, Lazarre was the mind behind the successful Villa San-Juliette and Fat Monk line of wines in Paso Robles, producing wines for the creative geniuses Ken Warwick and Nigel Lythgoe. In 2012, Adam was named one of IntoWine.com’s “100 Most Influential People in the US Wine Industry”.

Following Lazarre’s keynote is the festival’s signature tasting seminar and panel, “Illegal Blends! Garagiste Winemakers Break Old World Wine Rules (…in France, they’d throw you in jail for these wines!),” which will help attendees understand how cutting-edge garagiste winemakers, unbounded by the mandated-by-law regional blends in France, Italy and the Old World, are free to experiment using the wide diversity of grape varietals grown in the Central Coast to make unique, exciting, and high-scoring blends. Moderated by Garagiste Festival Co-founder, Stewart McLennan, the seminar focusing on this no-rules approach and features three award-winning garagiste winemakers who specialize in unique blends: Erick Allen of Ascension Cellars, Brian Brown of ONX Wines and Steve Lemley of Pulchella Winery.

On Thursday night, Garagiste Festival ‘Industry Night’ returns to Lefondusac in Tin City, with three seminars culminating in the third annual Great Red Wine Shootout, where winemakers will blind taste and judge each other’s brown-bagged wines. As part of the evening, The Garagiste Festival, which benefits Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture department, will present the 2016 Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund to Cal Poly and its 2016 scholarship recipients.

“This is one of our favorite moments each year: helping support the education of future winemakers is what The Garagiste Festival is all about,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Stewart McLennan. “That, and introducing hundreds of winemakers to thousands of passionate wine consumers all while offering up a great deal of fun, lots of high quality wine and new wine discoveries in a completely ‘no snobs allowed’ zone.”

In addition to the seminars, Industry Night, and Saturday’s Grand Tasting featuring over 60 winemakers, the festival also brings back its Keep It Rockin’ After Party on Saturday with Burning James and the Funky Flames; “Friday Night Heaven,’ a Rare and Reserve Wine Tasting with gourmet grilled cheese from Hurricane Kitchen, and a Paso Garagiste Wine Passport day, offering special post-festival access to winemakers and their tasting rooms, vineyards, or wineries, as well as special Paso Robles weekend packages, including hotel discounts.

The festival takes place November 10th – 13th at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds and other Paso area locations, including Lefondusac in Paso’s hot new winery district Tin City and the historic Carlton Hotel in Atascadero.

For full schedule details, go to http://californiagaragistes.com/2016-paso-fest/

Among the over 60 winemakers already scheduled to pour are:
Alta Colina Vineyards, Amor Fati*, Ampere Wine*, Ascension Cellars, Asuncion Ridge, Barton Family Wines, Bodega de Edgar, Bon Niche Cellars, Bradley Family Wines*, Brian Benson Cellars*, Caldera Cuvee, Caliza Winery, The Central Coast Group Project, Circle B Vineyards*, Cloak & Dagger Wines, Copia Vineyards, Cutruzzola Vineyards, DENO Wines, Diablo Paso, Dilecta Wines, Dubost Ranch, Fableist Wine Co.*, Golden Triangle, Hoi Polloi Wines*, Hoyt Family Vineyards, Hug Cellars, Jacob Toft Wines, JPIII Wines*, Kaleidos Wines, Kendric Vineyards*, Last Light Wine Co.*, Last Summer Wine*, Levo Wines, Lynch Wines, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, Michael Gill Cellars, Mollie Wines*, Murder Ridge*, Mystic Hills Vineyard, Nicora Wines, Nowell-Smith Wines*, On Your Left Wines*, ONX Wines, Paix Sur Terre, Peloton Cellars*, Powell Mountain Cellars, Pulchella Winery, Ranchita Canyon, Rockin’ R Winery*, RN Estate, Ryan Cochrane Wines, Serrano Wines*, Seven Angels Cellars, Seven Oxen Vineyard, Shell Creek Vineyards*, Small + Tall Wines*, Stolo Family Vineyard, The Farm Winery, Tlo Wines, Top Winery*, Trojak-Knier Winery, TW Fermentation Co, Two Shepherds, Vinemark Cellars, Vino Vargas and West of Temperance*.
*First time pouring at the Paso Festival.

To preserve an intimate experience for consumers with one-on-one interaction with winemakers, tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. To purchase tickets go to http://californiagaragistes.com/buy-tickets/. To learn more about The Garagiste Festival, and to get the latest event info, sign-up for The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/. Or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Sponsors include:
Adelaide Inn, Bidwell Insurance, Carlton Hotel, ETS Laboratories, ClearWater Tech, Digital Dogma, Farm Credit West, Farm Supply, Glenn Burdette, G3/Diam, KSBY, La Bellasera Hotel and Suites, La Quinta Inn and Suites, Laffort, LML Graphics, mWEBB Communications, Paso Oaks Hotel, PRWCA, Tonnellerie St, Martin, TPRA, Umpqua Bank, Visit Atascadero, WiVi Central Coast, XPressFil

For sponsorship info, email info(at)garagistefestival.com.

About The Garagiste Wine Festivals
The Garagiste Wine Festivals (http://www.garagistefestival.com) are the first and only wine festivals dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ producers who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festial, Northern Exposure, in the Bay Area; garagiste mini-tastings presented from So Cal to Tahoe; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more. The festivals were named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News,* “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Garagiste Festivals Inc. is a 5013c non-profit organization and proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

Perlis Picks: Rhone Rangers at the Skirball – Part 3

September 10, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The seminar was informative and tasty. The lunch was a lot of fun and tasty as well. But now Karen and I were ready for the main event.

Held in Herscher Hall, the size of the room and the layout of the tasting tables made for a very comfortable and enjoyable experience. For a tasting event of this magnitude, it often helps to have a plan, and I try, but ultimately I seek out a few that I am especially interested in and then just bounce in and out where I see openings at tables. At this event in particular, you can’t go wrong as the quality is always extremely high overall. I skipped some wineries on purpose as I had tasted them recently and many I just couldn’t get to due to time constraints and “palate fatigue.” But I did accomplish the twin goals of tasting great wines and having fun.

Of the wines I tasted, here were my favorites…

[Please note that by now I was only tasting red wines.]

Bonny Doon Vineyard – I wrote a lot about this winery at the beginning of this article, but still have a little bit to say. Enjoyed everything I tasted at Randall’s table – 2011 Le Cigare Volant Red Blend, 2011 Le Cigare Volant Reserve Red Blend, 2014 Clos de Gilroy Grenache, 2014 Old Telegram Mourvedre, 2011 Bien Nacido Vineyard “X-Block” Syrah and the 2013 Le Pousseur Syrah. A big thank you to Bonny Doon Director of Sales Keith Shulsky for the taste of the 1990 Old Telegram, which showed how well Mourvedre could age.

Calcareous Vineyard – the Tres Violet [Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre] and the Moose [Syrah and Petit Verdot] are typically my favorites from this winery. The 2013s were being poured this time – they were both outstanding. I picked the Tres Violet as my fave, barely.

Cass Vineyard & Winery – Ted Plemons was stealing the show as usual, but he couldn’t over shadow the wines he was pouring. Especially liked the 2014 Mourvedre.

Chacewater – I’ve become a fan of this winery fairly recently. The 2013 Syrah, 2012 Petite Sirah and 2010 Astel Petite Sirah were all very tasty. As an added bonus, these wines are extremely well-priced.

Epoch Estate Wines – Full disclosure here – I’ve been buying these wines since their first release. I had no real reason to taste them at this event, except I knew they would be really good so what the heck, right? And I was right…2012 Ingenuity Red Blend and 2013 Estate Blend were both outstanding.

Four Brix Winery – it was nice to see Gary Stewart and taste his wines. Especially enjoyed the 2011 and 2012 Rhondezvous Blends. Both were made from Paso Robles grapes and for some reason evoked in me a fond memory of visiting Paso in a more relaxed time back before the wine industry really took off. Very nice.

Kale Wines – Tasted Kale’s Grenache based wine at the seminar; it was a pleasure to taste the two he was pouring at the Grand Tasting. The 2013 Kale Home Run Cuvee from the Kick Ranch Vineyard was outstanding and the 2013 Kale Broken Axle from the Stage Coach Vineyard was even better – my favorite of the day!

Qupé – Santa Barbara County legend Bob Lindquist was pouring several wines, including two excellent Syrahs – 2012 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard “Sonnie’s” from their vineyard in Edna Valley and 2011 Bien Nacido Hillside Estate, Santa Maria Valley.

Ridge Vineyards – the Ridge wines are always good, but a real eye opener for me was the 2014 Carignane from the Buchignani Ranch. I had to ask if it was 100% Carignane as I don’t think I’d had one that rich before it – it was.

Rock Wall Wine Company – I haven’t seen winemaker Shauna Rosenblum in some time; I expect her young family is keeping her very busy. While the tasting table might not be as entertaining when she is not there, the wines are just as good as ever, especially the 2012 Le Mur de Roche Petite Sirah.

The Withers Winery – based in Santa Rosa, the grapes for these wines were from El Dorado in the Sierra Foothills. Cooler climate and lighter in style, I recommend the 2013 Ruben Mourvedre Blend and the 2013 Mr. Burgess Syrah Blend.

Two Shepherds – I wasn’t planning to taste at William Allen’s table this time, as I had tasted his wines at Hospice du Rhone in Paso Robles and most recently at the Garagiste Event in Los Angeles. But, when he told me he had an orange wine for me to try, I couldn’t help myself – I’ve become a fan of orange wines of late. If this is a new term for you, let me try to explain at least what my understanding of them is, which may or may not be 100% accurate. Wines generally get their color from the grape skins, not the color of the juice. White wines are typically made from juice with little or no skin contact. Wines made from grapes traditionally used for white wines but made with extended skin contact will have a slightly orange hue to them, hence the term. They also have a level of complexity which I enjoy. In this case, it was the Two Shepherds 2013 Centime, a miniscule 35 case blend of 66% Grenache Blanc, 17% Marsanne and 17% Roussanne, fermented with skins and stems. Excellent wine.

Thanks to the Rhone Rangers and the participating wineries for putting on a great event and for finding an excellent venue in the Skirball. Hopefully, this will be the home of the event for years to come.

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.

Perlis Picks: Urban Exposure 3 – Part Two

July 30, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Last week I gave you information about the seminar at the latest Garagiste Festival as well as the list of wineries pouring. I couldn’t taste everything, but of the wines I tasted, these were the standouts for me:

Alta Colina Vineyards – Rhones from this Paso producer continue to impress. Especially liked the 2012 Grenache and the 2013 Ann’s Block Petite Sirah.

Artisan Uprising – Brothers William and David Vondrasek source some great fruit, primarily from Paso’s east side. Enjoyed everything they were pouring, especially the Malbec.

Ascension Cellars – already three from Paso Robles, and I’m only in the “A”s. The 2015 Silver Blanc blend was my favorite, although I did not get back to try everything on the table.

Bellissimo Cellars – winemaker Lora Marie Taylor gets some great grapes from Santa Barbara. The 2014 Pinot Noir from the La Encantada Vineyard was delicious.

Brian Benson Cellars – I promised not to use rock and roll references, but I have to make an exception here. Brian Benson is truly a rockstar winemaker and was pouring an amazing array of primarily Rhone influenced wines. All were tasty, but the big standout to me was the 2013 Syrah/Mourvedre from the James Berry Vineyard. [Note that this vineyard is owned by Justin Smith of Saxum, so the pedigree is pretty awesome.]

Caldera Cuvee – winemaker Samuel Papert is one of the few to gain access to juice from Paso Robles icon Carmody McKnight. The 2010 is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

The Central Coast Group Project – winemaker Scott Sampler named his winery to honor all those involved in wine growing, making and consuming. It was fun to taste his 3-bottle 2012 Variations on a Clone, three different clones of Syrah from three separate blocks of the White Hawk Vineyard.

Hoi Polloi Wines – Garagiste Festival co-founder Doug Minnick is one of the owner/winemakers Hoi Polloi, showing off its first vintage, so I just had to try these wines. The single vineyard 2014 Syrahs from Sebastiano in Sta. Rita Hills and Alta Colima in Paso Robles were tasty, but the star for me was the blend of the two, the 2014 Double Exposure. [Watch for a tasting room in the Santa Clarita Valley, with co-tenant Pagter Brothers Winery.]

JP3 Wines – or is it JPIII Wines? I dunno for sure, but either way JP French, formerly of Stanger, is making great wines under his own new label. Loved both the 2014 Tempranillo and the 2014 Mingle [blend of Cab/Syrah/Tempranillo and Tannat].

Larner Winery – there are certain vineyards that I find to be iconic with the wines from them being pure expressions of their fruit. The Larner Vineyard is one of those. The wines Michael Larner poured were all excellent, but the 2011 Estate Reserve Syrah was my wine of the day with such an amazing finish.

MCV Wines – I’ve been a fan of Matt Villard’s wines since I tasted them a few years back, and nothing has changed except the wines are even better. The 2013 1105 Blend and the 2013 Black Petite Sirah Blend were my faves at his table this day. Go visit him at his Morro Bay tasting room if you want to escape the heat of Paso Robles.

Pagter Brothers Winery – I’ve known winemaker Scott Page Pagter for some time now and have seen a steady progression of quality. I’ve always been a fan of his Grenache; this time the Tempranillo made the biggest impression on me.

Pulchella Winery – what can I say about Santa Claritans Nate Hasper and Steve Lemley that hasn’t already been said? Very good wines, great people. The 2013 Tannat did it for me today.

Rhythm Wines – I think this was my most exciting find of the day. This urban winery sourcing grapes from Lodi, Santa Cruz and other locales really seems to embody the true Garagiste spirit. I really liked the 2015 Tannat from the Alonso Family Vineyard; SCV locals will recognize the name as the vineyard owned by Le Chene’s Juan Alonso. Also enjoyed the 2015 Enz Vineyard Mourvedre. Definitely a winery to watch.

Tlo Wines – I didn’t get a chance to taste here, but Karen said the 2015 Grenache Rose was her favorite of the day.

Two Shepherds – last on my list but never least, winemaker William Allen is passionate about his Rhones, focusing on lower alcohol, higher acidity, well balanced wines showcasing the vineyard and the grape. I had recently tasted much of his lineup at Hospice du Rhone, but I was glad for a chance to taste his 2014 Cinsault from the legendary Bechthold Vineyard in Lodi.

Kudos to the organizers for putting together another great Garagiste Festival. If you missed this one, I urge you to attend the original Paso Robles festival on November 12^th. Sign up for their mailing list here: http://californiagaragistes.com/sign-up/

Perlis Picks: Urban Exposure 3 – Part One

July 23, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I’ve been writing about the Garagiste Festivals since they started in 2011, so I won’t bore you with too much of the history here. Summary: Focusing on small wineries, many with no tasting rooms, it started with an annual event in Paso Robles, expanded to Solvang, then to Los Angeles and most recently added an event in Oakland.

On July 9^th, the 3^rd iteration of the Los Angeles event, known as Urban Exposure, took place for the 2^nd consecutive year at The Wiltern. This time, besides the VIP benefit of entering an hour early and tasting the Rare and Reserve wines as well as beating the crowds, there was an added option of attending a barrel seminar before the VIP session started.

Let me get this out of the way…

Standing on the stage of the Wiltern as Karen and I waited for the start of the seminar, I successfully [and thankfully] resisted the urge to pretend I was some rockstar and did not yell out “Helllooooo L.A.!!!”

[I think I used up my quota of rock and roll references in last year’s article, so I’ll try to skip those this time.]

Instead I sat back down with the other attendees as the curtain closed on us and we waited for the seminar to begin. Moderated by Garagiste Festival co-founder Stewart McLennan, the seminar “Understanding Oak Varieties – Tasting the Winemaker’s Spice Rack” was divided into two parts for us to learn and taste along with the experts. The first part was led by Michael Larner of Larner Vineyard, as we tasted three versions of his 2014 Syrah – one from wine aged in neutral barrels [the barrels having been used for several years and no longer impacting the smell and taste of the wine], one that had been aged in French Oak and the last in American oak. Similarly, in the second part of the seminar, led by Rendarrio Vineyards owner Ryan Rendar [who also reps French barrel maker Cadus], the wines were his Cabernet Sauvignon presented unoaked along with samples from barrels of medium grain and tight grain. In both cases, the wine were presented in order to show how the type of oak and the tightness of the grain impart oak characteristics to the finished wine, going from least to most. The winemaker then typically takes wine from barrels of these varying characteristics and blends them to result in the final wine for the consumer. This is a year-by-year process, as not only do barrels vary yearly, but grape harvests do too.

My own personal preference is for minimal oak treatment. I’m definitely all about the fruit and like to be able to taste the variances from year to year. But, understandably, the winemaker is not necessarily out to satisfy my tastes, but the tastes of the consumers of his or her wine, so he uses the whole “spice rack” of what he has available to make the best wine he can. And the big producers do everything they can to make their wine consistent from year to year, minimizing those vintage variations that I enjoy.

But no big producers at this event! As the seminar was wrapping up we could hear the activity on the other side of the curtain, so we hurriedly pushed and shoved….I mean carefully walked to the entrance to the main event.

Per the program, these wineries were pouring:

Alma Fria Vineyards [Sonoma]

Alma Sol Winery [Paso Robles]

Alta Colina Vineyards [Paso Robles]

Archium Cellars [Santa Barbara]

Artisan Uprising [Paso Robles]

Ascension Cellars [Paso Robles]

Bellissimo Cellars [Santa Barbara]

Bodega De Edgar [Paso Robles]

Brian Benson Cellars [Paso Robles]

Brophy Clark Cellars [Santa Barbara]

Caldera Cuvee [Paso Robles]

Caliza Winery [Paso Robles]

The Central Coast Group Project [Santa Barbara]

Chene Wines [Edna Valley]

Cholame Vineyard [Central Coast]

Cloak & Dagger Wines [Paso Robles]

Cordon Wines [Central Coast]

Coruce Vineyards [Antelope Valley]

Deno Wines [Paso Robles]

Dreamcote Wine Co. [Santa Barbara]

El Lugar Wines [California]

Golden Triangle [Paso Robles]

Graef Wine [Northern CA]

Hoi Polloi Wines [Central Coast]

JPIII Wines [Paso Robles]

Kaena Wine Co. [Santa Barbara]

Kaleidos Winery [Paso Robles]

Kimmel Vineyards [Mendocino]

Larner Winery [Santa Barbara]

Leverage Wines [Paso Robles]

Marin’s Vineyard [Monterey]

MCV Wines [Paso Robles]

On Your Left Wine Co. [Paso Robles]

Pagter Brothers Winery [Central Coast]

Per Cazo / Paso Port [Paso Robles]

Powell Mountain Cellars [Paso Robles]

Press Gang Cellars [Santa Barbara]

Pulchella Winery [Paso Robles]

Ranchita Canyon Vineyard [Paso Robles]

Rendarrio Wines [Paso Robles]

Rhythm Wines [California]

Ryan Cochrane Wines [Santa Barbara]

Tao Vineyards [Agoura Hills]

The Farm Winery [Paso Robles]

Theopolis Vineyards [Anderson Valley]

Tierra Y Vino [Santa Barbara]

Tlo Wines [San Luis Obispo]

Trail Marker Wine Co. [California]

Turiya Wines [Central Coast]

TW Fermentation Co. [Paso Robles]

Two Shepherds [Northern California]

Vinemark Cellars [Central Coast]

Vines On The Marycrest [Paso Robles]

Weatherborne [Santa Barbara]

West of Temperance [California]

As you can see, there were a lot of wineries pouring. Many from the central coast but some from farther afield as well. Many were Garagiste Festival regulars along with new participants. With so many wineries pouring multiple wines, I obviously couldn’t taste everything – my apologies to the ones I missed.

Next week, I’ll let you know my favorites.

Garagiste Wine Festival Retakes the LA Stage: July 9th at The Wiltern

June 23, 2016 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Sixty+of the best of California’s micro-production winemaker discoveries all in one place; popular “Tasting the Winemaker’s Spice Rack” seminar has its LA premiere on The Wiltern stage.

Paso Robles, CA – Garagiste Events Inc., producers of The Garagiste Festivals, announced that the festival is retaking the LA stage at The Wiltern on July 9^th with the third annual Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure. Tickets are on sale at www.garagistefestival.com.

Over 60+ artisan ‘garagiste*’ winemakers from across California – including Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez and SLO counties; Napa and Sonoma counties, and Paso Robles – will pour over 200 wines, with 30% of the wineries participating in our Los Angeles festival for the first time. This year’s Urban Exposure, dubbed “one of wines premier events…fun and exuberant…not to be missed[1],” also presents the LA premiere of one of its signature comparison tasting seminars, “Tasting the Winemaker’s Spice Rack,’ to be held on the stage of The Wiltern.

“From Paso Robles to Santa Ynez to the Bay Area, we have helped thousands of wine lovers discover more than 1,500 cutting edge wines crafted by the most passionate, under-the-radar micro-production winemakers in the state,” said Garagiste Festivals Co-founder Doug Minnick. “We are super-excited to be bringing more than 60 of these winemakers back to LA at this spectacular venue. You’ll have a hard time finding most of these wines anywhere else, and certainly not in any supermarket, but we make it easy. If you like wine at any level, whether you’re a novice or an expert – this event is like Nirvana. The place, not the band.”

Renowned for their ‘crazy thrill of discovery[2],’ one-on-one interactions with winemakers, and fun ‘no-snobs-allowed’ atmosphere, Garagiste Festivals offer wine lovers their only opportunity to taste so many small-production, hard-to-find wines, from so many regions, all in one place – over 60% of Urban Exposure winemakers are without a tasting room and can’t be found on “wine country” maps.

“This year, we have added one of our most popular tasting seminars to the line-up, and it takes place right on the concert stage. You’ll understand the role of oak in wine in an entirely new way. And for those of us who have dreamed of actually being onstage at The Wiltern, we now have our chance!” continued Minnick.

In the “Understanding Oak Varieties: Tasting the Winemaker’s Spice Rack” seminar, Rendarrio Vineyards owner and winemaker Ryan Render, who is also a representative for the famous French tonnellerie, Cadus; and Michael Larner, who is the winemaker and owner of the renowned Larner Vineyard, will use side-by-side comparisons to help wine consumers understand, through their taste buds, how different oak treatments – from type to region to toast – can affect the finished product and change the profile of a single wine. The seminar will be moderated by radio host, winemaker, and Garagiste Festival co-founder Stewart McLennan.

The Garagiste Wine Festivals, which first exposed the American garagiste movement, are among the most unique and influential wine events in the world and are the only wine events that exclusively showcase ultra-premium, cutting-edge, micro-production commercial wineries that produce fewer than 1,500 (and many under 800) cases a year.

The Garagiste Wine Festival: Urban Exposure will take place from 1pm – 6pm on Saturday, July 9^th at The Wiltern, which is considered one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States. Located at Wilshire and Western (3780 Wilshire Boulevard) Los Angeles, CA., it is easily accessible by the Metro Purple Line train which stops at the Wilshire and Western station.

Among the over 60 winemakers already scheduled to pour are: Alma Fria Winery, Alma Sol Winery, Archium Cellars, Ascension Cellars, Bevela Wines, Big Tar Wines, Brian Benson Cellars, Brophy Clark Cellars, Burning Bench Cellars, Caldera Cuvee, Caliza Winery, The Central Coast Group Project, Chene Wines, Cholame Vineyards, Cloak & Dagger Wines, Cordon Wines, Coruce Vineyards, Cowan Cellars, Dreamcote Wines, El Lugar Wines, Golden Star Vineyards, Graef Wines, Hoi Polloi Winery, Hoyt Family Vineyards, JP3 Wines, Kaleidos Winery, Larner Vineyards, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, Mystic Hills Vineyard, On Your Left Wines, Pagter Bros. Winery, Per Cazo Cellars, Powell Mountain Cellars, Prizm Winery, Pulchella Winery, Ranchita Canyon, Rendarrio Vineyards, Ryan Cochrane Wines, Starfield Vineyards, Tercero Wines, The Farm Winery, Tierra y Vino, Tlo Wines, Trail Marker Wine Co., Turiya Wines, TW Fermentation Co., Two Shepherds, Vinemark Cellars, Vines on the Marycrest, Weatherborne, West of Temperance, and Zinke Wine Co.

To preserve an intimate experience for consumers with one-on-one interaction with winemakers, tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. Tickets are available at http://garagistefestival.com. For special discounts and updates on Urban Exposure, Taste of Garagiste mini-tastings and other Garagiste Festival events and news, sign up for The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/, or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook (http://on.fb.me/1rgBC80).

Sponsors include: ETS Laboratories, Digital Dogma, Laffort USA, Travel Paso, Tonnellerie St. Martin, Glenn Burdette. mWEBB Communications, and Visit SYV. For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com.

About The Garagiste Wine Festivals

The Garagiste Wine Festivals (http://www.garagistefestival.com) are the first and only wine festivals dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ producers who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festial, Northern Exposure, in the Bay Area; garagiste mini-tastings presented from So Cal to Tahoe; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more. The festivals were named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News,* “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.