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Masters of Taste Returns Uniting L.A.’s Top Tastemakers Together to Sip, Savor & Celebrate On The Field of the Rose Bowl Stadium Sunday, April 2nd, 2023! (Update: use promo code EVESWINE FOR $10 OFF!)

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Los Angeles, CA –  Come celebrate and be part of the sixth annual Masters of Taste, as L.A.’s premier outdoor, luxury food and beverage festival returns and will be taking place on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the Iconic Pasadena Rose Bowl. 100% of the proceeds will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a non-profit organization celebrating 50 years of providing homeless services and housing for thousands of neighbors.

Masters of Taste is introducing Chef Michael Reed and Kwini Reed as Hosts of Masters of Taste 2023 which also marks the 6th Anniversary of this celebrated event. Masters of Taste 2023 Culinary Master and Host Chef Michael Reed is a classically trained chef and restaurateur, who has spent 19 years as a chef for restaurants across New York and Los Angeles. Today, Chef Reed is the co-owner and Executive Chef behind two Los Angeles restaurants, Poppy + Rose of Downtown Los Angeles, and Anaheim’s Poppy & Seed. In addition to the two concepts, Chef Reed and his wife and co-owner, Kiini Reed also run an upscale catering company, Root of All Food. 

Born and raised in Oxnard, California, Chef Michael Reed comes from a family with a passion for food. Thanks to his parents, Michael grew up around the barbeque and the smell of fresh, home-made pies. His family cooked every day, pulling ingredients straight from the garden which went on to inspire Michael’s passion for food and hospitality. After starting down a collegiate path that was separated from the food industry at University of Santa Barbara, a track injury prompted Michael’s decision to make a change. Months later, Michael was enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in New York. While in culinary school, Michael Reed cooked at The Modern, the acclaimed restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. After graduating in 2008, Reed returned to Southern California and worked at David Myer’s Michelin-star rated Sona, as well Xiomara per a recommendation from Nancy Silverton at the age of 26. In 2011, Chef Reed and Kwini Reed jointly created high-end catering company, Root of All Food which specializes in high-end boutique catering, in-home cooking and events, and catering to Southern California. Some of Root to All Food’s previous clients have included Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, The W Hotel, and Sugar Ray Leonard. During the summer of 2014, Reed opened DTLA brunch darling, Poppy + Rose, a restaurant that specializes in classic American diner-fare made from scratch with a seasonal menu. He owns the restaurant alongside his wife, Kwini Reed. In 2021, Poppy & Seed opened, branching more upscale service and cuisine in a modern greenhouse setting. Located in the Anaheim Packing District, Poppy & Seed totes a menu of refined American fare.

Host Kwini Reed is a Southern California native, wife, mother, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of brunch restaurant, Poppy + Rose in Downtown, Los Angeles, Anaheim dining destination, Poppy & Seed, and upscale catering company, Root of All Foods with husband and chef of these concepts, Michael Reed. Kwini Reed comes from a large family that values community, generosity, and a strong work ethic – traits that have helped her succeed in her career and personal endeavors. A graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, she now has over a decade of experience in business, finance, and human resource management, having worked at companies throughout LA, including The Standard Hotel, Band of Gypsies, and Brandy Melville USA. In her current day-to-day, she oversees operations of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Food managing finances, strategizing new concepts for the restaurant, spearheading collaborations, and more. She and Michael Reed have received numerous accolades for these concepts, including Orange Coast Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” (Poppy & Seed); and CBS Los Angeles’ “Best All-Day Breakfast Restaurants in LA” (Poppy + Rose) – among others. She pioneers Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed’s giving back initiatives as well, coordinating meal donations to organizations across LA, supporting first responders, social justice causes, youth development programs, and more. She is active with local nonprofits, such as Brown Bag Lady, which provides meals to people experiencing homelessness in LA. In addition, she participated in the James Beard Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program in 2021, which is focused on empowering women food industry entrepreneurs and restaurant owners and is a member of Re:Her a non-profit with a mission to empower and advance all women identifying food and drink entrepreneurs by way of innovative platforms. In October 2022, Kwini Reed participated in the LA Chef Conference as a co-moderator of a panel on the future of restaurants and in 2023, Kwini and Michael Reed will open Poppy + Rose in San Pedro, offering casual brunch and a refined dinner menu.

Masters of Taste 2022 was a sold-out event that attracted over 3,000 guests and garnered media attention all throughout Southern California and beyond. The sixth annual Masters of Taste 2023 is also expected to bring over 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon to celebrate this exhilarating festival, which will include the finest fare from over 100 Culinary Masters and restaurants, delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters, top Beverage Masters who will be featuring signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and top cocktail bars, a premier 50-Yard-Line Cocktail Bar, select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment and much, much more. 

Some of this year’s Masters of Taste 2023 participating Culinary Masters and Restaurants include:

Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed 2023 Hosts Chef Michael Reed & Kwini Reed – Downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim

Angelenos’ Wood Fired Pizza Chef Carmen Samaniego – Los Angeles

Arth Bar + Kitchen Chef Mihir Lad – Culver City

Ayara Thai Chef Vanda Asapahu – Westchester

1212 Santa Monica Chef Luca Maita – Santa Monica

Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery Chef Thomas Kalb – Pasadena

Alexander’s Steakhouse Chef Richard Archuleta – Pasadena

Casa Cordoba Chef Rebelino Villalta – Montrose

Celestino Ristorante Chef Calogero Drago – Pasadena

Champion’s CURRY Chef Yoya Takahashi – Downtown Los Angeles

Chili John’s Chef Stephen Hager – Burbank

City Club Los Angeles Chef Victor Munoz – Downtown Los Angeles

Fat Boys Chef Michael Gray – Pasadena, Los Angeles

Gabi James Sarah Gabriele & Adam Aro – Redondo Beach

Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Machado – Anaheim, Long Beach

Great Maple Chef Scott Floyd – Pasadena, Anaheim, Newport Beach, San Diego

Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken – Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles

Hank’s Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades

Interstellar Chef Angie Kim – Santa Monica

La Bohéme Chef Atsushi Kenjo – West Hollywood

Lunasia Chef Lee Han Fu – Pasadena, Alhambra, Cerritos

Marlou Chef Louis Huh & Chef Marcos Spaziani – Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown

Mercado Chef Jose Acevedo – Hollywood, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica

Per L’Ora Chef Courtney Van Dyke – Downtown Los Angeles

Pez Cantina Chef Bret Thompson – Downtown Los Angeles

Ramen Tatsunoya Chef Ryuta Kajiwara – Pasadena, Silver Lake

Santuari Restaurant Chef Seth Greenburg – Toluca Lake

Smoke City Char Bar Chef George Huynh – Downtown Los Angeles

Soulmate Chef David Joyce – West Hollywood

Taishi Hainan Chicken Chef Theo Shio – Redondo Beach, Long Beach

The Green Room Chef Czarina Sico – Burbank

The Peppered Goat Chef JohnPaul Arabome – Van Nuys, Las Vegas

VCHOS Wendy Centeno – Los Angeles

West Side Bahn Mi/Street Kitchen Chef Jack Ourfalian – Los Angeles

World Empanadas Chef Matthew Hirtz – Burbank

Yardbird Chef Eduardo Osorio – Los Angeles

Yuca’s Restaurant Socorro “Mama Yuca’s” Herrera– Pasadena

Sweet Masters: A select group of Los Angeles Top Sweet Masters will showcase an assortment of delectable desserts such as Bertha Mae’s Brownies, handcrafted pudding from Better Together Sweets, Creamy Boys Ice Cream, plain funnel cake from Drizzle, custom cakes and desserts from Butter Cake Shoppe, French macarons and gourmet cookies from Etoile Filante Patisserie, I Like Pie Bakeshop, Läderach Chocolatier Suisse, deliciously scrumptious scratch baked custom cakes and cupcakes from Lark Cake Shop and Nothing Bundt Cakes, Nomad Ice Pops, Pazzo Gelato, Porto’s Bakery & Café, and more.

Some of this year’s participating Beverage Masters include:

Bars & Spirits: Some of L.A.’s top bartenders and cocktail bars will be creating first-rate craft cocktails and top brands showcasing their finest spirits at Masters of Taste will include Amaro Angeleno, Beam Suntory, Dulce Vida Tequila, Empress 1908 Gin, Knox & Dobson, Krafted Spirits, Maker’s Mark, Maple Block Liquor Bar, Mario’s Hard Espresso, Mezcal 33, Mi Piace, Neft Vodka, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, Qué Padre, Raicilla La Reina, Smoke Lab Vodka, Tequila Juegos Mexicanos, The Raymond 1886, Xoloitzcuintle Tequila, and  Woodford Reserve.

Brewmasters: Beverage Masters who specialize in barley and hops will be presenting top-notch ales, lagers, pilsners and more for guests to sample, sip and savor all throughout the event, including Southern California favorites 14 Cannons Brewing Co., L.A.’s All Season Brewing, Arrow Lodge Brewing, Arts District Brewing Company, Pasadena’s Cerveceria Del Pueblo, Downtown’s Homebound Brew Haus, Juneshine, Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Beer, LFG Seltzer, MacLeod Ale Brewing Co., Arcadia’s first Microbrewery Mt. Lowe Brewing Co.,Native Son LA, Over Town Brewing Co., San Fernando Brewing Co., andTarantula Hill Brewing Co.

Wineries and Sake: A specially curated collection of Wine and Sake Masters will be showcasing their finest varietals including Akagisan Sake, premium boutique winery Ascension Cellars, Bodegas de Santo Tomas, CRŪ Winery, Golden Star Vineyards, Hitching Post Wines, I Love Wine Collections, Moraga Bel Air Vineyards, Anderson Valley’s Navarro Vineyards, Sake High!, Tercero Wines, Veso Aperitifs, Vincola Casta de Vinos, Warson Wine Company, and more.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages: A variety of premium non-alcoholic Beverage Masters will also be on hand for those who wish to hydrate, caffeinate or regenerate with All Phenoms, Yerba Mate from Erva Brew Co., Humm Kombucha, fresh juices from Summit Juice Co., and boba milk tea from Sunright Tea Studio and Bearology, and more.

100% of the proceeds from Masters of Taste 2023 will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is celebrating its 50th anniversary of bringing neighbors home. Committed to providing permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives, Union Station works with unsheltered and very low-income adults and families across the San Gabriel Valley. Recently expanding  into El Sereno and Eagle Rock, Union Station Homeless Services is the lead County agency for Service Planning Area 3 (SPA 3), coordinating homeless services in 36 communities spanning from Pasadena to Pomona. Union Station Homeless Services’ mission is guided by the belief that everyone deserves a life of dignity and a place to call home. In the last five years Masters of Taste has raised over $2.7 Million in support of Union Station Homeless Services life-saving programs.

Masters of Taste 2023 is a 100% outdoor event. Additionally, all guests will be receiving their very own utensils and hand sanitizer to use throughout the event.

Mark your calendars and see you at the sixth annual Masters of Taste 2023!

Ticket Information: Masters of Taste 2023 will take place on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, and this is a 21+ event. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. For more information on Masters of Taste 2023, please visit www.MastersofTasteLA.com.

Transportation and Parking: Guests are encouraged to utilize car services – Lyft, Uber, Taxi, etc. – since this event does serve alcoholic beverages and is a 21+ and over event. Complimentary parking is also available at the Rose Bowl.

Follow Masters of Taste for the latest updates:

Facebook:   @MastersofTaste

Instagram:  @mastersoftaste

Masters of Taste Returns Introducing Chef Michael And Kwini Reed As 2023 Event Hosts Uniting L.A.’s Top Tastemakers Together to Sip, Savor & Celebrate On The Field of the Pasadena Rose Bowl Stadium Sunday, April 2nd, 2023

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(Los Angeles, CA): Come celebrate and be part of the sixth annual Masters of Taste, as L.A.’s premier outdoor, luxury food and beverage festival returns and will be taking place on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the Iconic Pasadena Rose Bowl. 100% of the proceeds will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a non-profit organization celebrating 50 years of providing homeless services and housing for thousands of neighbors.

Masters of Taste is introducing Chef Michael Reed and Kwini Reed as Hosts of Masters of Taste 2023 which also marks the 6th Anniversary of this celebrated event. Masters of Taste 2023 Culinary Master and Host Chef Michael Reed is a classically trained chef and restaurateur, who has spent 19 years as a chef for restaurants across New York and Los Angeles. Today, Chef Reed is the co-owner and Executive Chef behind two Los Angeles restaurants, Poppy + Rose of Downtown Los Angeles, and Anaheim’s Poppy & Seed. In addition to the two concepts, Chef Reed and his wife and co-owner, Kiini Reed also run an upscale catering company, Root of All Food. 

Born and raised in Oxnard, California, Chef Michael Reed comes from a family with a passion for food. Thanks to his parents, Michael grew up around the barbeque and the smell of fresh, home-made pies. His family cooked every day, pulling ingredients straight from the garden which went on to inspire Michael’s passion for food and hospitality. After starting down a collegiate path that was separated from the food industry at University of Santa Barbara, a track injury prompted Michael’s decision to make a change. Months later, Michael was enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in New York. While in culinary school, Michael Reed cooked at The Modern, the acclaimed restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. After graduating in 2008, Reed returned to Southern California and worked at David Myer’s Michelin-star rated Sona, as well Xiomara per a recommendation from Nancy Silverton at the age of 26. In 2011, Chef Reed and Kwini Reed jointly created high-end catering company, Root of All Food which specializes in high-end boutique catering, in-home cooking and events, and catering to Southern California. Some of Root to All Food’s previous clients have included Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, The W Hotel, and Sugar Ray Leonard. During the summer of 2014, Reed opened DTLA brunch darling, Poppy + Rose, a restaurant that specializes in classic American diner-fare made from scratch with a seasonal menu. He owns the restaurant alongside his wife, Kwini Reed. In 2021, Poppy & Seed opened, branching more upscale service and cuisine in a modern greenhouse setting. Located in the Anaheim Packing District, Poppy & Seed totes a menu of refined American fare.

Host Kwini Reed is a Southern California native, wife, mother, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of brunch restaurant, Poppy + Rose in Downtown, Los Angeles, Anaheim dining destination, Poppy & Seed, and upscale catering company, Root of All Foods with husband and chef of these concepts, Michael Reed. Kwini Reed comes from a large family that values community, generosity, and a strong work ethic – traits that have helped her succeed in her career and personal endeavors. A graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, she now has over a decade of experience in business, finance, and human resource management, having worked at companies throughout LA, including The Standard Hotel, Band of Gypsies, and Brandy Melville USA. In her current day-to-day, she oversees operations of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Food managing finances, strategizing new concepts for the restaurant, spearheading collaborations, and more. She and Michael Reed have received numerous accolades for these concepts, including Orange Coast Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” (Poppy & Seed); and CBS Los Angeles’ “Best All-Day Breakfast Restaurants in LA” (Poppy + Rose) – among others. She pioneers Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed’s giving back initiatives as well, coordinating meal donations to organizations across LA, supporting first responders, social justice causes, youth development programs, and more. She is active with local nonprofits, such as Brown Bag Lady, which provides meals to people experiencing homelessness in LA. In addition, she participated in the James Beard Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program in 2021, which is focused on empowering women food industry entrepreneurs and restaurant owners and is a member of Re:Her a non-profit with a mission to empower and advance all women identifying food and drink entrepreneurs by way of innovative platforms. In October 2022, Kwini Reed participated in the LA Chef Conference as a co-moderator of a panel on the future of restaurants and in 2023, Kwini and Michael Reed will open Poppy + Rose in San Pedro, offering casual brunch and a refined dinner menu.

Masters of Taste 2022 was a sold-out event that attracted over 3,000 guests and garnered media attention all throughout Southern California and beyond. The sixth annual Masters of Taste 2023 is also expected to bring over 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon to celebrate this exhilarating festival, which will include the finest fare from over 100 Culinary Masters and restaurants, delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters, top Beverage Masters who will be featuring signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and top cocktail bars, a premier 50-Yard-Line Cocktail Bar, select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment and much, much more. 

100% of the proceeds from Masters of Taste 2023 will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is celebrating its 50th anniversary of bringing neighbors home. Committed to providing permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives, Union Station works with unsheltered and very low-income adults and families across the San Gabriel Valley. Recently expanding  into El Sereno and Eagle Rock, Union Station Homeless Services is the lead County agency for Service Planning Area 3 (SPA 3), coordinating homeless services in 36 communities spanning from Pasadena to Pomona. Union Station Homeless Services’ mission is guided by the belief that everyone deserves a life of dignity and a place to call home. In the last five years Masters of Taste has raised over $2.7 Million in support of Union Station Homeless Services life-saving programs.

Masters of Taste 2023 is a 100% outdoor event. Additionally, all guests will be receiving their very own utensils and hand sanitizer to use throughout the event.

Mark your calendars and save-the-date for the return of the sixth annual Masters of Taste 2023!

Ticket Information: Masters of Taste 2023 will take place on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, and this is a 21+ event. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets went on sale Monday, January 2nd, 2023. For more information on Masters of Taste 2023, please visit www.MastersofTasteLA.com.

Garagiste Wine Festival Returns to Santa Ynez Valley: February 10th and 11th

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PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – America’s Best Wine Festival, The Garagiste Wine Festival, returns to Solvang in Santa Ynez Valley on February 10th – 11th, offering rare access to over 30 of the most exciting small-production winemakers from the Santa Barbara County area. Tickets are now on sale here. Following on the heels of another sold-out year of events, the festival also announced its line-up for 2023, which includes Sonoma, Los Angeles and Paso Robles.

Hosted in Solvang, one of America’s 10 Best Small Historic Towns, for the ninth time, ‘Southern Exposure’ will be held at the landmark Mission-style Veterans’ Memorial Hall on Solvang’s Mission Street, which was named one of the US’ Top Ten Best Looking Main Streets.

“This charming town has a special place in our hearts, not least because it is at the center of some of the best winemaking in the world, but also because it is a beautiful and walkable place to spend a weekend –all while tasting over 150 ultra-premium, handcrafted small-lot production wines, and meeting their winemakers, under one roof,” said Doug Minnick, Garagiste Festival Co-founder.

2023 ‘Southern Exposure’ includes Garagiste’s Friday night signature “Rare & Reserve” tasting with a traditional Santa Maria-style BBQ dinner buffet on February 10th and the Grand Tasting on Saturday February 11th, which includes a Silent Auction filled with first-rate wine packages that benefit The Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Weekend Pass holders have entry into both events, along with lunch and a special Valentine’s Day treat. Sunday, February 12th is the popular Garagiste Passport Day, during which several participating wineries – including some “Garagiste Graduate” wineries who have poured with Garagiste in past, but have grown larger in over the years – will be offering special treats and discounts for Garagiste Festival attendees.

“We love our Solvang event,” continued Minnick. “The Vet’s Hall is right in the heart of the village and makes for a fantastic casual weekend of walking the town, seeing the sights, and enjoying the many restaurants, shops, and all that Solvang has to offer. It’s a great way to get a jump on celebrating with your Valentine. And Sunday’s Passport Day is a perfect excuse to take an extra day and night in town. Call in sick if you have to – we always do!”

Southern Exposure starts the 2023 Garagiste Festival season which will bring hundreds of new wine discoveries from across California to wine lovers in Solvang, Paso Robles, Sonoma and Los Angeles. Of the nearly 200 wineries showcased by the festival in 2022, 45 were new to the festival. The 2023 line-up, in addition to Solvang, includes: Garagiste ‘Northern Exposure’ in Sonoma (April 29), Garagiste ‘Urban Exposure’ in Los Angeles (June 17) and the ‘OG’ Festival in Paso Robles (November 10-11).

The Garagiste Festival premiered in Paso Robles in 2011 and is the only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers. Unlike other festivals, the wines are poured by the winemakers/owners themselves, offering a rare opportunity to interact with the creative forces behind the wines, while making brand new wine discoveries. The festival expanded to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2013 to highlight the wines of Santa Barbara County and surrounding AVAs, as well as small production wineries from across California.

The 30+ winemakers scheduled to pour at the Garagiste Festival Southern Exposure include: 
Camin’s 2 Dream, Costa Vinedo*, Cypher Winery, Diablo Paso, Dusty Nabor Wines, Entourage Wines, Fuil Wines*, Greyscale Wiines, Hayseed and Housdon, Herrmann York Wine*, Imagine Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Kimsey Vineyard, Lepiane Wines, LePoidevin Cellars, Lions Peak Winery, MCV Wines, Montagne Russe, Montemar Winery, Pine Moutain Vineyards, RF Fine Wines, Seven Oxen Estate, Silver Wines, Steinbeck Vineyards, Sycamore Ranch, Tercero Wines, Tomi Cellars, Trixon Wine Company.*

*New Wineries

For more information and full Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure schedule details, go to: http://www.garagistefestival.com/

Tickets are limited for Garagiste Festival Southern Exposure. Garagiste Festivals always sell out in advance. To buy tickets, go to: https://www.my805tix.com/e/garagiste-solvang

For breaking Garagiste Festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt, at https://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Sponsors include: 
Bank of Marin, Digital Dogma, ETS Laboratories, Farm Credit West, Fortis Solutions Group, G3, Glenn Burdette, Laffort, mWEBB Communications, Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang, TricorBraun winepak, Vinland Hotel & Lounge, WIVI.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival 
The Garagiste (pronounced garage-east)Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries 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 Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was 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.

Garagiste (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.

Ten cocktail and wine trends in the US unveiled by Southern Glazer’s

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MIAMI and DALLAS —Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer’s) — the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol — has unveiled the results of its 2022 Liquid Insights Tour, a coast-to-coast educational initiative designed to explore and identify the latest trends in cocktails and wine. The Liquid Insights Tour kicked off in Houston in February, and included stops in Kansas City, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago and Los Angeles. Over the course of 111 days, Brian Masilionis, Director, On-Premise Commercial Strategy & National Accounts for Southern Glazer’s, led a team of its industry-leading mixologists to sample more than 400 drinks in 83 of the hottest restaurants, bars and hotels, compiling their insights to discover emerging cocktail and wine trends across the U.S.

Analyzing industry data and gathering insights within the beverage industry has long been a practice of Southern Glazer’s, where it is used for internal education and training of the company’s sales force and its accounts. Now, through the Liquid Insights Tour, Southern Glazer’s is sharing its findings more broadly to help a hospitality industry still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, and to excite consumers about wine and cocktail innovation being driven by a new generation of diverse bartenders, sommeliers and beverage professionals. 

“Our driving purpose for conducting the Liquid Insights Tour was to uncover innovative beverage trends and experiences across the country to ensure Southern Glazer’s continues to have the most knowledgeable sales consultants in the industry,” said Masilionis. “Throughout the tour, we evaluated the complete on-premise experience by examining product offerings, pricing, promotional approach, people, service and process.” 

The conclusions from this tour, coupled with Southern Glazer’s world-class wine and spirits portfolio, creates a leading wine and cocktail experience, with best-in-class customer service from coast to coast, for restaurants, bars, hotels and other on-premise venues. 

Top 10 Trends Revealed

Analysis of the findings of the Liquid Insights Tour revealed that top trends fell into three distinct categories: cocktail trends, wine trends, and presentation/execution trends.

Top cocktail insights:

  1. Uncommon Combinations: Bartenders were mixing spirits not commonly used together to create new and interesting cocktail flavor profiles such as Scotch and corn liqueur, rum and cognac, and gin and mezcal.
  2. Beyond Basic Balancers: The team found many cocktails that were made using an innovative variety of methods or modifiers to balance the drink or add layers of flavor. These included the use of acids; sugars and syrups; salt; herbs and spices; coffee and tea; and the use of fats beyond animal fats. Adding ice or heat, like with stamped ice or smoked ice, was also common.
  3. Caffeinated Comeback: Once the darling of the 90s bar scene, the Espresso Martini took center stage as the standout cocktail of the tour. Around the country, mixologists are giving new life into this classic, incorporating a variety of creative ingredients such as amaro and coffee liqueurs or brandy with espresso or cold brew.
  4. Sophisticated and Spirit-Free: Non-alcoholic offerings at the country’s top bars, restaurants and hotels are now just as elevated, delicious, and pricey as their alcoholic counterparts, featuring similar ingredients, flavors and presentations just without alcohol.

Top wine insights:

  1. Bubbly Is Popping: Champagne and sparkling wines continue to climb in popularity on drink menus. Throughout the tour, more sparkling options were available by-the-glass and had a more prominent presence on top wine lists. In addition, bartenders are mixing sparkling wine of all styles and prices into their cocktails to add effervescence, crispness or sweetness to the experience.
  2. Wines Chill Out: Chilled selections of red and sweet wines appeared on menus across the U.S. Orange wines also appeared more frequently than ever before, often presented on menus in a combined rosé and orange section. 
  3. Tempting Trial With By-The-Glass & Premium Half-Bottles: Curated by-the-glass (BTG) options are becoming more diverse and more balanced between domestic and international offerings than in the past. There is also a growing trend in wines priced to sell with good value in either BTG or by-the-bottle formats to drive more orders and not just high margins.

Top execution and presentation insights:

  1. Batching for Speed and Service: Top bartenders continue to innovate around batching their cocktails, including both partial (batching only non-perishable items) and full batching, driven by the need for speed and to improve quality and consistency in cocktail preparation, which allows for more time to connect with guests.
  2. Entertaining Experience Enhancements: Adding “flair” to the cocktail experience with the use of vapors, “air,” smoke or torch; the use of unique glassware; or the return of communal drinks to be shared; all are creating memorable moments for consumers.
  3. Meaningful Menu Innovations: Restaurants and bars are evolving their menus beyond being a functional tool to improve the consumer experience. The team saw great storytelling, unique categorizations and humorous names paired with detailed drink descriptions. QR codes, which rose in popularity due to COVID-19, are now being used to deliver broader offerings and information – from curated, account-specific Spotify playlists to ever-changing allocated spirit offerings, all of which can be updated easily without needing to reprint menus.

Factors Influencing Trends

Backed by industry data and Southern Glazer’s internal insights, Masilionis and his team identified several key factors that are influencing these trends. These include an aging population, demographic and ethnic diversification of the U.S., a preference for health and wellness among consumers, and ongoing ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting the hospitality industry.

“These unique insights can be incorporated into any on-premise business to build greater success through strategic and innovative beverage programs,” said Masilionis. “Identifying which insights are relevant to your business and how to incorporate them using creative themes, highlighting seasonal ingredients, and tailoring cocktail and wine offerings to the demographics of your guests are all strong strategies. We continue to see the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout this industry segment, in terms of effects on the work force and on the consumers returning for the on-premise experience. We’re excited to offer these insights to help speed the recovery from the pandemic and make this segment stronger and more consumer-focused than ever.”

For more information, visit the Liquid Insights Tour resource page at  www.southernglazers.com/Liquid-Insights.

Education Program Announced for Western Foodservice Expo and Coffee Fest LA

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LOS ANGELES, CA, August 10, 2022 – Dozens of food & beverage education session led by leading subject matter experts will be offered at this month’s Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffee Fest Los Angeles taking place August 28-30, 2022 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  The education is part of the Food & Beverage Academy offering unprecedented access to the full scope of hospitality-based education for restaurants, foodservice, specialty beverage, and café owners. The brand-new Education Summits will focus on the most important issues including business solutions, marketing tips, operational efficiency and staffing solutions in tracks for all segments of the industry – from independent owners to chains to specialty coffee and tea. 

“We are thrilled to be bringing California restaurant, foodservice, specialty beverage and café owners back together for these two trade shows and conferences and to provide a strong education program, through our new Food & Beverage Academy which will feature dozens of subject matter experts discussing the most important topics facing the industry,” said Rita Ugianskis, Vice President, Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. “During the three-day event, attendees will have access to four new Education Summits, Workshops, Coffee Fest Education, special presentations on Center Stage, workshops, and much more.” 

The four new Education Summits will focus on staying on top of trends from inventory management and pricing; to strategizing how to keep customers coming back and staffing, hiring, and training. A few of the sessions that will be part of the Independent Operator Summit will be The Secret to Creating a Franchisable Restaurant Concept, The Way to Profitability Starts with a Sustainable Mindset, and Legal Center Live, presented by the California Restaurant Association (CRA). Click here for the full program.  

The Multi-Unit and chain Operator Summit will offer insight from subject matter experts on in-house vs. third party delivery, ghost and virtual kitchens, how to leverage customer data, sourcing and retaining talent, and more. Sessions will include The Big Pivot: Full-Service Restaurant Adds Market & Direct-to-Customer Wine & Whiskey, US Supreme Court Important PAGA Case Decision, and Menu to the Max: Creative Approaches to Menu Development. Click here for the full program.  

Foodservice and dining pose a number of challenges that differ from a traditional restaurant. The Foodservice Summit, sponsored by US Foods, will address micro-markets or menu variety, foodservice or dietary needs feeding those in educational, medical, or corporate dining environments. Session will include Top 10 Leadership Traits in Hospitality, Leasing Restaurant Space – Negotiate to Win, and How to Build a Successful Beverage Program. Click here for the full program.  

Navigating today’s technology landscape – from mobile payments to delivery and ghost kitchens, AI and machine learning, and more, is a challenge for everyone in the hospitality industry. Hear from leading technology experts in the Technology Summit, with sessions focused on: Virtual Brands: Are They Worth the Hype?, The State of Foodservice Technology and Turning Vendors into Partners: Considerations for Selecting Technology. Click here for the full program.  

Attendees will have access to over 20 free seminars within Coffee Fest LA designed for Owner/Operators, Roasters, Baristas and New Start Ups as well as 30 paid workshops covering Business Operations Roasting & Green Coffee and Skills Training. Speed-session style education will take place on the trade show floor in the Conversation Corner sponsored by Odeko and the Business Building Essentials by DCS and Barista 22. For details on specific seminars, workshops and education only at Coffee Fest Los Angeles can be found at https://www.coffeefest.com/los-angeles/coffee-fest-la-education. 

In addition, the Western Foodservice Expo has partnered with the San Francisco Wine School to host a special session on Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training in conjunction with the California Restaurant Association on Tuesday, August 30 from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. Responsible Beverage Service training educates persons seeking employment or who are currently employed as servers of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption. It aims to provide servers the necessary skills to responsibly serve alcoholic beverages and mitigate alcohol-related harm in California communities. San Francisco Wine School is one of only 10 in-person providers authorized to train throughout this state. To learn more about the Responsible Beverage Service Training Act and complete the mandatory RBS Training by the Aug 31, 2022 deadline, click here.

Register for the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffee Fest Los Angeles before August 27 to receive advance admission pricing to both events and all free education sessions. Workshops are $99 if purchased prior to the August 27. On-site rates are $129 per workshop. The trade show and conference will take place Sunday, August 28 through Tuesday, August 30 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. 

The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo is owned by Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association. Clarion Events (us.clarionevents.com) produces 37 events across thirteen sectors of both trade and consumer events. The Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group also includes the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of Western, Coffee Fest and The NGA Show.  Clarion Events acquired PennWell in early 2018, bringing 4 Tradeshow 200 events into the U.S. portfolio and super-charging the already rapid growth. Clarion Events has offices in Trumbull, CT; Kennesaw, GA; Boca Raton, FL; Tacoma, WA, and Fairlawn, NJ.

Seven In-Depth Workshops Added to Western Foodservice Expo Education Program

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Seven educational workshops, created to focus on the topics restaurateurs and foodservice professionals have said are most important to their business, have been added to the education offerings at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo. The workshops will provide actionable solutions and ideas, from industry subject matter experts focused on battling inflation, negotiating leases, marketing, winning talent, customer loyalty, starting a restaurant, and improving customer service. The Food & Beverage Academy will run from Sunday, August 28 through Tuesday, August 30 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and feature 50 free education sessions. In addition, these in-depth workshops are $99 each and focus on the following:  

  • The Restaurant Inflation Battle Plan (Sunday, August 28 from 11:30 am -1:30 pm) Donald Burns, Founder & CEO, The Restaurant Coach™, will provide restauranteurs with valuable insight on how to analyze financials to identify where inflation is hitting the hardest. Attendees will learn how to develop a pricing strategy, balance quality and affordability, adjust a menu to maximize profit, and implement operational efficiencies. Click here for session details.
  • Negotiating Restaurant Tenant Leases (Sunday, August 28 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm) Dale Willerton, The Lease Coach, will offer a deep dive into the process of negotiating restaurant leases. This session is ideal for both new startup tenants negotiating their first lease, multi-unit restaurant owners and lease renewal tenants hurt by the pandemic needing a rent reduction. Session attendees will receive a complimentary autographed book Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals FOR DUMMIES by Dale Willerton. Click here for details.
  • A Five Step Framework for Marketing any Restaurant (Monday, August 29 from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm) Chip Klose, Restaurant Coach & Host of the Restaurant Strategy Podcast will provide a simple 5-step framework for marketing any restaurant in any market in the world. Learn more about a restaurant and their customer base and discover what it is customers want and how a restaurant is uniquely qualified to deliver it to them. Come out of the session with a new way of thinking about a business, and with a better strategy for growth. Click here for session details. 
  • Interviewing and Selecting Winning Talent (Monday, August 29 from 12:45 – 1:45 pm) Bill Wagner, CEO, Accord Management Systems will provide practical, easy-to-use tools to help assess candidates more objectively. The focus is on behavior-based interviewing, which has been shown to be three to five times more effective than the traditional interview. This program will provide models to improve promotions, teamwork, and employee development. Participants will learn how to determine critical behaviors and interview questions, use past behavior as a future predictor, conduct legally defensible interviews, link reference checks to critical job behaviors, and get beyond the canned responses of the well-coached candidate. Click here for details.
  • Building Customer Loyalty Through Email Marketing (Monday, August 29 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm). Elizabeth Jacobi, Founder, MochaBear Marketing will teach how to create a successful email marketing program for restaurants, hospitality, and food service businesses. She will cover: how to get started, basic best practices, how to utilize POS data to drive repeat business, acquisition best practices, what makes a successful email marketing campaign, and quick B2B email marketing tips. Walk away with a solid understanding of acquiring, connecting, and retaining loyal customers through email marketing. Click here for details.
  • Starting a Successful Restaurant – The Non-Negotiables (Monday, August 29 from 3:15 – 4:15 pm) Doug Radkey, President and Project Manager, KRG Hospitality Inc., will go over the general requirements, costs, mindset, characteristics, and strategy plans needed to start a successful brand in this industry. Learn the five key characteristics needed to win in today’s environment, the self-assessment needed to complete to prepare for the journey ahead, and the systems and strategy plans that are 100 percent non-negotiable. Click here for details.
  • Talk is Cheap: How to Deliver Better Customer Service Experiences That Multiply Loyal Customers Word of Mouth Referrals (Tuesday, August 30 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm) Jesse Good, Customer Relationship Expert, Jesse B. Good. Talk is Cheap is an entertaining, educational, and engaging experience that teaches specific actions for building a word-of-mouth customer service strategy. Loaded with real-life examples, current research, and successes (and failures) learned from serving more than one million customers, this workshop offers keys for designing remarkable experiences. Click here for details.

 In addition to these workshops the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffee Fest Los Angeles will showcase hundreds of leading vendors, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, demonstrating and sampling the newest food products, technology and equipment for the restaurant, foodservice, specialty beverage and hospitality markets. Attendees will also have access to the brand-new Food & Beverage Academy, offering program tracks for all segments of the industry – from independent owners to chains to specialty coffee and tea – offering more than 50 complimentary educational sessions included with show admission.   

Registration is now open at www.westernfoodexpo.com with early bird rates available until July 26th Each workshop is $99 if purchased prior to the August 27. On-site rates are $129 per workshop.  The trade show and conference will take place Sunday, August 28 through Tuesday, August 30. The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo is owned by Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association. 

Clarion Events (us.clarionevents.com) produces 37 events across thirteen sectors of both trade and consumer events. The Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group also includes the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, Coffee Fest and The NGA Show.  Clarion Events acquired PennWell in early 2018, bringing 4 Tradeshow 200 events into the U.S. portfolio and super-charging the already rapid growth. Clarion Events has offices in Trumbull, CT; Kennesaw, GA; Boca Raton, FL; Tacoma, WA, and Fairlawn, NJ.

Knox and Dobson Introduces Superior Ready-To-Drink Bottled Cocktails 

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(Los Angeles, CA) – Knox & Dobson toasts to their new collection of premium ready-to-drink bottled cocktails that are expertly designed to be shared with friends, so simply Open, Pour, and Enjoy!

Knox & Dobson’s new bottled cocktail collection was meticulously curated with an uncompromising commitment to excellence in quality, craftsmanship, and taste by Knox & Dobson President Rob Levy and Creative Director Peter Lloyd Jones (The Raymond 1886, Everson Royce Bar) who heads Knox & Dobson’s formulation and product development. Featuring a gin Martini, classic Old Fashioned, Improved Whiskey Cocktail with Maraska Maraschino Liqueur, and Rye Manhattan, Knox & Dobson uses the highest quality ingredients including hand-selected barrel aged whiskey, distilled gin, natural cane sugar, and authentic Angostura Bitters. From the award-winning design of the bottle, these superior bottled cocktails were solely created so expertly handcrafted cocktails could be shared and effortlessly enjoyed anywhere.

“Our mission was to create a collection of cocktails that were equal in taste and quality to those freshly crafted by a skilled bartender. Peter Lloyd Jones was the best choice, and I can’t imagine working with anyone better, “ says Levy. “Pete was Head Barman at 1886 Bar at The Raymond and he was also behind the stick at Everson Royce Bar for several years, so his experience is invaluable, and his passion and creativity make him the perfect partner at Knox & Dobson.”

Levy’s upbringing in Skokie, Illinois, at Knox Avenue and Dobson Street is where Levy spent most of his adolescence in the ‘60s and 70’s hanging out “on the corner” with neighborhood kids who remain lifelong friends. Knox & Dobson is as much an elevated on-the-go craft beverage experience as it is a distillation of hometown pride and a love of bringing people together.

Each Knox & Dobson bottled cocktail is 200 milliliters and features two servings. Whether you are a classic Martini drinker (34% ABV), this is a take on the classic combining gin with dry vermouth to create a flavor profile of an aromatic gin martini that is slightly earthy and refreshing to drink. Lloyd Jones recommends serving this cocktail up or over ice, garnished with olives. Old Fashioned aficionados (38% ABV) can savor this cocktail which consists of straight aged bourbon, natural cane sugar, orange oil and Angostura Bitters with tastes of aged bourbon with bright citrus flavors, bitters, raw cinnamon, clove, and American oak. The Improved Whiskey Cocktail (35.42% ABV) – made with straight aged rye whiskey, Maraska Maraschino Liqueur and Angostura bitters – has a spiced flavor profile combined with American oak, citrus, along with bright and deep cherry notes. This is a whiskey cocktail that is meant to be sipped and savored. Finally, the Rye Manhattan (36% ABV) is made with straight aged rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters. The tantalizing pairing of the aged whiskey combined with the aromatic Italian-style vermouth creates a spice, citrus and charred oakwood profile that will have anyone asking for another round.

Who’s ready for happy hour? And, if your go-to cocktail isn’t on the menu just yet, don’t worry. The Knox & Dobson bar cart will be rolling this Summer with more cocktails on the way and no shortage of inspiration. Knox & Dobson’s new collection of superior bottled cocktails are best served chilled or over ice and each cocktail features two servings, perfect for sharing, so simply chill, Open, Pour, and Enjoy!

Knox & Dobson is available for delivery anywhere Nationwide, so visit www.KnoxandDobson to order your new favorite bottled cocktails today. Knox & Dobson is now available at 15 Total Wine & More California stores – Brea, Daly City, Long Beach, Northridge, Pasadena, Rancho Cucamonga, Redondo Beach, Roseville, San Diego, San Jose, San Mateo, San Ramon, Temecula, Thousand Oaks, Tustin and soon to be in all 28 Total Wine & More California stores; Bristol Farms South Pasadena and soon to be in all 14 Bristol Farms California stores; Bar Keeper Los Angeles; Cypress Liquor Los Angeles; Everson Royce Bar Pasadena; Gerlach’s Pasadena; Highland Park Wine; K&L Wine Merchants in Los Angeles and San Francisco; and The Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. To see the full list of locations, please visit Knox & Dobson’s Find a Stockist.

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About Knox & Dobson:

Knox & Dobson crafts premium, ready-to-drink cocktails expertly designed to be shared and enjoyed anywhere. Our multi-award-winning bottled cocktails are made with an uncompromising commitment to excellence in quality, craftsmanship, and taste, featuring the highest quality ingredients including premium barrel-aged whiskies, Maraska Maraschino Liqueur, and authentic Angostura Bitters. Whether you’re a classic Martini drinker, Old Fashioned aficionado, Rye Manhattan enthusiast, or searching for the perfect Improved Whiskey Cocktail, serve Knox & Dobson’s bottled cocktails chilled or over ice and discover the pleasure of true craft cocktails created to simply open, pour, and enjoy. That’s something we can all toast to!

Knox & Dobson Awards:

Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) Gold Medal – Knox & Dobson Old Fashioned 2022

Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) Silver Medal – Knox & Dobson Improved Whiskey Cocktail 2022

Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) Bronze Medal – Knox & Dobson Martini 2022

San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) Silver Medal – Knox & Dobson Old Fashioned 2022

San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) Silver Medal – Knox & Dobson Improved Whiskey Cocktail 2022

San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) Silver Medal – Knox & Dobson Gin Martini 2022

San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) Bronze Medal – Knox & Dobson Rye Manhattan 2022

San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) Silver Medal – Knox & Dobson Bottled Craft Cocktails. Designer: Knox & Dobson 2022

Photo Credit:  Jakob N. Layman

Social Media:  Follow Knox & Dobson on Facebook @KnoxandDobson and Instagram @knoxanddobson

Knox & Dobson

www.KnoxandDobson

Art Beyond The Glass 2022 Has Returned – Celebrating Their 10th Anniversary!

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Another annual event we’ve missed is Art Beyond the Glass where local teams of bartenders show their talents, with the help of some amazing spirit sponsors, in LA’s only killer daytime cocktail party with live music, art and food! This year’s event was held at Catch One nightclub in Los Angeles, and who wouldn’t love to party in a nightclub in the daytime? Too much fun!

Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG) was founded in 2011 by Daniel Djang and Zahra Bates as a special event for bartenders to showcase their artistic talents when they’re not behind the bar. From cocktails to paintings, photography, live music, DJs, spoken word and more, ABTG is a celebration of bartender artistry inside and beyond the glass. Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based nonprofit – to date, ABTG has donated more than $210,000 to these vital community organizations.

What We Discovered

If you just want the story in photos and videos go here. This is what we enjoyed the most: the bartender teams this year really outdid themselves, there was a foggy tent with even foggier-seeming bartenders from Empirical Spirits, the Fernet Branca people made several cocktails – I liked the Pink Negroni – and also cheerfully offered to water gun drinks directly down your gullet; the Drifter Cocktail Company/Drifter Spirits table was set up like an airport check in complete with a TSA agent, boarding passes and a computer to order your cocktail; SelvaRey Rum was poured through an ice sculpture filled with fruits, bottles and cans, before the drink landed in your ice filled glass; then the Birds and Bees booth, sponsored by Patron and Grey Goose, served Espresso Martinis to Vespers in mini Martini glasses, with lots of fruity concoctions in between.

Taking a break between drinks there was plenty of framed art and a silent auction to peruse, guests partaking in karaoke, and live bands in the multi-level venue. Also munched on fresh pizza, empanadas and street corn.

Going back to sample (or just look at) more drinks I enjoyed the bourbon and rye from San Francisco-based Bespoken Spirits; a popular “Jack Daniel’s Stage”; from the “Disco Sucks Forever” group I sampled their Fizzy Melon Disco Balls with Ford’s Gin at its base; the “Hymns” table had Bib and Tucker and Redemption whisky-based drinks served up by a priestly bartender; the Diplomatico Rum group made popular pineapple, passion fruit and coconut Mojitos; Johnnie Walker had their “high rye” blended scotch whiskey on hand; Chareau, an aloe-based liqueur, was very popular; Amaro Montenegro in Italian inspired light libations; the “Outta This World” table made a fine Makers 46 based cocktail and more;  Mulholland Spirits served up a fruity snow cone with their whisky, vodka or gin at its base; I loved the Americano made with Noilly Prat Rouge Vermouth and Topo Chico – and a huge shout out to Topo Chico for supplying lots of icy cool mineral water to keep guests hydrated and drinks cool.

Sponsors

Patron, Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire, Beam Suntory, SelvaRey, Fernet-Branca, Garrison Brothers, Illegal, Jägermeister, Back Bar Project, Bespoken Spirits, Bond & Royal, Callisto, Chareau, Chinola, CNI Brands, Copalli, Cutwater, Diplomatico, Dirty Sue, Dos Hombres, Drifter Spirits, Fords Gin, Gray Whale, Haus, Hera the Dog, Herradura, Johnnie Walker, KIN, Liquid Alchemist, Mulholland Spirits, Redemption, Slane, Silvergrin, Spiribam, Tanteo, Three Spirits, Woodford Reserve, Yola, Amaro Montenegro, Eastern Imperial Mixers, Livewire, OM Chocolate Liqueur, Select Aperitivo, Topo Chico and Ventura Spirits.

This year’s teams can be seen in single posts here: https://www.facebook.com/ArtBeyondTheGlass

http://www.artbeyondtheglass.com/

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

Eve Picks: Garagiste Wine Festival Returns to Glendale with 40+ Wineries On July 22nd and 23rd

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America’s Best Wine Festival [1], The Garagiste Wine Festival, returns to LA July 22nd and 23rd with a dynamic line-up of over 40 of some of the best micro-production ‘garagiste’ wineries from across California, including Santa Barbara County, Paso Robles, Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Los Angeles. Events include a Friday evening Rare and Reserve party and a tasting seminar on ancient winemaking techniques made modern. All events take place at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. Tickets on sale here.

“We are excited to be back in Southern California with another slate of remarkable and innovative wineries from almost every California AVA,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure offers one of the most unique wine discovery opportunities available in the LA area. Most of these wineries do not have tasting rooms, and you will never find them on supermarket shelves, but you will find them all under one spacious roof in Glendale this July. You’ll be able to taste a wide range of California wine country’s hidden, and one-of-a-kind, gems right in your backyard. And all for considerably less than the cost of gas for a trip to wine country.”

Dubbed “tasting nirvana,” “strange and wondrous,” and “one not to miss” by the LA Times, the Garagiste Festival showcases under-the-radar, innovative, commercial winemakers who handcraft 1500 cases or less of wine and is renowned for its diversity of wines, renegade spirit, passionate winemakers, handcrafted wines and rules-breaking, ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos.

Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure is Los Angeles’ only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers and, unlike other festivals, the wines are poured by the winemakers/owners themselves, offering a rare opportunity to interact with the creative forces behind the wines, while making brand new wine discoveries.

The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure kicks off on Friday night July 22nd at 6:30 pm with the “No Repeats Rare and Reserve” party, an exclusive and intimate event (only 200 tickets available) that showcases over 50 extremely limited Club Only, Library and Pre-Release bottles, as well as some barrel samples. The event includes a taco buffet from Ibarra Catering and Eating.

Saturday’s festivities begin at 11:30am for VIP ticketholders with “Ancient Techniques in Modern Times,” a tasting seminar moderated by Garagiste Festival co-founder Stewart McLennan and featuring Nathan DeCamps of Innate Wines and Greg LaFollette of La Follette Wines. The seminar takes attendees on an exploration of ancient fermentation and aging techniques used by winemakers today to create expressive and distinctive wines.

“What is old is new again … and this seminar proves that with tastings of delicious wines vinified with techniques inspired by the past,” said Minnick. “Many of these techniques are labor-intensive and time-consuming, relying on a true ‘hands-on-every-barrel’ approach that typifies Garagiste winemaking. As with all Garagiste events, ‘Ancient Techniques in Modern Times’ is a fantastic opportunity for our attendees to taste, learn and have fun, all at the same time.”

Saturday’s main event, The Grand Tasting, starts at 2:00pm (1:00pm for early access ticket holders) and features over 40 winemakers pouring 150+ wines and 20+ grape varieties. Complimentary cheese and charcuterie will be provided, along with food samples from local artisan vendors, bottled water and a souvenir Stolzle crystal wine glass.

All events take place at Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 North Verdugo Road, Glendale, CA. There is plenty of onsite parking and easy access from the 134 and 210 freeways

Among the over 40 winemakers pouring at The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure 2022 are:
Acri Wine Co.*, Alms Sol Winery, Amrita Cellars, Arianna Wines, Boonville Road Wines, Bushong Vintage Wine Co., Caelesta Vineyard*, DENO Wines, Dusty Nabor Wines, Etnyre Wines, Ferguson Family Wines, Forgotten Union Wines, Greyscale Wines, Intent Wines*, Kaleidos Winery, Light of Day Winery*, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, Murder Ridge, Omega Road Winery*, Optio Vineyards*, Pine Mountain Vineyards, Prima Materia*, Purple Dragon Cellars, Rails Nap Wines, RF Fine Wines, San Rucci Winery, Seven Oxen Estate, Terre et Sang, Tomi Cellars*, Topophilia Wines*, Trois le Fou*, Turiya Wines, Two Papas Wines, Wander Must Wine, Wildflower Winery* and Zobeto Wines*.

*First Time Garagiste Participants

Tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. Tickets are available here.

For breaking Garagiste Festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt, at https://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Sponsors include:
Bank of Marin, Cabot Cheese, Digital Dogma, ETS, Farm Credit West, Glenn Burdette, G3, Laffort, mWEBB Communications, Vinebase, WIVI. For sponsorship info, email info(at)garagistefestival.com.
The non-profit Garagiste Festivals benefit the Cal Poly SLO Wine and Viticulture program.
For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com

For more information and full Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure schedule details, go to: https://www.garagistefestival.com/los-angeles-2022

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries 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 Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was 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.

Garagiste (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.

[1] The Garagiste Wine Festival was named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10 best Readers Choice Awards.