Ten Year Challenge…With Wine and Spirits

February 4, 2022 by evebushman

My husband Eddie has painstakingly categorized our photos by year on our cell phones, so I recently looked at photos from ten years ago to see if any were worth posting alongside a photo taken recently, for the latest #10YearChallenge on social media. As you can guess, most of my photos back then were of wine, so I thought I would take a look back at what I was drinking then.

(I also searched my name, 2011 and photos on Facebook to add to my wine blast from the past.) This is what I wanted to share:

Contributing Editor Michael Perlis, Eve and then contributor Rusty Sly at All Corked Up in 2011.

From Napa

Meeting with winemaker Gerard Zanzonico in the stunning caves at Del Dotto for maybe the first time, wine tasting at 10 am in the private room for club members at Mondavi, having a seated tasting on an expansive patio with incredible views at Joseph Phelps, an underground tour and tasting in the caves at Schramsberg, meeting with the most gracious host/owner Suzanne Phifer Pavitt at Phifer Pavitt, an evening tasting at the downtown Napa PureCru tasting bar with winemaker Mitch Consentino.

From Paso

Blending wine at TH Estate with winemaker and owner Terry Hoage, visiting Cass for the first time, a mind-blowing multi-course Earth Day dinner at Justin, visiting with the now shuttered Edward Sellers, winery tour and tasting with Lawrence Lohr of J Lohr, discovering that Whalebone really does have whale bones around the property and Calcareous has calcareous rock in their vineyards, time spent with the one and only Gary Eberle, tasting wines, spirits and having dinner at Opolo, seeing Sculpterra for the first time, the dry farming at Minassian Young, Niner when it first opened, the first concrete eggs were at Villa Creek, meeting and tasting incredible wines with Janell Dusi at J Dusi, tasting Nuggucciet Cellars made by a local newspaper man and Mystic Hills Vineyard lovingly owned by local friends.

Jamaica

Though not known for wine we were well taken care of on a trip to Jamaica ten years ago with French Champagne, Appleton rum blended drinks and icy cold Red Stripe Beer.

Events
The annual Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux tasting is always not only huge but amazing, and since I love Rhone wines the Rhone Rangers can’t be missed, local have Vine 2 Wine with lots of local support, Garagiste Festival offered drinkers events in LA as well as Paso, Pinot Days up in the Skirball Center, Paso’s Earth Day Food and Wine fest was new, and long-time favorite LA Wine Fest with Yoshi Murakami doing sake classes and Chris Uhde teaching about scotch.

Special Dining

Fontanafredda Barolo at Spago Beverly Hills with fellow wine writers, Martinis at Blue Mermaid Chowder House and Bar in San Francisco on vacation, wine and cheese at Wine 661 for locals, A Taste of Monterey Wine Tasting when I visited Eddie there for Naval Postgraduate School, Iron Horse sparkling that came complements of Bourbon Steak in San Francisco for our wedding anniversary dinner.

Places that no longer exist today

Wine bar/restaurant/wine storage facility – and even live music – at All Corked Up as loved by many, the two brothers that opened Artisan Paso Robles that was a favorite for locals and visitors alike, Chef Daniel Otto was first discovered at the Oaks Grille at TPC, Chef Jason Park at Maru Sushi when it was local on Town Center Drive and many times over drinking wine at Valencia Wine Company with owner Guy Lelarge and also attending all of the wine dinners and events he organized at local restaurants.

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.

Round Up: Favorite Wine or Cocktail Events

March 17, 2017 by evebushman

It’s no secret that Eve’s Wine 101 co-hosts Cocktails on the Roof (save the date: 8/25/17!) and is currently recruiting wineries – and guests – to Wine in the Pines. (That date is set for 6/10/17).

This got me to thinking…what are the best wine or cocktail events our readers/followers have enjoyed and would recommend? So I got some answers from Facebook friends, hyperlinked the event websites for you and added my own notes in italics if it’s an event I’ve attended before:

Robin B: The ones we used to have in SCV which were lots of fun. (The Santa Clarita Wine Fest is the one that Robin B is referring to. The same people that run the LA Wine Fest run it, and I’ve been talking with them as they might bring it back for 2018! So stay tuned! It was/is our only large wine festival held in the Santa Clarita Valley.)

Kathie W: Cocktail event – obviously Cocktails on the Roof. (Clearly, a winner to me! If you Google our event you will see lots of pre and post event coverage for our 2015 and 2016 events. All of the money goes straight to the WiSH Education Foundation that serves all of the students in the Hart District = our middle schools and high schools.)

Jeannie C: The Assistance League Santa Clarita 10th Annual Sunset in the Vineyard is scheduled for the 1st Sunday in November at Compa Vineyard, November 5, 2017. Our inaugural was 2008! From 7 vintners, food made by the ladies from AL, music from an iPod (the event has now has grown) to 20 vintners, 2 craft breweries, the Culinary iCUE chefs and students, Dole/Humphries and friends, Valet parking, not to forget amazing community partners, a live and silent auction – and all the proceeds benefit Operation School Bell and those in need in the SCV! We’ve come a long way baby! (We’ve supported this event since the start. Don’t have much to add to Jeannie’s words, except to say that this is the singular SCV event that showcases local winemakers, some commercial and some not, so it would be tough to find some of these wines anywhere else! Or the opportunity to talk to home winemakers about their craft.)

Terri S: Any of the Rhone Rangers events…the walk around Grand Tastings are superb. (We have been covering the RR events for years. Best way to learn about domestic red and white Rhone grapes being grown here, and the awesome Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend, aka the GSM, that is a favorite to many. Rhone Rangers LA is 3/25.)

Russ B: Passport to Dry Creek Valley. They have a theme at each winery such as circus, beach, pirate, the movie Caddyshack, the Kentucky Derby and a Masquerade. They also have food at every winery. Great event. (4/29-30.)

Marleen R: Gosh so many. I loved Pinot Days (6/3), Celebration of Harvest Santa Barbara (10/6-9), and Ventura Winter Wine Walk (12/2). California Wine Festival (held this past Jan 2017) and of course Wine in the Pines are good one too. I look at the participating wineries and what they have to offer, besides location and value price. (The only event here that I still attend is Wine in the Pines. Look for upcoming press on that one, but I will share that this is my ultimate favorite outdoor venue for wine tasting. Why? It is wide open, you are surrounded by nature and PINE TREES.)

Lisa D: This year is SITV 10th Anniversary. Great local event.

Scott K: The Park City Food and Wine Classic is a mind-blower. (For those that want to travel, this event in Utah will be July 6-9.)

Lauren G: Inexpensive but tasty! (Lauren has volunteered for us in our Pour Into events. We raised money for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti and the Hurricane Sandy. Our minimum donation was $25 for the tasting event, with local cellar owners and winemakers donating all the wines. The venue, All Corked Up, is sadly no longer available but we would love another local venue to step up the next time we feel the urge to help others via a wine event.)

Me: Masters of Taste is a richly designed event held on the field of the Rose Bowl with wine, spirits, cocktails and food samples from the best restaurants in LA will be held on 5/7, Lucky Rice LA on 7/28 works with Bombay Sapphire Gin and serves up both Asian inspired cuisine and more, and LA Weekly’s The Essentials held on 3/26 is another event with a heck of a lot of food to sample, wine and spirits, and exceptionally large!

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

Vintage Eve: Santa Rita Hills Tasting

January 12, 2016 by evebushman

It’s a great day job, that some would kill for, but take a contract on someone else, the wine has made me bulletproof.

Dear Eve,

The Sta. Rita Hills is best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but there are over 20 wine grape varieties planted and produced in our AVA.  We invite you to join us at palate for this Sta. Rita Hills AVA focused tasting, meet with our producers, taste the wines and learn more about our distinctive growing region.   Come Meet with Our Wineries, Old and New  .

Cargasacchi ~ Clos Pepe ~ Cold Heaven ~ D’Alfonso Curran ~ Demetria ~ Dragonette Cellars ~ Fiddlehead Cellars ~ Flying Goat Cellars ~ Gypsy Canyon Winery ~ Hitching Post Wines ~ Ken Brown Wines ~ Kessler-Haak ~ Longoria Wines ~ Pali Wine Company ~ Prodigal ~ Seagrape Wine Company ~ Sweeney Canyon ~ Weber Wine Company ~ Zotovich Cellars

I’ve had a few of these wines before at the Family Winemakers and Pinot Days events. But a media tasting in Glendale, at Palate Food and Wine, was a new venue for me – and much closer than the events I go to in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. The parking was ample, and the two rooms were not filled to capacity and plenty of ice water and cheese and friends and friendly winemakers and the weather was good and there wasn’t any traffic between the 12-3 event, and and and and…

Once again, I barreled through the tasting, one sip per Pinot gal that I am, but also because I was due at Valencia Wine Company’s new CLASSY HOUR at 5 p.m. and back again at 7 p.m. for our monthly Grape of the Night “study group”. And, in true wine 101 fashion, I really wanted a nap in between each one…

Of the wines listed above I made a special note, though not enough room for full tasting notes (unless the area is otherwise noted, majority are from the Santa Rita Hills) of: Caragasacchi 07 and 08 Pinot Noirs (And winemaker Peter Caragasacchi’s wicked sense of humor paired very well.), D’Alfonso-Curran 06 Rancho Las Hermanas and Rancho La Vina, Badge 09 “Blue Steel” Chardonnay Sierra Madre, Di Bruno 09 Pinot Grigio Sanford and Benedict, Demetria Estate 07 Pinot Noir, Dragonette Cellars 09 Pinot Noir, Fiddlehead Cellars 07 Pinot Noir Cuvée “Seven Twenty Eight” Fiddlestix Vineyard, Pali Wine 08 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard, Seagrape 07 Pinot Noir Huber Vineyard and Sweeney Canyon 2000 Chardonnay and 08 Pinot Noir.

Three from Longoria: 08 Pinot Noir “Lovely Rita”, 07 Pinot Noir, Fe Ciega Vineyard, and 07 Tempranillo Santa Ynez Valley.

Another three from Prodigal Wines: 09 Pinot Gris Sierra Madre Santa Maria Valley, 08 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix and 07 Pinot Noir Appellation Cuvée.

Okay, so is it too late for a nap now?

http://www.staritahills.com/appellation.html

2014 Pinot Days by Rusty Sly

January 12, 2015 by evebushman

I know that I say this every year but the Pinot Days event is something that you do not want to miss. This year, the 6th Annual Pinot Days Southern California wine tasting event was held at the Skirball Center on November 15. This facility is gorgeous, offering a flavor of elegance and character for the numerous vintners to display their wines. The producer of the event, Steve Rigisich, and his entire staff did a marvelous job putting together such a fantastic venue to taste this noble wine varietal.

Santa Claritan Gloria Stahly at Del Dotto.

This year there were wines from California, Oregon, New Zealand, Chile, and other parts of the world. Such an array of terroirs to sample allowing us to learn the difference and develop an appreciation of this unique wine from different regions. Even within California you had the opportunity to smell and taste the differences in Pinot Noirs from Santa Barbara and Santa Lucia Highlands to Russian River. They are quite different.

To add to this complexity, there are 43 certified Dijon Pinot Noir clones but due to genetic instability there could be from 200 to over a 1,000 clone variations. Talking with different vintners, I was amazed at all of the different clones that were being used and why they selected specific ones. Does this set the stage for what you can get from this beautiful varietal?

As noted by tasting different Pinot Noirs at this event, you can have a beautiful light and elegant Burgundian style to a chewy deep full bodied wine that coats your entire palate. So many variations based on all of the different influences. The bottom line is that no matter what your palate desires you can find it in Pinot Noir.

I found it interesting that there was a high proportion of lighter Burgundian style Pinots, but that may have been due to my personal selection at the event. Pinot Noir flavors often times are much more than the color leads you to believe. The grape is capable of producing flavors such as cherries, strawberries and raspberries and with age, it can produce aromas of game, licorice, and autumnal undergrowth in certain Pinot Noirs. These earthy aromatics along with the silky texture create the sensual reputation for which Pinot Noirs are widely known.

Below is a list of Wineries and Representatives in attendance:

Attune Wines, August West, Belle Glos Wines, Bucher Vineyard Wines, Calista, Cargasacchi, Cellars 33, Cornerstone Cellars Oregon, Crate Big ideas, Davis Bynum Wines, Del Dotto, DeLoach Vineyards, Dolin Family Cellars, Domaine Chandon, Donelan Family Wines, FEL Wines, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Foley Family Wines, Furthermore Pinot Noir, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Ken Brown Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, LunaOlivo, MacPhail Family Wines, Martin Ray Winery, Martinelli Winery, Monterey Chocolate Company, Navarro Vineyards, New Zealand Winegrowers, Pali Wine Company, Papapietro Perry Winery, Philo Ridge Vineyards, Ritual, Romililly Wines, Rusack Vineyards, Sanford Winery, Siduri Wines, Sojourn Cellars, Sokol Blosser Winery, Stoller Family Estate, Tantara Wines, Test Winery, The Wine House, Thorne Wine, Trombetta Family Wines, Van Duzer Vineyards and Wrath.

This event, as always, was extremely memorable. The bonding and friendships developed around a single item called wine is irreplaceable. At this event I ran into many people both tasters and Vintners, that I have grown to know over the years.

The one message that I would like to share on a personal note is that we ALL need to support and help these individuals that provide us with wines to enjoy. However, more importantly, we need to support and thank the people like Steve Rigisich who relentlessly challenges obstacles to make this event happen. I also want to extend my thanks to his entire team for a job well done. I tip a glass to you all.

As a closing, I would like to share a quote from Appellation America’s on Pinot Noir, ” You’re beautiful…a goddess…but so exasperating! Loving you is like worshiping an unfaithful temptress! As often as you’ve disappointed us with your undependable ways, you always seem to draw us back. Your alluring beauty and elegance leave us helpless and forgiving of all your moodiness. So long disdainful of any place outside of your home on the golden slopes of Burgundy, we’ve learned to pacify your temperamental nature with brisk coastal breezes and hillside vistas of the New World. Perhaps now you will grace us with all the charm and beauty that has kept the Burgundians devoted to you for centuries.”

Use the link below to get a feel for the size and excitement of this annual event.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204510050742839.1073741834.1579908883&type=1&l=2183639d40

Cheers,

Rusty Sly

January 2010 Vintage Beacon: Seen, and Drank, at Pinot Days

December 9, 2014 by evebushman

Last Sunday I attended the 1^st Annual Pinot Days Southern California at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica airport. Forcing myself out of my comfort zone I went over the hill for a tasting from over 85 producers. Organizers Steve and Lisa Rigisch had one goal: To educate people about Pinot Noir.

About the Pinot Noirs

Pinot Noirs are on the opposite end of the spice spectrum from Zinfandel and Syrah. Considered too light by some, they can still employ a full range of fruit and tannins (spice). The ones that made an exceptional play at Pinot Days had higher alcohol percentages, leaning away from the former average of 12% and closer to 14 or even 15%. Those high numbers, usually reserved for those high – octane Zins, made this Pinot Noir tasting a standout.

A couple things of note for me: Meeting and listening to Clos Pepe winemaker and uber-blogger Wes Hagen, Domaine Chandon making wine instead of sparkling from their Pinot grapes and Peter Zotovich pouring his own label. Here is a small sampling for you of the wines I liked:

Hirsch Winery, Morgan Winery, Evening Land Vineyards, Gainey Vineyard, Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery, Ascentia Wine Estates, Keller Estate, Ken Brown Wines, Three Sticks Wines, MacMurray Ranch, Clos Pepe Estate, Melville Winery, Domaine Chandon, Zotovich Family Vineyards and Flying Goat Cellars.

New, and old, Friends seen at Pinot Days

Wes Hagen, Greg Brewer, Ken Brown, Ana Keller, Gary Farrell, Matt Adler, Dan Morgan Lee, Jasmine Hirsch, Edie De Avila, Denise Lowe, John Dickey, Dr. Joel Fisher, Chris and Dana Chernault, Tony and Laura Garcia, Victor Herstein, Alex Mendoza, Julie Brosterman, Xochtl Maiman, Lisa Rigisich, DiMaggio Washington, Kazia Schulhof, George and Jennifer Skorka, Jeff Levine, Mary Bradway, Katja Eastland, Don Rose, Peter Zotovich, Joel Burt, Bob Jones and Susie Majesky.

OHMIGOD The Cheese

Like any large wine tasting, it’s not about the food unless billed as a wine pairing. We were thrilled to find the California Cheese & Butter Association selections well above standard “cheese plate” fare. At press time I’m trying to attain a list of the cheese served. I can only recall Black River Gorgonzola, white cheddar, San Joaquin Gold and Jarlsberg Swiss. Not all fared on my palate with my Pinot, but heck, that’s what the bread was for.

Pinot Days (Vintage Beacon Circa 1/10)

October 28, 2014 by evebushman

“Pinot Days is coming to Southern California this weekend! (Remember readers, this is Pinot Days #1 from 2010!) After six big events in San Francisco and three in Chicago, the winemakers are loading up and heading over the Grapevine, so to speak. 93 pinot producers (and counting) will show up and pour over 400 acclaimed pinots to their fan base. And, drum roll, Eve’s readers can get tickets at a 10% discount by entering the code EVEPINOTSC10.” – Lisa Rigisich, Producer, Pinot Days.

I’ve never been to this particular tasting event. At press time I have competed in their “Why are you so into Pinot?” contest for a chance to attend their first Annual Pinot Days Southern California Grand Festival on January 17. They were awarding 10 pairs of tickets to those who best articulated their love for the noble grape. “If you love pinot we know you are passionate show us what you¹ve got!” If I don’t win it’s because…I should have had a Pinot before writing:

“It is my duty as the only wine writer in Santa Clarita (http://evewine101.com, SCV Elite magazine, and the awesome SCV Beacon) to cover all things Pinot. Before Pinot Days we are having our own little local Pinot Noir tasting, readying our palates for yours! Oh, won’t you say yes, to a putting your Pinot on my palate? I promise to share!”

My own Pinot Noir Experiences

Our cellar, when first filled over 20 years ago, had more Pinot Noir than any other varietals, well before the film Sideway’s Miles publicized our finds in his beloved Santa Ynez valley. Pinot Noirs I recall having in 2009 were: Cambria Winery’s Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, Montes Alfa Pinot Noir, Robert Summerland Pinot Noir Nugent 2005 and Santa Rita 2006, Ken Brown Pinot 2005, Hinton Pinot Noir 2004, different vintage years of Williams Selyem, Cosentino Pinot Noir Sonoma 2006, Kenwood, Handley, Cuvaison 2001…

Maybe I should have sent the above list to the judges of the contest…

What Friends Say about Pinot Days

Denise: I’m going!

Susie: I’m interested, where do I get more info Eve?

Kristin: I’m thinking of going too.

Citysipper Everywhere: Looking forward to PINOT DAYS.

Beverly: After reading several articles on Pinot and lots of tastings I found I like Pinot better then other reds and the main ingredient that is good for you is called resveratrol. While this may not affect the aspects of sensory enjoyment, it may draw the attention of health-conscious consumers. Lastly, I enjoy pairing it with steak, & pork chops.

From Pinot Days

The First Annual Pinot Days Southern California engages all the senses with its offering of gourmet food and 400 incredible pinot noirs. More than 75 pinot producers will pour their wines at Pinot Days, including the newly-released 2007 vintage, which critics are calling pinot’s best vintage in decades, and maybe ever. The three-day Los Angeles food and wine event includes two intimate winemaker dinners and the Grand Festival, a wine tasting event which gives wine lovers the opportunity to experience and enjoy some of the world’s best pinot noir and interact directly with the gifted and passionate winemakers who produce them. Pinot Days Southern California begins January 15 and culminates on January 17 with the Grand Festival at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, CA. Event tickets can be purchased at www.pinotdays.com.

Pinot Days is an event that connects wine enthusiasts directly with winemakers creating a unique opportunity for new and seasoned wine lovers to experience, enjoy and deepen their knowledge of pinot noir. Produced by the Bay Area Wine Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of pinot noir, Pinot Days was created by Steven and Lisa Rigisich out of their love for the “the noble grape.” The Bay Area Wine Project holds annual events in San Francisco, Chicago and Southern California. Pinotdays.com provides information about and access to wine-related events, wine education opportunities and wine trivia– including articles about outstanding wine personalities, winery profiles, reviews of wine events, restaurant wine lists, formal tastings and more. For more information visit www.pinotdays.com.

We have partnered with the Pinot Days to offer you a special discount of 33%, enter promo code EVESF14 when purchasing!

June 18, 2014 by evebushman

Click HERE to visit the Pinot Days website and order tickets or go directly to the Order Form by clicking HERE. We hope to see you there!

10TH ANNUAL PINOT DAYS SAN FRANCISCO GRAND FESTIVAL TASTING
Saturday, June 21st, 2014 2-5pm
City View at Metreon, San Francisco- 135 Fourth Street
Price: $75

Participating Exhibitors- Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Ancient Oak Cellars, Artesa Winery, Attune Wines, August West, Belden Barns, Benovia Winery, Benziger Family Winery, Blair Estate, Bouchaine Vineyards, Brassfield Estate Winery, Bridge Brands Chocolate, Bucher Vineyard Wines, Buena Vista Winery, Calstar Cellars, Cornerstone Cellars Oregon, Davis Bynum Wines, Davis Family Vineyards, Del Dotto, DeLoach Vineyards, Derby Wine Estates, Don Sebastiani & Sons, Dutton-Goldfield Winery, EIEIO & Company, El Porteno Empanadas, Ellero (NZ), Failla, Farm Fresh To You, FEL Wines, Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Food Should Taste Good, Furthermore Pinot Noir, Gary Farrell Winery, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, Goldeneye, Hahn Estate, Handley Cellars, Inman Family Wines, J Vineyards & Winery, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines , Kanzler Vineyards, Kendric Vineyards, Kobler Estate Winery, Kokomo Wines, Krave Jerky, Ladd Cellars, Landmark Vineyards, MacMurray Ranch, MacPhail Family Wines, MacRostie Winery, Mahoney Vineyards, Mansfield-Dunne Wines, Martinelli Winery, McEvoy Of Marin, Meiomi , Merriman Wines, Monterey Chocolate Company, Morgan Winery, New Zealand Winegrowers, Nunes Vineyard / St. Rose Winery, Omero Cellars, Pali Wine Company, Pangloss Cellars, Panthea Wine, Papapietro Perry Winery, Philo Ridge Vineyards, Ritual, Riverbench Vineyard & Winery, Rob Murray Vineyards, Robert John Russo Gallery, Rusack Vineyards, Russian River Vineyards, Saintsbury, Sanford Winery, Scherrer Winery, Schug Carneros Estate Winery, Siduri Wines, Small Vines Wines, Sojourn Cellars, Sokol Blosser Winery, Spell Estate, Stemmler Winery, Stomping Girl Wines, Tantara Wines, Teac Mor, The Winery SF, Thomas Fogarty Winery, Thorne Wine, Thralls Family Cellars, Three Sticks Wines, TR Elliott , Trombetta Family Wines, Wait Cellars, Wayfarer, Westwood Winery, Willowbrook Cellars, Windy Oaks Estate, wine country photography, Wrath, ZD Wines, Z’IVO Wines

Click HERE to visit the Pinot Days website and order tickets or go directly to the Order Form by clicking HERE. We hope to see you there!

Saturday’s Grand Tasting will showcase over 80 phenomenal producers of pinot noir. Consumers will be able to sample hundreds of pinots from every important pinot noir region, from the Russian River Valley to the Santa Rita Hills, Oregon to the Anderson Valley to the Sonoma Coast. Come to taste these highly acclaimed wines, meet the gifted and charming winemakers who create them, and experience the passion and romance that the pinot noir industry continues to embody. Discover and celebrate pinot noir in its many diverse styles, ranging from modern to earthy to elegant. Explore new producers, find wines you love, and become a pinot devotee if you are not one already. We call it Serious Fun. Come see for yourself.

Perlis Picks: Rick Fraga at Dark and Delicious 2014 – An evening with the “Big Dog” (better known as Petite Sirah)

April 26, 2014 by evebushman

Well, it’s the time of the year where wine tasting events pop up all over California, covering all kinds of grape varietals. Some are wide spread, but others are more focused, like Rhone Rangers (French Rhone varietals), ZAP for the Zinfandel lovers and then a number of events for the fans of Pinot Noir (Pinot in the City, Pinot Days). All of which are typically attended by huge crowds. I attend some of these, but my favorite is for a lesser known grape with smaller crowds. I attend an event that has maybe 500 people at most and brings together 40 to 50, and sometimes more producers of the Big Dog, better known to some of us wine geeks as Petite Sirah. Curious??? Are you a fan of the Big Dog or would like to be? Please read on and see if you may want to join us next year at “Dark and Delicious 2015”.

On the evening of February 21^st, my girlfriend Lacy and I attended the 8^th Annual “Dark and Delicious” event that celebrates the diverse stylings of Petite Sirah from all over California. This is the third year in a row I have been in attendance, enjoying the perfect combination of great wine, deliciously paired food and people with purple stained teeth. Housed under one roof in the barrel room of the Rockwall Winery Facility in Alameda, California, is an amazing event featuring Petite Sirah as the star attraction of the evening. The cast of wineries pouring this evening was stellar with more than 45 participants turning our teeth deep purple. You have the old guard Petite producers in Concannon, Fieldstone, Foppiano, Parducci and Trentadue, but then some of the newer faces on the block are well represented too such as Denier-Handal, Occasio, Miro Cellars, Mounts Family and Tres Sabores.

I’ll bet you are reading this and thinking, “Damn this is an evening of big, full bodied, tannic and potentially high alcohol wines, how can anyone taste much and not get overwhelmed”? Fortunately, the organizers are ahead of the game here, as the food line-up stood up to the wine producers with some great snacks to pair with the Big Dogs being poured. The food side of the event was well represented nicely by nearly 30 different vendors. Some of those wonderful folks matching their food with the Petites were Bert’s Desserts, Bonehead’s Texas BBQ, Chunk Pig, Fiscalini Cheese, Il Posta Trattoria, Montibella Sausage, Venga Paella, “What the Cake?” and Z Cioccolato. If you would like to see all of the wine and food producers check out the PS I Love you website at psiloveyou.org.

I’ve mentioned that there was great wine and food at “Dark and Delicious 2014”, as happens every year, but let’s talk about the people. Some of the “people” representing the various wineries can be well known or come from families that are. The host winery for the event, Rockwall Wine Company, was well represented by the Winemaker and President, Shauna Rosenblum, and her father Kent Rosenblum (former owner of Rosenblum winery). They were having fun greeting participants, pouring wine and telling stories. Shauna even led a great VIP tour of the Rockwall facility (one that I was able to tag along on). Including introducing us to a concoction made of Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine and Petite Sirah, surprisingly delicious and refreshing.

Shauna leading tour

Shauna and Kent were the hosts, but there were many more primary players of various wineries. There was a blast from the past pouring at the event as well, as Montgomery Paulsen poured his family’s Pat Paulsen Winery Petite Sirah (yes, his father was that Pat Paulsen, from numerous comical campaigns for president). Monty, a character in his own right, was pouring the label that he now is the winemaker and owner for. Additionally, there were a number of other owners or winemakers (Some being both). Like Miro Tcholokav, the owner and winemaker of Miro Cellars (also winemaker at Trentadue), Rich and David Mounts from Mounts Family Vineyards plus John and Judy Monnich of Silkwood Wines. Each of these folks, like so many other too numerous to name, were very accessible to talk about their wine, vineyards, history and so much more. This added informational and educational opportunities for the evening along with the enjoyment of so many huge, lush Petites.

Overall, the evening was a success for the team from psiloveyou.org. Along with the tasting and food, a silent auction took place during the 3 hour Petite Sirah celebration. There were amazing wines and auction packages available, I’ll bet you are wondering how amazing! Well, I came home with two of the available lots, one a mixed case of Petites (a diverse kennel of Big Dogs), the second a vertical of wines from Denier-Handal Vineyards that when it was delivered to me, one of the owners invited us to a taste his wines on the front porch of his Dry Creek Valley home in Northern Sonoma County. Yes, I will be visiting him!!! So……….if you love the Big Dog, or if I caught your curiosity in the telling of this Dark and Delicious tale, join us next February and stain your teeth with the rest of us.

Monty Paulsen and wife

I know it has been a while since you all heard from me, but life has been busy in the last year. I have been given the title of Wine Educator and Assistant Tasting Room Manager for Martinelli Winery. Throw in judging for the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and a few other industry related opportunities, you can see life is busy. I promise though, to make time to get more writing done in the future, hopefully hooking up for some tasting with Eve Bushman and Michael Perlis for a team tasting if we can schedule it.

Before I bid you adieu, I do want share that there are some good events coming up in the SF Bay Area and Wine Country in the upcoming months. We have the Dry Creek Valley Passport Weekend (April 26-27), A Taste of Alexander Valley (May 17-18), Rhone Rangers (April 5-6), Passport to Pinot in the Russian River Valley May (24-25). Each of these are excellent events and you can easily find more information by searching them on the Internet if you are interested. I would also encourage you to keep up with the upcoming events posted regularly here at Eve’s Wine 101.

Just want to say thank you for following my adventures and encourage you to keep searching for the wines you love, whether they are from either your old favorites or from those new unknown creators of delicious wines.

Remember, Life is Too Short to Drink Bad Wine!!!! Drink well and enjoy!

Rusty Sly at Pinot Days 2013

January 27, 2014 by evebushman

Pinot Days 2013, as with Pinot Days of previous years, was a huge success. It never ceases to amaze me how many vintners, both small and large, attend this event to pour their creations for those who come to taste these wines. The wineries that are present at Pinot Days range from very small boutique wineries that produce only a few hundred cases to the well established wineries that produce thousands of cases.

My mission for the 2013 Pinot Days festival was to focus on the lesser known, or smaller, wineries. These smaller wineries are usually family run and produce limited allocations of their product. Many times, they only have a couple of wines at their booths. These families/wineries struggle to provide the best possible wine they can even in these difficult and challenging times. It is basically a battle to survive in a market dominated by large wineries that have deep pockets or partners. There is nothing wrong with this but I find a deeper passion with the smaller wineries. I was thrilled at the 2013 Pinot Days to meet the families and owners of many small wineries where the pride in their wines were noticed and, as with David and Goliath, were not afraid to step forward and showcase their products next to the well established Pinot Noir producers. That’s confidence for what you are doing and love of your product.

The Pinot Noir grape is extremely difficult to grow and even tougher to produce. Add to this the fact that there are over a 1000 different clones of Pinot Noir grapes each having their own unique characteristics producing this wine comes with great challenges. Throw in varying terroirs and the sky is the limit for diversity in color, aroma and flavor. Attending an event like Pinot Days these influences and differences are quite evident. The diversity in flavors of Pinot Noir wines provide something for everyone. Some people gravitate toward the big bold Pinot Noirs that would make converts out of the Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers and yet others tend to select and enjoy the lighter more elegant Burgundian style. Flavors can range from dark cherries, bright cherries to cranberries, strawberry, etc. All I can say is that this is a fantastic varietal that provides an ecstasy in aromas and flavors. The great thing is that it offers something for everyone to enjoy. Pinot Noir is even a great stepping stone for someone wanting to move into reds but are not yet ready for the big, bold tannic Cabernet Sauvignons that most diehard red drinkers enjoy.

One of the thrills for me at Pinot Days was to go to a vintner that had produced Pinot Noir wine from different vineyards, regions or clones. This allows one to compare the terroir and clone differences as the vintner was the same for all of the wines. My feeling is that one could spend a life time learning about this unique varietal.

Another thing that I noticed as I spoke with various vintners at Pinot Days is that they are like one big family at this event. They helped each other at the show and always spoke highly of each other. I never once saw any of the participants interjecting negative comments about their colleges, whether they be big or small. That to me is spectacular and shows the comradery of these people. Pinot Days 2013 had over 100 examples from Oregon to Santa Rita Hills in California. Below is only a partial list of Exhibitors that were noted on the Pinot Days website:

Ancient Oak Cellars, August West, Blair Estate, Cargasacchi Wines, Domaine Chandon, Donelan Family Wines, Double Bond, Emeritus Vineyards, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, FOXEN, Fritz Winery, Gros Ventre Cellars, Hahn Estate, Inman Family Wines, J Vineyards & Winery, Ken Brown Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, La Follette Wines, Loring Wine Company, MacMurray Ranch, MacPhail Family Wines, Martinelli Winery, Meiomi , Morgan Winery, New Zealand Winegrowers, Pali Wine Company, Reuling Vineyard, Romililly Wines, Rusack Vineyards, Saintsbury, Scherrer Winery, Siduri Wines, Sojourn Cellars, Sokol Blosser Winery, The Wine Check, Thomas Fogarty Winery, Thomas George Estates, Thorne Wine, Trombetta Family Wines, VinVillage.com, Waits-Mast Family Cellars, Wren Hop Vineyards and Z’IVO Wines.

I would definitely put this event on the calendar for 2014. Not only for the pure enjoyment of trying so many fantastic Pinot Noirs but also to support the cause. The smaller vintners rely on word of mouth and this event helps consumers to discover them. With production less than a few hundred cases and all of the overhead expenses, these vintners need our support. We also need to support the sponsors of Pinot days in this ever challenging business world. There are so many items that must be resolved to put on such a spectacular event. But one thing is for certain, they put on one of the best wine festivals around year after year.

Thank you to all the vintners, trades and general public who attended as that is what makes this event such a success. Wine connoisseurs are one big family, let’s support them and I will see you at the next Pinot Days.

Cheers,

Rusty Sly

Some of my favorites:

Wren Hop Winery.

La Follette Winery.

Pali Wines.

Moet Chandon.

Emeritus Vineyard.

Ousterhout Winery.

Foxen Winery.

Siduri Vineyard.

Gros Ventre Cellars.

Pinot Days 2013: Mid-Size Event Benefits, Single Varital Tastings and My Faves of the Day!

December 20, 2013 by evebushman

The difference between a large wine tasting event and a small one should be fairly obvious to a wine 101er. However, at the latest incarnation of Pinot Days, an event where only wines made from the Pinot Noir grape are offered, we enjoyed a mid-sized tasting that incorporated the best of both worlds, satisfying every type of attendee.

In a large venue guests can’t possibly visit every tasting table, so they select what they can, some racing from place to place; some taking their time. In this version I am the one on a race, and my husband is the meanderer.

In a small event, maybe a wine pairing dinner, there is more time to enjoy the wines and maybe get to know a winemaker. This is a pleasant interlude, no racing involved, but only one winery, or a handful, may be available to taste.

At the latest Pinot Days, taking up one of the rooms at the Skirball Cultural Center, we had the perfect mid-sized event. No need to rush the entire time, there was more than enough time to visit every table if that’s desired.

The event’s size also gave us time to visit with friends that also love Pinot Noir like Mary Bradway, Terri Templeton, Ed and Marijo Clark, Carl Kanowsky, Rusty and Tracy Sly, George Skorka and Jennifer Tremayne, Nancy Friedman, Ron and Kym Cappi, John Dickey and Denise Lowe, Joe Wehinger, Shawn Burgert, Jamie Edlin, Stan Friedman…and a wine expert who walked up to me to chat because he thought I was Helen Turley, a famous winemaker with a blond mane…

Explaining Pinot Noir and Other Single Varietal Tastings

In tasting one grape varietal at an event like this you get a chance to really compare terroir – a word that roughly means natural things that effects a wine’s outcome, such as soil, weather and vineyard location.

The same grape is labeled in Burgundy, France, as a Burgundy. Many people that taste Pinot Noir from California can tell subtle differences from those made in Burgundy, and it requires time to develop that palate. I have no doubt that if I were to blind taste a California Pinot Noir against a French Burgundy I may not be able to tell the difference. (Suffice it to say the French have been making it a lot longer, and for a French palate. Experts that routinely taste both could easily spot differences.)

The reason I explained a little more about Pinot Noir is to promote events like this, as well as Rhone Rangers, where we get to taste all Rhone varietals; the Cabernet Collective, where we try Cabs from Paso Robles; and all of the LearnAboutWine events such as Stars of Santa Barbara, Stars of Paso Robles and Stars of California, where we get to learn how different terroirs can effect taste.

Now, onto the domestic Pinots that I thoroughly enjoyed meandering through – but didn’t take photos of: 2011 Ancient Oaks Cellars, 2011 Donelan Family Wines, 2011 Emiritus Vineyards, 2011 and 2012 Foxen, 2010 and 2011 Inman Family Wines, and a 2012 Loring Wine Company.

My two standout favorites of the day were the 2011 Cargasacchi and the 2011 Foxen.

And these are the wines I liked that I was able to photograph:

l-r: Cushing Donelan, Carol Kanowsky, Eve, Tripp Donelan

The Wine List at Press Time

Ancient Oak Cellars
August West
Blair Estate
Cargasacchi Wines
Domaine Chandon
Donelan Family Wines
Double Bond

Emeritus Vineyards
Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard
FOXEN
Fritz Winery
Gros Ventre Cellars
Hahn Estate
Inman Family Wines
J Vineyards & Winery

Ken Brown Wines
Kendric Vineyards
Kenneth Volk Vineyards
La Follette Wines
Loring Wine Company
MacMurray Ranch
MacPhail Family Wines
Martinelli Winery

Meiomi
Monterey Chocolate Company
Morgan Winery
New Zealand Winegrowers
Ousterhout Wines & Vineyard
Pali Wine Company
Reuling Vineyard
Romililly Wines
Rusack Vineyards
Saintsbury
Scherrer Winery
Siduri Wines
Sojourn Cellars
Sokol Blosser Winery
The Wine Check
Thomas Fogarty Winery
Thomas George Estates
Thorne Wine
Trombetta Family Wines
VinVillage.com
Waits-Mast Family Cellars
Wren Hop Vineyards
Z’IVO Wines

Pinot Days is the largest gathering of Pinot Noir producers in the world. It has to be; pinot noir is exceptionally stylistically diverse, and our aim is to give every pinot lover a place to “go deep” within the style you love. And, if you’re open to venturing outside of your comfort zone, you can learn about, and quite possibly love, other styles as well. To this end we gather hundreds of pinot noir winemakers to pour hundreds of pinots that range from the picture of elegance to forward and “wow.” You can’t try them all – don’t try – it’s not the point! The point is to follow your palate like a North Star, and experience this beautiful little grape in as many forms and styles as compel you. It is an endless pursuit of knowledge. So, ignore the critics; ask folks in the crowd, “Who have you tried? What do you like?” Pinot noir is way more than a grape variety – it’s an art form. It is an endlessly fascinating intellectual and aesthetic pursuit for people who want to savor the good things in life. So we invite the world to Pinot Days, because pinot noir can change the world, one pretty, little, thin-skinned grape at a time.