As predicted, the guests of Valencia Wine Company’s 9th Holiday Tasting were thrilled with the move from TPC to having the event at their “home” at the wine bar. All of the comments I got, not just most, centered on the ambiance, the delivery of the promised best wine suppliers, visiting with winemaker Mitch Cosentino…
Moscow’s Red October district not only has an infamous history, this is now the hub of the city’s nightlife. Just ask any Muscovite who fancies himself “hip,” and most likely they’ll direct you to Red October. Just a fifteen-minute stroll from Red Square, the district is a compilation of red-painted buildings that are home to…
The holiday season is here and many people are big fans of Pinot Noir with their turkey and ham dinners. Yes, there are other selections you could be making in pairing wine with your family holiday meals, but I have had so many questions about suggestions for wines to pour I felt it was a…
With the excitement of the holiday season around the corner we thought that it would be fun to see what wines the GOTN group serve for Thanksgiving. This was the first time the door was opened allowing everyone to bring wines they would normally drink rather than searching for a particular varietal that had been…
This was the first time I had been to the Shrine Auditorium next to USC for anything, and lucky for us Pinot Days had planned their grand tasting event on a Sunday sans traffic. We were also well instructed as to where to park, how much time to allow, and as they had lost their…
Four Brix Winery has just released its first sparkling wine, just in time to kick off the holidays. Affectionately named, Baubles, this bubbly is comprised of 60% chardonnay, 40% pinot noir. Made in the methode champenoise style, Baubles has the petite bubbles that indicate a fine sparkling wine. As with all the labels of Four…
Once again almost a dozen merchants along Town Center Drive and the Patios of the Westfield Valencia Mall played host, with the help of dozens of volunteers, donated wine and purveyors of fine food, to The Wine Affair: Sip, Stroll & Savor the Sounds. Guests had four hours to complete their loop tour and be…
During our last meeting of Grape of the Night (GOTN) in September 2012 the group tasted and learned about a wine called Gamay Beaujolais. One of the points that I commented on was about a different fermentation process used in the Gamay region of France called carbonic fermentation. This process creates wines that have fruity…
The San Francisco International Wine Competition was held in June of this year at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. Over 4,000 wines were tasted, and medals were awarded as follows: 202 Double Gold Medals. 363 Gold Medals. 1,358 Silver Medals. 1,613 Bronze Medals. While any medal would indicate that the wine is of high quality,…