Napa 2017 After The Fires: Del Dotto

December 1, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Been to visit Del Dotto Vineyards Estate almost annually for ten years now, covering their amazing cave tour and tasting for Elite magazine, Eve’s Wine 101 and the SCV Beacon. I have never had an experience like it: After entering the subterranean entrance, guests are greeted with expansive views of marble floors and Venetian glass chandeliers, a large tasting bar…and then you notice the private bars set up around the room, and a large curtain off to your right that, when opened, reveals the long path of barrels – many with different oak expression from different sources – and expectantly you’ll follow their guide and his wine thief to what will truly be a most remarkable tasting.

This time we started at the bar with a tasty sip of the 2015 Chardonnay from the Cinghiale Vineyard, a Family Reserve, while Gerard Zanzonico, Del Dotto’s winemaker of ten years, shared his stories on the recent fire.

#NapaFire

“All fires are now contained…just finished Harvest…415 tons of grapes…long year…fire effected many people and destroyed homes and vineyard land..569 homes were lost in Napa County…” Gerard explained. “In Santa Rosa there was 5,400 homes burned down, many commercial structures also (with a ) loss of $3 billion. Tourism is down and it is a good time to go to restaurants, etc. At times, it is hard to believe this happened.”

No Del Dotto employees lost their homes, though some of the grapes still hanging came back from the lab with “smoke taint” and therefore could not be used. During the fire roads were closed, however winery workers that wanted to (and were able to) come in worked with Gerard doing pump overs. The whole town was evacuated. Rumor is that the cost to rebuild homes in Santa Rosa has skyrocketed to $1,000 per square foot.

The Estate Tasting

As we followed Gerard into the caves we stopped to try a barrel sample of the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard 887 in French oak. We are the first to taste this according to Gerard – and there would be more than one first! Really got a nice flavor of black fruit and toasted oak. This would be one of many to watch when it’s released. We tried the same wine in a different French oak – Fouquet Margaux – here, as Gerard explained, the oak wasn’t as integrated. For me it was a bit less dark and brooding, and equal in quality, another to watch out for.

The wine thief then stole a taste of another we were the first to taste: 2016 St. Helena Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon in French oak. Gerard said this one had earned a full 100 points in the past from wine critic Robert Parker. (A full 50% of this Cabernet was destined to go into another grand Cabernet, The Beast.) This wine retails for about $200 a bottle, which works out to about 60k a barrel. Why would we need to know the cost of a barrel? As some people – a few – have purchased by the barrel.

Next came the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard 887, currently on the market but with not much left. Big and balanced, and good to go. Destined to be a 100-pointer when reviewed.

The 2015 Oakville Vineyard Estate Cabernet in French oak has since been moved to a Piazza Reserve label (we would be tasting wine in a paired lunch there next). Gerard said his best wines come out of Oakville, and that the AVA produced higher priced wine. The south section is notably better than the north. He drops tons of fruit to make an intense wine for the 887 labels. This had more perfumy aromas to me, very welcoming.

Onto a sample of the 2015 St. Helena Mountain Block 2 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine also goes into the making of The Beast; making it more age worthy.

The 2016 barrel sample of the Villa del Lago Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon – the 2014 garnered 100 points – should be bottled and ready for release in February of 2019. Gerard said that “some of the best wines are from Pritchard Hill.” Their vineyard on the east side, which is near the lake, allows the grapes to be cooled off at night.

Winemaking

Most of these wines are only produced at between 12 to 14 barrels a year. They are either sold via VIP allocations or direct to consumer at the winery. They rarely sell wholesale to restaurants or stores.

Gerard focuses on the vineyard over the winery, “We grow the wine in the vineyard” as he walks his vineyards, manages the canopy, isolates the weaker areas, looks at the clusters – all in his effort to make the finest wine for the average $200 per bottle price tag.

The “winery work is a mathematical equation”, according to Gerard, while the vineyard doesn’t work that way.

The Piazza

Not as grand in size as The Estate but just as appealing, the Piazza focuses on food and wine pairing with seated tastings and two different menu experiences. When you arrive here you will notice the bright yellow two-story tasting room, rustic ceiling, fountain and gardens – which will soon be dwarfed by the caves, with large portals (what doors leading into caves are called) and a hospitality area currently under construction. Stay tuned, as caves will most likely open in phases over the next three years. The Piazza itself just opened in September of this year.

Entering the Piazza you will notice the large open kitchen on your right, the tasting bar on your left, another tasting area directly in front, and just outside the doors are several tables set up for the wine and food pairing experience.

Gerard took us upstairs where there were several seating arrangements for guests as well as a conference table set up for a large meeting and/or tastings.

Piazza Del Dotto Food and Wine Pairing

Chef Josh Schwartz, formerly of The Laundry and one of many chefs in Napa in the TKG (the “Thomas Keller Group” as jokingly referred to by Gerard) and sommeliers work together on two different menus. The four “Poppers” isn’t not what you think of when you think poppers, these are four small bites created for the sole purpose of pairings. The second menu is called the “Delicacies Tasting Menu.” We had samples from each that included a cheese and fruit plate; Maine Lobster Roll on Toasted Brioche paired with the 2014 Piazza Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast Cinghiale Vineyard; Snake River Farms American Wagyu Beef Piccoburger with Black Truffle paired with 2014 Piazza Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley and the 2014 Piazza Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon; and finally the sous chef presented Cabernet sorbet. It was both a grand experience and an enlightening one as we discussed how each pairing worked out.

Piazza Del Dotto Wine Tasting

The wine list currently includes tasting from the Estate as well as Piazza labels. The Chard mentioned above is made with California clones and is French oak aged. We also enjoyed a 2016 Rose of Pinot Noir from the Cinghiale Vineyard. A treat for me was a rather tasty and easily affordable $45 2014 Petit Verdot what was from St. Helena Vineyard. There are only about 200 cases of this wine, their first foray into Petit Verdot.

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/Visit

http://www.deldottovineyards.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, 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

Eve Wine 101 on Aroma Training

May 19, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

One of the things that has intrigued me about wine tasting is calling up aromas for my tasting notes, for myself and for pals that are struggling. I first began honing these skills via seated tastings where there was an opportunity to reflect and take notes. Further honing came with Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) certification classes. And final honing comes when I get to sit with friends and really chat about what the heck we are drinking. That final honing is my favorite, but doesn’t happen nearly enough. So, how does this all work?

Memory

Calling up aromas is exactly the same as calling up a memory – the memory of a scent found elsewhere. For example, there isn’t chocolate added to wine but both milk and dark chocolate can sometimes be detected in red wine, port and even whiskey. But if you haven’t had milk or dark chocolate it’s impossible to detect. You simply have to build your memory. I will sniff veggies and flowers at a supermarket, go through my own spice rack at home and pay attention to what is cooking on my stove to build my store of memory.

Cheats

So, after working your senses via building up your memories, you can also grab a cheat sheet, as I call it, like an aroma wheel. I have two systems: one from my WSET courses and another from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA). These are great to look over when I get stumped. It reminds me to look for fruit, floral, spice, vegetal, minerality, etc. Or you can get this really big cheat: for $549 you can buy the original 54-sample Aroma Kit by Le Nez du Vin. I saw one that you could play around with at Harrods in London and I would like to have one…someday.

Events

I’ve co-taught a few classes at our very own local Pulchella Winery. Winemakers Nate Hasper and Steve Lemley lead the class while I explain the aroma training via some handy syrups from Torani (see below) as well as flowers, spices, chocolate, tobacco and anything else I’ve found. Each is in its own un-labeled container for vinophiles to smell and guess at. Going straight from this to wine tasting makes the aroma memory that much more fresh.

Torani Syrups

If you want the full skinny of what I learned from J Lohr red winemaker Steve Peck, this excerpt is from a previous article I did for the SCV Beacon:

Meeting at J. Lohr Vineyards, which we hadn’t visited since our wonderful 2011 trip, we met in the same large room as before but this time it was set up for a component tasting. (For anyone wanting to do a component class get the Torani syrups, they are the most true. See photos here.) Along with the syrups for identifying fruit aromas, we sniffed dried and fresh flowers (rose, sage, jasmine and hibiscus), spices and other components (clove, cocoa, coffee, tarragon and fennel) trying to identify each so that later we could identify them in our wines.

Ian Adamo, the sommelier at Paso Robles’s Bistro Laurent (we had met Ian before when he paired an outstanding Adelaida dinner for us at the 2014 Cab Collective event) is currently working on his dissertation for his MS. Adamo, along with J. Lohr red winemaker Steve Peck, led us through each wine to evaluate the fruit, spice, floral, herbs, volume, astringency and then we were to try to guess the varietal of each of the five 2014 single varietal wines in front of us.

During “the next chapter” of our seminar Peck gave us a slide show that included a “style map” with color/body/mouthfeel/tannin/color broken town into styles based on their strength. He mentioned that it was akin to how someone may like their coffee: thin and astringent, dark but with creamer, etc. Pinot Noir would fall on the light end of the map while Cabernet Sauvignon would be on the dark end, and blends in the middle…(more)

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

What You May Not Know About Sake (AKA What I Learned From WSET Level 1 Award in Sake)

March 31, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Last week in the SCV Beacon I shared all that I was expected to learn at my Level 1 Sake class awarded by Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). This week I want to share some of what I learned that I thought readers might enjoy:

A small wine glass is “ideal for serving premium sake…tulip shaped to enhance aromas.” Well, that just about made my day right there. Those cute little cedar boxes called “Masu” are not ideal as the wood could impart flavor to the sake.

The word sake, Nihon-Shu in Japanese, just means an alcoholic beverage. Our teacher Toshio Ueno explained that if you travel to Japan and are asked out for sake, be prepared as it could mean anything!

Any kind of clean water can be used to make sake, however, harder water (like we have in LA) will produce a crisper, drier, richer sake while softer water produces a softer sake.

Just like baking bread, there is a fermentation starter of rice, koji (mold), water and yeast that goes into the main fermentation where the balance of the mixture is added.

The alcohol level of most sake is between 15% and 17% but may have started out at about 20%; water is added before bottling to lower the alcohol percentage.

There are two basic styles of sake that produce different aromas and flavors. Sake with more acidity, umami (savory), cereal and lactic – the brewer has polished away only some of the middle layers of the rice. Sake with flavors that are more floral and fruity, with less umami and acid – the brewer has polished away a higher ratio of the rice.

Sake rice and table rice are not the same. Table rice has more starch, and sake rice has a starch core, also known as a “white heart.”

If the term “Junmai” is on the label, or even just part of the terms on the label, no alcohol has been added. Other popular sake – daiginjo, ginjo and honjozo – have alcohol.

If you take this class you will learn some of the Japanese labeling terms found on the bottle.

Like wine sake should be kept cool, may remain fresh for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, can oxidize if open for too long and bright light should be avoided. Unlike wine sake should be stored standing upright (the screw cap can rust!), be drunk young and kept refrigerated.

If you are warming sake use a warm water bath (thermometer should read 176 Fahrenheit) instead of your microwave to control the heat. Sake labeled Futsu-shu, junmai and honjozo can be served both cold and warm.

Tokkuri is the name of the sake carafe and the traditional cups are called o-choko. Why are the cups so small? Because refilling them frequently is a “tradition of Japanese hospitality.”

Pairing sake and food doesn’t just begin and end with Japanese fare like sushi or sashimi. Just like with wine pairing, go with foods that have a similar taste profile, i.e. sweet with sweet and savory with savory.

Vintage Beacon Circa Feb. 2011: How Was the First SCV Wine FEST?

November 3, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

For our first effort, out of the chute, outstanding! The SCV Wine Fest is officially now the largest wine event in town.

A small line curled around the outdoor patio, filled with cigar-smoking guests of the event, at the 2pm event start. Many guests arrived early to take advantage of some of the classes also offered: a wine seminar by sommelier Mark Newman, Scotch tasting class with Scotch Master Chris Uhde, Sake tasting class led by Yoshi Murakami and our own Cindy Schwanke from COC’s Culinary Arts department, making and pairing chocolate desserts with wine.

One of the first people I got to see again was Dr. Joel Fisher. Planning for his 6^th annual LA Wine Fest after completing his 1^st SCV Wine Fest Joel said, “I’ve already decided. Same weekend, same hotel, for SCV Wine Fest 2012.”

From there I worked my way through the program (See the entire list and my favorites below) with a handy bottle of water courtesy of Castaic Lake Water Agency. I was pleased to see my own name in a special thanks section, as well as the highly-respected publications I write for as sponsors: The West Ranch Beacon, Elite Magazine and The Magazine of Santa Clarita.

The fest guests had so many choices! Besides tasting wine from Temecula to Napa, they could peruse gifts, sip sake, get a scotch lesson, taste beers, weird wine tastings, sample wine from the Ventura County Wine Trail, enjoy food truck fare or, get a palm reading!

I made my way stealthily through the tented area outside, then I ventured inside. (I had to double back to both places when peeps told me about wines they wanted me to try.) And got to spend as much time as I could with both Yoshi for Sake and Chris for Scotch – thrilled to find that those that didn’t get to attend the classes could still benefit from tastings, and, their expertise.

When it was time for me to go I wanted to record a bit more of my day so I videotaped the indoor crowd and a small group of Pulchella winery admirers outside. (Go to http://www.youtube.com/Evewine101 for those.)

Of the guests I interviewed all were pleased with the event. The one thing that struck me most was not only how well attended the inaugural effort was, but how well it was put together. I think next year this will be the number one Valentines Day Pick!

Who Was Seen

Dr. Joel Fisher, David and Nancy Bossert, Steve and Cathy Martin, Pam Ingram, Laura Garcia, Susan Fujiki, David Barlavi, Will Davison, Lisa Hawkins Blowers, Gary Choppe, Jeff Shapiro, Rich Soto and Jane Bettencourt-Soto, Paul de la Cerda and Andrea Nelson, John Dickey and Denise Lowe, Danise Davis, Yoshi Murakami, Chris Uhde, Gary and Karen Stewart, Lora Simonsgaard, Steve Lemley, Nate Hasper, Shawn Halahmy, Kari Dauer Hewitt, Tony Wire and Tanya Green, Debbie Clark, Laura Bengford, Rob Barnett, Mo, Alex and Linda Hafizi, Ann Schwartz, Kevin Kistler, Mary Bradway, Kym Cappi, Michele Buttelman, Lola Piraino, Yoti Telli, Brandon Drake, Kari Hewitt, Byron Alvarado, Norma Serrano, Debbie Clark, Sharon Lindquist, Chef Cindy Schwanke…

Wineries/Spirits

B&E Vineyards, Paso Robles

B&P Winery, Los Angeles

Briar Rose Winery, Temecula

Cielo Wineyards, Malibu
Pouring VIP event

D’Anbino Vineyards and Cellars, Paso Robles

Darms Lane Vineyard, Napa

Derby Wine Estates, Paso Robles

Dutcher Crossing Winery, Sonoma

Pouring at VIP Event

Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles

First Crush Wine Making

Grizzly Republic, Paso Robles

Pouring VIP Event

Karl Strauss Brewing Company, San Diego

Kimmel Vineyards, Mendocino
Pouring VIP Event

Local Wine Events.Com
Pouring VIP Event

Presenting a selection of fine European wines
Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition

Maddalena Vineyard Brands – A San Antonio Winery Company

Eberle Winery, Paso Robles

Gaucho Imports, Argentina

Maddalena Wines, Paso Robles

San Simeon, California

Sierra Madre, Santa Barbara

Sparrow Hawk, Napa

Martian Ranch Vineyard, Santa Barbara

Michael-David Winery, Lodi
Norcal Winery and Distillery, Sonoma,

Cahill

24 Degrees

Melanto Terrace

Pacific Edge Wine and Spirits

Reposado Dos Manos 100% De Agave Blanco

Tres Manos 100% Pure Agave Anejo, Mexico

Tequila Revolution, 100% Blue Agave, 100 proof, Mexico

Anejo Dos Manos

Patel Winery, Napa
Pouring VIP Event
Pulchella Winery, Santa Clarita

Ventura Limoncello, Ventura

Roxo Ports, Paso Robles Vin Village

Pouring VIP Event

Small Batch Whiskies

Roughstock Montana Wheat Whisky

Roughstock Montana Single Malt

Prichard’s Double Barrel Bourbon

Isle of Skye 8yr

Kilchoman Islay Single Malt

Corsair Wry Moon Un-Aged rye Whiskey

Prichard’s Sweet Lucy Bourbon Liqueur

Smart Assist (Japanese Boutique Sake)

   Iikaze Junmai Daiginjo
   Shinriki Junmai Daiginjo
   Bisui Kou Sen Junmai Ginjo
   Shinzui Junmai Daiginjo
   Daichi no Kaze Junmai
   Oigame Junmai
   Tenpouichi Tokubetsu- Junmai
   Momo Unfiltered
Sculpterra Winery, Paso Robles

Pouring VIP event

Shai Cellars, Santa Barbara

Pouring VIP Event

Ventura County Winery Association
Four Brix Winery
Magnavino Cellars
Cantara Cellars
Bella Victorian Vineyard Winery

Silver Stone Winery, Paso Robles

Wine 661, Valencia

Leese-Fitch, Sonoma

Beers from Belgium and Germany

WJ Deutsch
George Duboeuf, Beaujolais, France

Hob Nob, France

Kunde, Sonoma

Ramon Bilbao, Rioja, Spain

Ruta 22, Argentina

Yellow Tail, Australia

Life Style Exhibitors

Wine Spectator

Bwarie Gift Basket Co

Gourmet Blends
Wine Treasures
Pasta More’
Peacock Foundation
Honest Tea
The BevWizard Co

Me-n-Co (Winery toggles for bottles and glasses.)

Artistic Glass Innovations

LA Wine Fest 2011

Serendipity Lights

Bistro Blends

Smokin Aces – cigars

Psychic Intuition

Inside Pandora’s Box

Hot Spot SCV

Robert John Russo Gallery
Soiree

Teri Diamond Studio (Custom laser, etching and sandblasting, local #661-993-7257)

Kara Franklin, Independent Rendi Stylist (Of Heart and Hand-Custom Gifts and Art Pieces.)

Food VendorsStrictly Vegan Jamaican Cuisine
The Grove – Embassy Suites

Sushiya Bar and Grill, Valencia

ICUE – College of the Canyons

Papas Tapas Food Truck

Mandline Grill Mobile Catering

Maria’s Italian Mobile Kitchen

Nana’s Banana Bread

Vintage Beacon Circa Sept 2010: TPC Art & Wine Gala Teaser

October 6, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I want to share just a little about this past Saturday’s Art and Wine Gala – my full story will run in the Beacon on 10/8 – because the guests were great, the food was awesome, the wine was killer, the ballerinas adorable, the TPC staff was attentive and the auction proved once again that there’s no better time for an auction paddle than when artists, and wine lovers, come together.

Entering the TPC Country Club, escaping a surprise 100 degree heat wave after weeks of cool weather, guests were greeted by canapés and, wait…what is that? An Oyster Shooter Station?

TPC’s Executive Chef Daniel Otto planned…well…I can’t give you the full menu until 10/8, but here’s some of the mouth-watering appetizers to whet your whistle: Oyster Shooter Station, mini crepe-stuffed with chevre and roasted vegetables splashed with truffle essence, deconstructed slider with cornichon, cheddar and bacon on brioche…

But before we got past the appetizers and took our seats for the main event, guests took time to enjoy both a Nicolas Feullatte Champagne and Mitch Cosentino’s white wine blend, the Novelist 08 from Napa Valley, while perusing the expansive auction items.

Ballerinas – that would later work the live auction – flitted among the crowd. A musical ensemble played on a Balinese Gamelan, was new for many of us, and a pleasant light drumming background to the festivities.

In the program I had my eye on, and paddle ready for, every single wine lot put up by my new friend/wine aficionado Steve Elzer, a ruby and diamond ring, several original works of art, and in particular, one by Russian artist Andrew Atroshenko called “Beyond”.

To be continued…

Vintage Beacon October 2010: Assemblyman Cameron Smyth on Wine…and Re-election

July 14, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Last night while I was on Facebook, I noticed Cameron Smyth was a “Friend on Chat”. I took a wild chance and clicked. We actually chatted for a minute about wine, his re-election and then he suggested I call him.

I was surprised, yet again, at Cameron’s affability. I’ve known him for over 15 years, had lunch with him, interviewed him and usually avoided the subject of politics with him. (Those of you that truly know me know that I don’t like to share my politics, or have others thrust theirs on me. So, if you thought it was going to be that kind of column, forgettaboutit. For those of you that do want to know, yes, he’s looking forward to your support in the November 2 elections.)

I wanted to know about his involvement with the Select Committee on Wine. He said that that the group is not a judiciary, or legislative branch, but more for education, monitoring and the gathering of information to advise legislature. Cameron also remarked that wine had always been a specific interest of his.

He felt that as an urban member for an urban district, it would be educational for him. He even spoke of a recent excursion he took with the committee to Cuba that promoted the California wine industry there.

The Napa chair of the committee, Noreen Evans, has also now become a friend of Cameron’s. That’s Cameron Smyth for you, “Man of the People”, making friends wherever he goes.

He’s now off on recess until the new year and is looking forward to attending some local wine events – whenever he isn’t coaching his son’s soccer teams, and he and his wife, Lena, can get a babysitter. I told him of three upcoming events and he’s hoping to attend at least two.

So, for a Cameron citing you have to go to the Assistance League’s Sunset in the Vineyard on November 7, Single Mother’s Outreach Empowering Hearts on November 13 (Not a wine event but I’m in the writer’s competition for their fundraiser – and this was my phone call after all.) and Valencia Wine Company’s 6^th Annual Holiday Wine Tasting on November 14. (Editor’s note: This is a column from 2010 and though these annual events still exist, please see the links below for the current dates and information.)

Funny, he seemed to know about the events already from all of my Facebook postings…

In closing, I hope you look for the Waldos, and the Smyths, (Two names that decidedly will require wine to fit together) at these events!

http://www.assistanceleague-alsc.org/

http://www.singlemothersoutreach.org/hearts

http://www.valenciawine.com/

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

A day in the life of a wine 101er (Vintage Beacon Circa 8-09)

July 8, 2014 by evebushman 3 Comments

It starts before 5 in the morning, the anal compulsion to blog about my wine adventures…but it really started 14 years ago, when I began poking fun of all things Santa Clarita in a local newspaper. Who knew that movers, shakers, and those of us in-between, enjoyed a little wine now and then?

I’ve been writing, can you believe this, before I started drinking. (You thought I was going to say walking?) Anyway, I wrote under the column header Eve of Destruction (while poking fun) and Another Face of Eve (when doing good) before I settled on using Eve’s Wine 101 for almost the last 5 years.

I met a lot of local people running non-profits, politicians for hire, business owners…you get the drift. When the newspaper asked me to write about wine I found that most of the people I had met, well, seemed to have an interest in wine as well. And what’s more, they wanted to perch themselves on my glass, follow my wine adventures, and, basically, get thoroughly loose through me.

So this is what I do every day to satisfy your every whim.

Yes, I’m up at 5am, because I walk my LA City Fire Chief to his car, with his coffee and Wall Street Journal, every morning…or at least the ones where he is on shift. Then, in rapid succession comes, the run, the coffee, the reading and returning of e-mails, adding events to the SCV Wine Calendar, checking in on Facebook, Twitter, the West Ranch Beacon, reading my friends blogs, taking all the little scraps of notes that I jotted down in the middle of the night and transferring them into a “blog notes” document, get ready to blog and then I see my daughter off to school…

I do work part time, the hours my teenage cherub is in school, but I will leave that job up to your imagination. My employer is a wonderful person that ignores my wine passion…and allows me just enough hours, and salary, to escape cooking and cleaning my own house.

Then back at home after the end of the school day, I transfer non-profit, and for-profit, press releases into blog posts, put their art with a link on my blog, return more e-mails, put up photos and guest posts from readers, take time to write to and work with my two wonderful contributors: Michael Perlis and Rusty Sly that also give time to my Wine 101 blog. Then sift through the dozens of invites I receive every month to see which I can attend and write more about.

I write my big blog story for this site, prepare my weekly Dear Wine Friend newsletter, and then, by the end of the week, I’m headed out to a wine tasting or wine education class.

I try and go to as many non-profit events, and advertise that I’ll be there in my newsletter so that others, may be on the fence, might go as well. I take a Pepcid AC if it’s a farly large tasting so I can be feeling tip top the next day when I start again at, you guessed it, 5am.

Bongiorno Ciao Bella! (Vintage Beacon Circa 7-09)

July 1, 2014 by evebushman Leave a Comment

She’s bacccccccccccccck. Missed all you Beaconeers like nobody’s business! Sure they had the oldest wine bar in the world in Ferarra, Italy. But they’re not like our wine bars here, where everyone knows your name – in English.

My husband Eddie, in Venice, Italy enjoying his Aperol Spritz

Yes, we snuck away for almost 3 weeks to Venice, Rome, and Florence where all of the Tuscan sun blazed on our backpacks. But we also ventured to Ferarra, Ravenna, Verona and Bologna. And, as we had the 14 year-old daughter Samantha there for her first trip, it wasn’t all about the wine.

Answering one Question

Hey Eve. Your pictures are great. What was your itinerary? We have been to the regular tourist spots: Rome, Venice, and Florence but would love to go back and not hit the same old same old. Any suggestions?
(Photo link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1164517440530.25716.1455706632&type=1&l=48c99cd73a )

Ferarra – everyone, and I mean everyone, on bicycles, makes for a very interesting afternoon sipping Aperol spritzers and people watching, a great castle w/moat, pumpkin ravioli and the oldest wine bar in the world.Ferrara – Everyone, and I mean everyone, gets around on bicycles, which makes for a very entertaining view while sipping Aperol Spritzers (Aperol liqueur, Prosecco sparkling wine and fizzy soda water) in sidewalk cafes. The walled-in city of Ferrara also has a great castle with a moat, a decent sushi bar and, the oldest wine bar in the world.

Dating back to 1435, the walls of al Brandisi . Ferarra – everyone, and I mean everyone, on bicycles, makes for a very interesting afternoon sipping Aperol spritzers and people watching, a great castle w/moat, pumpkin ravioli and the oldest wine bar in the world. (This will be in Friday’s columns with the West Ranch Beacon too…)are hidden behind dusty bottles of wine, scotch and bourbon. The bar itself is on a narrow cobblestone street that looks more like an alleyway.

(Samantha was awed to find that every place we ordered wine allowed for her to be a grown up. The drinking age in Italy is 16, or up to a parent’s discretion, we allowed her to linger over our ‘tasting pour’. She never finished the amount served….and had more fun checking what the waiter called a “Tupka” Turkish bathroom complete with foot holds and a porcelain h— in the ground.)

As we suggest to others, and have read for ourselves, you should try local wines and foods when traveling. The local wines our server suggested that night were a Fortana and a Merlot, each between 3-4 Euros a glass. I enjoyed the Fortana enough to warrant a second glass and got a very quick peak at the label: Burson Randi with 14% alcohol.

One other note of what we dug: the practice of “Avinare”. When our bottle was opened (even when just ordering by the glass each bottle was freshly opened) our wine glass was rinsed with wine “to remove water and impurities from the glass”. I found more here about this practice: http://www.ibabuzz.com/bottomsup/2008/09/23/la-sommelier-practices-stem-priming-or-avinare/

We also had a great wine, and the town’s famous pumpkin Ravioli, at Antica Osteria Al Postiglione: 2004 Colutta Gianpaolo Schioppettino. The Schioppettino varietal being one I looked for in other parts of Italy…but never found among the thousands they produce. http://www.coluttagianpaolo.com/vino_eng.htm

Bologna – The food (The king of our bologna is their mortadella, our jarred meat sauce is their Bolognese and our hotel’s “breakfast included” took on a whole new meaning.), remarkable leaning towers and a Basilica that the Pope cut off funding for as it was to be as big as St. Peter’s – was also a place to sip more Aperol Spritzers, try the local fizzy-cold-red Frizzante just once, and enjoy the “complementary” spread of liquor set up daily at the Hotel Corona d’Oro since 1890.

Ravenna – Historical churches and Basilicas – so many in Italy – but these are covered in tiny mosaics. Day trip = no wine.

Verona – Juliet’s home is just a tourist spot but pretty, as are the views of the city…another day trip and again no wine. We were done with those.

The Beaten Path

Rome – After the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, a chain of wine stores: two Enotrevi, two Enotecas, a Guerrini and a Vinovip were big on pouring tastes of cream based liquors with grappa. We went from berries to nuts to chocolate and finished off with limoncello. Nice way to wile away an afternoon, or two, if you can’t get back to your hotel room for a proper siesta.

Vudabar offered almost a dozen champagnes by the glass and a great wine list. The Blue Ice gelato chain with 16 stores only in Rome, not yet making wine-flavored ices, was a nice palate-cleanser. And dinner, at Hard Rock Roma, was noisy but the water didn’t come in a bottle with or without gas and the Grey Goose martinis were a welcome change.

Venice – My husband Eddie’s favorite European city with its seemingly endless canals and bridges, all go to St. Marks Square/Piazza San Marco. We were lucky to pass plenty of café’s to have our Spritzers and Vino Blanco during the day time.

Of note for us was VinoVino (http://www.anticomartini.com/eng-index.html) with an excellent food menu and wine menu to match, and, a restaurant we dined in 25 years ago that was still serving Pasta Carbonara and Quattro Formaggi pizza: Pedrocchi. With its bright awnings opening up into a quiet piazza we were reminded of dining there as weary travelers with other ‘kids’ we had just met…

Florence – Staying across the street from the Duomo, we saw the finely sculptured David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus among a bazillion others, the Bridge of Gold and Michelangelo’s…park. In between we dined at the same touristy restaurant twice – as Samantha liked it. Wish we could’ve found something remarkable in the wine…better luck next time. And yes, there will be a next time!

Six out of 661 Questions for: Wine 661 (Vintage Beacon Circa 5/09)

May 20, 2014 by evebushman Leave a Comment

To keep myself busy while caring for my injured-yet-again spouse, satisfied more by angry single malt Scotch than the doctor prescribed Vicodin, I called Tanya Green, the new owner of Wine 661 to find out what new things they are offering the SCV wine drinking public, myself copiously included.

Okay Tanya, I have been to this location before, when it was Wine Savor and now as Wine 661. Jeff Jacobson, chair of the SCV Wine Classic suggested that I talk to you as he holds you in high regard as the new owner. Want to tell West Ranch Beacon readers what your wine story is?

My “wine story” is pretty simple…I love wine so I bought a wine bar, but my passion for wine began by going tasting. I love listening to the experts explain how the grapes were grown and fermented; why I’ll taste certain things because of the composition of the soil, that fruit grown on mountain tops develops thicker skins because of its proximity to the sun and therefore has more character than thin-skinned grapes.

I also have a strange fascination/respect for grapes that are difficult to grow, so those are the wines I’m most interested in. Everything about wine fascinates me from the farming of the grapes to the finished product, which makes owning a wine bar, like being a kid in a candy shop! I love it!

2. I understand you are serving beers as well as wine; what are some of your customer’s favorites from both?

To me, it was important to be able to carry something other than wine just in case a “beer guy” was dragged in by his wife. That’s why I spent months tasting beer from all over the world to put together, what I think, is the best beer list in town.

I carry rare, hard-to-get beers and artisan ales from Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Oregon, Santa Barbara and Maine. Each of my beers has won some sort of award from “Best Hefeweizen” to “Best Beer in the World.”

Schonramer Gold, for example, is a German Pilsner that won “Best Beer in the World” for 13 straight years and had to be removed from the contest to allow another beer the opportunity to win. I’m proud to carry a beer that good, and, I personally have grown to love beer as much, if not more, than wine.

My personal favorite is a cork-finished 750ml bottle of Belgian Farmhouse Ale called Saison Dupont. It’s gold and hoppy and has lots of personality. I pride myself on carrying beers that no one else carries and in most cases, beers that no one’s even heard of.

This may be off-putting to Coors Light lovers but I don’t mind. I want adventurous drinkers in here. Those that know what they like but can get excited to try something new. Nothing excites me more than transforming a Coors Light drinker into a beer snob!

What’s new now that you’ve taken over?

Wine 661 was a great spot long before I took it over. The ambience is comfortable and cozy and in my opinion, the best in the Valley, but I can’t take credit for that.

What I can take credit for, is a great appetizer list; including some amazing gourmet cheeses from all over the world (my fave is the five-year aged Gouda and the Spanish Blue cheese) as well as artisanal meats from near and far.

I’ve also changed the beer and wine lists and am proud of both. I promise to always rotate my beer and wine inventory so that my regulars never get bored and to carry both inexpensive as well as high-end beer and wines.

Tell readers what’s on your menu and any specials:

The most popular items on my menu are my cheese and chocolate flights. For the “Cheese Flight,” I’ve paired three red wines with gourmet cheeses that compliment them. Cave-aged blue cheese is paired with a phenomenal Merlot. The semi-hard, Manchego from Spain is paired with a complex and delicious Tempranillo and finally a 5 year aged Gouda is paired with a California Zinfandel. The “Chocolate Flight” is the same idea; three reds paired with three different E.Guittard chocolates with different cocoa contents. I think of it as delicious and fun.

Your employee Kirsten is a delight. She poured us some very different water to go with our wine, what’s that about?

The water at Wine 661 has taken on a life of its own. I’ve always loved spa water infused with various fruits (the combinations are endless) so I take filtered tap water and infuse it with cucumber and lemon. It’s refreshing and different and people freak out over it. I serve it chilled in a frosted 750 ml wine bottle over ice. I recently had a customer visit a resort in Hawaii where similar water was served by the pool. When she tried theirs, she told the pool-side waitress that ‘while it was good, it wasn’t as good as the water at Wine 661.’

Tell us what your customers can expect as far as service?

I don’t think anyone can possibly care about their guests as much as the owner so I try to be here six days per week to ensure that everyone who walks through the door has a good experience. I like to have a good time and not take myself too seriously, and I think the service here reflects that. We’re pretty down to earth so people will always feel comfortable and at ease. We get to know our guests and over time we become like family with many of our regulars. I try to remember everyone’s name although I usually find it easier to remember their wine preference. The service here is personal and nowhere near stuffy. There is a certain sophistication that comes with serving and selling wine but this is a casual environment meant for a having a great time and good laugh!

Well, now that now that your palate is whetted by the wine, beer and water at Wine 661, in the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Now…go!

Cigars and Wine: An adventure with young men and experts (Vintage Beacon Circa 5/09)

May 6, 2014 by evebushman 2 Comments

Last Friday night we let our 14 year-old daughter terrorize the mall with her friends from 5-6pm. We figured one hour was not enough time for Paul Blart mall cop to drag them by their heels over to us at the wine bar. (Thrilling being a parent in SCV isn’t it?)

Anyway we settled in with a bottle of Bordeaux, Chateau Lafont Menault 05 (from the Pessac Leognan region of Bordeaux, killer vintage mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc & Merlot) while waiting for the promised rain under the wide expanse of Valencia Wine Company’s grand blue awning.

Then these two young dudes showed up. Jacketless. Bullet-proof chests fresh from the bench press and a shower. And one final thing, a thick cigar was dangling from two of their four well-muscled extremities.

We contemplated moving back inside and sitting with Soroptimist Darlene and her great-story-telling husband, Robert, but we didn’t want to be inside in case the little Cherub showed up with a boy slithering by her side outside.

I told my husband Eddie that we should just give in to it, brave it out, rely on the breeze. In the past I would hide inside the bars, complaining that I could still smell the smoke. What’s the point? The wine world is-a-changin’. And we can either grow old without it or grow young with it.

What we feared most…didn’t happen. The young men ordered a bottle of Midnight Cellar Zinfandel 06 from Paso Robles to pair. They didn’t get boisterous. And…when the sweet smell did waft our way we didn’t grumble. We gave in, or caved in, and went with it. And you know what? It made us stronger.

Bolstered by my new found appreciation I stealthily approached the young whipper-snappers. I asked why they didn’t have a lighter as their wooden matches kept being blown out: “Because butane negatively affected the taste of the cigar.” Well.

John and Sheldon, self-proclaimed computer geeks and both on Facebook, were new to drinking wine and smoking cigars. They liked to relax for an hour as often as possible with both. I learned a little about them and their interests that night; glad the wind decided to blow their way after all.

I was mystified, as I often am, by the new face of wine drinkers. Fresh-faced and scrubbed up, ready to dip into the deep end of the wine pool. And very comfortable with what they are doing.

Still, with mounting interest, I asked proprietor Guy Lelarge what he would pair with cigars and he said 10 year old Ports. “Ports and Cigars have, since the day’s of the Romans, the perfect complement after nights of debauchery! And I am being serious.” (Lelarge is pictured holding the Dows 20 Year Tawny Port) Kevin Osborne, wine director, also recommended the aptly named “cigarzin” by Cosentino wines.

Next I asked a couple of Internet friends that were available:

“While we’ve enjoyed all sorts of different wines with cigars some of the favorites are the big, bold Syrahs and Zin’s (Eno Wines, St. Amant), late harvest wines and Ports,” Said cigar and a wine enthusiast David Sanchez of Eno Wines in Berkeley, CA. “Cigars are very similar to wines with there own unique flavors and characters which are influenced by their origin, age and blends. Pairing the two together can be like a marriage made in Heaven when the right combination is found.”

Another expert opinion came from Larry Elletson, Co-Director, Tasters Guild, Central Maryland: “There is no ‘right’ answer because everybody’s taste in regard to both cigars and wine are unique. If one liked a port or another sweet wine (stickies as we call them), I would match the port with a dark maduro wrapped cigar as the maduro wrapper does a bit of sweetness to the cigar.

Forget about trying to match a white wine with a cigar…. the cigar will just overpower the wine. Although I may be tempted to try some of the small cigarettos from Macanudo with a fruiter white like a Pinot Gris….. that way the cigar will not overwhelm the wine as it is a relatively a short smoke.

Look for a wine that has a bit of earthiness and smoke in the nose. Enjoy the flavors of both the wine and the cigar as they come across the tongue. Take time to enjoy both as neither should be rushed as the flavors and nose of each will change over time.

Cigars and wine done well are things to be enjoyed. Cigars and wine made well by those who love their craft, are a pleasure to be appreciated for what they what they bring together… the best of earth and man.”

So, in case this is on the Internet before Sheldon and John ever get back to me, I’m thinking of trying Mitch Cosentino’s Zin in about two weeks when the store is going through their remodel and adding more live music. Now, I’m not sure I’ll go so far as smoking a cigar because…well…being a blond I inhaled when told not too. Little to old to shake that off again.