Jeff Porter and Friends Hit the Road With “Sip Trip”

October 18, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Jeff Porter, beverage director of the Bastianich Group and one of the most influential sommeliers in the US for fine Italian wine, together with I.E.E.M. (http://www.ieemusa.com) and Colangelo & Partners (http://www.colangelopr.com), has created ‘Sip Trip,’ a new Web-based show that will give Italian wine lovers an up-close & personal view into some of Italy’s top wineries and wine regions. The Sip Trip crew ─ which includes Jeff accompanied by two wine pros and a journalist from leading wine and spirits website, Vinepair (http://www.vinepair.com) ─ hits the road this November and December with stops in Piedmont (the Asti and Nizza Consortia, Renato Ratti, Pio Cesare and Fontanafredda), the Veneto (Masi, Zenato), Lombardy (Ca’ del Bosco), Tuscany (the Brunello Consortium and Castello di Monsanto), Umbria (Falesco), Le Marchè (Ciù Ciù) and Campania (Mastroberardino).

Photo: You Tube

“The concept for Sip Trip is simple: I travel to Italy’s greatest wineries and wine regions with two top Sommeliers, drink great wine, interview interesting people and explore the culture and history of Italy. What could be better than that?” explains Jeff. The tone of Sip Trip will be fun and informative. Jeff and friends will tell compelling stories of great wines, estates and regions in their historical and cultural context while avoiding technical wine jargon and repeated shots of swirling wine glasses.

“Americans love Italy and Italian wine but don’t have access to the places Jeff will visit and the people he’ll meet,” says Marina Nedic, founding partner of I.E.E.M. “Sip Trip will allow viewers to vicariously experience these beautiful places and leading Italian wine personalities.”

The Italian road trip will be bookended by a trip across America by Jeff and Somm friends during which he’ll drink the great wines he tasted in Italy with more Somms in the US. “We want to share our love for Italy and Italian wine with as many wine industry pros and wine enthusiasts as we can touch, whether in a tasting or digitally,” said Gino Colangelo, owner of Colangelo & Partners. “Jeff is the perfect host for this. He knows what he’s talking about technically and he can speak to wine lovers at all levels of knowledge.”

The first Sip Trip episodes will begin airing in the Spring of 2019. Currently, there are 12 episodes planned for Season 1.

About Jeff Porter

Originally from Texas, Jeff’s passion for wine started while at the University of Texas at Austin. He began his career at Central Market in Austin, Texas. After graduating, Jeff moved to California where he worked as a sales person for a wholesaler in the Bay Area. His sommelier career began in Napa Valley working at Tra Vigne Ristorante in St. Helena, California. He joined the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group in 2009 at Osteria Mozza. In 2011 he moved to New York to become the wine director for Del Posto, and in 2014, Jeff became the Beverage Operations Director of the B&B Hospitality Group, overseeing the beverage programs for Babbo, Del Posto, Esca, Lupa, Otto, Babbo Pizzeria & Enoteca in Boston, MA, and the group’s newest restaurant, La Sirena at the Maritime Hotel.

About I.E.E.M.

I.E.E.M.: (International Event & Exhibition Management), the Miami-based branch of I.E.M. (International Exhibition Management), is a comprehensive agency specializing in marketing, events production and public relations for the wine industry. Driven by a passion for trade shows and a flair for flawless organization, I.E.M. was founded in 1999 by industry veterans Giancarlo Voglino and Marina Nedic. A reputation for reliably delivering high-quality events, coupled with its extensive network of wine trade professionals and international media, places IEEM/IEM among the most highly regarded Italian wine event organizers in the world. Learn more by visiting http://www.ieemusa.com.

About Colangelo & Partners

Colangelo & Partners (http://www.colangelopr.com) specializes in premium food, wine and spirits, and has long established relationships with the key press that drive these business categories and help determine the industry leaders. Agency principals have years of experience in retail and distribution as well as communications, a rare combination that gives Colangelo & Partners invaluable insights into consumer purchasing behavior. The agency focuses on ‘closing the loop’ between creative communications programs, distribution, promotion, publicity and the consumer in order to maximize the efficiency of its communications programs and deliver measurable results. Founded in 2006, Colangelo & Partners was honored as one of the year’s top integrated communications firms at the 2013 Agency Elite Awards and for one of the best digital marketing campaigns at the 2014 Digital PR Awards.

Vinexpo Bordeaux Shows Ambition

October 10, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The 20^th edition of Vinexpo Bordeaux, which takes place from Monday 13 to Thursday 16 May 2019, has announced several new features to provide a unique welcome to the world and highlight its position as a strategic show.

Photo: VinExpo in Hong Kong, a past event, from the VinExpo Facebook page.

A true partner for the sector, Vinexpo Bordeaux brings together all stakeholders in the world of wines and spirits. Over 40,000 trade visitors from 150 countries are expected to come and discover the diversity of products presented by 2,000 international exhibitors.

This major calendar event is also a key opportunity for the region in terms of the economic impact and publicity associated with the event.

A Drive for Performance

Vinexpo is the only independently organised show entirely devoted to the wine and spirits industry. In 37 years, Vinexpo has gained a unique understanding of the market and gathered a huge global network of influential distributors. The brand now organises events in four cities around the world: Bordeaux, Hong Kong, New York, and soon Paris in January 2020, as well as a touring event, Vinexpo Explorer.

“Vinexpo is continuing to expand internationally and Vinexpo Bordeaux is the Group’s cornerstone. This is our flagship and it will receive even more resources for 2019”, confirmed Patrick Seguin, President of Vinexpo’s executive board and Chairman of the Bordeaux-Gironde Chamber of Commerce. “To do this, we wanted to develop an unprecedented synergy with our local partners. By pooling our strengths and solutions, we will be contributing to our customers’ success through several new initiatives and innovations which we’re launching.”

New 14,000m² hall and easier visitor mobility

Following the Bordeaux Métropole decision and in agreement with the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the planned investment scheme to refurbish the exhibition hall has been accelerated. For its 2019 edition, the show will be housed in a new facility replacing Hall 2 (cost: €34.7 million). This initiative will continue in the next few years with the gradual renovation of Hall 1.

At the same time, a new facility will be set up for reception and access to the exhibition. Attendees will be able to use the Vinexpo Citypass. This pass gives free access to the TBM (tramway and bus) network and offers numerous advantages so they make the most of their stay in Bordeaux (free entrance to the Cité du Vin, some of the city’s museums etc.). There will also be a special reception and information stand at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport and at the Bordeaux Saint-Jean railway station.

Extensive promotion for 2019 with an expanded content and new developments

“Vinexpo Bordeaux is packed with exciting attractions that we will be promoting intensively abroad. Increasing the number of buyer contacts and the event’s commercial role, offering insights into today’s key challenges and shining the light on French hospitality will confirm Vinexpo Bordeaux as the industry’s strategic trade show, where the future of the business is built. To deliver this strategy, we have decided to add several new features”, indicated Christophe Navarre, President of the Vinexpo Supervisory Board.

The first Symposium Vinexpo will be organised in association with the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. This event will provide answers to the major challenges facing the industry. The theme for this year will look at the impact of climate change on the wine and spirits industry. The scientific, technical and economic aspects will be considered during talks taking place throughout the day on 14 May. This topical issue will be examined by representatives from the French Wine and Vine Institute and its international experts.

With the support of the AANA (Nouvelle-Aquitaine Food Agency), the regional authority will be organising a “food meeting” during Vinexpo Bordeaux, to attract new catering buyers to the show.

Another initiative is Les Diners du Palais (Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 May). Exhibitors at Vinexpo Bordeaux will be able to invite their guests to the sophisticated venue of the Palais de la Bourse. Their own wines will be served as they dine, paired with a menu designed by a Michelin-starred chef. This new service supports customer relations and communication at the show.

Meeting end consumers is an increasingly important aspect of sales and prospecting for new customers. This is why wine enthusiasts will, for the first time, be able to sample a selection of the international wines and spirits at Vinexpo, at La Grande Dégustation (tasting event) to be held at the Palais de la Bourse on the evening before the show: it will be open to the general public.

Events at Stave Wine Cellar in Pebble Beach

October 8, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Stave Wine Cellar, the intimate wine lounge at The Inn at Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach Resorts, is hosting a series of enlightening sommelier-led flight nights and tasting events. The program calendar is an inventive schedule full of surprises, from beer favorites to music and wine pairings. Each class offers both lively discussion and delicious pours, and ranges from $25 to $100 per person. Reservations to Stave Wine Cellar’s tasting events are recommended, and available by calling 800-877‑0597.

Upcoming events include:

Germany, Alsace and Austria –Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. ($35)

First we’ll figure out how to read the German Wine Label. Trocken, Kabinett, Piesporter – what does it all mean? After that we’ll try some Riesling!

Southern Hemisphere –Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. ($25)

Wines from the underbelly of the equator have a curious past and a bright future. We’ll check in on the present state of these unique wines.

Oak and Wine – Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. ($25)
How did oak barrels come to be such an important vessel for aging fine wines? What effect do they have on the finished wine? How does the source of oak factor into the discussion?

Staff Favorites – Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. ($25)

The Stave Staff takes the reins of the class for an evening to present the wines that fuel their passion for this most captivating of beverages!

Bordeaux – Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. ($40)

The power and the prestige of Bordeaux is singular. These classy wines have the world enthralled with their complexity.

Aroma Training – Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. ($40)

Learn the essential aromas found in the wine world and with which wines they are most associated. A rare opportunity to smell the aromas next to the wines!

Hello, Wine – Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. ($25)

An Introduction to our favorite beverage. A place to ask all the questions you didn’t know you had.

Vino Italiano – Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. ($25)

Our most popular class. We’ll explore the classics and some hidden gems

Champagne – Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. ($40)

A look back at the history of Champagne and an exploration of the vineyards that spawned the most celebratory of beverages.

Learning, Tasting and Lunching: The Planeta MasterGlass With Alessio Planeta

September 28, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The last time I met with Alessio Planeta and tasted through his wines was in 2015. So I was overdue for a new tasting, and this time it would include a lesson, a luncheon and a wine glass made especially for the wines!

Anthony Dias Blue (Tasting Panel Magazine), me, Piero Selvaggio (Valentino’s Santa Monica) and Alessio Planeta.

The Mouth-Watering Invite

I’d like to invite you to join us for a special “MasterGlass” experience hosted by Alessio Planeta, co-owner/lead winemaker for Sicily’s Planeta winery…Alessio will take us through a formal tasting of various expressions of Nero d’Avola from four different regions/terroirs across Sicily: Noto, Menfi, Vittoria and Capo Milazzo. Italian fine dining legend Piero Selvaggio will provide insight…“MasterGlass” comes in to play because the tasting will be conducted using glasses designed by Riedel specifically for Planeta and Nero d’Avola. The tasting will include a vertical of Planeta’s top Nero d’Avola, Santa Cecilia: 2013, 2007, 2005.

The Lesson

Alessio – along with Piero – had joined together to share what Alessio called the “Sicily of the present and the past.” Alessio began by telling his audience that to fully immerse themselves in the culture of Sicily he highly recommended the book, Palmento: A Sicilian Wine Odyssey. (From Amazon: Inspired by a deep passion for wine, an Italian heritage, and a desire for a land somewhat wilder than his home in southern France, Robert V. Camuto set out to explore Sicily s emerging wine scene. What he discovered during more than a year of traveling the region, however, was far more than a fascinating wine frontier.)

We also learned:

The wine grape Nero d’Avola is comparable to other grapes grown in other regions of the world, for example Sangiovese from Tuscany.

Harvest is a 3-month process in Sicily.

Planeta Winery prefers to keep alcohol levels to 13.4% or 13.5%, as high “alcohol is not for long aging.”

In the four areas where they have vineyards, each has a different culture as well as a different terroir influenced by both soil and sea.

Piero added:

There were no wines from Sicily when he opened Valentino’s Santa Monica over four decades ago.

There were two Italys – and when he immigrated people automatically assumed he had mafia affiliations.

With Planeta’s rise beginning 20 years ago there is a new Sicily and development on the Island.

“Tuscany is out – and Sicily is now the place to be” for wines.

The Tasting – aromas and flavors separate by ;

Cerasuola di Vittoria 2015

Cerasuola di Vittoria DOCG

Crushed red cherries, mushroom, stems, rich minerality, green peppercorn; light, bright cherry and strawberry.

Dorilli 2015

Cerasuola di Vittoria CLASSICO DOCG

Cherry liqueur, red fruit, layered spice, pleasant aromatics; red fruit again, nicely balanced with the spice and a medium finish.

Mamertino 2015

Mamertino DOC

A great nose filled with blueberry, milk chocolate, sweet port and dust; rich red to blue fruit, dry and dusty finish.

Santa Cecilia 2013

Noto DOC

Black fruit, black pepper, stewed mushroom, Bolognese sauce, perfumy; very dry, dark fruit, oak and tannins.

Santa Cecilia 2007 – MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE IN THE TASTING

IGT Sicilia

Dried blue fruit, crushed leaves, liqueur and Port qualities, rich soil; big, bold, dry dark fruit and pepper.

Santa Cecilia 2005

IGT Sicilia

Incense, forest floor, red-blue-black fruit; rich, layered fruit and spice.

Details on all of the wines can be found here: https://planeta.it/en/wine/

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. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Garagiste Wine Festival Turns ‘21’: Showcases Over 60 Artisan Winemakers

September 27, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

PASO ROBLES, Calif. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival marks its 21st festival, and 8th anniversary, at its home base in Paso Robles, November 9th through the 11th, with three days of events, including a Grand Tasting that showcases over 60 micro production winemakers, 20% of whom are pouring at the festival for the first time. Tickets are on sale now at http://californiagaragistes.com/buy-tickets/.

In addition to its signature range of over 200 wines, over 20 different grape varieties and new and iconoclastic blends, this year’s festival pays tribute to the increasing influence of Spanish grape varieties in California. This includes a Rare and Reserve tasting matched with Paella and a seminar dedicated to Spanish varieties – from Albarino to Graciano – and how today’s artisan winemakers, including Enrique Torres of Diablo Paso, Louisa Sawyer Lindquist of Verdad and Jeremy Leffert of Croma Vera Wines, are crafting trail-blazing wines from them.

“We are turning ‘21!’ This doesn’t necessarily mean crossing into adulthood (we’ll never grow up!); but it does mean we’ve hit on something that both dedicated wine drinkers and the growing micro-winery community find valuable,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “It feels great to have helped so many wineries find their audience, while helping new audiences find exciting new winemakers. We’re like a matchmaking service where everyone ends up getting married!”

Dubbed “tasting nirvana” ‘strange and wondrous’, and “one not to miss” by the LA Times, the Garagiste Festival is renowned for its renegade spirit, passionate winemakers, handcrafted wines and rules-breaking, ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos. Launched in Paso Robles in 2011, the festival features the wines of commercial garagiste* winemakers who make under 1500 cases at festivals across California, including Solvang, Sonoma, Los Angeles and Paso Robles. Over 350 different wineries have poured over 3,000 wines for over 10,000 wine lovers at Garagiste Festivals since inception.

The festival takes place at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds and other area locations and includes Thursday’s Industry Night, featuring the Garagiste’s annual Winemaker Shootdown; Friday night’s ‘Rare and Reserve’ event, and Saturday’s seminars and epic Grand Tasting, followed by the Keep It Rockin’After Party, featuring special 8th Anniversary guest, Stephen Rowe and the Lonely Loners, who played at the very first Garagiste Festival in 2011. On Sunday, Garagiste Paso Passport Day returns, which offers festival attendees discounts and events at garagiste wineries throughout the area.

Saturday morning’s VIP tasting seminar on Spanish varieties, ‘The Rise of Spanish Varieties: Classic Grapes find a home in California,’ is moderated by Garagiste Festival co-founder, KRUSH radio host and Golden Triangle Wines winemaker, Stewart McLennan.

Said McLennan: “The festival is a Paso wine-tasting tradition. Big, bold and badass. So if you’ve never been to our Paso festival, you need to come join the fun.”

“And it is all for a good cause – the festivals have raised over $125,000 for The Garagiste Scholarship at Cal Poly. So, as you broaden your exposure to some of the most innovative winemaking in California, you are also supporting winemaking’s future generations,” concluded Minnick.

The Garagiste Festival was the first event to define, and shine a spotlight on, the American “garagiste*” wine movement and has introduced outstanding California artisan winemakers to thousands of passionate wine consumers, members of the trade and media, helping to ignite the awareness, business and reputations of hundreds of artisan winemakers.

For full schedule details, go to http://californiagaragistes.com/2018-paso-fest/

Among the over 60 winemakers already scheduled to pour are:
Adron Wines*, Alta Colina, Armitage Wines*, Artisan Uprising, Ascension Cellars, Bevela Wines, Bolshoi Family Wines*, Caldera Cuvee, Caliza Winery, Circle B Vineyards, Cloak & Dagger Wines, Copia Vineyards, Corner Cellars*, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Decroux Wines*, DENO Wines, DeWitt Vineyard*, Diablo Paso, Dusty Nabor Wines, Gary Kramer Guitar Cellars*, Golden Triangle, Hoi Polloi Winery, Hoyt Family Vineyards, Jardesca*, Kitson Wines*, Last Light Wine Co, Leverage Wines, Lost Blues, MagnaVita Cellars*, Marin’s Vineyard, Mastro Scheidt*, MCV Wines, Merisi Wines*, Montage Russe, On Your Left Wine Co., Powell Mountain Cellars, Saint K Wines, Seven Angels Cellars, Seven Oxen Estate Wines, Sea Shell Cellars, T. Berkley Wines*, Tlo Wines, TOP Winery, Torch Cellars, Transmission Wine Co.*, TW Fermentations, Ultima Tulie, Vandella Vineyards*, Vigo Cellars*, Vinemark Cellars, Vino Vargas, Volatus Wines, and Willow Creek Wine Group*.

*First time pouring at the Paso Festival.

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

Sponsors include: Travel Paso Robles Association, ETS Laboratories, Farm Credit, G3, Glenn Burdette, Hanover Insurance, mWEBB Communications, Digital Dogma, Laffort USA, WiVi Central Coast, The Oaks Hotel, La Quinta Inn and Suites. House Copper

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

*Garagistes (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.

About The Garagiste Wine Festivals
The Garagiste Wine Festivals (http://www.garagistefestival.com) are the first and only wine festivals dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ producers who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

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

Upcoming Classes from The Wine House WLA

September 16, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The Wine House is thrilled to be named one of ten of the “World’s Best Wine Shops” in Food & Wine! In addition to being described as a “wine geek’s dream destination” with modest markups and excellent small-production offerings, we were noted for having “an impressive lineup of classes.” Here are our current offerings!

SUMMARY OF UPCOMING WINE HOUSE CLASSES AND EVENTS

In-Store Tasting of Sicilian Wines from Passopisciaro
Monday, September 17, $20

Planeta Wine Dinner with Alessio Planeta at Upstairs 2
Tuesday, September 18, $115

International Grenache Day In-Store Tasting *NEW*
Friday, September 21, 3 to 7 PM, Only $1 (No reservation required, just stop by TASTE)

Sake Fest
Sunday, September 23, $55

What You Absolutely Need to Know About Wine
Monday, September 24, $58

In-Store Wine Safari
Wednesday, October 3, $40

Scotch: Introduction to Single Malt Whisky
Friday, October 5, $79

Italian Wine Specialist Certificate in Four Parts
October 7, 13, 20 and 27, $675

Italian Sangiovese In-Depth
Monday, October 8, $55

WSET Level 2 Intermediate Award in Wines & Spirits
Begins October 14, $795

The 35th Annual Cabernet Fest
Sunday, October 28, General Admission $75; V.I.P. $99

Château de Pommard Introduces Three New Wine Experiences

August 9, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Château de Pommard is introducing three new Wine Experiences to teach consumers the professional secrets of tasting, pairing and selecting wines. The Tasting Experience, Climats Experience and Gourmet Experience have been created by the domain’s new Director of Wine Education, Vanessa Guébels, a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma graduate.

“Wine consumers today are passionate, not only about great regions and vintages but also about the understanding it takes to navigate the complex world of fine wine,” commented Michael Baum, CEO, and Propriétaire of Famille Carabello-Baum. “With wine knowledge comes wine enjoyment and visitors to Burgundy are thirsty for both.”

Guests participating in the Tasting Experience will learn, in just 45 minutes, the WSET systematic method for professional tasting and gain the confidence in describing wines using the language of professional sommeliers. The Climats Experience lasts 60 minutes, during which, the complex array of Burgundy villages and wines are explained. Guests are empowered with a grasp of the true meaning of terroir. The Gourmet Experience offers each visitor the opportunity to travel the world and build a foundation for matching fine wines with international cuisine. This, 90-minute workshop, hosted by WSET trained Wine Advisors, was developed by Ms. Guébels and Château de Pommard’s award-winning winemakers to encourage a methodical approach to food and wine pairing.

“The opportunity to combine the unparalleled wine knowledge in Burgundy with consumer experiences is a wine educator’s dream of a lifetime,” quipped Ms. Guébels.
“With the launch of these new Wine Experiences, when somebody leaves the domain they do so with precise knowledge about grape varietals, tasting methods and the winemaking and food pairing techniques that professionals around the world rely upon.”

From passionate wine lovers looking to strengthen their knowledge of Burgundy to industry professionals dedicated to improving their craft, there’s a wine experience suited to all tastes and levels. These experiences are one of many forthcoming projects, both onsite and online, from Château de Pommard designed to ignite passions for wine education.

The new Wine Experiences can be reserved online, by phone or through Château de Pommard’s travel, tourism and hotel partners.

Vintage Eve 5/2015: Cabs of Distinction – Discovering Rotta, J Lohr Component Tasting and Vina Robles Seminar

July 24, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

During the first day of Paso Robles Cab Collective Cabs of Distinction event I was happy with many wines from wineries I already knew or at least knew of. As I was strolling past one table I was immediately charmed by the gentleman pouring for guests in front of the table and excitedly describing the wines. This was my first encounter with Jeff Branco, the winemaker and Director of Operations for Rotta Winery.

Discovering Rotta

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My husband Eddie at Rotta luncheon.

Within minutes I fell in love with Branco’s 2013 Rotta SBR blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. I also learned that Branco had been the winemaker for Justin – and the incredibly popular Isosceles blend had originated under his tenure.

As this was the Cab Collective and all we were tasting were Bordeaux style blends or Cabs I asked Branco if he made other wines. He quickly invited me and my pals to a luncheon and wine tasting at his winery on Winery Road, just past Turley in Templeton, the next day.

Fast forward and we’re in the Rotta tasting room happily sampling a Rotta 2013 Pinot Gris from San Simeon that received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine. From there we had a Rotta 2013 Rosé, and then the rest of the 2013 tasting line up was from Paso Robles and included a Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Estate Zinfandel – all yummy.

Then we were driven up to the top of the property where a total of 19 guests huddled under pop up tents, happily sipping wine and taking photographs of the vineyards surrounding us. Once the courses began (see photos of the menu and pairings here) the conversation never ceased – along with the praise for Branco’s exquisite wines and Chef Brooke Stockwell’s imaginative pairings.

Several times the charming Branco would tap his water glass with a knife to get our attention and comment on the joy he found in his work. One story included his out-of-the-box idea of a tailgate party on the property that served as a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association. He, along with “the love of” his life Sonya Guzman, proudly held up a check for $900 that they had made in their inaugural attempt, an event mostly filled with friends and local winemakers.

After lunch we headed back down the mountain, back to the tasting room, and nearly back to reality. The last I had seen of Branco was him headed off on a ATV to pick up his daughters. I ordered a few wines and lingered a bit in the tasting room but he hadn’t made it back before we all had to leave. As he had given me his cell number we called from the car where all five of us let him know that we loved his wines and thanked him for a remarkable time.

More about Rotta

Established in 1908.

Try the Black Monukka dessert wine.

Open 10:30-5:30 daily.

805-237-0510

Info@rottawinery.com

Www.RottaWinery.com

Lohr Cuvee Component Tasting 2014 Vintages

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.

A bit tough with the caliber of fellow writers and somms in the room, we agreed on some descriptors and what wine that indicated. Ian listed colors, fruits and tannins that were certain indicators of standard varietals no matter where grown.

“It’s the structure that tells you the story” Ian said, in describing a Cabernet Sauvignon. And the purple color and bright fluorescent rim in the glass is indicative of all Malbecs.

Any bell pepper notes, which most people think is a flaw, ends up in their lowest priced bottles Peck said, and is how most domestic wineries handle that component when found.

I checked off whenever at least my descriptors matched Ian’s as I certainly wasn’t going to guess all of the varietals correctly! At the end of the class I got one wine right across the board, the others only shared descriptors. I definitely want to try this at home with a group.

Peck then gave us some great news: when we got to lunch a little later “some of the wines the somms tasted” in front of us the other day that we weren’t given…had “fallen off the truck” and we were going to taste them!

But first we were to blend a “Cuvee Pom” (in a nod to the Pomeral region of Bordeaux) blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Malbec with 2% (equal to 1/2 barrel) to 4% (equal to 1 barrel) of Cabernet Franc. The first, with 2%, softened the bite of the Pom alone, more fruit and less tannin. The second, with the 4%, now seemed spicier, rougher, and I actually like that better. It was an interesting exercise as again, it’s very objective so we all had our favorites of the blends we had created.

Peck said that he wanted to create a luxury brand, and is not after scores. He has yet to decide what he will do with the blends we were playing with. In the meantime, the evil scientists at my table grabbed more glasses and decided, ON THEIR OWN, to move to 6% of Cabernet Franc in their blend.

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.

After that we adjourned to a wonderful lunch and all of the wonderful wines that fell off the truck and the latest three J. Lohr Cuvee blends – enjoyed it all!

Vina Robles Cabs of Distinction Seminar

The Swiss owner of Vina Robles, Hans Nef, that greeted our merry group of seminar attendees told us that he has a farming background and came to Paso Robles in the mid 1990s. Nef’s goal, after turning the class over to winemaker Kevin Willenborg, was to give us some background on Vina Robles and present 11 districts of Paso AVA with the six wines we were too taste.

With six slides we learned that the family came to Paso in 1996 and had their first crush in 1999. Introducing Vina Robles wine in 2003, the Cuvee Collection in 2005, RED4 wines launched in 2006, in 2007 the Hospitality Center opened, Willenborg joined in 2012 and the new Vina Robles Amphitheatre opened in 2013.

Nef said that the winery is mid-sized, family-owned and produced 40k cases per year, all from estate grown grapes.

Willenborg then took over the lecture. He told us that they have 5 different districts within the Paso Robles 11 AVAs that are used in Vina Robles wine. He pulled some wines, still in barrel, from different districts that we would later sample to see if we could discern any differences between the different AVA districts (map).

The Santa Lucia mountain range allows the area to be warm in the growing season. There are other ranges, on the south and east that “kind of frame Paso Robles.” Like being in “a bowl” surrounded by mountains. There are 614,000 acres in the 11 Paso AVAs with 32,500 planted. There are over 45 soil series, including alkaline, calcareous and siliceous.

The word “Sauvignon means wild” Willenborg said…and Cabernet Sauvignon grows wild and strong after planting. Here, not like Bordeaux, their window for growth is longer.

There are 23 varieties grown, on 1,300 acres, at Vina Robles and they only source 15%, so the balance is sold to other wineries. The main districts that Vina Robles grows in are Jardine (Estrella District), Huerhuero (split between two districts: Geneseo and El Pomar), Creston Valley (Creston District) and Adelaida Springs Ranch (Adelaida). Then we tasted wines from each district to discern different flavors.

This was tough for me, like barrel sampling, these wines were single varietals that had yet to age or be blended. Lots of tannins, volume, weight, astringency, and big mouthfeel was indicative in all – as these attributes comes straight from the grapes. Some seemed less tannic or fruitier than others, but all in all I longed to have each in their final blended process which I was more than happy to trust Willenborg with!

(After the 2013 Cab Collective I visited Vina Robles winemaker Kevin Willenborg. Read here for story on the tasting and interview.)

Story in photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10205508500739325.1073741916.1455706632&type=1&l=dbb4543053

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

Vintage Eve 5/2015: Cabs of Distinction = Dinner at Opolo and The Quaff Report Panel

July 17, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Dinner at Opolo Vineyards after our first day learning and tasting at the Paso Robles Cab Collective Cabs of Distinction was a special treat booked for us by the public relations company marketing the event, Parker Sanpei. Starting with an after hours tasting in their tasting room – their Zin and Sangio stood out uppermost in my mind the next day – we also took a brief tour.

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Dinner at Opolo Vineyards!

The winery now houses not one but two copper stills in which chief distiller and vineyard manager Paul Quinn has been making a freaking outstanding grappa, and just that day, had completed distilling a pear brandy. Come to find that several Paso wineries are getting their license to distill alcohol from fruit and sell from their tasting rooms. I told Paul that since Opolo is SIP certified this is a natural following, to use up every scrap…for our pleasure.

We then toured the grounds. We visited a large welcoming grassy area that is used for the 8,000-strong club member parties, the rooms for overnight guests and a main house with plenty of windows for vineyard views set up for our dinner.

Starting with a lovely fruit-forward Roussanne we dined on a spinach salad with dried cranberries, apple slices, walnuts and then buttery scallops over Parmesan risotto. The owner, Rick Quinn, who had already wowed us with his smoked pork salami and smoked pork loin as appetizers, had created a meaty Goulash with grilled artichoke which I believe they served with their reserve Zinfandel. For dessert, our only store bought item, was a light cheesecake covered in berries and compote.

If you haven’t been to Opolo and like big friendly wines paired with friendly people, don’t miss them on your next trip to Paso.

The Quaff Report Panel Discussion

On day two of our visit we were invited back to the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom for a sommelier led seminar.

While the panelists got ready Meredith May, publisher of Tasting Panel and SOMM Journal, announced that she will soon be unveiling a chef-focused cannabis magazine coming in the fall, contact info@TheCleverRoot.com if you want to learn more. This was news!

Then it was time for the panel.

Okay, right off the bat, this is my first experience watching others – as the audience wasn’t participating – taste and comment on wine. One thing I did learn came from sommelier Mike Madrigale, the moderator, who discussed helping restaurant staffs by blind tasting wines and discussing them on their merits.

Then he asked his fellow panelists to taste and only comment on any remarkable attributes found in the wines poured out in front of them.

Like a silent movie, with no music as an accompaniment, we waited for what seemed like several minutes for ANYTHING to happen. May took the opportunity to talk about the reach, 90k readers, of the Tasting Panel. She then explained that she had offered to take over the Sommelier Journal when it was about to fold, revamped it as the Somm Journal and offered it up for free to trade – and now up to 60k are reading it.

That time spent allowed our panel of Somms and wine directors to come up with some ideas of what was in their glasses. Savory, dusty, no oak…was it a Cabernet Franc or straight Cab? Across the board they had differing opinions other than what we already knew: all are Bordeaux, the only questions is new or old world?

The MS at Giada at the Cromwell Hotel, Darius Allyn said for us, as he believed that many lay people were in he audience, that they have to look at cost and how the wines offered up to pair with their cuisine.

Madrigale commented that the first wine, once revealed was a $200ish Bordeaux, wholesale would be about $125 and then about $300 on a wine list – for a wine that needs age, he wouldn’t buy this for a restaurant. He gets better deals looking for this and others at auction.

Allyn mentioned that he is given a budget by the restaurant, and he can’t speed up time on a bottle that needs age.

Both commented that Burgundy may triple in value with time, while current Bordeaux would not, and the price of Bordeaux is somewhat inflated. Which was another reason they routinely chose not to invest money in them for their wine lists.

As they worked their way through the remaining wines, we tweeted along with them, but there was more discussion about if the blind wines were new or old world and less about things I could get into, like what their customers would think, what would they pay, if it was unexpected would a customer send it back. In conclusion: if you want us to watch while you drink you better engage us. Oh well.

Story in photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10205508500739325.1073741916.1455706632&type=1&l=dbb4543053

Vintage Eve Circa 4/2015: Cabs of Distinction Welcome Reception and Tasting

July 10, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The Paso Robles Cab Collective is a group of wineries that are focused on creating Bordeaux wines and blends in Paso Robles. This is the third year of the Cab Collective, this year called the Cabs of Distinction event, that gives trade and media a 3-day opportunity to taste and go to seminars to better our knowledge of the region’s wines – and give equal time and thought to Bordeaux varietals over the the Zins and Rhônes that Paso is famous for. (Just like Rhone Rangers and Pinot Days type events, the Cab Collective’s goal is that we will share what we’ve learned with our readers, etc.)

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Daniel Daou and Eve.

At the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom for our first seminar and tasting we experienced a few minutes of audio problems, but no one really cared because, heck, we were at a wine event so while we waited…we tasted.

Besides getting started on the tasting I did a check off in my head of what was to come: first the brief welcome, barrel and new release tasting from some of the Cab Collective member wineries, dinner (and a grappa tasting!) would be at Opolo Vineyards, a sommelier-led class in the morning, lunch (I didn’t know this yet) at Rotta Winery, maybe some wine tasting on our own (which ended up being a spirits tasting at Re:Find Distillery in Villicana Winery) being shuttled to more wine tasting and a dinner at Villa San Juliette Vineyard and then the last day at J. Lohr Vineyards having lunch, learning how to blend and then finally to Vina Robles for another lesson and tasting.

Before I could think about it any further…the audio was corrected and the reception began.

Daniel Daou, the rock star looking winemaker with microphone in hand, greeted me with, “I still like your bikini photo best…” and then picked up the mike to address the crowd. I can now see why this charming winemaker gets so many “likes” on my Facebook page. Of course the fact that he makes killer wines also has something to do with it!

Daou told the crowd, “We don’t get a bad vintage often…it’s our trademark” as “our region achieves ripeness year after year” delivering wines of “perfect balance.” Daou continued, “Several years ago…we set on a path to work together…required a lot of work, resources, money…even replanting…wineries joined in and accomplished today what you are about to taste.”

Daou then thanked the Cab Collective sponsors for their funds and resources…gave us a teaser about the seminars to come and introduced Wine Country Alliance President Jennifer Porter, who, in turn introduced Chris Taranto, Communications Director of Wine Country Alliance.

Taranto said that what he is presenting “could be presented by all of the people here today” that had come to represent the wineries. The slide show began with Zinfandel…the grape that got Paso Robles on the map. Established in the 80s, Rhone and Bordeaux varieties are the largest in the region, Taranto said, and most are family owned, small-case production. There are now over 200 wineries and 3,200 vineyard acres, 146 of that 200 have tasting rooms.

What makes Paso unique? According to Taranto Paso Robles is the hottest of the coolest regions, depending on how close to the ocean, and that calcareous soils prevail all over the area – more than any other California AVAs.

In a slide of a side view, from Morrow Bay, we saw the mountain ranges, and how the fogs can get trapped in the area; as well as wind and cooler air. Taranto said that Paso “benefits from proximity to the ocean, and proximity from the ocean.”

In 2007 59 vintners came together to set 11 separate AVAs as the land was very diverse. Approved by Nov 9, 2014 wineries could now use new labels with their set district. So “preserving Paso as a whole” was accomplished.

Porter added, “We are really friendly…non judgmental, approachable…” our manifesto includes the words, “there are no rules…this is the Place to Grow Wild.” Porter said that we would see that in the blends the winemakers are making as they are “just trying to be welcoming…taking the snobbery out of wine.”

Now, back to the tasting.

As usual I photographed all of the wines I liked in particular. But here are a few comments to the photos:

Justin Winery winemaker Scott Shirley’s barrel tasting of his latest was freaking outstanding and we hoped he could make single bottles from that one barrel instead of making what will definitely be a killer blend. No such luck unless we get his home address.

Red Soles was a new one for me, and of equal interest to some great wines is that they are distilling spirits – must learn more about that soon in another visit. Suffice it to say if you make if from grapes (or any fruit) they are allowed to sell it from a winery tasting room. Rumor is that there are twenty wineries in Paso now doing this!

The latest Suendero 2011 blend from Vina Robles blew my socks off. And their 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon was great too.

Bon Niche was new for me, we had two blends, loved both, especially the 2011 Chemin blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

My new fave find of the tasting, Rotta, and his SBR blend – you’ll read about more as we ended up getting over there for a full tasting over lunch in Part II of this tale running on May 22.

Halter Ranch killed me with their first 2012 Malbec, gotta get me some more of that as well as their latest Ancestor 2012 vintage.

Loved J. Lohr, and we had a two hour tasting coming up with them and Vina Robles during this same trip.

The latest Soul of a Lion blend from DAOU was very remarkable. Need more.

Michael Mooney’s latest for Chateau Margene, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, was yummy and good to drink now.