Where We Started: Drinking Wine and Spirits

January 14, 2022 by evebushman

I recently wrote about how I got started with writing about and studying wine. Made me think about how I got started with drinking both wine and spirits. Had a chat with my husband Eddie, and a boozy trip down memory lane, and this is where it started and led me:

Spirits And Wine

Eve at Del Dotto, into caves with winemaker Gerard Zanzonico, circa March 2012.

When I was in high school and underage drinking was at every party, I have seriously no recollection of imbibing but I’m sure I did – and God knows what. My earliest memories of booze include Bartles and Jaymes Wine Coolers, wine spritzers, as well as Mateus and Blue Nun wines. Not a fan of beer but I did enjoy Mickey’s Big Mouth malt liquor at least once.

Fast forward to my early 20s and I enjoyed Myer’s Dark rum with orange juice, Long Island Iced Tea, Cosmopolitans, Tequila Sunrise and Kahlua with milk, cream and/or vodka. So yea, I wanted sweet cocktails, preferably ones that hid the flavor of the base spirit.

When I met Eddie his mother introduced me to Vodka Tonics. Later came single spirits, for Eddie it was Chivas Regal blended Scotch whisky, for me my tastes evolved much later, into single malt, as there’s what Eddie became more interested in. I was covering cocktail events, which we both loved, and then whisky events. In both I was learning more and more about the spirits, and how to make cocktails with them. While I prefer gin cocktails like a Negroni or a Martini, Eddie prefers whisky. So added to my home-bartending recipes are the Sazerac, Old Fashioned and Manhattan.

Only Wine

I never drank White Zinfandel. When that was introduced I was enjoying red Zinfandel. I can remember being at Sutter Home in Napa and everyone ordering White Zinfandel, it was the moment I had to start saying “red” before the word Zinfandel to get what I wanted. Thank God that craze is over.

After we got married my sister-in-law and her husband invited us to a vertical wine tasting at Concannon. I didn’t know what that was at the time but quickly learned that we were to taste the same wine from the same winery over several years. It was U.S. my a ha moment as we carefully studied the difference in each vintage. A few years later, during our first trip to France, I wanted to visit Willi’s Wine Bar that I had read about in Wine Spectator. I’ve written about Willi’s several times over the years, suffice it to say that being introduced to the perfect Chateau Lynch Bages Bordeaux with owner Mark Williamson was a turning point for me.

Around the same time my first wine classes were via The Wine House in West Los Angeles: starting with sparkling wine and junk food, Chardonnay Fests, Cab Fests, and a few weeks worth of classes just on France. It would be decades later, after already obtaining my WSET Level Two that I would return there for classes held there by the North American Sommelier Association and my Level One Sake Certification.

Now, how did you get started?

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.

Garagiste Wine Festival Returns with 50+ Winemakers: Celebrates Tenth Anniversary in Paso Robles, November 12th – 14th

September 27, 2021 by evebushman

PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival, which launched in November 2011, returns to its birthplace of Paso Robles to celebrate its 10th anniversary with three days of events, including the tasting of wines from over 50 small production wineries from California; an exclusive seminar with Tablas Creek Vineyard’s Jason Haas on the past and future of Paso Robles wines, the popular Keep It Rockin’ After Party, and a special event at Atascadero’s Pavilion on the Lake that recognizes 10 of the Paso OGs (Original Garagistes), along with ‘Rare and Reserve’ pourings from 2021 festival winemakers. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.my805tix.com/e/10th-annual-paso-garagiste-wine-festival.

“We are excited to return to Paso Robles and Atascadero with what we believe will be our best festival ever,” said Doug Minnick, Garagiste Festival Co-founder. “We will celebrate the evolution of the Garagiste Festival – and how it has amplified garagiste winemakers and the garagiste movement – as well as the evolution of our birthplace and touchstone, Paso Robles, through a special seminar with Jason Haas of Paso’s Tablas Creek, the iconic winery that almost singlehandedly popularized Rhone varieties in America. But, most of all, we will celebrate reconnecting with our fantastic Garagiste Festival attendees as we introduce them to another exciting group of innovative, micro-production winemakers.”

The Garagiste Festival is the nation’s first and only festival to showcase the wines of micro-production commercial ‘garagiste*’ winemakers. 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, rules-breaking, ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos and ‘just have fun’ approach. The Garagiste Festival features the wines of commercial garagiste winemakers across California, who make under 1500 cases annually. Since inception, the festivals, which include Solvang, Sonoma, Los Angeles and Paso Robles, have showcased over 450 different wineries and over 4,000 wines to over 12,000 wine lovers.

“There’s no doubting the last 18 months have been challenging for all of us. What has always been at the core of the Paso Robles wine region, and by virtue garagiste winemakers, is the ability to adapt and innovate,” said Stewart McLennan, Garagiste Festival Co-founder. “It’s going to be truly special to have the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy Paso and its garagistes once again.”

“At this year’s festival, we will explore what is next for Paso wine, pay tribute to our OGs, who are proof that renegade winemaking dreams can turn into big success – all while showcasing over 50+ winemakers whose wines demonstrate that not even a pandemic can keep garagistes from producing some of the best and most innovative wines our industry has to offer,” concluded McLennan.

The Garagiste Festival 2021 Line-Up

The Paso Robles Garagiste Festival gathers together undiscovered artisan ‘garagiste’ winemakers who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot wines in the world – all in one location. You’ll never find their wines in supermarkets – and you’ll never find them all in one place like this. Discover the biggest “small” thing happening in the world of wine through three days of exciting events:

Rare and Reserve plus 10 OGs! Friday November 12th – 6:30-9:30pm

Tenth Anniversary festivities kick off Friday evening with “Rare and Reserve – No Repeats’ at the charming Pavilion on the Lake, in Atascadero. The tasting features over 30 of the rarest wines and barrel samples the 2021 Paso Garagistes have to offer (wines that will not be poured at the Grand Tasting) – – along with a Spanish-themed buffet from Trumpet Vine Catering. The event will also feature a tribute to 10 of the festival’s Original Garagistes – wineries who poured at the early years of the Festivals who have gone on to even larger success – including special tastings of their signature wines.

Tasting Seminar – The Past and Future of Paso Robles: In Depth with Jason Haas* November 13th – 11:00am-12:30pm — Paso Robles Event Center

Saturday begins with an exclusive tasting seminar with Jason Haas, second generation proprietor of pioneering Tablas Creek Vineyard, which was founded in 1989 by the Perrin and Haas families in what would become the Paso Robles Adelaida District. In addition to their delicious wines, Tablas Creek is renowned for importing 19 different grape varieties into the United States and making them available to the broader community through their grapevine nursery. In this seminar, Jason will take attendees through Tablas Creek’s journey from an idea between friends to the search for the perfect spot to create its famous grapevine nursery, vineyard, and winery. He will also share his insights into what the future of the Paso Robles wine region holds. The seminar will include tastings of some of Tablas Creek’s rarest varietal bottlings, as well as the new vintage of the Esprit de Tablas.
*Only available with VIP Ticket or Weekend Pass

The Main Event – The Grand Tasting – Saturday November 13th – 2:00pm – 5:00pm, Paso Robles Event Center

Discover your favorite (and new favorite!) small production wineries from among the over 50 winemakers who will be pouring over 200 different wines. The day includes unlimited tastes, complimentary cheese and charcuterie, artisan food samples and a souvenir Stolzle crystal wine glass.

Keep it Rockin’ After Party |- November 13th, 5:30-8:30pm – Paso Robles Event Center

Mingle with the winemakers, grab a cold brew and rock out with live music.

Covid Update: The Garagiste Festival has adapted its protocols to foster a safe environment that will not detract from the festival’s signature attendee camaraderie and one-on-one interaction with the winemakers (winemakers, not tasting room personnel, always pour at The Garagiste Festival). This includes using more outdoor space and greater table distancing, as well as adherence to the current county mandates. For more information and updates on festival Covid protocols, click here.

Participating Wineries include:
Alma Sol Winery, Arianna Wines*, Ascension Cellars, Bolt To Wines, Bushong Wine Company, Caliza Winery, Copia Vineyards, Demeter Family Cellars*, DeWitt Vineyard, Dilecta Wines, Dusty Nabor Wines, Etnyre Wines, Familia Hicks Wines*, Ferguson Family Wines, Gary Kramer Guitar Cellars, Greyscale Wines, Hayseed & Housdon Wines, Hoyt Family Winery, Kaleidos Wines, Kimsey Vineyard, Marin’s Vineyard, Mastro Scheidt Wines, MCV Wines, Ondule Wines, Powell Mountain Cellars, Quench + Temper, RF Wines, Seagrape Winery, Seven Oxen Wines, Torch Cellars, Two Moons Cellars and Volatus Winery.
*New to Paso Festival

Tickets: To preserve an intimate experience and one-on-one interaction with winemakers, tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. Tickets are available at http://garagistefestival.com. For special discounts and updates on The Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles, Taste of Garagiste mini-tastings and other 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).

Festival Sponsors include:
Travel Paso, Visit Atascadero, G3, ETS, Glenn Burdette, mWEBB Communications

Sponsor Hotels: For “Garagiste” weekend deals.
Adelaide Inn, La Quinta Inn & Suites, Paso Oaks Hotel

For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

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

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

First Annual Wine Collector’s Dinner at Westchester’s Wine and Food Week

August 22, 2021 by evebushman

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – In honor of its 10th anniversary, Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival is launching a new inaugural event, the Wine Collectors’ Dinner. Guests are invited to play a key role by attending — participating — and sharing — their best wine with other wine aficionados as they enjoy a unique one-of-a-kind dinner.

The Wine Collectors’ Dinner is a unique opportunity for guests to share and taste rare vintages with each other — for the ultimate “immersion” experience! The night begins with a champagne reception as guests meet and mingle with others, followed by a sumptuous four-course dinner prepared by renowned Chef Peter X. Kelly. Throughout the dinner guests will share one bottle person or one magnum per couple from their personal wine collection with other guests. The event is a tribute to the late Ralph Martinelli, founder of the Wine & Food Festival and former publisher of Westchester Magazine, and is sponsored by Carl Petrillo, Chairman of Yonkers Contracting Company and Desires by Mikolay. A special live Wine Auction will be held, with proceeds to go to Yonkers Partners in Education. For some friendly competition, the event will also include “Wine Awards” for the Most Expensive, Oldest, Rarest, Most Interesting, and more!

Kevin Zraly, renowned author and wine educator stated: “We are so excited to bring this event to the Wine & Food Festival. Putting together great wine with a fabulous menu that Chef Peter Kelly created is sure to attract a fun crowd.”

The event will take place on Friday, September 24from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, 71 Water Grant Street, Yonkers, NY. Tickets are $185 per person (includes tax & gratuity.) Guests will also bring one bottle of wine per person OR one magnum per couple, to share with other attendees.

Chef Peter X. Kelly stated: “The Wine Collectors’ Dinner, in addition to being a tribute to Ralph Martinelli, will be an opportunity to share some beautiful wines with some beautiful friends while enjoying some beautiful foods”.

For additional information or to purchase tickets visit westchestermagazine.com/winefood

What Wine or Spirit Events Have We Missed The Most in 2020?

November 2, 2020 by evebushman

A few weeks ago on this blog I wrote about many of the things we’ve been doing during our stay-at-home time with the virus, and many of the things we’ve missed. It seemed that my Facebook feed has been filled with lamentations regarding missed anniversary trips, important graduations, birthdays and other milestones. For me, and most of us in the wine and spirit industry, we rely on tastings/events/classes for continuing education, as well as fodder for our blogs. For the consumer it may be the same, for the non-profit leader the loss of these events have been devastating.

Eve as a wine judge in the first Global Wine Awards in Las Vegas. Photo credit: Ed Bushman.

In today’s article I will explore some of the events we didn’t have, and what we missed by not having them. (At press time these are the events that have either canceled for 2020 altogether, or have postponed further into 2020 with no possible way to know if their event will, indeed, actually take place.)

Wine on the Roof and Cocktails on the Roof are particularly devastating to me as I helped create both events to benefit our local middle schools and high schools in the Hart District. And while the rooftop format does allow for quite a bit of spacing, they still both attract a crowd, so not sure if the postponed dates for this year will happen.

The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience was poised to take place this past March 13. Cancelled the same week it was to occur, as many of the experiences allowed for many guests traveling from one spot to another.

The Paso Robles Cab Collective is an educational experience that is limited to some press and the public. The event focuses on the Cab and red Bordeaux varietals being grown in the area. I’ve learned a lot from past events and have come to respect the winemakers that are working very hard to get attention to their respective varietals in AVAs that have been more known for Rhônes and Zinfandel.

The Universal Whisky Experience was to have its 10^th annual event this past April in Las Vegas. There are classes with distillers and brand ambassadors as well as one of the best whisky tasting events I’ve covered. Missed rubbing elbows with all of the whisky aficionados and learning from the best in the field.

Also missing a milestone year was the 5^th Annual Masters of Taste that is the only event held on the field of the Pasadena Rose Bowl with top notch taste masters and beverage masters. “100% of event proceeds support Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping individuals and families rebuild their lives and end homelessness.”

Art Beyond the Glass, another cocktail event, was canceled but they were able to offer a virtual event. The live event is a special treat as dozens of bartenders dress up in themed costumes, there is live music, art displays and a bartending competition where each team tries to create the best cocktail. “Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based nonprofit. To date, ABTG has raised more than $210,000 for cultural nonprofits in L.A. and across the country.”

The many Garagiste Festivals, voted best wine festivals in the U.S., were sorely missed. I enjoyed the educational seminars as well as tasting and talking with many small-producing winemakers. “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.”

Many lesser known wineries and distilleries benefit from entering their bottles in various wine and spirit competitions. As a wine judge myself I know that they not only want an expert opinion on their wine/spirits, they also use their awards in their various marketing materials. At press time I did see that at least one had taken place live with social distancing.

I’m sure there are dozens of events that aren’t on my radar, and have been equally missed, especially events at wineries that are important for bottle sales and gaining wine club members.

I will leave you with this thought: If you can afford it support it. I have hyperlinked many of the non-profits above so you can check out what they do, and maybe you can make a donation or two if you are able to. If you have favorite wineries or distilleries please consider bottles purchases to support them as well.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2017: Where Was Your Favorite Winery Experience? (Part One)

May 5, 2020 by evebushman

Sometimes a memorable winery experience is all we need to become lifelong fans of a winery. I have a few like Stolpman Vineyards, Del Dotto, Phifer Pavitt, Vina Robles, Pure Cru Wines…and figured my pals might have others. Keep in mind that I’m not looking for which winery clubs you joined, or where you spent the most money, unless they happen to be one and the same.

Eve in Del Dotto caves with winemaker Gerard Zanzonico. Photo by Ed Bushman Feb., 2012

Your Favorite Winery Experience (These answers came from Facebook pals. Feel free to comment on this post if you have a great winery experience that you would like to share.)

Michele T. – During our first trip to Napa, we were touring Cakebread Cellars and Dolores Cakebread came outside and gave us a personal tour of her famous vegetable garden. She told entertaining stories and showed us some behind the scene areas. She also made sure that we tried some asparagus, snapped fresh off the plant. She was so kind and friendly. Cakebread has been one of our favorites ever since.

Claudia S. – I have so many amazing experiences, but one of the most memorable ones was with Zenaida Winery in Paso Robles. We took a group of about 30 people to Paso for a wine tasting trip, years ago. They were just so amazing in how welcoming they were with everybody in the group. At the end, I mentioned an event benefiting a non-profit in SCV and they didn’t hesitate to help me. Since then, they’ve gotten me out of last minute binds with high-volume wine purchases. Not only are their wines delish, but they have a fan for life.

Scott K. – The first time I went to Silver Oak and met Justin Meyer. Or the time I went to Duckhorn Vineyards and met Dan Duckhorn. The man. The myth. The legend. Or the time I went to a wine tasting at the Los Angeles Athletic Club with Allan Littman and we met Michael Mondavi. Allan told Michael that his White Riesling was good, but that the Monterey Jekyl Vineyards Johannisberg Riesling, and I quote, “Blew (his) into the weeds!” Never meet a celebrity near the end of a wine tasting!

Michael P. – Mazzocco Sonoma Winery, Law Estate Wines, Clavo Cellars Winery, Comstock Wines, Limerick Lane Cellars all come to mind, all totally different experiences. Not to mention hanging out with Stillman Brown at undisclosed locations.

Jenny K. – So many, but it’s probably my first winery experience..at Vines on the Marycrest for the wine mixer in 2012 when I met (in person after emailing) Douglas Minnick and Stew and meeting Victor Abascal and Jennifer Craig Abascal and beginning a now 5 year friendship with all of them. It was an overwhelming night with so many good wines!

Kathe R. – We’ve been lucky to have had many fond memories made at wineries, but I think our favorite was the Pig Roast at Bedford Winery last fall. It was a convivial event with great wine, food, and the friendly wine-maker and other guests made it a perfect evening.

Bob F. – Kosta Browne dinner with Kosta and Browne at the winery.

William M. – The “Great Gopher Eradication” story and “Increasing the Brix Content” as told by the senior Beckmen at Beckmen Vineyards. We still enjoy retelling it!

Jerry S. – I have so many it would take up too much space:)

Kelly (Comstock) F. – Comstock Wines!

Michael G. – We love Paso. Our favorites are Ecluse, which we are members, Opolo, and new found joy Sextant. We also love the distillery movement in Paso and Krobar has become our go to for exceptional whiskey.

Cari P. – We have had a few great experiences at Mount Palomar Winery in Temecula. Our last great one started with a tasting at their outdoor tasting bar, followed by a meal at their Annata Bistro, and finished with a glass of port for my husband, dad, and I and a cream sherry for my mom while smoking cigars on their smoking patio. Our other great experience was also in Temecula at Weins Family Cellars. We did the cheese paired tasting in the cellar room and it was such a wonderful experience!

Beth G. – Most recently we had a wonderful experience at Chateau Ste Michelle Winery in Washington State. As you know, it is the pioneer winery of Washington State wines. Beautiful wines from the Columbia Valley AVA. Stunning grounds for picnics and offering summer concerts.

Scott H. – Clos 93, El Lloar, Priorat DOQ, Spain. This place is literally dug into the stone underneath a house. It’s smaller than my garage. They make a fabulous Grenache Blanc, and two reds. Total annual production is less than 400 cases. We came on a weekday, and it was closed. The Owner drove down from his house, and opened the tasting room for us (that’s it in the picture). The Grenache-Carignan blend was terrific, but his best wine was 100% Syrah grown in a “micro vineyard” on a hill just outside of town. It was a true Spanish “wine experience” that I’ll never forget.

Kai E. – I have had a lot of great winery visits, Temecula, Portland, the Central Coast including an awesome girl’s weekend several years ago, but I think my favorite would have to be my first which was accidental. We were up in Livermore visiting family over Labor Day weekend 1996 and they have a Wine Fest each year so my first winery experiences included music and food and visiting several different wineries, including Wente Bros., with baby in the stroller.

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.

Westchester Magazine’s Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Popular Wine and Food Festival June 9-14

April 29, 2020 by evebushman

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Westchester Magazine celebrates the 10^th anniversary of the popular Wine & Food Festival with two new exciting events taking place this year at iconic Westchester locations – Party on the Pier at Rye Playland on June 10 and the Wine Collector’s Dinner on June 12.

“We are thrilled to add two new events at iconic Westchester landmarks to our 10th anniversary lineup of fantastic events,” said Sam Wender, publisher, Westchester Magazine. “What better way to celebrate all of Westchester than expanding our mark to offer residents of the Hudson Valley and Sound Shore something exciting right in their own backyard.”

Party on the Pier at Rye Playland

Wednesday, June 10 | 6-9 p.m.

The brand-new Party on the Pier at Rye Playland will feature the third annual Bartender Shake-Off in addition to top restaurants sampling summer/seafood favorites alongside beautiful views of the Long Island Sound. Price includes all food and drink at the event.

Location: Playland Park, 1 Playland Parkway, Rye

Price: $50 in advance and $60 at the door.

Wine Collector’s Dinner

Friday, June 12 | 6:30-11 p.m.

This special evening will be a celebration and tasting of truly unique wines provided by local wine aficionados. Each attendee is required to bring one magnum of their best and rarest from their cellar to be shared during the event. The evening kicks off with a special Champagne toast featuring a 10-year-old vintage in honor of 2020 being the 10th Anniversary of the Westchester Magazine Wine & Food Festival. A special four-course meal will be prepared by the top chefs of Westchester County—Peter X. Kelly of X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, Ron Gallo of The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges, Glenn Vogt of RiverMarket Bar & Kitchen, Dave DiBari of The Cookery, and John Paidas of Apropos Restaurant & Bar at The Abbey Inn & Spa. Between each course guests will have the opportunity to sample wines from other table guests.

Location: The Abbey Inn & Spa, 900 Fort Hill Road, Peekskill

Tickets: Ticket price is $150 per guest. *Includes tax and gratuity

Returning fan favorite events include:

Italian Wine Experience with Kevin Zraly

Tuesday, June 9, 2020 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Sip, swirl, and savor a variety of fine Italian wines and savory and sweet Italian delicacies at this walk-around tasting event. Renowned wine expert, author and founder of Windows on the World Wine School, Kevin Zraly, will lead wine seminars for those interested in learning more about the nuances of Italian wine.

Location: Gigante Restaurant & Bar, Eastchester, NY

Price: $95

Burger & Beer Blast

Thursday, June 11 | 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Burgers, beer, music, wine, spirits, food trucks and the best grilling on this side of the Hudson River come together at Westchester’s ultimate block party! Top local chefs present their unique take on the all-American burger as they compete for the Best Burger Award.

Location: Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla

Price: $75

Grand Tasting Village

Saturday, June 13, 2020 | Noon- 4:00 p.m.

The signature event of the Wine & Food Festival, the Grand Tasting Village features tastings from 50+ local restaurants and 150+ wines, beers and spirits. Chef demonstrations and a variety of food trucks create a gastronomic delight for food and wine lovers.

Location: Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla

Price: $85

Party Line Connoisseurs Tent at the Grand Tasting Village

Saturday, June 13, 2020 | Noon – 4:00 p.m.

Spend the day like a VIP in the Party Line Connoisseurs Tent! This private area features an exclusive lounge for relaxing while you sample the event’s highest quality wines along with dishes from the area’s top restaurants. Wine expert, author and educator Kevin Zraly will be leading Wine Seminars throughout the day focusing on the vintages being served in the Party Line Connoisseurs Tent. Entrance to this exclusive area and the wine seminars are only for guests purchasing Party Line Connoisseurs Tent tickets and includes access to all Grand Tasting Village events. *First come, first serve

Location: Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla

Price: $125

**No one under 21 will be admitted.

No Infants, Children, Strollers, or Pets allowed. **

For the complete lineup and to purchase tickets, visit here.

Westchester Magazine’s 10th Annual Wine & Food Festival is a celebration of gourmet food, exceptional wines, beer, spirits, mouth-watering burgers, and award-winning chefs. Guests will sip and savor, enjoy the county’s finest plates and pours and mingle with Westchester’s top chefs, sommeliers, and specialty food purveyors as they attend exclusive dinners, tastings, and demos. The festival is a not-to-be missed experience recognizing the culinary spirit of Westchester County with 100+ top local restaurants and a selection of world-class wines. The event draws more than 7,000 people from across the New York Metro area including New York City, Westchester County, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. For additional information or to purchase tickets visit here.

Casa Pacifica’s Award-Winning Angels Wine, Food & Brew Festival

April 1, 2020 by evebushman

CAMARILLO, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Tickets are now on sale for the 27th Annual Casa Pacifica Angels Wine, Food & Brew Festival which will be held on Sunday, June 7th, 2020, at CSU Channel Islands! Voted Best Charity Event and Best Food & Drink Festival by VC Reporter eight years running, the all-inclusive festival is a county favorite.

All proceeds from the festival benefit Casa Pacifica, which provides vital programs and services to the community’s most vulnerable children and their families. The festival always sells out so get your tickets early for best pricing. This year, a new ticket level, Admission Plus, is on sale, offering guests the chance to make the most of their afternoon by granting early admission to the general festival area at noon and creating an enhanced festival experience. Admission, Admission Plus, and VIP tickets are available at http://www.cpwinefoodbrewfest.com.

Casa Pacifica is excited to welcome back to their generous hosts: Conico Oil/MacValley Oil; Mission Produce; Nevers, Palazzo, Packard, Wildermuth & Wynner, PC; SDI Industries; The Van Huisen Family; and The Zarley Family. The festival offers a chance for guests to sample food and drinks from over 150 exhibitors including: restaurants, caterers, bakeries, specialty shops, wineries, breweries, and specialty beverages. A large online silent auction offers guests and people not able to attend the chance to bid on must-have baskets and experiences.

The “Best in Fest” competition winners will show off their winning creations, and the Yummie Top Chef competition will crown winners for the best “Savory” and the best “Sweet” chef’s masterpiece among the participating exhibitors. Live entertainment throughout the day on the main stage will keep the festival-goers dancing all afternoon.

If you are interested in sponsoring or being an exhibitor at the festival, please visit http://www.cpwinefoodbrewfest.com.

About Casa Pacifica
Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families is a crisis-care and residential treatment facility for foster or at-risk children in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. The agency is the largest non-profit provider of children’s mental health services in both counties and administers a number of community-based programs designed to strengthen families and keep children in their homes and communities. Casa Pacifica is also a foster family agency, which recruits and trains families for potential placement with a foster youth. For more information about Casa Pacifica visit its website http://www.casapacifica.org or call the Development & Public Relations Department at (805) 445-7800.

Alessia Antinori to Headline South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, April 23 – 26, 2020

March 23, 2020 by evebushman

MIRAMAR BEACH, FLA. (PRWEB) – Alessia Antinori of Marchesi Antinori, the most famously iconic winemaking family in history, will pour her family’s highly prized Italian wines at the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, taking place April 23 – April 26, 2020, in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin (not to be confused with the Sandestin resort or Sandestin wine festival). With more than 600 quality wines and dozens of spirits to taste over four days, this annual award-winning charity event delivers an unparalleled wine experience.

Antinori’s wines will be featured in Culinary Village and will be paired with an exclusive menu of authentic Italian dishes by Festival Culinary Director, Scott Plumley.

“At the beginning in the renaissance period we were more merchants and then after a few generations we started to produce wine in the Chianti Classico. The last generation has been very important because we focused on buying land to plant vineyards to assure that we could guarantee the high quality of the product. The last period we started to focus on the quality of the product and on the vineyards which we owned to try to get the best from them,” said Antinori, whose family has been making wine for 26 generations.

Attendees will be able to engage with Antinori and learn how her family’s wineries have evolved over six centuries since being established in 1385.

“We are talking about a business which is human and nature related and for this reason we believe the way to succeed is to transmit values like passion, quality and integrity from generation to generation and for this reason we want to maintain it in the family,” said Antinori.

Antinori will also present one of the weekends popular tasting seminars where her family wines will be paired exclusively with award-winning cheeses and charcuterie presented by world-renowned cheese expert and educator Michael Landis of the Intitut du Fromage.

Alessia Antinori said the tasting attendees can expect “that they will understand our family, our passion, our lifestyle and that they can appreciate our wines through our values and tasting a good glass of wine!”

Another festival highlight will be the Jackson Family Wine World pavilion which will feature their Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Viogniers from California and “big reds” including Cabernet Sauvignons, French Bordeaux, Italian Super Tuscans, Australian Shiraz and more.

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival will present some of the most acclaimed winemakers and master distillers in the world, including Mariano Buglioni, the owner of the eponymous estate in San Pietro in Cariano, located in Valpolicella Classico; Greg Brewer winemaker and owner of Brewer-Clifton; Daniel DAOU, winemaker and proprietor, DAOU Family Estates; Jill DelaRiva Russell, winemaker of Cambria Winery; Jesse Lange, owner and principle, Lange Winery; Jared Himstedt, head distiller of Balcones Distilling; and Jessica Koga, Associate Winemaker, Davies Vineyards and Schramsberg Vineyards.

The festival kicks off Thursday at 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. with Winemakers & Shakers, held at Wine World in Destin. The VIP Wine Tasting is part of a 3-Day Package and takes place Friday, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., followed by the Friday Craft Beer & Spirits Jam, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. The Grand Tastings are Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The VIP Tasting can only be attended by purchasing the VIP Wine Festival 3-Day Package that includes most festival events as well.

Tickets can be purchased at SoWalWine.com.

The South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival is truly a celebration of wine, food and music that everyone can feel good about. This event is a major fundraiser for the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation with proceeds benefiting more than a dozen children’s charities in Northwest Florida.

Presented by Grand Boulevard at Sandestin and Visit South Walton, the festival offers the ideal backdrop for wine, charity and fun along the South Walton beaches, named among the best beaches in the country.

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is made possible by the generous support of the following Founding Partners: Visit South Walton Tourist Development Council, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Wine World of Northwest Florida and Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®. Resortquest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals is the Official Lodging Partner.

About South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival
South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is an annual charity event held the last weekend in April. The festival features a stunning showcase of some of the best wines in the world. Celebrity wine producers and chefs present fine wine and food pairings from the world’s most famous appellations. The Culinary Village offers a sumptuous array of foods to taste, wines to pair, as well as wine and food tasting seminars. The event is a major fundraiser for Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit SoWalWine.com.

Garagiste Wine Festival Wins ‘Best of the Fests’, Kicks off 10th Anniversary Year in Sonoma on February 15th

January 1, 2020 by evebushman

PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival, which was just named ‘Best of the Fests’ for 2019 by Fest Forums, is kicking off its 10th anniversary year with its popular Garagiste Northern Exposure event in Sonoma on February 15th, 2020. The Sonoma event offers wine lovers rare access to cutting-edge wines from over 40 micro-production, commercial wineries from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Sierra Foothills, Lodi, Santa Cruz and more.

The Garagiste Festival premiered in 2011 and is the nation’s first and only festival to showcase the wines of micro-production commercial ‘garagiste*’ winemakers. The ‘Best of Fest’ Award from Fest Forums, the country’s leading conference for Event and Festival producers nationwide, recognized The Garagiste Festival for its innovation. Because Garagiste offers wine lovers one-of-a-kind opportunities to taste a range of each year’s most exciting handcrafted small-lot production wines, all under one roof, its four annual festivals in Sonoma, Solvang, Los Angeles and Paso Robles consistently sell out. This is the second national award for the festival which was also named the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

“2020 is a landmark year for Garagiste, and we are so grateful to receive this prestigious award as we head into our 10th anniversary year,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “The Garagiste Festival is the ‘little engine that could’ in a world of bigtime events featuring major stars and corporations, and we know it is all down to the amazing winemakers who pour at our festivals and each year inject freshness, creativity and a renegade spirit into the wine establishment.”

The non-profit Garagiste Festival also supports the Garagiste Festival Scholarships at the Wine and Viticulture Department at Cal Poly University San Luis Obispo.

“Our mission over the last decade has been to shine a spotlight on small-lot winemakers, who you don’t find in grocery stores or on wine country maps, while supporting the winemakers of the future through our Garagiste Festival Scholarships,” said Garagiste Co-founder Stewart McLennan. “Our intimate and ‘no snobs’ allowed atmosphere has made the Garagiste Festivals unique and memorable, while our winemakers have expanded the horizons and palates of thousands of wine lovers. 2020 will be our best year of festivals ever. Stay tuned!”

Northern Exposure in Sonoma:
The February 15th 2020 Garagiste Festival Northern Exposure will be held at the Sonoma Veterans Building near Sonoma’s historic downtown plaza and features 40 winemakers, one-in-four of which are brand new to the festival, pouring over 100+ wines from 20+ grape varieties. Limited availability VIP Experience tickets celebrate Valentine’s weekend with a Rare and Reserve tasting featuring library, club only and reserve wines; a wine county box lunch from local fave, The Girl & the Fig; a full glass of sparkling Rosé from Garagiste Festival winemaker, Carboniste Modern Sparkling, as well as a themed treat from artisan chocolatiers Fleur Sauvage Chocolates.

Among the 40+ winemakers scheduled to pour at the Sonoma Northern Exposure Festival are:
601 Cellars, Abbot’s Passage, Aesop Wines, Ampere/Pine Mountain Vineyards, Armitage Wines, Benevolent Neglect Wines, Boonville Road Wines, Brombeere Wines, Carboniste Modern Sparkling, Carpenter Wine, Crux Winery, Dane Cellars, DeWitt Vineyard, Enriquez Estate Wines, Fallon Place Wines, Ferguson Family Wines, Fields Family Wines, Frostwatch Vineyard, Greyscale Wines, Jardesca Aperitvo, JonEVino, March Wines, Mastro Scheidt, Montagne Russe Wines, Oceano Wines, Oceans Churning, Old County Cellars, Ondule Wines, Perri Jaye Vineyards, Piezo Winery, Purple Dragon Cellars, Ricci Vineyards, Sosie Wines, Sutro Wine, T. Berkley Wines, Weatherborne Wine Corp. and Zo Wines

2020 Garagiste Festival Dates and Places:
The Garagiste Festival’s 10-year anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year with special events, signature tastings, local chefs, after parties, and rare and reserve nights.

Feb 15 in Sonoma at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall: 126 1st Street W. Sonoma, CA
April 17 & 18 at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall in the heart of Solvang: 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA
July 25 at the historic Glendale Civic Auditorium: 1401 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale, CA
Nov 12 -15 – The 10th Annual Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles includes a series of special events and The Grand Tasting at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds: 2198 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles, CA

For more information and full Garagiste Festival Northern Exposure schedule details, go to: http://californiagaragistes.com/

Tickets are limited for the Sonoma festival and Garagiste Festivals always sell out. To buy tickets, go to:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-garagiste-wine-festival-northern-exposure-tickets-75598187213?aff=website For breaking 10 anniversary celebration festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt athttps://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named Best of the Fests for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ 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.

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

L.A.’s Epic Culinary Festival Los Angeles Food and Wine Returns Aug. 22-25, 2019

August 10, 2019 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES – In a collision of cuisine and culture, Southern California’s number-one food and wine festival, Los Angeles Food & Wine, is ramping up to its ninth rendition, August 22-25. Festival-goers will rub shoulders with the nation’s hottest chefs during the four-day epicurean extravaganza, with events spanning the City of Angels. Fans of fine food can score tickets a la carte at lafw.com.

Among the culinary supernovas on the festival marquee are the legendary Jeremiah Tower (“The Last Magnificent”), native Angelenos Nancy Silverton, Jet Tila and Alvin Cailan, and several celebrity chefs who have made the city their own, like Curtis Stone, Tim Hollingsworth and Antonia Lofaso. The festival will also showcase wines from across California and the world.

Los Angeles Food & Wine launches Thursday evening with a series of dinners at restaurants across the city. The action then shifts to the historic Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport, one of LA’s premier event spaces, for the rest of the weekend. Among the 14 culinary star-studded events:

· The Legends Dinner at Chi SPACCA: The widely credited father of California cuisine Jeremiah Tower joins queen of the Mozza-Plex Nancy Silverton at her white-hot Chi SPACCA. This epic, one-night-only pairing promises a lifetime of bragging rights to the 40 festival-goers fortunate enough to snag a ticket.

· Dinner at Otium: Fans of Netflix’s “The Final Table” can pull up a chair to watch 2018 season winner Tim Hollingsworth share the spotlight with rising star chef Travis Swikard at Hollingsworth’s downtown masterpiece, The Broad museum-adjacent Otium.

· The Epic Burger Throwdown with Alvin Cailan: In a city known for great burgers, the best are going bun to bun to win the coveted LAFW Golden Burger Show Trophy. Host Alvin Cailan, star of YouTube’s “The Burger Show,” will join celebrity judges Seth Rogen, Tiffani Thiessen and Adam Richman in this juicy battle of the beef.

· LA’s Faves & Craves: In one short stroll, festival-goers can take in the breathtaking diversity of L.A.’s culinary landscape as the city’s own Jet Tila hosts a showcase of the most crave-worthy dishes of 25 local chefs. L.A’s finest tacos, pizza, hot dogs, donuts, fried chicken and a wealth of Asian-inspired specialties will all share one location for one afternoon only.

· Meat Me at LAFW’s Great Steak-out & BBQ: Meat master Curtis Stone of Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant and 25 other great tamers of the flame are bringing their A+ game to LAFW. Surf, sides, caviar and Big Cabs will complement the slabs at this event evoking the nation’s greatest steakhouses and BBQ joints.

· Sunday Brunch So Hard: Those lucky enough to score one of the very limited VIP tickets to LAFW’s grand finale enjoy rare pre-event access to Jeremiah Tower, the illustrious self-taught chef dubbed “The Last Magnificent” by Anthony Bourdain. Standard tickets are anything but shabby, too, at the culinary legend’s brunch-to-end-all-brunches.

Find a full event listing here.

Event Sponsors

The 9th annual Los Angeles Food & Wine welcomes best in class partners like Chase Private Client, Food & Wine magazine, Guinness, Suntory Whiskey and Bulleit Whiskey, among others.

Ticket Information

For tickets and more information, visit lafw.com.