Perlis Picks: The Garagiste Festival in Glendale (Part Two)

July 27, 2019 by Michael Perlis

Last week, I wrote about the seminar that Karen and I attended at the latest Garagiste Festival in Glendale. Part 2 is about the other wines we tasted.

The grand tasting featured over 50 wineries from all over California, 23 of which also poured the previous evening at the Rare & Reserve kick-off party – shout out to Fired Up Chef Services for the great BBQ buffet dinner that accompanied this.

Here are the wineries that stood out to us. I’ve also added a few comments in brackets. We didn’t taste everything, so not being marked as a favorite isn’t a sign of disrespect. And in some cases we only tasted at a winery’s table during the Rare and Reserve tasting and if so that is indicated as well.

13^th & Third Wines – Paso Robles

2018 Rose of Grenache

2017 Lily (blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, Picpoul)

2015 NMR (blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre)

[Hard to go wrong when the winemaker is Don Burns of Turtle Rock and Saxum.]

Aldina Vineyards – Sonoma

2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Angeleno Wine Co. – Los Angeles

2018 Super Bloom Verdejo, Clay Station

2018 Meadow Rose, Terra Alta

2017 Zanja Madre (Grenache, Tempranillo), Alonso Family Vineyard

2017 Syrah, Alonso Family Vineyard

[As I mentioned in the segment about the seminar and in a previous article, I’m a big fan of what this winery is doing in downtown LA.]

Ascension Cellars – Paso Robles

2015 Ascendance Cab/Merlot [from the R&R tasting]

Bevela Wines – Santa Barbara

2018 White Lotus Grenache Blanc [from the R&R tasting]

Bodega de Edgar – Paso Robles

2015 Gran Reserva Tempranillo [from the R&R tasting]

Byron Blatty Wines – Los Angeles

2016 Evenfall (Tempranillo, Petite Sirah and Merlot)

2015 Ghost Cat (Syrah, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc and Merlot)

[both from the R&R tasting]

Cavaletti Vineyards – Santa Barbara / Los Angeles

2018 Alicante Bouschet – Barrel Sample

2017 Vigneron Reserve Syrah/Cabernet

2018 The 109 Mile Rose (Tempranillo, Grenache)

2017 Sangiovese

2017 Rancho Baila Sol Field Blend

[So impressed with everything from this winery.]

Deno Wines – Paso Robles

2010 Two Bills Zin-Grenache

2009 Paso Robles GSM

2017 Arneis, El Pomar District

2016 Estate Grenache

2016 Estate GSM

2014 Estate GSM

[These tasted like old school Paso Robles to me. I don’t mean big over-the-top wines. They brought back memories – in a good way – of visiting before things got so crowded. They have a tasting room in Templeton now, which also reminds me of old school Paso.]

DeWitt Vineyard – Sierra Foothills

2016 Estate Syrah

2015 Estate Touriga

2016 Estate Tempranillo

[Really nice, fairly prices wines. Just disappointed their Barbera wasn’t ready!]

Dusty Nabor Wines – Central Coast

2014 Bolt To Wines Grenache

2016 Bolt To Wines Grenache Blanc [the richness of this wine was amazing.]

2017 Syrah – Ballard Canyon AVA

2017 Bolt To Wines Syrah

Ferguson Family Winery – Sierra Foothills

2016 The Phoenix Zinfandel

2016 Boomshakalaka Petite Sirah

Golden Star Vineyards – Central Coast

2015 Tempranillo, Paso Robles

2016 Syrah, Chavez Vineyard, Antelope Valley AVA

[I really am past due for a visit to this high-desert winery.]

Golden Triangle – Paso Robles

2015 Syrah, Willow Creek District

2015 Cab / Syrah, Willow Creek District

[Finally got to taste Garagiste Fesitval co-founder Stewart McLennan’s wines. And the good news is that he is opening a tasting room in Templeton.]

Hoi Polloi Wines – Central Coast

2017 Rose of Grenache, Adelaida District, Paso Robles [consistently Karen’s favorite Rose]

2016 “Blue Velvet” Syrah, Larner Vineyard, Ballard Canyon AVA [a consistently great Syrah from an iconic vineyard]

[From Garagiste Festival co-founder Doug Minnick and his partners; we are lucky to have this tasting room in the Santa Clarita Valley.]

MCV Wines – Paso Robles

2018 Pink Rose

2016 Petite Sirah, Rosewynn Vineyard

2016 1105 Blend

[I’ve been a fan of Matt Villard’s wines for a long time. Some big news coming from this winery so stay tuned.]

Oceans Churning Wines – Sonoma

2014 Chardonnay [from the R&R tasting]

Powicana Farm – Mendocino

2013 Petite Sirah [from the R&R tasting]

Record Family Wines – Paso Robles

2017 Estate Viognier

2017 Estate Grenache Rose

2016 Randy’s Red (Syrah, Grenache)

2016 Reserve Syrah

[The wines are made by Jeff Strekas of ONX, so of course they’re going to be delicious.]

Two Papas Wines – Santa Barbara

2017 Grenache Blanc, Saarloos Vineyard

2017 Grenache, Saarloos Vineyard

2017 Grenache, Thompson Vineyard

2017 Syrah, Thompson Vineyard

[I was eager to taste Santa Clarita local Rick Pratt’s wines and I was totally blown away by the quality.]

Two Shepherds – Sonoma

2018 Picpoul Blanc, Yolo County

2018 Rose of Carignan, Mendocino

2018 “Wiley” Carbonic Carignan, Mendocino

2016 Carigan, Mendocinao

[William Allen continues to make his delicious, convention-defying wines.]

Velvet Bee Wines – Santa Barbara

2018 Queen Bee (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon) [from the R&R tasting]

Wandermust-Must Wines – Sonoma

2018 Verdelho [from the R&R tasting]

Zanoli Wines – Paso Robles

2017 Mourvedre, Glenrose Vineyard

2016 Syrah, Glenrose Vineyard

Congratulations to co-founders Doug Minnick and Stewart McLennan as well as Lisa Dinsmore (Event/Web Director) and Melanie Webber (Public Relations and Communications) for another great event. Their passion and hard work have really made the Garagiste Festival concept something special. We can’t wait for the next one.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 30 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also President of MCP Financial, which provides outsourced controller services. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or mcpfinancial@aol.com.

STU AND THE KIDS RETURNS TO VIBIANA FOR THE 6TH ANNUAL FLAVORS OF ASIA FOOD FEST ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 4TH

July 25, 2019 by evebushman

Stu and the Kid’s Flavors of Asia Food Fest at Vibiana – photo credit Erik Fisher

The 6th annual Stu and The Kid’s Flavors of Asia Food Fest Fundraiser, an exceptional Thai-flavored Food & Wine Festival hosted by Chef Stuart Skversky with the help of his friends, returns to Vibiana on Sunday, August 4, 2019. The event is a rare chance to experience original dishes created by Los Angeles’ Asian-food-loving chefs expressed through Far East influences and personal styles that have impressed guests since the inception of the event in 2014. All of the proceeds from this event are used towards scholarships for university education to help underserved and orphaned Hill Tribe kids in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

In 2009, Stuart Skversky, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and rising-star chef, made a dramatic life change by giving up a promising culinary career in Los Angeles to move to Chiang Mai, becoming a full-time volunteer at the Wat Don Chan (a local Buddhist temple), teaching local children English, cooking and baking. Recognizing a need to help prepare these at-risk Hill Tribe kids following their graduation, he founded Stu and The Kids to better prepare them for adulthood, help them get into a university or technical college and give them the tools for an independent future. Funds raised go directly to the children’s education, school uniforms, supplies, housing, food and tuition for higher education. Now in their ninth year of fundraising throughout the world, Stu and The Kids has raised over $658,000 for the charity, including last year’s astounding record of $164,000 accumulated from the Los Angeles festival, in addition to fundraising on the east coast and online donations during 2018. Stu and The Kids supervises thirty-six kids, including sixteen that received 4-year scholarships in 2018 to support education and jobs in accounting, business management, in-home elder care, cooking and fashion and textiles and two with continuing 2-year master degree programs. The charity hopes to increase the awards to twenty more four-year university scholarships in the coming year.

VIP ticket purchasers will have early entrance at 2:30 p.m. to meet and chat with the chefs and receive a Stu and The Kids tote bag filled with special gifts including a signed copy of Jet Tila’s new cookbook, 101 Epic Dishes, a collectible Stu and the Kids baseball hat and much more.

Among the participating chefs for this year’s event are Hosts Neal and Amy Fraser, Vibiana; Walter and Marguerite Manzke, République; Hugo Bolanos, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air; Eric Klein, Wolfgang Puck Catering; Eric Bost, Auburn; Gilberto Cetina, Chicken Itza, Holbox; Matt Lee, Restaurant 917; Jason Neroni, The Rose Café; Sherry Yard, The Tuck Room; Warren and Rose Schwartz, Magpies Softserve; Mei Lin, Nightshade; Food Network’s Jet Tila; Sarintip “Jazz” Singsanong, Jitlada; and Chef/Author Robert Danhi.

Other chefs to be announced; a complete list of participating chefs, restaurants, caterers and food artisans is listed below.

Beverages are plentiful to pair with spicy food and this year’s top-shelf purveyors list features a Thai-inspired cocktail made by tipple-smith Joshua Lucas and crisp summer selections from Bodega Wine Bar. Singha and Leo are featured Thai beers and Winebow Fine Wine+Spirits includes a fantastic range of wineries. Non-alcoholic choices are supplied by Herb + Orchard’s ready-made water infusions and Stu and The Kids famous fresh Coconut Bar.

The Flavors of Asia Food Fest fundraiser provides not only an amazing culinary experience but also showcases the exotic Thai culture. Guests can experience an educational presentation, activities for all ages including a vivid display of Northern Thai umbrellas and lanterns from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, performances of Thai music and an authentic Muay Thai boxing demonstration. The silent auction benefiting Stu and The Kids has a vast offering of beautiful photography of Chiang Mai locations, hand-made Hill Tribe bags and silver jewelry, gift baskets, autographed cookbooks, dinners at many of Los Angeles’ best restaurants and more available at great pricing.

A live auction of packages and experiences includes:

· Stu’s priceless Thailand vacation for two which includes a six-night stay at a luxury suite in a private eight thousand square meter estate bordering the National Parklands in the in the breezy foothills of Doi Suthep Mountain of Chiang Mai; a trip to the white temple in Chiang Rai and an elephant sanctuary; zip lining; overnight trekking and cooking class. The lucky winners will also have the honored chance to visit the Wat Don Chan Orphanage and serve lunch to The Kids, and have dinner with recipients of the Stu and The Kids Mentor and Scholarship Program.
· Lunch for two at Wolfgang Puck at the Hotel Bel Air with an exclusive overnight stay.
· A three night stay for up to eight guests in a luxurious Palm Springs desert estate, inclusive of a BBQ lunch or dinner by private chef, Deb Caponetta.
· Four Diamond Club tickets to the Angels vs. Boston Red Sox game on Friday, August 30, valued at $1,000.
· Four tickets to the LA Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers game.

Event hours for Stu and The Kid’s Flavors of Asia Food Fest are 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $135 General Admission, $225 for VIP Admission and $25 for children 6-12 (under 6 are free). To purchase tickets, visit Flavors of Asia Food Fest to Benefit Stu and The Kids on eventbrite.com.

FLAVORS OF ASIA FOOD FEST TO BENEFIT STU AND THE KIDS
SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2019
3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m. for VIP tickets

General Admission: $135 in advance; $150 at the door, subject to availability
VIP Admission: $225; includes early admission and chef access.
Kids tickets: $25 for kids 6-12, (under 6 are free)

All tickets may be purchased online; visit: Flavors of Asia Food Fest to Benefit Stu and The Kids

WHERE: Vibiana, 214 South Main Street, Los Angeles, California 90012

Presenting Chef and Culinary Ambassador to Thailand: Chef Jet Tila

Participating Restaurants, Caterers and Food Artisans

Auburn
Ayara Thai
Bar Amá
Bodega Wine Bar
Chao Krung
Chicken Itza
Cookie Good
E Stretto
Ensaymada Project
Friends and Family
Holbox
Jitlada
Magpies
Night Shade
Olive Pit
Otus Thai Kitchen
Patina Catering
Redbird
Republique
Restaurant 917
Same Same
Savore Catering
Sinners and Saints
Tender Greens
The Rose
The Tuck Room Tavern
Vibiana
Wolfgang Puck Catering
Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel Air

SPONSORS
6 Degrees LA
Behind the DJ Booth
Chefs to End Hunger
Erik Fisher Photography
LA & SF Specialty
Red Boat Fish Sauce
The Bouqs Co.
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Vibiana
Winebow Fine Wines + Spirits
Wolfgang Puck Catering

ABOUT STU AND THE KIDS:
Stu and The Kids is a 501c3, tax-exempt nonprofit organization that provides scholarships for orphaned and underserved Hill Tribe children for continuing their education in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Stu and The Kids is committed to do good and make change by empowering kids, offering support, resources, opportunity and motivation while celebrating and respecting the diverse traditions, customs and culture of the communities where they do their work.

For further information, please visit Stu and the Kids on the web: www.stuandthekids.org
Stu and the Kids are social!
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/stuandthekids
On Instagram: @stuandthekids
On Twitter: @stuandthekids

Perlis Picks: The Garagiste Festival in Glendale (Part One)

July 20, 2019 by Michael Perlis

Think about one of your favorite wines. What goes into your decision to make it your favorite? Is it the varietal? The region it comes from? The terroir? The year? The label? There may be multiple reasons. I that, at least for me, a big one is passion – the passion of the vintner, winemaker, grower, everyone who worked so hard to get that wine into the bottle for you.

And nothing speaks wine passion more than the Garagiste Festivals. We at Eve’s Wine 101 have a special affinity for them, having reported on the Garagistes from the beginning, including my interview with co-founder Doug Minnick before the very first event in 2011 in Paso Robles, which Karen and I also attended. Focusing on ultra-small (and then therefore ultra-rare) production wineries, the festivals have now expanded to four annual events – Paso Robles, Solvang, Sonoma and (conveniently for locals) Los Angeles.

We’ve definitely attended our share of these over the years. They’ve now had about two dozen events in total and the passion of these winemakers is clear. More so than with a large big-budget winery, the owner/winemaker typically has to handle all or most of the tasks of the winemaking process, sometimes in addition to what their day job might be.

By the way, you may have noticed the word “garagiste” being used a lot more lately; I sure have. The Garagiste Festival doesn’t own the term, it goes back to the originally somewhat derogatory French word for small winemakers. And I can’t say for sure that the increased usage of the term overall is connected to the success of the Garagiste Festivals, although I would tend to think so. After all, they were voted the best wine festival in America. So, if you want to be sure you are supporting the real deal, go to their website and sign up for their newsletters.

Karen and I attended the latest LA event, held at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. In keeping with the LA theme, the Saturday event started with a seminar presented by three LA based wineries working to bring back to LA County an industry that used to dominate the landscape in the days before prohibition and real estate development.

Hosted by Steward McLennan, one of the founders of the Garagiste Festival, the seminar presenters were Patrick Kelley of Cavaletti Vineyards, Jasper Dickson and Amy Luftig Viste of Angeleno Wine Co. and Mark and Jenny Blatty of Byron Blatty Wines. All three wineries get a significant amount of their grapes from Los Angeles County. The Blatty wines are made in the Santa Clarita Valley and Angeleno is in the process of finalizing its tasting room and winery operations in downtown Los Angeles.

Of course, it was a wine seminar, so there was wine.

Each winery poured two wines, in the following order, lightest to heaviest:

Cavaletti Vineyards –

2018 109 Mile Rose (62% Grenache, 38% Tempranillo)

2017 Grenache, Swayze Vineyard

Angeleno Wine Co. –

2017 Zanja Madre (Grenache and Tempranillo)

2017 Syrah, Alonso Family Vineyard

Byron Blatty Wines –

2017 Undertake (60% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah, 10% Merlot, 5% Syrah)

2016 Pragmatic (90% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot)

For me, the takeaway from these wines is that Los Angeles County is capable of producing a variety of styles of high quality wines. Truly something for everybody.

The winery owners all shared stories of trials and tribulations. Their individual stories varied, but they all included one common component – the challenge of teaching potential customers, retail stores and restaurants about the quality of wine coming from LA County. One might think they are fighting an uphill battle but they appear to be winning it; that takes passion! I expect the LA winery scene to continue to grow and prosper and I know of at least one cult-status winemaker who is planning to set up shop soon – more on this in a future article, hopefully.

Of course, the Garagiste Festival isn’t just about Los Angeles. The grand tasting after the seminar featured over 50 wineries from all over California, 23 of which also poured the previous evening at the Rare & Reserve kick-off party – shout out to Fired Up Chef Services for the great BBQ buffet dinner that accompanied this. More on the wines in Part 2 which will run on this site next Saturday, 7/27.

Garagiste Glendale: “Garagiste Goes Local: The Rebirth of the LA Wine Industry” Seminar and a Shout Out to…?

July 12, 2019 by evebushman

Already aware of LA County wines as have been drinking some for years, some from this seminar, and others, like Golden Star Vineyards and Byron Blatty, due to tasting them at Santa Clarita Valley events. Our class was led by Garagiste co-founder Stewart McLennan and included Patrick Kelley from Cavaletti Vineyard, Jasper Dickson and Amy Luftig Viste from Angeleno Wine Company and Mark and Jenny Blatty from Byron Blatty Wines. (We were also presented with six samples, two from each winery, that we would taste at the close of the discussion.)

Panelists l to r: Patrick Kelley, Cavaletti Vineyards; Amy Luftig Viste and Jasper Dickson, Angeleno Wine Company; Mark and Jenny Blatty, Bryon Blatty Wines.

We started with a bit of a bio from each or the panelists then Stewart asked about challenges, and to share a bit of history of LA winemaking. I’ve grouped together answers to all of theses questions by each panelist:

Patrick Kelley, Cavaletti Vineyard

BIO: Patrick has a BA in biology, attended business school, lived in San Fernando Valley for 10 years, then moved to Ventura where he started making wine “without plans to make wine” his business. Now he’s up to 600 cases and this is his second time at Garagiste.

CHALLENGES: Finding customers that accept LA County Wines is his biggest challenge as its “unknown brands in unknown region.” So events like Garagiste help to get his “wine in front of customers.”

HISTORY: The climate is dry, water is available, but Phylloxera hit the region just like in Napa. The vineyards that did exist, a few thousand in San Pedro, pretty much shut down in the 1960s.

Amy Luftig Viste, Angeleno Wine Company

BIO: Amy has a degree in public health and continues to work in that field. She fell in love with wine, took some courses at UCLA and found herself most interested in winemaking and the Central Coast where she did some interning. Over a few Mimosas with Jasper the two came up with a plan to start their own winery in LA. This was when she “was the happiest she has ever been.”

CHALLENGES: Opening a winery in downtown Los Angeles has been her biggest challenge. But she “goes until someone says they can’t.” Gaining advocates from city government helped.

Jasper Dickson, Angeleno Wine Company

BIO: Jasper boasted no degrees, was a high school dropout and worked at Silverlake Wine for ten years. Over that decade he met many winemakers at the shop and asked many questions. He started making wine in his garage at home. In 2013 he went commercial and in 2015 he had his Mimosa date with Amy.

CHALLENGES: Jasper echoed Amy’s stand on challenges, with the addition of getting lots of bank rejections in the beginning.

HISTORY: There were Spanish missionaries building missions in California as well as planting grapes. In 1859 Californians were drinking two million bottles per year.

Mark Blatty, Byron Blatty Wines

BIO: “There is a common thread,” Mark began, “and it’s that all of us here love to drink wine.” He and Jenny have a background in television production and now they are also “Executive Producers” of their wine. He’s learned that you don’t have to own it all (a winery and the vineyards) to make wine.

CHALLENGES: Consumers have zero experience or a “bad experience” with LA County wines. But when people discover the wines, and enjoy them, he feels a certain sense of pride as an Angeleno. Another challenge: those writing about wine aren’t writing about LA County Wines, so there is no book educating them.

HISTORY: Prohibition changed a lot of things in California, especially removing all of the grape vines to make room to grow citrus instead.

Jenny Blatty, Byron Blatty Wines

BIO: For Jenny it was a “daydream” and she was “obsessed with wine.” That obsession drove her to take classes and start making wines in 2013. Putting out their first vintage in 2014 – most of the grapes they picked themselves and continue to do so. That first vintage produced less than two barrels.

LA County Wine Tasting

2018 Cavaletti 109 Mile Rose, Swayze Vineyard

The Swayze Vineyard is in the Antelope Valley, next to the poppy preserve, and has very little pest presence.

Peach, grapefruit, Meyer lemon, gravel and some acidity.

2017 Cavaletti Grenache, Swayze Vineyard

Barnyard, herbaceous, olives and some tart.

2017 Angeleno Zanja Madre Grenache/Tempranillo, Alonso Family Vineyards

The name Zanja Madre translates to “Mother Ditch.”

Black fruit, spicy, green notes.

2017 Angeleno Syrah, Alonso Family Vineyards 100% Syrah

Plum, grape jam, cherry candy, balanced.

2017 Byron Blatty Undertake, Zinfandel/Petite Sirah, Merlot, Syrah.

The 5% of Syrah is from Paso fruit. This is a common winemaking theme for them: a four varietal blend of four different vineyards. And this wine – Undertake – was a big undertaking…not a nod to an undertaker.

Big, bold, spicy, red to dark fruit.

2016 Byron Blatty Pragmatic, Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

90% Malbec, 22 months in barrel and from seven different vineyards.

A bit softer and brighter fruit than Undertake, with perfumy notes and hints of black pepper.

Shout Out to Upcoming Byron Blatty Wine Dinner at The Old Town Junction on July 25: 5 courses, 5 wines, tax and tip included for $85

“A Taste of Summer” is what they’re officially calling this remarkable collaboration. Here are the details from Eventbrite:

About this Event

Join us for an unforgettable summer evening at the Old Town Junction, on Main Street in downtown Newhall, as we present: “A Taste of Summer” wine dinner, featuring the Los Angeles wines of Byron Blatty! A Taste of Summer will be an unparalleled food and wine experience, combining the highest quality, locally sourced ingredients, cooked to perfection, and expertly paired with world-class wines grown right here in L.A. County.

Our evening will begin with canapés prepared by Chef Daniel Otto, served with a glass of Byron Blatty’s delightful Rosé from the Antelope Valley, followed by a seated, five course dinner, each paired with one of Blatty’s locally grown wines.

Chef Daniel will take you through each amazing dish, with Mark and Jenny Blatty on hand to walk you through their vision for putting Los Angeles back on the map, as one of California’s premiere wine growing regions. Blatty’s winemakers, Steve Lemley and Nate Hasper (of Newhall’s Pulchella) will also present several of these unique wines, and explain what makes them so special.

Tickets are $85 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity, $70 per person for Byron Blatty Wines Club Members. (Members will be sent a promo code for discounted tickets.)

To inquire about Membership options please email: mark@byronblatty.com, or see their website: https://byronblatty.com/membership

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.

Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival Returns April 29-May 5

April 17, 2019 by evebushman

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Returning in just one month for a seven-day run following the success of last year’s expansion to a week-long event, the 2019 Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival presented by Mercedes Benz of Charlottesville will return to Charlottesville to celebrate the best of wines in the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Virginia beginning Monday, April 29 through Sunday, May 5. Events will take place at Vault Virginia, multiple area wineries and restaurants, and Sprint Pavilion.

Tickets are on sale now and available at monticellowinetrailfestival.com and the Charlottesville’s Visitor Center on the downtown mall. Patrons will again have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of events available with optional VIP upgrades.

The Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival, an established spring tradition in Charlottesville, is a partnership between the Monticello Wine Trail, Sprint Pavilion and Vault Virginia, with presenting sponsor Mercedes-Benz of Charlottesville. The Monticello Wine Trail is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote quality grapes and wine produced in the Monticello AVA. Dynamic winemakers, who are creating a unique wine region that features wines with an authentic expression of place, shape the region. The high quality of these wines is often recognized with success in national and international wine competitions.

“The Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival is a great opportunity to experience all of what the Monticello AVA has to offer. Expanding the festival from three to seven days allowed us to schedule a wider variety of events so guests can create an itinerary that matches their personal tastes,” said MWT President George Hodson.

Participating Vineyards and Wineries

The 2019 Monticello Wine Trail Festival will feature 29 participating regional wineries and vineyards, including: Afton Mountain Vineyards, Barboursville Vineyards, Blenheim Vineyards, Burnley Vineyards, Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery, Chestnut Oak Vineyard, Cunningham Creek Winery, Delfosse Vineyards & Winery, Early Mountain Vineyards, First Colony Winery, Flying Fox Vineyard, Gabriele Rausse Winery, Glass House Winery, Grace Estate Winery, Horton Vineyards, Jefferson Vineyards, Keswick Vineyards, Kilaurwen Winery, King Family Vineyards, Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery, Lovingston Winery, Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, Reynard Florence Vineyard, Stinson Vineyards, Stone Mountain Vineyards, Thistle Gate Vineyard, Trump Winery, Veritas Vineyard & Winery and Wisdom Oak Winery.
2019 Schedule of Events & Ticket Information

Festival Kick-Off – Monday, April 29: Monticello Cup Awards
Vault Virginia
6-10 p.m.
An exciting event for the wine enthusiast to kick off this year’s Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival, taste award-winning wines from the 2019 Monticello Cup WineCompetition alongside the wine growers and winemakers who made them. The night ends with the competition results for the Top 6 wines and winner of the prestigious Monticello Cup for the overall highest scoring wine.
Tuesday, April 30 – Thursday, May 2: Winemaker Dinners
A series of collaborative dinners between local restaurants and wineries.
For event details and locations, visit monticellowinetrailfestival.com. Reservations are required for each dinner. Contact participating wineries. More dinners to be added.
- Wednesday, May 1 – Brasserie Saison Winemakers Dinner (Afton Mountain Vineyards & Jake Busching Wines).
- Thursday, May 2 – Taste of White Hall Winemakers Dinner (Grace Estate Winery, Stinson Vineyards, White Hall Vineyards)
- Thursday, May 2 – Going Rogue: A Most Peculiar Wine Tasting (Early Mountain Vineyards, Flying Fox Vineyards, King Family Vineyards, Lightwell Survey Wines, Veritas Vineyard & Winery)
Friday, May 3: The 3rd Annual Rosé Lunch
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Call for event information: 434.245.4920
The 3^rd annual Monticello AVA Rosé Lunch will feature four rosés from the Monticello AVA perfectly paired with a seasonal menu.
Friday, May 3: Winery Tours and Tastings
For event details and locations, visit monticellowinetrailfestival.com. These events will have limited tickets available depending on location. Please contact participating winery for more information.
Friday, May 3: A Spirited Wine Trail Reception
For event details and locations, visit monticellowinetrailfestival.com.
Saturday, May 4: The Grand Tasting
Sprint Pavilion
1:30-5:30 p.m. (VIP ticket holders gain early entry at 12:30 p.m.)
Tickets (ages 12 and under are Free):
General Admission: $29 until Midnight April 15, $35 after April 15, $40 at gate
General Admission Designated Driver or Under 21: $10
VIP: $80
VIP Designated Driver or Under 21: $25
Tasting event at Sprint Pavilion featuring more than 25 local wineries and live entertainment. An exclusive VIP ticket is available and offers catered food and an opportunity for sampling exclusive wines from each winery.
Wine tastings will be limited to one flight of tastings per winery with the purchase of your ticket. Extra wine can be purchased by the glass or bottle.
Festival Finale – Sunday, May 5: The 4th Annual Sparkling Brunch
Veritas Vineyard & Winery
10 a.m.-Noon | Tickets are $25
Wrapping up this year’s Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival, the 4th Annual Monticello AVA Sparkling Brunch will be held at Veritas Vineyard & Winery and will feature sparkling wines from five area wineries. The ticket prices includes food and a tasting from each sparkling producer. Additional glasses, or bottles, of sparkling wine can be purchased for on and offsite consumption.

Complete schedule of all events, information and menus available at monticellowinetrailfestival.com.

For more information on the Monticello Wine Trail Festival, visit monticellowinetrailfestival.com, and follow on: Facebook.com/TasteOfMonticelloWineTrailFestival, and Twitter@TasteMonticello.

37th Annual Santa Barbara Vintners Festival Returns to Santa Maria Valley

April 14, 2019 by evebushman

SANTA BARBARA, CA – 2019 – The Santa Barbara Vintners Festival, now in its 37th year, stands out in a world awash in wine festivals. Not only is it one of the largest wine festivals in Southern California, but it is often the actual winemaker or winery owner who is pouring for the public. Slated for May 4, 2019 at Rancho Sisquoc Winery, this festival sets itself apart as the wine festival put on by winemakers for wine lovers.

Novice and experienced oenophiles alike get the opportunity to ask their wine related questions during the weekend’s signature Festival Grand Tasting. Held the afternoon of May 4th, at majestic Rancho Sisquoc, the Festival Grand Tasting features over 70 wineries, many pouring newly released wines. Local food purveyors, live music, culinary and wine demonstrations, and a silent auction are a perfect pairing with the wine.

The Santa Barbara Vintners Festival allows wine lovers to taste over 70 varietals grown locally. No other wine festival in the world offers the opportunity to experience more local grapes. Santa Barbara is blessed with such great diversity because of its unique geography which includes a transverse valley. This east-west valley creates a quilt of micro-climates in the area, allowing for the wide range of grapes that thrive.

Drawing on the wealth of wine knowledge represented at the Festival, guests will get a behind-the-scenes look at how wine is made. There will be museum-like displays providing insight into the winemaking world, from watching a cooper make barrels, to seeing how wine actually gets in the bottle, to barrel-tasting at the winery itself.

During the weekend of the Festival, the Vintners Visa is also available. This $50 Wine Country Tasting Pass allows guests to pick tastings at 12 wineries in the county with over 40 wineries to choose from during the May 2-6, 2019 window. This pass is the most robust tasting ticket offered all year.

Several ticket options are available for the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival. Early Entry VIP access ($100), which allows holders access to the Festival Grand Tasting an hour before it opens to the public, General Admission ($75), Locals Only ($60) and Designated Drivers and Under 21 ($25).

This year the Festival returns to Santa Maria’s Rancho Sisquoc Winery, the beloved site of past Festivals. The winery is part of a 37,000 acre cattle ranch and farm purchased in 1952 by Mr. and Mrs. James Flood, who still own the property today. The ranch is part of an 1852 Mexican land grant and the Chumash Indians called this area “Sisquoc,” which meant “gathering place.” Today, Rancho Sisquoc remains a gathering place, this time for wine lovers.

The northern region of the Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley, is renowned for world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. The area boasts 34 tasting rooms, six unique AVAs, 13 beaches, and a growing selection of local breweries, all within a beautiful 30-minute drive. If you are looking for sand dunes, hiking trails, horseback riding, cycling, and authentic Santa Maria Style barbecue, you’ll find all in Santa Maria Valley. Santa Maria Valley is the perfect home base to eat, drink and do more for less. Guests who are staying at any Santa Maria Valley hotel receive a special pass that include tastings at Santa Maria Valley area tasting rooms.

Tickets for the festival are available online now, visit www.sbvintnersweekend.com for more information.

SANTA BARBARA VINTNERS

The Santa Barbara Vintners (Santa Barbara County Vintners Association) is a non- profit 501 (c) 6 organization founded in 1983 to support and promote Santa Barbara County as a world-class, authentic wine producing and wine grape growing region. The Association includes winery members whose annual production is at least 75% Santa Barbara County (or sub-AVA) labeled, winery associates, vineyards, vineyard management companies, hospitality, and industry associate members. The Association produces festivals and wine country weekends; educational seminars and tastings; provides information to consumers, trade, and media; and advocates for the Santa Barbara County wine and grape industry. www.sbcountywines.com

17TH ANNUAL SAN FERNANDO VALLEY FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL, APRIL 27, 2019

April 13, 2019 by evebushman

SYLMAR, CA – The Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) Foundation will be hosting the 17^thAnnual San Fernando Valley Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

This signature event raises crucial funds for our scholarship programs which provides a local financial support system for students and has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships, thanks to the success of events like this. It will be an exciting and fun-filled day to include exquisite cuisine prepared by our award-winning Culinary Arts Institute, wonderful wines, a silent auction, live entertainment and much more!

“San Fernando Valley Food & Wine Festival is a yearly must-attend event for the San Fernando Valley.”

This year’s Annual Food & Wine Festival is expected to draw hundreds of guests in the beautiful Los Angeles Mission College Culinary Arts Institute Building on the afternoon of April 27^th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

With a theme of “International Cuisine” attendees will enjoy cuisine from around the world, pared with wines to complement each dish. In addition, we will be hosting a silent auction, pastry pavilion, and live entertainment provided by local artists.

Meet our amazing faculty and staff of master chefs, including Culinary Arts Department Chair, Chef Louis Eguaras. His past experience includes: Executive Chef of Presidential Culinary Services; Author of bestselling book “101 Things I Learned in Culinary School,” and former White House Chef at Camp David Presidential Retreat and The White House cooking for Presidents Bush Sr and Bill Clinton, dignitaries like Nelson Mandela, John Majors and Brian Mulroney and celebrities like Tom Hanks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and more.

General admission tickets are $65 and VIP tickets are $150. All tickets will include a beautiful souvenir stemmed wine glass to commemorate the event.

To purchase tickets, please visit http://sfvfw.com/ or call: 818 364-7600 ext. 7111

About the Los Angeles College Foundation:

The Los Angeles Mission College Foundation is the support arm of the college, made up of community members and civic and business leaders.

The mission of Los Angeles Mission College Foundation is to raise funds and provide stewardship for funds already raised, through annual scholarship drives, special events, grant applications and business partnerships. Our goal is to provide a local financial support system to needy and deserving students entering and continuing their education at Mission College. Our vision is to improve the quality of life in our community by providing support for individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue quality accessible educational programs and services.

22nd Annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival Announced for May 17-19

April 3, 2019 by evebushman

Anderson Valley, CA – The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association is pleased to announce that the 22nd annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival will take place May 17, 18 and 19, 2019. Wine lovers are invited to sip, sample and savor Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (plus rose and sparkling wines) from more than 50 producers, enjoy mouth-watering food pairings by the region’s best chefs and local caterers, and listen to live music while bidding on exquisite auction lots for local charity.

The much-anticipated weekend’s events range from educational seminars to a live music BBQ, grand tasting, winemaker dinners and free winery open houses – all hosted amidst the spectacular beauty of Anderson Valley’s vineyards and towering redwood trees. Music lovers will be happy to learn about an added bonus – this year Camp Navarro will host a concert on Saturday evening. The events have achieved a loyal following for being distinctively uncrowded and unpretentious, with an array of Pinot Noir styles that serve as the ideal introduction (or refresher course!) to the Anderson Valley.

“We could not be more thrilled to celebrate the 22^nd annual Pinot Noir Festival,” says Kristy Charles, President of the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association and Owner of Foursight Wines. “Our aim is that revelers will leave the festival with a deeper connection to our vineyards and an appreciation for the caliber of wines coming out of Anderson Valley.”

A full list of events can be found below, as well as at avwines.com/pinot-noir-festival.
Tickets are available for individual events as well as for weekend packages. Discounted ticket packages are available when booked together, and limited. Winemaker dinners will be announced on Friday, March 15 at noon and often sell-out quickly. Sign up for the AVWA mailing list to be informed of event updates. Tent and cabin accommodations at Camp Navarro are available Thursday through Sunday on their website: campnavarropresents.com/anderson-valley-pinot-festival.

Event tickets are limited and will sell out, so early purchase is strongly recommended. For more information, please call 707.895.9463 or visit avwines.com/pinot-noir-festival.

About Anderson Valley
Anderson Valley, located less than 100 miles north of San Francisco, is an area blessed with a temperate cool coastal climate. Classified in viticultural terms as a Region 1 growing area, this designates it as the coolest climate in which grapes may be commercially grown with any success. Cutting laterally through the coastal range rather than lying between ridges, the west or “deep end” of the Anderson Valley is only a few miles from the cold Pacific Ocean, while the town of Boonville is some 20 miles to the east. The combination of warm sunny days and cool foggy nights and mornings allow the grapes from this region to mature slowly and to develop to the height of their varietal character. The planted acreage in the Anderson Valley consists primarily of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling. There are also small acreages of other varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Merlot.

In addition to producing superb Pinot Noirs and Alsace varietal wines, the valley is home to three methode champenoise sparkling houses.

About the About the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association
The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (AVWA) is a not-for-profit trade group created in 1983 to promote the grapes and wines of the Anderson Valley winegrowing appellation. The AVWA is supported through the dues paid by its membership, generous sponsorships, and proceeds from the festivals and events the association produces each year.

Along with promoting the Anderson Valley as a viticultural region, AVWA also works to build its community. To date over $400,000 has been donated to local community groups such as the Anderson Valley Health Center, Anderson Valley Housing Association, Anderson Valley Ambulance, the Anderson Valley Fire Department, as well as the Community Foundation of Mendocino County Disaster Fund for the most recent fire relief and recovery efforts. For more information on the AVWA, please visit www.avwines.com.

Effervescence, a Champagne and Sparkling Wine Festival, returns to Los Angeles May 3-5, 2019

April 1, 2019 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES, CA. —Effervescence, America’s leading epicurean event centered solely around Champagne and sparkling wines, is coming back to Los Angeles May 3-5, 2019. The three-day festival will kick off on May 3rd with a once-in-a-lifetime dinner hosted by Krug and will pour into the weekend with grand tastings featuring top Champagnes and sparkling wines from around the world, and master classes taught by leading experts. An exclusive gala dinner at Jar and a sparkling wine brunch for collectors, winemakers, and enthusiasts will be hosted by celebrity chef, Nancy Silverton. Tickets for individual events are available at www.effervescencela.com.

The three-day festival will include:

Effervescence LA returns to Los Angeles May 3-5, 2019

Krug Collector Dinner
Friday, May 3rd at 7:00 p.m.
Effervescence will kick off the 3-day festival with a once-in-a-lifetime dinner for Champagne collectors, hosted by Krug Champagne, at 71 Above in downtown Los Angeles, located at 633 W. 5th St. Winemaker Jérôme Jacoillot of the distinguished Krug Champagne will share stories and insight into the legendary house. Current releases as well as very rare library bottlings will be paired with a special menu prepared by Chef Vartan Abgaryan. Seating is extremely limited. $1,750 per person.
Grand Champagne Tasting
Saturday, May 4th from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Hosted at The Line Hotel, located at 3515 Wilshire Blvd. in LA’s trendy Koreatown district, the walk-around Grand Champagne Tasting will offer guests an opportunity to taste and converse with the winemakers, owners, and brand ambassadors from renowned Champagne houses. Master classes will be led by Champagne experts, focusing on the terroirs of Champagne. $250 per person.
Gala Dinner with chefs Nancy Silverton and Suzanne Tracht
Saturday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m.
Renown female chefs Nancy Silverton, the first woman to win the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef Award, along with her dear friend, Chef Suzanne Tracht, owner of Jar restaurant, will host this year’s not-to-be-missed Effervescence LA Gala Dinner. Winemakers will bring their own special bottles of Champagne and sparkling wines to share over the course of this special and intimate dinner. Diners are encouraged to bring a favorite bottle to share. Jar is located at 8225 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles. $500 per person.
More Bubbles Brunch at Hedley & Bennett with Chef Nancy Silverton
Sunday, May 5th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The popular More Bubbles Brunch melds a walk-around tasting of sparkling wines from Italy, Spain, USA, England, New Zealand, South Africa and beyond with a sumptuous brunch menu prepared by Chef Nancy Silverton. Guests will experience the diversity of grapes and sparkling wine styles from around the world, amidst the colorful and contemporary indoor and outdoor space of Hedley & Bennett, a woman-owned and operated apron factory on the border of the Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles, located at 3864 S Santa Fe Ave. in Los Angeles. $125 per person.

The idea for Effervescence was inspired by Olivier Krug, a sixth-generation member of the Krug family and director of the Champagne house. “Olivier was visiting Los Angeles and was so impressed with our city’s culinary diversity and thirst for bubbles that he suggested we hold an event to celebrate both. Because of his enthusiasm, we decided to pop the cork on this festival in a big way and are thrilled for what the 2nd annual event will bring,” says Dan Perrelli, founder of Effervescence and owner of First the Wine, a Los Angeles wine shop.

About Effervescence LA
Effervescence is an annual series of events celebrating Champagne and sparkling wine. Taking place in Los Angeles on May 3-5, 2019, Effervescence brings together serious Champagne collectors, luxury consumers, and adventurous aficionados of bubbles, providing an extraordinary opportunity to taste and learn about the world of Champagne and sparkling wine. Participating wineries will experience a unique and intimate opportunity to deepen their connections with an eager audience of wine lovers.

Follow on Social Media
#effervescenceLA #morebubbles
Facebook: Effervescence LA
Twitter: @EffervescenceLA
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Website: effervescencela.com

America’s Best Wine Festival* Returns to Sonoma with 40 Garagiste Winemakers, April 13th

March 9, 2019 by evebushman

PASO ROBLES, Calif. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival, which was named America’s Best Wine Festival by USA Today in 2018, returns to Sonoma with 40 micro-production winemakers from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lodi, Sierra Foothills, and more, on April 13th. The internationally renowned festival showcases innovative winemakers who handcraft under 1,500 cases of wine and who, in most cases, don’t have tasting rooms, offering a one-of-a-kind opportunity to taste a range of cutting-edge wine discoveries, with limited attendees, all under one roof.

The non-profit event will be held at the Sonoma Veterans Building near Sonoma’s historic downtown plaza and includes a tasting seminar on the new West Sonoma Coast AVA, featuring Sonoma winemakers Andy Peay from Peay Vineyards and Carroll Kemp from Alma Fria Wines. Tickets are on sale at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-garagiste-festival-northern-exposure-tickets-52724183452

“We know that wine lovers can tire of over-crowded, over-priced festivals that offer supermarket wines masquerading as ‘boutique’ offerings. This is why The Garagiste Festival is dedicated to bringing these fantastic, hard-to-find winemakers (and it is only the winemakers themselves who pour at Garagiste) to our audience in a setting where they can share their stories with attendees across the table. There’s really no other event like it,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “More than 90% of the wineries do not have tasting rooms, and can’t be found on “wine country” maps, so this is a unique opportunity to discover hidden treasures. Quality, not quantity, is our mantra and we love the uncrowded interaction that our Sonoma event offers – an opportunity for both fun and appreciation far from the usual madding festival crowd!”

Dubbed “tasting nirvana”, ‘strange and wondrous’, and “one not to miss” by the LA Times, the Garagiste Festivals are known for high quality wines, first-time and ‘soon-to-break-out’ discoveries, diverse grape varieties, a ‘no snobs allowed’ policy and a renegade and fun-loving spirit. The non-profit Garagiste Festivals are the only festivals in the US dedicated to micro-production winemakers and have introduced hundreds of outstanding artisan winemakers to thousands of passionate wine consumers, members of the trade and media, raising the profiles of many of the winemakers nationally for the first time, and raising thousands of dollars for the education of future winemakers.

“We are so pleased to be back in the heart of Sonoma wine country for the second year. While we love every one of our venues, there is something completely different and special about Sonoma, and we were overwhelmed by the positive reception we received last year,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Stewart McLennan. “We have an extraordinary line-up of winemakers you may have never heard of — but who you will fall in love with. These winemakers take their craft and their terroir very seriously, and we look forward to exploring this with a deep dive into the treasures of the West Sonoma Coast AVA in our tasting seminar, which kicks off the festival.”

McLennan, who hosts the popular The Garagiste Show on KRUSH 92.5FM, moderates this year’s tasting seminar: “What Defines an AVA? An Exploration of the New ‘West Sonoma Coast’ Appellation and Why the Distinction Matters,” which kicks off the festival. Attendees will learn (and taste) what makes the ‘West Sonoma Coast’ AVA special (and distinct from the wider Sonoma Coast), and why it was necessary for them to pursue this separation. With Andy Peay from Peay Vineyards and Carroll Kemp from Alma Fria Wines. The seminar is available as part of the VIP ALL-DAY TICKET, which also includes a Wine Country Box Lunch – prepared by local favorite The Girl and The Fig – and early access to the Grand Tasting.

Saturday continues with the main event, The Grand Tasting from 2-5pm showcasing 40 winemakers
pouring 150+ wines and 15+ unique varietals. All tickets include unlimited tastes, cheese (courtesy of Cabot Cheese) & charcuterie, gourmet food samples and a souvenir Stolzle crystal wine glass.

For full Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure 2019 schedule details, go to http://californiagaragistes.com/

Tickets are very limited for the Sonoma festival and Garagiste Festivals always sell out. To buy tickets, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-garagiste-festival-northern-exposure-tickets-52724183452. For breaking festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/ or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Among the 40 winemakers already scheduled to pour are:

Adron Wines, Alma Fria, Benevolent Neglect Wines, Betwixt Wines, Bluxome Winery, Boonville Road Wines, Calstar Cellars, Camlow Cellars, Chenoweth Vineyards, Cobden Wini Wines, Crux Winery, Cutruzzola Vineyards, DB Cellars, DeWitt Vineyard, Fallon Place Wines, Fields Family Wines, Gondak Cellars, Gordenker Wines, Greyscale Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Kitson Wines, March Wines, Mastro Scheidt, Merisi Wines, Montagne Russe, Mountain Tides Wine Co., Nowell-Smith Wines, Old County Cellars, Olivera Wines, People’s Wine Revolution, Perri Jaye Vineyards, Powicana Farm, Sosie Wines, St. Romedius, Tom Mackey Cellars, Urban Legend Cellars, Wander Must Wine, Weatherborne Wine Co. and Witching Stick Wines.

Sponsors include: Bank of Marin, ETS, AEB, Laffort, Digital Dogma, Hanover Insurance, Farm Credit, mWEBB Communications, Glenn Burdette, G3, WIVI, House Copper

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

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named 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.

*The Garagiste Wine Festival was named America’s Best Wine Festival by USA Today in 2018.

**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.