Of course, if you think about it, there is only one person that owns one wine bar that has had ten annual Halloween parties and ten annual Holiday Tasting events: Guy Lelarge and Valencia Wine Company. Read on to see what is new and what will, and never should, change at the VWC.
First up in your wine calendar is the 10th Annual Halloween Holiday Party on Friday November first. There will be live music performed by Pulp, the band featuring long-time
VWC employee Kevin Osborne. Customer Mark White, who happened to be there the night I came in to interview Guy, has come to this event since its inception. In that amount of time, though never winning the costume contest, Mark has dressed up as a zombie, an alien and as Caesar. The party, everyone says, is the biggest Halloween party in town.
Then comes the biggie – the 10th Annual Holiday Wine Tasting Event will take place at the VWC on November 16 from 2-5 p.m. Look for a surprise winemaker to dazzle the crowd.
All Guy would tell me is that he is one of the head guys teaching winemaking at UC Davis, with a wonderful and lively personality. At a recent tasting of this winemaker’s wines, Guy bought every one.
As you’ve come to expect, or are learning for the first time, Guy selects from his topmost suppliers and then presents guests with over 100 wines to taste. Special holiday wine pricing on the wines we will be served is limited to attending guests only. Golden Gurlz Michele Golden will be catering again, as requested by so many.
I’ve never missed this event and find it the perfect way to start my holidays. In fact, think about buying some of the special priced wines to serve at Thanksgiving. And, instead of doing the crazy Black Friday thing, come for this instead, I promise it will be so much more worthwhile.
One last note about the Holiday Tasting, keep in mind that there will be only a limited number of tickets available due to space, 80 is the maximum, so you should get your tickets asap, $75 per person.
Now, a wee bit of a teaser: Stay tuned for VWC’s 1st New Year’s Eve Party! The all-inclusive event involves: dressed-up dining tables and table service (Yes! No buffet line!), dancing to live music until 2 a.m., three wines paired with a three-course catered dinner by LA’s Truly Yours, real Champagne (everybody says they are serving a Champagne toast at midnight, but you can count on Guy to serve real French Champagne and not an American sparkling wine), gratuity and tax included, $175 per person. Book soon, this event has a 60-person maximum, and ask Guy about using his corporate rate at the Hyatt if you need it.
And, while we have you in the mood for Halloween and the rest of this year’s holidays ,here is a gift idea for you: The Valencia Wine Company Wine Club has three levels to meet all kinds of budgets. And if you don’t need to purchase a monthly wine club membership, Guy has always offered “aggressive quantity discounts” if you just want to come in and shop. Remember, or learn for the first time, Valencia Wine Company is the largest boutique wine retailer in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Located at 24300 Town Center Drive, Suite 105 (across from The Ivy) 661-254-9300. http://www.valenciawine.com