Eve's Wine 101

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association Presents Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine for the 100th Anniversary and 2022 Season

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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association has announced details of the menus for the 2022 Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine season in celebration of the Bowl’s 100th anniversary milestone. Now into the seventh year with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine promises exceptional dining for visitors to the iconic venue. Goin and Styne’s culinary history has defined Los Angeles tastes since 1998 when they opened Lucques, their legendary first restaurant. At the Hollywood Bowl, their California-inspired offerings include three restaurants and three marketplaces. Additionally, menus for the Terrace and Garden Boxes, which can be ordered a day in advance, are created by four-time James Beard Foundation award-winner Suzanne Goin. Goin’s vibrant new summer dishes pair beautifully with the exceptional wine and beer programs curated by Caroline Styne, the recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s 2018 Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year award. Overseeing the broad range of dining options serving Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s thousands of nightly guests is Executive Chef Jeff Rogers.

Returning for the 2022 season are the fan-favorites Winemaker Wednesdays and Sunday Market Tastings – an eight-week program of complimentary wine tastings at the Plaza Marketplace with guest winemakers, importers, sommeliers, and breweries hand-selected by Caroline Styne. Caroline also introduces a broad selection of vegan and organic wines this year that can be discovered in the marketplaces with other new natural wines on the restaurants’ lists, including Scribe, Broc Cellars and Perichor.

Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s many dining options include three sit-down restaurants, street-food kiosks, pre-ordered picnic boxes, and a full-service dinner delivered to your box seat. For private events, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine provides catering at several locations for groups both large and small.

New additions for the 2022 Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine portfolio are highlighted below:

Supper in Your Seats – Available by pre-order online until 4PM the day before a performance, Supper in Your Seats offers curated three-course dinners or customized meals from à la carte selections delivered right to your box seats.

Menu Highlight: The 101 – red and green little gems with cucumbers, meyer lemon, cherry tomatoes and basil buttermilk; choice of torchio pasta with heirloom tomatoes, pancetta, parmigiano reggiano and garlic breadcrumbs (vegan option) or chicken under a brick with chickpeas, piperade, black olive and saffron; and basque cheesecake with blueberries and candied lemon.

Newly available Supper in Your Seats items for 2022 include:

·         smashed carrots and marinated beets with tahini yogurt, dandelion and toasted seeds

·         seared albacore with weiser potatoes, braised leeks, salsa verde and dijon

·         sea bass with white beans, rapini, coriander crushed almonds and piri piri

·         veal osso buco with saffron risotto, asparagus, pea shoots and meyer lemon salsa

Ann’s Wine Bar by A.O.C – Showcasing a wine list personally curated by Caroline Styne, Los Angeles’ favorite wine bar comes to life at the Hollywood Bowl with a wine-friendly menu of artisanal cheese and charcuterie, farmer’s plates, grilled flatbreads, market-fresh salads and A.O.C.-style fish and meats. There are also craft brews and farmers’ market-driven cocktails made with soju and other wine-based liquors.

Newly available Ann’s Wine Bar by A.O.C. items for 2022 include:

·         grilled flatbreadwith asparagus, wilted leeks, taleggio, mint and pistachios

·         prawns with yellow tomato confit, sofrito and parsley aioli

·         halibut with green rice, rajas, crème fraiche, and squash blossoms

the backyard – The al fresco dining area, adjacent to the amphitheater, is flanked by two large wood-burning grills and offers an updated seasonal market-driven menu of summer salads, an extensive raw bar, and side dishes in addition to the wood-grilled selection of fresh fish, seafood, organic chicken, chops and steaks.

Newly available items for the backyard in 2022 include:

·         hungry cat’s kampachi with plums, herbs and chermoula

·         pan con tomate with heirloom tomatoes, alorena olives, salsa verde and monte enebro

·         white trumpet mushrooms with summer vegetables méchoui, harissa and pine nuts

·         scottish salmon with grilled nectarines, pickled fresnos, crème fraîche and pistachio

·         za’atar lamb chops with smoked eggplant, cucumber and preserved lemon labneh

Picnic Boxes – All five of Suzanne Goin’s complete picnic boxes can be pre-ordered a day before a concert and picked up at the Plaza Marketplace or delivered to your box seats.

Menu Highlight: The Westside Story – grilled chicken breast with almond sofrito; fregola with chickpeas, carrots and spinach; marinated beets with horseradish and parsley; baguette with tapenade; and Larder Baking Company chocolate chip cookie.

Kitchen 22 – Made-to-order beef and veggie burgers, Suzanne’s spanish fried chicken, grilled comté cheese on larder sourdough and savory sandwiches anchor the Hollywood Bowl’s tribute to American classic fare.

Menu Highlight: classic double-bacon cheeseburgers

Marketplaces – Three Marketplace locations – Plaza, East, and West – specialize in “grab-and-go” salads, sandwiches, and farmers’ market-driven main courses, as well as charcuterie, cheese plates, desserts, and Magpies Softserve ice cream. The west-side Marketplace includes a sushi bar where chefs prepare premium sushi, available for pre-order or to purchase on-site.

Showcasing the best of Goin and Styne’s casual Larder café-marketplace, these Hollywood Bowl venues also feature a large selection of hand-picked wines, craft beers, sodas, and waters, as well as salty and sweet snacks including cookies and brownies, candy, nuts and crackers.

Menu Highlight: Endless Love for Two – salmon & avocado roll – 4 pieces; spicy shrimp roll – 4 pieces; spicy tuna roll – 4 pieces; and tuna roll – 4 pieces

Lucques at the Circle – This is a full-service dining experience for Pool Circle subscribers, showcasing a seasonal made-to-order menu and exceptional wine list styled from the award-winning cuisine of Lucques.

Menu Highlights: lobster risotto carbonara with pancetta, pea shoots and wild mushrooms; wild striped bass with papa pomodoro, purple tomatoes and smoked paprika butter; and cornmeal shortcake with peaches, strawberries and poured ice cream.

Street Food and Snacks – Authentic street foods can be found throughout the grounds of the Hollywood Bowl, including tacos, artisanal pizzas, pulled pork BBQ sandwich, assorted sandwiches and beverages. The Sweet Shop offers signature desserts, cookies and brownies as well as coffee and ice cream. New this year, visitors will find local favorites Magpies Softserve’s ice cream pies as well as their mix-in ice creams, which include non-dairy and vegan options.

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Please visit Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine for more information about the food and wine experiences available at the Hollywood Bowl. High-res photos can be downloaded HERE. Photo credit Rob Stark.

About the Hollywood Bowl

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922 and plays host to the finest artists from all genres of music, offering something for everyone. It remains one of the best deals anywhere in Los Angeles; to this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many classical and jazz performances. In June 2021, the Hollywood Bowl was awarded Amphitheater of the Decade at the 32nd Annual Pollstar Awards. It was also awarded the Outdoor Concert Venue of the Year award at the 31st Annual Pollstar Awards, an honor bestowed 14 previous times, as well as Top Amphitheater prize at the 2017 and 2018 Billboard Touring Awards. For millions of music lovers across Southern California, the Hollywood Bowl is synonymous with summer. Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine is presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in partnership with The Lucques Group and Sodexo Live!

“Iconic Women in Italian Wine” tasting: Who, Where & Why?

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VERONA, ITALY (PRWEB) –  This unique event encompassed so much more than the sum of the individual women: two leading international female journalists, the female managing director of Vinitaly International, and seven renowned Italian women wine producers collaborated to create an event that set aside the natural competition between the players and focused instead on personal stories, camaraderie, and the aspiration all these women hold for the future of Italian wine.

Why has this event never happened before? An interesting question answered best by Monica Larner. “When Stevie Kim presented me with this idea, I was excited on many levels; however, most compelling was the opportunity to present beautiful Italian wines with a colleague whose magazine shares market space with my own. (Robert Parker) Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator have never collaborated on anything. With smug certainty I suspect our male colleagues would never pull resources together in this fashion for such a ground-breaking collaboration with important benefits. Post-pandemic we are all burning with a desire for new beginnings and being together. Inclusivity, camaraderie, creating togetherness. All seven of these individualistic and talents producers instantly recognised the importance and immediately agreed to participate.”

Stevie Kim pointed out that this event was the definition of ‘iconic’: “Two women wine critic titans collaborating for the first time, with seven Italian women who are giants in their industry, is a true demonstration of what it means to be iconic: ‘widely recognised and acknowledged for distinctive excellence.’”

Opening the event, Alison Napjus explained the real gravitas that informed the idea for the discussion. “Women are better communicators, using more words and more expressive words, with a better ability to listen and to empathise. These women are all around trailblazers, winery leaders, winery founders, wine makers. We all have to find new ways to connect and communicate after the pandemic pivot we all faced. This event gives us the chance to explore, as women, three particular themes in Italian wine; heritage/family, territory, wine ambassadors.”

The women winery leaders came from 5 different regions and their age gap spanned 40 years. The idea of women in wine is not new, women are everywhere in the industry, but the gathering to share stories and important vintages, to exchange experiences, ideas and ask questions with leading wine writers was ground-breaking. The honesty and open attitude of all the women involved was clearly part of the magic in the room and what will attract young and savvy wine lovers to the unique soulfulness of Italian wine.

Chiara Boschis of E. Pira & Figli in Barolo, commented ““What do I have of iconic in my life? I am not an iconic woman, I work like a donkey all day, but this vineyard, Cannubi, this is an iconic place, and the diversity in the area is incredible. When I first got together with my friends, the Barolo Boys, I was the only girl, but we all wanted to shine a light on all the differences of our area and understand the potential of our terroir.” She shared the 2010 vintage BaroloCannubi, a year that was important because her brother joined her, with his daughters who are all studying enology and will bring a new generation of women to the winery. “Wine makers usually work alone. When we start to work together, recognising everyone’s unique terroir, we start to learn new things and appreciate all the traditions, we find more opportunities.”

Elisabetta Foradori from Trentino expressed her perspective, in a different way. “I actually love making cheese, it’s another kind of fermentation. I’m a farmer. Our country has a beauty and a richness of variety and we have a mission to transfer into a bottle this pure message of the different terroirs. We have a great responsibility to save and improve the genetic variety and express the terroir in the most healthy and connected way possible. Be creative and responsible farmers for the future.” Her pomegranate logo represents 100s of tiny seeds, packed together in one beautiful container, 100’s of ideas, creative thinking, and out of the box innovation.

Arianna Occhipinti, from Sicily, youngest of the group, added her experiences as an explorer with a model for young winemakers. “Frappato is the original grape from Vittoria where I grew up. I needed an important grape to grow up as a wine maker. Thanks to the character of this grape, I learned to make wine. Now I vinify parcel by parcel to get better expression of the soils, the limestone, the tufa, the red sand. Now I have treasure, for me it is important to show what Vittoria really is, the fresh wines we can make even in the deep south of Sicily.”

Marilisa Allegrini spoke of her learning curve after the death of her father and finding her way in the world away from the winery. “Valpolicella was known for inexpensive wines in the 1980’s, and Amarone was a niche wine for high end consumers, so it was a challenge for me to communicate. The first time I went to America, the importer wouldn’t let me go out to promote the wine until I wrote down absolutely everything about the wine. Many people said they didn’t want a Valpolicella on their wine list, so I knew I had to communicate everything to make this area known and understood.”

Elena Fucci from Mt. Vulture in Basilicata felt much the same as she struggled to put her region on the map. “For me it is a dream to be with these special women in wine today. My journey started in 2000, when my family considered selling the vineyard because we weren’t making wines, just selling the grapes to the consortium. I decided to change the course of my study so the house where I was born and lived with my family would not be sold. I went to university to study enology and winemaking. No one knew where Basilicata was. I had 6 hectares and a single grape: my wine, my life, my Titolo. I travel a lot to explain my region and my wine, modern but not modernist wine, I work to respect and understand the territory where we are. The vintage I am sharing is 2012 because ten years ago I had no idea what would happen to me and my wine in these ten years since 2012 and how much communicating it would take.”

Heritage and legacy were addressed by Albiera Antinori with her family’s Tignaello and Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta with her legendary Sassicaia. Antinori said, “For me, looking at the history of the past 50 years since the start of Tignanello, and the diversity and uniqueness of wines that can be made in Italy — the terroir and the story are the future, terroir still to be discovered, every day you get surprised by wonderful areas with local varieties, an elegance, a minerality, they’ve got the sun inside. Even traditional vineyards have been replanted so new things will be coming up, but we must be centered on quality, personality, history and the story we can explain.” Regarding sustainability she added, “It’s a complicated word to use, it can mean different things. For me it is a puzzle made of many things, with the final objective of leaving something better for the next generation. Not only in the winery but also for our workers, our sales force, we need one certification in Italy for sustainable, for economic sustainability as well.”

Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta looked at the idea of safeguarding Italian wine history from outside investors and influences. “It’s not easy, there are real issues for family businesses, you have to have a strong sense of pride, family values and the family project. A responsibility to the next generations, we want to pass on what we got in an even better shape than when we received it. We are guardians. We have to combine financial goals with the family goals. Having a long-term view means we focus less on making short term cash, but we have to involve the family members to keep everyone interested, our estate is not only wine, we have other ventures and interests and my cousins and I have different interests on the estate. Consultancy helps deal with family generation change issues to and now we have the Primum Familiae Vini group which is a good place to share issues, know-how and support others in similar situations.

Summing up, Allegrini said, “We must put the agricultural product into the cultural context of Italy as a place of art, history, architecture, and beautiful landscape.” Larner added, “This is the real way to help Italian wine be more competitive, to communicate differently and better, to tell that story, down to the soil, down to the producer, down to the winery, down to the vineyard, down to the very last rock.” Stevie Kim remarked, “Everybody wants to be like Antinori, this is the problem I face as an agency, everyone wants that beautiful 26 generation story on their home page. Every winery has to find their own original story, not only the romance of generations and terroir, not only bio and organic and so on, but it has to be economically sustainable as well as. Each winery has to find the uniqueness of their story.” Najus concluded that, “You can teach people about wine, but to find the story is much harder.”

Looking back on this momentous event, Stevie Kim commented, “This session was never about men versus women or pigeon-holing anyone on the basis of gender, regionality, or points of view. Rather, Iconic Women in Wine at Vinitaly 2022 took a good long look at how to improve communication, highlight success and exalt the unique power of women to unite in challenging circumstances for a common good. Larner and Napjus absolutely found the story that needs to be told in order to secure the future of Italian wine in the global market.”.
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About Alison Napjus: Alison Napjus divides her time between New York, where Wine Spectator is based, and a second home in Tampa, Fla. She regularly travels abroad, both personally and professionally. After graduating from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Napjus moved to New York to take a position as a manager at Tribeca Grill restaurant. She joined Wine Spectator in 2000 and was promoted to Senior Editor in 2012 and Tasting Director in 2016. She is lead taster for the wines of Spain, France’s Champagne and Alsace regions, South Africa and wines from regions throughout Italy. As Tasting Director, she oversees the scope and content of Wine Spectator’s annual reviews of more than 15,000 wines, working closely with the tasters and tasting coordinators in the New York and Napa offices.

About Monica Larner: Monica Larner is a Los Angeles native, her family moved to Rome when she was 11. After high school in both Italy and California, Monica earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalismfrom Boston University and New York University respectively. She worked for the Italian daily La Repubblica, followed by the Rome bureau of BusinessWeek and two years as a staff writer with Italy Daily of the International Herald Tribune where she penned her first wine column. Monica is an active member of the Ordine dei Giornalisti and a certified sommelier with the Italian Sommelier Association. In 2003, Monica was approached by Wine Enthusiast to be the magazine’s first Italy-based correspondent, where her proudest achievement is the 185-page special collector’s Wine Enthusiast “Wines of Italy” edition that showcases her decade-long body of work. She was awarded the “Best International Journalist” Silver Grape Leaf three by the Comitato Grandi Cru d’Italia. Gambero Rosso recognized her as a “Leader of Italian Excellence,” and the Italian Trade Commission acknowledged her distinguished service to Italian wine. In 2013, she joined The Wine Advocate as the Reviewer for Italy.

About Vinitaly: the grand Vinitaly 2022 was held from April 10th to the 13th. Vinitaly 2022 counted 88,000 visitors of which 25,000 were top international buyers from 139 different countries. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine “Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers,” which was held on the 9th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly, united international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 130 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly travels to several countries thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the 21st edition of its Certification Course. To date, there are 271 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of which 15 are also Italian Wine Experts.

International Pizza Expo and Conference 2022! So Many Great Discoveries!

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Attended my first Pizza Expo last year at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Why would a wine and spirits writer attend a pizza show? Well, considering that all that wonderful cheesy crusty meat-lovers-and-more pizza HAS to be paired with wine or spirits, and I’m there. We got to try some amazing new products, new toppings and new sides. The row of pizza ovens alone made your mouth water! Couldn’t wait to see what the 2022 event had to offer. This was my social media post (photos by Ed Bushman here) with just a sample of what we tried:

Are two conventions in two days too much? Not for us! Yesterday it was the International Pizza Expo where besides pizza, we sampled all of the things that go with pizza including Ken’s Salad Dressings, Grappa and American Whiskey from Gia Distillery, Bel Evo Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Rians La Crema Brûlée and Sicilian Olives from Atalanta Corporation, Melinda’s Hot Sauce, Red Star Yeast, Piancone Epicureo Balsamic Vinegar, A’Siciliana Limonata and Aranciata, La Banderita Tortillas, the wine bar at the Stanislaus booth, Piknik Althena Dolmades, Caputo Cheese, BelGioioso Cheese, Hillshire Farm Pork Chorizo, Blue Bunny Ice Cream, Villa Dolce Gelato Italiano, Liokareas Cold-Fused Olive Oils, Stella’s Gourmet pizza cookies, Ambrosia bar fruits, Sabatino Tartufi Truffles…

Some of the details not mentioned above included:

Ken’s salad dressings are always amazing, this time I inhaled their Balsamic Vinegar dressing that not only works on a salad but also is a great dipping sauce for pizza, fish, chicken and steak.

Having Grappa at the end of a night of pizza and wine is one of my favorite things, so having a yummy Grappa from Moscato grapes by Gia Distillery was just perfect.

Bel Evo Olive Oil, tasted with a little bread, was mouth-watering. I could easily imagine it on a plate with some Piancone Epicureo Balsamic Vinegar for the perfect side dish with any dinner, pizza included.

The Vanilla Bourbon Crema Brûlée and Sicilian Olives from Atalanta Corporation were also yummy. The olives before dinner, or in a Martini with dinner, and that Crema Brûlée – imported from France – is for after dinner, if you have any room left in your tummy.

Melinda’s Craft Pepper Sauces makes more than one kind of hot sauce, check them out for your pals that need hot sauce on – or nearby – their pizza!

A’Siciliana Limonata and (blood oranges from Sicily) Aranciata is a lesser-known sparkling fruit soda company from Italy, and just as good as any other you may have tried. Simply perfect for when you don’t need wine or spirits to enjoy your pizza!

The La Banderita Tortillas served at the Expo were huge wraps for a burrito or a flat bread type of pizza.

I regret not trying the tomatoes from Stanislaus, “THE REAL ITALIAN TOMATO COMPANY” but I did appreciate sitting in their large booth, tasting Coppola wine and being serenaded by their guitarist.

I simply adore stuffed grape leaves and would love to see this offered more frequently at Italian restaurants as a side. The great tasting ones from Piknik Althena were a great find at the Expo.

Served with flavored olive oil, Caputo Cheeses were a first for me. Yummy stuff that deserves attention on or off your pizza.

Finding large display cases of BelGioioso “Italian cheese made in the USA” made my day! Why? My Italian mama, who passed away this year, was a huge fan of their sharp Provolone. So, of course, I had to have a slice…or two. Their cheeses are easily found in the deli section of most supermarkets.

Hillshire Farm had a huge booth, making soft tacos with all different kinds of their meats. The Pork Chorizo was amazing, and I had no clue that they even made it, and I will definitely look for that on my next pizza!

I was looking for the Blue Bunny Ice Cream booth from the moment I got to the Expo. They serve up a small crunchy topping cone and a layered sundae. Always delicious. This time one of the staffers at the Stanislaus booth saw me with my cone, called me over, and told me to try it with their olive oil. It was life changing. Both should be offered in a pizza restaurant IMHO!

How about a salted caramel ice cream sandwich from Villa Dolce Gelato Italiano to cleanse your palate after that pizza pie you had for dinner? Yes please! Gelato is the ticket!

Do Greek olive oils, made from Greek Kalamata olives of course, with infusions like basil, sage or garlic sound good to you? Trying Liokareas Cold-Fused Olive Oils without any bread or vinegar…and they were really different. Look for these oils and buy them!

Greek Olive Oils! (Pizza Expo Photos by Ed Bushman.)

If you love shaved truffles on pizza or pasta look for Sabatino Tartufi Truffles that come in different flavors for that perfect taste you are looking for.

You know those big cookies some restaurants serve in the round tin, topped with ice cream? The brand Stella’s Gourmet Pizza Cookies is the real deal, moist and full of flavor. And you know what else I’m going say…another perfect pizza finisher after pizza!

Personal note: No actual pizza mentioned above? I sampled a lot of pizza made with different types of cheeses, sauces, dough and toppings, and I must say that if you have any allergies, or a need to only eat vegan or vegetable-made cheeses, toppings or crusts, pizzerias have many options for you these days.

https://www.instagram.com/pizzaexpo/

https://www.facebook.com/PizzaExpo

https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (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.

UK Farmers win award for Europe’s First Sheep’s Milk Vodka

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MORETON-IN-MARSH, ENGLAND (PRWEB) – Founders of Blacklion Vodka husband and wife team Tim and Tanya Spittle won Spirit Bronze in The IWSC 2022 awards for their smooth spirit which is made using an innovative method of recycling leftover whey from the cheese-making process.

Tim said: “Whey vodka is silky smooth. It can be drunk neat, on its own or over ice. It’s also very versatile and can be used to make an exquisite cocktail.

“We knew we had a great sustainable vodka and this has now been confirmed by the award. Having launched in 2021 after years of planning, we are absolutely thrilled to win.”

News of the award follows shortly after an evaluation by the International Drinks Specialists who scored British brand Blacklion Vodka 92/100.

Tanya said: “We are really chuffed about this. It’s amazing to see something we talked and dreamt about come to life and become award-winning.”

Handcrafted in small batches, the elusive Blacklion Vodka is made using the whey from the couple’s own breed of ‘Black Lion‘ sheep. The curds are separated by a local farmer and friend who makes his own cheese, and the whey is then collected and taken for processing.

Tim said: “the exact process is top secret – it took us 3 years of research and development to create this super-premium vodka which has been likened to a white whiskey.”

Tim and Tanya said: “We are the first in Europe to bring sheep’s milk vodka to the market and we are hugely excited for what the future holds.”

ABOUT

Blacklion Vodka is the Europe’s rarest vodka! It’s the first vodka to be made in the UK from sheep’s milk and is the inspiration of Tim and Tanya Spittle who amongst other things, rear and nurture their flock of rare breed sheep on their family farm in the Cotswolds.

Blacklion Vodka has a creamy nose and silky palate. The heat of alcohol develops towards the finish without burning.

Taste the rarity and adventure poured into each bottle through our unique triple distilling process. We have been able to explore and develop an innovative vodka, using some of the rarest ingredients.

Best served straight from the freezer.

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS & SURVIVAL
We believe in the necessity of reducing our waste as a business. Taking a sustainable approach to farming allows us to develop a unique spirit made from an otherwise waste product. We have developed this byproduct into something desired by consumers and of benefit to the British Farming industry.

Contact Information:
Blacklion Vodka
Tim and Tanya Spittle
+44 (0)7827 998 497 / +44 (0)7540 879 619
sales@blacklionvodka.co.uk

http://www.blacklionvodka.co.uk
@BlacklionVodka

Eve’s How To: The Wine Night

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We have a “wine night” with friends pretty frequently and it recently dawned on me that I’ve never written about how that works.

For some, or even most of you, you have some experience with this: you invite pals over, everyone brings a bottle or two to share over dinner, and you talk about the wines – why you chose them and how they fared during the evening. This blog post is to remind those with experience how to make it enjoyable for the newbie guest, and the how-to for a newbie host.

This one wine night I will use as an example is described a bit in this social media post: How was your last Wine Night with friends? We recently shared a 2019 Napa Hindsight Chardonnay that was new to me and Chablis-like due to its fresh fruit and no noticeable oak, then came the Grenache we mistook for Syrah or Mourvedre in a 2007 Domaine Du Pegau Chateauneuf Du Pape, a masterfully balanced 2000 Marcarini Brunate Barolo with dinner that benefitted from 6 hours of decanting, and two I was too tired to taste: 2010 Orma Super Tuscan and Camus VSOP Cognac. If I had to pick a favorite of the night it would be hard as the ones I had were all so good for many different reasons.

Now the details to help our wine 101ers:

Let your guests know what your menu is so they can bring a wine (or two) that they believe will be appropriate for pairing.

Always have a white to start. I’m amazed at how many people prefer sparkling, white or pink wines in general; so having at least one leaves no one out.

Decant any wine, in this case it was the Barolo, if you know requires it due to its youth or older age. Decanting allows more air to envelop a wine that needs to “open up” a bit before drinking. If you’re not sure, taste the wine before you serve it to guests. If it’s tight or tart decant it. You can also search the Internet for the same wine (same vintage year too) and see what others recommend.

Serve appetizers as well as a main course during your evening. Drinking wine without food causes early inebriation so having some starters helps. And as this may be when you are drinking your white wine, serve with cheeses, nuts, and crackers – nothing too big – unless you will be moving onto reds. If you do that before dinner then add in the charcuterie. Some wine people like charcuterie with whites too, it’s not my preference, but as in my recommendation for decanting – taste your food with your wine to educate your palate and form your own opinion.

When you do move onto reds you can do it a couple of different ways. Serve the lower alcohol wines first and move up the bigger ones last. You can decide what is served first depending on the menu. Big wine with big food. In this case we had the Barolo with a lasagna dinner, the Rhone that was more Grenache-based just before, and the Napa Chardonnay first. The Super Tuscan came at the end of the meal and the Cognac came last.

One other note on the order of the wines. If you have an amazing wine to share consider serving it early on in the evening. I had “palate fatigue” and couldn’t taste the final Super Tuscan or enjoy the Cognac, and I may have missed out.

Lastly, encourage your guests to taste each wine before committing to a full glass. That way if it isn’t their “cup of tea” they can move onto something else that is. I like to have at least two bottles open at a time to give guests that option.

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.

Masters of Taste Returns with Host Chef Vanda Asapahu As L.A.’s Top Tastemakers Come Together On The Field of the Rose Bowl Sunday, April 3rd, 2022! Use Promo Code EVEWINE22 to get $10 off!

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A preview teaser from Eve: Have you ever been to the Masters of Taste event that benefits the Union Station Homeless Services? I was treated to a preview and now can’t wait for the main event April 3rd on the field of the Rose Bowl! It’s like no other with fabulous culinary masters, sweet masters and beverage masters! To name a few just from our preview presented by Lawrence Moore and Associates: 2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu of Ayara Thai, Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery, Kabobaholic, Gabi James, Georgia’s Restaurant, Gracia Madre, Bertha Mae’s Brownies, House of Suntory Yatai Cart, 14 Cannons Brewing Company, CRU Winery, Humm Kombucha, Knox and Dobson…check out my photos here, read the latest press release below and go the website for tickets —> https://mastersoftastela.com/  And use EVEWINE22 to get $10 off!

Los Angeles, CA – Come celebrate and be part of the 5th Anniversary Masters of Taste, L.A.’s premier outdoor, luxury food and beverage festival that will take place on Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the iconic Pasadena Rose Bowl!

Masters of Taste is introducing Chef Vanda Asapahu as it’s first-ever female Host Chef of Masters of Taste 2022, which also happens to mark the 5th Anniversary of this celebrated event. Culinary Master and 2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu is the chef and owner of Ayara Thai and she has participated in Masters of Taste since the event’s inception in April 2016. Asapahu went to college at UCLA and to graduate school at Yale, then she spent four years living, traveling, and working her way through Thailand before returning home to Los Angeles. During Asapahu’s stay in her native country, she took extensive notes, which included absorbing the Bangkok Street Food scene and reviving old family recipes. After cooking with relatives and eating her way through the streets and countryside, Asapahu brought back treasured old recipes and new flavors to share at Ayara Thai. While her mother, Anna Asapahu, still helms the family kitchen, Asapahu is the vanguard, taking up the torch of her family’s culinary tradition at Ayara Thai, and under her leadership in May of 2019 Ayara Thai was named one of Michelin Guide California’s 2019 Bib Gourmands.    

Click this photo to get to the Masters of Taste ticket link and use EVEWINE22 for $10 off!

“I have had the pleasure of participating in Masters of Taste since its inaugural year,” states Asapahu. “As a proud UCLA alum (Go Bruins!), I’d give anything for the opportunity to cook, eat, and dance on the field of the Rose Bowl. Now I get to! The most amazing thing about Masters of Taste is that 100% of the proceeds go directly to benefit Union Station Homeless Services and not many food festivals can say that. Union Station Homeless Services is committed to ending homelessness in Los Angeles.”

Masters of Taste 2022 will bring over 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon to celebrate this exhilarating festival, which will include the finest fare from over 100 Culinary Masters and restaurants, delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters, top Beverage Masters who will be featuring signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and bars, along with select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment and much, much more. 

This year, Masters of Taste falls in April, during which Thai New Year, Songkran, is also celebrated. Chef Vanda has invited 3 other L.A. Thai restaurants, to participate in the Songkran Thai SELECT Pavilion, a celebration spanning the Rose Bowl’s end zone. The transformation will reflect a traditional Thai sundry general store and Songkran festival. As a culinary challenge, each Thai restaurant will prepare a dish, dessert, and/or cocktail using a common paste, sahm kler (which translates to “3 buddies”), and comprises white peppercorn, garlic, and cilantro root. This aromatic mixture is used in a variety of Thai dishes and is quite possibly the reason why Thai food is so special. Like sahm kler, the 3 buddies paste, the 3 other restaurants comprising the Songkran Thai SELECT Pavilion are 3 of Chef Vanda’s personal buddies!        

100% of the proceeds from Masters of Taste 2022 will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to providing permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives. Headquartered in Pasadena, CA, Union Station has served the community for nearly 50 years and today it is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. In addition to its recent expansion into El Sereno and Eagle Rock, Union Station Homeless Services is the lead County agency for Service Planning Area 3 (SPA 3), coordinating homeless services in 36 communities, with a combined population of over 1.5 million across the San Gabriel Valley. Union Station Homeless Services’ mission is guided by the belief that everyone deserves a life of dignity and a place to call home. In the last four years Masters of Taste has raised over $2 Million in support of Union Station Homeless Services life-saving programs.

This year Masters of Taste 2022 will partner with Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, Los Angeles (C-CAP LA), a national 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by culinary educator Richard Grausman in 1990 and Co-Chaired by Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) provides culinary, job, and life skills to over 20,000 middle-and-high school students in seven regions across the United States: New York City, Newark, Philadelphia and Camden, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Arizona, including 7 Navajo Reservation schools and was named a National Apprenticeship Program by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2021. Due to the restaurant industry labor shortage, the Los Angeles Region, C-CAP LA will be partnering with Masters of Taste by bringing high school student volunteers to assist this year’s Masters of Taste 2022 Culinary and Sweet Masters throughout the event to gain real-time event training while helping support these incredible chefs and restaurants that are participating in this year’s event.

Some of this year’s Masters of Taste 2022 participating Culinary Masters and Restaurants include:

Ayara Thai 2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu – Westchester

786 Degrees Chef Ali Haider – Pasadena, Sun Valley

1212 Santa Monica Chef Luca Maita – Santa Monica

Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery Chef Thomas Kalb – Pasadena

Alexander’s Steakhouse Chef Richard Archuleta – Pasadena

Arth Bar + Kitchen Chef Sagar Ghosh – Culver City

Bone Kettle Chef Erwin Tjahyadi – Pasadena

Celestino Ristorante Chef Calogero Drago – Pasadena

Champion’s CURRY Chef Yoya Takahashi – Downtown, Los Angeles

Drago Centro Chef Celestino Drago – Downtown, Los Angeles

Five 55 Chef Austin Lee – Monterey Park

Gabi James Sarah Gabriele & Adam Aro – Redondo Beach

Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Machado – Anaheim, Long Beach

Gracias Madre Chef Justin Haefler – West Hollywood, Newport Beach

Granville Mark Dix – Studio City, Burbank, West Hollywood, Pasadena

Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken – Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles

Hank’s Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades

Holy Basil Chef Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat & Tongkamal “Joy” Yuon – Downtown, Los Angeles

Iron Teapot Dim Sum & Bar Sally Chan – Los Angeles

Kye’s Feel Good Food Jeanne Cheng – Santa Monica

La Bohéme Chef Atsushi Kenjo – West Hollywood

Little Llama Peruvian Tacos Chef Jean Valcarcel – Downtown, Los Angeles

Lunasia Chef Lee Han Fu – Pasadena, Alhambra, Cerritos

Luv2Eat Thai Bistro Chef Somruthai “Fern” Kaewtathip & Chef Noree “Pla” Burapapituk – Los Angeles

Mercado Chef Jose Acevedo – Hollywood, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica

Mi Piace Chef Gille Saulnier – Pasadena

Open Face Food Shop Chef Lene Houck – West Adams, Los Angeles

Otus Thai Kitchen & Coffee Chef June Intrachat – West Hollywood

Pez Cantina Chef Bret Thompson – Downtown, Los Angeles

Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed Chef Michael Reed – Downtown, Los Angeles, Anaheim

Qué Padre Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades

Ramen Tatsunoya Chef Ryuta Kajiwara – Pasadena, Silver Lake

Ruam Mitr Kwanklao Disbanchong & Benchawan Phoungtai – Los Angeles

Santuari Chef Seth Greenberg – Toluca Lake

Stand-Up Burgers Chef Kajsa Alger – Berkeley, Los Angeles

Taishi Hainan Chicken Chef Theo Shio – Redondo Beach, Long Beach

The Colony Club and SO.PA Chef Michael Hung – Palm Springs

The Raymond 1886 Chef Gabriel Cappelli – Pasadena

True Food Kitchen Chef Stephanie Nguyen – Pasadena

Vegan Sunday Supper Richard Klein – Los Angeles

We Olive Ervin Galvan – Pasadena

World Empanadas Chef Matthew Hirtz – Burbank

Yardbird Chef Eduardo Osorio – Los Angeles

Yuca’s Restaurant Socorro “Mama Yuca’s” Herrera – Pasadena

Food Trucks:

Kabobaholic Ali Pooya – Los Angeles, Orange County

Okamoto Kitchen Gerald Abraham – Los Angeles

The Tropic Truck Lauren Saravia – Los Angeles

VCHOS Wendy Centeno – Los Angeles

Wings N Waffles Jontae Vinson – Los Angeles, Orange County

Sweet Masters: A select group of Los Angeles Top Sweet Masters will showcase an assortment of delectable desserts such as Bertha Mae’s Brownies, unique Indian treats from Banana Leaf, handcrafted pudding from Better Together Sweets, custom cakes and desserts from Butter Cake Shoppe, French macarons and gourmet cookies from Etoile Filante Patisserie, deliciously scrumptious scratch baked custom cakes and cupcakes from Fantasy Frostings, Lark Cake Shop, Chocolatier Mignon Chocolate, Nomad Ice Pops, homemade premium sorbets from Pop’s Artisinal Creamery,  Nothing Bundt Cakes, and more.

Some of this year’s participating Beverage Masters include:

Bars & Spirits: 2022 Masters of Taste Platinum Sponsor Beam Suntory will be premiering their House of Suntory Tiny House on the 50 Yard Line along with a Maker’s Mark Lounge, and more. Some of L.A.’s top bartenders and cocktail bars will be creating first-rate craft cocktails, including Maxwell Reis of Gracias Madre and Miguel Perez of 1886 Bar at The Raymond. Top brands showcasing their finest spirits at Masters of Taste will include American Born Whiskey, Dulce Vida Tequila, High Road Spirits serving Lucky Dog Sake Juice Boxes, Knox & Dobson, Krafted Spirits, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, Pomp & Whimsy, Smoke Lab Vodka, Ventura Spirits, Veso Aperitifs, Wild Roots Organic Vodka, Xoloitzcuintle Tequila, and  Woodford Reserve will be exclusively featured in the Rose Bowl Court of Champions.

Brewmasters: Beverage Masters who specialize in barley and hops will be presenting top-notch ales, lagers, pilsners and more for guests to sample, sip and savor all throughout the event, including Southern California favorites 14 Cannons Brewing Co., L.A.’s new All Season Brewing, Arts District Brewing Company, Pasadena’s Cerveceria Del Pueblo, hard kombucha from Flying Embers in Ojai, Downtown’s Homebound Brew Haus, North Hollywood’s Lawless Brewing Co., Arcadia’s first Microbrewery Mt. Lowe Brewing Co., Ola Brew hard seltzer, Over Town Brewing Co., San Fernando Brewing Co., and 2022 Thai Sponsor Singha Beer.

Wineries and Sake: A specially curated collection of Wine Masters will be showcasing their finest varietals including premium boutique winery Ascension Cellars, CRŪ Winery, Ferguson Family Wines, Golden Star Vineyards & Winery, Hitching Post Winery, Kikusi Brewery (Sake), Obvious Wines, Anderson Valley’s Navarro Vineyards, Seisyu Akagisan Sake, Tobias Glen Vineyard, and more.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages: A variety of premium non-alcoholic Beverage Masters will also be on hand for those who wish to hydrate, caffeinate or regenerate, such as Yerba Mate from Erva Brew Co., Humm Kombucha, distilled and elegantly blended non-alcoholic beverages from Optimist Drinks, boba milk tea from Sunright Tea Studio and Bearology, natural ginger beer from TrueRoots Brewing Co., handcrafted beverage starters from The Base Co., and more.

Sponsors: Masters of Taste 2022 is made possible through the generous support of our Platinum Sponsors, Beam Suntory. The Songkran Thai SELECT Pavilion is made possible by Thai Trade Center Los Angeles, including Thai SPIRIT, Department of International Trade Promotion, Singha, N.A. Trading Company, Theppadungporn Coconut Co., and Sunlee. Gold Sponsors include Judith L. Chiara Foundation, US Bank, and Western Asset Management. The event is also made possible by Silver Sponsors: AppDynamics, Capital Group, Charlie and Rene Chiara, Hannah and Russ Kully, Homebridge Financial Services, Inc., HomeStreet Bank, Jim & Cary Moore, John and Marie Queen, Kaiser Permanente, Liz & Rhodes Trussell, Philip and Nancy Naecker, Union Bank MUFG, Vickie and Alex Taylor, Wells Fargo, Woodford Reserve; and Bronze Sponsors: ADP Foundation, Avantis Investors, Bank of America, Bart and Pam Wald, Catherine Simms & Garrett Bell, City National Bank, David & Janet Lazier, HKG LLP, Lonnie and Lorraine Schield, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, Sally Lash, Terry & Teresa Krupczak, Verlasso, Wendy Lees & Tom Boyle and Westport Construction. 

Ticket Information: Masters of Taste 2022 will take place on Sunday, April 3rd, 2022. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets to this event are only available for guests 21+ and over. For more information on Masters of Taste 2022 or to book your tickets directly, please visit https://mastersoftastela.com/tickets/. 

Location:  Pasadena Rose Bowl – 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103. 

Transportation and Parking: Guests are encouraged to utilize car services – Lyft, Uber, Taxi, etc. – since this event does serve alcoholic beverages and is a 21+ and over event. Complimentary parking is also available at the Rose Bowl.

Vinos Zanzonico 2020 Reserva Chardonnay and 2019 Reserva Syrah!

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If you’ve been following my reviews for any length of time you know that I started sharing my wine notes well over ten years ago, about the same time I first met winemaker Gerard Zanzonico at Napa’s Del Dotto. We’ve shared many wonderful wines of Gerard’s over the years, and when he finally retired to Baja California, and began making wines there, I knew I would (virtually for now) follow him there.

To see any past reviews just do a Google search of Zanzonico + Bushman and there will be plenty. Proud of my longstanding relationship with one of the finest winemakers I’ve had the pleasure to know, I’m happy to share my the latest: reviews of Gerard’s new 2020 Reserva Chardonnay and 2019 Reserva Syrah from Baja.

Regards to my notes: whenever possible I don’t look at tasting notes that are provided by a winemaker or winery staff. Then, for fun, I look at them afterward to see if they are similar. I did that here, and any similarities in my notes are in bold.

2020 Reserva Chardonnay

13.7% alcohol

EB: Dark gold in color with a sparkly edge, quite welcoming. On the nose I detected fleshy yellow peach, honeydew and cantaloupe melon, delicate white flower and pebbles washed with the sea. Erupting flavors tingled my palate: dried apple, melon again, lemon zest, creamy salty cheese, butter…and the wine continued to tingle my tongue for a long lasting finish. And the wine made me crave a cheese plate. 92 Eve points.

From Winemaker Gerard Zanzonico

2020 Chardonnay -100% varietal, grown in the San Vicente Valley, 85 cases produced. 12 months in French Oak, 25% new. Brilliant color, pineapple aromas with hints of tropical fruits. Balanced finish.

2019 Reserva Syrah

13.9% alcohol

EB: Plum jam, stewed dark fruit, dark chocolate, grilled mushroom, black peppercorn, smoldering rich tobacco, espresso and freshly turned earth on the nose followed by flavors of dried blue to black fruit, a lively and spicy palate, chocolate-covered espresso beans, a full mouthfeel and gripping tannins giving way to a big crescendo of a finish. 95+ Eve Points.

From Winemaker Gerard Zanzonico

2019 Syrah – 100% varietal, grown in the La Grulla Valley,141 cases produced. Mature fruit, plum and chocolate aromas…a hint of mushroom. Smooth tannins with a balanced finish.

These wines are available at LMA Wines and Vintage wines of San Diego

https://www.lmawines.com/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (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.

Barolo and Barbaresco World Opening Event Is Back With 2022 Edition In Los Angeles

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LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) – The Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, the association representing over 500 wineries in Piedmont, Italy, is pleased to announce the second annual edition of Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening in Los Angeles. The upcoming event will feature the most recently released vintages of Barolo and Barbaresco, 2018 and 2019, respectively. The Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening is a unique occasion to learn more about the two iconic red wines of Piedmont. Through this comprehensive event, the consortium aims to increase awareness and build excitement in the United States market by providing direct encounters with the most influential wines of these famous appellations.

BBWO 2022 will begin on April 28th with a preview tasting for Master of Wine, critics, sommeliers and journalists from Europe and the United States to analyze the overall quality of the 2018 and 2019 vintages. The tasting will be followed by an exclusive gala reception in Hollywood at Paramount Pictures Studios, featuring a celebration of Piedmontese food and wine culture.

On April 29th, at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, over 150 producers will present their Barolo and Barbaresco wines to press, trade, and consumers with a walk-around tasting. Both the Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG appellation wines will be poured during the tasting, as well as select single-vineyard labels.

“After the tremendous success of the inaugural event, we are thrilled to return to the United States with the second edition in Los Angeles this year,” said Matteo Ascheri, President of the Consortium. “The Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening is an incredible opportunity to present our wines, our traditional food and our culture to the most influential wine personalities in the United States, ​​our highest-volume export market.”

The renowned Barolo and Barbaresco wines, often called the “king and queen” of the Langhe region where they are made, are produced from 100 percent Nebbiolo grapes. Age-worthy and complex, these wines have a long history of production in Piedmont and express the nuances of the region’s microclimates. In addition to the Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG appellations, producers may use the term MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive) on qualifying labels to indicate single-vineyard bottlings. The Grand Tasting will feature an area dedicated to these MGA wines.

The Langhe region, situated in the southern part of the Piedmont region between the Alps and the Apennines mountains, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the cultural history of its vineyard-covered hills, a manifestation of wine traditions that have evolved since pre-Roman times, yet remain central to the daily economic activity and social life of the region. The region’s distinctive microclimates and unique geological soil types can be tasted in the glass year-after-year, making the Langhe home to some of the world’s most respected wines, among them Barolo and Barbaresco. To uphold the quality of these wines and its land, the Consortium maintains strict agriculture guidelines, such as the yield per hectare planting regulations set in 2011.

The event will also include cheeses of Fontina Valle d’Aosta PDO, and rice of Biella and Vercelli Barraggia PDO. Over two days, participants will have the chance to take a culinary journey to Italy, tasting Barolo and Barbaresco wines paired with Fontina PDO cheeses and risotto prepared with Baraggia rice. The Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening event is part of the European campaign “Top Tales: A piece of Europe on your table,” created to increase awareness of these three PDO products in the United States market.

For more information about the Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening events, contact BBWOevents@colangelopr.com, for media inquiries contact merland@colangelopr.com.

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About Top Tales: Top Tales is a project supported by the European Union aimed at promoting Fontina DOP from Valle d’Aosta, Rice di Baraggia Biellese e Vercellese DOP, as well as the DOCG’s Barolo and Barbaresco. The European communication campaign Top Tales: A piece of Europe on your table, is designed to increase the awareness of the three DOP products in the United States market.

About the Consorzio Di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe E Dogliani: Founded in 1934 and representing 537 wine producers across multiple appellations, the Consortium is committed to the management, protection, and promotion of the Langhe, Alba, and Dogliani wine denomination. The Consortium ensures high quality by a set of formal production guidelines for the entire winemaking process, from agronomy to market surveillance. The Consortium continues to perform periodic sampling of wine products on the market to prevent fraud and to protect the wines’ authentication and reputation. Barolo & Barbaresco are registered trademarks in many countries throughout the world.

About Consorzio Tutela Fontina: The Consortium was created in 1957 to protect Fontina DOP, its production and distribution. The entity releases the Fontina DOP trademark on every wheel of Fontina produced following the Consortium’s rules.

About Consorzio Tutela Riso di Baraggia Biellese e Vercellese: the rice from Biella and Vercelli was awarded the PDO status in 2007 after the European Union verified its unique quality and nutritional characteristics. Today, the denomination covers 22,000 ha of paddy fields across 28 communes.

Perlises Pick: Exploring the Paso Robles Area

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Much as one might want to, spending 24 hours per day at wineries is not a realistic option. So, here are some non-winery suggestions:

First, you’ll need a place to stay on your visit. Unlike when we first started visiting the area decades ago, Paso Robles offers a wide range of accommodations for every taste and budget. For a place that is right in the middle, both in pricing and proximity to wineries, we really enjoyed staying at the Oxford Suites. It is also just south of the center of town where the nightlife is. This is a fairly new hotel, and we were very pleased with the cleanliness and the amenities, such as the full hot breakfast and the manager’s reception in the evening. The breakfast is complimentary to all guests and the reception, while available to all, is complimentary to those who book their stays directly. There is a very nice fire pit in the back. But the best part for us was the hotel staff. Everyone was extremely helpful and cheerful – not a surly one in this bunch. We’d like to give a particular shout-out to Erin – she was outstanding. An added bonus was the practically private freeway entrance to head south on CA101 to Highway 46 W or Tin City.

Oxford Suites

www.oxfordsuitespasorobles.com

800 4th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

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A while back, we reviewed San Luis Obispo County Wine – A World Class History [www.evewine101.com/2021/04/03/perlis-picks-san-luis-obispo-county-wine-a-world-class-history-book-review/]. Since then, we’d been eagerly looking forward to finally meeting up with co-author Libbie Agran, who is the founder of The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County (the Project). The Project has exhibits at various locations in the area, but its home is in the Paso Robles History Museum in the middle of Paso Robles City Park, with the showcase Wine History Gallery. We got there just in time for the end of the Celebrating Zinfandel exhibit, which was perfect for these Zinfans – the exhibit really brought back of lot of good memories. Hopefully, we will make it back in time to see the exhibit that replaced it: Celebrating Amphorae, which explores this ancient winemaking practice, including the area winemakers that are still using it. From Libbie: “You will love the Amphora Exhibit. We are near completion of our Documentary Film on the same subject. Patrick McGovern at the University of Pennsylvania, the famous archeologist who analyzes food and wine residues in clay vessels or shards found around the world, will be interviewed for the film which will be released next Spring. We are planning two Symposia in Paso Robles on Amphorae winemaking in 2022 in Paso Robles.

There will be winemakers from other countries including Georgia, Italy, and Armenia attending.” But again, the Wine History Project has exhibits all over town and you should check out the website for more information. Libbie brings an incredible amount of passion to this project and it is well worth your time. Also worth your time is the rest of the Paso Robles History Museum where you can learn even more about the area and its long history. Docents are very knowledgeable and helpful.

The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County

www.winehistoryproject.org

Paso Robles History Museum

www.pasorobleshistorymuseum.org

800 12th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

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Getting away to Cambria for a respite from wine tasting (that is if you want one!) is always a fun trip. It is just a 25-minute drive on scenic Highway 46 W. Cambria is as quaint and busy as ever. This time, we took a side trip and left downtown Cambria for the beautiful trails of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. They have a wide range of easy-to-moderate experiences with stunning views of the crashing waves. We have been there at sunset a number of times and it takes your breath away. And it’s free – although donations are always welcome.

www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org

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Finally, you gotta eat, right?

Our favorite restaurant in Paso and one of our favorites anywhere is Il Cortile. Michael hadn’t eaten pasta in months and knew if he was getting it anywhere it would be here. From appetizers of seafood zuppa and poached egg over white polenta to main courses of papparedelle with wild boar ragu and the branzino special, along with the great service and beautiful night sky, we were so glad to be back in Paso.

Il Cortile

www.ilcortileristorante.com

608 12th Street

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We’ve eaten many times at the original Black Cat Bistro in Cambria but this was our first time at its sister restaurant, Black Cat Bistro Too in Paso. It was the same great food and service we’ve come to expect. The pork belly appetizer was incredible and the entrees of duck breast and shrimp scampi were delicious as well. Our server Dancene took great care of us on the sidewalk patio.

The Black Cat Bistro Too

www.blackcatbistro.com

1218 Pine Street

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Roots on Railroad and The Backyard on Thirteenth provide a unique outdoor food (Roots) and drink (Backyard) combination that should not be ignored. Roots was founded by Chef Chris Beckett and his business partner Katie Castillo in early 2020. Chris had been founding chef for local faves Fish Gaucho and The Crooked Kilt. After an extensive career in in the industry, he wanted to open the “biggest-little restaurant in town.” The large Backyard beer garden provides a great complement of mostly local beers and wines to go with the food or just for sipping on their own. There are umbrellas for shade, tables and comfy lounges with ample seating

www.thebackyardpaso.com

1300 Railroad Street

www.rootsonrailroad.com

1304 Railroad Street

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Finally, we also really enjoyed our breakfast at the Hunter Ranch Golf Course on our way into town as well as lunches at Vivant Cheese Shop, Taste Craft Eatery, and Springside Restaurant. All these places provide great service, outdoor seating, and delicious food too.

Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers.

S Bar At Mandalay Bay Covers All of Your Senses

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Back in December, a few days before their opening on New Year’s Eve, I shared news about the latest S Bar in the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Unable to attend that first night Eddie and I rectified our loss by visiting them two weeks later. From the outside in, we were excited with just how the place looked. Once seated we had our chance to sample as much as we could – the atmosphere, art, drinks, food and music – and by the end of our time there we were left thinking, this is not the bar for selfies and to be seen, at least not for us. This is the bar of 2022, where all of your senses will be gratified in luxury. Let me share why. (And for those of you that just want to skip reading, photos and videos can be found here and here.)

Photo: S Bar website

The Space

I took a lot of photos of the S Bar before we even entered, it’s that grand looking. When you exit the parking garage elevators onto the Casino floor it is one of the first things you see on your immediate left.

Gold glimmers, lights from the interior flicker to catch your eye, and the hostess waits for you to find your way to her. Once inside the big sparkly bar will definitely catch your eye, in the center of the room and a fantastic focal point. But then, after you are seated on one of several cozy areas, your eyes will be drawn to the framed black and white photographs all around you, and the two from the owner Sam Nazarian’s private contemporary art collection that he removed from his home to share with his guests: a large Marilyn Monroe and a second piece of art, a seated naked woman. Both will make you catch your breath.

There were two main sitting areas, and a third private VIP lounge tucked away and conveniently located near one side of the bar – giving the impression that you would have private access to the bar. This is intentional.

Near the front entrance is an area for musicians. On this night we benefitted from a talented electric violinist that played along to current popular favorites. She was amazing.

Then at this point, before you have really taken it all in, one of the many attentive members of the service staff will greet you, offer you several types of water, offer the drink and food menus.

The Drinks

We usually order our favorite drinks at bars. But when it’s a new bar, with what we understood to be very experienced barmen, we asked our server which cocktails she thought we might like based on our tastes.

Neither of us like sweet drinks, and she made great suggestions. Eddie went for “The Second Rodeo” which was described on the menu as Green Chile Vodka, Spiced Hibiscus, Lime and Rose Kombucha. Eddie has never had any of these ingredients, and I was proud of him for trying something out of the box. And one of the reasons the drink was suggested was because it came on fire. After blowing out the flame Eddie had his taste and declared it spicy but not too spicy, and enjoyed all of the unique flavors.

Another recommendation was for me, to try the “Palm Reader” which was crafted with Bourbon, Cacao Rum, Licor de Elote, Palo Santo and orange bitters – and if you watch the video you can see that our bartender also served the drink on the rock with a little bit of white chocolate shavings! After we lingered over these for an hour…we did try our usual Sazerac (for Eddie) and an Old Fashioned (for me) and they were just as yum-worthy.

A note on the bar itself: all top notch equipment including cut crystal mixing glasses, copper jiggers and strainers, clear ice (they even have clear tall Tom Collins ice), and house-made simple syrup and bitters.

The Food

We started with the Charcuterie board and probably could’ve stopped there as it was more than enough for two for dinner with all kinds of meats, cheeses, nuts, jellies and toasted Crostini. But we didn’t. The “Tarte Flambee” flatbread that came next just slayed us, it was described as a loaded potato on flatbread and it didn’t disappoint as it was loaded with onion, bacon, Crème Fraîche, Fromage Blanc and chives! We finished with a beautiful Tuna Poke tower with large wonton chips.

Friends we were happily surprised to discover sitting at the bar had the Deviled Eggs, Wagyu Sliders and were about to order the Charcuterie board and Lobster Mac when we left!

Conclusion

Walk, don’t run as I know you will be dressed nicely, to the new S Bar in Mandalay Bay for your slice of heaven soon. https://www.sbe.com/nightlife/s-bar/las-vegas

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.