Eve's Wine 101

Ferrari Trento, Official Sparkling Wine of Formula I Racing Globally! Eve Tastes For You!

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November 16-18 the Formula One race came to Las Vegas, where I learned for myself that it would stay for the next ten years. Why would this matter for a wine and spirits writer? Because:

Ferrari Trento is the official sparkling wine of Formula 1 racing globally. And the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix is coming up this November. (And would I) be interested in sampling the Ferrari Trento F1 edition Las Vegas bottle? Inside the battle is a blanc de blancs cuvée aged on the lees for at least 24 months.

So, as obliging as I am, I said yes. My sample bottles arrived less than a month before the event so I set them down in my chiller until the big day. Or should I say the big night:

“If you’re new to Formula 1, you may have a few questions about the sport and how our action-packed tour of the world is staged year in, year out. Well, we’ve got you covered. In an all-in-one explainer, we take you through the basics from how the championship was formed to the circuits visited, the drivers behind the wheel and the teams involved up and down the pit lane…” Read more here.

The Tasting

Poured into a wine glass for evaluation I was immediately greeted by a pale yellow to gold color, clear with tiny bubbles clinging (Or should I say “racing” to be apropos?) onto the edge.

Aromas reminded me of a sliced white peach, bruised yellow delicious apple, lemon zest and wet stones. On the palate I was happy to find a “racy” quality filled with acidic fresh lemon and lime, as well as hints of pink grapefruit and some of that same minerality I found on the nose quite alive on the palate. A perfect libation to cheer the racers on during the Formula 1 indeed!

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the 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 Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

One Bottle Post: 2006 Joseph Phelps Insignia

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We recently moved our 400+ wine collection from Santa Clarita, CA to Las Vegas, NV. We purchased three chillers in total, which I divided: one would hold our New World, another for Old World, and a third for Drink Now. (This is the link to my public social media post with the chillers pictured.) Our Drink Now chiller seemed to be overflowing with California reds over 10 years old, Pinot Noir and white varieties. So, I did what any wine collector would: I began to pull some drink nows out to stand them up and get ready to open. I started with a 2006 Joseph Phelps Insignia “red wine”, Napa Valley Estate Bottled. Here are my tasting notes:

The color was the blackest blackberry in the bunch. Then on the nose I was greeted with crushed Italian black plums, black cherry, cracked black pepper, lots of grilled mushroom, perfectly charred steak and a very dark chocolate. The flavor was very balanced with dark stewed fruit, dried berries, peppery tri-color peppercorns, lingering spice and drying tannins. For me, like most of our Insignia wines this is 100 Eve points.

About Our Collection

We have been collecting wines for most of our marriage, at least 35 years. Our current Joseph Phelps collection goes back to 2002 so we will be working our way through these special bottles – as well as their Backus label – one at a time for a while. The only other winery collections we have are from our wine clubs with Beringer, Hourglass, Phifer Pavitt, PureCru (by winemaker Mitch Cosentino) and Acquiesce (however, Acquiesce is a white wine winery club so most of those are gone before the next club shipment arrives!) Everything else is about one or two bottles from a single winery. We hold our California wines about 10 years, our Bordeaux and Rhone for 10-20 years and our Barolo and Brunello for 20.

“Our Story” – From Joseph Phelps Vineyards

It began with a vision. A belief in the possibility of something bigger and better – something that didn’t quite exist yet. In the early 1970s, Napa Valley was a sleepy agricultural town on the brink of a fine-wine awakening. Drawing on his construction experience, Joe set about establishing the building blocks of winemaking excellence.

By embedding his no-compromise philosophy deep into the bedrock of the winery, Joe set the framework to push for greatness. In 1974, he had the idea to make a unique blend each year, one that would represent the finest wine he could make from each vintage. He didn’t necessarily think it would always be a Cabernet Sauvignon either. His only thought was to make one wine that represented the best of Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Today, Insignia is widely regarded as a qualitative benchmark for Californian winemaking that has earned Joseph Phelps its longstanding reputation for excellence.

For half a century and three generations, the Joseph Phelps Vineyards team has followed in Joe’s trailblazing footsteps for winemaking excellence, gracious hospitality, and sustainability efforts in our vineyards and wineries to preserve and enhance the cherished region we call home.

Visit

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the 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 Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

UNLOCK YOUR PROFIT POTENTIAL AT BAR AND RESTAURANT EXPO, MARCH 18-20, 2024

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LAS VEGAS – Early bird registration is officially open for the2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo, which will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center March 18 – 20, 2024. Early bird registration tickets start at $119 and are available now through January 22, 2024. Early bird registration can be completed here.

Bar & Restaurant Expo is a truly immersive experience for the rapidly advancing food and beverage industry. With a unique goal of helping all levels of industry professionals unlock their profit potential, this important event will bring leading experts and national industry stakeholders together to share critical knowledge and know how, plus offer key solutions to the unique challenges facing the industry, and valuable insights on numerous aspects crucial to financial success.

Choose from four registration passes to Bar & Restaurant Expo that provide access to:

  • One central Expo Hall, combining both Bar & Restaurant Expo and World Tea Expo, featuring over 600 exhibitors to meet leading industry suppliers, sample a vast range of food and beverage products, test the latest technology trends, see live cooking demos, experience the new Cocktail Clubhouse, enjoy show-only exclusive offers, and much more.
  • A three-day conference program featuring presentations from top industry experts, in-depth workshops, masterclasses, new startup bootcamp, high profile keynotes, and off-site trainings all tailored to help owners and operators understand how they can maximize profitability.
  • Exciting networking opportunities, including new industry happy hours, meetups, USBG Shake It Up Bartender Competition, and amazing parties hosted at some of the top resorts that Vegas has to offer.

“We are thrilled to present an enhanced, immersive experience at Bar & Restaurant Expo 2024 as we further expand the educational and engagement opportunities to match the needs of today’s bar and restaurant industry,” said Tim McLucas, Vice President of Bar & Restaurant Group. “Our focus on supporting operators and industry professionals in unlocking profit potential is key to accelerating future growth and employment opportunities, and we’re excited to welcome a wide range of national and international exhibitors, sponsors and attendees to Las Vegas in 2024.”

2024’s key sponsors will include: Carlsberg, Heineken, Diageo, Ritual Zero Proof, Padre Azul, Mark Anthony Brands, Amoretti, Topo Chico, Alaskan Leaders Seafood, Lower Foods, Land O’ Lakes Foodservice, Middleby, Ovention Inc, SpotOn, Savi X LG.

To account for programming taking place the day following St. Patrick’s Day, one of the industry’s most anticipated holidays, Bar & Restaurant’s workshop programming will now begin at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 18, rather than 12 p.m., to accommodate for travel time after the holiday.

Those interested in attending or exhibiting at the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo can visit www.barandrestaurantexpo.com for more information. Additional details about the expo floor, educational workshops, masterclasses, speakers, nightlife activations and more will be announced in the coming months. Bar & Restaurant Expo is a trade event and not open to the general public. Stay connected with Bar & Restaurant Expo on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Press can register here https://www.xpressreg.net/media/start.php?sc=BREX0324.

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About Bar & Restaurant Expo

Bar & Restaurant Expo has continued to evolve and mirror the fast-paced, trend-setting nature of the hospitality industry. The event has been providing the specific tools that bar and restaurant owners, operators, and managers need to grow their businesses, compete, and succeed in this hyper-competitive and dynamic industry. The Bar & Restaurant Group is a division of the Questex Hospitality Group which also produces Vibe Conference, World Tea Expo, and daily content on barandrestaurant.com and worldteanews.com.

About Questex
Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here.

Whisky Advocate Hosts WhiskyFest San Francisco 2023

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—Whisky Lovers to Sample Whiskies From Around the World On October 27th—

Presented by Whisky Advocate magazine, WhiskyFest, the leading whisky festival in North America, returns to San Francisco! The festival, which also takes place in New York, Las Vegas and Chicago this year, offers the opportunity to sample hundreds of whiskies from around the world—including single malt and blended Scotch, Irish, French, bourbon, rye, Tennessee, Japanese, Taiwanese, Canadian, and craft-distilled whiskies—and learn firsthand from the experts. Distillery representatives will be on hand at their pouring booths, while educational seminars, featuring their own tastings, will be running throughout the evening as well.

The Whisky Advocate editorial team welcomes guests to meet an array of distinguished distillers, master blenders and other whisky experts.

San Francisco Marriott Marquis, 780 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 on Friday, October 27th

●     VIP Entrance: 5:30 PM

●     Grand Tasting: 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Tickets: General admission tickets are currently available online for $295. VIP tickets are available online for $375. All tickets include a commemorative Glencairn crystal nosing glass, program booklet, gift bag, admission to all seminars on a first come basis, a gourmet buffet throughout the evening, and, of course, hundreds of whiskies to sample.

  • Ten lucky VIP or General Admission ticket holders (each with a plus one) will be randomly selected to receive a Backstage Pass. The pass will allow the winners to begin their evening at WhiskyFest™ San Francisco in a special way. Before the VIP hour begins, the winners will join some of the Whisky Advocate team to taste an exclusive, super-special whisky being brought to WhiskyFest only for the Backstage Pass holders.
  • All tickets are eligible and winners will be randomly selected on Monday, October 23rd at noon EDT. Winners will be notified by email. What a great way to start the night!

BIG NEWS: EVE HAS BEEN INVITED TO TEACH WINE ETIQUETTE (FOR FUN + EDUCATION) AT DOUBLE HELIX WINE AND WHISKEY BAR – IN LAS VEGAS – ON AUGUST 30!

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This is an excerpt from Double Helix Wine and Whiskey Lounge Instagram post: Calling all our #wine lovers in Vegas! We’ve been so excited and waiting to share a little something new we created. 

Presenting: Wine Etiquette 101 With a Twist. Please join us for an casual evening tasting and learning about wine with a very special host, Eve Bushman, @evebushmaneveswine101 
An expert in her field, with a great sense of humor, she’ll have you laughing and learning at the same time.

This is not your average wine class, this is something new! We wanted locals to have the opportunity to have some fun, bring friends, make new friends, and laugh while learning the basic ins and outs of Wine Education.

No need to feel shy or embarrassed about your level of wine knowledge here, our goal is to help you feel comfortable in any situation that involves Wine! 

📍Purchase your 🎟 on our website at www.doublehelixwine.com.

Best Vodka and Vodka-Based Spirits We Discovered at the Bar And Restaurant Expo 2023

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This past March I attended the Bar and Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas. As I have in the past, I wrote an article on all of our findings, and you can read that here on Eve’s Wine 101. As an addition to the article, I was given a few bottles of spirits for review, and this is the article on those: one vodka from New Zealand and distilled from whey, two bottles of different American vodkas that are distilled from corn and a final dessert vodka. I tasted them on my own, and again with friends. These are our collective notes:

VDKA 6100 Vodka

Distilled from Whey – promising no hangover – and made in New Zealand, this was new to me and I will be buying my next bottle. My gal pal said it was “totally freakin’ different” compared to a harsh vodka, with Mandarin orange notes and no burn on the palate. I also noted the citrus fruit and a sweet finish. This was one I went back to later and sipped on its own when the tasting was complete.

@VKDAVodka on Instagram

From their Facebook page:

Made with fresh seasonal whey and natural spring water from Reporoa, New Zealand, one of the most pristine places in the world. VDKA 6100 is finely distilled and filtered through a bed of carbon to eliminate all impurities. The result is a clean, light exceptionally smooth taste with hints of floral and citrus notes. VDKA 6100 is remarkably pure vodka that is gluten-free, sugar-free and lactose-free. 40% Alc/Vol. Imported by VDKA 6100, Manhasset, NY

https://www.facebook.com/VDKA6100

White Claw Vodka

Building on some undeniable brand awareness, White Claw, of hard seltzer fame, has distilled a very creamy vodka from corn. We found the nose to be light, the palate sweet, with a slight flavor of yellow corn and very balanced. This one surprised me. It was smooth enough that I could enjoy this alone, or in a cocktail.

@WhiteClaw on Instagram

From their website:

White ClawTM Spirits Premium Vodka. The world’s first Triple Wave Filtered™ vodka. Filtered three times using the pressure equal to a 30-foot wave, it’s vodka reimagined for a superior, smoother finish. Best served crashing over ice with soda at sunset.

https://www.whiteclaw.com/products/premium-vodka

Ringside Vodka

Distilled from corn this vodka was creamy, warming, with notes of white pepper, creamed corn and a long finish. I would like this in a cocktail or just a refreshing Vodka Tonic.

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076182191159

https://www.ringsidevodka.com/

XXI Martinis Chocolate Peppermint (seasonal flavor)

So yummy, I wondered, could I put in my coffee? The ABV is low, but the flavor is high – full of yummy chocolate and peppermint. Perfect by itself, on the rocks, or with a little espresso for one of those popular Espresso Martinis we all know and love! At the last expo I fell in love with their Chocolate Martini!

https://www.facebook.com/xximartinis

From the website:

This is no simple confection. Decadent, dark, bittersweet chocolate and fresh, cool peppermint meet the pristine smoothness of premium vodka, transforming the simple martini into a masterpiece. Let the indulgence begin.

Chocolate Peppermint

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the 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 17k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Las Vegas Proof Awards, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Great Finds From the Bar and Restaurant Expo, And Pizza Expo Too!

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We’ve covered the Bar and Restaurant Expo and the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas for a few years now. Before I retired Eve Bushman Consulting I sat in many of the classes to keep up with the latest in the industry and share those updates and ideas with clients. I learned a lot, and while I took notes for my clients I also shared those notes in Eve’s Wine 101 for anyone.

Fast forward to the past few Covid years, with the event like all others being postponed and I decided to close my business with the move to Las Vegas (while keeping our home in Santa Clarita) in 2020. Now when I attend the Expos I focus on the new products as well as fresh ideas being introduced. Today’s article features everything we discovered at the recent 2023 shows.

Bar and Restaurant Expo

Sections were made for the Japanese Food and Beverage Showcase, Non Alcohol Chill Zone, Kitchen Equipment Showcase, a Tea Bar and The Bar for complementary cocktails and bites of food. If you want to see all of the exhibitors go here. And more details of the show are on their website: https://www.barandrestaurantexpo.com/

At the Kickoff Party, held the night before the show opened, this was my social media post:

OMG, does it look like we had fun at the Ayu Dayclub at Resorts World for the Bar And Restaurant Expo’s Kickoff Party? We certainly did! And hold the phone – we discovered White Claw, of canned Hard Seltzer fame, is distilling their own slightly sweet and distilled-from-corn vodka! And then, I got to meet Soprano Boss “Vito” aka Actor/Chef Joe Gannascoli, and get a taste of Rocavaka vodka “the vodka that rocks” distilled from grapes! Then, one of my fave vodkas of the night was from New Zealand and distilled from Whey – VDKA 6100! Ringside vodka was a tasty one, also distilled from corn. Kurvball Whiskey was there, with their BBQ whisky this time in a Pineapple Margarita! Can’t wait to re-visit all of them at the show! (Photos from Kickoff Party are here.)

From the main event, this was my post:

Oh what a great Bar and Restaurant Expo! What looks good to you here? We had a fab time rubbing elbows with fellow industry friends like Troy Hooper as well as Duane Fernandez with Uncle Nearest, VDKA 6100 vodka, Ringside Vodka, White Claw vodka, trying new-to-me brands like Choya Japanese Liqueur, Mario’s Hard Espresso, XXI Martinis, Lux Ice Diamond Shapes, Rolling Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, Black Infusions, Ohoro Gin, Middle West Spirits, the impressive ready-to-travel Blackbird drink cart, Food and Liquor from Mutual Trading and JFC International, Tillen Farms from Stonewall Kitchen, Koeze Co. chips and the best brand awareness via the PR%F Awards,…the list goes on! It’s just THE best event to discover the latest trends for bars and restaurants! (Photos from main event are here.)

We covered what we could – the vendors we met with are marked in bold here. Spirit, canned cocktail and beer vendors included 22 Salute Spirits & Coffee, Bare Zero Proof Spirits (zero proof being another growing category) Flavour Blaster, Heritage Distilling Co., Mario’s Hard Espresso, Middle West Spirits, Ole Smokey Distillery, ROCAVAKA, Sip Shine, Sugarlands Distilling Company and Takahashi Shuzo Co., Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey, Waterbird Spirits and XXI Martinis, COOL CAT Cocktails, Margarita Man, Don Elias Premium Tequila, Asahi Beer, EZ-Jello Shots, Heineken and Meta Hard Elixir among others.

Sake brands included JFC International, Kikusui Sake USA, Mutual Trading Co., Hakutsuru Sake of America, Joto Sake/Kobrand Corp., Kubota Sake USA, Sake Generations Inc. and Takara Sake USA.

Find on Instagram:

@LuxIceUSA @Koeze_1910 @ChoyaUSA @WhiteClaw @Rocavaka @VDKA6100 @KurvballWhiskey @LuxIceUSA @xxiMartinis @MariosHardEspresso @Koeze_1910 @StonewallKitchen @Choya_USA @Black.Infusions @ProofAwards @UncleNearest @MiddlewestSpirits @JFCInternational @MutualTrading @BarAndRestaurantExpo

International Pizza Expo

For the first time, and I hope the last, I had to miss the Pizza Expo and relied on my husband, Eddie, who normally serves as photographer, to cover the event in full. With repeated instructions (we are married!) he was to take copious photos of anything interesting, and get samples if available for further review. He did great his first time out of the chute! We went over his photos and he was able to caption them for me on social media, as well as help with this post:

What happens when Eve’s Wine 101 Staff Photographer arrives at the International Pizza Expo without Eve? He does a full report! Check out the pics – starting with the Hot Wings gal – and cool video of chocolate Gelato topped with Calabrian chili olive oil and salt, and more pics of his favorite booths! Among the tasty treats you will want to see on the menu of your favorite pizza place also includes a Cheeseburger Pizza with what looks to have pickles, tomatoes, sausage and yellow cheese; Stanislaus Tomatoes Ravioli, a great table display of fresh vegetable toppings, Prosciutto and olive oils; Amoretti Premium Syrups – his fave was the uniquely flavored cream of pumpkin pie; an assortment of Italian red wines; Caputo Parmesan cheese and their own Semola pizza flour; tasty Jones cane sugar soda; Red Gold tomato ketchup; both Marzetti and Ken’s salad dressings; the always great Chef Paul Prudhomme Magic seasonings; Polly-O cheese; Columbus vegetable oils; Marin French Cheese Co and Grain Craft kitchen utensils! (Photos and video here.)

Find on Instagram:

@StanislausTomatoes @Amoretti @CaputoFlour @JonesSodaCo @RedGoldTomatoes @Marzetti @KensDressings @MagicSeasoningBlends @Polly_OCheese @Columbus_veg_oils @MarinFrenchCheese @PizzaExpo

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the 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 17k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Las Vegas Proof Awards, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Esther’s Kitchen Announces New Winter Cocktails!

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February 2023: Esther’s Kitchen Releases New Winter Cocktail Menu

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Chef/Owner James Trees and Bar Manager Tucker St. John are excited to debut Esther’s Kitchen’s all new cocktail menu. The menu features nine new cocktails inspired by the flavors and feelings of the season, all priced at $15. These original cocktails feature winter flavors including baking spices, seasonal citrus, and unique takes such as the crushable She’s So Jalisco incorporating kiwi and shiso; The smoked rosemary and citrus forward Rosemarys Baby; and the spicy Loaded Question featuring notes of wild honey and anise. Esther’s has also included spirit-free cocktails.

The new cocktails include:

  •  Song Of The Sister: gin, Select Aperitivo, grapefruit, prosecco

A seasonal spritzer for the winter- surely the right selection

  • Cello There: house-made limoncello, yuzu, seasonal citrus, triple sec

A bright, snappy crusher with crushed ice to match. Careful- it’ll catch up with you.

  • She’s So Jalisco: tequila, kiwi, shiso, lime, demerara

An agave based lime and kiwi smash with light herbal notes. She’s so delicious!

  • Lilikoi Kiss: black rum, Chinola passion fruit, Cynar, lime, Angostura

Tart and herbal, bitter and sweet. A tiki inspired banger to whisk you away to the islands.

  • Rosemarys Baby: gin, Campari, Carpano Antica, smoked rosemary, lemon, egg

The best hybrid in the game, this balanced sipper starts fruity and ends bitter.

  • Low Stakes Gambling: gin, Lillet Blanc, Cocchi Americano

A silky, mildly floral martini that even bond would bet on.

  • Scottish Borough: Monkey Shoulder scotch, Punt e Mes, hazelnut, Amaro Sfumato

A silky, smokey rhubarb and hazelnut number with Manhattan feels.

  • Cacao y Fuego: mezcal, chocolate, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, Amaro Averna, allspice, egg

Smokey agave, cocoa, and baking spices with enough heat to warm the bones in winter.

  • Loaded Question: Rittenhouse Rye, Damiana liqueur, Xtabentun Honey liqueur

Spicy, wild honey and anise notes. A spirit forward answer to the question: one more?

Spirit free cocktails include:

  • Bolle Rosa: Lyres Aperitif Rosso, grapefruit, lemon. A tart, mouthwatering play on a classic spritz
  • The Fall of Issac: apple, house-made caramel, lemon, cream. A tart apple fizz with notes of caramel and cream.

Cocktails are just one of the passionate parts that make up what many have called one of the best Italian restaurants in the country. Beverage selections also include Meletti amaro on tap for $12, curated local and imported beers, a value- and character-driven wine list, and as always, a wide selection of independent spirits.

Reservations are recommended and can be made at www.estherslv.com.

About James Trees & Esther’s Kitchen

Fresh, Seasonal, Local, Simple. These ideas shouldn’t be uncommon in the restaurant world, but are far too often overlooked. For Chef James Trees, after scaling some of the most impressive heights in the restaurant business with a who’s-who of celebrity chefs (from Michael Mina to Gordon Ramsay, Eric Ripert and many others), no ambition was calling him more than bringing it all back home. Esther’s Kitchen, named for the Great Aunt who was Chef James’ first mentor, is nothing more–and nothing less–than a local restaurant inspired by its Las Vegas Arts District neighborhood to elevate the simple, and simplify elegance. Grounded in the ingredient-driven cuisine of Italy, pastas, breads and nearly everything possible are made in-house; produce and proteins come from the best local sources available; wines are chosen for intrigue and value; cocktails are mixed to please you, not a bartender’s ego. It’s a restaurant you’ll want to call home.

Esther’s Kitchen has been fortunate to receive a number of accolades since opening including Gayot top 10 new restaurants in the US, 2018; 10 Best Las Vegas Restaurants and #1 Best Italian (USA Today) Best Italian in Las Vegas nods from Gayot.com, Thrillist and Desert Companion magazine; and “Best New Neighborhood Mindblower” from Las Vegas Weekly. In 2020, TripAdvisor named it a worldwide Travelers Choice, and most recently Thrillist tapped it as one of the best Italian restaurants in the country. Chef James Trees has been recognized as “Chef of the Year – 2019” by the Nevada Restaurant Association “Executive Chef of the Year, 2019” by the Silver State Awards, “Chef of the Moment” by VEGAS magazine and most recently “Chef of the Year” for the Desert Companion 2021 Restaurant Awards. Trees was also selected as a Finalist for the James Beard Award: Best Chef Southwest 2020.

1130 S. Casino Center Blvd., STE 110, Las Vegas, NV 89104

Guest Services: (702) 570-7864 info@estherslv.com

EsthersLV.com

Instagram/Facebook @EsthersKitchenLV

Catering to Different Wine Tastes

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It’s no secret that Eddie and I love to entertain. In our home in Santa Clarita, that has a big kitchen and dining area, we sometimes have large groups. Our Las Vegas home, which is our starting-to-scale-down home, is better for smaller groups. Having just one other couple over is really our “sweet spot” for entertaining there. And with the addition of our Wine Room in Vegas, that has four upholstered swivel chairs (and two cushy ottomans when needed) we often start there with appetizers before moving to the dining room for the main course. (We do sometimes entertain in the kitchen, as that’s where the action is: Ed cooks and plates there.)

When we entertain guests we also plan a menu and drinks based on what we think they would enjoy, keeping their comfort in mind. Let me explain. Part of this is due to the different levels of our guests’ wine interests, and secondly to make sure we’ve made the best possible match – between what guests we will have together, what drinks we will serve and what’s for dinner.

One gal pal prefers Rose wine while her husband sticks to light spirits. So for this couple we will plan a dinner that pairs well with those choices like a light pasta or fish. We sometimes make something heartier, and while we switch to red wine, and our friends may try a glass, they always return to their favorites.

Another pal prefers Pinot Noir, though she is known to drink everything, but we do try and make a dish like pork Wellington or salmon for her to pair with her preferences.

One couple admits that they only drink “rubbish” and though we know they are joking, and they do appreciate great wines, we don’t kill ourselves selecting rare bottles from our cellar when they come over. I usually select something a little less expensive from places like the Central Coast, Australia, Argentina or Chile and steer clear of the aged Napa or French wines that come from more expensive real estate. And the menu can be whatever we like, nothing too grand.

We have pals that appreciate the expensive and non-expensive wines, and base their choices on their palate. For them we have an array of wines to taste. Once, at a local restaurant, we all enjoyed a wine I had selected from the wine list for our dinner. I realized that a friend of mine may have imported the wine. I sent him a quick text, and sure enough he had. He told us which store sold it, at $12 a bottle verses the restaurant price of $60, and we – all four of us – went in on the purchase of a case together.

Another couple has their own wine label from Napa, not too pricey, and it’s lovely when we dine in. However when we dine out this couple prefers a wine in the $200 and up range. Needless to say that’s a bit high for us, especially as the markup can be three times the actual price of the wine – which makes it nearly impossible for me to justify spending, even when they ask me to select the wine for them from the wine list. For these occasions we tend to bring in one of our better bottles (that is not on the wine list) and pay the corkage.

We have other couples that only like the really fine wines so we follow suit and only serve our fine wines with them, another that prefers cocktails alone and that gives me a chance to work my home bartending skills, and so on. Again, we adjust our menu to suit the preferences of our guests.

We will literally plan a month of entertaining around who is coming and what we’ll be drinking, and have found that while we are catering to our guests, we are catering to ourselves as well. So, for example, after a night of fine wine we will take a night off and our next dinner will be with our friends that prefer cocktails, and so on again. It’s like dressing up one night and relaxing in sweats the next.

We’ve had pals that wanted to meet some of our other pals. But I’m sometimes concerned that the wine aficionados wouldn’t pair well with the rubbish wine drinkers. I needn’t have worried; everyone is gracious drinking the good stuff and the jokingly called swill stuff. However, later, when I’ve spoken with these friends I learned that they didn’t feel they had that much in common in general. Just another reason why I feel that pairings, food/wine/friends, requires thought. And Vive la différence!

How do you do it?

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the 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 Las Vegas Proof Awards, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

PR%F Awards V – Spirits, Wine And Beverage Competition (Eve Serves as a Judge too!)

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Powered by Food and Beverage Magazine, Delta Sky Club, Palms Casino Resort-Las Vegas and Harrah College of Hospitality at University Nevada Las Vegas.

Competition will be held Nov. 8 and 9, 2023 – Las Vegas
All our judges are beverage buyers from across the US – airlines, cruise lines, resorts, casinos, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, big box retail chains, liquor stores, distributors, online retail and more.

Each SKU is automatically entered into two competitions – Masked (double-blind) and Unmasked (The Total Package, where our buyers get to see your bottle, logo, marketing and price point.) A chance to win TWO separate medals.

Women Owned Brands and Certified KOSHER Brands receive a honorary medal of recognition.

Each entrant receives an “entered” graphic, if you win a medal, a “winners” graphic, access to our logo, brand, and medal graphics – AT NO CHARGE. No licensing fee is required to tell the world you won a coveted PR%F Award. We even provide you graphics for easy promotion.

Plus, be a part of the social media and online magazine distribution of Food and Beverage Magazine, and PR%F the Magazine-Everything Beverage Winners Edition. Click here to see our 2022 Winners Edition at www.proofawards.com

More than 300 categories including Ready-to-Drink, Non-Alcoholic Beverages (Alcohol-Free), coffees, teas, waters, and functional beverages.

All entries must be in by October 8, 2023.
All bottles must be in by October 8, 2023.

$495 per SKU – enters your brand varietal into two separate competitions.
Special Packages for five (5) SKUs or more.

Upon formal registration, email Michele@proofawards.com for further instructions on where to send samples, photos, and other deadlines, etc.

Online Registration:

Click here to begin registration.