My Fave Wines From 2020: The Year When Drinking Wine Became Everyone’s Favorite Pastime

February 12, 2021 by evebushman

Lots pop into our heads when we think of 2020, and of course we aren’t out of the woods yet, or even close, so far for 2021. For me it was a windfall of wines sent for review, often accompanied by a Zoom tasting led by the winemaker. I (virtually) traveled to Germany, Spain, Argentina, France, Italy and more in those meetings and via my own cellar. And before Covid shut things down I did have quick trips to Los Olivos, Paso Robles and the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. Below is a collection of some of my favorite wines from 2020. If any of this sounds good to you, go find these wines!

It turns out that I had about 50 wine tastings, if not more, in 2020. These shout-outs are from EveWine101 website articles: the 2020 Gambero Rosso Master Class, 2017 Bordeaux presented by the Union des Grand Crus, Vega Sicilia collectors dinner with Pablo Alvarez, Fontanafredda Barolo, wine from New Zealand’s Waipapa Bay, Folded Hills Winery with winemaker Angela Osborne, California Wine STARS 2020, LA County Wines (Byron Blatty, Acri Wine Company, Angeleno Wine Company and Cavaletti Vineyards), Zoom tasting with Suzanne Phifer Pavitt and their 2012 Date Night Cabernet, Camins 2 Dreams, Gary Farrell single vineyard Pinots with winemaker Theresa Heredia, revisiting Montemar, catching up with winemaker Mark Cargasacchi and Jalama wines, also visiting Ampelos and Zotovich in Lompoc, Switchback Ridge via the Grand Reserves Reward Master Card, tasting from family-owned wineries with Dr. Laura Catena, Anne Trimbach, Laure Colombo and Alessia Collauto Travaglini, great wines that stole my palate but not my wallet from Guarachi Wine Partners, reviewing DAOU’s Soul of a Lion, Tenuta Montemagno sparkling Barbera, Castello di Fonterutoli with Giovanni Mazzei, Paul Kornell Sparkling…

In SCV Elite Magazine this year I got to write about wine tasting in Paso Robles just before the shutdown. Had exceptional experiences at Thacher Winery, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Derby Wine Estates, Steinbeck Wines, Cass Wines, Eberle Winery, Oso Libre Winery, HammerSky vineyards and the Allegretto Vineyard Resort.

January started out great with my first, and last, visit and dinner at Marstons with my VP/BFF Michael Perlis, our wonderful spouses, all over lots of wine ($10 corkage!) including 2013 Audacious Grenache/Syrah/Cab blend by Law Estate, 2013 Comstock Rockpile/Sonoma County Zinfandel, 2009 Regusci Zinfandel Napa Valley…

At Wine 661: Lucas And Lewellen tasting where we sampled five of their Santa Barbara County wines, including a Rose of Pinot and a Bordeaux blend. Had a couple of wines off of the Happy Hour menu. This was not the last time I went to Wine 661 in 2020…

Now some single bottle shout outs:

Vinos Zanzonico 2017 Syrah Reserva: 100% Syrah, 13.5% alcohol, from the Valle de la Grulla area of Baja. With a regal dark purple color, I was drawn in to fantastic aromas of sweet black cherry, plum, tri-color peppercorns, layers of rich bark, milk chocolate…all very welcoming. I went in for a taste and was rewarded with a very rich and layered mouthfeel, with dark and dry blue to black fruit, grilled mushrooms, peppery spicy goodness and tannins that held my back palate at attention for a length that just would…not…quit. 99 Eve points.

2014 Old Vine Zichichi Family Vineyard Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley: The 14.8% alcohol didn’t translate at all to a hot wine on the palate, instead it delivered incredible substance. It started with a nose full of sweet dark plums, pipe tobacco, black licorice, toasted oak, black pepper and popcorn kernel. Going in for a taste my mouth was filled with delicious dried blueberry and blackberry, that same black pepper, tannins that held firm, and a great balance of the dark fruit and tannins to keep it lingering a long time on the palate. This was a new Zin discovery for me, will definitely be looking for it again!

Entourage by Two Papas Wine barrel fermented (1) and stainless steel (2) 2019 Chardonnay, Thompson Vineyard, Santa Barbara County: 1. Barrel: Designated by a gold wax top (the stainless has a silver wax top) I was amazed that this was a young 2019 vintage! It had lovely notes of creamy butter, pineapple, golden delicious apple and popcorn kernel that morphed into caramel apple on the palate, mild acidity, with a long, balanced and lush finish. 2. No barrel: Our stainless sibling gave off nicely scented whiffs of Meyer lemon, both cantaloupe and honeydew melon, and a little unsalted butter. When I tasted the wine I got homemade fruit cocktail, wet pebbles, low acidity and a medium finish.

2018 Kindred Rose of Pinot Noir: The color of rose gold, complete with sparkles! Then on the nose I found pink grapefruit, lemon pith, French Toast, Creme Brûlée, and Mandarin orange = all very inviting! In for a taste next, there is a very round mouthfeel, and the same citrus fruits I found on the nose – grapefruit, lemon and orange – with a medium acidity. Enjoy now, with or without food IMO!

2015 Phifer Pavitt XRoads Cabernet Sauvignon: Crushed dark cherry, wet forest floor, grilled steak and mushrooms, dark chocolate, black licorice, pipe tobacco, toasted oak, a hint of sweet cream and more all on the nose. Flavors included that same black cherry as well as blackberry, blueberry, a gamut of spices, velvety and firm drying tannins that of course require that you go back in for another sip…and another.

2012 Regusci Patriarch Proprietary Red: aroma: dark berries, dried leaves, figs, toasted oak and a bit o’ mint. Some of the same aromas in the flavors with the addition of dark chocolate.

2001 Giacomo Conterno Cascina Francia, a Nebbiolo from Barolo, Piedmont…I looked for the roses, tar, licorice and red berries (notes from a professional critic) and also found tart berries, spice and tannins after decanting for 7 hours. So interesting.

Have you tried Guentota, aka the “Soul of Cuyo”, a “100-YR-OLD-VINE PREMIUM 2016 MALBEC” from Mendoza, Argentina? It’s from Belasco De Baqueano and was awarded 91 points from James Suckling. And I was far too busy lapping it up to make any tasting notes. But find it at Newhall Press Room. (Truth be told I had a LOT of wine from Newhall Press in 2020!)

2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia, I have no notes as I was also too busy drinking to take any. A stellar wine as it’s been proven vintage after vintage.

1999 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo: The nose and taste had really changed and mellowed over the 7 hours, with aromas of dried dark fruit, grilled mushroom, balsamic, dust and oak; on the palate I got both bright and dark fruit in a very fine balance.

From my local Pulchella Winery we had: Suspect sparkling wine, 2019 Latitude Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier blend, 2017 Mercenary Zinfandel blend, 2018 Witness Grenache…among others!

A note on Los Olivos: this was a non-press trip so no notes were taken. With that in mind we loved: Barbieri and Kempe are “Boutique wines made by Master Sommelier Paolo Barbieri” along with his wife Erin Kempe = bought a case! The second, Bella Cavailli Farms and Vineyard, produces some amazing wines against a backdrop of a working horse ranch, as well as some fun distilled spirits from Dorwood Distillery. Jeff Lockwood is the winemaker and his brother Jay the head distiller. We left there with both wine and spirts to enjoy at home.

A note from Wine on the Porch: During the summer months we enjoyed Hanzell Chardonnay, Saintsbury Chardonnay, Parhelion Cellars Light Pillar Chardonnay, St Supery Virtu Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blend, Pagter Brothers 2018 Viognier, and from Hoi Polloi I snatched up their 2018 Rose of Grenache and Double-Gold Best-Of-Class 2018 Chardonnay!

A note about spirits: Yea, I wrote a lot about spirits this year too, stay tuned for a roundup of those next!

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.

Visiting Wineries We Like: Ampelos and Zotovich!

September 11, 2020 by evebushman

Finishing off our trip to Lompoc we had our last two tasting appointments, to Ampelos Cellars and to Zotovich Vineyards.

Due to Covid-19 both wineries are open for outdoor tastings. Just call or email ahead of time as we know that things can change from one day to the next.

Starting with Ampelos we met with Matt, a “cellar rat” at the winery and tasting room staffer. We went through their current lineup of wines to taste, but only after first noting the unique tasting notes done by their marketing director. Instead of the usual aromas and flavors, these tasting notes also called up more memories, or visions, of where each wine could take you. For example, the 2019 Santa Barbara County Viognier was described as, “The click clack of rails, puffs of jasmine glinted steam, the sneaky smile of a Mandarin orange sun. Teak wood bar, juicy pineapple rings, shaved coconut flesh, the sway of palm trees passing quickly by. A new day swaggers through the lounge car with unlimited possibilities while I ride alongside ‘phi’ the ‘golden girl’ of my dreams.” These kind of tasting notes, albeit not for everyone, makes the writer in me want to strive much harder. It’s boring to read, “jasmine, orange, teak, pineapple” alone. Now, moving on and back to the tasting, and my tasting notes, I found the fruit in the Viognier to be fresh with a lovely mouthfeel. A great start to our tasting.

Next was their 2017 “Garcia” Albarino that spent 50% in neutral oak and 50% in stainless steel tanks. It was quite nice, with mild fruit notes. A 2016 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir “Lambda” had both good fruit and balance, and was awarded 90 points by Wine Enthusiast. Next to try was 2015 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir “Rho” barrel select, made for their best 12 barrels and spent six to eight months longer in barrel. It was very yummy, with rich velvety fruit and oak notes. The Rho got 90 points from both Wine & Spirits magazine and Wine Enthusiast.

The next wine, a 2015 Sta. Rita Hills Grenache “Delta”, had lovely layers of red fruit, spice and earth. The 2016 Sta. Rita Hills “Syrache”, a wine I had been told by a wine pal not to miss, is a Syrah Grenache blend. This vintage was 65% Syrah and 35% Grenache. It proved to be my favorite in the tasting. Wine & Spirits gave it 91 points and Wine Enthusiast awarded it 90 points. Our final wine, the 2016 Syrah had lovely peppery notes I won’t soon forget.

When our Contributing Editor Michael Perlis checked over this article he reminded me that he had covered Ampelos after tasting them at Wine in the Pines in 2015. At that time he shared, “A fortunate cancelation of a meeting at the World Trade Center led to Peter Work missing the 9/11 tragedy. Rethinking their lives, he and wife Rebecca plunged full-time into their Ampelos vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, which they had acquired in 1999. My favorites were the “Syrache” [blend of Syrah and Grenache] as well as the standalone Syrah.”

From Facebook

ampelos has been a family endeavor from the start! Initially “corporate folk”, we enjoyed getting away to the Sta. Rita hills on weekends and dreamt of one day planting our own vineyards and making wines. A cancelled meeting on the morning of September11, 2001 helped us to realize that someday was TODAY! Our son, Don, came out to help get the vineyard underway and soon our dreams became reality. We are driven by a deep love and passion for viticulture. We are very proud to be one of the first wineries to be CERTIFIED sustainable, organic, and biodynamic. As a small boutique winery we produce 3500 cases and are meticulous about being as gentle as possible with all of our farming and winemaking practices. The best part about being winemakers is the opportunity to meet and share our wine with others. Come see us…

Ampelos Cellars, 312 North 9th St. Lompoc. 805-736-9957.

https://www.facebook.com/ampeloscellars/

https://www.instagram.com/ampeloscellars/

Now, onto Zotovich! In the blue building, shared with other winery tasting rooms on the corner of Highway 1 and 246, we rediscovered Zotovich Estate Vineyards and Winery with sales rep Jason Carter. We quickly learned that they sell their wine via wine club, as well as in some restaurants and stores. We tasted about 10 wines, will share the notes for some from the current vintage – which should be available on their website.

We began with the 2018 “Zoto” Chardonnay that Jason said had “marginally less oak” than their Estate Chardonnay. I found it slightly acidic, akin to a Sauvignon Blanc, with both tart and buttery notes. Then we tried three more Chards, all very good. We preferred the 2017 Estate Chardonnay for its notes of Meyer lemon, white peach, pear and a hint of strawberry in a delicate balance, for only $28 a bottle. We liked the 2017 Reserve Chardonnay, from the 809 clone, and 50% new French oak, with tropical fruit including pineapple, papaya and a floral nose. The last white we tried was the 2018 Estate Viognier. The wine called up memories of lemon-lime soda, stone fruit, wet stones with a nice low acidity.

Next up came the reds, beginning with the 2017 Estate Pinot Noir. Notes included concentrated fruit – especially crushed raspberries, white pepper and a richer quality in comparison to a 2019 newly released Pinot served just before. The website said this is the 17^th vintage of their flagship Pinot. Oher reds we tried that I didn’t find on the website included their 2017 Grenache, 2016 Syrah Grenache Blend and a 2017 Syrah. Of these three I enjoyed the blend the most, but get over to the tasting room soon if you want to taste these wines!

A little research of my own and I found what I had to say about Zotovich in a Henry Wine Group tasting circa 2012, “This was my actual favorite winery of the day and I think it may have been the 10^th wine (translates to pretty early in the tasting) I had tried. The three the winemaker brought included an ‘09 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay that I found refreshing and steely, the ‘09 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir for its traditional cherry and stem flavors without a ton of alcohol or tannin (things I don’t like that some seem to be reaching for in Pinots) and the ‘09 Sta. Rita Hills Syrah that was both soft and then sturdy on the back palate. Want more.”

From Facebook

A small, family-owned and operated winery located on the Central Coast of California, Zotovich Vineyards handcrafts exceptional wine from small, closely monitored lots of grapes. Zotovich Vineyards & Winery proudly produces Estate Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Grenache. Our philosophy is simple: We believe great wine is established in the vineyard. We meticulously farm our estate Zotovich Family Vineyard grapes, and strive to make the best wine possible vintage to vintage.

Zotovich Vineyards, 300 N 12 St, Ste D, 805-736-1600.

http://www.zotovichvineyards.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/zotovichvineyards/

Rediscovering Jalama and Winemaker Mark Cargasacchi

September 4, 2020 by evebushman

Oh what a treat! I forgot how entertaining winemaker Mark Cargasacchi was! And of course, what a great winemaker he is! It had been a few years since I visited the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, aka the Lompoc Wine Trail, and when I found a photo in my Facebook memories of me at the ghetto, at Jalama wines, I re-shared it. That’s when I knew that I was way overdue for a visit. So overdue in fact that I had to learn that Mark had moved their tasting room to Palm Springs, though currently closed due to Covid. Mark often comes to Lompoc, as that is still where the winery is, so I got my foot in the door during one of his visits.

Mark picking up the wines from the tasting room before our meeting outside.

The move to the desert proved to be quite profitable for Mark, he said he had his best sales there in 2019. He sold out of all of his library wines, from 2004 through 2015, as well as his current 2016 vintages of both his Syrah and El Capitan “signature blend” and most of his 2017s! He did find a few wines to share with us, so there should be a few for you too, even better if you are a wine club member.

We caught up on some local gossip during our tasting, always fun, and heard all about his new spot in the desert. We were very happy to hear how well he is doing there and can’t wait to visit when the weather, and Covid, cools off. And by the time that happens we can try his wines again. Note: All of Mark’s wines have had no new oak since 2015. So if you use the word “oaky” as a descriptor in talking about any of his wines from 2015 on he will snort, or giggle, as it’s simply not there.

Tasting

We started with a barrel sample of Mark’s Grenache/Roussanne Blanc. It had spent time in stainless steel and neutral oak barrels, with four to five more months to go before he bottles (what Mark refers to as “a second winter”) before he will release the wine. It is also unfiltered and unfined. We thought it was super fresh, good fruit.

Next up was his 2017 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills. We found it earthy as Mark had described, also with notes of dried black cherry and meaty plum. Then we sampled a 2016 Grenache with 13.5% alcohol, he had just released the wine six months before. We found it bright, smokey, rich and some of those earthy qualities again.

The 2016 Refugio blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah was very nice, with rich and spicy bold blue fruit. A “not so petite” 2016 Petite Sirah was a big wow for me, my favorite in the tasting. Wine Enthusiast awarded it as the Editor’s Choice and 91 points, I would give this wine with a bold 15% alcohol more. Plenty of big, dark and dry black fruit, peppery and balanced.

For a finisher Mark brought out his latest wines, 2018 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both needed “another winter”, six to eight months or so, in bottle before he will release, but we could tell they would be worth the wait. The Merlot had outstanding blue to black fruit; rich, layered, spice, smokey and very aromatic. The Cab was bright now, but again, had that good fruit and earthy qualities we kept finding in the Jalama wines.

https://www.facebook.com/jalamawines

https://www.instagram.com/jalamawines/

https://www.jalamawines.com/

Discovering Montemar Again, and Probably Again and Again?

August 28, 2020 by evebushman

I remember tasting Montemar wines at past Wine in the Pines events, and that a few friends were in love with their wines, especially their Pinot Noirs. When my #LAWineWriters group planned a trip to Lompoc I looked around to see who else I would like to visit, and remembered that Montemar was there. Besides Pinot they are also known for Rhônes – GSM blends and Syrah – as well as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, Rose, Viognier, Grappa and more.

When I met up with owner Caryn Arrowood she gave me their wine list, and whew, there was a lot to choose from. (For a writer, who of course has to spit everything, I limited myself to varietals that I normally appreciate.) Caryn commented that they make “too many” of a lot of varietals. They do indeed, lucky us.

But before we got to tasting Caryn showed me their life-size chalkboard where visitors could write down their goals (sadly Caryn’s husband Steve had his life’s goals written there before he passed away due to cancer), organic garden (Caryn offered that we take anything we like home with us), their sandy beach (yes, you read that right), large paintings of popular musicians one of their club members had done and plenty of well-spaced seating areas. Now, I grew thirsty to taste.

Tasting

The first wine we tasted, Caryn’s favorite and mine now as well, was their 2018 Grenache Blanc with delightful notes of fresh pineapple and fruit cocktail. Next up, a 2014 Sangiovese from Stolpman Vineyard, proved once again how great the Stolpman Vineyards are, and how a great winemaker can do great things with it. It had a beautiful nose filled with light red fruit, spice and brambles. Another wine with great fruit and spice, as well as mushrooms and violets, was the 2014 Grenache, I was now three for three in finding favorites at Montemar.

A dark, earthy, spicy wine with great balance, their 2014 GSM was the ticket. This rendition had 50% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 25% Mourvedre. A 2013 Syrah, Thompson Vineyard, had me at a “hello blueberry” youthful taste for a 2013, that also had a bright mint and some red earth notes to it.

Next up was their 2012 Syrah EBA (Extended Barrel Aged) from the Watchhill Vineyard. This wine has 12 more months in barrel, for a total of 30 months, before bottling. Caryn commented that this was “a good vineyard” for them. I got lots of red jammy fruit, pepper, crushed leaves, with a long tannic finish. Another favorite that lingered in my mind for a long time after tasting. Our final wine was a 2015 Petite Verdot from Happy Canyon. It was dark, dusty, with lots of great fruit and the most perfumed bouquet.

Note: Though Steve had been the winemaker for all of the wines we tasted, we learned that their son Kyle Arrowood, who Caryn said had been “a garage winemaker since he was a kid”, had taken up the helm. I look forward to returning and tasting Kyle’s vintages. The Arrowoods have long-time contracts with many vineyards where they can “control the fruit”, and I expect that to continue for many years to come.

Montemar Wines

1501 E. Chestnut Ct., STE E. Lompoc.

805-735-5000

https://www.montemarwinery.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Montemarwines/

https://www.montemarwinery.com/reopening.html

Discovering Camins 2 Dreams in Lompoc

August 14, 2020 by evebushman

Was recently invited by fellow wine writer and organizer of the #LAWineWriters group, Cori Solomon, for a road trip to Lompoc. It had been awhile since our group had met but Cori found a winery she liked that was most willing to set up for us outside and socially distanced for a tasting. The winery is Camins2Dreams and this is their story.

“Wife and wife” winemakers Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo Tena share the Camins 2 Dreams winery. Some of us had already tasted wines made by Gomez, as she is also the winemaker at Kita. The pair make wines, starting with their flagship Gruner Veltliner and Syrah, only in a natural style. Cori hinted that “Tara and Mireia have a good story.”

We quickly learned that the pair has years of winemaking experience between them. Gomez got her Enology degree and began making wine at J Lohr (where the two met) and Fess Parker before starting Kalawashaq’ Wine Cellars (the winery name is the same as the village her Chumash forefathers lived in). Fast forward to taking some time away to make wine in Spain, specifically at Castell d’Encus, where Tena was the winemaker. Tena also has an Enology degree, and went back to school to earn a Masters in Enology, Viticulture and Marketing of Wine.

The pair started Camins 2 Dreams in 2017, making wines from Sta. Rita Hills vineyards that focus on 100% natural bottling, not filtered or fined, all foot stomped, no new oak barrels (their new standard) and only add SO2 (a wine preservative) just before bottling. Their first production was a mere three barrels.

“We have to adjust for each vintage…it’s difficult to be consistent. So the focus is on the vineyard,” the pair shared. They “respect the land and want (their) vineyards to be SIP certified.” Look for newcomers Grenache and Graciano in their lineup.

Tasting (Notes on aromas and flavors were provided, I will only comment on those that I noted as remarkable.)

We started with a 2019 Gruner Veltliner that was a big hit with the group. Noted: pear, green apple, freshness, acidity and it worked as the perfect palate cleanser for the tasting. At the end of the tasting we were treated to a refreshing Pet Nat of their Gruner Veltliner which is described by Wine Enthusiast as “Pét-nat, or Méthode Ancestrale, is a method of sparkling wine production used all over the world. … After a period of rest that can be as short as a couple of months…”

After the white wine we moved over to their pink, a 2019 Rose of Syrah that had been made in the saignee method with nearly zero skin contact and completely fermented in stainless steel. We notes strawberries, Rainier cherries, pomegranate with a crisp finish that I thought would lend itself well to a nice picnic with cold fried chicken.

Then we started on their many Syrah wines: 2017 Zotovich Vineyard, which was their first, which had a lovely blueberry nose, tannins and long finish – my favorite of the Syrahs. A 2018 Zotovich had a lovely balance and a bit lighter to me than the 2017. The 2018 Spear Vineyards had a medium body, black fruit and a decent amount of acidity that I felt was due to its youth. We finished for with a 2018 JSB (from the John Sebastiano Vineyard) that had been bottled just two weeks prior, and a red table wine that was a combination of both 2018 and 2019 Syrah from all three vineyards: JSB, Pear and Zotovich.

My takeaway: If you seek natural wines Camins 2 Dreams is not to be missed.

Camins 2 Dreams

313 North F St, Lompoc, CA.

805-741-7047

https://camins2dreams.com

https://www.facebook.com/camins2dreams/

https://www.instagram.com/camins2dreams/

Taste of Sta. Rita Hills and Moretti Wines is Moving to Los Olivos

November 10, 2019 by evebushman

We have watched Los Olivos change and grow over the years and what we see happening there is very exciting. There are some top-notched producers that have recently opted to open tasting rooms there. The wineries and Chamber of Commerce actively promote the area and sponsor many wonderful events throughout the year. And of course there are delicious restaurants and lovely stores to break up your wine tasting time there. As many of you are aware, we made the decision to move to Los Olivos because the wine tasting traffic in Lompoc has dramatically decreased. We were one of the early tasting rooms in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto and championed it for years…we still do. So this was not an easy decision. But due to many factors out of our control, it cannot compete with other wine tasting areas like beautiful Los Olivos.

Our wineries and concept will stay the same. At least initially, we will not be allowed to serve food except breadsticks. We are still in the process of jumping through some very strict permitting hoops to feature food as we always have. We are also under a permit there that restricts our customers to 21 years and older. (We apologize for the inconvenience to our customers who normally bring their children.) However there will be a table outside for anyone under 21.

We will be open Thursday – Sunday, 11-5, as we are now. We may add Mondays in the future and will let everyone know.

Taste of Sta. Rita Hills and Moretti Wines
2923 Grand Ave.
Los Olivos, CA
93441New phone number: 805-688-1900

We look forward to seeing you at our new location, Antonio and Jeni

How Was Wine in the Pines 2018? Let Me Tell You!

June 22, 2018 by evebushman

During the drive along an empty 5 freeway on a Saturday afternoon, up to the Frazier Park exit and then a few more miles to watch the terrain change from dry desert like conditions to lush green hills and pine trees, I got to try out all the great cornering my little Mini Cooper can make on the now winding road: Welcome to Wine in the Pines 2018 in the Pine Mountain Club slice of the Los Padres National Forest.

Me and my little sister “Charlotte” at Wine in the Pines 2018

I think this is the third year my husband has graciously given his ticket up to my baby sister “Charlotte” for sisterly bonding time. We’ve always taken full advantage of the hour drive up and back to get very caught up. This year she said it was the best year ever as she was getting a hang of this wine tasting thing…while I visited with friends and tasted just a bit – lots of tossing out – as I’m the designated driver on these trips.

So, enough meandering, let’s get to the heart of the matter, what did we love to taste this year? You can skip my commentary below and just look at these four photo grids if you like, if not, here you go:

Always a good time tasting and visiting with Arndt Cellars, Ascension Cellars, Cass Winery (Ted Plemons is always a favorite at this event, as are his namesake “Ted” wines), Charles Wine (no not a distributor, he makes these wines), Stephen Hemmert Wines (loved that Roussanne), the owners of Vinemark Cellars, Tobin James poured by two sweet wine lovers from Bakersfield, Hoi Polloi and Pagter Brothers (these latter two share the Double Trouble Wine Room in downtown Newhall) towards the front of the event.

We always end our tasting in that section with my friend Yoshi Murakami with JFC International for chilled sake, shochu (he served one aged in spent Jim Beam barrels – my favorite) and shochu-based cocktails! The first year Yoshi poured at the event many people had only experienced warm sake, now that they’ve discovered cold sake, and how refreshing it is on a sunny day in the pines, his table has grown in popularity!

As I made my way up the loop – I knew that organizers Mark and Debbie Bailey always try to put the same winemakers in the same spots so their fans can find them – I knew I would meet up with Sherrijon Gaspard with her refreshing Vina Sympatica sparklers (look for a new line of still wines coming soon) and I never miss time with Michel Ayer of Workman Ayer (my all-time favorite white and red blends).

In the Pine Mountain Club Village Gazebo’s version of the Lompoc Wine Ghetto we enjoyed the live music, watching people dance and wine tastes from Flying Goat (Bubbles and Rose Bubbles), Fiddlehead Cellars, La Montagne (a new Pinot Noir) and Turiya.

Then after rounding the back bend I expectantly looked for Lee and Helen Williams of Golden Star Vineyards in their bright tie-dyed shirts, an ode to their flagship wine “Purple Haze” making new wine friends, and greeting us old wine friends too.

We loved the food that was supplied from the local restaurants like La Lena Mexican Restaurant, as well as yummy plates from our very own Wolf Creek Restaurant and Brewery. Would’ve enjoyed the Stella Artois Blood Orange beer our friends had, but I had to skip it, was getting time to get back on my favorite road!

Proceeds from Wine in the Pines benefit the American Cancer Society. Find Wine in the Pines on Facebook too.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Wine in the Pines 2017: Leave Your Troubles Behind You (Look for Eve there too!)

April 28, 2017 by evebushman

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA – Leave your troubles behind and travel to an oasis – only an hour or so north from Los Angeles. Pine Mountain Village, at the crest of the 5-freeway, has a unique venue that wine, beer, food and music lovers have enjoyed attending for more than a decade: Wine in the Pines. The event is on June 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., with a VIP entry at 12:00. Proceeds from Wine in the Pines benefit the American Cancer Society.

“It’s so exciting to see so many wineries, both big and boutique, returning for Wine in the Pines 2017,” Mark Bailey, owner of the local Madd Bailey’s Pub and the Wine Room Gallery said. “Last year’s event was epic, and once again, the village gazebo area will be transformed into the fabulous Lompoc Wine Ghetto, alongside barbecue and live music.”

At press time winery participants include Ascension Cellars, Cass Winery, Cantara Cellars, Charles Wine, Enjoy Wine, Frolicking Frog Cellars, Flying Goat, Golden Star Vineyards, JFC International, La Montagne, Lapus Luna, Madd Bailey’s Wine, MM Organics, Mountain Ranch Winery, Opolo Vineyards, Pomar Junction, Ranchita Canyon Vineyard, Sagebrush Annie’s, Silkwood Wines, Stephen Hemmert Wines, Tobin James, Turiya, Vinestead, Vista Del Rey Vineyards and Workman Ayer.

Wolf Creek Brewery, Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company, Firestone and Stella Artois are the craft beer breweries also signed up so far, while food vendors include Big Mike’s Ragin BBQ, Brazil Hot Dogs, La Lena Mexican Restaurant and Wolf Creek Restaurant.

In addition to the wine, beer and food vendors there is always live music wafting through our woods – at least three bands!

The Wine Room Gallery Wine Bar in Pine Mountain will be open on both Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. and guests will be able to purchase and take home some of the wines they tasted at the festival. Tickets and information: www.WineInThePines.com, 661-242-8810, thewineroomgallery@yahoo.com and Facebook.

Information on cabins available for rent is also on the website: www.WineInThePines.com and there is a Holiday Inn located nearby.

Sta. Rita Hills Road Trip to The Wine House

April 22, 2016 by evebushman

The Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance presented Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other cool climate varieties at the Wine House in Los Angeles this past week. Guests were told not to “…miss this opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones and see what is up in the Hills!” And, in my usual form, those with short attention spans can get their fill in this 1 minute YouTube slideshow from the event.

For a change, and because this was going to be a tasting of only a select group of winegrowers, I made an effort to visit every table…but I didn’t drink everything as some (Brewer-Clifton, Crawford, Clos Pepe and Longoria) I had recently tasted at other events and from home.

I’d have to say that all, again for a change, were a hit with me. I may not have loved every wine from every winery but I did love at least 1-2 wines from most. This was a first for me. My takeaway notes from most are below. Sorry to the very few that I did miss!

Participating Wineries For Trade
AVE Wines – Loved at a recent STARS tasting but this was my chance to try three “above 90 pointers” from their Pinot program. Well done.

Bratcher
Brewer – Clifton – Already a fan of this rock star winemaker.
Clos Pepe – I always love seeing the hard-working Andrew Turner with the Pinot that, in my opinion, put Sta. Rita Hills on the map.
Crawford Family – Love seeing Mark Horvath, and his wines never disappoint as well.
Fess Parker – Busy table with lots of great Pinots, as it’s been doing for years.
Fiddlehead Cellars – Been a fan for a while, well done wines.

Flying Goat Cellars– Loved the “Goat Bubbles” for its great fruit, cheese and toast notes.
Foxen Winery – Nice Pinots, and killer 2014 Chenin Blanc.
Hilliard Bruce Vineyard and Winery
Hitching Post Wines– One of publicist Jannis Swerman’s favorites, her marketing helps me not to forget about this long-standing respected winery.
Ken Brown Wines– Classic Pinots as usual: Encantada Vineyard and Rita’s Crown Vineyard were my choices.
Kessler-Haak Vineyard – Fun 2014 Rose of Pinot Noir and a nice 2014 Chardonnay as well. And they did sneak in a bottle of 2013 Syrah that was great.
Longoria Wine – It was nice to see Richard Longoria with his impressive Pinots at the event. (I’m a former club member and have met with him at his Lompoc Ghetto tasting room.)
Montemar – Followed wine pal Marla Hofstee to this table, plenty of vintages to try and enjoy.
Pali Wine Company – Loved at least two of their Pinots: Huber Vineyard and Summit!
Prodigal Wines – Had to agree with Wine Enthusiast: the 2013 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir was well deserving of its 93 points.

Purisima – Loved the Zotovich Vineyard 2015 Chardonnay!
The Hilt – Their fun wine rep walked me through a few nicely made Pinots.
Transcendence Wine
Wan Fiore Project – The first table I stopped at, I recall liking the 2013 La Encantada the most. The winery name is a blend of the names of two brothers-in-law, one named Wan, the other, Fiore.

Parting Words

If you are a Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay fan you MUST plan a visit. Start here: http://www.staritahills.com

Vintage Beacon Circa 9/10: Your Fine Wineries

June 16, 2015 by evebushman

What’s the one thing that you must have when you visit wine country? A driver? A roadmap? Reservations? Okay, there’s more than one thing. But for me, the one thing I don’t want to leave out is: A Plan. And the only way to get said plan is to research. Talking to friends, Internet search and notes…all necessary “pairings”, but the one thing I won’t leave home without is…

The California Directory of Fine Wineries

What makes this guidebook different? The world-class photography? The work of no less than four award-winning writers?

Recently I sat down with editor and publisher Tom Silberkleit, before his book-signing debut at Vino 100 Valencia event last month, to learn more.

What makes your books the definitive choice for wine area planning?

“Half the fun of visiting wineries is getting a real ‘sense of place’. When folks take a wine country holiday, their intention is to return home with good wine and good memories.” began Silberkleit. “Wine tasting is much more fun when you experience true hospitality and meet good people along the way. Our books focus on ‘destination wineries’, places with a secondary reason for the visit—in addition to good wine.

More please.

I do the ‘prep work’ for my editorial staff. If a winery is producing good wine (of course, that’s the pre-requisite) and has beautiful gardens, award-winning architecture, underground wine caves, an on-site museum, world-class photo exhibits; a patio for picnics… that’s what I’m looking for. Places like this have something for everybody whether people in a group drink wine or someone chooses to abstain. I want readers who visit California wineries to feel that they’ve gone somewhere special. Wine country is very much like Disneyland for adults.

I spend much of the year driving the state to research and taste. However, in selecting wineries for our books I never trust my palate alone. Everyone’s taste is different. I confer with wine tasters who frequent tasting rooms and special events, wine writers, fine wine sellers, and, most importantly, winemakers themselves. It’s all in order to get a broad consensus on quality.

My photographer and writers are top professionals in their fields. They have published works in various media and live right here in California’s wine regions.

Tell me about the Quiz, that I lifted for my blog, on winery trivia, did one of your four writers make that up?

“It turns out, it’s a rather tough quiz. I took the questions directly from The California Directory of Fine Wineries books and had fun doing it!”

About Tom Silberkleit

As a teenager Tom signed up for a free correspondence course on the wines of France. Attending his freshman year of college in Europe further developed his palate.

When a sommelier friend suggested that Tom try a second growth Bordeaux: Chateau Léoville-Las Cases as an investment, Tom dove in and bought 4 cases. He admitted that at first the young wine tasted horrible but 20 years later it garnered him a hefty profit – and a perfect taste, “It was smooth – front to back – and I made enough from the venture to take a holiday.”

Later in life, his career as a writer turned to the promotion of California wines and wineries. Tom spent 27 years touring different places just in Sonoma alone while he wrote about his adventures in a local newspaper. Then, leaving the rat race behind, he started his own graphic design studio while simultaneously making a string of major book sales to such publishers as Doubleday, St. Martin’s Press, and Stein & Day.

In 2001, Tom made the complete switch from writing to publishing. “The idea of working for twelve months on a project only to sell the rights to a large corporation with a large front-list of competing titles always felt counterintuitive. I primarily work on projects that I feel very passionate about. I love the wine industry and certainly made the right choice in retaining editorial control and publishing this best-selling series through my own company.”

“I’ve covered glamorous wine estates in Napa Valley as well as the so-called ‘wine ghetto’ of Lompoc in search of quality wineries. Accuracy is very important to our books. Up until the final publication goes to press I am updating tasting fees, menus, and details of the overall experience. You’ll notice in our books, we don’t make the mistake of offering ratings or suggesting the latest, greatest wine. As I’ve learned, once the word gets out on a hot wine—it’s gone all too quickly.”

The Wines Vino 100 Valencia Paired

No less than 7 wines were partnered for the book signing that night. Lil LePore had arranged with Chris Rigdon, our newest rep in the area for TGIC Importers, to pour Halter Ranch Vineyard from Paso Robles—one of the wineries featured in the Central Coast edition of Tom’s book. I found out from Chris that Halter Ranch wines could only be procured from Vino 100.

Guests were to taste a Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Cotes de Paso Blanc, GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend), Syrah, Cotes de Paso and Cabernet Sauvignon. As it was only 4pm, and I had another interview to conduct over wine that evening, I limited myself to only a few sips of the much recommended Rose, while chatting with Tom.

Great ripe-strawberry color, a floral nose with drops of both honey and light fruit, a watermelon taste that was remarkable as was a little white pepper on the back palate.

The Books

There are two editions of The California Directory of Fine Wineries currently available at Vino 100 in Valencia, Barnes & Noble, Borders Books, Amazon.com, and Southern California Bristol Farms stores. The Central Coast edition covers Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara while the Northern Region book, now in its 4^th edition, highlights the wineries of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino.

You can keep up with wine country news by becoming a fan of The California Directory of Fine Wineries on Facebook as well as find Tom’s Winery Trivia Quiz by clicking the blog button on his website http://californiafinewineries.com

(Editor’s note: Vino 100 is now closed.)

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com