My year in wine

January 11, 2014 by evebushman

2013 was a lot of fun for me in the world of wine, and there is much to look forward to in 2014.

The year was full of events. Two of my favorites were:

Family Winemakers of California did not have their annual trade/media tasting event in Pasadena last year. Instead, they expanded their event in Del Mar, and we made the long drive and had a wonderful time. It was definitely worth the trip but, fortunately, in 2014 they are not only back in Pasadena but have now invited the public to attend as well.

http://familywinemakers.org/

The Rhone Rangers organization represents wineries that produce Rhone varietals, such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Grenache Blanc, among others. Their annual event in Los Angeles is always something I look forward to, and last year’s was no exception.

http://www.rhonerangers.org

We attended a couple of events that we had not attended before, and I highly recommend them both:

The Ojai Wine Festival is held on the shore of Lake Casitas. A well organized event at a beautiful venue, with lots of great wineries. And, it‘s not too far of a drive.

http://www.ojaiwinefestival.com

Farther away, but well worth the trip to San Luis Obispo, Sunset’s SAVOR The Central Coast is a multi-day, must attend event. An incredible selection of wines and food that is sure to have something to please every palate.

http://www.savorcentralcoast.com/

My involvement with Eve’s Wine 101 and Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting enabled me to participate in the marketing and promotion of some successful local events:

A Toast and a WiSH held at the new Newhall Library benefiting the William S. Hart Education Foundation.

Raise Your Glass: Wine Tasting Returns to Cheers @ All Corked Up.

Santa Clarita Wine Festival.

And the Vine 2 Wine Classic benefiting the Circle of Hope.

My year also included continuing to enjoy my own favorite wineries [such as Carlisle, Turley, Robert Biale, J Dusi, Denner, Zeppelin, Cypher, Clavo, Epoch, Tobin James, Scholium Project, Mollydooker, and McPrice Myers, among others], and discovering some new ones as well.

I first tasted the Law Estate wines at the Ojai Wine Festival and was amazed at the quality of this new Paso Robles winery. Visiting the property with general manager Oliver Esparham only confirmed my opinion.

http://www.lawestatewines.com/

And speaking of being amazed, Golden Star Vineyards generously participated in our Vine 2 Wine Classic. Who would have thought that a winery from the local desert could produce such good wines? Great people there too, as Lee and Helen Williams are living the dream of producing fine wines their way.

http://goldenstarvineyards.com

Speaking of great people, how do you decide which wineries you establish a relationship with? I mean, let’s face it; there are thousands of wineries and so many of them produce great wine. You can’t buy them all, even all the ones you really like. So what do you do?

For me, assuming of course I really like the wine, a driving factor in “sealing the deal” is often how I feel about who is making or representing the wines. I really enjoyed meeting and spending time with Oliver Esparham of Law Estate and Helen and Lee Williams of Golden Star, my two big “finds” this year. I also love seeing the success Janell Dusi is having with J Dusi, enjoy my many conversations with Stillman Brown of Zeppelin, and cannot begin to express what a gratifying experience it was when Sparky Marquis of Mollydooker took an hour out of his day at 6:30 AM his time for a phone conversation.

And the social aspect goes beyond the experience with the wineries. It wouldn’t mean much without my wife Karen to share it with. And enjoying the wine trails with good friends like Mike Ortiz and Carey Babcock just make them that much better. Not to mention the person who runs this show – Eve Bushman; this wine journey has been amazing with her and her husband Ed.

Which brings me to the end of the year, and this article, unfortunately on a sad note. Our favorite local wine bar / restaurant, Cheers @ All Corked Up closed its doors at midnight on December 31^st. We have a lot of great memories from that place, and made some great friends there, including owners Al Robles and Terri Rivera, and their families. Fortunately, the friendships we made will continue, although it is a good reminder for us all of us that if we find a venue, wine bar, winery, or any other business that we like, then we need to support it.

A new tenant will be in that spot soon and it will be interesting to see what they do with the place. In the meantime, I expect there will be a lot of new wine adventures in 2014.

Tapas at Tapenade

January 10, 2014 by evebushman

The old saying, “a photo is worth a thousand words”, works for a great photographer. For me, I was simply excited about the dozen or so small tapa plates I sampled at the West Los Angeles restaurant, Tapenade, so I took about a dozen photos! (Facebook album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202058428969687.1073741853.1455706632&type=1&l=7e0bac24ed)

My brother Mike and his wife Diane were visiting for the holidays – staying with my mom in West Los Angeles – and we offered to drive to them for a dinner out. My editor Michael Perlis knows some great places so I checked with him and this one, with a $10 corkage fee and more than one meat n’potatoes option, fit the bill.

I made reservations for an early dinner at 5:30 and we ended up arriving at 5pm. The door was open though they didn’t open until 5:30, so we thought about entering, and the manager saw us, came out, and invited us in to sit at the bar for a bit. We went for it.

We started with ordering a nice French rose and a Malbec by the glass. (The wine was served in carafes alongside the stemware. The bartender poured only a couple of ounces. I like this approach as I have room to swirl. I understand from servers that they like it as it reduces discussion with patrons about whether or not they are being poured a full glass.)

We started with a few “bites” while at the bar: Indonesian Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Seared Pineapple Salad and Tuna Tartare. The Brussels Sprouts were a bit spicy for me but Mike loved them and the fact that there was an entire selection of Crispy Brussels Sprouts – seven in all! Diane enjoyed the Seared Pineapple while I liked the rum glaze on them. And, finally, the Tuna Tartare was slightly different from other versions as it was stacked above a fresh seaweed salad in a ginger-orange dressing. (Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 5-7 p.m., and the food at the bar is all priced at $6 and selected wine by the glass is $4.)

Soon it was 5:30 and we moved to our table to dig in for more. It was here that our Brazilian waitress (sorry, I should have gotten her name!) came to our aid. She went through the menu – all eight sections – explaining that we could order from each and share a main dish. We took her up on her idea. And, even better, as she herself liked everything on the menu we tried…as much as we humanly could.

These are some “comments” on our wise choices: the “impressive and buttery” Hand Harvested Scallops, “not enough” Bacon Wrapped Dates, “a bit salty but awesome” Prosciutto Manchego Terrine, “melt in your mouth rich” Duck Confit, “crisp and palate-cleansing” Grilled Pear Salad, “brilliant” Heirloom Beets, “classic” Veal Osso Buco, “ethereal” Chocolate Nutella Pot De Crème and “light and almondy” Banana Gratin. (See photo of menu for full descriptions.)

I was glad that I had brought a 2007 Lucas and Lewellan Petit Verdot as later I had to order an Earthquake Zinfandel – because we were still eating after the first bottle was done!

All in all we had a remarkable time. I’ve never had so many tapas at one seating before. I’d like to think it was because there were four of us ordering, but the reality is we were enjoying everything – the menu, the company, the service and the wine – and it added up to a memorable experience. One I would like to duplicate soon.

Tapenade Description (from Facebook)

Founded by Chef Ressul Rassallat, the menu reflects the chefs extensive travels and culinary experience in the south of France, Paris, London, Asia, Spain, and the United States. Ressul showcases his lifelong commitment to preparing simple yet innovative California cuisine and features one of the most creative wine lists in the city.

PERLIS PICKS A COUPLE OF BOOKS FOR YOU

January 4, 2014 by evebushman

In my wine travels, and my writing, I tend to focus on smaller, up and coming wineries, rather than the larger, more well-known ones. I also focus A LOT [maybe too much?] on Paso Robles. That’s why, when I came across these two books, they did not just get dumped into my ever growing pile of books-to-be-read-when-I-have-time.

I realize this article is probably too late for your Christmas shopping, but these books would make great use of any Amazon gift cards you got, or even your hard-earned cash.

THE NEW CALIFORNIA WINE

A GUIDE TO THE PRODUCERS AND WINES BEHIND A REVOLUTION IN TASTE

By Jon Bonné

Jon Bonné is the Wine Editor for the San Francisco Chronicle. In this book, he has put together his analysis of what can be considered the cutting of edge of what is going on in California. Lots of winemakers and wineries I was already familiar with, but many others I now need to seek out. This would be a great guide if you’re ready to branch out from the familiar names and really get your feet [and palate] wet.

(Editor’s note: I just got the press release about this book and Michael said I could share an excerpt:

The New California Wine is the untold story of the California wine industry: the young, innovative producers who are rewriting the rules of contemporary winemaking; their quest to express the uniqueness of California terroir; and the continuing battle to move the state away from the overly-technocratic practices of its recent past. In this comprehensive guide to the new generation of must-know wines and vintners, Jon Bonné writes from the front lines of the California wine revolution, where he has access to the stories, philosophies, and techniques of top producers…)

A RITE OF PASO

PASO ROBLES WINE COUNTRY

By Chris Kassel

Chris Kassel of www.Intoxreport.com recently spent a month in Paso Robles, digging far deeper than I have ever done. He cautions the reader that the book is not an in depth guide to the region, but is rather a chronicling of his own experience there. So, what is the book about? Well, in large part, it is about winemaker Stillman Brown, who Chris apparently spent most of his time with and who I have written about a few times myself, most recently just a couple of articles ago. Of course, Chris visits with and writes about a few other wineries and winemakers, such as Eberle, Tablas Creek, Epoch, Tobin James, Tablas Creek and Gill. But, even more importantly, Chris does a great job in capturing the spirit of the area, which you can do yourself if you are willing to cut down on the number of tasting room visits and spend more time getting the know the people involved.

After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. (2013 Update: Eve and Michael announced Eve Wine 101 Consulting. Info is here: http://evewine101.com/press-releases/) Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com.

Eve Picks Perlis: One of his first columns, Circa June 2009

December 28, 2013 by evebushman

Eve,

Here’s my post, if it could run during the upcoming Finals, that would be pretty awesome.

Michael

After family, friends, and career, I would venture to guess that two of the most important things in my life are wine and the Lakers. I’m not sure if this sound pathetic, but it is true.

I first became a fan of the Lakers in 1971-72, during that incredible 69-13 season, which included that historic 33-game winning streak. Watching Jerry, Wilt, Gail and the rest of the team during that championship season got me hooked.

Now I am not a fair-weather fan. Some people think that the Lakers have always been good. And, overall, they have been a very successful organization. But, they have had their trying times in between the great teams of Wilt and Jerry, Kareem and Magic, Shaq and Kobe, and now Kobe and Pau. I remember some pretty poor teams — teams that didn’t make the playoffs, or if they did, were eliminated early.

But through it all, I followed the Lakers, often listening to Chick’s “word’s-eye view” on the radio, as these were the days before home games being shown on cable. Actually, these were the days before cable.

In the mid-80s, I discovered wine. A lot of trials and tribulations there too, as I struggled to learn as much as I could about this incredible — what, beverage? Yes, but much more, at least to me. Finally, I was just able to enjoy what I liked and not worry too much about the details.

I was going to try to tie these two things together, my Lakers and my wine, talk about how when a great team plays together it resembles the components of a great wine coming together, but that would be kind of a stretch, don’t you think? But, what they do have in common is the enjoyment I get from them, and I think that’s what matters.

Which is why you’ll often find my wife and me at our favorite table at All Corked Up, watching the game and drinking [and sharing] our wine, especially this time of year.

Michael P.

Perlis Picks: Ian Blackburn and the Stars of Cabernet

November 23, 2013 by evebushman

Thank goodness for Ian Blackburn.

Allow me to explain…

Not long ago, I had the extreme displeasure to attend a wine seminar and tasting event that was run so poorly that I ended up leaving far earlier than I normally would, and vowed never to attend an event again by that particular organizer until I could be sure they had solved their problems – which will probably be never, as they seemed genuinely clueless.

Fortunately, a few weeks later, I had the great pleasure to attend Ian Blackburn’s Learn About Wine Stars of Cabernet seminar and tasting, held the at the beautiful Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills. It reminded me how wonderful these types of events can be when run properly, which Ian has proven time and time again he can do, and nobody does it better.

For the seminar, Ian Blackburn was moderator of a panel that consisted of:

Jean Hoefliger, winemaker for Alpha Omega.

Aaron Pott, consulting winemaker for several wineries as well as winemaker for his own label – Pott Wine.

Lars Ryssdal, general manager of Ackerman Family Vineyards.

The primary focus of the seminar was the 2011 vintage, and part of the seminar, of course, included tasting wines from this vintage from each of the above name wineries:

Alpha Omega ERA Napa Valley 2011

Pott Wine La carte et Le Territoire Napa Valley 2011

Ackerman Napa Valley 2011

The discussion continued well beyond that to include the careers paths of the gentlemen on the panel and their winemaking philosophies. And, we got to taste other wines from these winemakers, including:

Ackerman Napa Valley 2003

Monteverro, Toscana by Jean Hoefliger from a project he is involved with in Italy.

Pott Wine Carbernet Sauvignon from the iconic Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak.

After the seminar, it was time for the tasting, which included about 50 wineries pouring their latest Cabernet Sauvignon offerings. Most of the wineries were from the Napa Valley, but there were wines from other areas as well.

Some of my favorites [with my comments, if any, in brackets] were:

Louis M. Martini

http://staging.louismartini.com/

2010 Monte Rosso Cabernet

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Lot 1

[Admittedly not a winery that I have paid attention to in a while. Very impressive .]

Hall

www.hallwines.com

2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Tanner DaFoe

www.tannerdafoe.com

2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Tasting

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

[Hard to believe this Cab came from Santa Ynez. And having an actual mini barrel for the barrel tasting was a nice touch.]

Hawk and Horse Vineyards

www.hawkandhorsevineyards.com

2009 HHV / Block Three

2009 Latigo

[Biodynamic and organic winery based in Lake County.]

Anakota

www.anakota.com

Helena Montana Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Helena Dakota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Tierra Roja

www.tierraroja.com

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

[A great wine that really emphasized the fruit.]

Gentleman Farmer

www.gentlemanfarmerwines.com

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Collier Falls

www.collierfalls.com

2010 Hillside Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

[I’m a big fan of this Sonoma winery’s Primitivo. Their Cab was very tasty and it was nice to see some Sonoma representation.]

As usual, I couldn’t try everything, but that is, I think, one of the marks of a good event – to leave you wanting more and looking forward to next time. And I am definitely looking forward to Ian’s next event. You should too – sign up for the Learn About Wine email list at www.learnaboutwine.com.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. (2013 Update: Eve and Michael announced Eve Wine 101 Consulting. Info is here: http://evewine101.com/press-releases/) Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com.

Perlis Picks: Sunset SAVOR the Central Coast

November 2, 2013 by evebushman

Sunset SAVOR the Central Coast

http://www.savorcentralcoast.com/

There is a short list of events that qualify for “if you only go to one event per year”…

Sunset SAVOR the Central Coast is definitely on that list.

Held annually, with the Main Event at the Santa Margarita Ranch just outside of San Luis Obispo, the event brings together 50 Central Coast wineries ranging from Santa Barbara County to the South to Monterey County to the North, along with a host of food purveyors and lifestyle vendors. In addition, there are multiple chef and winemaker seminars so you can really learn about the wineries and food of the Central Coast, while enjoying the best of what the Central Coast has to offer.

This year’s event took place the last weekend of September. It actually started Thursday morning, September 26^th, with special events taking place off the Main Event’s grounds throughout the weekend.

The Main Event took place Saturday, September 28^th and September 29^th. One-day tickets cost $85, with a two-day pass going for $150. I highly recommend going for the two-day pass. It makes for a much more leisurely weekend, and there is no way that you could hope to spend a weekend tasting even a fraction of the wine and food offered if you tried to do it on your own, so the $150 is quite a bargain.

The seminars taking place during the main event are at an additional charge of $25, but they are well worth it.

Winemaker seminars that weekend included:

Journey Through the Paso Robles Terroir

Explore the Great Wine Roads of the West

Sunset International Wine Competition

Wine Beyond the Oak Barrel

Unique Whites of the Central Coast

What Stem is Right for You?

We attended the “Unique Whites of the Central Coast” seminar, which was a panel discussion moderated by Sara Schneider, Wine Editor of Sunset Magazine. The panelists were:

Jason Haas, Partner and General Manager, Tablas Creek Vineyard

Neil Roberts, Owner and Winemaker, Clavo Cellars

Coby Parker-Garcia, Winemaker, Claiborne & Churchill Winery

Christian Roguenant, Winemaker, Niven Family Wines

JC Diefenderfer, Winemaker, Hope Family Wines

Stephan Asseo, Owner and Winemaker, L’Aventure Winery

Chrissy Wittmann, Winemaker, Wild Horse Winery

Our education consisted of discussions about the following wines, tasting samples of which were also waiting for us at our seats when we entered:

Tablas Creek Vineyard Picpoul Blanc 2012

Clavo Cellars Albarino 2011

Claiborne & Churchill Dry Gewurztraminer 2012

Zocker Gruner Veltliner 2012

Laetitia Brut Cuvee Non-Vintage

Treana White (Blend of Viognier and Marsanne) 2011

L’Aventure Estate Cuvee Blanc 2012

Wild Horse Malvasia Bianca 2012

While you may have some of the above, I doubt if you’ve tried them all. Lots of fun and a refreshing break as well!

Chef seminars included:

Chef Nathan Lyon and Sustainable Seafood

Celebrity Chef Michael Voltaggio of ink. and ink.sack

Create a Real Taste of Mexico with Chefs Marcela Valladolid and Jeff Anderson

Inside the Sunset Test Kitchen with Margo True

Battle of the Bay

Chef Nathan Lyon and Farm to Table Fresh

Seminars were well-attended – some sold out. I think the first to sell out were Michael Voltaggio’s seminars, and not surprisingly. Michael is well known as a great chef, and if you are familiar with the television show Top Chef, you know that a few years ago he beat out his brother Bryan, as well as Kevin Gillespie, in the finale of what I still consider to be the best season of that show so far.

We had the pleasure of attending two media panels that involved Michael Voltaggio. The first one included chef Nathan Lyon and was moderated by Peggy Northrop, Sunset Editor-in-Chief. The second included Marcela Valladolid [from the Food Network] and Jeff Anderson (Vons Executive Chef) – this session was moderated by Margo True, Sunset Food Editor.

The overriding message that I got from the panels was that the food was the message. Michael Voltaggio said that the move was away from “hyper-food”, manipulating the food for presentation purposes, and letting the food speak for itself.

And the various food items offered really did speak for themselves. Some of what we tried and loved were offerings from:

Artisan

Eureka Burger

Fig Good Food

Inn at Morro Bay

Novo Restaurant & Lounge

Steamers of Pismo

Thomas Hill Organics

Ventana Grill

But, lest you think the event was all about the food, we here at Eve’s Wine 101 are about the wine, so let me give you a list of the wineries we were most impressed with (admittedly, even in two days, we did not taste everything):

Ancient Peaks Winery

Andrew Murray Vineyards

Barr Estate

Broken Earth Winery

Caliza Winery

Castoro Cellars

Clavo Cellars

Clayhouse Wines

Cypher Winery

DAOU Vineyards and Winery

Halter Ranch Vineyard

Rob Murray Vineyards

The above wineries, along with a lot more, were in the area labeled the Marketplace. There was also another section, called the Central Coast Pavilion, which included not only additional food items to sample, but wineries that had recently won awards at the Sunset International Wine Competition.

It was here that I had possibly my favorite food of the day – oysters being shucked and just ready to be grabbed and slurped – as well as two big winery surprises:

Almond Hill Vineyard, a very small producer with an absolutely delicious Syrah and Cardella Winery, based in the San Joaquin Valley, with a terrific Syrah and Barbera.

But, as I said, most of the wine was out in the Marketplace. While I already mentioned my favorites, there are a few things that really stood out for me.

First of all, it was great to connect with Mike Sinor of Ancient Peaks. I hadn’t seen him in quite some time.

Second, I finally met the owners of Castoro Cellars, Niels and Bimmer Udsen. Castoro was the first winery we ever visited in Paso Robles twenty years ago, but we had never met the owners of this pioneering winery that doesn’t get nearly enough attention these days.

And, third, write this down: Rob Murray Vineyards! Awesome wines, with admittedly really cool labels. I especially loved their amor fati Syrah and Grenache. I always consider an event a success when I can find a new winery that knocks me out, and this one did – and they are available at Whole Foods.

All in all, an outstanding event. Get on their mailing list so you don’t miss out next year.

Perlis Picks: Raise Your Glass! Wine Tasting Returns to Cheers @ All Corked Up!

September 7, 2013 by evebushman

Anyone who knows me knows that, over the last few years, we’ve spent a lot of time at Cheers @ All Corked Up. While it has gone through a few name and ownership changes, the venue has always been known for its goal of providing its customers an outstanding experience, whether it be a delicious meal, fun weekend entertainment, or great wine.

When Terri Rivera and Al Robles took over the venue well over a year ago, their goal was to return the place to its former glory, and then some. They put their own spin on it by putting in high quality kitchen equipment and elevating the menu, both with classic dishes and with those inspired by their Latin American roots.

And they jumped right into the tradition of helping out by hosting the Pour Into Sandy wine tasting event to benefit the victims of last year’s hurricane, raising over $7,500 for the Red Cross.

Now, they are holding their first private wine tasting event. You can read about it below, but the important thing to remember is: Support this event, and there will be more! So, join us.

Taste a selection of international and domestic wines as you support the return of wine tasting to Cheers @ All Corked Up, the only fully-stocked wine bar and restaurant located in the Santa Clarita Valley’s east side and just 10 minutes from the center of town.

Al Robles and Terri Rivera, the owners of Cheers @ All Corked Up, the venue that supported both Pour Into Haiti and Pour Into Sandy wine tasting events, would like to invite local and non-local, wine beginners and aficionados, back for their first private wine tasting event.

According to Al Robles, the following wineries and distributors are confirmed so far for this event: Cantara Cellars, Gagnon Cellars, Golden Star Vineyards, Reyes Winery, Southern Wine & Spirits, Trinitas Cellars and Wine Warehouse. (Just added: Estrella Creek Wines)

“We’re very excited to be offering this event to the Santa Clarita Valley.” said Robles.

The event will be held on Sunday afternoon, September 15, from 3 PM to 5:30 PM. Wine paired appetizers are included, and unlimited tasting, for a $20 per person fee. Additionally, wines that you taste and enjoy can be purchased; some at a special rate.

Contact Cheers @ All Corked Up at 661-259-2000 to guarantee your spot. The address is 26340 Diamond Place Suite 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350 and is located between Soledad Canyon Road and Golden Valley Road just off of Centre Pointe Parkway. Landmarks include the Santa Clarita Sports Complex on one side and the WalMart SuperCenter. http://www.cheersatallcorkedup.com

Wine Immersion For Beginners – Eve on The Wine Down: With or without the Audio Visual (For anyone with an old computer like my mom!)

November 25, 2011 by evebushman

This week, Eve Wine 101 readers get…my script! A few weeks ago I was asked if I was open to being on a show about wine. Duh, YES!

It happened like this:

Dear Eve,

My name is Tim Skogstrom, I own Cornell Winery and the Old Place Restaurant over in Agoura. I have spoken with Michael* a couple of times and he has posted some of my info on your site. About three months ago I started an internet show called “The WineDown”. My host is Sonja Magdevski, Emilio Estevez’s fiancé and winemaker for Casa Dumetz wines. See the current issue of the wine spectator. I would like to invite you to come in or Skype in for an interview.

The take on the show can go in a few different directions so if you are interested, please respond with a time and number I can call you for follow up.

Cheers,

Tim

*Tim knew my name because my Contributing Editor from the EveWine101.com site, Michael Perlis, had come in for a tasting and interviewed him for a story.

So, without further ado, this is what happened:

Wine Immersion For Beginners (Eve Bushman) on The Wine Down

Episode 9

Episode Synopsis (Or just watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPUqXl2Pm3k&feature=uploademail )

Today we’ve invited Eve Bushman of www.evewine101.com to explore the world of wine events. Sonja, Brandon and Eve delve into what it takes to become involved in wine culture in your local community. They talk in depth about the range of different types of events that are held weekly all over the country, taking a special interest in the greater Los Angeles area.

My photo taken on the set of The Wine Down show.

Guest Bio

Eve Bushman writes articles about wine and wine events in a local magazine and for her website www.evewine101.com. She has been writing locally in Santa Clarita Valley for just over 14 years. About 5 years ago she chose to write exclusively on wine education for beginners. However, despite all her experience, Eve still considers herself a wine 101er.

Eve also continue to write a wine 101 column in print and online for http://www.scvelitemagazine.com/ and online for http://westranchbeacon.com.

Episode Breakdown

0-3:35 Introduction

3:35 What brought you to start writing about wine?

5:15 What do you think of the wine we are drinking now?

5:45 What has helped you to learn how to appreciate wine?

6:25 What drives you to go out and buy a bottle of wine?

7:55 What do you enjoy most about writing about wine?

8:45 Do your contributors volunteer their time?

9:00 How many years have you been writing about wine? How have your site and your audience changed?

10:25 Do you find that your audience has stayed with you?

12:05 How has your knowledge of wine changed?

13:16 How often do you go to events or tasting and how often do you interact with the community?

18:00 Finding local wine events

19:39 How important are these events and how often do you go?

21:30 What are some events in particular that you like to go to?

23:55 How would you direct someone who is going to their first tasting event?

26:20 How should people approach tasting while at an event?

27:57 What tools can we use at an event?

30:55 What are some of your standard tips?

34:35 What would you ask the wine makers when you approach their table at an event?

38:00 Hide-a-Wine blind tasting product

39:00 What other ways can people become involved and learn more through blind tasting?

42:38 Wine education: formal and informal

44:20 WSETs: what is it and why is it important?

47:35 Local events all over Los Angeles

56:50 What is the most important advice you want to leave our viewers with?

58:18 Wrap up

Additional Links

www.malibugrange.com

www.casadumetzwines.com

www.cornellwinery.com

www.oldplacecornell.com

www.evewine101.com

http://www.scvelitemagazine.com/

http://westranchbeacon.com

Event Information from the Show (Editor’s Note: I have deleted events mentioned on the show that have already occurred)

www.wine661.com Cristal Champagne Tasting – Thursday, December 8th 6-9pm Wine 661, 24268 Valencia, Blvd. Valencia. Pouring 5 bubblies from the Cristal family of Champagnes; the finale being CRISTAL! Chocolates & chocolate covered strawberries come with the tasting for $40 p/person. 661.288.2980

The Antelope Valley (AV) Thespians will be presenting their final production in the 2011 Season, Three Days of Rain, by Richard Greenberg, in November at AV Winery. See local theater and enjoy local wine at the same time! The show will be several runs this November. Contact www.avthespians.org

Eve’s Wine on Wednesday: Taste three wines for free every Wednesday at Mixers, starts at 7pm, 50% off select bottles that night too. 661-750-2649, www.mixerslounge.com 26532 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, 661-750-2MIX

Also from Eve, Grape of the Night is a once a month event usually held on the first Monday of the month at Valencia Wine Company. (661-254-9300): I only host this small group, the evening is led by my staff writer Rusty Sly. The deal is he selects one grape varietal every month and guests buy a different bottle to share. It’s a great way to learn what a varietal may commonly taste like (i.e. cherries in Pinot Noir) and discover what you like or don’t like. For more information on this event e-mail me at ebushman@earthlink.net

Daily events for in and around the Santa Clarita valley (aka Awesometown) can be viewed on the SCV Wine Calendar on my EveWine101.com site or for special events, sign up for my weekly Dear Wine Friend newsletter via the site.

For pairing: Parmesan Thyme Crackers & Mole Biscotti (Try dipping IN your red at the end of a tasting) from The Pair! = a wonderful tasting/pairing! www.thepoachedpair.com

From WINE EXPO / Enoteca Centrale / Champagne World HQ 2933 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica 90404 (310) 828-4428 Bubbly Night in our Wine Bar, Friday 11/25. Taste a large range of truly fine fizz from Prosecco, Moscato and Metodo Classico bottlings from Italy, French Cremants plus some real gems from the heart of la Champagne. $30 per person for Bubbly, Chips & Nuts plus a sampler of our famous Crostini. Fizz friendly Cheese or Salumi plates and other fun snacks sold ala carte plus we’ll have the amazing Egg Slut Truck out front with even more deliciousness that you can bring inside. If you are not up for tasting the entire range, all the wines will be offered individually by the glass as well.

Winery Dinners. Continuum from Tim Mondavi on 2/5 for $295 per person. The Wine House – Los Angeles / Santa Monica – www.winehouse.com

Silverlake wines – Silverlake – www.silverlakewine.com – Blue Monday or Thursday Night Flights for $12

Red Carpet Wine – Glendale – www.redcarpetwine.com – Tasting nightly at their wine bar 888-AV2-8332

Sonja Magdevski

My voracious appetite for knowledge has led me to incredible journeys as well as halted me in my tracks. Through all I have done the one thing that connects me to the earth, to my work and to others is information.

Wine Immersion For Beginners (Eve Bushman) on The Wine Down – Episode 9