Eve's Wine 101

The Lodge at Torrey Pines to Debut Beyond the Cellar: A Spring Collectors Tasting

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LA JOLLA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Winemakers and owners from some of the most exclusive California wineries will travel down the coast to The Lodge at Torrey Pines for its inaugural Beyond the Cellar: A Spring Collectors Tasting. The AAA Five Diamond La Jolla resort will host the wine tasting and purchasing event Friday, May 8, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. There are a limited number of tickets available for this exclusive event. Tickets are priced at $150 per person and can be purchased online at lodgetorreypines.com/beyond-the-cellar.

Riding off the success and model of The Lodge’s annual culinary festival, Celebrate the Craft, Beyond the Cellar is an event geared toward wine aficionados and collectors. Winemakers and winery owners will have the opportunity to showcase some of their rare and high-end vintages that are not readily available to the general public. Wholesale pricing of featured wines will range from $100 to over $1,000 per bottle and attendees will have the opportunity to purchase wine through the attending wineries, at retail value. The majority of the bottles available for purchase cannot be found in stores or ordered online.

Curated by The Lodge’s Advanced Sommelier Paul Krikorian, Beyond the Cellar will feature highly coveted wines and experts from Napa Valley wineries including Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente, Continuum Estate, Pulido-Walker, Spottswoode, Ramey Wine Cellars, Paul Hobbs, Flora Springs, Ovid, Lewis Cellars, Morlet Family Vineyards, Staglin Family Vineyard, Hundred Acre, Mirror, and Abacus by ZD Wines. Each featured wine will be poured by either the winemaker, owner or spokesperson, providing guests with an exclusive one-on-one guided tasting. Krikorian, along with other sommeliers, will be available throughout the event to provide expert insight and advice to attendees.

Wine tastings will be accompanied by artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, handcrafted chocolates, passed hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment by a jazz guitarist and a champagne greeting. Along with bottles and barrels from the wineries, guests will also have the chance to purchase fine glassware from Riedel, the premier wineglass and decanter manufacturer. Additionally, Riedel will provide guests with a surprise takeaway gift.

Guests interested in extending their Beyond the Cellar experience can also reserve a room package starting at $719 per night, which includes two tickets to the event.

About The Lodge at Torrey Pines:
The Lodge at Torrey Pines is an AAA Five Diamond award-winning property offering views of the world renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course and the Pacific Ocean. Guests of The Lodge can take advantage of the near perfect weather while hiking the Torrey Pines State Reserve, golfing on Torrey Pines Golf Course or relaxing at the spa. The Lodge pays tribute to the California Craftsman Movement and is modeled after Greene and Greene’s famed Gamble and Blacker houses in Pasadena, California, two of the finest examples of early 1900s Craftsman-style architecture. The Lodge features 170 spacious guest rooms and suites, a 9,500 square-foot full-service spa and two restaurants serving contemporary California cuisine. The Lodge is owned and operated by Evans Hotels and is in proximity to the San Diego International Airport, downtown San Diego and downtown La Jolla. The Lodge is located 11480 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037. For reservations, call (858) 453-4420 or visit http://www.lodgetorreypines.com.

Perlis Picks: Maré and the wineglass question

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Recently, my esteemed publisher and good friend Eve Bushman wrote an article about her current pet peeves.

eve-wine-101-shirtI think I was at least partially instrumental in triggering one of them.

One of the issues she raised had to do with restaurant customers whining about the adequacy of appropriate stemware for wine service. Her suggestion to the whiner was something to the effect of “get over it or bring your own glasses.” While Eve said that I was not the only person who has complained to her about glasses, we did just recently have the following experience…

We were dining at a reasonably nice restaurant, which shall remain nameless. The wine list had obviously been given some thought and it was well put together. But the wineglasses for the restaurant were essentially just nice stemmed water glasses. I asked Eve: “Why doesn’t [blank] have decent wineglasses to go with the effort he’s put into everything else in the restaurant?” Her reply was: “Why don’t you just bring your own?”

Admittedly, there have been times when I have done just that, although not in a while. Schlepping glasses is just not a lot of fun. Also, one of Eve’s pet peeves that she mentions in the article refers to wine snobs, and I don’t think there is much that make you look more like a wine snob than showing up at a restaurant with a bunch of Riedels. Although, yes, I have done it but I try to limit that to when the wineglasses are just totally unacceptable.

If you ask my preference, then I’d say I’d prefer all restaurants serve wine in large, thin Riedel or similar glasses. But once I get beyond that preference, then I look at context.

I’m going to digress now. Please bear with me for a few paragraphs.

I’ve been wanting to write about one of our favorite restaurants for some time and this is a perfect opportunity.

Maré on Melrose is…well…it’s an experience. Parking on Melrose can be pretty tricky so plan on using the valet or a car service. There is no direct entry to Maré. Instead, walk into Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese [Chef Eric Greenspan and his partners own both restaurants] and go to the back [be sure to say hi to the guys behind the counter]. Walk through the grilled cheese shop’s storage area and up a short flight of stairs. Finally open what appears to be a refrigerator door; you find yourself in a four-walled uncovered patio. Welcome to Maré!

According Chef Greenspan: “Maré is inspired by a European city by the coast…a little getaway to relax and share good food with good company.”

The menu is focused, with a heavy emphasis on seafood. Service is excellent, friendly and gracious. Karen almost always gets one of the seafood broths with pasta and a poached egg still in the shell – I usually steal the egg from her.

There is also a whole branzino on the bone, a skirt steak and a half a dozen or so other regular menu items, as well as typically a few specials.

We recently had a sweet potato gnocchi that was nothing short of amazing. The few desserts are excellent as well and I definitely suggest you save room for at least one of them. I recommend this place very highly; it’s a good idea to go with a few or even several people to be able to share multiple dishes but the starlit sky also provides for a nice romantic atmosphere for a couple. It is a fairly small patio so reservations are definitely suggested. I admit I wasn’t sure I’d like this place but I thought I’d go once to check it out. We keep going back.

The wine list is fairly small. The wines offered aren’t ones I’m familiar with and I haven’t had an opportunity to find out how they are selected. We BYOB, although we usually order a glass of something white, pink or sparkling to start, or maybe even the sangria.

The wine glasses are essentially tumblers. I’m not talking Riedel O-series here, I just mean short wide tumblers. And you know what? In this setting, they work, they’re perfectly acceptable and they’re kind of fun.

Note that Maré recently opened a second location in Santa Monica, taking over the old JiRaffe spot. The ambience there is a little more upscale and the glasses match that. We like both places but we still prefer the Melrose location.

So, back to wineglasses. Once you get past that you’re not going to get high end stemware everywhere you go, then it should come down to context. So long as you’re not being served wine in little thimble-sized glasses, I think it comes down to the glasses fitting, at least, the ambience of the restaurant.

And to that guy who has an upscale restaurant who has spent a lot of time putting together a nice wine list, yeah, you still need better wineglasses.

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. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.

Eve’s Wine Pet Peeves, Again

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Awhile back I did a few things, I wrote Wine Service at Your Home, an Event, Bar, Winery or Restaurant, another on Bad Somm Service and compiled a little 99 cent e-book called Wine Etiquette For Everyone: How To Feel Like A Pro In Any Situation Involving Wine. Fast-forward a couple of years and as it would turn out, my level of detecting aromas and flavors has also identified more BS in the wine community. Check it out, though I may have a couple or repeats in here as some things still really bug the hell out of me:

restaurant-449952_960_720I recently dined at a restaurant that served wine and allowed BYOW (Bring Your Own Wine). The waitress took the bottle I had brought in, opened it up out of my view (guessing there is one corkscrew in the place) then returned with the bottle, and presto, the cork was removed right through the now ripped foil. I had no choice but to remove the jagged remains from the top of the bottle myself. Why they would serve wine this way I don’t know. It’s just plain ugly and the diner has to do the work.

This is one a few people mentioned to me on Faceboook: Attending a catered party, complete with hired bartending services, and the bar ends up being low on basic supplies and the server is ill-trained.

Holding the wine glass by the bowl instead of the stem is only appropriately called for if the wine is too cold and the aromas are closed off. (I’ve been known to cup a frosted glass – another pet peeve – of white wine as I can’t detect a damn thing when the wine is served icy cold.) The stem is there for a reason, please use it. It allows you to easily swirl your wine so you can enjoy its color and aromas.

Anyone with the inability to handle a cork mishap hasn’t been trained properly. I’ve actually had to step in to rescue a broken cork from a bottle, or to wipe down the inside or outside of the neck of broken cork remnants.

This is very common: not pouring a taste when you BYOW to a restaurant. Any bottle can be corked or deemed undrinkable. Why not show the courtesy, and if the bottle is not up to par, there you are ready to offer a suggestion for replacement. Seems like a no brainer to me. When I’m hosting a party or working a wine event I always taste the wines before serving.

Please taste through your wines before subjecting a diner or guest to a pairing. Wine and cake is not my favorite pairing. Neither are cocktails and cookies. Like and like works with food: a good example is a big Cab with firm tannins will help break down fat in a big steak. But a sweet wine with an equally sweet dessert isn’t for everyone. Port alone or with a little chocolate is good, while a Sauterne is nice with a blue cheese, the rest you can keep to yourself.

Bad glasses: if you really don’t like the glasses offered at a restaurant enough that it negatively changes your experience, bring your own. A restaurant may not carry the latest Riedel or crystal glasses for the sole reason that they are expensive, highly breakable and not the easiest to fit in their dishwasher. Get over it or pack up and bring in your own.

If you serve wine in individual carafes please don’t empty the entire carafe into the wine glass. It’s not a show. Pour about two ounces, or up to the widest portion of the glass. Overfilling the wine glass won’t allow for swirling.

Ignoring a drip: really? Come prepared with a cloth napkin nearby when you serve wine. The diner shouldn’t be responsible to wipe up a drip. Or, if left unnoticed, have their clothing stained.

Over chilled white wines: I understand the majority of people like wine bucket service for their sparkling. It’s a nice show. But unless it’s 90+ degrees out I would rather discern the serving temperature myself of a white wine. If a white is served too cold aromas are shut down.

This should be obvious but while guests watch a server opening a wine they will notice dirty fingernails. Please clean up before serving. Egads people.

Not a biggie but the foil capsule is the bottle’s “dressing” and shouldn’t be completely removed. I’ve been told it’s easier for the staff, among other reasons, but it’s not supposed to be served that way and a wine person will only presume that you just don’t know any better.

Many a time a bottle is presented and poured with the label hidden in the palm of a hand. Please turn the bottle around, holding with one hand by the back and the punt, and confirm it was the correct one ordered. The bottle should then be shown to all of the guests at the table if possible.

This is fun to watch but not appropriate: holding the bottle between your knees or under your arm to retrieve the cork. If you simply can’t maneuver it, then place it on the table to help you balance the bottle while opening.

This happened to me once in a very high-end restaurant: The waitress and I both watched as the sediment slid out of the bottle and into my glass. Really? Stop pouring and replace the wine. She didn’t.

Snobs, I’ve touched on this one before but have since have to add: please be careful on social media. Your “expert’s rant” is subject to commentary so unless you know something to be a fact, and of value to others, keep it to yourself. Expressing an “elevated view” of wine makes you look like a snob, some of your followers may feel like veritable idiots and is a complete disservice to the wine community.

This video from Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) on opening wine is valuable, and if you want more there are four in the series you can watch here.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), 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

Masters and Makers @ Meritage – The Ultimate Napa Valley Food and Wine Experience

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The Meritage Resort and Spa Hosts Third Annual Wine and Food Celebration

wine21NAPA, Calif. (January 12, 2016) – The Meritage Resort and Spa will host the third annual Masters and Makers @ Meritage from February 12 -14, 2016. The Napa Valley food and wine experience will showcase Napa Valley and Sonoma County wines along with farm-fresh foods through creative wine tasting experiences, interactive seminars, and a culinary class. The weekend-long event will also feature a winemaker dinner in the Estate Cave featuring HALL Wines, and a grand tasting benefitting Community Resources for Children, a Napa Valley charity.

Masters and Makers @ Meritage is aimed at teaching attendees from novice to aficionado more about the famous wines of Napa Valley. Guests can choose from a variety of interactive, educational, and unique activities led by master winemakers and sommeliers – making it the wine event not to miss.

Friday, February 12 – Amuse Bouche:

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., The Masters and The Makers

Learn about tasting wine from a winemaker, master sommelier, and winery proprietor. The panel of experts will lead a tasting session featuring wine from HALL Wines and Trinitas Cellars, and answer questions from attendees. This event is your opportunity to learn from the experts and try a selection of wines from HALL before the winemaker dinner. $60/person

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., HALL Wines Winemaker Dinner in the Estate Cave

A master sommelier and representatives from HALL Wines along with The Meritage Resort and Spa’s Executive Chef Ryan Rupp will take you on a wine and culinary journey. The event will feature a multi-course dinner paired with wines from HALL. $175/person

Saturday, February 13 – Á la Carte Saturday:

(Guests are able to choose from several activities)

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Opposites Attract – The Most Unlikely Pairings of Food and Wine

Cabernet and Steak, Port and Chocolate – most wine enthusiasts believe they are knowledgeable about wine and food pairings, but sometimes the most unexpected items complement each other. Join Trinitas Cellars as we explore this idea with four unique pairings. After the tasting, enjoy a plated multi-course lunch with wine. $100/person

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Cook to This! Cooking Class and Wine Pairing with Skywalker Vineyards

Wine, recipes, ingredients, and education. The Meritage Resort and Spa’s culinary team will lead a cooking class where you create your own lunch from custom recipes paired with Skywalker Vineyards wines. Sip wine as you craft each course, and then dine and enjoy your culinary creation. $100/person

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Blind Date – A Taste of Napa Valley Cabernet

In the dating world, blind dates can go really well or be very awkward. Luckily when it comes to wine, not knowing what to expect is a good thing. Taste a selection of Napa Valley Cabernets in varietal specific glassware and see if you can figure out which one is your favorite, then compare it with others. $40/person (optional event, not part of all-access pass)

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Shape of the Glass Tasting with RIEDEL: Relationships and Glassware Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Ever wonder why there are so many different shapes and sizes of stemware available? Join RIEDEL as we embark on a unique wine tasting experience focused on learning about the shape of the glass. Learn about how to match your stemware to your wine and enjoy the benefits of improved bouquet, texture, flavors, and finish. The experience will take you through some of the finest Napa Valley wines from Etude, world renown chocolates from Lindt, and explain the winemakers’ secrets behind each wine. This year we will feature four different glasses from RIEDEL while trying two white and two red wines. After the class, you keep the glassware, which is a $140 value. $100/person (optional event, not part of all-access pass)

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Grand Tasting

The Meritage Grand Salon will transform into a majestic tasting room with more than 40 Napa Valley and Sonoma wineries showcasing many of the finest wines produced in the region. These wines and a few brews from local breweries will be featured alongside endless creations from our incredible culinary team and favorite Napa Valley restaurants. Guests have the opportunity to walk around to each winery and pair a variety of exquisite wines with a wonderful selection of seafood, delightfully prepared meats, cheeses, and decadent desserts all while enjoying live music. A portion of the proceeds from the Grand Tasting will benefit Community Resources for Children, a Napa Valley charity. For an exclusive opportunity to taste some of the finest wines in Napa Valley, purchase access into our VIP area where wineries will offer tastings of at least one wine that sells for $75 or more. $125-$175/person (discounts available for Napa County residents)

Sunday, February 14 – Valen-Wines Day:

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Valentine’s Day Sparkling Brunch

Enjoy a fabulous Valentine’s Day brunch with your special someone as The Meritage Resort and Spa’s culinary team partners with some of the top sparkling wine producers from Napa Valley. In addition we will have spirits available and an expert mixologist to create all of your favorite breakfast cocktails. $69/person

 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Meritage Blends, a Vino and Cioccolato Experience

Treat your Valentine to a casual afternoon tasting of Meritage blends from across the Napa Valley and Sonoma regions paired with the best chocolates Northern California has to offer. Did you know that Meritage wines must be a blend of two or more of the eight traditional Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Gros Verdot, Carménère, Saint-Macaire)? Taste some of the best blends while enjoying chocolates from our favorite local and regional candy shops. $60/person

“We look forward to highlighting what Napa Valley does best – wine and food— at the third annual Masters and Makers @ Meritage,” said Michael Palmer, general manager of The Meritage Resort and Spa. “From world-class, award-winning wines to fabulous food prepared with fresh ingredients by our resort’s talented chefs, this event is a must for all wine lovers.  After the weekend, attendees will leave with an increased appreciation for the art of winemaking, winetasting, and wine pairing.”

Masters and Makers @ Meritage offers 3-Day All Access Passes for $549 per person that include the following events: The Masters and The Makers; HALL Wines Winemaker Dinner in the Estate Cave; Cook to This! Cooking Class and Wine Pairing OR Opposites Attract … The Most Unlikely Pairings of Food and Wine; Grand Tasting; Valentine’s Day Sparkling Brunch; and Meritage Blends, a Vino and Cioccolato Experience. Does not include: Blind Date … a Taste of Napa Valley Cabernet; Shape of the Glass Tasting with RIEDEL; or Grand Tasting with VIP Tasting (VIP Tasting can be purchased separately or through VIP All-Access Pass, other events can be purchased separately). Discounted room packages are also available, that include a two-night stay with rates starting at $299* per night and two 3-Day All Access Passes ($499 per pass not included in room rate). Use Promo Code ALLACCESS.

A portion of all ticket sales from the Grand Tasting will be donated to Community Resources for Children, a Napa Valley charity.

For tickets and information, visit MeritageResort.com/Masters. All ticket purchases can be made securely through The Meritage Resort website with a room reservation or through EventBrite.

About The Meritage Resort and Spa

The Meritage Resort and Spa is an extraordinary four-diamond Napa Valley luxury resort set against a hillside vineyard. A destination unto itself, it features 322 Tuscan-inspired guestrooms and luxury suites, seasonal farm-to-table cuisine at the Siena Restaurant and wine tasting in the Estate Cave featuring Trinitas Cellars. Regain a healthful balance with curative treatments at Spa Terra—a lavish underground spa with steam grottoes, soaking pools, treatment alcoves and tranquil walls of water. The resort boasts the most comprehensive event and meeting space in the wine country, including the two largest ballrooms in the Napa Valley, the Estate Cave and three covered terraces. Crush Ultra Lounge offers guests a chance to relax with a full bar, sports entertainment and six bowling lanes. Far more than a place for relaxation, our unique property is an Old World escape from the ordinary. The Meritage Resort and Spa experience is the perfect blend of gracious hospitality, unrivaled amenities and peerless personal care. The Meritage Resort and Spa, We are Napa. MeritageResort.com.

 About Meritage Collection

The Meritage Collection is a lifestyle and luxury hotel brand that blends iconic, one-of-a-kind places with locally-inspired experiences designed for the curious traveler. Débuted in 2013, Meritage Collection is comprised of five hotels & resorts throughout California – The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara, Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach (Opening May 2016), Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach and Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa. Reflective of its California roots, the Meritage Collection offers a laid-back luxury service culture that caters to the modern day traveler. The Collection properties are members of the Global Hotel Alliance and its DISCOVERY Rewards Program. DISCOVERY rewards travelers with local experiences and unique adventures not generally available to the public. For more information, please visit MeritageCollection.com or follow us on Twitter @MeritageHotels or Facebook Facebook.com/Meritage.Collection.Hotels.

*rate does not include taxes and resort fee