Lucky’s Malibu is officially open!

May 12, 2021 by evebushman

Opened in December 2020 (for takeout only due to COVID restriction), and in Spring 2021 for onsite dining, Lucky’s is the 2^nd location of Lucky’s Steakhouse in Montecito, the premier steakhouse in Santa Barbara County known as much for its highly acclaimed USDA Prime steaks and live lobster as its world class, yet warm and inviting service. Classic cocktails, an award-winning wine cellar and a staff that remembers your name round out a dining experience that has become legendary with locals and celebrities alike. Lucky’s, located in Malibu Country Mart, is part of The Montesano Group founded by Gene Montesano, which also includes Lucky’s Steakhouse (Montecito), Tre Lune, Joe’s Café and D’Angelo Bakery.

Lucky’s Malibu is located within Malibu Country Mart at 3835 Cross Creek Road, Unit 18, Malibu, California.

For more information, please visit https://www.luckysmalibu.com/

About The Montesano Group

Founded by Lucky Brand entrepreneur Gene Montesano, The Montesano Group is a collection of restaurants in Santa Barbara – and now in Los Angeles — County including Lucky’s Steakhouse, Tre Lune Restaurant, D’Angelo Bakery and Joe’s Café, along with retail clothing store Civilianaire, located in Montecito.

About Malibu Country Mart

Located in the heart of Malibu, nestled against the majestic mountains and just a stone’s throw from the beach, lies Malibu Country Mart, California’s premier location for shopping, dining, and relaxing. Feeling more like a beachside oasis than a shopping center, the mart is home to countless exclusive and luxury boutiques, health and wellness shops, art galleries, and restaurants, attracting the affluent beach set and neighbored families since its opening more than four decades ago.

Seasoned Wine Writer and National Geographic Photographer Collaborate on the Definitive Santa Barbara County Wine Book

April 1, 2021 by evebushman

At over six hundred pages, Vines & Vision: The Winemakers of Santa Barbara County delivers the most in-depth study of Santa Barbara wine country yet

“When I first met Matt Kettmann a few years ago, he was pretty laid back, but very engaged with Santa Barbara County wine. He turned on a new level of commitment to the wine region when he decided to write a book with photographer Macduff Everton, longtime chronicler of the area with candid, off-center, fun, and telling images. This is a great and precise exposition of a great and abundant wine region, Santa Barbara County.”— Jim Clendenen, Au Bon Climat

Santa Barbara, CA – Unlike Northern California regions like Sonoma and Napa, where countless pages in numerous books have waxed on about their people and places, Santa Barbara wine country is decidedly lacking in books about the region, with just a handful published over its entire modern history. That’s changing this year with the publication of Vines & Vision: The Winemakers of Santa Barbara County, an intimate yet sprawling 632-page study of more than 100 wineries and vineyards in the region by writer Matt Kettmann and photographer Macduff Everton.

Photo credit: Santa Barbara Independent

Santa Barbara County winemaking pioneer Richard Sanford (Founder, Sanford Winery, Alma Rosa Winery) who penned the book’s forward, says, “In Vines & Vision, Matt and Macduff have captured that pride with their photographs and profiles of the important people and places in our wine region. They are uniquely qualified to tell this story.”

“This felt like an opportunity to do my part in showing others what makes our region so honestly special, from the unique geography to the colorful characters,” says author Matt Kettmann (editor at The Santa Barbara Independent and Wine Enthusiast), who’s been covering the region as a journalist since 1999 and reviewing more than 150 Central Coast wines every month since 2014. He collaborated on the project with renowned photographer Macduff Everton (National Geographic, Conde Nast), who has photographed the area’s winemakers and vineyards since the early 1990s. After working together on Around the Table, a book about The Lark, a popular Santa Barbara restaurant, the two plotted out plans for a wine book over pints of Guinness in the fall of 2017.

“It’s been a longer than expected haul,” says Kettmann of the process. “We’ve spent almost three years corralling grape growers and winemakers for photo shoots, interviewing so many of them again, and, in some cases, hanging out for the first time.”

The results are riveting reading, with winemakers, farmers, and vineyard workers sharing their stories in ways that are often unexpectedly candid. While exploring the vineyards, Everton made fast friends with the many Spanish-speaking workers, as he’d spent so many years of his career covering the Maya people of Mexico, as detailed in his book The Modern Maya Incidents of Travel and Friendship in Yucatán (Univ. of Texas Press).

“Macduff made an immediate and deep connection with the hundreds of farmworkers who do the hard work in the vineyards every day and began shooting portraits of them as well, toting a portable backdrop along to every visit,” explains Kettmann. Those efforts expanded into a separate chapter called “El Buen Equipo,” or “The Good Team,” which features those farmers as well as people in every other role required to bring a vintage to market, from PR pros and marketing executives to wealthy proprietors.

With over 100 chapters, Vines & Vision: The Winemakers of Santa Barbara County focuses on the people, places, history, geography, and diverse culture in one of America’s leading wine regions. It shines a bright light on both familiar and famous faces from the region, as well as the industry’s often unsung heroes; the laborers, farmers, office workers, and numerous others who are vital to and instrumental in taking each and every vintage to market. Because of its comprehensive nature, Vines & Vision will be the primary reference text for this region for decades to come.

Lane Tanner, whose eponymously named brand was synonymous for years with the Santa Maria Valley appellation, says, “Macduff and Matt’s new book is not only a definitive informational source, it delivers seriously fun facts that I have never seen in print before! Super cool read!”

“In a culture increasingly marked by quick sound bites of information and abridged attention span, we seldom have the privilege to experience thorough investigation and discovery,” says winemaker Greg Brewer (Brewer-Clifton, diatom, Ex Post Facto). “Vines and Vision is one of those rare examples which demonstrates a metered pursuit to portray a multi-faceted representation of Santa Barbara County winegrowing. The diversity of this landscape is only rivaled perhaps by the variety of its people which requires not only patience but also a keen eye to carefully uncover. Through their tireless efforts, Matt Kettmann and Macduff Everton have done just that to produce a stunning work which harnesses the intensity of the topography and intimately captures the passion of those working within. The trust and intimacy that they have forged with everyone in Santa Barbara is shared throughout each and every page of this significant work that will forever hold a vital position in the history of this unique area.”

The book also includes essays on the history of the region (bolstered by Everton’s treasure trove of older photos), an exploration of Santa Barbara’s unique geography, descriptions of each appellation, and coverage of an entire growing season, from pruning to bottling. Featuring intimate portraits of winemakers, the book is very personal in nature, driven by the people and places that make Santa Barbara wine country so special.

“This insightful book captures the essence of Santa Barbara County’s soul,” said sommelier and winemaker Rajat Parr. “Matt Kettmann and Macduff Everton dive deep into the terroir of the region and showcase its trailblazers. A groundbreaking resource for the Santa Barbara wine country.”

To purchase Vines & Vision: The Winemakers of Santa Barbara County, visit https://www.vinesandvisionsb.com/. It is also available at bookstores and wineries throughout Santa Barbara County, which are listed on the website as well.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2018: What Wines Would You Stock if You Owned a Wine Bar?

March 9, 2021 by evebushman

Recently a pal that used to live in Santa Clarita had called me as he was opening a wine bar where he lives now in Texas. He didn’t want advice on anything other than what wine I would want if I were to visit his bar.

Since he had moved to Texas a few years ago he had been working in real estate, spent some time working in a large wine store, met more ex-pats (people that had come from California too) and ran a large wine tasting group. I didn’t offer any advice on how to open his bar as he had it covered. But I took to Facebook to ask my local pals what they would want stocked in the shelves if they owned a wine bar. They had some really great ideas! These are some of their comments:

THE WINE LIST

This is a compilation of just some of the wines my pals would stock their wine bar with:

Jonata, Potek, Scar of the Sea, True Believer, Andremily, Mail Road, Stolpman, Kimsey, Roark, The Paring, The Hilt, Spear (all Santa Barbara).

So many – Crémant, Melon d’ Bourgogne, Cru Beaujolais, Cahors, Brunello, Valtellina, Vin Santo, Madeira to name a few.

There is never enough Syrah anywhere. Still gets short shrift in the marketplace, which is a shame.

I am a sucker for Roussanne and other Rhone varietals. I love Grenache and Viognier too. Zaca Mesa and Stolpman make fabulous Roussanne.

I would like to see some Gruet Brut Rose or some blends that you can’t buy at a grocery store.

Belle Glos and Domaine Carneros Pinots, plus some Australian, Spanish and Chilean cabs.

Quintarelli, Casanova, Pine Ridge, Ridge, Tolo, Foxen…

On a wine list I look for value since they have to mark it up so much. Burgundy and Barolo would be nice but I’d go to the off the beaten path wines – Cru Beaujolais (France), Ripasso, Valpolicella, Sicilian wines. For those who like big jammy wines – Shiraz! Whites – I like to see Rose from France, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre (France). If there is a Somm I give them a price range and let them know what I like. Never have been disappointed.

Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Frogs Leap Cab, Rombi Cabernet, Bookenoogen Pinot and Heller Merlot.

Under $100: Cade Cabernet Sauvignon, Campesino Syrahs and Pinot Noirs, Shafer One Point Five, Grgich Hills, Turley Zins, Prisoner, Orin Swift, Patz & Hall pinots, Flowers, Mantanzas Creek Chards, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Tablas Creek and Justin.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir is hands down one of the best Pinots out there.

Lone Star Wine Cellars and Landon Winery are two wineries in McKinney Texas. I haven’t been there in a few years. But, remember the wines were pretty good. They have tasting rooms in historic downtown McKinney TX.

Also would love to have more orange wines on menus. I’m glad it’s becoming a trend.

Would love to see more wines from Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez area. Roblar in Los Olivos is one of my favorite wineries and reasonably priced in my opinion. There are so many smaller vineyards in both of these areas to explore. Tired of seeing Kendall Jackson and the like in many of the restaurants/wine bars. Pretty much I would love to taste wines that I would not be able to find at Bev Mo, not that they have bad wines, but just not interesting ones…

Le Vigne Vineyards has some wonderful wines, Justin cabs of course, Clos Solene, L’Aventure and RN Estate are some of my favorites. All from Paso.

Justin makes a great Malbec I have been enjoying! I’m typically a Cab girl myself.

For whites: Dry Rieslings (German or Alsatian), Sancerre, South African Sauvignon Blanc, and Austrian Gruner Veltliner (as opposed to Hungarian). For reds: I love the less stereotypical Italian reds such as Nero D’Avola and pretty much any red from the Piedmont region.

I’m always excited to see Barbera and GSM’s when I visit a place that I am planning to drink wine at. I also enjoy having a good port or cream sherry available if I am visiting the wine bar after dinner and I want to end the night with a dessert-like treat.

Where wines started … Italy!

I have a rather long list, but most are red wines from the Paso Robles region, Lompoc and Santa Ynez regions as well: Longoria Wines, Tercero Wines, Eberle Winery, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Amalie Vineyards in Oregon, Ascension, Bass Note Sangria, Sanford, Sculpterra, Castlerock, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Joel Gott, Cass, Hoi Polloi Winery, San Antonio Winery (official), Michael David…I love all reds, depending on winery, but my go tos are usually Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Cab, Beaujolais, and red blends. I love our California wines!

Something interesting and different. Also some local TX wines.

From me: This is ONE of my own picks, because I voted for it as our Best of Show at the Global Wine Awards, from Martellotto Winery: https://martellotto.com/products/martellotto-riserva-il-capoccia-happy-canyon-of-santa-barbara

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.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2018: And the Best of Show Goes To…?

February 23, 2021 by evebushman

By now you’ve (hopefully) read my two articles on judging the first annual Global Wine Awards; you may have even seen a third installment on the winners. But what you haven’t seen, or had your virtual taste of, is the wine the judges awarded a Gold, then a Double Gold, and then finally the Best of Show to: Martellotto 2016 Il Cappocia Riserva (Barrel Aged) from Happy Canyon, Santa Barbara.

So, I’m here to rectify that. I ordered a bottle for myself, just for a little R and D, and to give me a full opportunity to savor over. For good measure I thought it wise to try another red from the same winery and same AVA, the 2016 La Bomba Cabernet. So, without further adieu, here are the results:

2016 Martellotto Il Cappocia Riserva

(Barrel Aged)

Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec

Happy Canyon, Santa Barbara

Best in Show and 97 points at the Global Wine Awards

https://martellotto.com/products/2016-martellotto-riserva-il-capoccia-happy-canyon-of-santa-barbara

Color: Dark purple with some raisin-coloring on the edge.

Aroma: Crushed black cherry, blueberry, char, dark chocolate, cream, cigar, dried leaves and the tiniest whiff of menthol.

Flavor: Blue to black fruit, cracked black pepper, dark chocolate again, velvety at the start and then a great bite of spice and tannin, yet balanced and just as good as I remembered. Excellent blend of Bordeaux grapes.

Pairing: Cheese and charcuterie board was our dining choice for the evening but this would pair well with anything from a juicy steak, Bolognese pasta to chocolate crème Brûlée.

Conclusion: As I noted when I had my taste: just as good as I remembered and well deserving of the Best of Show award we gave it. I was really looking forward to trying the Cab next…

2016 Martellotto La Bomba Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.

Happy Canyon, Santa Barbara

Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; Double Gold and Best of Show at the Central Coast Wine Competition.

https://martellotto.com/products/martellottocabernet

Color: Beautiful opaque blackberry.

Aroma: So, knowing that La Bomba translated is The Bomb I was looking forward to what I would find on the nose: a LOT of fresh and ripe blueberry, plum, green peppercorn, rich, spicy, coffee bean and no nose burn. The nose definitely called you in for the taste.

Flavor: bold red fruit followed by dark fruit in luscious layers and incredible balance, nice spicy qualities that lingered in the palate, both green and black pepper with the same velvety quality on the palate as the Il Cappocia Riserva.

Pairing: I had this with a bacon-wrapped filet mignon smothered in sweet onion and sautéed mushroom. Yea, that was pretty great. But I also imagined this with a robust charcuterie board filled with Mortadella with pistachio, chorizo and both hard and soft cheese.

Conclusion: I found both an unexpected flavor and balance – akin to a young Napa Cab – for a SBC Cabernet. Very well done. Makes me want to seek out Happy Canyon and the winery to learn more.

From the Winery

Martellotto Wines is the only winery in Santa Barbara County to be winning this many awards for Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals, specifically from Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara.

The Rise of Santa Barbara Wines

As you know, this area is already well regarded for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production (which I also make). However, were you aware that our region is also producing some outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals? The TTB established the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA in 2009 given its distinctive climate in the far eastern part of the Santa Ynez Valley. This warmer climate is proving to be fertile ground for high quality Bordeaux varietals, especially since the diurnal temperature changes are so dramatic.

Today, a handful of producers are leading the way. I’m pleased to report Martellotto Winery is one of those wineries. In fact, Martellotto is one of the few wineries in California bottling varietally labeled wines of each of the five noble Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Martellotto Winery

100 Los Padres Way #7

Buellton, CA 93427

(619) 567-9244

*Tastings Available by Appointment Only

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!

Vintage Eve 7/2018: What Did I Find at The Latest Garagiste “Urban Exposure” in Santa Monica?

February 9, 2021 by evebushman

Garagiste festival co-founders Stewart McLennan and Doug Minnick (locals know Doug from his shared wine tasting room in Downtown Newhall, Double Trouble) as well as countless experienced volunteers, succeeded once again to bring nearly 50 small producing wineries under one roof – Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club – to be discovered by wine lovers.

Left to right: Erik Siering, Mark Wasserman, me, Paul Quinn and James Schreiner.

(Photo: My favorite people – and wine – at Vinemark Cellars and TW Ferm Co! — left to right: Erik Siering, Mark Wasserman, me, Paul Quinn and James Schreiner.)

Urban Exposure features artisan winemakers from across California, including Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, Los Angeles County and more. The Garagiste Festival is Los Angeles’ only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers, offering Angelenos a unique opportunity to discover hard-to-find wineries, taste hundreds of their wines, and meet the winemakers…Over 70% of the wineries pouring at the festival do not have tasting rooms, and most are not on “wine country” maps and difficult to find except at the Garagiste Festival.

Pretty sure I’ve covered every Garagiste event that has been produced in Los Angeles for the past five years, as well as a couple in Paso Robles. I look forward to trying the new vintages from wineries we’ve discovered before, and wines from new wineries added to the event. This year I tried to taste as many Rare and Reserve offerings as I could as well, before palate fatigue set in.

Will now share a few of my take-aways (oh how I wish I could’ve taken some of the wine home with me!) from the event. (Too thirsty to read on? Shoot over here to see the event photos.)

Wineries Tastes (I have only noted the wines I enjoyed – keep in mind I did not try every wine that was offered at every winery table.)

Bellante Family Winery: 2016 Viognier, Los Olivos, Camp 4 Vineyard, and 14.9% alcohol.

Betwixt Wines: 2012 Grenache, Boer Vineyard, Sonoma (sold out) and 2010 Syrah.

Byron Blatty: Mark’s brand new Rose of Grenache, LA County, $27 and 2016 Tremor blend of Grenache, Syrah and Merlot, LA County, $58.

Caliza Vineyards: 2013 Estate Grenache, Paso Robles, only 50 cases made, $75

Cutruzzola Vineyards: 2012 Riesling, Riven Rock Vineyard Estate, San Luis Obispo County, 12.5% alcohol, 450 cases, $28 and the 2015 Riesling with 128 cases and $30.

Dusty Nabor: “K” Super Secret Syrah, Ballard Canyon, 27 cases, $45 and 2016 Super Secret Grenache, Ballard Canyon, 27 cases, $45.

Frisco Cellars: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, Yattes and DiPietro Vineyards, $56.

Gordenker Wines: 2012 Sylvia Drive Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $68. (Parker gave this wine 93 points.)

Hoi Polloi: Everything: Pinot Noirs and Syrah! Love Minnick and happy to support local business!

Kaleidos Wines: 2014 Praying Mantis, 100% Syrah, Paso Robles, 88 cases, 15.6% alcohol, $65.

Leverage: 2014 Trajectory, GSM, Paso Robles, 85 cases, $60.

Parmeson: 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, 149 cases, $60.

Pulchella Winery: My all-time favorite local winery was serving up their Rose of Tannat, “Rogue Rose of Tannat”, Bella Colina Vineyards, 120 cases, $35 as well as six 2016 releases.

Record Family Wines: 2013 Reserve Merlot, Paso Robles, 100 cases, $35.

Siela Wines: 2015 Chardonnay Dry Creek Valley. (SF Chronicle Wine Competition gave this a Silver in 2017, I would’ve given it a Gold.)

TW Fermentations: 2014 “Cultivator” Bordeaux Blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Paso Robles, 14.7% alcohol, $68 and a Malbec with 14.9% alcohol.

Vinemark Cellars: All 2014s: Reserve Pinot, $41; Cabernet Sauvignon, $32; “Mezzanotte” Primitivo/Petite Sirah blend, $32.

Volatus Wine: 2015 White Rhone Blend, $25; 2016 Bolter Rose blend of Tannat, Grenache and Viognier, $14; and Reserve Red blend of Syrah and Malbec, Paso Robles, 65 cases, $45.

All Wineries

Alma Sol+, Ann Albert, Ascension Cellars+, Bellante Family Winery+*, Betwixt Wines, Brophy Clark, Byron Blatty+, Caliza Vineyards, Cavelletti Vineyards, Cloak & Dagger+, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Domaine Kreger, El Lugar Wines, Frisco Cellars*, Golden Triangle, Gordenker Wines, Hoi Polloi+, In Vino Musicas+*, Kaleidos Wines, Kitson Wines*, LA Wine Project+, Lavender Oak Ranch+*, Magna Vita Cellars, Malibu Ridge+*, Marin’s Vineyard, Mastro Scheidt, Metrick Wines+, Monochrome Wines, Murder Ridge, On Your Left, Pulchella Winery+, Record Family Wines*, Siela Wines*, Stolo Family Winery, Sweezter Cellars+, Sycamore Ranch+, The Blending Lab+*, Tlo Winery, Torch Wines, TW Fermentations, Vinemark Cellars+, Volatus Wine, Wildwood Oak Winery* (*First time pouring at the festival, +Based in LA County)

Festival Sponsors: ETS, Glenn Burdette,, Farm Credit, Laffort, Digital Dogma, mWEBB Communications, Travel Paso, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com.

Keep track of where the next Garagiste festival will be offered here: http://garagistefestival.com

For special discounts and updates on Urban Exposure, Taste of Garagiste mini-tastings and other Garagiste Festival events and news, sign up for The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/,

Follow on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook (http://on.fb.me/1rgBC80).

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 15k 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.

Perlises Pick What Wines We Are Drinking At Home – Part 2

February 6, 2021 by Michael Perlis

I’ve written about Stillman Brown and the wines he makes somewhere in Paso Robles often enough over the last several years that people might think I owe him something. All I really owe him is a thank you for his delicious wines as well as for his witty emails. Karen and I have really enjoyed all his wines, but since this series of articles is primarily about the “lighter” wines that we’ve been enjoying at home, I thought I’d share with you two of those that were released most recently. And rather than bore you with my descriptions, I figured I’d just turn you over to Swilly himself:

The deal goes down with Stillman in the La Quinta parking lot — photo by Mike Ortiz (Photo is from this website’s library, taken well before Covid.)

“2019 Chateau d’Abalone Vermentino. It’s light and it’s big, it’s crisp and it’s soft, and it smells like….Vermentino, not like table grapes, dirt, and Muscat de Middleman was added instead of the best possible yeast for the variety. Unusual vine canopy management and my little enological tricks – a ‘secret ingredient’? – make a difference, I think: it’s the equal of the 2015, which … oh well, how about a more recent brag? The new swill slayed all comers at a post-Christmas party I was semi-forced to attend, There were some pretty good palates there, but a few belonged to “snobbeliers” so I didn’t mention that the wine was still in bottle shock at that point. It might have been interpreted as winemaker egomania watered down to mere smugness…

2019 Colossus Viognier. There would have been more if not for Bambi & family, who munched away undisturbed for the extra weeks it took to ripen everything this year, but I did manage to get enough to partly fill a beautiful Caucasian 265 liter barrel – second use, as when new it had held the previous vintage only three months. Second is not second best for barrel fermented whites, sez me. I also had enough to partly fill a 55 gallon stainless drum. (Fill >80% and ferment —> yeast lava flow.) No sweetness, no cloying warm climate perfume, no “it’s cool climate Viognier, it’s supposed to be thin and weird'” Santa Barbara marketing spin. It’s 31 proof.”

Did you follow all that? Yeah, me neither.

From Karen: But the wines were great. These wines go with all our “lighter meals” – turkey, chicken, fish and also what we like to call our “snacks” nights – shrimp cocktails or even steak tartare. Add some fruit, cheese and crackers and we can have dinner on the table in 10 minutes. We know these wines complement whatever we are having for dinner.

The bad news is that I expect these wines are long gone. The good news is they were released about a year ago, so maybe we can expect something equally exciting sometime soon. But the only way that you will know is if you get on his email list, so contact him at swillyidle@gmail.com. You’ll have the opportunity to get some wonderful wines and also some entertaining emails.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 30 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 President of MCP Financial, which provides outsourced controller services. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or mcpfinancial@aol.com.

WineLA presents: STARS of California 2021 At Home January 20 and 23

January 16, 2021 by evebushman

We’ve gathered a compelling mixture of California’s greatest wines for a fun night of tasting with the STARS, the winemakers themselves! Travel with us via Zoom and have wines delivered to your home to taste and experience the STARS of California wine. Join the winemakers LIVE for one tasting or join them both! A silent auction will benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles via our 501(c)(3) partner Unite The United.

Single night tickets are $55 with a tasting kit, or both events with tasting kits are $100 (delivery is included in California!) www.STARSofCalifornia.com for details, wine list, and option to have your tasting kit picked up at TESSE RESTAURANT with a special STARS dinner menu!

NIGHT ONE: THE STARS OF CALIFORNIA 2021 – Wednesday 1/20 at 7pm

O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery – Napa Valley

Bernardus Vineyards & Winery – Monterey

Ledge Vineyards – Central Coast

Lynmar Estate – Sonoma

Robert Biale Vineyards – Zinfandel

Perliss Estate – Napa Valley

Medlock Ames – Alexander Valley

NIGHT TWO: THE STARS OF CALIFORNIA 2021 – SATURDAY 1/23 at 7pm

Rubia Wine Cellars – Napa Valley

Leverage Wines – Central Coast

Angwin Estate Vineyards – Napa Valley

Carol Shelton – California

Jeff Cohn Cellars – Zinfandel

Ampelos Cellars – Santa Barbara

Kimsey – Santa Barbara

Tickets will sell out and prices do increase as the event date approaches – get your tickets now!

For information and ticket purchasing, please visit Californiawinestars.com

ABOUT IAN BLACKBURN

Ian graduated from California Polytechnic University in Hospitality Management in 1991 (Distinguished Alumni 2008) and is a live-long crusader for wine and improving the wine lifestyle. In 1995, Ian pioneered the internet’s first website dedicated to wine education and in 2020, he re-launches learnaboutwine.com to allow nationwide access to his passionate wine classes, tasting events and virtual tastings via Zoom. Ian’s career has shifted from floor service, to distributor representative, to state manager for an international wine portfolio, to author, to internet wine pioneer and now Ian is a leader in Zoom-based wine classes and events. In 2009, Ian launched his own wine brand with Clay Mauritson dedicated to the world’s best Zinfandel; Beekeeper Cellars continues to amass top scores (95-97 points) critical acclaim and professional praise. Ian has dedicated his life to fine wine and holds a number of credentials from the Society of Wine Educators, and continues his study with the Masters of Wine in London. Ian’s first book was published in 2002 and he expects to publish a new book in 2021.

Since 2001, Ian has served as an official Educational Ambassador for the Regions of Champagne, France and The Napa Valley. Celebrating 25+ years in Wine Education, this new age of on line education played right into Ian’s creative hands – contact info@learnaboutwine.com to hire Ian for your corporate event or private function. Also visit any of Ian’s websites at:

and more to come!

About Unite The United:

Unite The United Foundation is a public 501(c)(3) non-profit, fundraising organization founded by the producers of the Vans Warped Tour and Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. Their mission is to encourage fans, artists and industry leaders from the music, touring and action sports worlds to work toward positive change, by supporting local charities, producing events, and participating in community volunteerism events across the United States.

Gelson’s to Debut Four New Stellar Wine Offerings by Julien Fayard

November 26, 2020 by evebushman

ENCINO, Calif./PRNewswire/ — With the Holidays around the corner, Gelson’s is uncorking four new bottlings in its exclusive branded collection of Gelson’s Wines, all produced through its ongoing collaboration with one of their winemakers, Julien Fayard who was named 2016 “Winemaker of the Year” by Wine Spectrum. The four stellar wines will be available at all 27 Gelson’s locations across the Southland.

Photo credit: Jimmy Hayes, Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

“We feel very honored to work with Julien again. He is a renowned wine maker with an outstanding reputation from his early work with Lafite Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafitte in his native France, to the last dozen years earning respect across Napa Valley,” said John Bagan, Chief Merchandising Officer for Gelson’s. “We are constantly seeking out the best products from the best producers, and are excited that Gelson’s will continue to make superior quality wines from Julien available exclusively to thousands of our wine-loving Customers across Southern California.”

The new wines include:

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville 2018

Created exclusively for Gelson’s by Julien Fayard, this splendid single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon boasts classic Bordeaux style. It is traditionally fermented (temperature-controlled in a stainless-steel tank) and aged for 22 months in new French oak barrels. Dark ruby in color, the wine is full-bodied and complex. Enticing aromas of ripe blueberry and blackberry lead to a robust blackberry palate with hints of cedar and spices balanced by silky tannins. The finish is long, smooth, and delicious.

Reserve Cabernet Franc Oakville 2018

The grapes in this impressive single-vineyard Cabernet Franc are traditionally fermented (temperature-controlled in a stainless-steel tank) and aged for 22 months in new French oak barrels, yielding a vibrant ruby color and tempting aromas of ripe cherry and spices. In addition to plush flavors of blueberry, blackberry, sweet red cherry, and cedar, the elegantly layered palate offers full body, silky tannins, and satisfying depth.

Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford 2019

The grapes in this Sauvignon Blanc are whole-cluster pressed and aged in stainless-steel barrels, resulting in a wine that’s light blonde in color, boasting creamy texture and an amazing mouthfeel with brisk acidity. Accents of pear and apricot flavors flow into a refreshing, refined finish.

Red Cuvée Napa Valley 2018

This delectable Red Cuvée, expertly blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah for a wine of bold yet measured character. The grapes are traditionally fermented (temperature-controlled in a stainless-steel tank) and aged for 22 months in French oak barrels. Pleasing aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry, and subtle flint accompany a richly textured, full-bodied palate with silky tannins. Dark fruit and earthy notes define the exquisite taste.

Gelson’s debuted its first branded collection of fine wines three years ago with four Santa Barbara reds (Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, Sangiovese) and one white (Chardonnay), created exclusively for Gelson’s by local winemaker and Wine Spectator Grand Award winner Doug Margerum.

About Gelson’s

Gelson’s currently operates 27 full-service specialty grocery stores in Southern California. Each Gelson’s Market features the full amenities of a traditional supermarket, with the local flavor of a neighborhood market. Their high standards – for quality, value and freshness; unsurpassed service; and attention to detail – define the ultimate grocery shopping experience. With over 65 years’ experience, Gelson’s in-house experts know Southern California’s lifestyle and are driven to find only the best foods and exclusive values for their customers. Gelson’s is particularly known for flavorful, hand-selected produce, the best and freshest cuts of meat and seafood, and Chef-prepared signature recipes. This experience is rounded out by professionally designed floral arrangements, and a convenient selection of the highest quality grocery items. Find out why Life Tastes Better Here® at https://gelsons.com.

What Wine or Spirit Events Have We Missed The Most in 2020?

November 2, 2020 by evebushman

A few weeks ago on this blog I wrote about many of the things we’ve been doing during our stay-at-home time with the virus, and many of the things we’ve missed. It seemed that my Facebook feed has been filled with lamentations regarding missed anniversary trips, important graduations, birthdays and other milestones. For me, and most of us in the wine and spirit industry, we rely on tastings/events/classes for continuing education, as well as fodder for our blogs. For the consumer it may be the same, for the non-profit leader the loss of these events have been devastating.

Eve as a wine judge in the first Global Wine Awards in Las Vegas. Photo credit: Ed Bushman.

In today’s article I will explore some of the events we didn’t have, and what we missed by not having them. (At press time these are the events that have either canceled for 2020 altogether, or have postponed further into 2020 with no possible way to know if their event will, indeed, actually take place.)

Wine on the Roof and Cocktails on the Roof are particularly devastating to me as I helped create both events to benefit our local middle schools and high schools in the Hart District. And while the rooftop format does allow for quite a bit of spacing, they still both attract a crowd, so not sure if the postponed dates for this year will happen.

The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience was poised to take place this past March 13. Cancelled the same week it was to occur, as many of the experiences allowed for many guests traveling from one spot to another.

The Paso Robles Cab Collective is an educational experience that is limited to some press and the public. The event focuses on the Cab and red Bordeaux varietals being grown in the area. I’ve learned a lot from past events and have come to respect the winemakers that are working very hard to get attention to their respective varietals in AVAs that have been more known for Rhônes and Zinfandel.

The Universal Whisky Experience was to have its 10^th annual event this past April in Las Vegas. There are classes with distillers and brand ambassadors as well as one of the best whisky tasting events I’ve covered. Missed rubbing elbows with all of the whisky aficionados and learning from the best in the field.

Also missing a milestone year was the 5^th Annual Masters of Taste that is the only event held on the field of the Pasadena Rose Bowl with top notch taste masters and beverage masters. “100% of event proceeds support Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping individuals and families rebuild their lives and end homelessness.”

Art Beyond the Glass, another cocktail event, was canceled but they were able to offer a virtual event. The live event is a special treat as dozens of bartenders dress up in themed costumes, there is live music, art displays and a bartending competition where each team tries to create the best cocktail. “Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based nonprofit. To date, ABTG has raised more than $210,000 for cultural nonprofits in L.A. and across the country.”

The many Garagiste Festivals, voted best wine festivals in the U.S., were sorely missed. I enjoyed the educational seminars as well as tasting and talking with many small-producing winemakers. “The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.”

Many lesser known wineries and distilleries benefit from entering their bottles in various wine and spirit competitions. As a wine judge myself I know that they not only want an expert opinion on their wine/spirits, they also use their awards in their various marketing materials. At press time I did see that at least one had taken place live with social distancing.

I’m sure there are dozens of events that aren’t on my radar, and have been equally missed, especially events at wineries that are important for bottle sales and gaining wine club members.

I will leave you with this thought: If you can afford it support it. I have hyperlinked many of the non-profits above so you can check out what they do, and maybe you can make a donation or two if you are able to. If you have favorite wineries or distilleries please consider bottles purchases to support them as well.