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The Cellar’s DiMaggio Washington: Setting the Record Straight

March 1, 2012 by evebushman

(Editor’s note: This article is not written by me, nor are the questions mine.  It came via e-mail on DiMaggio’s behalf.)

It’s been more than 60 days since The Cellar Wine Bar and Restaurant closed their doors.  Like any business that goes through this difficult decision and process, there are many questions left unanswered and issues that need to be brought to closure.

I chose to post a few comments and updates at the time of our closing and most specific to our wine club members. I purposely kept things very general and gave as little detail as possible. Unfortunately, my professional decision, and what I thought to be a courtesy, was not met with the same respect of those involved. I continue to receive all types of communications in regards to things said, questions or more importantly issues where people are being misinformed.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to answer the questions, speak out and let some things be known. I’m not approaching this with the intent to create a forum nor a mud-slinging session. I’m merely looking to share that which remained behind the scenes and to shed some light on a lot of misinformation being passed along.

Some of the ongoing questions received and my responses:

So how is/was it having “them” as landlords?

Taking over from All Corked Up (ACU) immediately followed with a series of broken commitments and misgivings from the landlords.  The hope was to let the issues go and chalk this up as lessons learned.

Who owns and operates the wine lockers and executive wine lockers that are in your space?

It was originally agreed that the executive wine lockers were to be owned and operated by The Cellar. Like many other things, that agreement was rescinded almost immediately upon taking ownership. We never owned or operated ANY of the wine lockers, executive or otherwise, during our 16 months in business.  ALL wine lockers were owned and operated by the landlords.  We never collected rental money for any of the lockers nor did we have access to the content of any lockers. The only access we had was to assist someone into the area where their locker resided.  Hence, the comments that we “walked away” with anyone’s wine is absolutely not true.  The only people who had access to the lockers were the landlords and those that owned (paid rent) for the lockers.

Why don’t you have a wine club? or When will you offer a wine club?

From day one The Cellar had agreed not to compete with ACU’s retail and wine club as long as that portion of ACU existed. Once ACU closed the retail and wine club operation it was possible for The Cellar to operate in that area and our wine club was established.  The Cellar officially launched their wine club once ACU’s wine club had been sold.

Why am I receiving these emails from ACU regarding another wine bar and their wine club?

ACU wanted The Cellar to purchase the wine club/database portion of their business.  In a meeting between myself and the landlords I was told directly that if The Cellar did not purchase the database/wine club that they would sell it to a competitor and endorse it accordingly. The Cellar did not purchase the database/wine club.  When that did not happen, the threat was carried out and the database/wine club was sold to one of the competitors.  Once the database/wine club was sold, ACU sent out four separate email blasts to over 5,000 ACU customers per blast, endorsing the competitor who had purchased the database.  These emails strongly suggested that those customers support the competitor and the wine club at their location.

How did this “other location” end out with my information? No one gave ACU permission to sell my personal information (to include email, address, phone and credit card information)?

We continued to address this question by referring concerned customers to contact either ACU or the  purchasing competitor.

(Around May/June time frame) Why/When are you closing?

From the emails I’ve been receiving I thought you were closing or had been bought … or are you going to be the second location for the competitor that was announced in their emails?

Starting around the end of May or early June time frame The Cellar began having to explain that we were NOT closing.  That ACU had sold the wine club/database to a competitor and had been very actively endorsing that company and encouraging all customers to attend and support that business.  In those same emails as mentioned above, they also announced that they were closing ACU. The email was presented in such a way as to infer that “everything” was closing.  ACU had continued, from day one, to create a connection of ACU and The Cellar.  Up until the day we closed the doors, they still referred to The Cellar as ACU in any and all conversations; both professional and personal.  Hence, when the email blasts went out to all who communicated with them, interacted, read the emails, owned lockers, etc., it read as if “everything” was being closed down.  At this point we experienced a significant decline in business and spent the next several months trying to “undo” the damage.

Additional questions that came from the aftermath of these events boiled down to ~

Why would they do this?

Our answer is only speculative, but all that we can come up with since our rent was paid 3 months in advance at that point and we continued to pay utilities in advance, per their billing; which yes, we know is not legal, but again we attempted to keep the peace.   Our answer is simple and fitting to their previous and ongoing business and personal practices; they like to maintain control and were truly only looking for a “front person” to run things. They wanted to create something along the lines of “The Cellar at ACU” or an illusion of such.  Wanting someone else to incur the headache of employee issues, “clean house” and dig it out from what it had become, a heavy financial burden. Any time a step was taken to create autonomy (i.e., street signage, move/remove ACU signage by the front door, separate entrance to wine lockers, own and operate executive wine lockers that remained in The Cellar room, separate bathrooms from ACU retail and wine locker area and plenty more) it was met with a resounding “no!”

Why did you close so abruptly?

The overall behavior of the landlord provoked an immediate closure of The Cellar.  We were packed and out of the space in less than 36 hours and left behind food and other supplies, materials and equipment that we were unable to take due to storage and logistics.  What became obvious was that ACU wanted to remain in the light and have The Cellar operate under ACU as The Cellar at All Corked Up.

Is there another restaurant moving into the space?

We are not aware of what’s happening with the space but would not be surprised if the next business actually operates under the unfortunate paradigm they were trying so hard to create.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: All Corked Up, DiMaggio Washington, The Cellar

Goodbyes to The Cellar Wine Bar and Restaurant

December 16, 2011 by evebushman

On Tuesday, December 13, I learned from over five reliable sources that The Cellar Wine Bar and Restaurant was closing its doors.  Much like the fall of the Loose Goose, I asked wine people to share their positive memories of time spent in The Cellar:

Steve Lemley, winemaker, Pulchella Winery – DiMaggio is a poster child for passion in the industry and he deserves to succeed in that passion…His love and knowledge of wine is to be admired and I love that he takes such a humble approach to everything. He is a true friend of ours forever!!!

Carrie DuShey – Oh no I am so sad to hear this! The Cellar was the home of the f-in blonde drinking crew.

Stephen Hemmert, local winemaker – As his food sales rep, I had no idea he was closing. I have fond memories of it as both the cellar and all corked up. Really sad and I wish d man the best.

Ron Cappi – Sad to hear. Wishing nothing but the best for DiMaggio’s future.

Donna Lewis – So sorry to hear that…..I have thousands of great pictures and great memories of the past 4 years or so, not to mention some great friends we’ve developed over the years.

Beth Greenwald – I enjoyed working there very much. My co workers were great, those in the WSET class that I was fortunate to meet, and all the great friends that I have met through the Cellar. I wish DiMaggio the best in his future endeavors.

Louise Castaldo, owner of the VU and Mixers – I was there today and yes it was very sad, DiMaggio told me that is was over, and they were taking everything away while we spoke, he’s a great guy it just broke my heart.  He has some killer wine and some glassware for sale, I wish him all the best.

Dr. Joel M. Fisher, Founder, LA Wine Fest – Went up earlier in spring to meet with Victor next door. Then, being hungry, went looking for DiMaggio. If memory serves me right, he was en route to the hospital. Brandon Drake and I sat down for some wine, hot soup, and an entree. Food was warm, and it was cold outside. When we finished, walked back through All Corked Up to go out to the car. Imagine my shock when I walk into snow blowing into the shop, and looked at my car covered with snow. Brandon’s car, too. He couldn’t start the engine, so we called AAA. I got out of there, concerned on making it home going a different route than my normal one, and eventually made it past a bunch of accidents, and cars skidding. DiMaggio, from the hospital, later told me a kind of record had been set by accidents happening and sending people to the hospital where he was.  I thought the place had great potential, and I’m sorry he closed the doors. It is tough out there, gang.

Mary Bradway, former student – WOW! So sorry to hear that!

Courtnie Culp – I only got to go once before our son’s accident and not having a car but I had planned on going way more often when we get our new car in January. There’s just no place like The Cellar in anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of wonderful wine lounges but just not quite like The Cellar. It’s more intimate. The time I was there it literally felt like an escape from everything. Like I was sitting at a little roadside wine vineyard in Italy completely consumed and satisfied to be somewhere gorgeous and away from life’s hustle and bustle. You don’t get to feel like you’ve escaped to another world too often while wining and dining out. It would be a shame for such a place to have closed.

Lorraine Plourde – Aww that was a fun place!! Good Luck Dimaggio!!

Joe Romersa – DiMaggio, thank you for multiple nights of music and wine!  And end brings on new beginnings. Sad to hear the silence of The Cellar. Good luck sir.

Claudia Sheridan, former student – sad 🙁

Rusty Sly, staff writer, Eve’s Wine 101 – It is hard for me to see another fine wine bar become the victim of our economy. I wrote an article in eveswine101.com talking about how we must go out of our way to support these establishments. If we don’t, we will have no place to go and share wines, music and great friends. I wish Di Maggio and the entire staff the best. We will truly miss them. I tip a glass to you guys and all of the good times we shared at the Cellar.

Kevin Agovino – Sorry to hear. Wishing you the best in your future ventures.

Julio F. Del Rio – DiMaggio, keep us posted of your new ventures as we will follow where you go.

Joe Iaquinto – YOU WILL BE MISSED!!!

Ckay Walker – so sad to hear this… best to you in the coming year.

Dave Carter – DiMaggio – We’re so sorry to hear that you’re closing. The Masters of the Past held your establishment and you in very high regard and we always enjoyed playing at The Cellar. Best of Luck to you and God Bless.

Lauri Caston – I am so sad to hear this. Please keep us posted on future plans. Will miss you!

From me – I’ve known DiMaggio for a few years now.  I first met him when I sought him out for an interview on his wine classes at COC.  From there I sat in on a couple of his classes and took several more.  I’ve been to his home for harvest and for a couple of parties.  We have many mutual friends.

When he decided to delve into taking over the wine bar and restaurant formerly owned by All Corked Up, I was happy for him and our growing wine community.  (And, as my Contributing Editor, Michael Perlis, loves to remind me, DiMaggio was the owner of the first wine bar to ever open in Santa Clarita, Select Wines on Cinema Drive.  I remember it for the cave he had built for private meetings and tastings.)

But, to be honest, I didn’t get over to that part of our valley very often.  I went for the Saturday tastings a few times, a few private parties, and most memorably, to attend his Wine and Spirit Education Trust classes and gain my Level Two Intermediate certification.

I wish I could have supported my friend more.  Take this, if nothing else wine peeps, if you love a wine bar or restaurant – frequent it.  In these times our business is paramount to theirs.

And, from the Cellar, came this announcement: December 15, 2011

To All of Our Wonderful Customers,

It is with our deepest regret to announce that effective December 14th 2011, The Cellar Wine Bar & Restaurant has officially closed our doors.

We would like to take this time to thank each and every one of you for your kindness, loyalty and continued support over the past 15 months. Some of you have been students, customers and friends of ours for a number of years; again, thank you!

We appreciate the wonderful memories you’ve shared with us and thank you in advance for your continued support and kindness.

Wishing all of you many wonderful memories over this holiday season to include wine, of course and all the best in 2012!

DiMaggio Washington & Staff
The Cellar Wine Bar & Restaurant

PS – If you would like to add a positive message please feel free to comment on this post, thanks Dear Wine Friends.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: DiMaggio Washington, sommelier, The Cellar, Wine tasting, WSET

Michael Perlis Discovers: Paso Garagiste Festival

November 26, 2011 by evebushman

The day was finally here! Ever since we released one of the first stories about the Garagiste Festival scheduled for November 12th at Windfall Farms in Paso Robles, I’d been waiting excitedly for the event. No more sneak peeks, no more winemaker interviews, it was time for the real thing!

Staff Writer Michael Perlis

For those of you who somehow missed all the hype, the Garagiste Festival was designed to showcase small artisan wineries that produce less than 1200 cases per year. The term garagiste was originally used in France by the established Chateaux to denigrate small wineries, some who made wine in their garages. Now, the term can be looked at as somewhat of a badge of honor, as these small producers in California are making outstanding wines.

Per the program, the final list of participating wineries:
Aaron Wines
Alta Colina
Ambyth Estate
Bodegas M Wines
Brochelle Vineyards
Caliza Winery
Carlson Wines
Casa Dumetz Wines
Cayucos Cellars
Cloak & Dagger Wines
Delreal
Domaine Degher
Edmond August
Giornata
Grizzly Republic
Ground Effect Wine
Hammersky Vineyards
Indigene Cellars
J Dusi Wines
Jacob Toft Wines
Jade Moon
Jalama Wines
JK Wine Company
Kaleidos Winery
Kinero Cellars
La Filice Winery
Les Deux Chats
Nicora Wine
Paso Port Wine Company
Per Cazo Cellars
Piedrasassi
Poalillo Vineyards
Ranchero Cellars
Rangeland Wines
Red Zeppelin Winery
Rendarrio Vineyards / Town Crier Wines
St. Hilaire Winery
Stanger Vineyards
Storm Wines
Symbiosis
Tercero Wines
Thomas Alexander Winery
Vin Alegre
Vines on the Marycrest
Westburg Cellars / Turtlerock

Wow.

I count 45.

We were unable to make it to the morning seminars, but as we drove to the property and entered the gates, we realized the venue was every bit as beautiful and impressive as promised.

As usual, I made a tactical error at the event. I tend to spend time catching up with old friends first, before trying new wines. So, I spent time visiting with the following individuals and tasting their delicious wines:
Sonja Magdevski of Casa Dumetz
Janell Dusi of J Dusi Wines
Patty and Chris Connolly of Les Deux Chats
Stillman Brown of Red Zeppelin Winery
J.P. French of Stanger Vineyards
Larry Schaffer of Tercero Wines
Victor Abascal of Vines on the Marycrest

Although Larry Schaffer of Tercero, bless his heart, quickly sent me on my way, telling me I needed to try new wines.

And try new wines I did. The event was being held in the barn, with the tasting stations set up in the horse stalls. So, I just popped in and out of stalls as the crowds ebbed and flowed. Still, I barely made a dent in the wines being poured. Of those I did taste, quality was excellent. But, my two picks of the day for new [to me] wineries were…

Aaron Wines
www.aaronwines.com
Winemaker Aaron Jackson makes only Petite Sirah and he makes it exceedingly well. With a motto of “go big or go home”, his wines definitely deliver. Aaron is based in Cayucos, but there is no tasting room so check out the website.

Piedrasassi
www.newvineland.com
I know winemaker Sashi Moorman best as winemaker for Stolpman Vineyards, but as co-owner and winemaker of Piedrasassi he is crafting some awesome Syrahs. The winery, located in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, does have a tasting room, so check them out!

Kudos to the great food vendors as well:
Cass Catering
La Migliore Bakery
Nature’s Touch Nursery and Harvest
Mortar and Pestle
Limerock Orchards
Happy Acre Goat Farm

It was nice to see a lot of peeps up from our neck of the woods. Some of the familiar faces:
Carey Babcock and Mike Ortiz
Gloria and Larry Stahly
Barbara Moran and DiMaggio Washington [The Cellar Wine Bar and Restaurant] www.thecellarwbr.com
Denise [The Goddess of Wine] Lowe www.goddessofvino.blogspot.com
Diane and Jim Ghilardi
Joel Fisher [LA Wine Fest]
Shawn Burgert [Wandering Wino] www.wandering-wino.com
Jeannie and Chris Carpenter
Xochitl Maiman [I’ll Drink to That] http://illdrinktothat.info/

Sorry if I missed anyone.

I recommend you sign up for The Dirt newsletter at www.pasogaragiste.com, as rumor has it that there will be more going on than just an annual festival.

Finally, the last page of the program had quotes from many of the winemakers. I’d like to share with you the one from Amy Butler of Ranchero Cellars: “You’d better REALLY like making wine because it’s fucking hard.” [Let’s see if I can get this past Eve.] The hard work definitely pays off.

Michael Perlis provides outsourced controller services to businesses that do not need a full-time controller. He balances this with his interest in wine: reading and writing about it and, of course, drinking it. He is still trying to figure out how to combine these two pursuits. Feel free to contact him about either at mcpfinancial@aol.com or michaelthezinfan@aol.com.

Filed Under: Michael Perlis Tagged With: DiMaggio Washington, Paso Robles, Petite Sirah, Syrah, The Cellar, Wine tasting

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

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: DiMaggio Washington, elite magazine, Grape of the Night, guy lelarge, michael perlis, mixers lounge, roman Holiday, rusty sly, Santa Clarita, The Cellar, Valencia Wine Company, west ranch beacon, wine 661, wine events, Wine tasting, WSET

Rusty Sly: The Power of Wine

November 7, 2011 by evebushman

l-r:Derrick McKaughan, Rusty, Larry and Gloria Stahly, "Shipwreck" Bob Schwemmer, Tracy Sly

How is it that a simple medium such as wine draws people together?

Tracy and I celebrated our 36th  anniversary on Oct 25.  We have been so busy both with our jobs and projects at home, we did not make any plans to celebrate.  After 36 years, that is a crime.

The weekend before our anniversary, we were enjoying the fine music of Aja at Valencia Wine Company when two good friends of ours, Larry and Gloria Stahly, showed up.  Finding out we had no plans to celebrate our 36th anniversary, they invited us over for a BBQ and wine.

We arrived at the Stahly house not only to be surprised by other close friends there, but also with a multi course meal to a level that is beyond most high end restaurants.  Gloria had laid out a gorgeous table setting complete with diamond ring napkin rings and place cards.

Gloria and Larry had brought in two chefs and friends, Terri Kelly and Eileen Wright of Market Place Catering-Cafe (661-476-5463), to put together a spectacular six course gourmet meal.  Below are just 3 of the many delectable creations that Terri and Eileen served us.


Gloria also painstakingly put together a wine pairing with the chefs for all of the dishes served to make sure the pairings complemented each other.  Joining us for the celebration besides our host and hostess were Derrick and Maureen McKaughan and Robert Schwemmer.

Other than just being great friends, what is the common bond and interest that seems to be the center of our relationships?  It’s wine.  All of us at our celebration met as the result of wine events.  We all dug into our wine stashes to bring wines to share and enjoy together.  This is not only traditional, but a ritual with the wine crowd.  If you don’t believe me, go to Valencia Wine Company, The Cellar or Wine 661 on a Friday or Saturday night and notice the groups that are together.  You will see multiple bottles opened and being shared among the group.  I have even poured samples of wines that I am drinking with patrons at the wine event to introduce their palates to a new wine.  I get more enjoyment opening special or unique bottles of wine from my collection with friends that I know will enjoy them.  It is also interesting that after spending time with these special friends, you begin to know their likes and dislikes with different wines.

Though we are often referred to as wine snobs, I think that we all have two things in common.  First is good wine, it is this single product that brings us together.  The second is devout friendship.  I am truly blessed and honored to have friends like those that helped us celebrate this milestone in our life.  Tracy and I will never be able to thank Larry or Gloria enough for putting this event together.

For us that are active members of the wine cult, keep doing what we do best and bring more friends into our circle.  One of my favorite quotes from Ernest Hemingway is, ” Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.”  Wine drinkers are civilized and friendly, this is what makes us special.

Cheers,

Rusty Sly

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: chef, The Cellar, Valencia Wine Company, wine 661, Wine tasting

The Goddess of Wine Reports: Garagiste Sneak Preview

October 31, 2011 by evebushman

Goddess of Wine, Denise Lowe, at Garagiste preview. Photo by Xochitl Maiman

When both Michael Perlis and I both couldn’t attend the Garagiste Sneak Preview at The Cellar, I worried!  But then, lo and behold, an e-mail from the Goddess of Wine, aka Denise Lowe, appeared and, yes, she would go and yes, she would share the event with readers.  This woman is amazing at attending so may events!  Thank you Goddess!

Made a last minute decision to hit the road to visit The Cellar in Santa Clarita last Thursday. Why? Because there was a special ‘sneak peek’ at a few wineries who will be participating in the upcoming Paso Garagiste festival on November 12th. As I’m a big fan of Paso wines, and will be heading to the event next month, I thought I’d get a head start. I hadn’t been there in quite a while, so it was nice to catch up with owner DiMaggio Washington and his talented crew. The event was perfect – small enough to give me a chance to really visit with the winemakers (or their reps), and large enough to taste a bunch of wines!

I started in the back room with Lisa Dinsmore – one of the folks behind Paso Garagiste, along with Doug Minnick and Dan Erland Andersen – pouring Carlson and Red Zeppelin wines.

There were a lot of wines to taste. Highlights include:

Carlson Wines – Winemaker Chuck Carlson

2008 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir – My fave of the 3 Pinots being offered. Medium light garnet color. Spice and raspberries in the nose. Tobacco and mushroom with some earth in the mouth. A nicely balanced wine. Should age well.

Red Zeppelin – Winemaker Stillman Brown

2005 Monterey County Syrah, Bear Valley Vineyard -Spicy red cherry with some minerality, cedar notes and a yummy long finish. Yummy is a technical term.

Les Deux Chats – Winemakers Chris & Patty Connelly

2009 Roussanne – Filtered – Lovely minerality from this delicious Roussanne from the Ripken Vineyard in Lodi. No oak, just soft fruit balanced with just the right amount of acid on the finish.

2010 Roussanne – Unfiltered – A bit more viscous quality in the mouth than the 2009. Still very young. I’d like to try it again in a year.

Tercero Wines – Winemaker Larry Schaffer – who poured a whole bunch of wines not on the list! My faves:

2007 The Climb (Petit Sirah/Syrah) – Just a wonderful blend of two of my favorite grapes. Big. Fruity. Needed a big grilled steak.

2010 Mourvedre Rosé – This is one of my favorite CA Rosés. Dry as a bone, beautiful color. Crisp. Yum.

AmByth Estate – Winemaker Phillip Hart – Biodynamic farming at its best. Beautiful blends. And low alcohol. It CAN be done.

2009 Priscus – 46% Grenache Blanc/25% Viognier/17% Roussanne/12% Marsanne – Peaches and apples in the nose and the palate, too. Very crisp and refreshing. The perfect palate cleanser!

2010 Counoise – 100% Counoise. Surprising and tasty. And only 12% alcohol.

Stanger Vineyards – Manager JP French pouring

2006 Stanger Vineyards Syrah Library Reserve – Deep and dark purple, coffee and anise in the nose. The ultra-ripe fruit flavors provide a long finish. Liked this wine a lot.

So that’s the sneak peak. I can hardly wait for the big event!

 

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: Paso Robles, petit sirah, Rose, Roussanne, Santa Rita Hills, Syrah, The Cellar, Viognier, Wine tasting, winemaker

Michael Perlis presents: Eileen Writes

August 18, 2011 by evebushman

Our dear friend Eileen Wright, chef extraordinaire, most recently of The Cellar Wine Bar and Restaurant, is now off on a foodie junket to England, I asked her if she wouldn’t mind keeping me apprised of her adventures so I can pass them on to Eve’s Wine 101 readers, giving us all an opportunity to enjoy this experience with her.

Here is the first installment of “Eileen Writes”:

Chef Eileen Wright

I am sitting in the Burbank airport awaiting my flight to London, England.  I am once again blessed to visit a dear friend I have known for over 33 years.  We have both become extremely intrigued by the various cuisines of the world and, believe it or not, England has started developing a wide and varied cuisine of its own; no longer suffering under the “grey boiled meat” title.  Many great ethnic restaurants (Indian, Italian and Greek) are receiving Michelin Stars.  England is just a start; I plan on traveling to other countries to learn new flavors and cooking practices in the hopes I can introduce my discoveries to my wonderful friends.

Fun Food Fact:

One of France’s top wine experts, Philipe Faure-Brac, serves English sparkling wine at his Paris bistro. He starts by offering a ‘blind’ tasting to get over any preconceptions from his predominantly French clientele. Then, as they are complementing the quality he tells them the origins of the wines.

Philippe Faure-Brac was voted the world’s best sommelier in 1992 and is a renowned writer, speaker and restaurateur. He serves bottles produced by New Wave Wines based at Tenterden Vineyards in Kent at the Bistrot du Sommelier in Paris.

Filed Under: Guests, Michael Perlis Tagged With: France, sommelier, The Cellar

Michael Perlis Discovers: The Garagiste Festival

August 6, 2011 by evebushman

It was a Friday night at The Cellar. This guy was leaving, and stopped by our table to say goodnight to DiMaggio Washington, owner of The Cellar, who had joined us for dinner.

After he left, something about him made me ask DiMaggio who he was. Okay, maybe it was something about me – I’m very nosy.

DiMaggio told me the guy’s name was Doug Minnick, and that he was one of the organizers of a new wine festival in Paso Robles.

Great, I thought, another wine festival. Just what the world needs.

Then, DiMaggio showed me Doug’s card, which was for The Paso Garagiste Festival.

Now I know enough about wine [barely] to know that the term garagiste in France originally referred to the smaller non-chateau wineries. It was used as a derogatory term at the time, but now it refers to small artisan producers, exactly my kind of wineries.

I checked out the website for the festival, and got a lot of useful information. You can check it out at www.pasogaragiste.com.

The website has a couple of great videos on it, explaining what a garagiste is, as well as showing off the beautiful venue for the festival, Windfall Farms.

What is a Garagiste? –  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LrNPQDEcWo

The Garagiste Festival at Windfall Farms – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0ATehZTIL8&feature=related

The festival is scheduled to be held on November 12 at, as I mentioned above, Windfall Farms in Paso Robles. Some of my favorite wineries are going to be there, such as J. Dusi and Zeppelin.

I knew I needed to connect up with Doug, so I sent him an email on Saturday morning. It turned out he was up in the Santa Clarita Valley for a few days.  We exchanged a few emails and made tentative plans to get together.

First, I suggested meeting Saturday afternoon at the Pulchella tasting room in downtown Newhall. Unfortunately, I ended up not being able to make it, but Doug went and had a great time.

Then, we agreed to meet on Sunday, at the anniversary celebration of The Cellar, but it was Doug’s turn to have to reschedule.

We finally decided that we could get together Monday afternoon, but where? We decided on meeting at Wine 661 in Valencia. This time, neither of us canceled!

Doug selected a bottle of Cass Flying Nymph [a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache from Paso Robles, of course] and we sat and enjoyed the wine and talked about one of our mutual interests – Paso Robles wine. [Full disclosure – Doug paid for the wine, not me.]

As I said, the website pasogaragiste.com has a lot of information, so I won’t bother repeating it here.  But, I do want to comment on a few things that came through in my conversation with Doug.

First of all, the passion that Doug and his partners in this venture [Stewart McLennan and Dan Andersen] have about Paso Robles wine is evident. And they recognize the uniqueness of the area, which I have seen as well. Nowhere that I know of is the spirit of winery cooperation and community evident as the way it is in Paso Robles.

And this festival is not going to be typical. Attendees will not only be able to taste wines that are rarely available elsewhere, but there will also be seminars, an after party, and an ability to purchase the wines that are being poured, both to order current releases and to receive future bottlings. A lot of these wines are rarely available outside of the winery. And, as many of the participants don’t have tasting rooms, this is a unique opportunity.

Doug also pointed out that the venue “is Alex Trebeks’ fantastic former equestrian ranch” and is “really an amazing place”. [Do any of you remember when Alex Trebek owned Creston Vineyards?] And, for those of you that think Paso is too far for a short trip, Doug wanted me to remind you that it is “just 2 1/2 hours north” of Santa Clarita.

The website is a work in progress, so check back, as well as join their mailing list. And, I’ll be sure to let you know of any updates as I learn about them.

Michael Perlis provides outsourced controller services to businesses that do not need a full-time controller. He balances this with his interest in wine: reading and writing about it and, of course, drinking it. He is still trying to figure out how to combine these two pursuits. Feel free to contact him about either at mcpfinancial@aol.com or michaelthezinfan@aol.com.

Filed Under: Michael Perlis Tagged With: DiMaggio Washington, France, Grenache, Mourvedre, Paso Robles, pulchella winery, Santa Clarita, Syrah, The Cellar, wine 661, Wine tasting

Michael Perlis: Wine in The Pines 2011

July 9, 2011 by evebushman

WINE IN THE PINES

June 11, 2011

On Saturday, June 11th, while many of you were enjoying the L.A. Winefest, I headed North for the 1-hour drive to Pine Mountain Club to enjoy Wine In The Pines (www.wineinthepines.com). Unfortunately, my wife Karen was unable to accompany me, so I was joined by DiMaggio Washington of The Cellar Wine Bar & Restaurant.

Wine In The Pines is one of my favorite events. Not only is the wine terrific and the food delicious, but I defy you to find a more beautiful venue anywhere!

The wineries and food purveyors were an excellent representation of Central Coast producers…

Wineries:
Arroyo Robles
Autry Cellars
Brucher Winery/Golden Bear Winery
Byron Winery
Cambria Winery
Christian Lazo Wines
Costa de Oro Winery
Dave Dean Cellars
Herman Story
Hug Cellars
Lafond Winery
Laetitia Vineyard & Winer
McKeon-Phillips Winery (booth was in memoriam to Ardison Phillips who passed away on June 1)
Melville Winery
Oso Libre Winery
Rancho Sisquoc
Rio Seco Vineyard & Winery
Riverbench Vineyard and Winery
San Liege Wines
Stanger Vineyards
Summerwood
Vaquero Cellars
Vines on the Marycrest
Vista del Rey Vineyards
Tolosa Winery
Chien Tachete
Tejon Ranch (debuted their Zin and Cab)
Stanger Vineyards
Santa Maria Brewing
Shanty Irish Brewing Company

FOOD:
Cafe Med (Bakersfield, CA)
Hitching Post (Casmalia, CA)
Trattoria Ulivetto (Orcutt, CA)
Chef Rick’s (Santa Maria, CA)
Rooney’s Irish Pub (Orcutt, CA)
Santa Ynez Olive Oil (Santa Ynez, CA)
Pine Mountain Pizza (Pine Mtn Club, CA)

While the event is popular and it was fairly crowded, lines were short and I was able to visit almost all of the winery tables. I enjoyed them all, but the standouts for me that day were:
Herman Story
Sans Liege
Stanger
Vines on the Marycrest

The food was great as well. I especially enjoyed the selection of pizzas provided by Pine Mountain Pizza, the chicken in pita by Café Med, and the meatballs from Trattoria Ulivetto.

There was also a country band playing in the Gazebo, Von Cotton (www.voncotton.com). Per Clarice Smith, co-chair of the Wine In The Pines event: “They are a great group of guys who travel with us (Kern County Wounded Heroes).  We will be visiting Balboa Naval Hospital on June 23, to BBQ for our wounded heroes and their families.” They certainly added a festive element to the event, as well as getting many people up on the dance floor.

Michael Perlis provides outsourced controller services to businesses that do not need a full-time controller. He balances this with his interest in wine: reading and writing about it and, of course, drinking it. He is still trying to figure out how to combine these two pursuits. Feel free to contact him about either at mcpfinancial@aol.com or michaelthezinfan@aol.com.

Filed Under: Michael Perlis Tagged With: Central, DiMaggio Washington, The Cellar, Wine in the Pines, Wine tasting

Michael Perlis Discovers: Vias Imports Ltd, specializing in Italian wines

July 2, 2011 by evebushman

Vias Imports Ltd, which was established in 1983, imports a wide selection of Italian wines to the US. The wines are distributed locally by The Henry Wine Group.

Recently, thanks to Jim Griffin of The Henry Wine Group, I had the opportunity to accompany DiMaggio Washington, owner of The Cellar Wine Bar and Restaurant, to the Vias annual portfolio tasting at The Beverly Hills Hotel.

Now, anyone who reads any of my columns will realize that I was out of my element. I have a hard enough time keeping track of the mainly California wines I think I know something about, and I have no expertise whatsoever in Italian wines.

Fortunately, I had a great tour guide in DiMaggio. Usually, when I go to tastings, I wander off on my own, but not this time. I stuck to DiMaggio like glue and tried to soak up as much knowledge as I could.

There were 22 tasting stations. Our guidebook identified each of these tables by region and then listed the wineries and the wines being poured. Per the program, the regions and wineries were:

TABLE #1 – PIEMONTE
Broglia
Araldica / Castelvero / Rapido / Il Cascinone
Produttori del Barbaresco

TABLE #2 – PIEMONTE
Damilano

TABLE #3 – PIEMONTE
Marenco
Pecchenino

TABLE #4 – PIEMONTE
Elvio Cogno

TABLE #5 – LIGURIA / LOMBARDIA / E. ROMAGNA
Colle dei Bardellini
Castello di Luzzano
Pederzana

TABLE #6 – TRENTINO
Torre di Luna
Lechthaler
Maso Poli

TABLE #7 – TRENTINO & ALTO ADIGE
Guerrieri Gonzaga
Gottardi
Strasserhof

TABLE #8 – TRENTINO
Istituto San Michel

TABLE #9 – FRIULI
Tenuta Luisa

TABLE #10 – FRIULI
Vie de Romans

TABLE #11 – VENETO
Suavia
Le Salette
Dal Forna Romano

TABLE #12 – TOSCANA
Argiano
Valle Azul (Patagonia, Argentina)
Bodega Noemia (Patagonia, Argentina)

TABLE #13 – TOSCANA
Camigliano
Poggio Vipere
Castello Meleto

TABLE #14 – TOSCANA
Bruni
Castello dei Rampolla
Cerbaiona (Molinari)
Fossacolle
San Fabiano

TABLE #15 – TOSCANA & UMBRIA
La Lastra
Fattoria del Cerro
Colpetrone (Umbria)
La Poderina

TABLE #16 – TOSCANA & SICILIA
Rocca Frassinello
Baglio del Sole (Sicilia)
Feudi del Pisciotto (Sicilia)

TABLE #17 – UMBRIA / LAZIO
Argillae
Corte dei Papi
Pietra Porzia

TABLE #18 – ABRUZZI
Cataldi Madonna

TABLE #19 – CAMPANIA
Terredora

TABLE #20 – ABRUZZI / CALABRIA
Capestrano
Statti

TABLE #21 – PUGLIA / SICILIA
Cantele
Ceuso
Colosi
Feudo di Santa Tresa / Purato

TABLE #22 – TRENTINO
Bertagnolli

I apologize for any spelling errors in the above list.

I have not listed the wines being poured at each table; there were too many to list.

I found it interesting as I went through the tasting how I would automatically try to compare certain wines to my frame of reference, such as the Colle dei Bardellini Vermentino at Table #5, which had some similarities to the Clavo Vermentino I wrote about recently, although a lighter style. And while I am not typically a Merlot fan, one of my favorite wines of the day was the Guerrieri Gonzaga Merlot Villa Gresti at Table #7.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any tasting notes from the event. I usually don’t take many, relying on my recognition of the wines in the program to jog my memory. But, all the Italian names have kind of blended together. Besides, the last table was pouring primarily grappas, and that kind of blurred the afternoon.

I do want to thank Jim Griffin for inviting me to this event. The wines were delicious. And I also want to thank DiMaggio Washington for explaining so much to me. Unfortunately, while I hoped to soak up some knowledge, I primarily just soaked up a lot of wine. I think I need to start taking DiMaggio’s classes at The Cellar.

Michael Perlis provides outsourced controller services to businesses that do not need a full-time controller. He balances this with his interest in wine: reading and writing about it and, of course, drinking it. He is still trying to figure out how to combine these two pursuits. Feel free to contact him about either at mcpfinancial@aol.com or michaelthezinfan@aol.com.

Filed Under: Michael Perlis Tagged With: DiMaggio Washington, Italy, The Cellar, Wine tasting

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