The New York World Wine and Spirits Competition is celebrating its 10th anniversary!

July 21, 2021 by evebushman

Entrants can submit their products online or download entry materials from the Competition’s website at www.nywscomp.com. The deadline to submit is Friday, August 6th, 2021. (The deadline to contact their import partner, Park Street Imports for help with importing products into the United States has passed.)

This year’s new trade, marketing and writing awards celebrate the talented trade people whose efforts have influenced growth and trends in the wine and spirits industry — especially small and mid-sized producers. Winners will be announced throughout the year.

“After a year where the people of the beverage community were so dramatically affected, we wanted to take time to recognize, honor and highlight the people that dedicate their lives to and make up this amazing industry,” said Amanda Blue, COO of The Tasting Alliance.

Below are the new awards.

Best Mixologist
Best Sommelier
Best Wine List
Best Wine Retailer
Best Spirits Retailer
Best Online Wine Retailer
Best Online Spirits Retailer
Best Brand Ambassador
Best Wine Writing
Best Spirits Writing
Best Social Media Account
Best Marketing and Advertising
Best Craft Distiller
Most Creative POS Display
Best Cocktail Menu (US/International)
Best Independent Food and Beverage Director
Best Corporate Food and Beverage Director

And more, for a full list of awards please visit the NYWSC website: www.nywscomp.com

About the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition:

The NYWSC is a member of The Tasting Alliance, parent company of the SFWSC, SFIWC, and SWSC.
Products are evaluated in a blind, consensual procedure ensuring the NYWSC maintains the highest level of impartiality.
The 2021 Competition takes place over five days, August 30th through September 3rd.
Deadline for entries will be Friday, August 6th, 2021
The Tasting Alliance sponsors tasting events throughout the year where trade professionals and consumers can sample the Competition’s top winners.

SOURCE The Tasting Alliance

Hotel Citrine, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel and Wild Onion Bistro & Bar Bring Vibrant Hospitality Experience to the Heart of Silicon Valley

July 14, 2021 by evebushman

PALO ALTO, Calif., /PRNewswire/ — Hotel Citrine, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, opens doors June 20 in Silicon Valley. Thoughtfully integrating vibrancy and sustainability, Hotel Citrine offers an exceptionally intuitive experience for travelers. With 150 well-appointed, carefully designed soothing, creative and comfortable guest rooms and suites, Hotel Citrine is the perfect elevated enclave with thoughtful touches and modern amenities.

Hotel Citrine joins Tribute Portfolio, part of Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s extraordinary portfolio of brands. Tribute Portfolio is a growing global family of characterful, independent hotels drawn together by their passion for captivating design and drive to create vibrant social scenes for guests and locals. The hotel is owned and developed by T2 Hospitality, managed by Evolution Hospitality and located on the same campus AC Hotel Palo Alto, which opened this past spring, also part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio.

Hotel Citrine is located at 750 San Antonio Road, minutes from Stanford University, Shoreline Amphitheatre and Caltrain, 12 minutes from San Jose International Airport and 22 minutes from San Francisco International Airport. It’s convenient location near the world’s most innovative companies, unique restaurants, and outdoor activities makes it the ultimate destination for digital nomads visiting the Bay Area as well as leisure guests looking to experience the best of the Valley.

“We are thrilled for Hotel Citrine to join AC Hotel Palo Alto, completing our Palo Alto campus,” said Alex Lane, Campus General Manager. “We look forward to welcoming locals and visitors alike to Hotel Citrine, giving them a vibrant, design-forward space in which to work, relax and socialize.”

Guestrooms feature sustainable bedding and towels, eco-friendly finishes – cork headboards, terrazzo flooring, rain showers and antique brass fixtures. Deluxe King Rooms and One Bedroom Suites also feature balconies. All rooms and suites offer a 55″ TV with high tech connectivity, wifi access points in each guest room, integrated luggage benches, organic bath products from emerginC. The hotel’s flexible indoor/outdoor spaces offer over 400 square feet of gathering space. The larger meeting room opens to an adjacent 590 square foot patio.

Signature restaurant Wild Onion Bistro & Bar is the perfect neighborhood eatery, offering breakfast, brunch, grab-and-go pastries and coffee by morning, and an all-day bistro menu late into the evenings. Open daily, the restaurant features local ingredients, sourced organically when possible, further uniting the property to the surrounding community as a destination for locals and visitors alike. The restaurant’s vibrant open space and sunny patio is inspired by the essence of California cuisine. Chef Duy Tran’s menu features an eclectic mix of the best seasonal and locally sourced produce, paired with unique handcrafted cocktails and elixirs, local craft beers, and hand-selected local wines. Inventive combinations of flavors will be on display in items such as Avocado and Shishido Tacos, Buffalo Cauliflower, Mushroom Eggplant Bolognese and more hearty dishes including Steak Frites, Roasted Chicken and an American Kobe Burger.

Le Colture: A family secret in the heart of the Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore hills

May 9, 2021 by evebushman

Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene is a small village set in the vine-chequered mosaic of the Prosecco hills. Le Colture has grown wines here since the 1500s, under the guidance of the same family.

In 1983, Cesare Ruggeri launched its entry into the field of sparkling wines, and today it boasts an extraordinary heritage of expertise–know-how spread over a vast array of its own production secrets, both great and small; a deep understanding of its entire growing area and its vineyards; and an inborn sensitivity to the health and well-being of each vineyard.

For some years now, Cesare’s three children, Silvia, Alberto, and Veronica, have been intensely involved in winery activities, bringing to its operation a surge of enthusiasm and the invaluable innovative spirit characteristic of the young generations, without however forgetting love for their own land and respect for winemaking traditions.

Le Colture today extends for 40 directly-owned hectares of land planted with vines in the DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene area. This is an exception for this area. The vineyards are partially situated near the company and partially distributed in other areas; from the territory of Valdobbiadene with a piece in the Cartizze hill to the Soligo hills up to the plateau of San Pietro di Feletto behind the historical city of Conegliano Veneto. The effect of this is the production of different wines with specific characteristics that are particular to very particular pedoclimatic situations.

The company preserves much of the tradition of the place and methods, but with an eye for innovation, both with regards to positioning and the product, thus obtaining immediate, fresh wines that are easily drinkable with special attention to quality.

On the wine-list:

Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. Spumante Superiore di Cartizze
‘Cruner’ Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. Spumante Dry
‘Pianer’ Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. Spumante Extra
‘Fagher’ Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. Spumante Brut
Rosè Spumante Brut
‘Mas’ Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. Frizzante

Social Media channels:

Facebook: Le Colture Azienda Agricola
Instagram: lecolture_valdobbiadene

Web-site:

Winery: https://www.lecolture.com/
Hospitality / Agriturismo Prime Gemme: https://www.lecolture.com/hospitality.html

SUZANNE GOIN AND CAROLINE ANNOUNCE OPENING OF A.O.C. IN BRENTWOOD

May 6, 2021 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES, California – Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner Caroline Styne, owners and operators of The Lucques Group, announce that they will open a Westside location of their award-winning restaurant A.O.C. in the space formerly known as Tavern in early May 2021.

Caroline Styne at The Shrine Auditorium on January 24, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Los Angeles Magazine

Located at 11648 San Vicente Boulevard in Brentwood, the restaurant will feature the small plates format that A.O.C. originated with Suzanne’s regularly changing menu inspired by California’s seasons and sourcing products from regional farmers’ markets which helped her win the coveted Outstanding Chef Award from the James Beard Foundation in 2016. Caroline, who similarly won Outstanding Restaurateur in 2018, will curate the wine program that A.O.C. is known for, a large selection of wines available by the glass and carafe and featuring small-production wines from grapes that are either sustainably, organically or biodynamically grown. The beverage program will feature local beer producers and a seasonal selection of market-driven cocktails.

Overseeing the operation as General Manager is the venerated Matt Duggan, the man who remembers everyone’s name and face and is well recognized for effortlessly running Suzanne and Caroline’s flagship Lucques from 2008 until its closure last March 2020. Hamilton Lyons, former chef de cuisine of Tavern, will lead the A.O.C. culinary team.

The space has been redesigned by the acclaimed LA based design firm Nickey Kehoe who are known for their well-honed aesthetic—a masterful combination of traditional inspiration alongside contemporary elegance, equilibrium, and enchantment. About the project, Nickey Kehoe said, “We took our cues from the charm and warmth of the existing A.O.C. and added those elements to the airy and elegant Brentwood space.” The decor encompasses the addition of cozy booths in the bar room, beautiful fabrics, new color scheme, and a more modern yet intimate vibe. With an eye to the post-Covid future, the space now includes a moody private dining room perfect for gatherings of groups of up to 30 guests. A beautiful new outdoor dining area has been created by local darling Fi Campbell Landscapes who stated, “For A.O.C Brentwood, I imagined a light and airy dining experience, inspired by the colors of our native California chaparral, that would evoke the delightful outdoor cafes of Aix en Provence and Southern Spain.”

“We are incredibly excited about this as we have seen such positive response to A.O.C. at our Third Street location and feel that there is definitely a need for our small plates dining format on the west side “ states Caroline Styne. “After the devastation and tragedy of the past year, we are beyond thrilled to reopen this restaurant with a new concept and vibrant forward-looking energy. We feel so fortunate to have this moment to build on the positivity of the city and country as it comes back to life. And, more than anything, we can’t wait to get our staff back to work!”

A.O.C. in Brentwood will serve dinner nightly from 5:00 p.m. expanding to daily lunch, weekend brunch and breakfast in coming weeks with takeout and delivery options as well.

Opening date and hours to be announced soon.

ABOUT THE LUCQUES GROUP:

With the opening of Lucques, their flagship restaurant, in 1998, James Beard award-winning Chef/Author Suzanne Goin and award-winning Restaurateur Caroline Styne planted the seeds for The Lucques Group, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises two fine dining restaurants – A.O.C. in both Los Angeles and Brentwood. Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also operates the Larder Baking Company and comprehensive food services for the Hollywood Bowl. They will operate new restaurants – Caldo Verde and Cara Cara – at the highly anticipated Proper Hotel opening in downtown Los Angeles in 2021. The Lucques Group is dedicated to seasonally influenced cooking and focuses on sourcing local, organic produce from which Goin creates soulful dishes that are bold in flavor, vibrant, layered and complex.

A.O.C.

11648 San Vicente Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90049

310.806.6464

For further information and complete menus for A.O.C.,

visit www.aocwinebar.com

Please visit Suzanne Goin & Caroline Styne’s restaurants on the Web:

www.thelucquesgroup.com

Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne are Social!

Follow Suzanne on Instagram at @SuzanneGoin

Follow Caroline on Instagram at @carolinestyne

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: The 2018 Western Foodservice and Hospitality Expo!

March 2, 2021 by evebushman

The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo is the only all-encompassing event in California for the restaurant and foodservice industry, making it THE one-stop source for everything you need to succeed in today’s market.

My Takeaways from the Foodservice Expo

The 2021 show is set!

I think this is my 4^th year at the food show and though I see a lot of the same vendors and classes, I also seek out the new – and always finds many things worth reporting on. This time my photos show that we enjoyed: making a beeline to Chris Uhde (partner with Impex Beverage Incorporated, the @whiskyredhead on Instagram and Los Angeles Magazine’s “The First Name for LA Whisky”) as he was signing up to do Cocktails on the Roof 9/7! Enjoyed tasting Togouchi, Kilchoman and Kurayoshi – all whiskeys from Japan!

From there, while in the Beverage Pavillon, I met with David Carbonell the GM for Drink Specialties that gets fermented beverages into bars that can’t serve distilled drinks and Philip Reis, National Sales Manager for CannaVinus, that makes a wine-based beverage with “exotic fruits and herbs” that is meant to be “the perfect wine pairing for the Cannabis lover.” Also had a few sips of Whistle Pig rye and Jefferson’s Bourbon with Bourbonblog.com

Just outside of the Beverage Pavilion was a large display for Somabar – a machine that stores up to 7 spirits for making a plethora of pre-programmed cocktails. There was a version for fermented beverage programs (those with just wine and beer licenses that make cocktails) and a full spirits program. You pick the drink, place your cup below, push the button for the cocktail you want, ice drops in and them the drink is made. Meant to go on the back bar I thought this would get much more play if the customers could do themselves, with the addition of some garnish and a bartender or server to watch over and, of course, charge accordingly.

Moving into the main convention floor things that got my attention included a plastic wine glass shaped like a rose with “petals” layered inside of it for aerating wine, JoeFroyo blended coffees, cheesewich slim breadless sandwiches, Longanisa garlic pork sausage from Argentina, tempting breads from both Melrose Bakery and Kings Hawaiian, Rishi Tea and Botanicals, the Kelvin Slush Manhattan, Pecans.com and Potatoes.com.

PR Bootcamp for Restaurants in Memory of Fifi Chao

How does an enterprising restaurant attract the attention of credible food and beverage journalists along with legitimate food critics? Is a public relations firm perhaps needed or realistically even affordable? Who better to provide some insightful answers than a high-profile panel of experienced food journalists and restaurant critics.

This distinguished panel (Andy Harris) was the brainchild of the late Fifi Chao, the beloved restaurant critic and food writer for the OC Business Journal for over 26 years until she retired last year due to illness. Fifi’s impression (based on a lot of experience) was that chefs & restaurateurs could benefit from sound, practical advice on how to approach the editorial food media. The panel members wholeheartedly agree and PR Boot Camp for Restaurants is a tribute to her memory. Fifi truly enjoyed promoting the restaurant business and generously guiding inquisitive young chefs with absolutely no strings attached.

The panel was moderated by Andy Harris of the “SoCal Restaurant Show” on AM 830 KLAA and included Farley Elliott, Eater LA; Gretchen Kurz, Orange Coast Magazine; Anne Marie Panoringan, Freelance Food and travel writer; Patric Kuh, former restaurant critic for Los Angeles magazine.

My Takeaways From Andy’s Course

Thrilled to attend a class moderated by my #LAWineWriters friend Andy Harris, and also thrilled by the caliber of industry professionals that joined him to discuss restaurant public relations. These are just some of the things I learned:

Critics will sometimes visit a restaurant anonymously 3 to 4 times before writing a review. Sometimes up to six visits if there is a wine list and/or cocktail program to review as well. They pay every time, nothing is accepted for free.

They don’t always publish a negative review. And if they do they sometimes will be passive aggressive about the issues they found.

Critics feel it’s unfair to the business owner to review their restaurant until they’ve been open for 60-90 days. Yes, the restaurant should be ready, but the critics want to give the owners time to manage their precious baby before being reviewed. The want to allow for a “long, fair start.” (Also some new restaurants shutter at that 90-day mark, so no point in doing a review anyway.)

There is a difference between an editorial and advertorial, and the consumer has to be made aware of what they are reading.

Reviewers should use less adjectives, while also avoiding “lists” of menu items alone.

Food journalists can help new chefs via forums and conventions that can help to educate.

Restaurants have to work around Yelp and Instagram.

Press releases need to include an image, be short and be written for a specific media outlet’s needs. Think elevator pitch.

Public relations professionals have to be passionate about their clients.

Digital publications like Eater LA are somewhat different in that they review the latest openings as that’s what’s expected from them.

Shout Outs

As I only took in one day of the multi-day convention it would be a disservice not to mention a few other things going on. Along with all of the vendors – I couldn’t possibly visit with all – there was also a Healthy Food Expo and a Coffee Fest located within the Western Foodservice Expo, The Beacon Award for a female leader in the industry was won by Dominique Crenn, Chef and co-owner of Atelier Crenn; The Torch Award for talented chefs and/or restaurateurs went to Caroline Styne who is the sommelier and restaurateur of The Lucques Group; some of the chefs lecturing or presenting included Mareya Ibrahim, Bernard Guillas, Mary Sue Milliken, Niki Nakayama, Nina Curtis, Tati Polo, David Rose, Fabio Viviani, Ben Diaz, Betty Fraser, Shaun O’Neale, Holden Dahlerbruch and Bruce Kalman.

Vara Winery and Distillery Takes Home Gold Medal at Sommeliers Choice Awards

October 15, 2020 by evebushman

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — A panel of high-profile sommeliers and wine directors awarded Vara Winery & Distillery a total of six medals at the 2020 Sommeliers Choice Awards, including a gold medal for their Silverhead Brut Cava.

Medals were awarded to those wines that meet very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to restaurant wine lists. Wines will be judged by Food Parability, Typicity, Value, Quality, and Package.

“We’re really excited that our Vara Silverhead Brut Cava scored so highly on the various factors making it a great wine for the consumers to enjoy in restaurants,” said Doug Diefenthaler, co-owner at Vara Winery & Distillery. “We really put a lot of emphasis on creating a wine with broad consumer appeal, and one that wine drinkers will enjoy for a variety of different occasions. This award is really a validation of our winemaking expertise.”

The top two questions that sommeliers were attempting to answer as they judged the wines were: “Would we stock this?” and “Will the consumer buy the 2nd glass”. Each wine had to score among these 5 criteria to get the best score: F (Food Parability Score) + T (Typicity Score) + Q (Quality Score) + Value Score (V) + Package Score (P) = Sommeliers Choice Awards Final Score.

The gold winning Silverhead Brut Cava has a brilliant light-yellow color with fine well-released bubbles forming a continuous bead and a fantastic crown. The nose is youthful and fresh with pleasant fruity and floral aromas. This bubbly is very pleasant on the palate with a mildly dry fruitiness and a nice persistence of liveliness. The finish is clean and very well balanced, inviting you to another taste.

Along with the gold winning Brut Cava, Vara also received medals for Vara Garnacha, Garnacha Rosado, Tempranillo, Viura, and Albariño.

Sid Patel, CEO of event organizers Beverage Trade Network, pointed out the significance of having world-class sommeliers choose the wines they think customers will most enjoy drinking, “The idea of the Sommeliers Choice Awards is to put the best judges forward to evaluate the best on-premise wines for the consumer. We were very pleased with the quality of the wines we received in the first year of the competition.”

Vara’s award winning wines are available to ship directly to your door at varawines.com. You can enjoy in person at our tasting room located at 315 Alameda Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87113.

ABOUT VARA WINES
VARA is an international family of Spanish and American wines celebrating the origins of the American wine experience thanks to the historical connection of Spain and New Mexico. Some wines have a story, we have a history. Visit www.varawines.com

About Sommeliers Choice Awards
Medals were awarded to those wines that meet a very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to restaurant wine lists. Wines were judged according to criteria such as how well they pair with food items in addition to their overall versatility. Highest marks were awarded to wines that provide value for money at their respective price points. To learn more about the judging process, please visit SommeliersChoiceAwards.com

Chef Celestino Drago Officially Welcomes Legendary Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio as Managing Partner at Drago Centro!

September 5, 2020 by evebushman

Downtown Los Angeles, CA – For over forty years, Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio (Valentino, Valentino Restaurant Group) and Restaurateur/Chef Celestino Drago of the famed Drago Brothers have been close friends, colleagues, and competitors in the thriving Los Angeles dining scene. Now, their longstanding relationship transcends to a proprietary level as Chef Celestino Drago officially welcomes Piero Selvaggio to Drago Centro as New Managing Partner!

Piero Selvaggio (left) with Chef Celestino Drago (right). Photo Credit: Courtesy of Drago Centro

Originally from Sicily, both Piero and Celestino met over forty years ago in Los Angeles when Celestino first came to the states. Piero opened the renowned Valentino, the flagship restaurant in his Valentino Restaurant Group in Santa Monica in 1972. Valentino was widely regarded as one of the finest Italian restaurants in the U.S. and credited with introducing Angelenos to true Italian food, fresh ingredients and new products. Also, introducing a new wave of Italian Chefs that in time built world-wide reputations on the their own. Piero went on to build a multimillion-dollar restaurant empire garnering numerous James Beard Foundation awards for its wine list and service, along with critical acclaim for its food, wine, and service by top national publications including Wine Spectator, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, local Los Angeles press. with more along the way. In 2018, after forty-five plus years, he decided to retire and close Valentino to look for new challenges. Piero met again with Celestino and started considering Drago Centro as the perfect venue for a new chapter.

Celestino has also created a restaurant empire of his own featuring IL Pastaio, Celestino Ristorante, Drago Bakery, Drago Ristorante, Drago Catering & Special Events, and for the past eleven years, Drago Centro has been Downtown L.A.’s premier dining destination for fans of an authentic Italian experience with a modern and innovative edge. “When I first arrived in Los Angeles there was nothing else like Valentino in Santa Monica (and Rex Il Ristorante in Downtown L.A.), and I always looked up to Piero as a mentor,” says Celestino. “Piero helped me out with many of my early ventures and being that we are both from Sicily, we have always had a special respect for one another.”

Over the years Piero and Celestino have remained very close and have done many events together. Both men have also dedicated their legacies to promoting modern Italian cooking with fine ingredients, so it is no surprise that these to celebrated restaurateurs would finally come together. Says Celestino, “When Piero decided to retire, we just kept talking. You can never really retire from this business, so the conversation just kept going.” And, the timing could not be more serendipitous as Celestino just Reopened Drago Centro while introducing a stunning New Outdoor Dining Patio, New Summer Menu, Takeout, Delivery, Curbside Pickup, and now the exciting celebratory new partnership between Chef Celestino Drago and the maestro himself, Piero Selvaggio!

These two new partners are today’s most exclusive package. Says Piero, “I am very excited to bring Drago Centro to the next level in time. Celestino and I understand each other completely and we are focusing on the future of dining in Los Angeles. I feel the stamina of this new project and I am excited for all of the new things we are going to do together now and in the future.”

As Angelenos are able to take advantage of L.A.’s great summer weather, Piero and Celestino have created a magical al fresco dining experience featuring a New Summer Menu on their New Outdoor Dining Patio. The tables for dining are spaciously and safely placed all throughout this stunning outdoor atrium surrounded by luscious greenery, verdant olive trees, and a resplendently calming water feature, where the pair await to take each guest on an extraordinary journey as they sip and savor under the stars.

Both Piero and Celestino know all too well that a memorable dining experience must be perfectly paired, so guests can expect great wine experiences featuring Drago Centro’s award-winning Wine List, and much more. “I am very excited to welcome Piero to Drago Centro. He is a longtime friend and we are going to have fun together,” states Celestino.

Benvenuti!

Drago Centro will be open for Outdoor Patio Dining, Takeout, Delivery, and Curbside Pickup every Monday through Saturday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.DragoCentro.com or call Drago Centro directly at 213.228.8998.

Social Media: Please follow Drago Centro on Facebook @DragoCentro and Instagram @DragoCentro

Drago Centro

525 South Flower Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071

T: 213.228.8998

www.DragoCentro.com

Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine Introduce Hollywood Bowl Supper To Go

June 21, 2020 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine has announced the launch of Hollywood Bowl Supper To Go, that began Thursday, June 11, 2020. This offering allows Bowl fans to bring the Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine experience into their own homes with James Beard Award-winners Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin presenting delicious meals prepared daily in the on-site kitchen and wine pairings from the Bowl’s extensive list.

Customers can order their favorite Hollywood Bowl Supper to Go meal and wine online and select a 45-minute window as their pickup time. After customers arrive in the Hollywood Bowl’s main parking lot, the meal will be brought to their vehicle and placed in the trunk. Payment is made in advance for a completely safe, contactless pickup. To ensure availability, ordering the day before is encouraged, but limited options may be available up to 3pm for same-day ordering.

Menu options feature six different three-course meals, a family-style barbecue meal for two, and á la carte selections such as Spanish fried chicken, summer squash gratin, Alaskan halibut, and more. The wine list, hand-selected by Caroline Styne, offers Old and New World varietals and a wine package of four bottles.

“We are beyond thrilled to be able to provide a little bit of the Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine experience to our guests in the comfort of their own home and to keep that connection with them until we can all be together again next summer,” states Caroline Styne.

“The experience provided by Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine is an integral part of the Bowl tradition,” said Gail Samuel, Hollywood Bowl President and LA Phil COO. “Though the 2020 season has been cancelled, we’re delighted that we can bring back a part of the joy for Bowl fans who are missing their summer nights and allow our guests to recreate this piece of being at the Bowl.”

Hollywood Bowl Supper to Go begins Thursday, June 11, with pickups from 4 to 7pm. Customers can begin placing orders beginning Tuesday, June 9.

For more information, and to browse the complete menu, click the following link: HollywoodBowl.com/togo

Gold Medal Wine Club Celebrates Independent Winemakers in their Garagiste Wine Club

June 13, 2020 by evebushman

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – “Gold Medal Wine Club opens up about the Garagiste Wine Club and the ultra-boutique wine-makers they feature each month.”

Gold Medal Wine Club is breaking the mold when it comes to conventional wine selections and is currently the only wine club with a Garagiste-specific niche, featuring two completely unique “Garagiste” wines each month.

Garagiste is a French term used to describe artisan winemakers who handcraft small batches of wine on their own. This is often a passion-filled side project done by some of the top winemakers of critically acclaimed wineries who desire to stray from the ways of big corporations in order to make something completely original and something completely their own.

In a sense, these winemakers are considered the ‘rebels’ of the industry for taking risks, using their own methods and non-standardized techniques to produce their one-of-a-kind wines from a wide array of grape varietals. To strengthen the rarity factor of Garagiste wine, the wine-makers only produce minuscule amounts of each wine making them extremely exclusive.

“Non-traditionalists love the discovery aspect of finding wines made by fellow non-traditionalists! The fact that the original French ‘Garagistes’ used uncommon techniques in addition to terroir to create their wines speaks to that individualism,” remarks Linda Chesterfield, Gold Medal Wine Club co-owner. She adds, “The recipients of these wines get to experience some of the most exciting and under-the-radar wines that are a result of this independent wine-maker movement, and we’re thrilled to be able to provide that for them.”

Gold Medal Wine Club’s Garagiste Wine Club began when the term first started to gain a following in the company’s home state of California. It was created to highlight and celebrate the independent winemaker spirit by embracing the ever-changing landscape of high-quality, small-production wine. The result has been some of the most compelling and authentic wines in the world.

Selecting wines from small-lot winemakers who typically produce less than 1500 cases annually means these wines are virtually impossible to find anywhere in the marketplace. The Garagiste Club features two different bottles of rare and fascinating wine from two different Garagiste wineries every month, most of them from California, but occasionally from Oregon and Washington.

“The majority of these wines are sold to consumers directly from the winery itself and maybe appear on their local restaurants wine lists. It’s very exciting that we get the opportunity to share these small, up-and-coming wineries with our Garagiste Wine Club members” adds Kelsey Chesterfield.

Created in such small quantities, Garagiste wines sell out quickly, so be sure to sign up for the Garagiste Wine Club and start your journey of uncorking some of the most extraordinary and exclusive wines. If you are not interested in signing up for the Garagiste Wine Club, you can still experience these wines by ordering them in the Gold Medal Wine Club online wine store.

Gold Medal Wine Club, located in Santa Barbara, CA is one of the country’s longest running, independent wine clubs, founded in 1992. Gold Medal Wine Club specializes in introducing small, family owned wineries and wines direct-to-consumers all across the United States. Every winery featured is a hands-on, family endeavor producing authentic wines with a true legacy.