Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Palmina 2018 Vermentino

Written by Allison Levine on October 16, 2019

Wine

Vermentino is an Italian grape that is widely planted in Sardinia, but also can be found in Liguria (under the name Pigato) and in Piedmont (under the name Favorita). It can also be found in California, planted in Santa Ynez Valley, Paso Robles and Carneros. And, one of the producers of Vermentino in California is Palmina Wines in Santa Ynez Valley. Perfect for the hot summer days, the Palmina 2018 Vermentino, Los Olivos District is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

Vermentino is a light-bodied white wine that can be likened in style to Sauvignon Blanc, without being quite as in-your-face, as Sauvignon Blanc can be. Typical aromas are lime, grapefruit, pineapple and almond. Vermentino produces a fresh, zesty wine with good acidity.

The Palmina 2018 Vermentino, Los Olivos District was fermented with 100 percent native yeasts and was aged in stainless steel and neutral French oak for five months. The youthful wine has notes of lemon, green apple, pear and a hint of mint. It is zesty and bright with a saline minerality on the finish. This is the wine to pair with ceviche, shellfish or seafood.

There were 600 cases of the Palmina 2018 Vermentino, Los Olivos District produced and costs $28 per bottle.

Getting to Know The Willamette Valley AVAS

Written by Allison Levine on October 15, 2019

Travel Wine

The Willamette Valley in Oregon spans from Portland in the north to Eugene in the south. Within this larger AVA, there are seven AVA’s. Perhaps you have heard of Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge or even the newest Van Duzer Corridor. But, how can you remember each of these AVAs and what is the difference in the Pinot Noir produced in each area. I spent four intensive days in the Willamette Valley on the Wine Writers Educational Tour in August and we delved into each AVA. I wrote about it in the Napa Valley Register which you can read here. But, take a close look at the map of the Willamette Valley AVAs and you will find some unique shapes that make the AVAs all the easier to remember.

When we talk about wine regions, we see the big picture: Napa, Sonoma, Santa Ynez Valley, Willamette Valley, etc.

Each region is then broken up into AVAs (American Viticulture Areas). How each AVA is determined is based on a common set of attributes and microclimates that contribute to the uniqueness of the wines produced. As wine regions have evolved in the United States, new AVAs have been created.

It is not just about buying a wine from Napa, but is it from Howell Mountain AVA, Diamond Mountain AVA, Spring Mountain AVA or another AVA? What about Sonoma? What about the Santa Ynez Valley?

And what about the Willamette Valley? Do you know what the AVAs are within the Willamette Valley? Can you tell the difference between one AVA and another?

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Bavel DTLA

Written by Allison Levine on October 12, 2019

Food

Bavel DTLA has been on my list since it opened more than a year ago. Sister restaurant to Bestia, Bavel is owned by Chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis and is located in the Arts District of Downtown LA. Between my travel schedule over the last year and Bavel’s location which can take more than an hour for me to get to on any given weeknight, it took me a while to get there. But, this past Sunday when a friend came into town, it was the perfect excuse to head to Bavel, the Please The Palate Pick of the Week.

Located in a large old warehouse, Bavel sits on an isolated corner in the Arts District. Inside, white-washed walls, wood furnishings, high ceilings with skylights and ductwork and plants draping down from the ceiling make it feel like you have entered a Middle Eastern paradise.