Oceano Wines – Making a splash on the San Luis Obispo coast

Written by Allison Levine on January 23, 2020

Wine

There are so many small producers in California and it is always fun to be introduced to new wineries. I recently sat down with Rachel Martin from Oceano Wines from the San Luis Obispo Coast. The San Luis Obispo Coast is a pending AVA where the wineries sit only a few miles from the ocean. Oceano Wines sources from Spanish Springs Vineyard which sits only a mile-and-a-half from the ocean. The proximity to the ocean is definitely reflected in the minerality and salinity of the wines and you can read more about Oceano Wines in my recent column in the Napa Valley Register and re-posted here.

The San Luis Obispo coast sits south of Paso Robles and north of Santa Barbara. This pending AVA was first established in the 1870s, and today there are 30 member wineries who all average five miles from the coast. There is a total of 5,000 vineyard acres planted and 20 grape varieties grown, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir taking the lead. Read More +

Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Le Cadeau Winery Pinot Noir – Rocheux, Diversité and Côte Est

Written by Allison Levine on January 22, 2020

Wine

Sitting down with Tom Mortimer of Le Cadeau Winery in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, I was regaled with Tom’s passionate description of his vineyard located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. He spoke about the various soils, the microclimates and the clones that he has in his vineyard. Then I tasted his Pinot Noirs and it all came together. And that is why the three Pinot Noirs – Rocheux, Diversité and Côte Est are the Please The Palate wine(s) of the week.

Originally from the Midwest, Tom and Deb Mortimer purchased an uncultivated piece of land located on the south slope of Parrett Mountain in the Chehalem Mountains AVA in 1997. Sitting at a high elevation between 610 feet and 725 feet, they cleared the land and planted six acres of Pinot Noir in 1999. Tom selected a mix of Pinot Noir clones and planted Pommard, Dijon clones 667, 777, 113, and 115, as well as Mariafeld (a Swiss Pinot noir clone) and assorted heritage clones from California. Today there is a total of sixteen acres planted. Read More +

Mosa – Seafood and Pasta House in Hermosa Beach

Written by Allison Levine on January 21, 2020

Food Wine

Hermosa Beach, the beachfront city in the South Bay, sits between Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. It is a city popular for sunbathing, surfing, beach volleyball, cycling, running and paddleboarding. Hermosa Avenue runs parallel with the beach and the northern end is filled with restaurants, bars and shops. The southern end is a bit more residential with a smattering of local neighborhood restaurants. And the southern end of Hermosa Beach is now home to a new restaurant, Mosa.

Mosa is on the corner of Hermosa Avenue and 2nd Street. A casual restaurant, it is accented with shades of blue tiles, live greens and eclectic pieces of art on display. The space is shaped like an L, with a bar that runs along the main dining room. Mosa is comfortable and inviting beach town restaurant. Read More +