WINE

Speed tasting for bloggers and wine Live Wine Blogging What happens when 300 bloggers sit in a banquet room and wineries one by one have 5 minutes to introduce their wine and pour it for the table? Frantic tasting ensues! On Day 2 of the Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Barbara, we focused on red wines. While yesterday, for white wines, I went the route of social media posts, today I thought it would be fun to see what happens if I try to live blog. Here it goes:
12 July, 2014
It’s been 4 years since Rick Bayless, the Chicago-based American chef who specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine with modern interpretations, opened his restaurant Red O on Melrose Avenue in LA. Since then he has opened a second location in Newport Beach, making two locations where you can experience sophisticated Mexican cuisine. While the menu is seasonal and changes regularly, for their 4 year anniversary, most of the menu was redone. Overseen by Executive Corporate Chef Keith Stich, and in conjunction with Rick Bayless, this is the first major change in 4 years so we went in to check it out! The cocktails have been updated as well by Director of Wine and Spirits Dan OIiver so we began with cocktails, of course!
01 July, 2014
Who hasn't thought, for even a brief moment, about owning a winery?  And, why not in Napa Valley where there is a 150 year old history of grape growing? At a recent media seminar/lunch in Los Angeles moderated by Patrick Comiskey, four producers who come from different backgrounds discussed what brought them to Napa. These producers are the “new guard” in Napa. From the original founders to their inheritors to the 3rd generation and then the vintners and growers, many generations have made their mark on Napa. And now this “new guard” made up of entrepreneurs and innovators are redefining Napa yet again.
18 June, 2014
Owning a winery is a dream. To have a home that overlooks the vineyards, waking up everyday to watch the grapes grow and making wine, it all sounds so romantic and something that if you love wine, you probably fantasize about whenever you go wine tasting. For Los Angelenos Dean Heck, a commercial real estate agent, and Christi Heck, a neurologist, the dream is their reality as they are the owners of Lavender Oak Vineyard in Buellton, CA.
04 June, 2014
So when I say Beaujolais, you might think of Beaujolais Nouveau, that super fruity wine that comes out every Thanksgiving. But, let's talk about the "real" Beaujolais, a versatile and food friendly wine that will pair with your next meal! If Pinot Noir is your grape of choice, Beaujolais, made with the Gamay grape, is a great alternative and somewhat similar! The region of Beaujolais is bordered by the region of Burgundy (home of Pinot Noir). The two wines have many similar characteristics - light to medium bodied wines with red berries, spices and floral aromas and great acidity on the palate. And, the white grape of both Burgundy and Beaujolais is Chardonnay. Best of all, Beaujolais wines are wines that can pair with so many foods as demonstrated recently on the West Coast Beaujolais Food Feast where the wines were paired with seafood in Portland, Mexican food in San Diego and Asian food in Los Angeles, which I got to attend at Hakkasan in Beverly Hills.
25 May, 2014
When I received an invitation to the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival Grand Tasting, it was the prefect excuse for a weekend getaway. The Spring Weekend Festival takes place over 4 days with the Festival Grand Tasting as the main event of the weekend. We drove up early Saturday morning to the River View Park in Buellton. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the temperatures were moderate with a lovely cool breeze.  With over 100 wineries pouring wine, along with food and music, we strolled from tent to tent to taste some of the best wines in the region.
21 May, 2014
When my friend mentioned that we were going to Verbena for dinner during our food tour of San Francisco, I hadn't heard of the new restaurant by Chef Sean Baker, but I had heard of his other restaurant, Gather, in Oakland. Considering Gather's reputation for local, sustainable fresh ingredients, I was rather excited. Located on Polk Ave in the hip Russian Hill, Verbena is a quintessential Northern California restaurant from the menu to the sustainable, natural decor. The menu is produce-focused but has a fair amount of omnivore options. And all of the products used come from small artisan farmers and ranchers in the area with which they have direct relationship. Verbena (1) We started with cocktails which feature seasonal ingredients and spirits from small producers.
16 May, 2014
If you don't have time to take a trip to the state of Washington, you don't have to go far to get a taste of Washington. Head to your nearest Omni Hotels & Resorts throughout the month of May and partake in their "Taste Washington" program that spotlights the wines of the region.....that's what we did when we went to Noe at the Omni in downtown LA. “Taste Washington” is part of Omni Hotels & Resorts popular culinary series “Flavors of the World”. The wines and foods of Italy, Argentina, Spain and France have been featured in the past. This year they are focusing on domestic wines. And with Washington State producing high quality wines at great value, as well being the No. 2 premium wine grape grower in the U.S., it is the perfect fit.
14 May, 2014
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