WINE

Seminar 3: Wines of Sicilia Sicilia is the biggest island of the Mediterranean.   The Northern part of the island is a continuation of Apennine Mountain chain.  Wine production is concentrated on the western part of Silicia. The island is composed of 60% hill, 25% mountain and 15% flatland and the weather is very hot and windy.  There is a great variety of soil, climate and land.  The West has red soil (oxidized with iron); the South has clay; the East has limestone. In total, there are 111.2 hectares planted. Silicia is a heritage of different cultures that have influenced the wine production in the area.  1500 BC, the Phoenicians brought grapes and began winemaking; 800 BC, the Greeks (enotria or land of wine) brought vine training systems (ie. Goblet system); 200 BC, the Romans perfected and continued the wine making tradition; 600 AD, the Arabs colonized Sicily and brought Moscato grapes to produce raisins to eat.
17 June, 2013
Seminar 2: Prosecco If there is anything to remember here, it’s this: Champagne is a Sparkling Wine but not all Sparking wines are Champagne. Champagne must be from the Champagne region is France. Prosecco is a Sparkling wine but not all sparkling wines are Prosecco. Prosecco can only be from Veneto and Friuli in the north of Italy. Prosecco has been a misused term. It has come to mean any sparkling wine from Italy made in the Charmat Method.  But this is not correct.  Prosecco is a grape; it is an area.  It is more than a style. It has a terroir, a place, a history. Not to be mistaken for Champagne, Prosecco is bright and fresh. It is a perfect aperitif wine. And, Prosecco is Italy’s number one export!
14 June, 2013
Despite achieving an Italian Wine Specialist Certification from the North American Sommelier Association, one can never get too much information about the wines from Italy. With 20 regions and 3000 varietals, really mastering the wines of Italy is on on-going process. So, over the last few weeks, I jumped at the chance to attend four seminars hosted by The North American Sommelier Association, focusing on 4 regions of Italy. Seminar 1: Wines of Puglia Led by Alessia Botturi of the North American Sommelier Association and Vito Palumbo of  Tormaresca. DSC01252       DSC01257
13 June, 2013
Recently Martín Kaiser, Winemaker at Doña Paula in Argentina, and Sebastián Labbé, Winemaker at Carmen Wines, in Chile visited Santa Monica on a hot summer day to showcase their wines. Overlooking the ocean, it was a treat to meet these men and taste their wines that showcase the best their neighboring countries have to offer. 9233482655_9bb3de27fd 9233455491_88f0958a58 ARGENTINA 9233474691_c3950f0568  
04 June, 2013

Chambers and Chambers Wine Merchants, representing family-owned and operated wineries, is celebrating 40 years this year. Began in 1973, their portfolio includes wines from California,...

23 May, 2013
It is a rare occasion that I get to attend a trade tasting, as opposed to running it. But while I am here in DC in between two trade tastings I am organizing, I was able to attend the Wines of Portugal trade tasting. IMAG2784 Portuguese wines are probably that most people are not familiar with. Portugal lays along the Atlantic ocean and shares a border with Spain from top to bottom. There are more than 20 DOC wine regions and 250 grape varieties native to Portugal, offering a range of diverse wine styles.
04 May, 2013

Winemaking in the United States dates back to the early 1800s. Today, almost 175 years later, located in Washingtonville, New York (an hour north of...

03 April, 2013
GARAGISTES -(gar-uh-zhē-stuh) n, Fr. – A term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their garage, who refused to follow the “rules.” Today it is a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. Syn: Rule-breakers, pioneers, renegades, mavericks, driven by passion. These are small production commercial winemakers who are making under 1200 cases per year. Most of them don't have tasting rooms, nor do they have big marketing budgets to promote their wines. The Garagiste Festival was created to celebrate the artisan winemakers.  
20 February, 2013
How many times are you drawn to a bottle of wine by the label?  Sure, you may start by looking by varietal or region but you can't deny that the label may catch your eye and make you take notice? While an attention-grabbing label is a great marketing tool, the meaning behind the label is also of significance. Here are some wine labels that have caught my attention, as well as the meaning behind some of the labels.
14 February, 2013
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