The Beverly Wilshire Hotel, yes the famous one where Pretty Woman was filmed, has been an iconic landmark on Wilshire Blvd and Rodeo Drive for 90 years. Located on the second floor is a rooftop space that overlooks Wilshire Blvd. In the 1960s and 70s it was the Garden Lounge but for the past 30+ years, it has been an empty concrete space used for private events....until now. Just in time for summer, the rooftop has been converted into the Secret Rosé Garden and it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.
From the main lobby of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, head up to the second floor and enter room 211 which has been carpeted pink. Through room 211, another door opens to the rooftop.
Piemonte is a region famous for Barolo and Barbaresco. But, Nebbiolo, while the king of the grapes, is not the only grape of Piemonte. Dolcetto is an important grape that many times is underestimated as a simple, uninteresting, wine. Well, it is not! And, when it is from Dogliani, a town in the heart of Piemonte, it is definitely worth being noticed! Dolcetto definitely reigns in Dogliani and you can read my story in the Napa Valley Register.
When it comes to Piemonte, Italy, Nebbiolo is king. However, in Dogliani, a small town in the heart of the Langhe in Piemonte, the best vineyards are planted to Dolcetto.
Do not be mistaken. Dolcetto is neither sweet or too light of a red wine. Dolcetto is a black wine grape widely grown in Piemonte that produces a wine that can be tannic and fruity and is almost always dry.
Since Maude changed its format to focusing on wine regions every quarter, they have taken us on journeys to Rioja and Burgundy. For their third featured region, Maude takes us to our own backyard, the Central Coast. From Santa Barbara to Monterey, the Central Coast is a region filled with so much bounty and the Maude team spent a week visiting farmers, purveyors and winemakers to create the menu.
The menu generally focuses around the fresh local seafood that we are so fortunate to have access to. Spot prawns, abalone, oysters and uni are just some of the delectable treats we enjoyed. And each dish was paired with wine selections from producers in the Central Coast, from under-the-radar producers to well-known names.
As we arrived to Maude for our reservations, we were escorted upstairs to the wine cellar lounge. This room is now incorporated into the regional tasting menus. For Rioja, we started in the lounge with a glass of Cava and a plate of jamón serrano and cheese. For Burgundy, we ended the evening in the lounge where we enjoyed a cheese and dessert display. And for Central Coast, we again started our meal upstairs where we were greeted with a glass of Broc Cellars, Chenin Blanc, Petillant, Shell Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles 2017. The effervescent wine has a floral honeyed nose with notes of citrus, peach, pineapple and key lime pie, as well as yeasty aromas and was the perfect way to start the evening.