4th Annual Valley Wine Festival

On June 19, 2010, the city of Calabasas (California) along with Barcelona Enterprises will host the 4th Annual Valley Wine Festival and you are invited to attend. This year’s festival promises to be one for the record books. The theme will be “Vegas in the Valley” and you will be able to enjoy food, wine, beer, spirits and the flavor of Vegas. The festival will feature Casino gaming tables to entertain the attendees with games like Blackjack and Roulette, all with play money/chips for a worthy cause.

Located at The Commons in Calabasas it is expected that this event will sell out. Over 2000 attendees are expected and tickets will not be sold at the door. So hurry and get your tickets now. Standard ticket prices are $100.00, however, pre-sale tickets are currently available at 50% off so take advantage and purchase your ticket now. If you are a business owner  (i.e. wine bar, restaurant, etc.) and you would like to be a sponsor, please contact the festival committee at the link above to discuss sponsorship. This would be a great and inexpensive way to expose a large group of people to your business.

Food, beer, spirits and wines will be featured at the festival. Some of the wineries and wine importers that are sponsoring this event include, Rancho Sisquoc, Classic Wines of California, MegaWine Inc., Four Vines, Ravenswood, and Salo Wines & Spirits, just to name a few.

Finally, all proceeds from this festival will go to the Alzheimer’s Association. If this weren’t enough the festival is also doing it’s part to be “GREEN”. What this means is that The LA Green Business Program has issued a certification that the Valley Wine Festival meets and exceeds all the strict guidelines of being a green event. Some of the things the are doing to be “GREEN” include:

• - Minimizing all paper use (as far as no faxes)
• - Print on 100% recycled papers
• - Print only with green certified printers in LA.
• - All the trash produced from the event is composted
• - All disposable utensils and cups are compostable
• - Supplies are all procured locally to minimize trucking
• - Reusable products are used whenever possible.
• - All linens are laundered using green/environmentally conscious standards and practices.

So make plans to attend the festival (all details included below). A good time with fellow wine enthusiasts is promised. See you there!

• What: 4th Annual Valley Wine Festival
• Where: The Commons in Calabasas, CA
• When: June 19, 2010
• Time: 2PM – 7PM

Remember, drink responsibly.

Now you know this blog is primarily dedicated to wine. However, there is one holiday I just can’t let past with putting up a post and that is St. Patrick’s Day! When I lived in New York I think I would celebrate harder than anyone who was born of Irish decent. So in honor of one of my favorite holidays, I am posting a very short but fun post. Please check out the video below. How many brands of beer can you identify? Let me know!

You know you’ve experimented. It’s a way to discover what you like. And what you don’t. What makes you happy. What satisfies your soul. It’s how you know when you’ve found the one. The one that makes you say, “Sorry, I’m with Cabernet.” When you’ve met the love of your lie, is there really any reason to keep looking? (Back label of Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon)

Monogamy or promiscuity…at some point we are all faced with the question of which way we should go. Now with wine the question comes up again.  Recently while shopping at my local market I came across an interesting bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Many of you know that I haven’t really been a big fan of Cabs but my heart is starting to soften for them as of late because I have been introduced to some really delicious ones Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon, I must admit, has found it’s way into my heart and onto my wine rack.

The name was the first thing that caught my eye but I must admit it was the back label (seen above) that made me purchase this delightful vino. This wine is an arranged marriage of 88% Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot. Although the marriage is arranged the couple honeymoons last longer than most Hollywood marriages. You see French and American oak barrels are the honeymoon destination for this couple and it last for 14 months.

After honeymooning for over a year this couple produces a wonderfully smooth texture of plums and herbs. A warm toasty finish also awaits you. Truly, madly, deeply…whether you are a Cabernet lover or not you will fall in love with this wine and perhaps the idea of monogamy as well.

However, if you are content of not settling dow  maybe promisQous is more your speed. Although I have not yet tried any of these wines yet I am told that they are also extremely good. PromisQuous are red and white blends and at this time they offer  a Pinot Grigio, a white table wine (blend of Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Gewurztraminer and other white varietals) and a red table wine (blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and a mixture of other red varietals).

If any of you have tried the promisQuous brand please comment here on the blog and let me know what you think. Also click on the Monogamy link in the first paragraph and take the quiz to see which wine will be suit your personality. Are you into monogamy or promiscuity?

Finally, below is a video from fellow wine blogger, The Wine Whore, with some comments on Monogamy. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these wines as well.