As I mentioned in my last two posts, we attended LA Wine Fest last Saturday and because of everything going on there I just couldn’t write about it all in one sitting.  Although this third installment is the last post I will add regarding Wine Fest, it is by no means inclusive of all that was going on there. Again, there were lots of wines to taste and we even discovered a fantastic new palate cleansing drink. 

Other exhibits included jewelry stations, food stations and even tequila and beer stations. One of the tables we visited was Wine Treasures. Their slogan is “Unique Finds for Lovers of Wine.” Located in Cerritos, California, they specialize in all kinds of wine paraphernalia. They have everything from t-shirts, to wine themed jewelry, to books on wine. We enjoyed browsing their merchandise and walked away with two wine books.

Another unique find was Garlic Expressions, a classic vinaigrette salad dressing/marinade, produced by LarMar Foods Inc. This delicious, gluten-free dressing is 100% natural, made with fresh garlic, cider vinegar and canola oil. It has a full and fresh flavor without an overwhelming garlic taste.

It was being served with Mache Rosettes (one of the most popular salad greens eaten in Europe), which is grown by Epic Roots in California. The nutty and sweet flavor of the greens goes exceptionally well with the well-blended flavors in Garlic Expressions. Both, Garlic Expressions and Mache Rosettes can be found at Bristol Farms, Gelson’s, Ralph’s, and Whole Foods Market in California.

The Vynebar display was also quite interesting. Vynebar allows you to display your wine in an art-like fashion. You can mount these racks on the walls or under cabinets, eliminating countertop clutter. They come in two sizes and 18 different colors, which ensures a match for your taste and storage needs. Your Vynebar wine racks can also be engraved with your logo or company name which can further illustrate your style and impress your friends or customers.

For those of you who prefer a soda to a glass of wine,  Wine Country Soda presented Vignette, a refreshing soft drink made from California varietal wine grapes. Vignette comes in three flavors Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rose’. These non-alcoholic drinks are all natural with no caffeine. I am not a soda drinker, however, I was quite surprised when I tasted them because they were not bad. They are lightly carbonated so I could see drinking them on a really hot day. 

One of the final stops we made was at the table of Vivienne Sosnowski author of “When the Rivers Ran Red: An Amazing Story of Courage and Triumph in America’s Wine Country”. There we purchased a copy of her book which she personally autographed. The book takes a look at Napa and Sonoma Valley winemakers during the Prohibition. Once I am done reading this book, I will definitely share my thoughts with you all here at GOW.

So that is it for this year’s LA Wine Fest. I hope you enjoyed experiencing a taste of what we experienced. If you have never been to LA Wine Fest,  please consider attending next year. You won’t be disappointed. 

Until next time, drink responsibly.

LA Wine Fest 2009

Yesterday we attend Day 1 of the LA Wine Fest and I would have to say it was extremely fun and a little overwhelming at the same time. There were hundreds of people there and more wine than one individual could taste in a day, or even two days. Because of the abundance of people and wine, there wasn’t much time to truly taste the wines and compare and contrast against others. Nonetheless, it was still an exciting event. 

My game plan, going in, was to stop at tables of wineries and vineyards I’d never heard of or tried before. For the most part this is what happened. The exceptions, of course, were the Mollydooker and Opolo tables. I had to stop there because they are two of my favorites and I knew they would have something exciting to share. I will tell you what those were a little later in the post. 

Solsticio

One of the first places we stopped and I must say one of the best was at the Solsticio table. There we met the owners, Matthew and Amy Kot who’s wines come from the Uco Valley in Argentina. The first wine they poured for us was the Torrontes. The vibrant aroma reminds you of green apples. The taste is light, crisp and refreshing with a floral essence that finishes quite smoothly. The Malbec was also delightful. It’s bouquet was of deep dark stone fruit. On the palate the dark fruit explodes in combination with the oak all the while allowing for a gentle finish. Both of these wines were delicious and will be added to the jackpots page of this blog.

Amy & Matthew Kot - Owners of Solsticio

Vampire

The Vampire table was next. Click on the word Vampire in the previous sentence and it will take you to the winemakers website. Their website has quite an interesting story as to how their wines came to be. I digress… while at the table we noticed they were pouring several different wines including the Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon and Dracula Zinfandel. The zinfandel was quite bold and spicy with flavors of dark plums and chocolate. I love zinfandel however,  I didn’t find this one as exciting as some others I’ve tried. However, the cabernet was extremely delicious. It is blended with a little merlot and syrah which gives it a gentle but still a substantial feel on the palate. The concept of this winery is great and is definitely worth a trip to Paso Robles to see how the immortals make wine. Below is an ad for Vampire wine. Not sure when it was produced though but found it quite appropriate.

Vines on the Marycrest

Our next stop was at Vines on the Marycrest. This boutique winery is also located on the Central Coast in Paso Robles. At Wine Fest, Victor, the owner poured us two of their wines, a syrah based wine called ‘Round Midnight and a zinfandel based wine called My Generation. Both wines were good but the syrah was the better of the two. It is a blend of syrah, mourvedre and grenache. The taste of cherries delight the palate with just a hint of vanilla. This wine would do well with both a casual or elegant meal. To learn more about Vines on the Marycrest check out their story on thewinerychannel.tv.

Cielo

Two more jackpots were found at the Cielo table. Cielo Farms is located in the breath-taking hills of Malibu, California. In these gorgeous surroundings several beautiful wines are produced including Malibu Rouge and Honey Pie. The Malibu Rouge is a deep, dark fruity blend of merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. This combination explodes with flavors of dark cherries, cinnamon, blackberries, vanilla and caramel. The tannins are soft and the finish is creamy. It’s like silk on the palate. The Honey Pie is also just as delicious. This white wine has a nose of apricots and the taste of citrus, peaches and honey (hence the name). The texture is smooth and light with just the right hint of sweetness. These two wines are a definite must  have for any wine cellar.

Owners of Cielo Farms

Mollydooker

Not to long ago I did a post on Mollydooker’s “The Boxer”. So when I heard this winery was going to be at Wine Fest I made it a point of stopping by their table. I was happy I did because I tasted another great wine from them that solidifies my opinion of them. They make great wine. The wine they poured was their Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz. An absolute delight, this wine is aromatic and flavorful. The taste of sweet fruit is apparent but not overpowering. The tannins are sleek and the finish is velvety. This wine is named after the owners’ son, who’s picture is on the bottle. The Blue Eyed Boy is an excellent Shiraz. Another score from our friends down-under.

Opolo

Opolo Zinfandel is one of my favorite wines, as I have mentioned before (see previous post) . So I was extremely excited to learn they were going to be at Wine Fest. As usual they did not disappoint. Their new release, an ’07 Reserve Zinfandel, is out of this world. The taste is bold with the implication of deep, dark fruit. On the palate the texture is soft and inviting. It’s elegance makes it a must-have at your next party or upscale event.

I could go on an on as there were so many more wines tasted. However, I will stop here as these were some of the top stars (in my opinion) at the event. Day 2 of the event is happening today from 2PM – 6PM, so if you missed it yesterday you still have a chance to experiences some of these great wines today. 

My next post will feature some of the other interesting tables we visited at LA Wine Fest.

This year the L.A. Wine Fest was held at Raleigh Studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Day 1 of the 2-day event was well attended and visitors got the chance to sample some excellent wines as well as some excellent food by Raleigh Studio Cafe. Some of this year’s sponsors included:

• Wine X Magazine
• Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
• Singular
• Dine LA.com
• SmartWater
• Mutineer 
• The Tasting Panel

Because there was so much to take in at the festival I will divide the the post into several topics focusing on things I experienced or tasted that were of great interest to me or other participants. 

One of the highlights for me this year at Wine Fest was a jackpot called SanTasti. SanTasti is a company that created a beverage to cleanse the palate between tastings, allowing for a more fulfilling wine tasting experience.  This company has been around since September of last year and they have come up with refreshing beverages that are not only tasty but revolutionary in that they can thoroughly cleanse your palate between tastings. With these beverages you can even go from red to white wine without compromising taste. 

SanTasti's President (Nicole) at LA Wine Fest

While at L.A. Wine Fest, I spoke with Nicole one of the founders and she introduced me to the SanTasti Classic. I found it to be not only cleansing but refreshing. What I love most about this beverage, though, is that you can go from white to red or red to white wines by using this fantastic product. This is definitely a must have for any tasting room. 

SanTasti comes in two other flavors as well. SanTasti Peppermint is a refreshing way to freshen your breath. Try it in place of gum or breath mints after drinking a cup of coffee. You won’t be disappointed. The final flavor is SanTasti Cinnamint. It provides you with the warming flavor of cinnamon &  the cooling sensation of mint all while quenching your thirst. 

SanTasti is the wave of the future in wine tasting. On your next wine tasting outing ask the tasting room server if they carry SanTasti. Some wineries, like Jada Winery and Vineyards, are now on board and are carrying this magnificent beverage. If you are sure the winery you are visiting doesn’t carry SanTasti bring a few bottles along with you on your wine tasting adventure  to ensure having the ultimate tasting experience. This refreshing beverage is scientifically designed to help you taste more.

Our next post will include more exciting info from L.A. Wine Fest.