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.