WINE-FOOD-CHARITY-PEOPLE-A PICTORIAL REVIEW

Join me for a pictorial review of 

The Washington State Winemaker's Dinner 

and 

A Culinary Evening with theCalifornia Winemakers

in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

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What do you get when you start out on a Friday evening, at the beautiful home of Sharon and Hal Lampert for the Washington State Winemaker's Dinner.

With Executive Chef Celestine Drago preparing much of the incredible food, an assortment of premier wines provided by several of Washington State's elite wineries, and 100 people who love good food and wine; all gathered in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation...
A fabulous evening of great food, wine, friends, laughter, and support for The Foundation....that's what you get.

A PERFECT Spring evening begins

Cheers!

Everybody is having fun!

Just a small assortment of pastries

Oooops...does my designated driver need a driver?

And, what do you get when you start out Saturday evening on the Midwest Street lot of Warner Brothers Studio, with 100 of California's premier wineries, each winery paired with one of California's most prominent chefs (or in a case or two an out of town celebrity chef)....creating a special "small bite" to go with the wine being poured.

About 1500 people enjoying an incredible night under the stars sampling unbelievable wine and food, having great fun and raising over $1.5 million for the CF Foundation....

A Culinary Evening with the California Winemakers, the creation of Barbara and Allen Balik....that's what!

 Midwest Street...back lot of Warner Bros...

 One of many auction delights

 Guillaume of Clos Solene, paired with La Toque

 Can I have seconds?  Thirds?

 I'm going to explode

 The Cheese Shop of Beverly Hills....oh my!

 SO many great wines!  So little capacity

Always room for pour, uh I mean more!

Strolling, eating, drinking, enjoying

                                     

ANOMALY....a Napa cult Cabernet

A true OMG!!!!

Cousin Jacqueline!

Always room for a fresh baked choco chip cookie
with a glass of wine!

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And...what do you get on Sunday Afternoon at L.A. Cellars....where one of the weekend's premier winemakers  (Paso Roble's own Guillaume Fabre of Clos Solene) did a tasting for a small intimate group of wine lovers!

A perfect ending to what was just an unbelievable weekend of food, wine, fun, and fundraising for a most important cause.

With a special "thank you" to my cousin Jacqueline, for including me on Friday and Saturday evening.

I hope you have enjoyed this pictorial review of an incredible weekend of wine, food, friends, laughter and life.

Please.....if you liked the blog, share it with friends, post it to your website, comment, and enjoy a good glass of wine.

A Glorious Spring Wine Night!

Some have w(h)ined...and rightfully so, because I have become derelict in posting my WINE NIGHT REVIEWS!  My apologies to all....friends, wine group, winemakers, wine lovers, and those who enjoy my casual blog!

So...a few weeks late.....but here it is!

April 20th saw another wonderful collection of friends, wines, and of course.....food!

Spring has definitely Sprung!

As guests arrived, they were greeted with Jeff Streka's incredible Field Day (ONX)..  75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Viognier, this is aptly described as "a beach vacation in a bottle."  True enough!  Light, tropical fruits, citrus, well balanced acidity and floral notes...closing your eyes your could just imagine yourself as an 8 year old, walking home on a summer day passing by the honeysuckle.  A wonderful way to begin the evening, get everyone in a relaxed mood, as we sat outside on a pleasantly warm Spring evening, sipping and eating appetizers, as the breeze lightly stirred the wind chimes and the birds sang.......

My Special Tasting Cup

Moving inside.....we were ready to eat, and as is our routine, taste one brown bagged delight after another....reviews, rate and finally add up our scores, unwrap the wines, and see what bottle was rated first.

The Table is Ready

Tonight was RED wine night!  No specific varietal or geography, just bring a really good red wine...and good wines abounded!

Tonight saw a little more wine than normal....as our special guest this evening, Chris with his lovely companion Trang....brought two bottles!

Let the meal, the sipping, the laughter and fun begin!

Finally seated....we are now in wine tasting mode....for the next few hours!

Sated and Saturated....Successfully so, if those smiles mean anything!

It was now time to see what was what!  We unwrapped the wines in no particular order; here was our collection of incredible wines for the evening!

Of course, no one had to guess who brought the 1997 Paleo, a classic Italian red Bordeaux Blend from Tuscany....unavailable of course, bought and aged over a decade ago, and shared by Paul from his eclectic and varied wine cellar!

Next up...what's this?  Another Italian red?  A 2004 Tignanello, another Tuscan red blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  Knowing how Mike and Paul have been conspiring of late, this bottle had to have been provided by Mike....and it was!

Both of these Italian beauties being soft, silky, subtle and ohhh sooooo food friendly!

After re-tasting these two Italian gems, I closed my eyes, and the flavors brought back my memories of Tuscany in springtime, staying in a 500 year old mansion, a view of the vineyards budding, the hillsides planted with vines and the sound of the river rushing through the valley below........Memories are made of this.....



No surprise to see a Paso wine next unwrapped, a 2008 Barrel 27 Bull by the Horns.  Vibrant and fruit forward, with just the right kick.....donated by Dana and Matt!

Next, a red blend from Oakville!  A 2008 Bevan Ontogeny.  One of Russel's creations.  The definition of  "ontogeny" being:  The development of an organism.  A unique and different treat!

The next to last bottle unwrapped, a 2008 Jada Vineyards Jack of Hearts.  Big and bold with lots of heart, this is a vibrant Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Verdot blend.

and finally to be exposed, a 2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon.  The king of grapes which displays all that is expected from a great Cabernet.  Both the Caymus and Jada graciously provided by Chris.

The Final Line-up

Suffice to say, that all the wines were in a word (or more):  Elegant!  Tantalizing!  Mouth Watering!  Delightful, and just plain:  YUMMY!  The two Italian blends being so different from the California wines.  And, the final ratings being separated by less than 2 points. However, as is our habit...there is ALWAYS one wine to score more than the others...and tonight's high point scorer.....went to Bevan's Ontogeny!

Finally....the evening comes to a close....Time for bed....clean up can wait till tomorrow....

And to all...a good night!

I hope you have enjoyed sharing another eclectic evening with your group!  Please, feel free to comment, post on your blog, forward to your friends, email me.....and have a glass of wine!

Cheers,

Don

A NEW FIND!

A quick trip to Paso last Tuesday......made all the more worthwhile by meeting a new, incredible (and yet another YOUNG) Paso Winemaker:  Jeff Strekas of ONX!  Being introduced to Jeff and his lineup, sitting on the porch, a light breeze blowing, looking out over the vineyards and distant hills, sipping the incredible wines was nirvana.
(Thank you Addie for the introduction)!

   A picture is worth more than 1000 words

Jeff....a happy winemaker

Passover---2013

WHAT DO THESE ELITE PASO WINERIES HAVE IN COMMON???

Alta Colina
   Daou
      Caliza
          Per Cazo
             L'Aventure
                Denner
                    Torrin
                       Epoch
                          Nicora

Take a large, loving group of family and friends
  Bring them together for a special Passover holiday celebration
    Add 9 elite Paso wines
       And the evening is filled with love, memories, laughter, great food, great wine and a great time!

Passover 2013---

Beginning to prepare.....the line up

(Minus the chilling bottle of Per Cazo)

The Table is Set

An evening in progress...32 happy people

The evening is over, the clean-up begins

9 bottles, 26 adults, Not bad
Great Wines are to be shared with Great People

A PERFECT EVENING WITH THOSE WE LOVE

PASO ROBLES GRAND TASTING TOUR: FEBRUARY 28

FEBRUARY 28TH, AT THE BOOKBINDERY IN CULVER CITY

THE PASO ROBLES GRAND TASTING TOUR....

40 PASO WINERIES....MAKING HUNDREDS OF  PEOPLE HAPPY
SURROUNDED BY GREAT WINES
TASTING GREAT WINES
TALKING TO GREAT PEOPLE
THERE IS NOTHING BUT SMILING FACES, LAUGHTER AND
FRIENDLINESS ALL AROUND
CHEERS TO PASO, PASO WINE AND THE PEOPLE WHO
MAKE THEM, DRINK THEM AND LOVE THEM

Jennifer and Don (yes...that would be me) from DAOU VINEYARDS

Lindsey and Addie from EPOCH ESTATE

Smiles all around!

Assorted Cheeses and Canapes!

Happy pourer...happy taster

Carl of CALIZA

Debbie and David Hunt...from HUNT CELLARS

A happy and thirsty crowd

Good wines bring out the happiness in people

Robert from L'AVENUTRE

VALENTINO'S: MAGIC IN FOOD AND WINE

THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR A MAGICAL EVENING  

Start the evening with 8 close friends entering a stretch limousine.

Take them to Valentino's in Santa Monica.  Have Piero Selvaggio greet and escort them to the private wine room where a table for 8 is set.   Add 7 specially prepared and elegant food courses, pairing each with a unique wine chosen by Piero.  Assign Sean to oversee the evening and explain the food and wine that accompanies each course.  Be generous all evening with lots of laughter.  What do you get?  A most memorable, unique dining experience with flowing wine, surrounded by one of the greatest wine collections in the country, if not the world.  A "magical mystery tour" of food and wine from one of the premier Italian restaurants in the country is going to take us away.

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS!

Following our arrival, and gracious greeting by Piero, we are escorted through the kitchen, up the staircase, to the private wine room, where a an elegant table is set for 8.

                                                    Surrounded by over $1,000,000 of wine

                                                       The mood is being set for the evening

Sean, our affable Maitre d' for the evening, hands us each a glass of Brut Zardetto Cuvee.  An elegant, soft sparkling wine, with a nose and flavors of  peach, pear, apricot.  The bubbly sets the mood for what is to follow.   As we take our seats we are served a trio of appetizers:  Eggplant with ricotta, rolled salmon with marscapone and a fried risotto.

                                                         And now, the food journey begins

Savoring the food, talking, laughing, sipping, relaxing.....unaware that the plates have been cleared, a new wine is poured, 

The 2008 Villa Ruzziz Pinot Bianco is light, floral and fruity.  Aromas tease the senses and pallet, and is exquisitely complimentary with the second course, a lump crab salad with heirloom tomatoes and micro greens.

                                            A picture is worth 1000 words-a taste even more

We are all definitely climbing the stairway to heaven, as a glass of 2008 Valle Dell 'Acate Bidis is poured, to the accompaniment of a warm mushroom tortino with black winter truffles.  Red and fruity, this wine accentuates the flavors of the mushrooms and truffles.....as we continue to be hypnotized by the food, wine and company.

                                                                    indescribable tastes

We are an hour into the gourmet experience, and everyone is happy, satisfied and relaxing, as the pasta course is served:  This is a spaghetti (home made of course) with an incredible sauce I wouldn't try to describe, with mushrooms and beef.  The wine that so perfectly brings out the flavors is a 2009 Blina Barbers d'asti.  Well balanced, and fruity, it is a perfect match with the dish.  Of course by now, we all think everything is a perfect match!

                                                     Spaghetti like mama never made

MORE food?  More wine?  But of course!  The main courses are about to be served!
A small veal fillet, wrapped in bacon, served over risotto that is blended with red wine and goat cheese.
How to best describe?  YUMMM!  And the 2008 La Massa Toscana, a Sangiovese...is yet another perfect fit.  Bold yet elegant, with dark fruit and minerality....that brings out the flavors of the wine and the food, and a lingering finish blending all the flavors together.

                                                              The risotto was to die for

With the evening approaching it's last chapter, we are served the final, well almost final, course:  Osso Buco on polenta. And to pair with this course, Piero has chosen a 2007  Dominico Clerico Arte, a Nebiolo that is deep ruby red.  Well structured, with layers of dark berries and minerals and a hint of spice.  Savoring the last bites, sipping the last drops from the glass.  All that remains now is dessert.

                                           Apologies by the photographer!  So wrapped up in the food,
                                                                   only took a mental picture

The 2009 Sol Solis Moscato d'Asti, a wonderful floral bouquet whose honey dominant flavor dances on your tongue....and brings out the flavors of the dessert assortment of a mini tiramisu, warm dark chocolate cake with a liquid fudge filling, and a small scoop of berry sorbet.  All masterfully tied together, so that no one flavor fights or dominates another.

THE NIGHT'S WINES

                                       Thankfully, we did NOT have to go through the Wine book
                                                              to choose the wines ourselves!

Sitting back, totally sated, the magical evening almost at an end, we have one more treat in store for us.  Not to eat or drink or even touch, but to see:  One of the world's rarest bottles of wine that resides in Piero's Cellar:

One of Four bottles known to exist in the world! An 1891 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino!  Re-corked and "topped off" several years ago, this 120 year old bottle is still vibrant and fills a proud spot in Piero's wine cellar.  What an honor to be able to see a liquid work of art like this.

                                      From when it was tasted, tested, re-corked several years ago,
                                                that is the original 1891 cork attached to the bottle
                                                      and yes, it IS on the wine list for purchase

Grudgingly, the evening must come to a close.  Walking back from the wine room, through the almost empty restaurant (the hour is now quite late), we bid "arriverderci" to Piero, Sean, and Paul (the sommelier).  No thanks is adequate for the incredible experience we just had.  Something so special and unique that words just do not do justice.

And of course, a most special "thank you" to Paul for arranging the evening.  If it were not for his 25 year association and friendship with Piero, we would never have the opportunity of such a special and one of a kind experience.