Leon Santoro: A Great Winemaker, and a Great Guy...

Article and photo by Janene Roberts (Wine Girl)

“You’re a romantic,” Leon Santoro tells me as I sit across from him in his office at Orfila Winery in Escondido.

“It takes one to know one,” I respond. He smiles and says, “These other people, they’re just about the money.”

Leon starts telling me stories and there are a lot of them. He takes me with him on his life’s trails as he traces his index finger along a map from Italy to New York to Napa Valley and finally to San Diego. He tells me he was learning his winemaking skills in areas that weren’t known for their wines until after he had already left. “You know,” Leon’s saying, “I’m not going to be around forever. You’re going to have to tell this winery’s stories.”

“Oh stop it,” I say.
“No, it’s true.”

Little did I know these were words of a dying man. On Thursday, January 22, 2009, Leon Santoro the award winning winemaker at Orfila Winery died at the age of 58 while awaiting a lung transplant. I was shocked, as most people that did business with him were.

“You know we all went back to Italy last summer,” his brother Paul Santoro is telling me after Leon’s funeral at the table where they have pictures of Leon and Paul and their family in Italy. “Our dad died just one month before on the same day, “he continues. “Leon was still doing business with his Blackberry in the hospital.”

“You’ve had a lot of losses,” I say. “I’m sorry.”

I tried not to cry when the contemporary singers at Grace Lutheran Church sang Amazing Grace, but my efforts didn’t work. I wasn’t the only one there with tears in my eyes. Leon affected a lot of lives with his big heart. The church had to set up folding chairs in the back of the chapel to seat all the people that were there for him. There were people from his son’s soccer team, from the church and the wine community.

Leon leaves behind a wife, and a young son and daughter. He also leaves behind a huge hole in the San Diego winemaking scene.

News from Little Italy Mercato

GROW YOUR OWN
Urban Plantations is back at the Mercato this week, demonstrating ways to fit a thriving vegetable garden into the tightest of urban spaces. Whether you're ready to embrace the “food, not lawns” concept in your front yard, have a small sunny patio or even a wall for vertical planters, Karen Contreras can help you design and maintain a crop perfect for your location. Urban Plantations is at the Mercato every other weekend – see them this on Date Street this Saturday.

BERRY, BERRY NICE
Strawberries sold out early at last week's Mercato. Not surprising, since the big, ripe berries offered a mouthful of summer. Kawano Farms promises to bring even more this weekend, but you probably still want to get yours early. Our new favorite way to enjoy them? Dipped in a luscious lemon quark (think a cross between crème fraiche and cream cheese) from Springhill Farms. Yum! Check out what San Diego Foodstuff had to say about berries and other new offerings.

FROM THE MERCATO TO YOU
Does your downtown San Diego condo community or apartment complex have a community room? Do the residents appreciate special events? Let us visit your homeowners and give them a taste of the Mercato in their own building. We'll bring wonderful Mercato offerings and demonstrate delicious recipes. Contact mercato@littleitalysd.com or call 619.233.3769 to schedule your visit.

SUPER SATURDAY NEXT WEEK
Watch for special programs at the Mercato the last Saturday of each month in 2009, featuring lifestyle businesses and Little Italy shops. On Saturday, January 31, we'll be featuring natural Beauty and Fitness products and services at the Top of the Market, between State and Union. What a great way to spend Superbowl Saturday – shop the Mercato for Sunday big-game snacks, then indulge yourself with a facial or a yoga workout.

Celebratory Year for South Coast and its Wines

photo and articles by Frank Mangio
Jon McPherson, South Coast Winery Resort and Spa’s savvy master winemaker in Temecula Wine Country, recently sat at our booth to join us for lunch at their posh Vineyard Rose Restaurant . For a few minutes, he relaxed over a few examples of South Coast ’s new releases. Jon came over from Thornton Winery 5 years ago where he gained a solid reputation as a meticulous craftsman of sparkling wine. Prior to coming to the Temecula Valley , he cut his teeth in the wine industry in Texas. At Thornton , he earned the title “ America ’s Most Honored Sparkling Wine Producer.”
A “pyramid” of winning wines surrounds the South Coast Winery’s Golden Bear Award in thebottom row center, symbolic of being best in
California.

Last year, the winery was judged the best in the state a the California State Fair and received the Golden Bear trophy for winning 39 awards including: 1 Best of State, 1 Best of Region, 12 Best of Class, 1 Double Gold and 5 Golds among others. In all, 255 awards were won in 2008 by this premier winery. At the end of the year, my Taste of Wine declared South Coast ’s Wild Horse Peak 2005 Sangiovese, one of its Top Ten Tastings.

I asked Jon how he has been able to extract excellence out of his varietals. He said “it’s about letting the grapes speak. We listen, then carefully nurture the process.” He then went on to describe my Top Ten Tasting winner: the 2005 Sangiovese.

A “pyramid” of winning wines surrounds the South Coast Winery’s Golden Bear Award in the bottom row center, symbolic of being best in California.

“The ’05 Sangiovese was planted near Palomar Mountain in the Wild Horse Peak Mountain Vineyard, Thunderbolt Block. The fruit’s unusual depth of character and style is further accentuated by its exclusive aging in French oak barrels. The oak marries with the Sangiovese and adds a beautiful texture and complexity to its licorice and cherry notes. Supple tannins and racy acidity make it a standout 100% Sangiovese wine. It will age gracefully for the next 3 to 5 years.” Last year the ’05 Sangiovese, in addition to my Top Ten accolade, scored a Best of Class, a gold and 4 silvers.

South Coast Winery Resort and Spa sits on 38 acres and is a destination property. Now is a great time to visit. It has a special “Recline in ‘09” promotion for its 76 villas that sit in the vineyard. Sunday through Thursday, a nightly stay is just $149. and it includes a complimentary bottle of wine and many more credit perks. Call 866-994-6379 for reservations through January 31. You may also access www.wineresort.com for information on all its wines and amenities.

This and That
Congrats to Dawn Galante of Galante Wines in Carmel Valley near Monterey on her 38th birthday which was Sunday January 18. To celebrate, her Blackjack 2004 Cab is on sale for $38. a bottle ( regular $50.) Limit 6 and good through January 31. See www.galantevineyards.com.

I was with the master sommelier Jesse Rodriguez at Addison at the Grand Resort Del Mar and we talked about the Anderson Valley in Northern California and their premier Pinot Noir. He recommended Golden Eye and its 2006 vintage. Come to find out it’s one of only two wines served at the President Obama Inaugural Luncheon. You will love the plum, spice, cherry and strawberry notes. It was served with pheasant and duck. The other wine was a Duckhorn 2007 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc served with a seafood stew of Maine Lobster, Scallops and Shrimp.

Wine Bytes
San Diego State University ’s Business of Wine course opens its Spring Semester with “Exploring Wine” starting Mon. Feb. 2, 6 to 9pm , on campus. For fees and registration, call 619-594-6924.

Holiday Wine Cellar of Escondido has “Wine Down Mondays” starting Feb. 2 from 5:30 to 7:30pm for just $5. Enjoy Robert Nenow from his winery in Napa . He’s pouring Cab and his new Syrah/Cab blend. More info at 760-745-1200.

Jack’s La Jolla has a Blind Wine Tasting in the Ocean Room, Tues. Feb. 3 from 7 to 9pm , for $25. ea. Is it a Cab or a Zin? Test your skills. Details at 858-456-8111.

Restaurant Acqua Al 2 in the Gaslamp downtown San Diego launches “AA2 Uncorked,” a new wine tasting series to share the passion of fine Italian wines. The first class is Wed. Feb. 4, 6:30 to 8pm , with the theme of Amore, a Toast to Love. Learn about and try fine Italian wines and authentic Italian appetizers for participants. Cost is $15. pp. Call 619-230-0382 for RSVPs.

Pechanga Casino in Temecula inaugurates its first annual Wine Festival on Sat. Feb. 7 from Noon to 5pm to benefit the Red Cross. In addition to wine tastings with ZD, Miner, Chateau St. Michelle, Erath, Ferrari Carano, Mondavi, Falkner, Keyways, La Cereza, Pedroncelli and more, Pechanga has its great chefs prepare samples of their cuisine. Tickets are $65. ea. A 6 to 9pm bonus of more wineries with a Chocolate Decadence event costs $100. for the two events. For tickets call 877-7112WIN. Or access www.pechanga.com.

Great Chef Award Winner Leads Pala Mesa Upgrade

Article and Photo by Frank Mangio

Homemade recipes, high quality ingredients and management/leadership skills are driving Pala Mesa Resort in Fallbrook to a new level of dining with its revamped Aqua Terra Restaurant.

Executive Chef Sean Sullivan has placed his hand on a lovely restaurant format that underlines seafood and fine wines. It hasn’t been too long since his graduation from the School of Culinary Arts in Denver in 1998 and he’s been running kitchens ever since. From Italian, Asian Fusion and Latin Fusion and a top seafood operation in Pacific Beach, Sean has bundled his skills to be the executive chef that he is today.

When he got to Aqua Terra, Sean added a sushi bar and a menu that shows cuisine from around the globe. He has a great time in the kitchen. I recommend the Shrimp Stuffed Artichokes for an appetizer, a beet and goat cheese salad with baby Arugula and for the entrée, a vanilla scented Chilean Seabass is sure to please.

Executive Chef Sean Sullivan relaxes in his newly upgraded Aqua Terra Restaurant at Pala Mesa Resort in Fallbrook.

The wine menu needs more selections but I found a brilliantly crafted Zinfandel selection from Clos LaChance, a Central California wine from 2005, with a rare 12.5% alcohol. The lower alcohol content allowed it to pair beautifully with the fish and beef menu selections. I thought so much of it, the wine became one of the Top Ten Wine Tastings for 2008.

Pala Mesa has a Wine Appreciation Club top heavy with member benefits including: six wine tasting events per year, discounted wines and wine dinner events and other unique offerings. Food and Beverage Director Kevin Poorbaugh has crafted this special wine club to feature the most rewards available for the wine aficionado.
The resort is a great escape with its oversized guest rooms, golf and country environment. For more, phone 760-728-5881 or access www.palamesa.com.

Wine and the Economy
Although it’s true that wine and other spirits are somewhat resistant to the bad economy, and sales have held up when other consumption has faltered, some cracks have started to show. Wine shops and wineries have noted slumping “traffic” and high end wine sales slipping.

The Wall Street Journal’s wine columnists Gaiter and Brecher headlined their latest column “It’s a Great Time for Bargain Priced Wines.” The first one they listed was a 2005 Sicilian Nero D’Avola from Rossetti for under $10. I heartily agreed with that choice.

On their websites, some vineyards are spotlighting “One Day Sales Alerts” with free shipping for quantities, so you may want to “Google up” some of your favorites. Locally, wine shops are sending out e-mails on store-wide discounts.
One even had a sale celebrating the “repeal of prohibition” even though that event occurred 75 years ago!

Wine Bytes
A Zinfandel tasting is the feature at Bacchus Wine Market downtown San Diego Fri. Jan. 16 from 4 to 8:30pm. Zins are from: Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso, Lodi and the Central Coast. $15. pp. Call 619-236-. 0005.

Wine Spot in Carlsbad and five domestic and Italian Sangiovese, Barbera, Primitivo and Pinot Grigios to pour Fri. Jan. 16 to Sun. Jan. 18 from 12 to 9pm. $20. charge. Call 760-434-9463.

Vino 100 in San Marcos spotlights blends, both red and white Fri. Jan. 16 and Sat. Jan 17. Taste Meritages, Bordeauxs and Clarets. $15. pp. Details by calling 760-591-9113.

Firefly in Encinitas brings in the legendary Darioush wines from Napa Valley to pair with his fine dining, on Wed. Jan. 21.

A Soups & Stews Cooking Class begins the 2009 series at Thornton Winery in Temecula Wine Country, Thurs. Jan. 22 starting at 6:30pm. Emphasis will be on the relationships between food and wine. This is hands-on and learn and try. Reservations at 951-699-0099 or on-line at www.thorntonwine.com.

Bene vive!

The Future is Now at Orfila Winery

Article by Frank Mangio
Photo by Joe Zazzaro

Wine futures have always fascinated me. The fact that wine loyalists will invest in purchasing cases of wine after harvest but before bottling, betting that the wine will be of the highest quality without tasting it until the following year, is a sign of trust in the winery’s ability to produce consistent excellence.

Orfila Vineyard and Winery in Escondido each year presents its Merlot Futures Winemaker Dinner. The most recent gala, the 10th annual, brought aficionados from Las Angeles to New Jersey to make sure they picked up their orders for the 2006 Merlot, and placed their case orders at a discount for the 2007 which will be released at the next dinner in the fall of this year.

Last year’s 2005 Merlot received high praise at the 2008 Critics Challenge International Wine Competition in San Diego.

The Orfila creation was awarded a Platinum Medal, the highest possible accolade. Leon Santoro, Orfila’s winemaker, emphasized the low production, high quality of the Merlot grapes for the 2006. Just 1,116 cases were available.


A Taste of Wine columnist Frank Mangio with Steffi Habermann Event Manager for Orfila and performer Tom Rizzotto, at the Merlot Futures Winemaker Dinner.

He promised “beautiful notes of cherries, raspberries and violets. It has a deep, complex Merlot flavor with delicious oak overtones and maximum color and was aged primarily in French oak barrels blended with 4.5% Cabernet Sauvignon.”

The 2006 is the 16th production of San Diego County Merlot and counting the turnout to take possession of the 2006 futures and sign up for the 2007, many wine lovers have faith in their “Merlot Futures” at Orfila. For more information, contact the winery at 760-738-6500 or www.orfila.com.