FESTA Fun Happens in Carlsbad July 11

Photo: Herman Salerno, of Salerno Winery in Ramona

The sights of Italian people and products, the smells of home-style Italian food, the tastes of Italian wines, the sounds of Italian music. It’s the 5th annual FESTA Italiana at the Island Center, Faraday and College in Carlsbad, Saturday July 11 from 10am to 5pm.

This FREE-to-the -public benefit event is presented by the Encinitas Sons of Italy Lodge. Leading the entertainment will be classically trained opera tenor Herman Salerno and his team of singers and players. Authentically costumed Sicilian Dancers will perform the “Tarantella” dance and others. They are a favorite in San Diego’s Balboa Park program.

Salerno is also a leading maker of Italian wines from Ramona and he will team up with Carlsbad Wine Merchants in their shop at the center, for an Italian Wine Tasting event from 11 to 5pm.

The winery is most known for its Petite Sirah which recently won a medal at the San Diego International Wine Competition. His Barbera has recently deserved attention. It’s a “drink now” wine whose grape is from Northen Italy and is easy on the palate. Other Salerno wines to taste in the event will be Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the proprietary Elegante, blended with Cabernet and Syrah. All wines will be poured inside Carlsbad Wine Merchants. Cost is $10.

In a recent interview Salerno commented, “with Ramona’s special terroir, this area has been recognized with its own official appellation, the Ramona Valley. I get extraordinary depth and character.” He has been making wine some 18 years, uses traditional hand-crafted methods to produce premium wines. For more information, call the winery at 760-788-7160. For details on the FESTA, call 858-537-9878.

Discover Granache
My Top Ten Tastings for the first half of 2009 will be unveiled with the July 5th column and I am picking up my tasting schedule to widen my candidates for this occasion. For a few years now I have admired the French and what they have accomplished in the southern Rhone Valley with Chateau-neuf-du-Pape.

At the same time, a Spanish wine has caught my attention, made in nearby Temecula at La Cereza. It turns out both wines are the product of the Granache grape. (The Spanish call it Garnacha).

Most of the time, it is used as a blending grape and takes a back seat to its big brother in the Rhone, Syrah. But some California winemakers are maximizing this grape into a soulful, splendid solo performer.

That leads me to a special winery in Monterey that makes a 2006 Granache from the Wild Horse Vineyard in Monterey’s back country, Marilyn Remark. Joel and Marilyn Remark tasted many small vineyard French Granache wines before they embarked on their own vibrant style. Theirs is a classic Rhone style varietal, pure and rich. The cost is $45. produced in limited quantity. Access the web for more at www.remarkwine.com

Wine Bytes
WineSellar and Brasserie in the Sorrento Valley of San Diego presents a “Sparklng Affair” on Sat. July 4 from 11:30 to 2pm for $29. pp. 6 sparkling wines with tasting notes offered. Lunch for an added $12.50 ea. RSVP at 858-450-9557.

Wine Street in Carlsbad has famed surfer turned winemaker Robert August appearing with his wines Sat. July 11. On Thurs. July 16, it’s an Italian wine seminar and tasting featuring Gabriella Orlando, specialist on these wines. RSVP and more info by calling 760-431-8455.

The Porto Vista Hotel in Little Italy San Diego and the Off The Vine Club offers two wineries and their new release party Sun. July 12 from 5-8pm. Rooftop views and a 5 course dinner for $45. Details at 760-579-2800.

Santa Barbara has it’s 6th annual California Wine Festival July 16,17 and 18. Events are downtown and at the pier and include top restaurants and wineries, capped by an all-day Sat. event from 11 to 4pm. For more information call 805-637-4411.

In Temecula, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa is hosting a winemakers dinner Sat. July 18 at 6pm. A five course meal paired with perfect wines. Each couple gets a bottle of wine signed by winemaker John McPherson. Cost is $125. pp. Find out more by calling 866-9-WINE.

Wine Reflects the Taste of a Woman

Article and photo by Frank Mangio
I saw it coming shortly after I started covering wine events and writing about wine developments four years ago. At first it was a curiosity, then it was a realization that women were beginning to become the dominant force in the shape of wine events and wine sales. The latest numbers show anywhere between 57% and 60% of the wine buying choices are made by women.

Forget about the stereotype that women only like sweet or light wines and they are hanging around wine bars to giggle and get picked up. I have found that wine intelligence is not gender-bound. Many more women are becoming sommeliers, winemakers and owners of wine businesses.

Surprisingly, Italy’s most revered wineries, and considered one of the oldest and most traditional of wine countries, are handing control over to female members of these legendary vineyards. Antinori, the most famous of these families, now is operated by daughter Alessia who is scheduled to appear at the Four Seasons Aviara on October 7.

Angelo Gaja scaled the heights of winemaking in Barolo country. He now leaves the story to his young daughter, Gaia. Then there is the Banfi wine empire in Montalcino, now in the capable hands of Cristina Mariani-May who was quoted in a leading wine publication as saying “one strength of women is that they’re more prone to open conversation and building relationships; a bonding experience encouraged all the more by wine.”

A typical weekend tasting at La Cereza Winery in Temecula finds women at the bar for their tasty “Girlfriends” lineup of whites and now a Syrah-Petite Sirah blend.

Then there is Karen MacNeil, the author of Wine Bible, the first book about wine that ever made sense to me, who states that “women are more comfortable giving their opinion and giving a longer opinion about a wine than men. They are not keeping score or making it into a challenge.”

Terri Pebley Del Hamer was making a good living as a commercial property realtor some five years ago, when she called on an owner and winemaker in Temecula about listing his 13 acre property. She wound up purchasing what is now Keyways Vineyard and Winery.

At first it was simply an investment but when the winemaker who was leasing the property left town, Terri had to desperately turn to her innate business wisdom to make a go of it. In 2006, she assembled management who happened to be women, and fashioned a winery that emphasized the celebration of women in wine. “I realized that no one was featuring a winery that catered to women and that to my knowledge, I was the only female winery owner in Southern California, she said. “I set out to make Keyways a comfortable place where customers could take their time, stretch out in easy chairs by a fireplace and feel at home. Then I branded a line of wine called Femina Vita, or the life of a woman. I contracted with a Napa Valley artist for relaxed female poses and marketed the wine under such names as: First Crush, Sweet Surrender, Spellbound and Contentment. We offer varietals from Chenin Blanc to the Rhone Blend in Contentment, which earned gold for the 2007 vintage at last year’s California State Fair.”

Keyways now has a wine club just for women called “Brix Chix” and drew over 50 to its first meeting recently. “They came wanting to know more about wine, get inspired, entertained and empowered,” asserted Terri. “We meet once a month and they pick up a bottle of the wine of their choice. A speaker program is in the works.”

As if we need any more proof of wine being in a woman’s world, the #1 wine in the world last year according to the leading trade magazine, Wine Spectator, was Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta, a Chilean 2005 blend. It was made by Andrea Leon…a woman.

Wine Bytes
 Women and Wine are celebrated weekly at Friars Folly in San Marcos. Wednesday nights are “Girls Nights” with wine bottles half price, and Tami Ridley the owner has been known to create wild surprises with live entertainment. Call 760-736-8035 for the latest.

 From Vine to Glass in Oceanside holds its Art and Wine night on Sat. June 27 at 6pm. Entry fee is $10. including appetizers. 760-757-1037.

 Bacchus Wine Market in San Diego’s Gaslamp District has a high-end Premier Cru Burgundy event on Fri. and Sat. June 26 and 27. 7 wines tasted for $35. Call for times at 619-236-0005.

 Vintage Wines on Miramar Rd. in San Diego offers a Sauvignon Blanc tasting on Sat. June 27 from 11 to 3:30pm, from New Zealand to domestic. Cost is just $5. Contact them at 858-549-2112.

 Escondido’s Holiday Wine Cellar has a Grenache event on Mon. June 29 from 5:30 to 7pm. It's a blind tasting, and another for only $5. 760-745-1200.

 3rd Corner in Encinitas brings an Austrian and Australia tasting in on Sat. June 27 from 2-5pm. Fee is $10. for ten wines. $15. more for a 3 course lunch. For more info, call 760-924-2104.

 Falkner Winery in Temecula celebrates its 9th Anniversary with a weekend blast Fri. July 3 to Sun. July 5. Enjoy jazz music, tours and huge discounts. Their Pinnacle restaurant offers deep menu discounts. Call 951-676-8231 for more.

Gondola Wine Parties Dock at Loews Coronado

Photo and Article by Frank Mangio
In Venice , the gondola has been the most romantic symbol in all of Italy . Handsome men in striped shirts and pie hats, take couples along the maze of canals in long, black, sleek boats. They steer the gondolas and croon Italian love songs, breaking out a bottle of Chianti, with cheese and bread.

The magic and tradition of the gondola is as near as Coronado Island San Diego, on the docks of Loews Resort and Hotel. It may not have the centuries-old villas and cathedrals, but it does have San Diego ’s lovely weather and clear skies, virtually assuring a relaxing journey and romantic adventure.

A closer look at the Gondola Company’s version of gondola rides shows that it can be an even more attractive feature than the originals in Venice .

Wine sommelier Kirt Kirschenman leads a Party Gondola Wine Tasting Cruise, with several scheduled tastings through the summer that weaves its way around the many canals of Coronado Cays. He presents six favorite wines with complimentary chocolate covered strawberries that enhance the flavor of the offerings.

Sean Jamieson, the captain of this whimsical evening, navigates a double size gondola that can seat up to 14, while Kirschenman opens six lovely wines. They were Mediterranean varietals on the evening I covered the event. Standouts were: 2008 Benvolio Pinot Grigio white from Fruili ( 8.99 ), 2005 San Alejandro Las Rocas red from Spain (8.99) and 10 year old Quinta do Noval Tawny Port from Portugal ( 28.99). The port was laced with nutty, coffee-like notes, snuggled up to a roasted cherry-like nose with raisins and spice. Definitely a nautical favorite that night.

Wine sommelier Kirt Kirschenman opens a Quinta do Noval 10 year old Tawny Port at Loews Gondola Wine Party Cruises.

A gondola cruise can be tailored to the occasion, from the signature “Passaporto” (85. for two) to the “Fleet Cruise” for large groups on as many as 6 gondolas ( $25. per person). For reservations and information, contact the office at 619-429-6317. Web access is www.gondolacompany.com.

Wines of the Danube

One of the exhilarating benefits of tasting wines in lesser- known parts of the world is the hunt and discovery of distinguished wine countries, like Austria . This part of the world has rewarded me in the past with its fantastic scenery, music and centuries-old architecture. I am just now learning about the warmth and purity of its white wines.

The Wachau region on the banks of the Danube River and west of Vienna makes wines that are layered with cool minerality and are nicely acidic. The grapes are Gruner Vetliner and Riesling and are picked from steep vineyards, grown on terraces high above the Danube , never more than a half mile from its banks. The wines are not cheap: range is from $25. to 70. You get a combination of power, elegance and a cool character with pure fruit. Austrian wines are world-class. Try the 2006 Franz Hirtzberger Riesling, or the 2006 Emmerich Knoll Gruner Veltliner.

Wine Bytes

§ The next Venetian Party Boat Wine Tasting in Coronado (see story above) will be Fri. June 26 from 7:30 to 9pm . $45. pp. Sommelier Kirt Kirschenman has six bottles of his favorites he will taste with you. Call 619-429-6317.

§ The 2nd annual Wine & A Bite Art Walk series is Sat. June 20, 5-7pm in downtown Fallbrook. Food from six popular Fallbrook restaurants. $20. pp in advance, $25. day of the event. For ticket info call 877-451-3282.

§ Eli’s Food and Wine in Del Mar presents the newest wines from the Napa Valley ’s legendary ZD Winery, Sat. June 20 from 3 to 5pm. Just $10. Call 858-481-2323.

§ North County Wine Company in San Marcos has a couple of powerhouse wine events coming this month: Fri. the 19th for Big Juicy Reds and Fri. the 26th for Summer Whites. Event runs from 5 – 8pm. $10. pp. Call for details at 760-744-2119.

§ Island Prime Restaurant on Harbor Island San Diego presents a Tasting and Seminar of Pinot Noirs from Around the World, Sat. June 20 from 12 noon to 2pm . Learn about the Pinot grape with a hands-on workshop to include hosted hors d’oevres. Cost is $30. RSVP by e mailing: Maurice@islandprime.com.

§ San Diego Wine Company on Miramar Blvd. San Diego has an all-Italian tasting on Sat. June 20 from 11-4:30pm . Just $10. On Sat. June 27, they have an all-German tasting. Same price.

§ South Coast Winery Resort and Spa jazzes up the winery with “Rhythm on the Vine,” Sat. June 27 starring singing great Jeffrey Osborne, Kirk Whalum and Gerald Albright. Benefits Shriners Hospitals for Children. Gates open at 5pm. Admission starts at $55. Check the web site for more: www.wineresort.com.

Taste this Wine….Please

Courtesy of Frank Mangio
Drinking wine is easy. Fill a glass, make contact with the mouth and down it goes. What a waste. How can you possibly understand and appreciate this best of all beverages? Next time you get a request to taste, think of the five S’s, the essence of tasting, and you will get so much more out of the experience. Here they are…

Sight. Pour a small amount of wine in your stemmed glass and hold it by the stem. Focus on the color, intensity and clarity, while tilting the glass.

Swirl. Rest the glass on a table and rotate the wrist. Notice the wine on the side of the glass and the film it leaves. It’s called the wine’s “legs.” A thicker “leg” means higher alcohol. You are also aerating the wine with oxygen, enhancing the taste to come.

Smell. Get your nose inside the glass, close to the wine and strongly inhale. The sensations rush through your sinuses and set up the palate with the penetrating aromas.

Sip. Slowly drink in the wine, making sure your entire mouth is flooded so that all your taste buds are getting saturated. Let the fruit, tannins and alcohol work their magic by “chewing” and sloshing it around the palate before the 5th “S” comes into play…

Swallow. The finish of a wine can last up to a minute or more depending on its body and vintage. It’s a moment of meditation and satisfaction that only wine can create.

New Wines Previewed in the Regal Portfolio

The Clos LaChance Rose is shown at a recent San Diego Restaurant Week promotion. The winery was showcased by Regal Wine’s recent Distributor Trade Show.

by Frank Mangio
High over the San Diego skyline and with a heavenly view of the Padres PETCO Park , Regal Wines, a leading distributor of some of California ’s most popular wines, uncorked their latest offerings atop the Marriott.

I’ve always admired Regal and their “book” of fine fruit- forward wines. They blanket the San Diego wine shops, restaurants and hotels with a straight-forward factual presentation of wines like: Byron, Cambria , Clos LaChance, Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Tablas Creek and a cluster of imports that are at the head of the class.

A review of the most impressive new wines points to a lovely line of Clos LaChance entries. This is a premium estate-based winery from 150 acres n San Martin, in the Santa Cruz Foothills. Standouts were: the ’06 Pinot Noir and the ’06 Zinfandel. Their Hummingbird ’05 Zin was one of my top ten choices for 2008 as a rare version that exhibited European ancestory flavors. Check it out at www.clos.com.

Another Regal showstopper was Byron and their Santa Maria vineyard favorite: the ’06 Pinot Noir from their Bien Nacido Vineyard. A unique micro-climate along with natural farming methods for some 30 years, has produced a benchmark Pinot. It’s smooth as silk with a back palate aftertaste that causes a pause that burns in the full flavor of this wine.

Finally I would recommend the Kendall Jackson Highland Estates Wines from the Alexander Valley in Sonoma , namely the ’05 Cabernet Hawkeye Mountain Vineyard. This is a pure expression of terroir with distinct character; as climate, grape variety, soil and location combine for a rare excellence. Its $55. suggested price makes it a special occasion wine, like right now!

Wine Bytes
From now through June 19, Palm Desert and other desert resort areas are offering Restaurant Week with fine dining low priced three course prix fixe menus as low as $24. Each dining location created its own menu. Check out participating hotels and restaurants at www.palmspringsrestaurantweek.com.

June is an active month for Carlsbad Wine Merchants in the Island Center . Fri. the 18th at 5pm , Halter Ranch of Paso Robles is pouring, with the rockin’ sounds of Audio League. Live music every Thurs. through Sat. Call 760-804-9994 for more.

Tasting on the Terrace happens at the Westgate Hotel downtown San Diego Sat. June 13 from 5 to 7pm for $30. each. Education and tasting of Sonoma wines will liven up the event. Call 619-583-9463.

Bistro 39 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Del Mar shines with a winemaker’s dinner on Sat. June 13 from 6:30 to 10pm for $39.39 ea. Five courses will include wines like Dolcetto d’Alba, Batasiola Barbera and Barolo, all from Italy.
RSVP at 858-720-9500.

Wine Loft in Carlsbad is planning at Costa de Oro Tasting with winemaker Gary Burk, on Wed. June 17 at 6pm . Sample 4 or his wines. $15. pp. Call for details at 760-944-1412.

The Four Seasons Aviara Carlsbad presents 6 Chalk Hills Estate Wines paired with a specially prepared dinner. Date is Thurs. June 18 with a 6:30pm start. Cost is $95. each guest. Call 760-603-3790.

Firefly Grill and Wine Bar in Encinitas is busy this month with a South African Wine Tasting set for Wed. June 17 and the great Cakebread wines coming Tues. June 23 in a fine dine and wine format. Make your reservation for the Cakebread event at 760-635-1066.