San Diego Food and Wine Festival – Wine Rave ‘09

Story and photo by J.T. Meadows

This was an event that couldn’t have been more appropriate named. The Wine Rave - at The W Hotel in Downtown San Diego – hosted approximately 25 different wineries, several tapas tables and enough imbibers to make sure both of your shoulders were being rubbed and nudged at all times. Mix all of these together, add a DJ into the mix, and you got yourself a true Wine Rave.

Wineries participating ranged from Southern California to Northern California to France. The majority of wines were in your traditional bottle, but you could also find a really good wine in a box. However, Black Box Wines – from San Francisco – is not your typical Franzia. Black Box Wines come in a “3 liter bag-in-box package” that will last up to 4 weeks after opening. You could blind taste these wines – against $20-$40 bottles - and think you were drinking a great “bottle” of Napa Valley Cabernet. The best part, the 3 liter box retails for around $20.The best part about this party - and the San Diego Food and Wine Festival in general - was that you could try wines you would not typically find at your local grocery or liquor store. Many of these are family owned wineries with small distribution. Some notables included: Quady Winery (Madera, CA.), O’Brien Estate (Napa Valley, CA.), Vanite Wines (Napa, CA), and my coin-toss on favorites, Saint Helena Road (Santa Rosa, CA) and Bourassa Vineyards (Napa, CA).

Simply stated, this event was well worth the $45 and I would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a great “date-night” next year. One suggestion though… Be certain to have a good meal prior to attending.

Barreling Around Temecula Wine Country

by Frank Mangio
The rolling hills of Temecula Wine Country were alive with wine lovers at the recent Harvest Celebration and Barrel Tasting, an annual event that I especially enjoy. Winemakers and owners are side by side offering samples from the barrels and recently released bottles, getting first-hand reaction before they go to market.

First stop is the check-in area at one of the first wineries visible on the main entrance, Rancho California Road . This year it was Callaway Vineyard and Winery, where visitors picked up a “treasure map” of how to get to all the 25 participating wineries, what was being tasted and gourmet food samplings. A glass, serving tray and punch card were provided, and away we went first to Callaway.

Callaway is significant since it was Temecula’s first winery, started some 40 years ago. Businessman Ely Callaway saw the future and deliberately ruled out a winery in Napa Valley . Instead, the pioneer in him came out and he built and planted on a Temecula hillside. Present ownership is now emphasizing Mediterranean varietals.

Their selections included the 2005 Special Selection Merlot and the 2005 Winemakers Reserve Chardonnay, with a barrel tasting of the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon.

We then stopped at the tucked-away Disney style setting of Briar Rose Winery. Les and Dorian Linkogle are specializing in small-lot limited production estate reds and whites of the most premium style. You must call ahead to taste, but it is well worth it!

You can always expect the unexpected from winemaker Les, who was offering a barrel sample of a Zinfandel/Barbera blend and the world-famous Briar Rose Wine Lager Beer blend. With a twinkle in his eye, he took me back into the barrel room and together we sampled a 100 year old barrel of Port.
Les Linkogle, winemaker and owner of Briar Rose Winery, toasts his latest wine creation, a Zinfandel/Barbers blend, with Taste of Wine columnist Frank Mangio on the right.

It was sweet and sensuous, like no other port I have tasted. After a lengthy reunion with Briar Rose, we set off for nearby Falkner Winery where owner Ray Falkner was offering his Gold Medal winning 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, another Gold winner, the 2005 Cabernet, and the barrel favorite, a 2007 Merlot.

This estate selection had rich, dark cherry flavors and was beauty in a barrel. Falkner has a “4 for 3” sale going this month where you buy 4 and pay for 3. The winery’s Pinnacle Restaurant is offering a “Holiday Lunch Special” the 27th thru the 29th for $55. a couple including a glass of wine each. Call for reservations and exact hours at 951-676-8231.

On the way to stop number number 4, I noticed a huge new winery in the final finishing stages. The impressive Monte De Oro will open in early December and has an underground barrel room and panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and the valley, retail center, tasting and banquet rooms and outdoor patio. It sits across from La Cereza Vineyard and Winery, owned by my good friends, Buddy and Cheri Linn.

This is a historic Spanish style winery, with such old world favorites as Gold winners Garnacha and Tempranillo, and a cigar bar named after Ermest Hemingway. Their spotlight wine was the first red in the “Girlfriends” series, the Vino Rojo “Red Girlfriends,” a blend of Merlot and Petite Sirah.

Another new creation was the 2005 Ortpo, La Cereza’s late harvest port. Its’ a blend of Petite Sirah and Zinfandel.

Our final stop as we ran out of time was Robert Renzoni Vineyards on the newly named De Portola Trail, south of Rancho California Road. The Renzoni family has a long history in the wine business and a year and a half ago, this vineyard was opened and billed as the true Italian style winery in Temecula. From Pinot Grigio to Sangiovese, the luscious earthy taste of old Italy floods your senses. Today they were offering a 2008 La Rosa, a Rose of Sangiovese, along with a barrel tasting of their 2008 Tempranillo. The food sampling was a 4 cheese Penne Pasta, a fitting capper to a lovely day in Temecula Wine Country.

Wine Bytes
* San Diego Wine Company on Miramar Road has an Opolo Wine Tasting on Sat. Nov. 28 from 11 to 4:30pm fro $20. pp. This is one of the leading wines in the Paso Robles Central Coast. For details call 858-586-9463.

* Vigilucci’s Restaurant in Coronado spotlights a Reynolds Family Winery Tasting on Tues. Dec. 1 at 6:30pm. Sommelier Mike Powers presides over 6 wines with rustic appetizers, for a $20. fee. RSVP please at 619-522-0946.

* Wiens Family Cellars in Temecula is planning a holiday Reception and Shopping Night Wed. Dec. 2 from 6 to 8pm. Free Admission. Wine and light refreshments served. Bring an unwrapped toy for a worthy charity. Call 951-694-9892.

*The new Paon Restaurant and Wine Bar in Carlsbad has the Conway Family Wines in for a Wine Dinner on Mon. Dec. 7 from 6 to 9pm, with a full “deep sea cool climate” menu. Check for cost at 760-729-7377.

Phoebe Chongchua Joins Taste of Wine TV Team

San Diego resident and long-time TV and video host/producer Phoebe Chongchua will be producing and hosting wine and food feature stories for Taste of Wine TV. Phoebe is the founder and publisher of LiveFitMagazine.com. E-mail Phoebe with San Diego Wine, Food and Restaurant story ideas at Phoebe@LiveFitMagazine.com

Champagne Event at Wine Sellar and Brasserie, Saturday Nov. 14

The best Bubbly Tasting in San Diego goes down tomorrow at Wine Sellar and Brasserie. At this Le Grande Champagne and Best Bottles Extravaganza, everyone else pays $85/person, but you'll save $25 if you mention Taste of Wine TV at the door. Check it out at http://www.winesellar.com/

Put Pinot on your Holiday Wine List

by Frank Mangio
Much has been written about the poetry of wine and the lofty loveliness of each savory taste. There is no better wine family that ushers in these qualities than the Pinots of Oregon.

With the holidays approaching, opinions are paraded in the press about which food-friendly wines go best with an array of menus to celebrate the dinner of the year. Wine Spectator recently quizzed 9 Sommeliers about their recommendations for matching turkey, stuffing, and all the other trimmings. They all had a cornucopia of suggestions from heavy- bodied French to light-bodied German. For me, there is only one choice. I am passionate about Pinot, whether it is the white wine Pinot Gris or its more famous red wine-mate, Pinot Noir. With this pair, you need go no further for an ideal turkey dinner pairing.

Recently I responded to an invitation by my good friend Jesse Rodriguez, the Wine Director at the Five Diamond rated Grand Del Mar Resort. Jesse wanted to present a favorite Oregon winery, Sokol Blosser, from the Dundee Hills. It’s a family-owned and operated winery with a commitment to sustainability in their Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, as well as other wines. They were the first in the country to be certified for their “green” wines.
Alex Sokol Blosser and sister Alison carry on the the tradition of fine Pinot Noir founded by their pioneer parents in 1971.

You have to love a wine whose label describes the wine as containing: “Sunshine. Buckets of Rain. More Sunshine. Morning Dew. The fruits of sustainable farming. Delicate aromas of apple blossoms mingling with flavors of fig and citrus and spice. Kindness.” That’s the Pinot Gris.

The Pinot Noir notes include: “Sun. Rain. Drizzle. More sun. Some fog. The fruits of sustainable farming. Flavors of black cherry and raspberry mingling with earth and truffle. Aromas of the same. 16 months in French Oak. Love and care.” Thanksgiving could not have a more heartfelt message.

For more than 30 years, since before anyone knew there was a wine country in Oregon , there was Sokol Blosser. They learned as they grew these fickle, subtle , sensitive Pinot grapes.

“Our current 2007 Pinot Noir is delicate and light,” Alison said at the Grand Del Mar event. “It has a long lingering finish. The harvest produced Pinot Noir of great structure and similar to the classic Burgundies of France. The climate is close to Burgundy, with cooler temperatures, a longer growing season and long hang-time on the vine. This allows the grape to ripen and mature at its optimum pace, with perfect acidity,” she exclaimed.

At Sokol Blosser, growing grapes organically and embracing sustainability is a way of life and enhances the wine’s excellence. The 2007 is newly released with over 6,000 cases at $38. per bottle. The 2008 Pinot Gris sells for $18. See the complete story at www.sokolblosser.com.

If your taste goes toward beef or Italian style Thanksgiving meals, I would favor the following heavier bodied reds:


Montes Alpha 2007 Syrah , Chile . $18.
Finca Lalande 2007 Malbec , Argentina $15.
Pedroncelli 2007 Mother Cline Zinfandel, Sonoma . $15.
ZD 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley . $50.


Wine Bytes

*The San Diego Wine Company on Miramar Road has a Sparkling Wine and Champagne Tasting Sat. Nov. 21 at 11am , 12:30 , 2 and 3:30pm . Names like Dom Perignon, Domaine Carneros and others. $20.pp. Reserve now at 858-586-9463.

*The French Gourmet in San Diego presents wines from the Piemonte region of Italy , Sun. Nov. 22 from 5 to 7pm . Sommelier Gino Campbell conducts. Cost is $25. ea. Call 858-488-1725.

*Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido spotlights Budget-Friendly Thanksgiving Wines on Mon. Nov. 23 from 5:30 to 7:30pm . $5. fee. Give them a call at 760-745-1200.

*Wine Styles in Encinitas has Wine and the Electric Lounge on Fri. Nov. 27, 6 to 8:30pm . Three choices of wines, sandwiches and other surprises. No cover fee. Details at 760-633-0057.

The Elegance of Chilean Wines

by Frank Mangio

Chilean wines were born amidst the tragedy of the European phylloxera epidemics that decimated French wineries in the late 19th century. This disease nearly wiped out the industry, so many French winemakers turned to this South American country for their salvation.

Chile is Cabernet Country South with more than 100,000 acres devoted to this Bordeaux favorite. The next most popular varietal and a distant 2nd is Merlot with 32,000 acres. Other popular grapes are: Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Carmenere, a budget grape that grows virtually nowhere else.

Names to know start with Concho Y Toro and its class act, Don Melchor, considered the best red wine in Chile , and in the portfolio of the Banfi Vintners of Tuscany Italy.

This elite Cabernet Sauvignon frequently shows up in the top wines of the year in Wine Spectator’s annual ratings. The current vintage, 2006, ($80.) is a dark muscular style of wine grown in the Maipo Valley . There is stoney soil and Andean Mountain breezes with nearly 30 year old vines. It is a wine worthy of the premium price. The wine is aged in small French barriques for a year, then left in the bottle for another year. Expressive with chocolate, black cherry and ripe plum, the ripe tannins lead to a long, juicy finish.

Premier Chilean Winemaker Enrique Tirado is sole enologist for Concho y Toro’s signature wine, Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvingon.

Other wines to look for are: 2006 Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta, a Carmenere Blend and last years’ Wine Spectator Wine of the Year, ( $75.) a surprise pick that underlined Chile ’s coming of age. My favorite value wine, also from the Apalta district of the Colchagua Valley , is the 2007 Montes Alpha Syrah. This is a full-bodied, friendly, easy to handle wine. ($20.) It is a frequent winner of praise from the major publications. All the wines mentioned have been in my Taste of Wine “Top Ten Tastes”.

Chilean wines deserve your attention. Steeped in the French style of fine winemaking, they continue to please palates with consistent quality and assertive, yet elegant character.

All Aboard for the Napa Valley Wine Train

Among the best restaurants in the Napa Valley is one that is constantly on the move. It’s the Napa Valley Wine Train, a popular way to survey the stunning beauty of this globally recognized wine country.

There are three venues on board with nationally known chef Kelly McDonald using only the finest seasonal ingredients in the Vista Dome, Gourmet Express and Silverado Grill. You can choose between lunch or dinner from a 1915 Pullman Lounge or the 1947 Vista Dome rail cars. Both have been lavishly restored. Lovely wines are offered from an extensive list.

You board the train from Napa for the 36 round trip mile through Yountville, Oakville , Rutherford , Saint Helena and back, a 3 hour journey. Winery side tours are offered to Grgich Hills and Domain Chandom, among others. Train trip prices vary with the options offered but are generally $49.50 per person to start.

Train tour information is available at 800-427-4124.

Wine Bytes

* South Coast Winery Resort and Spa is holding an intimate evening with winemakers Jon McPherson and Javier Flores in a wine dinner setting on Sat. Nov. 14 starting at 6pm . Sample new releases with 5 course gourmet cuisine. Cost is $125. ea. Call 1-866-WINERY.

* Bacchus Wine Market, downtown San Diego , salutes France ’s Rhone Valley wines Sat. Nov. 14 from 2 to 8:30pm . 6 wines are on the list from the north to the south Rhone . $15. cost. Details at 619-236-0005.

* The Westgate Hotel San Diego presents the 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau French wines in an elegant 3 course dinner Thurs. Nov. 19 from 6pm . $49. pp. Make your RSVPs at 619-238-1818.

* La Costa Wine Company highlights a Napa Valley Rombauer tasting event Fri. Nov. 20 from 6 to 8pm . Special pricing that night for these well-known wines. $25. tasting fee. Call 760-431-8455.

* Orfila Winery in Escondido has its event of the year: The Merlot Futures party and 5 course dinner Sat. Nov. 21. starting at 6pm . This is the Ambassador’s Reserve and a chance to buy next years’ release at “pre-bottling” discounts. Wine tasting reception, Jazz band and dancing make it special. Reserve tickets on-line at www.orfila.com or call 877-727-9463.

* The San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival has finalized plans for a Celebrity Chef Luncheon and Live Auction at the San Diego Marriott and Marina Sun. Nov. 22 from 11 to 2:30pm . Each lunch table is hosted by a leading winery. Menus are created by nationally known chefs. Price is $150. pp. Call 858-578-9463 for RSVPs.