Party Wines that Sparkle and Bubble

by Frank Mangio
So you’re ready to party.  There is nothing that tops a bottle of champagne or sparking wine to get you and your guests in the mood. Pop the cork and let the fun begin!

New Year’s Eve just wouldn’t feel right unless some of that frou-frou bubbly in the fancy gold label was being passed and poured around. All champagne and sparkling wine began as a wine varietal, but that’s where the similarity ends.

 Champagne is the beverage of choice for revelers and party people on New Year’s Eve.

To get to what winds up in these sparkle and bubble bottles is a complex process requiring secondary fermentation within the bottle in most brands. The average bottle of champagne contains enough carbon dioxide to produce 20 million bubbles.  When the cork is popped, bubbles emerge at the rate of about 30 per second and absorb aromatic compounds  from the liquid as they rise, adding to the flavor. At the surface, the bubbles explode spraying droplets of aromatic chemicals into the air, delivering a fragrant mist.  There you have it in a nutshell, the physics of fizz.  Here’s another party fact.  This pent up carbon dioxide is so compressed, that when the champagne cork pops, it typically kicks out of the bottle’s neck at about 30 miles per hour.  So, careful when opening.

All this fun is attributed to a 17th century monk named Dom Perignon, still a fabled name in high quality Champagne.  The last time I checked, a 20 year old Perignon was going for about $725.

High quality authentic Champagne comes from a valley of the River Marne about 75 miles from Paris.  A “non-vintage” Champagne means the grapes, which are mostly made from Chardonnay, are blended from different harvest years to ensure consistency in each producer’s style.  Red grapes used are Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  After the secondary fermentation in the bottles to produce the bubbles, the bottles are aged on their sides for up to 3 years and undergo a process to create a number of specialized tastes.

Sparkling Rose’ is a popular alternative to Champagne, with Temecula’s Thornton Winery holding a leadership role with its 2005 Brut Rose’. Their traditional secondary fermentation in bottle (“Method Champenoise” technique) and five year aging, guarantees fragrant flavors ( $29. at the winery).

Prosecco means tiny bubbles in Italian.  It’s the vastly popular sparkling wine from Italy, selling over a million cases and growing at 35% annually.  Women love it with the La Marca brand (from Gallo) leading the way ( $13.97 at San Marcos North County Wine Co.)

Prosecco, the popular Italian sparkling wine comes from the hills west of Venice, Italy.

It comes in bottles ranging from sweet to dry and fermented in huge tanks. It gets to market much faster resulting in pricing that is much less than Champagne.  The La Marca brand is one of the most fruity with notes of melon and citrus.

How should your Champagne be prepared when you pop the cork? 
A quote from James Bond in the 1964 movie Goldfinger to a bar hostess says it all:  “My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done, such as drinking  Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees fahrenheit.” Anything else would be naughty naughty!

Wine Bytes
Bacchus Wine Market in the Gaslamp downtown San Diego brings you a Champagne & Sparkling Wine tasting Fri. Dec. 28 from 4 to 8:30pm.  Try bubbly from around the world, for $30. ea.  More info at 619-236-0005.

The Winos R Us VIP Club is hosting a New Year’s Eve Party  from 7 to 2am at the Marriott Del Mar. Cost is $30.  DJ, free parking and 1st glass of wine free. Specials on dinner, rooms and breakfast.  RSVP and details at 858-369-6032.

Flemings in La Jolla First Friday of 2013 is Fri. Jan. 4 from 5:30 to 7pm.  20 different wines to taste and discover.  This event is “Cabernet vs. Merlot.”  $25. pp.  RSVP at 858-535-0078.

Wine Steals in Cardiff resumes their Wed. night tastings Jan. 9. 5:30 to 7pm for just a $5. fee.  First one will be the latest Zinfandels.  Call 760-230-2657.

Wine Country Events Light the Holiday Spirit

by Frank Mangio
Good times and fine wines are a fixture in Temecula Wine Country, but when the clock strikes December, its 35+ wineries light up with seasonal events and deserve a visit.  Each in its own way, most wineries design their tasting rooms, even some of the vineyards, with  festive, colorful images for visitors.

Temecula Wine Country, Southern California’s largest, is aglow with lights 

and events to greet  holiday visitors.

Here’s a collection of ideas and events for your next visit to Temecula for holiday cheer and New Years celebration:
 Cougar Vineyard – Fri. Dec. 21 6 to 8pm. Live holiday music with special wine prices and discounts on clothing purchases.

Falkner Winery – Nightly, a spectacular display that includes more than 100,000 Eco Lights.
Mt. Palomar Winery – Presents the “Charlie Brown Christmas” Fri. Dec. 21 from 5 to 8pm. 3 piece Jazz ensemble.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa – Great Horse Drawn Carriage Rides through the vineyards daily.  Call 951-587-9463 for details.

Fire & Ice New Years Eve Extravaganza with seating from 6:30 to 9:30pm.  4 course menu and music by a 5 piece band.  $ 150. pp. Party and balloon drop 8 to1pm.  $75. pp. Call 800-730-5042 for details and an RSVP or on-line www.wineresort.com.

Tesoro Winery – Swing into 2013 at Tesoro Winery with a Sinatra Tribute starring Steve Justice 9:30 to 12:30am in their Old Town Tasting Room.  $25. includes 2 glasses champagne and gourmet hors d’ oevres. Dance floor.  RSVP at 951-308-0000.

Wilson Creek Winery – A Jet-Setting Rockin New Years Eve Celebration from 7pm to 12:30am.  Hosted wine, champagne and 4 course dinner with funky soul music for dancing.  Cost is $160.  RSVP at 951-699-9463.

Wiens Family Cellars – “The Great Gatsby” event with a 1920’s New Years Eve speakeasy theme from 8 to 1am.  Dancing, appetizers and more.  $55. ea. Club members $44. Call 951-252-1770.

Grand Del Mar Makes Merry for the Holiday Season

Closer to San Diego, the magnificent Grand Del Mar has planned a series of memorable times for its guests and the public. Their theme, “skip the dinner-making and enjoy the merry making” fits the resort, with their five-star, five diamond dining at the Addison and the holiday-delightful Amaya restaurants, with special menus on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Years’ Day, including a Breakfast Buffet at Amaya.

At the spirited M Club on New Years’ Eve, several guest DJ’s will entertain from 9 to 1:30am.  There will be a Grand New Year’s Eve Party in the main ballroom of the resort from 9 to 1:30am, where you can dance to the famous Wayne Foster Entertainment’s 6 piece band.  For full details and RSVP’s call 858-314-1996 or book on-line at www.TheGrandDelMar.com.

The Grand Del Mar, in Coastal North San Diego, presents holiday dining and entertainment.

 More Wine Bytes
PAON Carlsbad has an Italian wine tasting in the wine shop Thurs. Dec. 20 to Wed. Dec. 26, 5:30 to 8:30pm.  6 tastings for $20.  Call for names at 760-729-7377.

Let the corks fly at the New Years Eve party at DOLCE PANE E VINO in Rancho Santa Fe.  Open dining from 5 to 9pm, then dancing, bubbly, food and friends to toast in the New Year. RSVP at 858-832-1518.

San Diego State University will host a Spring Semester Open House for its Professional Certificate in the Business of Wine program, Mon. Jan. 7 from 6 to 7:30pm in the SDSU Extended Studies/Gateway Centers.  Details by calling 619-594-1138.

Holiday Getaways Near & Far

by Frank Mangio
A growing number of people I know have had it with the “rush hour” mentality of the days leading up to Christmas and extending into the New Years holiday.  Those intrepid individuals tend to park their cars in the driveways of out-of-the-way resorts with quiet ambience that signal a meditative, relaxed way to celebrate.

But first they promise themselves no more shopping malls and supermarkets for their wine and other personal gifts to family and friends that count.  “Cyber Monday” on November 26 was exhibit A that consumers are flocking to the internet for their special gifts.  Sales were up 30% over last year, while “Black Friday” on the 23rd sales were up just 4%. If you were one of those that already did your shopping on the “net” you now have time to plan a getaway to the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Anytime is a lovely time to stroll the greenbelts and soak in the sunshine in the areas of rest and relaxation at the Inn.  This time of year, you can enjoy the seasonal fantasy of Christmas décor, and the food, wine and fun of New years’ Eve.

The serene lawn and wooded area of The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe is striking in its beauty and serves as a getaway for many.

In researching this article I discovered that décor changes are in progress both in and out of the rooms and cottages, at all times respecting the heritage of its tradition.  The spa will be upgraded to bring it up to date and some cottages will  offer “country elegance,” on this serene property, just minutes from downtown San Diego.  A portion of the great lawn will be enhanced to include community events.

The Inn’s restaurant is already showing personality changes with a menu profile that is being crafted by Executive Chef Todd Allison who has been creating dishes since July when he came over from Anthololgy in the Gaslamp of San Diego. “I am emphasizing French dishes within the classic Mediterranean style.  I pick up fresh vegetables daily, along with fresh fish like prawns, mussels, rockfish, scallops and trout,” he revealed.  His earlier work was with the legendary San Francisco Chef Michael Mina when he ran Aqua, at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, in Orange County.

I also can recommend meeting the wine sommelier Sean Dawson who is a big backer of California wines.  He advised me on the Napa Valley Hall Cabernet with a 2008 vintage, the top Napa Valley wine from Wine Spectator last year.  It was magnificent with a New York Strip Steak. “This is a small production, very well balanced, organically grown Cabernet,”  he pointed out.  Dawson expects to be introducing a “Wines of the Pacific Coast” monthly series of events.

Food and Beverage Manager and Wine Sommelier Sean Dawson manages the 

wine program at the Inn at Rancho Sante Fe.

If you stay away from the shopping centers, you can watchthe waves crash just moments away at nearby Del Mar or Encinitas or walk the coastline and breathe in the Pacific.  Catch a room reservation or a dinner by visiting www.theinnatrsf.com.

My “far” recommendations include the Vintage Inn/Villagio Inn & Spa, both linked at Oakville in the Napa Valley.  Both are running a Great Escape promotion that you can check out at 800-351-1133.
The other I have, if price is no object, is Meadowood in St. Helena,  a quiet and cushy Napa Valley gem that features daily wine tastings, golf, tennis and croquet, and of course a full-service spa.  See more at www.meadowood.com.

Wine Bytes
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas is pouring the Wines of Napa Valley, Fri. Dec. 21 from 6 to 8pm.  Cost is $20. pp.  Call 760-479-2500 for wine names.

More Wines to Know in Napa Valley

by Frank Mangio
There is no debate that the best known wine country in America  has been under a lot of stress due to the economy, challenging grape growing weather, price cutting and carpetbagger-discounters.  It’s been a struggle the past 5 years for the famed Napa Valley.  What a difference a year has made. 2012 will be forever known as the great turn around year for this small place with the big reputation, that produces just 4% of California’s wine grapes but sells some 80% of its wines.

I have come to be convinced that “mountain wines” in the Napa Valley are in many ways, the most intense and flavorful.  Three appellations stand out, so let’s start with Mt. Veeder to the south, and Hess Collection, founded by Swiss born Donald Hess in 1978.

Hess Collection Senior Wine Educator Emily Eckerman pours a 2011 Small Block Pinor Gris 

($24. at the winery).

Hess now has 310 acres under vine on Mt. Veeder plus two other Napa vineyards and one in Monterey, and sustainably farmed according to the Hess philosophy:  “nurture the land, return what you take.”

The wine name to know at Hess is the 2008 Mt. Veeder 19 Block Cuvee, a Cabernet based blend, with Malbec, Merlot and Syrah ( $36. at the winery).

At the northern edge of Napa Valley, way up on Howell Mountain, sits Robert Craig Winery. This area begins at 1,400 feet above the fog, meaning warmer mornings and cooler afternoon breezes.  Cabernets rule here and Zinfandels do well also. Rocky, volcanic soil allows porous conditions with superior drainage for deep roots.

Robert Craig grows great Cabs at 2,400 feet on just 9 acres, planting only where nature allowed.  He has 34 acres at neighboring Spring Mountain.  He was with Hess Collection when he founded his vineyard in 1978, then started the Robert Craig name in 1992.  He makes only mountain Cabernet and calls it the “Iron Fist in the Velvet Glove.” Try his flagship 2009 Affinity, a delicious splash of dark berry flavor with hints of espresso and anisette ( $45. at the winery.)

November’s  San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival brought in Michael Keenan of the Spring Mountain District of Napa Valley, winemaker and owner of Robert Keenan Winery.  The winery is known world-wide for its brilliantly crafted Merlots, harvested from  Keenan’s 3 vineyards.

Michael Keenan of Robert Keenan Winery lit up a recent seminar at the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival with his comparative tasting of Keenan Merlots from around the Napa Valley.

“We’re in a big turn around on price and quality,” he asserted. “My favorite wine is Merlot.  It goes with almost everything I eat; it’s round and elegant with a sensual taste.  It is an uphill struggle only because it doesn’t get the publicity other reds get, and too many wineries were making bad Merlot.  The best thing that ever happened to Merlot was the movie Sideways because it forced a lot of wineries to get rid of their mediocre Merlot. Women love it as an alternative to the tannic Cabernets.”

The year 2012 was excellent for the Merlot crop and gave it powerful flavor enhancement. I recommend the 2009 Keenan Napa Valley Merlot, a big tasting Merlot mostly from Spring Mountain ($36. at the winery).

Wine Spectator has just revealed its #1 wine in the world and I am happy to announce, it’s a Napa Valley wine:  the 2008 Shafer “Relentless” Blend, a combination of Syrah and Petite Syrah, made on a hill in the Stags Leap District. ($60, at the winery)

Wine Bytes
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas has an Italian Face-off Tour of the Boot tasting Fri. Dec. 7 from 6 to 8pm for $20. pp.  Details at 760-479-2500.

A High End Bordeaux wine tasting happens at Bacchus Wine Market, downtown San Diego Sat. Dec. 8 from 2 to 8:30pm. Try world class Cabernet, Merlot and Meritage blends.  Cost is $35.  Call 619-236-0005.

Dolce Pane E Vino in Rancho Santa Fe presents a B Cellars Wine Dinner Tues. Dec. 11 at 6:30pm.  Some of the best from Napa Valley will be paired with the cuisine of two chefs.  RSVP at 858-832-1518.

Firefly Grill & Wine Bar in Encinitas is planning A Roth Estate  Sonoma Wine Dinner Thurs. Dec. 13 from 6:30 to 9pm, featuring Alexander Valley Cabernet 2009 with pan roasted Flat Iron Steak.  $60. pp.  Call 760-635-1066.

West Restaurants Reach Out with Toys for Tots

by Frank Mangio
My favorite time of the year is within reach, when the food and wine community reaches out and sets the table with special occasion dinner and wine parties and giving programs for the needy.

The West Restaurants & Inn in Carlsbad is a prime example of such an outreach of fun, flavorful food and drink sampling, healthy choices for diners and a seasonal gift for the holiday season on Thursday, December 6 from 5 to 8pm.  On that date, West Village is staging its 6th annual Holiday Open House, asking guests to bring an unwrapped gift for the Marines Toys for Tots drive.

A short time ago, Executive Chef Eurgenio Martignago hosted an OktoberWest culinary, wine and beer event.  Wines included a Von Hovel Reisling with a farm to table caprese, basil oil and pumpkin de cre’me.

A Santa Cristina Sangiovese was paired with West Farm Tampura-Style Zucchini Blossoms and the Navarro Correas Cabernet highlighted a butternut squash gnocchi. All the while, the oompah pah music thumped away Bavarian music.

On December 6th, there will be special appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus with carriage rides, carolers, face painting and holiday treats for all.  It’s all free, with an wrapped toy or gift encouraged.  For more, call 760-448-4500.

Enjoy Wines with a Core and Explore Strategy
Ever more brands are presented to wine buyers these days, which can turn into a frustrating experience when you are locked into a few wines, but yearn to learn about what else is out there.

I enjoy a new discovery now and then, but I don’t’ stray from my “go-to” wines that I know will please my palate.  My aproach for a relaxed, systemized way to consume wine is what I call Core and Explore. I have a simple 5 point rating system, from one point (dislike) to 5 points (loved it!).

I log the tasted wine with its rating on to a master list, with name, where it came from and where it was bought, varietal, vintage and cost.  Your list of “loved its” is your core wine list, which roughly could be about 60% of your wine budget.  Save 40% for new wines, that you might have tried at wine events or with friends at a party.  Check out their web site for more information, then buy.

If the wine is truly great, then you’ve added another to your core list.


Some Wines to Try for Holiday Dinners and Parties
Here are some wines that I have tried and added to my TASTE OF WINE Core List:  Argyle Nuthouse Pinot Noir Oregon 2009. $50.  A robust Pinot Noir aged in a hazelnut drying facility.  Bold Structure.

Ferrari-Carano Tresor Red Blend, Sonoma Ca.  2009.  $52.  Five Bordeaux style grapes led by Cabernet Sauvignon from the best estate vineyards hand harvested from dry-farmed vines. French Oaked aged for 19 months.

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma Ca.  2008. $52. a TOP pick in a Readers Choice poll, this wine is silky and elegant with ripe plum accents. Some Merlot and Petite Verdot.

NORTHSTAR Merlot, Columbia Valley Washington, 2008.  $20.  From the family of St. Michelle wines, concentrated vintage from the wine country with the longest  days of sun and light for grape growing.

Orfila Vineyards Pinot Noir, San Pasqual Valley, Ca. 2011.  $40. Amazing flavor extracted from young, enthusiastic grapes brought in from Arroyo Grande in Monterey Wine Country.  Credit Justin Mund, winemaker for this creative, move.

Tommasi AmoroneDella Valpolicella Classico, Verona, Italy.  $70.  A peak performer taking locally grown Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinari grapes and hand drying for 4 months, then aging for 3 years.

Wine Bytes
Davanti Enoteca in the DelMar Highlands Center has a Piemonte Italy Wine Dinner event Thurs. Dec. 6 at 6:30pm.  Taste sparkling wines, Barolo, Barbera and Barbaresco wines with a 5 course dinner.  $75. per person.  Details and RSVP phone 858-519-5060.

Wiens Cellar in Temecula is staging a benefit event for the Zoofari Foundation, Sun. Dec. 9 from 4 to 6pm.  There will be wine pouring, appetizers and animal “Ambassadors” like Victor the Cheetah.  Also Silent Auction.  $55. donation pp.  RSVP at 760-630-9230.

Holiday Wine Cellar is planning its Grand Tasting Sat. Dec. 15 from 3 to 6pm.  150+ wines to choose from to the first 100 who RSVP.  $35. ea.  includes commemorative glass.  Call 760-745-1200.