Cheers for Craft Beers

by Frank Mangio
More than 4,000 breweries now operate in the U.S.  including more than 100 in the San Diego County area and over 400 in California .  Ballast Point Brewery in San Diego has just been sold to worldwide spirits company Constellation for 1 billion dollars.  The recent San Diego Brew and Food Festival at Waterfront Park in San Diego drew over 200 different craft beers including Ballast Point, Kona, Alesmith, The Lost Abbey, Pizza Port, Green Flash, Anchor, Bolt, and the king of the hill…Stone Brewing of Escondido and Berlin, and soon to be in Napa. Craft beer is booming!

Now, I have to be transparent here. Before TASTE OF WINE came along, I managed the largest Oktoberfest in north San Diego with lots of beer from Karl Strauss of San Diego .

Stone Brewing began in Escondido, co-founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996,
and is often called “the all-time top craft brewery on Planet Earth.”

A young, scrawny looking Greg Koch came up to me at the Oktoberfest  in 1997 and proclaimed he was making Stone Beer, it was better than Karl Strauss and could he sell at the event. Naturally I said no.  Little did I know I was talking to the future king of craft beer, now employing 1,100  around the planet, with two San Diego environmentally applauded restaurants in Escondido and Liberty Station San Diego.

Ballast Point is another San Diego area brewery with a great story, this one founded by Jack White, also in 1996.  He was a backyard brewer, but decided to open commercially with Home Brew Mart selling supplies and ingredients for others as well as his own Ballast Point. White’s success is driven by the never-ending search for flavor and aroma.

“We started this business with a vision to produce great beer that consumers love,” White said. “Our Gold Medal winning Sculpin India Pale Ale is a great example of what got us into brewing.  After years of experimenting, we knew hopping an ale at 5 separate stages would produce something special and pack a bit of a sting, just like the Sculpin fish.” (Ballast Point  emphasizes the sea and its inhabitants, in all their marketing, including names of beers).

Constellation Brands, owner of many top drawer wineries like Robert Mondavi ad Kim Crawford and international beers like Corona, Modelo and Pacifico, realized it didn’t have a driver in the craft beer space, which had doubled its share of the market in just 5 years.  So in came the mind-boggling billion dollar offer to Ballast Point, which is on pace to sell nearly 4 million cases, over 100 percent better than the previous year.  It employs more than 500 in 4 facilities in San Diego.

Most craft beers in San Diego are shooting for the “hoppy” flavored IPA style, accenting the pale ale as the preferred taste. Hops are the flowers from a vine that give beer its bitterness. Some of the most sought-after come from Washington state.  It increases the alcohol levels so that now, 9% alcohol can be found in some styles.

The city of Vista seems bent on being “beer town” in the San Diego County area with 12 breweries and a 2 million dollar plus fund to subsidize this plan.  It includes an idea to change the name of Highway 78 as it passes through Vista , to “ Hops Highway .”  Nearby Oceanside wants to open up coastal districts of its city to breweries, making it easier to establish and operate these businesses.  They have attracted 8 breweries in its city, with 2 more in the planning stages.  We have a lot more to tell about this phenomenon in beverage consumption, so with your indulgence we’ll occasionally visit craft beers.

Wine Bytes
A great place to start for sampling local craft beer breweries  is Chandler’s in the Cape Rey Resort in Carlsbad on Thursdays from 3pm.  “Hoppy” beers with $6. pints of featured crafts will be rotated, all will be local.  Call 760-683-5500 for details.

A Maddalena Wine Dinner is planned for BICE Ristorante, in the Gaslamp district, downtown San Diego , Thurs. July 14 starting at 6:30pm.  The winemaker will be there to explain the acclaimed wines and perfectly paired menu. Cost is $79.  RSVP at 619-239-2423.

The Art of Baja Wine & Beer Dinner will be held at The Grill at Torrey Pines in La Jolla , Fri. July 15th from 6:30 to 9:30pm. Executive Chef Jeff Jackson presides with a 4 course family style dinner with showcase wines  and fine Mexican style craft beers. $125. per person.  RSVP by calling 858-777-6660.

The SoCal Food & Wine Festival is Tues. July 19th from 6 to 10pm at the Ramona Mainstage on Main Street Ramona. 10 top chefs  will cook  different dishes with 10 different wineries offering their varietals, including entertainment. Cost is $89. Event to benefit the Center for Community Solutions with prevention and intervention. Information at 760-789-7005.

Callaway Winery Harvesting Gold

by Frank Mangio.
Last year, I attended the 40th Anniversary celebration of Callaway Winery in Temecula Wine Country. There was a mood of progress in the barrel room as pioneers of this appellation toasted its success to date, and recalled the late businessman Ely Callaway and his contributions.

Then, a relatively unknown winemaker who had just joined Callaway from the Northwest and as a sommelier at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point, took the podium. He declared a new day at Callaway. Craig Larson then revealed his passion for grape varietals from the Rhone Valley in France and other Mediterranean styles including Italian. “I was tasting these lovely wines when I was 16 years old traveling through Europe,” he later told me. “I’ve been a winemaker for 14 years now and I am more excited about Callaway and its new direction than I ever have been. This area has great potential for these wines.”

The most recent results from the Riverside International Wine Competition confirm Larson’s prediction. In it, the Callaway 2009 Sangiovese Rose won Sweepstakes Gold. This drier style Rose from Italy’s most popular Tuscan grape, has a rich strawberry/cherry taste. It is served cold and can be a summer party favorite for $18. at the winery.

The other wine worth a taste is the Gold Medal winner from the same competition: the 2009 Special Select Muscat Canelli, also $18. Its’ far more tropical with hints of pineapple, melon, jasmine and cherry blossom. 42 judges from around the country were brought in to judge and all wines were judged “blind.”

Callaway has big plans for architectural improvements and is in the midst of a handsome landscaped courtyard overlooking the vineyards. The winery and Meritage Restaurant will continue to be open to the public.

Saturday, June 19 from 6:30 to 10:30pm, Callaway will host an Evening of Salute to America’s Heroes to help benefit emergency assistance to returning troops. Appetizers, sparkling wine and music will start it off, then a full dinner with Callaway Wines is planned. Cost is $85.50 each for club members, $95. for non-members. Call 951-676-4001 for details, or source the website at www.callawaywinery.com.

New E-Wine Service Pioneered at Delicias
Delicias Restaurant, in the middle of the Village in Rancho Santa Fe, recently introduced its Apple iPad E-Wine Selector, and its new 5,000 bottle wine cellar.

Delicias owner Owen Perry shows the new iPad Wine Menu and General Manager “Gino” Campbell displays two premium wines.

Delicias is the first restaurant to use the iPad for a wine list, and with the completion of the wine cellar, it will have the widest selection of wines of any free-standing restaurant in Southern California. Customers can browse electronically for their favorite wines at the touch of their fingertips.

Owen Perry, the owner of Delicias, came up with this revolutionary idea in customer service. “We intend to also provide our guests information on Delicias Restaurant top wine picks, provide comments on menu specials from the chef, as well as reviews and ratings on the top wines,” he said. “Gino” Campbell was brought in for his unmatched wine expertise, with credits from New York and Las Vegas.

At Delicias, lunch is served Monday through Friday, with dinner reservations taken Monday Through Saturday. Contact the restaurant at 858-756-8000 or on the website at www.deliciasrestaurant.com.

Wine Bytes
The San Diego Spirits Festival is Wed. June 2 through Sat. June 5 at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront. Seminars, trade shows and a Sat. Grand Tasting is in store. Details at 858-551-1605 or www.sandiegospiritsfestival.com.

Café Merlot in the Bernardo Winery begins its First Friday Art Walk and Dinners Friday June 4 from 5 to 8pm. Call for reservations at 858-592-7785 or see www.cafe,merlot.com.

The Encinitas Rotary Benefit 7th annual Wine Festival is at San Diego Botanic Gardens in Encinitas Sat. June 5 from 5 to 8pm. Dishes and desserts from local restaurants are in abundance. Also a silent auction and live music. Tickets starting at $100. with a portion to your selection of listed charities. See www.encinitaswinefestival.com or call 760-436-3581.

WineSellar and Brasserie in San Diego has a Saxon Brown Wine Dinner Fri. June 4 starting at 6:30pm. Known for top quality Zinfandel, Saxon Brown owner and winemaker Jeff Gaffner will present 8 wines. Cost is $49.99 pp. RSVP at 858-450-9557.

Tuscany in the Desert

by Frank Mangio
It was a sunny, temperate day in Palm Desert recently, adding a lively garden atmosphere to the driveway leading to the grand entrance of the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa. I was there to renew my friendship with Paul Bologna, the wine sommelier for the restaurants, and to review the lush Italian style Tuscany Ristorante that sits by a lake within the property. Paul was guiding guests through a holiday wine tasting of California and Oregon Pinot Noirs at the boat dock.

His “Pinot Showdown” pitted Oregon names like Domaine Serene and Chehalem Reserve against California’s Sequana and MacPhail Toulouse. All were lovely picks, but I am partial to Pinot in Oregon so my favorite was the ’05 Chehalem from the Willamette Valley.

Tuscany’s menu, with its Northern Italian cuisine, is the creation of Executive Chef Oliver Wolf. He contributes to the relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere with a lovely selection of wines and fresh, seasonal flavors. The venerable Lobster Ravioli is chef’s favorite and has been on the Tuscany menu since its inception.

Tuscany Executive Chef Oliver Wolf, 2nd from the right, with his kitchen staff, prepares a menu of the finest flavors in the desert at the JW Marriott Desert Springs.

When you go, you must ask for Elena Sembenini for table service. She has been with the ristorante for 18 years. Her presentation is show business quality as she guides her diners through the history of each menu item. It is classic Italian. She personally selected my wine, Castel Ciocondo Frescobaldi 2004 Brunello di Montalcino. Its elegance cannot be overstated.

The wine list, a world tour of all that is superb, touches all budgets and is a credit to the selection decisions of Paul Bologna.

Life is beautiful when it’s spent dining at Tuscany Ristorante at JW Marriot’s Desert Springs. www.desertsprings.com.


What’s in your Cooler?
Keeping wine for years, to open and enjoy at another time, was the last thing I thought I would do when I began collecting my knowledge and thoughts about the qualities of great wine. After a while I began to realize that some red wines do get more magnificent with age.

They become like prized possessions, stored away developing flavors that would be unknown without years of aging.
Old world red wines, whether from the country of origin or a new world adopted country, do best when aged. These are big in tannins, those character-building components of the skins and seeds of grapes that make wine live longer.

My wine storage and coolers hold about 300 bottles of reds, the oldest being 10 years old. All will be consumed as I don’t believe in “collecting wine” just for the sake of name-dropping. Tuscany Italy and Napa Valley California are the wine countries I favor. Varietals I prefer to keep in storage for increased body and flavor include: Cabernet, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Tempranillo, Barolo, Barbaresco, Syrah, many blends from France, Super Tuscans from Italy, Sonoma, Napa Valley, Paso Robles and Temecula.

My prize wine, until I drink it, is a Sassicaia Super Tuscan.

A couple of last thoughts on storing wine: Always keep the bottles laid down horizontally to keep the cork moist, and keep a record of what you have, when you bought it and exactly where it is stored. Salute!


Wine Bytes
San Antonio Winery in downtown Los Angeles has a wine seminar luncheon, Understanding Bordeaux Varietals, on Sat. March 20 from 1 to 4pm. Call 323-223-1401 for pricing and details.

The 9 DePortola Trail Wineries of Temecula are presenting a Zinfandel and Pasta Fest Sat. and Sun. March 20 and 21 from 11 to 5pm. Each winery has pasta, wine and a logo glass for guests. $45. fee. Tickets at the wineries or access www.deportolawinetrail.com.

West Steak, Seafood and Spirits in Carlsbad is hosting the Caymus Napa Valley Family of Wines Mon. March 22 at 6:30pm. Enjoy a five-course dinner featuring seared Prime Angus Filet Mignon paired with Caymus Wines. $95. ea. RSVP at 760-930-9100.

BICE Restaurant in the Gaslamp District downtown San Diego celebrates several winemakers from Italy with a 4 course dinner paired with Chianti Classico, Barbaresco, Barolo, Montepulciano and other Italian districts, Tues. March 23 from 7 to 10pm. $80. pp. RSVP at 619-239-2423.

The Napa Valley Vintners will be well representated at a wine tasting at Fleming’s Prime Steakhoue in La Jolla on Thurs. March 25 from 6 to 8:30pm. Enjoy small bites and big wines with winemakers. $45. ea. Contact Fleming’s at 858-535-0078.