What’s this? Frank Mangio in a Ferrari?

by Frank Mangio

Ferrari, likely the finest and most expensive car in the world, met TASTE OF WINE recently at the Bridges Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe and one of my great wishes in life was granted.  I experienced the new “California T,” zipping around  the Tuscan-style hills  like it was a Formula One racetrack.  It was indeed a “peak experience. “ Next time I’ll remember my checkbook.

Wine royalty came to Coronado a few weeks ago when Il Fornaio’s General Manager lit up the island by bringing in Cakebread Cellars of Napa Valley for a wine dinner that packed the restaurant.  Luca Allieri has ramped up Il Fornaio’s

dinner events and called in some name wineries , many from Napa Valley ’s finest, to present the wine side of the occasion.  The Cakebread distributor, Alex Daniels, put together five great wines to mate up with Executive Chef  Giorgio Loverde and that night’s family-style recipes.   Daniels chose Cakebread’s new vintage 2011 Cabernet to enhance the chef’s roasted veal loin with linger-berry sauce, a house favorite. The hosts for the Il Fornaio/Cakebread wine dinner were:  Reza Mahallaty Asst. GM, Alex Daniels of Cakebread and Luca Allieri GM.
 
Another popular Cakebread favorite was the Chardonnay from Napa Valley ’s Carneros District ($36.50), from the class of 2012 that received the highest marks in a decade.  “Carneros is the coolest part of the valley with lots of fog,” Daniels pointed out.

Carneros is one of 9 vineyards now owned by Cakebread including the respected Howell Mountain “Dancing Bear Ranch.”  Here they make the sought-after Reserve Cabernet.  This is classic Bordeaux with backbone and an earthy spice and pepper.($61.50)  Rich and smooth on the palate, with integrated tannins and balanced acidity.   Maybe you can’t have your cake and eat it too, but with Cakebread, you can have it all.  Visit at cakebread.com.

Temecula’s CRUSH Brings Out the Syrahs and Sangioveses
In my rounds of events and meet-and-greets, the wine conversation almost always touches on Temecula, its wineries and wines.  Last weekend the Wine Growers Association got all of its members together at Wiens Family Cellars for what they call CRUSH, a guest walk-around tasting that also featured supreme cuisine sampling and live music.  Good timing because September is California Wine Month.  This year, I tasted far more Syrahs and Sangioveses than I ever have before
in an event like this.  This answers the most asked question about Temecula and its 30 + wineries, what wines do best in this growing Southern California wine country that sits in the middle of  a population of millions in five counties?

Syrah is the varietal from the Rhone Valley in Southeast France and is a bold, spicy red that loves warm inland areas.

Sangiovese hails from Tuscany and is a smooth red wine with balanced acidity and earthy minerality. It  thrives in the warm hill country of mid-Italy that looks remarkably similar to Temecula’s hill country. South Coast Winery has long advocated Sangiovese.  Through the skills of Master Winemaker Jon McPherson and Winemaker Javier Flores, who have been together since South Coast began in 2003, Sangiovese has flourished.  It is a marquee wine at Robert Renzoni, Mt. Palomar , Danza Del Sol and Cougar.  Syrah was a feature pour at Callaway, Chapin, Europa Village , Falkner, Footpath, Frangipani, Hart, Lorenzi, Lorimar, Miramonte, Ponte and Thornton.

The next major event in Temecula Wine Country is the Harvest Celebration November 1 and 2.  For tickets, visit temeculawines.org or call 800-801-WINE.

Wine Bytes
Europa Village in Temecula Wine Country has its Oktoberfest on Fri. Oct. 3 from 6 to 10pm.  Beer, wine, games, food, music and more.  Admission $15. including a logo glass.  ( food and beverages sold separately)  Call 951-216-3380, or go to europavillage.com.

Lobsterfest is coming to Meritage Wine Market Sat. Oct. 4 from 5:30 to 9:30pm. $100. pp.  Call 760-479-2500. for a feast of steamed lobster with all the fixins.  Wines are by Amitie.

The annual Del Mar Taste & Art Stroll comes to Del Mar Village Sun. Oct. 5. Guests view original artwork and sample food delights. Craft beer and wine tastes takes place 10am to 5pm.  with tasting
from 12 to 3pm. Live music included. Tickets are $25. in advance, $30. the day of the event with $10. for sip stops.  Details at taste.delmarmainstreet.com.

This Week’s In-Box to the Wine World

By Frank Mangio
When I was going through San Diego State University as a “late-blooming” student chasing a Journalism degree, I used to ponder the role of the “gatekeepers,” those news editors who had the
responsibility of using press releases for articles, or flushing them into the round file, never to return to see the light of day.

TASTE OF WINE is now my “gate” and I am up to an average 200 e-mails daily that feature information on wines. At times I wish it were less.  But every so often I see fascinating, game-changing news nd I want to share it all.  So, every so often I put a column out that is a sort of roundup of nice stuff that I love to uncork for my readers, like this one. Last night, I had the pleasure of tasting through the current vintage of Castello Banfi wines from Montalcino Italy . The winery’s signature Brunello vintage 2009 has been released after 4 years in barrel. ($58.) The building of Brunello to its most elegant position among the famous wines of the world, is an
inspiring story.

 John Mariani, right, co-founder of Tuscany’s premier winery, Castello Banfi,

with family members as they were honored recently at Cornell University in New York.

As co-founder John Mariani says “It was a revolution that sparked a fine wine renaissance.” Recently, the renowned Cornell University in New York bestowed the 2014 Icon of Industry Award on the Mariani Family for their leadership and contributions both in
industry research and education. I affectionately like to call John my electronic “pen pal” for his comments and insights on my Taste of Wine columns.

Congratulations John and to all members of the Mariani family for all you have done to elevate the quality of wine everywhere.

My friend Claude Robbins, who operates one of the highest quality International Wine & Spirits schools, out of Denver Colorado , found some research on how private tastings for wine club members are much bigger sellers of wine than public tastings. The private gatherings averaged $294. per person compared to a $70. per person sale at public tastings, although it needs to be said that public tasting room fees are growing, generating revenue growth. Caymus Winery in Napa Valley scored a big success with their 40th Anniversary 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet keepsake bottle.  Owner Charlie Wagner shipped the special edition in May and sold 60,000
cases that month alone. ($58.).

The word is spreading up and down California about an early wine grape harvest and what it will mean for the quality of the wines.  At Laetitia Vineyard and Winery in Arroyo Grande, south of San Luis Obispo and makers of premium Pinot Noir, they got bud-break in February, way too early and now are looking at picking their 12 different clones of Pinot, managing sunlight, leaves, soil and water.

 Eric Hickey is the Laetitia Winery President and Head Winemaker,
balancing Old World tradition with cutting-edge California style wines.

Although the current vintage for Pinot Noir, 2012, is getting some mixed reviews due to over production, Laetitia’s lineup is crisp and clean, refined by the winery’s dedication to limited production craftsmanship.  Its best example is the Laetitia Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, with notes of cassis, tobacco and peppercorn with a touch of sweet oak and black tea ($40.).  The delicate berries are removed from the stem prior to fermentation.  The wine is taken to a whole new place
and is a top new pick for Taste of Wine.

Another great new pick from the Central Coast is the Niner Wine Estates 2010 Fog Catcher, a blend of 29% Cabernet, 29% Malbec, 24% Cab Franc, 9% Carmenere and 9% Petit Verdot.  It won gold at the Central Coast Wine Competition 2014. ($65.) The Paso Robles appellation  is getting bigger, expected to be split up into 11 districts within the existing 612,000 acre area.

Wine Bytes
Europa Village Winery in Temecula invites you to its La Tomatina Festival, modeled after Spain's famous food fight, Sun. Sept. 7th from 4 to 7pm.  Tickets are $35. ea.  Music, wine and food. RSVP at: 951-216-3380.

Capri Blu in Rancho Bernardo has an Oveja Negra Chilean Wine Dinner Wed. Sept. 3rd at 6pm. Five course dinner with wine for $55. pp.  RSVP at: 858-673-5100.

Drink Yourself Blind – A Holiday Wine Party

by Frank Mangio
If you are at all a wine lover, you have been to one or more of the many wine events that are staged every week at wine bars, restaurants, hotels, parks and wineries.  Well, you too can be a wine host, and with the approaching year-end holidays, your friends will thank you for the chance to get together at the ultimate wine home party, the Drink Yourself Blind-Name That Wine!

Pick out a dozen of so friendly couples who love to sip, and talk about what  they sipped.  Make a contest of it by wrapping 10 or 12 bottles, preferably all red wines, in bags. Be sure to keep all the wines a secret. (A Blind Tasting!)

Blind Wine Tastings are fun and informative and make
great holiday parties.

Pick wines from all over the world.  Be sure to include:  Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso Robles and Temecula in California.  Then go to Oregon and Washington, France, Italy, South America and Spain. The Varietals should be all different:  a Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Malbec and the list goes on.

Blends are hard to identify so I would not include them.  The test would be to match a description of each and where it came from, with the actual wine bottle tasted by number.  The most correct choices on the form provided would win.  A great 1st prize is a big bottle like a magnum or larger.  This really motivates all the guests to match up the correct answer.

When all your guests have finished tasting, collect the test form, tally up the answers, and the one with the most correct choices wins!  At this point, tear away the bags and reveal all the wines, then give back the forms to show how well everyone did.  There’ll be lots of groans for those that missed their favorites or thought a Zin was really a Merlot, but all will agree, the distinctive qualities of the wines are revealed for all to compare and debate. It’s one of the best ways to taste test palates and learn from the wine experience.

As host, you should supply appetizers before and during the tasting and water for cleaning glasses between tastes.  Choose wines in a price range of $12. ( Malbecs) to $50. ( Cabernets).

Mistakes to avoid:  make sure the glassware is the same size and let your guests know that only 2 ounces of each wine is allowed so there is wine for all to test taste.  Don’t burn candles or open up smelly “air fresheners” that distort the scent of a wine.  Make sure the red wines are at  less than room temperature.  I prefer 65 degrees. It doesn’t have to be precise, but just slightly cooler than 72 degrees.  
So, start planning to put your creativity to work for a “Drink Yourself Blind” Wine Party.  It takes wine tasting to a whole new level.

Say Yes to Nonno’s Wine & Food Menu
Nonno is the loving Italian name for grandfather, the head of the house you could count on for comfort and who led the prayers at the dinner table that all the family gathered around.  Nonno’s Italian Restaurant in La Mesa is a small, cozy comfortable place that serves the finest hearty and delicious meals, with family style Italian wines sourced from small vineyards that are fragrant and fruity.

Gerardo Ortiz is the chef-owner of Nonno’s Restaurant, Pizzeria and Deli.

The chef is the owner, Gerardo Ortiz and he has created a superb menu with his signature flavor profile.  Besides Italian favorites, you will want to try Steak” Sinatra”, Seafood “My Way,” and Fettucini Salmon.  “All entrees are made from scratch,” Ortiz promised.  “My prices are very low, compared to others, as well as our wines that will surprise our customers.  They will discover new names that we try, and know will pair well with our menu“.

Bivio, a 2011 Chianti from Italy’s Tuscany is a dark-berried wine with a toasted almond taste, lush and fruity, is just $15. for the bottle. See more about Nonno’s at www.nonnositalianfood.com.

Wine Bytes
Grapes Café & Wine Bar in Fallbrook presents Powell Mt. Cellars Sun. Dec. 8 from 3 to 5pm.  Meet winemakers Kim and Bill Powell.  $6.pp.  Complimentary appetizers and music on the patio.  Details at 760-500-4374.

Solare Restaurant in San Diego has a Christmas in Italy Cooking Class Sat. Dec. 14 from 10:30 to 1pm.  Cost is $60. to learn secrets of traditional holiday dishes from Sicilian chef Accursio.  Includes Italian coffee and pastry.  Call 619-270-9670.

Europa Village in Temecula Wine Country has a holiday Craft Faire in the vineyards Sat. Dec. 7 from 10 to 5pm. Gifts and things for the home, garden and personal products. No charge. Call 951-316-0261.