A Toast to South Coast Orange County

by Frank Mangio

This column has been privileged to applaud the accomplishments of South Coast Winery Resort and Spa in Temecula over the years. So it was with a fair amount of interest and curiosity that we took the drive up to the recently opened South Coast Winery Restaurant and Tasting Room near South Coast Plaza in Santa Ana.

I was warmly greeted by General Manager Michael Sumeracki and Executive Chef Ulises Navarrete. The wait help for my table turned out to be a brilliantly smart wine aficionado, Sasha Alms, who has a successful high-end wine party planning business when he’s not dazzling restaurant diners.

South Coast Winery Restaurant & Tasting Room in Sant Ana key management team is led by Michael Sumeracki and Ulises Navarrete.

My South Coast wine tastings were chosen based on the menu selections that evening, and they were many and varied, displaying an eclectic menu that chef had crafted from his special take on salads, seafood, pastas, beef and chops.

But here’s the special offer only South Coast has in this area. You can taste five premium reserve South Coast wines of your choice for just $15., ranging from Petite Sirah from the winery’s Wild Horse Peak Vineyard high in the hills of Temecula, to the French style, 30-month aged Estate Private Reserve Cabernet.

Another exclusive feature that makes this location a winery as well as a restaurant is that you can buy any of the lineup of South Coast Wines here. The selections especially chosen for my enjoyment: 2009 Gewurztraminer, 2008 Estate Fume’, 2007 Grenache and the 2007 Wild Horse Peak Il Temporale (mostly Sangiovese with some Cabernet, Petit Verdot, and Merlot).

Master Winemaker Jon McPherson recently picked up nine awards for his nine entries in the Sparkling Wine Beverage Tasting Institute; and the San Francisco International Wine Competition awarded South Coast Double Gold for its 2009 Late Harvest Semillon and 2008 Wild Horse Peak 2008 Syrah. Gold was awarded for the 2009 Chardonnay and 2010 Sauvignon Blanc.

With South Coast Restaurant and Tasting Room, coastal customers can now stay on the coast and sip the benefits of a great Southern California Temecula vintner, South Coast Winery See www.SCWRestaurant.com. or call 714-957-1857.

Other Stand-Out Summer Taste Treats

It’s warm out there and I usually lip-lock on to some lovely whites, a few of which I thought were outstanding, so they are counted in on the big ten list which this August went like this:

Attems Pinot Grigio, Collio District Italy, 2010, $19. Frisky white with penetrating acidity, impressive fruitiness and a lively taste.

Briar Rose Cabernet Franc, Temecula Valley CA., 2005. $42. Lots of muscle in this private reserve great from the hands of Les Linkogle. Small lots, limited production, where only the most intense grapes make the bottle.

Chateau St. Michelle Riesling, Columbia Valley WA., 2010. $6. A thirst quencher made for summer. Ripe peach and juicy pear make the day worth while. Heading toward sweet.

D’arenberg Viognier/Mousanne, Mclaren Valley Australia. 2009. $12. A white Rhone Valley Blend… brilliant stroke. Complex, long lasting taste.

Fontodi Chianti Classico, Tuscany Italy, 2007. $25. The 2006 made my Top Ten Tastes. This vintage might be better. Only naturally grown wine grapes. All Sangiovese.

Grgich Hills Estate Zinfandel, Napa Valley CA., 2008. $35. A home run for the venerable history-making winery. Bio-dynamically grown grapes in Calistoga. A touch of Petite Sirah dropped in.

Headstand Gewurztraminer, Sonoma CA., 2011. $13. Ok, got to say it…you’ll flip over this German bred grape. Low alcohol so drink with abandon. Perfect summer cooler.

Hogue Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley WA., 2006. $14. Hogue is well known to my readers as it recently commited totally to screw cap closures. This Merlot shows a pattern of fresh flavor, days after the first open. Winery Of The Year by a leading wine and spirits magazine.

Thornton Nebbiolo, Temecula Valley CA., 2007. $22. Bravo to the new winemaker David Vergari for this Italian heritage wine with a California influence. The big “steal” on the list.

Vietti Barbera D’Asti, Piemonte Italy, 2008. $22. Grown and bottled in the middle of the “Langhe” area of Piemonte where Barolo and Barbaresco command hundreds of dollars each for their top bottles. Good reason to buy a case of this wine.

Wine Bytes

Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido has B Cellars of Napa Valley present their wines Sat. Aug. 20 from 2 to 4pm. Cost is $15. Details at 760-745-1200.

Vinz Wine Bar and Lounge in Escondido has Jimmy and Enrique with hot Latin Rhythm, Sat. Aug. 20, 7 to 10pm. Dinner while you listen. RSVP at 760-743-8466.

Viva Vino in Old Town Temecula has a tour of Spanish Wines and Tapas Wed. Aug. 24 from 7 to 8:30pm. Check it out at 951-506-5953.

An evening with Justin Wines of Paso Robles with Justin Baldwin is planned at Antonello Restaurant at South Coast Plaza Village in Santa Ana, Fri. Aug. 26 from 6:30 to 9:30pm. Cost is $135. pp. Call 714-751-7153.

An Introduction to Wine and a 5 course lunch is yours at San Antonio Winery in Los Angles, 1 to 4pm Sat. or Sun. Aug. 27 or 28, for $52. ea. RSVP at 1-888-223-1401.

Juicy News from Temecula Wine Country

by Frank Mangio
Activity is ratcheting up in Temecula Wine Country. New releases from several wineries have come back with gold and silver at important competitive events, a newly opened winery is a stately, beautiful Tuscan style villa on a hill, Old Town Temecula is adding to its lineup of wine shops and weddings are being booked in the vineyards.

Jim Carter’s South Coast Winery Resort and Spa has hit it big with its 2008 Wild Horse Peak Mountain Vineyard Sangiovese. At the recent New World International Wine Competition, this flavor champion took Best of Varietal, Best of Class and Double Gold.

Taste of Wine colunmnist Frank Mangio with South Coast owner Jim Carter

The winery reports that over its six year history, it has received over 1,000 awards and medals from regional and international competition.

Callaway Winery is off to a good start this year with gold for its 2008 Muscat Canelli. At Briar Rose Winery, the 2004 Petite Verdot won the Chairman’s Award at the Riverside International Wine Competition late last year and its 2004 Cabernet was judged Gold Best of Class.

An impressive new winery is Monte De Oro Winery and Vineyard with its old world architecture, 100% estate wines and underground barrel room that holds 900 plus barrels in its 9,000 square feet. It’s viewed from the tasting room through a 16’ by 16’ glass floor which is the barrel room’s ceiling. My initial tastings revealed a lovely 2007 Viognier and a 2006 Syrah that I felt were the best on the list.

In Old Town Temecula, Tesoro Winery’s Tasting Room is causing a buzz with its Artist Series Food, Wine and Fine Art. Their wines trend toward big reds like Cabernet, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah and Tribordo Port. The owners will be operating from a future vineyard location in wine country in the near future.

Free jazz starts up at Falkner Winery Sunday April 11 and every Sunday through the season. Performances will be 3 hours beginning at noon and going until 3pm. Chairs and tables are provided.

The big name concerts are again planned for Thornton, Wiens and South Coast and we’ll be doing a later column alerting you to the lineup which is among the best in Southern California.

Finally, if marriage is in your near future, you can’t do better than a wedding in the vines. Orfila Winery in Escondido has a lovely intimate setting and some attractive early-season discounts. In Temecula, look to: Wilson Creek for Tuscan inspired gardens, an events center and a dramatic open air gazebo.

At Ponte Winery, current specials include big discounts on small weddings, including Saturdays. A wedding here before April 30 receives a case of wine at the time of booking. Falkner Winery is on a hill with a beautiful view of the valley. Special custom-designed themes to personalize the event include hot air balloon rides for a unique experience to “Here Comes the Bride.” South Coast Winery Resort and Spa can offer custom labeled wines and spa packages for the wedding party. Bridal shower, bachelor parties and rehearsal dinners are arranged.
Wedding events at wineries are available in Temecula Wine Country. Ponte Winery is shown in the photo.

For wedding night and honeymoon stays, South Coast has many villas in the vines for an elegant stay. Thornton Winery offers the romantic Champagne Caves or a fountain terrace overlooking the vineyards. Experienced event specialists achieve perfection in every detail including wine and food pairings. Wiens Family Cellars offer a fully enclosed event pavilion, outdoor patio or intimate barrel room. Early season offers are available. Enjoy one of the happiest days in anyone’s life, with a memorable wedding in the vineyards.

Wine Bytes
Pack your bags and travel to Verona Italy for the world’s biggest wine tasting, Vinitaly Wine and Spirits Exhibition. Taste and enjoy high quality wine and other beverages from over 4,000 exhibitors. For details phone 39-45-8298111.

The Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival Thurs. Apr. 8 to Sun. Apr. 11 brings together 60 celebrity chefs and 250 wineries. Grand Tasting is Sat. April 10. Go to www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com for details.

Carlsbad Wine Merchants has started up live music and wine tastings with appetizers every Fri. from 6:30 to 9:30pm. Call 760-804-9994.

A Fruity and Floral Wine Tasting is offered at Morgan Run Resort in Rancho Santa Fe, Wed. Apr. 7 from 5:30 to 7pm. Whites and reds will be poured. $30. cost. Call 619-955-8884.

Wine and Olive Oil Tasting in Old Town Temecula

Mondavi is Back! The Legend Lives On

By Frank Mangio
“Wine has been with civilized man from the beginning,” so said Robert Mondavi, whose name is associated with great wine in Napa Valley from the beginning. The passion and vision that Mondavi brought to the table is the stuff of legend.

This driving force for all that is wonderful about Napa Valley wines passed on in 2008, after his namesake winery was sold in 2004. He was a champion for California as best of all wine countries.

Now, after careful planning and cultivation of some of the most fertile vineyards in Napa Valley, Robert’s son Michael and grandson Robert( Rob), are ready to re-establish the innovation, dedication, passion and vision of the first family of winemaking.

Rob Mondavi has been getting his hands dirty making wine, first with his family at Robert Mondavi Winery, then after it was sold, with his father, Michael at the recently created Folio Fine Wine Partners. Folio, in addition to representing many great names in the world of wine, is now producing the next generation of Mondavi wines with names like Emblem, “M,” Oberon and Spellbound. At an impressive gathering at Carlsbad Wine Merchants recently, Rob thanked Kathy Bankerd and her staff for the opportunity to show his wines.

Rob Mondavi, grandson of the legendary Robert Mondavi, displays his Spellbound Petite Syrah and the signature wine M by Michael Mondavi, at Carlsbad Wine Merchants.

“M is my father Michael’s signature of his life’s work” Rob said. “For six years the grapes were sold to the present owner of Opus One, the internationally known blend that started with the Mondavi family. We want it to now be the very best wine in the Napa Valley with this 2005 release. It comes from our Oso Vineyard near Howell Mountain, where we make 150 barrels. Out of that total, only 30 of the best are used in M.” He then talked about one another premium wine, Emblem. “The 2006 Emblem Cabernet is beautifully balanced with elegant texture. The thing that’s’ great about winemaking is you always have the history. Our challenge is to find new ways to get the best out of the vines and push them to new heights.”

For more history, labels and pricing, access www.foliowine.com.

Amarone of Valpolicella
As I write this column, the most influential wine publication in the world, Wine Spectator, is releasing its top ten wines. It just revealed that four are Italian wines. Amarone is not nearly as well known as its brother wines from the north, Barolo and Barbaresco; and Brunello and Chianti Classico in the south. But don’t’ let that stop you from tasting this beautiful varietal.

Amarone comes from the province of Veneto known as Valpolicella. Verona and Venice are not too far away. It is made with grapes that are partially dried and racked for a long time period before being pressed. This is called “raisining” or drying. It concentrates the sugar to give it a big strong flavor of licorice, tobacco and fig. The best ones are aged about 10 years and served at about 60 degrees, cooler than most reds.

The best winemakers have learned how to finesse the best behavior out of these volatile wines, so that now Amarone is the 4th largest seller in Italy. It goes beautifully with any Risotto dish. Some names to know: Amarone Tenuta Saint Antonio, Amarone Guiseppe Quintarelli and Amarone Bussola.

Wine Bytes
 The Dana Inn in San Diego presents Stonestree Winest of Sonoma with a dinner Thurs. Dec. 3 starting at 6pm. Chardonnay, Cab and Merlot to be poured. $50. pp. RSVP at 858-325-1981

 Barolo vs. Brunello, may the best wine win! Fri. Dec. 4 from 4 to 8:30pm at Bacchus Wine Market, downtown San Diego in the Gaslamp District. This is a big one so RSVP at 619-235-0005. Cost is $35. pp.

 Callaway Winery in Temecula gets into the holiday season with a Candlelight Dinner Sat. Dec. 5 from 6:30 to 9:30pm. 3 course gourmet dinner in the barrel room, with live holiday music. $85. ea. Call 951-676-4001.

 Firefly Grill and Wine Bar in Encinitas hosts a Caymus Vineyards of Napa Valley dinner Wed. Dec. 9 at 6:30pm. Wine pourings will include the ’07 Cabernet and Special Selection Cab. Don’t’ miss the capper, a Late Harvest ’04 Viognier. Main course is Roasted Lamb Loin. Price is $85. ea. Call 760-635-1066 for an RSVP.

 Tesoro Winery, in Old Town Temecula, has a wine and art “Launch Party” on Thurs. Dec. 10, 7 to 9pm, with wine and cheese. It’s FREE! Call 951-308-0000.

 B Cellars wines come to La Jolla at the Valencia Hotel Sky Room, with a gourmet dinner Thurs. Dec. 10 from 6:30 to 10pm. $125. ea. RSVP at 858-454-0771.