Touring/Tasting in La Costa, La Jolla & Il Fornaio

Capturing the essence of a quality wine in descriptive words that feel perfect for the moment of judgment  can be a simple expression.  Love is a deep, involved feeling that forecasts long-term devotion, while luscious is a more exciting, let’s jump in the pool together feeling.
I used both words without hesitation at my three recent wine visits to The La Costa Resort, Harry’s Bar & Grill and Il Fornaio in Del Mar.

At the recent La Costa Resort benefit for Make a Wish  of  San Diego, expertly produced under the leadership of Dustin Cano of Meritage Wine Market, Italics Wines of Napa Valley’s Coombsville district stole the show with its “15” blend.

 Andy Wilcox, right, managing partner of Italics Winegrowers of Napa Valley , is shown pouring the “15” blend for a guest at the annual Wine & Wishes in La Costa.

The story on this wine  is that winemaker Steve Reynolds wanted to highlight the best that Napa Valley had to offer so over a decade ago, with 13 sub-appellations at that time, he blended wines from each of the 13 and so created the blend “13.”  Now he has created the 2012 “15” as Napa Valley added two more sub-appellations.  Now Coombsville has been created as #16.  Instead of looking around for a winery to collaborate with, Italics was born, in Coombsville, on 73 acres southeast of the city of Napa .  Love and luscious were perfect descriptors for “15.”

In La Jolla , across from UTC, you will find Harry’s Bar & Grill.  The original is still going strong in Florence Italy .  Owner Garo Minassian brought in Kobrand Wines, reps for some of the finest Italian wines on the “boot.”

With a lively menu, Kobrand brought in among others, the Feudi Maccari Saia, 2012 Nero d’ Avola ($18.50). This one comes from the hot selling wine country of Sicily and on average, 30 year old vines 80 meters above sea level on volcanic soil.  12 to 14 months aging is done in small French Barriques, then aged for 6 months in bottle.

 Nicole Gilberts and Sara Klein of Kobrand with Harry’s owner Garo Minassian.

Like California there was just enough rainfall in 2012 and the vines sought lower ground for sustenance, producing beautiful balance…lovely and luscious!

IL Fornaio in the Del Mar Plaza has a seascape view to love. Table #54 is the one to ask for. Manager Mathew Galli is as congenial as any I know.  He brought in Beni Di Batasiolo, represented by a passionate shepherd of the wines, Stefano Poggi with his million dollar smile. Poggi took the assembled through his inventory of Piemonte wines, then warmed up when he spotlighted the 2010 Batasioli Barbaresco ($44.95), the iconic wine for the district.  The grape is the Nebbiolo, a luscious grape of great nobility, strongly tannic, yet delicate in floral flavor. It comes from the town of Barbaresco .

Stefano Poggi, left, presents the wines of Benni di Batasiolo to Il Fornaio manager Mathew Galli.

 
Italy has more than 2000 different wines, more than the rest of the world together.  Remember to always eat some food with your favorite Italian wine.  It always enhances the flavor. Now that’s amore!

Wine Bytes
A Taste Of Wine congratulations to the Tobin Brothers and  their great success at North County Wine Company in San Marcos .  It was named the Best Wine Bar in North San Diego County by a leading poll.  Check it out at northcountywinecompany.com.

The Emilio Nares Foundation, supporting families with children battling cancer, will host the 12th annual Harvest for Hope, Sun. Sept. 13th from 1 to 4pm at the San Diego Central Library. Event includes unlimited tastings from San Diego ’s finest restaurants and beverage brands to raise funds for this worthy cause.  Live and silent auctions and local musicians. Ticket cost is $135. ea.  For more information and tickets, call 760-310-9467 or visit harvestforhope2015.org.

Hotel Del Coronado presents a special 5 course dinner Tues. Sept. 15th. Each course will be paired with exquisite wines from Cakebread of Napa Valley.  Cost is $95. per person. $165. with wine pairing.  RSVP from 5:30 to 9:30 at the 1500 OCEAN restaurant  at the hotel. 619-522-8490.

How to Taste Wine: The Five "S's" of Wine Tasting

by Frank Mangio
Last week I got to thumbing through my very first wine columns  some 9 years ago.  The wine world has changed so much since those halcyon days when life was a little calmer, prosperous and most of the wine we reported on was Cabernet and Chardonnay.

But what hasn’t changed and what I focused on in those first columns is that wine is a celebration of life and it makes sense to know how to celebrate to get the most out of it.  Pour about a third of a glass of your favorite red and stay with me as I take you through the basics of elevating your celebration, with a review of the five S’s.

The first thing that happens in this five part harmony in the romance of wine is the SIGHT of the wine. It should be poured into a clear tulip-shaped glass with a long stem to grip.
The color will vary from a deep red approaching black, found in wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, found in France and the Napa Valley ,  and the Nebbiolo grape, found in Barolo and Barbaresco in Piedmont Italy.

Stefano Poggi of Batasiolo Wines in Piedmont Italy demonstrates the
smell and grip of a wine glass.

Brick red might be a Pinot Noir, Merlot or a Sangiovese and other light red colored wine.  You are also scanning for any foreign objects in the wine which would compromise the flavor. It could be cork fragments, even tiny sticks or other impurities from the crush of the grapes prior to barreling.  Color intensity, which is the pigments in the skins of the grape,  is no guarantee of a great glass of wine, but it will give you an idea of the purity of the wine.

SWIRL: Swirling, the 2nd of the five S’s, is done to prepare the sinuses for the smell as it aerates the wine allowing oxygen to mix with the wine to create a perfumed smell and flavor.  When swirling, hold the glass firmly vertical by the stem and briskly move it in a circular motion.  “Legs,” or “tears,” may be seen running  down the inside of the glass after the swirl.  These result from higher levels of alcohol and sugar and hint at the wine’s power. On my trips to meet Italian wine makers in Italy , I always got a laugh out of the vigorous swirling of their wines while expressing themselves, concluding it was just a nervous habit.  Not at all!  They were simply seeking the maximum “bouquet,” a combination of smell and taste.  Salute!

SMELL: The total smell of a wine is its “bouquet.”  It’s a a fitting description like the best flowers bundled up into a bouquet as a gift  for a loved one.  Another expression would be the “nose” of the wine.  The human nose can distinguish thousands of unique smells and wines have over 200 of their own.  So get your nose down in the glass as close to the wine as possible.  Take deep, short, sharp inhalations and try to detect smells such as flowers, fruit, herbs, oak , coffee, licorice.  Younger reds will smell fruity, old wines will smell more earthy.

SIP AND SWALLOW: The sip or taste of the wine and the swallow are indeed the most enjoyable of the five part harmony.  With the smell still lingering in the nose, place the glass to your lips and take in a healthy mouthful.  Work it around your mouth, but make sure it’s not so much that you have to swallow right away.  Keep the wine making contact with your palate and tongue with an awareness of the flavors it presents, as well as body, and acidity which will come from the tannins in the wine, essential for maturity.  The last sensation of wine tasting is the finish or swallow. In the swallow, be aware of how long the taste lasts in your mouth.  Great wines have a long finish that lasts as long as a minute.  It should leave a very pleasant after-taste.  It is your final impression of a wine and should reflect its overall quality.

My short video on wine tasting produced by the talented Mike Bragg has been playing on YouTube.com for a number of years and has double the number of hits of any other of its kind.  Look it up under “Wine Tasting Tip,” then scroll down to Mike Bragg and Frank Mangio’s video and see what you think. It was chosen to be presented to the Japanese as an introduction to wine appreciation on YouKu.com.

WINE BYTES

Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas presents a re-creation of the Judgement of Paris Blind Tasting, the wine event of all time, Friday May 23 from 6 to 8pm.  $20. pp.  Call 760-479-2500 for details.

San Diego Wine Company has a Cabernet Sauvignon wine tasting Sat. May 31st from 11am to 4pm.  Call for names at 858-586-WINE.  $10. cost.

The 31st Annual Wine and Roses Charity Wine Tasting is Sun. June 1 from 3 to 6pm at the Grand Del Mar Resort.  These are award-winning wines from the San Diego International Wine Competition with great food from over 20 area restaurants. Silent auction and raffle drawings. Supports Camp Oliver in Descanso. Tickets are $100. and available at wineandroses.net. More information at 619-222-2486.

The 11th annual Encinitas Rotary Wine & Food Festival Fundraiser will be held Sat. June 7 from 5 to 8pm at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.  Twenty one local charities are supported.  20 restaurants will participate plus 14 wineries and 6 breweries.  Top musicians will play in the outside setting. Several levels of ticket prices, starting at $60.  See EncinitasWineFestival.com.