Encinitas Rotary Wine Event Benefits Charities

Recently, I observed that the wine consumer was getting washed with wine shows. This was not meant to be a complaint. Wine shows give the visitor an opportunity to sample some superior wines, upwards of 200 choices, along with food pairings, for one nominal admission fee. The realization that big wine shows equal big profits has resonated, especially in Southern California where most days are perfect for outdoor events.

There is one wine/food event I want you to keep your eyes and palates on: the Encinitas Rotary and its Wine and Food Festival.

Set for Saturday June 6 from 5 to 8pm at the pristine San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, this event has quickly won the support of the public, like no other of its size.

Encinitas Rotarian Rich Houk  and Sandy Houk are Co-chairs of the 12th annual
Wine & Food Festival at the San Diego Botanic Garden  in Encinitas.

Guests will taste from over 20 wineries, breweries and other beverages. Area restaurants are pitching in with their best menu offerings and all will be serenaded by live music while they bid up auction items.  All this makes for a pleasant wine event  like most others, however Rich and Sandy Houk, co-chairs of the Encinitas Rotary, want you to know that 19 charities benefit  from your attendance at this event.  “Last year was the 7th year of a sellout,” Rich declared.  “Our festival raised over $120,000. for both children’s and community charities. It was a team effort with all 90 Rotary members volunteering to make it a success. Tickets start at $90. and when people buy their tickets, they can choose their favorite charities from our list.  The beneficiary charities need to attend all our meetings and they agree to sell a designated number of tickets.  They also help with raffle items to raise additional dollars.  It’s a total team effort.”

The wines offered are a great fit. Most are from the Southern California region.  Be sure to pay special attention to a favorite of mine this year, Coomber Family Ranch wines.  Skip Coomber has made a high-end style of wine, with Pinor Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.  These wines compete with any I’ve tasted.

To purchase tickets for the Encinitas festival, go to encinitaswinefestival.com. Enjoy the festival and help a charity.

Red & White Wines-More than just Color
It’s always red versus white. Whites always start out, and reds finish.  That’s because reds are more robust and more complex than whites. Reds are made from dark red, even black grapes.  Whites are made from green grapes.

During fermentation for whites, the stems, seeds and skins are gently removed from the grape juice after being squeezed from the pressing machine.  For reds, stems, seeds and skins are left in the grape juice during this process.  Tannins and pigments are produced, resulting in this complexity that wine lovers strive for.

A Wine Couple and Their Twin Loves: Wine & Animals

by Frank Mangio
It’s not often you find someone who can tell you flat out what he loves about life beside his family, and then go about putting those choices together  to make the world a better place.

Skip Coomber and his wife Maureen established Coomber Family Ranch in 2009 after a long love affair with California style Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.  A life-long love of animals also enriched their lives as they built a family together that included a house full of cats and dogs.  “At first we thought it would be fun to include our animals on the label,” Skip said.

Maureen and Skip Coomber enjoy a glass of their 2010 Private Reserve Rutherford Cabernet
with Maggie, their tennis ball loving bulldog.

“We chose our cats on the Chardonnay, horses on the Pinot Noir and dogs on the Cabernet.  The idea shifted focus to our favorite animal rescue and care facilities that we contribute to with time and money, so we came up with helping these organizations through restaurant sales and consumer sales on our web site.  Five percent of all sales revenue goes to animal welfare organizations. Buyers can name their favorite animal charities, or we provide a name.”

Coomber combs all of California for the finest grapes he can find.  The Central coast has provided him with a central location in Buellton for  a custom crush winemaking facility where his wines are produced, plus he provides this facility for others to make their wines, a very efficient way to do business for a smaller operation.  However, the jackpot opportunity for Coomber Family Ranch is his relationship with Andy Beckstoffer, part owner of the To Kalon Vineyards of Oakville in the Napa Valley, considered to be the crown jewel of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Beckstoffer’s To Kalon Cab grapes have been described in Wine Spectator as “opulent.”

The Coomber 2010 Private Reserve Rutherford Cabernet Sauvginon ($149.), made from To Kalon grapes, was awarded a gold medal at the recent Los Angeles International Wine Competition. To top it off, Wine Enthusiast reviewed this wine and awarded it 95 points, a classic score. The price range for Coomber wines starts at the 2011 Vintners Collection Chardonnay ($17.99).  It has a natural Chardonnay flavor with a refreshing mouth-feel of golden apple with a mild lemon aroma; definitely new world.

For a limited time, Skip Coomber is offering a 10% discount on any of the wines for sale on his web site coomberwines.com.  Just use the code “MANGIO” at purchase.  The 5% to animal organizations will still apply.

Storing and Serving Wines

Storing wines is selective at best.  Most buyers want to buy and consume a bottle of wine all in one magic moment. With white wines, no need to think twice.  Keep them in the frig. However, with reds, aging will bring out the flavor and body for peak performance. Cabernets, Syrahs, Malbecs and other French and Italian style reds will blossom in flavor with up to five years of  age in storage. Some other tips include:  store all bottles on their sides so the corks remain moist.

A wine storage cooler should have temperature control and be used only for red wines of heavy

body like Cabernet, Syrah , Malbec and Italian style wines.

 55 degrees is a perfect cellar temperature at the wineries.  The wines will feel at home with this temperature selection.

Keep temperature swings to a minimum and dark if possible. I like a closet or garage for my wine storage coolers.  Sunshine is not wanted in the wine world, when the wines are bottled. When serving wines, most wine tasters are surprised when I serve my reds at 60 to 64 degrees for brightness and less alcoholic flavor.  Serve white wine at 45 to 50 degrees to bring out the grape flavors and appetizing acidity.

Wine Bytes
Il Fornaio, with locations in Del Mar and Coronado , begins a new series of  Festa Regionale featuring a new dinner menu from a special district of Italy. January, from the 5th to the 25th, brings the diner the food and wines of Friuli, a rustic, peasant style of cooking, deliciously presented. Try the Filetto di Branzino alla Greca, a grilled filet of wild seabass with olives, capers and tomatoes.  For Del Mar, call 858-755-8876, and in Coronado, phone 619-437-4911.

San Diego State University is planning a wine immersion trip to Spain , in the Catalonia , Riojo and Basque regions, October 9 to 17, as part of its Professional Certificate in the Business of Wine program.  This is a private, guided experience in some of Spain ’s historic, traditional wine and food regions and a hands-on experience.  There will also be private wine classes daily.  Dining included, everywhere from ancient wine cave to medieval village to modern wine bars.  For more information, email wine@mail.sdsu.edu or visit neverstoplearning.net/winetravel.