Picking Up Good Vibrations at the New Chandler’s at Cape Rey

by Frank Mangio
Hospitality and world class cuisine have found a new home in the beautifully re-freshed Chandler’s in the Cape Rey Resort along the Carlsbad beachfront. The new mantra at Chandler’s is “local, coastal and unexpected,” words to live by with the new cuisine team led by Culinary Director Teri Mcillwain.  This breath of freshness began a year or so ago.

Now it’s in the eyes of all who welcome you to Cape Rey and Chandler’s. Mcillwain is fun to be around.  She embraces the local Carlsbad community. “I love Carlsbad,” she enthusiastically declared.  “It’s our hometown and we want to serve it.  My great mission is to have our diners feel that they are coming to my home for a meal.  Over time we have lightened and freshened up the menu and expanded the wine and craft beer list.

Chandler’s Culinary Director Teri  Mcillwain.

We placed an Alaskan King Salmon and a Whiskey Brined Jidori chicken on our seasonal coastal menu.  The chicken is premium and  flavorful, with peach, mustard, fresh-shelled beans and local greens. I love it when the daily farm truck pulls up and I can do some tasting and personally approve the garnishes and sides for the day.”

The spirit of discovery courses through the wines, both by the glass and by the bottle. The knowledgeable staff takes a favored varietal and comes up with a best-of-breed brand that’ll soon become a permanent favorite.

Chandler’s of Carlsbad has its Whiskey brined Jidori chicken as its signature menu feature,
with cherizo beans, white peach, local greens and carmelized cippolini onion.
Fresh fruit opened the meal.

My wine “wow” list has the opener, a Barth Riesling from the Reingau district of Germany, 2014.   Next up was a familiar Chardonnay from the Frank Family of Napa Valley, 2013.  Finally with my Jidori chcken, I chose the Davis Bynum Russian River Sonoma Pinot Noir 2014.  Now here’s the eye-opener.  All these wines were by the glass, lovely on the palate and worthy of a premium bottle.

Cape Rey, poolside, has its Sunset Terrace, a light-hearted venue with live entertainment on select evenings, a 3 to 6pm Happy Hour with themed events and specials you will love, some delightful surprises in small bites, wines by the glass, cocktails and craft beers.  On Mondays, it expands to all evening.

The Sunset Music Series is top shelf with free pop music concerts the last Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30pm.  See the OttoPilot Band  July 28th, Funk Shui Planet August 25th and Aquile on September 29th.  Live music also makes for fun every weekend.

 The best complimentary perk at Cape Rey is the magnificent ocean view, especially at sunset.  Soak it in without getting wet, by the pool or in Chandler’s farm-driven  restaurant. There, enjoy the glow and spirit of Chef Teri Mcillwain who is focused on fresh and flavorful food. Visit CapeRey.com for more.

Wine Bytes
University of San Diego has its Wine Classic, Sat. July 16th starting  at 6pm. Vintners dinner is featured with a 4 course meal and wine pairings, Zinfandel blending seminar and live music.  Cost is $95.  For an RSVP call 619-260-4819.

Solterra Winery and Kitchen in Leucadia presents a Summer Wine Blending Class, Tues. July 19th from 5:30 to 7:30pm. $45. ea. for the class.  Call 760-230-2970 for your place.

The So Cal Food & Wine Festival is planned for Tues. July 19th from 6 to 10pm at Ramona Mainstage downtown Ramona.  10 local top chefs cook a variety of cuisine accompanied by wine pairings from 10 premium wineries.  Live entertainment.  This event to benefit the Center for Community Service.  $89. per guest.  Tickets at ramonamainstage.com/socal-food-wine-festival/ or call 760-789-7005.

Il Fornaio in Del Mar and Coronado has its latest Festa Regionale menu, this time celebrating the cuisine from Puglia, Italy, until July 24th.  Enjoy dishes such as Petto di Pollo a Carciofi, plus Puglia wines.

All Hail King Cabs!

by Frank Mangio
Cabernet Sauvignon is the red wine that evokes excitement in the palates of most red-blooded wine lovers.  It’s the wine of royalty.

A red wine grape that never got proper credit in its birthplace in Bordeaux France, it was always blended with Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, and never awarded the throne as king of the red grapes until it reached the U.S. and Napa Valley, California.

As a single grape varietal, it is the highest producing wine in California.  Through the years, it has gained in stature so that some “cult” wineries in Napa have boldly charged upwards of $700. a bottle for their latest release.( Screaming Eagle, 2009.) Many more small production, highly rated Napa Valley cabs are in the 3 to 400 hundred dollar range.

Janet Myers is Director of Winemaking at Franciscan Estate in Napa Valley where she makes Cabernets with “intensity, richness and finesse.”

 
Lately I have been fortunate to have tasted some delicious Cabernets in some fine restaurant special occasion dinners. Franciscan Estate of Oakville, under the winemaking direction of Janet Myers, has just released its 2010 with lots of plum black cherry and hints of vanilla and pepper. ($28.).  She learned her craft, connecting with her roots in Italy, by working in the Antinori vineyards.  Then came Australia and Napa Valley by way of Beaulieu, Stag’s Leap and Louis Martini, before being named winemaker at Franciscan in 2005,then later added Mount Veeder to her responsibilities.  She has good news about the 2013 harvest and calls it “fantastic, with berry flavor taking over.”

Lewis Cellars out of Napa is the small production Cabernet producer with big, muscular wines like the new release 2011 Mason’s Cabernet.($60.)  Lots of oak spices, and bursting with ripe cherry-berry fruit, laced with chocolate and licorice, Lewis likes to age its cabs in French oak for 19 months, then bottle unfiltered.  They source the best fruit from all over the Napa Valley.

Managing the tannins is important in great tasting cabs, in the wineries and in wine storage at home. Big ripe cabs need to mature.  No cab before its time, for the closest California has come to true royalty.
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas is hosting its annual Napa Valley young vintners Grand Tasting Sat. Oct. 12 from 5 to 8pm with a chance to try many newer style Cabs. Live music and food as well. $60. pp.  RSVP and details at 760-479-2500.

Roy Yamaguchi’s Pacific Rim Cuisine

I first met Roy Yamaguchi in Palm Desert at their El Paseo Wine and Food Festival a couple of years ago.  He was doing a cooking demo on a Sashimi dish that had the audience hanging on every word.  For Pacific Rim cuisine there is no better, and his string of restaurants prove that each night.  Yamaguchi will be a celebrity chef at the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival November 18 through the 24.  We are fortunate to have one of his top locations in La Jolla: Roy Yamaguchi’s

Roy Yamaguchi is the leading celebrity Chef for Pacific Rim Cuisine.

Pacific Rim Cuisine, newly updated and renamed from Roy’s.  He has mentored Chef-Partner Charles Andres to present his fish and beef creations with select house wines, paired with perfection to highlights of the menu.  Roy’s Hawaiian background tilts the menu to exotic fish such as Ono, Island Ahi and Mahi Mahi.  In the appetizer menu, exclusives are the Lobster Potstickers with spicy Togarashi Miso butter sauce.  My personal recommendation would be the Wagyu Beef for two, seared tableside over a Japanese hot stone.  A special soy sauce brings out the flavor.  Wagyu is the steak of choice and it shows up in the entrées in a smoked style, with grilled scallions and mushroom Soy Jus.
See more at www.roysrestaurant.com.


Wine Bytes
Il Fornaio Restaurants in Del Mar and Coronado are now featuring the cuisine of Lombardia Italy. Free wedge of Lombardia Grana Padano cheese with each meal, plus the latest wine and beer from the district.

Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula has its annual Harvest Celebration, Sun. Oct. 13 from 5 to 9pm. Stomp the grapes, hayrides, wine and cheese, live music.  $85. general admission, $65. for club members.  951-699-9463.

Firefly Grill and Wine Bar in Encinitas presents a five course dinner, each paired with Tolosa Wines, Thurs. Oct. 17.  $ 55. ea. with a 6:30pm start.  RSVP at 760-635-1066.

The Grand Resort Del Mar offers a vibrant Rioja Spanish wine tasting with Tapas Thurs. Oct. 17 from 6:30 to 8:30pm, with food from Amaya and cheese from Venissimo.  $55. pp.  Reserve at 858-314-1996.

It’s “Mangia Bene” When Italians Throw a Party

by Frank Mangio
I knew it would be a memorable evening when I set first set foot inside the iconic Italian restaurant, Il Fornaio in Del Mar a short time ago.  The section for this special “Piemonte” dinner and wine pairing was one long banquet table with dozens of happy faces, face to face.

“Piemonte,” the Piedmont District of Northern Italy, is rich in culinary and wine history.  Its first recorded wines were made some 3,000 years ago. It’s the home of Barolo and Barbaresco, towns that became famous for making some of the finest traditional Italian wines.

Il Fornaio General Manager Mathew Galli and Batasiolo Wine Manager Stefano Poggi guided an Italian dinner and wine event in Del Mar.

But let’s give credit to the food first. Il Fornaio’s General Manager, the congenial Mathew Galli, followed Italiancustom with a five part harmony of food service:  Assaggini, Antipasti, Primi, Secondi and Dolce. Primi is always a pasta based dish and this time there were two: a risotto with scallops and a roasted butternut squash ravioli.  Secondi, the main entrée, was a roasted fish fillet plus a braised wild boar shoulder. Dolce, the dessert, was a hazlenut and amaretto chocolate custard.

And so it was “Mangia Bene,” the Italian phrase for “great eating.”  Of course great eating in Italy is always better with great wine and on this night, Batasiolo with its Barolo heavyweight was king,
although Batasiolo’s Barbera entry, served with risotto and the squash ravioli, won new fans with its medium bodied acidity and smooth flow though the palate. It’s perfect for light pasta dishes.

Barolo of course takes center stage, coming from the town of the same name, a small, tucked away district in Piedmont, perfect growing conditions for the native grape called Nebbiolo.  This is the backbone for Barolo and gives it the deep ruby red, spicy aroma.  It is often called the “King of Italian Wines” for a velvety but powerful taste.  It was served appropriately with the wild boar shoulder at the Il Fornaio Italian occasion.

Wine districts are tiny in Piedmont Italy, with Barolo being just 3 miles by 5 miles, but its fine

wines are known worldwide.

“Piemonte” means foot of the mountain and is the largest region in Italy, which has only been a unified country for 150 years. The terrain isso steep in most areas that it is far from being the largest producer of wine. But if only fine wines are counted, it is right up there with the Tuscany and Veneto areas.

For big, soul-warming wines, try the Batasiolo 2008 Barolo, the world’s leading producer of Barolo. ($45.)  Il Fornaio is continuing its “Festa Regionale” series with the food and wine of Calabria, now through March 17.  For more, go to www.ilfornaio.com.

2012 Great Year for Wine Sales in the U.S.
Wine Spectator reports that 325 million cases of wine were bought in 2012 in this country, 2% over last year and passing France as the world’s biggest wine market. Export sales were 1.4 Billion Dollars, with 90% of those sales coming from California. And the price of a bottle, on average, is moving up past $9. and above.

Gallo Winery’s President is quoted as saying “more than 15,000 U.S. citizens per day are reaching the legal drinking age,” along with a major shift toward wine consumption among younger drinkers.

Wine Bytes
Chandler’s Restaurant and Lounge overlooking the beach in Carlsbad, now has select half price wines on Tuesdays.  Lots of Sonoma and Napa Valley choices.  For details and RSVP’s call 760-683-5500.

San Diego Wine Company on Miramar Road has a Cabernet Tasting, Sat. March 9 from 11am to 4pm for just $10. Details at 858-586-WINE.

Bistro West in Carlsbad is presenting a Napa Valley Whitehall Lane Wine Dinner Tues. March 12 at 6:30pm.  $75. pp.  To reserve seating phone 760-930-8008.

A high-end Cabernet tasting is coming to Bacchus Wine Market downtown San Diego, Fri. March 15 from 4 to 8:30pm.  7 great tastes for $35.  More by calling 619-236-0005.

Europa Village in Temecula Wine Country brings guitarist Jimmy Patton in for a St Patrick’s Day concert, Sun. March17 from 1 to 4pm.  Free admission.  Try their green Sangria. Wear green for a  costume contest.  Details at 951-216-3380.

Paso Grand Tasting Tour Stops in San Diego

by Frank Mangio
Since I first began my wine tasting journey as a journalist and creator of TASTE OF WINE the column, I have traveled round the wine world and tasted many wine countries.  Paso Robles has always impressed me as a young, diverse, multi-faceted sense of place.  And what a place it is! There are 26,000 vineyard acres producing more than 40 kinds of wine for over 200 wineries.  They are an ambitious, creative group and they are coming to San Diego with a Grand Tasting Tuesday, February 26 at the McMillin Events Center, with wine dinners Monday February 25.  Paso Wine Country is halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along Highway 101.  It’s California’s fastest growing wine region.

 From the downtown area, the AVA appellation is 35 miles from east to west and 25 miles from north to south. West of the 101 on Highway 46, the elevation is significant, enabling many different sub-climates with over 45 soil types, not typical of other viticultural areas.  This explains why Cabernet Sauvignon can be grown successfully just a few miles away from Zinfandel.  East of the 101, the elevation drops to that of a valley and blends in with the giant San Joaquin Valley about 20 miles east, to Interstate 5.

 Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard features Rhone French style wines from Paso Robles.

Paso Robles as a wine source was not born yesterday.  Back in 1815, wine was being made by the friars of the Mission San Miguel Archangel.  Commercial wines were made starting in 1882 from Ascension Winery.  Today it is known as Epoch Estate Wines in the York Mountain area of Templeton, just south of Paso Robles.

Today, Paso is making an impression on the wine world by making New World wines, best described as “Paso Blends.”  It is typical to taste non-traditional Bordeaux mixed with Spanish style varietals, or a Rhone varietal with a Zinfandel.

Two maverick-style wineries are Tablas Creek, run by Jason Haas, with his emphasis on Rhone style wines using vines from French Beaucastel, creating a world-class Chateauneuf-Du-Pape style of wine; and Cass Winery, specialists in Rhone varietals such as Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier, Syrah and Roussane. Playful Ted Plemmons runs the show on Paso’s east side in the shadow of a huge heritage oak tree, symbolic of Paso Robles (which literally means “the Pass of the Oaks.”)

TASTE OF WINE columnist Frank Mangio shares a Paso Robles CASS Mourvedre with co-owner Ted Plemmons.

The Rhone Valley plays a big role with its French varietals, but Zinfandel is the celebrated grape in this part of the California Wine World.  March 15 to 17, Paso invites the public  to more than 130 wineries that offer barrel tastings, winemaker dinners, BBQ’s and live music.  It’s called “Grow Zinfully Wild.”

But back to the Paso San Diego Road Show this month on the 25th and 26th.

I asked Communications Director Chris Taranto why a road show of this type is best for SoCal wine lovers that want to learn about Paso wines.  “We have more than 30 wineries showcasing over 150 wines with many of our marquee wineries and our lesser known properties that are looking to be discovered,” he said.  I asked him what varietals he recommended. “Historically we became known for Zinfandel.  Italian immigrants brought it with them as they homesteaded the area.  In the 80’s we saw a lot of Cabernet  planted in the region.  Today, Paso has earned a lot of acclaim for the Rhone varietals  and blends.”

Wine Bytes
A premium Rose’ tasting is continuing Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 9pm at Addison in the Grand Resort in Del Mar.  Flights of three beautiful wines for $20. pp.  More information at 877-814-8472.

Rossi’s Pizza and Pasta in San Marcos is having a Pedroncelli Wine Dinner Sat. Feb. 23rd at 6:30pm.  Cost is $60. Five courses with five tastings including the acclaimed Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel.  RSVP at 760-533-4486.

Movie night at Orfila Winery in Escondido on Sat. Feb. 23 from 6:30 to 8:30pm features Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart.  Cost is $8.  Wine and snacks available.  Details at 760-738-6500 x 22.

Davanti Enoteca in Little Italy San Diego presents an evening with Peter Neptune Master Wine Sommelier on Tues. Feb. 26 from 6:30 to 10pm.  Spanish wines with a 6 course dinner are featured.  $ 85. ea. RSVP at 619-237-9606.

Il Fornaio in Del Mar hosts a Michele Chiarlo Wine Dinner Thurs. Feb. 28 from 6 to 10pm.  Cost is $55.  Wines include Barolo and Barbaresco. Call for RSVP at 858-755-8876.

It’s OK Getting Stuck in Lodi

by Frank Mangio
In my Rock n Roll DJ days, I played everything I could get from Creedence Clearwater Revival, in my mind the best American band to come out of the 60’s and 70’s. When their song Lodi came out in 1969, it shot the group into the top ten and earned them the 2nd highest billing at the famed Woodstock concert in New York. It’s about a musician who sets out looking for “a pot of gold,” and winds up going from bad to worse, getting stuck in Lodi.

Now I can’t vouch for musicians today who try to make it big in Lodi, but what is burgeoning are the number of wineries in Lodi who are making a name for themselves with California style reds.

Lodi lies between the 5 and the 99, just north of Stockton and south of Sacramento. Lodi is less about Cabernet and Merlot and instead is dominated by Zinfandel, especially old vine, Petite Sirah and Carignane.  The soil is well drained sandy alluvial soil. When they say “old vine” in Lodi, they don’t mean grafted or transferred. Lodi’s 42,000 planted acres still sit on their own rootstock.

Camron King is Lodi’s Wine Executive Director, shown with Bob Lauchland, 

Chairman of the Lodi Wine Commission.

Lodi vines are tended by generations of farming families with old world roots.  Some could have settled in the much more famous Napa Valley a short drive to the west but chose this area more highly focused on everyday, tasty reds.

Lodi caught my attention when Cameron Hughes, a shrewd and successful wine entrepreneur who buys and bottles quality grapes from attractive wine countries, decided to turn to Lodi for his latest Zindandel entry, the 2011 Lot 381 Lodi Zinfandel ( $14.).  He describes his wine as “boisterously aromatic, with jammy raspberry, plum and baking spice aromas with hints of black pepper.”

In Lodi,  Zinfandel is the singular force for big sales.  Mostly likely the household name is Gnarly Head with vines that resemble wild bushes with intrepid old vines.  The 2010 is out ( $10.99) with 100,000 cases produced. Gnarly Head is but one brand from the Indelicato family, making wine in the Lodi area for more than 80 years.  Michael-David Winery is another name to know, maker of 7 Deadly Zins ( $16.), indeed a sinful blend!  Seven Lodi vineyards were chosen for this fast growing bottle, with over 200% growth yearly. Petite Sirah was added for spiced blackberry.  Visit www.lodiwine.com so you don’t get “stuck” when you visit.

Veladora a Candle that Lights up Rancho Valencia
 A 30 million dollar renovation has put a new face on the historic Rancho Santa Fe resort, Rancho Valencia.

Nowhere on the property is the upgrade more evident than the hacienda styled restaurant Veladora.
“Veladora means wooden candle in Spanish,” said General Manager, Simon Chen.  “Our treatment of the large, romantic wrought iron candles, is a source of great pride and beauty.” In a walk-through, I was struck by the quiet, elegant semi private areas of  Veladora, with colors like cobalt blue, orange, red and brown.  The décor suggested that the menu would be equally sensuous  and inviting…and I was not disappointed. Executive Chef Eric Bauer serves signature “Coastal Ranch” cuisine.  “The menu is Mediterranean inspired, with fresh seafood, meats and produce.  We use a wide variety of vegetables that will be exclusive to the entrée it compliments. We keep it different and exciting for the diner,” he said.

Veladora at Rancho Valencia Resort in Rancho Santa Fe.

Veladora and the nearby Pony Room, with small bites and a modern, fun design, bring interesting, naturally made wine to the table, in glass portions customized for the guest.  Over 430 selections are offered.  The Pony Room has a draft wine program of Cabernet and Chardonnay blends from Paso Robles and Lake County California, served in 100% Riedel Crystal.  Learn more at www.ranchovalencia.com.

Wine Bytes
Wines from Paso Robles will be spotlighted at Bacchus Wine Market downtown San Diego, Sat. Jan. 26 from 2 to 8:30pm.  A wine specialist will be on hand to guide you through Cabs, Syrahs, Zins and more.  $20. pp.  Call 619-236-0005.

Il Fornaio in the Del Mar Plaza hosts a Batasiolo Barolo Wine Dinner Thurs. Jan. 31 from 6:30 to 9pm.  Cost is $55.  a 4 course menu will be paired with the wines.  Call 858-755-8876 to RSVP.

Fleming’s First Friday in La Jolla is Feb. 1 from 5:30 to 7pm.  Try 20 different wines from Italy.  For reservations at $25. each, call 858-535-0078.

Cakebread vs. Rombauer wines is the matchup at La Costa Wine Company, Fri. Feb. 1 from 5 to 8:30pm.  Cost is $35. to taste each winery’s best.  Call for details at 760-431-8646.

Fizzy, Sweet & Sparkling Wines

by Frank Mangio
One of the missing links to my knowledge of wine has always been the array of before and after dinner champagnes, sparkling wines, ports, and grape-based exotic and vibrant drinks like Grappa,Vin Sante, Sherry and Vermouth.

Port is a beautifully sweet, powerful wine, mostly consumed after dinner and is especially delectable with chocolate. Its genetic home is Portugal but England embraced it as its own and some of the finest brands of port still come from the “mother country.”

The best Port grapes come from the Douro Valley in Northeast Portugal where a town, Oporto, gave it the name. The steep hillsides on both sides of the Douro make the vineyards some of the most challenging in the world. Roots have been known to go some 65 feet into the ground for stability and to survive the blazing hot summer days.

In California, Pedroncelli in Sonoma makes “Four Grapes” 2005 Vintage Port in the Dry Creek area. The most popular Portugese grapes are grown on the estate and aged 4 years before bottling, softening and maturing the wine.





“Four Grapes” Vintage Port from Pedroncelli Winery in Sonoma is a prime California Port, rewarded with a Best of Class in recent international competition.

Alcohol content is 19%, emphasizing ripe berries, caramel and toffee aromas that lead to warm spice, raspberry and cream soda on the palate. This is the ultimate Port value at $18. for a 500ml bottle. Look it up at www.pedroncelli.com.


Madeira comes from the island of the same name off the coast of Africa which is a Portugese colony. It was the wine of choice at the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and considered the most prestigious after-dinner wine at the time. It is a fortified(small amount of Brandy), mostly white wine with a similar 19% alcohol content.

Not all sparkling wine can be called Champagne; only those from the region of Champagne France, made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The method of production, “Methode Champenoise” can be used worldwide, but the Champagne French keep a lid on the brand. Other old world Sparkling Wines that are popular are in Italy: Prosecco and Moscato D’Asti. One of the most respected Champagnes is Dom Perignon. The 2002 which is available now is $149.99 in most retail stores. Fresh almonds and dried fruit capture the palate, along with intensely floral, perfumed jasmine that leads a tropical surge from the Chardonnay base. Some of the best domestic Sparkling Wines come from Oregon and California. Argyle from the Willamette Valley is refined and elegant in its 2000 vintage. ($60.) On the value side, Mumm Napa Valley is just $20. and V. Sattui Brut Napa Valley with ripe flavors of apple pie is just $22.

Just up the road in Temecula, the veteran Sparkling Wine maker, medal and award winner, Jon McPherson, is expanding his skills in this style of wine for South Coast Winery. Long known for his expertise in the “Methode Champenoise”style, he has now released a 2010 Pinot Grigio for sparkling wine. McPherson has long admired the Italian style of winemaking and this time looked to the Alto Adige district of Italy for this bright citrus and delicate apple taste. McPherson recommends it, not just for celebration, but paired to a seafood or chicken dinner.


New drink treats are coming out of South Coast Winery Resort & Spa: A Pinot Grigio Sparkling wine and a Grappa based menu of cocktails.

In South Coast’s Vineyard Rose Restaurant, mixed drinks are made with a grape-based Italian favorite called Grappa, made from the skin of the grape. Grappa has a uniquely different quality about it and no two grappas taste quite the same. Jacobi Poli was chosen as supplier, among the oldest in use today. Over 7 popular drinks are now woven with the popular Grappa., including Margarita and Bloody Mary. Learn more at www.wineresort.com.

Wine Bytes
Il Fornaio in Del Mar opens its 2011 Festa Regionale Series now to Sun. Jan . 16. The regional cuisine is the Friuli-Venezie with local Pastas, Secondi and Dolce. Wines of the regions are also featured. For reservations, call 1-888-ITALIAN.

Meritage Wine Market presents a World Cabernet Face-off Fri. Jan. 7 from 6 to 8pm. $20. fee. Call 760-479-2500 for winery names.

Bacchus Wine Market has its famous Blind Tasting Game, in the Gaslamp District of Downtown San Diego, Sat. Jan 8 from 2pm to 8:30pm. Cost is $15. They brown bag 8 wines and taste each. Prize for closest picks. RSVP at 619-236-0005.

Curds and Wine in Clairemont has a Winemaking Class Sat. Jan. 8 from 1 to 2pm. This is FREE to the public. Call 858-384-6566.

La Costa Wine Company and the Wine Smarties present a “Blind Taste Like a Pro” Seminar, Sat. Jan. 15 from 3 to 5pm. Cost is $40. ea. Taste 5 wines. RSVP at 619-955-8884.