Here & There: in Pursuit of Fine Wines in Fine Places of San Diego County

by Frank Mangio
Restaurant Week had a good run in September. Over 100 restaurants collaborated in San Diego County , to offer some of the best discounts seen in a while for this promotion.  The event was kicked off in the friendly coastal town of Encinitas at the exciting Go Green Agriculture facility where the highest quality and healthiest produce is grown and shipped.

A number of San Diego County wines were invited to pour their best for the assembled guests on a very hot afternoon, but the mood was good for the food and wine tasting.  Fallbrook Winery showed up plus Briar Rose and Palumbo Winery from Temecula, were among the bottle-poppers. I was happy to see Cindy and Nick Palumbo and they did not disappoint when they brought their new-release Sangiovese with them.

Nick and Cindy Palumbo with  new release Sangiovese wine,
part of the San Diego County Restaurant week kickoff.

Theirs is a premium estate wine with a small-lot handcrafted style. Their 13 acres are planted for Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese.  A neighboring lot allows them to offer Viognier and Syrah. “I insist on only producing what I grow and keep my yields low.  I live on the property and insist on sustainable farming practices.” Palumbo said.  Learn more at palumbofamilyvineyards.com.

Palomar College in thriving San Marcos is the higher educational elder in this market. I studied there as most students in North San Diego County did, to get a 2 year degree, then on to a 4 year institution.  It was a feel-good experience to attend Palomar Foundation’s 24th annual fund-raising Gala for the scholarships and textbook assistance program, at the La Costa Resort.  The program was upbeat and an inspiration for the college’s future.

Featured attendees at the recent Palomar College Gala were:
Robert Wetsfall, CEO Solartube, Debbie King, Assistant Director Palomar College Foundation 

and Rick Cassoni, Professor Mira Costa College .

The selected wine was the well known Paso Robles favorite, Robert Hall Winery. This 1995 -founded vineyard and winery favors wine with a South of France flavor, made in a 19,000 square foot cave with Don Brady as winemaker.  Right now it has a Meritage wine special on line for $36.  Wine Club members pay $24. Check it out at roberthallwinery.com.

I might have saved the most interesting wine find for last, as I discovered a treasure trove of Sicilian wines at Il Fornaio in Coronado recently.

Mandy Martinez , the rep at American Wines, walked us through the new releases at Planeta, considered the largest of the many wineries that dot the Sicilian landscape.  Moscato is a well known Italian sparkling wine and this one had it all going with its Noto Bianco finish.  But the one that Sicily is rapidly becoming famous for is the Nero di Avola, a deep dusted red, finished in the Mt. Aetna region.

Aetna is the most active volcano in Europe and yields the most rich of the Sicilian soils.  It richly enhanced the Il Fornaio Analletti Forno Spaghetti al Gamberetti, a pasta with baked Italian ham, peas, Bolognese sauce and Mozzarella. See southernwine.com.

Coming soon to TASTE OF WINE, a three-part profile on the 2015 wine grape harvest.

Wine Bytes

The La Jolla Art and Wine Festival is Sat. Oct. 10th and Sun. Oct. 11th from 10am to 6pm.  Located on Girard St. between Prospect & Torrey Pines Rd this free event has 150 juried artists, gourmet marketplace and wine and beer garden with over 40 wines including Coppola, Benziger and Baja wines.  Funds from the event go to local public schools.  For details, go to ljawf.org.

Harry’s Bar & American Grill has a Pahlmeyer wine dinner, Wed. Oct. 21st at 6:30pm. Pahlmeyer is a Napa Valley choice winery.  Their red Bordeaux Blend 2013 is being matched with the Harry’s Beef Bourguignon.  $99. pp.  RSVP at 858-373-1252.

Solare Restorante in Pt. Loma presents a 4 course dinner with the Preston Parker wines of Paso Robles, Sun. Oct. 18th from 6 to 9pm. Cost is $79.  Wine founder Tucker Spear will present , with the wines named after his two sons, Preston and Parker. Partial profits go to the Williams Syndrome Association.  Niner wines will also have 3 wines for tasting. Call 619-270-9670 for details and an RSVP.

Celebrating Art & Wine is the festival in Ramona, Sat. Nov. 7th  at the Begent Ranch, on Highland Valley Rd. from Noon to 5pm. 16 area wines will be pouring their new releases.  28 local artists will be selling their artwork. A live auction of painted wine barrels will liven things up.  Admission information by visiting ramonaartsandwinefest.net.

Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. He is one of the leading wine commentators on the web.  View and link up with his columns at tasteofwinetv.com, and reach him at mangiompc@aol.com.  Follow him on Facebook.
                                                                                                                                   

San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival Coming Nov. 14 to 18

by Frank Mangio
The excitement is building.  The 9th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, five days of the celebration of the joy of food and wine, will be with us soon.  A small army of chefs and wine makers will flood San Diego with unforgettable tasting.  200 wineries pouring over 1,000 different wines, breweries, spirits and 70 of the country’s culinary greats, will create over 25 city-wide events for a "luxury liner" of events and offerings unlike any other.

If you can only attend one event, make it the Grand Tasting Event on Saturday, November 17 at Embarcadero Park behind Seaport Village.  It’s a love-fest of wineries, celebrity chefs, over 100 restaurants and live music from two stages.  Admission time is 11 am to 3pm.

The official poster for the Festival is “Beautiful Day” by featured artist Stephanie Clair.

Look for great wines from many parts of the world, incuding Duckhorn, Niner, Opolo, and Rodney Strong.  Local wineries to know include South Coast, Callaway, and Falkner.  Pans will be flying in this event as the “Chef of the Fest,” a culinary showdown, will feature San Diego’s top culinary talent testing their skills.  One chef will be awarded top honors with $50,000. in cash and prizes. Look for the action in the Creekstone Farms Pavilion.

Equally in demand is The Vault, a Reserve Wine Tasting Experience & Silent Auction, Friday November 16 from 5pm to 8:30pm at the Marriott Marquis & Marina Hotel, next to the Convention Center.  Selections from 160 acclaimed wineries are lined up for this event.

This year, the after-dark events have been ramped up at the hottest spots in town, Wednesday night through Saturday night, and day time seminars are boosted, on Thursday and Friday. We could go on and on about the cooking classes, winemaker dinners and Celebrity Chef’s luncheons, but it’s time for you to pick your best  memorable events and go for it!  The web site is www.sandiegowineclassic.com. for everything you need to know about the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival.

Meritage Wine Market:  A Showcase for Fine Wines
With the press of more wine territory for me to cover and report on, and more publications and web sites looking for  wine and food news, I don’t’ get around to neighborhood wine shops as much as I would like. But I know that’s where the customer action is and Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas does it as well as any.

2012 has certainly been a transition year for this powerhouse wine shop.  Former GM Mark has gone up to Napa Valley to make wine with his new Hiatus label.  Whitney Woodall has orchestrated the changes and has brought in former hotel man Dustin Cano as wine buyer.

Dustin Cano is the new wine buyer  and helps Whitney Woodall operate 

Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas.

This operation has been named “Best Wine Shop in San Diego” 4 times in a row so it’s hard to improve on that accolade.  But so far this year, Meritage has brought in wine pouring Enomatic Machines to allow customers to experience top quality wines day and day out; added a chef to increase wine dinners like “grillin and chillin” on site; and introduced seminars and basic wine education.

New store hours are:  Tuesday thru Thursday 10 to 6:30pm, Friday 10 to 8pm and Saturday 10 to 6:30pm. Sunday and Monday Meritage is closed.  The team continues to find lesser known, high quality wines like a recent Cabernet from Chile, the Cousino Macul, for just $10.  See more at www.meritagewinemarket.com.

Wine Bytes
The 3rd Annual OktoberWest in Carlsbad is at Bistro West, Sat. Oct. 13 from Noon to 3pm.  Six authentic gourmet foods, beer & wine and music will liven up your weekend.  Must be 21+ to attend.  $35. PP.  Tickets are at Bistro West.  Call 760-930-8008 for details.

Sips for Shelter Unlimited Wine Tasting benefit is Sat. Oct. 13 from 7 to 10pm at the Marriott Del Mar on El Camino Real.  50 vintners from around the world will gather with no limit on wine tasting.  $45. tickets.  RSVP at 619-702-5399.

The two day La Jolla Street Art and Wine Festival is Sat. Oct. 13 and Sun. Oct. 14 from 10 to 6pm.  Location is Girard between Prospect and Kline streets.  This event is FREE (suggested cash donation of $5).  150 artists with a wine and beer garden. Website is www.ljawf.org.

A benefit wine dinner is being held at The Red Door Restaurant and Wine Bar in Mission Hills, Wed. Oct. 17. Reception at 5:30pm.  $49. for dinner, $79. with wine pairings.  Details at 619-295-6000.

Europa Village, the old world winery in Temecula, has a Festival of the Grape wine dinner, a dinner show, on Thurs. Oct. 18 from 6:30 to 9pm.  Its’ a 4 course Italian style menu with musical performances by costumed singing waiters. $79. pp. RSVP at 951-506-1818.

Europa Village also is hosting a benefit for Habitat for Humanity with live music on Fri. Oct. 19 from 6:30 to 9:30pm, featuring the Marie Alcantar Band. Cost is FREE.  Nominal cost for wines.  Contact: 951-216-3380.

La Jolla Art and Wine Festival, NEXT WEEKEND!

Check out the commercial for details on a great way to spend the weekend, while helping a worthy cause (Click the Arrow in the Middle of the Video Screen.)