10th Year for San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival

by Frank Mangio
It’s the big top of all wine events in Southern California.  None can top the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, coming November 18 through  November 24. This spectacular event is an international showcase of the world’s great wines and spirits, chefs and culinary personalities and gourmet foods. Over 200 beverage companies are pouring, 70 restaurants are serving and 30 gourmet food companies are sampling.

The Grand Tasting Event at the week-long San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival,
is Sat. Nov. 23 at Embarcadero Park next to Seaport Village

Michele Metter, co-producer of the multi-day event said “San Diego’s culinary scene is vibrant and rich with talented chefs and artists, and the rest of the nation is catching on to our city’s potential to emerge as one of America’s premier culinary destinations.”

This year’s action-packed lineup features cooking classes, tasting panels, celebrity chef dinners and multiple tasting events showcasing San Diego’s food and wine scene. Here are my personal can’t miss events during this extravaganza:

You can’t miss the biggest and best Grand Tasting Event, Sat. Nov. 23 at the Embarcadero behind Seaport Village, from 12 to 3pm.  This is the grand finale and features 170 wine, beer and spirit purveyors and 70 of San Diego’s most talented chefs.

Wine names like Silver Oak, Joseph Phelps, Justin, Chateau Montelena, Ferrari Carano, and regional favorites like Orfila, South Coast, Falkner and Callaway will all be pouring their best. Restaurants offering favorite foods will include Amaya La Jolla, Fleming’s, Jake’s, Marina Kitchen, Seasons 52 and Stone.  The Vault:  Reserve & New Release Tasting will be Fri. Nov. 22 from 6 to 9pm at the Marriott Marquis and Marina.

An elegant evening will feature fine wines for gold medal collectors from over 200 producers.  Fri. Nov. 22 from 11:30 to 12:30pm is set for Pinot Nirvana, also at the Marriott Marquis and Marina.  This is a seminar with insider Pinot insights from top California winemakers.

Wine Spectator hosts a Celebrity Chef Dinner and Big Bottle Live Auction Thurs. Nov. 21 at the Marriott Marquis and Marina at 6pm. The hotel also is the location for a Louis Latour Double 9 Year Vertical Tasting Thurs. Nov. 21 from 1:30 to 3pm.

This is only a partial list of the over 25 events produced by Fast Forward Events, founders of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival.  Go to www.sandiegowineclassic.com or call 619-312-1212.

Jazz Great Paul Brown Comes to Tuscany
Looking for a showroom with fine Jazz, wine and gourmet food prepared by Executive Chef Robert Gaffney?  Look no further than Tuscany Italian Restaurant and Lounge in Carlsbad.

They have it all with the New York style COPA  ROOM which will feature two-time Grammy award winner guitarist and composer Paul Brown, Sun. Nov. 17 with a 2pm show.  Brown’s long career includes six solo albums, the latest being “Funky Joint.”

Jazz guitarist Paul Brown headlines at Tuscany in Carlsbad, Sun. Nov. 17 at 2pm.

Brown has also won awards for Artist of the Year in Jazz.  Brown will appear with major supporting acts including Jay Gore, with Brad Rambur and 3 Trac.

Tuscany Music Director Danny DiCarlo, along with business partner Joey Alfano,  are planning other exclusive entertainment events including a Jazz and R&B Christmas Songs Showcase Sun. Dec. 15. Tickets for both events are on sale now for $30.  each in advance.  Call 760-929-8111.

Wine Bytes
Twenty/20 at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa presents a Concha Y Toro Wine Dinner, Wed. Nov. 13, with a 5:30 reception and dinner service at 6pm.  Chilean cuisine is featured by Executive Sous Chef Andre who has Chilean roots.  Five Course pairing with six wines.  Cost is $65.  RSVP at 760-827-2500.

Firefly Grill and Wine Bar in Encinitas has a Benzinger Wine Dinner Wed. Nov. 13. Start time is 6:30pm.  $65. pp.  RSVP at 760-635-1066.

A Krug Champagne Dinner is celebrated at the Grand Del Mar Thurs. Nov. 14, starting at 5:30pm at the resort’s Addison.  Krug Champagne’s U.S. Ambassador Lara Sailer Long will preside.  Five courses prepared by master chef William Bradley.  $350. ea.  RSVP at 858-314-1900.

Amuse Bouche is a musical wine pairing dinner with songs from France, Spain and Italy, at Europa Village in Temecula Wine Country, Thurs. Nov. 14 from 6:30 to 9pm.  Gourmet dinner with singing waiters.  $79. pp.  Call 951-216-3380.

The Paso Robles West Side Story (Part Deux)

by Frank Mangio
The previous column underlined the growing importance of Paso Robles as a major wine country with its more than 180 wineries emphasizing French Bordeaux and Rhone style wines. After nearly a week-long visit, with mostly West Side wineries in my sights, more needs to be revealed about this fastest growing California favorite.

The West Side is really those wineries west of Highway 101 and generally connected with State Highway 46 West. It is uncongested, rugged, hilly and much cooler, with the western boundaries just 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

The wines are spectacular. You got an in-depth example of this when the celebrated JustinWinery and Vineyard was profiled. We found out that a lot of Justin’s grapes are sourced from two nearby vineyards, so a visit to Denner Vineyards and Halter Ranch seemed to make sense.

Ron Denner has been at the winemaking business since 1997 on 156 acres of rocky, rolling hills on Vineyard Drive, a few miles from the 46 West. He prides himself on the ultra-premium Rhone style varietals that dot the wine list, including his “Theresa,” a white blend of Rousanne, Viognier, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc. The 2007 vintage was applauded by Wine Spectator as one of the finest white wines in California. They called it “elegant and refined with pear, citrus and tropical notes…intense and focused.”

I asked him how many grape varietals are grown at Denner. He said “14 types of grapes are harvested here, and we can do that successfully because of the wide diversity of climate and soils. The potential of Bordeaux styles like Cabernet and Merlot are limitless and best expressed by Justin’s Isoscles.

Ron Denner of Denner Winery in Paso Robles pours his top rated white “Theresa.”

We are now experimenting with Carmenere, a grape originally from Bordeaux and getting a reputation in Chile. My son Brian who made wines for 10 years inChile and is now our winemaker at Denner, introduced me to this exciting red wine,” he said.

Denner concluded our visit with a walk-through his Comus Center, a nearly-completed castle for events and Comus Club members. Comus, in Greek mythology, was the son of Bacchus the God of Wine. He was known for his revelry and prodigious appetite for great wines. Those who visit the annual Mardi Gras in New Orleans know the Comus Ball as the biggest and best. Ron Denner knows too. He has made Comus his model for success.

Halter Ranch is the largest vineyard west of Paso Robles, with 250 acres and 15 wineries on its client list. Mitch Wyss runs the operation which dates back to the 1880’s. 60% of the grapes are Bordeaux style, with 40% Rhone. “I treat each block of vineyards as a different kid that needs special attention and treatment to get the best out of each of them,” he said. He took me on a hair-raising ride up and down the steep slopes of the vineyard in what seemed like a runaway four wheel drive tractor- roller coaster. “The soil is the key here,” he yelled. “This is as close as you get to the limestone of the great Rhone Valley of France.” Halter does sell its own branded wines and I would recommend the 2006 Syrah blend, with Syrah, Malbec and Mourvedre.

Other wineries worth noting are Tablas Creek founded by the Haas and Perrin Families from France, a world class Chateauneuf-Du-Pape style vineyard. After years of searching for just the right wine country for this style of wine, they found their location on the West Side of Paso Robles. Robert Haas and his son Jason, are Rhone style wine experts, Robert Haas was recently honored as Wine Industry Person of the Year. A small 40 acre winery to try is AJB Vineyards, with an Italian approach, growing Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Zinfandel.

When you go exploring Paso Robles Wine Country, be sure to check out the palatial La Bellasera Hotel and Suites. Ask for one of the affordable suites with a whirlpool spa in the front room complete with roman columns and scenic backdrop. It fits four if you like company. When finished with your bath, robes are at your fingertips. A dining experience awaits in the Enoteca Restaurant and wine bar, with an extensive list featuring, of course, Paso Robles Wines. For more, access www.labellasera.com. Be sure to navigate the new wine country website at www.pasowine.com. It is a virtual experience unlike any other I have seen.

Wine Bytes
Downtown Fallbrook has its next Wine & A Bite Artwalk Sat. Aug. 15 from 5 to 7pm. Stroll, nibble and taste Fallbrook Winery at participating stores. $20. advance, $25. at the door. Call 877-451-3282.

WineSellar and Brasserie in Sorrento Valley, San Diego is presenting a Mod vs. Traditional Chardonnay Tasting Sat. Aug. 15 from 11:30am to 2pm. Six wines offered for a $32. fee. Reservations at 858-450-9557.

A Sights and Sips Hornblower San Diego Cruise is coming Sat. Aug. 22 from 5:30 to 8pm. It’s a floating happy hour with 4 different wine tastes. $30. ea. Details at 619-955-8884.

Reds, Whites and Green, a Culinary Adventure, happens Thurs. Aug. 27 from 4:30 to 8:30pm at Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo. It’s an elegant fund-raiser with gourmet foods, fine wines, microbrew, health and wellness services and products, to benefit the Poway School District. $45. pp in advance, $50. at the door. Contact 858-668-2273.

Orfila Winery in Escondido celebrates their annual Grape Stomp Sat. Aug. 29 from 4 to 8pm. Grape stomping in huge old wine barrels, full dinner buffet, wine tasting and dancing to live music. Meet Don Reha, the winemaker. $85. ea. Tickets purchased at 877-727-9463. or on line at www.orfila.com.

The Perfect Fit For Orfila Winery

Article and photo by Frank Mangio
Six weeks ago this column mourned the passing of a winemaking saint who touched the hearts of wine lovers in two continents. Leon Santoro of Orfila Winery in San Diego County’s Escondido brought to market some of the most outstanding wines ever tasted in Southern California. Judges in major world competitions agreed and presented Orfila with over 1,300 awards of excellence.

The winery’s owner, Alejandro Orfila of Argentina and a former official for that government, upon the passing of Santoro, placed many calls to this columnist and others who could spread the word and make suggestions for a successor. At best this was a difficult search. Santoro had sharpened his skills in French Rhone Valley varietals like Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne and Syrah, as well as Italian grapes like Sangiovese.

When I learned that the brilliant winemaker from Temecula’s Thornton Winery, Don Reha, had agreed to split his time between Thornton and Orfila, I silently said to myself “I do believe in miracles.”

Reha had been hired by Thornton 6 years ago from Northern California where he had a rich tenure with some household name wineries like Fetzer and Cline. All the while he was honing his skills in the Rhone and Italian style of winemaking, a footprint of what made Leon Santoro so popular in the wine community.

In a recent interview with A Taste of Wine, Reha echoed that thought. “It’s an honor and a privilege to come in to Orfila after Leon and carry on his legacy that will always remain here. My ideas of winemaking are the same ideas he had with him. The quality here has been outstanding.”

I asked him what favorites he had tasted and he quickly replied, “the Viognier Lotus 67 is perfectly structured for this appellation. It screams for more Viognier and we’ll plant more, as well as the Syrah with its great reputation at Orfila the past 10 years. I will be getting comfortable with what has been done and strive to use more estate grapes that will thrive.”

Orfila Vineyard and Winery is in a very good position and I have no doubt that Reha will be putting his skills in full throttle to make this winery even more successful and take it to greater heights. See the new website at www.orfilawinery.com.

Wine Bytes
In downtown Los Angeles, the historic San Antonio Winery has a Wine 101 four course lunch and wines on Sat. Apr. 11 from 12 to 3pm. Hosted by Michael Papalia. Cost is $65. pp. RSVP at 323-223-1401 ext 8745. Taste Maddalena, Luigi Bosca and Ruggeri Prosecco.

A wine & dinner salute to Federal Court Justice Gilbert Nares to benefit the North County Bar donor advised fund will be Thurs. Apr. 16 starting at 5:30pm with a reception. Location is The Crossings at Carlsbad. Orfila Wines will be featured. Cost is $95. pp. Call Mary Cervantes at 760-758-5833 for details.

Sat. Apr. 18 at Vintage Wines on Miramar Rd. San Diego, taste the latest Pinot Noirs from California and Oregon from 11 to 3:30pm. Just $5. Call 858-549-2112 for more.

The new Charlie Palmer inspired Next Vintage Wine Shop at Bloomingdales, South Coast Plaza Costa Mesa has a Cakebread Cellars Winemaker Dinner featuring Dennis Cakebread of Napa Valley Mon. Apr. 27. Call for prices and times at 714-352-2525.

The Future is Now at Orfila Winery

Article by Frank Mangio
Photo by Joe Zazzaro

Wine futures have always fascinated me. The fact that wine loyalists will invest in purchasing cases of wine after harvest but before bottling, betting that the wine will be of the highest quality without tasting it until the following year, is a sign of trust in the winery’s ability to produce consistent excellence.

Orfila Vineyard and Winery in Escondido each year presents its Merlot Futures Winemaker Dinner. The most recent gala, the 10th annual, brought aficionados from Las Angeles to New Jersey to make sure they picked up their orders for the 2006 Merlot, and placed their case orders at a discount for the 2007 which will be released at the next dinner in the fall of this year.

Last year’s 2005 Merlot received high praise at the 2008 Critics Challenge International Wine Competition in San Diego.

The Orfila creation was awarded a Platinum Medal, the highest possible accolade. Leon Santoro, Orfila’s winemaker, emphasized the low production, high quality of the Merlot grapes for the 2006. Just 1,116 cases were available.


A Taste of Wine columnist Frank Mangio with Steffi Habermann Event Manager for Orfila and performer Tom Rizzotto, at the Merlot Futures Winemaker Dinner.

He promised “beautiful notes of cherries, raspberries and violets. It has a deep, complex Merlot flavor with delicious oak overtones and maximum color and was aged primarily in French oak barrels blended with 4.5% Cabernet Sauvignon.”

The 2006 is the 16th production of San Diego County Merlot and counting the turnout to take possession of the 2006 futures and sign up for the 2007, many wine lovers have faith in their “Merlot Futures” at Orfila. For more information, contact the winery at 760-738-6500 or www.orfila.com.

Thanksgiving a Celebration of Food and Wine

by Frank Mangio

If you’re like me, about this time ahead of Thanksgiving, I start planning a menu and the wines that will crown the celebration. It’s the ultimate family/friends gathering with the focus on the dining table.

This year, more than any other, wine should play a more dominant role in your menu choices. After all, wine consumption in the U.S. has risen every year in the past 15 years. Interest and demand has been strong, especially with the “20 and 30 somethings” who have embraced upscale wines and wine events.
Now that the dollar is getting stronger, you may want to check out some great French and Italian wines that should have come down in price, probably something like 15% to 20% since last Thanksgiving.

Some broad traditional wine match ups will help you decide which wines may resonate better with your turkey or other choices. This is only meant as a broad-brush guide to help you decide what may be good with your menu choices.

Most cooks will highlight an oven-baked or grilled turkey with all the trimmings like potatoes, greens, sauces, breads and more. I would pair a lovely Chardonnay or for the more adventurous palate, a Viognier. For the red wine lover, a Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais, which is a seasonal “drink-now” favorite from the southern part of Burgundy, France. If your menu has fish as the main course, I would choose a Sauvignon Blanc.

Orfila Vineyard and Winery in Escondido has a “Lot 67 Lotus Estate” Viognier (pictured above), for turkey dinner. For more, www.orfila.com.

If beef is your main course, two great mates, Cabernet Sauvignon or a beautiful California Zinfandel would go well. For lamb pairing, an earthy wine with herb hints works best with the gaminess, so I always think of my Italian Tuscan favorites like a Chianti Classico or a Brunello.

What’s a Beaujolais?
From the vine came the grape and from the grape came the wine, all within one year….that’s what Beaujolais is all about. The ‘08’s are released on the market, again in time for Thanksgiving. The grape is the Gamay red from the south of Burgundy in France, a fruity easy-to-drink-now wine with non-existent tannins
that will wash down that turkey without a pucker. I would refrigerate it about a half hour before serving for max flavor.

Beaujolais is a budget value wine, rarely over $20.00 a bottle. Taste will offer flavors of cherry, strawberry and raspberry. Look for Beaujolais Nouveau which should be just appearing at your favorite wine shop or market.

Sneak Preview Wine Spectator Top 10 Wines
Wine Spectator, the most influential wine magazine in the world, has just released the number 10 through 7 wines in its top 100 list for 2008 and they are:

10- Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma Ca. 2007, 93 pts. $24.
9- Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 2007, 95 pts. $90.
8- Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape France, 2005, 96pts. $95.
7- Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac France, 2005, 96 pts. $100.
The complete list of the top 100 wines will be published in Wine Spectator November 17.

Wine Bytes
Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido presents a Cakebread Napa Valley tasting on Thurs. Nov. 20 from 6 to 8pm. Their famous Chardonnay and others will be served. $30. pp. Then on Sat. the 22nd its annual Grand Holiday Tasting happens from 3 to 6pm, for $25. ea. Call 760-745-1200.

The 5th annual A Taste of Oregon with wines from Duckpond will be at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina Harbor Island San Diego on Sun. Nov. 23 from 6 to 10pm. Food included. $85. a head. Auction items included. Details at 800-245-ALUM. ]

California whites rule at Mellow, a Wine Bar in San Diego Tues. Nov. 25 from 6 to 11pm. Served with appetizers. 619-223-3348.

Wine Street in Carlsbad has its Zin and Syrah night on Fri. Nov. 28, 4 to 7:30pm. Wines from Turley, Cujo, Opolo and more. $15. More by calling 760-431-8455.