by Frank Mangio
If you are really into the wines, one of your favorite pastimes is to search the aisles of wine shops and wine departments of huge retailers like BEVMO and COSCTO. Buying wine is no sure thing. The only thing for sure is that there are whites and reds.
Everything else is really window-dressing and your experience with tasting the wines. That’s why I urge a “core and explore” strategy. Your core wines are brands and vintages you can rely on for consistent quality. Then allow say 1/3 of your wines and budget for the “explore” part. Those would be the vast number of new wines brands and varietals that you have not tried. Chances are some of those “explorations” will be so good, that you will want to add them to your core list.
So what’s really selling these days. I decided to check on the inventory renewals at COSTCO’s biggest selling wine department in my home town of Carlsbad.
California’s best selling varietals, despite all the words of praise from we wine writers for newer sensations, is still Chardonnay for a white and Cabernet Sauvignon for a red. This was underlined by current sales and inventory at COSTCO. Their stock of Chardonnay is led by Clos Du Bois, La Crema and Beringer.
Checking out the Cabernets, the biggest seller and the highest inventory of any wine at COSTCO is the venerable and all-time Napa Valley great, Mondavi - specifically CK Mondavi (the CK is for Charles Krug, where members of the family make premium wines, as well as this value wine.) This is not to be confused with Robert Mondavi wines, bought out some years ago by an international conglamerate.
Other cabs that are moving at COSTCO include: Louis Martini, Montes Alpha and Casa LaPostoll from Chile. Other big red movers are: Cambria Pinot Noir, Dona Paula Shiraz/Malbec from Argentina, Tin Roof Merlot, Villa Pillo Toscana Rosso Borgoforte from Italy, Manage A Trois red blend and Kirkland house brand Merlot from Washington.
New Tastings Worth Telling
Where do I begin. I just returned from the Napa Valley, more convinced than ever that it is the greatest growing grounds for wine in the world, with lots of fabulous tastings, but that will be reserved for a future column. As I write this, a large real estate investment trust has just announced a purchase of Beaulieu and Sterling Vineyards, both from Napa Valley. Foley Family Wines which has Sebastiani and Wattle Creek, has just added Chalk Hill from Sonoma. OK, so those are business trends. Here are some special tastings:
Lewis Cellars Chardonnay Reserve Napa Valley 2008. $65. The winery of the season at Amaya, the Grand Del Mar Resort. Balanced to perfection with crisp character.
Saxon Brown Pinot Noir Sonoma 2008. $41. Dynamic treatment of this “First Lady” of reds. Strawberry notes carry through to the long, glamorous finish.
Thornton Winery Petite Sirah Temecula Valley, 2007. $40. Thornton has 7 new releases out, topped by this inaugural triumph by winemaker Don Reha. Carefully aged 27 months in toasted oak.
Thornton Winery Nebbiolo Temecula Valley, 2007. $34. The northern Italian backbone grape to the famous Barolo and Barbaresco, this wine has wings and flies with its famous brethren. Rich and visceral. Expect leather, mineral characteristics.
Parallel Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2007. $64. According to “birthday girl” Laura at Carlsbad Wine Merchants, this wine was created by Winemaker of the Year Phillipe Melka. A prime-time serving.
Baily Vineyard and Winery Riesling Temecula Valley, 2008. $14. Made to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Temecula. Crisp, clean and smooth taste. Serve cold with chicken and pork. Can easily be an aperitif.
Fontana Fredda Briccotonio Barbera Piedmont Italy, 2008. $9. Here is one of Italy’s most delicious table wines. The Barbera grape is underrated. No concern about age. Just open it and enjoy!
Wine Bytes
§ A Temecula Valley Tasting Tour departs the Mission Bay Visitors Center on Sat. July 10, 10am to 5pm. Stops at 3 favorite wineries: Briar Rose, Falkner and Leonesse. Cost is $100. ea. Includes vineyard tours, tastes and snacks. Call 619-233-8687 for more.
§ Il Fornaio in Del Mar has a Festa Regionale, headlining a Taste of Toscana, now to July 18. Wine choices include Chianti Ruffina and Mazzoni Super Tuscan with entrees like Bistecca alla Fiorentina. RSVP at 1-888-ITALIAN.
§ The new Wines@WholesalePlus is open in the San Diego Culinary Center across from the Convention Center. A Super Saturday Sampling happens Sat. July 11 from 4 to 7pm. You get 10 wines for $10. with appetizers. Details at 619-231-6400.
§ Capri Blu Italian Bistro west of Rancho Bernardo has a Ferrari-Carano wine dinner Tues. July 13 starting at 6:30pm. A fabulous four course dinner and 5 wines from Sonoma’s Ferrari-Carano. $65. pp. Reservations at 858-673-5100.
§ The California Wine Festival Santa Barbara is Thurs. thru Sat. July 15 to 17. Highlight is the Sat. Beachside Wine Festival at the Santa Barbara Pier. Prices vary, so check out the website at www.californiawinefestival.com.
§ The 2nd annual Mouton Noir Wine Dinner is at Amaya in the Grand Del Mar Resort Fri. July 16, 5:30 to 10pm. Four course dinner with wine pairings, $70. ea. Celebrate a collection of small growers from around the globe. RSVP at 858-314-2036.
Showing posts with label santa barbara wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label santa barbara wine. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Charm of Venice and Tuscany at Bella Dolce in Rancho Santa Fe
by Frank Mangio
Italy never looked or tasted as beautiful as it does at the new Dolce Pane E Vino in the Del Rayo Center in Rancho Santa Fe. Guests are literally transformed in this rustic, elegant creation that is at once a world of wine, a wine bar of elegance and a small-bites master restaurant with the charm of Venice and Tuscan surrounds.
Dolce Pane E Vino (sweet bread and wine) is the creation of Michael Melone and Dr. Anthony Smith who have carefully crafted an original Italian design unlike anything I have experienced. They bring a passion for the customer, cultivated from remarkable dining experiences worldwide. You’ll marvel at the tables that are crafted for sharing, and lighting that is linked in communal harmony, yet each element is its own artistic rendering. The entire atmosphere is an architectural triumph.
Dr. Anthony Smith and Michael Melone partnered to create Dolce Pane E Vino, a wine and cuisine restaurant experience unlike any other.
I would be remiss by not devoting space to the wine and cuisine. Wine flights of three offerings are paired with the meal as a delightful option, especially since bottles can be purchased that match the flavors. On the evening I visited, wines from Fort Ross, Wolf Family and Orin Swift were served and all had rich flavors to pair with an ever-evolving Mediterranean menu.
Dolce Pane E Vino is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Mondays just dinner is served. Local seasonal produce is used with the freshest quality available. Dolce is now booking inspiring wineries for special events including Laird Family Estate Wed. March 24 at 5:30pm with Rebbecca Laird. There is more to know at their website DolcePanEVino.com. The phone number is 858-832-1518.
New Wines and a Perfect Gift Idea
In the past 30 days I have tasted some 500 wines of note and the following wines were especially memorable:
- Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, 2004. $45. From the Frescobaldi family of traditional Italian winemaking with 100% four year aged Sangiovese. The first of the recently great harvest years in Tuscany. Gets greater with more aging.
- Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz, Australia, 2007. $19. This striking, flavorful wine comes from the oldest winery in the Aussie nation in the heart of the Barossa Valley. First vines were planted in 1845. Classic and refined.
- Leal San Benito Estate Grown Cabernet, Hollister Ca. 2006. $20. North Central Coast flavor of soft, rich intense wines. A cab that is delicious and easy on the palate.
- Louis Latour Beaune Burgundy, Cote-D’or, France. 2005. $39. Burgundian wines fathered the immensely popular Pinot Noirs of the West Coast of the U.S. Mellow cherry with a smoky licorice taste. Balanced, mellow tannins. ’05 was a golden harvest in France.
- Oak Mountain Meritage, Temecula, 2005. $42. One for the locals with a nicely calculated 40% Cabernet, 40% Cab Franc and 20% Merlot Bordeaux classic style. Long, smooth finish.
- Pedroncelli Block 007 Estate Vineyard Sonoma Cabernet, 2007. $25. Ninety one points in a major wine publication, this is 100% cab grape with 18 months in oak. Elegant premium quality.
- Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Sonoma 2008. $20. Another master stroke from winemaker Rick Sayres, pulling a premier harvest from this popular pinot area. Silky texture, floral accents and a hint of spice make this one a standard to look up to.
A personal expression on a bottle or glass makes the perfect gift to give for wine lovers.
Tom Bwarie of Bwarie Gift Baskets in Carlsbad (photo) has made hand engraving an art form. As a focal point of your custom gift basket order, this personalized service is free of charge. He showed me a popular new wine aerator that he is engraving for customers, the Soiree, a glass globe with an aeration chamber that is secured to the top of a wine bottle to enhance balance and flavor.
He also does wine events where he quickly engraves the names of visitors on their tasting glasses. It’s a “take-home” gift that insures branding life for the hosts. Contact information is 760-730-1458 or access the website BWarieGiftBaskets.com
Wine Bytes
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas is serving Italian “Succulent Sangioveses” at their weekly wine tasting on Fri. March 26 from 6 to 8pm. Check with them for price and the wine lineup. 760-479-2500.
Wine Styles in Encinitas has live jazz and wine with the flamenco group En Fuego, Fri. March 26, 6 to 8pm. An extensive menu of wines from around the world, with a small bite menu of cheeses and paninis. No cover charge. Call 760-633-0057.
The Wine Bank in the Gaslamp District of downtown San Diego has the Best of Italian Wines for its event of Sat. March 27 from 6 to 8pm. Names like Gaja, Masi Amarone and Sassicaia will be poured. $50. pp. RSVP on pre-purchase at 619-239-0334.
3rd Corner in Encinitas has a Hitching Post Wine Dinner coming on Tues. March 30 at 6pm for $65. ea. This was the Santa Barbara winery made famous in the movie “Sideways.” RSVP at 760-942-2104. The Hitching Post winemaker will also be at La Costa Wine Company on Wed. March 31 from 6 to 8pm. Cost is $20. For details call 760-431-8455.
Italy never looked or tasted as beautiful as it does at the new Dolce Pane E Vino in the Del Rayo Center in Rancho Santa Fe. Guests are literally transformed in this rustic, elegant creation that is at once a world of wine, a wine bar of elegance and a small-bites master restaurant with the charm of Venice and Tuscan surrounds.
Dolce Pane E Vino (sweet bread and wine) is the creation of Michael Melone and Dr. Anthony Smith who have carefully crafted an original Italian design unlike anything I have experienced. They bring a passion for the customer, cultivated from remarkable dining experiences worldwide. You’ll marvel at the tables that are crafted for sharing, and lighting that is linked in communal harmony, yet each element is its own artistic rendering. The entire atmosphere is an architectural triumph.
Dr. Anthony Smith and Michael Melone partnered to create Dolce Pane E Vino, a wine and cuisine restaurant experience unlike any other.I would be remiss by not devoting space to the wine and cuisine. Wine flights of three offerings are paired with the meal as a delightful option, especially since bottles can be purchased that match the flavors. On the evening I visited, wines from Fort Ross, Wolf Family and Orin Swift were served and all had rich flavors to pair with an ever-evolving Mediterranean menu.
Dolce Pane E Vino is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Mondays just dinner is served. Local seasonal produce is used with the freshest quality available. Dolce is now booking inspiring wineries for special events including Laird Family Estate Wed. March 24 at 5:30pm with Rebbecca Laird. There is more to know at their website DolcePanEVino.com. The phone number is 858-832-1518.
New Wines and a Perfect Gift Idea
In the past 30 days I have tasted some 500 wines of note and the following wines were especially memorable:
- Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, 2004. $45. From the Frescobaldi family of traditional Italian winemaking with 100% four year aged Sangiovese. The first of the recently great harvest years in Tuscany. Gets greater with more aging.
- Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz, Australia, 2007. $19. This striking, flavorful wine comes from the oldest winery in the Aussie nation in the heart of the Barossa Valley. First vines were planted in 1845. Classic and refined.
- Leal San Benito Estate Grown Cabernet, Hollister Ca. 2006. $20. North Central Coast flavor of soft, rich intense wines. A cab that is delicious and easy on the palate.
- Louis Latour Beaune Burgundy, Cote-D’or, France. 2005. $39. Burgundian wines fathered the immensely popular Pinot Noirs of the West Coast of the U.S. Mellow cherry with a smoky licorice taste. Balanced, mellow tannins. ’05 was a golden harvest in France.
- Oak Mountain Meritage, Temecula, 2005. $42. One for the locals with a nicely calculated 40% Cabernet, 40% Cab Franc and 20% Merlot Bordeaux classic style. Long, smooth finish.
- Pedroncelli Block 007 Estate Vineyard Sonoma Cabernet, 2007. $25. Ninety one points in a major wine publication, this is 100% cab grape with 18 months in oak. Elegant premium quality.
- Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Sonoma 2008. $20. Another master stroke from winemaker Rick Sayres, pulling a premier harvest from this popular pinot area. Silky texture, floral accents and a hint of spice make this one a standard to look up to.
A personal expression on a bottle or glass makes the perfect gift to give for wine lovers.
Tom Bwarie of Bwarie Gift Baskets in Carlsbad (photo) has made hand engraving an art form. As a focal point of your custom gift basket order, this personalized service is free of charge. He showed me a popular new wine aerator that he is engraving for customers, the Soiree, a glass globe with an aeration chamber that is secured to the top of a wine bottle to enhance balance and flavor.
He also does wine events where he quickly engraves the names of visitors on their tasting glasses. It’s a “take-home” gift that insures branding life for the hosts. Contact information is 760-730-1458 or access the website BWarieGiftBaskets.comWine Bytes
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas is serving Italian “Succulent Sangioveses” at their weekly wine tasting on Fri. March 26 from 6 to 8pm. Check with them for price and the wine lineup. 760-479-2500.
Wine Styles in Encinitas has live jazz and wine with the flamenco group En Fuego, Fri. March 26, 6 to 8pm. An extensive menu of wines from around the world, with a small bite menu of cheeses and paninis. No cover charge. Call 760-633-0057.
The Wine Bank in the Gaslamp District of downtown San Diego has the Best of Italian Wines for its event of Sat. March 27 from 6 to 8pm. Names like Gaja, Masi Amarone and Sassicaia will be poured. $50. pp. RSVP on pre-purchase at 619-239-0334.
3rd Corner in Encinitas has a Hitching Post Wine Dinner coming on Tues. March 30 at 6pm for $65. ea. This was the Santa Barbara winery made famous in the movie “Sideways.” RSVP at 760-942-2104. The Hitching Post winemaker will also be at La Costa Wine Company on Wed. March 31 from 6 to 8pm. Cost is $20. For details call 760-431-8455.
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