Adventures in California Living...Usually Involving Wine

Rosa Mexicano Gets the Ice Hockey Fire Burning!

2013-05-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

I was surprised when I learned that Rosa Mexicano (Mexican Pink) was part of an east coast chain. How is that possible - great Mexican food from the east coast? It is true, but the creative cuisine from this attractive Tequila emporium is gaining momentum fast on the west coast.

Rosa Mexicano is right around the corner from Flemings at Staples Center - 800 W. Olympic Blvd. They currently have 15 locations, including the first, opened in 1984 in New York.

The Guac Rocks!

It is crowded, but not packed before Kings games, which makes it a perfect destination before they drop the puck in game 7 on Tuesday night. Here are a few highlights from our own dining experience there...

The "Guac"

Incredible Guacamole, prepared tableside, with a choice of mild, medium or hot. We asked for 7.5 on the heat scale and our Guacamole specialist delivered. This is the thick and chunky variety, made from scratch and served in a big bowl.

The Liquids

The Margarita menu and the Tequila menu (50 to 60 choices including tasting flights) is quite impressive. We marveled at the La Clasica Margarita, featuring El Jimador silver tequila, fresh lime and organic agave - not too sweet - just delicious and refreshing. This is definitely not El Torito. The wine lists promotes the fact that value and fine wine can go hand in hand.

The Pre-Game Meal

What a nice spread! Give me that skillet!

Tacos de Panza con Callos - Three tacos with diver scallops and pork belly, served with a spicy orange-habanero salsa. Who would ever put this unlikely combo together? The flavors explode.

Carne Asada/All Natural Skirt Steak "Skillet Style." Marinated sliced skirt steak (tender and juicy) served over Chihuahua cheese (mild) with grilled Mexican street corn, chorizo chili and warm corn tortillas. Not only did the Carne Asada taste wonderful, the presentation in the tiny skillet made you want to dive in and enjoy.

Rosa Mexicano is a nice pre-game choice and by the way, there is a location available for Shark fans at 30 Mission Street in San Francisco.

The Hawks are in town

As a former Chicago Blackhawk fan - it is bittersweet to see them play MY KINGS! After 34 years in LA - Chicago is a (cold in the winter, blistering in the summer) distant memory.

How about it? Please follow the blog or join the 1200 plus who Like us on Facebook.

Feedback? Leave a comment or e-mail us at winefoodjava@gmail.com

The Ultimate Diet (wine OK) and Two Places to Cheat On That Diet

2013-05-12T23:23:00.001-07:00

While I may not be the new "Jared," I may be on to something here. Keep in mind that I am a salad freak, so that is an important factor to consider. All I know is that I heard a lot people telling me how lean I looked on the golf course today (still shot a stinking 94) after adopting the new, nothing less than amazing, wine-food-java diet.

The diet

The key: The new double chopped chicken salad from Subway. They take a huge bowl, fill it with chicken, lettuce, spinach and add anything else you want from the sandwich ingredients. I add tomatoes, onions, olives, bell peppers, hot peppers, cucumbers, feta cheese and avocado. They chop it and chop it until it is a finely diced taste blast.. There is so much flavor in there after the chopping and blending of flavors, I don't even add dressing. Total calories: They say 220 - I don't believe it!

If you can eat that salad (it is filling and takes some time to consume) twice a day, you will see the pounds fly off. Now and again, I will add a little chicken and ham to kick it up to what? 500 calories? How can you beat that? Have a couple glasses of Pinot Noir with it for dinner, you are still killing it - maybe a 1500 calorie day? I will keep you posted on this, but I know it is a low carbohydrate approach that is satisfying and it works.

Aussies waiting for their walk

Admittedly, walking the Australian Shepherds for three brisk miles five times a week doesn't hurt either. Can I really eat a chopped chicken salad twice a day every day? No way - but every time I choose this surprising fast food discovery over a stuffed burrito or a juicy burger, it is small victory. If you cannot relate, consider yourself lucky and give thanks for your speeding metabolism.

At the same time, I have discovered two LA area establishments that makes cheating on the diet well worth it. Do not misunderstand me - I cheat on this diet!

Capicola's

There is a little place in Torrance called Capicola's at 3160 Pacific Coast Highway. By the way, Capicola is a cured "ham" that is popular with us Italians - can be sweet, can be spicy, but it is always delicious in a sandwich, salad or antipasto dish. I stumbled across Capicola's Gourmet Sandwich Company after a meeting, noticing the lunchtime line that starting to form outside the door of their strip center location.

Inside, Capicola's is the embodiment of the wine-food-java lifestyle. With counter service, a unique self serve wine selection and an impressive coffee bar, Capicola's is a triple threat and appears to be a runaway success. While the eclectic bistro offers fresh soups, fresh baked bread and pastries along with about twenty interesting wine selections, it is the gourmet, hand crafted sandwiches that are most impressive - featuring organic meats and fresh seasonal garden veggies.

Pretty different - self serve wine bar

I feasted on the Capi's Special - Spicy Capicola, Prosciutto, Salami, Fresh Mozzarella, Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, Basil, Roma Tomatoes, Romaine and Olive Oil on an Italian Roll. It has become a popular carry out item in my office anytime anyone is in the Torrance area.

The Capi's Special

The Stonehaus

On the other end of the world that is greater Los Angeles, at 32039 Agoura Rd. in Westlake Village, you will feel like you have been transported to a high end Italian winery experience - The Stonehaus. "Enoteca" is literally defined as a "wine repository." Here is their own description which is very much on target:

"The Stonehaus, a boutique enoteca reminiscent of Italy, is the newest addition to the Westlake Village Inn, located off the 101 freeway, halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. The Stonehaus is one of the most unique lifestyle gathering places in the greater Los Angeles area.
The Stonehaus offers a mélange of experiences: custom roasted coffee and fresh baked pastries in the morning, gourmet grab and go food at lunch, ending the day as a wine bar and tasting room. Our private label coffee is roasted fresh each weekend and our pastries are baked fresh each morning. During lunch, you can pick up gourmet salads or paninis to go, created by our Executive Chef. The ingredients are fresh, healthy, and seasonal, offering a fare reminiscent of a chic eatery in Europe. As the day progresses, the atmosphere relaxes into that of a winery. Serving fresh salami and fromaggi and a wide range of wine flights, we define enoteca.

The stone courtyard area along with our unique fireplace and private vineyard provide the perfect backdrop to experience The Stonehaus offerings. Whether you feel like meandering through our vineyard, sitting by the outdoor stone fireplace or playing bocce ball, we are convinced you will enjoy and savor every moment."

Our Pinot Flight at Stonehaus

We sat in the pleasant courtyard setting and enjoyed the Pinot Noir Wine flight, featuring a Stephen Ross 2009, a Pacific Ridge 2009 and our favorite, Cadre, "The Architects," a 2008 vintage from the central coast. Outstanding! Especially enjoyable with a very attractive platter of salami, prosciutto, mozzarella, crunchy, toasted bread and olives. Again, great place to cheat on the wine-food-java diet or any other diet for that matter.

I'm hungry now. Time to head out for another Double Chopped Chicken Salad.

Follow This Blog

Become a follower of this blog or join our 1000 Facebook followers. Be sure to check out the winefoodjava.com Facebook page. We will be offering some terrific deals in the coming weeks - so it pays to LIKE us. E-Mail us at winefoodjava @gmail.com

Audible - Not Always Perfect

You know I am an audible book freak. What a great way to occupy your mind while sitting in LA traffic or relaxing with a nice glass of wine in the backyard. Try it out – support our community by ordering directly from this page.

If you have trouble sleeping, just listen to an audio book and bedtime. It takes me five minutes to be out cold every night thanks to audio books. Especially of late - two straight books that were a grinding bore. That's the first time I have said that in over two years of non stop listening. The culprits: The Elephant Whisperer by Graham Spence (too much elephant for me) and Travels With Charlie (too much deep reflection about nothing) by John Steinbeck. Both started strong and turned into a grinding bore. They were recommended by a friend's book club, instead of my own research.

Now, I am back on track with John Sandford, Sudden Prey. I do enjoy the action packed Prey Series. There is something about crime in Minnesota that is very engaging and amusing.

The Office is Changing

The office environment is getting more food and java than ever. Many of the employee amenities that are popular in the Silicon Valley are making there way to Southern California. Gourmet Coffee Service, the office refreshment leader, is now delivering delicious fresh fruit to offices in LA and Orange County, along with fresh almonds, pistachios and walnuts (from slick wall mount dispensers). These office treats, along with amazing coffee options from Tassimo, Keurig, Virtu and Colibri, are putting smiles on the faces of employees at forward thinking companies. Contact Gourmet Coffee Service at 800-834-0220 and make your office a part of this new refreshment revolution.

A Panel of "Experts" Rates the Wagner Wine Flight

2013-04-23T08:08:00.001-07:00

Just had the pleasure of enjoying a Wagner Wine tasting flight. Great stuff. The folks at Wagner Wines were kind enough to send me the kit and it was a total treat. Might be a new weekend sport.

The wine flight consists of six little bottles - bigger than airline booze, smaller than a half bottle.

I gathered an informal panel of experts (each of whom clearly has a wine style preference) and we took flight on the tasting journey.

Alexandria - 86 years of experience!

Alexandria - Tends to like Chardonnay

Peg - All about red - but likes a clean Chardonnay - not too much oak.

Deb - She likes it all, including sweet wines.

Bob (that's me) is into all kinds of reds will not refuse a nice Chardonnay.

We opened with a 2010 Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay - about $24 Chablis style Chardonnay that is fermented in cement tanks. Does not touch oak. Very fresh aroma. A little citrus.

Peg - "I'm surprised how much I liked it - great summer wine."

Peg likes red wine, clean Chardonnay

Alexandria - "Good, but I miss the oak."

Oak it is. The next selection - 2009 Mer Soleil Barrel Aged Chardonnay - About $32. Buttery, citrus driven, coats the mouth with flavor.

Deb - "Too much oak for my taste."

Alexandria - "I will go out of my way to buy it. Loved it!"

I did not feel the oak was overpowering. It was a beautifully balanced Chardonnay and I keep a couple of bottles in my cellar. Bring on the fresh salmon.

Deb liked the Conundrum and the Caymus of course!

Selection #3 - 2010 Conundrum (Puzzle) - about $22. This is a white blend. Something you can enjoy with spicy foods like Thai or even Indian food (usually best with those giant 1.5 pint Indian Beers). For me, it was just too sweet. I would actually be able to drink it as a dessert wine (if I ever had such a desire).

The blend consists of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat.

Alexandria - "Very smooth."

Deb - Not surprisingly, "My favorite so far."

Peg - "Started out pretty sweet, but settled nicely to my palate."

Next, we broke out the 2010 Neiomi Pinot Noir - about $22. This wine is described as deeply flavored, well balanced Pinot Noir. As a lover of Pinot Noirs, I was excited to try the Neiomi. I was disappointed. It was a bit light, without defining flavor characteristics.

Alexandria - "Watery. Not impactful."

Deb - "Seems a little mild."

Peg - "No particular flavor stands out."

Bob loved the Belle Glos, but not the Neiomi Pinot Noir

Our next selection, the 2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir from the Monterrey Highlands - about $44, brought about an entirely different reaction. I loved it, with soft berry flavor, black cherry was quite prevalent. I have since enjoyed this wine with ribs, steak and grilled salmon. This Pinot works well with food.

Alexandria - "Wonderful flavor."

Deb - "The black cherry flavor is just...yummy!"

Peg - "That's a Pinot - perfect with lamb."

Finally - it was time for the big payoff. 2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon - (and worth every penny). Last night at a party, someone told me there were plenty of "fantastic wines" for $12 a bottle. OK - fantastic is obviously a relative term You will not find too many $12 wines that can hold a candle to Caymus. In fact, it may be the other way around. Caymus can compete with plenty of $100 wines.

So - you may have guessed it, we liked the Caymus Cabernet.

Alexandria - "Wow - this may be the best Cabernet I have ever tried."

Peg - "A nice rich steak, duck, lamb chops, all perfect with this Cabernet."

Deb - "This is so smooth, like velvet."

So right Deb. Velvet indeed. What did we do right after our wine flight tasting? Went right to the cellar to pull a full size bottle of 2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy with some beautiful rib eye steaks.

Learn more about the wonder family of Wagner Wines at www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com.

By the way - you can enjoy the convenience of Keurig Brewed Single Cup Coffee, Tassimo Single Cup Coffee and many of our wonderful Micro Roasts (Costa Rican coming soon) in your Southern California office. Gourmet Coffee Service is the leader in Southern California office refreshment. www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com

800 834-0220 Because you deserve to be spoiled in the office!

Our facebook community is on FIRE! 750 fans and growing fast. Where are you folks coming from? I love it - Join us today - be a part of the winefoodjava.com facebook page. We will be offering some terrific deals in the coming weeks - so it pays to LIKE us.

You know I am an audible book freak. What a great way to occupy your mind while sitting in LA traffic or relaxing with a nice glass of wine in the backyard. Try it out – support our community by ordering directly from this page. YOU will be hooked on Audible books.

I have been on a war kick. WWII (Winds of War), Civil War (Killer Angels) and now, just finished Matterhorn, a powerful novel about Vietnam.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. Sign up for Audible and enjoy a wonderful offer through the ad on this page. It will help keep this blog alive and kicking.

That’s it. Write to us at winefoodjava@gmail.com or post your comments on your own.

"There's no laying down at The Masters"

2013-04-14T14:06:00.001-07:00

I was walking around in awe this week on the hallowed ground of the Augusta National, when I came upon an older guy who way laying on his back, hands behind his head, just enjoying a cool breeze in the shade of the pine trees - waiting for the next group of golfers to come up during the Masters practice round. The idyllic setting was cut in half like one of my own knifing slices (usually off a three wood) by the words of a Masters security guard who asked the man to sit up. "Sir - I'm sorry, there's no laying down at the Masters."

Yes indeed - the southern folks who run this epic event pay meticulous attention to detail. They have a few rules. Nothing here about laying down - but you get the idea.

I know this blog is supposed to be about Adventures in California Living, but after spending a week at what is almost certainly the most prestigious PGA golf event, I could not resist sharing some observations about The Masters and the incredible eating that was provided by a group of Southeastern Style cooking enthusiasts who were kind enough to share their magical outdoor cooking skills.

By the way - there was no wine drinking with this spice fest. It was all about Bud Lime, Blue Moon and Tito's Vodka tonics - anything to ease the burn and cool the palate.

While some object to Augusta National's history of being "rather restrictive" about membership, to their credit, the operation of the Masters is a logistical masterpiece. Everyone we encountered, from security, to ticket staff, to concession folks - friendly beyond anything I have seen (and I grew up in the mid-west). Lines of all kind, moved with easy speed. The golf course was in as perfect condition as any golf course could be.

Here are a few other unusual and unique aspects of the event - the spectacle that is "The Masters."

No cell phones at any time, but the cell phone check in process is smooth and quick. Same with pick up. Need to make a call? Phone banks are available, allowing you to make free calls - anywhere in the world.

John Daly - "Grip it and Rip It"- has a trailer outside of Hooters when he sells merchandise and signs autographs. Why can't he get it together and play golf?

The Food at the Masters - What a bargain. You have to try (and quickly toss) the Pimento and Cheese Sandwich - GROSS, but check out the prices. Very hospitable prices.

Pimento and Cheese (Note that everything has a

Master's Logo - from water to a bag of nuts.

The Chairs - If you bring in a $30 Master's Logo Chair, you can set it up on the course (with your name on it) and nobody will touch it. Definitely a house rule.

The Bathrooms: Unreal how clean they are - built for large crowds. Expect to see three attendants greeting, cleaning and overseeing at all times.

The Gift Store: Total mayhem from a crowd standpoint, but with 23 stations of three registers each, souvenir hungry patrons are moved in and out with amazing speed. Big bucks are spent.

The sign to Amen Corner - 11, 12 and 13

A nice shot of Amen Corner

Cardinals, Orioles and Magnolias - You see a lot of these at The Masters. I shot this on the back porch of the home we stayed in.

The tickets - On the way out on Friday afternoon, my associate and I were offered $3500 each for our passes. They were not ours to sell.

Food off the course - First - the amazing shrimp boil. Potatoes, corn, mushrooms, Cajun sausage, whole onions, whole garlic cloves and a whole lot of shrimp, poured into a pot with some burning Crab boil seasoning. Unbelievable. Prepare to burn - pain with pleasure! The shrimp cooks right up in a minute or two.

In Progress - A sight to see!

Prepare to burn...

The Feast!

Then it was stuffed pork chop and stuffed chicken night. The chops were filled with pork, seasoned stuffing and crab. The chickens were direct from New Orleans, from the butcher shop that makes the famed John Madden Tur-Duckens, Turkey stuffed with Duck. In this case, it was boneless chicken stuffed with crab and another version stuffed with Cajun Sausage. Wow!

Stuffed Chops, Stuffed Chicken!

It is safe to say that for some, Augusta and The Masters could be the closest thing to heaven. Playing golf all morning, watching the pros at an amazing venue in the afternoon and eating like a southern gent in the evening - I would have to agree. Wouldn't you?

Does it get any better than this?

By the way - you can enjoy the convenience of Keurig Brewed Single Cup Coffee, Tassimo Single Cup Coffee and many of our wonderful Micro Roasts (including our best selling, award winning, Seattle Blend) in your Southern California office. Gourmet Coffee Service is the leader in Southern California office refreshment. www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com

800 834-0220 Because you deserve to be spoiled in the office!

Our Facebook community is on FIRE! 850+ fans and growing fast. I love it - Join us today - be a part of the winefoodjava.com Facebook page. We will be offering some terrific deals in the coming weeks - so it pays to LIKE us.

You know I am an audible book freak. What a great way to occupy your mind while sitting in LA traffic or relaxing with a nice glass of wine in the backyard. Try it out – support our community by ordering directly from this page.

If you have trouble sleeping, just listen to an audio book and bedtime. It takes me five minutes to be out cold every night thanks to audio books. Just planted my spring cucumbers while listening to an audio book. Brilliant use of time.

I just finished another marathon book - The Killer Angels - Great historical fiction. Pulitzer Prize Winning Civil War epic.

That’s it. Write to us at winefoodjava@gmail.com or post your comments on your own.

Insignia - Nice Distraction From Shoveling Snow

2013-03-18T19:13:00.002-07:00

Editor's Note: While California readers may have a tough time grasping the concept of a hellish New Jersey winter, we know you can relate the pleasure of fine food and wine - as chronicled by our guest blogger, Mr. Craig Ulrich, checking in from the "other coast."

On a Friday morning in March in suburban New Jersey, I find myself shoveling snow instead of what I had planned, peacefully working from home - far away from my New York City office chaos. As I progress down the driveway, my mind drifts to this evening’s Joseph Phelps "Insignia" Cabernet Sauvignon wine tasting dinner hosted by Michael H. of Madison, NJ. Our friend Michael is a local wine connoisseur and aficionado, who hosts a series of wine tastings over the winter months for a small group of wine loving folks who need something to look forward to during the dreary months of December through March.

An impressive row of Insignia Cabernet

Michael's wine tasting event featured the legendary Insignia Cabernet from Napa Valley, years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.To accompany the wine, a scrumptious array of appetizers were served including mini crab cakes, scallops wrapped in bacon, imported gouda with a dollop of pesto on crusty bread and egg rolls. Insignia Cab is special. Year to year, the same bottle of wine can vary from a pure 100% Cabernet to a mixed blend. Personally, I like the 1999 with a blend of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Many of my fellow tasters looked at me as if I were nuts; “How could you rate the 1999 equal to the 2001 vintage," which had received many outstanding reviews. The answer is simple - wine is a matter of personal taste; the '99 was right for me.

If you are going to host an exceptional wine tasting, you have to provide the right environment and atmosphere. Michael has these requirements covered. A wine cellar/dining room encompasses a portion of his basement. It is hard to beat being surrounded by 450 bottles of top-notch wine while being served dinner. Did I forgot to mention that Michael prepared a spectacular full course dinner?

Appetizer: shrimp and pasta with garlic sauce
Salad: wedge of lettuce with avocado, tomato and vinaigrette dressing
Entrée: prime NY strip steak, twice baked potato, fresh sautéed string beans
Dessert: rustic apple croustade with rich Haagen Dazs coffee ice cream

While the Insignia Cabernet line-up was impressive, Michael reached into his cellar for more choice wine sampling after dinner. After coffee, it was like starting over again and our party of eight enjoyed an all-star wine selection. into the late hours. Why waste a finely tuned palette?

1996 and 2001 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2010 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Robert Parker 96 points)
2008 Bonneau Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley, Hyde Vineyard

Craig - Who is the faceless man? We need more pictures!
2009 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Wine Spectator top 10)

Pick up any of these when shopping for some of that wonderful Insignia Cabernet (my choice, 1999) and you will not be disappointed.

Now, when I find myself shoveling snow, (might be possible for you northern Cal folks) I let my mind wander to wine tasting and imagine what kind of an event I would hold. Better yet, I realize that our New Jersey crew is ready to reconvene for our next event (Shafer Cabernet 2002 – 2010) on April 26. Hopefully, the snow will be long gone!

Craig - Thanks so much for the guest blog. Reach out about every wine tasting. We love the New Jersey perspective.

Any wine loving reader can take a turn at wine blogging. If you want to tell us about your wine tasting adventure, contact us - winefoodjava@gmail.com

By the way - you can enjoy the convenience of Keurig Brewed Single Cup Coffee, Tassimo Single Cup Coffee and many of our wonderful Micro Roasts (Costa Rican coming soon) in your Southern California office. Gourmet Coffee Service is the leader in Southern California office refreshment. www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com

800 834-0220 Because you deserve to be spoiled in the office!

Our facebook community is on FIRE! 750 fans and growing fast. Where are you folks coming from? I love it - Join us today - be a part of the winefoodjava.com facebook page. We will be offering some terrific deals in the coming weeks - so it pays to LIKE us.

You know I am an audible book freak. What a great way to occupy your mind while sitting in LA traffic or relaxing with a nice glass of wine in the backyard. Try it out – support our community by ordering directly from this page. I recently planted my spring tomotoes while listening to an audio book. Brilliant use of time. YOU will be hooked on Audible books.

I just Finished a 45 hour marathon book - Winds of War by Herman Wouk - Great historical fiction.

Hanging out in Costa Rica with a Specialty Coffee Legend

2013-02-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

Costa Rican Breakfast of fried plantains
poached eggs, avocado, farmers cheese,
thick bacon and tortillas - plus coffee

I am checking out at the US Air Sky Club at Phoenix Airport waiting for my connecting flight to Costa Rica (a little coffee tasting and buying trip). Since I rarely leave California, I am not well acquainted with the world of frequent flyer clubs. With a few hours of layover ahead of us, my wife decided to buy a day pass the US Air Sky Club.

Needless to say, I was intrigued by the prospect of free beer and wine, but since it was late morning, my initial inclination was to pass. When I walked by the bar on my way back from the restroom, I was stunned to see Markham Cabernet, Hanna Chardonnay, Rutherford Hill Cabernet and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio all lined up behind the bar.

Eyeing the Markham, I changed my mind about waiting and decided to order up. Here is the dialogue that followed.

Bob: “I’ll take a glass of the Markham.”

Attendant: (Eyeing the $2 tip in my hand) “That’s twelve bucks.”

Bob: “I thought beer and wine was free?”

Attendant: “Not the good stuff.”

Bob: “Damn, I thought this was the greatest place in the travel world with free premium wines.”

Attendant: “No sir – that would be United. That's why they call it the friendly skies."

Bob: “Too bad, I was ready to spend the day here and take a later flight.”

We shared a good laugh and I passed on the Le Terre house wine.

Luz and Jim

Once in Costa Rica, we took off to the Central Valley Coffee Region, where the finest Costa Rican coffee beans are grown. Our host, Jim Stewart – Founder of Seattle's Best Coffee, who rose to become one of the most iconic figures in the specialty coffee industry. Also hosting ("I'm just a farmer") - his lovely wife Luz Marina Trujillo, who has spent two decades turning her Santa Elena Coffee Estate into one of the most respected in Central America.

Stewart learned the business from Coffee Bean founder Herb Hyman, after working at Coffee Bean in the late 1960's. To make a long story short, he roasted his green coffee beans on Vashon Island, southwest of Seattle. His little company evolved into Stewart Brothers Coffee, then became SBC when a Chicago based firm contested the use of the Stewart name. SBC became known as Seattle's Best Coffee after a coffee tasting competition crowned Stewart's coffee as number one - the best in Seattle. Years later, he sold the company (now owned by Starbucks) and is working the coffee estate with Luz.

Coffee cherries arrive from the field

Click here to visit our facebook page, where you will find lots of videos and photos from our visit - an inside look at the coffee producing business.

On the two and half hour bus trip from the coffee estate to our Los Suenos hotel, we had the opportunity to interview Stewart. A few highlights:

On Starbucks: Stewart says that as successful as Starbucks founder Howard Schultz has been, he considers Coffee Bean founder Herb Hyman and Alfred H. Peet, the Dutch-American entrepreneur and the founder of Peet's Coffee, to be the true founders of the specialty coffee industry.

On Single Cup Coffee: Stewart says he can’t believe the success of single cup coffee and the willingness of people to essentially pay $60 a pound.

Coffee Compared to Wine: "It is amazing to me that a decent cup of coffee is ever brewed," says Stewart, pointing to the exhausting process that goes into your daily cup of coffee. "The cherries need to be grown, picked, sorted, dried, transported, roasted and then the consumer has every opportunity to brew it wrong. There are so many ways to mess it up. Once you get a bottle of wine home, it takes quite a bit of effort to ruin it."

Cocktail Hour - Made better by a Costa Rican sunset

On Restaurant Coffee: Stewart wonders why restaurants are so price sensitive about coffee - so much so that they take the risk of serving average coffee. "A cup of coffee is usually the last thing served, so why would you not want it to be great," he asks. In fact, he thinks every good restaurant should use a French Press at the table to brew the perfect cup of coffee.

On Dunkin' Donuts: Stewart says he is not surprised that Dunkin' Donuts coffee has become a cult phenomenon of sorts. "Everybody loves their donuts," says Stewart. "I just wish they would roast better coffee."

On Tasting Coffee: "Don’t let anyone refill your cup before it is empty," says Stewart. "When coffee cools off, that's when you can really taste the flavor."

Check out Defending Jacob by William Landay. Outstanding book. Great Audio presentation.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. Sign up for Audible and enjoy a wonderful offer through the ad on this page. It will help keep this blog alive and kicking.

That’s it. Write to us at winefoodjava@gmail.com or post your comments on your own.

"Just bring a bottle of wine." Here is some solid party advice

2012-12-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

“Just bring a bottle of wine.” How many times have you heard that request from a party host? Just in case you hear that during the party season – New Years, Bowl Games, Playoffs and the Big Party – The Super Bowl, here are a few suggestions on just what to bring, keeping three key factors in mind.

1. Budget – You will probably have to share whatever you bring with other guests, so you might as well be somewhat budget conscious. Plus, if the wine you bring is too good, the host will wisely stash it away and you will be forced to drink the “2 Buck Chuck” or whatever else was contributed by the other guests.

2. Common Decency – You have been invited to someone’s home. Bring a decent bottle of wine.

3. What about me? – Typically, in a classic “open house,” there are fifteen bottles of wine somewhere on a bar top or a kitchen counter. Most, you have not heard of. Some, probably spent a week in the trunk of a hot car. Others, wine you just do not want to drink. Bring a decent bottle and keep it close to you. At least you will have a wine to enjoy for most of the evening (until some other unworthy consumers discover your selection).

So – here are ten party wine suggestions, three from Bevmo, three from Total Wine and four from wines.com.

From Bevmo

Sonoma-Cutrer Chard Sonoma Coast '11 – About $21 – Reliable

Edna Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir '09 – About $17 – Good name, good finish

Murphy-Goode Cabernet '10 – Shockingly “goode” $13 Cabernet

From Total Wine

Coppola Diamond Claret – Solid Red for less than $12

Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 – Under $20 – Fruit laden boldness

La Crema Chardonnay, 2010 – About $13 – Nice Value

From Wines.com – Just click on their banner on this page to order

King Estate Acrobat Pinot Noir 2010 - Delicious Oregon Pinot Noir for $13

Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay (Ceramic Bottle) 2011 – The bottle will get you noticed, so will the crispness of the wine – about $20

Delas St. Esprit Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge 2010 – Go French and you cannot go wrong with this Rhone red blend for just $12

Better yet, show up with one of the best red values on earth - Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – This will impress your host for around $30. 2007 was off the charts good, but 09 will work nicely.

Suggestion: If you are attending a serve yourself open house, grab two huge glasses, open the Clos du Val yourself, and make sure that you and your partner, spouse, girlfriend or significant other get at least half the bottle. The rest will be gone too quickly.

One thing you will learn quickly in party season: The people who bring lousy wine to a party sure do know how to sniff out the good stuff when it is opened!

Happy Party Season!

By the way - you can enjoy the convenience of Keurig Brewed Single Cup Coffee in your Southern California office. Gourmet Coffee Service is the leader in Southern California office refreshment. www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com

800 834-0220 Because you deserve to be spoiled in the office!

Our facebook community is on FIRE! 325 fans and growing fast. Where are you folks coming from? I love it - Join us today - be a part of the winefoodjava.com facebook page. We will be offering some terrific deals in the coming weeks - so it pays to LIKE us.

You know I am an audible book freak. What a great way to occupy your mind while sitting in LA traffic or relaxing with a nice glass of wine in the backyard. Try it out – support our community by ordering directly from this page. YOU will be hooked on Audible books.

Just enjoyed more John Irving – The World According to Garp. What a pleasure and I sound so hip and knowledgeable at cocktail parties.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. Sign up for Audible and enjoy a wonderful offer through the ad on this page. It will help keep this blog alive and kicking.

That’s it. Write to us at winefoodjava@gmail.com or post your comments on your own.

Happy New Year!

On the Golf Vino Tour and Selecting a Coffee Maker Gift

2012-12-09T16:59:00.000-08:00

We are typically not huge fans of organized tours, but when a tour to wine country takes you to places that you simply would not see on your own, that changes everything.

The Golf Vino Tour offered that perfect combination of golf, wine tasting and gourmet dining. Our golf pro, Greg Anderson, who is also a sommolier, put this trip together using his many contacts in the wine industry and the Jackson Wine Family specifically.

In addition to the well known, highly retail oriented Kendall Jackson brand, the Jackson Wine Family owns about 40 other wineries, including Stonestreet and Cardinale, two stops that are not on every winery list.

Great Wine with a great lunch at 1500 feet

At Stonestreet, we enjoyed a gourmet lunch, perched around the rugged hillsides of the vineyard, 1500 feet above the Alexander Valley floor. It is the rugged terrain that gives so much character to the Stonestreet wines, confirmed by our lunchtime selections, the Bear Point Cabernet and the Broken Road Chardonnay.

Our visit to Cardinale Winery was a relaxing and luxurious treat. Some on Napa Valley's finest Cabs are made by Cardinale Winemaker Chris Carpenter, who sources from some of the best vineyards in the area. Chris created a 100 point 2006 Cab, which we had the pleasure of tasting. While it was quite impressive, many of us enjoyed the 2007 even more.

100 Point Wines Can Make You Smile

Just to give you a few ideas for your future visits, here is the trip itinerary and some additional notes.

Sunday

Check in at 4:00 PM - Accommodations and Dinner - The Vintners Inn - Nice, intimate property owned by Ferrari-Carano.

6:00 PM - Dinner at the wonderful John Ash Restaurant at The Vintners Inn.

Monday

Crossing the marsh

8:40 AM First Tee Time - Bodega Harbour Golf Links. On the 16th hole at Bodega, you tee off over a protected wetland marsh (180 to 220 yard carry required). After you hit, you put your clubs on a roller cart and cross the marsh on a wooden bridge to play the second shot of the par 4. On 17, you hit over the marsh again to a par 3 and walk across to ultimately be reunited with your golf cart on the other side, just in time to play the very challenging 18th hole.

2:00 PM Tour and Tasting - Hartford Family Winery.

6:00 PM Winemakers Dinner - Mayacama Golf Club - joined by Rick Tigner, President of Kendall-Jackson Winery. Rick also acted on a very popular Undercover Boss episode.

Undercover Boss Tigner with Golf Pro Greg Anderson

Mayacama is the Country Club for powerhouses in the area wine industry. My favorite aspects of the visit - the underground wine cave for the members, a mighty nice place for wine lockers and the incredible private dinner party (Rick Tigner brought the wine!)

Tuesday

9:30 AM Tour and Visit to Skylane Cellars, a wine processing, storage, bottling, and distribution company that is second to none! Chuck Shea, Vice-President of Production for Kendall-Jackson Winery was our host and delivered on his promise to provide barrel tasting at various times of fermentation. Interesting, but not very tasty until it is ready to drink.

11:00 AM Tour, Tasting and Lunch up on the Mountain - Stonestreet Winery Tour in Alexander Valley. Unforgettable luncheon and tasting elevated some 1,500 feet above the Alexander Valley floor. Enjoyed lunch in a million year old volcano surrounded by some of the best vineyards in the world.

2:30 PM Tour and Tasting - Cardinale Winery - Home of the 100 Pointer.

4:00 PM Tour, Tasting and Dinner -- Freemark Abbey Winery - A great tour and tasting followed by a BBQ dinner inside one of the oldest wineries in Napa. What a great way to end the day.

Wednesday

8:40 AM First Time - Golf or Spa - Played the Silverado Resort North Course recently purchased and redesigned by long time Napa resident Johnny Miller

Inside the Miner Wine Cave

2:00 PM Tour and Tasting in Wine Cave - Miner Winery, Oakville, CA - Tasted the many varietals of Miner Winery while relaxing in a historic wine cave. Brought home a remarkable wine - Miner's luxury Red Blend - Oracle.

"Drink your scotch, eat your wine." That was a tip from the folks at Freemark Abbey Winery, which boasts a collection of many spectacular older wines. More and more, I agree. Wine tasting is best enjoyed and appreciated with food, as the flavors of both are enhanced by the marriage.

So you want to put a coffee maker under your Christmas tree for someone special? Here is my advice (I am in the coffee business).

Keurig on the left, Bunn on the right (my kitchen)

Single Cup: Get the Keurig. The variety is excellent. The convenience is unmatchable. Not very eco-friendly, but that is generally the case with single cup coffee. Keurig even has Starbucks K Cups. Pricing on K Cups should drop in 2013 as patents are expiring and competition will emerge among K Cup makers.

Drip Brewer: Get the Bunn-O-Matic. This brewer is a classic that makes a perfect pot of coffee in about three minutes. It is better because it has its own reservoir of hot water ready to go, so unlike the "pump style brewers," the water temperature is correct from the first drop and that will improve extraction and flavor. When you pour cold water into the brewer to make a pot, it actually displaces the stored, already heated water supply to make a fast, perfect pot. Use 2oz of quality coffee.

800 834-0220 Because you deserve to be spoiled in the office!

Our facebook community is on FIRE! 300 fans and growing fast. Where are you folks coming from? I love it - Join us today - be a part of the winefoodjava.com facebook page. We will be offering some terrific deals in the coming weeks - so it pays to LIKE us.

You know I am an audible book freak. I continue to challenge myself with the classics, although reading Crime and Punishment is about as much fun as getting a root canal. Tough going, but still a great way to occupy your mind while sitting in LA traffic or relaxing with a nice glass of wine in the backyard.

Now, I am back to audio books for the sake of pure enjoyment! Just finished Consent to Kill by Vince Flynn. That was awesome, but only if you like Black Ops, CIA thrillers. Good stuff!

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. Sign up for Audible and enjoy a wonderful offer through the ad on this page. It will help keep this blog alive and kicking.

I know, blogs are supposed to be quick - mine are more like a "feature story." Hope you enjoy our Adventures in California Living.

It's a Crime! - In the Shadow of Edna and Tolosa

2012-11-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

After golfing on Saturday morning at Braemar Country Club, like clockwork, whether I shoot an 86 (great for me) or a 96, I enjoy a glass of Tolosa Cabernet with my lunch. Call it a simple pleasure - our lives should include some of these, right?

They do some nice pairings at Tolosa - call ahead.

Needless to say, when I had an opportunity to visit Tolosa, I jumped on it. Just a short ride from the amazing Cliffs Hotel in Pismo Beach, Tolosa was well worth the quick trip to San Luis Obispo. The setting is beautiful, the wines are outstanding and they should be applauded for their commitment to sustainability.

One of the features that I really enjoyed at Tolosa was a little set up in the tasting room of the various aromas and flavors associated with Chardonnay. Each glass is adorned with a different aroma - a really cool wine tasting point of reference - find the aroma in the wine. Best Tolosa wine for finding the aroma - the 2010 No Oak Chardonnay. Really loved the 2010 Pinot Noir at Tolosa. Even better than the Cabernet.

•honey

Find the Aroma at Tolosa

•vanilla

•citrus
•smoky/toasty
•melon
•nutty
•butterscotch
•peach
•oak/cedar
•butter
•fig

One of the joys of Tolosa is the price. As a wine club member, I will be paying between $16 and $25 per bottle. Very palatable program.

So then we popped over to Edna Winery. Lovely place. The setting is impressive. It is funny though, when you ask the wine tasting room folks "Who owns the winery?" and they kind of drop their head and say "Gallo."

Give credit where credit is due. Edna has some terrific, moderately priced wines. Loved the Meritage at around $20. Took two bottles home.

Self Service "Pumkin" Patch in the shadow of the Edna Winery

After hanging out with the nice Gallo folks, we come upon this incredibly charming pumpkin patch right in the shadow of the Edna Winery. Self Service, four sizes of pumpkins to choose from - pick your pumpkin off the vine and put your money in the slot. What a pumpkin patch destination. As we stood there marveling at the simplicity, a car raced up, a young man jumped out - he ran to the middle of the patch, grabbed a huge pumpkin, ran back to his car, and raced away, screeching his tires and howling at the top of his lungs. You would think he had just knocked off a bank! I have to assume that the pumpkin patch farmer has factored in a bit of "shrinkage."

Our facebook community is on FIRE! Almost 200 likes. Where are you folks coming from? I love it - Join us today - be a part of the winefoodjava.com facebook page. We will be offering some terrific gift deals in the coming weeks - so it pays to LIKE us.

You know I am an audible book freak. Lately, I have been into the classics. Somewhat tough, but still a great way to occupy your mind while sitting in LA traffic or relaxing with a nice glass of wine in the backyard. Just grounded my way through Light in August by William Faulkner. This guy can spend 10 minutes talking about a walk to the kitchen for a glass of water. I still enjoyed it and it made me seem much smarter than my golf buddies for at least a couple of rounds. "Yeah - I'm into Faulkner right now."

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. (Except Faulkner). Sign up for Audible and enjoy a wonderful offer through the ad on this page. It will help keep this blog alive and kicking.

If you need better coffee in your LA or OC office - www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com You deserve to be spoiled in the office!

Ten All Star Picks from the Bevmo 5 Cent Sale

2012-10-31T06:45:00.004-07:00

The Bevmo 5 Cent Sale is on. When that happens, we like to pick some great selections – nice wines that become an especially good value during the sale (buy one wine at full price, get the second bottle for 5 Cents). as Fred Sanford used to say - "How do they stay in business?"

500 Gallon Fermentation Tanks at Kendall Jackson

No other blog topic gets us more traffic, comments and feedback. Please understand - this is work! We buy and taste a whole lot of wine before we arrive at our favorite ten. So here it is – Our ten “All Star” Selections from the current Bevmo 5 Cent Sale. I have also added some images from our most recent trip to Napa and Sonoma.
Before reading about the "All Star Picks," here is something to consider from Julian Curry’s book, A Guide to Wine. Available from Audible.com.

“The important thing when reading wine criticism is to remember that what you are getting is just one person’s impression of a given wine on a given day. Look for a critic whose tastes agree with yours and put your faith in him.”

Kenwood Reserve Chardonnay 2010 – from Sonoma County - As much as we are all about the reds these days, you cannot resist the melodic fruit flavors (subtle) and the toasted oak – somebody used a blowtorch on that barrel. Bottom line – It will taste mighty fine with a buttery salmon filet. High volume production or not – the wine works. First Bottle $25.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

Nice diversion from wine tasting - golf at Bodega Bay

Jekel Merlot 2009 – from Monterey – We will not turn our noses up at a very drinkable Merlot, especially at this price! We have always been into Jekel and this Merlot delivers the abundant fruit flavors that we expect from Monterey. First Bottle $13.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents .

Vigilance Cabernet 2010 – from Lake County – Nice, fruitful cab. I have been a Vigilance fan for a long time, especially Cimarron. First Bottle $17.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents .

Zaha Malbec 2010 – from Mendoza Argentina – Stepping up on price…I have always a lover of delicious Malbec. What other wine can offer such complexity when done well? Zaha delivers at $30+ per bottle average - with rounded berry flavors, even a bit of spice. Makes me long for the Malbec “bucket list” trip to Argentina. First Bottle $69.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

Notalusa Nero d’Avola 2007 – from Sicily - How often do you get a taste of Sicily at your dining room table? Who knew they could produce an excellent wine (averaging about $7.00 a bottle) that works wonderfully with red sauce dishes like Sausage and Peppers, Calzone and even a Chicago style Italian Beef. This wine opens up nicely after a little time. You must have a few of these reds in your arsenal – if you eat as much Italian food as I do. First Bottle $14.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

Irony Russion River Pinot Noir 2011 – from Sonoma County - Score! At an average of about $12.00 per bottle, jump on this one. I like Pinot Noir with everything from a pulled pork sandwich to sushi. Irony features those classic strawberry overtones with a little hint of cherry. First Bottle $24.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

Craftwork Chardonnay 2010 – from Monterey – This Chardonnay is pretty easy on the oak – not steel barrel easy, but quite subtle. If that is your style, go for it - about $9.00 a bottle. First Bottle $17.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

Hahn Estates Syrah 2010 – From the California Central Coast – From the land of big Syrah and Zinfandel comes this outstanding value that is easy to drink and enjoy with pork, steak and even pasta (I like all wine with pasta). Good call at an average of less than $8.00 a bottle. First Bottle $15.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

Wine tasting done right at Miner Family Vineyards

Laurent Miquel Chardonnay 2010 – From Vin de Pays, France – This wine is an awesome deal that offers real drinkable qualities. Call it “approachable.” Super smooth without too much sweetness or oak – really just right. A little apple and touch of honey – that is what I noted. The price is noteworthy as well – get a case. First Bottle $15.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

Eponymous Cabernet 2007 – From Napa Valley – Napa has a price tag, but this Cabernet is well worth the fare. Napa is still celebrating the 2007 vintage and Eponymous deserves a place at the table, at just $35.00 per bottle on average. This wine offers you a chance to step up to a nice 2007 Cab for less. Check out the elegant aromas of this complex wine – coffee beans, chocolate, rich blueberries. The retail Bevmo price is a little high, but with the 5 cent sale, it works out to be a bargain. First Bottle $69.99 – Second Bottle 5 Cents.

More from Julian Curry…"Beware the myth that all wine improves with age; most wine doesn’t. It is designed to be drunk young and will only deteriorate with time. This is more so now than ever. In the past, wine had greater need of cellaring. Technological improvements mean that grapes can be harvested later and riper than they used to be, with tannin and acidity less aggressive.”

So there you have it – drink these Bevmo picks now and enjoy! What are you waiting for? Second Bottle is just 5 Cents! Send your comments, your feedback, your Bevmo 5 Cent selections and your own wine picks to winegoodjava@gmail.com

We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook. The community is growing.

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways – No Easy Day by Kevin Maurer. It is the story how we took down Osama bin Laden. Awesome. If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. Sign up for Audible and enjoy a wonderful offer through the ad on this page.

www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com

High quality beverage your office every day: Try the Tassimo Pro - now available from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader.

Three things about Vegas...

2012-09-16T09:23:00.001-07:00

Daytime nightclubs with one added feature

August was a hot month in LA. September has been no better. While escaping to the beach would have been smarter, I looked to Las Vegas instead. I know it makes no sense, but then again, Las Vegas has redeeming qualities all year round. What can be written about Vegas that has not already been said? Well, I have three things in mind.

First - If you can take the heat, Vegas in the summer and early fall is quite a deal and judging from the crowds, a lot of people have figured that out. This is the time of year that you can enjoy a high roller suite (1600 square feet, 3 bedroom, 3 bath at Mirage) for $350 a night. Hard to beat, right? If you a gambler, talk directly to your casino host and make your best deal. If you are not a big time gambler, contact a casino host and set yourself up with a line of credit (you have no obligation to use it) and you will immediately gain leverage when it comes to getting the best hotel deal possible. This strategy is better than using a travel service and once you are part of any “players club” at any casino, you will get e-mails all the time from hotels offering fantastic deals. I am frequently blown away by the offers the Venetian sends me and I am far from a high roller. Their rooms are spectacular.

One other thing worth mentioning about summertime in Vegas – the pool scene is quite interesting, especially at venues like Mirage and MGM, where “bare pools” have become the craze. These pricy daytime dance and swim clubs encourage topless swimming, with table service, cabanas, queen size beds and more sun tan lotion than you have ever seen in a pool. Only in Vegas and it comes at a high price. Of course, at many of the venues, ladies are admitted for free.

Automated Craps - No human contact required

Second - I was amazed by the increasing number of table games that have gone fully automated – employee free. If you think about it, Video Poker and Video Blackjack were the first to offer automated gaming. Today, Craps and Roulette are now available – fully automated, without a dealer. Instead of crowding around a dice table, putting bets on the table and watching out for the flying dice, the players sit comfortably around a dome that automatically rolls a giant pair of fuzzy dice – that is the only strange part. Each seated player has a video screen in front of them for betting and to follow the action. Statistics are available to players - like what numbers came up on the last twenty rolls. Some of the games have a single attendant, others have no attendant at all – an automated voice calls the game. For the player, lower stakes are available, there is less “public pressure” as a player and overall, it is a very comfortable way to shoot Craps. As a player, what you lose on the automated table is the hooting, hollering and camaraderie between players that happens at a hot Craps table. Considering that studies say Gen Y prefers an automated transaction instead of having to deal with people, automated gambling should be here to stay.

One pit boss at Mirage told me that automated gaming is a winning proposition for the casino as well. “It’s faster, there is more action, great for the novice player, eliminates pay out errors and fraud.”

Roulette offers the same automated set up with players watching the domed Roulette wheel or watching the results via video on their personal screens. Space is at a premium around traditional Roulette tables, so for anyone who has ever tried to muscle in to a Roulette table just to place a bet, automated Roulette makes sense.

Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak - Unreal Tomato Soup

Cave Blend

Third: Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak at the MGM Grand could be the best restaurant I have ever been to – in Las Vegas or anywhere else. Certainly, among steakhouses, Craftsteak is the best; this coming from a guy who loves Morton’s, Capitol Grill, Flemings, Monty’s, The Palm and Ruth’s Chris. The difference, as it usually is, lies in the attention to detail – the key factor that translates to spectacular flavor, presentation and service throughout the meal. Right off the bat, sweet, salty, buttery rolls - six in a pan, were a perfect compliment to our ice cold martinis and fresh Gold Creek Oysters. Two pans were required for our party of five.

The Tomato Soup with Gorgonzola was so smooth, creamy and flavorful – not even a signature dish, but incredible. The Caesar Salad was done like a steakhouse classic, with just the right hint of anchovy flavor. The 8oz Flat Iron Prime Steak was rich and literally melted in my mouth. It reminded me of the amazing prime beef that we routinely enjoyed and became accustomed to during a stint in Des Moines, Iowa. The potato puree, baby spinach, Brentwood sweet corn and sugar snap peas were superb and ample sides.

Like all fine Las Vegas restaurants, the wine cellar is deep at Craftsteak, but what really made it special – Del Dotto Vineyard’s Cave Blend – not commonly seen on wine lists anywhere. Deep red, with cherry and blueberry flavors – a fantastic red gem with a fine Tom Colicchio steak. Defining characteristic of the wine – Smooth.

Send your comments, your feedback, your Vegas dining tips and your own wine picks to winegoodjava@gmail.com We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - Just finished another classic - A Prayer for Own Meany. What a wonderful book by John Irving.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week.

High quality Keurig beverage for your office every day: Starbucks K Cups, now available from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader.

Summer in Laguna Beach - Relaxation Defined

2012-07-31T16:29:00.000-07:00

2008 Discussion - Best of the Year?

It was the perfect setting with the perfect wine – probably the best red I have tasted in 2012. Sitting on the outdoor patio of the Surf & Sand Hotel, enjoying a spectacular bottle of Duckhorn “The Discussion” 2008. With the waves crashing the beach below, it was the epitome of the Laguna Beach lifestyle. Relaxation defined.

Laguna Beach is a destination that inspires the senses. It is an artist’s colony, a walker’s paradise, a town loaded with enjoyable dining spots and at times, a horde of tourists. While some enjoy the crowds at storied Main Beach, we prefer the quieter, more expansive beaches to the south, like the beach near the aforementioned Surf & Sand.

The Surf & Sand is pricey, but for those who cannot resist the serenity of a balcony over the ocean, for those who love the fresh ocean air and the endless pounding of the surf through open double doors, there is no better place to be.

Laguna is internationally known for art festivals and events – most notably, the Sawdust Festival and the Pageant of the Masters. Sawdust is local art show, fun and casual; the kind of art and craft show that serves cold imported beers and offers free entertainment as part of the overall package. Strolling around Sawdust, a nice walk from downtown Laguna - a fine way to spend an afternoon – open 10 to 10 daily, it runs through September 2nd. All located in the same area of Laguna, the Festival of the Arts and the Pageant of the Masters (where art comes alive on stage) is the main event. Tickets for the Pageant can be a hot item.

Nice Super Tuscan

Our favorite destination after visiting the Sawdust Festival is to grab a patio table at Cucina Alessa, at 234 Forest. A choice spot to watch the amazingly diverse, somewhat dazed tourists walk by, Cucina Alessa offers some delicious selections from all regions of Italy. With a bottle of Super Tuscan La Macchiole, Bolgheri Rosso on the table, we felt it was appropriate to hit up the Prosciutto and Mozzarella Bar, enjoying some Parma Prosciutto, aged 14 months, along with fresh imported mozzarella. The Super Tuscan held up well to thin ham and smooth cheese – getting better every minute as it breathed amid the ocean air. We flipped out over the Manila Clams, sautéed in a light garlic tomato white wine sauce and were impressed with the thin crusted sausage pizza. Cucina Alessa remains one of our favorites in town.

Breakfast in Laguna is a real pleasure. We visited two well regarded local establishments, the Cottage and the Beach House. The Cottage is just north of Main Beach and offers indoor and outdoor dining. Some of the locals absolutely swear by the place and it is good – we had some tasty and generous omelets. The Cottage also serves lunch and dinner – we will check that out down the line. The Cottage has been there since 1917 – a restaurant since the 1930’s.

Beach House - Eat Outside on the Balcony!

Like the Cottage, the Beach House, a few blocks south of Main Beach, has plenty of history (was the home of actor Slim Summerville, household name, right?) and serves a hearty breakfast and a spicy Bloody Mary. The Beach House also has a nice outdoor dining balcony right on the ocean. Here’s the question that perplexes me: Why do people go to the beach and then choose to sit inside? We enjoyed our breakfast on the balcony, above the crashing waves. For a more refined breakfast (that’s code for expensive) it is hard to beat the open air dining at Surf & Sand. Not a rustic beachcomber’s breakfast, but great food, white tablecloths – rich coffee.

We were attracted to the look and the buzz at a restaurant called Asada, a nice open air venue in downtown Laguna. The business card has three words on it to describe the place: Steaks, Tequila, Fiesta. Right on target – the bar runs right down the middle of the place, so the diners and the revelers are in close proximity. Fun place. We started with some Guacamole Diablo – some Classic Albondigas Soup and tender Filet Mignon Tacos. A nice bottle of Brown Estate Zinfandel – direct from Bevmo – was perfect, bringing a rich berry flavor to the table, just right amid the spice. Our server enjoyed some wine with us and poof – no corkage.

The Rooftop - It is a party up there!

Because we cannot seem to get enough Mexican food, we acted on a raving recommendation one month earlier from a gregarious Newport Beach lifeguard. La Sirena Grill is a tiny little place in Laguna Beach, but we visited their spacious new location in South Laguna, just a short cab ride from downtown Laguna. Clearly a local favorite, we feasted on Carne Asada Tacos and Tortilla Soup. Good enough that a visit to their El Segundo location is on my radar. In South Laguna, they have 19 craft style beers on draft – nice touch along with a signature Margarita. Creative, fresh, organic and delicious Mexican cuisine.

If there is a pulse to Laguna Beach, it has to be the Rooftop at La Casa Del Camino. It is a front row seat to staggering Pacific sunsets and quite the outdoor party venue. It could be the happy hour that has an impact – half price wine, well drinks, beer and the best Mojito we have enjoyed in a while. Maybe the setting makes everything taste better, the Baja Ceviche was excellent. This is a place to snack, drink and laugh out loud, especially at happy hour, when the patrons are revved up.

Best thing we had at Katsuya

Katsuya – big name Sushi has arrived in Laguna Beach with a very lovely building, all their own. Beautiful decor, certainly good sushi, late night dining, very hip crowd (we felt like we were in Kill Bill) but as someone who tries 40 different sushi bars per year – something was missing that kept this from being an exceptional experience. Example, the $20 Wild Salmon Sashimi (doesn’t that sound great?) had a pesto like sauce on it and packed no flavor punch whatsoever. Maybe we just visited them on a night when they were exceptionally mediocre across the board. I would love to hear opinions from readers on this.

At Katsuya, we kept waiting for one thing to taste as good as the bottle of 2008 Ferrari-Carano Tresor that we carried in. This wine was so exceptional, I am not even bitter about the $25 corkage. Yeah, maybe I am. But then again, someone has to pay for all that designer bling.

Here are the winemaker’s Notes from wine.com:

Inspired by the great wines of Bordeaux, our 2008 Trésor, meaning "treasure" in French, showcases the vintages' finest lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The grapes are hand harvested from dry-farmed, low-yielding vines primarily on our mountain vineyards. Delicious aromas of black tea, cedar, earth, vanilla, blackberry and cassis combine with rich, wild berry flavors and a full mid-palate with considerable, round tannins. Lingering sweet oak notes of crème brûlée and dark chocolate add great depth. This wine's upfront silkiness and roundness make for a delicious selection now and will drink well for 15-20 years.

Blend: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec

Here a tip from the locals. On our last night in town, around 9:30 PM, we were walking back to our hotel after that nice dinner at Asada. We chatted up the owner of a local t-shirt shop and the young man suggested a restaurant called Café Zoolu. As he put it, “A little place with the best seafood in town, the best.” So, we walked over to 860 Glenneyre and initially, could not find Café Zoolu on the dark street. An older couple passed us (even in the darkness, it was clear by the red hue that these locals need to find some shade once in awhile) and we asked them where Café Zoolu was. They pointed down the road at a small restaurant and added “The best seafood in town.” Next time, Café Zoolu for sure.

Send your comments, your feedback, your Newport Beach tips and your own wine picks to winegoodjava@gmail.com

We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook. The community is growing.

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - The Bourne Legacy by Eric Van Lustbader. Just in time for the movie release.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. I’m personally cranking through a book each week.

High quality beverage your office every day: Try the Tassimo Pro - now available from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader.

Dancing On Tables Along the Newport Beach Boardwalk

2012-06-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

Monday night in Newport Beach – it was quiet at 10:30 PM. We had just finished a fantastic meal at the Cannery and went into Cabo Cantina for a nightcap. There might have been six people in the place including us. Jimmy Buffet was playing on the music system. Suddenly, eight Canadians walked in and ordered a round of shots, “red headed sluts” to be exact (that’s Jagermeister, cranberry juice and peach schnapps). Taken in by the moment, a long, lean and attractive (mid 20’s) member of the Canadian party offered to dance on our high top table for four and proceeded to climb aboard – surprisingly agile despite her four inch heels. Her performance was short lived as the bartender scooped her up and carried her out the door. He let her come back when she promised to stay off the tables.

The Beautiful Balboa Inn - nice location

Why do they have empty planters everywhere?

Newport Beach is well known for partying, but until we visited and saw the action first hand, true understanding had not been achieved. With no pre-visit scouting, we pulled into town on Sunday night at 7 PM. Sunday is “fun day” we were told, and the party goers were out in mass celebrating the end of another wild weekend.

The Balboa Inn, featuring a recently remodeled wing facing the ocean (with a huge parking lot in between) is just steps from the Balboa Pier. The beach side boardwalk runs between the old and new sides of the Balboa Inn – so you could say the hotel is in the middle of the action. Balboa Inn is not a budget hotel and it could be a fantastic place to stay, if not for an obvious lack of attention to detail. The lobby is dark and aged. Our primo room, right out of the brochure, was inundated with sand flies. “Yep" said the hotel attendant. “That seems to be a problem here.” At the same time – the design of the new wing is very cool – a Euro feeling, with walkways and multiple levels. There are countless flower pots built at key spots along the walls – but they are totally empty. Very strange. Amid the beautiful design of the new wing – right next to the best rooms - there sits an open AC unit that looks like a homemade, old time booze making device (a distillery) – complete with a smokestack. It would have been easy to cover up.

The first of two half bottles we enjoyed

Newport Beach is a great place to simply cruise around and enjoy the beachfront. Great for walking and a great town for riding beach cruiser bikes to the many Taco Tuesday offerings. We took the ferry (a five minute ride) over to Balboa Island, but after visiting the main drag, we walked over the bridge to the Bayside Restaurant for a memorable lunch on the patio. The Summer Garden Salad (we added chicken) was a superb blend of nectarines, grapes, blue cheese, onions, pistachios in a light balsamic. Along with Tuna Tartare (avocado was a nice touch), a fresh sea breeze and a half bottle of Domaine Carneros 2009 Pinot Noir – it was the perfect lunch. Actually, it turned out to be two half bottles, which can happen in such a relaxed setting.

Cannery - Great for lunch or dinner

As I mentioned earlier, the Cannery on LaFayette Road in Newport Beach is a terrific setting – lots of open air dining and fresh fish. Sushi rolls were delicious – as were the scallops and sea bass – nice citrus glaze. The nearby Bluewater Grill was impressive, a bit more rustic than Cannery, but a nice spot for fresh fish. The Eureka Sandabs, local red snapper and wild salmon – all were expertly prepared. The Pickering Pearl Petit Oysters were sweet and fresh.

We managed to find a fine nice dinner on Sunday night at il Farro Restaurant. Finding a very good meal after 9 pm on Sunday night is harder than you think. By 9 PM, many of the cool little restaurants have morphed into bars – loud and full of revelers. Sunday is after all, “fun day.”

Il Farro, near the Newport Pier, is almost hokey looking from a décor standpoint, but the food is excellent and as noted, they serve late. Farro pasta is organically grown, a non-hybrid form of wheat – healthy and flavorful. All of the pasta selections look great, but we enjoyed the Farilli Andalusa – spiral pasta with chicken, onions, peppers and a fresh tomato basil sauce. They serve a nice Gelato too.

We played golf with a Newport Beach local – a retired secret service agent – a man who looks like he knows how to eat. His absolute favorite in Newport Beach: Sabatino’s Lido Shipyard Sausage Company. This place is near Cannery and Bluewater – it gives us a very compelling reason to return, along with Cougar and Ferrari watching at Javier’s on the Newport Coast. That is another side of Newport Beach for another day.

Send your comments, your feedback, your Newport Beach tips and your own wine picks to winegoodjava@gmail.com

We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - Just finished a classic - Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank.
If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week.

High quality Keurig beverage your office every day: Starbucks K Cups, now available from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader.

Kingmania, the Clips, the Giant Salad Bowl and Swanson 1/2 Bottles

2012-05-31T23:50:00.000-07:00

Go Kings Go! While the Lakers and Clippers took an early exit, we can thank the LA Kings for keeping the late spring downtown sports mania alive. Kudos to the Clippers for their inspiring play and to the Lakers for their best effort (despite their age) - all of which gave us numerous opportunities to try some great pre-game venues (as outlined in my last blog.

Prisoner

One that I did not mention but really enjoyed - Bottlerock. Nice wine bar right across from the valet parking entrance at the Palm, just a short walk from Staples. My party of eight feasted on small plates including short rib sliders, Al Pastor Tacos, Olives and Mixed Nuts and Chipolte Chicken Wings. They also have a fantastic Cheese selection, all of which went nicely with two bottles of Orin Swift Prisoner - a red blend that is one of my absolute favorites. Reasonably priced too.

I grew up on my Grandma Vera's amazing salads. Her Italian Salads with olive oil and wine vinegar were legendary and made me nothing less than a salad addict. Salad is a staple for every meal in my world. My college apartment mates bought me a large dog bowl as a joke - making fun of my extreme salad eating. It turned out to be a pretty good salad bowl. By the way, there is some speculation that my Dad, the late Peter Tullio, Sr., actually invented the salad bar during his association with the Brass Rail Restaurants in New York and Steak and Stuff in Chicago, circa early 70's. That's the story I have told around many campfires and I am sticking to it.

Salad in Santa Monica

Imagine my delight when I came across Greens Up, a custom salad only restaurant on the Venice - Santa Monica border, 3101 Main Street. At Greens Up, you pick your greens, (I chose Spring Mix) select four primary ingredients (I chose red/yellow peppers, fresh beets, grape tomatoes and roast turkey) pick a dressing (I chose classic Balsamic and Olive Oil) and enjoy! Best of all, the salad is served in a giant silver bowl. You can really dig in and savor your creation. They also have a nice selection of Chef's Selections, but it is more fun to make your own.

Love the Swanson Merlot 1/2 Bottle

We drink a fair amount of wine around the house, but sometimes, a full bottle is just too much with an early morning of work looming ahead. I was very happy to receive a recent shipment of Swanson 2006 Merlot half bottles. A half bottle is 2.5 glasses - just right around the fire pit - after a round of golf (it actually fits nicely into a golf bag) or for a nice late night wine party. Swanson is a fantastic winery - made the jump from TV Dinners to premium Napa wines - a great stop on your Napa summer wine tour.

What if a half bottle isn't enough? Easy solution - open another half bottle. A half bottle of the Swanson 06 Merlot is less than $15 bucks. If you have any favorite half bottle selections, tell us about it. Send your comments, your feedback and your own wine picks to winefoodjava@gmail.com.

We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - I am hooked on the John Sandford books, like Eyes of Prey. Not too heavy, that is for sure, but quite entertaining.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week.

High quality Keurig beverage your office every day: New Barista Prima Italian Roast from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/ Check out the website for more about Barista Prima Coffee - a full bodied, value oriented alternative to Starbucks K Cups.

Food and Wine to Celebrate Lob City (That's Right - the Clippers!)

2012-04-29T17:15:00.002-07:00

Staples has two NBA playoff teams

What do Hersey Hawkins, Danny Ferry, Bo Kimble, Lamond Murray, Michael Olowakandi, Lamar Odom, Darius Miles and Chris Kaman have in common? They are all first round lottery draft picks of the Los Angeles Clippers – first round picks who did little to reverse the losing ways of what is arguably one of the most inept franchises in professional sports.

About 25 years ago, I was a Clipper season ticket holder. They played at the Sports Arena, an old facility that looks like a downed sci-fi space ship. The only tickets that were harder to give away were Los Angeles Raider tickets. A trip to the Coliseum was always an adventure in personal safety – between the Raider fans themselves and parking experience – where the most viable parking option was to pay $15 to park in someone’s front yard.

For a change, there are two Los Angeles NBA teams in the playoffs. If you haven’t been paying attention, the LA Clippers (Lob City) have actually made the postseason tournament. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul have done much to right the Clipper ship. For fans, the whole experience is much improved, as the Clips now share the beautiful Staples Center with the Lakers.

While most Lakers fans will do their pre-game partying at nearby LA Live, visiting the Yard House, ESPN Zone, Rock N Fish, The Farm, Katsuya and Wolfgang Pucks – all fine selections; Clipper fans are simply more adventurous; flying under the radar, following the sports road less travelled. Clipper fans cross the line as sports fanatics and are willing to check out some eclectic downtown spots for their pre-game meal.

If somehow, we Clipper fans get six home playoff games this year – here are six pre-game spots we have checked out and highly recommend:

The Palm – Just a few blocks from Staples Center at 1100 Flower Street, was once the hottest pre-game table in town. Now, with LA Live’s many dining options right next to the arena, it is time for Clipper fans to choose this classic, high quality dining choice. The last time I was at the Palm we ate at a large and comfortable booth in the bar. Our server Brent put on a show – cutting up two succulent lobsters and carving up 23oz of prime beef right at our table. Palm remains one of LA’s best steakhouses – known also for carefully handcrafted martinis. We carried in a nice bottle of Nickel & Nickel Sullenger Cabernet 08 from Bevmo. This big and bold red with a silky finish was the perfect choice. One of many select Cabs from Nickel & Nickel.

Pete’s Cafe & Bar: Definitely a favorite of downtown locals, Pete’s is at 400 S Main. Full menu, full bar, lots of beers to choose from – go with the burger or the flat iron steak and be get some of the sinfully prepared fries. We tried three varieties – the blue cheese fries, bacon cheddar fries and the truffle arugula fries – Serious pre-game eating. We carried in a bottle of 2007 Nebbiolo from Old Creek Ranch Winery in Ventura.

Cucina Rustica – Located at 888 Wilshire, Cucina Rustica is a slick Italian Restaurant with a cool downstairs bar. Bar Rustica offers free live music (jazz mostly) every Thursday from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM with 6 beers on tap plus wine and beer specials every day. The food is from all over Italy. Our favorites: Penne All’Arrabiata – Simple penne served in a marinara sauce with onions and crushed red peppers. While the pasta is totally reliable, thin and crispy pizzas like the Capri with goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes will knock you out. They offer a lot of wines by the glass, but we toted in a bottle of 2008 Buena Vista Carneros Pinot Noir - Ramal Vineyard. A little more fruit and body than many Pinots, it really flies well with anything other than heavy meat dishes – great with Italian food. Quite the “twist off” wine.

The rooftop beer garden at the Standard

The Standard – When you are sitting in the restaurant at the Standard, you may feel like you are in an episode of some hip Gen Y based sitcom. Why is that young man wearing a tuxedo? What happened to her shoes? These are the questions you might ask – but if you can get over the excessive hipness, the food is fantastic at the 24/7 restaurant – 550 S. Flower. They also make the best Bloody Mary ever, using Jalapeno infused Vodka. You can handle it Clipper fan – you have been through a lot.

Best pre-game dishes: Fish and Chips, massive Burgers, Lobster Mashed Potatoes, Prime Flat Iron Steak. American Cuisine well prepared. Nice beer and wine selection by the glass, but we showed up with a bottle of old reliable – Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet – less than $55 at Total Wine.

Worthy of mention: There is a rooftop beer garden upstairs – mirroring a successful Standard concept in New York. The beer garden in open from Noon to 2 AM daily.

The Border Grill – What a perfect pre-game venue! Located at 445 S Fig, they offer a free shuttle to and from Staples. In addition to the creative menu, The Border Grill offers what could be the tastiest happy hour food in LA.

Feast on $3.00 Ceviche Tostaditas like Peruvian Ceviche lime and Baja Ceviche shrimp. Try the green corn tamales or the $3.00 Border Tacos – three for $8.00. Drink specials are numerous including wine by the glass for $4.50.

We pounded Carne Asada Border Tacos with freshly made corn tortillas and carried in a bottle of Lalande Malbec Reserva 08 from Bevmo. Great value – under $30 - holds up nicely with a spicy dish.

Takami Sushi and Robata: Still one of my downtown LA favorites. Featuring Sushi, Robata and other dishes with a Japanese influence, Takami offers great views and high rise patio dining at 811 Wilshire, an easy walk from Staples.

The special Takami Edamame (so flavorful) and the sauteed Shishito Peppers are nice starters. Everything is artfully prepared and presented, like the Chilean Sea Bass, the Lobster Roll and the Baked King Crab Roll wrapped in soy paper.

On Sundays - wine and Saki are 50% off by the bottle. We ordered a fine bottle of Duckhorn Paraduxx - a smooth Meritage that is irresistible with sushi.

Will Clipper fans have an opportunity to enjoy all six of these pre-game celebration spots during the 2012 Playoffs? Unlikely. Two home games are guaranteed and the Clips may not be able to overcome the fact that they do not have a winning tradition - they do not know how to win playoff games. Hopefully, I'm wrong. The good news - there is always the red hot LA Kings and hey Lakers fans, why not venture outside of LA Live? Chances are, there will be plenty of Lakers Playoff nights this spring.

Send your comments, your feedback and your own wine picks to winefoodjava@gmail.com

We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook.

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - The Godfather by Mario Puzo. It is a classic and the book is quite detailed - offers so much more than the film.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

High quality Keurig beverage your office every day: Chai Latte from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/

Spring forward - to the Wine Society, Seinfeld and Santa Anita

2012-03-23T08:24:00.003-07:00

I am usually busy, but not so much after 5 PM. That is what made “Spring Forward Week” so tough. It even took me an extra week to publish this blog. I am positive that some of you can relate.

Pecorino - Nice spot

Saturday night, the time changed...

Monday, after a round of golf, I donned my tuxedo, snapped on my cuff links (no patent leathers, no suspenders) $199 purchase from Men’s Warehouse, and headed to Pecorino Restaurant on San Vicente. If you wear a tux at least once a year, it makes sense to buy one (rentals cost about $200 these days, much more than that peach colored number that I wore to my Senior Prom). All dressed up, I was lucky enough to be a guest at the 510th Meeting of the Wine & Food Society of Southern California – a spectacular evening of fine wine and gourmet cuisine. These gentlemen (including my host) are big time professionals and execs, but at this type of gathering, it is all about rating the food and wine. There are 15 restaurants in the Brentwood area serving Italian food – Pecorino is certainly among the best.

The menu and my ratings…some of the wine comments come from the Wine Society notes – very impressive.

The “reception” wine was 2007 Murgo Brut Metodo Classico. Very nice cross between a traditional Champagne and a gentle Prosecco. It was outstanding, this coming from a guy who is not a huge fan of sparkling wine. The wine was a hit, served with a Pizette with Tomato and Mozzarella (already enough reason to return to Pecorino).

A healthy dish of Beef Carpaccio with Wild Arugula and Cannellini Beans was well received (by me for sure) with a crisp 2010 Verdicchio di Colle Stefano – a perfect pairing.

Next course: a mind blowing Pappardelle Pasta with Maine Lobster in a cherry tomato sauce. No complaints here, but it was paired with a 2010 Riesling Langhe Herzu Germano-Ettore. Not a big Riesling fan, I might have preferred a light pinot or another crisp white, but you have to appreciate the creative side of the pairing.

Cool bottle - nice wine

Mediterranean Sole (melt in your mouth) was served with a 2010 Gavi di Gavi Villa Sparina – a light and elegant Italian white in a very cool bottle – perfect pairing.

I was not crazy about the Lamb Casserole with Pecorino Cheese and Artichokes, but the wine was my favorite of the evening – a 2006 Sondraia Poggio al Tesoro Bolgheri – from the Wine Society’s Cellar. From the Tuscan Coast, this 65% Cab, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc is worth looking for. I sought out another glass with dessert, "Millefoglie" – Almond Crusts and Strawberry Mousse.

By Friday, I was almost recovered, even after a Wednesday golf event and a couple glasses of 2007 Telosa Cabernet – a sultry red from San Luis Obispo, that is becoming a favorite.

As Jerry Seinfeld pointed out in his monologue on Friday night at the Pantages, getting tickets to the 7 PM Friday night show seemed like a great idea months ago, but what a challenge it is to get there on a Friday night. We pulled it off, even managed an early dinner with friends at Fabiolus Cafe on Sunset. Enjoyed a nice bottle of 2008 Peju Cabernet Franc - Perfect with Fabiolus delicious Italian Sausage Pomodoro Risotto. By the way, Fabiolus is remodeled and looking good. They give a nice discount and special service to Pantages Theater goers. Fabiolus is a perfect pre-theatre spot – great for lunch too.

A strange story about the Pantages. When Wicked was playing there a few years ago, I managed to score some serious VIP house seats. I picked them up at Will Call (with my wife and two kids) and when I showed them at the door, we were whisked away down a long, narrow, winding, steep staircase to a room below the Pantages. It was a small, carpeted room with a bathroom, card table, some chairs and an older 17-inch color TV. Apparently, it was a holding area for celebs attending a show and the man who took us there asked us if we needed anything. Ten minutes later he returned with two glasses of wine, two Cokes and four Junior Mints. We were told to come back at intermission and we did. Again, we were alone in the room and he came in to provide beverages and snacks. The private bathroom was quite a bonus! On a recent visit, I inquired about the VIP room and was informed by an usher that a patron fell down the steep stairs, putting an abrupt end to this bizarre VIP experience.

My buddy from Jersey - Lots of tickets - no winner...should have bet #4

Saturday – we met friends from New Jersey at Santa Anita Racetrack. It was pouring rain, but they were impressed with the facility, comparing it to racetracks on the east coast, which often have little rougher edge to them. Of course, our finish line box looked pretty good. It was a fine day for me, because I bet in the following fashion on every race:

#4 - $5.00 across the board (Win, Place and Show).

A mid-odds horse, like 6 or 8 to 1 odds - $5.00 across the board (Win, Place and Show).

A long shot – like 20 to 1 odds - $3.00 across the board (Win, Place and Show).

Total Wager per race is $39.00. On five occasions that day, #4 finished in the money. No long shots, but I hit an 8 to 1 on the last race and ended up +$200 on the day ( a true rarity).

If you check the racing results on a daily basis, you will be amazed at how often #4 comes in as a winner. Although – keep in mind – it is gambling and your mileage may vary. As for my Jersey friends – let’s just say that they should have bet #4!

Send your comments, your feedback and your own wine picks to winefoodjava@gmail.com

We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook.

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Intense drama that hits hard when you least expect it. I am now anxious to see the movie.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

High quality and great value coffee you should be drinking in your office every day: Our Micro-Roasted French Roast – a three ounce specialty coffee from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/.

Returning to the scene of the wine...Palm Desert and the timeshare debate

2012-03-01T19:52:00.006-08:00

It was a weekend that was all about “returning to the scene." Just hours ago, we had been pounding (OK – sipping) ultra smooth shots of Norwegian Vodka above the illuminated bar top of Pacifica Restaurant in Palm Desert. Now, early afternoon, we were enjoying a Sunday lunch on the terrace, basking in the flavor of a nice 2009 Cambria Chardonnay – great selection – less than $20 at Total Wine and Bevmo.

With Mark Twain on El Paseo

There is something about Palm Desert (in the general vicinity of Palm Springs) that keeps bringing us back. Although, it has changed dramatically over the years. About 23 years ago, my wife and I showed up at a pre-fabricated building on the site of the Marriott Desert Springs Villas in Palm Desert to pick up a cool $100 just for attending a time share presentation. We had no intention of buying a week, but three hours later, for just $13,000, we had purchased an annual week of vacation bliss for the balance of eternity, or until someone (our heirs for example) stops paying the association dues and or property tax.

The question we have asked ourselves repeatedly over the years and especially recently, after attending a seminar on the new Marriott Timeshare Point System: Was the timeshare purchase a good value? Answer: Yes, No, Maybe.

Yes: Especially if you have a young family. We spent about $37,000 on the timeshare (association dues are about $1000 a year) over the last 23 years for 23 weeks of vacation accommodations all over the country, including Hawaii – always in a beautiful 2 bedroom villa with a full kitchen at a luxury resort. All you need to do to appreciate the value is rent two hotel rooms outside of Santa Barbara for $250 per night each – you’ll feel the pain and see the value of timeshares. That extra hotel room for the kids is a killer.

Marriott Villa Patio view

No: If the kids are out of the picture, you don’t need a timeshare. You can rent a one bedroom villa for $250 a night in high season at most places. If you try to rent out your own timeshare, you lose money due to the resort’s cut. If you don’t use the vacation week, you are throwing money away. Above all, buy a timeshare at a place you will enjoy, not to trade it away for another venue.

Maybe: Here are the facts…Timeshares and Rolex Watches are both really cool – very enticing, but you can live very well without them. You don’t even need a watch today – use your cell phone instead. Same thing with timeshares. There are so many travel deals and travel sites out there today – if you are creative and persistent, you will find vacation value without having to pay that nasty $1000 association dues every January.

Villas are spacious

Two years ago, just for the heck of it, I put an ad on Craig’s List “I want to buy your timeshare.” I can’t even tell you how many e-mails I had from people who had purchased a time share from this obscure Club in Las Vegas – had never used it – but were begging me to take it off their hands so that they did not have to pay the association dues yet again. Why would you buy a timeshare in Vegas – the capital of cheap hotel rooms? Never drink when you are attending a timeshare presentation!

Finally - Please don’t give me that argument, “It forces me to take a vacation.” If you have to be forced to take a vacation, you are not going to live very long anyway – so no need to get a timeshare.

Take a boat ride to dinner at the JW Marriott Desert Springs

Testing my own theory that travelling without the kids opens the door to awesome deals, we took off to Palm Desert – the scene of our original timeshare purchase – and rented a Marriott Desert Springs one bedroom villa on the golf course. Huge sunken tub, spacious patio on the golf course, full kitchen, flat screen TV, fireplace , maid service – for just $235 a night. The best part about Marriott Villas is that you can take a short walk to the palatial Marriott Desert Springs Hotel. If you haven’t seen the Marriott Desert Springs - it is a reason to visit Palm Desert. A little Vegas like without the glitter, the property features about 500 acres of resort centered around a staggering atrium lobby. There is actually a lake coming into the lobby, with boat rides available – kind of nice on a warm desert evening.

While we have taken the kids on many of the boat rides over the years – our focus on this trip was eating lobster tacos and sushi (you can order from multiple menus while hanging out in the lobby bar) and since it is only a short walk to the hotel from the villas – drinking a nice bottle of 2007 Martin Ray Cabernet. Hats off to Total Wine for finding this Santa Rosa gem. If you don’t stay at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort, hang out in the lobby for a drink and take in the very creative atrium set up. As our regular readers know, we are happy to pay corkage anywhere.

Sullivan's - NICE!

El Paseo is a street and a shopping district in the heart of Palm Desert. We made a reservation a Sullivan’s – a neighborhood feel, but with 20 locations - great steaks, generous martinis and ample sides, some of which were fairly creative and maybe, over the top. Try the three cheese mac with garlic butter crust and the steakhouse mushrooms – fantastic. Carried in a bottle of the Louis Martini 2007 Monte Rosso Cabernet – got a nice discount on it as a member of the Louis Martini Wine Club – now Gallo owned, but still a classic winery. Visiting Sullivan’s, I was reminded of the time I was having a cocktail in the middle of the bar of the Chicago Sullivan’s (5 years ago) – at least eight people were smoking stogies while diners devoured steaks in the bar – seemingly oblivious to the cloud of smoke. Obviously – those days are over and the air was certainly clear at Sullivan’s Palm Desert. Chicago now protects diners as well – although it took a little longer there.

After dinner, we decided to check out the aforementioned Pacifica – a restaurant located right next door to Sullivan’s – on the second level of El Paseo Gardens. Pacifica offers 140 premium vodkas - $6 for a huge shot, in addition to a nice menu. For Sunday lunch – we loved the Ceviche and the Mulligatawny – chicken, curry, wild rice soup. We stuck to the Cambria Chardonnay for lunch – remembering the impact of our late night vodka tasting.

Amazingly, three weeks ago, we almost bought another week of Marriott. This time, it was about $23,000. Fact is - they screwed up, starting the seminar on a Friday night with nothing but cookies and coffee in the room. No dinner. By 8 PM, we were hungry, cranky and unwilling to hang out for that critical third hour. We took our $100 and went home – realizing that if they had just fed us – maybe served us a little of the 2005 White Cottage Ranch Cabernet that we enjoyed on the patio of our villa - we would have probably bought that second week!

Send your comments, your feedback and your own wine picks to winefoodjava@gmail.com We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook.

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - Little Bee, by Chris Cleave. Uplifting at times, the story of Little Bee is a wild ride that will leave you riveted.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

High quality and great value coffee you should be drinking in your office every day: Our Micro-Roasted Italian Roast – a three ounce specialty coffee from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/

Twelve All Star Picks from the Bevmo Five Cent Wine Sale

2012-02-17T20:20:00.001-08:00

In view of the fact that I currently belong to fifteen wine clubs, you would think that the last thing I need to do is go shopping at the Bevmo 5-cent sale. If you don’t have one in your area, Bevmo is a local wine superstore. This sale is as joyful as wine harvest time – buy one bottle, get the second one for 5-cents. There is a lot of harvesting going on in Bevmo stores right now.

Important Note: Bevmo, unlike your classic warehouse store, actually offers some customer service.

With all those wine club memberships, I probably have about 120 bottles rolling in annually. Two key factors caused me to visit the Bevmo 5 cent sale, even with all of this wine around the house:

Key Factor #1: Some of the fine wines being shipped to me today will get better with a couple of years in the cellar, especially the Cabernets. Even the Pinot Noirs, like my 2009 Twomey will gain in complexity. Two or three years can make a big difference in flavor. At least that is what the experts tell you. I know how much I enjoy a 2003 Kelham Cabernet – smooth as silk – sits for three years in the bottle before it is sold.

I hear so many different opinions about cellaring wine that I honestly do not know what to believe.

Better with age?

In fact, in pursuit of the truth – I am going to ask some fine winemakers about the impact of ageing wines in the cellar, specifically, from my cellar – 2009 Trurchard Syrah, 2009 Twomey Pinot Noir, 2008 Alexis Cabernet from Swanson, 2008 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet, 2008 Nickel & Nickel Quarry Vineyard Cabernet and the 2008 Ferrari Cerano Reserve Cabernet. I will get the inside perspective for you first hand – directly from the wineries. Hopefully, they will tell me to drink it up now!

Key Factor #2: Unless you are part of the much talked about “1%,” you cannot drink $40 to $100+ bottles of wine all the time. In addition, who can pass up a great value? The Bevmo 5-cent sale has turned me on to some nice wines while the upper tier selections sit in the cellar, getting better with age – presumably.

While browsing the store earlier this week, I heard a young woman – early 20’s – complaining to a well-pierced and thoroughly inked female companion, “This 5-cent sale sucks. I don’t recognize any of the wines.” I stepped in to assist. “Ladies – read my blog this week and I will turn you on to 12 fantastic selections.” They looked at my cart – filled to the brim with wine bottles - they vowed to read it and return on the weekend.

Here are my Bevmo 5-Cent “All Star” Selections my comments and with a description diectly from the Bevmo Website.

Main & Geary Cabernet Sauvignon '09 - $19.99 - second bottle 5-cents. My favorite value oriented weeknight Cab.
Bevmo: Ripe and showy, the well-designed '09 Main & Geary Cabernet speaks clearly of the Napa Valley; black fruit predominate, layered and bright on the palate.

Zolo Malbec Gaucho Select '10 - $15.99 - second bottle 5-cents. Very drinkable Malbec - nice fruit.
Bevmo: Made for real red wine lovers, the powerful, yet not so tannic and not over-the-top '10 Zolo Gaucho Select Malbec delivers black fruit and baked earth flavors.

Henry's Drive Dead Letter Shiraz '07 - $29.99 - second bottle 5-cents. Step up to this lively Shiraz. "Good grip?'
Bevmo: The '07 Henry's Drive Dead Letter Office Shiraz displays aromas of cedar, smoked meat, game, plum, and blueberry; plenty of spice and earth notes; good grip.

Deloach Chardonnay Sonoma County '09 - $17.99 - second bottle 5-cents. This is a steal. Under $10.

Bevmo: Drinks very easily, the ripe and smooth-textured '09 De Loach Sonoma Co Chardonnay serves up layers of fine textures on the palate; a really versatile wine.

Paso Creek Merlot '07 - $16.99 - second bottle 5-cents. You may want to pick up a case.
Bevmo: A well-balanced red, the sophisticated '07 Paso Creek Merlot serves up nicely ripened, red cherry aromas and flavors; firm, yet well-textured.

Kenwood Merlot Jack London '09 - $29.99 - second bottle 5-cents. I have paid full fare before for this Merlot.
Bevmo: The varietally correct and delicious '09 Kenwood Jack London Merlot shows ripe cherry flavors, with a note of dust and sweet earth; lively finish.

MontGras Cabernet Franc '10 - $17.99 - second bottle 5-cents. Maybe best bang for buck, but I really dig Cab Francs.
Bevmo: This red packs plenty of black fruit flavors, the '10 MontGras Reserva Cabernet Franc is an impressive wine; long and rangy on the palate; loaded with berries and wood.

Sonoma Hills Chardonnay '09 - $17.99 - second bottle 5-cents. Great value - has some character.
Bevmo: Exceptionally wonderful, the multi-faceted '09 Sonoma Hills displays excellent stone fruit flavors that flash of minerals and ripe apples; persistent finish.

Silverado Vineyards Merlot '06 - $29.99 - second bottle 5-cents. Do not miss this one.
Bevmo: The Silverado Merlot '06 shows fresh & vibrant aromas of plum, blueberry & blackberry; the fruit is concentrated & layered; spicy oak in the background; absolutely delicious.

Ruffino Il Ducale Toscana Red Label '06 - $19.99 - second bottle 5-cents. Buy it and cook some pasta.
Bevmo: The Ruffino Il Ducale is a fine, Toscana red; bright red fruits; an easy palate; and frisky in the aftertaste; bright red fruit flavors are quite supple and delicious.

Vigilance Cimarron '09 - $19.99 - second bottle 5-cents. Under $10 - Are you kidding? Stock up.
Bevmo: An amazing red wine blend, the zesty '09 Vigilance Cimarron is alive with bright and fresh red fruit flavors; fresh, focused and clean; one our best red wines.

Stanza Cabernet '07 - $17.95 - second bottle 5-cents. At a Holiday Party with cheap wine, I brought this and people treated it like Opus One.
Bevmo: Impressive job from Lodi, the sun-ripened '07 Stanza Cabernet shows fine balance and style; plenty of tasteful, ripe fruit flavors show on the palate.

It should be noted that I enjoy these wines even when they are not part of a five-cent sale. This case of wine has a total cost of $254.84. The second case - just 60 cents. For the reluctant young tatood ladies at Bevmo - you may now shop with confidence and enjoy an average bottle cost of just over $10. Not a bad deal.

Send your comments, your feedback and your own Bevmo picks to winefoodjava@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook.

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways - The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker. This 28 hour book provides a historical perspective on violence and makes you realize that we live in the most peaceful time in the history of our civilized world.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

High quality and great value coffee you should be drinking in your office every day: Our Micro-Roasted French Roast – a three ounce specialty coffee from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/

Taking the "chill" off with Winter Wine Picks

2012-01-31T21:15:00.000-08:00

My Splurge Pick

It seemed like a good idea when I decided to ask some of Southern California's leading wine purveyors to make some"Winter Wine" selections. The only problem - winter has been scarce in the Southland - pretty mild up north as well. The roads are clear around the ski resorts, there has been very little rain and we have seen more golf weather than anything else. Fortunately, the night chill is biting enough (as low as the 40', but mostly in the 50's) to remind us that it is indeed, winter. It's fire pit weather.

I asked each wine purveyor to give me three Winter Wines - a "Value" Wine ($10 to $20) an "Under the Radar" Wine ($20 to $50) and a "Splurge" Wine (over $50). Wine purveyors were more than happy to step up and offer their selections.

What do we mean by "Winter Wines?" Gwendolyn Wilson Osborn of online superstore Wine.com, says that when the Wine.com crew thinks of Winter Wines, "We think of wines that are warming, wines that have good structure, but supple fruit, wines with a spicy element, whether it be sweet spices (think allspice that reminds you of Christmas) or peppery-spice. Winter wines are wines you want to sip by a fire or pair with a hearty winter meal like stew or roasts."

Wine.com (one of our sponsors) is the world's #1 online wine store. Very service oriented - they appeal to the casual buyer as well as the most serious collector. You can visit Wine.com by clicking on any of the large ads on this page.

Gwendolyn's picks - which include her comments (She loves the warm spice as a defining characteristic of Winter Wines).

Love the name!

Value Wine: Glen Carlou Grand Classique ($14.99) - "Bordeaux blend from South Africa, this may be the perfect by-the-fire wine. Although it’s fantastic with roast meats or stews as well. It’s slightly aged, so all flavors are well integrated. You get rich, dark fruits and a dose of spice that makes this wine a delight to drink on its own or with food."

Under the Radar: Quinta do Crasto Douro Red Reserva Old Vines 2009 ($45.99) "Most folks think only of Port when they think of Portugal, but the country also produces some delicious and winter-friendly red wines. This wine, made from old-vines, is rich and warm, with lots of spice and a round texture that makes it perfect for sipping in cold weather."

Splurge: d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2008 ($61.99) "Love this wine, and the great thing is that as a splurge, it’s not TOO much of a splurge. While this wine can age a few more years, it is completely drinkable now, with loads of sweet spices, dense fruits, licorice and a super lingering finish. This is one of those wines that I like to drink on its own just to savor all the delicious layers. That said, it’s excellent with any kind of roasted meat, especially lamb."

If you have shopped at Whole Foods market and checked out the wine section, then you know that Whole Foods is serious about providing customers with an exciting selection in a relatively small space. "When I think of winter wines," says Whole Foods Wine Specialist Jennifer Blake, "I inevitably think of winter food, for they go hand in hand for me. The winter is a time for heartier meals and I like my wines to follow suit."

Jennifer's picks and comments - she chooses wines that compliment the winter dining experience.

Value Wine: P.K.N.T. Carmenere - "I love Carmenere, a nice one will have notes of dark chocolate, pepper, a little smoke, a little tobacco… a bad one will taste like tar. For around $10 P.K.N.T. is a nice example of what Carmenere can be without spending a fortune. Lovely with a peppery roast or a nice stew…"

Under the Radar: "Terredora Taurasi is one of my favorite wines right now. I just love the violet and tobacco on the nose, the bright fruit and lovely acidity… it’s a fuller-bodied wine that can stand up to a heavier meal of game, or be just nice with something as simple as roasted vegetables."

Splurge: Jennifer chooses a fine Port. "Winter for most people, myself included is a time for port. If I was going to splurge on something over $50 it would be the Warre's 2000 vintage Porto, for the tune of $75.00. This is worth the money. It’s a nice balance of the richness of a heavy fortified wine while retaining its light floral component. Classic pairing for port is blue cheese. Stilton and Maytag Blue… Of course a great bottle of port can always stand alone. Enjoyed simply as the best desert to cozy up to when it’s cold outside."

Adam Dromi of the Wine House in West Los Angeles thinks "Big, bold, comforting, warm, full body, rich, lush and opulent" when he thinks of winter selections. The one thing you can count on at the Wine House, in addition to a very helpful staff, is an amazing and thoughtful selection - including gourmet cheeses and some of the city's coolest wine related merchandise.

Adam's picks - thoughtfully pulled from the deep International shelves of the Wine House.

Value Wine: 2006 Henry's Drive Shiraz Dead Letter Office - McLaren Vale / Padthaway - South Australia

Under the Radar: A deep Red Rhone Blend - 2010 Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block - Franschhoek - South Africa

Splurge: From Spain, a fine single vineyard, 100% Tempranillo - 2004 Pago de los Capellanes Parcela El Nogal Ribera del Duero.

Mike, from Wades Wines in Westlake Village says that Winter wines go "Well around a warm fireplace, a fine indoor dinner - as opposed to a summer wine - around the grill." Wades specializes in limited production wines - offering one of the most unique wine selections available. Wades is about hand crafted wines delivering "memorable experiences." They have introduced me to at least one memorable wine - my own Winter wine pick, one of my personal favorites, Prisoner.

Mike's picks - he stays very local for two of his selections - his third, an intriguing choice from the Central Coast.

Mike also provides a breakdown on "what's inside the bottle" and some comments of his own.

Value Wine: 2008 Mulholland Highway Wines Malibu Mélange Los Angeles County Red Wine

66% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
20% Stewart Vineyard Syrah
10% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Late Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon
2% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Merlot
2% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Cabernet Franc
46 cases produced

Under the Radar: 2008 Malibu Sundowner Alyssa Cuvee Triunfo Creek Vineyard Los Angeles County Red Wine - A blend...

30% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Upper Block Cabernet
30% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Lower Block Cabernet
34% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Late Harvest Cabernet
2% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Syrah
2% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Merlot
2% Triunfo Creek Vineyard Cabernet Franc
69 cases production

Splurge: 2008 Alban Patrina Estate Edna Valley Syrah - "Patrina" is another word for Gypsy, referring to not from any particular place. The Alban's vineyards are a patchwork of isolated soil types that you may recognize as Reva, Lorraine, Seymour's and Pandora. Between and in route to these well healed sites are vineyards that are not so distinct, some of it is new, younger vines, which were previously under contract or have been grafted over to Syrah. The grapes that make up these different blocks are blended into this exciting new project, a single wine called "Patrina”. Of course "Patrina" is treated with the same love and care as all Albans vineyard designated wines!

Four wine specialists, purveyors, wine lovers - each with a very different approach to Winter wines.

When I think of Winter Wines, it is about eating in the dining room. Rich Red Sauce on Pasta with Italian Sausages. Relaxing around the fire pit - Overlooking Mammoth Village with a glass of wine in my hand (after a great day on the slopes).

My picks - right out of my home cellar.

Value Wine: Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Tan 2007 - Because it's a classic value wine, under $20 and I love the way it compliments a red sauce pasta with spicy Italian Sausage or home made meatballs - perfect winter wine - the berries and spicy overtones come together beautifully. It was good enough for Tony Soprano.

Under the Radar: From Orin Swift - The Prisoner 2007. Quite an interesting blend...which changes a bit from year to year. I love the 2007. A visit to this Rutherford Winery is high on my list in 2012.

50% Zinfandel
24% Cabernet Sauvignon
14% Syrah
9% Petite Sirah
2% Charbono
1% Grenache

Splurge: Duckhorn Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - Let's face it, there are so many great splurge wines, but there is something about Duckhorn that goes well with winter. The 2005 Duckhorn Cab is a rich classic with the kind of finish that warms you up inside and certainly compliments a juicy steak.

Gotta go - Thanks to Wine.com, Whole Foods, The Wine House and Wades Wines - I've got some shopping to do!

Send your comments, your feedback and your own Winter Wine picks to winefoodjava@gmail.com We would love to hear from you. Like us on Facebook

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways – Griftopia - I will never look at any politician the same again, Republican or Democrat. It's a pretty scary indictment of today's political and financial world that provides some nice historical perspective.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

High quality and great value coffee you should be drinking in your office every day: Our Micro-Roasted Italian Roast – a three ounce specialty coffee from Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/

The Ojai Valley - From Five Star Luxury to "Off the Beaten Path"

2012-01-11T23:19:00.000-08:00

Room with a view

Two months ago, Linda Carr of Truchard Vineyards in Napa contacted us, offering the following wine tasting tip: "Look for hidden treasures off the beaten path, small family wineries can provide a truly amazing experience that you will never forget." The last thing I expected to do when I travelled to Ojai last weekend was join another wine club, but that is exactly what happened – as we headed off the beaten path.

Ojai is a very cool little town (the smallest city in Ventura County) about 13 miles inland from Ventura, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles. Anytime you tell the well travelled types in Los Angeles that you are heading up to Ojai, the question comes up, “Are you staying at the Inn?” A valid question. The Ojai Valley Inn and Spa is a true Five Star Resort. Beautiful rooms, great food, a world class spa, a spectacular golf course and an impeccably trained staff – that is why the Ojai Valley Inn enjoys their glorious reputation. It is a splurge, but not off the charts expensive, especially if you get in on a golf and/or spa package. Off the charts is Hawaii – where a friend of mine just paid $750 a night for a partial ocean view at The Four Seasons. Nice room I am sure, but I’ll take the Ojai Valley Inn.

Winter Golf in Ojai

Our package included spa and golf. Among the myriad of spa treatments, I enjoyed a 50-minute pedicure. My wife says that the therapists fight over me, since I am usually snoring after ten minutes of therapeutic relaxation. She alleges that the therapists start working on me, then after I am asleep, they step outside for a smoke, only to return at the fifty minute mark, waking me up by whispering in my ear, “We’re done now.” I think it is her own personal urban legend, but I did my best to fight off the urge to sleep during my 50-minute pedicure. Considering that I was comfortably leaned back in a perfectly ergonomic leather chair – warm thick blanket draped over my lap – fireplace on a medium burn, professional therapist massaging my feet, legs, calves – I failed to stay awake and slept like a baby. Probably snored a little.

Well protected Par 3 at Ojai

While there are family pools on the property, the spa pool is all about total relaxation. Quiet Perfection – another well thought out aspect of the Ojai Valley Inn’s world-class spa. Another plus - alcohol is served at the spa pool - not just green tea.

Why was I so exhausted? A round golf on a championship course each day will wear you out. The layout and the views are impressive…but I tend to play better (even as a 17 handicap) when I am this relaxed. Still, I found different ways to screw up and shot 94 each day. Easily could have been 84, really…

Ojai GPS

The in room dining (room service) suits us, since we like to bring our own wine to dinner. Great wines complimented each round of dining. First, with our Filet Mignon, we opened a favorite, 2006 Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet that we picked up at Bevmo. Here are the tasting notes directly from Heitz: “Centrally focused around a rich core of fruit, it fills the mouth with tiers of bright cherry flavor and underlying notes of darker berry. With a nice balance of lively oak tannins and brisk acidity, this wine glides easily across the palate for a lengthy and satisfying finish.”

Alexis - GOOD!

Night two at the Maravilla Dining Room, we indulged on a nice bottle of 2007 Swanson Alexis Cabernet that we picked up at Total Wine. The wine, named for Alexis Swanson (her family is of TV dinner fame) perfectly accompanied the milky tender beef short ribs. Here are the notes from Swanson: “The 2007 Swanson Alexis Cabernet Sauvignon, which was not fined nor filtered in order to maintain maximum flavor intensity and texture, is dark garnet in color. The aroma is dominated by ripe black currant, anise and blackberry. In the mouth this wine speaks with considerable authority. The first impression is one of sweet fruit and sumptuous tannins, leading to a very silky, firm texture in the mid-palate. The wine is very long in the mouth, with a finish that is thick, supremely well balanced, with layer upon layer of deep, dark cassis and espresso, coupled with sweet oak in the background.”

For night three, we were back to in room dining. A nice 2009 Far Niete Chardonnay brought the sensational salmon to life. A great Chardonnay? I believe so. My take: The fruit flavors are subtle, quite elegant. The oak – just as understated, perfectly placed – maybe even a little vanilla accent to it. Just right with salmon.

OBC - My kind of arts and crafts in Ojai

In town, just a five-minute ride from the resort, you will find the eclectic little City of Ojai. Plenty of “healing arts,” “wellness services,” hand made jewelry and art. Rains Specialty Department Store is worth a look. Almost a century old, the store is known for a thoughtful selection of American made products. Particularly interesting: the gourmet products and specialty kitchen items.

After walking through Rains, consumed by thirst, we set out looking for wine tasting and ended up at OBC – The Ojai Beverage Company – a retailer and café. What a selection! Over 1000 wines, 750 specialty beers, over 200 tequilas and 300 other adult beverages. Lunch in the café (truffle fries, pulled pork sandwiches) and some local wine tasting. The area vineyards are boutique style, small batch, very handcrafted, with the grapes usually coming from up north in Santa Barbara County or San Luis Obispo. At OBC, we checked out the “Local Wine Flight,” which featured a nice Viognier from local vineyard Casa Barranca and three selections from Noble Oaks – Malbec, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Franc, clearly our favorite. Like Casa Barranca, Noble Oaks is an actual Ojai vineyard. Nice tasting for $7.00.

The Home of Vino V and Old Creek Ranch Winery

The OBC folks suggested a small but busy tasting room down the street. Once we found a spot at the tasting bar, we settled in to try the wines of the Ojai Vineyard. Their grapes appear to come from Santa Barbara County and the Santa Ynez Valley. After trying a number of Ojai Vineyard selections, we picked up a bottle of their 2007 Fe Ciega Pinot Noir. Nice berry flavors, deep aroma – a high quality Pinot Noir – their best I am sure.

With an easy hour drive back to Los Angeles, we decided to make one more stop along the way. We heard there was a winery between Ojai and the Ventura freeway, but where? There was a small winery sign on Route 33 with an arrow to nowhere. After two passes back and forth, we turned at the old cider sign and finally found ourselves heading toward the Old Creek Ranch Winery, greeted by fields of bare vines. Welcome to “off the beaten track.”

The huge property is actually an 850-acre cattle ranch, loaded with certified organic fruit tree orchards and two wineries, Old Creek Ranch and Vino V Wines. As we approached the main house, we were amazed by the amount of activity. Visitors hanging out at the picnic tables and a steady flow of people going in and out of the main house tasting room. We made our way in and were greeted by the friendly winemaker for both vineyards, Michael Meagher. A genuinely nice guy, Michael led us through a generous five wine tasting (five bucks) of his own Vino V Wines. To say the least, we were blown away and asked the same question: “Is this winery really here – within one hour of our home?”

Research Completed!

Vino V produces only 600 cases of wine annually – a true boutique winery. We truly enjoyed the 2008 and 2009 Chardonnay – “Solomon Hills Vineyard” and especially the 2008 Confundido – a creative and richly flavorful blend – 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. “It’s confused – that’s where the name comes from,” said Michael. The cherry and dark fruit flavors are fantastic. As Michael adds – “It’s a fun wine.” Impressed by it all – the wine and the vibe at Vino V – we joined the wine club.

Just ten steps away, the tasting line-up for Old Creek Ranch Winery welcomed us. Michael has been making his own Vino V Wines at the ranch since 2004, but has also been the winemaker for Old Creek Ranch Winery since 2007. We were equally pleased by the Old Creek Ranch Winery selections and especially, the 2007 Nebbiolo, a classic Italian wine with two years of barrel time – an intriguing blend of flora, berry and spice. We took some home.

Two hours later, in the glow of an overhead heater, we were enjoying the Nebbiolo with a nice Penne Pasta Diablo on our patio – marveling at the flavors and the 65-degree winter evening.

Questions, Comments, Suggestions? Contact me at winefoodjava@gmail.com

Check out my other blog - brought to you by Southern California's Office Refreshment leader - Gourmet Coffee Service.

What I'm listening to on the crowded LA Freeways - Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

My Comeback from LA Sushi Bar Humiliation

2011-12-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

The new Wilshire location - best in LA?

Happy New Year! Ray Romano once said that sushi is to LA, as pizza is to New York.

Many years ago, when I was a sushi novice, I was walking down Sawtelle Ave in West LA with some time to kill between appointments. Since I had not eaten lunch, I was attracted to the sushi sign across the street and decided to walk into a building that looked more like a home than a restaurant. I went in and stood inside the door before someone finally decided to greet me. Silently, a young woman showed me the only open seat at the crowded sushi bar. I noticed the white lettering on a small blue patch on her white blouse. It said “Trust Me.” Curious, I thought.

At the sushi bar, I sat quietly waiting for an opportunity to order. The sushi chef handed me a large plate of marinated albacore. “Wow” I thought. “That’s quite a complimentary starter.” It was delicious. After I finished it, I asked the busy chef for some salmon sushi. He grunted audibly. It dawned on me that I had done something wrong and asked the well-dressed woman sitting next to me, “Are you supposed to order here?” “You can, but you shouldn’t,” she replied, with the slightest bit of condescension in her tone. “They tell you what to eat and how much of it to have. This place is good…. and expensive. Where do you normally go?” she asked. My immediate answer drew a scowl. “Crazy Tokyo in the Valley,” I answered quietly. “This is a far cry from Crazy Tokyo,” she said. "I always enjoyed Crazy Tokyo in Encino, especially the Spicy Sashimi Salad with Tomatoes," I mumbled.

I proceeded to allow the chef to serve me four more wonderfully fresh, single pieces of sushi – each artfully decorated. I was dying for a spicy tuna roll, but that was not going to happen. I checked out, paid $40 and moved on. I had experienced what many in LA consider the Holy Grail of sushi – Sasabune.

Sea and Sun

Years later, I went to the new Sasabune location on Wilshire Blvd. At least I knew what to expect this time – still no spicy tuna roll. The food is excellent – but be prepared to stay for a while and bring plenty of cash if you plan to leave satisfied.

A better west side option for me is Hamasaku at Sepulveda and Santa Monica Blvd. Creative presentation. Nice decor. Friendly staff. Very high-end sushi that is exceptionally fresh. While it is expensive, you will feel like you have eaten a meal. Interesting celebrity crowd is a bonus.

Sauteed Shrimp - The perfect dish?

I am not a big saki guy, so I like to bring my own wine to sushi bars (at a table) or order carry out so that I can enjoy a great wine at home. A Pinot Noir or a Chardonnay is usually perfect with sushi. I recently had a nice Mer Soleil Chardonnay with a carry out order from one of my favorite places – Little Brothers in Woodland Hills. It is a very small restaurant that has a loyal following. Some of my West Side friends who have moved to the valley begrudgingly admit that Little Brothers is as good as anything they have tried. The related Brothers restaurant, just a little further east on Ventura Blvd., is bigger and just as good. The garlic sauteed shrimp roll (not really sushi) could be the perfect dish. It pairs so well with the Mer Soleil Chardonnay – grown in Monterey, California. I did an earlier blog on the joy of golf in Monterey, but this is a vineyard that we hope to visit in 2012. Mer means sea and Soleil means sun – both of which have quite an influence on the vineyard. It is not too oaky – more on the citrus side. You will taste hints of everything from vanilla to lemon. Works will with a nice piece of yellow tail belly from Little Brothers.

Another favorite – Shibuya in Calabasas. Get there at 11:45 at lunch to get your name on the chalkboard or forget about having a table at this small but premium quality establishment. Very large and plump pieces of super fresh fish, artful creations. Right across from the Calabasas Commons – you can practically smell the affluence in the air. My choice is to carry out (although it seems cumbersome here at times) and take the sushi home to enjoy with a bottle of Jordon Chardonnay from Sonoma. The Jordon Chardonnay (a must vineyard stop on your trip to the Sonoma wine region).

Assi Roll - Nice!

For quality and value, it is hard to beat Shiki Sushi in Studio City. This place is located east of Coldwater, buried deep in a small shopping center that runs perpendicular to Ventura Blvd. The sushi itself is fresh and cut generously. The lunch special features a tasty ginger dressed green salad, a spicy tuna roll and a bountiful main roll like the Assi Roll – featuring crab, shrimp and scallops piled high. Try the chunk spicy tuna roll and chunk salmon roll – flavorful and hard to finish – under $20 for the entire lunch. They charge a modest corkage fee, under $10, so this is a good time to bring out the Cakebread Chardonnay. Crisp with just the right amount of oak, it is the perfect sushi wine – bring it to Shiki and you’ll have a wonderful sushi experience.

Good Choice

Sushi Yuzu could be the best around. I have some sushi loving clients who do not wish to go anywhere else and who can blame them? Yazu makes some tremendous dishes with ultra fresh fish, including their signature Chilean Sea Bass hand roll – five visits, I have enjoyed that dish five times. Try it with an Erath Pinot Noir from Oregon - which will make the flavor of the sea bass dance. The 2009 Erath Pinot is described by wine.com: “Fresh and bright flavors on the palate are balanced with a blend of juicy cherry and racy pomegranate. An easy sipper yet enough acidity to pair beautifully with your favorite dish.” In this case, the Sea Bass or the crab hand roll.

“All you can eat” sushi joints usually frowned upon, but Midori has to be given some recognition. The staff is excellent and attentive and Midori makes a point of keeping the menu interesting. It is a consistently crowded sushi bar – a testament to their fresh fish and wide selection of rolls on the all you can eat menu. You will walk out for $30 per person for lunch, but usually, I am unhappy about only one thing; I ate too much. Midori offers Fat Cat Pinot Noir on their limited wine list. The Napa winery has a fun filled approach to wine making – seems to fit with sushi. Here is their own "cultural description" on the Website: “At Fat Cat Cellars, our vibe is velvety varietal wines. Wines inspired by the jazz music we love. You’ll find a fusion of rich flavors and genuine Cat-itude in every glass. You dig?”

At Midori, I dig the appetizers that are included in the all you can eat deal, like the Salmon Skin Salad, the Calamari Tempura or the Cucumber Sunomono. You will feel like a “Fat Cat” when you walk out of Midori, which has three locations along Ventura Blvd in Encino, Sherman Oaks and Studio City.

For style points in a hip locale, head to downtown LA – 21 Floors above the financial district, you will find Takami Sushi and Robata Restaurant, serving high quality, creative sushi dishes and some very tantalizing signature cocktails. The Takami Edamame is a great place to start - Sauteed Soy Beans in Garlic, Butter and Soy Sauce. Then try out the Takami Roll - Spicy Tuna, Snow Crab, Asparagus, topped with Albacore and an Apple Ponzu Sauce. Their Toro, Tuna Belly is expensive, but melt in your mouth good. I normally try to suggest a great wine (and they do have a fine wine list) the Signature Cocktails will really rock you. After one, enjoy a bottle of the very reliable 2009 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay; a combination of fruit – like apple, lemon and pear, along with nutty and oaky characteristics that all work well together and with Takami’s Japanese influenced dishes. By the way – Takami is advertising a Sunday special - 50% off on bottled wine.

Because not everyone can afford high priced premium sushi, you have to take your hat off to Kabuki. Sorry to the sushi snobs, but every location is packed and like Midori, they deliver a fine product at a reasonable price. Happy hour deals are ridiculously good. The Sashimi Salad is excellent, as is the Sunkist Roll, featuring Spicy Tuna and Avocado. Kabuki has multiple locations. It is a fun place, with a full bar and if you are going to order a bottle of wine, try the Jacob’s Creek Australian Chardonnay – light on the oak, easy on the fruit with a little lemon and melon overtone – very drinkable with Kabuki’s diverse fare.

One final note – I did have a client who was embarrassed in a sushi bar even more than I was at Sasabune. She actually thought the wasabi was avocado and took in a healthy spoonful – it really happened, I was there. Not pretty.

What I am listening to right now on the crowded LA freeways – Seal Team Six - A riveting look inside the world of Navy Seals.

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

Contact me at winefoodjava@gmail.com

High quality and great value coffee you should be drinking in your office every day: Micro-Roasted Seattle Blend – the number one seller at Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com

Wine Tasting Advice from the Experts - plus a few tips from me...

2011-12-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

How many times have you been wine tasting? If you are like me, each time you visit wineries, you learn something totally new about wine, the art of wine making and the pleasure of wine tasting. To get the most out of my next wine tasting experience, I decided to ask wine industry pros to weigh in on wine tasting and how to do it right. I have a few ideas of my own, but the experts had some interesting suggestions.

Ferrari Carano is beautiful - the gardens are beyond belief.

Ferrari Carano is a beautiful winery located in Healdsburg. With acres of beautiful gardens and vineyards, it is the type of winery that you will want to spend some time at, just walking around and taking it all in. The facility itself is impressive, with elegant tasting rooms and friendly staff. Their wonderful wines are poured generously. I will be dedicating a full article on Ferrari Carano down the line.

Patrick Mukaida, Director of Hospitality at Ferrari –Carano, had a number of suggestions for wine tasting guests. Some of his suggestions had never dawned on me, like his advice that wine tasting guests wear minimal cologne, to avoid interfering with the aroma on the wine. Patrick also asked (probably on behalf of the wine industry) that women avoid wearing too much lipstick – as it can make it pretty challenging to clean the wine glasses.

Before you arrive at a winery, do some research. Find out what wines the vineyard is know for.

There is plenty of art at Hess besides
the wine making - this cannon is melting.

Along the lines of planning, Patrick says that visitors should try to keep their tasting geographically tight. “Those trying to cover Napa and Sonoma in one day – they usually don’t make it.” Dennis Cakebread of Cakebread Cellars suggests that visitors call ahead to make an appointment. “Many wineries have gone to an appointment only system, so planning ahead can really make your day,” says Dennis. Cakebread is “must visit” winery in Napa. While they are perhaps best known for their Chardonnay (that may be a pedestrian view), their red wines are staggeringly good. That is the kind of thing you find out when you are visiting wineries.

Drink wines from light white to heavy red – in that order, but Patrick says you do not need to rinse your glass constantly. Only rinse when you are moving from white to red or from a dessert wine to something bigger and bolder.

When tasting wines, Patrick suggests that you ask which wines “are distributed widely and which are available only at the winery itself.” Knowing that information, you’ll understand if it makes sense to join the wine club or if there are some wines you might want to pick up while you are there.

The best place to get suggestions on which wineries to visit: Ask the people who work at the winery. “We tend to know what’s good and are happy to make recommendations,” says Patrick.

Jim Caudill, Director, Public Relations & Hospitality at The Hess Collection, says, “A terrific tasting strategy when you are visiting wineries is to simply be open to new experiences. At Hess, for example, our winemakers create an entire series of wines in limited amounts – often just 200 cases – that are sold only in the tasting room. These Small Block Series wines are often from small experimental vineyard blocks, a Grüner Veltliner, for example, from Mount Veeder. Instead of asking for something familiar, explore what the winemakers are exploring.”

“Verticals are often a great way to see how vintages and aging affect wine, adds Jim. “We often offer three different vintages of our Cabernet, for example, so you can compare and contrast. And library selections are equally interesting, since these wines are often simply not available in the broad market, and you may be able to enjoy a bit of history right there in your glass.”

Do not rush from one winery to another. That is my personal rule. I generally try to limit my winery visits to no more than four in a day. Jim from Hess puts it well, “Enjoy the experience, no reason to rush. Much better to “take the pulse” of a great experience, perhaps just two or three times a day, rather than rush from tasting room to tasting room.” Hess is not a winery to rush through. A wine tasting in the garden at Hess is quite nice and the contemporary art gallery will bend your imagination – even before the wine tasting.

"Tour of the Palate" at Hess

Eating is important when you are wine tasting. Dennis Cakebread and Jim Caudill both suggest a light lunch, but Jim urges guests to elevate their lunch experience, like Hess’s “Tour of the Palate,” where their Executive Chef puts together a pairing of three small tastes with wines, but those small plates are often enough for a light lunch.

If you are on the road in Napa – I love Dean and DeLuca, the kind of grocery store that simply has everything you could want for lunch, such as spectacular gourmet sandwiches and salads – not necessarily light! It’s busy and you may end up eating in the parking lot – but you’ll still love the food.

A couple more lessons I have learned from experience: Share wine tastings with your spouse or companion. It really is about the tasting, not the drinking. This will also cut your costs in half if you are not a wine club member, enjoying free tastings.

My best tip – and I will continue to share more in future editions – get a driver! If you can afford the splurge, hire a professional driver, a black sedan, a van or a limo and enjoy a nice, elegant touring experience. I can recommend several limo/driving services. In Napa, call Andrew’s Napa Limousine. In Sonoma, try Beau Wine Tours & Limousine Service. In Paso Robles, Epic Limousine is an excellent service. Good drivers are well connected at the wineries – which is always nice.

One simple wine tasting strategy to utilize before you leave on a visit to wine country. Talk to that restaurant owner, country club manager or wine store owner that you know well – as a customer or as a friend. Tell them that you are going to wine country and ask them for some contacts they know in the wine business in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles or Santa Barbara. You will be surprised at their connections, but after all, these people are in the wine industry. Great connections in wine country can result in a memorable VIP experience – so do a little networking before you leave town.

Awesome with Lamb Chops

Our Wine and Food Pairing of the Week: Rosemary Lamb Chops from the Fig & Olive Restaurant on Melrose in West Los Angeles, with a Frog's Leap 2009 Petite Sirah. Note: The food at Fig & Olive is artistic and delicious.

Here is what the winemakers wrote about this selection (I picked up a case at a recent Frog's Leap wine dinner). "Our fifth vintage of this extraordinary varietal saw a long growing season of nearly perfect weather combine with a small crop to produce this remarkably complex wine. Inky dark in the glass with hints of lavender and boysenberries, the 2009 Petite Sirah manages to show beautiful depth across the flavors without ever seeming heavy or pondering. Think of this wine as fall approaches and your thoughts turn to hearty stews and roasted meats."

Our Value Wine of the Week: 08 Silverado Chardonnay. Great Value at Total Wine and Bevmo - typically under $18 for a creamy Napa white that you can proudly serve during the Holiday Season.

What book am I listening to while trying to find a parking spot in the crowded malls?

Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell. Don't shop, just stay in the car and listen!

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

High quality and great value coffee you should be drinking in your office every day: Micro-Roasted Vienna Roast – a top seller at Gourmet Coffee Service – Southern California’s office refreshment leader. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/

Eating my way through the Windy City and Burbank's answer to Chicago

2011-11-29T17:35:00.000-08:00

Value of the week!

I often wonder how much more I would weigh if I still lived in Chicago. Taking a road trip for the Bears Chargers game last week, I realized once again that my old friends in Chicago really know how to eat. Besides the incredible aged prime sirloin steaks (you can't beat prime, corn fed, Midwestern beef) there are a number of Chicago style culinary creations that the Windy City can call their own.

Chicago's Best Deep Dish

1) Chicago Style Pizza - I've been to Boston and New York and tried their pie (no need to mention LA in this discussion). Nothing compares to the deep dish Chicago Style Pizza at Gino's East. This was the last thing I needed after tailgating on lamb chops, grilled squid, tri-tip sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms and sucking down Blue Moon beers at the game, but a coveted table for ten at Gino's was impossible to pass up. While the thin crust is good, I indulged on the deep dish with Italian sausage, pepperoni and green peppers. The crust is exactly as I remembered it - buttery, melt in your mouth delicious. One other bonus at Gino's Pizza - you can write on the walls of the restaurant, just not in the pristine bathrooms.

Al's - Certainly one of the best Beef's around

2) and 3) The Chicago style hot dog and polish sausage sandwich. It has to be Vienna Beef, that's clearly the number one brand in Chicago, but the real key is what's on a Chicago style dog or polish. My personal favorite is Wolfy's on Peterson Avenue. Served on a traditional bun, the juicy Chicago dog or polish (even more juicy, definitely not health food) is typically served with mustard (never ketchup) green relish, kosher dill pickles, hot peppers (if you dare) and tomatoes. There is something about the combination that makes my mouth water, especially when accompanied by crispy, salty, hot Wolfy's french fries.

4) Italian Sausage Sandwich - Grilled over an open flame, there are probably 1000 restaurants in Chicago who do it well, but I continue to gravitate to the same place - the classic - Al's Beef. The fire grilled Italian Sausage is served on an roll with marinated bell peppers, fried in oil. Top it off with hot Italian peppers - also known as Giardiera (Il Primo brand being the world's best).

Serious Contender for #1 Beef

5) Italian Beef Sandwich - When I arrived in Chicago, my brother had already been to Al's Beef. He had one waiting for me at the hotel. This is a uniquely Chicago sandwich and if you go to Chicago, you must try a "beef.' The sandwich consists of thin sliced roast beef that's typically heated in garlic seasoned beef broth, served on a sandwich roll. I have my beef sweet (with green peppers) hot (with Giardiera mix) and wet (the whole bun is dipped in the juice to maximize flavor). There really is nothing else like it.

Again, there are many great Italian Beef sandwich places in Chicago, but Al's is the best - Mr. Beef, right around the corner, offers an excellent version as well. Mr. Beef does get points for ambiance, as the long picnic bench seating in the back room offers a nice spot to converse with the locals.

Believe it or not - Al's could be coming to your town sometime in the future. The company is actively franchising stores, including a recent opening in Athens, Georgia. In the meantime, actor Joe Montegna's place, Taste Chicago, provides a quick fix of Chicago style cuisine in Burbank.

I've tried Taste Chicago's Italian Beef and it is right up there with top ten percent in Chicago. In fact, on a weekly basis, my Italian Beef savvy co-workers visit Taste Chicago for lunch. They need their fix. TC's hot dog and polish are authentic Chicago style - but I haven't tried the pizza at Taste Chicago. After all, the buttery flavor of Gino's crust is still ingrained in my taste buds two weeks later, so I'm good for now.

Mr. Beef deserves some props, so here is our Wine Pairing of the Week: A Mr. Beef Italian Beef Sandwich with a nice bottle of Francis Coppola Claret Diamond '09. A very nicely balanced Bordeaux Style wine that's bold and rich - hold up very nicely to that flavorful Italian Beef sandwich. The Francis Coppola Claret Diamond '09 is available from our friends at Bevmo, Total Wine and wine.com.

Our Value Wine of the Week is also very well priced at both Bevmo and Wine.com. Bogle Chardonnay 2010. We're talking under $10 here for a Chardonnay that starts out soft, finishes crisp. Great wine for those leftover turkey dishes.

What book am I listening to while trying to find a parking spot in the crowded malls? Shock Wave by John Sandford. Easy to follow, fast paced detective story - perfect for Holiday gridlock!

If you drive a lot, or if reading just wears you out, you have to try Audible. I am thoroughly addicted to the Audible downloads program. Check out the amazing introductory offer from our friends at Audible.com that you can access from this page. I’m personally cranking through a book each week. I'm addicted!

Awesome coffee your office should be drinking: Peet's House Blend. Avaialble from Gourmet Coffee Service - Southrn California's #1 Office Refreshment Specialist. http://www.gourmetcoffeeservice.com/

An Amazing Discovery in Healdsburg - JCB and the Barrel

2011-11-17T18:31:00.000-08:00

It was a tough decision, trying to figure out where to taste wine around the village square of one Sonoma County's coolest towns, Healdsburg. I already knew where I was going to eat lunch, since I was craving Mexican food, missing So Cal a little apparently.

My Very Own Barrel!

There it was - a little out of place - a little over the top - gleaming, stylish, sophisticated - adorned with black, gold, mirrors and chandeliers - in the little hamlet of Healdsburg - the JCB Tasting Room. The staff was friendly enough, welcoming even. Happy to pour generously (and complimentary) once it was learned we were wine club members at Buena Vista. At JCB - short for Jean-Charles Boisset - they pour some wonderful high end wines; a collection of rare numbered wines "composed" by Jean-Charles himself. I can't even tell you what we tasted, but number 11 was good...I think. Or was it 7? Actually, they were all very nice and elegantly presented by Jess in the tasting room. This is something you are just going to have to experience yourself. Besides, I was totally preoccupied with the idea of having my own barrel and now I've got one.

It turns out that JCB owns about twenty vineyards and is quite the innovator. Buena Vista in Sonoma, Raymond in Santa Helena and Deloach in Santa Rosa are all owned by JCB. I am a huge Buena Vista fan - so JCB was good for me from the get go. When I saw the little oak barrel in the corner and learned I could take it home with me - I was enamored.

The concept is called "barrel to barrel." Please don't call it box wine, but in reality, that's exactly what it is. High end - direct from the barrel - wine in a box, tapped out of little barrel that becomes the centerpiece of any party. The barrel is fun and best of all - the wine is excellent. So far, the 3 liter recyclable eco-pouches (that's four bottles) are being offered by Raymond and Deloach. It's part of JCB's commitment to the environment.

At a party - this barrel gets action!

The 3 liter barrel runs about $220. The wines are lightly filtered and truly deliver a "from the cellar" texture and taste. The eco-bag protects against oxidation, reduces packaging and the carbon footprint. Once opened, the wine stays fresh for six to eight weeks. At a party, you can expect to "reload the barrel" after 30 minutes as your enthralled guests won't be able to stay away from it.

So far, I've enjoyed the Deloach 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and the 2009 Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon. Both were very enjoyable and if you drink wines on a regular basis (like nightly) the barrel is quite convenient as well. I'm told that a Zin and another Pinot are on the way right now. Jeffrey Colton of the JCB team has provided an amazing level of personal service.

We love our barrel.

The view from my sidewalk table...

By the way - when it was time for lunch - I had three Carne Asada Tacos that were nothing less than a Mexican flavor explosion. The only difference between this place on the edge of the Healdsburg square and the best Mexican food places in LA - El Sombrero serves wine. They also feature a flaming selection of salsas which along with the complimentary chips - it's not a bad way to "tweak your palate" for more trips to the tasting rooms.

In reality, El Sombrero was the perfect contrast after the highly stylized tasting room at JCB. Both worthy of visiting again.

Wine and Food Pairing of the Week: Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and the new Porcini Rubbed Filet Mignon from Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. The notes from wine.com:

"Supple and creamy-textured, with mocha, ripe plum and cherry flavors that show touches of tobacco, espresso and underbrush. Full-bodied, gaining tannic traction on the finish, elegant and readily approachable. Drink now through 2018."

As for the Porcini Rubbed Filet Mignon from Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. It's Delicious. The usual fine Flemings prime beef, aged up to four weeks, expertly prepared. The Porcini rub only brings out the flavor of the juicy, center cut filet mignon.

The Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is available from our friends at Bevmo, Total Wine and Wine.com. It is consistantly good, one vintage after another.

Wine Value of the Week: Lake Sonoma Zinfandel '08. Nice and Jammy like any good Zin. Bevmo has it under $10 right now - which is unbelievable.

What I'm Listening to on the Crowded LA Freeways: Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva. For me, it started a little slow, but now I'm gripped (hands to the wheel).

Wine Tasting and Shopping Can be Expensive

2011-11-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

Nickel & Nickel is a beautiful ranch-like winery

One of the dangers of wine tasting is that you might end up shopping while you are tasting. When the incredible half case of Nickel & Nickel Cabernet arrived, I remembered what a great time we had visiting the vineyard and how elegant the wine tasting was (bread sticks, cheese and all), but I sure didn't remember ordering the cabs! Turns out it was simply the October shipment of "Club Cabernet," two bottles of three outstanding single vineyard cabs from Nickel & Nickel.

As we sat in the dining room of the historic John C. Sullenger House at the Nickel & Nickel winery, the personalized tasting menu was a testament to the winery's attention to detail. 2007 versions of the CC Ranch, Copper Streak, Martin Stelling and Vogt Vineyard Cabernet were served along with various gourmet cheese selections, Italian Cow's Milk, Extra Aged Gouda and a smooth Bohemian Goat Cheese. Nickel & Nickel, founded by the partners of Far Niete to create nothing but single vineyard wines, offers some of the most captivating cabs in a most memorable setting. The generous tasting leads to a gregarious group at the table.

From the recent shipment, so far I've tried only the 2008 State Ranch, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a 23 acre Yountville vineyard. I'm going to cellar the second bottle for at least another year, as it can only get better, but the first bottle provided vibrant flavors, including berry and cherry. As the wine maker's notes suggest, "The vintage's tannins are so supple and fine that they are quite polished." After about 30 minutes in the decanter on the table of Maestro's Newport Coast, the wine was silky smooth, getting rave reactions, well deserved, from the three wine drinkers who were enjoying this lovely selection that I had carried in.

The nice folks at Maestro's waived the $25 per bottle corkage fee. Why? When you bring in great wines and allow the wine steward to do the tasting after decanting, they appreciate that. In this case, the mission was to determine whether we should drink the Kelham 2001 Cabernet first, or the 2008 State Ranch from Nickel & Nickel. Conclusion - The Kelham was ready (and unbelievable); the State Ranch Cab needed some heavy breathing. It was ultimately, superb.

Next week - I'll finally get to write about our amazing discovery in historic Healdsburg - up in beautiful Sonoma County.

Wine and Food Pairing of the Week: Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 and a nice lean filet mignon from Morton's Steakhouse. It's a splurge, but the Duckhorn Cab is an intense and flavorful wine, very impressive and only gets better with age, but who can wait? As for the filet mignon, Morton's does it right. Not too fatty, lean and flavorful. My wife likes the petite version. You can find the Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 well priced at Bevmo and from our friends at wine.com.

Value Wine of the Week: Acacia Carneros Chardonnay 2009. This on target Chardonnay is a great deal - often under $15. It's crisp - not too much oak and you can taste peach and apple overtones. Refreshing and always well priced at Bevmo and from our friends at wine.com.

What I’m listening to on the crowded LA Freeways: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Sorry if you saw the movie. It was terrible. The book - and the audio rendition - is fantastic.