Wining in the Inland Empire...

Once again, we changed our plans for a quiet evening at a local restaurant to an excursion into the wilds of the Inland Empire. New friends, Susie Leivas and Chef Cheryl Markwardt, put together an amazing and delicious dinner for their Meet-Up group, and we were the lucky ones!

Tuscan dinner setting

John, Shawn, Debra, and I carpooled to Rancho Cucamonga on a cool, cloudy evening. The traffic gods were with us, and we made it out there in 45 minutes. Susie and Chef Cheryl were ready for us and popped the cork on a 2009 Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux sparkler to pair with the appetizers listed below. Shawn opened a bottle of his 2009 Grenache for an additional pairing, and as the other guests arrived, the evening just got better and better!