Wining by Proxy...First meeting of the L.A.Wine Writers...

Hotel Angeleno

The First Acolyte to the Goddess of Wine reports on the first meeting of the L.A. Wine Writers at the Hotel Angeleno, 1/29/15, featuring Artisan Uprising wines.

As the name indicates, L.A. Wine Writers is a group of writers mostly based in the Los Angeles area who are primarily concerned with wine. The Hotel Angeleno is a familiar landmark alongside the 405 freeway that has been through several incarnations over the years. I don’t know what it is like to stay there but the food currently being served is delicious. We got to sample several dishes paired with wines from Artisan Uprising, a new-ish winery inspired by a family tradition. These dishes were all from the restaurant’s menu, no specials just for this tasting. Anyone could order these enjoyable treats.

Wining by proxy with the STARS of Santa Barbara...

The Goddess of Wine can't always report on events, so First Acolyte, JD, steps up to taste his way through and report to you. This edition of Ian Blackburn’s LearnAboutWine/WineLA Santa Barbara STARS event again supported the T.J. Martell Foundation and this time was presented by RBC Wealth Management. These events offer a nice sampling of wineries of a region and include small and/or new wineries.

The Goddess of Wine was helping pour for one of these small excellent wineries (Shai Cellars) for both the trade and consumer portions and could not get out to taste too much. I attended the evening consumer portion. It is impossible to taste everything and then do any justice to all the wines, so I mainly concentrated on wineries new to STARS. And some friends' wines as well (wink, wink).

Wining by Proxy...Lunch with Aurelio Montes, Jr. of Montes & Kaiken Wines...

Occasionally, the Goddess of Wine can't make it to a wine event. Luckily, First Acolyte to the Goddess, JD, takes up the slack. Here's his latest report from the field:

Wine-tasting lunch with Aurelio Montes, Jr. of Montes and Kaiken Wines at Primitivo Wine Bistro, presented by Swords PR.

Primitivo is a quaint little restaurant in the laid-back beach town of Venice, CA. It is an assemblage, some of which may have been homes at one time. In spite of my long trudge across town, I was the first to arrive and could check out the place quietly while waiting.

The event began on their patio in back with a welcome wine of refreshing Sparkling Brut of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made in traditional method accompanied by an assortment of delicious passed appetizers, including: croquetas with romesco sauce and a cheese, grape and more combination on crostini.

Wining by Proxy...Le Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux...

Once again, the Goddess was forced to labor at her earth job, so First Acolyte, JD, nobly stepped in to report on the Le Grand Cercle Des Vins De Bordeaux on April 7, 2014. Quelle fortitude! His report:

LEFT & RIGHT BANK GRAND TASTING at CASA DEL MAR in Santa Monica. Thirty eight “winemakers from the… Left and Right Banks of Bordeaux, treated Sommeliers, Wine Buyers and Wine Journalists to an exclusive unveiling of their most prized possessions, ranging from the 2013 “en primeur” vintage (“wine futures”) to… 2010 and 2011 varietals.”

“The Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux came into existence thanks to the aim of Alain Raynaud, its president and founder, to bring together in one entity the wines of the Right and Left Banks. The Cercle Rive Droite, established in July 2002, has represented for the past 10 years a selection of 137 wines whose keyword is excellence. As for the Cercle Rive Gauche, it was founded in April 2013. A parallel association to the Cercle Rive Droite, it groups together 51 wine estates carefully selected for the quality of their wine. The concept is to take advantage of the drive and efficiency of the Cercle Rive Droite, to promote the fine wines of the Médoc, Graves, Sauternes and Barsac. With almost 200 wines, the Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux presents, during its trips abroad, a showcase of Bordeaux wines selected for their high quality. Its vocation is to prove that in Bordeaux there are superb, top-of-the-range and reasonably priced wines!”

Wining by Proxy in Paso Robles with the CAB Collective...Day 2.1...Rare and Reserve...

As mentioned in my previous post, the Goddess of Wine had serious palate fatigue after a delightful lunch at Pomar Junction. As is often the case, JD steps in to take up the slack. Here's the First Acolyte's account of the Paso Robles CAB Collective's Rare and Reserve tasting!

After a delicious lunch and tour at Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery we returned to the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom. After a brief look around, the Goddess decided she needed to conserve her energy, so on I went. I did not sample all the wineries pouring that afternoon, but most did seem to be back again for this stage.

Wining by Proxy...Tasting Terroir at République...

Once again JD fills in for the Goddess of Wine, this time at the Return to Terroir Portfolio tasting at République, the former Campanile.

About this event:
This was stated as “the only comprehensive portfolio tasting of the year to sample producers and regions spanning our entire portfolio.“

About the company:
Return to Terroir, owned by Raphael Knapp

Their Mission:
- To import sustainably produced wines that are the precise expression of their terroir.
- To help preserve the history of native grapes and traditional winemaking regions and methods.
- To educate the trade and consumers by sharing our wines and the stories of our winemakers.

“Raphael visits France and Italy every 3 months in search of wines that are the precise expression of their terroir. Some are organic and/or biodynamic but all are 100% estate produced by (smaller) family-owned wineries. They tend to share similar characteristics: minimal use of oak, a restrained style, and focus on minerality and acidity. We feel lucky to work with all of our producers and to be able to share their hard work, history and traditions with you.”

Wining by Proxy...DM Vineyards & Partners Portfolio....

When the Goddess of Wine can't break away from the earth job, First Acolyte JD steps in to cover special wine events. Here are his notes from the DM Vineyards & Partners Trade and Press Portfolio Tasting at the Villa Restaurant in Woodland Hills on December 2nd.

The elegant Villa restaurant is located on a corner in the west San Fernando Valley and has had a number of incarnations over the years. While its address is on the busy Ventura Boulevard, the business actually extends deeply up the side street. This event was on their patio behind, so I can’t say what the restaurant proper is like inside, though from the pictures on their website (http://www.thevillawoodlandhills.com) it looks quite nice. The patio is sunken, paved in used brick with iron fencing and gates, a fountain in the rear upper section and wonderfully grown in with vegetation that secludes and protects from the sun. A fine array of appetizers was set out for the tasting. Judging by that sampling, I would certainly like to try their main menu.

Wining by Proxy...Kobrand Tour d'Italia - Icons of Italian Wine...

Sometimes the Goddess of Wine must send her First Acolyte, JD, to taste wine in her place. Last week, just a day before his knee surgery, JD attended the Kobrand Tour d'Italia 2013 tasting, Icons of Italian Wine at the Sofitel in Los Angeles. Here is his report:

Attended the walk-around tasting at this final stop of the tour. There had been hints of a seminar but could never confirm or connect. As I discovered after I checked in for the tasting and as certain questions were asked during the tasting, there actually was a seminar earlier somewhere in the hotel. Those are usually very educational. Who knows what it covered?

I started with the whites.

Masi Agricola Masianco from Veneto, a blend of 75% Pinot Grigio and 25% of another unfamiliar Italian grape called Verduzzo which added some nice acid and citrus notes.

Wining by Proxy...Castilla-La Mancha...

Yes, once again, the Goddess of Wine had to go to the earth job while First Acolyte, JD, tasted his way through a selection of excellent wines...Here is his account of the Wines from Castilla-La Mancha Grand Tasting at the Bazaar by JoséAndrés located at the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills on Thursday, June 6, 2013:

Castilla-La Mancha is the largest Spanish wine region with over 1,240,000 acres under vine divided into 9 D.O.’s (Denominaciones de Origen or Wine Appellations) plus the surrounding Castilla areas in the center of Spain. They have taken as their symbol the great literary figure of Don Quixote de la Mancha with a slogan of “Wines from Don Quixote’s Spain.” This area is mainly a vast expanse of flat, dry land with the temperature extremes of a continental climate. There is a lot of sunshine but limited water, necessitating dry farming.

This was the last stop of a three city leg of the 2013 US Tour. Many of the people flew out that evening back to Spain, some for quick turnarounds to then go to other places in the world. This is besides communicating to their companies at odd hours while on the road. These are some not quite so glamorous and quite fatiguing aspect of the wine industry. 

Wining by proxy...First Acolyte JD tastes Vibrant Rioja...

Once again, the Goddess of Wine had to stay the course at the earth job, so JD manfully took up the mantle of wine-taster-maven at the Vibrant Rioja Trade Tasting on May 7th at Fleming’s Beverly Hills. Ah...the sacrifices we make in order to bring wine education to the masses!

Some background: Vibrant Rioja is a partnership between the DOCa Rioja and Wines From Spain. As the USA marketing and public relations campaign representing all DOCa Rioja wineries available in the U.S., Vibrant Rioja focuses on trade relations and trade education as well as consumer awareness - while distinguishing the DOCa Rioja as a producer of consistently superior wines through unparalleled quality control, tremendous value, style diversity and food-friendliness.

JD's words and highlights:
Easy to find. Easy parking. Simple check-in. There were several wine stations in the front room with the rest in the back room reached through an aisle lined on one side with booths. Sampled a number of wines; not all of course. There were, as is usually the case, too many and there was difficult access to some locations once the place got busy.

For a while I was noticing certain sea-like notes in some of the wines, especially in the front room. Then I discovered that the restaurant was preparing fish dishes to accompany the tasting. Oops.

There was some food, but scurrying among the wines by the time I thought to check on it, it was gone.

Wining by proxy...Slovenia and Croatia...

Croatia/Slovenia

Once again, the Goddess sent her trusty First Acolyte, JD, to taste some wines in her place. After reading this account, she is sad that she wasn't able to taste these first hand!

9/11/2012 - At Lucques on Melrose - Our host, importer Vinum USA, Inc., began with some historical and geographical background. Like Italy, just across the Adriatic Sea and bordering to the north, Croatia & Slovenia have many different grapes that are special to the region, besides growing grapes from other areas and putting different names to them.

There has been grape growing and wine making in the region for centuries, but real work most likely started with Greek settlers in the fifth century BC, growing during Roman times and continuing through the Middle Ages. Production survived during the occupation by the Ottoman Turks through the Catholic Church’s need for wine in their services. Production flourished again during the Hapsburg Empire.

Wining by proxy...staff writer Marya Glur fills us in on the Union des Grand Crus...

Sometimes the Goddess doesn't get to attend wine events. Sob! Luckily, she has a band of merry and hearty wineaux who provide eyewitness accounts for her. Today, a special post by Staff Writer, Marya Glur, about an extraordinary annual event. Read on, and thanks, Marya!

Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux
January 21, 2012
Fairmont Hotel, Santa Monica, CA
By Marya J. Glur


The first time I attended the Union de Grand Crus des Bordeaux wine tasting a few years ago in an event space at Hollywood and Highland, I thought it was the single MOST important educational experience of my career as a wine aficionado. With over 100 château representatives, many of them winemakers and/or château owners, pouring over 150 Bordeaux wines, the event planners placed all the producers from each AOC area together making this event the perfect chance to taste through 5-10 wines from each viticultural area to really understand what makes Pauillac wine a Pauillac and how that's different from a Saint-Julien -- areas on the map that are directly adjacent. For that tasting, the Goddess and her merry band of wineaux decided the best strategy was to go for the most expensive, most prestigious wines of Bordeaux first while our palates were fresh. So, while everyone else was starting at the beginning by tasting through the whites, we headed directly to Margaux. The beauty of this strategy was that we were alone with the Margaux producers and then, Pauillac and Saint-Julien for an hour before anyone really caught up to us. We got to leisurely chat with each chateau representative about their wines before, during, and after each tasting. It was truly brilliant.