I’ll Drink to That!

I just got back from a whirlwind 24 hour trip to Paso Robles, and I thought I would let you know about some of the interesting people I met there and what they are up to in their wonderful wine country town.

First off, Spring has sprung. The vineyards are awakening from their winter slumber and bud break has occurred. The blue lupine and the yellow wild mustard intermingle,  painting the green rolling hillsides with spectacular color. The apple trees show off with their delicate pink flowers.

Your next glass of Sangiovese?

Apple blossoms at Laraneta

This last week the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce put on their Business Expo, Mission Possible, bringing together many of the local businesses to showcase their services and meet the residents of the city.

I was very happy to finally meet longtime Facebook friend, Dina Mande of Juice Marketing, a company specializing in website, print and video for wineries.  She has recently designed the beautiful new website for Mojo Cellars, a Westside winery owned by Sleepy Guitar Johnson, Denis Degher.

Sleepy Guitar Johnson, Denis Degher of Mojo Wines, performs regularly at Vinoteca Wine Bar in downtown Paso Robles

We walked around the event for about 2 hours, while tasting some wine from Sylvester Winery,  Eberle Winery and Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden. We met the folks from The Paso Robles Inn, La Bellasera Hotel & Suites, Hunter Ranch Golf Course, Taylor Party Rentals and tasted some goodies from the famous Chef Andre of Dining with Andre catering company. I especially enjoyed having a look at some of the wonderful and creative items produced by Marv Kohlman of California Barrel Crafts. He makes furniture, bottle racks and murals all out of recycled wine barrels!

Having walked the entire expo, we were quite hungry and decided a visit to Good Ol’ Burger was in order. For years we have been coming to this place after hours spent tasting the big red wines of Paso. That’s when we are seriously craving meat and this place is conveniently located on 24th Street right off the 101 and at the crossroads between the East and Westside winery areas. They moved into shiny new digs a couple of years ago from their original, shall we say, more “rustic” location, but the food remained the same. Great burgers and the best onion rings, period! Don’t forget the ranch dressing on the side. Just give it up and splurge. Although, for lunch we usually split a cheeseburger and a small order of rings. Plenty, trust me, especially if you’re planning on dinner in town in the evening.

Friends enjoying post wine tasting repast at Good Ol'Burger

Clearly, no longer hungry, it was time to head to town to Vinoteca Wine Bar where we were going to meet up with the popular Matt and Annie of Hoot ‘n Annie’s Blog fame. Vinoteca, located right across the street from the park and within walking distance of many of Paso’s finest restaurants, is the place to stop by after dinner to enjoy a glass of wine and mingle with the locals. Its cozy atmosphere  creates the perfect ambiance for an evening of meeting up with friends, old and new.

Friends at Vinoteca Wine Bar

Friday nights they feature live music, (see Denis above),  and on  Winemaker Wednesday,  one of the local wineries pours flights of their featured wines and can be paired with savory tapas. On the night we were there our friends Melinda and Joe Laraneta of Laraneta Vineyards were pouring their wines and the place was buzzing with activity. We totally enjoyed meeting Matt and Annie, chatting with them about wine, food and their Paso Robles lifestyle. We met many others who call Paso home including Daniel and Corrine Appelbaum, proprietors of Safe Haven Wine Services. These two have figured out the solutions to many of the shipping issues for the wineries themselves and for the consumer, not only increasing cost effectiveness of shipping and storage, but making it “greener” as well. If you’re planning a touring and tasting vacation in the Paso Robles area, give these people a call to find out how easy they can make it to ship your treasures home for you. Cyndee Smolik provides vital services of another nature to the wineries with her Uncorked Compliance Wine Industry Consultants company. She helps them stay on top of all the governmental compliance issues - no small task. It was also fun to meet Ashley Rae Fischer and her mother Becky Zelinsky of First Crush Winemaking Experience. First Crush offers wine lovers the opportunity to try their hand at crafting their own wine through a variety of interactive, wine-related learning experiences. We talked about the possibility of bringing their blending seminar to I’ll Drink to That’s members in the near future as a special event. Sounds like fun!

The next morning we had some errands to run in town so we first stopped at Vic’s Restaurant for a hearty breakfast. Delicious omelets, tender hash browns and tall buttery biscuits were just we needed to get us through the drive ahead of us. Then off to Safe Haven to drop off wine shipping inserts that I had been saving to recycle. Next, the mandatory stop at Cider Creek Bakery to restock on F.R.O.G jam. Fig,raspberry, orange and ginger marmalade, really, a pantry staple in our house. Great all by itself on toast, it is also so good mixed into dressings and marinades, for sauces, on top of a baked brie, and mixed into mashed sweet potatoes, with a little bourbon. We  come up with new ways to use it all the time.

We had only time for one tasting, so we stopped at Kiame Wine Cellars, whose tasting room is in the downtown area. I wanted to pick up a couple bottles of their White Kuvee, Proprietary White Blend, which is a favorite of mine. A delicious blend of 60% Roussanne and 40% Viognier from the Westside Derby Vineyard, this wine has scents of honeysuckle and lemongrass and a minerality component that makes this wine a great change-up from the heavy, oaky Chardonnays. We also picked up a bottle of their 06 R’Own Style Blend, comprised of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 8% Zinfandel and 2% Viognier. Give this one some air to allow the bright strawberry and rhubarb flavors to unfold, finishing with cinnamon spice.

Finally it was time to head home from our short trip, but happy to have met many more of the great people from this wonderful wine making area. See you soon, Paso Robles…..

Just south of Paso Robles in an area known as the Templeton Gap, there is located a small family run winery - Laraneta Winery. They don’t have a tasting room, yet, and are not open to public tastings, so you would drive right by the property on Templeton Road going to and returning from the many other wineries in the area.  But if you’re lucky enough to have received an invitation to visit or are in need of lodging, at the end of the Liquid Amber tree lined driveway lies Honey Oak House and B & B where Melinda and Joseph Laraneta warmly welcome their B & B guests to old fashioned hospitality and, of course, a glass of their wine.

Liquid Amber lines the drive

Joe and Melinda Laraneta

My husband and I were lucky enough to be on the receiving end of all that hospitality when, on one beautiful Paso Robles day last Autumn, they invited us to taste their line-up of award winning wines.  I had tasted a few earlier in the year at a tasting in the LA area, and was anxious to spend some time with the Laraneta’s learning about them and their wine making adventures. As we entered the drive, we noticed the olive orchard situated opposite the vineyard. They also have a line of hand-crafted olive oils, which we tasted that afternoon as well. The Laraneta’s and their dog Peaches greeted us and brought us in to meet some friends and we spent the next hour tasting and chatting. The Laraneta’s enthusiasm and passion turned into an invitation to take a golf cart tour of their estate which we eagerly accepted.

Owl box

Who knew chestnuts come from a crazy looking pod?

View of the Laraneta estate from the front veranda

We learned about planting, harvesting, owl boxes, protection from cold and wind and birds, and even what chestnuts look like just off the tree.  We saw the different kinds of olives and Joe proudly explained about the many varieties of shrubs, trees, flowers and roses he had lovingly planted about his property.We left, glad to have made new friends in the Laranetas and making the commitment to “stay in touch”.

As luck would have it, Melinda and Joe were planning a visit to family and were going to be in the LA area for just two days in March. We asked them if they would like to come to our home and share some of their wines with a few of our close friends who really appreciated wine and those whose passion it is to create it. They said yes, and a week later we were hosting them and a small group of eager tasters.

We greeted each guest with a glass of Segura Viudas Cava to set a festive mood for the evening. Being a strong believer in food and wine bringing out the best in each other, I decided to create a tasting menu pairing an appetizer or dish with each of the 6 wines they would be pouring. They also brought four different olive oils which I put out for tasting with bread dippers.

After all the introductions were made Melinda poured their first wine. Cameo is made from  Vernaccia, a white wine grape from the San Gimignano area of Tuscany. It is  crisp, clean and a bit lemony with a buttery mouthfeel and a slight vanilla finish.  The guests were offered  rich, creamy Clam Fondue on sourdough toast. They happily noshed while Melinda elaborated further on the background of the grape and how they came to plant it.

Next up was their Vera Sano Rose, which is an unusual blend of  80% Vernaccia and 20% Sangiovese. One taste of this delightful wine had us all thinking “salmon”. So luckily I had made  salmon salad with Dill nestled in Endive leaves with a drizzle of the Laraneta’s Lemon Olive Oil.

Their Merlot, which they call Sa Va, is actually the wine that  attracted my attention to Laraneta in the first place. Dark and full bodied, this 100% Merlot is layered with black cherry, roasted coffee, sage and red currant. For this wine, I made a Merlot Risotto, then shaped it into bite size cakes, pan fried them and topped them with a dollop of aioli made with Laraneta Rosemary Olive Oil. What a beautiful color these tasty morsels were!

Red wine risotto cakes with Rosemary Aioli

Next in the line-up was the Sangiovese, and of course I thought, pasta! So a quick pour, some education on Italian wine, and everyone grabbed a plate of  Baked Rigatoni with Sausage and Mushrooms served with some good crusty rosemary/olive oil bread.

With everyone well fed and feeling good, we moved into the “decadent” portion of the evening, and the last two pairings. First, the cheese course served with Laraneta’s Cabernet Sauvignon. This elegant cab, enhanced with Merlot and Sangiovese, was extra yummy paired with Cambezola and an aged Gouda. We all had great fun determining our opinions of which cheese was more delicious with the wine, and of course we had to keep trying them just to make sure. It was a task happily taken on with much gusto.

Wine, bread, pasta, cheese - only one thing was still needed. Yes, chocolate! And lucky for us the Laraneta’s had brought with them their ‘05 -No. 5. This is also a blend with the predominant grape being Merlot at 75%, supported by 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Sangiovese.  This velvety wine boasts characteristics of dried cherry, plum and toasted hazelnuts with aromas of cocoa, blackberry and sweet spices. All that was needed here to compliment this delicious wine was an assortment of chocolate truffles, and I was happy to oblige.

The tasting line-up

So…if you plan on visiting the Paso Robles area for a special event or festival, or just need a weekend away, consider Honey Oak House and Laraneta Winery - good wine, good friends, good times!

I’ll Drink to That!

To quote Sid Goldstein, author of “The Wine Lover’s Cookbook”, “Pinot Noir is, in a word, a wonder. It is a mysterious and seductive wine that echoes the smell of the earth from which it comes.”

Sometimes referred to as the “heartbreak grape”,  it is difficult to grow, and demands great attention both in the vineyard as well as the winery. It is the coveted grape of Burgundy, and currently widely planted in Oregon and California. Although I enjoy a bottle of Pinot every so often, I don’t drink a lot of it. Pinot Days, held here in Los Angeles for the first time last weekend, was a real eye opener for me, introducing my palate to many different styles of Pinot ranging from dry and austere to fat and juicy. I was happy to meet and learn from producers from many prime pinot growing areas including Washington, Oregon, New Zealand and California.

My Pinot adventure started with an impromptu winemakers dinner held at Upstairs 2, the restaurant that is, you guessed it, upstairs over the Wine House wine shop. I had received an e-mail from Lisa and Steve Rigisich, the producers of Pinot Days, informing us that they and several of the winemakers in town for the festival were going to put on a small winemakers dinner a few days before the festival and limited reservations would be taken on a first come, first serve basis. Well the dinner sold out in half an hour - we were among the 80 or so lucky ones that secured a reservation.

Each table was set for 8 with a “winemakers chair” at the head of the table - winemakers would be rotating to a different table with each course so we would have the opportunity to speak with a number of them before the night was through.

Our first course was a salad of Arugula, Frisee and Belgian Endive with Duck Confit and a Pinot Noir Lingonberry Dressing. With that we were poured 2007 Inman Family Russian River Valley. Owner, winemaker and all around lovely lady, Kathleen Inman, also shared with us her 2006 Olivet Grange Vineyards Pinot Noir. Both were my favorite style - dry, earthy, elegant and well balanced with bright natural acidity. The second estate wine served with this course was the  Suacci Carciere Wines -  Suacci Vineyard - 2007.

The second course was a wonderful dish of Wild Mushroom Crusted Halibut with a red wine sauce. Mushrooms are so delicious paired with Pinot Noir and the first of two wines served with this course was the Lachini Vineyards Cuvee Giselle - 2007, Chehalem Mountains, Washington. Ron Lachini explained to us the intricacies of  bio-dynamic farming techniques and the reasons he and his wife chose to go that route. Oddly enough his wine had a very strong grassy aroma. Both his and the Willamette Valley Vineyards, Tualatin Estate 07 paired nicely with the fish.

Next up was Grilled Free Range Veal Chops with Herbs du Provence and Veal Demi-Glace.  The first wine poured was a Fess Parker Winery - Ashleys Pinot, Santa Rita Hills 07. This was one of the biggest pinots I have ever had, having even Syrah like qualities.  I figured this one would pair nicely with the chops, but obviously it did not behave like a Syrah and it flattened with the food.  A better choice was the 07 C. Donatiello Winery - Maddie’s Vineyard. Still a bigger and bolder style of Pinot than I normally choose, it held it’s own with the grilled meat and potatoes.

The dessert course was two cheeses served with fig bread and candied walnuts. Ana Keller of Keller Estate joined us at our table for this course and shared with us her family’s history in the wine industry. I enjoyed her 07 “El Coro” , a fleshy wine redolent of cherry, plum and currant flavors mingled with spice and tobacco. Also enjoyed with this course Perception Wines Russian River Valley 07.

This would have been a nice enough event by itself, but it was just a prelude for so much more Pinot yet to come.

Trade tasting gets under way

The festival was held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, a venue I had visited once before for the Make-a-Wish annual winetasting fund raiser. It’s big and roomy offering plenty of elbow space for thirsty tasters. So much Pinot, so little time as there were over 75 wineries represented and the walk around trade tasting was a mere 2 hours. A quick perusal of the offerings and off we went. A couple of  producers had Chardonnay or Pinot Gris tucked away under their tables and I was glad I had a bottle of SanTasti palate cleansing beverage with me - yes you really can go back and forth from red to white with optimum enjoyment and appreciation. Highlights for me included:

Carr Vineyards & Winery: 07 Pinot Noir, Three Vineyards, Sta. Rita Hills and 07 Turner Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Clouds Rest Vineyards: Tried and enjoyed 4 vintages from Sonoma: 02,03,04,05

Bouchaine Vineyards: 2006 Carneros

Demetria Estate: 2006 Cuvee Sandra, Sta Rita Hills

Kindred Wines: 2007 Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard, Russian River Valley

Papapietro-Perry: 2007 Russian River Valley

Kindred Wines,member of SFWA

Besides tasting some very interesting wines and meeting the creative men and women behind those wines, it was nice to catch up with friends. Eve Bushman of Eve’s 101 and Denise Lowe, the “goddess of vino”, were on hand for a photo op.

Denise Lowe, Xochitl Maiman and Eve Bushman catch up at Pinot Days in Los Angeles

At 1:00 sharp Los Angeles Pinot fans, and there are thousands of them, converged on the festival, not letting the approaching storm keep them from the task at hand. I left with a new appreciation for this intriguing grape, respect for the fortitude of those who make the wine and a strong craving for a steak. However, one of my favorite recipes to go with Pinot Noir is this one shared by Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA. Kathleen Inman likes this one too.

Truffled Red Wine Risotto with Parmesan Broth

I’LL DRINK TO THAT !

What a girl won’t do for a glass of wine….It all started with a conversation with a friend of mine about  Crushpad, a custom crush facility in San Francisco and the San Francisco Wine Association, whose members all produce at that facility.  Of course I’d heard about Crushpad many times before, but had only tried a very few wines from some of the winemakers producing there. He said about 20 members of the SFWA were holding a holiday tasting event at Crushpad and it would be a great opportunity to see the place and meet some of the wonderful and creative people behind the wines.  Well it didn’t take too much cajoling to convince me that I should attend this event, check this  place out for myself, meet some of these winemakers and taste their wine.

So…I called my dear friend who lives in Fairfax and she said she’d be happy to pick me up at the airport, schlep me to Crushpad, have me for the night and take me back to the airport the next morning. It would be a fun and fast little adventure. Well it did turn out to be fun, but not so fast.

I always fly Burbank to Oakland when I visit SF. Well, because of the short notice and crazy ridiculous rates on that route, this time I would fly from Los Angeles International to San Francisco International. Thursday I arrived at LAX  with just a bit over an hour to make my 10:55 AM Virgin America flight. I took a quick look at the departures monitor and learned that my flight was on time. I proceeded directly to the security line where I patiently stood for over 30 minutes before beginning the process of disrobing. Think about it…here in this globally public place and with hundreds of strangers, everyone takes off all coats, scarves, hats, belts and shoes, empties their pockets of all their valuables, keys, wallets, phones, removes large pieces of jewelry, puts their personal sundries in little ziploc bags for public viewing, and walks cautiously across the cold and dirty floor through the screener, hoping all their “stuff” will be waiting for them on the other side - all the while worring if they remembered to take the Swiss Army knife they usually carry in their purse out to be left at home. Travelling sure isn’t glamouous anymore, that’s for sure. Anyway, now I’m rushing a bit to get to my gate and hit the restroom once more before boarding. As I approach the gate an announcement is made that due to bad weather at SFO our flight has been delayed for one hour. Shortly thereafter the pilot comes out, (that’s a first), and says it’s his experience that these weather delays don’t take as long as they say, so sit tight and he’ll try to get an accurate update.

About 40 minutes later we board. I have secured myself an aisle seat and from this vantage point I watch as late boarders scramble to find overhead space and one woman tries in vain to shove her oversized “carry on” in what clearly was too small a spot. After dropping it finally into the lap of the person unfortunate to have the seat underneath, she finally yanked the valise out and moved on to find new digs for her belongings. I introduced myself to my seat mates, and luckily they were very nice people who I would have the pleasure of getting to know…..very well. After we had left the gate and taxied somewhere, the captain said we would be waiting…in the plane for another hour before being able to take off.  I call my friend who happily answers her phone expecting me to be calling her from my arrival gate. I explain the situation. I later found out she pursued some retail therapy while waiting for me, and that Sephora would probably be delighted by further delays.

We finally arrive SFO a little after 2:00, to the announcement by someone on the plane who already has their Blackberry turned back on, that the outside temp is 41 degrees!  Aargh!! I’m from LA. I don’t have clothes for this kind of weather! My friend is happily waiting for me and we’re finally off, lunch being a priority. We leave the parking lot, paying our $16.00 ransom, off to the Ferry Building in search of warmth and sustenance.

It’s cold and gloomy outside, but at least it’s not windy! As we approach the area where the Ferry Building is located, I notice vintage streetcars that I’m told by my friend are actually working streetcars. How cool - only in San Francisco. We search for 15 minutes for a place to park. Even if we could find a spot on the street, who has $3.50  an hour in quarters just hanging out in their purse?? So we opt for another parking lot, which after 2 hours will cost us another $15.00. And….this lot is a half mile from our destination so we walk…in the cold…by the water. Did I mention I’m from LA. We don’t walk! And especially not in the cold! And in heels!

The Ferry Building turns out to be a foodies paradise. We choose to sit at the counter of a little sandwich shop where we both order the egg salad with tarragon and truffled artichoke pesto on toasted brioche.  Ahhh…things are looking up. We then go on to explore the gourmet market, the wine shop,  the cheese shop, the mushroom shop, the herb shop, the pork shop,(ha ha), and the antique shop  before heading out into the cold, (which I whine about incessantly) and on to…..Crushpad. I am really ready for some wine at this point.

The bay looks foreboding as we travel south past the new baseball stadium. AT&T Park  just sits there in the middle of everything without acres and acres of parking lot buffering it from the rest of the city like our beloved Dodger Stadium. But what this stadium lacks in parking, it more than makes up for in personality. It’s vintage brick veneer reminds me of the old stadiums in New York that used to draw their fans from the surrounding neighborhoods. The sun has set by now, and all of San Francisco seems to be lighting up. I’m told that all those  lights are always up and not just for the holidays. And since we are downtown amongst all the tall buildings, the lights seem to ascend straight into the heavens. We can see the lit bridges in the distance. Gorgeous!

Crushpad is located in an inconspicuous warehouse building, with, you guessed it…no parking! At this hour we are able to find an un-metered spot on the street and only a couple of blocks away. Finally at “the event”, we were delighted to see the vast area with the perimeter lined with racks and racks of wine barrels, was decorated in the holiday spirit, a lavish cheese buffet had been set up, and of course the tables were set with the wines, their proud winemakers poised and ready to delight us with their wares. We picked up our glasses and the list of offerings and decided to start at the beginning.

Aver Family Vineyards was first, and his excitement and enthusiasm were immediately contagious. We clicked glasses and toasted his Rhone Blend and Syrah. Bartz-Allen had an 07 Pinot Noir, Split Rock Vineyard, that was wonderful. Their were more Pinot Noirs at this tasting than any other I had previously attended. And represented by so many different styles. Jazz, Joelle and Think Tank Wine Co. were just three more of the many vineyard designated Pinot offerings. I particularly enjoyed the 06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley from Guy Riedel Wines, and the 08 Sauvignon Blanc, Galleron Road Vineyard, Napa Valley from Damian Rae Winery was deliciously unique and the bottle my friend took home for later.

My family would later ask me if I thought it was worth the trip to attend this event. I answered emphatically, yes. A bold statement, considering that I was in for yet another long journey the next day to get home.  Much to my chagrin, my Southwest flight scheduled to leave SFO at 12:00 pm was delayed, due to weather and construction, for 2 hours. We were told that if we wanted to go on standby on another flight scheduled to leave at 11:30AM, we’d have to hustle over to another gate and get in line. Well, before the announcement was even finished I was already on the move. There was no way I could wait for 2 more hours! Well I was third in line and was thrilled to be handed a boarding pass with a B-2 boarding position only to find out shortly thereafter that this flight had been delayed until 1:00PM. At 1:00, we finally board and I am once again on the aisle with a “front row center” position to watch the female flight attendant do the lifejacket and oxygen mask demo. We pull away from the gate and then…..we stop! Where is the female flight attendant? She’s….leaving with the paramedics?!!! Our captain announces that our attendant is unable to complete this flight, and apparently they travel in pairs, because I see two sets of luggage carted down the aisle and off the plane. We are to wait for a plane to land from which two of their flight attendants will be re-directed to our plane. At 1:26PM my cell phone, which is supposed to be turned off, rings. It’s Southwest calling to inform me my flight’s updated time of departure is now 1:30.???? At this rate, my original flight will probably leave before I do. Two new attendants arrive at 1:40 to a rousing round of applause. At this point I am becoming really grateful for the large bagel I had eaten for breakfast, as lunch was once again going to be late. By 2:00 it looked like we were good to go, but alas, it was not to be. By 2:10 the plane had moved but only into a queue that would leave us on the tarmac with fuel fumes filling the cabin until about 2:30.  Finally with the now falling rain running in sideways streams along the windows, we are wheels up.

By now a good many of the passengers had fallen asleep, including, thankfully, the 2 year old boy sitting to my right. He has been a real trooper through all this, eating his french fries, playing with crayons, and now sleeping with his head on his mom’s lap and the red soles of his black sneaks turned up on his dad’s lap. The girl in front of me, although she looks about 18, has sudccessfully convinced the flight attendant that she is old enough to order a Bloody Mary - it looks really good. The young couple next to  me are headed to Las Vegas to celebrate their 8th wedding anniversary and are now confident they will indeed arrive in time for the 6:00pm event they are scheduled to attend. The little boy awakens and is not happy to discover he is still confined to the seat and restricted by his seat belt. Out comes Dr. Seuss and the crayons. I keep my fingers crossed.

After the obligatory gold bags of honey roasted peanuts and drinks are passed out, we begin our descent. The chilly cabin air is now punctuated with the mingling aromas of nuts, food and……. And since we are now back in the clouds, turbulence. It just keeps getting better. I’m back in LA by 4:30 and thrilled to see my husband waiting for me. But it would be another hour and a half until the San Diego freeway would release me from my travels. I was clearly back in LA again.

What a girl will do for a glass of wine….I’ll Drink to That!

The hills of Paso Robles are alive with the sound of music.  It seems everywhere you turn there is either a musician orchestrating a wine making venture or a winery treating their patrons to the talents of  local musicians. Jazz, country,  rock and roll and even classical all have a place in this sprawling wine making community.

Just this last weekend Paso Robles played host to the Paderewski Festival with concerts and competitions honoring Ignacy Paderewski, virtuoso pianist and composer from 1879-1941. He purchased land in the Paso Robles area in 1914 and for the next 25 years planted almond trees, fruit orchards and Zinfandel grapes. Friday night  Cass Winery played host to a classical piano recital of Paderewski’s works performed by William Koseluk  and on Saturday welcomed their club members to a “pick-up” party featuring the sounds of “Funk 30″, a local band playing funk, R&B, blues and rock.

Funk 30 playing at Cass Winery pick-up party

Since music has been an integral part of my life, and since I’m always anxious to try new wines, I set out to visit a couple of wineries where music and wine are the perfect pairing.  My first stop was at the D’Anbino Vineyards and Cellars tasting room located in the historic train depot in downtown Paso Robles.

There we were warmly greeted by Joannne Rubino, one of the owners of the winery. Her husband, Carmine Rubino, and his partner John D’Andrea both have had long successful careers in the music recording industry, film and television. The walls of the tasting room, which looks more like a very hip nightclub, are lined with photos and awards including a couple of gleaming Emmys in a glass case.  Career memorabilia also adds character to the space, including a Bay Watch pinball machine and a Roman helmet given to Carmine from HBO as a gift for his work on the series “Rome”.  Most of the family are musicians and when everyone’s schedules line up just right, D’Anbino fans are treated to concerts in the tasting room often paired with their wines and a generous helping of Italian comfort food.

Joanne Rubino at D'Anbino tasting bar

Paying homage to the family’s musical background the bar is embedded with a half  dozen piano soundboards, genius idea of Mike Rubino, a composer working in the Los Angeles area. The large space, comfortably appointed with couches, and some high rise cocktail tables and chairs, is perfect to accommodate the crowds that gather when the family band plays or when they bring in a guest artist. (Check the Events page for their upcoming dates.)

The lineup of wines all feature the D’Anbino family band depicted in a colorful watercolor image on the label. We tried them all, but a few were standouts for us. The Syrah Rose had plenty of rich color to it and good body to go with. Full flavored, this is one of the nicest roses I’ve had in a long time. Four varietals make up Quadraphonic, a juicy wine with Cabernet Sauvignon as the lead grape, accompanied by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and earthy rich Syrah. Wonderful layered finish. Their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, a bronze medal winner, is fruit forward with smoke in the mid-palate and vanilla in the long finish.  For those of you whose favorite wine pairing is port and chocolate, their Cabernet Port is a must. (Pun intended) It is not syrupy or over sweet and is delicious all by itself. Pair it with a chocolate mousse or just some good dark chocolate and you have the perfect ending to a special occasion or holiday meal.  Speaking of entertaining - their Cabernet Wine Jelly is delicious with a little goat cheese on a salty cracker. What wine would you pair with some cool jazz?

What would you pair with “roots and blues”? Something with a little mojo perhaps? Domaine Degher is offering both. Denis Degher started writing songs as a teenager. Attaining  recording and engineering skills was the natural progression and brought Denis  successful careers in the music and recording industries. For the last decade he has been recording under the Sleepy Guitar Johnson moniker, and it is under that name that he performs with his trademark red Gibson in and around Paso Robles  when he is not tending to his new-ish winery located in the north-western part of the area.  Denis, after being bit by the wine-making bug and  with a growing appreciation for wine, decided to purchase land in the rolling hills of Paso Robles to plant his small organic vineyard. There, with his young black lab, Coltrane, Denis  has created a horticultural symphony with the vineyard section accompanied by a colorful ensemble of trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers. To walk the estate with Denis is to truly understand this man’s commitment to heartfelt and intelligent farming.

Denis Degher

By day, Denis is a gracious host, proudly pouring a tasting of his small but impressive lineup of red wines. His 2005 Mojo is my favorite - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Sangiovese.This is a lush wine with soft tannins and a wonderful long finish. We also took home a couple bottles of the 2007 Cabernet. Although a little young right now, the beautiful fruit and tannins will clearly meld into a fabulous wine with a little cellaring.

That night, Denis performed at Vinoteca, a cozy popular wine bar located right across from the park in downtown Paso. We met up with some old friends and made some new ones as we sipped one last wine for the evening and listened to the sounds of  Sleepy Guitar Johnson. With roots firmly planted in music and terroir, Mojo is the perfect pairing of wine and music.

Denis Degher at Vinoteca Wine Bar, Paso Robles

Friends share a nightcap at Vinoteca Wine Bar

On the other side of the park from Vinoteca is the tasting room for Vihuela Winery. Vihuela, (also the name for a Spanish Renaissance guitar), offers up some big spicy red wines, one of which is named after the hot and spicy musical group, Incendio. Vihuela’s association with the group inspired this firery Syrah based blend and recommends enjoying this wine with the Incendio cd, a blend of the  exciting sounds of 3 spanish guitars. Incendio wine and Incendio the group - whip up some tapas and it’s a party. Vihuela shares digs with Vivant Fine Cheese, so it’s easy to find all the gourmet goodies needed for an impromptu gathering of friends. Their location also has an inviting patio where patrons can enjoy a glass of wine and cheese plate along with live music, often featured on the weekends.

Cheese selection from Vivant

Music, wine and friends - it’s all there in Paso Robles!

I’ll Drink to That!

Mike, anxious to get the next phase of his first wine making endeavor under way, called to let me know that the brix was down to nada and it was time to go press off the wine. Who knew that Woodland Hills is the location to  one of the only home wine making supply shops in the LA area? So last weekend I met Mike at the Home Wine,Beer,Cheese Making Shop just off the 101 freeway where he was to press his 130 pounds of Syrah grapes.  The store was mobbed with customers purchasing jugs, bottles, corks and wine presses so I had some time to look around. They have everything there, even a small de-stemming machine. Hmmmm….

When it was our turn, “the guy” went to the back to get the wine press out, took it out to the curb and instructed Mike on how to use the press to get the juice from his grapes. I found it amazing that after hundreds of years, the process and the machinery have changed very little. Very basic really. First Mike hosed off the machine - winemakers are apparently big on “hosing” everything, before and after using. I’ve seen plenty of video footage of people hosing off equipment this harvest season.

Then right to it. First the macerated fruit was poured by bucketfuls into the press, and the “free run” juice allowed to flow freely into another bucket. The color of the juice was an incredible deep raspberry color.

As the buckets filled up, the juice was poured into jugs. Mike kept this up until all the free run juice had been collected. Then it was time to press the grapes to get every last drop of his “wine” out of the must. He piled on the blocks and began to ratchet until no more liquid ran and the “cake” was pressed hard. The yield was over nine gallons!

Disassembling the press to remove "the cake"

Compost anyone?

Michael has a lot to show for his efforts.

And then more hosing…..

I’LL DRINK TO THAT !

Trueblood Syrah - Napa Valley - 2004 - $29.95 - Long legged beauty was my  first thought when I poured a glass of this blood red wine. The viscosity of the “legs” was incredible, slowly making their way down the inside of my glass after a good swirl. Dark, rich, lush, elegant…spicy with figs and licorice in a long finish. Bloody good wine.

The crowd excitedly gathered , willingly casting aside their silver stakes and ropes of garlic in exchange for wine glasses from which to taste the tantalizing wines of Vampire Vineyards. As the sun was setting and the darkness of night loomed, the  October networking/tasting event of I’ll Drink to That! was visited by Michael Machat, owner of Vampire Vineyards and Anthony Pescione of Mega Wine Distributors. Together they took eager tasters on a tasting frenzy of 9 wines, mostly made from grapes from the Paso Robles region of the Central Coast of California.

Tasting lineup....

Michael showed his “coffin” wine boxes he had originally designed in the early years of the brand, and dropped the names of some of his first victims, I mean clients, such as Alice Cooper and the Anne Rice Fan Club.

Michael casts his spell on Debbie Miller of Logo Woman

Anthony Pescione of Mega Wine

Anthony also brought two special vodkas to show our now satiated group of tasters. He explained, (we did not taste the vodka at this event), how the red Vampyre Vodka was the perfect vodka for making the ultimate “Bloody Mary”.  He also brought along Blavod Black Vodka, which I had tasted at another event mixed into a cocktail called “The Black Dahlia”. This is one delicious cocktail - perfect for greeting your guests when they come visiting on All Hallows Eve.

Ingredients for "The Black Dahlia" cocktail

Recipe:

For each cocktail, stir together in cocktail shaker or pitcher filled with crushed ice,  3 oz Blavod Black Vodka, 1/2 oz Chambord black raspberry liqueur, 1/2 oz Kahlua and a twist of orange peel. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Artisan created a sumptuous array of “finger foods” including these crostini with roasted pumpkin, roasted shallots and pepita garnish.

Melody Dosch, owner of Artisan Cheese Gallery

Vampire t-shirts were given as door prizes, but the big winner of the day was Debbie Miller of Logo Woman who won a basket of 5 bottles of Vampire wines.

The evening concluded with the IDTT Wine Swap, allowing guests the opportunity to do some networking and take home a new wine to try.

Wine Swap Networking

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

I’LL DRINK TO THAT !

Vampire Vineyards - Dracula Syrah - Paso Robles - 2005 - $17.99

The bottle reads, “reminiscent of the Master’s true love, this wine is exquisite. This Syrah has black cherry and dark chocolate flavors that launch into an intense, dark, rich and flavorful wine. Its texture and balance of spices set up a silky texture and balanced jammy finish.”

I paired this wine with slices of rosemary roasted pork loin with a crust of onions, bread crumbs and parmesan along with fresh corn and pancetta bread pudding and haricots vert with thyme. Bloody good pairing.

Our newbie winemaker, Michael, has his 130 lbs of Syrah grapes from the Templeton Gap area of Paso Robles.  They spent 3 days at 38 degrees to allow the grapes time to sit with the skins, but keeping them from beginning to naturally ferment. When I got on scene the grapes were two days out of cold storage and ready to receive their yeast. Literally up to his elbows in grapes, Michael was surrounded with beakers, syringes, viles, jugs and measuring cups. The grapes were in their bin with a 12 inch thermometer sticking out of the center of the purple mass. After some difficulty measuring the “titratrable acidity”, it was time to, basically, temper the yeast before adding it to the must, which was still quite cold from its time spent in the cooler. Michael kept adding, one cupful at a time, the cool must to the warmed yeast, attempting to bring the temperature of the yeast mixture down without shocking it. (Turns out Michael actually liked chemistry in college). The science experiment went well and now fermentation and punch down.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

FOUR VINES - Heretic- Petite Sirah, Paso Robles - 2007

One of winemaker, Christian Tietje’s, “Freakshow” lineup, this wine is sourced from old vine Petite Sirah from Paso’s calcareous soil. Aged for 16 months in 100% French Oak. Lots of cherry and berry fruit in the nose. Flavors of strawberry, tobacco and mocha. Big, rich layers of black fruit and spice - serve with roast prime rib, pot roast, roast chicken or lamb. This wine and all the other “freaks” are wonderful wines. Check them out at www.fourvines.com.

There are few places on this earth “that never change, the trees just get taller”. So says Bill Rankin, the patriarch of the Rankin family and the dearest cowboy I know. He and his equally endearing wife, Glenda, along with 4th,5th and 6th generation Rankins live and work on their historic California cattle ranch, continuing a tradition of cattle ranching that began in 1863.

Bill’s father, Leroy Rankin, died in 1954 leaving Bill’s mother, Helen, in charge of making the decisions on behalf of the family’s ranch. A precarious position for a woman of that era. Nonetheless, her “frontier” heritage and considerable fortitude allowed her to not only maintain the ranch, but pilot her family’s future with a strong and confident hand. In 1965, in an effort to diversify her agriculture business and ensure her family would be able to continue to live and work on the ranch, she added the guest ranch to her cattle operation. The Rankin’s beloved Helen passed away in  2003, but her legacy lives on.  Rankin Ranch and the wonderful family that runs it and the guest ranch, now in it’s 44th year, is a place where others  now come to make their own history…cowboy style.

My “history” at Rankin Ranch started in September of 1993.  A two hour drive brought me, my friend, Robin, and her young son, Adam, to the small farming town of Arvin, at the base of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County. From there it’s a half hour drive up the mountain, under the curious scrutiny of small herds of white faced Herefords, and then down into Walker Basin, the parcel of land where Rankin Ranch was founded by Walker and Lavinia Rankin in 1863.

Walker Basin

Very little has changed since 1863, except that now guest cabins, built in the 60’s, can be seen along the driveway lined with giant lilac bushes. In fact, very little has changed since 1993, providing me on each of my subsequent visits with the familiar and comforting feeling that I have “come home”. The first indication that perhaps Rankin Ranch is some kind of portal to the past happens as you drive down the dirt road past the cabins, and there on the right is the large old barn, still standing and very much a part of Rankin’s charm and identity. Countless pictures adorn the walls of the dining room and activities building featuring that barn with various gatherings of Rankins, old and new, posed outside its tall doors on one occasion or another. Only the garb of the people in those images indicates the passing of time, the barn never changes.

As you walk onto the guest ranch property, serene and quiet, past the activities building, the ranch gift shop/office and Lightner Square where guests gather before dinner, you see the original home of Walker and Lavinia that was built in the 1870’s. Helen Rankin occupied this home until her death, and now I believe it is being readied for 5th generation Rankins to move in to. The dinner bell still stands in the square, just the trees have grown and now hide the uppermost portion. Continuing the stroll past the tree shaded pool and the expansive lawn, down a few steps….and there it is in all its cowboy glory. Confirmation that indeed you have traveled back to a time when cattle was king, ranches were vast, and cowboys were the real action heroes. The meadow stretches on until it reaches the surrounding mountains. The corral where guests gather to  start their trail rides is in the foreground, and cattle graze lazily on grass and yellow sage. The air smells of dirt and grass and  Robin inhales deeply and smiles.  What you won’t see is a cell phone tower, vetoed by Bill years ago. As he put it, “would you want to see that thing every day on our mountain top?” Indeed, as the sun sets slowly over the meadow, and darkness encroaches, there is an unobstructed 360′ view of the mountain ridge with stars making their appearance on cue, until the sky is a dazzling display of pinpoints of light.

The Rankin family is like our family, warm, glad to see us, and welcoming us home on our most recent visit. Besides the Rankins there are the smiling familiar faces of the cowboys, the cooks, (Rudy has been head cook for over 30 years),even the gardener -  all happy to have us with them once again. We get caught up on the news of  who’s gotten married, who’s had children, and who has passed on. We were sad to learn of the passing of  the square dance caller and his wife who had been coming up to the Ranch every Saturday night during guest season for the last 42 years.

Girlfriends shared wedding dress 42 years ago and still celebrate their anniversaries together with their husbands

Loyalty, family and history - that is the legacy of Rankin Ranch - a legacy that is passed down not only to the family members themselves, but to the guests who visit the ranch to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions and myriad other of life’s milestones. On this particular trip there were two couples who have celebrated every one of their 42 wedding anniversaries together - each year going somewhere new. In honor of this occasion, the traditional Rankin Ranch cake was made and presented to them after dinner and we all sang and shared in their special day.

Another couple and their grown son, who had visited the ranch many times when the boy was younger, were their after a number of years away. They were celebrating life. She had just finished chemotherapy and her son had suggested a family trip to a place that had brought them so many good times together as a family in the past. Robin and I couldn’t remember how many times we had visited the ranch, but we spent hours recalling happy times spent there with so many of the people we love. There were multiple girlfriend trips, trips with mom, trips with kids, and the most memorable trip of all  when we celebrated Robin’s 40th birthday there with a surprise party like no other.

Girlfriends - April 1995

For Robin, however, this trip held special significance. It was at Rankin Ranch so many years ago that the seed for her non-profit organization, El Dustberry Ranch, was first planted in her heart. Her dream of owning horses and a ranch and helping sick kids with those horses did become a reality, but 9 years later, it was time to move on and fulfill the next dream. For Robin, this trip brought her full circle. She would be moving on from her beloved El Dustberry to a new venture in helping children.

So many traditions have been started at Rankin Ranch, inspired by the many traditions that are Rankin Ranch. Besides the people, the meadow and the cabins, the food holds much familiarity to those who re-visit. Three hearty meals a day to satiate the hungry appetites of the cowboys and the guests who have been hiking or riding in all that fresh air. Beef, obviously, is a mainstay and the tri-tip barbeque in the meadow is always a highlight. Guests cozy themselves in the back of a trailer full of hay and are driven out into the meadow where the cooks have prepared a lavish spread of tri tip with amazing bbq sauce, beans, corn, rolls and gingerbread. After dinner and lively conversation, the guests are put into teams and a game of horseshoes is played until the sun sets.  Then the relaxing ride under the blanket of stars back to the ranch for an evening of fun and games in the activities building. The walls inside the cozy wood paneled building hold  testament to the many celebrations held at the ranch, and looking at all the photographs connects you to those that came before.

In the meadow for tri-tip bbq

Amanda Rankin

As final photos are taken, e-mail addresses exchanged, and good-byes made all around, I get my final good bye and giant bear hug from Bill along with a quick bit of philisophical advice. I feel that bond strengthen once again, and  I just know that when it’s time for me to return, everything will be the same - the trees will just be taller.

Girlfriends sharing more history at Rankin Ranch - 2009

RANKIN RANCH- www.rankinranch.com - (661) 867-2511

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Rosenblum Napa Valley Reserve Syrah - Holbrook Mitchell Vineyard - 2005

Some friends shared this bottle with us last night. “Wow” was my exclamation as the inky colored wine poured into my glass. This wine tastes like luxury in a glass. Smooth and voluptuous, velvetty and perfectly balanced. Black currants, blueberries and vanilla flavors. This wine is a hedonistic pleasure and lovely to drink.

2006 currently available at $45.00

Sundays I usually spend preparing a special meal to share with my family, including my “kids” when I can convince them to hang around, and my parents. I like to take the time to prepare something that perhaps I might not have the time for during the busy week prior. I thought I would start to share these Sunday menus with you in hopes that you’ll be inspired to gather friends and family more often, open some wonderful wine and share some quality time around the dinner table. Try some of these recipes, many of which can be found on-line at Epicureous.com, and let me know the results. Bon Appetit!

MENU:

Roast Pork Loin with Fig Sauce (Recipe below)

Wild Rice with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Corn

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar and Prosciutto (Recipe below)

Fuji Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

ROASTED PORK LOIN:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp Chopped fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp salt

1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 31/2 -4 lb boneless pork loin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In small bowl, combine olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Place meat in roasting pan. Evenly spread oil mixture over pork. Roast, turning once, until instant-read thermometer registers 145 degrees in center. (About 45 minutes depending on your oven and weight of meat). About half way through roasting baste with 1/2 cup of liquid from fig sauce.

When meat is done, remove from oven, transfer to cutting board, tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile add roaster juices to sauce pan with fig sauce - heat. Pour over sliced meat. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

FOR FIG SAUCE RECIPE PLEASE SEE:

http://illdrinktothat.info/montage-dinner-menu-fig-balsamic-veal-chops/

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND PROSCIUTTO

4-5  Servings

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

4 ozs thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Place sprouts, oil, prosciutto and garlic in bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and combine. Spread on baking sheet in single layer. Roast until sprouts are tender and brown, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Drizzle sprouts with vinegar, sprinkle with thyme and stir to coat. Continue roasting until heated through, about 5 minutes.

FUJI APPLE SPICE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

This recipe calls to bake in two 9″ round cake pans. It also bakes up well in a 13″x9″ pan as well.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Four Vines - the Peasant - Paso Robles - 2007

This traditional Rhone blend is 33% Syrah, 37% Mourvedre, 21% Grenache and 9% Counnoise. On the nose, smokey black fruit and spice, vanilla crème brulee. On the palate, rich black fruit spice and anise finishing long into vanilla oak.