Benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego

Music and wine lovers indulge all their senses this spring as Rhythm & Vine returns to San Diego North for a one-of-a-kind tasting extravaganza. Held Saturday, April 9, 2011 at Westfield North County in Escondido, the 3rd Annual Rhythm Vine will feature over 35 world-class wineries, spirits and breweries; 25 restaurants and gourmet foods; and three live musical performances by San Diego’s favorite musicians.

APRIL 9, 2011

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

VIP Admission from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

$75 General Admission ($100 at the door); $125 VIP Admission ($150 at the door).

Must be 21 and older to attend.

LOCATION: Westfield North County

272 East Via Rancho Parkway

Escondido, CA, 92025

35 award winning wineries, breweries, and spirits companies.

25 of North County’s chefs and gourmet food companies.

Spectacular, live performances by singer/songwriter Simeon Flick, classic rock cover band Clay Colton Band and local spirited Flamenco band Espiritu Flamenco.

1,000 wine, food, and music enthusiasts, along with members of the trade and media, coming together to support the Boys Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

Silent Auction filled with charitable donations from exhibiting companies.

Exclusive VIP after-party extending past regular event hours from 9:00 – 10:00 pm.

All proceeds benefit the Boys Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit www.rhythmandvine.org

Basically it is a question and answer game.  If you get the question correct, you move on to another random corner of the wine world.  If you are incorrect, it spells out why.  Multiple players may participate or one can study on their own.

I use this CD-Rom all the time to make sure I’m sharp with my global wine knowledge. It has three difficulty levels to grow along with you. Super easy to use, and made for everyone from the beginning wine lover to advanced wine professionals.

Install and running is about as basic as it gets.  Just pop it in your computer, add player(s) names and go.

FIND IT HERE

Taught by San Diego’s own award winning BBQ Pitmaster Dave Vindiola from Smokealicious BBQ and CookingwithChefDave.com, the class offers a great introduction to the entire BBQ process.  The August 7th event will cover everything from types of wood and fire, how smoke and spice work together, selecting the proper cuts of meat, as well as prepping, and of course cooking.

During this hands-on class, students will work with and taste various small batch and gourmet dry rubs and BBQ sauces. Participants will sample smoked cheese, spice crusted BBQ’d pork and mouth watering smoked chicken, alongside select wines from your host, San Pasqual Winery.

Following the class will be a BBQ – themed winemaker dinner with tasty mini-entrée’s prepared by Chef Dave himself, again paired with a selected San Pasqual wine specifically chosen by San Pasqual’s own winemaker, Linda McWilliams.

The August 7th class and dinner will be held at the San Pasqual Winery Tasting Room located at 8364 La Mesa Blvd. Both are limited in size so make your reservations today. (619) 462-1797

BBQ 101 Class Only: $40 (SPW Club Members $35) 4 – 6PM

Winemaker Dinner Only: $65 (SPW Club Members $60) 7 – 9PM

Class and Dinner Combined: $95 (SPW Club Members $85) 

Scheduled Menu:

Hot Smoked Salmon with Green Apples and Horseradish Cream Sauce

Crostini of Black Pepper Crusted Tri Tip with Grilled Maui Onion Marmalade

Applewood Smoked Pulled Pork Sliders with Dr Pepper Cole Slaw

Baby Back Ribs with San Pasqual Winery Syrah BBQ Sauce

Penne with Mesquite Kissed Texas Style Brisket and Fire Charred Tomato Cream Sauce

Chocolate Mousse Martini with Passion Fruit Wine Whipped Cream and Sand Cookies

About Chef Dave

Dave Vindiola was classically trained in the Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Following his formal training he apprenticed at a bistro in Greenwich Village under New York Chef Sebastian Maczko. Upon returning to San Diego he continued to work in the culinary arts as a private caterer, personal chef and culinary instructor. He is a highly popular teacher at Great News Cooking School in Pacific Beach, the head pitmaster of the award winning competition BBQ team Smokealicious, and the Chef at an organic farm in Orange County.

About San Pasqual Winery

In the late 1700’s, vineyards were planted at the Misión San Diego de Alcalá, making San Diego the first area of California to witness wine-making. Centuries later, San Pasqual Winery draws inspiration from the mission legacy, its connection to the famed Rioja region (Alcalá) of Spain, and the uniquely cosmopolitan-yet-frontier old California city of San Diego.

San Pasqual Winery seeks to highlight the communities and people who make San Diego what it is in the past, present, and future. Each varietal or blend is thoughtfully named after places and famous figures of San Diego history, fostering a strong sense of pride in our heritage.

I’ve proclaimed 2010 as “The Year of Happiness”.

Heck, local real estate prices have been on the rise for 8 consecutive months and the stock market has risen nearly 37% over the last year. We certainly have not seen that in a while!

Now is the time to treat yourself (or your Mom!) to something special, and I’m here to offer my own little incentive to do so.  Keep this email as a “Buy one super fun entertaining and informative wine class, get one super fun entertaining and informative wine class free” coupon.*

Each of my 1.5 hour classes cost $250 for up to ten people (do the math, it’s pretty cheap) and includes glassware, printed materials, all wine, and some great memories.

Here is a link to my newly updated “classes” page, which includes videos (the production value is SWEET!) with more info on some of my signature courses.

In addition to those on the website, I also am offering for the first time a “Points vs. Preference” class where we blind taste 88 point wines vs. some that have scored 92 or higher and see what all the hubbub is about, and to put your palate to the test and see if you can taste the difference.

Write me an email for more info or to inquire about available dates.

Finally, I kept the Dom Perignon Champagne Truffles recommendation below as they absolutely thrill all who try them.  Mother’s Day is right around the corner…hint, hint.

Life is short. Rejoice in it!

Mark the Cork Head

www.thecorkhead.com 

Dom Perignon Champagne Truffles 97 points (TCH) FIND IT HERE I kept these in here as a leftover from the last email because they are just so darn amazing.  If you didn’t get them for Valentine’s Day, get them now for Mother’s Day.  I promise you’ll email me and say thanks!       Price: $40.00

Typically this strategy finds me scouring competition results for under priced stars and other moderately priced choices.  However that doesn’t mean I won’t recommend bottles from the upper end of the market when warranted.  

The 2006 Staglin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is warranted indeed.  

Napa Valley Vintners, the trade association dedicated to protecting and promoting the region’s wares, passed through San Diego’s recently transformed Liberty Station as it completed a  road show featuring many of the best wineries Napa Valley has to offer. 

Internationally recognized pillars of the industry such as Shafer, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Paradigm uncorked their current releases, among the over 100 wineries in attendance.  With such a stellar field of participants, the fact that Staglin stood so tall among it’s peers says even more about how thrilling this wine truly  is.

Owners Garen and Shari Staglin brought in their first vintage in 1986.  These were not exactly the swashbuckling Napa days circa 1960 but certainly before it became the Disneyland of wine.  Their vision and courage to move their life from the corporate world to become farmers and vintners resulted in some of the most sought after wines in the United States.

OK, now to the price.  It retails for upwards of $175 a bottle.  Yep, it ain’t cheap, but there is nothing but goodness behind the label, and I’m not just talking about the wine.  More on the wine itself in a jiff.

To the Staglin’s credit, the family has as strong of a focus on charitable activities which may, as hard as it is to believe, outperform the quality of their wines.  Since 1995, Staglin Family Vineyard has sponsored and hosted The Staglin Music Festival for Mental Health.  100% of the festival costs are underwritten by sales of Staglin’s second label, Salus (named after the Greek Goddess of Health).  Since inception, the festival has raised a jaw dropping 53 million dollars to support research of brain disorders such as schizophrenia, depression and bi-polar disorder.  The 2010 version of the festival features Dwight Yoakam and takes place September 11th at the estate. 

Oh yeah…about the wine.  Wow.  When Shari poured me my first taste of her 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, I looked at her and exclaimed while the wine was still in my mouth, “I just don’t think I can spit this out!”  And I didn’t. 

Rare indeed does a wine pass a professional palate at an academic tasting without winding up in a frothing cup of expectorated juice.  Personally it has only happened to me once before where a 2000 Margaux found its way to my lips.  I digress…

This wine expresses everything a Napa Valley cabernet is supposed to be about.   Power, complexity, and a finish so long I literally am still tasting it nearly a week later.

So, indulge me for a brief moment.  Slow down your reading, take a deep breath, and play along with this little experiment. 

Ready?  

Paint a detailed picture of yourself getting behind the wheel of a brand new 7 series BMW.  Feel the firmness of the seat.  Smell the aromatics of the interior.  Imagine the color.  Close the door and fire up the engine.  Feel the gentle vibration as you put it in gear and gently pull out of the drive before punching the accelerator, feeling your body being forced back into the seat while racing down a back street.  Notice how quiet the ride is, allowing you to acutely focus on the handling of the car and the peaceful soft music playing in the background. 

Firm.  Aromatic.  Moving.  Emotional.

The 2006 Staglin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon can have the exact same affect on your mind, body and soul.  Such a passionate experience will mark a place in time for years to come.  Now that’s a long finish if I’ve ever heard of one!

Great quality wine at a fair price–no matter the price. If there is a single bottle you purchase for a special occasion this year, make it this one.  

When considering everything tucked away behind the Staglin label, even at $175, it is a bargain in my book.

Find the 2006 Staglin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon in your market with Snooth.

His unique story began in the 1960’s when wine in the United States was not what it is today. Truth be told, at the time there were actually more orchards than vineyards in the Napa Valley. To receive the best instruction available he would be forced to move overseas.

France’s University of Bordeaux offered the world’s premier wine education, however Osterland did not speak the language. Not to be deterred, he moved to France to study the language for 9 months just so he could enroll. For each hour spent in the classroom, it took him three more just to translate the lessons. Four grueling years later he had attained the highest wine accreditation in France, the D.U.A.D, roughly translated as a professional tasting degree.

Not satisfied with this remarkable accomplishment, his internal drive to be the best took him to London where he sat for and passed the Master Sommelier exam. By doing so, he became the very first American to be awarded this revered title. Since Osterland earned this honor over 35 years ago only 103 total Americans have been able to wear the pin of a Master Sommelier.

Osterland has manifested this pioneer spirit by fusing his psychology background with his singular understanding of wine to create a package of services for corporations called “Power Entertaining with Food and Wine”.

“I’m part speaker, part educator, and part entertainer” says Osterland. His splashy engagements have served some of the greatest corporate names in the United States including American Express, Merrill Lynch, and Citigroup.

Power entertaining is all about introducing premium strategies that will allow his executive clients to impress corporate and personal guests on the same high level at which they have excelled at in the business community.

“My services are not about food and wine as much as they are about developing relationships with clients”.

His signature tool to commence a corporate retreat or seminar is his “Passport to Wines of the World”. During this exercise he pairs specific foods and wines and stations them throughout the room while arming each guest with a passport to each station. Osterland invented this format to create physical movement around the room which provides an improved opportunity for attendees to get to know each other in an enjoyable atmosphere.

When addressing groups as a keynote speaker Osterland specifically avoids preaching the straight and narrow. “I’ll never tell people how food and wine taste”, he says. “Each of us has their own palate and should connect their own dots.” He will however arm his listeners with some useful insight on how to get the most out of tasting wine and combining it with food to assure a lasting impression when entertaining.

Four decades after the courageous decision to become the first American Master Sommelier he continues to be on the leading edge of the industry. In just the last few years he has led hundreds of events, including functions as far away as China.

“I’m thrilled with what I do,” says Osterland.

For more information on Eddie Osterland events or to contact Mr. Osterland, visit www.eddieosterland.com.

More than 240 family owned wineries will be on hand to pour samples inside Exhibition Hall at the 2010 Family Winemakers of California San Diego Tasting. Exhibitors will represent most wine growing regions from around the state, with the highest concentration being from Sonoma and Napa Counties. Owners and winemakers will be on hand to share their wines with the public at this one-of-a-kind tasting.

Though the event has a folksy name, the wines being poured are anything but. The tasting features a star-studded lineup of producers, including Napa Valley standouts Corison Winery, The Terraces, and Grgich Hills. From Sonoma look for Saxon Brown Wines, Fritz Winery, and Landmark Vineyards. Other notable producers scheduled to pour include the likes of Tablas Creek Vineyard, Pisoni Vineyards and Winery, and Alfaro Family Vineyards, among countless superstars.

Wine tasting events with this degree of transparency to winery ownership traditionally were reserved exclusively for those in the wine business. What makes this exhibition so special is the unprecedented access to winery executives by the general public. “Their intimate involvement with many more aspects of the winemaking process provides for a much more unique experience as far as the dialogue goes”, said Michelle Metter, an organizing consultant for the event.

The Terraces owner and winemaker Timm Crull has high hopes for the first time exhibition. “This event will have great wines”, said Crull. “San Diego and North County are important areas. We are very excited to be there.”

Saxon Brown winemaker Jeff Gaffner is also pleased to continue inroads to the San Diego market, and in such an open format. “It gives us a chance to pour all our wines”, said Gaffner, who plans on offering 12 different choices.

With so many producers on hand, patrons should go with a plan so they may seek out their preferred producers, wines, and varietals. The Family Winemakers of California website, www.familywinemakers.org has a complete list of scheduled exhibitors. Additionally, an advanced feature on the website allows web surfers the ability to select varietals they are interested in tasting and will be directed to the producers who will be pouring them.

The 2010 Family Winemakers of California San Diego Tasting is open to the public from 3-6 p.m. Tickets are available online for $45, or at the door for $55. Organizers recommended attendees purchase tickets online as the event may sell out and tickets at the door may not be available. For more information visit www.familywinemakers.org.

Companies such as Cox Cable in San Diego have enjoyed a competitive advantage over rivals such as a 1992 law left a loophole which allowed the cable giant to withhold Padres programming from competitors such as DirecTV or AT&T’s U-Verse television service.  Wednesday, the FCC voted 4-1 to close the loophole.  

Phillies, 76rs, Knicks, and Rangers fans were also affected by this ruling and should enjoy more choices as to whom they purchase television programming from in the future, while still being able to support their favorite team.

It is unknown when the change may take material affect, and cable companies could mount another challenge to the ruling.  Stay tuned…and you should be able to, no matter where you buy your programming from.

Wine consumers also benefited from a First Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Thursday throwing out a 2006 law enacted by the Massachusetts legislature over the veto of then Governor R-Mitt Romney effectively restricting 98% of the United States wine from being shipped to residents. 

Attorney General D-Martha Coakley, who was recently trounced by R-Scott Brown in the landmark election to fill the state’s vacated United States Senate position, had fought to uphold the restrictive law. 

The Cork Head’s take:  Shouldn’t we all learn a lesson from these rulings and election and realize, beyond party lines, that our country is a free one.  We love to have to have the freedom of choice and allow the open market to fall where it may.  Competition is what built our country and what will make it strong again, not governmental restrictions, outlandish spending, or undue taxes on the successful businesses and individuals who actually create long lasting careers instead of temporary job statistics.  However, political pressures will continue to drive our government to make decisions that are often not in the best interest of our country or in the support of the freedom of choice.  And, when that happens, the citizens have the power to express the ultimate freedom and expression of will with a single vote.  The election of R-Scott Brown, along with the FCC ruling and overturning of the Massachusetts wine law should be another in an ongoing series of wake up calls to all that we the citizens of this great country are the true owners and will decide our own ultimate fate.

Damon and Sabrina

In September of 1998 Damon Goldstein traveled to Germany’s Rheingau for the first time with the purpose of visiting the family home of his sweetheart Sabrina Vochan.

Being one of the great wine growing regions on earth, he dropped in on few wineries along the way where he was  stunned by the quality and style of wines being produced.   They were nothing like the German wines he had tasted in the United States.   “I bought a whole case and squirreled it away”, said Goldstein.

As the couple’s relationship blossomed into marriage, they wanted to find a way to spend more time in Germany while at the same time looking for employment in a growth industry in their San Diego home.  The shared passion for the style of wine being produced in her homeland provided an impetus to open a specialty wine store that showcases the boutique German wine producers they revere.

Truly Fine Wine features premium and ultra-premium wines made by elite micro-producers from the best growing regions in Germany. Their portfolio includes everything from traditional dry riesling and pinot noir to the crisp sparkling Sekt to the haunting nectar of a trockenbeerenauslese. One thing you won’t find here are the Blue Nun’s of the world made popular in the United States throughout the 60’s and 70’s.

Due to the efforts of merchants such as Truly Fine Wine, riesling is inching closer to becoming mainstream in the US.   According to the Wine Market Council, consumption of the varietal increased 24% over last year.

Truly Fine Wine has championed this wine wave in San Diego by bringing these superior products to market.   “We break stereotypes of the (wines)”, Goldstein says proudly.

Though not the easiest place to see from the road, the shop is conveniently located just south of Costco at 4606 #K Morena Boulevard.   Just look for the “German Wine Wholesale” sign they put up by hand each morning.  Improved visibility might be better for business, but they like the personal attention afforded each customer that comes through the door. “Stop by on your way to Costco” says Goldstein.  “In five to ten minutes we can provide the basic knowledge that will allow any consumer to make an informed decision about our wines.”   They also offer the opportunity to do scheduled private tastings.

In a world dominated by big box stores, quality retailers offering personal service and unique products at superior value are a rare commodity indeed. Drop in on Truly Fine Wine while visiting that “other” retailer on the block to discover for yourself what makes this place, and people, so special. For more information visit www.trulyfinewine.com

Local Singer/Songwriter Gary Seiler

Local musical artist Gary Seiler wrote a poetic song about San Diego after Labor Day, which includes the refrain: “Beaches are empty, yeah. It’s good to be back home!” He sings of vanishing tourists and how special our home is this time of year, including its having the best weather of the season.

Weather is a natural flavor to partner with wine. If that is a difficult concept to grasp, think of a steaming cup of hot chocolate on the back porch after a long day of skiing in Mammoth. Now picture yourself with that same cup of cocoa at La Jolla Cove on a sunny September saturday!

Warm sunshine and chardonnay? Save that one for someone else. Gruner veltliner, Austria’s native and most important grape, offers a crisp change of pace that pairs perfectly with San Diego’s warm foray in to fall.

Let’s start with simplifying the name. Officially, it’s pronounced “GREWH-ner FEHLT-lee-ner.” Certainly a mouthful, and one wine professionals are making user-friendly by either shortening to the initials G.V. or calling it by its nickname “gru-vee,” the latter certainly describing how this wine is being accepted across the country.

“When I pour it at the wine bar, people usually end up buying it,” said Bill Boyer of The Wine Loft in Carlsbad on the increased awareness and popularity of the varietal.

Since the 1980s, Austrian vineyard managers have been experimenting with lower yields and therefore higher ripeness levels. The results were richly flavored wines while still retaining balanced acidity levels. These changes in the vineyard have led to the proliferation of gru-vee exports across the globe.

On the table, gru-vee is among the most food-friendly wines available, even being a natural partner to the nearly impossible to pair asparagus and artichoke. Modern cooking’s focus on the fresh flavors of local ingredients is highlighted by the brightness of these wines.

Due to the grape’s naturally high acidity levels, these wines are among the few excellent white wine cellar candidates. Acidity acts as a preservative and allows these wines to mature for a decade or more.

Though gru-vee is made in many countries, it is best expressed in Austria, and specifically the Wachau (pronounced va-COW) region. Here the lime and grapefruit aromas marry perfectly with the varietal’s hallmark feature, white pepper.

Gru-vee tastes like it is from the same family as riesling, but without the petrol aromas and the sometimes-accompanying sweetness. The two varietals share similar weight and, for wine geeks, clarity of place, making a side-by-side tasting of different vineyards from a single vintage a pleasurable exercise.

Excellent gru-vees can be found at most any wine shop in the county for around $15, including at Carlsbad’s The Wine Loft at the wine bar, if you want to try before you buy.

Chardonnay is great, and absolutely has its place at the table, but there is no better way to chill away the late San Diego summer than kicking back with a cool glass of gru-vee and the Jimmy Buffet-like sounds of Gary Seiler.