Van Webb 10/15/15 Van Webb 10/15/15

Wine From Unexpected Places

Wines often surprise with unheard of grapes, but unexpected stories also surround their points of origin. Check out this delicious tour across continents:

Pietradolce Etna Rosso 2013

Made from Nerello Mascalese, grown on the "northern slopes" of Mount Etna, Sicily, the largest active volcano in Europe. Dirty and stony, for sure! - $22

Domaine de Fontsainte La Demoiselle 2013

Not so surprising a place, (Languedoc-Roussillon, France) but with antique vines planted by the Romans, on a thermal spring. A tasty blend of Carignan, Grenache, and Mourvedre. - $20

Campolargo Valdazar 2009

Trincadeira da Bairrada, Touriga Nacional, Baga, and Tinta Barroca grapes from Portugal. That sums it up. Ripe and earthy, with lasting length. - $20

Channing Daughters Rosato Di Cabernet Franc 2014

A Long Island, New York winery, with a reputation for experimentation. Like this Rosé made from 100% Cabernet Franc. Crispy citrus flavors and bone dry. - $20

Lieu Dit Pinot Noir Santa Ynez Valley 2013

Sommeliers like Eric Railsback flocking to make wine in the Santa Barbara area is no surprise. The volume of fantastic wines, and that they remain undiscovered by the mainstream, is another story. Bright red cherries, with acidity and a fantastic finish. - $40

Van Webb 10/6/15 Van Webb 10/6/15

Wine Stories - Paydirt, Paso Robles

Patrick McNeil always brings non-traditional artistic expression to the wines he works with. An entrepreneur on the business side of wine, he was previously behind the design and marketing of The Prisoner, among others. Now with winemaker McPrice Myers, he has his own memorable brand on the market, Paydirt. The label on the current Going For Broke blend is part of a larger work of art, with another piece of the puzzle appearing on a different bottling, Reckless Abandon. Perhaps there will be additional wild-eyed labels in the series, and exciting red blends to match!

Paydirt Going For Broke 2013 - A mouthful of a red blend, with Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, and Mourvedre. A juicy balance of dark berries, medium tannins, some peppery spice, a taste of The Dirt of Paydirt, and a pleasantly lingering finish. $30

Van Webb 2/26/15 Van Webb 2/26/15

Tasting Experience At Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant

After an impassioned pitch from Brian McClintic of SOMM fame, I was more than eager to visit Les Marchands, his Santa Barbara Funk Zone wine bar. On a pleasant Friday evening in January, the bar was already bustling, and my group of four tested out the adaptability of his staff.

I loved the space, with partially roughed-out walls blending right into refined areas with floor to ceiling wine racks. We sat at a corner table directly adjacent to the end of the bar, where we never felt crowded or over-stimulated by the activity around us. I laid out my desire to taste several wines with my wife, while our companions would have only a glass, and asked for suggestions. There was not a tasting on the menu that night, but our initial server confirmed what I was looking for, and assured us that it could be arranged. Soon, a second server arrived. Based on a series of questions, she recommended six wines between the by-the-glass menu and specials board in the bar. My friends chose their glass from her descriptions that followed.

Terre Des Chardons Marginal Grenache 2011 - What became my overall favorite. A great funky nose, then red berries and roundness. $43
Calabretta Cala Cala Nerello Mascalese NV - My favorite that night was tannic and tart, with several layers and a long finish. $29
Catherine et Pierre Breton Trinch! Cabernet Franc 2013 - Grassy, followed by earth, with a sweet finish. $33
Bellus Girasole Sangiovese 2010 - Petroleum on the nose, then peppery, dirty, and mouth-drying. $31
Ojai Vineyards John Sebastiano Syrah/Grenache 2013 - From Santa Barbara County. $46
Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - From Happy Lane, CA. $46

I inquired of our server about the wine clubs and shipping availability, and another staff member came to escort me to the wine market. He took considerable time to answer my questions about the current inventory and how the clubs work, while addressing numerable questions and requests from staff. The mission of helping customers to discover unknown wines was highlighted. We were discussing Cote Rotie. He described how, if my orders make clear I am a fan of Cote Rotie, or Northern Rhone, or Syrah in general, that Brian and the staff will recognize and use this knowledge to customize future shipments. However, this will not eliminate the encouragement of new experiences, as there will still be the unexpected bottles. I am certain that patrons of the wine bar and club members may be accustomed to hearing, "trust me", from the staff, and pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

There were slight transitional delays in service. I would like to have heard more about the Vallin project Brian is involved in. Perhaps the omission was due to lack of supply of the popular new wines. There was over-sell on the ramen bowl special, a new feature which was suggested four times, even though I stated from the beginning we were only drinking wine.

Four total staff members combined for a complete service experience, accommodating all requests, including the unscheduled, impromptu wine tasting, and answering all questions. Overall, I was pleased with adequate service, and exhilarated by the wines and the discussion of them with several staff members who "got it". I would become a fixture of Les Marchands should I spend regular time in Santa Barbara.

Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant

Suite B, 131 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Van Webb 2/24/15 Van Webb 2/24/15

Best Of Los Angeles Wine, Service, And Dining

The standouts from my visit to Los Angeles and SoCal, from Laguna to Lompoc:

wine

Sandhi Sta Rita Hills Chardonnay 2012 - These first two are Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman's Santa Barbara projects. Full coverage here.
Domaine De La Cote Sta Rita Hills 2012 - Pinot Noir...
Terre Des Chardones "Marginal" 2012 - Found at Les Marchands. A funky, earthy Syrah-Grenache with a sweet hint to end.
Calabretta Vino Rosso "Cala Cala" NV - Also from Les Marchands. "The magma in the body". Drink from Mount Etna.
Marotti Campi Rubico Lacrima Di Morro D'Alba 2012 - Discovered at the Slow Wine event. The story here.

service

Domaine De La Cote Tasting Room - Outstanding hospitality, throughout set up and a generous tasting. Lompoc
Open Sesame - Friendly, thorough service and constant attention, from only one server. Long Beach
Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant - Brian McClintic's thriving operation. Four staff members assisted with everything from setting up an impromptu tasting, to advising on a selection of Cote Rotie to take home. Santa Barbara
Hotel Shangri-La Dining Room Bar - A right-proper mimosa, with just a splash of OJ, but they had me at Whistle Pig Rye. Santa Monica
C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery - French foods and baked goods were good. The view of the ocean from the upstairs deck, along with entertaining service from "Gary Glitter" made the experience. Gary knows anything you need to know about the area. Laguna Beach

food

Republique - I left wanting more. Read about it. 624 South La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles
Open Sesame - Beef shawarma, lamb chops, hummus, garlic fried potatoes. Musar Jeune 2011. A great experience. Long Beach
Kogi BBQ Truck - The sweet chili chicken quesadilla, Kogi dog, and various tacos on the hood of my rental. Various locations
Tortilla Republic - Great sauces on both the duck enchiladas with a habanero cream sauce and mole chicken enchiladas. West Hollywood
Ma 'n Pa Grocery - "World Famous Fried Chicken" every Wednesday...from a converted gas station. Long Beach

best cocktail

Patterson’s Nap at Melrose Umbrella Company - Cool drink in a cooler place. Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Tangerine, Lemon, Campari. West Hollywood

best to be

Augustine Wine Bar - Now open! 13456 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks

Van Webb 12/2/14 Van Webb 12/2/14

Red Wines That Are Primo!

Here are some outstanding reds to stand beside last week's white wine picks from the Primo's Fine Wine and Spirits tasting:

Ad Lucem Daystar Syrah Red Willow Vineyard 2012 - Dark and velvety, with smoke, pepper, and spice. A long, smooth finish. Rhone style, 100% Syrah from a single vineyard. $35

Gehricke Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2012 - Powerful, juicy red berries with smokey wood, leather and pepper. A great first release. $37

Peter Paul Russian River Valley Mill Station Pinot Noir 2012 - Another version of big Pinot, darker red berries and spices. A hint of cola to make it dance. $38

Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Franc Wahluke Slope 2012 - Round and ripe, and packing heat. 100% Cabernet Franc with a big burst of cherry-red fruit and length. $29

Domaine de la Colline St-Jean Vacqueyras 2011 - Dense, chewy, French funk from this blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. $19

Van Webb 11/17/14 Van Webb 11/17/14

Wine and Turkey Talk

Turkey Time

If there is a traditional meal of turkey and all its trimmings in your near future, does it require a similarly predictable wine? I think not. The likelihood of a larger group of people with a multitude of tastes and preferences is high, and the ease of accessibility to experiment with diverse and affordable wines that work for such a meal has never been greater. Why not broaden out in your wine and food pairing experience? Here are a variety of wine styles and recommendations, from expected to out of the norm, for turkey dinner on any day.

Reds

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - Bright, with dominant red berries, spices, and hints of sweetness, even cola.

Cote de Nuits Burgundy - Elegant expressions of Pinot Noir, complex, and earthy. Narrowing further, Nuits-St-Georges are typically reasonable in price.