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Touring & Tasting's Wine Lounge
A forum for wine lovers to share their thoughts and experiences...  May 14, 2012 | Tama Takahashi
Sun and Fun in Santa Cruz
This was our fourth time at the Seascape Resort in Aptos--just minutes south of Santa Cruz. It's a great place for a romantic weekend, for quiet walks along its 17 miles of secluded beach and for cozying up in front of the fireplace. We have also stayed with the kids in a two bedroom suite with ample room and full kitchen; they've loved splashing in the pools and jacuzzi. The Seascape Golf Course is well-kept and heavily wooded, keeping a feeling of unspoiled nature as it wends its way through a residential neighborhood. We love the Sanderlings Restaurant--their award-winning clam chowder recipe can be found here. I pieced together four photos to make a panoramic view of the oceanfront:
The view: priceless. The experience: blissful. The result: new energy for life's many tasks and the whirlwind passage of time.  May 2, 2012 | Katie Tullsen
Wine Song Wednesday - LeAnn RimesHappy Wednesday Wine Lovers, it's time for Wine Song Wednesday! This week Touring & Tasting is featuring LeAnn Rimes with "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine". Hope you enjoy!
Good Friend and a Glass of Wine
Who died and crowned me everybody's everything
A good friend and a glass of wine
I don't need to jet off to no vacation for a week
A good friend and a glass of wine
May 1, 2012 | Tama Takahashi
Farm Fresh and Local
Buttonwood Farm Winery fit perfectly into the evening's theme of local and sustainable as the founder, Betty Williams, was a proponent of organic farming long before it became fashionable. Buttonwood continues to be a careful steward of their land, using organic techniques and tending the vineyards by hand. Buttonwood also produces more than wine: peach salsa, Cabernet chocolate sauce, olive oil, Sauvignon Blanc jelly and other delectable items. The Buttonwood Farm is a destination--not just a tasting room. I missed their farm tours during April's Earth Month On the Farm, but I see they have a Crawfish Boil coming up on May 19th--crawfish + Buttonwood wines = a winning combination! April 23, 2012 | Tama Takahashi
Everything Under The Sun
April 18, 2012 | Katie Tullsen
Wine Song Wednesday - The Civil WarsWe're bring Wine Song Wednesday back to Touring & Tasting's blog! What better way to start then with "Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars.
Poison & Wine
You only know what I want you to
I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back
April 13, 2012 | Tama Takahashi
Reaching For Stars In Santa Barbara
The YMCA Youth and Family Services runs programs to shelter youth in crises, provide a fun and safe afterschool alternative in Isla Vista, and provide housing and support for foster kids that have aged out of foster care and find themselves alone in the world. Beside Chef Vincent Vanhecke, the long Who's Who list of chefs included Greg Murphy from bouchon, Brandon Hughes from Wine Cask, Christine Dahl (the amazing pastry chef), James Sly from his restaurant Sly's, and several teachers and students from the School of Culinary Arts at SBCC.
Delicacies included House-cured Duck Prosciutto, Abalone with Gremolata Butter, Wagyu beef, Chèvre Medallions with an Asian-inspired salad made by personal chefs Don Skipworth and Mari Bartoli, and a to-die-for dessert of Warm Raspberry Phyllo Cheesecake Triangle, Chilled Raspberry Soufflé and Raspberry Tea Infused Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake. Wines were donated by: Gainey, Cottonwood Canyon, Deep Sea, Fess Parker Winery, Jordano's, Lucas & Lewellen, Melville, Oreana, Roblar and Zaca Mesa. A good time was had by all! April 9, 2012 | Tama Takahashi
When Bigger is BetterSome people, including many connoisseurs more expert than I, hold the opinion that French wine is the most superior in the world --witness the astronomical $1,000 plus price per bottle for Grand Cru Bordeaux. But, while I appreciate the finesse and complexity of French Bordeaux and Rhone blends, I learned to love wine by drinking our California reds such as Napa Cabs, Russian River Pinots, Paso Robles Rhone Rangers, Santa Barbara Pinots and Syrahs. IMHO, Old World French wine tends to be softer and earthier, whereas New World wines encompass a wider range of flavor and structure profiles and tend to be bolder. They can be "hot"--over 14% alcohol--and fruit-forward, with firm tannins--wines that make a confident statement, without going over the top. I will declare, (I assume the persona of Mae West when I say this): I like my red wine like I like my men--big, bold and hot!
The Eberle Cote-du-Robles is the equivalent of the cultured, educated man who will wow you with his depth and intensity. He has tales to tell and universes to open to you. Be mesmerized as you enjoy a long, leisurely dinner of foods slow cooked with many flavors, like meat braised in wine or vegetable tagine spiced with curry. Slowly savor each delicious sip. Malbec can be so tannic that it's like a mouthful of vine; but not the Tinto Negro Malbec--it is rich with fruit. The tasting notes for this wine says: "Surprising light for a Malbec, this wine is approachable and delicious". But, make no mistake, this is not a light wine. It is a muscular, proud Argentinian with flashing eyes that dare you to live life to the fullest. This Malbec will grip you with strong arms and whirl you around the dance floor with fearless tenderness. Serve with grilled steak--preferably on the wild, grassy hills of the Argentinian Pampas. Zinfandel was long considered "America's vine and wine", a true American product. Zinfandel has concentrated flavors because the grapes ripen unevenly and are often berry selected for this reason. The "old vine" Zins have very low yields, leading to more extraction. Because the fruit ripens fairly early and produces juice with high sugar levels, the alcohol content is often over 14%, sometimes over 15%. I love it because the deep fruit flavors of berries and plum are complemented with spicy and peppery notes. Zinfandel is like my California man, big, tall and self-assured. I see him golden from the sun, like a luscious grape ripened to perfection. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty with hard work, but the same strong hands have the gentleness to harvest a cornucopia of pleasures from the fertile soil. The Pietra Santa Zinfandel , handcrafted from estate grapes cultivated to express the land, was the perfect pairing for a meal made from a Southern California kitchen garden. April 3, 2012 | Katie Tullsen
The Woodinville Washington Experience - Guest Blogger Dan WeldyTouring & Tasting's National Brand Manager Dan Weldy recently traveled to Woodinville, Washington and brought back several secrets he would like to share with you!
Secret #2: Virtually all the wineries get their grapes from Eastern Washington and many of them make their wine in facilities close to the vineyards. The winemakers either live in eastern Washington or spend windshield time driving back and forth over the Cascade Mountains. Good for them that it’s a beautiful commute with striking views along the way. Secret #3: If you are visiting from outside Seattle, you should be advised that the Willows Lodge is an amazingly nice hotel and spa located in Woodinville. The Spa at Willows Lodge allows you to sooth away tension. The landscaped grounds offer a gardenlike setting. The guest rooms have fireplaces and big bathtubs. The Barking Frog Restaurant at the Willows was described by my dinner companion from California recently as “the best restaurant I’ve ever been to.” The Executive Chef, Bobby Moore wasn’t even working that night. The Sous Chef, Joshua Delgado just blew us away. I mean, you can’t beat it.
Secret #4 Since many of the people coming to Woodinville are driving home to wherever they live around Seattle after visiting the Tasting Rooms, there aren’t many hotels in town. However, Woodinville’s Matthews Estate Winery has a very nice two bedroom house on their property where you can stay in quiet privacy. It is tucked away up on a hillside behind the tasting room with a beautiful view of the area. Reservations are accepted 7 days a week. Secret #5 This may seem an odd observation, but I don’t recall visiting a place where you see so many things made out of wood. I mean wood floors, wood bed frames, wood doors, wood blinds, wood tables, wood siding, exposed wood beams everywhere. Maybe it’s obvious to the locals because it was lumber that got settlers to move to Washington in the first place. I like wood and I noticed it. Maybe that’s why they call it…… (Actually Woodinville is named after Ira and Susan Woodin who were original American settlers). Secret #6 Rain and cool weather is a way of life in Woodinville. It’s a quiet rain. It’s not accompanied by thunder, lightning, and high winds, at least during my visits. The sound of rain can be as relaxing as ocean waves on the shore to my senses. It’s a lighter rain that leaves sparkling drops of moisture on the flowers, bushes and trees in the morning. The birds don’t seem to mind. Rain is as important as sun when it comes to nature. It’s a beautiful thing. When it’s clear and sunny and the mountains come into view you feel like you are residing in a National Park. You should ask yourself when traveling if you like taking vacations where the local’s hangout or do you like taking vacations to places where tourists hangout. Woodinville, Washington’s professionally developed tasting rooms are primarily visited by locals from Metro Seattle. They have a really good thing in Woodinville. Lots of people visit from outside Seattle too. I meet people from British Columbia when I’m in Woodinville. If you seek out places where locals find comfort then Woodinville is a good spot. In a town where wine tasting rooms are the main attraction, friendliness abides. I don’t know anywhere in America that has about 90 tasting rooms that represent world class wineries from their home state located in a suburban setting. California certainly has the girth to grab most of the attention for wine country. However in terms of wine quality Washington has established itself as a premier wine making region that will continue to please the palate for generations to come. For wine quality, Woodinville is right at the top for discussions about wine destinations. There was an urban legend that I heard many years ago that said: It doesn’t really rain that much in Seattle. People from Seattle want everyone to think that it rains all the time because it will keep them from moving there. Maybe that’s why this northwest region still seems undisturbed compared to many other big metro markets. Next time you make it to Seattle, you may choose to enjoy the usual tourist attractions in the city. But you should think about staying a night or two in the friendly town of Woodinville, a quiet, one of a kind, American suburb that is one of the country’s greatest wine tasting destinations.
Matthews Estate accomodates overnight guests
April 2, 2012 | Tama Takahashi
Santa Barbara Chapter American Wine Society
Paul, Touring & Tasting president (left), and Dorothy Schuler
Tempranillo grapes have a thick skin which contribute tannins and color, but little acidity--something that can be rectified when they are grown in areas where the nighttime temperatures plunge, like Paso Robles. Tempranillo doesn't oxidize quickly, so it ages well. It's a refined wine, especially compared to other ones made from hot climate grapes, and goes well with one of the main ingredients in Spanish food: olive oil.
We nibbled on crisp cucumber topped with beets (my favorite!), Manchego cheese in olive oil, endive stuffed with herbed grain, cucumber shots, and other treats. I believe this was the fifth meeting of the newly formed Santa Barbara chapter.--join here Read more about Paso Robles Wine Country, including Insider Tips--here. March 27, 2012 | Tama Takahashi
Handcrafted Pinot Noir in the windswept hills of Sta. Rita AVA
Here's a great food/wine pairing: a young, light bodied Pinot Noir served with three-cheese quesadillas, corn salsa and spicy red pepper sauce.
One of the pioneers in viticulture was Richard Sanford who planted the first Pinot Noir vineyard in the area in 1970. Armed with a degree in Geography, he researched land and climate across the state and discovered the Santa Rita Hills had similar terroir as Burgundy, France. He and his wife founded the eponymous winery, with partner Michael Benedict, and produced award-winning wines for 27 years before leaving Sanford and creating the sustainably-farmed and organic Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards in the same AVA. The Sanfords were instrumental in establishing the tiny (about 48 square mile) AVA. Alma Rosa consistently wins medals and acclaim for their wines: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Gris.
You may wonder why the proper name for the AVA is "Sta. Rita" instead of "Santa Rita" when the location is the Santa Rita Hills. This came about because a Chilean wine producer, Viña Santa Rita, which has been making wine in that country for 130 years, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Treasury (which overses the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives, and threatened to sue any winery that used the Santa Rita name. Richard Sanford met with the Chilean producer and was able to broker a compromise where the Santa Barbara County region would use the abbreviation "Sta." -- and abbreviation that has historical precedence, since it was used for Mexican land grants in California's early years. History, fine wine, good food and art make the Santa Rita Hills a great touring & tasting destination! |
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Is it almost June already? The days, weeks and months fly by in a flurry of phone calls, emails, work...remember the old black and white films that would show the passing of time with the pages of a calendar flying off? Sometimes it feels like time zips by that way. I was just getting used to writing "2012" and the year is nearly halfway over!
So, it was a moment of sheer bliss when I found myself with a steaming latte in hand, sitting in the chic Sanderlings Restaurant with the blue Pacific folding in waves outside the windows and nothing to do all morning except relax. If the word "vacation" could be shown in one photo--this would be it--no work, no phone, no chores...just the morning paper and a delicious breakfast enjoyed leisurely.
May 14, 2012 at 9:07 AM
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We feasted on olives and cheeses from Olivos Del Mar, beef sliders and BBQ organic chicken from DeyDey's Best Beef Ever, halibut with miso ginger marinade and black cod with arugula pesto from Santa Barbara Fish Market, grilled asparagus and legume and fresh vegetable salad from Farmer Direct Produce, organic salad from Shepherd Farms, and luscious berries with Champagne-honey sabayon from The Berry Man who also donated this amazing gift basket won by raffle. UCSB Executive Chef Jaime Herrera and his team created a culinary tour de force with the fresh produce, meat and seafood
Becky, the new marketing manager at Buttonwood Farm Winery, brought four of their lovely wines: two Sauvignon Blanc, a Malbec and a Cabernet Franc. I loved the 2010 Zingy--100% Sauvignon Blanc that was hand-harvested and slow, cold fermented, yielding a crisp, bright wine with citrus and peach flavors. The 2010 Signature Blend Sauvignon Blanc was blended with aromatic Semillon. Malo-lactic fermentation gives it a creamy texture and, though the citrus is still evident, tropical flavors of guava and passionfruit are predominant. Anyone who finds Argentinian Malbec too rugged will love the 
Buttonwood 2009 Malbec which has a velvety texture. It's still a bold wine with structure and jammy flavors, but without any rough edges. My favorite was the 2008 Cabernet Franc. The vintage notes remind us that 2008 was an odd year for weather with the coldest spring in 25 years. Their crop was less than half the normal volume, but the smaller quantity was carefully hand-harvested and field sorted. Cabernet Franc is one of the grapes used to blend traditional Bordeaux and has a medium body and aromatic nose. The Buttonwood Cabernet Franc was well-balanced with a minerally touch to the mix of fruit flavors.
As the Culinary Institute of America's wine book Exploring Wine states, "The dedicated farmers and producers of Santa Barbara County set a high benchmark for California wines". Indeed they do! The comedy "Sideways" may have helped bring recognition to the area, but it has been the quality of the wines that have piqued the interest of the wine writers, like Robert Parker, Jr. who said, "No viticultural region in America has demonstrated as much progress in quality and potential for greatness as the Central Coast, with its Rhône varietals, and the Santa Barbara region, where the Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted in its cooler climates." He predicts our wine "will rule America". Wow. But, our wineries weren't polishing up their "I am king of the world" speeches over the weekend, they were pouring wine at the Santa Barbara County Vintner's Association Festival--the highlight of their four-day spring celebration of Santa Barbara wines.
Our Touring & Tasting owners were there, giving away magazines at our booth: the smiling Dan Fox, Managing Partner, and Paul Arganbright, President and Wine Club Manager, 
scarfing down gourmet pork bits. I was chowing down also--stuffing my face with all the tasty tidbits being given out by local restaurants, like the calamari salad from Root 246 and luscious meatballs from Trattoria Grappolo. It was nice that there weren't long lines, as there sometimes can be at big wine festivals, and many of the winemakers and tasting room managers were present to pour their wines and answer questions. The Festival is a great way to "tour" the County in one place.
Headed by Chef Vincent Vanhecke of The Valley Club of Montecito, many of the top chefs in Santa Barbara donated their expertise to benefit the YMCA Youth and Family Services at a gala 5-course meal Tuesday night.
Attendees enjoyed a wine tasting of 
The other evening, I made pasta all'uovo from scratch and a fully flavored marinara sauce with handfuls of fresh herbs from my garden and half a head of garlic. We needed a hearty red wine to pair with this meal, so we sampled three wines from the Touring & Tasting cellar: the 
Woodinville, Washington is a one of a kind place in America. It’s the suburban Seattle community where Chateau St. Michelle established the beginnings of the wine industry in Washington in 1976. There are about 90 wineries and tasting rooms in close proximity in Woodinville. Roughly half of them call Woodinville their home base. The other half are wineries from Eastern Washington who have opened tasting rooms to be closer to the Seattle market. That’s the short explanation of what it is.
Paul Arganbright, Touring & Tasting president, and I attended the Santa Barbara chapter of the American Wine Society (AWS) last week. The AWS includes wine lovers from novice to expert, amateur and professional winemakers, and people in all aspects of the wine trade. This meeting was a blind tasting of five Tempranillos--two from Spain, one from Argentina, and two from the USA--and featured Dorothy Schuler, president of the Tempranillo Advocates Produces and Amigos Society (TAPAS) and winemaker at 
Embarrassingly, I did not guess one wine's origin correctly. Fittingly, as he selects all the wines for our wine clubs, Paul not only correctly identified each wine's origin, but also determined that the two American wines were from Paso Robles and probably from Bodegas Paso Robles--which they were. A win for Paul!
We had this lunch in the adobe house of 
The Sta. Rita AVA is unique in the transverse (meaning east-to-west, rather than north-south) mountain ranges that funnel ocean air into the sunny interior of Santa Barbara County. Locals call it the "maritime throat" as it blows cooling fog, combining with the rocky soil to make perfect conditions for growing Pinot Noir, as evidenced by the high scores and acclaim won by many wineries such as 
Current majority partners in Sanford Winery & Vineyards, Anthony Terlato and his sons Bill and John, continue the legacy of producing highly-rated wines: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Sanford Winery is on the picturesque Santa Rita Hills wine trail. Stop in and taste wines in their showcase tasting room and winery, built mostly from recycled materials, including 15,000 handmade adobe bricks.
