We fixed breakfast at our retreat and were looking forward to the day ahead. Our friends Howard and Lynda Howell had arranged a visit to RN Estate for a visit and tasting with proprietor Roger Nicolas. Roger has a beautiful home at the end of a long driveway that rewards you with glorious vineyard views along the way. He’s a gracious man with a long history in the food business. A few years ago he shifted his focus to wine and we are the luckier for it.

Sebastian & Roger Nicolas

His Pinot Noirs are among the best I have ever tasted. He sources his grapes from the Santa Ynez Valley and then Read more »

It’s no secret that Paso Robles is one of our favorite destinations. When we stopped on the way to Napa last October, we were invited to a winemaker dinner as a kick-off to this year’s Zinfandel Festival. We joined our friends Howard and Lynda Howell at their home along with their daughter Deanna, several of their friends and Aram and Patty Deirmenjian from Kiamie Cellars. Aram graciously brought several bottles of Kiamie wine, the R’Own Blend, Meritage and Kiamie Kuvée. The wines are each exceptional with the Kuvée stealing the show. Dinner was delicious, the company was excellent and we retired to Shanagolden Retreat, our home away from home during our four day visit.

The next morning, Read more »

I had never even heard of a Calçotada until a few weeks ago. Chef Frank Miller talked with me in detail about the famed Spanish festivals, where calçot onions are charred over coals and served with a Salsa Romesco.  Then lo and behold I read there was going to be a Calçotada at Palumbo Family Vineyards in Temecula. Laura and I drove up from the Family Winemakers of California’s tasting event in Del Mar and arrived at Palumbo around 4:00. It was a picture picture sunny afternoon and guests were on the patio clearly enjoying what Nick assures me will be an annual event.

Nick shows how it's done

Nick wanted to demonstrate the proper technique for consuming a calçot, tipping his head back and Read more »

More than 200 California family-owned wineries descended upon the Del Mar Fairgrounds this past Sunday to share the fruits of their labor with members of the trade and later the general public. This is the second year for the Sacramento based organization‘s event and it was clear the move to a larger venue was a smart choice. Clearly with over 200 wineries pouring multiple wines, it was impossible to taste everything, but we did what we felt was a balanced representation of what was offered.

Ulises & Adelina Valdez

It was a treat to see Ray & Loretta Falkner from Temecula’s Falkner Winery as well as Ira Gourvitz from Fallbrook Winery. When we visited Read more »

Prototype label for the yet to be released Doffo Zinfandel

As people entered the Doffo Vineyard grounds for the wine pickup party, they were greeted with a glass of Viognier and the wonderful aromas of roasted meats cooking on the hand crafted stone barbecue.  Appetizers lined the tables with meats, cheeses, olives, and many other wonderful dishes available to eat.  It is obvious that this was not any ordinary pickup party, it had Marcelo Doffo’s signature all over it.

Marcelo was stoking the fire with a blend of hickory and coal that intensified the aromas that permeated the air.  Marinated skirt steak, tri-tip, and Read more »

Gray skies, temperatures on the chilly side and a few drops of rain couldn’t deter hundreds of wine lovers from enjoying the World of Wine barrel tasting event presented this past weekend by the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association. 27 wineries offered tastes of their wines, though not all offered barrel samples. If you check out my ticket on the right side of the page, you’ll note I paid a visit to every single participating winery. Ah, the sacrifices I make in being a wine writer.

I tip my cap to the Temecula Valley Wine Society who did a stellar job checking people in, pouring wine, serving food and so much more. It was great to see Marshall Stuart, Jim & Christine Hart, Dorian & Les Linkogle, Ray Falkner, Nick Palumbo, Marcelo & Damian Doffo, Robert Renzoni, Bob Olson (owner of Danza del Sol, formerly Filsinger), Jennifer & Rick Buffington, Phil Baily, Steve & Valerie Andrews and to meet South Coast’s head Chef Dean Thomas, Van Roekel winemaker Gus Vizgirda and Dave & Gail Bradley, owners of Read more »

“All we wanted to do was make good wine and get people coming here.” I first met Audrey Cilurzo at Wilson Creek Winery during last year’s Harvest Celebration. Audrey was signing copies of Temecula Wine Country, the book she and her husband Vince wrote with Rebecca Farnbach,  part of the Images of America series. Vince had spent years as a television lighting director in Los Angeles and in 1967 they were on the waiting list to open a McDonald’s franchise in Escondido. On the way, they passed through the sleepy town of Rancho California (later to become Temecula), population: 350. They did some exploring and met Brack Hale, grandson of the inventor of the Hale Telescope on Mt. Palomar, who was one of the valley’s two real estate agents. Audrey says “We just fell in love with this whole valley and Read more »