As far as he's concerned, it's the best way to grow the fruit, "not some crazy scheme or hippy trend. It's the way people have grown things since the dawn of time."
Laura thought it was a fun, kicky wine good for easy going evenings on the patio. Jim and Judi thought the name suited it to a "t" and liked the bright red fruit and body. Kim called it spicy and very nice and Brian called it a heavy duty wine, "subtly sexy."
I was fortunate enough to meet Alex Villicana several years ago on one of my first visits to Paso Robles. What struck me then was that I thoroughly enjoyed every wine on his tasting list. I've returned several times and have loved every wine of his I've tasted.
This man exudes passion. He's "been around the world two or three times" first with the military and then on a culinary adventure. Military food was "horrendous", so he'd often go AWOL with his buddies for good food. He loved to cook pancakes and barbeque for the barracks.
The Palace Grill has been a downtown Santa Barbara fixture for more than 25 years, serving a wide array of food choices, but with a focus on Creole and Cajun. We started with a Cajun martini, marinated with jalapeño and served with cherry peppers in a Mason jar.
Jim and Judi called it "excellent! Tastes like the grape it's made from." Brian called it "smooth and dark like a sultry night that you want never to end."
The wine is primarily Nero D'Avola with Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. It's a bold, old-world styled wine with earthy floral notes and the nose and red fruit on the palate.
He's working on an Angelica sherry which he let me taste and I'm excited to see it when it's released. His wines won 14 medals last year and have already received five more this year.
Trust me, I'm just scratching the surface of what you will find Friday night at Pechanga. Chef was so excited about what he's preparing I wasn't able to keep up with everything he told me. I suggest you go find out for yourself.
