A Quasi Judge at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition

The Sheraton Fairplex hosted a group of Wine Scholars and Writers at the 74^th annual Los Angeles International Wine Competition one fine Wednesday in May. As a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association I was invited to attend this event which included a full day of judging with lunch and dinner. The winners of the competition will be served at the L.A. County fair this summer. The competition is also the foundation for an extensive wine education program available to the fairgoers.

75 talented judges congregated to blind taste approximately 100 wines each. The judges with an average of 25-30 years experience in their fields were called upon to test their vast knowledge of wine. The quickness with which they tasted, smelled, and scored the wines was mind boggling. 

The blind-tasting method is used to judge these domestic and international vintages. Glasses are tagged with numbers in specific categories. No bottles were anywhere to be found, except behind the curtain where staff worked vigorously to prepare wine flights. The only things the judges know are what the varietal is and what the retail price point is. For example, some categories my panel tasted were: Merlot over $30.00 retail, Merlot under $29.99 retail, Cabernet/Merlot Blend (Australia), Ruby Cabernet, Marsala and Muscat . 

There were 3,000 wine entries for judging, ranging from innovative new wines to sweet dessert wines. Prizes were awarded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Best in Class.

I was fortunate to sit with 2 winery owners, a sommelier and a wine educator.  I’ve been seriously enjoying wine for about 25 years. I thought I knew a few things, but boy was I wrong. When I sat down with my panel to taste our way through 86 wines, I was immediately humbled. My scores didn’t count, I was observing the event. I found that sometimes I agreed with my compatriots and sometimes I didn’t. Never was I told I was wrong.  I asked the sommelier judge at my table for words of advice and he said, “Think long/think wrong. Go with your first impression.”

I quickly learned that my standard way of tasting wine wasn’t going to cut it. I swirled, sniffed and sipped. When I had just tasted about four wines, they were through the whole flight of around fourteen wines. These seasoned professionals sniffed all the wines and could pick up different nuances from their noses: too much tannin, not enough barrel aging, a hint of VA. (Yes, I had to look that up too- volatile acidity. This is where the acidity of the wine is deliberately elevated in order to enhance the fruitiness of wines that are meant to be consumed young.) The judges sniffed the entire flight, then swirled the wines in their mouths to get a sense of the flavors. After a few seconds they would spit it out and go on to the next wine.  I always look to see if the taste delivers on what the nose smells. I like to see how the finish is: does it leave a nice taste in my mouth or a tart one, a bitter one, a sweet one?

We also were served rare roast beef, grapes and cheese to help keep our palates fresh.Thank heavens for my new favorite olive, the Graber olive. These unique olives cleansed our palates and refreshed our taste buds to try another wine. 

After about forty wines we broke for lunch which was hosted by the hotel and featured produce from their garden next door at the L.A. Fairgrounds. This garden, which we were able to visit for dinner that evening, produced enough vegetables for the hotel’s kitchen to prepare two fantastic meals for us and I’m sure for other guests too. The buffet was served outside in the garden and featured lamb, Atlantic Char, faro salad, baby greens salad and a cheese plate filled with unique flavors and colors. Dessert was chocolate cupcakes, made with bitter chocolate and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Atlantic Char

Deluxe Cheese Plate

Bittersweet Chocolate cupcakes

Faro Salad

Buffet Tables

We returned to our panels after lunch to taste dessert wines: Angelica, Marsala, Muscat, Vin Doux Naturel and Sweet Sherry. I can’t even pretend to know how to judge these wines, so I sat back and observed. My knowledgeable judges even knew what Angelica was (yes, I had to look it up too. A sweet fortified Californian wine made out of the Mission grapes which date back to the California Mission era and produced by Franciscan Missionaries.) and if it measured up.

Fun Facts:

·         Last year 10,000 wine glasses were used at the competition.

·         Glasses are washed five times after each use. (If you want to do the numbers that equals 165,600 washings) .

·         Glasses are never touched by hand; specially designed lint-free towels are used

·         These towels are made of flour sack and are washed multiple times a day in very hot water; soap is never used

·         More than 500 towels will be used during the competition

·         Judges smell, sip, swirl and spit a minimum of 200 times daily.

Fellow writer Tom Plant

The judges at work

Judging

More Judging

Los Angeles International Wine Competition

It’s all about relationships in the wine business.

A flight of dessert wines

The relationship with weather and grapes. The relationship with the grape growers and the wine makers. Some people like to grow the plants, nurture the grapes, and encourage their strongest output of fruit. Some people prefer to take that fruit and make a magical elixir with them. Some people like doing both. But a winemaker’s best friend is his horticulturalist.

The relationship with the soil and the plants.  Planting your varietal with the proper relationship to the topography.

The relationship with buyers and sellers. The buyer wants value. The seller needs to make money to survive. The relationship with food and wine. Need I say more?

And then there’s the relationship with judges and wines at the L.A International Wine Competition on May 15, 2013 at the Sheraton Fairplex in Pomona California. Here knowledge met challenge.

The Sheraton Fairplex hosted a group of Wine Scholars and Writers at the 74^th annual Los Angeles International Wine Competition one fine Wednesday in May. As a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association I was invited to attend this event which included a full day of judging with lunch and dinner. The winners of the competition will be served at the L.A. County fair this summer. The competition is also the foundation for an extensive wine education program available to the fairgoers.

75 talented judges congregated to blind taste approximately 100 wines each. The judges with an average of 25-30 years experience in their fields were called upon to test their vast knowledge of wine. The quickness with which they tasted, smelled, and scored the wines was mind boggling. 

We split into different tables for a day and tasted and scored wines. Smelling, swirling, tasting and spitting.  Four judges were at my table: one bigger than life winery owner, one wine educator, one master sommelier and a wine marketer, whose main focus is on direct to consumer marketing. These people know wine. They know what makes a good wine. They can determine when there were too many tannins, VA or not enough barrel time.

At my table we tasted 86 wines; the majority of them were Merlots. Smelling, swirling, tasting and spitting.  The winery owner didn’t care for Merlots, he said, “Good Merlot is an oxymoron.” (He likes Cabernets.) The sommelier felt, “Merlot is the great massager. It says to Cabernets, it’s okay, everything’s going to be alright.”

The blind-tasting method is used to judge these domestic and international vintages. Glasses are tagged with numbers in specific categories. No bottles were anywhere to be found, except behind the curtain where staff worked vigorously to prepare wine flights. The only things the judges know are what the varietal is and what the retail price point is. For example, some categories my panel tasted were: Merlot over $30.00 retail, Merlot under $29.99 retail, Cabernet/Merlot Blend (Australia), Ruby Cabernet, Marsala and Muscat . 

Tags of wines blind tasted

There were 3,000 wine entries for judging, ranging from innovative new wines to sweet dessert wines. Prizes were awarded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Best in Class.

The wine owner talked about his relationship with his customers. “It’s all about trust,” he said. “I barbecue about 400 pounds of meat every weekend and customers come and try my wines with different foods. They put their trust in me to make good wines.”

The sommelier got a huge smile on his face when he talked about his relationship with his restaurant guests. His greatest joy is helping people find the right pairing with food and wine. His greatest honor is when his guests tell him to order their meal and pair their wines for them. He likes them to sit back and enjoy each course pairing.

The wine marketer said, “It’s all about the relationship between wineries and wine drinkers. If they trust you and your wines, then you will be successful.”

Robin tries her hand at judging (her scores didn't count)

This experience was very eye-opening. Myself and my fellow writers are still in awe at how much we learned by attending this event. We were unanimous in our respect for the entire event. The judges were admirable, the wait staff that took care of the judges, brought the wines were silently efficient and the event organizers were perfection. The personnel were always available to handle any situation and answer questions. As anyone who has put on an event of this magnitude knows, there are a lot of people working tirelessly behind the scenes. I applaud everyone’s efforts.

Robin with her group of esteemed judges

Robin Dohrn-Simpson Freelance Writer www.robindohrnsimpson.com

Valentine’s Day Chocolate and Wine Pairing, San Pasqual Winery, La Mesa, CA.

La Mesa Blvd is romantic at night. The tree-lined boulevard twinkles with white lights. People meander, window shopping, enjoying new gourmet restaurants or old favorites. Others browse antique stores or plan vacations at the travel agency. We dipped into San Pasqual Winery for a wine and chocolate pairing. This was a perfect way to spend Valentines Eve.

San Pasqual Winery, an urban winery whose tasting room is on the Boulevard hosts an annual Valentine’s wine and chocolate pairing event for guests and wine club members. This fun evening features five wines with desserts from San Diego Desserts.

Tonight’s pairings were:


“Toast of the Town”, a Brut Sparkling Wine, is a chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend of wine crafted in the classic Methode Champenoise. This was paired with a white chocolate covered strawberry.



“Classy but Sassy”, a sparkling wine cocktail with a splash of their “Habanero” passionfruit wine was paired with chocolate-orange mousse. This cocktail is very drinkable and surprisingly delicious!

2008 Santa Barbara GSM Blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre) paired nicely with a Raspberry Linzer cookie. My tasting notes say “Yum!” for this wine. I am a big sucker for this classic Rhone blend.


2008 El Dorado Tempranillo paired with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. As a peanut butter purist, I didn’t care for this pairing. In my opinion wine and peanut butter don’t mix. However, the Tempranillo was rich and full. I wrote in my notes “very unique, a bit sweeter” than other Tempranillos I have had. The tasting room staff and we had fun deciding which wine would be better with the peanut butter. I’m not sure which one they finally decided on, but it was fun trying.
Lastly a Tawny Port paired with a salted caramel fudge cup. The port had a very nutty flavor, the tasting notes say “think Raisinets” but with a kick.
All wines were in the $20-25.00 range and very drinkable. A fun wine to try is their “Habanero” passionfruit wine. I know sounds weird, but tastes freakishly good!

Linda McWilliams, the winemaker, was a student of Jim Hart, winemaker at Milagro Farm Vineyards, and Adam Caruth, of Caruth Cellars. Currently, the wine production site is in Pacific Beach but owners Linda and Mike McWilliams have plans to move this to a larger facility in La Mesa, allowing them to double their production to 3,000 cases annually.

We are lucky to have this urban winery in our neighborhood. It is great to be local, and we can practically walk there.



Robin Dohrn-Simpson Freelance Writer www.robindohrnsimpson.com

Naramata Bench Wine Region, Okanagan Lake Wine Region

Quiet, Idyllic Charm of Naramata Bench

Okanagan Wine Valley

Okanagan Lake Views

Okanagan, Penticton and Skaha Lake Views

Physical geography defines a bench as: a shelf-like area of rock with steep slopes above and below. Naramata Bench Wine Country, along the eastern shores of Okanagan Lake in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, offers meandering the country roads and idyllic charm, but why is a wine region called a bench? Naramata Bench has multiple levels of vineyards that ascend on gently sloping land from Lower to Upper Naramata Bench Roads. Several stepped plateaus have orchards planted on them boasting apples, peaches and HUGE cherries.

This idyllic area has a small village feel to it. Life moves slowly, neighbors know each other and regularly sit outside in their yards conversing, watching the kids play and enjoying the beauty of nature. You could ride your bikes, hike along the Trans-Canada trail, shop at the local Farmer’s Market, stay at a quaint bed and breakfast, or go winetasting.

The Bench boasts over 20 wineries.  Several offer gourmet restaurant experiences, relaxing patios with stunning lake views and avante garde art.

Hillside Cellars

While waiting for a table at the very popular Barrel Room Bistro onsite, we popped into the tasting room to see what all the buzz was about. Hillside has a great reputation for both their wine and their food. They had a large assortment of wines available to taste, so we decided to do both the whites and reds. I’m not usually a fan of Gewürztraminer, but was pleasantly surprised at their 2010 vintage. It is light, fruity and refreshing. Next we tasted a very unique wine, Muscat Ottonel. These estate grown grapes make a spicy yet floral, refreshing white wine. The flagship wine is their Mosaic, presumably named after the mosaic tile on the front entrance to the winery. The description of this wine says “small pieces coming together to create a work of art”. It is a Bordeaux blend with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Thick and rich, balanced with the Bordeaux characteristics that made me dream of a crown roast beef.

Just as we were finishing up our tasting we were called by the Bistro personnel that our table was ready.  We scored a lovely table at the edge of the patio overlooking the vineyard, with views all the way to the lake and along the valley. I opted for a light spiced carrot and apple soup, because you can’t just get that anywhere. I chose right! This unique sweet and spicy soup reflects why Chef, Rob Cordonier just won the “Best Chef in the Okanagan” award from Eats Magazine. He and his team focus on local, seasonal food, simple yet tasteful.

To visit this winery in the summer is a wonderful experience. It is full of hanging flower baskets overflowing from every spot that a basket could possibly be hung. The bright and cheerful explosion of colors makes you smile, as does their wine and food.

Time permitting a walk through the wine museum on the property is very interesting. For information and seasonal hours go to: http://hillsidewinery.ca 

Red Rooster Winery

Down the street is Red Rooster Winery.  It’s all about life in the “coop” at this winery. They encourage their patrons to find out what the crowing is all about. A proud Red Rooster rules the roost, in the winery, and on their label.

With spectacular lake views, this 22-old winery is a proud patron of the arts. On display is an ever-rotating exhibit of painting and sculptures by local artists. Walking through the grounds you will see a giant steel mermaid floated in the vineyards, a musical sculpture of a bass with music coming from it and a steel bench depicting life at the lake with a sailboat, quail and the rocks of the Naramata Bench.The love of art is reflected in the display wall for their wines.  Made of wood blocks that jut out unevenly the winery mascot, the Rooster stands on top of the wines strutting his stuff.

Red Rooster Rules his Roost of Wines

Winemaker Karen Gillis started her professional life as a chef and soon realized that it was winemaking that held her passion. She has crafted a large array of award winning wines. As is typical in this colder climate, they are strong on white wines, which they refer to as Roosters. Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and a blend called Bantam. They currently feature three red wines; a Cabernet Merlot, Merlot and a Malbec.  The wines here are very affordable, most are under $25.00 Canadian.

Steel Art Mermaid

Steel Art Bench depicting life in the Okanagan Valley

The winery has clever tasting cards for each of their wines. An example is the Cabernet Merlot 2010:

           “This rooster shows great ‘posture’ as he moves through the flock. This medium to

             full-bodied red has soft drying tannins and flavours of ripe blackberry, black tea,

             sweet spice and oak which linger on the finish.”

Another unique offering at this winery is an “Adopt a Row” of the vineyard. For adopting a row parents receive a sign labeling their row, a certificate of adoption, discounts on gift purchases and a case of wine. Twice a year the winery hosts an “adoptive parents” event at the winery to learn more about viticulture and vineyard management. Adoptive parents also get to help in the harvest of their row.

We enjoyed our wine on the beautiful patio facing the lake offering a view of nature while tasting the fruits of nature.

Find more details about the Rooster at:  www.redroosterwinery.com

Just a few minutes from Penticton, the Naramata wine region invites you to slow down, smell the apple and peach blossoms, enjoy the view, hike along the old Kettle Valley Train Trail, stroll through the farmer’s market or lounge along the beach listening to the wind coming off the lake. This area, home to many artists, is a creative environment with an inspiring view to draw from around every corner. Come watch people making art in many genres in this idyllic setting, stay at a Bed & Breakfast and slow down. That’s what Naramata Bench is all about.

Robin Dohrn-Simpson Freelance Writer www.robindohrnsimpson.com

Bel Vino Winery Harvest Celebration

Harvest Celebration

Bel Vino Winery Clam Bake





Charlie Pearson

As fall sets in and the harvest is winding down, the celebrations wind up. Everyone loves to celebrate a successful harvest and Bel Vino Winery in Temecula, California celebrated their fantastic harvest with a clam bake. Celebrating harvest is an ancient tradition and no one likes a harvest celebration more than wine aficionados.

2012 is proving to be an abundant year for California wineries and that is making everyone in the wine industry happy, from winemakers to Bel Vinos wine lovers. Celebrations started on a warm October evening and the revelers were treated to a unique Cajun-style clam bake, including lobster, mussels, clams, clam chowder and chicken. Chef Richard Bustos, Bel Vino’s new Chef, with the aid of Sous Chef Clinton Pearson and Pearson’s Seafood did a spectacular job on this ambitious undertaking of cooking for around 100 people in an outdoor kitchen setting.



Guests dined under the twinkling lights



Sitting under the stars with nostalgic red checkered table cloths created a homey atmosphere. Guests enjoyed a sampling of Bel Vino wines. Dessert offered a special treat of port wine with a variety of cupcakes.

“Shoot 4 Tuezday”, entertained the crowd with rock and roll melodies into the late hours. It was wonderful to watch the smiles on people’s faces, especially owner Mike Janko’s. With the stress of harvest over it’s so nice to take time out to enjoy oneself, and he did.



Mike has a lot to be excited about. He has hired award winning winemaker, George Bursick, from Sonoma. Bursick has been making delicious wines as head winemaker for some of California’s biggest wineries and recently won the “Pinot Noir of the Year” award from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. 2013 will be the first year that Bel Vino wines will be their own. George has big shoes to fill, but everyone is confident that with his 30 years experience he will make delectable wines from the Temecula Valley vineyards.

Speaking of the future, if you’re planning a wine country wedding, you must check out Bel Vino’s house that is for rent for your wedding event. The entire house can host your full wedding festivities from rehearsal dinner, separate bride and groom’s quarters, a lovely courtyard for your ceremony and the garden area for your wedding reception.

Bel Vino Winery staff are energized about a bountiful harvest and the bright promise of a strong future full of fine wines and good times. The excitement of Bel Vino Winery is tangible, the wines are great, the views spectacular. Look out Temecula!

Festive tables greeted guests

Guests had their choice of many seafood specialties



Our hosts poured some excellent Bel Vino wines











San Diego Spirits Festival 2012



Mayan Liquer



For many people the year 2012 is all about the ending of the Mayan Calendar and end of the world in the Mayan people’s eyes. I say forget the end of the world fears and consider a Mayan Sacrifice. Just add a little tequila, some Xtabentun, a Mayan liquer of honey anisette and rum and a maraschino cherry. Yes, you can just shoot ‘em! Or make them into a Mayan Margarita. They go down smoothly!

Twisted Shotz

 

Crater Lake Vodka


  















I experienced the San Diego Spirits Festival on August 25 on Broadway pier. came alive with food trucks, music and spirits vendors at the second annual 2-day.





Jack N Box



Food trucks:



Ms. Patty Melt & OB Seafood

Gourmet food trucks are taking the world by storm. Restaurants, instead of waiting for people to come to them, are taking their food to the streets. Combining the convenience of walking up to a food truck ordering and eating right there, you get almost the same gourmet artistry of the chef in the actual restaurant. Chef Deborah Scott has made her name well known in the San Diego Food scene, with the Cohn Restaurant Group, so when I saw her truck, Ms. Patty Melt, I knew that was where I was having lunch. Oh sure I had a couple other fabulous choices: Jack in the Box or Ocean Beach Seafood Truck, dubbed the Pearl. I’m not much of a seafooder, but the owners are from Seattle and bringing Pacific Northwest Seafood to San Diego. Definitely worth a try for all you seafood people.





Spirits:



Tequila Alquimia



Pink Pigeon






Conjure Cognac



The pier was full of spirits vendors; some highlights for me

were Pisco Porton from Chile, Bolivian Coca Leaf Liquer, Pink Pigeon Rum from the Mauritius Islands as well as Conjure Cognac, a cognac brand of liquer (owned by the Rap Singer Ludacris). I love a nice sipping tequila, so imagine my joy at all the varieties I got to taste. My favorite was Tequila Alquimia who had a side-by-side tasting of four tequilas, each aged differently. These 100% estate grown blue Agave, certified organic tequilas were a show stopper for me. My favorite was the Reposada, aged for 6 months in white oak barrels, light gold in color its nose was mild, yet had a warm finish.



Bolivian Herbal Liquer



Joia mixers

  

  

Not to be outdone, the Quint Sangria ladies made a red Sangria and white Sangria very cold and filled with a variety of fruits.

Quint Red and White Sangria

 

  

Cigars:

The Macanudo cigar lounge outside had a cast of groupies hanging around and relaxing in the plush sofas. I left my cigar days behind me with college, but I’m told that these cigars are from the Dominican Republic, light in flavor and short in finish.

 

 

Cooking demonstrations

Strawberry &
Chocolate demonstration

Empirehouse urban palate’s chef made red miso BBQ wings that I enjoyed. The restaurant, in central San Diego, demonstrated their passion for quality food. I love their mission statement: “To be a destination where our customer are our friends, to be a location where the food is always delicious, and go be where you want to return day after day.”

Bartender Battle



Oscar

The competition

Oscar creating

Oscar Takahashi won the contest this year. It was nerve wracking to watch the competition because Oscar had to go find his glasses and returned with about 2 minutes used up from the 10 minute competition. But he worked swiftly and adeptly and created the winning cocktail.



Being a wine lover at heart, it was fun to attend this event; change it up a bit and taste some cocktails, and enjoy new flavors. I love to meet people in a different avenue than where I live and see their passions. Try their libations and experience their talent and years of hard work in their professions.

Mixologists

Last year's winner

The Crowd







Twisted Shotz




Your standard bathing beauties







Watching the Bartender Battle

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