A Taste of Coronado Cuisine and History: An Afternoon Walking Tour

A Taste of Coronado Cuisine and History

We girls are always looking for fun and unique things to do with our friends. We need our girl time away from daily life, time to chat and find out what each other is doing, how the kids are, the husband, parents, how the job is going plus time to get out and exercise, try some new foods and learn about different neighborhoods in San Diego. History and culinary tours in San Diego offer just that; a great girl’s outing and an afternoon with friends.

So Cal Food Tours currently offers two different itineraries: one for Friday afternoons and one for Sunday afternoons. This Sunday the group met at the Tent City Murals at Glorietta Bay Marina. Owner, tour guide and Coronado resident Barbara Trenchi told stories of life on Coronado in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s on a three-hour tour of the south end of the quaint island.

Murals of the Tent City Vacation Area

The tent murals are a tile mosaic marquis with photos transferred on to the tiles depicting the seaside resort of the Tent City, south of where the Hotel Del Coronado now stands.

Between 1900 and 1939 cost-conscious vacationers from around the world would flock to the seaside resort community of Coronado and stay in one of the 1,000 tents set up on the Coronado Strand. Started by sugar magnate John D. Spreckels this cost conscious vacation was priced at $5.00 a week. Although visitors staying in tents, it was much more than a rustic experience. This family destination boasted a trolley, carnival booths, a Ferris wheel, and a dance pavilion named “Casino”. Vacationers could attend a performance at the Pavilion theatre, stroll the boardwalk that led to a seal tank, visit an ostrich farm and see the monkey cages. Or they could simply swim in the ocean or bay, take your pick which side of the strand you wanted to enjoy. One of the many attractions was a 10-cent performance of a horse named Cash diving into a pool of water. Wyatt Earp even did gun fighting demonstrations in the shooting gallery.

The tour passed by the ubiquitous Hotel del Coronado, built by Elisha Babcock and Hampton Story between 1887 and 1897 with the goal of being the “talk of the Western World”. Built entirely of wood in the Queen Anne Revival style the hotel features whimsical turrets and an asymmetrical design. The Hotel Del Coronado currently has a turret wrapped up with a red bow in celebration of its 125 year anniversary. Mr. Spreckels bought the hotel and built his private residence across the street, which is now the Glorietta Bay Inn.

Next door is the El Cordova Hotel, originally built as Elisha Babcock’s retirement home and currently houses the charming and colorful patio restaurant, Miguel’s Cocina. Over appetizers tour members met and munched tasty chips, salsa and creamy white sauce. Some of our group enjoyed a margarita along with a sample platter of zesty Mexican antijitos (starters) of ceviche, rolled tacos and fried calamari.

Across the street we went to see the first house that was built in Coronado. It was built f the first couple who got married at the Hotel Del Coronado. Today a plaque proclaims it the “Home of a Naval Aviator”. On this day we were fortunate enough to meet the owner/aviator in front of his house and he regaled us with stories about flying navy planes with George H.W. Bush. Huge smiles on the group’s faces reflected the charm of this man and his stories. The house has neither heat nor insulation. It has been a labor of love to own it and try to bring it up to this century’s standards.

House where Frank L. Baum wrote 2 of the Wizard of Oz books

We passed by the house on Star Park Circle where Frank L. Baum wrote two of the Wizard of Oz books enroute to our next culinary stop, Coronado Taste of Oils, an olive oil and vinegar store on Orange Avenue.  

The group enjoyed meeting the owner, Roberta Korte, who gifted us with vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate balsamic vinegar. This heavenly concoction was a very creative use of vinegars. There were many “Oohs and Aahs”. We were given a paper with the top pairings and encouraged to roam and try some pairings. A favorite was Peach White Balsamic and Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You could really spend hours here trying different recipes. We left the store laden with treasures.   

Next stop was Alexander’s Pizza which has been voted “Best Pizza” of Coronado year after year. We enjoyed gooey Scooby Snack appetizers (dough balls with red sauce for dipping) and two pizzas, the highlight for all being a vegetarian pizza.

Refreshing artisan gelato was served at Bottega Italiano before walking to the house on Ocean Avenue that once belonged to Mr. Spreckels and now finds itself in the forefront of a murder/suicide mystery.

We dispersed from the charming boutique hotel, The Glorietta Bay Inn, overlooking Glorietta Bay and the Coronado Yacht Club. Mr. & Mrs. Spreckels sure knew how to live. This lovely property built with the classic simple lines of the Italian Renaissance style boasts many patios, an Elizabethan garden dotted with colorful bougainvilleas, a lap pool, a music room with a baby grand piano and an air of sophistication.

Coronado has much to be proud of and seeing a tiny bit of it on this tour whets the appetite to try the next tour. To enjoy a fun afternoon with your girlfriends go to: http://socalfoodtours.com/ or to reserve your space call 800-979-3370 or 212-209-3370. 

Robin Dohrn-Simpson Freelance Writer www.robindohrnsimpson.com

Curds and Wine at Milagro Farms Vineyards and Winery

Cheese tray for sampling

Gi Claassen

Jim Hart offers us some barrel tasting

Curds and Wine at Milagro Farms Vineyards and Winery

Cheesemaking Demonstration and Wine Tasting

“The #1 rule of cheesemaking: don’t stop, keep going – even if you think something is going wrong. It WILL make A cheese!”  Gi Classen tells the group at Milagro Winery to peals of laughter. Nervous laughter, to be more exact. Gi’s eyes sparkle as she talks about the science of cheesemaking. Science was never so delicious as today’s cheesemaking demonstration and wine pairing.

On a lovely spring day, Milagro Winery hosted an afternoon in the vineyards with upstart business Curds and Wine. Milagro winemaker Jim Hart led a tour of the 10-acre property, showing us the different rows of many varietals that they grow before leading into a cool subterranean cave, decorated with red and white checkerboard tablecloths and soft amber lighting from the wall sconces.

Gisela Claassen- call her Gi, our cheese matron/chef/hostess left a career in cancer research. To be more specific the career left her after two research companies folded leaving her high and dry and wondering what to do next in life.  She continued her passion with science, but in a completely different avenue—cheese and wine. In November 2010 she opened Curds and Wine in San Diego and hasn’t looked back.

Cheese goes with wine like laughter goes with friends. But why does it go so well together? It’s all about tannins. Tannins are natural organic compounds found in grape skins, seeds and stems. Winemakers use tannin to give wines their distinctive flavors. Tannins are released either by squeezing the grapes or crushing them, depending on the desired flavor. Wines that improve with age will have plenty of tannins. The ageing process will soften the taste and reduce any bitter aftertaste. Long story short, scientists have found that high fat, high protein foods balance the taste of tannin. And that is why cheese pairs so perfectly with wine.

Deciding what cheese goes with which wine is an ongoing, ever-changing, highly subjective debate that can never be settled definitively. That, of course, leads to hours of cheesemaking (and wine drinking) fun and experimentation, which is what today’s event was all about.

Gi gave a brief science lesson on what happens to make cheese.

Step 1- Starter culture: Use either cultures or acids to make the chemical reaction needed to make cheese.

Step 1

Step 2- Cutting: Add to warm milk. This causes the protein to get charged, change shapes and fall away from the water (whey), leaving the fats behind to become cheese (curds).

Step 3- Add rennet, a milk-clotting enzyme, used to coagulate the milk, forming a custard-like mass.

Step 4- Stirring, heating and draining. We cooked the curds to a desired temperature and firmness. The whey is continually drained off, leaving a tightly formed curd.

Step 5- Seasoning:  add a special cheese salt (kosher salt, not iodine salt) for flavor, to control the moisture level and to make the bacteria very happy.

Step 6- Molding and pressing your cheeses. Here you get your characteristic shape of cheese and completes the curd formation. This can typically take between three and 12 hours. Some cheeses are hung to drip dry, some are pressed, to force out whey.

Step 7- Aging or curing . This process depends on the cheese you are making. Cheese is moved to a refrigerator (or locker) that is temperature controlled to 50-55 degrees (wine fridge makes a great cheese locker) and 80 percent humidity. It is imperative to keep a clean environment so that the bacteria stabilizes and doesn’t grow.

 

Gi shows us the process

“This is so easy to make its ridiculous,” Gi giggles, to more nervous laughter from the crowd.  “Today we are making goat’s milk chevre and ricotta.”

We filled our plates with cheese samples while the Milagro staff filled our wine glasses with Rosé of Sangiovese, for which winemaker Jim Hart won double gold.

During the demonstrations we stop to pair a new wine with a new cheese.

·         2012 Sauvignon Blanc with plain and dill Chevre.

·         2012 Rosé of Sangiovese with homemade Feta.

·         2010 Barbera, working man’s wine, full-bodied, dark and structured. Milagro won three gold medals on this wine. Paired with Ricotta Salata (with paprika) and Mimolette.  There were many rumblings of “Dang that Barbera’s good. I need a few bottles to go home with me” and “how long will it be until my ricotta is ready.”

·         2009 Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Noord Hollander, from the rich, green pastures of North Holland. Another perfect pairing. Rich with black cherry and leather flavors, Jim’s Cabernet Sauvignon is not to be missed. This wine deserves double gold, if it hasn’t already won it.

After this fun afternoon, many participants with similar interests formed new friendships, learned what curds and whey mean, and enjoyed a variety of Milagro award-winning wines. My husband said, “We’re SOOO going to do this.” We have already made our first visit to Curds and Wine.

Robin Dohrn-Simpson Freelance Writer www.robindohrnsimpson.com

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