Watching the expansion of Chapin Family Winery in Temecula,

Many people have different ideas about what retirement is going to be like. Some buy a motorhome and tool around National Parks and retirement villages in the desert. Some envision time spent with the grand kids. Some decide to take a class or teach a class. Some think of anything but work. Steve Chapin, of Chapin Family Winery’s idea of retirement is expanding his vineyard and opening a winetasting room at his boutique winery in Temecula.

Just a few short months after his retirement from his extensive career in diagnostic medicine, Steve revealed an artists’ rendering of his planned expansion.

“I’ve decided to embrace my passion and go for it. I’ve dabbled in winemaking long enough. Now is time to get serious.” Steve said taking time out of planting his new acreage one sunny morning in May. There will be three more acres of vines, a tasting room and a parking area, along with expanded winemaking facilities.

In 2002 he planted his vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The first vintage was the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and released in 2006. Later he released his fruity Syrah and a bold Zinfandel.

He planted these varietals because he knew they did well in his terrior and was familiar with them. Later he planted Petite Verdot mostly as a blending wine and with the recommendation of his consultant he planted Montepulciano. In his next three acres Steve will focus on Italian varietals: Viognier, Aglianico and Montepulcino. This strategy developed with his consultant from Italy will set him apart from the other wineries in the Temecula Valley.

“These varietals should perform exceptionally well in Temecula in terms of fruit forwardness, color and body. These varietals can be more tannic than Cabernet or Syrah, however I believe my methodologies that I employ in my wine making can handle the tannic aspect.”

Speaking of winemaking, Steve is the winemaker. Employing his chemistry and microbiology education, he learned the fundamentals of wine making.

He says that understanding the fundamentals does not mean you are going to make excellent wines. “The wine making portion can be stressful because things can go wrong or at least not as well as planned and I have an incredible desire to produce excellent wines that people really love and enjoy. Over all I enjoy the beauty of the vineyard and the art and culture of wine making.”

When asked what his hopes and dreams are, he said, “My hope for the tasting room is a place for people to have a mini-vacation, where they can leave all their worries behind and experience my wines and share their thoughts. My wine tasting building will be the first “Road-House Winery”. Chapin Family Vineyards will have Italian wine varietals, but in every other way it will be pure American culture. I will grow my grapes and make wine in traditional old world methods but will utilize state of the art monitoring systems.”

He offered me a taste of his new “Chapin’s Summit Meritage” (a word invented that combines Merit and Heritage and rhymes with the latter) that is still barrel fermenting. It is a yummy mixture of Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. It was rich, seductive and elegant.

Temecula is a growing wine region that is still figuring out who and what it is. Steve has figured out who and what he is. I look forward to enjoying his wines for years to come. 2010 and 2011 should prove to be great years for Mr. Chapin. One thing’s for sure he is dedicated to making great wines.



Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writerwww.robindohrnsimpson.com

Seghesio winery and the "Family Tables"

We’re planning a winetasting trip to Napa and Sonoma and looking around at what new things we want to do while we’re there. My friend comes across Seghesio Winery’s website and read about a new thing they’re doing. Well, definitely new to us. Now I’m starting to get excited about our upcoming trip.

What is it, you ask? Check out http://seghesio.com and their program called “Family Tables”. What they do is a food and wine pairing. We sit around a table with 4-8 people and for $35 per person we’ll have a lunch and taste wines. The chef will create seasonal tastes of family recipes. Such a cool idea.

Here is the menu for May. My stomach is growling just thinking about it. http://www.seghesio.com/MonthlyMenu/tabid/242/Default.aspx

Napa and Sonoma can get so crowded and this is an excellent way for a winery to set themselves apart from regular winetastings. I’m glad I did some web surfing to find this.

(In case you’re wondering why my voice sounds different on this post, it’s because this is for a web writing class I’m taking. We have to talk about digital media.) I prefer to talk about the wine, but truthfully in the wine world you have to sell it and marketing on the web is a huge aspect of their marketing campaign.

What I’m most excited about is trying new wineries, eating great food and hanging with great friends.


Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writerwww.robindohrnsimpson.com

Spanish Wines and Tapas Class at Alchemy of the Hearth Cooking School

Wine and olives. Wine and cheese. Age old combinations, right?

Marc & I were teaching a “Wines of Spain” class at Alchemy of the Hearth in San Marcos, CA a couple of weeks ago. We paired Spanish wine varietals with Spanish Tapas (small plates). Arleen LLoyd, the owner and executive chef, taught the students some fabulous recipes and we paired the tasty, yet unpretentious food with an Albarino, a Grenache (that was a bit too young for my taste), a Sangria, a Tempranillo and a white Sparkling wine.

It was great fun to pair the wines with different tapas. Two tapas have lingered on my palate for the last two weeks and I just have to share them with you. The olives were amazing-- succulent, juicy and zesty. We enjoyed them with both white and red wine.

Marinated Olives
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/3 cup green olives

Crush the coriander and fennel seeds with the back of your knife or use a mortar and pestle. Place the olives in a jar with an airtight lid. Combine the rosemary, parsley, vinegar and oil and pour over the olives. Close the lid. Shake the jar to make sure the olives are completely covered. Allow to marinade in the refrigerator at least 2 days before using.

Melon, Artichokes and Manchego Cheese Salad
1 cantaloupe washed and cubed
¼ lb manchego cheese cubed
Marinated artichokes, chopped
3 tsps extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the cantaloupe, artichokes and manchego cheese together and toss lightly. In a separate bowl, mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard and tarragon until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Combine the dressing with the cantaloupe, artichoke cheese mixture until well coated. Serve immediately.

The flavor of this salad is so unexpected. It is like a mellow explosion in your mouth. We drank a Tempranillo with this; however, you could pair this with the Albarino (white wine) and be very satisfied.

I have traveled extensively throughout Madrid and northern Spain and honestly, I got tired of ham and cheese, which is what we ended up eating ad nauseum. We never found the awesome food that I had hoped for. Arleen, made the awesome food that I had hoped for- in America.

Come join us for a Wines of California or a Wines of the World class that we will be teaching in May and June.

The schedule can be found at www.alchemyofthehearth.com

The Renaissance of San Diego’s Little Italy

The Italian Renaissance in the 1400’s gave the world Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli. It also gave us new art, science and changed the course of human history. The renaissance in San Diego‘s Little Italy gave us great restaurants and pubs, really cool architecture and stickball. So, they’re pretty much the same in terms of historical significance. Well, almost.

A community since the 1920’s, Little Italy is San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district. This village in the middle of the city, just east of the airport, is the new hip and cool spot in San Diego. There is always something fun happening: festas, art walks and fine dining, fresh local produce and Italian fare at the farmer’s market on Saturday.

A highlight is the funky architecture and colorful facades; mixing traditional design with modern textures. The new trend of urban housing is demonstrated in this area: live, work, relax and eat in your neighborhood. The skyline is dotted with transformed condos as well as newly built ones.

Italian Hospitality
“I can’t believe that Italians actually live here and speak Italian.” A shopper was overheard saying at the farmer’s market. It’s true; it’s an actual gathering place for real Italians. With typically consummate Italian hospitality there are chairs lining the sidewalks for you to sit and hang out, visit with friends or just relax. You can lounge in one of five Piazzas (Italian central squares or meeting areas) along India Street, feel the ocean breeze and while away the time.

Little Italy Farmers Mercato
Start your weekend with a visit to the Mercato. Every Saturday morning, you will find merchants and farmers displaying their fresh produce and Italian delicacies on Date Street. Enjoy the harbor view as you meander from stall to stall sampling and purchasing fresh local produce and Italian fare. Even dogs get a treat here. Sit back and enjoy an Italian coffee and listen to the live music with today’s street performers. An absolute must is a Nutella crepe at the creperie stall.


The Design District
Fashioned after Soho and Chelsea in New York City, with lots of brick, large open doors and windows, the showrooms boast Italian kitchens, furnishings and European tiles. As is typical with most areas of the world, cultures are blended and so are designs, therefore you will also see a beautiful Asian furniture showroom and a colorful French Country store. This multicultural principal also applies to the…

Eateries and Restaurants
Italy, like other parts of the world, is not homogeneous, and neither is Little Italy. The restaurants reflect the multi-cultural world we live in. You can drink ale at a British Pub, savor sumptuous delights at Extraordinary Desserts, dine at one of many Italian restaurants and enjoy live music at Anthology. Joe & Lisa Busalacchi are well represented with five restaurants and the Cohn family has the Indigo Grill serving New Western Cuisine. All you need to do is walk around and pick one that catches your eye and try it. You can’t miss.

Art
San Diegans love art and the art district delivers with a fine sampling of artists. Kettner Nights , the 2nd Friday of every other month, is a great way to experience art. You can browse through the businesses and studios on and around Kettner Boulevard and find your new favorite artist.

Festas
Italians love a good party. That love is reflected in the events throughout the year in Little Italy. Gesso Italiano, over Columbus Day weekend, brings street painting artists from around the globe. The theme of the chalk paintings is traditional art from the old world. Artists offer their creative interpretations of the works of Italian masters, artists, singers and scientists. The possibilities are endless.

April is for Artwalk, one of San Diego’s favorite events. India Street is lined from one end to the other with artists’ stalls. Here artists come from all around to show their creativity to thousands of visitors. You can spend the entire day here appreciating art and artistry, and a cold beer or two.

May celebrates many things including, the love of food with the Taste of Little Italy. Participating restaurants, not just of the Italian varietal, offer tastes from their menus. Stroll the avenues, listen to musical performers and sample appetizers, entrées and desserts from the neighborhoods eateries.

And now for something different…Stickball
For a little physical fun, Little Italy is the home of Stickball on the west coast. Played on the first Sunday of the month, the season is November through June. Streets are blocked off to cars on Colombia Street, between Beech and Cedar. The streets are taped off (including going up a building) to show boundaries. Buildings, curbs, parking meters, signs and balconies are all playable in fair territory. Bases are evidently known but not visible. No one uses gloves and the hitter only gets one swing of the stick to connect with the rubber ball, which he lobs in the air himself. The stick looks like a broom stick with a handle fashioned out of duct tape. Making contact with the balls seems very difficult to the casual observer. Players of all ages are welcome to play. Games take place between 1 and 4pm. Observing this game from the sidelines is a lot of fun.

There is an annual 3-day stickball event every Labor Day weekend with teams competing from as far away as New York and Puerto Rico.

Gelato
No trip to Italy would be complete without gelato. And in the author’s humble opinion, the best gelato can be found at Pappalecco on the corner of State and Cedar. Take my word for it. Search it out. Find it. Enjoy.

For more information and to find out dates and times of events go to: www.littleitalysd.com.

Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writer

www.robindohrnsimpson.com

Temecula: A Phoenix Rises from the Ashes

Nestled 40 minutes north of San Diego, the Temecula Valley is Southern California’s up and coming wine region. Rolling hills and high mountains surround the remarkably beautiful wine region. The climate is idyllic for growing grapes; warm daytime temperatures coupled with cool afternoon and evening breezes.

This valley is not new to grapes. They have been grown in this valley since 1769 by the padres of the Mission San Diego de Alcala. The land lay dormant for many years as prohibition took its toll on many vineyards. Exceptions were made for a very few wineries who grew grapes for sacramental wine. In the late 1960’s grape growing and wine making began a revival with Brookside Vineyard Company at the forefront.

The turn of this century was a nervous time for many people; some were worried about the Y2K bug but Temecula grape growers worried about another kind of bug: the eponymously named glassy-winged sharpshooter. This bug, about half an inch in length is dark brown with piercing, sucking mouthparts and rows of fine spines on its hind legs. And its wings are in fact glassy. It had the potential to destroy entire vineyards.

As mosquitoes transmit malaria, the glassy-winged sharpshooter is a carrier of Pierce’s Disease. This disease has been around for over a century, spanning from east coast to west coast. The pest has preyed upon citrus and grapes alike.

Livelihoods could be lost. Vineyards could be lost. Entire generations of winemaking could go down the drain. Think the great Irish potato blight and set it in the southern California wine country, moving north possibly to the jewels in the crown of the California wine industry: Napa, Sonoma, the Sierra Foothills, Lodi and beyond. This had the potential to be very, very bad.
When it was all said and done, the epidemic had destroyed approximately 50% of the acres of vines growing in the valley. Peter Poole, former owner of Mount Palomar Winery, reported loss of his original vineyard acreage, mimicked that percentage, as did Joe Hart, from Hart Family Winery. No one in Temecula’s wine industry walked away without feeling its effects.
Vineyards cannot be replaced over night. They require 5-7 years to become fruitful. The loss of the older vines was especially devastating. Grapes of older vines are deemed to have greater character resulting in better wines.

From the ashes however, Temecula rose like a Phoenix. It has become a true wine destination with over 25 wineries. Some offer gourmet restaurants serving haute cuisine. Some have luxury villas. Others have spas. Some simply have a rustic picnic table in the front grass.

“I have found one of my favorite wineries of all of California,” says Hally George, 22, a wine sommelier student from San Diego. “Steve Chapin of Chapin Family Vineyards makes wines that embody complexity and dimension. His wines have a characteristic elegance that is surprising to discover.”

Chapin Family Vineyards is in the process of building a tasting facility situated at the eastern end of Rancho California Road that will be open to the public. Currently Steve offers winetasting by appointment only.

South Coast Winery, the largest property in the valley, received the “Best Winery of California” award for the past two years. At this lovely property you may relax in luxury in a vineyard view villa, enjoy a gourmet meal in the Vineyard Rose Restaurant, enjoy a massage in the Grapeseed Spa, or browse in their gift shop. If you have a group event, consider hosting it at this winery, as they have seven different venues for indoor events. Their sprawling lawns make a beautiful setting for a wedding.

Another bright spot in the valley is Thornton Winery which is one of the first wineries to rise up to greet you as you enter the valley. The French-style chateau sits on a hillside and is the site of the very popular summer evening jazz concerts. Enjoying nationally renowned artists performing under the stars, while sipping a bottle of house red wine makes for a magical evening.Thornton boasts award-winning wines, the Café Champagne, a gift shop, Champagne Lounge and beautiful grounds where the chef grows his herbs for tonight’s dinner.

Also notable is Keyways Winery, the only woman owned winery in the valley. Terri Pebley is the first woman to own and manage a winery in Temecula. She has decorated her tasting room to appeal to women; very homey. Relax and taste wines at high tables and chairs or sit in front of the large fireplace with cozy chairs all designed to make you enjoy your experience. She has replaced the zinfandel vines with Viognier, Roussane, Tempranillo and Grenache to attract the changing palates of wine enthusiasts.

If you go, a special treat can be found at Maurice Carre winery. Before you taste your wine order fresh baked sour dough bread stuffed with Brie cheese. Enjoy it in the afternoon sun with one of your recent wine purchases.

Temecula has grown despite the odds. Limousines are rolling through the valley disgorging various groups of winetasters, new wineries are being built. Bed and Breakfasts are cropping up. Bikers ride through the valley, stopping to try a Chardonnay made in stainless steel tanks, or a zinfandel from the hill across the street, as they meander country lanes. The good times are back, at least for now.

Every grape grower in Temecula was affected by the disease. Although no wineries failed due to the disease, each suffered financial stress. Many acres have not been replanted. The state of California has spent, and continues to spend, upwards of $50 million in research to eradicate this disease. Congress has also stepped in to assist help growers with their losses, allocating $4.5 million to offset the losses.

Joe Hart of Hart Family Winery believes that some growers are not being realistic and not protecting themselves. “Their vines are no more sharpshooter resistant now than they were before the Pierce’s Disease episode.”

Poole said that scientists have developed insecticides which both repel and kill the glassy-winged sharpshooters. He warns that “some growers are falsely confident and do no treat their vineyards.”

In spite of this warning Marc Simpson, 52, of San Diego says, “Wines, vineyards and everything to do with them are always in a state of flux. That’s part of the magic.”

This year’s crop will be different than last years. A new scourge is probably

Boquete Panama- a Veritable Shangri-la

The guidebook said we absolutely must see this lovely town in the highlands, where it is spring year round.
So, after a three-day stint in Bocas del Toro, we water taxied back to our car and headed out on the 30-mile/2-hour drive.
Caution: Be very aware of potholes in Panama. Being that the entire country is a rainforest, the roads are constantly in need of repair.The local joke is to go around a pothole if you see the roof of the car in front of you peekin gout from the top of the hole.
Driving in Panama is a luxury. The country has built roads with the canal funds, but many people do not have cars, thus the roads are wide open.
So, we arrive in Boquete and this really is a veritable Shangri-la. Lush with tropical vegetation; huge Begonias, street lined with Angel Trumpet trees- to the 100's, in all colors, and Haliconias, just to name a few. But, because the town is at the base of a volcano, the decomposed lava is rich with nutrients and the plants love it and grow large and strong.
Boquete (pronounced bo-ket-ee) is a coffee growing region, thus we visited a coffee plantation - Finca Lerida. Here Marc coffee tasted with the owner and the coffee roaster. They were trying to find the right combination of beans for the newly roasted espresso. It was bitter to me. The Panamanian coffee roaster told us that it takes the beans five days from roasting to be ready to be ground and drunk. We were tasting coffee that was less than 10 hours old.
Marc returned to the finca (farm) the next day and hiked with a guide into the rainforest in search of the resplendent Quetzal. Fortunately for him, he saw two quetzals flying around, wagging their long tails. I was sick in bed, so have yet to see a quetzal. Strike two; the first being in Costa Rica 5 years ago. Next time, I promised myself, next time.






Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writerwww.robindohrnsimpson.com

Panama City= Manhattan

"Wow, it's the Manhattan of Central America," my husband Marc said as we circled around Panama City preparing to land.

The city has no less than 50 skyscrapers, with about 10-15 of them still having cranes on top of them, all in various stages of construction. Even Donald Trump is getting in on the action. He has two building currently being built and he has an island in the main bay of the city where he's going to build a third skyscraper.

One of the Donald's buildings is a twisting building. The lower foundation of maybe five floors is standard and the next 10ish floors are twisted like a DNA helix.

As we drove around the city at night we noticed that only about 25% of the high rises had lights on signifying occupancy. We asked our taxi driver, "Where are the people who are going to live here? Where are they going to come from?" He shrugged his shoulders and said he did not know.

The country is growing and prospering, thanks to the funds from the Panama Canal operations being shared with the people. But, there's no one to buy the homes being built. Retirees? Expatriats? It will be interesting to watch and see what happens.

A highlight of Panama City is to go out to the Canal and watch ships transit. There is a beautiful 4-story viewing area complete with an open air restaurant to nosh while you watch. Seeing a huge cargo ship transit the canal with 6 or so inches on either side of the ship and the canal is an awesome experience.

Here is a time-lapse video of transiting the canal. It is so cool! Notice the silver carlike vehicles to the side of the ship. These cars hook to the ship and guide it through the canals. Surprisingly the filling and unfilling of the water in each lock is fast.

































Robin Dohrn-SimpsonFreelance Writerwww.robindohrnsimpson.com