http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/home.aspxWine blogen-usCopyright 2012, Orange_Coast_Magazine-NAMon, 20 May 2013 04:13:04 GMTMon, 09 Jan 2012 18:31:11 GMT1http://emmisinteractive.comFound a great new place to drink wine. It’s a  restaurant in Irvine called Cucina Enoteca. It’s not exactly a wine bar but it’s got some wine bar qualities, like Ben Kephart, a clued-in sommelier, and a boutique selection of bottles. You can buy one to go, or choose one to take to your table. The drink-it-now price is only $8 higher than its retail—a fair corkage fee especially when you consider that most wine lists mark bottles up two or three times. The idea is to get you sipping, swirling, and discovering new bottles. The first one I noticed was a Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc for $33 (the release price is $30). “We get it at the same price as everyone else, we just sell it at a reasonable price. We might take a big hit on something but we just want to be full. Volume is the secret,” ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10332897http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10332897Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:31:11 GMTIt’s not just the tastiest wines I’m talking about. It’s the ones that made the biggest impression on me. Many times it’s because they surprised me as atypical: a huge viognier, a cab with power and elegance, an Italian wine I’ve never tried before. These are the bottles that made the grade this year. Get your hands on any of them and see if you agree.—Anne Valdespino  2006 Guigal Condrieu La Doriane, Rhone, France. ($110) Incredibly beautiful labels usually set you up for disappointment. Not in this case. Super floral and plentiful in peach and apricot notes, this white Rhone has now set the standard for all others in my mind. A huge surprise since I generally love roussane and hate viognier. But this bottling is 100 percent viognier, which goes to show how high-toned the varietal can be—one sip and you’ll feel like you've just slipped into a ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10330594http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10330594Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:56:12 GMTI’m always saying Veuve Cliquot yellow label is overpriced. So who would have guessed that at last night’s blind tasting of seven bubblies at Main Street Wine Company in Huntington Beach I picked two Cliquots among my three favorites? The rosé nonvintage ($66.99) impressed me with its creamy mousse, rounded fruit, and dry finish. The Cliquot Brut Vintage 2002 ($83.99) impressed me even more with its pretty aromatics of white flowers and its fine bubbles. I chose that over a Laurent-Perrier which surprised me because I’m a big fan of their rosé. Then I tried a Champagne I didn’t care for at all. It was super bright, much too lemony and acidic. I wondered, did someone overdo it with the picpoul in this blend? That turned out to be Cliquot La Grande Dame 1998! So I’m still in a quandary as to whether I like Cliquot’s house style or not. ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10327773http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10327773Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:48:52 GMTWhat to get for the wino who has everything? How about a new aerator? I love the Vinturi but there’s a new kid on the block. It’s called the Epicureanist Trilux Wine Aerator ($39) and while I’m not convinced it floods wine with air as quickly as the Vinturi, there are a couple things I really like about it. First, it works for red or white wine, second, it has a wide bowl. You don’t have to aim it so carefully. (Really great feature after about three glasses of wine!) That bowl makes it fit atop any carafe so you’re not juggling the bottle and the aerator. It also fits any wine glass. (I call this the instant gratification feature.) It even fits my fat boy California Cabernet Riedel Vinum Series glass. That one is huge. You will really like the Trilux if you like buying local—the company is based ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10324459http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10324459Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:03:15 GMTShe was born with a silver tastevin in her hand. Yup, Cyrille Helen Hanson’s father was one of the founders of Hi-Time Wine Cellars, arguably the best wine shop in the county. By the time Cyrille, right, turned 20 she had probably tasted more great wines than you and I will taste in a lifetime. So you’ve got to sit up and listen when she gives her tips. And she’ll have plenty of chances to do so at the Hotel Hanford, where she has just taken over the wine program. “I’m pretty irreverent when it comes to wine,” she says. Her first tasting at the hotel’s Wine Salon showcased bacon seven ways with seven pinots. She guarantees you’ll learn a lot there because tastings are small. “I keep it at 10 to 12 people,” she says. And she invites us all to join her there. “We’ll be starting happy hours ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10311219http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10311219Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:28:52 GMTFourteen incredible Rhone and Rhone-style wines, sumptuous appetizers, and a chic Newport Beach country club setting.  “Keep The Promise,” a tasting to benefit The Wooden Floor, the Santa Ana dance studio that helps underprivileged youth complete high school and continue on to college, never disappoints. If you missed this year’s event on Oct. 6 be sure to check the website so you can mark your calendar for next year. I tasted the wines twice and my very favorites continue to be 2006 Guigal Condrieu La Doriane, Rhone, France, Wine Advocate: 96 points, $110; 2007 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape,  Rhone France, Wine Advocate: 96 + points, $75; and 2007 Le Vieux Donjon Chateaufneuf du Pape, Rhone, France, Wine Advocate: 95+ points, $82. If you can find these wines, you’ve got to try them. John Markley and his wife Janice, big supporters of The Wooden Floor, go on a ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10298317http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10298317Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:43:33 GMTTonight is the last night to drink it up at Orange County Wine Week events. If you can't make it out tonight OC Beer Week starts immediately after. Many local restaurants are offering prix fixe menus with wine pairings and other specials. Check this link for a searchable list and comment here with the deal you thought was best. Cheers!—Anne Valdespinohttp://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10295923http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10295923Fri, 30 Sep 2011 23:35:58 GMT  It’s one of the most anticipated wine events of the year in Orange County so you don’t want to miss “Keep The Promise,” a tasting to benefit The Wooden Floor, the Santa Ana dance studio that helps underprivileged youth complete high school and continue on to college. It’s a great cause, but it’s also a great opportunity to taste rare wines. This is the event’s fifth anniversary and John Markley and his wife Janice, who always roll out an incredible group of wines, have outdone themselves this year, enlisting the help of Master Sommelier Steven Poe, right. It’s not just a roundup of the usual California superstars—it’s a chance to get a crash course on one of the greatest wine regions in Europe. “Chateauneuf du Pape is the star,” said Poe, as he previewed a list of 14 wines, seven white and seven red, each with an average rating of ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10290007http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10290007Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:47:48 GMT You‘ve only got two days left to vote for Paso Wine Man. Remember his hilarious sendups of the old-fashioned snooty wine commercials? Well he’s a finalist in Wine Spectator’s video contest. We’ve got to let him know this is his moment! Click this link and then click on his image. Winners will be announced Sept. 20.  May the best Paso Wine Man win!—Anne Valdespino    http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10290386http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10290386Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:05:12 GMTDriving by Mozza in Newport last night (Sept. 1) and I already had dinner but it looked happening so we pulled in. Guess they didn't announce their opening night. Wasn't full at 9:30 so we could have gotten a table but saw a sommelier friend at the bar and joined him. He was already sitting with another sommelier he had just met. Of course we asked about what they were drinking.   So far Mozza only offers five wines. Staff said something about liquor license. Actually it was refreshing not to see a wall full of the lastest gimmicky vodkas. The Bastianich wines are a project of  owner/partner Joe Bastianich who is part of the troika that includes Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton. I tried a glass of the sangiovese and it was a really nice food wine. Oh, and I had the pizza of my life, too. Newport is ...http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10284807http://www.orangecoast.com/blogs/thegrapevine/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10284807Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:54:50 GMT