Did I spark your curiosity? Excellent.
Here's a sneak peek shot of Europa Village's portion of the worldwide phenomenon know as Cabernet Day. I was priveledge to be invited as a guest taster along with Tom Plant of WINEormous. Copious discussion and laughter were had by all.
Ok, that's enough for now my friends. Or in the twitter world, my peeps.
Like Carly Simon's old song ~ Anticipa-a-tion is making me wait…
Winemaking is not a glorious process whatsoever. If you've ever worked in a winery, especially a boutique winery, you know what I'm talking about. You will bust your hump daily to get the end result. That is why I personally have more respect for winegrowers that do it all. They have their hands in every pot, from the vineyard to corking. If you enjoy viticulture and oenology like me you will love every day. However, if you just want to drink the wine you will be miserable and want to book to the nearest exit gate when you are asked to steam clean the barrels.
I am a fortunate S.O.B. because I have frequently been allowed to assist in what small ways I can Dennis and Julie Grimes of Eagles Nest Winery in Ramona, CA.
Wine bottling for Eagles Nest is done under strict sanitary and climate control conditions. Dennis firmly believes that you have got to sterilize everything you use, as well as control the climate from crush to storage. Without a doubt he is correct.
Here's a more glorious view of the bottling process at their winery. Yes, I forgot to get a photo of labeling, so sue me. Nothing special today, just a short story…
You need to have lots and lots of these
Life's elixer in a four bottle siphon filler. Automatically stops when full ~ usually
Dual button corker guarantees the bottle is corked with corks and not fingers
Heat shrink capsules are placed and ready for the shrinker.
Reminds me of shrinky-dinks
Careful, the capsule shrinker gets wicked hot.
Bottles are inverted to keep wine in contact with the cork.
Then they are closed and put in climate controlled storage.
Located on the ceiling above the bar is a lone footprint aside a multitude of handprints. The colors of their tasting room are of bright pastels like those of Easter eggs. Housed in the back room are numerous wigs of varied styles, and on the wall is a life size painting of a cross-dresser dressed as a bumble-bee. My kick-ass friends Andy and Lisa from The Deek and Long Band demonstrate this vineyard's ability to release your inhibitions. Sorry 'bout the cuss…
No, this is not a discothèque or rave bar. This is Clautiere Vineyard in Paso Robles. Their sign couldn’t have said it better ~ “A winery like no other”
Clautiere is owned by Claudine Blackwell and Terry Brady. Aside from the title winemaker, they also label themselves as Directors of Fantasy, and with a tasting room like something out of Alice in Wonderland I can confirm their title.
Claudine and Terry were not available when we visited, but we were hosted by the gracious Wine Angel Raeyln.
Our human interest had peaked feverishly while perusing the establishment, and sitting patiently, grinning like the Cheshire cat was Raeyln, seemingly in anticipation of our bombardment of inquiries.
What is the deal with this place?
~ Like the sign said; a winery like no other
Are these photos really of cross-dressers?
~ Yes, those really are cross-dressers. Many of which are prominent figures in their respective communities
Who’s the bumble-bee on the wall?
~ The bumble-bee is one of Claudine’s dearest friends
Why are wigs in the backroom?
When the wigs are put on, they allow a person to release their inhibitions and morph into their alter ego
and most importantly…
Just why do we see a footprint on the ceiling above the bar?
~ Raeyln looked up at the footprint and commented that the owners decided to stop having large parties inside the tasting room after that one
The winery was eclectically cool, and definitely in a class all its own.
Their wines were tasty, however, the fortified Roussanne called the C-shot was wickedly awesome.
Terry’s annual production is 4,500 cases of Cabernet, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Viognier, blends and port.
If I had to give Clautiere a theme song it would be Lou Reed ~ walk on the wild side
Click to view a brief slideshow of Clautiere
Clautiere Vineyard
1340 Penman Springs Road
Paso Robles, CA 93446-7026
(805) 237-3789
What better vacation to take than to visit Paso Robles.
In our whirlwind trip this July, we managed to visit a mere total of ten. I say a mere total because there are more than 200 wineries throughout the Paso Robles area.
When I tell you we visited Hug cellars in Paso Robles, you probably think of a winery with rolling vineyards and wide open spaces. Well, if you head over to Hug you’ll need to drive into an Industrial Park and locate their suite, number 120.
We honestly were unsure of what to expect when we walked in as none of us had been there before. As we entered, we were greeted by a beautiful smile from behind the tasting bar. Raquel Hug is the owner of that smile and the tasting room echoed the same warmth as she. Whenever I speak to others about winegrowers I tell them I firmly believe that the personality of the winegrower reflects through their wine and establishment. Her husband, Augie, unfortunately was not in. He, like many other boutique winery owners, has a full-time job aside from his wine.
After Raquel poured our first tasting, their 2008 Booker Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, she rallied us up and we were instructed to follow her. We rallied and walked past the bar and into the back of their establishment. The remainder of the warehouse was their barrel room and storage.
Raquel and Augie care deeply for our ecosystem and recycle whenever permissible. Beautiful burgundy posts are stained using the lees left over from racking; railing banisters are staves from retired barrels and any cracked staves are chipped for use in their open fire pizza oven. The head or lid of the barrel is even cut in half and used as a cheese board!
Looking at their barrels, we noticed all of them had someone’s name uniquely written in chalk. Raquel explained that their barrels are identified with names of their friends as friendship is an important part of their lives.
The "sun" metal sculpture which graces their establishment was created by local metal artist Peter Fels of Big Sur.
Hug produces approximately 1,500 cases annually from grapes purchased from various vineyards. Some vineyard contracts are paid by the acre. When a contract with a vineyard is done by the acre, it allows some control over the Viticultural practices for that particular acres harvest by the purchaser, such as how many tons per acre they desire.
The wines that Augie creates include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, Grenache, Mourvedre, and GSM.
Be sure to add Hug Cellars to your visit in Paso Robles. You’ll be pleasantly surprised what you can find in an industrial park!
~ Hug Cellars 2323 Tuley Ct. Suite 120, Paso Robles, CA 93446 805-226-8022 ~
MIDSUMMER’S AFTERNOON CELEBRATION
August 7th, 2010 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Paso Robles very own Alta Colina is proud to present their first food and wine event at the winery! They are very excited to be working with renowned local Chef, Jeff Scott.
The delectable menu starts with a fresh mozzarella tasting, goes into an Argentinean-style bbq, and ends with a delicious sweet & savory dessert.
Over the course of the meal you will taste their Claudia Cuvee, 2 vintages of Syrah, and the newly released 2008 Ann’s Block Petite Sirah.
FULL MENU:
1st Course
FRESH MOZZERELLA TASTING
SHEEPS MILK RICOTTA, BURRATA and MOZZERELLA di BUFFALA
HEIRLOOM TOMATO CONFIT, LUCQUES OLIVES
FAT CAT FARMS ITALIAN SALSA VERDE
2008 ‘CLAUDIA CUVEE’-MARSANNE, ROUSSANNE, GRENACHE BLANC
2nd Course
ARGENTINA STYLE BBQ
FLAT IRON STEAKS
HAND MADE SAUSAGE and EMPANADAS
CRUSHED YUKON GOLD POTAOES, PIQUILLO PEPPERS
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
2007 SYRAH & 2008 ‘TOASTED SLOPE’ SYRAH
3rd Course
SWEET and SAVORY MONTGOMERYS CHEDDER GRILLED CHEESE with CHERRY MARMELADE
BLUEBERRY SAGE COBBLER SYRAH-WHITE PEPPER SYRUP and TOASTED CARAMEL CREME
2008 ANN’S BLOCK PETITE SIRAH
Cost for lunch, including wine is $45, $35 for Tasting Club members
RSVP is required
To RSVP please Email Maggie at maggie@altacolinawine.com
Does a reach-around come with that?
Now don't get me wrong, I know that "some" wineries count on paying their bills with money made on tasting fees. The average tasting fee around here is five bucks. Some may even be ten, but you want me to pay fifteen dollars for five tastings? Jesus, that's three dollars for two ounces. I can head to another winery and buy a whole glass for five, and it's great wine.
Yeah, I have to go to the other winery because you don't sell by the glass. You only do five tastings for fifteen bucks or buy the bottle and then drink it. When you take into consideration that you have six wine selections and five tastings you need to decide within five sips if you're
willing to pay for a whole bottle. Nope, I'll head somewhere else. Lorimar Winery in Old Town Temecula charges five dollars for five tastings. Often they will have dollar days where you can taste five for uno dinero. You paying attention here?
Oh, wait one. You'll waive the tasting fee if we buy a bottle? How absolutely generous of you. Your bottle costs thirty-eight dollars. I sincerely hope I made the right choice off of my two-ounce tasting. Somehow I feel like I'm being strong armed here. You're going to pay, one way or another.
Your wines may be good, but they are not that good. Can someone please justify the reasoning on this?
Tempt your Taste Buds at the twenty-fourth annual Ojai Wine Festival
Sunday, June 13, 2010, 12:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Tasting from 12 noon – 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: Online, at the Attitude Adjustment Shoppe – Ojai, or Roadrunner Shuttle
Ojai, CA – The twenty-fourth annual Ojai Wine Festival will take place Sunday, June 13, 2010 from 12:00 to 5:00 pm on the scenic shores of Lake Casitas.
The annual fundraising event attracts close to 4,000 attendees each year. Reggie Wood, President of the sponsoring Rotary Club of Ojai-West boasted “You can’t beat the combination of fantastic wine, beer, food, live music, dancing and fun in such a beautiful setting on the shores of
Wine Festival Executive Director, Angela May, added “Last year had a record breaking 57 wineries who poured 240 diverse wines. We anticipate a similar variety of high quality wines at this year’s festival she added. Tickets are limited and May advises buying tickets online now. Photos, maps, and information from last year’s event can be found at http://www.ojaiwinefestival.com.
Ten popular local restaurants will offer tasty food at reasonable prices. Guests may dine and drink wine at shaded tables or picnic on a grassy knoll overlooking the stage and
Visitors can look forward to listening, dancing, and singing along to the music of Beatles tribute band, Sgt. Pepper, plus Tom Thumb and the Hitchikers, an 11-piece rock & soul review. The festival will also feature an assortment of arts and crafts vendors selling their wares. Small children can play in the park’s play area and free boat rides on
Admission prices and how to purchase tickets are as follows:
Advance sale tickets are $30 available online at http://www.ojaiwinefestival.com , add $3.00 handling charge per order. Tickets are also on sale at Ojai’s Attitude Adjustment Shoppe in the
The deadline for purchasing advance tickets online or phone is Friday, June 11th at 5:00 pm. Purchased tickets will not be mailed out. Pick up your tickets with your payment confirmation slip at the Will Call booth the day of the event. Groups of twenty participants or more receive a discounted price of 10%. Call Angela May at 1-800-648-4881 for details.
Regular Adult Admission the day of the event is $40.00. The ticket price includes admission, all entertainment, a souvenir wine glass, and ten (10) wine-tasting tickets – to be redeemed at the wine or beer tasting booths. Children under 16 years are free with a paid adult. Wine by the Glass is $6.00. Extra tasting tickets are $2.00 each. Parking is $5.00 at the site. Pets, outside alcoholic beverages, umbrellas or shade structures are not allowed at the event.
Room/Ticket/Shuttle Package for two are available at the
The Ojai Wine Festival is a non-profit fundraising event of the Rotary Club of Ojai-West to help fund many humanitarian and community projects, including the environmental science based educational Lake Casitas Boat Tours for Ojai public schools. For information on Rotary community service projects, visit http://www.ojairotarywest.org or mail in your questions to:
This press release thanks to the Ojai Rotary Club ~ West
Photograph with attribution to Steve Adams
I say its time we all pitch in to kick-start our local economy. How can we do that? Start by SUPPORTING LOCAL BANDS and VENUES, go out and have a good time, mingle, meet people and get to know your local musicians. Restaurants, Wineries and Clubs all over Temecula/Murrieta are hiring bands to play to stimulate business. So GO OUT and HAVE A GOOD TIME for crying out loud! 
For example, RJ's Sizzling Steer in Murrieta is practically an icon in this area, this family run restaurant has been around for over 16 years. Recently the owners have upgraded their beautiful outdoor patio and brought in local musicians to entertain 3 nights a week. The food is great and their staff is super friendly, PLUS the bands they hire to play there are high energy and LOADS of fun! I'm calling it right now, RJ's is gonna be the new HOT SPOT for Murrieta. Check them out this weekend at the corner of Kalmia and Madison, near The Guitar Center Shopping Center. Johhny on the Spot will be playing there tonight (Thursday), one of my favorite bands…go check it out!
Another great hang out that has expanded their outdoor patio just in time for summer is Tesoro Winery in Old Town Temecula. Have you heard about this place? Kimberly and Buzz have supported many local musicians and artists in the area over the past few years. Their wine is fantastic, my personal favorite is the Sangiovese…YUM-O! They are located right on Front Street, across from the coin shop and Rosa's Cantina. Stop by and tell Kimberly we said "hello!"
How about The Wine Company in Temecula? Have any of you been there? This place is like hanging out in your favorite quaint coffee shop, except they serve WINE…which is better, right? Andy and I started hanging out there a little over a year ago, and we fell in love with the place right away. Its like our home away from home, our "Cheers"…where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. Owner Dan Atwood is not only a good guy and a great businessman, he also makes some KILLER wine. His Rose of Syrah is like candy…so freakin GOOD! He offers wine from all over the world too, as well as wine tasting events and food pairing classes. So, what goes well with wine and a cozy atmosphere????…hmmmmmm…how about MUSIC? The Wine Company brings in all kinds of diverse sounds to entertain their guests, from jazz to acoustic to rock…you name it. The Wine Company is located at the corner of Margarita and Overland, in the same parking lot as The Olive Garden. Deek & Long will be there Friday night! wink wink, nudge nudge!
So, have I convinced you? Are you going to get out this weekend and support local musicians and businesses? Come on and give that couch cushion a rest, it'll still be there when you get home, I promise! Who needs internet dating when you have literally DOZENS of local hangouts to meet people and make new friends?
Need something to do this Sunday? I just got word about another event…catch The Bash live in concert from 1 – 6pm in La Cresta (off of Clinton Keith) , this up and coming band that is becoming the talk of the town, call Jan Harris for more info at 951-461-3533. I was told if you want to be a part of this super fun event, you better…HURRY UP!
Rock on folks, I'm outta here!
Get your beads and king cake ready Simi Valley. The Cajun Creole Festival is coming to town May 29th and 30th. This festival is in its twenty-first year of existence thanks to the Rotary Club of Simi Valley.
This fundraiser is loaded with events and activities for the entire family. There is a Cajun Kids area with an abundance of fun activities. There is also a talent show for children ages 17 and under with you the audience as the judge.
If I were you I would definitely go there hungry. Over one-hundred-fifty food, vendor and sponsor booths for you to peruse. Awe yeah baby, festival food ~ cajun dishes, burgers and hot dogs, as well as my achilles heel – kettle corn. There's even that yucky green stuff. You know, salad. I may also add that wine will be available by the glass for those of us oenophiles that attend.
There are multiple music and performance stages at the festival, ensuring a continuous flow of musical energy to fill the air. With musicians and performers such as The Insomniacs, Hollywood Blue Flames, Pine Leaf Boys, and Mike Zito playing everything from cajun creole, zydeco and blues. Music runs from 11:30 – 7:30 each day.
This event was the brain child of the Rotary Club of Simi Valley in 1988. Growing from a New England Clam bake to an enormous festival jam packed with musicians, vendors, and activities. Since its birth the Rotary has raised more than one-million dollars towards youth, senior citizens, international, and family and community charities and organizations. One-hundred percent, that's right, one-hundred percent of all the profits are donated. There are so many treats, activities, events and music it will surely please all family members. Do your soul and the community good this weekend. It seems that they have the current economic times in mind with tickets only $18 bucks for adults and $12 for kids. This deal is a steal. Visit their website here and purchase tickets today. The donation recipients are listed.
| Youth | |
| Simi Valley Boyse and Girls Club | Boy Scouts of America |
| 4-H Programs | Youth Employment Services (Y.E.S.) |
| Job Treaining/Skills Workshop for Simi High Students | Seven College Scholarships |
| Explorer Scouts | Interface |
| YMCA of Simi Valley | Youth Leadership Camp |
| Senior Citizens | |
| Oasis | Simi Valley Seniors Center |
| Meals on Wheels | Thanksgiving Dinner for Seniors & Homeless |
| International | |
| The Rotary Foundation | Ambassadorial Scholarships |
| Group Study Exchange Team | Youth Exchange Programs |
| Families and Community | |
| American Cancer Society (Relay for Life) | Coalition to End Family Violence |
| The ARC of Ventura County | Free Clinic of Simi Valley |
| Battered Women and Children Center Care & Share | Many Mansion's |
| MS Society of Simi Valley | Sarah's House |
| Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District | Simi Valley Education Fund |
| Simi Valley Unified School District | Simi Valley Band Boosters |
| Simivalley Cheer Leaders | Simi Valley Friends of the Library |
| Samaritan Center of Simi Valley | Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center |
| Simi Valley Police Reserves | Simi Valley Police K-9 Unit |
| Simi Valley Soccer Foundation | Simi Valley High School Decathlon |
| Special Education Advisory Comittee |
A big thanks to all the sponsors supporting this event. The below is not in any particular order. They are placed as they could fit. Photos, banners and ads are used with courtesy and authorization of the Rotary Club of Simi Valley.
The start of vacation season is nearly upon us with the observance of Memorial Day. Traveling to destinations near and far are friends and families that will party, reminisce and enjoy each others company.
This time every year I see news stations hitting the streets asking passersby what memorial day means. As a retired Marine with twenty years of service to our country it tears at my soul when I hear people – Americans, answer the question with comments that are so off base I’m embarrassed for them.
It is an interesting situation when you think about it. This coming weekend people across the nation will party, travel, dance, and express themselves freely enjoying every minute of it. Please remember that the servicemen and women who gave their lives serving this country and protecting our liberties are honored on Memorial Day. They, my friends are the very reason we all have the beloved and often assumed liberties that Americans possess.
If I have educated at least one person then I have done well. If I have not ~ at least I’m doing what all servicemen and women are bound by honor to do by leaving no man behind on the battlefield. I will carry their soul off the field and in my heart forever. Especially 1stSgt Mercadante USMC who was killed on April 15th in 2008 by an IED while conducting combat operations in
I am stepping off my soap box now. I have enclosed a link to the history of Memorial Day VA website
