A beautiful day by the beach, festive tunes and an uplifting vibe, fine food and of course excellent drink. The 14th annual California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara encompassed just about everything you could ask for in a true California experience. Taking place literally steps from the sand and surf at Chase Palm Park Plaza, this beachside wine festival brought together local eateries and fine labels from across the state for a sizeable, but not overwhelming crowd. Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, Rutherford Wine Company, Russian River Vineyards and Valdez Family Winery were among the highlighted purveyors, as well as favorites such as Houdini, Broken Earth Winery and Macchia. A healthy brewery lineup added a refreshing beer element to the hot summer day, with Unibroue, M. Special Brewing Co. and Island Brewing Company as just a few standouts on the list. On the culinary end, Enterprise Fish Company showcased their ever-spectacular lobster bisque, along with Nana’s Kitchen, Dave’s Dogs, Blaze Pizza and Luna Grill serving up additional specialties. While California Wine Festival prioritizes beverages in their events, it’s safe to say you will walk away with your stomach full and your palate pleased. The festival in Santa Barbara is part of California Wine Festival, which oversees a series of annual wine & food festivals across Southern California throughout the year. For more information visit CaliforniaWineFestival.com
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Organic farming is hard work. I had the pleasure of working in Napa for a week to assist with harvest preparation at Olivia Brion winery, located on the breezy hillside of Wild Horse Valley. In addition their breathtaking beauty, the rolling slopes on this expansive Appalachian provide the perfect climate for world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wine here is organic on all levels, handmade every step of the way for a truly artisan product. What better place for a food critic to seek summer escape? The work, however, really put in perspective how difficult it is to organically produce such an upscale product. Harvest, when the grapes get picked, was still a month away, but the labor required even at this point was, plain and simply, dirty. Covered, head to toe, in dust, leaves, and weed clippings. At least I was. “This is how I make the best wine I can,” says Winemaker David Mahaffey, whose voice carries with that endearing tone oddly reminiscent of actor Jeff Goldblum. “I want to improve the long-term health of the soil, of this vineyard. After all my years here, I want to leave this place as healthy as it was when I got here.” Age 63, Mahaffey has controlled every step of Olivia Brion’s production since its first vintage back in 1980. He began the shift to organic viniculture in 2010 to take the wine back to its ‘natural roots’ and emphasize ‘the personal touch this landscape delivers to the wine drinker.’ “It’s not a marketing ploy like you can find with other foods,” he said. “It’s really all about the wine and this is how you make the best-quality product.” He goes the extra mile by signing his bottles regularly, giving his wine a warm attitude of ‘from me to you.’ To be certified organic, no chemical-based fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides can be used. The certification process takes three years, adequate time for the site to ‘clean out its system,’ as Mahaffey says. 2013 was Olivia Brion’s first certified organic vintage. Now having worked at the source, I can absolutely attest to the temptation most mass-market farmers give into. We mowed the weeds out of 11 acres of land in order to set up miles of netting, thrown over the vines to keep birds from eating the grapes as they ripen. These tasks take around 120 hours to complete and don’t even touch the effort required during harvest. All this in 90-degree weather, even with the bay breeze blowing in. Adding chemicals would make the pain go away with a magic ‘poof.’ It’s like looking in your fridge and seeing a cup of Greek yogurt next to a slice of chocolate cake. You know the right choice, but that cake just seems so enticing. Mahaffey maintains a strong character. Before winemaking, he served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and went on to earn his M.Ed. at Harvard. He stumbled upon the wine industry not long after school, where a biking trip to Napa Valley led him to work with famous winemakers Joseph Phelps and David Groines. Olivia Brion poetically embodies Mahaffey’s journey and the worldly personality that goes with it. Brion stems from the pre-immigration surname of his wife, Linda. As for identifying the famous Olivia Brion, Mahaffey cracks a smile. “She’s both the dog and the girl on the bottle,” he says. You’ll have to check that one out for yourself. Mahaffey also produces a Cabernet line from Palladian Vineyard in the St. Helena region. Roughly 70 percent of the wine made gets shipped directly to a mailing list of local customers, almost all of which Mahaffey met on private tours that can be arranged on request. The other 30 percent goes to high-end restaurants in Northern California and nationwide, including Tru [Chicago] and establishments in the Beverly Hills Hotel. More information is available on Olivia Brion’s Website at www.oliviabrion.com. For private tours or further inquiries, David Mahaffey can be reached at (707) 287-2870 or info@oliviabrion.com. Napa Valley Grille, located at the border separating Westwood’s hustle-and-bustle with one of the last quiet and homey neighborhoods in LA, is both a step back in time and a modernistic showcase. This interesting feat is embodied by classic flavors with just enough of a twist to appear all-new, as well as a beautiful layout that still reminds you of home. Even the crowd mixes past, present and future, with energetic couples, business groups and locals who have lived in the neighborhood for decades all dining side by side. The menu reflects Napa Valley Grill’s appeal to ‘palates distinctive of West Coast wine country’ which also encompasses local, sustainable ingredients. This means that the menu also changes seasonally, with new additions coming in pleasant batches. Among the seasonal delights is the Kansas City strip, a 14-oz steak with charred onion-thyme jam and green peppercorn-cognac ju, adding a distinct sweetness that melds beautifully. The Ancho-crusted albacore tuna is just in as well, with a sear that releases spectacular flavor. Pair these with some baked cavatelli gratin—think of it as spruced up mac ‘n’ cheese—and you’ve got a heck of a palate-pleaser. All sides, by the way, come out in great portions fit for sharing. Additional highlights include the crescenza cheese and serrano ham tartine and the charcuterie, led by a house-made chicken liver pate. Sadly, though, these appetizers don’t come out in portion sizes that can justify their price, and the charcuterie could really use some cheese to round it out. Save room for dessert, because the butterscotch bread pudding and sticky toffee date cake are as decadent as they sound. When it comes to drinks, the wine list is quite extensive but cocktails don’t come together that well; it should be noted, though, that their drinks are strong and do come out in real sizes [as opposed to some menial 4 – 5 oz drinks you’ll get elsewhere]. Service is as pristine as the atmosphere. Thankfully so, because with this kind of experience in this location, that bill will set you back. Good thing there’s an excellent happy hour [and reverse happy hour] menu. Napa Valley Grille is located at 1100 Glendon Avenue, #100, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Average out-the-door price for appetizer, entrée, side, dessert and 1 – 2 drinks is ~$125/person. For more information or reservations call (310) 824-3322 or visit Napa valley Grille online. |
AuthorBenjamin Brown is a seasoned restaurant writer and hospitality consultant, serving up SoCal's hottest food news and reviews. Categories
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