Bringing The Tasting Room, with Tom Leykis, to Locanda del Lago!

Last week, I had the great pleasure of hosting Tom Leykis at my new home,  Locanda del Lago, here on the Santa Monica Promenade, to talk Italian Wine, Food, and the Good Life. We had a fantastic time and enjoyed many an excellent comestible. Wines tasted included: Planeta "La Segreta Bianco" 2010, Ferrari Carano Chardonnay 2010, Lucente (Frescobaldi/Mondavi venture) 2010, and Nino Negri "Sfursat" 2007, a delightful wine from Lombardy which takes Nebbiolo grapes and dries them out "Amarone-style" for four months. An intruiging and unique wine, to be sure!  The show can be heard here: http://tastingwithtom.com/weekend-10-13-12

What makes Lago so unique is that we are not your typical "Mom and Pop, spaghetti and meatballs joint" so many of us grew up on in the states. The owner and Michelin-starred Chef are from Lombardy in the North and have committed to making Lago entirely authentic. Locanda del Lago means "Inn on the Lake" in Italian. We specialize in Northern Italian Cuisine from Bellagio on Lake Como in Lombardy. We source authentic products like Prosciutto di Parma, Arborio Rice, and Parmesan Cheese. The cuisine and style are reminiscent of the Lake Como/Bellagio area from whence they hail. Additionally, there is a strong commitment to Organic, Sustainable, and Farm-to-Table philosophies. We do all our produce shopping from the Santa Monica Farmers' Market twice a week. All pastas, foccacia, gelatos, and pastries are made in-house. Hardcore foodies will be thrilled to know that our seafood is sustainable ocean to plate from Santa Monica Seafood, LA's best source! We also feature Vegan and Gluten-free menus for those discerning Guests who prefer it. And for the serious oenophile, our wine list features over 400 selections, all Italian and California, including verticals of the finest "Super-Tuscans" as well as great older vintages of Napa's best Cabernets and Meritage blends. At reasonable prices, too! Lots of half bottles round out the list, and a half-price wine night on Wednesdays make Lago a stop not to be missed by lovers of the grape. For lovers of the grain, we do an incredible array of handcrafted artisinal cocktails that will enliven the tastebuds and sooth the soul! There is something for everybody at Locanda del Lago. From great food and great wine to the beautiful setting on the Santa Monica Promenade. Check out the website at www.lagosantamonica.com for more info.

Boys' Lunch-Blind Wine Tasting at Misfit in Santa Monica!

As usual, about a dozen of us got together to have a great lunch and blind-taste an assortment of wines. Coincidentally, 7 of the 12 wines brought ended up being Italian! And there was no theme set, nor was the restaurant an Italian one, so go figure! We had a fantastic time, and I encourage you, too to put together a blind-tasting party with your friends. It's the best way to truly experience wine in an unbiased way. Let me know what

YOU discover!

My appearance on LIP TV's "Wine Down" Show

I had the great pleasure of joining hosts Sonya Magdevski and Brandon Bartlett of The Lip TV's "Wine Down" yesterday on Lip.tv, to discuss blind wine tasting. It was a great time, and I will be back to do more shows with them for sure! Watch and learn some tips on how to throw a wine tasting party!

The Wine Minute in Shanghai, China

Here I have the honor of tasting the wines of Grace Vineyards (怡园酒庄) in their Shanghai wine tasting room. Jojo He, of Grace, kindly tasted me on 2 of their finest releases- the Reserve Chardonnay and the Deep Blue (Bordeaux Blend). These were among my favorite wines tasted in China. The winemaker at Grace is Australian, thereby imparting a "New World" sense unto the wines. The chardonnay was aged in French Oak and was rich and tropical, and the "Deep Blue" was full-bodies, rich, and spicy, without being overbearing. The wines sell for about $35, and $60, respectively. On the road, I also tried wines from Rongchen, Great Wall, and Chang Yu Vineyards. China is coming up in the wine world, friends, so keep your eyes peeled, and don't be afraid to try them. They are great!

http://www.grace-vineyard.com/

The Wine Minute in Beijing China

Here, I have the great pleasure of interviewing the Cui Caihong (崔彩虹) , winemaker at Fengshou (Harvest) Winery in Beijing, the Peoples' Republic of China (北京丰收葡萄酒有限公司). I tasted their 2011 Riesling, and 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, which were both amazing! Unfortunately, these wines are currently not available in the US. But hopefully will be soon! They do import their Cabernet and Onion wine into the US, as well as a full line of fruit-based wines. Thanks to our interpreter, Duyen, for doing such a great job translating!

http://fengshouwine.com.cn/

Pinot Gris-your new "go to" wine!

Everyone knows Pinot Grigio, right? But when is the last time you picked up a bottle of Pinot Gris? What many people don't know is that theses wines use the same grape. The Italians call it Pinot Grigio and the French, Pinot Gris. A Rose by any other name, right?
Well, stylistically the Italian Pinot Grigios tend to be a tad crisper and lighter whereas the Pinot Gris from France, Oregon and California tend to be smoother, softer and richer.
I had the great pleasure of buying a very nice "J" Pinot Gris, from the Jordan Wine family, for a mere $14.99. Found it in a quaint little neighborhood grocer, Bel Air Foods, which boasts a very nice and reasonably priced wine section. For all you Angelinos, get over there and try it!

The J Pinot Gris is delightful-pale straw color, with a nose that hints of prickly pear and Georgia peach. On the palate the wine has gorgeous mandarin orange, pear, and dried apricot notes balanced out by a nice acidity that doesn't overwhelm the elegance of this wine.
This a crowd pleaser for sure. And at $14.99, even the most spend-thrifty will be pleased.
Give it a try. I think you'll enjoy it!

Long Time No Blog!

Sorry fans of my wine blog, that I have been remiss in my wine blogging. My New Years Resolution is I WILL be better about it! :-)
This past several months I have been quite busy with lots of wine tastings, wine trips, and wine radio. I have done lots of appearances, mostly on Tom Leykis's "The Tasting Room" (www.thetastingroom.com), and Indie 103.1's "Wino Wednesday" (www.indie1031.com)
I have been bloviating about The Palm, Food & Wine, Wine Pairings, Wines for the Holidays, and even Wines for AFTER the Holidays i.e. ones that wont break the bank and will even help you stay in shape!
I have had so many fantastic wines this season, which are often seen on my Facebook Page. If you like to read up on these, add Jonathan Yourwineguy as a Facebook friend. IN the meantime, check back here often to see what I am tasting!
Cheers!!
Jonathan