Category Archives: Wine

Wine Down Wednesday – Sparkling Wines

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One way to relax at the Fair is to participate in our wine education program. Top chefs and wine experts share their knowledge with guests, providing wine and cheese for all! (21+) You can get the full schedule and list of speakers here.

Tonight, Playboy Mansion’s Executive Chef William S. Bloxom-Carter will be at the Wine, Beer & Spirits Marketplace to reveal some of his best tips for successful hospitality, hosting parties and of course, the best wine. Be sure to check that out if you get the chance!

On Sunday I had the pleasure of learning from Rene Chazottes, the director of wine at Newport Beach’s Pacific Club and Maitre Sommelier in his session: “Celebrate! Every Day’s A Good Day for Sparkling Wine.” He served six different wines, made from Spain, Italy, New York, Australia and France as well as four cheeses.

The first, Montcadi Cava, Metodo Tradicional was a bronze medal winning wine from Spain, soft on the palate, leaving a delightfully sweet, crisp feeling. Paired with the French Tomme de Savoie cheese, this wine gives off an edgy, aromatic flavor. Don’t let the $6 price fool you either. This wine is better quality than the price lets on. As Rene said in his session, “I’m not cheap. I’m inexpensive!”

The second wine was from Italy. Rene claimed it to be the most popular of the six in America. Third up was Rene’s personal favorite, silver medalist Chateau Frank, Blanc de Blanc from New York, heavy on the palate and the most complex of flavors. This wine had a greenish tinge, indicating a cool climate where the grapes never fully ripen. Fruity and deliciously fresh was the sparkling brut from Rack & Riddle, combining strawberries and raspberries. Fifth featured was a brut cuvee from Jacob’s Creek in Australia, pale and sweet in comparison to the previous two wines.

Cremant Rose France, $18

The crowd favorite was, by far, wine #6: Le Grand Courtage’s Cremant Rose, straight from France. This wine had a light pink color to it which, according to Rene is on account of the number of grapes used to create the wine. Originating from the Loire Valley and finished in Bordeaux, makers wait for as long as 18 months before they sell this wine. Rene suggested pairing this drink with one of the world’s finest cheeses, the French Societe Roquefort. It’s intense flavor pairs well with the light, sweet taste of the wine.

All six wines had unique traits. Rene had Fairguests see for themselves through scent, color and of course, taste. If you would like a chance to learn more about wine, cheese and olive oil, be sure to stop by!

Not Just Wine and Spirits

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Did you know that the Wine & Spirits Marketplace has much more than wine and spirits? Of course you can get award-winning beers and wine there, but there’s also so much more. Not only do we host the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, but we also host the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. So, it’s only fitting that you can also sample the “fruits” of this competition in the Marketplace, as well.

And what goes great with wine and olive oil? Some Italian food, of course. Eddie’s Cucina is our Cellar Café, serving up fantastic gourmet pizza, pasta and paninis. And if you remember our Wine Wednesday post a while back, it is also where you can some of the best meatballs around.

For dessert you can turnaround from Eddie’s and you will see the Dr. Bob’s Ice Cream stand in the Marketplace. We’ve already mentioned that this is one of the Fair’s must-do desserts… so, now’s as good of a time as any!

You will need to wash that food down with something. May we suggest coffee or tea from the Groundwork Coffee Tea Community? It’s organic, fair trade and kosher… oh, and also delicious!

If you are wondering what to do on the last day of the Fair, make sure to check out all the Marketplace has to offer. It will all also be here next year, just in case you miss it.

Wine Wednesday: Demystifying Dessert Wines

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For some reason, when you look at a wine list at most restaurants you only get the choice of one dessert wine. This is a shame because there so many amazing and different dessert wines. From the bubbly Moscato to a rich Port, L.A. International Wine & Spirits Competition judge Mark Newman took us on a tour of some of the best.

Mark first educated us in his “no frills” method of wine tasting. While it seems standard to hold up your wine to the light and inspect for color and clarity, he says this is not necessary. This used to be standard when long ago filtration systems were not as good and you didn’t want dirty wine. The real keys to the tasting are smell and taste. Smell is such a key part of tasting that sticking your nose right in the glass is going to give you a much better taste of the wine. Mark also encouraged the class to go after wines they find delicious, not what you are told is good by experts.

In tasting you go from driest to sweetest and lightest to fullest. We started with a Moscato d’Asti by La Badia (my personal favorit!), then to a G. Marquis Riesling Icewine, after that a Brachetto di Acqui by Rosa Regale, then a California Raspberry Wine by Raspberry Regale, next a Rancho de Philo’s Triple Cream Sherry (made locally in the Cucamonga Valley!), and last a Petite Sirah Port by Bogle. It also happened to be from least alcohol content to most, generally. The Moscato was about 5.5%, really nice for a low-alcohol brunch. The Port was at 20%, so handle with care!

All were lovely wines and the tasting also used Dr. Bob’s ice cream, in vanilla and chocolate and a bar of dark chocolate, along with cheeses. One of everyone’s favorite duo was the Raspberry Wine (a pure fruit wine that is syrupy and intense) with the chocolate items. The man next to me suggested pouring the wine over the chocolate ice cream and I’m sure over pancakes or anything else that needs a sweet kick would be great!

This week is your last chance to take one of our fabulous wine education classes! Each class features a minimum of six wines and three cheeses, plus tasting ticket for a Gold Medal Winner at the International Tasting Bar.

Classes you might want to check out this week include:
-Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Beguiling Italian Wines (Thurs., 9/29)
-Sexy, Seductive, Sensuous Sangiovese (Fri, 9/30)
-Wine, Cheese & Chocolate (Sat., 10/1)
-Guess Which Wine? (Sun., 10/2)

A full list of classes and times can be found our website. Cheers!

Wine Wednesday: What Do You Pair With a Corn Dog?

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Who says wine has to be snobby? Our wine education keeps it real with a class on pairing fair food with wine. According to sommelier and class teacher Traci Dutton, the L.A. County Fair has some of the best fair food in the country. According to her, if it was a restaurant it would have five stars. So no need to feel like you are limited to cornd ogs and funnel cake, by any means.

Traci selected Tasti Chips (homemade potato chips), empanadas from Piaggo, and meatballs from Eddie’s Italian Cucina, along with a double Gloucester, Jarlsberg Swiss and Kerrygold Aged Cheddar with Whiskey. I have to say, it was all pretty gourmet.

Before we even began we were instructed to use to Piper Sonoma Brut (a sparkling wine that is a good value and easy to find) to cleanse our palette. Refreshing! We then paired it with the Tasti Chips, first with cheese sauce and then without. The saltiness of the chips had a good balance with the bubbles and the creamy texture of the wine. Next we tried a Frisk Prickly Riesling, which comes from a region in Australia known for good Riesling. The sweetness of the Riesling tasted delightful with the chips and Traci told us that if our cheese sauce had a jalapeño kick, it would match even better. Spicy and acidic always pairs well with a Riesling.

We moved on to the chicken empanada, filled with lots of grilled vegetables with a nice flaky crust. An Argentinean dish deserved to be paired with two great Argentinean wines. The Medrano Estate Torrontes, a white, and the Alamos—Wines of Cantina Malbec, a red, showed how the grape can really change the taste.

Our last Fair delight was the meatball. Traci commented that her husband is a chef and makes delicious meatballs, but this one rivals his. I agree (I haven’t tasted Traci’s husband’s meatballs, but these were very delicious)! You could tell they had used a mixture of meats to give a complex flavor. We tried the meatball with a Vecchia Cantina Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano DOCG and a PureCru Sangio Vetta. The Sangio Vetta, a California expression of Sangiovese, was quite a treat as it was made by one of the judges for the L.A. International Wine & Spirits Competition. The intense flavor stood up well to the red sauce and meatball.

Traci said that next time she does a class like this, she might just do “What pairs well with a giant smoked turkey leg?” I can’t wait to try it! You don’t have to wait for a class though. Just bring your fair meal over to the Wine and Spirits Marketplace, grab some wine and enjoy!

What do you think? Have you tried pairing wine with any fair foods?

Cook Like a Master Chef

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Can you smell the garlic? If you’ve been in the Wine and Spirits Marketplace during a cooking demo, you probably have. Every Thursday, the Marketplace hosts Chef Henry Gonzalez of Spaggi’s Restaurant who will teach you how to cook like a pro. Today Chef Henry taught an eager and hungry crowd how to make a delicious pasta—Penne Vigne.

Chef Henry encouraged his “students” in the audience to experiment with the ingredients—omit the cream, add spinach, add chicken, whatever you want! He said this meal is great for tailgating. The audience was served a sample and everyone agreed it was delicious! The pasta was paired with a Seaglass Riesling from Monterey, CA that took gold in our L.A. International Wine & Spirits competition. You can use any Riesling you prefer.

Ingredients:
1lb penne pasta or your preference
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of sliced garlic
1 shallot diced
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup cream
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth (Chef Henry tip: using this will help you cut down on using cream)
1/3 cup julienne sun dried tomatoes
1 bunch of asparagus sliced at an angle
1 cup quartered artichokes
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1tbs of butter
2 oz parmesan cheese shredded
1 pinch kosher salt
2 pinches white pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat a sauté pan and once heated add your garlic, olive oil and shallots, allowing to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Next, add artichokes, sautéing for another 2 minutes (Chef Henry says this helps coat the artichoke in the garlic goodness we’ve created and gives it flavor). Add the white wine and allow the alcohol to cook away—this is called deglazing. Add your broth (Chef Henry says this would be the best time to add any other ingredients of your choice). Then add sun dried tomatoes, kosher salt and pepper. Next add cream and butter and combine your cooked pasta with the sauce. Finally, toss fresh asparagus to the dish. Plate your entree and add Parmesan.

Try the dish at home and let us know what you think! If you want to see more from Chef Henry, you can come down on a Thursday at 1pm to our Wine & Spirits Marketplace or check out his restaurant in Upland.

(Wine) Knowledge is Power!

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I know you are coming to the Fair. You know you are coming to the Fair. So, how about we take a class? The work in this classroom is work we will enjoy – trust me! Meet me at the Wine & Spirits Marketplace for one (or more!) of the many great wine education classes and seminars available.

Conducted by wine makers, educators, sommeliers and wine writers, the classes range from wine and food pairings to classes on different wine varietals to cooking demonstrations by Chef Henry Gonzalez of Spaggi’s Restaurant. Master Sommelier Michael Jordan will host two Internet radio shows on Sept. 9 & 16 from the marketplace.

Each class features a minimum of six wines and three cheeses. Each participant will receive a tasting ticket for a taste of a gold medal winner from the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, available at the International Tasting Bar. The cost per class is $17. See a complete list of classes here.

At the Wine & Spirits Marketplace, taste more than 300 medal-winning wines, spirits, beers and extra virgin olive oils. It’s a great place to hang out with friends, get a bite to eat, relax in air-conditioned splendor or have a seat in the beautifully decorated patio.

Before…

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In order for you Fair fiends (hey, Gaga has Little Monsters, the Fair-ey Blogster has Fair Fiends) to get an idea of how we transform our 543-acre grounds into the world’s largest county fair, I’m going to share some transformation photos with you. While the conceptualizing and planning of each Fair begins a year or two or three in advance, the physical metamorphosis is a process that begins in earnest right about now – two months out. Since we have other shows going on at Fairplex up until close to the Fair’s opening, there is limited time to get our construction groove on. Sure, our team does what they can throughout the year to get ready for Fair. But, now, it’s Crazy Time! Take a look at the before:

The center of the grounds. In 66 days, this area will be filled with the thrills and adrenaline of Ray Cammack Shows’ great carnival. Right now it’s an empty space, although last Saturday it was used for FUN Decanted, the great wine, beer, spirits and food truck festival we had. The carnival area was moved closer into the heart of the fairgrounds last year. All shopping was moved to the Shopping Place, which guests really enjoyed – all shopping in one location. This year we’ll have 50 new vendors and more than 100 new products, including the Blizzie, which turns any drink into a slushy!

To your right here is the facade of the Wine & Spirits Marketplace. Looks pretty cool, huh? WSM houses the Fair’s wine education program, including tastings of our award-winning wine, beer and extra virgin olive oil and classes with some of the best wine experts in the world. It’s a great place to hang out for a bit, with gourmet food and Dr. Bob’s Ice Cream available inside.

Wilderness Ridge will allow our guests to explore the Great Outdoors. Here you’ll find lumberjack shows, Grizzly Falls and the new Welde’s Big Bear Expedition with live bears!

Looking north on Broadway. The Grandstand awaits horse racing and the End of Summer Concert Series. Outdoor Living will be on the left of Broadway with all the amenities for making your backyard great (spas, bbqs). The Sky Ride will take visitors on a leisurely romp up and down Broadway and Palm.

There is still much work to do. Return for some more “before” photos as the excitment builds (literally!) to Opening Day. Then visit the Fair Sept. 3-Oct. 2 and take your own “after” pix.

Let’s toast the 2010 L.A. County Fair!

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What better way to celebrate this year’s Fair than with a glass of wine or champagne?

You’ll find both among winners of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, as well as prize-winning spirits and olive oils.

The Fair’s wine education program is extremely popular. Each class features a minimum of six wines and attendees receive a tasting ticket of a Gold Medal winner from the International Tasting Bar at the Wine & Spirits Marketplace that’s presented by Ralphs. Each class costs $17.

Tomorrow, Adam LaZarre, winemaker of Villa San-Juliette, presents “Unusual White Wines – The Gems You Didn’t Know About!” at 2 p.m., “Merlot – It Doesn’t Suck” at 4 p.m. and “Pinot Noir – Sex In A Bottle” at 6 p.m.

On Sunday, you’ll learn “Why Bordeaux is the Most Famous Wine in France…” presented by Paul Wagner at 2 p.m. Wagner talks about  “6 Wines That Will Make You Feel Like James Bond” at 4 p.m. At 7 p.m., the “Passport Party” will be presented by Bob Smalls and Margie Jones.

Don’t Whine, Wine….

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wineWe have a ton of great classes at the Wine & Spirits Marketplace, so be sure to check out the class schedule before you head to the Fair (or check the Fun Guide if you are here). Today we have vodka tasting all day! Now that will make the carnival rides spin a little faster for you!

Today at 5 p.m. it’s Wine, Cheese and Chocolate; tomorrow don’t miss Wines of Spain at 7 p.m.; and Wednesday it’s Picnic & Pink with Stacie Hunt – lots of fun! Check out the entire schedule here.