Ask Emma

Question: What can you tell a person who causes a scene wherever she goes, and always draws attention to herself no matter how big or how small the problem is. I am talking about my mother, and she is such a drama queen! It hurts me more because I am 15, and she is only 17 years older, and dresses just like me, and people always confuse her for my friend. Having a friend like this, I would have dumped her long ago. But I can’t dump my own mom. Can’t she just stop embarrassing me?
Answer: Your mom must be a vibrant and temperamental individual, and while she embarrasses you to tears, as I imagine, for a lot of other people she might not be looking all that awful. Of course, being 15, I would not be caught dead in public with my mom in tow, but you know what? My mom is 30 years older than me and she had never dressed to my liking when I was your age. So there are worse cases out there than yours. Try to have a friendly talk with your mom and explain your feelings about her causing a scene in public. If it does not help, just ignore it and don’t obsess over small stuff. I think your mom will do her best to be a better friend to you if you politely explain what do you think is wrong about her behavior. Another helpful thing to do would be telling her more often how much you love her and complimenting her on her looks, even if she doesn’t look all that good to you sometimes.

Zinfandel Festival Paints the Town Red

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovIt was all about temptation and succumbing to it. Not that anyone would mind. Zinfandel Advocates & Producers’ 20th annual Zinfandel Festival rocked San Francisco with hundreds of zin-producing wineries and thousands of zin worshipers attending a three-day event at the end of January.Held exclusively in San Francisco, and traditionally a sell-out, Zinspiration included single-varietal tastings, winemakers’ dinners, flights and food pairings, and altogether presented a real danger of overindulgence.
One of the programmed events, Good Eats and Zinfandel Pairing in Herbst Pavilion at Ft. Mason Center brought together 50 wineries and 50 restaurants matched with amazing precision.
Alexander Valley Vineyards’ Sin Zin was paired with equally sinful sweet potato soufflé enriched with a trio of cheeses from Flavor Bistro in Santa Rosa.Ravenswood (“No Wimpy Wines”) robust read – with spiced duck chili from Central Market in Petaluma. A decadent short rib in chili-zin sauce with blue cheese on a potato crisp from Q Restaurant in SF accompanied 2007 90 year-old vines private reserve zin from Sausal Winery.
Speaking of zin-inspired dishes, a divine zin risotto with duck confit, mushrooms, and applewood-smoked bacon was delivered by One Market Restaurant (SF) along with Three Wines Company 2008 Old Vines.B.R. Cohn Winery and Olive Oil Company’s premium wines were matched with a fancy cocoa five spice pork shoulder over creamy polenta from Preferred Sonoma Caterers in Petaluma.
Another appearance of cocoa was spotted on tri tip with cherry demi sauce from Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar in Sonoma, paired with Wilson Winery’s family of 2008 zins.2008 Bobcat Reserve, the most famous and popular of all zins made by Selby Winery, had a food accompaniment of feijoada – a Brazilian stew from Relish Culinary Adventures in Healdsburg. A framed photograph of a gorgeous fluffy kitty, presumably a namesake for the wine, graced the tasting table.
Klinker Brick Winery 2008 Old Ghost Vine came in a good company of Ruth’s Chris succulent lamb lollipops, and Grgich Hills Estates 2007 Napa Valley brought about an exquisite combination of smoked pork, romesco sauce, tapenade and Idiazabal cheese from Solbar at Solage Calistoga.Half-way through the loop around the overcrowded Herbst Pavilion, sipping and nibbling “zinners” paused to see a succession of cooking demos featuring celebrity chef Joyce Goldstein with [her son] master sommelier Evan Goldstein; Carneros Bistro chef Janine Falvo with sommelier Christopher Sawyer; and Nadia G from the new Cooking Channel series Bitchin’ Kitchen.Murphy-Goode Liar’s Dice and Snake Eyes dizzying zins were coupled with the most flavorful beef tartar (capers, onions, egg yolk, and fleur de sel on toasted baguette – just what the doctor ordered) from Lark Creek Steak (SF).Deep Purple Winery and Ann Rudorf Catering from Pacifica created a great combo of rich Lodi zin and spiced lamb in collard dolmas.
Cutesy pork sliders from Grill Master Sid in Alameda enhanced Rosenblum Cellars terroir-specific zins.Another Alameda couple came up with a nice double treat – Rock Wall Wine Company and Angela’s Bistro. The bistro’s Mongolian dumplings, mantus, were freshly made by hand, and utterly delicious.Vegetarian-friendly beet, olive and ricotta crostini were served by A 16 (SF) to complement D-cubed Cellars. However, carnivores indulged in famous A 16 chicken-liver pate bites, too.
Zin Fest was also a place to run into old friends and to make new ones. In a collective effort to assure the legacy and future of Zinfandel – America’s Heritage Wine, dozens of sponsors extended their support for the festival.One of the official sponsors, TEK Labels & Printing owner David Hinds, happened to be this reporter’s old friend Warren’s brother!When we met on the festival floor, glasses in hand, David told me that TEK printed this year’s Heritage California Zinfandel label on 100% recycled paper. Talk about going green, caring for the future, and being aesthetically pleasing at the same time.It would be impossible to mention all the tasteful and tasty presentations put together by skilled wine producers and talented chefs for the sake of majestic Zinfandel and its many graces. However, a colorful display of KollarChocolates from Yountville paired with Artezin Wines caught my eye when I wasn’t able any more to take another sip or bite.And yet, how could I pass by a chunk of heavenly foie gras in the hands of Bisou French Bistro’s energetic chef-owner Nick Ronan? Located at 2367 Market St. in San Francisco, and highly praised by all my Castro friends, Bisou has been on my “to go” list for a while now. In-between light-hearted French dialogs with his compatriots, and French two-cheek kisses with the visiting ladies, Chef Nick treated me to a couple of sinful bites followed by 2007 Zydeco from R & B Cellars.Good to be friends with a chef like Nick!
More information about the magic of Zinfandel at: www.zinfandel.org.

Next to Normal Welling with Emotions at SHN

By Emma KrasovForget the musical theater of yesteryear dwelling on love’s sweet struggles of boy-meets-girl. Next to Normal (music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey) brings on the sign of times. Grief-induced mental disorder, psychiatric evaluations and treatments, and suburban family’s meltdown somehow elevate to the state of high art in this Tony and Pulitzer Prize-awarded rock musical, powerful enough to make grown men cry. Directed by Michael Greif and starring Alice Ripley (Diana), Curt Hansen (Gabe), Emma Hunton (Natalie), Jeremy Kushnier (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine), Preston K. Sadlier (Henry) and Asa Somers (Dan) the show comes to San Francisco on its wildly successful national tour. Unorthodox lyrics and dialogs (“She was so high-spirited they banned her from the PTA,” or: “Most people who think they are happy are just stupid”) deliver unorthodox themes. Spouses are torn apart by a new kind of betrayal – for the sake of medical authority. “Superboy and the invisible girl” are vying for their mother’s attention in her dual-reality world. Her honest “I love you as much as I can” gives a new meaning to an ages-old theatrical exploration of freedom of love. An outstanding spectacle from beginning to end, Next to Normal features onstage band (conductor Bryan Perri), and exquisite set (Mark Wendland), costumes (Jeff Mahshie), lighting (Kevin Adams) and sound design (Brian Ronan). The show runs through February 20 at Curran Theatre, 445 Geary Street, San Francisco. Image: Curt Hansen, Alice Ripley, and Asa Somers in Next to Normal. Photo by Craig Schwartz, courtesy SHN. Tickets: www.nexttonormal.com/tour_tickets. More information: www.shnsf.com.

Staying True to Italian Colors

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovHidden in the Village Square complex of Montclair district in Oakland, Italian Colors Ristorante might not be known to many, but stays popular with its regulars even after 18 years in business. Seasonally changing menus, sustainable local suppliers, and friendly staffers, most employed for 13-15 years here, contribute to its undying success assured by a dynamic duo of partners/owners Chef Alan Carlson and GM Steve Montgomery.My first visit to Italian Colors started off with a few nice surprises: Steve greeting patrons at the door and making them feel like family; modern dining room design with colored glass chandeliers, cozy banquettes, and original oil paintings; and a young Russian server, Leo Lagno – knowledgeable, efficient, and bilingual.And then the dinner came. Not only was it delicious and well-balanced, but also paired with great-tasting wines selected by Steve who prides himself on staying loyal to his long-term California suppliers.Ahi Cones in crispy house-made dough were stuffed with guacamole and tuna tartar with aioli, and topped with black sesame seeds. They were paired with refreshing prosecco – truly a match made in heaven. Soup of the day was duck confit tortellini in veal stock – a very special little darling. I couldn’t abstain from trying Dungeness Crab Antipasti with avocado, papaya, cucumbers, scallions, and red bell peppers, formed in a tower and dressed with chili lime vinaigrette. The most popular appetizer on the menu, it was happily paired with crisp Sonoma sauvignon blanc.Italian Colors’ dish extraordinaire is Red Abalone Dore, otherwise rare in the Bay Area restaurants. Delicate pieces of fresh mollusk (farmed in Monterey) are dipped in egg, smothered in wasabi butter sauce, and served with seaweed salad. A great pasta staple is Gnocchi Bolognese, made with slow braised beef, pancetta, porcini mushrooms, root vegetables, herbs, and tomato cream sauce.Among the entrées, marinated and grilled porterhouse pork chop stands out topped with read wine demi-glace, and accompanied by roasted butternut squash puree, mashed potatoes, and braised Swiss chard.Desserts, all made in house by Chef Alan, include most impressive chocolate mousse cake and warm cherry cobbler a la mode, especially good when paired with some late harvest Navarro Riesling from Anderson Valley.
Italian Colors Ristorante is located at 2220 Mountain Boulevard in Oakland. The restaurant is open for dinner nightly, serves lunch Tuesday through Saturday, and offers a happy hour and off-site catering. Reservations and more information at 510-482-8094 or www.ItalianColorsRestaurant.com.

Trends and Treats at Fancy Food Show 2011

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovYou know you are in San Francisco when your restaurant menu reads like a dictionary in Esperanto. Elsewhere, chefs might remain unaware of the very existence of finger lime caviar, olive oil sea salt chocolate, or falafel chips. At the Winter Fancy Food Show presented by NASFT (National Association for the Specialty Food Trade) these and other new and exciting products were among 80,000 specialty foods. Here’s an amuse-bouche of this reporter’s personal faves, old, new, and trendy:
Espresso from Caffe Barbera USA. No, it’s not just the angelic looking barista. Remember a picky espresso-spitting mobster in Mulholland Drive movie by David Lynch? Slow roasted Barbera with sturdy crema would surely pass the test.
Shanley Farms Finger Limes. Come from an Australian bush, imagine that! Grown at Venice Hill Ranch in Visalia, California. This fruit's interior palp looks like shiny golden-green caviar, has a lime taste, and pops in your mouth.Handmade cheeses, yogurts and sour cream from Karoun Dairies. Mediterranean style Kefir Cheese Labne fits right in with other healthy diet staples. Spreadable, but not as fatty as cream cheese, it is great on sandwiches, in dips and soups. Village Cheese is light and creamy and good with toppings like berries, nuts, and honey. Braided String Cheese can be plain, or with olive oil, garlic, and herbs. No matter how you slice it, it’s delicious and suitable for grilling. Sulguni is a Georgian tradition, plain or smoked. A wonderful snack or cocktail appetizer, it can also be used on pizza, quesadillas, or sandwiches.
Seasoned nuts from Sahale Snacks. I am not a big fan of sugar-coated nuts, so Barbeque Almonds with mild chipotle and ranch, and Tuscan Almonds with parmesan and herbs became my instant preference in the area of light nutritious snacks on the go.
Ready-to-eat meals from GoPicnic. Compactly pre-packaged picnic fair that requires no refrigeration and can be taken for a hike in the mountains or through TSA screeners. Tuna + Crackers, with lemon pepper tuna spread, multi-seed crackers, unsweetened applesauce, fruit & nut mix and an organic dark chocolate square. Steak Nuggets + Cheese, with beef steak nuggets, parmesan peppercorn cheese spread, multi-seed crackers, fruit & nut mix and Almond Roca toffee candy. Hummus + Crackers, with hummus dip, multi-seed crackers, dry roasted edamame, fruit & nut mix and an organic dark chocolate square. All meals are less than 500 calories and contain no trans fats, high fructose corn syrup or added MSG, and no artificial colors or flavors.Rum cakes from Tortuga Rum Cake Company. Soaked in a specially blended and aged in oak Tortuga Gold Rum, small spongy cakes can be embellished with walnuts, like the Original Golden with Walnuts, or with freshly shredded coconut, like the Florida Coconut Rum Cake. Light, delicious, and exotic, these cakes are hand glazed and vacuum sealed, and are now shipped to 70 countries from their native Cayman Islands.Pomegranate juice from Azerbaijan. Presented by WestCoast Connections, an array of juices, marinades, and preserves, all made from various exotic fruit, is a powerhouse of wellness.
Anastasia tea from Kusmi Tea. A fragrant blend of Earl Grey, lemon, and orange blossom. Kusmi Tea of Paris was founded by a Russian master blender Pavel Kousmichoff some 140 years ago. It produces a variety of black teas from India and China flavored with herbs and spices, as well as green and herbal teas in endless combinations.More information at: www.fancyfoodshows.com, www.caffebarberausa.com, www.karouncheese.com, www.sahalesnacks.com, www.gopicnic.com, www.tortugarumcakes.com, www.wccinternational.com, www.kusmitea.com.
Tortuga rum cake image courtesy Tortuga Rum Company Ltd.

Royal Blue Tea, a Jewel of Japan

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovSold in dark bottles, poured in crystal stemware, and enjoyed in small tastes with appreciative nods, is tea a new wine? Royal Blue Tea produced in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, surely acts like one. Not your everyday tea, it grows in a controlled environment with measured periods of sun and shade. The highest grade blue (Oolong) and green tea leaves are handpicked at the peak of the season and brewed in cold water for 3 to 6 days to achieve the tastes of umami, and the colors of jewels.At a chaen (food and tea pairing) luncheon, provided by the Royal Blue Tea Japan (President Keiko Yoshimoto) and the Kanagawa Prefectural Government at Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley last week, I was lucky to taste several kinds of this delicate tea, brewed with cold or 40-degree C water. Arriving in America for the first time, the royal beverage couldn’t have made a more impressive appearance. King of Green, Masa was served as aperitif. It felt refreshing and faintly sweet, and to me tasted like mango in a sea breeze. A lingering aftertaste was as clean as morning dew.Before my curried butternut squash soup came to the table, I tasted Fall in Love, served at room temperature – a 30%-fermented golden nectar with floral notes.Blue teas are going through a partial fermentation process, producing topaz to amber color and deep satisfying taste. Stopped fermentation must happen at a precise moment; therefore blue tea production is labor-intense and involves skilled personnel. As a result, the world tea market consumes 80% of black tea, 18% green, and only 2% blue.Fish and mussels bouillabaisse with rich rouille sauce came right after Real Honey tea, 50%-fermented and slightly roasted; velvety, smooth, and mild. And just before dessert (yogurt sherbet with citrus compote) the Queen of Blue arrived – 70% fermented, fragrant, complex and robust. Tea leaves for Queen of Blue are picked only once a year (for other teas – 2-3 times a year), and only at a certain time in summer. Then the tea plants are being cut, and new ones planted.After dessert, a warm green tea was served, with an instruction card on “How to enjoy Susuri-cha.” Susuri-cha is an authentic Japanese tea, enjoyed as beverage and as green food. Tender Masa or Hiro leaves are covered with 40C water, and steeped for 2 minutes. After the first cup, slightly warmer water is poured over the leaves and steeped for 1 minute. After 3 times, the leaves are good to eat, tasty and filled with vitamins and minerals. Susuri-cha is brewed in a cup, so no teapot is necessary. The tea flavor varies between the first and the third serving. Even in the same cup the first sip differs from the last. This last sip of Susuri-cha is called “the jewel of tea.”
More information at: www.royalbluetea.com

Get Carried Away by Tango Buenos Aires

By Emma Krasov“Fire and Passion of Tango,” staged by a quarter century-old Argentinean company, Tango Buenos Aires, landed for a night at Cal Performances’ Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley last Friday.
The title of the performance might seem redundant as show-don’t-tell fiery passion is the very essence of tango of all dance forms known to man. However, to paraphrase an old French film character, when speaking of love the tritest words sound the truest.
Fire and passion of timeless La Cumparsita opens the show and leads the dancers into a tangle of love, domination, submission, jealousy, fight, revenge – all brought together with perfect precision in sliding, swirling and kicking motion, complete with stare, embrace, push, pull – all the elements of real-life relationship distilled to an art form.
General director Rosario Bauza and choreographer Susana Rojo lead five couples of tangueros into a succession of stunningly complex numbers, done with mind-boggling ease. A traditional band of piano, guitar, violin, bass, and bandoneon (music director Emilio Kauderer) delivers equally fascinating performance complementing the exquisite dancing.
Since its inception in 1986 by composer and tango director Osvaldo Requena, and its first appearance at Cal Performances in 2003, the group became well-known, well-loved, and sought after throughout South America, the United States, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and China.
It currently travels North America on a ten-week tour. More information at: www.calperformances.org. Image: courtesy Cal Performances.

The Companion Piece: Acting for Actors

By Emma KrasovThey say, there are always two plays going on – one onstage, for the public, another – between the lines, or rather, between the actors. They also say there are no actors, only actresses.
The Companion Piece, conceived by Beth Wilmurt and directed by Mark Jackson, now showing at Z Space in Potrero Hill neighborhood in San Francisco, is part improv part unscripted play about the process of putting an act together. Which brings out the between-the-actors play. Which brings forward the two actresses vying for attention – in one scene smartly in twin baby-doll dresses. Which brings up a stage phrase in some schools used to create a crowd noise, “What to say when there’s nothing to say.”
Beth Wilmurt and Christopher Kuckenbaker perform a rather stereotypical couple of vaudeville performers trying to create a stage act – trying hard, and trying too hard, and getting it, and not getting it, and trying again, with comic but oh so real bickering, and dramatic statements, and comic reflections, all coming to an all too familiar conclusion – forget that thing called art, it’s all for your fifth-grade teacher to see that the actress is actually smart, for your parents to see that it wasn’t such a foolish idea after all, and for your homeys to rally by the billboard with your giant smiley head on it. We get it. It’s actually funny.
The counterpoint to the vaudeville duo is a solo opening performed by Jake Rodriguez who acts with so much zest, so much skill, and so much automated energy that the audience relives and relishes his entire piece second time around at the closing.
The Companion Piece runs through February 13 at Z Space, Theater Artaud, 450 Florida St., San Francisco. More info at: http://www.zspace.org/. Images by Pak Han courtesy Z Space.

Top Chefs' Cooking Demos Come to 2011 SF Flower & Garden Show

The 26th Annual San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, the largest garden festival of its kind in the western United States now adds a series of cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs Alice Waters (Chez Panisse), Esquire Magazine’s 2010 Chef of the Year Sean Baker (Gather Restaurant), Andrea Froncillo (The Stinking Rose), Jeffrey Stout (Alexander’s Steakhouse), Michelin starred Roland Passot (La Folie, Left Bank) and Margo True, Food Editor of Sunset Magazine.
“Life in the California Garden” runs Wednesday through Sunday, March 23-27 at the San Mateo Event Center. Twenty full-sized garden installations from top Bay Area designers and seminars led by well-known experts will encourage attendees to “Get Your Green On”, with kitchen-friendly garden techniques that can be accomplished in urban, suburban and country settings.
In addition to her Saturday cooking demonstration, Alice Waters, a pioneer in promoting organic cuisine and gardening, will be featured at a special lecture that will celebrate the 40th anniversary of her groundbreaking restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley and focus on the Local Foods movement.
The San Mateo Event Center is located at 1346 Saratoga Drive in San Mateo. Admission includes all regular seminars and demonstrations. Discounted advance purchase tickets $16 online or $20 at the door for a single day. A multi-day, all show pass is $25, a half-day pass is $15 and children under 16 are admitted free. Special group rates for 20 or more people.
For Advance Online Ticket Sales, General Show Information and a calendar of seminars, chef demonstrations and “Symphony of the Soil” film showings, visit http://www.sfgardenshow.com/ Tickets can also be purchased at major Bay Area nurseries and garden centers or by calling 925-605-2923. Image: Blueberries and lavender. Photo credit: Star Apple Edible Gardens.

Sonoma Winter Wineland: Let it Snow… Elsewhere

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri KrasovDozens of wineries located along the Northern Sonoma County Wine Road participated in the 19th Annual Winter Wineland last weekend.
A spectacular celebration of wine, food, and art extended from Santa Rosa to Healdsburg and throughout the three valleys – Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Russian River Valley, among the green pastures of sunny California winter.
Arriving rather late, we decided to explore the northernmost part of Dry Creek Valley – a quiet remote area with winding rural roads blessed with sweeping views of the vineyards.
At Frick Winery, owner/winemaker Bill Frick poured his most interesting 2007 cinsaut into our glasses. Clear dark ruby in color, redolent of red berries and spice, the wine is a rare kind. There are only seven acres of this grape produced in Sonoma comparing to 11, 490 acres of cab sauv.There was a makeshift hotdog/marshmallow stand in a small front yard of the winery, and a fire pit surrounded by lawn chairs. Plenty of visitors took their sweet time here, grilling hot dogs in the sun, watching fallen leaves carried away by sudden gusts of wind, and enjoying rare counoise, grenache, and carignane. More information: http://www.frickwinery.com/
Our next stop was at the neighboring Pedroncelli, where Shirley Buchignani gave us a taste of a smooth 100% chardonnay from F. Johnson Vineyard. Then we tried sangiovese from Alto Vineyards paired with a cup of minestrone cooked by the winery recipe, and some great zin from Mother Clone. In the winery cellar, vintage port from Four Grapes Estate was paired with Bert’s Desserts truffles made with wine.
Pedroncelli is a family business since 1927, and practices environmentally-protective sustainable winemaking. More information: www.pedroncelli.com Ten minutes before closing, we were rushing into David Coffaro Vineyards & Winery, where the owner/winemaker, his wife and his staff were offering barrel tasting of the futures to be bottled in a matter of days.
We tried 2009 Estate Cuvee ( 31% zin, 31% cab, 25% carignan, and 13% petit sirah) in various degrees of aging; 100% 2009 petit sirah, and the same wine aged to perfection to be bottled in three days, called Matt’s Select and poured by the budding winemaker, Matt Wilson.
David Coffaro is a low-profile establishment, retailing on premises and distributing through Dave’s Wine Club. More information: http://www.coffaro.com/
Northern Sonoma County Wine Road annual events include January Winter Wineland, March Barrel Tasting, and November Wine & Food Affair. More information: http://www.wineroad.com/

Food, Wine and Fun at Travel & Adventure Show

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov
Vacationing in faraway lands trumps working long hours without a break, and anyone interested in travel opps 2011 had a great time at the Travel & Adventure Show in Santa Clara last weekend.
Tour operators and trip organizers offered various travel options from luxurious to affordable, in accordance with tough economic times that call for more choices for the rich and better values for the rest of us.
Besides more than 150 exhibitors from Australia, India, Japan, China, Taiwan, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Tahiti, Israel, the Philippines, and all imaginable destinations from Alaska to California, the show brought in some fun activities to create a mini-vacation for the attendees.Zip line, scuba pool, and rock climbing wall were open to the adventurous, while at the Global Beats Stage professional dancers performed Argentine Tango, salsa, and belly dances.
Special events included Fiery Foods Challenge, organized with media sponsorship from Cuisine Noir gourmet magazine, and Wines of the World seminars featuring some new and exciting wine producers from less traveled regions.At the Fiery Foods Challenge, Chef Dominic Ainza of Mercury Lounge, San Francisco, presented spicy mango chicken; Chef Thomas Charoen of Straits Restaurants – tiger prawns with pickled Asian vegetables, and Chef Richard Pannell of Table 260, Sacramento, nearly knocked out the judges from the public with his Fire Hazard meatballs.Wines of the World seminars were presented by Greg Shaw, Ph. D., who teaches tourism and hospitality courses at CSU Sacramento. His California Wine Tourism class usually fills out fast, maybe because it includes four obligatory winery tours each semester. It can be one to an urban winery, like in mid-town Sacramento; one to Eldorado high-altitude (3000ft) wine producer; one to Lodi – a hot wine region in more than one sense, and one to a well developed touristy area of Sonoma or Napa.
In a private tasting with Prof. Shaw, this reporter has learned more about obscure and up-and-coming varietals and wine producers than she could hope to at any designated wine event. Oh, the roads we travel!
First, we tried Harvey Lane albarino from Lodi – a “great summer evening wine,” as the hospitality expert put it while he suggested to always serve it chilled.Then, we moved to Lyrique Wine Co. Jazz – a classic Rhone Valley blend of 60% grenache, 32% syrah, and 8% mourvedre. This new winery names all its wines after music, said Prof. Shaw.
Finally, we tried Foley pinot noir from Sta Rita Hills, a region famous for its most expensive grapes. Foggy climate with three hours of direct sun on an average day yields a high-demand pinot auctioned around the world.
Thousands of visitors attended the Travel & Adventure Show in Santa Clara, following its successful runs in New York, Wash. DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Dallas over the years since it started in 2003. For more information, visit www.adventureexpo.com