The Lush Chef

The Lush Chef's parents came into town over the Easter holidays and we typically hit up Santa Ynez for a day of wine tasting.  This time, we decided to do two days so we could take in more wineries and venture up to Paso Robles, which none of us had been to.  We always start off with Fess Parker because I'm a wine club member and they have that awesome patio for picnic lunches.  They were quite generous (as always) with their pours and selection of wines to try.



After wolfing down my signature wine country sandwiches—tomato, basil, mozzarella and some sea salt on ciabatta bread—we ventured over to Pali Wine Company in Lompoc.  I had met their winemaker, Aaron Walker, a couple of months ago with a friend in LA and took him up on his offer to visit.  They're located in an airport hanger and have a great boutique operation.  Aaron gave us a tour of the facilities and told us all about their wines.  They're mostly known for their Pinot Noirs, but also make Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc and Rosé.  We got to taste some Chardonnay straight out of the barrel, which I've never done before.  We tried it at 3 different ages, and there was a noticeable difference and cool to see how the wine tasted at different levels of the aging process.  After the tour, Aaron had us try five different wines, and I ended up buying their 2009 Huntington Pinot Noir and the 2008 "Highlands" Red Wine, which is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.  All of their wines are reasonably priced and delicious to boot, so I highly recommend stopping by.

Our dinner reservation wasn't until 7:30 and we needed a little food in us to soak up all the wine.  At Aaron's recommendation, we hit up Avant Tapas & Wine in Buellton.  I never would have found this place if it wasn't for a recommendation.  It's kind of hidden along Industrial Way at the end of the street, but it has beautiful views of the mountains.  They have an excellent selection of hot and cold tapas, as well as entrees and an enomatic wine dispenser.  During happy hour, the wine pours are half off (so much for not having more wine!), so the Lush Chef and her papa each tried a few small tastes to go along with some bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese, a balsamic reduction and basil oil (it's called Yuppie Crack) and a cheese plate.
We then hit the road for dinner at Cold Spring Tavern, which is on Stagecoach Road just off of Highway 154.  I had stumbled across the place with my girl friends the last time we were in the area.  We went into the bar and it was packed with people dancing and eating chili at the bar and a slew of motorcycles outside (it's apparently popular amongst the biker set despite the "romantic" setting).  Unfortunately, the wait for dinner located in another building was going to be a long wait, so we vowed to come back.  Their dinner menu is all steak and wild game and the sides of soup, salad, bread, mashed potatoes and veggies are significant.  I could only eat half of my rabbit medallions because there was so much food on the table.  It was just what we needed after a long day of wine tasting, and the setting was so rustic, relaxing and beautiful.  I'm definitely going back on a weekend when they bust out the outside grills for tri-tip sandwiches.

We spent the night in Solvang at Hadsten House, which is right along the main street by all the shopping.  Rooms go for about $160 a night, but if you show up without a reservation and they have space available, you can get a room for $100.  They recently updated the place, so all the rooms were spiffy, new, comfortable and clean and the hotel includes free internet and a complimentary breakfast.  I didn't get a chance to check out the outdoor whirlpool, indoor heated pool or the spa, but there's always another time for that.  It was the perfect place for us to rest up and get ready for the drive north early the next day.

When I was polling my friends about wineries to try in Paso Robles, everyone said we had to go to Justin Winery.  It's way up northwest on Chimney Rock Road, just off of Vineyard Drive, but the journey was a beautiful one, so we didn't mind.  I would have been happy just walking and driving around through the valleys and amongst the trees all day long, but we had wines to taste!  A vineyard and wine cave tour, plus a tasting is $15 a person, which we all did.

Justin has the distinction of being a winery that is one of the furthest west in the area, and it's situated just so in the valley that the temperature, winds and soil are perfect for growing those grapes.  It gets those hot days and super cold nights so the vines get the right amount of stress to be hearty and produce strong fruit.  Their signature, award-winning wine is the Isosceles, which is a "left bank" Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  Oh, it was darn good and oh, I wish I could have afforded a bottle.  Their wines are pricey, but maybe someday when I'm rich I'll join their wine club and sit in that special wine club members room outside the cave...

Next stop was Tablas Creek, which is on Adelaida Road heading back south on Vineyard Drive.  I had been told by an oenophile that "they make some serious juice," so we were excited to try the place.  They have a nice tasting room set-up with multiple tables and pourers so you don't feel like you're crammed in with everyone.  They specialize in wines made from grapes descending from France's Rhone Valley.  They bring vines directly over from there and our pourer told us how they were waiting on some vines to get out of a three-year quarantine at a nearby university—a process all foreign vines must go through when coming to the US.  Tastings are fairly priced, you keep the glass and you get your fee back if you buy a bottle of wine.  The tasting menu gives one a lot of wines to taste and our pourer was also generous and brought out a couple of wines that weren't on the menu.  She let me try a few for a second time because I just couldn't decide which one to buy!  All of their wines are reasonably priced and I ended up purchasing their 2010 Patalin de Tablas—a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise.

We continued south and went to Opolo, which has spectacular views and a fun, easy-going tasting room.  They do mostly reds there, which of course the Lush Chef and her papa love.  Again, the tasting fees and wines were all a good price range, and I walked away with their 2010 Mountain Zinfandel.  I also really loved their Tempranillos and Montagna Mares.  After the tasting, we drove to the top of the hill where they have some picnic tables.  We put out a spread of cheese and fruit and soaked in the spectacular vineyard views.


I could have stayed all day on that same road, but we decided to venture east and see what that side of Paso Robles had to offer.  Eberle was our next stop along Highway 46E, and Gary Eberle, the founder, is kind of considered the father of wine out in Paso Robles.  He was one of the first to start making wine in the area and has been instrumental in raising awareness around the world about the wines the Central Coast has to offer.  They also do wine cave tours here, but I preferred Justin's set-up.  Tastings are free at this place, so if you're on a budget, it's a great place to stop by.  I have to be honest, I didn't feel like any wines really stood out, but perhaps my palate was shot after downing a ton of wine all morning.  There's a pretty outdoor deck with nice views and a long tasting menu, so worth a visit if you're on that side of town.

We also made a brief stop to Le Vigne, which is just off of Airport Road along Buena Vista Drive.  It's another great little spot to hit up for some free tastings, and they also do cheese pairings.



















I actually ended up preferring the northwestern part of Paso Robles because it just felt more serene at the tasting rooms.  The wineries are a little bit more spread out, so you're not going to get a ton of those big touring buses up to that area and most folks stick to the main road.  I'll definitely be back because there are so many more wineries to explore.

Last week, the Lush Chef told you about her visit to Silver Lake Wine, but if you're a Westsider like me, sometimes you just want to be closer to home for a wine tasting.  Enter Wine Expo in Santa Monica!  I must have passed by this place a gazillion times on Santa Monica Blvd and I never thought to stop in.  I thought it was just a little wine shop like the ones in my neighborhood and boy, was I wrong.  A friend, let's give him the code name "American Trilogy," (cocktail recipe coming soon) introduced me to this spot because it's just down the street from him.  They recently built out a beautiful tasting room along the side of the shop.  The front part has a little art gallery-like space, but hidden in the back is a huge room with a nice, long bar, plenty of cocktail tables and seating, and even a small private room.

We went on a Saturday when they were doing their 20/20 special (they're doing 1 more Saturday in September).  Yes, that's 20 wines for $20.  American Trilogy and I knew we couldn't each drink 20 wines (there was only 1 guy in the tasting room that hit 20), so we split it and each did the same 10 wines so we could go through a flight together.  They change up the choices every week and break the tasting up into bubblies, pinks, whites and reds.  We only made it to wine 7 or 8 because the pours were quite generous.  Sangria and beer is also on tap, and they have a nice selection of salumi, cheese, olives, nuts and crostini plates.  Every night, there is a different gourmet food truck parked in the lot out front (check the website or their Twitter feed for updates on the trucks) and they'll even bring it to you right in the tasting room!

The 20/20 deal is normally on Tuesdays, but were extended to Saturdays throughout the month of September.  They also do Happy Hour from 5-7 on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, where wines by the glass are half off and bottles are discounted by 10% in the shop.  Monday nights offer special flights and discounts and Tuesdays offer beer flights and ale-friendly snacks.  They'll occasionally have live music playing and other nights planned that focus on different kinds of wines or regions.  Needless to say, it's a killer deal, fun crowd and the shop has an excellent selection of wines in a range of prices.

Since late February, The Lush Chef has been giving you food and cocktail recipes, libation education, little musings and spotlights on artisanal products, but I haven't told you about where I like to shop in Los Angeles.  So let's begin!

This past weekend, my old boss and I hit up Silver Lake Wine, a hip boutique that offers wines from around the world, some microbrews, select liquors and sake and a few yummy treats from local chefs/bakers.  I had my first experience with the shop when I went to the Barnsdall Art Park Friday Wine Tastings this past summer.  It's a great event out on the lawn in front of Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, with KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox spinning tunes, a flight with four wines and the sun setting over the city.  The guys from Silver Lake Wine were young, hip, knowledgeable and just want you to find something you like.

















My friend highly recommends the Sunday tasting events at 3pm because it's not as crowded and you get delicious food pairings with each glass of wine.  Sunday tastings are $20 for 5 wines and food and reservations are recommended—it's an insanely good deal, considering the pours are generous and the food is plentiful.  They also do Monday nights with 3 wines, cheese, olives and bread for $12 and Thursdays nights with 3 wines for $12 (the Let's Be Frank hot dog truck is parked outside if you need some nosh).

The focus of the evening was on California wines paired with food from Heirloom LA.  George Cossette, one of the owners was on hand and told these lovely, long stories about each winemaker.  The guy really knows his stuff and understands how to get folks excited about wine.  Here's what we had:

- Dominique Piron Rosé Beaujolais 2010 from France (the only non-California wine in this flight) - $13.25

- Tatomer Riesling "Sisquoc" Santa Maria Valley 2010 - $21 - paired with a Farmer's Market Salad with goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes, beets and shisito peppers

- Andrew Murray "RGB" Camp 4 Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley 2010 - $24.25 - paired with a salmon croquette with a spicy remoulade

- Storybook Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel Estate Mayacamas Napa 2008 - $39 - paired with osso buco in an heirloom tomato sauce with mini ravioli

- Sean Thackrey "Pleiades" Old Vines XX California - $26.25 - paired with ham thinly sliced over a red cabbage slaw and herb spaetzle

All wines featured in the tasting ended up being 10% off and my friend and I each bought bottles of the Riesling (we liked it because it wasn't very sweet) and the Old Vines (such a smooth red that I couldn't resist).  It's not often that I get out to Silver Lake, but it's worth the trek for great wines and beautifully planned tastings.  I'll definitely be venturing East again soon.

Since I definitely didn't feel like cooking this past weekend, I bring you another prepared gourmet food item.  The Lush Chef's parents introduced her to these wine cheese balls that they had at the tasting room at  Chateau Fontaine Vineyard in northern Michigan.  Whenever they visit this winery, they always mail back a couple packages of these dried seasonings, but if you don't have awesome parents like mine, you can order online from Monk's Meadow.  I always like to have at least one package of this in the pantry and the ingredients you mix with it are very inexpensive.  There are many different versions you can purchase, but the ones I've tried are the Cabernet Sauvignon & Seasoned Country Bacon and my favorite, the Chardonnay, Garlic & Cilantro.  The recipe is included on the inside of the package, but we use the Chateau Fontaine recipe, which lets you split the seasoning mix in 2 (great to save the other half for another occasion).

- Mix 2 Tbs of the mix with 2 Tbs of the wine
- Let the mixture soak for 30 minutes
- Blend in well-softened 8 oz of cream cheese and 8 oz (2 cups) shredded cheese
- Form into a ball and place in the fridge for about an hour