Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival
The Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival is a glorious extravaganza of the finest foods and wines from all over the world. Over the weekend of April 4-7, I tasted an amazing selection of both, especially at the Lexus Grand Tasting event. Set up in a gigantic tent that holds 2,500 people, exquisite morsels were prepared by top-notch chefs, wine was poured from some of the best wineries—and I enjoyed every single bite and sip.
Kavalieros Greek Wine
I was in Greece for two weeks in February on a short trip to visit friends I had made during my 13 years living there. I was out and about so much in Athens that I needed a vacation when I got back, but always a highlight is eating many of my favorite foods and trying Greek wines which are new to me. Wines have improved greatly over the years, and they’re much more complex than in days of yesteryear.Â
One that I found really interesting is a Domaine Sigalas 2009 Kavalieros from the magnificent island of Santorini. Many of you reading this will have visited Santorini, so you can picture its stunning beauty. This crisp white wine is made from the varietal Assyrtico, a rather acidic grape which does very well in the volcanic soil of Santorini. It’s not always easy to find Greek wines in the U.S., but, thanks to the Internet, almost anything can be tracked down online and shipped to your door.
Fun Wine Weekend
This weekend, April 20 and April 21, promises to be just about as much wine fun as you can stand. Saturday is the always-welcome Passport Day, and Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate spring at the Try It, Buy It Vintner’s Marketplace on the beautiful Santana Row in San Jose. Here’s the info on both events:
Passport Day: Saturday, April 20
Passport Day comes around every three months, and it’s the day when you can visit participating wineries belonging to the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association (SCMWA), providing you have a Passport, which will cost you $45 and can be purchased at any winery. Passport Day takes place four times a year on the third Saturday of January, April, July and November. Info: 685-8464, or scmwa.com or [email protected].
Vintners Marketplace on Santana Row, Sunday, April 21
The Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association is bringing the tasting room to you. All you have to do is head to Santana Row from 1-4 p.m., taste a few wines and buy what you like. Admission is free and a wine-tasting package for two is $40. Visit scmwa.com for more information and for a list of participating wineries, or visit santanarow.com.
