Piedras Blancas-Roussanne 2011
The next time you’re in the Carmel Valley area, stop off and visit the Chesebro Wines tasting room, and sample their Piedras Blancas-Roussanne 2011. Prepare to be impressed with the wine’s notes of ripe pineapple guava, honeysuckle, clover honey, guava, beeswax, pistachios and roasted walnuts. It thrills the palate with exciting flavors and presents a bold mouthful of minerality, which changes considerably from sip to sip. Winemaker Mark Chesebro says this wine will age beautifully for 10-12 years. “It has the potential to blossom,” he says of the Piedras Blancas-Roussanne ($18). But this delightful wine is ready to drink right now—and its rich nuances are evident when paired with certain fish or a variety of cheeses.
Mark Chesebro, winemaker and grower, produces beautiful wines, and you can try them all at his tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. Open Thursday through Sunday, $10 gets you six different tastings—refundable with a $40 purchase. 19 East Carmel Valley Road, Suite D, Carmel Valley, 659-2125. chesebrowines.com
Lazy Susans made from Oak Wine Barrels
For an unusual hand-crafted gift, a Lazy Susan made out of the end of a wine barrel is the answer. And some even come embossed with the vintner’s stamp. Made by Wine Stave Designs, based in Colorado and Aptos, there’s a wide range to choose from, all made of old wine barrels—so it’s recycling to the max. Other items are wine bottle holders, wine bottle and glass holders, wine racks, fruit trays, candle holders and more. Prices for various items start at around $20, and the Lazy Susan is around $220, with custom engraving available on request. Also available at Seascape Foods market and deli in Aptos. Seascape Foods, 16B Seascape Village, Aptos, 685-3134, winestave-designs.com.
Food Lounge
The vision of Andrea Mollenaur, the new Food Lounge is an exciting addition to Santa Cruz’s ever-evolving food and wine scene. Businesses sharing the space include Lifestyle Culinary Arts, Mutari Chocolate, Fogline Farm, LionFish and Mortal Dumpling. The Food Lounge is a thriving upbeat place to visit, with guest chefs doing pop-up dinners, and a frequent variety of events happening. Check it out at 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz in what used to be the Center Street Grill. Visit scfoodlounge.com for more info.
Bargetto Winery’s Release of La Vita
Bargetto Winery will hold its special release party for the new 2011 La Vita wine. This wonderful event, which includes the unveiling of an artist-designed label, will take place in the winery’s creek-side courtyard in Soquel from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, June 7 and tickets are $25. For more info visit bargetto.com
