Wining with the Garagistes...

Having attended last year's Garagiste Festival debut at the gorgeous Windfall Farms outside of Paso Robles, I was looking forward to the 2nd Annual Garagiste Festival with great anticipation. As with the sophomore year of any project, some things were great and some not so much.

Organizers/Founders Stewart McLennan, Doug Minnick, Lisa Dinsmore, and Melanie Webber expanded the fest over 4 days, including winemaker dinners and other special events. JD and I chose to avoid the dinners (about which we heard nothing but praise), and bought the VIP package in order to attend the seminars on Saturday and Sunday.

Wining in general...

Maybe it's the unrelenting ugliness of the Presidential electioneering, or the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, or it's just that time of year when we reflect about where we are in our lives...despite some pretty wonderful people and things, the Goddess of Wine is feeling a bit low. [Note: Post-election day, feeling much better, thanks.]

Waiting for a wine bar to open in Burbank. We hope it will happen in December, but there are still details and discussions taking place at various levels, so it may not be for another month or two. When it does open, there is an opportunity for me to have a local spot to spread the good word about wine. Fingers crossed!

Have a couple of Wine Camp classes scheduled for LearnAboutWine in December for which I'm grateful, and yet, something feels anticlimactic at this point in the year. But enough with doom and gloom, let's talk about the wonderful and fun things I've been doing:

Wining to help...Pour Into Sandy Hurricane Relief

Pour Into Sandy

Hurricane Relief

News Release                                                      For Immediate Release

Media contact: Eve Bushman, eve@evewine101.com

SANTA CLARITA-November 5, 2012 – In an effort to offer assistance to those hurt by Hurricane Sandy, members of the community of Santa Clarita, with the assistance of Cheers at All Corked Up restaurant (www.cheersatallcorkedup.com), Eve’s Wine 101 (www.evewine101.com) and All Corked Up wine storage (www.allcorkedup.com) have planned the first wine tasting fundraiser on November 14, 2012 from 6-9 p.m.

This year, to date, the donators include private cellared wines and other items from Steve and Amy Elzer, Michael and Karen Perlis, Larry and Gloria Stahly, Marlee Lauffer, Don and Cheryl Dellepiane, Jason Park, Al Robles and Shelly Schutz.  Wineries to date include Stillman Wines, Clavo Cellars, Zeppelin Winery, Les Deux Chats, Pulchella Winery, Stephen Hemmert Wines, Two Hearts Cellars, Reyes Winery, Alonso Family Vineyards, Nuggucciet Estate Vineyard, Bouquet Vineyard, Bobcat Wines, B & P Winery, Six Foaks and Whistling Vineyard wines.

The idea sprang from Eve’s Wine 101 editor and writer, Michael Perlis, who was quickly joined by Eve’s Wine 101 owner Eve Bushman, Cheers owners Al Robles and Terri Rivera, the managing general partner of All Corked Up, Shelly Schutz, and Robert Reyes of Reyes Winery.

Cheers at All Corked Up is located at: ​26340 Diamond Place Ste 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.  Tickets can be reserved in advance by calling 661-259-2000, payable in cash at the door.  100 percent of the event price of $25, and the auction, will go to the American Red Cross.