The LA Wine Fest showcased at the Vanguard Club on September 16th and 17th in Hollywood, California. This exclusive weekend exhibition was the premier wine tasting event of the year.
As with most of the wine tasting events I have attended this year, I brought my good friend, and self-proclaimed sommelier, Paul Monroe. Paul was the former drummer for rock band “XYZ” who put out two albums and toured the world back in the early heavy metal days. Paul has tasted wines from around the world and his love for California wine kept us at this event for the entire day! After four hours of wine tasting, Paul’s belly could barely fit through the door!
The LA Wine Fest is the creation of wine country’s dynamic duo, Joel M. Fisher PhD and The Wine Guy, Adam Leemon. Joel Fisher, PhD, is a columnist, educator, author, and world renown expert on wine. Adam Leemon is a media personality, journalist and award-winning sommelier. Attracting the hip and fashionable side of LA, the floor was packed with professional and amateur wine tasters. With hundreds of attendees, the LA Wine Fest was a true escape from the crowded, highly stressed life Los Angeles offers.
As we walked in the main entrance, we were greeted with the most beautiful display of fresh fruits, cheese, crackers, and a waterfall of liquid chocolate. Boy did Paul love that! The atmosphere was jubilant from the moment we walked in to the very last moment in our private villa outside the entrance. Each isle was packed with fashionable people and the most elegant wine California has to offer. This exhibition of great wine ranged from the most expensive tasting cabernet, fresh merlot and exquisite white wine. To compliment the wine, the LA Wine Fest brought in some of LA’s finest restaurants who offered great food at very nominal prices. This event was truly first class!
To add to this first class event, a private room on the second floor held various educational lectures on the history and making of wine. As a cool live band played in the background of the event, we truly could not decide which direction we should go as there was excitement at every turn. Although the majority of the wine was from California, there were a few wines from around the world that were also well received. At each table we were greeted with very friendly people who talked about their wine with a true love and passion. To hear the history of each winery was really amazing.
With so many great different wineries at this event, it was hard to choose my favorites. Some of the most outstanding wines we tasted were from the Sylvester Vineyards, St. Supery, Malibu’s great Rosenthal, Twisted Oak, Red Zeppelin, Four Vines Winery, Fosters Wine Group, Herzog Wine Cellars, John Tyler Wines, and Great Wines International.
For me, the cabernets were by far the best of the best. The flavors ranged from a fresh fruity taste to the driest of all cabernets. All of the wineries brought their best wine and I can truly say there was not a bad sample in the place.
For more details and ticket information, go to www.LAWineFest.com.
Full list of participants:
Scott Aaron Wines
Anglim Winery
Albertina Wine Cellars
Artesa Vineyards and Winery
Aussie Wine Imports
3 Hills High
Australian Gold Premium Lager
Box Stallion
Golden Gums Estates
Lyre Lyre Wines
McLaren Vale III Associates
Yerring Farm Wines
Barra
Casa de Caballos
Cass Vineyards and Winery
Cline Cellars
Wines of George Duboeuf
Del Bondio
W.J. Deutsch
Duck Pond
Dynamic Imports
Bodegas Bagordi
Bodegas Palmera
Castello di Arcano
Dionisos
Hafner
Il Conventino
La Luna del Rospo
Le Carline
San Polino
Maison Joseph Drouhin, Burgundy
Edward Sellers Vineyards and Wines
Epicurean Wines
Woop Woop
Piping Shrike
Winners Tank
Firestone Vineyard
Firestone Walker Fine Ales
Fosters Wine Group
Four Vines Winery
Dan Fredman Selections
Frey Vineyards
Golan Heights Winery
Yarden
Golan
Galil Mountain Winery
Dalton Winery
Golden State Wine Co.
Fife Vineyards
Amici Cellars
Flora Springs Winery
Long Vineyards
Great Wines International
WINES OF THE WORLD
Australia
Bethany
Austria
Gruener Veltliner Kabinett
Chile
Tamaya
WINES OF SOUTH AFRICA
Lanzerac
Ladskroon
Van Loveren
WINES OF SPAIN
AbsumDi Supril
ARX
Entrecepas
Gondomar
Herzog Wine Cellars
Honig Vineyard and Winery
Hundred Acre
Gold
Layer Cake, Shiraz
Kobrand
St Francis Chardonnay
Benzinger Sauvignon Blanc
St Francis Merlot
Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon
Kunde Estate Winery and Vineyards
Macauley Vineyard
Magito
Malibu Solstice Vineyard
Mid Life Crisis Winery
Gold Medal Winners from LA County Fair
Cycles Gladiator
Cosentino Winery
Brancott Estates Womes
Ledson Winery
Fasi Crest
Jeff Runquist
Additionally, many others will be presented
to the Wine Fest:
Pacific Wine Partners
Blackstone Winery
Nobilo Winery
Rex Goliath
Pernod Ricard
Stoli Elite
Stoli Blueberi
Tezon Reposado
Aberlour A ‘ bun adh
Champagne Pommery
Red Zeppelin
Renwood Winery
Riboli Family Wine Estates
Maddelena Vineyard
San Simeon
Rosenthal-The Malibu Estate
Savian
Sauvion & Fils
Don Sebastiani & Sons
Aquinas Wines
Pepperwood Grove
Smoking Loon
Screw Kappa Nappa
Sonoma County Tourism Bureau
St. Sup’ry
Sylvester Vineyards and Winery
Timeless Palates Wines LLC
Bien Nacido Vineyard “Block 11” Chardonnay
Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot noir
Santa Barbara County Syrah
Twisted Oak
Vinissimo
Medici Ermete Lambrusco ‘Concerto,’
Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Canale Grande Barbera & Bonarda,
Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Moscato Di Terracina ‘Oppidum’ Sant’Andrea,
Lazio, Italy
John Tyler Wines from Bacigalupi Vineyards
Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards
Yellow Tail Reserves of Casella Wines
Yorkville Cellars
Joseph’s Cafe
Blue Palms Hollywood
Pete’s Cafe
Sushi+ Tiger Lily Restaurant
Vanguard Diner
Victors Square Restaurant
Bacmar
BevWizard
Carnivo XO Cognac
Dry Soda
Groundspace Corp / Wine Notes
Melrose Travel
My Wine Savant
Pattersons Beverage Journal
Sonoma “Country”
WineStem Company
WineVineandDine
Wine X Magazine
Beneficiary:
