From Hollywood to Vine with Vineyard {511}
Adventures in Wine, Food, Film and Travel
Lights! Camera! Party!
On April 23, the Napa Valley Film Festival (a non-profit organization), in partnership with the new City Winery (formerly the Napa Opera House), presented Sensing Red: An Evening of Film and Frivolity, to raise funds to benefit the NVFF Education Programs that reach over 3,000 Napa Valley students and the community at large year-round (a mission of the Festival.)
The evening was so much fun and interesting, starting with an exclusive backstage tour and pre-reception for NVFF Patron Circle Members; a champagne tower by Domaine Chandon; craft red cocktails by mixologist Scott Beattie; nibbles by Chef Daryl Murimoto from Estate Events at Meadowood; and a sumptious 3-course steak dinner by City Winery Chef Joseph Panarello, paired with wines from Napa Valley's top vintners (the best, of course, being Vineyard {511} 2010 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.)
The highlight of the evening and the motivation for the event's name, Sensing Red, was the screening of the award-winning documentary Red Obsession, directed by David Roach and Warwick Ross, about the Chinese obsession with Bordeaux wines. The screening was followed by a lively panel discussion, moderated by Karen MacNeil, author and Chairman of the Wine Department at the Culinary Institute of America. Expert panel participants were Michael Silacci, Winemaker, Opus One; Brian Reimer, Executive Chef, Maison Boulud; John Conover, GM, Plumpjack Winery, Partner CADE winery; and Jay Behmke, Managing Director of Yao Family Wines, all of whom had a different perspective on the Chinese and Bordeaux wine industries.
The evening was topped off by gifts of Kollar chocolates. Yummy.
Comments (1)Obama Dreams of Sushi
My husband Ed is one of the executive producers of the wonderful 2011 documentary feature film Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which was directed by David Gelb. It is about the almost 90-year old sushi chef, Jiro Ono, his search for perfection in the making of sushi, and his relationship with his two sons. In fact, Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, uses this film as a mangement tool to motivate his staff. Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which was screened at the 2011 Napa Valley Film Festival, is the film of which Ed is the most proud to have been a part.
On April 23, 2014, within 90 minutes of landing in Tokyo to meet with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Abe took President Obama to eat at Sukiyabashi Jiro, the only sushi restaurant in the world to be rated with three stars by the Michelin Guide. There are only about 100 restaurants in the world with three Michelin stars and, I'm sure, it took a prime minister to score the reservation there. It is located in a Tokyo subway, has only ten seats, and is extremely popular. There is no menu, one eats what chef/owner Jiro Ono puts in front of him or her, and the meal costs about $300 per person.
Although director David Gelb started out to make a movie about several sushi restaurants in Japan, after meeting chef Jiro Ono, felt compelled to do the film about him and his fabulous restaurant. You may stream the film on Amazon Prime Instant Video or on Netflix.
At the end of the meal, President Obama told Prime Minister Abe that, even though he had eaten alot of sushi as he came from Hawaii, it was the best sushi he had ever eaten. If you are driven to make a reservation to fly to Tokyo, just know that, it could take at least 3 months to get into Sukiyabashi Jiro, if ever. You may have better luck with the French Laundry!
Photograph by Cabinet Public Relations Office/Japan Pool via Bloomberg
Orange County Wine Extraordinaire
On Sunday afternoon, March 30, Ed and I drove down to the Anaheim Hilton, where the Orange County Wine Society sponsored The Wine Extraordinaire--a unique opportunity for participants to taste wines from small production wineries from every California region, along with culinary samplings from many Southern California local restaurants. Over 85 wineries, including Vineyard {511}, participated by pouring their wines to help raise money to fund winemaking, viticulture and culinary scholarships at 7 California higher education institutions. Ahnfeldt Wines and Hartwell Estate Vineyards, also from Napa Valley, were also in attendance. And, as we experienced at CabFest Napa Valley and at Harvard Healthy Kitchens, where we poured our Vineyard {511} Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, everyone said our wine was the best in the show.
Apr 7, 2014 at 6:38 PM
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Wine Tasting at Spring Mountain Winery
Ed and I and our good friends Charles and Kalani Engles were given a very special tour of Spring Mountain Vineyards, in St. Helena, by its general manager (our tennis buddy) George Peterson. We were amazed at the immense and beautiful grounds, underground caves dug over 100 years ago (by Chinese immigrants), and gorgeous Victorian mansion restored by owner Swiss investor Eli Safra. Before Safra bought Spring Mountain Vineyards, the mansion was used as the home in the TV series Falcon Crest. The vineyards are surrounded by olive trees and bluebird houses to keep the birds from eating the grapes.
We had a lovely winetasting overlooking the vineyards and particularly liked the 2005 and 2009 Elivette wine (named after the owner Eli and his wife Evette. We couldn't help but bring some of the Elivette home with us.
Apr 7, 2014 at 6:16 PM
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Dinner at Vineyard 511
Saturday night Ed and I hosted a dinner party at our home at Vineyard 511. Our esteemed guests included vintners from Ackerman Family Vineyards, Paratus, relatives of Fisher Winery and other good friends, who enjoyed getting to know each other and eating delicious appetizers, such as lobster rolls, and rack of lamb and strawberry shortcake. The scrumptious meal was catered by Market restaurant in St. Helena. Most importantly, we celebrated Ed's half birthday!
Michael Mina Las Vegas
It's been a year since Ed and I dined at a Michael Mina restaurant in Las Vegas and we just had to return for his signature dish-- lobster pot pie. Last March we ate at Michael Mina's Nob Hill Tavern, which has since closed there, and, this March,we ate at his Michael Mina restaurant, named for himself. We had the tasting menu with wine pairing, and we weren't disappointed, especially with the lobster pot pie. (See photo.) My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
The restaurant is located in the Conservatory of the Bellagio, which is filled with a profusion of colorful flowers formed into fanciful shapes, such as hugh tulips. Immense Dale Chihuly colorful glass chandaliers grace the ceiling of the Bellagio's lobby. They are incredibly beautiful.
Mar 30, 2014 at 6:21 PM
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CabFest Napa Valley
The first annual CabFest Napa Valley was held February 28- March 2, at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center, at Lincoln Theater, in Yountville, and was a great success. Two thousand people attended. To start it off with a bang was actor, singer, songwriter Jeff Bridges and his band, the Abiders. He performed a blend of country, rock and blues and songs from the film "Crazy Heart," as well as from his albums, shaped in partnership with his producer and friend T Bone Burnett. Opening the show for her father was the very talented singer/songwriter Jessie Bridges. They both sang together at the fun after-party, Cigars and Guitars, hosted by "Cigar Aficionado Magazine," Gibson Guitars and Napa Valley Museum.
The next two days featured Grand Tastings of Cabernet Sauvigon poured by a terrific group of Napa Valley wineries--50 each day--such as Cakebread Cellars, Cade, Silverado Vineyards, Trefethen, Hess Collection, Reynolds Family, Eagle Eye, Pride, Caymus Vineyards, and Vineyard 511. Everyone came by to tell us that our Vineyard 511 2009 was the best there! We agree!
Local restauranteur Cindy Pawlcyn provided delicious cheese, nuts, olive tapenade and fruit to pair perfectly with all the delicious Cab. Additionally, there were interesting seminars on the main stage, such as the keynote presentation by Karen MacNeil, "What Makes Great Cabernet Sauvignon Great," and musical pairings presented by the Orchestra Institute Napa Valley, since both wine and music have a mysterious quality that does not lend itself to easy description in words.
Saturday night The Silverado Pickups, a rock band comprised of some of Napa Valley's most respected vintners and wine professionals provided a rockin' concert. Members of the band include David Duncan of Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars, Jeff Gargiulo of Gargiulo Vineyards, Shane Soldinger with Crocker & Starr, professional percussionist Joe Shotwell, Dan Zepponi of Valley of the Moon, winemaker Tres Goettings of Robert Biale Vineyards, and wine-country "C.P.A.. to the stars," Paul Hoffman.
We are really looking forward to next year's event! In the meantime, enjoy our 2014 Napa Valley CabFest Photo Album.
Mar 12, 2014 at 6:57 PM
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"Twenty Feet From Stardom" Nominated for Best Documentary Oscar
On March 2, the film Twenty Feet From Stardom, which the Napa Valley Film Festival screened in 2013, took home the Academy Award for the best 2013 documentary feature. The film, directed by Emmy award-winning Morgan Neville, tells the untold story of backup singers who have been behind some of the greatest musical legends of our time, such as Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Sting, Beyonce, Alicia Keyes and Aretha Franklin. The film highlights the careers of backup singers Lisa Fischer, Darlene Love, Judith Hill, and Merry Clayton among others, who, like Darlene Love, either got beat up by an abusive music industry, or who, like Lisa Fischer, made a concerted decision not to seek stardom.
Immediately following the 2013 Napa Film Festival screening, we were lucky to have director Neville and Lisa Fischer for a Q&A session and then hear talented Ms. Fischer deliver a stunning impromptu a cappella performance. Check it out here. We also got to meet the delightful Lisa backstage. Actually, the nights right before and right after the screening, she was backing up the Rolling Stones, who were touring California.
Mar 10, 2014 at 9:31 AM
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Unusual Calistoga Wineries
Recently, the Napa Valley Vintners' Association provided its member wineries the opportunity of visiting four Calistoga Wineries: Phifer Pavitt/Date Night; La Sirena & Jericho Canyon Vineyard; and Storybook Mountain Winery, to network with and learn from each other. Not only did Ed and I have terrific networking opportunities, but what we found were four wineries that were absolutely unique: Phifer Pavitt/Date Night in a barn that appeared to be suspended in the air; La Sirena and Jericho Canyon Vineyard in a property previously lived on by Robert Redford; and Storybook Mountain Winery in three tunnels dug over 100 years ago.
At our first stop, we met Georgia-born Suzanne Phifer Pavitt, who with her husband Shane Pavitt, created a tasting room out of a repurposed 19th century barn, which seemed to be hanging in the air. Suzanne poured great Date Night Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc at an unusual tasting bar made from a fallen slab of black walnut wood, suspended so that it moved back and forth and made us feel as if we had a bit too much to drink. The huge lighting fixtures were also sensational, made out of historic barbed wire.
We were then on to Jericho Canyon Vineyard, which hosted visiting vintners along with Heidi Barrett's winery La Sirena, whose La Sirena 2004 syrah tasted yummy. Heidi produces La Sirena from the cellar of Jericho Canyon. Not only was Jericho Canyon's sleek, redwood tasting room on a property formerly lived on by Robert Redford, but the colorful and interesting art (mostly of abstact wine bottles) of Sibylle Szaggars, Redford's wife, was hanging on the walls. Thanks to proprietors Marla and Dale Bleecher, we tasted their delicious Jericho Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon made in the Bordeaux style in their 6000 square foot cave.
Our last stop was Storybook Mountain Winery, which ages its wines in century-old caves dug by Adam Grimm, who came from a German wine-producing family in the wine business since 1540 and which continues to this day. In 1889, Grimm dug 3 large tunnels 100 feet into the volcanic rock and established the Grimm Vineyards and wine vaults. The property was bought by Jerry Seps in 1976, who has been producing world-class zinfandel there ever since. President Obama became the third president to serve it in the White House.
We watched Jerry's son-in-law peel back the thick black 100-year-old moss in the cave to reveal the stone beneath (see photos), and enjoyed the tour of this Calistoga property on the top of Napa Valley on an eastern slope of the Mayacamas Range, on ridges that separate Napa from Sonoma. Jerry treated us to his 2010 Estate Reserve Zinfandel, which received a 97- point rating from Wine & Spirits Magazine -- the highest Zinfandel rating ever.
As we returned to our own Vineyard {511}, we were high on the beautiful views and the beautiful day we spent in Calistoga.
Feb 22, 2014 at 5:59 PM
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Sundance Film Festival
Ed and I just returned from the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah. The festival, in its 30th year, screened 118 feature-length films from 37 different countries and 54 first-time filmmakers (from an incredible 12,218 submissions.) We saw some terrific films, like Camp Xray, Whiplash, A Most Wanted Man, Last Days in Vietnam (a documentary), I Origins, Song One, and War Story.
There were plenty of Hollywood A-listers making the rounds on Main Steet, like Anne Hathaway, Elizabeth Moss, and Robert de Niro. We were lucky enough to chat with the incredibly talented and beautiful star of War Story, Catherine Keener (see photo), at a dinner at Chef's Dance. Kevin Iwashina, who represents War Story, invited Ed and me to the dinner given for the cast and crew. In the film, directed by Mark Jackson and written by Mark Jackson and Kristin Gore, Keener plays a war photograher, who retreats to a small town in Sicily after being held captive during the conflict in Libya. We also met Kristin Gore, one of the writers and producers of the film and Al Gore's daughter.
We also had the pleasure of meeting American singer, songwriter and composer, Alex Ebert, who won the 2014 Golden Globes for his original score for the film All Is Lost (a gripping 2013 American survival film, starring Robert Redford and written and directed by JC Chandor). Unfortunately, Alex didn't get nominated for an Oscar for his score. What do they know?!? We met Alex (see photo) while taking a break from the films to watch the playoff game between the S.F. '49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. What a close game!
Someday, the Napa Valley Film Festival will be as successful as Sundance!
Jan 29, 2014 at 5:30 PM
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