Can I get you a CAB?

Just some of the selection

Typically, because this blog is meant to be a guide for events and places the public can go, I don’t make a practice of blogging on Industry only events. But Thursday night I was treated by the Paso Robles CAB Collective (PRCC) and Parker Sanpei PR to one of the coolest events I’ve been to so far; and if you read this blog, you know that is saying A LOT! Especially with all the unbelievably, wonderful events I’ve been lucky enough to attend recently. The reason I enjoyed this event so much is simple, it was an incredible opportunity to meet/ re-meet and mingle with the people behind some of the best wines on the Central Coast. From winemakers to vineyard and winery staff and owners, they were all together, in one incredibly beautiful location, Daou Vineyards. The PRCC was formed in 2012, and is a grass roots, non-profit organization made up of a group of wineries to promote and improve awareness of the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area (AVA), with regard to the area’s unique ability to produce great Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals.

Get your Mac on!!

I don’t know about you but the words Macaroni and Cheese instantly take me back to my childhood and is one of the ultimate comfort foods. My favorite is Kraft Mac and cheese…it has to be Kraft, and I like mine mixed with hotdogs. But this upcoming weekend August 24th, the Paso Robles Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese Festival is taking place at Le Vigne Winery.

The Rooster hangs 24!

We’ve all heard of winemaker dinners and wine and food pairings but with all the great Craft breweries popping up, so are the beerbrewer dinners and beer and food pairings. As you know I’ve really started getting into the Craft beer experience as a result of SLO Craft Beer week, and the other night attended our first beerbrewer’s dinner put on by Hangar 24 Brewery in conjunction with Central Coast Distributing (CCD) at Rooster Creek a local restaurant. Located in Redlands, California, Hangar 24 is named for the hangar that owner and master brewer Ben Cook, used to visit with friends to share his home-brewed beer, and banter about aviation after an afternoon of flying. Since then, he’s opened his own brewery and created some unusual beers and delicious ales.

SYTYCD = So You Think You Can Drink.

SHEdrinksHEeats with Nigel and Ken

We were lucky enough to be invited to the 1st Winemaker’s Reserve dinner at Villa San-Juliette winery up in San Miguel the other night, by Parker Sanpei a local PR firm in town. We of course said yes immediately. First because we love their new winemaker Matt Ortman; who after beating out hundreds of other applicants, joined the team just this year, but also because we hadn’t had a chance to get up there yet and this was a perfect opportunity. If you read this blog regularly you may remember that I talked about this winery in the Uncorked at Forks and Corks post. Villa San-Juliette is proudly owned by two of Hollywood’s most prominent reality talent show partnerships, Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick. You may recognize them better as the producers of Seasons 1-12 of American Idol, the stars of Corkscrewed, the Wrath of Grapes  (all about the trials and tribulations of buying the vineyard) and Nigel produces and stars in the hit dance show So You Think You Can Dance , #HEeats’ favorite show.

Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’…SLO Wiiine! (Day 2)

After a crazy schedule filled with wonderful epicurean adventures, I’m finally getting around to writing about Day 2 of Rolling out the Barrels. Because even though we hit 8 wineries, we didn’t feel the need to race around from one place to the other so we could give a report on ALL the pairings (in case some place ran out) and offerings like the first day, the 2nd day was much more chill for us. There were fewer places offering food pairings and in general there was more of just a come on in and drink vibe, all around.