by Carol Lewis, Newsletter Editor
Meet your neighbors and enjoy fresh Paella with wines from notable California and Spanish regions at modest prices–$3 to $10, sangria, and craft beers at Artisan Wine Depot, 400 W. Villa Street, 5:30–7:30 PM, June 21.
Owner Christine Tran, a Silicon Valley native and Certified Sommelier, is offering a range of wine tasting, and will discuss different Spanish and Californian wines, the winemaking techniques, and what determines their quality. We will learn tasting techniques and wine terminology so you can understand, and articulate your wine preferences. By the end, you will recognize and understand the main types of wine varietals and styles from the two areas and your personal California and Spanish wine preferences so you can choose the exact wine to suit an occasion, venue or budget.
Artisan Wine Depot specializes in value wines, as good as expensive brands but costing far less. Christine specializes in vineyards from around the globe offering small-production, limited-quantity wines and Friday night wine tastings of samplings from these vineyards. You can see the positive reactions of customers online. Her advice is wines from Argentina and Chile now offer the best value via great strides in wine quality, improved winemaking technologies and advanced winemaking skills.
Talk to Christine and you learn many interesting pointers. For example, some of the most expensive California wines are currently sold under different labels to make some profit in this sluggish economy and not undermine the high price of the highly rated wines when the economy picks up again. Which wines? Come to the mixer, enjoy good food, value wines, and learn some wine secrets.
