Wine Review: Mountain Ranch Winery 2018 Old Vine Barbera Grand Reserve

Mountain Ranch Winery’s 2018 Old Vine Barbera Grand Reserve is a wine to notice. From its deep, ruby-red color to its bold, fruit-forward flavor, this vintage is a must-try for red wine lovers ready  to expand from Zinfandels and Cabs.

Created by winemaker Bob Hoffman, the 2018 vintage was made from a selection of the finest old-vine Barbera grapes grown in the mountainous Rancho Vignola vineyard in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The combination of the high-altitude terroir and the exceptional vineyard management practices of the winemakers has resulted in a wine of exceptional quality and complexity.

This wine is often served on TasteTV’s Chocolate and Wine Cruise on San Francisco Bay, and this is the first time our wine editors have been able to present a written review of this vintage that attendees have tasted.

On the nose, the 2018 Old Vine Barbera Grand Reserve offers a tantalizing array of aromas, including ripe red fruits, a hint of spice, and a touch of earthiness. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and silky smooth, with flavors of dark-skinned cherries, blackberries, and a subtle hint of oak. The wine has a pleasing, lingering finish with a hint of sweet spice.

The 2018 Old Vine Barbera Grand Reserve is a classic example of a high-quality, old-world-style wine. The flavors are well-balanced and complex, and the wine has a great structure and length. It is a perfect choice for those who appreciate bold, flavorful wines.

The Mountain Ranch Barbera is an excellent selection for occasions such as casual dinners or even more formal gatherings. It pairs well with a variety of foods, including pastas, grilled meats, and cheeses. With its bold, fruit-forward flavors, it also makes a great choice for sipping on its own.

See more at mountainranchwinery.com

 

 

Official Results from the 2022 World Dog Surfing Championships

 


Photo from 2022 Dog Surfing World Championship, Pacifica CA, 6 August 2022. Photo by Jack Owicki.

There was really nice weather, great waves , and a huge turnout for the World Dog Surfing Championships in Pacifica, plus we saw a lot rescue dogs get adopted, and got to see some of our favorite dog surfing teams! TasteTV’s World Championships for Dog Surfing take place on the Northern California coast — where the concept for the dog surfing sport originated — bringing together the best in local and international dog surfing talent. The world’s top dog surfers as well as amateurs are invited to bring home the gold.

Top dog surfers as well as happy amateurs are invited to bring home the Golden Surfie Award. During the event there will be a number of activities including the surf competition, dog beach fashion contest, dog adoptions, partner tents and activities, and more.


Official Results from the 2022 World Dog Surfing Championships

Dr. Treat SMALL DOG CATEGORY

  1. Carson
  2. Delilah
  3. Samson

Pet Renu MEDIUM DOG CATEGORY

  1. Skyler
  2. Cherie
  3. Iza

Rockaway Ricky Memorial / Lommori-Stahl Group LARGE/XL DOG CATEGORY

  1. Faith
  2. Charlie
  3. Rothstein

White Claw DOG/DOG TANDEM CATEGORY

  1. Faith & Rusty
  2. Skyler & Rothstein
  3. Teddy & Derby

HUMAN/DOG TANDEM CATEGORY

  1. Skyler & Homer
  2. Derby & Kentucky
  3. Rosie

TOP DOG FINAL OVERALL CHAMPS

  1. Skyler
  2. Faith
  3. Carson

Photo from 2022 Dog Surfing World Championship, Pacifica CA, 6 August 2022. Photo by Jack Owicki.

First ever Purple Sea Urchin Festival rocks West Coast Tastebuds and Saves the Environment

The United States’ first ever Purple Sea Urchin Festival* took place on the Mendocino Coast recently. Fort Bragg, the largest city on the Mendocino Coast, is one of the biggest producers of sea urchin in California, and with the overabundance of the urchins in the waters these past few years, there is no better time to celebrate this sea delicacy.

Why a focus on urchin now? And why purple urchin? The chefs, educators, and residents of this area are deeply passionate about the interwoven ecological web of the beautiful and mysterious ocean that makes up the landscape of their daily lives on the Mendocino Coast. Abalone has long been a unique part of Mendocino – with local campfire cooking, seasonal tourism boosts, and signature festivals celebrating it as a delicacy. With the collapse of the sea star population, the exponential growth of purple urchin, and the subsequent decimation of the abalone population, residents are constantly looking for eco-friendly ways to resolve these intertwined issues and reduce the impact of this invasive species.

The current circumstances have given us an opportunity to experience uni from these less-popular but equally-tasty purples,” states Cally Dym, 5th generation owner of Little River Inn. “Fort Bragg has long been a major producer of sea urchin in the United States – but virtually all of the product has been shipped out of the area, and until recently not a single restaurant offered uni on their menu. With a growing understanding of local food sheds and local food webs, we think now is the perfect time to ‘Taste the Place’ and expand our understanding of the purple sea urchin.”

During the three-day festival, some of the most beloved and iconic local hotels and restaurants along the coast, including The Harbor House Inn, Little River Inn, Noyo Harbor Inn, Glendeven Inn & Lodge, The Inn at The Cobbler’s Walk, Elk Cove Inn, Princess Seafood Market & Deli and Izakaya Gama in Point Arena, served urchin-focused menus and specials. Select inns and hotels also offered deals on lodging and other services.

The weekend also had a strong educational component, with the Mendocino Area Parks Association, Watermen’s Alliance, Noyo Science Center and Freedive Shop providing instructional demos and hands-on experiences. Urchinomics,  a restorative seafood company, played a part in the festival by supplying select restaurant partners with purple urchin (‘uni’). Urchinomics is a company dedicated to restoring kelp forests by removing overgrazing barren sea urchins, feeding them on land, and selling them on to distributors and restaurants.

Examples of the weekend’s Urchin tasting activities include:

  • Outdoor demo and 5-course purple urchin tasting menu presented by Urchinomics and Chef Matthew Kammerer at Michelin-starred The Harbor House Inn.
  • Uni demo and educational talk at Van Damme State Beach; sample fresh uni on the beach. Josh Russo from the Waterman’s Alliance and international free dive competitor Greg Fonts of The Freedive Shop demonstrate how to open and clean urchin. Participants  learn how to harvest urchin, the impact purple urchin has on other fisheries and innovative solutions to the problem.
  • Sake Seminar at Little River Inn. Sake expert Kerry Tamura of World Sake Imports walks attendees through the best sakes from seven different Japanese prefectures, highlighting the features of the terroir in the glass. Guests also learn about urchin while sampling uni snacks.

As a chef in today’s world, it is my job to choose more sustainable ingredients and showcase them to the public,” states Matthew Kammerer, Executive Chef at Harbor House Inn. “Chefs have more of a role in today’s food scene, where education about products, including why and how to use them can help shape the public’s dining perspective and have a positive outcome on future generations. Purple sea urchin has been on our menu since day one.  We are proud to serve all local products but this one has extra meaning for us. Not just its flavor, but to help remove some urchin numbers from the ecosystem that is on the verge of collapsing.”

Continues Dym, “Urchin is delicious and that in itself is a reason to create an urchin festival. What fascinates me is the role purple urchin plays in the ecosystem of the Northwest Pacific Ocean and telling that story to festival goers.”

San Francisco Chocolate Salon Returns on April 2nd as the Premiere West Coast Artisan Chocolate Festival

The 14th Annual San Francisco International Chocolate Salon takes place this Spring on April 2, 2022. The Chocolate Salon has long been known as the original artisan chocolate festival on the West Coast.

Chocolate aficionados, fanatics, lovers and addicts can taste & experience a wide range of artisan, gourmet & premium chocolate in one of the world’s most famous culinary metropolitan areas.

Chocolate Salon participants include chocolatiers, confectioners, and other culinary artisans, such as Amano Artisan Chocolate, Z. Cioccolato, LetterPress Chocolate, Michael’s Chocolates, Formosa Chocolates, Goufrais, Siamaya Chocolate, CocoTutti Chocolates, Fookie, R & J Toffees, Brigadeiro Sprinkles, The Good Chocolate, p.o.p. candy co., flying noir, the Wishing Well Workshop, Fabula Tea, and more.

For more information or tickets, visit www.SFChocolateSalon.com or HERE.

The San Francisco Chocolate Salon, Los Angeles Chocolate Salon, Sacramento Chocolate Salon, Seattle Chocolate Salon and International Chocolate Salon are produced by TasteTV, which originally created the first Chocolate Salon event in San Francisco in 2007, inspired by its cultural cookbook on chocolate, entitled “French Chocolate.” French Chocolate is available on Amazon.com and on www.FrenchChocolateCookbook.com.

Local and State COVID Guidelines apply.

International Arts of Fashion Foundation Reveals 9 Top Student Designers

The Arts of Fashion Foundation, a San Francisco-based fashion education non-profit, recently unveiled 9 fashion students selected in their annual competition. The students were reviewed by an international jury lead by iconic Antwerp Six member Walter Van Beirendonck, alongside other influential Belgian designers such as Jean-Paul Knott of Brussels, Jan-Jan Van Essche of Antwerp and Zoë Vermeire of Ghent.

Under the theme “Momentum” and the art direction of California-born designer Brandon Wen, the official fashion film of the International Arts of Fashion Competition premiered at the same time.

Over the course of the year the Foundation received fashion design proposals from 366 students representing 116 fashion institutions from 29 countries. Hosted at the Cristobal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria, Spain, 50 projects that reflected creative and innovative potential were selected from the initial group. At stake was a chance to win apprenticeships with renowned fashion houses from across the globe, including the Métiers d’Art – Chanel, as well as scholarships for creative programs to further develop their careers.

In the past the competition has concluded with a final jury session and fashion show in San Francisco to select winners. However, with limited travel for students and professionals due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Arts of Fashion decided to create a film for the final presentation of the international competition.

The final results and prizes, including apprenticeships with reputable design houses and scholarships, are:

  • Arts of Fashion Apprenticeship Award | Maison Lesage – Paris: QUANG THAI NGUYEN – Canada | LCI Montreal
  • Arts of Fashion Apprenticeship Award | Maison Montex – Paris: YINUO WANG – China – Tsinghua University
  • Arts of Fashion Apprenticeship Award | Maison Lemarié – Paris: EMILY ROSE SAUNDERS – UK – Norwich University of the Arts

Arts of Fashion MasterClass Scholarship Awards

  • JIWON JANG – South Korea – Kookmin University
  • SOA SHIN – South Korea – Kookmin University
  • YUANYUAN ZHANG – China – Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts YAYI TAN – China – Donghua University
  • CERASELA-IRINA NICOARA – Romania – University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca
  • ARIADNA GEGUNDEZ – Spain – LCI Barcelona – Felicidad Duce

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Arts of Fashion, with Antwerp chosen as the city to begin a year of celebrations in cities across the world that are significant to both fashion and to the Foundation.

Exquisite additions to the celebration of creativity in fashion are the contribution of long-time Committee Chair, Juliet Bergh, the support of the City of Antwerp, and of a network of partners, including Ulla Models Agency and Jill Models Management Agency in Antwerp, the Make Up For Ever Academy in Brussels, and the Fashion department of the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Through these series of events, the Foundation aims to create strong ties and promote creative exchange between design professionals in all areas of the fashion world.

Cool Gifts for Craft Lovers from the West Coast Craft Festival