The Rooftop Winery: 2019

13th Annual West Institute Wine Reception and Dinner

Sunday, July 21, 2019, it’s time for the Annual West Institute Wine Reception and Dinner hosted by Mike and Mav at the Bel Air Bay Club (BABC).

We started in the Wojo’s Cabana with a series of white wines and a cheese platter that Executive Chef Mav made, all good stuff!

We quickly moved to toast Jeni and Brad, on their recent wedding which took place on July 6th and we were unable to attend. They returned from their honeymoon just in time to join us in this annual event. We toasted them with a nice bottle of Champagne!

Mike then initiated our first of two conducted wine tastings of the evening. He paired 2005 bottles from Spain, France and California which everyone loved.

2005 Alto Moncayo Garnacha
2005 Cote-Rotie Syrah
2005 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford

We moved on to the formal dining room at the Bel Air Bay Club for our annual dinner which consisted of a three course pre-fix meal and a "special" fish taco middle course.

The executive chef and his team did a fantastic job. A pic of the fish used for the taco mid-course can be found HERE. Oh boy!

The second conducted tasting paired two 2011 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignons, one from Howell Mountain and the other from Napa Valley.

2011 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain
2011 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

It’s always nice to visit with the LA connection and relax (a little) as the West Institute meeting is the third of four summer sites we travel to each summer.

We hope you’re drinking something good this summer!

For those that are interested, here’s the line-up of the wine we drank throughout the evening from Mike's wine cellar.

Champaign

Vevre Clicquot Brut

Whites

2016 Liquid Farms Chardonnay, White Hill (two bottles)
2017 Carmenet Chardonnay
2017 DeLoach Chardonnay, Central Coast
2018 Groth Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Reds

1996 Chateau Cos Labory Grand Cru Classic (two bottles)
2005 Alto Moncayo Garnacha
2005 Cote-Rotie Syrah
2005 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
2009 Chateau Pre La Lande Bordeaux (two bottles)
2011 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain
2011 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

For pictures from the entire evening go HERE.

My Weekend at The Rooftop Winery

Sunday, July 14, 2019, I’m leaving “The Rooftop” for a business conference in Long Beach. It was a quick visit to the Wojo’s before I had to leave for business an hour south.

For the record, I arrived on Friday, as my usual LAX travels have me do, and started with our customary Friday night dinner at a new place called Pikoh with some great food and wine.

Saturday, was a relaxing day, a visit to the Bel Air Bay Club to lay back, read a book and have a drink in the Cabana before dinner. Oh, that’s right, we had dinner in the formal dining room. That’s my favorite place! For pics from the dining room go HERE.

Here’s the list of wines we had on this short trip:

Rose

2018 Angeline Rose of Pinot Noir

Whites

2016 Aubert Chardonnay, Hudson Vineyard
2016 La Follette Chardonnay, Sun Chase Vineyard
2016 La Follette Chardonnay, Lorenzo Vineyard
2016 Liquid Farm Chardonnay, Bien Bien
2017 Unique Sauvignon Blanc, France

Reds

2008 Valquejigoso, V2, Madrid Spain
2012 Falcor Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

Pictures from my short weekend visit to “The Rooftop Winery” can be found HERE.

UCLA Graduation Week

It’s Sunday, June 16, 2019 and it’s time to leave “The Rooftop” for home and back to reality.

We enjoyed our time here, especially watching Jackson graduate from UCLA, with a Bachelor of Arts in International/Global Studies, with a Minor in Global Health.

While Mike and Mav couldn’t stay for the actual graduation ceremonies, they gave us the house to entertain and enjoy good food and wine while they jetted off to Barcelona.

They did however host a special Pre-Graduation Party for Jackson and his friends on Saturday, June 8^th.

I asked for permission, got it, and oh boy, here’s what we drank throughout the week. All I can say is thank you Mike and Mav and please don’t do an inventory check upon your return!

And, I did not drink all of it, Alma, my mother-in-law and grandmother to Jackson did her fair share, so it’s not all on me.

Here’s the list of wines we drank from the Wojo’s original wine cellar throughout the week, starting with the Wojo’s party for Jackson and his friends on Saturday, June 8, on “The Rooftop”:

Whites

2016 Liquid Farms Chardonnay, Golden Slope
2017 Aubert Chardonnay, Sugar Shack, Napa Valley
2017 Bramito Chardonnay Umbria (two bottles)
2017 Carmenet Chardonnay

Reds

2004 Tandem Pinot Noir, Sonoma County
2005 Pahlmeyer Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
2010 Guado al Tasso
2011 Alto Moncayo Garnacha
2012 Falcor Syrah, Napa Valley
2013 Falcor Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2015 Chateau De La Croix, Medoc
2017 Pessimist, Paso Robles

Thanks to all who could join us throughout the week and a special shout out to the Villante family for hosting the BABC Graduation Celebration!

Pictures from the four official events, over the past two weekends, can be accessed at the following individual links below:

What a great week!

Jackson’s UCLA Graduation Party

On Saturday, June 8, 2019 Mike and Mav hosted Jackson and his college friends for a graduation party before they head off to Barcelona for a special trip with friends.

It’s always nice to visit “The Rooftop” and enjoy an evening of cocktails, wines from the original wine cellar and fellowship with family and friends.

In addition to Jackson’s college friends we were able to invite family and friends of the family to celebrate with Jackson.

The party featured a pizza station with our good friend Edgardo as well as a buffet of pulled pork, chicken skewers and Hawaiian coleslaw.

Mike used his bartending skills to create two specialty drinks, Margaritas and Blue Hawaiians that filled three large dispensers for all to enjoy. Of course, we had beer too!

For those of us who like wine instead of beer and mixed drinks drank the following in celebration of the next generation entering the workforce!

Whites

2016 Liquid Farms Chardonnay, Golden Slope
2017 Aubert Chardonnay, Sugar Shack, Napa Valley
2017 Carmenet Chardonnay

Reds

2005 Pahlmeyer Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
2012 Falcor Syrah, Napa Valley
2017 Pessimist, Paso Robles

Thanks again Mike and Mav for opening up "The Rooftop" and hosting the party in celebration of Jackson and his college colleagues.

Pictures from the entire evening can be found HERE.

An Afternoon on "The Rooftop"

It’s Friday, February 8, 2019 and my business trip to Southern California has come to an end.

As stated before, anytime I'm in California I must go visit with Mike and Mav. They have just settled into their new home, and what a nice place it is!

For those who aren’t familiar with the Wojo’s, they are the best wine/dinner hosts you can find in Southern California. They happen to be relatives too!

Not only was I able to attend, I brought my Institute colleague and her boyfriend Bryan (update, she got engaged the next day) for an afternoon of wine tasting, paired with a nice cheese and charcuterie platter.

The weather was absolutely fantastic which allowed us to take an afternoon off and enjoy a flight of wines on "The Rooftop."

For those who care, here’s what we drank:

Rose

2017 Falcor Rose

Whites

2014 Costa deOro Chardonnay, Reserva Dorada
2016 Aubert Chardonnay, Hudson Valley
2017 Carmenet Reserve Chardonnay

Reds

2005 Alto Moncayo Garnacha
2008 Falcor Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2014 Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 The Adversary Mourvedre
2015 Hunnicutt Cuvee Equite, Napa Valley

For pictures of the afternoon tasting, on “The Rooftop,” go HERE.

And now it's time to share the additional wines I enjoyed throughout the weekend at various venues, including dinner at the Bel Air Bay Club, and at the new home with my son Jackson.

Whites

2010 Julien ColloVray White Burgundy
2012 Frazier Chardonnay, Russian River
2014 Liquid Farm Chardonnay, Golden Slope
2015 Aubert Chardonnay, CIX
2017 Bramito Della Sala Chardonnay
2017 Carmenet Reserve Chardonnay (two bottles)

Reds

2005 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2009 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2009 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

Pictures from our Bel Air Bay Club dinner and pictures throughout the weekend can be found HERE.