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.

Wine, Cocktails & Friends in Pacific Palisades

Today is Sunday, July 16, 2017 and I’m on my way to the LAX airport to return to reality.

Yes, the Pacific Palisades and the West Coast can be a fun and fanciful place to be any time of year.

I must say the first weekend started with a fresh Pomegranate Martini made with Tito’s and a special juice from Stirrings.

We moved quickly to the wine and started with a very nice Hunnicutt Chardonnay.  It didn’t last long.

When I arrive in California, which is usually on a Friday, we make our way to Cosa Nostra. This Friday was no different and you must have the Branzino special.

The middle of the week was filled with West Institute activities and the new venue for graduation at the The California Yacht Club was fantastic!  For a pictures of that event go HERE.

As tradition has it, we ended the week with our Annual West Institute Wine Reception and Dinner at the Bel Air Bay Club with Mike and Mav as our hosts.

We started with a reception in the Wojo’s Cabana and moved to the formal dining room for an incredible evening of food, fun and fellowship.

We were so glad that our Institute National Board Chair and West Institute Chair could attend with their spouses.

Go HERE if you want to see a review of that event and a listing of the 21 bottles tasted that evening.

My last weekend in Los Angeles started with a Paddle Tennis Tournament that Mav was in and she was a rock star and showed off her athletic ability, and then we went to the beach bar to have Bloody Mary's and oh boy, Tequila Mockingbird's when we returned home.

And one more thing, Mike has a new passion, it's smoking things!  Here he is smoking almonds.  I must admit, they were great!

Ok, I've spent too much time describing what I did in Los Angeles and it’s now time to review the wine we consumed during the week.

Hate the game, not the player (Madison's favorite saying)!

Rose

• 2016 Les Jeunes Rose, Santa Barbara County
• 2016 Liquid Farm Rose, Santa Barbara

Whites

• 2006 Vincent Dancer Meursault
• 2010 Falcor Chardonnay, Henry Ranch, Napa Valley
• 2013 Falcor Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
• 2014 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley (two bottles)
• 2015 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County
• 2015 Carmenet Chardonnay, Napa Valley (four bottles)
• 2015 Hunnicut Chardonnay, Napa Valley (two bottles)
• 2015 Hunnicutt Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
• 2015 Liquid Farm Bien Bien Chardonnay, Santa Maria
• 2016 Chateau Montelena Riesling, Napa Valley

Reds

• 1993 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 1993 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 1995 Castillo Ygay Rioja, Gran Reserva Especial (Magnum)
• 1999 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 1999 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 2002 Kaesler Stonehorse Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre, Barossa Valley
• 2004 Chase Zinfandel, Hayne Vineyard
• 2005 Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Bolgher
• 2005 Downing Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 2006 Falerno del Massico, Italian Blend (Double Magnum)
• 2008 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 2008 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 2013 GeekZ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 2014 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County
• 2014 Irony Pinot Noir, Monterey
• 2015 La Follette Pinot Noir, Russian River, Sonoma County
• N/A Tandem Red Wine (two bottles)

For pictures of the week go HERE.

5th West Institute Wine Reception and Dinner

On July 14, 2011, we held our 5th Annual West Wine Reception and Dinner at The Hilltop Winery.

What a special evening. We did a vertical tasting of Silver Oak and a horizontal featuring Pinot Noir from 2005.

Check these out, we tasted:

• 1984 Silver Oak, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 1989 Silver Oak, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
• 1995 Silver Oak, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
• 1999 Silver Oak, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
• 2002 Silver Oak, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

Then we started our 2005 trip around the Pinot Noir varietal:

• 2005 Demetria, Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
• 2005 Pahlmeyer, Pinot Noir, St. Helena
• 2005 Sea Smoke, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara
• 2005 Macphail, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
• 2005 Alcina, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
• 2005 Tandem, Pinot Noir, Sonoma County

Thanks to our family and friends at The Hilltop Winery for being such gracious hosts.

For the slideshow of the entire evening with friends click HERE.

The Hilltop

On June 29, 2010, the Sweede family and a few special friends from work came to visit The Hilltop Winery.

Our time is always too short, but we made the most of the time we have with our friends.

Amongst the many wines we tasted the following stood out:

• 1990 Chateau Grand Mayne, Grand Cru Classe
• 2003 Surh Luchtel Mosaique, Red Wine, Napa Valley
• 2004 Staglin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley
• 2005 Alcina, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
• 2006 Kosta Browne, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

The weather was intense to say the least, sometimes you couldn’t see across the pool. That’s life when you’re up in the clouds, literally and figuratively speaking.

For more information on Alcina click HERE.
For more information on Chateau Grand Mayne click HERE.
For more information on Kosta Browne click HERE.
For more information on Staglin click HERE.
For more information on Surh Luchtel click HERE.

For a slideshow of the actual bottles tasted and the rest of the evening click HERE.