Tag Archives: Wine tasting

Bordeaux Basics for Wine Novices

23 Apr

Wanna learn about France’s fabled Bordeaux region? How about over lunch at the Peninsula Beverly Hills with 32 of  Bordeaux’s most prestigious  winemakers? If  ”anxiety attack” was the first thing that came to mind, fabulous! I’m not alone.

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Moments after I RSVPd for a sit-down trade luncheon featuring Le Cercle Rive Droite, a French society that represents 143 vineyards from the Right Bank of Bordeaux (more on that later),  my top three wine tasting insecurities materialized: How early would I dribble red wine all over my chin while using the spit bucket? Would I be able to keep up with the wine lingo? And would I drown in a sea of old guys wearing tweed jackets and silk cravats?

Chicas y chicos, yesterday’s luncheon offered more proof that wine anxiety is très passé, and I managed not to get a single drop of wine on myself (wish I could say the same for my notebook).

Best of all, I was happily swimming in a sea of  hip, young winemakers, some of whom were women, and one of whom encouraged me to unleash my très broken français on her. We chatted about weddings, food and her childhood growing up in a chateau. C’est cool!

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Before I describe some of the highlights of the lunch, here are six things you should know about Bordeaux:

  • The Bordeaux region is near the southwestern coast of France, and its vineyards are located in three distinct areas: the Left Bank, the Right Bank, and the Entre-Deux-Mers area, which is between the two banks.
  • Bordeaux wines are made with the primary grapes of the Bordeaux region. There are several approved varieties, but the most widely used are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec for the reds; and Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for the whites.
  • Wines made in the Left Bank of Bordeaux typically feature Cabernet Sauvignon as the primary grape.
  • Wines from the Right Bank will be made mostly with Merlot.
  • Wines from the Entre-Deux-Mers region are generally white and feature Sauvignon Blanc.
  • Three of the world’s most expensive wines come from the Bordeaux region: Chateau d’Yquem, Chateau Cheval Blanc, and Chateau Pétrus. But don’t worry – you can find a great Bordeaux wine for anywhere from $15 – $70.

Wasn’t that stress-free?

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Because Le Cerlcle Rive Droite represents winemakers from the Right Bank (rive droite, pronounced reev dwat, is français for right bank), the wines served  at the lunch were a blend of 70 percent or more Merlot with some Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon or other approved grapes. So if you dig Merlot, chances are you’ll enjoy a Right Bank Bordeaux.

Merlot is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon, so it pairs well with chicken. No surprise, lunch was a chicken breast with mascarpone polenta, tomatoes, sweet corn and chicken jus. Délicieux!

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Merlot also pairs well with cheese. Perfect, since dessert featured a cheese plate and an assortment of cookies and macarons. Apologies to you sweets lovers–I bypassed the cookies and went straight for the cheese.

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Careful readers are probably wondering about the old guys in tweed jackets. I saw none.  In fact, a jacket-less French winemaker at my table reported that the only jacket he brought “was an alcoholic.” Egged on by his peers, he described how a bottle of wine had broken in his suitcase, thereby giving his jacket “plenty of time between New York and Los Angeles to drink the entire bottle.” And that, mes amis, is living proof that Bordeaux wine–and winemakers–are nothing to fear. Santé!

When a wine bottle breaks in your suitcase, pour yourself a glass of wine.

A glass of Bordeaux is the best cure for a broken wine bottle in your suitcase.

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A California wine to drink with your BFFs

17 Apr

“Tell me who you drink with, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

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That’s what the folks at New Craft Cellars believe, and enjoying wine with friends was the genesis for Los Vinos de Compadre,* their California-blend red wine, which hit the market last September.

Compadre was created by Meggan Sorensen of Long Beach, Calif., a former viticulture major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, who, not surprisingly, met her husband at a wine and cheese party while they were in college. Fast forward a few years and Sorensen enlisted family friend Jose Lozano as a business partner. Together with Jose and her Napa-based cousin Mark, Sorensen created a label whose mission is to bring good food and friends together.

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Why Compadre?

“Jose is our son’s godfather,” says Sorensen. “He introduced us to a culture that values family and great food.” Sorensen wanted to emulate that familia spirit in a wine that was easy to drink and paired well with Latin American food. The word ‘compadre’ best encapsulated her vision.

With delicious red fruit aromas, some delicate vanilla notes and well-balanced acidity, Compadre pairs well with Manchego cheese (I tried it last night!), grilled steak, or mildly spicy foods. Because of the tame alcohol content, the wine won’t add fire to an already spicy dish.

After bottling, Sorensen gathers friends for a "waxing party," where guests seal bottles with decorative red wax.

After bottling, Sorensen gathers friends for a “waxing party,” where guests seal bottles with decorative red wax.

You can buy Compadre online for $20 at http://www.newcraftcellars.com, or you can find it at some Orange County, Calif. wine shops and restaurants. If you’re in the L.A. area, Compadre is on the wine list at the Willmore Wine Bar in Long Beach.

So remember, chicas y chicos, choose your vino the way you would your best amigos: Likes the same foods you like, easygoing, and always up for a casual get-together. ¡Salud!

*EL FULL DISCLOSURE: Señorita Vino received a complimentary bottle of Compadre wine to sample, but the opinions and findings expressed in this post are entirely my own. 

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Vino 101: Wine Tasting Tips, Part 2

28 Feb

Still ticked off about the spit bucket being your new BFF? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, take a look-sie at Wine Tasting Tips, Part 1 for the first in this two-chapter primer on how have a fabuloso wine tasting experience.

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So now that you know about reds before whites, the five S’s, and the infamous dump bucket rule, here are three more tips to make your next winery-hopping weekend a snob-free breeze:

4. Be vino-lingual. Consider the Wine Snob, that pompous dork (or dorkita) whose contrived geek-speak upon taking a sip of Chateau-de-Je-Ne-Sais-Pas makes me want to douse their ecstatic rapture with the contents of a dump bucket. If you remember anything from reading this blog, it’s this: Don’t. Let. The. Big. Words. Scare. You.  Now that we’ve got that straight, here are some basic wine-tasting terms you may hear:

Astringent. A puckering sensation caused by a wine’s tannins (see below)

Bouquet. Not quite the same thing as “aroma,” “bouquet” refers the smells a wine develops as it ages in the bottle

Complex. A wine that displays various characteristics, such as fruit, earth, acidity, floral aromas, etc. Usually a mark of quality.

Dry. The opposite of sweet

Earthy. Your tío Pedro may have an earthy sense of humor (i.e. raunchy). In wine, earthiness is like the smell of a garden after it rains.

Finish. What happens after you’ve taken a sip of wine. Think about how long the flavors linger, and whether the wine has a kick or leaves a smooth sensation.

Fruit forward. A wine in which fruity aromas and flavors are dominant

Full-bodied. A wine with high alcohol or a heavier feel on the palate

Jammy. The taste of ripe, almost preserved fruit. Usually an indicator that the wine is made from grapes grown in a hot climate.

Minerally. The taste and smell of gravel, chalk, wet stones, granite. Some French and Spanish wines are prized for their minerality.

Mouthfeel. A wine’s texture. Think silky, velvety, soft, mellow, supple, coarse, rustic, etc.

Residual sugar. The sugar left over in a wine after fermentation

Tannic. Tannins are natural compounds in grape skins and seeds. They also can be found in the wood from barrels used for aging wine. Heavily tannic wines leave an astringent, puckering sensation in the mouth.

Terroir.  The influence of climate, weather, soil and geology on a grapevine. Can also be used to describe the earthy aromas and flavors of a wine.

Well-balanced. A wine in which acidity, tannins, fruit and alcohol are evenly present.

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5. Food sold separately–somewhere else. A tasting room is simply that – a space for tasting wine, and not a café or wine bar. On occasion, a winery may serve water crackers, but these are more a kind gesture than a snack. If your wine tasting sojourn spans the lunch hour, you may want to pack some sandwiches and fruit (or any portable, fuss-free food you may like) and have a picnic in between tastings. Most wineries allow visitors to bring food and eat in designated outdoor areas.

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6. Save dessert for last. You may see dessert wines being offered on tasting room wine lists. Going back to the picnic for a minute, you wouldn’t eat the cupcakes before the turkey and brie baguette, would you? For some of the same reasons, you should taste the dessert wine last. Dessert wines, as you may recall from previous posts, are often honey-sweet and heavier on the palate. If you start with a late-harvest or dessert wine, any dry, lighter-bodied wines you taste after that will seem watered down and flat.

Now go forth and taste wine, chicas y chicos, and let me know how you fare. ¡Salud!

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Vino 101: Wine tasting tips – part 1

7 Feb

What could be more exciting than a day of wine tasting with your BFFs? Maybe a one-on-one soccer lesson from Diego Forlan, but I digress…

Is it hot in here? Credit: Fotitos21

Last night I ran into a fellow Latina blogger and her über-wonderful mom. The striking pair had just attended a culinary trade event in Beverly Hills, where industry representatives from wine labels and restaurants were plying their wares. The ladies found the place crawling with that pesky critter, vinus snobus, a.k.a. the wine snob.

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What’s a chica to do?  Whether you’re road tripping to Napa, tangoing through the vineyards of Mendoza or visiting your neighborhood wine shop, these three tips can give you a confidence boost on your next wine tasting journey.

1. Whites before reds.

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If you’re asked which wine you’d like to try first, always taste white wines before reds. Why? Because white wines are lighter in body than reds, and if you start with a heavier red wine, your palate will miss the more delicate flavors and aromas of the white wines. It would be like having your main course before your dinner salad.

2. Remember the five S’s: See. Swirl. Sniff. Sip. Spit.

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We’ve all seen those self-important dweebs making a Shakespearean drama out of sipping a glass of wine. You can learn to appreciate wine and its lovely, delicious components without the theatrics:

See. A wine’s visual characteristics can tell you a lot about what’s in your glass. For example, the younger a white wine is, the paler it will look in your glass. Conversely, the older a red wine is, the lighter it will appear.

Swirl. The reason people swirl wine around in their glass is to release the little odor molecules that give wine its flavor. Some red wines may need a little more swirling if the bottle has just been opened. The only wine you don’t want to swirl is a sparkling wine. Exposure to air will cause the wine to lose its fizziness and some of its characteristic flavor.

Sniff. Smelling a wine can give you more clues about its origins and how it was made. If you’re smelling vanilla, cedar or tobacco, chances are the wine was aged in oak barrels. If you’re smelling a lot of fruit, it’s possible the wine comes from grapes grown in a warmer climate. Mineral aromas like gravel, flint or wet stone may mean the wine is from the Old World, or a European wine region.

Sip. Notice I said sip and not gulp. A smaller sip allows you to discreetly swirl the wine around in your mouth so that you can pick up more aromas, and thus  get a better sense for the wine’s flavor.

Spit. I know, I know…why would you want to waste perfectly good wine? Read on…

3. Your new BFF: The dump bucket. If you’ve ever started your winery-hopping early in the day, you may have noticed how quiet tasting rooms are around 11 a.m. By about 2 or 3 p.m., the decibel level is noticeably louder. Wine loosens us up and makes us chatty. I’ll drink to that!  But if you overdo it, your ability to distinguish flavor characteristics plummets. Save the major drinking for dinner later on.

Oh, and winery staff will not get offended if you spit or dump part of the wine they pour. And if they do, they probably could use a glass of wine. ¡Salud!

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Stay tuned for Wine Tasting Tips, part deux!

 

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Vino 101: Old World vs. New World Wines

25 Jan

Feliz Friday, chicas y chicos! The weekend is here, and it’s time for a whirlwind tour of the “Old World” and “New World” of wine. Yes, right now. It’ll only take five minutes. Fasten your seat belts, make sure your tray tables are locked and your seat is in the upright position, ¡y vámonos!

Old World wines come from Europe and the Mediterranean.

Old World wines come from Europe and the Mediterranean.

Simply stated, Old World refers to a wine from southern or central Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria and other Mediterranean regions). The New World covers wines made in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

You’re probably wondering why this matters, right? The short answer is that an Old World Chardonnay (made in France, for example) is going to taste a lot different from a New World Chardonnay made in California. Here’s why:

1. Winemaking

Old World winemaking relies on traditions that have been around for centuries, while New World winemakers tend to use modern science and technology, giving them a little more control over how the wine will taste.

2. Terroir

Think of terroir as the environmental factors (climate, soil, rainfall) that give a wine some of its characteristics. For instance, grapes grown in hot climates ripen more easily and have a higher sugar content, so those wines will have more alcohol (remember that sugar is needed for fermentation, the magical process that turns grape juice into wine). Wine made from grapes grown in cooler regions tends to have less alcohol and will be more acidic.

The soil where vineyards are planted is an almost literal example of terroir.

The soil where vineyards are planted is an almost literal example of terroir.

Okay, got all that? If not, all you need to remember is this:

Old World wines generally…

- Are higher in acidity

-Taste more “minerally”

-Have fewer fruity aromas or flavors

-Tend to age better

New World wines generally…

-Taste more fruity

- Have less acidity

-Are higher in alcohol (because the grapes have more sugar)

- Tend to be less diverse (“international” grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Merlot and others are used more in New World winemaking than lesser-known grapes like Müller-Thurgau, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo and Cinsault)

How can you tell which style you like best? If you’re a fan of black cherry flavors in your Cabernet Sauvignon, go for a New World option from California, Chile or Australia. If you like your Cab with a touch less alcohol and a little more acidity, an Old World wine from France’s Bordeaux region is a fine choice.

We’re going to hit a little turbulence now, so hold on to your wine glasses. The lines between the Old and New Worlds are beginning to shift as younger winemakers in Europe experiment with New World techniques. My philosophy: Explore both worlds and let your tastebuds be your guide.

Salud, and thank you for flying Señorita Vino!

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At last – a wine for your Cuban sandwich

26 Nov

There’s rumba in them thar hills! One Oregon winery  owner has put some ritmo into the Willamette Valley winemaking community, and he’s all about passion for sabor.

At Cubanísimo Vineyards in Salem, neurosurgeon and Havana native Dr. Mauricio Collada named his winery for the ‘very Cuban’ flavor he brings to one of the top Pinot Noir regions in the U.S.

Forget about lame ambient music on winery sound systems. Visitors to Cubanísimo’s tasting room can enjoy a little rumba with their award-winning Pinot Noir, and if you’re lucky enough to live in the area, you can sign up for salsa lessons every third Saturday of the month.

Not a local? Then take home a souvenir guayabera with the Cubanísimo logo embroidered on the back. Low on TP? Not to worry – you can pick up a few rolls of Fidel Castro toilet paper for a revolutionary way to–ahem–take care of business.

Read the whole story (penned by yours truly) on TheLatinKitchen.com and find out how Cubanísimo is merengue-ing its way through Oregon wine country. ¡Salud!

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Oregon Wine Country, Part 1: A wine newbie’s paradise

5 Oct

If I had a dollar for every story I’ve heard about an encounter with a wine know-it-all, I’d be writing this from my palazzo overlooking vineyards in Italy’s Chianti region. But alas, I sit at my desk in a Los Angeles suburb, nursing a nasty cold I caught on a trip to Oregon’s Willamette Valley two weeks ago.

I was there for a familia reunion planned by Señor Jim’s cousins. Let me say that if you could choose where your spouse or partner’s family hails from, anyplace that’s home to 15 wine-growing regions ain’t too shabby. And Oregon’s Willamette Valley, chicas y chicos, is the perfect place for vino novices. Why? Because this is not a natural habitat of the critter known in scientific circles as Winus Snobus. In fact, I didn’t encounter a single one the whole time we were there.

Oregon – A Snob-Free Wine Zone.

At this point, I’d like to take a bit of a detour and acknowledge the Coughing Wonder that sat across the aisle from me on the flight from LA to Portland: Dude, muchas gracias for sharing your influenza virus with Virgin America flight 802. You’re supposed to cover your  mouth when you cough.

Germs aside, thank you, Virgin America for ensuring my wine bottles survived baggage check. [NOTE: Virgin did not pay for my flight, but I mentioned them anyway. De nada, Sir Richard Branson.]

Thankfully, it wasn’t until the day before we had to fly home that Typhoid Larry’s germ shower finally set up shop  in my sinuses. Which means I had the ability to taste each and every delicious drop of Oregon vino for four entire days.

Sipping rosé at the Carlton Winemaker’s Studio.

Three of the wine grapes Oregon is best known for are Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. ¿Porqué? Because the soil types, relatively mild winters and cloudy summers in the Willamette Valley are ideal for these grapes, creating near-perfect conditions for the grapes to ripen and the soil to drain. If you’re a Pinot Noir kind of chica or chico, you need to add the International Pinot Noir Celebration to your bucket list. It’s held here annually in July.

Morning fog lifts over Pinot Noir vines. A typical Pacific Northwest setting of fir trees and hills provides a unique backdrop.

At 40 years and counting, Oregon is a relatively young wine producing region. Some sources describe the region’s early winemakers as renegades and visionaries who escaped Northern California’s more established winemaking industry and literally planted roots in the rich Oregon soil. The results are nothing short of excelente, as evidenced by the dizzying display of awards at several of the wineries we visited.

Oregon winemakers are (rightfully) proud of their award-winning wines.

But don’t let the flashy gold medals and crystal trophies scare you, chicas y chicos. As noted earlier, theWillamette Valley has a friendly, down-to-earth vibe. Vino newbies’ questions will be meet with answers that the average person can understand. Not only that, but some wineries have educational displays in the tasting room. One of my favorites was the little glass jar at  Elk Cove Vineyards holding a sample of the rocky soil.

Rocky soil means the earth doesn’t hold rainwater, forcing the grapevine to send roots further down into the earth for water, and allowing the vine to put more energy into growing grapes versus grape leaves.

We were told that the “Estate Soil” sign went up after a (possibly borracha*) woman mistook the rocks for biscotti and took a bite.  Take it from Señorita Vino–stick with what’s in your  wine glass and you’ll be fine. ¡Salud!

*For my non-Spanish speaking readers: Borracha means drunk. If she were a guy, she’d be borracho. 

Next week: Latinos in Oregon’s wine industry.

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A take-along wine cheat sheet

17 Sep

On a recent visit to Señor Jim’s family in Seattle, I accompanied my amazing step-daughter-in-law (a.k.a. Miss Jenny) on a quick grocery store trip to buy wine for dinner. Miss J and I were  navigating the super-sized aisles of a super-grande market, where the wine section seemed to go on for miles. Miss J turned to me and said, “You should make a cheat sheet so that I’ll know how each type of wine tastes.”

Miss J, from your lips to Señorita Vino’s ears.

Here for your shopping pleasure are general aroma and flavor profiles for the eight most common wines you’re likely to see at a restaurant or in the wine section at the grocery store.

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 SEÑORITA VINO’S OFFICIAL WINE FLAVOR CHEAT SHEET 

1. WHITE WINES

Chardonnay - If you like buttery, oaky wine, choose Chardonnay. The wood notes come from the oak barrels used for aging Chardonnay. Keep in mind that some Chards  are aged in stainless steel and will not have the oaky notes. If the grapes were grown in a warmer growing climate, you’ll notice tropical fruit aromas. Cooler climate Chardonnays will have pear, apple and melon aromas.

Sauvignon Blanc - Grapefruit, grass and green pepper are aromas commonly associated with Sauvignon Blanc. If you buy a Sauv Blanc from France, you may notice some mineral notes such as flint. If the label says that the wine is oak-aged, you’ll get some toasty, smoky notes as well. Sauvignon Blanc has a crisp, acidic flavor profile, whereas most Chardonnays will feel more creamy.

Pinot Grigio (a.k.a. Pinot Gris) - Most Pinot Grigios are unoaked, so if you’re not a fan of  wood aromas, this is a good choice. You may notice hints of apple, peach, citrus and minerals. The acidity ranges from low to high. How to tell the difference? Pinot Grigios from cooler climates will be more acidic, while those from warmer climates less so.

Riesling - Floral aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle, with fruit notes of apricot and nectarine, characterize this wine. If you can detect a ‘petrol’ aroma, don’t worry – it’s normal! HEADS-UP: It’s a myth that all Rieslings are sweet. Sweetness depends on how the wine was fermented, when the grapes were picked, and other factors. If the bottle says ‘late harvest,’ it will taste sweet. Sometimes you’ll see ‘dry Riesling’ on the label. Remember that ‘dry’ is the word used to describe wines that are not sweet.

2. RED WINES

Cabernet Sauvignon - This wine is high in tannin, which means you’ll get an astringent, puckering sensation in the mouth. Some people are sensitive to tannins and can get headaches or symptoms similar to hay fever. Cabernet Sauvignon has black cherry aromas, black currant and blackberry. You’ll also detect dark chocolate and tobacco. Cabernets aged in new oak may display coffee and caramel notes.

Merlot – Less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot has plum, blueberry and minty aromas. You may also get some coffee and chocolate notes. Merlot sales took a hit after the movie Sideways, but it remains one of the more popular red wines. Often you’ll see a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend, which will be less tannic than a Cabernet Sauvignon and have a broader range of flavors.

Pinot Noir - Naturally low in tannins, this is a good choice for people who don’t care for the puckering effect of tannic wines. Pinot Noir is known for its raspberry and strawberry aromas, as well as red flowers such as rose and carnation. Older Pinots will develop what are known as barnyard aromas. And yes, it smells like what you’d smell in the stall or on the floor of a barnyard. It’s nowhere near as asqueroso as it sounds. But if you’d rather avoid it, go for a younger Pinot.

Syrah (a.k.a. Shiraz) - Another highly tannic wine, but with aromas that are much different from Cabernet Sauvignon. Choose Syrah if you like hints of violets, black pepper, lavender, blackberry, anise and smoked meat.

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Wine: Another reason for Mexican-Americans to be proud

17 Aug

I felt the earth move when Mexico won the Olympic gold medal in fútbol last Saturday.

Okay, so there was a tiny earthquake near Los Angeles  Saturday morning, but still, I like to think that Mexicans around the world took a collective leap of unbridled  ¡QUE VIVA MEXICO! when the final whistle blew and the Mexican men’s soccer team beat Brazil, 2-1.

Exactly one week before the Olympic history of England lesson opening ceremony, I bore witness to a different kind of Mexican-American pride. East LA Meets Napa, an annual food and wine tasting fund raiser for Southern California nonprofit AltaMed Health Services, featured wines from Mexican-American winemakers in Napa Valley and Sonoma.

East LA Meets Napa, a celebration of wines made by Mexican-American wineries in California.

On a balmy evening I strolled through L.A.’s Union Station to the charanga beat of José Rizo’s all-star jazz band, Monograma, a wine glass in one hand, a plate of food from  the area’s finest Latin American restaurants in the other. This, chicas y chicos, is living.

Food. Wine. Live music. It doesn’t get better than this.

About 30 wineries were represented at this year’s event, some of them Latina-owned and operated. Ladies, if you’ve ever dreamed of getting into the wine business, there’s no better place to get a little inspiración. Vanessa Robledo started working in her family’s vineyard when she was 8 years old. Today, she’s president and managing partner of Black Coyote Wines.

Vanessa Robledo at this year’s East LA Meets Napa.

Speaking of inspiration, Gustavo Brambila of GustavoThrace attended this year’s event. Brambila is one of the first Latinos to earn a degree from the prestigious viticulture and enology program at UC Davis. In 1976, the winery where he worked put California wines on the map when its Chardonnay scored higher than a French wine at an international competition in Paris. Brambila was not directly involved in the competition, but actor Freddy Rodriguez played him in the 2008 film, Bottle Shock, based on the historic event.

Gustavo Brambila discusses his wines.

To come full circle, this year’s tasting held one more reason to be proud of things hecho en México.  A certain winery from Coahuila, Mexico made the journey to L.A. Established in 1597, Casa Madero is the oldest winery in the Americas. Still going strong after 415 years, the winery gives Mexico a significant place in the history of wine.

Wines from Casa Madero, the oldest winery in the Americas

And so, mis amigas mexicanas, I congratulate you on your nation’s Olympian victory in London, and I raise a glass to you for your patria’s landmark contributions to el mundo de vino.  ¡Salud!

A toast to La Selección Mexicana!

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Latinas y vino: An interview with the president of Nevarez Vineyard

9 Aug

She’s smart, she’s passionate, and she’s the president of the first Mexican-owned vineyard in Paso Robles, California. Señorita Vino had the honor of meeting Dena Marquez, head of Nevarez Vineyard, at East L.A. Meets Napa, an annual fund raising event held at Los Angeles’ Union Station. Ms. Marquez took time to share her thoughts on the intersection of work, wine and how wine knowledge can be a career asset.

Dena Marquez answers a question about Nevarez Vineyard at East LA Meets Napa on July 20.

Señorita Vino:  How did you get into the wine business?

Dena Marquez: I was in retail management for 13 years and I just got worn out. After some some soul-searching, I decided I’d quit and go to law school. I love helping people, and I was starting on this new path when I learned through my mom that Mr. Nevarez [the owner of Nevarez Vineyard] needed some help. She had been his bookkeeper for 16 years, so he knew me and it went from there. I was a beer kind of gal before, but now I’ve really gotten to love wine. It’s such a different experience from a casual beer–the romance attached to it, the stories you hear about the bottles.

SV: Tell me a bit about Juan Nevarez’s vision.

DM: He migrated to the U.S. from Mexico with barely a third-grade education, but he’s accomplished so much. He created the first Mexican-owned vineyard in the county, and he’s quite the entrepreneur. He was once an organizer for Cesar Chavez and today he has a labor contracting business in addition to selling his grapes to some of the local vineyards. He also does consulting work on vineyard management. He’s been in the business for over 30 years, and people are always asking him how he gets his vineyard to look so beautiful.

SV: Latinos have always played a role in California’s wine industry, and today, more and more Latinos are consuming wine. What are your observations?

DM: The thing I love about wine and Latinos is that we’re coming into our own and getting higher positions in the business world–lawyers, politicians, corporate leaders. You go to events and dinners and everyone is into wine; it’s important to know about it because you can join the conversation. If you’re invited to your boss’s house, wine makes a nice gift and you can talk about the history and the region. Wine enters so many people’s conversations, regardless of  their position. Knowing about wine and being able to talk about it can help you professionally.

SV: How do you suggest Latinas, or anyone new to wine, begin to learn about it?

Start with the smaller wineries. Paso Robles is a great place to learn; we’re not as commercialized as Napa Valley. It can be intimidating to go to Napa and Sonoma and feel like you don’t know what people are talking about. Paso is more intimate, people are more willing to teach you about wine. Be open minded and experiment with your palate. Our wines are easy to drink and go great with food. I like that they’re not too complex, which is good if you’re not that familiar with wine.

SV: Do you have a favorite memory related to wine that you’d like to share?

DM: [Laughs] I have a lot! My favorite thing is going to charity events and seeing people drink our wines for the first time and love them. I still hold my breath every time they taste. I’ll watch their faces and I’ll be thinking, I hope they like it, I hope it’s good. If they do, I’m ecstatic! It’s been so many years but I still get that.

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