Musings

THE STORY BEHIND THE BOTTLE: A crowd favorite at both our events in May, this Italian orange has it all! Citrus, flowers, toffee...take a big whiff and be engulfed by all these smells and more. The taste is the tiniest hint of honeysuckle before tart bursts of lime give way to toffee syrup. It's pretty crazy folks. Hailing from Emilia-Romagna, the food capital region of Italy, Denavolo was named for the mountain side where the grapes grow. Giulio Armani, the winemaker, has been making wine here since he was a young boy. Based along the river Po, they make wine on clay and...

OUR PICK OF THE MONTH: LOLO WINE BAR Los Angeles has a varied and well-known dining scene. From food trucks to five-star restaurants, the diversity of cultures and flavors that can be found in the city is truly spectacular, and at times.. a bit overwhelming! Every now and then, we stumble on a place that feels like home. That is how we felt when we first went to Lolo Wine Bar. Started in late 2019, this small Italian restaurant is tucked away between Los Feliz and Hollywood and is easily missable as you blast down Hollywood Blvd.Step inside and you are transported to...

I was standing outside a nondescript loft type building in the Arts District waiting for Willa to arrive. It was January and unusually cold for Los Angeles, so naturally I was feeling dramatic alongside the weather. I was vastly unsure what I was doing there, something I often feel before starting something new. Willa and I would frequent this loft for 6 weeks, pouring over both books and wine glasses alike, as we discovered the basics of wine growing, making, and tasting. This class was simply an introduction, but as two avid students, it gave Willa and I the structure...

Ah Rosé! As summer begins to heat up, you will start to see this classic French wine everywhere. But what exactly is ROSÉ, and what is its Italian sister ROSATO? The winemaking processes are very similar, but the goal is different.   There are a couple of different techniques to making Rosé. The most common is by using red grapes, the grapes are crushed, and left with their skins for a few hours, adding a lighter pink color.  (When red wine is made, the skins are left in the barrel for much longer, giving the wine its deeper red color and flavors).  Rosé is a...