Category Archives: Food

Competition, Event, Food, Judging, Sommelier, Tasting, Travels, Wine

AFWC’s “One Thousand Bottles” -January 14th!

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Join me and the judging team of American Fine Wine Competition in Miami at the 17th Annual AFWC “ONE THOUSAND BOTTLES” event – to taste over 700 exceptional wines from small, boutique, family-run wineries across the US, including California, Ohio, Washington, New York, Colorado, Michigan, Virginia, and Oregon, while enjoying incredible food from local restaurants!

  • Meet award-winning winemakers pouring their wines
  • Win fabulous wine baskets at the raffle
  • Bid on exclusive private wine tasting experiences
  • Get 1000 Bottles TICKETS while they last!


Sunday, January 14th, from 6:30-9:00 PM FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management,
3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181

All proceeds benefit the Joel Feigenheimer Endowment Fund, supporting scholarships in the hospitality industry and End Childhood Hunger.

Special thanks to our incredible partners: Smart Source Marketing, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at FIU, Two Men & a Truck, Advanced Roofing, VENU Magazine, City & Shore Magazine, South Florida Business Journal, FPL, Coravin, RC Music Group, Chef & Sommelier, Rod Coleman, Esq. & Associates, Preiser Key, Cheney Brothers, Restaurant Placement Group, A Flair For Fudge, The CrepeMaker, Island Fusion, Fogo de Chao Miami Beach, Royal India, and Cristina’s Family Bakery.

Event, Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Varietal, Wine

Pinot & Chardonnay Paradise @Grav Grill on Weds October 25th!

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Come and enjoy harvest season by tasting a mix of West Sonoma County’s premier varietals – Pinot Noir & Chardonnay – on the Gravenstein Grill patio & dining room! We will be pouring wines from 20+ local wineries including Three Sticks, Emeritus, Hartford Court, Porter Creek, Martinelli, Bob Cabral Wines, Lombardi, Bacigalupi, Dutton-Goldfield & More!

Celebrate the season with appetizers by Chefs Bob Simontacchi & Makana Colunga, as well as live music by Jay Messer. TICKETS are $45 if pre-ordered, or $55 at the door. ( 8050 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol, CA 95472)

Food, People, Sommelier, Tasting, Video, Virtual, Vlog, Wine

The Amazing Chef Duskie Estes On THE VARIETAL SHOW!

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So much to OINK about! THE VARIETAL SHOW visits the amazing Chef Duskie Estes whose culinary history in Sonoma County is outstanding. She and husband, fellow chef, John Stewart, currently run the amazing “Black Piglet”, food truck featuring their Black Pig Meat Co. However she is also Executive Director at Farm To Pantry, a volunteer organization that gleans produce from all over the county, for distribution to more than 100 community organizations!

Join the conversation and taste a few wines with us! Davis Family Vineyard, 2021 Cuvee Luke, Mendocino County & Kobler Estate, 2021 Grenache, Russian River Valley. LIKE, SHARE & FOLLOW my You Tube channel, for notification about upcoming episodes, most Tuesdays @11am PST! Email me about featuring your winery on #THEVARIETALSHOW

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Event, Food, People, Sommelier, Tasting, Varietal, Wine

Trifecta Of CABERNET! Thursday, September 21st

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On the cusp of Autumn, Gravenstein Grill would like to invite you to the FIRST Annual Trifecta Of Cabernet Tasting, on Thursday, September 21st, featuring a variety of spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot! Enjoy wines from 20+ local world class Cabernet producers including Ehret Winery, Ramey Wine Cellars, Laurel Glen, Tom Mackey Cellars, Zialena Estate, Merriam Vineyards, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Flanagan Wines, Goldschmidt Vineyards, Fritz & MORE!

As always, deliciously paired passed appetizers will be provided by Chefs Bob Simontacchi & Makana Colunga; as well as featured live music by Jay Messer. Get your TICKETS! ($45 pre-ordered, $55 at the door)

Event, Food, Sommelier, Varietal, Wine

Rhone Rendezvous – Thursday August 24th!

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This month’s featured tasting at Gravenstein Grill is an exciting and varied category of wine – Rhone inspired blends & varietals grown here in Northern California!

Get your tickets to join me on Thursday August 24, 5-7pm, for a celebration of this incredibly exciting segment of our regional wine industry, featuring over 20 wineries including: Capo Creek, Cochon, Quivira, Jeff Cohn, Cline (one of the original Rhone Rangers), Truchard, Two Shepherds, Meadowcroft, Kobler Estate, Ramey, Terminin, Emmitt-Scorsone, Maclaren, Crux, Lasseter, Miner Wines, Box Wine Co., Thirty-Seven, Beven Cellars & more!

There will also be passed appetizers featuring locally sourced meat & produce by Chefs Simontacchi & Colunga, and live music by Jay Messer!

Appellation, Event, Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Wine

Wind To Wine Festival!

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Join THE PETALUMA GAP AVA on Saturday, August 5, at SOMO Village in RP, for a celebration and tasting of over 100 wines! Enjoy artisanal cheese pairings by Point Reyes Cheese Company, wine-infused chocolates by Bert’s Desserts, and savory bites catered by the culinary talents of Sally Tomatoes.

General Admission TICKETS are still available with entry at 2 PM. The last pour is at 4 PM (ends time is 4:30 PM). See you there! Chris

Event, Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Varietal, Virtual, Wine

Celebrating ZIN On THE VARIETAL SHOW!

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With the upcoming Zin-spiration Festival at Gravenstein Grill on Wednesday July 19th, we want to highlight a few amazing interviews with local producers whose wines will be featured at the amazing event among these stellar selections: Croix, Three Wine Co, Robert Biale, Carol Shelton, Florence, Gamba, Goldschmidt, Nalle, Jeff Cohn, Hendry, Limerick Lane, Woodenhead, Wilson, Cast, Pezzi King, Hartford, Ridge, Once and Future, Pedroncelli & MORE! See you there. . . meanwhile watch these ZIN episodes with Miro and Dry Creek Vineayards.

Event, Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Varietal, Wine

1st Annual Zin-spiration Festival! Wednesday, July 19th

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Come to Gravenstein Grill and taste the varied styles of California’s own varietal: Zinfandel! The grapes grown & produced here in Sonoma County boast a huge range of styles, from the soft elegant cold climate coastal Zins to the bold, in your face juicy ripe Zins from Dry Creek & the gnarly unique and full of character old vine Zinfandels that were grown in the region for over 100 years!

Taste wines from 20 select world class Zinfandel producers, including Gamba, Biale, Limerick Lane, Nalle Winery, Jeff Cohn Cellars, Three Wine Co, Woodenhead, Croix, Carol Shelton, Wilson & Pezzi King!

There will also be passed appetizers featuring locally sourced meat & produce by Chefs Simontacchi & Colunga, and live music by Alan Watt! Get your TICKETS!

Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Varietal, Wine

Passion For Pinot On Thurs June 29 @Gravenstein Grill!

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It’s here – the Passion for Pinot segment of the Summer Wine Series! Join Gravenstein Grill for 25 of the top Pinot Noir producers who work with world-class fruit grown in the celebrated cool-climate regions of Russian River Valley, Green Valley, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma Coast and beyond.

Featured wineries include: Benovia Winery, Cobb Wines, Marimar Estate, Joseph Swan, Radio Coteau, Sherrer Winery, Papapietro Perry, Hartford Family Winery, La Follette Wines, Davis Bynum, & More!

Appetizers will be provided by Chefs Bob Simontacchi & Makana Colunga & live Jazz Guitar by Jay Messer on the scene!

This event sells out and is not to be missed, so buy a ticket today! Tickets are $55 preorder, $65 at the door, and include tastings with all participating wineries.

Appellation, Food, Sommelier, Tasting, Travels, Video, Virtual, Vlog, Wine

Flambeaux Wine On THE VARIETAL SHOW Is Tres Fabuleux!

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In the northern regions of Sonoma County lies the Dry Creek Valley AVA, where Flambeaux Wine is located, not far from the idyllic town of Healdsburg. THE VARIETAL SHOW joins proprietor Art Murray and winemaker Ryan Prichard for a discussion of New Orleans roots, culinary connections and to taste some mighty fine wines!

  • Flambeaux 2020 Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
  • Flambeaux 2020 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley
  • Flambeaux 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

LIKE, SHARE & FOLLOW my You Tube channel, for notification about upcoming episodes, most Tuesdays @11am PST! Email me about featuring your winery on #THEVARIETALSHOW