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Schramsberg, ZD Wines, Cakebread, Frank, Pahlmeyer, Veuve Clicquot & More

Five-Course Dinners & Wine Pairings Hosted by Winemakers

La Jolla, CA (February 2018) – San Diego’s food scene is thriving and with it has grown the popularity of the city’s wine bars.  But there’s no more richly layered way for a foodie to learn about the art of pairing wine with foods than a vitner-hosted wine dinner.  Add to that an oceanfront setting in the great room restaurant of one of the most iconic hotels in the city and you have the recipe for an unforgettable dining experience.

La Valencia Hotel has announced its 2018 Monthly Wine Dinner Series held the second Thursday of each month through November in THE MED Restaurant.  Each event begins with a Chef-hosted Reception on THE MED Patio at 6:00 pm.  The five-course dinners with wine pairings  – with menus specially curated to complement each wine – are $125.00 per person (plus tax & gratuity).  Seating is limited and early reservations are encouraged. To reserve: please contact 858.454.0771 or via OpenTable for THE MED Ocean View Restaurant.

Showcasing La V’s culinary team, led by Chef Alex Emery, the extraordinary menus infuse classic cooking styles with modern sensibilities to bring out the best of seasonal ingredients, sustainable seafood & meats and handcrafted cheeses & charcuterie.

  • March 8, 2018, Schramsberg Winery – Located in the Spring Mountain District of the Napa, the sustainably farmed winery features estate-grown organic as well as fruit harvested from selected vineyards in Napa Valley and biodynamic wines in a solar-powered winery. Family winemaker, Michael Keenan, who is known as a delightful dinner host for the intimate gatherings he hosts around the country, will share stories about what it takes to create wines – like their notable merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfandel, cabernet franc and chardonnays – with wonderful character, combined with complex, tight-knit tannins, great structure, and definitive age-ability, all with a goal of enhancing the dining experience.

MENU SAMPLE:

Second Course  Foie Gras Torchon |Macerated Blackberries | Gingerbread | Butterfly Sorrel | Schramsberg ‘Reserve’ | North Coast | 2008

 Fourth Course Medallion of Lobster | Creamed Baby Leeks | Chanterelles | Caviar | Champagne Lobster Sauce  Schramsberg ‘J. Schram’ Brut Rose | North Coast | 2008

 

  • April 12, 2018, ZD Wines – In 1969, aerospace engineers Norman deLeuze and Gino Zepponi, along with their families, turned their entrepreneurial enthusiasm toward winemaking. These were the early days of California’s wine industry, and they were among Napa Valley’s adventurous winemaking pioneers. Their founding concept was to produce world class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reminiscent of France’s renowned Burgundy wines. They achieved this endeavor by sourcing from the cool Carneros regions of Napa and Sonoma. The dinner will be hosted by ZD’s West Coast Sales & Marketing Director Scott Billeci and Chef Alex Emery.

MENU SAMPLE:

First Course Octopus Carpaccio | Preserved Lemon Puree | Spring Pea ZD ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay | Carneros | 2016

Fourth Course: Dry Aged Ribeye Cap| Burnt Cinnamon Oil | Rhubarb Preserves | Charred Onion Petals | Sunchoke Espuma ZD Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 2014

  • May 10, 2018, Cakebread Cellars – With its bottles sold throughout the United States and the world, the multiple award-winning Cakebread Cellars is synonymous with the finest wines produced in California. As one of the original vineyards in Napa, the family- owned winery has 40 harvests under its belt and the second generation of winemaking Cakebreads now at the helm.  Although chardonnay remains its flagship varietal, the company’s female winemaker, Julianne Laks — who has been with the winery for 30 years — says their cabernet sauvignon also does extremely well since the grape grows so beautifully in Napa, allowing them to craft something truly special and unique to the terroir.
  • June 14, 2018, Frank Family frankfamilyvineyards.com
  • July 12, 2018, Pahlmeyer pahlmeyer.com
  • August 9, 2018, Veuve Clicquot veuveclicquot.com/en-us
  • September 13, 2018, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars stagsleap.com/en/
  • October 11, 2018, Grgich Hills grgich.com/
  • November 8, 2018, Moet & Chandon https://us.moet.com/

“We listened to our clientele” explains Christopher Reid, La V’s Food & Beverage Director and former Restaurant General Manager & Wine Director of the Hotel del Coronado, “Many of them live nearby or visit the hotel regularly, so they look at these events as much more than fine dining, it’s a way to enjoy the company of like-minded visitors, savor unique menus, learn more about a range of wines and even add to their own personal wine cellars.”

About La Valencia Hotel

La Valencia Hotel exudes Hollywood Glamor on the California Rivera – a hospitality classic since 1926. With her signature pink exterior and iconic tower, the elegant “Pink Lady” remains a renowned landmark on La Jolla’s distinctive Prospect Street commanding the village bluffs with panoramic views of the Pacific coastline and beautiful La Jolla Cove. 114 rooms, suites and villas offer a cast of options from cozy boudoirs to a captivating penthouse or exclusive villas and soon, the transformation of a circa 1905 ocean facing bungalow into an enchanting 3,500 sq. ft. sensory experience spa and garden ready for a red-carpet-worthy premiere in early 2018.

Culinary indulgence takes center stage at THE MED, the hotel’s inspired Great Room design, ocean facing restaurant and terrace featuring seasonal California coastal cuisine.  The supporting cast features La Sala, a sumptuous and dazzling Spanish-Mediterranean style lounge cast in the tradition of grand hotel bars with a cliffhanger ocean view along with sassy Café la Rue, a casual bistro and bar where people gazing at al fresco sidewalk seating is a menu must.  The starring role is the glamourous pool deck taking center stage with the blue Pacific as a backdrop – La V property extras include a saltwater soaking spa, fitness room and a business center. For special events from epic to intimate, La V offers scene-stealing event venues with ocean views, private patios and terraced gardens that can accommodate a cast of 10 to 250 guests.

When you’re ready to “wrap”, leisure destinations surrounded by nature’s panoramas are the leitmotif of the area.  Just minutes away are:  Ellen Scripps Browning Park and coastal boardwalk, famous La Jolla Cove and its 6,000 acre marine preserve, Torrey Pines State Park, La Jolla Shores beach and watersports, the Birch Aquarium, the award winning La Jolla Playhouse at UCSD, La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art and debuting in early 2019, the $72 million CONRAD preforming arts center for the La Jolla Music Society.  La Valencia Hotel – one of the world’s iconic pastel landmarks and a rose-colored gem – the crown jewel of San Diego.

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