Hello Wine and Sake lovers.Tonight June 5, 2009 at 5pm to 8pm I will be serving Sushi and Sake for a fun Friday night. Friday is a great night to start your evening festivities at Ralphs with a little Sushi and Sake then head out to your favorite places in town o get your party on.Sake is an alcohol product distilled from the rice grain. Originating in Japan and slowly making its way around the world Sake is consumed so often that one in three drinks consumed isa sake-based product. Many bars and sushi houses are serving Sake-tini drinks a mild concoction of a dry to sweet sake and a mix or several mixes shaken and served in a Martini glass. My friend Debbie in Manhattan Beach spent many years as a bartender during her trainingwith me sheshowed me the way around the sake- tini business.Using fresh ginger and puree of fruit nectars and a little simple sugar she created a few tasty drinks Iam sure if you go to a fine sushi house the bartender will have some recipe with a sake based option.
To drink warm sake or cold sake is up to the individual.Preference for me is always cold sake, so tonight it will be cold—the Sake that is.Cheers !
Hello wine lovers it has beena few days since I have written. I was invited to the Los Angeles International Wine Competition.The event was held at the Los Angeles County Fair grounds in one of the exhibition halls. The 50 plus judges were set into 5 and 6 person panels Judging started at 8:30 Wednesday morning. Wines were served according to panel order. This first panel consisted of 40 cabernets in the range of 1.00 dollar to 14.99 per bottle. Continue reading Hello Wine Lovers!→
Hello Wine lovers. Tonight Monday from 5pm to 8pm we roll the clock back to the classic wines of Europe namely Bordeaux.The region of Bordeaux is to the south west of Paris France sitting along the Gironde river the region is split by the body of water. One side of the river is known for producing wine based on a mostly Merlot.The other side of the river is known forproducing wines heavy in Cabernet Sauvignon.The five grapes grown in Bordeaux are, Continue reading Hello Wine Lovers!→
Hello wine lovers today, Friday, May 15 we are tasting great Pinot Grigio’s from 5pm until 8pm in our wine café.
Pinot Grigio can be grown in California as well as in Italy.California has a Mediterranean climate like that of Italy.Pinot Grigio is not a blended white wine like many people think, it is its own varietal.The popularity of this wine grew around the late 90’s as a light alternative to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.Pinot Grigio wines characteristics are light lemon notes and floral with a silky mouth-feel. The acids are balanced in the wine due to warm climate in the growing region. Continue reading Hello Wine Lovers!→
Hello Wine Lovers, Mike Berger here from Ralph’s Grocery. Last night we tasted Zinfandels from California. I picked Ravenswood Teldeschi Dry Creek Valley, Ridge 40 Year Anniversary, Ravenswood Belloni Vinyard and Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine.
The Lodi region is an especially warm climate and perfect for growing bold high alcohol deep fruit forward style wines.Zinfandel Grapes are a deep dark purple fruit when growing on the vine.At one time it was one of the most widely planted varietals in California. Continue reading Hello Wine Lovers!→
Hello wine lovers, today is Monday the 11th of May and its Monday Merlot Madness! . Tonight from 5pm until 8pm at the wine café at Ralphs we will be hosting Kendall Jackson Winery and the Merlot wines they feature.Kendall Jackson wine is a household name in the wine industry.What most people do not know is that Kendall Jackson (KJ) is a major owner of many high end brands that are frequently found on fine dining establishment wine lists.Legacy, Atalon, Robert Young, and Cardinale are a few wines in the list.KJ went through a major expansion acquiring high-end wineries that needed a better marketing team to represent the wine they produced.KJ’s marketing team was the right fit for the task at hand.KJ owns many more brands much too long to list here, be assured that they are quality wines in the portfolio.Despite what Miles from “Sideways” might think, Merlot has rebounded as a varietals of choice since the kitschy movie the late 90’s.
Hello Wine and Sake lovers.Tonight May 8th at 5pm until 8pm I will be serving Sushi and Sake for a fun Friday night.Sushi and traditional Sake at Ralphs is a great way to start your evening festivities. Sake is an alcohol product distilledfrom the rice grain.Originating Japan and slowly made its way around the world.Sake is consumed so oftenthat one in threedrinks consumed isa sake-based product.Many bars and sushi houses are serving Sake-tinidrinks. Continue reading Hello Sushi And Sake Lovers!→
Hello wine lovers tonight we are in for a special treat, Champagne for Mothers Day will be served tonight from 5pm to 8pm Monday the 4th of May compliments of Pierre Jouet.Champagne is a region of France about 60 miles to the north of Paris.Cooler climate dominates this area in the winter months sending most vines into a deep dormant sleep.In the growing season temperatures are warm to moderate and are influenced by the cold north winds of the English Channel.Three major grape varietals are grown here to make sparkling wine called Champagne. Continue reading Hello Wine Lovers!→
Hello Wine lovers tonight from 5pm til 8pm we will visit the region of South America and Spain for our wine tasting.Malbec is considered a blending grape in most Bordeaux. In certain parts of the world this varietal is treated as its own single wine.Much like that of a Cabernet from Napa valley, or a Pinot Noir from the central coast.Malbec adds color and structure to any blended wine it could be considered a cohesive binder to a blended style wine that fills in the gaps that other varietal blends lack.Be it lack of color or thin mouth feel Malbec will bring a perfect balance to blended wines. Continue reading Hello Wine Lovers!→
HelloWine Lovers tonight April 28at 5 pm thetasting is a challenge between two areas of the world with the same types of wine.Meritagefrom the United States, vs European Blended Red wine.Yes Bordeaux will be involved !.The players in tonight’s competition will be as follows.Estancia Meritage from Paso Robles, St Clement Orropas from Napa County, Mouton Cadet Bordeaux and Chateau MarguaxLacombe’sfrom Bordeaux. Continue reading Hello Wine Lovers!→
