Can you share a memorable experience (or two) you had with a California wine/winery/winemaker?
"There are so many to choose from that it’s difficult to select just one, but I vividly remember going up to spend a Sunday with Ted and Deborah Bennett at Navarro Vineyards decades ago with my wife Barbara. The Bennetts are long term friends of mine and I wanted Barbara to meet them. Turned out that Barbara had worked for several years at Pacific Stereo, a pioneering haven for audiophile and a company of which Ted was one of the original founders. Once they discovered that connection, our already wonderful visit took on an even richer curl. Ted invited us to go pick some raspberries (and they had vertically trellised red, albino and golden raspberries by their pool) while he went and selected several old special Pinot Noirs and brought out an entire salmon that he had caught off Bodega Bay the day before and cold smoked. The four of us relished his smoked salmon, the best collection of raspberries ever, and far too many bottles of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. It is a day none of us will ever forget."
What excites you about the California wine industry today?
"The innovative spirit, a genuine respect for the pioneers and trailblazing individuals that paved the way for where we are today, our openness to new ideas and reverence for the classics. I feel blessed to consider so many California winemakers good friends who are at benevolent with their bottles and desire to share knowledge and who passionately engage in meaningful colloquies on wine, philosophy, food, and so much more. And having the mission critical academic and research programs at and subsequent access to world class wine-centric universities including UD Davis, Fresno State, and Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo is awesome."
What in your mind is a Californian dish and what Californian wine would you pair with it?
"Actually, I think more about the cornucopia of ingredients that are so California—amazing produce (the state is the leader in so much- almonds, pistachios, avocados, asparagus, broccoli, heirloom tomatoes, berries, etc.), coastal seafood, and so much more. Being a San Franciscan, I guess one could say cioppino is a classic and time-honored dish associated with the San Francisco Bay Area. My lean is usually a bright rosé (say Cline’s Old Vine Mourvedre Rose from Contra Costa County, or Lieu Dits’s Rosé of Pinot Noir)."
What is a fun international food pairing that you think will be a slam dunk with a California wine of your choice?
"My business partner is from Singapore and I love the many different dishes that one can find in this southeast Asian country made so diverse with imprints of flavors that are Chinese, Malay, and Indian. I adore Char Kuey Teow a rice noodle dish stir-fried with shrimp, cockles, Chinese lap cheong (sausage), eggs, bean sprouts, and chives in a mix of soy sauce. A sumptuous Grenache or Grenache-based red blend is my go to choice… By the way, the elusive charred aroma from stir-frying the noodles is best amplified over extremely high heat in a well-seasoned Chinese wok."
