The movie opens nationwide on August 6, but for those in the Los Angeles area who are especially interested in his episode in wine history, director Randall Miller will appear at several local screenings to speak about the film’s story, the making of the film, and to participate in Q&A sessions:

When: Friday, August 8, 2008, before and after the 7:00pm and 9:30pm screenings
Where: Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex, 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica

When: Saturday, August 9, 2008, before and after the 7:45pm and 10:25pm screenings
Where: Landmark Theatre at the Westside Pavilion, 10850 West Pico, Los Angeles

Added subsequent to our original post:
When: Sunday, August 10, 2008, after the noon screening and before the 2:30pm screening
Where: Laemmle Playhouse 7, 673 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena

Cost: Standard ticket prices apply; no additional charge for these screenings.

For more information about the film, including advance reviews and the trailer, visit the film’s website.
Tickets for screenings at the Laemmle theatres are now available via the Laemmle website.

Bring your sweetheart and bring your friends to sip and taste to your heart’s delight. A six-course wine and treat tasting will be served, and will feature a selection of biodynamic/organic sparkling wines and dessert wines paired with Boule’s delicacies, such as macarons, pastries, and chocolates, all made by hand with sustainable local products.

Robert Rogness of Wine Expo will enlighten with his “grower champagne” wisdom, providing an education regarding the virtues and the merits of these natural wines as compared to commercially produced “brand” wines. Mark Mendoza, sommelier of Sona, will also be on hand to discuss the nuances of pairing these natural wines with the sweeter fare. Come taste, learn, and toast a sustainable future for us all.

When: Wednesday, February 6, 2008, beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Boule Atelier, 420 N. La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048
Cost: [Note updated information] $45 per person for Slow Food members; $50 per person for nonmembers
Reservations: Seating limited to 65, reservations may be made by email to Chelsea Wilmeth at Boule.

With its high ceilings, pale blue walls, and display cases, Boule Atelier has earned its place among L.A.’s chic shops and restaurants. Built as a temple to honor sweets in all their forms, the green tea macarons have an ephemeral finish, the long ribbons of rose marshmallows boast pretty petals, and chocolates are delicate with innovative and balanced flavors. All products are handmade from local, sustainable products by the Boule pastry team.

Wine Expo, founded in 1993, has a concentration in four areas with uncommon intensity, one being Grower Champagnes, and as a consequence, a nearly rabid loyal following. General Manager, Robert Rogness, has been in the fine wine business for over two decades. Robert is a champion of traditional, terrior and food based wines despite what the score keeping “gatekeepers” think.

When: Monday, February 11, 2008 beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Lou, 724 North Vine, Hollywood 90038
Cost: $80 per person
Reservations: Limited seating is available; reservations may be made by email to reservations [at] louonvine [dot] com or by phone to 323.962.6369.

Tony and Julie Hook are proprietors of Hook’s Cheese Company, located in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Their cheese plant operates out of a repurposed blacksmith’s shop constructed in the 1850s; the historic building is built into the side of a hill, the perfect environment to age their cheese. Hook’s Cheese Company is a true family-owned and run business and on most Saturdays you will find Tony and Julie hand-selling their cheeses at the Dane County farmers’ market.

Julie Hook won the coveted “Finest Cheese in the World” award at the World Cheese Championship in 1982, the first woman to win this award.

Hook’s 10 Year Cheddar is unarguably one of the finest, super-aged cheddars in the country, if not the world. The Hooks are modern-day alchemists, masters of the process that yields cheddar that becomes nutty and complex with age, saturated with the same sort of tiny crystals of crunchy protein that are found in a good Parmesan Reggiano. All of the milk that the Hooks use in their cheese is sourced from providers that raise their cows sustainably, and without the use of bovine growth hormones.

In addition to their beloved super-aged cheddars, the Hooks also produce three stylistically different blue cheeses: Hook’s Original, a double-cream named Blue Paradise, and a natural-rind, English farmhouse-style cheese named Tilston Point. Recently, they’ve begun to produce yet another new cheese, Sweet Constantine, which pays homage to both Parmesan and Asiago.

When: Monday, July 23, 2007 beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Nic’s Beverly Hills, 453 North Canon, Beverly Hills
Cost: $90.00 per person; $80.00 per person for designated drivers
To reserve your place: Please call Nic’s directly at 310.550.5707. A credit card may be required to hold the reservation.

True love started Los Angeles-based Modern Spirits, maker of one of the finest lines of artisan vodkas available in the United States. Husband-and-wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew founded the company in 2004 after friends and family began asking to buy the subtle, complex vodkas Melkon had created for his then-fiancée (who hated vodka) to sip at family meals.

Modern Spirits uses only natural ingredients and small-batch production techniques to handcraft its vodka. Today, the company’s portfolio of spirits can be found in a growing number of fine restaurants and gourmet stores nationwide.

Chef and Co Owner of Nic’s Beverly Hills, Larry Nicola, began his career in 1976 as wholesale produce and fine food purveyor, traveling the world and experiencing the distinct flavors of the 26 countries he’s visited. Those flavors inspired Larry to create a unique menu at Nic’s that successfully blends American and international cuisine to produce memorable dishes.

Menu Created by Larry Nicola

Hors d’oeuvres
+ Vodka cured Scottish salmon on pumpernickel raisin crostini with caper dill aioli
+ Cumin crusted black pheasant in Shiso leaf
+ Chickpea fritter with Maytag blue and microgreens
Paired with Grapefruit Honey Vodka mini martinis: Monrovia (grapefruit, lychee martini with basil) or Amrosia Amuse Bouche (cantaloupe balls and sparkling wine)
Verrine of tuna belly, guajillo chilies, grapefruit and mizuna
Paired with Candied Ginger Vodka
Organic gazpacho martini with peekytoe crab and dry lemongrass soda
Paired with Celery Peppercorn Vodka
Dandelion greens with burrata, pistachio, Asian pears and oranges with apricot vinaigrette
Paired with Pear Lavender Vodka
T-Bone of organic lamb au poivre with whipped Gorgonzola
Paired with Black Truffle Vodka
White chocolate semifreddo with blueberries and cassis glaze
Paired with tea and dark chocolate martini (Three-Tea Vodka)

The 2006 Progress Report from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), established by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), indicated a 24 percent increase since 2004 in the number of California wineries and vineyard businesses working to adopt “green” practices that are sensitive to both the environment and society. . . .

The report indicated that 1,165 vineyard and winery enterprises in the CSWA program have evaluated their sustainable practices for 33 percent of California’s 522,000 total winegrape acres, and 53 percent of the state’s total annual wine production of 273 million cases. More specifically, winegrowers increased their performance for 31 of 38 pest management criteria by nearly 8 percent.

“We’re talking about the important way the state’s vintners and growers contribute to the environmental and economic leadership of California,” said Bobby Koch, president and CEO of Wine Institute at the event. “We want to continue to be known for growing world class wines. We also want to be known for the way in which we grow them. What we’re striving to do is to be good neighbors, to preserve the resources, to protect the environment and to operate in a more efficient manner.”

For more general information about the report read the winebusiness.com article, which includes links to more detailed information.

NHHS students can help keep the vineyard watered, fertilized, and pruned with supervision by the new owner. The new owner would do all else. For optimal production, Steve Hofvendahl, the Fruit Tree Program Coordinator of TreePeople, suggests that the new owner may want to also do some spraying. North Hollywood High School only asks that the person would talk to the students twice a year or so about grapes, winemaking, California history with grapes and wine, etc.

Interested? For more information, please contact Steve Hofvendahl by phone at 818.623.4865 or by email to shofvendahl [at] treepeople [dot] org.

When: Thursday, May 25, 2006 at 7:00pm
Where: Enoteca Drago, 410 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills
Cost: $95.00 per person (includes tax and gratuity) plus a $10 donation to Slow Food. A food-only option will be available at a per-person cost of $65.00.

Reservations may be made by contacting Enoteca Drago by phone at 310.786.8236. Please note that you wish to reserve a place for the organic wine dinner.

Menu
++ Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC 05 paired with rustic homemade salumi for the table
++ Castello di Arcano-Friuli Grave-Pinot Grigio DOC Grave 04 paired with bruschetta, grilled goat cheese, and seasonal jam
++ Ottomarzo-Veneto-Valpolicella DOC Classico Superiore “Grola” 01 paired with veal head ravioli, natural jus, plums, and almonds
++ San Polino-Tuscany-Rosso di Montalcino DOCG 03 paired with roasted rabbit saddle, mushroom ragu, and lemon fennel
++ Il Conventino-Tuscany-Il Cambio Barrique IGT 99 paired with grilled lamb sirloin, farinata, sauteed spinach, and grilled apricot
++ House of Hafner-Bergenland-Late Harvest Muscat 03 paired with Bill’s wildflower honey “Tartufo” with bee pollen

Throughout the month of October Slow-spirited restaurants, wineries, and wine shops across the country will donate a portion of their wine sales to Slow Food USA. The money will go toward ongoing Slow Food USA programs as well as to a special fund initiated for the small farmers, fishers, and food producers affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Among the millions of people affected by Katrina are hundreds of small farmers, fishers, and food producers. The struggle to stitch back together their businesses and their lives will take months, even years.

As an organization that has long worked to build viable relationships between food producers and consumers, Slow Food USA will use the funds raised during Slow Wine for Slow Food to strengthen the network of food communities in the South and across the United States. Slow Food USA believes that an alternative to industrial food production exists: one where food quality and variety are valued, small farmers thrive and links between producers and consumers are strong.

California restaurants participating in the program are:
++ Dover Canyon Winery, 4520 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles, CA (805.237.9191);
++ Magnolia Pub & Brewery, 1398 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA (415.864.7468);
++ The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, 5050 Arroyo Road, Livermore, CA (925.456.2489);
++ A.O.C., 8022 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA (323.653.6359); and
++ Lucques, 8474 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA (323.655.6277).

A full list of participants is on the Slow Food USA site. If you know of a winery, restaurant, or wine retailer who subscribes to the Slow philosophy, please encourage them to join the ranks of Slow Wine for Slow Food supporters by contacting Josh Alper at Slow Food USA’s office (718.260.8000).

When: Saturday, October 8, 2005 from 12:30pm – 3:00pm
Where: Grace Restaurant, 7360 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036 [map]
Cost: $35.00 Slow Food LA members; $40.00 nonmembers. (Reservation information below.)

Nan Kohler, California Regional Manager for CIV(USA) importers, will be leading a tasting of the whole range of styles of Sherry, from light Manzanilla to rich Pedro Ximenez and teaching about the unique way in which these wines are crafted. Also on hand will be Sebastian Craig, a “Deacon du Fromage” at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, to talk about the selected cheeses for the tasting. In addition to the cheeses, chef Neal Fraser will provide small delights to accompany the flights and help illustrate Sherry’s incredible versatility as a food-friendly wine.

Reservations: In advance ONLY by calling the Slow Food Hotline: 323.860.9804 or by email to John [at] thewinecurators [dot] com. Please note that reservations will not be taken by the restaurant. The number of spaces is limited, and reservations should be submitted by October 5.

Payment is by check only. Reservations will be confirmed upon receipt of a check made out to Slow LA and sent to:
Slow LA
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Background:
Sherry as a wine category has been on the decline in recent years. An aging demographic and misunderstanding of a product that has been mass marketed as a heavy, sweet after-dinner drink are factors that contribute to the public’s misunderstanding of a wine that has traditionally been one of the most rewarding and food friendly in all the world. At their best, the range of styles are fresh fruit driven and show extraordinary compatibility with food, as well as a complexity that is attained by the unique solera system aging process.

The Participants:
The highly regarded wines of the family run Bodegas Dios Baco, with roots dating back to 1848, epitomize the finest handcrafted sherries available. Limited batches of Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, and Cream sherries are made in a more traditional style and offer exceptional character and complexity.
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills has been providing the widest variety and the highest quality imported cheeses to the nation since 1967. The Cheese Store is the specialist for the rarest, hand made, farm fresh cheeses, seldom shipped out of their locales. Also featured is the largest assortment
of goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses anywhere.

Occupying the former home of Muse restaurant, GRACE is a casually elegant and comfortable space that has become one of LA’s top restaurants in just a few short years. Neal Fraser is one of Los Angeles’ most revolutionary chefs whose cuisine has been heralded by local and national media since his earliest days in the kitchen. Fraser’s contemporary American fare at GRACE perfectly marries the highest quality, seasonal ingredients with his highly skilled and nuanced use of complementing and contrasting flavors and textures.

When: Monday, September 12, 2005 at 7:00pm
Where: Grace Restaurant, 7360 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles. (Map)
Cost: $75.00 per person; $65.00 per person for designated drivers
To reserve your place: Please call Grace directly at 323.934.4400. A credit card may be required to hold the reservation.

Menu created by Chef Fraser:

• Fluke sashimi with micro shiso, candied grapefruit, tempura uni, and white soy. Paired with Celery Peppercorn vodka.
• Lobster cavetelli with Maine lobster, cavetelli pasta, chanterelle mushrooms, and peas. Paired with Black Truffle vodka.
• Oven roasted La Belle farms duck breast with purple Thai sticky rice, baby bok choy, and kumquat chili sauce. Paired with Tea vodka.
• Pear sorbet with chestnut honey-roasted dates, Asian pears, and brown sugar cookies. Paired with Candied Ginger vodka.
• Chocolate steamed pudding and warmed chocolate truffles with candied ginger snaps. Paired with Chocolate Orange vodka

Handmade in Los Angeles by the husband and wife team of Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, Modern Spirits vodkas are made in small batches using an artisanal infusion method to create a drink good enough to sip and pair with meals. Learn more about Modern Spirits vodka at their web site.

Neal Fraser is the rare chef who creates food that is both inventive and soulful. He has worked at many restaurants in Los Angeles including Checkers, Spago, Pinot Bistro, and Rix. He was also chef and co-owner of Boxer. Chef Fraser is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Learn more about Grace Restaurant at their web site.

Experience some of Italy’s most exquisite works of art–its fine wines. Sample pre-release wines from renowned signatures such as Sassicaia, Guidalberto, Lupicaia, Cerequio, Cabreo, Nozzole, Nardi, Crognolo, Pighin, and Bollini, all poured by the winemakers themselves paired with cuisine from leading local restaurants.

When: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Where: The Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica
Cost: $65 for Slow Food members / $75 for non-members

ADVANCE PURCHASE ONLY

Reservations should be made by phone to 866.KOBRAND (866.562.7263) or via Kobrand’s web site.

Please note: This is a walk-around tasting. Although you will not receive actual tickets, your space is confirmed upon reservation. Reservations are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the event.

Visit the Kobrand site for information on the wines and winemakers.

Restaurants:
Angeli Caffé
BEACON an asian bistro
Culinary Arts Program of the Art Institute of Santa Monica
Grace Restaurant
Jar
Chef Troy N. Thompson, Jer-ne Restaurant & Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Joe’s
Josie
Mako
Melissa’s Fine Produce
Chef Nancy Silverton
Vincenti Ristorante

Slow Food members sipped wines as Robert enlightened the group about the many charms and benefits of drinking sparkling wines made by the actual owners of Grand Cru Vineyards in Champagne. In contrast to brand name “corporate owned’ wines which are blended from purchased grapes to make a consistent product year in and year out, the boutique champagnes are made to express their unique terroir and vintage.

Unlike their big brand counterparts (you know the ones!), these growers are embracing sustainable agriculture, and are at the forefront of the organic and biodynamic movements in France. Finally, made in smaller quantities and without the advertising, marketing and promotional costs of their brand-name counterparts, these boutique champagnes provide incredible bang for the buck. Along with actual champagnes, Robert also threw in some Prosecco, Moscato D’Asti, and Cremant de Bourgogne, both Rose and Blanc de Blancs. It was a “sip-fest”, to be sure!

Amid the beautifully displayed collector’s edition cook books and state-of-the-art cookware, Le Sanctuaire provided the perfect setting. Jing conceived of the store from the desire to provide only the rarest choice ingredients and restaurant-quality kitchenware to passionate home chefs. Jing mixed and talked passionately about his choice products. Slow Food members sipped and shopped, snapping up copies of Corby Kummer’s The Pleasures of Slow Food and boxes of coveted Valerie Toffee.

All in all, the evening made for many a spontaneous “toast” and shared smile, creating yet another reason to slow down for regional pleasures in Los Angeles, one sip at a time.
Robert’s Champagne Rules:
The best wines are made from Grand Cru and Premier Cru Vineyards.

The best producers are maniacal, hands-on grower/winemaker types, not the jet-set pseudo-royalty types who’ve inherited the figurehead proprietorship of a “luxury brand” owned and controlled by an insurance company, bank or liquor distributor.

The best wines are NOT made in quantities of millions of cases (thousands of bottles, more likely!).
Most of the best producers are not in the industrial centers of Rheims or Epernay but in Cru villages with fanciful names like Dizy, Bouzy, Rilly and Ludes. Furthermore, just like in Burgundy, you can taste the difference from one to another! The big commercial houses blend wines from all over the place to make a mass production product with consistency and thus lose individuality of the Crus and the right to name them on the label. A special added consumer interest is that the best bubblies often cost far less than the commercial fizz due to lack of demand and the absence of giant ad budgets, the need to pour Jeroboams over the heads of athletes or giving significant proportions of the inventory away at charity functions.
Many thanks again to The Wine Expo (2933 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.828.4428) and to Le Sanctuaire (2710 Main Street, Santa Monica, 310.581.8999) for their participation.

When: Tuesday, March 1, 2005 at 6:30pm
Where: Clarity Theater, 100 N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills 90210
Cost: $45 per ticket for the screening, discussion, and reception. Tickets may be purchased at: Silver Lake Wine, 295 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles (323.662.9024) and at The Wine House, 2311 Cotner Ave, Los Angeles (310.479.3731).

Mondovino was shot on three continents, in five languages, over a three-year period. Juxtaposing artisanal wine growers with multinational conglomerates, and peasants with billionaires, Nossiter weaves together multiple family and multigenerational sagas, and uncovers a complex tapestry of rivalries, alliances, and conspiracies–all stemming from the production, distribution, and consumption of one of the oldest, most respected luxuries remaining. Mondovino gives voice to those who create, critique, and do commerce in wine, offering up a surprisingly prismatic, varied, and sometimes controversial glimpse into a product so many enjoy but so few truly understand.

Mondovino was one of the rare nonfiction films to be shown in the 2004 Cannes Film Festival’s main competition and was selected by New York’s Museum of Modern Art for its new Premiere series in December 2004. It opened in November in France where it instantly became a sensation with critics and audiences alike and it has been nominated for a César (French equivalent of the Oscars) for Best Film from the European Union.

Jonathan Nossiter has an unusual dual career that includes award-winning credentials as a filmmaker, sommelier, consultant, and wine writer. His other features include Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winner Sunday, Signs and Wonders and Resident Alien.

When: Saturday January 22, 2005 from 1:00pm-4:00pm
Where: The Wine House Tasting Room, 2311 Cotner Avenue, Los Angeles 90064
Cost: (Reference event #3068) $50.00, which includes a copy of the book Sideways). Rex will also be available to answer questions and to autograph copies.

Note that full payment is required in advance, and that cancellations must be made 72 hours prior to the event for refund. One copy of the book is included in the admission fee, and there will be additional books available for purchase at the event. $50.00 buys 20 tasting tickets each good for one tasting sized portion of your selected wine.

Participating wineries include: Byron, Sanford, Lafond, Andrew Murray, Foxen, Stolpman, Babcock, Melville, Gray Hartley from Hitching Post and others. There will be over 30 wines to choose from this afternoon.

Questions? The Wine House can be reached by phone at 310.479.3731 x260 or by email to wine [at] winehouse [dot] com.

When: Saturday, February 12, 2005 at 6:00pm
Where: Le Sanctuaire, 2710 Main Street, Santa Monica 90405
Cost: $65 for Slow Food Members; $75 for nonmembers. For event registration and further information, call the Slow Food LA event line at 323.860.9804.

Discover the real champagnes: wines made by the individual owners of grand cru vineyards, not in the industrial centers of Eperhay and Reims but in the heart of La Champagne, in small agricultural villages with whimsical names like Bouzy, Rilly, Ludes and Dizzy. Why does this matter?

Because, just like in Burgundy, the wines from these different terroirs are very different from one another. Most of the champagne you may have tasted has been blended from purchased grapes to make a consistent branded product, not a wine reflecting its vintage and terroir. These champagnes tend to be better values because they are made in such small quantities that there is no need for the winemaker to spend half of his or her budget (and ultimately yours!) on advertising and promotion. The growers are at the very forefront of the sustainable agriculture, organic and even bio-dynamic movements; they are not subsidiary brands of liquor and perfume empires but the actual fruit of actual farmers.

To guarantee your attendance, please make your checks payable to SlowLA and mail them to:
SlowLA
Attn: Champagne Event
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Le Sanctuaire is a noted culinary boutique conceived from the desire to provide only the rarest choice ingredients and restaurant-quality kitchenware to passionate home chefs with the most discriminating appetite for culinary excellence.