The idea of meeting another author of a wine book was most interesting since my own book "The Pleasure of Wine" was completed, oh my,  that was in an earlier century.   Anyway I did want to meet  Daniele Cernilli who accomplished his own book signing in Los Angeles at  an event entitled the same as his book "The Essential Guide to Italian Wine."  We chatted with Author Daniele and told him how impressed I was with the  massive work that lists every winery in Italy.   Every region in Italy is covered in the 646 pages of this book which also includes the author's own lists of the best single grape wines and the best  wines for quality/price.
This all took place at The Wine House  in west Los Angeles with 25 wineries and import firms showing vintages from all parts of Italy.  For us it was another opportunity to continue our  research into Sicilian wines as a further look into our Italian heritage.
After all my mother was born in Sicily arriving in the USA at the age of three with her mother and two sisters.  
A visit to the Cusumano booth was a given.  The  winery  is located at  Noto in the far south of Sicily and is the work of Antonio Moretti who has enjoyed a most  successful career in business and  as an entrepreneur.   The vineyards have been gathered from local farmers and now include some vines over thirty years of age  planted on south facing hillsides.  The grapes are local in origin and include Nero d'Avola for the red wines and Grillo for the white wines.  Young in age we found both the Feudo Maccari Nero and Grillo exceptional  in quality.
An outstanding wine is Cusumano Noa Sicilia DOC 2014 which is exported world wide.
Next visit was to Tasca D'Almerita which has vineyards located in three different parts of the Island. Besides wines with native varietals a new generation in the family is conducting experimentation with 51 varieties and five experimental vineyards, as part of a government backed program called VIVA devoted to a sustainable wine project.
Here we tasted Grillo Mozia Sicilia DOC 2017 and Il Tascantwe Sicilia DOC 2014.
When we were in Italy much of our time was spent in Umbria and we recall  how impressed we were with the wines made with the Italian varietal Montefalco.  Here we tasted Colpetrone Montefalco Rosso DOC 2013 and Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2011.
.It is a fact that the US is the top market for Italian exports of food and wine, if you doubt that think pizza.
The Essential  Guide event was staged by Allison Levine's Please the Palate and was very well attended.

For no reason that I can find we appear to neglect restaurants close to where we live.  In one instance at least this changed when we learned that to honor  Veterans on Sunday November 11 Romano's Macaroni Grill in Northridge was  offering a free entree to  veterans.  So my closest , dearest friend insisted this was the perfect way for her 'old soldier' to honor the day. 
The entree offered was Mom's Ricotta Meatballs and Spaghetti and my dining partner ordered the same for herself but only after having a cocktail from the restaurant's casual bar and lounge.
We noticed the most competent wait staff and  our waiter, Rick, was most helpful starting us with a hot freshly baked roll smothered with olive oil.  Our spaghetti offered two different sauces, either pomodounia or bolognese.  I chose the bolognese, since I always prefer a meat sauce while my dining partner decided on the red pomodounia.  The portions were very big and each of us had a box to carry back to our individual residences.
There is much to like at the Macaroni Grill located in Northridge Fashion Square.  There is ample free off street parking and the restaurant is large with a most busy exhibition kitchen and offering both tables and booths.  The menu is large and we thought the prices most moderate.
We noticed one of our favorites on this very large menu, Osso Bucco, which guaranteed our return for dinner in the near future.
Romano's Macaroni Grill is located at 19400 Plummer Street in Northridge, Ca. Telephone 818 725-2620, open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

It has been some time since we can recall an event that delivered as much information on a nation as Spain's Great Match that took place recently at the SLS  Hotel in Beverly Hills.  Some one hundred and fifty Spanish wines from almost every region of the country were poured and with that the opportunity to taste and enjoy tapas and other pairings that came directly from the Bazaar's Kitchen,  the award winning restaurant located at the SLS Hotel.  In addition there was the opportunity to attend three seminars, each covering special sections and grape varieties of Spain's wine country.
One seminar singled out the Albarino grape, one of Spain's eight indigenous grape varietals, and how in recent years it has taken on new popularity both with winemakers and consumers both in Spain and Internationally. 
After several decades of wine writing one of the things that this reporter knows is that there is always something new to be learned about vineyards and wine making. This was evident, once again, when we attended the seminar  conducted by  Ana Fabiasno and explored the Rioja wines and how they have gained respect with both royal and Gran Reservas.  The third seminar was entitled  "Wine-ing Down the Duero River", a look at Castilla y Leon".
 The three seminars  explored wines from five regions of Spain including D.O.Carinena, D.O. Navarra, D.O. Rias Baixas, D.O. Ca.Rioja and Wines from Castilla y Leon.  Foods from Spain were also included and we spent some time with the representatives of Goya Foods, since we have been using their olive and olive oil  products for many years.  The Tasting which extended into late afternoon featured denominations of origin (D.O.) and country wines from 22 regions of Spain.
On our trip to Spain, which took place some years ago, we were especially interested in exploring the Spanish Sherries of Jerez -so when we found the Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana booth we noted their three sherries and so had to try each one.  They were Napoleon Amontillado, D.O. Jerez-Xeres, Farfaon Oloroso D.O. Jerez-Xeres and Alameda Cream D.O. Jerez-Xeres, all under the Bodegas Hidalgo label.
The tasting of these wines brought back fond memories of  the time spent in Jerez.
The SLS Hotel was the perfect choice for a day that was devoted to all things Spanish.  The room for the seminars was large but even so the seminars were so well attended that it was standing room only at the one we sat in. 
Another of the food exhibitors was Palacios which featured five different Chorizo as well as Grandma Cake and Brownie Cheesecake (Granderroble).
In all four food participants took part in Spain's Great Match along with fourteen wineries and importers.
For more information on Spanish wines check the web at www.winesfromspainusa.com.