Enobytes Wine Blog

Almost forty years ago after being involved in a motocross racing accident that landed me in a full cast on my left leg, I made the bold decision to hitch hike to San Francisco. Three days later, I was enjoying the California sun and the Golden Gate Park lifestyle. That plaster cast grew tiresome and while on the beach in Monterey I cut that thing off, built up my strength trudging through the sand and eventually hobbled back to Memphis.

Monterey has always held a special place in my memories and my heart. The smells, the food, the sunsets, and the seals & sea-lions are all distinct characteristics that appeal to all the senses while you are here; it is unique. The uniqueness of the wines from all the AVAs that exist very close by are specific aspects of the one of a kind experience you get when you are here. In October, I returned to Monterey for the 32nd annual Monterey Wine Festival benefiting the Junior League of Monterey and the S.P.C.A., both wonderful organizations that deserve the support. The event was distinctively different from those of the past.

It now takes place over several days with events in the Aquarium and other venues. The big difference in the 32nd annual Monterey Wine Festival and those of the past is this event exhibited a unique appeal that sets it apart from the industry norm, frankly stated, “This event rocked with a capital R”. It took place over three days and held in three distinctively different venues that were chosen to set the mood and tone for the overall enjoyment of all involved.

The event in the past occupied the Aquarium and only that venue, expanding the event was a stroke of genius by the E2C Corporation known for managing other cutting edge event operations.

The opening night of the 32nd annual Monterey Festival started off under pressurized circumstances. Time to make the turnover between regular operations of the Aquarium and the transformation that needed to take place to become an event space revolving around wine and food is a logistics miracle. Entrance to the event took place at blistering pace despite the fact the will call customers far outweighed the ticket holders. Remember to buy your tickets early next year folks to avoid any traffic jams at the door.

The Hotel package is also a great choice because your tickets are there waiting for you and the hotel (Monterey Bay Plaza Hotel) could not have been a better base of operations. With two Mercedes-Benz shuttle vehicles they get you where you are going when driving yourself may be a bad idea. The service at the hotel was first class and the food and beverage operations were executed at a level befitting a luxury property such as this one.

With the Aquarium being only a few blocks from the hotel, we opted to walk on Thursday night. As we walked down Cannery Row it still has many of the same smells and visual effects it had forty years ago and was very nostalgic for me. However I suspect this scene in no way resembles the feel it had when John Stienbeck walked these streets no matter how much we may romanticize the thought that somehow it retains that integrity of raw grittiness.

The entrance to the aquarium had a brigade of employees to deflect any early birds from attempting to enter. It was interesting watching the trail of wine industry folks hustling into the venue with an assortment of transport vehicles. We will call them that for now due to a lack of a better word. Most unusual utilized homemade vehicles I witnessed were the four-wheel carts with bubble pack wheels and modified hand trucks with on board GPS and beverage holders.

As we entered the Monterey Bay Aquarium with several floors to explore it starts to sink in how vast it is as it presented itself in all its natural beauty proving it is the best possible host venue for one of the greatest food and wine experiences held anywhere in the world.

The serenity and openness of the Aquarium combined with the visual pleasure of viewing so many aquatic species creates a sensory experience that cannot be duplicated. Add to that awesome wines and fantastic foods, now you are starting to see why it will always sell out with hundreds of wines being poured by vintners from all parts of California, Oregon and Washington. The food from The Forge restaurant was the first to greet guests and they did a great job of keeping up even with a dish that took several steps to plate.

The Fava bean salad was great with the grilled chicken skewers. The volunteers did a great job filling in for missing winery workers (Costentino where were you?). Crab Tacos from Turtle Bay Taqueria were a standout; citrusy, crunchy and full of delicious crab flavor. I tasted a lot of old favorites bringing me current on their new releases, Alexander Valley Vineyards, EOS, Justin, Chalk Hill, Estancia, and Silver Oak just to name a few.

This is one of the best reasons to attend an event like this. You have the opportunity to taste many wines that you may have purchased in the past but you may not be current with the latest vintage. In a couple of hours, you can bring your knowledge current, arming you with the knowledge to either stick with old favorites or continue your search for new wines but in a more aggressive manner (because you can’t count on the old ones any more).

The usual guest flow of a wine event of this size is hurried and frantic with the "amateurs" well, acting like amateurs. The beauty of the venue cast a mood of calm brought about by the fish, the ocean, and the immense awe the sea brings.

The aquarium staff did a great job of maintaining the same calm during their services. Everyone moved freely, there was no crowding among the exhibitor’s excellent flow and the feeling of being involved with an experience much smaller and very personal almost intimate. If you have never been to a large wine event I would definitely recommend this one for your first because of the personal feel this event delivers.

One of the best wineries of the evening was Farella. Tom Farella is what coming to these events is all about – once you have made a connection with the winemaker, it is easy to become a loyal fan especially with a personal connection to the winemaker as long as the quality lasts. As the evening started to wind down it was almost like being in Dublin – everyone behaved – must have something to do with the fish.