New Vista Community Wine Walk at the Venetian Resort and Casino

Vino Las Vegas LLC is very involved in the Food and Wine industry in Las Vegas and we are always willing to jump in and help with a event for a good cause. Join us at the Venetian Resort and Casino and we join the New Vista Community kicking off their Wine Walk Season with a big party!

This March New Vista Community will host their first annual Season Kick Off – Wine Walk – the BIG ONE! The Venetian Foundation, DeLuca Liquor & Wines, and Lee’s Discount Liquor have joined together to host this fundraising event to benefit the programs of New Vista Community.
The event will be hosted in the Venetian ballrooms on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Guests will be able to sample wines from over 75 wineries while enjoying live entertainment, silent auctions, and appetizers.

General admission attendees will pay only $50 while “Around the World” VIP’s will pay slightly more, $125, to have VIP access into the Around the World private room. The Around the World VIP Room will offer VIP’s choice wines from countries all over the world. VIP guests will also be able to participate in free table games to compete for prizes, enjoy hot appetizers paired with the wines, and will also be able to participate in the general admission area as well.

To purchase tickets you can go online to http://www.newvistacommunity.org/ or go to any Lee’s Discount Liquor Store in Las Vegas or call 702-457-4677. All proceeds go to New Vista Community.
At the door tickets will be $75 for general admission and $150 for VIP.

This event is brought to you by these sponsors for the benefit of New Vista Community; The Venetian Foundation, DeLuca Liquor & Wines, Lee’s Discount Liquor, CW & MYLVTV, 97.1 The Point, Las Vegas Life Magazine, and Clear Channel Outdoor.


This event benefits New Vista Community a local charity committed to providing equal opportunities and support to intellectually challenged people of all ages so that they may experience life to the fullest. New Vista Community has been in the Las Vegas Community for over 20 years and provides homes, respite care, in-home services to families with intellectually challenged members, recreational activities and life skills training. For more information on New Vista Community go to http://www.newvistacommunity.org/ or call 702-457-4677.

Nora's Restaurant Wine Bar in Summerlin

We have been wanting to visit Nora's for some time. Sommelier

Bibiana told us about a Tuesday

evening wine tasting so we stopped

by for dinner and to join Joseph
from Vin Sauvage for a taste of

some great wines. The atmosphere at Nora's
reminded us of an Itallian neighborhood
restaurant with a great wine selection
and authentic food.

The dinner was very good. We started with

freshly sliced prosciutto with fig. That was followed up with vodka infused Penne that melted in our mouth.
Normally we don't eat too many desserts but our waiter tempted
us with chocolate cake coverd with pistachio sauce that was well worth the 25 min wait.

The wine list featured mostly Italian wines but is well balanced and
something for every price range and taste.
Proprietors / Chefs Giovanni and Marcello Maura really have a hit with Nora's located in Boca Park in Summerlin. Their Food and Wine staff is very knowlegeable and we know we will be hearing more from this restaurant in the future.

VINO LAS VEGAS now on YOUTUBE.com

We have received alot of feedback from our readers, customers, and many others in the Food and Wine Industry all over the world. Vino Las Vegas has added video interviews with winemakers and restaurant reviews. There is much more to come. We have added a YOUTUBE website to make it easier to watch and download all of the Vino Las Vegas videos from one location. You can access our video page at http://www.youtube.com/VinoLasVegas.

There are many plans for Vino Las Vegas in 2008 from dinners, classes and meet the winemaker weekends coming up soon.

Cheers !

Steve Lock Winemaker Ecluse Wines in Paso Robles speaks with Vino Las Vegas

Ecluse Winemaker and Proprietors Steve and Pam Lock were in Las Vegas to host a dinner at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Summerlin. After the event, Steve Lock spoke with Scott of Vino Las Vegas about Ecluse wines , their roots, and future plans.

Ecluse is locted on 30 acres in Paso Robles and produce some of Paso Robles most sought after grapes. They produce limited production, handcrafted wines. We had the opportunity to taste their 2005 Ecluse Syrah , the 2005 Ecluse Cabernet Sauvignon , the 2005 "Rendition" a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, the 2005 Zinfandel which only 167 cases were made and our favorate the 2005 Ecluse "Ensemble" a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabnernet Franc.

Steve and Pam have done a great job producing these Bordeaux varietals and the quality comes through in all of them. You can taste the labor, care and passion in every sip of these wonderful , special wines. To learn more about Ecluse wines you can go to www. eclusewines.com

winemaker Steve Lock speaks with Scott

Vino Las Vegas and Las Vegas Chapter American Wine Society Ecluse Winemaker Dinner at Cafe Bleu

The Las Vegas Chapter of the American Wine Society and Vino Las Vegas had a Winemaker dinner at Cafe Bleu the student run restaurant Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Summerlin.




This event was hosted by Steve and Pam Lock Winemakers and
Proprietors of Ecluse Wines in Paso Robles.
This was an event that we had been looking





forward to for quite a while.








First Course
Forest Mushroom Cappuccino White Truffle Foam


2005 Écluse Syrah Lock Vineyard 2005 400 cases



Second Course
Crawfish Andouille Sausage Beggars Purse, Garlic Beurre Blanc



2005 Écluse “Rendition” Paso Robles 46% Syrah, 39% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre

285 cases


Third Course



Parmesan Crusted Lamb Loin, Basil Potato Cake Red Wine Reduction


2005 Écluse “Ensemble” Paso Robles 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc 480 cases


Intermezzo
Pomegranate, Blood Orange Granite


Fourth Course



Tenderloin of Beef Mushroom Duxelles atop Collard Greens Gorgonzola Sauce


2005 Écluse Cabernet Sauvignon Lock Vineyard Paso Robles 389 cases


Fifth Course


Duo Molten Chocolate Cake Coconut Coffee Foam
&
Spiced Zinfandel Poach Pear Tart, Orange Mascarpone Cheese.


2005 Écluse Zinfandel Lock Vineyard 167 cases


We have attended many wine events at Cafe Bleu . The food and service has always been excellent. This event however was the best we have attended. The menu was pared perfectly with these very special limited production wines from Ecluse. Winemaker Steve Lock has made some award winning wines and we enjoyed all of them.

Congratulations and cheers to the students and staff of Le Cordon Bleu for doing such a fantastic job with this event

Winemaker Stillman Brown Red Zeppelin Wines visits Marche Bacchus

Winemaker Stillman Brown joined us for lunch at

Marche Bacchus and to say the least, we got quite a wine education. He is unlike any winemaker we have met in the past. We enjoyed his 2006 Red Zeppelin Chardonnay Paso Robles and the 2005 Red Zeppelin Black Zeppelin Paso Robles Syrah as we learned more about this very articulate, intelligent winemaker.

Stillman has made quite a name for himself with great Syrah based wines and has won numerous awards. Best Syrah, Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, April 1999 ,Best Syrah, Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, April 2000, Highest rated northern Central Coast Syrah, Wine Spectator May 2005 ,Top 100 California Wines of the Year, S.F. Chronicle, September 24,2002, Highest rated Syrah, Wine Spectator, Nov. 15, 2002 and finally one of the Top 100 American Wines of the Year, Tastings.com, December 2003(out of over 5000 wines)

With this impressive list of awards Stillman has made a reputation for himself as one of the country's premier Syrah wine makers.

Stillman spoke to us about his La Mort Du Roi Paso Robles 2005. Which is now sold out . We were fortunate enough to have enjoyed a bottle of this very unique Syrah. It is blended with Alicante Bouchet wich is a crossing between Grenache and Petit Bouchet. By itself this grape produces wine that are unexciting but when blended adds additional color and texture to wines. Stillman added 18% of this varietal to the La Mort Du Roi Syrah and produced Syrah with color that is unmatched with a nose and palate to go with it. This is one of our favorite wines we have had in a while and are very anxious to see its cousin Black Zeppelin pick up where the La Mort Du Roi left off.

Stillman has been on the cutting edge of winemkeing for a long time, never afraid to add his artistry with blends and varietals to see what he can produce. We look fowward to more from Stillman and his Red Zeppelin wines. Somehow we don't think we will be disappointed in whatever he comes up with in the future. For more information about Stillman and Red Zeppelin Wines you can go to www.redzeppelinwinery.com

Rock and Roll Wine Rocks into The Canyon Club

Rock n Roll Wines continued its impressive choice of venues when they rocked into The

Canyon Club at the Four Queens.


The guests were treated with the great sounds of two fantastic artists performing together. Michael Soli and Rick Duarte provided the guests with an unforgettable night.



The wines are continuing to get better with each event that Vino Las Vegas attends. The tasting lounge was our first stop where we spent some time with Award Winning Winemaker Stillman Brown of Red Zeppelin wines. He treated us to his Red Zeppelin Vindication 2004 which was one of the best of the night as well as his Zeppelin La Mort Du Roi 2004 which scored 92 points . Dr Loosen was also in the tasting lounge with the Graacher Himmelrich Resling Kabinett 2006 and Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese Resling 2006.







Henry LaGarde was also present and pouring the LaGarde Syrah Reserve 2005. We had the opportunity to speak with Mitchell Preston sales manager for Rodney Strong Vineyards. We enjoyed all 5 of his wines but the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvingnon 2004 really stood out from the rest.



Other wineries present near the stage were Michael David Vineyards, Precept brands , Peter Franus and of course the Rock n Roll wines pouring the Rock n Roll wine " The Grotto" Shriaz.



This was another hit for Chris and his partners finding this great venue with talented artists providing the stage for some great wines. Good job to Chris and all of the Rock N Roll staff for a great job.

AALTO Ribera Del Duero 2004 at Bleu Gourmet

Spanish wines are always a treat for us. We heard Joseph and Bibiana from Vin Sauvage were at Bleu Gourmet pouring their latest from Spain so we had to stop by.

Our favorite of the night is what Joseph called his "rock star" wine and he was right. The AALTO Ribera del Duero 2004 from Spain was magnificent.

In the glass is was purple/black and medium bodied. On the nose aromas of smoke, toast , vanilla , and blueberry/blackberry jam. The nose was outstanding and continued on the palate with the fruit and smoke giving it excellent depth and tannins.

Wine Spectator scored this limited production wine ( 450 cases ) 94 points. We loved this wine from the nose to finish. In our opinion this 100 % Tempranillo will better over the next 6-8 years.

The Ribera de Duero is a comparatively new DO. It spreads in a narrow band along both banks of the Duero and produces some of the greatest red wines of Spain. Bordeaux grape varieties as well as the local Tinto de Pais and Garnacha are extensively planted. The top brand of the vineyard, Vega Sicilia (it's 'Unico'), is reputedly the most expensive wine in Spain.

Heidsieck & Co Monoploe Champagne Brut

We are always looking for a great bottle of Champagne and we found one at Marche Bacchus. We stopped to enjoy their new Sunday brunch and to welcome Nathan back from serving our country in Irag. We were looking for something special and decided on the Heidesieck & Co Champagne Brut. Owner Jeff Wyatt saw me pick out the bottle and said " that is a great choice. It was in the Top 100 "

This Champagne is a Blend of 70 % Pinot Noir 20 % Chardonnay10 % Pinot Meunier. In the glass the appearance was light yellow color, with green highlights. On the nose it appeared slightly woody and spicy. The palate was very fruit forward and well-structured.

The origins of Heidsieck & Co Monopole go back to the 18th century. Following in the footsteps of Florens-Louis Heidsieck, his nephew Henri-Louis Walbaum and brother-in-law Auguste Heidsieck created one of the most sought after champagnes ever. In 1895, the firm already shipped over 1,5 million bottles worldwide.In 1818, Heidsieck & Co Monopole was appointed suppliers of champagne to the king of Prussia, emperor of Germany; in 1911, it was appointed suppliers of champagne to the English court.In 1933, Heidsieck & Co Monopole champagnes features at the Swedish court and at the table of Csar Nicolas II (the latter ordered over 400 000 bottles a year for his personal use).

Jeff was right about this Champagne. We look froward to having this one again and again

Jim Lambert of Stanley and Lambert Wines visits Las Vegas

We have enjoyed Stanley Lambert wines for years and have had the pleasure of meeting Jim
and Lindsay on a few occasions.

On this visit , Jim sat down with Elaine and spoke about the vineyard and the newest members of the Stanley Lambert family. We also tasted the new additions and were pleasantly surprised. The Nordic Frost Dry Resling was very fruit forward and refreshing. In our opinion , this will be a big hit for them. The Thousand Words Chardonnay was very nice as well. Very light bodied and fruit forward. Next up on our list was Three's Company GSM. This is was a nicely blended Aussie wine that will do very well in the US as well as Australia. We are big fans of Stanley Lambert's Family Tree Shriaz so we had to try the Silent Partner Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is every bit as good as its high end Aussie cousin. We also found out that one of our favorite Stanley Lambert wines Throughbred Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 recently scored 90 points from Wine Enthusiast !

Great Job to the entire Stanley Lambert Family for their new releases and the score from Wine Enthusiast .

Elaine talking with Jim Lambert

Marche Bacchus Blind Wine Tasteing

Owner Jeff Wyatt talks with Scott in this Video


We stopped by Marche Bacchus to interview owner Jeff Wyatt and decided to stay for lunch and a blind wine provided by Jeff. Tex and Gidget joined us and as usual Jeff gave us a big challenge. He decanted the wine and poured for us without any hints. In the glass this wine showed medium bodied and red-purple in color. On the nose hints of musk and barnyard suggested it may be old world. The palate when first sampled gave us hints of cassis and dark fruit with low tannins. Many of us decided it could be Italian IGT of the 2004 vintage. As the wine opened up some of us reported hints of chocolate and more tannins. We were now thinking it was a Bordeaux blend Cabernet Savingnon and Merlot. One member of our group suggested it could be a Cabernet from Napa Valley. A couple of our group went back to their original suggestion It was Italian IGT 2004 vintage. Jeff reviled the bottle to us as Grilli del Testamatta I.G.T. Toscana rosso 2005 . It was a blend of Sangiovese 75%, Colorino 15% and Canaiolo 10%. Congratulations to the two people in our little group that stuck to their original decision on this wine.

Earlier in the day we sat down with owner Jeff Wyatt as he explained some real high tech wine tasting that lets us enjoy some wines that we may not be able to afford by the bottle. Jeff explains how this works in the video above.