Author: Dane Kuta

Earn the Triple Crown of Wine Tasting by taking three (3) wine appreciation courses taught by Dane Kuta at MiraCosta College. Receive a special gift for your achievement!

Dane’s Fall 2019 courses at MiraCosta are expected to include: (1) Wines From A Land Down Under and Other Southern Stars and (2) Italian Wine, Art, and Culture. Look for a brand new course in the Spring of 2020–announcement coming in just a few months! Registration for Fall 2019 at MiraCosta College will open in late June or early July.

A new CSUSM Osher 1-day class has just been added for Monday, June 3, 2019. Dane will host Wines of the Loire and Rhône Valleys at the Carlsbad by the Sea Retirement Community from 4-6pm. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes are designed for those 50+ years of age. Registration is open to all who qualify. CBTS has a fantastic public conference room with an awesome audio/visual setup, making this a great venue for wine tasting. Register today at https://csusm.edu/el/olli.

Dane’s Fall 2019 CSUSM Osher classes are expected to be announced soon. Look for a series of 1-day classes occurring between September and December.

Looking forward to seeing you in class.  For questions or comments, contact Dane at KutaSomm@gmail.com.  Check out http://KutaSomm.com often for news and updates.  Cheers!

 

KutaSomm has a new logo for 2019. I’d love to know what you think! Email me at KutaSomm@gmail.com.

The book for the upcoming MiraCosta class Italian Wine, Art, and Culture is here! Class starts in just a few weeks. If you haven’t yet signed up, get on the wait list (the class is sold out). Another Italian wine class is in the works for Fall 2019 if you can’t make this one. Cin Cin!

 

Spring wine tasting classes have begun – the first class happened on Mon Feb 4 in Carlsbad and focused on French wine.  It was hard to follow a class on Monet and Mattise, but the presentation was a complete success and the class had a fantastic time!  Next Osher class is again in Carlsbad on Mon Apr 1, 2019 with an Italian theme.  Come join us!  Sign up today at csusm.edu/el/olli.

An Ocean Beach sparkling wine party was a success.  What a great evening of wine tasting with a fantastic view of a stellar California sunset.  Contact KutaSomm today for an in-home private wine tasting party of your own!

If you would like a flyer, please contact KutaSomm@gmail.com.  Cheers!

In November, I traveled to Australia, partially for vacation and partially to obtain wines for upcoming MiraCosta wine appreciation classes.  The wine portion of the trip started in Victoria, where a day was spent in the Yarra Valley north of Melbourne, known for growing cool-weather varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  You may have seen Innocent Bystander wines here in the US.

The next stop was Tasmania.  Yup, it’s cold down there, and they make great sparkling wines.  Only the tip of Chile and the south island of New Zealand are closer to Antarctica.

Barossa Valley, called simply The Barossa by the locals, is famous for world-class Shiraz and the area did not disappoint.  The iconic Penfolds Grange hails from Barossa Valley, and I was lucky enough to taste the 2014.

The Barossa has some very old vines, some over 150+ years.  Strict import laws along with The Barossa being relatively isolated has kept phylloxera at bay.  I got to meet some 100 year-old vines.

Next up was Eden Valley, which is a high valley just above The Barossa.  Henschke is here, and they are known for the Hill of Grace Shiraz, which most consider to be on par with Penfolds Grange.  After tasting the iconic offering, we got to visit the HoG vineyard and see how small and it really is.

The final stop on the wine tour was McLaren Vale, which included tastings at Shingleback and Chapel Hill.  One of my favorite wines of the trip was the flagship wine from Chapel Hill named The Vicor. Bryn (head winemaker from Chapel Hill) gave us a fantastic winery tour and hosted our tasting.  Thank you very much for the hospitality!

Australia, I shall return!

 

Check out this great article from Delectable!

https://delectable.com/feeds/ec_san_diego_somm_con_somms

 

What a success last Saturday night!  Everyone enjoyed the sample class focusing on Old World wines.  We enjoyed six selections, two each from Spain, France, and Italy.  A party favorite was the low-tannin Barbera d’Alba, which also paired nicely with the evening’s food.  If you are hosting a private party and looking for a sommelier, don’t hesitate to reach out to KutaSomm. I’ll be there in a flash!

Below:  Certified Sommelier and Italian Wine Professional

Below:  Leading a tasting during an entertaining presentation

Below:  Students engaged in the presentation

Thanks to Bree and Megan for putting together fantastic charcuterie boards for the final class session.  If you are in need of catering for a party, reach out to Breeana’s Kitchen.  Both Bree and Megan passed the final exam, so they received a certificate for completing the MiraCosta Fall 2018 wine appreciation class Old World vs. New World.  Congratulations!