In Los Angeles? Get Twisted on Monday Night!

Heads up, Los Angeles residents. Something Twisted is coming our way.

On Monday, November 24 (otherwise known as the last day of pre-holiday sanity) our good friends at Twisted Oak are teaming up with the culinary wizards at Bistro 45 for a Twisted Oak dinner. The event begins at 6:00pm and goes until 10:00pm, and the cost is $95 for five impeccably prepared courses with delicious wine accompaniments.

Bistro 45 is located at 45 Mentor Avenue in beautiful downtown Pasadena. Reservations are required, so please call 626.795.2478 to reserve your place.

There's nothing remotely turkey-ish about the menu, which I include here for salivation purposes. Unfortunately, I'll be in Sonoma (why am I always in the wrong place when Twisted Oak comes to town??) but if I were in LA, nothing would keep me away from this evening of great food and great wine. They're even pouring The Spaniard!

Viognier, Twisted Oak, Calaveras County 2007

Light Smoked Albacore Tarate

Miso dressing, pickled organic vegetables and Belgian endive

White Meritage, Twisted Oak “Ruben’s Blend”, Sierra Foothills 2007

Roasted Wild Calamari

Snow crab farci, tomato consommé, angel hair pasta and mizuna

Petite Sirah, Twisted Oak, Calaveras County 2005

Slow Roasted All Natural Veal

Maui onion confit, exotic mushroom risotto, arugula and aged Balsamic

Meritage, Twisted Oak “The Spaniard”, Calaveras County 2006

Cabernet Sauvignon, Silver Oak, Alexander Valley 2004

Roasted Barbary Duck Breast

Ragout of root vegetables, honey and currant reduction

Winter Pear and Mascarpone Marjolaine...

toasted pistachios

Chefs Damon Brady, Bryan Williams, Keiji Mizukami and Felix Noyola

Wine & Spirits Hot Picks Next Week

Just a reminder that next Thursday (May 22) Wine & Spirits magazine is coming to town with their Hot Picks event, to be held from 7-10 pm in the chic MODAA gallery in Culver City. You can click on the logo to the left for more information and to purchase a ticket online.

For $75 you get a year's subscription to the magazine as well as the chance to taste some great wines selected for their excellent taste and great value--which is bound to appeal to a GWU$20 reader. These wine picks are highlighted in the June issue of Wine & Spirits, which features the 100 top values in wine and goes on sale the same day.

You will also get a chance to talk with some of LA's up-and-coming wine professionals, and mingle with local retailers (like Jill from domaine547, one of the event's partners). I'll be there, too, so if you recognize me come up and introduce yourself.

$5 of every ticket purchased goes to benefit Surfrider's efforts at water conservation and preservation.

Great wine, a worthy cause, and the inside track on some wallet-friendly options for your next shopping trip--all for $75. See you at the MODAA Gallery next Thursday night.

Drink Wine, Save Water

Wine & Spirits magazine is coming to LA this May to unveil some of their critics' "Hot Picks" for 2008--the wines that stand out from a year's worth of wine tasting because of their accessibility, affordability, and delicious taste--and to celebrate some of the city's youngest sommeliers and wine experts.

For $75 you will be able to meet and mingle with some savvy people under 35 who are already making a name for themselves in LA's wine scene, and taste some of the wines that will be featured in the June 2008 issue of the magazine just as it's hitting the news-stands. The event will be held in the inspiring MODAA Gallery in Culver City, and since space is limited I'd advise you to book ahead.

Save the date (May 22, 2008, 7-10 pm), reserve tickets for you and your friends, and join me at this great event. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit the Surfrider Foundation, so you can drink delicious wine while supporting water conservation issues (something that should be on everyone's mind in Southern California).

Not in LA? The Wine & Spirits Drink Wine, Save Water event moves to Seattle's Paramount Theatre on June 24, 2008, so maybe you can catch them there.

I will be at the MODAA Gallery on May 22, and I hope to see many LA readers of GWU$20 at this event featuring great wine values, and benefiting a worthy cause.