Thursday, October 22, 2009

San Diego Bay Food & Wine Festival November 20-21


Join us again this year in San Diego for the 6th annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. 170 wineries, breweries and spirit purveyors. 70 of San Diego's top restaurants, celebrity chefs, and the big bottle auction. For a detailed schedule and tickets visit http://www.worldofwineevents.com/ or call 619-342-7337 for more information. Be sure to come by Zenaida Cellars station and try the new line-up.
Photo Credit: Kevin McCalley

Monday, October 12, 2009

Special Offer: book your wedding by November 1st.

Enjoy your choice of one of the following complimentary services when you book your wedding celebration with Zenaida Cellars and Trumpet Vine Catering by November 1, 2009.
  • "I Do" Food: Healthy fare delivered to your room the morning of your wedding to be shared with your wedding party and family.
  • Late Night Snack: Keep the celebration going with small bite snacks delivered to the Loft following your reception.
  • Breakfast in Bed: Continental style breakfast for the newlyweds on Sunday.

In addition to your choice of the top selections, you will receive a complimentary double-magnum of Zenaida Cellars wine signed by winemaker Eric Ogorsolka. Great for use as a guest sign-in for your wedding!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Halloween Recipe: "Adult" Candy Apples

This is a great recipe for Halloween entertaining and a smart use of one of those opened bottles of wine that has been sitting on your counter for a few days. Don't pour it out; make these!!!


  • 8 small McIntosh apples, stemmed, washed well, and dried
    1 1/2 cups red wine
    2 cups sugar
    1/2 cup water
    6 tablespoons heavy cream
    Equipment: 8 wooden ice-pop sticks; a candy thermometer

Insert a wooden stick halfway into each apple at stem end. Line a tray with wax paper and lightly grease paper.
Boil wine in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 2 1/2-to 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber. Add reduced wine (mixture will bubble up and steam) and swirl pan. Add cream and simmer, stirring, until incorporated, then continue to simmer until thermometer registers 238°F. Remove from heat and cool to 200°F.
Holding apples by the sticks, dip them in caramel and swirl to coat, letting excess drip off, then hold apples up (stick end down) for about 15 seconds to allow more caramel to set on apples. Put caramel apples, stick side up, on greased wax paper and let stand until caramel firms up, about 30 minutes.

Harvest Weekend October 17th & 18th

Be sure to stop by Zenaida Cellars for our 2nd annual "Eat Like A Winemaker" afternoon. This year's will include fresh fare from the sea provided by local seafood hot-spot, Pier 46. The gastronomic goodness will feature clams, steamed in our own ZC White, a spicy cioppino, and delectable mini shrimp po'boys. Enjoy new releases and old favorites that will pair beautifully with the fare as you tour the cellar and interact with our winemakers. Food until 4:00, tasting and tours until 5:00. All are welcome and it is only $10 for the grub and tasting. As usual, there will be no charge for Cellar Club members.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

28th Annual Harbor Festival in Morro May Oct.3rd-4th

Zenaida Cellars among many other Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo County wineries and restaurants will be showcasing their best. Tickets still available. Don't miss it.
What: 28th Annual Morro Bay Harbor Festival
Where: On the waterfront ~ Embarcadero & Beach Street
Dates: October 3rd & 4th, 2009
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Policies: No pets, skateboards, roller blades/skates.
Admission: $8 Adults; Ages 12 and under are free. Presale tickets are $7 a day and a 2 day pass is $10. Presale tickets are at Albertson’s in Morro Bay
For more information visit: http://www.mbhf.com/

Friday, September 18, 2009

Allyson Magda Photography Wedding Featured on Style Me Pretty

Allyson Magda, of Allyson Magda Photography, shot this beautiful wedding at the winery this summer and it was featured on Style Me Pretty.

Click over to see all of the awesome shots!



Photos courtesy Allyson Magda Photography and Style Me Pretty

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Sclemeel, Schlemazel

Hassenfeffer Incorporated.

Bottling day at Zenaida Cellars! A nice way to kick off, harvest???
Yes, well. Bottling. It needs to be done so we have wine for all of our lovely visitors to the winery and our clients.


I love the bottling trucks. It is amazing to me that they can fit all of that equipment neatly into in the trailor and travel around bottling up everyone's wine. It always reminds of the beginning of Laverne and Shirley. Is that weird?




Because of that, I have had the theme song in my head for the last week. It is pretty catchy!

*Give us any chance, we'll take it. Give us any rule, we'll break it*


Anyway, here is a shot of the bottles that have been completed cruising down the final stretch of the line. In hind sight, I am little bummed I didn't put one of Eric's work gloves on top of one of the bottles. However, that might have been too much!




And it would have covered up our new closures!



*Nothin's gonna turn us back now, Straight ahead and on the track now.*







Action shot! This nifty peice of machinery is what attaches the screwcap to the bottle and seals the closure. Yes, we have changed our entire line-up over to screw caps! I am sure Eric will go into that more indepth at some point - after November.







Here they come towards the screw-cap attacher (not the actual name!)



Behind the plexiglass, to the right, is where the bottles get loaded in. To the left is where the wine goes into the bottles! In front is the end of the line...they have been filled, capped and labeled!









Beautiful day for bottling!


Tyler and Nick working hard.






*On your mark, get set and go now.*


Van and Eric loading up the next pallet of glass to go through the line.




Taking his job very seriously!




Tops of the new caps. Z is for Zenaida.


Complete.


Screw cap close-up!
*Doin' it our way.*