The Return of Wine & Prime with Amazon Video!
Posted on by Mark Oldman

The only thing better than watching the most binge-worthy series is knowing which wine to pair with them. Thus we have the return of Wine & Prime, which was so successful last year that I have partnered again with the Amazon and the LA Times to bring you this unique wine tasting event.

Join me on April 25 as I pair the most binge-worthy Amazon Prime Video Series with the ideal wines.  The Wine & Prime event is at 7pm at the palatial, historical Hollywood Athletic Club. I clue you into what you need to know about each wine and why it is such a good match with each Amazon Video series. Find out the which wine is the perfect pairing with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Homecoming, Good Omens, Hanna, Jack Ryan, The Romanoffs, and more.

After my Wine & Prime lesson, you will  have the opportunity to taste the wines I recommend while wandering through an astonishing assortment of interactive activations, each of which will take you deeper into an Amazon Original Series and provide insight into why it is so binge-worthy.

The Wine & Prime event is free and uniquely fun, but RSVP now as space is limited and first come first serve, for a one of a kind wine tasting & experience✨. To RSVP please visit this page.

(Un)Risky Business: Rebecca De Mornay and Rancho Zabaco Zin
Posted on by Mark Oldman

While draining a glass of Rancho Zabaco “Sonoma Heritage Vines” Zinfandel at a friend’s barbecue, I was reminded of the scene in the movie Risky Business in which Tom Cruise’s character, Joel, is visited by a terrifyingly unsavory escort.

zinfandel bbq

After Joel rebuffs her (or is it him?), the escort recommends that he call a more enticing alternative, the lissome vixen played by Rebecca De Mornay.  “I want you to call Lana,” advises the escort.  “It’s what you want.  It’s what every white boy off the lake wants.”

Well, these days, when wine is the object, it seems like what everyone wants is a smooth, spicy, easily-located red that isn’t too hard on the wallet.

Like Lana, the Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel satisfies universal desires — and, suffice it to say, it is also a tempting companion for any train ride.

Nuggets to know:

1) A burly, exuberant, quintessentially American wine, Zinfandel is immediately likeable for its flush of berry fruit and hint of pepper.

2) When stalking good Zinfandel, remember the “4 R’s”: Ridge, Ravenswood, Rosenblum, and Rancho Zabaco

rancho zabacoProducer: Rancho Zabaco (Sonoma, CA)
Wine: Heritage Vines Zinfandel
Vintage: 2003
Cost: $11
Track it down: www.wine-club-central.com/detail.aspx?ID=6334

A lesson in likability, this lunar-dark, medium-to-full bodied wine delivers equal parts raspberries and blackberries, scents of vanilla, and a few turns of the pepper-mill.  The soft, rich, jam-infused finish earns it the wine lover’s equivalent of the video game “E” rating: fit for everyone.