In her biweekly column, Lookout wine expert Laurie Love reports on a Santa Cruz County pinot noir grape harvest coming early due to the summer’s warm temperatures, the risk of too much sun, a magical night of local food and wine pairings at Persephone Restaurant, and the resumption of the Cabrillo College Wine Program this fall.
Laurie Love
Laurie Love is a professional wine educator and writer based in Santa Cruz, where she has lived for 34 years. She shares her wine passion, knowledge and experience with Lookout readers as Lookout’s wine correspondent. Laurie specializes in French wine and the Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA), our local appellation that has been making world-class wines for more than 140 years.Laurie’s background is wide-reaching. She teaches wine classes at the Cabrillo College Wine Program and for Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Global. Laurie also wrote the course content for online wine education website,wine-ed.com, a companion to the Cabrillo College Wine Program. She teaches private wine classes and leads private tastings. For the past several years, she’s been a Santa Cruz Mountains AVA contributing writer for the Slow Wine Guide USA, featuring wineries that are sourcing from sustainable vineyards. In addition, she works locally in wine production with Bottle Jack Wines in Santa Cruz.Laurie holds several professional wine certifications: WSET Level 3 with Distinction, French Wine Scholar with Highest Honors (FWS), Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and sommelier, in addition to earning three Cabrillo College wine certificates. She is currently a candidate for the Bourgogne master-level certification through the Wine Scholar Guild. You can follow her wine blog, laurieloveswine.wordpress.com, and on Instagram at @LaurieLoveOnWine.Laurie is thrilled to join the Lookout team and to share the bounty of our local wine region with Lookout readers.
Posted inFood & Drink
Santa Cruz 2024 vintage check-in with local viticulturist Ken Swegles
In her biweekly column, Lookout wine expert Laurie Love reports on a Santa Cruz County pinot noir grape harvest coming early due to the summer’s warm temperatures, the risk of too much sun, a magical night of local food and wine pairings at Persephone Restaurant, and the resumption of the Cabrillo College Wine Program this fall.
Posted inFood & Drink
Perfect pairing: Madson Wines dinner at Persephone Restaurant
Persephone Restaurant in Aptos crafted six exquisite courses, each expertly matched with a Madson wine. Lookout wine columnist Laurie Love takes us through the pairing menu.
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Laurie Love on Wine: A Q&A with Salamandre’s retiring Shoemaker, grand cru at Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and events aplenty
With Dr. Wells Shoemaker, owner/winemaker at Salamandre Wine Cellars, set to retire from the business, he sits down for a Q&A with Lookout’s wine expert. Laurie Love’s biweekly column also includes a rare tasting opportunity on the Westside and a rundown of Santa Cruz County wine events not to miss.
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Laurie Love on Wine: Five decades of Mount Eden chardonnay, La Posta’s big old bottles and Salamandre’s Shoemaker retires
Laurie Love recounts her recent tasting of 12 vintages of Mount Eden Vineyards chardonnays going back to 1986, has a dispatch from a “Cru Night” in Seabright and celebrates Wells Shoemaker as he closes down Aptos’ Salamandre Wine Cellars. She also notes the passing of Napa pioneer Warren Winiarski and previews upcoming local wine events in her biweekly column.
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Laurie Love on Wine: Surf City Wine Walk highlights, David Bruce milestone & Wine of the Week returns
In her biweekly column, Lookout wine expert Laurie Love spotlights the best of last weekend’s Surf City Wine Walk, notes a milestone for a Santa Cruz Mountains stalwart, pops the cork on her latest Wine of the Week and lists local events you’ll want to add to your calendar.
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Laurie Love on Wine: A deep (and not as sweet as you might think) dive into German wines
Laurie Love pours out what she learned during a weeklong tour through the German wine regions of the Rhine, Mosel, Saar, Ruwer and Ahr Valleys, including how climate change is affecting an industry long known for its sweeter wines. She also highlights upcoming local wine events you’ll want to bookmark.
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Laurie Love on Wine: Wine travels, Perfect Pair recap, comings and goings
In the return of her biweekly column, Lookout wine expert Laurie Love gives readers a taste of a recent trip to European wine regions, revisits Cabrillo College’s Perfect Pair event, covers news from the local wine industry and highlights events you shouldn’t miss.
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Laurie Love on Wine: Cabernet to sparkling, chardonnay to pinot, Grand Tasting wows again
Lookout wine expert Laurie Love’s biweekly column returns ahead of a brief hiatus with a full report on the March 24 Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association Grand Tasting at Saratoga’s Mountain Winery.
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Eaters Digest: A special wine edition with Laurie Love
Lookout wine expert Laurie Love steps in for Lily Belli with her Wine of the Week, a Wine 101 lesson and event highlights for the week ahead.