CorkPopper

It’s official!  The results are in, and, with the help of my dear readers, I have settled on the theme for the second iteration of the CorkPopper Project.  Where the original CorkPopper Project took on the wine and food of twelve different countries, the CorkPopper LocaPour Project will bring it all back home.

That’s right, for the next twelve months (starting November 2010), I will be exploring (both literally and figuratively) twelve of California’s wine regions.  The goal is to travel to each region, learn as much as possible about its history, characteristics, highlights (and low points, where applicable), taste wines from a sampling of the region’s wineries, interview winemakers/restaraunteurs/local winos and foodies/etc. from the area, and, of course, develop recipes inspired by some of the wines I’ve tasted, using (for the most part) California-grown ingredients.  In other words, this is the “locavore” CorkPopper LocaPour Project.

I know what some of you are thinking.  There’s a plethora of information out there about California wine.  Well, that is absolutely true, which is why I’ll be making an effort to focus on some of the less well-known regions and wineries.  And, as always, the ultimate goal is not just to talk about or review wine.  There are plenty of other people out there much more qualified than yours truly doing just that.  The central goal of CorkPopper is to create food inspired by wine so that the end product is more than just a pairing; it’s a quasi-religious experience – what I like to refer to as Yummism.*

So, where will CorkPopper be heading, you ask?  The following is a listing of the regions I plan to visit, though the specifics could change over the course of the year, and the order in which I visit will depend upon my ability to travel to the regions further from my home in Los Angeles.  If I’ve missed a region/subregion that you think I simply MUST visit, please let me know, and I will consider adjusting the list.

• Temecula
• Saddle Rock-Malibu
• Santa Rita Hills
• Santa Maria
• Paso Robles
• Ben Lomond Mountain
• Santa Lucia Highlands
• Calaveras County (Sierra Foothills AVA)
• Carneros
• Bennett Valley
• Howell Mountain
• Alexander Valley

I certainly hope you’ll join me on what is sure to be another fantastic year-long journey!

Cheers and safe travels!!

* More on Yummism later.