Chris Van Alyea OWNER & WINEMAKER, SOLTERRA WINERY & KITCHEN Q: If you could drink one wine, not from your establishment, the rest of your life what would it be? Chris Van Alyea: It would be a toss up between central coast Syrah or French Pinot Noir. Q: Tell us a little bit about your background and about Solterra’s wine tasting hours. CVA: I grew up in Marin and Sonoma County and have been making wine for the last 16 years. The wines have garnered Golds and Best of Class at top competitions in California. We do tastings Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday starting at 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday [starting at] noon. Q: Where are your vineyards? CVA: I buy fruit from all over California, a little bit from the Valle in Baja, Sonoma County, Santa Barbara and we actually grow some vines right here on-site. Q: Tell us about your favorite wine at Solterra. CVA: A glass of our full bodied red wine that has big fruit and spice. Our Sonoma County Petite Syrah and Merlot come to mind, but right now our 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite. Our most popular right now is probably our Sirah Syrah blend and our rich, buttery Chardonnay. SOLTERRA WINERY & KITCHEN 934 N Coast Hwy 101 Encinitas, CA 92023 760.230.2970 www.solterrawinery.com
Joan Villanueva BEVERAGE CURATOR, THE HAKE KITCHEN & BAR Q: If you could drink one thing, not from your establishment, in SD for the rest of your life what would it be? Joan Villanueva: Mezcal, Negronis or a Wild Turkey Old Fashioned. I like to frequent George’s Level2 on my off time. Or sometimes I like a beer and a shot, like Bud Light and Fernet. I'm a big Wild Turkey fan. Q: Name your top, can't-livewithout spirits to mix with. JV: Wild Turkey, Ancho Reyes and Fernet. Q: Tell us about your favorite drink at The Hake. JV: The 'T.A.K.'—it's a Sotolbased cocktail that has been very well received. We make a sage cordial for that. There's lime juice, pineapple juice as well as a little
bit of agave to balance out the flavors. It is more on the savory side with some hints of sweet from the pineapple juice. Q: What is the most unique ingredient that you use in your cocktails? JV: Sotol is a spirit out of the north of Mexico. It's not tequila, but people usually associate it with it. It is definitely one of my go-tos. Also, I would probably say our crystalized rose petals and our crystalized sage leaves I use as a garnish. I am really into dehydrating garnishes and trying new ways to be more no-waste conscious. Our bitters program that's coming in a couple months is something I am excited about.
THE HAKE KITCHEN & BAR 1250 Prospect St, Ste B10, La Jolla, CA 92037 858.454.1637 | www.thehake.com 70 LOCALE MAGAZINE
Q: What is the most unique ingredient that you use in your wine making? CVA: I would say the types of different oak that we use to produce our wines. Each varietal has a specific barrel program and we source barrels from France, Hungary, Virginia, Minnesota, and Missouri.
Anthony Schmidt FALSE IDOL TIKI / BEVERAGE DIRECTOR, CONSORTIUM HOLDINGS Q: If you could drink one thing, not from your establishment, in SD for the rest of your life what would it be? Anthony Schmidt: Easy question! Daiquiris at Noble Experiment. Q: Name your top, can't-livewithout spirits to mix with. AS: Certainly the O.F.T.D. artisanal rum from Plantation is without a doubt one of the bottles I would need for sure. Navy-strength gin from Plymouth is an outstanding, fantastic product. I would say mezcal as my third but probably more so an American Whiskey, a cask-strength bourbon. Q: Tell us about your favorite drink at False Idol. AS: I could list 10, but I'll say the 151 Swizzle Cup. It's not on the menu every day, but if I'm there I will make it for you. Q: What is the most unique ingredient that you use in your cocktails? AS: Moreso now than in the past we're using a lot of fatbased ingredients, so things like oils. Our macadamia nut oil is made fresh, in-house. It makes such a difference in the cocktail and it's very unique.
Photoshoot Location: FALSE IDOL 675 W Beech St San Diego, CA 9210 www.falseidoltiki.com CONSORTIUM HOLDINGS 631 9th Ave San Diego, CA 92101 www.consortiumholdings.com