A Day of Local Distilled Discoveries at LA Wine Fest

Edible Skinny was lucky enough to attend the LA Wine Fest this weekend at Raleigh Studios! The temperatures were too hot to handle, but the vendors were nothing but friendly allowing us to be introduced to some new fun local brands!

The first alcohol company we encountered on day of local distilled discoveries was Rebel Coast Winery.  Rebel Coast Winery is not your parent’s winery (which is also one of their taglines along with the ever classic,  “Don’t be a dick”).   Rebel Coast Winery is crafted by twenty-somethings who all live in Jack Black’s old house in Hermosa Beach and are inspired to do what they do because, “life’s boring without wine!” 

Their first wine, Reckless Love, is branded with an image of owner Chip Forsythe’s iconic handle bar mustache (which also glows in the dark for late night drinking)!   Handcrafted to “pair perfectly with wild nights and ignoring your parent’s advice,” it’s a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley and 50% Syrah from Paso Robles. Reckless Love got its title when Forsythe and co-owner Doug Burkett texted all their ex-girlfriends asking for a few words that described them.   Ignoring all the mean four letter words, the two settled on “Reckless Love.” Rebel Coast also makes a white wine entitled Sunday Funday that includes a back label peel off that includes a list of scavenger hunt activities to ensure your weekend ends with a smile.

Another great encounter we made at the LA Wine Fest was the 101 Cider, which is LA's first local cider house.  Made in small batches, but with big cider taste, these ciders are dry and crafty like beer, but drinkable like wine. All of 101 Cider’s ingredients are sourced from growers who are located along US Route 101: orchardists, farmers, botanists, and defenders of the land.

101Cider crafts incredibly healthy and delicious ciders, fun and interesting craft beverages that speak to those who understand the LA lifestyle.   Their Cactus Red is 101’s truly regional cider, unique to Southern California, as they crafted a blend of two indigenous desert plants that grow all over Los Angeles County: the Cactus and the Agave.  Ruby red in color the taste like a dry Jolly Rancher.  It was truly fabulous!!!  Another 101 Cider selection was their I.P.C. (Indian Pale Cider) which all the floral goodness of an IPA without the bitterness.  I drank every drop of this beverage, which as anyone knows my alcohol preference knows my abhorrence for IPAs (gross…)! 

So here’s to life being delicious and distilled discoveries at LA Wine Fest!