Grace
Hood

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas enjoy a little joie de vivre at the French bistro Et Voila, voted the best French restaurant in San Diego in 2022. The menu is fresh, wholly French, and absolutely delightful, and of course, the wine list is spectacular. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2013 Echezeaux Grand Cru Marchand, Cote de Nuit

• 2015 Chateau Mouton, Graves, France

• 2018 Chimney Rock Stags Leap, Napa

Certified sommelier and wine educator Grace Hood and Robert Tas take a trip to Los Angeles where they review the wine list at Tutti Mangia Italian chophouse. This Italian grill offers a delicately composed menu of Italian Cuisine with global influences. They have won many awards including Best Restaurant, Best Italian Restaurant and a dozen Wine Spectator Awards, so you know this wine list is going to be full of beautiful bottles, and Grace is here to identify the best ones to try. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Summerland Vineyard, California

• 2017 Grgich Hills Cabernet, Napa Valley

• 2019 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Italy

Grace Hood, certified sommelier and wine educator, and Robert Tas go downtown to Brentwood in West Los Angeles to review the wine list at Toscana. Toscana is a neighborhood trattoria that celebrates the rustic, authentic, farm-to-table flavors of Northern Italy, and they have a superb selection of Italian, French, and American wines to complement the menu.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Jermann Friuli Pinot Grigio, Italy

• 2019 Paul Hobbs, Russian River Valley, California

• 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Saldero

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Terra. Terra is a rooftop restaurant and lounge featuring a wood-burning Italian grill and views of the Hollywood Hills. Named for "earth" in Italian, Terra's menu is centered around the grill, and their wine menu is a fabulous selection of Italian wines. This is the place to explore Italian wines region by region. Who could complain about that?

Wines reviewed include:

• 2013 Dolcetto, Piedmont, Italy

• 2013 Brunello di Montalcino, Italy

• Bollicinie Rose from Serafini and Vidotto, Italy

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head downtown to Bottega Louie, where it is all about food. It’s a restaurant, gourmet market, patisserie and café, and they offer a well-rounded wine list to complement whatever takes your fancy; bubbles with breakfast, snacks and sancerre, or Bordeaux and we’ll take one more bottle to go. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Four Graces in the Willamette Valley, Oregon

• 2018 Brunello di Montalcino from Piancornello, Tuscany

• 2018 Elizabeth Spencer Special Cuvee, Napa

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas bring a little Hollywood glamor to the airwaves with a review of the wine list at The Palm, a Beverly Hills hotspot. This is a place where people come to celebrate life and enjoy the good food and exceptional wines, and patrons have been enjoying this renowned location since the twenties and through the decades that followed.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Toscolo Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy

• 2020 Argyle Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon

• 2020 Renato Ratti Barbera d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas visit the Sherman Oaks hot spot, Sushi Note. This restaurant offers not only carefully crafted cuisine but a carefully curated wine list that features a creative selection of wines from around the world, including the little-known wine region of Alsace. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2018 Willakenzie from the Willamette Valley
• 2019 Christophe et Gils Gourchame Chablis, Burgundy
• 2015 Barolo from Curto, Piedmont, Italy

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas visit Smitty’s Grill in Pasadena where they serve all-American comfort food accompanied by a well-rounded wine list from their award-winning wine cellar which has been recognized by the esteemed Wine Spectator every year since they opened their doors. And Grace is here to identify those bottles on the list that are sure to impress your guests. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Kosta Browne, Russian River Valley

• 2018 Shae Vineyard from Sonria Vineyards, Willamette Valley

• 2016 Marchand Tawse, Burgundy  

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas take a trip to Queensview Steakhouse on Long Beach. This chophouse offers a wine list with a diverse selection that’s earned Wine Spectator’s distinction  Award of Excellence.  Grace reviews whites from Italy and California, reds from renowned Californian producers, and of course, the baller bottles for a special occasion and budget-friendly must-try wines that won’t disappoint.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Scarpetta Pinot Grigio, Italy

• 2016 Louis Latour Gevrey Chambertin, France

• 2008 Cabernet Franc, Jonata, Santa Ynez