Want to kick off 2020 with a bang? Then a drop or two of Lester’s Chardonnay should do the trick! This is fabulous wine—and it’s available at Deer Park Wine & Spirits in Aptos for $49.
It was a dream of the late Dan Lester and his wife Pat to grow the finest grapes possible, and with the help of expert viticulturist Prudy Foxx, they did just that. Those in the know give thanks that the Lester family is now making its own wine, and still growing premium grapes for other wineries. With five-star winemaker John Benedetti at the helm, this 2017 Lester Estate Chardonnay is a mouthful of lusciousness.
“Subtle aromas of star jasmine and mandarin oranges lead to an abundance of tropical fruit,” say the folks at Lester. And a touch of Meyer lemon adds a gorgeous palate to this beautiful wine.
Deer Park Ranch is home to Lester Estate Wines, a wondrous place to go wine tasting. Don’t miss their new Safari Wine Adventures around the property, which will start up again in the spring and are just delightful.
Lester Estate Wines, 2010 Pleasant Valley Rd., Aptos. 728-3793, lesterestatewines.com.
Opulence Indian Food
Walking around downtown Santa Cruz recently, I stopped in my tracks when I saw Indian food being served from the kiosk that used to house Penny Ice Creamery. I love Indian food. And as a Brit, I can attest to the fact that chicken tikka masala is now more popular in England than roast beef and Yorkshire pudding!
Opulence owner Sunny Kavil was offering tastes of his mango lassi, and I got a samosa to go with it—both delicious! Kavil tells me that all his food is vegetarian, and he doesn’t use onions or garlic. All eight items on the menu are reasonably priced, the most expensive being the combo plate with three curries for $15. Mango lassis cost $2, and so do the samosas.
Opulence Indian Food, 1520 K2 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. 669-800-7428, opulenceindianfood.com.
