88

VOTE! 

FOOD - DRINK - FUN

Mountain Views-News Saturday November 1, 2025


THE TASTING ROOM - Natural Wines

EAT LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

By Peter Dills

You know, every November I start wondering about something. 
Do more people visit us during the holidays, or do 
more of us leave town? It’s one of those questions that hits 
you while you’re sitting at a stoplight — usually right about 
this time of year — when the mornings get cooler and the 
Christmas decorations start appearing before the Thanksgiving 
leftovers are even cold.

We live in a part of Southern California that practically sells 
itself in December. Sure, the Rose Parade brings in its share 
of visitors, but what about now, in these quieter weeks leading up to it? Are folks staying 
put and enjoying our local restaurants, or are they standing in line at the airport wondering 
if their flight to Phoenix will be delayed again?

Just this past week — before the rain — I was driving down Sierra Madre Boulevard and 
noticed something we don’t talk about much: empty tables. A few of my favorite spots 
looking quieter than they deserve to be. And not because the food changed or the service 
slipped… but because it’s November. People are distracted. They’re busy. They’re saving up 
for the “big meal,” whatever that means.

Seeing those empty tables took me back for a moment. I remember, years ago, when our 
family would drive up to Santa Barbara and visit Brett’s. It was set in a Victorian house — 
the kind of place that practically came with its own holiday soundtrack. Warm lighting, 
friendly faces, the whole classic atmosphere. Brett’s is long gone now, I’m sorry to say, but 
the memory stays with me. It reminds me that restaurants are more than places to eat; 
they’re where families store memories like ornaments in a box waiting for next year.

Which leads me to what I’m getting at, hands folded in front of me like Andy Rooney himself: 
our local restaurants need us right now.

The chains will be just fine. They always are. They have budgets the size of small countries.

But the mom-and-pop places — Casa Del Rey, Lord Empanada, Little Provence, Moffett’s, 
and so many others — those are the places that feel it when half the town disappears or 
decides to start “cutting back” for the holidays.

So here’s my gentle nudge: Eat local. Once. Twice if you can manage it.

You don’t need to make a big production out of it. Stop in for a bowl of soup on a cool 
night. Pick up a couple of empanadas. Have breakfast before shopping. Grab a taco plate or 
sit quietly at a neighborhood bar with a martini while the world rushes around you. These 
aren’t grand gestures. They’re simple acts that keep our community alive.

IN SUMMARY

As the Dining Doctor, here’s my November prescription:

 Support your local restaurants.

 The chains will survive without your help.

 Our neighborhood favorites could use the visit.

 Now if you’ll excuse me while I clear my throat…

Next week: my lecture on holiday tipping And trust me — some of you may want to take 
notes. Email me at thechefkonws@yahoo.com

I’m Gustavo Lira, Tasting Room Manager and Wine Buyer 
at The Bottle Shop in Sierra Madre with another wine and 
spirits selection. 

You’ve probably tasted “natural wines” in the last few years, 
and more than likely you weren’t impressed. I felt the same 
way a few years ago, a lot of the natural wines being made 
were made by winemakers who didn’t know what they were 
doing. There’s still too many of them that still don’t know 
what they’re doing. However, there are more winemakers 
who know how to make wine that produce natural wine, 
and the one I have for you today is an excellent example. 
They don’t make a big deal of making natural wine, they just 
make damn good wine without all the hype.

Natural wines are usually categorized as wines that are made 
with minimal intervention and with organic or biodynamic 
grapes. They utilize very minimal sulfites or no sulfites 
at all. They use native yeasts and usually are unfined and 
unfiltered. Natural wines should taste good. They shouldn’t 
have an aroma of hamster cage or taste like kombucha. If it 
tastes like vinegar, don’t let anyone tell you that is the way 
natural wine is supposed to taste. This shouldn’t be an exercise in The Emperor’s New Clothes. 

Villa Creek is a winery in Paso Robles that has embraced 
biodynamic, organic, and regenerative organic practices. They 
are stewards of the land they farm on. Cris and JoAnn Cherry 
founded the winery in 2001 and have become one of the top 
wineries in Paso Robles. Sadly, JoAnn passed away in 2024. 
Cris and his son and daughter have carried on with the winery 
since and have continued to produce some of the best wines 
coming out of that area. 

Oliver Mikkelsen is the winemaker and vineyard manager. 
He along with Cris produced the 2023 Villa Creek Farmhouse 
Red. It is a blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Zinfandel, 
and 10% Petite Sirah. It is Certified Organic. They used native 
yeast, and the wine was aged in French oak for 18 months. It’s 
a bold red wine, but it is balanced with acidity and minerality. 
It’s juicy, fresh, and savory. You get notes of fig, red berry, and 
licorice. It’s hedonistic without the high alcohol and sweetness 
that poorly made red wine from Paso Robles can sometimes 
have. I’d take this wine over anything from Daou or Justin. This 
is an incredible red wine. 

The wine is available at The Bottle Shop. The regular price is $21.99. Mention you saw the wine in 
the Mountain View News and the special price of $19.80. This special price is good through Monday, 
November 17th. 

NEWS FLASH! Beaujolais Nouveau is arriving at The Bottle Shop this Thursday, November 20th. I am 
super excited about the arrival of the Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Noveau! This wine IS NOT the 
same as the cheap, bad, God-awful Beaujolais Noveau you get at the grocery stores - dabarf or whatever 
it’s called - this is the real deal. Domaine Dupeuble has been around since 1512 and is now managed 
by the brother and sister team of Ghislaine and Stéphane Dupeuble. They do not use any synthetic 
fertilizers or chemicals. If you are looking for a “Natural Wine” that tastes damn good, look no further. 
They don’t call themselves natural winemakers, they just make damn good wines just as they have been 
making for hundreds of years. 

I’ll be pouring the 2025 Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Nouveau on Thursday, November 20th at The 
Bottle Shop Tasting Room along with other incredible value wines under $25 for your Thanksgiving 
table. 

Until next time – Salud!


You Deserve an Agent WhoWill Do More Than Just SellYour HomeLearn why sellers say that working with me wasthe difference between success and stress!
If you’re thinking of making amove next year give me a call!
DRE#02015404626.253.1323 
suecookrealtor@gmail.com
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com