Restos + Rezzies: 'Tis The Season for Bubbles

What better way to kick off the holiday season than a champagne tasting at Silverlake Wine?!?! My friends have made this a tradition for the last two years so this year I joined in on the fun. Such a fun event!

At Silverlake Wine's last champagne tasting of the year, we enjoyed five champagnes and four incredibly flavorful bites from Heirloom LA, a local catering company that focuses on local, sustainable farm-to-plate fare. It was a packed and heavenly event (aside from the treck out to Silverlake!).

During each pour, owner George Cossette indulged us with the history and making of champagne. Truth be told, I never really sat down to think about how champagne was made. Very interesting learning! Not going to lie, I can't remember all the details because 1. I was socializing and 2. drinking champagne affects my ability to concentrate :) BUT, I do remember than champagne labels are marked with either an RM, meaning the maker grows their own grapes AND makes their own wine... or RN, meaning the maker buys the grapes and makes the champagne. Interesting!

We were spoiled with incredible food from Heirloom LA. Wow. I am salivating just thinking about it! I think I'm obsessed with everything about Heirloom LA. Co-owned by Matt Poley and Tara Maxey, Matt only deals with small local farms that "respectfully and humanely raise their livestock." While you may think this would make no difference from the meat you buy in the market from huge commercial companies, the flavors from the meats we sampled were so fresh, rich and deep. I tend to forget what real meat tastes like until an experience like this. So succulent and bold. I admire Heirloom's commitment to supporting local farms that properly raise their livestock both from a taste and lifestyle perspective. The accompanying vegetables, grains and accoutrements were beautifully prepared as if plated for one, not catering style.