12 seats•los angeles, CA

Experiences at 12 seats

• Event

  Tegan Passalacqua and the importance of the Old

  In wine, there is no one I have learned more from, or derived more inspiration from, than Tegan. Let me point to two things, small then bigger:In early October, Tegan posted a photo of a bottle of wine and said: "A wine for dreamers." I learned so much just from thinking about what this meant. A few of the wines that we make are wines that we must dream of. They would not otherwise occur. He crystallized what motivates us every day. Also: Tegan knows more about the history of California grape-growing and winemaking than any living being. He knows this not because he studies history books, but because he reads old books and journals and looks at old maps. He devours them. He reads the contemporary accounts of winemakers and grape-farmers from all over the world-- from 50, 100, 200 years ago-- in their own words-- reporting not on what used to be done, but on what they are doing at the moment and why. I am going to ask Tegan why this immersion in the old is so important.We will pour some of Tegan's wines and one or two of mine, and a few other wines of significance to our discussion.

  Saturday, Nov 30, 2024

  3:00 PM - 4:45 PM

  $100 per ticket

  $3–$5 order fee

• Event

  Niccolo Machiavelli and the Specificity Of Place

  The occasion for this event is the visit of one of my oldest and dearest friends, who also happens to be a scholar, and the recently invested President of St. John's College in Santa Fe: Walter Sterling.He and are are going to talk about the specificity of place, but not with an initial focus on the notion of "Terroir." Rather, we will begin with the experience of exile-- political or civic or domestic. One could not help thinking about Odysseus, but the the great Florentine, Niccolo Macchiavelli, will be our anchor.As is appropriate to an evening hosted by two friends with careers teaching at St. John's, this evening will include a required reading: The Letter to Vettori, by Machiavelli. If you sign up for the evening, we will send you a link to the text; it is also easy to find in print.We will pour 10 wines, including Montevertine, Istine, Le Boncie, Cigliano di Sopra, and San Gugliemo. And my 1999 Sangiovese, out of magnum.

  Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024

  6:30 PM - 8:45 PM

  $200 per ticket

  $5 order fee

• Event

  La Garagista and the Triumph of the Hybrids

  This event has its roots 10 or 15 years ago, when I first tasted Deirdre's wines. I was dubious: wine made hybrid grape varieties, in the valleys and plains of Vermont? I had grown up in Vermont, and my sentimental desire for the possibility of good winemaking there could not outweigh my sense of the challenges.And then I tasted my first La Garagista wine, at some tasting in NY: Ci Confonde-- a light and brilliant sparkling red wine-- understandable in relation to Lambrusco-- but utterly its own wine, and earth-shaking in its unforeseeable excellence. That experience changed my view of the winemaking world, profoundly and permanently. I asked Deirdre on several occasions to allow me to serve it at the beginning of my own tastings and other events. It has a power to infuse joy, simply upon drinking; and awe, upon explication and understanding.She is a great farmer and winemaker, but also a great writer. I so look forward to engaging her in conversation, and just bathing in her words.We will pour about 8 of Deirdre's wines, and 1-2 others for her pleasure and our instruction.from

  Friday, Nov 15, 2024

  7:00 PM - 8:45 PM

  $100 per ticket

  $3–$5 order fee

• Event

  The Rebirth of Scholium: Retrospective and Prospective

  Twelve wines: 6 Scholium Library wines.5 2024 Scholium Barrel Samples.One wine of inspiration.We will move swiftly but with focus and attention.I am so happy to say that my dear friend Alejandro Artigas will be the Master of Ceremonies, determining the order of the wines and the flow of the conversation.

  Sunday, Nov 17, 2024

  7:00 PM - 8:45 PM

  $100 per ticket

  $3–$5 order fee

• Reservation

  A Private Tasting Session

  A tasting session led by Abe and our team of winemakers exclusively for you and your guests, should you wish to include any.The minimum number of guests is 1; the maximum is 12. The price is the same.The tasting will last approximately 90 minutes and can be optionally extended by mutual agreement between you and your host.The tasting will include one Champagne made by a friend, and at least 5 wines, made by us in the same space in which you will be tasting, and at least one additional wine made by colleagues, friends, or mentors.We will provide careful and light snacks, and could provide a much more fancy meal, by mutual agreement.

  Prepaid reservation for parties of 1 to 12

  $1,000 private tasting fee, $5 order fee

• Event

  Walter Sterling and the essence of Tuscany

  Walter is one of my oldest friends. We first met each other at St. John's College in Annapolis, MD and read a lot of Ancient Greek together. We also drank many things together, and many of them not wine.We will gather with Walter this night and read a couple of brief passages from Machiavelli on the history of Tuscany, and Walter and I will begin a discussion we can all share on the essence of Tuscany.We will drink only wines from Tuscany, or wines made from Sangiovese, and one of them will have been made by me, in 1999. We will discuss briefly why Sangiovese is most noble of all grapes, and why it might be that its homeland is Tuscany.There will be very light snacks but not a meal.

  Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024

  7:00 PM - 8:45 PM

  $200 per ticket

  $5 order fee