Cafe Confessions

by Christina Waters | Nov 20, 2008 | Home, Wine | 0 comments

My recent response to the recession was “Let them recalculate my APR!, the greedy scoundrels!” Having said that, pax Marie Antoinette, I have discovered the joys of dining small, but well, on some of the terrific appetizer dishes created by our top chefs. At Avanti, last Saturday we made dinners of our salads of roast brussel sprouts and cappellini beans ….A few days later, Ava and I shared one of those terrific scallop small plates offered at Soif. This one involved absolutely perfect scallops on top of a bed of ripe apple, tart arugula and toasted pumpkin seeds. Paired with a flight of sauvignon blancs from France, New Zealand, South Africa and California, it was big indulgence for about $30. . . .Then on Wednesday, I joined wine writer Laura Ness for lunch at Gabriella, where Sean Baker continues to outdo himself in terms of culinary exploration. An immense platter of housemade salumi included a variety of prosciutto, salume, coppa and pancetta accompanied by a head of roasted garlic and some grilled baguette. Incredible. Ditto my trumpet mushroom fritatta served along with a fluff of infant lettuces.

It’s entirely possible that my earthy egg dish was inhanced by a glass of Storrs Chardonnay Stu Miller Vineyard 2007, filled with ripe peaches and impressive structure. The knowledgeable Ness provided vivacious wine lore and the food, wine and Gabriella ambience did the rest.

The Cellar Door Opens

by Christina Waters | Nov 12, 2008 | Home, Wine | 0 comments

And that would be the new, cavernous Bonny Doon Vineyard tasting room, aka The Cellar Door, open daily until 5:30pm. It’s architecturally sexy, flaunting its biodynamic Weltanschauung by means of such flourishes as a spiralling multi-tiered waterfall swirling out of a cow’s horn (one of the major instruments of ritual used in biodynamic preparation.)

Your $7 will get you copious tastes of BD’s latest oeno-wonders, poured and articulated by a skilled tasting crew. The cafe, with menu designed by chef Sean Baker (of Gabriella), has fired up its ovens for a chic little selection of small plates — sophisticated foods to accompany deeply interesting wines. The cafe serves sensuous foods paired with wines, from 11-5:30 Thursday through Sunday.
Get on over to the new tasting room, and welcome the dooning of yet more action at the exciting corner of Swift & Ingalls, on Santa Cruz’ Westside.

Great Wine Escape

by Christina Waters | Nov 12, 2008 | Home, Wine | 0 comments

What is it about winemakers? Are there any who aren’t intense, attractive, and somehow super-charged with the same stuff that Daniel Craig’s got? Well, if so I haven’t yet met ’em.

Take silver-haired Jerry O’Brien, from Silver Mountain (hmmm, did he name the winery after his hair? must remember to ask).

Here he is pouring ridiculously fine chardonnay and pinot noir from his brand, and telling tales about the origin of the Tondre’s Grapefields name, at last weekend’s gala Great Wine Escape at the very plush new Inter-Continental Clement Hotel on Cannery Row. And O’Brien was only one of the attractions at this smartly organized excuse to sample the wares of over 40 Monterey County Vintners and Growers.

This beautiful plate of pork, tropical fruits and mashed purple potatoes was whipped up by Kevin Boyle of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort, and served to grateful wine tasters at the Monterey event. Tasted even better than it looks!