Phenom @ Shoppers
The name says it all - Phenom. A too-good-to-be-only-$4.99 wine. Phenom - 2006 Napa Valley Syrah (at least that's what it says on the label). Deep purple black in hue, this “isolated 400 case production†is loaded with tannins, dark berries and a cedar finish....
The Spaceship has Landed!
In the world of Randall Grahm, change is the only constant. So it comes as no surprise that the winemaker's Cellar Door Cafe now offers 3-course, prix fixe family-style dinners - Wed-Sun for $28, excluding tax and tip. This turns out to be a hedonistic bargain when...
Cellar Door Cafe Debut
As the Doon Turns: The undulant evolution of the winery's mission and focus has become as regular as the tides, and so it was a given that Randall Grahm would transform his tasting room once again. Unveiled in a cascade of preview dinners over the past week, the...
Al Fresco Graze @ Pie Ranch – June 7
Gabriella Café and Pie Ranch team up on June 7 for a mouth-watering “Grow a Farmer†Fundraising Dinner. You know I'm wild about the cooking of Gabriella Cafe chef Brad Briske. You know I adore all things organic, AND that includes the farmers who grow them. I'm...
Beam Me Up!
You don't have to be old enough to remember William Shatner before he was the Priceline Negotiator to love the new Star Trek cine-blitz. I admit to being twice trekkie - loved the original in reruns, and adored the Jean-Luc Picard "Next Generation" team - loved them...
Randall’s Reinvention: Part XVII
Why is this man standing in front of a wall of 5 gallon carboys filled with vintage 2007 grenache, syrah and assorted other Rhônesque grapes? Find out tomorrow when I dish about the new Cellar Door dinners - ready to unfold for the discerning public on Saturday, May...
Corralitos Wine Trail – May 9
I'll keep this simple. Corralitos - gorgeous countryside, wines dripping with terroir. Wines from Windy Oaks (where you will probably get to sample the new Estate Terra Narro), Alfaro, Nicholson and Pleasant Valley. Vineyards, winemakers, tastes, tours, cheese and...
Scallops @ Soif
The kitchen of Chris Avila just continues to provide comfort to serious foodies and adventurous winos. Take the other evening, for example. Armed with a glass of four-dimensional Sangiovese, I feasted on one of those amazing scallops appetizers Soif does so well. The...
Lunch @ Au Midi
Pissaladiere, ratatouille, pistou - just some of the luscious flavors of Spring in the French Countryside. They are yours for lunch now at Au Midi in Aptos. Michel and Muriel Loubiére emailed to tell me that their charming bistro is now open from Wednesday to...
Vintage of Note
That would be 2007,(at least in the Corralitos region of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA) and proof was offered of this last week at the Alfaro tasting room. Richard poured tastes of two (of his ten!) pinot noirs, for me and viticultural consultant Prudy Foxx, made from...
Pizza with that Cigare?
You bet! And that's just what we had last Friday at the biodynamic cafe attached to the Bonny Doon Vineyard tasting room. Fresh from the oven came the pizza du jour, a feisty creation of roasted cauliflower, wild nettles, mozzarella, ricotta and sea salt. Thin crust,...
Clichés we can live without
"A perfect storm" (ridiculous cable news addiction) "Due diligence" (are we a nation of accountants?) "24/7" (Lose this fast!) "Worldclass" (puleeze!) "We're on it." (of course you are) "Well, good for you!" (said about anything - this is a mindless phrase!) "I'm all...
More clichés
So many terrific clichés submitted by readers. You all have media-driven phrases you hate, despise and loathe. How could I have overlooked . . . “At the end of the day†(thanks Dee) “Power down†(gracias Wally) “In harm’s way†(courtesy of Facman)...
Grow Your Own!
Help keep those path-breaking apprentices down on the Farm — by sharing in the many local and Bay Area Grow a Farmer events all focused on building residential cottages for those who come to study at the UCSC Center for Agroecology. The romantic tents nestling along...
Pinot Evil
I just wanted to use that title (say it slowly). Actually the newly-released Martin Alfaro Lester Family Vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir is a pinot to be reckoned with. And those of you wandering the atmospheric south county vineyards at the May 9 Corralitos Wine Trail will...
Dancing Queen
Tandy Beal joins her old friend, Bobby "Don't Worry, Be Happy" McFerrin in Abu Dhabi late April/May-- thirteen time zones away! She will dance with him in performances at Al Ain and the Emirates Palace. She will also stage several local dance groups for the...
Gabriella Reinvention: Part 17
Armed with a hefty Zagat rating - 24 no less - and a streamlined lunch concept, Tues-Sat Zuni-style non-gooey pizzas and salads - Gabriella continues to showcase the skills of chef Brad Briske in an effort to conquer the culinary world. Former UCSC Chancellor Bob...
Big Wine from Big Basin
Bradley Brown, winemaker up at Big Basin Vineyards, covered himself in media glory not too long ago with his wild-at-heart, terroir-driven Syrah from Rattlesnake Ridge. And now I know why. This supple 2006 New World Rhônesque beauty unfolds for miles. From a spice...
Los Gatos Winemaker Dinner
Winemaker’s Dinner at Three Degrees with Burrell School Vineyards April 23rd 2009 7pm Join Burrell School proprietors Dave and Anne Moulton for a very affordable 4-course dinner, paired with memorable wines, for only $65 on April 23, at Three Degrees restaurant in...
Brad’s Beets, and other oral fantasies
Brad Briske is currently playing around with an appetizer of deep magenta roasted beets — Route One — topped with a creamy ricotta favetta and a sprig of infant beet greens. In addition to 30-year-old balsamic, this dish features one more secret bit of luxury....
The Greening of Las Vegas
Back from Vegas, I'm still trying to sort out the declining playground of Frank Sinatra & friends. More posts in the following days. . . . For now, let's just say that in addition to a tremendous meal at Mario Batali's new Carnevino, we discovered an eco-haven (with a...
Unti Found!
At New Leaf in Felton no less! For reasons I am content not to question, the wine buyer at the SLV New Leaf has a wide-ranging appetite - and there on the shelf I found the highly quaffable Unti Rosé ($19), right next to other Unti varietals and a very hefty...
Viva Liberace!
A pilgrimage for my grandmother, that's what last week's visit was to the sundrenched Liberace Museum. Located conveniently next door to Las Vegas' McCarran Airport, the museum is a meticulously preserved shrine to all things Liberace, the ultimate dress-up queen and...
