Digest San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, December 01, 2005

Bon Aperitifs, Janet Fletcher

Whet your appetite with light drinks and snacks

At restaurants such as Quince, Absinthe, Pesce, Range and the new Bar Tartine, aperitifs are enjoying a modest revival. The classic French and Italian pre-prandial drinks -- Pernod, Dubonnet, Lillet, Campari, Cinzano and the like -- are winning new fans among those who find most cocktails too strong or too sweet.

Recipes:

Rosebud Cocktail

Gadaldi Cocktail

Lillet Spritzer

Americano Cocktail

Persian Olive, Walnut and Pomegranate Tapenade Dip

Marinated Manchego Cheese with Herbs and Orange Zest

Smoked Whitefish Pate

Toasted Almonds with Smoked Paprika

A cookbook plays matchmaker to wines and desserts, Lynne Char Bennett

Chronicle Pairings columnist Lynne Char Bennett takes a look at the new cookbook, "A Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook".

Recipe:

Browned Butter Cheesecake

Two Cents: What influences your wine purchases?

Pairings: From the steamer -- memories and rice-covered meatballs, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Steamed Pork-Turkey Meatballs with Dipping Sauce

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Mendocino County & Lake County Sauvignon Blanc

The Cheese Course: Fresh look at Brescianella reveals new version, Janet Fletcher

...Brescianella fresca being distributed in the Bay Area comes from Arnoldi Evaristo, a Lombardian company that also makes Taleggio and Gorgonzola, the main cheeses of the region. This cheese does not have a washed rind but a bloomy rind, like a Brie. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk and, despite its name, is not a fresh cheese but cave-aged for two to three months.

Wine Business Insider:Overexpansion leads to bankruptcy, Cyril Penn

Legacy Estate Group, the holding company for Freemark Abbey Winery in St. Helena, has filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy...The American Institute of Wine & Food is moving from Napa to New York City.

Shipping wine? Don't ask, don't tell, W. Blake Gray

For more on holiday planning check out this round up of this year's recipes at this Chronicle website:

Holiday Food

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Sunday, December 04, 2005

Publican at the Plank , Sam Whiting

Danny's was a Marina dive where the only question about wine was, "Is it wet?" Then Danny's dried up and in came California Wine Merchant, the liveliest bar on Chestnut Street. Greg O'Flynn, who owned a retail wine shop around the corner for 30 years, is now the publican at the old plank from Danny's.

Top 100 Wines 2005, Linda Murphy

...Pinot Noirs in The Chronicle Top 100 are a pricey category -- and also our favorite -- with 22 Pinots among the 100 wines on the list. Those 22 average $40.50 in suggested retail price -- and that includes two terrific values, the 2003 Castle Rock Carneros Pinot Noir ($10) and 2004 Siduri Sonoma County Pinot Noir ($19).

It's a fact that the very best wines on Earth are expensive, though not all expensive wines are great. Quality commands top dollar, and demand regulates what top dollar is. The post-"Sideways" consumer rush to buy Pinot Noir, low yields, the gentle handling the Pinot Noir grape requires and the custom farming done by the Franscionis and others make buying stellar Pinot Noir mostly a costly proposition.

Pairings: Perfect Pairs, Lynne Char Bennett

Five recipes to match the complexities of our 10 favorite wines

Recipes:

Crab Cakes & Aioli Duo

Fish & Lentils

Nut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin With Red Wine-Mustard Sauce

Mu Shu Roast Duck & Vegetable Tacos

Farro With Olive & Tomato Sauce

Marketing: Mommy's Little Helper, Linda Murphy

A 2005 Gallup Poll reported that women make up 52 percent of the adult population in the United States and purchase 55 percent of the wine consumed here. A July survey conducted by the Wine Market Council in St. Helena, a nonprofit association of wine producers, growers and suppliers, showed that 56 percent of U.S. wine drinkers are female.

Every business needs new customers and when it comes to wine, women now have a giant "hit me" target on their backs. In the last year, female-focused wine products and marketing blitzes have multiplied like dust bunnies under a bed, including new wine labels, wine clubs, Web sites, a magazine, ladies' nights at bars and brightly packaged "wine parties in a box."

Redefining the Steakhouse , Michael Bauer

Michael Bauer reviews Alexander's Steakhouse in Cupertino. Sounds tasty; but, Cotton Candy? They really serve Cotton Candy!?

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For more on holiday planning check out this round up of this year's recipes at this Chronicle website:

Holiday Food

Edited December 5, 2005 by eje (log)

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, December 08, 2005

WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR, DUCKHORN TAKES WING, Linda Murphy

It's rare to have two wines from the same producer in our top 10, but Beringer pulled it off with the 2003 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot ($50) -- young, spicy and packed with juicy, ripe black cherry and plum fruit -- and the polished 2003 Decoy Napa Valley Red Wine ($28), a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that is a tremendous value in the rarefied air of Napa Valley wine pricing.

Letters to Wine: Shipping wine more difficult than before, readers say

Wine Business Insider: Former winery executives buy Red and White trucks, Cyril Penn

Cline Cellars has sold its Red Truck and White Truck brands...Wine Opinions of St. Helena says a backlash reaction to ratings of wines by Robert M. Parker Jr. seems to be forming among a significant segment of high-end wine consumers...

If they won't like $100 beer, give a Champagne wet suit, Bianca Antonacci, Rachel Marshall and Stacey Wickman

Gift ideas for wine aficionados.

WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR, DAVE GUFFY, Linda Murphy

Under Guffy, Hess is turning out truly great wines -- three are among The Chronicle's Top 100 Wines of 2005 -- and developing a portfolio that shows not only Guffy's skill but also the company's commitment to replanting diseased and underperforming vines on its 300 acres on Mount Veeder, and feeding its Chardonnay program with fruit grown in American Canyon, just south of Napa.

WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR, KRIS CURRAN, Linda Murphy

All the fuss about nearly unobtainable Sea Smoke Pinot Noir is justified because it's just plain delicious

WINEMAKERS OF THE YEAR, ADAM & ED SBRAGIA, Linda Murphy

Sbragia welcomes son home from Hollywood and into the family's wine business

WINEMAKERS OF THE YEAR, CAROL SHELTON, Linda Murphy

Although she once hoped to be a poet, Zin maker's nose helped her discover a true calling

WINEMAKERS OF THE YEAR, MENDOCINO WINE CO., Linda Murphy

Environmentalists make big plans for Mendocino grapes

The Cocktailian: 1838 is a very good year for rum and Yellow Chartreuse, Gary Regan

Featuring a cameo from Edward Hamilton!

Recipe:

1838 Cocktail

Adapted from a recipe by Bobby "G" Gleason, beverage specialist at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

BOOKS: Train your brain with these tomes, W. Blake Gray

Writeup of "The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia" (DK Publishing, 664 pages, $50) by Tom Stevenson and "The World's Greatest Wine Estates: A Modern Perspective" (Simon & Schuster, 708 pages, $75), by Robert M. Parker Jr.

The Cheese Course: From ravioli to cannoli, Calabro ricotta fills the need, Janet Fletcher

Pairings: Onion sauce improves a lamb and Syrah match, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Lamb with Syrah-Balsamic Onions

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Washington State Syrah

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, December 15, 2005

A wine for the ages, Richard Carleton Hacker

When it comes to after-dinner drinks, vintage Ports are among the rarest and most coveted, yet they are also the most misunderstood.

Tequila trail leads to innovation, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Copa Verde

Adapted from a recipe by Dale DeGroff, former bartender at the Rainbow Room in New York.

Pairings: Sparkling wine, caviar and a touch of Asia, Olivia Wu

Recipe:

Caviar Nests

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: DOMESTIC BRUT AND BLANC DE BLANCS SPARKLING WINES, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Stilton's younger sibling may cause a stir at the holiday buffet, Janet Fletcher

Made by some of the same dairies that produce fine Stilton -- among them, Colston Bassett and Long Clawson -- Shropshire Blue looks virtually identical but for its pumpkin-orange color. Producers use the same hoops that they use for Stilton, so the Shropshire Blue is the same shape and size, a cylinder weighing about 16 pounds.

Books: Love bubbly? This tome features a cast of thousands, Linda Murphy

Write up of, "4000 Champagnes" by Richard Juhlin.

Winemaking monk Dom Perignon's fame continues to bubble, Steve Pitcher

Books: Wine books for novices and Russian River aficionados, Linda Murphy

Write up of "Wine Style: Using Your Senses to Explore and Enjoy Wine" by Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Ed McCarthy and "A Wine Journey Along the Russian River" by Steve Heimoff.

Wine Business Insider: Chinese winery begins selling in United States, Cyril Penn

Wines from the Chinese producer Chateau Changyu-Castel are now being imported to the United States...Constellation Brands has ended its effort to take over Vincor International Inc...The New York state Liquor Authority has announced that UPS is the first shipping company to receive approval to make direct wine shipments to New York residents...Sonoma County wine grapes harvested this year are estimated to be worth $395 million, a new record...

Letters to Wine

Readers defend Gary Regan's flights of fancy.

Bargain Wines: Buy affordable bubbly for a friend, or quaff it yourself

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, December 22, 2005

Napa Valley's grande dame, Linda Murphy

Schramsberg's, "Jamie (Davis) is the creative force, the marketer, the hospitality director, the landscaper, the campaigner for the belief that sparkling wine isn't just for weddings, New Year's Eve and the launching of ships. She has lost count of the number of tours she's given of the nearly 2 miles of aging caves and tunnels first dug out of the hillside by Chinese laborers hired by Schram."

Pairings: Float your boat with a posh fish pie and a sea of bubbles, Amanda Berne

Recipe:

Fish Pie

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Blanc de Noirs & Brut Rosé, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: It takes a herd of sheep to make one small wheel of Torta del Casar, Janet Fletcher

The D.O. regulations specify the use of Merino and Entrefina sheep, stingy producers that give only about 75 liters of milk a year. It takes 20 sheep to produce enough milk for a 2.2-pound Torta. Small wonder that the cheese is among Spain's most expensive, selling in Bay Area shops for as much as $28 a pound.

Letters to Wine: Shipping wine more difficult than before, readers say

Wine Business Insider: France pins medal on wine dealer, Cyril Penn

Kermit Lynch will be awarded the insignia of Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur by the French government...Sanford Winery & Vineyards dismissed longtime winemaker Bruno d'Alfonso this week...

Spirits: An unusual product, vodka with sake, tastes better than it sounds, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Wokka Martini

By Gary Regan, made with Wokka Saki, "a blend of micro-distilled grain vodka, fine Japanese (sake), and a subtle flavor of Asian fruit."

Letters to Wine

Books: Champagne hosts ghosts of war, W. Blake Gray

Bargain Wines: Winter comfort food finds friends in budget Cabernet Sauvignons, W. Blake Gray

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, December 29, 2005

CHEAP THRILLS / Top Bargain Wines of 2005 delivers two critics' lists for the price of one, W. Blake Gray

"Bargain Wines are a different type of product than high-end wines, and deserve their own Top 10 list. So Chronicle contributor Leslie Sbrocco and I, who alternate writing the Bargain Wines column, have each picked our Top 10 Bargain Wines of 2005."

The Chronicle's Top Bargain Wines of 2005, W. Blake Gray, Leslie Sbrocco

Battle over 'Napa' moves back to U.S. Supreme Court

"The 5-year-long battle over the meaning of "Napa" has moved to what should be the final arena -- the U.S. Supreme Court."

THE CHRONICLE’S WINE SELECTIONS / Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc, Linda Murphy

Sauvignon Blanc goes with everything, including pesto, Amanda Gold

Recipe

Arugula & Walnut Pesto-Crusted Halibut

Ewe-F-O lands in Humboldt County; Italian sheep responsible, Janet Fletcher

"Cypress Grove, the Humboldt County dairy that makes the acclaimed Humboldt Fog goat cheese, has a new member of the family and it's foreign-born."

Lukacs' greatest 40 wines in America are debatable, Linda Murphy

Beware 'portion distortion', W. Blake Gray

"Order your bourbon in a short, wide glass and you'll get more, thanks to the phenomenon of "portion distortion," according to an academic study published last week."

Letters to Wine: Bottles weigh heavy on some minds

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, January 05, 2006

Zelma goes long: California pioneer finds independence in South Africa, Thom Elkjer

Long, 62, began her career in 1970, becoming the second female UC Davis-trained winemaker in California after Mary Ann Graf (now retired). After working as Mondavi's chief enologist until 1979, Long became one of the state's first women to run both the cellar and business side of a major winery, serving as winemaker/vice president, president and finally CEO at Simi in Healdsburg in the 1980s and 1990s.

The wallaby that conquered America: A success story, W. Blake Gray

Yellow Tail is now the largest-selling wine brand in U.S. food stores by dollar volume, according to AC Nielsen. America fell in love at first sight with Yellow Tail; neither Casella nor importer W. J. Deutsch spent any money on advertising until 2004, when Yellow Tail Shiraz was already America's best-selling red wine.

Pairings: Delicate crab needs a light touch and a sleek Chardonnay, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Fettucine with Crab, Fennel and Lemon Zest

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Monterey County Chardonnay, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: If you can't build a better mousetrap, make more delicious bait, Janet Fletcher

The production of Emmentaler, which dates back to the 13th century, is tightly regulated by a self-policing organization of milk producers, cheesemakers and wholesalers. The starting point is raw cow's milk from a limited production zone.

Grapevines sleep through the flood, W. Blake Gray

Letters to Wine

Pruss is new Stag's Leap Winemaker, W. Blake Gray

The Cocktailian: It's magic: Turn a White Lady into a Thai Lady in one step, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Thai Lady

Adapted from a recipe by Jamie Terrell at the Lab Bar in London.

Beer of the Month: New beer ferments in old wine barrels, Linda Murphy

Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, January 12, 2006

Alsace in Anderson Valley : Chilly Mendocino County nurtures the distinctive white grapes of northeastern France, Steve Pitcher

In Mendocino County's Anderson Valley, the grapes of Alsace are making a splash. Wineries like Esterlina Vineyards & Winery, run by the Sterling family, above, are making Alastian wines like Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Muscat.

Boy, I love all these wines and winemakers! Esterlina, Navarro, Greenwood Ridge, Lazy Creek, Husch, and my good, good friend, Ed Meades*. They don't mention the red wines too much in the article; but, I recently tried Esterlina's Pinot and it's an absolutely fantastic food wine and well worth the price.

Wine Business Insider: Wine drinkers 'follow their own path in life,' a survey says, Cyril Penn

Another survey...Inertia Beverage Group...is launching a new Internet-based service that connects wineries with restaurants that want to purchase directly from them...Benicia's Cork Supply USA has introduced a new alcohol steam-cleaning process for natural corks it calls "Innocork."...The nonprofit International Screwcap Initiative (ISI) has been launched to build on the success of the New Zealand Screwcap Initiative...Who and Where...

Letters to Wine

Pairings: Smoking eggplant transports you to the Ottoman Empire, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Hunkar Begendili Kofte (Meatballs with Smoky Eggplant Puree)

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: California Petite Sirah, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Bethmale -- a cheese to please from the Midi-Pyrenees, Janet Fletcher

Bethmale (bett-MAHL) comes from France, from the Midi-Pyrenees, a mountainous region south of Toulouse near the Spanish border. I've traveled a lot in France but had never heard of the valley of Bethmale, a remote area that lures hikers and skiers and is perhaps best known for the fiercely pointed wooden clogs that are part of the traditional local costume and folklore.

Bargain Wines: Sample some simplicity, W. Blake Gray

Simple and expensive whites to cure the post holiday blahs.

Benefits

*I don't really know Ed Meades, if there is such a person; but, the delicious flavor and near port strength of their Zinfandel has gained them the honor of being called, "my good, good, friend," through good times and bad, in my household.

Edited January 14, 2006 by eje (log)

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, January 19, 2006

WANTED: Texas-size talent to make West Coast Pinot Noir, Wes Marshall

Maybe it's something in the water.

How else to explain how three Texans, whose only wine experience came as salesmen in Austin bottle shops, became winemakers 1,800 miles away, wrangling with the most cantankerous wine to make, Pinot Noir?

Re-creating the beer Ben Franklin drank

Several Bay Area Brewpubs have beer from recipe of Ben Franklin's on tap this Winter.

Austria's Gruner groovy with food, Steve Pitcher

Wine Business Insider: U.S. wine consumption keeps going up, Cyril Penn

Per Capita wine consumption at an all time high...Helping Napa flood victims...Sidney Frank passes away.

Pairings: Gruner Veltliner swims with the fishes, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Tunisian Inspired Fish Soup

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Gruner Veltliner, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Move over, chocolate cake -- here comes Prima Donna, Janet Fletcher

In this country, we are a small and suspiciously viewed minority, the people who would rather end a meal with cheese than dessert. Berkeley author Doris Muscatine is one of us, as she writes in "The Vinegar of Spilamberto" (Shoemaker Hoard, 2005), her charming new memoir of travels in Italy.

Bargain Wines: Wines for frugal Francophiles, W. Blake Gray

fixed URL

Edited January 20, 2006 by eje (log)

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, January 26, 2006

The big gulp: Will consumers be able to swallow consolidation?, W. Blake Gray

In the United States, the big three -- Constellation Brands, E. & J. Gallo Winery and the Wine Group -- combined to sell 171 million cases of wine in 2005, according to Wine Business Monthly. This is roughly 60 percent of total U.S. wine sales.

Letters to Wine

Wine Business Insider: Reality TV show seeks wanna-be winemakers, Cyril Penn

"The Wine Makers" is a new reality television series set to air in spring 2007 on PBS...The U.S Supreme Court this week declined to hear an appeal from Bronco Wine Co. regarding California's "truth in labeling law."...Frederic Rouzaud is taking over from his father, Jean-Claude Rouzaud, as managing director of Champagne Louis Roederer

Q&A with the man who's buying the wine world, W. Blake Gray

What does 'family winery' really mean?, W. Blake Gray

Pairings: Go nutty over Chardonnay and Italian-style chicken, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Sauteed Chicken Breasts Piemontese

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay, Linda Murphy

Bargain Wines: Slip into winter whites, sleek reds, Leslie Sbrocco

The Cheese Course: Dairy farmer's first try is a charm with Cornish Blue, Janet Fletcher

Like a growing number of dairy farmers, Philip and Carol Stansfield wanted to add value to their cow's milk by turning it into cheese. Their debut effort, Cornish Blue, proved itself quickly. Launched on a small scale in 2001, the mellow blue-veined wheel won the award for best new cheese at a prestigious British competition the following year.

The Cocktailian: Drink a Porteño and soon you'll be humming about Argentina, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Porteño

Adapted from a recipe by Murray Stenson of Zig Zag Cafe in Seattle.

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest, Thursday, February 01, 2006

Whiz Kids: Despite being younger than some of the wines they pour, youthful sommeliers are energizing the Bay Area dining scene, Amanda Berne

What may seem like a fun job -- sniffing and sipping wine all day -- doesn't come without pitfalls. Young-looking sommeliers can draw raised eyebrows from customers and co-workers. And as for the pay, veteran sommelier Larry Stone, now general manager at Rubicon Estate in Rutherford, says most sommeliers start out earning roughly $25,000 to $35,000 per year.

World View: More French wineries go biodynamic, Jancis Robinson

Pairings: Empty an empanada and savor the versatile, wine-friendly filling, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Picadillo

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Argentine Malbec, Linda Murphy

$150 Argentine Malbec?, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Age makes this Italian import spicier, Janet Fletcher

A cow's milk cheese made for centuries in the high plains of northeastern Italy, near Vicenza, Asiago has historically been aged, sometimes as long as two years. But to accommodate modern demand for a sweeter, milder cheese, Asiago producers now make a range of styles.

Wine Business Insider: Now is the best time to buy wine, Cyril Penn

Americans purchased a record 300 million cases of wine in 2005...Naples bathes in cash...the impact of the economic activity associated with the wine industry on Oregon's economy is more than $1.4 billion...Jekel building sold...Burgundian vintner Denis Mortet fatally shot himself on Jan. 20...

The Cocktailian: Sherry turns pears to pearls, Gary Regan

Recipe:

La Perla

Created by Jacques Bezuidenhout, bar manager at Tres Agaves in San Francisco.

Bargain Wines: Would you, could you, with these 10?, W. Blake Gray

Having accidentally ingested some portion of truly vile so-called "Vampire" wine from Romania in the past, I cannot believe that the Chronicle is advising consumers to purchase not one; but, two, count them, two (ha!ha!ha!ha!) wines from this company. You've been warned.

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, February 09, 2006

Barons of Barossa: Australia's famous big-bodied Shiraz wines are produced by some outsize personalities, Linda Murphy

No worries, because the folks in Tanunda, the largest town in South Australia's Barossa region, love Lehmann for all that he is -- bigger than life, loyal and true, a Barossan through and through. Just like Barossa Shiraz, the region's big, bold and richly flavored -- never shy -- red wine made from grapes also known elsewhere as Syrah. Barossa Shiraz has the softness and warmth that make it more sumptuous than Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and the depth and complexity to satisfy any red-wine drinker.

A fine guide to Aussie wines, Linda Murphy

Pairings: Have a go at a big Aussie Shiraz and some meat stew, mate, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Meat Stew with Mole Flavors

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Barossa Valley Shiraz, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Ireland's Coolea imitates Gouda, Janet Fletcher

Patterned after an aged Dutch Gouda and named for a town near the farm, Coolea (coo-LAY) resembles Boerenkaas and Saenkanter, two popular aged Dutch Goudas. Coolea is a little creamier and not quite as candy-sweet as the Dutch cheeses can be.

Letters to Wine

Wine Business Insider: Rosenblum's winemaker will concentrate on his own label, Cyril Penn

...winemaker Jeff Cohn, is reducing his role at Rosenblum in order to focus on his own label...Fifty-two percent of California wineries had grape overages during the 2005 harvest...Scheid Vineyards Inc. of Salinas announced last week that its board approved a 1-for-5 reverse stock split....Calaveras County's Stevenot Winery has been sold to Paso Robles businessman Jack Munari...Chateau Montrose in Bordeaux's St. Estephe region is up for sale...

Banning substances like alcohol only makes them more desirable, W. Blake Gray

Life's just a bock of chocolate

Bargain Wines: Can you put a price on love? Say, $12?, Leslie Sbrocco

From the new 96 Hours Section

Cheap: Side street fare, Miriam Morgan

Review of Zebulon Restaurant.

Critics Picks: Dining Solo, Amanda Berne

Dining Update: Ebisu, Amanda Berne

Dining Update: La Suite, Michael Bauer

edit - missed critics picks article.

Edited February 11, 2006 by eje (log)

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, February 16, 2006

Acid test: The word 'acidity' makes consumers think 'ouch,' but it's what makes a wine delicious, W. Blake Gray

Let's review: Crisp acidity makes wine smell better, taste better and last longer. It will cleanse the palate during meals and protect wine from microbes.

In short, it's a good thing. So when you hear "acid," don't think about burns, blisters and excessive '60s rock. Think peaches, apples and raspberries. Or best of all, think of a delicious Chardonnay, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, and thank your lucky hydrogen ions.

Americans like sweet, while Europeans like tart, W. Blake Gray

The Cocktailian: Yuzu the voodoo in Ponzu's Sultana, Gary Regan

Recipe:

The Sultana

Adapted from a recipe by Matthew Colling, bar manager of Ponzu in San Francisco.

Wine Business Insider: Harvest exceeds estimates, Cyril Penn

California's 2005 wine grape crush was the largest in state history, exceeding even the state's optimistic estimate issued in October.

Letters to Wine

Bargain Wines: Good French values, Part 2: The importer strikes back, W. Blake Gray

Wine Bargains from Kermit Lynch.

The Cheese Course: Snack on a centuries-old favorite, Janet Fletcher

Apart from the use of pasteurized instead of raw milk, the Montasio made today in northeastern Italy is probably not much different from the cheese made in the region 500 years ago. Authorities claim that the recipe dates from the 13th century. Written records from the 18th century mention Montasio cheese by name.

Pairings: Crispy latkes for crisply acidic Chardonnay, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Potato Latkes with Smoked Trout & Creme Fraiche

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Napa Valley Chardonnay, Linda Murphy

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Yamo, Amanda Berne

Review of Yamo, a Burmese restaurant in the Mission.

CRITICS' PICKS: Meyer lemons, Amanda Berne

"The best places to go to find chefs who love this sweet-tart fruit."

Dining Update: Angele, Michael Bauer

Dining Update: La Vie, Miriam Morgan

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, February 23, 2006

Elegance in a glass: Aged for decades, Cognac ends a meal with style, Richard Carlton Hacker

In fact, it's fascinating how one word can evoke images of crystal snifters, formal dinners, Cuban cigars and crackling fireplaces. And though some may prefer diluting its distinctive flavors with Coca-Cola or mixing them in a Sidecar or Stinger, Cognac remains the ultimate in liquid elegance.

COMMENTARY: At last, there's a wine made for men -- and it's not beer, Linda Murphy

Wine Business Insider: Constellation lays off 65, Cyril Penn

Constellation Brands last week announced a reorganization of its global operations, including personnel cuts in the United States.

Letters to Wine

Spirits: Coffee drinks give 'I'm buzzed' a double meaning, W. Blake Gray

Recipes:

The Coin Diva

Cafe Gates

Pairings: Pinot Noir inspires lamb daydreams, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Shashlyk -- Grilled Lamb Kebab

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Russian River Pinot Noir, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Factories make sheep's milk taste sweet, Janet Fletcher

Made in the region of France known officially as the Aquitaine, but more commonly as the Basque country, Etorki takes its name from the Basque word for origin, or source. Perhaps the cheese's creator wanted to reinforce Etorki's link to this area's long cheesemaking tradition. Although a modern cheese -- it dates from only the late 1970s -- Etorki does show some similarity to Ossau-Iraty, the ancient and more famous sheep's milk cheese of the region. But the differences are even more apparent.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: La Calaca Loca, Carol Ness

Review of La Calaca Loca in Oakland.

CRITICS' PICKS: Finger food

"Digit-lickin' good Bay Area chefs are putting their own spin on finger foods -- and with attitude."

Dining Update: Da Flora, Amanda Berne

Dining Update: Lark Creek Inn, Michael Bauer

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, March 03, 2006

Raising the bar: Scott Beattie of Healdsburg's Cyrus restaurant turns cocktail creation into an extreme sport, Linda Murphy

There are remarkable bartenders/mixologists/bar chefs in San Francisco -- David "Mr. Mojito" Nepove at Enrico's, Jacques Bezuidenhout at Tres Agaves and Harry Denton's Starlight Room, and Duggan McDonnell at Frisson, to name a few. Beattie, 31, demonstrates the same originality, resourcefulness and passion in his potions as his city colleagues, yet with the challenge of being in Wine Country, where the wine list is usually the star of the bar.

Recipes:

Pelo del Perro (Hair of the Dog)

PomIranian

Bleeding Orange

Bargain Wines: Eureka! Ten good Zinfandels and Syrahs for $10 or less, W. Blake Gray

One day, California wine drinkers may look back on 2006 as the end of a golden era, when cheap, delicious Zinfandel was widely available, before it became the state wine.

Letters to Wine

Gentlemen, start your pruning shears

Wine Business Insider: Napa auction nets record cash, Cyril Penn

Premiere Napa Valley brought in more than $1.87 million on Saturday...A report commissioned by the French trade organization Vinexpo predicts wine consumption in Asia will grow by 45.8 percent total between 2000 and 2010...Kunde Estate announced a search for a new winemaker...

Pairings: Salmon swims into a bun for Pinot, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Salmon Burgers

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $30 and Less, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: If you like it rich, try Fromager d'Affinois, Janet Fletcher

Weighing in at about 4.4 pounds, a wheel of Fromager d'Affinois resembles Brie with its bloomy white rind and ivory interior. But the paste is softer and more seductive and the flavor more subdued. Beyond the salt, there's a hint of mushroom, but not a lot more. The rind is edible, but not required eating.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Al Hamra, Olivia Wu

Review of Al Hamra a halal restaurant in the Mission.

CRITICS' PICKS: Dining in the Mission, Amanda Berne

"San Francisco's Mission District might be called the Bay Area's off-Broadway. It’s the place for cutting-edge restaurants to test the waters, but many find the area so welcoming they settle in for the long haul. Here are a few favorites."

Chow Down: Mission for All Tastes, Amanda Berne

Dining Update: Moose's, Michael Bauer

Dining Update: Vik's Chaat Corner, Amanda Berne

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, March 09, 2006

Under the radar: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons get the buzz, but the region's Zinfandels are a hidden treasure, Stephen Yafa

No one appreciates Napa Valley's true grit more than Ehren Jordan, who's been making Napa Zins for Turley Wine Cellars in St. Helena since 1995. His intensely concentrated, hedonistic wines like Turley's Hayne Vineyard Zinfandel often sell out in weeks and typically fetch hundreds of dollars at auction.

Books: Tales of a winery and a wine writer, Linda Murphy

Books released this month by two highly respected British journalists have vastly different focal points: Nicholas Faith drills down to the finest of details on Chateau Margaux, one of the world's greatest wineries, and Hugh Johnson counters with an expansive memoir on his 40-plus years as a wine writer and author -- including his tastings of Margaux.

Letters to Wine

BENEFITS: Taste some wine to help Junior Achievers

Bargain Wines: Zippy wines enliven rainy nights, Leslie Sbrocco

Spirits: Errors precede a nutty success, Gary Regan

Recipes:

Cristina

Bella Noce

Pairings: Spaghettini and vino -- that's amore, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Spaghettini with Walnut Pesto

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Italian Whites, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Spanish dairy coats cheese in rosemary for American palates, Janet Fletcher

The 50-year-old dairy that makes it is based in La Mancha in central Spain and specializes in the most famous cheese of the region, Manchego. But the company also makes some goat cheeses and last year decided to introduce a rosemary-coated version, perhaps inspired by its own Oveja al Romero, a sheep's milk cheese perfumed with rosemary.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Jake's Steaks, Amanda Gold

CRITICS' PICKS: Signature Dishes, Amanda Berne

"A signature dish showcases the chef’s skill and talent, but all too often, it becomes so popular that it can’t be taken off the menu."

Dining Update: Zazu, Michael Bauer

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, March 16, 2006

Cheese and sherry marry: Dairy's wine-defying flavors find soul mates in Spanish sherries, Janet Fletcher

Spanning the spectrum from bone-dry to caramel-sweet, Spanish sherries may be the world's greatest cheese wines. That's my theory, anyway, and I've been accumulating evidence for years, long before I began writing The Chronicle's weekly Cheese Course column more than three years ago.

Recommended sherries

"These tasting notes come from Chronicle contributor Doug Frost, a Master Sommelier and Master of Wine based in Kansas City, Mo."

Commentary: Coppola in Sonoma: There goes the neighborhood, Linda Murphy

On March 1, Coppola took possession of Chateau Souverain in Geyserville, which he purchased from Foster's Wine Estates in November 2005. He renamed it Francis Coppola Winery and is expected to produce his Diamond Collection and Francis Coppola Presents wines there, plus operate the existing restaurant and tasting room.

Letters to Wine

Pairings: Hunter's-style braised chicken thighs draw sighs with fruity, earthy Merlot, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Chicken alla Cacciatora

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Sonoma County Merlot, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Cotija puts the accent on Mexican foods, Janet Fletcher

Cotija (ko-TEE-hah), a firm and crumbly cow's milk cheese named for a Michoacan town, adds a tangy saltiness to dishes when grated over them. Black beans, enchiladas, tostadas and other classic Mexican dishes would be bereft without a generous snowy shower of queso Cotija on top.

Books: A Goode wi-sci read for the rest of us, W. Blake Gray

That said, if you're interested in topics like how global warming might affect wine, or how the brain makes sense of wine's flavors, you will like this easy-to-follow book by British wine writer Jamie Goode, published by University of California Press (216 pages, $34.95).

Wine Business Insider: Wineries sued over lead glassware, Cyril Penn

Dozens of California wineries are now among the hundreds of businesses that have been hit with lawsuits relating to lead in stemware...As the Senate Judiciary Committee debate began this week on a draft immigration bill, California Association of Winegrape Growers Chairman Rodney Schatz urged members to contact Senator Dianne Feinstein...As expected, the trade agreement between the European Union and the United States on key provisions of wine trade talks that began in 1983 was signed this week...Willibald (Willy) Frank, proprietor of Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars and sparkling wine firm, Chateau Frank, in Hammondsport, New York, died March 7 in Naples, Fla. at the age of 80...Merryvale Vineyards of St. Helena announced that Steve Test has resigned...Hall Winery in St. Helena named Richard Batchelor as winemaker...Lambert Bridge Winery in Healdsburg announced the appointments of Jill Davis as winemaker and Mitch Firestone-Gillis as associate winemaker...

Benefits: Drink wine for a good cause at these charity events

The Cocktailian: A Scotsman named Harry finds the road to Tipperary, Gary Regan

Recipe

Tipperary

Bargain Wines: 'Volvo' vino: Boxy, but good W. Blake Gray

96 Hours

11 Things: Green Drinks, Tim Sullivan

Bargain Bite: Atlas Cafe, Laura Compton

CRITICS' PICKS: Feeling offal?, Amanda Berne

"The whole animal We're not talking about your mother's liver-and- onion sauté, but rather a recent push by Bay Area chefs to use the whole animal -- offal, or innards and extremities -- on menus. Liver, kidney, sweetbreads and trotters are examples of the full-flavored and surprisingly versatile parts that are popping up on French, Italian, Chinese and Californian menus."

Dining Update: Marche, Michael Bauer

Dining Update: A Tavola, Miriam Morgan

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, March 23, 2006

Gold Country's rockin' Rhones, Tim Teichgraeber

Winemakers turn out French-style varietals in the Sierra foothills

THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS, Linda Murphy

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon under $50

Carnivores, rejoice: Napa Cabernets cry for meat, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Glazed Short Ribs

The perfect cheese for a fern bar, Janet Fletcher

Named for the dried fern that graces its surface, Fougerus (foo-zheh-ROO) is a Brie-style cheese created in the 1960s by Robert Rouzaire.

Wine grapes turn into vodka, Stacy Finz

The vodka's grapes, which include French Colombard and Chardonnay, come from the Central Valley, says master distiller Tom Vitali, of O'Neil Vintners and Distillers in Reedley. The distillery was built in 1890 to make brandy. About three years ago they began experimenting with vodka by doing test runs of Roth.

A vintage collection of Gourmet essays, Linda Murphy

In "History in a Glass: Sixty Years of Wine Writing from Gourmet" (Modern Library, 374 pages, $24.95), Gourmet editor in chief Ruth Reichl shares her 43 favorite wine columns from the magazine -- a mix of eclectic pieces by literary icons and keen analyses by wine experts whose perspectives ring true today."

Cakebread wins popularity contest, Cyril Penn

"Rutherford's Cakebread Cellars was named the most popular wine brand in America's top restaurants by Wine & Spirits magazine."

Ride a bike and picnic for charity.

Brand names to remember, Leslie Sbrocco

"Often the most difficult thing about buying wine is remembering what you drank...If you jot down the names of the following four producers, you won't need to remember much more."

Oakville's Screaming Eagle Winery sold, W. Blake Gray

96 Hours

Restaurant Roundup

"Here are recaps of restaurants our food critics have reviewed in the past."

Bargain Bite: Lao-Thai Kitchen, Karola Saekel

CRITICS' PICKS: Talking Tofu

"Versatile tofu has long been used in Asian cultures, but savvy Bay Area chefs are now using it on Western menus to offer their vegetarian and vegan diners a high-protein dish."

Tofu grows up, Amanda Berne

"Tofu, or soybean curd, comes in various levels of texture -- from soft and custardy to firm and sliceable -- making it easy to use for everything from appetizers to entrees or desserts."

Dining Update: Frisson, Michael Bauer

Dining Update: Don Pico's, Miriam Morgan

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, March 30, 2006

New Zealand, A to Z: Here are 26 things you need to know about uber-cool Kiwi wine country, Linda Murphy

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- In 2005, New Zealand welcomed its 516th winery, planted its 49,000th acre of wine grapes and sold 11.5 million cases of wine worldwide. For a country about the size of Oregon and with a population of just 4 million, that's huge.

The Cocktailian: Tea time gets a new, fruity kick, Gary Regan

Recipe

Mamere

Adapted from a recipe by Kieran Walsh, bar manager at Solstice Lounge in San Francisco.

Wine Business Insider: Three grapes dominate sales, Cyril Penn

Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon still rule the U.S. market...Spain frowns on screw caps...Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery's longtime director of winemaking George Bursick is leaving...

Brewing behemoth sneaks into organics, Carol Ness

Anheuser-Busch, whose empire is built on Bud and Bud Light, is test-marketing its first organic beer in the North Bay, Santa Barbara and six other smallish cities around the country.

Scorers rule Wild Hop an error, Carol Ness

Whole Foods is the kind of store Anheuser-Busch hopes will sell Wild Hop.

But after the tasting, Kayvan said, "Not in my store."

Pairings: Dress salad in citrus for Sauvignon Blanc, Joyce Goldstein

Recipe:

Blood Orange & Fennel Salad

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Mellow, yes, but Ewe's Blue stands out in the flock, Janet Fletcher

Ewe's Blue from the Old Chatham Sheepherding Company debuted about five years ago and garnered attention as the only sheep's milk blue cheese in the country. I tasted it then and liked it, but it soon vanished from the market. Now it's back and as good as I remember, although its story line has changed.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Delessio Market & Bakery, Amanda Berne

CRITICS' PICKS: Bitter? Absolutely., Amanda Berne

"When it's still too early for those tender, fragile greens of spring and summer, heartier, sharper greens fill the bill. Their assertiveness can be tempered by slow cooking, and they pair well with fruit. Here are some places that make creative use of greens."

Dining Update: Globe, Michael Bauer

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, April 06, 2006

Taming of the screw: Diners and restaurateurs alike are confounded by corkage fees, Amanda Gold

"I just don't understand what the whole fuss is about," Stoll says. "We're working really hard at putting our wine program together. It's our package, our vision. The program is part of the restaurant, like a painting on the wall or the food on your plate. I don't understand why people feel so entitled to bring their own."

Grape growers fret about persistent rain, W. Blake Gray

The time to start worrying about the impact this rainy spring may have on Northern California grapevines is rapidly approaching.

Fetzer closes hospitality center, W. Blake Gray

Mendocino County lost perhaps its biggest-name draw for wine tasters last week, when Fetzer Vineyards' Valley Oaks Hospitality Center just east of Hopland abruptly closed to the public.

Wine Business Insider: Without hostility, Constellation buys Vincor, Cyril Penn

Five drinks that bartenders just hate to make, Bianca Antonacci

And it's a good thing bartending is a second career for you!?

Bargain Wines: Thirsting for a twist? Try screw caps, Leslie Sbrocco

Pairings: Market fever dreams inspire dish, years later, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Stuffed Pasta Shells

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Under $50, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Savor Manchego's nutty cousin, Janet Fletcher

If you like Manchego, Spain's most famous sheep's milk cheese, you will love Zamorano, a close cousin from the province of Zamora, northwest of Madrid.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Aux Delices, Tara Duggan

CRITICS' PICKS: Gourmet Ghetto, Amanda Berne

"Foodie Central: The Berkeley neighborhood along Shattuck Avenue between Rose and Virginia is known as the Gourmet Ghetto for its concentration of great eating. Here's a selection of restaurants."

Dining Update: John Bentley's, Miriam Morgan

Dining Update: Cortez, Michael Bauer

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, April 13, 2006

The Great Quake 1906-2006: A new Wine Country rose from the ruins, W. Blake Gray

Although few if any grapes were grown in San Francisco, 100 years ago, the city was the undisputed capital of California's wine industry; it was to wine what Hollywood is now to the movie industry -- the storage, marketing and business headquarters, even if production was often done elsewhere.

The quake changed that forever. With their headquarters and most of their wine destroyed, wineries moved their operations closer to the grapes, and thus what we now think of as Wine Country was also changed forever.

The Great Quake 1906-2006: A brand renewed, W. Blake Gray

On April 18, 1906, Gundlach Bundschu was a huge winery that cranked out 250,000 cases of wine a year from its San Francisco headquarters. Within three days, that building and its stores of wine were gone.

Letters to Wine: Corkage fees annoy readers

Pairings: Asian salad's fine flavors and texture aren't lost in translation, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Avocado & Tofu Salad

The Cheese Course: Old methods endure in Lancashire, Janet Fletcher

Kirkham's Lancashire, known in some circles as Mrs. Kirkham's Lancashire, is now produced by Ruth Kirkham's son Graham, a fourth-generation cheesemaker. Ruth Kirkham rebelled against the industrial processes that neighboring producers succumbed to. She refused to wax her cheeses, as supermarkets requested, knowing that a wax coating would deprive the wheels of air and virtually halt their maturation. Supermarkets like waxed wheels because they don't develop scary-looking molds on their rinds and don't lose moisture. When cheese is sold by the pound, moisture loss means profit loss.

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Miscellaneous California White Wines, Linda Murphy

The Great Quake 1906-2006: Liquid smoke?, W. Blake Gray

The Cocktailian: A homegrown martini for shaky times, or shaky cities, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Trembling Martini

Adapted from a recipe created by Steven Izzo, beverage manager at One Market, San Francisco.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Sofrito, Carol Ness

CRITICS' PICKS: Surf & Turf, Amanda Berne

"What steakhouse menu didn't have surf 'n' turf at one point in its existence? The Basques and Greeks were the first to realize that land and sea combinations could go beyond a hunk of meat, and often stuff squid with sausage to be tossed on the grill. Now, Bay Area chefs are snubbing the typical lobster and filet mignon for more creative options, including skate, pork belly, foie gras and squid."

Restaurant Roundup: STAY NOURISHED IN STYLE

Dining Update: Acme Chophouse, Michael Bauer

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, April 20, 2006

Body heat: Rising alcohol levels change wines' taste, W. Blake Gray

In the 1970s, red wines under 12 percent alcohol by volume were common. Today, even white wines are rarely that low in alcohol. Zinfandels higher than 16 percent are no longer outliers. And the expected "standard" level for varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir has crept from below 13 percent a couple decades ago to over 14 percent today.

Shh ... vintners turn down the heat, quietly, W. Blake Gray

"Sometimes the CEO will discover just before bottling, when the winemaker's not around, that the Chardonnay is at 14.06 percent alcohol," Smith says. "They'll have to pay a quarter of a million dollars more in taxes. But what if the wine is at its sweet spot at 14.06? They'll cost themselves a lot more by making an untuned wine."

Booze may be boosted by vines' roots, W. Blake Gray

The question nobody bothered to ask until recently is: Do some rootstocks inherently produce higher-alcohol wines? Apparently, the answer is yes.

Letters to Wine: Bartenders, customers speak out

Wine Business Insider: Wines under $6 still account for most sales, Cyril Penn

...sales of wines $6 and above are seeing the strongest growth rates...Half of North American wineries polled by Wine Business Monthly said they charge a tasting fee, with average fees between $3 and $6...David Stare, who founded Dry Creek Vineyard in 1972, will step down from his role as president of the winery next month...Bob Schiebelhut, principal at Tolosa Winery in San Luis Obispo, announced that Larry Brooks has been appointed senior winemaker...Tim Bell has been named director of winemaking operations at Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards...

Bargain Wines: Think inside the box for inexpensive Merlots, W. Blake Gray

Pairings: Roll up a complete meal, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Beef with Chard & Couscous

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Washington state Merlot $20 and more, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Raw milk and longer aging create a new reserve level, Janet Fletcher

About four years ago, Sonoma County's Bellwether Farms began experimenting with a raw-milk version of its popular Carmody cow's milk cheese. Every year, cheesemaker Liam Callahan has made a little more, and a little more, and now he is producing about 40 wheels of raw-milk Carmody a week, in addition to the pasteurized-milk version.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Cafe Organic Lettus, Amanda Gold

CRITICS' PICKS: Rascally Rabbit

"Rabbit is popular in many cultures, but Americans often deem it "too cute" to eat. That's about to change."

Dining Update: Garibaldis on College, Miriam Morgan

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, April 27, 2006

Spring White Sale, W. Blake Gray

Although spring is taking its sweet time to unfold, our wine cravings have turned from the deep, warming reds of winter to racy, refreshing white wines. Fragrant as a field of flowers, juicy as a ripe peach and crisp as a starched white shirt, springtime white wines are typically lighter in body and lower in alcohol than Chardonnay, complement everything from picnic potato salad to Pacific Rim cuisine, and sell for $15 or less. They're easy-to-drink wines at easy-to-swallow prices.

How do I love thee? Let me count the sips, W. Blake Gray

My heartbeat races when I imagine my love's taste. Ah, these lips she kissed -- it was bliss, our time together. But then she was gone, too soon.

Celebrate unusual varieties, Linda Murphy

When Susan Sokol Blosser's Oregon vineyard gave her Muller-Thurgau, Muscat Canelli, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sylvaner and Chardonnay, she made Evolution No. 9, a snappy white wine comprised of those eight grape types plus a splash of Semillon.

Wines for hot dogs and other foods of spring, Lynne Char Bennett

Wine Business Insider: Costco wins key ruling, Cyril Penn

...U.S. District Court judge Marsha Pechman issued a ruling last week that strikes down many liquor control board policies in Washington state...ACNielsen reported this week that sales of wines in screw caps and boxes are up more than 50 percent...California state Sen. Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata) is sponsoring a new bill that would prohibit wineries from using the names of certain counties on their labels if the wines weren't made with grapes from those counties...

Letters to Wine: A conspiracy theory about high-alcohol wines

The Cocktailian: Pomegranate liqueur juices Shanghai Tea, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Shanghai Tea

Adapted from a recipe created by Evelyn Hsu for Peacock Alley, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York.

Home winemaking made easy, Tim Caputo

Bargain Wines: Think inside the box for inexpensive Merlots, W. Blake Gray

Pairings: Spring vegetable salad plays nicely with Sauvignon Blanc, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Shrimp & Vegetable Salad

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Dutch-made Parrano leaves a sweet impression, Janet Fletcher

Parrano, an aged Gouda-style Dutch cheese, has enjoyed double-digit sales growth in the United States every year for the past decade. That's impressive and perhaps an indication of the kind of cheese that appeals to Americans, although sales had nowhere to go but up.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Todam Tofu House, Tara Duggan

CRITICS' PICKS: Outdoor Dining

"Spring is in the air -- finally -- and it's time to gather friends and go outside. Of course, if you are a nine-to-fiver, that may mean after hours. At least there are plenty of Bay Area restaurants with patios and decks, or windows that allow the fresh spring breeze to come through."

Dining Update: Blowfish Sushi to Die For, Bill Addison

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, May 04, 2006

THE FACES OF ORGANIC: Many vines; few wines, Janet Fletcher

Search retail shelves and you may find a few wines made from organically grown grapes, but few if any certified organic wines. Since the USDA debuted its National Organic Program in 2002, which sets standards for organic wine, among other foods, only a handful of wineries have proved they meet the criteria to put the words "organic wine" on the label.

THE FACES OF ORGANIC: Glossary: Parsing the meaning of farming terms, Janet Fletcher

THE FACES OF ORGANIC: Wooly workers: Sheep help tend the vines, Heather Irwin

Pairings: Even Miles might drink Merlot with this lamb pilaf, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Lamb Pilaf

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Washington Merlot less than $20, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: Only sometimes does Castelmagno get the blues, Janet Fletcher

One of the most intriguing cheeses from Italy's Piedmont region is surely Castelmagno (cah-stel-MAHN-yo), a sporadically blue cheese with a peculiar crumbly texture. The Italians classify Castelmagno as an erborinato cheese, meaning that it has blue veins, but the truth is that sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

Wine Business Insider: Vintage labeling standards loosened, Cyril Penn

...The vintage date on some U.S. wine bottles will have less meaning in the future, thanks to a new federal regulation passed this week...Screw caps gaining ground...SF State plays matchmaker...Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger applauded California's vintners and winegrape growers for their economic contributions and "steadfast commitment to the highest standards of excellence" by issuing an official proclamation designating September 2006 as "California Wine Month."...Kimberly Brock, who was most recently with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), is the new communications manager for Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, Inc...

Letters to Wine: Trumpeters spit with better accuracy

Bargain Wines: Dashiell Hammett's ghost possesses good values, W. Blake Gray

Really, the thin man was drinking martinis not wine...

World View: Giant 'teabags' of oak chips now legal in Europe, Jancis Robinson

Book Review: A buffet of recipes provides 101 ways to waste away again, Linda Murphy

Write up of, "101 Margaritas" (John Wiley & Sons, 128 pages, $15.95).

Recipes:

Classic Margarita

Avocado-Cilantro Margarita

Chipotle beer heats up Cinco de Mayo, Linda Murphy

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Talavera Cafe, Karola Saekel

CRITICS' PICKS: Risotto

"At restaurants, good risotto is even harder to find. It doesn't reheat well, so it must be made at the last minute. It's a great flavor carrier, making it an ideal choice to show off expensive ingredients like saffron or truffles."

Dining Update: Palio d'Asti, Bill Addison

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, May 11, 2006

SOMMELIER SECRETS: How to tame the terror of ordering wine at a posh restaurant, Stephen Yafa

What to do? For any of us who have been there, lost at sea in an oceanic wine list and desperate for a captain who won't treat us like a lowly deck swab, there ought to be a primer on how to befriend a sommelier to sail us safely to port with a smile on our face and a delicious wine in our glass.

How a wine gets on the short list, Stephen Yafa

The Cocktailian: This martini rocks, Gary Regan

Receipt:

Austrian Martini

Books: Sake guru pours expertise into guide, W. Blake Gray

"Sake: A Modern Guide", Chronicle Books, 120 pages, $18.95

Recipe:

Fettuccine with Shiitake Mushrooms & Pancetta

Letters to Wine: Organic confusion cleared up

Wine Business Insider: Bronco is still in Napa with another kind of Ridge, Cyril Penn

California wine producer Bronco Wine Co. is scheduled to announce the launch of a new brand next week...Australian wineries face continuing massive losses unless they move now to address structural and distribution issues to adapt to the changing marketplace...Andy Beckstoffer was named "Grower of the Year" last month by Napa Valley Grapegrowers...The Sonoma County Grape Growers Association is presenting Duff Bevill of Bevill Family Vineyards and Bevill Vineyard Management with its 2006 Viticulture Award of Excellence...

Benefit: Roundup for Livermore auction

Pairings: Drink pink wine for Mother's Day, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Croque Mom-sieur

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Imported Rosé, Linda Murphy

The Cheese Course: From dull to superb in three months, Janet Fletcher

Silver Mountain is a 12- to 14-pound cylinder that Boersma invented when he found some old hoops used for shaping Stilton. He describes the cheese as a cross between an English Cheddar and French Cantal, but I find it closer to the former. He follows some Cheddar methods, including milling the curd (akin to putting it through a grinder), but he departs from the recipe, too.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Uncle Frank's BBQ Restaurant and Catering, Miriam Morgan

CRITICS' PICKS: Fried chicken, Amanda Berne

"Restaurants around the Bay Area are putting their best wing forward with their versions, which in true California style can mean garam masala-spiced chicken at Foreign Cinema, or Amish fried chicken at the bar at Michael Mina."

Dining Update: Florio, Michael Bauer

Dining Update: Station House, Miriam Morgan