Digest San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, October 16, 2007

The wine industry looks at alternatives to barrels that mimic the flavor of oak casks for less, Derrick Schneider

But if you like oak character and relatively inexpensive wines, your nightly beverage probably didn't carry on that tradition. Modern wineries have started to oust barrels from their throne. Barrel alternatives - staves, chips and dust tossed into stainless steel tanks with the wine - have gained ground in cellars by offering winemakers new opportunities, mimicking the best aspects of casks and giving customers the oak-influenced flavor profile they want. Even some Bordeaux winemakers use them, though the French government will soon ban alternatives for wines bearing the famous region's name.

Letters to Wine: Mule gets a kick from lost ingredient

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Scaring up Halloween cocktails, Camper English
  
• To cork or not to cork?, Victoria McGinley
  
• A nose-friendly wineglass, Derrick Schneider
  
• Oregon loosen up wine-naming laws, Cyril Penn
  
• San Francisco wine store and wine bar openings, Jane Tunks
  
• In Our Glasses
  

World View: Drink globally to ward off 'cellar palate', Jancis Robinson

In some ways it's good that we wine tasters adapt to local conditions. In California I find I sometimes need to filter out the smell of some sort of wood, widely used in West Coast houses and winery buildings, that smells completely unfamiliar to me and yet I'm sure you locals never notice it. When tasting in Burgundy we need to get used to the gloom of a typical Cote d'Or cellar. In Bordeaux it's useful to be able to navigate the courtly defenses around each chateau while in much of Australia it's essential to be able to taste in relatively high temperatures.

The Cheese Course: Serpa, a Portuguese cheese from French sheep, Janet Fletcher

A Portuguese sheep's milk cheese that surfaces in Bay Area shops only rarely, Serpa is well worth picking up when you spot it. It comes from the Alentejo region in the southeastern part of the country, an area blanketed with the cork oaks that yield the closures for many of the world's wines. The traditional sheep in the region was the merino, famed for its wool, but many farmers have switched to the Lacaune - a French breed that provides the milk for Roquefort - because it is a better producer.

Cocktailian: The classic sidecar cocktail recipe is updated, Gary Regan

Eric isn't preparing a traditional sidecar for Sam, though. Unbeknownst to her, he's making a Tuscan sidecar, created by Jon Connors, the head bartender at Country restaurant in New York. Instead of using Cointreau, an orange-flavored liqueur, Jon calls for Faretti Biscotti Famosi, a new liqueur from Italy that does a great job of capturing the flavors of biscotti and offers nutty notes with hints of fennel, caramel, lemon zest and oranges.

Recipes:

Tuscan sidecar

Adapted from a recipe by Jon Connors, head bartender at Country restaurant, New York.

Tasting Room: The two sides of Napa Valley's Clos du Val, Carol Ness

Set in the heart of in Napa Valley's Stags Leap District, Clos du Val was founded in 1970 by an American businessman and a French winemaker. The mission: to bring France's sophistication about wines to prime California Cabernet country.

Uncorked: Retired judge Scott Snowden is the arbiter of fine wine and more, Stacy Finz

Scott Snowden, a former Napa County Superior Court Judge, mixes his love of the law with a family tradition - wine. In 1955, his parents purchased a ranch between Rutherford and St. Helena in the Napa Valley and grew Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that they sold to local wineries.

Pairings: Five-spice baby back ribs to pair with Washington state Syrah, Tara Duggan

The Syrahs' black pepper and brown spice notes coalesce with the five-spice powder in the sauce that lightly glazes the ribs. The acidity in the marinade and sauce, both from Shaoxing rice wine and vinegar, suits the acidity of the wines. And the wines' minimal to moderate tannins and smoky, almost bacony nuances are indisputably suited to pork.

Recipes:

Five-Spice Baby Back Ribs

Chronicle Wine Selections: Washington state Syrah and Rhone-style blends, Lynn Char Bennett

96 Hours

Bar Bites: Nickies, Jane Tunks

"Nickies The name on the sign may be the same, but the new Nickies on Haight Street is nothing like the divey dance hall of your hazy, smoke-filled memories. The interior of the late-night haunt has been gutted by new owners Noel Morgan and Shay Lyon. Open since June, the revamped Nickies includes a mahogany bar, comfy padded banquettes and, most important, an Americana-fueled menu to soak up that alcohol."

Bargain Bite: Katana-ya, Cindy Lee

"Katana-ya You don't have to go to Japantown for home-style Japanese food. Just shy of Union Square, Katana-ya is a good spot for a soothing bowl of ramen, fresh sushi or savory don buri (rice bowl). The small entrance is easy to miss on busy Geary Street, but walk in and you find a cozy Japanese noodle shop complete with a five-person sushi bar and a fairly extensive menu."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, October 16, 2007

Music to drink wine by: Vintner insists music can change wine's flavors, W. Blake Gray

Which goes better with a fine Napa Valley Cabernet: Mozart or Metallica?  Until recently, I would have said "Mozart, of course." But I have since had a life-changing experience: I paid attention to the latest theory from wine industry provocateur Clark Smith. Now I may never taste wine and listen to music the same way again. Beware: If you read this article, the same thing may happen to you.

'Enter Sandman' with Cab? Road testing Smith's theories, W. Blake Gray

Don't believe it? Try this at home. Invite some friends over. Open three bottles of different wines. Play some wildly different styles of music. See if you're not convinced, like the night my friends and I found that Metallica's "Enter Sandman" really did diminish the herbaceousness and lengthen the finish of a 2003 St. Francis Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. Thank you, lead singer James Hetfield - your snarl goes with Cab like raw meat. (Who could have expected otherwise?)

New Zealand's aromatic whites, Jim Clarke

The Jug Shop in San Francisco sells a lot of Kiwi wines; they typically stock four to six labels each of New Zealand Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. Buyer Chuck Hayward says that some of them are only imported in small quantities and develop a "cult status" with their customers, selling out quickly upon arrival. A small, devoted part of his customer base even gets worked up about New Zealand Gewurztraminer, and Hayward finds himself siding with them: "Marlborough is fantastic for Gewurz. The wines can be mind-blowing, a little riper, with more mouthfeel and more aromatics."

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Pumpkin pie, just like Mom used to drink, Camper English
  
• Georges Duboeuf: The man, the myth, Jon Bonné
  
• BART-hopping for artisan brews, Madelyn Feldman
  
• Tiki bar crawl, Camper English
  
• In Our Glasses
  

Beer: Fresh hop brews now on tap, Jay R. Brooks

Celebrating harvest is nothing new, but lately brewers have discovered a novel way to reconnect their beer to the land from which its ingredients grow: by adding freshly picked hops to the brew kettle, usually within 24 hours of harvesting. These beers are known as fresh hop beers, wet hop beers, harvest ales or "Lupulin Nouveau," in a nod to Beaujolais Nouveau wine and to lupulin, the sticky, fragrant yellow powder that clings to hop flowers.

Letters to Wine: Hair of the wolf

The Cheese Course: French goat's milk Bucherondin perfect for the holiday table, Janet Fletcher

Bucherondin (boosh-rohn-din) comes from Sevre et Belle, a large, century-old dairy cooperative in the Poitou-Charentes region. This area of western France produces 80 percent of the country's goat cheese, including the AOC (appellation d'origine controlee, or name-protected) goat cheeses of Sainte-Maure de Touraine and Chabichou de Poitou. Bucherondin is a less distinguished but likable relative. Don't confuse it with Bucheron, a similar but smaller cheese made by a much larger dairy; in my experience, Bucherondin is superior.

Pairings: Turkish lamb is fit company for Napa Cabernet, Joyce Goldstein

Yakut may be a world away from Napa Cabernet, but the richness of Napa Cab also commends itself to Turkey's hearty meat dishes. After tasting some of the 2004 Napa Valley Cabernets from The Chronicle Wine Selections this week, I wanted to prepare a rich and distinctive dish with lamb instead of the usual beef. This Turkish lamb dish is a specialty of southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border, although the dish is Syrian in origin.

Recipes:

Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Lamb & Walnut Kofte

Chronicle Wine Selections: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon More Than $50, Lynn Char Bennett

96 Hours

Bar Bites: Yoshi's at Jack London Square, Tara Duggan

"Though its soon-to-be-unveiled San Francisco sister is getting all the attention these days, let's not forget the original: Yoshi's in Oakland. Yoshi's first opened as a tiny sushi bar in North Berkeley in 1973 and moved to Claremont Avenue in Oakland a few years later, where it began to host live music. It eventually became one of the Bay Area's premier jazz clubs, and in 1997 moved to its current location in Jack London Square. Many people arrive an hour or two before the 8 p.m. show, reserve their seat in the jazz club, then sit down to dinner in the large, airy restaurant, either at the long sushi bar or at a sunken table. There's also a lounge and cocktail bar."

Bargain Bite: The Grove Cafe, Laura Compton

"The best coffeehouses can become neighborhood institutions, as is the case with the Grove in the Marina district. This corner spot, which opened in 1994, draws a wide-ranging clientele with its friendly counter service and funky urban ambience. If the rough plank floors, wall-length pews and mismatched chairs don't tip you off to the coffeehouse vibe, the laptop-toting patrons - even during breakfast - certainly will. Yet there are just as many parents and couples enjoying the indoor and outdoor seating."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, November 09, 2007

Not your parents' tasting room, Janine DeFao

Kuo is not alone. Wineries say they are seeing more and more children in their tasting rooms, and an increasing number are catering to the sippy-cup crowd, whether offering crayons with their Cabernets or Popsicles with their Pinot Noirs. From aviaries to farm animals and aerial trams to tractor-pulled ones, many Wine Country spots offer diversions that can delight those a decade or two shy of drinking age while their parents enjoy a few sips.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Raise a fork and a pint, W. Blake Gray
  
• First look: Franklin Square Wine Bar in Oakland, Carol Ness
  
• Vintage wine advice, Jon Bonné
  
• IN OUR GLASSES
  

The Cheese Course: From Mt. Tam to Indiana, Janet Fletcher

It's always a thrill to me to find a new American cheese on a par with comparable cheeses from Europe. Most American cheesemakers, understandably, have a learning curve, and the Europeans are a few centuries ahead. But Fons Smits, cheesemaker for the new Traders Point Creamery in Indiana, grew up in the Netherlands in dairy country and has all the relevant academic credentials for cheesemaking. During a stint in California, he helped Cowgirl Creamery create Mt. Tam, its popular aged cow's milk cheese. Now, at Traders Point, an organic dairy in Zionsville, near Indianapolis, he has another success to his credit: the raw-milk Fleur de la Terre.

Uncorked: A daughter carries on the tradition of Italian winemaking family, Janet Fletcher

The children of all famous winemakers try to downplay their family names. No such luck for Gaia Gaja, whose father Angelo defied tradition in 1979 by planting Chardonnay on the slopes of the Piedmontese town of Treiso, a region devoted to its beloved Nebbiolo grape, then naming the wine Gaia & Rey - after his young daughter and his grandmother, Clotilde Rey.

Letters to Wine: Sounding off on 'Music to drink wine by'

Books: New books dedicated to old drinks, Camper English

Many drink books published today are the "Behind the Music" of cocktails, telling the stories of the book authors and recipe histories rather than inventing a slew of new libations..."Imbibe!" by Esquire writer David Wondrich (Perigee Trade, $24) is an investigation into the first known cocktail recipe book, Jerry Thomas' "How to Mix Drinks" from 1862...Eric Felten's "How's Your Drink? Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well" (Agate Surrey, $20; release date Nov. 28) is written in the breezy tone that defines his James Beard Award-winning column of the same name in the Wall Street Journal.

Spirits: Bartenders shake and stir their way through cocktail history, Camper English

Because of their proximity to sticky liquids, well-used cocktail books often don't hold up over time, which may be why vintage cocktail books from the 1860s through the 1940s are rare and highly collectible...These books hold more value than the recipes inside or their resale value, however. Modern cocktail enthusiasts use them to rediscover how and what people were drinking when the books were written, what bar life was like in the beginning of the last century, and the history of bartending as a profession.

Pairings: 'Tis the season for showstopping beef Wellington, Sarah Fritsche

In this version, we've kept the duxelles, which offer an earthiness that meshes nicely with Cabernet. Replacing the pate de foie gras is blue cheese, a natural partner for both beef and Cabernet. Since the focus is on Napa Cabs, we chose locally made Point Reyes blue cheese. Point Reyes' lusciously smooth balance of creamy, salty and sweet works excellently with the other ingredients. The fat in the cheese, as well as the puff pastry, also helps soften the tannins of the wine.

Recipes:

Beef Wellington with Currant-Dijon Sauce

Chronicle Wine Selections: Cabernet Sauvignon Over $50 - Napa Valley Subappellations, Lynn Char Bennett

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Mekong, Victoria McGinley

"Crazy as it sounds, students at San Francisco's California Culinary Academy can tire of what's prepared and served in daily classes. During my time there, a few classmates and I were lucky enough to discover Mekong, a jewel among the Tenderloin's many Thai restaurants. Its tranquil atmosphere and beautifully displayed painted Asian fans are the perfect remedy after a day on your feet or a day at the office."

Bar Bites: Starlight Wine Bar & Restaurant, Jon Bonné

"The sense of drama as you step through the door of the refashioned 1949 Pullman railway car in this Sebastopol haunt is no accident. Owners Ted and Heather Van Doorn met while working on the set of "Titanic" - he ran the paint department, detailing ship models; she worked motion-control cameras. They've meticulously refurbished the Southern Pacific lounge car, down to the harvest murals hand-painted by Ted's mother that line the ceiling. Chef Thaddeus Palmese, Ted's cousin, honed his cooking chops under Dallas chef Stephan Pyles and worked his way through such New Orleans venues as Emeril Lagasse's Delmonico before opening his own 201 Restaurant and Bar, which closed after Hurricane Katrina."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, November 16, 2007

Sonoma's laid-back look, John King

Sonoma County's wine culture prides itself on being more relaxed than nearby Napa Valley, more rooted in place - which might explain why the architecture of local wineries is more down-to-earth as well....Even so, a tour through agricultural Sonoma includes architectural treats as well as sublime grape juice. Some wineries deserve exploration for their historical significance, while others tie buildings into the landscape with understated grace. As for the theme parks, a few are so meticulously preposterous that they're worth checking out.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Give thanks for beer and turkey, Camper English
  
• Americans grab a piece of Hermitage, Jon Bonné
  
• IN OUR GLASSES
  

Wine Harvest: 2007 harvest wraps up, Lynne Char Bennett

This year's decreased crop size reflects weather vagaries as well as vine fatigue following the higher-than-normal 2005 and 2006 harvest yields...Generally, yields were down 15 to 40 percent but with very good to excellent grape quality due to increased cluster count and smaller berry size, which means greater skin to juice ratio.

Cocktailian: Tired of Margarita? It's time to meet Rosita, Gary Regan

Rosita is a beautiful cocktail that was introduced to me by a fellow cocktail geek a couple of years ago. At the time, we were playing around with the versatility of Tequila, trying to come up with drinks that strayed from the margarita path. Rosita runs along Negroni lines, calling for Tequila, two styles of vermouth, Campari and one solitary dash of Angostura bitters. My right hand has to be physically restrained by my left hand when I make a Rosita. It's unaccustomed to adding just one dash of bitters to any drink.

Recipes:

Rosita

Tasting Room: Grounded in cult-wine country, Jane Tunks

With a location smack-dab in the middle of the Silverado Trail, Miner Family Vineyards is a convenient place to stop during just about any trip to Napa...Despite its name, Miner Family Vineyards doesn't, in fact, own any of its own land. Still, each wine is sourced from some of the most sought-after plots in California, from Rosella's and Garys' vineyards in the Santas Lucia Highlands to the 1,500-foot-high Stagecoach Vineyard on a Napa mountainside.

Pairings: Plucky partners for turkey and Pinot Noir, Lynne Char Bennett

With the exception of marshmallow and brown sugar-laden sweet potatoes, pungently sweet-tart cranberry relish and desserts, almost every other typical turkey day dish falls in line with the ripe, juicy fruit of a Pinot Noir. There's minimal tannin in this grape variety, and its bright acidity will handle Brussels sprouts' cruciferous character and the vegetal notes of a green bean casserole with aplomb.

Recipes:

Cranberry-Mushroom Saute

Wild Rice Pilaf with Pecans & Cranberries

Chronicle Wine Selections: Oregon Pinot Noir, Lynn Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: From France, a blue that doesn't bite, Janet Fletcher

A centuries-old French cheese made as far back as the Middle Ages, Bleu de Sassenage (bleu de sah-sen-nahj) takes its name from a 14th century baron who authorized the sale of the cheese on his lands. By the 20th century, with the development of refrigerated transport, farmers who had formerly made this blue cheese began shipping their fresh milk instead and abandoning cheesemaking. Production of Bleu de Sassenage plummeted.

Tipping points - A diner's guide to wine-service etiquette, Marisa D'Vari

Like religion and politics, tipping is rarely discussed in polite company. Yet if you've been to some of the high-end and even mid-level restaurants in the Bay Area, you might have seen a "green handshake" as a customer thanks a sommelier for an excellent wine suggestion. It begs a couple reasonable questions: How exactly are sommeliers paid, and how should you tip them?

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Lombardi's Deli & Gourmet BBQ, Lynne Char Bennett

"There's something about the scent of mesquite smoke and slow-roasting meat, with a hand-lettered sign proclaiming "BBQ," that can make you stop and take notice. A rustic-looking cabin, set back from the road a bit, has six very large, black grills front and center. Here's a place that clearly makes barbecue its mission."

Bar Bites: Schroeder's, Victoria McGinley

" From its Financial District location among many other happy-hour bars and a crowd that's clearly looking to let loose after a day at the office, you'd never guess that Schroeder's had a long, storied history. Since 1893, from its days as a gentlemen-only club for sailors and merchants to its current laid-back attitude that welcomes anyone in need of a cold brew, the German restaurant and bar has had a presence in downtown San Francisco. Here, it's easy to kick back: Relax in the bar area with local young professionals to have a quick drink and a snack and catch the score of the game. The back of the restaurant plays host to German expats and more traditional restaurant service. Whichever way you experience Schroeder's, after a bratwurst and a liter, you'll find yourself wishing every day could be Oktoberfest."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, November 22, 2007

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE, Jon Bonné

It's time to shop. And wouldn't it be great if you had an expert to consult for your holiday wine shopping? Hunting for a Wii or a diamond pendant is hard enough, but wine lovers have a remarkably finicky streak - trust me, I know this fact intimately well - which means you have about as much luck choosing the perfect wine as grabbing a random CD for the music lover in your life. (In the latter case, may we suggest Arcade Fire.)

Holiday Gift Guide: Happy hobby days, Stacy Finz

Instead of giving a prepackaged wine basket, why not make one yourself? Personalize it by incorporating items that reflect the recipient's hobbies and likes, along with his or her favorite wines. We came up with three do-it-yourself examples.

Holiday Gift Guide: Top sommeliers' gift tips, Ben Narasin

Sommeliers have to make suggestions for a living so what's one more little suggestion - for instance, what they'd suggest as a holiday gift for the consummate wine lover?

Holiday Gift Guide: Bikes, trains and yoga - holidays in Wine Country, Stacy Finz

The gift of wine doesn't necessarily have to come in a bottle. So the Chronicle's Wine staff has been thinking outside the barrel for holiday presents that celebrate our proximity to Wine Country. Whether your pursuits are educational, fitness-focused or epicurean, we have all kinds of ideas.

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts that get better with age, Jon Bonné,Lynne Char Bennett

Good things come to those who wait, right? Our wine picks this year reflect that - because wine may be a great gift (to those who enjoy drinking it) but if you're splurging on something special, what's the point in giving a bottle that's ready to be slurped down the next day? Even if you don't believe in building a dusty old cellar, a good wine gift should be something that's held for a special moment. With that in mind, we've selected wines that have a life span, so that your gift is remembered later - sometimes much later - long after golf clubs have set up camp in the dark corner of the garage.

Holiday Gift Guide: Bargain wines, Jon Bonné,Lynne Char Bennett

The trick, then, is to find wines that impress without gouging a hole in your wallet. With that in mind, we set out to find bargains that send the right message at the right time. As a bonus, we offer our interpretation of what message each will send. Because we, too, always wanted to stand in for Tim Gunn.

Holiday Gift Guide: Wine giving etiquette, Stacy Finz

It got us thinking: Is there a protocol to wine gift giving? Do manners dictate that you have to open Uncle Tommy's Two Buck Chuck even though it doesn't go with your white truffle risotto? Is it tacky to regift a perfectly good Sangiovese that you got from your secret Santa? What about thank-you cards? Do you have to send one to everyone who slips a bottle under your tree?

Books: Intoxicating reads for armchair boozehounds

There's been a bumper crop of booze books in 2007. Our selection of top reads will satisfy anyone from wine-loving supernerds to cocktailians-in-training.

Sorting through the glass menagerie, Camper English

Though it's fun to collect cocktail-specific drinking vessels like silver julep cups, copper Moscow mule mugs and heat-resistant Irish coffee glasses, most people don't have the cash, patience and cabinet space to pursue every beverage glass on the market. On the other hand, the plastic cup from the county fair that came free with a light beer is not the best container in which to serve a martini. Luckily, there is plenty of middle ground. The four shapes at right are a good fit for most cocktails you mix at home.

Spirits: Must-have bottles for a liquor cabinet, Gary Regan

The "simple" task of choosing affordable spirits for a well-stocked home bar is one of the most difficult assignments I've faced for quite a while. How to choose this gin over that one when that one is just as fragrant and complex? And everyone should have that other brand, too.

Why do you need, say, Tequila in the house at all, if you never touch the stuff and all your friends are gin and vodka fiends? Just as there is no such thing as a coincidence, it's a universal law that a household without Tequila automatically attracts Tequila drinkers. Get yourself one bottle of everything and balance will be restored. OK?

Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking stuffers ..., Stacy Finz, Jon Bonné, Lynne Char Bennett, Camper English

"...And Then some!"

Beer: Beer run for a world-class six-pack, Jay Brooks

"With the holidays just around the corner, it's time to consider buying the beer lover in your life something he or she really wants: beer.

"Here is a six-pack of choices from across the Atlantic to across the street, in a variety of different styles that are sure to please even your most difficult secret Santa."

The Cheese Course: Splurgeworthy selections for the cheese board, Janet Fletcher

"The holidays are all about splurging, right? That means loosening up the wallet to purchase a cheese you wouldn't allow yourself otherwise."

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Bakesale Betty, Stacy Finz

"There's something about the scent of mesquite smoke and slow-roasting meat, with a hand-lettered sign proclaiming "BBQ," that can make you stop and take notice. A rustic-looking cabin, set back from the road a bit, has six very large, black grills front and center. Here's a place that clearly makes barbecue its mission."

Bar Bites: The Hobnob, Karen Reardanz

"Alison Barakat, a former cook at Chez Panisse, founded the bakery in 2002, after success selling her popular baked goods at local farmers' markets. As with her sandwiches, brownies ($2), ginger cookies ($1), lemon bars ($2.50), banana bread ($1.50) and pieces of pie ($3.50) blow out the door. On nice days, people sit outside the shop and eat on vintage ironing boards used as tables."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, November 30, 2007

Pairings: A four-course meal to pair with one sparkling wine, Lynn Char Bennett

Sparkling wine is generally considered a beverage for celebrations, special occasions or as an aperitif. It shouldn't be. With a little planning, sparkling wines, especially those in the widely available, food-friendly brut style, can enhance your holiday meal from start to finish. There's no need to uncork more than one style of bubbly.

Recipes:

• Filet Mignon Tataki
  
• Winter Vegetables in Puff Pastry Shells
  
• Herbed Pork Rib Roast with Shallot-Mustard Sauce
  
• Herb Panna Cotta with Toasts
  

A field guide to sparkling wines from around the world, Jon Bonné

Once, the sparkling portion of a wine list could be parsed simply by identifying the same familiar Champagnes, plus a domestic sparkler thrown in as a sign of local pride. Then Cava and Prosecco joined the roster. Now, these choices have become as complex as the rest of the wine list, and in the Bay Area it's no longer surprising to find, say, a Cremant du Jura at San Francisco's Slanted Door or a Scheurebe Sekt at Oakland's A Cote.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• IN OUR GLASSES
  
• A $300 bottle of Champagne, Jon Bonné
  
• Inside-out Champagne glasses, Camper English
  
• Champagne crown resealer, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Sparkling cocktails fizzing over, Madelyn Feldman
  

The Cheese Course: A selection of cheese to pair with Champagnes and sparkling wines, Janet Fletcher

Unlike other wines, red and white, sparkling wine has few enemies on the cheese board. It's as happy with a young, soft Robiola as it is with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, as compatible with a buttery triple-cream as with a pungent blue. I can't make sense of it, but it's true.

Tasting Room: America's biggest sparkling wine house shines, Carol Ness

Korbel's stately property is nowhere near France's Champagne district. It overlooks the Russian River near Rio Nido on the outskirts of Guerneville. But the winery, which dates back to 1882, has always used the French methode champenoise to make its bubbles.

Chronicle Wine Selections: Brut Champagne and Domestic Sparkling Wine, Lynn Char Bennett

Of all the different wines from which to choose, bubblies are enjoyed by almost everyone. As long as effervescence is not an issue, the wide range of sparkling wine styles - from bone-dry and austere to very fruity to sweet - will allow everyone to find a favorite.

Cocktailian: Wondrich's sparkling prose inspires drink, Gary Regan

Mixologists lean toward particular styles of drinks, and in that regard Wondrich has a definite penchant for all things serious. He likes his drinks to have a kick. I guess I can forgive him, therefore, for not mentioning Jerry Thomas's 1862 recipe for Punch Jelly in "Imbibe." It just might be the only important drink he missed. And I guess that its importance is somewhat subjective.

Recipes:

The Prince of Wales' Cocktail, Adapted from a recipe in "Imbibe," by David Wondrich.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Custom Burger, Amanda Gold

"The burger trend continues its march across the city, with Horizon having recently opened and Best-o-Burger, among others, on the way. But Custom Burger/Lounge was one of the first of the new wave, boasting any number of ways in which to customize your burger."

Bar Bites: Phoenix Irish Pub, Jane Tunks

"With the holiday season in high gear, there are enough pressures - too much family time, unavoidable trips to the mall - to drive even the most well-intentioned person to drink in the morning. Luckily, the Phoenix Irish Pub in the Mission District opens at 9:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays to serve the needs of grinches like me."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Sunday, December 08, 2007

Top 100 Wines 2007, Jon Bonné

The Chronicle Wine section tastes wine from all over the world, but our Top 100 Wines are a showcase for the most compelling winemaking on the West Coast. We tasted thousands of wines this past year from California, Washington and Oregon. We recommended hundreds. You may recognize some of the lucky 100 from our weekly Wine Selections, but instead of simply choosing the best of what our panels tasted, we sought out a balance between quality, price and innovation - particularly innovation. So while many of our top contenders are familiar names, this year we also kept an eye out for new faces, new locales and new types of wine.

Pairings: Perfect partners for exemplary bottles, Lynne Char Bennett

Five recipes to match the complexities of our 10 favorite wines

Recipes:

Truffled Wild Mushroom Risotto Cakes with Smoked Sturgeon

Lamb Shoulder Braised with Cannellini Beans

Za'atar-Crusted Pork Tenderloin & Saucy Mushrooms

Cauliflower Beggar's Purses

High-Low Sliders

Les amis shows promise, but needs some fine-tuning, Amanda Gold

It's hard to believe that in a city so saturated with popular restaurants - just down the street, Rubicon was filled to capacity - one could survive with such little traffic. But the pint-size French restaurant, run by Olivier Azancot, Eric Klein and Thomas Weibull - the team behind San Francisco's successful Belden Place spots Plouf and Cafe Bastille, as well as Garcon - has been plugging along for more than two years, despite negligible publicity or hype.

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, December 07, 2007

2007 Winemaker of the Year: Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Company, Jon Bonné

For the past 32 years, he has toiled atop his 3 million tons of limestone, proving his hunch. Quite simply, Calera's Pinot Noir is unlike any other, anywhere. It is grown in soils that mimic what makes Burgundy special, on a rugged outpost that could only be in California. Jensen's minimalist winemaking reveals unique qualities in each of the five named vineyards on Mount Harlan. To stand in the narrow creek bed that separates the Reed and Selleck vineyards, and then taste their two vastly different wines, is an object lesson in terroir.

Spirits: Bitter Italian Aperitif a Must for Every Bar, Laura Compton

Campari's typical companions are soda, vermouth and gin, but Bay Area bartenders are broadening its horizons and introducing it to some new friends. It's increasingly being used in cocktails, and has also been joined by its sister spirit, Aperol, the ubiquitous spritzer favorite in Italy.

Recipes:

Bitter Celebration, Created by Carlos Yturria at Bacar in San Francisco.

The Cheese Course: Biodynamic farm makes raw goat's milk Sierra Mountain Tomme, Janet Fletcher

On their 10-acre biodynamic farm in the Sierra foothills, Caroline Hoel and Hank Beckmeyer grow wine grapes, raise goats and chickens, and have just released their first goat's milk cheese. Christened Sierra Mountain Tomme, the cheese is in short supply now and availability will probably always be limited. Hoel, the cheesemaker, wants to use only the raw milk from her own goats and to let the herd grow naturally.

Pairings: Chicken roulade to match with tawny Ports, Lynn Char Bennett

Though it is unusual to pair a savory dish with a sweet wine, you can enjoy a tawny Port with an appetizer or entree if contrasting savory ingredients are used in the dish. Mainstream tart-sweet combinations include sweet and sour sauce or agrodolce; fleur de sel caramels are a good example of salty-sweet.

Recipes:

Port Sauce

Blue Cheese- & Pecan-Stuffed Chicken Roulade with Port Sauce

Chronicle Wine Selections: Tawny Port, Lynn Char Bennett

5 Winemakers to Watch, Jon Bonné

2007 Winemaker to Watch: John and Helen Falcone of Rusack Vineyards, Jon Bonné

Two years passed. The Rusacks had interviewed more than two dozen candidates, but none quite fit. Falcone had switched posts to work at the Callaway winery in Temecula, another winery owned by Allied Domecq, which also controlled Atlas Peak. He and his wife, Helen, an enology expert who had been assistant winemaker at Chimney Rock Winery, had purchased land for a vineyard in Paso Robles and were raising their daughter Mia, almost 3. They had one big stipulation: If they came south, they were a package deal. "I said the best assistant around was sitting across the table," recalls Falcone.

2007 Winemaker to Watch: Arnaud Weyrich of Roederer Estate, Stacy Finz

But Arnaud Weyrich is bucking tradition just a little at Roederer Estate, the Anderson Valley child of the French Champagne house that makes bubbly drank by royalty. Weyrich, Roederer's 38-year-old winemaker at the Mendocino County winery, has been playing around with malolactic fermentation, which softens wine's acidity. It is a technique still much debated by Champagne makers and rarely used in Roederer wines.

2007 Winemaker to Watch: Robert Pellegrini of Pellegrini Family Vineyards, Karola Saekel

Robert Pellegrini doesn't want people to drink his wines only at Christmas or other auspicious occasions. And if one of his wines is on your Christmas list, he hopes it will be in your glass, not under the tree.

2007 Winemaker to Watch: Stewart Johnson of Kendric Vineyards, Jon Bonné

In 1998, recently graduated from Hastings College of the Law, Johnson was preparing his parents' land in Amador County for a Sangiovese vineyard, learning to make wine. He and his wife, Eileen Burke, a Marin native, would drive West Marin's back roads. With wine grapes on the brain, Johnson was stunned by the preserved open parcels and miles of grazing land. "It was a revelation," he says.

2007 Winemaker to Watch: Jennifer Williams of Spottswoode, Jon Bonné

Williams' time at Spottswoode began in the organic vineyard directly behind the Novak family's Victorian mansion. The winery relies on its own 40 acres for almost all its wine, so every nuance in every row affects the final blend. In 2002, Williams was hired as a harvest intern, splitting time between Spottswoode and Araujo. The following year, she joined full time, working under vineyard guru David Abreu in the fields and Cakebread in the winery. Then the Novaks decided to start managing their own vineyards and in 2004, Williams was named vineyard manager.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Hotaru, Miriam Morgan

"Downtown San Mateo probably has a higher concentration of Japanese restaurants, grocers and stores than anywhere else in the Bay Area outside of San Francisco's Japantown. Lots of places vie for your eating dollar, but one of the best values is Hotaru. The bright, immaculate spot just off El Camino Real specializes in Japanese home cooking, which means udon and soba noodles, the rice bowls called donburi, teriyaki dishes and fried foods."

Bar Bites: Metro Lafayette, Lynn Char Bennett

"You'll have to look hard for the sign of this revitalized dining spot that used to be Aladdini's. The hunt is worth it to enjoy the seafood-focused menu chef Mark Lusardi - formerly of Pearl Oyster Bar in Rockridge - has developed for Metro's owner, Jack Moore. The mix of raw bar, small plate, appetizers and entrees is perfect for the neighborhood, but intriguing enough to warrant a visit from out-of-towners."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, November 16, 2007

Can this wine be saved? Methods of preserving an open bottle, Janet Fletcher

What to do with the remains of a bottle is a persistent dilemma for the single diner, or the couple who may drink only one glass each per night. The 750-ml bottle may be the perfect size for two people enjoying a leisurely dinner at home, but it's too much wine for many situations. And even novice wine drinkers can tell that the glass of Pinot Noir they enjoyed from a fresh bottle rarely tastes as good when poured from a partial bottle several days later.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• IN OUR GLASSES
  
• A toast to our spirited history, Jon Bonné
  
• First look: Oakland's the Trappist, Karen Reardanz
  
• A TV show exposes the science behind fine wine, Derrick Schneider
  
• Raise a glass to yoga class, Camper English
  
• The release of Anchor's Genever gin, Camper English
  

Beer: Chau Tien pale ale, a Vietnamese-named beer made in Northern California, Carol Ness

It turns out Nguyen has been making Con Rong Chau Tien - its formal name - for more than 20 years. And he's worked hard to create a legend around the brand, one that evokes nothing less monumental than the birth of the Vietnamese people.

The Cheese Course: Andante Dairy's Colle Rosso inspired by Italian Robiola, Janet Fletcher

During the past few years, some of the most intriguing Italian cheeses I've encountered locally have been imported by a small Bay Area company, Fresca Italia. Founder Michele Lanza is Italian so it's hardly surprising that he focuses on the cheeses he knows best. But Andy Lax, a young cheese enthusiast who works for Lanza, is American and eager to participate in the cheese revolution that's under way here.

VinoVenue shuttered unexpectedly, Lynne Char Bennett

According to Geno Brunton, CEO of Brunton Vineyards, VinoVenue hasn't closed. "We are in legal proceedings with the landlord," Brunton said, explaining the building's landlord would not allow assignment of lease and wanted to almost double the rent. VinoVenue general manager and wine buyer A.J. Ferrari (no relation to A.G. Ferarri shop next door) said the landlord served Brunton with a sheriff's eviction notice on Nov. 28.

Pairings: Beef cheek ragu pappardelle to match Italian Amarone wine, Lynne Char Bennett

With this week's cold snap, there's no doubt it's braising weather. My recipe for Beef Cheek Ragu with Pappardelle is a make-ahead dish that's also perfect for freezing. A dish this rich and unctuous requires a wine with heft, acidity and moderate tannins. Amarone - a big-bodied, deeply flavored wine from Italy's Veneto region - is a perfect match.

Recipes:

Beef Cheek Ragu with Pappardelle

Chronicle Wine Selections: Amarone, Lynn Char Bennett

Uncorked: The King of Cocktails raises bartenders' spirits, Jane Tunks

San Francisco is a hotbed of modern-day mixology, and many of the Bay Area's up-and-coming bar stars credit Dale DeGroff with making bartending a respected profession...Though DeGroff is perhaps best known for popularizing the cosmopolitan (Madonna was photographed holding the then-unknown concoction at the Rainbow Room, where he worked in the 1980s), the master mixologist was also responsible for bringing back fresh-squeezed juices and high-quality spirits to the slab.

The Tasting Room: Busy Dry Creek winery has mass appeal, Jane Tunks

Inspired by the wines of the Loire Valley, Dry Creek Vineyard founder David Stare searched all over California for the perfect terroir to plant his beloved French grapes. Going against the prevailing wisdom that Sauvignon Blanc wouldn't thrive in the Dry Creek Valley soil, in 1972 Stare bought a prune orchard and replanted it with the white wine grape anyway.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: De Afghanan Kabob House, Tara Duggan

"Those seeking the flavors of Afghanistan in San Francisco didn't have many choices until recently. While the city has just a couple of Afghan restaurants, Fremont's Little Kabul neighborhood, the largest Afghan community in the country, was the place to go...Now, an offshoot of De Afghanan Kabob House in Fremont has opened on Polk Street in San Francisco."

Bar Bites: Alembic, Jane Tunks

"The Upper Haight hasn't always been the first neighborhood that comes to mind when seeking carefully crafted cocktails — that is, until the Alembic bar opened in October 2006. The brainchild of David McLean, who also runs the Magnolia Pub just down the street, this bar is now a pre-eminent destination among local boozehounds. Bone up on your alcademic studies under the tutelage of the Alembic's expert bartenders, who shake and stir excellent cocktails from an exhaustive collection of spirits (the whiskey selection alone features more than 100 bottles from all over the world), from Bruichladdich Islay single-malt Scotch ($15) to America's Old Overholt Rye ($6). That, along with a dozen gins, two dozen Tequilas (and mezcals) and countless brandies and eau de vies, should be enough to keep you in fine cocktails for months."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, November 21, 2007

The Chronicle Pairing Guide: A glass of wine for every Christmas tradition, Jon Bonné

To help sort it out, four of our writers chose dishes from four different traditions, each of which can form the core of a Christmas feast. Lynne Char Bennett tackled the German staple of roast goose. Tara Duggan took on tamales, the heart of Christmas throughout Latin America. The Southern Italian seafood tradition is interpreted through Joyce Goldstein's recipe for Sicilian fish stew. And Amanda Gold bridged two continents with a twist on Italian-American tradition, a vegetarian lasagna that pays homage to winter's bounty

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• IN OUR GLASSES
  
• Splurge on a $12,000 bottle of Scotch, Camper English
  
• First look: First look at the Folio Enoteca & Winery at Oxbow, Janet Fletcher
  
• Don't Break the Bottle puzzles, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• 'Wine Across America' book just released, Jon Bonné
  
• A preview of the Vintners Hall of Fame ballot, Jon Bonné
  

Spirits: Drink menus explore virgin territory with alcohol-free cocktails, Camper English

This trend of enticing consumers with nonalcoholic cocktails, rather than leaving it to them to request a virgin version of another drink, owes much to the current emphasis in better cocktail bars on creating drinks with seasonal ingredients. These fresh drinks can be translated fairly easily into alcohol-free versions, whereas in other bars, a nonalcoholic Jack and Coke is just a Coke.

Recipes:

Sparkling Grape, from Millenium Restaurant

Health Tonic, from Millenium Restaurant

The Cheese Course: A farmstead Cheddar hits the supermarket, Janet Fletcher

Mary Quicke, one of the few remaining traditional Cheddar makers in Somerset, produces the Borough Market cheese for Neal's Yard using pasteurized cow's milk from her own herd, making it a so-called farmstead cheese. Neal's Yard owner Randolph Hodgson hand-selects the wheels for the Borough Market label, and they are matured for 10 to 12 months. His objective is a Cheddar that can stand up to the rigors of supermarkets, where cheeses are often precut and wrapped in plastic rather than cut to order.

The Chronicle Pairing Guide: Festive wine pairings for every classic Christmas dish, Jon Bonné

Christmas is a time for wines that you can enjoy through the day, so dig into the cellar (or the closet) for those special bottles you've been saving. Never was there a better time to share. It's also a time for more opulent flavors; as wonderful as a racy Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio (with a few exceptions) may be, you want wines that stand up to the sort of lavish recipes that require one last bit of traditional belt-loosening before the new year. If you want one all-purpose wine to serve during the day, choose Champagne. But why choose one wine?

The Chronicle Pairing Guide: Vegetarian lasagna bridges old and new traditions, Amanda Gold

At the Italian household in which my husband grew up, it was all about lasagna. Each year, my mother-in-law would prepare the layered casserole, using a recipe (existing only in her head) that had been passed down through several generations.

Recipes:

Butternut Squash & Wild Mushroom Lasagna

The Chronicle Wine Selections: Wines to pair with Christmas dishes, Jon Bonné

This is a time for special wines, when you're willing to spend an extra few dollars for a bottle to savor all day long, or to uncork a long-held bottle. Many of the pairing suggestions we made have been covered in our weekly Wine Selections (find the archive at  www.sfgate.com/ZBVG) - top Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and even Alsatian white wines to match that Christmas goose.

The Chronicle Pairing Guide: Oven-roasted fish stew from Italy, Joyce Goldstein

In Rome, Naples and parts of Southern Italy such as Abruzzo, Calabria and Puglia, it has been customary to celebrate Christmas Eve with a festive seafood meal called the cenone (big supper), consumed before the midnight mass. The cenone may have originated in the fifth or sixth century when the pope said three masses on Christmas Eve and the parishioners set out a banquet after every mass. But how the Dinner of the Seven Fishes came about is mysterious. In fact, this tradition seems to be more prevalent among Italian immigrant families here than with Italians in the old country.

Recipes:

Oven-Roasted Fish Stew

The Chronicle Pairing Guide: Christmas tamales from a Mission District chef, Tara Duggan

Bring up the subject of Christmas tamales, and almost everyone has a story of an amazing grandmother, mother-in-law or co-worker who made tamales by the truckload. Even if you don't have a relative from Latin America, you most likely have benefited from the largesse of someone's massive tamale-making effort, by virtue of simply living in California. Isn't it time to return the favor?

Recipes:

Tamales de Cambray

The Chronicle Pairing Guide: Roast Goose, Lynne Char Bennett

Unless you grew up in a British, German or Scandinavian household, you may have first learned of eating roast goose for Christmas when reading Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."  The Cratchit family enjoyed their goose with applesauce and mashed potatoes, but a stuffing of apple, onion and sage was also traditional during Victorian times.

Recipes:

Roast Goose

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Cafe Madrid, Carol Ness

" Owner Maurice Arroyo spent his first five years in Spain and still goes back to visit. After years managing cafes for Peet's and Tully's, among others, he's brought Spanish-style sandwiches and coffee to Oakland's burgeoning "uptown" district...He opened Cafe Madrid as a coffeehouse with a small menu in February in the old I. Magnin building, with its eye-popping green Art Deco tile work, next door to the landmark Paramount Theatre and a block from BART. "

Bar Bites: Boca Steak & Seafood, Jane Tunks

"Since its April 2005 opening, Boca Steak has brought a touch of the Argentine countryside to a Marin County suburb. Designer Michael Brennan's typically over-the-top design has brought the homeland of executive chef George Morrone's mother to life. That, combined with a typically pricey steakhouse menu, make this a dining destination well suited for special occasions. Luckily, the Novato steakhouse also has a cozy bar with plenty of bar snacks for those casual - and cheaper - nights out."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, January 04, 2008

Hang time: Kenny Likitprakong makes the leap from skateboard to vineyard, Olivia Wu

During the 2003 Zinfandel Advocates & Producers festival at Fort Mason, winemaker Gary Branham was approached by a slight person, looking a bit ragged and disheveled, who asked to purchase his grapes. The owner of Branham Estate Wines was rendered speechless. "He looked so young ..." Branham says. "When you're asked by a kid if he could buy your grapes, you say maybe. Someday."...That slight kid turned out to a 27-year-old man with a long name and even longer dreams. He was Kenny Likitprakong, and though he had just founded his wine company a year earlier, he was asking to buy some of the most select Zinfandel grapes from the high-elevation Rockpile appellation in Sonoma County.

World View: Riesling gains popularity, fills up the world's wineglass, Jancis Robinson

People have been known to say to me, foolishly, "It must be a daunting responsibility to have so much power, being an international commentator on wine and all that." I have always used Riesling as an example of how pathetically little influence I wield. I have been going on ad nauseam about the wonders of Riesling for decades, insisting it is the world's greatest white wine grape. Yet for decades Riesling in general and German wine in particular remained at the bottom of the heap in terms of popularity.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Label watch - Bonny Doon 'comes clean', Stacy Finz
  
• Deep-clean the decanter with steel cleaning balls, Lynn Char Bennett
  
• First look: A screaming deal at only $950?, Stacy Finz
  
• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  

Uncorked: Argentine vintners make wine a family affair, Jon Bonné

There are plenty of winemaking couples, but not that many in Argentina, and none as high profile as Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky...Balbo is Argentina's most famous female winemaker, and Marchevsky is arguably the country's most knowledgeable viticulturist. They produce three labels at their Dominio del Plata winery in the region of Mendoza. The Susana Balbo reserve wines are the top of the line, while the Crios ("offspring") de Susana Balbo are everyday wines. In both cases, she uses the latest winemaking techniques and a skilled hand with French oak to produce wines that show the best of Argentinean grapes, notably Malbec but also Cabernet Sauvignon and even a blend of Syrah and Bonarda, a grape native to Italy (though Argentine Bonarda may actually be Charbono).

The Cheese Course: A low-fat option in Bellwether Farms fromage blanc, Janet Fletcher

...my short list of worthy low-fat cheeses got a new entry last month when I picked up a tub of Bellwether Farms fromage blanc. Replacing the cream cheese in your fridge with fromage blanc won't make the pounds roll off, but it will cut out some measurable fat calories. This fresh cow's milk cheese from Sonoma County delivers 80 calories in a quarter cup, even less than Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese.

Pairings: Napa Zinfandel to match with pork stew, Lynne Char Bennett

This week's recipe - Pork Stew - calls for cubed pork shoulder, which is browned then braised in equal parts Zinfandel, chicken broth and sherry. The Zinfandel and sherry provide acidity; Zinfandel adds fruity notes, while the sherry contributes richness and depth. Adding chicken broth moderates and lightens the liquid base for the stew.

Recipes:

Napa Zinfandel to match with pork stew

Chronicle Wine Selections: Napa Valley Zinfandel, Lynn Char Bennett

The Tasting Room: Roshambo takes a fun-loving approach to wine, Amanda Gold

Almost a decade ago, owner Naomi Johnson Brilliant inherited her grandfather's grapes. Rather than continue to sell them to other well-known wineries, she decided to oversee the construction of a family winery in Healdsburg's Dry Creek Valley and produce bottles under their own label - named after a childhood game she used to play with her brother.

Cocktailian: Silent monks get the Last Word, Gary Regan

My first memory of Chartreuse dates back to 1966, when I was but a lad and my parents ran a pub in Northern England. When any customer reached the golden age of 21, they were given a measure of green Chartreuse, which, for their sins, they were made to shoot back in one. Fiery stuff, Chartreuse. Fair knocks your head off if you shoot the stuff. It is, after all, 55 percent alcohol by volume.

Recipes:

The Last Word

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Dim Sum Bar, Cindy Lee

"Next time you have a craving for some ha gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork dumplings) or baos (steamed/baked buns filled with meat or vegetables), check out Dim Sum Bar in the Tenderloin...Because dim sum consists of a wide variety of small plates and hot tea, people can eat to their heart's content. Many restaurants that offer dim sum only serve it for a few hours midday. At Dim Sum Bar, it's available all day, including for dinner or even a late-night snack. "

Bar Bites: Sam's Chowder House, Lynne Char Bennett

"When you drive along the coast, hunger often turns to thoughts of seafood. If you're within shouting distance of Half Moon Bay, you're in luck. Paul Shenkman, the former owner of Cetrella in Half Moon Bay, opened Sam's Chowder House, drawing on memories of his time on the East Coast. Executive chef Lewis Rossman, who was Cetrella's chef for six years, took over the stoves six months ago, adding his flair to the seafood-centric menu."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, January 11, 2008

Make wine not war: Lebanon's new generation of winemakers, Gregg Carlstrom

The modern industry started in 1857, when a group of Jesuit monks founded Chateau Ksara in the Bekaa, the fertile land nestled between Mount Lebanon and the Syrian border. For almost a century and a half, three vineyards dominated the market: Ksara; Musar, founded in 1930; and Kefraya, which opened its first vineyard in 1951. The market ran into trouble in the 1970s, however, as the Lebanese civil war raged. Virtually overnight, winemakers say, their business model did an about-face: Musar's domestic wine sales plummeted from more than 90 percent of its annual product to less than 5 percent.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  
• Rose flavored liqueur fills glasses, Jon Bonné
  
• Vine wine bar in Oakland opens, Deb Wandell
  
• A quick apple and cheese snack to pair with Riesling, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• 'Meritage' turns 20, Lynne Char Bennett
  

Beer: A corner of rural Bavaria fosters farmhouse brews, Derrick Schneider

Franconia's largest brewery, Kulmbacher, makes just 1.3 million hectoliters (about 366,000 12-ounce beer bottles) of beer each year, well under America's "craft beer" levels (2.3 million hectoliters). "The beer is special because it's a local product that's part of the culture," says Waltman. "You drink it in the local gasthaus. It's cozy. A lot of times these are mom-and-pop places. Nephews and cousins and uncles all help out."

The Tasting Room: A twofer for tasters in Santa Rosa, Carol Ness

Belly up to taste wines made from grapes that made many other wineries famous before the Dutton and Balletto families started making wines from their grapes within the last decade. Dutton-Goldfield's first vintage was in 1998, Dutton Estate's in 1995 (starting out as Sebastopol Winery) and Balletto's in 2001. The tasting room opened in 2006.

Letters to Wine: Road-testing pork stew, goose pairings

The Cheese Course: Mellow feta from Israel is worth its salt, Janet Fletcher

Afew years ago, Greek cheese producers prevailed in a long court battle over the use of the word "feta." Now, within the European Union, only Greece can use that name. But in the United States, anything goes. Our markets sell feta from Greece, Bulgaria, France, Denmark, Israel and a few domestic producers. Although I prefer the pricey Mt. Vikos feta from Greece, one of the best values I have found recently is a kosher sheep's milk feta from Israel, packaged under the Pastures of Eden label and sold at some Trader Joe's.

Pairings: Vegetarian oat-corn cakes shine for Sonoma Chardonnay, Lynne Char Bennett

Creating interesting meatless dishes can be a challenge. I wanted to make something vegetarian to pair with this week's Sonoma Chardonnays but struck out on an attempt with tofu. But while cooking steel-cut oats for breakfast, I wondered if whole-grain oatmeal would make a nice base for an hors d'oeuvre.

Recipes:

Oat & Corn Cakes

Chronicle Wine Selections: Sonoma Chardonnay, Lynne Char Bennett

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: The Original Red Onion, Lynne Char Bennett

"Old-timers like to reminisce about the local hamburger joint where they'd stop after school for fries, a malt and the latest gossip. Since 1963, Pinole's Original Red Onion has been where Pinole Valley High School kids have hung out after the last bell; it's the same place where those kids who are now parents bring their families."

Bar Bites: Ana Mandara, Lynne Char Bennett

"Ana Mandara - which refers to a 700-year-old legend and love story and translates to "beautiful refuge" - is often referred to as "the restaurant Don Johnson owns." But the draw is executive chef Khai Duong's modern, sophisticated, French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine, not a potential celebrity sighting. Many of Duong's intensely flavored dishes are starters and small plates, making them perfect bar bites, though the entire menu is available. The expansive second-floor Cham Bar is accessed via a wide, sweeping staircase with wrought-iron banisters."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, January 18, 2008

Zins sweet spot: Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley may be the key to Zinfandel's future, Tim Teichgraeber

Zinfandel is in many ways California's most prosperous immigrant - an imported grape of modest origins that made it big in the New World. At the end of its journey to California, Zinfandel found a natural home in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley. It's not a large appellation but Dry Creek claims the highest concentration of first-tier Zinfandel producers of any region in California. Its climate and soils are peculiarly suited to the variety, and now that generations of family farmers have honed their understanding of the grape, it's clear that Zinfandel is not only the most important grape in Dry Creek Valley's history, but also the key to its future.

CIA Greystone announces 2008 Vintners Hall of Fame, Jon Bonné

Announced Thursday, the 2008 honorees are the late Ernest and Julio Gallo; Paul Draper, CEO of Ridge Vineyards; Miljenko "Mike" Grgich, whose Chardonnay was tops in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting; and wine expert Darrell Corti, whose Sacramento store has helped put countless wines and gourmet products on Americans' radars. A separate category of "pioneers," who have been dead 10 years or longer, will include John Daniel Jr. of Inglenook; Napa Valley vintner Louis M. Martini; and Livermore vintner Carl Wente.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Foggy Bridge to open in the Presidio, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Drink in San Francisco's beer history, Cindy Lee
  
• Sbragia leaves Beringer to focus on his winery, Jon Bonné
  
• Eco-friendly drinks of the Sundance kids, Laura Compton
  

Pairings: Black bean chili turns down the heat for Zin, Lynne Char Bennett

With all the cold, wet weather earlier this month, I had a hankering for comforting, stick-to-your-ribs fare, so I made chili with black beans. It's mildly spiced, which also happens to help it pair more easily with wine...Chili's woodsy herbal notes from the dried spice and herbs play into nuance of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, while the meaty richness balances the wine's tannins and dark fruit.

Recipes:

Chili with Black Beans

Chronicle Wine Selections: Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: Sardinian producer shepherds goat cheese, Janet Fletcher

A few years ago, some of these goat farmers approached Fratelli Pinna, the largest cheesemaking concern on the island, about transforming their goats' milk into a marketable goat cheese. Pinna took up the challenge and created Capra Sarda, an aged goat cheese that has recently turned up in Bay Area markets.

Uncorked: S.F. wine shop owner revels in obscure Italia, Carol Ness

Ceri Smith...Her tiny store, Biondivino, in San Francisco's Russian Hill, is a temple to wines, many obscure, from the tip of Italy to its toe. Among her 487 choices, only 66 aren't Italian. Every region of Italy is represented, even Ischia, the island in the Bay of Naples. And all are from small producers.

Cocktailian: A bloomin' garnish for the Wild Hibiscus Champagne cocktail, Gary Regan

I'm guilty of ignoring garnishes in most cocktails. Time was when I always kept a jar of olives in the fridge in case Howie, my friend from two houses down the street, popped by, but I eventually discovered that Howie doesn't really care if he gets an olive or not. He cares that I have plenty of gin and vermouth on hand. It's also rare that you'll see a cherry in my daily Manhattan, and this isn't because I hate the things - it's more a case of laziness on my part. Why bother?

Recipes:

Wild Hibiscus Champagne Cocktail

The Tasting Room: Turn back time at Martin Ray, Carol Ness

Martin Ray's claim to fame is that it's the oldest "continuously operated" winery in the area. According to winery lore, it was founded as Twin Fir in 1881, and it was owned by succeeding generations of the Martini family and run as Martini & Prati. The Martinis were able to keep the winery in production through Prohibition by making sacramental wine.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: 900 Grayson, Stacy Finz

"On Saturday mornings, small groups huddle at the front of this cafe inconspicuously nestled in an industrial area of Berkeley, stalking a table. But it's worth the wait. The restaurant, designed in contemporary farmhouse style, uses fresh, seasonal ingredients."

Bar Bites: B Restaurant and Bar, Karen Reardanz

"Before Levende East and the Trappist Belgian beer bar drew attention to Old Oakland's nightlife, B Restaurant was holding up the corner of Washington and Ninth streets, enticing patrons with its fabulous interior design and surprisingly delicious food and drink. Opened in 2005, this restored 1870s building features its original mosaic floors, sky-high windows and exposed brick walls. But it's also the modern touches - like a white antler chandelier, resin tables and steely gray paint - that make this spot inviting. Not to mention the house cocktails, many of which change seasonally."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, January 25, 2008

King of Carneros: Grape grower sets the standard for the region's wines, Amanda Gold

ZDuring the past three decades, Hyde has mastered how the climate patterns, soil makeup and farming practices make a difference in his fruit, and in doing so essentially set a standard for Carneros grapes. His client roster gives him constant access to some of the best winemaking minds in the world, not to mention regular consultations with Aubert de Villaine, his partner in HdV Winery and co-owner of Burgundy's most famous estate. It all amounts to an info-sharing collaborative for which most winemakers would pay dearly.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Padding for flying wine, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• In Our Glasses: What We're Drinking
  
• Choucroute bundles up for winter - and Riesling, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• A reward for rum lovers, Camper English
  
• Label Watch: Sebastiani & Sons makes a cow fly, Tara Duggan
  

The Tasting Room: Wine meets NASCAR at Bennett Lane's pit stop, Amanda Gold

At Bennett Lane Winery, it's easy to forget that certain spots in the Napa Valley have become commercialized and riddled with tourists. At this tiny, hidden tasting room a couple of miles past the main street in Calistoga, you'll find the type of laid-back, accessible service that reminds you of how relaxing and informal a day of tasting in Wine Country can be.

Spirits: Couple take small-batch bitters in new directions, Kara Newman

One year ago, Avery and Janet Glasser were San Francisco barflies, searching for the perfect cocktail. Now, they have relocated to the East Coast, where on a recent evening they perched at the bar at New York speakeasy Death & Co., sipping cocktails laced with their own Bittermens bitters...The Glassers brew artisanal bitters in quirky flavors in their New York home kitchen. Compared to traditional bitters, which complement gin and vodka drinks, Bittermens is designed to blend with aged rum, Tequila, bourbon and whiskey - dark, complex liquors "that don't tend to play well with bitters," according to Avery Glasser.

Recipes:

Brannan Street Batida

Letters to Wine: Zinfandel has many sweet spots

Pairings: Crab goes under wraps for racy Riesling, Lynne Char Bennett

Austrian Riesling also offers racy, mineral-driven acidity that is the perfect foil for briny oysters and other seafood, especially with a generous squeeze of lemon. But even without citrus, sweet seafood like shrimp and Dungeness crab take to these Rieslings, which offer their acidity in place of a lemon wedge as a pairing of contrasts. (That acidity also cuts through the fat of weightier dishes like the cream-bathed seafood of coquilles St. Jacques or even Austria's most famous entree, Wiener Schnitzel.)

Recipes:

Crab Spring Rolls

Chronicle Wine Selections: Austrian Riesling, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: Subterranean sojourn makes La Petite Cave a better blue, Janet Fletcher

The firm of Gabriel Coulet is third largest among Roquefort's eight producers. A century-old company now run by Monsieur Coulet's descendants, it buys raw sheep milk from farms in the region and transforms it into one of France's best-loved cheeses. While still in the vat, the milk is inoculated with the Penicillium spores that will eventually produce the cheese's blue veins. But the spores remain essentially dormant until the young wheels are pierced to create air channels and provide the oxygen the spores need to grow.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Blue Barn, Amanda Gold

"Strolling down San Francisco's Chestnut Street, it's hard to miss the facade of Blue Barn Gourmet, a new upscale deli and takeout spot. Weathered wood slats with hints of faded blue form the shape of an old barn roof, and the rustic ambience continues throughout the interior of the tiny space."

Bar Bites: Paréa, Laura Compton

"This place stands out in a sea of interchangeable wine bars. For owners Telly and Nicole Topakas, who took over the former Oxygen Bar space in July 2006, the idea was to create a spot where friends and family members could gather to eat, drink and talk. The Greeks even have a word for it: "paréa." A primary color palette (red and yellow walls, blue floors) and the smattering of two- or four-person wooden and vinyl-covered tables signals this is as much casual hangout as wine bar. Paréa serves straightforward Mediterranean food and eclectic yet approachable wines, accompanied by helpful tasting notes."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, February 01, 2008

Bar Stars: The Chronicle honors bartenders who are defining Bay Area cocktail culture, Jon Bonné

A mixological renaissance has taken root here over the last half-decade, with a critical mass of sorts arriving about a year ago: 2007, we were told endlessly, was to be the year of the cocktail. So last summer we started to think about how to honor the creativity of the women and men who always give us a reason to cheer...Today's Bar Stars is the result. Consider it a cocktailian equivalent to The Chronicle's annual Rising Star Chefs. Whether they want to be called mixologists, bar chefs or simply outlandishly talented bartenders, our six honorees are essential in defining cocktail culture here and across the country.

Bar Stars: Martin Cate, Carol Ness

At an elaborate home bar, Cate played with ingredients, perfected the classics and ditched his shipping job (he worked around the bay for various shipping lines and in international exporting) to open Forbidden Island in 2006. Its down-home feel gives away nothing about the work that goes into the drinks.

Recipe:

Dead Reckoning

Bar Stars: Camber Lay, Laura Compton

As "bar chef" at Epic, she's working with the lead bartender and chef Jan Birnbaum to play off the steakhouse theme. She's designed a list with classics such as a sidecar with a Key lime sugar rim, and the Aviation, with a candied Cara Cara orange peel.

Recipe:

The Conversos

Bar Stars: Carlos Yturria and Dominic Venegas, Jon Bonné

While the two friends, well on their way to becoming the Bay Area's leading bar consultants, find plenty to fault with the old days - when premade syrups and vermouthless martinis ruled - they want a selective revival. For them, in booze's pre-Prohibition golden era, wine came with dinner. Cocktails like Negronis were just a prelude.

Recipe:

Family Style

Bar Stars: Daniel Hyatt, Jane Tunks

Hyatt's been pushing the boundaries of mixology ever since he worked behind the bar at the innovative Winterland, where chef Vernon Morales and pastry chef Boris Portnoy turned him on to ingredients like shiso, hibiscus and white cardamom. He was also exposed to the avant-garde techniques that produce culinary curlicues like foams and semi-solid purees, many of which have earned a permanent spot in his arsenal.

Recipe:

Southern Exposure

Bar Stars: Neyah White, Tara Duggan

Throughout his adult life, Neyah White (pronounced NAY-ah) has never quite been able to escape bartending. He started at age 19, serving drinks at a Maryland restaurant where his mother worked as a cook. Later, while taking a year off to travel, he found himself working a bartending shift here and there in Mexico, then Prague.

Recipe:

The New Ideal

Bar Stars: A dozen trendsetters who've shaken up the Bay Area cocktail scene, Jon Bonné

Cocktail culture isn't born, it's created. In the Bay Area, it's due to more than a decade of diligent work by many bartenders. Here are some of those who have helped get us where we are. It's no surprise if you've seen most of the names in our pages before; their contributions are all newsworthy.

Bar Stars: Legendary veterans from behind the slab, Karola Saekel

Ed Moose told all the bartenders he hired during his long career as a North Beach publican never to forget to say good night and thanks when patrons head out into the night. "It's a pity, but nowadays, hardly anybody does that anymore," says the former owner and operator of Moose's and before that the original Washington Square Bar & Grill.

The Cheese Course: Fromage lovers adore Italian Brunet, Janet Fletcher

For someone who claims to prefer aged cheeses, I have fallen hard for Brunet, a young goat's milk cheese from Northern Italy. But I should not be surprised. Every cheese I have sampled from its producer, the Caseificio dell'Alta Langa, has been divine. The luscious La Tur, which I have written glowingly about in the past, is one of this 15-year-old dairy's more popular exports.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Label Watch on Newman's Own and Solaire by Robert Mondavi, Stacy Finz
  
• In Our Glasses: Anderson Valley Brewing Company turns 20, Stacy Finz
  
• Rosenblum hands off to Diageo, Jon Bonné
  
• First look at Oxbow Wine Merchant, Janet Fletcher
  

Pairings: Surf and Turf for two marries brut rosé for Valentine's Day, Lynne Char Bennett

Surf & Turf for Two combines the always sparkler-friendly lobster with veal sweetbreads and rich sauces. The wine's red fruit notes support the meaty but still delicately textured sweetbreads, while its brightness and bubbles help lighten the sauce.

Recipes:

Surf & Turf for Two

Chronicle Wine Selections: Brut rosé Champagne and domestic sparkling wine, Lynne Char Bennett

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Dry Creek General Store, Tara Duggan

"If you're heading out for a jaunt through Dry Creek Valley's wineries, you could always grab cheese and salami at one of the tasting rooms. But people in the know head to this place instead for Wine Country picnic fare."

Bar Bites: Underwood Bar & Bistro, Tar Duggan

"There are very few places to find good food and ambience late at night in the Russian River area. Underwood Bar & Bistro in Graton has a special late-night menu from 10 to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and is open Tuesday through Thursday until 10 p.m."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, February 08, 2008

Wine lovers: He's passionate about red, she's devoted to white - how to bridge the color divide, Christina Kelly

Mixed couples - where one partner prefers red wine and the other partner favors white - are facing the "what color do we choose" dilemma as Valentine's Day approaches. It can be an expensive source of frustration when having to open two bottles of wine to satisfy both preferences. The better solution is to find a "bridge wine" to achieve harmony. But for the person totally consumed by red wine, is there a white wine with a come-hither appeal? Can a dedicated white wine drinker slide on over to the red side?

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Airlines with top-flight wine lists, Carol Ness
  
• Red chocolate box, red roses, Jon Bonné
  
• Anderson Valley wine festival, plus more events, Jon Bonné
  
• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  

Pairings: Potstickers to match Pinot Noir bring properity for the Lunar New Year, Lynne Char Bennett

Chinese pork dumplings, also called jiaozi (when steamed or boiled) or potstickers (additionally pan-fried) are perfect partners for Pinot. The dumpling's crescent shape is similar to the shape of a Qing Dynasty silver ingot, so eating dumplings is auspicious for prosperity and wealth in the new year.

Recipes:

Potstickers

Chronicle Wine Selections: Carneros Pinot Noir, Lynne Char Bennett

Cocktailian: The intinerant mixologist earns his keep by shaking and stirring, Gary Regan

I'm not against the concept of singing for my supper, though if you ever heard me belt out a bawdy number in the wee hours of the morning you'd no doubt wonder who would feed me for such a performance. Rather than insulting the ears of my hosts, I'm more likely to make drinks for them. I arrive at dinner parties armed with a bottle or two of pre-mixed cocktails and a shaker, make a few drinks for the assembled mass, then proceed to eat to my heart's content. It's not a bad ploy.

Recipes:

The Marketa Cocktail

Food and Wine Events

"Food from the Heart" a fundraiser for Slow Food San Francisco, takes place Friday and Saturday at the Ferry Building Marketplace...Throughout February, the Laurel Court at the Fairmont San Francisco is offering "Tea with Heart," benefiting the American Heart Association...Enjoy local wine and sustainable seafood on Feb. 21 at Fish restaurant in Sausalito and help raise funds for Marin Organic Salmon Safe Program...The Artisan Cheese Festival takes place from March 7 to 10 at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma.

The Cheese Course: Little to fault about Truffle Tremor, Janet Fletcher

Truffle Tremor has a bloomy rind like Humboldt Fog and a dense, yet slightly fluffy interior dusted with tiny specks of black truffle. The cheese is translucent just under the rind, the result of enzymes breaking down the milk protein, with the unmistakable earthy aroma of truffles. On the tongue, the cheese is creamy and lush, finishing with a tang and noticeable salt. To my taste, the truffle presence is over the top, but retailers have raved about this cheese to me and say their customers are raving, too.

The Tasting Room: Funky farmhouse winery goes green, Tara Duggan

Established in 1975, Preston makes 8,000 cases of wine a year, now made entirely from certified organic grapes. The family-owned winery is known for its Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Rhone-style wines. The Prestons' green approach includes using solar power in the winery and irrigation systems and restaurant fryer oil to fuel the tractors.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Sancho's Taqueria, Miriam Morgan

"You have to hunt for it, but taco aficionados in the mid-Peninsula have no trouble following their taste buds to this out-of-the-way spot in the Emerald Hills section of Redwood City. But compared with the hole-in-the-wall that it used to be, this bright, spacious location, a couple of doors down from the original, is big enough to be a landmark."

Bar Bites: The Monk's Kettle, Jane Tunks

"It seems that beer may finally be getting the respect it deserves in the Bay Area, as three serious-minded beer bars have opened up in quick succession: the Trappist in Oakland, and La Trappe and the Monk's Kettle in San Francisco."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, February 15, 2008

When Syrah met Pinot: One's Feisty, the other's finicky - but they're finding common ground, Jon Bonné

Here was proof of what I'd long suspected. Syrah, that sun-worshiping grape, has been waging a stealth campaign to invade chilly spots perfect for Pinot Noir, from northern Oregon all the way south to Santa Barbara and nearly everywhere in between. In a few cases, it has been quietly holding ground since the 1980s. Wineries long synonymous with Pinot now routinely make Syrah that offers the subtle aromatics beloved by the grape's traditional fans.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  
• The Celebrator Beer News turns 20, Jane Tunks
  
• New search engine revs up for wine, Jon Bonné
  
• Ceja tasting room opening, Tara Duggan
  
• An easy wine pairing for those extra herbs, Lynne Char Bennett
  

Beer: All the president's porters, Jay R. Brooks

It turns out that's an easy decision, too, because our first president had a definite preference when it came to beer. He loved the English style of beer known as porter and ordered them by the gross to keep Mount Vernon well stocked.

Uncorked: Mark Ellenbogen's spicy dish from behind the Slanted, Amanda Gold

One would assume that the wine director at Slanted Door would have a deep-rooted knowledge of Asian cuisine, or at least a palate specifically tailored to pairing wine with exotic, spice-laden foods. But it was little more than a fortuitous meeting that led Mark Ellenbogen to the popular San Francisco restaurant.

The Tasting Room: Understated experience from a legendary Napa Valley winery, Amanda Gold

Built into a hillside in 1882 by a man named Alfred L. Tubbs, Chateau Montelena boasts much of its original charm, perched atop a winding driveway just past downtown Calistoga. The stone chateau draws visitors interested in checking out not only the famed Chardonnay and the substantial selection of other wines, but also the well-manicured grounds and the Asian-style bridges and pagodas set on Jade Lake, designed by previous owners Yort and Jeanie Frank. In 1972, the property was purchased by the Barrett family.

Pairings: An egg-cellent match for Sauvignon Blanc, Lynne Char Bennett

Pert, vivacious Sauvignon Blanc, with its brisk acidity and various combinations of green herb, ripe tropical fruit and tart-sweet citrus is the egg's food-friendly partner. Napa Valley Sauvignon Blancs display these aromas and flavors with an occasional slight minerality. Hints of oak in some cases and a more moderately full body allow the wine to pair with heartier food.

Recipes:

Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese & Herbs

Chronicle Wine Selections: Napa Sauvingon Blanc, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: Hirtenkäse fans party when the cows come home, Janet Fletcher

Hirtenkäse, literally "herdsman's cheese," is an aged cow's milk cheese that has been made in the Allgäu for centuries from the pooled milk of small farms. The version we are seeing locally is produced at a dairy that collects its milk daily from 250 farms, with an average of only 12 cows each. The milk is pasteurized before the cheesemakers proceed with the culturing, curd cooking, molding and pressing required for an age-worthy cheese.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Turkish Kitchen, Carol Ness

"The soft, chewy, house-baked pita (without a pocket, as it's done in Turkey) is reason alone to plop down at this busy new restaurant in downtown Berkeley. But it would be a mistake to stop there."

Bar Bites: Daru Lounge, Mandy Erickson

"France holds the patent on romance, but Daru Lounge proves that India is at least as sexy ("daru" is the Hindi word for alcohol). With a bar backlit in rose-colored lights, delicate flower lamps descending from the ceiling and hot young Bollywood stars dancing on TV screens, the lounge adjacent to the Indian-Californian restaurant Mantra is sure to stoke some fires. It's the kind of place where you and your sweetheart can snuggle together, sipping drinks and nibbling snacks, for hours - or where you and your friends can bond over being single. Sugary cocktails satisfy a sweet tooth, and spicy appetizers awaken the senses."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, February 22, 2008

Yamahai warriors: Intense, funky and rich - traditional style of sake appeals to Americans, W. Blake Gray

Yamahai is a great-sounding word, like something samurai warriors could yell when attacking. Yamahai is actually a natural, labor-intensive, somewhat risky style of sake production. Sakes made by the yamahai method can be intense and funky, both richer and more acidic than the great majority of sakes, which are made by more modern industrial methods. They're also likely to be more friendly to Western food - or richer Japanese food like pork-based dishes - than other sakes.

Vintage wine cans win over winemaker, Yvonne Horn

It began as most collections do. Someone gave Allan Green a wine can, which led to another, and another. Soon, shelves were ordered.  Today Green, owner and winemaker of Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in Anderson Valley (Mendocino County), has the largest wine can collection in the world. It's an interesting honor because, as far as he knows, he is also the only person accumulating them.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Putting home brews to the test, Jane Tunks
  
• IN OUR GLASSES: What we're drinking
  
• Sonoma gears up for ninth annual prune-off finals, Jane Tunks
  
• Gadget: Silicone wine stoppers, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Drink it if you cook with it, Lynne Char Bennett
  

Beer: Extreme brews go higher, Jim Clarke

Beer typically averages around 5 percent alcohol by volume, but some craft brews are creeping higher and higher, not only catching up to wine, which generally falls around 13 percent, but even surpassing it.

Letters to Wine: Cool-climate vineyards embrace Syrah, Pinot

Tasting Room: Get your sparkling fix at Sharffenberger, Tara Duggan

The name Scharffenberger immediately conjures up visions of chocolate, but you won't find any 80 percent bittersweet bars at the tasting room of this Anderson Valley winery.

Pairings: The legend of Shiraz - a Persian fairy tale, Lynne Char Bennett

Back to reality. Super-sleuth Dr. Carole Meredith at UC Davis did a DNA studies of the Syrah grape only to determine that it is native to the Rhone Valley, not Iran. So how did this grape get to Australia? It appears that the first cuttings of Shiraz made it there in 1832 when James Busby, who's often credited with bringing the first wine grapes to Australia, shipped it from Europe along with hundreds of vine samples. Shiraz is now the most widely planted red grape in Australia.

Recipes:

Khoresh (Beef with Prunes & Carrots)

Chronicle Wine Selections: McClaren Vale Shiraz, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: Spain's farmstead renaissance creates Leonora, Janet Fletcher

Made with pasteurized milk from the cheesemaker's own herd, the roughly 4-pound Leonora resembles a large flattened log, or brick, with slightly flared sides. The natural rind exhibits plentiful white and gray mold, producing a coat that looks like the bark of a birch tree. "I've never seen a rind like this," I wrote in my earliest tasting notes, when the cheese's bloomy surface was speckled with mysterious brownish molds.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Mi Pueblo, Lynne Char Bennett

"Taquerias abound, but Mi Pueblo - a San Jose Latino grocery chain with five Bay Area stores - not only offers ready-to-eat fare but also stocks a plethora of fresh ingredients for evenings when you want to cook."

Bar Bites: Brick, Laura Compton

"This restaurant has undergone a few shifts since it opened in mid-2006, but one constant has been the intimate atmosphere of the 68-seat space. Square amber lights over the copper-topped bar and votives at the tables at this Tendernob spot cast a flattering glow, and a brick wall hung with modern art adds textural contrast."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, February 29, 2008

Search for the perfect match: The Chronicle puts six wine experts to the test with two challenging dishes, Amanda Gold

The three were among six sommeliers and wine directors asked to participate in The Chronicle Wine department's pairing challenge. Their task was simple - each was to take a recipe created by Chronicle Pairings columnist Lynne Char Bennett, and come up with what they believed to be the best matches for that dish. Three got the fish, and the second group of three got Pork & Mustard Stroganoff. The contestants were limited to two bottles each - one "safe bet" and a more unexpected choice - and each was to be under $40 retail. On a recent Tuesday, the six contestants came in two separate shifts to The Chronicle for a blind tasting, armed with wine totes, paper bags and chilled bottles.

Recipes:

Sole with Fennel, Watercress & Grapefruit Salad

Pork & Mustard Stroganoff

Is Europe too sweet on chaptalization? Age-old practice of boosting alcohol with sugar spurs debate among winemakers, Jim Clarke

Mary Poppin's advice about the merits of a "spoonful of sugar" applies not only to medicine, but to wine as well. However, it takes more than a spoonful. Hundreds of thousands of tons of sugar are added to wines by Europe's wineries each year. As part of their attempts to revitalize their wine industry, the European Union's farm ministers almost banned the practice - called chaptalization - in December, but protests from northern France, Austria and Germany tabled that proposal.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• IN OUR GLASSES: What we're drinking
  
• Winery watch: Verge, Ella Lawrence
  
• First look: Bar 888 at Luce, Tara Duggan
  
• A wee dram of Welsh whiskey, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Premiere Napa breaks records, Stacy Finz
  
• This week's events
  

Cocktailian: When life gives you Meyer lemons, make a Midnight Smash, Gary Regan

Meyer lemons have a reputation for being kinder and gentler than regular lemons - some say there's a hint of orange or tangerine in their juice - so from a bartender's point of view, they must be treated differently from any other citrus fruit. This fact led me to make a request of the young McDonnell man. I wasn't satisfied with mere lemons as a gift. I wanted more.  "Thanks for the lemons," I told him via e-mail, "now send me a recipe that works only if Meyer lemon juice is used."

Recipes:

Midnight Smash, Adapted from a recipe by Duggan McDonnell of Cantina in San Francisco.

Tasting Room: Family schools tasters in traditional, modern wines, Carol Ness

Baileyana Winery is sweeter than banana cream pie slathered with caramel sauce and hot fudge.  Perched on a picturesque knoll in the Edna Valley, south of San Luis Obispo, the tasting room occupies the old Independence Schoolhouse, built in 1909 by the area's early farmers and now painted a cheery yellow with white trim.

The Cheese Course: Even without a beer, Breakfast Cheese is an eye-opener, Janet Fletcher

Made from pasteurized milk inoculated with Brie cultures, the 3-ounce rounds of Breakfast Cheese are wrapped and shipped when they are only about three days old, compared to two or three weeks old for a Camembert. I haven't tasted the Breakfast Cheese at this unripened stage, but the company's sales manager, Maxx Sherman, tells me that's when he likes it best. The cheese hasn't developed a bloomy rind yet and has a milky, tart freshness.

Letters to Wine: Happy to be hops-free

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Giordano Bros., Jane Tunks

"At Giordano Bros. in North Beach, a blackboard on the wall is emblazoned with eight "answers to your Q's" about the "all in one" - the best of which is left for last: "The sandwich has been made the same way for over 70 years, so we suggest you don't try to change it.""

Bar Bites: The Bistro, Karen Reardanz

"The Bistro Opened in 1994 by Vic and Cynthia Kralj, the Bistro has established itself as one of the best beer bars in the East Bay and gained a reputation as an ardent supporter of the Northern California brewing scene. Local regulars, home brewers and beer aficionados stop by to drink, talk hops and listen to live music. This downtown Hayward bar is also home to a variety of killer all-day beer festivals, like last month's Double IPA Festival, November's West Coast Barrel-Aged Beer Fest and October's Wet Hop Beer Festival."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, March 08, 2008

Unconventional wine expert says the number of taste buds determines your wine preferences, Stacy Finz

Wine expert Tim Hanni tells me I'm a closet White Zinfandel drinker.  Oh geez. If word gets out, I'm finished in this town.  Hanni, one of the first two Americans to pass England's prestigious Master of Wine exam, assures me that it's not my fault. He believes that taste in wine is physiologically predetermined by the number of taste buds on the tongue. Besides, he says, there's nothing wrong with White Zinfandel.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Oakville Winegrowers release their Cuvee, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Italian wine online, Amanda Gold
  
• It's almost asparagus season, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Winery Watch: Falcor in Napa, Stacy Finz
  
• In Our Glasses: What we're drinking
  

Beer: A different glass for every brew can add to the drinking experience, Derrick Schneider

Historians can sometimes piece together the evolution of a glass through time, but often they just guess. On one point, however, they agree: Beer glasses took off when commercial glassmaking met lagers in the late 1800s - the clear brews sparkled in the see-through containers.  It didn't take long after that for breweries to realize that they could put their names on the glasses and give them to bars that served their beers. The bar got glasses for free; the brewers got advertising. Industrial techniques let brewers place their names on custom-designed glassware, a process called cresting.

The Cheese Course: Capri Classic Blue Log sports blue on the outside, Janet Fletcher

Capri Classic Blue Log begins life as a plain fresh chevre, made with pasteurized goat's milk from local farms. Left alone, it would develop no blue. But the cheesemaker mixes in some salt and Penicillium culture, then extrudes the cheese into a 5-inch log using a sort of sausage stuffer. The logs go into a so-called curing cabinet, where temperature and humidity are watched closely, and within days, blue mold envelops the surface. Blue veins don't develop internally because the paste, or interior, is compact, providing little of the oxygen the mold needs to grow.

Letters to Wine: Defying gravity

Tasting Room: Family schools tasters in traditional, modern wines, Carol Ness

Visiting Simi Winery is a surprising mixture of modern and historic. The tasting room is on a broad, busy part of Healdsburg Avenue, which creates a bit of a suburban feel. Step a few yards toward the winery facilities, however, and you find yourself surrounded by old redwood trees, a stream and railroad tracks that shuttled grapes to San Francisco winemakers back in the early days of the winery.

Pairings: Mediterranean dish a nod to Sangiovese Italian roots, Lynne Char Bennett

Dishes that contain tomato need a wine with acidity and some red-fruit character, such as Sangiovese. Eggplant & Tomato Saute is a side dish that combines earthy eggplant and, since tomato season is still months away, tart canned tomatoes. Carrots and onions provide balancing sweetness. The eggplant has a creamy texture that complements the wine tannins, while thyme and oregano provide a Mediterranean bent - a nod to Sangiovese's regional roots.

Recipe:

Eggplant & Tomato Saute

Pairings: The Chronicle Wine Selections: Domestic Sangiovese and Supertuscan-style blends, Lynne Char Bennett

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Theo's Cheesesteak Shop, Cindy Lee

" Philadelphia has the infamous Pat's and Gino's cheesesteak stands. Over in the Rincon Center, we have Theo's, which offers a similar sandwich of thinly sliced beef grilled with onions, topped with cheese and served on a soft 7-inch Amoroso roll from Philly. Some say it comes pretty close to the real deal."

Bar Bites: The Mum's, Cindy Lee

"Inside Hotel Tomo in Japantown, carnivores unite. When you first walk in, you have no idea what to expect inside this retro space with orange plastic ceiling moldings that resemble Lego blocks, a big circular window cut out on one side of the wall and soft lighting that casts an orangish hue. At night, on each of the 16 tables is a Bunsen burner with a cast-iron pot filled with flavored broth, the perfect setting for shabu-shabu, a Japanese hot pot that consists of cooking vegetables, noodles and thin slices of meat in the broth and dipping them into a light, citrus soy sauce or nutty sesame sauce."

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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, March 14, 2008

California winemakers depend on a smattering of nurseries to keep vineyards healthy and thriving, Derrick Schneider

Just as a gardener might order unusual garlic from Seed Savers Exchange, grape growers shop for the vines they want in nursery catalogs. And just as a gardener expects a level of seed quality, grape growers expect consistent, disease-free vines from nurseries. California's vine nurseries represent a $100 million drop in the $51 billion wine industry bucket, but they are the only reliable way for the state's grape growers to get the vines they want.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Tool for a bar-worthy Black and Tan, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Drink up at Whiskey Thieves bar in San Francisco for St. Paddy's Day, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• First look at Wine Jar, Jon Bonné
  
• San Francisco Cocktail Week details announced, Jon Bonné
  
• Wine events this week
  
• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  

A report from the 2008 Vintners Hall of Fame - honorees and highlights, Jon Bonné

Corti, the Sacramento wine merchant and expert taster, is a reluctant self-promoter. But he and two other still very living wine legends inducted into the hall's second class this year, Ridge Vineyards' Paul Draper and Napa Valley vintner Miljenko "Mike" Grgich, were on hand this year to accept their honors. It's a stark change from last year, when Robert Mondavi was the only living recipient. (Mondavi wasn't able to attend this year, though wife, Margrit, was on hand.)

Uncorked: Richard Reddington's "It" list in Yountville, Tara Duggan

The chef-owner of Redd in Yountville and his wine director, Chris Blanchard, are constantly trying to strike the right balance of wineries on their list, which features some of the top houses in Napa, Sonoma, France and elsewhere in Europe. But after developing relationships with many winemakers over the years, the chef sometimes has a hard time saying no.

The Cocktailian: The real Singapore sling has a Danish accent, Gary Regan

Singapore slings were pretty popular back in the '70s, too, though I cringe when I recall the formula we used at the Drum: cheap gin, a few drops of Benedictine, a splash of pineapple juice, some god-awful sweet-and-sour mix and a splash of grenadine for color. We topped the drink off with a splash of club soda, threw a cherry and a slice of orange on top, and voila, our customers were transported to the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, where the drink was reputedly created by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon in the early 1900s.

Recipe:

The Singapore Sling

Adapted from the recipe at the Raffles Hotel, Singapore. There's no soda in the Raffles version, which uses a little less gin and a lot more pineapple juice than suggested in this formula. That recipe is too sweet for my taste.

The Cheese Course: Spain's San Simón has a smoky signature, Janet Fletcher

San Simón, a Galician cow's milk cheese, has PDO (protected designation of origin) status, a prestigious European Union designation similar to an appellation. Even so, we don't see much of it in this country, and I was surprised to find it recently at the Whole Foods in Napa. The importer of this particular San Simón, Michele Buster of Forever Cheese in New York, says that her producer works on a small scale, but most San Simón is made industrially. In any case, PDO rules spell out how the cheese must be made, so variations from one producer to another should be slight.

Tasting Room: A taste of French Wine Country in Carneros, Amanda Gold

Built in 1987, Domaine Carneros was modeled after the Chateau de la Marquetterie, a famous French property owned by Champagne Taittinger, which poured its first wine under the Domaine Carneros name in 1988.

Pairings: Lush Rhone whites beg for a luscious pasta sauce, Lynne Char Bennett

Such lushness calls for food with similar weight and intensity. A moderately intense, rich cheese with mild, earthy aromas and gentle tangy flavor is lightened by a white Rhone's acidity. Made into a creamy sauce, the cheese lightly coats pasta as it does your palate. But avoid too pungent a cheese, which might exacerbate any hint of bitterness on the wine's finish.

Recipe:

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta

The Chronicle Wine Selections: Domestic white Rhone varietals and blends, Lynne Char Bennett

Taste-bud theory put to the test, Stacy Finz

Last week, I wrote about Tim Hanni, the Napa Valley wine expert who says that we are physiologically predetermined to like certain wines based on the number of taste buds on our tongues. Those with the most taste buds are "hypersensitive tasters," those with slightly fewer taste buds are "sensitive," and "tolerant tasters" have the fewest taste buds, according to Hanni.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Bear Naked Burgers, Deb Wandell

"A top-notch burger under $8 is hard to find these days. Throw in a pint of beer for a buck, and you're in hamburger heaven. That's the hard-to-resist hook at Bear Naked Burgers, formerly Cafe Pippo and now a burger, sandwich, soup and salad spot in Oakland's blossoming Temescal neighborhood."

Bar Bites: Bungalow 44, Amanda Gold

"Since opening in the summer of 2005 in the space that once housed Avenue Grill, Mudbugs and Cascade, Bungalow 44 has become both a hangout for Mill Valley residents and a destination for diners in the city and suburbs alike."

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, March 21, 2008

Hawking the green fairy: Will absinthe outlive its 15 minutes?, Stacy Finz

But when the fascination with absinthe's mystique dies down, will consumers continue to lap it up? Yes and no, say experts.  "The story of absinthe is novel," admits Neyah White, the bar manager at Nopa, a popular San Francisco restaurant. "But when the novelty fades, it will still have staying power. People are looking for bolder flavors, so absinthe is catching on."

Recipes:

Sacred Heart, An absinthe cocktail created by Jonny Raglin, bar manager at San Francisco's Absinthe Brasserie and Bar.

The Sazerac, This New Orleans original is adapted from a recipe by Chronicle cocktail columnist Gary Regan.

Death at Dusk, A Champagne cocktail created by Kitty Puzon and Neyah White, bartenders at San Francisco's Nopa restaurant.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• TCandies from the green fairy, Jane Tunks
  
• Winery Watch: Amapola Creek in Sonoma, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Wine event of the week
  
• A battle over Brunello, Amanda Gold
  
• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  

Tasting Room: Sip and gawk at Napa's opulent Darioush, Amanda Gold

Undeniably, it's an impressive structure. Though proprietor Darioush Khaledi started the winery in 1997, he opened the most current visitor center in 2004, after spending several years erecting it to evoke the architecture of his native Iran's ancient capital Persepolis.

Pairings: Korean pancake flips for wine, Cindy Lee

Wine is rarely seen on tables in Korean restaurants. Yet there is a category of dishes in Korean cuisine called "anju" that is meant to be consumed with alcohol. Traditionally, soju, a distilled beverage made from rice, is the drink of choice, but an anju can pair just as well, if not better, with the right wine.  Such is the case with haemool pajeon, a Korean pancake often ordered in restaurants. Made from a flour-based batter with seafood and green onions, it is an untraditional but irresistible match for this week's Pacific Northwest Chardonnay.

Recipe:

Haemool Pajeon (Korean Seafood Pancake)

The Chronicle Wine Selections: Pacific Northwest Chardonnay, Lynne Char Bennett

Letters to Wine: The dangers of invasive pests

The Cheese Course: A pepper coat enhances Tuscany's pecorino senese, Janet Fletcher

Made from November to June with whole milk from the Sarda breed - the type native to Sardinia - pecorino senese can be consumed after as little three weeks or matured for months, becoming progressively drier and sharper with age. Because they are made with raw milk, the wheels must be at least 60 days old before they are legal for sale in the United States. Typically, Pinzani releases them at three months, and they take several more weeks to get here. The wheels are small - measuring under 2 inches tall and weighing about 12 ounces - and surprisingly moist for their age.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Pagan, Laura Compton

"For years, friends and relatives told Ma Sandar Tun she should open a restaurant to bring her native Burmese dishes to a wider audience. In January, she and husband Kiichi Yamagiwa, a restaurant contractor, opened Pagan in the Outer Richmond, near the entrance to the Palace of the Legion of Honor. The cozy corner spot features a dramatic peaked ceiling, gold-sponged walls, black tables and cherrywood lattice-back chairs. Two nooks alongside one wall provide more privacy for small groups."

Bar Bites: Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, San Francisco, Jane Tunks

"For the first decade of its existence, Absinthe Brasserie & Bar was named after an elusive green spirit that it wasn't even allowed to serve. The herbal liqueur wasn't legally available in the United States until late last year, when brands from Alameda's St. George Spirits, among others, were approved for distribution by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau."

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, March 28, 2008

After the leap: His celebrated winery sold, Warren Winiarski ponders his legacy - and his next move, Jon Bonné

Few wineries so embody their creator as Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. It often seemed like the extension of Winiarski's will: built along the Silverado Trail in the location of his "epiphany" while tasting the 1968 Cabernet made by maverick winegrower Nathan Fay. Through the winery, Winiarski defined a winemaking style of balance, depth and subtle endurance rather than the overt power favored by many of his neighbors. Always he was synonymous with Stag's Leap wines, his signature right on the labels.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• San Francisco World Spirits Competition results, Deb Wandell
  
• Winery Watch: Mars vs. Venus, beer vs. wine, Deb Wandell
  
• A date with eau de vie, Amanda Gold
  
• A secret of professional wine tasters, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  
• The Refuge, Jon Bonné
  
• Wine and spirits professionals nab Beard nominations, Deb Wandell
  

Letters to Wine: Pasta recipe a winner

Tasting Room: Get a taste of Texas hospitality in Healdsburg, Stacy Finz

Originally planned as a guest house, the Arista tasting room in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley is reminiscent of a hospitality center at a state or national park. The rustic chalet, with its serene grounds, is welcoming. Rock gardens, trickling streams and gravel paths wend through the lush property, where patrons are encouraged to stroll with a glass of wine.

Cocktailian: Ginger kick sends a cocktail uptown, Gary Regan

The Debonair is a simple affair made with 2 1/2 ounces of either Oban or Springbank single-malt Scotch - both drams that display a salty backdrop that belies their coastal aging - and an ounce of Canton ginger liqueur, an incredibly good product that, according to the label, was based on ginger liqueurs that have been made in China since the Qing Dynasty. Originally, then, I dubbed the drink the Whisky Qing. Nobody ever ordered a Whisky Qing.

Recipe:

Manhattan East. Adapted from a recipe by Dale DeGroff.

Spirits: Hot dram! Complex Jamaican liqueur's American revival captures imaginations of connoisseurs, Paul Clarke

While the name may be offputting, pimento dram's flavor is a different story. "Allspice brings with it all these different elements," says Martin Cate, who used homemade versions of pimento dram at Forbidden Island in Alameda but is now switching to Seed's version. "There's hints of anise, there's nutmeg qualities, there's cinnamon - I mean, that's the name, right? There's so much going on that it adds a layer of complexity and depth to the drink that, in some cases, is not necessarily definable."

Recipe:

Lizzie's Pippin. Adapted from a recipe by Martin Cate.

Pairings: Skirt steak takes a grilling for Bordeaux blends, Lynne Char Bennett

Such a range of characteristics calls for a versatile recipe like Grilled Skirt Steak with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes & Worcestershire Aioli. Skirt steak is best if not overcooked. Medium-rare beef helps tame any wayward tannin in the wine. The aioli's richness also smooths the way, with sherry vinegar and lemon juice brightening the dish to better match the wines' occasional tartness.

Recipe:

Grilled Skirt Steak with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes & Worcestershire Aioli

The Chronicle Wine Selections: Red Bordeaux $50 or less, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: France's age-old Laguiole handed down from monks, Janet Fletcher

Historical records suggest that Laguiole originated in monasteries, and that monks transmitted the methods of production to local farmers. In the late 1800s, more than 300 cheesemaking huts, known as burons, were scattered across the plateau. Between May and October, when the high-altitude pastures flourished, farmers led their cows from the valley into the mountains to graze and made cheese in the burons along the way. The burons have all but vanished now, and virtually all Laguiole is produced by a single cooperative established in the 1960s.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Cafe Leila, Stacy Finz

"Wedged in among San Pablo Avenue's eclectic businesses, this funky spot seems more coffeehouse than restaurant. Surprisingly, though, it has a full menu - everything from pancakes ($6.95) to a Philly cheese steak ($7.95). A friendly cashier took our order at the counter and brought it to our table."

Bar Bites: Astaria, Mandy Erickson

"Most restaurant bars are merely a stopping point for diners waiting for a table. But at Astaria in downtown San Mateo, the restaurant's bar is a destination in itself - especially on Thursday nights, when there's live music. I Noah Band, Margo LeDuc and Tony Lindsay of Santana regularly play R&B with jazz and Motown overtones, with other groups rotating in on occasion. Most fans sit and listen while sipping cocktails and snacking at the bar, but a daring few will take a turn on the small dance floor. Celebrate the weekend one night early, as you have only Friday to get through."

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, April 04, 2008

That's amari: Italy's traditional bitter liqueurs find new life with American consumers, Wolfgang M. Weber

Americans hate to be bitter. At least it can seem that way when it comes to what people in this country like to eat and drink. But to Europeans, and perhaps above all to Italians, bitterness, or amaro, is a revered and essential part of their cultural and culinary heritage - the sharp, stinging yang to the sweet yin of amore.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Wine and beer events
  
• First look at the San Francisco Wine Center, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• A new wineglass works all the angles, Jon Bonné
  
• Benefits: Eastern eats meets West for a cause
  
• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  
• American Wine Blog Awards winners announced, Lynne Char Bennett
  

Letters to Wine: Readers ponder Winiarski's leap

Tasting Room: Sip reds, whites at green Quivira, Stacy Finz

Green is the operative word at Quivira Vineyards, tucked into Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley. The grounds are indeed verdant, especially after a good rain. But at Quivira, green is as much the winemaking philosophy as it is the color of the surrounding flora. From the solar panels on the roof of the red barn-like tasting room to the winery's organic and biodynamic farming practices, Quivira is focused on being a good steward of the land.

Uncorked: Weatherman Spencer Christian's love for wines and vines, Stacy Finz

It was an evening in 1976. Although ABC 7's Spencer Christian can't remember what the weather was like that fateful New York night, he has a distinct memory of the wine he was drinking. The weatherman was celebrating with his newly engaged friend and decided that the evening called for a fine vintage - something to memorialize the momentous occasion.

Pairings: A Sephardic Passover lamb stew that celebrates spring garlic, Joyce Goldstein

You can imagine my surprise and delight, while living in the Mediterranean, to learn that the Sephardic Jews of Italy, Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Turkey and the Balkans were dining quite differently at Passover. Spring lamb, artichokes, asparagus, tiny peas and favas, green beans and lots of herbs were on the table. And the wine was not sweet.

Recipe:

Lamb with Green Garlic

The Chronicle Wine Selections: Kosher Wines, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: Rogue's Crater Lake Blue stands out, Janet Fletcher

Crater Lake Blue is a rindless cheese with a creamy texture and moderate pungency. Bryant considers it bolder in flavor than the dairy's other blues (among them, Oregonzola and Rogue River Blue), but I don't find it particularly aggressive. A wedge I purchased recently was deliciously mellow, with a pale butter-colored interior with a modest amount of veining, considerable moisture at the center, and a tangy but not biting flavor. The aroma reminded me of buttermilk; the texture was silky, the salt restrained and the tang lingering but not sharp. Bottom line - and this is always what matters - I kept coming back for more.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Bang San Thai, Amanda Gold

"This location of Bang San opened a few months ago; the original is three blocks away in the Tenderloin. After four years of a successful run, owner Noor Kahn opened this second space with significantly more seating."

Bar Bites: Satellite, Jane Tunks

"But instead of letting the corner bar languish behind boarded-up doors after the blaze, owners Cameron Bryce, Liam Martin and Johnny Davis took the opportunity to gussy up the cavernous space. Nearly 1 1/2 years later, Benders reopened with many improvements, including a new bar and stage, a shiny coat of paint and, best of all, a kitchen staffed by a cook who actually cares about food."

[Hest88]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, April 011, 2008

New Zealand's next step: Saddled with the popularity of Sauvignon Blanc, winemakers yearn for a challenge, Derrick Schneider

American wine drinkers fell hard for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in 1985, when Cloudy Bay first began exporting its wine. The lively, grassy, minerally wine, a perfect pairing for raw oysters and Pacific Rim cuisine, sprinted to cult status.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Winery watch on Landmark Vineyards, Jon Bonné
  
• Nuts for Riesling, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Wine list watch on Va De Vi Bistro & Wine Bar, Lynne Char Bennett
  
• Learn the art of mixology at spirits school, Tara Duggan
  

In our glasses: What we're drinking, Jon Bonné, Cindy Lee, Laura Compton

As a guy perhaps best known for making the obscure Charbono in the land of Cabernet, Bob Foley is obviously comfortable with the wine road less traveled. So why should we have been surprised at how great we found the second vintage of his Pinot Blanc - a misunderstood grape if ever there was one?

The Tasting Room: Discovering the silver lining at a Napa Valley winery, Tara Duggan

All of the wines are made from estate-grown grapes in Napa and Carneros, and the focus is on five varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Because of the winery's location in the Stags Leap District, it's not surprising that Cabernets are a big part of the tasting menu.

The Cocktailian: A Texas barkeep takes on the Manhattan, Gary Regan

Bookie Bob's Manhattans are not for the faint of heart - they call for Booker's barrel-proof bourbon, sweet and dry vermouths, a dash of bitters and a secret ingredient: black cherries marinated in Luxardo maraschino liqueur.

Pairings: Cyrus chef's lamb dish tames Napa Cabernet, Lynne Char Bennett

Keane works with Cyrus sommelier Jim Rollston to develop special wine-pairing menus, including dishes like the roasted loin of lamb with mascarpone polenta & black truffles that he paired with the 2002 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recipe:

Roasted Loin of Lamb with Morels & Mascarpone Polenta

The Chronicle Wine Selections: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $50 and less, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: Wrinkled chevre from France shows its age on the inside, Janet Fletcher

Like many other traditional French goat cheeses, Chabichou is made with minimal rennet. Instead the milk is cultured and allowed to sour slowly, over 20 hours or so, during which time flavor-producing bacteria proliferate and acidity rises enough to curdle the milk.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: Cafe Zeste, Tara Duggan

"Just because a restaurant is behind the curve on cooking trends doesn't mean it can't make good food. The fettuccine Alfredo on the menu seemed like a red flag when I sat down to lunch at Cafe Zeste in Berkeley recently. It turned out that the restaurant uses quality produce and makes many of the ingredients in house - including the fresh fettuccine - and the result is lots of lively and fresh flavors on the plate."

Bar Bites: Franklin Square Wine Bar, Jane Tunks

"Though it might seem that the wine list would be the draw (it is a wine bar, after all), it's chef Jacob Alioto's menu that elevates this otherwise unassuming boite. The menu outdoes itself with well-turned-out riffs on modern California cuisine."