Digest San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section

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

Bugging out: Beyond pesticides - vintners who see insects as vineyard helpers, Deborah Grossman

More vintners now consider these beneficial bugs their allies. Grapegrowers are creating sustainable habitats for them and taking a more nuanced approach to managing pests. They apply less damaging biological treatments and employ bug- and soil-friendly cultivation practices. Often, beneficial bugs are a crucial factor in ensuring healthy grapevines.

THE SIPPING NEWS:

• Tasting notes: Message for a bottle, Laura Compton
  
• Winery Watch: Winery watch on C. Donatiello, Tara Duggan
  
• Earth Day festival at Iron Horse Vineyards, Amanda Gold
  
• In our glasses: What we're drinking
  

Tasting Room: Feel-good fun on Silverado Trail at ZD Wines, Tara Duggan

Norman de Leuze and Gino Zepponi (the Z and D in the winery name) started out in Sonoma in 1968. Ten years later, the winery moved to its present site, when de Leuze began devoting himself full time to winemaking. Zepponi passed away in 1985, when the de Leuze family retained all interests in the winery. Though Norman de Leuze died in the fall, his wife and co-founder Rosa Lee de Leuze still works at the winery along with all three of their children and one grandson.

Spirits: Italy's fiery grappa the latest liquor to go upscale, Camper English

But upon hearing the word "grappa," many drinkers still wince. A beverage program built around the fiery spirit is thus a risky proposition, but that's what you'll find at Bar 888, the lobby bar that also serves the Italian restaurant Luce on the ground floor of the new Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco's SoMa area.

Vineyards thrive after sheep's handiwork, Deb Grossman

Like the many beneficial bugs on the Benziger ranch, sheep help keep the vineyard healthy. Benziger raises sheep on the property year-round. The population numbers 31 and growing. The sheep graze on vineyard cover crops from Thanksgiving until early April. Benziger uses flexible fencing to rotate around the ranch. "Think of a pizza pie - they cover one wedge at a time." In the summer, they graze on pastureland on the property.

Pairings: A sweet and sour match for German Riesling, Lynne Char Bennett

Slightly sweet Riesling is a regional match for this fermented foodstuff, which people either love or hate. Besides sauerkraut, Smoked Trout & Sauerkraut Pizza incorporates smoked seafood, mustard and apples - all Riesling-friendly ingredients.

Recipe:

Smoked Trout & Sauerkraut Pizza

The Chronicle Wine Selections: 2006 German QbA and Kabinett Rieslings, Lynne Char Bennett

The Cheese Course: Gouda-style Beemster XO from Netherlands, Janet Fletcher

Beemster XO is the most mature cheese in the line, a Gouda-style cheese made from pasteurized milk and aged a minimum of 26 months. As with other Dutch-style cheeses, age confers heightened aromas and bigger flavors. The 22- to 23-pound wheels of Beemster XO are encased in a plastic coating that keeps mold from growing on the rind.

96 Hours

Bargain Bite: El Sombrero, Jon Bonné

"El Sombrero offers a down-home dose of Mexico just off Healdsburg's fancy main square and directly across from the upscale Oakville Grocery, a welcome break from $9 sandwiches and just the thing to fill you up after tasting the high-octane Zins at Rosenblum's tasting room across the street. The sun-filled storefront attracts a mix of Sonoma County locals and hungry visitors."

Bar Bites: Laiola, Tara Duggan

"Though it's officially a restaurant, Laiola has a definite lounge atmosphere, with a long bar and raised tables that take up most of the narrow space on Chestnut Street. Serious diners might come in for Mark Denham's gutsy Spanish plates, but everyone else seems to be here for the lively atmosphere and creative cocktails, with the great food as a bonus."