We seek wine recommends the year ’round, but at no time more so than the holidays. Here’s some sipping assistance for ringing in the new year (note: key shops like K&L Wine Merchants, Jug Shop, Arlequin, Bi-Rite, or SF Wine Trading Co., may stock these bottles or can likely order them for you).

Going Bubbly

Nothing says New Year’s Eve like champagne, and at a recent Bubble Lounge industry tasting, my palate was piqued by a few. I cannot afford Armand de Brignac champagne, but if you can splurge, by all means, be my guest. In elaborate, hand-carved bottles marked by pewter labels, attention to detail is paramount. Thankfully, the champagne is as elevated as the package. Blanc de Blanc is buttery with oak, balanced by a chardonnay crispness; the Rose is a gently flushed beauty; Brut Gold is a showcase blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Menuier. Often over $300, I may never be able to stock my wine cabinet with a bottle, but I anticipate the joy of tasting it again.

At a ridiculously reasonable $7.99 a bottle, I like Spain’s Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut with earthy, citrus notes and bone-dry finish, and Cristalino Rose, redolent of mushroom and tart cherry, made with Pinot Noir and the less common Trepat grape.

Cloverhill Sparkling from Tasmania is bready and crisp, balanced by honey. Zardetto Rose Raboso Veronese and Zeta Prosecco are both a real value; the Rose laden with strawberry and vanilla cream, while the acidic Prosecco is food friendly (both around $15).

Cider Sipping

With its long American history, cider is low in alcohol and a happy food companion… a welcome change of pace from wine and champagne.

I received a few samples this fall, my pick being an upstate New York duo. Newton Pippin Original Sin Cider, is made from single heirloom Pippin varietals, known as “the prince of apples”. Uber dry and crisp, it pairs well with a wide range of foods (I rather like it with pretzels and mustard).

Cherry Tree Original Sin Cider is a winning combo of tart cherries combined with crisp heirloom apples.

Value Wines

Lasseter  Enjoué, Sonoma – This $24 rosé from the just-opened Lasseter Family Winery (you may know John Lasseter as Pixar/Disney’s CFO and director of films like Toy Story) is a dry Rhone-style rosé whispering Mediterranean breezes and flower gardens. A Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache blend, Enjoué, means “joyful, playful.” Though winter might not seem ideal, I’d sip this softly acidic beauty for a winter escape or hold onto it until the days lengthen… my favorite of the four wines at the elegantly understated winery. John, his wife Nancy, and winemaker Julia Iantosca have a love of Bordeaux and Rhone wines, apparent in their blended wines representing varietals from both regions. Purchase online or at the winery (tastings by appointment).

Gerard Bertrand Chateau L’Hospitalet, France – 2007 Gerard Bertrand Chateau L’Hospitalet Reserve is one of the better French bargain reds. At a mere $8.99 a bottle, this wine from the La Clape region of the Languedoc is fruit-forward, begging to partner with a hearty cassoulet or coq au vin. A blend of 30% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, its soft spice is balanced by minerality and subtle oak.

Landmark 2009 Grand Detour Pinot Noir, Sonoma – At $40, this is Landmark Vineyard’s lower-priced Pinot which I actually prefer to their $65 Kanzler Pinot. It’s robust for a Pinot with earthy cherry and minimal oak, but offers enough acidity to be food friendly, unfolding as it sits. This casual, comfortable winery (with bocce ball and small lake) offers tastings and bottles to purchase or order online.

Mapema Sauvignon Blanc & Malbec, Argentina – Mapema’s 2011 Sauvignon Blanc ($14) and 2009 Malbec ($19) are both affordable winners. The Sauv Blanc claims 90% stainless steel fermentation (10% aged in new French oak), allowing the grape’s zesty, acidic properties to dominate. Lemongrass and a well-rounded finish go nicely with seafood. Malbec offers hints of cherry and cocoa, with solid tannins from 50% new and 50% 1 year French oak, pairing well with pork, lamb, or hearty grains.

Huge Bear Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma – The name Huge Bear might not be poetic (though I dig the old world, wild west, California label), but the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc ($25) offers floral melon and citrus notes, soothing with Asian take-out. 2009 Chardonnay ($40) is pricey but showcases crisp apple, pear and mineral notes, followed by a butter cream finish. These are small production at merely 150 cases each.

Kracher’s Cuvee Beernauslese (pronounced bear-en-ow-schlay-zuh), Austria – I adore Austrian wines and this $27 blend of Chardonnay and Welschriesling grapes is much more than a sweet finish to a meal. It’s a layered, acidic dessert wine, dripping with vanilla honey balanced by mineral pineapple and lemon zest.

WINE COUNTRY SNAPSHOTS

In my many jaunts to Wine Country, I never suffer for options. Even after a decade, I am ever experiencing new delights. In addition to recent weekends (Calistoga to family-run wineries), here’s a few more bite-sized fall delights that will be equally pleasing this winter.

Coffee goodness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Napa Valley Roasters is a family-run affair with the original shop in downtown Napa and a larger cafe in St. Helena. Nancy Haynes is president, carrying on the legacy begun by husband who started the business many years back, while son Charlie Sange is the roastmaster. Using a vintage Probat roaster, he rotates batches of beans each shift, personally adjusting roasting times and techniques for each style. They supply coffee for numerous high profile restaurants all over Wine Country.

I’ve spent time in both cafes, and though I am inclined towards the character of the historic Napa space with high ceilings and creaky wood floors, I value the welcoming vibe of the St. Helena location. Locals chatted me up as I wrote over espresso and coffee, alongside the well-loved, red Probat machine. At home, I savored their robust French roast beans, each cup a reminder of a family who clearly cares about coffee and their community.

Gourmet spread, with a view

Ram’s Gate Winery is one of the more exciting winery openings I’ve seen in Wine Country. Having visited a couple of times (including the pre-opening party in September), I’m mesmerized each visit by the winery setting atop a small hill surrounded by wide valley vistas.

The building itself is an architectural delight. An array of room feature high ceilings, comfortably chic chairs, fireplaces, massive, open air spaces and patios flowing into one another, all taking in that view. Rustic with weathered woods, the structure is likewise visionary and modern.

Yes, there is wine, from Pinot to Syrah (I am partial to their Sparkling Brut), but a highlight of Ram’s Gate is Executive Chef Jason Rose, who’s resume includes a stint as Culinary Project Manager at the Delfina Restaurant Group. His cooking is worth going out of your way for alone. Small plates represent (naturally) the best of local bounty and are as refined (and damn tasty) as the better restaurants nearby.

Though the address is Sonoma, one of the key factors Ram’s Gate has going for it is a location right off the 121, en route to  Napa and Sonoma counties, barely over 30 minutes drive from SF. It’s now a key stop for a snack, a sip, or a full meal.

Old world Napa

Way up winding roads from St. Helena, Smith Madrone is run by brothers Stu and Charles (Stu founded the winery in 1971). At first meet, Charles is mild-mannered and polite, while Stu is a straight-shooter, peppering his talk with more than a few swear words. Stu took me on a ride around the winery grounds, tucked into the slopes of Spring Mountain.

Being harvest time, grapes rested in open air vats in the small, barn-like winery, giving off a fragrant, sweetly boozy aroma, surrounded by past vintages aging in French oak.

Far off the beaten path, this sleepy (though hard-working) vineyard evokes a Napa of decades ago. It seemed a glimpse of what Napa was like before 1976′s Judgement of Paris, before Mondavi elevated Napa on the global wine map. Here there is a sense of place, history and family that feels very much Napa. It made me grateful to see it preserved in this peaceful hideaway.

A short walk from the winery is an unexpected, breathtaking view (above). Standing on the edge of Spring Mountain, the slopes cut down to the valley with the Eastern ridge visible across the valley. Sipping a glass of their dry Riesling (bright with floral summer fruit) with this view before me, I had a moment. Taking in the silence of pine ridges and mountains, hills and valleys, vineyards and sun, I was reminded of how sweet it is to be alive.

Fine dining in a Westin hotel

La Toque seems an unlikely fine dining destination for hardcore foodies inside the Westin Verasa Napa hotel. But a tasting menu here (four courses $74, five for $90, chef’s table menu $135) leads with impeccable waitstaff and service, surprises with inventive dishes, and an international wine list. The decor, while refined, felt a bit stiff, but service is so warm, one forgets the surroundings, particularly when a dish like Maine lobster creamy with butternut squash comes out, illumining another direction for lobster – one vividly fall-like.

Garden-fresh creativity

Ubuntu is one of Napa County’s best restaurants – and I am decidedly not a vegetarian. This “soup” may look as spare as bird food. I’ll admit, portions on some dishes do run small. But sharing four plates each visit I somehow leave full, and in what is a rarity for me anymore, there’s always a few dishes unlike any I’ve had before. A complex, pleasing range of flavors is commonplace at Ubuntu.

The view overlooking To Kalon land at Robert Mondavi winery

WINE TALES

The wine scene never rests, particularly during harvest time. Besides traveling to Bordeaux for harvest a couple weeks ago (where I picked grapes with the harvesters one day in Sauternes), and continued weekends in Napa and Sonoma, I’ve been savoring the city’s latest wine bars, wine books, winemaker tastings, and a rare panel for Robert Mondavi staff of key winemakers discussing Napa’s premier soil.

City Wine Bars

Alongside the best wine bar openings of 2010 (like Barrique and Fat Angel), there’s the new Barrel Room (in the old Hidden Vine space), and the new Hidden Vine (near the Transamerica Building).

But for city-produced vino, I’d head to brand new Bluxome Street Winery. Reclaiming a SoMa winemaking heritage they say was thriving pre-1906 earthquake, the Bluxome crew grows their own grapes within 100 miles of SF, producing a handful of whites and reds, from Sauvignon Blanc to Pinot. Tasting through flights of each, I found all balanced and interesting, particularly a Chardonnay, which reigns in typically over-oaked California qualities for a pleasantly acidic, well-rounded white. In the tasting room, sit in front of giant windows overlooking production of the wine you’re tasting.

Contemplating Napa’s
“Grand Cru”: To Kalon

This summer I spent an unforgettable weekend with Robert Mondavi staff at Mondavi’s To Kalon vineyards, where vines were first planted in 1868. Mondavi’s master of wine, Mark de Vere, deems this land, “the preeminent Grand Cru site of Napa since the 19th century”. At the cost of over $40,000 per acre, it’s outrageously expensive land. But to the winemakers who each claim a plot of it, they say it produces some of California (and the world’s) finest wine, reflective of the unique terroir of Napa.

It was a mesmerizing couple hours listening to a panel of six To Kalon winemakers (including Mondavi’s Genevieve Janssens, a Frenchwoman named 2010 winemaker of the year by Wine Enthusiast), discussing how Napa is reaching the point in its history past infancy and teenage years, maturing in the quality of vines, land and winemaker technique. Tor Kenward, of TOR, says working with To Kalon vines is: “Intellectually challenging… Despite price, it’s fascinating to work with.”

Sampling five To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon side-by-side, each reflects similar characteristics pointing to the properties inherent in the land. Each also reflects winemaker style (these winemakers likewise produce wines from other Napa regions).

As one would expect, they’re pricey bottles, hovering between $125-150 due to immense land costs. Provenance Vineyards was the exception at $75 a bottle for their 2007 Cab, exhibiting notes of white pepper, vanilla and berries.

Though it seems Provenance winemaker Tom Rinaldi gets flak for not increasing the price of his To Kalon wine to more closely match fellow winemakers, he keeps costs low for reasons akin to benefiting from rent control. He secured an early contract and plot with essentially a fixed price that has kept his cost lower than the current $40k plus per acre. I admire that though he could be making double, he has chosen not to put this on his customers… yet. His current rates will be renewed soon so he will no longer be able to hold at that price. It’s an issue each winemaker must contend with. Competition for To Kalon plots remains stiff and no matter the cost, each considers themselves lucky to work the land.

Standouts were Carter Cellars 2008 Cab ($125 a bottle), with dusty earth and spice giving it profound character, balanced by bright floral notes. At a mere 185-300 cases a year, it’s truly a limited wine. The other was TOR’s 2008 Cab  ($150/400-500 cases a year). A clean, mineral nose exudes light perfume, while it tastes of dark berries with gentle spice, vanilla, and a creamy finish.

Tor Kenward comments on Napa’s maturing winemaking, playfully expressing California’s place in the wine world: “I’ve gone mano y mano with Bordeaux through the decades. It’s amazing how California goes head to head.”

November Tastings

For a few Thursday nights in November (3,10,17 from 6 – 9pm), Press Club (20 Yerba Buena Lane, between Market and Mission) hosts their Visiting Vintner Series with wine flights, by-the-glass pours and winery staff in tow. This month’s line-up is Swanson Vineyards and Roederer Estate Winery. Roederer creates some of the country’s loveliest sparkling wine, pouring their Brut, Brut Rose, and Estate L’ermitage ($22 a flight or priced by the glass). Swanson, a family winery I wrote about last month, pours their Pinot Grigio,  Oakville Merlot, and Napa Valley Zinfandel ($22 a flight or priced by the glass). With the focus generally on pours only available at the wineries, they bring the winery (and winemakers) to you. Press Club also has a food menu for snacks or a meal to pair with.

Bookworm

My recent flights overseas required some serious reading, and finishing Natalie Maclean’s new Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines helped a 10 hour flight pass quickly.

Each section hits a different part of the world in search of high quality, value wines. From South Africa to Sicily, wine terms and history are subtly slipped into stories about individual winemakers and pairing recipes. A cheery book cover belies Ms. Maclean’s skill with imagery (she’s won the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award and four James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards). For example, in her particularly engaging chapter on German riesling, she compares riesling as the “quivering”, “opera diva Sarah Brightman singing pop tunes… [with a] range [that] stretches far beyond what I hear,” to popular chardonnays as: “breathy pop stars who have to whisper the high notes.”

SANTA CRUZ WEEKEND

The Renaissance Man surprised me recently with a quiet weekend away in Santa Cruz and unexpected meal off the slow, winding roads of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Though Santa Cruz is far from my favorite town, its laid back feel and beaches work for a quick getaway from SF, and its gourmet pleasures peak with ice cream and coffee.

Ice Cream, Coffee, Chocolate

THE PENNY ICE CREAMERY, 913 Cedar St., Santa Cruz  831-204-2523

The Penny Ice Creamery may not achieve the texture and flavor perfection of Humphry Slocombe, but it’s in that family of gourmet, out-of-the-box creameries, with changing flavors and hip status that keeps lines out the door. They use grapes from nearby vineyards like Birichino for their sweet, bright Malvasia Grape Sorbet, or Dirty Girl berries in Strawberry Pink Peppercorn, one I particularly liked for its peppery creaminess. My top pick was Celery Raisin, which was both vegetal and sweet, almost healthy tasting. One thing’s certain: I’d include a stop at the Penny every time I’m passing through Santa Cruz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARIANNE’S ICE CREAM, 1020 Ocean St., Santa Cruz  831-458-1447

I’ve been buying Marianne’s Ice Cream at Faletti Foods market in SF for years, particularly the peppermint stick flavor. Their ice cream is made with butter fat, explaining it’s dense texture. Also over 50 years old, Marianne’s ice cream is old school yet satisfying like Mitchell’s here in SF. Their shop evokes an America of decades ago in flavors like a creamy root beer or candied ginger.

FILLING STATION, 1500 Mission St., Santa Cruz  831-427-3455

Filling Station is an atmospheric spot for coffee in an old filling station. Retro gas station architecture meets third wave coffee as they serve SF’s Four Barrel coffee, while permanent food truck, The Truck Stop, offers eats.

DONNELLY CHOCOLATES, 1509 Mission St., Santa Cruz  831-458-4214

A humble looking shop across the street from Filling Station, Donnelly Fine Chocolates is obviously a chocolate lovers haven from the moment you walk in to witness the chocolate being made by hand.

Bars are elegant in flavors like cardamom, smoky spicy chipotle, or Chinese five spice, while truffles/chocolates come with a range of fillings, including a booze-filled series. I tried tequila (Patron Anejo), brandy (Germain-Robin), and Scotch-filled (brand changes) chocolates.

VERVE COFFEE, 104 Bronson St., Ste. 19, Santa Cruz  831-464-8141

To coffee fanatics, Verve needs no introduction. THE coffee of note to come out of Santa Cruz, its original shop has long been a staple in these parts.

Verve remains one of my top coffees, served to perfection at home in SF at Matching Half Cafe and farm: table. There’s finally a brand new, second Verve shop in Santa Cruz. It’s in an ultra-cool warehouse that shines in modern design and spaces for coffee roasting, cupping classes and tastings.

Restaurants

TYROLEAN INN RESTAURANT, Ben Lomond (9600 Highway 9, 831- 336 -5188)

Blink and you’ll miss the “town” of Ben Lomond where the Tyrolean Inn welcomes with a red cabin accented by white shutters, white lights and hints of green. Surrounded by a biergarten, one imagines sunny idylls among redwoods sipping German beers. Alas, Sunday afternoon is the only lunch/daytime option (open 12-9pm, or 5-9pm Tu-Th, 4-10pm Fr-Sa).

I fell in love with Tyrolean cuisine in the Italian Alps about three years ago, exploring mountain towns and roadside sausage stands on the Austria/Italy border. I wouldn’t exactly call Tyrolean Inn what I tasted there, rather it’s German food with whispers of Austria.

Though in the middle of nowhere, locals are clued in about this convivial wood cabin where one is serenaded by live accordion throughout dinner. Service was stressed the night we dined and a reservation was crucial. Waiting for our reservation was helped by a small, sweet selection of poire williams (Germanic-style pear eaux de vie), particularly Williams Birne.

Steins, pretzels, gardening tools and Germanic phrases eclectically line the walls, creating convivial distraction. Though short-staffed, servers kept a sense of humor in their frazzled state.

I wouldn’t call the food gourmet, but portions are enough for a few. Tyrolean Schmeckerplatte ($21) is a mountain of meat, starting with a slice of smoked pork loin, Cordon Bleu (smoked ham and Swiss cheese layered between breaded pork cutlets), bockwurst sausage, sauerbraten beef over red cabbage in gravy, plus spatzle and sauerkraut. The highlight was Cordon Bleu, reminiscent of Italian Milanese-style dishes, which you can thankfully order as its own dish. Zigeunerschnitzel ($18), pork cutlets in spicy red & green pepper onion sauce (with fried potatoes and a German salad), didn’t quite work for me. Again, it could feed two, but tasted as if the pork and peppers were doused in seasoning powder, evoking quick-and-easy 1980′s meals.

An enchanting woodside setting with flowing beers and hearty food, comforts as if your German mama was presiding over the kitchen herself.

BONNY DOON’S CELLAR DOOR in the winery, Santa Cruz

To wine fans, Bonny Doon Vineyard and its legendary founder Randall Grahm need no introduction. One look at their whimsical website, and you know this is a different kind of winery. Sitting right in the middle of suburban Santa Cruz, there’s no vineyard setting, rather a funky warehouse with tasting room and Cellar Door restaurant.

I finally made it to the Cellar Door for an a la carte lunch (there’s a $40 per person prix fixe at dinner). Burrata salads, anchovies, wood-fired pizzas, are all foods I’ve seen in excess and had in excellent form in San Francisco (and beyond) for years.

One could not honestly call the menu inventive, but for Santa Cruz, it stands out, and, in typical Northern California fashion, does so with exceptional ingredients. A simple plate of boquerones ($5) yields silky fresh anchovies in olive oil laced with slivers of garlic clove, thyme, a touch of red chili. Transported me straight back to Italy.

Di Stefano burrata with Heirloom tomatoes and rosemary toast ($12) is admittedly a small portion. But each bite was excellent, from luxurious burrata (mozzarella) to buttery toast. Roasted Early Girl tomato soup topped with sheep’s milk ricotta was a special of the day, while 2/3 of the restaurant seemed to have ordered the El Salchicherro bacon pizza. I followed suite but added a fried farm egg ($16 without, $18 with). There are many “bests” in the Bay Area for Neapolitan pizza and this wasn’t it, but it was quite satisfying on a grey October day in Santa Cruz.

The highlight of eating here may be the choice of Bonny Doon sips to pair with your meal. My top was Querry apple/pear/quince cider ($7 glass/$26 bottle). Dry and tart, its effervescence made a gorgeous contrast to the satin sheen of the anchovies. 2008 Ca’Del Solo Grenache Blanc ($7 glass/$11 quartino/$25 bottle) is a creamy, round Grenache, clearly oaked but it works.

2007 Cuvee ET is a Mourvedre blend, exhibiting bright berry but with balanced acidity. Their 2000 Le Cigare Volant flagship Rhone blend ($10 glass/$15 quartino/$40 bottle) is, as our server said, right at its peak at 12 years with light tobacco notes, earthiness and a fine minerality.

A FAMILY AFFAIR: Local, Small Production Wines from SF to Napa

It’s a unique time in Bay Area winemaking. We see more California winemakers finding harmony between New & Old World-style production, laying off heavier-handed extremes of overly-oaked or high alcohol wines, honing in on our region’s true terroir. While global love for big, bold California wines isn’t going anywhere, it’s ever more apparent that our range is far beyond what might be assumed.

Small, family-run wineries have long undergirded our region’s greatness, and today we see many new wines, from Sonoma to Napa, adding nuance to the landscape. As is the case historically, many wineries are a family affair where parents and children, husband and wife, share in the work, from production to business operations. Here are a few we felt you should know about.

Sutton Cellars, San Francisco

San Francisco holds a treasure in the person of Carl Sutton of Sutton Cellars. He walks the fine line of approachability and Old World-influenced production style. At 22^nd and Illinois sits a funky warehouse winery where he throws Jug Sundays, tapping barrels and selling jugs or liters of wine (email directly through their website to be added to their event email list). Carl corrals Dogpatch neighbors to supply grub, like Olivier’s Butchery or TomKat Asian street food truck. His wife Sharon, often pours and works with him, both of them wine aficionados and passionate global travelers.

His grapes grow mostly in Sonoma County (with a little Mendocino in the mix), often single vineyard wines. At a time when many claim personal care, Sutton’s brown label wines are actually filled and corked by hand. Often this kind of care implies high costs, but Sutton stays amazingly affordable at $14-$21 a bottle.

Sutton is heavily influenced by France and Spain, countries he and his wife have visited often. He has a full-bodied Rattlesnake Rosé ($15), but also the stunning Fizé, a 2010 rosé of organic Carignane grapes. It unfolds with each sip: tart cranberry and pomegranate notes, and a crisp effervescence. With no yeast or sulfites added, fermentation actually happens in the bottle. It possess a bready nose, with a profile far beyond typical rosés on either end of the sweet/dry spectrum (find this beauty at the winery, Bi-Rite, Rainbow Grocery, D&M).  As of last week, he has keg preview of 2010 Rattlesnake Rosé on tap at Magnolia Pub & Brewery.

His 2007 Carignane is an acidic, balanced, food-friendly red (barrel fermented in neutral oak). The aged La Solera is an elegant after-dinner imbibement and one of Sutton’s best creations. A blend of syrah, zin and carignane wines from 1999-2006, it at turns evokes Madeira, Banyuls, sherry, even whiskey, with whispers of burnt orange, and a golden richness from its time resting in the sun, a classic method he picked up in Spain. La Solera is at the top of his price range at a mere $30, a steal for such a complex wine.

Sutton’s Brown Label Vermouth (unaged brandy-fortified neutral white wine, infused with 17 botanicals; bottled fresh weekly) is a winner. The Alembic was the first place to serve this refreshing aperitif on tap, enjoyed on the rocks, Italian-style. Sutton bubbles over with visions for a wide range of wines and liqueurs, including at least one new aperitif/digestif wine due before year’s end.

Watch for the Suttons around town, pouring elegant, affordable, everyday drinking wines at events and their winery. Look for Carl’s handlebar mustache and listen for his infectious laugh. Once you sip his wines, you, too, will discover what a city treasure Sutton Cellars is.

Order online or find Sutton Cellars wines and vermouth at local Whole Foods.

Kelly Fleming Wines, Calistoga

Head off Silverado Trail, past vines and olive trees, onto a dirt road that leads to a gate. Beyond a sea of cabernet vines, sits Kelly Fleming’s stone winery, evoking an Italian villa, similar to many I explored in Tuscany. The winery’s stone walls and wood shutters imbue the space with a rustic character far beyond its years.

In an open-air dining room, I sit under stone arches at a handmade wood table crafted from one tree off the 300 acre property. Kelly and her daughter Colleen, who also works for the company, served a Mediterranean-style spread for lunch, using ingredients from their garden (like a silky jam made from their fig trees).

We sipped Fleming’s 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (50% French oak, 50% stainless steel), representative of the Oakville soil from which these grapes grow. It’s a balanced white with a floral and fruity (pear, pineapple) profile, rounded out by a hint of vanilla. 2007 Cabernet is 100% estate and CCOF organically grown, rested in 85% new French oak. Though fruit plays prominent (warm, dusty raspberries), hints of wood, nuts and spice give it contrast. We tasted it side-by-side with an unreleased 2005 vintage, finding the ’05 delightfully earthy but the ’07 layered, becoming more complex as it sits.

Winemaker Celia Welch works with the region’s terroir (this is cabernet country, after all), from vines planted in 1999. The wild beauty of the property’s forests and creeks is kept intact with only 12 of the 300 acres planted with vines. Inside limestone caves, the air is naturally cool, storing barrels and bottles of past vintages (unreleased but which they’ve been perfecting for nearly a decade). At a mere 850 (cabernet) and 675 cases (sauvignon blanc) a year, these are truly small production wines.

Kelly is hands-on in so many aspects from harvesting to forklift operation. She and Colleen both were recently certified in forklift driving, highlighting the involved, familial nature of the winery. They are gracious hosts, welcoming guests by appointment. To visit and partake of Fleming wines is to taste this corner of Calistoga. The idyllic grounds and gorgeous stone house (Kelly was involved in every aspect of its design) represent Napa and its Tuscan similarities.

Order online or find Kelly Fleming wines at restaurants like A-16, Michael Mina, Perbacco, RN74, Zuni Cafe, Town Hall, and Morimoto Napa.

Swanson Vineyards, Rutherford

Think Parisian carnival, classic French estate, Napa’s rich nature, New Orleans’ roots, and you’ll begin to get an idea of the influences on Swanson Vineyards. The winemaker is Chris Phelps, while Clarke Swanson founded the winery back in 1985, planting his first merlot grapes. His daughter, Alexis, works as the winery’s creative director. Wife Elizabeth buzzed about as we sipped wine in their enchanting garden, greeting each guest, and offering winery staff any assistance needed (they say she does this daily).

The first sign Swanson is different is apparent upon entering their Sip Shoppe, with red and white-striped, tented walls, Old World French artwork, and Billie Holiday playing soothingly in the background. Elizabeth and Alexis designed the shop themselves, imparting a playful Parisian spirit to what could just be another tasting room. One wants to linger for flights like  “Some Like it Red”, paired with the likes of warm pistachios, Alexis bonbons (made by Vosges with curry and their Alexis Cabernet),  or a potato chip topped with creme fraiche and Hackleback sturgeon caviar (lovely with their Chardonnay).

Their 2010 Chardonnay was my favorite, and a complete surprise as a mineral, French-inspired chardonnay, reminiscent of Chablis. Neutral oak allows crisp, green apple notes to shine, while honey adds a tinge of cream to the finish. At a pricey $45, this one is only available at the winery or to wine club members.

Of the reds, their signature 2007 Merlot offers the best price-to-taste ratio at $38 per bottle. It’s unexpectedly balanced with tart tannins, hints of black cherry, currant and mocha. On the pricier end, their 2007 Alexis Cabernet ($75) is bold and layered, while a 2006 Petite Syrah ($70) goes the earthier, spice and gentle black pepper route.

Make an appointment to visit the winery for a Salon tasting ($65) or Sip Shoppe flight (around $25), then finish by lingering in their garden. You can taste at dozens of wineries but the Swanson’s chic shoppe and salon deliver a fun, Parisian spirit to the Napa countryside.

Order online or search for Swanson wines in restaurants and shops here.

I sample dozens of spirits, wines, beers in any given month. If there are tasting events (and there are), then multiply that a few times. Here are ones that rose above in recent weeks:

WHISK(E)Y

LAPHROAIG 2011 CAIRDEAS - Laphroaig’s master distiller John Campbell and Global Brand Ambassador Simon Brooking were in SF a couple weeks ago. I spent an afternoon with them sipping Laphroaig’s brand new 2011 Cairdeas, Ileach Edition. Limited release, only 350 cases have been made available to the US, of which SF alone has 75 (at Whiskey Shop on Sutter Street). On the heels of last year’s limited Cairdeas Master’s Edition, this winning version is non-chill filtered, hinting at that quintessential Islay peatiness but rounded out with an overall earthy, slate quality, and gentle sweet notes of candied orange.

Laphroaig is releasing a Triple-wood Quarter Cask scotch this Fall in the US (already a big seller in UK), which is basically their creamy, spicy Quarter Cask scotch finished in sherry casks. Though I have a bottle of their now extinct 15yr, and their 10yr is a peat-heavy Islay standard, my favorite remains their 18yr, a less peaty, more balanced beauty redolent of salt, vanilla, honey, with gentle spice and layered depth.

BALCONES BRIMSTONE - In my 7×7 corn whiskey article, I list Balcones corn whiskey, a 2010 Double Gold medal winner at SF World Spirits Competition. They just released a new whiskey, Brimstone, smoked with sun-baked Texas scrub oak.

My first reaction upon tasting it is to crave BBQ (not unlike with MB Roland’s delightful Black Dog, another smoked corn whiskey, although both have quite a different taste profile). Balcones Brimstone tastes, yes, of fresh corn, but with a bold, smoky, campfire essence, and more than a hint of sweet cumin. Distiller Chip Tate calls it, “Texas campfire in a glass.” That’s exactly it. An intriguing addition to the Balcones line.

I can’t help but be drawn more towards smoked corn whiskeys than to standard, clear corn whiskeys.

1512 SPIRITS - Salvatore Cimino is a Nob Hill barber by day (at 1512 Pine Street), and whiskey distiller by night. Cimino comes from a distilling lineage with a Prohibition-era bootlegger grandfather, whose 1923 photo (right) graces the bottle of 1512 Spirits‘ Barbershop Rye.

Distilled over direct fire in Rohnert Park (using one Portuguese copper alembic still and one 70-gallon finishing still), 1512 is truly small batch at 350 bottles per month. Made from 100% rye grain, his unaged rye ($32-35 a bottle) is surprisingly balanced and flavor-rich for a young whiskey.

I sampled the aged rye (not yet released), aged in 3-gallon new char, American oak barrels. At merely three months, it’s already showing robust color and body, the taste full with rich wood notes. Sal hopes to release a classic bourbon and a cherry-smoked bourbon in the future.

Sip these locally-made beauties at 15 Romolo, 83 Proof, Swig and Rye, or buy a bottle at Jug Shop, Healthy Spirits, Cask, Liquid Experience. Even LA’s Father’s Office is serving 1512 alongside their beloved burger.

GIN

NOLET SILVER DRY GIN - Nolet’s Silver Dry gin is among the most floral gins I’ve had. It gains this profile from Turkish rose, gently sweet with peach and raspberry. At $49.99 at K&L, it’s a pricier gin, showcasing gin’s new wave. Distilled in Schiedam, Holland (by the family that produced a little spirit called Ketel One vodka), it falls into the non-traditional category, its unique properties brought out by fruits such as the feijoa (a pineapple guava native to South America but grown in California), paired in their new Garden to Cocktail Program where produce is sent out monthly for Nolet cocktail experimentation. The pairing amps up the floral aspect, the feijoa’s gentle pear-like notes contrasting with an herbal finish. In a straightforward Martini or Gin & Tonic, Nolet‘s sweeter, fruitier notes come through.

I particularly appreciate what Michael Mina’s bar staff have been doing with Nolet recently – you can also sip it at bars like Rickhouse and Cantina. Nolet Reserve is getting buzz as one of the priciest, rarest gins, though at nearly $700 one expects fireworks. Seems to be the case for F. Paul Pacult, who calls it “one of the finest spirits I’ve ever tasted.”

LIQUEURS

pür•spirits – Recently released in SF (find them at D&M on Fillmore and online at K&L), pür•spirits is a German-distilled spirits’ line with a local connection: it was imported to the US by SF locals, Kiki and Harvey Braverman, from Kiki’s native Germany.

Though there are also two vodkas and a malted barley spirit, I sampled pür‘s three liqueurs:

- Blood Orange: Spiced and sweet, it is redolent of cinnamon and cloves.
- Elderflower: No, it does not taste identical to St. Germain, but is, rather, a little lighter, gently sweet and floral with hand-picked white elderflowers from around Lake Constance, which is situated between Switzerland, Austria and Germany.
- Pear: I’ve tasted a lot of pear liqueurs, from locally-made ones to those only found in Switzerland, Germany, etc… pür•likör williams is unusual not only in its almost lighter-than-air, delicate mouth feel, but in that it tastes just like fresh-pressed pears. It is my favorite of the three.

Dining with Two European Winemakers

Intimate and focused, there’s nothing like hearing from and tasting with a winemaker directly. Last issue, I met with three Napa/Sonoma winemakers. This issue, it’s two European ones from the unparalleled regions of Bordeaux and Kamptal. Look (or ask) for these wines in local wine shops.

LAURENZ V., Austria - Technically Laurenz, the 5th (but read as Laurenz Five), Laurenz V. wines are Gruner Veltliners and Rieslings from one of my favorite wine-making countries, Austria. I adore these two varietals in skilled hands and Laurenz’ are. Laurenz Maria Moser, V. comes from five generations of winemakers, his grandfather being the legendary Professor Dr. Lorenz Moser III., who invented the Austrian trellising system, Lenz Moser Hocherziehung, which spread across Europe.

A truly delightful man, lunch with the hilarious Laurenz entailed colorful stories and many a laugh. It also meant a line-up of gorgeous Gruners. Growing on terraced landscape in the Kamptal (north of Vienna), his wines are all stainless steel-fermented for that crisp, bright Gruner profile.

I tasted through seven Gruners, from a juicy 2009 Laurenz und Sophie Singing Gruner to his line of Charming Gruners (years 2005-2009). I was partial to the full 2005, balanced with acidity and apple spice; and to 2006 with its clean nose, creamy yet mineral taste. We even sampled a honeyed 1980 (!) Gruner to witness the possibility of a Gruner aging, contrary to popular opinion.

We ended with a lively citrus/apple 2009 Prinz Von Hessen ‘H’ Riesling and a lush, grapefruit-touched Johannisberger Klaus Riesling Kabinett Trocken. Both further reflect the range of beauties that come out of Austria.

CHATEAU PALMER, Bordeaux, France – When you’re invited to a small winemaker dinner with a winemaker from Bordeaux, France, you jump at the opportunity. The joy of over three hours with Bernard de Laage at Berkeley’s Claremont Hotel was that we tasted twelve Chateau Palmer wines of varying vintages. Comparing years side-by-side, we gained a deeper appreciation of the factors of each harvest and strengths of their blends. Chateau Palmer is a blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot, while Alter Ego is a robust, young expression of Chateau Palmer.

For me, stand-out Chateau Palmer vintages were the lush 2000 Palmer, young but bright 2005 Alter Ego, opulent and exuberant 1999 Palmer, and the musty, full, smoky but acidic 2002 Palmer. There certainly was no low point in the line-up, however, from 1998-2006.

The evening, as part of Berkeley Wine Festival (check their site for future dinners), was over the top with spectacular views of San Francisco and the Bay from the back room of Claremont Hotel’s Meritage restaurant. Twinkling lights on a warm night made a brilliant partner to rising star chef Josh Thomsen’s menu. I was duly impressed with all his dishes, and wouldn’t be surprised if we see a lot more from him in coming years. Maine Sea Scallops topped with Hudson Valley Foie Gras stood out among five courses. Over rhubarb-balsamic compote and endive, it was the dining pinnacle of the night. But satisfaction points go to Thomsen’s succulent Creek Stone Beef Short Rib.

All in all, a happy marriage of wine, food, people and setting.