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Wed., Jan. 25:  Island Wines @ William Cross Wines (Russian Hill)

William Cross Wine Merchants
2253 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 9:00pm – $15

Islands in the stream.  That is what we are.  Nothing in between — except for 3 Sicilian wines, 2 Sardinian wines, and one Tasmanian devil.  William Cross is pouring wines from island destinations, and while I wish there were a few Canary Island wines on the list, I’m happy that Graci, Planeta, and Tenuta delle Terre Nere (a Sicilian trifecta) will be poured.  Here’s what $15 bucks gets ya:

2010 Piero Mancini Vermentino di Gallura
2010 Graci Etna Bianco
2009 Pirie SOUTH Pinot Noir Tasmania
2010 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso
2006 Capichera Assaje Isola dei Nuraghi
2006 Planeta Santa Cecilia Nero d’Avola di Sicilia

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Thurs., Jan. 26:  Salinia Wine Tasting @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $20

You want small production wines from a talented winemaker who is gaining national attention?  Then join Kevin Kelley (the founder of the Natural Process Alliance and former winemaker at LIOCO) as he pours wines from his Salinia label, including Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay.  For more in-depth information re Salinia and the NPA, check out this post from NOPA wine director Chris Deegan.

UPDATE – here’s what’s being poured (note that The NPA Petillant is not yet released)

2006 Salinia ‘Heintz Ranch’ Chardonnay
2006 Salinia ‘W.E. Bottoms’ Pinot Noir
2006 Salinia ‘Heintz Ranch’ Syrah
2010 Natural Process Alliance Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma
2010 Natural Process Alliance Pinot Gris Sonoma
2010 Natural Process Alliance Red Blend Mendocino
2011 Natural Process Alliance Petillant Naturel

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Thurs., Jan. 26 – Sat., Jan. 28:  ZAP! Tasting and Events 

Various Locations
San Francisco, CA

The annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers tasting takes place this week.  Lots of dinners, tastings, and seminars, all culminating in the Grand Tasting that takes place on Saturday from 2pm to 5pm at The Concourse Exhibition Center, 635 8th Street (at Brannan)  [NOT at Fort Mason].  As with any large tasting, I highly recommend getting there early before the crowds arrive and before people start getting a little too boozy.

Where will I be? I’ll be checking out wines from Bedrock, Bucklin, Easton, and Ridge (among others).

For a full list of events, please see the ZAP website.

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Sun. Jan. 29:  Heirloom Cafe Class and Tasting (Mission)

Heirloom Cafe
2500 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA

1:00pm – 3:00pm – Wine Basics Tasting Seminar ($30)
4:00pm – 6:00pm – Tasting ($10 plus per-taste fee)

Heirloom Cafe is well known for owner Matt Straus’ wine list and cellar.  This weekend, Heirloom is hosting a series of events, including a wine class (starting at 1pm) and a tasting (at 4pm).  The two hour class is led by Matt (one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Top Sommeliers of 2011) and is meant as a basic introduction, covering grape varietals, appellations and major growing regions.  Participants will taste six different wines.

Then, starting at 4pm, Matt & Co. will be pouring a diverse selection of wines, each priced from $1-$5 per ounce.  Here’s the list (though I wouldn’t be surprised if a few additional bottles are opened during the course of the afternoon!):

$1 per ounce:
2009 BOUZERON ALIGOTE, DE VILLAINE
2007 CUVEE SACHA, PUFFENEY
2009 BOURGOGNE ROUGE ‘EN MONTRE CUL,’ BOUVIER
2009 MORGON ‘COTE DE PY,’ PIRON

$2 per ounce:
2006 VOUVRAY SEC, FOREAU
2001 RIOJA CRIANZA ‘GRAVONIA,’ LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
2007 UMBRIA ROSSO ‘SAN VALENTINO,’ PAOLO BEA
1999 CHATEAU SIMARD

$3 per ounce:
2006 CHABLIS GRAND CRU ‘CLOS,’ MICHEL
2002 RIESLING SPATLESE ‘WEHLENER SONNENUHR,’ WEINS-PRUM
2002 PINOT NOIR ‘REVELES,’ ICI/LA-BAS (from magnum)
2004 ALOXE-CORTON 1ER CRU ‘LES VALOZIERES,’ CORNU

$5 per ounce:
1997 CHARDONNAY, HANZELL

Burgundy - Harvest 2011

Burgundy is simply electric during harvest.  From early in the morning to late at night, there are people tirelessly working to get the grapes into the winery, into tank, and finally into barrel.  And when everything is done, despite aching muscles and sleep deprivation, everyone celebrates.  In Meursault, vignerons mark the end of harvest by sharing dusty bottles from their cellars during an event known as La Paulée – ”the world’s classiest BYOB party.”

Fascinated by the community spirit and camaraderie he found in a visit to Meursault, New York based Sommelier Daniel Johnnes (wine director for Daniel Boulud‘s DINEX restaurants) has been hosting an officially sanctioned U.S. version of La Paulée since 2000.  La Paulée 2012 touches down in San Francisco in a few weeks and there are a ton of events for everyone from the seasoned collector to the Burgundy novice.

You’ve likely heard about the Gala Dinner — a legendary night of singing and drinking that has been referred to as “the biggest and most coveted” wine dinner in the United States.  While the $1,400 price tag sounds steep, this is a no-brainer for serious Burgundy collectors.  Plus, it sounds like a ridiculously fun party — one which the WSJ’s Jay McInerney called “a bacchanal the likes of which my liver hopes not to experience again for at least another week or two.”  [That's a pretty serious statement given that McInerney drinks for a living!]

Thankfully, there are many ways to take part in La Paulée 2012 without breaking the bank.  This should come as no surprise, given that Johnnes has built a reputation for trying to make wine accessible to those of us who don’t happen to have a cellar full of old bottles of DRC.  In addition to writing a book to help wine consumers to get the most bang for their buck, Johnnes was the first guest on Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library TV.

Johnnes has signed up a slew of the city’s top restaurants — A16, Frances, Gary Danko, Quince, The Slanted Door and many others – to host Burgundy-focused events starting on February 13.   While there are no additional details about “Burgundy Week” at this time, I’ll forward along any updates via Twitter and Facebook and on this handy-dandy La Paulée 2012 Google Calendar I pulled together.

In addition, there are two La Paulée seminars with price tags right around $100.  The first, “Navigating Burgundy with a Sommelier’s Guidance,” takes place on Thursday, February 23 and features Johnnes and two other top somms:  RN74′s Rajat Parr and Rajeev Vaidya from New York’s Restaurant Daniel.  Not bad tour guides to help navigate the confusing world of Burgundy producers, vintages, and appellations.  Eric Asimov, the New York Times’ wine writer, will moderate a second panel on February 25 to talk about “continuity and change” in Burgundy.  Seminar attendees will taste 6 different wines from three different domaines.  Because I need some visual aids to help me understand Burgundy, I’ve put together maps highlighting where each of these wines come from.

Seminar Wines

And finally, the Grand Tasting takes place on Saturday afternoon, February 25.  24 domaines.  A smörgåsbord of food from top-notch restaurants.  Yup – this will be decadent.  I recommend showing up early to avoid rush hour.  Here’s a full list of wines being poured at the Grand Tasting, which helps justify the price tag.

The full schedule for La Paulée is below, and here’s a link to the La Paulée 2012 Google Calendar I mentioned before (the descriptions of the event on the calendar were pulled from the La Paulée website).

FEB. 13-24, 2012

BURGUNDY WEEK – Specific events TBD
Restaurants include:  A16, Absinthe, Acquarello, Baker & Banker, benu, Boulevard, Bourbon Steak, Cafe de la Presse, Epic Roasthouse, La Folie, Frances, Gary Danko, Jardiniere, Michael Mina, Piperade, Quince, RN74, Saison, The Slanted Door, Sons & Daughters, Redd, Zuni

WED., FEB. 22, 2012

6:30pm – 10pm — Legends Dinner
The Napa Valley Reserve, 1000 Silverado Trail North, St. Helena, CA
Wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Domaine Roulot
7-course meal prepared by Meadowoods’ Christopher Kostow
$4000

THURS., FEB. 23, 2012

12pm – 2pm — Collectors Lunch
Jardiniere, 300 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA
Wines from Domaine Louis Michel et Fils and Domaine Michel Lafarge (full list here)
Lunch prepared by Jardiniere’s Traci Des Jardins
$495

3:30pm – 5pm — Seminar: Navigating Burgundy w/ a Sommelier’s Guidance
RN74, 301 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA
Panelists:  Daniel Johnnes, Rajat Parr (RN74 / Michael Mina), Rajeev Vaidya (Jean-Georges)
Wines from Pierre-Yves-Colin-Morey, Maison Joseph Drouhin, Domaine Ponsot  (full list here)
$95

FRI., FEB. 24, 2012

3:30pm – 6pm – Verticals Tasting
Westin St. Francis, 32nd Floor, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
24 different domains serving up 3-vintage verticals (wines listed here)
$395

7pm – 11pm — Rare Wine Dinner
Westin St. Francis, 32nd Floor, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
Featured wines from Domain Ponsot, including multiple vintages of Clos de la Roche going back to 1971 (full list here)
Evening will kick off with Champagne Salon 1999 from magnum. (!!!)
Meal prepared by Chefs Michael Mina, Daniel Boulud, and Romain Chapel from Restaurant Alain Chapel
$2,950

SAT., FEB. 25, 2012

10am – 11:30am — Seminar: Eric Asimov on Continuity and Change in Burgundy
Westin St. Francis, The Colonial Room, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
Panelists:  David Duband, Jean-Marie Fourrier and Etienne de Montille.
Moderator:  New York Times’ Eric Asimov
Wines from Domaine Fourrier, David Duband, Deux Montille Soeur – Frère (full list here)
$125

12pm – 3pm — Grand Tasting
Westin St. Francis, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
Wines from:

FULL LIST OF WINES

Restaurants serving include: A16, Acquerello, Boulevard, Frances, Jardiniere, Michael Mina, Piperade, Quince, Redd, RN74, Slanted Door
$300

6:30pm – 10:30pm — Gala Dinner
Westin St. Francis, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
Dinner prepared by Chefs Chefs Daniel Boulud, Romain Chapel, Thomas Keller,Christopher Kostow and Michael Mina
Wines from all attending wineries
Remember to bring a bottle from your cellar to share
$1,400

 Now for some more coffee.

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Tues., Jan. 17: Italian Wine Tasting @ Biondivino (Russian Hill)

Biondivino
1415 Green Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – $10

I can’t wait till Biondivino’s Ceri Smith opens up her new enoteca.  Until then, I am more than happy to settle for her always entertaining wine tastings.  Tonight, 4 wineries, 3 regions, 3 winemakers from the North Berkeley Wine Import portfolio.  Here’s the skinny:

Ca Vittoria (Winemaker;  Cristina Bruniera) - Prosecco, Veneto
NV Ca Vittoria Brut Rose   -  $19.
NV Ca Vittoria Prosecco Brut – Conegliano Valdobbiadene $19.

Alberice – Friuli Venezia Giulia
2010 Alberice Malvasia Friuli  -  $18.
2010 Alberice Friulano Friuli – $18.
2008 Alberice Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Friuli $18.

Fattoria Nicodemi (Winemaker: Elena Nicodemi) – Abruzzo
2010 Nicodemi Terrana Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – $14.
2009 Nicodemi Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – $17.
2008 Nicodemi Notari Rosso Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – $28.
2006 Nicodemi Neromoro Riserva – $49.

Dama del Rovere (Massimo Pra) - Soave, Veneto
2009 Dama del Rovere Spinaje Bianco Veneto IGT  -  $27.
2010 Dama del Rovere Brenton Lessini Durello Brut   -  $19.
2010 Dama del Rovere Tremenalto Soave Classico – $15.

ALSO – Ceri could use some additional support for her new establishment prior to her February 2 SF Planning Commission hearing.  Please consider sending an email to Kevin.Guy@SFGOV.org and include the following information in the subject line:  Re 2255 Polk Street – Case No: 2011.1233C.  

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Tues., Jan. 17: French Wine Producer Dinner @ RN74 (SoMa)

RN74
301 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA

7:00 pm – Three Courses w/ Wine for $195 (not incl. tax & service)

North Berkeley Wine is bringing three producers from wineries intheir portfolio, Frederic Magnien (Burguny), Bruno Gaspard of Le Clos du Caillou (Chateauneuf du Pape) an Pierre Gaillard (No. Rhone). Nine wines, three courses.

RSVP to jpark@minagroup.net

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Thurs., Jan. 19:  Terry Theise Tasting @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $20

One of the wine industry’s most engaging personalities and most spirited writers, Terry Theis, will be pouring German and Austrian wine.  As you may know, Theise is one of the major proponents of grower champagnes, and he’ll be pouring some bubbly wine, too.  I’ll update this post with a list of wines being poured when that information becomes available.  UPDATE: Ze list of wines being poured:

NV Jean Milan ’Special’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne
NV Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne
NV Rene Geoffroy Brut Rose Champagne
2010 Donhoff ‘Estate’ Riesling QbA
2010 Donhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett
2009 Hirsch ’Zobing’ Riesling
2010 Leitz ’Dragonstone’ Riesling
2009 Weingut Brundlmayer ‘Alte Reben’ Gruner Veltliner
2006 Nigl Privat Gruner Veltliner (from magnum)
2010 Weingut Brundlmayer Rose Zweigelt

For an entertaining and informative read, download a copy of Terry’s catalogs.

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Sat., Jan. 21:  Burgundy Tasting at SF Wine Trading Co. (Bernal)

San Francisco Wine Trading Co.
250 Taraval
San Francisco, CA

2:00pm – 5:30pm – $10

There’s a good number of Burgundy tastings and events coming up over the next few weeks, all leading up to the big Burg-hound gathering of the year, La Paulée de San Francisco.  (More on that in an upcoming post).  On Saturday, SF Wine Trading Company will be opening bottles from wine-critic endorsed 2009 vintage (note: there’s a bit of a debate whether or not these wines are worth all the hype.  If you stop by the tasting, let me know what you think — too ripe, or just right?).

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LOOKING AHEAD

Sat., Feb. 4:  Wine and Wishes @ CityView Metreon (SoMa)

CityView Metreon
101 4th Street
San Francisco, CA

5:00pm – 7:30pm – Gourmet Tasting – $150
7:30pm – 11:00pm –  Winemaker Dinner – $350

Tickets available here.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Francisco’s annual fundraiser brings together some of California’s most noted wineries and Bay Area Restaurants for a fun-filled evening.  You’ll recognize many of the names who will be serving at the Grand Tasting:  Merry Edwards Winery, Williams Selyem, Barbacco, Epic Roasthouse, and The Slanted Door, to name a few.  Full list here.  I was lucky enough to attend the tasting last year and had a lot of fun.  And if you stick around for dinner, there are plenty of top notch somms who will be pouring, including Paul Einbund of Frances, Shelley Lindgren of A16, and Christie Dufault of RN74.

NOTE – Tablehopper has a 10% discount code for tickets to the Gourmet Tasting.

Don’t get me wrong — “interesting” and “good” aren’t mutually exclusive categories. In fact, the most memorable wines are often both interesting and good (and this includes many examples from the types of wines I called out in the prior paragraph). What troubles me is how the fetishization of certain wines sometimes overshadows discussion of the most basic measure of a wine’s quality: would you buy another bottle?

I know I’ve been guilty of this. Because Bordeaux and Burgundy are too far out of my price range, I’ve had to placate my desire to learn more about wine by largely ignoring these highly touted regions. I chose instead to explore as many different regions and types of wine as possible. The weirder and more obscure the better. I’d hunt these types of wine down like a teenager searching through a used record store trying to dig out the hard-to-find single from a band barely anyone had ever heard of. This brings to mind a line from Jon Cusak’s character in the film adaptation of High Fideity:

“I get by because of the people who make a special effort to shop here, mostly young men who spend all their time looking for deleted Smith singles and original–not rereleased (underlined)–Frank Zappa albums. Fetish properties are not unlike porn.”

But at the end of the day, did I buy that album because I actually liked the music, or because it was so hard to find, or because I thought it would win me some points with the hipsters? It’s hard to say.

I’m not the only one that has fallen into this trap. Even wine professionals sometimes blur the line between geeky wines and wines that people actually enjoy. As a somm friend of mine recently posted on Twitter: “Dearest sommelier: It’s okay if people don’t always buy the coolest wine on your list.”

There’s nothing wrong with trying the weird and wacky, and I’ll continue to do so. But shouldn’t we measure those wines for their quality (structure, complexity, balance), and not just for their novelty?

Going forward, if you see me refer to a wine as “interesting,” it means that I liked it and am willing to try it again, but am holding out on recommending it until I’ve had it a second time. I know drinking the same wine may sound gauche. According to this HuffPost piece, “drinking the same wine twice [is viewed] as a wine geek faux pas.” But screw the wine geekerati — if I like a wine, I’m going to drink it again, not just to figure out if it’s as good as I remembered it, but to see how it’s changed in the bottle over time. By doing so, I hope to put some limits on my geeky-wine fetish.

I also wanted to let you know that the organizers of In Pursuit of Balance have announced dates for this year’s tastings:  March 19 in San Francisco and April 18 in New York City.  This was one of the best tasting events I went to all last year, and tickets sold out quickly (not surprising given the producers at the event, including Littorai, Peay, Failla, Hirsch, Cobb — among others).  I highly recommend that you sign up on the IPOB mailing list and buy tickets as soon as they are released.  Tickets are $75, and

My wrap-up of last year’s tasting can be found here.  

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Wed., Jan. 11: Burgundy Tasting @ FPWM (Embarcadero)

Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA

4:30 pm – 7:30 pm – $45 for one ounce pours, $90 for two ounce pours

Although the price for events at FPWM are a bit steep, there’s no denying that they host some unique tastings.  Plus, you get a 15% discount on any bottle of the wines being poured. This week, Martine Saunier (Founder of Martine’s Wines) shares some wines from her portfolio of wines from Burgundy (3 village wines, one grand cru, one 1er cru).  Here’s what’s being poured:

2008 Domaine Leroy Volnay
Retail $187.50, 5oz. glass $50.25

2009 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin
Retail $112.50, 5oz. glass $31.50

2009 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin
Lavaux St. Jacques 1er Cru
Retail $210, 5oz. glass $55.75

2008 Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux Grand Cru
Retail $292, 5oz. glass $76.25

2008 Domaine Leroy Chassagne-Montrachet Baudines 1er Cru
Retail $126, 5oz. glass $34.75

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Thurs., Jan. 12:  Chambolle-Musigny Tasting @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $20

Want to continue swimming in a sea of Burgundy?  Roll on over to Arlequin to taste a selection of wines from Chambolle-Musigny, including wines from the following producers:  Meo-Camuzet, Michel Gros, Jacques-Frederic Mugnier, Philippe Pacalet and Hubert Lignier.

For some added inspiration, here’s what Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay have to say about Chambolle-Musigny in Secrets of the Sommeliers:

“The wines of Chambolle-Musigny can … be haunting, stirring in their transparency and fluidity.  But that does not mean they are soft.  They can also have a firmness, even a combativeness, surprising for such a fine-boned wine.  Because of this multifaceted, modestly fickle nature and because of their elegance and sometimes pale, rosy color, many people think Chambolle is the ideal expression of Pinot Noir.”

In the meantime, I am happy to report that since my last blog post, Napa’s Cathy Corison was named the San Francisco Chronicle’s Winemaker of the Year. As the Chronicle aptly stated:

“After three decades of making wine, [Cathy Corison] shows that it’s still possible to make a complex, restrained Cabernet that honors California’s best traditions.”

I had a great visit with Cathy back in March (see this post) and shared a bottle of her 2001 Napa Valley Cab with friends on New Year’s Eve. I hope you’ll find some time over the next few months to stop by Corison if you’re in Napa, or open up a bottle of her wines so you can see why she has so many fans in the wine industry.

Corison Winery's Kronos Vineyard (3/2011)

Gamay at Arnot-Roberts

MORE UNDERDOG VARIETALS:  The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in California wine making.  Although Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are by far the most widely planeted varietals in the state, there are a good number of quality producers seeking out less heralded varietals, and thereby continuing to explore the full potential of California wine.  Since 2009, Arnot-Roberts has been making Trousseau sourced from the Clear Lake AVA, and this year Duncan and Nathan are working on a new project with RN74′s Rajat Parr:  a Gamay from the Sierra Foothills.  This was one of my favorite ferments during my time working harvest at AR — the clusters were gorgeous, the ferment tank was giving me highs, and the color was stunning.  The blogosphere also is eagerly awaiting the inaugural release from Dirty and Rowdy Family Winery, including a Semillon and a Mourvedre.  Started by two bloggers, D&R is “America’s #1 Winery” so you know it’s gonna be good!

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Bottling Petillant @ The NPA

LOCAL BUBBLES:  Unlike Cole Porter, I do get a kick from Champagne.  But domestic sparkling doesn’t thrill me at all.  Actually, that’s a bit harsh.  But let’s just say that it’s been a while since I’ve been excited about buying a bottle of domestic sparkling.  That may change soon:  Kevin Kelley of Salinia and The NPA is making a petillant, and rumor has it Donkey and Goat has some bubbly juice in the cellar, too.  Keep an eye out for these wines — might turn out to be something new and fun to open up on New Year’s Eve 2012.

Note: Picture is from The NPA’s Facebook page. 

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RE-VISIONING CHARDONNAY:  The market is flooded with domestic Chardonnay that tastes like it should be poured on top of movie theater popcorn instead of being served at the dinner table.  But there’s a change afoot in California, and 2012 should see an uptick in the number of balanced (dare I say, nuanced) Chardonnay. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing what John Raytek, the new winemaker at Lioco, does with access to the broad range of Chardonnay sourced from the Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, and Chalone AVAs.

Still need more convincing that Chardonnay is on the upswing?  The folks who pulled together the In Pursuit of Balance: Pinot Noir event this past March will be hosting a similar event focused on — you guessed it —  Chardonnay.  And according to some tweets and pics posted by sommelier and James Beard Award winning author Rajat Parr, it looks like he is working on a Chardonnay book as a follow-up to Secrets of the Sommelier.

For an entertaining read, check out this newsletter from Lioco, comparing Chard to Fat Elvis (RIP, King!).  

UPDATE 12/30/2011:  Dirty South Wines gives a shout out to CA Chard and small fizz producers in his 2012 wish list.  

“CA Chardonnay:  Become the #geekwine that we know you can be.  Some producers are rolling in this direction (some have always been there). But- thisnerdigo goes far beyond the lame wood or no wood pulpits.  Break the glass and release the monkeys….

[...]

Domestic Sparkling Wine:  We’ve got mid-sized covered, where are our little guys focussed on the fizz?”

Instead of adding to the throng of “best of” lists, I decided to pick out the most memorable sparkling, white, and red wines I’ve had over the past 12 months. These aren’t uber-baller wines or super-geeky wines. I didn’t select them to make you think that I’m some sort of wine bad ass. And they aren’t necessarily “the best” wines I had all year. They are simply wines that now have a personal story for me. And I hope that as you look back over 2011, you also have some wines that will remind you about a special time, place, or person.

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Agrapart & Fils Les 7 Crus Brut Blanc de Blancs

Prior to leaving for my European wine journey, I stayed with my friends Ben and Maggie and gave them a bottle of Agrapart to thank them for their hospitality. A few weeks later, during a 10am train ride from Paris to Reims, I received an email from them which read, “Thanks for the champagne! As you can see from the attached photo, we’re putting it to the best possible of uses!” They also attached a picture of the two of them, with Maggie holding the bottle of Champagne.

I was so excited because out of pure dumb luck, I was drinking the exact same wine to launch my pending travels through the Champagne region. I quickly fired off an email, telling them I was also enjoying the Agrapart, and wishing them well. Realizing that I was a little slow on the uptake, they then sent the following Photoshoped picture to highlight the shiny new engagement ring that Maggie was sporting (and which I had entirely overlooked in the initial email).

I will always remember this wine for allowing me to celebrate along with Ben and Mags despite being separated by thousands of miles.

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2007 Dom. Lucie et Auguste Lignier Les Chaffots

Have you ever had a day when everything seems to be going your way? Where every nerve in your body seems to be working on a heightened level of awareness and you are acutely aware of everything you see, hear, and taste? I had one of those days while working harvest in Burgundy at Domaine Lucie et Auguste Lignier.

After sorting grapes, hosing down bins, walking through vineyards, and then breaking down and cleaning the destemmer and other equipment, I strolled over to a small hill overlooking the winery, lay down, and opened a bottle of Les Chaffots. My body was exhausted, but I had adrenaline still pulsing through my veins. The night sky was stunning. A deep dark-blue curtain dotted with shimmering stars.

As much as I had loved my twelve weeks in Europe and experience working harvest in Burgundy, I was starting to look forward to what was next — a harvest internship in California. I wasn’t sad that my European wine travels were coming to an end because somehow, this all felt like the start of something new and exciting.

I stayed on that hill for a good hour before deciding it was time to head home. We drove south on RN 74 from Morey St. Denis to Savigny Les Beaune listening to Wilco and Billy Bragg sing California Stars .

I’d like to rest / my heavy head tonight on a bed / of California stars;
I’d like to lay / my weary bones tonight on a bed / of California stars;
I’d love to feel / your hand touching mine;
Tell me why / I must keep working on;
Yes I’d give my life / to lay my head tonight on a bed / of California stars.

The memory of the elegance and grace of the Les Chaffots still lingered as we wound our way through France’s most storied vineyards. It was a great way to end what was one of the most perfect days of the past year.

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2010 Arnot-Roberts Watson Ranch Napa Valley Chardonnay

Yup. Say it with me. Cal-ee-for-nee-uh Char-dawn-aye. You’re about to delete this aren’t you? You’re about to doubt my palate because one of the most memorable wines I had all year was a Cali Chard — the stuff of cougar juice and buttery/oaky nightmares. But hear me out.

On the first Sunday of June, I met up with a friend for a day of decadence. We started off with a chicken/waffle Champagne brunch at The Front Porch. But because that was clearly not enough food, we decided to stumble over to Cochon 555 — an event that promised 5 chefs each preparing a full heritage hogs. The organizers also had invited an all star lineup of wineries to pour at the event. Although there were a ton of great Syrah and Pinot served that day, the wine that made my head spin was the Arnot-Roberts Watson Ranch Chardonnay. It had the roundness you expect from a Chard, but a laser-like acidity and minerality that I typically find in Chablis. Now, I had tried Arnot-Roberts Syrah and Cab before, and both of which I liked a lot. But it was this wine (from a varietal I had entirely written off) that made me think that Arnot-Roberts was at the forefront of a new style of California wine–wines focused on balance and energy instead of fruit and power.

After that tasting, I decided that if I could swing it, I would love to work harvest at Arnot-Roberts. A few months later, I found myself in Healdsburg, working with Duncan and Nathan, and taking care of a tank filled with the 2011 Watson Ranch Chard (and guarded by a picture of Chablis’ François Raveneau).

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Tues., Dec. 13:  Champagne & Sparkling Wine Class @ SF Wine Center (SoMa)

SF Wine Center
757 Bryant Street
San Francisco, CA

6:30pm – 8:00pm – $60 (reserve ahead of time)

Join Jordan Mackay (co-author of Secrets of the Sommeliers) for a class on Champagne and Sparkling wines.  The class will focus on the varietals, the winemaking methods, vintage vs. non-vintage, sparkling vs champagne, and the recent influx of grower Champagne.

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Thurs., Dec. 15:  Northern Rhone Tasting @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $20

Thierry Allemand.  The dude has found away to put lightning in a bottle. His Syrah is nothing short of electric.  The fact that Arlequin is pouring Allemand on Thursday should be enough to get you over there.  But if you need other reasons, I hear rumors they are pouring some wines by other folks you may have heard of:  Clape and Texier (among others).

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Thurs., Dec. 15:  The NPA visits The Punchdown (Oakland)

The Punchdown
2212 Broadway
Oakland, CA

$15 per person / flight of three wines

I’ve really enjoyed having the chance to tasted some of the wines Kevin Kelley makes under his Salinia and NPA labels (as well as the  wine he made while at Lioco).  This guy really knows how to push the envelope.  Try a flight of his wines delivered milkman style in Klean Kanteens at my favorite East Bay wateringhole, The Punchdown.  Rumor has it Kevin may also bring down some of his new sparkling wine for you to try!

Check out this recent write-up on The NPA from 7×7 Magazine:  http://www.7×7.com/eat-drink/refill-please-fresh-wine-delivered-sonoma-weekly

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Thurs., Dec. 15:  Magnum Party at Vintage Berkeley (East Bay)

Vintage Berkeley
2113 Vine Street
Berkeley, CA

$10 per person

Go big or go home.  Or go big and go to Vintage Berkeley.  Lots of wine being poured out of tall boys on Thursday.  Magnum Lineup:

2010 Col Vetoraz Prosecco – Italy, $58
2009 Alfaro Chardonnay “Lindsay Paige” – CA, $58
2009 Raousset Morgon — Beaujolais, FR $45
2010 Occhipinti SP68 – Sicily, $55
2007 Felsina Chianti Classico – Italy, $52
2005 Clos Saron Syrah “Heart of Stone” – CA, $80
2007 Unti Syrah – CA, $80
2009 Banshee Pinot Noir “The One” – CA, $100
2009 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel – CA, $78
2008 Banshee Cabernet “The One” – Napa, CA, $120

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Fri., Dec. 16:  Champagne/Sparkling Tasting @ 18 Reasons (Mission)

18 Reasons
3674 18th Street
San Francisco, CA

$15 per person

Kick the weekend off with your friends and neighbors at 18 Reasons.  Check out some wines, and get 10% off your order of sparkling wines and Champagne at Bi-Rite.

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Thurs., Dec. 8:  Champagne Tasting @ Arlequin (Hayes Valley)

Arlequin Wine Merchants
384 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA

6:00pm – 8:00pm – $50

Start figuring out what you’ll open up to ring in the new year, and taste Champagne from over 40 producers.  I know you may have some ticket sticker shock, but given the quality of the Champagne on the Arlequin shelves (in particular the outstanding grower producers they carry), $50 is reasonable.  Need more convincing?  Check out the line-up.

Vilmart, Larmandier-Bernier, Paul Bara, Pierre Moncuit, Cedric Bouchard, J. Lasalle,Vouette & Sorbee, Pol Roger, Jacques Lassaigne, Agrapart et Fils, Jose Dhondt, Pierre Peters, Jacquesson, Serge Mathieu, Marie Courtin, Benoit Lahaye and more!

For more information on grower Champagne, see this recent article from the SF Chronicle.  

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Thurs., Dec. 8:  Nombe Wine Dinner w/ Rajat Parr (Mission)

Nombe Restaurant
2491 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA

$75 per person – 4 courses w/ wine & sake pairing

The pop-up craze has hit the sommelier world.  Rajat Parr, wine director at the Michael Mina group restaurants, will be doing pairings at Japanese Izakaya hot-spot, Nombe.  The menu includes:  Nombe Kamo Nassu (Duck & Eggplant), Grilled Lamb Chop with Shiso Pesto, Salmon Ceviche, and Sake Choppino.  Call the restaurant for reservations:  415-681-7150.

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Thurs. Dec. 8 – Sun. Dec. 11:  Bi-Rite Wine Blitz (Mission)

Bi-Rite Market
3639 18th Street
San Francisco, CA

Another chance to stock up on wine.  How can you say no when there’s 20% off a mixed case and free delivery in SF?  Here’s a pic of what I picked up during the Nov. wine blitz (DeMoor Aligote, Van Volxem Riesling, Coenobium Bianco, Bea Sta. Chiara, Vins Contes Poivre et Sel, Clos Rougeard), and I plan on picking up some Sanguineto Bianco , Thurnhof Lagrein, and the 2010 Dom. Huet Le Mont this time around.

Also, if you’re looking for a great holiday gift for your favorite foodie, pick up a copy of BiRite’s boo, titled Eat Good Food, while you’re wine blitzing. 

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Fri., Dec. 9:  Champagne Tasting at Vintage Berkeley (East Bay)

Vintage Berkeley
2949 College Avenue
Berkeley, CA

8:00pm – $20

More bubbles to kick off the weekend, this time brought to you by Vintage Berkeley.  A diverse lineup of 25 different types of bubbles, including Champagne, Cava, Prosecco….shoot, they even have some Hungarian sparkling in the mix.  Click here to see the full lineup.  PLUS, you’ll get 10% off of a purchase of 6 bottles, and 15% off of a full case.

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Sat., Dec. 4:  Champagne Tasting @ K&L Wines (SoMa)

K&L Wine Merchants
638 4th Street
San Francisco, CA

1:00pm – 4:00pm – $50 – tickets here

Yup.  You guessed it.  More Bublé.  I mean bubbles.  They’ll be pouring:

2000 Robert Fleury “Robert Fleury”
NV Ariston Cepages d’Antan
2000 Billecart-salmon Nicolas Francois NFB
2002 Bollinger Grand Anee
2002 Bruno Michel “Pauline” Blanc de Blanc
2004 Perrier Jouet “Belle Epoque”
1998 Krug
1998 Clicquot Grande Dame

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Sat., Dec. 4:  Skrewcap  Tasting @ Blanc et Rouge (Financial District)

Blanc et Rouge Wine Bar
2 Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA

1:00pm – 4:00pm – $25 in advance / $30 at the door

Hosted by Pamela Busch (formerly of CAV wine bar), this event will feature some of my favorite local importers, including Joli Vin, Terrell Selections, Blue Danube, and others.  Plus, local winery Birichino will be there.  Haven’t tried their wines, but these Bonny Doon alums made the Chronicle’s Top 100 Wines.

2010 Birichino Monterey Malvasia Bianca ($15, 13%): This new effort from Bonny Doon veterans John Locke and Alex Krause hit the ground running, with a batch of this aromatic Italian variety found near the Santa Lucia range. Savvy winemaking brings a dense texture to rich orange and pear fruit, just the thing to give depth to Malvasia’s heady floral and nutmeg aromas, which burst from the glass.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/01/CMN21M0TMN.DTL&ao=5#ixzz1fp9TKDY7

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Sat., Dec. 4:  Heart Wine Closing Party  (Mission)

Heart Wine Bar
1270 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA

The last night, sadly, to try wines from Heart’s eclectic list.  We’ll miss you, Jeff & Co.!