The grounds of Philo's Apple Farm

I'd driven through Boonville with my Dad and my sisters once, all too briefly en route to Mendocino. We stopped at the Boonville General Store for a sandwich and sat outside admiring the coolness of the little stretch of road and the delightfully slow pace of life. All along Hwy 128 there were orchards, farm stands, hidden hiking trails, and--of course--vineyards. I vowed to come back and do some exploring.

It did take me a good three years, but I returned last Friday for a one-day getaway with a dear friend, good wine, and great food. I’d actually wanted to make a weekend of it, stay at the Boonville Hotel and wile away a few days--but reality precludes such leisure at the moment, so we set out early and packed in as much as we could. A two hour (ish) drive, a stop at Flying Goat Coffee in Santa Rosa for a little extra fuel, and we found ourselves in Anderson Valley (115 miles N of San Francisco on Hwy 128) right around lunchtime on a quiet, sunny fall day. Not only were we delighted by what we found, we both vowed to come back soon--and to stay just a bit longer.

The Boonville General Store

Lunch at the Boonville General Store

Right across from the Boonville Hotel sits this friendly, bustling café. Don’t let the name fool you. While they do have great provisions for picnics or treats to take home, it’s more a spot for creative, organic meals than it is a place to pick up a gallon of milk. They have cheeses, olives, amazing baked goods, jams, and pestos to grab-and-go for the road. But the idea is to take some time and eat there, either at one of the rustic indoor tables or on the breezy outdoor patio. For lunch, we shared one of the house pizzas and a sandwich of the day.

The pizza had a super thin-crust (automatic ten points in my book) and was made with goat cheese, caramelized onions, local pears, bacon, and sage. The slightly sweet crisp of pear balanced with the earthy goat cheese and salty bacon made for a perfect bite. The sandwich was equally good: an organic turkey melt with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pesto on housemade honey wheat bread. We grabbed a few pieces of homemade candy corn for the road (would love to track down their recipe for these) and lingered a bit on the patio mapping out our next move. I hear on weekends the place is a mob scene with cyclists and bikers, so if you’re looking for peace and quiet, Sunday may not be your day.

Boonville General Store
17810 Farrer Ln.
Boonville, CA 95415
(707) 895-9477
Hours: M-F 7:30am-3pm; Sat.-Sun. 8:30-3pm

Farmhouse Mercantile

Home and Garden Finds at the Farmhouse Mercantile

After lunch, we wandered down the road to the Farmhouse Mercantile, a local shop that stocks everything from unique kitchen tools, to vintage papers, paintings, tablecloths and local preserves. The owners are the folks behind Philo's Apple Farm, and they certainly have a brilliant eye for unique home and garden goods. They've hand-selected products you don't see in your everyday chain stores. From tiny whisks to mini Lodge cast-iron pans sized perfectly to fry a single egg (sheer brilliance), they've got it all. A sweet spot for gifts or to treat yourself to a post-lunch treat--precisely what I did with a new, shiny corkscrew. There’s an adjoining café so while you’re browsing, you hear the pleasant din of dishes clanking--fitting indeed.

Farmhouse Mercantile
4111 Hwy 128
Boonville, CA, 95415
(707) 895-3996
Hours: Thurs.-Mon. 11am-5pm (closed Tues.-Wed.)

Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Entering--and drinking--at the Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Before continuing on down the road, we backtracked a few blocks, turned down Highway 253, and quickly discovered the Anderson Valley Brewing Company. Now you can get their bottled beers in select grocery stores, but I was eager to see where they’re made and try some of the seasonal brews. If you're into factory tours (we're not), they offer them daily at 11:30 am and 3:00 pm. If you like disc golf (we don’t), there’s that, too. And if you enjoy sampling numerous beers out of small glasses (we do), then you’re in for a treat. They offer a few different samplers, ranging from 5 glasses to 12 glasses. After a pretty lengthy discussion and unsolicited input from our fellow bar-mates, we decided on the 6 glass sampler with the Hop Ottin’ IPA, Boont Amber Ale, Winter Solstice, Deep Enders Dark Porter, Oatmeal Stout, and Brother David’s Triple Triple Ale. Let’s get the negatives out of the way first: Brother David’s is, in my humble opinion, some pretty raunchy beer. When I asked the gal at the bar what the story was, she didn’t have much to offer. She said it was a strong ale in the typical Belgium tradition. Hmm, I appreciate a Belgium beer just like the next girl, but this was different. It was incredibly strong, cloyingly sweet, and tasted much more like sherry than like beer.

But moving on, the Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale was absolutely delightful. It literally tastes of winter and afternoons by the fireplace, with a creamy flavor and hints of spice. And if you like IPA’s, theirs is hoppy and citrusy while the Deep Enders Porter is smooth with coffee undertones. We had a great time sampling and rating the beers and chatting with other locals and visitors. Do know that they don’t serve food here. I was envisioning more of a rustic, pub-style atmosphere for some reason, but in reality, it’s quite spare and airy. People brought pooches, families, Frisbees, and even a few picnic blankets. As I’m writing this, I’m reminded of how much I regret not getting a case of the Winter Solstice to take home, and how I need to seek it out here locally. Pronto.

Anderson Valley Brewing Company
17700 Hwy 253
Boonville, CA 95415-0505
(707) 895-BEER
Hours: Daily 11am-6pm (with the exception of Fridays, 11am-7pm)

Philo Apple Farm

Apples and Orchards at The Apple Farm

Right up the road about 5 miles (northwest of Boonville on Hwy 128) is a small family farm with a lot of appeal. Upon turning down the little gravel road, you’ll notice the farm stand first. They believe in eating in season and eating as minimally processed food as possible. Their website reads:

“Food preservation is a time honored way of stretching the harvest bounty between seasons. In our not too distant past it was an absolute necessity for our rural population. Many of the techniques and recipes that used to be handed down from mother to daughter are being lost in our fast-paced times. We hope to carry on the tradition.”

The farm stand is their way of carrying on this tradition. They sell a variety of local apples and their own jams, chutneys, syrups, and vinegars. I can’t remember the last time I saw a place where you pay using the honor system. But here, you mark down what you took on a clipboard, drop your money in a slot, and call it a day. Beyond the stand itself, there are beautiful grounds open to the public where you can explore the orchards, hidden little paths, the gardens, and the pigs and roosters. If you’re lucky, the resident dog with two different colored eyes will give you the grand tour.

Besides the farm stand, you can opt to stay at farm in one of their cottages. I haven’t had the pleasure myself, but they look fantastic. Each cottage is unique in design and has its own porch and fireplace. From what I gather, if you’re the type of person who loves good room service and a nightly turndown, this isn’t your place. It’s more independent and private--just as you’d expect after a quaint and secluded visit to the farm.

Philo Apple Farm
18501 Greenwood Road
Philo, CA 95466
(707) 895-2461

Toulouse Winery

The Winery Dogs at the Toulouse Tasting Room

Before we headed home, I wanted to stop at Toulouse Winery after a few locals suggested that they had some of the best Pinot around. Little did I know, they have way more than that. Vern and Maxine Boltz began the boutique winery post-retirement in a quest to become growers and do something creative with their days. The Boltz’s do all of the winemaking and bottling on site--they even live above the winery.

From the affable winery dog, Tess, to the friendly owners who were doling out recipes and advice on the most scenic route home, you can tell they genuinely love what they do and want to share it with their visitors. The thing that often turns me away from wineries and wine tasting is all of the pretension and artifice. It makes me sweat. At Toulouse, I was calm and collected. The tasting room is in a warehouse-type space with barrels set up as causal tables, a concrete floor, and a bunch of dogs roaming around. My kind of place. They give you tasty cheese crackers, are laid back in their presentation of wine education, and there’s’ no pressure or expectation to buy--although we did. In addition to Pinot Noir, the region’s also well known for Gewürztraminer, a slightly sweet white wine. While I generally don’t love sweeter wines, Toulouse’s was subtle and had distinct floral notes that were surprisingly refreshing. Vern mentioned he’d been looking for the perfect breakfast wine for quite some time, and he’d finally nailed it. It was hard to leave Tess, Vern and Maxine behind, but it was growing dark and we had big plans of going the long way home--and returning soon.

Toulouse Winery
8001 Hwy 128 (P.O. Box 152)
Philo, CA 95466
(707) 895-2828
Hours: Mon.-Sun 11am-5pm

Team Sauce's strategy: an array of accoutrement to ease down the sucking process

155 oysters, 10 minutes, 1 stomach of steel...that's what it takes to be the reigning champ of McCormick & Kuleto's 16th Annual Shuck & Swallow Oyster Challenge.

Reigning Champs 2 years in a row: Aaron Young and Ryan Seamus (Team Farallon)

That's right, Team Farallon took down 155 oysters with Ryan Seamus shucking at the speed of light, and Aaron Young showcasing his perfected method of swallowing and spitting.

Young divulged that his secret to success was in keeping a glass of Muscadet wine by his side to rinse out and refresh his palate over the course of downing an absurd number of oysters. He claimed that the acidity of the wine helped to wash out the taste and keep his eye on the prize.

I came home curious to learn more about Young's secret weapon. Wikipedia confirmed that Muscadets are indeed "fresh, crisp, and acidic, light-bodied, and almost always dry with very little, if any residual sugar. Left over carbon dioxide from the bottling process can leave the wines with a slight prickly sensation." Just the kind of sensation one may seek out when trying to cut the buttery flavor and texture of oysters I suspect.

As I read on, my suspicions were once again confirmed! Turns out, Jon Bonné, wine editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, had in fact called Muscadet -- the minerally white wine of France's Loire Valley -- "the perfect oyster wine" back in 2005. It was this bold statement that actually led to another bacchanalian oyster-centric event of SF past: The Great Oyster Smackdown of 2007, which pit fresh, fruit-driven West Coast wines against minerally, lean French wines. Check out that gem of an article if you're interested in finding out which wines won out as the best pairing for raw Pacific oysters.

Sorry for the digression. Back to the Shuck & Swallow of 2009.

Team Asia de Cuba's Strategy: cute t-shirts and pregame bloody mary shooters

Bay Area radio personality Sterling James returned for the 12th year in a row as the presiding Master of Ceremonies, and the Deadlies Band provided some surferdelic tunes for the dozen or so teams (one shucker, 1 swallower) from Bay Area restaurants.

Home Team McCormick & Kuleto's: Sarber and Roger, shucked and sucked 84 bad boys. I counted them myself.

Celebrity and media judges included Chef Ryan Scott, Liam Mayclem, host of CBS's Eye on the Bay, Lynne Char Bennett from SF Chronicle, Sarah Duxbury from SF Business Times, Kathleen Jay from SF Examiner, Matt McFetridge from Northside SF Publications, Erin Roth from WHERE Magazine, Icky from KLLC-FM, Jayn from Alice 97.3, Kimmie Taylor from 102.9 KBLX, among others (including yours truly).

There was Blood…

Yeah...ouch.

Sweat...

Actually, Roger from McCormick & Kuleto's was cool as a cucumber. Made it look downright easy.

...and Oyster Juice.

The Swallowing half of Team Anchor & Hope

Following the competition, a $30 per person oyster and wine tasting, benefiting The Marine Mammal Center was held. The Marine Mammal Center saves seals, rescues and provides veterinary care for injured marine mammals along 600 miles of California coast, and educates the public about ocean health.

6 different oysters and 12 different wines were featured. My favorites of each were the Sinku Oysters from Denman Island, British Columbia -- salty (due to the cold water where they grow), meaty, creamy and rich -- and the Morgan Sauvignon Blanc, Monterey, CA 2008 -- crisp and apricoty.

It may be a long long while until some of yesterday's contestants can even look at an oyster again, but I bet many of the spectators are hooked for life.

Dominic (9-years-old, Shuck & Swallow three-year veteran, oyster count for the evening: 47) and fellow oyster lover, Tu.

16th Annual Shuck & Swallow Oyster Challenge
Ghiradelli Square / McCormick & Kuleto's
October 6, 2009

Stephanie Miller, the assistant vineyard manager at Robert Sinskey Vineyards, pulled back the lid of a knee-high wooden bin and plunged her hand wrist-deep in a thick layer of squashed mulberry-colored grapes. Sweeping them back to reveal the bright purple juice below, she dipped in a glass and held out a taste. A little sweet, a little sharp, the cloudy juice was speckled with bits of grape and froth, buoyant and lively with yeasts and natural sugars.

A couple of years from now, this same stuff will be a suave Napa Valley Pinot Noir. But on this warm morning at the beginning of the 2009 harvest, these grapes are just a day or two off the vine, busily fermenting their way from juice to wine.

Surrounding these wooden bins are the hulking stainless-steel vats more typical of a modern winery, into which most of Sinskey's juice goes. But, as Miller explained, for this small pick, taken from one particular vineyard block that ripened early, letting the grapes ferment the old-fashioned way seemed just fine.

It fits right in with the style of the vineyard, a family-run place where sheep roam as four-footed weed whackers during the winter, munching down the weeds and cover crops before the fruit sets. Around the blocks of grapes are hedgerows and trees dotted with raptor perches and owl boxes, providing habitat for birds and beneficial insects. Hawks soar overhead, keeping hungry eyes on the mice and gophers below. Organic since 2001, the vineyards were certified biodynamic in 2007, following the methods laid out by Austrian philosopher/educator/polymath Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), under the down-to-earth eye of vineyard manager (and livestock wrangler) Debby Zygielbaum.

Sheep on the farm. Photo by Robert Sinskey

There are many layers to biodynamic farming, but the basic premise involves taking organics one step further to create a holistic, "closed circle" ecosystem whereby all the land's fertility needs can be met on site. Animals provide manure, for example, manure goes into compost, compost goes into soil that then grows grass to feed the animals.

Hence the sheep, and the on-site composting program that transforms a good portion of the winery's spent grape pomace into a rich organic soil booster. That's just the tip of Steiner's philosophy, however. As a philosopher with a mystical Christian bent, Steiner's agricultural experiments in the face of industrial, post-WWI devastation blended time-honored Northern European folk traditions (planting by the phases of the moon, assigning the calendar "root days" and "fruit days" based on planetary movements) with his own personal beliefs in astral energy planes and more.

Walking a path between the grapes, Miller quotes a friend and fellow biodynamic farmer as saying, "You can farm on your knees or on your feet." Meaning that you can follow Steiner's dictates as a spiritual practice or as a practical how-to; either way, the results speak for themselves. Do you have to believe that a cow's horn symbolizes a kind of bridge between the earth and the sun, and that adding manure aged for months inside a buried cow's horn to your compost will energize your plants?

Perhaps, perhaps not. But there's no denying that building an intimacy with every aspect of a piece of land, from the way the wind moves over it to what weeds grow there, builds an awareness that translates into deep knowledge, informed by care and maybe even love.

Grapes on the vine. Photo by Robert Sinskey

Hanging on the cusp of harvest, the grapes are vividly indigo, green-gold, rose amber or plum black. The land itself feels rich with life, from the bees darting in and out of the flowering weeds below to the birds pecking their portion of the harvest from the ends of the rows.

The Zinfandel grapes are almost comically huge, ripe-to-bursting clusters hanging blue-black in the hot early-autumn sunshine. The Pinot Noir berries are smaller and shyer, almost dainty, the Cabernet Sauvignon vines looking straight out of a Claude Chabrol film. Muscat, clear gold, is unmistakable, the juice sugar sweet with a hint of musk. I remember reading a description of a summer morning in Venice as having "light like pink grapes" and these clusters of rosy Pinot Gris turn the simile suddenly clear.

All well and good. But how do the wines taste? After visiting numerous blocks of Sinskey's grapes, growing in the Stag's Leap and Carneros appellations, Miller takes me back to the elegant public tasting room on the Silverado Trail. Here, too, the idea of a self-fufilling ecosystem continues.

Wine is, after all, meant to drunk with food. So there is a small but lovely open kitchen adjoining the tasting room, where house chef Alex Bolduc whips up small complementary palate-teasers to accompany the $20 tasting flights, using produce harvested in the surrounding kitchen garden. The winery also runs special culinary tours ($50 per person, by appointment), in which guests get a guided tour through both the caves and the gardens, followed by a wine, cheese, and charcuterie tasting. It helps, of course, that Sinskey's culinary director is his wife, Maria Helm Sinskey, well-known cookbook author and formerly the highly acclaimed chef of San Francisco's PlumpJack restaurant.

The open kitchen in the tasting room. Photo by Robert Sinskey

The day I visited, Bolduc was simmering a batch of pear butter on the stove, made with green pears harvested from the Sinskeys' backyard. Once finished, it would jarred and sold in the tasting room or used on the menu of one of the winery's popular wine-club dinners, held every few months. While wine-club members get first dibs at reservations, interested diners can always call to see if any seats are available. Upcoming dinners include a Fall Equinox Dinner on Sept. 19th, and a Harvest Dinner on Oct. 24th. The price for six courses accompanied by wine is $175 per person.

In the tasting room, I nibbled a bit of aged gouda dotted with homemade plum jam, alongside a buttery mini-quiche filled with tatsoi, roasted onions, and cream, a moist gougere and some delectable slivers of pizza hot from the wood-burning oven. (Pizza Thursdays, a new development, are not to be missed).

And then there were the wines. I've long been a fan of Sinskey's Vin Gris as a elegant summer cooler. But the pours were more autumnal that day, starting with the Vandal Vineyard Pinot Noir. This parcel gets temperatures some 10 to 15 degrees warmer, bringing out the juicy richness and depth of the fruit, with hints of leather and smoke. "It's a more masculine wine," suggests sales manager Meg Barkley, and I have to agree: it seems to call out for leg of lamb, deep leather armchairs, dark wood paneling and a roaring fire.

A Pinot Noir from the Three Amigos parcel, some 5 to 7 miles away, is quite different, leaner and lighter, with less smoke and more cherry. "This one's my duck wine," says Barkely.

Sinskey only recently started doing single-designation Pinots, and the choice of vineyards changes from year to year, depending on the quality of the fruit.

It's one more part of the winemaking philosophy espoused by owner Rob and his longtime vintner, Jeff Virdig, who has been working with Sinskey since 1991: bring the fruit to its peak, then get out of the way and let the grapes express their own truth.

For information and reservations for upcoming dinners, call 800.869.2030 or 707.944.9090, ext. 119.

If eating is an agricultural act, as Wendell Berry so famously said, then what better way to celebrate the connection between food and farming than at Dirt to Dining?

Jesse Cool, the down-to-earth owner-cook (don't call her a chef!) of Menlo Park's Flea Street Cafe is hosting this benefit for the Ecological Farming Association right in her own backyard--which just happens to be a bountiful edible garden on the edge of the Stanford campus.

Cool, well known for her longtime dedication to seasonal, locally-sourced and sustainable cuisine, is opening up her address book, too. On hand to nosh and chat will be dozens of organic farmers and winemakers, including those from Full Belly Farm, Frog's Leap Winery, Green Gulch Farm, Live Earth Farm, Swanton Berry Farm, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Frey Vineyards, and more.

And of course, going along with the garden tours will be plenty of delectable food and wine. That fava-bean canapé? Probably made from beans grown by the guy sipping sauvignon blanc right next you. Never seen a fava bean in its natural habitat? It's over there, hanging on vines right next to the carrots. Dining doesn't get any dirtier than that.

Dirt to Dining: A Day in Jesse Cool's Kitchen Garden
Sunday, June 7, 2009
2pm-5pm
2150 Amhearst Street
Palo Alto, CA
Tickets: $75

It may not be sunny, but it is Memorial Day weekend, and you know what I'm thinking? Pink! Rhubarb and strawberries, shrimp Louie, cherries, pink boxers, and yes, rosé.

Stand up and be counted, pink wine drinkers! Personally, I love it when a date seconds my order of rosé. A person who embraces pink wine is a person who's not afraid to get a little girly. It means he or she is a hey, why not? sort of person, happy to take a little vacation from the hopped-up IPAs and tannin-slugging Cabs to sip on what your aunt Cherrie would call a "swimmin' pool wine."

I have fond associations with rosé--chaise lounges, love, the South of France--but I've found that rosé really cheers anyone up, if they're man (or woman) enough to drink it.

So, what's worth pouring this weekend as you lounge under the patio umbrella? My two faves remain Bonny Doon's Vin Gris de Cigare ($15) and Domaine Tempier's Bandol Rosé ($32). The Bandol 2008 vintage has just arrived at Kermit Lynch in Berkeley; get over there now before they drink it all up. Both these wines are supple and elegant, perfect for a sunny summer lunch with cold salmon and a salad full of flowers.

Over at Bi-Rite Market, assistant wine buyer Sarah Bouldin puts the Robert Sinskey Vin Gris ($22.99) on the top of her list. "We can only get 10 cases at a time, so it goes fast. It's really well balanced, with strawberry fruitiness, a little melon." And then there's the Unti Rosé ($18.99), a biodynamic wine from Mick Unti in Healdsburg. Says Bouldin, "It's lighter than the Sinskey, a little more acidic. We're always happy to get our hands on anything Mick produces; his wines are always delicious, really outstanding."

Rosés are featured right now at the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, both as a flight on the tasting menu in the bar as well as in their adjoining shop. Wine buying manager Drea Dedona likes their classic Provencal rosés, of course, but also points out the Botasea Rosato di Palmino ($18), from Santa Barbara, made by winemaker Chrystal Clifton. Actually, it's hard to miss; it looks like strawberry Boone's Farm slapped with a lipstick-pink label. "I know the color's a little scary," Dedona admits, "But it's got great fruit and a little spice," thanks to a 50/30/20 blend of dolcetto, nebbiolo, and barbera grapes. There's also a reason for the pink: part of the purchase price of every bottle goes to support breast cancer research.

Were money no object, though, I'd throw down for the Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé ($80), a fabulously glam and grown-up French Champagne that glows like sunshine on pink marble.

But what if you're looking for a rosé that's more naked Carla Bruni, less Dior-clad Mme Sarkozy? Then you want Jean-Paul Brun's FRV100 ($16.99). Say it like the French do: eff-air-vay-cent. (Get it?) This is Brun's sparkling answer to soda-pop Beaujolais Nouveau: a light, fast-fermented wine with some residual sugar that's a goofy, picnic-perfect good time, not just overhyped grape juice.

From the glittery black label to the fan-dancing fizz inside, this is an unapologetic disco wine, made to get the party started. "It really should have house music pumping out of the bottle," laughs Bouldin. It's also a good way for a girl to drink and have fun without ending the evening as a drunk-dialing hot mess, thanks to an alcohol content that's just 7.5%.

Don't want to drink pink alone? Drop by Piccino on Sunday, May 31st from noon to 9 pm for Dogpatch's own festival of rosés. On the menu: pizzas, salads, a few lovely specials, and lots of rosés, all guaranteed to charm.

Brian Zucker helped pioneer the world of online wine shopping as an undergrad at U.C. Davis. In 1997, he still needed more credits to graduate (he was in his fifth year at Davis), and had noticed how popular the website was for the now defunct Virtual Vineyards, even though he thought that company's prices and selection weren't great. So he talked his AgEcon (Agricultural Economics) professor into giving him credit for designing a primitive online wine shop.

That school project became the basis for K&L Wine Merchant's industry leading online store of today. Zucker happens to be the son of one of the store's founders. "I knew I wanted to be in the business," he says, "but I wanted to carve out a distinctive niche within the company."

In my last post I wrote about the Bay Area's diverse selection of brick and mortar wine shops. This time, I'm covering online retailers.

The Wall Street Journal's Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher recently did a comprehensive piece on this subject, and rated their favorite sites. K&L topped the list--a real coup for the Bay Area. K&L's flagship store is in Redwood City, with major branches in San Francisco and Hollywood.

I don't shop for wine online, because I don't want to pay the shipping charges, which can be substantial. Zucker says there's "no shortage of people willing to try things we recommend and collectors looking for rare and highly rated wines for drinking or investment."

"Food and wine nuts with more eclectic tastes," are also model customers, according to Zucker.

"K&L succeeds," he says, "because it offers great prices." (It does.) But it also offers real-time inventory for its warehouse and all three stores. "With the core audience, that's the key. They know they'll get the product they want." Many other sites list wine that might be in inventory, or might have just sold out.

I went looking on K&L's site for California Cabernet Sauvignon, from 1989 (not a great vintage, but my daughter's birth year); I quickly found a dozen choices, including the last bottle of Duckhorn Howell Mountain Red for $90. Good price and could be delicious. The site tells you up front that the bottle is at K&L's Redwood City Store, so in fact, I could probably have had it at my door the next day. Zucker says that many customers from around Northern California order wine online and then pick it up at the San Francisco store to save shipping costs.

So how about something to drink tonight, now that spring is here and asparagus is sprouting in every produce aisle? Zucker recommends a 2007 Sancerre from Franck Millet ($17), imported by K&L. I tasted refreshing, delicious citrus in the mouth, and loved the lemongrass in the aromas. It should be great with hollandaise.

There's lots more online wine shopping possible out there, but the other Bay Area company worth browsing is Wine.com, —the leading Internet wine retailer, according to one rating service.

The company is working hard to "expand and enhance the community section," says Gwendolyn Osborn, Wine.com's director of content. "We're starting Twitter accounts, and we want to link that up for Facebook users and other social media so you'll be able to share reviews and tasting notes." The site already offers customer reviews to balance the point scores from the likes of Wine Spectator, and the powerful Robert Parker. Wine.com also features a fantastic Google mapping service, which shows the location of the winery and its neighbors. That feature is worth a visit, whether you're buying or not.

When you click on the wine you're looking for, both K&L and Wine.com suggest others you might like—a feature that's tougher to provide in a brick and mortar store. If you're looking for, say, a great Cornas from the Northern Rhone, the sites can quickly show you similar wines like Shiraz from Australia or Syrah from California or Washington state.

"The best customers," Osborn says, "are people who are open to trying new things and are willing to branch out from their favorites."

Osborn adds that one of her favorite wines right now is the hard-to-find 2006 A Donkey and Goat "The Recluse" Syrah ($34), made in Berkeley. Only one problem: it's sold out at Wine.com, proving how tricky it can be to keep track of inventory. That said, you can also shop for much of Wine.com's immense warehouse inventory at its new retail shop, on 4th Street in Berkeley.

Wine.com is easily your best choice if you're worried about shipping laws. Even with a U.S. Supreme Court decision a few years ago that set new rules for interstate shipping, it may be challenging to send a birthday wine to someone in Florida or other states. "We follow all the crazy shipping laws," Osborn explains, "and we have warehouses in Florida, for example. So if you're buying a wine for your friend, that wine would ship out of our warehouse there, saving you money and keeping carbon costs down. And it would arrive overnight."

Wine.com royally pissed off many competitors last year by running a sting to entrap them, then turning their names in to state authorities. "We want a fair playing field," says Osborn "If the states are going to enforce the laws for us, we want them to enforce them for others, or change them."

K&L was one of the wineries named in the complaint. And while K&L's Zucker admits they "have a difference of opinion about the legality of that particular shipment," he graciously adds the people at Wine.com are "good guys."

Tasting Notes

I've been building up a surplus of tasting notes since I last posted. The most interesting set come from a recent tasting I did with Napa Valley's Tom Eddy. He grows fabulous under-the-radar Cabernet Sauvignon on Diamond Mountain, and other hilly sites, and is on a rampage these days against "over-the-top wines—too ripe, too tannic, with not enough acid, and way too much alcohol."

Eddy invited some wine writers to what he called the "Take Back the Cab '09 Tour" at Cav Wine Bar and Kitchen in San Francisco, pitting his wines against other Napa Cabs from the much vaunted (and perhaps overrated) 1997 vintage, and from 2004.

The competition (I'm only listing the most striking disappointments) didn't show very well. The 1997 Beringer Home Vineyard ($123) offered great chocolate truffle in the nose, but seemed fumed out of the glass, and tasted out of balance. The 1997 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet ($165) was soft and lovely in the mouth, but showed volatile acidity and baby-diaper character in the nose.

Eddy's 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet was more restrained, but lovely, with cedar and tobacco leaf in the nose, and layers and layers of flavor in the mouth, with just enough tannin to go a few more years.

The 2004s were more fetching as a group. The 2004 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($518!) seemed pruny and hot, hot, hot, and not very interesting in the mouth. I liked the 2004 Vineyard 29 ($238) Cabernet Sauvignon, with its dill and rich mocha aromas, and long finish. But Eddy's 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet ($90, but not yet released) still stood out for its truth in varietal character—with cedar, black currant, coffee, and green leaves in the nose, and firm tannins and delicious fruit in the mouth.

It was a reminder to take wine ratings from Wine Spectator, Robert Parker, and others with a grain of salt. The moral: Trust your own palate.

By the way, if you're looking for any of these wines to buy, try these sites: wine-searcher.com or vinquire.com. You may notice Wine.com and K&L pop up a lot when you're searching for hard-to-find wines.

Chuck Hayward from The Jug Shop

I'm a wine devotée, so I'm also a habitué of wine shops, and a seeker after their treasures. The best stores are often cool, warehouse-like spaces, with cases of wine stacked precariously, row upon row. The wine shops where I've worked--in Northampton, Mass., New York City, and San Francisco were all modest establishments, but in each one a customer could find a small masterpiece, a miracle of art and nature.

The good bottles, and there were always more good than bad, captured the sun and warmth of a fall day, and the full ripeness of the harvest. Open a bottle, and the wine tells a story about geography and weather, about a winemaker and his or her passions.

In New York one year, we sold 1973 Chateau Mouton Rothschild for just $11.99 a bottle. Not a great vintage, but still a great value-- a wine of grace and power. The bottles bore a label featuring a drawing by Pablo Picasso, one of his last commissions. That was the year Mouton won long sought "first-growth" status, the only promotion ever granted after the 1855 classification. See: not just a bottle of wine, but a piece of cultural history.

So I'm writing today about wine shops, and what I look for in them, now, as a customer. Please submit your comments, noting your favorite wine shops, or warehouses, and why you like them.

Chuck Hayward from The Jug Shop

For example, I like The Jug Shop on San Francisco's Polk Street, because Chuck Hayward and his staff are such a gas. Hayward says a good retailer "has an incredible thirst for knowledge, and an incredible thirst." He talks very fast as he says that, and then explains how he began specializing in wines from the Southern Hemisphere in the early '90s, to distinguish his store from bigger chains. Now he's the man to see for hard to find New Zealand Pinot Noirs, and Australian GSM wines (that’s Aussie Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvèdre).

"We have to be like record shops and book stores, and come up with unique offerings."

I especially like Hayward's disdain for wine snobbery, what he calls "The piss down approach to wine sales. If you don't like the wine I recommend, you're stupid."

Instead he flatters his customers. "They're very smart, he says, they know good wine, but these days they're looking for the $10 wine that tastes like $20; and the $20 bottle that tastes like $40."

I asked for two recommendations, a red and a white, for the modern, budget minded shopper; say someone celebrating landing a half-time job just good enough to pay the rent. He showed me a bottle of 2006 Sebastiani Sonoma Unoaked Chardonnay, a crisp, golden delicious apple of a wine, and a deal at $9.99. For a red he suggested The 2006 D'Arenberg Stump Jump, an Australian GSM wine full of raspberries and spice for $9.99.

Hayward and his staff host a lot of tastings (recently they coordinated the first Twitter tasting of Pinot Noir I've heard of), and that's also the mark of a great wine shop. It's one reason I stop in often at Farmstead Cheeses and Wines, with its two East Bay locations, Alameda and Montclair Village. Wine makers and wine brokers stop in on Friday (Montclair), and Saturday (Alameda) to pour in the back of these two tiny shops. You can taste upward of half a dozen wines (Your $3 is reimbursed if you buy anything; there's no cost to wine club members), before choosing what you want for dinner. It's very civilized.

Jeff Diamond owner of Farmstead Cheeses and Wines

Owner Jeff Diamond is a warm, effervescent man, a former publicist for arts groups and nonprofits. He embraces the scholarly connoisseur looking for St. Joseph from Yves Cuilleron, or Viognier from Alban Vineyards, as well as the picnicker upgrading from White Zinfandel. His motto: "Relax, it's just food." In fact, he got into the wine business to offer an alternative to elitist stores. "I would buy wine and come home really angry," Diamond says. "And my wife, Carol, would ask, 'Why are you so upset?' And I'd say, 'I just spent $1000 and I had to put up with someone else's agenda.'"

Diamond says Farmstead has one advantage over other shops, "Wine and cheese speak to each other." He often has California burrata (a kind of mozzarella with a creamy center). So on a Saturday afternoon, you can stop by the Feel Good Bakery, housed in the same Alameda Marketplace as Farmstead, and buy a baguette to rival any in the East Bay, then taste wine and cheese at Farmstead, tearing off pieces of your baguette to wash it down.

I challenged Diamond, as I did Chuck Hayward, for two wallet friendly wines, bottles to stave off thirst while preparing my taxes. He responded with the 2007 Morandé Terrarum Sauvignon Blanc from Chile ($10). It features fabulous lemon grass and grapefruit aromas, and leaves you wanting more and more. His favorite value in reds (this week) is the 2007 Monte Oton from Spain's Bodegas Borsao, a raspberry and black pepper treat made with grapes from 50-75 year old Grenache vines ($10).

You can't beat the attention and care that Diamond and Hayward take as they match their inventories to the tastes of their customers. But I confess I also buy wine at Safeway, which features utter commercial dreck next to incredible values. This week I'm drinking the terrific 2007 Ménage à Trois California Red from Napa's Folie a Deux ($7.98). They blend Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet into a wine that's full-bodied, spicy, and gulpable. For a white, I grabbed the 2007 Clos la Chance Unoaked Chardonnay ($6.98). It's crisp and lemony, and without another thought in its head. These are great bargains, but you won't find interesting imports at Safeway, or knowledgeable staff to help to match the wine to your meal.

Here in Northern California, we have dozens of other fabulous stores (and I hope you, my readers, will tell us about more of them). K&L features a dazzlingly deep selection online and in its three stores (San Francisco, Redwood City, and Hollywood). The East Bay features Kermit Lynch, arguably the most influential shop in the U.S., but narrow in its focus (France and Italy), and pricey. North Berkeley Imports has carved out a niche for its exclusive imports from Burgundy and Champagne. Solano Cellars pours oodles of good wine at its wine bar, and Paul Marcus shows off his impeccable taste at his store in Rockridge Market Hall.

The best thing is finding a store in your neighborhood-- (it's nice to walk home, not drive, after tastings!), where they get to know you, in the same way your barber or hairstylist knows you. And if you say you want a fruity red, with a little off the top, they know just what your palate needs.

Next time, I'll talk about buying online.

Given the whole pregnancy thing, I've been sourcing non-alcoholic alternatives to my usual alcoholic libations. Cocktails aren't too hard to fake with mocktails, because while you may miss the satisfying bite of the gin or the underlying sweetness of rum, at least you can still make it a tasty drink with high-end mixers, homemade syrups, fresh herbs, and fruit, right?

It's harder when it comes to wine and beer. My findings on near-beer will follow in another post, but first I tried to find a sub-in for my comforting glass of red Italian table wine with dinner. With that goal in mind, I bought a bottle of Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon, and threw in a bottle of Sutter Home's Fre "sparkling wine beverage" for kicks.

Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon
I saddled my plate with wild mushroom ravioli in a homemade chorizo ragu and poured myself a glass of the CaberNOT Fauxvignon. The smell was promising, if a little weak, so I forked up a mouthful of pasta and paired it with the wine.

Yish.

Pros:
1. Having a selection of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay (instead of just "red" or "white") was enough to convince me Ariel knew what they were doing. So, kudos on that marketing scheme, Ariel.

2. Personal edification bonus points: I finally taste-experienced the definition of wine "structure." More to the point, I now know what it means when there's such a complete lack of structure that the only thing keeping the wine vertical is the stem of the glass. Call it the Joey Potter of wines.

Cons:
1. If you drank a glass of actual wine, then swirled water around in the same glass to catch all the dregs, and then drank that water, you'd have a very good idea of what Ariel CaberNOT Fauxvignon tastes like.

Fre Sparkling
I was all set to let loose with another scathing name and derogatorily dub this non-alcoholic sample "Shampagne," but it's actually really quite good. While called a "brut," it's actually slightly sweeter than a full alcohol brut would be, but it's not sweet, either. Nor is it too washed out. Also, it has a fine and elegant mousse of bubbles, which makes it even more enjoyable as a champagne stand-in.

It puts me in mind of the heady days of my youth when Ann and Jane and I would traipse down to Milt's Grocery on Lake Street and spend our allowance on bottle after bottle of Catawba juice. After this pleasant surprise, I'd be willing to try the rest of the Fre line.

Navarro Grape Juice
I do like the Navarro grape juices -- made from their Pinot Noir and Gewurtztraminer grapes -- but both offerings tend to be overwhelmingly, cloyingly, throat-chokingly sweet. A splash of tonic water or club soda with a squirt of lemon or lime vastly improves them for me.

I far prefer Navarro's Verjus, because it's way more intense and sour. It's supposed to be used in cooking, I think, but I just chill it and drink it. The Verjus can also be cut with club soda or tonic water if you find the flavors too much for you. Plus, that sort of treatment really stretches the bottle in these financially tight times.

Though findable by the glass in local restaurants -- Zuni and Nopa, for sure -- in order to start your own juice cellar at home, you just might have to force yourself to drive up to the beautiful Anderson Valley and buy yourself a case. (If so, I recommend a night or two at the Sea Rock Inn. Affordable with views of the ocean from cozy cabins and a complimentary split of local wine in your room, this place is a very special retreat.)

Golden Star Sparkling Tea
Even before I was pregnant, I was singing the praises, extolling the virtues, and generally falling all over this sparkling non-alcoholic alternative:

"Let me tell you, I have never met such a beverage. Sparkling ciders -- both grape and apple -- have never been dry enough for me. They're tasty and juicy but that's what they really are: juice. The sweetness that overwhelms these teetotalling options is not found in the limpid depths of a perfectly chilled flute of Golden Star.

The uniquely refined sour flavor in Golden Star comes from the fermentation process, and though you might think the heady florals of jasmine might turn your tipple into Grandmother's eau de cologne, but it really doesn't. It's simply a remarkably balanced glass. It's simply a remarkable drink."

Golden Star Tea is now available at Whole Foods in 750 mL bottles; it was my "champagne" over the holiday season.

Fizzy Lizzy Cranberry Juice
Of all the Fizzy Lizzy juices, the cranberry is the most wine-like. Tart to the point of having an almost fermented-tasting sourness, this has become my preferred tipple of an evening.

Vignette Wine Country Sodas
Effervescent and dry, they're really not bad at all. Vignette offers Pinot Noir, Rose, and Chardonnay. The Chardonnay reminds me of pear cider and is my favorite of the three, thirst-quenching versions.

Sin Vino
Available in "Gold" and "Red," these juices are only so-so. They're overly syrupy, not very complex, and while they might make it into a mocktail, they don't really do it for me in a glass on their own.

So after the last Pregnant Pause post about food making me sick and now with this one being all about not drinking, you're probably asking, "Um, isn't this supposed to be a food blog?" It's a fair point, but I think you'd much rather read stuff like this instead of cooings about the purple unicorniness of pregnancy and how gestating is like sitting on a cloud of cotton candy. (Because it's not, and there are no unicorns, purple or otherwise.)

And even if you did prefer that, well, it's just not me. Well, it's not me now, but who knows what I'll be like after the little parasite is born.

By the by, "parasite" is my husband's word and before you get all pearl-clutchy or child protective services on me you have to understand two things: 1. he's a mathematician and likes to get scientific, and it is scientifically correct to say the baby is a parasite; and 2. the tone of voice he uses when saying "parasite" is very much in the vein of "Awww, the widdle parasite is making you vewy crabby!"

ANYWAY, the day after I found out I was pregnant, I had to fake it. Drinking, that is. We had three pre-planned gauntlets to run: a wine tasting, a wedding, and a birthday bowling party.

What started as a fruitless search for apples in Gold Country (an early frost killed off a lot of the crop earlier in the year) ended in a wine tasting at our friend's favorite local winery. Now all my friends know I adore wine, beer, and cocktails, so not wanting to raise inquisitive eyebrows and questions by opting out of the tasting completely, my husband and I shared our tasting with one another. While he actually tasted, I let the wine slap against my closed lips with nary a breach.

Apparently, we successfully fooled our friend -- she told me months later that she completely believed me when I talked about the "earthy overtones" and "dark berry flavors" in her favorite Barbera -- even though my husband was being way too obvious by staring at my mouth every time I took a "sip." (It's not that he didn't trust me, he was just trying to see how I was doing it.)

A few weeks later, I was at a friend's wedding and faced with a cocktail I created especially for the big day. This time, I upped my unbreachable lips game and added a glass swap with my husband. He'd gulp some of his cocktail, covertly hand me his half-full glass, and take possession of my totally full glass. Dinner was a sit-down affair with two wines. Inch by inch, I slid my full wine glasses toward my husband's plate and grab for his half-drunk glasses. Needless to say, I was the designated driver that night, and again, I fooled everyone.

Finally, at mine and my husband's birthday bowling party at Presidio Bowl -- a place known for its extensive beer menu and me known for my extensive beer love -- I performed the same party tricks but with far fewer opportunities for scrutiny. I just held the beer, put the beer down, walked away from the beer.

As much as I adored beer and wine and cocktails before my pregnancy, none of this faking it was that hard.

Why? Because my system was totally put off by the mere thought of any kind of booze. Later, my system upped the ante by making the smell of alcohol so unbearable that I even had my husband get rid of all leftovers from a Suppenküche dinner. The vinegar in the Salat mit Karotten, Kraut, Kartoffeln, Rote Beete und Kopfsalat smelled like an old German man was breathing on me after having seven beers and three schnapps, and I was having none of it.

It's fascinating how your body protects you.

Next time: are there any palatable non-alcoholic wines out there? I do the research for you.

Zinfandel wines leave their mark on you. As I strolled out of Fort Mason's Hearst Pavilion Saturday earlier this month, I looked down and noticed my fingers were stained purple. I had tasted more than 30 wines over the course of two hours at the 18th annual Grand Zinfandel Tasting thrown by ZAP, Zinfandel Advocates and Producers. The next day, my index finger still bore the mark of Zinfandel. People love this grape because it possesses that kind of indelible power, joyfully married to flavors of raspberry, chocolate, and spice.

Lining up for the Saturday tasting

The ZAP Festival is never glamorous. This year, more than 250 Zin makers from up and down the state converged inside two warehouse-like pavilions at Fort Mason. Then hundreds of Zinfandel geeks flocked in.

Beth Colagrassi and Anna Christensen show off their new glass holding technique.

They flitted noisily from table to table, tasting and spitting 500 or so Zinfandels, sustained only by small baguettes and cheese stations. The event spanned four days, and wavered between glorious bounty and exhausting excess.

The same is true of the wines. Zinfandel is notorious for uneven ripening, and winemakers often delay picking to avoid green, underripe flavors in their wines. That technique maximizes bold flavors and sugar at harvest, which can then result in wine with overpowering alcoholic heat. The wines at this tasting ranged from lows of 14.1% to more than 16% alcohol, and I picked up unpleasant aromas of rubbing alcohol and acetone (nail polish remover) in a number of wines.

Still there were many more successes than failures. Over two days, I tasted more than 60 wines. I've edited down my notes here, sparing you the dullards, and highlighting the great, the ghastly, and a few good values.

The stars included Carol Shelton Wines, Ottimino, and Ridge Vineyards.

Shelton herself showed off a quartet of extraordinary wines, sourced from all over the state. She is a short woman, in glasses, with a gentle smile. That lovely manner, however, belies her skill at controlling this unruly grape. Shelton is the mistress, even the benevolent dominatrix of Zin. She reduces the alcohol level in her wines (using a spinning cone) to achieve a "sweet spot." That way, Shelton can pick at high ripeness, but avoid alcoholic heat. Her wines defy the purists who disdain manipulation in the winery. All showed personality and terroir (regional character).

Carol Shelton: Unrepentant Zinner.

Not one of Shelton's wines disappointed. The 2005 Wild Thing, from Cox Vineyard in Mendocino County, is big and juicy ($28). It seems a wine to drink now, to soften the recession.

The 2005 Maple Vineyard from Dry Creek Valley is even better. Solid tannins underlie chocolate, spice, and raspberry flavors. This will get much better with age. It is worth its retail price of $33. Drink this one when the Dow Jones hits 10,000.

Shelton's 2006 Monga Zin, Lopez Vineyard from Cucamonga Valley, east of Los Angeles, is deeply tannic, with flavors of toffee and spice box. She says the 81 year old vines there are "starved for water," dry-farmed, barely one foot tall, and producing a few handfuls of grapes per vine. I think it's a deal at $21. Hold it until the Dow hits 11,000.

I had never tasted wines from Ottimino in Occidental, and they were a revelation.
Winemaker William Knuttel (also executive winemaker at Dry Creek Vineyards) manages to extract effusive flavor without excessive heat from dry-farmed vineyards in the cool Russian River Valley.

My favorite Ottimino was the 2005 Von Weidlich Vineyard. The wine is big and tannic, and needs time to perfect its chocolate, spice, and everything nice flavors ($37). The 2005 Ottimino Rancho Bello Vineyard was dark as night and loaded aromas of black cherry ($29).

People crowded around Ottimino's table; they bowed down at the pouring station for Ridge. Winemaker and CEO Paul Draper has produced Zins worth idolizing at Ridge for decades-- well stuffed, but with impeccable balance.

Eric Baugher: Zin coming out of his ears

Eric Baugher, Ridge's vice president of winemaking, was pouring samples of the soon to be released 2007's. The Ponzo Vineyard from the Russian River Valley was just delicious: supple, and loaded with chocolate and black raspberry. You should drink the Ponzo while you wait for the Ridge Geyserville from Sonoma County to soften up. It smells and tastes like an encyclopedia definition of great Zinfandel, with milk chocolate, violets and blackberries backed by oak and vanilla.

Here are a few more highlights: Storybook Mountain Vineyards, Claudia Springs Winery, and Seghesio Family Vineyards all poured exceptional wines. The talented Paul Hobbs is consulting winemaker at Sonoma’s Valdez Family Winery, and they offered tastes of three delicious if pricey wines. People crowded around to taste Turley Wine Cellars' 2007 Hayne Vineyard from Napa Valley. I thought it was hot and overstuffed, but still amazing with its roasted coffee, tar, dark chocolate, and toffee notes. This wine will garner huge scores from wine writers, but it's not worth the $75 price tag.

The Hayne Vineyard was among the highest priced Zins at this event, thus illustrating one of the secrets of Zinfandel’s appeal. The best wines sell for about $35, and are much better values than top-of-the-line Cabernet and Pinot Noir. (For more on how the recession is hitting the wine industry, listen to my KQED Radio story reported from the Zinfandel Festival.)

I tasted two wines that are real bargains. The 2006 Bonterra Vineyards Mendocino County is an organic delight, showing some green fruit character, but still chocolaty in the nose and juicy in the mouth. I've seen it on sale for as little as $12. I also love the 2005 Murphy-Goode Liar's Dice from Sonoma Valley. It lists for $21, but I’ve seen it in stores for as little as $14.

Oh, I nearly forgot the catastrophes. I tasted three wines that stank of Brettanomyces, a common spoilage problem. I got a whiff of wet dog in my glass of 2006 Edmeades Perli Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge. The 2006 Frank Family Vineyards from the Napa Valley smelled of sweat socks and varnish. And in the 2007 Easton Wines Amador County, I smelled the mildewed corner of a shady yard. Approach these bottlings with caution.

I can’t finish this article without mentioning Rosenblum Cellars, the popular and prolific urban winery in my home town of Alameda. Founder Kent Rosenblum championed big complex Zins a quarter century ago, when many serious wine drinkers still scorned the grape for its jug wine origins.

Kent Rosenblum, Kathy Rosenblum, and staffer Jennifer Anderson

These days most of his Zins (he makes 19) taste the same to me, because they're so hot and alcoholic. The international drinks-maker Diageo bought Rosenblum Cellars last year, but Rosenblum remains the consulting winemaker, and he was at the Festival with his wife Kathy, soaking in the adulation of his many fans. When I asked him about critics who disparage his over-the-top style, Rosenblum told me, "Our fastest selling wines are the ones with the highest alcohol." He was pouring his 2006 Monte Rosso, a vineyard, high up in the Mayacamas Range between Sonoma and Napa. It was a delicious mouthful of blackberry jam and cedar, and as I tasted, I felt transported to the redwood groves and red soils of that site. What more could I ask for.