Aug

25

Shortly after we moved out west from New York City, a dear college friend, who had been living in San Francisco for several years, organized, through Segway Tours of Sonoma, an intimate group tour of the lovely Sonoma Valley one sunny weekend morning.

After a brief introductory video and an instructional lesson (included within the ticket price), we were off on our two hour tour of the valley atop our Segways — or as they are more formally known, Segway Human Transporters.   Always following our instructor, we rode alongside vineyards through the meandering and peaceful back-roads of Sonoma.

For our tour (I have since learned that tours stop at one of three wineries — Buena Vista, Gundlach Bundschu, or Ravenswood), the final destination was Buena Vista Winery.  Buena Vista is a perfect “first” for any visitor to wine country.  The winery’s history alone makes it a special trip — Buena Vista was founded in 1857 and is California’s oldest premium winery.   Indeed, while the working winery of today is located in Carneros, the original, found just outside of the town of Sonoma, is now a California Historic Landmark.  The bucolic setting is ideal for a picnic, with a few inviting tables set in the shade just beyond the winery’s grand entrance.  And the wine is superb.

As we nibbled on a sampling of fine locally produced cheeses purchased by our instructor and sipped from our glasses of Pinot, New York City seemed worlds away, and we felt wonderfully content (at least in that carefree moment) with our decision to move to California.

Aug

18

We dined at One Market on Saturday night to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and we were so impressed by the wine menu that we felt justified in adding the restaurant to our ever-growing list of Travel Itineraries.   (Ok, so it’s a very local Travel Itinerary for Bay Area-folk, but the trip would have been well worth making no matter where we were coming from).

The wines on offer included a few head-turning rarities – e.g., the Pinot Noirs of Kosta Browne and Merry Edwards, each priced at $150 – and the array of options was extensive.  We ended up ordering the Burgundian style Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir (about which we’ll report later this week), and we were pleased with our choice.

It’s worth noting that One Market only serves domestic wines (which normally would have been a negative in our minds), but we found the selection of California bottlings so impressive that we barely noticed the absence of “old world” options.

Finally, just in case you were wondering, the food was phenomenal (and compensated for the corporate-style decor, which wasn’t really our bag).  The mahi mahi, covered with a smokey Argentine salsa, was definitely the best I’ve ever had, and I highly recommend it.

One Market Restaurant
1 Market Street
San Francisco, California
(415) 777-5577

Jul

21

Bliss Bar was not at all what we were expecting. With an hour to spare before we picked up our little boy, we popped down to 24th Street for an early evening glass of wine.  In a neighborhood that is known for its Saturday morning farmer’s market, its babystrollers, and its Priuses, we would not have anticipated Bliss Bar’s hip and sensual interior, complete with plush couches, mood-lighting, and a faux-metal fireplace (lit, in fact, by candles).

While the cocktail list is the real draw — featuring yummy drinks such as the lychee lemon drop and the pomegranate parfait — beer and wine are also available.  And every first Friday of the month, from 5 to 7 p.m., Bliss Bar co-sponsors a neighborhood wine tasting with PlumpJack Noe Valley, where for $5, wine lovers have a chance to sample six kinds of wine in Bliss Bar’s main room.

We can’t claim to know what the crowds are like on a weekend night, but at least on a Monday early evening, we had practically the entire bar to ourselves.  It was an uplifting way to end the most depressing day of the week! 

www.BlissBarSF.com
4026 24th Street
San Francisco, California 94114
(415) 826-6200

Jul

14

picnic-area.jpgWe were in the mood yesterday for a warm, summer’s day picnic, but after one glimpse outside at the layer of thick July fog hovering stubbornly over the city, we realized we weren’t going to satisfy our picnic cravings anywhere in San Francisco.   So where could we go where warmth and sunshine would be a near certainty?  Marin! 

Sure enough, just as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, the fog melted and we were surrounded by clear, blue skies and golden hills.  We parked in front of the Mill Valley Market to pick up our supplies — juicy, organic nectarines, a block of mild cheddar, a fresh baguette, chocolate for dessert, and a chilled bottle of Verdejo (about which we’ll write in Thursday’s posting) — and planned on heading to nearby Camino Alto Open Space Preserve for our picnic.  When we stepped out of our car, though, and took a deep breath of the fresh, fragrant air, we decided there was no need to stray too far from charming Mill Valley itself.

redwoods.jpgJust beyond the plaza, in Old Mill Park, we found a shady grove of gargantuan and majestic Redwood trees with two long, dark-wooden tables and benches — perfect for a picnic — and spread out our supplies.  Our son happily played at our feet, thrilled to be outside, as we happily sipped our wine and gazed at the towering trees above.  As one passerby commented to his friend, “this is better than Muir Woods!”

Jun

23

taylors-refresher.jpgAs we learned this afternoon, Napa wineries are technically prohibited from allowing the general public to picnic on their grounds.  We say technically, because at one of the big-name wineries we visited today — which featured a seemingly ideal picnic table set just off the steps leading up to the tasting room – our pourer revealed that he does not strictly enforce the rule. 

And we say general public, because at the other “big-name” Napa winery we visited, a group of people was enjoying what seemed to be a lovely Sunday afternoon picnic in an even lovelier setting, but as we passed by, we noticed the sign on the gate closing off the joys of this beauty to “wine club members only”!

If you find yourself in Napa and craving an al fresco dining experience, and the wineries you have chosen to visit for the day strictly abide by the no-picnicking rule, another wonderful option is Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, a burger joint dating back to 1949, on Main Street in St. Helena.

The menu features 10 types of burger (including a delicious ahi burger and a tasty veggie one), hot dogs and corn dogs, seafood and chicken options, salads, fries (regular and garlic… mmm), onion rings, and decadent milkshakes.   The wine list — surprisingly good for an outdoor “diner,” but not too surprising given the location — includes selections from wineries such as Turley, Buehler, and Frog’s Leap (none of which are marked up).  Beer is also served, but hey, when in Napa…

Ordering takes place at the window in front, and then names are called over a speaker once the food is ready, all adding to the fun and child-friendly atmosphere.  But perhaps the best part of all is the 10 or so picnic benches, with their red stools and cream-colored umbrellas, which are located on the grassy lawn behind the kitchen.

It’s a perfect place to unwind outside after a day of tasting, or even in between tastings.  And if you do have a child, high-chairs are available, and the lawn is an ideal spot (for parents!) to encourage children to let out a little excess energy before heading back into the car. 

Jun

16

old-western-interior.JPGAfter popping in to our friends’ daughter’s first birthday party at a San Francisco park overlooking the city, we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge to sunny and warm Marin County to attend a wine tasting event at the former 19th century Escalle Winery, located in Larkspur, California. 

As we detailed in last week’s ”Don’t Miss” Wine Events posting, the Marin Pinot Noir wine tasting is organized each year by the Marin Winegrowers’ Association to benefit the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (which was formed to preserve agricultural land in Marin) as well as to spread the buzz — and, we think, justifiably so – about Marin County Pinots. 

If you haven’t ever had the opportunity to attend a wine event like this one, we highly recommend it.  It’s a fantastic way to learn a lot about a region in a short period of time, and it makes for a fun and memorable daytime activity.

man-sniffing-his-glass.jpgWe arrived at the winery a hair before 2 p.m., having left the birthday festivities just after 1:30 p.m. — one of the beauties of sampling Marin Pinots at this historic winery was its proximity to San Francisco — parked just down the road (although free valet parking was included in the ticket price), and meandered up the hill to the winery. 

Among the wineries currently making Pinots from “cool climate” Marin are Kendric Vineyards, Pey-Marin Vineyards (also the producer of a unique and delicious Marin Riesling), and Vergari, all of which were featured at Saturday’s event.  Representatives from each winery stood behind tables that were arranged around the periphery of a dimly lit, wood-paneled room almost resembling an Old West saloon, decorated with black and white photographs, an antique wooden bar, and even an old upright piano.  In almost all cases, the winemakers and owners that we encountered (especially those from the three wineries mentioned above) seemed both happy to answer any of our questions and enthusiastic to share their thoughts about their wines and the Marin wine scene generally.          

We enjoyed sampling these very small production Pinots, and the setting in the Marin County hillside was lovely.  But most of all, as our 1 year old son showed signs of fatigue, we loved the fact that we were a hop, skip and jump away from home (and his crib!).

   

Apr

28

pelican-inn-lawn.jpgOn our way back to San Francisco from a Sunday afternoon picnic at the stunning Muir Beach Overlook, just 20 minutes or so from the Golden Gate Bridge, we stopped off at the nearby Pelican Inn to track down 6 ounces of water for our son’s bottle.   We had been to The Pelican Inn twice before, once for a pint of English stout in the inn’s authentic old English pub, and another time for a lovely dinner with family in the charming garden.  Never before, however, had we considered enjoying an afternoon glass of wine at this wonderful location.

But as we walked out of the Tudor-style bar with a full baby bottle in hand, we noticed other folks being served wine and cheese as they sat in couples and small groups on the front lawn, seemingly relaxed and care-free in a stereotypically Northern Californian way.   We couldn’t resist joining them for a crisp and refreshing glass of white wine (only after we had scanned the wine list, of course!).  Considering the fact that The Pelican Inn’s bar had the feel of a genuine English pub, the list featured a surpisingly good selection of wines by the glass (see menu) and by the bottle (see menu) offering both New and Old World selections from “top growing regions with a focus on artisan producers, especially those using organic or biodynamic practices.”  If you go, we recommend trying the Navarro Riesling, the Chablis, the Vouvray, the Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc, either of the Sancerres, or anything under “Bubbles,” each of which is sold only by the bottle.  If you do choose to order by the glass, note that the bartender will likely pour out samples if you ask (he did for us, at least).

If you find yourself wanting to prolong an equisite day of exploring the natural beauty of the Marin Headlands, there may very well be no better way of doing so than with a glass of wine in your hand on the Pelican Inn’s front lawn.

www.PelicanInn.com
10 Pacific Way
Muir Beach, California 94965
(415) 383-6000

Apr

21

seaescape-view.jpg

Last Monday, we described our overnight pre-parenthood stay in The Harbor House Inn in Mendocino County.  We also mentioned that, if you did not have the spare cash on hand to spring for such a decadent weekend trip, there were other lodging options in the area.  One such option is to rent a house, which is precisely what we did over Labor Day weekend last year.

Seaescape, the two-story house owned by a lovely Irish lawyer, with whom we corresponded only via telephone and email, was perfect in all respects.   The downstairs area featured an open plan-design with a bathroom, a charming kitchen with all amenities (dishwasher, microwave, plates, cutlery, coffee mugs, glasses and a small eating area included), a dining room area, a cozy living room with a wood-buring fireplace, a wet bar, and a spectacular deck overlooking the dramatic coastline below.  The three bedrooms (and additional bathroom) were upstairs — two with private decks overlooking the ocean, one with a king size bed, and each romantic in its own respect.

As we mentioned last week, this area is a perfect stepping stone to the Mendocino wine country, and after one day spent exploring the quaint town of Elk, enjoying a delicious breakfast at the diner, and poking into the few shops, and another spent exploring the lovely and artsy town of Mendocino, we spent our remaining free day picnicking at Lazy Creek Vineyards (before our tasting), and then enjoying our dessert of sparkling wine at Iron Horse Vineyards. 

In the evenings, we would relax outside on the deck, enjoying the olives and cheese we had picked up at the local store in either Mendocino or Elk, sipping wine, and soaking in the breathtaking, awe-inspiring view before us.  As the sun set, and as our fresh salmon was fully grilled (the house comes complete with a barbecue, which we used every night, and an outdoor hot tub), we would move inside to enjoy our meal from the warmth of our lovely house.

We can’t remember having spent our Labor Day weekend in a more idyllic spot than Seaescape. 

www.Seaescape-Elk.com
Hwy 1, six miles south of the junction of Hwy 1 and Hwy 128
Elk, California
(707) 293-4053

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