Almost daily, I’m tasting a wide range of spirits, wines and beers, whether at restaurants, bars, distilleries, wineries, breweries or as samples crossing my desk. This Spring, here are my top 10 wines tasted. 1. O. Lemasson Pineau D’Aunis “Poivre et Sel” at Tofino Wines O. Lemasson Pineau D’Aunis Poivre et Sel — translating to “pepper and salt” ($14 by… Read more →
From mid-April to mid-May, here are the standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. Alembic’s SF Confidential A newcomer on the menu at the excellent-for-a-decade Alembic is bar manager Larry Piaskowy’s new SF Confidential ($13), on the chalkboard. What makes it special is the harmony and balance of the ingredients and its easy drinkability.… Read more →
Almost daily, I’m tasting a wide range of spirits, wines and beers, whether at restaurants and bars, distilleries, wineries or breweries or as samples crossing my desk. For March, here are recently-released spirits standouts. WhistlePig Old World Series: Sauternes, Madeira, Port ($117.99) WhistlePig’s Old World Series was just released, showcasing WhistlePig Rye aged in three different types of wine casks… Read more →
From mid-March to mid-April, here are the standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. BDK’s Shiso It’s always good news when Kevin Diedrich is back manning a bar. At brand new BDK (my Zagat feature on the restaurant here), his two pages of cocktails ($11 each) are named after a single leading ingredient or… Read more →
Another Whiskies of the World (WoW) on the San Francisco Belle docked in the Bay, held on March 28 (last year and years prior here). Although it is one of the big whisk(e)y events in the country (also in San Jose, Atlanta and Austin), it remains more approachable than bigger whisk(e)y events, more like a big party than a corporate… Read more →
From mid-February to mid-March, here are the standout cocktails and new menus I’ve been tasting around the Bay Area. 1. Chino’s BK or KS Where to start with the incomparable Danny Louie’s 5 new drinks at Chino? He’s rolling out these new cocktails ($11-$12) over the next two weeks, his first big menu change since Chino opened. In a winning… Read more →
Bone-broth cocktails, anyone? That’s exactly what you’ll find at Belcampo Meat Co.’s San Francisco restaurant and butcher shop selling meats from their visionary farm. Their first drink menu launched Thursday, March 12, created by cocktail greats Jon Gasparini and Greg Lindgren, who opened Rye on the Road, Rye and 15 Romolo.
Almost daily, I’m tasting a wide range of spirits, wines and beers, whether at restaurants and bars, distilleries, wineries or breweries or as samples crossing my desk. For February, here are just-released spirits standouts — February beer highlights are here and wine here. St. George’s New Vodkas ($24.99) Yes, St. George Spirits sold the Hangar One brand a couple years… Read more →
SF Beer Week has grown dramatically in the few short years since it launched in 2009. I’ve been attending since the beginning (except a couple years when I was out of the country on a press trip) and the growth each year is noticeable. With over 600 events around the Bay Area over one week, it’s overwhelming for anyone, even… Read more →
Almost daily, I’m tasting a wide range of spirits, wines and beers, whether at restaurants and bars, distilleries, wineries or breweries or as samples crossing my desk. In the month of February, here are my top 5 wines tasted — February beer highlights are here and spirits here. 1. 2010 Vigneto Saetti Rosato dell’Emilia The hands-on, family production of 2010 Vigneto… Read more →