Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Wine Tasting

So...... Last week ended on a good note, we got our Building Permit application in and I got a tentative approval for my beer & wine license, dependent on the final build out.... Woo-Hoo!

This week started off with a bang!  Had our first wine tasting last night to start building the wine list with my brother, wine extraordinaire, Sean Crowley and Elizabeth Downing owner of Springboard Wine Company in San Rafael.  Chef Douglas accompanied, and my friends, Kate and Barry Rose came over to help critique all the food and wine!  It was a great evening and wonderful kick-off to building a phenomenal wine list.

We tasted some incredible wines that will really compliment our menu!  Springboard has a unique and passionate catalog of wines.  Almost all of the selections are organic and/or sustainable, small vineyards produced by vintners who love, love, love what they do.  I got a huge education and can't wait to taste more, and be witness to the design of a well balanced list of local, Italian, unique, well priced, yummy, drinkable wines that go great with our food!


Mark's Amazing Salumi!
Some of the stand-outs and must haves that we tasted were a very elegant Prosecco, from a single vineyard, sustainable winery from Northern Italy.  A strikingly luscious, Ceago Sauvignon Blanc from one of the leaders of bio-dynamic vineyards.  An exceptionally, pizza friendly, Uvaggio Vermentino Italian varietal, grown in Lodi by the man who started the Cal/Ital fad.  Another Italian pizza stand out, Giovanni Rosso 2009 Barbera d'Alba, too easy to drink!  And a Hendry 2009 Estate Zinfandel, where stony soils and a moderate climate produce a most curvaceous food wine. Of course there were many other wonderful wines we tasted, but a well designed wine list is a gracious mix, like a good dinner party, or so says my darling brother, who I am forever indebted to!

Coming soon......



Kale, red onion, Mark's smoked bacon & egg
Douglas' Fennel Mussels


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