If you love wine as much as I do, then you’re probably interested in where to find an authentic wine experience. Here’s my top 5 French-inspired venues in and around SF’s South Bay Area.
Category: Booze
Wine reviews, pairings, events, and getaways
Daily Drinker: Francis Coppola 2013 Petite Sirah
Not fancy, but certainly fun, this Daily Drinker is available at almost any major grocer. So pick up a bottle and sip and savor Francis Coppola’s Diamond Edition Plum Label 2013 Petite Sirah with me. Cheers!
Special Sipper: Duckhorn 2014 Sauvignon Blanc
This wine always acts the part of my “special treat.” It’s the middle of the week, I’ve had a hard one, and I have a meal that just calls for a Sauvignon Blanc. I can’t help it, I splurge and I bring home a bottle by Duckhorn…
Technically, this could qualify as a Daily Drinker or a Special Sipper, but as Duckhorn runs just slightly over my price mark ($30 for this particular varietal), and I do tend to save it for those times when I need a pick-me-up, I’ve dubbed Duckhorn “special.”
And it is special. There’s something about the Sauvignon Blanc in particular that does…pick-me-up. The lightness, the fruit-forwardness, the floral elements, and a refreshing hint of minerality that brings it all together. It’s like, when I’m feeling out of balance, the balance of this wine kind of puts me back together again. And…I’m happy.
Event: 2016 Pinot Days SF
Love Pinot Noir? Then you’ll love Pinot Days, an annual San Francisco festival dedicated to the delicate varietal and the winemakers across the world who craft it. This year, over 100 wineries snuggled into the new Bespoke event space in the SF Westfield to celebrate all things Pinot.
Daily Drinker: J. Lohr 2014 Chardonnay
J. Lohr almost anything is a staple in my wine cellar. No, it’s not because their tasting room is just shy of walking distance from my neighborhood or because I see them at every wine-walk and street fair in the South Bay Area (although I do love their commitment to local culture). It’s because I know that when I open a bottle of J. Lohr, I’m going to enjoy the pure essence of California…
And when it comes to Chardonnay, I’m a total California Girl. I love opening a bottle of white wine and you can just smell the creamy butteriness of the oak barrel aging. I crave that decadence, that richness — it makes me feel a little naughty and nice all at once. J. Lohr Estates’ 2014 Riverstone Chardonnay gives me that feeling.