The Iron Chevsky Wine Blog

San Fran is so big and happening, yet finding a place that hits the spot is not necessarily a slam dunk. As I examine my inner self, I tend to gravitate toward Italian food. It's funny because French and Chinese are my favorites. Yet, for comfort, I want gourmet yet relaxed sort of a place. Italian and Spanish are just right. Plus, any excuse to drink vino Italiano is worth consideration. The other night, Rona and I found ourselves spending four hours at Beretta - in the Mission district. Just long enough to consume respectable amount of vino and still be good to drive! Terrific food, perhaps just a notch below Restaurant Delfina , but then the parking is a hell of a lot easier at Beretta. Get there early (5pm) and call in 45 min beforehand to get on the waiting list. Since our friends were interested in learning about wine, I brought a couple of special selections: a 2008 Roero Arneis from Bruno Giacosa (top Arneis in the world, from Roero area in Piedmonte) and a 2001 Bertan...

For the pre-baby party at Domaine du Chevsky, my friend Chef Hector (technology architect by day, and chef and wino extraordinaire by weekend) cooked up a storm. Two incredible paellas that make me salivate just thinking of them a week later! Seafood - with mussels, squid, shrimp and chorizo sausage. The aromas of ocean and saffron and toasty rice beckoned. Incredible paella. Perfect with a sparkling Italian rosé from De Faveri (we killed almost a case). And the meat paella - with beef shank, pork ribs, and blood sausage. Blood sausage? Hell yeah! Out of this world - amazing! Excellent with a Cotes du Rhone from the ever-reliable St. Cosme (2009, 3 magnums gone quickly). I could have gone all traditional Spanish with wine - with Rioja and such, but somehow sparkling rosé from Italy and a deep Cotes du Rhone from Southern France felt more festive. But for purists, Riojas and Vinho Verde were on hand ("under the counter"). I poured the Cotes du Rhone blind, and the cr...

This young winery with vineyards running along Skyline Blvd., overlooking Silicon Valley from the heights of the Santa Cruz Mountains, doesn't really feel like wine country. World-renowned hot-bed of high technology, these lands are not exactly a destination of wine tourism. But legendary Santa Cruz Mountains names such as Ridge Monte Bello have long been on the map of California's wine history. Just minutes drive from swanky Palo Alto, but high enough for snow to form, founded by a high-tech entrepreneur in the early 2000's, Rhys has caught an eye of Burgundy wine geeks. The entire Rhys winery operation is located under-ground, dug out from the rocky guts of the mountain. The winery generated even more buzz when Allen Meadows (aka "the Burghound") - one of world's greatest authorities on Burgundy, gave the 2008 Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir his highest ever score for a domestic Pinot - 95 points. Other wine authorities have been complimentary as well. Throug...

Ever since Tre Bicchieri 2011 , when Eleonora Guerini, senior editor of Gambero Rosso raved about an Italian region on a roll - Campania, I've been paying more attention to Greco di Tufo, one of Campania's top two white grape varieties, the other being Fiano. So recently when I found myself lunching at Bottega restaurant in Yountville - currently Napa Valley's best foodie restaurant (IMO, along with Ad Hoc), that I've written about in the past , and I saw Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo 2009, it was an easy choice. Feudi San Gregorio is one of Campania's top producers. Excellent, balanced, seafoody, fruit, acidity, a hint of smoke, minerals are all there. Character and depth, without heaviness or oakiness. As good a $17 bottle (at retail) of Italian white as you'll find to go with food. And the food was spectacular at Bottega yet again. Polenta under glass. Super creamy polenta, caramelized mushrooms & balsamic game sauce. Green-Egg and Ham. Olive oil-p...

Dominus beckons on the other side of the highway from Yountville. "No tours, no tastings", says the sign by the front gate. Closed to general public, its impregnable looking, unique winery structure made of large rocks blends into the mountainous background of the Mayacamas. With 7,000-8,000 cases a year of the main wine - a Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend - Dominus Estate, and 4,000-5,000 cases of the second wine - Napanook, and a reputation that commands respect throughout the world, they are not too worried about explaining themselves to general public. The owner and founder - Christian Moueix (pronounced "Moo-Ex") also happens to preside over an empire of right bank Bordeaux chateaux in Pomerol and Saint-Emilion that include perhaps the most expensive and prestigious red wine in the world - Chateau Petrus, whose average price for a bottle of the 2005 vintage is $5000. Let's face it, the dude doesn't need more cash. Patron of arts and other fine ...

I don't suppose this is much of a discovery, since Angeline's has been around for 5 years in downtown Berkeley, just a couple of blocks from Berkeley BART station on Shattuck, but it was my first visit. I try to avoid Berkeley ever since my college days and my start-up days at Ask Jeeves. The hippie scene is not my cup of tea, really. But it's hard to argue with all the good food in that neck of the woods, something Palo Alto is lacking, in my opinion, despite the glitzy facade. Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen is one of those places that belongs on Food Network's Diners, Dives, and Drive-ins. I am no expert in New Orleans food, but Angeline's tastes damn good. Fried chicken, jambalaya, corn hush puppies, and out-of-this-world beignets. At a cool $10 corkage, what to pair with? 2008 Austrian Zierfandler "Mandel-Hoh" from Stadlman was perfect! Enough body and dominant, ripe quince flavor with hints of orange and Asian pear to go with sweet, creamy, fried ...

This particular pairing inspired my pregnant wife. "This is the best food and wine combo I've ever had!" Rona said, repeatedly. Wow! I thought it was good, but best ever? Must be hormonal! But apparently, guests around Scott & Kate's dining table were impressed as well. And yes, she sips a tiny bit of wine. My "extensive" research shows that drinking exclusively Grand Cru Burgundy improves fetal brain capacity. I swear! After all, how can you go wrong with a Grand Cru white Burgundy from an excellent producer from a soft, approachable vintage (2006) and a masterful rendition of a lobster tail by the hand of friend chef extraordinaire Scott H., whose culinary delights I've previously remarked on on these pages. Admittedly, my palate has grown tired of the heavily oaked full-bodied chardonnay style, with loads of butter that comes not just with Napa Chardonnay, but even with white Burgundy of the highest order (notably from the great Puligny-Montrache...