Wine Bar Wednesday - 5.2009 Rare, West Oakland

It's not easy being green, but quirky little wine bar, Rare, in West Oakland does a great job of identifying different ways to make sustainable fun. Focusing mostly on wines from far flung places, they absolutely make sure that all the selections are clearly marked with the sustainability agency that certified them. iFoam, LIVE, NASAA, and all the rest. The menu does a great job of clearly identifying the many ways agencies many thousands of miles away are helping us to drive sustainability practices. When the owners of Rare decided to change their focus towards sustainability, they ripped out last year's old steel and chrome decor and replaced it with the simpler, yet more glamorous "green" decor you see today. A great improvement, it really drives the sustainability message home. Brothers Con and Cador Dumas are also initiating their own private labelled wine. I had never tasted an Indian Chardonnay previously, and found it had a slight tang of curry, but other than that, definitely quaffable. Hosting their production in India makes it easier for the brothers to maintain quality, exacting green practices, and still hit the mark in profitability. One thing that hasn't changed, are the off the hook, tasty snacks! Our favorites from several visits include Giant Panda Kebabs. Not an actual bear, but rather a member of the raccoon family, the flat bones of pandas lend themselves toward a natural kebab shape. It's a slightly gamy meat, but ever so tasty with a light glaze of ginger and teriyaki that went great with the suggested Chinese Cabernet pairing. We also tried the Black Rhino Bacon and Brussels sprouts. Cador Dumas was recently back from safari in Africa and we were lucky enough to partake of one of his famous nose to tail specials. I had never had bacon made from black rhino before and found it a little tougher than I would have expected, but still a good match for the suggested Iranian Shiraz. I would have to say my favorite was the Bengal Tiger Tacos. More complex than an ordinary fish taco, the concept was still basically the same---but yummier! We found the tacos an excellent pairing for the house wine, Rare Chardo, since a little cumin and cinnamon in the guacamole brought up the hints of masala spice in the wine.

So if we apply Xandria's criteria:
Affordability - With most plates coming in over $98, it was not the most affordable. But whenever you are doing something good for the environment, I say it's best to pay a little more. The extra $10 per table for Carbon Offsets are another nice touch
Wine list - Great selection that changes often and is listed out online. I particularly loved the way so many regions were represented. Each category offered selections from California, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Oregon, China, India, Iran, you name it. And interesting varietals as well. I really loved how each certifying organization is clearly marked so you absolutely get a sense of the owners's commitment to the Green Movement.
Wait staff- Very knowledgeable, and a good balance of attentive vs. intrusive. We had a lot to go over and our server was very respectful
Food- oh-so-yummy! You will definitely be offered things here that you will not see on any other menu.

In summary, do something nice for yourself and for Mother Earth, visit Rare Wine Bar. Go, it's Green!

Gritsch Wine Dinner at Aziza-SF

Aziza is a fun, funky restaurant focused on fresh, Moroccan-inspired flavors with interesting warren-like rooms that twist around like a souk to form interconnecting dining rooms. I would like to go back with a smaller party of drunkity friends, but maybe not the best choice for a winemaker dinner, as it would have been nicer to be able to hear (and see!) Franz Josef from Gritsch. That being said, the Winemonger put forward amazing wine and wonderful food that brought out the best in it. Plus the most amazing stemware: Zalto. Lead free crystal as light as air that picked up the candlelight and enhanced the wine experience. Luscious Lush, Thea and I ended up finding parking (not the easiest thing to do in the Richmond District on a Saturday Night!) and being early enough to hit the impressive cocktail list. I had a delightful Elderberry Flower infused Prosecco, which was an exotically floral concoction and the perfect palate cleanser to sip before the meal. We tried several of the Gruner Veltliners and a Riesling or two along the 7 courses plus dessert laden grand finale

Here's the breakdown:

'07 1000 pt-Eimerberg Riesling Federspiel

'07 Axpoint Gruner Veltliner Federspiel. This was an interesting compare-contrast as the Gruner was an easy drinking treat on its own, while the Riesling was bashful to communicate. However, with food, the Riesling proved itself delightful, particularly with the dill-cucumber flatbread spread and the chili spiked squid. The young Gruner had a delightful green peach, savory tropical fruit infused deliciousness.

Next came

'07 Singerriedel Gruner Veltliner Federspiel

'07 Gruner Veltliner Smaragd

I thought they said the difference between these two wines was 2 weeks hang time for the grapes. This gave one of them a bracing acidity that made it a great food wine. Although the extra 2 weeks provided more complexity and a smoother drinking experience in the other wine.

'05 Singerridel Gruner Veltliner Smaragd

This was my favorite wine of the evening. The extra few years of age made this a tasty offering with a more sophisticated incarnation. It was mesmerizing with all the different spicy, cinnamony, bold exotic flavors Aziza threw at us. Yum! Check out the menu to see the dishes they offer. The spices, fresh vegetables and presentations are sure to delight.

We also tried '07 1000-Eimerberg Riesling Smaragd

My favorite part of the evening was the profusion of desserts that appeared. Everything was tasty, but the standout for me was the hibiscus granita/rose custard with a citrus tuile perched atop like a lacy Easter bonnet. Wow! No sickly sweet wines here, they paired the Fourth -of -July-fireworks - finale- in -DC lineup of sweets with '07 Vision Riesling Select. I had no idea that the slightly sweet wine would be able to stand up to the desserts, but it held its own. Delicious

Read more about Franz Josef here:

http://www.mauritiushof.at/ There was a totally sound of music vibe, but you could tell that the passion behind the wine goes back as far as the winery's 800 year history. Many thanks to the Winemonger who put together a fun event.

Barrel Tasting Along the Wine Road

Young, old, new or veteran there is something for everyone to love along the Wine Road Barrel Tasting. Never having been before, it was a fun experience to shadow Luscious Lush Thea and assorted friends and crew at the memorable event. I fell in love with the Malbec at Mounts Family and ended up buying half a case. Then, wandering around Healdsburg, with its unseemly wealth of greats to try was very impressed with Camellia's Cab Franc barrel sample as well as the consistent delights of our friend John at Holdredge. Strawberry Fields plus an unnamed Pinot that was freakishly delicious I just can't wait to go back. I also wandered into the new collective where the paint was barely dry but the wine was super good. I tried a Bluenose Zin with a peach cobbler yumminess (sounds weird, but the exotic fruit and spice was pretty, pretty, pretty). From there we all met up at the patient, forbearing and delicious Palette in downtown Healdsburg. Hidden away, the space was lovely, the service amazing and the food was super tasty. Our Twitter Taste Live was so much more fun with multicoastal folks like Robbin_G, Houston Wino, Wine Wonkette and Mmwine in the house---literally! Of course I forgot to snap a shot of the Central Coast Pinot, which was my favorite, however at the TTL after party, I got to try the Humanitas Gap Crown Pinot. Delish! And it is my favorite activity, drinking for charity as so much of the proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity! Plus it is no duty to drink this elegant delightful Pinot! After snarfing up our fill, we repaired to the lovely Santa Rosa Flamingo to rest, relax and reload in order to hit it again on Day Two. SO much fun. Just like a family roadtrip, we hit the IHOP for a stomach lining strapping farmhouse breakfast, where Thea, Robbin and I timed it perfectly then set out for delightful Windsor Oaks, where I loved everything and bought a surprisingly tasty Unoaked Chardonnay. Then on to Copain for fabulous scenery and tasty Rhone varietals. We hit Joseph Swan where I was dazzled by the Tannat. A Pyrenees variety known for its puckery tannins, which can sometimes get either overblended or astringent, Swan ,instead , coaxes out a softly, grippy deliciousness. Bonus, one of the Swan folks is a geologist and having the actual soil samples on hand to observe brought a new dimension to discussions of terroir. On to Sunce for the insanely good Cheese bread (mayo, minced white onions and good shredded cheese are the secrets) and wine and the always fun contest where you earn your discounts; my skill won me 30% off some uber tasty wine. Saving the best for last, we met the fabulous Oenophilus and CellarDiva at Acorn, where the food and wine were off the hook. And they were kind enough to invite us all after hours to my favorite stop, Chateau Felice. The Ermitagebarrel sample was deliciously barnyardy and the rest were just plain delicious!You have to make an appointment to go, but if the only place you hit in all of Sonoma County is here, come for the family friendliness, gorgeous grounds and delicious wine. You won't be sorry! Plus, hello? Celebrities! I met Sketcher one of the stars of "Winery Dogs". He is surprisingly down to earth. [Hint: You can make an appointment at the intercom box at the foot of the gate if space is available]

What are you waiting for? Sonoma awaits!