Winophilia: Field Notes

Beaujolais rising

Josh Raynolds — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:04:19 +0000

No French wine region aside from Alsace has been more in need of a shot in the arm in the American market in recent years than Beaujolais. Through the early 1980s Beaujolais was among the most popular European wines in the U.S. Most of it was in the form of Beaujolais Nouveau, which is quickly fermented, then bottled and released in short order—on the third Thursday of November, to be exact. Part of Nouveau's appeal, aside from being cheap, fruity and downright gulpable, was that these bottles were always the first wines of a particular vintage to be released. READ MORE »

Old wave and new wave dining in Oakland

Josh Raynolds — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 09:53:01 +0000

On my recent trip to visit wineries in Sonoma, I took advantage of the chance to have a couple of dinners in Oakland, which has a very convenient and efficient airport to use if you’re visiting North Coast wineries, by the way. They were two of the best meals I’ve had in some time, and they could not have been more different.

Bay Wolf is an East Bay institution that opened its doors back in 1975, not long after Chez Panisse, the Berkeley landmark to which it is inevitably compared. And comparisons are valid, as the menu, which changes monthly, is built around simply prepared, almost militantly (this is the East Bay, after all) seasonal and local fare, with a heavy emphasis on vegetables. READ MORE »

More dining options in Sonoma County

Josh Raynolds — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:28:25 +0000

Most Sonoma wine tourists on Highway 101 blast by the car dealerships of Rohnert Park on their way north, which means that they're missing some--don't laugh—national-class sushi and sashimi. A destination spot for more than 20 years, Ken Tominaga's Hana Japanese Restaurant puts out an array of fresh fish and noodle dishes that can be compared to the best sushi places I know anywhere in the U.S. By the way, Tominaga also oversees the menu at Go Fish, over on the Napa side in St. Helena, but the last half dozen or so times I've been to Hana, he's been at the counter. Put yourself in Tominaga's hands for omakase (he's extremely friendly and chatty) but do not miss the soba and udon dishes. You can't swing a wriggling unagi here without hitting a local winemaker and some of their wines are on Hana's tight list, like Radio-Coteau, Lynmar and Rochioli. You can also BYO for $15 a bottle, and the beer and saké selections are excellent. READ MORE »

Eating options in Healdsburg

Josh Raynolds — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:22:29 +0000

Visitors to Sonoma wine country have long been drawn to Healdsburg for its array of dining options, especially those on and around the charming plaza that serves as the town’s commercial hub. Through the 1990s, choices mostly ranged from taquerias to pizza parlors, Thai restaurants and casual Italian spots. But then renowned New York chef Charlie Palmer (Aureole) opened Dry Creek Kitchen in the Hotel Healdsburg in 2001. The trickle of ambitious new dining establishments that followed has more recently turned into a mini-flood of destination dining spots. While Dry Creek Kitchen still performs at a high level, it has plenty of company at the upper end of Healdsburg's food scene, as my visit last month confirmed. READ MORE »

Dining options in and around Santa Rosa

Josh Raynolds — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:18:39 +0000

As I noted in last year’s field report from Paso Robles, winos do not live by wine alone, much as they may try to. One of the great pleasures of visiting California wine country these days is the abundance of high-quality dining choices that have appeared in the last decade. Sonoma County has always offered a handful of good choices for casual dining but had lagged behind neighboring Napa Valley when it came to more serious cuisine. No more. READ MORE »

An early look at Sonoma 2009

Josh Raynolds — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:34:23 +0000

Following the Sturm und Drang of the 2008 vintage (spring frosts, drought, heat spikes in the summer and epic wildfires, not to mention a minuscule crop), growers and winemakers on California’s north coast were overjoyed to close the book on the year. Their hopes for relief from the 2009 vintage have mostly been realized, especially on the quality front. A mostly moderate growing season went smoothly, aside from some late summer heat spikes, which are pretty routine here anyway. A cool spell set in at the beginning of September that allowed for extended harvesting well into October, ensuring an abundance of complex, energetic wines that should drink well both young and old. READ MORE »

Eating and drinking in Santiago

Josh Raynolds — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 10:17:54 +0000

I just returned from a visit to some of Chile’s hottest (figuratively) and coolest (literally) wine-growing regions and also had the chance to quickly check in on the food and wine scene in the capital city, Santiago. Since my first trip to Chile, in 2007, fine-dining and wine options have grown exponentially, thanks no doubt to a lively economy and a rapidly emerging middle and upper class. This is great news for gourmands looking for something more than a spot with a traditional vibe. The most exciting restaurants serve a modern take on traditional South American cuisine, using Chile’s remarkable range of produce and seafood to great advantage; they also offer an impressive selection of wines from the country’s best producers to go with it, and aside from the upper-end icon wines, prices are extremely reasonable. READ MORE »

Wining and dining in Paso Robles, part 2: Artisan

Josh Raynolds — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 10:00:47 +0000

Paso Robles has been attracting a growing number of wine tourists in recent years but still retains much of its rustic appeal and casual air, especially compared to Napa Valley, and, lately, Sonoma. There are still plenty of low-key, unpretentious motels with serviceable rooms at prices that seem downright cheap, but there are also more luxurious digs available now, at rates that ceased to exist in the Napa Valley a decade ago. Even more encouraging, at least for food-loving winos, is the upsurge of top-notch restaurants in the area, some of them turning out food at a level you’d expect to find up in Yountville or St. Helena, and in equally striking settings. READ MORE »

Wining and dining in Paso Robles, part 1

Josh Raynolds — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:24:36 +0000

Most of my meals during my tasting tours of California are (happily) taken at the nearest In-N-Out Burger, but I make a point to indulge in the luxury of a few “real” restaurants too. Most winos who have made a pilgrimage or three to California’s wine regions will agree that the culinary standard has been raised dramatically over the last decade and that there are now a number of truly excellent, even world-class restaurants in Napa and Sonoma. But Paso Robles has flown under the radar of many trophy-seeking wine and food fanatics—at least until recently. Villa Creek, owned by JoAnn and Cris Cherry, who are also the proprietors of Villa Creek Cellars, was one of the first restaurants in the area to attract serious foodie attention when it opened in 1998. And the wine list has been a strong part of its allure. READ MORE »

Sneak preview of upcoming releases from Washington

Stephen Tanzer — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:04:53 +0000

I enjoyed one of the perks of being a traveling wine critic last week: I beat the heat and humidity of the Northeast by tasting new Washington State wines in cool Seattle and bone-dry Walla Walla, as I’ve been doing every July since forever. Although Washington’s wines sell briskly in the home market, the better limited-production bottlings from the state’s best producers are still largely vino incognito for most consumers. READ MORE »