Frank Family in Calistoga has been one of my favorite wineries for years, and I’ve particularly enjoyed their sparking wines.  But we’ve had barely any California sparkling over the past few years.  Most of it is either affordable and disappointing, or decent but overpriced.  Instead, we’ve been drinking French cremants, Spanish cavas and Italian lambruscos,…

David Nepove has been tending bar at Enrico’s for the past nine years, and he recently took first place in the Best Italian Aperitif category at the 40th annual Bacardi Martini Grand Prix, one of two premier international bartender competitions. Kudos, Mr. Nepove.  My hat’s off to you.  But I can’t look at your gleaming…

Casa Nuestra is one of our all-time favorite wineries, an absolute gem in St. Helena that’s all the more fun to visit because it’s so low-key and informal.  And the wine is so damn good that they’re one of three wine clubs we belong to–the others are Arrowood in Sonoma and Bonny Doon in Santa…

One of the best wines I’ve had in my life.  Just five years old and it reminded me of huge, ancient libraries, with thick, dusty, leather-bound volumes, and endless stone corridors.  Complemented exquisitely by Niman Ranch pork chops with shitakes, roasted figs, and potatoes with ramps.  Ramps!  Who knew?  Goddamn things are delicious.  Not as…

A great rose, excellent with cheese, olives, etc., and just $12.  Not quite at rich as the Copain we had the other day, a little more flowery, but excellent in its own right.  The vintners domain is supposedly www.chateau-lascaux.com, but it appears to be down at the moment, so no more details to be had,…

Arneis is a medium-bodied white from Piemonte that’s apparently usually used as a blending grape.  The i Colombi from L’Uvaggio di Giacomo is a very nice example of the grape’s ability to stand on its own, especially at $10.  The label is the personal project of Jim Moore, director of winemaking operations for Bonny Doon…

An outstanding rose from Copain Wines in Santa Rosa.  Dry, flavorful, just really nice in every way–and $11.  I applaud their mission and am inspired to find some of their other varietals.

Outstanding rose–dry, spicy, all the usual good things–and a great value, if not actually dirt-cheap, at $13 (although I’m seeing it for $6-10 online.)  From Corbieres in Languedoc-Roussilon, a place I’ll have to learn more about.

Tonight we had our second bottle of the 2003 Tres Ojos rose from the Calatayud D.O. in northeastern Spain.  The first bottle, about two weeks ago, struck me as too sweet, but tonight it seemed perfect–spicy, crisp, and a bargain at $8 from the S.F. Wine Trading Co.  It’s 50% garnacha (grenache) and 50% tempranillo.

A dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.  We’ve had too many gutless roses this year, so we were very happy to come across the Ojai Vineyard‘s simply-named 2004 Rose.  Very spicy and refreshing.  Lots of flavor, but not too fruity.  A little spendy for a rose at $13, but life’s too short to complain…