California – Page 4 – Breweventures

Matanzas Creek

Just outside of bustling Santa Rosa, on a lovely road that showcases all that is good and rural about Sonoma County, sits Matanzas Creek. Matanzas has been a leader in efforts to preserve the beautiful Bennett Valley and get the area declared its own viticultural region. For this alone, they’d be worthy of support. The high quality wine has always been another reason to keep coming back for more.

For many years, Matanzas’ winemaker was a remarkable Frenchman, Francois Cordesse. M. Cordesse’s creations remain for sale at Matanzas and should definitely be snapped up when you visit. Apparently, Francois is now at Coppola which should result in some fine creations at that winery.

Representing the best of French technique with some of America’s best fruit, Francois’ wines for Matanzas are all great, embodying the unique terroir from which they grow. Francois’ sauvignon blancs and merlots (in particular merlots from the Jackson Park vineyard) always delight. (The 2006 Jackson Park merlot drinks very nicely; I also just sampled a 2006 cabernet sauvignon that was pretty darn good, particularly with full-bodied cheeses.)

The winery’s higher end productions from their “Journey” label are worth trying and showcase Francois’ best handiwork for the vintages he produced. The 2007 chardonnay is everything a chardonnay actually should be: a balanced, delectable sipper with a pleasant creamy, roundness to it that plays off the light tang of the fruit. (Sorry to report, but I am not a fan of the extremely bad habit California producers have gotten into over the past decade, in which chardonnay tastes like an old, wet oak plank smeared with butter flavoring.)

The 2007 Journey Chardonnay is darn near perfection and has cellared well. The really nice lady at the tasting room said that Francois, the wine’s maker, thinks it could be put away very nicely for up to 4 years. (That is, if you can avoid the obvious temptation of drinking it now, but as we’re in 2011, you have an incentive to drink it now, given the tasting room lady’s guidance). My mom and my step-dad enjoyed it as they’re both fans of French white bordeaux.

Though there’s no longer a Frenchman at the helm, Marcia Monahan is now creating for Matanzas. In August 2011, I tasted the fruits of her labor in the form of a highly drinkable and pleasantly crisp sauvignon blanc. It’s nice to know that the winery has a history of featuring female winemakers; the incomparable Merry Edwards also once created for Matanzas. I look forward to seeing what Marcia creates from the amazing fruits of Matanzas terroir.

Though some things have changed behind the scenes at Matanzas, others remain the same on the front-end. The staff are always friendly and really helpful. There’s none of the pretention that, sadly, permeates so many other wineries, particularly those in Napa. The folks at Matanzas like and enjoy wine. They want you to like and enjoy it too.

Enjoyment is further enhanced by the beauty of the Matanzas property. The deck is a great place to sit and sip surrounded by lovely greenery, with sweeping views of the lavender gardens and the mountains across the way. The bocce ball court is another fine spot, perfect for a picnic and a glass or 2 of one of the refreshing whites or roses made at Matanzas. There are a few additional picnic tables and benches tucked away around the gardens as well, should you wish to enjoy your wine outdoors in a more secluded way.

In keeping with enjoying the Wine Country lifestyle, Matanzas hosts many events for the public and for members throughout the year, most notably, their legendary Lavender Festival. Be sure to take a look at their Web site for the events schedule and plan your visit so you can take part. If you live in San Francisco, Matanzas is also one of the best wine clubs to belong to, both because of the excellent wine and the great member events throughout the year.

Matanzas is located at 6097 Bennett Valley Road, on the outskirts of Santa Rosa. More info, including listings about events is at: http://www.matanzascreek.com/ Get there quick so that you can get a bottle or two of Francois’ divine creations and eventually say, “I got this wine before he became truly famous….” (That is, if you can manage not to drink these delightful wines now.)

A Fungus Among Us

You have to buy a gift. You want it be as unique, special, and delightful as the person you’re buying it for. A chain store’s gift certificate will not suffice.

If you happen to be passing through San Francisco, the Ferry Building has many exciting offerings, but none that will grow on you as much as the items available at Far West Fungi. For just around $25, you can purchase a log pre-seeded with chanterelles or shitaki mushrooms that will yield multiple harvests.

Even if the recipient is not a foodie, getting to grow fresh (typically, expensive) mushrooms within a very short period of time at home is pretty amazing…and fun!

Taste the difference for yourself at Far West Fungi, 1 Ferry Building, Shop 34. You can check them out online at www.farwestfungi.com as well.

Pittsburgh’s Pub

There are days when you just want an icy cold beer, some TVs with sports on, along with a few pool tables, dart boards, pinball machines, and video games for good measure.

Pittsburgh’s Pub will satisfy all these needs, and the jukebox isn’t too shabby either.

Named in honor of the owner’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (adulation which has finally paid off with the Steelers over the past few years), Pittsburgh’s is a good place to get a drink and sit at the bar peacefully solo or with pals.

When you’re sitting at the bar, you’ll generally have an interesting conversation or two with the area residents who frequent the establishment. The management’s also kind enough not to eject you from the premises if you and your friends happen to be wearing random hats when you call on Pittsburgh’s at midnight, a degree of openness which is always good to know about a place.

Sometimes, a brewski while shooting pool is all you need. Especially when wearing funny hats.

Check Pittsburgh’s out for some day drinking or lates at 4207 Judah (at 47th Avenue).

Scoma’s San Francisco Seafood

Scoma's Seafood Restaurant, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco

Sometimes, you just want some fresh fish, perfectly cooked, without all the oddball extras some San Francisco hipster joints tend to layer on plates (chamomile chardonnay reduction with fudge nibs on swordfish). And, if you live in SF and have out of town guests, you’re probably desperate to find a place where you can meet your friends and family at the Wharf, where you won’t feel like you’ve fallen through the looking glass into a tourist circus.

Scoma’s is just the place. With boats still delivering catch straight to Scoma’s, it’s one of the last relics of when the Wharf was a more authentic place: where fishing and crab boats, and not chain restaurants, were justifiably king.

When in season, this is one of the best places in the city to sample locally caught Dungeness. Other times, you can try sand dabs and petrale sole, 2 San Francisco classics. Ask for whatever’s fresh and you won’t be disappointed.

The area outside Scoma’s has one of the best views of the Golden Gate bridge, and the view of the fishing docks from Scoma’s bar is a great place for a pre-dinner cocktail. Great wine list, featuring several of California’s best wines, to complement your meal as well.

As always in life, getting to Scoma’s is half the fun. You take a turn off the main drag– a tourist laden goldmine of gift shops and chain restaurants– and instantly, everything’s bustling in a different way or just quiet. You’re in a working port, where real fishing boats ply their trade, and seagulls swoop over boats to see if there are any scraps.

See it, and taste it, for yourself at Pier 47, Al Scoma Way, SF, CA. Online, check Scoma’s out at: http://www.scomas.com/

The Last Straw – Unique Jewelry & Gifts

If your grandmas were like mine, they had jewelry boxes that looked like treasure chests with multiple drawers stuffed with costume jewels and a few real ones. If you were like me as a kid, whenever you got the chance, you dug into these drawers, festooning yourself with as many beads, pins, rings, bangles, and earrings as your body could support. (Or, until you got yelled at for playing with the good jewels.)

Flash forward to your adulthood. You can now purchase things you admire, but shopping isn’t half as fun as when you pilfered your grandma’s jewel boxes. You go to a place that’s white or beige. Select from some over-hyped, carefully packaged items. Stand in line, as everyone’s items are duly scanned by a computer. Exit through a white or beige doorway.

If that kind of shopping experience annoys you, visit The Last Straw, in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset. Tucked inside a cozy, adorable cottage is a great shop full of interesting, beautiful jewelry and one-of-a-kind gifts. You get to search through well-organized jewelry boxes and drawers to peruse the well-edited collection of necklaces, earrings, and bangles. Just like my grandmas’ jewel boxes, but with much funkier, contemporary jewelry.

Gift selections are beautifully displayed throughout the store, making you feel like you’re actually in the home of a great collector. (In a way, you are, as there seems to be a residence behind the cute cottage.) The glass and pottery, in particular, is always beautiful and interesting to look at.

You can get a necklace at a chain store. You can buy a gift for your friend from another chain store. Or, you can visit a one-of-a-kind shop and select something lovely that has a story behind it, at a place that makes the experience of the search fun again.

Check out The Last Straw at 4540 Irving Street, past 46th Avenue. Open Tuesday – Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.