Natural wine shop and bar Tofino Wines is closing its doors after nine years in business and hopes to move to a new location. Owners Mark Nevin and April Sack announced in an email to customers that they will be closing the business at 2696 Geary Boulevard, writing that Tofino's last day as a bar will be Saturday, March 30. The couple said issues with renewing their lease and ongoing challenges with the pandemic contributed to their decision to close.

It's not all sad news, though: Nevin and Sack say they plan to find a new retail space for their wine shop and will expand their online business in the meantime. They want to open their store in early July and have started a GoFundMe to help them reach their opening goal. And while the wine bar portion of the store is closing at the end of March, the couple says they'll be operating “in and out of the store” through the end of April if anyone wants to pick up a bottle. “It breaks our hearts to make this announcement, but we plan to take with us many of the beautiful things we have built and created,” the email reads in part. “Most importantly, we want to take you with us, because we have always been the link between the wines and winemakers we care about and our customers, who have been at the heart of our work for nine years.”

Another SF rooftop restaurant will join the chat

Real estate developer Presidio Bay Ventures purchased the building at 60 Spear Street in August 2023, but now the San Francisco Business Times has learned what the company plans to do with the property. The news outlet reports that in addition to creating a larger building, there are also plans to install a 7,700-square-foot rooftop bar and restaurant, as well as a bakery, as well as other structural amenities such as “sauna rooms, cold and hot water pools, floating saltwater pools, co-working -Space” and more, says an application to city planners.

Opening of a new distillery in Rancho Cordova

Gold River Distillery is closing its doors at the end of March after 11 years, but now the Sacramento Bee has news about who is taking over the space at 11460 Sunrise Gold Circle. Set to open there this summer, Dao Distillery plans to produce the first California-made version of the Vietnamese rice liquor Rượu đế.

Pliny the Younger turns 20

The most die-hard beer fanatics probably already know this and are lining up at Russian River Brewing Company, but for the rest of us, the annual return of Pliny the Younger is just around the corner… and the celebrated beer is almost at the legal drinking age. The Mercury News reports that this release of the triple IPA will run from Friday, March 22nd through April 4th and will be available at Santa Rosa Brewpub and Windsor Brewery and Pub in Russian River to mark the beer's 20th anniversary becomes. All detailed information about what to expect when looking for Pliny can be found on the Russian River Brewing Company website.

Spring cleaning party at the Michelin star restaurant

As Osito bids farewell to its sister establishment and bar Liliana, making way for Bar Agricole in May, chef and owner Seth Stowaway is throwing a party to sell the alcohol there. On Tuesday, March 26, from 4 to 6 p.m., fans can stop by for a plate of barbecue and cocktails for $10 per person.

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The post San Francisco Neighborhood Pure Wine Bar and Bottle Store Tofino Wines Is Closing for Now appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The onset of spring means a shift toward warmer weather and blooming flowers, and while we’re not quite done with the storms, the rain should stop on Friday, just in time for another spring tradition: the launch of Season 13 of Off the Grid at Fort Mason. Of course, there will be a mix of new and returning food trucks for the Friday Night Series, along with cocktail and wine bars, live music and DJs, and a new reason to get excited about the food and drink at the weekly event. This year, Off the Grid is reintroducing pop-ups—for the first time since 2019—with a standout pop-up projects section designed to highlight 16 pop-ups from across the Bay Area, including Edith’s Pie, Junk Mail, and Musubi, among others , Bolita, Rocky Island Oyster Co. and La Cocina.

Edith’s cake

It’s been a rough couple of years for the food truck-centric event, with the 2020 season being canceled due to COVID, followed by 2021 when Off the Grid took the year off – but 2022 saw the group come back with a host of events in the whole city. “Coming back this year, we really wanted to put a lot of momentum and purpose behind it,” says Lex Scala, president of Off the Grid. “And that’s where the pop-up project came from.”

Scala and her team found a number of pop-ups across the Bay Area for the new section, and she’s pleased they’ve made more connections with food manufacturers outside of San Francisco to bring to Fort Mason. Junk Mail Musubi brings its over-the-top spam Musubis with ingredients like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos; Edith’s Pie, which is in the process of completing its permanent Oakland location, will serve a selection of sweet and savory pies; Eko Kitchen presents Chef Simileoluwa Adebajo’s Nigerian cuisine; Street Stix serves Asian street food like lumpia and shrimp balls; Meanwhile, Fish & Bonez serves tacos and Cali-Mex fare. La Cocina will also have a space to showcase a rotating mix of chefs from their incubator program in the pop-up area.

Fish & Bone

Rocky Island oysters

Scala was also thrilled to announce Off the Grid’s new addition to oysters, with the arrival of Richmond’s Rocky Island Oyster Co., which will also have caviar on hand should groups feel like splurging on an indulgent add-on. Kivelstadt Cellars Wine Bar will also be on-site with some refreshments including a canned Chardonnay that will be exclusive to Off the Grid – “I can’t wait to bring these two together,” says Scala.

The pop-up initiative is just another way for Off the Grid to bring together a variety of different kitchens and chefs and bring their food to new audiences. After 13 seasons of Off the Grid, Scala is proud to watch chefs as they’ve grown their food truck businesses over the years, whether that’s by expanding their fleet or moving to permanent restaurants across the Bay Area. Now it’s time to add a new class of pop-ups for attendees to enjoy. “At the end of the day,” says Scala, “our mission is to find the best of the best, create exceptional events, be part of those creators’ journeys, and watch them grow.”

Off the Grid: Fort Mason Center (2 Marina Blvd) debuts Friday, March 24 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The season continues every Friday through June 23rd.

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The post San Francisco Meals Truck Occasion Off the Grid Reopens at Fort Mason with New Pop-Ups Promoting Oysters, Wine, and Extra appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

After the idea circulated in an Instagram post in late February, the James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs behind Cassava in North Beach have made it official: Yuka Ioroi and Kris Toliao will bring their talents back to the Richmond District, where they run their restaurant a neighborhood lot before moving to North Beach in October 2022. Next month they plan to reopen the doors to the space on Balboa Street that has housed Cassava for the last decade and turn it into a wine bar, simply called Wine Bar by Cassava. “People were used to us being there for ten years,” says Ioroi. “And we love this room.”

Initially, the couple hoped to find partners to operate the wine bar while they focused on keeping their relatively fledgling North Beach location on track. But Ioroi says it hasn’t been easy finding partners who share the couple’s ethos of how to run an equitable restaurant. For example, at Cassava, front- and back-of-house employees split tips equally, and all workers receive full medical benefits and a 401,000 with a 5 percent employer match. “The way we run a business is very different from the way other people do it,” she says. “So we’re just going to open it ourselves until we find a better opportunity.”

It should be a quick transaction. Ioroi says they will be making minimal changes to the space itself, moving some of the furniture that didn’t quite fit the North Beach location. One thing she’s excited to note is that after three years of covering the front of the space’s windows with wood planks, a move first made during the 2020 COVID-related closures, they’ll pull down the covers and let the natural light shine let in. Of course they plan to keep the panels with a colorful mural; You just bring them to the restaurant to decorate the room and add color to it.

Ioroi says she also hopes they’ll be able to keep the restaurant’s parklet in place. They removed the roof before winding up the Balboa room, but now she envisions installing tables with fire pits sunken into them since nothing covers the top.

As for the wine list, Ioroi says fans can expect a similar selection to Cassava. “We’re not natural wine people,” says Ioroi, laughing. “That’s not really my forte per se, so we want to stick with the classic regions and beautiful wines that we have [at Cassava].” That being said, they hope to expand their California wine selection, particularly to bring in more bottles from wineries owned by women and people of color. Ioroi says it’s not always easy to connect with these smaller women- and POC-owned wineries, but she wants the wine bar’s list of native bottles to reflect the condition, as does her — an Asian American — and Tolio know him. “We want to represent the California that we see,” she says. “And we want the wine list to reflect that.”

There will be a small food component in the wine bar, which means smaller plates and appetizers prepared by the Cassava team in North Beach to be reheated and finished in the wine bar. Ioroi says part of the motivation for going ahead with the wine bar on its own was a desire to create more shifts for the North Beach restaurant’s staff. The cavalcade of atmospheric flows and generally inclement weather that has plagued the Bay Area year-round has taken its toll on the restaurant, which is located on Columbus Street in a neighborhood with limited parking but usually high foot traffic.

But it’s also nice to know the neighborhood wants her back, she says. “The neighborhood is so excited about the idea.”

Wine Bar by Cassava (3519 Balboa Street) is expected to open before the end of April 2023.

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The post The Wine Bar by Cassava Will Open in San Francisco’s Richmond District Later This Spring appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco is about to play host to a new pop-up that aims to bring a taste of Eastern Europe to the Mission District. Asja Sever, an experienced industry pro, was born in the Croatian capital city of Zagreb; she and her family were among those forced from their home country in the 1990s due to the Homeland War, the extended conflict which took a huge toll on the citizens of Croatia and caused a reported 500,000 displaced people. Her family eventually found their way to Philadelphia, and at 13 years old Sever began working in the restaurant industry. Now, after diving into wine and working at high-end restaurants like Rich Table, she’s launching her own pop-up, Yugobar, to pay homage to her European roots. “I’ve been living between both worlds,” Sever says.

Guests can expect five to seven shareable small plates of traditional Croatian food, ranging from $10 to $30 each. All will be made using Sever’s grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s recipes, which were passed down verbally, Sever says, as her eldest family members never learned to read or write. Plates will include olives, charcuterie boards, and a squid ink risotto that severely expects to be a menu staple. “If you’re a Croatian person, you judge the quality of the risotto by how black it turns your teeth,” Sever says. “It’s supposed to be really inky, and has that wonderful umami.”

A list of 15 Croatian wines will be available by the glass. Sever is a familiar wine buyer and seller in the Bay Area, working for Alluvial Wines before running her own operation distributing wines from Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary through her business Itty Bitty Viti.

She can’t share many details on Yugobar just yet, but she knows it will be a weekly pop-up in the Mission District at one of a few places she’s considering. She’s running the project alongside a few friends and fellow service industry folks and hopes to make it sustainable for all involved. “It’s really about where we can do it for about a year or two,” Sever says. “The goal is not to become brick and mortar. That seems like a money pit.” Rather, part of her intention is to pay her friends high hourly wages for their work and to equitably distribute tips — two commitments that make sense as restaurants like Good Good Culture Club and Che Fico (amongst others) look to provide workers with higher pay and better working conditions.

The first pop-up is planned for October. Potentially, half of the seats will be walk-in and half will be available for reservation. Ultimately, Sever would love to see folks from the South Bay, where she says there’s a larger Croatian population, attend the events. “I’ve gotten so many messages from Croatian people already,” Sever says. “They’re excited because no one’s ever done it. I’ve been dreaming of this for years. I’m stoked.”

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The post Yogbar: Say Dobrodošli to a New Croatian Wine Bar Pop-Up Coming to San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Von David Landis –

Es ist Weinzeit.

In der letzten Ausgabe besuchte The Gay Gourmet Napa, um Hotels, Ausflüge und Restaurants zu empfehlen. Jetzt ist es Zeit für das, was im Valley im Vordergrund steht: Wein, Wein und noch mehr Wein.

Der Besuch der Weingüter in Napa ist ein magischer – und bequemer – Kurzurlaub von der Bay Area, kaum mehr als eine Stunde von der Stadt entfernt. Ich besuche das Napa Valley seit meinem Umzug nach San Francisco im Jahr 1980 und die Fülle an Weingütern ist exponentiell gewachsen (letzte Zählung liegt irgendwo nördlich von 375!). Auch die Art und Weise, wie man Weine verkostet, hat sich dramatisch verändert. Früher konnte man ins Weinland wandern, vorbeischauen und einige der besten Rebsorten schlürfen – oft kostenlos.

Diese Zeiten mögen vorbei sein, aber was jetzt passiert, sind kuratierte Erlebnisse, die gehobene önophile Abenteuer bieten: eine Möglichkeit, Weine zu entdecken, aber auf anspruchsvollere und bewusstere Weise.

Was natürlich seinen Preis hat. Es wird Ihnen schwer fallen, Weinproben im Napa Valley für weniger als 40 oder 50 US-Dollar zu finden, aber dieser Preis beinhaltet im Allgemeinen eine erweiterte, reservierte Sitzgelegenheit (ein Muss während dieser Pandemiezeiten); mehrere Weine zur Auswahl; und oft, Knabbereien und Häppchen, um Ihren Ausflug zu begleiten. Und das Beste ist, dass viele Weingüter im Napa Valley jetzt auch Hunde willkommen heißen: Meine eigenen Pfundwelpen, Gaston und Alphonse, wedeln um ihre Zustimmung!

Was folgt sind drei meiner persönlichen Napa-Tal Favoriten.

Ganz oben auf der Liste würde ich setzen Alpha Omega Weingut. Dieses Boutique-Weingut befindet sich nördlich von Yountville, direkt an der 29, in der Appellation Rutherford auf einem wunderschönen Grundstück mit Blick auf die Berge des Sugar Loaf Ridge State Park. Inmitten eines charmanten, kleinen Sees mit tanzenden Springbrunnen bietet das gesamte Erlebnis eine entspannende Pause vom Stress des Stadtlebens und ermöglicht gleichzeitig die Verkostung von handwerklichen Weinen, die das Weingut als “handgefertigt mit Praktiken der Alten Welt” bezeichnet. Die COVID-Protokolle bei Alpha Omega Winery sind beispielhaft: Sie werden auf dem Parkplatz begrüßt, wo Sie in Ihrem Auto warten – und dann checkt Ihre Party von selbst ein. Anstelle einer Innenverkostung (die ich zuvor gemacht hatte) entschieden wir uns für eine Verkostung im Freien, um die idyllische Aussicht zu genießen. Da Alpha Omega so hundefreundlich ist, durften auch Alphonse und Gaston mitmachen.

Unser engagierter Weinexperte Carl führte uns durch die anderthalbstündige Verkostung, beginnend mit einigen köstlichen Weißweinen. Wir begannen mit dem 1155 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc (2019) des Weinguts, der als „ausgewogen mit einem lebendigen, säuerlichen mittleren Gaumen mit Aromen von asiatischer Birne“ beschrieben wird. Was mir persönlich an diesem Wein gefallen hat, war, dass er in Edelstahl gereift ist, mit nur einem Hauch französischer Eiche. Carl nannte es ein perfektes Getränk für „ein Napa Valley Frühstück“.

Als nächstes probierten wir den Chardonnay 2016, der laut einem anderen Weingutführer „gut zu Brathähnchen passt“. Dieser Chardonnay war meiner Meinung nach recht elegant und Eiche dominierte nicht – ein Ansatz, den ich persönlich schätze.

Bei den Rotweinen (da Alpha Omega als „Bordeaux-Haus“ bekannt ist) haben wir einen meiner persönlichen Favoriten probiert: den Proprietary Red Napa Valley (2018), der als „seidig und ausgewogen mit Karamellnoten“ beschrieben wird. Dieser Wein hat eine Geschmeidigkeit, von der ich dachte, dass sie eine perfekte Ergänzung zu Pasta, Rindfleisch und mehr wäre.

Von dort zogen wir in das Petit Verdot Napa Valley (2019), das als „dicht mit roten und schwarzen Kirschen“ beschrieben wird – eine weitere großartige Wahl. Als nächstes hatten wir zwei Single-Weinberg-Angebote: die Stagecoach und die Drew Vineyard. Unsere Party war geteilt, was uns am besten gefiel: Der Drew Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (2019), der an schwarze Pflaumen erinnert, war etwas mutiger; der Stagecoach Cabernet Sauvignon (2019), der mehr nach Brombeeren schmeckte, schien eine leichtere Wahl zu sein. Für unseren endgültigen Wein haben wir den speziellen Era-Rotwein (2019) des Weinguts verkostet, eine Mischung aus Weinbergen, die nach dunklen Früchten mit dezenter Eleganz schmecken. Alles in allem ist Alpha Omega ein Weingut, das man unbedingt besuchen sollte und das auf keinem Napa Valley Trip fehlen sollte.

Ein weiterer Favorit auf dieser Reise war das umbenannte Chandon Weingut (ehemals Domaine Chandon), das für seine Schaumweine bekannt ist und auf einem wunderschönen Grundstück westlich der Innenstadt von Yountville liegt. Die Landschaftsgärten sind Teil der Attraktion hier, zusammen mit einem normalerweise atemberaubenden See (wenn Kalifornien nicht in einer Dürre ist). Auch hier entschieden wir uns für eine Verkostung im Freien auf einer von Bäumen umgebenen Anhöhe, einer entspannten Umgebung zum Sitzen und Trinken. Alphonse und Gaston wurden wieder mit offenen Armen empfangen.

Während es Chandon schon seit Jahren gibt, ist eines der Unterscheidungsmerkmale, dass die Winzerin eine Frau ist, Pauline Lhote, die ihre Karriere bei Chandon als Praktikantin begann. Da sie bei ihrer Weinherstellung französische Techniken anwendet, sind diese Schaumweine raffiniert, leicht und trocken. Unsere Party hat sich für das rosé-prickelnde Flugerlebnis entschieden und wir haben uns zwar nicht dafür entschieden, aber Sie können auch kulinarisch hinzukommen.

Eine unerwartete Wendung war das erste Angebot, ein stiller Rosé, der überraschend leicht und trocken war, eher im Stil von Provence-Rosés als von vielen Napa-Rosés. Von dort aus probierten wir den prickelnden Brut Rosé, den unser Guide als „kalifornischer Sonnenschein im Glas“ bezeichnete. Es war der perfekte Start in einen gemütlichen Sonntagmorgen. Unser Flug ging weiter mit der E’Toile Prestige Cuvee im Alter von fünf Jahren (einer unserer Favoriten), gefolgt von Club Cuvee, beschrieben als „ein Kissen auf der Palette“, das unsere Party zum Gewinner erklärte. Der Flug endete mit einem ganz besonderen Tete de Cuvee, zehn Jahre gereift, ein eleganter Abgang zu einer köstlichen Verkostung.

Die vielleicht großartigste Aussicht im Tal ist von der Hügelkuppe, wo Weingut Artesa thront, direkt mit Blick auf die Region Carneros. Um dorthin zu gelangen, fahren Sie durch wenig befahrene Landstraßen voller grüner Weinberge und schlängeln sich zu einem atemberaubenden Panoramablick. Nach dem Parken steigen Sie neben einem vertikalen künstlichen Wasserfall hinauf zu dem avantgardistischen Gebäude, das vom spanischen Architekten Domingo Triay entworfen und in einen Hang gebaut wurde. An einem guten Tag können Sie dank der Aussicht bis nach San Francisco sehen. Wir entschieden uns, unseren Verkostungsflug draußen zu verbringen, um die Aussicht zu genießen. Sie können gegen Aufpreis auch einen Charcuterie-Teller hinzufügen. Während der Verkostung saßen Gaston und Alphonse gerne zu unseren Füßen und wurden wieder von allen herzlich umarmt.

Artesa wurde 1991 von der ältesten Winzerfamilie Spaniens gegründet und vereint Techniken der Alten und der Neuen Welt. Unser Flug begann mit einem schönen, trockenen 2019er Rosado (Rosé) Wein aus Tempranillo und Pinot Noir – knackig und köstlich. Von dort haben wir meinen persönlichen Favoriten probiert, den Albariño Estate Wein (2020), der in Edelstahl und Beton gereift ist, was dem Wein einen sauberen, mineralischen Abgang verleiht.

Als nächstes hatten wir den Chardonnay Estate (2016), der in französischer Eiche gereift war – nicht besonders nach meinem Geschmack, aber für diejenigen, die Eiche und butterartige Weißweine mögen, ist dies eine gute Wahl. Danach probierten wir sowohl einen leichten und fruchtbetonten Pinot Noir (Selection 91) als auch einen erdigen Block 12, eher im Stil der französischen Pinot Noirs. Ein weiterer Favorit war der Tempranillo 2017 – ein Rotwein mit mittlerem Körper, der zu fast allem passt. Wir entschieden uns, dass wir kein Fan ihres 2017 Cask Reserve Especial Cabernet Sauvignon (zu fruchtig für unseren Geschmack) waren, aber unser Weinführer brachte uns dann einen köstlichen, prickelnden Grand Reserve Brut Barrica, der die Verkostung mit einem hohen Grad beendete.

Zusammenfassend würde ich sagen, dass Napa immer noch alles bietet – und noch mehr: köstliche Restaurants, unterhaltsame Ausflüge, großartige Hotels und natürlich einige der besten Weingüter und Verkostungen der Welt. Und es ist ein Sprung und ein Sprung von zu Hause entfernt. Geh jetzt!

Bits und Bites

Für die Feiertage 2021, Alamedas Farm-to-Barrel Craft Beer-Pioniere Almanach Bier Co. bieten eine unterhaltsame und köstliche Möglichkeit, dem Craft-Beer-Enthusiasten in Ihrem Leben ein unvergessliches Geschenk zu machen. Almanach ist festlich Weihnachts-Advent-Bierkiste verfügt über zwölf 16 oz. Bierdosen, die eine breite Palette innovativer Craft-Bier-Stile umfassen, darunter dunstige IPAs, Lagerbiere, Stouts, im Fass gereifte Sours und mehr. Sie können auch Almanachs limitierte Ausgabe von hinzufügen Hässlicher Pullover LOVE Hazy IPA (6,1% vol.) und feiert eine der beliebtesten Traditionen der Saison mit einem wunderbar kitschigen Feiertagsetikett. Hässlicher Pullover LOVE Hazy IPA wird mit Sabro-, Citra- und Mosaic-Hopfen trocken gehopft und bringt Urlaubsstimmung in alle.

Wie wäre es mit gesunden Snacks ohne Vorbereitung in festlichen Rot- und Grüntönen für Feiertagstreffen? Einer der Favoriten des schwulen Gourmets—Ernteschnappschüsse– enthält Gemüse vom Bauernhof wie grüne Erbsen und rote Linsen als Hauptzutat. Sie sind in festlichen Geschmacksrichtungen wie Tomaten-Basilikum, Original (grüne Erbsen), gerösteter Parmesan-Knoblauch und Caesar erhältlich. Ob im Grab-and-Go-Becher serviert, als Dip oder als Knusper auf einer Crudité-Platte, die perfekt knusprigen Snacks auf pflanzlicher Basis bringen herzhafte Güte in jede Soirée. Sie sind auch gebacken, also sind sie besser für dich – und lecker, obendrein.

Black Cat Jazz Supper Club in SF’s Tenderloin ist in der Mitte seiner JAZZ@theEDGE-Festival, mit Underground-Künstlern, die dafür bekannt sind, das Jazzgenre an die Spitze zu treiben. Black Cat kuratiert das Festival „at its glam-meets-grit urban lair“, um sowohl etablierte Künstler als auch unentdeckte neue Talente hervorzuheben. Der mit dem Grammy ausgezeichnete Trompeter Maurice „Mobetta“ Brown macht Schlagzeilen für die Silvestershows des Restaurants/Clubs. Dieser Veranstaltungsort ist das Beste aus beiden Welten: Live-Jazz hören, während Sie köstliche amerikanische Tapas genießen.

Chanukka kommt dieses Jahr vom 28. November bis 6. Dezember und Sie können es mit feiern Pomella in Oakland, sowie Ein Markt und Mark ‘n Mike’s in San Francisco. In dieser Weihnachtszeit arbeitet Pomella mit lokalen Lebensmittelherstellern zusammen Bishulim SF, Boichik, Bundesweine, und andere, um fast jeden Tag von Chanukka etwas anderes anzubieten. One Market bietet ein dreigängiges Chanukka-Prix-Fixe-Dinner für 49 US-Dollar an, darunter: Matzeh-Bällchensuppe, Kartoffellatkes (gegen Aufpreis), Rinderbrust und einen traditionellen Gelee-Donut. Darüber hinaus sind zum Abendessen die regulären Gerichte von Mark und Mike erhältlich.

Probieren Sie diese Größe an: die neue Manischewitz Ugly Sweater Chanukah Sugar Cookie Kit. Das Angebot enthält alles, was Ihre Familie braucht, um Ihren bisher hässlichsten Pullover zu kreieren: Zuckerkeksmischung, traditionelle gelbe und blaue Farbpulver, Chanukka-Streuselmischung, drei Spritzbeutel und einen Pullover-Ausstecher. Alles, was Sie brauchen, ist Ihr Sinn für Humor und Kreativität. Die Pakete ergeben acht bis zehn Ugly Sweater Cookies zum Teilen, Verschenken oder „einfach essen“.

Dies gerade in: Esser hat genannt “Die 11 besten neuen Restaurants in Amerika” und San Franciscos Sardellenbar die Note gemacht. Herzlichen Glückwunsch an unseren Lokalmatador!

Alpha Omega Weingut: https://www.aowinery.com/
Artesa Weinberge & Weingut: https://www.artesawinery.com/
Weingut Chandon: https://www.chandon.com/en-US/visit-us.html
Almanach Bier Unternehmen: https://almanacbeer.com/
Ernteschnappschüsse: https://harvestsnaps.com/
Restaurant/Club Black Cat: https://blackcatsf.com/
Pomelle: https://www.pomellaoakland.com/
Ein Markt: https://onemarket.com/
Mark’n Mikes: https://tinyurl.com/4tk6k343
Manischewitz Ugly Sweater Chanukah Sugar Cookie Kit von Kayco: https://tinyurl.com/ruut5eyh

Sardellenriegel: https://theanchovybar.com/

David Landis, alias „The Gay Gourmet“, ist Feinschmecker, freiberuflicher Autor und PR-Experte im Ruhestand. Folgen Sie ihm auf Instagram @GayGourmetSF oder senden Sie ihm eine E-Mail an: davidlandissf@gmail.com Oder besuchen Sie ihn online unter: www.gaygourmetsf.com

Veröffentlicht am 18. November 2021

The post Napa Valley: It’s About Wine – San Francisco Bay Instances appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Winemaking has never been an easy business, but many in the industry say this year has been one of the toughest in recent times.

California winemakers, still recovering from last year’s scorching forest fires, anticipate another year of historic drought as retailers and restaurants are hit by the shift in consumer behavior sparked by the pandemic.

Now the industry is also confronted with massive bottlenecks in the supply chain. Delays in ports have left shops and importers reliant on foreign shipments with no inventory. This has disrupted local bottling, labeling and wine-growing businesses.

“2021 just won’t work,” said Stuart Smith, founder of Smith-Madrone Winery on Napa’s Spring Mountain. “Everywhere you go, things that were easy are no longer easy.”

Stuart Smith, right, founder of Smith-Madrone Winery, helps press the grapes at the winery in St. Helena, California on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. (Courtesy Smith-Madrone Winery)

As the pandemic progressed, Smith struggled to get the most basic necessities like PVC pipes or galvanized fittings for sprinklers and fire fighting. “It’s not just about winemaking. It’s all, ”he said. “Right after the glass fire, I needed more chainsaws – I couldn’t get one.”

All of this happens while he struggles to find water for his thirsty vines. “This is a colossal, historic drought,” said Stuart. “We’re all scared because we’re running out of water and our reservoirs are empty.”

But not only winemakers feel the pinch. An entire branch of bottlers, label manufacturers and cooperatives is also feeling the strain caused by the overloading of the ports.

“The word disruptive doesn’t describe how dire the situation is,” said Erica Harrop, founder of Global Package, which supplies glass bottles to high-end Napa wineries. “It’s total chaos”.

Harrop said freight costs have skyrocketed as demand for goods has increased. Meanwhile, ports don’t have enough dockers, dockers or truckers to keep the flow of goods going, resulting in a backlog of products waiting to be reloaded. Those additional costs, she said, are passed on to her customers and ultimately to consumers.

“We fill around 20,000 bottles in a container. And if it costs $ 20,000 to ship, that’s a pretty straightforward calculation, ”she said. “With glass, this has an immediate effect on the cost of the product.”

On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced a plan to keep the Port of Los Angeles open “24 hours a day, seven days a week,” reflecting the already extended opening hours in the Port of Long Beach to move more goods faster.

However, companies that buy inventory months in advance remain affected by the delays. Josh Trowbridge, CEO of Tonnellerie Ô, a Benicia-based barrel maker, said he waited a month to receive a shipment of wood from a ship docked outside Half Moon Bay.

“It was just so frustrating,” he said. “What you need is right there, and it’s not even in port.”

Trowbridge watched wood prices skyrocket during the pandemic as people stuck at home focused on home improvement projects. Just this week he was told that the price of French timber would rise by 20-30%. Combined with the increased cost of shipping goods, he fears that his barrels will be unaffordable for many wineries in the years to come.

Wine label makers are also getting into trouble as paper is scarce and demand for such services explodes.

“Demand for wine had gone above the charts in the past year and a half,” said Travis Pollard, vice president of ASL Print FX in Napa Valley, finding that business had grown 57% over the past year.

However, satisfying this demand has been challenging as paper suppliers have moved to making products from corrugated cardboard that are easier for online retailers like Amazon to make, as opposed to fine paper, which is needed for wine labels.

“The availability of the raw components for making this paper is tight,” said Pollard. “What we are seeing is a huge change in the way people shop and the huge impact this is having on our industry.”

The disturbance is already seeping through to local wine shops.

Some of the cheaper wine selections at Decant SF on Thursday, October 14, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume / The Examiner)

“If you look at the shelves at Gemini, you can see it all along the line,” says Dominique Henderson of San Francisco’s Gemini Bottle Co., which focuses on natural wines from small producers. “You see a Riesling bottle and there is something like Pinot in it, or there is Blaufrankisch in it or something, because people have ordered whatever vessels there were.”

As the holidays get closer, wine stores try to figure their way around how to stock the shelves when there is less wine and it takes a lot longer to arrive.

French wines were particularly hard hit this year as frost, bad weather and mold ravaged the vineyards. “Champagne was very difficult to come by,” said Simi Grewal, co-founder of Decant SF. “Our shelves are definitely a lot lighter than usual.”

The champagne department at the Decant SF wine shop on Thursday October 14th, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume / The Examiner)

Yet when Grewal tries to convey this inedible reality to their customers, the warning is often answered with a collective shrug. “They kind of laugh at it like, ‘Oh, champagne problems,’ but it’s like, ‘No, literally,'” she said. “If you know you want to ship 100 bottles or 50 bottles of something, we need to start planning now.”

jwolfrom@sfexaminer.com

The post San Francisco’s ‘Champagne issues’ — Wine business suffers provide chain woes appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SFGATE staff

Oct. 9, 2017Updated: Oct. 9, 2017 6 p.m.

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Fire Station 5 is seen in Santa Rosa, Calif. via Google Maps Street View, May 2015.

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Fire Station 5 lies in ruins after a firestorm swept over the neighborhood, on October 10, 2017 in Santa Rosa, Calif. in one of the worst wildfires in state history, at least 1,500 homes have burned.

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Stornetta’s Dairy is seen in Sonoma, Calif. via Google Maps Street View, Jan. 2017.

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A view of the remains of the buildings at Stornetta’s Dairy that were destroyed by the Atlas Fire on October 10, 2017 in Napa, California.

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The historic Fountaingrove red round barn is seen in this 2009 Santa Rosa, Calif. early morning spring photo.

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Estancia Apartment Homes on Old Redwood Hwy. in Santa Rosa, Calif. via Google Maps Street View, Jan 2017.

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The Estancia Apartment Homes on Old Redwood Hwy. were completely destroyed on Oct. 9, 2017 in Santa Rosa, Calif.

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The K-Mart in Santa Rosa before it was destroyed in the Tubbs Fire in October, 2017.

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14of150A man walks past the front of a Kmart store destroyed by a fire in Santa Rosa.Jeff Chiu/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less15of150

16of150Rubble lines the interior of a K-mart store scorched by the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

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Schmidt Firearms store in Santa Rosa, Calif. is seen via Google Maps Street View, as of June 2016.

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19of150Schmidt Firearms store at 808 Piner Road near Bincentennial Way in Santa Rosa burns Monday morning after wildfires spread to the area. The store is part of a larger complex that includes a furniture store and warehouse. Show MoreShow Less

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Satellite images show the Coffey Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa before a wildfire whipped through the region.

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This image provided by the California Highway Patrol shows destruction in Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park neighborhood on Monday, October 9, 2017.

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23of150Keith Norris shows what his car destroyed in the fire looked like before the fire, in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses.Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2017Show MoreShow Less24of150

25of150A Google street view image shows Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa before the Wine Country fires damaged the property.Google / /Show MoreShow Less

26of150Cardinal Newman High School is seen after some of the school burned during the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.Gabrielle Lurie/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less27of150

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A view of the Signorello Vineyard’s winery building in Napa, Calif.

Courtesy Signorello EstateShow MoreShow Less

29of150Flames consume a main building at the Signorello Vineyards in Napa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less30of150

31of150The Signorello Estate winery burns in the Napa wine region in California on October 9, 2017, as multiple wind-driven fires continue to whip through the region. / AFP PHOTO / JOSH EDELSONJOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty ImagesJOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less

32of150The entrance to the fire-ravaged Signorello Estate winery is seen Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, in Napa, Calif.Marcio Jose Sanchez/APShow MoreShow Less33of150

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The Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel is seen in Santa Rosa, Calif. via Google Maps Street View, April 2015.

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Flames work their way through the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel in Santa Rosa, Calif. and is one of several businesses in Wine Country that were affected by the devastating fires.

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37of150Rudy Habibe, from Puerto Rico, and his service dog Maximus walk toward a burning building at the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel, where he was a guest, in Santa Rosa, Calif., Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through Northern California sending residents on a headlong flight to safety through smoke and flames as homes burned.Jeff Chiu/APShow MoreShow Less

38of150The sun shines above behind a burning building at the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel in Santa Rosa, Calif., Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through Northern California sending residents on a headlong flight to safety through smoke and flames as homes burned.Jeff Chiu/APShow MoreShow Less39of150

40of150The smoldering remains of Hilton Sonoma Wine Country are seen in Santa Rosa, Calif. Monday, October 9, 2017.Mason Trinca/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

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One of the few walls still standing after the a fast moving wind whipped wildfire roared through the Hilton Hotel burning it to the ground, Santa Rosa, Calif. on Oct. 9, 2017.

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Smoldering fires are seen in the remains of the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Tuesday, October 10, 2017.

Elijah Nouvelage/Special to the ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

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A view of the entrance to Journey’s End mobile home park in Santa Rosa, Calif., as seen via Google Maps Street View, Jan. 2017.

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The remnants of several mobile homes can be seen from the outside of Journey’s End mobile home park in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Monday.

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47of150A fire tears through parts of the Journey’s End mobile home park on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.Gabrielle Lurie/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less48of150

49of150A laundromat inside the Journey’s End mobile home park burns during the Tubbs fire on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.Gabrielle Lurie/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

50of150A view of Journey’s End mobile home after the Tubbs fire tore through the property on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle 2017Show MoreShow Less51of150

52of150Homes are seen burnt to the ground after a fire tore through the Journey’s End mobile home park on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.Gabrielle Lurie/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

53of150Chairs and an umbrella are seen charred and melted beside the pool at Journey’s End mobile home after the Tubbs fire tore through the property on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.Gabrielle Lurie/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less54of150

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56of150Buy PhotoA water tanker truck to support fire crews overturned, killing the driver on Oakville Grade near Highway 29 on Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 in Oakville, CA.Paul Kuroda/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less57of150Buy Photo

58of150Buy PhotoFire along the ridge in Oakville being doused by helicopters on Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 in Oakville, CA.Paul Kuroda/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

59of150A large plume of smoke rises above the mountains between Napa and Sonoma, Calif., on Sunday, October 15, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less60of150

61of150Buy PhotoScott family members Melody (left), Jenna, 9, Olivia, 3, being held by Kaylee, 12, and Daniel, 9, at New Hope Baptist service at the DoubleTree hotel in Rohnert Park.Gabrielle Lurie / Gabrielle Lurie / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

62of150Brittany Perry hands out a free ash sifter to a fire victim at Pacific Coast Custom Interiors in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sunday, October 15, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less63of150

64of150From atop his truck parked along Highway 29, Marcos Barrera of Napa watches fires burn west of St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, October 15, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

65of150After the mandatory fire evacuation order was lifted, 10-year-old twins Porter and Katie Lynch pause while riding their bikes on Cedar Street in Calistoga, Calif., on Sunday, October 15, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less66of150

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Caroll Niel leans on her husband, firefighter Tony Niel, in the motorhome where they are staying following the Tubbs fire on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Forestville, Calif.

Noah Berger / Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

68of150Santa Rosa firefighter Tony Niel passes a portion of fence standing at his Mark West Estates home, which burned during the Tubbs fire, on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Santa Rosa.Noah Berger / Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less69of150

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Santa Rosa Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal walks through his Oxford Ct. residence, which burned during the Tubbs fire, on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Santa Rosa.

Noah Berger / Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

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73of150Buy PhotoStatue at the Mondavi Winery and a groundsman mows lawn as fires burn on Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 in Oakville, CA.Paul Kuroda/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

74of150Josiah Gist (right) joins fellow Santa Cruz firefighters in using pool water in firefighting efforts at a large home that burned in The Ranch subdivision in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, October 14, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less75of150

76of150A firefighter walks through what remains of a large home that burned in The Ranch subdivision in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, October 14, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

77of150Three firefighters look at a large home that burned in The Ranch subdivision in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, October 14, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less78of150

79of150The sun sets over Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, October 14, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

80of150Smoke in the hills east of Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, October 14, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less81of150

82of150The chimney is all that remains standing at a large home that burned in The Ranch subdivision in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, October 14, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

83of150Santa Cruz firefighters’ Josiah Gist and Ian Adams carry a hose over the pool of a large home that burned in The Ranch subdivision in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, October 14, 2017.Scott Strazzante/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less84of150

85of150Fire fighters work on putting out hotspots at a home off Lovall Rd in Sonoma, California, USA 14 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

86of150Gss main continues to burn at a home destroyed by flames early Saturday morning along the 1100 block of Castle Rd in Sonoma, California, USA 14 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less87of150

88of150A water tender sprays water along the roadside to put out hot spots along the 1100 block of Castle Rd in Sonoma, California, USA 14 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

89of150Sun rises behind burned out hillside east of the town of Sonoma, California, USA 14 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less90of150

91of150Fire fighters work on putting out hotspots in a garage at a home off Lovall Rd in Sonoma, California, USA 14 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

92of150Search and rescue worker rests on his car after looking through the rubble of a home on Millbrook Drive on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif.Mason Trinca/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less93of150

94of150Search and rescue worker looks through the rubble of a home on Millbrook Drive on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif.Mason Trinca/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

95of150Search and rescue workers dig the rubble of a home on Millbrook Drive on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif. Rosa, Calif.Mason Trinca/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less96of150

97of150California Highway Patrol officer Tracy Ross (center) talks on the phone while assiting Tom Sours (left) of Napa, as he was trying to get to his home to pick up some items on Friday, October 13, 2017 in Napa, Calif.Lea Suzuki/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

98of150Search and rescue workers search for Tubbs fire victims at Journey’s End Mobile Home Park on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif. According Sgt. Dave Thompson, in charge of search and rescue operations for the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office, crews have recovered another body at the site.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less99of150

100of150Search and rescue workers from the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office search for Tubbs fire victims at Journey’s End Mobile Home Park on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif. According Sgt. Dave Thompson, in charge of search and rescue operations for the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office, crews have recovered another body at the site.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

101of150Search and rescue workers use human remain detection dogs to search for Tubbs fire victims at Journey’s End Mobile Home Park on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif. According Sgt. Dave Thompson, in charge of search and rescue operations for the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office, crews have recovered another body at the site.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less102of150

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A man shows a burnt paper after a wildfire moved through the area in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley in California, United States on October 13, 2017. Massive out-of-controls wildfires have claimed at least 31 people and destroyed 3,500 homes in Northern California as the deadliest in state history. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less

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The remains are seen after a wildfire moved through the area in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley in California, United States on October 13, 2017. Massive out-of-controls wildfires have claimed at least 31 people and destroyed 3,500 homes in Northern California as the deadliest in state history. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

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Chrystal Couto holds a poster of her grandmother as Aaron Austin looks on in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. The couple from Redway, are searching for Couto’s grandmother and her husband, who haven’t been heard from since a wildfire tore through the older couple’s Santa Rosa neighborhood. They are hanging flyers in evacuation centers with photos of the older couple. (AP Photo/Paul Elias)

Paul Elias/APShow MoreShow Less

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Flowers mark the spot where their father died as Chuck and Mike (R) Rippey stand in the ruins of the house of 100-year-old Charles and 98-year-old Sara Rippey, who were killed in the Atlas Fire just after it began, on October 12, 2017 near Napa, California. Thousands homes have burned and two dozen people have been confirmed dead so far as numerous wildfires continue to spread in eight Northern California counties. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

David McNew/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less108of150

109of150Wine tanks burned by the Tubbs fire stand behind Robert Ellison’s sculpture “Frame” at Paradise Ridge Vineyard & Winery in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

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In this Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, photo provided by Sam Brinkerhoff, his wife Monica Brinkerhoff takes a photo of her wedding ring that was found in the burned remains of her home in Santa Rosa, Calif. She had hoped to retrieve a passport from her fire-resistant safe, but that too was consumed by the flames. She wasn’t prepared for what she did find, the couple’s soot-covered engagement rings, with a pair of etched hearts still visible on one of the bands. (Sam Brinkerhoff via AP)

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Firefighters try to extinguish a house fire during the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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A CalFire chief runs past burning grass during a firing operation while battling the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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115of150Two firefighters watch for spot fires Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, near Calistoga, Calif. Firefighters gained some ground on a blaze burning in the heart of California’s wine country but face another tough day ahead with low humidity and high winds expected to return. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Jae C. Hong/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less

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A CalFire firefighter uses a hand tool as he monitors a firing operation while battling the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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118of150A firefighter carries a water hose to put out a fire during along the Highway 29 Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, near Calistoga, Calif. Firefighters gained some ground on a blaze burning in the heart of California’s wine country but face another tough day ahead with low humidity and high winds expected to return. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Jae C. Hong/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less

119of150Firefighters watch from their fire trucks as wildfires continue to burn Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, near Calistoga, Calif. Some of the state’s most historic tourist sites, including Sonoma city and Calistoga in Napa Valley, were ghost towns populated only by fire crews trying to stop the advancing infernos. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Jae C. Hong/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less120of150

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The Puerta la Cruz female inmate firefighter crew clears vegetation near homes in Dry Creek Canyon to try to save them as the Partrick Fire approaches on October 12, 2017 west of Napa, California. Inmate hand crews work under the supervision of Cal Fire, which refers to them as firefighters rather than prisoners because they perform the same job as the elite Hot Shot firefighter crews. Thousands of homes have burned, at least 31 people confirmed killed with hundreds still missing as California wildfires continue to spread out of control. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

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Firefighters try to extinguish a house fire during the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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124of150Neighbors gather along Old Vineyard Road to watch the progress of the fire as the Partrick Fire continue to burn slowly east of Sonoma, Calif., on Thursday, October 12, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys continue to be under threat from several fires not yet under control and growing fears that strong winds might worsen the situation.Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

125of150Buy PhotoFlames erupt off Lovall Valley Road as the Partrick Fire continue to burn slowly east of Sonoma, Calif., on Thursday, October 12, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys continue to be under threat from several fires not yet under control and growing fears that strong winds might worsen the situation.Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less126of150Buy Photo

127of150Homes leveled by the Tubbs fire line a neighborhood of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

128of150Buy PhotoA Cal Fire helicopter drops water on a smoldering area as the Partrick Fire continue to burn slowly east of Sonoma, Calif., on Thursday, October 12, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys continue to be under threat from several fires not yet under control and growing fears that strong winds might worsen the situation.Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less129of150Buy Photo

130of150Dr. Emily Putt tries to calm an anxious horse as her friend retrieves tranquilizers to administer to it as they rescue two horses for an evacuation Oct. 11, 2017 in Sonoma, Calif. Putt has been working with her friends since Monday, when the fires broke out, to rescue animals that are being threatened by the fires.Leah Millis/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

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A grove of trees near Trinity Road glows as it burns near a vineyard after a mandatory evacuation was called in the area of Glen Ellen, Calif., on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys continue to be under threat from several fires not yet under control and growing fears that strong winds might worsen the situation.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less132of150

133of150Two police officers direct a motorist to return at a road closure at Madrone Road after a mandatory evacuation was called in the area of Glen Ellen, Calif., on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys continue to be under threat from several fires not yet under control and growing fears that strong winds might worsen the situation.Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

134of150Off. Richard Quintana and fellow California Highway Patrol officers go door to door urging residents to leave Sonoma, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017.Noah Berger/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less135of150

136of150John Gilson and Derek DeBendetti (left to right) try to put out a hot spot at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, Ca. on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. Gilson is Dean of Students at Cardinal Newman as well as the Varsity Women’s Soccer coach and Freshman Baseball coach. DeBanedetti is a math teacher at Cardinal Newman and the Varisty Baseball Coach. The school suffered major damages in the Tubbs Fire.Alex Washburn/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

137of150A firefighter works in a devastated neighborhood as an American flag flies from the remains of a home on Willowview Ct. off Skyview Dr. Oct. 11, 2017 in Santa Rosa, Calif.Leah Millis/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less138of150

139of150Karen Balestieri and Heidi Facciano (left to right) marvel at a pond of live koi fish which survived the Tubbs fire in the neighborhood referred to by locals as ‘old fountaingrove’ in Santa Rosa, Ca. on Wednesday, October 11, 2017.Alex Washburn/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

140of150Burned out and collapsed house along Mt Veeder Rd after flames from the Nuns fire moved through the Mt Veeder area in Napa, California, USA 11 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less141of150

142of150Fire fighters clear a downed tree from across Mt Veeder Rd after flames from the Nuns fire moved through the Mt Veeder area in Napa, California, USA 11 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

143of150Workers move historic items from the Sonoma Barracks Oct. 11, 2017 in downtown Sonoma, Calif. California State Parks decided to move the items from the Barracks and Mission San Francisco Solano as a precautionary measure as fires burned beyond the town.Leah Millis/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less144of150

145of150A primary school classroom at St. Rose School is seen with damages caused by the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Ca. on Wednesday, October 11, 2017.Alex Washburn/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

146of150Buy PhotoA firefighter works to control a fire near a bulldozer line created behind homes along Bennett Valley Road as he and other firefighters monitor it ‘s progress on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 in Santa Rosa, Calif.Lea Suzuki/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less147of150Buy Photo

148of150Fire fighting incident commanders plan for changing weather conditions along Mt Veeder road as flames from the Nuns fire continue to burn in the Mt Veeder area in Napa, California, USA 11 Oct 2017.Peter DaSilva/Special to The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less

149of150Dozens of homes and vehicles burned at the scene of the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017, as massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses.Michael Macor/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less150of150

Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties were caught up in a number of fires that killed at least 10 people and ravaged more than 1,500 homes and businesses by late Monday afternoon.

Several areas were evacuated and residents forced to take shelter as the flames moved through both residential areas and the storied vineyards that make up the Northern California Wine Country.

FIRE HELP: How you can help people affected by the North Bay fires (or get help if you are an evacuee)

Firefighting efforts were coordinated between the ground and air, as crews battled the the spread of fire due to early Monday wind gusts that reached up to 70 mph. Aerial photos showed much of that destruction as firefighters tried to fight back the flames that took over a combined 65,000 acres and counting.

Here’s a look at some of the before and after photos of the devastation in Wine Country. 

The post Earlier than-and-after pictures present devastation of Wine Nation fires appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Roy Howard Bowman, 87, and Irma Elsie Bowman, 88, were the people who settled in their community and did good without making a fuss.

“Anyone who needed a second chance, the Bowmans were their attorney,” said Felice Lechuga-Armadillo, who first met the couple as a child at the Assembly of God Church in Ukiah. “Anyone who needed help stepped forward – but quietly.”

The Bowmans were among the victims of the fires that devastated Mendocino County’s remote Redwood Valley early Monday. They were found in the burned remains of their home on Fisher Lake Drive, where they had lived since time immemorial.

Mr. Bowman served in the US Navy and was a soil analyst for the federal government before retiring. Mrs. Bowman loved to bake and was interested in everyone around her.

“Irma taught my sisters and me how to cook, how to go shopping, how to be smart with our money,” recalls Lechuga-Armadillo, who lives in Ukiah and the couple with her siblings once or twice a month for Sunday dinner. “She would also tell us to talk well about other people.”

Sylvia McGuire Nickelson met the Bowmans when she and her husband began serving in the Church in Spanish. Calmly but consistently, the elderly couple provided money for years to help build the ministry.

It went even further: money always went with the birthday and anniversary cards the Bowmans sent to Nickelson. When Nickelson’s husband was sick and Nickelson’s daughter needed tuition for school, the Bowmans wrote check after check.

“They were both beautiful, inside and out,” said Nickelson on Friday. “I just loved her.”

Earlier this year, Mr. Bowman had a stroke. The last time Mrs. Bowman spoke to Lechuga-Armadillo’s mother, she said sadly that if Roy had another stroke she would want one too – “because she didn’t want to be on this earth without him,” Lechuga Armadillo said .

Roy and Irma Bowman are survived by their sons Mark of Waco, Texas and Gary of Medford, Oregon, and several grandchildren.

John King is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron

The post Wine Nation fireplace claims lifetime of couple who beloved to assist others appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Here are 30 wine-centric experiences to enjoy this summer, from vineyard outings and winemaker dinners to virtual tastings you can do from home.

Abbot’s Passage Winery and Mercantile: Summer opening July 1, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays, 777 Madrone Road, Glen Ellen. Offering guests tastings or bottle service, shuffleboard and other games, and a Mercantile with artisanal products. Reserve a wine tasting or immersive food and wine experience. abbotspassage.com

Acumen PEAKeasy Champagne Room: Acumen Napa Valley, which is known for its Atlas Peak wines, has just opened a new speakeasy-inspired Champagne lounge at the Acumen Wine Gallery in downtown Napa, pouring top French bubbles by the glass or bottle. Open by appointment from 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and noon to 6 p.m. Fridays through Sundays at 1315 First St., Napa; acumenwine.com.

Aperture Cellars Virtual Tastings: Join the winery’s experts for a virtual tasting in the comfort of your home. Order ahead so your tasting kit arrives before the virtual tasting. aperture-cellars.com/virtual-tastings

Berryessa Gap Vineyards’ International Food & Wine Dinners: 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 14, Oct. 30, Berryessa Gap Vineyards, 27260 Highway 128, Winters. Each dinner features a Peruvian, Asian, Moroccan or Spanish cuisine experience, plus wine. Bring your own dishes, silverware and decorations for your party’s table. Individual events are $70. bit.ly/2PzjmiN

Best of the Valley Wine Tastings: Noon to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays through July 31. Silverado Resort and Spa, 1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa. Taste eight wines from select Napa wineries paired with small bites. Tickets include a welcome “bubbles” reception from 12 to 12:30 p.m. $79. bit.ly/35eeoN3

Bouchaine Vineyards Picnic and Falconry Programs: Bring a picnic from home or any restaurant, then pick up a Bouchaine wine bag, which includes a wine key, water, two logo crystal wine tumblers and a bottle each of Bouchaine’s Estate Pinot Noir and Estate Chardonnay. ($150 per couple, $25 for additional guests.) Or enjoy a falconry demonstration with master falconer Kate Marden, of West Coast Falconry, at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays through Fridasy as part of a small group or private event. The experience is $75 and includes a glass of wine. bouchaine.com

Cabernet Classic: Aug. 19-22, Meritage Resort & Spa, Napa Valley. Guests will taste and learn about some of the world’s iconic cabs from Master Sommeliers Jay Fletcher and Thomas Price, and explore the cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc, too. Find details at thepatronfoundation.org

Cardinale’s Virtual Wine and Cheese Tastings: Crafted by Cardinale’s estate chefs and selected to pair with winemaker Chris Carpenter’s mountain wines, each kit includes a set of two to four wines accompanied by an assortment of cheeses, cured meats, and a variety of seasonal small bites. $100-$150. www.exploretock.com/cardinale

Carmel-By-The-Sea Wine Walk: Sip, savor and discover the region’s premium wines. This free digital guide details exclusive and upgraded tasting experiences at 11 Carmel wine tasting rooms. Carmel-by-the-Sea: https://bit.ly/35uWoy4

C’est Si Bon  — Bastille Day at Treasure Island Wines: 1-4 p.m. July 10, 995 Ninth St., Building 201, Treasure Island, San Francisco. Featuring  live French café music and classic bistro cuisine to pair with sauvignon blanc, rosés, Pouilly Fuissé chardonnay, Burgundian pinot, and Napa bubbly. $35. Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3zlB0sT

Charles Krug Live Events: Events at the St. Helena winery at 2800 Main St. include Blue Note Napa (June to October) with concerts twice per night Fridays through Sundays featuring acts such as Brian McKnight, Tycho, Los Lobos and Pink Martini; bluenotenapa.com. Festival Napa Valley (July 16 through 25) showcases Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Lisette Oropesa, Michael Fabiano, Roberto Bolle and more; festivalnapavalley.org/. The Cameo Theater brings a drive-in movie experience to the winery on Wednesdays through September; cameocinema.com. The Sunset Cinema Series brings a variety of screenings on July 9, Aug. 6 and Sept. 3; charleskrug.com. And Nimbash, Napa Valley’s annual celebration on Sept. 11, offers art, music, local cuisine and wine; nimbusarts.org/nimbash.

Chateau St. Jean Virtual Tastings: Order a tasting kit and enjoy a virtual tasting with Chateau St. Jean’s wine educators, available by reservation from 12 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. Or head for the winery for outdoor tastings by reservation during the same hours. chateaustjean.com

Clif Family Virtual Experiences: Virtual Brunch: Enjoy farm-inspired ingredients paired with the lighter side of Clif Family wines. Tasting kit includes a rosé, a white and a red wine, three food pairings and recipes for brunch. $120-$150. Napa Valley Adventure Wine Tasting: This private gathering includes a guided tasting of Clif Family’s small production wines and hand-crafted food products, hosted by a wine educator. Kit includes one white wine, two reds and three food pairings. $120-$150. King of the Mountain Wine Tasting: This private tasting of small production wines features cabernet sauvignon from Howell Mountain Appellations of Napa Valley and three current vintages, complete with food pairings. $225-$250. https://cliffamily.com/visit/virtual-wine-tasting-experience/

Clos Du Val : This Napa winery is offering both real life and virtual tastings. The “Hirondelle House Experience” includes a winery tour and private seated tasting ($50, limited to six guests), while the “Tasting at your Table” offers a virtual tasting with a three or four-bottle tasting kit ($240 and up) to enjoy from home. 5330 Silverado Trail, Napa. www.closduval.com/Visit-Us

Contra Costa County Beer Trail: June 1-30, Contra Costa County. Explore 40+ local breweries, tap houses and beer bar restaurants, from Canyon Lakes to Danville Brewing and Epidemic Ales, try new brews and earn prizes during the month of June. https://bit.ly/3vlEedn

Cornerstone Sonoma Summer Music Series: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays in June, 23570 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. June 20, Steve Pile Band; June 27, the Henry Coopers. Free. Food, wine and other beverages available for purchase. www.cornerstonesonoma.com/

Cuvaison Estate Wines: Head for this Napa winery for intimate, in-person tastings by appointment amid lush vineyards and with panoramic views. The winery also offers virtual tasting experiences to showcase its new wines. 1221 Duhig Road, Napa.  www.cuvaison.com

Earth & Fire Wine Dinner Event: 7 p.m. June 27, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 1685 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek. Featuring a four-course dinner paired with Caymus wines. Taste and sip through a plant-forward earth menu or a land and sea fire menu, both paired with four Wagner Family wine pairings. $80-$98. www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Elevated Hike and Wine Adventure: This new hike and wine tour led by Active Wine Adventures takes guests on secluded trails, 4.5 to 6 miles long, in Napa and Sonoma, before heading to hidden wineries to taste small-production wines. $179. www.activewineadventures.com

Far Niente Family of Wineries: Get your pressing wine-related questions answered, while learning more about the wines and winery. Book a reservation for an outdoor seated tasting at the winery or a virtual tasting, with wine shipped directly to your door. 1350 Acacia Drive, Napa. www.exploretock.com/farnientewinery/

Festival Napa Valley Arts for All Gala: 5 p.m. July 18. Enjoy a lavish dinner paired with Far Niente wines at this charity event whose festivities include a powerhouse performance by Jennifer Hudson. $2,500. Other Festival Napa Valley 2021 events include performances and dinners July 13-25 at Napa Valley wineries and other venues. https://festivalnapavalley.org

Flowers Vineyards & Winery’s Indefinite Virtual Tasting Experiences: Offering 30-minute daily virtual tastings of pinot noir or estate flights, or you can customize a tasting with your favorite Flowers wines.  www.flowerswinery.com/virtual-tastings/

Frank Family Vineyards Fourth of July BBQ Bash: July 3, 1091 Larkmead Lane, Calistoga. Celebrate Independence Day and the winery’s 28th anniversary alongside barbecue specialist and backyard pitmaster Jack Arnold, who will host a Zoom cooking demonstration at 2 p.m. The event includes expert wine pairings and recipes, so you’ll want to purchase both Frank Family wines and wagyu steak packages ahead of time. $235-$435. www.frankfamilyvineyards.com/events

Gloria Ferrer Virtual Tastings: This Sonoma Valley winery offers private, virtual tasting experiences with wine educators, who sip along with you through a selection of Gloria Ferrer wines. You can taste with just your household or invite friends to join in via Zoom. The Trio of Sparkling Wine & Chocolate Pairing experience ($115), for example, includes three bottles of sparkling wine and a 12-piece box of chocolate truffles. Details: www.gloriaferrer.com.

Hess Collection: Enjoy an interactive virtual experience or an outdoor tasting at the winery, with  a dedicated host to guide you. Reservations required. 4411 Redwood Road, Napa. www.hesscollection.com

Inman Family Wines: Patio tastings are held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the winery located at 3900 Piner Road in Santa Rosa. In addition to patio tastings, you can enjoy a number of virtual wine tasting events. www.inmanfamilywines.com/Visit-Us/Events

J. Lohr Vineyards Virtual Tastings: This San Jose and Paso Robles winery has launched private virtual tastings for J. Lohr aficionados. Order a four-pack of wine ($130 and up), then pop the cork for the one-hour tasting session held Wednesday through Sunday. Order the wines and make reservations via jlohr.com/virtual-tastings.

J Vineyards & Winery: Virtual tastings noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Choose your favorites for a custom flight, explore a new collection or take a deep look at a single wine through the years. www.jwine.com/bespoke-virtual-tastings

JCB Live Happy Hour: Indoor and outdoor experiences are available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday by appointment, as well as online. JCB Live Happy Hour sessions will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and at 4 p.m. Saturday through September. 6505 Wshington St., Yountville. https://jcbcollection.com/

Jordan Winery Events: Paris on the Terrace Noon Thursdays-Sundays through Aug. 29 and Oct. 1-17. Enjoy classic Parisian bistro fare with a California twist, including Jordan Garden crudité, a salad of Jordan Garden greens, charcuterie and cheese platter and dessert, paired with Jordan Cuvée by Champagne AR Lenoble and other Jordan wines. The winery also offers a library tasting, an estate tour and tasting, a winery dinner in July and August and more. 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg. https://www.jordanwinery.com/

Justin Vineyards & Winery: Outdoor tastings at the estate and downtown tasting rooms, as well as lunch and dinner reservations are now available. Prefer to sip from home? The winery is also  offering interactive virtual tastings led by certified sommeliers. Estate winery, 11680 Chimney Rock Road, Paso Robles; Downtown tasting room, 811 12th St., Paso Robles. www.justinwine.com

Keller Estate Road Rallies: This Petaluma winery has plotted three different, summery road trips from the East Bay and the South Bay to the winery that include a “rally kit” shipped ahead of time, a winery tour and a tasting served with salad and Argentine-style empanadas. $150. Find details at www.kellerestate.com/Visit/Hit-the-road, and reserve your spot at least a week ahead by emailing customercare@kellerestate.com.

Kendall Jackson Wine Estate Garden Dinner Series: Through October. These alfresco feasts, each with a different theme, showcase Kendall Jackson’s wines and estate garden’s fresh produce prepared by the winery’s gardeners and chefs. $135-$180. Kendall Jackson Wine Estate, 5007 Fulton Road, Fulton; www.kj.com/events/farm-table-dinner-series

Landmark Vineyards Sensory Tasting Experience: Guests will learn about all the sensory aspects of enjoying wine and how to identify and appreciate all the elements within the glass. After the guided tour, enjoy a selection of four Landmark wines paired with artisan cheeses, hand selected by winemaker Greg Stach. $85. 101 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood; Landmark Reservations.

Larkmead Estate Tastings: Open for outdoor estate tastings at the winery, as well as virtual tastings from home. Tasting fee ranges from $45-$95. Reservations required. 1100 Larkmead Lane, Calistoga. www.larkmead.com/pages/visit/

Lobster Feed in the Vineyards: 7-10 p.m. July 23, Hannah Nicole Vineyards & Winery, 6700 Balfour Road, Brentwood. Enjoy music, dancing, wine and and steaming pots of lobster, prawns, artichokes and more. $140-$150. Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3goWQmQ

Longevity Tastings: Now open for outdoor wine tastings on the covered patio and lawn from 1 to 6 p.m. Fridays and noon to 5 pm. weekends. If you prefer to taste from home, Longevity is also offering private virtual wine tasting experiences for you and your group. 2271 S. Vasco Road, Livermore. https://www.longevitywines.com/

Markham Napa Valley Vineyards Virtual Party: Outdoor tastings have returned with a variety of options, including wine and potato chip pairings, as well as virtual vineyard fly overs. 2812 St. Helena Hwy North, St. Helena. https://markhamvineyards.com/visit/

Meritage Resort Vista Collina Summer Events: Red, White & Rosé, noon-8 p.m. July 4. Guests can enjoy barbecue by chef Vincent Lesage, wine and cocktails, while the kids participate in activities including bubble fun and glitter tattoos from 1-4 p.m. https://bit.ly/2TKLDoK; Lobster Feed, 6-9 p.m. Aug. 14. This fork-free evening pairs wines and brews from the Vista Collina tasting rooms with lobsters, prawns, artichokes, corn and sourdough baguettes. Enjoy your meal outdoors, with a live bluegrass band providing tunes. $215. Adults only. https://bit.ly/3vbbd3g

Monochrome: Enjoy an outdoor seated wine tasting by appointment with owner/winemaker Dave McGee as you learn about Monochrome, the wines and winemaking style. $20. Free virtual tastings are also available. 3075 Blue Rock Road, Paso Robles. https://monochromewines.com/

Murphy-Goode Winery Tasting Lounge: This just-reopened tasting room is offering wine flights, paired cheese and charcuterie boards, pool and shuffleboard. Noon-6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. 241 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. $10-$25. Tock: www.exploretock.com/murphygoodewinery

Napa Valley Tasting Barn: This family owned tasting room is offering wine tasting flights by appointment, along with a seasonal food menu. In-person tastings 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Monday. Private virtual tastings also available. 1021 Atlas Peak Road, Napa. www.primesolum.com/

Newsome Harlow Wines: Join the virtual tastings with this Sierra Foothills winery every Wednesday, alternating between happy hour with winemaker Scott Klannour and a guest and virtual tastings. www.nhvino.com/visit/

ONX: This Paso Robles winery and tasting room have reopened for tastings of current releases and library selections by appointment only. Virtual tastings are still available as well. 2910 Limestone Way, Paso Robles. www.onxwine.com/

Page Mill Winery: Livermore winemaker Dane Stark is offering Virtual Twilight Tastings on Facebook on the first  Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. The tasting benefits a different charity each time, with 10 percent of gross sales from the start of the virtual tasting to close of business on Friday going to that week’s organization. www.pagemillwinery.com/twilight-tastings

Parallel Napa Valley: Visit the Napa Valley winery for private tasting experiences by appointment, or book a private online tasting. Brasswood Napa Valley, 3125 St. Helena Highway North (highway 29), St. Helena. www.parallelwines.com/tastings

Passalacqua Winery Virtual Wine Tasting: Taste through Passalacqua’s small-lot handcrafted wines outdoors under the redwood trees by appointment, or reserve a virtual wine tasting session from home. 3805 Lambert Bridge Road, Healdsburg. https://passalacquawinery.com/

Priest Ranch Wines: This Yountville tasting room is offering a wide range of outdoor tasting experiences ($15-$50) that include a new Bubbles & Caviar Tasting, a Bacon & Wine Experience and more. 6490 Washington St., Yountville. Find details and make reservations at www.priestranchwines.com.

Quilt & Co.: This downtown Napa tasting room and wine lounge is currently open for outdoor seating. Enjoy a glass, tasting or bottle in a heated tent. Open noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, and noon-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Virtual wine tastings also available.  https://quiltandco.com

Rombauer Hour, Virtual Wine Tasting: Visit and taste wines at the winery’s Napa Valley and Sierra Foothills tasting rooms, as friendly, knowledgeable hosts guide you through a tasting by appointment. Virtual wine tasting sessions are also available. Napa Valley, 3522 Silverado Trail North, St. Helena. Sierra Foothills, 12225 Steiner Road, Plymouth. www.rombauer.com/

Secrets of Aging Cabernet with Mark Oldman and Chappellet: 7:30 p.m. July 8. During this virtual mini-master class on aging wine, guests will taste two vintages of the Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon and discuss aging characteristics and qualities that add cellar value. Free. Bevinars: https://bit.ly/3gEThcb

Silver Trident Winery: This Yountville winery is offering two tasting experiences, Perfect Pairing and a Potato Chip Extravaganza, each beginning with a complimentary splash of Rosé of Pinot Noir. Prefer to sip at home? They’re also offering virtual tastings. 6495 Washtington St., Yountville.  www.silvertridentwinery.com

Summer Wine Celebration: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m. July 24, ZD Wines, 8383 Silverado Trail, Napa. This fete, which benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of Napa Valley, features wine, live music and fare from Di Filippo’s wood-fired pizza food truck and Kona Ice. $100. Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3pIaRjI

Takara Sake Virtual Sake Tasting: Takara tasting room manager Mika Tsuchiiwa will lead a Zoom class from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursdays. Tasting kits ($50) include five bottles of various types of sake, detailed charts and descriptive sheets. Register in advance for home delivery or pick up at Takara Sake, 708 Addison St., Berkeley. www.takarasake.com

Taste of Terroir Wine Dinner Series: This series of four wine dinners ($135-$160) includes a Pinot Noir Harvest Dinner and a Premier Cruz Dinner featuring hard-to-get wines from the region. The series opener will be at 5 p.m. June 27 for Heart of the Santa Cruz Mountain, followed by Elevated Wines of the Santa Cruz Summit at 6 p.m. July 24, Pinot Noir Harvest Dinner at 5 p.m. Aug. 29, and Premier Cruz at 5 p.m. Nov. 6. Tickets: https://bit.ly/2P6asJT

Thirsty Thursday: 5-8 p.m. July 1, Aug. 5. Hannah Nicole Vineyards & winery, 6700 Balfour Road, Brentwood. Enjoy music, wine and food on the first Thursday of every month. Ticket includes a meal, live music and a glass of wine or beer. Additional drinks available for purchase. $25-$30. https://bit.ly/2U0ViI7

Vinyl + Wine: 5-8 p.m. first Friday of the month from July through October, Farm at Carneros, 4048 Sonoma Hwy, Napa. Featuring music curated by executive chef Aaron Meneghelli from his personal vinyl collection, alongside sips from Napa and Sonoma wineries, raw bar station and seasonal small bites. https://carnerosresort.com/events/vinyl-wine-1

Wine Women Fundraiser: 5-7 p.m. July 14, Raymond Vineyards, 1584 Saint Helena Highway, St. Helena. This fifth annual benefit features live music, hor d’oeuvres and a talk by Maureen Downey, an authority on wine fraud, counterfeit wine and fine wine authentication. $100. https://bit.ly/35fj2KK

WineaPAWlooza: 5 p.m. June 19. This year’s virtual fundraiser features rare, handcrafted wines from more than 50 famed vintners and winemakers, and a live auction of 12 lots led by auctioneer Fritz Hatton.  $250-$25,000. https://bit.ly/2Ts0TqJ

Wine.com Experiences: Experience wine edu-tainment as you taste wines and talk to top winemakers and wine-loving celebrities, chefs and critics. Buy the wines ahead of time to get the full tasting experience. www.wine.com/content/landing/virtual-tastings?s

California Zinfandel Trail: ZAP, the ZInfandel Advocate and Producers association, has just launched a California zin-centric trail website with wine-tasting itineraries that include a Bay Area urban wine crawl and a Gold Country weekend jaunt, plus links to virtual winery experiences. Details: https://zinfandeltrail.com

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“I’m there [in San Francisco] nearly every year. I would like to retire there, ”he said and laughingly added,“ retire in the most expensive city ”.

The Cabrillo, the theater Harry owns in foggy Richmond, has seen better days, and his girlfriend, the practical Dana, wants him to sell it and they get out of town and go somewhere else. However, Harry really left his heart in the city.

He explained, “Harry is a pretty nostalgic guy and doesn’t want to let go of the past. Willy-nilly. These things seem to have something to do with his reluctance to push many things. ”

At the heart of the book is an “inconsistent up and down romance,” he explained.

Janjigian draws lively characters who are stuck in the midst of serious decisions. When asked where his characters come from, he referred to another writer, Jhumpa Lahiri, who had said in an interview that “she had no idea how this process worked and it just happened”.

He continued, “I would agree with that. For this novel at least, it started when I was living in San Francisco and really, really loved this movie theater and the San Francisco neighborhood. This cinema still exists in the Richmond neighborhood today. ”
Ken_Janjigian

In fact, the Cabrillo in the Richmond neighborhood seems to be inspired by the Balboa Theater in the same neighborhood, showing quirky films in beautiful surroundings.

Not only the main character and his circle are in love with the Beat writers; consider Janjigian a fan. “I got introduced to the Beats by a film professor and attended some avant-garde film courses at Clark [University in Worcester]. The whole environment was strange. I hadn’t read any beats or [Jack] Kerouac until he had us read On the Road in conjunction with a film called ‘Heartbeat’ based on the autobiography of Carolyn Cassady, wife of beat writer Neal Cassady.

(“Heart Beat” explores the love triangle of real-life characters Neal Cassady, Jack Kerouac and Carolyn Cassady in the late 1950s and 1960s. It shows Kerouac, who writes his groundbreaking novel On the Road, and its impact on their lives.)

Since then, he said, he has “tried to investigate the beats’ flaws, including the shortage of women”.

Nevertheless, by writing, he can still come close to this ideal. “Writing enables me to explore these lives,” he noted.

“I admire this bohemian way of life, but I like a bit of comfort,” he said with a laugh. “They usually have a much more interesting life.”

Janjigian added another piece of himself to the book: Gephyrophobia, the fear of bridges. It’s one that has been a part of Janjigian’s life for years.

“Like many writers, I use that fear and fear,” he said. And did he think that if he wrote about it, would he be able to master it? “That would have been the ultimate goal to drive it out.”

“Interestingly, when I was living in town and working at the Depot Bookstore in Marin County. I shuttled back and forth across that [Golden Gate] Bridge five days a week for over two years and had no problems. I didn’t have a phobia, ”he recalls. Slowly: “I had a little nervousness that began to develop over some high bridges.”

As he and his wife moved to Maryland over time, the phobia came with a vengeance. “When my wife and I moved to Maryland, my wife and I were walking across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and I was absolutely scared,” he recalls.

“I just really, really avoid high bridges,” he added.

Life during the pandemic

The pandemic made a huge difference in Janjigian’s life. First, a small book tour with stops in Boston and San Francisco was canceled, and second, because of the free time, Janjigian was able to write a screenplay about Kerouac, like his protagonist Harry, “in a case in which he imitates art” ”and a novel.

He explained, “I started doing this right after the novel was published in November. I started writing in December and am currently working through the final draft. It’s called ‘Kerouac’. We’ll see how it goes from here. ”

He added: “I wrote a novel, Confluence in Café Zürich, which is about the character Jackson and a previous theft. which is alluded to in A Cerebral Offer. ”

Janjigian had some advice for aspiring writers. “I subscribe to Hemingway’s simple advice: Travel. It forces you to meet other people and experience different things. It’s the greatest a writer can have. ”

The other piece of the puzzle is writing every day. “I never write. When I sit down to write, I always write something. It is whether it is a holder or not. Even if it’s only half an hour, it’s important to keep this rhythm. ”

Janjigian was born and raised in Massachusetts. He lived in Watertown with his family before moving to Belmont and graduating from Belmont High School. He attended Clark University in Worcester and later did his Masters at Leslie University in Cambridge.

“I was just finishing my degree at Leslie University and teaching full time,” he said. The expat’s life tickled him. So he decided to take some of the courses to complete his studies at St. John’s University in Rome.

He remembered his year living near the beach outside Rome: “I loved it. It was fantastic. I would have stayed longer if I had had the opportunity. ”

“I met my wife in 2005 and we moved here [to Washington, DC] 2009 for her job. She is a scientist who works for the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, ”he said.

They tried to move to San Francisco but failed and decided to go where the jobs were.

Janjigian is now Associate Dean of American University. He oversaw the founding and launch of the English Language and Training Academy (ELTA). Before joining the AU in 2012, he taught at UMBC, Northeastern, and the Institute for English Language at Harvard University. At Brandeis University, he helped launch their ESL pathway program.

He has published two other books, Gone West (collection of short stories), Defending Infinity (novel), in addition to A Cerebral Offer.

He and his wife live with their three cats.

To purchase A Cerebral Offer, go to Amazon or visit https://www.spdbooks.org/Products/9781604892581/a-cerebral-offer.aspx

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