I’m taking a few days in Napa for the wine writer’s symposium. Inside the cellars the blackberries and I-phones don’t work. We’re on our own, just like in the good ‘ol days. Lots of storytelling going on, so nothing to worry about.
Wolfgang Weber, the Wine & Spirits Italian Wine Guru, snuck some Movia into the Trinchero barrel room, as an aperitivo. Before long, bloggers Eric Asimov, Tyler Coleman and Alder Yarrow were coming by for a sniff or a sip. Poor Alder, Wolf didn’t see him before the bottle was empty. Alder was talking to another symposium attendee, coincidentally about Movia, when they looked down the table and saw a bottle that looked strangely familiar.Wolfgang also brought a stellar bottle of 2002 Calera Reed Pinot Noir. As if we didn’t have enough to drink at the table, with wines supplied by the Napa Valley Vintners. But we wine bloggers are a greedy and avaricious lot. Why have 15 wines when you can have 17?
Earlier in the day one of the seminars was about breaking the news with Cyril Penn, Corie Brown and the venerable Frank Prial. I had just had lunch with Frank and we shared stories about Old Napa Valley, old wines and young Beaujolais. To sit with someone whose writing has recharged me over the years was a righteous treat.
Speaking of treats, the chickpea fries with Romesco sauce at Ubuntu in Napa is right up there for Best of in 2009. Maybe I should do a Best Chickpea Fries post. Something to ponder.
While we're schlepping our Best Of’s, the hanging duck and bacon at Koi Palace in Daly City was our Sunday entertainment, as we made our way through the Dim Sum service. San Francisco is a Mecca for Chinese food and Koi Palace is a landmark for dim sum.
We mommy blogged our way through the City on Sunday, stopping in Japan town for some tea and chimes and then finally to Biondivino. Ceri Smith was there with an open bottle of Frappato and a fancy heater-guitar gizmo. Biondivino is a great stop along the Italian wine trail, and Ceri’s knowledge of Italian wine is only surpassed by her infectious enthusiasm. There is a future in America for Italian wine and folks like Ceri are the reason.And of course along with the better angels of our nature we also have to tag the bad boys. Everybody loves the bad boy, and these two are doing their part to make the world a better place for Italian wines. Thanks, gents.
It has been a long day and thus my mommy blog will have to suffice for the time being. More later when I get a breath.