The Iron Chevsky Wine Blog

Some days aren't about the destination. They're about the people who share the journey. A simple plan: coffee in San Francisco, wine in the Russian River Valley, and seafood in Healdsburg. We started in Jackson Square at Loveski , a neighborhood café and deli that's become a favorite breakfast stop for my friend, who lives just around the corner. While the menu ranges from house-smoked fish, breakfast dishes and sandwiches to pastries, we kept it simple with coffee. A compact in-house roaster sits just steps from the espresso bar, making the place feel more like a craftsman's workshop than a café. Next door, Maison Nico reminded me why French cuisine is as much about craftsmanship as flavor.  We shared buttery croissants, brioche, madeleines and caramelized canelés while admiring one of the most beautiful displays of pâté en croûte, duck pithiviers, terrines and Beef Wellington I've seen in the Bay Area. We were saving room for lunch, which made it an easy decisi...

This interview conducted by Millbrae Community TV with yours truly at the Millbrae Arts & Wine Festival aired live on September 3, 2011 on local Bay Area cable. The topic of conversation was "Pairing wine with Chinese cuisines".

Kosta Browne just shipped their 2009 allocations. I normally ignore domestics. But this time a friend brought a bottle of Sonoma Coast to try. I was impressed. Soft tannins, sensuous mouth-feel, elegant, medium body that doesn't overwhelm the palate yet delivers plenty of flavor, subtle spice, not as acidic or earthy as Burgundy, but not as sweet, fruity, or alcoholic-tasting like a typical domestic. At under $60, one of the best California Pinots I've had. Here is a pairing tip for you -- toss green salad, add balsamic vinegar and some dry berries, and pair it with American Pinot Noir.  Enjoy!

I haven't been to Bott tastings in months . Busy at work, not into Ross' recent wine themes, whatever the excuses. But this time, I decided to come on the spur of the moment because Craig Haserot was pouring his culty Sojourn wines. I'd met Craig before at a friends-only Burgundy dinner. Him being a huge Burgundy buff gives him hell of a lot of credibility pitching his Sonoma Pinots. So I came. The place was packed, Craig larger than life dude, imposing both physically and in personality. To celebrate such a cool guest, we had 2 pre-flights, all Cabs, some from Bordeaux, some from California. 1982 Chateau Lynch-Bages (legendary Bordeaux Grand Cru) and 1982 Diamond Creek "Red Rock Terrace" Cab (venerable Napa Valley stalwart) were noteworthy, but hardly exciting. As an aside, I have a love/hate affair with blind tastings (which Ross' always are). Case in point: blind - I preferred Diamond Creek, but when unveiled - I liked Lynch-Bages. Go ahead, raise eye-brow...

Vineyard Gate customers asked me what wines would pair with buffalo wings. As the answer did not roll off my tongue, I posted the question to the fans on our facebook fan page , and suggestions like Zinfandel and Champagne were made. Indeed, Zin is a quintessential American wine (yes, I know it actually originates from Croatia, and is a genetic equivalent of the Italian primitivo grape) - big, fruity, sweet (to my palate), alcoholic, obvious - a great match for American palate and American food in general - burgers and bbq ribs, so why not buffalo wings?! As for Champagne, I wasn't so sure, but after the experience described below, I do now see the wisdom of pairing wings with an off-dry sparkling wine. Armed with those suggestions, I went a step further. I had a couple of unfinished bottles of fruity, sweetish, alcoholic California Pinot from the Vineyard Gate tasting last night, and this being a Sunday, it occurred to me - why not get some wings and put the Pinot to good use whi...

Gary Vaynerchuk is #18 on the list of top 50 most influential men of 2009 on askmen.com . That makes it official - he is famous! Congrats Gary - you are the beacon of the iPod wine generation! As I settled to read up Gary's list of accomplishments, very quickly I got distracted by the images of beautiful women with perfect shapes and enlarged bosoms, featured on the same page right next to Gary. Getting seduced, leafing through the galleries of Kim Kardashian and Lucy Pinder, my mind drifted to yesterday's tasting at Vineyard Gate, where we featured Pinot Noir from around the world. The wines from several sub-regions of Oregon, California, and France took center stage, to be compared side-by-side. Of all domestics sold at the wine shop, Pinot is perhaps the most popular. Both California and Oregon do well. Yesterday's Cali Pinots (all from Domaine Chandon, primarily known for their sparklers) were between 14.5% and 15.5% alcohol, fairly thick on the palate, loaded with car...