The Iron Chevsky Wine Blog

I don’t feel the urge to write about every great meal anymore. It usually takes something that genuinely moves me — something that lingers well after the night ends. This dinner did that. The food, the wines, the people, and the ease with which it all came together made it one of those rare experiences. Long after the plates were cleared and the last glasses emptied, it was clear this was a night I’d remember for a very long time. I’ve been to a lot of great dinners over the years. Some were extravagant, some were historic, some were just plain fun. This one has to rank at or near the very top — not because it was planned to be legendary, but because it became legendary almost by accident. The caliber of the wines, the quality of the cooking, and how well the pairings actually worked pushed this into rare territory. And the best part is that none of it felt like a show-off. It was the right group, the right energy, and our familiar Domaine-du-Chevsky potluck format — where everyone br...

Third year in a row I attended Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of the Year event, and it always strikes me in one peculiar way -- if you want to know which profession all the pretty ladies go into, look no further - wine trade clearly. Not sure if this attracts me to the wine or distracts me from it... But W&S Top 100 has got to be the best looking assembly of well-dressed, super-friendly female professionals in the Bay Area! Now, as far as wine, a lot of tasty treats await one here, accompanied by mouth-watering bites from the best eateries from around the Bay. This is where I confirm my perennial faves, and open my buds up to new ones. This time around, I really enjoyed Diamond Creek - one of the oldest and best regarded wineries in Napa (since 1968) focusing exclusively on Cabernet Sauvignon, with the delightfully sprightly founder-owner Boots Brounstein (see in the photo below). I had tried their cabs once or twice before, and I was impressed with almost an old-wo...

These days with baby Evan, I find less time to get out for fancy dinners, much less document them. Fortunately, I found a few minutes to sit down and rave about my friend Scott's mouth-watering paella feast from Friday night. The dinner started with tapas, which paired well with one of Italia's top white wines - Marisa Cuomo "Fiorduva" 2006 - a supreme expression of three (unheard-of) indigenous grapes (30% Fenile, 30% Ginestra and 40% Ripoli) from Furore on the Amalfi Coast of Campania. A fitting description from K&L website : "Fresh, like the sea, the wine envelops with lemony zip on the nose and notes of apricot and tropical fruit with hints of ocean air that continue from the bouquet onto the honeyed and floral palate." There is plenty of acidity and body. Italy's answer to white Burgundy? (How dare I?!!!) The 2006 is drinking with elegance, matching well the gorgeous tapas - padrons, red peppers with fried garlic vinaigrette, shrimps with lem...