Category: Tour/Experience
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Ritual dinner with Nacho Manzano
Another Ritual dinner. Andrea had to work so I went solo. I was particularly interested in this one since the chef was from Asturias, where my late cunado was from. The venue was a beautiful gallery space in SoMa. Food was Spanish and Asturian including a very elevated fabada which we remember well when eating…
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Ritual dinner with Alex Atala
What to do after we’ve eaten at every Michelin star restaurant in SF…I’d been receiving emails from Ritual since last September and their concept was intriguing, but for awhile we still had plenty of restaurants to try. Ritual brings in some of the top chefs from all over the world to a private venue in…
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Pride Mountain Vineyards
Our first wine tasting at Pride since before the pandemic started. We decided to do the Reserve tasting this time around which is a newer offering. Always a fantastic job by Andy to take care of us. The other couples were a lot of fun, both of whom were newbies at Pride. Turns out we…
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Croix Estate Winery
We’re chilling up in Guerneville. It’s Sunday. We’re wine tasting at one of our favorite wineries (social distancing appropriately of course).
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Château Fonplegade
Another great private tasting experience at Chateau Fonplegade (“fountain of plenty”), a beautiful estate and winery in St. Emilion. The tour including a ride up into the vineyards. I asked a lot of questions all of which or gracious hostess Fanny thoroughly answered. A lot of classy in the soil which is ideal for Merlot.…
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Chateau Tour Saint Christophe
Private tasting workshop with Sara, who was very friendly and knowledgeable. Tasted a 2012-2016 vertical. Liked it so much we ended up joining their wine club.
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Chateau Mouton Rothschild
2.5 hour tour and tasting at Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, one of the famed first growth chateaus (also, this “chateau” has no castle, which was potentially one of the reasons it was not originally classified as a first growth under the 1855 classification, but only much later in 1973). Tour/tasting fee is on the pricey side, 65…
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Chateau Lascombes
Second growth winemaker. More Merlot based than typical Margaux wine – 2013 vintage we tasted was 48/48/4 of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit verdot. Couple different things they do… They use dry ice to do cold maceration to slow down/delay the fermentation… The wheels on the storage system for the barrels allowed them to stir the lees by…
