Celebrating at City View: Favorites from The Wine and Spirits Top 100 Tasting

26th Annual Buying Guide for 2012 Wine and Spirits Top 100 Tasting

Back on October 17, we had the extreme pleasure of attending the 2012 Wine and Spirits Top 100 Tasting at City View at the Metreon. This special event honored wineries from around the world that delivered the best overall performance in Wine & Spirits Tastings throughout the year.  These Top 100 Wineries, and their Top Scoring Wines, are profiled in the Wine & Spirits 26th Annual Buying Guide (now available for purchase).

When there is a wine and food event based on the top 100 wineries according to Wine & Spirits magazine, and each winery brings at least two wines to pour, you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a great time. The rooftop patio overlooking downtown San Francisco and the great weather were just bonuses this year.

The bar was set pretty high, but we’ve listed below some wines that we felt were tasting particularly well that night and we encourage you to seek them out.  

Favorite Champagnes and Sparkling Wines at 2012 Wine and Spirits Top 100 Tasting

  • Diebolt-Vallois Brut RoseBruno Paillard (Reims, France) – 1996 Champagne Brut N.P.U., Champagne Brut Première Cuvée
  • Diebolt-Vallois (Cramant, France) – Champagne Brut Rosé
  • Dom Pérignon (Champagne, France) – 2003 Champagne Brut
  • Louis Roederer (Reims, France) – 2004 Champagne Brut Cristal
  • Roederer Estate (Philo, California) – 2003 Anderson Valley L’Ermitage

Favorite White Wines at Top 100 Tasting

  • Rudi Pichler Gruner VeltlinerDomaine de la Pépière (Loire, France) – 2009 Muscadet Granite de Clisson
  • Domaine William Fevre (Chablis, France) – 2008 Grand Cru Bougros
  • Dr. Loosen (Mosel, Germany) – 2010 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Grosses Gewachs
  • Hermann J. Wiemer (Dundee, New York) – 2010 HJW Vineyard Dry Riesling, 2011 Late Harvest Riesling
  • Rudi Pichler (Wachau, Austria) – 2010 Wösendorfer Kollmütz Grüner Veltliner Smaragd
  • Domaine Weinbach (Kayserberg, France) – 2009 Alsace Altenbourg Pinot Gris

Favorite Red Wines at Top 100 Tasting

  • Bergström Wines (Newberg, Oregon) – 2010 Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2010 Bergstrom Vineyard Pinot Noir
  • Bodega Catena Zapata (Mendoza, Argentina) – 2008 Nicolás Catena Zapata
  • Bouchard Père & Fils (Beaune, France) – 2006 Beaune Grèves 1er Cru Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus
  • Concha y Toro (Santiago, Chile) – 2008 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Cristom (Salem, Oregon) – 2008 Sommers Reserve Pinot Noir
  • d’Arenberg (McLaren Vale, Australia) – 2010 The Blewitt Springs Grenache
  • DeLoach Vineyards (Santa Rosa, California) – 2009 OFS Zinfandel
  • Drew Family Cellars (Philo, California) – 2010 Perli Vineyard Syrah
  • Henschke (Keyneton, Australia) – 2008 Barossa Keyneton Euphorium
  • Lange Pinot NoirLange Estate Winery and Vineyards (Dundee, Oregon) – 2009 Lange Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir
  • Moric (Burgenland, Austria) – 2009 Moric Reserve Blaufränkisch
  • Produttori del Barbaresco (Barbaresco, Italy) – 2007 Barbaresco, 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Mincagota
  • Robert Craig Winery (Napa, California) – 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
  • St. Innocent Winery (Salem, Oregon) –  2010 Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2010 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir
  • Tenuta delle Terre Nere (Randazzo, Italy) – 2009 Etna Rosso Santo Spirito, 2010 Etna Rosso Calderara
  • von Strasser Winery (Calistoga, California) – 2008 Post Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Williams Selyem (Healdsburg, California) – 2009 Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2010 Westside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir

Oustanding Food at 2012 Wine and Spirits Top 100 Tasting

In addition to great wine, the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting featured selected “New and Notable” restaurants and food purveyors from the Bay Area. Based on what we tried at the Tasting, we definitely want more food from (and suggest you also check out) the following:

Seckle Pear Marmalade on Point Reyes Brown Butter Walnut Shortbread at 2012 Wine and Spirits Top 100 Tasting

Seckle Pear Marmalade on Brown Butter Walnut Shortbread from Burritt Room + Tavern

Burritt Room + Tavern served Cabernet and Port Seckle Pear Marmalade on Point Reyes Brown Butter Walnut Shortbread, topped with some Sausalito Springs Watercress. The combination was outstanding. Located at Mystic Hotel in San Francisco, the Burritt Room + Tavern is part of the Charlie Palmer Group. If you are so inclined, they offer a Burritt Room Burger at lunch or late night, and there is also a craft-your-own-burger option during lunch, weekdays only.  417 Stockton Street, San Francisco (415-400-0561)

Chile Lindo was serving warm and tasty Empanadas (their house speciality) throughout the evening. The Beef, Chicken, and Chilanga (Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheeses with Jalapeño) Empanadas make us wish we spent more time in the Mission, where this Chilean Delicatessan and Coffee Shop is located. Chile Lindo offers home-style cooking based on top quality ingredients (such as Niman Ranch beef and cage free eggs in their beef empanadas) and they even offer delivery services.  2944 16th Street, San Francisco (415-621-6108)

Haven offered a small plate of Braised Baby Pig Cheeks with Dirty Girl Beans and Citrus that was simply (and sinfully) delicious. The third restaurant from the Daniel Patterson Group, this new Californian restaurant is in Jack London’s Square. In addition to the regular menu here, they also offer a “Market Menu,” a spontaneously-created menu served family-style for the whole table inspired by the Chef’s daily trip to the farmer’s market.  44 Webster Street, Oakland (510-663-4440)

Truffles from Socola Chocolatier

Truffles from Socola Chocolatier

Sôcôla Chocolatier presented a stellar finish to the evening with handmade truffles. Their Pumpkin Burnt Caramel Truffles were flavorful, balanced, and truly special. The quality of ingredients and expert technique of Sôcôla also came through on their Sriracha Flying Rooster Truffles (if you like Sriracha, you definitely need to try one of these). Started by sisters Susan and Wendy Lieu, Sôcôla Chocolatier has an online store, and also offer corporate or custom gifts (some of their other usual flavors include Stout, Jasmine Tea, and Guava).  No storefront, but a pop-up store at DarTealing Lounge, 470 Third Street, San Francisco (415-484-6686)

As an alternative to all the wine and champagne, Maven was offering a crisp and bracing cocktail called “The Original Whisperer.” Made up of Vya Whisper Dry, Lillet, Orgeat, Lemon, Chili, and Smoke, this concoction was pretty darn good. Located in the Lower Haight, Maven offers cocktails, wines and beers with delicious small plates in harmony. They also have a weekend brunch menu which includes Hazelnut Bluberry Crumb Cake, Southern Style Eggs Benedict (with Tasso Ham and Collard Greens), Souffled Pancakes (with Calvados Applesauce and Cinnamon) and Blue Bottle Coffee.  598 Haight Street, San Francisco (415-829-7982)

All in all, the 2012 Wine and Spirits Top 100 Tasting Event in San Francisco was a spectacular evening and we can’t wait for next year’s production, their 10th.

 


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