Woo-hoo! After many years of wishing and pondering on making beer, and after many weeks of first brewing, then doing all the necessary follow up work (tasting, nibs/vanilla bean additions, kegging, etc.), the 4-year veteran of homebrewing and friend of mine, Jeff Patterson, who helped me brew my first beer in Pleasant Hill, CA and myself finished up the process and bottled a Robust Chocolate Porter (with hints of vanilla). The whole process has been amazing, and has taught me firsthand that making beer is mostly about sanitation (think: "Glorified Janitor" as job description), with a generous dose of waiting, sprinkled with as liberal-as-practical amounts of beer drinking and rapping about our favorite beers and breweries, and then somewhere in there is a light fairy dusting of actual brewing and fermenting the beer itself..(oh, and the shopping for ingredients! Much fun in and of itself-like when you were a kid planning your big adventures on paper..).
  So how did it turn out? We were pleased. It was a beer that I would want to drink myself, and that's what I wished for at the beginning.  It was as good, if not better, than I expected. Ten gallons were brewed, and we each took half. Jeff will be bringing the beer to the 34th Annual National Homebrewers Conference (www.ahaconference.org/) June 21-23rd in Seattle, WA; wish Jeff the best with it! As for public reaction so far, I've sampled it for my co-workers at my restaurant (Mankas Corner in Suisun Valley, where I'm behind the bar), as well as for my partner Lynn, and the response has been very solid and positive. It's rich, dark, chocolatey and tastes great by itself, and with some good dark chocolate! We look forward to brewing this beer again soon, but first will be tackling an organic, caramel-amber Rye, with some mild aromatic hops to it. Looking forward to that. Cheers!

As a teenager, I visited the arcade religiously. Meeting up with other gamers or playing through the new and old was (and sometimes still is..) a regular pastime. During that time, Street Fighter was the big game. Lines of people, everyone with their own character that they were devoted to (8 choices were available) played or waited to play. This is one of the famous games of Kenzo Tsujimoto, the proprietor of game company Capcom and now, Kenzo Estate on Monticello Road, 15 minutes east of downtown Napa.
Arriving at the gate, and driving down the long, beautiful grounds (including a lake) was in itself a pleasure. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the friendly Tamamo, who brought us into the tasting lounge and p0ured some of their Sauvingon Blanc "asatsuyu" ($80 750ml, $40 375ml) while telling of the history of the winery and Kenzo in enjoyable detail. Originally from Japan, but living in San Francisco for 10 years (including work as a concierge), Tamamo made a lovely and gracious host to Lynn and myself. After an informative tour through the grounds and the cave, we were seated in a shaded patio seating outside, where 4 wines awaited us, all Bordeaux blends. The Rindo ($100)is a lush, appraochable blend showcasing red and dark fruits, dark earth, razzleberry, graphite and a hint of smoke that ,with it's mild tannins and acid, can be approached as a drinking wine or as a pairing with a good hearty tomato dish, pesto with marinated tofu, or even an artisan pizza.
Next up was the Murasaki ($250), a huge mouthfeel of violets, raspberry, dark cherry, blackberry, graphite, scorched earth, good tannic-acidic structure. Pair this with a hearty dish. I would opt at home for a lightly smoked eggplant and porcini mushroom with garlic, and maybe some tomatoes and smoked tempeh.
Next was the Ai ($250). Velvety, plush, and loaded with opulant cherry, sweet spices and great structure that a fabulous winemaker like Heidi Barrett brings out of a great piece of land managed by a viticulture legend such as David Abreu.
Finally, we were treated to Asuka, a wine of 97% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvingon, 1% of structure inducing Petit Verdot. Retaining that wonderful vegetal character of a Cab Franc, but with the lush and powerful hillside Napa fruit character, this would be wonderful with Spanish rice, with spice rubbed or bbq tempeh strips and a tomato broth, topped with sweet peppers, onions and lemon.
My hats off to another impressive series of wines from Napa stars, a stunning estate, great hospitality staff and a genius proprietor who has orchestrated a dream site for making wine and hosting. Remember, it is by appointment only, and everyone must be over 21 to visit. The three options are-$40 for a wonderful sit-down tasting; $60 for a tour and tasting; $80 for a tour, tasting and food pairing that included bites from Thomas Keller's Bouchon. Buy 6 or more bottles and the fees and shipping costs are waived!

After years in Wine Country, visiting so many wineries, tasting so many wines and seeing uet another wine cave, it's hard to believe that there's still so many wines to try and so many wineries to visit here. And that I will be impressed by another wineries' cave. But then my partner Lynn mentioned Jarvis and their amazing tasting experience. Not being familiar with them, I decided to venture 5 miles outside of Napa on 121 from Trancas on this lovely Spring day. I was met by Curtis, my tour guide, a Napa native and veteran of several wineries between Sonoma and Napa Counties. He was a most gracious and knowledgeable host, and a fine example of what I've come to love about Napa's hospitality industry.
Regailing me with a fun and informative history of the winery, I was led into into one the more impressive wine caves (where everything is done, including office work) I've visited, complete with beautifully designed rooms for entertaining,(which will include part of the famous Auction next month), passing circular barrel storage areas, and even a waterfall(!).
Following the grand tour, I was led into tasting room across a small moat, and poured what were some fabulous examples of Napa wine. Surprisingly, my favorite was the barrel-fermented 2009 Finch Hollow Chardonnay ($95), a scrumptious and complex array of green apples, lemon curd, brûlée, lime zest, balanced acidity and oak, and a solid finish. Would love to pair this wine with some of my most decadent vegan cooking, maybe some gnocchi with fava-lemon-almond pesto with a coconut-almond milk creaminess and garlic, leek and chanterelle polenta, and maybe a tart vegan lemon-lime based dessert..just some thoughts flowing...
The reds-The 95% Cab Franc/5% Merlot Science Peoject ($105), 2008 Merlot ($90), Lake William 2007 blend ($115), the 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvingon ($95), and the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve ($160), were all oaky (but not too much so), strong lush fruit driven Reds of structure and power. The lighter, velvety (not-yet-released) 2010 Tempranillo had a lower oak influence and tasted nicely of cherries, plums and satin..great with a vegetarian paella.
At $60 for a tour and tasting, you will definitely get your money's worth here through one of the most beautiful and unique tours of what Napa Valley is all about.

I recently had the pleasure to shoot a video aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train with PR director Ryan Neergaard and Chef Kelly MacDonald, who were wonderful hosts aboard the train, showing us the experience of this classic Napa experience through a wonderful ride, multi-course dining experience, background of the train, on-board mixology, and an insider's look into the kitchen. It was exciting and fun, educational, and I shot some wonderful video that will showcase the experience alongside other classic escapes in the Valley such as a Hot Air Balloon ride and a Calistoga Mud Bath. Don't miss these unique experiences for yourselves! Stay tuned...