I’m considering a story on the lack of real wine bars in the suburbs when along comes my colleague’s piece in today’s County section. The owners of Bridges restaurant in Danville won’t confirm this yet, but there’s talk of a wine store plus sipping room opening up in the park-like area next to the restaurant, across the street from Corks, another wine retail shop. The planning commission will review the project purely in terms of a retail space on July 10. Until then, nothing is for sure.

Is it me, or wouldn’t it be cool to just get the full liquor license and open up a wine bar, so the people my age lucky enough to afford a home in Danville or San Ramon actually have a place to hang out? You know, since they’ve been to the sports bar and the British pub enough for one lifetime.

Nothing fancy. I mean, don’t get all crazy and open up a sophisticated wine and tapas bar, like Cav, or a themed one like Parea (Greek) or Amelie (French), both in San Francisco. Just a basic spot like Artisan in Walnut Creek, with a few barrel-based tables, 30 or so boutique wines on (Enomatic) tap. You can even serve coffee and dessert if you’re afraid the oenophilia will turn people away. You know how those wine types can be.
Ironically, people seem a bit more concerned about what another retail space would do to parking on Hartz Avenue than losing the only open space on the block. Here’s my opinion: If it’s just another merchant selling overpriced bottles of Cabernet and an occasional sip of the sauce, keep the park.

John Rittmaster of Prima is hosting their Second Annual Evening in Piemonte this Thursday (tomorrow) and they still have a few seats available. Like last year, the evening will be divided into two separate events. The first will be a tasting of contemporary wines from the region with the suppliers on hand and special one-night-only pricing in place.

The second is a dinner featuring a selection of mature Barolo alongside an elegant expression of Piemontese cuisine. Admission for the first event, which runs from 5:30 to 7p.m. is $48 and includes tax and tip. Seats at the dinner are $395 and all-inclusive. I know it’s expensive, but if you have the money, treat yourself! RSVP for either event by calling 925-935-7780.

            A Sampling of Wines at the Tasting:

            2005 Matteo Coreggia Roero Arneis

            2005 Vietti Roero Arneis

            2005 Tintero Moscato d’Asti

            2005 Villa Giada Moscato d’Asti

            2005 Cascina Ca’Rossa Birbet

            2004 Aldo Marenca Dolcetto Dogliani ‘Suri’

            2004 Massolino Dolcetto d’Alba

            2005 Albino Rocca Rosso di Rosso

            2004 Giovanni Corino Barbera d’Alba

            2004 Vietti Barbera Scarrone

            2001 Travaglini Gattinara

            2001 Antoniolo Gattinara 

            2004 Guido Porro Barbera

            2000 Vietti Barolo Castiglione

            2001 Guido Porro Barolo Santa Catarina

            2001 Massolino Barolo Serralunga 

            2001 Giorgio Rivetti Barbaresco Gallina

            2001 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco

            2001 Scavino Barolo Carobric

            (list tentative)

            And for Dinner!

            2005 Matteo Coreggia Roero Arneis

            2001 Vietti Barbera La Crena

            2001 Rivetti Barolo Campe

            2000 E Pira Barolo Cannubi

            2000 Mascarello Barolo Monprivato

            1993 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Cru Gallina

            1993 Angelo Gaja Barbaresco Cru Costa Russi 

            1993 Giovanni Corino Barolo Cru Giachini

            1990 Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi

            1974 Borgogno Barolo Riserva

            1967 Antoniolo Gattinara Riseva 

            1952 Borgogno Barolo Riserva

            2005 Moscato TBA

            (list tentative)

The next time you want to save some cash on dinner and take your own bottle of wine, go to Postino. Not only is it easily the best restaurant in the county, but their corkage is only $15. So your table of five can enjoy that bottle of Silver Oak from home for about $3 a person.

Okay party people, the 11th annual Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is around the corner — next weekend, Sept. 16 and 17 — and it’s one of my personal faves on the small town festival circuit because my bros from Wine Thieves are in charge. And they don’t mess around. Join me for some fabulous wines and fun in the sun. Parking is free at the Bart lot. Woohoo! For more info, go to Lafayettechamber.org. 

It’s amazing how much wine comes up in religion. As Ecclesiastes said, "Drink your wine with a merry heart…for God has long ago approved what you do."

Last Friday, clergy from several religions came togeher to bless the local 2006 grape harvest at the Martinelli Event Center in Livermore. Yes, a rabbi, a priest and a minister walked into a winery…

Anyway, tomorrow, a similar event will take place at Viano Winery in Martinez. Contra Costa has seen a doubling of its vineyard acreage over the past decade and a more than quadrupling of the value of its wine grape crop. Those grapes frequently find themselves in Cline, Turley and Rosenblum wines. So it’s understandable that a little divine kiss from above can’t hurt those vines, and will surely keep all the powers that be — climate, soil, and a lot of juju — going strong.

Recently, I was invited to what promises to be the wine party of the summer — private, noncommercially speaking, anyway. Since I can’t make it, the hosts told me to pass on the info to all Corkheads. You should definitely go!

PJ Rhae and Don Jackson are a fabulous couple who are totally into wine. They throw wine parties every Friday night at their Antioch home. At tomorrow night’s summer extravaganza, they’re expecting 60 people, and it’s no wonder: Live local jazz, food, Michael and David Winery of Lodi pouring, as well as selections from Napa’s Bounty Hunter Wines of Napa. It costs $20 and proceeds benefit Access Capital Resource Group, a charity aimed at helping single moms buy homes.

Tell em I sent you, and cheers! To RSVP call Don @                       925-783-2478

Hey folks, I’m getting some great feedback on the Contra Costa County wines story in today’s Food section, so thanks. Some of you have asked which one is my fave, or what I would recommend as a good example of the region’s capabilities. I think the best ones coming out of the area are reds, and here’s three that prove it:

My top CC wine that’s affordable, good for everyday drinking and smells faintly of roses is Hannah Nicole Vineyards Red Table Wine. It’s either $10 or $14 and you can find all their wines at the BevMo! in Walnut Creek.

I also love love love Cline’s Zinfandels, they’re peppery and smooth. All of them are worth trying. These are everywhere.

Ca’na, the label of Tamayo Family Vineyards, puts out some fabulously meaty syrahs. The 2002 is great at $20. You should be able to find Ca’na at BevMo!

I’m always looking for good classes. Polish the old palate and learn a thing or two, eh? In the past few years, Jenny and I have taken worthwhile classes at Solano Community College and BevMo! Here’s another one we’re signed up for in Lafayette at the end of August. It’s all about Italian wines, something my California-honed palate could always use more of. There are still 12 or so slots open. Join us!

Enrollment in Wine Tasting 101 Series - Italy Uncorked; First meeting: Thursday, August 31, 2006, 6:30 to 9pm. Location: Sequoia Room at Lafayette Community Center; 500 Saint Mary’s Road Lafayette, CA 94549
The price is $27.00. Please bring 5 wine glasses to class. 15 dollar supply fee payable to the instructor on the first night. For more info, go to www.lafmor-recreation.org.

Friday was a quintessential Livermore Valley night. Mom was visiting, so we escaped to Wente to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the restaurant and the concert series. Fifth-generation winemaker Karl Wente, all 6′7” of him clad in a red dinner jacket and a platinum mop to boot, unveiled two fabulous wines: the Twente Chardonnay, which paired deliciously with a butter lettuce salad, and a Cab-Syrah, strong and smoky, which we had with beef carpaccio. We rocked out to Busta-Groove — the whole place was up and dancing — and schmoozed with Christine Wente, Karl’s sister, and took in golden rolling hills and sandstone caves. The party was a blast, and no doubt packed with Wente’s loyal wine club members. Didn’t have a chance to take mom to Napa, but I’m glad. Livermore’s got its own magic. Now she can tell everyone in So Cal about it.

Don’t know about you all, but Pinot’s about the only red I can drink in this gorgeous, amazing heat. Good thing the Times Wine Club has a Pinot Noir wine tasting event coming up on Wednesday, May 17 at Faz in Danville.

For $25, you get fabulous appetizers and a chance to taste some top Pinots, from Oregon’s Rex Hill Vineyards and Joseph Douhin (France) to Testarossa Vineyards in Los Gatos and Sadler-Wells of Sonoma. The event is the usual, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Faz is located at 600 Hartz Ave. For tickets, call Rachel Armstrong at 925-952-2639. See you there!