The Lush

Cask, Bourbon & Branch, and Elixir are hosting some upcoming events where it’s all about being bitter, check it out:

Thursday March 11th, 2pm-5pm
The Bitter Truth Q&A with Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck at Cask.
Bitters will be for sale at this time.

Thursday March 11th, 7pm-9pm
The Truth About Bitters
Elixir Cocktail Club
Stephan Berg, Founder of The Bitter Truth Bitters
$30 with cocktail samples and bitters tasting.
Tickets. 30 tickets only!
German mixologist and bitters expert Stephan Berg presents his acclaimed line of cocktail bitters long available only in Europe and newly introduced to the U.S. Mr. Berg will discuss his path to creating The Bitter Truth and a bit of the story behind the history and significance of bitters in classic and contemporary cocktail culture. He will be joined by Elixir’s H. Joseph Ehrmann in preparing some cocktails to sample, as well as in conducting a tasting of The Bitter Truth products.

Friday March 12th 6pm-9pm
Bitter Truth Cocktail Party
Stephan and Alex bartend in the Russell’s Room of Bourbon & Branch.
RSVP required; space is limited.
Contact.
The cocktails are not free, but the event is exclusive to those on the guest list. Entry to the room is free, and sampling of the bitters themselves is free. Stephan will have the Creole bitters with him—these are not available in the U.S., so they will be extra special for the event.

Tuesday, March 23rd 8pm-11pm
Scrappy’s Bitters Cocktail Party
Miles and Chris from Scrappy’s Bitters bartend in the Library of Bourbon & Branch.
RSVP required; space is limited.
Contact.

Tonight, Tuesday March 9th, is the grand opening of ~BAR BASIC~, which was formerly the Gallery Lounge in SoMa. New owner Mike Limanon repainted the space, re-did the seating, flooring, and lighting, and put in a new bar top. Look for more of a neighborhood vibe, and fewer private parties. Did someone say party? According to LiveSOMA, tonight’s grand opening party is going to feature “a night full of drink specials and raffle prizes. The drink specials include 2 for 1 beverages from 6-7pm and starting at 7pm, they’re giving away 150 tacos with the first 150 drinks ordered. They’ll also hold an hourly raffle starting at 6:39 pm, with the grand prize being awarded at 10:39 pm.” On non-grand opening nights, Tuesdays and Thursdays mean $6 drink specials, and happy hour runs from Mon-Fri 4pm-9pm. Hours Mon-Wed 4pm-12am, Thu-Fri 4pm-2am, Sat 7pm-2am, Sun 5pm-12am. Hours may change, especially around baseball season.

Oui, darlings, it’s the ninth annual ~LA PAULÉE DE SAN FRANCISCO~, and the winos are celebrating. Here’s some background on the posh event: “Over the years, Burgundy aficionado Daniel Johnnes has dedicated himself to educating consumers and collectors about the fine wines of Burgundy, promoting the rich cultural traditions of the region and bringing many of the humble winemakers out of their cellars and into the spotlight to share their superb wines. Starting in the late 1980s, Daniel began hosting wine dinners with some of the most sought after winemakers from Burgundy—opening bottles that most collectors had never seen outside of France. Thanks to growing interest and a desire to reach a broader audience of Burgundy enthusiasts, Daniel introduced La Paulée to New York in 2000.

“La Paulée is Daniel Johnnes’ homage to La Paulée de Meursault, a convivial Burgundian fête where growers and their guests come together to celebrate the harvest. It is the third component to “Les Trois Glorieuses” or “The Three Glorious Days” in Burgundy that are made up of a formal dinner at Clos de Vougeot, the famous charitable auction of Les Hospices de Beaune, and the lively Paulée de Meursault where winemakers bring bottles from their cellars to toast the harvest. The first La Paulée de Meursault took place in 1923 in a local restaurant in Meursault and was hosted by Jules Lafon, the great grandfather of Dominique Lafon, winemaker of Domaine des Comtes Lafon in Meursault and regular participant in Daniel Johnnes’ La Paulée. The tradition continues and the annual La Paulée de Meursault is one of the most sought-after tickets for lovers of great Burgundy.”

In 2010, the 9th annual La Paulée will be held in San Francisco. Guests at La Paulée de San Francisco will delight in the newest releases and older vintage wines from over forty of the most sought after Domaines of Burgundy. The event gives collectors with deep cellars a unique opportunity to enjoy their most prized bottles with the winemakers themselves, other collectors, top sommeliers from across the country and chefs. Daniel Johnnes himself is often seen at the event carrying around a Methuselah of an outstanding wine to toast with guests and winemakers, thanking them for joining him at La Paulée!

Host chef Michael Mina will welcome 3-star Michelin-rated chefs Daniel Boulud and Michel Troisgros to collaborate on an unforgettable menu (I am quite sure). The beneficiary of this year’s charity auction held during the Gala Dinner will be Meals On Wheels of San Francisco.

Here is the list of attending growers from Burgundy: Domaine Marquis D’Angerville ٠ Domaine Charles Audoin ٠ Domaine de L’Arlot ٠ Domaine Ballot-Millot ٠ Domaine Bonneau du Martray ٠ Bouchard Père et Fils ٠ Domaine Brocard ٠ Domaine Chevalier Père et Fils ٠ Domaine Blain-Gagnard ٠ Domaine Alain Chavy ٠ Domaine Jean-Louis Chavy ٠ Domaine Bruno Colin ٠ Domaine Philippe Colin ٠ Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey ٠ Domaine de Courcel ٠ Joseph Drouhin ٠ David Duband ٠ Domaine Dujac ٠ Domaine D’Eugenie ٠ Domaine Faiveley ٠ Domaine Michel Gay et Fils Domaine Pierre Gelin ٠ Camille Giroud ٠ Domaine Jean Grivot ٠ Domaine Michel Gros ٠ Maison Louis Jadot ٠ Domaine des Comtes Lafon ٠ Domaine de Lalande ٠ Domaine Leflaive ٠ Thibault Liger-Belair ٠ Domaine Long Depaquit ٠ Domaine Matrot ٠ Domaine de Montille ٠ Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils ٠ Domaine Denis Mortet ٠ Domaine Michel Niellon ٠ Domaine Perrot-Minot ٠ Patrick Piuze Domaine Ramonet ٠ Domaine Michèle et Patrice Rion ٠ Domaine Georges Roumier ٠ Domaine Tollot-Beaut ٠ Domaine de la Vougeraie ٠ a presentation from the Hospices de Beaune ٠ and a selection from the Village of Meursault.

The program of events is pretty sick (uh, $1,400 gala dinner), so I’ll let the website tell you all about the super-luxe events. But one thing to note is the Grand Tasting on Saturday March 13th from 12pm-3pm ($275).

Next Tuesday March 16th, the ~MOSS ROOM RESTAURANT~ is having a special four-course tasting menu of local, sustainable seafood paired with Village, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru wines from Domaine Christian Moreau. Both executive chef Loretta Keller and Christian will be there for tableside discussion at this seafood and Chablis event. This dinner will be the first in their “Dinner with the Winemaker” series, kicking off this month.

In honor of the release of Tony Abou-Ganim’s new book, The Modern Mixologist, he will be returning to The Starlight Room for a one-night celebration. Cocktails and edible treats will be available during this night of Harry Denton and Tony’s reunion. USBG guest bartenders will include Starlight alums Jacques Bezuidenhout and Marcovaldo Dionysos. Proceeds from the evening’s book sales benefit the Bartender’s Relief Fund, a local non-profit committed to helping bartenders in times of need.

One more appearance: Tony will be swinging by ~ELIXIR~ to hang out with Dale and Jill DeGroff for Lush Life Night, an event to benefit The Museum of the American Cocktail and The Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail. Saloon artist Jill DeGroff will be sketching caricatures and signing her book, The Lush Life, while guest bartending legends Dale DeGroff and Tony Abou-Ganim will be slinging drinks with Elixir’s own H. Joseph Ehrmann and Nick DesEnfants. $10 donation requested at door, but not mandatory. Books will be discounted 50% off, with $5 of every sale going to the benefit. All tips and a portion of cocktail sales will benefit the Museum and the Conservancy. Kicks off at 8pm at Elixir (3200 16th St. at Guerrero.)

Zach Pace, a local wine and spirits expert (he has written a wino piece for tablehopper here) is hosting a four-part wine series at ~18 REASONS~ exploring all the major wine regions of the world. The series will allow students to view the diverse world of wine through varietal expressions of terroir and style. Each class will include six wines.

Here’s the lineup: Class One (3/8): Three Pinots; Class Two (3/22): Don’t Forget Merlot; Class Three (4/5): California’s Other Wines; and Class Four (4/19): Killer Cabs. You can take one, or all four, you over-achiever, you!

Next Tuesday March 9th, the ~QUINCE~ “In Residence” Wine Dinner Series continues with winemaker Markus Heinel of the J. Hofstätter estate. He will lead guests through a tasting of the many varietal wines he crafts in the shadow of the Italian Dolomites: the single-vineyard “Kolbenhof” gewürztraminer; the white blend “Vigna San Michele”; the luscious lagrein “Steinraffler”; and, perhaps most notably, two vintages of the acclaimed “Barthenau” pinot noir—one of Italy’s reference-point pinots. Hofstätter’s lineup offers a unique glimpse of what’s possible in the varied terrain of the Alto Adige (the Alpine, German-speaking region that was ceded to Italy after World War I). The winemakers of the Alto Adige have been creating some of Italy’s most celebrated wines, both white and red, even though they still do so in the shadow of more famous regions such as the Piedmont and Tuscany. Here’s an opportunity to see just how great these wines really are. Chef Michael Tusk will create a six-course menu uniquely suited to each wine’s distinctive profile.

And mark your calendar, because on Monday March 22nd, Quince will host agronomist Elisa Scavino of Paolo Scavino Winery, whose Barolos from the famed “Bric del Fiasc” cru will be the focus of a spectacular vertical tasting. If you are a lover of Piemontese wines, and Barolo in particular, here’s a chance to taste four landmark vintages (1990, 1998, 1999, and 2000) from a benchmark producer. 6:30pm. $295 per person (exclusive of tax & gratuity); includes six-course meal with wine pairings.

On Sunday March 7th, dopo in Oakland is hosting organic wine producer Gunther Di Giovanna from Sicily. The family-style menu may change depending on what’s available the day and the week of the dinner, but here’s what’s slated for now: antipasti misti (house-cured smoked swordfish, artichoke conserva, octopus al mattone) paired with 2008 “Gerbino” rosato di nerello mascalese; house-made spaghetti ai ricci (sea urchin) paired with 2008 grecanico, IGT; house-made maccheroni with house-made ricotta, tomato, and Sicilian pecorino paired with 2008 nerello mascalese, IGT; roasted leg of lamb, rib chops, and lamb sausage, plus chicory and potato salad paired with 2005 G & K nero d’avola, IGT; and to finish, house-made gelato with brioche. And yes, I am now hungry and thirsty. You?

~LUELLA~ restaurant on Russian Hill is celebrating its five-year anniversary by offering all wines by the glass for only $5, Sunday through Thursday, throughout the month of March. You can take advantage of the special pricing in the dining room or at the bar, where the full menu is also served. Take a peek at the current wine list here (note to self: gotta try the wine by Gianni Gagliardo—although I was expecting it to be a Calabrese grape, and not favorita, a grape from the Langhe).

Note: the Powell-Hyde Cable Car line runs right past the restaurant, and there is a parking garage at 1945 Hyde Street near Union (close to Swensen’s Ice Cream).

I have a feeling this one is geared for industry folks: come into ~FLOUR + WATER~ after 10pm Sunday through Thursday, and there’s no corkage. Limit two bottles per table.

From Monday March 1st through Sunday March 7th, Yelp has arranged for a week-long happy hour at 25 bars and restaurants around the city: we’re talking half-off drinks, all night, baby. Each location is offering three drinks at 50% off. For example, you can get the Charlie Chaplin at DOSA on Fillmore for $5, a delicious basil gimlet at Rye for $5, a Winter Sour at Elixir for $5, you can check out the Fifth Floor Restaurant Lounge over a $5 gin martini, or sip a pisco sour at La Mar (bar area only) for $5. Check out the entire list of 25 places where you can wreck your liver here. And be classy: tip your bartenders on the regular price.

This Wednesday March 3rd, the ~MONK’S KETTLE~ will welcome Eugene, Oregon’s Ninkasi Brewing to the Bay Area (yup, it’s going to be distributed here) with a five-course dinner. Courses will include coconut curry Laughing Bird shrimp over savory Thai basil rice cake paired with Total Domination IPA (which arguably lives up to its name), and cumin-rubbed pork tenderloin with a rosemary-orange glaze paired with Tricerahops, Ninkasi’s Double IPA (here’s a PDF of the menu).

Doors open at 5:30pm for a welcoming hour, during which the first beer will be served, with the first course beginning at 6:30pm.

~JARDINIÈRE~ continues its affordable Monday night prix-fixe dinners, kicking off a Wines of the World series in March. First up is The Wines of Portugal on March 1st, then March 8th is The Wines of Sicily, featuring DiGiovanna Winery. Come in for A Tasting of Riesling on March 15th, featuring Dee Vine Wines, and on March 22nd, Dinner Down Under—A Taste of Australian Wines. You can look at all the menus here. $45 per person, including wine pairings.

This Thursday February 18th, ~OTTIMISTA-ENOTECA CAFÉ~ is hosting Paolo Cantele of Cantele in Puglia (Cantele is located on the Salento peninsula, which literally forms the high heel of Italy’s boot). Paolo will spend the evening pouring and discussing the latest vintages of his family’s wines (a range of Cantele wines will be available by the glass and half glass, along with a tasting flight of all the wines). The à la carte menu for the evening will feature dishes inspired by the Puglia region. 5pm-9pm.

Then on Sunday February 28th, Ottimista is hosting Roberto Focardi and Andrea Fabbri of La Parrina of Maremma Toscana, a biodynamic farm just minutes from the sea in Southern Tuscany. Six wines will be paired with chef Glen Tinsley’s seasonal six-course menu, inspired by his time last summer in La Parrina’s kitchen. In fact, Glen was so inspired by the Parrina estate and the local cuisine that he will return this spring to run La Parrina’s restaurant for the season. As a special treat, Roberto and Andrea are bringing some of Parrina’s limited production sheep’s milk blue cheese, Guttus, to pair with their equally rare vin santo for a heavenly final course. You can read the entire menu here. 6:30pm aperitivi; 7pm dinner. $65, not inclusive of tax and gratuity. Seating is limited to 30 guests. To make a reservation, call 415-674-8400.

If you can’t make the La Parrina dinner, you can still enjoy the wines! From 4:30pm to 6pm on Sunday February 28th, Roberto and Andrea will be down the block at Ottimista’s sister shop, Spuntino, pouring the full wine line-up. All Parrina wines will be available for retail purchase at 10% off.

In case you’re on the quest for brunch before coming into work, ~EPIC ROASTHOUSE~ has launched Bubbles & Sweets, a brunch special for industry folks. Bring in a business card or other proof of industry employment and you’ll get to enjoy complimentary house-made pastries and your first mimosa on the house! Brunch is offered on Saturday and Sundays from 11am-3pm.

Consider this a warm-up before next week’s Tre Bicchieri event: a wonderful winemaker from the Cilento region of Campania, Bruno De Conciliis, is going to be at ~DELFINA~ this Wednesday for his annual trip to San Francisco. He will be pouring his wines by the glass, carafina, and bottle, including NV “Selim” Spumante, 2008 De Conciliis “Donnaluna” Fiano, 2004 De Conciliis “Antece” Fiano, 2008 De Conciliis “Donnaluna” Aglianico, 2005 De Conciliis “Naima” Aglianico (I had this on my birthday and loved it), and 2004 De Conciliis “Zero” Aglianico.

Delfina will be offering an à la carte menu, including some dishes inspired by the region. Some dishes you may find on the menu: warm octopus salad, fresh-stretched mozzarella with grilled artichokes, gran fritto misto di pesce, Berkshire pork braciole (served in two courses), bistecca alla pizzaiola, and more. You can read more about the wines and Bruno on Delfina’s Facebook page.

NOTE: if you’re in the 650, Bruno will be at ~DONATO ENOTECA~ for a special dinner on February 21st. Executive chef Donato Scotti will create a five-course menu that highlights the Campania region, and De Conciliis will be pouring five of his own vintages. 6pm, $70 per person, excluding tax/gratuity. 1041 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, 650-701-1000.

Prohibition Days kicks off tonight, and Harry Denton’s Starlight Room will be offering a complimentary cocktail class led by master mixologist Jaques Bezuindenhout, where guests will learn how to make (and taste) a number of delicious libations popular in the Roaring 20’s. (There will also be a burlesque dance class taking place to get guests ready for the Bootleggers Ball taking place on Saturday February 20th.) Plus there will be a 1920s-inspired fashion show compliments of Costumes on Haight. 6:30pm-8:30pm

And Friday night will include a special 1920’s-themed dinner in ~SCALA’S BISTRO~ wine salon by chef Jen Biesty. There will be five courses (prawn cocktail, vichyssoise, Waldorf salad, sautéed sole à la Grenobloise OR steak Diane, crêpe Suzette blood orange), paired with a variety of gin cocktails. 7:30pm. $50 for dinner only, $65 with gin cocktail pairings (one cocktail per course, gratuity not included). Call 415-395-8555 for reservations.

~CAV WINE BAR & KITCHEN~ is hosting an Introduction to Wine Class
 on Saturday February 27th. During this two-hour session, they will break down the components of wine, go over basic terminology, and you will taste a selection of eight wines that illustrate tannin, acidity, body, and a variety of aromas and flavors. Seating is limited. 2pm. $40.

And then on 
Saturday March 6th, there is a Varietal Comparison Class, focused on red wines, while the class on 
Saturday March 13th will highlight white wines. The Varietal Comparison sessions are the perfect follow up to the Introduction to Wine class. In each, you will taste two examples, one from the “new world” and one from Europe, of four different grapes. The different characteristics of grapes as well as terroir will be clearly illustrated so that less-experienced wine drinkers can choose wines with confidence. 2pm, $40.

Union Square’s ~URBAN TAVERN~ is offering no-corkage Mondays, from 11:30am to 10:30pm. And you also get five hours of free parking, which is available every day to guests dining at the restaurant. There’s also a new chef: Colin Duggan has taken the reins. 333 O’Farrell St. at Mason, 415-923-4400.  

Thanks to this Tweet from Ben of Cooking with the Single Guy, I learned that there’s a new bar opening on February 19th in the Lakeshore District of Oakland called ~HEART AND DAGGER SALOON~. The tagline is “Good Spirits for Bad People.” All righty then. A couple informative posts on Yelp have more details: it used to be the location of the Serenader, and it’s going to be a rock ‘n’ roll bar (which you can gather from the logo). There’s reportedly an outdoor patio, a pool table, video games, and pinball. Oh yes, and cheap drinks. 504 Lake Park Ave. at Rand, Oakland.

Steve Sherman at ~WILLIAM CROSS WINE MERCHANTS~ is at it again: this Wednesday’s tasting is going to feature one of my favorite things to drink: sparkling rosé. In honor of our upcoming Hallmark holiday, he is going to be pouring a flight of five sparkling rosés and one still rosé: Gruet Brut Rosé New Mexico, Roederer Estate Rosé Anderson Valley, Lucien Albrecht Rosé Crémant d’Alsace, Paul Déthune Grand Cru Brut Rosé Champagne, 2008 Etude Rosé of Pinot Noir Carneros, and 2009 Elio Perrone Bigaro Sparkling Dessert Rosé Italy.

2/16: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED, SNIFF SNIFF.

That dang Dr. Champagne is at it again: Jerry Horn is going to be hosting another one of his stoo-pen-dous French Champagne dinners, this time at ~RESTAURANT PICCO~. The four-course dinner starts at 7pm. Here’s the lineup o’ temptation from chefs Bruce Hill and Chris Whaley:

hamachi crudo, blood orange, evoo, crispy onion, tarragon
Egly-Ouriet Premier Cru, Brut, “Les Vignes de Vrigny”, NV

chilled lobster, Italian burrata, lentils, arugula, caviar
Jean Vesselle, Brut, Oeil de Perdrix, NV

slow cooked salmon, roasted turnips, cippolini, thyme, brioche sauce
Deutz, Blanc de Blancs, 2002

veal braised and roasted, cannellini beans, black chanterelles
Louis Roederer, Brut Rose, 2004

Yeah, it’s a beaut. You’ll need to download the form from the site, or call to reserve your seat. There are only a limited number of seats available, so get on it.

San Francisco’s second annual ~AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 SIPS~ wine tasting by Bottlenotes returns to ~CRUSHPAD~. Guests attending the walk-around tasting can try over 80 wines from boutique and estate wineries around the world, including France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, California, Israel, Lebanon and even Thailand. There will also be premium cheese from Artisanal to taste, a raffle to benefit Spark, and the chance to meet local winemakers.

tablehopper readers get $10 off the advance ticket price: use the code TABLEHOPPER for your discount!

(You can also read about Crushpad’s just-announced move to Napa Valley on their blog.)

This one’s a biggie: after ten years as the wine director of ~THE DINING ROOM AT THE RITZ-CARLTON~, Stephane Lacroix is resigning and moving to New York. He is going to be the GM at Gilt, the luxe restaurant in the New York Palace that earned two Michelin stars this year. While Lacroix is sorry to leave, he is looking forward to the challenge of a new position in a new city. His last day at the Ritz is February 20th. His wife Estelle, who many may remember from Myth, is excited about the move to New York, and is currently interviewing for a position. Best of luck to this lovely couple; thank you for all the years of your oh-so-classy hospitality.

~JOHN COLINS~ has finished its move from its Natoma address to a new location in SoMa on Minna (the Transbay Terminal construction inspired the new address). The vibe and offerings are the same, so the only significant change is that it’s a couple blocks away from where it used to be. Is it happy hour yet?

Just in case you’re wondering about the new bar called ~THE RESIDENCE~, it’s the latest incarnation of the former Amber space. The cozy-eclectic look is more study than smoking lounge (that’s right, no more puffing away while at the bar, darlings), with a refreshed cocktail list, comfy seating, and clever sconces made from old globes, plus wallpaper and wood paneling. But one thing remains the same: it’s still cash only.

~WATERBAR~ has updated its popular happy hour offerings, renaming it the “Come Unhinged!” Happy Hour. It runs every Monday through Friday from 3pm-6pm, with $5 specialty cocktails, $5 glasses of La Marca prosecco and Nick’s Cuvée pinot grigio, and $3 bottles of Session Premium Lager, plus the featured oyster of the day for $1 (available from 11:30am-6pm daily). There are also some new items on the bar menu, like smoked sturgeon chips and dip ($9); Van’s shrimp taco with handmade tortillas and fire-roasted salsa ($7 each); and a wood oven pizzetta with oven-roasted tomatoes, balsamic onion, and arugula ($11).

Upon my return home from India, I took a peek at the lineup of events for ~SF BEER WEEK~ and was completely blown away. The schedule is hefty—read it and prepare to get thirsty. And hungry. There’s a lot to choose from, but here are some that caught my eye: the Beer & Nosh dinner at Scala’s Bistro (check out the menu here); Humphry Slocombe beer ice creams all week; 4 Chefs, 2 Breweries, 1 Dinner: Magnolia & Dogfish Head at Bar Tartine, with some Chez Panisse crew joining Chris Kronner in the kitchen; A Beer vs. Wine Valentine at Bar Crudo, a five-course dinner facing off beer and wine pairings for each course; the Beast + Bavaria dinner at Orson; and the Oyster Fest at Magnolia, featuring oysters that have been shucked, BBQ’d, Rockefeller, in chowder and a Hangtown Fry, and even rocky mountain oysters—and there’s also a beer and pastry tasting at Thorough Bread. Seriously. Buckle up.

Mmmm, Sassicaia. Here’s more from ~SPRUCE~ on this sure-to-be-super (Tuscan) dinner: “Sassicaia translates to ‘a place of many stones.’ The rocky vineyard is located at 80 meters altitude and is the label responsible for creating the Super-Tuscan movement. For the first time in Italy’s history a DOC was created solely for one estate. Bolgheri was formed in 1994 to recognize the planting of Bordeaux varietals in Tuscany.

“The Incisa della Rocchetta family is responsible for running the estate. Their history dates back to the Medieval and Renaissance eras, yet the wines are a much more recent phenomenon. The first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1840, but the wines were not released into the market until one hundred years later when the Antinori family and the Incisa della Rocchettas, who are cousins, became business partners. Today, the family business stretches East into Umbria and South to Sardinia. This dinner will showcase the entire portfolio including past vintages of Sassicaia.”

The menu:

Nantucket Bay Scallops and Dungeness Crab / Citrus Fumé

Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay, Salviano di Salviano, Umbria 2007



Savory Roasted Duck Breast / Caramelized Winter Vegetables / Cassis Gastrique

Agricola Punica, Barrua, Sardinia 2006



Oxtail Agnolotto, Seared Spiced Foie Gras, Black Truffle

Tenuta San Guido, Guidalberto, Bolgheri Tuscany 2007

Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia, Bolgheri Tuscany 2005



Farmstead Cheese

Tenuta San Guido, Guidalberto, Bolgheri Tuscany 2006