"Popular San Francisco Restaurant Corking Fees"

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting), my wife Linda and I usually bring our own wine. As a result, we have compiled a corking fee list for popular San Francisco restaurants that will be helpful for you. It is subject to change so check with your restaurant before you go. Cheers.

Restaurant	Cork Fee
A16	$30
Absinthe	$20
Acquerello	$45
Alexanders	$35
Aliotos	$18
AQ Restaurant	$25
Big 4	$25
Bix	$30
Bouchon (limit 2)	$20
Boulevard	$30
Bourbon Steak	$35
Campton Place	$30
Cliff House	$18
Crustacean	$20
Dirty Habit,	$20
Epic Roadhouse	$25
Farallon	$25
Forbes Island	$20
French Laundry (limit 1),	$150
Gary Danko (limit 2)	$50
Hakkasan	$30
Hillstone	None
Holding Company	$20
House Of Prime Rib	$25
Il Fornaio	$20
Kokkari	$25
La Mar	$20
L'Olivier	$20
McCormick And Kuleto	$20
Michael Mina	$35
Mortons	$30
Mourad	$40
My China	$20
North Beach	$20
One Market	$25
Original Joes	$20
Osso Steakhouse	$25
Perbacco	$25
Quince	$50
Restaurant At Meadowood	$50
Roys	$20
Ruth Cris	$20
Rutherford Grille	None
Saison	$50
Scoma's	$20
Slanted Door	$35
SPQR	$25
Spruce	$30
Stinking Rose	None
Tadich Grille	$20
Waterbar	$25
Waterfront	$20
Wayfare Tavern	$20

The Vineyardist Winery-Napa Valley's Luxury Wine

In an effort to dine at 3000 restaurants in San Francisco (800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries (350 and counting), we recently spent a "perfecto" day in Napa Valley enjoying some great wine and food.

We had the pleasure of visiting The Vineyardist Winery on Diamond Mountain in Calistoga on Petrified Forest Road.

The original owner of the estate was Lorenz Peterson, a Danish born ship builder from San Francisco.  He lost his entire savings in the Bank Panic of 1873 except for $2,000.  He used that fund to purchase the property. He built a family home that still exists today.  The rich wood of the interior reminds one of being on a ship. He planted vines and farmed, crafted and marketed the wine which led him to the name of  "the Vineyardist".

In 2000 Dirk Fulton, a Bay Area lawyer, and his wife Becky Kukkola  acquired the Estate and selected two of Napa Valley's best artisans to help bring their wine project to fruition.  They spent 10 years finding their perfect gem.  The grounds are abundant with lemon trees. olive trees. organic herb gardens and spectacular heavenly views. A beautiful tasting facility is in the final stages of construction and should be open within the next few months.

The Vineyardist Winery is an exclusive "collectors winery".  We enjoyed a wonderful tour from the Director of Marketing & Hospitality Mark Sherwood.  The Vineyardist Wine is a singular bottling of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon produced off the estates seven acres of densely planted vineyards. We had a private tasting of their 2011 and 2013 vintage that was bursting with flavor and a silky smooth finish. Robert Parker rated the 2013 a 98 plus.  We also tasted LSR Lazy Susan Ranch Cabernet which is a new companion wine and takes the original name of the historic property and the estates younger vines.  All three of the wines are  definitely upcoming star wines for wine enthusiasts to seek out. 

We also enjoyed a lovely lunch at Sam's Social Club in downtown Calistoga. It was named after Samuel Brannon California's first millionaire. Our favorite was the house made ricotta crostini with pepper jam that went well with our Venge Cabernet that we brought with us. Sam's has no corking fee so it is smart to bring your favorite juice.

On the way home, we stopped at The Olive Oil Company.  This tiny white house at the end of the street from the former Tres Vigne Restaurant is a hidden St. Helena gem. The Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salami and pantone from Italy is something not to be missed.  This place has been around since the 1930's and a "must do"  to complete a perfect day of Napa wine tasting.

Whether it be winter, spring, summer or fall, the natural beauty of Napa is always a ball.

For more information go to:
Info@ thevineyardist.com 

Venge Vineyards

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants (800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries (350 and counting), travels recently took us to Venge Vineyards in Calistoga.

Our host was Bradley who shared many great stories about the Venge family and their great wines.  Venge is three generations of producing fine wine in Napa Valley since 1968.

Knud Venge migrated from Denmark to the United States in the early 1900’s. Knud's son, Per Venge, found his passion in the wine and spirits industry and started Vencom Imports, focusing on the importation and selling of Western European fine wines and spirits. It was Per's son, Nils Venge, who left the family business, moving to Davis, California, in 1968 with a vision to study viticulture at UC Davis and establish the family namesake as an icon within the winegrowing community. Venge's  viticulture roots flourished in the heart of Napa Valley - the Oakville District - where 17 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were planted in 1976. This estate vineyard has served as the backbone in the production of the Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Family Reserve Merlot bottlings.  Nils Venge worked for Groth for many years making the first 100 point wine in 1985.

In 2008, Nils' son, Kirk Venge, acquired ownership and winemaking responsibilities for Venge Vineyards from his father, signaling a new era of family growing traditions.  His Scouts Honor with a blend of 70 percent Zinfandel, 14 percent Charbonneau, 9 percent Petite Syrah and 7 percent Syrah was dedicated to his yellow lab named Scout who welcomed guests to the winery for many years.  The 2014 is rated 94 and described by Robert Parker as a "glorious blueberry and black raspberry fruit, some truffle, licorice and spice.. a hedonistic fruit bomb and intellectually pleasing." We especially enjoyed this wine and took a few bottles with us for lunch and back home to Danville. It retails for $38.00.

The next tasting was the 2014  Bacigalupi Pinot Noir from Russian River that was refreshing and retailed for $65.00.  This Pinot was unique and also went back home to our Danville wine cellar.  We also tasted  the 2014 Silencieux with a blend of 96 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 2 percent petite Verdot and 2 percent merlot rated 94 with loads of blackberry and blueberry notes. It is a great value at $60.00.  The 2014 Bone Ash 100percent Cabernet Sauvignon was our final tasting and our favorite with a rating of 96. Robert Parker says " it has a floral component of blackberry and cassis fruit, subtle new oak  and a full bodied expansive mouthfeel."  It retails for $115.00.

For lunch we dined at Archetype in downtown St. Helena. It is located in a charming house on Main Street.  A warm fireplace welcomed us to a friendly atmosphere with an open kitchen creating a variety of locally farmed American meals. It represented the warmth of Napa with a distinctive wine country style on a cold rainy day.  The dining room was designed by Howard Bracken, the founder and renowned architect, and named as one of the "10 Most Beautifully Designed " by Architectural Digest. 

We started with their famous donut holes and pecan sauce that were warm and fun to eat with our Scouts Honor wine from Venge. I ordered the cream of mushroom soup and wood fired thin crusted pizza that was tasty and filling. Everyone else ordered the Petrale Sole fish and chips that was lightly battered and a generous proportion.

We then made a final stop at Praeger for some great port. John Praeger has been making port since 1979. In addition to his 10 year old Tawny port, he has a White Chardonnay port that is unique and deserved a ride back to Danville with us.

This was a great way to spend a rainy day. The green hills and warm rain made for a magical and mystical experience.

Rain or shine Napa always Rocks!

 For more information and to schedule a tasting go to:
 http://www.vengevineyards.com/

Merus Winery

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants( 800 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Merus Winery in St. Helena. Our wine and foodie friends Josiane and Ron Hable joined the fun.

From our home in Danville, Merus is an easy 1 hour and 15 minute drive. The name Merus is a Latin word which means "undiluted." Their secondary label Altvs translates to "noble or profound."

Our host today was Nicole Stefko. She is a passionate and knowledgeable "wino" who is proud  to be part of Merus.

The tasting took place in a rustic and comfortable tasting room surrounded by trees and a stream running thru the property. The soft rain made for a great tasting experience as the calm soothing setting made you feel you were at a very special place.

Merus is part of the impressive family of 19 Foley wineries owned by wine lover and famed businessman Bill Foley. The grapes are sourced from nearby Coombsville and crafted into highly rated wines by winemaker David Lattin. They are also only found at famous restaurants like Thomas Kellers French Laundry.

Our tasting began with the 2014 Altvs Chardonnay which was refreshing and impressive. This white wine was very good and can be purchased for 40 dollars. We took one bottle with us to enjoy with our lunch.

Altvs 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon was the next wine we tasted. It was a blend of 88 percent Cabernet and small amounts of Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec grapes.  It is a full bodied wine that was rated 90 plus by Robert Parker and retails for $75.00.

The star of the tasting was the 2013 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon rated 92 by Parker. It is a rich full bodied wine with a blend of 90 percent cabernet, and a perfect balance  of merlot and petite verdot. It retails for $160.00 and a great addition for a special occasion dinner or celebration.  One bottle of this great juice made it back to Danville with us.

After our tasting, Nicole recommended the nearby downtown restaurant Goose and Gander for lunch. We were not disappointed. A warm fire and heavenly smell of rich recipes  greeted you when you entered this charming little house complete with an extensive list of expensive bourbons and wines. We enjoyed the special cauliflower appetizer, famous mushroom soup and G and G burger that lived up to its lofty reputation. We also enjoyed the 2014 Altvs Chardonnay.

We would highly recommend the Merus tasting and this enchanting restaurant. Both are very special wine and food experiences.

For further information and to make a tasting appointment go to:
>
> https://m.meruswines.com/

Princess Pleasures

In an effort to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(800 and counting) and to visit all 600 wineries(350 and counting), my wife Linda, Hall Of Fame son MJ and myself recently had the pleasure of cruising on the Princess Cruise line, Grand Princess Cruise Ship to the Mexican Riviera for a Christmas Holiday cruise. We cruised  from San Francisco, to Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Ensenada and back to San Francisco. Our favorite benefit was that the cruise departed and returned to the great "city by the bay" with no airports to deal with during the busy holiday season. In addition, it was a treat sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge and a photographers dream with the spectacular background of the city and Oakland Bay Bridge.

The weather, entertainment, service and food  were all fantastic on this memorable trip. We had the pleasure to meet with Executive Chef Joel Directo who trained under two famous chefs - Charley Palmer and Alain Ducasse.  

Chef Joel is from the Philippines. He surprised us by serving two special Philippine dishes with our dinner one evening. Both of these were the national dishes of the Philippines and their excellence derives from the balance of flavors, in the alchemy of the slow cooking process   First was Pancit, which is a combination of fresh noodles, shrimp, vegetables and Philippine spices and is a staple second to rice.  This dish is always served during Fiesta, birthday parties, and other special occasions.  Next was a dish called "Adobo" which is a crazy delicious slow cooked chicken and pork dish with a seasoned sauce. Whether consumed in Manila's heat or on a Princess Cruise, these dishes hold the power to change moods and alter dining habits!  The food was not only delicious but the presentation rivaled a Michelangelo work of art.

We attended a cooking seminar that Joel presented.  He prepared four wonderful dishes and gave us a lot of information about the inner workings of the food service and kitchen preparation and cooking of the food for 2400 people each day.  Joel and his large staff of over 400 serves 15,000 meals each day that includes 1700 pounds of fish, and 1,400 pounds of poultry, 1,700 pounds of beef, 1,400 pounds of pork, 300 pounds of veal and 200 pounds of lamb! Now that is a BIG protein order!

To add to all that  there are 1,600 pounds of salad, 400 pounds of shrimp, 13 gallons of mayonnaise, and 1,500 sandwiches served.  500 pounds of pasta, 2,700 pounds of potatoes, 2,500 pounds of vegetables and 550 pounds of soup are served daily.  The bakery uses 1,500 pounds of flour daily to make sweet rolls, bread rolls, bread sticks, pizza, croissants and biscuits.

In the pastry shop 6000 assorted pastries, 100 gallons of ice cream and 300 cakes and pies are served daily.
400 pounds of butter, and 6,000 pounds of fresh fruits are served daily.  In the coffee pantry 470 gallons of coffee, 62 gallons of coffee cream, and 400 pounds of sugar are consumed daily.

57 people are in the dishwashing area cleaning 70,000 dishes and 21,500 glasses each day.

Although these numbers seem shocking, the real shocker to all of it was the food was sensational! It was fresh and beautifully presented  buffet or sit down style.  The service was prompt and always friendly with servers who were willing to help with anything your mouth or heart desired.

There was also a full wine and drink list.  We chose to bring wine from our cellar for a modest $15 corking fee. It was really a holiday celebration to drink our favorite wines for 8 nights in a row! We were very happy with our decision to bring our wine.

 In conclusion, this is a great way to plan a future Holiday Trip.  Not only do you avoid cooking and cleaning up, but the entertainment for all members of the family is spectacular.  Las Vegas styled shows were on twice each evening and music was buzzing in all 5 of the ship bars.  There are family games and informational presentations as well as a huge big screen movie theatre over the outdoor swim pool.  The gym and Rumba classes also provide a great way to work off all the luscious desserts you may have sampled the night before.

 The Holiday spirit was alive and well and the Magic of Christmas was bursting on board this floating resort.

 
 Princess line Holiday Cruise rocks.😋😋😋