This podcast offers something a little different. Yes, I do talk about wine – Italian and French varietals, but tasty cuisine as well.
The settings for VJB Cellars and The Girl and the Fig Restaurant are entirely different, yet each offer extraordinary experiences. My guests are Italian immigrant Vittorio Belmonte and Sonoma chef & restaurant owner Sondra Bernstein. Their wine and culinary businesses are successful but both started from humble beginnings. Needless to say, that provides a compelling story.
https://onthewineroad.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/VJB-Girl-edit2.png5181400Jeff Davishttps://onthewineroad.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/logo.pngJeff Davis2019-06-29 12:04:112019-06-29 12:04:11Cappuccino with Vittorio & a Chat with Sondra of Girl and the Fig
This podcast includes stops at a favorite winery and restaurant; Spring Mountain Vineyard and A16.
As you’ll hear, Spring Mountain Vineyard features three distinct vineyards and a history that makes it a special place. What I love about the experiences are the library wines the offer. In three visits I’ve tasted vintages from 1988, 2001, ’04, ’08, ’10, and ’15. The cabernet sauvignons and their Elivette (reserve) blends are made in the Bordeaux style; meaning not a big, ripe, chewy Cab, but an elegantly complex wine that invites you to enjoy taste after taste. They also bottle a sauvignon blanc. Winemaker Justin Hirigoyen is my guest.
**Update: Wine Spectator just released scores for 2015 Bordeaux Blends in Napa Valley. Spring Mountain Vineyard topped the list with a score of 96. (BTW – 15 of the top 30 are priced higher than Spring Mountain Vineyard). Don’t hesitate, pay them a visit!
A16 Restaurant offers authentic Italian Pizza Napolitana, fresh pasta, and house cured meats inspired by the Campania region. My guest, Wine Director Shelley Lindgren, selects wines that highlight grapes of the Compania and nearby regions. We’ve enjoyed dining there. You’ll find A16 in the Marina District on Chestnut Street and in Oakland in Rockridge. They also operate the Michelin Star restaurant SPQR in the S.F. Fillmore district.
French and Italian wine and food. What’s not to love?
Justin on the day of our interview and tasting
The tasting we did on our first visit. We love those library wines!
The barrel room behind the attractive facade
One of Spring Mountain’s three vineyards
A recent tasting I attended in the beautiful Miravalle Estate
A16 Restaurant on a San Francisco evening
A partial shot of the restaurant. The wood-firing ovens are to the right and the seating wraps around.
