the Brazileño cc'd me on the new 7G.
http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/article-10779-seven-grand’s-grand-experiment.html
I own at least a dozen of the bottles on their shelf, and they will have to try harder than their current inventory to seriously compete with Aero Club & Small Bar. The tasting "society" is still automatic. Nobody else I know has the courage to do it.
http://www.aeroclubbar.com/
http://smallbarsd.com/
http://sdbarcrawl.blogspot.com/2012/07/7g-catch-up.html?showComment=1343279142077#c6681881114498138245
Belated mega-props to GARooth & crew
http://barrellymadeit.com/bourbon/whiskey-whisky/
for a well deserved sold out event. Graciously permitting me to throw down with a brace of my own bottles aptly wood themed was an honor unmatched by all the porcelain smiled publicanry I constantly entreat, to no avail, to allow me to school them at no cost except to their sobriety.
I.T., Queen of Hippies, was through town week before last so we sojourned from the mountain top to the new Asao in Tecate. Seafood excellent but the go-to is definitely the duck, night & day superior to any such I've had este lado de la linea. Get the phone number first to call for the shuttle when you park al norte.
Only two reds by the glass was a shock, but the petite sirah is a welcome exception commonly absent elsewhere. More than one red blend replete with heavy varietals at the bottom of the bottle price list made for less painful pairing.
http://www.santuariodiegueno.com/english/asao.html
But the revelation was my own ability to get back across with expired passport, et al. This opens up Valle de Guadeloupe, Santo Thomas & Ensenada for much higher consideration than the bandit day trip of two years ago.
Still have yet to get firm commitment from anyone re Julian Grape Stomp. It's mighty lonely at the top of the wine whisperer hierarchy. So very few grasp life's true priorities.
I'm not funded for another expedition north to Rogue's Great American Distillers event this year, a heart rending disappointment. It appears to be at a different location this year.
http://www.distillersfestival.com/
Any one contemplating April's ADI Conference is encouraged to coordinate with me on travel logistics. http://www.distilling.com/2012Conference/
Best local winery recently, Dube Vineyards. Worth the effort of an appointment, http://www.dubevineyards.com/
Last crawl started at Mission Brewery across the parking lot from Petco Park to see how the other half slakes thirst. The imperial stout is aces by me, but not to the wingman. Have to concur with his curt dismissal re most the rest. Once you give up the gas for the grape, there's no going back.
Next was Andaz, long a to-do. http://ivyentertainmentsandiego.com/UltraLoungeAndWineBar.aspx
Very impressive Enoteca wall of 88 choices. A 375ml Loupiac on the left of the port rack was the only noteworthy for me.
http://www.bbr.com/region-898-loupiac
http://bordeaux-undiscovered.co.uk/blog/2009/05/sweet-bordeaux-%E2%80%93-loupiac/
Liquor shelf a cut above standard but no stand out surprises there. With any of the reds, use some sense and let it air out plenty, otherwise it's wasted.
Last was Sevilla. http://www.cafesevilla.com/
Meat tapas platter was notably excellent, but the pour was just sad. Had to ask the lonely sherry bottle or two be dug out from the shelf since there was no up to date list. I challenge them to cease their lameness and get a malaga to prove themselves worthy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaga_(wine)
I already know to go to the Grant for the best deal on Madeira
http://www.usgrant.net/grant-lounge,
even after the expedition before last, begun at Flavor http://flavordelmar.com/,
down to Americana cat corner across the coast highway http://www.americanarestaurant.com/
and ending at the culinary nonpareil Market http://www.marketdelmar.com/ ,
each meriting high marks for a port & sherry inventory beyond nearly all others locally.
Recent kudos include Lion's Share, a rare venue with a shelf needing repeat visitation, and a highly preferred game based menu. http://lionssharesd.com/ ,
Southern California Wine for broad devotion to locavore and automatic waystop when venturing from the Owl Box base to the burgeoning Ramona thicket.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/southern-california-wine-company-ramona
If only the Lemurians would get with the program and get a tasting room.
Ever scrumptious Jenkins Pommier, last year's bottle just opened since JGS is around the corner to replace it. http://www.jenkinswinery.com/our_wines.html
and, as always, GO CV/NC & Big Lots for saving us a bundle on plonk so we can splurge on hooch. The old bald wart got the last half case of Meld, very representative of the red blends currently best buys on close out shelves we shop.
http://logabottle.com/home/s.php?b=24816
http://logabottle.com/home/s.php?b=24864
