Sipping cocktails: San Francisco Chronicle Wine section in 60 seconds

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Aug 10th 2006 @ 1:31PM

summertime cocktails

This week, the feature story is not on wine, but cocktails. Rather than relying on the standard, vodka, Bay Area bartenders are turning to artisan tequilas, locally brewed and Mexican beers, rum and other exotic spirits. There are recipes for Neptune's Garden, Leilani Volcano, China Clipper, Coconut Batido, Basil Gimlet. Watermelmon Margarita, and Sidewinder's Fang.

The Chronicle's Wine Selection of the Week is Pinot Noir, about half of which are from the Santa Cruz Mountains, the other half from the Central Coast.The opt of their favorites is 2004 Carmel Road Monterey Pinot Noir. The Bargain selections are light, summery whites, including a sparkling wine, NV Lorikeet South Eastern Australia Brut.

Black Bean Spareribs pair well with the Pinot Noir selection, and the Cheese Course of the Week is a buffalo-milk mozzarella, Bubalus Bubalis.

Filed Under: Spirit of Summer, Newspapers, In Sixty Seconds, Ingredients, Drink Recipes
Tags: america, Bay Area, beef, cheese, cocktails, dinner, drinking, drinks, food and wine, rum, san francisco, san francisco chronicle, SanFrancisco, SF, SF Chronicle, SF Gate, spirits, tequila, vodka, west coast, wine