New Find: Vintage Berkeley
A while back I gave a call out for suggestions as to where to get some good wine around these parts. My friend Meg mentioned a few, including The Wine Mine, but their hours make it really hard for me to get there. They are closed on one of my days off (Monday) and the other, Sunday, business stops at 4, and I never seem to remember I want to explore there until 3. But Meg and Wine Clubbie Megan both mentioned Vintage Berkeley, as well. And the reviews on Yelp made it sound like just my kind of place: most bottles under $25, some unusual selections, creative wine notes, and a ‘bubble bath’ by the door.
BK and I decided to make an afternoon of it this past Monday, and after a stop at Target, we made our way to Vine Street. While the organization of wine was a little loose, the fellow helping me was extremely knowledgeable and gave some good advice about the Puligny Montrachet I was seeking for my study group, and even called their other store, Solano Cellars to see if they had one. While that was a no go, I did find a Cab Franc from the Loire for the upcoming Wine Blogging Wednesday, and BK and I each picked up a couple bottles of some interesting wines we couldn’t resist.
While we were in the Gourmet Ghetto, we went by North Berkeley Imports, which Dr. Debs had suggested for a prior WBW. It was a success then and this time as well, as the gal helped me choose a similar white from Cote de Beaune that wasn’t quite so expensive. And since we were in the area, we just had to take a half-baked deep dish pizza home from Zachary’s. Later that evening we had it with one of my purchases, 2007 Land of Fire, a blend from the Mendoza region of Argentina, made from 80% Bonarda (think Charbano) and 20% Malbec. It was a little green, with subtle bell pepper, along with plum, black cherry, and peppery spice. But at $6.50, it was a great match for the chunky tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms that made us very, very happy. Throw in Little Miss Sunshine and a lot of laughs, and it was the perfect end to the day.
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