Disqus - Latest Comments for Tommy

Re: Announcing Wine Blog Wednesday 38 – Portuguese Table Wines with Caveats!

Tommy — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 03:13:48 -0000

Can't wait for the next wine blog Wednesday with Portuguese table wines Woohoo! I'm a small importer of Portuguese and Spanish wine here in San Francisco and I believe Portugal definately deserves credit for the amazing wines being made there today. We currently have about 30 Portuguese wines in our portfolio and the majority are table wines not from the Douro. Keep up the great work!

Tommy

Re: Grape Profile - Baga - The Saliva Sucker

Tommy — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:06:01 -0000

Ryan the best 100% Baga I have ever had is from producer Luis Pato who is located in Bairrada. He's ones of Portugal's great wine makers. I just recently had his 1998 Vinha Barrosa from a vineyard which is over 80 years old. This wine was in my humble opinion incredibly complex and such a surprise I bought this bottle a year or two back for curiosity sake and was completely wowed. His wines from his old vine vineyards are known to age well. I agree young Baga doesn't really float my boat. But the aged juice from Pato is outstanding truly a great wine to search out. His website is www.luispato.com and is in english as well as Portuguese. He is very friendly and loves promoting his Portuguese indigenous varietals, I have asked him a lot of questions about Portuguese wine making and he always replies back to me personally. We currently distribute his Maria Gomes white but someday I hope to direct import his other reds. Interestingly he makes a sparkling wine with 100% Baga too. I haven't tried it yet but I'll let you know when I do! Let me know what you think if you try them. Aloha!

Re: Wine Blog Wednesday #38 Update with Some Extra Tidbits

Tommy — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:06:32 -0000

Hello Ryan, if anyone is having trouble finding Portuguese Table wines in the San Francisco Bay Area I can definitely send them in the right direction here. Mahalo!

Re: Wine Blog Wednesday #38 Update with Some Extra Tidbits

Tommy — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:16:21 -0000

Some great shops in the Bay Area worth calling or checking out for Portuguese wines are Du Vin Fine Wines www.duvinfinewines.com in Alameda Dan the owner is very knowledgeable. The Spanish Table www.spanishtable.com in Berkeley and Mill Valley have a great selection probably the biggest in the Bay Area. Solano Cellers www.solanocellars.com and Vintage Berkeley www.vintageberkeley.com usually have some stuff in stock to. In San Francisco try WINE www.winebarsf.com at Embarcadero Center 2 next to Peetes Coffee and Arlequin Wine Merchant in Hayes Valley next to Absinthe. Also CAV Wine Bar and Restaurant next to Zuni Cafe is an awesome place to try Portuguese and Spanish wines infact if you like whats in your glass you can buy bottles at a cheaper retail price than what is on the wine list to take home. Just let your waiter know your interested because this is not advertised. These shops usually carry wines other than just Vinho Verde and the Douro.

Re: Wine Blog Wednesday #38 Update with Some Extra Tidbits

Tommy — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:18:15 -0000

Here are some great shops in the Bay Area worth calling or checking out for Portuguese wines are Du Vin Fine Wines www.duvinfinewines.com in Alameda Dan the owner is very knowledgeable. The Spanish Table www.spanishtable.com in Berkeley and Mill Valley have a great selection probably the biggest in the Bay Area. Solano Cellers www.solanocellars.com and Vintage Berkeley www.vintageberkeley.com usually have some stuff in stock to. In San Francisco try WINE www.winebarsf.com at Embarcadero Center 2 next to Peetes Coffee and Arlequin Wine Merchant in Hayes Valley next to Absinthe. Also CAV Wine Bar and Restaurant next to Zuni Cafe is an awesome place to try Portuguese and Spanish wines infact if you like whats in your glass you can buy bottles at a cheaper retail price than what is on the wine list to take home. Just let your waiter know your interested because this is not advertised. These shops usually carry wines other than just Vinho Verde and the Douro.

Re: Wine Blog Wednesday #38 Update with Some Extra Tidbits

Tommy — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:35:25 -0000

Sonadora, if your in NYC particularly Manhattan give Astor Wines and Spirits a look www.astorwines.com this place in my humble opinion has one of the most insane selections of wines on the planet including plenty of Portuguese goodies. Good luck with your search!

Re: Wine Blog Wednesday #38 Update with Some Extra Tidbits

Tommy — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:22:56 -0000

Oops Sonadora, I thought you were in NYC.

Re: The Fear of Sherry

Tommy — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:10:28 -0000

Great uni story. I actually just back from a camping trip along the North California coast with a bunch of friends. We did a lot of diving for abalone and uni, since I was the "new to uni guy" I got volunteered to clean the little urchins. Very messy job indeed but I have a new found respect for those tasty little buggers. I actually brought a bottle of Aurora Manzanilla from Pedro Romero with me, a perfect pair for uni fresh out of the sea. I wonder if you could use sherry or sherry vinegar as a substitute for rice wine vinegar when making your sushi rice and use that for your sushi. Now that sounds like it could be very cool. I'll let you guys know if it works.

Re: SITT Tasting in London and an Interview with Jamie Goode from the Wine Anorak

Tommy — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:23:42 -0000

Ryan, great interview with Mr. Goode. It's fantastic to have other writers out there talking about the wines I love. Portugal has been doing really well for us in the Bay Area and we have since expanded to LA and San Diego. Every month more and more wine buyers and somms are paying attention to us but the road has been tough (no help from the current economy). We now have SF destination restaurants like Ches Panisse,Zuni Cafe, and NOPA pouring Portuguese wines by the glass. The great prices are definitely helping and the next generation of younger buyers are more open and curious then their past predecessors. Keep up the great work!!!