Don's Gillette's Wine Blog
Musings from our store's resident wine guru
Don has over thirty years experience in the wine industry. For the last eighteen years his attention has been focused on the growing local industry. Don has a large following of customers who search out his opinions (never in short supply!) on new releases and on what's currently most distinctive on our shelves. Others seek his insights on wineries and trends that are still under the radar. Read Don's full bio...
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Zazu & Zappa
Last week, I described the pleasures of a catered breakfast at Roar Winery in San Francisco. That was a "trade" perk. It seems only fair that I follow that blog with one about a dining experience that wine country visitors can actually enjoy themselves.
Saturday night found me in the Russian River Valley. It was packed with tourists. I wasn't there for the reasons that attracted them, however. I had been obliged to spend my afternoon in San Francisco, missing both the "Russian River Wine Road" barrel tasting and the annual RRV "Crab Fest". What brought me north after missing those enticements was the promise of an evening "Zappa Plays Zappa" concert.
The concert was to begin at 8:00pm, at the Wells Fargo Center on River Road, a short jog from two of my favorite RRV eateries: Underwood's and Zazu. Both are distinctive and delicious, although Underwood's sees me more often, being a super-convenient lunch stop.
Underwood's is a boisterous tavern and a local winemaker hangout. Zasu, located in an an old-fashioned Roadhouse on Guerneville Road, is the quieter and slightly more serious of the two. Its menu is richer and looks its best at the climax of a long day. This time we chose Zazu.
I am a charcuterie lover and Zasu produces its own outstanding cold-cuts, so it's a place where I never miss the appetizer. Happily, we found a sympathetic and efficient waitress and a kitchen staff that was on the ball. Between them they had the appetizer and three courses on our table in 7 minutes.
The appetizer was predictably delicious. It included portions of several salami-like cuts, two cheeses, grilled peppers and some obviously home-made condiments. I followed it with Steamed Mussels in a tasty herbal broth, along with a flavorful Broccoli Rabe side dish.
My Sweetie chose the most exceptional course: a Four-mushroom Risotto, headed by the terrific local trumpet variety. I never fail to order trumpets when I see them on a menu, and they never disappoint. In this case they transported a hearty plate of Risotto into something remarkable. If you ever see these offered when your in the RRV, don't miss them.
I was not drinking, as I was going to have a long drive back to the city, but was pleased to notice that Zazu was pouring the delightfully fruity 2007 Balletto Estate Pinot Noir by the glass. This pretty bottling (one of our current newsletter selections) has just the zest this rich food requires.
Zasu was terrific and I continue to recommend it highly. It was not so wonderful as the concert that followed it though. That took me back to the best days of the 1960s!