A trip to Anchor Brewery

Besides the Golden Gate Bridge, nothing is more iconic to me in San Francisco than Anchor Brewing. Dating back to the ‘49er era of the great gold rush in Northern California, Anchor has been relentlessly brewing beer for more than a century. Not too shabby for a joint that has been almost bankrupt, burnt down, shut down by Prohibition, shaken from constant earthquakes and even suffered a few untimely deaths that left the ship unmanned for a spell. Thankfully, they stuck it out to brew another day and quench our thirst.
I recently had an opportunity to spend a couple of hours on a perfect summer day in the “City by the Bay” to take a lesson from the ones who have given me an image of what San Francisco beer is and where it came from. Housed in an old coffee roastery from the thirties, Anchor was finally able to put down their own roots in 1971. Throughout its rich history, Anchor has had as many as 6 locations across the amazing city of San Francisco. Now located in the Old Potrero District, this one and only brewery and tasting room makes itself at home in an urban setting with an inspiring view of the city.

Before we made our way into the brewery, we spotted a vintage delivery truck parked out front and paused for one of many fantastic photo ops. As we entered, we were greeted with a smile and quickly directed up the stairs for our tour and tasting. We felt like we were stepping back in time. We passed the last known working payphone in existence randomly perched on a landing, but it wouldn’t be until we were headed out – post afternoon sipping suds – that the payphone photo sesh went down. Three floors up through wooden framed windows, we spied the heart and soul of Anchor. Famous for their copper pot stills, it’s not surprising that the space was left open to show the wonders of brewing’s historic beginnings. Staying true to their craft, they are still used today – some traditions are just worth keeping. Stepping into the tasting room we bellied up to the commanding mahogany bar. It felt as if we were standing there chatting with the good old boys about how relieved we all are that Prohibition was repealed.
We were lucky to have Jeremiah as our tour guide-slash-bartender for the day to talk shop and learn all there is to know about what’s on tap. The wood paneled walls, (if only they could talk!), are lined with the history of American brewing. Signage and vintage artwork from breweries across the nation keep our eyes busy as our palates are treated to all of Anchor’s current offerings!

One of our favorites and easily, their most famous brew to date, Anchor’s “California Common” which was trademarked “Steam Beer” and has been produced at Anchor since 1896. The recipe creates a highly effervescent, drinkable beer with great crisp flavor that isn’t too hoppy or high in alcohol. The term “steam” is a result of means turning into a method. Back in the day, without refrigeration, these guys had to get creative. How could they cool the hot mixture of grains and water that are boiled down into a soupy liquid of extracted sugars called “wort?” They decided to pump the boiling hot wort onto the roof tops into long, shallow bins that resemble a cake pan. It was the only way to chill the eventual beer using something they had plenty of…the cool San Francisco night air.
Today this process is done indoors in a pigeon and seagull free environment. They still use the same long, shallow bins. If I didn’t know better, once fermentation begins, I would think they were making the world’s largest angel food cake. Our stroll through a maze of hallways and staircases allowed us to see the “hop” room, bottling line, keg room and pallets on top of palates of Anchor beer stacked 3 stories tall. We even managed to sneak a peek at Anchors venture in the art of catching a buzz with distilled spirits, the still used to pump out three whiskeys and two varieties of gin! These guys have got it figured out and are more than happy to share a little slice of their heaven. A good time was had by all, and we learned a lil’ somethin’ to boot! Thanks to the Anchor team for their gracious hospitality. Just another day and just another reason why the city by the bay has made its way into our hearts to stay!
Cheers for beers,
Brandon Macer
Wine Bar Manager

The Cult Whisk(e)y Phenomenon

If you were to look up “cult wine,” you would find the likes of Screaming Eagle, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Vega Sicilia, Penfolds Grange and many more. What these world-renowned icons have in common is that they have each built a reputation for being ephemeral and produce very little of their product, so demand far exceeds the supply. Having been in the wine business for almost 20 years now, we’d like to say we know a thing or two about those kinds of goods. We’ve recently seen this phenomenon reach beyond wine and into another liquid arena, whisky. Dedicated whisky enthusiasts are on a quest like Indiana Jones to the ends of the earth for micro production, special-bottling, and long lost Holy Grail spirits. Everyday we receive inquiries for whiskys such as Pappy Van Winkle, A.H. Hirsch, Port Ellen, Ardbeg Committee, and Octomore to name a few. More and more often these highly-coveted gems have earned a name for quality well above the status quo and are becoming more and more rare. Like junkies, we’re chasing the dragon for that magical unicorn that we’ve only heard of in whispers. Every so often we strike gold, however, more often than not we find the well is dry, which only makes us thirst for more.

As the taste for Whisk(e)y grows ever more popular, broaching all kinds of cultural divides, it’s following grows. And, as purveyors of great stuff, we’ve become acquainted with the major players (movers and shakers as it were) of the spirits world. In addition to our constant search for rarity, pedigree and certainty, we’re always looking for (and tasting) what’s coming next from the veritable “Who’s Who” of cult producers and who has the “next best thing” that will be all the rage and damn near impossible to get in a few months. Simply put, you’d have a better chance of being hit by lightning than finding this stuff in your local store, let alone in your friend’s stash… but no worries, we’ve got you covered. Check in with your Wine Scout to see what’s hot right now and make sure you are on “the list” for these rare treats, because once we get them, they’re already gone.

To view our full lineup of spirits, please visit our website.

Stefan Matulich
Sales Director/Spirits Buyer

Gemstone Vineyards

What’s the latest report from your local Napa connection? Well, not to rub it in, but life here is pretty frickin’ amazing. Sunshine, mid 70s to 80s, no rain in sight. This is how we remember summer; we’re right on track and it is shaping up to be a great vintage (fingers crossed). Vibrant green vineyards flank the valley’s arteries and each drive along them seems more picturesque than the previous. You can almost witness the vine tendrils unfurling ever skyward grasping at the sunshine. At this point the grapes can’t be much bigger than peas. Yet, these hard little pellets hold so much potential – in a few months they will become the juice of this vintage. As a winemaker told me recently, “The steady ramping up of heat has made things easier; the vines really seem happy this year.”

Nowhere is this sense of Mother Nature’s bounty been more evident than on a recent trip to Gemstone Vineyards. Molly Roberts and Elizabeth Vianello welcomed our small group on a recent cloudless morning. As we pulled off of Silverado Trail and into their gravel road we beheld workers busily tending the immaculate micro-block vineyards. Gemstone is a compelling reason to believe in the equation: vineyard quality = quality wine.

Going in, we knew a few things about the place. We’ve had the joy of pouring the ’09 Gemstone Estate Red Wine by the glass at our Wine Bar of late so we knew to expect quality but we had no idea just how far they were willing to go to achieve it. Molly and Elizabeth enlightened us; first, they drop quite a bit of green fruit so that the vines can concentrate on a few good clusters. Then at harvest time they “cherry pick” the best clusters which means that sometimes there’s what may appear to be plenty of crop still on the vine after they’re done. The recent year’s dearth of high quality grapes has squeezed the market tighter than a 10 foot boa constrictor and this revelation too, took our breath away. As a side note to all of you would-be winemakers – don’t even bother asking, that second crop is not for the taking. They’re just that serious about what they do.

To that end they’ve revamped their label design to better fit the wine inside; modern, clean and multi-faceted. Just like their space, the wines are inviting and plush. They’ve got a firm grasp of what we love to call “luxury goods with a blue jeans style.” Needless to say; it was hard to leave (shoot, it was hard not to drink every drop in sight).

--Katy Long
Content Manager

Antica Napa Valley

It’s sunny and warm on this particular Tuesday in May as we cruise east and up into the Vaca Mountains that border the Napa Valley. As the convection currents whip through the open car windows we grow quiet, imagining perhaps that we could be elsewhere, maybe even Tuscany. Was it this same feeling that drew Piero Antinori when he came to the valley so many years ago?

Life certainly is good! Especially today – spring has arrived in Napa Valley. It’s a sharp contrast to the seasons of recent memory where it seemed that we’d go from winter jackets to summer’s blasting air conditioning overnight. Today, we’re basking in the transition period clad in shorts and sandals.

At the end of the long and twisty Soda Canyon Road we came to Antica Winery’s driveway. As if we’ve emerged from hibernation we’re a bit lost in the ample sunshine and breathtaking views as our hostess Kim Peters greets us outside. Kim guides us to the edge of the bluff to peer out over the estate vineyards. From our perch vineyards, mountains, trees and a lake unfold below us. The Antinori family is famed for their twenty-six generations of winegrowing in Tuscany, and Antica is their American venture. Inspiration from the home estate shows everywhere. Vines are trellised out along the slopes of this valley and the driveway is lined with olive trees.

From there we tour the caves. Hand-built in the 1980’s the walls are covered in a dark fuzz which Kim tells us keeps the humidity at the perfect level – and we’ve noticed it dampens the sound too, making the expansive caves feel intimate.

For the coup de grace we return to the well-appointed kitchen and take a seat at the wooden dining table. Sunlight pours through the windows giving the space an easy, natural feel. First we start with the 2010 Chardonnay – it’s lovely and crisp and just perfect on this bright spring day. We then launch into a winery exclusive offering of Sangiovese and their estate Cabernet – both have clean and classic lines, full of fruit, but showing classy restraint. The wines are lovely on their own, but what wine isn’t elevated by a small bite artfully paired? Kim serves us salted Marcona almonds, cured olives and an aged Parmigiano Reggiano and sliced salami. The rich foods play well with Antica’s offerings. Just as we’re all feeling as good as we can imagine, Kim offers us a sage caramel chocolate truffle and tells us that the sage grows here on property.

We find it almost unbearable to leave this heavenly place, but with our purchased cases of booty packed into our vehicles we venture down the winding road, our heads (and hearts) still perched on Atlas Peak.

Katy Long
Content Manager

Europe - Part Deux

One of the beauties of our European buying trips is that our vintner hosts have an excuse to go big in the name of hospitality. By and large, these are not fancy people who regularly indulge in extravagant meals or sip Romanée-Conti on a Tuesday night. In Burgundy, most are closer to what one might think of as a romantic expression of a French famer refueling with a wedge of cheese, some pâté and a baguette and a glass of simple village wine. But when the Americans show up ready to plunk down dollars for the new vintage, things get a little more interesting.

What the growers lack in terms of a grand château or aristocratic bearings, they make up for with their secret weapon: the cellar. Most of the wineries we visit are multi-generational with a collection that stretches back decades. One senses the pride some of the younger guys get when they open a bottle made by their father or grandfather. And it’s always a good sign when a grower asks a member of our group, “What year were you born?”

One such display was in effect at Frédéric Magnien’s domaine in Morey-St.-Denis. After tasting through about four dozen of his 2010 and 2011 barrel samples – the man makes a staggering amount of small-batch bottlings – it was time for a lunch none of us will soon forget. The food itself was incredible. One of Fred’s best friends is an immensely talented chef, plating up courses that included local escargots in a pumpkin purée and chilled lobster tail in a curry cream sauce. But once the conversation got flowing and Fred realized this was a group deeply passionate about Burgundy, it was all about the wine.

It started out innocently enough with an ’04 Chassagne-Montrachet “Maltroie”, ’05 Meursault “Genevrières” and ’05 Morey-St.-Denis “Larrets” to pair with lunch. It then got very serious, very quickly. ’04 Le Montrachet, ’96 Chassagne “Maltroie”, ’07 Echezeaux, ’05 Clos de Beze (in screwcap!), ’03 Chambolle-Charmes, ’01 Charmes-Chambertin, ’98 Bonnes-Marres. And as if to leave us thoroughly mind-boggled, a “basic” village-level Morey-St.-Denis from 1971 that tasted like a dream involving palm fronds and South Pacific women.

It is difficult to describe the impact that such a lineup has on fans of aged Burgundy. It’s rare that we get to experience one or two Grand Cru directly from the cellar, let alone a lineup like what was poured for us that afternoon. It’s both a testament to Fred’s generosity and the winemaking talent of him and his father. It also reaffirmed our belief – which has never been in doubt really – that any conversation about the world’s most beautiful wines has to involve the magical soil of Burgundy.

--Rhett Gadke
Wine Director

Vineyard 7 & 8

On a Monday morning in April our bar staff met to enjoy one of our highly anticipated field trips. It was a little early in the morning – especially for our night crew who got off work at 11:00pm. Wiping the sleep from our eyes (and downing that last cup of coffee) we ventured up Spring Mountain in St. Helena to our ultimate destination, Vineyard 7 & 8.

After a long weekend of abundant sunshine it was a bit of a shock to enter the clouds as we climbed higher and higher. Our ears popped, the temperature sank and we regretted not bringing that jacket after all. When we reached the bluff that becomes the driveway of Vineyard 7 & 8, the clouds had completely enveloped us, virtually spitting little drops of rain.

At the entrance gate a kind voice invited us in. Our savior arrived in the form of Alissa, our host, with a glass of the 2009 Estate Chardonnay for each of us. We all raised our glasses to take a whiff and observe. This Chard had a hint of cloud! Probably sensing our surprise, Wes Steffens, family member and Assistant Winemaker, explained that the wine doesn’t undergo fining or filtering and that its rich golden hue (while perhaps more pronounced than in other vintages) is what gives this wine its character. It was easy to imagine we were the only people in the world – sipping wine in what felt like being at the top of the space needle. Glass walls covered more than half of the circular room, drawing everyone’s eye to their well-cultivated vineyards.

Seated in antique leather chairs at a majestic thirty-foot table made from a single piece of wood boasting thousands of years of history, we settled into the tasting. Appointing our table was a fantastic pairing of Parmigianino Reggiano, spice toasted Marcona almonds, an olive medley and a dark chocolate sea salt bark. Each pairing highlighted different aspects of the wine playfully on the palate. Wes then guided us deep into the bowels of the mountain caves for a barrel tasting. Tasting among supremely neat rows of barrels, one gets the sense of the absolute detail that they devote to everything, down to the drain covers which have been hand etched, and the pebbles under the barrels that have been sealed to both keep the place sanitary and at the proper humidity.

In silence we drove back down the mountain, perhaps the most impressive quality of Vineyard 7 & 8 is that it’s seamless – everything just seems to fall into place perfectly. It was through this observation that we realized the probable truth that only the most tireless efforts can make it look so easy. Well, we’re impressed.

--Katy Long
Content Manager

HALL Cabernet Cook-off

Last Saturday was the 3rd Annual HALL Cabernet Cook-off. We have participated in the event each year, wining 1st place in 2010 with our St. Louis Cut Ribs and coming in 2nd place in 2011 with our Pulled Pork Sliders. Last year countless people asked, “where are the ribs?” “Bring back the ribs!” When the people speak, we listen.
A combination of 15 restaurants and catering companies came together to prepare a unique bite that was paired with the 2009 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon for this event. The chef teams donate their time and offerings in the hope of winning the cook-off, which then benefits a Napa Valley charity of their choice. We work with Napa Humane throughout the year, and we enjoy doing this event to continue our support of their work.

We fired up our smoker, and before the event officially began, the only smell one could detect was the mouth-watering scent of our ribs. Not to mention any names, but the contestant who was set up directly to our left requested they be moved…might they not have wanted to be in our shadow, oh I mean our smoke? There was never a dull moment, patron after patron, rib after rib, us sharing our story, them licking their lips wanting more. A few even praised the ribs as the best they’d ever eaten!
Some of you have had the pleasure of sampling our ribs at our Smokin’ BBQ headquarters here in Napa. If not, let me tell you…they are amazing! And the magic component that sets them apart from other ribs are the three house-made Q sauces you can use to jazz them up. Cut back to this past weekend, Chef Will spent an entire day reducing the HALL Cabernet Sauvignon and made the best BBQ sauce I’ve ever tasted!

All in all, it was a recipe for success…the Bounty Hunter’s stellar event team, perfectly smoked baby back ribs and a one of a kind Q sauce…and the People’s Choice 1st Place goes to Bounty Hunter!
Congrats to all who worked at this event and thanks for your votes!


--Summer Olson Stubblefield
Event & PR Manager