2. try and look extra
hip at tradewine
events.I think it's
an icebreaker,"saysCourtneyCochran,the
fashionablewine consultantand founder of
Your PersonalSommelier,a SanFrancisco-
basedwine consultingcompany.Dressedin
sleekblack with Chaneleanings,Cochran
hardly fits the profile of an old-world, stodgy
oenophileasshereachesfor aglassof ros6,her
manicurednails paintedfire red. A LosAngeles
transplant,Cochranmovedto the BayArea almosttwo
yearsagoto be closerto the industry in Northern
California and to put a cool spin on wine tasting.
Cochran'spassionfor wine education,coupled with
a knack for savwymarketing,helpedher launch her
businessin 2005.The companyorganizestastingevents,
offerswine list consultingand helps individuals with
cellar developmentand management.In just overa year,
shehasalreadyenlistedcorporateclients suchasCisco
Systems,IBM and McKinsey & Company.
"She'sveryknowledgeableandher explanationsare
exquisite,"saysDonnaLam,who organizedabirthday
party for her husbandin LosAngeles,whereCochran
gaveapresentationon white wine andchampagneto a
groupof their
generation,
friends."Like many in her
Courtrreythinks outside of the
box andhasafreshapproach,"
addsLam.(Sincethebash,
Lam saysher husbandwill
only drinkbubbly.)
Cochran has also
launched a subsidiary of
Your Personal Sommelier
called Hip TastesEvents,
a monthly party where
twenty- and thirty-somethings
mingle in a bar with pourersand
winemakersservinginteresting
vintages.But this isn't your classic
jacket-and-tieBordeauxtasting.
Rather,Cochrandesignsthe events
around current trends.Recent
themeshave included The Green
Tasting,GetYour Grill On, and
YoungGuns,which highlighted
young winemakers.After eachevent,shepostsphotos
of the eveningonline and blogsaboutthesetrends on
her websiteand in her weekly wine column at
winecountry.com."I've alwaysgoneto wine events
and felt a little marginalized,"saysCochran,who
graduatedfrom the UCLAAndersonSchoolof
Managementand is now working toward receiving the
MasterSommeliertitle. "Thereweren'ta lot of things
aboutthesekinds of occasions-whetherit wasthe
venue or the gimmick-that I could grabhold of and
connectwith. I wantedto createan experiencefor
youngpeoplewherethey'd want to buy wines and
integratethem into their lives." courtneycochran.com.
COCHRAN'SPICKS
A freshcrop of youngwinemakershasdralrmplenty of
attention,primarily becauseof the high quality of their
wines,but alsofor the uniquepositioningof their brands.
Here,Cochranrevealsfour of her favoritewinemakers
in this categoryand recommendssomeperfectpairings.
ROSHAMBOWINERY
Havingrecently sold its wine facility, awaiting completion
of its new digsin Healdsburg,Roshambohasrelocated
partof itsbusinessinto a 38-footR.V.calledthe
Roshambus,Thebustours the country,promoting the
brand in tovrmsevery.where."You havepeopledrinking
Cabemetwith Cubancigars,but we'd ratherservewine to
adultsat afamily gatheringin the park," saysManaging
ParbrerLamarionSpence.rcshombowinery.com.
stp The2OO2"TheReverend"DryCreekValley
Zinfandel. "It's a full bodied Zin with mouth-smackins
fruit, backed-upby arich elegancethat'stotally
appealing,"saysCochran.
rAsrE Perfectwith BBQchickenpizza,beefbrisketor a
dynamite burgerwith ketchup (which brings out the
sweebnessin the Zin). CONTINUED ON PAGE 62
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3. EMERYVILLE
CHARLES
AND THE
CHOCOLATE
FACTORY
Openedin Apriladjacent
to the factory where his
small-batchgoodiesare
handcrafted,the first
retailstoreof Chuck
Siegel'sCharlesChoco-
lctes offerscandy kitchen
viewsand frothy mugs of
hot cocoa.And if the
Emeryvillechoco-complex
i < : h r f n f : < r h l a n
the company'sonline
ct^ra i< | rn ^nal
running.6529Hollis
St, Emeryville,BBB-
652-4412;charles
chocolates.com.
SAN FRANCISCO
PS
may be having
creamy gelato
classic. Gail
to Nancy,
and La Brea
Bakery
openedGelcto Bcr latelast
winter with plenty of
artisanalflourishes.The 24
ever-changingflavors of
custom-madegelatoand
sorbetto(includingciassic
nocciola,cinnamon-basil
and a luscious sugar-free
chocolate)from Venetian
masterAlessandroFontana
arethe draw to this arcade-
Iike spotreminiscent of the
hangoutson piazzasnear
Silverton's Umbrian summer
homa 4342 1,/2TbjungaAve.,
StudioCity,I 18-487-7777.
THE TASTEMAKERScoNTINUED
MEDLOCKAMES
Vintner Ames Morison, who served
in thePeaceCorps,andhis friend
and businesspartner,Christopher
MedlockJames,arecommitted
to the environment. Their vineyard
in Sonoma'sAlexanderValley
is farmed without
insecticides,chemical
fertilizers or herbicides and
relieson solarenergy.
medlockames.com.
stP2002AlexanderValley
Bell Mountain RanchRed.
"It showsIayerednotesof
plums, dried cherriesand
figsalongsidebutterscotch,bakingspicesandtoast."
TAsTEA simple,rustic charcuterieplatterand
somecrispybreadto enjoyasan appetizerwine.
Decantfor evenmore aromaticimpact,
HOBO WINE COMPANYAND BANYANWINES
Startedtn2OO2by Thai-AmericanKenny Likitprakong
when hewasjust 27 yearcold, Hobowinesproduces
reds,while its sisterlabel,Banyan,makeswhites."I
makewines for youngerpeoplewho don't havea cella-r
beneaththeir houses.I put alot of valuein eachbottle,"
saysLikitprakong.hobowines.com; banyanwines.com.
stPBanyan:2005SantaLuciaHighlandsRiesling."It's
madefrom acool part of the Califomia coastlineand offers
up notesof limes,peaches,flowersandminerals."
rAsrE Pair up this pretty white wine with the likes of
PadTaLay,anintenseblend ofseafoodin hot chili
saucebackedup by sweetbasilandlemon leaves.
LAVA VINE VINEYARDS
Locatedon a steephillside in the KnightsValleyof
Sonoma,LavaVineVineyardswasestablishedin 2004by
Nile Zacherleand|oe Cabral.They produceSyrahand
CabemetSauvignonfrom grapesgrolun on the area's
volcanicallyderivedsoil.Zacherleusesold-school
methods,suchashawestingwithout the useof tractors,
andthe farmingis exclusivelyorganic.Iavauines.com.
stP2004ZacherleSyrahKnights Valley Lawer
Vineyard."It's madefrom volcanic soils and boasts
gorgeousnotesof blueberries,dark chocolate,
pepperand molassesin a big body."
TAsrEGreatwith meat,roastedgameor areally
concentratedOssoBucco. r
PerfectoPerbcrcco
It's no surprise Stoffan Terje crnd Umberto Gibin chose
the name Perb<rcco (kind oI like "ooh Ia la" in ltclicn)
for their new S.F. restcurcnt. With their respective
culincry resumes reading like c "Best Of S.E" Iist,
Perbacco is one newcomer sure to hcve stcqringpower.
230 Colitomio Si., S.E, 415-955-0663;perbcccosf.com.
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BY ALI SO N CLARE STEI NGOL D
