Farmstead Cheeses and Wines

Farmstead Cheeses & Wines
Alameda:  1650 Park Street
Oakland: 6219 LaSalle Avenue
farmsteadcheesesandwines.com Phone:  510 864 9463

Best celebratory wine or pre-feast quaff: A “grower-producer Champagne,” aka Farmer Fizz. I’m particularly fond of Ruelle-Pertois’ Duo Emotion cuvée at present.

Best wine for a typical turkey holiday dinner: Try the Beaujolais crus for reds or an inexpensive white Burgundy.

Best wine for a holiday fish feast: Chenin blanc is amazingly versatile. For a bargain pour, try the Cave de Saumur Les Pouches bottling, or a white Burgundy.

Best wine for a plant-centric feast: Depends on what the plants are, but Beaujolais crus will go with almost anything, as will chenin or French chardonnay.

Best wine to go with a spicy dessert: For pumpkin spices, I’d try a Muscat Beaumes de Venises, for spicy hot, I’d go with a Quart de Chaumes or other sweet Loire white.

Wild card: I’m enjoying experimenting with pét-nat sparklers lately. Learn more about them from writers Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite, who call them “Champagne’s Hip Younger Sister” in their article on Grub Street: https://www.grubstreet.com/2013/07/peak-season-for-petillant-naturel.html#