I took a last minute invite to check out the Tre Bicchieri tasting in LA. For those not in the Italian Wine loop, Tre Bicchieri (Italian for Three Cups) is the rating system used by Gambero Rosso for the best of the best in Italian wines. Co-sponsored by Slow Food, I was really hoping for a great showing. Alas, the wine didn't show up. So, after a mad scramble, and phone calls to their distributors, maybe a fourth of the tables actually had any wine to pour. Most of them, odd vintages or completely different wines, whatever they were able to compile here in LA. As it all turned out, this was just fine, because I'd be doing it again in San Francisco in a few days and it gave me a chance to try out some different wines and vintages, and get an idea of what would be available to try when I got to San Fran.
After a couple interesting tastes: Sfursat (a ripassa, dried style Nebbiolo), Pugnitello (an heirloom variety, almost extinct), Damilano, and Vietti Barolo, I felt pretty happy about bouncing early with Mike, Barbara, and Bob, and checking out Venice Beach Wines, (Pictured above) a really great spot on the supposedly formerly sketchy Rose Ave. Oscar, who built most of the place himself, really managed to get a cute, comfortable, and homey spot together with a great little kitchen, eclectic wine list, and all around fun atmosphere. Definitely check them out if you're in Venice.
http://www.venicebeachwines.com/
Of course, another reason I like this place, is that it reminds me of a sculpture I did about 10 years ago, called November. It now hangs at my buddy's house in Brooklyn. It's a single piece of wood, cut into 30 pieces, acting as a sort of calendar. Each piece of the woodgrain representing a sunrise or new day, and reflecting the events of that day in November 1999.
No comments:
Post a Comment