Berkeley Wines for Dinner (Broc, Lusu, Whistler)

With pork chops and risotto Sunday night!

In trying to escape the heat yesterday, I parked in North Berkeley (Traumer Pils) to undertake an "urban shoreline" bicycle ride. After returning, I hit up LUSU CELLARS and WHISTLER in the old Camelia Street ESJ space.

Lusu Cellars had just bottled an interesting zin/syrah???? rose. Onion skin color. Definitely saline, but with a hint of peach sweetness. I normally prefer bone-dry rose, but somehow, the peach worked well with the saline notes!

With the main course, Whistler Cellars Pinot Noir (2013) from the north coast. This was more on the black fruited side of things. I actually think we should have waited a year for drinking this "Corvus" bottling (the owner was correct!) but it was still very nice.

Broc Cellars Old Vines Carrignan 2014. Chris has made this wine in the past with a carbonic process, and while I am not certain this was true in 2014, it has that fruity freshness I associate with carbonic maceration. Bright strawberry/berry/red plum skin fruit with a hint of spritz. My friend Joe liked it, his wife Donna was less sure.

My favorite of the evening was probably the rose! The saline/peach combo worked for me on a 100 degree evening capped off with an episode of HELL ON WHEELS and SHAMELESS.

100! Yowza.

Did you go N or S? There's been so much improvement of the shoreline path system since I lived in the Bay Area -- I always headed for the hills, myself, but my brother-in-law says there's good riding by the water now too!

100! Yowza.

Did you go N or S? There's been so much improvement of the shoreline path system since I lived in the Bay Area -- I always headed for the hills, myself, but my brother-in-law says there's good riding by the water now too!

South. I basically went through Emeryville to West Oakland BART and then eventually headed into the Presidio, Ocean Beach, and Golden Gate Park. Some serious climbing in the Presidio-the Land's End shoreline ride hit 11% in a couple of places.

Since I let myself get...fat...again over the last two years, climbing is not fun for me right now.

Oh, yeah, I have painful memories of that steep climb from the warming hut down at the end of Crissy Field up to Lincoln Blvd. and the Bridge. But it's good pain, as they say.

Funny how "11%" can be refreshing in a white wine and unpleasant on a bicycle.

I've got a big ride coming up next month in Wisconsin that has some 16%-plus sections, but if keep my sweet tooth in check I might hit it about 10 lbs. lighter than last year.

And thanks for the TNs!

but if keep my sweet tooth in check I might hit it about 10 lbs. lighter than last year.

Been in denial these last couple of years, but I actually stepped on the scales on Monday. Gulp. It's ALL about the diet with me. I exercise like a fiend but also pound down the ice cream Not even really the alcohol.

I've never been a dieter, per se, but this year I gave up added sugar.... with exceptions, but enough to reset my palate and my habits. It's been revolutionary.