{"id":71,"date":"2010-06-13T08:38:00","date_gmt":"2010-06-13T08:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=71"},"modified":"2010-06-13T08:38:00","modified_gmt":"2010-06-13T08:38:00","slug":"%d1%85%d0%bb%d0%b5%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b0%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%b2-%d0%b2%d0%be%d0%b7%d0%b2%d1%80%d0%b0%d1%89%d0%b0%d0%b5%d1%82%d1%81%d1%8f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=71","title":{"rendered":"\u0425\u043b\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u0432\u043e\u0437\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Khlestakov returns!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/div>\n
Apart from Aristophanes\u2019\u00a0\u0392\u03ac\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c7\u03bf\u03b9<\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0(The Frogs)<\/em>, Nikolai Gogol\u2019s\u00a0\u0420\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0437\u043e\u0440<\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0(The Government Inspector) <\/em>may be the most uproarious satire ever written (and, no, my my choice to eschew transliteration is not a conceit\u2014Your West Coast Oenophile<\/strong> has read both in the original)<\/em>. His protagonist, Khlestakov, though hardly \u00e6sthete, bumbles his way through life and the unwitting indulgence of the local villagers in the play, steered by a gastronomic compass. Indeed, his boundless appetite for the next delectation constitutes the distinguishing thread that delineates him from the malevolent opportunism of a rake like Lothario or Madoff and relegates him to the status of what Nabokov<\/a> deemed a \u043f\u043e\u0448\u043b\u044f\u043a<\/strong><\/em>, a term that has no true equivalent in English, though various Internet translation tools render it as \u201cplatitudinarian\u201d or \u201cvulgarian.\u201d<\/span>
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As I stated in a recent entry, sometimes my quest to sample new and interesting wines for\u00a0Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0brings me to events where food purveyors play a major, if not dominant, role; within this milieu, my designated perspective as \u0153nophile gives way to that of a gourmand, making me feel somewhat the grand poseur, like Khlestakov, as I wend from food stand to food stand, delighting at each stop.<\/span><\/div>\n

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Just recently, I managed to sandwich in two such events on a single Saturday, the 2010 Golden Glass<\/a> at Fort Mason and the 6th Annual Marin County Pinot Tasting<\/a>\u00a0at the historic Escalle Winery in Larkspur. Given that I chose to cover this entire loop on bicycle\u2014not so much out of adherence to sustainable principles as a need to counterbalance my caloric intake with a substantial degree of physical exertion, this day would prove quite a marathon.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u0413\u043b\u0430\u0432\u0430 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u0430\u044f<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/div>\n

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This day started out as I donned my helmet and rolled down from Pacific Heights to Fort Mason, a trek on my Trek to which readers of this blog have become quite familiar. Slow Food San Francisco has sponsored this p\u00e6an to sustainable food and wine for the past several years, engorging the throng of attendees with delectables from many of the Bay Area\u2019s most revered Italian restaurants and other philosophically concordant establishments. Among my many favorites, <\/span>\u00c8 Tutto Qua<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Delfina<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Frantoio<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Serpentine<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Ristobar<\/span><\/a> lavished generous portions of their signature dishes on eager attendees. My old friend Alex Ong, who blazed a culinary trail for East\/west fusion cuisine at <\/span>Orocco<\/span><\/a> in the mid-1990s, showed glimpses of his current mastery at <\/span>Betelnut<\/span><\/a>, with an \u00e6therial slice of Salmon Sashimi topped with its own roe. <\/span>Heaven\u2019s Dog<\/span><\/a>, the hip Chinese destination from renowned Vietnamese food impresario Charles Pham<\/span> (Slanted Door) <\/span><\/em>dazzled, as well.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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I made several visits to the table for <\/span>A16<\/span><\/a>, the first restaurant I have encountered in San Francisco that captures the essence of the Neapolitan fare on which I was raised. I could not help but tweak chef Liz Shaw about her table, festooned with a roasted pig\u2019s head and fronds of fennel. \u201cFunny,\u201d I remarked. \u201cThis is the first time I\u2019ve seen <\/span>finocchio<\/span><\/em><\/strong> in San Francisco.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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\u201cIt grows wild all al<\/span>ong the roadside,\u201d she replied, oblivious to my subtle double-entendre. But of the subtle nuances of Italian cuisine was lost on her excellent pulled pork topping a moist baguette slice, nor on the obligatory wood-fired pizza from <\/span>Flour + Water<\/span><\/a> <\/span>(apparently, each year at Golden Glass, one of San Francisco\u2019s leading <\/span>pizzaioli<\/span><\/strong> takes its turn at firing up the mobile wood oven from <\/span>Emilio Miti<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/em>.
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Suffice it to say, I sampled enough food to pedal the 22-mile trip to <\/span>Larkspur and then some, but, of course, my attendance on behalf of <\/span>Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span> primarily focused<\/span> (or, I should say, was supposed to be focused) <\/span><\/em>on the wines being poured. I first attended Golden Glass in 2008, the year A16 handled pizza duties. Much to my dismay, only one winery from California was pouring at what supposed to be the premier showcase for local, sustainable food. When I later drew the promoter\u2019s attention to this incongruity, she complained that she could not source reliably good organic wines from nearby. I begged to differ, and while she declined my offer to help with arrangements for the following year, I was pleased to find nearly a dozen California wineries in attendance in 2009<\/span> (along with Delfina at the helm of the pizza oven)<\/span><\/em>.
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Golden Glass 2010 featured more than 30 wineries pouring, with several others not on had winning Golden Glass awards for their vintages<\/span>. Remarkably, 13 of the 17 prizes awarded at this competition were bestowed to California wineries, a remarkable achievement considering that the overwhelming majority of wineries present came from Italy, along with Spain, France, New Zealand and Argentina. But with my apologies to Lorenzo Scarpone and Franco Minniti of <\/span>Villa Italia<\/span><\/a>, the driving forces behind Slow Food San Francisco and this event in particular,I restricted my sampling to the local wines that fall within <\/span>Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u2019s stated parameters.
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Quite a number wineries held a cooperative presence through <\/span>Artisan Growers & Producers<\/span><\/a>, a San Francisco-based collective. <\/span>Mercury Wines<\/span><\/a> showcased their <\/span>The 500<\/span><\/strong>, a non-vintage Bordeaux-style wine in distinctive 500 ml. jugs. <\/span>Duende<\/span><\/a>, arriving a week late for T.A.P.A.S., still shone with their <\/span>2007 Tempranillo Clement Hills<\/span><\/strong> and an appealing <\/span>2005 Cabernet Franc<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Hawkes<\/span><\/a>, a sister operation, easily matched up with both a <\/span>2005 Merlot<\/span><\/strong> and a <\/span>2005 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/span><\/strong>.
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Tallulah Wines<\/span><\/a> may never be as racy as their namesake, <\/span>Tallulah Bankhead<\/span><\/a>, but their <\/span>2006 Syrah<\/span><\/strong> could cause a bit of a stir on its own<\/span><\/span>. A returnee from PINK OUT! SF, <\/span>Dacalier<\/span><\/a> demonstrated how their Grenache\/Mourv\u00e8dre blend, the <\/span>2009 Premi\u00e8re Ros\u00e9<\/span><\/strong> held its own in a contrasting setting. And despite my having to spend the latter part of the day sipping nothing but Pinot, I still delighted in <\/span>Wait Cellars<\/span><\/a>\u2019 <\/span>2007 Pinot Noir<\/span><\/strong>.
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Three other Artisan members showcased their Pinots. Both <\/span>Blagden Wines<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Corkscrew Wines<\/span><\/a> poured a <\/span>2007 Pinot Noir<\/span><\/strong>, while <\/span>Prophet Wines<\/span><\/a> chose to feature their <\/span>2006 Pinot Noir<\/span><\/strong>. Along with their <\/span>2007 Estate Pinot Noir<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>Lazy Creek Vineyards<\/span><\/a> excelled with a super-dry <\/span>2007 Gew\u00fcrztraminer<\/span><\/strong> and an equally compelling <\/span>2008 Riesling<\/span><\/strong>. Electing not to pour themselves, <\/span>Domaine Carneros<\/span><\/a> nonetheless garnered the award for their <\/span>2007 Pinot Noir The Famous Gate<\/span><\/strong>.
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Another award-winning winery that appeared only at the winner\u2019s table was <\/span>J. Lohr<\/span><\/a>, with their Bordeaux-inspired <\/span>2006 Cuv\u00e9e POM<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>, a Merlot\/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, with slight additions of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Similarly, Livermore\u2019s <\/span>Wente Vineyards<\/span><\/a> earned top accolades or their <\/span>2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Southern Hills<\/span><\/strong>. And Napa\u2019s <\/span>Ca\u2019 Momi<\/span><\/a> took home the prize for their <\/span>2007 Rosso di California<\/span><\/strong>, a Zinfandel\/Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
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My friend Darek Trowbridge adheres to an extreme fidelity to the health of his vines and the environment in which he tends; his biodynamic techniques shows richly in the wines from his <\/span>Old World Winery<\/span><\/a>, particularly the<\/span> 2005 Pinot Noir Nunes Vineyard Cellar Rat<\/span><\/strong> and the <\/span>2008 Chardonnay Tweek Block<\/span><\/strong>. From Fulton, the Vandendriessche Family <\/span><\/span><\/span>runs <\/span>White Rock Vineyards<\/span><\/a>, and I suppose having that extensive a surname precludes labeling with anything overtly complex; nonetheless, in addition to their excellent <\/span>2007 Chardonnay<\/span><\/strong>, the <\/span>2005 Claret<\/span><\/strong> <\/span>(40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 11% Cabernet Franc)<\/span><\/em> and the newly-released <\/span>2005 Laureate<\/span><\/strong> <\/span>(predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon) <\/span><\/em>were <\/span>simply outstanding vinifications.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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My perverse desire to stage a biodynamic <\/span>vs.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>vega<\/span>n <\/span><\/span>wine debate will happen one day, but for now I was content to sample the latter philosophy<\/span> in Barra of Mendocino<\/a>\u2019s rich 2007 Girasole Vineyards Zinfandel<\/strong> (but where was your ever-delightful Sangiovese?)<\/em>, along with contrasting their 2006 Barra of Mendocino Pinot Noir <\/strong>with the 2006 Girasole Vineyards Pinot Noir<\/strong>. I also took a shining to their luscious 2007 Eagle\u2019s Perch Chardonnay<\/strong> and 2008 West Terrace Pinot Noir<\/strong> from Paraiso Vineyards<\/a>, a stalwart of the Sta. Lucia Highlands. Naturally, my ostensible charm prompted the folks from Santa Maria\u2019s Riverbench Vineyard<\/a> to open up their unlisted 2008 One Palm Pinot Noir<\/strong>, an utterly superb to their striking 2007 Estate Chardonnay<\/strong>.<\/span>
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I had met John Aver<\/a> at a couple of previous tastings but am happy to aver<\/span> that his 2007 Homage Syrah<\/strong> and 2006 Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong> were both delightful wines. And Derby Wine Estates<\/a> in Paso Robles proved that their wines are far more dimensional than simply a vehicle for someone like me to converse with Hospitality Manager Katie Kanphantha, yet another aspirant to the title of California\u2019s lengthiest surname. Their quixotic 2007 Fifteen 10 White Rh\u00f4ne Blend<\/strong> (40% Marsanne, 40% Roussanne, 20% Viognier) <\/em>firmly established this winery, while the 2006 Implipo<\/strong>, a traditional Bordeaux blend, soared beyond expectations. Occasio<\/a>\u2019s versatility <\/span>with winemaking <\/span>is anything but occasional; major accolades are due both their 2008 Petite Sirah del Arroyo Vineyard <\/strong>and their 2009 Sauvignon Blanc del Arroyo Vineyard<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0
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I believe Kunde<\/a> operates the largest vineyard estate in California (I\u2019m too pressed for time to verify this statistic) <\/em>and certainly it is the largest property to have been bestowed\u00a0the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for sustainable practices and facilities in the wine industry. As validating as a\u00a0GEELA<\/strong><\/span> may be, however, their attendance at Golden Glass stemmed as much from the quality of their 2009 Magnolia Lane Sauvignon Blanc<\/strong> and the 2007 Reserve Century Vines Zinfandel<\/strong>.<\/span><\/div>\n

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Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span> has long been familiar with several of the wineries on hand, starting with the pioneering Paul Dolan Vineyards<\/a>. Not content to rest merely on their biodynamic credentials, their 2006 Deep Red<\/strong>, a blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Petite Sirah, and 12% Grenache from their Dark Horse Vineyards, won one of the coveted Golden Glasses, a fitting testimony <\/span><\/span>to these practices. Legendary restaurateur Lorenzo Petroni<\/span> surpassed his showing at last year\u2019s tasting by garnering his own Golden Glass for his Super Tuscan-style 2007 Rosso di Sonoma<\/strong>, while his Petroni Vineyards<\/a>\u2019 lush 2004 Brunello di Sonoma<\/strong>, crafted from 100% Sangiovese Grosso, proved every bit its equal. And returning a week after his attendance at T.A.P.A.S., Victor Reyes Uma\u00f1a from Murphys\u2019 Bodega del Sur<\/a> displayed extraordinary versatility with a crisp, clean 2008 Marsanne<\/strong> to complement his Spanish-style 2007 Carmessi<\/strong>, a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.
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Golden Glass allotted nearly a full table to <\/span><\/span>the Mendocino WineGrape & Wine Commission<\/a>, which represented the remainder of wineries I sampled. From this constellation came Esterlina Vineyards<\/a>, the sister winery of Everett Ridge, poured a 2008 Dry Ranch Riesling Cole Ranch<\/strong> and their 2007 Estate Pinot Noir Anderson Valley<\/strong>, while Pacific Star Winery<\/a> brought a trio of underserved varietals: their 2007 Charbono<\/strong>, the 2005 Carignane <\/strong>and a more recent 2009 Viognier<\/strong>. Sara Bennett poured an intriguing 2007 Pinot Noir M\u00e9thode \u00e0 l\u2019Ancienne<\/strong> and the justly acclaimed 2008 Estate Bottled <\/strong>Gew\u00fcrztraminer for her family\u2019s Navarro Vineyards<\/a>, while the luminous Deborah Schatzlein comported herself quite admirably with her 2009 Randle Hill Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc<\/strong> and the <\/span>2005 Hawks Bottle Vineyard Syrah <\/strong><\/span>from Bink Wines<\/a>.
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<\/span><\/span>The 2009 Gew\u00fcrztraminer<\/strong><\/span><\/span> Anderson Valley<\/strong><\/span> ruled the day for Breggo Cellars<\/a>, along with their equally appealing 2009 Pinot Gris Anderson Valley<\/strong> and a 2008 Pinot Noir <\/strong>from the same AVA. Meanwhile, nothing quite saves the day on a 85\u00b0 afternoon like a chilled sparkling wine, courtesy of the 2009 Brut Ros\u00e9<\/strong> from Handley Cellars<\/a>, along with their compelling smooth 2007 Syrah Kazmet Vineyard<\/strong> in the Redwood Valley. Magnanimus Wine Group<\/a> manages a small consortium of \u201cauthentic, living wines integrate nature into the bottle and are inspired by simpler times\u201d\u2014an apt description for their 2007 Mendocino Farms Grenache<\/strong>.
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Jim Milone\u2019s Terra S\u00e1via<\/a> is one of Mendocino\u2019s better known organic wineries, and the overall excellence I have come to expect from wines like his 2008 Chardonnay<\/strong>, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>, and 2006 Meritage<\/strong><\/span> (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot)<\/em> easily spilled over to his newly-released 2006 Blanc de Blancs<\/strong> sparkling wine. Another organic champion, McNab Ridge<\/a>, the current venture of my old friend John Parducci, featured a superb 2006 Petite Sirah<\/strong> (though not on hand at Golden Glass, their 2007 Pinotage Napoli Vineyard<\/strong> is a wine not to be missed)<\/em>.
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<\/span>Excellence aboundedat Baxter<\/a>, the last Mendocino winery I sampled<\/span>. In short, my first contact with this operation brought me to their 2007 Pinot Noir Toulouse Vineyard<\/strong> and the remarkable 2007 Pinot Noir Oppenlander Vineyard<\/strong>, as well as a vibrant 2006 Carignane Caballo Blanco Vineyard<\/strong>. Still, my most astounding discovery of the afternoon was that Chronicle Wines<\/a> is actually a label, not the wine club that the San Francisco Chronicle sponsors! I admitted to proprietor Mike Hengehold that I had bypassed their table at several previous event because of this misconception\u2014obviously my loss, since their 2007 Cerise Pinot Noir<\/strong> truly was superb. I will not make the same error at ZAP 2011!
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My swill & spit restraint most have been in full force, because I felt more than fine in departing at this point and undertaking the 16-mile bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge to Larkspur<\/span>. And, if this 1\u00be hour jaunt depleted all the energy I had stored up from the numerous protein-laden food purveyors I had tried, there would be another feast awaiting me.
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\u0413\u043b\u0430\u0432\u0430 \u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430\u044f<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/div>\n

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Chapter Two in this saga started with a change of shirts outside the horse barn at the historic Escalle Winery<\/span>. The ride in 2010\u2019s first truly warm day left me staggering for breath and utterly drenched, just as it had last year\u2014though this time, without the Ginkgo Girl looming to retrieve me, I came prepared to freshen up before\u00a0tackling the affair. <\/span>
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So with Bolan somewhere unknown, celebrating her 41st in solitude, I splashed myself with the remaining water from my road bottle, stuffed my sweat-soaked Polo shirt into my fanny pack, and headed up the hill to the staging area. To be perfectly candid, though, this could just as easily have been the 2009 tasting. Many of the same attendees, including Dean Stephens, who meet me at the entryway and regaled me with tales of his trip to Las Vegas with Bill Clinton, the same grilling team with the same excellent Leg of Venison and Rabbit Sausage, the same worthy benefit for the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT<\/a><\/strong>), and pretty much the same roster of wineries in attendance.<\/span><\/div>\n

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Debuting at this event, Skywalker Vineyards<\/a>\u00a0unveiled its first vintage, grown exclusively on their estate Skywalker Ranch\u2014now that George Lucas has moved his LucasArts<\/a>\u00a0empire to The Presidio, he and Francis Ford Coppola have developed much of his Lucas Valley campus as a vineyard. And with this kind of financial stability, there is little wonder why their inaugural 2008 Pinot Noir <\/strong>and 2008 Chardonnay<\/strong>, which they reserved for trade attendees, tasted so lush. Also appearing as a Marin venture for the first time, Carneros pioneer Acacia<\/a>, a Diageo acquisition when they had financial stability, translated their considerable pedigree to their 2008 Redding Ranch Pinot Noir<\/strong>.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span>Before I proceeded to Dan Goldfield\u2019s\u00a0Orogeny<\/a>, I had to break for some fresh air and a generous plate of the venison. Deer meat proved the perfect complement to his 2006 Pinot Noir Redding Ranch<\/strong>, a reprise from last year. And maybe with the upcoming Grand Opening for his new tasting room in Sebastopol, Dan will release the 2007 Orogeny <\/strong>(if not the 2008)<\/em>! After all, his principal venture, Dutton-Goldfield<\/a>, is already pouring their 2008 Pinot Noir Devil\u2019s Gulch<\/strong>, which showed itself already a superb wine at this tasting.<\/span><\/div>\n

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David Vergari<\/a>\u00a0is one of those people who always manages to greet you like a lifelong friend, and so it was the usual pleasure in seeing him again in this setting and comparing his 2007 Pinot Noir Marin County<\/strong> with his 2008 Pinot Noir Marin County<\/strong> (for now, the earlier wine show better, but who knows?)<\/em>. And if he ever deigns to show up at Marin again, Mac McDonald would provide welcome\u00a0coloratura<\/em> to the 2007 Pinot Noir<\/strong> from his Vision Cellars<\/a>.<\/span><\/div>\n

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As they had last year, Thomas Fogarty Winery<\/a>\u00a0from San Mateo County featured their Marin-grown\u00a02007 Pinot Noir Corda Family Vineyard<\/strong>. And, in accord with last year\u2019s precedent, assistant winemaker Nathan Kandler offered his own\u00a0Precedent Wines<\/a>\u00a02006 Pinot Noir Chileno Valley Vineyard<\/strong>. I followed this wine with the 2006 Marin County Estate Grown Pinot Noir from organic vineyardists Stubbs Vineyard<\/a>, then headed back to the grill for some rabbit sausage from\u00a0<\/span>Devil\u2019s Gulch Ranch<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

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Another organic vineyard\u2014on the cusp of becoming biodynamic, DeLoach<\/a>\u00a0is part of Boisset Family\u2019s genial expansion into California. And as this label expands beyond its Russian River Valley home, the 2009 Pinot Noir Marin County<\/strong> stacked up quite nicely with another 2009 Pinot Noir ???<\/strong>\u2014I expect my proposed name will ultimately be selected in the contest they conducted. Stewart Johnson of Kendric Vineyards<\/a>\u00a0poured a five-year vertical of his Marin Pinot, but I guess I somehow missed the framing years of 2004 and 2008. Still I greatly enjoyed the superb 2005 Pinot Noir Marin County<\/strong>, followed by the 2007 and the 2006 in my personal preference. Meanwhile, Jonathan Pey of Pey-Marin Vineyards<\/a> assumed pouring duties this year, serving his ever-notable 2007 Trois Filles Pinot Noir<\/strong>. I think he also slipped a taste of his\u00a02009 The Shell Mound Riesling<\/strong>, but my notes show no mention.<\/span><\/div>\n
Cowgirl Creamery<\/a> generously furnished an array of cheeses, from which I liberally partook before heading over to Point Reyes Vineyards<\/a>\u00a0and their chilled NV Blanc de Noir<\/strong>; their 2007 Pinot Noir<\/strong> also warranted attention. I then tried a side-by-side comparison of the 2007 Pinot Noir Chileno Valley<\/strong> from Willowbrook Cellars<\/a>, along their 2008 vintage, only to find both equally appealing. I did, however, display overt enthusiasm for the 2007 Andromedia Devil\u2019s Gulch Ranch<\/strong> over its previous vintage, though both represent superb Pinot Noirs from Sean Thackrey<\/a>, perhaps the only other man in attendance who has translated Aristophanes.<\/span><\/div>\n
By now, there was but a scant few medallions of venison left, so I refueled for the ride back to San Francisco, but headed first for the Bay Club Marin for a quick swim and shower. I blundered slightly in ascertaining the best route home from there, but the starlit trek over the Golden Gate Bridge proved a perfect coda to this 10 hour sojourn.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Khlestakov returns! Apart from Aristophanes\u2019\u00a0\u0392\u03ac\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c7\u03bf\u03b9\u00a0(The Frogs), Nikolai Gogol\u2019s\u00a0\u0420\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0437\u043e\u0440\u00a0(The Government Inspector) may be the most uproarious satire ever written (and, no, my my choice to eschew transliteration is not a conceit\u2014Your West Coast Oenophile has read both in the original). His protagonist, Khlestakov, though hardly \u00e6sthete, bumbles his way through life and the unwitting indulgence of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,4,34,28,16,61,7,17,15,18,12,2,10,38,14,120,41,9,36,19,37,3,24,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cabernet-franc","category-cabernet-sauvignon","category-carignane","category-charbono","category-chardonnay","category-gewurztraminer","category-grenache","category-malbec","category-marsanne","category-merlot","category-mourvedre","category-petit-verdot","category-petite-sirah","category-pinot-gris","category-pinot-noir","category-pinotage","category-riesling","category-roussanne","category-sangiovese","category-sauvignon-blanc","category-sparkling-wine","category-syrah","category-tempranillo","category-viognier"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=71"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=71"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=71"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=71"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}