Niko Klein

“Sevens Social Club” dba Sette Club Sociale: 7pm, the 7th of every month – drinks, friends, edibles.  Our first event was a competition of Syrahs and impostor-Syrahs under $20.  Featured bottles:

Belated GMAT celebration with April, Dan & Joshua over pasta-making and Tartine Tea Cakes.  Lazy day.   And German Gilabert is a fine pairing for laziness.  Last enjoyed this bubbly with strawberries and smoked meats (quite the mix) on a lazy sunbathing day in Dolores Park.  A crisp, fresh, unsweet brut cava, perfect for the price-point (~$14).

Crisp and refreshing bubbly accompanied a dinner of tastes at Coi: minced beets with goat cheese, dill puree, and “rye bread” crisps; crumbed and seasoned chicken skin over a poached egg; roasted chicken supreme with porcini polenta and greens; abalone in an arugula pesto; squash cake, and bittersweet chocolate ice cream over a hazelnut shortbread with dulce de leche.

Sampled 3 wines off Coffee Bar’s well-stocked (if a bit pricey)  by-the-glass wine list — a syrupy, rich, and delicious 2005 Harrison Clarke (Santa Ynez Valley) Grenache — a decadently jammy and well-balanced 2005 Balletto Zinfandel (Russian River Valley), and Balletto’s 2007 Pinot Noir, which was surprisingly complex despite such a smooth, and light consistency. I would happily drink more of all of the wines — though I ended up with a full glass of the Balletto Zin, watching the silhouette of Sutro tower and the Twin Peaks fade against the sunset in reflection on the cafe windows. Wonderful potted cacti and outdoor seating to enjoy as well!

A truly lovely Pinot from Vino V, would repeat. Enjoyed with grilled monterrey squid served over arugula with a garlic aoili, grilled tuna with sweet beets, tomato ‘bread’ soup, prosciutto-wrapped roasted figs stuffed with blue cheese , squash ravioli topped with kale and wild mushrooms, and a slow-cooked pork shoulder served with poached apples at Woodward’s Garden.

Alex and Brendan brought over a 2001 Peter Michael ‘Cuvee Indigene’ Chardonnay after I told them about my first experience with the wine. In 2002, at the tender age of 19, I was waiting tables at Andale on 7th and D when a couple asked my opinion of the most expensive white on the menu. At over $100 a bottle, it’s easy to reason why management hadn’t tasted this one out to waiters, but when I told them I had never enjoyed the wine before, they asked me to bring a 3rd glass. I did, and loved every drop of it.

Delicious dinner at Akasha in Culver City accompanied by this well-rounded 2006 Zinfandel blend (16% Petite Syrah and 4% Carignan). Would happily repeat. Dinner included coffee-rubbed steak, pistachio encrusted scallops, crisped sweet potatoe fries and braised anise-flavored short rib. Suzanne, Catalina, and my dad.

Frederick and Marla brought over a wine they had helped harvest in the Sonora Foothills. Volcanic, almost fizzy, with a smokey overtone and deep richness of flavor for such a light-bodied wine. 2002 vintage. Our new neighbors, Landis and Christina, brought over some Humboldt Fog goats cheese and a sparkling red (almost lambic).