It’s always a safe bet to have some white wine on hand over the holidays. Not all white wine drinkers can imbibe on red, but red wine drinkers are generally OK with white.
Storrs Winery turns out excellent wine, and their varietals are sold in many local stores and beyond. After years in the business, winery owners Steve and Pamela Storrs have fine-tuned the art of winemaking. Their 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is an absolute delight; an interesting, flinty wine that sells for around $20.
The Storrs husband-and-wife team say their Sauvignon Blanc is “refreshing and crisp with bright notes of honeydew melon, gooseberry and freshly mown hay.” It’s a zippy wine that would pair well with a salad starter, or simply to perk up your taste buds before tucking into your turkey dinner. Plus, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, such as this one, is suited to quite an array of foods, for all of the non-traditionalists out there. This new release is made from grapes harvested in Monterey.
If you’re in the Storrs tasting room, be sure to try their 2009 Lion Oaks Vineyard late-harvest Zinfandel—a luscious mouthful of dessert wine to sit back and enjoy after dinner. Now’s your chance to support our local wineries over the holidays. And don’t forget that wine makes a great gift.
Storrs Winery tasting room is open noon to 5 p.m. daily at 303 Potrero St., No. 35, Santa Cruz, 458-5030. storrswine.com.
Cava Wine Bar
Winter is around the corner, so it’s time to cozy up in a good wine bar and listen to some cool vibes. Cava’s new owners, Ann Marie and Doug Conrad, will be featuring various music groups, including local Jazz with a Twist. Check them out: facebook.com/cavacapitola1
Cava Wine Bar, 115 San Jose Ave., Capitola, 476-2282. cavacapitola.com.
Flats Bistro’s Packaged Dinners
It makes sense that Jeanne Harrison—owner of Café Rio in Aptos—has added packaged to-go meals to her Flats Bistro coffee shop next door to her restaurant. Dinner selections are $8.95 and made fresh daily. Harrison says the meals are very popular and sell out every day. Flats Bistro is at 113 Esplanade, Aptos, 661-5763. Visit flatsbistro.com for more info.
