One of my favorite restaurants in Santa Cruz is Lago di Como. Named for Lake Como in Italy from which owner/chef Giovanni Spanu hails, their cuisine is authentic and delicious. My husband and I met there with friends recently for a lengthy dinner of all things Italian and some good local wine. Our cheerful server opened up my bottle of 2020 Aptos Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir which I had taken along to share.
I was thrilled when I found out that Aptos Vineyard had been reborn. It had lain dormant for some time after the death of Judge John Marlow, who started the vineyard in 1974 with his wife Patti. Now operated by Judge Marlo’s friend James Baker and his family, we can look forward to many more outstanding wines.
We all agreed that this excellent Rosé ($28) is worthy of high praise. With its floral notes and touches of vanilla and strawberries, the finish has a beautiful fresh dryness on the back of the tongue. But with the magic touch of winemaker John Benedetti (of Sante Arcangeli Family Wines), it is bound to be a sure-fire success.
“This dry-style Rosé is low-acid, allowing it to be paired with a range of foods or good conversation,” write the Bakers. And they’re right! It was perfect to pair with our plates of superb Italian food as we chatted away over this delightful bottle of wine!
Visit aptosvineyard.com for more info, or call 831-706-6090. Lagodicomoristorante.com.
Reem’s Cuisine
Reem Bitar and her husband Sam Bitar are experts at cooking up flavorful Mediterranean food. Hailing from Syria, their cuisine has zesty influences of the Levant—following recipes that go back to ancient times. These tasty dishes made by the Bitars include Kibbeh, Tabouli, Shawarma, Falafel and Kabobs, with a good selection of beer and wine. The Bitars have set up a small café in Seascape Sports Club (1505 Seascape Blvd., Aptos) on weekends (11am to 6pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Or you can order takeout by calling Sam at 805-302-4242.
