Enomatic

[redsauced]

Don't know if this is in other parts of the country. Went to the Niebaum Coppola Cafe in Palo Alto yesterday where they have this dispensing machine (Enomatic) with 24 bottles of wine inside. You buy a prepaid card of $10.00 to $30.00 which you then insert in the machine and choose either a 1.5 oz. taste, a 3oz. sample, or a 6 oz. glass. The prices for the the tastes range from $3.00 to $10.00 for the higher end wine. It's pricey but you get to taste some real classics: Robert Foley's Claret, Petit Sirah, and Charbono are wines I would not normally have access to. There was everything from Rieslings, to White Burgundy, Bordeaux, Carigne, and on and on...........A lot of boutique Ca. wines on display. I liked the self serve aspect as you can take your time and peruse every label. It's a bar setting, so it can be social as well. I spent 50 bucks, but has a great time. They also serve foods to cleanse the senses. It's nice to taste with something more than a stale cracker, or piece of chocalate. Try a Tiger Shrimp Salad, marinated Corona Beans, and olives over Arugala, or a mini ricotta and salami pizza.

My favorite wine was a 2001 Jarvis Merlot, unfiltered, drinks like a Cab: juicy plums, black cherries, oak and spice, with a neopolitan finish. By the way you all might want to consider visiting Jarvis in Napa Valley on your field trip this summer. The wine is top top notch, and they take groups of ten into there caves for very private tastings.

Anyway, look for Enomatic, coming soon to a ritzy wine bar near you.

[cablover]

Thanks for the tip. We've always enjoyed that restaurant but that is new since we've been there. SF has a wine bar like that called Vino Venue that is fun but doesn't have the food.

[TheEngineer]

VinoVenue has just a little bit of food. but they generally do not look appetising enough for me to want to eat it. Most of the stuff are sarah wrapped cheese cubes, veggies or other minor finger food. The restaurant idea sounds great!

[wondersofwine]

I had a chance to try Robert Foley claret once at a wine shop in Raleigh and it was certainly high quality. Out of my price range for a bottle.