’Tis the season to indulge, and a new wine bar in Mill Valley and a beloved Larkspur restaurant are two spots serving holiday cheer this month.
Husband-and-wife team Chris and Lindsey Wanner have brought their four-year-old West Coast Wine & Cheese from Union Street in Cow Hollow to Sunnyside Avenue in downtown Mill Valley. At the new shop, Chris brings deep industry experience in wine sales to focus on limited-production wines from vineyards throughout California, Oregon and Washington. The 700-square-foot space is sparse and modern and features a high-top communal table, a room-length bar and a chalkboard that features playful white chalk drawings of the region.
An entire wall boasts temperature-controlled, custom cases of select bottles of wine available to purchase. Locally sourced cheese, bread and charcuterie ($8–$11) comprise the menu offerings. Even though it’s all about the grape here, you can also find beers on tap from—you guessed it—California, Oregon and Washington. (31 Sunnyside Ave. #C, Mill Valley.) . . .
For bubbly lovers, nothing says “Let’s get ready for the New Year” more than a Dr. Champagne Master Class, held Dec. 14 at 7pm at Tiburon Wine on Main Street. Discover the differences between Grower, Grand Marque, brut rosé, blanc de blancs (100 percent Chardonnay), ultra-brut/brut nature, vintage and multi-vintage Champagne. $90. Reservations at 415.497.7693, or visit Tiburon Wine at 84 Main St. . . .
Here’s one to look forward to in 2019: Left Bank Brasserie in Larkspur will offer its first “Field to Glass” wine dinner on Jan. 3. Hale Mary wines will be showcased, and the charge is $150 per person. A five-course dinner starts at 6pm; all courses are paired with Hale Mary wines. Here’s a sample: an entrée of red-wine-braised beef cheeks with fennel confit and roasted cipollini onions will be paired with a 2015 Russian River Pinot Noir. (507 Magnolia Avenue, Tiburon. 415.927.3331.)
