New Wine
Tasting Bar and Art Gallery Offers Premium Napa and Sonoma Wines in
Charming Downtown Sausalito
Bay Area Tasting Bar Offers Alternative to the
Long Drive to Wine Country
Do you enjoy wine tasting, but dread the long,
crowded drive to the wine country and the tedious car-hopping from
winery to winery? Now you can jump on the ferry to charming downtown
Sausalito and experience California’s premium wines at Bacchus
& Venus, A Taste of Wine Country.
The new tasting room, retail shop, and art gallery offers wines by
the flight, by the glass, and by the bottle every day from noon
until 8 p.m., and later on the weekends. The friendly, knowledgeable
staff will walk you through your selection of wines, or you can
stroll upstairs to sip your Cabernet while enjoying the art and the
view of the Bay and harbor.
Proprietor Marcy Roth aims to feature the wines of
ten exceptional California wineries; the roster currently includes
Cakebread, Domaine Carneros, Duckhorn, Grove Street, Miner,
Quintessa, Rosenblum, Schramsberg, Silver Oak, and Starry Night. “By
focusing on a select group of premium wineries, our staff is better
able to tell the story of each of the wines–the winemaker’s
philosophy and techniques, the interesting aspects of the terroir of
the vineyards where the grapes were grown, even which foods pair
well with each particular wine. Plus, we are able to offer wines
that are made in small lots, highly allocated, and hard to find.”
Shipping is offered overseas and to all 50 states.
With four tasting menus to choose from, there’s
something for everyone. The Beginner’s Flight includes two ounce
pours of two white wines and two reds, while the Summer Quencher is
comprised of all chilled wines, including a bone-dry Rose and a
sweet Late Harvest Dessert Viognier. Bacchus & Venus is unusual
in that they offer tastes of the highly allocated and hard to find
wines, including some library wines. Wine and food pairings are
offered on the weekends and the two-floor bar and gallery is
available for private parties.
A schedule of wine classes will be posted on their
website www.bacchusandvenus.com and in the local papers.
Bacchus & Venus is located at 769 Bridgeway
(home of the Bottle Shop for many years). It’s between the No Name
Pub and the Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa at the intersection of
Excelsior. Phone: 415-331-2001. Hours: 12–8 weekdays, 12–9
weekends.