Wine & Spirits - October 2016 - 32

9 The Barrel Room Sarah Trubnick was studying laser physics before she got into wine and abandoned academia for restaurants. Maybe it's her scientific training that allows her to keep track of the ever-shifting wine program at The Barrel Room, where the food-and-wine theme changes quarterly. You might expect that to lead to shallow selections, but she digs in deep-a recent Iberian menu included vibrant Galician whites from Valdesil and Luis Rodríguez, and 1937 D'Oliveira Sercial by the glass. -L.S. 415 Sansome St.; 415-956-6900, barrelroomsf.com 10 Bar Agricole At Bar Agricole, proprietor Thad Vogler mixes fresh ingredients with a tightly curated spirits list that stresses small-production artisan products-it's the spirituous equivalent of an indie record shop. Try the Ti' Punch, made with the wonderfully grassy La Favorite Rhum Agricole Blanc and cane syrup sourced from Martinique. -E.T. 355 11th St.; 415-355-9400, baragricole.co 8 32 Benjamin Cooper To find Benjamin Cooper, walk through the lobby of the G Hotel off Union Square, up a flight of stairs and through an unmarked black door. Hidden and unassuming, it's run by SF bar veterans Brian Felley and Mo Hodges, and they clearly know their stuff. The cocktail list changes weekly, often featuring funky, obscure spirits like Kronan Swedish Punsch or the Bolivian brandy Singani 63. To eat, there's just one option: a selection of locally sourced oysters-a terrific pairing with the house version of the Sherry cobbler. -E.T. 398 Geary St.; 415-654-5061, benjamincoopersf.com WINE & SPIRITS OCTOBER 2016 Bergamot Alley With its focus on European wines, Healdsburg's Bergamot Alley has become a magnet for local winemakers who like to drink outside the Sonoma box. Grab a stool at the wooden bar and order a glass of Moncuit Champagne with a grilled cheese sandwich. The bottle list is loaded with geek favorites like Skerk Vitovska and Philippe Tessier Cheverny-take one to go or drink it on premises for a $20 corkage fee. -E.C.B. 328A Healdsburg Ave. (Healdsburg); 707-433-8720, bergamotalley.com Bar Agricole photo by Colin Price; Bellota by Kelly Puleio. 7 Bellota The Absinthe Group has hit it out of the park with its latest and most ambitious restaurant, a paean to Spain and especially to the fatty, silky delight of jamón Ibérico. Legs of legendary 5 Jotas Bellota hang behind glass, tempting guests at the large, crowded bar. Diners who reserved a table find themselves in a large industrial space warmed on three sides by Moorish design elements and on the fourth by an open kitchen, brimming with paella pans and clay tureens, framed by a large hearth with flames blazing. Chef Ryan McIlwraith, formerly of Coqueta, sends a tapas cart to circulate the dining room, leading off a menu of briny seafood starters, thrilling paellas and whole roasted fish and meats. The all-Spanish wine list is deep and wide-Galician godello and mencía by the glass, verticals from top Rioja producers and plenty of Sherries, from a $5 Fernando de Castilla Fino on tap to unfiltered selections and some old, rare bottlings from bodegas like El Maestro Sierra and César Florido. -B.H. 888 Brannan St.; 415-430-6580, bellotasf.com 11 http://www.barrelroomsf.com http://www.baragricole.co http://www.bellotasf.com http://www.bergamotalley.com http://www.benjamincoopersf.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - October 2016