380485 Tue Mar 13 08:18:03 -0700 2007 0 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 2380485 Yesterday I attended the first in a series of monthly wine events hosted by Bi-Rite and held at Blue Space, a gallery on Guerrero near 18th. The focus of last night's event was Marin County Wine and Cheese; it featured tastings of Cowgirl Creamery cheese, Pey-Marin wines, Devil's Gulch Ranch rabbit, and remarks from Peggy Smith (CC), John Pey (P-M), and Mark Pasternak (DGR). For a $15 donation (which benefited Tenants First), a crowd of about 25 started the eveinng with Pey-Marin riesling and "Trois Filles" pinot noir. John Pey spoke about converting his vineyard to organic and the complexities of including that designation on the wine label when many consumers may assume it indicates sub-par wine. Peggy Smith sampled light, lemony paneer, herby Pierce Point, and creamy Mt. Tam and Red Hawk. She talked about the origins of Cowgirl Creamery and its connections to the Straus Family Creamery. Mark Pasternak, who grows asparagus and grapes in addition to being the largest rabbit rancher on the North Coast, spoke about how Joel Salatin's approach to farming informed and enhanced his own techniques. His produce is sold to Zuni, Incanto, and French Laundry. Mark and John engaged in an interesting discussion about biodynamic farming versus 'conventional' organic farming. The food and wine were well matched. All in all, the evening made me feel lucky to live in the Bay Area, where we have access to such an array of food and the exceptionally passionate and committed people who produce it. The next part of the series, in April, focuses on wine produced in San Francisco--specifically, in the Mission. http://www.biritemarket.com/1.2.html Tue Mar 13 08:18:03 -0700 2007 19097 pane