Vino Me Venu You

Boy, keeping up the blog postings is a challenge. In late February I had a birthday celebration at Vino Venue in San Francisco. What a great expansion on the idea of wine tasting before you buy! A wine automat! Woo Hoo! You buy a card with a couple of Jackson's (or any denomination) and go around to the circular wine dispensing stations for a taste of the wines you see in front of you. Just put the card in, make a selection, and the dispenser puts a 1-ounce serving in your glass. You can try before you buy, or just try and try. You don't have to use up your card all at once either! Just like a debit card you just take it with you and come back whenever you want.
This place is great for meeting friends or for parties, well except the food.
Vino Venue doesn't really serve food, per se. You can order some charcuterie plates or some bread sticks, that sort of thing, they're overpriced and not worth the money.
The thing here is wine, and that's where your focus should be. I was lucky enough to be the beneficiary of many unused cards, what with it being my birthday and all. This made for a very happy evening, and some good vino purchases.
The Hill Family Estate 2001 Origin Red Table Wine from Napa was the winner for me that night. Big but delicate. Full mouth feel with dense berries and a long luscious finish. Their website says: The Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on the western side of the valley floor in Yountville. The Merlot and Syrah are grown on the “Beau Terre” vineyard, and the Cabernet Franc grows in a cool climate area in Sonoma.