Fifteen years ago there was Liquor Barn and Bordeaux priced at $2 per bottle. The wine was bad. VERY BAD. Now, at the start of a new millennium, we have Beverages & More with Chilean wine at under $100/case. And the wine is bad.  VERY BAD.

With some hype about the emergence of South America's wine industry, we decided to try some less expensive bottles from the south.   We were able 

We were left crying "bad value". Both reds and whites were stomach turning efforts that left us in the mood for tequila. In fact, we gave up tastings for several weeks to clean out the wine devils from our polluted conscience. Only one red was good enough to ever buy again (Laurel Glen's REDS from Valle Central in Chile). The rest are wines to avoid - to never serve a novice wine drinker, for fear they would quit wine immediately.

Yes, we will try more, and hopefully better, South American juice.  But maybe in '02.

Much better values can be found with California and Australia on the label.

We recently made a trip to the Monterey Sports Car Auction.  From $4 million spent on a rare Cobra Daytona Coupe to the bizarre purchase of a Kremer Porsche, there was much fun and excitement.  There were other events also, including the Vintage Races at Laguna Seca Raceway and a Concours d'Elegance a bit south.  

1969 Ferrari 365 GTC - Bret Boutet

Monterey Sports Car Auction - Bret Boutet

Highlights of the auction were: 1951 Ferrari 340 America Vignale Spyder, $594,000; 1967 Ferrari 275GTB/4 Spyder, $468,600; 1970 Ferrari 512S Spyder, $1,320,000; 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe, $319,000; 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster,  $286,000; 1964 Porsche 904 GTS, $264,000; 1966 Porsche 906, $297,000; 1966 Porsche 906 Race Car, $253,000; 1969 Porsche 917 (Steve McQueen), $1,320,000; 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, $4,400,000; 1966 Shelby GT350 Mustang Convertible, $203,500;

A recent trip to Lake Tahoe found this object, lettered with NASA/AMES, anchored in the middle of the lake.  While many would call this an eye sore, its apparent mission is to monitor the ever diminishing clarity of the once pristine lake water.

NASA/Ames Research "Vessel" Lake Tahoe, July, 2000 - Bret Boutet

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, July, 2000 - Bret Boutet

Who knows more?  Try http://trg.ucdavis.edu/clients/trg/time/default.html http://www.ag.unr.edu/NAES/news/99_08_002.htm http://ens.lycos.com/ens/feb2000/2000L-02-16-07.html  

Well, we sometimes have an SF-centric view.  And the Big item here is the opening of Pacific Bell Park.  Our quick take from the March 31, 2000 "opening" game:

Beautiful stadium, big crowd, great sight lines to the field.  Lousy concessions filled with startup jitters.  And transportation may need to be re-thought when MUNI is considered a star.

First Pitch at Pacific Bell Park - Bret Boutet

Pacific Bell Park - Bret Boutet

Arrive at West Portal MUNI station around 6 PM.  Change trains at Van Ness.  Arrive at ballpark a little after 7 PM (this should be a 35 minute trip).  Train is very crowded.  Militant bicycle group seen at end of journey.  Big lines to get into ball park.  Great seats, great weather, great cup holders.  Food lines move too slowly for author, who gets pissed and leaves two of them with no food.  After believing that Palomino or Boulevard is only food option, wife waits additional 25 minutes in line to get food.   Finally see some of the game.  Leave stadium, 50 minutes to West Portal Station.

A: It's the name of our West Sonoma digs.  See picture to the right.

Buzzard Gulch, West Sonoma County - Bret Boutet

Beringer Tasting Room - Bret Boutet

A: Well, it's funny you ask.  Because if you have recent experience with driving in Napa, Sonoma, or the Bay Area, you know that fast cars are in, but fast trips are out.  The traffic is rotten and there are too many large slow bad handling cars on the road.   So we've needed to change the "Fast Trip" part to trips that don't take very long.  Starting from the Bay Area or Sacramento, we'll describe cool destinations and our best efforts to get there. (Like Beringer winery - to the left)

Q: I'm no bird-o-phile but isn't that a Turkey Vulture in the Buzzard Gulch picture?

A: I'm no "orniphiliac" either, but I believe you to be correct.  There have been up to 11 Turkey Vultures in the snag shown in the picture.  This animal is named Bastien-Thiery and he is the leader of the gang of birds.

Vineyard in Russian River Valley - Owen Taylor

Ó 1999-2000 by 750 ml.net, THE Wine Magazine, PO Box 27374, San Francisco, CA 94127.