Thursday Eats & Drinks

The weekend starts early tonight with a pair of wine tastings and a beer pairing.

Oakland's Urban Legend Cellars hosts its new release party from 5 to 9 p.m. Sample the eight latest releases along with old favorites and barrel tastings paired with finger foods and chocolates from Cocoa Diva. Tickets are $10, and some of tastings include a 2008 Sangiovese, 2009 Mourvedre, 2009 Petit Verdot from Mendocino and other reds.


Solano Cellars will also be hosting an aged Italian wine tasting tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. Sample rare, decade-plus-old Barolo, Barbaresco and Tuscan wines paired with appetizers. Tickets are $69.

Wines being poured:
‘97 D. Rivetti Barbaresco Ris. “Bricco de Neveis” $75
‘98 Dante Marramiero Montepulciano d’Abruzzo $60
‘00 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino $72
‘01 Monte Faustino Amarone della Valpolicella $90

Food menu:
Polenta squares with mushrooms and truffle oil
Arancini risotto balls
Rosemary focaccia with pork shoulder
Selection of Piedmont and Tuscan cheese

For a beer-paired dinner, Berkeley's Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto teams up with 21st Amendment for a 5-course $40 prix fixe menu. Seatings start at 7 p.m., and a representative of the brewery will be on hand to answer any questions.


Urban Legend Cellars release party
621 4th st., Oakland
http://www.ulcellars.com/

Solano Cellars
1580 Solano Ave., Albany
http://www.solanocellars.com

Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto & 21st Amendement
1919 4th St., Berkeley
http://www.spengers.com