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

Weekend Eats & Drinks

If you can brave the rain this weekend, Oktoberfest continues with three beer events Saturday.

From noon to 5 p.m., head to Linden Street Brewery for a family-friendly beer and brats festival benefiting Bay Area Community Services. Drake’s Brewery will also be pouring at the event that features live blues music by Al D Bop & the Boptroplis Band and barbecue. Admission is free, and $10 for a souvenir mug and two beer tickets.

Also in Oakland, Pacific Coast Brewing Co. is celebrating 22 years with 1988 rollback prices Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight. Catch live music from the Damn Liars, 8 to 10 p.m. with no cover.

If you want more variety, try the Bay Area Craft Beer Festival in Martinez from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is $45 (or $35 if purchased in advance online tonight) for unlimited pours from over 30 microbreweries, including Bear Republic, Eel River, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, and New Belgium Brewing. Click here for a full list. Get in an hour early at noon with a $50 VIP ticket. Three bands will provide entertainment, and food will be sold.


Linden Street Brewery Beer and Brats
Noon to 5 p.m.
95 Linden St., Oakland
http://www.clubrunner.ca/Portal/SitePages/SitePage.aspx?accountid=3190&pid=55019

Pacific Coast Brewing
8:30 p.m. to midnight
906 Washington St., Oakland
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120008781391284#!/event.php?eid=120008781391284

Bay Area Craft Beer Festival
1 to 5 p.m.
333 Ferry St., Martinez
http://www.bayareacraftbeerfestival.com/