MugZ77

For your big blow-out meal, I'd suggest Sierra Mar at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur. The food is fantastic, and the setting is incomparable -- because the window-heavy restaurant is propped up slightly on a hill overlooking the Pacific, it feels as if you're dining in the sky or have alternatively been transported to Jetsonsland. Even if you don't eat there, it's worth stopping in for a drink. Nepenthe is a fun, more-casual stop in Big Sur -- very high prices for what you get (I ate a very overpriced $13 burger for lunch the last time I was there), but it's extremely quirky and the views are also amazing. Worth a stop, at least. If you make it into Santa Cruz, I really like what the wine bar Soif is doing right now -- interesting small plates and a reasonably priced, thoughtful wine list (with many selections available by the glass) that doesn't come exclusively from California. Its closest relative here in the D.C. area is the Iron Bridge Wine Company in Columbia. I can't really speak to Carmel, as the high restaurant prices for seemingly standard fare there really turned me off. Although it's a Cal-chain loved by some and hated by others, I admit that I enjoyed my meal at the bustling Il Fornaio. But when in Carmel, I much prefer to grab a tasty sandwich and a soda from Nielsen Bros. Market and head down to the beach for an impromptu picnic. Michael

Melissa -- There really is nothing like Baltimore's Ikaros for old-school Greek food. The dolmades are fat, and the avgolemono soup think and lemony. Although the vegetables are frequently overdone, the entrees are the classic expression of Americanized Greek fare; indeed, I wish I could drive up to Charm City right now for piece of their moussaka. What's more, dining there is like stepping into a serious time warp. The Kohilas boys haven't changed a thing for years -- well, certainly not since I started eating there as a very young kid in the early 1980s. I must admit, though, that I haven't been to the aforementioned Acropolis up in Greektown. Closer to home, my grandfather swears by the Mykonos Grill in Rockville. I've only eaten there once. And although you don't get much bang for your buck, the atmosphere is sufficiently classic and the food more than decent. Michael

Ha ha -- very funny. Next, you'll say that Palena's wine list is strong in Cab Franc!

How does the wine list look? Moscatello's last place in Denver had one of the country's absolute best. Is this one remarkable in any way? Michael

Here's a quick summary I posted on DCist: http://www.dcist.com/archives/2006/05/08/donna_you_forge.php Michael

See some additional info here in my DCist post from March 8: http://www.dcist.com/archives/2006/03/08/nage_swims_into.php Michael

I used to live in Santa Barbara and can recommend the following five, no-appointment-necessary wineries without reservation: Melville (for chardonnay and pinot noir); Blackjack Ranch (often overlooked, but they make some of the very best wines in the area); Andrew Murray (syrah); Curtis (next to Firestone; great cost-to-quality ratio); and Jaffurs (fantastic syrah; in downtown SB). Beckman has also been turning out some nice Rhone varietals, including their grenache. Longoria makes a good cabernet franc. And Consilience has an excellent petite sirah (though its syrahs are way over the top, IMHO). And I happen to like Sunstone, simply because it was the first winery I ever went to -- and because it's really beautiful. Also, it's right next to Kalyra, which makes some decent dessert wines. I'd skip Gainey, Firestone (although, if you do go to Curtis, you'll be able to use your tasting glass there, but only head over if you have lots of extra time), and Epiphany. Some good wine shops in Santa Barbara are Lazy Acres (on the Mesa in SB), East Beach Wine, and the Wine Cask (which has tastings of Doug Margerum's very decent wines, including M5). Have a great time! Michael

Heading to Grenada in mid-March and will be staying just outside of St. George along the Morne Rouge. Does anyone have any food recommendations to offer up? Thanks, Michael

The panel segment has been irking me for a long while too. See my post today on DCist: http://www.dcist.com/archives/2006/02/17/the_posts_wine.php I don't think it's an age thing; a 24-year-old can know a thousand times more about wine than a 42-year-old. It's really a question of experience and knowledge, and -- with the exception of one column -- the Post tends to be relying on panelists who lack both. Does anyone know what Giliberti thinks about this panel segment? Michael

I can't confirm whether the Wine Specialist has sold off its supply, but it's true -- they did have a good number for sale in their premium section. You might also check the shelves at Cleveland Park Wines (which has, on occasion, sold Turleys) or visit MacArthur Beverages, which seems to have a few in stock (including the Juvenile zinfandel, which is a tremendous bang for the buck): http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Turley/2003/-/USD/A/-/0 My list shipments are processed through Schneider's, but I don't know whether Schneider's has any singles available; indeed, their website shows that they don't. If you'd like to consume immediately after purchase, you might check the wine lists at Corduroy (a recent post indicated that they had a 2001 zin available at a fair price), Mendocino (which routinely has some Turleys in stock), and Notti Bianche (which offers the iffy White Coat at a well marked-up $99 per bottle!). If all else fails, you could always hit up http://www.winezap.com/ for the one you want. Good luck! Michael (DCist)

See my post today on DCist for a bit more information (though not much): http://www.dcist.com/archives/2006/01/18/t...s_childhood.php Michael