What’s for Sipper, Stevie & Josiah?
I’ve got a San Francisco wine couple treat for you on this edition of What’s for Sipper. Stevie Stacionis is a wine writer and the Director of Communications for Corkbuzz. Her husband, Josiah Baldivino, is head sommelier at Michael Mina in San Francisco. Together, they are the parents of a new online wine show called A Drink with Friends. Watch it! They are funny and smart and have great taste in wine. Did I mention they are funny?
Hometown:
Stevie: “Hometown” is a funny notion. I moved all over growing up, but my “formative” years (middle and high school) were in a suburb of Minneapolis. Today, home is absolutely San Francisco. I will never leave.
Josiah: I started in Jacksonville, Fl, catching water moccasins. Then I moved to a mountain community in southern California, catching lizards. Now I’m very much at home in San Francisco, catching crabs. Not that kind of crabs!
Stevie: Loire Sauvignon Blanc! It screams of spring herbs, vegetables and clean days after a fresh rain.Josiah: Soda water with lime.
Josiah: Manhattan.Stevie: Tequila!
We love stopping in for a quick cocktail or bottle of white Burgundy at Zuni. It’s one of the most iconic San Francisco “scenes,” and you feel all chic, like you’re a part of this great city and its incredible food/beverage community. You can order a heaping plate of their matchstick fries or a bunch of oysters, have your drink, watch the city roll by, and then head back out on another adventure.
Toast? Like “way to clink glasses with friends”? Or toasted bread? Not big toasted bread fans here. We usually “clink glasses” by looking in each other’s eyes and making a comment about something we’re grateful for. Usually our health, our family, our incredible friends and community. Looking in the other person’s eyes is very important!!
Josiah: Ramazzotti AmaroStevie: Madddeeeirrrrraaaa
French fries, prosciutto and fines herbes aioli with rosé Champagne. For supreme enjoyment, this must be consumed at the bar at Bar Boulud.
New Zealand. Or Japan.
Robitussin and hot toddies. We’re sick, damnit. But there’s a bottle of Croatian Zlahtina on standby as we’re pretty floored by the quality coming out of Eastern Europe right now.
What’s for Sipper, Dustin Lancaster?
Dustin Lancaster is the man behind many of Los Angeles’ most popular places to gather for a fine beverage and a bite to eat. In the past few years he has built a mini empire- Bar Covell, L&E Oyster Bar, and The Hermosillo Club. Someone needs to stop being such an overachiever and making me feel like a loser. Mkay?
Hometown: Deer Creek, Oklahoma
Favorite Fall beverage: Red Wine! All of it. Every country and region. Cold weather is red wine weather.
Favorite cocktail or spirit: An Eastsider.
Favorite place to grab a drink: Is it too shameless to plug the new wine bar we opened upstairs above L&E! Too late, just did!
Favorite toast: “To Health.” Can’t ever have too much of that!
Favorite post-dinner drink: I really don’t do after dinner drinks. Mostly stick with whatever wine I’ve been drinking. Perhaps a Madeira if the mood strikes or someone orders dessert.
Favorite food & beverage pairing: Sancerre and Oysters.
If you could travel to one region of the world right now for its food and/or drink where would you go? Australia. Never been but hearing marvelous things about the food and wine culture there. They are doing some really progressive things on both fronts. Sounds delicious!
What’s for sipper? Most likely a Pinot from Russian River or Willamette. That’s what I’m feeling at this exact moment.
Photo by Lauren Wang