Forget what you know about the California winery — those tasting ranches in the hills chockablock with drunken soccer moms.
All show, my man.
For tasty vino close to home, hit up A.P. Vin, the winery that calls the Mission home.
Nestled in the industrial alley of Treat at 19th, A.P. Vin does one thing and one thing only: make profoundly good Pinot Noir — right around 2,000 bottles a year from the fruits of a handful of small, regional vineyards.
To escape that “winery” mystique, owner and winemaker Andrew P. Vingiello likes to call his place an urban wine garage.
“This is everything you need to make great wine. Every dollar I spend goes into the bottle.”
The flavors vary from farm to farm — he doesn’t blend the yields — but common to each is a bigger, bolder (Perhaps more Californian?) taste than we’ve come to expect from pinot, and a velvety texture that makes the stuff entirely too drinkable.
Follow APV’s Twitter feed for tasting days, but more importantly, get on their mailing list. It’s the best and only way to order a bottle of 2012, and if you miss the window, next fall is a long way off.
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