Pompei's Grotto, Lillie Mae's House of Soul Food, SPQR: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews

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My name is Leslie Sbrocco and I'm the host of Check, Please! Bay Area. Each week, I will be sharing my tasting notes about the wine the guests and I drank on set during the taping of the show. I will also share some wine tips with each episode.

2010 Continuum, Napa Valley, California ($165) -- The story of Continuum is one of family. Founded by Tim and Marcia Mondavi, the son and daughter of famed Napa icon, Robert Mondavi, the wine celebrates their heritage. They only produce a single wine at their estate on Pritchard Hill in Napa. A blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, it’s a red that ranks among the wine world’s latest superstars.

2007 Santa Rita, “Triple C” red blend, Maipo Valley, Chile ($30) -- Santa Rita is one of Chile’s foremost wineries with a rich history. As an ancho in the world-class Maipo Valley outside Santiago, its roster of wines ranges from affordable to aspirational. The “Triple C” ranks as my favorite. A supple blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère (Chile’s signature red variety) produced from 80-year-old vines, its plush enough to drink now but will age gracefully for years.

2011 Giocato, Pinot Grigio, Primorska, Slovenia ($15) -- Most Americans are unaware of wines made in Slovenia. We do, however, know northern Italian ones and since they are just across the border from one another, many crisp whites share similarities. This layered and vibrant Pinot Grigio is made by star vintner, Aleks Simcic, and is a wine that over delivers on quality.