A New Funk Zone Tasting Hangout

I asked a friend to meet me at Doug Margerum’s new tasting room, and like the swallows who return to San Juan Capistrano, he landed at El Paseo. He needed to walk a little less than a mile to “Margerum” at the Hotel Californian. Slightly off the tourist-trodden Funk Zone path and tucked into a little pocket of Mason Street between State and Helena avenues, the highly regarded winemaker and his wife, Marni, have created a sophisticated and appealing indoor/outdoor two-story, 2,000-square-foot space to not only taste (or drink glasses or bottles of) his award-winning wines, but a pleasant oasis to have a nosh as well.

Two fights are offered ($15 or $20 for four pours, “plus an extra credit pour, for those who behave,” notes the namesake proprietor). Hands down favorites for this imbiber were the 2018 “D” Sauvignon Blanc finished in neutral oak and the 2018 Margerum Estate Vineyard Syrah, made from grapes that were grafted onto old Italian vines in his Los Olivos estate vineyard.

There’s a lovely charcuterie plate with three cheeses: manchego, drunken goat from Spain, and Reny Picot Camembert from France, and two cured meats: sopressata salami and capicola, all served on a platter with superb French Dijon mustard (sold here as well) and fab baguette from New York’s legendary Tribeca Oven. There are crudité plates, hummus, and delish thin-crust margherita or four cheese pizzas and paninis. Tasty toasts include the smoked salmon and absolutely scrumptious maitake, bunashemeji, enoki, and king mushroom atop mozzarella toast.

Grab a friend, or two or three, buy a bottle to share, and keep an eye out for special events, like the recent book-signing with Julia Child’s grandnephew Alex Prud’homme. Top off your visit with Rori’s Amaro Ice Cream made exclusively for Margerum. Amaro is a superb, beautifully bottled, flavorful, herbal-infused digestive said to be medicinal. I bought a bottle to combat my winter cold and add panache to my liquor trolley.

“We’re on the wrong side of the tracks,” Margerum laughed, “We wanted to be in the Funk Zone, but not funky. It’s like a return to early Wine Cask days: simple food, good wine and a place to hang out.” — Leslie A. Westbrook

Margerum Tasting Room, Mason Street, across from the Hotel Californian entrance. Open until 8 p.m. (winter); 9 p.m. (summer). Special events can be hosted with more extensive food catered by Hotel Californian, Pete Clements, duo, or Rincon Catering. 19 E. Mason, (805) 845-8435— Leslie A. Westbrook