Check, Please! Bay Area reviews: Rivoli, The Chairman Truck, Station House Café

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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.

2009 Starmont Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California $20
This wine is truly a star -- for quality/price ratio you'd be hard to find a better deal. The sister brand to one of Napa's anchor wineries, Merryvale, Starmont's offerings are what I call "twice-the-price" wines. This Chardonnay with fruit grown in the cooler areas of Napa is vibrant and fresh yet still serves up lushness that is just kissed with spicy oak notes. You'll want to buy it buy the case as it pairs beautifully with food but is also an ideal sip by itself at the end of a long day's work.

2009 Coup de Foudre Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $95
Sure to be a new cult wine, the Coup de Foudre (which means when lighting strikes) is a discovery for those seeking the best. It's only sold in six packs through the website as a mere 750 bottles were produced, but well worth it for the collector. Intense, concentrated and packed with layers of flavor and complexity, it's a wine destined for greatness.