Newly Named Sommelier of the Year Trades Tartine for City Hall

An SF wine star with a multitude of talents

Tartine Manufactory sommelier and general manager Vinny Eng has stepped away from the dining room floor and into the political arena as organizing director for Suzy Loftus’ campaign for San Francisco district attorney. Eng was just recognized in March as one of Food & Wine magazine’s sommeliers of the year, chosen for his approach to building a wine list that “celebrates diversity from all angles—in the winemakers themselves, the regions in which they work, the grapes they use—in service to a philosophy devoted to finding beauty everywhere.” He has long been dedicated to social justice and political activism; read more about Eng’s journey and why he made the switch in SF Chronicle wine writer Esther Mobley’s thoughtful story.

It’s-Its unleashes products to the mainstream

SF’s cult favorite novelty ice cream treat, an oatmeal cookie ice cream sandwich slathered with chocolate, will now sell some of its most popular flavors in a more mainstream capacity, including the Big Daddy (vanilla ice cream with two chocolate wafers), Super Sundae (vanilla ice cream sandwich dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in peanuts), and its newest flavor Chips-It (vanilla ice cream between chocolate chip cookies). These hot ticket items were previously only available at California corner stores and the factory store in Burlingame, but will now make their way to big Northern California grocery stores like Safeway, Walmart, Raleys, and Nob Hill Foods.

Get kissed by a rose at Wente Vineyards concert series

The lineup for the Livermore winery’s yearly summer concert series is out, and it’s kicking things off with a performance by Seal on July 12. Other performers in the series include Styx, Temptation and Four Tops, and Daughtry.. Tickets go on sale April 26.

A reminder to call out creeps

“Within the space — both physical and social — that is a bar, every single person has not just the ability to stop a potential assault, but the responsibility, too.” Read more on why it’s everyone’s responsibility to look out for each other in bars, written by a bartender for Eater Voices.