SHE DESCRIBES THE SOUTH BAY AREA AS
“THE CRADLE OF CALIFORNIA WINES.”
concoction that includes a shot of rum or bourbon and captures
the essence of burnt sage for what Sbrocco calls “medicine for
the soul.” She’s equally apt to impart bits of wine-related trivia
whenever there is danger of silence on the air. Her anecdotes and
comments reveal the depth of her erudition on her subject.
“Leslie is really knowledgeable, but always gives it a fun twist,”
says Salter. Remarkably, the format for “Check, Please!” has
remained consistent since its first season. Each show reviews
three regional restaurants that are recommended by three guests
chosen from the public. The program often includes one dining
establishment from the South Bay. The first show of the current
season, for instance, featured three guests discussing their dining
experiences at the Plumed Horse in Saratoga. Sbrocco keeps the
show moving, conducting the conversation with deft segues and
timely interjections.
In truth, the most alluring audience pleaser of “Check, Please!”
is not the sumptuous food or full-flavored wine; it’s Sbrocco,
doing what she does best. Blonde and vivacious and often wearing
eye-catching statement necklaces and modest cleavage, Sbrocco
jokes, “I wish I could show more.”
That said, she doesn’t take her success as a woman in the maledominated
world of wine for granted. In fact, Sbrocco has used
her media exposure through the PBS program and other venues
to promote gender equality. Her first book, “Wine for Women”
(2003), won the Georges Duboeuf Wine Book of the Year Award
and helped launch her career. Looking back, one of Leslie’s first
insights was that women take “more of a lifestyle approach” to
80 South Bay Accent
wine. Her book—and “Check, Please!”—helped tap into a cultural
reality about women and their drinking preferences, as well
as the fact that pairing wines with food is an acceptable, timehonored
practice. As one woman who reviewed the book revealed,
“My premeditated beliefs that wines were to be selected solely by
men came to a screeching halt.”
To promote the empowerment of women wine connoisseurs,
Sbrocco has started a group called Thirsty Girl, which boasts 70
chapters nationwide. “Expressing your own passion and how
you’re living life to the fullest is really what a Thirsty Girl is
about,” she says. It’s a message she’s eager to share as a regular guest
on NBC’s “Today Show” and elsewhere.
Closer to home, Sbrocco spotlights the South Bay region
whenever possible. To her, the Santa Cruz Mountains
AVA is “a shining star” in the big picture
of winemaking. She describes the area, which
holds “a rich history” of viticulture, as “the cradle
of California wines.” She refers to the historical
contributions of Paul Masson Winery, founded in
Santa Clara Valley in 1892, where prize-winning
“California champagne” was introduced, and
Martin Ray vineyards, once of San Jose, whose
local viticulture is being reinvigorated in Sonoma
County. J Lohr Vineyards of San Jose and Bonny
Doon Winery are also on her list. A current renaissance
in winemaking can be traced back to these
vineyards, she explains. As an example she points
to Kutch Wines, which produces “a cool-climate
chardonnay” with fresh green apple, citrus and
floral notes owing to the grapes that are harvested
at high altitude in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Sbrocco reveals that these lesser-known regional
vineyards are beginning to be discovered as boutique
wineries procure grapes from vineyards with
strong legacies. Locally based J Lohr owns 1,100
Leslie
Sbrocco on
her online
video series
“Taste This.”
acres of cool climate vineyards in Monterey County.
Wine, Sbrocco knows only too well, can be intimidating for
many of us, whether from the Santa Cruz mountains or the Cote
d’Or vineyards of Burgundy. Her own preferences and approach
seem perfectly aligned to remove all traces of snobbism, which
accounts in part for her popularity. Her personal favorites are rosé
and sparkling wine, which she calls “bubbly.” How far does her
devotion to rosé extend? A couple of years ago on a business trip
to Los Angeles, Sbrocco got her first tattoo. Pictured in full color
out of public view on the back of her leg is a fetching glass of rosé.
It’s the varietal you’re most likely to find in her glass when
she isn’t eating popcorn served with her favorite bubbly. That’s
Sbrocco—salty, down to earth, a champion of guilty pleasures
with a smile and laugh that always go down easy. n