By Teri Bayus
The best part of my job is tasting wine and fine food in the middle of the day. We were invited to taste some rare and wonderful Greek and Slovenian wines at Meze Wine Bar in San Luis Obispo.
No one can tell me it’s wicked when the food is this respectable and the wine is so unique.
Michael Pavlidis, vice president of a San Diego-based importer, World Vines, offered us elixirs that speak to the people and culture of Mediterranean lands — the wines of old.
We started with a Kupljen Winery Sivi Pinot from Slovenia that was paired with a plate of hot olives with a Rosemary olive oil dusting. The flavorful olives with the crisp fruit notes, told us we were off to an excellent paring.
Next we had the Spanakopita with fluffy filo dough stuffed with market spinach, green onion, garlic, dill and delectable feta cheese triangles that was paired with a Domaine Porto Carras Malagouzia. This indigenous Greek white wine from the Sithonia region is so ancient that it went extinct, until some vines were found in a monastery in 1975 and resurrected. The wine is not Old World — it’s Ancient World.
The next offering was a board of cheese and charcuterie that was able to stand up to a wine that was mentioned in the writings of Homer and Aristotle. The Domaine Porto Carras Limnio is a 6,000-year-old indigenous Greek varietal — a delicious red that is organic and ancient. The board had luscious meats such as Jamon Serrano, Chorizo Autentico and Duck salami.
The cheeses were equally flavorful with an Idiazabal, a semi-hard/sheep cheese, caprichio de cabra, a soft goat cheese and marcona almonds, quince paste, olives with a sliced baguette. I could eat like this every night (and often do.)
Owners Lisa and John Schiltz are equal amounts chef, sommelier and foodies. They have created a food and wine-centric café that would impress the most traveled culinary tourist.
Next we moved on the Medjool Dates that were stuffed with fromage blanc a Spanish goat milk cheese and then wrapped in Speck (smoked cured ham). This is one of my favorite items and it was perfection with the Erzetic Winery Cabernet Amphora. This award winning Cabernet is aged in traditional clay amphora (a large clay pot) buried in the soil of the forest. It was so unusual and wonderful.
My husband ordered the bourbon bread pudding with stone fruits and they brought him two dishes, he declined having the second taken back, as he nearly inhaled the first order and left just three bites for me. Not being a bread pudding fan, this desert was nonetheless astounding.
Meze’s eclectic selections satisfy my inner foodie who would eat pâté with every meal, or drink French wine with fresh Italian sausages. I was pleased to find that this style of eating has graced our little hamlet of San Luis Obispo in a wine and food bar.
Advertised as a wine café and market, they offer wine, cheese, charcutierie and a specialty sandwiches and salads. The food and atmosphere are filled with a kind of magic energy that drew me in and kept me there for three hours. Meze is a place where you eat slowly, drink contentedly and have substantial conversations.
Meze is located at 1880 Santa Barbara St., in SLO. It is tricky to find. Park in the back lot, go down the stairs and follow the smell of pâté. It is a treasure hunt that you will thank me for. Call them at 548-8070.
The wines are available in Atascadero at the Grape Encounters or by contacting Michael Pavlidis at Old World Vines at: .
