Check, Please! Bay Area Season 12 episode 18 airs Thursday, October 5 at 7:30pm on KQED 9. See other television airtimes. And never miss an episode by subscribing to the video podcast. Find elevated Mexican cuisine at CALA's in San Francisco where you'll find sustainable fish and high-end tacos and a philanthropic mission. Meanwhile, Moss Beach Distillery in San Mateo County, offers seafood, views and otherworldly cocktails! Then it's back to the Wild Wild West at Valley Ford's Rocker Oysterfeller's Kitchen + Saloon for oysters and southern comfort food. Host Leslie Sbrocco and guests having fun on the set of season 12 episode 18. (Wendy Goodfriend) Get Restaurant Information: * CALA (San Francisco) * Moss Beach Distillery (San Mateo) * Rocker Oysterfeller's Kitchen + Saloon (Valley Ford) Host Leslie Sbrocco tasting wine. (Wendy Goodfriend) 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, beer, and spirits the guests and I drank on set during the taping of the show. I will also share some wine, beer and spirits tips with each episode. This week I discuss: Absinthe. Le Grand Courtâge, Brut Blanc de Blancs, France $18 If you are a fan of sparkling wine, you’ll want to stock up on this bubbly for the upcoming holidays. Though crafted in France, it’s not Champagne (that only comes from the region of the same name). Made by American, Tawnya Falkner, who followed her passion to produce wine in Europe she puts her mantra on the bottles proclaiming, “Embrace Life. Dream Big. Accept All Invitations.” This delightfully dry, yet succulently fruity fizz is elegantly packaged making it an ideal gift item, too. Vive la France! 2016 Pazo Señoráns Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain $20 Having had the pleasure of visiting the wine region of Rias Baixas numerous times over the past decade, each time I return home with a deeper love of Albariño. The white grape is grown in this lush, green portion of western Spain – site of the famed pilgrimage city of Santiago de Campostela. This coastal area is home to fish of all shapes and sizes and is the natural partner for crisp, refreshing Albariño-based wines. Pazo de Señoráns is a family-owned, historic property that produces expressive whites layered with complexity. It ranks among the region’s best. Floral aromas combine with flavors of Asian pear and zesty minerality in a wine made to pair with myriad dishes -- from oysters to salads to young cheeses. 2014 Goldeneye Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, California $56 Pinot Noir is a diva grape variety that produces some of the world’s most ethereal wine. But, it is also difficult to grow properly and only does well in select regions of the world. Anderson Valley is one of those regions. It’s influenced by coastal breezes, which seals in the ripe yet vibrant flavors created by California sunshine.