Check, Please! Bay Area Season 13 episode 3 airs Thursday, May 10 at 7:30pm on KQED 9. See other television airtimes. And never miss an episode by subscribing to the video podcast. We start with a sip of sherry and savory bites from Spain at La Marcha Tapas Bar in Berkeley. Then we globetrot to Southeast Asia for a bowl of Drunken Noodles and more, in the contemporary environ of Arun Thai in Novato. Finally, we indulge our Cal cuisine cravings at Copper Spoon Cocktails & Kitchen in Oakland. Host Leslie Sbrocco and guests on the set of season 13 episode 3. (Wendy Goodfriend) Get Restaurant Information: * La Marcha Tapas Bar (Berkeley) * Arun Thai (Novato) * Copper Spoon Cocktails & Kitchen (Oakland) Host Leslie Sbrocco sipping wine on set (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: Cava. Thibaut-Janisson ‘Blanc de Chardonnay’ Sparkling Wine, Virginia $34 When I tasted this, I was convinced it was sparkling wine from France. Complexity coupled with creamy crispness made me think I was sipping a high-end, grower Champagne. Well, that wasn’t too far from the truth. I was simply in the wrong country. This beautiful wine is from Virginia. That’s right…Virginia. A state now ranking high on my list of great wine regions in the United States. This bubbly is crafted by Claude Thibaut and Manuel Janisson, both of whom bring generations of tradition from their homeland of Champagne, France. (I knew Champagne had to figure in somewhere with this gorgeous wine.) Crafted from all chardonnay grapes in the traditional method, it’s a sparkling that deserves accolades. 2017 Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio, Trentino DOC, Italy $11 Typical Italian Pinot Grigio is like a good friend – fun and easy to enjoy. This Pinot Grigio, however, is more like your BEST friend – smart, stylish and full of character. Made from fruit grown in the shadow of the towering Italian Alps in a valley carved by the Adige river, this Pinot Grigio has intense citrus and apple flavors. There’s a mouth-watering mineral streak at its core and a lip-smacking finish that makes it ideal with food from fresh salads to tangy cheeses and light pasta dishes. I visited the Mezzacorona winery recently and fell in love with the beauty of the city of Trento and the surrounding area. I know this wine is crafted with care and more importantly, overdelivers on the price point. And, just like your best friend…it will always make you smile. 2013 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, Italy $38 When we speak of history in the wine world, hardly anything can compare to the 26 generations of Antinoris that have been producing wine since 1385.