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News of the Food Memorial Day Mentionables By R. V. Scheide The Memorial Day weekend provides an excellent opportunity for some cross-county winery hopping, with a barbecue and/or brewery occasionally thrown in for good measure. Following are some select events in the North Bay designed to whet your Memorial Day whistle. Napa County The Napa County Soroptimist Club comprises well-meaning women who apparently have no problem supporting the (responsible) imbibing of wine, beer and spirits, if this Memorial Day benefit tasting featuring 20 Napa County wineries and 10 breweries is any indication. Featured vendors include Saintsbury, Prager Port and Wine Works, Chimney Rock, Sierra Nevada Brewery, the Hess Collection, Pavi Winery, Solo Rosa, Robert Hunter Winery, Domaine la Due and Bell Cellars. Saturday, May 28, noon-4pm. JV Wine and Spirits, 426 First St., Napa. $5 (21 and over). 707.253.2624. Chateau Potelle Winery provides two memorable Memorial Day options. Jean-Noel and Marketta Fourmeaux host afternoon tastings and hors d�oeuvres, no RSVP required, Saturday and Sunday, May 28 and 29, 11am-6pm. $10 per person. On a more exclusive note, the winery hosts a special Memorial Day alfresco dinner under the stars for the first 75 people who make reservations on Saturday, May 28, 6pm-10pm. $100 per person. Chateau Potelle Winery, 3875 Mount Veeder Road, Napa. 707.255.9440. Sonoma County Barbecue with a Tuscan point of view is the order of the day at Viansa Winery and Italian Marketplace, with live music and plenty of barbecued chicken, Italian sausage, hot dogs, hamburgers, salmon and baby back ribs, and portabella mushrooms. Saturday-Sunday, May 28-29, 11am-2pm. Viansa Winery and Italian Marketplace, 25200 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Cost varies. 800.995.4740. Wine educator Stephen Pavy gives tours of the lovely Wild Oak Vineyard as part of a musical Memorial Day weekend at St. Francis Winery. Kick back, relax and sip a little vino Saturday-Sunday, May 28-29, 10am-5pm. St. Francis Winery, 100 Pythian Road, Santa Rosa. $10, includes glass. 800.543.7713. Marin County Marin gets in on the Memorial Day food-and-drink action with the San Rafael Wine Festival, featuring samples from more than 50 local wineries and restaurants. Port and chocolate tasting, beer garden, champagne deck, auction and live music liven things up. Saturday, May 28, 1-5pm. 1408 Mission Ave., San Rafael. $40-$45. 415.453.9001. [ North Bay | Metroactive Central | Archives ]