(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

We post a lot about beer here at Ye Olde SpoCOOL, but that's not to say we don't enjoy a spot of wine every now and again. Here are a few you probably should try, should you happen to stumble across them.

Stag's Leap is a pretty common sight around these parts, and their Petite Syrah is excellent. We recently had the chance to enjoy a 1999 vintage, and very nicely it had aged too. Notes of blackberry and spices seem to dominate the flavor of this bold wine, one that went wonderfully with a hearty risotto.

A bit higher on the "Well, I've never seen that before"-scale is the Francois Buffet Pommard-Rugiens 1er Cru, a Pinot Noir. Here we tried the 1986 vintage, which had a fairly light body, and strong hints of rasberries. This is probably about as refreshing as red wine can get, and you'll feel a whole lot more Paul Giamatti than Thomas Haden Church (we're of course talking Sideways here) while drinking it. (Make sure you cuss out the Merlot while you're at it.)

Finally, the Fattoria Dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino, this time a 1978 vintage which was our host's favorite. It's a Sangiovese, and was a true joy to drink. Imagine eating the finest chocolate with cherries, and you should have a general idea what the flavor is like. The body is light, making this one extremely drinkable, and one that sips well with a Crab Louis.

Granted, finding the two last ones here might be easier said than done, but hey, if you find someone generous enough to share them, we say go right ahead and indulge. They'll probably hit your libation chart on a high note.

If it is December, it is the Abyss, and if it is the Abyss, it is a good time for anyone who enjoys beer.

The Abyss is, of course, the annual reserve from Deschutes, an imperial stout generally considered one of the finest you can find. How does the '11 stack up against previous years? Very well. In fact, this could potentially be the best release yet. I say potentially as the "best after..." date is about a year from now.

During a vertical tasting of the '10 and '11 at Hill's -- run down there and they might still have some left -- the '11, for me, came out on top flavor wise. They're both very similar, of course, but the molasses is a bit more pronounced this time around as are the hints of bourbon. The '10 is a lot smoother with a thicker mouthfeel, largely because of the aging. 

As it stands, as of December 2011, I'd say they're both awesome, and which one you'd prefer would come down to your personal preference on raw flavor VS mouthfeel. I somehow doubt you'd really notice too much of a difference if you drank the two a couple of hours apart.

Either way, you should pick up a couple of the '11 for cellaring. It's well worth it. Then run out and drink one on tap. Hill's might still have it, and we know both Jones Radiator and Saranac had it last night.

The Abyss is one of a kind (or maybe more like two or three of a kind, but you know what I mean), one you can quietly sip and enjoy like the top-of-the-line libation it is. 

Let's just for giggles have a look at what you consider the best of the Inland Northwest. You know. No categories, just the highest scoring places, the spots you really loved, mano-a-mano, giving it all, kicking dirt in each-other's faces...

1	-	Sante
2	-	DOMA
3	-	Veraci
4	-	South Perry Pizza
5	-	Jones Radiator
6	-	Rocket Market

Sante is not just the best restaurant in Spokane according to you, it is the best food-related establishment, period. Which it really is. Only a handful of restaurants in town are consistently great, and Sante is certainly on top of that heap, while doubling as a charcuterie.

Close behind -- very close, in fact -- were DOMA and Veraci. Surprising? Not at all. One roasts the best coffee beans in the region, the other makes the best pizza. Both are on top of their respective categories, and neither are merely "good by Spokane standards".

Proof positive that Spokane loves its pizza, South Perry Pizza made a strong showing at number four, closely followed by your favorite bar, Jones Radiator. Rocket Market, the region's best market, rounds out the list.

We could have made this list larger than just the top six, as it was a close race, but really, we do think these spots illustrate some of the best in Spokane. We don't see any reason why they wouldn't all -- well... -- be part of your rotation.

And with that we end this year's Best of Spokane, though we'll be back with some hard hitting analysis of the numbers, too. Thanks to everyone who voted, and for those establishments that requested a... plaque, poster, whatever we come up with... to proudly display, we will send those out soon. In fact, it's not too late to get one, just mail us at team@spocool.com and we'll hook you up. 

Oh yes, you love it, all those guilty pleasures. So let's kick off with the important stuff, the lowest rated restrooms in Spokane:

1	-	Spokane Arena
2	-	Vien Dong
3	-	The Blue Spark
4	-	Andy's Bar
5	-	Savory
6	-	PF Chang's

It was down to the wire here, and The Blue Spark was close to taking it home, but a viral campaign to name it the best restroom in the area knocked it down. Frankly, is there a worse restroom in the area than Spokane Arena? Does anyone like to walk in urine? Probably not, so a well deserved win here.

Now, which places do you love to score low?

1	·	Service Station
2	·	Pizza Pipeline
3	·	Sushi Track
4	(1)	Pizza Rita
5	·	Savory

Has Pizza Rita improved? Has the Pipeline gotten that much worse? Or is this simply the case of you thinking the Fox News-spewing Service Station being every bit as bad as we think it is?

Say what you want about the five lowest rated options in our poll, but you sure scored them low, and number six was not even close to touching them (hence why we in all fairness is not listing it here). Yet I'm sure you as us will order a pizza from the Pipeline within the next year, because, frankly, sometimes you just need that cardboard crust to take you back. Back to a simple time.