Pared-Down Pairings

Where to buy Saison's surprising wines

Saison, the pop-up restaurant at the back of Stable Café, is a marvel wrapped in disarming modesty and extreme value.

Friday through Sunday each week, Saison's brilliant chef, Joshua Skenes, flits easily across a spectrum of ingredients and techniques, serving five or six courses of some of San Francisco's finest fine-dining for a paltry $70.

Haute dining necessitates impeccable wine, and Skenes has a fitting complement in Saison's wine director, Mark Bright.

Bright (pictured) keeps the five wine pairings at a mind-boggling $40, considering the rapid clip at which he refills glasses. To keep the price so low, he avoids heavy-hitting labels and often pours bottles from underrepresented regions (though big spenders can request pricier pairings.)

Here are four of Bright's current favorites--and where to find them outside of Saison:

NV Domaine Berthet-Bondet Crémant de Jura ($19) Meals at Saison begin with bubbles on the patio. "This sparkling wine has rich almond flavors with hints of fruit," says Bright (biritemarket.com).

NV Allimant-Laugner Crémant d'Alsace Rosé ($20) This easygoing sparkling wine is another standout way to kick off a meal. According to Bright, "It has great cranberry and apple tones" (weimax.com).

2006 Château Fuissé Pouilly Fuissé, Tête du Cru ($20) Bright swears by this complex white Burgundy, which he recently paired with Skenes' sea bream with artichoke and vadouvan brown butter (klwines.com).

2006 Broc Cellars DryStack Vineyard Bennet Valley Syrah ($35) This bold, versatile red goes equally well with pork and lamb (arlequinwinemerchant.com).

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