L.A. WINELINE FROM GARDEN TO GROUND AND BACK AGAIN.

Byline: - Larry Lipson

Restaurants are now feeding vines as well as people.

The latest twist in wine farming is the use of discarded restaurant kitchen food scraps to make a compost to feed the vines.

Inman Family Wines of Sonoma County claims it uses composted table scraps gathered from major San Francisco restaurants as a fertilizer on its 10-acre Olivet Grange sustainably farmed vineyard.

The compost is made from crab and oyster shells, fish bones and vegetable trimmings thrown out by such restaurants as Aqua, Boulevard, Slanted Door, Farallon, Jardiniere, Lulu, Oliveto and Tadich Grill; and hotels that include the Fairmont, Nikko, Sheraton Place and Westin St. Francis.

This compost program is handled by NorCal Waste Systems of San Francisco, and winery proprietor Kathleen Inman calls it ``a perfect loop from table to earth and back again, in the form of sustainably produced wines that enhance the meals.''

Information: [phone] or www.inmanfamilywines.com.

BRAND-NEW BAG: The newest wine tote bag (good for gifts to wine fanciers) is called Corkage Caddy, and it costs about $9.95.

The difference between this and other wine bags is that when not in use, it folds up into a small, round, purselike arrangement that can be carried in a pocket or handbag.

It also has a belt loop if you have no pocket space and an adjustable shoulder strap for carrying ease when holding a wine bottle.

But you wouldn't want to put a real cheap wine in it, because its see- through fabric could label the carrier as a skinflint.

Not yet in retail stores, Corkage Caddy may currently be purchased via the Internet at www.corkagecaddy.com.

BARGAIN BOTTLE: This week's bargain wine is the 2001 Central Coast Peralta cabernet sauvignon.

A chewy, flavorful red with cherry, cocoa and vanilla tones and a surprisingly long finish, it smooths out fairly well on the palate, the result of its blending with small amounts of cabernet franc and merlot.

Available at Bristol Farms and Vendome Liquor outlets, this cabernet, cellared and bottled by Peralty Family Winery in Santa Maria, usually sells for $8.99 or $9.99. Information: [phone] or www.peraltawinery.com.

SIPS & NIBBLES : Ex-Arrowood winemaker Michel Berthoud has been appointed winemaker at another Sonoma producer, Mayo Family Winery. ... Galleano Winery of Mira Loma, producing wines since 1933, has won a slew of medals recently with its 2004 Aleatico port, 2002 Leggio Ranch zinfandel, Ancient Angelica and vermouth bottlings. ... Like the French vineyards of Nicolas Joly in the Loire Valley, Lalou Bize-Leroy in Burgundy and the Rhone Valley's Chapoutier family, Beckmen Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley is practicing biodynamic farming, the first winery in Santa Barbara County to do so. ... The grape salutes the tomato. Kendall-Jackson hosts the eighth annual Heirloom Tomato Festival fund-raiser Sept. 11 at its Santa Rosa wine center, 5007 Fulton Road. Tickets are $55 at [phone]. ... The due-for-release (Aug. 28) Dry Creek 2001 reserve fume blanc contains 11 percent viognier, which Dry Creek says ``enhances the aromatics, flavors and mouth-feel.'' Cost is about $18. Information: www.drycreekvineyard.com.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com