Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages on earth, and it's a minor miracle that it took until now for honey wine to make a comeback. There are a few new manufacturers in town, but our favorite comes from the San Francisco Mead Company, run by husband-and-wife team Sarah Jones and Oron Benary. They use honey from the Mendocino forest to make their surprisingly dry wine, with hints of caramel, vanilla, oak from aging barrels, and a deep woodsy taste. You can visit their Bayview headquarters for samples and tours (noon-6 p.m. on Saturdays), or find their products at shops like Bi-Rite, Rainbow, Whole Foods, Healthy Spirits, and Local Cellar, and at restaurants like Bar Tartine and Pizzeria Delfina.