Wayfarer Chardonnay BYOB at Carnivore & Queen

Wayfarer BYOB and website confusion/conflict at Carnivore & Queen Restaurant Downers Grove

For a Friday night date night, we planned to go to a local neighborhood eaterie, Carnivore & the Queen in adjacent Downers Grove (IL). The last time we were there, we learned it was the last evening in the existing site, that they were premiering opening the expanded adjacent dining room the following evening. So, we were eager to go back and see and try out the 'new' restaurant. 

Even though we know the usual menu, we reviewed the posted on-line menu to plan our evening, and chose two seafood options for our dinner. Exploring our wine pairing options, we checked the on-line published winelist (below) options to pair with our seafood selections.

Seafood selections ...

 

Fresh Baked Northern Walleye and Shrimp

Pan seared Chilean Sea Bass Beurre Blanc Sauce

In light of the very limited options, one Sauvignon Blanc and one Chardonnay, we pulled from our cellar an ultra-premium highly rated recent release Sonoma Chardonnay that we were eager to try and review, to take for an accompaniment, taking into account the prominently displayed posted published Corkage Fee. 

Carnivore & Queen Published Winelist page, copied SIC below:

BBQ Ribs and Big Red at Carnivore & Queen

 BBQ Ribs and Big Red at Carnivore & Queen

Friday night dinner out, we dined at Carnivore & Queen in nearby DG (Downers Grove, IL). We were delighted to learn that the restaurant was soon to take over the adjoining space, thereyby doubling their seating area, but intent on maintain their unique funky bohemian vibe atmosphere. 

Linda and I ordered shared a full rack of the BBQ ribs entree along with the wedge salad. For a starter we had the stuffed mushrooms. 

Everything was delicious, artfully prepared and served, however, the ribs, while delicious, had a bit of spice heat, tasty, but detracting from the wine experience for someone like me who places such a high merit on the wine experience and the food and wine pairing.

From the somewhat limited but carefully selected wine-list, we ordered this small production single vineyard ultra premium select Napa Red. 

Goldschmidt Vineyards Napa Valley Oakville Game Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This is from Winemaker Nick Goldschmidt and wife Jolyn, both originally from New Zealand, who spent time living and working in Australia and South America, and now call Sonoma County their home. Goldschmidt and his wife and business partner Yolyn have called Healdsburg, California home since 1990, and their immersion in the wine is a family affair.  There are five Goldschmidt children, all of whom are involved in Goldschmidt Vineyards, whether pitching in during harvest or helping out in the cellar with the winemaking. Two of their daughters, Hilary and Katherine grace Goldschmidt labels in name and with a silouette profile pictured.

We featured Goldschmidt Hilary Napa Oakville Charming Creek Cabernet in these pages in an earlier blogpost.

Daughters Chelsea, Hilary and Katherine have become winemakers under their father’s mentoring. One “daughter” wine, Katherine Cabernet, can be found in many wine departments across the country.

Nick has worked for decades now, in many regions around the world and today closely supervises no less than 16 other vineyards in six countries. Wineries for which he’s worked and consulted are numerous and include but are not limited to: Atlas Peak, Buena Vista, Simi Winery, Clos du Bois, Gary Farrell, William Hill and of courese his own Goldschmidt Vineyards, which was established in 1998.

Goldschmidt’s career officially began in 1982, when he took a research position at New Zealand’s Lincoln University where he graduated with a degree in horticulture, He then did postgraduate work in viticulture and oenology at the Wagga Wagga campus of Charles Stuart University, also in his homeland, and then at Adelaide University, in South Australia, where he was enrolled in the Hickinbotham Roseworthy Wine Science program.

Goldschmidt is involved in several venture around the world where, as mentioned he supervises some 16 other vineyards across six countries. 

Goldschmidt Vineyards focus on and produce Cabernet Sauvignons sourced from two prestigous vineyards in Northern California — Yoeman Vineyard, located on the northeastern slope in the Alexander Valley, and Game Ranch Vineyard, located on old river bottom on the eastern bench of the Silverado Trail. Both showcase the optimum silhouettes of Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley and Napa Valley.

The Goldschmidt prestigious Game Ranch Vineyard is adjacent and borders the legendary Screaming Eagle property, one of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignons from California. At $2,000 per bottle - if you can find any - Screaming Eagle is a special occasion, it not once in a lifetime wine, without question. With the same terroir as the most collectible California Cabernet for a fraction of the price, some consider this one of the hidden treasures in the Oakville District of Napa Valley.

The harsh winter of the vintage didn't impact quality but did produce smaller yields for the 2019s across Napa Valley.  Due to the fires that plagued the 2020 vintage around Napa Valley, there was no 2020 Goldschmidt Game Ranch.  As a result, this limied release small production label is less available than normal resulting in great demand for the 2019 Goldschmidt Game Ranch Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The Napa Valley Oakville Game Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard is a 3-acre old vine vineyard on the west side of the Silverado Trail with exceptionally good drainage from the volcanic red clay, with gravelly brown loam producing wines with deep concentration. The classic Oakville wine character highlights the elegant style sourced from only the site’s best fruit. The wine is aged for 30 months in small French barrels.

Only 300 cases of this single-vineyard red are made each year and expect a reduction in availability going forward after the effects of 2019 and 2020.

Winemakers Tasting Note: Vintage 2019 was characterised for exceptional color, one of the darkest seen in the last few years. On the nose this wines  shows profiles of blonde tobacco and blackberry that marries beautifully with hints of vanilla bean. Game Ranch is a  complex wine that requires time to appreciate the subtle layers that you will get with each sip. Round, soft and silky tannins acompany the perfect acidity and structure giving place to an amazing lush finish that only a well-crafted Cabernet can provide

This release was awarded 92 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, full forward red, black berry and black cherry fruits are accented by notes of anise, mocha, currant, sage, and pain grille, with hints of cedar and mint, with firm tannic texture on a long bright finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4489489

https://goldschmidtvineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/goldschmidtwine

@goldschmidtwine

Melka CJ Napa Valley Cabernet BYOB at Carnivore & Queen

Phillippe Melka 'CJ' Napa Valley Cabernet BYOB at Carnivore & Queen

We went out to dinner with son Sean and d-in-law Michelle and dined at Carnivore & The Queen in adjacent Downers Grove, IL. I took from our wine cellar BYOB this Napa Valley Red wine to accompany our entree dinner selections - NY Strip Steak and Bone-in Veal Chop. 

 

Closing in on celebrating our grandaughter's, Sean and Michelle's daughter, Lavender's first birthday, this was a fun choice with its whimsical label with the child's hand-prints on the label and foil, as this label is named for and dedicated to the winemakers' two children. 

There's another reason I selected this label, from producer Phillippe Melka, a producer we know well and hold several of his labels across two decades of vintages. Phillippe was the mentor for Eric White of Galena Cellars Vineyards and Winey in Galena, IL, whom we met during our stay in the estate guest house during our getaway holiday week before last.

Philippe and co-proprietors and co-winemaker for Melka Estates, wife, Cherie Melka produce four distinct brands that reflect their philosophy of soil driven wines:  Métisse from Napa Valley, Mekerra from Sonoma Valley, Majestique from sites around the world and CJ, also from Napa Valley.

Both Philippe and Cherie are both academically prepared for their distinctive careers and achievement in winemaking.  Philippe having degrees in Geology, Agronomy and Enology; and Cherie in Microbiology from the US and a diploma in French Studies from the University of Bordeaux III. 

Philippe learned winemaking and vineyard techniques from legendary prestigious estates such as Haut Brion, Chittering Estate, Badio O Coltibuono, the Moueix domains and Dominus.  Cherie was more self-taught as a enologist gaining her wine knowledge from equally impressive estates such as Ridge Vineyards, Beaulieu and Silver Oak Cellars.  Their combined science backgrounds and extensive experience in the industry make them a perfect team in their winemaking endeavors.

The Melka brand started in 1996, when Philippe and Cherie moved back to Napa Valley from France and set out to produce their own brand, despite each working for different wineries.  They started modestly with only two wines in 1996, Métisse and CJ for a total case production of 500.

After years of consulting, Philippe and Cherie opened up Melka Wines, in 1996, celebrating their first vintage of a Bordeaux styled Red Wine labeled Melka Metisse with a total production of 500 cases. Soon after, Melka’s success would eventually lead him to 3 more labels, the Mekerra, Majestique and the first vintage of CJ in 1996, the year Jeremy was born with production of only 200 cases.

Melka Estates started with Philippe and Cherie Melka sourcing fruit for their first two labels, two wines  named in honor of their two children Chloe and Jeremy and Metisse. They have since grown to four collections, CJ (a red blend very approachable in its youth sourced from premium vineyards throughout the Napa Valley), Metisse (a word that means ‘blend of cultures’ with wines from the Napa Valley), Mekerra (from the property they own in Sonoma County) and Majestique (single vineyard wines from outside of the Napa Valley). As a footnote, one quickly realizes the affinity the Melka’s have for the letter ‘M’.

Philippe grew up in Bordeaux, earned his degree in Geology at the University of Bordeaux and later his Master’s degree in Agronomy and Enology. His first wine job was at Château Haut Brion in Bordeaux. His first introduction to the Napa Valley came in 1991 as an intern with Christian Moueix, proprietor of Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux and Dominus in Napa Valley. Philippe came to Dominus to study soils – then spent a few years as a traveling winemaker and ultimately settled in the Napa Valley in 1994.

Melka CJ Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Cherie earned a degree in Microbiology at Northern Arizona University and worked for a while in pharmaceuticals as a laboratory technician. In 1989, she moved to California and took her first winery job for Paul Draper at Ridge Vineyards where she ran the lab for five years. It was here that she met Philippe who was working the vineyards.

The list of Napa wineries that Philippe has worked with over the years reads like a whose whose list of the valley – Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate, Brand, Bryant Family, Dana Estates, Lail, Hundred Acre and Tusk Estate among many other well-regarded brands.

The vineyards that contribute to the making of Melka wines are sourced from relationships with growers over the 20 years that they’ve been making this wine. Two primary sources of fruit for CJ are Soda Canyon, a unique area in Napa Valley near Oakville with hillside fruit, and Broken Rock has brought more fresh crushed rocks, good acidity and more massive tannins. 

This was a perfect complement to my NY Strip grilled beefsteak and sauteed portabella shiitake mushrooms with red wine reduction, and, the Dark Chocolate Flowerless Torte cake for dessert. 

At eighteen years, the fill level, label and cork were perfect. This was most likely at the apex of its drinking window and profile and will not likely improve with further age, but should last up to another decade.  

This is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot.

This release got 92 points from Wine Spectator.

 Dark inky garnet colored, full bodied, firm, structured, tight, concentrated ripe, rich and lush blackberry and wild berry fruits with pointed notes of gritty eucalyptus cedar notes, black tea, dark mocha and cigar box with firm focused tannins on the finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=283194

https://www.melkaestates.com/

https://twitter.com/MelkaEstates

https://carnivoreandthequeen.com/