Lewis Chardonnay BYOB at Henderson Beachwalk Cafe

Lewis Chardonnay BYOB at Henderson Beachwalk Cafe

Vacationing with Sister and Brother in-laws, Pat and Rodger at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we took them to one of our favorite notable dining spots in the Destin area. 

On our last weekend night together, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

I wrote about Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view in this blogpost during our visit there last fall, excerpted below. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. So, tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB our own Lewis Cellars label, their limited release special Sonoma County Chardonnay. 

We had with the starter course beet salad with arugula, goat cheese and mandarin orange slices, and Wedge Salad, big enough to share for two. Last time we dined here, we had the Seared Blue Crab Cakes with Mixed Greens and Jalapeño Horseradish Aioli, which was delicious. Tonight, the girls both ordered it for their entrees. 

For dinner I ordered from the menu fresh seafood local catches their signature dish, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.

After dinner, we enjoyed the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Cake with Ice Cream for dessert. 

With the dinner course, we enjoyed from our home cellar, BYOB, one of our favorite full flavored Chardonnays, and ideal pairing with the seafood selections.

Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018

We write often in these pages how we have fun with the alphabet labels, “V” from various producers for Vivianna, and the “L” labels from Lewis Cellars, and others, for Linda, Lucy (grand-daughter, and in this case her namesake Great Grandmother Lucy), grand-daughters Lavender and Lilac. 

We also pay respects to our Indiana heritage and the legacy of Lewis Cellars’ founder/producer Randy Lewis, former Indianapolis 500 racer. 

So it was fitting that we brought this label, for the sisters’, Linda and Pat’s Mom, Lucy, and our combined Indiana, Hoosier heritage, and with Pat and Rodger hailing from Indianapolis. 

In an earlier blogpost on this label, we wrote about our visit to Lewis Cellars Napa Chateau and our private Tasting back in 2017.

We have an extensive cellar collection of Lewis Cellars’ wines including this Chardonnay label, their Cabernet Sauvignons, Mason’s Blend, Ethan’s Syrah and one of our signature favorite wines since it happens to be the namesake of our son and the Lewis’ first grandson, Alec’s Blend.

We’ll likely scale back our collecting Lewis wines since the family has sold the business and brand to a major consolidated producer. In 2021 Lewis Cellars was acquired by Justin Vineyards & Winery of Paso Robles and its owner, the Wonderful Company.
As a $5bn privately-held group founded by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, the Wonderful Company also owns Landmark Vineyards in Sonoma County and JNSQ rosé wine, as well as the Fiji Water and Pom Wonderful brands.

Since this blog is also partially about branding and strategy, I’d be remiss to not mention the self-inflicted branding fiasco Fiji brought on themselves a few years back - memorialized in these posts - enough said…

https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0701/gallery.101dumbest_2007/20.html
https://www.cleveland19.com/story/34514441/is-bottled-water-better-than-clevelands-tap-water-not-really/
https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-cities-tout-municipal-tap-water-as-better-than-bottled.html

Lewis Cellars makes around 9,000 cases of wine per year and is known for high-end wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Justin Vineyards said Lewis Cellars will continue to be led and run by the existing team, including Randy Lewis and his stepson, Dennis Bell.

The strategy is to leverage the larger group’s marketing, strategy and sales teams to reach new audiences, such as via wine clubs or restaurants.

Tonight, this Lewis Cellars Chardonnay was a perfect pairing with the dinner, showing incredibly well, perhaps the best tasting of this label ever. Perhaps it was the ideal pairing that accentuated the delight of both the food and the wine. 

 

We brought this bottle to Florida from our home cellar and had been holding it for quite a while waiting for the right occasion and the right pairing. 

This was the third bottle of this label from our collection that we have consumed and this was the best showing of this wine to date. 

This 2018 release of Lewis Chardonnay was awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator and 92 points by Connoisseurs' Guide and Wilford Wong of Wine.com

Winemaker Notes - Like a silk robe or satin sheets the 2018 Napa Chardonnay seduces with thrilling texture. Creamy pear, crème brulee, white nectarine and gardenia blossom sprinkled with vanilla spice, it is simply delicious and irresistible. Finely structured yet opulent to the core, it is graced with a long, luscious finish.

Golden colored, medium bodied, full, round and structured, with rich brilliant flavors of ripe pear and apple fruits with butterscotch and creamy toasty notes on the tangy acidic lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3390102 

https://www.lewiscellars.com/

To close out the dinner, we shared the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Tort Cake with berries and ice cream. We’ve wished for a Latte’ or Cafe Au Lait accompaniment but it isn’t an option. 

https://www.hendersonparkinn.com/dine/beachwalk-cafe/

Massolino Wine Dinner Destin

Massolino Wine Dinner at The Wine Bar, Destin

During our getaway week at The Cove, our vacation home getaway in Destin (FL), we attended the Price Fixe “Massolino Wine Dinner”, at The Wine Bar in Destin, featuring the world-renowned wines of Massolino, guided by fourth generation producer Franco Massolino, visiting from the heart of Italy’s Langhe region. This was the same format as the "Tour of Bordeaux Wine Dinner at The Wine Bar Destin that we attended last fall.

This is the same restaurant where we held our Pour Boys Wine Group wine dinner last spring as we gathered in Destin (FL) for the gala SoWal (South Walton Beaches) Wine Festival weekend. 

That Saturday evening following the SoWal Wine Festival Activities, we dined at The Chef’s Table Wine Room in The Wine Cellar Room at the Wine Bar Restaurant in Destin. We featured that dinner in this blogpost in these pages -  Chef’s Table Dinner at Wine Bar Destin.

This “Massolino Wine Dinner” evening was kicked off by Amir Friedman, GM of Wine World Destin, who introduced and turned the evening over to be curated by featured producer Franco Massolino. 

Franco along with his brothers Roberto and Paola, represent the fourth generation of the Massolino family estate that dates back to 1896. Franco spoke of the founder, great-grandfather Giovanni and his son, Grandfather Giuseppe, the historic earlier patriarch of the business. 

Giuseppe was instrumental in founding the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe, Dogliani, the wine cooperative consortium that was the beginning of selling a small amount of bottled wine in 1956.

In 1957 the Massolino family inherited some vineyards in the Serralunga d’Alba area from aunt Matilde Ornato, which was consolidated into the estate. This began expansion of Crus (vineyards) that would become the Crown Jewels, with the first, Parafada in 1967, and later the Marguerite vineyard, source of the vineyard designated label we tasted tonight. (In my research and exploration of the event, I learned there was a follow on tasting dinner at another restaurant, Gallions, in the 30A region. They served the Parafada vineyard designated Barolo in place of tonight’s Margheria at that dinner).

Grandfather Giuseppe fell in love with Vigna Rionda and acquires the parcel through and exchange that requires Giuseppe has to give up a plot twice the size. The gamble paid off with the release of Vigna Rionda in 1982, followed by the first Barolo DOCG Vigna Rionda Riserva.

The estate was run by the third generation of the family after Giovanni and his son Giuseppe - Renato, Giovanni and Camilla with further expansion in 1986.

Massolino purchased the last parcel in Vigna Rionda, the most important acquisition in 1990, as it becomes one of the most famous areas of the entire Barolo production zone.

Franco along with his brothers Roberto and Paola, represent the fourth generation of the Massolino family, took over the reins in the 1990s. They purchased the Parussi Cru which completed the Barolo portfolio of Massolino Vigna Rionda, extending production beyond the borders of Serralunga d’Alba.

In 2015, a new cellar was built in front of the historic family home in the centre of Serralunga d’Alba, including a new tasting and hospitality center. 

In 2019, a new chapter in the family’s story began with the acquisition in the prestigious hills of Barbaresco, which added two new labels of the most important wines the territory.

Tonight’s tasting featured wines from each of the vineyard sources of the brand. The dinner showcased a curated flight of carefully selected Massolino wines, each paired with a gourmet dinner course, from Barolo to Barbera, crafted to complement their elegance and depth to enhance and complement that courses distinct characteristics. 

The Wine Flight - 

    2022 Massolino Chardonnay

    2022 Massolino Barbera d'Alba

    2022 Massolino Barbaresco 

    2020 Massolino Barolo Margheria 

    2023 Massolino Moscato d'Asti

As I’ve exclaimed often in these pages, the proper pairing matching food with the ideal wine greatly amplifies the enjoyment of both. Tonight was such an experience.

The pairings this evening were wonderfully matched for each course. 

To Start: 

2022 Massolino Chardonnay

Smoked tomato arancini with truffle aioli, Roast leg of quail brushed with Rosemary oil, and Focaccia crostini, prosciutto, gorgonzola cream and fig

1st Course

2022 Massolino Barbera d'Alba 

Beef carpaccio with fresh arugula, shaved pecorino cheese, capers and truffle oil

2nd Course

2022 Massolino Barbaresco 

Roast lamb rack, saffron/ green pea polenta, haricot vert and fresh pesto sauce.

3rd Course

2020 Massolino Barolo Margheria 

Porcini mushroom risotto, braised leg of rabbit and Taleggio cheese.

4th Course

2023 Massolino Moscato d'Asti

Tiramisu panna cotta with fresh berries and hazelnut glazed lady fingers.

Parmesan Crusted Grouper and Jordan Chardonnay at Fat Clemenza’s Miramar Beach

After a rainy day car outing touring the Florida 30A coastal region, upon return to the Cove, our vacation home in Destin, FL, we stopped for dinner at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach, featured in a recent blogpost, excerpted here. 

As I wrote in that post - Italian Dining at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach was founded by an old dear friend of one of our friends and neighbors and how they play polo together in the early days of our equestrian community at home, and Dominic Damiano introduced our friend to his wife decades ago.

The local Emerald Coast Magazine wrote that when “Dominic Damiano moved to the Emerald Coast in 2008, life was almost perfect except he couldn’t find good Italian food. His group of friends and family who had moved from different parts of Italy to Destin, also missed the flavors of home, so they decided to open their own restaurant, Fat Clemenza’s, and do what they do best — serve up recipes passed down for generations”. 

Fat Clemens’s Restaurant is named for the legendary chef/cook in the Godfather movie series, the restaurant was in many ways modeled after Tufano’s which he owned in an Italian neighborhood in Chicago.

“It’s important to me to stay true to tradition and heritage, which is why we import a lot of ingredients,” said Damiano. “I want customers to experience these dishes as my family would, to feel like part of the family when here.”

“The eggplant parmigiana.is made from Damiano’s grandmother’s recipe, the Fresh Fish special is caught locally. The olive oils, pasta, tomatoes, flour and seasonings are imported from Italy. Twice a week, a shipment of sausage arrives from Chicago. All other ingredients, especially seafood, is sourced locally.” 

We returned to dine at the restaurant, almost walking distance, from our vacation home, that we discovered on our last trip. The restaurant is warm, inviting, comfortable and cozy, with the small dining room nestled up against the small bar adjacent the wood fired oven. 

The extensive menu features Italian fare, wood fired pizzas, calzones, a broad selection of two dozen pasta dishes, and a variety of traditional Italian meat dishes. 

I ordered the Daily Chef’s Specialties from the chalkboard menu posted on the wall - Parmesan Crusted Grouper with capers and artichoke, served over angel hair pasta. 

Linda ordered the daily special Clam Chowder and the House Salad.  As with our earlier dining experience, both our selections were delicious, prepared artfully, served promptly, piping hot in ample portions.

We ordered from the adjacent chalkboard, one of the featured select wines suggestions to accompany the daily specials, a California Chardonnay.

Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2021 

This is an iconic well known brand known for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted in a European style that allows them to pair well with a broad range of foods. Jordan’s winemaking focuses on the ‘wine's fruit and acidity rather than alcohol and tannin, and achieving elegance and balance in the bottle

Founders Tom and Sally Jordan acquired the 1200 acre property in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, and established Jordan Vineyard & Winery in 1972, inspired by the great wine estates of France.

They enlisted the legendary André Tchelistcheff, as consulting enologist, and he was instrumental in establishing Jordan’s Francophile style of winemaking becoming one of the best wineries and brands in Sonoma County, with the help of winemaker Rob Davis. Davis guided Jordan winemaking from the inaugural 1976 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and inaugural 1979 Jordan Chardonnay achieving the remarkable quality and consistency of Jordan wines for more than four decades until his retirement in 2019. 

On the 1,200 property they planted Jordan Estate with roughly 120 acres of a dozen small vineyard blocks of grapevines, 16 acres with four parcels of olive trees, a two-acre chef’s garden as well as, their home and a second lake. Unique amongst Healdsburg wineries, they left more than three-quarters of the scenic estate, roughly 900, preserved as natural habitat with open spaces,  craggy oak trees and lakes providing habitat for geese, rabbits, turkeys and coyotes.  

Winemaker Maggie Kruse took over for Rich Davis and produced this classic California Chardonnay in 2021,  sourced from cooler vineyard sites in the western Russian River Valley. The wine spent half of its life in stainless steel, and was aged 5.5 months in 100% new French oak.

Winemaker Notes - “One of the most balanced Jordan Chardonnays to date. Flavors of juicy citrus, Asian pear and lemon peel balance seamlessly with the subtle French oak notes. The cooler-climate vineyard sourcing this year brings even more lively acidity and purity of fruit on the palate—making this vintage especially food-friendly and cellar-worthy.”

J'nai Gaither of Decanter gave this release 93 points. 

Pale golden straw colored medium bodied, rich but nicely balanced full round ripe fruit notes of pear, Meyer lemon and apple with flinty spice notes and hints of vanilla accentuating the vibrant acidity masking the French oak on the lively finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.jordanwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/jordanwinery

https://www.jordanwinery.com/

Jackacuda’s Seafood & Sushi, Amber Beer on Tap

Jackacuda’s Seafood & Sushi, Amber Beer on Tap, and Everyday Pinot Noir   

First night in town for our winter retreat to The Cove, our vacation rental home getaway in Destin (FL)*, we dined at this neighborhood restaurant that is easy walking distance from (our second) ‘home’. Even though it’s a short walk, we hadn’t yet dined there yet, during  our exploration of the broad selection of restaurants in the area.

Jackacuda’s has a cozy relaxed neighborhood feel, not too big, with somewhat limited seating at and adjacent the bar, and the adjoining dining room, and affable banter between patrons, known and unknown - nice for a casual friendly meal. 

Jackacuda’s history is intertwined with the lore of Destin which is branded the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village with the largest fishing vessel fleet in the state of Florida.

Part of the allure of fish and fishing in the area is due to the Tenaco 80 that was dropped back in the mid-1980’s to create an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico, which quickly became the spot to catch monster amberjacks.

As the story goes, one day local legendary Destin Charter Boat Captain Dale Beebe set out to catch the celebrated monster amberjacks, only to catch that summer day barracuda. Barracuda have a way of putting on a spectacle and the fish jumped in and out of the water delivering a show for all that were on the boat. On his way back from the trip, surrounding local Captains jumped on the radio to see how Captain Beebe fared and his response was “All I caught today were Jackacudas!” From that day forward the Teneco 80 spot was reborn as the Jackacudas Spot! And the Jackacudas moniker was born along with the founding of the popular local restaurant Jackacuda's Seafood & Sushi.

The original restaurant was located on the legendary HarborWalk Village downtown Destin, but relocated when it was merged into another existing restaurant after an extensive renovation in 2017, also owned by Jackacuda's owners Christopher Ruyan and Tyler Jarvis, down the road on Emerald Coast Parkway (Hwy 98), just outside the gate of our community.

They also are partnered with these other restaurants in the area: 

• Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer
• Eastpass Seafood & Oyster House
• Coastal Kitchen Catering & Events

The Jackudas menu highlights ‘All You Can Eat Sushi - Traditional Rolls, Signature Rolls and Deep Fried Rolls,’ and their ‘All You Can Eat Snow Crab’ as their “Specials”. Their Happy Hour Specials features a selection of FlatBreads, Seared Tuna, Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with Brussels Sprout Slaw, Ginger Dressing, Savory Glaze and Sesame Seeds, and Meatballs with marinara sauce, parmesan cheese and crostini. 

The entrees menu features several Sushi courses, with Shrimp, Tuna, and or Salmon, New and Traditional Rolls and Poke Bowls. They offer a selection of specialities including Angus Beef Burger, Local Catch Fish of the Day Tacos, Grilled Chicken, Blackened Snapper, Shrimp & Grits, Teryaki Steak, Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp, their Specialty Steamed Snow Crab, and their award winning** Mac-n-Cheese. They also offer traditional appetizers, salads and desserts. 

** Jackudas participate in the Annual Mac & Cheese Festival held at the Destin Commons retail center just across the highway which raised $60,000 in support of local club kids. “The family-friendly event featured gourmet, chef-inspired twists on the south’s favorite comfort food while local restaurants competed for the best mac and cheese in town.” Jackacuda's Seafood and Sushi entry won the People's Choice Award of the entries submitted.

We’re not sushi aficionados, so we have a difficult time judging the menu at Jackudas. It feels like they have a bit of an identity crisis, determining and then executing on their branding and mission - Seafood and Sushi. The seafood selection is limited, lacking the usual offerings including the highlight daily fresh catch, common along the coast. And, the sushi isn’t apparent, hidden away in the kitchen, unlike Sushi Bars where it is prominently displayed and visibly produced.

 

In any event we had a delightful meal - Linda ordered a burger and I had the Teryaki Bistro Steak with Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Asparagu and Teriyaki Glaze. I love Mashed Potatoes and found them delectable, a highlight of the meal, loaded with shallots, cheese and bacon bits.

They serve a selection of beers, including my typical request/choice, an Amber, and on tap! This deserves high marks in of itself. 

Forgive me as I digress here, and pontificate, perhaps on a tirade, about beer, despite this being a ‘wine’ blog. I don’t understand why it is so difficult to order an ‘amber’ beer in restaurants and bars - Dos XXX Amber, Fat Tire, Samual Adams, and what has emerged as one of my favorites, Shiner Bock, my staple at home - from Shiner, Texas. (Gone is the old Anchor Steam from San Francisco, and others.) 

My actual quest is for a traditional English Bitter which is not to be found this side of the ‘pond’. A hundred plus trips to the UK, I grew to love their traditional brew, and searched for it long and far on our shores, to no avail. (Several stories here, for another time.)

In my search for a ‘bitter’ I came to ask for an amber, still with an amazing and frustrating amount of difficulty. Then, on a trip to Texas, I found Shiner Bock, called “American-style amber lager” by brewer Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas, a small town (population 2127, roughly equidistant between San Antonio (90 miles east), Austin (87 miles south), and Houston (125 miles west)).

Shiner Bock is brewed with rich roasted barley malt and German specialty hops. But, notably, it is not overly hopped. I find too many American brews are hyper hopped - akin to mustard on a hot dog … it’s a condiment, not the main course! (My kids all tire of this tirade, until they too traveled to the UK and discovered English Bitter. At least now, they understand, but still think I’m tyrannically obsessive on this subject (as witnessed here)).

Founded by German and Czech immigrants in 1909, they found a local brewmaster, Kosmo Spoetzl, classically trained in Bavarian, who brought his old world recipe that had been in the family for generations, which he first brewed for them in 1913. Shiner Bock was originally a seasonal favorite, but patrons demanded it year-round, hence, which it has been offered since 1973.

Brewers tasting notes of Shiner Bock - “Bock has a tan, dense head with a crystal-clear amber color and a sweet aroma with a subtle roasted maltiness on the notes. The taste is slightly sweet with notes of roasted nuts and caramel. Lightly hopped, this amber lager goes down smooth.” 

For pairing with my Teriyaki Steak, I tried the amber beer which they had on tap. While close to what I sought/seek, perhaps crave, it was a bit over hopped. After all that, in the end, I opted for some red wine, to accentuate the teriyaki glaze and the steak!

From their limited wine list, I ordered this California red blend. 

Meiomi ‘California’ (not Sonoma or Santa Barbara or Monterey County) Pinot Noir 2022

I first featured Meiomi in these pages back in 2015 in this blogpost about their Chardonnay - Meiomi California Chardonnay 2013, excerpted here.

Meiomi gets its name from the native American Indian word for “coast” from the Wappo and Yuki tribes who lived along the central/northern California coasts in the early days. The Meiomi wine label began in 2002 with their release of Pinot Noir, in a quest to deliver reasonably priced good QPR (quality price ratio) easy drinking wines that are approachable and ready to drink while young. I've written often and regularly in this blog about the challenges of finding such a Pinot Noir. I've tasted the label several times but have never been moved to write of the experience, until now (circa 2015).

Meiomi is the handiwork of fifth generation offspring from the legendary Napa Valley winemaking family. Founder and winemaker Joseph Wagner is the son of Chuck Wagner, winemaker of Caymus Vineyards, who is the son and co-founder with principles Charlie Wagner and Lorna Wagner who started Caymus Vineyards in the early seventies.

Joe's first wine enterprise was Belle Glos, named for Chuck Wagner's great-grandmother who first acquired the Napa Valley estate, followed by this label, Meiomi.

From the Meiomi website - “All of Meiomi's vineyards can be found in California’s sought-after, cool-climate coastal appellations of Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties, which have proven ideal for producing world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Rosé. By blending fruit from these three regions together, they create richly layered wines of bold character and exceptional balance, every vintage. These wines are always rich and ripe, yet elegantly expressive, with depth and complexity”

“California provides the perfect combination of earth and elements, contributing to each Meiomi wine, representing the best the Golden State has to offer. By combining California's exemplary qualities into a single wine, Meiomi achieves unforgettable balance, complexity, and richness of flavor.”

Meiomi wines are the handicraft of Winemaker Jason Becker, who has an extensive and impressive background at some of California's top wineries. Jason approaches his role as a regular exercise in balancing the best fruit that California has to offer. He strives in his blends of cool-climate grapes to produce wines with bold character and harmony – ripe and rich, with expressive depth and taste.

Meiomi California Chardonnay, and this Pinot Noir, are blends from “reputable vineyard sites in three different California regions - Sonoma County, Santa Barbara and Monterey Counties”. Such a blend, lacking a sense of terrior or place, without predominance from one site or another, therefor warrants the 'California' designation for its origin, which they now use in their branding. This versus a more granular specificity such as Sonoma County, or even an appellation specific Russian River Valley, or Santa Rita Hills. Or, an even greater specific designation of a particular vineyard selection, which one often finds highlighted in these pages. The source designation on the label indicates the origin of at least 75% of the fruit represented in the bottle. 

I’ve written before in these pages, that while providing affordable every day drinking, these wines lack ‘terroir’, or the essence of any particular site, since the blend is from a myriad of sites, from diverse regions, topographies and climates, and that will change from vintage to vintage. The practice that provides a supply of quality bulk wine at a reasonable price, loses the selectivity of the finest fruit and consistency of place from one vintage to the next. That difference separates a $20 bottle from a $40 bottle - an appropriate wine for the price point and the occasion.  

This mass market affordable QPR concept was popularized by Jess Jackson which is brilliantly chronicled in the book, featured in this post - Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay.

I wrote back at that time that was our first tasting of this label which was the second vintage release of Meiomi Chardonnay. That was surprisingly flavorful showing the essence of the Chardonnay descriptors of creamy and buttery in a nicely balanced pleasant drinking wine at a good QPR affordable pricepoint; this also applies to this Pinot Noir - casual easy sipping, at a affordable every day price. This was a nice complement to tangy Teryaki and beefsteak, and great QPR.

Winemaker Notes - “The wine owes much of its complexity to its varied upbringing, unifying grapes from California's most notable winegrowing regions. Meiomi Pinot Noir brings you structure and depth seldom seen in a Pinot Noir wine, thanks to its unique and meticulous aging process. Aged for six months in French oak barrels, this California red wine's juicy strawberry flavor and notes of dark berries and toasted mocha add complexity and depth on the palate.” 

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, straight forward, while the winemaker stresses complexity, due to its blending from several sites, I call it a cacophony of flavors, competing for primacy, lacking balance and a bit too sweet. Ripe raspberry, currant and strawberry fruits with earthy spice, clove and vanilla notes with moderate tannins on the finish. 

The overt sweetness was moderated and tamed by the tangy teriyaki glass resulting in a nice enjoyable pairing. 

RM 87 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4317908

https://meiomi.com/

https://x.com/MeiomiWines

https://www.jackacudas.com/

*PS - Anyone that might think our primary residence is a potential target while we are traveling should note it has significant physical security monitoring, but more importantly, is occupied by house-sitter when we are gone. 

Italian Dining at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach

Italian Dining at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach

When we told a friend and neighbor that we were heading to Destin/Miramar Beach Florida to visit our Cove vacation home getaway, he mentioned his recently departed dear friend and former neighbor that moved there a while back and opened a restaurant. 

He credited his old friend Dominic Damiano with not only introducing him to his wife, but finding his eventual family home, and, talked about them playing polo together in the early days of our equestrian community here. 

The local Emerald Coast Magazine wrote that when “Dominic Damiano moved to the Emerald Coast in 2008, life was almost perfect except he couldn’t find good Italian food. His group of friends and family who had moved from different parts of Italy to Destin, also missed the flavors of home, so they decided to open their own restaurant, Fat Clemenza’s, and do what they do best — serve up recipes passed down for generations”. 

Fat Clemens’s Restaurant is named for the legendary chef/cook in the Godfather movie series, the restaurant was in many ways modeled after Tufano’s which he owned in an Italian neighborhood in Chicago. 

“It’s important to me to stay true to tradition and heritage, which is why we import a lot of ingredients,” said Damiano. “I want customers to experience these dishes as my family would, to feel like part of the family when here.” 

“The eggplant parmigiana.is made from Damiano’s grandmother’s recipe, the Fresh Fish special is caught locally.  The olive oils, pasta, tomatoes, flour and seasonings are imported from Italy. Twice a week, a shipment of sausage arrives from Chicago. All other ingredients, especially seafood, is sourced locally.” 

So, we made it a point to dine at the restaurant, almost walking distance, from our vacation home, certainly within biking distance as we rode past it earlier in the week on our way to the post office. 

The extensive menu features Italian fare, wood fired pizzas, calzones, a broad selection of two dozen pasta dishes, and a variety of traditional Italian meat dishes. Naturally, we ordered Italian Chef’s Specialties from the menu - Linda the Pasta Shells in Marinara Sauce, and I ordered a benchmark staple, Veal Parmiagana with Pasta. Both were delicious, served promptly, piping hot in ample portions. 

Stuffed Shells - Large shells stuffed with ricotta & served with choice of sauce.

Veal baked in a marinara sauce with mozzarella and parmesan served with Angel hair pasta.

For a wine accompaniment with our entrees, we ordered two wines by the glass - WBTG - from the modest, limited but carefully selected wine list featuring seventeen reds and a dozen whites, predominantly Italian.

When I inquired about whether they had a Brunello Di Montalcino our server came by with one select bottle. It was premium priced, beyond our basic moderate meal, so we opted for two glasses of Italian staples. 

From the wine selection, displayed on the counter adjacent the kitchen, separating the dining rooms, I had a glass of the Zingari Tuscan Blend. 

Petra Zingari Tuscan Red Wine 2019

Zingari Toscana Rosso is an ambitious project headed by the father and daughter team of Vittorio and Fancesca Moretti, through Gruppo Terra Moretti, the wine empire of the Lombard developer Vittorio Moretti, which extends over several vineyards, run by his daughter Francesca. 

Moretti is based at the southernmost tip of the province of Livorno in the hills of the Val di Cornia. In the vineyards, red varieties are cultivated on rich soils - among them the Tuscan flagship varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but also some Syrah and Alicante. The slopes of the Petra vineyard are also planted with white Malvasia, Trebbiano, Clarette and Vermentino varieties which are intended for sweet wines.

The Moretti's are known for producing some of Italy's best sparkling wines, but we are constantly drawn back to this Super Tuscan blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah and Petit Verdot from their vineyards in the Tuscan Coastal area of Val di Cornia.  The Petra estate has a special ecosystem, warm climate and soils in the green belt of the Colline Metallifere, near the Montioni Natural Park, with the Poggio Tre Cancelli Natural Reserve, up to the Sterpaia Coastal Park, looking over the Tyrrhenian Sea. 

The wine gets its name and traces its roots to an ancient water spring that was a stop-over for pilgrims and wayfarers who were travelling along the Aurelia Street, hence the name Zingari (Gipsies), that would seek refreshment by resting near its crystal clear waters

This label release is a uniqueTuscan blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Syrah. It was awarded 90 points by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator who also granted it #29 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2019.

Winemaker Notes - “Highly concentrated ruby color, which introduces the Mediterranean aromatic notes of this wine. Soft and full-bodied in mouth, it has a fresh flavor with good acidity and a structure with balsamic and mineral notes that make Zingari pleasant and interesting.” 

Wine Spectator refers to “flavors of  tomato leaf, juniper and sanguine notes”. Danielle Callegari of Wine Enthusiast cites  “A reduced nose of freshly poured tar and sulfur meets a luxurious contrast of muddled raspberry and strawberry, before hints of top soil and tobacco emerge …. turns to fresher red fruit, mostly cherry, with soil and gravel,” and calls it “Linear but substantial tannins and a firm backbone of acid work well together.”

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, a bit disjointed cacophony of with somewhat obtuse bright forward black cherry and plum fruits with notes of bramble, cedar earthiness, tobacco and bright acid with modest gripping tannins. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4082308

To accompany Linda’s Ricotta cheese stuffed shells with Marinara Sauce, we ordered a glass of the Aziano Ruffino Chianti Classico Sangiovese. 

Aziano Ruffino Chianti Classico 2021

Vibrant and inviting. The Sangiovese based wines of the Chianti Classico regions are characterized by notes of sweet violet, red berries and wild cherries with slightly spicy undertones

Ruffino dates back to 1877 when cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino, hailing from Tuscany, establishing a small winery in the town of Pontassieve near Florence, the region with a centuries-old tradition of growing exceptional wine grapes. 

The area is known for ideal terroir for producing wines -  mineral-laden soils, the cooling influence of the Mediterranean Sea, the dry summers that favor wine grapes, and sun-drenched hills. 

Ruffino became known for clean, balanced wines, adopting the motto “here we make ideal wine.” After the Second World War, Ruffino purchased the first of its Tuscan estates, the Villa di Montemasso in the Chianti Classico region. Ruffino continued to invest in new vineyards and became one of the first major wineries with vineyard estates in Italy's three most renowned wine-producing regions: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. 

Ruffino Chianti has become a benchmark for Tuscan wines around the world. When Chianti first became recognized as a DOCG wine in 1984, Ruffino Chianti DOCG was awarded the first warranty strip. 

Today, more than 140 years after its founding and more than 90 years after the release of Riserva Ducale, Ruffino is a global leading brand. Ruffino's approach to making wine is based on their top vineyard sites, carefully managed vines and yields to produce the best quality of fruit. 

This is the entry level every day wine of a broad portfolio that addresses every price point and provides tremendous QPR - Quality Price Ratio, perfectly paired to complement the tangy pasta dish. 

Winemaker’s Notes -  “Ruby red. Vibrant and inviting. The Sangiovese based wines of the Chianti Classico regions are characterised by notes of sweet violet, red berries and wild cherries with slightly spicy undertones. The finish reveals hints of aromatic herbs. Fruity and harmonious, the taste reveals velvety tannins and an elegant texture. A long and persistent aftertaste characterizes this wine.”

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, vibrant expressive, smooth and nicely balanced red berry fruits with tangy spice and hints of tobacco and sweet mocha chocolate. Very pleasant. 

RM 90 points. 

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Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view

Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view

Vacationing with Linda’s friends Pat R and Marylou at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its idealic views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

The Beach Walk Café at the Henderson Park Inn is an award-winning, fine-dining restaurant that overlooks the beach with views of the towering condo towers along the Destin beach and harbor two miles to the west. 

It has been named one of the most romantic restaurants in North America for its pairing imaginative cuisine rooted in the freshest, local ingredients with spectacular sunsets and starry skies amidst the surf.

The cuisine is crafted by executive chef, Destin native Daniel Peters. Daniel first worked a professional kitchen at the age of 26, gaining his first taste of fine food and wine knowledge at Chan’s Wine World.

In 2011, he moved to Napa Valley to further his culinary skills and experience. There he studied under a number of world-renowned award-winning chefs, including Douglas Keane, Sang Yoon, Jake Rand and Stephan Barber. He returned home to apply what he learned to elevation Destin’s food culture, with his Gulf-to-table concept at Beach Walk.

We wrote about Beach Walk Café in these pages last summer. Last time we dined here, the limited but carefully selected wine list offered several favorite producers and selections such as Nils Venge Saddleback, Chardonnay and Cabernet, no less than five of our selection choices were not available. 

So, tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB our own Venge Vineyards label, their limited release special single vineyard designated Chardonnay. 

With the starter course beet salad with arugula, goat cheese and mandarin orange slices, and the Seared Blue Crab Cakes with Mixed Greens and Jalapeño Horseradish Aioli, we had from the wine list Chandon Sparkling Wine from Napa Valley. The crab cakes were delicious and a favorite of all.

For dinner we ordered from the menu fresh seafood local catches Snapper and Grouper and the Ahi Tuna.

Snapper with Corn Truffle Risotto, Madeira Mushrooms, Matchstick Truffle Fries, Citrus Beurre Blanc

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Steak with Fingerling Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach, Ponzu Sauce

Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce

With the dinner course, we enjoyed from our home cellar, BYOB, one of our favorite full flavored Chardonnays, and ideal pairing with the seafood selections. 

Venge Vineyards Brown Bear Ranch Chardonnay 2018

I featured this label in detail in these pages last spring. This has proven to be one of our favorite and best tasting go-to Chardonnays. At the time I wrote, “I think this bottle is perhaps the best tasting one in our cellar right now, irregardless of the price point”. 

We first tasted this label and I wrote about Venge Vineyards and this limited release label in a these pages earlier, excerpted here back in December 2021 when we served it at a special holiday dinner - Venge Brown Ranch Chardonnay.

Venge Vineyards Brown Ranch Vineyard Los Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018

As featured, excerpted from earlier blogpost. This is a single vineyard designated label sourced from the 30 acre Brown Ranch Vineyard in Carneros, named for the previous cattle rancher owner Nadine Brown. The vineyard is bordered by HdV’s Hyde Vineyard and Beaulieu’s Vineyard No.9 on Old Sonoma Road in the Carneros district, straddling the rolling hills in the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the nearby San Pablo Bay, combined with the abundant midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing elegant wines that combine power and finesse, with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.

The property, formerly associated with Saintsbury Winery, was purchased in 2012 by the Renterias.

The property was planted with twenty nine acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but most of the vines were afflicted with Eutypa, a fungi disease also known as the Dead-arm Dieback, which causes trunks or arms of the vines to essentially rot and die. Like the famous Dead-Arm Shiraz label from McLaren Vale, Australia, rather than pulling the vines out, the vineyard managers kept the rootstock, cut off the trunk just above the soil and nurtured a bud to grow into a new trunk. Like the Dead-Arm label, focusing all the mature rootstock energy into one vine branch resulted in rich, full, concentrated fruits.

The Brown Ranch’s hillside alluvial soils, with Dijon Clone 76 set into the pre-existing rootstock, produces this rich full round Chardonnay, worthy of the iconic Venge name.Winemaker's notes: The Dijon Clones are modern strains of Chardonnay carefully isolated from grapevine nursery blocks in France. These strains are selected for their incredible ability to produce the best of what the varietal has to offer and therefore have become quite popular with cool climate growers today. The cool and often foggy climate of the Brown Ranch Vineyard, located in central Carneros, Napa, allows for a slow growing season and optimal ripening. This climate aids in the balancing of acidity and lifting tropical aromas in the fruit and thus, in the finished wine. The vines were carefully hand harvested and delivered cool to the winery.

Winemaker's Notes: "This wine is stylish and freshly balanced, featuring a light, pale straw presence in the glass with a bouquet of fresh orange citrus, toasted pine nuts, mild allspice, rocky flints, and toasted oak. Crisp, savory pineapple, sweet delicious apple, savory stone fruit, and ripe pear lead into mouthwatering deliciousness. 

The grapes are blended into used French Oak barrels according to a Burgundian style of winemaking, light handed on the usage of new French Oak keeping it to an average of 45%.

495 Cases were Produced

This release was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and Jeb Dunnuck and 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Golden lemon colored, medium full-bodied, full, round, concentrated, complex opulent fruits with a layer almost bordering on butterscotch, accented by notes of baking spice, hints of lemon, grapefruit, ginger and a touch of peach and almond nut cream, with bright acidity, depth and balance on a full long finish.

RM 93 points. 

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