Showing posts with label French Bistro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Bistro. Show all posts

Saturday, June 21, 2025

BYOB Fine Wines and Live Jazz at Suzette’s Creperie Wheaton

BYOB Fine Wines - Wayfarer and Domaine Serene, and Live Jazz at Suzette’s Creperie Wheaton

Fellow Pour Boy Dr. Dan and Linda joined us for Saturday night dinner at Suzette’s Creperie in Wheaton (IL). We took BYOB from our cellar a premium red and white wine for the occasion, to be options based on our menu selections. 

Prior to heading out, we sipped on a seasonal Provençal Rose’ with appetizers, artisan Wisconsin cheeses, fresh berries, chocolate cherries and mixed nuts, and, Linda prepared some fresh artful Strawberry’s with fresh mozzarella cheese and basil. 



Landmark Creamery, Belleville, Wisconsin Gouda Duet - pasteurized cow and sheep milk cheese, and Grand Cru from Roth Cheese, Monroe, WI. 

Caves d'Esclans “The Palm” Whispering Angel Côtes de Provence, Rose’ Blend 2024

Just having finished reading one of Peter Mayles’ classic books about Provence, I was inspired to imbibe in some traditional Rose’. Also, our French friend, Phillipe, from the area, who hosted us that trip, will be visiting this weekend so I’m getting prepped for further wine and travel discussions coming up. 

Anyone who thinks Provençal Rose’s are modest or unsophisticated wines are in for a surprise. We discovered and experienced another such wine as part to the Premium Wine Pairing at Three Michelin Star Alinea restaurant year before last - Domaines Ott Château de Selle Côtes de Provence Mourvedre Blend Rose' 2020. 

That incredible dinner and wine flight are featured in this blogpost - Magnificent Dinner at Alinea Kitchen Table

We drove through the region and through Côtes de Provence along the Cote d’ Azur during our Four days in Provence - Aix - Meyrargues trip in 2019. The area is featured in a separate blogpost about that trip - Red Wine with Chili? Bandol.

The winemakers at Caves d'Esclans produce what some consider some of the world's greatest Rose’ wines. This is produced from estate vineyard’s grapes as well as select best quality grapes obtained from relationships with local grape growers. 

Château d’Esclans is situated in the heart of Provence, northeast of St. Tropez. The Château and estate were 2006 by Sacha Lichine whose vision was to create the greatest rosés in the world. He is credited with igniting the “Rosé Renaissance” and produces a portfolio of seven different variations of the classic Provençal wine. 

This is the sixteenth vintage release of Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel. It is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle (Vermentino) grapes. The cepage or percent/ types of different grape varieties that will make up the ultimate blend will differ with each new vintage, containing varietals Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle, Vermentino, Syrah and/or Tibouren. however the taste profile will remain much the same.

It was rated 92 points by James Suckling.

Pale pink colored, medium bodied, round, flavorful bone dry raspberry and strawberry fruits with bright spicy, tangy crisp acidity with a smooth lush finish.

RM 90 points. 



We've featured Suzette's Crêperie Wheaton several times in these pages, such as this one back in May last year in this blogpost.  

Suzette's Crêperie in nearby Wheaton (IL), is one of the few authentic French cuisine eateries in the western suburbs, and one of our favorite go-to casual fine dining sites. 

Sited downtown Wheaton city centre, adjacent the convenient muni parking garage, a block from the Metra station, Suzette's offers intimate casual fine dining, al fresco dining out front or on the rear patio, a private dining room for special dinners, and a bar, adjacent the authentic Suzette's Boulangerie & Pâtisserie, a French inspired bakery.  

A special treat on summer Saturday nights, Suzette’s featured live music in the cozy intimate dining room. 

Tonight, we were entertained by Judy Roberts playing piano and singing, and Greg Fishman on the Xylophone, flute and saxophone. 

Judy has been called “Chicago’s Favorite Jazz Woman,” by the Chicago Tribune, she is recognized worldwide for her jazz performances. She has received multiple Grammy nominations and has performed at international jazz festivals from Singapore to Holland to Monterey, California and Newport Beach, and, Chicago’s London House will always be her flagship. 
  

Greg, acclaimed nationally and internationally as an artist and teacher, has performed with Woody Hermann’s Big Band and countless other well-known performers. With multiple recordings and numerous publications, he is a teacher and mentor to many young musicians emerging on today’s music scene today. Greg is one of the foremost experts on the music of Stan Getz.

As featured in earlier previous posts in these pages, we started with the the Chicken Liver Mousse and Country Style Pâté, served with Dijon mustard, Cornichons and delicious Red Onion Marmalade with toasted Brioche on the side, and the Three Cheese Soufflé with Goat, Blue and Gruyere Cheeses.


Linda M selected the 'daily special' Sole Meunière, which is one of my favorite dishes.

Suzette's Sole Meunière is served in the classic French style, Filets of Sole were dredged in flour, pan fried in butter and served with the resulting brown butter herb sauce, parsley and lemon, alongside spring vegetables and mashed potatoes. Wonderful, delicious, as usual.


Linda A and I both selected one of the evening’s Specials - Braised Beef with Papardelle Pasta in a brown beef and carrot sauce. Portions were ample including the amount of beef and the dish was delectable.  


Dan ordered the Duck Confit Duck Breast with Rich Duck Jus on a Bed of Mushroom Risotto, which was also delectable.

I brought two of our favorite wines that I believe may be among the best drinking selections from our cellar for pairing with tonight’s entree choices. 


Knowing one of us would likely be ordering the Sole, we brought BYOB from our home cellar one of our current favorite rich Chardonnay's as an accompaniment,Wayfarer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.

Wayfarer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2018

This is from the Fort Ross-Seaview sub-region in the Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County appellation. 

We’ve enjoyed various vintages of this label BYOB at multiple restaurants over the past couple of years including, ironically, previously on this same date, including ... Wayfarer Chardonnay BYOB at Carnivore & Queen.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/12/wayfarer-chardonnay-byob-at-carnivore.html#more

I featured an earlier release of this label back last June in this blogpost, Wayfarer Sonoma County Seaview Ross Chardonnay with lobster and fresh corn on the cob. In that post, I wrote in depth then about the producer, vineyard site and this label which bears repeating so it’s excerpted below.

We toured the Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County and Russian River Valley during our Napa Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017.

Notably, in recent months prior to that post, we'd made five trips and had a dozen and half seafood dinners on the Gulf Coast, and had explored and enjoyed a wide selection of ultra-premium Chardonnays - SeaSmoke, Kistler, Wayfarer, Far Niente, Domaine Serene Reserve, and others. In the end, this was the most expressive, distinctive, bright and vibrant of any of our recent Chardonnay selections.

Son Ryan discovered and turned me on to this label. While picking up a Bordeaux futures delivery at Binny's, our Chicagoland Beverage Superstore, I found and picked up the last few remaining bottles in stock. 

This is from well known Napa Valley producer Jayson Pahlmeyer known for his Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red “California Mouton” Bordeaux varietal wines. Jayson collaborated with the great winemaker Helen Turley and together produced consistently award-winning wines. 

We're huge fans of Pahlmeyer wines of which we hold many labels across several vintages in our cellar, which are featured regularly in these pages. 

After nearly 30 years as an acclaimed Napa Valley vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer became increasingly entranced by the wines of Burgundy. “Every oenophile eventually gravitates to the wines of Burgundy,” he says. In the early 1990s, Jayson began seeking out the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards in the world.

A close friend, legendary French wine importer Martine Saunier, had located two parcels for sale in Burgundy – Clos de la Roche, a Grand Cru Pinot Noir vineyard in Côte de Nuits Grand Cru, and Corton Vergennes, a Grand Cru Chardonnay vineyard in Corton. Pahlmeyer's notable winemaker, Helen Turley, was to make the wine with the hands-on assistance of the renowned Michel Niellon at his Chassagne-Montrachet winery. However, just after the papers were signed, the deal was nullified by an obscure Burgundian real estate clause that permitted last-minute alternative offers.

Helen Turley discovered Wayfarer, an organic farm on remote ridges on the Sonoma Coast, named for the dream of its owners, Dave and Dorothy Davis, to travel the world. Her own vineyard, Marcassin estate and vineyards were just down the road and Helen understood well the extraordinary character of fruit this land could yield. 
 
When the Davises listed the farm for sale in 1998, Turley brought good friend and fellow vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer to survey the site. Pahlmeyer recognized the proximity to the ocean and cool sea air tempering the brilliant sun, with Goldridge soil with thick forest of redwoods to the east and fog-blanketed bluffs to the west, had the potential to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Helen declared it destined to be “the La Tache of California” and Jayson promptly claimed the land for his own.

Jason selected legendary viti-culturalist and producer David Abreu to plant the Wayfarer vineyard in 2002, and in 2005, Jayson started blending Wayfarer Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with fruit from Russian River vineyards, bottling it under the Pahlmeyer label. By 2012, the vineyard’s exceptional fruit produced wine worthy of its own vineyard designated namesake label. Jayson tapped his daughter, Cleo Pahlmeyerto oversee Wayfarer. 

Wayfarer vineyard's 30 undulating acres lie in the Fort Ross-Seaview 27,500-acre sub-appellation on the far north-western end of the Sonoma Coast AVA. Defined as a distinct appellation in 2011, the extreme landscape is often deemed “the true Sonoma Coast” as it overlooks the Pacific beaches and receives the cool wind and fog from the frigid California Current flowing down the coast. The entire appellation resides above the fog line at an elevation of 800 feet and higher, above the fogline thereby allowing ample sunshine for ripening. Situated on a jagged portion of the San Andreas Fault, most of the acreage is unfarmable due its dramatic terrain. The 21 acres of vineyards are planted primarily to Pinot Noir, with some Chardonnay and slight amount of Syrah.

We visited the area and drove the scenic rugged Sonoma Coast, staying in Bodega Bay, during our Napa/Sonoma County Wine Experience back in 2017.  

Cleo Pahlmeyer, proprietor/general manager of Wayfarer, was raised in Napa in the wine business and culture. After receiving a BA in Art History from the University of Virginia, she went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Connoisseurship of Fine and Decorative Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London.

Returning to the family winery in 2008 after working in the international art world, Cleo worked closely with her father to learn every aspect of the family business. Beginning in sales and progressing to manage direct to consumer sales and marketing, then public relations, she went on to be appointed President in 2017.

Wayfarer is a family affair, with Cleo, a mother of three, mentored by her father, and joined by her husband, Jamie Watson, who pours his own passion for wine into Wayfarer. “I must be my father’s daughter,” Cleo explains, “because like him, I have naturally gravitated to Pinot Noir. Wayfarer is a very special place for me personally. It has a soul that can only be felt by breathing in its air, walking on its soil, feeling its warmth."

Wayfarer's winemaker is Todd Kohn who grew up in Redding, three hours north of Sonoma. After graduating from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology, Todd first worked at the California sparkling wine house, Schramsberg, where he worked in the vineyard, lab and cellar, learning all aspects of winegrowing and winemaking. He went to gain further experience at several premiere Napa Valley wine producers including Opus One. He then spent time in Australia working in the Mornington Peninsula region of Australia where he worked growing and crafting world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Todd joined Wayfarer in 2013 as Assistant to the Winemaker, working the next 5 years with the Consulting Winemaker to establish Wayfarer’s vineyard practices and winemaking techniques, before taking the helm as Winemaker in December of 2017.

Just this month, Wayfarer was featured in a small piece in Wine Spectator Magazine noting the remoteness of their estate, and the recent opening of a hospitality center tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. 

Wayfarer Wayfarer Vineyard Sonoma County Seaview Ross Chardonnay 2018

This is the ultra-premium flagship label for Wayfarer Chardonnay. While Cleo Pahlmayer, Proprietor, oversees the operations, Founder Jason Pahlmeyer's signature conspicuously adorns the label. 

Tonight we drank the 2018 vintage of this label, the oldest of several releases that we hold in our cellar. 

This is a blend of four different clones planted on the Wayfarer property, Berlenbach Old Wente, Dijon 95, Hyde and Mount Eden.

This wine was aged in barrel for 15 months, and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Winemaker’s Vintage Notes - “2018 was marked by a long and temperate growing season that allowed for a calm harvest. The Chardonnay vines began to emerge on March 29th in block 12. Overall rainfall was 35% below our average, with only 37.5 inches. However, a large portion of this rain came in April, just after budbreak and long before bloom. With this spring rain filling the soil profile, the vines were able to thrive in moderate weather through May, where daily high temperatures averaged 65 degrees. Chardonnay bloom occurred in the final days of May. Temperatures remained moderate throughout the summer with no major heat waves. It was an ideal, lengthy ripening season, coaxing complex aromas and texture from our Chardonnay, while maintaining bright acidity. Chardonnay harvest began in bock 6 on September 17th and concluded with block 29 on September 29th”.

Producer’s Tasting Notes - “The 2018 vintage is the first to include our newest Chardonnay blocks – 2 acres grafted from Pinot Noir to Chardonnay in 2016. A bouquet of orange blossom, jasmine, toasted almonds and lemon zest prepares the palate for beautiful acid and wet stone. This fresh structure is enveloped in a rich texture that balances the linear focus of the wine.”

From the Wayfarer Estate Vineyard  in the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation, it was barrel fermentedand spent 16 months in oak, about 70% new.

This release was awarded 98 points by Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate, 96 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com, 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, and 94 points by Kim Marcus, Wine Spectator. 

This release was awarded 98 points by Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate, 96 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com, 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, and 94 points by Kim Marcus, Wine Spectator.

Golden straw colored, medium to full-bodied, complex, concentrated, powerful, bright vibrant rich layers of baked apple, pear and melon with hints toast, nuts and brioche flavors, crisp integrated acidity, and a long unctuous lingering finish

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3556369

https://www.wayfarervineyard.com/

https://twitter.com/WayfarerWine @WayfarerWine

Domaine Serene Willamette Valley Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir 2013

One of our perennial favorites although if you read this blog you'll know we don't do a lot of Pinot Noir compared to other varietals. 

Linda and I discovered this wine at a memorable outing during one of our get-away weekends to Chicago,  at Smith & Wollensky sitting outside overlooking the river for a summer afternoon wine, salad and cheese interlude. 

Domaine Serene produce at least three ultra premium priced Pinots above this one, none of which have I tasted. I look forward to doing so at some point as I love this wine. I am not a fan, however of their lower priced entry level offerings including Yamhill Cuvee. 

I've often written how elusive is a low priced high QPR Pinot Noir. Over the years we’ve liked this and kept multiple vintages of it in our cellar. We liked it a lot more when it was available for $59, as it has escalated to $95 in recent years. 

Winemaker Notes - “A true illustration of the art of blending, the 2013 Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir is a wonderfully complex elegant wine with intriguing notes of black cherry, currants, cloves and nutmeg. With some air, notes of allspice, cardamom and black tea emerge from the glass with a subtle lift of cocoa powder and vanilla. In the mouth, the wine shows elegance and finesse with brooding depth and concentration, vibrant red fruits, silky tannins and great persistence.”

The 2013 Pinot Noir Evanstad Reserve is raised in barrel for 16 months using 57% new oak.

This release was rated 92 points by Wine Enthusiast and by James Suckling, 91points by Wine Spectator, and 90 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Ruby colored medium to full bodied, pleasant sipping, soft bramble raspberry fruits with dusty rose, black tea, spice, earth and hints of pepper, mocha and mushroom on a silky tannin bright acidic finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2045514

http://www.domaineserene.com/

http://suzettescreperie.com/

Thursday, September 29, 2022

FLW Home & Studio Tour and Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park

FLW Home & Studio Tour followed by Hemingway's Bistro dinner - two venerable Oak Park institutions

I conducted a public-private tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio in Oak Park, IL, which I do regularly as a Docent Interpreter for the FLW Trust

On this occasion, we hosted several friends, three AXO sorority sisters couples, for the Home and Studio interior tour, then the neighborhood walking tour, followed by a gala dinner at Hemingway's Bistro, one of our favorite French cuisine eateries.

We started with a round of their fresh oysters, followed by their delectable crab and corn bisque soup. With these the group enjoyed the house Champagne.


For the dinner entree course, all in the group except me ordered the daily special Walleye or the Crusted Whitefish, both served with their delectable beure blanc sauce. 


 Campet Ste Marie Chardonnay 2020

We ordered from the carefully selected winelist a bottle French Chardonnay to pair with the fish course. 

This Pays d'Oc wine is from Limoux in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the South of France, along the Mediterranean coast to Provence. It is named after the specific terroirs on which the grapes are grown, sourced from small and hilly vineyards, that the French call “Campets”. These “Campets” and the Mediterranean climate offer ideal conditions for the production of ripe and fruit forward wines. 

This is a blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Picpoul white grapes, popular in the region.

Winemaker's Notes: "Limestone and clay soils coalesce on steep, rolling hills to make up the soil, but it is specifically the cooler areas of the vineyard, which contribute to creating their burgundy- style chardonnay. Each year, a proportion of the wine ages on wood for approximately six months, with regular battonage, to enhance the texture, the aromatic character and overall balance of the wine. The soil composition gives the wine structural acidity and makes this Burgundy-style wine unique. "

This was nice pleasant easy drinking - ideal for the pairing with the fresh fish entrees - a great value high QPR (quality price ratio). 

Straw colored, medium light bodied, aromatic, crisp, floral and stone fruit notes accent apple and pear with subtle lime citrus. 

RM 89.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3943285


I brought a BYOB from our cellar a couple of bottles - a Rhone and a Bordeaux, from which to I selected one to pair with my dinner entree. 

I chose the La Croix de Beaucaillou 2000 to accompany with my dinner entree selection, Strip Steak au Povre, with their delectable scalloped potatoes, creamed spinach and tomato (shown).

La Croix de Beaucaillou St Julien Bordeaux 2000

This was very timely as just yesterday I was notified by Binny's, the Chicagoland beverage supertore that my futures order of the current release of this wine just arrived for pickup. 

Our visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou in St Julien was one of the highlights our Bordeaux St Julien Wine Experience in 2019

We've collected the Grand Vin Château Ducru Beaucaillou for more than three decades going back to the late seventies. We declared it one of the signature wines of son Ryan and served his birthyear vintage from large format bottles at his wedding. It was sharing that declaration and experience that prompted the Chateau to invite us for a private tour during our trip to the appellation. 

I wrote about the history and current portfolio of producer Jean Eugène Borie SA in my blogpost at that time. Today, the estate is managed by the Jean Eugène Borie SA, the company owned by Mrs Borie, her daughter Sabine Coiffe and her son Bruno-Eugène, who took over as CEO in 2003. He is the third generation of the Borie family to head the estate which has been closely held for five generations over two centuries. 

The magnificent Château sits on a promontory overlooking classic formal gardens with the Gironde estuary in the distance. The Victorian-style Ducru-Beaucaillou castle is built directly above the original barrel cellars, adjacent the new modern era barrel facility. enveloping its owners, who have lived here for over sixty years.

This is Château Ducru Beaucaillou's second wine, made from the property's younger vines and vats that are not selected for the grand vin. This wine has been bottled at the château since the 1995 vintage. La Croix de Beaucaillou, generally contains more Merlot than the grand vin - this release was 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot.

Winemaker Notes: "The wine of Ducru-Beaucaillou is the essence of elegance, symmetry, balance, breed, class, and distinction. it is never one of the most robust, richest, or fruitiest wines of St.-Julien and by its nature is a stubbornly slow developer. Most of the finest vintages of Ducru-Beaucaillou usually take at least 10 years to reveal their stunning harmony of fruit and power.'

'Ducru-Beaucaillou is a great wine for a number of reasons. The meticulous attention to detail, the brutal selection process - whereby only the finest grapes and finest barrels of wine are permitted to go into the bottle - and the conservative viticultural practices all play major rules in the success of this wine."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded this 89 points.

At twenty-two years, the fill level, foil and label were in pristine condition. The cork, not surprisingly pulled in half when our server Lapone tried to extract it using a traditional waiter's cork screw, which is why I invariably use an 'ah-so' two pronged cork puller for aged bottles. Otherwise it was in good customary condition. The waitstaff appropriately decanted the bottle for serving. 

Initially this was a bit funky and earthy but, as I predicted it would, but this burned off to reveal the dark berry fruits that emerged after about 45 minutes. Dark garnet colored, a very slight bricking, brown rust hue starting to show revealing its age, medium full bodied, the dark berry fruits, Parker calls them 'red fruits', emerged accented by subtle earthy leather, tobacco and moderately sweet clove spice, with moderate smooth polished tannins on the finish. 

RM 90 points. 

This was a wonderful accompaniment to my strip steak au povre.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2649169

http://chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com/  

https://twitter.com/DucruB 

 http://www.hemmingwaysbistro.com/

Friday, September 2, 2022

Chez Joël Authentic French Bistro Cuisine with High QPR Wine Selections

Chez Joël Authentic French Bistro Cuisine with High QPR Wine Selections

Back home from our road trip, Friday night dinner, we were treated to dinner with son Sean and d-in-law Michelle to celebrate their new home down the street from our in the Hobson Road corridor. 

We dined at one of our favorite eateries in the City (Chicago), Chez Joël on Taylor Street. As usual the service was outstanding, food was delectable and the price was agreeable.

Chez Joël is quaint, artsy, intimate, tasteful, comfortable,  authentic yet unpretentious in its French Bistro setting and faire. We had a perfect lat summer evening sitting outside in the adjacent courtyard.

I had my oft-time usual fare, the Duck Confit, Linda had the salmon, Sean the daily special Blue Fish, and Michelle had the lamb, Michelle's cousin Ola had the Coq au vin. 

Chez Joel Patio

Chez Joel Confit Duck

Chez Joel Lamb

All the entrees were excellent - well prepared, artful presentations, ample portions, and with appropriate accompaniments.

With the starters and seafood entrees we had a selection of WBTG (Wine By The Glass) offerings from the winelist, the Sauvignon Blanc, Daniel Olivier, Montravel, Bergerac and this California Chardonnay.

Bishop's Peak Tally Vineyards San Luis Obispo Chardonnay 2020

Bishop's Peak is the second label of wines are crafted by Talley Vineyards to capture the unique diversity of the greater Central Coast region. The goal with the Bishop's Peak Chardonnay is to produce wine that reflects the distinct aroma and flavor of cool climate chardonnay in the purest way possible. Consequently no new oak barrels are used for fermentation or aging. Produced from Chardonnay grapes grown sustainably in coastal San Luis Obispo County, predominantly in stainless steel with some neutral French oak barrels.

Vinous rated this 91 points reflecting high QPR in this entry level label. 

Straw colored, medium bodied, notes of pear and peach fruits with hints of lemon, floral with bitter citrus tones. 

RM 89 points.

For the main courses we ordered from the winelist this Northern Rhone red that we know well having enjoyed earlier vintage releases it on several occasions from the winelist at another one of our favorite French Bistro's Suzzettes' Creperie in suburban Wheaton

Repeating that earlier blogpost the notes about Domaine Chevalier and brother and sister team of Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier, tonight we tasted the newer, later 2020 vintage of this label.

Marlène & Nicolas Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes Hermitage 2020

Once part of the cave co-operative at Tain-Hermitage, since 2008 the family vineyards of Domaine Chevalier are gradually being reclaimed by the brother and sister team of Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier. Nicolas tends the vineyards and crafts each cuvee, while Marlène handles all of the sales and marketing for Domaine Chevalier.

Following his formal agricultural studies in France, Nicolas spent four years honing his winemaking skills on estates in Australia, California and South Africa. After completing studies in agronomy and enology in France, he headed to South Australia’s Clare Valley where he mastered various techniques for fermenting Shiraz (Syrah). He then worked with Kendall Jackson in California crafting white winemaking skills. To further his post-graduate wine studies, he spent 2002 in South Africa working at legendary three-hundred-year-old Boschendal estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, a winery renowned for its superb Syrah-based wines.

Marlène and Nicolas Chevalier farm three small vineyards at their meticulously tended family property comprising 3 1/2 acres in Crozes-Hermitage from which they produce on average 500 cases of red and white Rhône wines in tiny lots which are highly allocated. Their wines are found only in a couple of importer direct wine clubs and renowned restaurants in North American.

This is from Crozes, the village adjacent the more prestigious appellation that shares part of its name, but operates in Hermitage’s shadow. The Crozes-Hermitage appellation area extends about 10 miles (16 km) both north and south of Tain and Hermitage itself and is known to produce more approachable wines than its higher profile neighbor. By 2017, almost 4,200 acres (1,700 ha) of vines had been planted among the local cherry and apricot orchards. Unlike Hermitage, land in Crozes-Hermitage is relatively affordable and available providing an opportunity for enthusiastic newcomers, as well as a number of local growers, who want to bottle the fruit of their own labors, rather than send their production to the Cave de Tain co-op, the case of this wine too.  

Nicolas works with several distinct parcels for their wines: La Motte, Marius, Petite Pend, Les Pends and namesake source for this label, Les Voleyses. These vineyards have clay and limestone soils with excellent exposure, known to produce ripe, high quality grapes with great aromatic character and freshness. The Domaine Chevalier site has been producing grapes for notable wines gaining high praise and critical acclaim for more than three centuries.

Like the 2018 vintage we tasted earlier, the 2020 vintage was also top rated in the Northern Rhône. This represents a great value, high QPR (quality price ratio) wine.
 
Importer notes for the 2018 release: The 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes-Hermitage sports a brilliant purple robe and a captivating aroma redolent with the scents of blackberry, plum, violets, and exotic spices. Sensuous and seductive in the mouth, the 2018 Les Voleyses graces the palate with a silky texture and pure floral, fruit, and forest floor flavors that have aptly been described as hedonism in a glass. Moreover, the 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses is juicy and harmonious to the finish, as it makes an exit with joyful panache.
 
The Voleyses Cuvée is 100% Syrah made from younger vine fruit and aged in stainless steel.
 
Tonight's tasting was totally consistent with our earlier experiences with this label.

Deep inky purple colored medium-full bodied, full round layers of blackberry and plum fruits, notes of black tea, spice and leather overtake the fruits, turning to soft chewy textured tannins on a medium finish. 

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4133858

The 2018 release - https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3495672

Earlier vintage release blogpost - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/12/intimate-dinner-suzettes-creperie.html

With the dessert course Sean had the Tawney Port and I had another wine we know well from previous visits here as well as from our home cellar, this WBTG Sauterne offering. 

Château Suduiraut Lions de Suduiraut Sauterne 2016

This is the second wine of a well known prestigious Bordeaux Grand Cru. 

Resembling its flagship first label big brother this was delicious and a perfect perfect accompaniment to the Creme Brulee and Chocolate Lava Cake. 

The history of Château Suduiraut began in 1580 with the marriage of Nicole d’Allard and Léonard de Suduiraut. Classified as a Premier Cru Classé (First Growth) in Sauternes in 1855, it has always been known as a superb property (its neighbor is Château d’Yquem). 

In the 1990’s, the estate was sold to French financial insurance conglomerate AXA, who invested in the Château making significant investments in its vineyards and winemaking facilities. This eventually translated into a dramatic increase in the quality of the wines.

The Suduiraut vineyards span 92 hectares consisting of gravel, sand, limestone and clay soils on sloping hillsides. They are planted to 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is fermented in French oak barrels and aged on its lees in 50% new French oak for 18-24 months. Lions de Suduiraut, their third label, is produced from almost nearly 100% Semilon. This release was a blend of  93% Semillon and 7% Sauvignon Blanc. 

It was aged 50% in new barrels and 50% from barrels of one vintage, for 16 to 18 months

Dark golden, weak tea colored, medium bodied, sprites of sweet honey, apricot with note of peach and glints of pear, citrus and notes of lychee, stone fruit on a tongue coating unctuous finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3417749

https://www.suduiraut.com/

As usual and to be expected at Chez Joel, a wonderful, relaxing fun wine and dine evening.

http://chezjoelbistro.com/

 

 


Monday, May 2, 2022

Bells French Bistro Los Alamos

Bell's Restaurant French Bistro Lunch in Los Alamos, Santa Maria Valley

Visiting Santa Maria Valley Wine Country, we were able to get in to dine at Bell's Restaurant, an incredible, quaint, trendy, chic, family-run, French-inspired bistro in Los Alamos, California, just off the Santa Maria wine trail.

Since opening in March 2018, owners Greg Ryan and Chef Daisy and have been recognized as Food & Wine Best New Chef, Esquire’s Best New Restaurants, and have been featured in such publications as Eater LA, Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure.  Notably, they recently received a Michelin Star for their handicraft. 

Daisy Ryan, Executive Chef/Co-Owner is a native of the Santa Ynez Valley. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, she worked for New York City institutions Gramercy Tavern, Chef’s Fare at Brooklyn Fare and Per Se, before returning to the west coast with husband Greg. In Los Angeles, she helped open The Line Hotel in Koreatown, before heading to Austin with McGuire Moorman Hospitality. 

Three years later, Daisy and Greg permanently relocated to California’s Central Coast, opening Bell’s as their first independent restaurant project. They also operate a sister restaurant Bar Le Cote, in Los Olivos, opened in 2021.

Co-Owner/CEO Greg Ryan grew up in the Willamette Valley near Portland, Oregon, where he attended both college and culinary school. He began his career at Tribeca Grill and Per Se in New York City, before heading to the west coast with Daisy. After working as Restaurant Director at LA’s Beverly Hills Hotel, he and Daisy spent a few years in Austin, as GM for Jeffrey’s and Josephine House. Shortly after the birth of their son, Henry, Greg and Daisy returned to California to open Bell’s in Los Alamos.

The restaurant is housed in the incredibly quaint picturesque former Bell Street Farms space in downtown Los Alamos. 

For lunch, we opened with starters, the Chicken Liver Mousse with strawberry jam, cornichons on crostini, and the Crudo of Hiramasa with avocado mousse in a spring onion vinaigrette. 

Both were delectable served with an imaginative presentation.


We shared for our main course the Steak Frites coulotte with maître d’hôtel butter, a grilled beefsteak with their signature home-made fries. 


To accompany our lunch we tasted from the WBTG selections a local Chardonnay.

Metrick "Sierra Madre Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay 2016

Being a culinary driven restaurant, I followed their lead to select from their winelist this WBTG featured offering.

This is from Metrick, producer winemaker Alex Russan who strives to produce fresh and elegant wines that represent their vineyard origins, and to test techniques and theories on how to best craft wines so that they most accurately represent their vineyards. 

In addition to winemaking, Russan is known for his wine publications about wine science and the nature of terroir. Previously he owned Alexander Jules, a Spanish wine import company focused on rare grapes and labels of barrel selected sherries. Being interested in rare grapes, he crossbred new grape varieties, though though they're still a few years away from their first fruit.

​He carefully selects vineyards with the intent to produce his style of wine - high toned, "mineral" whites and earthier, herbal reds; both with good acid. He works with vineyards marked with coastal influence.  

For a pure and precise expression of Chardonnay, Russan selected the Sierra Madre Vineyard site with its cool, maritime climate and sandy soils. Originally planted in 1971, it is one of the most historic vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley, and Santa Barbara County.

Sierra Madre is the second closest vineyard in the AVA to the Pacific where constant ocean winds define the cool climate site, rarely exceeding 90 degrees during ripening (2016 was especially cool). The pure sand soils with a lower water holding capacity lead to quicker ripening relative to clay content soils pure thereby producing grapes with precise aromatics for leaner bodied wine.

Butter colored, medium bodied, elegant nicely balanced green apple, pear and stone fruits with smooth crisp elegance on a clean finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3480553

https://www.metrickwines.com/ 

https://www.bellsrestaurant.com/

 

Friday, December 10, 2021

Intimate dinner Suzette’s Creperie French Bistro Wheaton

Intimate dinner at Suzette’s Creperie French Wine Bar, Bistro, Wheaton

We took dear friend Marlene out for her birthday celebration dinner to Suzette’s Creperie French Wine Bar and Bistro in adjacent Wheaton (Illinois).

We dined al fresco on their quaint patio last summer for a authentic french bistro dinner with a special BYO bottle and a special selection from their winelist. 

Suzette's Creperie, inspired by the Paris street vendors selling crepes, opened in 2000 in historic downtown Wheaton. Originally only seven tables and a counter, they quickly outgrew the space and expanded into the adjacent storefront to 17 tables, counter, bar and outdoor patio in the summer.

The adjacent Suzette's Boulangerie & Patisserie offers authentic french inspired artisanal croissants and breads and sweets with coffee, espresso, latte and café au lait. 

The restaurant features a Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence unique and carefully selected wine list of close to a hundred French wines from an inventory of nearly 600 bottles, as well as champagnes, sherries, French beer, French Ciders, Cognacs, Armagnacs and spirits, They offer wines in all price ranges from modest house W-B-T-G (wines by the glass) or bottles from basic to to super premium vintage first growths. 

Some of their interesting and premium winelist selections include:

  • 2000 Vosne-Romanée, Michel Gros, Clos des Réas, 1er Cru, Monopole
  • 2001 Echézeaux, Devillard, Domaine des Predix, Grand Cru
  • 2003 Châteauneuf du Pape, Vieux Télégraphe
  • 1999 Pauillac, Mouton Rothschild, 1er Cru
  • 2003 Pauillac, Ponet Canet
  • 2001 St. Julien, de Pichon Longueville
  • 2000 St. Emilion, Château La Gaffelière
  • vertical selection of a half dozen vintages of St. Emilion, Château St. George dating back to 1990.
When we dined there last summer, we took one special bottle BYOB and then ordered from the winelist a special select Chateau La Nerthe Clos de Beauvenir Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2009, which was one of the highlights of our visit to Chateauneuf-du-Pape was a tour and tasting at Chateau La Nerthe where we tasted this special limited release bottle Chateau La Nerthe Clos de Beauvenir.

Suzette's atmosphere is cozy and intimate with leisurely paced European Style service by an attentive staff for a relaxing enjoyable dining experience. 

The delightful atmosphere was amplified by holiday decorations of a Christmas tree, holiday bows and a table set with quaint table decorations included lighted snowglobes. This was especially appreciated for our festive holiday and celebration dinner as Linda had taken a friend to Naperville's Egg Harbor cafe earlier in the day for a similar outing and came away deeply disappointed by the complete lack of holiday recognition and a unsympathetic uncaring response by staff responding to her comments.

The menu features small plates of Escargot Suzette’s Style, Three Cheese Soufflé, Fondue for Two, cheese plate and my choice, Pâté, all great accompaniments to a wine course. 

There is a soup and salad selection and the main course features their specialty selection of Crêpes, chicken, ham and cheese, vegetable, salmon, spinach and my choice, Beef Bourguignon.

They also typically offer a couple special entree selections from which we typically order. 

Tonight, Linda ordered the 'Special' crabcakes, while I passed on the Lamb Special for the traditional Crêpe Beef Bourguignon. Last summer, we feasted on their delectable Special Sole Meuniere.

Marlène & Nicolas Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes Hermitage 2018

Never mind we were dining and celebrating birthday of friend Marlene, I chose this wine for the appellation, varietal and style to accompany my beef bourguignon, not for the producer's name, although its irony is part of the fun and enjoyment of/with wine!

Once part of the cave co-operative at Tain-Hermitage, since 2008 the family vineyards of Domaine Chevalier are gradually being reclaimed by the brother and sister team of Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier. Nicolas tends the vineyards and crafts each cuvee, while Marlène handles all of the sales and marketing for Domaine Chevalier.

Following his formal agricultural studies in France, Nicolas spent four years honing his winemaking skills on estates in Australia, California and South Africa. After completing studies in agronomy and enology in France, he headed to South Australia’s Clare Valley where he mastered various techniques for fermenting Shiraz (Syrah). He then worked with Kendall Jackson in California crafting white winemaking skills. To further his post-graduate wine studies, he spent 2002 in South Africa working at legendary three-hundred-year-old Boschendal estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, a winery renowned for its superb Syrah-based wines.

Marlène and Nicolas Chevalier farm three small vineyards at their meticulously tended family property comprising 3 1/2 acres in Crozes-Hermitage from which they produce on average 500 cases of red and white Rhône wines in tiny lots which are highly allocated. Their wines are found only in a couple of importer direct wine clubs and renowned restaurants in North American.

Nicolas works with several distinct parcels for their wines: La Motte, Marius, Petite Pend, Les Pends and namesake source for this label, Les Voleyses. These vineyards have clay and limestone soils with excellent exposure, known to produce ripe, high quality grapes with great aromatic character and freshness. The Domaine Chevalier site has been producing grapes for notable wines gaining high praise and critical acclaim for more than three centuries.

The 2018 vintage was top rated in the Northern Rhône.
 
Importer notes: The 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes-Hermitage sports a brilliant purple robe and a captivating aroma redolent with the scents of blackberry, plum, violets, and exotic spices. Sensuous and seductive in the mouth, the 2018 Les Voleyses graces the palate with a silky texture and pure floral, fruit, and forest floor flavors that have aptly been described as hedonism in a glass. Moreover, the 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses is juicy and harmonious to the finish, as it makes an exit with joyful panache.
 
The Voleyses Cuvée is 100% Syrah made from younger vine fruit and aged in stainless steel.

Deep inky purple colored medium-full bodied, full round layers of blackberry and plum fruits, notes of black tea, spice and leather overtake the fruits, turning to soft chewy textured tannins on a medium finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3495672

http://suzettescreperie.com/index.html