Anniversary dinner at Truffles Bloomington

Anniversary dinner at Truffles, Bloomington, IN 

For our anniversary, we traveled to Bloomington, IN, home of our alma mater, for a getaway weekend. Saturday night we dined at Uptown Cafe where, two years ago we hosted a gala anniversary family & friends dinner. 

Sunday evening we dined at Truffles restaurant and 56 Degree Wine Bar.

Truffles Restaurant and  56° Wine Bar Bloomingon, Indiana Wine Dinner

We discovered Truffles Restaurant and  56° Wine Bar during an earlier visit to Bloomington, Indiana for an Indiana University sorority college reunion gathering. We were introduced to Truffles by long time college friends who live in town and know the dining landscape. We wrote about that visit in this earlier post - Truffles Restaurant & Wine Bar B-Town Wine Dinner - excerpted here. 

Truffles Restaurant bills itself as a "chef-driven eaterie serving a range of foods from classic Steakhouse to International fare". They offer an extensive diversified wine list that is unique on the Bloomington dining scene.

The 56 Degrees Bar Wine Cellar is an ambitious venture for the Truffles family owner Mark Kiang who shares his extensive wine collection, with many selections B-T-G (by the glass), by the bottle, or via an online ordering system, with an option for delivery. 

He caters to local wine aficionados with a program to sign up for a monthly wine bundle subscription, and receive bottles of wines selected by the owner himself (or bottles to personal choice). Truffles will then provide recipes and pairing suggestions in the wine package and via e-newsletter.

Truffles provided a perfect setting for our special dinner - chic, cozy, comfortable and intimate.

Linda ordered the daily special grilled Red Snapper with 

I ordered the Filet of Beef with Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli. They understood the requested preparation and delivered a perfect “Pittsburgh” style beefsteak - charred, with a hot pink center.

From the WBTG - Wine-By-The-Glass selections, we were each able to order an ideal accompanying wine for our dinner. Linda this crowd pleaser Napa Carneros Chardonnay, and me a favorite Napa Red Blend. 

Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay 2023 

We met the Rombauer National Sales Manager  and tasted their portfolio at a producer’s wine dinner Vin Chicago Rombauer Wine Dinner at Adelle's Restaurant in Wheaton, IL a couple years ago.  

Rombauer Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay 2018

 

Label from 2014

For her dinner wine accompaniment, Linda ordered, B-T-G, this Rombauer Napa Chardonnay. We know this label well, hold several vintages in our cellar, but had not yet tasted this current latest release vintage. 

This release was awarded 90 points by both Wilfred Wong and James Suckling. 

The fruit for this wine comes from vineyards in the Carnerosregion owned by the Rombauer family, as well as that from select growers including the Sangiacomo family, long-term grower partners who have farmed this land for three generations.  The Carneros region has a cool climate with fog and breezes off San Pablo Bay, at the southern end of Napa and Sonoma Valleys where they converge near there. The San Pablo Bay provides ideal conditions for Chardonnay, consistently resulting in beautiful, fresh acidity and the key sense of balance for this ever popular Chardonnay. Rombauer has been producing Carneros-specific Chardonnay since 1990. This 2018 is another example of this classic style balancing bold fruit and lively acidity. 

This was a perfect pairing with the Red Snapper entree. 

 

This was pale light yellow with a green hue with notes of peach, hints of pear, honeydew, lychee fruit intertwined nicely with vanilla and spice, turning to soft buttery and subtly spicy acidity on the finish. 

 

RM 90 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3346773

 

https://www.rombauer.com/

 

https://www.trufflesbtown.com/

Hourglass HG III Red Blend 2019

Hourglass "HGIII" Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2019 

We discovered this label dining at the trendy stylish RH Restoration Hardware rooftop restaurant in Oak Brook a while back when I posted this tasting review. This big bold complex round fruit forward red blend was a perfect pairing with our filet beefsteaks. As I write often in these pages, an ideal pairing of food and wine amplifies the enjoyment of both for an optimal dining experience.

This proprietary red blend is from Napa Valley Hourglass, who have been producing ultra premium super high-scoring Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot since their inaugural release in 1997. The estate sits at the northern center of Napa Valley and consists of two vineyards focused on Bordeaux varietals. 

Hourglass wines are crafted by veteran Napa Valley winemaker Tony Biagi who gained notoriety working at some of the Valley's elite wineries including Duckhorn, Paraduxx, Plumpjack, and Cade, where he was founding Winemaker before joining Hourglass. 

Biagi is a sixth generation Californian whose first memories of wine go back to his father making small amounts of wine in his garage. He earned a degree in Fermentation Sciences at U.C. Davis in 1995 before working for the listed well-known estates, then joining Hourglass in 2012.

HG III is Hourglass' proprietary red blend second label produced exclusively from the Napa Valley. Biagi has made a name for himself with the critically acclaimed Hourglass wines, known for elegant tannin structure, rich mouthfeel, layers of silky textural depth and harmonious balance of richness and acidity. Biagi says: “I want my wines to be rich, but if that’s all they are they become one dimensional and monotonous,” he outlines. Writes a leading pundit, "HG III delivers a big, rich, powerful red blend, but always impeccably balanced. A real showstopper, even better with a good decant".

The 2019 HG III harmoniously combines 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petite Syrah sourced from the Hourglass Blueline Estate vineyard and a select few top-of-the-line vineyards.

This is a somewhat unconventional blend, the core trio of varieties all offer distinctive characteristics yet harmony to the final blend: Merlot leads with finesse and approachability, Cabernet Sauvignon elevates with  structure and polish, and Petite Syrah grounds the blend with what one pundit calls 'gravitas and bass'. 

The 2019 vintage was aged 16 months in a combination of new and seasoned French oak, contributing to its multilayered complexity and smooth tannins.

Winemaker Notes: “The 2019 vintage for HGIII is a knockout – an unequivocal example of how this expansive, rich and deeply textured wine over delivers. Tony’s ingenious blend, the core trio of varieties all offer distinction and harmony to the final blend: Merlot leads with finesse and approachability, Cabernet Sauvignon elevates with structure and polish, and Petite Syrah grounds the blend with gravitas and bass. With red and black currant forming the aromatic core, dried herb and fennel are their verdant, savory counterparts. A ripe juicy frame of dark sour and red cherry mingles with inky black cassis laced with fine streaks of dark Belgian chocolate. Undeniably approachable now, and yet with the structure, density, and complexity for great ageability.”

This was rated 94 Points by Master Sommelier Kevin Vogt, and 92 points by Jeb Dunnuck.

We enjoyed this so much during that RH experience, I went home and went on-line and snatched up all the remaining bottles in stock at Binny's, our Chicagoland wine superstore.  

Bright garnet colored with hues of purple, medium full bodied, elegant, polished, full round forward,  nicely integrated briary blackberry and ripe plum fruits with notes of mocha dark chocolate, clove spice, hints of vanilla, and delicate floral, with a balanced long finish combining slightly chalky tannins. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4011906

https://www.hourglasswines.com/product/2019-Hourglass-HGIII

https://www.hourglasswines.com/

Morton's Restaurant Week Special with HourGlass HGIII Proprietary Red

 Morton's Restaurant Week Special with HourGlass HGIII Proprietary Red

We took advantage of Chicago Restaurant Week, an annual 17-day celebration of the city’s award-winning culinary scene where more than 300 of the city’s top restaurants feature special dinner offerings to introduce patrons to their experience of a near-endless array of cuisines. This is the sixteenth year for Restaurant Week Chicago.

We dined at Morton's Steakhouse in Naperville, "The Steakhouse", one of our favorite fine dining sites, so close and convenient to home. We dined there earlier this winter for another wonderful exquisite wine dinner experience.

The dinner special offered a starter, an entree, an accompaniment and a dessert at a price fixe. Even at the Restaurant Week special, with a moderate wine selection, our dinner for two still cost $300. Never-the-less, it was a delightful evening out with perfect food and wine pairing.

Our selections for dinner, a Morton's Wedge and a Ceasar Salad, six ounce petit filets, mine done prepared perfectly, Pittsburgh style, mashed potatoes, sauteed cream spinach, and for dessert, creme brulee. 

For our wine pairing we selected this Napa Valley Proprietary Red from Hourglass.

Hourglass "HGIII" Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2019 

We discovered this label dining at the trendy stylish RH Restoration Hardware rooftop restaurant in Oak Brook recently when I posted this tasting review. This big bold complex round fruit forward red blend was a perfect pairing with our filet beefsteaks. As I write often in these pages, an ideal pairing of food and wine amplifies the enjoyment of both for an optimal dining experience.

This proprietary red blend is from Napa Valley Hourglass, who have been producing ultra premium super high-scoring Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot since their inaugural release in 1997. The estate sits at the northern center of Napa Valley and consists of two vineyards focused on Bordeaux varietals. 

Hourglass wines are crafted by veteran Napa Valley winemaker Tony Biagi who gained notoriety working at some of the Valley's elite wineries including Duckhorn, Paraduxx, Plumpjack, and Cade, where he was founding Winemaker before joining Hourglass. 

Biagi is a sixth generation Californian whose first memories of wine go back to his father making small amounts of wine in his garage. He earned a degree in Fermentation Sciences at U.C. Davis in 1995 before working for the listed well-known estates, then joining Hourglass in 2012.

HG III is Hourglass' proprietary red blend second label produced exclusively from the Napa Valley. Biagi has made a name for himself with the critically acclaimed Hourglass wines, known for elegant tannin structure, rich mouthfeel, layers of silky textural depth and harmonious balance of richness and acidity. Biagi says: “I want my wines to be rich, but if that’s all they are they become one dimensional and monotonous,” he outlines. Writes a leading pundit, "HG III delivers a big, rich, powerful red blend, but always impeccably balanced. A real showstopper, even better with a good decant".

The 2019 HG III harmoniously combines 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petite Syrah sourced from the Hourglass Blueline Estate vineyard and a select few top-of-the-line vineyards.

This is a somewhat unconventional blend, the core trio of varieties all offer distinctive characteristics yet harmony to the final blend: Merlot leads with finesse and approachability, Cabernet Sauvignon elevates with  structure and polish, and Petite Syrah grounds the blend with what one pundit calls 'gravitas and bass'. 

The 2019 vintage was aged 16 months in a combination of new and seasoned French oak, contributing to its multilayered complexity and smooth tannins.

Winemaker Notes: “The 2019 vintage for HGIII is a knockout – an unequivocal example of how this expansive, rich and deeply textured wine over delivers. Tony’s ingenious blend, the core trio of varieties all offer distinction and harmony to the final blend: Merlot leads with finesse and approachability, Cabernet Sauvignon elevates with structure and polish, and Petite Syrah grounds the blend with gravitas and bass. With red and black currant forming the aromatic core, dried herb and fennel are their verdant, savory counterparts. A ripe juicy frame of dark sour and red cherry mingles with inky black cassis laced with fine streaks of dark Belgian chocolate. Undeniably approachable now, and yet with the structure, density, and complexity for great ageability.”

This was rated 94 Points by Master Sommelier Kevin Vogt, and 92 points by Jeb Dunnuck.

We enjoyed this so much during that RH experience, I went home and went on-line and snatched up all the remaining bottles in stock at Binny's, our Chicagoland wine superstore. 

Bright garnet colored with hues of purple, medium full bodied, elegant, polished, full round forward,  nicely integrated briary blackberry and ripe plum fruits with notes of mocha dark chocolate, clove spice, hints of vanilla, and delicate floral, with a balanced long finish combining slightly chalky tannins. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4011906

https://www.hourglasswines.com/product/2019-Hourglass-HGIII

https://www.hourglasswines.com/

https://www.mortons.com/

https://twitter.com/Mortons 

@Mortons

 

Hourglass Napa Red at RH Oak Brook

 Hourglass HG III Proprietary Red Blend at RH - Restoration Hardware Rooftop Restaurant in Oak Brook

New Years Day late lunch early dinner dining out, we dined at the stylish trendy RH Rooftop Restaurant located on the third floor of the RH - (Restoration Hardware) at Oak Brook Center, in nearby Oak Brook (IL). 

RH is a spacious 60,000-square-foot design gallery, part residential, part retail furniture store. The dining room is a year-round skylit garden surrounding a trickling fountains amidst heritage olive trees and glimmering chandeliers under a glass skylit ceiling.

This has become one of Linda's favorite dine-sites that she loves to frequent when shopping at the adjacent upscale fashionable Oak Brook outdoor mall. While we considered a ladies spot with a girlie menu, I must admit RH exceeded my expectations in every respect - ambiance, food, wine - the totality of the dining experience, and intimate dining site.

The glass enclosed dining room provided a serene setting under the dusk sky.

The dining room is bright and airy yet intimate with the soothing accoustics of trickling water from the large central fountain surrounded by warm full grown olive trees.

The chic restaurant also features a wine bar and broad selection of classic curated wines from esteemed US and European vintners offering 60 wines, 40 wines by the glass (WBTG).  

While limited, the winelist features classic notable upscale producers and selections - sparkling, rose, white and red. 

Top rated reds reads like a who's who of top labels including: Caymus Special Selection, Zena Crown Slope, Eola-Amity Hills, Spottswoods St. Helena, Lail Vineyards Blueprint, Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast, Marchesi Antinori Tignanello, Shafer Hillside Select, The Mascot, Napa Valley, La Spinetetta Vignetto Garretti, Barolo, Chateau Rauzan-Segla Margaux Grand Cru Classé, Chateau Mont Reddon Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Penfolds Shiraz, RWT .

The premier top rated whites include: Louis Roederer Cristal Brut and Dom Perignon Champagne, Maison Champy Le Rognet, Corton Grand Cru, Burgundy, Domaine Laroche Chardonnay, Les Blanchots, Chablis Grand Cru, US Chardonnays from Sonoma-Cutrer Les Pierres, Sonoma, Cakebread Cellars  Chardonnay, Reserve, Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard and Rochioli Russian River Valley.

The winelist is premium selections with but a few budget or moderately priced bottles, yet the BTG are thoughtfully selected with several options such as our feature selections.  

Our wine pairings were ideal accentuating the enjoyment of the food as well as the wine.

From the limited, focused carefully selected menu we ordered, we ordered for our afternoon lunch/dinner: To share we enjoyed the Burrata with Roasted Peppers, Della Terra Aged Balsamic, Basil, Charred Sourdough. Linda order for her entree the Arugula with Fennel, Grapes, Sunflower Seeds, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Citrus Vinaigrette topped with the Broiled Salmon with Honey, Black Pepper, Brown Butter and Lemon.

I ordered the Shaved Ribeye on Charred Garlic Bread with Emmentaler Swiss, Cherry Peppers, Au Jus, and a side of the Yukon Gold Potato Puree with Chive Butter.

For wine accompaniments, we ordered B-T-G, (by the glass), Chalk Hill, Sonoma, Russian River Valley Chardonnay, and the Hourglass "HG III" Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend. 

Hourglass "HGIII" Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2019 

This proprietary red blend is from Napa Valley Hourglass, who have been producing ultra premium super high-scoring Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot since their inaugural release in 1997. The estate sits at the northern center of Napa Valley and consists of two vineyards focused on Bordeaux varietals. 

Hourglass wines are crafted by veteran Napa Valley winemaker Tony Biagi who gained notoriety working at some of the Valley's elite wineries including Duckhorn, Paraduxx, Plumpjack, and Cade, where he was founding Winemaker before joining Hourglass. 

Biagi is a sixth generation Californian whose first memories of wine go back to his father making small amounts of wine in his garage. He earned a degree in Fermentation Sciences at U.C. Davis in 1995 before working for the listed well-known estates, then joining Hourglass in 2012.

HG III is Hourglass' proprietary red blend second label produced exclusively from the Napa Valley. Biagi has made a name for himself with the critically acclaimed Hourglass wines, known for elegant tannin structure, rich mouthfeel, layers of silky textural depth and harmonious balance of richness and acidity. Biagi says: “I want my wines to be rich, but if that’s all they are they become one dimensional and monotonous,” he outlines. Writes a leading pundit, "HG III delivers a big, rich, powerful red blend, but always impeccably balanced. A real showstopper, even better with a good decant".

The 2019 HG III harmoniously combines 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petite Syrah sourced from the Hourglass Blueline Estate vineyard and a select few top-of-the-line vineyards.

This is a somewhat unconventional blend, the core trio of varieties all offer distinctive characteristics yet harmony to the final blend: Merlot leads with finesse and approachability, Cabernet Sauvignon elevates with  structure and polish, and Petite Syrah grounds the blend with what one pundit calls 'gravitas and bass'. 

The 2019 vintage was aged 16 months in a combination of new and seasoned French oak, contributing to its multilayered complexity and smooth tannins.

Winemaker Notes: “The 2019 vintage for HGIII is a knockout – an unequivocal example of how this expansive, rich and deeply textured wine over delivers. Tony’s ingenious blend, the core trio of varieties all offer distinction and harmony to the final blend: Merlot leads with finesse and approachability, Cabernet Sauvignon elevates with structure and polish, and Petite Syrah grounds the blend with gravitas and bass. With red and black currant forming the aromatic core, dried herb and fennel are their verdant, savory counterparts. A ripe juicy frame of dark sour and red cherry mingles with inky black cassis laced with fine streaks of dark Belgian chocolate. Undeniably approachable now, and yet with the structure, density, and complexity for great ageability.”

This was rated 94 Points by Master Sommelier Kevin Vogt, and 92 points by Jeb Dunnuck.

I enjoyed this so much I went home and went on-line and snatched up all the remaining bottles in stock at Binny's, our Chicagoland wine superstore. 

Bright garnet colored with hues of purple, medium full bodied, elegant, polished, full round forward,  nicely integrated briary blackberry and ripe plum fruits with notes of mocha dark chocolate, clove spice, hints of vanilla, and delicate floral, with a balanced long finish combining slightly chalky tannins. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4011906

https://www.hourglasswines.com/product/2019-Hourglass-HGIII

https://www.hourglasswines.com/

https://rh.com/oakbrook/