Dinner at Bosforo Miramar Beach

Dinner at Bosforo Miramar Beach features BYOB Italian Labels

We joined friends and neighbors Richard and Victoria for a delightful dinner at Bosforo Steak and Seafood in Miramar Beach (FL). 

I ordered the Filet of Beef with Demi-glas mashed potatoes and aparagus. 

While Bosforo bills itself as a steak house, they were not familiar with my request for ‘Pittsburgh style’ preparation, and despite my explanation of and request for ‘hot pink center, and charred, but don’t fret if this is not achieveable’, they tried, and my steak ended up being close to well done, despite not even really being charred. Oh, well, c’est la vie! It was still delectable with the Demi-glace, accompaniments and the wine pairing. 

Linda ordered the grilled sea bass special. 

For starters, we had their fresh bread with olive oil and the ample Beet Salad with goat cheese, mascarpone, walnuts and honey lemon vinaigrette.

 I took BYOB from our home cellar this hearty Italian red which was a nice pairing with the steak. 

Marramiero Inferi Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2019 

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is one of the top three DOC wines produced in Italy. The region is on the eastern Abruzzo’s Apennine side facing the Adriatic Sea where the climate is milder than the area inland. Mountains, a 40-minute drive from the sea, help create a diurnal shift between day and night. Vineyard areas cover nearly ninety thousand acres, on mainly clay and calcareous soils, with annual production of approximately 3.8 million hectolitres.

Major varieties and styles produced in Abruzzo include Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo Pecorino and Villamagna DOC.

Montepulciano is the main red grape variety in all of Abruzzo and represents over 80% of the total number of DOC wines produced in the region. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is considered by many as one of Italy’s greatest red varieties. 

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ripens late with harvest usually between October 1-20. It’s delicious enjoyed young, especially if the wine is in the less-expensive category. Much of it is aged at length in oak barrels, then, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo has the ability to be even more sophisticated and complex with layers of flavors and sensations.

The Montepulciano variety has been in Abruzzo since the mid-18th century according to historical documents. It was cultivated long ago in the province of L’Aquila and in the inland hills of Pescara. Since the 1950s, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC has been popular in the coastal hilly areas, largely due to technological advances and a heightened knowledge of viticultural techniques. There, vineyards are at an altitude of no more than 500 meters above sea level and vineyards with a southern exposure are allowed to plant the variety at no more than 600 meters. Regulations allow other red grape varieties from Abruzzo to be included in the blend, but no more than 15% of the total.

The Marramiero estate sits fifteen miles inland from the coastal town of Pescara between Rosciano and Ofena, between the sea and the mountains. The estate consists of 125 acres of vines planted to Montepulciano, Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Maiolica and Trebbiano. 

This "Inferi" Riserva label is comprised of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and is produced in limited quantities from selecting only the best grapes from the oldest vines to the long maturation period of over three years in stainless steel, oak casks and bottle.  

The Inferi spends 40 months at the winery before being released to market, aged first in stainless steel tanks before being transferred into new French oak barrique. 

Winemakers’ notes - This is a rich red, showing notes of bittersweet chocolate and dark cherry, with a pleasant hint of medicinal herbs that emerges on the finish.

It was bright ruby colored, medium to full bodied, expressive vibrant ripe black cherry and blackberry fruits with sweet baking spices, notes of vanilla and a touch of clove. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/4733324

https://marramiero.it/en/home-2/

Richard brought BYOB from his cellar this rare, limited production single vineyard Marciano Abbona Pressenda Barolo from a case he acquired at the producer during a visit to the region last year. 

Marciano Abbona Pressenda Barolo 2016

This is produced by Marziano Abbona and his son Celso, and winemaker Giuseppe Caviola Celso Abbona was among the first of his generation to believe in the potential of Dogliani and its territory and to valorize the grape variety that its hills can fully express: Dolcetto. Together with his family, Celso planted the legendary vineyard Bricco Doriolo, located in Santa Lucia di Dogliani. 

The Marciano Abbona vineyard has a long family history and has become one of the most prestigious single vineyards of Dogliani. The winery’s flagship wine comes from this vineyard, named the Papà Celso in honor of the grandfather and founder. Upon the death of Celso in 1964, the winery was passed on to his sons, Marziano (named after his grandfather) and Enrico Abbona. The brothers transformed the traditional family farm into a winery. They began their first bottlings of Dolcetto under the name of the family and, in the footsteps of Celso, and continued to invest in the territory and vines of Dogliani. 

In the early 1980s, Marziano and Enrico extended their pursuits to the Langhe wine region. They selected plots historically considered the most prestigious: Ravera in Novello; Bricco Barone and Rinaldi in Monforte d’Alba. Later, Marziano Abbona also purchased land in Barolo where their selection of their wines grew and earned international recognition.

Mara Abbona, daughter of Marziano, entered the business in 1999, the year of the passing of Enrico Abbona.

In 2007, the winery celebrated 30 years from the first vintage of Papà Celso. The following year, Chiara, the youngest daughter of Marziano Abbona, entered the business where they continue to apply modern technology.

Today, the Abbona vineyard holdings cover 128 acres of some of the best-positioned territories in Dogliani, Monforte d’Alba and Novello, and include some of the most renowned crus in the Langhe. Many of the vineyards are cultivated with old-growth vines up to 60 years of age. 

The vineyards are cultivated and harvested by hand following methods passed down for generations.

This Pressenda label is a single vineyard designated release, 100% Nebbiolo in accordance with the Barolo DOCG regulations. It is sourced from the Pressenda Castelletto 9 and 3/4 acre estate vineyard in Monforte d’Alba, overlooking the Castle of Serralunga d'Alba, in the cru Castelletto of Monforte d'Alba. The average age of of the vines is 44 years.

Crushing-destemming is followed by maceration in contact with skins for 24 hours. Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation in contact with its skins follows, in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 20 days using indigenous yeasts; daily pumpovers. When this process is done, submerged cap maceration is carried out for 40 days and then dry racking, decantation, and transfer to barrels. 

Wines are aged in 500 liter barrels for the first 12 months, then transferred to oak barrels of 50 hectoliters for the next 24 months, at the end of which is assemblage and bottling. They then rest in the bottle for six months before release. 1,150 cases are produced annually.

Winemaker notes. - “The grapes from which this Barolo is obtained give great structure, aromatic finesse, and an average alcohol percentage of 15%. Just a bit fresher and more immediate than our Pressenda and Ravera labels, this can already be enjoyed in its first years in the bottle. Serve at 18° C (64° F) after bringing it to room temperature for at least 24 hours."

This release was rated 93 points by James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com, and 89 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

Dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, firm structured, concentrated layered red and black fruits with notes of black cherry, anise, black tea and clove spice with tight, chewy fine tannins on the finish. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3783456

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/3783456

https://www.abbona.com/en/

After dinner, with desserts, we tasted a unique special Bosforo offering, “A hundred years of port” - a tasting flight 10, 20, 30 and 40 year old tawny ports from producer Maynard Port. What fun in this interesting and novel feature!  

This was a wonderful tasting and a fine accompaniment to the flowerless chocolate cake dessert and a side of berry sorbet. 

Maynard Port is produced by the Van Zeller family, owners of Barão de Vilar, who can trace its origins back to the Netherlands, to the 13th century. Maynard’s Port is the flagship brand of Fernando and Alvaro Van Zeller’s Vinihold’s company. Named after the first established English Port wine shipper in Oporto, the Maynard’s brand honors the history of the late Walter Maynard. Born in 1652, this illustrious ancestor of the van Zeller family through his marriage to Dorothea Augusta Kopke, he was recorded as one of the first traders to ever export Port wine to England. 

Walter Maynard was appointed Consul in Oporto by his brother Thomas, who was English Council in Lisbon, by order of King Charles II in 1659. The 1st family link with the van Zellers come through marriage of Dorothea Ignacia Wittingham with Johan Moring, which her mother-in-law was Marianna van Zeller, married with Jacome Moring. Later, her great-granddaughter Dorothea Augusta Kopke who was Walter Maynard's 5th generation of descendants, married with Roberto van Zeller. Three centuries later, Mariana van Zeller represents the 15th generation of the family, today engaged as export manager to the US market.

We hold an extensive collection of port wines in our cellar spanning five decades and I must admit, this was my first introduction to this historic brand, until I later learned they have been owners of Quinta do Noval, a label we know and hold in our cellar.  

Winemaker Notes for the Ten Year Tawny - “This wine has a deep brick colour with amber rim, with lovely aromas of dried fruits, a delicate nuttiness, honey and a hint of toffee, combined with ripe berry fruit and subtle mellow notes of chocolate, butterscotch and fine oak wood. On the palate is silky and full of ripe figgy, jammy flavours and has a long and clean finish.”

It was rated 95 points by Decanter and 91 points Wilfred Wong of Wine.com.

Savoury notes on the nose and palate, with notes of fig, dates and spics, fruit-forward with a nutty and dried fruit complexity, with notes of molasses and caramel with a rich and long syrupy finish. 

The 20 year was rated 94 points by Decanter, 91 by Wine Spectator and 90 by Wine Advocate. 

Well-integrated and harmonious, with a rich, creamy Christmas cake complexity on the nose and palate, building to a long, satisfying finish.

On the softer side, with enticing date, cinnamon and toasted peanut notes backed by caramel and praline flavors on the slightly rounded finish. Drink now. 25 cases made, 10 cases imported.
The 20 Years Old Tawny Port (Maynard's) comes in at 109 grams per liter of residual sugar. A nice step up on the 10 Year Old Maynard's, also reviewed, this adds some weight, but more importantly, concentration of flavor--those old, classic Tawny nuances. Very pleasing, yet easy to drink, this is a charming 20 that should be available at a nice price. This is the new release, bottled in 2015.

Well-integrated and harmonious, with a rich, creamy Christmas cake complexity on the nose and palate, building to a long, satisfying finish.

The 40 year old barrel-aged Port was harvested by hand and then crushed by foot. After a quick fermentation, brandy was added to stop the yeast and leave a rich, dark, sweet wine. Then into barrels for extensive aging. 

Winemaker Alvaro Van Zeller created this blend, drawing from some barrels as young as 30 and others as old at 50 years or more, with the resulting blend roughly 40 years old. This grand wine is packaged in a stunning stylish decanter-style bottle and then framed that in a handsome, single-bottle, wood case. 

The complex, concentrated, smooth and balanced aromas and flavors show a toasted hickory and caramelized pecan with undertones of dried apricot and raisin fruit, richly textured and very caramelized on the mid-palate, finishing with dry and long, with generous notes of caramel and pecan.

Website: http://vinihold.com

https://bosforoseafoodandsteakrestaurant.com/#

Hudson Chardonnay BYOB dinner at Commelfo Miramar Beach

Hudson Chardonnay BYOB dinner at Commelfo Restaurant Miramar Beach

Visiting Destin, FL, we dined at Commelfo Restaurant in nearby Miramar Beach. Commelfo, whose name is a French word meaning “done the proper way,” was founded in 2022 by husband wife team Vincent and Nady, building upon Vincent’s 15 years of experience managing restaurants and Nadya’s background in hospitality, and their shared vision and dream to own and operate their own establishment.

We found Commelfo tucked away off major Highway 98 as it adjoins the adjunct auxillary (rear) entrance to our Destiny Worship Center local church. 

Commelfo offers a bright vibrant dining room, stylish and upbeat, with open seating in the main dining room, and more intimate booths opposite the bar. 

Commelfo service was exceptional - the staff were professional, personable, attentive and sensitive to requests and desires - seating us in an intimate booth adjacent the bar, serving us some delectably warm focaccio bread, with oil, providing lemon wedges for our water, and providing careful and proficient service of our BYOB wine. 

The menu offers a broad range of starters, soups and salads and entrees that reflect the available seafood as well as prime steaks, lamb and chicken dishes, and an assortment of delectable desserts. 

For starters we shared the Roasted Beet Salad - noted as a “Customer Favorite”, Roasted beets served with fresh arugula, creamy goat cheese, toasted pine nuts, pistachio and mandarins over honey Greek yogurt topped with homemade blood orange vinaigrette.

Linda ordered the fresh catch locally caught Grouper, grilled and paired with creamy saffron risotto, a medley of carrots, and leek sauce, garnished with crispy leeks.

I ordered the Lobster Ravioli, almost noted as a “Customer Favorite” - Lobster ravioli, served with vodka cream sauce, cherry tomatoes, topped with lobster meat and shaved Parmesan. 

Afterwards, we had the delectable chocolate lava cake with cream and fresh berries. 

All the dishes were delicious, creatively prepared, artfully presented and appropriately served. Commelfo clearly becomes one of our favorite, notable go-to eateries on the Emerald Coast. 

To accompany our dinner, I brought from our home cellar a favorite Napa Carneros Chardonnay, which they honored and supported BYOB with careful handling and presentation, (albeit expensive at $35 per bottle (corkage fee)). The basic limited wine list offered but two Chardonnays, one modest label and a ‘crowd pleaser’ selection Jordan RRV Chardonnay (at $85). Hence, our BYOB was the best option and right choice. 

Hudson Ranch Napa Valley Carneros District Chardonnay 2018

Notably, the east coast big box super merchant Total Wine, just opened one of their super stores in Destin, providing the broadest and extensive selection of wines (and beverages) in the local market. They offer the big box store selection with the broad price range from modest to ultra-premium First Growth labels. (They actually offer the recent release of this label (at $73 ($84 at Wine.com))). This selection/range was/is available at nearby Chan’s Wine World, however not at such scale. It’s great to have such options now in the neighborhood.

We opened our second to last bottle of this label recently, BYOB, at a favorite eatery at home, and featured this wine and its producer in a detailed blogpost at that time - Saturday afternoon Mother’s Day Eve Dinner - BYOB @ Entourage DG, excepted here. That entire experience, from starter and entree choices to wine pairing, was delightfully, remarkably similar to this evening.  

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2025/05/mothers-day-eve-dinner-byob-entourage-dg.html

This is from the legendary Hudson Ranch vineyards in Carneros, down at the bottom of the Mayacamas Mountain range that separates Napa Valley from Sonoma Valley. Like the legendary ToKalon Vineyard up in Rutherford, this is the source of many notable labels from classic ranked producers. It might be a stretch, but to that point, Hudson Ranch Vineyard is to Chardonnay what ToKalon Vineyard is to Cabernet Sauvignon - source to many premier producers’ labels. 

I love Hudson Ranch wines, that represent some of my most memorable tastings. I wrote about Hudson Ranch Carneros Vineyard Chardonnay in earlier blogposts - Hudson Chardonnay at Oceana NYC, having had it at this popular New York City restaurant, and again featuring another premium Chardonnay - Napa Valley Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignons flight and Carneros Chardonnay, and at another fabulous wine dinner - Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Del Ray Beach Wine Kitchen.

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I also featured Hudson Ranch Vineyard Syrah in other blogposts, at another classic Chicago restaurant - Cherry Circle Room dinner features super wine flight, and at home - Kongsgaard Hudson Ranch Vineyard Syrah 2002.

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Hudson Ranch Carneros has ideal terroir for Chardonnay, ideal well drained soil and a micro-climate with ample sunshine with warm days, and cool nights from the fog and cool breezes from nearby San Pablo Bay.

Hudson Chardonnay is found in bottlings from ultra-premium producers Albert, Kongsgard, Kistler and Ramey to name a few - some of the top rated Napa Chardonnay’s to be found anywhere. Beyond growing wine grapes for the most respected winemakers in Napa and Sonoma, they also provide fruit for more than 30 wineries from the 2,000-acre contiguous property, 

Only 200 acres of Hudson’s 2,000 are under vine, in vineyard blocks planted with twenty different varietals, each carefully matched to the block based on its specific terroir and that varietal’s growing characteristics. 

In addition to 90 acres of the primary grape varietal Chardonnay, owner Lee Hudson, working with vineyard manager Andres Ureña, also cultivates 30 acres of Merlot, 27 of Syrah, 12 of Cabernet Franc, 9 Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 Grenache, 26 Sauvignon Blanc, 4 Friulano, 25 Ribolla Gialla and one of Arneis.

One of these, the Old Master block, Hudson Ranch’s most prized vineyard is more like two different vineyards, with two distinct soil types. It was determined Merlot thrives on the Huichica formation soil, rich in alluvial, bay and river deposits, and Cabernet Franc loves the well-drained, rocky Sonoma volcanic soils that spread across the other half of the block. 

One of those famous producers writes, “What attracts us to this vineyard is the rich history of Lee Hudson being one of the preeminent and pioneering chardonnay growers in the new world. The vineyard is planted in southern Napa where the rolling hills form a micro-valley of their own. These vines are graced by both the Napa heat as well as cool ocean-born breezes from the San Francisco bay.”

Hudson Ranch is the dream and passion of proprietor Lee Hudson, who transformed the land into the highly esteemed vineyard it is today. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Lee received his B.S. in Horticulture at the University of Arizona. He then worked with the esteemed Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, in Morey St. Denis, Burgundy, where he learned how great grapes from hallowed vineyard sites produce world class, fine wines. 

Lee returned to the States to continue his graduate studies in viticulture and enology at University of California at Davis, where many of his classmates are now his clients. Lee searched for property from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, before deciding on the Carneros property in Napa Valley, founding Hudson Vineyards in 1981.

Co- Owner, wife Cristina Salas-Porras Hudson had a distinguished twenty-five year career in food and wine, hospitality, and design, working alongside Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. Then she spent ten years consulting for Hermes, Slow Food International, Steve Jobs, and Rockfield Japan. She now works with Lee, at Hudson Ranch and Vineyards overseeing their Napa Valley-based business, Hudson Greens & Goods. 

Also a native Texan, from El Paso, Cristina received her BA in East Asian Studies from Middlebury College in Vermont, and a graduate degree in Japanese from Keio University in Japan. She helped to open the renowned Park Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo, and the art-driven Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, California, as well as co-founding O Olive Oil Company. 

The 2,000-acre Hudson Ranch is one of the most celebrated properties in Carneros. After decades of selling their fruit to other wineries, Hudson began making their own wines in 2004. 

The Hudson Winemaker is Andrew Holve, who most recently served as Head Winemaker for Newton Vineyards. After earning a master’s degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis he gained experience at Ridge, MacRostie, and Patz & Hall.

Andrew works closely with the legendary John Kongsgaard, Hudson’s founding winemaker and current consulting winemaker. 

This 2018 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is the estate grown label produced, bottled and marketed by the proprietor/grower sourced from some of the best sections of the larger vineyard, some of the original most established and acclaimed blocks that were planted in the 1980s. 

This release was rated  98 Points by FMW, 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Advocate, 93 points by Wine Spectator, and 92 by Vinous. 

Winemaker Notes: “The 2022 Chardonnay showcases a combination of 4 distinct blocks from the Hudson Estate planted to Heritage Shot Wente clone. We hand-select barrels from each site to create a Chardonnay that fully expresses the elegant and balanced style of Hudson Vineyards. The wine is rich with bright acidity and mouthwatering notes of citrus, stone fruit, and brioche.” 

The 2018 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard was aged for 14 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. 

Golden straw colored, medium to full bodied, bright, rich concentrated, structured, unctuous, full, round,  layers of sharp lemon citrus and stone fruits, notes of apricot and pear accented by hints of brioche and tart apple with vibrant acidity on the mineral laced finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3509983

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3509983

https://hudsonranch.com/

https://commelfo.com/

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/

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. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4675098

https://fatclemenzas.com/

https://www.fatclemenzasmenu.com/?utm_source=gbp

Emeril’s Coastal Restaurant Miramar Beach

Emeril’s Coastal Restaurant Miramar Beach 

Vacationing with Linda’s friends Pat R and Marylou at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we dined at iconic chef Emeril Lagasse’s Emeril’s Coastal Restaurant at the chic stylish Grand Boulevard in adjacent Miramar Beach. 

Our table was in the dining room next to the trendy high-top tables that align the bar area.

For the appetizer course we ordered the Roasted Oysters with garlic, butter, parmesan and a baguette, New Orleans BBQ Shrimp and biscuit, and the Coastal Crabcake. 

We tasted two wines from Emeril’s Wine Cellar (shown below) wine list. 

For a wine accompaniment with the starter course we tasted Emeril’s Private Label Chardonnay. 

Emeril’s Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2018

As the labels states this special private label bottling is produced by Jim Clendenon and the Au Bon Climat vineyards and winery in Santa Barbara County.

This was delightful and offered great QPR - Quality Price Ratio, as one would expect if the chef puts his name on the label. 

Light straw colored, medium bodied, this was full and round with tones of peach and passion fruit with nice balance and acidity on the refreshing finish. 

For dinner entrees, we order the two daily Fresh Catch specials (shown below), grilled Grouper with creole meuniere, and Crispy Skin on Salmon with Creole cream and Parmesan Risotto.

For a wine accompaniment with the main course, we ordered from the cellar wine list the popular well known Frank Family Napa Chardonnay. 

Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay 2022

The Frank Family Vineyards estate up in Calistoga is housed in an 1884 stone cellar—the third-oldest building in Napa Valley.  They did a massive renovation of the original historic Hans Kornell Champagne Cellars and the 19th-century Larkmead before that. The site is one of the most beautiful and interesting in Napa Valley. Ironically, it is one of the first wineries we visited during our very first Napa Valley wine visit back in the seventies! 

The winery and tasting room were totally reimagined a few years ago for their 25th anniversary. The Hollywood Room is a tribute to founder Rich Frank, past president of Disney Corporation and wife Leslie’s career as an Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist and Hollywood reporter. On display are the couple’s two Emmys. Frank is known as one of the guys who green-lit Aladdin and The Lion King, but it’s Frank’s penchant for hospitality, not his Hollywood credential that is behind Frank Family Vineyards being named “Best Napa Winery” eight years running by Bay Area A-List

The fruit for this Carneros Chardonnay release is from the Carneros sub-appellation in south western Napa Valley. sourced from is the winery's estate Lewis Vineyard, with additions from neighboring Beckstoffer Vineyards in the Napa-Carneros area and Sangiacomo Vineyards from the Sonoma-Carneros area.

Winemakers notes - This wine is a testament to the Carneros region, brimming with Meyer lemon, yellow apple, and salted butterscotch notes. Concentrated layers of spices and creamy vanilla meld with well-integrated oak and elegant waves of fresh acidity on the palate.

Producer’s Notes - A bright and balanced wine with vibrant aromatics of baked apple, white nectarine, and toasted oak. A lively entry of tropical fruit, and citrus expands with notes of rich lemon curd and brioche bread pudding. Ample yet refined, this unmistakably Carneros wine finished with a refreshing wave of acidity.

This wine is perfumed in brioche and baked apple, with seasonings of nutmeg and vanilla. It opens in a rich, full-bodied concentration of citrus and white peach and evolves on the palate to show structure and depth. Bright acidity lifts hints of toasted oak, maintaining a fresh and plush finish.

https://shop.frankfamilyvineyards.com/product/2022-Carneros-Chardonnay

https://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com/

We closed out the evening with two delectable desserts - the Crème Brûlée and the unique Emeril signature dish, the oddly named Olive Oil Cake for the distinctive recipe and method of preparation. We suggested this should be named Emeril’s Special or Secret Cake.  

We ordered the Crème Brûlée and at the urging and advise of our server, we tried the Emeril’s Olive Oil cake, who described its heritage distinct recipe and preparation, implying that our other Crème Brûlée was standard and widely available. In the end, the Crème Brûlée was equally distinctive and delicious. 

Because I did not order a dessert, expecting to sample shares of the other selections, I was served a special surprise, held for special occasions and diner’s celebrations - an extraordinarily unique sparkling Roman candle with cotton candy! 

Everything was delightful, delectable, delicious, all served with attentive, knowledgeable and engaging staff. Emeril’s is a treat to be enjoyed when visiting the Florida panhandle Emerald Coast. 

Great selection of fine dining in Destin - Bijoux

Great selection of fine dining in Destin includes Bijoux Restaurant in Sandestin Miramar Beach

We spent a week traveling, visiting the Emerald Coast of the Florida Panhandle getting to know the area and evaluating the real estate market and several properties. During our stay, we dined at four local legendary restaurants. In Destin (FL) we dined at Louisiana Lagniappe, Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House, and The Crab Trap, Destin. We also dined at Bijoux in the Sandestin Resort community. The wide range of fine and casual dining options in one of the key reasons we're considering the Destin area for a vacation or vacation home. 

We featured some other wine and dining experiences in recent posts from a trip to the area earlier this month - Kistler Les Noisetiers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay at Emerils Coastal.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/04/kistler-les-noisetiers-sonoma-coast.html

Bijoux Restaurant Destin/Miramar Beach

Bijoux is one of Destin’s top award-winning restaurants since 2002, offering “coastal cuisine with a New Orleans flair.” Bijoux is a full service fine dining restaurant located in The Market Shops at the entrance of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach. Its open for dinner seven nights a week which is great since so many restaurants close one or two nights a week, most often on Mondays. They feature fresh Gulf seafood, prime steaks and an extensive award winning wine list.  

Bijoux has been selected Best of the Emerald Coast from 2009 through 2018 and the Best French Restaurant by Emerald Coast Magazine.

The restaurant is tucked away in the back behind another more prominent restaurant at the front, so its easy to miss if you're driving by. There is parking in the front or in the rear, beyond the resort security access entry gate. 

They offer a spectacular imaginative and well selected wine list with a wide range of favorites and several ultra-premium reserve selections, as well as numerous respectable modest budget selections. Its easy to offer great high priced wines. Its difficult to offer great wines at entry level or lower tier prices. Of course, most often I am focused on finding the best great values with high QPR (Quality Price Ratio) across price points. That is what readers of these pages most often ask about. Bijoux does a great job offering great wines and some good values at all price points. 

While most often I'm challenged to find a choice of more than a couple interesting and tempting offerings, Bijoux's wine list offered a dozen such labels. Their wines are priced at about or slightly above the customary 2x retail. Their wine list was awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence award over the last decade.

Their "Wine Special Selections" Reserve list included these interesting, enticing special occasion wines:

• Jarvis “Finch Hollow” Chardonnay, Napa 2018 230
• Hudson Chardonnay, Carneros 18 120
• Pott Kaliholmanok, Spring Mountain District 2019 315
• Spottswoode Estate “Lyndenhurst” Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2018. 94 pts 135
• Tor “Beckstoffer To Kalon” Napa Valley 19 650
• Forman Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 2017. 95 pts 185
• Saint Helena “Sympa” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016 200
• Staglin Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2018 475
• Caymus “Special Selection” Napa Valley 2017 300
• Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2018. 99 pts 350
• Barnett Vineyard “Rattlesnake” Spring Mountain District 18 335
• Figgins, Walla Walla Valley 2015 170
• The Mascot by Harlen Estate, Napa 2016 240
• Macauley "Stagecoach" Napa 2018 299
• Doubleback by Drew Bledsoe, Walla Walla Valley 2019 190
• Realm "The Bard" Napa 2019 275
• Realm "The Tempest" Napa 2019 250
• Barbour Napa Valley, 2017 260
• Pahlmeyer, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 2017. 96 pts 260
• Opus One Red Wine, Napa 2018. 95 pts 500
• Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa . 96 pts 210
• Hundred Acre "Wrath" Napa 2016 900

For a starter we had the imaginative and superbly prepared and presented Blackened Brie with Toasted Walnut Bread Pickled Grapes and Local Honey. It was fabulous.

 We also had the Roasted Beet Salad, Baby Arugula, Walnut Bread Croutons, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Whipped Goat Cheese, and Citrus Vinaigrette.

For my entree I had the “Black Skillet” Filet Mignon with Buttermilk Gruyere Mashed Potatoes, Port Wine Onion Confit and Roasted Garlic Herb Butter.

Normally, I would not order grilled beefsteak when on the coast where fresh seafood is available, but the preparation of this entree coupled with an ideal wine pairing, and the fact we'd have seafood several times this week, I opted for this steak entree, which was fabulous.

Linda had the Grouper Almandine Toasted Almonds, Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette, Creamy Herb Risotto.

For our wine selection we had one of our favorite labels, a Right Bank Bordeaux Blend that would be an ideal pairing with my steak as well as Linda's seafood. 

Spring Valley Vineyard “Uriah” Walla Walla 2015

I featured the Spring Valley Wines in detail in this detailed blogpost Spring Valley 2013 Blends - Uriah vs Frederick, and this particular label in a recent blogpost back in February - Uriah Spring Valley Red Blend 2015.

From that February posting - With a dinner of take-out of one of my favorite dishes from local eatery Gia Mia, their Meatballs al Forno, Veal Meatballs with Creamy Polenta and Roasted Tomato Sauce, and some artisan cheeses including Raclette cheese which was featured in our spectacular dinner the other night at 3-Michelin Star Alinea restaurant, that we were eager to try. 

For this favored meal combination, for a nice relaxed evening dinner together, I pulled from the cellar one of my favorite drinking Right Bank Bordeaux varietal blends from one of our favorite producers, Spring Valley Vineyards. 

We visited Spring Valley during our appellation visit to the Walla Walla (Washington) wine region in the fall of 2018. We visited the Spring Valley Vineyard tasting room in downtown Walla Walla, then ventured out to the vineyards and winery northeast of town. There, we met Dean Derby patriarch, and husband to Shari Corkrum Derby, grand-daughter of Uriah Corkrum, namesake for this label. Meeting Mr. Derby was one of the highlights of our Walla Walla Wine Experience, especially since he has since passed on. We posted a Tribute to Dean Derby and memorium of that visit - Spring Valley Vineyard toward the end of 2021. 

All of the Spring Valley wines are named for one of the ancestral or current family members. Spring Valley Vineyard wines are all produced from 100% estate-grown fruit, a relative rarity in Washington.

Washington State and regional powerhouse Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates purchased the winery and the brand from the Derby family recently, but they continue to own and operate the vineyards.

Spring Valley Vineyards Uriah Red Blend 2015

The Spring Valley Vineyards adjacent to the
farmstead site

This label, Uriah, is named for the Spring Valley Vineyards founder Uriah Corkrum, grandfather of matriarch Shari Corkrum Derby. Born in Walla Walla on June 1, 1866, he began successfully farming on his own during the 1880s. Unusual summer rain kept him from getting his harvested wheat to the warehouse so he lost everything in the depression of 1893. He persevered and, in 1897, acquired land in the area known as Spring Valley that is the site of the vineyards today. Uriah is featured on the flagship label Uriah Spring Valley Red Blend. This is our favorite label from the Spring Valley portfolio. 

This is 100% sourced from Spring Valley Vineyards in the wind-shaped Palouse Hills 12 miles northeast of Walla Walla, amid the picturesque wheat fields of southeastern Washington and the Blue Mountains in the distance. The initial block of Merlot was planted in 1993 on a southern hillside facing southwest. The vines follow the north-south slope of the hills in vertical rows, an orientation that when combined with the declination of the slope, allows the vines to take optimal advantage of air drainage, sunshine, and the reflective nature of the surrounding wheat fields.

The 2015 vintage was one of the warmest growing seasons on record in Washington. Warm temperatures continued through the spring and summer, moderating slightly into fall and extending an early harvest. Overall, 2015 saw very favorable growing conditions, producing optimal ripening across varieties and yielding outstanding wines throughout the region.

This label, Uriah, is a Right Bank Bordeaux Blend, meaning it is predominantly Merlot based rather than Cabernet, complemented by Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. This release has a high percentage of Cabernet Franc which provides spiciness and bright flavor sprites.

This 2015 release is a blend or Bordeaux varietals, 43% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. It was aged 18 months in 100% French oak, 40% new.

Winemaker Tasting Notes: “Our most terroir driven blend, mostly Cabernet Franc and Merlot. A rich wine coming from one of the warmest harvests. The tannins are velvety and the finish is long and soft.”
~ Serge Laville, Winemaker.

This was rated 93 Points by Wine & Spirits, 92 Points by James Suckling, 91 Points by Wine Spectator, and 90 points by Sean Sullivan of Wine Advocate. 

We hold half dozen vintages of this label and pulled the oldest vintage as part of effective cellar management rotation. 

At eight years this is probably at its peak, the apex of its drinking profile, not likely to improve further with aging, but certainly to age gracefully for another decade if you're patient enough to keep it that long. 

Bright garnet colored, medium bodied, elegant polished, rich but approachable for pleasant but sophisticated drinking, its right-bank style blend shows vibrant black berry and dark plum fruits with notes of cassis, spice, floral and hints of balsamic and herbs with dusty minerality with polished soft tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2648699

Linked referenced in this blog:

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/spring-valley-vineyards-tasting-and.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/11/spring-valley-vineyards-nina-syrah-2017.html

https://www.springvalleyvineyard.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/02/magnificent-dinner-at-alinea-kitchen.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/04/kistler-les-noisetiers-sonoma-coast.html