Jasmin La Giroflarie at Husk Restaurant Savannah

Patrick Jasmin “La Giroflarie” Cote Rotie Rhone at Husk Restaurant in Savannah, GA

Visiting Savannah (GA) for a getaway and mini-family reunion with Sister Jan from So-Cal, we dined at several local fine dining eateries, Chive, The Olde Pink House, Rhett, The River House, and Husk. 

We also did the Savannah food tour in the afternoon, a walking tour of sections of the city with an overview of several food examples of Savannah coastal southern cuisine.

Husk Restaurant is centrally located in the heart of Savannah’s Landmark Historic District. It is one of the portfolio of establishments of The Neighborhood Dining Group (NDG) that operates and manages restaurants throughout the Southeast, overseen by President David Howard who was a James Beard semifinalist for Best Restaurateur. 

The NDG restaurant portfolio includes Husk (Charleston, SC; Nashville, TN, and Savannah, GA), Minero (Johns Island, SC; Atlanta, GA), and Delaney Oyster House (Charleston, SC).

NDG has been recognized by Bon Appétit for “2011 Best New Restaurant in America” for Husk Charleston, as one of GQ’s “12 Most Outstanding Restaurants of the Year”, an Esquire “Best New Restaurant in America” in 2014 for Husk Nashville, and McCrady’s named one of “America’s Best Restaurants of 2016” in Wine Enthusiast.

We were advised to dine at Husk in Charleston by friends there but it was not open the days we were available when we were in town. So, we targeted Husk in Savannah for our trip there this week. 

We dined in the bar-room with high ceilings and large windows, spacious seating along both walls surrounding the bar, the walls adored by modern brightly colored artwork. 

One wall presents a large abstract painting featuring the grid city map of Savannah with its famous square parks centering each neighborhood. 

 

Husk Savannah focuses on preparations that represent the essence of Southern food that highlight the unique ingredients of coastal Georgia. 

They offer a broad selection of Oysters and a Raw Bar with selections from the Southeast from Virginia, the Carolina's Georgia and Florida.

 

The dinner menu is somewhat limited featuring offerings of Georgia Shrimp and Grits, Smoked Cobia, Roasted Chicken Breast, Smoked Pork Porterhouse and Prime New York Strip.

The selection of  'Sides' is limited with three offerings, Carolina Gold Rice, Wakefield Cabbage and White Lily Biscuits.

For a starter we shared from the limited selection of four 'Firsts', the Selection of Southern Cheeses with Spiced Pecans, Hibiscus Honey, Blueberry Preserves and toasted Baguette and Pimiento Cheese with Benne Crackers and Husk Pickles, and from the sides selections, the White Lily Biscuits, named for the fineness of their flour.

 Husk offers an extensive imaginative wine list that showcases 'artisan producers, small productions, and rare finds, grouped by terroir and soil type, rather than the traditional classifications of political geography or grape varietal'. They also feature a boutique wine program emphasizing organic and bio-dynamic, family-style producers who share the restaurant’s focus on environmental preservation. Lastly, they also feature three wines created and bottled in Husk’s own vineyard in Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina.

The wine list offerings includes a selection of WBTG - Wines By The Glass - a dozen white, sparkling and Rose' wines and ten Red Wines. The Bottle wine list is extensive covering forty pages including a dozen NV Champagnes and Sparkling wines, and ten Vintage selections.

The White Wines offered include French Burgundies featuring twenty selections creatively listed geographically from North to South, five other French, seven from California, eight from Germany (listed North to South), and selections from Spain (seven), Greece (3), Italy (3) and the Southern Hemisphere (five).

The Red Wines offered a broad selection of French, listed by Region, geographically North to South from Burgundy (12), Beaujolais (4), Northern Rhone and Languedoc (6), Loire (3), Bordeaux (8), and Spain (3). 

They offer American Reds, listed Light to Bold; from California (18) and Oregon (3), Italy (8), Germany (3), Austria (2), and the Southern Hemisphere (3).

There are a dozen dessert wines including ultra premium Château d'Yquem Sauternes, Bordeaux (1998) offered at $38 per ounce. 

Then there is also an extensive list of a half dozen pages of Whiskeys, Rye, Agave, Tequila, Gins, Rums and other specialties. 

The wine prices were a bit crazy, all over the map, offering numerous selections at the customary 2x retail price, but then from Bordeaux they offered some of our favorite producers such as Château Ducru Beaucaillou and Château Margaux, but featuring their second labels, Croix de Beaucaillou (@ $245), and Pavillon Rouge (@ $600), prices more appropriate for their Grand Vin rather than their 'second' wines, such that the effective price is four to five times retail price, almost as if they're confused about the labels, or confusing unsuspecting patrons!?! But then, anyone ordering a $300 to $600 bottle of wine is most likely a knowledgeable consumer, or someone with more money than sense or knowledge, based on these prices. Other Bordeaux were similarly more than customarily priced, Château Pontet-Canet 5ème Grand Cru Classé 2015 at $385, and Château Giscours 3ème Grand Cru Classé, 2015, $225, both offered at about three times retail. 

In the end, we found and ordered a delightful Northern Rhone Syrah from the Domaine of Patrick Jasmin, “La Giroflarie” Côte-Rotie 2019, at $125, an appropriate 2x retail offering, providing reasonable QPR (Quality Price-Ratio) considering its good quality and ratings. It was a nice pairing with Bill's Porterhouse and my New York Strip steak.

For the ladies, we ordered BTG - Buy The Glass, Obsidian “Poseidon Vineyard” Chardonnay, 2021, from Carneros, Napa Valley, California, the only California Chardonnay on offer! It was 'okay', per the girls, a decent complement to their entree of Shrimp and Grits.

I ordered the grilled New York Strip steak and Bill ordered the Smoked Porterhouse Pork, both artfully prepared and presented.

The girls' Shrimp and Grits entree was lackluster and did not compare with those that we had on the Savannah food tour earlier in the day  at the trend-setting eatery at Andaz Savannah at 22 Square.

Our wine selection - 

Domaine (Patrick) Jasmin “La Giroflarie” Northern Rhone Côte Rôtie Syrah 2019

This is a classic example of 'old world' (France, Italy) vs. 'new-world' (US) labeling where they feature the locale source of the grapes rather than the variety of grapes and producer name on the label.  

Côte-Rôtie is a Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in the northern Rhône river valley wine region of Southern France. The vineyards are located just south of the village of Vienne. The vineyards' terroir are steep slopes facing the river and are known for their picturesque stone walls, so common in the region. The name Côte-Rôtie can be roughly translated in English as "the roasted slope", referring to the long hours of sunlight that the steep slopes receive.

This is from Patrick Jasmin, a fourth generation winemaker, who took over from his father Robert (after his sudden death) in 1999. Patrick's Great-Grandfather, Alexandre, was the chef at Château Ampuis and was granted some vines for his services to the estate in the early 1900's. The property was historically one of the original domaines that started to bottle their own Côte Rôtie over 100 years ago. 

Today, Patrick farms 13 acres of vines located in 12 parcels in 8 separate climats or lieu-dits spread across both escarpments of the Côte Rôtie appellation – the Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde. 

The name 'La Giroflarie' is used to distinguish this principal cuvée from a special cuvée called 'Olea' that Patrick first made in 2015. La Giroflarie is an historic name for the Côte Baudin lieu-dit.

Patrick blends into this label approximately 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier in this classic Côte Rôtie, and produces two cuvées of Côte Rôtie, sourced from 11 different parcels spread across the appellation. He also produces a number of IGP (Vin de Pays) bottlings. 

Patrick's extensive vine-holdings allow him a sufficient production of fruit from which to select to blend and his wines are known for a laudable fine integration of fruit and tannin earning him a reputation for wines described as the 'most Burgundian' wine of the appellation.

Patrick Jasmin's Côte-Rôtie is aged for up to 2 years in oak barrels (with up to 25% being new, originating from France, Russia & the US). Half of the wine is racked into 228 litre barrels and half into 590 litre demi-muids. Approximately 23,000 bottles are produced in a typical vintage.

The Jasmin wines are noted for their velvety Burgundian texture and richness. Typically, a bouquet of violets and stewed red fruits precedes a palate of darker Autumnal fruit with some cooler granitic notes over a framework of fine-grained tannins. Although it is surprisingly approachable on its youthful fruit, it cellars well for a decade and far longer in finer vintages.

This label release was rated 93 points by Josh Raynolds - vinous.com, and Matt Walls - Decanter.com.

According to the pundits, this Côte-Rôtie from Patrick Jasmin is known as one of the most terroir-expressive Northern Rhône Syrahs and one of the greatest values in the category. 

Dark purple colored, full bodied with full, round, concentrated black currant fruits with tones of smoked bacon and cola flavors accented by floral, cassis, and notes of spice and pepper with fine grained tannins on a long finish. A great example of Côte-Rôtie, high achiever with decent value. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3816597

https://husksavannah.com/

Santo Ciello Naperville - unique wine dine experience

 Santo Ciello Restaurant in Naperville - a unique imaginative wine dine experience

We dined at Santo Ciello in Naperville (IL), atop the Indigo Hotel overlooking downtown Naperville and the DuPage River. Several friends and all our kids have been there and gave it a thumbs up. 

The menu and cuisine is a bit eclectic and funky, and the ambiance and atmosphere has a jive to it.

As their website proclaims: "The inspiration for our food lies within the idea of a “globally inspired kitchen.” This means staying true to our midwest roots while extending our vision to other countries & cultures. We source our ingredients responsibly by seeking out local purveyors, aiming to be sustainable and seasonal whenever mother nature allows. We also strive to provide the highest quality of freshness in all aspects of our creations."

The highlight of Santo Ciello may be its setting with riverfront window seating offering views overlooking the river and downtown Naperville and its RiverWalk that are spectacular. 

Santo Ciello interior dining room
seating

I have to say, the experience exceeded my expectations with a delicious dinner and wonderful wine and food pairing. 

Once again, as earlier in the week, we took advantage of Restaurant Week Chicago and their special menu dinner offering. The special feature provided one of two starters, to share, one each of three entree choices, and one of two desserts to share. 

We chose for our selections the Roasted curried cauliflower with cucumber-cilantro raita, spiced honey and mint, and the Chicken Bao, teriyaki chicken, kimchi aioli, pickled carrot, fresno chili, sesame and cilantro.

For entree selections amongst us we chose all three of the entree selections on offer:

• Gnocchi & Short Rib,  chicken stock beurre monté, pickled fennel & fresno chili
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Atlantic Corvina, carrot ginger puree, bok choy, edamame, seasonal pickles, togarashi vinaigrette, rice chicharron
  
  
  
• Roasted 1/2 Chicken, free-range chicken, creamed collard green, charred okra, chimichurri, sweet potatoes
  
  
  
  

For dessert both couples ordered the Seasonal Sorbet which was an imaginative Guava and Blackberry.

On first view, the wine-list is limited, sparse and eclectic, with a couple offerings in each wine category delineated by wine style. In each category there is from one to nearly a dozen offerings. 

The wine categories are, such as for the whites: 

• Light + Crisp/ Mineral-Driven
• Aromatic + Expressive
• Round + Textured

And for the reds: 

• Elegant + Floral for a selection of Pinot Noirs
• Structured + Earthy for a broad diverse selection of varietals including Tempranillo, Malbec, GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre), Gamay, Grenache, Garnacha, Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Sangiovese and Red Blends, and,
  
• Bold + Spicy for Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Blends, a Syrah, a Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc-Merlot, and assorted Red Blends.

There are also awine category selections

• Bubbles + Skin Contact + Pink Matter for Sparkling wines, and,
• Before + After Dinner for after or before dinner wine selections.

While initially perhaps confusing, once you get the approach its imaginative, helpful and useful. In the end, its challenging in that if you're offering but one or a few selections for a category, picking the right labels need be done with care. For example, I was initially put off when as is so often the case, my first wine choice was not available, from a selection of but two Bordeaux labels. But in the end we had a delightful wine that paired perfectly with our food that was a great selection for the category.

For our wine selections I was wanting from the winelist Chateau Lassegue '12, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc-Merlot, especially since it was available by the glass or by the bottle, which allowed us to try multiple wines. Unfortunately, it was not available. This seems to happen to me very often, where from a broad selection of choices, I will pick the one, or the two or even three choices that are not available. 

Beyond that label, I was interested in these interesting, imaginative labels:

• Mocali '15 / Brunello di Montalcino / Sangiovese
• Chateau La Peyre '15 / Bordeaux / Cabernet Blend, and the
• Domaine Corbis '19 / Cornas / Syrah 

I was also very intrigued with and hoping to try the Matthiasson, “Linda Vista Vineyard”, '21 / Napa Valley / Chardonnay. Our group opted for a Red, but I'll look forward to coming back and trying this label sometime in the future! 

 In the end, we selected the 2019 Domaine Courbis "Champelrose" Cornas Syrah which proved to be delightful. 

Domaine Courbis "Champelrose" Cornas Northern Rhone Syrah 2019

This is 100% Syrah from the Cornas appellation in the Northern Rhone river valley. Established in 1938, Cornas designated wines are only reds made solely from the Syrah grape. A contributing factor to their style is the distinctive terroir with its granitic soil and that the Syrah based wines are made traditionally and often spend two years in oak. The result is strong and powerful wines, a style we like a lot. Other Northern Rhone wine appellations that feature Syrah are St Joseph, Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, with Cornas being a cross between them, but typically with slightly less finesse.

The Cornas appellation is small comprising a mere 370 acres. It is located south of St Joseph on the west side of the Rhone river. The name “Cornas” comes from an old Celtic dialect term, meaning “burnt land”, reflecting the fact that the steep terraces there, facing south, have temperatures that are significantly higher than those in Hermitage, which is just five miles away.

The soils of Cornas are a combination of limestone and granite, which are ideally suited to the Syrah grape, producing reds that result in a style somewhere between those of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie which are strong and powerful wines, with forward acidity and a robust, rustic style with prominent tannins. 

Domaine Courbis has been in existence in the Courbis family with the estate dating back to the 16th century. Recently, the brothers Dominique and Laurent Courbis succeeded their father, Maurice, in the early 1990s. Since then they have established themselves as leaders of the modern school of winemaking in St Joseph and Cornas. The Courbis brothers produce some of the most compelling examples of St. Joseph and Cornas being made today. The Courbis style might be summarized as offering wines filled with intense aromas and concentrated fruit with great purity and length.

The Domaine Courbis estate covers 80 acres divided as follows: 20 in Cornas; twelve in St Joseph Blanc; 45 acres are of St Joseph Red, and 2 1/2 acres are Syrah Vin de Pays de l’Ardèche. The vineyards all face south and east on the slopes in the communes of Châteaubourg, Glun and Cornas. 

The wines are aged in barriques, some new and the rest up to three years old and they are bottled between 18 months and two years after harvest. 

This Cornas Champelrose cuvée label is 100% Syrah sourced from various vineyard parcels across the Courbis domaine, mostly from vines near the base of Cornas slope. They are blended to produce a wine ready for near term drinking upon release. It is subjected to 3 weeks of vatting to extract as much color and flavor as possible, then aged entirely in casks that are a mix of 25% new; 20% one year; and 55% 2-3 years of age for a barrel-aging for a period is 12 months. The wine is assembled in tank and aged for four more months before bottling, 

Dark purple garnet colored, medium-full bodied, with vibrant expressive intense concentrated sweet dark blackberry and black raspberry fruits accented by spice, black pepper, notes of violet floral, smoky minerals with bold acidity on a big long moderate tannin laced finish. 

RM 92 points.

This was awarded 93-95 points by Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3735604

https://www.vins-courbis-rhone.com/ 

https://www.stcielo.com/

Language of Yes En Passerillage Rancho Real Santa Maria Valley Syrah

The Language of Yes En Passerillage Rancho Real Santa Maria Valley Syrah 

Linda took a friend out to lunch and brought me a take out entree of polenta and veal meatballs from Gia Mia in Naperville. I paired it with this just discovered, interesting Rhône varietal blend. This odd named wine is from legendary winemaker Randall Grahm and Joe C. Gallo, founder of Maze Row Wine Merchant, who owns the vineyards. They work together in a collaboration to leverage Randall's pioneering work pursuing his obsession with terroir-driven wines, uncommon varietals, and the Central Coast of California.

We traveled through the through the Santa Maria Valley and the Foxen Canyon wine trail and Santa Ynez Valley during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience in May of this year. lead us to Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards. I wrote about it as part of my posting on our Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards Visit, and several others.

Randall Grahm gained notoriety with Bonny Doon Vineyard, where he had a long history of innovation and grew some popular brands - Big House, Cardinal Zin and Pacific Rim, to become the 28th largest winery in the United States. He was perhaps the first to truly popularize Rhône grapes in California,

He learned that in a warm, Mediterranean climate, it was blended wines that were most successful. In 1986 Bonny Doon Vineyard released the inaugural vintage (1984) of Le Cigare Volant, an homage to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which continues as the winery’s flagship/starship brand.

Randall Grahm realized he could have success creating distinctive and original wines working with Rhône varieties in the Central Coast of California. This project is from the Santa Maria Valley which is one of the coolest sites in California where Syrah can be successfully grown, which enjoys perhaps the longest growing season, two important factors contributing to the development of the peppery aroma in wine in the Rhône varietal. 

The name “The Language of Yes” is derived from 'La Langue d'Oc', the term that medieval folk of southern France and adjacent environs , a precursor of modern Provençal, used to describe who they were by how they spoke (differentiating themselves from “La langue d’oil” spoken by their northern neighbors.

Following the established tradition reminiscent of the wines of St. Joseph and Côte-Rôtie, notable wine appellations in the Northern Rhone, he co-ferments Viognier with Syrah grape varietals. This is said to enhance the aromatic potential, the alcohol (not so necessary in California), color stability and structure of the wine. The Viognier adds a unique floral note to the otherwise peppery Syrah. 

The Language of Yes project is not intended to try to replicate the wines of Southern France, but rather to find and amplify the unique characteristics of the climate and terroir of the California Central Coast, inspired from the old world historic equivalents.

 

Homage to Southern Rhone Provencal region,
map from the Language of Yes website

We recently picked up two Language of Yes red wines based on Rhone varietals, a Grenache and this Syrah, grown in the Rancho Réal Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley. 

In this project, winemaker Randall Grahm applies old world techniques, such as the practice of passerillage, or post-harvest drying of the grapes before crushing. In the cool Rancho Réal Vineyard, they place the grapes on paper raisin trees in the shade of the vine itself. This practice allows for a slight dehydration and concentration of the grapes, and, as significantly, a maturation of the stems of the bunches. The result is the stems are an excellent source of tannin, supporting the overall structure of the wine. The inclusion of the whole clusters allows for a slow release of grape sugar into the fermenting must, improving the fermentation, thus creating a slower and controlled process. "Clean", less stressed fermentation complements the process in what is called "reductive élevage," central to the style of The Language of Yes.

The Language of Yes En Passerillage "Rancho Real Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Syrah 2020 

This is a blend of 86% Syrah and 14% Viognier raised in five-year-old barriques. 

It was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 93 points by James Suckling, Vinous and by Wine Enthusiast. 

Grapes for the 2020 Syrah En Passerillage were air-dried for three days, co-fermented with 20% Viognier and made with 50% whole clusters.

Winemaker's notes: "The Language of Yes seeks to preserve the old ways, revealing the utmost respect for the integrity of the sites form which they derive. The raising of the wine is done with the lightest possible hand, allowing the natural exuberance of the vines, the grapes, the wine and the winemaker to joyously emerge, unmistakably pronouncing The Language of Yes. The result is a reflection of Provence in these wines - a distinctive balsamique resinous quality resembling the local underbrush, the garrigue - lavender, rosemary and sage, and pine forest.'

"The wine is marked with lively acidity, notes of black pepper, black olive, violets, licorice and white flowers. On the palate, slightly angular immediately upon opening but softening considerably with time."

Definitely reflecting old world style as opposed to the new world, fuller fruit forward style we prefer. 

Opaque ruby purple color, medium bodied, aromatics of blackcurrant, pomegranate and subtle blueberry, notes of white pepper, a hint of dried meat and olive, smoke, exotic spices, floral and garrigue, with dusty-textured tannins and bursts of juicy acidity on the long finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4134796

https://www.languageofyeswine.com/

https://twitter.com/RandallGrahm

 

Suzette's Creperie Wheaton

Suzette's Creperie Wheaton for authentic French cuisine in intimate casual setting

Thursday night out, we dined at Suzette's Crêperie in nearby Wheaton (IL), 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. 

We wish they'd offer a broader selection beyond the Crêpe centric menu, beyond the two nightly specials, which often aren't published or revealed until opening time. But hey, its Suzette's Crêperie, inspired by and built to bring to America authentic Parisian Crêpes.

Notably, it's difficult enough for restaurants to carry on in the post covid era with reduced limited staff, Biden induced inflation increased costs, and budget conscious diners. 

C'est la vie. 

Tonight, I selected the 'daily special' Sole Meunière, which is one of my favorite dishes, along with the Country Style Pâté, another of my favorites. 

As featured in recent previous posts in these pages, the Chicken Liver Mousse and slice of Country Style Pâté  are served with Dijon mustard, Cornichons and delicious Red Onion Marmalade with toasted Brioche on the side.  

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 order the Ham & Cheese Crêpe, which described in the menu as simple but delicious, and it was, delectable, exceeding both our expectations. 

I had already ordered this Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes-Hermitage Northern Rhone Syrah to accompany my Country Style Pâté starter, before selecting my Sole Meunière entree, otherwise, I would've opted for a white wine. Never-the-less it went well with the my starter and Linda's entree. 

This was a wine we had ordered in a previous visit from their somewhat limited but artfully and carefully selected wine list. The Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence wine list offers 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.

Marlène & Nicolas Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes Hermitage 2018

I wrote about this wine and this producer in an earlier blogpost. This Tain-Hermitage, Domaine Chevalier is produced by 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.

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.

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.

Consistent with my earlier tasting notes, 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

Chez Joel Chicago Little Italy Dinner

 Chez Joel Little Italy Chicago Dinner features Croze-Hermitage Syrah

With a colleague in from out of town, we dined at Chez Joel Bistro in Little Italy on Taylor Street in Chicago on the near south side, near the UIC, not far from our office, one of my favorite neighborhood bistros. 

The ambiance and atmosphere at Chez Joel is relaxing, quaint and cozy, ideal for a business dinner. 

From the menu my colleague selected the Duck Confit with red cabbage, one of my favorites and a usual selection. I chose the petit filet of boeuf with the buttered potatoes. 

Prior to dinner we had the endive and the beet salads, accompanied by the pate with cornichons, mustard and toast points. 

We chose the wine list a perennial favorite that I have had several times, a Crozes-Hermitage Northern Rhône Syrah, an ideal pairing with the pate, our salads and the entrees.

Maison Les Alexandrins Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2018

We've had several vintages of this label, most recently on our visit to Chez Joel a couple months ago, tonight being the first time tasting this 2018 release. 

This is from estate vineyards between the towns of Vienne and Valence,  in the Northern Rhône Valley, where the terrior is ideally suited for the Syrah grape. 

The right bank of the Rhône River is composed of old volcanic Gneiss and granite rocks with sandy-clay soils that give the wine a powerful and rustic character and minerality. 

The opposing left bank of the Rhône also has granite soil with pebbles from the glaciers, rounded and polished by the Rhône that keep the heat of the day and give it back at night resulting in  concentration of sugars and aromas.

The North Rhône River valley climate is semi-continental of Burgundy and Mediterranean as in Provence, with cold continental winters with wind and little rain and summers that are Mediterranean: hot with storms and little wind. This contrast in climate produces a Syrah with intense aromas of red fruit and spices and minerality.

The Maison les Alexandrins Crozes-Hermitage vineyards are composed of young vines of an average age of 15 years, planted on terraces that covers the hinterland of the Nothern Côtes du Rhône, and situated on localities of the Southern Rhône, Loire, Isère, northern Drôme and north Ardèche.

This vintage release is a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier.

It was awarded 89 points by Wine Spectator. 

The winemaker's notes on this wine: "This 2018 Syrah immediately displays its colour: it is a gourmet wine that comes in a beautiful concentrated red robe. Precise on the nose, it offers an attractive variety of aromas like small red fruit and liquorice. On the palate, it already reveals its roundness, with a nice acidity on the attack and a fruity finish."

This was dark garnet with deep purple colored, medium full bodied of blackberry, black cherry and ripe plum with notes of spice, black pepper, tobacco and black tea with round full approachable tannins on the tangy finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3572666 

http://lesalexandrins.com/en/

http://chezjoelbistro.com/

 

 

 

Piedrasassi PS Santa Barbara County Syrah

Piedrasassi 'PS' Santa Barbara County Syrah 2019

I saw this somewhat modest priced Syrah at Binny's, the big box beverage superstore merchant of Chicagoland and picked up a bottle to try. Piedrasassi is the handicraft of winemaker producer Sashi Moorman, who cultivates the grapes and produces a porfolio of wines in the Central Coast of California. His partner Melissa Sorongon freshly mills American heritage grains for naturally-leavened loaves that she bakes in a hand-built wood-fired oven. The promote the bakery bread in conjunction with their wines.

Piedrasassi focus primarily cultivating and and vinifing Syrah, the grape varietal winemaker Sashi Moorman has been working with for over two decades. According to their website, "the viticultural heritage of the Northern Rhone and the pioneering ethos of the Central Coast equally inform his engagement with Syrah". 

Their wines are sourced from four vineyard sites across the greater Central Coast Santa Barbara County where there is a "remarkable east-west transverse of valleys, shaped by an era of tectonic contortion and upheaval. Here, geologic time stands on its head: diverse soils of varying epochs are often entangled. Receptive to the daily rhythms of the Pacific’s cooling winds and pervasive fog, these valleys and, in particular, their constituent hillsides, are host to some of California’s most compelling terroir for Syrah".

Piedrasassi produce three premium vineyard designated Syrahs from four vineyard sources in the Santa Maria Valley - Rim Rock Vineyard north of Santa Maria along Hwy 101, Bien Nacido Vineyard further inland, east of town, Sebastiani Vinyeard and Patterson Vineyard further south in the valley. 

Arroyo Grande Valley Syrah - Rim Rock Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley Syrah - Bien Nacido Vineyard
Samta Rita Hills Syrah - Patterson & Casa Cassara Vineyards

This 'PS' Piedrasassi Syrah is their larger production 'entry' level Syrah, available in wider distribution, priced at half the price of the three 'premium' labels, which are each priced at $50. 

The Arroyo Grande Valley Syrah comes from their flagship site, the Rim Rock Vineyard situated along Hwy 101 north of the town of Santa Maria. Since 2016, they have leased and farmed the vineyard. Weathered shale soils on a windy slope just seven miles from the Pacific Ocean results in low yields of concentrated, high-quality fruit. They recommend cellaring Rim Rock Syrah for several years prior to opening. In 2019, only 259 cases of Arroyo Grande Valley Syrah were produced. 

 
Further inland, east of the town of Santa Maria is the Bien Nacido Vineyard, long a highly sought-after site for Syrah in Santa Barbara County. Piedrasassi have the fortune to work with the vineyard's two best plantings, X Block and Z Block. X Block, grafted from Riesling to Syrah in 1986, represents the very first cool-climate Syrah planting in North America. Z Block was planted in 1992, making these the oldest Syrah vines work by Piedrasassi. The advanced vine age slows ripening, keeping potential alcohol levels lower. 

Fruit for the Santa Rita Hills Syrah comes from two vineyards, Patterson and Casa Cassara, both planted at higher altitudes. This wine tends to be the most forward of their offerings as fruit from the Patterson vineyard comes from younger vines, which tend to produce more generous clusters with larger berries and thicker stems. Of the three cuvées, this is the wine they suggest to enjoy in its youth with its striking balance between fruit and savory characteristics best in early years. In 2019, only 188 cases of Santa Rita Hills Syrah were produced.

The Santa Maria Valley Syrah is the most elegant and restrained of the lineup with high-toned fruits and sweet spices on the palate with softer, silkier tannins and a refreshing, acid-laden finish. In 2019, 306 cases of Santa Maria Valley Syrah were produced.

Piedrasassi began making these wines in 2003 inspired by the diversity of grapes and wines cultivated in the wide open, relatively uncharted territory that is the California wine industry.

All their labels are packaged in a distinctive 'moonshine jug' shaped bottle, shorter and more stout than a traditional 750ml bottle. 

Extract of the winemaker notes: "The PS Syrah designated Santa Barbara County a burst of sweet blue/purplish fruit followed by complex floral and savory notes of with hints of lavender, sage, mint and black pepper." Of the 2019 vintage release, 1680 cases were produced.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, black berry fruits with notes of black pepper spices, hints of soy and sage with moderate tangy acidic tannin laced finish. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3974384

https://piedrasassi.com/

 

 

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage and Montes Folly Syrah

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage and Montes Folly Syrahs

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Syrah 2009

Domaine JL Chave History, Overview
The label today reads Domaine JL Chave. But the story of this Rhone producer doesn’t start here. It goes a long way back. In fact, the Chave family is one of the oldest names in the world of wine. They have been producing one of the world’s greatest wines since 1481!
The label bears an inscription commemorating this achievement, “Vignerons de Père en Fils depuis 1481”, which is translated to, Vine growers from father to son since 1481! The Chave family began cultivating vineyards and making wine in what we now know as the St. Joseph appellation.

They stared buying land on the Hill of Hermitage in 1865. The land and family business of making great Rhone wine continues being passed from generation to generation. Most recently from father to son with Gerard Chave to Jean Louis Chave. Jean Louis Chave is the 16th generation of his family to manage the famous Hermitage producer.
The Chave family made the move to Hermitage following the attack of phylloxera that struck most of Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century.
The Chave family began producing wine in Mauves, when they entered the wine business. In fact, this is where the Chave family still produces their Hermitage wine today. In late 2014, JL Chave completed a renovation and extension of their cellars.
Domaine Jean Louis Chave Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Wines, Winemaking
JL Chave produces 2 Hermitage Rouge wines and 1 Hermitage Blanc wine.

Jl Chave owns 14 hectares of vines in Hermitage. 10 hectares are planted to Syrah and are used to produce 2, Hermitage Rouge wines, JL Chave Hermitage and Chave Cuvee Cathelin.
The vines are old, with an average age of 50 years, give or take a few years. The remaining 4 hectare of vines are planted to 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. The grape vines for their white Rhone wine are even older than their red wine vines as they are mostly more than 60 years of age.
Along with the Frey family who own Jaboulet and Michel Chapoutier, the Chave family owns the largest percentage of planted hectares in the Hermitage appellation.

The key to the beauty and complexity found in JL Chave Hermitage comes their mastery of blending. While for the red wines, the only grape used is Syrah, the wine is produced from a melange of fruit sources that come out of some of the best plots in the entire Hermitage appellation.

The vineyards are dispersed over the hill of Hermitage. In total, they have vines spread among 14 different parcels in 9 vineyards, or lieux-dits.
The red wine grapes are planted in Bessards, L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal, Beaume, Diognieres and Vercandiered vineyards. The 2 hectares of vines on Bessards is considered by many people to be the heart and soul of the JL Chave wine.
With the wide variety of terroir the vines of JL Chave are planted in, as expected, the types of soils are equally varied. The vineyards have a terroir of rocky soils ranging from granite, limestone, schist, clay and sandstone soil. The Bessards lieu-dit has a terroir that is mostly, steep granite hillside soils.
They have old vines. On Bessards, the average vine age is 50 years. However, the oldest vines on Bessards are more than 80 years of age. Their parcels located on Les Rocoules and Peleat have vines that are even older at over 85 years of age.
The white wine grapes for Chave are planted in 5 hectares of vines that come from Les Rocoules, L’Hermite, Peleat, Maison Blanches and other vineyards. Les Rocoules has some of the oldest white wine grapes in the Northern Rhone, with vines that are more than 80 years old.

Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge
Since 1991, JL Chave has been using mostly stainless steel, along with 3 wooden open top fermenters for alcoholic fermentation. The fruit is destemmed.
Interestingly, this practice took place during the production of wines during the 1800’s, but that fell out of favor late in the 20th century. The fruit from each terroir is vinified separately.
For the red wine of Chave, the grapes are usually partially, but not always fully destemmed. In very ripe years, a portion, up to 50% of the stems might be left on the grapes.
It really varies from vintage to vintage. Vinification takes place in a combination of cement vats, stainless steel and old, open, French oak barrels. Each parcel is vinified and aged separately, until the blending takes place.
Depending on the vintage, malolactic fermentation can take place in casks, vats or tank. Once fermentation has been completed, the wine is moved the large 228 liter oak barrels for ageing. The wines of Jean Louis Chave are aged in barrel for about 18 months. The amount of new oak varies from 10-20%, depending on the vintage.
The used barrels range in age from 1-5 years which can come from Burgundy. Jean Louis Chave has been reducing the amount of new oak with time. His logic is, with refined tannins, the wine does not need that much new oak.
The wine is blended after 18 months in barrel, usually in July. Jean Louis Chave waits for 60-90 days after blending before bottling. The production of Chave Hermitage rouge ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 cases per vintage.

Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/

Showing much better than when last tasted a few years ago. The wine is intense, powerful, concentrated, vibrant and fresh, with load of sweet, slightly honeyed lemon, grapefruit, flowers and stone notes. Luscious in texture, the wine leaves a long impression of fruit and freshness.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/

Domaine JL Chave History, Overview
The label today reads Domaine JL Chave. But the story of this Rhone producer doesn’t start here. It goes a long way back. In fact, the Chave family is one of the oldest names in the world of wine. They have been producing one of the world’s greatest wines since 1481!
The label bears an inscription commemorating this achievement, “Vignerons de Père en Fils depuis 1481”, which is translated to, Vine growers from father to son since 1481! The Chave family began cultivating vineyards and making wine in what we now know as the St. Joseph appellation.

They stared buying land on the Hill of Hermitage in 1865. The land and family business of making great Rhone wine continues being passed from generation to generation. Most recently from father to son with Gerard Chave to Jean Louis Chave. Jean Louis Chave is the 16th generation of his family to manage the famous Hermitage producer.
The Chave family made the move to Hermitage following the attack of phylloxera that struck most of Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century.
The Chave family began producing wine in Mauves, when they entered the wine business. In fact, this is where the Chave family still produces their Hermitage wine today. In late 2014, JL Chave completed a renovation and extension of their cellars.
Domaine Jean Louis Chave Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Wines, Winemaking
JL Chave produces 2 Hermitage Rouge wines and 1 Hermitage Blanc wine.

Jl Chave owns 14 hectares of vines in Hermitage. 10 hectares are planted to Syrah and are used to produce 2, Hermitage Rouge wines, JL Chave Hermitage and Chave Cuvee Cathelin.
The vines are old, with an average age of 50 years, give or take a few years. The remaining 4 hectare of vines are planted to 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. The grape vines for their white Rhone wine are even older than their red wine vines as they are mostly more than 60 years of age.
Along with the Frey family who own Jaboulet and Michel Chapoutier, the Chave family owns the largest percentage of planted hectares in the Hermitage appellation.

The key to the beauty and complexity found in JL Chave Hermitage comes their mastery of blending. While for the red wines, the only grape used is Syrah, the wine is produced from a melange of fruit sources that come out of some of the best plots in the entire Hermitage appellation.

The vineyards are dispersed over the hill of Hermitage. In total, they have vines spread among 14 different parcels in 9 vineyards, or lieux-dits.
The red wine grapes are planted in Bessards, L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal, Beaume, Diognieres and Vercandiered vineyards. The 2 hectares of vines on Bessards is considered by many people to be the heart and soul of the JL Chave wine.
With the wide variety of terroir the vines of JL Chave are planted in, as expected, the types of soils are equally varied. The vineyards have a terroir of rocky soils ranging from granite, limestone, schist, clay and sandstone soil. The Bessards lieu-dit has a terroir that is mostly, steep granite hillside soils.
They have old vines. On Bessards, the average vine age is 50 years. However, the oldest vines on Bessards are more than 80 years of age. Their parcels located on Les Rocoules and Peleat have vines that are even older at over 85 years of age.
The white wine grapes for Chave are planted in 5 hectares of vines that come from Les Rocoules, L’Hermite, Peleat, Maison Blanches and other vineyards. Les Rocoules has some of the oldest white wine grapes in the Northern Rhone, with vines that are more than 80 years old.

Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge
Since 1991, JL Chave has been using mostly stainless steel, along with 3 wooden open top fermenters for alcoholic fermentation. The fruit is destemmed.
Interestingly, this practice took place during the production of wines during the 1800’s, but that fell out of favor late in the 20th century. The fruit from each terroir is vinified separately.
For the red wine of Chave, the grapes are usually partially, but not always fully destemmed. In very ripe years, a portion, up to 50% of the stems might be left on the grapes.
It really varies from vintage to vintage. Vinification takes place in a combination of cement vats, stainless steel and old, open, French oak barrels. Each parcel is vinified and aged separately, until the blending takes place.
Depending on the vintage, malolactic fermentation can take place in casks, vats or tank. Once fermentation has been completed, the wine is moved the large 228 liter oak barrels for ageing. The wines of Jean Louis Chave are aged in barrel for about 18 months. The amount of new oak varies from 10-20%, depending on the vintage.
The used barrels range in age from 1-5 years which can come from Burgundy. Jean Louis Chave has been reducing the amount of new oak with time. His logic is, with refined tannins, the wine does not need that much new oak.
The wine is blended after 18 months in barrel, usually in July. Jean Louis Chave waits for 60-90 days after blending before bottling. The production of Chave Hermitage rouge ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 cases per vintage.

Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/

Fellow Pour Boy Dr Dan was going to serve this late one night after we'd had four or five other bottles at a wine dinner. I suggested we hold it for when it could be the centerpiece of a tasting, being a 100 point wine that it is. So, we took this and another complementary Syrah to Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria for a festive holiday season Saturday night dinner. Yes, this release was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points by Wine Spectator, and 96 points by Vinous. 

Not often do we 'normal' folks get the pleasure to drink a 100 point wine. As I've written in this column about collecting and tasting, there are 'every day' wines, 'once-a-week', 'once-a-month', and 'once-a-year' wines, and then, of course, 'special occasion' and 'once-in-a-lifetime' wines. At this rating, it drives a ultra-super premium ($500+) price-point, such that for all but the very privileged few, this is in the latter rather than former categories.  

This is also exceptionally extraordinary because it is a SYRAH. More often, 100 point wines tend to be Bordeaux or Burgundian varietals or blends, or perhaps vintage Ports. Very few wines of the Syrah varietal have received 100 point recognition, Penfold's Grange, arguably the top wine of Australia, and this being the only two I've seen or had the privilege of tasting. 

Moreover, I admit, I am not accustomed to such lofty profiles or character for a single varietal wine based on Syrah. While we drink a lot of this varietal and it is one of our favorites, the profile is not the norm to which we are accustomed. 

We recently had a similar experienced the 'other' such wine, Penfold's Grange from the 1990 vintage. Tonight's experience was much the same. 

We are used to, and love, big, bold, forward, fruit forward, expressive, thick, concentrated style wines, rare, but found once in a while in Syrahs. Such wines, tend to me more one dimensional, and frankly 'over-the'top' to be considered for such rarified accolades, more afforded wines that are elegant, polished, symphonic in their perfectly balanced and harmonious presentation. 

Like the Grange we drank recently, the word I would use to describe this is 'flawless'. 

The Chave was dark blackish/purple colored, medium-full bodied, flawless, seamless, perfectly balanced and harmonious blackberry and black currant fruits highlighted with subtle tones of anise, smoke and hints of exotic spices and pepper.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1077097

On this evening we also opened a rare special bottling of this Chilean Syrah. 

Montes Syrah Folly La Finca de Apalta 2010

Montes Folly has been cited as the best Syrah in Chile It is the first ultra-premium Syrah to be sourced from Chile. The grapes for this Montes Folly grow on the steepest hillsides of the Finca de Apalta vineyards in Apalta, Colchagua, Chile, where the vines have adapted best and have found good balance between yields and vegetative expression.

The terroir driven soils are of granitic origin and primarily consist of decomposing rocks from high above in the chain of mountains that crosses the valley, and therefore the soils in this sector are rather thin and poor in organic matter with a good percolation capacity, which enables the roots to explore the entire profile in search of water.

The grapes are hand-selected and sorted on special selection sorting tables. The vinified wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 24 months.

The 2016 release of this label was awarded 96 points by James Suckling.

Not in the class of the 'old world' Northern Rhone Hermitage Chave, this 'new world' or emerging market Syrah represents the art of the possible of what is coming from the emerging wine producing regions and nascent producers.

More new world style like a big Australian Syrah with its complex concentrated forward fruits, almost obtuse when compared to the Chave, dark inky purple with blackberry and black raspberry fruits highlighted by notes of spice, cassis, currants, mocha and hints of black olive.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1479344

https://www.monteswines.com/en/