Lobster Roll and Chardonnay at Legal Seafood Chicago

Lobster Roll and Chardonnay at Legal Seafood Chicago 

Highlights of a Day in the City … 

Yes, Legal Seafood in CHICAGO … that Boston institution opened in Chicago a year ago in the iconic landmark Marina City Complex, overlooking the Chicago River, above the marina boat slips, right next to Smith & Wollensky (another east coast restaurant institution, from NYC). 

Notably, we blogged in these pages about dining at Smith & Wollensky on another day such as this, during a day trip that also included the Art Institute - Chicago Experience - Museums, Architecture and Smith Wollensky Riverside Lunch.

Just like in that previous post, we spent the day in the City (Chicago) touring the Art Institute of Chicago and the current exhibit of Impressionist artist Gustave Caillebotte. Caillebotte is most known for his monumental painting Paris Street; Rainy Day. This iconic painting is one of the standards of the AIC collection, one of the best in the world and consistently ranked one of the top museums in the world. Highlights of the classic collection are featured in the Art Institute Essentials Tour which is available in this on-line virtual tour.

We’ve been premium members of the Art Institute for decades and regularly tour each exhibit, taking advantage of one of Chicago’s greatest assets. Moreover, Linda and daughter Erin (Teacher of Art and Art History, who ironically toured the exhibit today separately with friends), visit the Art Institute many times during the year, beyond just the special exhibitions. 

A typical outing in our beloved Chicago, we took advantage of the many assets of our City - transportation, museums, architectural landmarks, and restaurants. 

We took the Metra train into the city, convenient, comfortable, economical, then connected with the Water Taxi, from Union Station to Michigan Avenue. We love it that the Chicago River boat tours have become such an attraction (I counted more than a dozen such boats on the river this day) - especially the architectural boat tours that give backgrounds and insights into more than twenty-five magnificent and historic architectural landmarks of the cityscape. (As a docent interpreter of other Chicago architecture tours, I know several of the docent interpreters and how much is required of them to be certified to give these tours!)

Even though we’ve done it dozens of times, (I used to take the Water Taxi daily as part of my commute to work - from the train to Michigan Avenue), the Chicago River boat tours never get old. Riding the Water Taxi on the Chicago River, we boarded at Union Station, below my former office (shown). 

And, we saw today for the first time from the riverside, the completed Wolf Point and the recently completed SalesForce Tower, (where son Alec works), and the recently finished Bank of America Tower (shown below, at night, from across the river). 

We also discovered a new restaurant, new to Chicago - Legal Seafood, from Boston, located in the Marina City complex overlooking the river. 

While it’s been here for a year, we just discovered Legal Seafood in Chicago and made plans to lunch there later in the day. 

The Caillebotte exhibit was spectacular, as are all AIC special exhibitions. The exhibition, initially opened at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris in October 2024, included more than 120 works including paintings, works on paper, photographs, and other artifacts covering Caillebotte’s career. In addition to recognizable works like the Art Institute’s Paris Street; Rainy Day, the show presents lesser-known but pivotal works like the Musée d’Orsay’s recent acquisition, Boating Party, and the Louvre Abu-Dhabi’s The Bezique Game, as well as many works from private collections that are rarely seen by American audiences. 

A centerpiece of the exhibit was Paris Street: Rainy Day, Linda’s favorite painting. 

One of the highlights for me was the map of Paris, showing the location of several of the Caillebotte paintings featured in the exhibit. This pinpointed several sites in Paris and brought back many memories of visits to one of our other favorite cities, walking the same streets and neighborhoods of Caillebotte. 

As mentioned, we lunched at Legal Seafood, alfresco, overlooking the river, and naturally had their lunch special featuring their famous Lobster Rolls, served with choice of Boston Clam Chowder, or Shrimp and Corn Bisque (shown).

With lunch, we each ordered from the limited but fundamental winelist two familiar and favorite Sonoma Chardonnays WBTG - Wine By The Glass. 

Linda tasted the Sonoma Cutrer ‘RRR” (Russian River Valley) Chardonnay 2023

This is the same wine we ordered in another recent waterfront dining experience featured in these pages Louisiana Lagniappe Destin Waterfront Dining Seafood Dinner.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2025/08/our-last-night-hosting-lindas-lady.html

Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay 2023

From the basic fundamental wine list, we ordered this standard pleasant drinking Chardonnay. Sonoma Cutrer are consistently recognized for good value Chardonnay. 

This was ideal for pleasant easy sipping pairing with our fresh seafood.  

Wine Spectator-California - Sonoma County - "Appealing for its seamlessness and texture, this white is creamy and supple, with lemon meringue pie, shortbread and peach notes at the core on an elegant frame. Accents of lemon zest and wildflower honey linger on the finish..."

https://www.sonomacutrer.com/

For my wine accompaniment I had the Jordan Sonoma County Chardonnay 2021

Like Linda’s wine accompaniment selection, this wine has also been featured recently in these pages as part of another restaurant dining experience - Parmesan Crusted Grouper and Jordan Chardonnay at Fat Clemenza’s Miramar Beach.

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.legalseafoods.com/

https://www.artic.edu/

https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/10068/gustave-caillebotte-painting-his-world

https://www.artic.edu/visit-us-virtually/videos/art-institute-essentials-tour

Ciao Isabella Italian Dining Bensenville, IL

We drove through Bensenville (IL) on the southwest corner of Chicago O’hare Airport last summer and happened upon Ciao Isabella Cucina Italiano Restaurant. We made a point to dine there and had a spontaneous occasion to do so this week after attending grand-daughter Lucy’s HS sporting event in the area. 

Ciao Isabello is in a new freestanding modern building with convenient on-site parking, a modern dining room with white table cloth tables and fashionable chandeliers opposite the bar, an outdoor patio for alfresco dining, and high-top tables in the street-side courtyard out front for casual sipping and dining.  

Ciao Isabella Italian Dining Bensenville, IL 

The restaurant is in the heart of the picturesque charming downtown Bensenville, immediately opposite the Metra Communter Rail Station and Parking lot, and adjacent City Park. What fun to enjoy the quaint cozy neighborhood trattoria, and on a night they happened to have ‘Music in the Park’, a community concert, car show and food vendor event. 

Tonight, there was a car show, vendor stalls, and a concert in the park bandstand - part of the summer Municipal sponsored Music in the Park Series.  The park was filling when we arrived and by the time we finished dining, it was full as the music program started. Amazingly, the front street side seating and patio courtyard dining were only partially filled with the music concert going on just across the street. The front window main dining tables were all filled with their front row views of the activities, but unlikely able to hear the live music. 

It will be fun to dine on the patio again during a Music on the Park outing - upcoming are Country Music night followed by Yacht Rock! 

Tonight’s show featured “Simply Elton”, a Tribute to Elton John Band. 

For our impromptu dinner, we ordered from the menu two staple signature pasta dishes, benchmark selections to compare with other restaurants - Fetuccini Alfredo and Eggplant Parmagiana. Both were delicious with ample portions, thoughtfully prepared and presented. 

I ordered the Fettuccini Alfredo - Fettuccini Pasta with Chicken, Peas, Spinach and Alfredo Sauce

Linda had the Eggplant Parmigiana - Baked Eggplant, Spaghetti Vodka Sauce

We each ordered from the limited but basically sufficient carefully selected Italian based wine list a WBTG - Wine By The Glass for an appropriate pairing accompaniment. 

With the Fettuccini - Poggio Morino, Tuscany DOC Chianti 2022

Poggio Morino is the name for a hill, or knoll, and the place where Chianti wine was born. The 90 acre estate is located near the medieval town of Grosetto in the Maremma area of Tuscany in the Chianti DOCG zone. They are known for producing rich, ripe velvety wines that reflect the terroir of their select vineyards.

Winemaker’s Notes - This 100% Sangiovese is dry with hints of raspberries, cherries and violets. Ruby-red in color, well-balanced acidity and tannins.

This provides great QPR - Quality Price Ratio for affordable, pleasant casual sipping with dinner.

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, raspberry and cherry fruits with notes of leather and tar with crisp acidity on a moderate tannin finish.  

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5494487

With the Eggplant Parmagiana Linda had the Super Tuscan - Greppicante, Super Tuscan

Azienda I Greppi Bolgheri Greppicante 2023 

This is from I Greppi Estate in Bolgheri, the small but extraordinary wine region, situated on the Tuscan coast, 100 km southwest of Florence, 70 km south of Pisa. The estate spans the central and northern sections of the DOC area between the historic hilltop villages of Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci.

I Greppi was founded in Bolgheri in 2001 by Alessandro Landini who already had a winery in Chianti Classico called Fattoria Viticcio. 

In 2017, the estate was acquired by Dr. Neil McMahon, an Irish geologist, geophysicist, and entrepreneur, who was looking for land in Bolgheri to set up a winery. Joining McMahon was Dale Heathley, a Welshman who works as Director of the company.

The vineyards cover 37 hectares, with 26 planted under vine. The distinctive Bolgheri terroir consists primarily of sandy soils, offering excellent drainage, and clay-rich soils that contribute to greater complexity and balance in the wines.

Just 5 km from the sea, the vineyards are framed by the Colline Metallifere to the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the landscape forming a natural amphitheater that captures the coastal Mediterranean climate providing ideal conditions for cultivating international varieties that are cultivated to produce the renowned “Super-Tuscan” style of red wines. 

The I Greppi winemaker is Elisa Rosetti who joined in March 2023 after 17 years as the Assistant Winemaker at Tenuta di Biserno. Prior, she studied viticulture and enology at the University of Pisa. She is aided by consulting Winemaker Emiliano Falsini.

I Greppi are involved in a partnership with the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis, helping to facilitate research projects between the Bolgheri Consortium and UC Davis

.

This I Greppi Greppicante label is a Tuscan Blend of traditional Bordeaux varietals - 60% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot, and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the estate's diverse soils near the Tuscan coast that reflect the region's exceptional terroir. It was aged for 12 months in 2 and 3 year old French oak barrels followed by 6 months in bottles. 

Winemaker’s Note - “This elegant red offers inviting aromas of blackcurrant, plum, and subtle cedar notes. The palate is smooth and well-structured with refined tannins, revealing flavors of dark fruit, spice, and a hint of Mediterranean herbs.”

This was rated 94 Points by Raffaele Vecchione, International Wine Cellars and 92 points by James Suckling.

Garnet colored, medium to full bodied, round, blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of floral, rosemary and dark spices juniper berries with moderate soft tannins on the finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5296120

https://www.igreppi.com/en/home.html

https://www.ciaoisabellarestaurant.com/

Hemingway’s Bistro Oak Park (IL) WBTG

Hemingway’s Bistro Oak Park (IL)

Following Preview Night for volunteers working FLWright Plus, the annual historic homes house walk, we dined at Hemingway’s Bistro in Oak Park.

More than 400 volunteers work the front lines and behind the scenes to present historic and architecturally significant homes to nearly 3000 guests in this annual event hosted by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.

By closing of the night’s festivities preparing for the big day to follow, we were able to secure a table for the late evening second seating. We selected a couple of pleasant drinking wines by the glass (WBTG) from the limited but carefully crafted wine list. 

Being from the east coast, Tom O, in from New Jersey to work the event, had the soft shell crab, one of the daily specials. This was artfully prepared and delectable and met his high expectations and standards for this special dish, and was the culinary highlight of the evening. 

I ordered another of the daily specials, the Walleye, served in a lemon butter Beau Blanc sauce with fingerling potatoes and asparagus tips. The portion was modest and the preparation, sauce and overall presentation were slightly bland and generally uninspiring, but acceptable in every respect. 

Linda ordered the small plate entree Crab Cake, which was enjoyable. 

For a wine accompaniment, Linda tasted from the WBTG menu this French Burgundian Chardonnay. 

Campet Ste Marie Pays d’Oc Chardonnay 2023

Nice QPR - (Quality Price Ratio) can be found in the Campet Ste Marie range of labels, which are named after the specific terroir in which the grapes are grown. They are sourced from small and hilly vineyards, that the French call “Campets”. 

This is from the Pays d’Oc appellation in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. The term “Pays d’Oc” means “country of the Occitan language,” which is spoken in this region.

Pays d’Oc wines are known for producing high-quality, affordable wines that are easy to drink and pair well with a variety of foods.

The Languedoc-Roussillon region created this catch all IGP region in 1987 to  designate the vast number of vineyards within the territory that were not in designated AOC (Appellation Original Controlle) status appellations (e.g. Corbières, Minervois, Faugères, Picpoul de Pinet, Côtes de Roussillon, etc.). 

Vin de Pays d'Oc has 4 sub-regions: Gard, Hérault, Aude & Pyrénées-Orientales. When the sub-region is used on the label, it will say Vin de Pays de l'Aude, for example.

Wines that carry the Vin de Pays d'Oc designation must be made from grape varieties that are authorized for the region and must meet specific production standards, but are subject to far fewer restrictions than AOC designations which have strict requirements as to which grapes can be used, as well as how they should be blended, how long the wines must be aged, etc., 

Pays d’Oc wines include red (50%), white (30%), and rosé (20%) wines, and can be made from the 58 grape varietals cultivated in the area which primarily include Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre for red wines, and Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier for white wines. The wines can be produced in single varietals or blends. 

The vast Occitania region in Languedoc and Roussillon has nearly 20,000 winegrowers  working as both independent and co-operative wineries across four sub-regions – Hérault, Gard, Pyrénées-Orientales and Aude – and six localities in Lozère.

While the area under vine in all of France is reported by Vitisphere to be 745,000 ha, the Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AP) vineyards total 446,000ha, while all France’s IGPs amounted to 195,000ha. In comparison, the Pays d’Oc IGP alone has 120,000ha under vine accounting for 20% of total French wine production. The largest of the four regions (Hérault) produced 4 million hectolitres in 2017 – more than the whole of Bordeaux (3.6m hl).

The vast Pays d’Oc wine region stretches over 120,000 hectares, and is divided into three climatic zones that influence the viticulture for wine grape: the maritime plains along its coastal area; the lowlands and rolling hills or ‘soubergues’; and lastly, the high altitude vineyards in the chain of mountains to the North, formed by the Pyrenees to the West, and the foothills of the Cévennes to the East. 

The sunny Mediterranean climate influence is due to the amphitheatre shaped opening to the Mediterranean Sea; it arches around the 200 kilometres coastline formed by the Gulf of Lions, from Nîmes via the Camargue and the Vermilion coast to the Spanish border. 

The incredible diversity of soils across the Pays d’Oc wine region range from sandy soils along the coast to limestone, schist, clay or gravelly pebbles along the valley floors and hillsides. 

This wine was rated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast in their review - “A complex nose with reserved and well-integrated aromas of Bosc pear, pastry crust, brioche and grilled red-apple slice leads into subtle vanilla spice, freshly grated nutmeg and lemon tart on the palate. A complementary streak of toasted acidity provides an underbelly of elegant restraint.”  — Reggie Solomon

The Winemaker’s Notes - "This buttery and round Chardonnay has been selected by our winemaker within protected vineyards in the south of the Pays d’Oc appellation where the vines are planted in cooler areas, and on small lands (Campet) which, in the 19th century were surrounding the wineries. The resulting wine is a Burgundy style Chardonnay with ripe peach aromas combined to honey melon with subtle toasted notes. The taste is elegant and smooth with a wonderful thickness and a persistent finish.”

Light straw colored, light bodied, crisp clean, nuances of pear and apple with hints of brioche and brown spice with soft tangy acidity on the smooth finish. 

RM 89 points. 

With our entrees, Tom and I had from the WBTG menu this French Burgundian Pinot Noir. 

Louis Latour Marssanay 2022

This is from producer Maison Louis Latour, found in 1985, who has become one of the most prolific and highly-respected négociant-éléveurs in Burgundy. Maison Louis Latour produce some of the finest Burgundian wines, as have branched out to produce some fine wines from outside Burgundy in the emerging Ardèche and the Côteaux de Verdon sub-regions.

This label is from the northernmost area of the famous Côte de Nuits wine region, from the Marsannay appellation village, the only one in Burgundy to produce classified wines of all three colors: red (Pinot Noir), white (Chardonnay)— and rosé. The official Rosé de Marsannay earned its high reputation in the early 1900s. Marsannay received its Appellation Contrôlée in 1987.

This label was rated 93 points by James Suckling and 90 by Wine Spectator. 

Slightly opaque ruby colored, medium bodied, complex, earthy and floral, the black cherry and black berry fruits are accented with notes of spices, licorice, pepper and mineral with moderate polished tannins on the pleasant long finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.louislatour.com/en/wines/68/marsannay-rouge/2022

https://hemmingways-bistro.com/

Waygu Beef and Mendoza Cab Franc at Entourage Lunch

Waygu Beef and Mendoza Cab Franc at Entourage Lunch

After watching grandson Miles play youth basketball, we diner for Saturday lunch at Entourage Restaurant DG (Downers Grove, IL), which is fast becoming our favorite local restaurant. 

With somewhat limited seating, and growing popularity, it’s becoming a tough seat for dinner so mid-afternoon is a smart time to visit Entourage for easier access seating, such as was the case today, in the dining room and at the bar. 

I ordered from the Day’s Specials menu the Waygu Beef Stroganoff. Like their Signature Waygu meatloaf entree, this could easily become my favorite go-to dish - delicious in all respects. 

PS note - we dined there again the following Saturday and this was no longer offered, but we were told it was hugely popular and got rave reviews, such that they were considering bringing it back, if not for an encore, perhaps as a permanent feature. 

For my Waygu Beef, I ordered from the WBTG selections this Bordeaux varietal Cabernet Franc from Argentina. 

Archaval Ferrer Mendoza Cabernet Franc 2022

This is from the prolific producer Achaval Ferrar, considered one of the finest wineries of Argentina. They have established an international reputation for Bordeaux-style reds, which include Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and this Cabernet Franc. 

 

This is from the Mendoza province of Argentina, by far the largest and best-known winemaking province, it is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. It lies in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains where the climate is dry and continental, which has proven ideal for viticulture. 

Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, which has emerged as the source of some of the country’s finest wines.

While Mendoza is known primarily for Malbec, the most widely grown grape varietal, but all the Bordeaux varietals are commonly grown here. The Bordelaise varietals were brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, where they found success due to the ideal climate and consistent growing seasons. Besides Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc as well as Syrah and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here. 

Cabernet Franc has found the height of Valle de Uco as an ideal place to develop fully. The great exposure to the sun and the cold mountain breeze give it harmony and structure, resulting in a wine with a wide range of aromas and flavors. It delivers herbal and spicy notes, from black fruits to the freshness of tomato leaves and rosemary, with a strong presence of peppers and menthols. 

This 100% Cabernet Franc comes from high-altitude vineyards in Tupungato, which offer excellent sun exposure and cool mountain breezes. These attributes allow the grapes to ripen under ideal conditions. 

This was aged for 13 months in new French oak barrels.

It was awarded 91 Points, Wine Enthusiast and 90 points by James Suckling  

This was a nice complement to the Waygu Beef and mushrooms and a nice value, available BTG - By The Glass. 

Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, rich, dense, savory ripe black berry fruits with accents of tobacco leaf, cassis and spices with approachable moderate tannins on the finish.

RM 90 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/4940241

https://entouragerestaurant.com/downers-grove/

Lunch at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park after FLW Tour

Lunch at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park after FLW Tour features delightful casual sipping WBTG pairing

College friends and Linda's sorority sister Sara and husband Chuck were in town to visit family and friends. We met up and arranged to host them on a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park where I am a docent interpreter. Afterwards we met two other sisters and their partners for lunch at Hemingway's Bistro in Oak Park. 

Hemingway's Bistro is one of our favorite dinesites and one we love to combine my tour activities at the Frank Lloyd Wright home just blocks away with lunches or dinners for such occasions. We've featured some of those tour and dining outings in these pages' blogposts -

Hemingway's Bistro Wine Dinner Highlights FLW Architecture Tours

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

Linda and I ordered the daily special fresh fish, Walleye served with crab cake crust, mashed potatoes and haricot verts. With our lunch, we ordered WBTG - wines by the glass, a Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Northern Rhône Crozes-Hermitage Sryah.

Before our entrees, I ordered for a starter course the Chicken Liver Pate'. As an accompaniment I had a glass of the Crozes-Hermitage. 

Paul Jaboulet Aîné "Les Jalets" Crozes-Hermitage 2017

Paul Jaboulet Aîné owns parcels of vines in several Rhône appellations both north and south, and produces an extensive range of both estate bottled and négociant wines. Paul Jaboulet Aîné is one of the most prolific producers in the Northern Rhône, notably in Hermitage and Crozes Hermitage. 

The earliest record of the Jaboulet family producing wine dates back to 1834, and the eventual house of Paul Jaboulet Aîné remained in Jaboulet family ownership until 2006. It was then sold to the Frey family, proprieters of Ch La Lagune in Bordeaux, and numerous other vineyards and labels.

Frey obtained the famous brand names such as Hermitage "La Chapelle" and Crozes Hermitage "Domaine de Thalabert", but not all of the vineyards historically used for producing those wines. Notably the vineyard used to produce Crozes Hermitage "Domaine de Thalabert" - a vineyard historically known as Les Grandes Vignes - was split, with part remaining under the control of Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet. Frey succeeded in restoring the reputation of Paul Jaboulet Aîné which had fallen away during the 1990s.

Domaine de Raymond Roure is a nine acre Crozes Hermitage vineyard high on the back of the Hermitage hill which Jaboulet acquired in 1996. The red now sells at a premium to Thalabert and is the wine for longer keeping.

Les Jalets is a modest priced casual sipper with good QPR - quality price ratio, from the Northern Rhône Crozes Hermitage AVA that produces distinctive earthy dark fruity Shiraz/Syrahs. 

Bright garnet colored, medium to full-bodied with lively expressive forward briery blackcurrant and red berry fruits accented by black pepper, licorice, spices and savory truffle notes with a tongue puckering tangy acidity on a moderate tannin laced finish. 

RM 89 points.

This was awarded 92 points by Decanter and commented by Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Advocate.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3495500

http://www.jaboulet.com/Website/site/fra_prehome.htm

With our entree course Linda and I both selected this lively Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley.

Lake Sonoma Winery Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2020 

Another modest priced good QPR selection served BTG from the winelist.
Lake Sonoma Winery produces a range of red and white wines from across the Sonoma County winegrowing region representing its diverse assemblages of terroirs and micro-climates.  This diversity is expressed through Sonoma’s sub-appellations, many of which are renowned for specific varietals that thrive in each. 

Lake Sonoma Winery work with the most celebrated of these sub-appellations to offer their portfolio of  wines designed that showcase the region’s unique characteristics and the varietal for which it has come to be known.

This moderate priced Chardonnay is sourced from Lake Sonoma estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley. 

Lake Sonoma Winery’s winemaker, Jaime “JJ” Dowell joined Lake Sonoma Winery in 2021 after spending time in New Zealand managing the production of a high-end Pinot Noir at Villa Maria Estate in Blenheim. 

The native Californian started out working as an Associate Winemaker alongside highly regarded Jean Hoefliger at Alpha Omega Winery in Napa Valley’s Rutherford AVA for five-years. She then took over winemaking duties at Round Pond Estate before moving to Lake Sonoma Winery on the other side of the Mayacamas Mountain range that separates Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

When she arrived this wine was still in barrel. The previous winemaker made the decisions on harvest and fermentation, and left it to her successor to blend the final bottled wine. JJ put her spin on things, and through the blending, the identity was crafted. 

Winemaker Notes: "This classic Chardonnay expresses the best of the Russian River Valley appellation through vibrant citrus and tropical fruit aromas with hints of vanilla.  Bright fruit flavors including kiwi, lime and nectarine round out the palate followed by a rich and lingering finish."

The wine was left on the lees for three months to enhance the mid-palate richness. Aged for 22 months in 20% new French oak, 50% neutral oak and 30% stainless steel tanks.

This was delightful and a perfect complement to the walleye fresh fish special. 

Straw colored, medium bodied, balanced and flavorful peach, and tangerine citrus fruit flavors with accents of lychee tropical fruit on a smooth elegant lingering finish. 

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4170830

https://lakesonomawinery.com/

http://hemmingways-bistro.com/

Previous lunch and dinner dining experiences at Hemingway's Bistro featured in these pages:

Roots Klee Pinot Noir Hemingway's Bistro in Oak Park

Hemingway's Oak Park BYOB BTG Dinner

Hemingway's Bistro Wine Dinner Highlights FLW Architecture Tours

Château La Couspaude St Emilion Grand Cru Classé with Hemingway's Oak Park French Fare

Festive Holiday Dinner at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park

Anniversary Dinner at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park

Lunch at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park

Wine BTG with small plates at Hemingway's Oak Park

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

Louisiana Lagniappe Destin for spectacular fresh seafood

Louisiana Lagniappe Destin for spectacular fresh seafood

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 in Miramar Beach (FL). 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. 

Louisiana Lagniappe is somewhat of an institution in Destin, FL, opened in 1984 and established inside the Sandpiper Cove condominium community on the waterfront of the Destin Harbor lagoon.  Since then, Louisiana Lagniappe has developed a loyal following due to the quality of the food and the attention to detail of the service, consistently serving only the freshest Gulf seafood and steaks prepared with a Creole flair.

 

 

 Lagniappe is consistently ranked in the Top 10 restaurants on TripAdvisor and wins the Award of Excellence every year. 

We arrived shortly before 5:00 pm and were seated immediately on the outside deck overlooking the waterfront. By the time we left, the huge dining room inside and all the others were full and there was a line outside waiting for tables. There was a long line of cars waiting to be parked by the valet parking associate. 

Their extensive menus offers ten appetizers, ten 'Chef's Selections', eleven 'Lagniappe Favorites', three fried seafood and four steak offerings - all served with their delicious homemade hush-puppies, house salad and twice-baked potato.

With twenty delectable mouthwatering seafood dishes Louisiana Lagniappe is a landmark for finest Seafood in the area.

We had two seafood dinners, the Twin Lobster Tails and the Grouper Meuniere - Fresh Gulf Grouper, pan sautéed and finished with meuniere sauce. Both were fabulous, perfectly prepared and presented.

With our dinner we had WBTG standard Napa Chardonnay from the fundamentally sound basic wine list. 

Can't wait to return! Get there early. 

They also have a sister restaurant just across the state line on the Alabama shore at Perdido Beach in Orange Beach, AL. 

http://www.thelouisianalagniappe.com/destin/

Domaine De Ecette Les Gaoudoires Rully

Domaine De Ecette Les Gaoudoires Rully 2019 at ROW 34

As mentioned in my separate blogpost on our visit to Portmouth (NH), we dined at ROW 34 on Hanover Street and Portwalk Place.

We had the Lobster Roll with sides of the Fish Croquettes and a plate of grilled asparagus. From the menu:

• Whitefish Croquettes basil, preserved lemon aïoli* 
• Grilled Asparagus tapenade, citrus
• Whole buttered Lobster Roll served on a brioche bun 

With lunch we had from the wine-list this Burgundian Chardonnay BTG (by the glass). 

Domaine De Ecette Domaine de l’Ecette – Vincent Daux Les Gaoudoires Rully (Blanc) 2019

This obscure small production label has found distribution in the highly regulated state. We first found it on the winelist, then saw it prominently in other wine shops in the village including the New Hampshire State Liquor Store and Wine Outlet.

Domaine de l’Ecette is a small family estate of about 35 acres located in the village of Rully, on the Côte Chalonnaise in southern Burgundy. It is run by Father and son team of Jean and Vincent Daux who work together to combine experience and knowledge of Burgundian tradition with 'modern schooling, energy and enthusiasm' of the next generation. 

Management of the Domaine passed at Domaine de L’Ecette in 1997 after Vincent completed his studies in viticulture. The father and son team produce vibrant and lively wines that represent the Côte Chalonnaise with a portfolio of wines from the noble Bourgogne grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Aligoté.

Rully is a village with a long history, with a château which has been in the same family for six centuries, a church with an elegant bell-tower, as well as fine houses and parks. Rully was granted its AOC in 1939 and now produces red wines (Pinot Noir) and white wines (Chardonnay) with both appellations Village and Premier Cru with 600 acres under vine for whites and 300 for reds. It is in the appellation Côte Chalonnaise, one of no less than 84 world-renowned appellations of the Bourgogne (Burgundy) region with vines grown along a strip covering some 230km from north to south, with 30,052 hectares under vine.

The 84 appellations are spread over the regions include the world famous notables as well as the obscure, ranging from Chablis and the Grand Auxerrois, the Côte de Nuits and the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, the Côte de Beaune and the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, to the Côte Chalonnaise and the Couchois, the Mâconnais and the Châtillonnais. No wonder many find French wines confusing, complicated and bewildering.

As discussed in these pages, we tend to focus on Bordeaux wines and grape varietals. Like Bordeaux appellation system with its fifty plus designated areas, the wines of Bourgogne are classified into 84 Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (AOCs), from appellations Régionale to Grands Crus. The AOC system of classification guarantees the authenticity and helps maintain the quality of the region’s wines that reflect the diversity of the Bourgogne terroir and the expertise of its winemakers.

 

As with Bordeaux and the Rhone region, the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is a form of certification. It guarantees the characteristics of a wine in terms of the terroir where the grapes are grown, the way it is made, following certain precise steps, the terroir of the site, and the local savoir-faire, born from traditional methods that have been perfected over time.

The terroir consists of subtle differences in the wines are due to differences in soil, exposure and altitude, all of which vary considerably hereabouts. At heights of 230-300 metres, the hill-slopes produce wines which can compete with the best wines of the nearby Côte de Beaune. The Pinot Noir grape grows on brown or limey soils with little clay in their make-up. The Chardonnay grape prefers a claylimestone soil.

Producer notes - This wine is gold flecked with green, and the gold deepens with age. It is redolent with superb aromas of hedgerow flowers (acacia, may, honeysuckle, and a very delicate elderflower) as well as violet, lemon, white peach or flint. Time brings out honey, quince, and dried fruits. Indeed, this wine is full of fruit, which on the palate is lively and well-rounded, meaty and long. It has both the coolness and the polish of marble.

 

Golden straw colored, medium bodied, bright lemon, grapefruit citrus with hints of lime and tropical fruits, high acidity but sufficiently balanced for a pleasant lingering finish.  

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4658126

https://domaine-ecette.fr/ 

https://www.row34.com/

Hourglass Napa Red at RH Oak Brook

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hourglass "HGIII" Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2019 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RM 93 points.

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

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

https://www.hourglasswines.com/

https://rh.com/oakbrook/