Christmas revelry includes ultra-premium wine flight

Christmas revelry includes ultra-premium wine flight

Christmas Day, we made the rounds to the kid’s homes to celebrate the holiday with their families in their own homes. We’re blessed that all four of our kids, and our eleven grandchildren are all here in the area. 

The afternoon stop at son Ryan’s house found him preparing a beef tenderloin for their gala evening celebration dinner with the in-laws. It afforded us the chance to taste the flight of wines he opened and set aside for the occasion. 

As part of the tasting opportunity/experience, we brought along from our cellar a premium Napa red from the same appellation, and a vintage desert wine.

We paired the wines with a selection of artisan cheeses Ryan set out for the occasion. They included:

• Rogue River Blue
• Farmhouse Truffle Gouda
• Chardonnay Infused Creamy Toscana 
• Brie

The wines flight:

• Antica Terra Anequorin Willammette Chardonnay 2020
• Hall Wines Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
• Odette Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
• Shafer “Hillside Select” Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
• Alois Kracher Scheurebe TBA #9 Zwischen den Seen 2001 
• Giraud Sauterne 2013

Antica Terra “Anequorin” Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2020

Antica Terra is a boutique winery with an 11-acre vineyard located in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley on a rocky hillside with steeply pitched grades and panoramic views of the surrounding land  in the Eola-Amity Hills, founded by John Mavredakis, Scott Adelson and Michael Kramer.  

The first vines were planted in 1989 in a clearing within the oak savannah. The geology of the site is extremely unusual. In most of the region, vineyards are planted in the relatively deep, geologically young soils left behind by either the Missoula floods or the volcanic events that formed the Cascade Range. The remains of older pre-historic seabed rise to the surface with exposed boulders, steeply pitched grades without topsoil, amongst a fractured mixture of sandstone sown with fossilized oyster shells, leaving the vines to struggle. 

The west wind moves constantly through the vines. Clouds fissure over the vineyard and allow the sun to ray through, at an angle and with a clarity that makes the site feel bright, even on the bleakest day. But it’s what you can’t see and feel, those aspects of the site that the vines allude to as they strive to find balance, that make it a remarkable place.

In 2005, winemaker Maggie Harrison came on board. Harrison had been assistant winemaker to legendary Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non.  

Audrey Frick's notes on the producer for jebdunnuck.com: "Maggie Harrison is a first-generation winemaker, having grown up in the Midwest. With an educational background in International Relations and Conflict Resolution, she fell in love with wine while working in restaurants and set out to follow that passion and create wine. She went on to land the position of assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non, where she remained for eight years. She is currently the co-owner and winemaker for Antica Terra, producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since 2005, and is also responsible for the Syrah at Lillian Winery in Santa Barbara. Initially, it had been her goal to only produce a singular wine, but during blind tastings for blending, she felt the various components would not necessarily complement one another and would overpower or detract from the other. Rather than force them to homogenize, each of the wines bottled today chases the individual and opposing personalities each possesses. Her wines are impeccably expressive and worth seeking out if you can get your hands on them." 

Today, Antica Terra produce ultra-premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rose. Maggie Harrison leads the winemaking team focusing on small-batch wines using meticulously sourced grapes from the best vineyards in the Willamette Valley crafting wines that show off the region’s unique terroir and individualized tastes. 

They taste about 150 samples over 10 days through a careful selection process that ensures they use only the best grapes. The wines are aged in French oak for up to 36 months. This method produces complex and age-worthy wines that highly desired.

This Aequorin Chardonnay and their Obelin Pinot Noir labels are only produced in certain vintages making them are rare and sought after. 

The 2019 release of this label was rated 98 points by James Suckling and 96 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 94 points by Wine Advocate.

This 2020 Aequorin Chardonnay was an extraordinary vintage due to the season faced with forest fires. As they tell it, Antica Terra Collective Tasting. “(This was the) Only chardonnay made in 2020, picked before the wildfire smoke decimated much of the Pinot that year. All we had was this: seven-fiftieths of the fruit we typically harvest, all white when typically, mostly red. The result -  A funky, savory, unique chardonnay. Musk melon, dank oak, charcuterie, plummy stone fruit. Maruchan chicken soup base and no one can tell me otherwise!! Distractions disappeared and left in their place, their opposite – a mindful possession, in clear and vivid form.”

Very unique and distinguishable - Greenish golden straw colored, medium bodied with tightly wound, intense brilliant focus, vivid bright vibrant razor-sharp acidity, complex textured ripe layers of fresh pear and orange citrus with notes of hazelnut, melon the producer refers to as Brioche and salted butter and oak notes on a long crisp tangy finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.anticaterra.com/2020-aequorin-chardonnay/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4348327

www.anticaterra.com

Moving to the red wine flight …

Hall Wines Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

We’ve featured Hall Wines often in these pages highlighting our visits to their magnificent Hall Napa Valley Rutherford Estate vineyards, winery and cellars in 2013 and their Hall Rutherford Winery Estate Appellation Tasting in 2017.

We discovered, tasted and acquired this label at the magnificent Rutherford estate winery during that Napa Wine Experience in 2017. We then acquired more of  this highly allocated release as part of our wine club distribution. 

This is sourced from the Schweizer (75%) and Bench (25%) vineyards in the Stag’s Leap District AVA of Napa Valley The vineyards are bounded on the east by the warming Stags Leap Palisades, on the west by rolling hills and the Napa River, on the north by the Yountville Cross Road, and on the south by flatlands. 

Legend has it that quick and nimble stags would escape the indigenous hunters of southern Napa Valley through the landmark palisades that sit just northeast of the current city of Napa. As a result, the area was given the name, Stags Leap. 

While its grape-growing history dates back to the mid-1800s, winemaking didn’t really take off until the mid-1970s after a small but pivotal blind tasting called the Judgement of Paris, when a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon won first place against its high-profile Bordeaux contenders, like Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion, international attention to the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley escalated rapidly.

Winemaker notes - “The dramatic diurnal shifts, emanating from the San Pablo Bay influences, ushers in cool nighttime air, which helps the grapes retain their tell-tale fresh acidity. The wine possesses bright red berry and plum flavors, with a vibrant and lengthy core of tannin.”

This 2015 Hall Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 97 points by Robert Parker, 95-97 by Jeb Dunnuck, and 93 points by Vinous. 

Deep inky purple-black colored, full-bodied, powerful rich concentrated but polished and nicely integrated ripe sweet black berry and black cherry fruits scented by earthy notes of pine, forest floor and bark with notes of spice, cigar box and hints of cassis with ripe, firm, grainy tannins on a long full finish.

RM 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2639918

Https://hallwines.com/ 

https://mcnees.org/winesite/labels/labels_California/lbl-CA-Hall-Stags-Leap-Napa-Cab-2015-remc.jpg

https://twitter.com/HALLWines

@HALLWines

Odette Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This is part of the Plumpjack group portfolio of wineries. We used to love their wines. I wrote about Plumpjack and their unfortunate demise into woke progressive politics in this recent blogpost - 
Plumpjack Estate Napa Valley Cabernet for meatloaf dinner, and in previous posts, Plumpjack Founders Reserve Cabernet, and Spectacular dining experience at Entourage Restaurant Downers Grove.

 in more detail in a recent blogpost. 

Odette Estate Winery was established in 2012, sitting on 45 acres straddling the Silverado Trail in the Stag’s Leap District in southeast Napa Valley. It was founded with a guiding philosophy of environmental responsibility and a commitment to preserving their special spot in the Stags Leap District for generations to come.

“Change is good, green is good, organic is good,” says Odette partner John Conover about the estate’s environmentally proactive approach to winemaking. “We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do as stewards of the land.”

They subscribe to and practice Organic farming and their winery construction and operation reflect these priorities in their LEED designed facilities that promote a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five critical areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

The winemaker for Odette is Andrew Haugen who gained interest in wine with the movie Sideways during his time at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He set out to deepen his knowledge, with his fascination with relationship between ‘site and soul’ in wines. Andrew joined the Plumpjack/Odette team in 2015 as Cellar Master, honing his skills and ascending to Enologist, Assistant Winemaker, and now Head Winemaker for Odette and also sister winery estate, Adaptation.

This release is actually a blend of Bordeaux varietals- 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. 

Bring a classic traditional Left Bank Bordeaux Blend explains why this wine was wider and more complex and not as deep, so to speak, when compared to the other Napa Cabs. This likely showed best when consumed with the beef tenderloin. 

This release was awarded 97 points by Jeb Dunnuck. 

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, round, complex, concentrated ripe blackberry, black currant and black raspberry fruits accented by crème de cassis, licorice with notes clove spice and anise with bright acidity and smooth polished fine grained tannins on the long persistent finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.odetteestate.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4137711

Shafer “Hillside Select” Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

The highlight of our tasting, was this vintage release of the iconic flagship of legendary Napa producer Shafer Vineyards. I’ve written in these pages about our holding the predecessor to this label back with the Reserve release of Hillside vineyard back in 1982, which became Hillside Select in the follow year vintage release. That happened to be one of our birth-year vintage wine holdings for son Ryan which I featured in this blogpost - Birthyear Vintage Wine for Family Birthday Dinner, excerpted below.

Shafer Hillside Select is a classic Napa Valley premium label dating back to 1983. The prior year, 1982, was Ryan's birthyear, and for that vintage, Shafer produced this Hillside Vineyard Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which thereafter from the following 1983 vintage would be known as Shafer Hillside Select.

Hillside Select is sourced from a collection of rugged, arid vineyard blocks that surround the winery in the Stags Leap District in Southeast Napa Valley.

Founder John Shafer was a native of Chicago, hailed from northern suburb Glencoe, and lived for a time in nearby Hinsdale, Illinois. He moved to Napa Valley in 1972 when the Shafer family purchased a 209-acre property including 30 acres of Scansi’s vineyards. In 1973-74 Shafer planted Cabernet Sauvignon, creating small hillside vineyard blocks such as Sunspot and John’s Upper Seven. 

In 1978, John produced his first Shafer Vineyards wine, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from fruit sourced from John’s Upper Seven vineyard, a precursor to Hillside Select.

Doug Shafer joined his father John as winemaker in 1983. When he tasted the 1982 lot from the Sunspot vineyard block he was so impressed he talked John into keeping it separate from the others. With the Sunspot lot, Doug created this label, Shafer’s one and only Reserve Cabernet. Starting with the 1983 vintage, in 1984, the Reserve was rebranded as the first release ofHillside Select.

That inaugural release of Hillside Select, and those since, are sourced from the collection of 14 small vineyard blocks planted within an eons-old amphitheater-like structure of rock and volcanic soil that surrounds the winery. With scant soil nutrients and moisture, yields at harvest are meager and the berries are small, producing lush Cabernet Sauvignon fruit with dark color and intense, classic flavor.

I wrote about Shafer Vineyards in a detail blogpost back in 2021 as part of my review of the book A Vineyard In Napa by Doug Shafer, that chronicles the founding and history of Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley 

It is about the life of John Shafer, a Chicago businessman, and his pursuit of a dream when he decided to pursue a second career by buying a plot of land that included a vineyard in Napa Valley back in the early seventies. 

He moved his family from their comfortable suburban lifestyle in an adjacent suburb from here, to a remote mountainside farmstead in rural northern California, and set upon developing vineyards, and ultimately, building a winery, a business and a brand.

The book, narrated by Shafer’s son Doug, follows their dual careers as they lived the history of Napa Valley and the American California wine business. Through it they learned the challenges, travails, science, technology and handicraft of planting and growing grapes, crafting wines, and building a brand and wine business- the three legs of the stool, as they called it.

So, it’s with a bit of reverence when I get the chance to taste this iconic ultra-premium label.

This release was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points by Connoisseurs' Guide and James Suckling, 94 by Wine & Spirits, and 92 points by Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast which also coined it a “Cellar Selection“.

Winemaker notes for this release - “A newly opened bottle of 2006 announces itself with lifted, aromatic beauty. The lively, elegant nose is followed in the mouth with a core of juicy, black fruit, chocolate, black plums, cassis, black and red cherry, black tea, and vanilla and spice. Ripe, round, Stags Leap District tannins put together good structure for very long term aging.”

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, powerful, textured, rich, structured core of concentrated black berry and blackcurrant fruits framed by complex layers of bitter dark chocolate, licorice, cassis, cedary camphor, minty pine and lead pencil graphite with full round tannins on a long long lingering finish, well oaked, having been aged in 100% new French barrels. 

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=544877

https://shafervineyards.com/index.php

 

@ShaferVineyards - https://twitter.com/ShaferVineyards

@unwindwine, @rickmcnees

More to come …. 

Alois Kracher Scheurebe TBA (Trockenbereene Auslese) #9 Zwischen den Seen 2001

It’s fascinating holding these wines over the years and seeing them darken from straw color to butter to gold, then weak tea and tea colored, and beyond! Top vintages of these “Ice-wines” can last several decades or more. 

Neusiedlersee in Austria is one of the classic growing regions for vinification of grapes for producing these wines, along with the Sauternes appellation in inland eastern Left Bank Bordeaux, the Niagara Peninsula escarpment in southern Ontario just above Buffalo, NY, and the western Canadian Okanagan Peninsula. 

This wine is from producer Alois Kracher, internationally regarded as one of the finest dessert wine makers. Their estate vineyards located in the Seewinkel, an area in the Burgenland region of Austra, along the eastern shore of Lake Neusiedl, called the Weinlaubenhof, 

Their estate has the terroir including the unique appropriate microclimate uniquely suited to the production of Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese wines. Their estate has 80 acres of vineyards planted with Welschriesling, Chardonnay, Traminer, Muskat Ottonel and this Scheurebe, such as in this label. 

After Alois Kracher passed away in December 2007, his 27 year-old son Gerhard took over responsibility of winemaking and continues to manage the winery with the same skills and acumen and successful outcomes as his famous father once did.

Source of Austria’s finest botrytized sweet wines, the Burgenland covers a lofty portion of Austria's wine producing real estate consisting of the smaller sub-regions of Neusiedlersee, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Mittelburgenland and Südburgenland.

Neusiedlersee, named for the lake that it surrounds to the east, is home to a great diversity of grape varieties but the region’s most notable wines, however, are the botrytis-infected, sweet versions.

We hold more than a dozen labels and vintages spanning more than two decades of Kracher premium dessert wines. We enjoy serving them for special occasion dinners with fellow eoephiles that appreciate the label. 

Trockenbeerenauslese is the highest in sugar content in the category of Austrian and German wine classifications. Trockenbeerenauslese wines, called "TBA" for short, are made from individually selected grapes affected by noble rot (i.e., botrytized grapes).

This means that the grapes have been left on the vine to ripen to the point that they gain a high sugar content, individually picked and are shrivelled with noble rot, often to the point of appearing like a raisin. They are therefore very sweet and have an intensely rich flavor, frequently with a lot of caramel and honey bouquet, stone fruit notes such as apricot, and distinctive aroma of the noble rot. 

Trockenbeerenauslese means literally "dry berry selection." This very sweet dessert wine is made from individually selected shriveled grapes that have the highest sugar levels with flavors concentrated further by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot. 

Trockenbeerenauslesen rank among the greatest sweet wines in the world.

Winemaker Notes - “Medium gold in color. Attractive aromas of orange zest, floral characters and reminiscent of fresh grapes. Nutmeg, exotic fruit and a touch of honey on the palate. A very mineral finish.”

This release was rated 94 points by Wine Spectator and 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

At 23 years of age, the label and foil, and most importantly the fill level and cork were in pristine condition. The color had evolved from straw to butter to gold to weak tea to tea colored. 

This was full bodied, rich, thick unctuous, concentrated syrupy nectar of honeyed apricot, grapefruit citrus, clove spice and nutmeg with roasted nut notes on the thick tongue puckering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

Wine Enthusiast said - “The most concentrated of the range of TBAs made by Kracher in 2001, this is almost too sweet, almost too concentrated. It is hugely liquorous, with very low alcohol because the sweetness of the grapes was too much for the yeasts, which gives it a character almost of intensely sweet, very pure grape juice.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19088

https://www.kracher.at/

Master Sommelier curated winelist at Auburn U Culinary School Restaurant

Master Sommelier Thomas Price curated winelist at Auburn U Culinary School Restaurant

Enroute to a getaway at The Cove, Destin, Florida vacation rental home, we stopped in Auburn, AL to visit an investment property on the campus of Auburn University where we dined at the 1856 Residence Culinary School fine dining restaurant.

The Wine Spectator recognized 1856–Culinary Residence restaurant, named after the year of the university’s founding, is an upscale teaching restaurant sited on College Avenue directly across from campus in the new Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, home of the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management.

The restaurant, opened in the summer of 2022, is the flagship of the four story Rane Culinary Science Center at the university and integrates classrooms and laboratories with a restaurant, a coffee roaster and café, a boutique hotel, bars, the rooftop garden, and other real-world hospitality services.

The Culinary experience is part of the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management.program which includes three pillars - Hospitality Management, Event Management and Culinary Studies. The working restaurant operations offers students immersive hands-on training in all aspects of the front and back of the house. 

1856 – Culinary Residence offers patrons a unique dining experience with stylish modern architecture, the dining room adjacent the open kitchen and bar, and also includes a view into the wine cellar with its two story wine wall, and a private dining room between the working kitchen and cellar. 

The 1856 restaurant operates a la carte lunch and a seven-course tasting menu at dinner.

Academy students staff the restaurant under the guidance of one or more Chefs in Residence, a position that rotates each year. Each year, an acclaimed chef works alongside the Ithaka Hospitality Partners team as well as Auburn University faculty and staff to create a unique restaurant concept, providing a one-of-a-kind, ever-changing culinary experience for students and restaurant guests alike. 

They boast the country’s first tasting-menu-only teaching restaurant that offers a unique and elevated experience where education meets experiential dining. The multi-course meal at the 1856 restaurant delivers a gourmet pleasure for diners while providing educational lessons for the Auburn University students who prepare and serve the food getting hands-on experience, learning the myriad details of running a restaurant. A chef in residence, which changes annually, oversees how fine dining and the classroom intersect at the restaurant.

The presiding Chef in Residence is Ford Fry who founded Rocket Farm Restaurants in 2007 and currently oversees a portfolio of 23 restaurants in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Houston, and Cary, NC. Rocket Farm Restaurants includes some of the South’s most popular concept establishments including Beetlecat, St. Cecilia, The Optimist, Superica, La Lucha and State of Grace. While the concepts each have their own identity, they share a commitment to their respective communities and to serving exceptional food made with local ingredients and attention to detail.  

One of the highlights of dining at 1856 – Culinary Residence or participating in institutional programs is The Master Sommelier in Residence who designs and curates the wine program. The presiding wine director and instructor is Master Sommelier Thomas Price’s who has crafted a 650-label, Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence–winning program featuring wines primarily from France, Spain, Italy, California and Oregon. 

The current Master Sommelier, Thomas Price, spent the last 35 years working in some of Seattle’s most prominent restaurants, including his own. Shortly after obtaining his Master Sommelier certificate in 2012, Price joined Jackson Family Fine Wines as National Director of Wine Education, in addition to working with Auburn University’s Hospitality Management program as a visiting sommelier over the last eight years. 

During our visit, we had the pleasure of meeting Thomas who was gracious and hospitable, generous with his time to discuss the program, the wine selections from the Wine Spectator award winning winelist, their regions and producers, and several topics of oenology and mutual, shared interests and experiences.

Throughout the meal and our visit, we were hosted and served by a student as well as a full time professional server who also mentors, coaches and supervises students in all aspects of the front of the house operations. 

For our dining pleasure we ordered from the 1856 menu the wedge salad, starters and then entrees, with an accompanying wine selection. 

For our starters I had the Chicken Liver Mousse pate' with stone fruit on Brioche Toast, and Linda had the Marcel Bread with Garlic Herb Buer, Whipped Ricotta, Olives, Prosciuto and EVOO.

For her entree, Linda the Gnudi pasta with Pesto, Pine Nuts, Parmesan, Roop Basil and Evoo.

 Master Chef Ford Fry calls the Gnudi “a big umami flavor bomb.” It is house-made ricotta cheese seasoned and rolled into balls that are dipped in egg and buried in flour. That forms a shell when the gnudi is boiled. The cheese oozes out when the orbs are sliced. The sauce – sometimes brown butter, and other times a vinaigrette – features truffles.

For my entree, I ordered the Flounder Fish N' Chips - Crispy NC Flounder, Malt Vinegar Aioli, Garlic Oil and rice-Cooked Fries andwith pomme frits.

For our wine selection we drank the Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay from Domaine Serene. 

Domaine Serenc Evenstad Reserve Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2018

This is a producer we know well, one of our favorites and one of the few we collect of Oregon wines and Pinot Noir. We hold this same Evenstad Reserve branded label Pinot Noir going back a dozen vintages. We've seen but never tasted their Chardonnay and were eager to do so, especially in this idyllic setting. Having tried it and enjoyed it immensely, we'll be sure to pick some up as soon as we return home.

In discussions with wine director Master Sommelier Thomas Price about this selection he raved about Oregon Chardonnays and the collaborative partnership the Auburn school enjoys with this producer.

The ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Chardonnay showcases the art of blending select barrels from estate vineyard sites in the Oregon Willamette Valley Dundee Hills AVA. Three of the seven Domain Serene Dundee Hills vineyards comprising a total of 150 acres of vines are planted to Chardonnay, in addition to Pinot Noir, which produce highest quality fruit from the combination of Dijon clone vines, Jory soil and the high elevation of the Dundee Hills estates.

Winemaker notes - "The 2018 vintage of this acclaimed wine incorporates the best select fruit of each vineyard into the compelling blend. An enticing tropical medley of kiwi and yellow peach act as the melody, with high notes of white flower and fresh linen. The oak treatment is flawlessly integrated, with a lingering minerality and salinity completing the symphony. This wine will certainly deserve a place in the cellar of the discerning collector of fine Chardonnays."

This vintage release was awarded 96 points by James Suckling, 95 Points "Editor's Choice" by Wine Enthusiast and 93 points by Wine Advocate. It was Ranked #87 in Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2020.

Golden straw colored, medium to full-bodied with creamy texture, complex concentrated pear, white peach and yellow apple fruits with notes of honeydew and wet stone and hints of citrus, hazelnut and bit of butterscotch on a crisp acidic lingering finish. Delicious.

RM 94 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3629925

https://www.domaineserene.com/

https://auburn1856.com/

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and grilled beefsteak

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and grilled beefsteak

Beautiful Saturday night dine-in on the deck, we grilled a Cowboy Tomahawk Ribeye beefsteak, served with roasted potatoes, grilled onions and fresh vege plate. In light of the 90 degree temp weather, I pulled from our cellar an aged vintage Pinot Noir as an accompaniment, offering something lighter and more approachable than a full throttle Bordeaux varietal. 

This turned out to be a perfect pairing accentuating the enjoyment of both the wine and the dinner. In addition to the beefsteak with grilled onions, the effervescence of the wine was especially amplified by the robust tomatoes and a side of sourdough bread with honey butter!  

Readers of these pages know we typically favor Bordeaux varietal wines but on occasions such as this we will turn to Burgundy. Part of tonight's selection was also inspired by the fabulous memorable Vosne Romanee Burgundy Pinot we had at our Pour Boys Winers and Diners dinner the other night. 

This is one of the select few Pinots that we collect and hold in our cellar and I pulled this aged thirteen year old, the oldest vintage as part of proper cellar rotation management, which we'll likely replace with a current vintage as part of maintaining this vertical collection. 

This particular label has some special significance since Linda and I discovered it at a memorable outing during one of our get-away weekends to Chicago. We had a bottle at Smith & Wollensky sitting outside overlooking the Chicago River for a summer afternoon wine, salad and cheese interlude. Its been a favorite ever since. 

This is from producer Domaine Serene, whose owner proprietors Grace and Ken Evenstad who, after 20 years building a successful business in Minnesota, settled in the Oregon Willamette Valley in 1989. They acquired a 42-acre hilltop estate that had just been logged in the Dundee Hills with the intent of growing and producing world-class Burgundian style Pinot Noir. They established Domaine Serene, naming the winery after their daughter, Serene, and their first vineyard on the estate after their son, Mark Bradford Evenstad.

Today, the Evenstad's land holdings have grown to over 1,000 acres, more than 360 of which are planted to vine in three AVAs of the Willamette Valley.

Domaine Serene produces wines from six individual vineyard estates, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Each estate offers a diversity of soils, clones, rootstocks, microclimates, slopes and elevations that add distinguishing complexity and elegance to the wines.

Since the first vintage in 1990, Domaine Serene has produced award-winning wines, including this Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, recognized as the World’s #3 Wine of 2013 by Wine Spectator Magazine.

Their 2012 Winery Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir was named the Top Pinot Noir in the World by Decanter magazine in 2016. The 2014 Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay received 95 points and was ranked the #2 wine in the world on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year. As a result, Domaine Serene became the only winery in the world to receive a Top 3 rating in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Over the years, Domaine Serene’s wines have produced 200 wines scoring 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator.

In 2017, the 2013 Domaine Serene Jerusalem Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir was awarded the Top American Pinot Noir at the Decanter World Wine Awards. 

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2010

This label release is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from eight of the estate vineyards of the 142 acre estate in the Dundee Hills AVA of which 84 acres are planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the oldest vines dating to 1993. The vineyard sits at an elevation of 520-825 feet in the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley. 

This release was rated 95 points by Wine Spectator and was #3 Wine of the Year, Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2013, 93 points by Wine Advocate and 92 points by Wine Enthusiast, the highest-scoring Evenstad to that date.

6,000 cases were produced. 

Winemaker Notes - "Wonderfully complex wine that delivers an array of red fruits, caramel, baking spice, vanilla, dried flowers, and potpourri. On the palate, this elegant wine shows a harmonious balance of structure, richness and acidity with soft tannins and a clean, lingering finish."

Wine Spectator said to drink through 2020, Wine Advocate in 2015 said it drink it over the next decade (through 2025), and I believe it is at near the end of the apex of its drinking window, not likely to improve further with aging, time to enjoy!

Despite the soiled label, importantly, the fill level and cork were in ideal condition

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, vibrant expressive black raspberry and plum fruits with sprites of cherry, cinnamon spice, black tea and hints of graphite and what Advocate called 'bay leaf', with a long tangy finish. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1601874

https://www.domaineserene.com/

https://twitter.com/SereneWine 

@SereneWine

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008 

For casual mid-week sipping with fresh fruits and cheeses we opened this vintage aged Pinot Noir. This particular label has some special significance since Linda and I discovered it at a memorable outing during one of our get-away weekends to Chicago. We had a bottle at Smith & Wollensky sitting outside overlooking the Chicago River for a summer afternoon wine, salad and cheese interlude. Its been a favorite ever since. Read this blog and you'll see we're not big Pinot drinkers, yet we keep this label in stock as a mainstay in our cellar. We currently hold a half dozen vintages dating back to this one, the oldest, which we'll replace with a current vintage as part of cellar management. 

This is from producer Domaine Serene, whose owner proprietors Grace and Ken Evenstad who, after 20 years building a successful business in Minnesota, settled in the Oregon Willamette Valley in 1989. They acquired a 42-acre hilltop estate that had just been logged in the Dundee Hills with the intent of growing and producing world-class Burgundian style Pinot Noir. They established Domaine Serene, naming the winery after their daughter, Serene, and their first vineyard on the estate after their son, Mark Bradford Evenstad.

Today, Domaine Serene produces wines from six individual vineyard estates, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Each estate offers a diversity of soils, clones, rootstocks, microclimates, slopes and elevations that add distinguishing complexity and elegance to the wines.

In 2001, thy built a state-of-the-art, five-level, gravity flow Pinot Noir winery.

Since the first vintage in 1990, Domaine Serene has produced award-winning wines, including this Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, recognized as the World’s #3 Wine of 2013 by Wine Spectator Magazine. Their 2012 Winery Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir was named the Top Pinot Noir in the World by Decanter magazine in 2016. The 2014 Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay received 95 points and was ranked the #2 wine in the world on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year. As a result, Domaine Serene became the only winery in the world to receive a Top 3 rating in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 

In 2017, the 2013 Domaine Serene Jerusalem Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir was awarded the Top American Pinot Noir at the Decanter World Wine Awards. 

Through the continuous pursuit of quality and innovation, Domaine Serene has garnered global recognition as an iconic quality leader of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

For the past 30 years, Domaine Serene, under the guidance of the Evenstads, has been focused on excellence in a never-ending quest to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their mission is to produce outstanding quality through continuous improvement and a commitment to extremely high internal standards. Domaine Serene’s wines represent the achievement that is possible in Oregon, one of the finest regions in the world for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008

This label 2008 release was awarded sequentially, 95 points by James Suckling, 94 points by Wine Enthusiast, 93 points by Wine Spectator, 92 points, Connoisseurs Guide, 91 points, Allen Meadows - Burghound, and 90 points by Wine & Spirits. 

Six reviews (ers), six different scores is a vivid example that such reviews are in the eyes of the beholder, and there is no right or wrong answer. All that matters is what one/you think (s), and such ranges occasionally reveal individual alignment or cohesiveness with one reviewer over another. 

This was bright dark ruby colored, medium bodied, complex forward tangy black cherry and black berry fruits, accented by notes of fennel, smoke, spice, tobacco and hints of black pepper on a taunt dry tongue coating finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1098528

https://www.domaineserene.com/blog/2008-Evenstad-Reserve--Pinot-Noir1 

https://www.domaineserene.com/

https://twitter.com/SereneWine

Team dinner at Italian Village Chicago

Team dinner at Italian Village Chicago - new menu specials and new wine (s)

Holocene Memorialis Pinot Noir and Soffocone di Vincigliata Toscana Sangiovese

With key staffers in town for meetings and a workshop, we dined at our regular customary dinesite, Italian Village, Chicago. 

Collaborating with Wine Director, Jared Gelband, we selected a traditional Italian Tuscan Sangiovese, and for a change, a new release Oregon Pinot Noir from Pacific Northwest winemaker Todd Alexander. 

We hosted Todd Alexander and wife and partner Carrie at Italian Village during their release promotion tour visit to Chicago back in 2016, and introduced them to our friend and Wine Director, Jared Gelband. 

Jared was impressed with Todd's 'artwork' and selected several of his labels to feature on the extensive award winning winelist. 

Jared continues to carry Todd's labels on the extraordinary Italian Village winelist, which is primarily Italian, including this recent release of Todd and Carrie's new Holocene brand. 

Holocene Memorialis Pinot Noir (Yamhill-Carlton) 2018

This is the fourth vintage for this Pinot Noir project from Todd Alexander, winemaker at Force Majeure. The first vintage was 2015, released in early 2017. It's a single-vineyard cuvée (vineyard unidentified) from the MonksGate vineyard in the Yamhill Carlton AVA in the Willamette Valley Oregon. 

Todd moved to Washington from Napa Valley where he crafting wines for ultra-premium producer  Bryant Family Vineyards. Today he is winemaker for Force Majeure in Walla Walla and have recently released his own brands Paxsa and this Holocene. 

This is another project of Todd Alexander, who moved to Washington from California (he worked at Bryant Family Vineyards from 2010 to 2014 and was responsible for vinifying the 2012 and 2013 wines) to take over winemaking at Force Majeure and launched this project to make Pinot Noir from Oregon fruit.

Todd partners with a few very small, diverse and amazing vineyards in the Willamette Valley, sourcing fruit from these dry-farmed sites that emphasize low yields, sustainable practices and produce outstanding fruit. 

Says Todd, "Everyone knows that the Willamette Valley is an amazing place to grow Pinot Noir. When I relocated from Napa Valley to partner up with Force Majeure Vineyards, I knew I also wanted to start a project where I could focus attention on a varietal and growing region that I loved. Part of the excitement of being in the Pacific Northwest is the ability to have access to so many amazing vineyards and so much diversity, along with the opportunity to push boundaries and try new things."  

Todd has developed a reputation for crafting much heralded, highly regarded wines that reflect their "real sense of place" through minimal manipulation, 'utilizing very low-impact, non-industrial techniques, native yeasts, little extraction and little new oak, and never filtering or fining'. 

So, it was only fitting that when Jared received and offered from his allocation this small limited production release from Todd, we were compelled to try it with our dinner. 

Ravioli Di Costata Corta Brasata

This was a perfect complement to our ravioli stuffed with short rib dinner special, a new offering on the IV menu - Ravioli Di Costata Corta Brasata - pasta stuffed with short rib, parmesan and ricotta cheese, mirepox in a red wine demi glaze. 

Readers of this site know I am not a big Pinot drinker, opting more for Bordeaux and Rhone varietals. Never-the-less, the fun of wine is trying new labels, varietals, regions and producers. 

I loved this wine which exceeded my expectations and sets a new benchmark for me for Oregon Pinots going forward. I am a member of their club (s) and regularly take my allocation of their other labels, but immediately signed up to get on the list for this label release (which is naturally sold out) when it becomes available in the future. 

This label release was awarded 93-95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 points by Vinous.This is from the 2018 Oregon vintage that was a warmer than average year, sourced from a west-facing hillside of sedimentary soils located in the heart of the Willamette Valley (not far from Beaux Freres and Shea Vineyard). This is 100% Pinot Noir that was 20% destemmed and brought up in 20% French oak, 

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, elegant and seductively textured and structured, perfectly balanced and integrated raspberry and strawberry fruits, with notes of floral, herbs, hints of sweet milk chocolate, white pepper and spice, with a silky smooth lingering finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3642047

http://holocenewines.com/

 

https://twitter.com/ForceMVineyards

 

Also check out our Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting.

Bibi Graetz Soffocone di Vincigliata Toscana IGT Sangiovese Blend 2016

For our second wine, we ordered from the winelist this Tuscan Sangiovese Blend. 

This is from well known producer Bibi Graetz, who, since his first release back in 2000, has developed a reputation as one of Italy's most ingenious winemakers. He produces a broad portfolio of wines including popular labels Testamatta and Colore which have earned him almost cult status to many Italian wine aficionados. 

Born and raised in Italy, Bibi makes his wine in his family home, Castello di Vincigliata, a medieval castle which stands on a rocky hill to the east of the village of Fiesole overlooking Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany.  

Bibi inherited the ancient historic castle acquired by his parents over 60 years ago. Surrounded by vines, he set out to teach himself winemaking from grapes initially from the small, 5-acre vineyard on this hillside in Fiesole, but expanded and grew to bringing in grapes contracted from other growers around the region. Through sourcing arrangements with growers from parcels of old vines around Tuscany, Bibi had full control of style and crafting of his wines. 

This label, Soffocone di Vincigliata, is the only wine named by a specific designated vineyard of production, punctuating the special link between this wine and the hill where Bibi Graetz started his project. The beautiful vineyard of Vincigliata in Fiesole overlooks Firenze with one of the most romantic view of the city, from which Bibi took inspiration for the name and the unique label.

In the vein of Super Tuscans, but a little on the more elegant side, this wine is structured, complex and sophisticated. Sourced from 40 year-old vines it is primarily Sangiovese, 90%, but also blended with grape varieties Canaiolo Nero, 7% and 3% Colorino. It is fermented in stainless steel followed by aging in French barrels for 15 months and finished in bottle for 6 months.

Dark purple garnet colored, medium bodied, bright tangy plum, cherry and dark berry fruits with notes of licorice and a touch of lavender turning to dense fine-grained tannins on a lively bright acidity finish.

 

RM 89 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3165262

https://www.bibigraetz.com/it/index.php

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/wine-cellar/

https://twitter.com/italianvlg

https://twitter.com/jzgwine

 

 

 

Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir

Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir presents a bit of a conundrum

Linda prepared an incredible comfort food soup, French Onion soup with medallions of beef. I pulled from the cellar a favorite label we discovered together on a memorable get-away weekend alfresco  wine/dine outing on the Chicago riverfront.

It was a decade ago, we spent the weekend in the City (Chicago), on the riverfront and we got a table overlooking the river on a warm sunny afternoon. We were seeking something light and refreshing and the sommelier suggested this Willamette Pinot Noir. Readers of this column know we're not big Pinot drinkers, opting for Bordeaux and Rhone varietals rather than Burgundies. Never-the-less we tried it and loved it and this label has been one of our favorite go-to's ever since. when selected for the right occasion and the right food pairing. 

We have a half dozen vintages of this label in our cellar and I pulled the oldest vintage as part of regular cellar management. Of course, more precise cellar management would pull wines that are nearest the close of their drinking windows to avoid holding wines too long (past their drinking window).

Domaine Serene Evensted Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2007

This was wonderful, an ideal pairing with the hearty beef French onion soup, surprisingly delightful given the initial offsetting color impression. 

I am a bit conflicted on this wine as to its drinking window at fourteen years of age. It was showing a slight bit of darkening to the bright ruby color and it showed a touch of gaminess to the earthy tones, signs of diminution from age perhaps. 

But then I read the reviews and Wine Enthusiast wrote in 2011, "Although it is drinking like a mature wine, there is every reason to cellar wines such as this-it can develop like a fine Burgundy, over decades." 

Robert Parker Wine Advocate says 'drink it from 2011 to 2019' while Wine Spectator says '2012 through 2015'. I caution readers to not take these pundits too seriously, in the end, the only thing that matters is what you think and take from the experience with the wine.

Robert Parker wrote about toast, spice box and earth tones and Wine Spectator wrote about 'coffee' notes. Given the balance and elegance of the wine, I wonder if it was the profile and character, rather than its age, to which I attribute the darker notes. Since this is our last bottle, I may never know. I do know these were notes I don't normally associate with this label. 

My last blogpost tasting notes of this label.

Slight dark blackish bricking on the ruby color, medium bodied, notes of game, toast, earth and leather seemingly overtaking the bright cherry and red raspberry fruits, nicely balanced and a sense of elegance persist on the spicy tangy acidic but smooth polished finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1027405

http://www.domaineserene.com/   

https://twitter.com/SereneWine

@SereneWine

Farmhouse Restaurant KC

Farmhouse Restaurant Dinesite in River Market District, Kansas City

For our weekend getaway in Kansas City, we ventured into town for lunch along the mighty Missouri river. We found a spot near the river but absent any river views - The Farmhouse Restaurant in River Market District on picturesque Delaware street offers locally sourced, farm fresh to table casual dining.

We ate Kansas City grilled flank steak served on a brioche bun with home fries and a goat cheese arugula salad with farm fresh tomato.

We ate outside on the patio with picturesque street views and lively entertaining street scenes. 

The food was delicious, the service attentive and effective, and the atmosphere comfortable, entertaining and overall delightful. 

With our lunch we had from the winelist a Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir from Alexana. 

This was a later release of a highly rated earlier vintage of this label we had BYOB at our wine group dinner in Chicago a couple weeks ago. 

 
Alexana Terrior Series Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir 2018

Alexana’s Terroir Series Pinot was created from a diverse selection of clones and encompasses fruit from five of Willamette Valley’s top AVA’s which lends to this wine's complexity. 

Alexana's motto is that diverse soils create complex wines, and their Terroir Series Pinot Noir strives for and exemplifies this. Made from five of Willamette Valley’s AVA's showcases a broad range of soils, clones, exposures, and micro-climates.

At the winery, the fruit was triple-hand-sorted allowing only the best berries to be selected into the blend.  Alexana Pinot Noir was crafted by Bryan Weil who previously worked at Domaine Serene, one of our favorite Oregon Pinot Noir producers. 

This is from the producers of its sister winery, Revana in California Napa Valley, St. Helena, and like Revana, Alexana is quickly building a reputation of excellence.  In 2013 their Dundee Hills Pinot earned the #17 spot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list. 

This release final blend was composed from eleven different clones of Pinot Noir, spent ten months in barrel which contributes to its complexity yet it is smooth and nicely balanced for casual easy sipping. 

This label is perennially a high-scorer and at less than $40, it provides high QPR (Quality Price Ratio). 

Ruby colored, medium bodied, smooth easy sipping, bright expressive cherry and boysenberry fruits give way to tones of dusty rose with notes of cola, hints of floral, smoke, anise and dark chocolate with smooth polished tannins on the moderate finish. A very nice complement to the grilled steak and salad.

RM 89 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3582997 

https://twitter.com/AlexanaWinery  @AlexanaWinery

Sitting on the outside patio provided for a nice comfortable and relaxed setting yet offered lively activity of street scenes and even social engagement with passers-by as desired.

https://www.eatatthefarmhouse.com/

https://twitter.com/TheFarmhouseKC

@TheFarmhouseKC