Hall Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Hall Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018 

 

The third white wine we opened for our Gala Family Christmas celebration wine dinner was this Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Hall Wine.

 

Sauvignon Blanc in the most natural of white varietal wines, vinified nearest to the core fruit and less adulterated than any other varietal. Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite white wines for serious wine and food pairings as well as purely simple pleasurable sipping. 

 

The bright fruit and crisp acidity of this label were markedly different, lighter, simpler and more focused than the two more complex Chardonnay's we opened to accompany the lobster medallions. Most folks tended to one side or the other. I preferred this. 

 

Straw colored, medium light bodied, bright sprites of peach predominated accented by notes of melon, subdued green apple, hints of grapefruit and wet stone with a lengthy smooth finish. 

 

RM 91 points. 

 

This was awarded 92 points by Wine Enthusiast and 91points by International Wine Review.

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3457653

 

https://www.hallwines.com/

 

@HALLWines

 

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016

 Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016

For a quiet casual saturday evening in, we prepared a plate of artisan cheeses, fruits, charcuterie and popcorn, actually Linda's signature maple/caramel corn, we pulled from the cellar one of our favorite sipping wines for such an occasion, Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

Two stand-out cheeses that are emerging as favorites are Delice-de-Bourgnogne creamy light brie, and hearty firmly structured Old Amsterdam Gouda, orange in color and grainy textured - two diverse styles that are both nice complements to this wine. 

This is a go-to wine that we keep in the cellar, vintage to vintage, when we drink an older bottle, we'll replace it with the recent currently available release so that we always have some available. Its great for casual pleasurable sipping, but also sophisticated accompaniment to seafood, or white meats as well as salads and some desserts. 

The primary vineyard source is located in eastern Rutherford, consisting of old vines planted to a heritage Musqué clone and Sémillon, providing density, richness, and citrus notes. Two other old-vine vineyards from up in Calistoga are included in the blend, one planted to Sauvignon Blanc and the other to Sémillon. Also included are grapes from a cooler climate vineyard on the east side of Napa, imparting vibrant acidity and finesse to the wine. Finally, a vineyard in over the hill just east of Napa Vally in Chiles Valley, a small vineyard pocket in eastern Napa County,  adds complexity with old vines of Sauvignon Vert planted in 1947. 

This label release got 92 points from the Tasting Panel and from Wilfred Wong of Wine.com, 89 points from Wine Spectator.

Consistent with earlier tasting notes of this label back in 2018, this was light straw colored, light bodied, this vintage is more subdued and muted than recent vintages with moderate pear flavored fruit punctuated by citrus and grapefruit with only a slight hint of that peach flavor so predominate in some past years that reveals itself after a half hour or so from opening. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2616721

https://cliffledevineyards.com/

@CliffLedeWine

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/03/cal-wine-flight-highlights-st-pats.html

 

 

Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018

With fresh halibut dinner we opened this Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc from legendary producer Heitz Cellars.

I wrote about Heitz Cellars and their role as pioneers of modern California winemaking and Napa Valley wine history in a recent blogpost. Notably, the Heitz family involvement in the estate and brand ended in 2018 when the estate was sold to new ownership and leadership. This label would represent the last vintage release under the Heitz family stewardship.
 Heitz of course are known for Cabernet Sauvignon but they also produce this Sauvignon Blanc, a similar varietal also popular in Nap Valley.

This label is sourced from 45 acres of estate vineyards planted 1996 on Howell Mountain in the northeast corner overlooking Napa Valley.

Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Winemaker notes speak of this terroir influence in the release - "Our Sauvignon Blanc captures the liveliness of the grape with its bright, crisp flavors.  Refreshing and light, this wine has the joie de vivre to make every occasion a bit more exciting. The fruit is estate sourced from the lower elevations of our Ink Grade Vineyard. In this idyllic spot, the geography and microclimate are uniquely suited for Sauvignon Blanc. The mornings are extremely cold and the afternoons are warm, a variation of temperature that allows for exceptional ripening. This vineyard is organically farmed and the grapes are certified organic. The combination of hillside and high valley fruit gives the wine a complimentary balance of flavors, imparting tropical and citrus notes. Fermented and aged four months in stainless steel, our Sauvignon Blanc is classically fresh and vibrant."

This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Straw colored, light medium bodied, bold notes of zesty citrus fruits of lime and grapefruit with note of lychee and tropical fruits with pronounced minerality and moderate acidity.

RM 88 points.

This label was given 90 points by Wine Spectator.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3263214

Emmolo Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Emmolo Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017

As the legendary Caymus family passes to the next generation, they also expand the Caymus portfolio with new labels that include the Emmolo and Mer Soleil brands. These are attributable to the next generation of the Wagner family extending into their wine family businesses, or developing new brands by the next gen.

We first discovered the Emmolo label during our visit to Caymus Estate during our Napa Wine Experience in 2018.

The Wagner wine business dates back more than 45 years with Chuck Wagner, along with his parents, Charlie and Lorna Wagner, founding Caymus Vineyards in Rutherford, Napa Valley. Caymus of course is known for two world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignons under the Caymus label from Napa Valley.

Chuck’s older son, Charlie, created the Mer Soleil branding consisting of coastal Chardonnay and a recently released Pinot noir. In addition, he is Director of Winemaking for Conundrum which includes Conundrum White, Red, and a Sparkling and Rosé label.

Wagner's older daughter Jenny is winemaker for Emmolo, a brand that includes Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot from Napa Valley. Emmolo is named after Jenny’s maternal family, and was launched twenty years ago by her mother, Cheryl Emmolo. Jenny’s great-grandfather, Salvatore Emmolo, starting the family’s grapevine rootstock nursery in St. Helena in 1923. Her grandfather, Frank Emmolo managed the nursery, but also grew Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot on the family property. Jenny’s mother created the wine label named Emmolo to carry the family name to the next generation.

Jenny started working alongside her father, Chuck Wagner, learning hand-ons grape farming and winemaking in the Napa Valley. She has taken on the Emmolo legacy as winemaker, Striving to produce quality Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot.

Emolo wines are sourced from fruit from the family Estate north of the Caymus property in the Rutherford district of Napa Valley. Jenny’s grandfather planted vineyards in the 1950’s and her mother launched Emmolo in 1994 and turned the reins over to Jenny in 2011.

As the brand expands, the wines will also be sourced from the Suisun Valley about thirty minutes east of Napa Valley. This label starting sourcing fruit from there from the 2019 vintage release.

Emmolo Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017

For a delicate grilled white fish dinner, I pulled from the cellar this Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc for pleasant simple sipping.

The winemaker's notes about this wine: "Inspired by the idea that less is more, this wine is more minerality-driven than fruit-driven. Not grassy or overly ripe, it features delicate fruit flavors and steely, mineral notes that call to mind a first summer rain. Our grapes come from two family vineyards, and we harvest the fruit at just the right moment to achieve a balance of firm acidity and low alcohol.

Winemaker Notes  - "A luminous pale gold, this wine opens on the nose with freshness of a first summer rain, layered with scents of white peach and a hint of guava. The palate features a lively acidity balanced by delicate fruit flavors of peach and newly ripened honeydew."

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2974386

http://www.emmolowines.com/

https://www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/ 

Villa Andretti White Wine for Casual Sipping

Villa Andretti California varietal white wines for every day summer sipping - Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc 2018

We picked up a special offering mixed case of Villa Andretti California white varietal wines for casual every summer sipping.

We visited Andretti Winery Estate in Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2017. We tasted a wide range of wines from extensive Andretti portfolio that consists of Estate wines sourced from grapes grown on the 41 acre property vineyards, a premium brand sourced from estate fruit and contract sources, and a more modest pedestrian brand sourced from fruit from growers beyond the Napa region.

While Andretti grow Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc on the estate vineyards, these labels from that last brand, Villa Andretti are designated California as opposed to Napa Valley or more specific sub-appellations such as Oakville or Rutherford.

The appellation rules call for the wine to be labeled based on the source of at least 75% of the grapes in the bottle. In this case, the fruit is from California, but not necessarily from Napa or other regions, and most likely, not from the Oak Knoll District estate.

While the published price or release price is comparable to estate labels of top producers such as Cliff Lede, Pahlmeyer, Markham and so on, we acquired these through this special offering at a 40% discount. Another lesson to be learned by many folks learning the branding and distribution strategies of wine producers, a producer will set a price to establish the value of the label in the marketplace. If or when they discount that price, they serve to undermine the 'street' price of their brand and label in the marketplace. Hence, producers will endeavor to prop up or maintain their 'published' price to support their brand. They'll offer discounts to valued, repeat customers who buy in quantity via a allocation distribution subscription or membership. Premium and super premium labels with strong brands and healthy demand, may only be available through such methods.

We joined the Andretti wine club and obtained several allocations of the premium Andretti Montona brand, Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. We canceled our membership when we received the same vintage label release two years apart, in a row. The reason a collector would subscribe to such an offering would be to compare vintage releases from year to year.

Another lesson to be learned here is that Andretti is not an owner of vineyards, rather a tenant of the winery and surrounding vineyards. This might be fine however it may not be a brand to collect for long term cellaring or tasting over an extended period if it exceeds the terms of the lease. There are some long term arrangements of growers supplying producers that span several decades. And some of the most famous or notable vineyards are owned by long terms holders of the property who sell the grapes under long terms contracts to notable producers.

Lastly, like many producers, Andretti offer many brands and labels that are sourced from contract suppliers. This low end entry level every day drinking selection may or may not be such a brand.

In any event its a more modest priced set of labels geared for every day drinking. To that end we acquired a mixed case of three labels, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Moscato.

This is our first tasting of this recent purchase and receipt. Notably, we acquired this mixed case at the height of the pandemic shut in period when we were locked in, and running low of our every day drinking whites, as we entered the summer season. We'll look forward to enjoying it over the course of the summer.

Villa Andretti California Sauvignon Blanc 2018
 
Light silver golden peach colored, light medium bodied, somewhat muted aromatically, subdued notes of citrus, stone fruit, hints of pear and lychee - roundness but lacking focus or crisp precision on a moderate finish.

RM 86 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3401248
 


For our Covid Curve Rebound Wine Dinner we served Villa Andretti Chardonnay as an opener with the salad course and a selection of artisan cheeses.

Villa Andretti California Chardonnay 2017 

This was a nice complement to the selection of artisan cheese.

Golden butter colored, medium bodied, notes of green apple, pear and citrus, with hints of peach on a modest finish.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3638729

Craig Mt Veeder and Lede Sauv Blanc for Surf and Turf Dinner

Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon and Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc for Surf and Turf Dinner

For a special celebration dinner at home, Linda prepared beef tenderloin and lobster tails with baked potatoes, salad, hothouse tomatoes and artisan cheeses. I pulled from the cellar two perennial favorite labels to accompany the dinner - Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet and Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc.

I've written often in these pages about our collection of Robert Craig wines dating back three decades across the portfolio of labels, and this being Robert's favorite selection. Tonight, for our celebration dinner, I pulled a twenty year old 2000 vintage release.

To accompany the cheeses and salad, as well as the lobster tail, I opened Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc 2016. We served two of my favorite cheeses, Old Amsterdam Gouda and Gorgonzola.

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016

This is a mainstay label we keep on hand for such occasions. This is the last of our 2016 vintage collection so we'll move to the 2017 release next time we select this label.

Our visits to the Lede Winery estate in Stags Leap District Napa Valley been a highlight of many of those trips.

Straw colored, light bodied, aromas of floral and apricot and flavors of peach predominate with tones of lychee, pear, apple, citrus and hints of lime with a crisp clean sharp tangy finish.

RM 90

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2616721 

Earlier tasting ... https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/03/cal-wine-flight-highlights-st-pats.html

https://cliffledevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/CliffLedeWine

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/search?q=Craig+Veeder

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/05/robert-craig-mt-veeder-cabernet.html

My Cellartracker records indicate that we have close to four cases of just label spread across a dozen and half vintages dating back to the inaugural release in the mid-nineties. 

Our last tasting of this label was four 1/2 years ago when I wrote, "Showing amazing resilience and vibrancy in its seventeenth year, this is what this wine is supposed to taste like, with all the essential characteristics of a Mt.Veeder appellation Cabernet – dense, generous black fruit integrated with fine, sinewy tangy tannins."

Tonight, while the label was a bit soiled from the cellar, the foil and cork were perfect and the cork came out effortlessly, intact and in perfect form using an ahso two pronged cork puller.

When we lasted tasted this vintage release and posted a tasting note on 12/11/2016, I wrote: "Expansive aromas of bright dark berry fruit emanated from the glass. Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, bright forward ripe black currant fruit tones accented by black raspberry and black berry, spicy oak and anise. The finish features a solid core of black fruit that lengthens and combines with smooth mocha, cedar and cassis for a plush, long-lived finish." 

Tonight's tasting was consistent with that last experience and I note that I did not notice any diminution from aging at twenty years of age, a testament to Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet and quality craftmanship.  I repeat my rating of 91 points that I gave it last time. 

Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/12/robert-craig-mt-veeder-napa-valley.html

https://robertcraigwine.com/

https://twitter.com/RobertCraigWine 

 

 


 

Stonestreet Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Stonestreet Sonoma County Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2015 with French Morbier

I opened this simple, pleasurable light drinking wine before dinner for sipping out on the deck over the course of a delightful spring evening.  

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the purest most natural easy sipping wines which we try to keep on hand for such occasions.

I later opened it to try with some artisan cheeses Linda brought home from the cheese department at the local Mariannos. It proved to be a nice pairing with a French Morbier. 

Morbier-style cheese comes from the highest part of the Jura Mountains in a small farm village in the Franche-Comté region. It dates back to the 19th century when producers of Comté cheese decided to make a smaller cheese from the day's leftover curd for their own consumption.

Morbier has an ivory colour and is soft and fairly elastic. It is immediately identifiable because of its black layer of tasteless ash, which separates horizontally in the middle. The Soot is thrown on top in order to prevent a rind from occurring.  

This fruity, creamy Livradois is produced from cow's milk, French Morbier cheese matures for 6 weeks before it is ready for sale.

Stonestreet Sonoma County Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2015
 

The Winemaker writes about this label, "This Estate Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of several blocks planted at 900 ft. elevation. It displays everything one would expect from Sauvignon Blanc grown at altitude in rock-driven soils: exotic fruit character grounded by serious textural and structural components." 

The rear label states this was sourced from the Couger Ridge blocks in the Alexander Valley, Sonoma County. It says this was grown, produced and bottled by Stonestreet in Healdsburg. Labeled as Estate means the grapes were sourced from the producer's own vineyards.

Wine Enthusiast wrote, "Stonestreet consistently delivers complex, refreshing renditions of Sauvignon Blanc. Grassy on the nose, with an exotic tease of pea shoot, it seemingly vibrates on the palate with lemon, grapefruit and apricot flavors."

Straw colored, light medium bodied, this was bright notes of pineapple, peach with accents of grapefruit and green apple, hints of passion fruit and pear on the tangy finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2547428

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Linda prepared chicken marsala with brown sauce and brown rice to take to a shut in friend and we dined on it as well. To pair with the entree we selected Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

While we primarily collect and drink Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignons, this is perhaps our favorite Sauvignon Blanc and one we keep on hand with each vintage release as one of our mainstay 'go-to' wines.

The primary vineyard source for Lede Napa Sauvignon Blanc are estate grown Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Musqué. Another vineyard located in eastern Rutherford has old vines planted to a heritage Musqué clone and Sémillon.

Two other old-vine vineyards, both in Calistoga, contribute to the blend, one planted to Sauvignon Blanc and the other to Sémillon. In many vintages, they also include grapes from a cooler climate vineyard on the east side of Napa, imparting vibrant acidity and finesse to the wine.

A vineyard in Chiles Valley, a small pocket in eastern Napa County, adds complexity with old vines of Sauvignon Vert planted in 1947.

The Cliff Lede winery estate and vineyards with their picturesque sculpture gardens at Yountville Cross Road and Silverado Trail are one of our popular visits during our many trips to Napa Valley. The most memorable was our private tour and tasting during our Napa Wine Experience 2009.

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Straw colored, light bodied, aromas of floral and apricot and flavors of peach predominate with tones of lychee, pear, apple, citrus and hints of lime with a crisp clean sharp tangy finish.

RM 90



https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2616721 

Earlier tasting ... https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/03/cal-wine-flight-highlights-st-pats.html

https://cliffledevineyards.com/

Coronavirus shut-in virtual family dinner and wine tasting

Dispersed Family Conduct Coronavirus Shut-in Virtual Family Dinner and Wine Tasting

Locked in for the Coronavirus pandemic, our family, Alec and Viv in New York, and Ryan & Michelle, Sean & Michelle, and us, Linda and me, in Illinois, held a virtual family dinner and wine tasting.

Linda prepared a beef pot roast with carrots, potatoes and gravy. To complement our family dinner I pulled from the cellar a special vintage bottle of Château Gruaud-Larose, 1989.

Ryan and Michelle prepared beef bourguignon with half Cabernet Sauvignon and half Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (below). Prior to dinner they also had a selection of artisan cheeses. They accompanied these with an Arrowood Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2011.

Alec, in New York City, prepared a grilled steak dinner, Pittsburgh style, to make his dad proud! He and Vivianna tasted a Sonoma Valley Arrowood Monto Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.

Sean, also shut in here in Illinois with Michelle, prepared a parmesan crusted halibut topped with micro green and fresh chives, picked from the nearby forest preserve, served with steamed artichokes, served with a Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc (below).

Funny that Sean mentioned the chives being picked from the nearby forest preserve. Linda, too, went out into our yard and cut fresh chives which she mixed into a home prepared fresh pimento plus cheese spread which we also enjoyed prima (before) dinner.

Both Ryan and Michelle and Linda and I prepared extensive cheese plates to accompany our wines before dinner. Our plate included remnants of a aged Old Amsterdam Gouda and an authentic Roquefort we bought last weekend, served alongside Linda's pimento cheese dip and an aged sharp cheddar.

Sharing and comparing our dinners and wines started in the afternoon via text messages and shared videos and pictures and continued throughout the evening and the following day. Perhaps the most memorable part, in addition to be connected and communicating virtually, was a commemoration to Linda's father, the boys' grandfather Ned, who was a farmer who raised beef cattle. The irony was noted that Alec, Ryan, and us all prepared elegant beef dinners - hailing 'Descendants of Ned' in tribute and remembrance! The Descendants of Ned, our boys created this tee-shirt commemorating what is becoming their annual boys getaway ski weekend visiting their visiting cousin Wesley in Steamboat.

Château Gruaud-Larose St Julien Bordeaux 1989

I pulled from the cellar this vintage label of  Château Gruaud-Larose which was a wonderful, perfect accompaniment to our beef stew dinner. This was special as our visit to the Chateau Estate in St Julien Beychevelle was one of the memorable highlights of our trip to the Medoc last fall.

The aged 1989 vintage release was also to compare with a vintage 1989 Napa Cabernet Phelps Insignia that I took to our recent OTBN wine dinner. 

Gruaud-Larose is comprised of 202 acres planted to 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 7.5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1.5% Malbec with about 300,000 bottles produced annually. 

January 2020

At thirty years of age, the fill level was above neck, ideal and appropriate for its age, the label and foil were near perfect, having been purchased upon release and held in or cellar since.

The cork was partly, nearly half saturated, yet intact and the seal in the bottle was perfect, actually releasing some pressure when the seal was broken. It was extracted routinely using an ahso two-pronged cork puller. I suspect it would not have surrendered (intact) using a traditional corkscrew.

Upon initial pouring, this was slightly cloudy but it cleared over the course of an hour. Initially there was some dusty mustiness, to be expected in a thirty year old, and this too cleared as the wine breathed and opened.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, bright tangy lively plum and black currant and black raspberry fruits accented by tones of floral, leather, forest floor, cigar box, tea and hints of cassis and creosote on a lingering floral minty finish of firm, silky-textured, smooth tannins.

Tonight

Tonight's tasting was consistent with our recent tasting of this same label from our cellar back in January when I wrote, "This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, concentrated, bright, expressive black plum and currant fruits accented by pronounced brilliant violet floral and cigar box notes turning to tangy sharp tongue puckering tannins on the lingering finish."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/01/chateau-gruaud-larose-st-julien.html

This wine with our beef pot roast was a perfect wine and food pairing, enhancing the experience and enjoyment of both, exponentially. The magic is not only the food, or the wine, but the pairing of the two together, and the company, both in person and virtually! 

RM 91 points.

This label also got 91 points from Wine Spectator.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5037

@ChateauGruaud

Queensyard Hudson Yard NYC Dinesite

Queensyard Hudson Yard NYC Restaurant

Sunday afternoon dinner in NYC we visited the spectacular new megaplex Hudson Yards mall with its twenty plus dining options. We traversed the six levels exploring several checking out the view, ambiance and menus. We settled on Queensyard for our Sunday afternoon dinner site.

Hudson Yards is located in Manhatten on Tenth Avenue between 30th and 34th streets above the railroad yard at the Hudson River. It is the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States with investment exceeding twenty-five billion dollars. It is the new heart of New York and is a metroplex where people come together to work, live and play, and enjoy chef-driven restaurants or shop the world’s iconic brands. 

queensyard is a British restaurant where the layout is inspired by the rooms of an English country home. The all-day dining destination has seating for numerous styles - a wine bar in the café, a light lunch in the Kitchen, a board room for business or private dinners adjacent the wine cellar, and an airy light filled open dining overlooking the Hudson Yard Grand Plaza, the river and views of Hoboken across the river.

Having been to Britain literally two hundred times over the decades, having worked for a British company for over a decade, I am only too familiar with British 'cuisine', or lack thereof. I accepted queensland as our dining destination presuming it was Australian. If I had known it was British themed, I would have likely been resistant. What a pleasant surprise that the food was so good, and the ambiance and setting so delightful!

There are three dining options in queensland, the bar, the cafe or the restaurant. Sunday afternoon dinner in the restaurant is a two course price fixe menu, which we chose for our dining experience. It was spectacular in almost every aspect.

The north and south ends of the grand dining room features two great murals that pay homage to the English countryside entitled St. James Park and Somerset Countryside, created by Sarah Moore, a well-respected American artist.

The queensyard menu is modern British fare, that focuses on British cooking but features influences from both sides of the Atlantic.

For our starter course we chose three different selections. Each was tremendous. 

English Rose / chicken liver & foie gras parfait, bittersweet chocolate & stout,
pickled mushroom & pumpkin

Brooklyn Burrata / muscat grapes, local wax beans, pear mustard

 Marinated Yellowfin Tuna / avocado wasabi, fermented kohlrabi, lychee, finger lime 

For our main course, we all chose the Braised Atlantic Halibut with carrot & ginger purée, yuzu glaze, lobster grapefruit sauce. It too was delicious except for the fact that the lobster accompaniment was not fresh and was gamey or a bit too strong fishy. The lobster meat was not of the tail but rather from the claw, but that was not the reason for its diminution. Furthermore, Linda's Halibut was a bit undercooked, while Viviana's and mine were good. 

For dessert we shared Sticky Toffee Pudding with caramel sauce, rocky road and ginger ice cream.

Interesting that even the selection of sparkling water was British from Wales.  

To accompany our dinners, we chose from the winelist this white wine - a French Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc. 

 Jack Pinson Sancerre Domaine de la Voltonnerie Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018

'Old World' wines are named for the region or area from which they are sourced such as, in this case, the commune of Sancerre in the Loire Valley. Those wines invariably are sourced from a single predominant varietal grape. Wines from Sancerre are generally comprised of Sauvignon Blanc. In the New World, wines are named for the predominant grape that is in the bottle, and this would be referred to as Sauvignon Blanc. 

Jack Pinson founded his 2.5-acre domaine in 1970 in the village of Crézancy-en-Sancerre. Today, the property is overseen by his daughter Alix. The property includes 31.5 acres planted in Sauvignon Blanc and 8.5 acres of Pinot Noir.  The terrior soil is generally clay and limestone. 

This was straw colored, light-medium-bodied, dry with aromas of orange blossoms and honey with a notes of lemon citrus, grapefruit, and herb turning to notes of with minerals on a crisp mildly acidic finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3447970 

https://www.queensyardnyc.com/ 

Pinon Vouvray at Amandas Hoboken

Damien Pinon 'Tuffo' Vouvray at Amandas Hoboken 

For a midweek team business dinner, we met in Hoboken at Amanda's Restaurant, one of our
favorite eateries in town that we discovered and enjoyed when son Alec lived a few blocks away a few years back. Colleague Tom O'R, a 'local' knew Amanda's well and called it a well known long time dining institution in the area.

Tonight, Amanda's was quiet, although I was reminded it was Yom Kippur which may have been a factor. 

For our dinner entrees, I chose the daily special, Oven Roasted Maine Lobster with cognac citrus butter and puree' potatoes, while colleague Tom O' had the Tagliatelle with mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops in arrabbiatta sauce.

Colleague Vivek is a vegetarian so it was nice to be able to accommodate him with Amanda's special menu offering, Vegan Cauliflower Korma with rice pilaf, raisins, red onions, curry cauliflower sauce.

To accompany our dinner, we ordered from the winelist this Loire Valley Vouvray Chenin Blanc.

Notably, as oenophiles (wine lovers) know, it is customary that French wines (and 'old world' wines in general) are named for the region and sub-region or appellation from where the wine is produced.

On the other hand, in American (and the 'new world' in general), we name our wines for the grape varietal predominant in the bottle.

Hence, parsing the wine label, this is from producer Damian Pinon, from the village and appellation of Vouvray, in the Loire Valley wine region in west-central France. This label offering is named 'Tuffo' by the producer.

Damien Pinon ‘Tuffo’ Vouvray Loire Valley 2017

This is the 'flagship' wine of producer Damien Pinon. From the clay-limestone soil of Vouvray, the dominance of limestone produces a dry, crisp, moderately fruity expressive wine, showing notes of lychee, green apple and stone fruit with a soft and smooth mineral finish. This is 100% Chenin Blanc.

RM 89 points.

Fellow Cellartracker collector WineShlub from Long Island loves this wine and gave it 94 points, writing in his tasting note: "Aroma of stone fruit with a bit of beeswax. Complex mix of flavors includes elements of stone fruit, lanolin, lichee. Rich lichee and apricot finish. Fresh, vibrant, complex, firm backbone, great staying power. Archetypal Vouvray, excellent QPR."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3187013

I arrived early and tasted a couple of their wines-by-the-glass (WBTG) offerings as part of their happy hour special features.

Peter Yealands 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, Marlborough, New Zealand

Butter colored, light bodied, crisp clean pleasant easy drinking, green apples, lychee and stone fruit with a smooth clean finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3118040

https://www.yealands.co.nz/


Château La Fleur Plaisance 2016 Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France


Chateau La Fleur Plaisance is a quaint, family owned estate nestled on 29 acres located just north of the village of Saint-Emilion. Vineyard management and wine making is a joint venture between the Eresue family and notable Bordeaux winemaker Benoit Calvet.

There is a saying, 'you don't get Dom Perignon by the glass'! Hence, caveat emptor when ordering any wine by the glass since it may have been opened for a while and storing opened wine is a challenge for more than just a day or two unless the proper facilities are in place.

Tasted BTG (By-the-Glass), I sense this WBTG offering perhaps had been opened too long or not stored appropriately and was beyond its suitable serving/drinking state. Hence, take my tasting experience with a note of caution since it may not be a fair appraisal of this label. 

Garnet colored, medium bodied, smoke and earth notes overtake the black berry fruits with tones of anise, leather and hint of cedar.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=3429195