Marina Cafe Wine Dinner

Fabulous Seafood and Wine dinner at Marina Cafe , Destin (FL)

Visiting, The Cove, our Destin (FL) vacation rental, we dined with neighbors Richard and Victoria at the  Marina Cafe, downtown Destin on Harbor Boulevard on the waterfront overlooking the Destin marina and harbor. 

We arrived shortly before 5PM opening to find a long line of people waiting to get in, an indication of the immense popularity of this local institution, promoted as “the most awarded restaurant in Destin”.. 

Marina Cafe is an upscale steakhouse with an extensive menu offering the local fresh catch seafood, pasta, sushi, wood-fired pizzas, and dishes with Creole, Mediterranean, and Pan-Asian influences, and an extensive wine list.

They offer a variety of dining options, the entire dinning room offers marina/harbor views through the wall of allow to ceiling windows, outdoor seating on the waterside patio, and a wildly popular trendy lounge with full bar. 

During the right season, there are also breathtaking sunset views as well.

Tonight, Thursday, was their “Little Black Dress” night featuring life music in the lounge with classical jazz saxophonist Ike Barkley and vocalist. The line of folks waiting outside streamed in as the doors opened to secure seats. 

From the menu we ordered several seafood selections - The Redfish special, Seared Grouper and the Seabass. 

I ordered the Seared Grouper with oven roasted purple Peruvian potatoes, pineapple rum cream sauce, mango papaya salsa. I have to say it was among the best dinners ever in Destin! 

The others ordered the Pan Seared Red Snapper - blackened red snapper, dirty rice, corn maque choux, creole crawfish cream sauce (above), and the Seared Sea Bass with garlic risotto, garlic braised spinach, lemon burre blanc (below). All the entrees were delicious.  

We took advantage of the BYOB policy and brought our own wine - a red and a white. 

Richard brought this vintage aged St Emilion Grand Cru. 

Château Clos des Prince Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 2014 

Clos des Prince produce this classic Saint-Émilion Grand Cru from their small 7 1/2 acre vineyard located 25 km east of Saint-Émilion, from vines with an average age of 48 years planted to roughly 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Annual production averages about 12,000 bottles.

Winemaking: The winery uses organic and biodynamic practices. The wine is aged in a mix of new (70%) and one-year-old (30%) barrels. 

This represents the classic style and profile of Saint-Émilion wines with notes of sweet berries and currants transitioning into floral hints. Some profiles highlight more complex undertones of stones, dark fruits, and tangier citrus notes like tangerine.

 

The 2014 Clos des Prince Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is a classic Right Bank red Bordeaux blend, typically 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.

The 2014 vintage received a score of 88/100 from James Suckling.

Producer/Distributor’s Tasting Notes: “Notes of sweet berries and currants transitioning into floral hints. Some profiles highlight more complex undertones of stones, dark fruits, and tangier citrus notes like tangerine.’

“Palate: Described as having a solid core of fruit supported by superpolished, medium tannins. It generally presents a medium to full body with a focused, delineated structure.”

The 2014 vintage in Saint-Émilion was generally considered a solid, classic year, particularly good for Merlot on the Right Bank. 

At a dozen years, this was likely at the apex of its drinking window, having had an ideal few years to soften and integrate after release, 

Pleasant drinking, dark garnet colored medium full bodied, structured but smooth soft polished sweet dark berry currant fruits with notes of stone minerality, leather, black tea and floral notes with polished structured tannins.

RM 91 points

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/2162596

Venge Vineyards Brown Ranch Vineyard Los Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay 2019

We brought from our home cellar one of our favorite Chardonnay’s currently at the apex of its drinking profile, from one of our favorite producers. We’ve written often in these pages how we have fun with this “V” label, that we serve with our daughter-in-law Vivianna. Tonight, we brought this to serve with our friend Victoria! 

We’ve featured this label in numerous blogposts, excerpted here. 

Venge Brown Ranch Chardonnay and Venge Vineyards Napa Valley Brown Ranch Carneros Chardonnay 2019

The name Venge has been synonymous with Napa Valley wines for as long as I have been of drinking age since the '70's, but the Venge family wine affiliation actually goes back much earlier, to when Knud Venge emigrated from Denmark to the United States in the early 1900’s. Knud's son, Per Venge, entered in the wine and spirits business and started Vencom Imports, focusing on importing Western European wines and spirits. Per's son, Nils Venge, started in, then left the family business in the 1960's to study viticulture at UC Davis and set the family name in the California winegrowing community.

The Venge family planted viticultural roots in 1976 with the purchase of a 17-acre estate in the Oakville District that was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, establishing them among the winemaking pioneers of Napa Valley.

Buddy, AJ with Nils and Kirk Venge

We met Nils and Dianna Venge on numerous occasions at Napa events and visiting the Venge Vineyards in Oakville during the nineties. We first met their son, Kirk Venge, who engaged in winemaking from an early age while they were developing the Rossini Ranch Vineyards, Winery and caves up in Calistoga. We visited Nils at the Penny Lane Family Reserve Vineyard in Oakville, then drove up to meet Kirk at the Rossini Ranch site in the eastern foothills of Palisade Mountain near Calistoga back in 2002. 

Kirk took over Venge Vineyards in 2008 and has established himself as a talented winemaker making wines in his own style. Kirk has continued the Napa Valley heritage crafting wines from select vineyard sites across Napa and Sonoma Counties worthy of bearing the Venge family name.

We've been collecting Venge wines since their earliest days. We now have fun collecting them with their notable "V" branding to enjoy with our daughter-in-law, Vivianna, as her 'signature' wines, and tonight with friend Victoria. .  

This is a single vineyard designated label sourced from the 30 acre Brown Ranch Vineyard in Carneros, named for the previous cattle rancher owner Nadine Brown. The vineyard is bordered by HdV’s Hyde Vineyard and Beaulieu’s Vineyard No.9 on Old Sonoma Road in the Carneros district, straddling the rolling hills in the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the nearby San Pablo Bay, combined with the abundant midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing elegant wines that combine power and finesse, with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.

The property, formerly associated with Saintsbury Winery, was purchased in 2012 by the Renterias. 

The Brown Ranch’s hillside alluvial soils, with Dijon Clone 76 set into the pre-existing rootstock, produces this rich full round Chardonnay, worthy of the iconic Venge name.

Winemaker's notes: The Dijon Clones are modern strains of Chardonnay carefully isolated from grapevine nursery blocks in France. These strains are selected for their incredible ability to produce the best of what the varietal has to offer and therefore have become quite popular with cool climate growers today. The cool and often foggy climate of the Brown Ranch Vineyard, located in central Carneros, Napa, allows for a slow growing season and optimal ripening. This climate aids in the balancing of acidity and lifting tropical aromas in the fruit and thus, in the finished wine. The vines were carefully hand harvested and delivered cool to the winery.

 

Winemaker's Notes: "This wine is stylish and freshly balanced, featuring a light, pale straw presence in the glass with a bouquet of fresh orange citrus, toasted pine nuts, mild allspice, rocky flints, and toasted oak. Crisp, savory pineapple, sweet delicious apple, savory stone fruit, and ripe pear lead into mouthwatering deliciousness. 

The grapes are blended into used French Oak barrels according to a Burgundian style of winemaking, light handed on the usage of new French Oak keeping it to an average of 45%.

This is one of our favorite chardonnays in our cellar right now, produced by Kirk Venge, son of Napa historic and legendary winemaker, Nils Venge. We met Kirk during a visit to Venge Vineyards back in 2005. He has since taken over the family business and developed his own portfolio and brands sourced from several properties across Napa and Sonoma Counties. 

I wrote in more detail about Kirk in a post "Visit to Venge Vineyards and Nils Venge" back in 2021.

This single vineyard designated label is from the 30 acre Brown Ranch (formerly associated with Saintsbury Winery and formerly a cattle grazing ranch taking its name from the former owner, Nadine Brown). The vineyard is bordered by two well known storied vineyards, HdV’s Hyde Vineyard and Beaulieu’s Vineyard No.9 on Old Sonoma Road. 

Sitting down in the Los Carneros region at the bottom of Napa Valley where it converges with the bottom of Sonoma Valley, near the confluence of San Pablo Bay. The cool and often foggy climate effects of the Bay allows for a slow growing season and optimal ripening. This climate aids in the balancing of acidity and lifting tropical aromas in the fruit and the resulting finished wine. 

The property was purchased in 2012 by the Renterias when many of the twenty nine acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines were afflicted with a fungi disease, Eutypa (otherwise known as the Dead-arm Dieback) causing trunks or arms of the vines to essentially rot and die. Rather than pulling all of these vines out, their vineyard management team decided to keep the rootstock, cut off the trunk just above the soil and allow a bud from the varietal to grow, training it into a new trunk and then trellising it when it became of size. The Brown Ranch’s hillside alluvial soils, with Dijon Clone 76 set atop pre-existing rootstock, make a Chardonnay that is worthy of producing under the Venge name.

Similarly, this Brown's Ranch chardonnay produced from uniquely afflicted vines is rich, full, round and forward yet stylish and balanced.

Winemakers notes: "A light, pale straw presence in the glass with a bouquet of fresh orange citrus, toasted pine nuts, mild allspice, rocky flints, and toasted oak. Crisp, savory pineapple, sweet delicious apple, savory stone fruit, and ripe pear lead into mouthwatering deliciousness."
 
The Dijon Clones are modern strains of Chardonnay carefully isolated from grapevine nursery blocks in France. These strains are selected for their incredible ability to produce the best of what the varietal has to offer and therefore have become quite popular with cool climate growers today.  

The wine is produced according to a Burgundian practice of winemaking wherein the grapes are traditionally whole cluster pressed and allowed to cold settle prior to filling once used French Oak barrels. Venge says their 'light handed usage of new French Oak, keeping it to an average of 45% of their Chardonnay, with gentle stirring of the lees in the early stages of ageing, further develops refined richness and length of body, while keeping the wine clean and fresh'. The wine is aged for 15 months. 65% native malolactic fermentation to build complexity and body, without compromising the structural integrity of the wine.

Bottled unfiltered, 395 cases were produced.

Consistent with our tasting note published back in 2022; This is one of our favorite chardonnays in our cellar that is drinking very well right now. Golden straw colored, medium full bodied, rich, round flavorful apple and pear fruits with layers of notes of caramel crème brûlée, mineral and citrus mineral and citrus with spicy oak grapefruit, ginger and a touch of peach and almond nut cream, with bright acidity, depth and balance on a full long finish. 

RM 92 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3884491

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/07/venge-vineyards-napa-valley-brown-ranch.html

https://www.vengevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/VengeVineyards

@VengeVineyards 

https://marinacafe.com/

Parker’s American Grill Downers Grove IL

Seafood dinner at Parker’s American Grill Downers Grove IL

Returning from an outing in Oak Brook, IL, we stopped for an early dinner at Parker’s American Grill in Downers Grove IL.

I had a taste for a seafood and wine dinner, ideally a light white fish such as one of my favorites, sole muniere’. 

We chose to dine outside on the terrace and were the only patrons to do so, having the whole patio to ourselves. The venue feels a bit old and tired and frankly is showing its age, perhaps needing a refresh.  

For starters we had the Marinated Beets and Goat Cheese with Greek Yogurt, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Basil and a surprisingly interesting and tasty Pomegranate Molasses; the Roasted Tomato and Burrata Crostini on Tasted Sourdough with Basil Oil; and the Lobster Bisque Garnished with Lobster Meat & Chives.

I regret to say, these were generally uninspiring given their prices, especially the Crostini which was overly soggy such that it was difficult to eat as a toast point. 

For the main course, Linda chose a starter as her entree, the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with Mango Salsa, Sriracha Aioli and Yucca Chips. This was delectable. 

For my entree I selected the Cedar Plank Roasted Lake Superior Whitefish, served with Whipped Potatos, Charred Lemon, Sautéed Garlic Spinach in Lemon Butter Sauce. 

The whitefish was served hot with a nice presentation but was also a bit uninspiring, perhaps I was hoping for a brighter, bolder more flavorful sauce. 

We each chose a WBTG (wine-by-the-glass) selection for our entree wine accompaniment from the extensive wine list - a Wine Spectator Best of Excellence Award with a broad and deep selection of  California French and Australia wines, with offerings from Italy, Germany and the new world as well. 

The Wine Director is Kyle Chambers and Sommelier is Fred Gore who oversee and manage the collection of 360 different labels from an inventory of 2,680 bottles. They also offer an appropriate and fair corkage fee of $25.

Parker’s American Wine List - download - https://parkersamerican.com/bar/#menu-wine-list.

Linda selected the Jean Marie La Villaudiere. Sancerre’ 2023 

This is Sauvignon Blanc from the upper Loire River Valley, synonymous with Sancerre, it is the home to  Sauvignon Blanc in Europe producing wines that are crisp and fruity, with racy acidity. 

The Loire valley soil is composed of limestone and fossilized seashells, which gives the wines their signature minerality. 

Domaine de la Villaudiere has been handed down through several generations to current generation owner producer Jean-Marie Reverdy. Jean-Marie manages the estate with his wife, Catherine, and their two sons, Guillaume, who serves as winemaker, and Baptiste. 

The 35 acre family estate is surrounded by vineyards and overlooks the tiny village of Verdigny, in the Cher department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. situated about 26 miles northeast of the regional town of Bourges.

The area with picturesque views of the famous Sancerre hills and its vineyards. Is known for wine-growing and farming and Verdigny is one of 14 hamlets in the region that grow grapes for the production of Sancerre AOC wine.

The Domaine de la Villaudiere vineyards consist of 68 plots featuring vines averaging 40 years in age, with ideal southeast exposure that ensures gradual ripening. This white Sancerre combines two unique terroirs: Terres Blanches clay-limestone slopes for complex, structured wines, and Caillottes dry limestone slopes for lively, fruity expressions.

Importer notes - “This wine displays a limpid, pale yellow hue with golden highlights. Expressive on the nose, combining floral fragrances with aromas of white peach and exotic fruit (pineapple, passion fruit). Well-balanced and honest on entry, the wine is underpinned by freshness and powerful, long-lasting acidity on the finish, revealing a lovely minerality.”

Producer’s Notes -  “A clear, light yellow colour with golden tints. The nose is expressive, combining floral aromas with white peaches and exotic fruit (pineapple, passion fruit). A bold attack harmoniously combines with freshness and tension on the palate, and is followed by a long powerful finish, bringing out a beautiful minerality.” 

Straw colored, light bodied, soft notes of peach, passion fruit and hints of apple with chalky minerality on the crisp finish. 

RM 88  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4986591

I selected the 2022 Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. 

Chalk Hill Estate was founded in 1972 by Fred Furth when he discovered the natural amphitheater carved into the hills of eastern Sonoma County, sitting on Chalk Hill Road just east of California Hwy 101, 20 miles north of Santa Rosa, 10 miles south of Healdsburg with elevated views of the Russian River Valley to the west and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east.

Most of the the 1300-acre Chalk Hill Estate remains uncultivated with wilderness areas amidst the  culinary garden, residence, stables, equestrian pavilion, sports fields, fishing and swimming ponds, and of course the vineyards, winery and hospitality center with guest houses. 

The estate sits in the namesake Chalk Hill AVA, which has the climate and soils perfectly suited for growing wine grapes. The unique terroir distinguishes Chalk Hill from the neighboring appellations – the cooler Russian River Valley to the west and the warmer Alexander Valley to the northeast. Elevations in Chalk Hill are higher; soil fertility is lower with its distinctive layer of chalk-colored volcanic ash which inspired the name of Chalk Hill, the appellation, and the estate.

The diversity of the Chalk Hill topography creates a broad spectrum of different sites across which can be planted both red and white varieties. The lower, cooler sites are perfect for Chardonnay while the steeper, warmer, south-facing slopes are superbly suited to ripen Bordeaux varietals.

Chalk Hill Estate was one of the first wineries in the area to focus on Chardonnay as its flagship wine. The first vineyards planted on the estate were 11 acres of Chardonnay known as the Founder’s Block. 

Beginning in 1996 Chalk Hill partnered with UC Davis to research Chardonnay clones. Through extensive trials, 17 clones were harvested separately from which they made, bottled, and evaluated the wines for 5 vintages – 1999-2003. The top-6 clones were selected to replant the rest of the Estate. Today Chalk Hill is now home to 23 different clones of Chardonnay, including the proprietary “Chalk Hill Chardonnay Clone 97”.

Today, 300 acres of vineyards are woven through the native foliage and contoured to fit the intricate terrain, planted two-thirds to Chardonnay along with Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and red wine varietals Pinot Noir and lesser amounts of Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. 

Chalk Hill was declared an AVA, American Viticulture Area in 1983, the Chalk Hill appellation being one of 13 across Sonoma County.

In 2010 Chalk Hill was acquired by Foley Family Wines. Bill Foley

Starting in 2011, they produce this Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, and entry level offering, crafted from the Bill Foley wine estates in Sonoma, blended with fruit from various sites across Sonoma Russian River Valley and Carneros.

Winemaker notes - “ Our 2022 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is bright, forward, balanced and approachable. Enticing aromas of red apple, spice, nectarine, and baked bread lead into a broadtextured, and creamy palate. With its cool-climate influences, this chardonnay has remarkable varietal intensity, balanced acidity and mineral notes that complement the flavors of fresh peach and honey.”

The 2022 vintage was rated 92 points by James Suckling and 91points by Wine Enthusiast.

Golden straw colored, medium bodied, round notes of subdued green apple and pear with a layer of chalky mineral and brown spice on a moderate finish. 

RM 88

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4710898

https://www.chalkhill.com/

https://parkersamerican.com/

Beach view dinner at Beach Walk Cafe Destin

Beach view dinner at Beach Walk Cafe Destin (FL)

Hosting friends Bob & Gloria and Jose and JaJa, at our Destin, FL vacation home, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

I’ve written about Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view in this blogpost in many blogposts in these pages as it has become one of our favorite go-to dining destinations in the area which where we dine regularly when in town. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, although their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. So, as is our usual practice, tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB our own Napa Valley Carneros single vineyard designated label Chardonnay.

For starters, Linda and I ordered the Mixed Greens Salad with Strawberries, Pecans, Goat Cheese, and Maple Bacon Vinaigrette.

Jose ordered my favorite dish, from the menu fresh seafood local catches and one of their signature dishes, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.

Gloria and I each ordered the Snapper with Corn Truffle Risotto, Madeira Mushrooms, Matchstick Truffle Fries, Citrus Beurre Blanc sauce. 

Linda ordered the Beachwalk Cafe signature crab cases. 

Bob ordered the Sesame Crusted Yellowfin Tuna with Garlic and Ginger Black Bean Bok Choy with Ponzu Sauce (shown) while Ja Ja had the Shrimp.

We ordered from the limited wine list a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for pairing along with our BYOB Chardonnay, featured below:

Nickel & Nickel Napa Valley Carneros Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

This is from Nickel & Nickel, a subsidiary of the legendary ultra-premium producer Far Niente Winery and Vineyards. If you've visited Napa Valley, you passed their winery estate on St Helena Highway 29 in Oakville as you enter Napa Valley from the south.

Nickel & Nickel was established by the partners of Far Niente in 1997 focused on producing single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the appellation's most significant growing regions. Dedicated exclusively to producing 100 percent varietal, single-vineyard wines that best express the distinct personality of each vineyard, they expanded their portfolio to also produce single-vineyard Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah wines.

Nickel & Nickel focus on 100% varietal, single-vineyard designated wines, sourced from as many as seventeen different vineyards, primarily in Napa Valley, but now extended to include some sites in the Sonoma County Russian River Valley appellation.

Their approach emphasizes selection of the very best vineyard locations and unique soil compositions required to make superior single-vineyard wines. Each Nickel & Nickel wine is a celebration of 'place' or terroir. It's amazing how such can reveal how vineyards only miles apart, but of the same grape varietal, yield wines of unique character and distinction.

This label release is 100% Chardonnay from the Truchard Vineyard located in the heart of Carneros AVA, prized for its rolling hills, sun exposure, and cool, breezy conditions that allow long, even ripening. 

Nickel & Nickel wines are produced from 14 select acres of this 270-acre vineyard, planted in 2007, composed of volcanic ash and rock with a southwestern exposure. The growing season tends to be long in this cooler area, allowing for fully mature fruit at harvest.

The Carneros region straddles the southernmost portions at the confluence of the Sonoma and Napa valleys, lying just north of the San Pablo Bay (an offshoot of the San Francisco Bay). There, the bay winds and fog, created when warm inland air meets cool sea air, keep temperatures relatively low, making this California wine region perfect for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Indeed many of our favorite and many memorable wines are from Carneros vineyards from some of the most heralded producers.

Nickel & Nickel Napa Valley Carneros Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

Winemaker Notes - "Nickel & Nickel Truchard Chardonnay 2022 is a wine that stands out for its full-bodied and flavorful taste, thanks to its carefully selected grapes from the famous Truchard Vineyard in Napa Valley, California. Upon opening the bottle, the wine releases an enticing aroma of citrus blossom and melon, which will leave your senses longing for more. This is followed by a silky and creamy texture on the palate, which is perfectly balanced by the wine's vibrant acidity.'

"The flavors of pear, melon, and green apple dominate the palate, and the wine is complemented by subtle hints of toasted oak that add a unique touch to the wine. The wine finishes with a long and mouthwatering taste, which leaves a lasting impression. Whether you are an experienced wine enthusiast or just starting your journey, Nickel & Nickel Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 is a wine that can be appreciated by anyone who values quality and craftsmanship.'

"This golden-hued vintage strikes the most beautiful balance between freshness and tropical lushness. Aromas of lemon peel and melon captivate the nose, while silky pear, peach blossom, and melon flavors cascade across a palate that is at once creamy and lifted. The finish is lively and bright, with juicy acidity, whispers of lightly toasted oak, and a refreshing minerality."

At initial review time, this vintage release has not yet been rated but the previous two vintage years it was rated 93 points and 95 points in 2019.

Golden straw colored, medium bodied, full round concentrated pear and apple notes with expressive sprites of mineral and roasted nut with hints of toasted oak on a full lingering bright acidic finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4763512

https://nickelandnickel.farniente.com/

https://twitter.com/NickelandNickel

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/10/nickel-nickel-truchard-vineyard.html

Beach Walk Cafe and BYOB Dusky Goose Chardonnay

Beach Walk Cafe and BYOB Dusky Goose Chardonnay

Vacationing with fellow Pour Boy, Lyle, and Terry, at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we took them to one of our favorite notable dining spots in the Destin area. 

For special Friday night outing, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

I wrote about Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view in this blogpost during our visit there last fall, excerpted below. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. this is made up for with a reasonable corkage policy/fee which we prefer anyway, so we can bring our choice of wine for appropriate pairing.

We dined on the deck overlooking the Gulf shore amidst the surf overlooking the beaches, Henderson State Park and the Destin skyline in the distance.

Tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB this ultra-premium Willamette Valley Chardonnay. 

We had with the starter course this delicious Mixed Greens Salad with Mixed Greens, Strawberries, Pecans, Goat Cheese, and Maple Bacon Vinaigrette.

Lyle ordered the Lobster Corn bisque which was also delicious. 

The last two times we dined here, we had the Seared Blue Crab Cakes with Mixed Greens and Jalapeño Horseradish Aioli, which was delicious. Tonight, Terry ordered this for her entree with a side of the garlic mashed potatoes (shown). 

For dinner I ordered from the menu fresh seafood local catches their signature dish, my favorite selection, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.

Linda and Lyle both ordered the Snapper with Corn Truffle Risotto, Madeira Mushrooms, Matchstick Truffle Fries, Citrus Beurre Blanc

After dinner, we enjoyed the Crème Brûlée and Carrot Cake with Ice Cream for dessert. 

With the salad and dinner courses, we enjoyed from our home cellar, BYOB, this Burgundian full flavored Chardonnay which proved to be an ideal pairing with the starters and seafood selections.

Dusky Goose Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2022

This is from producer Dusky Goose, founded in 2002 in the Dundee Hills of Oregon’s premier wine growing region, by native Oregonians John and Linda Carter. 

Dusky Goose seeks to craft premium wines that they hope will rival the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Old World. In addition to their estate Rambouillet vineyard, Dusky Goose sources fruit from some of the Willamette Valley’s most iconic sites including Dundee’s Lillie’s Vineyard and Yamhill-Carlton’s Fennwood Vineyard.

Dusky Goose winemaking was established by founding winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash, an icon in Oregon wine. Today, Hans Van Dale, a native of Santa Cruz, CA serves as winemaker in her legacy, seeking to craft wines that embody elegance, depth, and a sense of place.

Hans brings a wealth of experience having worked with Pinot Noir in Carneros, Anderson Valley, Central Otago, and all of the Willamette Valley’s nested AVAs. Before joining Dusky Goose, he served as assistant winemaker at Andrew Rich Wines. 

Hans oversees the production of both Dusky Goose and Rambeaux Wines at their winemaking facility in Carlton, OR. 

This label is 100% Chardonnay, 82% sourced from the Fennwood Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA,  and the remaining 18% from the Coulee Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. It was harvested in two picks to strike a perfect balance—preserving acidity while developing rich, layered flavors. Whole-cluster pressed, it was aged for 11 months in French oak, 42% new, before bottling.

Winemaker notes -  “The nose opens with flinty, waxy aromas, layered with honey and a blend of spices—nutmeg, cardamom, and clove—alongside fragrant orange blossom and honeysuckle. The palate delivers a warm, round entry, lifted by fresh acidity and a crisp, savory-salty finish. Flavors of French toast, caramel, and pear meld with flinty minerality, wet stone, and marzipan.”

Case production was 400. 

This was rated 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Golden straw colored, medium-bodied, full and round with crisp soft acidity, aromas of sweet floral, citrus fruits with flinty wet stone, roasted nuts, cardamom and a clean crisp elegant finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4584471

https://shop.duskygoose.com/product/2022-Chardonnay

https://www.hendersonparkinn.com/dine/beachwalk-cafe/

Signorello Hope’s Chardonnay BYOB at Entourage DG

Signorello Hope’s Cuvée Chardonnay BYOB at Entourage DG

We dined Friday afternoon early dinner at Entourage DG (Downers Grove). This week we ordered one of our favorite entrees, a replay of our recent Entourage dinner selections as featured in these pages in an earlier blogpost,.

Entourage DG, one of the our favorite go-to eateries with its great menu, ease of parking, great service, and reasonable BYOB policy. 

We have several favorite menu selections, both beef and seafood, so we’re routinely challenged on which wine we want to take BYOB, if any, for our dinner pairing. And, of course, we don’t know what the Specials will be, so, tonight we brought a red and a white to cover all contingencies on dinner entree selections. 

Linda opted for our perennial favorite dishes, the Entourage signature Miso Marinated Chilean Seabass with Broccolini, Charred Peppers, Shiitake Mushrooms and Black Truffle Risotto, Yuzu and the new offering approach, Lemon Butter Sauce. 

As I wrote in a previous post - Spectacular dining experience at Entourage Restaurant Downers Grove, that this was extraordinary, delicious in all respects, the fish artfully prepared and served hot, and the Black Truffle Risoto was spectacular. We love it all, the harmony and synthesis of the many artfully crafted robust flavors. 

Hence, I selected the Daily Special, a seafood dish, Hawaiian Wahoo, with which I asked they substitute the truffle risotto as the accompaniment. 

Based on our seafood entree selections, we opened BYOB from our cellar this ultra-premium Napa Valley Chardonnay, one of our favorite vintages/labels from a favorite producer. 

Signorello Hope's Cuvee Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016

As posted in an earlier blogposts, we discovered and acquired (the then current vintage release of) this wine during our visit to the Estate on Silverado Trail in Southeastern Napa Valley during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2013. At that time I wrote about this label: "I am predominantly a red wine drinker and while I enjoy an occasional glass of white, most often with appropriate food, I don't normally get excited about a white wine. This chardonnay was the exception,  memorable and special."

We're getting down to the last few remaining bottles of the label that we've acquired over time and we look to refreshing our inventory with more, from the current release. 

(Former) Signorello Estate overlooking vineyards 
and valley floor.

The Signorello winery sits at the very southern end of Napa Valley and has 43 acres of vineyards, including some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in all of Napa Valley - fruit from 37-year-old vines goes into his Hope’s Cuvée.

The magnificent Estate was destroyed in the fires that engulfed much of sections of Sonoma and Napa in 2017. Fires came down the foothills to the property that sat up the hill back from the highway.

The fire reached the winery and completely destroyed the hospitality center that also housed offices, a wine lab and a family residence upstairs. The adjacent  crush pad and stainless steel tanks survived intact along with the barrel cellar and equally if not most importantly, the vines of the adjacent vineyards. 

In the wake of the destruction from Napa Valley’s October 2017 Atlas Peak Fire, Ray Signorello vowed to rebuild. We're relieved to read about the Phoenix of Signorella Estate, rising from the ashes, literally, and being rebuilt, even grander and larger than before. Signorello said he viewed the tragedy as an opportunity to do something new and exciting and is rebuilding with a larger fermentation facility, wine caves and a stunning expanded hospitality center. 

The winery has kept almost all of its team employed as an interim step toward returning to normalcy and they have been operating out of a modular building was brought in to serve as a temporary hospitality center.

The adjacent Darioush property nearby the sits at the valley floor closer to the highway and similarly situated properties were untouched. 

Signorello "Hope's Cuvée" Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave the 2015 release 98 points and said, "The best Chardonnay I have ever tasted from Ray Signorello has to be the 2015 Chardonnay Hope’s Cuvée." Vinous gave it 91 points.

Perhap’s due to nearly a decade of aging in our cellar, tonight's tasting was the best experience we’ve had of this label. 

This Hope's Cuvée Chardonnay was full bodied but nicely balanced and polished for very pleasant drinking. It is bursting with flavorful fruit with layers of peach and poached pear giving way to hints of honey, almond, nutmeg, vanilla and creamy soft spicy oak. There is very pleasant full mouth-feel with rich texture on the palate with a long lingering finish of sweet mellow oak.

Rich golden butter colored, full bodied, rich and concentrated but silky smooth, elegant, balanced and polished, caramelized citrus, honeysuckle, white peach, pear and melon notes with a touch of almond and brioche on a harmonious finish.

RM 96 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2806461

https://www.signorelloestate.com/

https://twitter.com/SigVin 
@SigVin 

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

Extraordinary Dinner Hawaiian Fresh Fish and Finest Wines

Hawaiian Fresh Fish Specialities with Fine Wines for an Extraordinary Dinner

Our adventure in Kauaii, Hawaii continues with a dine-in evening of fine wines and fresh seafood. Son Ryan picked up at the local fresh market and prepared Ono and Monchong fish for dinner. 

Monchong is a deep-water fish found in the Pacific Ocean in Okinawa, Fiji, and Hawaiian waters. In the Indian Ocean it is can be found in the western part of the equatorial zone. 

We’re told Monchong is a rare delicacy, harvested in small quantities because its not targeted by fisherman, but caught when fishing for tuna at deep water depths greater than 900 feet or using other techniques, deeper than 1200 feet. 

Monchong range from about 4 pounds to over 25 pounds, but the prime market sizes are fish over 12 pounds.. It is sold primarily to restaurants as an exotic fish to add variety to their menu.  

Monchong, also known as Hawaii Sickle Pomfret, has a highly transparent, clear, white flesh with pinkish tones, white when cooked. It is firm in texture and moderate in flavor. 

It is rich in nutrition with a high oil content, it is an excellent source of healthy, extra lean protein, low in saturated fat and low in sodium. It is rich in niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium, it is a good source of iodine. 

We also had Ono, which not coincidentally is both an edible fish but also the Hawaiian word for delicious. Ono, aka “wahoo,” is versatile like mahi mahi but more mild in flavor — kind of sweet and buttery but firm and smooth in texture. 

Both fish were as fresh as one could possibly experience, and absolutely delicious, the Monchong was especially succulent and delectable. 

Ryan and Michelle also prepared with the dinner a fresh salad, cooked carrots and haricot verts, served with fresh sourdough bread with mango marmelaide.  

After dinner we fresh fruit and macademia nut chocolates. 

With the spectacular dinner we had two extraordinary ultra-premium wines. Ryan brought from home an aged vintage Napa Valley Dominus.

For pairing with the seafood entrees, I went into town and found at Princeville Wine Market an ultra-premium Sonoma County Chardonnay which was fabulous, perfectly paired to enhance the enjoyment of both the food and the wine.   

The spectacular dinner was fitting for the idealic setting of a magnificent Hawaiian sunset.

Kistler Vineyards “Les Noisettes” Sonoma County Chardonnay 2022

This is from Kistler Vineyards, a small, family established and privately owned and operated winery that are considered one of the top legendary and most revered producers of world class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir using old world Burgundian techniques. 

Kistler Vineyards craft Burgundian-style wines that reflect the unique terroir of its vineyards, employing a single-clone approach, meticulously sourcing grapes from estate and leased vineyard sites spanning the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Carneros.

Kistler Vineyards was founded in 1978 by Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler. The first vintage in 1979 produced 3,500 cases of wine and since then the winery has slowly grown to the planned production level of about 35,000 cases per year.

Steve Kistler retired in 2017, passing on the baton of winemaker to Jason Kesner who had performed a long apprenticeship as assistant winemaker. Mark Bixler passed away in the fall of 2017.

Kistler specialize in and focus on producing wine crafted from but one heritage clone of Californian Chardonnay (old Wente) that is planted across no less than fifteen vineyards, from Carneros to Sonoma Valley, to the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. The majority of the sites are owned and farmed by Kistler. From those sites they produce eleven vineyard designate Chardonnays.

This label, ‘Les Noisetiers’ is Kistler’s multi-vineyard Chardonnay bottling crafted from a combination of specific lots of designated quality from 30 year old vines from Kistler’s vineyards - Vine Hill, Trenton Roadhouse and Dutton Ranch, that are all situated in far western Sonoma County, near the coast.

They began creating Les Noisetiers upon noting that there was an inherent mineral tone which they loved in the lots from their vineyards planted in these coastal sandy Gold Ridge soils.

"Noisetiers" (pronounced Lay Nwaz-tee-yay and is French for "hazelnut") refers to the toasted hazelnut characters found in the wine year in and year out from the three vineyards represented within this bottle. This cuvee is an appellation-focused Chardonnay with hearty mineral and bright acidity. 

It is barrel fermented and aged on the lees in 25% neutral French oak barrels for 11 months & stainless steel for an additional three months.

Winemaker notes - “Kistler is a true standard bearer of quality in California. Blossom and white flowers on the nose and loads of dense but well balanced fruit – peach, apricots, pineapple and pear – on the palate. A fine and complex smorgasbord of fruit. The 11 months of oak aging is present but it is not the focus with white flowers and stone fruit aromatics leading to a full bodied, juicy core, loaded with flavors of peach, apricots, pineapple and pear.”

Native yeast fermentation in French oak barrels. Aged on its lees in the same French oak barrels for 11-18 months in their subterranean, gravel floor barrel rooms. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 422 barrels produced.

This was fabulous = a perfect complimentary pairing with the wholesome fresh fish. 

Deep, dark golden colored, full-bodied, full round, complex and concentrated, dense yet polished and well balanced, notes of peach, apricots, pear and apple with hints of pineapple and citrus fruits and mineral with a long, full lingering finish.

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4879399

https://www.kistlervineyards.com/

https://x.com/KistlerWine

Dominus Estate Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2009

Dominus Estate is the Napa Valley property of Bordeaux producer Christian Moueix. It is as close as it gets to fine wine supremacy or ‘royalty’. Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the famed wine merchant and producer from Libourne, France, the family produce some of the world’s finest, legendary (and most expensive) wines including Châteaux Pétrus, La Fleur-Pétrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol and Magdelaine in Saint-Émilion.

Christian Moueix attended the University of California at Davis, Christian Moueix in the 1960’s where he discovered and fell in love with the Napa Valley and its wines. 

In 1981, he discovered the historic Napanook vineyard, a 134-acre site west of Yountville that had been the source of fruit for some of the finest Napa Valley wines of the 1940s and 1950s. In 1982, Moueix entered into a partnership to develop the vineyard and, in 1995, became its sole owner. He chose the name 'Dominus' or 'lord of the estate' in latin to underscore his longstanding commitment to stewardship of the land.

The historic Napanook Vineyard sits just west of Napa County Hwy 29, St Helena Highway, mainstreet of Napa Valley, located at the foothills of the Mayacamas mountain range that forms the west wall of the famous valley. The original vineyard was planted in 1838 and has been redeveloped and continues to managed under the stewardship of Christian Moueix. The estate’s Bordeaux varietals benefit from the Yountville microclimate where temperatures are moderated by cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay. The resulting wines are carefully crafted to showcase the distinctive expression of this special ‘terroir’ - all the elements of climate, soil, sun exposure, drainage and so on, the manifest the grapes grown on the site.

Napanook is a historic vineyard that dates back to 1836 and is the oldest in Napa Valley. The Napanook vineyard encompasses 134 acres, 102 of which are presently planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Its gravelly clay loam soils gently slope 3-10%, ensuring natural drainage.

This classic wine was rated a near perfect 99 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate,  98 points by Jeb Dunnuck and JamesSuckling.com, and 97 by Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media.

James Molesworth of Wine Spectator gave it 94 points and said it should be best from 2025 through 2035 meaning it should be left alone for 16 years before it reveals its true potential. 

I recall purchasing a case of 1986 Dominus back in the late 1980’s upon release. I tried a bottle every couple of years and found it a bit closed and in-inspiring. Then at nearing twenty years it seemed to awaken and show its completeness, elegance, refined polish. Notably by then, two thirds of the case had been consumed with but a few bottles to enjoy the wine in its prime. This is a long lived wine built for cellaring and aging before revealing its primacy. 

Tonight, at sixteen years, this wine is approaching the apex of its drinking window, but will no doubt age gracefully for prime drinking for another decade or more. Jed Dunnuck in 2017 said ‘it will last another two decades or three’.

Vinous wrote in 2012, “The 2009 Dominus has closed down quite a bit since I last tasted it. Today, all of the glorious fruit of the vintage is hiding behind a serious wall of tannin. The 2009 still possesses gorgeous inner perfume and plenty of sweetness, but little of the sexiness that will emerge over time. From time to time, the utter genius of the 2009 shows a glimpse of its potential. There is little doubt the 2009 will be a jewel once it awakens from what might very well be a long slumber. This is another wine that begs for patience.” 

Unlike fruit bombs or bright vibrant, expressive wines we love so much, near perfect wines like this are subtle and restrained. Their perfection is in their harmony, complexity and integration, their lack of any flaws or detractions. Suckling called it ‘subtle and intriguing’. 

This is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.

Producer’s Notes - “The Dominus 2009 exemplifies the finest qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon from an ideal vintage. The nose, at once powerful yet restrained, is dense and filled with pure dark berry fruit and hints of sandalwood. On the palate is a harmonious blend of fresh plum and focused minerality with tannins that are firm, round and elegant. Spherical in quality, this wine is complete from start to finish. A sublime vintage.”

Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, refined, elegant, polished, wonderfully balanced and finely integrated blackcurrant, black raspberry and plum fruits with symphony of notes of subtle licorice, mocha-chocolate, violets and hints of graphite, earth and camphor with layers of silky, finely grained tannins on a long finish. 

RM 96 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?1140345

https://www.dominusestate.com/