Family Celebration Dinner at Mesón Sabika Naperville

Family Celebration Dinner at Mesón Sabika, Naperville

We hosted a gala family celebration dinner at iconic Mesón Sabika, the historic mansion restaurant in Naperville, one of the favorites of the kids. The restaurant is housed in a mansion that was built in 1847 and sits on a four-acre estate near downtown Naperville.

The highly acclaimed restaurant was awarded Best of Naperville “Most Romantic, Outdoor Dining” and “Best Banquet Facility” and “Best live music”. 

It was named among the “100 most popular restaurants for outdoor dining in America”, one of the “100 Most Popular Brunch Spots in America”, and among “America’s 100 most romantic restaurants” by Opentable.

The special gathering was to embrace d-in-law Vivianna and son Alec who are expecting a daughter next month. 

To everyone’s surprise and delight, they used the occasion as a ‘reveal’ event to announce the name of the upcoming newborn. 

Playing on the theme and names of brother Ryan, and sister Erin and niece Lucy’s middle name Leigh, and niece Marleigh, they unveiled our new grand-daughter will be named Ryleigh. What fun and how wonderful! 

Early release of the name was prompted due to three year old daughter/grand-daughter ‘leaking’ the upcoming disclosure. 

Our core family of twenty-one will soon be twenty-two! 

Wife Linda organized the gala dinner and the Mesón Sabika team delivered an exceptional dining experience with delicious food courses, outstanding attentive service, in an ideal outdoor garden court setting - akin to having a private room.

The personalized special menu started with cold then hot Tapas, followed by dinner, then desserts  … 

Pitchers of Mesón Sabika signature red and white Sangria were served before and throughout the dinner. 

Four delicious Tapas appetizers, two cold and two hot, were served - potato salad followed by salmon, then lamb, veal and pork meatballs, and mushroom caps. 

Patatas con Aioli - Robust garlic potato salad

Salmón Curado con Queso - House-cured salmon rolled with dill cream cheese, served on toast points spread with sour cream

Albondigas con Almendreas - Lamb, beef, and pork meatballs served with spicy tomato sauce, toasted almonds and parmesan cheese

Champiñones Rellenos - Mushroom caps filled with spinach and cheese, served with tomato basil sauce

Main course featured choice of chicken or filet medallions of beef with red wine peppercorn sauce, mashed potatoes and asparagus spears. 

Solomillos a la Plancha - Grilled beef tenderloin medallions, served with mashed potatoes, drizzled with a red wine sauce

Dessert included a delicious broad assortment of Mesón Sabika Specialty Desserts … served with coffee.

Crema Catalana de Meson - Creamy vanilla custard with bittersweet chocolate and caramelized sugar

Profiterol del Pirineo - Light and airy pastry filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce

Plátano con Helado -Sautéed banana topped with caramel sauce and pistachios, served with vanilla ice cream

Flan del Dia -Featured flan of the day

Cazuelita de Chocolate - Soft-centered, warm chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream

Tarta de Pera - Almond and pear pound cake, drizzled with caramel sauce, served with vanilla ice cream

Tarta de Pacanas - Pecan cheesecake served with chocolate and caramel sauce

Delicia de Chocolate - Chocolate terrine with honey roasted walnuts and fresh raspberry sauce

Tarta de Chocolate y Caramelo - Warm bittersweet chocolate and caramel custard baked in an almond and hazelnut tart crust with vanilla ice cream

For a wine accompaniment with dinner, Ryan selected from the Meson Sabika Spanish centric winelist this highly acclaimed Spanish Big Red Blend.

La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva 2019

This is from Spanish producer La Rioja Alta, S.A., ranked by Drinks International among the 50 most prestigious wine producers worldwide, the highest-ranked Spanish winery and the second in Europe. The list of Top 10 of the world’s greatest wineries includes iconic names such as Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Antinori, Vega Sicilia, Penfolds, Gaja, Catena and Sassicaia.

The La Rioja Alta 2019 vintage of Viña Ardanza, was an extraordinary year on par with the best of the 21st century and this label is considered an international benchmark for great Rioja wines. 

Following a short vintage in 2017 and the decision not to produce Viña Ardanza in 2018, the renowned Haro’s Barrio de la Estación winery produced an extraordinary highly acclaimed vintage in 2019.

Julio Sáenz, head winemaker, highlights the greatness of this vintage: "This is one of the best vintages in our history—possibly on the level of 2001, 2010, or 2015.” 

Pundit John Gilman said “It is one of the finest recent vintages of Viña Ardanza that I can recall tasting!”

Viña Ardanza 2019 was its typical signature blend of 80% Tempranillo sourced from estate-owned vineyards over 30 years old in Fuenmayor and Cenicero in Rioja Alta, and 20% Garnacha from La Pedriza estate vineyard Tudelilla, Rioja Oriental, located at an altitude of 550 meters, where the vines have reached optimal maturity to produce grapes of extraordinary quality.

The wine was aged in handcrafted American oak barrels, lasting 36 months for the Tempranillo and 30 months for the Garnacha. 500,000 bottles were produced.

This was awarded 96 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 94 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Decanter and John Gilman, and 93 by Vinous. 

Winemaker Notes - “Bright and vivid cherry red, medium-high intensity, garnet rim. Aromas of redcurrant, plum, and cherry, complemented by balsamic and spicy notes of black pepper, licorice, vanilla, clove, and nutmeg. Fresh and balanced on the palate, with sweet, elegant tannins and a long, lively finish, reflecting the wine’s distinctive balsamic and spicy character.”

Dark blackish garnet colored, full-bodied, the warm year and small crop produced a powerful and concentrated, structured yet balanced wine, complex deep blackberry, black cherry and plum fruits with a layer of black pepper and Garnacha’s spicy clove, tobacco leaf, cassis and creosote, and balsamic herbs on a long firm tannin laced finish revealing a bit of heat from it’s 14.5 percent alcohol.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4512275

https://www.riojalta.com/

https://www.mesonsabika.com/

https://www.mesonsabika.com/dinner-menu/

https://www.mesonsabika.com/wine-menu/

Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard Argentina Cabernet Franc

Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard Argentina Cabernet Franc 2019

For our family birthday celebration dinner gathering, posted herein - Aged vintage wines for family birthday dinner, son Ryan brought from his home cellar (below) this single vineyard designated Cabernet Franc for tasting with the grilled beefsteaks. This extraordinary label release received two 100 points reviews by James Suckling and by Robert Parker. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate compared it to a great vintage of Chateau Lafleur, his “favorite Bordeaux”.

The wines of El Enemigo are from winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, and a historian, Adrianna Catena. They pay tribute to the European immigrants who first settled in Argentina to make wines as good as or finer than those of their old homelands. By 1936, Malbec and Petit Verdot were Argentina’s most widely planted varietals, and their blend was considered the ultimate in refinement and aging potential.

El Enemigo translates as ‘the enemy’, taking into account “the fact that at the end of any journey, most remember only one battle — the one fought within (the original enemy)”.

El Enemigo is produced at BESA, located in the Vista Flores district in Tunuyán, Mendoza. The facility is named for the unique aspect of Mendoza’s high-altitude winemaking region nestled in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

Winemaker and co-owner Alejandro Vigil is a soil expert, winemaker, and agronomist. He is also the Chief Winemaker at Bodega Catena Zapata, the former head of the soil division at Argentina’s Wine Institute, and the former head of the soil division of INTA.

Partner Adrianna Catena is the daughter of Nicolás Catena. She has a Master’s Degree in Early Modern Iberian Atlantic history from the University of Oxford. Her dream is to continue the family legacy of winemaking while pursuing her passion for history and writing from a cottage surrounded by vineyards in the Argentine Andes.

This label release is from the Gualtallary sub-appellation in the Mendoza Appellation in the Cuvo wine region of Argentina. Mendoza is Argentina’s largest and best-known winemaking province. responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. 

Mendoza is set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains where the climate is dry and continental. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines. 

Mendoza is best known for Malbec, the most prolific and popular varietal, originally a Bordelaise variety that was brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s. Also planted are the traditional Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and this Cabernet Franc, as well as Syrah and Pinot Noir, for the reds. Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.

Bodega Aleanna 'Gran Enemigo' Gualtallary Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc Tupungato, Argentina 2019

This is a single vineyard designated bottling from the Gualtallary, Tupungato site. It sites in the Andes foothills at 4,822 ft (1470 m) elevation, a high density vineyard with10.000 plants per hectare in the rocky, limestone calcium rich calcareous, rocky soil, planted around 1997. It includes 5% Malbec in the blend  sourced from the same area within the north of Uco Valley. It was aged in French oak barrels new and 3rd use, and in 100-year-old foudre for 15 months.

Winemaker Notes - Gran Enemigo Gualtallary is bold, complex, and rich, with intense aromas of ripe blackberry, wood, olive, thyme, spice, and vanilla. Full-bodied and balanced with structured tannins, good acidity, and a long finish. Certified Sustainable by Bodegas de Argentina. Gran Enemigo Gualtallary is excellent with grilled meats and various cheeses.

 

This was rated 100 points by north James Suckling and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, who also gave 100 points to the 2013 release. At 100 points, this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec.

It was rated 97 points by Vinous, 95 by Descorchados and Tin Atkins, and 94 by Wine Spectator.

Cellartrackers gave this an average of 94.6 points, high marks indeed for CT, who typically moderate the pundits awards. See https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4506689.

Like other highly rated wines, this is more about the lack of any retractions or faults than it is about predominant high notes. 

Displays a deep purple color, medium to full bodied, round, elegantly balanced, smooth and polished, bright vibrant tangy acidity on the juicy huckleberry and blackberry fruits with notes of spice, ash,  hints of mountain herbs, mint and cassis, with dry chalky texture on fine-grained tannins laced flavorful complex finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4506689

https://enemigowines.com/

Muscardini Cellars Tesoro Proprietary Red Blend

Muscardini Cellars Tesoro (Treasure) Proprietary Red Blend 

At the gala Family dinner featuring latest Bordeaux Releases and limited production Northern-California labels, Alec served this unique big red blend from a large format magnum that he acquired from one of his on-line retail suppliers. 

This is produced by Muscardini Cellars of proprietor and winemaker Michael Muscardini. The Muscardini Cellars sits on the main Sonoma Highway that is the arterial route along the eastern spine of Sonoma Valley, across from notable Kenwood Cellars, just up the road from Kunde Winery and Vineyards, south of the Chateau St Jean Winery and Vineyards. We’ve visited all of those neighbors during visits to the area. 

Muscardini produces wine sourced from grower’s vineyards thoughout the region. He produces Old World Italian varietal based wines crafting Sangiovese, Barbera, Brunello-style vintages and Super Tuscan-style wines, His website pronounces, “Muscardini Cellars wine conjures up a la dolce vita celebration which reflects Michael’s indefatigable tasting and lifestyle research on his sojourns to Italy.”

It appears Muscardini only produces wines sourced from growers which whom he has forged relationships with since founding Muscardini Cellars more than fifteen years ago, sourcing some of the area’s finest fruit in pursuit of superb Italian blends and non-Italian varietals met with an Italian winemaking approach. As such, they don’t appear to own an estate vineyards of their own. I call such producers ‘vanity producers’ and have suggested these are not wines to collect over the long term, unless their vineyard grower contracts are secure over the term. Otherwise, the wines will not maintain a consistent terroir profile if the sources change from year to year. 

Muscardini produces a broad portfolio of red and white wines sourced from vineyards across Sonoma County as well as Redwood Valley up in Mendocino County, and down to the Carneros District in southern Napa Valley. 

Muscardini Cellars Tesoro (Treasure) Proprietary Red Blend 2019 

This Tesoro, which in Italian means ‘Treasure’ is a Proprietary Red Blend forged in an important legacy for Muscardini, whose grandfather made wine in Italy before emigrating to America in 1909. Fifteen years ago, Michael Muscardini first blended Sangiovese, Syrah, and Cabernet grapes to create his signature Tesoro, an homage to his grandfather and his Italian heritage. Muscardini’s Tesoro became the winery’s flagship label, with numerous vintages receiving 90+ point ratings and “Best of Class” awards at various competitions. 

This Super-Tuscan style blend consists of 52% Sangiovese, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 22% Syrah. It is produced to honor Muscardini’s family heritage of drinking fine red wines in Italy, using the revered Italian varietal Sangiovese as the core grape in his proprietary red blend,

He blends in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as a personalized touch and a California twist to the other half of the blend, two French grape varieties that perform extremely well in the rocky soils and warm climate conditions in Sonoma Valley. 

It’s difficult to determine the source of the fruit in this blend since it is not specified in the wine descriptions. 

Researching and parsing the numerous 2019 vintage releases, Muscardini sources 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from BWise Estate and Madrone Ridge, both in the Moon Mountain District in Sonoma, and the Rancho Salina Vineyard, a hillside grape growing estate in the rocky, high-elevation, also in the Moon Mountain District above Sonoma Valley. He also sourced 2019 Cabernet from Cassata is a small, family-owned estate, on the eastern bench of Sonoma Valley right next to Ridge Vineyards' historic Pagani Ranch, just outside the town of Glen Ellen.

Muscardini sources 2019 vintage release Sangiovese from several sites across Sonoma Valley including Alice Vineyards, the Santo Giordano Vineyards, located on the southeastern edge of Sonoma Valley in the Carneros appellation, the Pauli Ranch Vineyards in Redwood Valley up in Mendocino County. 

Syrah for 2019 vintage release is found sourced from the Vadasz Vineyards in the heart of Sonoma Valley and with fruit from the Rancho Salina Vineyard in the rocky, high-elevation Moon Mountain District above Sonoma Valley

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With the range of varietals and wide range of potential vineyard sources, it might explain the flavor profile of this wine - lacking focus or definition, rather, showing a cacophony of flavors, lacking integration, balance one might find in a more polished elegant representation. This may also explain why Wine Enthusiast refers to the blend as a California designation - as opposed to Napa, or Sonoma, or Mendocino - it’s composed from all of those. 

Winemakers Tasting Notes - - “Led by its striking dark crimson hue, this Super Tuscan style wine opens with aromas of ripe berries and black fruits, interwoven with hints of vanilla, caramel, raw tobacco, leather, clove, blood orange peel, and roasted walnuts. On the palate, the rich and generous flavors of briary blackberry, dark cherry, ripe plum, cassis, and red pear are enhanced with nuances of wild sage, cinnamon, black pepper, dark chocolate, and a kiss of fine oak. As the wine opens in the glass, the smooth velvety texture is balanced with bright acidity, supple tannins, and firm structure. The result is a stylish proprietary blend that is robust, elegant, and showy in its youth, and strengthened by layers of complexity, natural richness, and backbone that will allow the personality of the wine to expand in the cellar.”

Wine Enthusiast rated this release 89 points. Muscardini 2019 Tesoro Red Blend (California). They conclude their review with,  “Subtle toast and baking spice notes keep it interesting from the aroma through the finish.”

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, firmly structured ripe black berry and black currant fruits accented with notes of baking spices, black tea, pain grille, tobacco leaf and leather with moderate tannins on the finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4243697

https://www.muscardinicellars.com/

Fontanafredda Barolo with Meatloaf at Entourage DG

Fontanafredda Barolo with Meatloaf at Entourage Downers Grove 

I was invited to a celebratory lunch with Linda and her sorority sister Pat. They were planning to go to Gia Mia in downtown Downers Grove. I suggested an ‘upgrade’ to Entourage just across the street and railroad tracks. 

We’ve featured both restaurants in these pages, most notably our Pour Boys Wine Group dinner at Entourage last fall. This is the same restaurant group that has a sister restaurant in Naperville, also featured in these pages in  Plumpjack Reserve Napa Chardonnay at Entourage Restaurant Naperville.

At our earlier dinner in Downers Grove, I saw and was drawn to their signature Waygu Meatloaf dish, and pledged to try it on my next visit. 

This signature entree was amazing! So good we ordered a second one for carry out to take home. 

Wagyu Meatloaf Sundae - Truffle + Parmesan Whipped Potatoes, Brioche, Wild Mushroom Gravy,  Vegetable Succotash topped with Crispy Onions.

This was delicious and huge in portions - enough for a follow on take home meal. Two huge slices of meatloaf, and not enough of the delectable pomme puree’! But where would you put it in that tower, or what they call a ‘Sundae’!

Linda had the Spicy Shrimp & Jalapeno Grits - Blackened Wild Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Charred Jalapeno, Charred Corn, Baby Peppers and Creole Cream.

This was equally delicious, but too spicy for my tastes, okay for hers, although she set aside the Jalapeno’s. Nice portion size for a ‘small plate’.

Pat had the Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cake - Corn Relish, Smoked Pepper Butter Sauce, Basil Oil and Micro Greens.

Pat loved the Crab Cake but would’ve been better with a larger portion for an entree. 

For a wine accompaniment I selected from the carefully crafted wine list a moderate Italian Red. 

Fontanafredda Serralunga d’Alba Barolo 2019

I chose this, partly to compare with the Massolino Serralunga d’Alba Barolo we tasted at the producer winemakers dinner we attended at the Wine Bar in Destin, FL just last week. Also, I thought the Nebbiolo would go well with my meatloaf entree. 

Also, Fontanafredda is a producer we know reasonably well from numerous previous wine tastings, several of which are chronicled in these previous posts:

Italian Village Wine and Dine features Barolo trio

Theos steak dinner Lazzarito Barolo Moulin-Tacussel CDP BYOB

Eataly NYC Wine and Cheese Dining

OTBN 2020 ~ Open That Bottle Night

Bordeaux Anchors OTBN 2015

Barolo means wine made primarily from the Nebbiolo grape, the principle varietal of the region. (As I’ve written often in these pages, wines from the ‘old world’ are named or labeled for their region. This is as opposed to wines in the ‘new world’ are named or labeled for the grape varietal in the bottle (typically 70% or more)). 

The Barolo wine regions consists of five townships: La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and the Barolo village itself, as well as a few outlying villages. 

The native Nebbiolo grape produces wines, with the signature “tar and roses” aromas, a light garnet color and full flavorful palate with prominent tannins and acidity. A well-made Barolo wine, will be complex with notes of strawberry, cherry, plum, leather, truffle, anise, fresh and dried herbs, tobacco and violets.

The Fontanafredda Estate & Winery, dates back to 1878. Located in the heart of Piedmont’s Langhe region, they produce benchmark Barolo and Barbera wines, showing that balance deep aromas and concentration of fruit with elegance.

Fontanafredda has a noble history, purchased by modern Italy’s first king, Vittorio Emanuele II in 1858 after the unification of the country. The estate produced wine from Piedmont’s Langhe region native varietals, Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo. 

The King’s son, Count Mirafiori Fontanafredda later developed a commercial business and released their first Nebbiolo labeled as Barolo with the 1878 vintage.

The 250 acre Fontanafredda Barolo cru property is located in the subregion of Serralunga d’Alba, and is the largest contiguous wine estate in the Langhe. The estate also owns additional properties in the communes of Barolo and Diano d’Alba bringing the total acreage of estate-owned land to 305. 

There are two main soil types in Barolo, Tortonian in the western region that is heavy in clay and magnesium deposits and produces wines that tend to be more fragrant, elegant and soft. In eastern Barolo, the soils are chalky limestone and mineral rich that produce wines of deeper color, body and tannic structure, making for long-lived wines.

Fontanafredda owners Oscar Farinetti and business partner Luca Baffigo Filangieri are also founders of the famous EATALY concept restaurants and stores in Italy, Japan, New York and Chicago. We have visited and featured Eataly New York and Eataly Chicago in these pages in several posts including - 

Eataly New York Wine Dine Options

Eataly Il Pesce for Great Seafood sans Fanfare

Eataly NYC Flounder Seafood Dinner

Eataly NYC Wine and Cheese Dining

Lunch at Eataly during Gala Wedding Weekend Chicago

We love these wondrous creative locations where they promote “ The world's largest Italian marketplace where you can eat, shop, and learn”,  and consider them destinations worth visiting, an adventure in dining, shopping, or just for an adventurous travel experience! 

Since 1999, the Fontanafredda wine estate production has been managed by winemaker Danilo Drocco and viticulturist Alberto Grasso.

As I poured a glass of this wine, it was dark garnet colored, but largely opaque, moderate structured and light medium bodied. Linda immediately noticed and expressed concern in this selection. In the end, it proved to be ideal - big enough for the meatloaf, and moderate enough to complement the Crab Cake, and in-between so as to go with the spicy shrimp. 

Upon serving, this was at room temperature. We requested a wine chiller which they promptly provided, and after some cooling, was much better, more suited to the meal, and being more approachable, better revealing its aromas and flavors. 

My initial expectation was seeking the wine as I later found to be described in the Winemaker Notes -“Serralunga Barolo is characterized by great structure and power. Dry and tannic, but with velvety texture and great balance. It has notes of vanilla, spices, withered roses and underbrush. balance. The finish is very long-lasting.” 

It turned out to be in line with as described in Wine Spectator’s description -

“This red rides a fine balance between elegance and austerity, with cherry, strawberry, rose and hay aromas and flavors fused to a spine of stiff tannins; nevertheless, this is long and engaging.”

This was rated  93 points by Wine Spectator, 91 by Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling. 

7,400 cases produced, of which 5,100 cases imported - so this should be available if one seeks it out.

Dark garnet rather opaque colored, medium bodied but rather tightly structured with refined moderate tannins, yet smooth and balanced thereby approachable, black cherry and tangy red fruits with notes of black tea, and subtle notes of pepper, coriander, dried rose and crushed stone on a clean and crisp finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4626032

https://www.fontanafredda.it/

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

The James Geneva alfresco Sunday Brunch

The James Geneva alfresco Sunday Brunch 

With fellow Pour Boy from our wine group, Bill and Beth in from Charleston for the weekend, we had a delightful Sunday afternoon alfresco dinner on the patio at The James Restaurant in Geneva, IL. This followed our gala Pour Boys Wine Group Citiscape dinner the night before in the City (Chicago). 

We enjoyed a producer wine dinner at The James last fall in the patio room as featured in these pages on this blogpost - James Restaurant "Cab is King" Wine Dinner w/ Bell Wine Cellars Wines.

Todays perfect early autumn afternoon provided an ideal setting for dining outside on the patio.

We enjoyed a perfect pairing of Mendocino Chardonnay with with our brunch Benedicts and apple pear walnut salads. 

We ordered from the wine list this limited release special label from the Meyer Family Vineyards. This is from the descendants of Justin Meyer, founder of iconic Silver Oak. Justin passed away recently and the Meyer stake in Silver Oak was sold to the rest of the investor owners. Matt and Karen Meyer have elected to partner with artisan growers to produce vineyard-designate bottlings under the Meyer Family label. 

The Meyer family continue to produce several labels under the Meyer Family Cellars brand with production divided evenly between site-specific wines from both Mendocino County, where the winery is located, and their remaining holding from the original Oakville estate in Napa Valley.

Up in Mendocino, they source fruit from their estate and growers in two sub-appellations: the Yorkville Highlands and Anderson Valley American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). 

They produce Cabernets from the original iconic Silver Oak Bonny’s Vineyard as well as labels from up north, Le Bon Bon, Spitfire, Fluffy Billows, The Gravels, and a Cab Franc.

Their broad portfolio also includes Elke Vineyard Creek Chardonnay, Monument Tree Vineyard Pinot Noir, Peterson Vineyard Pinot Noir (Comptche-Mendocino County), Wightman House Vineyard Pinot Noir. 

This Meyer Family Chardonnay is vineyard label designated sourced from the Donnelly Creek Vineyard in the Mendocino County Anderson Valley.

Matt Meyer grew up in the wine business under the tutelage of his winegrower father Justin. He spent much of his time in the vineyard and cellar at Silver Oak after school and working various jobs during the summer. Matt spent a couple years gaining experience at internships in Oregon, Australia and New Zealand. He also did one semester abroad at Adelaide University enrolled in this wine studies program. he went on to the University of California, Davis, where he was awarded a Masters in Viticulture. After this he moved to the Anderson Valley and started making wine with his father at the family’s new property.

Karen Meyer was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia. After doing a harvest in Margaret River to learn more about the process, she completed a degree in enology at Charles Stuart University, then spent the next few years working harvests around the world. Karen worked in the four distinct regions of Australia, did one harvest in France and spent three years in New Zealand. In 1999 Matt and Karen met in Oregon while working the crush in the Willamette Valley. In 2004 they would work together again in New Zealand after which point Karen moved to the Anderson Valley.

Today they live with their three children in Healdsburg California halfway between their vineyards in the Napa and Anderson Valleys.

Meyer Family Cellars Anderson Valley Donnelly Creek Chardonnay 2018

From the legendary Meyer Family, descendants of the founders of Silver Oak Cellars, this is a vineyard designated label from the Anderson Valley up in Mendocino County. 

This was an ideal pairing with our Brunch Benedicts and apple, pear walnut salad. 

Winemaker notes for this release: “The evenly paced 2018 harvest shows itself in our beautiful bottling from Donnelly Creek Vineyard, a Chardonnay that is all about balance. As usual, the wine is enticing right out of the bottle, displaying aromas of citrus, fresh peach, honeysuckle, and toasted brioche. In the glass, the fruit flavors are ripe and forward, with summer stone fruit and melon balanced by dependable Anderson Valley acidity. Barrel-fermentation and nine months of aging in French oak have added a tasty richness to this elegant Chardonnay”.

This was barrel aged for 9 months in 75% Neutral Oak, 25% New French Oak.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=39600263

https://mfcellars.com/

While the ladies shopped the Fifth Avenue shops and galleries, Bill and I enjoyed a delightful relaxing afternoon on the patio. We selected an after lunch dessert wine from the wine list for sensational casual sipping.

Inniskillin Niagara Peninsula Estate Vidal 2019

We love desert wines and serve them with salads, artisan cheeses and of course with deserts ranging cake to petit fours to dark chocolates or for casual sipping such as this.

Readers of this blog know we have a fairly extensive cellar, with numerous desert wines from the world's finest producers from the finest wine regions - late harvest rieslings from California, Sauternes from Bordeaux, Trockenberenauleses (TBA's) from Germany and Austria, and of course ice wines from the Niagara escarpment peninsula between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, between Buffalo, NY and Toronto.

This is from the iconic producer Inniskillin, the crown jewel of producers who take advantage of the unique terroir in the Niagara Appellation to craft true ice wine dessert wines.

Desert wine is nectar in a glass - essence of honey, apricot, violets - there is nothing like it under the sun. Among the absolute finest desert wines in the world are ice wines - wines from grapes allowed to lie on the vine beyond ripening, then past the winter freeze such that as much as eighty percent of the juice in the grape is frozen leaving behind but all the sugars in the remaining twenty percent of the juice. 

Such is ice wine which in North America comes from a small area in the Pacific Northwest where Inniskillin Okanagan operates in Oliver, British Columbia, and from Niagara-on-the-Lake, a small strip of land between the western tip of Lake Ontario to the north and the eastern tip of Lake Erie on the south. The small land mass adjacent to the Niagara escarpment there traps the air to protect the grape vines.

When the temperature reaches 8 degrees fahrenheit the conditions are right to harvest the grapes and collect the extracted sugar rich grapes suited for ice wine. Inniskillin Wines in the Niagara on the Lake appellation, licensed in 1974, the first winery to be licensed since 1929, has been producing and specializing in perfecting ice wines since 1984. Their Vidal Ice Wine from the 1989 vintage received the prestigious Grand Prix d'Honneur at Vinexpo in France. Inniskillin produces ice wine from several varieties of grapes including Vidal, Riesling, Chardonnay and even Cabernet Franc. They even produce a sparkling ice wine, which in other realms might be considered an oxymoron. Their 2006 Vidal Sparkling Ice Wine and 2007 Riesling Ice Wine won the Premio Speciale Gran Vinitaly "World Cup of Wine" in 2007.
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We visited the Inniskillin estate during our visit to the region back in 2012 and featured it in these pages in a more extensive blogpost at the time - Inniskillin Niagara on the Lake Wine Experience.

Inniskillin, named for the Irish village from where GI's hailed who were stationed in the area during the great WWII, has 120 acres of vines, and purchases grapes from local producers from another 250 acres to source the grapes for their wines. Their specialty and flagship wines are ice wines.

This popular Inniskillin Icewine boasts a variety of tropical fruit including orange, mango, and lemons. Flavors of peach and apricot are balanced by a fresh, crisp and lively acidity. Pairs beautifully with aged cheddar, peach tart, and baked cheesecake with a peach compote.

This release was awarded 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate – They wrote that this was the richest of the Vidal ice wines this issue. 

Pale golden straw colored, medium to full bodied, intensely flavored, unctuous, syrupy peach and apricot fruits accented by notes of sugary honey nuances with a tongue coating lingering finish, 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4047660

https://www.inniskillin.com/

https://thejamesgeneva.com/

@PassionatePour1

Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino BYOB at Angeli’s Italian

Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino BYOB at Angeli’s Italian 

We dined at  Angelis Italian, our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria and I took this Brunello di Montalcino BYOB for the occasion.

Readers of these pages know we don't do a lot of Italian wines but we do keep a selection in our cellar for Italian cuisine and dining at Angelis Italian which we do fairly frequently.

Tonight, we took this new arrival Limited Production Brunello di Montalcino which I just picked up at Binny's, our beverage super store at the suggestion of the wine advisor there, based on its stellar 98 point rating, and was eager to try. While I didn't give it such stellar ratings, we enjoyed it a lot and I went back to pick up a few more bottles. It was a perfect pairing with Linda's eggplant and my cheese ravioli with bolognese sauce and meatballs.

We love Sangiovese and most of our Italian cellar selections are that varietal, which we love paired with Italian cuisine. The Brunello di Montalcino label is tightly regulated and can only be made from 100% Sangiovese grapes grown in the Montalcino region of Tuscany, Italy. 

Appellation regulations also limit the quantity of wine produced each year and mandate a Long Aging Process which stipulate Brunello must be aged for a minimum of four years, with at least two years spent in oak barrels. This lengthy aging process that ties up resources and increases production costs contributes to the higher price point of the label.

The rigorous production regulations set by the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium ensure that only the highest quality wines bear the Brunello label. This commitment to quality often requires additional investment in vineyard management, winemaking techniques, and quality control.

Brunello has gained a reputation as one of Italy's finest wines, prized for its complexity, depth, and ability to age gracefully. Its prestigious status and limited availability contribute to high demand and, consequently, higher prices.

This is from Cerbaia, a boutique winery that produces wines from some of the finest vineyards in Montalcino that are a true expression of a unique and distinctive place. 

The Cerbaia property has belonged to the Pellegrini family since the 1950s, with the family beginning to make wine in the 1970’s. The estate covers of a total of 35 acres of land, 11 of which are under the Brunello appellation controls, located on the highly regarded Montosoli Hill, known as the Grand Cru of Montosoli — some of the most coveted land in Tuscany.

In 2014, Elena Pellegrini gave up a promising career in corporate finance to devote herself to her family estate, striving to craft elegant, balanced wines in the traditional Montalcino style as her father Fabio did, applying minimal intervention and sustainable practices. She is advised by notable consulting enologist G.Gorelli, Italy’s first Master of Wine.

Their 2019 release was awarded 98-points by James Suckling who declared it “one of the best I have had from here” in his  review. Kerin O`Keefe of www.kerinokeefe.com gave it 94 Points.

The 2019 is emerging as an all-time great year in Montalcino: Vinous called it “the vintage we’ve all been waiting for.” Kerin O’Keefe, who wrote THE book on Brunello, said “I’ve never tasted so many drop-dead-gorgeous young Brunellos from a single vintage.” Wine Advocate called the vintage “uniformly easy” for vintners.

The release was aged three years in large oak casks ensured that it would be polished and beautiful from day one.

Winemaker Notes - Intense ruby red in color, garnet with aging. Rich and intense bouquet of violets, undergrowth, red fruits, eucalyptus, and blackberry. Very long persistence, fresh, and elegant but complex.

Bright ruby garnet colored, medium full bodied, vibrant blackberry and black cherry fruits with notes of dusty rose, tobacco, dried herbs and leather with hints of truffle with bright acidity on a smooth polished tannin finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4577891

Marramiero Inferi Riserva Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2019

Marramiero “Inferi” Riserva Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2019 with grilled burgers  

Midweek casual dinner, we grilled out burgers and opened this moderately priced easy drinking Reserve Italian Red Wine from Montepulciano on the east coast of central Italy. 

This is from the town of Rosciano, a comune in the Province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Rosciano, is known as the ‘Town of Wine and heart of the Terra dei Vestini’, Ofena.

Wine from here is produced under the jurisdiction of the wine region Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Terre dei Vestini DOC. 

Not as rigorous as or restrictive as Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG),  the highest designation for Italian wines, while the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), has less strict guidelines, there are still multiple criteria required to ensure quality. DOC wines are regulated for not just the type of grape and where they are grown, but also harvest yields, alcohol levels and the use of barrels

This is made in accordance with DOC regulations which require from 90-100% Montepulciano sourced grapes, with the permission to add the remaining 0-10% from other local varieties, grapes cultivated entirely or partially in 20 municipalities in the Pescara province, including Capelle sul Tavo, Catignano, Moscufo, Penne, Città Sant'Angelo, Loreto Aprutino and Montesilvano.

The Marramiero estate vineyards are located along an old sheep trail extending from the peaks of Gran Sasso, through the rolling hills of the Masseria Sant’Andrea, overlooking the “Bella Addormentata” and Maiella massifs, where it borders the Gran Sasso National Park, not far from and down to the Adriatic Sea, and less than two hours from Rome. 

This label is sourced from the Masseria Sant’Andrea vineyard located in the heart of Abruzzo on a summit 270 meters above sea level. The estate has been operated the by Marramiero family since the beginning of the last century. They cultivate the indigenous varietals Montepulciano and Trebbiano, as well as a few other international varietals.

Under the direction of proprietor Dante Marramiero, after a careful selection of existing rootstocks in the sixties and seventies, they planted new vineyards to expand production. Then, in the early nineties,  Dante Marramiero built a new modern winery, incorporating modern technology with traditional agricultural methods.

Marramiero "Inferi" Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Terre dei Vestini, Abruzzo, Italy 2019

This Montepulciano wine is a tribute to Dante Algihieri. The label is a Scene from Dante Alighieri’s Inferno part of his Divine Comedy. 

The "Inferi" is Marramiero's reserve Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and is produced in limited quantities with great care, from selecting only the best grapes from the oldest vines to the long maturation period of over three years in stainless steel, oak casks and bottle, ageing of at least 14 to 18 months in French and Slavonian oak casks with the following refinement in the bottle to complete its maturity.

The result has been to tame Abruzzo's Montepulciano grape, striving to infuse it with more elegance and style by refining the aging process thereby softening the wine's slightly harsh character.

Distributor’s notes - This Montepulciano d'Abruzzo has ruby red color with dark red sparkling reflections, its intense and vanilla speckled fragrance, its persistent, warm, rich and harmonious taste make it at the same time a distinguished and a leading wine.

Vin Chicago says of this wine - Vibrant layers of violet, clove, dried thyme, singed rosemary, rose petal, cinnamon, cedar, butterscotch and vanilla just keep coming as this densely fruited red lingers long on the palate.

Combining traditional winemaking wisdom with a dose of modern technology, Marramiero spares no expense on this one. Optically sorted fruit receives precise stainless steel fermentation and maceration followed by extended maturation in barrique. Aged for a similar amount of time as Brunello and Barolo, Inferi is held back until it is ready to drink.

Winemaker Notes: From a vine of considerable elevation in terms of structure and body comes Inferi, a red wine produced from Montepulciano d'Abruzzo grapes, in limited quantities. The aging is carried out for at least 14/18 months in French and Slavonian oak barrels, the maturation is completed with the refinement. Its deep ruby red color with garnet reflections shines to the eye. The sense of smell rejoices for its intense and varietal aromas, with sweet vanilla notes, its intense persistent, warm, full-bodied and harmonious flavor, offer a charismatic wine. Its qualities can be fully enjoyed by combining it with refined truffle-based first courses, together with red meats, game, aged cheeses and cured meats. 

Bright ruby colored, medium full bodied, rather tight and structured, vibrant, deep, rich black cherry fruits show notes of bittersweet chocolate, tangy cinnamon and clove spices, and hints of herbs that emerges on the moderate finish.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4666728

https://chicago.vinchicago.com/wines/Marramiero-Inferi-Montepulciano-d-Abruzzo-Riserva-2019-w8687741x0

https://x.com/unwindwine

Radio Coteau Sonoma Coast Los Colinas Syrah 2019

Radio Coteau Sonoma Coast Los Colinas Syrah 2019

For casual mid-week sipping some wine with a cheese plate and fresh fruit, I pulled from the cellar this recently acquired Sonoma Coast Syrah. We love big round concentrated fruit forward wines. I picked up a six pack of this label and wanted to try it to see its tasting profile and determine what my cellaring aging plan should be. 

Radio-Coteau Las Colinas Syrah

The moniker Radio-Coteau (rā’ dē ō – kō tō’) is a French colloquial expression suggesting “word of mouth” , which literally translated means “broadcasting from the hillside”. Ironically, the origin of use of the term is from the French Northern Rhone wine region. The odd name is reminiscent of one of our favorite producer, Vieux Telegraph, ironically from the Rhône River Valley, but deriving its name for a different historical reason, 

In summer of 2012, Radio-Coteau acquired an historic 42-acre Estate vineyard and ranch located on a ridgetop above the town of Occidental.  Originally named Joseph Morelli & Sons before Prohibition, the Lemorel winery (as it was later known) dates back to 1892, when the first vines were planted. The current owners acquired the  Radio-Coteau historic 42-acre Estate vineyard and ranch located on a ridgetop above the town of Occidental in 2012. 

Eric Sussman is winegrower and proprietor of the the property going back to the early 2000s. While scouting vineyard sites for the first Radio-Coteau vintage, he met and began a relationship with Robert Von Weidlich, the owner of the property at that time. The 2002 Radio-Coteau Von Weidlich Zinfandel was the first product of that collaboration.

Eric, a New York State native, developed his passion for winegrowing while studying agriculture at Cornell University. After spending several years in Washington’s Yakima Valley, he worked in France as an apprentice working the 1995 vintage in Bordeaux at Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Pauillac, and 1996 in Burgundy at Domaine Comte Armand of Pommard and Domaine Jacques Prieur of Meursault. There he gained respect and appreciation for the intrinsic connection between land, people and the wine they produce.

Returning to the US, he spent a year at Bonny Doon Winery in Santa Cruz, before settling in Western Sonoma County where he spent four years as the associate winemaker for Dehlinger.

Eric established Radio-Coteau in 2002, focusing on the north coast vineyards of western Sonoma County and the Anderson Valley. 

The estate lies ten miles from the ocean on a ridgetop above Occidental, situated 800 feet above sea level, the property is a diverse agroecosystem, or terroir, with beneficial Goldridge soil.  The benchland location

is comprised of the fine sandy loam Goldridge soil, remnants of an ancient seabed, which provides excellent drainage and moderate fertility.

As part of the Sonoma Coast AVA, the site borders the Green Valley and Russian River Valley AVAs. The area experiences moderate rainfall seasonally through the winter months, and overall cool, coastal climate due to the marine air and fog, which provides for extended ripening and good flavor development in the grapes. 

Radio-Coteau has established blocks of Syrah and old-vine Zinfandel, and recently replanted existing acreage to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling. The estate has three vineyards.  

Radio-Coteau Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah 2019

This Las Colinas Syrah is a single vineyard designated label showcasing the cool-climate site, the essence of the western Sonoma Coast appellation Las Colinas vineyard.

Winemaker notes for this release - “Medium garnet in color with an alluring ruby core, the 2019 Las Colinas Syrah fills the glass with fresh blueberry and crushed violet notes interwoven with hints of sweet clove, earthy sous bois, and dried bay leaf. Gliding tannins seamlessly pull together bright traces of huckleberry and spicy black peppercorn, leading into a long and compelling finish.”

There is similarity to the following release which is worth noting. 

Winemaker notes for the 2020 vintage release - “The 2020 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah opens with darker fruit notes of boysenberry, blueberry, and black cherry that charmingly balance a seductive underlying sauvage character. A sweet whisper of smoked cherry wood bacon follows the fruit, alongside hints of leather, espresso, and black olives. Slightly dusty, chewy tannins complement a lively acid backbone, making the 2020 Las Colinas ready for immediate enjoyment while also poised for graceful aging.”

Our experience tasting with this wine is expressed perfectly by fellow Cellartracker KINGSLEYZISSOU 93 Points who like the wine and rated it 93 points. He wrote “I may have opened this a touch too early, but delicious regardless and a great example of Radio-Coteau’s more old world sensibility. The nose shows incredible concentration of rustic, savory fruit, notably lush black olive, dried tomato with considerable spice underlining it — herbs de Provence and black pepper. Consider cellaring this for another 2 years at least — needs some more time to develop the tertiary complexity it’s capable of.”

We gave it 92 points, but that reflects personal taste perhaps and I don’t disagree with his rating at 93 fore those that prefer the old world style. 

Antonio Galloni of Vinous gave it 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4393479

https://radiocoteau.com/

https://twitter.com/RadioCoteauWine

@RadioCoteauWine

Harvey & Harriet San Luis Obispo Red Blend

Harvey & Harriet San Luis Obispo Red Blend 2019

We had son Alec and Viviana over for Sunday evening dinner following our father/son (s) golf outing at beautiful Cantigny Golf Club in adjacent Winfield. Alec brought this interesting red from his cellar to pair with the ribs, haricot verts and roasted potatoes that Linda grilled on the deck. 

This label is from Eric Jenson, winemaker and farmer, who gained experience working with Central California Coast neighbors Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, and friend Justin Smith of Saxum. He produces this Bordeaux-style blend sourced from select vineyard sites in San Luis Obispo.

The label's namesake, Harvey & Harriet, are Eric's Mom & Dad, and as the rear label states, "everyone's favorite neighbors. Or Not."

Harvey and Harriet is a Bordeaux Red Blend created by Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyard. As it is written, this is an homage to his parents, an "attempt to make a wine that his parents would love and could afford. It is a wine that’s made by hard work, the best vineyard sites, the best barrels, the best team and of course no additives or concentrates. A world class wine for everyone who appreciates high quality without the high price tag."

As Jenson writes, "Harvey & Harriet were my parents - loving, kind, thoughtful people. Kind to everybody - no enemies. They loved wine, but in today's world, they couldn't have afforded a high end wine. So I created Harvey & Harriet for them. A thoughtful, delicious, cult-style wine that can land on everyone's dinner table."

It is an interesting red blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Malbec from San Luis Obispo County in Central Coast of California. 

It was aged 18 months with 60% new oak equivalent.

It was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck, and 93 Points and #4 WCC Top 5 Wines of 2021 by Kevin Vogt, Master Sommelier.

"A world class wine for everyone who appreciates high quality without the high price tag".

Jeb Dunnuck writes, "It’s a smoking value, and while it has plenty of up-front charm, it certainly has a decade or more of overall longevity, .... would run two to three times the cost if they were from Napa Valley." 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate writes, "a style that will appeal to a wide range of red-wine drinkers, from lovers of Zinfandel to fans of Cabernet"

WCC writes, "Although it will drink beautifully for another 8 - 10 years, there is no reason to wait because it is delightful now." 

Deep ruby purple colored, medium full bodied, complex, concentrated forward fruits, a cacophony of black and blue berry flavors with notes of tobacco, tar, cocoa, expresso, spices and hints of cedar. This is nice complex drinking that seems to be a good value, but needs to age a bit further in bottle to integrate and settle. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3981172

https://harveyandharriet.com/

https://harveyandharriet.com/collections/our-wine/products/2020-harvey-harriet-red-blend?gad=1