Old and recent reds with ribeye steaks

Old and recent Big Reds with Grilled Ribeye Beefsteaks

We hosted son Alec & daughter-in-law Vivanna and their girls for grilled rib-eye beefsteaks dinner, served with roasted potatoes, grilled mushrooms and onions, which Alec grilled while Linda prepared most of the rest of the meal, 

They came over to bring cupcakes and to have cake for/with cousin/grandaughter Lilac’s birthday for whom we were babysitting. 

I was going to pull one of the wines from the producers we visited together during our Rhône Valley Wine Experience back in 2018, but I pulled from the cellar a special, vintage aged wine from Alec’s birth year, from that southern Rhône appellation that we visited. We had just tasted this producer’s wines at the SoWal Wine Festival in (San) Destin, FL, featured in these pages in blogpost - SoWal Wine Festival Sandestin.

We also pulled a more recent vintage big red for those not so inclined to enjoy an aged vintage release, and a white to pair with the artisan cheese that Alec and Viv brought. 

On their way over, Alec & Viv picked up an artisan English Stilton Blue Cheese at Murray’s cheese-shop inside the local Mariano’s grovery. We have fun with these cheeses ever since we used to visit the original Murray’s Cheese retail shop and adjacent wine bar restaurant on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, Manhatten when we visited them when they were living in nearby Chelsea. 

I love this cheese selection which provided a perfect pairing with the remains of the Barsac Sauterne we had left over from our neighborhood wine tasting last week in Destin - featured in this blogpost  Neighborhood Wine Tasting and Small Bites Gathering. 

Château Cantegril Barsac Bordeaux 2019

This is a highly-regarded, unclassified sweet dessert wine produced by the Dubourdieu family, owners of the winery since 1924. The Dubourdieu family also owns Chateau Doisy Daene a producer of Classified Sauternes.

Chateau Cantegril has a 22 hectare plot on the chalky plateau of the Haut Barsac. It is located where once a fortified castle of the same name stood back in the Middle Ages.

Barsac dessert wines tend to provide high QPR - quality price ratios, as more modest variations of the neighboring Sauternes, which tend to be slightly sweeter and richer, and far more expensive, due to the very small yield of the late harvested grapes ‘Botrytisized’ grapes. 

It is a blend of primarily Sémillon, 65%, and Sauvignon Blanc, 35%, grapes grown in limestone-rich soils.

Fermentation takes place in barrels having separated each sorted pick of each individual plot. It is aged 12 months in french oak barrels.

Annual Production is 30 000 bottles

Golden colored, full bodied, thick unctuous, rich, sweet nutty caramel fruits, with notes of pear, white flowers, ginger and passionfruit, citrus, honey, and spice with balanced acidity.

RM 89 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wineFamily/1407573

Château Boisrenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1990 

We opened a wine from Domaine de Beaurenard whose wine we tasted at the recent SoWal Wine Festival. It is from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, in the Rhone Valley that we visited together during our Rhone Valley Wine Experience (We visited to Château La Nerthe and Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe as the other highlight of our visit to the appellations Châteauneuf-du-Pape.)

The Domane de Beaurenard has been a family run estate for seven generations and is today run by brothers Daniel and Frederic Coulon. The estate includes 80 acres in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and 62 acres in the Cotes du Rhone Villages Rasteau appellation. Robert M. Parker Jr. calls Domaine de Beaurenard “one of the old, classic estates of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Their two offerings include the dark-colored regular cuvee and the barrique-aged Cuvee Boisrenard…Both are top flight Chateauneuf-du-Papes…”

The winery has a tasting room located on Av. Saint-Pierre de Luxembourg, the main route as you enter the village Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the south. 

Domaine de Beaurenard is another Chateauneuf du Pape estate that can be called a true, family affair. That’s because the vineyards have been in the same family for 7 generations. Domaine de Beaurenard dates way back to 1695. At the time, it went under the name of “Bois Renard,” which as you might guess, is where the special Cuvee, used for both their red and white wines got its name.

Today, Domaine de Beaurenard is managed by Frederic Coulon and Daniel Coulon. Domaine de Beaurenard has been producing, bottling, and marketing their own wine for close to 100 years. They began making their own wine at Domaine de Beaurenard in 1929.

Domaine de Beaurenard sits in the village Chateauneuf du Pape. The estate consists of just under 80 acres of vines in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, 70 planted to red wine grapes and 10 are reserved for making white Chateauneuf du Pape wine. The vines are located in 25 separate parcels, with much of their Grenache planted in the Cabrieres lieu-dit east of the village.

The estate is classic, typical appellation terroir with clay, limestone, and large stones in the soil. They have old vines, with some of the Grenache dating back over 100 years. Domaine de Beaurenard also owns abiout 35 acres of vineyards in the Cotes du Rhone Villages and 150 acres of vines in the Rasteau AOC. 

While Domaine de Beaurenard grows all 13 Rhone allowed grape varieties for use in their red wine, the primary grapes used in the blend are the three required varietals; Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, plus  some Cinsault, and tiny amounts of Counoise, Muscardin, Terret and Vaccarese.

The winemaking facilities were modernized in 2004. 

This is their premiere label, sourced from the same estate vineyards and produced at the same winery as their other production labels. We’ve held this bottle in our cellar for three decades since acquiring it upon release. 

At thirty five years, the foil and label, and more importantly, the fill level and cork were still in ideal condition - evidence of the cellaring conditions for long term aging in our cellar. 

This was still in its drinking window although nearing the end as it is showing its age slightly with a slight amount of rust coloration and small bit of funkiness upon opening, which blew off for more approachability on day two. Still enjoyable drinking, it is time to drink up soon, in the next couple of years. 

This release was rated 95 points by Wine Advocate back in the summer of 2000.

The wine is aged in three different sized vats, 30 hectoliter foudres, 80 hectoliter truncated oak vats, and 228-liter oak barrels for between 9 to 18 months depending on the wine and the character of the vintage.

Winemaker Notes - “Made from parcels of old vines (60-90 years in age) planted in terroirs of great personality and complexity. Grapes picked when fully ripe and meticulously hand-sorted for extra concentration. Very low yield: 15-20 hl/hectare. These old vines were planted in a mix of varieties: the symphony of 13 varieties is thus in evidence, but with a majority of Grenache. This wine spends a long time in vats, and is matured in the most traditional ways: no filtration, 18 months' ageing in oak casks, fined with fresh egg whites, bottled and left to rest in the cellars.”

Dense ruby/purple-colored, full bodied, black fruits with hints of black tea, cassis and spice box touch of oak.

RM 90 points 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/30341

I also pulled a more recent Big Red Syrah for the ladies, less inclined to enjoy the mature, aged CDP. 

Lewis Cellars Ethans Syrah 2016

We love this big full throttle style of Syrah with thick, concentrated, rich round fruits. True to the wine profile, it was packaged in an extra heavy glass bottle. 

I've often written in these pages about the fun we have with this Lewis branding, with its signature 'L' on the label, ala the sit-com Laverne and Shirley, where Laverne always wore a large “L” on her sweaters,  which we also attribute to wife Linda, or her mother Lucy, or our daughter Erin Leigh, or her daughter, our first grandchild/daughter Lucy, and other grand-daughters Lavender and Lilac, when opening it for special family occasions such as tonight 

We’ve featured this producer and this label in several previous blogposts in these pages - Father's Day Special Dinner features favorite BBQ Ribs, Syrah and Zin, and Lewis Ethan's Syrah - Piazza Del Dotto Sangiovese, excerpted below.

We visited Lewis Cellars with our wine group during our Pour Boys' 2017 Napa Wine Experience, and, Alec and Viv also visited Lewis during their Napa Valley honeymoon getaway. 

We also have fun paying tribute to the ‘Hoosier’ heritage of proprietor Randy Lewis who was also a Indianapolis 500 race driver from our native Indiana, and, their affinity to family, naming labels after their grandkids - Alec, Ethan and Mason. We adopted Alec's Blend as a signature label for son Alec and feature it at family celebrations, we more often than not open Lewis wines for family occasions, such as tonight. 

This label, Ethan's Syrah, is made from cooler-climate vines, from mountain fruit crafted from small lots selected from Mt. Veeder and Pritchard Hill at the south end of the Vaca range on the eastern range, and Mayacamas range, respectively, on the western range forming and overlooking Napa Valley in between. 

Lewis Cellars Syrah is a nod to the great Rhône wines it's modeled after. It is aged in American oak. 

We love Lewis' style of big, spicy, concentrated wines that are balanced, yet full of black fruit and mature, mouth-coating tannins.

This was aged in American and French oak for 19 months.

This was stunningly good. Dark inky blackish purple, full bodied, concentrated, dense rich, the 100% Syrah fruit explodes in the mouth with flavors of ripe blackberries and blueberries, notes of clove spice, smoke and toast. and spice, tongue coating, chewy tannins on the long finish. Spectacular! 

RM 94 points.  

Winemaker's notes on this wine, "Savory  and  sweet  with  ripe  boysenberry  and  blue  fruit, lavender,  pancetta  and  white  truffle,  it  exudes  an  earthy,  engaging  character.  Vivid,  clean  and focused   on   the   palate,   the   wine  finishes   with  a  flourish  of  mineral   and  white  pepper."

Wine Spectator also gave this 94 points; "Plush yet well-structured, with luxurious blackberry, mocha and smoky spice flavors that build richness toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2025. — T.F."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3060607

https://www.lewiscellars.com/

Lunch at The Cellar Door Bistro & Wine Shop DG

Lunch at The Cellar Door Bistro & Wine Shop DG

We lunched at the The Cellar Door Bistro & Wine Shop in Downers Grove, (IL).

The Cellar Door offers a wide selection of wines BTG, by the glass, or by the bottle for purchase, to take home, or drink in the store with food, for a nominal corkage fee of $10. 

The Cellar Door was founded by Sean Chaudhry in 2005 and purchased by longtime General Manager Ryan Jansky in 2021. Sean also owns The Hinsdale Wine Shop in nearby suburban Hinsdale, IL. Sean has traveled the world, developing personal relationships with winemakers and exporters who specialize in small wineries that still hand-pick grapes and personally tend to the day-to-day management of their craft vineyards. It’s because of these relationships, he’s able to provide remarkable wines at a good value.

The Cellar Door was created to offer enthusiasts a place to relax and enjoy great food and wine, at reasonable prices.

The Cellar Door consists of a literal wall of wine, opposite a tasting bar, with casual seating inside, at the bar, or out front outside on the patio. 

The Cellar Door Bistro & Wine Shop seeks out interesting wines representing all the popular and designated varietals, to pair with a selection of food options, at agreeable prices. 

Besides Daily Specials, the food menu includes ​​Salads, Sandwiches, Cauliflower Crust Pizzas, and Cheese & Charcuterie Flights, market portions served with toasted focaccia bread, GF crackers, and three accompaniments and Warm Meat Options - Chicken Liver Pate (Brandy & Sage), and of course, Desserts. 

For each food selection, there is a suggested Wine Pairing.

For lunch we ordered a Cheese & Charcuterie Flight with toasted focaccia bread, GF crackers, and olive oil. We also ordered the ​Truffle Burrata Bruschetta - grape tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic & truffle oil, burrata, balsamic fig glaze, toasted baguette, Maldon salt, and the Bacon Wrapped Dates (g/f) goat cheese, medjool dates, Benton’s bacon, red pepper coulis, dressed greens.

All were artfully prepared and presented by friendly, attentive, knowledgeable staff, and were delicious, actually exceeding our expectations in all respects! 

In addition to the Truffle Burrata Bruschetta and Bacon Wrapped Dates, we also selected a cheese and pate’ plate. Our selections:  

- Delice de Bourgogne (soft triple cream, cow's milk, Burgundy, France)
- Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk (soft triple cream, cow's milk, California)
- White Stilton with Mango and Ginger (sweet semisoft cow's milk, UK)
- Benning's Goat Gouda (aged, firm goats milk, Holland)
- Warm Meat Option - Chicken Liver Pate’ (Brandy & Sage).

For a wine accompaniment we selected this interesting Napa Valley Red Blend - 

Robert Foley “The Griffin” Napa Valley Red 2019

Winemaker Robert (Bob) Foley began his wine making career in the Napa Valley in 1977, after graduating from UC Davis with degrees in both Viticulture and Enology. He spent his first year working for Heitz Cellars, followed by 15 years as the founding winemaker for Markham Vineyards.

In 1992, Bob began another 15 years as the founding winemaker for Pride Mountain Vineyards. During this town, he also created the highly acclaimed Switchback Ridge, Hourglass, Paloma, and School House wines. 

In 1998 he founded Robert Foley Vineyards where he is predominantly focused, as well as serving as winemaker for Padis Vineyards, Herson Family Vineyards, and JennaMarise Wines.​

In 1998 he produced Robert Foley Vineyards flagship Claret and has since expanded to offer a diversified portfolio of big reds including Petite Sirah, Merlot, Charbono, in addition to the limited-release estate bottled Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Howell Mountain Merlot, as well as a Carneros Pinot Noir, a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, and this interesting blend wine that we drank, “The Griffin”. 

Bob has also bottled four of his favorites: a medium-bodied Chablis-style Chardonnay, a Syrah he calls Kelly's Cuvée, a Cabernet Franc, and a Port-style dessert wine named Conclusão.

Bob’s reputation for producing very expressive wines that finish gracefully continues to develop at his winery facility on Napa County’s Howell Mountain, where more than 1,000 barrels are housed in an extensive cave system (completed in 2008) for the production of Robert Foley wines.

When Bob's not making wine, he spends time with his wife (and RFV's business manager) Kelly Kehoe, and his children and granddaughters. You can also find him mountain biking local trails, singing and playing guitar in The Robert Foley Band, or SCUBA diving.

“The Griffin” is a blend of the best in the red cellar that changes varietal composition each vintage. The Griffin on the Foley family crest in Irish heraldry combines the strengths of the lion, king of beasts, with the eagle, king of the skies. A winemaker’s dream is to be artistically free to combine characters into wine that is purely hedonic and non-compliant with varietal regulations, so The Griffin’s blend changes with every vintage.

Winemaker notes for this release of “The Griffin” - “Ripe black and red berry fruit abound! Full-bodied and mouth-coating, this fine red blend is all about fresh clean fruit with ultra-soft tannins and a long lingering finish. The Griffin blend will satisfy every need for a red wine.”

Like its namesake, this Griffin ’is a powerful combination of strengths.’ This year’s blend is 57% Syrah, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Petite Sirah.

Jeb Dunnuck rated this release 93 Points,. 

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, complex concentrated brambley black berry fruits with notes of cassis, creosote and hints of black pepper and spice with full tannins on a rich finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5012401

https://www.robertfoleyvineyards.com/about

https://www.cellardoorwine.com/

Le Serre Nuove Bolgheri with Angeli’s Italian

Le Serre Nuove Bolgheri with Angeli’s Italian 

Returned home from an extended roadtrip away, we had two of our sons’ families over for dinner to catch up and give the grandkids/cousins play-time together. 

We ordered take-out from Angeli’s Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria - our usual favorites, Mussels, Eggplant Parmigiana, Veal Piccata, Veal Marsala, Portabella Ravioli, Fried and Grilled Calimari. 

Son Alec and I trolled the cellar and as he so aptly stated, “need an Italian wine for the Italian cuisine”, so we pulled this hearty Italian.

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia "Le Serre Nuove" Bolgheri 2019 

I wrote about this producer and this wine in an extensive blogpost last summer - Tenuta dell' Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove, excerpted here.

This wine, Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove, is produced by Tenuta dell' Ornellaia, the renowned winery located in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany, Italy, producers of the exceptional flagship blend known as Ornellaia. 

Bolgheri, where the estate is located, is a small village on the picturesque Tuscan coast, in the Maremma region near the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its distinctive terroir, characterized by a blend of sand, marl, marine fossils, clay, limestone, and pebbles, coupled with a mild maritime climate and cooling sea breezes, creates ideal conditions for growing high-quality grapes, particularly the Bordeaux varieties used in Ornellaia's wines. 

Ornellaia is somewhat of a legend, one of the first “Super-Tuscans”, the result of Marchese Lodovico Antinori’s vision and ambition to produce a great Bordeaux-style wine in Tuscany. The first vineyards were planted in 1981 and today have expanded to almost 250 acres. 

Today, the winery is owned by the Frescobaldi family, one of seven estates they own and manage across the Northern Italian Tuscany Bolgheri region, some of which have been in the family dating back to the 1300's.

I first discovered this wine dining at Italian Village in the city (Chicago) for a team business dinner, selected from the vast Italian Village extraordinary wine cellar list crafted and curated by friend Jared Gelband, Wine Director.

I wrote about this label in another previous blogpost in these pages, excerpted here. 

The Ornellaia vineyard totals 280 acres that are divided into more than 70 vineyard plots according to soil type, exposition and varietal. There are three major soil types: marine (sedimentary deposit from the sea), alluvial (marly, sandy clays with mineral veins), and volcanic (schist, gravel and porous soils). All the vineyards are about 3 miles from the Mediterranean shore. The mild maritime climate features sea breezes that keep the sky clear, low rainfall, and long summers that favor the development of aromatic compounds. Vineyards are planted at high density, from 5,000-8,700 hl/ha, and feature several training systems – spur-pruned cordon, single Guyot, and head-pruned vines.

Bolgheri, where the winery is located, is a small village nestled along the picturesque Tuscan coast, specifically in the Maremma region near the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its unique terroir, characterized by a blend of sand, marl, marine fossils, clay, limestone, and pebbles, coupled with a mild maritime climate and cooling sea breezes, creates ideal conditions for growing high-quality grapes, particularly the Bordeaux varieties used in Ornellaia's wines. 

Tenuta dell' Ornellaia was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori. Antinori, a member of a prominent Tuscan winemaking family, was inspired to create wines of exceptional quality in the Bolgheri region. He planted Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, which led to the first vintage of Ornellaia in 1985. The estate's commitment to quality and expression of the terroir quickly gained recognition for the wines, leading to international acclaim. 

Over the years, Ornellaia's ownership changed hands, though its dedication to quality remains a constant. Robert Mondavi acquired a minority stake in 1999 and full ownership in 2002. The Mondavi Corporation later entered into a partnership with the Frescobaldi family, another distinguished name in Tuscan winemaking. In 2005, the Frescobaldi family became the sole proprietor of Ornellaia, and continues to manage the estate today. 

Throughout its history, Ornellaia has benefited from the expertise of talented winemakers, including André Tchelistcheff in its early years, and Michel Rolland as a long-time consultant. Most recently, Axel Heinz served as the winemaker and Estate Director for over 17 years, and his legacy includes a project called Vendemmia d'Artista which involves collaboration with artists for special vintage releases. The current production manager for both Ornellaia and the super ultra-premium brand is Masseto is Marco Balsimelli. 

First released in 1997, Le Serre Nuove is the 'Second' wine of ultra-premium Ornellaia, produced to broaden the selection of wines crafted during the crafting of the base wines of Ornellaia. It is produced mainly from younger vines, but crafted to match the profile of freshness, accessibility and flexibility with structure, balance and intensity that showcase the great terroirs of the producer’s properties.

This was an ideal pairing with the zesty pasta dishes. 

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove 2019

The 2019 Le Serre Nuove Dell' Ornellaia is 54% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. 

This release was rated 95 by James Suckling, 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Decanter and Wine & Spirits, 93 points by Vinous and Wine Spectator, and 92 by Jeb Dunnuck.

Vinous wrote in /2022, “Give it a few years to come together.“ Jeb Dunnuck also wrote, “ Give this time.” 

John Gilman in his 2023 review wrote.”This is going to be outstanding once it is mature, though it needs at least a decade in the cellar to soften up its backend tannins. Drink between 2033-2075.”

We have a couple more bottles so using this and the previous tasting as a benchmark, we’ll try to be patient and give it some time before we try it again. 

Winemaker's notes - “With its hallmark deep colour, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2019 has a lively balsamic vein. Soft and silky, elegant tannins and an enduring savoury finish fill the mouth.” - Olga Fusari – Winemaker - May 2021.

Winemaker Notes - “With its usual intense color, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2019 has a nose full of fresh notes of ripe red fruits, accompanied by a lively balsamic vein with aromatic hints of cypress and eucalyptus berries. The wine is soft and silky in the mouth, filling it with an elegant tannic texture and a sapid and persistent finish.”

Consistent with last summer’s tasting … The winemaker’s description of “lively balsamic” best describes the predominate flavor sprite of this wine. Dark garnet colored, full bodied, the black currant and blackberry fruits are accented by that layer with savory notes of smoke, rosemary spice, black pepper, leather and hints of creosote and cedar with a lively moderate tannin laced finish.  

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4080770

https://www.ornellaia.com/en/

https://twitter.com/Ornellaia

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/4080770

Barolo with Lobster Ravioli

Limited Release Barolo with Lobster Ravioli 

 
We had leftover lobster ravioli pasta in vodka cream sauce from our fabulous dinner at Emmolfo Miramar Beach over the weekend - featured in these pages in this blogpost - Hudson Chardonnay BYOB dinner at Commelfo Miramar Beach.

I opened this highly rated special release Nebbiolo that I had just acquired earlier in the day at the new Total Wine super store, just opened in the community, and was eager try. 

Mauro Sebaste 40th Anniversary Barolo 2019 

This is from Mauro Sebaste Winery, founded in 1991 by Mauro Dogliani, evolved from the Barolo estate founded by his mother, Sylla Dogliani, known as “La Dama di Langa”. He is joined in the family venture by his wife Maria Teresa and their daughters, Sylla and Angelica, and the latest generation, Sylla's daughters Costanza, Celeste and Camilla.

The winery estate is located in the village of Alba as are vineyards located in the area of Santa Rosalia, on the ridge of the hill that lies between Diano d’Alba and Grinzane Cavour. 

They operate nearly 80 acres of vineyards that are located in more than 10 different communes, between Langhe, Roero and Monferrato Astigiano in the Barolo DOCG (Appellation) in the Italian Piedmont wine region. The area is located roughly midway between Genoa on the Mediterranean cost, and the inland city of Turin in northwestern Italy. 

Mauro Sebaste produce a portfolio of Barolo wines comprised 100% from the Nebbiolo grape, the signature designated varietal of the area in accordance with DOCG specifications. The grapes are sourced mainly from Serralunga d’Alba, one of the main communes in the DOCG area, where the terroir is ideally suited for Nebbiolo grapes to reach their potential excellence resulting in wines of rare strength, elegance and complexity. Other estate vineyards of Nebbiolo da Barolo grapes are located in the territory of equally prestigious municipalities such as La Morra, Verduno and Monforte d’Alba.

In total they produce an average of 150,000 bottles a year, spread across several different labels and types  as well as a range of grappas wines made from our pomace.

Mauro Sebaste 2019 Barolo Edizione Limitata 40 Vendemmia

This special label is a limited release of just 3,300 bottles that celebrates the four-decade anniversary of the estate. 

James suckling rated this label 94 points while Wine Advocate rated this label 91 points. 

After malolactic fermentation, the wine matured in large 15 hl French oak barrels for 30 months. Two fractions were matured separately, only blended just before bottling, then the wine matured in the bottle for at least an additional six months.

Slightly opaque ruby colored with slight garnet hues, medium to full bodied, expressive bright vibrant rich, complex black cherry and raspberry fruits, with notes of clove spice, tea leaf, cassis, smokey oak and tangy acidity firm with ultra-fine tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4986236

https://maurosebaste.it/en/home-english/

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

.

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/