Chez Francois Vermillion ultimate fine dining experience

Chez Francois Vermillion ultimate fine dining experience 

Enroute to Conneticut for our gala family gathering and wedding celebration for son Alec and Vivianna, we laid over in Northern Ohio and dined at Chez Francois Vermillion, as we close out our anniversary week celebration. 

Chez Francois in Vermillion, Ohio presented the ultimate fine dining experience - perhaps the most extraordinary we have ever had, exceeding our expectations in every respect - food, wine, service, ambiance! 

Chez Francois has been cited as the highest rated Zagat restaurant in Ohio and was chosen as one of OpenTable’s 2015 Top 100 restaurants in America.

Traveling to Vermillion takes one through customary rural and ex-urban farmland and small town settings until arriving at the destination. Downtown Vermillion is a historic district setting of a quaint picturesque New England town centre with picture postcard mainstreet, town square park and a magnificent amazingly extensive waterfront of waterways of the Vermillion River where it meets Lake Erie, with a labyrinth of four lagoons named for the great lakes, with blocks of private as well as public boat docks. The Sunday evening was bustling with people everywhere with a welcoming, hospitable atmosphere. 

Owner, General Manager and Wine Director Matthew Mars was working the room, overseeing service,  operations and meeting dining guests. Personable and unpretenscious, he sat at our table with us and answered questions about the clientele, seasonal coverage, special events, and shared insights, perspectives and experience regarding the extensive wine cellar collection and list.

Our server, a 21 year veteran in the Chez family, was delightful, charming and equally personable, advising us on the menu selections, cuisine, locavore sources, and local area information. 

Chez Francois sits on the waterfront with the elegant fine dining room on the lower level adjacent to the water. Their Touche wine bar dining room is on the upper level, above, with outside dining wrapping around the building overlooking the waterway, bustling with sport boats and pleasure craft. 

There are three dining rooms, the main dining room, the Parisian Room for special occasions, and the waterside Riverfront Cafe, a porch setting outside the main dining room adjacent the waterfront. There is also the adjacent Touché Bistro and winebar.

The main dining room is a combination of rustic, chic and elegant with brick floors covered with persian rugs, brick walls adorned with French posters. 

Another wall is covered with framed certificates denoting the artist labels of First Growth Bordeaux Chateau Mouton Rothschild artist labels. Other walls feature paintings of French cities, villages and landscapes. 

The ambiance and atmosphere is comfortable and  hospitable, but all business in presenting and delivering extraordinary cuisine and service. They enforce an appropriate dress code suitable for the setting resulting in a respectable and more formal atmosphere, yet it is relaxed and comfortable.

The Riverside Cafe dining room on the waterside porch of the building faces the bustling waterway. Nearby adjacent slips can accommodate boats up to 63 feet in length.

The Chez Francois menu provides an broad selection of authentic French and Northern Italian preparations of midwestern cuisine of the finest locavore selections and ingredients, masterfully crafted and artfully presented. 

The dinner course begins with classic Amuse Bouche - the most tasteful imaginable, followed by mixed green salad bed in a cucumber coral with baby zuchini and heirloom tomatoes. 

We selected from the broad list of delectable options for the starter course the Maine Lobster Zucchini Blossoms - sautéed Erie County zucchini blossoms filled with a Maine Lobster stuffing topped with hollandaise sauce.  It was exquisite, bursting with flavor sprites and a perfect pairing with our wine accompaniment.

For our entree course, we selected the daily special, Lake Whitefish Snapper, lightly breaded, covered with a layer of savory native sweet white peaches, with a side of whipped potatoes and grilled baby zuchini spears. 

The substantial extensive winelist features a selection of 750 wine labels from a cellar inventory of 8,500 bottles, cited by Wine Spectator for strengths of offerings from Bordeaux, Burgundy, California, France, Rhône, Italy and Port. The Wine List was awarded the Wine Spectator Magazine “Best of Award of Excellence”. 

The wines are presented on a electronic tablet which provides efficient navigation by wine type, varietal, region, rating, price range, or direct search. Each wine is laid out by type, presenting a photo of the label, producer, name, appellation and vintage, with a click through to a detailed producer and label profile. It was the finest winelist presentation I have ever seen, on par with and similar to the Aureole at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the first such electronic presentation I encountered years ago. 

The winelist is broad and deep with global regional coverage, verticals of select popular labels, an extraordinary selection of 'cult' producers, first, second and third labels offering a extensive selection for every pricepoint and budget modest to ultra premium The high end wines are expensive however there are many selections at reasonable winelist value of 1.3 to 1.5 times retail pricing. 

For our seafood entree selection we were seeking a white, and the offerings were extensive from France - Burgundy, Rhone, Luberon, Italy, Germany, and new world regions, and US offerings from California, Oregon and Washington. We settled on a Chardonnay from California.

For premium California Chardonnays we were tempted by Kistler, Kongsgaard and Peter Michael, to name a few. We opted for the Peter Michael 'Belle-Cotes' Burgundian style Chardonnay, available for a reasonable 1 1/3 times typical retail price. 

Our final dessert course selection was Chocolat Moulleux, Crème Glacée - warm chocolate cake with Madagascar French Vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce, seasonalberries, and mint. It was delicious!

It was served with Quinto do Crasto, Porto ”LBV ”, Douro Valley, Portugal, 2012.

Peter Michael Belle Cotes Knights Valley Sonoma County Chardonnay 2017

The grapes for Belle Côtes are grown at the oldest of the four Peter Michael estate Chardonnay vineyards at a high elevation altitude of 1,700 to 1,800 feet with a naturally cool climate, sheltered from the hot afternoon sun by its southeastern exposure and a stand of trees on its western border. 

The vines are exceptionally slow to ripen at the site's growing season typically extending into October, two to three weeks longer than most Chardonnay vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties. The vineyard's high elevation, and sheltered exposure creates conditions for a long and slow ripening, producing wine with the broadest, fullest fruit profile of Michael's four single vineyard Chardonnays.

 Belle Côte exemplifies how consistently these mountain vineyard sites produce exceptionally high-quality Chardonnay. Thicker soils; cooler via elevation, easterly exposure and trees on western border, slow ripening, longer growing season.

Producers/Winemakers notes: "The 2017 growing season began with abundant rainfall, ending California’s long drought. Spring weather was cool but dry, resulting in an extended blooming period and some shatter. Vines were vigorous thanks to the winter rains and aggressive canopy management and fruit thinning brought the crop into optimal balance. Warmer than normal conditions after veraison accelerated ripening and required careful irrigation to mitigate dehydration. A return of cooler conditions allowed our Chardonnay to gradually reach perfect ripeness. The slightly smaller than normal harvest, resulted in a forward, exotic vintage of Chardonnay with wines showing uncommon richness."

"Very intense and powerful, the nose reveals hedonistic aromas of lychee nut, rose petal and orange blossom, with a background of mineral, candied orange, yellow peach, crème brûlée, nougat, whole nut and toasted almond. The rich seamless palate is very creamy and weighty in the mouth. Notes of pain grillé, marmalade, brioche and hazelnut coupled with natural acidity and minerality complete the mouth feel. The 2017 Belle Côte is enjoyable now and will continue to develop for a decade or more."

This label was awarded 99 points by Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, 97 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points by Vinous, and 92 points by Wine Spectator. Jeb Dunnuck says it is "flirting with perfection".

Straw colored, full-bodied, complex with layers of dense flavors of green apples, pears and white peaches turning to notes of pink grapefruit and sprites of lychee fruit with a full, crisp clean finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3210785

https://petermichaelwinery.com/wines/belle-cote/

 

Quinto do Crasto, Porto ”LBV ”, Douro Valley, Portugal, 2012

Excellent aroma intensity and concentration, with fresh wild berry fruit notes and delicate hints of chocolate.  A perfect complement to the chocolate gateaux.

RM 92

https://chezfrancois.com/

@Chez_Francois

Le Petit Lion de Marquis de Las Cases

Le Petit Lion de Marquis de Las Cases, St-Julien 2018

Continuing our anniversary celebration week, as preparations continue for son Alec's gala Covid delayed wedding celebration, we took BYOB and dined with Alec at Angelis' Italian, our neighborhood trattoria. I pulled from the cellar this current release label that we discovered and tasted during our visit to the magnificent Chateau and estate in St Julian-Beychevelle Bordeaux two years ago this month. At that time, this 2018 release was aging in barrel.

As a second label crafted from younger vines on the estate, this is aptly name Petit Lion de Marquis de Las Cases, the younger, baby wine of the Grand Vin. While being a second wine, it has that profile of the 'super second' first label, but is available at a fraction of the price. 

When I picked up this label last week at Binny's, the Chicagoland wine and beverage superstore, I also picked the remainder of the labels of each of the six St Julien producers that we visited during our visit to the appellation. 

A highlight of our wedding celebration festivities has been and will be tasting the 1990 birthyear vintage release of select wines including the flagship grand vin Château Léoville Las Cases.  We also served that label from large format bottles from the birthyears of our other kid's at some of their wedding festivities.

Le Petit Lion de Marquis de Las Cases, St-Julien 2018 

This is one of those labels that provides the experience of the Grand Vin in years of a top vintage where 'all boats rise with the tide', as the saying goes, without paying the ultra-premium price. The Binny's price for the two labels is $69 and $285 respectively. It has the aging potential to be cellared for 25-30 years. Wine critic Jeb Dunnuck writes, "It’s a match for just about every other estate’s top wine out there." 

The 2018 Le Petit Lion is blended of 45% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc.The wine was aged in barriques, 30% new and finished in new barrels for the last year.  

This certainly met my high expectations for the brand in a super vintage year such as 2018. 

This was awarded 93-95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 94 points by James Suckling, 92-94 points by  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points Decanter, and 17.5/20 points by Jancis Robinson.

Deep garnet-purple colored, full-bodied, intense concentrated but refined, nicely balanced and elegant, expressive blackberry fruits with notes of tobacco leaf, pencil lead, charcoal and slate, with firm, multi-layered tannins on a long opulent finish. 

92 points, give this three to five years to integrate and settle for optimal drinking. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=3279097

https://www.domaines-delon.com/fr/leoville-chateau_leoville_las_cases_histoire.html

@DomainesDelon

 

 

Parkers Ocean Grill Wine & Dine - Off Tuesday?

Parkers Ocean Grill Wine & Dine - Off Tuesday?

For the actual date of our anniversary, we went to Parker's Ocean Grill in Downers Grove (Illinois) for dinner. They have an extensive winelist selection from which to pair with the cuisine. We both ordered seafood entrees and selected a Napa Chardonnay as an accompaniment. 

We've been to Parker's several times over the years and never noticed until tonight, and not until exiting the premises, that they have an outdoor patio to the rear of the restaurant. Pity, as we would've far preferred to dine outside on a delightful summer evening, had it been offered, or had we even known that the option existed. 

Perhaps it was due to being a Tuesday evening, or not, but both of our entrees were sub-par, bordering on disappointing. I mention Tuesday, as perhaps their ordering/delivering of fresh fish does not occur at the beginning of the week, such that the selections are less fresh than optimal. I've heard that one never orders Sushi in Tokyo on a Monday, as there is no fresh catch on Sundays to supply the freshest of fish for serving on Monday. Perhaps, we were subject to or victims of this same phenomenon? 

In any event, our dinner's were at the least, uninspiring. 

We both had the Lobster/Crab bisque, which was too salty, and diminimous of meat. 

For entrees, Linda ordered the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna with Avocado, Wakame, Snap Peas, Daikon, Carrot and Ponzu Sauce. The indication it might be less than optimal was its darkish color of the Ahi. 

I ordered the Wood Roasted Copper River Sockeye Salmon with Roasted Corn & Tomato Salsa, Fingerling Potatoes, Lemon Buerre Blanc Sauce and Chive Oil. While probably prepared properly I would've preferred some sprites of the Beuerre Blanc sauce and less of the red peppers, which weren't in the entree description, unless it was the tomatoes influenced by the roasted corn that infused the flavor into the fish. The only essence of the lemon sauce was in the saturated fingerling potatoes, which would've been better without such, not soaked in it. Pity. 

 With our dinner, we ordered a Plumpjack Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay, as it was what we presumed would be the best or most complementary pairing with the entrees. 

Plumpjack Napa Valley Chardonnay Reserve 2018

Plumpjack was formed from the partnership of current California Governor Gavin Newsom and composer/philanthropist Gordon Getty. Together, they opened the Plumpjack wine store in San Francisco back in 1992. Pretty much everything Newsom has accomplished in his career is due to the benefactor mentor relationship he has with Getty, whose financial fortunes are the legacy of his father, he is the fourth child of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. His mother, Ann Rork, was his father's fourth wife. 

We discovered Plumpjack back in the earliest days in the mid-nineties, and we hosted a winemaker dinner with then associate winemaker May Pisor at the Meadowwood resort back in the late nineties.

 During that time we acquired early releases of Plumpjack Estate and Reserve wines, many of which we still hold in our cellar today. Over the years, the Plumpjack brand and portfolio has grown exponentially with the acquisition of several more properties and the development of affiliate brands Cade and Odette.

While we regret that the brand has succumbed to the legacy of politician Governor Newsom, we still hold, but tend not to acquire any more of their wines. Never-the-less, tonight we selected a Plumpjack wine, more due to fond memories of visits to the estate and Winery back in those early days, than our current support for their politics of the brand. We did recently visit Plumpjack during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2018. 

The Winery tasting notes for this label release: "The 2018 PlumpJack Chardonnay is packed with the fresh aromas of Meyer lemon, pomelo, green pear, honeysuckle, and orange blossom with a touch of toast and apple cinnamon. The palate is creamy, silky, and bright, giving the sensations of great weight and vibrant freshness. Our Chardonnay grapes are sourced from two vineyards in the Napa Valley – one in Los Carneros and the other in St. Helena. At just 30 miles apart, Los Carneros can be 10 -15 degrees cooler than St Helena. Due to this difference in temperature along with other differences, such as soil type, these two vineyard sites vary greatly in character and expression but add layers and layers of flavor to the nose and palate."  

This was straw colored, medium bodied, crisp and creamy, clean acidity with notes of lemon, pear, hints of buttery oak and a touch of cinnamon spice. 

RM 90 points. 

https://plumpjackwinery.com/

@PlumpJackWinery

https://parkersamerican.com/

Croix De Beaucaillou 2009

Croix De Beaucaillou 2009 

I picked up our allocation of the Château Ducru Beaucaillou 2018 and wanted to partake in something from the Borie brand for casual sipping with artisan cheeses. I wanted to introduce son Alec to the brand and recount and revisit our memorable visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou and tour of the chateau and estate during our visit to St Julien Beychevelle Bordeaux two years ago this month. Alec and Vivianna were with us during the first half of that trip but we parted ways from Chateauneuf-du-Pape as we went on to Bordeaux while they headed to Paris, for the remainder of the trip.

I recently picked up a six pack of this label, which we discovered and tasted during our visit to the estate. Looking at some of our earlier tastings of this vintage, I noted I rated the 2009 Ducru 95 points, so I was eager to try and compare this second label against the grand cru. While the ultra-premium super second growth label is reserved for special occasions, this second label is more appropriate for times such as this, and I was eager to try the '09 release of this label given the lofty rating of the grand cru. 

When we toured the estate and were introduced to this wine, they exclaimed the Croix de Beaucaillou is produced from a specific section of the estate’s vineyards up on the plateau, and is truly a second wine at the estate, rather than a second label for the younger vines from Ducru-Beaucaillou. It was first introduced in 2005. We tasted the 2012 label (right) during out tasting at the Chateau, a different label and branding than this one which carries the colors of the grand vin.

As I have written often in these pages, typically when there is an extraordinary vintage, the second labels of a producer are also superb, 'as all boats rise the tide', as the saying goes. In such years, the second and subsequent labels can offer exceptional values, QPR - Quality Price Ratios. 

The grand vin is the result of an increasingly strict selection process, with approximately 50% of the production going into the final wine, and the balance used in the Croix de Beaucaillou. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate wrote that "the 2009 may be the finest example of this cuvee I have yet tasted." 

Decanter wrote of this release, "A brilliant yet softer reflection of the grand vin in this vintage."

Croix De Beaucaillou 2009

This label was awarded 94 points by  Decanter, 93 points by James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast, and 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator. John Gilman gave it 89-91 points.

Decanter wrote, "The 10-year barrier is just about perfect for such a great second wine in an exceptional vintage, and I highly recommend that you start opening and enjoying it soon."

Dense dark garnet purple colored, medium full bodied, rich concentrated textured black berry and black cherry fruits, notes of creme de cassis, exotic spices, tobacco leaf, black tea, black truffle and hints of green pepper, wood, smoke and earth that tend to be offsetting a bit on the finish, detracting from the overall experience. 

Jancis Robinson noted a similar experience, "Maybe a very slight bitterness on the finish, hence the minus."

This diminution from the funky layer was less so the second day and perhaps could've been avoided with decanting and aeration some time before tasting. I purchased a six pack so we will have more opportunities to determine the optimal tasting approach and whether this was simply a bottle variation from that first bottle.

RM 89

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3004572

Visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou -

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/ducru-beaucaillou.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/02/otbn-2018_25.html

@DucruB #stJulien #medoc #bordeaux #GrandCruClasse1855

http://chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com/  

 

Anniversary Dinner at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park

Anniversary Dinner at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park 

For our anniversary celebration dinner we dined at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park, one of our favorite eateries. 

Hemmingway's Bistro' menu combines classic French dishes with the fresh Midwest ingredients crafted by Chef Ala, a certified Executive Chef with the American Culinary Federation with 25 years of professional cooking experience. 

In 1999, Ala was the opening Executive Chef of the Historic Allerton Hotel in Chicago after their 80 million dollar renovation. Ala has also ran Le Meriden Hotel and Chez Paul Restuarant in Chicago.

In Boston, Ala was the Chef of The Colonnade Hotel and Brasserie Jo. In Florida, he was at Boca Raton Resort and Club and spent seven years in the Caribbean working at resorts in Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

Ala features daily specials of fresh seafood, typically East-coast seafood flown in daily from Boston, a daily Souffle, Pate or Foie Gras, and each weekend, their signature Beef Wellington. 

They have a thoughtful, carefully selected winelist with a nice offering of WBTG - Wines By The Glass. They also have an appropriate corkage policy and we typically bring a bottle from our cellar to accompany a winelist selection.

I pulled from our cellar a couple of special bottles from which to choose based on our entree selections, but in the end we opted to select a couple of WBTG - wines by the glass, from the winelist, allowing us to each select different wines to accompany our entree selections.  

We opened with Roederer Brut Premier Champagne. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1128546

Linda had their signature Baked Brie in puff pastry with Apricot preserves, wildflower honey and almonds, which she paired with a Russian River Valley Chardonnay. 

I started with their delectable Foie Gras on a bed of turnips with peaches, balsamic and honey glaze. I paired the Foie Gras with a Bourgogne Marsannay from Louis Latour. 

 

 

With my Foie Gras I had this Burgundian Pinot Noir.

 

Louis Latour Marsannay Pinot Noir 2017

 

This is from Marsannay, the village which marks the northern gateway to the Côte d'Or on leaving Dijon, the capital of Burgundy and home to the Ducs de Bourgogne. This village marks the beginning of the Route des Grands Crus which follows the N6 highway through the Côte d'Or.

Wines from Marsannay are generally lively and robust; characteristics that come from the rich iron soil. Marsannay received its Appellation Contrôlée as recently as 1987 in recognition of the consistently high quality of its wine.

Winemaker notes for this release: "Our Marsannay is sturdy and robust due to the rich iron-based soil. The wine has an intense bouquet of red fruit and a silky palate with a distinct gamey character and great tannic appeal."

Reviewers notes for this label: James Suckling gave it 91 points, Wine Spectator 90/100 and a 'Top Value', the Burgundy Report, Bill Nanson (UK), cited "Delicious".

This was an ideal complement to the Foie Gras, 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.louislatour.com/en/wines/68/marsannay-rouge/2017

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3170668

 

Our entree selections were the daily fish special, Striped Sea Bass in a Meuniere sauce for Linda, and I had the Duck A L'orange, served on a bed of braised cabbage in Gran Marnier sauce and pommes dauphine. 

 
After tasting the Burgundian Chardonnay with its clean clear crisp acidity, Linda opted for the Russian River Valley Sonoma Chardonnay for its bigger, bolder, fuller body with a more buttery flavor profile, more suited to the white wine butter Meuniere sauce.

  

 

Lake Sonoma Winery Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2018

 
Winemaker Notes: Aromas of tangerine, pear, tropical fruit and creamy oak. Flavors of white peach, Charentais melon, crème brulee with a lengthy orange citrus and vanilla bean coated finish.
 

Wine pundit Wilson Wong of Wine.com gave this 89 points noting its aromas and flavors of dried peach and savory spices.

 

45% of this Russian River Chardonnay was barrel fermented in 30% French oak (15% neutral barrels), with the remainder fermented in stainless steel. 75% of the juice went through a softening malolactic fermentation during its one year of ageing.

 

Gold colored, medium bodied, notes of pear, pineapple, butter, and vanilla with accents of peach, pear, and mandarin orange.

RM 88 points. 

 

https://lakesonomawinery.com/

 

 

My wine selection for the main course was another Pinot Noir, this time an Oregon Willamette Valley from Roots Vineyards. 

 

 

Roots Wine Company Klee Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019

This is a mainstay of the carefully selected Hemingway's WBTG feature offerings. I've had several vintages releases of this label at Hemmingway's over the years, either with their pate', the Foie Gras, or tonight, with the Duck. 

This is from producer winemaker and winegrower Chris Berg, born in Racine, Wisc., and raised in Idaho, Pennsylvania and Illinois. After graduating from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, with a bachelor's in English, he followed his parents, Chuck and Dian Berg, to Oregon from Illinois to work with them in their manufacturing company in Tualatin, Ore. There Chris soon set upon planting a small vineyard.

In 1999, the Bergs planted seven acres of mostly Pinot Noir on the 20-acre property near Yamhill in the Yamhill-Carlton District of the Willamette Valley. Chuck and Dian built a small house on the vineyard, and Chris lived in Portland with his wife, Hilary. They closed the doors of the manufacturing business in 2000, and the Bergs found themselves full-time in the winery business. 

Chris and Hilary moved to the vineyard from Portland in 2001 and in 2002, picked their first harvest of three tons, which were produced 72 cases of Pinot Noir. 

Today, Roots produces approximately 5,000 cases annually, the flagship estate Pinot Noir, as well as eight single vineyard-designate Pinot Noirs, sourced mostly from neighboring vineyards in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. They also produce a Grenache, Pinot Gris, Melon de Bourgogne, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling named after their son, Theo. Roots' reserve Pinot Noir label, Racine, honors the town in which Chris was born. (The name means "root" in French).

Roots' second label, Klee (named after artist Paul Klee), makes up the largest portion of the case production. 3400 cases were produced of this release. 

This label, akin to an artists series label, pays homage to one of winemaker/owner Chris Berg’s favorite artists, named for the famous Bauhaus artist Paul Klee. 

The artwork on the label is an adaptation of a painting called Solution “ee”. of the Birthday Assignment, 1924. Berg likens this wine to the Bauhaus school where art is for the people, this wine is for the people! 

In homage to one of Chris' favorite artists, the artwork is their own adaptation of a Klee painting. 

This Pinot Noir is sourced from 14 family-owned vineyards located in the North Willamette Valley, west of Portland, about 40% located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and coming mostly from sedimentary and alluvial soil. 

 

  

Garnet colored, medium bodied, this was bright and vibrant with fruit forward notes spicy ripe black cherry, black raspberry, and plum, with hints of cedar, fresh-crushed herbs, and earthiness. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3902204

Roots Wine Company 

https://roots.wine/ 

We finished the evening with the classic Hemingway's Souffle, tonight's feature raspberry, which we enjoyed with a shared glass of Sambucca!

 

 

Quivira Sonoma Dry Creek Valley Fig Tree Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Quivira Sonoma County Dry Creek Valley Fig Tree Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019 - an unfortunate wine and cheese pairing ?

We discovered this Sauv Blanc label at dinner the other night at Carnivore and the Queen as a WBTG offering which we did not take up, but I picked up a bottle at Binny's, our wine superstore to try. We knew the Quivira label dating back to the 1990 vintage, of which we purchased a 6 liter large format bottle of Quivira Cabernet Sauvignon for son Alec's birth year vintage collection. We served this at his wedding eve rehearsal dinner gathering. 

Quivira has been family owned since its founding in 1981. Proprietors Pete and Terri Kight farm 63 acres of vines planted at Wine Creek Ranch, and another 26 at two sites close by. Quivira Vineyards produce primarily Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhône varieties.

Dry Creek Valley in remote northern Sonoma County is home to a wide range of wines—both red and white. One of the smallest AVAs in California, Dry Creek Valley has a terroir with a combination of ideal geography and climate, fertile, well-drained soils with long, warm days and cool nights.

While known for Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc, the area also produces respectable Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah and Petite Sirah which is often found in blends with Zinfandel. 

Quivira Sonoma County Dry Creek Valley Fig Tree Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019

For this Sauvignon Blanc, the producer touts this label. "All the elements of the world's best Sauvignon Blanc converge at Fig Tree Vineyard. The site is located at the confluence of two waterways, Wine Creek and Dry Creek. The wine's mineral freshness comes from the alluvial, rocky soils that have been scoured over millennia. The rare Musqué clone adds complexity and aromatic lift. Simply put, the right grape + the right place = Fig Tree Sauvignon Blanc."

The winemaker notes on this release sum it up. "Classic straw color with traces of green on the edges complement the aromatic sensory overload. Crisp with citrus oozing onto your tastebuds with each sip. Flavors of green fig (ode to our name!), white grapefruit, golden raspberry, and Princess Anne cherry combine with a steely, refreshing minerality. Theres an earthiness and a touch of grass that balances this wine. The nuanced acidity makes this appealing now and, based on our decades of library Sauvignon Blancs, we are confident it will continue to hold well through 2028-2029. Fig Tree Sauvignon Blanc is perennially racy making it a solid pairing with fattier dishes. It can also be savored with goat cheese ...."

Interesting that I opened this to try with a Bourgogne cheese. The wine overpowered the otherwise expressive cheese. The winemaker describes the wine as a 'sensory overload ... a touch of grass ... perennially racy ... nuanced acidity .. '. I encountered all these traits and considered the wine obtuse, angular and a bit over the top. I picked up the citrus and white grapefruit and steely minerality. I also picked up pleasant notes of sweet peach which tended to balance the otherwise obtuse flavor profile. 

This is a Quijote paradox ... like it or leave it ... 

Golden straw colored, traces of green on the edges, medium bodied, slightly angular forward citrus with a white grapefruit and hint of peach fruits with steely minerality and nuanced acidity and touch of grass on the tangy finish. 

While Wine Spectator gave this 93 points, I found it a bit over-the-top and gave it 87 points. Perhaps my ill fated cheese pairing undermined a fair evaluation. I've written in these pages about how a perfect wine and food pairing can amplify the experience, I guess it goes without saying that an imperfect pairing can/will also detract from the experience. Perhaps this was such a case.

RM 87 

Wine Spectator wrote "Verbena, beeswax and matcha green tea notes give way to a succulent, polished core of lemon curd, lanolin and quince flavors. Powerfully intense and focused, but the mouthwatering acidity keeps the flavors vivid, fresh and light-footed."

 

Wine Enthusiast gave it 91 points. They mention the peach notes, and the grassy notes and the acidity.

"From certified-organic grapes fermented in both stainless steel and neutral oak, this lovely and balanced wine tastes of peaches, white flowers and stones. Fresh, high toned and grassy, it lingers in both acidity and dried herb, impressing in both length and grace."

 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave it 90 points and mentioned the peaches, called it 'gregarious' and cited a 'musky perfume'.

"The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Fig Tree Vineyard has gregarious scents of guava, lychee, fresh herbs, warm peaches and musky perfume. The palate is light-bodied with a gently rounded texture and zesty acidity, finishing long and perfumed."

In the end, Cellartracker's and I agreed, as their community tasting averaged 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3911925

https://quivirawine.com/

@QuiviraVineyard

Capri Indy Italian Cuisine & Wine Dinner

Capri Indy Italian Cuisine & Wine Dinner Features San Guido Guildalberto and Arcanum Toscana

Visiting best of friends and relatives in Indianapolis, we dined at Capri Ristorante al fresco. Capri Ristorante has been a part of the Indianapolis dining scene since 1951, one of Indy’s finest and oldest locally owned restaurants. 

The Italian cuisine was extraordinary - the Veal Scallopine Parmigiana and off-menu specially prepared eggplant Parmigiana were both were as good as we can remember ever having tasted anywhere.

They have a thoughtfully crafted extensive winelist with equal offerings of American and Italian wines,  including selections of both by the glass.

We selected two Italian red wines, Tuscans comprised of Bordeaux varietals to complement our dinner entrees. 

Tenuta di Arceno Arcanum Toscana IGT 2013 

This outstanding Super Tuscan was a special offer, not on the winelist. 

Arcanum is from Tenuta di Arceno in located in the southernmost corner of Chianti Classico between the cities of Siena and Florence in the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga in the province of Siena, Tuscany. 

The property covers 2,500 acres of rolling hills, forests of ancient Cypress trees, olive groves and 223 acres planted to vineyards. It is bordered by the ancient walled town of San Gusmé.

The Tenuta di Arceno estate was purchased by the California wine legend Jess Jackson in 1994.  The legendary wine entrepreneur Jess Jackson and notable winemaker Vigneron Pierre Seillan visited Tenuta di Arceno in 1994 and immediately recognized the potential of the historic estate. 

After taking over the estate, they spent the following two decades replanting the vineyards, updating the winery, and elevating the viticulture and winemaking practices to world-class standards. Today, Tenuta di Arceno is widely considered one of the premier estates in the Chianti Classico region.

This Arcanum 2013 label release was crafted by Seillan who has has been awarded no less than fifteen 100-point scores from Wine Advocate for his work with the Sonoma producer Peter Michael and his portfolio of labels including the flagship Verite. Five of those perfect wines were for his Cabernet Franc based wine Le Desir which is nearly identical to the blend of this Super Tuscan.  

Cabernet Franc is the predominant varietal grape grown by Arcanum as it has proven to be the variety best suited to the estate’s diverse soils and topography.

This was dark garnet colored, full bodied, deeply concentrated, complex, powerful and thickly layered yet nicely balanced and approachable black berry and black cherry fruits accented note of spice, anise, graphite, herbs and notes of balsamic on a fine tannin laced lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

This was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

The 2013 Arcanum is a Bordeaux blend of 73% Cabernet Franc with smaller parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3642920 

https://www.tenutadiarceno.com/en

We then followed with this classic Italian Chianti Classico. 

Tenuta San Guido Guildalberto 2019

We next tasted this big bold bright lively Italian red. 

This is from Tenuta San Guido, a 7,500-acre estate located in the province of Livorno on the western coastal outskirts of Tuscany near the village of Bolgheri. Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta acquired it through his marriage to Clarice della Gherardesca in 1940.

Tenuta San Guido are known for their legendary flagship Sassicaia label whose legacy began in 1944, when Mario Incisa acquired a number of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vine cuttings and planted them on a sloping hillside of the San Guido estate, called Castiglioncello after the 11th-century castle at the vineyard's upper edge. The tiny, 3.75-acre vineyard stood alone until 1965, when a second Cabernet vineyard was planted with cuttings from the Castiglioncello parcel; the gravelly, 30-acre plot would give the wine its name: Sassicaia, "the place of many stones".

This is Sassicaia's little brother, Guidalberto, a lush Super Tuscan sourced completely from the Tenuta San Guido estate in Bolgheri. It is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, . 

Producer Nicolò Incisa explained the choice of the name and creation of the new wine in 2000: this label wine was first released in 2000, created to see what they could achieve with Merlot, a grape that they had never used before; and to offer the consumer a wine which could be appreciated at a younger age compared to the veteran long lived Sassicaia.

The wine is aged 15 months mostly in French and some American oak barrels.

This 2019 release was 95 points and Editor's Choice by Wine Enthusiast, 95 points Luca Gardini, Gardini Notes and 94 Points by the Zachys (NY) Buying Team.

We first tasted and discovered this label at a wine producer dinner at Italian Village Chicago last year hosted by Italian Village Chicago and Wine Director Jared Gelband and featuring producer co-owner Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta. That dinner showcased a vertical tasting of the flagship Sassicaia, but opened with this label. 

This was darky inky garnet purple colored, medium full bodied, nicely balanced, bright vibrant blackberry and ripe plum fruits accented by zesty anise, hints of smoke, vanilla and graphite, and by tangy acid on the expressive finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3642920

https://capriindianapolis.com/

Oakville Ranch Vineyard Napa Cabernet

Oakville Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Following the tasting of a non-estate Oakville Ranch Vineyard sourced Napa Cabernet the other day, by Sojourn Cellars, I pulled this label from our cellar to compare, on the chance the fruit is sourced from the same vineyard site. I drank this with my left-over filet of beef from our dine-site dinner at Carnivore and the Queen the other evening. It was there we drank the Sojourn Cabernet which I wrote about in an earlier blogpost regarding that evening. 

About the Oakville Ranch Vineyard source for that release, Sojourn writes, that blend of 2018 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is predominantly Oakville Ranch Vineyard fruit from the site located 1,000 to 1,400 elevation above Oakville, facing west over Napa Valley. The site is surrounded by a “who’s who” of neighbors, producers of premium labels, including Dalla Valle, Joseph Phelps’ Bacchus Vineyard, Pedregal, and Maybach. In that post I wrote

Oakville Ranch Vineyards write about this site, Oakville Ranch is the original mountain vineyard of the Oakville sub-appellation, a tiny district that produces some of Napa Valley’s most celebrated Cabernets. At 1,000 feet above the valley floor, Oakville Ranch produces fruit that speaks from the appellation's signature red volcanic soil with a mountain accent. 

I've written previously in these pages, "The Oakville Ranch property was purchased in 1989 by Bob and Mary Miner. Bob was a co-founder and early key developer of Oracle corporation and the database management system. His wife Mary founded Oakville Ranch Vineyards and managed it following Bob's death at age 52 in 1994.

Bob Miner's nephew, Dave Miner took the helm as President of Oakville Ranch Vineyards in 1993. In 1996, Dave decided to become a custom crush client and start his own wine label and the now popular Miner Family Winery brand was born.

The 350-acre Oakville Ranch was planted in 55 acres of vineyards of Chardonnay and Bordeaux varietals. In the two decades since Bob and Mary Miner purchased the 330-acre ranch, plantings have slowly increased from the original 55 acres to approximately 68 acres of primarily Bordeaux varietals. Today there are 75 acres planted to vineyards at Oakville Ranch, occupying less than a quarter of the mountainside estate. Oakville Ranch produce five wines for a total of 750 cases, which leaves a lot of fruit available for other producer and labels.

We hold several vintages of this label dating back to those earliest releases, which I have written about in earlier blogposts in these pages. I write about the Oakville Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 in this blogpost - April 4, 2021.

Tonight the tasting profile of this wine was remarkably similar to that of the Sojourn, consistent with an earlier tasting of this wine back in January of this year. "At fifteen years of age, (the fill level, label, foil and most importantly, the cork, were all in perfect condition), this is still showing and drinking consistent with earlier tasting notes, this wine is medium to full bodied, dark ruby in color. Aromas of floral, red raspberry and cherry fruits give way to soft oak. Dense full flavors of blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry fruits are accented by a layer of pipe tobacco, tones of spice, cassis and soft sweet oak and a hint of black pepper on a long lingering silky tannin finish." 

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=495121

http://www.oakvilleranch.com/

https://twitter.com/OakvilleRanch

@OakvilleRanch 

 

Once & Future Napa Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah

Once & Future Wine Napa Valley Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah for pizza and hearty cheeses 

I wrote in detail about this wine a month ago (almost to the day) when I procured this wine, just for an occasion as tonight, simple casual sipping but big and bold and robust on Saturday night on the deck with hearty cheeses and some grilled pizza. 

Today I picked up the next latest release vintage of this label so drinking this tonight, we 'cycled' our cellar holdings, replacing this bottle with the next subsequent release.

As I wrote at the time, "I found this at Binny's and was intrigued to try it. Only 201 cases were made so its not surprising I had never seen or heard of the label before. Upon further research, they're known for producing Zinfandel. The premium packaging with the heavy bottle with its deep punt was impressive and we love Petite Sirah, a cousin of Sirah/Shiraz, an under represented varietal in Napa Valley, so, I took a chance and bought all six bottles in the store.'

This was ideal for casual sipping on the deck with artisan cheeses and fresh hot-house Flavor-Bomb tomatoes.

Winemaker Joel Peterson says, "It's my opinion Napa would be famous for Petite Sirah if it weren't for Cabernet Sauvignon."

According to the Once & Future Website, "Up until the 1960s, Petite Sirah was the most widely planted grape variety in Napa Valley. The few examples show that grown in the right places it does very well producing bright expressive full bodied wines that can be even darker and spicier than Zinfandel, that other “California grape” from Europe. Those that produce the varietal offer a distinctive and interesting choice (not to mention, often with better QPR - quality price ratio) over the leading Napa grape varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon.'

Once & Future Wine Napa Valley Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah 2017

This label was awarded 92+ Points by Erin Brooks of The Wine Advocate. The 2018 Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah Napa Valley was awarded 96 pts by Vinous Antonio Galloni. The only Cellartracker reviewer gave it 93 points. 

This was aged in 100% French Oak, 30% new barrels.

Totally consistent with that earlier tasting. This was opaque dark inky purple-black in color. Initially it was closed and tight but opened up after 30 to 45 minutes to full-bodied, firm, tightly wound black and blue fruits, floral notes with cassis, black tea, vanilla, with hints of black pepper and oak with a long gripping tannins on a moderate but lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3248253

https://www.onceandfuturewine.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/06/once-future-napa-valley-petit-sirah-2017.html 

 

Sojourn Napa Oakville Cab for Steak Dinner

Sojourn Napa Valley Oakville Ranch Vineyard Cabernet for Carnivore and Queen Restaurant Steak Dinner

Friday night dinner out with friends and neighbors Mark and Shirley, we dined at Carnivore and the Queen, local Bohemian styled supper club in adjacent Downers Grove. While their wine list is very limited, they had a couple of interesting offerings from which I picked this label. I had brought a bottle just in case but was happy to try one of their features. 

C & Q have an imaginative menu for fine dining and our service from server Jordan was excellent. I had the filet of beef in my customary 'Pittsburgh medium' style and it was prepared perfectly. Linda had the scallops and Shirley had the ribeye steak, all were delectable and also prepared perfectly. Mark had their spectacular signature Walleye fish and chips with their delicious onion rings. 

Carnivore and Queen Walleye fish & chips

Carnivore and Queen scallops

Carnivore and Queen grilled ribeye steak

Carnivore and Queen grilled filet of beef

With his Walleye, Mark drank Schlitz beer, an artifact from my youth as I remember that was my Dad's beer of choice back in the sixties. 

Brewed in the USA since 1849, I remember Schlitz as "the beer that made Milwaukee famous" although the famous branding and tagline were not to be found on the packaging, although its is buried in the text on its website. They state the brew is 'finished with a prime blend of Cascade, Mt. Hood and Williamette (sic) hops. This refreshing icon is for those who appreciate heritage and premium craftsmanship.'

As if lost in the sixties, or not yet caught up to the modern era, their webpages recounting their History were blank .... 

 

Interesting that when you clicked on the Careers tab it took you to Pabst Brewing website. It proudly posted:

"We’re proud. Proud to be one of the few companies that is wholly defined by our audience. Our mission has always been this: make a good beer at a fair price. That’s there when you need a cold 12 ounces at the end of a hard day.'

"America looks wildly different than it did 175 years ago. But beneath it, the same values still ring. We’re still the people who believe we can, and then do. We’re rule breakers and bridge builders. Some of us get up early, some stay up late. But we’re united across race, religion, and whatever the hell else, by a shared set of values: Inclusivity. Freedom. Integrity. Passion. And being true to ourselves."

They're hiring, many sales positions scattered around the US. All the staff or HQ positions are for San Antonio, Texas.  But they made Milwaukee famous. Never-the-less, Schlitz has a Twitter profile, professing to be based in Milwaukee. 

On the dinner and wine ... 

Sojourn Oakville NapaValley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

I admit I had never seen or even heard of this label before. Not surprising as only 800 cases were produced by a producer sourcing grapes from contract growers, albeit well known high profile vineyards. 

This is the project/product of Erich Bradley, a founder and Director of Winemaking for Sojourn Cellars. Erich works with exceptional growers to produce distinctive wines that express vineyard and vintage in the bottle. As written in these pages before, so long as these contract sources are stable and long-term, this is a label to pay attention to, otherwise, their sources may change over time and hence there is no concept of terroir or comparative styles from various vintages over time. Notably, this label has been continuously produced since the 2011 vintage.

Sojourn Cellars produce Pinot noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines, all sourced from grower vineyards in high profile, renowned appellations of Sonoma and Napa counties. They produce four different Cabernets, this being their standard base label. The others are all premium priced labels are sourced from high profile named vineyards: Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Home Ranch Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, and Oakville Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, all rated 95 points or higher. This label was rated 94 points by Wine Enthusiast and 92 points by International Wine Report. 

 

The Sojourn website profile cites, "Bradley is a native of Palo Alto, California, Erich became interested in wine while helping his family develop their vineyard on a small ranch in Sonoma Valley. Erich studied Bio-chemistry at the University of Chicago and Philosophy and Modern European Intellectual History at Cal-Irvine.' Following an initial career as high school teacher and tennis coach, he moved to Sonoma in 1998 and studied winemaking at U Cal-Davis and viticulture at Santa Rosa College. He was also 'mentored' by winemakers Richard Arrowood and David Ramey. He is on the board of directors of the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Association. 

Randy Bennett is listed as Winemaker. He started at Sojourn as Assistant Winemaker in 2008. He is responsible for making all the Sojourn wines and overseeing cellar operations and vineyard management activities. As General Manager, he run day-to-day operations of production, marketing, and business operations.

Randy’s winemaking education was under the tutelage of Thomas Brown and Mike Smith while working in the wine caves of Nicholson Ranch in Sonoma where Thomas and Mike produced wines for Schrader Cellars, Rivers-Marie, Myriad Cellars, Tamber Bey, and Nicholson Ranch.

Before entering the wine business, Randy worked 13 years at Accenture, leading business transformation projects for financial services firms. 

Sojourn have a tasting Salon located just off the Square in downtown Sonoma on Napa Street.

This blend of 2018 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is predominantly Oakville Ranch Vineyard fruit from the site located 1,000 to 1,400 elevation above Oakville, facing west over Napa Valley. The site is surrounded by a “who’s who” of neighbors, producers of premium labels, including Dalla Valle, Joseph Phelps’ Bacchus Vineyard, Pedregal, and Maybach. 

Also included in the blend is fruit from two other vineyards along Skellenger Lane. This is 98% berry-sorted Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. The final blend was aged 20 months in Darnajou, Bel Air, Jarnac and Taransaud barrels.

Packaged in a premium oversize heavy bottle, this was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, rich and vibrant blackberry and raspberry fruits accented by tangy acid and flavors of cassis and hints of mocha with lingering moderate tannins. 

 

RM 91 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3956030

 

https://www.sojourncellars.com/

 

https://twitter.com/sojourncellars

 

 @sojourncellars  

 

http://schlitzbrewing.com/

 

https://carnivoreandthequeen.com/

 

https://twitter.com/QueenCarnivore  

@QueenCarnivore