Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Naperville

Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Naperville 

Son Ryan and D-in-law Michelle treated us to dinner at Gordon Ramsey's RK Kitchen in downtown Naperville (IL). This was our first visit to the trendy restaurant that opened in our hometown last summer to much fanfare. 

Readers of these pages know I write often about dinesites and our food and wine restaurant experience. But, up until now I've not had a metricized qualitative or quantitative rating or review system against which to evaluate and compare such restaurants. Based on tonight's, and recent experiences, I felt such a evaluation method with criteria was required and after much thought devised a system to try. 

Using my new system, I evaluated tonight's dining experience. I then went back and retrospectively scored a half dozen recent restaurant experiences as a basis of comparison, evaluating the evaluation system, so to speak. 

Here are my criteria for evaluating a restaurant dining experience, and the associated weight applied to each:

Food - 35 - Selection, quality, creativity or ingenuity, presentation, course pairing, wine pairing

Wine - 35 - Breadth and depth of selection, range of options at various price points, suitability and applicable pairing with the dinner courses

Ambiance - 10| - atmosphere, vibe, comfort, stylishness, general aura

Service - 10 - delivery, attentiveness, professionalism, attitude, overall experience

Value - 10 - value for quality, service, atmosphere, experience

Wow Factor - Lastly, what I simply call the WOW Factor - additional scoring, weighting based on special consideration or  extra credit factors that contribute to the overall experience such that they warrant attention - food and wine pairing - site architecture, location, historical significance, specials ... other ... potential for +10 points

So, here we go, for tonight's experience - 

Food  - 31 - Food was superb in creativity, ingenuity, preparation, quality - downgraded the rating for the only thing lacking, bread or depth of selection choices - only the limited menu choice detracting from score.

Wine - 31 - Same as food, the minimalist winelist offered various options for each course, at multiple price points, but lacking depth and breadth of multiple choices for minimal options for effective wine pairing with each course.

Ambiance - 8 of 10 - chic, stylish, artful, warm, lively and vibrant but a bit noisy and boisterous for optimal comfort. 

 

Service - 9 of 10 - Starting with the host station, going the extra meal to seat us promptly, attending to checking our coats, superb food service, adequate wine service. 

Value - 5 - Expensive, especially taking into account the ala carte sides, and the somewhat limited number of options or alternatives. 

WOW Factor - 8 points extra credit for the up-beat, stylish, quality fixtures, furnishings, layout, design, artfully designed and implemented for a positive experience. 

Total - 92 points.

Our dinner - 

We started with a Wedge Salad which they conveniently served almost family style like a chopped salad making it easy and convenient to share around the table.

Wedge Salad- iceberg, blue cheese, glazed bacon, roasted tomatoes, pickled red onion, chives.

With the salad course we had from the WBTG offerings two sparkling wines - 

Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose'

Lanson Brut NV Champagne 

For our main source entree selections, we had to try the house specialty, Ramsey's signature dish, the Beef Wellington.

Beef Wellingto, potato purée, glazed baby root vegetables, red wine demi, served medium rare.

RK offers a Daily Special so in the spirit of trying out the gourmet chef's selections, Linda ordered the daily special - Lobster Pot Pie -butter-poached lobster, lobster bisque filling served aside for preparation at the table by the diner, pouring into the puff pastry.

We ordered two side dishes, Potato Puree with sour cream and chives, and the Roasted Heirloom Carrots with harissa yogurt, za’atar, brown butter, marcona almonds and mint.

For dessert we ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding -warm date cake, sweet cream ice cream and english toffee sauce.

Our wine accompaniment pairing with the dinner was a robust full bodied Red Blend. 

Ridge Lytton Springs Red Blend 2021

Once again, as happens often, we drank this same wine, from our cellar, about this same time, two years ago, almost to the day for another dinner tastings - Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek ValleyZinfandel 2014. At that time, I wrote about the producer and wine in these pages, Ridge Vineyards  and Lytton Springs.  

We always keep a selection of big robust fruit forward wines for pizza and barbecue - Zinfandels, Syrahs and Petite Syrah varietals to name a few. We typically hold a half dozen different labels from the various offerings of Ridge Vineyards.

Ridge Vineyards are a legendary producer of a broad portfolio of wines with an extensive line-up of Zinfandels, all from single vineyard designated label sites. 

Ridge has a rich history dating back to 1885 when Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. There, he planted vineyards and constructed a winery of redwood and native limestone in time to produce the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1892. The historic building remains to this day serving as the Ridge production facility.

Ridge have been producing Lytton Spring vineyard wines since 1972 with 100 plus-year-old Zinfandel vines interplanted with Petite Sirah, Carignane, a small amount of Mataro (Mourvèdre), and Genache. The site has produced the quintessential example of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. 

The Lytton Springs site lies just north of the town of Healdsburg, just west of Highway 101 in the Dry Creek Valley. The topography consists of a benchland and gently rolling hills. The climate provides foggy mornings turning to warm, sunny afternoons and breezy late evenings. Soils are varied with a predominance of gravelly clay, which aids in moisture retention, ensuring that the grapes ripen slowly. The Lytton Springs terrior with weathered, agronomically poor soils in the benchland have proven to be an ideal site for Zinfandel vines to produce classic Zinfandel varietal wines.

The Lytton Springs vineyards were part of land once owned by Captain William Litton, who during the last half of the nineteenth century developed the springs and built a hotel just east of the vineyard for San Franciscans who arrived by train to “take the waters.” 

According to the producer's website, Long after the death of Captain Litton, controversy continued in regards to the change from “i” to “y”, as the accepted spelling of the Litton property. According to the text of Once Upon a Time by Julius Myron Alexander, the spelling was changed “because it was proper”. Then, in a 1969 Press Democrat article, Healdsburg City Clerk and local historian, Edwin Langhart, offered a different opinion, “It appears the name was changed in error by a draftsman or some other official, and it has stayed ‘Lytton’ ever since:’ Whatever the reason, records show that by 1896, most official documents had adopted the ‘Lytton’ spelling.

Ridge Vineyards dates back to 1959 when three scientists from Stanford University's Research Institute (SRI) and their families formed a partnership and bought a property owned by Dr. Short up on Monte Bello Ridge high atop the Santa Cruz Mountains. One of them, David Bennion, made a half barrel of cabernet from the ten year old vines. The partners re-bonded the winery and named it Ridge Vineyards in 1962. That year they produced their first Monte Bello vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ridge produced its first Zinfandel in 1964 from 19th century vines on the Pichetti Ranch near the base of the Monte Bello Ridge. Ridge produced it's first Sonoma County Geyserville Zinfandel in 1966, from vines planted in 1882. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year.

Paul Draper joined the partnership as winemaker in 1969. He was a Stanford graduate in philosophy, and a practical winemaker, not an enologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward “hands off” approach pioneered at Ridge. He had recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile’s coast range. He oversaw the restoration of the old Perrone winery and vineyards acquired the previous year. 

He first saw the Lytton Springs vineyard in 1972 and, based on its age with 80 years old vines, purchased grapes and produced Ridge’s first Lytton Springs bottling that year. In 1991, on the 20th anniversary of their first vintage, Ridge purchased the Lytton Springs winery and the old vines surrounding it, making it a true estate vineyard.

Paul Draper went on to become a legend with Ridge Vineyards. The Ridge brand grew to a broad portfolio of more than four dozen single vineyard designated label wines from more than two dozen different vineyards. They operate two wineries and hospitality sites, Lytton Springs in Healdsburg up in north Sonoma County and Monte Bello high in the Santz Cruz Mountains above Silicon Valley. 

Paul Draper retired in 2016 at age 80, after 47 years as winemaker. Ridge continued on expanding with additional vineyard site purchases include the purchase that year of Whitton Ranch, a 36-acre parcel in the heart of Geyserville.

Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Red Blend 2021

This is a single vineyard designated label, sourced from the Lytton Springs vineyard in Northern Soboma County. The vineyard lies just north of Healdsburg on the benchland where the gently rolling hills separate Dry Creek from Alexander Valley. 

Lytton Springs is named after Captain William H. Litton and two naturally occurring springs that were located on the original property. Litton worked as a ship’s pilot in the San Francisco Bay in the mid nineteenth century before acquiring the large tract of land in 1860. The property straddled the Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys that extended from the southernmost boundaries of Geyserville to the northern limits of the fledgling town of Healdsburg, with the Russian River serving as its eastern boundary. The property was originally part of the Rancho Sotoyome land grant of the 1840’s. By 1867, Captain Litton was considered the fourth largest property owner in Sonoma County. 

In 1872, the San Francisco and Northern Pacific Railroad linked Healdsburg and points north with the Bay area. In an attempt to attract tourists, Captain Litton and three partners built a resort hotel on the site in 1875, known as “Litton Springs” for the popular soda springs that were located half a mile uphill from the original hotel site. The naturally carbonated seltzer, or sweetwater, springs were considered to have medicinal value for their mineral properties. The springs still exist today and their presence was one of the primary reasons that underground caves were never built underneath the winery.

Captain Litton sold the 2700 acre property, including the hotel in 1878. Over the next couple of decades, the resort property was bought and sold and subdivided into smaller parcels by various owners. 

 According to the producer's website, “It appears the name was changed in error by a draftsman or some other official, and it has stayed ‘Lytton’ ever since:’ Whatever the reason, records show that by 1896, most official documents had adopted the ‘Lytton’ spelling.

 The vineyards were first established on the property in 1901 with the hillside vineyard blocks on the eastern portion of Lytton Springs, followed by vineyard blocks on the flats in 1910. To this day, Lytton Springs is home to those 100-plus-year-old Zinfandel vines interplanted with Petite Sirah, Carignane, a small amount of Mataro (Mourvèdre), and Grenache.

 The site is ideal for Zinfandel with foggy mornings, warm, sunny afternoons and breezy late evenings. The agronomically poor soils are gravelly clay which holds moisture ensuring that the grapes ripen slowly. 

This label was first produced in 1972.

I write regularly in these pages about the pairing of wine with food. This wine was too bold and rich for the Beef Wellington, which would've been better suited with a more balanced and finely integrated Red Blend. 

This vintage release is a red blend of 72% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Cinsaut and 1% Counoise.

This label release was awarded 95+ Points by Antonio Galloni of Vinous, 94 Points by Zinfandel Chronicles and 94 Wilfred Wong of Wine.com, and 93 Points by Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com.

Winemaker Notes

"Rich blackberry and plum on the nose with notes of aniseed. Full-bodied with dark bramble fruit and well-coated tannins on the palate. The long finish reveals layers of black licorice and dried sage.'

"Lytton Springs has become synonymous with classic Dry Creek zinfandel. It shows potent, ripe boysenberry and blackberry, but also a pronounced rusticity and earthiness often attributed to its blending varietals; petite sirah and carignane. Acid and tannin are firm, yet not overwhelming; in youth, at least, fruit predominates. This balanced, powerful wine becomes more nuanced with age, and it often holds for more than a decade."

Dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, a cacophony of bright, vibrant expressive, full round ripe red and black brambly fruit flavors accented by sweet spices, clove and cinnamon, full tannins on the finish. May be better with some age to further integrate.

RM  92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4578675 

https://www.ridgewine.com/product/2021-lytton-springs/

https://www.ridgewine.com/

https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/en/us/ramsays-kitchen/menus/naperville

https://twitter.com/GRamsaysKitchen

@RidgeVineyards

UGCB 2021 Vintage Release Tour 2024 Comes to Chicago

UGCB 2021 Vintage Release Tour 2024 Comes to Chicago

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) North American 2021 Vintage Release Tour Chicago Preview Tasting 2024 

Once again, the UGC Bordeaux (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)), annual release tour visited Chicago this week unveiling/showcasing their 2021 vintage release wines. 

The Union is the association of 131 members of the top premier wine producer estates from the most prestigious Bordeaux appellations. In cooperation with distributors, brokers and merchants they host over 80 events in fifteen countries visiting 65 cities to present their wines to some 50,000 or so professionals and wine lovers each year around the world.

Their events go beyond France, taking them throughout Europe (Germany, UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, Russia), to this tour of North America (US and Canada) , and to Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore). 

This year's North American tour to Canada and the US visited Miami, then Toronto, Montréal, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and culminating in San Francisco.

'Pour Boys' Tom C, me, Ernie and Lyle with
UGCB Ambassadors Chloe Morvan and
Marie Damouseau, from 2020.

As in previous years, members of our 'Pour Boys' wine group (left) helped conduct the event in Chicago, one of the highlight of my wine exploits throughout the year.

As in years past, except the Covid disrupted alternate site last year at Chicago Union Station Grand Hall, which actually was delayed to June, the gala event was held in the Drake Hotel in the magnificent grand Gold Coast Ballroom (shown below). 

The Pour Boys serve as volunteers, working with the host organizers Mike Wangbickler, Kat Stark and the Balzac Communications team, and the UGCB Bordeaux events team member Marie Damouseau.

According to the routine, we help prepare the room and the wines, checking in trade registrants, and standing in for producers who faced travel or other disruptions, presenting and pouring their wines. 

We start early in the day unpacking and distributing the wines, carefully setting up each wine station for the arrival of the producers' and their representatives for presenting and pouring the wine during the afternoon session.

 Often over the years, several producers or their representatives were delayed in travel or had other disruptions and we were called in to service to pour their wines, hence we earned our moniker, the 'Pour Boys'.  This was our fifteenth year working this gala annual event.

As usual, close to a hundred producers were represented at the event that was attended by over five hundred members of the trade, merchants, hospitality and media.

As is their custom in the third week of January, this annual roadshow is a marathon trek across North America by the producers and their representatives offering wine professionals and oenophiles the chance to meet the Bordeaux principles, winemakers and commercial directors. 

As always, we appreciate the investment in time and effort expended by the producers and their brand ambassadors to visit Chicago. It provides a wonderful opportunity to meet them firsthand and discuss their perspectives on their brand, approach to crafting their style, their history, businesses, and their vintages including, of course, the current release.

As collectors and holders of a not-insignificant collections of Bordeaux wines dating back four decades, we Pour Boys hold as many as several dozen or more vintages of some of these labels. Meeting the owners, family members, producer / winemaker / representatives of these great Chateaux is a great privilege and offers a collector the chance to learn more about their investment and wines. 

As such, I tend to focus on and taste those wines that I know well and hold verticals (multiple vintages of the same label), of which my wine buddies and I have holdings.  

This year, due to the challenging vintage with its reduced yields and less than stellar wines in some cases, thereby potentially suppressing prices following three outstanding vintages, some of the producer's took a pass opting out of this year's tour. Conspicuously absent were two of our perennial favorites and cellar collection wines, Chateaux Pichon Longueville Baron and Pichon Comtesse de Lalande. 

Also, several of the Sauterne Appellation producers chose to showcase wines from recent past vintages rather than present the current 2021 release. 

Despite the inclement weather, this years event was well attended to a full house (shown below).

After working to set up the event, register attendees and fill in for late arriving producers' due to travel delays, we were able to partake of the release tasting. 

As usual, we focused on the producers that we own and collect, with particular interest in those that we visited during our last trip to Bordeaux, as well as those we are targeting for our next or futures visits to the region.

As mentioned above, the 2021 vintage was a challenging year for Bordeaux producers and the resulting wines need scrutiny in selecting winners and standouts.

The Bordeaux region experienced an atypical year, marked by a lack of sunshine throughout the spring, impacting the wine-growing season despite a favorable start in June and the return of sunshine at the end of the harvest. The 2021 season faced frost in April then mildew in late July and early August. Over the course of the year, the inclement weather cut Bordeaux’s crop by a third.

A technical year for the winemakers, it enabled them to produce a wine with lower degrees, perhaps more digestible, reminiscent of a more classic style marked by the Bordeaux continental climate such as the modern era 2008 or 2014 vintages.

Compared to the three previous top rated years of 2018, 2019 and 2020, it is lighter and fresher than those three vintages and will probably mature more quickly.

 An official card from the UGCB described the 2012 vintage this way - 

"A challenging vintage
where time appeared
to slow down.
Mild, cloudy,
then sunny conditions
resulted in
incredibly resilient vines.
A late harvest
with low yields
and subtle aromas
set the tone for
wonderful surprises. 

A well focused vintage.
A wine growers vintage."

Hence, it is not a vintage to avoid despite the typical panning by some of the press. It will require adjusting expectations accordingly. If the vintage results are reflected in prices, it will provide the opportunity to pick up more affordable wines, perhaps obtaining the Grand Vin as opposed to the second label, in some cases.

Wine Enthusiast wrote, "While it may be a smaller vintage, there are still extremely enjoyable red and white wines at the top end. At its red heart, it is a Cabernet vintage. That means look for wines with Cabernet Sauvignon on the Left Bank in the Médoc and in Pessac-Léognan and of wines with a good percentage of Cabernet Franc in Saint-Emilion." 

"The 2021 is lower in alcohol than recent vintages (13-13.5% compared with 14.5% or even 15% in 2018), higher in the fresh fruits and lighter on the tannins. Whites and sweet wines in Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes are magnificent despite seriously lower volumes."

“We have produced wines that are classic, with fruit to the fore,” says Nicolas Labenne, technical director at Château Lynch-Bages in Pauillac. 

As is the custom, the afternoon session is for the benefit of the press and trade and wine professionals, and in Chicago, the evening session in Chicago was hosted by merchant partner Binny's Beverage Depot, the Chicago-land wine superstore, offering tickets to the evening session to their valued customers and the public.

My perspective was that many of the wines showed a slight bit of astringency with slightly diminished thin fruits with some green notes and hints of menthol and some green pepper. 

There were some pleasant surprises, some in places one might not expect. Shown below, Château Coufran from St Estephe who go against the conventions of the Médoc region and prodominate Merlot over Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, more akin to a Pomerol. 

With Frédéric Vicaire of
Château Coufran

Some of the standouts were the Margaux appellation seemed to show well with a highlight being Château Lascombes.

With Karine Barbier of Château Lascombes

The wines of Chateaux Leoville and Langoa Barton from St Julien showed well and revealed some new branding as well. 

From a branding perspective, Château Langoa Barton celebrates the 200th anniversary ownership of the property acquired in 1821 with a special label highlights milestone of the property and pays homage to the patriarch Anthony Barton who passed away during the vintage in January 2022. 

This is the first vintage vinified in the Barton family's new winery.

As is customary, the Barton wines were represented by Managing Director Lilian Barton Sartorius who represents the 9th generation of the Barton family. These days the property is managed by Lilian assisted by her husband, Michel Sartorius, and their grown children, Damien and Melanie, of the 10th generation, who are taking on increasing responsibility in the business.

The ever dapper Stephan von Neipperg,
(Château Canon-La-Gaffelière)
with Lillian Barton Sartorius (Chateaux Leoville &
Langoa Barton) and Claire Ridley representing
Leoville Poyferre.

Continuing the branding approach introduced in the post Covid era, Château Siran released an artist label series featuring artwork that was updated with new vintage release. Of course, this promotional branding was made epic by ultra-premium first growth producer Chateau Mouton Rothschild with their artist series. I chronicle that series in my compendium label library page on my winesite. (Notably, Mouton Rothschild with their grand vin are not members of the UGCB.)

Producers Sevrine and Edouard Miailhe wanted to memorialize the pandemic that paralysed the world in 2020. They chose a theme of an anti-Covid allegory recognizing the olfactory qualities together with the beneficial properties of red wines with the new label's bright colors, celebrating "the joy of living and the happiness of sharing".  

The 2020 vintage marked the return of the family tradition of Château Siran’s illustrated labels with a collaboration with Federica Matta, a Franco-Chilean artist 'sensitive to the natural elements and the culture of wine'. 

Earlier UGCB and related events are featured in earlier unwindwine blogposts. 

Most recently .. 

UGCB 2020 Vintage Release Tour Chicago 2023

Grand Cru Bordeaux 2019 Vintage Release Tour Chicago

 UGCB 2017 Release Tour Chicago

https://twitter.com/ugcbwines 

@ugcbwines

Round Lake Vineyards Sangiovese with pizza

Round Lake (MN) Vineyards & Winery Sangiovese with pizza

Sunday night dinner, Linda prepared a hearty three cheese and pepperoni pizza so I pulled from the cellar a hearty 'pizza wine' -  an Italian varietal Sangiovese that we discovered, tasted, and acquired at the winery during our cross country tour back in the summer of 2022. This was a perfect food wine pairing!

We visited Round Lake Vineyards and Winery in Round Lake, Minnesota where we had the pleasure to meet owner producer Scott Ellerbrook and his son, winemaker Logan Ellerbrook (below). We wrote about our estate winery visit in an earlier blogpost.

Round Lake Vineyards American Sangiovese 2019

We tasted this label as part of our Red wine flight selections at the Round Lake Bistro restaurant on the estate. I wrote earlier about this wine, that it was a standout high achiever of this Minnesota producer and we acquired some as part of a mixed case of their wines we brought home for occasions such as tonight. 

Fruit for this label is actually sourced from the Sierra Foothills in Amador County, California, hence it carries the 'American' wine designation on the label. 

Winemaker notes on this label: "The 2018 Sangiovese is a delicate fruit forward wine with flavors of dried cherry and red plum. A hint of spice and candied fruit give a sweeter finish on the palate."

Garnet colored, medium bodied, bright acidity, expressive plum, cherry and raspberry fruit flavors with notes of pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and hints of cola, caramel and sweet oak with moderate tannins on a moderate finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4413868

https://www.roundlakevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/RoundLakeWinery

 

Grgich Hills Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Grgich Hills Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

We had left over beef bourgogne for dinner so I pulled from the cellar this premium Napa Cabernet for pairing. This is the flagship estate wine from Grgich Hills, one of the most storied legendary producers with a historic past. 

Founded by Miljenko “Mike” Grgich in 1977 with Austin Hills, the winery has been family-owned and operated since. 

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich was born and raised in Croatio in a winemaking family. He came to American and Napa Valley in 1958. He worked for Lee Stewart, founder of Souverain Winery and an early Napa Valley pioneer, then Christian brothers before Beaulieu Vineyard where he spent nine years working alongside the legendary Russian winemaker André Tchelistcheff. 

In 1968, Mike became chief enologist at Robert Mondavi Winery, considered the most innovative winery at the time. “In 1969, I made my first Cabernet for Robert Mondavi,” Mike recalls. “In an important blind tasting, fifteen California winemakers proclaimed ours to be the best Cabernet in all of California.”

In 1972, Mike joined Chateau Montelena as winemaker and limited partner.

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first gained international recognition at the epoch “Judgement of Paris Tasting” of 1976 when, in a now-historic blind tasting, a panel of eminent French judges blind tasted a flight of fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart Chardonnays from the United States Napa Valley. When the scores were tallied, the world was shocked to learn the French judges had chosen the 1973 Napa Valley Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich,  as the finest white wine in the world. The results stunned the international wine establishment and put US and California wines on the map, and earned winemaker Mike Grgich a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world.

Austin Hills of the namesake coffee company, founded Hills Vineyards and developed his own label in 1975. After the Judgement of Paris in 1976, Austin contacted Mike Grgich with a proposal to join forces to produce world class wines in Napa Valley.

Austin Hills had broad business experience and money to invest, since he and his sister, Mary Lee Strebl, had just sold the coffee company. Austin wanted to produce world-class wines and was looking for a winemaker to do that. Mike had extensive winemaking and management experience and now had the reputation as the American winemaker who beat the French.

Austin grew up in the Hills Bros. Coffee company family, founded by his grandfather and grand uncle in 1878 in San Francisco. Austin acquired a business background, earning a B.A. degree from Stanford University and M.B.A. from Columbia University, before working at Hills Bros. Coffee, Inc. Starting as an assistant coffee buyer, he worked his way up to Vice President and finally Chairman of the Board.

Today, Austin is Chairman of Grgich Hills Estate, and also president of Hills Vineyard, and an active member of San Francisco society, serving on a wide variety of boards. 

The Hills Vineyard should not be confused with Hill Family Vineyards of Napa Valley, long time Napa Valley grape growers and vineyard owners who produce a portfolio of wines often featured in these pages.   

The two men were an ideal match for success with their combined complementary business and viticulture and winemaking skills, so Mike Grgich joined forces with Austin Hills in a partnership in 1977, forming Grgich Hills.

The Grigh Hills winery and vineyard was established in Yountville in the center of Napa Valley on the valley floor. Mike first discovered the property in 1958 as an ideal site to produce quality grapes due to its ideal sun exposure and excellent drainage. 

Today, the 63-acre Yountville vineyard is planted to classic Bordeaux varietals - 53 acres Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.4 acres Petit Verdot, and 5.1 acres in Merlot. A 25-acre plot is the second oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines, planted in 1959. These vines are showcased in a vineyard designated latbel, "Yountville Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon".

Grgich Hills expanded the Yountville Appellation vineyards in 1984. 

In 1992, Grgich Hills was selected Winery Of the Year by Wine & Spirits magazine, and, Mike Grgich appeared on the cover of Wine Spectator magazine, “California’s Old World Master-Few Can Challenge Mike Grgich in crafting World-Class Wine.”

By 2007, Grigh Hills had grown to 366 acres spread across five vineyards throughout Napa Valley - 34 acres in Calistoga, 18 in Rutherford, 163 in American Canyon, 88 in Carneros, and the original 63 in Yountville.

Able to use estate grown grapes exclusively in the production of their wines, they changed the name to “Grgich Hills Estate” to recognize their wines as 100% estate grown. 

In 2016, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich released his long-awaited autobiography, A Glass Full Of Miracles. At 94 years of age, Mike Grgich retired as president and passed on the baton to his daughter, Violet. He remains active in winery operations as Founder and Winemaker Emeritus, and is a Vintners Hall of Fame Inductee and James Beard Award Winner.

A Croatian TV documentary about his life, “Like the Old Vine,” won the Grand Jury’s Special Award from France’s Oenovideo Film Festival. 

Violet Grgich grew up accompanying her father in the vineyards and cellar. She spent her summers at the winery, doing everything from bottling line work to laboratory analysis and working in the tasting room.

She attended the University of California, earning a BA in music while taking classes in biology, chemistry, and enology. After graduation, she returned home to Grgich Hills to continue her education in the wine business, learning beside her father.

After a period to receive her Master of Music in harpsichord at the world renowned Indiana University School of Music, Violet rejoined the winery fulltime in 1988. Today, she is responsible for daily management of the winery, as well as sales and marketing. 

Ivo Jeramaz serves as Winemaker and VP of Vineyards & Production,  responsible for the day-to-day operations in the cellar and the vineyard, including naturally farming Grgich Hills’ 366 acres. 

 

Ivo was born in Grigh's home country Croatia to a family of grape growers and was involved in making family wine from boyhood. After earning a masters degree in engineering from the University of Zagreb in 1986, he came to Napa Valley to join his uncle, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich,  Over the ensuing three decades at Grgich Hills Ivo learned the classic style and art of winemaking from his uncle, supported by the science and technology, and from what he gained from enology and viticulture courses at University of California, Davis.

 

Joining Mike’s daughter, Violet Grgich as President, and Ivo Jeramaz, Mike’s nephew as Winemaker/VP, the next generation of the Hills family has also found a home in grapes, rather than coffee beans: Austin’s youngest son, Justin, and Ivo's oldest daughter Maja Jeramaz have joined Grgich Hills continuing the family legacy.

 

Today, Grgich Hills Estate produce a portfolio of Bordeaux varietals, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Mike was intrigued about the Croatian origins of Zinfandel and obtained a single Croatian Crljenak Kastelanski cutting, taken from one of the last nine Crljenak plants in existence. It is planted and continues to thrive in Grgrich's Calistoga Vineyard.

 

In April, 2023, Mike Grgich reached centenarian status. The winery celebrated with the release of two “Centennial Wines;” the 2020 Paris Tasting Commemorative Chardonnay, and the 2019 Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

 

This is 100% estate grown fruit, a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, sourced primarily with grapes from the Grgich Yountville vineyard supplemented from Grgich Rutherford and Calistoga vineyards.

 

This release was awarded 93 points by James Suckling, 92 points by Wine Advocate and 90 points by Connoisseurs Guide and Vinous. 

 

Bright garnet-purple in color, medium full bodied, expressive ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruits with floral, cassis, tobacco, licorice, cedar and earthy notes, with a hint of clove spice turning to tight crisp acidity and grainy tannins on the finish. Still young at five years, this might benefit from a little more time to settle and integrate.

 

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3351128

 

https://www.grgich.com/product/2018-cabernet-sauvignon-napa-valley/

https://twitter.com/GrgichHills

Château La Dominique Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé with Beef Bourgogne

Château La Dominique Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé with Beef Bourgogne

For a hearty midweek dinner, Linda prepared her delicious beef bourgogne, so I pulled from our wine  cellar this Grand Cru Classé Right Bank Bordeaux for a fabulous food and wine pairing. Having a fine wine cellar is made for situations such as this.   

While some suggest Burgundy wines based on Pinot Noir for pairing with beef bourgogne, I prefer a moderate, complex, but expressive and soft Bordeaux such as Merlot based blends from the Right Bank, such as this.

Château La Dominique produces this Grand Cru Classé wine from their 71 acres of vineyards located in the northwest of Saint-Émilion, on the edge of the Pomerol appellation, adjoining some of the most famous vineyards of the region - Cheval Blanc, Figeac, La Conseillante, and L'Evangile.  It has been owned by the Fayat family since 1969.

From the Wine Cellar Insider, we learn that Chateau La Dominique dates back to the 1700s and is named for the island in the Caribbean where the original owner of the property earned his fortune.

The Fayat family purchased the estate in 1969 from the de Bailliencourt family, who had owned the vineyard since 1933 and also still own Chateau Gazin in Pomerol. The property had several ownership changes over the previous two decades before it was obtained by Clement Fayat.

Clement Fayat started out as a bricklayer and went on to found one of the largest construction companies in the world. In addition to La Dominique, he also owns Chateau Fayat in Pomerol and Clement Pichon in the Haut Medoc appellation. The Fayat family also recently purchased Vieux Fortin in St. Emilion which was incorporated into La Dominique.

The 71 acre Château La Dominique vineyard is planted to 81% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. All the vineyards are classified as Grand Cru Classe. The best parcels in the La Dominique vineyard are located next to the legendary first growth estate Cheval Blanc, and not far from Chateau Figeac, one of our favorite Saint Emilion producers, and cellar holdings. Head north towards Pomerol the estate also bordered the premiere estates of Chateau Conseillante and LEvangile in Pomerol.

Chateau La Dominique underwent a major renovation of the entire estate in 2013 including the chateau, cellars, winemaking facilities, grape reception area, and a larger vat house, bringing in the most up-to-date, modern technology available. 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate wrote of the 2012 vintage - "This 2012 is sensational and further evidence of the rebound of La Dominique after a few years of mediocrity." 

The estate produces 60,000 cases per year of the grand vin and slightly more than 7,000 cases per year of a second wine, Saint-Paul-de-Dominique. 

We have enjoyed tasting these wines and meeting the producer at the annual UGC Bordeaux' (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)) North American release tour (s) and appreciate their participation and visits to Chicago to show their wines.  See example postings of this event here - UGC Bordeaux 2013 Release Tour Chicago 2016, and Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Chicago.

Château La Dominique Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Grand Cru Classé) 2012

This wine was produced with the advisement of the legendary Merlot master, Michel Rolland and Jean-Philippe Fort as consulting winemakers. 

The 2012 is a blend of  95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 

This release was rated 94 points by Vinous, 93 points by Wine Advocate, 92 by Wine Cellar Insider, and 89–91 by Roger Voss of Wine Enthusiast. 

At eleven years of age, the label, foil and most importantly the fill level and cork were ideal, likely at it's apex and may be there for perhaps close to a decade yet. 

This was double decanted and left to open for an hour before serving.

Dark garnet inky purple color, medium full bodied, elegant, bright vibrant expressive but soft ripe plum, cherry and blackberry fruits with floral, spice and earth notes, hints of lavender, black tea and licorice with a long smooth silky finish. 

60,000 bottles of this cuvée were produced

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1603259

https://www.chateau-ladominique.com/en/accueil/

https://twitter.com/chladominique

@chladominique

Venge and Beau Vigne wines with intimate family dinner

Venge and Beau Vigne wines with intimate family dinner - Venge Napa Syrah with Vodka Cream Sauce Pasta

We were invited to son Alec's and Vivianna's house for dinner to watch IU Hoosier Big Ten Basketball. Alec prepared a delicious vodka cream sauce with penne pasta, baked bread and a delightful Cesar Salad. 

Prior to dinner, Alec opened a nice Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay for sipping with some artisan cheese and with the salad course. He served a delectable Saint Andre Triple Cream cheese from Murray's Cheese that was an ideal pairing with the Chardonnay.

 I've written in these pages the irony that Murray's Cheese is now available locally from our Mariano's Grocery Store. We used to shop at Murray's Cheese Shop and dine at Murray's Cheese and Wine Bar on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village in New York with Alec and Viv when they lived in Manhatten. After they moved to Chicago, Murray's was sold to Kroger who had also acquired the Mariano's Grocery chain.

Beau Vigne Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021

Both Alec and we have collected several labels of Napa Valley wines from this producer Beau Vigne. This is the first time I have seen or tasted any of their white wines including this Reserve Chardonnay. 

 Winemaker's notes - "2021 Reserve Chardonnay -this is Napa Valley after all- and while you might expect today’s offering  to resemble the classic weighty, juicy, oaky versions, you are absolutely correct. We feel this 2021 ranks as one of the most pleasant Reserve Chardonnay's we've produced to date."

The Vineyard runs along a northern stretch of Carneros soils that are thin and rocky. As a result, these old vines struggle to produce even the most modest of crops.  

Tasting Notes: Fresh almond, apple turnover with hints of rose and lavender honey. The concentrated mouthfeel is draped in white stone fruits. The wine showcases our commitment to minimal intervention winemaking.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4510075

https://shop.beauvigne.com/product/2021-Reserve-Chardonnay

For pairing with dinner, I took a Venge Vineyards Napa Valley Syrah. 

I've written often in these pages about the fun we have with the "V" collection of wines from Venge Vineyards with our daughter-in-law Vivianna. 

Venge Vineyards Napa Valley Stagecoach Vineyard Block 1-4 Syrah 2015

This is produced by Kirk Venge, son of legendary Nils’ and Dianna Venge, who was exposed to winemaking at an early age and has proven to be as talented a winemaker as his father.

In 2008, Kirk stepped into Nil's shoes and acquired full ownership of Venge Vineyards in 2008. To this day, Kirk continues the Napa Valley heritage, focusing on select vineyard sites that produce fruit worthy of bearing the Venge family name. 

We visited Nil's at the Penny Lane Venge Family Vineyard and Winery down in central Napa Valley, and then went up and met Kirk at his new estate near Calistoga back in 2002 as chronicled in this blogpost - Visit to Venge Vineyards and Nils and Kirk Venge.

Since then, we've acquired many Venge labels from his various brands that extend beyond the Venge name.

This is from the legendary Stagecoach Vineyard, which according to the producer, "Stagecoach is one of the Napa Valley’s largest and leading mountain vineyards located near the Atlas Peak AVA at an elevation of around 1,700 feet above sea level. The soil is very rocky and topography very steep. Temperatures are warm in the midday and cold at night. This diurnal effect makes for a balance of vibrant acidity and fruit structure that is concentrated and focuessed. “Block I-4” is referenced in this bottling because of its very high elevation relative to the rest of the Stagecoach Vineyard."  

"Stagecoach Vineyard continues to produce Syrah of unparalleled quality. The Syrahs from that mountain vineyard really shine from the steep, rocky terroir of the location."

The 2017 vintage possesses a bold, deep, dark color that opens the door to an array of black fruit aromatics. Cassis, blackberry, warm toasted bread and French Oak vanillin all fill the glass with purpose. While still young and in development, the palate shows superior promise with minerals, tongue swirling acidity, cherry and black plum.  The tannins are firm and support the back palate for several moments beyond the initial taste. If cellared correctly, this wine will continue to improve through 2029.

The wine was managed under the Venge barrel program of 100% French oak with 60% entirely new Francois Frères from the tight grained Voges forest in both medium and heavy toast. Bottled unfiltered.

This was the latest tasting of another vintage of a mini-vertical collection of this limited release label I picked up at auction, and it was by far the best so far. 

This was awarded 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and 92 points by Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator.

This is the style and profile of wine we most enjoy - Linda's absolute favorite, big, thick, chewy full throttle full fruit Syrah.

Dark inky purple garnet colored, full bodied, powerful concentrated chewy unctuous textured black and blue fruits with a layer of vanilla and spice with notes of what Robert Parker's Wine Advocate calls "Chinese five spice, hoisin and cardamom over a core of plum preserves, violets and blackberry pie with a waft of earth", with firm, big but polished fine-grained tannins on a tongue coated long finish.

RM 94 Points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3223878

https://www.vengevineyards.com/

 

Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Italian Village Chicago

Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Italian Village after Art Institute Tour - a fabulous day in the city - arts, perfect food and wine pairing ...

Linda and I spent a day in the city (Chicago) touring the Art Institute of Chicago, one of our favorite destination outings, to see the Picasso special exhibit. We planned a dinner at classic historical Chicago landmark restaurant, Italian Village, Chicago, one of our favorite eateries, and were joined by fellow Pour Boys Dan and Lyle, with Terry.

We have featured our visits to the magnificent Art Institute in several posts in these pages -  

Chicago Experience - Museums, Architecture and Smith Wollensky Riverside Lunch

Day in Chicago - Art Institute - Chez Joël French Bistro

Art Institute Garden Summer Lunch Wines

One of the highlights of the world class Art Institute Chicago collection, and one of Linda's favorites, Paris Street, Rainy Day (French: Rue de Paris, temps de pluie), oil painting by the French artist Gustave Caillebotte (1848–1894).

We've also featured Italian Village in many posts in these pages from many business dinners with my staff and customers, our Pour Boys wine group, and special family dinners -

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

Italian Village Wine & Dine Chicago

Italian Village Vivere Wine Dinner Features Masseto Cellar Selection

Merry Christmas - Frozen and gala family wine dinner

We were delighted to get 'my' regular private dining room and table, one that I frequented regularly over the last couple years for staff, team and customer dinners. And, what fun that the IV staff hung my staff picture on the wall at the head of the table, like we used to do when we dined there, just like all the celebrity pictures on the walls. 

We were served by Gerry, one of the senior long time team members as IV retained their long term staff throughout the pandemic disruption - many who have been 'in the family' for decades.

Of the many many dinners we've had at IV, tonight's was one of the best with excellent food, wine and service, as good as it can be - a perfect pairing of wine and food which amplifies and accentuates the enjoyment of both!

We started with anti-pasta - a cheese and charcuterie board with delicious gorgonzola and muscarpone cheeses with pepperoni and meats, and grilled calamari. 

As a starter wine, Gerry brought us a Antico Fuoco Veronese IGT Red Blend for casual sipping before everyone arrived for dinner. 

For our dinner entrees we ordered a broad selection that represents the breadth and depth of the IV menu. Linda and I both ordered dishes with the IV Marsala sauce with pasta - me the Veal Marsala “Scallopine” - Mushrooms, Marsala Wine, Capellini, and Linda the Beef Toscanini - Filet Mignon Medallions, Mushrooms, Marsala Wine and Pappardelle.

Terry ordered the fabulous IV Italian Sausage and Peppers - Italian Grilled Sausage, Green Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Tomato Sauce and Mostaccioli.

For Lyle, they prepared a special off menu dish of Chicken Ciaccatore - chicken, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and onions in a tangy spicy tomato sauce.

Dan had the Linguine Frutti Di Mare - Linguine In A Zesty Tomato Sauce with Mussels, Scallops, Calamari, Shrimp, and Clams.

Lyle has amassed an impressive cellar collection of Italian Brunello do Montalcinos so he took the lead in ordering the wine selections for dinner - two Brunellos, a Caprili Riserva and an Altesino. 

Caprili Brunello di Montalcino AdAlberto Riserva Sangiovese 2015 

This wine is a homage to current owner and winemaker Giacomo Bartolommei’s great grandfather Alberto, who planted these vines in 1965. This Riserva is a single-vineyard designated label from the estate’s Madre vineyard. AdAlbreto is a special bottling, only produced in top vintages from the finest fruits drawn from the same site since 2010. It is a small-production wine with just 4,000 bottles made, carefully selected and blended by winemaker Giacomo Bartolommei.

This was awarded  97 points by Wine Spectator, 96 points by Wine Advocate, Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, 95 points by Vinou, and 94 points by Decanter and Wine Enthsiast.

Dark ruby colored, full-bodied, concentrated and complex yet smooth, elegant and balanced, rich forward vibrant ripe black cherry and black raspberry fruits with notes of black tea, clove spice, earth, tobacco and leather with hints of anise and dark mocha on a smooth polished ultra fine tannin finish. 

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3871944

https://www.caprili.it/en/

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2017

This is the primary Altesino label, 100% Sangiovese fruit courced and blended from 60 acres of estate vineyards throughout Montalcino to create the most balanced Brunello from each vintage. Annual production is 11,600 cases, of which 3,500 are imported, 

They also produce a Reserva premium label as well.

This is rated 95 by James Suckling, 94 Points, by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 Points by Eric Guido of Vinous and 90 by Wine Enthusiast.

Dark Ruby colored, medium-to full-bodied, full round balanced blackberry, black cherry and black currant fruits with savory baking and clove spices with hints of licorice, tobacco and leather with smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4119676

http://www.altesino.it/en/altesino/

 

 Antico Fuoco Veronese IGT Red Blend 2021

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4882923