Lunch at Firefly Grill, Effingham
Returning from a week at our Destiny Cove vacation rental home in Destin, FL, we stopped for lunch at the trendy, fun, Firefly Grill, at the interstate intersection of I70 and I57 in Effingham, IL.
It has become one of our favorite destination restaurants on our travels back and forth between Chicago and Florida with an extensive menu and carefully selected wine list in a wonderful alfresco setting on the porch.
We wrote about Firefly in more detail in an earlier blogpost - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2023/07/belle-glos-pinot-noir-at-firefly-grill.html.
For lunch, Linda ordered the salad and French Onion Soup … we shared the ‘Crab Purses’ as a starter ….
For my entree I ordered the BBQ Ribs with Polenta which was delectable.
To accompany my Ribs I ordered from the W-B-T-G (wines by the glass) winelist selections, a glass of Cabernet, then, for a comparison tasting, the Red Blend from the same producer.
This is from Joseph Wagner, son of the iconic Chuck Wagner of Napa Valley Caymus fame. This is a lower entry level price point that provides affordable QPR - Quality Price Ratio for everyday sipping, or for a WBTG offering.
It derives its whimsical name from the picturesque patchwork of vineyard sources from across the region for their wines - “For Napa Valley Quilt, our grapes come from a patchwork of prime Napa Valley vineyards to create a classic Cabernet Sauvignon the way my family has made it for five generations.”
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| Photo from earlier vintage |
Winemaker notes for this release: “Dark ruby red in the glass, with rich notes of chocolate, black currant, ripe blackberry, and marionberry with hints of toasted oak and dark cherry on the nose. The palate is rich and complex with flavors of ripe dark fruits, chocolate cherry, plum, toffee, and blackberry pie. This wine has a lingering fruit-forward finish with firm acidity and smooth velvety tannins. A classic yet complex Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Dark ruby colored, medium bodied, bright black berry and black currant fruits with notes of bitter mocha dark chocolate, black tea and hints of okay with crisp acidity on a moderate tannin laced finish.
RM 89 points.
The Wine Enthusiast rated this 91 pts.
A further play on words by Joe Wagner …. Whimsically playing on the patchwork quilt metaphor for this entry level red blend. This is the inaugural release of this label. Pulled from various sources, non-designated appellations and non-specific varietals, and vintages, allows them to produce this moderate priced red wine for entry level casual every day sipping.
From the producer’s website - “Throughout California’s most noteworthy coastal growing regions, vines from young to old, we were able to select from a broad array of terroirs giving us the luxury of blending a red that defies the norms. As THREADCOUNT is commonly known, it is the sum of the threads and weft of a fabric, denoting its texture.’
A more modest wine, since it was available by the glass, I tried it, and found it modest indeed, uninspiring and basic, simple, not one I’ll revisit any time soon. But, it may be ideal for some.
Winemaker’s notes: “ Red Blend – Winemaking Notes
• The grapes were harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while still cool to preserve the vineyard-fresh flavors.
• After de-stemming the berries, the fruit was cryo-extracted and then cold-soaked to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction.
• During fermentation in a combination of closed and open-top stainless-steel fermenters, punch-downs and pump-overs were preformed to extract color, tannins, keeping temperatures low to build mouthfeel and maximize flavors.
• Finally, the wines are aged in 50% new French oak for between 12-16 months. After the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, it was racked every 6 months before the final blend was complete.
Winemakers Tasting Notes - Red Blend
Color: Dark cherry with scarlet red highlights.
Aroma: Complex aromas of black raspberry, milk chocolate, and soft hints of sweet cedar.
Palate: Bold flavors of boysenberry pie, sugar cookie, and toffee lead to subtle notes of strawberry jam and baking spice. The balanced and complex tannin structure creates a long-lasting enjoyable finish.
Food Pairing: This wine can be enjoyed with tri-tip crostini, pork ribs with mashed potatoes, creamy au gratin potatoes or a on its own on the patio under the stars.
