Friday, August 13, 2021

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. 

 
 

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. 
 
 
 
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!


 

 




Sunday, August 8, 2021

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



Friday, August 6, 2021

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 

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/

Monday, August 2, 2021

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 

 


Saturday, July 31, 2021

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 

 

Friday, July 30, 2021

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. 
 
 
 
 
 @sojourncellars  
 
 
 

@QueenCarnivore

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Wine and Dine at Sepia Chicago

Wine and Dine at Sepia Restaurant Chicago 

We held a team / board dinner at Sepia Restaurant Chicago, a short walk from our office, in the trendy west loop district. 

Sepia offered an imaginative price fixe menu as their standard bill of faire for the evening. Sepia executive chef Andrew Zimmerman,
chef de cuisine Kyle Cottle, and pastry chef Lauren Terrill prepared a delicious, stylish, thoughtfully prepared and artfully presented four course meal. 

Wine Director and Sommelier Alex Ring guided us through the extraordinary wine list offerings and selections.

They were also agile and adept at accommodating those of our group that had special dietary requests.

The first course selections were:
  • foie gras tart rosé gelee, peach jam, aged balsamic, (shown)
  • sweet corn velouté parisienne gnocchi, pickled blueberry
  • kampachi crudo tikka masala consommé, baby tomato, almond
    with a kaluga caviar option/supllement, and
  • king crab chawanmushi, sauce nantua, hon shimeji mushroom
    (at a supplement charge)
 Second course:
  • crispy soft boiled egg potato porridge, black truffle
    (with black truffle supplement)
  • sablefish misoyaki charred cabbage, dill beurre blanc, grapefruit
  • berkshire pork confit cherry mostarda, peanut, five spice (shown)
 
 
 
 
 
 Third course
  • hay grilled sirloin smoked spring onion, bone marrow chimichurri, braised beef empanada
  • steelhead trout en croûte buttermilk, cucumber, dill
  • duck breast plum, sunflower seed, fennel, chamomile (shown)
  • ricotta agnolotti chanterelle, summer squash, aged ham butter, pine nut (vegetarian upon request), with black truffle option/supplement
 
The dessert course
  • strawberry & almond olive oil cake, almond cream, strawberry milk crumble
  • milk chocolate & banana whipped namelaka, green chartreuse ice cream, crunch
  • yogurt & blueberry greek yogurt panna cotta, blueberry-spruce tip sorbet, sunflower seeds

Sepia have an interesting, extraordinarily imaginative winelist with many notable key producers and labels as well as many offerings from lesser known boutique producers. The list is quite broad and extensive with a range of price points for each category. 

The price fixe menu also provided a wine pairing flight available for $55 per person. 

We were served by Sepia's Sommelier and wine director Alex Ring who was extremely knowledgeable, personable and helpful in our selections and service. 

The wine list starts with "Features and Notables - Wines to get excited about". The first section called a "Special Sort of Vertical", is a vertical collection of Krug Grand Champaign dating back to 1990 and featuring vintages 2004, 05, 06 and 07.  Next was a collection from French Loire River Valley third generation vigneron Domaine Romain Guiberteau, and finally, a selection from Sicilian producer Andrea Franchetti of Passopisciaro featuring finest estate vineyard selections from Mount Etna appellation and the unique local varietal Nerello Mascalese.
 
There were close to forty WBTG (Wine By The Glass) offerings with a wide choice of offerings for each course - aperitif, Champagne/Sparkling, Sweet, White, Rose ('Orange), Red, Port, Madeira and  a selection of liquors. 
 
The Wine by the Bottle offerings spanned forty pages from the range of traditional varietals from an extraordinarily broad range of regions including lesser regions such as Bosnia, Lebanon, Morocco, Greece, England, Hungary and Mexico. In addition, there were the traditional expected 'Old World' regions of  France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain and Portugal, as well as those from the 'New World'; US, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and Canada. They also offered a selection of Large Format magnums and a few double magnums. 
 
One point about the broad wine list was lack of vintage specification which made it somewhat difficult from which to choose, or which might have explained or help justify some of the offering prices at the ends of the spectrum, such as example Chateau Pichon Lalande at $845 (1989 vintage) and Aubert Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay, Carneros at $420. 
 
From their broad wine list selection, I was able to order a couple of intriguing/interesting yet budget conscious reds and whites. Note that my budget consideration is invariably influenced by the degree to which the diners are wine centric or focused, coupled with their sophistication or appreciation for fine wines. Also, the fact most in our group ordered alcoholic cocktails or drinks before hand diminishes their discernment for or focus on fine wines, and thus reduces the investment or price point in wine selections for the evening - both in terms of overall spend as well as discernment in and appreciation for the wines after consuming one or a couple drinks. 
 
Taking into account that two of our senior partners, as well as me, visited the Luberon in the Southern Rhone River valley a few years back, I selection two Rhone River Valley wines, as well as two American producer selections.
 
For the reds I ordered:
 
Matthiasson Cabernet Sauvignon, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley  
Domaine des Lises, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône (Syrah) 
 

For the whites I was excited to order and try and serve these two imaginative whites: 

Maldonado Los Olivos Vineyard Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017
Mas de Daumas Gassac, Languedoc White Blend (Viognier, Petit Manseng, Chardonnay) 2016 

Initially I was leaning to the Lail Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, but in the end went for 'bigger' more complex whites that would appeal more to my more adventurous white wine drinkers. 

 
Maldonado Los Olivos Vineyard Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017 

This is from the Maldonado Family Vineyards, a small Mexican-American family owned estate of 10 acres in Jamieson Canyon in the northernmost tip of the Napa Valley. Owner - winemaker Hugo Maldonado comes from a vineyard management background, who learned the importance and craft of vineyard care working at Newton Vineyards, and working alongside his father Lupe Maldonado.
Lupe Maldonado arrived in America in 1968 and worked his way up from day laborer to winery and vineyard owner, that he runs today with his son and grandkids.

Maldonado acquired the ten acre hillside property in 2007 in Jameson Canyon in the eastern hills of Calistoga, looking out to the Palisades mountain range. 

The winery, sited in a cave looking south toward the Palisades is where they do all production and barrel aging. 

This small boutique producer produces nearly 6000 cases annually under the Maldonado Family Vineyards label, and produces a second label called Farm Worker.  

Their flagship brand is classic “big Napa” Chardonnay, notably, this single vineyard designated label. 

I woke up the next morning still tasting and thinking about this wine and went on-line to find and buy some. I called all our regular local wine merchants and was told it is discontinued, or out of distribution, meaning they no longer have a distributor here in Illinois, a highly regulated two tier distribution state. It is still promoted and sold on their website, but since I don't need a full case quantity, I'll continue to search out this label. 

This was golden colored, full bodied with what I would call a combination of buttery and nutty flavor profile, concentrated but nicely balanced flavors of mineral, pear and citrus fruits, hints of peach and guava with notes of mineral and toasted oak accented by sprites of hazelnut and pain grille.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3663657

https://maldonadovineyards.com

Mas de Daumas Gassac, Languedoc White Blend (Viognier, Petit Manseng, Chardonnay) 2016

As I noted, the two Managing Partners in attendance visited the Languedoc and Provencal regions of Southern France two years ago. We also visited and toured the Southern Rhone, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the Languedoc around that time. Hence, I selected this extraordinarily unique white blend from the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the South of France, the area from the Mediterranean coast up to Provence. There a broad range of wine produced in this region, red, white and rose'. The region is traditionally known for more modest table wines, but in recent years it has been upgraded to more and more higher quality fine wines.  

Mas de Daumas Gassac is located in the Hérault countryside and valley carved out by the gentle flowing Gassac river. It is from the appellation of IGP Saint Guilhem le désert cité d’Aniane, situated inland from the coastal town of Montpelier, midway between the cities of Toulouse and Marseille. The area has a unique glacial terroir suited to produce exceptional fruit due to underground sources of cold water and the influence of the surrounding massifs of Arboussas and Larzac which contribute to the valley’s micro-climate.
 
The estate dates back to 1970 when Aimé and Véronique Guibert acquired the property with an old Mas (farmhouse) and an abandoned mill. Véronique, an ethnologist from Ireland, and Aimé, a glover and tanner from Millau, set out to produce Grand Cru quality wines in an unremarkable, relatively obsure wine region. 

The first vines were planted in 1972, un-cloned Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from top Bordeaux properties in the 1930s and 40s. The vines were selected on the basis of quality and diversity, and not on their yields or resistance to diseases.
 
Against all conventional wisdom and practice at the time, the Languedoc was known for the warm climate loving Rhone grapes like Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, and Mourvedre, Guibert planted Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Guibert began planting white grapes in 1976, although the first wine not released untial a decade later. He was convinced the cooler climate of the Gassac valley  could produce whites with the freshness and acidity typically lacking in the region’s whites. 

He planted Chardonnay (cuttings from Comte Lafon), Viognier (cuttings from Georges Vernay) and Muscat. Guibert and Véronique loved to travel, and wherever they went, they brought back a few cuttings of other vines and planted them. 

Between 1972 and 1978 they constructed a barrel cellar and a winery in former water storage facility of the Gallo-Roman mill, the cold water of the Gassac river providing a natural coolness that was perfect for the vat room and ensured that the temperature remained constant.

In 1978, the great oenologist Emile Peynaud, who supervised the rebirth of Château Léoville-Las-Cases and acted as a consultant to Château Margaux, Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut Brion, and La Lagune, visited Mas de Daumas Gassac. He monitored progress and advised on the first vinification. 

Later, when journalists asked Professor Peynaud why he had helped and advised an unknown property in the Languedoc, when he usually only worked with world-renowned vineyards, he replied, “I have advised the best properties in France, but there, for the first time, I had the good fortune to be present at the birth of grand cru.”
 
The first vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge (80% Cabernet Sauvignon) was released in 1978.

The 1982 vintage was recognized with the first media endorsement of Mas de Daumas Gassac red wines, hailed by the magazine Gault & Millau as ‘Languedoc’s Château Lafite’. 

In 1986, the white Mas de Daumas Gassac wine, a uniquely crafted wine showing huge aromatic complexity, made its debut. This label was designed to showcase fruit aromas, was a complex blend of Viognier, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng and Chenin Blanc, and augented with around fifteen other grape varieties from Old Europe.

The portfolio continued to expand with the release of rosé Frizant in 1990 which completed the estate’s range of wines to three – a red, a white and a rosé. 

In 1991, the Guilhem and Figaro labels were released, completing the Moulin de Gassac selection. Today, annual production totals 2.2 million bottles.

The business continued to prosper and expand but remains a family affair, with four of Véronique and Aimé Guibert’s five sons, Samuel, Gaël, Roman and Basile involved, the siblings taking over management of the property in 2009.

This white wine is a unique blend of 25% Viognier, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Petit Manseng, 15% Chenin Blanc and 10% other grape varieties including Courbu from Bearn, Petite Arvine from Valais, Rhole from Provence, Marsanne from the Rhone valley and 10 other rare grape varieties.

Gold in colour, full bodied, complex but nicely balanced, bright expressive almond nut flavors accented with tropical fruits of peach and citrus with sprites of  orange, lemon, pineapple and apple with hints of floral, vanilla and stone fruit with a nice balance of acidity on a full finish. 

RM 91 points. Decanter gave this 93 Points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2459925

https://www.daumas-gassac.com/ 

https://twitter.com/masdaumasgassac

Matthiasson Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Senior Managing Partner Tom R is celebrating his son's wedding in Napa Valley in the coming weeks. They'll be hosting and holding festivities at a couple of Oak Knoll District venues, serving Oak Knoll wines, hence I thought this would be a notable selection as a prelude to those celebrations. 

Matthiasson Wines was started in 2003 by Steve and Jill Mathiasson, with a mission to produce wines that are classical expressions of their grape varieties, that are refreshing, complement food, and are moderate in alcohol. 
 
Since launching their brand in 2003, the results of their non-traditional approach have been highly regarded by both customers and critics. Matthiasson has been named Winemaker of the Year by both the San Francisco Chronicle and Food and Wine Magazine, and the winery is a six-
time nominee for the prestigious James Beard Award.

The
Matthiassons share duties in running the business with Steve responsible for winemaking and vineyard operations while Jill tends to the business. Beyond Matthiasson wines, Steve also provides vineyard consulting services to some other notable top wineries including Araujo Estates, Dalla Valle Vineyards, Spottswoode and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
 
After studying philosophy in college, Steve landed a job in vineyards and orchards working for a sustainable agriculture consulting firm in 1994. In 1999, he co-authored the California manual on sustainable vineyard practices. By 2002 he was consulting on vineyard practices in Napa turning to his own family farming and winemaking in 2003. 

Jill studied botany at Penn, then traditional methods for soil health in grad school at UC Davis. She pioneered “farmer to farmer” networking for sustainability in the early 90s until turning her attention to running the business operations of the family business. 

Matthiasson produces this label in the tradition of a Bordeaux Blend, with complexity, roundness and completeness, based on Cabernet Sauvignon as the dominant varietal with a small amount of Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%). 
 
This is blended from six different vineyard sources throughout Napa Valley from three appellations (AVAs). 
 
The winemaker writes that "the fruit sourced from Coombsville provides for structure and black fruit color and flavors, Rutherford for savory Cabernet characters and bright fruit, and Oak Knoll for soft fruit. It is a Napa Cab of the old school, a blended wine, age-worthy, complex, and begging for a steak off of the grill". Winemaker Notes for this release: "The nose shows abundant red fruits, lots of bright cherry along with bramble-berries, such as blackberry, cranberry, mulberry, and framed with hints of mineral/herbal characters such as graphite, cedar, and pencil shavings. The palate is vibrant and fresh, with light tannin and beautiful acidity."
 
This was awarded 90 points by Wine & Spirits.

This was dark garnet colored medium bodied with soft elegant black-currant fruits with notes of herbs, cedar, and graphite with moderate tannins on the lingering smooth finish. 

RM 90 points. 

1995 cases produced.
 

Producers notes on the Matthiasson Vineyards: 
 
The Matthiasson estate Vineyard is adjacent to the winery and homessite. It sits on loamy alluvial soil on the west side of the Oak Knoll District, just south of the Red Hen Vineyard. It is the coolest of the vineyards, receiving morning fog and afternoon sea breezes most summer days. 
 
The adjacent Red Hen Vineyard next to Dry Creek, in the Oak Knoll District where it cool breezes wafting up from the southern San Pablo Bay, and dry rocky alluvium soil combine to create structure and ripe fruits.
 
The Bengier Vineyard (formerly Vare) is also on Dry Creek, in the Oak Knoll District, but on gravelly soils in the mouth of the canyon. The cool air drainage and short fall days as the sun is blocked by the redwoods result in light aromatic wine.
 
The Helen’s Gate Vineyard is the home of Arthur Berliner and Marian Lever. It sits on an east-facing hill along Whitehall Lane in the Rutherford District of Napa Valley. It was planted by Mathiesson and managed since in 2009.

The Dead Fred Vineyard in Coombsville sits on rocky volcanic soil. It’s south-western exposure causes it to pick up heat during the day, and the proximity to the mouth of the Napa Valley keeps the nights cool. This vineyard has been leased by Mathiasson since 2012.

The York Vineyard is in the heart of Rutherford, on the classic gravelly alluvium known to create the famous “Rutherford Dust” character. This has been leased since 2013.

https://www.matthiasson.com/


Domaine des Lises, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône (Syrah) 2016

We love big fruit filled Syrah wines, many of which are produced in the Crozes-Hermitage and other appellations in the Northern Rhone river valley. 
 
Crozes-Hermitage is an appellation of the northern Rhône valley in France. It covers a relatively large area on the eastern bank of the river, to the north and south of the village of Tain L'Hermitage. It is much larger than the prestigious Hermitage appellation which it surrounds, both in area and in terms of production volume.
 
The much smaller Hermitage appellation with 140 hectares (345 acres) of vineyards is known for some of France's most enduringly prestigious wines. These are on a par with those from the Côte Rôtie (30 miles/45km to the north), and Châteauneuf-du-Pape (70 miles/110km to the south). Both red and white Hermitage wines are long-lived and full-bodied.

The red wines are produced exclusively from Syrah and are often long lived and may be aged for 30 years or more. They are known for their robustness and rich aromas of leather, coffee and red berries.

Around 7.5 million liters of wine are produced and sold under the Crozes-Hermitage title each year.  This is more than the other seven northern Rhône appellations combined. There are 1,768 hectares of vines currently recorded for the appellation (4,368 acres).

There were two such wines on the winelist, this and one from producer Alain Graillot which we have had on many occasions. Hence, in the spirit of adventure and experimentation, I opted to try a new producer and label and chose what I hoped would be a similarly situated equivalent at relatively the same price point. In retrospect we might have been better served off with the Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône (Syrah) which we have featured in these pages. This alternative did not stand up to my exectations based on earlier tasting experiences with the other label. 

This is 100% Syrah, produced from 40+ year old vines in the lieu-dit “Les Picheres” area, less than 2km from the vines of Domaine Alain Graillot. 
 
The wine pundit Vinous gave this a score of 92. I wonder if perhaps our bottle was slightly tainted, which I thought about at the time, but chose not to put up a challenge or make a scene, accepting that it may just be due to customary 'bottle variation' in the production blends. 

This was ruby colored, medium full bodied with dark berry fruits accented by non-fruit notes smoke and leather and a slight funkiness from what might be hints of bacon fat, turning to notes of anise and black cherry liquor on the spicy finish. 

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2937760