I had a chance to eat at some of DC's finest restaurants this past week. I ate at Al Dente http://aldentedc.com/menu/, Joes' Seafood http://www.joes.net/?loc=washingtondc and Fiola Mare http://www.fiolamaredc.com/.
Al Dente is off the beaten track. It is a casual Italian place. The food was good and reasonable. The pizzas were good and pastas were very good,. They had a rustic pear tarte for dessert which was tasty with nice carmelization and not too rich. But the real deal was that have 50% of of wines over $50 on Sunday nights. The wine list is excellent. We had 3 interesting bottles.
2013 Pio Cesare Barbera d'Alba
10/21/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
Solid wine with good flavor ,balanced, good acid ,drank with pasta and pizza, enjoyed the wine at Al Dente in DC, bargain at $26 due to 50% off deal on Sunday nights, would drink again as I love Pio Cesare wines.
2010 Fattoria Casa Alte Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese
10/18/2015 - I don't like this wine: 85 points
I am not a Brunello fan, somewhat sweet, uninteresting wine, drank with pizza and pasta in Al Dente in DC, great value about $45 due to Sunday night 50% off deal, would not drink again.
2011 Vietti Barolo Castiglione Nebbiolo
10/18/2015 - I like this wine: 91 points
VG Barolo, medium bodied, somewhat developed but 2011 is supposed to be an early developed vintage, drank with pizza and pasta at Al Dente in DC, amazing value at $48 due to 50% off deal on Sundays. Would drink again.
Joe's Seafood was also very good. Food is plain but quality high. I had crab cakes and key lime pie. Drank some Roederer Champagne, which was balanced and good acid.
Fiola Mare is quite interesting. Beautiful location. Service is very accommodating and not pretentious.Prices are very high but not crazy. It is an Italian seafood place. The fish is fresh and good but is lacking flavor. The focus in the restaurant is on pretty. I had sashimi bass with pomegranate and cauliflower. My main course was roasted halibut. It was good. Portions are small. The bread is real good. Dessert was good. I had hot doughnuts with caramel gelato and dipping sauce. The wine list is very long and the prices are high but there are good choices between $50 and $100. We had 3 bottles.
2013 Tenuta di Fessina Etna Erse Bianco Etna DOC
10/20/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
balanced, light wine with good fruit with light acid to balance, nice aperitif wine, drank at Fiola Mare in DC, drank with fish, $52 on wine list, would drink again.
2010 Domaine Pavelot (Jean-Marc et Hugues) Aloxe-Corton Pinot Noir
10/20/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
An "inexpensive" Burgundy with flavor, medium bodied with nice fruit, opened up over a short time, balanced with terroir, drank with fish at Fiola Mare in DC, would drink again. $90 on wine list
2012 AR.PE.PE. Rosso di Valtellina Nebbiolo
10/20/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
Drank at Fiola Mare in DC, interesting, good color, lots of flavor, 13% alcohol but a medium bodied somewhat dense wine for a nebbiolo, we drank it after a Burgundy so it was tough adjustment, enjoyed the wine with different fish, would drink again, wine was about $75 on wine list.
I stayed at the Marriott Marquis downtown. A new hotel near the convention center. I would not recommend it. Overpriced and nothing special. There are much better Marriotts in town.
Frank Lloyd Wright
I had a chance to visit Taliesin West again . Located in Phoenix. It is Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural school. They give tours. http://www.franklloydwright.org/ The place is fascinating and I really enjoyed the tour of the buildings. Wright had a reason for everything that he did. Don't miss it if you go to Phoenix.
Recent Wines
I had the opportunity to drink some interesting wines recently. I have been drinking lots of Portuguese wines and they are quite good and inexpensive. The wines are great with food and do not have high alcohol amounts.
2003 Château Sansonnet St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
10/17/2015 - I like this wine: 92 points
Very nice wine, great bouquet, good balance but lots of fruit, long finish, enjoyed with veal loin chops, drank with Bellefont Belcier, which was less fruity and earthier, would drink again.
2003 Château Bellefont-Belcier St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
10/17/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
Earthy, nice bouquet, acid hits you but the finish dies, good wine, drank with 03 Sansonnet, which was much fruitier and had a long finish, drank with veal loin chops, love Bordeaux wines. Would drink again.
2013 Dominique Cornin Mâcon-Chaintré Les Serreudières Chardonnay
10/15/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
Nice bouquet, wine is balanced with good fruit but enough acid to you interested, drank with blackened salmon, would drink again if I can find it.
2012 Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate Grown - Heritage Bottling Chalone
10/16/2015 - I like this wine: 88 points
Nice color, alcohol bouquet, smoothing out a bit, good flavor, I want to love this wine but it tires as we drank it, has potential, time will tell, drank with steak, will drink again.
2011 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Chardonnay
9/28/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
Enjoyed, light, Good fruit balanced with acid, enjoyed with lobster tails, would drink again,
2009 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap District
9/28/2015 - I like this wine: 95 points
Lots of flavor, balanced, big wine but no alcohol taste, nice bouquet, enjoyed with lobster tails, would drink again.
2005 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard Oakville
9/28/2015 - I like this wine: 94 points
Very nice wine, tannin and terroir, more character than the average Cali cab, enjoyed with lobster tails, would drink again
2014 Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais Le Perréon Gamay
10/9/2015 - I like this wine: 86 points Maybe we are tiring of this wine. It a solid Beaujolais with delicate fruit, it goes down easily. Drank with ravioli. Might drink again. Good value.
2010 Juvé y Camps Cava “Reserva de la Família” Brut Nature Gran Reserva Macabeo-Xarel-lo-Parellada Blend
10/4/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
VG cava, balanced , fruity but dry, good bubbles and nice finish, a step above the average cava, a good value, drank with cheeses, will drink again.
2010 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
10/3/2015 - I like this wine: 91 points
Enjoyed this wine; balanced with nice flavor, 3 people shared the bottle,I am not a big cab fan but this wine drank easily, not a wine to age much more, drank with steak, received as a gift and probably won't drink again, a bit overpriced.
2011 Wine & Soul Manoella Douro Red Blend
10/2/2015 - I like this wine: 90 points
A big wine for Portugal, good stuff, borderline grapey but never crosses the line, Good balance, drinks easily, drank with fajitas, will drink again.
2013 Herdade do Esporão Pé Tinto Vinho Regional Alentejano Red Blend
10/1/2015 - I like this wine: 85 points
Medium bodied wine that quite drinkable, nice balance, good producer, another Portuguese blend that is an incredible value, try it.
2014 Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais Le Perréon Gamay
10/1/2015 - I like this wine: 88 points
A nice solid Beaujolais, light bodied, nice bouquet, vg value, will drink again.
2011 DFJ Vinhos Portada Vinho Regional Lisboa Red Blend
10/1/2015 - I like this wine: 87 points
Interesting wine, no bouquet, nice color, good flavor, nice acid balances, medium bodied, a bit grapey but overall a good value wine, 2011 was a great year in Portugal, would not age much longer, drank with spaghetti and meatballs, would drink again.
2014 Paulo Laureano Vinho Regional Alentejano Classico Branco White Blend
9/24/2015 - I like this wine: 88 points
Solid white, fresh, acid and fruit nicely balanced, great value, will drink again, drank with salmon.
2010 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
9/25/2015 - I like this wine: 93 points
Light color, nice bouquet, fruity but not grapey with tannin to balance, complex with a long finish, drinking great at this time, drank with rack of lamb, will drink again
NV Juvé y Camps Cava Brut Rosé Rosé Blend
9/26/2015 - I like this wine: 86 points
Good flavor but a little flat, nice color, bottle consistently appears to be an issue with this wine, drank with tuna and cous cous, decent value, will probably drink again.
2013 Clos de la Lysardiere Chinon Cabernet Franc
9/22/2015 - I like this wine: 89 points
See previous notes, a light wine with good flavor, balanced but not too fruity, terroir, low alcohol, drank with pasta with veggies, really like this wine, not cheap but will drink again.
2009 Château Haut Barrail Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
9/20/2015 - I like this wine: 92 points
Good stuff. Consistent with my previous note. Good bouquet, dark color, great balance with lots of fruit but with smooth tannins, drank with hamburgers, sipped after the meal, only 13% alcohol. Will drink again, excellent value.
Pete Wells in the NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/dining/restaurant-review-bruno-east-village.html?ref=dining has an interesting restaurant review this week. He writes about how foodies and wine writers can get carried away in the reviews and how places are now reviewed withing hours of opening.
Thanksgiving is coming soon. Love the holiday. Recently made cranberry ice cream.
Enjoy!
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