NYC, Chicago, Summer Wines

NYC

We went to Manhattan over the weekend to see a play, explore and eat. We saw And I and Silence by Naomi Wallace at the Signature Theater on 42nd street. Tickets are $25. The Signature theater is an amazing place. They have a new theater designed by Frank Gehry and they have several playwrights in residence each year. Ticket prices are subsidized by contributions. This year they are A R. Gurney and Naomi Wallace. I had never heard of her but she is has an interesting background and is also a poet. The play was absorbing and we enjoyed it.

We ate at Pearl & Ash on the lower east side on Bowery. http://www.pearlandash.com/ The restaurant is sleek and modern and serve small plates and has a fabulous wine list. The wines are mostly French and their are actually reasonably priced wines. We had a Burgundy from Irancy, a small appellation. We had a glass of wine from Irancy in Paris last fall and it was reasonable and very good. Lettie Teague recently mentioned it in an article recently in the WSJ. http://www.samachar.com/a-surprising-source-of-great-inexpensive-summer-reds-oh0dMIjajbe.html Just found this interesting article on Burgundy. http://rockssandfruit.blogspot.com/2014/03/an-offer-that-counters-wall-street.html
The wine we had was a 2011 Benoit Cantin from Irancy. The wine is 100% Pinot Noir and was $55. It was served too cold but we warmed it up and they decanted it which helped the process. The was balanced and subtle with complex flavors and decent fruit.

For dinner we shared a number of small plates. Bread with a mixture of butter, chicken fat and maple syrup. It  was really good. We had trout with snap peas, peas shoots, brown butter and dill. We had flat iron steak with broccolini and chickpea tahini. It worked beautifully. We also had cod, coconut, thai basil and lemon grass. Also potatoes, porcini mayo and chorizo. The chunks of potatoes were crisp and delicious although we did not notice the chorizo.
For dessert we had strawberry sorbet with pistachios and graham crackers with a light cheese cake mousse. It was great.We also had pineapple, caramel and pansies. This was the only dish that did not work.We had a glass of a Tokaji, a Hungarian dessert wine.
The staff at the restaurant were great. Friendly and accommodating which was really appreciated in  a trendy NYC restaurant. When we told them that it was our 28th anniversary, they wrote it on the dessert. The meal was beautifully paced by the kitchen. The dishes are very small and the recommend 4 dishes per person but we were full with what we ate. We are not big eaters. Try Pearl & Ash for yourself.

Recently had a chance to go to Chicago. We ate at Howells and Hood. http://www.howellsandhood.com/ The food was really good. They also have lots of beer (114) on tap. I had porchetta (boneless pork shoulder) with pulled pork over wild rice, parsnip veggies with some fruit. The dish was fabulous and $24. Wow.

My garden is doing great. We have  had broccoli, eggplant , string beans, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers.The eggplant has been great.

Wines

We have been drinking summer friendly wines aka low alcohol, lots of flavor.

  Sparkling  NV Emmanuel Brochet Champagne Le Mont Benoit Extra BrutChampagne Blend 

8/8/2014 - I like this wine: 95 points 

Let's face it, this is a very good Champagne and it tastes likes grapes. A big wine with lots of flavor, well balanced, oak and vanilla and a long finish. Complex with lots going on. Bought it in Lyon last year. would drink again. Drank with pork chops. Interesting blend of grapes.

  Red  2011 Cave de Roquebrun Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du FrigouletRed Bordeaux Blend more MIght be a case of bottle consistency but this bottle was just OK. Had this wine before and it was better. Grapey with some off taste on the finish.

  Red  2011 Benoit Cantin IrancyPinot Noir 

8/10/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit) 

Drank at Pearl & Ash in NYC. $55. Started slowly as wine was too cold when presented. It was decanted and opened up slowly. I nice blend of terroir and some fruit; nicely balanced; drank with many small dishes and it was very good. Would drink again but Irancy wines can be hard to find.

  White  2013 Valley Vineyards Chenin Blanc The RoyalSwartland 

8/5/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points (Edit) 

Great value. Good balanced white. Fruity not overly so. Will drink again.

  White  2013 Ameztoi Getariako TxakolinaHondarrabi Zuri 

 8/3/2014 - I like this wine: 89 points (Edit) 

Enjoyed this wine. The light fizz is a bonus. Bone dry with clean flavor, light in body and alcohol. Drank with oysters and striped bass from NJ waters. Would drink again.

  White  2011 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling KabinettMosel Saar Ruwer 

8/3/2014 - I wrote: 85 points (Edit) 

Agree with previous comment. Nothin special. Decent Riesling at a not so decent price. Good for a glass and then it got old. Lacking that pizzazz. Probably would not drink again.

  White  2012 Cave de Lugny Mâcon-Lugny Les CharmesChardonnay  

 7/29/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points (Edit) 

Good solid white Burgundy. It has not developed like NM has written. Good value. Goes well with fish. Would drink again.

Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2011

7/31/2014 - I like this wine: 91 points 

Good wine;subtle but good flavor; medium bodied; drank easily; the bottle disappeared; drank with loin lamb chops; love PN with lamb;complex and just an excellent wine in an OK vintage in the Willamette Valley.Will drink again.

  Red  2005 Guido Porro Barolo Vigna LazzairascoNebbiolo 

8/1/2014 - I like this wine: 89 points (Edit) 

The wine was not singing tonight. Drank with fresh raviolis. It took a while to open up but still the alcohol predominated. Lots of sediment; probably would help to decanter; OK fruit but not completely balanced; I think that the wine is at its end; I would drink up!

  Red  2012 Campogrande Cinque Terre RossoRed Blend 

7/27/2014 - I like this wine: 89 points (Edit) 

Good fruit but lots of tannin, enjoyed with pizza; low alcohol 12.5%; drank easily on a summer's eve; will drink again. The type of wine we like but that is not that easy to find.

  Rosé - Sparkling  NV Philippe Prié Champagne Brut RoséChampagne Blend 

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7/11/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points (Edit) 

VG flavor, big wine for a rose Champagne, good structure, nice balance, will drink again.

  White - Sparkling  NV Scharffenberger Brut ExcellenceMendocino County Champagne Blend 

 7/25/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points

Decent sparkling wine with good flavor, nice fruit and acid, medium body. Some complexity but missing something. Would drink again.

  Red  2011 Château Grange Cochard Morgon Côte du PyGamay 

7/18/2014 - I like this wine: 92 point

VG good bottle; balanced and complex with great finish; fruit and terroir work well together; medium bodied with nice mouthfeel; enjoyed with raviolis and vegetables; will drink again; great flavor with relativley low alcohol!

  Rosé  2013 Zenato Bardolino ChiarettoCorvina Blend, Corvina 

7/21/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points 

Medium bodied rose with good balance and nice fruit. Alcohol of 12.5% which is great. Packs lots of flavor. Paid $29 at Fornaletto at the Borgata AC. Cheapest wine on the big list. Drank with pasta with seafood in red sauce. Would drink again.

  Red  2009 Ambra Carmignano Santa Cristina in PilliSangiovese Blend, Sangiovese

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7/7/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit) 

Good Sangiovese; fruit and acid, good balance, medium bodied., would drink again. Drank with pizza at Arturos.

  Red  2011 Stephane Aviron Côte de Brouilly Vieilles VignesGamay 

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7/13/2014 - I like this wine: 89 points (Edit) 

Very nice Beaujolais; fruity and light, balance with nice finish; drank with scallops and risotto; would drink again;

  Red  2012 Montinore Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

7/12/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points (Edit) 

Best 2012 inexpensive Ore PN that I have tasted so far. Interesting fruit, tannins are balanced, medium bodied representative of the 2012 vintage, my only quibble is the finish; slightly sour and not the taste that you want to remember; will try again; the price is compelling.

  White  2013 Valley Vineyards Chenin Blanc The RoyalSwartland 

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7/9/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit) 

Great value. Good fruit and balanced acidity.

  Rosé  2012 Château Montaud Côtes de Provence RoséRosé Blend 

7/6/2014 - I wrote: 84 points (Edit) 

Decent French rose, nothing special, clean taste, dry, low alcohol, Drank at the Borgata'a Italian restaurant for $28, cheapest on a good wine list. We enjoyed the bottle but their arer much better rose's out there.

  White  2013 Ameztoi Getariako TxakolinaHondarrabi Zuri  

7/7/2014 - I like this wine: 91 points (Edit) 

Light, refreshing and some fizz; just enough fruit; a really good white wine; drank with grilled shrimp and paprika potatoes. Will drink again although not a cheap wine.

  Red  2009 Barbet Saint-Amour Domaine des Billards Cuvée RéserveGamay 

7/3/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points (Edit) 

Medium bodied, still quite tannic but it opened up as we drank it; complex and subtle; an excellent Beaujolais, a serious wine, drank with grilled chicken; will drink again.

  White - Sparkling  NV Gruet Winery BrutNew Mexico Champagne Blend 

 7/5/2014 - I don't like this wine: 82 points (Edit) 

Sweet finish, not much going on. I always wonder how to keep track of NV sparklers, when is there a new batch. Have had this wine before and this bottle was not very good.

  Red  2012 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot NoirWillamette Valley 

 6/29/2014 - I like this wine: 93 points (Edit) 

Excellent wine; medium bodied with 14% alcohol but drinks easily; good fruit, complexity; an Oregon wine with a bit more fruit and body than usual; while 2012 vintage in Oregon has been highly touted, I have not been impressed with the inexpensive wines from that vintage; this wine while pricey is just a really good pinot noir that should develop over time. Drank with swordfish and scallops. Will drink again.

  White - Sparkling  NV Cave de L'aurance Crémant de BourgogneChampagne Blend 

6/29/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points 

Full bodied sparkling wine from France. Enjoyed the bottle as an apertif with some snacks. Fruity but real structure. Good value.

These wines are really good. See if you can find them locally. Cellartracker can help find them for you. WTSO is a really good site for Champagne. For some reason Champagne has gotten very expensive these days. Actually all wine prices are going up. It is tough to find a good bottle under $10 these days. I am spending $10 to $20 for most bottles these days. Anyway WTSO has very good prices when they list a Champagne. I bought the Philippe Prie Rose Champagne for $29 per bottle and their regular bottling for $23 per bottle.

 For a real treat the   NV Emmanuel Brochet Champagne Le Mont Benoit Extra Brut Champagne was fabulous. I bought it in Lyon last fall but it is available in NYC for about $60.

Enjoy!

What is real food, wine and beer???

Real Food and Wine???

You can't miss articles about real food. The farm to table movement, organic food, natural food etc. Same things goes for wine and beer. I have written about ingredients in wine and how there are no rules or laws regarding putting ingredients on labels. See my 9/21/2013 post.
For years I thought that nitrates were bad for you so I bought bacon without nitrates. Now it turns out that nitrates are not so bad and bacon without nitrates actually has nitrates. It confusing but bottom line, eat bacon in moderation if you like it. In fact take some whole wheat toast, bacon, lettuce, a little mayo and some NJ tomatoes and make yourself a BLT. Simple and yummy.

Beer

Have you noticed lately that beers are beginning to be made in place other than where they started. Check out Beck's beer. A German beer, right? However I guess it was bought by the company that owns Anheiser Busch. Look at a Beck's bottle closely and you will see it is made in St Louis. The bottle says in big letters "originated in Bremen, Germany" and in small letters "product of the USA" "St Louis,  Mo.". Check out this article. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-10-25/the-plot-to-destroy-americas-beer

How about Bass Ale. Look at the bottle. Brewed by William Bass and Co's, Baldwinsville, NY. A good English ale! If you look at the boxes they come in it is almost impossible to tell where they are made.

If I told you that Chateau Lafite Rothchild is now made with grapes grown in NJ would it still be Lafite Rothchild. I always thought that the water is what gives a beer a special flavor. Newark always had lots of breweries since it had good water.

Beer made in places other where it originated just doesn't cut it with me. I'm sure there are many other examples of these types of foods. Italian cheeses made in Wisconsin. Can't the folks in Wisconsin give the cheeses a new original name. Brie comes from France, not Wisconsin. Champagne has gone to great lengths to protect their name. Champagne is sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. Can you believe that there are still several very cheaply made American sparkling stuff that have been grandfathered and can still use the name Champagne in their cheap stuff. I think Andre is one.

I am not sure where to draw the line with food and drink. I was in Whole Foods the other day looking for ricotta cheese. As I mentioned last time, I have noticed lately that most ricotta cheeses have all types of additives like guar gum and other stuff. Polly-o is a big offender. In Whole Foods  they have their 365 brand that says it is made from milk that does not have Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone with a note that says ' The FDA has said that no significant difference has been shown and no test can now distinguish between milk from RBGH treated and untreated cows." Yet the Whole Foods ricotta has all kinds of additives not necessary for ricotta. Ricotta only needs milk, vinegar and salt. So which is better for you a cheese with no RBGH or one with no additives. Of course we would like to have both but???

Wine

This summer I have been checking out low alcohol wines and coming up with some winners.

2012 Montinore Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
7/12/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points
Best 2012 inexpensive Ore PN that I have tasted so far. Interesting fruit, tannins are balanced, medium bodied representative of the 2012 vintage, my only quibble is the finish; slightly sour and not the taste that you want to remember; will try again; the price is compelling.
  White  2013 Valley Vineyards Chenin Blanc The RoyalSwartland 
7/9/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points
Great value. Good fruit and balanced acidity.
  Rosé  2012 Château Montaud Côtes de Provence Rosé
7/6/2014 - I wrote: 84 points
Decent French rose, nothing special, clean taste, dry, low alcohol, Drank at the Borgata'a Italian restaurant for $28, cheapest on a good wine list. We enjoyed the bottle but their arer much better rose's out there.
  White  2013 Ameztoi Getariako TxakolinaHondarrabi Zuri 
7/7/2014 - I like this wine: 91 points
Light, refreshing and some fizz; just enough fruit; a really good white wine; drank with grilled shrimp and paprika potatoes. Wiil drink again although not a cheap wine.
  Red  2009 Barbet Saint-Amour Domaine des Billards Cuvée RéserveGamay 
7/3/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points
Medium bodied, still quite tannic but it opened up as we drank it; complex and subtle; an excellent Beaujolais, a serious wine, drank with grilled chicken; will drink again.

All of these wines are low in alcohol but big in flavor.

I made my first cherry tart last week and mys second tonight. Almond paste lattice with traditional pie crust and fresh sour cherries pitted by my wife.

Friends came over recently. Grilled swordfish, scallop[s., eggplant and asparagus over risotto. All NJ except for the rice.

We visited Atlantic City again last week. The Borgata was great as always. They had a sand sculpture contest on the beach and the results are fascinating.

Enjoy.

Summer Eating

Summer is here and fresh, local food choices abound. I am lucky to have 2  excellent farmer's markets close by. Saturdays its Montclair, NJ and Sundays its Summit, NJ. This time of year in this area there are interesting food choices. Strawberries, cherries, blueberries., lettuces, kale, kohlrobi, tatsoi, aspargus and broccoli are just some of the local produce that I have bought recently. The Summit market now has a mushroom guy with all types of mushrooms that he grows.
The Montclair market also has a stand for the Montclair Bread http://montclairbread.com/. Thier ancient grains bread is awesome; my son can't stop eating it. Their store is on Walnut  Street, down the block from the market.
I am awaiting the arrival of sour cherries. Their short season make my cherry tarts special.

My garden is also starting to produce veggies. No tomatoes yet.

What to do with all of this food?
I made broccoli and ricotta raviolis and shitake mushroom and ricotta raviolis. Interesting note, read the ingredients in ricotta cheese. Many brands including Polly-o have all kinds of additives. I currently use Biazzo, http://www.biazzo.com/index.htm  which has only milk, vinegar and salt.
While on the topic of ingredients, we are on the lookout for high fructose corn syrup. Apparently it is not healthy and not necessary. The fact that so many products have it as an ingredient is surprising. Even hamburger buns can have it. Try buying foods without it.
We love ice cream. Turkey Hill makes a line of all natural ice creams. They are very good and guess what, they have cream. milk, sugar and flavoring. You would hard pressed to find any other ice cream  that is make so simply and is reasonably priced. Watch it actually melt. Many ice creams don't melt because of all of the additives. Also ice cream is sold by liquid volume. So a serving of one ice cream is totally different from another brand. It makes comparison tough. For example, Haagen Daz ice cream is denser than many other brands and so has twice the weight per serving than other brands.Thus it does not much more cholesterol and fat than other ice creams, it just weighs more. BTW look at the labels of some ice cream flavors of the major brands. The are called dairy desserts not ice creams. They have whey and apparently under FDA rules are not ice cream.
This week the NY Times came out with their ultimate ice cream recipe. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/02/dining/the-only-ice-cream-recipe-youll-ever-need.html?hpw&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpHedThumbWell&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0  They use egg yolks as the basis for their ice cream. I have not yet tried their method. Egg yolks do add lots of cholesterol to the ice cream.
But we digress. The raviolis were great and I made a light tomato sauce of garlic and San Marzano tomatoes and some mushrooms. If you want to make ravioli and other fresh pasta, a pasta machine is helpful. The machines are not expensive, around $50 and they are hand operated. Making fresh pasta is really quite easy. The basic recipe is eggs and flour.
I found dry sprouted lentils at Costco. They cook in 6 minutes and stay firm, which we like. I sauteed onions and mushrooms in olive oil and then added the cooked lentils. I then sauteed some kale and grilled asparagus with olive oil and salt. I then pan seared NJ  scallops and placed them over the lentils and veggies. Yum!
Blueberries are in season. I make a blueberry coffee cake which is easy and delicious. If you want the recipe, let me know.
I also recently made a vanilla cake with strawberries and chocolate. I sliced 2 vanilla cake layers into 4 layers. I then put chocolate mousse between the layers with sliced fresh strawberries. I then  frosted the cake with a dark chocolate ganache. Topped with some whole strawberries.A yummy but elegant cake. If you would like any of the recipes, let me know.

Wines
Summer calls for lighter wines, not necessarily fruitier. Cavas, Beaujolais', Barberas, Sancerres, Verdelhos, are just a few of the white and red wines that are great in the summer.

  2009 Piatelli Vineyards Trinità Grand ReserveLujan de Cuyo Malbec Blend, Malbec
6/6/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points
Interesting blend of Malbec, cabernet sauvignon andd merlot. A bit disjointed but lots of fruit with some tannin,. Could use more structure. Drank in a Scottsdale restaurant with wahoo.(others had steak). $60 on wine list. Probably would not drink again. There are better Argentinian Malbec blends.

  White  2011 Concha y Toro Sauvignon Blanc Terrunyo Los Boldos Vineyard Block 5Casablanca Valley
6/4/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit)
Nice grassy sauvignon blanc. Nice fruit, light bodied. Drank with wahoo. Drank in Scottsdale restaurant $45 on wine list. Would drink again.

  White  2010 Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay
6/6/2014 - I wrote: 86 points (Edit)
I agree with a prior comment. This wine has consistency problems. I had to return some bottles to the winery due to lots of sediment in the bottles. I asked if their were problems with this vintage and they did not admit to any.
This bottle was good but not up to other Chalone vintages. Oak and fruit not fully integrated yet. Drank with salmon and lentils.

  White  2011 Jermann Vinnaioli Pinot Grigio Venezia Giulia IGT

6/1/2014 - I like this wine: 91 points (Edit)
Excellent white wine. A pinot grigio with flavor; good fruit and acid; drank with flounder and clams; would drink again; not an inexpensive wine but it drinks nicely;


  Red  2011 Cave de Roquebrun Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du FrigouletRed Bordeaux Blend 5/31/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit)
Funky but good funky, fruit and complexity, surprised us, not sure of the grape; great value, lots of flavor; would drink again.

  2005 Ridge GeyservilleSonoma County Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel  

5/31/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points (Edit)
VG Zin blend with some age to it. Surprised with some complexity and excellent balance. Fruit, terroir and just a good drinking wine. Not sure it has much development left. Drank with london broil. Would drink again.



  White - Sparkling  2010 Michel Olivier Crémant de Limoux Blanc de Blancs BrutChardonnay
5/30/2014 - I wrote: 85 points (Edit)
Drank at a restaurant at the Borgata in AC. $31 on the wine list. It was clean tasting with OK fruit but on the sweet side. I would not drink again.

  Red  2005 Château BernadotteHaut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
5/23/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit)
Balanced; drinking great; good fruit and nice finish; nice complexity; low alcohol; bought more at WL sale; will drink again.


  White  2010 Gilbert Picq Chablis Vieilles VignesChardonnay

5/21/2014 - I like this wine: 91 points (Edit)
This wine has come around. Drinking great , balanced with that extra one gets from an aged chardonnay. Not a classic Chablis but a very good wine. If I had more, I'd drink more.

  White - Sparkling  2007 Domaine Carneros BrutChampagne Blend

5/23/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit)
Nice sparkling wine; big flavor with nice medium body; dry finish; drank with lobster; would drink again.



  White - Sweet/Dessert  2007 Maculan TorcolatoBreganze White Blend 

5/22/2014 - I like this wine: 93 points (Edit)
Great dessert wine; enjoyed at restaurant in Baltimore; complex; nice acid and fruit; ate with semifreddo. Would drink again.

  Red  2009 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir LaurèneDundee Hills

5/22/2014 - I wrote: 87 points (Edit)
I tend to love DD wines. This one did nothing for me; thin and tasted like alcohol. Drank in restaurant in Baltimore. I am having issues with the alcohol in wine.

  Red  2007 Col SolareColumbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
5/22/2014 - I wrote: 87 points (Edit)
Drank at a restaurant in Baltimore; Wine did nothing for me; cannot expalin the rave reviews; high alcohol and some fruit;


  Red  2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Le PetitPessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend

5/16/2014 - I like this wine: 91 points (Edit)
I like this wine; good complexity; it opened slowly; tasted with some big wines and this showed well; enjoyed; would drink again.


  Red  2011 Domaine Hubert Lapierre Chénas Vieilles VignesGamay
5/21/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points (Edit)
Good cru beaujolais; a little disjointed but nice bouquet and good fruit; good medium bodied wine; love those old vines. would drink again.

  Red  2011 Château Grange Cochard Morgon Côte du PyGamay
5/14/2014 - I like this wine: 88 points (Edit)
This bottle tasted tart; good body and nice bouquet; will drink alot more of this.


  Red  2009 Château Les Grands MaréchauxBlaye Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend 

5/22/2014 - I wrote: 86 points (Edit)
Alcohol dominates; some fruit; I seem to have different impression of this wine each time I taste it; I admit I have become very sensitive to high alcohol wine; this is 14.5%. Good mouthfeel and nice body, not mcuh bouquet.

  Red  2012 Château Pesquié Côtes du Ventoux TerrassesRed Rhone Blend

5/15/2014 - I wrote: flawed (Edit)
Not awful but wine tasted disjointed and had a bad finish.
  Red  2006 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Premiere Napa ValleyStags Leap District

5/16/2014 - I wrote: 85 points (Edit)
Nice bouquet but I could not get over the alcohol; found it very hot and no real complexity; maybe an off -night for my palate but at 15.2 alcohol, I think not; wine needs more body since in tastes thin; would not drink again although I would be curious to taste other CL wines; Drank at a tasting in Baltimore.

  White - Sparkling  NV Vins El Cep Cava Kila BrutWhite Blend

5/13/2014 - I like this wine: 87 points (Edit)
Excellent cava; fruity; crisp. Great value for under $8. Way to go Jorge Ordonez.

  Red  2006 Château La Grâce Dieu Les MenutsSt. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 

5/12/2014 - I don't like this wine: 78 points (Edit)
Not a good wine. Disjointed.

  White  2012 Cave de Lugny Mâcon-Lugny Les CharmesChardonnay

5/11/2014 - I like this wine: 89 points (Edit)
Medium weight with acid but could use a bit more fruit. Still a vg bargain and good white Burgundy. Drank with flounder and clams. Will drink again.

Enjoy.

Beaujolais, Vegetable Garden, Scottsdale, Atlantic City

Vegetable Garden

Our garden is starting to take off. My wife and son have put a great deal of work into it. Our potato plants are amazing. We have never grown potatoes before. They are Yukon Golds. We also have lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, herbs and lots of other veggies.

  

I have taken pictures of  a few signs and packages in my recent travels that you might find of interest.

A package in Whole Foods. What does 76% organic mean exactly?

Welcome to Anguilla for all of you "Resident Non-belongers".

Atlantic City. Can you drink on the beach or not?

Scottsdale, Arizona
Some restaurants of interest.

Sassi
http://www.sassi.biz/  Had a good meal here. Italian, a beautiful restaurant and the the prices are moderate as they have special dinners and special pricing for wines. We had a Chalone Estate Pinot Noir for $29.

Deseo
http://kierlandresort.com/fine-dining-at-scottsdale-restaurants/deseo-nuevo-latino-cuisine/
A Nuevo Latino restaurant in the Westin Kierland Resort. Beautiful space and good fish. We had cerviche, wahoo and halibut and and an awesome dessert. Wines were from South America and were reasonable and good.

Atlantic City

The Borgata is still doing great. They have opened a dessert place that has some good stuff at reasonable prices. Izakawa their Japanese place has special deals on Mondays and the food is really good. Small plates ranging from Sushi to grilled chicken skewers and lobster fritters.

Beaujolais

The Wine Library had a seminar on Cru Beaujolais wines. David Bowler http://www.bowlerwine.com/site/about spoke to the group. He is a wine importer and distributor with his own company.. We tasted 4 wines and I enjoyed them all. As you know I  really like the serious wines coming out of the Beaujolais region these days. The wines are high in flavor and low in alcohol. We tasted:
  2012 Beaujolais Blanc from Jean-Paul  Brun, Terres Dorees Clean and fruity with good acid and no oak.
 a 2012 Moulin a Vent from Jean-Paul Brun,Terres Dorees Complex but light with good fruit.
 a 2011Morgon Javernieres Cote du Py Funky bouquet  but smooth and fruity with good structure.
 2011 BarbetSaint Amour "Domaine des Billards" A superb wine with complexity and medium bodied.
All the wines were different but they were just good drinking wines and low in alcohol. The range in price from $14 for the white to around $28 for the Moulin a Vent.

We are thinking of going to Montreal in the next few weeks. Have not been their in years. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Enjoy.

Anguilla - CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa; Violet with Sutton Foster

Anguilla

Just returned from Anguilla. We stayed at the CuisinArt Resort.http://www.cuisinartresort.com/index.php?catID=33 We had a great time. The weather was perfect. 80's and no rain. We had some amazingly clear days.We booked the trip through Luxury Link.luxurylink.com . Everything was handled well and we had a very nice package that included full breakfast, 2 messages and a dinner at Santorini, which was close to $200 without wine.

The picture of the beach says it all. The swimming was great, water temperature was perfect and there were some small waves to keep you awake. The hotel provides chairs, umbrellas and water. The beach attendents are helpful. They have small sailboats to use and one of the beach staffers took me out for a ride one day.

Bankie Banx,http://www.bankiebanx.net/ the Anguilla reggae legend has his bar and restaurant 100 yards down the beach.

 

We did not have a drink there but people seemed to enjoy the place and Bankie is a character. Just be careful if you go since the prices can be steep and Bankie charges a cover charges at times.

The food at the hotel was very good. They have a new chef and they have a hydroponic greenhouse where vegetables are grown. We ate at the main restaurant the Bistro at Santorini. We were very impressed. We had poached lobster and red snapper. The flavors were subtle and the presentation stunning. The salads are not to be missed. Lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers from their greenhouse.

Dessert was awesome. We had mango soup that was jelled and a passion fruit complex dessert plate. Also had a chocolate dessert (above) another night.They then had small after dessert chocolates and jellies. Then the waitress told us about their ice creams so she brought out a chocolate and caramel scoops. The chocolate was really good. The restaurant is not cheap but none of the restaurants on the island are cheap and I doubt that any top Santorini. They have a very big wine list that is expensive. You can find some wines in the $40 to $50 range. They had a Hugel dry riesling that we enjoyed at the manager's cocktail party. I was impressed that they served good wines at the Manager's party.

The room was large and well set out. The view from the room wasn't bad. The beach was 30 feet straight ahead.

The hotel has a beach grill where they grill lobsters and fish. They don't highlight the grill but is a bargain for Anguilla. Lobster was $25 per pound. My wife and I shared a 2 lb. lobster for lunch. Yummy.

Another place to eat for lunch is the Sunshine Shack. It is on the beach in the opposite direction from Bankie's. Great ribs and chicken for a reasonable price. The plated the food nicely and  they have no electricity.

The hotel has a  golf course which was fun to play. The views were great. I had the course to myself. They have a driving range which is free to guests of the hotel. The provide clubs as well.

Another good restaurant on the island is E's Oven. A small local spot off the main road. Reasonable and good with some interesting fish.

BTW we tried to eat at one of our favorite restaurants  On Da Rocks again for the weekend special of $5 crayfish.. Strangely, it seemed empty. We sat down and ordered beers. Then the waitress came over and told us it would be 30 minutes until the fisherman came with crayfish. By this time we were familiar with island time. After 30 minutes I asked the waitress if there was any progress. She said no. We paid and left. I think that they have new ownership. The place just seems different.


Recent Wines

2010 Château de RicaudBordeaux Supérieur Red Bordeaux Blend 

5/3/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit)
Good solid 2010 Bordeaux. Paid $14 in Anguilla. Fruity almost grapey but good balance and medium bodied. Enjoyed and would drink again. An excellent value. There is some confusion on this wine. A wine with the same name was reviewed by the WS but it states that the appellation was Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux. The wine I had was Bordeaux Superieur. WS review was 91.


  Rosé  2013 Château Sainte Roseline Côtes de Provence Cru Classé Lampe de MeduseCinsault

5/8/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points
Bought at wine shop in Anguilla for $25; complex rose with mdeium body and good flavor; dry and drinks easily, would drink again.


  White - Sparkling  NV Jacques Cartier BrutFrance White Blend

5/8/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points
Drank at restaurant in Anguilla with fish; $59 on wine list; $40 in local store; yeasty, lots of flavor; enjoyed; will drink again depending on price in US;

  Red  2013 Tiburzi Montefalco Colle ScancellatoSangiovese Blend, Sangiovese 

5/7/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit)
VG fruity but with tannin wine; great value; recommended by DiPalo; 13% alcohol; would drink again; drank with pizza and salad but would drink with any meal.

  White  2013 Valley Vineyards Chenin Blanc The RoyalSwartland

4/30/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (
Fruity white but good acidity and some complexity; great for the price or any price;refreshing wine drank with salmon.



  White  2012 Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc Sonoma Countymore

4/30/2014 - I wrote: 83 points
ot my cup fo wine; oaky and not balanced; did not enjoy; will not drink again.


  Red  2008 The Winemakers' Collection Stephane Derenoncourt Cuvée No. 4 Château d'ArsacHaut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
4/29/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points
Good bouquet; nice medium bodied wine; good fruit with balance and complexity; For an 08 Bordeaux, not bad. Enjoyed the bottle and will drink again

  Red  2011 Cardwell Hill Cellars Pinot Noir Estate BottledWillamette Valley

4/25/2014 - I don't like this wine: 83 points
We are fed up with the WS reviews of Oregon PN's. This wine is not a good wine. Light, no finish, not much fruit, just no characteristics of a good wine; If a reviewer is looking for PN that is not a fruit bomb but not a good wine, then this is it, WS had the same problem with A to Z. I have no problem with a reviewer being partial to certain types of wine but the WS reviewers aim for impartiality. There is no way that their score on this wine is comparable to scores of other wines from other areas. Avoid this wine. If you need recommendations on some good wines of this ilk, drop me a note. Try a 2011 Cru Beaujolais, preferably old vines.

  Red  2010 Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir Limited release Founder's Club 

4/27/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points (Edit)
Good wine with fruit and acid; high in alcohol which I think generates some the spiciness; not as complex as I would like; drank with lamb chops;will drink again but I think one can get more flavor and complexity from some lower alcohol PN's.

  Red  2008 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private ReserveNapa Valley
4/26/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points
Tough wine; good flavor but so high in alcohol, 15.1%; a 3 person bottle; some complexity, not totally balanced; good mouthfeel; drank with veal chops; you want to drink more but you can't because it is so big; we can appreciate the wine but not our favorite; what is the purpose of wine; what role does it play in a meal? Should we try to be impartial or should we have a bias when we review a wine; do wine writers consider whether one can drink several glasses of a wine when the write glowing reviews after 1 sip?

  Red  2003 Château MonbousquetSt. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 

4/19/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points
Nice bouquet, good color, medium bodied with vg mouthfeel; nice balance although it it could have had a bit more fruit; drank with a steak; wine needed some oomph but overall lots of flavor in a 13% alcohol wine; would drink again.

  White  2008 Melville Chardonnay EstateSta. Rita Hills 

4/18/2014 - I like this wine: 93 points
VG white wine; Oak was beautifully integrated with the fruit; great balance and complex; nice nose and beautiful color - golden; only downside is very high alcohol of 14.9%; enjoyed wine with lobster tails; would drink again; the wine has aged well;

  Red  2005 Château LarrivauxHaut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend

4/18/2014 - I wrote: 84 points
OK this time; not much fruit just some character. I have had very inconsistent bottles of this wine. I have 1 more bottle to drink.

  Red  2012 Meiomi Pinot Noir MeiomiCalifornia

4/16/2014 - I wrote: 88 points (Edit)
OK wine but no pizzaz; fruity with some acid; drinks easily but not what I want from a PN; medium bodied but lacks complexity. would not go out of my way to drink again.



  Red  2011 Continuum Proprietary RedNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend 

4/16/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points
Wine has potential; somewhat delicate for a Napa cab; 2011 was an interesting year w/o superripe fruit; good fruit but still somewhat disjointed especially on the finish; would try again;


  Red  2012 YasoSpain Tempranillo

4/16/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points
Nice wine; not heavy good fruit with some terroir; will try again; WA 93 is somewhat over the top but a great value at Costco for $10.



  Red  2010 Domaine Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed Rhone Blend 

4/16/2014 - I like this wine: 91 points (Edit)
Interesting wine; nice fruit, some funk, complex, medium bodied with nice mouthfeel; drank with rack of lamb; would drink again;



  Red  2012 Bergström Pinot Noir Gregory RanchYamhill-Carlton

4/16/2014 - I like this wine:
Nice Oregon PN; was expecting more from this 2012 vintage; good medium bodied with some fruit but the wine did not come together; Have had some other 2012 PN's from Willamette Valley and this was not as good. Would try again.



  Red  2010 Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri Sassicaia SassicaiaRed
4/15/2014 - I like this wine: 94 points (Edit)
Delicate, complex wine. Good flavor, still needs some time for balance. Enjoyed with rack of lamb.



  Red  2011 Château Grange Cochard Morgon Côte du PyGamay 

4/13/2014 - I like this wine: 93 points (Edit)
This wine rocks. Tastes like a vg Burgundy PN. Delicate fruit with nice tannin and structure; beautiful bouquet; medium bodied and just a great balanced wine; A top Oregon wine could taste like this; will drink again; not a cheap wine but worth the price; 2011 was a vg year in some of the Cru Beajolais'.



  Red  2005 Ferrari-Carano Prevail West FaceAlexander Valley Red Blend
4/11/2014 - I like this wine: 87 points (Edit)
Wine has seen better days but we have been drinking half bottles; lots of sediment and a bit grapey; nice bouquet; drink up.


  Rosé  2013 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Édition RoséDundee Hills

4/12/2014 - I like this wine: 90 points
Nice rose of Pinot Noir; maybe could have a bit more acidity; wine drinks very smooth; medium bodied wine with nice fruit but dry; Not a light wine; beautiful color and decent bouquet; will drink again; DDO makes really nice wines.



  Red  2008 Americo Dão Nunes SeabraTouriga Nacional 

4/5/2014 - I don't like this wine: 80 points (Edit)
Rough; not sure about the reviews; will not try again/



  White - Sparkling  NV Berberana Brut Bodegas BerberanaSpain Champagne Blend

4/10/2014 - I wrote: 84 points
OK cava. Drank with bbq ribs. Could be fresher.



  Red  2007 Mauro Molino BaroloNebbiolo 

4/11/2014 - I like this wine: 92 points (Edit)
Big wine; high alcohol 15%; good mouth feel, medium bodied but somewhat

Violet; Sutton Foster

Sutton Foster is back on Broadway in Violet. http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/Violet.aspx?gclid=COP7t6-mqr4CFaNj7Aod-EcArw Offbeat, good music,entertaining, a must for Sutton Foster fans such as myself. Check it out.

My garden is planted. We will see how things progress. The Summit Farmer's Market is back on Sunday's. Fiiish! We had tuna, clams and flounder this week. Heaven, I'm in Heaven.

Enjoy.

Charleston; Good Old Reliable Nathan

Charleston, South Carolina

Visited Charleston, South Carolina recently. Have very mixed feelings about the city itself. The surrounding area is great with beaches and lots of tourist sites. The city seems tired to me. The food scene has a number of established restaurants that are very expensive and provide decent food. One place Hall's Chophouse http://hallschophouse.com/ was overpriced and terrible. The wine list was outrageously expensive. The steak I had was not prime though the menu said it was.
We did order some of the cheaper wines on the list and they were good. A Tamarack Cellars 2007 Syrah from Washington State and a Ballentine Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc from Napa. The wines were about $60 each. The Tamarack was very intense with good spiciness. We enjoyed it. The Ballentine was interesting. 100% cab Franc is hard to find. I found it a bit grapey which would be unusual for a cab franc.

I took a restaurant class years ago and I will never forget what my teacher told us. A restaurant should be an easy business. You have a menu and you need to provide perceived value for your menu. McDonald's provides value for the price it charges for hamburgers. When a fancy steakhouse charges a high price for an ala carte steak, it needs to deliver on the what the menu offers. Hall's did not. Not close.
However my ambivalence with Charleston is based on going off of the grid. I found a small pastry shop Christophe that serve croissants and tea or coffee. They also had chocolate and pastries. The croissant was OK but when I asked for jam they wanted to sell me a small jar of jam for $1.25. OMG.

The pastries looked good as did the chocolate. But the prices for the chocolate were higher than NY or Zurich.
I did find a great place for lunch, Kitchen 208 at 208 King Street. It is a nice place where you order at the counter and they bring the food to you.I had a smokey Joe sandwich. House smoked brisket, caramelized onions, aged cheddar, pickles, cracked bbq pepper and Texas Toast. The sandwich was great and it was $9. My friend had Quinoa salad with feta, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomatoes etc for $8 with chicken added for $3. He loved the salad and it looked great.

Also found a restaurant on the water for lunch, Fleet Landing, a short walk from the center of things. http://www.fleetlanding.net/. The place is on a pier in the water and has some great views of the bay and FT Sumter. The food is basic seafood but good and reasonable. I had a fried flounder platter and the fish was fresh and it cost $9. I had been there once before and the food has remained good for lunch.

I also found an interesting bakery on Broad Street, Normandy. http://www.normandyfarmbakery.com/ I walked in and checked things out. The bread looked very good.

Good Old Reliable Nathan
We had the opportunity to see a concert production of Guys and Dolls at Carnegie Hall last week. Guys and Dolls is one of my favorite musicals. It was our "house musical" when my sons were younger.Nathan Lane played Nathan Detroit, Megan Mullaly played Miss Adelaide, Patrick Wilson played Sky Masterton and Len Cariou was also in the concert. They did the entire play with some dance numbers and all of the songs. The night was a benefit concert for Carnegie Hall. We had the only reasonably priced tix but they were obstructed view in the balcony. We could not see that much but the music was great. Nathan Lane brought all of his comedic skills to the role of Nathan Detroit. He played the role in the last decent revival of the play on Broadway in 1992, which we saw. Megan Mullaly was great. If you get a chance see her in anything she does. She is now off -broadway in a new play with her husband.

Lettie Teague had an interesting article in WSJ on buying wine based upon the recommendations of salesmen in wine shops. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304179704579459592138208628?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304179704579459592138208628.html

Wine of the week. Domaine Drouhin has released their 2013 Rose. It is 100% Pinot Noir. I have not tasted the 2013 but the 2011 and 2012 were very good. It is about $25 but it is not a light wine. They only make 400 cases and I think that you can only get it from the winery. They do ship to NJ.

Anguilla is coming up soon. Really looking forward to it.

Spring looks like it is here. I am getting my garden ready and looking forward to the farmers' markets.
Enjoy.

Spring Break is in the air, Barolo, Ft Lauderdale

Cooked an interesting meal the other day. We started with a cheese course of some fascinating cheeses from around the world. I love to serve interesting cheeses when we have people over for dinner. It gives me a chance to try lots of cheeses at once. Robiola, a blend of sheep, goat and cow milk from Italy; Milton Creamery cheddar from the US are 2 favorites.An appetizer of baked clams and baked oysters with sauteed kale, onions and bacon.
The main course was onion puree with braised endive and roasted pork shoulder. Everything came together nicely on the plate. I found the recipe in Food and Wine Magazine  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roast-pork-with-buttermilk-onion-puree

 Dessert was a vanilla 4 layer cake filled with chocolate mousse and fresh strawberries and frosted with a dark chocolate frosting. Wines included several Bordeaux's and some sparkling wines.

2000 Château La Fleur de Boüard Lalande de Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend  Rich tasting wine; not a big bouquet; great mouth feel and the wine had a purity; very good wine and we enjoyed with friends; drank with a pork roast; balanced with great flavor;

  2006 Château CantemerleHaut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
3/1/2014 - I like this wine: 87 points
OK Bordeaux; smooth and balanced but nothing special compared to another Bordeaux we drank that night; drank with a pork roast;
 NV Cave de L'aurance Crémant de BourgogneChampagne Blend  
This is a sparkling wine from Lugny in Burgundy; it has beautiful rose color but the taste is dry with nicely balanced fruit and acid; drank with friends and everyone enjoyed; we had it with cheeses; Not sure of the grape used; Would definitely drink again if I find it.



Recent Wines

Had a great Barolo last night. It was a bottle I bought when I was in Italy 2 years ago. We went to the winery which was the winemakers home and tasted a number of wines. http://www.ruggericorsini.com/
The wine was a 2007 Podere Ruggeri Corsini Barolo Corsini. I paid about $30 for it. See my European trip Part 2 entry of 8/26/2011. This wine is what Barolo should taste like. I have not had that many Barolos but most taste thin and have lots of alcohol. While they have good subtle flavor, I usually make excuses for them as they are pretty expensive - $30 and up.
We had tasted this wine in Italy and were impressed but you never know how much the ambiance impacts your judgement when you drink wines on vacation. Drinking this Barolo last night was a revelation. Medium bodied, nice bouquet, and the mouth feel was great. It had texture but was not grainy. The flavor was immediately impressive and continued to develop. We had the wine with veal chops and pasta. The only problem with the wine is getting it. I have not been able to find it in the US. DiPalo wine in NYC carries wines from this winery but not this vintage. I need to check back with them as I only 1 other bottle of Podere Corsini Barolo 2007 but a different bottling.
Bottom line is that sometimes you must search long and hard to find the real stuff. Not all wines from a good wine area are good. Price many times is irrelevant although a certain minimum price helps. I would not buy a Barolo for under $20.
Found an interesting Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley in France.
2010 Cave de Saumur Saumur-Champigny Réserve des Vignerons Cabernet Franc 
Interesting wine. Lots of flavor; all cabernet franc; different but good different; fruity but with structure; 12.5% alcohol so it drinks easy; we had with pizza and salad; will definitely drink again; at $12 a very good value.


Ft Lauderdale
I had a chance to be in Ft Lauderdale recently. Found a restaurant call Coconuts/G&B Oyster Bar 
http://coconutsfortlauderdale.com/. Coconuts is the more formal restaurant and there was over an hour wait on a Wednesday night. The Oyster Bar has open seating. I had a snapper sandwich and salt baked shrimp. They had Anchor Steam beer on tap and a special rum cake for dessert. Everything was very good and reasonably priced.

Enjoy.