We always have a wonderful time with The Wine Raconteur, Jr. and his Bride and family.  We were also glad that we didn’t have to postpone this dinner, because it was before my operation and I presumed that my diet afterwards would not be of the caliber of this evening.

The Wine Raconteur, Jr., really enjoys his time at the stove or the grill and he was doing a great job.  For the sides he prepared Broccoli and “Smashed Potatoes.”  The entrée was a Flank Steak perfectly cooked and then sliced at an angle and I immediately thought of London Broil.  I jokingly apologized to them, that I only had a “Second Label” but that it seems to always get more press than the “First Label.”  I brought a bottle of Chateau Palmer “Alter Ego de Chateau Palmer” Margaux 1999, which originally was known as “La Reserve du General.”  Chateau Palmer is ranked as a Third Growth from the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, and I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Margaux wines as they have always been the most accessible and affordable over the years to me. Chateau Palmer was once part of the d’Issan estate and was bought by Major-General Charles Palmer of the British Army in 1814; since 1938 the Sichel and Mahler-Besse families have been major shareholders. The vineyards cover fifty-five hectares in the Cantenac commune on thin Gironde gravel on the edge of the estuary.  “Alter Ego” was introduced in 1998 with the intent of making a more approachable, earlier drinking wine.  This wine is a blend of seventy-seven percent Merlot and twenty-three percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  Initial Fermentation occurs in Stainless-Steel vats and different plots are vinified separately to assist in blending; and then aged in French Oak for twelve months. We brought plenty of items to their house for the dinner, I wish that I had packed The Durand, the cork broke and I had to bore a hole in the cork, filter the wine through a coffee filter in a funnel and pour into a decanter, one can see all the sediment that had caked on the back side of the bottle while in the cellar.  The deep blackish-red-purple wine offered notes of black cherry, plums and prunes along with some spices and herbs.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of dark fruits, with fresh acidity blending with drying tannins with traces of chocolate and ending with a long-count finish of plums, prunes and spices.

The Wine Raconteur, Jr. goes out of his way to try to find some unique wines, and this first wine came with a suggestion that I should write a series of articles about wine and cinema.  He gave me an autographed bottle of San Joaquin Wine Company Chazz Cabernet Sauvignon California 2021.  In case you don’t recognize Chazz as being the author and actor Chazz Palminteri who also dabbles in restaurants, cigars and now wine.  He is famous for films such as “A Bronx Takle,” “Bullets Over Broadway,” and “Usual Suspects.” This wine is dedicated to his Grandfather Calogero and all the hard-working people who came to America looking for a dream.  The wine is made by San Joaquin Wine Company of Madera and the Schafer Family Ranch.  They make their own wines and offer custom wine services for businesses, including wine and wine-based beverages.  The San Joaquin Wine Company is a California Certified Sustainable Winery.  The wine is aged for one year in oak barrels.  I haven’t tried the wine, but I did find some tasting notes.  It is a deep red to purple colored wine that offers notes of cassis, black cherry, plum along with traces of green bell pepper, vanilla, cedar, tobacco and mocha. On the palate the wine displays tones of blackberry, cassis and dark plum, along with eucalyptus, mint, black pepper, graphite, toast, espresso and dark chocolate.‍

The Wine Raconteur, Jr. also surprised me with a gift from a family trip to Japan, as he is always searching for a wine that will test my research abilities and for finding something totally unique.  This wine is Chateau Lumiere “Histoire” Red Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan 2020.  Furiya Winery was established by Tokugi Furiya, a local lord and the current president’s great-great grandfather in 1885 as an industry to compensate for the changes in the silk industry production. The winery has sixteen hectares of vineyards along with long-standing contracts with other local vineyards.  The main property is located off an alluvial fan with decomposed granite rocks. In 1992 the winery was renamed Lumiere (the light).  Chateau Lumiere and Histoire are often vinified in the classic Bordeaux style, using French Oak for aging.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Black Queen.  The Black Queen is a hybrid grape, a cross between the Baily and Golden Queen grapes, developed by Zenbei Kawakami in Japan.  It was developed for hot climates, dry summers and mild winters for both table and wine usage.  The grapes are hand-harvested, and hand sorted and then destemmed and then aged for twenty-nine months.  The wine is deep ruby colored and offers notes of sour plums, strawberry and cassis, along with scents of roses and potpourri, mint and licorice.  On the palate this wine is elegant and medium-light bodied with tart fruits, the acidity of pomegranates blending with smooth tannins ending with a medium-count finish of tart fruit, pine, pepper and minerality.  It has been mentioned that even though the wine is made to emulate Bordeaux, it tends to remind one of the finesses of Burgundy; an interesting wine to look forward to, as well as the proper meal to pair with it.