Steak and Ale

Posted on June 30, 2016 by thewineraconteur

The same day that I had picked up an old matchbook we ended up driving past the old Steak and Ale restaurant, and I was glad to see that someone had finally bought the building and brought it back to life. From the outside, it did not appear that they had made any major changes, as it has that quaint British feel to it. One could not ask for a busy intersection, it just always seemed an awkward location to get in and out of. The chain was from Dallas, Texas and they were one of the original affordable steak house ventures. They really did not do anything wrong, as far as I can fathom, the chain was just acquired and re-sold to several different mega-corporations and the restaurant got lost in the shuffle. I have heard in the past, that there was thoughts of bringing the chain back to life, but the longer it is gone, the harder that could be.

Rosemount Estate Shiraz 2001

The funny thing about the restaurant is that the name was Jolly Ox, in areas that at the time would not allow alcoholic beverages to be part of the name of the business. They were after all an affordable steakhouse and there are many of those around to this day. Back in the hay-day of Steak and Ale, Prime Rib was the steak of choice, and it was at so many places back then. I am always surprised that this beef cut has slowly departed the landscape, perhaps it is because of the time it takes to prepare, or perhaps it can not achieve the high dollar that aged steaks now command. Suffice it to say, that I always had a full slice of Prime Rib and looked forward to the fresh horseradish that accompanied it. The only other thing that I really remember from Steak and Ale was there Honey Wheat Bread and the funny thing is that I am not a bread eater normally, but in a restaurant setting, I am.

MI Steak and Ale MB

At the time that we were there it was the height of the Australian Shiraz crest, and every restaurant and tavern seemed to pick up on that trend. I don’t recall the restaurant having that large of a wine list, and most of the wines were popular priced, which complimented the food that they were serving. We had Rosemount Estate Shiraz 2001, which is from South Eastern Australia; one of the largest designations or regions on the massive island. Actually the Shiraz varietal seems to have developed a niche or following, because it tends to be seen consistently even to this day. It is a natural for big beef dishes, as it can stand up to most of the cuts and even to most of the spices or cooking techniques. And I can still recall the crowds, especially in the bar section, while waiting for a table.

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J L Hudson

Posted on June 28, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Most people would have trouble remembering when going shopping was exciting, and people dressed up and looked forward to it. I can remember when relatives would come into town and the store that I took for granted, was one of the destination spots that they would want to see. J L Hudson was one of the grand department stores and known across the country. The flagship store in downtown Detroit had thirty-three levels and was huge, in fact it was the second largest department store in the nation, and it also had the largest American flag that it would unfurl for holidays. I still have my Mother’s original charge card which was a metal disc that now looks like a key ring fob, and as a little boy I remember being fascinated by the Byzantine maze of pneumatic tubes that were everywhere, as the purchases were tunneled to the main accounting desk to be approved, decades before computers. Even the water fountains and elevator cages were works of art, and it was such an event to enter into the store. There were doormen and elevator operators, and back then one could even have their purchases delivered to one’s home within a day or two by the fleet of green Hudson trucks that were assembled just for that service.

Hudson Wine Prices Example

They were a department store above the rest. They had a book department, but they also had a fine book department as well, that sold first editions and special editions. Almost every department of goods that they carried had at least two quality levels. I don’t recall appliances, but they may have been there as well, along with the furniture, decorating services, art work, china, stemware, flatware and the different restaurants, and the toys (as a kid I would naturally remember the whole floor devoted to that), the clothes, the furs, the shoes and accessories and almost anything else one could think of. They even had wine, and years ago, when I first started writing, I mentioned how I was helped along with my knowledge of wines by this august department store.

PaulMann1

I bring this all up, because I found some sale pamphlets that I had saved from back in the early days of learning about wines. Much to my Bride’s chagrin I have saved many items, but they have made my articles more interesting, at least to my way of thinking. The wine labels for sure, but also the matchbooks and menu and other ephemera that I have posted as an adjunct to my writings. It also explains how as a kid, I had the chance to enjoy some wines that today; I may not buy as they are very dear in price. Here are some examples of what I have found:
Ch. Tronquoy Lalande, St. Estephe 1971 $4.99
Ch. Lafon Rochet, St. Estephe 1970 $8.29
Ch. Palmer, Margaux 1974 $7.99
Ch. Cheval Blanc, St. Emilion 1973 $14.99
Ch. Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac 1973 $17.59
Ch. Lafitte-Rothschild, Pauillac 1973 $17.99
Richebourg, Domaine De La Romanee Conti 1973 $19.99
Rene LaLou $18.39
And the best part of it all was that there was an additional ten percent discount on mixed case purchases.

Ch La Tour-Neuve 1970 Bourg

How can I not get a bit glazed in the eyes when I look back at some of these prices and only wish that I had bought more wine, but as a student and then as a young father, there were other expenditures that were much more relevant. I am just happy that when I did discover wine, it was before the price escalation and pricing explosions that occurred later in life. At least it explains some of these great labels that I have shown over the years.  Alas the grand old J. L. Hudson company is no longer among the retailers of today.

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Rose’s Restaurant

Posted on June 26, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Many times a year I mention my dinner club and how we venture off to a different restaurant to have our meeting. It is up to the hosts for that meeting to determine the venue and often there is much duplication of sites, as the members get comfortable with the food and service of certain places. This time we ventured off to a new restaurant that I have to admit that I was not even aware of, but then I seldom go out in that direction, even though it is not far from my home. I think that it will be best to just let the owners discuss the history from their website as I think that they did it quite succinctly. “A long time ago in a little town called San Vittore, between Rome and Naples, Italy, a young boy of 13 named Guido, left with his mother Francesca to come to America to join his father Ernest. Ernest was already settled in Detroit. He worked for Ford Motor Company and then opened a restaurant in Detroit on Alexander and McDougal called Ernesto’s. They bought a farm in Canton in 1941 and started using their produce to make their recipes. When Guido was 22, he took a weekend trip to Brooklyn, New York. That is where he met Rose, it was love (amore) at first sight. She became his wife 1 year later in 1948. Rose moved to Canton, lived on the farm and worked at the restaurant. The restaurant was later sold to a church in 1965. It was Guido’s dream to have a restaurant just like his father. He bought the land where Rose’s now stands in 1952, but passed away in 1988 before his dream was realized. Rose and Guido had three sons Ernest, Chris and Richard. They decided to carry out their Dad’s dream. They built the restaurant in 1993 and named it Rose’s after their mother. Rose began working here and shared her recipes. Rose is still seen rolling silverware every Friday and Saturday night-except during the summer, when she is tending to her farm. The restaurant has many family pictures on the walls, just like at Rose’s home. We want you to feel like you are eating at our home. Thank you for dining with the Costantino family and please join us again.”

Mark West Pinot Noir 2014

The menu offering to the club was diverse enough to handle all of the members and it all appeared to be homemade and with out the fussiness of presentation. The meal started with a generous mixed salad and some wonderful hot bread, that was just torn apart by each dinner as the loaf was passed around the table. The entrée choices were Homemade Lasagna with homemade noodles. A New York Strip steak served with potato and vegetable. Veal Parmesan, an Italian breaded veal medallion fried and covered with the house’s homemade spaghetti sauce. Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce which was broiled and was also quite generous in portion was also part of the menu. The last entrée on the menu was Chicken Milano, which was sautéed chicken breast with mushrooms and garlic in a sherry cream sauce. The dessert for the evening was soft serve ice cream topped with hot fudge and finished with coffee. I selected the Chicken Milano and it was very well done, and while I am not a fan of New York Strip steak, the steaks that I saw that evening were very tempting.

MI Roses Menu Heading

While the restaurant had a full bar and lounge, I did find the Whiskey Sour cocktail to be on the light side and rather small and unassuming, but the others seemed to have no problems. The wine list was very short, depending more on the “house wines” and only three branded wines by the glass, though they had several more by the bottle offered. I selected for my dinner a glass of Mark West Pinot Noir California 2014. Mark West Winery was founded in 1978 and they point out that their one desire was to create remarkable California Pinot Noir that delivers exceptional quality at an affordable price. I have found Mark West Winery wines to be very safe choices when they are on the menu and I tend to select them as the best alternative often. In fact several of the members asked me, what I was going to go with and I told them, and several took my suggestion for the evening. I think the restaurant did a fine job for the large turnout that we had for the meeting, and I would not be surprised if we return there again at some point in the future.

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Howe’s Bayou

Posted on June 24, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Ever since my first trip to New Orleans, I have discovered that I enjoy Creole and Cajun style food. There is just something kind of corny about the name Howe’s Bayou, and I refrained at first from trying the restaurant out, but we finally did. I mean the name is cute, but does it deflect from their attitude, was my initial concern. I have to admit that it was fine, and this restaurant has been around in Ferndale, Michigan for some time now.

KJ Chardonnay 2000

One of the house specialties is Braised Short Ribs, and I am a major fan of this dish, but I declined in pursuit of their Louisiana offerings. The appetizers were interesting like Andouille encrusted Oysters and “Gator Ball” which were sautéed Alligator sausage with peppers and onions. Then there is the Crawfish Etoufee which is a spicy stew laden with crawfish as well as Jambalaya, a dish of chicken, crawfish and Andouille sausage. All of these are good and spicy with the heat that one would expect, perhaps not the same as being in the French Quarter, but a worthy substitute. We finished off our meal with Bread Pudding with a Bourbon Sauce, and it was good, but ever since I was spoiled by that dessert at Commander’s Palace with their warm Whiskey Sauce, all others unfortunately pale in comparison.  Let me add that even with our memories of New Orleans, we have returned to Howe’s Bayou for repeats of their offerings.

MI Howes Bayou Logo

With all of that spicy food and heat, I was studying the wine list, and settled on a wine that tends to be found all over and it is always a safe bet. We had Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay 2000. While Kendall-Jackson has a vineyard in Sonoma County, this wine carries the California appellation as the fruit is harvest across the state and blended year after year for a very similar and safe taste. The late Jess Jackson bucked the trend of vineyards and terroir to create a wine that is probably one of the largest selling wines in the country. There are times when I find this wine to be the top Chardonnay offered at a restaurant and I will naturally veer to it, if there is no reason not to, and some restaurants tend to favor “names” over nuance, and when that is the case, I will opt for the “name” as well. All in all, just another great memory of wine and food, and wine can be enjoyable in almost every setting.

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Whoa!

Posted on June 22, 2016 by thewineraconteur

I just received my shipment from my wine club “A Taste of Monterey” and the selection is just what I had envisioned the club to be from the start. I had my choice of getting two bottles of wine every month, or three bottles of wine every quarter; and the quarterly shipment were of better wines. My desire from the club was to get some limited production wines from wineries, which I would not be able to secure in Michigan. I hit the jackpot this shipment, as the largest production of any of the wines was less then three-hundred-fifty cases of wine.

Puma Road Reserve Chardonnay 2012

The first wine that I grabbed was the Puma Road Reserve Chardonnay 2012. This wine is from the Franscioni family that has been in the Salinas Valley since the 1890’s as farmers. They were in the dairy and the lettuce production and started small growing some grapes. The family produced their first bottle of wine in 2003 under the label of RF Wines. Some years later Puma Road Winery now produces 4,500 cases of wine per year and they now grow fifteen different varietals. Puma Road Winery’s single vineyard Chardonnay is grown on the Vigna Monte Nero Ranch in the Santa Lucia Highlands, which is becoming one of my favorite AVA designations after the many wines that I have tried from the area. The hand harvested fruit is aged for ten months in 40% new French Oak and 60% in neutrals. They produced 122 cases of this wine, so I guess the term “reserve” may mean something here beyond marketing verbiage, and they aging potential for this wine is from five to six years, I will be surprised if it lasts one year in my cellar.

Coastview Red Wine Cuvee SA Andree 2012

The second bottle is from Coastview Vineyard of Soledad, California. With its label evoking a Jules Verne epic, Coastview Red Wine Cuvee S.A. Andrée 2010 proclaims that only six barrels were produced. Each of their labels reference to a journey or travel, and the Cuvee S. A. Andrée is the Swedish balloonist Salomon August Andrée, who embarked from Svalbard in July of 1897 in a balloon with two companions, scientific equipment, homing pigeons and several crates of Champagne attempting to pass over the North Pole and land near the Bering Strait. This estate vineyard wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec for a classic Bordeaux style wine. It carries the Monterey County AVA and there were 125 cases produced, and the aging potential is for eight to ten years, and that sounds about right to me.

Cambiata Tannat 2012

The last bottle of the shipment was Cambiata Tannat 2012 with a Monterey AVA. It is estate grown, produced and bottled by Laumann Family Estate Wines of Soledad, California. Eric Laumann intention was to make wines beyond the classic Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone wines of France that do so well in Monterey, and some of the varietals that he grows are Albarino, Tannat and Dornfelder. The Tannat grape actually means tannin, and the wines are known to be very dark and tannic, because of the thick skins and many seeds per grape, and the varietal is famed from the Madiran region of France, but it is becoming popular in South America and in the United States, it is being grown in Texas and Virginia, as it thrives in hot climates. The grape is also known as Maidiran, Harriague, Moustrou and Bordeleza Beltza. The wine was aged for twenty-eight months in sixty gallon barrels, all French and forty percent new. All the fruit came from the Rocosa Loma Vineyard and 348 cases were produced, with a suggested aging potential of eight to ten years. As an aside, in music, the Nota Cambiata is a leaping note that enlivens a melody.

I have to admit that I am like the proverbial kid in the candy store, and I really look forward to trying all of these wines, but some two of them, may be quite down the road, and I have the time.

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Sonoma Brunch

Posted on June 20, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Since my Favorite Daughter was in town, we decided to try the brunch at Fleming’s Steak House, one of our favorite haunts. She was here for a “girl’s get-away” and we took advantage of the time we could, after all, how much time, does she want to spend with dear old Dad, when she is planning on having fun? We also invited our Son and his charming Wife along for the event. I know that I am always trying to find independent restaurants to try, but the “bar food” at Fleming’s is always dependable, and so is the wine selections. Since we have a couple of Fleming’s near us, when we go out of town, we do not have to venture into another one for dinner, so I guess that is a good trade-off. The last time we were at the bar having a bite to eat, we saw a placard about “Sonoma Brunch” at our local establishment, and my Bride put that information aside for a possible later time.

Wycliff Brut NV

There were five of us for the brunch, and two of us ordered the prixe-fixe brunch of three courses, and the rest of us, just ordered ala carte. The three course package started with Fresh Seasonal Fruits with Moscato d’Asti and Mint Leaves, and I have to presume that it was very good, because the dishes were finished quickly. The two people that had the special brunch pricing, and then had the French-folded Blue Crab Omelet, which consisted of whipped eggs served Crepe-style with Gruyere cheese, wilted spinach and mushrooms topped with Blue Crab, blistered tomatoes and a Dill Hollandaise sauce. My Bride was a bit disappointed, because she felt that the dish was a bit dry and very light on the crab meat. Our Son had the dish that I was considering; the Prime Rib Hash which was blended with fresh vegetables, potatoes, herbs and spices, pan crisped and served with scrambled eggs, and he said that it was a very good dish. My Favorite Daughter and I had the Filet Mignon Benedict, which was sliced Filet Mignon served on a crisp potato cake with wilted Arugula and Béarnaise sauce, and we were both happy. Since two of us had ordered the three course special, the five of us split the Beverly Hills Flourless Chocolate Cake of dark Belgian chocolate, Strawberry sauce and Chantilly cream; the two cakes were more then ample for the five of us.

MI Fleming's Logo

While our Son was enjoying some Craft Beers, only my Bride and I opted for Mimosas. To me Mimosas are the drink of choice with brunch. As is my usual routine, I asked our waitress to bring out a bottle of the sparkling wine that was being used for the Mimosas, so that I may photograph the label. It was the same sparkling wine that we had at our last brunch in Las Vegas, so we were very happy. William Wycliff Vineyards of Modesto, California makes Wycliff Brut California Champagne NV and they are under the giant umbrella of E. & J. Gallo Winery, and it is because of the parent company, I would have to presume that they are allowed to called the wine “California Champagne” as they have been Grandfathered in with that name, as most domestic sparkling wines cannot use the term “champagne” any more. The traditional grapes used for this wine would be Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier; and this wine is produced in the more economical Charmat Method for bulk sparkling wine. Wycliff Brut California Champagne NV is basically only sold to the restaurant trade, and probably used for drinks calling for champagne in the mix, as it even comes with a screw cap. While we enjoyed the Wycliff wine the last time, this time the Mimosas were made with Passion Fruit juice and the taste was disconcerting for the most part and totally overpowered the sparkling wine and neither of us could get used to the taste. Oh well live and learn, and just perhaps if we have brunch there again, I hope that we can request our Mimosas to be made with Orange juice

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A Memory for Father’s Day

Posted on June 18, 2016 by thewineraconteur

My Father was what they used to call a Man’s Man. He was a tough guy with a great smile and everybody noticed him when he walked into the room, and some people thought he looked like a gangster. He was a Depression child of immigrant parents who were lucky that they survived the Armenian Genocide. His parents wanted their children to be Canadian and not to be looked at as foreigners, so they tried to speak English as much as possible, though Armenian was also spoken. As was the case for the majority of Depression children, he did not finish high school, and when the war broke out, he like so many Canadians volunteered to be soldiers in the United States of America, to be a citizen, because his parents were denied that privilege when there were quotas in place. He was a paratrooper and he used to joke that he never landed in a plane until the Eighties. After the war, he got married and they ended up living in an Armenian section in Southwest Detroit, where I was raised. It was a very colorful life with plenty of characters that had nicknames, they all had nicknames, and they could have been Damon Runyon inhabitants. All of the men had learned to be men from the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable and other rogues that were manly with a twinkle in their eye.

Ch Eyquem Bourg

I was the eldest of three children and even though I was totally immersed in this lifestyle that was second nature to me, I guess I became more “American” and I had the chance to graduate from high school, which was not the norm for the generation before me. My Mother had passed away when I was in the Tenth Grade and his whole lifestyle changed and in looking back he made quite the adjustment. We were never like the families on black and white television, but he did all that he could and he did a grand job. I was a bit of challenge to him, but I mostly knew my place, but I remember that I wanted a graduation party and I started to make the plans without consulting my Father. The old Armenian Church in the neighborhood had originally been built as a Masonic temple and it was a grand structure. In the basement of the building there was a coffee shop where the old men used to play cards, smoke and drink and on the far side from them, there were several rooms that the youth organization had, as a place for socialization. In between the two sets of rooms was the basement banquet hall, in fact the banquet hall on the main floor was where my parents had their wedding reception years earlier. My Father was not pleased with my commandeering the basement banquet hall and making plans, but he still ended up cooking up a storm for all the people that ended up at the party.

ACC Plate

As I look back at my insubordination in creating this party, he could have said “no,” but he did not. He was not pleased with his goofy kid, but he put out quite the spread of food with the able assistance of my Aunts and my Grandmother. We even had an Armenian band that was cobbled together for the occasion. There was Molson Canadian beer, at that time I am not sure if I even knew there were other brands being made, there was Canadian Rye; Canadian Club for the guests and V.O. for the family. There was even wine for that pain in the arse kid that caused this whole mess. We had some Chateau Eyquem which sounds like a much more famous chateau, but this wine was from the Cotes de Bourg. The Cotes de Bourg was originally going to be part of the larger Cotes de Bordeaux, but it ended up with its own Appellation. The Cotes de Bourg is more known for Merlot, and this wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. My Father grumbled about the party for years, but I think (I hope) that he still enjoyed the moment. He was singular in his demeanor and all that met him, remembered him and most with good memories. I guess that it was fitting that since he was with me when I first arrived that I would be with him when he left.

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Osteria 222 (Part Two)

Posted on June 16, 2016 by thewineraconteur

So here I am sitting in Dearborn with my Bride and my Favorite Daughter across the street from where I worked for thirty-five years with a sense of deja-vu, because I had been in the building and even the restaurant in prior times and names. I had the good fortune to meet the manager of the business and we had a mutual friend to start off our conversation. I was not only in a neighborhood restaurant, but one of quality. As I looked around at wooden crates and at the wine carte, I was able to see many old names that are friends to me. I mean if I was on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at a local bistro, but I was not expecting to see some of the wineries that I did. I mean I was impressed to see Sassicaia, Gaja, Tenuta dell Ornellaia both as “Ornellaia” and “Massetto,” Duckhorn Estate, PlumpJack, Silver Oak, Rudd, Ramey and Pahlmeyer; as well as a collection of affordable, but more esoteric labels that showed some thought in the selecting.

Meret 2012

My Bride and my Favorite Daughter had decided to share two different entrée choices. The first dish was Risotto di Pere e Noci, which was a dish of brown butter and Sage Pear, roasted walnuts, cream, butter, Pecorino and Arborio rice. This dish was an eclectic combination of flavors and textures that showed nuance and taste and they were both glad to have split the dish as they felt that it would have been light for dinner. The other entrée that they shared was Persico Croccante, which was crispy Lake Perch, Idaho and Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, grape tomatoes, green beans and Lemon Caper Sauce. My Bride was apprehensive as she is not a fan of fried foods, but this will light and non-greasy, so she was very happy. As we were all looking at the menu, the two ladies immediately knew what I was going to order. I had the Petto D’Anatra Tricolore which was a dish of Culver Farm Duck breast prepared Medium Rare, along with roasted beets, Brussels sprouts, Cannellini beans and Cherry Fig Mostarda. The breast was perfectly cook and arranged on the plate, and I was completely happy.

MI Osteria 222 BC

When the manager was having a chat with us, we ended up talking about wine, and I was looking to see what I should order to pair with the duck, and the Pinot Noir that they had was not what I was thinking of. He left for a minute and returned with a bottle that was not on the wine carte, and it was a wine in the category of what all the restaurants like to term as “Super Tuscan” and I asked him if it was available by the glass and he assured me that it was. My Bride was happy with the Orvieto Classico and my Favorite Daughter was having Iced Tea, and I was going to have a glass of Cantina dei Colli Viccentini Meret Veneto Rosso IGT 2012. The wine was a blend of seventy percent Merlot and thirty percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The Veneto IGT was created in 1995 to allow greater flexibility and freedom for the wineries, especially in the use of non-native grape varietals. The evening was wonderful for having the chance to spend some bonus time with my Favorite Daughter and that we found a charming restaurant that does not break the bank and was not offering just the run of the mill selections of Italian food, we shall return.

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Osteria 222

Posted on June 14, 2016 by thewineraconteur

My Favorite Daughter came to town for a quick trip and visit and of course she wanted to dine in Dearborn, which is her home town. Alas, the city has changed and so many of her favorite haunts are now just memories. I had heard some great reviews about Osteria 222 and thought we should try there for dinner. I am so glad that they did not seat us along the window, because I would have been over looking the empty strip center, where once the clothing store that I had worked at for some thirty-five years was, but the store was a victim of eminent domain and all for naught. The building that this particular restaurant was located in was at one time a furniture store, that was famed for their clocks and clock repairs as well. The furniture store also was famed for having an old fashioned ice cream parlor, which has been relocated to Greenfield Village and not relegated to the garbage dumps. After the furniture store left, the large building was converted into a “mini-mall” and I would frequent the assorted restaurants that once did business there; at one time it was “Peaches” and later became “Bistro 222,” and the funny thing is, there is still a sign outside that still reads “Bistro 222.” I kind of felt like the proverbial country bumpkin coming to the city when I entered the restaurant, because the room arrangement was totally different, and not to mention the stacks of empty wooden wine crates that were artfully arrayed proclaiming some spectacular wines. It was going to be an interesting evening. After we were seated, another couple was seated near us, and I remembered them from the clothing store and I think they were surprised that I recognized them. Also there was a pianist with an accompanying singer, and the singer knew my daughter, it was a very small world that night.

Il Frascati Monte Porzio Catone 2014

We started off by having some appetizers, and there was so many choices to be made, and since we ordered a couple of different glasses of wine, so the pairings may have been a bit odd, but that was alright, since they had some rather unique choices by the glass and why should we try something basic, when there were some fun options to choose. My two ladies decided to split a salad and it was good that they did, because if they had each ordered the salad alone, they might not have had room to enjoy the entrée that they were selecting. I so enjoy listening to my Bride try to pronounce the dishes that she is ordering and though I and the waiter may have winced, she did accomplish it. The salad that they were splitting was Barbabietole e Capra, which was a medley of roasted beets, roasted pine nuts, dried cherries, red onions, goat cheese and Nebbiolo vinaigrette. My order was much more basic, the Morsi di Manza “222” which was organic grass fed beef tips, seared and served with a red wine demi-glace.

Barbanera Orvieto Classico 2014

I was trying to find a different white wine for my Bride, as my Favorite Daughter doesn’t drink wine normally, and yes we all have our crosses to bear. The first wine that I selected was no longer available, and the waiter offered a suggestion of a fine California Chardonnay, but I thought with the ambience of the evening, that she should have an Italian wine. She had a glass of Barbanera Orvieto Classico DOCG 2014, and I have to admit that I had selected it for her, as it had been some time since I had tried an Orvieto wine. Orvieto is from Umbria which is in Central Italy and sixty percent of the production is in white wines, of which eighty percent of the white wine is Orvieto and Orvieto Classico. Orvieto Classico is only used for white wines, both sweet and dry, and the wine she was enjoying was dry. The Orvieto blend is traditionally Procanico (Trebbiano Toscano) and Grechetto, and these two varietals must be sixty percent of the blend. The balance is usually Canaiolo Bianco and Malvasia Toscana. Since we had come in from an early hot Spring day, I was also looking for a chilled wine to begin the meal with and I had chosen Cantina Sociale di Monte Porzio Il Frascati DOC 2014. This wine comes from Lazio, which is also from Central Italy. The wine was a blend of Trebbiano (Ugni Blanc, which is used in France for Cognac production) and Malvasia Bianco. The first taste was a bit off-tasting, but as it sat in the glass and opened up, it was quite mellow and refreshing, though my Bride thought it reminded her of the wines of the Jura. It may not have been the best selection to pair with my appetizer, but I made it work, and as I said, as it opened up, it was much more enjoyable. I shall discuss the dinner entrée choices in the next article, as just like the evening, there was too much to absorb in such a short span of time.

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Café L’Europe

Posted on June 12, 2016 by thewineraconteur

The evening that we were in Sarasota, we ended up visiting the great shopping destination of St. Armand’s Circle. The Circle is an island or one of the many keys in the area, and it seems like one big open air shopping center, but fancier. I was clearing out a section of files and found some notes, wine labels, business cards and even a handmade matchbook, and thank God, that somehow I managed to save a lot stuff without ever realizing that I would be writing years later.

Hospices de Beaune Cuve Hugues et Louis Betault 1997

Café L’Europe was this nice restaurant that we had dinner at, and they favored continental cuisine. When I asked for a book of matches, they handed me a blank book of matches, so I wrote the restaurant’s name and the date on it, how is that for a keepsake? Call it serendipity or happenstance, but the restaurant was in the building that originally held the real estate offices for Ringling, and we were at his museum earlier in the day. My Bride had started off her meal with Ahi Tuna; she is very partial to it, especially if they have some Wasabi to go with it. I was less daring and went with a classic dish of Escargot in butter and garlic. She and her girlfriend had Sea Bass, which was very popular at several restaurants that we have been to in Florida, while her husband had a steak, his main entrée request it seems almost where ever he goes. Of course I am not much different because I had Crispy Roast Duck, but it is because it is a dish that we do not make at home. I think one should get something out, that one does not get at home, and otherwise it does not seem special.

FL Cafe L Europe MB

When we travel, if we are staying at a home like we were, I take my one spatula that I have had for years, to help me soak labels off of wine bottles, some come off easily and others are pretty atrocious, but it saves me from bringing back empty wine bottles in my luggage. We had a pretty good bottle of wine that night, and yes it was a Pinot Noir. We were enjoying a bottle of Hospices de Beaune Premier Cru Cuvee Hugues et Louis Betalt 1997. The Hospices de Beaune is the entity that has the auction every year to raise money and at the same time, the auction determines for the most part the price of Burgundy wines for that vintage. I am not sure how many different Cuvees that they own, but over the centuries they have been bequeathed some of the most valuable real estate in France, and sometimes the property is only one row in a vineyard. Hugues Betalt was a Squire and Counselor-Secretary of the King of France, who saved the Hotel-Dieu in the Seventeenth Century and donated some property to the Hospices and later his brother Louis, also made a donation. This particular Cuvee is a blend of Beaune-Greves and Beaune Clos de Mouches, both being Premier Cru properties, as from all that I have learned is one has to be quite learned to know where one Premier Cru ends and another begins. I am kind of amazed that I have had more wines from the Hospices de Beaune then I would have thought; I really should get more organized.

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