I Encourage Everyday Wines

Posted on January 22, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Lest everybody think that Wine Bloggers drink nothing but expensive wines, that is not true, well perhaps some do. I am just a working man that enjoys wine. Most of the people that I am around are also working people and some of them enjoy wines as well. I encourage people to drink wine and I know that some will discover new wines and keep this approach. Others find a wine and they are happy with a certain wine and let’s face it, the big wineries make their living trying to satisfy this type of drinker. We tend to have a lot of parties at our house and people like to bring wines to offer as gifts and to show their appreciation, as they know that my Bride and I always seem to have wines open to share. I try to only write about two wines per article, so as not to create overkill. Some of the wines that I write about are very esoteric and some are not, it is because I feel that wine makes the event, and the majority of the time, the wine is not the event. If there are several of bottles open for a party, I try to write about, what I think people will find most interesting.

Lindemans Bin 85 Pinot Grigio 2015

Periodically, I have to go into the garage and start clearing out some of the accumulation there, to keep the garage relatively neat. I usually take about a dozen empty wine bottles in to save the labels for my scrap book, and then the bottles go into the recycling bin, unless I know someone that is making wine and then I save the bottles for them. I always like to look at the different wines, and I know that I have actually sampled just about every wine that ends up an empty bottle in the garage. I like to see what other people like in a wine, as most will never try a First Growth Medoc. To give you one example, there was a bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay, a California wine, which automatically tells you that the fruit could have been harvested anywhere in the state. This is a bulk wine that is very affordable and over the years they have maintained a certain consistency of taste, as they sell the wine by the cases. While some may scoff at these wines that can be bought in convenience stores, drug stores, grocery stores and even now in the State of Michigan at gas stations, they probably keep more people happy and content, then the cult wines of Napa can.

Barefoot Chardonnay

After removing the labels, I discovered that there were two labels from the same firm, but different vintages, but of recent opening here at the house. I can understand that, as each store buys so many cases of the wine and then replenishes as needed. Some stores have faster turn around of their inventory, so while one store may have one vintage another store will have the new vintage. Consequently during the same batch of label removing I discovered Lindeman’s Bin 85 Pinot Grigio 2014 and 2015. Once again Lindeman’s is a major supplier of bulk wines in Australia, and these big batch wines are readily available in the States. Pinot Grigio is a very easy drinking wine and has developed quite the following in a rather short period of time. Is it sexy, no it isn’t, but wines like this are made for the occasional drinker, or the wine drinker that wishes to be fiscally responsible. I know that there are many times when we are out, that I may start the evening off with Pinot Grigio and then go in another direction. If someone asks my opinion of a wine that they bring over, I thank them, and casually may suggest that they look for a similar wine from another producer, so they can compare it on their own, if they so desire. After all, I would like to see even more people drinking wine and we all have to start somewhere.

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How to Upset a Surprise Party

Posted on January 20, 2016 by thewineraconteur

This has to be the dreaded thought for all that plan for surprise parties. The arabesque intricacies that are necessary to make it all work out for the best. Allow me to state emphatically that it was not me, before this goes any further. There are many other ways I could have titled this article, but they could have all sounded vulgar. Suffice it to say that a very good friend was celebrating her Sixtieth Birthday, while some people would shy away from such an announcement, she wanted to party. There was a wonderful party being planned by her family and friends at a restaurant, and we were looking forward to attending, well actually I was looking forward to attending it, as my dear Bride, several months earlier had made plans to go visit one of her friends that lives in Phoenix, and she was going to get away from the cold for a long weekend. Our dear friend decided that she would host her own party for the occasion and sent out emails to everyone. My Bride saw her a day or so later at a professional luncheon and our friend lamented that her family and friends were giving her hell for doing that, and they had to tell her what they had planned. My Bride listened to all the lamentations and then smiled and confirmed what she had unknowingly had done. The surprise party had been cancelled.

Il Borro Pian di Nova Toscana IGT 2012

The alternative party went off without a snag, and I must say that our friend did throw herself a grand party. The party was at Blackfinn, An American Bistro in Royal Oak, Michigan. When I was setting this information into my phone’s calendar, I was surprised to find out that this restaurant is a chain, even though we had been there numerous times, I was not aware of this fact. Our friend catered her own party there with chafing dishes filled with sliders, beef and chicken, flatbread pizzas and quesadillas. There was also a large sheet cake, because a birthday party would not be a party without a cake. The guest of honor surrounded the party area with a couple of huge arrays of balloons and she looked wonderful with her tiara and a sash proclaiming her age. She was enjoying the evening on the eve of her birthday and it was a testament to her popularity that there was such a large turnout, and it was a shame that my Bride was not there for the festivities.

Over the Hill Gift

I had taken as a gift, a bottle of her favorite Chardonnay; in fact she hardly ever drinks anything else but Chardonnay wines. My Bride had found a gift bag for the wine, with the standard “Over the Hill” sentiments, but it was all in jest, because the Birthday girl will never be “over the hill.” Her favorite wine, when she can get it is Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay and this was a 2012 vintage of this wine from the Sonoma Coast in Northern California. This maritime section of Sonoma is predominately known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, which account for almost seventy-five percent of all production. I might also add that Sonoma-Cutrer has been producing very dependable wines since 1973. I was enjoying an interesting red wine for the evening, Il Boro Pian di Nova Toscana Rossa IGT 2012. Another wine that has taken the IGT designation for a wine that is not the norm, for Tuscany and most wine cartes tend to list these wines under the umbrella of “Super Tuscan” wines. This wine was seventy-five percent Syrah and the balance Sangiovese, the workhorse grape of the region. What a delightful wine with a lot of body and just enough tannins, and perfectly drinkable at the moment. This wine was aged in assorted barrels for six months, then another month in Stainless Steel, and then another six months in bottles before being released. I would have it again, in a heart beat. I also have to admit that I maintained my all-in-jest snarkiness, by telling the guest of honor that she didn’t look a day older than sixty-one.

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“These Californian wines…are all…so good”

Posted on January 18, 2016 by thewineraconteur

It was just a typical winter day in Michigan. I had shoveled the driveway and sidewalk of the snow that had fallen the night before, I had my morning coffee and had read the newspaper; and yes I still enjoy the pleasure of having a newspaper in my hands to read. I then went up to my office to check on Social Media, before I would actually start my day. I am a creature of habit, I guess. Then I spotted something, a posting, which I had to double check for its accuracy, as one has to do, all the time on Social Media. Alan Rickman, that charming actor from England had passed away. My first thoughts were of the suave villain Hans Gruber from the original Die Hard film and how elegant he was. Then I thought of my Bride, who in her world he was and always will be Professor Severus Snape from the Harry Potter stories and films. And then I went downstairs and decided to watch anew one of the many DVD films that we have amassed. I gave myself a couple hours of peace to watch Bottle Shock again. I think that it is the most enjoyable film that I have ever watched about wine, and I do enjoy being entertained, when I have the chance.

Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa 2007

While this film is considered a “small film” for Hollywood, and we originally saw it at an art theater in the Metropolitan Detroit area, that I enjoyed it so much, that when the film was released in the DVD format, I had to own a copy of it. Most wine appreciators know the film as a dramatization of the Judgment of Paris in 1976, when in a blind tasting the wines of California beat the French wines and started a wine revolution that is still going strong. I have to admit that I enjoy “feel good” movies and wish to be entertained, and not end up being depressed from watching a film. I consider this film to be the Rocky of wine movies, even though I know that others will contend that another film about California wines is better. Films like wines are subjective, and can always be counted on for some lively conversations with the right crowd.

BottleShock

The funny thing is that I was learning about wines, at the tail end of the Sixties, and remember when the actual story came out in 1976 and people were sure that it was a fluke. Even on our week long trip to Napa Valley, we did not stop at Chateau Montelena, and it wasn’t until 2012 that I ever even had the chance to enjoy a bottle of the wine. The most amazing part of that fact was that we were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the city of Marquette, and we were there the week after Memorial Day and with the hopes of not encountering snow, like we have been having here this week. For those of you that do not know the city of Marquette, it is a college town and we found this wonderful little restaurant, and the bottle of Chateau Montelena was the finest bottle on their carte, and it was a fine bottle and added immensely to the dinner that evening. Since that time, my Bride has been to Marquette and goes back to that restaurant, not for the Chateau Montelena, but for the food; you see without me, the expenses she incurs in the Upper Peninsula are far more affordable. By the way the response to the line in the film that I used for the title of this memory, and one of the best lines to me in Cinematic History is “What were you expecting…Thunderbird?”

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MWWC #22: Second Chance

Posted on January 16, 2016 by thewineraconteur

“Love is lovelier the second time around.”

It must be the Monthly Wine Writing Challenge, as I tend to always start the article off with something pithy and hopefully germane. This Twenty-second challenge’s theme has been proffered by Jill of L’Occasion and it is “Second Chance.” These challenges at least for me make me stop and ponder the direction that I should take. Some of the challenges have been harder to start, than others, but that is the joy of these challenges. “Second Chance” can be very romantic, as for my Bride and I, or it can take on another meaning.

wine-stain Monthly Wine Challenge

The grapes, the bountiful fruit that eventually because this “nectar of the Gods” that we all write about, are not all equal. Some of the great wineries are by nature very selective about their grapes and especially about the end product. We know what happens to the first selection of grapes, as they can become exalted wines that the world will clamor for, as for the others they are not completely forgotten about

Carruades de Ch Lafitte-Rothschild 1966          Ch Lafitte-Rothschild 1986

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is world famous and even if you just said Lafite, one would be understood. This famous First Growth of the Medoc has been heralded for over a century as one of the leading wines. They were one of the leaders of blending for what is know referred to as the “Bordeaux Blend.” This blend can be composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec and under the steady hands of an accomplished wine maker and a great vintage, history can be made. In today’s world, where everyone is chasing the dollar, the winemaker worth his salt, still controls the product, and not every grape or pressing makes the final cut. Rather then dilute the quality for a quick dollar, he holds the seconds and makes another wine. Perhaps the wine will not have the same cachet as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, but I would venture that no one would decline a glass or a bottle of Carruades de Lafite, or sometimes it has been named Moulin des Carruades. I know that I would not, and I have not.

Les Forts de Latour 1998                      Ch Latour 1967 Pauillac

Now we can venture over a little bit in the same Commune of Pauillac where Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is produced and find another First Growth wine of stellar reputation, namely Chateau Latour. When one is speaking of the First Growth wines of the Medoc, everyone has an opinion of which is the best, and from my humble stance and from my few encounters, I may have to opine that perhaps Chateau Latour may be the greatest, if not the longest lived of the wines that I have tried. I once had the chance to enjoy a bottle that was forty years old and it was still very feisty compared to two other First Growth wines of the same age. Chateau Latour is rather unique that it is a blend of only Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as compared to the classic “Bordeaux Blend.” They have also created a second wine that they call Les Forts de Latour and I was just as happy to have that wine, and my wallet was even happier.

Overture NV                                                  Opus One 1989

The Old World is not the only place where one finds these Second Labels, as one can also find this being done in Napa Valley, California. Of course the wine that I am going to discuss here is also a “Bordeaux Blend, “ but both the first and the second labels, only refer to themselves as “A Napa Valley Red Table Wine.” I am talking about Opus One, the wine that is a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi; and yes another reference to a First Growth Medoc wine. Not only do I find there second label Overture to be superb, but when we were at the winery I observed that so did most of the other people there for a tasting. The only thing that can be slightly different is that Overture can be non-vintage, as in blending of a few years, or it can be a single vintage, from my understanding. When we were there, it was non-vintage and only sold at the winery, though I also understand that it is now found in some secondary markets as well.

So these fine grapes can have a Second Chance, if they do not make the first cut.
“Everyone knows that I am Second hand Rose from Second Avenue.”

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Dessert at Vertical Detroit

Posted on January 14, 2016 by thewineraconteur

All good things come to an end, as the old saying goes; and this dinner was no different. After studying the dessert menu, we decided to share one of our old stand-bys, namely Crème Brulee, and the one offered was the classic interpretation with Madagascar Vanilla Bean and fresh berries. My Bride still had some of her Cypres de Climens Barsac 2010 from our Foie Gras course, and of course, my glass of that wine had evaporated. I had to order a glass of wine, just because I enjoyed the name so much and it reminded me of one of our vacations that we enjoyed immensely and it is the birthplace of that devilish rogue Rhett Butler. The wine has one of the longest names that I have encountered, but I guess that makes it easier to remember. The Rare Wine Company Historic Series Madeira Charleston Sercial Special Reserve NV made by Barbeito in Madeira, Portugal. This wine is part of the Historic Series and each Madeira type is named for one of the classic cities in the United States that played a major factor in Madeira wine. The Sercial grape has become more prominent in Madeira again, because it is one of the classic types, and since the regulations that have evolved about wines in the European Common Market, a Sercial must be made from the Sercial grape, whereas in the old days, only the blenders knew how much Sercial actually was used blended with some of the more common Madeira varieties. In fact now if the label says Sercial, there is eighty-five percent of that fruit and the balance could be from higher producing crops as Verdelho and Tinta Negra Mole, both of which produce good Madeira wine, but do not carry the cachet of some of the classic grapes. Even though Sercial wines are on the lighter side of Madeira wines, they are legendary and have been known to age and mellow in the bottle for over fifty years. This wine with its classic almond nutty flavor went smoothly with the Crème Brulee.

Navarre Pineau des Charentes Vieux NV

The General Manager came over as we were having dessert and he brought with him to introduce to me the owner of the restaurant. I guess he must have told the owner that I was into wines, because of my Blog, and I am proud of my writings, as eclectic as the columns can be. I had to laugh when I met the owner, because I had remarked that almost my entire working career I had Mondays off, and he laughed, and said that he has as well. The downside of that was, that I had never had the chance to see his vaunted wine shop, even though it is in the same city that I live in; go figure.

The Rare Wine Co Historic Series Madeira Charleston Sercial NV

While the owner and I were having our conversation, the General Manager brought over two glasses of a complimentary beverage. So my Bride and I ordered the Parfait Vertical from the dessert menu, which was White, Dark and Milk Chocolate Mousse, Candied Hazelnuts and served in a chocolate shell. We enjoyed our Navarre Pineau des Charents Vieux NV, which is a fortified wine that was introduced in 1945 for wines that were not considered Cognac. This wine is made from the Ugni Blanc grape and is blended with a six year old Grande Champagne Cognac from the same winery. The wine must be aged in Oak for at least eighteen months, and if it carries the wording of Vieux (old) then it must spend at least five years or more in oak. I found it to be a very smooth and elegant “Cognac” though it is technically not a Cognac, though it is made from the same grapes, same blending and the same region. This fortified wine was created to make use of the wines that were not considered to be classic Cognac, and it created a second market for the vintages that may have been excessively heavy or light. Perhaps my palette is not that sharp to discern such subtleties, but we both enjoyed it. We are looking forward to several more visits to Vertical Detroit, and I may even get the chance soon to visit the wine shop that created this restaurant.

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Dinner at Vertical Detroit – Part Two

Posted on January 12, 2016 by thewineraconteur

One of the great things about having dinner at a restaurant that is also a wine bar is the selection of wines. There was so much to try and to discover and it was wonderful to see all the activity in downtown Detroit. As I reflect upon it, my Bride and I may have been the oldest diners there, and that makes me smile to know that Detroit is on the up-swing after the years of being denigrated. After enjoying our appetizer, the General Manager came over to our table and I introduced him to my Bride, and then he gave me a tour of the restaurant. We started out at the wine tasting table and he was showing me some of the wines that were theirs exclusively in the state. He pointed out the cases of Maya and Colgin, which were just piled up, waiting to be cellared properly. He was explaining how the ceiling was reclaimed from a church that had been torn down, and other points of interest throughout the restaurant where reclaimed building materials had been utilized. We ended up at the far end of the restaurant where the bar was, and that was another center of lively patrons, so I know that they were definitely onto something in a big way.

Cypress de Climens Barsac 2010

The next course was what had sold my Bride on going to the restaurant in the first place. We had Foie Gras done with Grilled Pineapple, Sauternes and Brioche Pain Perdue; the latter to explain it quickly was like a wonderful couple of slices of French toast. The Foie Gras not only sounded good, it was expertly prepared and I might add that my Bride is quite the authority on that dish, so the Gods were happy. I asked our waiter if they had any Sauternes by the glass, and I was hoping that it was not Chateau d’Yquem; not that I don’t love that wine, but I really did not want to skew the price of dinner to badly (sometimes one has to be fiscally responsible, even if my Bride thinks that I am not). From the dessert menu I chose for us a couple of glasses of Cypres de Climens Barsac 2010. Barsac is one of the smaller communes that are all over shadowed by Sauternes and even though they have their own appellation the rules for the two are almost identical. The wine we had was the “second” wine from the First Growth Chateau Climens of Barsac and the wine is made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Most of the wines of Barsac are aged in oak from eighteen to thirty-six months and for the most part I enjoy the wines from Barsac equally as well as from Sauternes, with the exception of Chateau d’Yquem which is in a class all of its own.

Marimar Estate Mas Cavalls Pinot Noir 2012

For my Bride’s entrée she had chosen the Scallops which was offered with Corn Coulis, Bacon Lardon, Bacon Powder, Pea Tendrils and a Fig Gastrique and they tasted as good as they sounded and looked. For my entrée, I chose a duck dinner and I even stretched a bit for me as it was a Honey Lavender Thai Chili Duck “Confit” that was served with Herbed Couscous, Haricot Vert and Crispy Skin. I have to say, it was the spiciest version of duck that I have ever had and I enjoyed the unique flavors of the dish. So far it is the closest that I have come to trying some Thai food or cuisine. My Bride went back to her first wine of the evening to go with her scallops and that was the Alois Lageder Dolomiti Pinot Grigio 2014. Since I was having duck, I am so dependable; I went with a Pinot Noir. I had a glass of Marimar Estate Mas Cavalls Dona Margarita Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012 from the Sonoma Coast. This was a new winery for me, and I do not mind trying a new wine. The wine is from a twenty acre vineyard, aged for eight months in French Oak and was unfiltered; it was a very dependable Pinot Noir wine for me, but the next time that I ever have that dish, I think that I shall look for something more robust and adventurous, because the Thai Chili was too much for a classic Pinot Noir. Even as I was writing that last sentence, it almost felt sacrilege to me, but that is the wonder of wine that there are no true and steadfast rules for pairing wine with food. In case you are curious, there was still some room left and my next article will discuss the desserts we shared.

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Dinner at Vertical Detroit

Posted on January 10, 2016 by thewineraconteur

I believe in happenstance, and I have always believed in Detroit, the city that I was born in, and I tend to mention that often. In one of my other lives when I am not The Wine Raconteur, is the time that I spend working. I had the chance to meet a fellow who was the General Manager of a new restaurant and wine bar called Vertical Detroit. Now I like to keep abreast of no ventures, especially when it involves wine or food in my area. I was intrigued, because up to that point I had not heard or read about Vertical Detroit. When I looked at the address, it did not even ring a bell, and I spent many years in the downtown area during my student years.

Domaine Daulny Sancerre Le Clos de Chaudenay 2013

I had a general idea where the restaurant was, but the name of the apartment building that it was in, also did not ring the bell. The Ashley back in my day was the Milner Hotel and it was in the Harmonie Park district of downtown, near the Opera House, the Detroit Athletic Club, Ford Field and Comerica Park. I had anticipated a rather quiet evening as we were going out on January the second, as New Year’s Eve is not a big night for us, in fact we tend to avoid dining out on any of the “big” nights for restaurants. We were surprised to see the activity when we got there, and as the night progressed, there were more and more people coming in. The entrance to Vertical Detroit was off the lobby of The Ashley and as we were taken to our table we passed a very long table that was for wine tastings, and one of the offerings that the restaurant is touting is vertical vintage tastings of assorted wines. The owner of the restaurant has had a long career as a wine merchant, and as we walked past the tasting area I quickly scanned many bottles of wine that I recognized either by name and even better by having enjoyed earlier vintages.

Alois Lageder Dolomiti Pinot Grigio 2014

Since Vertical Detroit prided itself on wines, they had an ample list of wines by the glass, so that is how we were going to proceed for the evening. Though I did take my time to study the entire wine list by bottles as well, and saw many wines that I had anticipated, as well as some of the famous “second” wines from many chateaus and wineries, and this was cause already for thoughts of some return visits. We started off our meal by having some Smoked Salmon with Crème Fraiche, crispy capers and baguettes. The salmon is smoked in house, and it was lightly smoked compared to some of the heavy smoked preparations that one normally finds. Suffice it to say that my Bride was thrilled with the choice as she told me repeatedly how much she enjoyed the dish. We decided on some lighter white wines to accompany this dish. My Bride chose Alois Lageder Dolomiti Pinot Grigio 2014 from Trentino, in the Alto Adige or Sud-Tirol region of Italy. This was a very crisp and light wine that was aged in Stainless Steel and I thought it was a fine choice by her for the salmon. I went with a glass of Domaine Daulny Sancerre Le Clos de Chaudenay 2013. This was a single vineyard cuvee made from Sauvignon Blanc in the Upper Loire district of France and it was also aged in Stainless Steel. This area of the Loire was once more noted for their red wines until the time of the Phylloxera damages, and now it is predominately planted with white varietals. There is just so much more to discuss about the dinner and Vertical Detroit, that I will resume the meal, I think into two more articles.

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Twas the Day after Christmas

Posted on January 8, 2016 by thewineraconteur

When there is a major holiday to celebrate and when all of the family is together, there is always time for another party. Some families just grow exponentially and it comes to the point where one home is not big enough for everyone to get together. Never let it be said that my Bride is not creative or ambitious enough to create another get-together. She was one of the original creators of her monthly cousin’s luncheon and that has been going on now for at least a couple of years and it allows all of the female cousins, aunts, children and grandchildren to keep in touch over lunch and drinks. The location that they had been using all of this time was also booked for this event, as they have had a great track record with the group, and I have to admit that even my dinner club uses the restaurant about two times during the year.

St Supery Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

To keep the party going without creating too many problems, the menu for the event was kept short and sweet. The offerings were to be Whitefish, Beef Tenderloin Tips and Chicken Alfredo with all soft beverages included and then a cash bar for those that wished to continue enjoying the Holiday Season. This meal just like all of the luncheons was planned verbally with a handshake and it was expected to run like clock-work, just like every time in the past. As they say “the best laid plains of mice and men” appeared that evening, as the restaurant had changed hands, the normal wait staff that she anticipated were not there, and there was some chaos involving billing. My Bride had informed everyone that the price of the dinners were going to be one price, the new owners while honoring the date and the menu, decided that the soft beverages included was not an option that they were happy with, so there appeared an additional charge for each diner. The restaurant figured that since there was no formal contract, they could get away with it, but for a short term gain, they have probably lost the cousin’s luncheon each month, as the cousins were already formulating new locations. I think the kicker was that a large Christmas cake was brought in, with paper plates and plastic forks, while the cousins were cutting the cake and serving it, the restaurant tacked on an additional charge for their service as well, which had never occurred with the former owners.

Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Leave it your Raconteur to find some bright spots of the dinner, as I always try to do. I got there after an hour drive from where I was working that day, and found that we were sitting with my Brother-in-Law and his family from Kentucky and they had arrived prior to me and he had ordered the first bottle of wine for “our” table. He was very pleased to see that the restaurant carried one of the wines he keeps at his home as a table wine and so he ordered a bottle of it. We started off with Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 from Napa Valley, and this wine is from the Michael Mondavi family of wines, so it comes with a bit of pedigree right from the start. All of the fruit was harvested from the valley and included parts of Rutherford, Oakville, Oaknoll, Yountville, Wooden Valley and Oso Vineyard. The wine had also been aged in French Oak for fourteen months before bottling, so it was a very good choice and totally dependable. As we got ready to order the second bottle of wine for our table, I took a look at the wine list and I found an old and true friend of ours, and I knew that it would make my Bride smile with fond memories. I ordered a bottle of St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 which is also from Napa Valley, and they are located in Rutherford. St. Supery is a family owned and estate bottled winery that we have visited and bought a mixed case of their wines while we were there. This particular wine is blended with some Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot just to round out the flavor of the Cabernet Sauvignon, but it is not listed as a Meritage. It was a pure delight and we all enjoyed the wine as we finished off our dinner and the post Christmas party. One never knows what treasure can be found, until one looks.

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Christmas Day

Posted on January 6, 2016 by thewineraconteur

This is one day of the year that we do not do at home and enjoy the festivities and revelry at the home of others. We always start the day off at my Mother-in-Laws home for a Christmas breakfast. The breakfast consists of assorted Danishes and doughnuts, pancakes, omelets, bacon and fresh Kielbasa. We also enjoyed Mimosas, which are a simple blending of orange juice and domestic sparkling wine and it was just a great drink for all of the guests and it goes down so easily. I would also mention that as far as I am concerned, one does not need to use anything but a good standard non-vintage wine from your favorite house.

Heller Estate Petit Verdot 2009

After spending several hours there, we finally had to pack up and go off to one of my cousin’s home for Christmas dinner. My Cousin has picked up the tradition of having Christmas dinner, after her Mother (my Aunt) had decided that she had done it enough times, and my Cousin has done a wonderful job taking over the reins. Not only was she celebrating Christmas, but she was also celebrating the engagement of her Son, so his Fiancée as well as her family were also in attendance for the dinner. We arrived at the designated time and there were already many guests there before us and everyone was centered at the long table adjacent to the kitchen, enjoying tons of Armenian delicacies, and as quickly as the plates were emptied more were being served. Everyone was trying to be judicious about the appetizers, because we all agreed that we could have made a fine meal just from them. The Armenian “pizzas,” string cheese, cheese Boreg (pastry puffs filled with white cheese) and Bastarma, an Armenian dried and cured beef that I tend to avoid, only because it is highly seasoned and aromatic, that tends to stay in one’s pores for several days afterward and it just doesn’t work well, when dealing with the public. I might add that it all disappeared, so I am in the minority on it. My Cousin also every year asks if my Bride would make her signature Caesar Salad. As for her dinner options, there were plenty from perfectly cooked vegetables and some of the greatest peppers in oil, far superior to any of the restaurants that I ever go to and I look forward to them every year. The beef tenderloins that she prepared were outstanding and we even had to ask for the butcher shop that she got them from, they were that great. After the few things that were left from dinner were packed up, the desserts came out in full force and an extra special cake for the engagement party as well.

Travieso Amaranta Syrah 2008

At my Cousin’s house the bar is always well stocked, as we come from a long tradition of well stocked homes. There is always a fine selection of beers, as we come from a family that tried to live up to the billboard advertisement that we can all recite “ Drink Canada Dry,” though we read it with a comma or a long pause after Canada. There were also some fine Scotch whiskeys as that it another tradition that was enjoyed by my late Uncle. As to the wines on the bar, I added a couple of bottles from our cellar that I was interested in trying and from as quickly as they disappeared from evaporation, I guess others were just as interested in trying as well. There were several different Cabernet Sauvignon wines opened for the day, as they would be great choices with the food being offered including a Stag’s Leap. The wines that I took were both from my Wine Club and I felt that they had been cellared long enough to open and share. The first wine was Heller Estates Petite Verdot 2009 from Carmel Valley AVA, and I was really looking forward to trying this wine, as I normally do not see Petite Verdot by itself, as it us usually blended with other grapes and I really enjoyed it. I am sure that it is long gone as there were only two-hundred-fifty cases produced and they had suggested eight to ten years of cellaring, and the wine was great, even from those that were having it, perhaps just out of curiosity. The other wine that was well received was from a new winery to me, which there are so many, since I do not reside in California. The bottle of Travieso Amaranta Syrah 2008 really took off, but Syrah wines get more press and are more available from many producers. This wine had all its fruit from KW Ranch in Santa Lucia Highlands AVA and is one of my favorite appellations in Monterey especially for their Pinot Noir wines. This wine is also I am sure long gone as there was only three hundred cases made and the suggested cellaring time was for six to ten years. I have to say that the people at A Taste of Monterey did a great job in the selection as well as for calling for the optimal time for drinking these wines. All that I could add is that another fine Christmas was laid to rest and I and everyone else was well sated when we finally left.

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Christmas Eve Dinner

Posted on January 4, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Christmas Eve dinner was at our house, and probably the best thing that could happen that morning was that I had to work. There were going to be enough cooks in the kitchen and I would not be impeding any of them. The house was all decorated since right after Thanksgiving weekend, so all that needed was some superficial touching up there. There was some chaos, I am sure that morning, while I was gone, but I guess everything went smoothly. Since I am semi-retired, I am glad that I have a place to “hang my hat” as the old saying goes, and Lord knows that I have plenty of hats.

Opus One 2000

The dinner preparations were going at full tilt as can be expected when there were over thirty guests coming by. My Bride was organizing everything in her unique manner and as long as she knew what was arriving, she didn’t need me, even if I had been home, I would probably be hiding up in my office. Thirty guests require appetizers and many of them, and would even require some that were Raconteur friendly as there are some items that I prefer not to have. There were salads to be made, and her one Sister was in from Kentucky and was making something new for everyone to try. There were all the sides that were either being made in house or coordinated from “outside contractors.” Then there were the meats to be prepared, as we were having turkey, ham and a leg of lamb. Then there was also the clearing of space in the refrigerator in the garage for all of the desserts that would be arriving.

Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Benchland Select Napa Valley 1998
Of course with thirty some odd guests, there would also be beverages. The soft drinks like coffee, tea and pop are easy to take care of. The few that wanted beer and mixed drinks were also easy, as this house is always fully stocked it seems. My favorite beverage of choice, of course, is wine and there were many wines selected. There were some white wines, including a White Zinfandel for some of the women who just adore this type of wine, and they should be happy as well. We also had some sparkling wine for those that wanted to feel festive. There were several red wines that we went through that evening as well and I will only mention two of them, and they were both from wineries that I have enjoyed at other times, but different vintages. The first wine that I will mention is Cakebread Cellars Benchland Select Cabernet Sauvignon 1998; while I have had other wines from Cakebread, this was the first time that I had this designation. The Benchland Select refers to the vineyard from the Benchlands, or some will refer to them as the foothills, of the Mayacamas Mountains in Napa Valley and this was the fourth vintage of this designation. Cakebread is well respected and they take their winemaking very seriously and this wine spent twenty-six months in French Oak prior to bottling and it was a full bodied Cab that really deserves mention. The other wine that I will mention is an old favorite here in the house and it was from the millennial vintage. We were having a bottle of Opus One 2000, that glorious joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, which is simply labeled “A Napa Valley Red Wine.” The wine is that classic Bordeaux blend, that is called Meritage by all the wineries that belong to that society, but there are several wineries in California that were doing this type of wine successfully prior to the formation of the society, and hence they did not need to label their wine, other then by their proprietary name. Nineteen months of aging in French Oak with the blending of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot and this wine was spot on and enjoyed by all that tried it.

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