A Wine Pairing Dinner at Cellar Dusty’s

Posted on March 29, 2014 by thewineraconteur

One of the restaurants that I have wanted to go to, I finally got there. Cellar Dusty’s in Okemos, Michigan, it is owned by the same people that have the English Inn in Eaton Rapids, Michigan that I have been to and talked about. In fact there is so much to discuss, my next article will also be about Cellar Dusty’s as well. My Bride was attending a board meeting in the Lansing area, and one of her friends had bid on and won tickets for an event and she tied it into the meeting timeline. We were fortunate to be part of her guests for the event.

Michelle Brut & Eroica 2012
It turned out the event was a dinner and wine pairing featuring wines from Chateau Ste. Michelle of Washington state. The Mid-west representative for the winery was in attendance, Mr. “Chip” Davis was there and he spoke very effortlessly about the winery and of his products. It was very informative in a much laid back way, but one could feel the pride he had of his products. We talked several times through the evening and he gave our table a brief history of how he started in the food and beverage industry, with his first job at the legendary Golden Mushroom restaurant, which I have also, wrote about. I was not aware that Chateau Ste. Michelle is the oldest winery in Washington state, and that they have grown into an umbrella association with other wineries around the world. He also gave some information that I was not aware of, in regards to the Columbia Valley where the winery is, and how they are on one side of a mountain chain and the land is very arid, almost desert like and irrigation if the key to their success in growing the vines.
The dinner started off with Roasted Cornish Game Hen with a Tarragon Jus. The hens were brined with lemon and then the tarragon was added later, because the Chef had come out after the evening to discuss the menu. This course was paired with Domaine Ste. Michelle Sparkling Brut NV, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris and made in the classic “Methode Champenoise.” I thought this wine would be very good for more informal moments of celebration; it had a brut finish, but not a lot of effervescence, though this could have been because the wines had been opened and poured before the event began. The next course, we were warned was a fish entrée being served with a red wine, and I had to smile to myself as this would make my Bride happy. The entrée was Seared Portabella Mushroom Dusted Sea Bass with an Artisanal Soy Barley Risotto. Now I enjoy Chateau Ste. Michelle BookletSea Bass as it is a firm, meaty fish and the dusting even made it even meatier. This was paired with a Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Merlot 2011, which also had 15% Syrah blended. This wine had a wonderful nose, a deep color and the terroir could be appreciated in this wine. Next we had a course of Michigan Maple Braised Pulled Pork over Creamy Truffled Polenta with Chipotle Barbeque Sauce. The pork was prepared very well, as I am not a fan of pulled pork and the sauce were very subtle and not overpowering. This entrée was paired with a Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Red Wine 2011. This red wine was a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Malbec, Cinsault and Mouvedre and it was most enjoyable and complimented the dish very well. Our final entrée of the evening was Sliced Roasted Tenderloin of Beef with a Black Garlic Demi Glace over Mashed Potatoes. The meat was very tender and I am glad that the Chef came out to discuss his dishes, as he explained Black Garlic, which was new to me, and I am a major fan of garlic. The Black Garlic is a special controlled thirty day aged garlic, that acquires a fuller richer taste, and he says that it is just becoming popular, so I may be out of the loop on this one, and he used the same wine for the Demi Glace. The wine we had was Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 and it was full bodied with some nice tannins. I think it could use some cellar time, but that is me, as I like my Cabs aged. I was also surprised to hear that this was their basic Cabernet Sauvignon, and if that is the case the other Cabs that are up the ladder must be wonderful. For dessert we had Poached Pear with an assortment of four cheeses, and my Bride and I swapped some of the cheeses, because of my problems with certain cheeses, but that is my problem, and everyone else said that the dish as it was prepared was great. The wine that was paired with the dessert was Eroica Riesling 2012, not a true dessert wine, but rather an off-dry Riesling and very enjoyable. It was not cloying sweet and it complimented the pear and the cheeses that I had. The Eroica Riesling is a joint venture between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen and produced in Washington State.

Three Chateau Ste Michelle
The dinner was wonderful; the tasting was excellent with a speaker that was informative with out sounding like a television informational advertisement. I asked the restaurant if I could have an empty bottle of each wine bottle for this blog, and they said no problem and even packed them into a very nice six pack reusable “green” wine bag. I think that I should also mention that we bought and I took home the Merlot, the Indian Wells Red Wine and the Cabernet Sauvignon. I was informed that almost everyone at the tasting ended up buying wine that evening and they had more orders, then they had stock, so they graciously filled our order and the rest from our table as we all lived at least an hour away from the restaurant, and the some of the locals would have to return in a couple of days to pick up their wine order, but it is a great place to return to, and I look forward to dining there again.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Canadian Golf Outing in New York

Posted on March 27, 2014 by thewineraconteur

I have to admit that I grew up with very colorful people. There were all my relatives and friends of my parents that I learn about life and developed a certain code to which I lived by. Most of these men grew up during the Depression and they had a certain outlook to life which was developed from that trial, not to mention that they learned other aspects that may have been foreign to them from the Warner Brothers films that they watched all of their lives. These were tough guys that enjoyed life and they partied most of the time. Most of them had very colorful nicknames which was the way of that period, and some of them I only learned their true identities at the funeral homes that I attended. These characters were not only found in the Detroit area, but also from my Father’s hometown and some of the other adopted hometowns in his life.

Beaulieu Vineyard Claret NV
We would vacation up in Saint Catherines, Ontario at least once a year. These were occasions of heavy eating and drinking and boisterous parties. For several years in a row there was a golf outing, not just any golf outing, because these fellows belonged to country clubs, this was a destination golf outing and it was held in Ellicotteville, New York. Ellicotteville was a small town south of Buffalo that was known mostly for the skiing, but they were also trying to develop the area into a golf location for the warm months. It was a very challenging area to golf in, as the course was quite hilly, as one would expect since the area was a ski resort. All along the course you could look up and see the lines that were used to take the skiers to the top of the different hills and it was a unique setting. I really did not golf, not to the extent that these guys golfed, though there were lots of side bets and then there were the famous “gimmees;” sometimes even when the ball had not even got to the green. Some were serious and some were there for the good times. Since I did not golf, I was part of the entertainment committee. I drove a jerry rigged golf cart that held an enormous cooler filled with beer and ice, and a shelf that had plastic glasses and a small bar of Canadian Whisky and Scotch. I was one of more popular individuals during the outing and I constantly had to return to the central tent to restock for the golfers.

NY Ellicotteville MB
In the evening we would all convene at a restaurant that was reserved for this genteel group of “athletes” for dinner and more drinks. The conversations would center on one man’s ability to hit the ball, but most of the jokes had nothing to do with the golfing. By dinner time, I could not even tell you where we were dining, but we all found the location. The reason that they had the outing there was because some of the men had chalets there for the ski season and the town was known for looking the other way at some of the escapades of these over age boys. Dinner was just long tables of all the men with family style service from the restaurant. Starting with shrimp cocktails, salads, then onto platters of porterhouse steaks, lobsters, crab and an assortment of vegetables, the diners convened. As they liked to say, “They were eating like they were going to the chair” which I am sure was a trite line that was used in lots of the gangster films of the Thirties. Thankfully I was not the only one that enjoyed wine, or my masculinity would have been questioned that far back, I smile as I type that, because these were rough and tough beer and whisky drinkers. I am looking at the wine from one of the outings it is a Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Valley Claret (NV?). A very fine winery, but I am sure that it was the red wine of the house and I do not remember there being any white wine being served. This Claret was pure Cabernet Sauvignon, so it was I would say for the era, a good choice in wine, especially for this group outing.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

A Double Dose of Shiraz

Posted on March 25, 2014 by thewineraconteur

There was a fine restaurant in Michigan called Shiraz that we tried back in the day. It was part of a chain of restaurants under the umbrella of a chef and each restaurant had its own menu and ambience. So if one was not aware of it, there was no feeling of being in a cookie-cutter style of restaurant, which is a good thing. Some chains have it down to a science, but once you have been to one, the experience will be the same whether in Michigan or in Florida, unless the waitperson makes it more or less memorable.

Rosemount Estate Shiraz 2000
Shiraz the restaurant was not a large restaurant, but it was I felt, just the right size for a steak house. It did not overpower and the tables were not crowded, which is something I like when dining out. We started out with a couple of appetizers, one was a fancy mushroom dish, and the other was a shrimp presentation. Then we had a salad, my Bride tried the Caesar Salad, and I just ordered a house salad, as regular readers know my Bride makes the best Caesar Salad from scratch and I just don’t want to compare any others to hers. Even though this was a steak house and my Bride ordered a petite filet, I ordered the Braised Short Ribs as this is a dish I truly enjoy and tend to order whenever I get the chance; as it is a dish we have never tried making at home and perhaps one day we may, but that is the fun of dining out, getting something different. We ordered a couple of side dishes as most steak houses have everything a la carte. We finished off the evening with a Chocolate Bombe that we shared.

MI Shiraz MB
I thought it would be, oh, so clever to order a Shiraz wine at Shiraz. I am sure that many others had the same idea. Shiraz the varietal is genetically the same grape as the Syrah, but the Shiraz took hold in Australia as well as some other parts of the New World as opposed to Syrah from the Cotes du Rhone. This is a grape that I have enjoyed for years, mostly in the Rhone blends and I believe this may have been one of my first pure Shiraz/Syrah wines so I went with a popular wine. We had a Rosemount Estate Shiraz 2000 from South Eastern Australia which is a huge designation or region. I have to say that there was not a lot of artistry to the wine, but it was firm and full bodied and held its own against our beef dishes.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Willkommen

Posted on March 23, 2014 by thewineraconteur

Willkommen is the opening song in the play Cabaret, and it is the theme of Frankenmuth, Michigan.  We are talking about a town that is a great place for everyone to visit at least once for the Bavarian charm and it can also cause panic in the hearts of most husbands at the same time.  My Bride has gone to many a business function in Frankenmuth and has returned with the trunk of the sedan filled with new Christmas decorations from the largest Christmas store in the world, which is BRONNER’S CHRISTmas STORE.  I feel that my Bride has shopped there so much, that I would not be surprised if Bronner’s has been painted on our rooftop for the air traffic to observe.  I don’t think that there is a holiday that my Bride doesn’t have some decorations for, at least as a centerpiece for our dining room table, but Christmas, she pulls out all of the stops.  You can hear me griping merrily as I lug all the cartons of decorations from the Christmas closet the Sunday after Thanksgiving so that she may decorate the home.

 Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

On one business trip I recall I got a chance to drive out there and have dinner with one of her groups.  We ate at the legendary Zehnders of Frankenmuth.  The dinner was a casual dining adventure as we were in one of the private dining rooms of the restaurant.  It was a family style dinner of soup, Cole slaw, chicken liver pate, cheese spread, their famed fried chicken, Wiener schnitzel, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered egg noodles, vegetables and an assortment of desserts.  I have to admit that no one left the room hungry from the abundance of food.  The food was not Haute Cuisine but it was all comfort food and the servers could be relied upon to bring more of any of the items that were a big hit among the diners.

 MI Zehnders MB

In hindsight I wished that I had grabbed one of the many bottles of their proprietary house wines for a label, but I did not.  Several of the people were enjoying different beers which would be proper considering the setting and theme of the restaurant.  Then there was a group of us that were drinking Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon 1998.  At that time Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon wines were from the Alexander Valley District of Sonoma County and it was a good dependable wines.  Now they are located in the Monterey area and the wines are still very dependable, but with a different character.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A Dinner I Tried to Forget

Posted on March 21, 2014 by thewineraconteur

If you haven’t noticed in my writings that we tend to go out for dinner quite often and most of the times we have a wonderful evening.  I try to avoid chain restaurants especially when we are on holidays.  Why go to a restaurant in some vacation spot, when one can eat at the same restaurant at home?  I guess that I am a “foodie” and I am more than my Bride, who is much more even keeled then I am.  I also am not fond of mediocre restaurants, because to me, I know that we can have a much finer meal at home.  One night we were invited out for dinner by some friends and they were very keen on this restaurant, and I will not mention the company as they are still in existence and I have never gone back there since.

 The Popes' Dry White Table Wine

We went to an Italian restaurant, which is fine, as that is one of my favorite types of food either at home or out for dinner.  This was not the case, this evening.  This restaurant is one of what I call ‘big bowl” restaurants, but I was not aware of it prior to when we got there and started to order the food.  The concept was that one would order a dish, and then there would be ample enough food to share with the other guests at the table and that is fine, if the food is worth sharing.  This restaurant was what I would call “Italian food for Americans,” and I could not find any redeeming quality in the preparations, other than there was a mass quantity of it.  The only exception was for the dish that I had ordered which was priced according to the other plates and that was a veal dish.  There was just barely enough veal on the plate to share four ways, other then the ability to let everyone have a taste.  My Bride was a little perturbed to say the least about my body language that evening, as even the ambience of the restaurant bothered me.  I know that I tried to be as genteel as possible to our hosts that evening, but I guess that I did not do that good of a job.  It is very hard to say to someone over a dinner, that their choices were not the best, even if one knows that there heart was pure and they wanted to share an experience with you.  I would never make it as a politician.

 The Popes' String Tag

Our host also ordered a bottle of white wine for us, that I can find scant information on, even on the web, so I cannot even tell you what the varietal(s) were that we were drinking.  I may have put this wine and the evening out of my mind, until as I was going through the labels that I have accumulated looking for an article to write about.  I even save the labels of wines that I did not enjoy, just perhaps as a reminder to me of what to avoid again.  I think that the embellishments on the bottle were more impressive then the wine.  The wine was The Popes’ Dry White Table Wine (NV) and it was a product of Italy.  There was even a string card attached to the bottle that had a numeric count of the bottle of this wine that was produced.  As I said, I searched for this wine and could find nothing on it, so perhaps it is no longer produced though it did have a very impressive “air” to it.  Sometimes the label or the marketing for a restaurant and/or a wine is more compelling then the product itself.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , | 4 Comments

“What Were You Expecting, Thunderbird?”

Posted on March 19, 2014 by thewineraconteur

I am a film buff, and I love a well written line as in “The stuff dreams are made of” and “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”  OK I will admit that I am more partial to certain genre of films and especially certain actors, but I enjoy a good story.  The other day I was doing a basic chore around the house, which allowed me the chance to watch a film.  I have not watched television for the last thirty years or so, but I do have quite the collection of films to watch at home when the mood hits.

Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa 2007

This winter has been hard on most people, and I wanted something to perk me up and to look at something verdant.  Since I would not be constantly looking at the screen I needed a film that had some fun dialogue to listen to.  I got to hear some gems like:

            “No offense, but I didn’t foresee the imminent cultivation of the Chicago vine.”

            “It wasn’t always like this, before Paris, people didn’t drink our wine.  I mean                       my friends did.  But you couldn’t hardly consider their palates discerning.”

            “Its oakey…oh, yeah and smoky.  I detect…bacon fat…laced with honey melon.”

            “If the French lose, they might bring back the guillotine.”

            “Wine is sun light, held together by water”

            “What were you expecting, Thunderbird?”

If these lines of dialogue sound familiar, then you have seen what I affectionately refer to as the “Rocky” of wine films.  I was watching Bottle Shock.  Now my Bride and I have watched this film many times, the first time was at an “Art Theater” as it was deemed a small picture.  Then she bought a copy of the film for me and we have watched enough times that I really do not have to watch the screen, but just listen to the dialogue to appreciate the film.  This is a rather loose adaptation of the story of how Chateau Montelena of Napa Valley, California won a blind taste test in France in 1976 for their Chardonnay wine.  I had already begun my early years of self-taught studies of wine and California was not really on the map for most wine shops at the time, so I can remember the natural bias of the era.  In fact, I can say that I never had a bottle of Chateau Montelena until thirty some years later, though I had enjoyed the other winner of that blind tasting test Stag’s Leap which had won for their Cabernet Sauvignon wine.  I even realize that the film took artistic license as most of the filming was done in Sonoma, because present day Napa is no longer sleepy and rustic as in the early Seventies.

 BottleShock

While I may have enjoyed Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap, there was one wine that was quite prominent in the film, at least in the dialogue that I am glad to say that I have never tried and that is Thunderbird.  Now in my youth during those days of guzzling beer and quaffing wine there were some pretty poor excuses for “wine” that were made simply for the appeal of getting drunk quickly.  Thunderbird wine is one of those screw-cap wines that are infamous for being drunk while the bottle is still wrapped in the brown paper bag that it was purchased in.  This is a fortified wine that is made by the E & J Gallo Winery and is still a large volume product, and is probably a major contributor to the company’s bottom line for profit.  Some wines I regret that I have never had, and probably never will, and then there are some wines that I could have and I hope never will.

“Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death.”

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

MWWC: Luck…Be a Lady Tonight

Posted on March 17, 2014 by thewineraconteur

The Monthly Wine Writing Challenge gauntlet has been dropped by SAHMmelier and the theme is “luck.”  I ponder several concepts for this, as I find that each theme has the potential to go off on many tangents.  Do I write about a great wine that I found?  Do I write about a wine that I thought was over the hill, but opened it up and it was wonderful?  Do I write about a wine that was opened with great anticipation and found that it was not (bad luck)?  These monthly challenges are just that, a challenge to make us write an essay, which is out of our norm.

 wine-stain Monthly Wine Challenge

As a dyed in the wool last remnant of the Rat Pack, I guess I was born one generation too late, when I hear the word “luck” I automatically think of” Luck, be a lady tonight” and all of the wonderful songs from Guys and Dolls. “A Fugue for Tin Horns”, while a great introduction to the play doesn’t lend itself to wine, the song Luck be a Lady tonight does.  I have to admit that ever since that fateful night that I met my Bride, she has been my luck, among several other complimentary words.  While I may not have been George Bailey and offered to lasso the moon, that first evening I wanted to howl at the moon.  My Bride is luck personified for me and my life with wine.

When we first met, she only drank white wine and preferred only fish for dinner.  I corrupted my lucky Muse, and now she is a carnivore and she adores red wines.  I think that Cabernet Franc is her favorite varietal, but she is always willing to have it in a Meritage as well.  That is not to say that she would turn down a Merlot, a Pinot Noir or Heaven forbid a Rioja Reserva.  We wish we could live a life of Nick and Nora, but alas we are not.

We have gone to Napa Valley for some serious wine tasting and buying; not to mention having some great dinners.  This has been repeated many times over in the likes of Carmel and the Monterey district, Traverse City and Northern Michigan, and the Niagara Falls district of Ontario, Canada.  We have had the chance to dine like royalty in some of the greatest restaurants in the North America.  Three, four and five star restaurants have been some of our stops while in Manhattan, California, Nevada, Illinois, the Carolinas, Ohio, Florida and in Michigan; not to mention when we have also encountered some grand times in Canada as well.   There have been many dinner parties, wine tasting affairs and numerous wine bars along the way.  How many men are that lucky to have a Bride that not only encourages this activity, but wants to be part of this insanity that wine has brought to us?

 Bridal Swing

Luck is even with me, when she tends to curb my insanities.  If we go to a stellar restaurant, she sometimes gently reins me in from ordering that First Growth that I know would be an excellent pairing for the dinner.  She can also be the one that will suggest that perhaps a “six pack” of a certain wine is more then adequate, so as not to cause the financial collapse of our domestic bliss.  Luck is even with me, when she comes home from a trip with a special wine that she had without me that she loved and she wanted me to have the chance to try it as well.  Then there are also the trips when she returns home with cases of wines that just kind of snuck up on her when she was out with the girls or on wine tasting tour as an adjunct to one of her business trips.

I smile when I think of how she would let me enjoy that extra glass of Latour or Mouton, though she would almost arm wrestle me for the last glass of Cain Five.  How she got so excited when she discovered the secondary wine Ovation, while tasting Opus One wine at the winery.  I think we may have bought a six to one ratio after that trip.  I remember how she refrained from trying even a sip of Screaming Eagle wine one night after a crazy interlude with the men at the next table, claiming that I had already dazzled her palette with all of the wines that she had tried since we were together.  I think of how I introduced her to sweet Champagne instead of always a Brut and how she learned to enjoy it as well.  Then when she thought I had lost it, because I found a Rose wine that I enjoyed and coaxed her into trying, but she was won over when she discovered it was made from Cabernet Franc.

I have sung the praises of how lucky I am that I have a Bride that enjoys a red wine with her salmon dishes, so that I can enjoy a meat selection at a restaurant.  Not to mention that she gets giddy if there is an appetizer of Foie Gras on the menu.  Did I also mention that we also enjoy the chance to “trip the light fantastic” especially if we are enjoying a bottle of wine while we are doing it.  If this sounds like bragging, it is about my Bride and how she has added to my enjoyment of wine that I started years before I met her, but she has made it all the better since.  That is luck, and I feel that I am the luckiest man to have her by my side.  So a toast is in order to my Bride.

Posted in Monthly Wine Writing Challenge, Wine | 8 Comments

A Night in Petoskey

Posted on March 15, 2014 by thewineraconteur

As I reflect on all the snow around me, I am trying to think of better thoughts.  One of the thoughts I settled on was being in Petoskey, Michigan in the summer.  It is a very quaint resort town if you have never been there, with some boutiques and an array of assorted restaurants.  Sometimes I get the best of being a spouse on a business trip, because I can take leisurely walks and enjoy myself while my Bride is stuck in the affairs of business.  She only gets to enjoy some of the resorts in the evening, unless there is a day trip planned.  After a fine afternoon of enjoying a cigar and aimlessly walking about, we met up to have dinner with some other associates of hers.

 Celeste Tempranillo 2006

We met at a restaurant called the City Park Grill, which is aptly named as there is a park across the street.  The restaurant is in an older building that has had a storied life, including a brush with Prohibition.  Over the years there have been a few restaurants in this location and the City Park Grill while not a glamorous name is a well appointed eatery in Petoskey.  Originally when I first looked at the menu, there seemed to be an influence of an Asian Rim with some of the flavors and sauces, not my first choice, but I was only one of a group.  I started to relax when I saw some dishes that I could relate to and I felt a little easier.  We started with some grilled Balsamic/herb marinated chicken skewers, but I passed on the hummus plate, with all of the Middle Eastern restaurants in the Detroit area, I didn’t feel like having hummus up North.  My Bride is very easy to please in a restaurant, unlike her husband, and she quickly ordered an entrée of salmon, which is always one of her go to dishes.  I was getting concerned that I was just going to have to order a filet, when I spotted a pasta dish that was filled with the tastes of New Orleans, so I opted for that.  I enjoyed it, and so did everyone that sampled some of it when it came out.

 MI City Park Grill MB

Trying to pick out a wine with an assortment of dishes on the table can be tricky, but I saw a bottle of wine that I thought would work out with the dinner.  We had Celeste 2006, a Tempranillo wine from the Ribera Del Duero district in Spain.  This wine is a selection from the larger Torres Winery of Spain.  It is always fun to try a different bottle made from the Tempranillo varietal, as there is such a wide range of tastes that one encounters.  It can be quite mellow and at times I have had some very large mature wines that sometimes over power the dinner.  This particular wine was in the middle of the range and it worked well even with my Cajun/Creole concoction that evening.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wine Egalitarianism

Posted on March 13, 2014 by thewineraconteur

One thing about writing articles pertaining to wines is the chance to mention some great wines, and some very esoteric wines and varietals as well.  I was getting ready to put some wine bottles in our recycling tub, and each time I do, I wonder if the workers that empty these tubs think that the people living in our house are winos or just major party animals.  About once a month, the entire tub is filling with the empty bottles of wine, without the labels, as I end up soaking them off for a keepsake or a memory.  While I was filling the tub, I had to laugh at some of the bottles that were going in for recycling.

 Cavit Pinot Grigio 2012

My Bride likes to buy what I call jug or bulk wine, in very small bottles.  She claims that she likes to use them for cooking rather then raid our cellar for an expensive bottle of wine.  I guess there is a method to her madness, as none of her preparations have been ghastly because of her cooking trick.  I would probably get mad, if she was using a forty or fifty dollar bottle of wine for cooking, I am sure that there would be more nuance to the dish, but at a major cost.  I also think that she likes these little bottles, for the occasion when she wants to sip a glass of wine, while she is working or even watching television and she doesn’t want to raid the cellar.

 Gallo

Most of the wine bottles that I saw are as I said jug or bulk wine.  The major brand that I saw was Gallo Family Vineyards of California.  I remember in my youth seeing this brand in gallon bottles, and I am sure that one could still buy these wines in the same manner.  The Gallo Family has been making California wines for years, and they were one of the first branded wines that I recall.  I guess what I applaud of a winery like this, is that they offer safe reliable wines for the masses, and perhaps they are a stepping stone or the first rung on the ladder of people discovering wine to enjoy with their dinner.  I was looking at these small bottles and there was Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.  These are all grape varietals that are written about in both wine magazines and the newspapers, so these wine names are recognizable.

The other brand of wine that I saw as I was discarding some of these bottles was Cavit Collection Pinot Grigio 2012 from Italy.  This is also a jug wine from a company that does some major advertising and is available from grocery stores, party stores and wine shops, which gives them added weight in the mind of the buying public.  I look at it, as the buyer of these wines, just out of curiosity may branch out and say, this wine is good, I wonder what a more a few dollars more will taste like.  This is the start of a wine lover and perhaps a lifelong appreciation of what a master vintner can offer.

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reunion Plans and Roman Village

Posted on March 11, 2014 by thewineraconteur

I wrote about Wilson Junior High School in Detroit, and how we had our third year “non-year” reunion last summer.  The Gods must have been pleased, because a new planning committee is afoot for the fourth reunion.  There has been a grand time at each reunion, because after Junior High, all of the kids from the neighborhood were splintered off into at least four different high schools, so a lot of childhood friendships were severed by the school structure.  With the advent of social media, a lot of the friendships have been rekindled and the numbers are swelling.

 Ique Malbec Mendoza 2012

The other day a group of about thirty interested alumni got together for a second meeting to further the goal of this fourth reunion.  The restaurant chosen was one that I have written about in the past, as well as about one of the other restaurants in their chain.  The original restaurant that started this chain of Italian restaurants is Roman Village, and though it is in Dearborn, it became part of the old neighborhood by being located across from General George S. Patton Park which was “the” park for the neighborhood.  I am sure that the dinner party created some headaches for the waiter, as there were a lot of separate checks for this group, but he handled it with apparent ease.  There was a vast assortment of dishes being ordered, and by far the pizzas outnumbered every other order, as the alumni was reliving memories.  I being the radical that I am, ordered a plate of Gnocchi with Rita Sauce, a Pancetta and Mushroom Blush Sauce.  Think of it as a Palomino Sauce with smoked bacon and mushrooms, and it was delicious.  My entrée began with fresh Italian rolls and a fine tossed salad.

 MI Antonio's BC

Since I had ordered a bottle of wine for dinner first, and then looked at the menu, because I guess I wanted to get the festivities going, my wine was a little overpowering for the dinner, but that was fine.  I ordered a bottle of Ique Malbec 2012.  This wine is from the vineyards of Lujan de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina and produced by Enrique Foster, hence the rather unique brand name.  As I said this wine would have been better with a meat dish, as it was full bodied, and fruit forward.  If I had selected my entrée first, I would have ordered a lighter wine, or perhaps even a white wine, but it was still enjoyable and that is the beauty of having wine with dinner.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments