Fellini’s in Las Vegas, Nevada

Posted on February 27, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Once on a trip to Las Vegas for business, I was taken by a salesman to Fellini’s Ristorante Italiano at the Stratosphere Hotel and Tower for dinner.  The hotel is at the other end of the strip where I usually stay, but I was with a group and I was a guest.  It was the only time I had been at this hotel, and since I am not a gambler, I did not pay attention to the casino area.

 

NV Fellini's MB

 

The restaurant itself has that Italian look and feel of any quality restaurant, especially in Las Vegas.  There were several rooms that had different themes with beautiful murals painted as backgrounds.   We were seated in an area that had the appearance of Venice with a view of one of the canals.

 

Our host for the evening ordered several plates of appetizers and salads that circled the table several times.  This way everyone had a chance to try several different offerings, and since most were of the classic dishes it worked out well.  I thought we were going to be doing an Italian dinner, but after the appetizers we morphed into the “steakhouse” menu, which is fine.  I had the “bone in rib eye” steak, which is not a selection that I would normally make, but my host raved about this steak, so I agreed.  While the steak was prepared and served very well, it is still not my first choice in a steak, but I know that a lot of people would argue with me.

La Braccesca VNdM 1998

 

Our host asked me to select a wine that I thought would go well with the meal, when we started, as I had somewhat of a reputation as a “wino.”  I really did not want to order something extravagant in a wine, since I was not paying and I did not want my host to think that I was trying to gouge him.  I saw an interesting bottle of La Braccesca 1998, which was a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.  While this wine sounds like it should be made from the Montepulciano varietal, as in Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, this wine is made from the Sangiovese varietal (minimum of 70%) and then usually blended with Canailo Nero and Mammolo varietals and aged for two years in oak barrels (three years when it is a Riserva designation).  This is a very hearty wine and I think it goes very well with steaks.

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Visiting a New Home

Posted on February 26, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Some dear friends of ours built a brand new house out in the country on a private road on a private lake.  We went out to see the new house now that it has been completed.  The last time we stopped there, it was still in construction mode and we sat on lawn chairs and made a make shift table to enjoy some munchies and wine.  This time they regaled us with all the pomp and circumstance of the day.

 

We began by enjoying some pre-Prohibition cocktails that they learned how to make at a class they attended.  They remembered that I enjoy a Vermouth Cocktail and that was one of the drinks that they learned, I guess I am older then I thought.  Most establishments make the drink with just basic sweet and dry vermouth and a dash of Angostura bitters, normally after the waiter/waitress returns asking me what a Vermouth Cocktail is.  Our dear friends used a wonderful vermouth called Perucchi which is made in Spain.  It was very flavorful and was a welcome change from the basic vermouths I usually encounter.  He also made some pre-Prohibition style martinis which were much different from the classic martini that is now made.

Perucchi Vermouth

 

We started off with three different cheeses, crafted salami, crackers, mustard, fresh bread and a Bruschetta olive spread.  We then had a Caesar Salad that my Bride made and finished at their house.  We then enjoyed a huge Salmon filet that had been dry rubbed before being cooked, and this was accompanied by a rice and vegetable casserole.  For dessert we had a homemade pineapple upside down cake and French-pressed coffee.  The men also enjoyed tasting two distinct sipping bourbons, with a short cigar out on the verandah.   A most filling dinner and the conversation that went with the dinner were exceptional.

Vouvray Sec Cuvee Silex 2009

 

We began with a bottle of Vouvray wine from the Loire Valley of France.  The wine was from the Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau Cuvee Silex 2009.  The Loire Valley is known for both sparkling and still wines made from the Chenin Blanc grape.  This particular was a still wine and it was labeled Sec or dry, as this wine is offered also in a sweeter version.  It had a very subtle nose, and to the taste it was very acidic and fruity at the same time.  It was a very nice wine paired with the appetizers.

Beringer Meritage Knights Valley 2008

 

After the salad course we started drinking a Beringer Knights Valley Meritage 2008, which we had brought over, and my Bride was happy to have a red wine with her salmon.  This particular Meritage wine is a little more unique in that it had not only Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot but also Malbec which gave it a twist from most Meritage wines, because I find that most of them try to emulate a Bordeaux or Claret style of wine.  Everyone marveled at the color, nose and taste of this wine.

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Men’s Wear and Wine

Posted on February 25, 2013 by thewineraconteur

There is a certain civility when one is attired properly, and in the world of Casual Fridays ad infinitum, part of that civility seems to have disappeared.  I am from that old school where decorum is still part of my life.  My Bride and I still dress for dinner, especially when we are on holidays, as that even makes the dinners more memorable.  I still find the look of impeccable dressing, a fine art, which has been lost.  Today a man may walk into many a chain store and be offered two different trousers in perhaps three colors, and three different tops in three colors, and perhaps sixty percent of the shoppers on any given day will have purchased the same outfit.  Where did the concept of individuality go?

Customer Gallery

 

This is just a segue about a clothing store that I encountered that offers quality clothing off the rack made in America, Canada and Italy, as well as the ability to get the finest in custom clothes and shirts, where the sky is the limit.  As you enter the store, you encounter a baby grand piano, and there are autographed pictures of titans of industry and noted coaches on the walls.  This is Manno Clothing and Tailoring, Inc. in Dearborn, Michigan.

Displays           Clothing Racks

 

Not only are you greeted gently as you enter the shop, but you are offered choices of beverages during your stay, as in bottled water, juice, soda pop or coffee.  As you start selecting new additions to your wardrobe, you and your spouse may be offered a choice of five different imported beers or a red or a white wine.  The wines offered are an eclectic mix, but that just adds to the shopping experience.  This is how shopping should be.  Not a “wham, bam, thank you ma’am” encounter, but an easy soft sell, where the merchandise sells itself, and one can get quality service and intelligent and trained personnel to assist you in maintaining your individuality.  The next time you are interested in adding something new to your wardrobe and you are in the Detroit area, stop by Manno Clothing, and let them know that The Wine Raconteur recommended that you could do two pleasant activities at the same time.

Upper Wine Rack                  Lower Wine Rack

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The Courthouse Grille in Plymouth, Michigan

Posted on February 24, 2013 by thewineraconteur

I have mentioned before that I belong to a dinner club, and we meet once a month for our hobby and to socialize.  The club is over a hundred years old, and when I first became a member I was grouped for hosting with the eldest member at that time (I was the youngest member at that time, and our esteemed Secretary thought it would be a good combination) and our eldest member at that time had joined the club in 1928.  The club originally was held at member’s homes and dinner was served, well today most homes could not accommodate forty-four men for dinner, so we now meet a different venues picked out by the evening’s hosts, and this can be a challenge as most restaurants now a days, do not have a private room suitable for a group this size.

MI The Courthouse Grill Menu

This was our second venture to a relatively new restaurant called The Courthouse Grille.  The building has been several restaurants that I can remember, and at a later date, I may discuss some of the different establishments that were at the same building.  Today I will discuss The Courthouse Grille.  We were set up in a very nice side room with a fireplace that was a focal point of the room.  Our hosts for the evening had allowed us a choice of eight different dishes for an entrée.  The selection was varied with two beef choices, a veal dish, three different sea food choices, a chicken dish and one pasta dish.  There was something for everyone to enjoy.  The meal also had some excellent freshly baked dinner rolls with rosemary and there were plates of fresh butter slabs on the tables.  A garden salad of mixed greens and vegetables was also part of the meal, as well as a dessert.

 

What surprised me was the selection of wines by the glass that were offered, as there were twenty-nine different, when I went and look at the wine list.  Not too shabby, and a good selection was offered.  There were wines from Italy, Germany, Australia, Argentina, Chile as well as offerings from the United States (California, Washington and Michigan).  I also noticed a nice collection of wines by the bottle, beyond what was being served by the glass, and the bottle selection had about ninety bottles to choose from, which is a very good collection.  With many better wineries represented, which shows the restaurant had done their work, instead of leaving it to a wine salesman or two.  I also noticed that the wines were priced very reasonable for a restaurant, and I would call that a very wine friendly establishment.  My Bride and I will have to go there for an evening for further research.   I must extend kudos to the hosts for making the meeting all that much more enjoyable.

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Fonte D’Amore in Livonia, Michigan

Posted on February 23, 2013 by thewineraconteur

As I just finished writing my praise for Luciano DelSignore for his newest accolade at his Bacco Ristorante, I just have to write about the restaurant where we first met.  My Bride and I had just bought our house and were in a discovery mode about new restaurants in the area.  I remember our first visit to Fonte D’Amore.

MI FonteD'Amore 1 MB

 

The restaurant was just packed with diners, and as usual I met a couple of people that I knew, my Bride had already gotten used to this fact, that the odds are that I will meet someone where ever we go.  We had a great waiter; in fact, he was so great, that we would always request to be seated in his area, when ever we returned to the restaurant, as he added so much to the ambience to the evening.  In fact, it was our waiter that made it a point to bring Luciano to our table, so that we could meet him and introduce ourselves.

MI Fonte D'Amore MB

 

Fonte D’Amore was a great neighborhood Italian restaurant, but as we continued to go there, at least once a month, if not more, we gradually saw how the menu was changing ever so slightly under the tutelage of Luciano, as he made slight tweaks to his Father’s restaurant.  The food kept getting better and better, and no matter who joined us for dinner, they were always amazed at the quality of the food and service.  Some people would even remark that they were not in a Detroit restaurant, but it was more of a downtown Chicago or midtown Manhattan type of establishment, and yet they were popular priced and really gave you a meal for your money.

Riparosso Illuminati MdA 1995

 

That first encounter with Luciano, I asked him what wine he thought we should try, which can be a dangerous question, as you could end up ordering a very expensive bottle of wine.  He emphatically suggested a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which was a new wine for me.  He also suggested that I try the Riparosso from the several wines of that area, which he carried.  The wine is made from the Montepulciano varietal, but tends to be blended with the Sangiovese grape as well.  In fact the area around Abruzzo is so associated with this varietal; the DOC for the area is now Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.  It was such a hit, that after that first evening, we went to a wine shop and bought a case of the wine, it was that good, and we have been buying it ever since.  It is also a wine that I will suggest to people who ask me for a recommendation for a new idea for an Italian wine.  I joke as I write the name down that even though it is a mouthful to say, they will enjoy it, and that it is not an expensive wine even with a restaurant mark-up.  So one could say, that Luciano has been an integral part of my learning curve for some time, and I thank him each time that I see him.

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Congratulations to Bacco Ristorante

Posted on February 22, 2013 by thewineraconteur

This past week a restaurant that I have mentioned before Bacco Ristorante in Southfield, Michigan received The Detroit Free Press 2013 Restaurant of the Year.  Add to this that they had received a couple years earlier Hour Magazine’s award and you know that they are doing something right.  Luciano Del Signore is the Owner/Chef of Bacco Ristorante and my Bride and I have followed his culinary skills for over twenty years.  I applaud any one that can keep delivering quality food in the economic cycle that Michigan has been in.

MI bacco-restaurant

 

The food has always been excellent and so has the service.  We have never encountered a bad day, which does say something for the care and attention that goes on at the restaurant.  They also will not say no to a request, which I find wonderful, though I would certainly not attempt to tell his staff how to cook.  As an example that I will share; my Bride and I both enjoy the Beef Carpaccio that we have dined on for years, well, then one day when we were there, we noticed that the classic interpretation of this dish was changed.  It became more creative, I asked our server, if I could still get the classic preparation and was told, that it would not be a problem, and we have been doing it that way ever since.

Barolo Sperss Gaja 1991

 

Another great aspect of Bacco Ristorante is the magnificent wine list, and Luciano does enjoy his wines.  The restaurant’s name is actually a play off of the name of the Roman God of wine Bacchus.  The cellar at the restaurant has about 11,000 bottles of wine. Talk about cellar envy.  One time when we were dining there, as I was studying the wine list, I saw a wine that intrigued me; it was Gaja Ca’Marcanda Promis 2000 from Toscana.  It was a very in a very popular price point, and if you know the Gaja name, one does not equate Gaja and popular price together.  Just after seeing this wine, I saw Luciano walking around the room with his chef’s coat on, he was greeting and chatting with the customers, especially his repeat customers.  Well he came over to our table, gave my Bride a kiss, shook my hand, as well as the hands of the other couple that we were with.  He saw that I had the wine list in my hand, and he asked me what I was going to order.  I joked with him that I saw this Gaja wine on the list, and asked if it was an illegitimate relation of Gaja, and Luciano laughed.  He said “I knew you would spot that wine.”  I asked him, his opinion of the wine, and he said “order it, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to pay for it.”  How can one say no to an offer like this, in fact the wine was so great we ordered a second bottle for the table, before any of the entrée dishes had been brought out.  Later on I found out that Gaja Ca’Marcanda Promis 2000 is a blend of Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese varietals.

Ca'Marcanda Promis Toscana Gaja 2000

 

After dinner, when Luciano was making another tour of the restaurant, he stopped by and asked how the dinner was, and if we had enjoyed the meal and the wine.  I told him that we had a great time, and he saw a second bottle of the wine on the table.  I asked him casually if I could buy some of the wine, as I had not seen the wine at any of the wine purveyors that I frequent.  He laughed again, and asked if a six-pack would do.  I said yes, if he could afford to take that many from his cellar at the moment.  He smiled and said that the six-pack was already in my trunk.  Then we both started laughing.

These are memories that are enjoyable: and gives me reasons to go to the restaurant time and time again.  Perhaps I missed my calling and should have been a food critic, but I don’t think so, I want to go and enjoy myself, and then food and wine would become work.

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Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 21, 2013 by thewineraconteur

We had a very quiet dinner at home on Valentine’s Day.  It is not that I do not like to be out with my Bride, as I think my articles would differ with that assumption.  I do not like going out, when the rest of the world feels that they must go out.  I have found that evenings of this genre produce mediocre food and strained and poor service from the additional crowds.  There is also the potential for problems when people think they have to drink to excess, so I tend to avoid these scenes.

Project Happiness Syrah Lodi 2011

 

My Bride surprised me, with the suggestion of a pizza.  I don’t have pizza that often and that sounded like a nice change of pace, and she could relax and not have to worry about cooking or cleaning up.  So she brought home a pizza for us to have at home.

 

 

So then I had to decide what wine, do we have that would pair with a pizza in the cellar.  I looked at a few bottles of Chianti from Italy and then I remembered the wine that I had received from our friend at Christmas time.  So I went to the area in the rack where I have miscellaneous red wines, and there it was.  Project Happiness Syrah 2011 from the Oreana Winery in Lodi, California.  I thought here was a wine that might be interesting for our casual dinner at home.  I was impressed with the wine, as I swirled the wine in the glass I noticed good legs on the side of the glass.  The first glass of wine when I tasted it straight from being uncorked had a fruit forward taste and a heavy alcohol “heat” for a lack of a better term.  I am not fond of listing multiple tastes, especially when some of the images are very esoteric or ethereal.  As the wine opened up the heavy fruit and “heat” both softened and a very nice glass of wine was there.  My Bride who is not as fond of a California Syrah, but she adores a glass of Cotes du Rhone was happy with the wine.  In the bigger picture of life, that is important and then there is “Happiness.”

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Declaration, Cold Mountain and a Cold Chardonnay

Posted on February 20, 2013 by thewineraconteur

We were going to have dinner at 82 Queen in the evening and we were walking around the downtown area.  When we got to Queen Street it was cordoned off for a movie.  They were filming a scene from the film Cold Mountain which starred Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  The street was covered with straw, but the buildings and street otherwise looked like the rest of Charleston.  Since there was no filming at the moment, there were no celebrities or even crews to be seen.

SC Declaration Copy

We walked around some of the other areas, to soak up more of the ambience of Charleston, and as we were discovering little shops and that, we saw a large bus.  This bus was the Declaration of Independence Road Trip, and there was an original copy of this great document inside the bus.  This bus was on a three and half year road trip, to allow as many people as possible to see it.  I hate to say it, but there was not a long line when we encountered the bus and we were able to see the Declaration of Independence quite quickly.  What a wonderful item to see in this city of history.

SC South Battery PC

We continued on our stroll down by the South Battery and admired the grand homes and beautiful architecture. Every where you looked there was a grandeur and a feeling of the Old South.  You realized that a character like Rhett Butler would have certainly hailed from this fair city.

SC 82 Queen PC

When we got back to Queen Street to eat at one of the famed restaurants in Charleston, 82 Queen, which is their address, all signs of filming was gone and the street was not cordoned off anymore.  This restaurant was noted by the locals as the place where the theatrical and artistic crowd went, and they were also known for all of the culinary awards that they have received.  When we arrived for our reservation we were asked if we wanted to sit in the walled garden area or in the restaurant proper.  We chose the restaurant, just to escape the humidity.

 

82 Queen prides itself on serving cuisine of the “Lowcountry” and the cuisine reminded us of the French Quarter in New Orleans.  Queen Street is part of the French Quarter of Charleston, so it was a good mix.  We were finally able to partake of the signature dish of Charleston, we both enjoyed bowls of She Crab Soup, and it was well worth the wait.  My Bride enjoyed an entrée of Jambalaya and I opted for a duck dinner.  I cannot remember what we ordered for dessert, but I am sure that it was as excellent as the dinner was.

82 Queen California Chardonnay

The wine list was extensive as I knew it would be, as they had been listed by The Wine Spectator in their Restaurant Guide for the year.  That is always a good sign for choosing a restaurant when you are away, and it allows you to find establishments that are independent and give you the taste of the city where you are going, instead of a cookie cutter chain.  Out of all the wines that were available for our dinner, I chose a wine for the memory and the label. It was an 82 Queen California Chardonnay and it went well with our dinner and a change of pace from the previous two evenings of enjoying bottles of Sauvignon Blanc.

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Boone Hall Plantation, Magnolias in Charleston, South Carolina

Posted on February 19, 2013 by thewineraconteur

One day while we were enjoying the charms of Charleston, we became real tourists and took a trip to Boone Hall Plantation, which is one of the few working plantations in the South.  While it is not Tara or Twelve Oaks which were grand fictional plantations, it is a wonderful day trip to see.  While you are driving up to the plantation you encounter the Avenue of Oaks, which were originally planted by Captain Thomas Boone.  All of the people that you encounter during your guided tour of the plantation are dressed in the attire of the day.  There is an area where you can see how bales of cotton were set adrift and allowed the current to carry the cotton to Charleston, and from there they were sent to spinning mills in the North and to England.  It is also stressed that Boone Hall Plantation was one of the most humane plantations of its day.  The grounds were used for theatrical and television films through the years.  It was a wonderful way to spend a day in the old South.

SC Boone Hall Plantation Brochure

 

After returning to downtown Charleston, we enjoyed our wine tasting at the Inn, and then we changed for dinner.  We were going to a restaurant near the Inn called Magnolias.  I thought that it was the perfect name for a restaurant in the Old South, and Charleston by extension.  As we were seated at our table, our waitress was very gracious and informative about Charleston as well as about Magnolias.  We were telling her how much we enjoyed our dinner the night before at Cypress, and her eyes lit up.  She then informed us that both restaurants plus one other establishment were owned by the same gentleman.  She really made us feel at home.

SC Avenue of the Oaks PC

Magnolias was more casual of a venue, but they still offered a great meal.  We started off by sharing a shrimp and sausage appetizer with Tasso gravy over grits; I finally succumbed to trying them.  Then we enjoyed some blue crab bisque, we had still not had some of the legendary She Crab Soup that Charleston is noted for.  My Bride had a local fish dinner of Carolina Carpet Bagger filet with fried oysters, green beans with Madeira and Béarnaise sauces, while I enjoyed a sautéed Grouper with crab and artichoke topping, fresh spinach, a potato cake and lemon Beurre blanc.

SC Magnolias MB

 

As we were looking at the wine list for our meal, my trusty Bride zeroed in on another of our favorite wineries that we had visited in Napa Valley, namely St. Supery.  As this was a winery that we seldom encountered at that point, we ordered a St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc 2000 to go with our meal.  This wine paired very well with the courses, and was so refreshing from the humid weather we were encountering.

St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc Napa 2000

 

We had also ordered soufflé for dessert, when we had placed our other menu requests, because of the additional time to prepare a soufflé.  As we were having some coffee in anticipation of our dessert, our waitress brought over a gentleman to introduce us to.  He was the owner of the two restaurants that we had so far eaten at while in Charleston.  He sat down with us and started telling us his history and that he was originally from Michigan.  Well we had met another raconteur and we ordered a bottle of champagne to go with dessert and poured some for our new guest as well.  We had a bottle of Piper Sonoma Blanc de Noir champagne which added to the enjoyment as we were regaled by this gentleman and his tales of Michigan and of Charleston.  We also discussed other restaurants and wines that we had all enjoyed over the years, and I was surprised at the length of time, he sat at our table keeping us company.  What a wonderful evening my Bride and I had.

Piper Sonoma Blanc de Noir NV

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Fort Moultrie, Cypress and a Sauvignon Blanc in Charleston

Posted on February 18, 2013 by thewineraconteur

One of our day trips while we were on holidays in Charleston was to Fort Moultrie and the Fort Sumter National Monument, which is part of the National Park Service.  This fort defended Charleston Harbor from the Revolutionary War to World War II.  There was a lot of history to absorb while we were there.  While I was there, I couldn’t help but think that the structure of the fort reminded me of Fort Wayne in Detroit.  Both forts were designed to protect the water front, and both had a similar structure and feel to them.

 

SC Fort Moutrie Guide

We then returned to our loft, and got ready for dinner, as we had to change into attire fitting for dinner, as this is our habit, even on holidays.  We were going that evening to a restaurant called Cypress.  The restaurant was on the main drag as I recall of the downtown area.  We started off with crab cakes and lobster bisque and both were well made, rich and creamy.  I was going to have braised short ribs, but when I saw that they were accompanied by grits, I passed on one of my favorites and ordered a salmon dish that came with a very rich sauce and well prepared root vegetables, while my Bride ordered Wasabi Tuna with the usual accompaniments. We tried each other’s dishes as well, and we were both very satisfied.  After dinner while we were enjoying some great coffee and a Grand Marnier Soufflé, we were both in heaven.

SC Cypress MB

 

The wine list at Cypress was just as impressive as the menu.  After being out at the fort as tourists during the day and getting overheated, when my Bride saw that they had Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2000, she could not be persuaded to try anything else.  Since our trip to the Duckhorn Vineyards, I do have to agree with her, that they do make an excellent product.  I did think that the Sauvignon Blanc went better with her tuna entrée, then with the salmon, and it made me understand her predilection for red wine with salmon, but that was a minor matter at the end of the day.

Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc Napa 2000

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