A Wine Puzzle

Posted on November 1, 2012 by thewineraconteur

Every time there is a holiday my Bride laments that I am the hardest person in the world to shop for.  I don’t understand her statement, but suffice it to say, she is adamant about it.  She has never been able to buy me clothes, since I have been a clothier for ever, and items for my other hobbies gets her stymied.  I have to say that she still perseveres.

 

 

One year she found a gift, she was sure that I would like and she was right.  It was a jigsaw puzzle by the same company that produces some of the Wine Murder Mystery Parties that we have held with our friends, and that I mentioned in an earlier post.  There is a short novel about two warring winemakers and one roaring drunk.  You first read the book, and then you assemble the thousand piece puzzle to solve the mystery.

 

I found it to be fun and interesting and completed it all by the time New Years Eve was celebrated.  It was just another reason to enjoy several glasses of wine.

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Happy Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2012 by thewineraconteur

We have had a couple of Halloween parties, where the Champagne took second place to some of the costumes and ingenuity of the attendees.  I remember that we were planning on our first party and I was working non stop to take an old suit and redo it as a pirate’s costume, and my Bride-to-be was going to go as Peter Pan, so I became Captain Hook from the Barrie classic story.

 

                                  

 

It also turned out that the department store, next to where I was working thought that they would have a Halloween party for the children and I was asked to join in, as a representative of our store.  Since I had the costume, why not?   Halloween is fun for children of all ages.

 

    

 

We ended up pouring several bottles of Champagne at our party.  We had Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin non-vintage in a demi-sec variety for the guest that preferred a sweeter glass of wine.  We also had Taittinger non-vintage in a brut variety for a more classic glass of wine.  The Champagne houses of Reims are more then happy and content to make non-vintage Champagnes because they can blend and make a consistent tasting product year after year.  It is only when they have an outstanding year that they declare a vintage.  We were not serving any vintage Champagnes at our party, but if you get a chance to try one from the major houses, you will find that your thoughts on Champagne may change.  Everyone time I have enjoyed a classic vintage I can’t get over how buttery and smooth the wine is.

                     

I am just including some more pictures from the party to show some of the creativity.  I hope you all have a safe and Happy Halloween with your family and friends.

 

 

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Another Day and Night in Manhattan

Posted on October 30, 2012 by thewineraconteur

After a night of fine Northern Italian cuisine, I found myself back in the trenches of another apparel show, this one was held at the Rihga Royal Hotel.  Once again the hotel rooms and suites were converted over to become showrooms.  The rooms and halls were filled with buyers, merchandise men and salesmen.  The atmosphere at these shows is electric, because everyone knows that there is a finite amount of time to get everything accomplished.  Between actual appointments at certain rooms, you would fill in the “free” time looking in other rooms for new brands and discoveries that you hope, your competition may overlook.

 

 

After a full day of “shopping” I looked forward to another evening of dining, even though the dinners were still business, as you were being courted to cement deals and perhaps make a larger purchase then you had originally planned on.  I found myself at the restaurant in The Four Seasons Hotel, another landmark in Manhattan.  These grand hotels almost intimidate you with the fact that you are “a fish out of water,” at least that was the way I felt.  This was a different lifestyle than I was used to, and it truly felt good to be there if only for the moment.  This evening our host handled the menu as well as the selection of wine.  I remember having a wonderful seafood appetizer, a great salad (and I am not a salad person), and a remarkable filet with all sorts of sides.

 

 

What I remember the most was the selection of wine.  A wonderful bottle of Vosne-Romanee ’91, and as I have stated periodically I am a huge fan of the red Burgundy wines.  This wine was just perfect with my filet, and that I really did not want to see the end of the meal, or the bottom of the bottle.

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A Taste of Italy in Midtown Manhattan

Posted on October 29, 2012 by thewineraconteur

On a trip to Manhattan for business, yes it sometimes gets in the way.  I was staying at the Lombardy Hotel.  It was a unique hotel, in that it was managed by a company, but the building was a condominium building converted into hotel suites.  The rooms were owned by individuals and they allowed the management company to lease out the suites.  As I understood it, the individuals furnished the suites with furniture, dishes, etc and the management company handled the daily maintenance.  Since we were not cooking in the room, I found that I had to get fully dressed and go out the lobby to get a cup of coffee to start the day, but that may have been the only fault I had with the hotel, otherwise it was a wonderful stay.

 

I was attending a clothing show, and it was being held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel which was just a short walk from my hotel.  Walking into the lobby of the Waldorf was heady, even if you had never been to Manhattan, you had been in the Waldorf’s lobby from seeing it in movies and television shows.  To be there in person was to be in awe for a moment at the grandeur and history of the establishment.  The different hotel rooms were converted into show rooms for the individual companies to display their wares and to write up orders for the following season.  To be a buyer, mandated absolute intense study and to make notes, when one got back to the store to start writing orders.

 

After the day’s work at the show, it was now time to relax and enjoy a well earned dinner and some wine, knowing that the next day would be a repeat of this day, just with different vendors and a different venue.  I went out in the evening with the principal of my company and some other merchants and a couple of vendors for an evening of great Italian food, not in an Italian neighborhood, but in midtown Manhattan.  We all went to Il Tinello for some wonderful Northern Italian Cuisine.  I had so much new knowledge crammed into my brain from looking at thirty some lines of apparel, which I can not remember exactly what I had for dinner, but I do recall that there was pure bliss and a very well fed feeling when I left.

 

 

I do remember that I was called upon to select the wine for everyone, as my employer informed everyone that I was a “wine maven.”  I hate being put on the spot, to select wine, when someone else is paying, as well as trying to choose a wine that I think will be appreciated by the table.  As I looked at the wine list, I zeroed into the Chianti Classico listings and tried to order a wine that was in the middle of the pack.  I did not want to select a wine that was inexpensive and may prove to be a poor representative of the district, nor did I want the host to think that I was gouging him and his company for a major outlay of money.  A “Gordian Knot” in the offing, was how I viewed my predicament.   I selected Chianti Classico by Gabbiano, as much as I wanted to try the Riserva; the price differential was enough to deter that choice, as I appreciated the largesse of my host.  I am glad to say that everyone enjoyed my selection, especially since we were all having beef or veal entrees.  To this day, I still am concerned when I am asked to select wines for a group.

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Plums and Beaujolais

Posted on October 28, 2012 by thewineraconteur

In the early days of the seventies, wine was not as prevalent or as popular in restaurants and clubs.  There was a chain of restaurants in some of the Holiday Inns in the area called Plums that catered to the business man traveling and employees having dinner after work.  They had created their own scene and they were a popular watering hole at the time.  They were not gourmet in food or presentation, but the customers they were aiming at were not of that league either.  What they offered was good food for a good price.  It was a good place for people that did not have big expense accounts or big per-diems, but offered a nice after hour’s atmosphere.

 

Since wine was not a lure back then, the wine lists were smaller and they could get by with generic wine names and a price.  This sufficed as it was more esoteric and most of the diners were not knowledgeable.

 

Beaujolais was a name that was popular, I believe back then as it was easy to read and pronounce.  It was a red wine that was not too heavy, too dry or too much tannin.  It also had a fruit forward; slightly sweet taste and it would please most people.  When you see just Beaujolais on the label that is the most generic designation of the district; and consequently it is the most popular in price.   It made the customers and the restaurant happy on several fronts.  It was a win, win proposition.  I remember drinking a lot of different Beaujolais wines in this era, because they were available.  Eventually I learned and tasted Beaujolais Villages, which is the next designation, and finally started to find individual village offerings which aided my thirst for wine knowledge.  All of this exposition is leading to why I am talking about a Beaujolais wine that I had one night by the negociants Henri Tytell et Fils which was perfect in the setting that it was presented in.  I have to admit that I do enjoy a bottle of Beaujolais to this day, in the many different ways that I am offered it.  Not always do I need a super bottle of wine to enjoy a meal, especially with friends.

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Filumena at the Stratford Festival

Posted on October 27, 2012 by thewineraconteur

A quick two hour drive is the city of Stratford, Ontario in Canada.  It is also the home of the Stratford Festival, a wonderful collection of theatrical productions and Shakespeare.  There are several theatres just off of the Avon River which goes through the city.  The whole city has embraced the Festival and the commerce that has grown from it.   There are some wonderful Bed and Breakfast establishments, as well as some enjoyable and unique restaurants.  We also try to visit some old friends that live in the city as well.

 

On one of our trips we went to see the play Filumena, starring Richard Monette who was also the Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival, at the time. What a grand performance he gave, but the entire time I was watching the play I was in a sense of déjà vu.   The story line was driving me crazy, as I knew what was going to occur next.  I could not realize why this play was so familiar and then it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I saw this movie with my parents as a child in downtown Detroit.  The film “Marriage, Italian Style” or Matrimonio all’italiano” and the two leads were channeling the performances of Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren.  I had forgotten about the film, but the play brought in right back to me.

 

 

We also dined at one of my Bride’s favorite restaurants in Stratford.  We went to the Church Restaurant and Belfry.  The restaurant has been retro fitted into an old church, so the main room is large and airy like the main part of a church.  There is also a separate restaurant that is very cozy and more romantic called the Belfry which overlooks the Church.  It is a wonderful way to spend an entire evening after a play, and they offered a prix fixe dinner as well as a regular seasonal menu.  If you go to Stratford this is a restaurant that I would recommend, though it is a bit dearer in price than some of the other eateries in the city.

When we were there I was not that well versed in Canadian wines, so I decided on a French wine.  Some of the regular readers will not be surprised to find that we enjoyed a bottle of Cotes du Rhone wine, which as I have said before is a great go-to wine.  It is not as heavy as Grande Cru wine from either the Medoc or from the Burgundy region, but tends to weave its magic when paired with French inspired dishes.  The wine was from Domaine Mireille & Vincent, which was a new one me, but that does not deter me, sometimes which will inspire me or dare me to try it.  It was a memorable trip for us.

 

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Meriwether’s

Posted on October 26, 2012 by thewineraconteur

For several years, my Bride’s office was not far from a quaint English styled restaurant on a main drag in the metro area.  Before I had met my Bride, I used to hear about this restaurant from an older co-worker, who always would respond that Meriwether’s was his favorite restaurant for him and his wife.

Meriwether’s is part of the Chuck Muer chain of restaurants.  Most of the restaurants each have their own name and look.  The most prevalent common bond of this group is their offering of fish and seafood and steaks.  We even ate at one of their restaurants when we were on holidays in Palm Beach, Florida.   I always look forward to a nice dinner of fish when we dine at one the Muer restaurants.  At Meriwether’s one of the most memorable trademarks is that the bread is baked in a teacup, which is very novel.   Who would not remember this cute little marketing concept?

So with all the talk of seafood, I think of Chardonnay wine.   I always attempt to try a different brand whenever I can.  We had this once a Dry Creek Vineyard Chardonnay from Sonoma County in California.  The Sonoma area is one district that we have not visited though at some point we will.  So far I can not think of a wine from the Sonoma County that I have not enjoyed, and this wine was no exception.

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Cuban Food at St. Armands Circle, Florida

Posted on October 25, 2012 by thewineraconteur

I had some projects to do around the house today, and I had the Godfather 2 playing for background entertainment.  There was a key scene that takes place in Havana, and I remembered having a fine dinner of Cuban cuisine.  We were down visiting some friends in Venice, Florida and the four of us went to St. Armands Circle just outside of Sarasota.  The women can always find a reason to shop, and the Circle is a shopping and dining attraction.  While we were shopping and taking in the sights, our friends met another couple of friends and he was of Cuban descent.

 

Eventually after wandering around the Circle, the men enjoying cigars and the ladies going in and out of shops and boutiques, everyone had worked up an appetite as well as a thirst.  Our newest friend suggested that we go to Columbia Restaurant, as he had been there often and touted the food.  We all agreed and found ourselves there at a table for six.  As they we were receiving our menus, our new friend suggested that he do the ordering, and then we could all try several dishes at one time.   That worked for all of us, unfortunately I cannot remember a single dish that we had, as we had a huge setting of family style plates among us, and we all started a taste fest of unknown delicacies.

 

It was decided that I select the wine, and even back then I was starting to have a bit of a reputation for enjoying the fruit of the vine.  As we had entered the restaurant, I saw a display of the house wine, which was Don Cesar Rioja Reserva 1986 and also what had caught my eye was the artwork on the label.  It was done by LeRoy Neiman, who had done the art work for the Kentucky Derby one year and we had purchased an autographed print of his work.  I normally would have ordered something else, as I am leery of “house” wines, as I have found them to be mediocre, but an excellent profit margin maker for the house.  I decided to abandon my prior conviction because I decided that I wanted the label for my cellar wall, and I love Rioja Reserva wines.  I figured that if the wine was not great with six drinkers, it would be gone in no time, and I could order something else.  Well it was wonderful, and delivered what a good Rioja wine should deliver and it paired with the food.

 

 

Dinner lasted several hours between the appetizers and then all of the other food that was ordered.  Not to mention the many bottles of wine needed to compliment all of the food that we were enjoying.  I still wish I could remember what had been ordered, but since our new friend and the waiter both spoke Cuban-Spanish I could not keep up with the conversation and just enjoyed the moment.  It is amazing how something totally alien to the subject of wine can trigger a fond memory.

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“Beast on the Moon,” Dinner and Wine in Chelsea

Posted on October 24, 2012 by thewineraconteur

Even if you didn’t know about the Ottoman Turks genocide against the Armenians, the play “Beast on the Moon” was a story that most people could relate to the concept that life is precious.  We first heard of this play from my sister-in-law who saw it at the Humana Festival of New American Plays when it was performed at the Actors Theatre of Louisville.   So when we heard it was coming to the Detroit area we had to get tickets.

 

The play was produced by The Purple Rose Theatre Company of Chelsea, Michigan.  This company was founded by the actor Jeff Daniels, a star of theatre, cinema and television.  He is from and has his family living in Chelsea rather then in California.  His theatre company has put on many plays since its opening days.  One thing I must mention is that the theater is small and intimate and there is not a bad seat in the house.

 

We arrived before the play, and planned on dinner at the Common Grill also in Chelsea.  The restaurant reminded me of an old five and ten store from my youth, so that may have been the original shop that was there.  There was a blackboard along the back of the restaurant with names of many types of fish painted on the board.  Then they used chalk (if I remember correctly) to indicate which of the fish were fresh for the evening’s meals.  Another unique aspect of the restaurant was that after you selected the fish, you selected the manner that you wished the fish to be prepared; grilled, sautéed, poached etc.  I thought that this was a great way, so you couldn’t complain that the fish wasn’t prepared how you liked it or you could experiment with a new experience.

 

While we were there we tried a bottle of Chardonnay from California.  Stone Creek winery is based in Lodi, Mendocino County and is part of the Weibel Family Vineyards and Winery.  Since we were both enjoying a fish dinner, a Chardonnay wine was a simple and easy choice to pair with the meal.   It is fun to try a new wine, even when you have no knowledge of the winery before-hand.

 

 

After dinner, we wandered around the downtown area of Chelsea.  My only knowledge up to that point in Chelsea was that “Jiffy” mixes were made there.  I now can appreciate the city for more than that bit of information.  I would recommend a trip to Chelsea for dinner and a show if you get the chance.

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October Birthdays and a Dinner

Posted on October 23, 2012 by thewineraconteur

Once a month the family gets together to celebrate all the birthday recipients at one time, we also took the occasion to celebrate our anniversary.  We had eighteen people for dinner, and my Bride could not be happier.  She was bustling around the kitchen all morning and afternoon in preparation.

 

 

It would not be a dinner without her great Caesar salad with the home made scratch dressing.  She also sautéed chicken breasts, made a leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables and of course Armenian pilaf.   She made a brownie birthday cake for the October birthday guests (herself included) and then she topped off the menu with Bananas Foster.  I got a chuckle from her and a few of the others in the kitchen when I brought a fire extinguisher in from the garage.

 

 

Of course I had to go into the cellar and pick out some wine for everyone to enjoy.  I chose a couple of bottles of wine, that my Bride brought home from one of her trips to Traverse City.  We have been to the L. Mawby winery in Suttons Bay a couple of times, and my Bride has been there a couple of more times, but that will be another story.  We opened up a couple of bottles of M. Lawrence “Sandpiper” Sparkling Wine Extra Dry, which said it came from Batch #7 and each bottle was numbered.  These wines are made in small batches and fermented in the “cuve close method” as indicated on the label.  I prefer a little more sweetness myself in this type of wine, as I am always afraid that extra dry can be have little nuance.   I am happy to say that I could taste some fruit, and a little oak which made it more appealing.

 

We also had some Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 wine from the Rapel Valley of Chile.  This was a very well made wine and the tannins had mellowed and it had a very supple taste and a very nice color.  I have been trying this wine every now and then to see how it would age, as I knew very little about Chilean wines at the time that I had bought the original bottle.  We both enjoyed the first bottle and we went and bought a case of it while it was still new.  As can be expected there were enough tannins in the initial taste, to warrant cellaring the wine to watch it as it matures.  I have been very happy with each bottle we have had.

 

Our next dinner for the November birthday people will be done during the Thanksgiving dinner, and I have already purchased the wine for it, as I want to try something different for pairing with a turkey dinner.  That will also be another story.

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