The Wine Raconteur

The Court of Two Sisters

Posted on August 1, 2012 by thewineraconteur

We had spent the day walking around the French Quarter after having had a wonderful brunch. We explored some of the fine antique shops, art shops and the retired United States Mint. We decided maybe to have a light dinner at the restaurant across the street from our hotel at The Court of Two Sisters.

Even though we had no reservations, the restaurant was large enough that we got in without a long delay. After looking at the menu we decided that a fine dinner was in store for us. We enjoyed Crawfish Maison, a Creole Seafood Gumbo, a Caesar Salad, a Hearts of Palm Salad, Sweet Potato Pancakes, Lobster Thermidor, Pompano en Papillote and Cherries Jubilee.

As I was looking at the wine list, I was surprised to see that they had a Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc priced the same as we had seen the past year at the winery. I was amazed. I asked the waiter if we would be able to purchase bottles of wine unopened to take with us; he informed me that this was New Orleans and we could do anything we desired. So we ended up with a six pack of the wine, and enjoyed one with dinner. Needless to say the weather in New Orleans can be extremely hot and humid and the Sauvignon Blanc was the perfect wine for that type of weather. The grapefruit tartness of the wine at first taste, made me wonder if it would be in contrast to the sauces of the dishes, but it seemed to mellow the richness of the meal.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Duckhorn Vineyards, New Orleans, Sauvignon Blanc, The Court of Two Sisters | Leave a comment

Arnaud’s and a Mini Mardi Gras Museum

Posted on July 31, 2012 by thewineraconteur

Another one of the famous restaurants in New Orleans in Arnaud’s in a city known for culinary delights. Not only are they famous for their cuisine, they also have a small museum on the premises featuring articles from different Mardi gras parades and parties. Mardi Gras is the biggest event in New Orleans and engulfs the entire French Quarter. I have never been, but my dear Bride has gone, years before we met.

When we went to Arnaud’s we attended their “Brunch & Jazz” program. Not only is the food great, but to hear classic New Orleans jazz performed while you are dining. If you weren’t aware of it, music is as much a part of the French Quarter as wine, food and revelry. The brunch at Arnaud’s is a four course “prixe-fixe” according to the entrée that you select.

We started with Shrimp Arnaud for my Bride and I enjoyed the Turtle Soup; this was followed by a salad. For entrees my Bride enjoyed Eggs Hussarde (think of Eggs Benedict on steroids) and I tried the Chicken Pontalba (Chicken, Cajun ham, mushrooms and potatoes with Marchand de Vin and Béarnaise Sauce). This was followed by a Crème Brulee and Strawberries Arnaud along with coffee.

To compliment this brunch we enjoyed Mimosas. I know that some enjoy a Bloody Mary with brunch, but given a choice I will always opt for a glass of Mimosa (or better yet a couple). There is just something that is so festive about Champagne and orange juice, and if the Champagne is not a great bottle, the orange juice enhances the taste (at least to me). It is a great way to spend your lunch in a city where an automobile is not necessary; in fact we have never rented a car when we go to New Orleans.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Arnauds, Champagne, New Orleans | Leave a comment

Galatoire’s Restaurant

Posted on July 30, 2012 by thewineraconteur

In keeping with these memories of New Orleans, another fine dining establishment that we took advantage of was Galatoire’s Restaurant on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. If you have never been to the Quarter, you may be surprised at how old the buildings as well as some of the business are. Old does not mean forgotten though in the Quarter and these restaurants keep going.

At Galatoire’s Restaurant they like to trumpet the fact that the menu doesn’t change. For some restaurants that would be the kiss of death, but not at this fine establishment. They accept reservations on some evenings and the other days are first come, first serve; a system of equality that seems to work in favor of several of the restaurants in the French Quarter.

We started with Crawfish Etoufee, then my Bride ordered Shrimp Marguery and I had the Crabmeat Yvonne (both of these dishes had very rich sauces). We ordered broccoli and we ordered another version of the Potato Soufflé (now that we knew what to expect, as we were becoming seasoned New Orleans foodies). We finished off the meal with one of their special desserts Café Brulot and coffee.

Since we were going to enjoy another rich dinner of seafood another white Burgundy was beckoning to me. We enjoyed a bottle of Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot which is a Premieres Crus. There is something that is hard to explain in words the wonder of a great white Burgundy. It almost brings a tear to your eye, when you have the last sip of a great wine; and these mighty white Burgundy wines are more then up to the challenge of pairing with the rich sauces and flavors that one encounters in The French Quarter.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Burgundy, Chassagne-Montrachet, France, Morgeot, New Orleans | 2 Comments

Antoine’s (and I still can’t believe the commercial)

Posted on July 29, 2012 by thewineraconteur

When I was still young I remember an advertisement for an instant coffee which claimed they substituted their coffee for the legendary coffee of Antoine’s in New Orleans. Back then I had no idea of Antoine’s, but I was still incredulous that a stellar restaurant could pull such a switcheroo and why they would want to. Now I know what Antoine’s is, and I still find the commercial hard to take.

When we called for reservations to this fine establishment, we were informed that they do not accept reservations and it is first come, first served. So we decided to get there when they were opening up for dinner. With the extreme humidity that is part of New Orleans charm, we figured this was a wise move. When we arrived there was no line and we noticed a small plaque on the front door, which state that “Gentlemen must wear coats for dinner.” This is no problem as my Bride and I dress for dinner, even when we are on holidays. As there was no line we were given a booth in the front room, which was great for people watching, when we weren’t deeply involved in reading the menu and the wine list.

Soon the room we were in was filled and they started to fill up additional dining areas as is their custom. There was a steady stream of groups coming in for a fine dinner. All of a sudden there were five men that showed up in very casual attire and they demanded a table. The Maitre’de must have made the walk in about five strides from one of the back rooms to greet the men. He politely informed the gentlemen about the dress code requirement and offers to make a phone call to one of the other fine dining establishments in the French Quarter that did not require jackets. The leader of the group began to get loud and belligerent and start swearing very loudly that he demanded that they be served. This went on for several minutes with the Maitre’de remaining very stoic and reserved, but steadfast in the rule. Finally the leader reached into his pocket and pulled out a large wad of cash, as if to influence the decision and announced that he could afford to eat at Antoine’s. The Maitre’de announced that everyone could afford to eat at Antoine’s but they still had to wear a coat. A few more curse words were bandied and the gentlemen left in a huff. The diners in this first room all began applauding that civility was maintained and then everyone went back to enjoy the evening.

What a grand meal could be had at Antoine’s. We debated on whether to share Oyster Rockefeller which was created at Antoine’s or “Les escargots a la Bourguignonne.” The escargot won. My bride ordered “Filet de truite Florentine” (trout poached in white wine in a bed of creamed spinach draped with hollandaise sauce and baked with cheese and fresh bread crumbs) and I opted for “Pompano en papillote” (an Antoine’s original dish of pompano baked in a paper bag with shrimp and lump crabmeat in a white wine sauce). We also ordered a side of asparagus and the “Pommes de terre soufflés” which was highly touted by our waiter. We also gave an advance order for “Omelette Alaska Antoine (pour deux)” (Antoine’s very special presentation of Baked Alaska for two). As the dinner progressed I had forgotten about the “Pommes de terre soufflés.” This large wire basket arrived on the table, which reminded me of a basket of golf balls one gets at a driving range. It was filled with these brown round globes and I had to inquire what it was. They were potatoes that were peeled and sliced paper thin and placed in iced water overnight, then dropped in the wire bucket into one vat of hot oil, then pulled out and dropped into another vat of even hotter oil; which caused the potato slices to expand and become hollow potato chips. They were wonderful, a crispy potato chip with a micro-lining of like a mashed potato. We could not stop nibbling on them until they were all gone.

With as rich of a dinner that we had both chosen, I opted for a white Burgundy. A Puligny-Montrachet “Clos du Cailleret” which is a Premieres Crus. Just a wonderful elegant white wine that had more then ample ability to hold its own against the rich food and sauces that it was paired with. The wine had a beautiful soft golden color, a mellow nose and a wonderful aftertaste. Needless to say we were in heaven.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Antoine's, Burgundy, Clos du Cailleret, France, New Orleans, Puligny-Montrachet | 2 Comments

Commander’s Palace and a Streetcar Named Desire

Posted on July 28, 2012 by thewineraconteur

In February of 1999 we made our first trip to New Orleans. I remember riding the streetcar named Desire. We were staying at the Omni Royal Orleans right in the center of the French Quarter. We had decided to have lunch out of the French Quarter so we had to cross Canal Street to get into the city. Just as we were crossing Canal Street the legendary streetcar named Desire was pulling up to pick up fares, so we jumped on board. As we were getting to our seats my Bride looked out the window and saw a gentleman’s hat shop and looked at the hats in the window and said they have a top hat. I looked also and said that the hat in the window was not the type I was looking for, but that we would stop after lunch and look around. At the moment we had a more pressing need, we were going to the legendary Commander’s Palace restaurant in the Garden District.

I had asked the driver to inform us when we had arrived at the right intersection and he suggested that we get off several blocks early, and walk around the Garden District. That sounded like a great suggestion, so off we went walking around looking at homes of the old South. What a great walk that was, and we were even pointed to the author’s home of Anne Rice. As we came upon the restaurant there was a cemetery across the street and everyone had informed us that we should at least visit one cemetery while in New Orleans. The city is below sea level, so people are buried above ground in special crypts and it was interesting to see some of the family plots and tombstones. Then off we went to the restaurant.

Commander’s Palace was a unique structure with turquoise trim and looked perfect for the area. There was a garden on the property and it was such a unique experience just to enter. Since we were there for lunch the menu was lighter then what would be offered for dinner, but there was more then enough to make our day. Dining in New Orleans is different from all other cities, and I believe one should enjoy the local cuisine.

My Bride started out with a “Mixed Baby Green’s Salad” with a garlic artichoke dressing, and I opted for the Oyster Bisque. She then had a “Louisiana Fried Crawfish Salad” with roasted corn and sweet pepper relish and grilled andouille tossed in a honey mustard dressing and cornbread. I opted for the “Crawfish Maque Choux” which consisted of a sauté of crawfish, corn, okra, peppers and onions in a dark crawfish sauce served with popcorn rice and garnished with bacon crisps. For dessert my Bride had “First of the Season Strawberry Shortcake” with Chantilly cream and I had a Bread Pudding Soufflé with a great whiskey sauce, along with classic New Orleans chicory coffee. As the manager was walking by, he looked at what I was having for dessert and inquired why I had not put the whiskey sauce into my coffee. I informed him that I did not know about or think about such an additive. I also said that the service by the wait staff was so impeccable that they had already cleared the whiskey sauce from our table. He immediately ordered another batch of the whiskey sauce to be made so that we could enjoy our desserts and coffee properly. He then took us on a private tour of the restaurant, gardens and the kitchen, it was grand.

Of course we did have wine with our lunch. It was Chablis from Burgundy, which paired wonderfully with the lunch especially with the crawfish entrees. It had just the right tang for the meal and very refreshing for such a hot humid day. Afterwards our server had the label removed from our bottle and attached to a souvenir card. It was a wonderful way to spend about four hours of the day.

After leaving we caught the streetcar back to Canal Street and decided to enter the hat shop (which is another hobby of mine). I asked for an opera hat, and not one of the inferior wool felt ones that were featured in the window. The gentleman asked for my size and we walked over to a stack of hat boxes that must have towered twelve feet or more. Using a hat box tool, he removed one hat box out of the tower and presented it to me. I tried the hat on for size and my Bride said “Get it; I am tired of you complaining that you don’t have one.” We found another hat as well, and they shipped the two hats home for us. All in all, a great memory of a lunch, a wine and a wonderful afternoon in a historic area; this is what memories are about.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Burgundy, Chablis, Commander's Palace, France, New Orleans | 2 Comments

A Couple of Jumbos

Posted on July 27, 2012 by thewineraconteur

Chianti is the only wine (outside of Champagne and Communion Wine) that was popular and common in my neighborhood of Southwest Detroit. It was not uncommon to know several of the older men who made wine in their basement and this was referred affectionately as “Dago Red.” Chianti is the most famous and known wine in the world. In Italy Chianti was from the region of Tuscany. At one time Tuscan region produced more wine then was made in the United States of America.

Chianti ran from thin poor excuses of wine that were found in the wicker wrapped bottles called fiascos and used to be found in pizzerias to extremely rich and velvety lush wines.
The worst of the problem is that all of these wines were called Chianti. This was a problem that the vintners in Tuscany were faced with. About eighty years ago a “Consorzio” was formed to protect the good name of Chianti and an inner district was created called Chianti Classico, which is about fifteen percent of all Chianti produced. They created a special emblem of a black cockerel on a gold background, and another label with a gold ring around the first circle that reads Chianti Classico Riserva. The Riserva requires three years of aging before bottling.

I had the honor of furnishing the wine for a gathering, and I found these two one gallon bottles of Verrazzano Chianti Classico. These bottles are the equivalent of five regular bottles of wine. In comparison a jeroboam, which is a classic bottle measurement is equivalent to four bottles of wine. These bottles were the hit of the party, and changed my thoughts of Chianti ever since. Another day and another time I will discuss more Chianti and Chianti Classico wines that I have encountered.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Chianti, Chianti Classico, Italy, Tuscany, Verrazzano | Leave a comment

Chateau Croizet-Bages

Posted on July 26, 2012 by thewineraconteur

This was a classified Bordeaux wine that I found in a nightclub when I was in college, and I would periodically keep reordering it. It was so good and it was affordable even at my wages. I would take a date out for dancing and get a bottle of wine for the evening. I would enjoy the company, the music, the ambience and of course the wine. Chateau Croizet-Bages is a Fifth Growth in the classification of the Medoc and it is from the Commune of Pauillac.

By knowing the different communes of Bordeaux, I would look at a wine list and search for a commune that I could afford. Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild was out of my league, but this was a wine that I could indulge in. Come to think of it, I indulged in it quite a bit.

It had all the qualities of a Bordeaux wine, the deep color, the full rounded robust taste, a good nose and full of tannin, which is should have as it was not that old when I was enjoying it. It was the first of many consistent tasting wines that I had encountered. Everyone that tried it with me thoroughly enjoyed this wine.

I enjoyed this wine so much, that it was the first major purchase of wine that I made. I bought a case of it through a wine merchant that I knew. At this point in my wine studies, I had never bought a case of one wine; I used to buy mixed cases to take advantage of case discounts.

I have tried it over a couple of decades now and I am still happy with the way the wine is still aging. I have a couple of bottles left, and I will report on them, as I uncork them.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Chateau Croizet-Bages, France, Medoc, Pauillac | Leave a comment

Sauternes and Barsac

Posted on July 25, 2012 by thewineraconteur

Sauternes is one of the famous white wines of the Bordeaux region, and is acclaimed as a great dessert wine. Always make sure that you are buying Sauternes and not Sauterne. Sauterne is used by other country winemakers to designate their dessert wine, but it is not Sauternes. Sauternes and Barsac are adjacent and each has its own Appelation, though some Barsac wines list themselves as Sauternes. You may also see a designation Haut-Sauternes; this is not a legal designation or reference to a geographic area, usually just a marketing method to mean a sweeter wine from the regular wine.

Sauternes wines are produced differently from other Bordeaux wines. There is a mold, referred to as the “noble rot” which creates shriveled grapes with a higher concentration of sugar per grape (and this does not occur every year). When this occurs the production of wine diminishes, but the finished product is legendary. Even if you don’t like sweet wines, a Sauternes/Barsac wine should be tried at least once in your tasting life.

Sauternes for years was traditionally served with fish dinners in France and Great Britain, for the most part this pairing has ceased, and it is now customary to serve with dessert. It is a wine with a long heritage and had its own Classification of 1855 for Sauternes and Barsac.

Grand Premier Cru (First Great Growth)

Chateau d’Yquem

Premiers Crus (First Growths)

Chateau La Tour-Blanche

Chateau Haut-Peyraguey

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau

Chateau de Suduiraut

Chateau Coutet

Chateau Climens

Chateau Guiraud

Chateau Rieussec

Chateau Rabaud-Promis

Chateau Sigalas-Rabaud

Deuxiemes Crus (Second Growths)

Chateau Myrat

Chateau Doisy-Daene

Chateau Doisy-Vedrines

Chateau D’Arche

Chateau Filhot

Chateau Broustet

Chateau Nairac

Chateau Caillou

Chateau Suau

Chateau de Malle

Chateau Romer

Chateau Lamothe

You may also find some Petite Chateaus that were not listed in the classification, but deserving of a taste.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Barsac, Bordeaux, France, Sauternes | 9 Comments

Bourg, Blaye and Bergerac

Posted on July 24, 2012 by thewineraconteur

In music one often hears of the three B’s, off to the side of Bordeaux is another set of three B’s. The Cotes de Bourg, the Cotes de Blaye and Bergerac are productive wine districts on the wrong side of the Gironde (which encompasses Bordeaux). These two areas were producing wines before the Medoc was even planted. They are classic made wines known as Claret. They unfortunately have been totally eclipsed by the Medoc and even the Bordeaux wines.

They are a full, round and fruity wine that are made to be aged, but seldom are they, as they are considered a “lesser” wine. When the economy gets rough, one sees more of these wines and then they disappear when the economy gets stronger.

The Cotes de Blaye are white wines for the most part, the reds are Appelation Controlee Premieres Cotes de Blaye. The Cotes de Bourg is known for their red wines

Bergerac is in the hinterlands of the Bordeaux region. They are known for their production of red and white wines, including a dessert wine. Some people refer to the Bergerac wines as “Vin de carafe” a step above table wines, but sometimes that is all one needs for a casual dinner or party.

These tend to priced very reasonably even in the restaurants when one can find them, and are a bargain at a wine shop that knows their value.

Posted in Wine | Tagged Bergerac, Bordeaux, Cotes de Blaye, Cotes de Bourg, France | 2 Comments

Pomerol

Posted on July 23, 2012 by thewineraconteur

The adjoining district to Saint-Emilion, though it only produces about 15% of the wine of that Saint-Emilion does. About eighty years ago, Pomerol got its own designation separate from its larger neighbor. It was not included or even considered in the classification systems and to this day it has not been, other than having its own designation.

The wines have an earthiness and a distinctive character different from its larger neighbor or in fact from all the other Bordeaux wines. The individual chateaus are much smaller, hence the production is less, making the wines harder to find in restaurants or even in wine shops. It is worth the effort to try to find some of the wines and to enjoy them.

The greatest of all Pomerol wines is Chateau Petrus, which I am sorry to say I have not yet had a chance to enjoy. The wines of Chateau Petrus are considered to be in the same ranking and price as the first growths of the Medoc. Their production is around three thousand cases a year, which is very small compared to other wineries; and not enough for the demand of this legendary wine.