“It’s My Birthday” Part One

Posted on March 11, 2023 by thewineraconteur

No, not my birthday and not my Bride’s.  While we were staying at Hilton Head Island we made a side trip to Charleston, South Carolina to celebrate with Ms. Yoga.  Ms. Yoga doesn’t live in Charleston, but she decided to celebrate her birthday there and we went to join her.  We pulled into the Renaissance Hotel to check our car in, because it is another city that is difficult to find parking.  Ms. Yoga, had already made arrangements with the attendants, and they were well aware that it was her birthday, not only did they know, but the hotel en masse knew and she even received a chilled bottle of wine with glasses for the occasion. Auntie Mame lives.

Ms. Yoga wanted to start the day off with a picnic in the lobby of her hotel, and we went into a coffee shop there, and they really didn’t have anything of note to add to the festivities, but the young man there suggested that we go to “Caviar and Bananas” only a couple of blocks away to get some accompaniments for the wine.  The shop that we went to had a little bit of everything from lunches to go, beverages and munchies.  So, we got some crackers, a couple different wedges of cheese, and a sausage.  We also got some paper plates, plastic utensils, and napkins.  When we got back to the lobby, I tried to used one of the plastic knives to cut the sausage to no avail.  Ms. Yoga went back to the coffee shop and returned with a knife that would, it was a steak knife by Laguiole, go figure.  While I was prepping our picnic with the impromptu charcuterie plate, the ladies went to get the complimentary bottle of wine and glasses.

As the ladies finished prepping our picnic in the lobby, I opened Ms. Yoga’s birthday present from the hotel, of Can Xa Cava Brut Penedes NV.  The winery was established in 2007 and is part of the wines from the De Andres Sisters and the vines are twenty to forty year olds.  The wine is fifty percent Xarel-lo, twenty-five percent Macabeo and twenty-five percent Parellada.  The wine is aged for nine months before disgorgement, in the classic Methode Traditionelle.  The wine was a pale golden color with plenty of intense smaller bubbles.  On the nose there were tones of apples, citrus, florals, and almonds; and on the palate apples, mousse, some honey, balanced with good acidity, probably a bit sweeter for a Brut, but I enjoyed it, with a nice medium count finish with terroir. 

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Dining at Sea Pines

Posted on March 9, 2023 by thewineraconteur

We were going to eat at The Crazy Crab at Harbour Town which is located in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island.  I found this restaurant on the internet, just like everyone else and Harbour Town has a bit of a reputation, as there is a lighthouse there, that was strictly built as a conversation piece and not for what a lighthouse is actually designed for, and if you want to see the view from the lighthouse, you must pay for that right at the giftshop that is located in the base of the building right off of the marina.  And speaking of paying, to go eat or shop at Harbour Town, you have to pay a toll, which everyone seems to forget to mention in the websites and brochures, etc.  I mean we have taken 17-Mile Drive at Pebble Beach, when we have stayed in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and the toll is gladly taken off at a restaurant, bar or shop after you purchase or dine there.  In Harbour Town such a service was unknown. 

We got to Harbour Town, paid the toll at “Checkpoint Charley” and proceeded to navigate this extensive, for a lack of a better term, a gated community.  The shopping area at Harbour Town looked quite expansive, so we got there early to shop and to walk, which is one of our favorite pastimes.  Even after checking all the shopping and walking around the marina, it wasn’t as large as it appeared.  We went in to The Crazy Crab to relax after our strenuous walk, gets some wine and eventually to eat.  We started off with Castello Banfi San Angelo Pino Grigio Toscana IGT 2021.  Castello Banfi was founded in Tuscany in 1978 by the Italian-American brothers John and Harry Mariani.  Its origins is in their father’s business, Banfi Vintner, founded in 1919 and at one time was the largest Italian wine importer.  The estate encompasses 2870 hectares planted with both indigenous and international varieties.  Their portfolio is huge from opening price wines to muscular and bold “Super Tuscans.” The fermentation is done in Stainless Steel tanks, and then aged on the lees for two months in Stainless Steel.  A pale straw-colored wine that offered notes of pear and florals.  On the palate there were tones of pear and citrus with nice balanced acidity and very easy to start our meal off. 

We started off with She Crab Soup which is very rich and hardy.  Then we split an order of Broiled Scallops and Jumbo Shrimp.  I am getting used to the fact that I can no longer eat like a teenager.  Then we enjoyed a bottle of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Chardonnay Sonoma County 2020. In 1971 Joe Martin planted Merlot and Chardonnay in Sonoma Valley and by 1979 with his business partner Lloyd Canton, they created St. Francis Winery & Vineyards.  They now have over three-hundred-eighty-acres of vineyards with an assortment of terroirs.  This wine is a blend of fruit harvested from several of their estates and grower-contracts in Sonoma Valley.  The fruit is harvested at night and pressed whole cluster in the morning and fermented in different lots.  The wine then undergoes partial Malolactic fermentation and is aged for six months in French Oak.  The soft golden colored wine offered notes of butterscotch, apples and orange blossoms.  On the palate pear and almond with additional tones of almonds and lemon zest with a creamy, balanced flavor and a nice finish of terroir.    

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Island Winery of Hilton Head Island

Posted on March 7, 2023 by thewineraconteur

My Bride and I have not been great travelers, but we are slowly attempting to at least try a wine now, from every state that we visit.  So, we have just visited and tasted our sixth state winery, we have been to more states, but this is relatively a new desire of mine.  As of 2023, forty-eight states produce less than eleven percent of the total United States’ wine production.  Living in Michigan, which has about one-hundred-forty wineries, we are seventh in production (0.319%) and fourth largest grape growing state.  I have empathy for the wineries in other states.

Island Winery is a labor of love for Loren and Georgene Mortimer who met while students at Ithaca College in the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine region of New York State.  After college and a wedding, they opened up Westfall Winery in Montague, New Jersey in 2000.  The winery was a seasonal business and they would spend the winters on Hilton Head Island and in 2006 they opened up Island Winery and for ten years they divided their time between the two; and finally got it down to one winery.  All grapes are shipped fresh to the winery. They have an automatic crusher/destemmer machine.  They do small batch fermentation and select yeasts for certain desirable traits for the batch of grapes and lasts from one to two weeks.  Fruit wines and their white wines are aged in Stainless Steel tanks,  the fruit is aged for a couple of months and the whites for about a year.  The red wines are aged in a mix of French and American Oak barrels for eighteen to twenty-four months.  Then the labels are affixed by hand, six at a time, and most of the labels are designed by local artists.

When we were there, they were offering three whites, three red and four fruit wines and you could do a tasting of six wines for ten dollars.  I was told by the lady at the counter that there was no AVA for any of the wines.  We started with the Harvest White Sweet Muscadine NV, a grape grown on the island.  A pale straw colored wine with notes of muskiness and on the palate notes of sweet tree fruit and a sweet finish.  Next, we had Riesling 2021 from the Rattlesnake Hills of Columbia Valley, Washington.  A soft straw color with notes of ripe pears and citrus.  On the palate ripe pears right through the finish.  The last white was Sea Island White NV which was a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.  A soft golden color offering notes of melon and honeysuckle while on the palate, a nice crisp dry wine with tones of citrus through the finish.  The first red was the Grenache 2020 a dark rose color wine with notes of berries, and on the palate red fruits, very light and vibrant with no tannins and a fruit finish.  The Vintner’s Blend NV was a Rhone style with a blend of Washington State Syrah, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache.  A deep garnet wine with notes of red fruits and spice.  On the palate tones of red cherries, raspberries and truffles, soft tannins and a short finish of fruit.  The last red wine was Joe’s Reserve with a blend of Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Verdot and Viognier.  A dark garnet wine with notes of dark fruits and spices.  On the palate tones of black cherry and black plums with medium tannin and nice finish of fruit. An interesting place to visit and they even encourage that you bring a lunch and picnic on the grounds.            

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Crane’s Tavern and Steakhouse

Posted on March 5, 2023 by thewineraconteur

Our first night on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and I found a steakhouse.  I know that it sounds incongruous to be in the Low Country and going for a steak.  At the turn of the Twentieth Century, Frank Crane founded Crane’s Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Through a couple of different generations and locations, Crane’s Tavern and Steakhouse is now over a hundred years of age.  This location was opened in 1999 and their wines are stored in a temperature controlled cellar.  I found this winery as they are a recipient of Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence.” As we walked in, we saw a classic interpretation of an old style bar, that looks like it could be a hundred years old and made me feel very comfortable. 

Even though they call themselves a steakhouse, we went with seafood for the entire meal.  I learned years ago, that steakhouses can have some of the best seafood around.  We started out sharing an order of Traditional Style Shrimp Cocktail with a great Horseradish Sauce and just a wedge of lemon.  Good old-fashioned jumbo shrimp and nothing fancy.  My Bride had the Low Country Shrimp, lightly sautéed and served over White Cheddar Grits with Creamed Corn, Bacon and Green Onions.  I had the Crab Cakes, which were pan-seared with Rice Pilaf and a Red Pepper Remoulade.  They were the biggest, thickest and crab-stuffed Crab Cakes I have ever had, a true delight and my Bride several times that evening, told me that I had the best choice for the evening.

We enjoyed a bottle of Jean-Marc Brocard (Domaine) Sainte Claire Chablis 2021.  Jean-Marc Brocard established his initial vineyard in 1973 as a gift, and they have since expanded to produce a Chardonnay wine from all four of the Chablis appellations.  They started with one hectare and it has grown to sixty hectares of certified organic and forty hectares of biodynamically farmed land, as well as contracts with some of the oldest vineyards in the region.  The emphasis is on the terroir, and the approach is traditional, they use oak barrels and larger format, they do not use any new barrels.  This single vineyard wine is on the classic Chablis soil known as Kimmeridgian, which is a mineral rich-clay with essential marine fossils and a significant lime content; the trademark clay of Grand Cru wines of Chablis.  A pretty soft-yellow wine offering notes of lemon and yellow fruits.  On the palate, a crisp, fresh fruit with a tangy balance and nice long-count finish of terroir.  An absolutely great first night on the island.      

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Two Cities; Two Mimosas

Posted on March 3, 2023 by thewineraconteur

We woke up in Savannah, packed up, what little we had taken out of our suitcases and we were going to have breakfast.  One of the joys of having the internet bombard you, is that you get constant opposing ideas, like when I was growing up, they had always said that breakfast was the most important meal, now self-important individuals are telling us that is false; I will continue believing the earlier authorities. 

During our walks the day before, my Bride saw another hotel that she saw that had a brunch and she went in, and she saw that they had Steel Cut Oatmeal, her first choice for breakfast followed by poached eggs.  We went to the Andaz Savannah, a concept hotel by Hyatt.  While we were having our breakfast, we confirmed that Orange Juice is now dearer than the sparkling wine being poured for our Mimosas.  We saw the glasses with the wine, waiting as the bartender applied a tincture of the Orange Juice, which is fine, because that is how we make them at home.  To be truthful, I am always interested in seeing what bottle of sparkling wine is used for Mimosas.  They were pouring Duc de Valmer Blanc de Blanc Brut Vin de France NV.  Vin de France just means French Wine and the wine is produced using the Methode Charmat or the bulk sparkling wine method.  There is really no information about this wine, nor the grapes used for Blanc de Blanc, but I guess I can go out on a limb and opine that at least some of it must be Chardonnay.  When I saw the wine across the room, it had a nice white/yellow color and it had medium sized bubbles, even with the tincture of Orange Juice.  It was a very pleasant Mimosa and a great way to start the day.    

We eventually got on the road and a little under an hour, we went from Savannah. Georgia to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.  We were lucky that the hotel, told us to return in an hour and we could check in early, so we did a little walking and shopping.  After we got to the room and unpacked, I looked up a wine shop on the island that had listed as one of their amenities, a wine tasting room.  Our trusty phone told us that the wine shop could be found after about a twenty-minute walk.  We walked to the shop, to find out that only one of the locations had a tasting room, and alas this was not the one.  We had plans on having a charcuterie plate and some wine.  We walked around the shopping plaza that we were at, and found a little bistro, that had Mimosas painted on the window glass, so we went in.  My Bride had a bowl of She Crab Soup, the soup of the “Lowlands” and very rich, and she had a Caesar Salad (of course).  I had a Hot Ham and Cheddar on a grilled croissant.  More than enough for me.  We were going to have some wine, but the only wine we could have was a Mimosa, so we had our second sets of Mimosa for the day.  Once again, we got a chance to watch the Mimosas being made and it reminds me of how some men like Vermouth in their Martini, just in the same room.  They used Duca di Vincenza Bianco Secco Frizzante NV.  Outside of this being an Italian wine, Hercule Poirot would be hard pressed to find any information.  No region, no varietal and no production notes.  We have had worse Mimosas, but we were on holidays and the beverages were wet.  

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The Ordinary Pub

Posted on March 1, 2023 by thewineraconteur

Since, we had never been to Savannah, Georgia, I was trying to find a restaurant that we could walk to, since all of my research showed that parking in the Historic District was hard to find and quite dear.  Truthfully, I would rather spend the money on wine, then on parking, I am kind of a pain like that.  I did some research and discovered The Ordinary Pub and it is the entrance to the old basement of the original Sears & Roebuck and the address is 217 ½ and shades of Harry Potter for my Bride.  A gastropub with the necessary brick walls, leaded glass windows and an old staircase from the sidewalk down and very retro to me, as it reminded me of the English television show The Prisoner back in 1967 with their logo of the old-fashion bicycle.  Two unique experiences at The Ordinary Pub, was that we were seated in the dining room, and every couple or group that came in after us, moved from the dining room to the pub room (we had to question as to whether we had used deodorant in the morning).  The second was when we asked for a dessert menu and we were told quite adamantly, that they do not do dessert, but they sent us to Lulu’s Chocolate Bar, a couple of blocks away that have been voted best desserts in Savannah for fifteen years in a row.  Truly, worthy of the walk.

My Bride actually surprised me, by not having salmon for dinner, she went with their “Fish & Greens” which was Lemon Rosemary Mahi, on Balsamic Lemon Kale Salad with Smoked Rainbow Carrots, Roasted Beets, and Pickled Red and Turmeric Onions.  They had a couple of interesting meat dishes, but I opted for their Lobster/Shrimp Roll Tacos, a group of three Lobster and Mimosa Shrimp Salad Tacos, with Pineapple Pico, Sriracha syrup and Dang Dang Slaw.  The Mahi was perfectly prepared, but my Bride thought that I ended up having the better of the two meals.

We started with our wine at the bar, until they officially seated us at five, and we had Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliane IGT 2021, but curiously on the wine carte it was listed as being from the Russian River.  The winery began in Santa Ninfa, in the province of Trapani, Sicily in 2000.  The vineyard for this wine is from the Valle del Belice, with deep alluvial soils of limestone and sand and clay.  The wine is pure Pinot Grigio that is treated oxidatively to achieve the color that they want.  The fermentation is done in Stainless Steel for fifteen days, followed by an additional two months of maturation in Stainless Steel.  The wine was a straw color to yellow wine that offered notes of citrus fruits and herbs.  On the palate tones of grapefruit, medium acidity and a finish of terroir, a quick way to describe this wine would be green and flinty and it worked well with the Mahi and was perky with the Seafood Tacos. We would go back there, and maybe dine in the pub area.   

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American Prohibition Museum

Posted on February 27, 2023 by thewineraconteur

When we are holidays, we like to eat, drink and if possible visit a museum, and we achieved two of the goals together on our walking around Savannah.  We went to the American Prohibition Museum and there were options; guided or self-guided, drinks or no drinks.  We did the self-guided and we had a drink, as we were a bit parched, as we had only enjoyed some Mimosas in Baltimore. 

“Good behavior rarely makes history” is one of the themes of the museum.  The museum starts off with the American Temperance Society movement in the 1860’s and the effect of groups like the Anti-Saloon League and Carrie Nation and her hatchet as she would destroy saloons.  Eventually the loudest voices created the original Nanny State ruling with the passing of the 18th Amendment on January 16, 1919 and took effect one year later, which banned the manufacture, sale and transportation of intoxicating beverages.  History, even when subjected to revisionists, have not been able to prove that this was a popular and successful law.  The exhibits showed how port cities, like Savannah, Charleston and Detroit were major hubs for “businessmen” attempting to please their customers who were citizens that did not appreciate being denied a pleasure that had only recently still been legal.  There were displays showing ways that the populace were able to circumvent this unpopular law, some ways legal and some ways illegally.  Communion wines, and medical scripts for alcohol were legal if used per your doctor’s instructions.  There were also displays of the violence that evolved from this unpopular law, as well as how social mores changed during the decade.  Another curious feature was not only people making illegal alcohol, but the roots of NASCAR came from the necessity of having to have very fast cars to evade the long arm of the long, as they tried to arrest the makers of moonshine.

We eventually in our self-guided tour ended up at a dead-end, but lo and behold, it was at the door of a speakeasy and one had to give the password that “Gus, sent us” to gain admission.  Out of the list of contemporary cocktails I selected the “Chrysanthemum” which was a blend of Dry Vermouth, Benedictine and an Absinthe Rinse; the rinse was a spritz of Absinthe on the lining of the glass, and I told the bartender in my best Groucho that “Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder,” but I think the quote was lost on her.   My Bride had the “Chatham Artillery Punch” which was a blend of Old Forester Bourbon, Bacardi Rum, Brandy, Lemon, Sugar and Sparkling Wine.  The sparkling wine that they used was Los Dos Cava Brut Penedes D.O. NV from Mundovino Winebow Imports (which is not available in Michigan).  The grapes are from a family vineyard and is a blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada.  After a soft press, each grape variety produces a base wine in steel tank, followed by aging on the lees for ten months.  The juice is then blended and the second fermentation is in the bottle.  I cheated a little bit for the sake of this article and had a wee taste.  A straw yellow that offered notes of green apples and pears.  On the palate there were tones of apple and pear, baked nuts and baked bread, nice structure and acidity.  The cocktail was nice, but my Bride preferred my drink better.  Then we went to discover our hotel and went out for dinner in Savannah.   

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The Start of a Getaway

Posted on February 25, 2023 by thewineraconteur

My poor Bride has been in constant motion, since her Mother died, and even with being the executor, she made arrangements to get away.  With us both being retired, it is a new phase for us, and she is being fiscally responsible.  We had enough “points” to travel to Hilton Head Island, but the airline was always famed for not going as the crow flies, but from one hub to another.  It worked very well, for them for years, until just recently when luggage was a major snafu for them.  It was the first time that we had ever flown with them when the flight wasn’t sold out.  I mean we actually pay a premium with them, to get early seating, as the seats are first come, first taken. They actually had to stagger the seating arrangements, so that the plane could take off properly with weight distribution.  It was also the first time that we only traveled with an overhead bag and a personal under seat bag.  We were up at three in the morning to catch the flight, our usual route was closed due to construction, but we lucked out, as there were not that many crazy people up and at the airport at that hour.  There was not even a place to get coffee at the airport.

After the first leg of our travel, we were in Baltimore at the airport and had our breakfast at Obrycki’s.  We had Breakfast Wraps and Mimosas, I wanted to take a photo of the bubbly, and I was told that it was a Prosecco, but it was from a keg.  The Mimosas were fine, and then we were getting ready for our next early seating arrangement and she decided that we needed some coffee, so she came back with two Cappuccinos, and we were flying to Savannah.  We were spaced once again on this flight, because of low capacity, and it was funny to hear them keep saying, everyone can have a window or an aisle seat. Years ago, when we were in Charleston, we had planned on going to Savannah, but Mother Nature changed the plans, so my Bride made sure that we would spend a night there.  The airport in Savannah was charming and small, and it was extremely easy to maneuver and getting our car for the trip. 

She had made arrangements for us to spend the first night in the historic section of Savannah, and it was great for walking.  I thought parking was rather extravagantly priced, but we were on holidays. It was great to look at the architecture and think of different times.  We even had a chance to go in and look at the great dome of the City Hall building after we went through yet another TSA type X-ray equipment.  There were twenty-two squares in the historic district to explore and I even found a friend there to commiserate with.  I could go on and on with all of the famous songs that he was either the composer or the lyricist for and he even won four Oscars.  So, rather than attempting to warble “Moon River” I just posed with Johnny Mercer, a famous son of Savannah and enshrined Ellis Square.    

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“Le Petit Cheval” Bordeaux Blanc 2019

Posted on February 23, 2023 by thewineraconteur

You may be surprised to find out that I stopped by my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan, before my Bride and I took off for a little getaway.  Immediately, I was spoiled when they poured me some Chateau Cheval Blanc “Le Petit Cheval” Bordeaux Blanc 2019; and they jokingly called it Cheval Blanc Blanc.  Some of you may think of Chateau Cheval Blanc as the star of a film, featuring some rather loathsome characters based in the wine country of central California that lauded Pinot Noir and castigated Merlot.

Chateau Cheval Blanc may be the most famous and prestigious Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend wine in the world.  They also produce a second label red wine “Le Petit Cheval” and then they also have “Le Petit Cheval” Bordeaux Blanc.  Years ago, when I was still in high school, one of my wine mentors told me, that many of the great houses have a wine, that they really only make for themselves and if you ever get a chance, enjoy it.  This was advice given fifty years ago, and it still holds true today.  There are six parcels, almost four hectares on the estate planted with Sauvignon Blanc. After the pressing of the grapes, the musts are fermented in new oak, in demi-muids and wooden vats.  Then the juice that has been stored and racked in these different containers are blended after six months and then they are allowed to age for an additional eighteen months.  The wine was almost crystal in color with yellow and green highlights and offered notes of white fruit, white flowers, herbs and flint.  On the palate tones of peaches and pears, perfect acidity with just the proper amount of sweetness and lilacs.  With the longest count finish for a Sauvignon Blanc that I have ever had with fresh tastes of terroir and more floral tones. It is probably a good thing that my Bride was not with me, as we may have both had to get jobs; I am still enthralled with this wine.

Chateau Cheval Blanc is a Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe A and is considered one of the longest-lived wines of Saint-Emilion easily aging for forty to fifty years.  The vineyard abuts to Pomerol and has thirty-nine hectares, divided into forty-five plots; about fifty-two percent Cabernet Franc, forty-three percent Merlot and five percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  The estate is noted for having a fifty/fifty mix of two types of soils, one of clay and the other gravel.  The estate had vineyards since the 14th Century, but it was the 19th Century when it started getting rave reviews, eventually being considered on par with the First Growth of the Medoc.  In 1955, they were awarded Premier Grand Cru Classe A.  After one-hundred-sixty-six years of continuous family ownership, in 1998, the estate was purchased by Bernard Arnault, head of LVMH and the late Albert Frere, a Belgian investor.  In 2011, they opened a new cellar, and they now have production of about eighty-thousand bottles each year.         

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“What’s It All About, Alfie”

Posted on February 21, 2023 by thewineraconteur

This is one of those train of consciousness articles, that I write periodically, because I feel like I have to write down my thoughts.  For my generation, Burt Bacharach wrote music that we grew up with, and all with music that is greatly appreciated by musicians, because the keys would change and it could go from major to minor, and with wonderful beats and melodies.  I have to tell you, that I was a fan of his father, as a little kid.  Once, I learned how to read, I read anything that came my way, from cereal boxes in the morning to the evening newspaper.  In grade school, I not only read the funnies, but I used to enjoy the columnists of the day, from the local writers, to the syndicated writers, this was back in the day when there were writers and you didn’t get your news from wire services, like today.  I found the columnists were interesting to an eight-year-old, because they were short little paragraph stories and covered a broad range of topics; Manhattan, Broadways, celebrity sightings and one also wrote besides those topics about food and drinks and little “how-to advice” and that was from Bert Bacharach. 

In 1965 my parents had taken me to see an “adult comedy” called “What’s New Pussycat?” and I was eleven years old, and back then we dressed up to see a movie. Then in 1966, the film Alfie came out starring Michael Caine with the great song “What’s it All About, Alfie?” I was twelve at the time, and it was another “adult comedy.” What these two films had in common were hit songs by Burt Bacharach, the son, who became much more famous than his father, but I guess show business does that. And then I think about the other famous songs that he penned since I was eleven, that became part of my life. 

Years later, with my Bride, we dined at the South Beach Brasserie, which was owned by Michael Caine, hence my opening line.  It is in an Art Deco building, as they all seem to be on Lincoln Road about six blocks from the famed Collins Avenue.  The décor had a lot of mirrors, more in keeping with the area, as opposed to what I would consider a proper Englishman’s haunt.  The menu was what I would refer to as “fusion” as there was a mix of European dishes with an Oriental dash of flavor.  There were a couple of classic English dishes, which we passed on.  I had a pan seared Red Snapper that was served with Asian sides, and my Bride had a Seafood stew with Jasmine Rice (that caught her attention).  We had a bottle of Benziger Family Winery Chardonnay Carneros 2003.  The winery began in 1980, when the Benzigers purchased the Wegener Ranch on Sonoma Mountain in Glen Ellen.  The estate property is thirty-five-acres and they have long-term leases in other AVA sites.  They began transitioning to biodynamic farming and released their first certified wine in 2001.  The family owned the winery until 2015, when it was sold to The Wine Group.  A pretty golden wine with notes stone fruits, spices and oak.  On the palate tones of peaches, vanilla, herbs, well balanced with a nice buttery finish, perfect with the fish.  And that is how my brain meanders from one subject to another and finally to wine.              

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