Day 1 Pinot Camp

Sunday morning, day 1 of Oregon Pinot Camp (OPC) came quite early. Even though I was a good boy & went back to my hotel early, & didn't go to Lumpys, that alarm clock was still a little jarring. However, I quickly realized that I was in Willamette Valley & was about to embark on a magical experience. That woke me up fairly quickly! I put on my super fluffy robe & sauntered down to the shared Euro style bathroom & showered. Once clean, I dressed appropriately comfortable & headed down to the bakery next door to grab a coffee. I hopped into my rental & drove the 1.5 miles to the McMinnville Comfort Inn where my bus (RED BUS! WE'RE HOT!) was picking up. I was one of the first up by the bus so I offered to help my camp counselor decorate said bus. We lined the bus with red streamers, flames & other sorts of "inferno" type things. As more people started filing in the counselors popped open Argyle Brut 2000 sparkling wine a super delicious 60/40 pinot noir chardonnay blend. What a way to start the day! They had orange juice on hand for mimosas but screw that! I didn't want to sully my beautiful bubbles with OJ! We finally loaded onto the bus & headed off to our first destination. Upon arriving at Evergreen Vineyards & Aerospace Museum we were greeted by a gorgeous breakfast spread with local salmon, homemade pastries, local eggs, local berries & delicious coffee. We ate adjacent to the famous Spruce Goose of Howard Hughes fame. That plane was the size of Rhode Island! It was HUGE!! At breakfast I met two very nice people from Arkansas, Erin & Mark, & a very nice woman from Iowa, Elyn. After breakfast we headed into the IMAX theatre to be introduced to the participating wineries of OPC 2009. A young boy, all of 15 maybe?, walked up to the podium & told us about how his father, the owner/winemaker of Brooks Vineyards, died last year. He explained that everyone up on that stage & throughout the Willamette Valley banded together & helped them finish out the harvest, bottle the wine & pretty much saved them during this horrible time. He said that if it weren't for those people his family's winery wouldn't have made it through. I imagine it would have been difficult to find a dry eye in that place. After the introductions we watched a brand new HD film about the birth & future of the Willamette Valley's wine industry. I hope this film gets released on the web because it truly was a moving piece about a marginal area & the dreams & aspirations of a small group of dreamers who strive to create world-class wine.






Next it was back on the Red bus & on to Archery Summit Vineyards for a seminar on winemaking. The barrel room at AS was cool, moist & dark with a multitude of barrels holding sleeping wine. We were led through a series of three different stations about three different stages of wine making.

Station A:
1. Harvest
-Determining ripeness
-Picking

2. Reception
-Equipment & processes

Station B:
3. Pre-Ferment
-Modification of Must
-Additions to Must

4.Fermentation
-Management of Extraction
-Pressing-Managing Tannins & Texture

Station C:
5. Aging
-Maturing
-Barrels

6.Finishing
-Blending
-Stabilization
-Bottling

After these in depth seminars with the likes of Jason Lett & David Adelsheim we were treated to a delicious wine country lunch out on the gorgeous patio overlooking the valley. Red Hills Provincial Dining catered a lunch of roast pork sandwiches, minted pea salad & a few other delicious little things that are escaping me now.





As we dug into the yummy spread all of us were gazing around at the beautiful scenery & beginning to make friends with one another. Most everyone there was open, friendly & cool but there were a few pompous wine jerks who thought they were the be all end all of wine. Cmon!! Get over yourselves! Anyway, I digress. The conversations swirled from Txakolina to gruner to expectations of the rest of Camp. We were an interesting bunch, some from Iowa & Tennessee, some from Chicago, Charlotte, Vegas, UK. All in all everyone was just ecstatic to be there & loving every minute of it.

Oysters! Oysters!

Tuesday July 28th Sole Restaurant will be hosting an oyster & wine tasting at 6:00 p.m. Elizabeth Mall of Delta Wholesale has personally selected the wines to pair with each oyster course. The tasting will be very casual in style & will include 5 courses with 5 wines. Cost to attend is $40/person plus gratuity. To reserve a spot call Sole Restaurant at 901.334.5950.

New Article. Summer Vino.

Check out my new article on summer wines here.

Carova Milk Bar Summer Edition

The lovely Elizabeth offered her gorgeous Midtown bungalow for the first meeting of The Carova Milk Bar in a long, long, looooooong time. Why has it been so long? I really don't know. Memphis blessed us with a tolerable Summer evening; & by tolerable I mean it was ONLY 90 degrees. So we began with Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir 2008 ($25.99 at Joe's) out on the patio. E already had a lovely spread of olives, sausage, cheeses & sushi waiting for us as sipped. Next up was a Vincent Girardin Morey St-Denis 2001. The aroma was brimming with dark cherry & forest floor, on the palate the wine was rich & dark with tart cherry & a sort of tea-like tannin. It was heavenly with a red Cerignola olive. Lance & Fiona popped open the first of their wines, a 2007 Neal Family Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley.

Elizabeth had the first course, a super summery salad of butter lettuce, toasted walnuts, fresh cherries, creamy blue cheese & a gorgeously elegant ginger-sesame vinaigrette. First off, I'll admit that the wine we chose to pair with this dish seems like an odd pairing or even a mistake. However, isn't experimentation kind of the point? Anyway, I digress. Richie & Meagan so kindly shared with us a DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate 1994. This blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot & cabernet franc had aged into a gorgeous, sensual little thing. The rich liqueur-like fruit had softened into a woodsy, dried fruit, pantry spiced red wine that had a haunting presence. The cherries in the salad made the wines texture explode with voluptuousness yet still remaining elegant enough for the salad. Our next wine was a Peter Lehman Eight Songs Shiraz 1999. Its amazing how it takes 10 years for a Aussie shiraz to calm down to a state of drinkability. To be perfectly honest, I really am not much for Australian wines but this one was pretty special. The decade of age had turned this from a bombastic fruit laden alcoholic monster into a spicy, sweet moderately bodied viscous Rotie-wannabe. Its not often that I get to taste something that makes me realize how much I need to keep an open mind at ALL times.

The next selection was from Elizabeth's cellar, a Robert Sinskey Cabernet Franc 2001 Los Carneros. Lower quality, overcropped cab francs reek of stewed bell pepper. The hallmark of a excellent one is a pepper quality yes, but more of a black peppercorn. It also had a plum skin aroma that was lively & rich with hint of violet. The wine's velvet texture was smooth & supple with a lively finish.

For our next course yours truly prepared a Provencal Fish Stew with pernod, fennel, white wine, cod, flounder, scallops, shrimp & homemade shrimp stock. To pair with this I brought a Domaine des Baumard Savennieres 2006 ($30.99 at Joe's). The waxy, honeycomb notes & bright acidity really matched well with the fennel & pernod. Those flavors in the stew really amplified the texture & minerality in the wine. The rich broth poached the fish just perfectly....if I do say so myself.

Our next wine was also courtesy of yours truly, Martinelli Lolita Ranch Pinot Noir 2004 Russian River Valley. I love how a big, brawny, masculine pinot comes from a woman, the legendary Helen Turley. At 5 years old this bad boy could have gone another 5 easy. The nose was all dark, dark cherry & brambly fruit with fresh wild herb & earthy mushroom. This wine was big & rich with a sensual lusciousness that was voluptuous & at 15.8 alcohol I was shocked at the balance. Then again that shows how much of a deft hand Mrs. Turley has with this ripe fruit.

Next course was provided by Richie & Meagan. Their home-smoked salmon baklava was a savory twist on that Mediterranean classic. Crispy layers of phyllo dough encased salmon they smoked themselves folded with honeyed goat cheese & dill. They topped it with creme fraiche, flying fish & smelt roe & fresh dill. That gorgeous little dish was paired with a spicy little sparkler, Szigeti Gruner Veltliner Brut NV Austria $20.99. The white pepper & stone fruit notes amplified the smoky-sweet flavors in the salmon-klava. This bubbly also woke up our palate after the previous reds.

Lance & Fiona lavished us with another vinous beauty, Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste 1995 Pauillac. Ok, so here's the thing. I am really just not a Bordeaux guy. I know it may sound weird but I'm just not. However, again I was shown how I should always have a wine open mind & palate. Its not often that I get to taste something so classic & traditional as a Pauillac. This right here was a wine from a region that has made countless winemakers across the world fall in love with wine, plant grapes & make their own wine. Lance said that the last time he had this wine it was a bruiser, soooo we were initially going to decant. After a little preliminary taste through by Richie & I to confirm the order we decided to skip the decanter. 14 years of bottle age had softened it & integrated its power & weight into velvet soft texture & dark, tart red currant fruit.

As if we needed anymore food at all, Kelly plated up his chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches that he made himself (I'm so proud!) Elizabeth turned to me & said "alright. why don't you head downstairs into my cellar & pick 2 wines to open." !!!!! Wha wha Whaaat?? What to do? What, what to say? What to pick? Should I? Shouldn't I? I remember saying "I don't really know if you want me down there...WHOOSH! And off I flew downstairs followed closely by Richie & Meagan. Oh would Elizabeth regret thiiiis. I stopped myself from pulling anything that was too outrageous, well....kind of. We emerged upstairs with Williams Selyem Zinfandel Forchini Vineyard 2002 & Michel Chapoutier Les Meysonniers 1998 Crozes-Hermitage. We weren't all that bad because we did tell her that we would be more than happy to take them back downstairs & try again. Elizabeth just smiled & said "pop em!" The W-S zin was first. It was all brambly, wild red raspberry, fig & clove. The palate was sweet but balanced with a really cool earthy spice note. 7 years had been very good to this wine, it lost none of its prowess & presence. What made this wine special was not only that it was really very delicious, but that Elizabeth chose to share this beauty with us. Well kind of chose.... The Chapoutier was next. One whiff & taste & I turned to Kelly & said "this is like beef bourginon!" It really was! It was meaty & rich with layers & layers of savory, earthy notes. The finish lingered for what seemed like a millennium. It was truly spectacular.

The wine, food & great friends made this summer evening something I won't soon forget.

Last night the Carova Milk Bar met for the first time in forever. Many bottles & outstanding dishes were sacrificed in the name of gluttony. Details to follow.

Just drank a beautiful ros? from Penner Ash Cellars. Lovely salmon hue with bright full cherry fruit in the palate.

OPC Orientation & Dinner at Torii Mor Vineyards & Winery

The first night of Oregon Pinot Camp (OPC) was jam packed with things to do. From 4-7 was the Camper Orientation at Ponzi Wine Bar where all 50 participating wineries were pouring. At first it seemed a bit overwhelming. All these wines....sensory overload...! Once I picked myself up off the floor I realized that I need a game plan. Must have bubbles. I visited Soter Vineyards table & sampled their stunning Brut Rosé. In the glass it had such a gorgeous pale fleshtone with nice slow moving tiny bubbles. Super delicious. Up next was a sip of Argyle 2005 Brut which was filled with toasty, yeasty orange peel & apricot marmalade notes. The dosage left a hint of sweet fruit on the palate. I also tasted bright citrus, cooked apple, rainier cherry & a supple rich finish. After these two bubbles it was on to some still rosé from Soter. It was light pink/salmon with a distinct aroma of chalky, rocky soil & crushed cherries. The palate just made me smile. Fresh, bright & fruit with a soft, dry finish. I think at that point I just grabbed some salmon & sat down to take it all in. I...just couldn't believe I was actually there! Looking around I saw wine geeks just like myself sipping & spitting with big smiles on their faces. The winemakers were pouring their wines & chatting with those of us who were curious enough to ask questions. Everyone was emanating pure happiness. It was great. I do wish that my fellow campers were a little more eager to interact with one another but maybe they were quietly soaking it all in like I was. After OPC orientation I made my way up a long winding gravel road to Torii Mor Vineyards & Winery. I was invited to a casual backyard cookout by Marge & Ron Olson, the winery owners. I arrived a little early so I was the first one there. There were bottles of pinot gris, pinot blanc & riesling chilling as well as magnums of 2004 Olson Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir. Their home & tasting room are adjacent to their 35 year old Olson Estate Vineyard & situated atop the Dundee Hills Appellation. Their dog Corky conveniently laid at my feet waiting for me to drop my lamb burger stuffed with feta & sun dried tomatoes. The setting was absolutely stunning. Perched at the edge of their deck I could look down into the valley & across it to Mt. Hood. Their Olson Estate Pinot Noir easily matched the setting. It was rich with dark cherry & earthy spices on the nose. The palate was silky textured, round & beautifully balanced; so sensual & fleshy. This was just ridiculous! Was I really here?

Time for A Change

Just fishing here. How many of you would like to see Tennessee change the laws to allow in-store wine tastings in retail wine shops? I for one would love it if we could.

The Willamette Valley Experience

Its been awhile since I've flown by myself anywhere. But for this trip I had to suck it up & fly without Kelly because Oregon Pinot Camp is for the wine biz & by invite only. This stunning site was my welcome mat to Portland, Oregon.




There were folks from all of the U.S., UK, Japan, Canada & Europe. It was a veritable melting pot of wine folks from all over the world. After stepping off the plane I picked up my rental car & drove straight down to McMinnville. I was lucky enough to have stumbled across Hotel Oregon online & I'm glad that I did. The other hotel selections were Comfort Inn & their ilk. Hotel Oregon is a boutique Euro-style (meaning shared bathrooms) hotel in a renovated bank/retail office building. Its funky, cute, cool & loaded with personality. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind sharing a bathroom. After checking in I headed down a few blocks to have lunch at La Rambla. McMinnville has this awesome little village vibe with great shops & restaurants. La Rambla specializes in authentic Spanish cuisine. I haven't eaten like that since Barcelona. My first plate was Jamon Serrano (heaven) on San Simon cheese over homemade grainy toasted bread.



This dish was pure Spanish bliss. Mmmmmmmm.

My next plate was a Tortilla Espanola with egg & potato served over classic Romesco sauce & topped with garlic aioli. On the side is a little salad with chopped hazelnuts, dried blueberries & hazelnut vinaigrette with manchego cheese.



With a full belly I was ready to face the winemakers at Saturday night's OPC (Oregon Pinot Camp) orientation.

Pic info

Sorry, the photo below was taken by me (on trusty iPhone) at Stoller Vineyards in Willamette Valley.

Thank you

I really just have no words. What I just experienced in Oregon was something I'll never forget & never be able to recreate. I've been blessed. The people in the Willamette Valley wine industry are some of the most open, collaborative, friendly & sharing people I've ever had the pleasure of sharing a glass of wine with. They opened their homes, their kitchens, their bottles & their wealth of knowledge to me & for that I will always be grateful. Thank you Oregon.

Back from Heaven

Just got back from the Willamette Valley. I'll be posting soon!

Rhoney Rhone

I sampled two outstanding Rhone rangers recently. Graff Family Vineyards is a small producer in the Chalone AVA of Central California. They specialize in Rhone varietals & they do them justice. Their 2005 Consensus is a blend of 94% Syrah 4% Mourvedre & 2% Viognier. It has a beautiful purple/ruby color in the glass with aromas of blueberry, smoke, beef, soil & anise. The aromas are bright but not overpowering. Flavors of dried meat, blackberry & a viscous texture are evident on the palate.



Next I tried Gloria Ferrer Syrah 2002 Carneros. Yes that Gloria Ferrer. I was surprised that they produced anything but bubbly. The real surprise was in the glass. Aromas of cassis liqueur, bacon fat, smoked meat & blueberry-balsamic compote were leaping out of the glass. The palate is still very vibrant, round & super super delicious. There were flavors of blueberry, beef, clove, pepper & a sort of violet-vanilla thing going on. Tasty tasty stuff. I apologize for the photos. Iphone is great but pics, not so much.

A Little Vacation

My very good friend Emily said something very inspirational to me yesterday. "Memphis has a lot to offer. It is a pretty exceptional city & we should live like we're tourists in our own city." With that being said she took me to a Sakura sushi out in Germantown. Admission: I am one of those people who makes it a point of not venturing out East. I don't like it out there. I don't feel comfortable out there. It doesn't seem to have any personality...ok I'll stop there before I piss someone off. But I stopped & thought to myself "why the hell not?" I'll break out of my comfort zone! The sushi was delicious & the company even better. Emily makes me laugh so hard & I always have a good time with her. On top of that she is cute as hell & sharp as a tack. After our sushi extravaganza I suggested that we go somewhere that neither of us would think to go. We ended up at Folk's Folly, an East Memphis steakhouse institution with leather & wood everywhere & wingback chairs with low tables & a piano in the bar. At first glance, not my scene. But we had a great time sipping on Castello di Monastero Chianti Classico 2006. This Tuscan beauty lies somewhere between modern & traditional styles. The nose has a concentrated cranberry-raspberry compote aroma with a bit of fennel/anise. The palate is balanced with bright acidity, moderate tannins & tangy fruit. Thanks for such a good time Emils!

Dinner at the Majestic Grille

For those who haven't dined at the Majestic Grille, I highly suggest that you do. They have perfected very good, simple, bistro food. Who doesn't love that? Last night we celebrated Kelly's moms birthday at the Majestic. The space is beautiful (its in an old theatre), the service is spot on, portions are very nice & the food is delicious. Kelly & I both had a ceasar salad which was perfectly briny, not too much garlic & creamy without being gluggy. For my entree I had the smoked salmon appettizer & the chicken/bacon flat bread. The salmon was cold smoked, perfectly seasoned & was accompanied by capers, onions, horseradish sauce, mustard sauce & crostini. My flat bread was obviously hand thrown. It had the rustic semi oval shape of a hand tossed pizza with a perfectly crispy, snappy crust & a creamy, garlicy bite to the toppings. I would have had a glass of wine or two but after this weekend I needed a little break.

Tasty Memphis

This past weekend was Kelly's birthday so I decided to take him out for a little wine & good eats. We began at Restaurant Iris for a cocktail on their comfy cute patio. I had a glass of Quinta do Portal dry rosé 2007. It had a deep crimson color (almost looked like a pinot noir) with aromas of overripe raspberries & earth. On the palate I tasted super ripe strawberries, almost a pickled watermelon note, clove & it had a weighty viscous texture. A delicious glass but I think it might have needed a bit of Chef Kelly English's Neola Farms beef shortrib Raviolo.

Next we ventured onto Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen. We started with a couple splits (187 ml) of Zardetto Prosecco. I really wish more restaurants offered these one glass sized bottles of bubbly because I love beginning a meal with bubbles. They're fun, tasty & open up the palate. Kelly ordered the polenta to start & being a vegetarian the chefs made him a meat free white wine & tomato sauce to top it with. It was creamy & heavenly.

I began with the seared scallops with fennel, braised leeks & a truffle vinaigrette. It was unctuous, earthy, sweet & so incredibly delicious.



Next I had the lamb sirloin with artichokes, fingerling potatoes, olives & tomato. The lamb was cooked to a rosy pink & was so tender & delicious. This particular cut is only slightly gamy with a nice toothsome texture. The natural jus it was in tasted as if it had been fortified with garlic, veal stock & wine. The sauces pungency was a perfect match with the delicate earthiness of the lamb.



The entire dish perfectly complimented the Domaine Drouhin "Laurene" Pinot Noir 2004 Dundee Hills, Oregon. This wine was rich, concentrated & filled with earthy dark cherry & hoisin notes. But to tell you the truth I think I opened it too soon. It could have used another 5 years. Oh well, it was so damn tasty!

West Coast Tasting June 25th

Selections from the U.S. West Coast (Oregon, Washington & California) will be poured at a wine tasting on June 25th from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m at the Vine (map). Come join me & the rest of the Joe's Wines staff as we lead you through a selection of 35-40 of the best wines these states have to offer. Cost to attend is $35/person. The ticket price will be deducted from the purchase of a case (mixed or solid) if you place an order that evening. Other special discounts will be offered along with a variety of picnic style snacks to nosh on. The wines will be delicious & the company will be even tastier...if I do say so myself! Stop by Joe's to purchase tickets.

Joe's Wines & Liquors
1681 Poplar
Memphis, TN 38104
901.725.4252

It's coming back!

Check out my recent post about one of the best dry rosés in the world (at least in my opinion Samantha). We will have the Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir 2008 $25.99 back in stock at Joe's Wines, 1681 Poplar, on Wednesday June 10th. Get it while you can. I know for a fact that the winery is sold out so after its gone you'll have to wait until next year for some.

A lesson in Economics

The very same goods & services cost differently in different markets, cities, states etc. No one would think twice about seeing the same house cost vastly different in Memphis than San Francisco. So why exactly is it ok to complain or annoyingly point out that a bottle of wine cost differently elsewhere? It drives me mad!! This woman yesterday complained that she bought the same bottle of sangria in New Orleans for $5 cheaper. I got news for ya lady. YOU AREN'T IN NEW ORLEANS!!!! First of all, Tennessee has one of the highest, if not the highest, alcohol tax in the country. Second of all, different stores buy different amounts of the same product. The more the store buys of something, the less it costs them & therefore the less it retails for. Third, bottled sangria? SERIOUSLY? You're going to complain about some god awful rot gut? I wish I knew where she worked so I could go in & point out how differently I paid elsewhere for the same goods or services she offers. I'm sure I'm alienating people by writing this post but its my blog & I just feel the need to vent.

Best Quote Ever

"If chardonnay is a lap dance than riesling is a slow tantric orgasm of flavor"
-Terry Thiese

The Best Rosé in the World

Ok. I know that's a strong statement but I just can't help myself. Every year that this bad boy comes out I just squeal like a little child & call my sales rep every day until it arrives in my store. Rosé wine is the only thing that keeps me sane during the disgustingly oppressively ridiculously hot & humid summer months in Memphis. This particular bottle is the holy grail of dry pinks. The biodynamically farmed Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir 2008 Los Carneros District of Napa Valley is, in my opinion, the Domaine Ott of the New World. Actually I don't know if that's the right comparison because Ott under delivers & is overpriced. I guess what I mean to say is that this is the New Worlds best example of a well made dry rosé. The color is like a rosy cheek on someone who is sexually excited, faintly flushed capillaries. Normally this color is misleading on this particular bottle given that its palate is usually just the opposite & not faint at all. But this year its austere, elegant, razor sharp & so bright & clean with a barely under ripe wild strawberry note & hints of melon. The nose exhibits white raspberry, rainier cherry & a kind of moist rock quality. Its really good juice which the very thought of puts a smile on my face. Unfortunately, we at Joe's bought up the entire retail allocation which sold out in 45 minutes. Normally I wouldn't blog about a lovely little pink that no one else can get in Memphis (I also got an email that this wine is sold out at the winery, sorry!) However, I heard a rumor that the distributor might be getting more so I'll keep you posted if I get some more in.

New Article

Check out my new article here.

Oregon Pinot Camp 2009, coming soon

After trying for almost 2 years I finally got invited to Oregon Pinot Camp! So I've booked a little Euro-style room at Hotel Oregon in McMinnville. Anyone stayed there? I'm also looking for recommendations on hotels in Portland. I don't want anything too expensive. Just comfy & cool & near to fun bars, restaurants etc. Any restaurant recommendations? I think I'm going to eat at Beast, Naomi Pomeroy's restaurant. Anyplace else I should check out? Or what about winebars, lounges, divebars? Help!! I leave in a month.

Thinking Pink

I've been away for a bit, sorry. Stella is taking up a lot of my time & energy keeping her from doing the things she is not supposed to do. Her leg seems as though it is healing up the way it should & she is happy as can be. Hopefully the vet will say as much on Wednesday. So, even though it has been beautiful cool weather the past weekend it has been getting warm here in Memphis. The one good thing about summer, I hate the heat, is all the good dry pink wines to choose from. My latest favorite is Zaca Mesa Z Gris Dry Rosé 2008 Santa Ynez Valley, CA ($17.99 at Joe's Wines, 1681 Poplar 901.725.4252). You can't tell from the image above but it is a faintly pink wine, almost more salmon than pink. Its very provencal in style with notes of dried raspberry, a hint of brine & herbs on the nose. The palate is deliciously bright, with mouthwatering acidity, fresh strawberry notes, a medium bodied weight & a luscious finish. A bottle of this, a plate of olives & a sunlit patio with friends would be absolute heaven.

I Need A Glass

Sometimes I just need a good glass to blur the edges a bit. Tomorrow our little baby girl, Stella, is having knee surgery. She is still acting like her little puppy self & not like she's about to have ACL surgery. Not a clue. I, on the other hand, am a total wreck. Needless to say I could use a glass of wine.....or two. Magnificent Wine Co.'s House Wine Red 2007 has been a go to wine of mine since it hit the market last year. I originally tried it a few years ago on vacation in Louisville. It offers so much bang for your buck. At $13, I really feel it over delivers for the price. This yummy little Washington red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, cabernet franc & sangiovese. Its dark, luscious, spicy & bursting with currant, plum & blueberry fruit. Its exactly what I need to take the edge off my nervousness for my little baby puppy dog's big scary surgery.

Tilth, After Drooling For Over a Year.

A few weeks ago we were in beautiful, cool Seattle. Now I'm in balmy 80 degree Memphis. Sticky. Humidity short circuiting brain.

While in Seattle we dined at Tilth. I had initially read about this restaurant in the New York Times last year when it was named one of the Top 10 best new restaurants OUTSIDE of New York. I was drawn in by the photograph of this beautiful old house painted an earthy green tone. It just seemed so warm & cozy. The restaurant focuses on local, sustainable produce, meat, fish, etc. Since I was on the veggie tip on my last post, I'll start there. There are two dishes that stand out in my mind. Kelly ordered the cassoulet based on earthy, creamy, unctuous beans with wild chanterelles & Oregon truffles. Simply superb! I know, I know! Cassoulet without duck confit & duck sausage! If it makes us feel more comfortable we can call it something else.

The second dish was absolute heaven. Braised pork cheeks over a pig trotter cake in a pancetta-parmiggiano broth. Honestly, I wish I could describe this dish but I really don't think I could come close. The only thing I can say is that it gave me the same feeling I used to get when I was in my grandmother's kitchen smelling those sweet/savory smells & eating her incredible food. It paired perfectly with an rich, earthy, truffly, dark cherry laden Evesham Wood Pinot Noir 2006 Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon. I plan on seeking this winery out when I go to Oregon Pinot Camp in June. Cheers!

No I'm Not Going Vegetarian But...

Kelly & I went to Whole Foods in East Memphis for a class on veggie burgers taught by my very very good friend Justin aka The Chubby Vegetarian. His Lentil-Mushroom burger was absolutely outstanding! It was meaty & earthy & was a perfect meat substitute. With Kelly becoming a vegetarian I'm always looking for ways to update my cooking repertoire. I still love me some meat, as anyone who has visited this blog will see, but damn those veggie burgers were yummy!

Go on over to Justin's site & get some recipes from him.

Even More Surfaces...

Check out this post at Dr Vino, click here.


The way I feel about is that sure we would love to all take advantage of freebies. I'm just being honest here. But that can dilute the enthusiasm about a particular wine region because it basically amounts to being bought & paid for, in a sense. For example, when I went to Taste of Washington recently I did so on my own dime. There were some trade events that I was not charged for, such as entrance to the Grand Tasting & a trade tasting on Friday, but I paid for everything else. Travel, accommodations, even my seminars on Saturday. My enthusiasm & passion for Washington wines is a result of my own curiosity & insatiable desire to learn more. Not because I was bought off.

Hilarious!!

This is quite possibly one of the most entertaining email exchanges I've ever read in the wine world.

Washington Is Grape Heaven

I've returned from my first excursion to Seattle for the Taste of Washington....& it was truly one of the best & most well planned series of events that I have ever attended. For someone like me, who is in the biz, it was amazing. But anyone who enjoys good wine would love the Taste of Washington. To see some of my rockstars (Chris Camarda, Charles Smith, Ron Bunnell, Chris Upchurch) & taste their wine was an experience like no other. I sat in on a couple seminars about two "grand cru" vineyard sites; Klipsun & Champoux. Patricia Gelles, owner of Klipsun, is an English transplant who saw the winemaking potential of Red Mountain in Eastern Washington in the early 80's. Her vineyard supplies the raw material to such luminaries as Lachini, Januik Cellars, DeLille & small group of highly sought after wineries. Bruce Schoenfeld of Travel & Leisure led both the Klipsun & Champoux seminars. What I found really interesting was his observation of the uniqueness of WA state. "It has long struck me that Washington may be the most unique wine growing region in the New World," he said. "Vineyards are not monopoles." This allows the showcasing of many different styles of making wine from the same vineyard. Its blatantly obvious that the true stars of WA are the vineyards. However, the winemakers put their own spin on the beautiful raw material they are given. I immediately got the impression that Patricia was a force of nature.

Bruce: "Have you ever turned a winemaker who has asked to purchase some of your fruit?"
Patricia: "I have. If I taste some of the wines they've previously made & don't like them I shall refuse."

John Bigelow of JM Cellars recounted a story of when he was trying to get into the winemaking business. He went to Patricia to try & buy her fruit & she refused based on his inexperience. With his tail between his legs he went to Pete Hedges of Hedges Family Estate & asked him if he could buy some of his fruit. Hedges said that he didn't have any of his own estate fruit to sell but he did have some very expensive fruit from another vineyard that he wouldn't mind selling. That vineyard: Klipsun! John & Pete agreed on a price & John left feeling very accomplished. Shortly afterwards he ran into Patricia & said "I'm getting some of your fruit after all, isn't that great?" Her response: "No you are not." She explained that she controls who gets her fruit & would not stand for anyone superseding her authority. Patricia promptly rang Pete Hedges & gave him an earful for trying to sell off some of her fruit that he had contracted to purchase. Thankfully, she did take pity on John & finally agreed to sell him some Klipsun grapes.

Patricia: "Washington merlot on its own has such substance & depth. California merlot doesn't have that kind of grip even at triple the price."

She couldn't be more right. I'd had merlot from WA in the past that I thought was exceptional (Milbrandt, Andrew Will, Nelms Road) but never had I been subjected to such an overwhelming merlot. Good...no...GREAT merlot. Not the thin watery, hollow swill from most CA producers but dark, luscious, supple, gripping, spice laden, fruit laden deliciousness. Merlot haters, get the hell over yourself & get on board with this fantastic elixir. Seriously.

It really was a unique experience to taste a group of wines all from the same site. We tasted three wineries, Januik, JM, DeLille. A barrel sample & a finished wine from each plus two Mystery wines. One from Klipsun & one not.

The Klipsun wines all had similar opaque purple cores with dark red rims along with similar plum-like aromas. While they shared similar characteristics it was how they expressed them in different nuanced ways that was so cool. They also all shared a liqueur quality on the nose & palate with significant concentration.

Taste Washington!

I'm in Seattle right now. Came out here for the Taste of Washington; a series of trade tastings, seminars, networking & a Grand Tasting focused on the wines of Washington State. It has been a whirlwind to say the least. The seminars were very eye-opening & fun, one was on Klipsun Vineyard the other I went to was on Champoux Vineyard both are grand cru sites in WA. I'll update with a more extensive post after I return to Memphis. Today I'm off to the Grand Tasting. Wish me luck!

Grilled Cheese Not Quite So "Top Chef" style

The great cheese off has came & went. Last night Justin & I battled it out in a hardcore grilled cheese throwdown......ok not really hardcore, just fun. We had been discussing this contest for quite some time. From the get go I knew I wanted to do something with a gouda style goat cheese. I don't know why other than the fact that I LOVE gouda goat. I was considering a second grilled cheese, something sweet rather than savory. However, I just couldn't come up with anything at the market. So, I picked up some Mahon cheese from Spain to complement the gouda. I grabbed an avocado as well. The unctuous texture of the avocado, I speculated, would work well with the cheese. Earlier in the day I caramelized some onions in hopes that they would add some sweetness & depth the sandwich.

Upon arriving at his home, I discovered that Justin had similar ideas. He had caramelized onions as well, but added extra punch with sage & rosemary. Hmmmm....this was going to be a tough one. As we unpacked our goodies, Amy poured both Kelly & I a glass of wine. Justin & I both got to work grating cheese, I sliced up my avocado & bread. I chose a roasted garlic boule & Justin decided on a large French bread. We both layered our fresh breads with the goodies & got to griddling. After they were significantly golden brown we sliced them up & served them to our significant others, & ourselves of course.

I gotta tell you, it was tough going up against Justin. No matter how fun it was, & it WAS super fun, part of me did really want to win. But I had to give it up to Justin. His grilled cheese was packed with flavor, his caramelized onions packed some serious richness & sweetness. They added so much. But the biggest factor was the all important "gooey" factor. It is paramount that a grilled cheese has serious goo. My grilled cheese, while delicious, just wasn't gooey enough. Oh well! This "cheese" off was too much fun.

Don't Let This Economy Kill Our Culture

Get out & eat! Dine in Memphis' amazing independent restaurants now! Help them survive this economic crisis & really couldn't we all use a good meal right about now??

I don't want to turn around & see that some of the best restaurants I've ever dined have closed their doors. These people are our friends, neighbors, relatives, etc. Places such as Restaurant Iris don't just provide food & drink they provide an experience, something you'll never forget.

Don't forget about them now when they need you the most. Support what makes this city great! Get out & eat in our independent restaurants!!

Dark & Stormy

I've been bad about posting, I know. I'm sorry. I just haven't felt as though I've made much to say lately.

Last Saturday at The Cove (a great bar on Broad Ave right off of Hollywood) I was turned onto a cocktail that I've never had before; a Dark & Stormy. It is approximately 1 1/2 oz of dark rum (preferably Goslings Black Seal) to 6 oz Ginger Beer with a twist of lime. It has just the right amount of sweetness with a hint of dark molasses & spice from the ginger. I think I had 2 or three that night.

Last night I re-created this recipe at home with Goslings & Reed's Ginger Beer that I bought by the 4-pack at Whole Foods.

Delicious again. I have a feeling this is going to be my cocktail of choice for the hot Memphis summers.

First Big Trip of the Year

I'm going to Seattle for business. Seattle is a city that I've always wanted to visit but just haven't gotten around to. Any recommendations for restaurants, wine bars, wine shops or anything at all?

Colome Torrontes 2007

Sometimes I can just taste the stress & hard life at the edge of the world in a wine. Wine is just more interesting & has more personality when it has to struggle, much like people. I had the pleasure of tasting just such a wine on Friday, Bodega Colome Torrontes 2007 Salta, Argentina $15.99. The vines are biodynamically (no small feat at this altitude) grown between 5000 - 8000 feet above sea level in high desert. At that altitude they are stressed to their limit & have to struggle to produce fruit. That struggle produces grapes that have extra thick skins & juice that is super concentrated producing a wine that is rich but not cloying or heavy. Its aroma gives away its relation to the muscat grape with floral, candied notes of ginger & jasmine. With a silver cloak & gleaming translucency I thought that the palate would be light, brisk & clean but I was wrong. On the palate I found a rich, concentrated & broad wine that lingered with flavors of papaya, guava & a glycerol almost lanolin-like texture. A life of struggle can yield beauty.

Grilled Cheese "Top Chef" style

So, my friend Justin & I are having a grilled cheese contest. I was trying to decide what wine to pour alongside. What do you pair with grilled cheese?

Crisp White for a Crisp Night

I know we are headlong into the rich, ripe, full bodied red wine season BUT I am sipping on a simply delightful white wine right now. Cousino Macul Sauvignon Gris 2008 Chile. Hopefully I'll be able to get this in the store soon. If so, it will be around $14. The sauvignon gris grape is similar to sauvignon blanc in its expression. It has a grassy, mineral-driven, citrus peel aroma with a mouthwatering & crisp acidity & citrus laden palate. The wine is dry but has a luscious fruit flavor that is lovely on its own but would be lovely if paired with steamed clams, fresh oysters or a red snapper torta.

Brewed in February

Contact Joe's Wines, 1681 Poplar 901.725.4252, for tickets & further information.

The Beautiful Vines of Gigondas.

This video is so cool.

Dad Turned 60!

My parents don't look old. Not by a long shot! My folks came down to Memphis this past weekend to celebrate Dad's 60th birthday. It is hard to believe he's 60, referencing my previous statement. They are both very full of life & energy & have been & always will be the best parents in the history of the universe. Anyway, they got in Saturday early evening so we popped open a bottle of white wine (Lackner Tinnacher Gelber Muskateller 2003 Austria still some left at Joe's but not much) & caught up. The wine was crisp & bright & very fresh tasting given its 5 years of age. After that was through we headed up to Restaurant Iris for a couple cocktails & their fantastic Boudin. We capped the night off with a couple burgers & appetizers at Cafe 1912. Best burger in town by far. Juicy meat, Maytag blue, bacon & garlic aioli. Kelly had goat cheese ravioli & a Lyonnaise Salad with no bacon because he is avoiding meat. Going vegetarian isn't much a of a stretch for him given that he's not much of a meat eater to begin with. Dad & I capped the night off with a couple scotches (Balvenie Doublewood 12 yr old, oh so good) & some political discussion. On Sunday I had already planned out what I was going to cook for dinner & had it ready in the fridge. Rack of lamb, risotto, haricot verts & chocolate pots de creme. For Kelly a Naked Chicken soy chicken cutlet. I started by marinating the lamb & fake chicken with basil puree, garlic, wine, salt pepper & a dash of red wine vinegar & let that sit for about 2 hours. My sous chefs (Mom & Dad) diced the shallot & garlic for the risotto, which I sauteed in olive oil. I had Dad stir the arborio rice & slowly ladle in the warm stock until it became creamy & the rice had released its starch. Me being the "alpha cook" that I am I kept stepping in to stir or add stock. Dad kept saying to me "don't screw up my rice!" all while sipping from his wine. That wine was a Soter Vineyards Pinot Noir 2006 North Valley, Oregon. At first it seemed a little light & shut down. But after a bit of time it developed & fleshed out. It became rich, round, supple with dark cherry, a hint of tea & clove & just a bit of lavender. Lovely. Absolutely lovely. Even my Dad remarked on how delicious it was & he doesn't like pinot noir. He is more into big, bold, rich red wines. So of COURSE I had to open something like that. For wine, I thought the lamb needed something with earthiness, acidity & dark red fruit. I pulled out my last bottle of Neitea 1998 Tuscany, Italy, a blend of sangiovese & cabernet sauvignon. This dark Tuscan beauty is just now ready to drink, I can't imagine what this was like upon release. It was just perfect for the lamb with the perfect amount of tannin, dark fruit & acid to cut through the gaminess of the meat. But we weren't done yet. Its not a birthday without some dessert, right?? With the aide of my trusty, sous chefs I prepared a dark chocolate pots de creme. First, scaled some half & half & milk with a little organic sugar. In a heatproof bowl I whisked together 5 egg yolks & tempered them with the hot liquid. Then I added all that back to the sauce pan & stirred it on low heat until it became a custard. I poured that custard over chopped dark chocolate, let it sit for 2 minutes then whisked it together until fully melted. The trick to its smooth texture is to blend it. I used a stick blender or wand, but you could use a traditional blender. What better way to end a meal than chocolate? I think Dad liked it because his ramekin was empty before any of ours. I forgot to take a pic until AFTER I took the first bite, oops.

Beer Glorious Beer!!

Click here for an incredible story about Dogfish Head Brewery. Joe's Wines has this beer, the Palo Santo, that they are talking about. And it's goooooood.

The Actual First Gourmet Excursion of 2009

I must apologize. In my hastiness to post about Sunday's amazingly delicious team effort dinner, I stated that it was the first gourmet experience of 2009. That wasn't true. Hop on over to The Chubby Vegetarian to read about our incredible dinner last Saturday.

Gourmet Start to 2009

Last week Richie & I were discussing getting together to drink some good wines. We came up with the idea of meeting at the market with our wines & letting our selections dictate what we cooked. Yesterday we met at Whole Foods at 5 p.m. Kelly couldn't make it because he had to work on his lesson plan for his first day back, booooo.

I brought a Cayuse Syrah 2001 Cailloux Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley. My wine inspired me to prepare a blueberry & spice glazed grass fed NY strip with tomato & bacon risotto & haricots verts with parmiggiano & truffle oil. Richie & Meagan's wines were Delille Cellars Chaleur Estate 1998 Columbia Valley, WA & Andrea Oberto Barolo 1991 Piedmont. Yes, I have to admit, this was one HELL of a lineup! Their wines inspired them to prepare a Moussaka. Plus they felt that this particular dish would also pair with the steak.

Upon return to their beautiful kitchen, we began to cook. With Richie & I acting as her sous chefs, Meagan began by preparing the Bechamel sauce, boiling the sliced potatoes & frying the eggplant. Next she browned the ground lamb & onions. Meanwhile I mixed together blueberry preserves, pepper, salt, garlic, white wine, smoked paprika & cumin for my steak's glaze. I slathered all that goodness all over the grass fed beauties & let it all soak in. Next I turned my attention towards the risotto. I browned some diced bacon & set that aside. I added olive oil & some bacon fat to a pan & sauteed shallots, garlic & arborio rice. Then I added chopped tomatoes, some tomato juice & a ladle of warm chicken stock. I stirred until all the stock was incorporated & repeated until the rice was soft & creamy. We through the steaks on the grill & seared them
medium rare.
















About 30 minutes before plating we opened the Oberto Barolo to check it's progress. The Nebbiolo grape is notoriously hard edged & rough in its youth. But with age....Oh it just becomes something so elegant, beautiful & sensual. Winos talk about Burgundy being the ultimate sensual red. For me its an aged Barolo (or Brunello, love that!). This baby didn't disappoint. The aroma was all dried leaves on an Autumn forest floor, hints of truffle & mushroom, dried rose & violet. One sip just rippled through my body as if silk covered hands gave me a quick rub down. This was something special. So elegant, sensually caressing my palate & leaving a lasting finish on the back of the palate.

We decanted both the Cayuse & the Delille due to our speculation that both would be big & rich. We weren't disappointed. The Cayuse was laden with smoky notes of espresso bean, cocoa, blueberry & jerky/smoked meat note. The palate was rich & round but not heavy or too over the top, balanced in everyway. The flavor profile played off the glazed steak & risotto very well. The cocoa notes paired with the Moussaka quite nicely. The Delille was a bit more refined in its expression. An 11 year old Washington Bordeaux blend, who knew??? It had dark notes of minerals, dark currant, a hint of flowers. On the palate was a full body, nicely integrated tannins & an underlying dark texture that kept evolving in the glass. This wine paired perfectly with the Moussaka & even played off the gaminess of the grass fed beef well.

All in all, a perfect food & wine event. I can't wait to see what 2009 has in store!

A Special Cuvee for a Special Restaurant

As I noted in an article in the Memphis Flyer (click here), Restaurant Iris is getting a exclusive cuvee from Robert Turner Winery. It is a testament to the level that Iris is operating at that an ultra boutique, high quality producer would bottle an exclusive blend for them. I had the pleasure of tasting the Robert Turner Winery Restaurant Iris Cuvee Chardonnay 2007 Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley not 2 hours ago & I'm absolutely in love with it. Thats saying quite a lot coming from me considering that chardonnay is one of my least favorite varietals. As readers of my blog, you can attest to the fact that I've almost never written about chard. But this is something different entirely. Immediately the nose gave off notes of clove, apple skin, vanilla, hints of licorice & cinnamon. The palate was rich & layered with ripe pear, a luscious texture, mouthwatering acidity & a finish that stayed on my palate for an incredible duration. What struck is that I kept wanting to return to the glass to smell & taste again. It seemed to give me a new expression of flavors each time. That is, to me, the utmost sign of quality. When a wine holds my attention & brings me back to the glass time & time again thats when I know I've got something special.

Since this is a unique cuvee, Iris won't have much of this wine for a very long time. Go now! Experience this wonderful juice for yourself.

Giving

In my business the holidays slip away very quickly. Who am I kidding it shoots right through everyone's fingers no matter what your profession! Amidst the insanity there are moments of calm enjoyment & pleasure that make me exhale & think to myself that no matter the craziness going on around me I can count on my family & friends to show me what the holidays are all about. Our very good friends Becca & Lee took Kelly & me out for a surprise dinner at The Blue Fish last week. We dined on one of the most delicious (& dangerous to harvest) animals on the planet...whole Alaskan King Crab. They don't call it Deadliest Catch for nothing, but I can see why they go to all the trouble. The friendly & very personable server brought out the whole crab for show before it went back into the kitchen for preparation. This delectable monstrosity took up an entire tray, not a little cocktail tray but the ones used to carry out 8-10 large plates to big tables. It looked almost prehistoric or alien with its pointy hard shell, multiple plump limbs & large claws. I could barely contain myself. The server prepared the crab for us by cutting off its juicy appendages, placing bowls of drawn butter by each of us & flipping the carapace over to reveal the succulent lump meat at the joints. As we all tore into our crustacean each of us remarked on how fun the process was & how it reminded us of being children. I hear that Blue Fish has just a small handful of these coming in for New Year's so jump on them now before they are all gone. It is simply delicious & so much fun. Thank you again Becca & Lee! We love you!

It Doesn't Always Have to Be a Special Occasion......

Sorry about the lack of posts, I've had the crud thats been going around. Luckily I was well enough to go out for dinner for my anniversary. We initially tried to go to Andrew Michael but they were booked up until 9. Oh well, better luck next time. So instead, we stopped by Joe's to pick up a little something special. I love all things Italian, of course, & Kelly loves Barolo....so we grabbed a 2001 Claudio Alario Barolo. 2001 was practically a perfect year in Piemonte, everything just came together beautifully from rain level, fog, all that. This perfect storm produced wines that are almost indescribable. Nebbiolo is without a doubt a grape type that needs some time to develop, soften & come together. With 7 years in the bottle I knew this was beginning to be ready, even though it could easily age for another 13. We popped this baby open & decanted. Immediately what struck me was the aroma of tar & dried rose petal........& that was just from the decanter across the table. Once I took a big whiff of my glass I got notes of truffle, forest floor, dried black currant & a sweet spice note that I couldn't quite place. This is what is exciting about wine. When I can't fully discern what a wine is expressing to me than I know its something special. Every time I sipped, I inhaled deeply & got more layers of aroma. Every time I sipped, the textures & flavors hit my palate in a different way. This wine is something special & made our anniversary that much more special. 7 year old Barolo & 7 years of love. How perfect.

Under the Weather

Uggh. I've got the ick that is going around. I'll be back with more posts after I get over this.

Aged Soave

I've said it before & I'll say it again. I am blessed with some ridiculously great friends (see my previous post about a little goodie from Becca & Lee). Last week my friend Elizabeth texted me to say that she had a book for Kelly & 2 bottles of wine for me. Score! She came over to talk vino & snack on a little dinner while catching up. When she unveiled the bottles I was taken aback....Pieropan Calvarino Soave 2004. 2004! Soave with some bottle age? Never thought to hang on to Soave. The garganega grape has never struck me as one built to go the distance. Granted yes, it is only 4 years of age but some whites fall apart after just a couple of years. Still, I've learned my lesson & I always keep my mind open. I needed to explore this on my own. The next night I popped open the bottle & poured a glass. It was a rich golden tone with a clean translucency. The aromas were of slightly poached apples, hazelnut & vanilla cream. The palate was round & full but not heavy with a crisp acidity on the finish. That finish just lingers & lingers & lingers. Thank you Elizabeth!!!!

My very good friend Becca gave me a plethora of gourmet deliciousness for my birthday. One such yumminess was a bar from Vosges Haut Chocolat. Anyone who hasn't heard of this chocolate company, go out & immediately buy anything you see from them, no matter how weird it sounds. The founder & head chocolatier, Katrina Markoff, starts with the best quality cocoa beans & crafts them into an unctuous & sublime chocolate. Many would be satisfied to stop there. Not Markoff. She adds in spices, herbs & even meat to create a flavor, texture & even aroma that has never been experienced before. Olives? Check. Smoked sea salt? Check. Curry? Check, & even bacon, yes bacon. The above bar, thank you Becca!, is called the Naga Bar. Its filled with curry powder & coconut in a deep milk chocolate & its....oh....so....incredible. What struck me immediately was how aromatic it is. The combination of mildly spicy curry & chocolate gives off a dark, savory sweetness that is exotic yet comforting. The snap of the coconut flakes adds a nutty sweetness & the chocolate itself is slow melting & not too sweet. I think I'm in love.

Ever Had Your Birth Year?

My friend Ken Neill invited Kelly & I over to his house this past holiday. Its a tradition of his to have his children & extended family over for a holiday meal & something special. Each year he opens up a selection of wines from some of his family's birth years. Now this was simply astonishing. I've been lucky enough to drink some old wines, but this was something truly exceptional. Before we got into the birth year blowout, we sipped a few aperitif wines. Ken poured me a glass of 2005 Kia Kaha Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand. Given the age of this wine, I was curious to say the least. Sauv blanc from the new world is not built for aging. However, this tasted fresh, crisp & refreshingly delicious. Before sitting down to dinner I also had a glass of 1999 Prinsi Barbaresco from Piedmont, Italy. Readers of this blog know how obsessed I am with Italian wines so this was a nice treat, a nebbiolo with a little age on it. The color was a dusky rust tint with a dark core, aromas of rose, smoky tar & a ripe, rich texture in the mouth.

The first birth wine was a 1996 Landmark Damaris Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma County in honor of Ken's grandson JD. The color was, just as I expected, dark gold...almost amber tinted. The texture was similar to a light Madeira. It was juicy, with a soft acid that was barely detectable with a nuttiness on the finish.

Next was a 1994 Erath Reserve Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard Willamette Valley in honor of Ken's grandaughter Neill. Ken wasn't expecting too much from this bottle, but I was very excited & kept an open mind. Obviously Ken's cellar is the optimal storage facility so I had faith that the Erath would be drinking good. The wine had a dark core in the glass that gradually gave way to a ruby/brick color that dissipated towards the rim. On the nose was a wild, earthy, dried spice & fruit aroma that wafted up like smoke off a camp fire. It was still very much alive...& delicious. What a way to drink Oregon pinot noir, with a little age on it. The texture was succulent & velvety, like I imagine a silk scarf would feel like if I licked it.

Up next was a 1982 Robert Keenan Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley in honor of Evan. The color was still quite dark & the aroma had dark dried currant & leather on it. Unfortunately the palate was done for. It came on with a little fruit & spice but quickly dissipated.

Our next endeavor was a 1977 John Walker & Co Pinot Noir from Central Coast California in honor of . JW & Co is a wine merchant in San Francisco who over the years has had wineries bottle certain cuvees specifically for the store. This particular pinot was from the original Chalone Vineyard! The cork was a bitch to work with, completely disintegrated on me when I attempted opening it. Thank goodness for the decanter & filter. Its color was muddled & odd but the aroma was all earthy, mushroomy, dried clove, tea leaf....like they made this in an attempt to beat the Burgundians at their own game. Which makes sense considering back then, in the '70's, CA winemakers weren't going after the stratospheric brix levels that they are now. They were into subtlety much like their old world counterparts were. I digress. On the palate was a finely aged pinot noir. Silky, wildly textured, dried cherry & cola with a sensuality more than a flavor. Yes we had a bit to drink by now but this was a wine I felt rather than tasted.

Next was a wine I couldn't believe I was about to taste. When Ken showed me the lineup for the night it took every ounce of willpower not to scream & jump up & down. I wasn't seeing things, I was actually about to taste a 1971 Chateau Margaux. Oh......my. This rare & special wine was in honor of Ken's daughter, & my good friend, Molly. She is also pretty special & rare! The wine's color was alive, dark & without a hint of muddiness, with a gradual color transition working its way out from the core from dark ruby to pink. Aromas of sweet grass, hay, clove, dried cherry, currant, earth & leather spun out of the glass. This wine was still very much alive. Tasting it sent shockwaves of texture throughout my mouth from top to bottom & across my palate. It tasted of rocky soil, clove, vanilla with a presence that seemed to say "I may be 37 years old but I have a lot of life left." The finish continued on & on, I lost track really.

The last wine of the night was a 1966 Chateau Beau Site from the Saint Estephe district of Bordeaux. While opening this bottle to decant, Senator Steve Cohen pointed at the bottle & said "Saint Steve!" Hmmm. Our oldest wine of the night was in honor of Sherman, Molly's fiance. After the appropriate toast Marlinee stated that the was actually for her husband Max who himself was born in '66 & whose birthday was the very next day. We hoped that was going to be the only declaration she made that evening. I say that with the utmost love, Mar. Back to the vino. Its 42 years of age barely registered in the color. While there was a brick tint to it, the hue wasn't faded or thin looking. The one thing that shone through the most on the palate was the cocoa bean & coffee. It was almost immediate, very vibrant. The weight was surprisingly full for its age, it spread across my palate with a luscious texture & flavors of leather & dried cranberry.

Wow. What a night. Thank you so much Ken! I can't wait until next year!

The End or ?

One of the most inspirational people in the culinary Illuminati of Memphis is closing up shop. My friend Alyce Mantia is shuttering her eponymous gourmet deli & restaurant, Mantia's. Its almost TOO sad to report. Over the 8 years I've been in Memphis, Mantia's was the place that would inspire me to prepare some of the finest meals I've ever experienced. She became my friend, sometime employer, & over all culinary guru. Every time I would even think about heading over to Mantia's I would become giddy with excitement. What better way to pass the time than to purchase exotic cheeses, oils & spice blends? This shop wasn't just a retail store it was a destination. I could always count on Alyce & Joanna to be there with smiling faces & a recipe idea or story. There is nowhere in town to buy Jamon Serrano, which I think is VASTLY superior to Prosciutto di Parma. Nowhere. She kept a leg of this jamon to slice just like it should be done in Spain. I'm going to miss this place. I'm going to miss seeing the duck fat in the freezer next to the Buerre d'Isigny. I'm going to miss my favorite tuna salad in town. I'm going to miss the giant wheels of Humboldt Fog. I'm going to miss the way Alyce would pronounce French perfectly. Her Cassoulet was the most amazing dish I have ever tasted. Whatever Alyce does next I'm sure will be excellent. I love you Alyce!!

Spelunking We Will Go!

Christmas has come early. This past Monday we tasted through a slew of reduced priced wines at one of our wholesalers. There were a couple dogs yes, but what I found were some truly exceptional gems. Sadly, not every wine is appreciated when it is brought to market. Some of them are misunderstood, unappreciated or disregarded for reason or another. Many wines just aren't ready to be drunk upon release. Not every buyer in town understands these things. Fortunately, we get to reap the benefit of these poor bypassed wonders (such as the Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir from the previous post!). One such standout was the Gregory Graham Syrah 2000 Napa Valley. 2000 was not necessarily considered the best vintage in Napa, but if there is one thing I've learned its to not always listen to the critics. This dark, blue velvet toned wine was rich & unctuous but a little closed off at first taste. I went back to it after tasting through another 20-some wines & this second time it seemed almost awkwardly pungent. But I just knew something was there, I could feel that it was going to blossom.....& did it ever. After work the next day I poured myself a glass from the open bottle & took a big whiff. The nose had developed into a thick perfume of smoke, bacon fat, drying blueberry, beef jerky, fennel & clove. The palate was fleshy, rich & dark with a round unctuous texture that still displayed some bright acid. Bright enough for the rich dish it would need such as lamb with black olives, peking duck or braised pork tagine. There are next to no bottles left so the minuscule amount that we get in at Joe's will surely go quickly. I know I'm going to grab a couple for my cellar!

The Small Guys Make Good Juice

Well its not as if this is a news flash or anything, but smaller producers just seem to make wine that is so much more expressive, beautiful & emotional than the big guys. Today I had a 375 ml bottle of Papapietro Perry Elsbree Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005 Russian River Valley. Not only was it a rich, luscious, velvety, silky, expressive pinot but it also had presence. That certain something that instantly registered as...well, special! The range of food pairings immediately ran through my mind. Duck with cherries, jamon serrano with manchego & olives, lamb shoulder in a red wine glaze, figs & goat cheese. Mmmmmmmm.

The Tube

Is anyone watching the new Top Chef? What do you think of the first episode?

Something Different

We were lucky enough to score some Novy Family Winery Blanc de Noir 2007 Willamette Valley $26.99. It may sound like it but it is NOT a sparkling wine. I know, I know wines designated a Blanc de Noir are typically sparkling but this (as my post title states) is something.....different. 2007 wasn't necessarily the best vintage for Oregon. Therefore, Siduri/Novy wanted to make the proverbial lemonade from lemons. Winemaker Ryan Zepaltas crushed their pinot noir grapes & immediately ran them off their skins so as not to pick up any color. Hence the Blanc (white) de Noir (from black grapes). The wine does have a slight flesh tone to its hue, but this beauty is all about the aroma & texture. The nose gives off aromas of star fruit, passion fruit, clove, white raspberry & a hint of soil. On the palate is a ripe viscous texture that is not overwhelmingly heavy (think of a balanced viognier or grenache blanc something Northern Rhone) or weighted. Its balanced with a bright acidity & a somewhat lanolin-esque finish. My immediate thoughts when tasting this was that it would be perfect paired with all the upcoming holiday dishes. Turkey, dressing, ham, even lamb!
Find this at Joe's, I'm not sure if anyone else got any. Yours truly had them send a sample bottle in since this market wasn't slated to receive any of this wine.

Going Veg

My friend The Chubby Vegetarian has prepared countless delectable, meat-free meals in his kitchen. One of the many things I love about him is his love of butter. Sorry vegans but you are only depriving yourself of soul-enriching goodness by avoiding butter so just get over it. His tomato-leek confit is simply sublime. He has made his own vegetarian sausage, roasted hen of the woods (tasted like a fresh seared halibut...so GOOD!) stuffed morel mushrooms. I could go on but I'm suddenly STARVING. He has inspired me to explore more vegetarian focused cookery. Yesterday I prepared a baked pasta to serve for lunch or dinner, busy week. I mixed organic whole wheat shells with sauteed onions, garlic, wild mushrooms, Field Roast's Italian Sausage, Oregon brandy, cream & some cheddar. There's some veggie love for ya!

Bubbles

Given that Obama won the election, I think its time to celebrate early rather than wait for New Year's. When it comes to celebrations I reach for Champagne. I know, its kind of cliche but I use any excuse to pop the bubbly. My current favorite is Chartogne-Taillet NV Brut, $53.99 at Joe's. This is a family owned Champagne house, a real farmer fizz. I can truly taste the love & affection that goes into this bottle. Unlike the industrial river of never ending, one-dimensional bubbly (Clicquot anyone?), Chartogne Taillet is complex & expressive. On the nose are aromas of toast, orange marmalade, mushroom & preserved lemon. The palate is creamy, bright & citrusy, with hints of earthiness, a luscious texture & a long, lingering finish. Maybe President Obama will pop a bottle on his first day in the White House!

Oh...so...good

No secret. I love Italian wine. Love it. Love it. Delicious juice. This little beauty is an amazing score. Villa La Selva Felciaia 1998. With 10 years in the bottle this wine is fleshed out with a luscious texture, aromas of fennel blossom, dried cranberry, earth & a bit of barnyard. On the palate are tannins that are still very pronounced with a rich texture, dried cranberries, dried raspberries & a lengthy finish. I'm drinking it by itself but I think it would blossom with a braised beef dish, grilled lamb or even a plate of salami & olives. Sorry about the picture, it just wasn't turning out the way I wanted it to look. Find it at Joe's.

Sorry

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I sliced open my hand & its been uncomfortable to type. I promise to have some posts up soon.