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Graham Beck

While Kelly & I were in NYC recently we stopped by the wine bar Xai Xai in Midtown Manhattan. I was intrigued by it after seeing it profiled on Wine Spectator in a video with James Molesworth. When we stopped by, it was a Wednesday around 5 p.m. & there was only one other couple there. I ordered a glass of the Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2006 for Kelly & a glass of the Graham Beck Brut for myself. The bubbly was classically styled, with toasty notes, a creamy texture, beautiful beading & a round texture. It was a perfect example of South African winemaking. That region is producing wines that straddle the gap between the Old World & New. I don't believe this winery is available in Memphis, but hopefully it will be very soon.

Meat & Vegetables

This weekend I had two excellent meals that really stood out not only for their excellent quality but also for their polar opposition in the same genre. The first was at our friends Justin & Amy's house. Justin is an amaaaaazing cook who just so happens to be a vegetarian. As we walked in the door, Amy poured us a cherry-basil mojito (she is a master mixologist!) that was perfectly minty, sweet & refreshing with just an undertone of basil. Justin had prepared a mexican spread like no other: grilled corn with vegan mayonnaise, parmiggiano, chile & lime; quesadillas with cheese & vegan chorizo; black bean tamales & a spread of different salsas. The meal was outstandingly delicious, full of a variety of different bright flavors & just that right amount of heat which paired well with a 2006 Chateau Marouine Cotes de Provence rose & 2006 River Aerie Malbec, Columbia Valley. Justin just amazes me every time he prepares a meal for us. I am a without a doubt a meat lover, even though I don't eat it often, but I never...ever leave his dining room feeling unsatisfied in anyway. Hell, after this meal I was so stuffed I couldn't finish dessert!

The second meal was also Mexican in style & theme. Our friend Kristy's birthday was Saturday, in honor of the special day she & her husband Jeff had a mexican fiesta. Nice sombrero Jeff! First of all, the margaritas were fabulous. There is just nothing like a fresh margarita, it was obvious that they had gone through the trouble of juicing fresh limes instead of using a mix. Outstanding!! The dish that stood out to me the most was the goat. I have never had goat before so I was extremely curious. Kristy gets the meat from a farm in Iowa (I'm pretty sure she said Iowa) that humanely raises its livestock & uses no chemicals, hormones, etc. Jeff prepared the goat in a dark sauce laced with chilis, cumin & I'm not sure what else. The goat was succulent & tender & just melted on my tongue. The sauce had a smoky heat as opposed to a spicy heat that savory-sweet at the same time. I must say that I would definitely try goat again.......as long as Jeff is preparing it! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTY!!!!!

Wine Tasting

This just in:

Joe's Wines next big tasting will be held at the Vine, 1819 Madison on Thursday June 26th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Cost to attend is $35 per person. They will be pouring a selection of wines from around the world, with each station focusing on a particular region (Austria, Washington, California, etc....) If you would like to purchase tickets, please stop in the store, 1681 Poplar or call 901.725.4252. With gas prices so high, why not skip your vacation & come to a wine tasting instead?

Post Vacation Depression

We just returned from NYC on Saturday & reality has set in. We are already planning our return, I'm planning my return to Morrell (to stock up on more incredible bottles & to converse with the lovely Harriet) & Kelly is planning our move to the city. Seriously, he wants to live there. I had hoped to do a bit more shopping for some boots & jeans but it just didn't work out that way. Instead, I spent my shopping budget entirely on wine but hey that was my plan anyway! We ended shopping only a little bit....but eating & drinking a LOT! We found a few lovely little wine bars:

• Morrell Wine Bar: This cozy but beautiful locale was next door to one of the best wine shops I've ever been to. It had an extensive wine list & a menu of small plates perfect for sharing. We had a few glasses of rose (Kelly's was from Provence, mine was from Bandol) & a plate of charcuterie. The bar was curvy & sleek with a wall of wine to the left of the entrance. Very cool but very comfortable place.
  
• Flute: This former speakeasy is below the street in a dark space with multiple pockets of plush seats & couches. The small but excellent selection of champagnes, sparkling wines & cocktails are perfect for a early evening. We found this place at about 5:05 on a Friday after walking around & sweating our asses off. Try the Marquis de Sade cocktail. I won't spoil it for you.
  
• The Bubble Lounge: This Tribeca spot boasts an unbelievable amount of Champagnes & sparkling wines. Kelly & I found this place the last time we came to NYC & couldn't wait to return. This lounge is very cozy with exposed brick & dark red chairs & sofas. I love, love, LOVE Champagne so I was just a sucker for this place.
  

Viva Italia!

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Man-hattan

Kelly & I are in NYC right now. Just got here yesterday & it is hot as HELL. I should be used to this having lived in Memphis for 8 years, but it still doesn't help. Our driver was taking us over the Brooklyn Bridge & just happened to mention that it was 102 degrees! We didn't let that deter us from doing some exploring on foot. We happened upon Morrell Wine shop next to Rockefeller Center. We must have looked like vagrants because one of the wine stewards followed us & stood near us to prevent shoplifting! Hey, I can't blame her, I probably was soaked with sweat & stinky so....But after she engaged me in conversation & learned my tastes we were having a good time & I was spending too much money on really good wine. Kelly made a very interesting observation that "New York has places like this Morrell in one of their most heavily touristy areas. Memphis has rib & burger joints & shops that sell silly bobble heads or other crap. That shows you the different plane that New York is operating on."

For dinner last night we made reservations at Perilla in the West Village. We are huge Top Chef fans so naturally we wanted to eat at Harold Dieterle's (the 1st Top Chef winner) restaurant. The decor & layout were very beautiful. However, on this boiling day it seemed as though they didn't have the air conditioning on. That wasn't pleasant, but we got over it. The second strike was the poorly made sidecar cocktail. Kelly was not happy about it but he drank it. It needed more lemon & more sugar on the rim to balance it out. However, as soon as we sat down at our table we were very excited about the menu in front of us. Kelly decided on the spicy duck meatballs for a starter & I chose the halibut cheeks. Both were outstandingly delicious. The meatballs came with a raw quail egg on top that melted into the broth. Fantastic. My cheeks were seared crisp on the exterior with a juicy interior. For our entrees I had the roasted duckling breast & Kelly had the ricotta ravioli with fiddlehead ferns & truffle butter. Oh my goodness...We chose very wisely. Both dishes were perfectly cooked with delicious layers of flavor. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Manhattan. Just call ahead & ask if the a/c is working.....& don't order a sidecar.

Farmer's Market Dinner at Majestic Grille

I just received this release from the Majestic Grille. They are planning what is sure to be one of the best wine dinners this summer. Local food & good wine in an incredible setting. What more could you ask for?

MEMPHIS FARMERS MARKET WINE DINNER

Wednesday June 11 – 6:30pm

Reservations Required.

Hors D'Oeuvres

Pizettas - Carmelized spring onions, bonnie blue goat cheese, arugula

Radish "Sandwiches" - Sea salt and chive mayo

Bon Bon Shiraz Rose, South Australia 2007

First Course

Roasted Jumbo Scallop - Baby beets, oranges, mixed greens

Marquis Phillips Holly's Blend, Southeast Australia 2007

Second Course

Veal Tenderloin - Stuffed with chard, zucchini and fresh herbs with natural juices, sugar glazed carrots and roasted fingerling potatoes

Chris Ringland's Green Lion Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley CA 2005

Dessert

English Strawberry Trifle - Fresh strawberries layered with sponge cake, English custard and canilla cream

Paringa Individual Vineyards Sparkling Shiraz, South Australia 2004

$55 per person plus tax & 20% gratuity. Slow Foods members $50.

Please call 901-522-8555 to make reservations. Seating is limited.

All Carova, All The Time!

Finally the Carova Milk Bar has reconvened. It has been far too long! I haven't blind tasted in quite some time so I suggested we do just that. Everyone brought a brown bag bottle that was not to exceed $25. After the reveal I could tell most of us had cheated on the price point, but what the hell.

Blind tasting is always so humbling. I'm a bit rusty but that just means I need to do this more often.

My descriptors were pretty spot on but I led myself astray on the varietals. Oh well.


Here's the lineup:

Sebastiani Barbera 2004
Tablas Creek Vermentino 2003
Bell Vineyards Merlot 2002
Pepper Bridge Merlot 2003
Isenhower Horse Heaven Hills Syrah 2004

For an extra added bonus, Michael Barar brought a 1993 6 Puttonyos Tokaji......mmmmmmmmm

I decided to share a Turley Cellars Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge Howell Mountain 2005 with the gang. Oh my god. It is no wonder that Turley is so highly sought after. They are truly exceptional wines. It was smoky barbecued pork in a glass......mmmmmm.

Reconnect

I recently received an email out of the blue from my old friend Frank. We used to hang out together in high school & college but have lost touch since. It was incredible to reconnect with a friend I didn't realize I missed until we reconnected. He is doing well, traveling a lot for work, I'm doing well, pursuing my passion. Its amazing how things change. We never thought we would end up doing what we are doing. Which goes to show that you can't ever predict the future. It makes me think of the wines I've drunk that I haven't thought about in years. Perrier Jouet Gran Blason Rose at the Soho Grand in New York with Kelly a few years ago. Descendientes de J. Palacios Bierzo 2005 at Avec in Chicago last year. 1986 Dom Perignon at la casa de Richie & Meagan for her 21st birthday last year....& most recently Stadt Krems Sandgrube Gruner Veltliner 2006. The Sandgrube vineyard was completely destroyed by hail last year & had to be replanted. Thinking of those amazing old vines just brings me to tears. What a loss. From the destruction a new vineyard will rise to continue the legacy, but nothing can replicate the beauty of those old vines. Much like old friendships can never be the same, yet they become something new.

Salud!

Rose Time!

I'm not much of a warm weather person. At this time of year the only things to look forward to are backyard barbecues & rose wine. Pink wine says "Summer" to me & I'm so glad to see that its catching on in Memphis. This city's oppressive heat & humidity are the perfect foils for a good rose. Most of them aren't that expensive at all which makes it even more enjoyable. Recently, I enjoyed a few roses that were quite tasty.

Weininger Rose de Pinot 2007 Vienna, Austria $18.99 was very pale in color, almost a fleshtone. The aromas gave light floral notes, with hints of strawberry. On the palate were flavors of cherry & citrus with mineral notes & a fresh acidity.

Masseri Pisari Negroamaro Rosato 2007 Italy $17.99. It displayed a deep, dark color for a rose with fuller aromas of berry & hints of spice on the nose. The palate was round but not too heavy to still be refreshing. Flavors of juicy cranberry, strawberry & melon came through & finished dry & bright.

Elk Cove Pinot Noir Rose 2007 Willamette Valley, Oregon $16.99. This wine had a nice salmon color to it & aromas of cherry, hints of clove & raspberry. The palate had a sweetness in the mid-palate that finished dry with bright, mouthwatering acidity.

It's time to drink pink!!!

Sunday Dinner

Kelly & I had a delicious dinner with our good friend Jennifer this past Sunday at Bari. Chef Jason Severs got his hands on some fresh zucchini flowers, which I just HAD to have. Chef Severs batter dipped & fried the delicate blossoms to a crispy texture. The delicate sweetness of the blossom was still very bright & wasn't hidden by the batter. Delicious. We also shared the eggplant & pecorino fritters, which have been dubbed "crack balls" due to their overwhelming addictiveness. The fritters are crisp outside & tender on the inside with a smoky sweetness that is pierced by the savory-saltiness of the pecorino. Next up was the Branzino, a whole bass stuffed fennel & orange. The bass was roasted to perfection with a crispy skin, tender & juicy flesh that was perfumed with orange & sweet, licoricey fennel. I hungrily eviscerated the fish & ate everything but the eyes! I always have had a delightful meal at Bari & can't wait for my next meal. Tonight, Bari is hosting a wine & cheese tasting with Elizabeth Mall of Delta Wholesale. Cost to attend is $30/person.

Bari Ristorante e Enoteca

What a book!

Kelly always gets on to me about not reading anymore. I used to devour books (I was a Creative Writing major in college after all, SIU!) However, in the past few years I haven't read much & what I have read has been wine related. Jay McInerney's Bacchus & Me & Hedonist in the Cellar along with some Jancis Robinson books & The Accidental Connoisseur by Lawrence Osborne. My favorite has been My Life In France by Julia Child. It enraptured me from the start & I think I read it in about 3 days! Yesterday I went to the bookstore & picked up Untrodden Grapes by Ralph Steadman & Alice Waters & Chez Panisse by Thomas McNamee (born & raised in Memphis!) This book is entrancing. It puts me right in the middle of it all, peering into the kitchen, knee deep in the chaos of what Chez Panisse was. But most of all, it makes me want to cook. It makes me want to drive to Kentucky to forage for fresh Morels, bring them back & cook them up & pop open a good bottle of pinot noir. That is the power of book, when it makes you want to feed someone you love.

Washington State, the next frontier

Over the past few years I've been lucky enough to experience some truly great Washington State wines. I've delighted in wines from K Vintners, Cayuse, Betz & Boudreux. Recently, Joe's Wines, 1681 Poplar, has brought in a number of outstanding labels from Washington; L'Ecole no. 41, River Aerie, Bunnell Family, Northstar, Andrew Will (including the 94 pt Wine Spectator Champoux Vineyard 2005), Matthews & Spring Valley.

Washington is producing some of the best syrahs & THE best merlots in the U.S. if not the world. River Aerie is even growing malbec & barbera, both are unique & outstanding in their own ways.

I highly recommend that you start sampling what the vines of Washington have to offer.

Chicago, A River of Wine

I just got back from the Vin diVino Imports trade tasting in Chicago where I had the pleasure of sampling some 150 different wines. That seems like a lot but when compared with how many wines were shown, it is a drop in the bucket. Yet again, the Austrian wines were the standouts offering delightfully crisp whites to full bodied whites to spicy, racy reds & unctuously sensual dessert wines. Gerhard Kracher was in the house, representing his wines & those of his recently deceased father.

I'll report more fully at a later time.

Gabrielle Collection

I had the pleasure of lunch with Gabrielle Leonhard, owner of the Gabrielle Collection of wines. She focuses on cabernet sauvignon & blends that varietal with syrah, merlot, petite verdot, malbec & cabernet franc. Her passion was obvious, her love of the cabernet was easily discernible. But what really struck me was her overwhelming desire to be a responsible farmer. She farms sustainably so that she isn't confined to the organic regulations & can therefore make decisions that are more ecologically sound. All that & the wines have real depth & life to them. Look for them at your favorite wine shop or restaurant.

Gabrielle Collection

Austrian Wine Dinner at Restaurant Iris

Kerstin Klamm with the top quality wine producer, Domane Wachau, will be the guest of honor at a dinner on Thursday May 1st. Chef Kelly English of Restaurant Iris will be crafting a special menu to pair with Kerstin's wines. Cost to attend is $60 plus tax & gratuity, dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. For reservations contact Restaurant Iris, 901.590.2828. Elizabeth Mall of Delta Wholesale & myself will be in attendance to guide diners through the wine selections & answer any questions about Austrian wines. Last year's Austrian wine dinner sold out in 2 days! Act fast to book a seat.

Resturant Iris
2146 Monroe Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
901.590.2828

Domane Wachau

Restaurant Iris

This past Friday Kelly & I dined at Restaurant Iris with our good friends Becca & Lee. Anytime I dine at a restaurant's opening weekend, there is always some trepidation. You never know what kinks need to be worked out or what they will hit on or miss completely. However, this experience was unlike any other opening weekend in that nothing needed to be worked out. From the decor to the service to the food itself, it felt as if this restaurant has always been in operation. The design of the space has a New Orleans spice to it which is done very well. The service was friendly & knowledgeable....& the food was fabulous. Spices, sauces & seasoning were all well balanced & the proteins were cooked properly with seared crisp crusts & tender centers. By far my favorite appetizer was the brussels sprouts salad with allan benton's bacon & sherry vinaigrette. How can you not love this bacon???? My entree consisted of seared scallops, cauliflower puree, demi-glace & black truffles. A less than deft hand would have forced this dish over the edge into "way too rich" territory. But this was not the case. Instead, it was rich but balanced, with flavors & textures that were big enough for red wine & all around just ridiculously delicious. Kelly's favorite, Shrimp & grits, didn't disappoint. It was a perfect example of the dish, with an extra added savory quality that I have not tasted in other versions. Tasty, tasty.

All in all, we absolutely loved our experience at Iris. I'm so glad they are in Midtown & not in the nether regions of East Memphis or, god forbid, the suburbs.

I can't wait to eat there again.

Ron Lachini

It isn't often that I get the opportunity to spend time with the man behind such incredible wines. But recently I did just that. The man I'm speaking of is Ron Lachini of Lachini Vineyards. Ever since Elizabeth Mall of Delta Wholesale brought these wines into Memphis last year, I've been in love. Thats really the only way I can describe it, because these wines bring out more emotion & sensuality than most wines I've had.

Ron was in town for two winemaker dinners, one at Roustica & one at Napa Cafe. It says a lot about Memphis that both dinners were sold out, even though they were on a Monday & a Tuesday respectively.

Chef Kevin Rains deftly matched dishes against the luscious fruit, sensual textures, spice & acidity of Ron's pinot gris & pinot noirs.

Memphis continues on its quest for good food & good wine. It is so exciting to see an audience that craves both.

Chez Peltz

Last Saturday, Kelly & I had dinner with our friends Jeff & Kristy. It all started a few weeks ago when we had the snowstorm. Jeff & Kristy both said "See, it isn't too late for cassoulet!" (referencing a previous post of mine on this blog). They invited Kelly & I over for cassoulet, my favorite.

Saturday night we arrived to a full on french style spread of olives, pate (2 kinds) & some delectable cheeses. J&K started us off with a lovely refreshing Hendricks gin martini. I looooove Hendricks gin. I never particularly cared for gin much. Kelly is the gin guy, I usually go for vodka. But Hendricks is something else entirely. After the first martini (or was it two?), we moved into the vino. First up was Caymus Conundrum 2005, which is always fun. It is a fresh, fun white blend from California that emphasizes fruit without sacrificing acidity. The next wine served was my last bottle of Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir 2006 (thank you to one of my customers who gave me a bottle after I turned him on to it. I wish I knew his name!) This beautiful rose so eloquently masquerades as a Provencal rose. The color even looks just like Domaine Ott! It has bright acidity, luscious black cherry & strawberry & a round texture. We then moved to the dinner table & popped open a Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2004. This predominantly sangiovese based wine has the rustic earthiness expected of Italy & a bright beam of acidity. Next it was time for a pair of Chateauneuf du Papes!! The first was the J. Vidal Fleury 2004, a medium bodied CDP with notes of black plum & lavender. The second was Chateau Mont Redon 2003, which was laden with graphite, wild herb & black raspberry. Both were a perfect match for Jeff & Kristy's cassoulet. For those who have never had this dish.....I have almost nothing to say to that except go find or prepare some now! The temperature outside was perfect for this hearty rustic dish, almost 50 degrees! What else needs to be said except, duck confit, smoked ham, white beans, garlic sausage & DUCK FAT!! Life doesn't get much better.

But thats not all the Peltz' had up their sleeve. Over some french press coffee they served us a super bright meyer lemon tart with a light layer of bittersweet chocolate.......& a '98 Chateau Roumieu Sauternes. Superb.

There is nothing more I love than eating fabulous homemade food & drinking outstanding wine with good friends. Throughout the meal we talked about food & wine, Julia Child, restaurants & literature. You know you're having a good time when everyone has something to say & they say it with gusto.

Thanks guys! Can't wait for pizza night!