Judgment of Paris Anniversary Tasting Highlights French and California Wines

We offer our version of the historic Judgment of Paris tasting in which California wines earned their place on the world stage.

The shockwaves on May 24, 1976, started in Paris and rippled around the world. On that day in a blind tasting, French wine experts judged red and white wines from California superior to first-growth and other renowned bottlings from Burgundy and Bordeaux. We set out to stage our own event on the 48th anniversary of the original tasting.

There were two blind tastings in what has become known as the Judgment of Paris, one of top-quality Chardonnay and the other of red wines. Organized as a publicity stunt by British wine merchant Steve Spurrier, many expected a bad showing by the US wines to accelerate the downfall of American vineyards, instead a Napa Valley wine rated best in both categories.

California long had a reputation for unremarkable wines, sometimes marketed with misleading labels like Burgundy, Chablis, or French Colombard. The Judgment of Paris was the shot heard ‘round the world. In an instant, California wine producers learned they could compete with the well-established French wineries. Winemakers across the globe realized their potential as well.

My good friend Arthur Barham (of Merlot2MuscadineMerlot2Muscadine) was inspired after watching Bottle Shock, the 2008 movie that dramatized the Judgment of Paris tasting from the perspective of Bo Barrett of Napa’s Chateau Montelena. We spoke and agreed a JOP anniversary dinner would be a marvelous opportunity for our first full-fledged collaboration.

We decided on a smaller group of four couples (compared to some of our other soirees) and the focus would be a celebration of French and American wine with gourmet food pairings. The event would be held at Arthur and Mary’s house. Each course would feature a California and French wine.

Oh, yes. To kick the event off in style, we would feature sabrage, the opening of sparkling wine with a saber. It was Arthur’s brainstorm to do a double sabrage with each of us opening a bottle -- one French, one American -- simultaneously. It could either be a spectacular prelude to dinner or an embarrassing “fail” circulated on social media. You can see the results here:

We decided to dig deep into our cellars to pick our French and American wines.  The double sabrage featured Korbel Brut (US) versus Bourgeois-Boulonnaise Champagne Premier Cru Tradition Brut. Both are made with the méthode champenoise. The Premier Cru Champagne is made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while the Korbel has Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Colombard, and Pinot Noir.

The appetizers, courtesy of Sanjay and Michelle, were Chicken Reshmi Kabab, Paneer Tikka, and Gobi Manchurian (deep-fried marinated fried cauliflower florets, onions, chili, and soy sauce). These paired well with the bubbles and the latter was a spot-on match with the next two wines. On the French side, we served an old favorite, the Château Paradis La Grande Terre Côteaux Aix en Provence Rosé 2023. For the American side, we offered the Curran 2022 Grenache Gris from Santa Barbera. This was my first taste of the Curran and I loved the pale rose quartz color and white raspberry flavor.

A most unique salad, La Salade Mentonnaise, was served next. Menton is the Lemon Capital of France and this salad featured plenty of citrus with fennel, orange, artichoke, pine nuts, lemon zest, and orange vinaigrette. Prepared by Amy and Tony, this was a light and playful pairing with the 2020 Domaine Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du- Pape Blanc and the Chateau Montelena 2021 Chardonnay. Chateau Montelena was an original participant in the Judgment of Paris and bested the French opposition.

Petite Steak Bites with Béarnaise Sauce, baked polenta & roasted asparagus was the featured entree. We paired this (prepared by yours truly) with a beautiful Chateau Beau-Site Saint Estephe 2016 and a 2015 Pursuit Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Both wines feature Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, although the Bordeaux has 60% Cab and the Pursuit has 81%. Each wine was decanted for two hours.

The red wine lovers had been waiting for this dish, steak and two great red wines! I sipped the Bordeaux first, and the Beau-Site (named because its vineyards are on one of the Medoc’s highest points) began with rich flavors of blackberries, plums, and leather. The Pursuit offers more of a new world character, with bold waves of black cherry, plums, and baking spices predominating along with subtle cigar box notes.

As we continued sipping the red wine and revisiting the others, we compared notes and debated the merits of each wine. Meanwhile, Arthur was preparing dessert: a mouthwatering Grilled Fruit Kabob Medley with Chantilly Cream.

Early on Arthur and I had discussed what wines to serve with the final course. I suggested that after having eight wines, we should go with just one dessert wine (from anywhere). After all, the original Judgment of Paris wasn’t a dessert wine contest.

The final wine was the 2019 Paxxito from Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia. This is one of Arthur’s favorite dessert wines and I was bowled over by it during a visit to the winery earlier this month. It was a palatial ending to a memorable wine dinner.

Who won the judgment this year? The Americans seemed to hold a slight edge
but with many crossovers. One guest who spends every summer in Europe was a strident supporter of France. How fortunate we can freely enjoy wines from both countries.

Thanks to all who attended and to compadre Arthur for this great collaboration.

Marqués de Cáceres Wines, Spanish Cuisine Highlight Dîner en Blanc

Wines from Rioja and Rueda featured at fashionable dinner.

Whenever I receive a group of wines to review, we usually gather friends and hold a wine dinner. That was the case with wines we received from the well-known Spanish winery Marqués de Cáceres. My wife, the Green Dragon, decided to add a twist, “We’re going to make this a dinner in white!”

Dîner en Blanc is a worldwide event spanning six continents in which people have a meal dressed in white in a temporary dining setup in a public space. Diners are required to provide their own food, tables, chairs, and tablecloths. So, I guess we properly should have called our event  Dîner en Blanc-ish, because we certainly weren’t going to ask our guests to sit outside in January.

This sent me on a quest for things not normally in my wardrobe, like white shoes, white pants, and a white belt. I’m sure our guests faced a similar sartorial dilemma.

Our wine lineup included a Cava, two whites from the Rueda region, and a rosé and two reds from Rioja. Guests at the dinner were asked to choose a wine and prepare a small plate to pair with it.

Marqués de Cáceres was founded by Enrique Forner in 1970. He was exiled to France during the Spanish Civil War and founded a wine business in the Rhône and Loire valleys. He later purchased two chateaux grand cru classé in Bordeaux.

Under the guidance of daughter Christina Forner, who took over the winery operation in 2007, the winery expanded into Rueda and later expanded into Ribera del Duero. Today, the wines can be found in 120 countries, and 50% of the production is exported.

As the crowd gathered and oohed and aahed over the white outfits and the stunning table decorations, we popped open the Marqués de Cáceres Brut Cava. Cava is one of my favorite sparkling wines because it is made in the traditional method, just like champagne. The energetic bubbles and creamy froth added to the festive mood as we munched on delicious Belgian endive and radicchio stuffed with either brie cheese, walnuts, and drizzled honey, or whipped feta scattered with capers and red pepper flakes. Thanks to Ronda and Joe, who traveled from Savannah to attend, for this dish.

The next course featured grilled shrimp atop a citrus salad of naval and blood oranges, shallots, olives, thinly sliced fennel, and red onion. This provided an ideal pairing for the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from Rueda. Rueda is crafting some of the most interesting white wines in Spain. The rocky soil forces the grapevine roots deep below, digging through sandy, stony soil for water and nutrients. This results in delicious minerality in Rueda wines.

The Sauvignon Blanc is rich and herbaceous with notes of peach and pear. If you are a Sauvignon Blanc fan, give it a try. Alison created this tasty salad.

Verdejo is by far the most planted variety in Rueda. The 2022 vintage we sampled was youthful and tasty with lime and mineral notes with a slight floral accent. The grapes are harvested at night to preserve the fresh flavors. Our next dish, Salmorejo, is a traditional chilled soup made with tomato and bread and has a thick texture. Our dish was topped with chopped egg and Serrano ham. The acidity and refreshing flavor of the Verdejo were perfect to cut through the creaminess of the soup. Gracias to the Green Dragon for this dish.

Expect the unexpected with my good friend Arthur Barham of Merlot 2 Muscadine and his wife Mary. They transported us to the Spanish seaside with a show-stopping paella of saffron-infused rice cooked with chicken, chorizo, and shrimp. The dish was presented in individual cast iron pans. This popular Spanish dish was matched with the 2022 Rioja rosé. The wine is a delicate pale coral color with intense red berry flavors and great acidity. This was a truly inspired pairing.

As Rueda is known for its white wines, Rioja is recognized around the world for its red wines. The region is a DOCa, the highest quality category in Spanish wine regulation. The harvesting of wine in the area dates back to the time of the Phoenicians. The preeminent grape is Tempranillo with Garnacha a distant second.

The 2019 Rioja Crianza is mostly Tempranillo with small amounts of Garnacha and Graciano. It is aged for 12 months in oak barrels and another year in the bottle. I was pleasantly surprised by its silky texture. It was a grand match with the Ibondigas en Salsa de Almendras, tender pork meatballs poached in a creamy almond sauce accompanied by an assortment of vegetables. Diane and John made this masterpiece that melts in your mouth.

The 2017 Rioja Reserva is a bold wine made only in the best vintages from vines between 45 and 50 years old. The wine is aged for 20 months with an additional two years of bottle aging. The result is a superior wine with solid tannins yet smooth ripe fruit flavors. This wine required something bold, and Green Dragon served up smoky lamb chops with Patatas Bravas (grilled potatoes with a spicy sauce). The strong flavors of the lamb were balanced nicely by this big Spanish red.

Thanks to all our friends for making this a truly fantastic event!

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

South African Dinner Dazzles With Tasteful Dishes And Stark-Condé Wine

Stark-Condé South African Wines

Wines from South Africa find the sweet spot between Old World winemaking techniques and New World flavors.

Stark-Condé Syrah

Diverse Roots

When we were invited to sample a selection of South African wines from Stark-Condé. It was the perfect occasion to throw an aandete partytjie (dinner party) pairing these delicious bottles with elegant dishes.

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Stark-Condé is a family business that encompasses a story of diversity as well.

South African patriarch Hans Schroder was raised in Stellenbosch. In the 1960s while attending university in Japan, Hans met and married fellow student Midori Maruyama. At the time, their marriage was illegal in Hans’ native South Africa due to the apartheid regime’s Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act so the young couple settled in Japan. They remained in Tokyo for the next nearly three decades where they raised three daughters.

South African dinner and scallop entree

In the late 1980s and with the changes on the horizon in South Africa, Hans and Midori decided it was time to return to his native country. They purchased the Oude Nektar farm in 1989 and focused on growing grapes. In 1998, eldest daughter Marie and her American husband José also relocated to South Africa to join the family – and the family business, where with an artisan’s attention to detail and a purist’s approach in the cellar, José slowly developed Stark-Condé’s wines.

Gary and Diane and Bobotie

Today, Stark-Condé wines and the family of brands includes Stark-Condé, MAN Family Wines, Lievland Vineyards, Essay, and KaraTara. The range has something for everyone, from wine novice to lovers of classically styled wines.

Celebrating South African Wine

Friends enjoying dinner and sosatie kabob

To make a six-course meal possible, we enlisted the culinary expertise of our guests, inviting them to create a dish for an assigned wine. Our guests were Kyle and Natalie Hampton, Arthur and Mary Barham, Rob and Chris Rudloff, and Gary and Diane Wessell. Of course, this would not have been possible without the cooking and organizing of my wife, the Green Dragon.

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After a bit of bubbly, we uncorked our first SA wine: the 2021 Warrelwind Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, from MAN. Warrelwind is a whirlwind in Afrikaans, and this was a beauty, with an accent on herbaceousness and rich tropical notes. A nice accompaniment to the fresh Caprese Salad.

South African Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is one of South Africa’s most well-known wines, and we featured two on our menu. The first was the 2021 Monk Stone Chenin, Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, from Stark-Condé. This is a complex wine aged in amphorae and second-use oak. It has lovely nectarine and apple flavors with notes of wet stone. The tasty leek and asparagus quiche was a perfect partner, not overpowering the delicate tastes of the wine.

The 2021 Essay (“S A” get it?) is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, and Viognier from the Coastal Region. This wine is slightly off-dry with generous fruit and a palate of pineapple and guava. It is a dynamite food fine and glasses were refilled and the bottle emptied as we tasted the succulent seared scallops and shrimp served with oranges and rocket salad. At an SRP of $11.99, this is a steal.

Bobotie is a South African casserole with minced beef at the bottom and a thin layer of egg custard on the top. Diane and Gary seasoned it to perfect. The KaraTara Pinot Noir was striking with the bobotie. I couldn’t imagine a better match. A touch of pepper is typical from Pinots in this area and it really worked with this dish. It also had classic cherry and strawberry notes.

Exploring South African Cuisine

Sosatie is a lamb kebab from South Africa with Cape Malay roots. Arthur whipped this up with three different sauces, including one with apricot. In the past, the only really good Pinotage I’ve had is what I tasted in South Africa. The Lievland Bushvine Pinotage from Paarl turned my preconception upside down. This was an elegant Pinotage with luscious raspberry and hints of oak and vanilla. It is a smooth and savory wine. SRP is $18.99.

Caprese salad and rich dessert

Do they love dark chocolate in South Africa? We don’t know, but the Green Dragon decided that a Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake would be the ideal pairing with the 2018 Stark-Condé Syrah. She was right. The key to pairing with Syrah is to have dark or bittersweet chocolate desserts. Something sweet would be a recipe for disaster. This was a scrumptious highlight of the evening. The Syrah is one of the best I’ve tasted this year, rich with dark fruit and jammy currant. The tannins are silky smooth and there is a touch of savory mushroom on the close.

Our guests were quite tickled with the fantastic food and wine feast, but we were not done. As we continued to savor the cheesecake, I opened a bottle of Amarula. Amarula is often shared during a South African braai, a gathering of friends and family around a wood-fired grill. The creme liqueur is made from the Marula fruit, which is the favorite food of African elephants. It is creamy with a fruity, toffee-like flavor.

It was an evening to remember thanks to a culinary marriage of great food and exemplary South African wines.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

Moon Mountain District Wines Sky High With Premium Quality

Moon Mountain District Dinner

Moon Mountain District crafting premium reds from mountainous perch in Sonoma County.

By Dave Nershi, CSW

Vino-Sphere Publisher

Ten years ago I tasted my first wine from Moon Mountain, buying five bottles from the Moon Mountain Vineyard winery. The luscious wine soon ran out and to make matters worse, I learned the winery was closing. My lingering fears were unfounded as Repris Wines purchased the property and continued and expand the reputation of the legendary vineyard and wine from this special slice of Sonoma continues to flow.

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The Moon Mountain District AVA, formed in 2013, is in a mountainous region in the very east of Sonoma County. It is made entirely of hillside vineyards, some incredibly remote, with iron-rich volcanic soil. A clear view of San Francisco 50 miles south is not uncommon.

Moon Mountain wines

Wines made there have been famed since the 1880s. Phil Coturri, vineyard manager and pioneer of organic and biodynamic winegrowing in California, explains the uniqueness this way, “The multiplicity of slopes, aspects, exposures, and elevations, combined with volcanic soils enlivened with organic matter and enhanced by complex cover crops creates flavors as unique as the terroir found in the Moon Mountain District --  of course, the attitude of the winegrower adds additional spice.”

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We recently celebrated these magnificent wines with the Red Side of the Moon: A Moon Mountain AVA Dinner, pairing six wines with tasty gourmet dishes. These are premium red wines and most have limited production. Although these are "big" wines, we were impressed with the richness and balance that translated to grace and power. We decanted each wine for at least an hour.

Kamen Cab, Lasseter Syrah and stew

Our group included wine writers Dathan and Jen of Triangle Around Town and Arthur and Mary Barham of Merlot2Muscadine as well as friends Robert and Linda. Each wine was served with a specially crafted dish.

For “lift-off” on our voyage to the Moon, we started with a sparkling Grüner Veltliner Sekt (more on that in a separate story) and the Reprise 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Clones. This was paired with Vadouvan Spiced Carrots & Radishes and a cheese selection. The unique French spices, a take on Indian masala, created a complex blend of smokiness and sweetness that worked wonderfully with both wines.

Moon Mountain diners

The Repris Cabernet uses the Moon Mountain Clone evolved in volcanic soil over four decades. It includes some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in California and delivers a wine that delighted the group with aromas of dark fruit and sweet spices. This is a savory wine that immediately opens your eyes to the glorious potential of Moon Mountain District.

Pairing six big reds with a dinner menu can be ticklish, but the Green Dragon was up to the challenge. Our next dish was a Beef & Vegetable Stew and a Thai Quinoa Crunch Salad (prepared by me). The stew was a lighter affair just perfect for the Kamen 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain and the Lasseter 2018 Syrah Moon Mountain.

Faces at the Red Side of the Moon dinner

The Kamen captured fans right away with raspberry and violet notes riding on complex dark chocolate layers. Minerality and smooth tannins make for a great finish. The Lasseter was the only non-Cabernet wine and provided a nice contrast with a decided Old World vibe and brambly notes of sweet oak and blackberry. At this point, our guests have become avid Moon Mountain admirers.

All six wines have ABV levels above 14.5% and two have more than 15%, so it was time for a pause. Arthur presented his intermezzo, a chilled fruit soup duet. We enjoyed a Peach & Champagne Shooter and a Pear, Prosecco & Mint Spoon. Now that’s the way to cleanse your palate!

Peach & Champagne Shooter and a Pear, Prosecco & Mint Spoon

Two very special wines were teed up for our next entrée: Seared Duck Breast with Port & Cherry Sauce. What a refreshing food pairing. The duck offers a delicious change from steak, with its rich meat and robust flavor.

Louis M. Martini Monte Rosso and Duck

The Louis M. Martini 2018 Monte Rosso Vineyard has the vineyard’s signature spice and sweet oak aromatics. Topping out at 16.1% ABV, I wondered if this would be too “big,” but it proved to be big, balanced, and agile – like the Yankees Aaron Judge. Monte Rosso has been producing award-winning wines for three generations. This is a bottle that can and should be aged to fully integrate the tannins.

Stone Edge Farm Winery is an interesting producer that is focused on organic grapes and high environmental standards. It produces energy independent of the power grid and has a carbon footprint below zero. However, my main interest was its 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. This has 4% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc, which fine-tunes the powerful Cabernet flavor. On the tongue, there are baking spices, ripe cherries, and tobacco.

Red Side of the Moon and chocolate

For our “wine-down,” we moved out to the patio and amidst the torch flames enjoyed a selection of Dark Chocolate Truffles and Caramels. Our final Moon Mountain District wine was the B Wise 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain. A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, just over 500 cases were produced. After five big reds, could the B Wise still delight? Yes, with exceptional balance, jammy goodness, dark fruit, and hints of leather this was a perfect wrap-up to the evening.

The greatness of these wines is undeniable right now, even though most are designed to age, some up to 20 years. The warmer climate, longer growing season, and rocky high-altitude soils make Moon Mountain wines a memorable treat. If you are unfamiliar with this unique region, the Moon Mountain District Winegrowers Association website provides a nice background.

Full Disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

Roundup Event Captures The Best of Premium Texas Wine

Cactus, cowboys, and tumbleweeds? If that is your vision of Texas, get ready to expand your mind.

Roots Of Texas Wine

The first vineyard in North America, it is said, was established in Texas by Spanish missionaries in 1662. Today Texas has more than 500 wineries and the wine industry contributes more than $13 billion in economic value annually. It is the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the US, and boy are those wines good!

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The state of Texas is actually bigger than France with plenty of geographic diversity to grow grapes. To explore more deeply the Lone Star State winemaking tradition, we created a food and wine experience. The Texas Wine Roundup featured a selection of fine Texas wines paired with artfully prepared small dishes.

Texas Roundup Wineries

Here’s a capsule on the four Texas wineries showcased at our roundup:

Wedding Oak Winery has its main winery in San Saba. It specializes in Mediterranean-style wines with heavy influences from the Rhone Valley. The winemaker, Seth Urbanek has worked at wineries in Champagne, Australia, and New York’s Finger Lakes before moving back to his home state. His talent has elevated Wedding Oak to recognition as one of the top wineries in the country.

  

Texas Heritage Vineyard, located in Fredericksburg, just celebrated its fourth anniversary and is already racking up lofty awards. For two years in a row, their tasting room has been voted by the Fredericksburg Standard as the Reader’s Choice Best Winery Tasting Room. They are gaining national notoriety for impressive wines made with Portuguese varieties such as Souzao, and Italian grapes like Barbera and Sangiovese.

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Kerrville Hills Winery is located just north of Kerrville. Texas wine industry icon John Rivenburgh purchased the winery in 2019 and has put in a significant effort into building a portfolio of top-notch Texas wines. He is well known for his impressive Semillon, Mourvèdre, and is widely recognized as a leading evangelist of Tannat.

Fall Creek Vineyards is the closest winery to Austin. It is one of the oldest and most storied wineries in the state with incredible wines that have graced the table of presidential inaugurations. Winemaker Sergio Cuadra was recruited to move to Texas from a prestigious winery in his home country of Chile 10 years ago and has made a big imprint on the Texas wine industry.

Food And Wine Lone Star State Style

We invited four other couples to join us for the wine dinner and only one had tasted Texas wine before. Our guests created dishes to reflect Texas and match with a Texas bottle. The result – combining friendship, delicious food, and premium Texas wine – was a smashing success.

We opened with Cowboy Caviar bites and shrimp & avocado bites. This was paired with the Fall Creek 2021 Sauvignon Blanc and Wedding Oak 2021 Terre Blanc, a blend of Roussanne and Marsanne. The spritely Sauvignon Blanc carves its own path with lemon and white peach and a nice soft finish. The full-bodied Terre Blanc is golden yellow and barrel-aged with plenty of green apples and pear flavor.

The Rivenburgh 2021 High Plains Vermentino by Kerrville Hills Winery was light and crisp with a kiss of fresh apple. This was paired with Southwestern Fish Tacos with Apple Fennell Slaw & chipotle dressing artfully prepared by Arthur (merlot2muscadine.com).

The amazing Texas Heritage Vineyard 2019 Merlot was a silky intro to the reds. Its cherry notes are unified with the organic chicken thighs with porcini and cherries. This is a robust Merlot with beautifully extracted red fruit flavors.

A pinnacle for the evening was the limited 2021 "Alamo" Cabernet Sauvignon. Some of the grapes came from Fall Creek’s Oxbow Vineyard, which was land originally owned by Alamo hero William B. Travis. A portion of the sales of the wine will go to help operate and maintain the Alamo. This Cab has rich, deep, cherry and plum notes with a touch of light oak. It blended deliciously with Smoked Beef Brisket & BBQ Sauce with skillet-fried potatoes.

I had thought about having a palate cleanser at this point (five wines consumed) in the dinner. However, my wife, who had slaved for days to set everything up, protested. I decided that cornbread would be a great Texas-style “sorbet.” Our friends made tasty Borracha (drunken) Beans over cornbread, which accompanied the inky Texas Heritage 2019 Petite Sirah, which has blueberry and chocolate notes.

The grand finale was Wild Boar Ragù Pappardelle matched with the decanted Wedding Oak  2020 Tannat The wild boar was shipped in from Texas by D’Artagnian Gourment Meats. We also tasted the Kerrville Hills Winery Tannat as well. Texas Tannat is the most elegant expression of this grape I've tasted. Deep, powerful plum flavors and dark fruit tamed the raging bull (which had been simmering for 5 hours).

Although most were unfamiliar with Texas wines, everyone came away dazzled by the range and quality of these great wines. Thanks to the wineries for making this extravaganza possible. A tip of the Stetson to our posse of guests, who also helped prepare the meal: Phyllis The Filly and Bronco Bud, Ambush Arthur and Maverick Mary, Tombstone Tony and Alamo Amy, Lawless Laurie and Jedidiah Jeff. The hosts had to have outlaw names too – Wild Dave and Calamity Kathy.

Even if we all can’t be Texans, we can at least savor these brilliant Lone Star wines.

Full disclosure: The wines were received as marketing samples.

Kosher Wine Selections Brighten Fall Season

These four kosher wine selections are ideal for the holidays.

An Evolving Wine Category

Once upon a time, kosher wine meant sweetened wine made with Concord grapes. Those times are long gone.

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Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, signals the launch of new products that demonstrate the variety and quality of kosher wines. These are wines that appeal to Jews and non-Jews alike. To kick off the fall season we hosted a special wine dinner with kosher wines spanning three continents.

The Inside Story On Kosher Wine

As mentioned, the quality of kosher wine continues to rise. It is still a wine segment that is misunderstood.

“When it comes to taste, there’s no difference between kosher and non-kosher wine,” says Jay Buchsbaum, Director of Wine Education at Royal Wine Corp., the top kosher wine purveyor in America. “In fact, many kosher wines are award-winning - beating out their non-kosher competitors for top varietal prizes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and rosés as well.

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“There’s a common ‘urban legend’ that wine is rendered kosher after being blessed by a Rabbi – that is incorrect. Actually, for a wine to be made kosher, there are strictly supervised purity guidelines that need to be followed from the moment the grapes enter the winery to when the wine is bottled,” adds Buchsbaum.

To be considered kosher, Sabbath-observant Jews must supervise and sometimes handle the entire winemaking process, from the time the grapes are crushed until the wine is bottled. Any ingredients used, including yeasts and fining agents, must be kosher.

When kosher wine is produced, marketed, and sold commercially, it will bear kosher certification granted by a specially-trained rabbi who is responsible for supervision from start to finish.

Hello Fall

Fall in North Carolina arrived on September 23. You wouldn’t know if by the thermometer, which was registering sultry temperatures in the high 80s. Undaunted by that, we gathered a group of friends for a special dinner to welcome autumn.

Although we’re not Jewish, we’ve come to appreciate the wines of Israel and the improving quality of kosher wines in general. For our dinner, we sampled: Herzog NV Lineage Momentus, USA; Netofa 2016 Latour Red, Israel; Chateau Royaumont 2016 Lalande de Pomerol, and Mt. Tabor 2018 Chardonnay, Galilee.

For our dinner, my wife, the Green Dragon, whipped up a culinary masterpiece. We started the festivities (of course) with bubbly. For the appetizer, we had chicken liver paté and spicy eggplant caviar on bruschetta. We popped open the Herzog Lineage Momentus. Once the wire cage was removed, I noticed the cork started inching itself out of the bottle – it should have been a warning. I popped open the bottle and the foaming froth, although quite festive, splashed onto the floor.

A Perfect Bubbly Pairing

Paté and sparkling wine are a spot-on pairing, and this was delicious. The Momentus, which has a reasonable SRP of $20, is off-dry. That pinch of sweetness helped make it a perfect pairing.

Our next course featured the Mt. Tabor Chardonnay with Cream of Cauliflower & Fennel Soup, along with a salad of Fall Lettuces with Pear and an Asiago Crisp. This Chard is unoaked – just how we like it. There are notes of apple and melon, and some citrus too. A very tasty wine with an SRP of around $15.

Our next course was a masterwork that required two bottles of red: the 2016 Chateau Royaumont 2016 Laland de Pomerol and the Netofa 2016 Latour Red from Israel. The main course was Pan-Seared Hanger Steak with Porcini Merlot Reduction Sauce & Roasted Fingerling Potatoes. I can only assume that the smashing success of this dish was due to the outstanding way I sliced the potatoes (since the Green Dragon did everything else!).

A Pair Of Reds

The Chateau Royaumont is a Right Bank Bordeaux wine, meaning it is Merlot-centric. In this case, the blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. It’s outstanding. The body is light with polished flavors of cherry and raspberry. The tannins are dialed back and the Merlot swirls with a silky finish. It’s a complex and balanced wine that retails for about $38.

Netofa has a more robust take on a red blend with its Latour. This is a Rhone-style blend of Syrah and Mourvedre. It has hearty flavors of dark cherry and briar with a foundation of earthy notes. The tannins, enhanced by aging in oak barrels, can stand up well with grilled meats or even wild game. The cost is about $27.

We wrapped up our dinner with assorted chocolates as we sipped red wine. The evening continued as more corks popped open and flames flickered on the tiki torches on the patio. Many thanks to our dinner guests Connie, Cecil, Laure and Jeff who helped us savor and critique these excellent wines.

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Over The Top Dinner Focuses on Culinary Feats, Top Shelf Wine Experience

When we bid on a special dinner in the Exchange Club of Toledo silent auction at their benefit wine tasting, we had no idea the spectacular event that was in store.

Cold On The Outside, Party On The Inside

About 10 months ago we were the top bidders on a wine dinner to be put on by our friends Glorious T and Ann Baronas. We could bring four other guests and for one reason or another, it was almost impossible to get everyone’s schedule to sync.

The icy blasts of winter had their grip on the Toledo area before we could finally get our special evening scheduled. It certainly was worth the wait.

The party was held at the home of Glorious T and the Cabernetor. Ann’s friend Tom Nourse helped with the festivities and our “posse” included friends Maria, Larry and Donna and Maria’s friend Betsy. In addition to a winter weather advisory for Northwest Ohio, we had issued our own “wine advisory” for the evening. As a result, we took Uber to the dinner.

Let The Bubbly Flow

If there is a more festive way to start an event than sparkling wine, we don’t know it. Once we arrived we were greeted with Kir Royale cocktails. Kir Royale is a swanky Champagne and black raspberry cocktail made with Chambord liqueur and garnished with a lemon twist and a blackberry. The Chandon sparkling wine matched perfectly with our appetizer trio of prosciutto-wrapped goat cheese dates, mushroom caramelized onion palmier and amuse bouche ala Oscar. This was a sensational party already – and we had barely hung up our coats.

Our six-course meal continued with roasted carrot ginger soup and a winter salad with maple vinaigrette. Soup and especially salad are notoriously difficult wine pairings. Have no fear – as I knew he would, the Cabernetor had just the right wines. The first came from Ann’s cellar – a magnum of French rosé! It was the 2014 Chateau Hourtin-Ducasse Les Roses de Marie from Bordeaux, crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It was a refreshing blast of springtime on a wintery night and paired brilliantly with the soup.

A pair of Balletto wines accompanied the next menu items. The 2014 Balletto Teresa’s Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay from Russian River Valley rocked the salad and delighted my wife, the Green Dragon, who is no fan of oaky whites. The food and wine decadence continued with butter poached lobster paired with the 2013 Balletto Gewürztraminer. The spicy and floral notes of the Gewürztraminer were a nice foil for the rich flavors of the lobster.

The Main Attraction And Then Some

Many toasts and humorous stories later, it was time for the main course. The dish was beef tenderloin au poivre, which is steak with peppercorn sauce and crust. This was accompanied by goat cheese and garlic potato soufflé, balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts and garlic butter mushrooms. This was a culinary tour de force!

The entrée was paired with two magnificent reds from Lewis Cellars in Napa. Opening up (literally) was the  2004 Alec’s Blend. This is a superb composition of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet. Both bottles from Lewis Cellars – treasures from Ann’s trip to Napa -- were decanted and were elegant companions to the beef. The group was amazed by Alec’s Blend, but my favorite was yet to come.

Following close behind was the 2002 Cuvee L. This wine is made only in exceptional years. It is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon with 7% Cabernet Franc. It is a towering beast of a wine, tamed by the steak and tannins that are integrating nicely. It is a limited production wine, with only 300 cases made. Randy Lewis was a professional race car driver for more than 20 years and raced in five Indy 500’s. He also excels at making supercharged red wines!

We needed a short break from the dining table, so we went downstairs to tour the wine cellar and work off some of the meal at the ping pong table. Larry drubbed me in the first game, but as I drank more of the Cuvee L, my game improved (at least I thought so!).

The Final Verse

How do you wrap up a spectacular wine and food extravaganza? How about a couple of “stickies,” which is what the Australians call dessert wine. Sea salt caramel lava cake was accompanied by Bellangelo Muscat Vin Doux Naturel from the Finger Lakes and the 2003 Dolce Late Harvest Wine from Napa Valley. A vin doux naturel wine is lightly fortified to stop fermentation before much of the sugar is converted to alcohol, leaving it tastefully sweet. The Dolce is called “liquid gold” and is made by the only winery in the US devoted solely to producing a late harvest wine. In this case it is Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon – rich and scrumptious!

We love lava cake and dessert wines. On their own, they would overpower, but were a nice match for a sweet dessert. Betsy, a sweet wine fan, was applauding every drop!

Thanks to Glorious T, Ann, Cabernetor and Tom for cooking and coordinating such an awesome event. Just recalling has brought defrosting thoughts to this chilly December night!

Photo credit to Betsy Watson Herman for the group photo of the “wild wine bunch.”

Brandywine Country Club Wine Event Satisfies The Discerning Diner

Looking for a new wine destination in the Toledo area? Be sure to check Brandywine Country Club.

By Wine Correspondent Glorious T

 

New Owners, New Hot Spot

The timing was perfect; a wine tasting dinner, on our anniversary, right down the street from our home. We opted to visit Brandywine Country Club for the first time in many years. Of course, we had heard about its change in ownership, and their goals to reestablish the club as a hot spot for dinners and the social scene. Upon reviewing the Uncorked! events menu and wine pairings, we made a reservation. The room was pretty full, with good ambiance. We were seated at a table with two other, very friendly couples and began what would be a great evening of laughter and fun complemented with great food and wine. Alison from Berman Wines did a wonderful job of pairing the wines with each outstanding course.

Entertaining Eats

The evening began with seared sea scallops accompanied by caramelized pecan bacon and sweet potato puree, finished with lemon beurre blanc, toasted pine nuts, and Italian parsley coulis. This dish was simply decadent; the scallops succulent, sweet, with a little browning on the top. We were excited about the meal starting off with a very impressive course. The scallops were paired with Niner Sauvignon Blanc; the pleasant, slight acidity of the grapefruit notes made this course very enjoyable and highlighted the deep flavors in the dish.

On to the unusual mixed green salad with pasta, cucumber and prosciutto, dressed with basil mint vinaigrette. The slightly crisp pasta ribbon gave the salad a nice crunch. The flavor profile paired beautifully with Garnet Chardonnay. This wine has a beautiful, fresh citrus bouquet, very smooth with slight oak. Alison suggested tasting this a bit warmer to get a real review. We found this to be very drinkable and most at the table refilled their glasses.

The main course option was up next: grilled double lamb chops, served on smashed red skin potatoes with beets, pea puree and goat cheese crumbles, finished with blackberry syrup and a demi glaze hinted with fresh rosemary. This course was an absolute hit with the table. Mastering lamb chops is not easy, but the chef hit a home run. I chose the salmon option, and this was honestly one of the best filets I have had in a restaurant. It was hot off the grill, with a nice light charcoal flavor, well-seasoned and melted in my mouth. The meal was paired with 2014 Tangley Oaks Pinot Noir. Willamette Valley is a favorite appellation for the wine team, so we had high expectations and this selection was up for the challenge. It was the clear favorite of the table. The nose was fresh and full berries, with slight earth and white pepper. This medium bodied wine complemented both the red meat and the fish. Well integrated tannins and a long smooth finish made this wine easy to enjoy.

Dessert And… More Wine!

It was time for dessert. The menu listed, “Godiva infused chocolate mousse with mixed berries and fresh mint”. A pretty basic offering, right? That’s what we thought until it arrived. Not that we were expecting to be disappointed; you can’t go wrong with Godiva mousse. However, this mousse was truly a masterpiece. Rich flavor mixed to a perfect texture. We wanted more! When paired with the 90 point, Wine & Spirits “Year’s Best US Cabernet & Blends” honoree, Simi 2013 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it was a taste treat. We savored every bite and every sip.

The wines were then offered at very reasonable prices, and everyone, including us, walked out with a few bottles. We had the opportunity to meet the new owners, Stanley and Kathryn Chlebowski and congratulated them on a wonderful event. We also met a few loyal members, who have been with Brandywine Country Club for plus years. They are excited about the direction the club is taking at this point. Our appreciation and congratulations go to Rachel Airhart, Andrew Riley (Marketing Director), and the chef and staff for a lovely evening, featuring truly outstanding food and remarkable wines. We will continue to keep Brandywine Country Club at the top of our list for fine dining, and we hear the casual dining is really good as well. We highly recommend you give them a try for an evening of cocktails, a fabulous Sunday brunch, dinner, of one of their many upcoming events. It’s great to have a place of this quality open to the public again. Cheers and best wishes to the Brandywine team for phenomenal success!

Brandywine Country Club is located at 6904 Salisbury Road, Maumee, OH. Phone number: (419) 865-2393

Wines of Meeker Vineyard Brilliant At La Scola Wine Dinner

The wines of Meeker Vineyard presented by Molly Meeker herself plus the cuisine of La Scola Italian Grille created an unforgettable evening.

From Junkyard to Vineyard

The journey of winery owners Charlie and Molly Meeker didn’t take the traditional route. Molly was an actress and Charlie was an entertainment attorney. They met at Norman Lear’s production company, which produced such shows as All In The Family, Sanford and Son and Maude.

Charlie became a film producer and ultimately president of MGM. Molly rose to a VP position in Lear’s company. In 1977 they bought a vineyard in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. In 1984 the Meeker Vineyards winery opened.

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Imaginative Food Creations

The recent wine dinner featuring Meeker wines was presented by La Scola Italian Grill along with Esber Beverage Company. I enjoy drinking a great glass of wine, but to propel the occasion through the atmosphere, there’s nothing like scrumptious food. Having Molly Meeker there to discuss her wines was the cherry on top.

We tasted through five different wines paired with amazing dishes, the first being scallop bisque with bacon (I had no idea jowls were so crispy!). This was paired with the 2012 Meeker Dry Creek Valley Chardonnay.

The Chard offers a fresh bouquet. It is barrel fermented in neutral oak and is aged six months sur lee for additional body. It undergoes malolactic fermentation for a nice creamy finish. The bisque was rich and succulent and the chardonnay contrasted nicely. The chardonnay had an enjoyable vanilla finish. It’s a nice value at $25.

We were looking forward to the Meeker Cabs, but we weren’t there yet. First we enjoyed the 2011 Bessie Zinfandel. Dry Creek Valley is famous for Zin and Bessie did not disappoint. Well balanced with nice acidity, it maintained a light and bright profile. There was a dash of black pepper and it didn’t taste “hot” with high alcohol.
Paired with roasted bone marrow topped with red onion marmalade, this was a memorable and unconventional pairing.

The next offering was the 2010 Great Cabs Cabernet, Sonoma Valley. This was paired with a stuffed pork dish topped with wasabi micro greens and roasted red pepper. This is a mid-range cab which features small quantities of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. It has nice body and great texture.

Molly described the Combination (code three) California Red Wine as a “down and dirty’ California blend. It has 60% Syrah, 20% Petite Sirah and 20% Barbera. This has a beautiful sour cherry flavor with a lilting acidity. It has some herbal notes and blackberry hints. It retails for $37. It was paired with slow-roasted poblano infused short ribs. Happy to say I received a bottle of this as a birthday present!

Hands Down Winner

The next bottle is “hands down” the most recognizable Meeker wine: the 2012 Winemaker’s Handprint Merlot, Sonoma County. The standard bottles bear the colorful handprints of winemaker Lucas Meeker. Also on display were a 3 liter bottle and a magnum.

The Handprint Merlot is a Cabernet drinker’s Merlot. It is robust and complex. It is 84% Merlot with the remainder being a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It explodes on the palate with cherries and red fruit with some toasty caramel.

This was paired with delicious lamb shanks and was divine.This has a SRP of $42 – an excellent bargain.

Chocolate Covered What!?

Our evening concluded with key lime pie with black pepper and chocolate doubloons paired with the 2013 FroZin dessert wine.  One of our dinner partners got me good on this one. I love chocolate and he said, “this chocolate doubloon is great.”

Mouth watering, I took a big bite – it was a jalapeno! Yikes! I enjoy jalepenos with beer and Mexican food, not so much at my wine dinner. Our friend Ann could not say enough about the jalepeno – at least not much I can repeat!

This was a playful finish to a truly magnificent evening of wine, friends and food. Meeker offers a great lineup of diverse wines, from elegant Chardonnay to Merlot with character. We encourage you to uncork at your first opportunity.