Visiting a Bordeaux tasting in the Big Apple!

Blame Napolean for mandating the French Wine Classification system. The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France’s best Bordeaux wines that were to be on display for visitors from around the world.  The Brokers from the industry ranked the wines according to a chateau’s reputation and trading prices, which at the time was directly related to quality.   This established the premier cru, first growths, and second growths that have been built upon over the years and that many are familiar with.  A later classification by St. Emillion ranked their wines based on terroir and vineyard character and so were not required to be based on the Chateau’s reputation.  To confuse matters more, the original classification only considered wines from the Left Bank (the Gironde river divides the Bordeaux region into Left and Right sides, and wines made on the left side favor more Cabernet Sauvignon-driven Blends while right bank wines favor more Merlot-driven Blends). Officially, (and originally) all the first growth Crus were from the Left Bank (Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut-Brion, etc).  Of course, the classification has been added to over the years and changed to include other vineyard sites, chateaus have gone up or down in premier vs. 2nd growth, etc., but by and large, the classification remains as the backbone of the French Wine Industry and is emulated in other areas of the French Wine regions.  The governing body of French Wine has also focussed on what wines can be grown in what regions and how they can be made to preserve the true French Wine history, character, and something they refer to as the “French Wine Lifestyle”.  All pretty heady stuff for the novice but once you dive into the various AOC designations, and the 60-plus appellations of French Wine within the Bordeaux region, it’s downright labyrinthine.  But suffice it to say, the “Union Grands Crus Bordeaux” is a trade organization that showcases the vintages from Bordeaux yearly in a trade show for professionals and lay people.  The tasting this year in New York City serendipitously occurred on the week I happened to be visiting Isabel and so it was not without coincidence that tickets were acquired.  We made our way down to Cipriani Restaurant on 42nd Street midtown in what appeared to be an old bank building with the original teller booths etc.  The Wine was arranged around the room in the various appellations Margaux, Haute-Medoc, Listrac-Medoc,  Pessac -Leognan, Graves, Saint Emillion, Paulliac, Pommerol, etc.  Each chateau from that appellation supplied their 2020 vintage, red or white or both if applicable.

Understanding the blending of red French Bordeaux wine is even more intriguing, 5 noble Bordeaux grapes make up allowed blends.  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec, and Petite Verdot.  Carmenere has fallen in and out of favor as a very secondary player.  Again, the Left banks are using primarily Cab driven blends while the Right banks of the Gironde River estates are showcasing Merlot as the primary player with other grapes taking up supporting roles.

Let's get to the wines!  We started (where else) on the Left Bank in the appellation of Graves in the southern end of the Left Bank where we tried a Chateau de Changegrieve White Blend (60% sauvignon Blanc and 40% semillion) - fairly typical of Left bank white Bordeaux Blends.  Uncharacteristically, Graves is the only appellation in Bordeaux (prob all of France) whose name actually describes its terroir (gravel) from the Gravel soil which typifies the region.  The Caroline Cuve blend is the white wine from the Chateau and displays an opulent and aromatic nose.  I find myself tasting the terroir more immediately in French wines and the Graves appellation is no exception.  Lots of minerality with radiant and fresh grapefruit, citrus notes, rich pineapple, with a beautiful nose.  Neutral french wood aging enhances the apricot and apple notes.  The wine is well-balanced with zippy acidity.  A very reasonable mid $20s bottle punching well above its wine weight for quality.

Without getting overly didactic (we tasted over 16 wines and so the remembrance of the details of the evening was getting a little more challenging as we went on), we’ll discuss the highlights.  

Another solid offering was from Chateau Rauzan Gassies, Margaux appellation, 2eme Cru 

Classe Bordeaux.   The wine is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot.  2020 offers exotic spice, perfumed and red and blue fruit notes, and carrying complex notes of black currants, black truffle, walnut, bark, and earth follow through to a full body with dense, refined tannins that are layered and chewy, yet silky (uh -huh).  Medium to full-bodied and nicely textured on the palate, it has good mid-palate density, ripe tannins, and solid balance.  Per Jub Dunneck - Another beautiful Margaux with lots of Character and a solid 20 years of prime drinking ahead.

OK, it's easy to like a Margaux but one that surprised me - I actually found myself enjoying some right bank-driven offerings, including a Clinet from Pommerol (80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon).  Per the estate representative, the 2020 vintage had some very warm temperatures in July and August right before Harvest (September) with very little rain (7 mm in July, 20 mm in August) which produced very small but intensely flavored berries which contributed to the powerful mouthfeel and intense fruit notes.  A rare vintage of power and fruit combined.  Yep, I get what he’s putting down.  This wine was perhaps the biggest head-turner for me , a guy that is decidedly in the Left Bank Camp when it comes to Bordeaux preference.  But OK Chateau Clinet, you are forcing me to take a serious look at the Right Bank-style wines.  Just when I thought I figured it out.  

Another head-turner that defied classification was the Chateau La Tour Carnet.  This Left bank wine from Haut-Medoc appellation is uncharacteristically and unashamedly featuring Merlot as the primary player !! Shocker!! What about the Rules!!??  All that said, it weighs in at 59% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% petite verdot 1% Cabernet Franc.  Talk about defying expectations.  It is notable in its exception to the well-established French Rule, Left Bank Cabs, and right Bank Merlot.  But again, much like the Clinet from Pommerol (Merlot driven) it grabbed my attention with its finess and power..  Per the Chateau profile, dating back to the 12th century, La Tour Carnet is a genuine medieval castle with a moat. It is the oldest Chateau in the Medoc.  Current own er Bernard Magrez has expended an enormous amount of time and energy (translation $$$) renovating the estates.  Meticulous care is taken during pruning, leaf thinning, and green harvesting to reduce yields in the interest of fruit quality.  The grapes are handpicked into small crates and sorted by hand before being transferred by gravity flow into wooden fermentation vats and then into barrels.  This Chateau was included in the original 1855 classification.

There you have it, a very brief but interesting look at the 2020 Union Grand Crus Bordeaux.  This may end up being an annual and a good excuse to visit New York and my beautiful daughter Isabel.

Tour of the Travelers Rum Factory

During the 1950's in Belize, sugar was king and everyone with a plantation was rolling in money and making his own rum – or so it seemed.​

 In 1953, Jaime Omario Perdomo Sr., a man from very humble beginnings, began a venture by opening a bar in Belize City which he called TRAVELLERS.  It was a logical name since most of his clientele were traveling either into or out of the city.​

 Travellers initially sold imported liquors and beers as well as locally made rums.  In those days it was the practice of local bars to make their own rum blends for exclusive sale and Don Omario did not hesitate to follow that tradition.  He started to create unique blends for his bar by combining various flavors and essences.

As Travellers' rums grew in popularity, Don Omario searched for a way to provide consistency to his blends. During this time the recipe for the award winning ONE BARREL aged rum was developed.

Growing competition in the rum manufacturing business made it more difficult to obtain spirits of consistently good  quality.  Eventually he entered into a partnership agreement with Luis Alberto Espat who agreed to build the distillery in Belmopan.

During the 70's, Don Omario's sons, Romel and Mayito, came of age and joined him in the family business. Their enthusiasm and youthful energy translated into a tremendous growth spurt for the company.

 Our tour guide Paul (that’s Paul from Belizeprivateadventures.com website through the Belize City Chamber of Commerce Site - yes I have his contact) arranged for an early tour so we could go Cave Tubing later in the afternoon (apparently the most popular tourist attraction in Belize - who knew? ) Our Traveler’s Rum Factory Tour started at 10 am with unlimited samples at the end. Right.)

We received a brief history of the rum industry in Belize, a tour of the museum with the vintage stills and cane extraction equipment (often powered by horses), the local family history associated with the founders of the factory and the tour was conducted and hosted by the Great Grandson of the original supplier of cane juice/molasses to the company and for which the supply contract between the two family still exists to this day. All good in the Belizian Hood. As our snorkeling guide from the reef tour would say (again more on this later) - ‘Nice and Easy - no rush.” Yea, the rum factory tour was just that.

Of course, we tried the samples. The 1-Barrel (aged 1 year - all their aged rum is aged in bourbon casks from Kentucky (yea baby) has won many gold and best in class awards since 1990 It is exported out to the US, Canada, and Europe and Travelers is the only Belizian rum to meet the standards for export. The Tiburon (“Shark” in Spanish) is an 8-year blended rum that quickly became a personal favorite before even going on the tour and mixes exceptionally well with Guava, Mango, Peach, and Pineapple nectars (heck any nectar) and was already known to us prior to the tour and we’d only been in the country 2 days - yea that good). They also poured a Kuknat Rum (Belizian Coconut) which was insanely good, and Bailey’s style Rum called Craboo Cream (Craboo is the fruit/nut they use to make the flavor - the taste is decidedly like Baileys with the Irish cream flavor only richer and deliciosoo!! (awarded 2000 Rumfest, Spice and Flavored gold medal (no doubt!).

Shout out to Paul our tour guide for taking such good care of us and setting up the Rum Factory Tour and guiding the Cave Tubing run which was un-friggin-believable). More on that soon! Travelers 1-Barrel and Tiburon are available at Total Wine in the states and probably some other delicious offerings.

Lunch at Gramercy Tavern

The accolades for the Gramercy Tavern are voluminous and well established. A Gramercy district legacy, the Gramercy Tavern actually has two dining areas, the formal “dining room” for the big kids and the Tavern Bar (pst… it has similar food, a more relaxed/casual atmosphere, the same insanely good service, and amazing drinks). Truth be told, the Gramercy Tavern is perhaps more well known for its legendry bar service, than any of it. But I digress, Isabel (my daughter) booked us for 11:45 am on a Thursday morning for quick lunch before heading out for a day of festivities, including Olmsted later that evening. So yes, we packed a lot into a little time. Work, work, work.

The entry at Gramercy Tavern is classic New York Street Entrance with a canopy and big picture windows on a concrete facade. The interior is decidedly modern, with a cool farm to table mural that runs the length of the upper ceiling and relics of horses, butter churns, and random farm-implement-prints adorn the hallways, a harkening back to Gramercy Park, the namesake district for this area which apparently is well connected to the pastoral. All that said, it is indeed a relaxed atmosphere and the wait staff is friendly, and attentative, but not too attentive, just in that perfect casual fine dining attentive. Do they all take the same pills? If so, I’m in.

Perusing the wine menu, again, all the toys for the big kids. I was not able to consider a bottle as Isabel was not drinking before noon, and she is only 18. However, a quick review of the wine list and a Santa Barbara Syrah from Piedrasassi Winery in Santa Barbara County caught my eye. Yes, that will work.

Isabel ordered up the Beef Tartare with reviso, squash, and rosemary crackers, while I started with the Roasted Oysters (what else?) with celery root, horseradish and lemon. Eschewing the traditional kosher salt bed, the oysters arrived on a bed of micro kelp (baby kelp?) which was in and of itself pretty cool. They were the delicious Atlantic style, smaller than Pacific oysters, a little sweeter and just plain divine.

The Syrah arrived and it did not disappoint. Sashi Moorman (winemaker at Piedrassi) is certainly in the running for cool-climate-Syrah-Master (per Wine Enthusiast) and this Santa Ynez Valley offering does not disappoint. Moorman informs his Syrah with influences both from the Central Coast as well as the Northern Rhone. The appelation is a blend of Cassara and Patterson vineyards.

Dark and purplish Ruby in the glass, the nose is leather and red cherry and earthy with savory aromas. Smoke and slate, hot and dry wtih some funk, and wild berry, this a brooding monster of a Syrah in the mid pallette but finishes with smooth tannins at the back end. Yes, this will be a good start to lunch.

Isabel's Tartare arrived and it was a good as the picture, instead of a raw egg, the stuff that looks like a raw egg is actually a dijon blend, and quite tasty and played nicely off the fat of the tartare (yes she shared).

My main arrived (mushroom pot pie - got to get your vegetables!) and it was insanely good with multilevel french pastry top as flakey and light as paper (sprinkled with thyme)with a savory good mushroom stock, with mushrooms, dried white cannellini beans (the little white ones), kale and thyme expertly handled in the mushroom stock/gravy.

As it was still early in the day and I had not had my coffee yet, Isabel and I passed on dessert but I did not forgoe my caffeine. No, no, an Espresso Martini was in order, and the phenomenally talented bartender certainly delivered. My Espresso Martini arrived with a nice Kahlua foam, floating coffee beans, vodka (of course) and a shot of espresso. I see now why the Gramercy Tavern is also a great bar with a restaurant. Yep, no complaints here. Great lunch, Isabel (thanks for booking). We’re off to explore more NYC before Olmsted in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn this evening!! Work, work, work indeed.

A visit to Olmsted, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY

So a recent Bon Appetite streaming program showcased some cool restaurants and Olmsted popped up on our home screen and radar. It a long stone’s throw (well actually over the Brooklyn Bridge) but still only a 40 min cab ride (at 6:15 pm on a Friday) from Isabella’s swank Yorkville studio (but still only 11 miles.). Everything is compressed here in the Big Apple, distance, time, space, but I digress.

Olmsted is a food/wine geeks Shangrila. Their tasting menu is just that, a Prix Fixe affair and you get 4 courses. NO choices. Your only option is a wine pairing addition (other than glass pours, bottles or cocktails) with chef selected wines for an addtional $55 (base dinner for 4 courses is $89) and of course you can upgrade the wine pairings for $85 (yes, that happened). Olmsted is the brain child of Chef Greg Baxstrom of Alinea (yea that Alinea) Stone Barns, Per Se, Atera,) and it shows. As Eater Magazine effused - “Credit is due to Greg Baxtrom, a chef who’s spent time working at venues where $800 meals for two are not uncommon - for giving New York its most paradoxically ambitious yet most approachable restaurants. Olmsted easily joins the ranks of Estela and Wildair as oner of the city’s best most creative small plates places.” This writer would heartily agree - most dishes are under $20 and the tasting menu was 4 courses - again only $89. So yea, I’d say approachable for world class dining. The premium option wine pairing to accompany each course was an extra $85 (base pairings were $55 - so yea $30 more seemed like a no brainer - again, approachable).

The first course was a triple header wtih Lime Leaf Popcorn Monkfish, (delicate and delectable, could have eaten a bucket of those), Duck Ham Air Baguette (you had me at duck ham) and a Rutabaga soup with Green Curry and Cocount. This was paired nicely with a La Caravelle NV Blanc de blanc Brut Champagne which opened with a nose of minrerals and apple with a satisfying medium long finish, with fine smooth bubbles and a crisp acidity. Yum, nice pairing.

Course 1.5 was a bread plate of Red Fife Brioche, aerated with Tellicherry-peppercorn scented Ricotta supplied by Evi’s bakery, a subsidiary of Olmsted’s longtime pastry chef Alex Grunert which is his mother’s namesake and showcases his and his mom’s Austrian roots. Alex grew up in Vienna baking 1000s of stollen for holiday season. In Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighborhood where the Austrian population is considerably smaller, he’s had to scale things back. The bread was freakin delicious.

Course 2 arrived: Salsify “Rissotto” with Black Truffe Parmesan Reggiano. Salsify is a root vegetable and when grated and soaked in 3 kinds of rice milk, makes a convincing all vegetarian “risotto”. The Black Truffle and Paremesan continued the illusion and the deep fried Salsify chips on top were a welome texture addition, continuing the Salsify notes thru the dish. This was paired with a bone dry 2020 Mosel Valley Riesling from Peter Lauer (Ayler Riesling No. 25) beautiful, dry, and a hint of sweetness. The Ayler is made with grapes from the Eastern slopes of the Mosel valley and has been a regular for wine lists in German restauraunts since the 1920s. This one did not disappoint.

Course 3 (which I had been patiently waiting for all night) was an Agedashi Scallop served with Red Dashi, Hon shimeji (mushrooms) a la Grecque, and Kombu. The Scallop is a minced and pounded affair, formed into a square and served as an illusion to the Agedashi Tofu that most Japanese Cuisine fans are familiar with. Alinea did a similar rif and I’m sure that’s where Chef Baxstrom was influenced (unless he developed it). Anyway, familiar Alinea bait and switch with pounded/minced scallop acting as the fried tofu in the traditional Japense dish with hon shimeji mushrooms and Kombu dashi (dried kelp broth) which was poured over the scallop at serving. You had me at minced pounded scallops served like fried tofu (and dashi). This was paired with a 2018 Pilcher Kutlzer Gruner Veltliner from Wachau Valley, Austria and grown from the single vineyard of Ried Klostersatz, in the village of Oberloiben, one of the oldest in the Wachau, and first documented as a wine producer in 860 (is that all?) Attirbutable by its position on the Danube river bend, the sediments are fine grained on top with pebbles from the Alps building drainage underneath. The wine exhibits smooth clean, crisp pear and a long silky finish with lime aromas, medium plus body, saline on the palate (Gruners are known for going well with scallops). I could have had another or two of those, but dessert was en route.

Course 4 was a Rainbow Carrot Cake, with Citrus Caramel and Cream Cheese Fluff. As described, rich and delicious. Paired with a 1996 Chenin Blanc from Moulin Touchais. The chenin is almost a light copper in the glass (presume from aging changes). This estate is owned by the same family since 1787 and has amazing stocks of old sweet vines maturing in its cellars. With red apple, honey, and apricot, this wine is mature and yet so fresh, it is proof positive of the aging ability of Chenin Blanc. It is well balanced between the ripe honey flavors and the intense acidity that keep it well preserved. The 1996 is drinking very well right now and played well off the citrus carmael, rainbow carrots, and cream cheese flavors of the carrot cake. Another fabulous evening in the Big Apple with my best dinner date ever (that’s a blood relative in the City). It will be tough to leave (and I’ll miss Isabel). Thanks for enjoying along with us and thank you Isabel for arranging all the festivities. We hope to provide more notes from the field on Gramercy Tavern shortly as my culinary/wine exursion to the Big Apple draws to a close.

Bikingbloggingwino hits Chelsea Market

Ok, so as the instagram handle goes, I do bike and I do blog and I am a wino so time to get on the bike and live my best me and go to Chelsea Market for another installment of drink that grape. We grabbed City Bikes a few blocks from Isabel's s place and bee-lined down to Chelsea Market (we got as far as Bloomingdale’s on 59th Street b/c they left the magnet in my sweater and I’ve been walking around with it for a day or two like a total dork). Apres magnet removal, we ditched the bikes and headed to Chelsea in a cab (the remaining mile or two - it’s cold in NY and I didn’t have gloves, plus you know, it was easy).

Chelsea Market is a cool spot. Old Meatpacking neighborhood downtown. Awesome entry, full of great shops and restaurant/bars (uh huh) and for sure some wine tasting opportunities. We skipped the bottle shop but headed to Minzon for Israeli Street Food (4-5 locations, Tel Aviv (original-duh), Paris, NY, Singapore, I think another?). Anyway, the good stuff. Isabel and I ordered “The Orginal World Famous Grilled Baby Cauliflower” to open (yum!! - charred just right and with oil and garlic - it’s almost not a vegetable - that good) and Isabel had the rotisserie “broken chicken” pita with tahini, za’ator, spicey green peppers and scallions, while I “makka da lamb” (Big Fat Greek Wedding joke) - who can resist a lamb kebab in a pita (!?)- yea - I had that. Same basic spicing as the chicken - but with grilled tomato and onion, tahini, spicey green peppers, pickles. The beverage choice was of course the spicey Mojito with mint and anise (or so it tasted), played off nicely with the Kebab and the Cauliflour. If Isabel had tried some of mine (I wasn’t looking -we ordered 2 mojitos) I’m sure she’d say it went well with the chicken too (wink). The food offerings came with a HONKING SHISHITO PEPPER grilled and salted (see pics) - more on that later.

For the final committment to my namesake and mission on this particular soire, Isabel and I went to Corkbuzz, a wine bar in Chelsea Market which was closing in about an hour and I did the “Blinded by the Flight” (literally you get what they bring you unidentified and then you go through your tasting cheklist and determine what grape it is (or not), age, new world/old world, (or not) oak/no oak/neutral oak, acid, floral notes, berry notes red/black/blue, minerality +/-, herbal notes, other notes +/- etc etc. (or not). If youre really delusional you’ll name the vintage. Of course, other than the glass pour list to look at and some general grape descriptors, you have no idea what they gave you and pretty much it doesn’t have to be on their menu. So that was a challenge especially after that HONKING SHISHITO PEPPER (noted above) and I can say without exageration - that …. I didn’t get one right, not even close (exept for approximate age, acid level and maybe some fruit notes - yea pinot was obvious by color and I see that now. Saw it after i missed it). But it was still fun. Missed Gamay for Pinot and a Santa Barbara Pinot for Grenache, and a Merlot for a Barolo, but i had just blasted my pallet with the HONKING SHISHITO PEPPER (you saw that one in the picture right?) at the Israeli Street Food Restaurant (Minzon) so needless to say, my pallet and nose were toast. That’s the excuse and I’m sticking to it. For a final glass pour I had a German Pinot. It was good. Again, not on their menu and I wasn’t in the mood for remembering after all that. Still a fun night at Chelsea Market - “I Need a HUGe - glass of wine.” Chelsea Market you read my mind.

Aldo Sohm - Midtown Wine Bar

Last night’s festivities included a visit to Aldo Sohm Wine Bar at 151 w 51st in Midtown. Isabel set up the res for 8:30 but we crashed the bar early at 7 pm hoping for a table and we were quickly seated at a small table for 2 in the center which required some serious hip range of motion to enter and exit. Not quite a throw pillow on a Nomadic tribesman’s floor but not far off - low stools and couches which for other less flexible souls might impede full digestion. We were however, seated post haste. Aldo Sohm has an impressive list. First Growth Premiere Cru Classe Bordeaux can be had by the bottle at eye popping prices but you know, they have it (“‘89 Chateau Margaux for a paltry $1900 - yea, we have that.”). (Editors note: After reviewing my prior evenings drinking choices on the previous night’s blog: 3 Italian reds, a Chateauneuf, a Spanish Trasto, followed by Codigo blanco 1533 tequila capper with Cointreau, jalapeño, lime, and cilantro at Hotel Hugo Bar in Tribeca) I realized my evening’s beverage choices should probably gravitate more toward the Champagne/white wine universe, over the counter acid reducing medications not withstanding.)

After perusing the menu, we selected a 375 ml Pierre Paillard Les Parcelles Bouzy Grand Cru NV Champagne to try and settled in. The Food was excellent and Isabel and I shared a Romaine speared salad with melted cheese and bacon (the preferred way to eat any vegetable) and I ordered the Truffle Pasta with truffle shavings and truffle oil (you know, the whole truffle business) and Isabel the Braised Short Ribs which was met by an almost simultaneous “Excellent Choice” by our cheerful server - more on those later.)

Turns out the Paillard brothers (Quentin and Antoine) are 8th generation farmers of fizz running Champagne Pierre Paillard in Bouzy. They are working with their father Benoit who worked with his own father (Pierre) in the family vineyards for more than 40 years.

The Paillards have been crafting wine in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy for more than 200 years. They now tend 11 hectares of vineyards divided between Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%) and farm sustainably without pesticides or herbicides. The total production of the estate is 7500 cases and they craft 5 Champagnes and two Cocteau Champenois (white and red) from Bouzy only, a rare thing in Champagne where blending of villages and grapes is the norm. The wines benefit from extended aging on their lees. Les Parcells is a rare expression of a single Cru village (Bouzy). And per vivino, “It offers a picture-book flavor of Bouzy Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and is a solid representation of the Paillard’s estate”). Although technically not a declared vintage, Les Parcelles is marked with a Roman numeral on the label to indicate the base vintage, often 80% of the blend.

The Pierre Paillard arrived and was immediately tasted. On the nose, notes of apple, green apple, pear, with a brioche toasty nose and pale lemon yellow in the glass. The bubbles are fine, nice berry notes on the palate, good tension, nice minerality and a clean acidic finish. A good start to a fine evening.

The salad arrived which we managed not to get a shot of. Delish as described (who doesn’t like bacon with cheese on Romaine?) and the acidity of the Champagne helped cleanse the palate between bites. The Truffle Pasta arrived. It was medium aldente with shaved truffle on top along with truffle oil. There’s a picture. Yea it was a good as that.

Isabel’s braised short ribs were divine however. Tasting like they were braised for days, they fell apart on the fork. Rich and delish, accompanied by braised spinach (assume in the juices from the ribs) along with potatoes and braised onions. Perfection. They were consumed before a fitting photographic tribute was secured. I’ll find a stock photo. They were that good.

We retired following a quick cab back to the apartment in hopes of getting some bike riding in for a better weather day tomorrow to another wine writing opportunity. Cheers!

A night out on the Upper West Side/Tribeca

So a few months before this trip, I read of a restauranteur that had taken some heat for expressing conern that restaurants were unfairly receiving the lion’s share of the pandemic restrictions, making it difficult to profitably operate one’s already profit challenged business (ie. a restaurant). This owner received some blowback for this stand and I figured this was exactly the kind of person we in the restauraunt world should be standing with. Just so happens, the restaurant is Joanne Tratorria, a namesake to Lady Gaga’s sister who died of cancer and is owned by Gaga’s Dad, Joe Germanotta. Joe received some backlash from the googlesphere for wanting to help his place with a goFundme page and for having the audacity to complain that restaurants were unfairly receiving the lion's share of regulations and hoops forcing a certain segment of the economy to bear the sins of the whole. Oh the effrontery, oh the audaciousness, oh the humanity. That said, I was supporting with my hard earned greenbacks and committed to (at the very least) sampling some Italian glasspour wines and checking out the Meatballs (more on this later). Isabel and I made reservations at Joanne Trattoria at 68th West and Columbus at 7 pm for a beginning to our evening soire. (A brisk walk through the Park from East to West from Isabel’s domicile on the Upper East Side and we were there in 40 minutes - about 2.5 miles (!).)

First off, when at an Italian Restaurant, always inquire as to the meatballs. Meatballs are a barometer of the seriousness of the cuisine. Good meatballs, good cuisine, bad meatballs, well you know…. Turns out, Joanne Trattoria is well known for its meatballs (and rightly so!). A nice balance of fat to meat, beef to pork (great texture) just the right amount of bread crumbs, rich with medium spice and fresh tomato acidity. Unsurprisingly, we had the Meatballs, Spaghetti, and Broccolli Rabe with Garlic. The glass pours were plentiful on paper but 4 were “sold out” upon asking (guess the Pandemic hits everyone) and later 2 asks which were initially deemed MIA were produced (a Barbaresco and a Montepulciano) which were consumed in earnest. Note to self: never feel sheepish for not having one of 250 plus bottles available at The Vault. If Lady Gaga's dad’s place is having trouble keeping an inventory, what chance do the rest of us have?) Skipping dessert at Joanne Trattoria (no, no Gaga sighting and no Gaga’s Dada Joe sighting) we left for our second destination for the evening, the Wine Bar Terroir in Tribeca.

Terroir boasts 45 glass pours and a menu not as well organized as you would expect. What the menu lacks in organization, it more than makes up for in variety of glass pour offerings and the first wine selected was Mas de Boislauzon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2011. I’m a sucker for Chateauneuf and this one did not disappoint. Repleat with spices, earth, smokiness, cherries and raspberries, and lingering spice finish, this one aimed to please. For a second glass recommendation the Somme at the bar produced a 2018 Trasto (100% Prieto Picudo) from western Spain, Noelia de Paz. Tierra de Leon is a region above Portugal (and below Leon) on the northwest side of Spain. Turns out Prieto Piucudo is the varietal that the Tierra de Leon is most known for and by a rule, red wines produced here must include a minimum of 60% Preito Picudo or Mencia. (Per Vivino: the aromatic grape has good acidity and full fruit flavors, it is defined in part by its small, compact bunches and its ability to withstand drought.) Trasto is 100% Prieto Picudo and a “village wine” which excaped the village and became an export phenome. Which goes to show you, do not discount a wine or a varietal simply because you have never heard of it. Without the recommendation by our steadfast somme, the sampling of Prieto Picudo never would have happened and I would have been the lesser for it. Viva la Prieto Picudo! Unique, well priced and delicious - a triple threat!

Our evening ended at Bar Hugo at the the top of the Hugo Hotel 20 floors up with sweeping views over the Hudson River and New Jersey. The capper for the evening was El Tapatio: codigo blanco tequila 1530, cointreau, cucumber, jalapeno, clinatro, lime along with steak tacos and chips and guacamole/salsa. A perfect ending for a perfect evening. (Editor’s note: while the El Tapatio is also served in pitchers for $75, it could possibly be deemed “too much of a good thing.” The single glass was perfection however.) Let’s do it again tomorrow night!! Second bite of the Big Apple complete: equally delish and gratifying.

Visit to the Big Apple

Anyway you slice it, the New York wine scene is alive and well. Visiting Isabel this week, we happened upon a few happily stocked shops in the Upper Eastside Neighborhood, Yorkville. First off was a stop at Yorkville Wine and Spirits. I saw some old favs including Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Opus One for $369.00 retail (not bad actually) and a second fav Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Chablis (frick ya - one of the best whites I have ever tried!) for a reasonable retail $189.99. Beyond that, we stopped by at Kaia Wine Bar at 90th and 3rd Ave E and enjoyed a smokin’ good South African Pinotage from Backsberg Winery, Paarl, South Africa. Excellent black cherry, blackberry, smoke, leather, tobacco, nice acid, fine tannins, etc etc etc. Delish! The Geroosterde Oesters included roasted oysters with caramelized shallots, smoked cheddar, bread crumb!! Just yum. Plus, a Beestert/Oxtail Birra Taco was not to be missed. Good Start to the first bite of the big Apple this trip.

Editors note: Pinotage is an incredibly intersting wine. Pinotage is a genetic cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. This wine is deep and inky. Tasting less like the two grapes that it’s comprised of, you experience a wine that is more characteristic of Shiraz with deep dark fruits and tobacco.

A visit to Hillcrest Vineyards, Melrose

Jun 2

When Richard Sommer founded Hillcrest Vineyards in Melrose, East of Roseburg in 1961 , little did he know he would be kicking off a wave that would begin the Oregon Wine Industry. Hillcrest is Oregon’s Oldest Estate Winery, having the distinctive title of the oldest bonded post prohibition winery in Oregon. Richard Sommer and Dick Erath (Erath Vineyards) were both young wine enthusiasts attending UC Davis (wine industry classes - there were no Enology or Viticulture Majors back then) with a secret target of taking their newfound UC Davis knowledge to Oregon.

Richard planted French Pinot Noir clones in 1961 before Willamette was a thing, proving the doubters wrong on Oregon’s place in the world wine industry.

Fast forward 40 years and Dyson DeMara and his wife Susan have assumed the reins of Hillcrest and Dyson is proving a worthy successor to pioneer Richard Sommer, setting wine enthusiasts back on their heels with the distinctive style and character of his wines. Bold, forward, and overflowing with varietal flavors, they make a statement that this self assured winemaker is every bit as innovative as founder Sommer was in pursuing a course that will set him apart.

“Our philosophy is old world in the vineyard and the winery. The vines are dry farmed, low yield, all organic. We’re hands off as possible in the winery. Gravity flow, no filtering. We manually press everything to tase. I want wines to develop their own unique personality” adds Dyson.

Hillcrest has recently been honored as the first and only Umpqua Valley winery to be recognized by the organization SLOW WINE. SLOW WINE selects top wineries around the world for not only their wine quality but also for their approach towards natural farming and winemaking. Their use of dry farmed, hillside vineyards that are farmed naturally as well as use of patented concrete fermenters and extended ageing in “Botti” are a couple of things that set them apart. Hillcrest was the first to plant Malbec in Oregon in 1959 and the first to produce Malbec. Richard Sommer bottled his first Malbec in 1964.

Dyson continues with his tradition of “Old Stones” 2016 Malbec with beautiful notes of black plum, blackberry, rose hip, dark cherry, a velvety mid palette, rounded off with medium acidity and a ripe, medium tannin finish. The wine is fermented in concrete tanks like many Malbecs produced in Mendoza, Argentina. Yes, please!

Dyson also sources fruit from partner producers in the old world, adding to his Umpqua AVA line up. His 2016 “Lo Americano” is a tribute to Pobleda, the heart of Priorat, Spain, and his version is a 75% old Vine Garnacha/25% Carnigan blend that echoes the old world style Dyson is pursuing in his Umpqua wines. Medium body, spicy and fruit forward, rich but not heavy - this one is a winner for anyone who likes the Spanish Garnacha style.

Hillcrest’s 2017 Pinot Blanc is inspired by old-school Northern Italian whites. Dyson’s “Bianco” boasts Umpqua Pinot Blanc fruit, with super bright acidity and low alcohol. The palette offers lemon zest but also creaminess. This is a wine that “dances” on the palette.

All in all, time well spent at Hillcrest Vineyards in Melrose, East Roseburg. I thoroughly enjoyed my second visit to Hillcrest during my tenure here in the Umpqua and would highly suggest anyone to do the same if they find themselves with some down time here in the Umpqua.

A Visit to Cooper Ridge Winery

(literally 3/4 of a mile from my Airstream…)

Feb 23

I can see the vineyard and tasting room from my Airstream (almost). It’s less than a mile away. Owners Robin and Lesa Ray at Cooper Ridge bought the property in 1999 (it was a former walnut orchard) and they planted in 2009 with southerly facing slope and valley terroir. Indeed, their tasting room has a beautiful panoramic territorial view over the valley floor with a birds eye view of the vineyards and hills in the background. All fruit is estate farmed on 25 acres. As Owner Robin Ray indicates - California has 3200 different wine makers. The Umpqua Valley has 32. The scale is different but not unlike what Napa was like in the old days. Small family wine makers trying to make a go. Umpqua Valley wine is putting itself on the map and Cooper Ridge is no different.

They have 7 different varietals including Merlot, Viognier, Syrah, Tempranillo, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Pinot Noir. The Winery is named for the Ray’s son Cooper. The Ray’s are fortunate in that 80% of their wine is sold to their wine club and a few key resorts in the area including some on the Oregon Coast. The other 20% is available for retail at their tasting room. Annual case production is small (3500) by comparison to some (Abacela can be up to 7,000 plus when all vineyards are producing and even that is considered modest by Napa/Washington standards). But as we have all understood by now, that doesn’t mean a sacrifice in quality. Au Contraire….

The 2016 Pinot Noir I tasted was dark ruby in color with notes of strawberry, raspberry plum, and pepper with an earthy body and long lingering finish. One reviewer on Vivino after tasting the Pinot indicated that the future is bright for Pinot’s from this up and coming wine region. Indeed.

Their 2016 Tempranillo is not as tanic as the Abacela’s flagship offering and has a softer feel but still full bodied with hints of blackberry, tobacco, and mocha. Some would say they prefer the softer style to the heavier more tanic traditional style of Abacela’s Flagship Tempranillo. I say there’s plenty of room in the Airstream for all the different interpretations of Spain’s fab grape (Cicilian originally I believe).

Cooper Ridge - definitely worth a visit and right on my way home. A perfect place for a late afternoon sip and ponder moment to explore Umpqua Valley’s many noble offerings. I’ll take the 32 over the 3200 these days.

A Visit to Abacela Winery

No visit to the Umpqua Valley would be complete without a visit to the grand daddy of them all , Abacela. The Vault Crew has long admired the.Abacela Albariño for its acidity, minerality and bright mid pallet. Abacella Winery has been in the Lookinglass region of the Umpqua Valley since 1995. Abacela is a world-class, multi-award-winning winery and viticulture success story. But in 1995 when founders Earl and Hilda Jones planted its first vines they had no way of knowing what the outcome would be. They were scientists with zero winemaking experience who left secure careers and trekked 2700 miles west, kids in tow, to determine if fine Tempranillo wine could be grown and produced in Oregon’s Umpqua Valley.

Earl and Hilda probably weren't the first enophiles to wonder why the great grape of Spain's famous Rioja wines was mysteriously absent from American fine wine. However, they were the first to approach the question with scientific rigor, form a hypothesis, then devote their lives to testing it.

This is the story of how one ordinary family's curiosity and determination transformed their lives, built one of Oregon's best-loved wineries and influenced winegrowing not only in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest but across America.

Why Tempranillo?

In the late 1960s, while Earl was a resident physician at UCSF, Mike Bosco of Lucca Delicatessen on San Francisco’s Chestnut Street introduced him to Spanish red wines; Napa Cabernets were $2.50 a bottle and on a student’s budget the discounted Riojas at $0.88/bottle were a bargain. Their aromas and flavors paired well with the foods Earl enjoyed and he was hooked. As time went by and disposable income permitted better Riojas his bonding with these fine wines grew stronger; it might come as a surprise, as it did to Earl to learn that Rioja was a geographical place and Tempranillo was the name of its principal grape. Travels to Europe for scientific meetings broadened his red wine horizon and Earl puzzled at why different regions grew different grapes and what determined the taste of these wines. At some point he learned that Tempranillo was one of the most planted grapes in the world and that it had actually been grown in California since 1888 but the wine was of low quality, was declassified and used for blending or distilled for its alcohol content.

California did not produce Tempranillo as a varietal wine for the consumer. Why not?

There were various ideas, inappropriate soil, an unknown biotic agent, others said it was not a good grape and in 1963 UC Davis discontinued research and recommended the grape not be further planted in California. But given its success in Spain these explanations seemed shallow. It was at this juncture that Earl tasted Alejandro Fernández’s Bodegas Tinto Pesquera, 1982 Janus Reserve and concluded fine Tempranillo could indeed be grown in the Spain’s Duero river valley. This location was 150 miles from Rioja so why then was it not possible in America? The disparity was an enigma worth investigating.

Abacela – What's in a Name?

Abacela epitomizes adventurousness, entrepreneurism, research, hard work and a dash of luck. Early in their adventure, in a reference library in Bilbao Spain, Earl was attempting to locate a village named Abalos in what he thought was an old atlas, but the tome was actually an old Spanish dictionary. A word caught his eye: “Abacelar”, a verb that meant “to plant a grape vine.” Earl jotted the definition on an index card. Years later, as the vineyard dream inched towards reality, he fished out the note.

The word “abacelar” originated from the western Latin spoken in the Iberian Peninsula and pre-dates modern Castilian Spanish. Today in Spain the word is still used only in the western provinces, especially Galicia and in neighboring Portugal. Its third-person conjugation “abacela” means “he/she/they plant a vine”. It was too fine a gift to ignore. In 1994, after an international search the Joneses decided this interesting word so elegantly encapsulated their project that they trademarked Abacela and registered it in Oregon as their business name although it would be three years before they would produce America’s first varietal Tempranillo.