Uncorked Musings

What is in my glass?

Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tasting 2010

June 23, 2010 in Uncorked Musings, Wine Tasting Adventures | No comments

The second annual Winehound Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tasting was an enormous success.  The selection of wines was staggering, the food was fabulous (wood fired pizzas from Flatbread) and the venue (the Fess Parker Doubletree) was far superior to last year’s event.   This year there were more than 125 wines from 50 different vintners.  The list is impressive to say the least:  Alma Rosa, Ampelos, Au Bon Climat, Autonom, Babcock, Beckmen, Brander, Ken Brown, Cargasacchi, Carhartt, Carr, Cent’Anni, Cimarone, Clos Pepe Estate, Cold Heaven, Costa de Oro, Demetria, Dragonette, Epiphany, Ethan, Flying Goat, Blair Fox, Happy Canyon Vineyard, Harrison-Clarke, Holus Bolus, Jaffurs, Jelly Roll, Jonata, Jorian Hill, Kaena, Kenneth-Crawford, Paul Lato, Lea, Longoria, Margerum Wine Company, Melville, Native9, Ojai, Fess Parker, Point Concepcio, Qupe, Rey, Samsara, Sanguis, Shai, Stolpman, Tensley, Tercero, The Paring, Tyler, Verdad, VIE, Vogelzang, Whitcraft.    With this many wines, I had to carefully pick and choose my way through the options.   Some of the wines were barrel samples, while many others were bottled, though unreleased.  Though I wasn’t able to taste everything, here is a list of the ones that really, really stood out for me :

Ampelos 2007 Rho Pinot Noir – cola, black cherries, earth, hint of vanilla.  465 cases produced.  Scheduled release late Spring 2011.

Ampelos 2007 Gamma Syrah – pepper, leather, dark berries, bacon.  655 cases produced.  Scheduled release Winter 2010.

Autonom 2007 Rhône Cuvee Central Coast – 55% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre, black pepper, dark berries, meat, clove, mocha. 130 case produced.  Scheduled release Summer 2010.

Beckmen 2008 Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard – black fruits, fig, baking spices, bacon, mocha – next to my tasting notes I scribbled “this is a wine the critics will love”, I love it too.   400 cases produced.  Scheduled release Fall 2010

Clos Pepe 2009 Pinot Noir Estate – black cherry, cola, Dr. Pepper, cocoa – a blend of clones 665, 777, 513, Pommard.  1000 cases producedscheduled release Spring 2011.   Clos Pepe’s Wes Hagen was also pouring what he said was the “first ever sparkling wine from the Sta. Rita AVA” – a 2007 Brut Rosé, made by Norm Yost of Flying Goat Cellars.  Unfortunately my palate was blown out after so many fabulous reds…dang.

Ethan 2009 Grenache Blanc – heady nose of apple, melon and florals, good acid and minerality.  I was head over heels for this barrel sample – it was gorgeous – one of the top 5 wines I tasted at the event.  I spoke with winemaker Ethan Lindquist who indicated that this is the first time he made a Grenache Blanc.  With only 150 cases made, get it while you can when it is released.  Scheduled release Fall 2010.

Ethan 2009 Sangiovese – red cherry, garrigue, ripe strawberry, good acid.  Fabulous “food wine”.  150 cases produced.  Scheduled release Fall 2010.

Jaffurs 2008 Grenache – spice, tart cherry, chocolate covered raspberry, 50% Thompson Vineyard, 50% Stolpman (all Alban and Tablas clones).  390 cases produced.  Scheduled release late Summer 2010.

Jaffurs 2008 Syrah Larner Vineyard – heady and beautiful, blackberry, black pepper, mocha, allspice, super long finish.  340 cases produced.  Scheduled release late Summer 2010.

Kaena 2008 Grenache Larner Vineyard – bright and gorgeous with flavors of red raspberry, cranberry, leather, super long finish.  One of the top 5 wines I tasted at the event.  100 cases produced.  Scheduled release Winter 2010.

Kaena 2008 Hapa – 56% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 11% Mourvèdre, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon – blackberry, garrigue, cedar, clove.  Again, one of the top 5 wines I tasted at the event.  200 cases produced.  Scheduled release Winter 2010.

Rey 2007 Syrah – 10 % Grenache and a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon – blackberry, black pepper, mocha.  Wonderful wine for $20.  Available now – but only 100 cases produced so get it while you can!  NOTE:  Rey is a second label – the reserve label is De Su Propia Coshecha – if you see it buy it – your mouth will thank you.

Samsara 2008 Syrah Melville Vineyard – Unexpected nose of florals, black plum, black pepper,  earthy. Only 120 cases produced.   Scheduled release Fall 2010.

Samsara 2008 Syrah Ampelos Vineyard – Very integrated flavors for a 2008, black fruits, black pepper, garrigue and herbs.  Only 75 cases produced.  Scheduled release Fall 2010.  Anyone who reads this blog knows that Ampelos is a big favorite of mine; I love what Samsara’s winemaker Chad Melville has created with the wonderful Ampelos fruit.

Vogelzang 2008 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard – Fiddlestix is a fabulous source of fruit in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, intense flavors of tart cherry, ripe raspberry and caramel, well integrated flavors for such a young wine.   Only 100 cases produced.  Scheduled release Spring 2011.

What a wonderful way to spend the day – I only wish that the event were spread over two days, so that I could taste *all* the wines.  Maybe next year?  Many thanks to Bob Wesley and his team from the Winehound for putting on such a fabulous event!

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The witness protection program?

May 6, 2010 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

So much has happened since I last posted.  Nope, I am not part of the witness protection program – I’ve just been really, really busy.  Let me try to condense the last month into a few words and some photos.  First and foremost I moved from Santa Barbara to a lovely house out in wine country with a view of the edge of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Moving is never easy or fun, but in this case the massive effort was worthwhile.  I’m reminded daily about what makes Pinot Noir so good, when I wake up to a view of the Santa Rita Hills.  Often times the hills are shrouded in fog that burns off by mid-morning.  The east-west coastal valleys combined with fog, wind and rocky soil stress the vines and reduce crop yield.  This results in incredibly complex and layered Pinot Noir.  If you want to taste what I am referring to, check out Ampelos Cellars’ 2005 Rho Pinot Noir.  You’ll be happy you did!

Though I’ve only been in my new place about a month and a half, so much has happened!  In the few weeks I:

  1. unpacked a seemingly infinite number of boxes, many of which were full of wine or books…I wonder if I really need all these books?
  2. enjoyed some of my favorite fabulous local wines (De Su Propia Cosecha, Brander, Tre Anelli, Stolpman, McPrice Myers) while unpacking boxes – no wonder it took so long!
  3. poured Consilience wines at an event at Blush in Santa Barbara
  4. ate amazing woodfired pizza at Full of Life Flatbread (and oysters – WOW!) – if you’re into woodfired pizza come to Los Alamos to eat at Flatbread
  5. wrote the tasting notes for a couple of fabulous soon to be released wines from Tre Anelli (2007 Pinot Grigio, 2007 Sangiovese, 2008 Diavolessa)
  6. went wine tasting at Brander (Thank you Fabian and Louise for the tour and barrel tasting!) – I *love* the Purisima Sauvignon Blanc and the reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
  7. encountered all sorts of wildlife out here in the country – deer (see photo below), red tailed hawks, turkey vultures, mice, moles, skunks (unfortunately one of my dogs got too close to the skunk, sigh) a myriad of songbirds, mice, horses and a tree frog (oddly enough the frog was in my shower…go figure)
  8. visited chef Paul Kulik at the Boiler Room restaurant and La Buvette in Omaha – my two favorite places to eat and drink in the Old Market district

So much has happened and so many wonderful things are on the horizon!  First and foremost, there is lots of great news from one of my local favorites, Dragonette Cellars.  Very soon you won’t have to go out to the wine ghetto in Lompoc to visit Dragonette, because they are opening up a tasting room in Los Olivos, right across the street from Stolpman.  Also, any day now, Dragonette will release a wine that consists mostly of the co-fermented Syrah/Viognier that I fell in love with while barrel tasting last year (there are a few photos from this below).  The wine is a reserve release and is called MJM.  John Dragonette, Steve Dragonette and Brandon Sparks-Gillis dedicated this wine to their wives (Mitchi, Jen and Michelle), hence the name MJM.  Smart husbands.  :) Recently I visited Dragonette and tasted the 2007 MJM with winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis.  He was quite proud (and rightly so) of the almost released blend of 96% Syrah, 3% Grenache and 1% Viognier.   This is a gorgeous wine with layers of flavors – definitely one to save for a special occasion!  It wasn’t officially for sale yet (the bottles had not yet been hand dipped in wax) however I was able to convince him to let me go home with a couple of bottles.  Thanks Brandon!   Last but not least, Dragonette now has a wine club – you can join online too!

On Saturday May 15th, the Wine Hound Santa Barbara County Wine Futures event is happening.  Last year was an amazing opportunity to taste incredibly fabulous local wines.  Check out my post with details from last year’s event. This year I promise to charge my camera battery.   There will be around 130 different wines available for tasting from local producers.  Old favorites, including Au Bon Climat, Jaffurs, Qupé and Stolpman will be there and also some newer producers like Rey, Kaena and Shai.  I am really looking forward to this event!

Last but not least, my wine tasting group is collecting bottles for a special Colson Canyon Vineyard themed tasting.  So far we have collected red wines made from Colson Canyon fruit produced by Cleb, Tensley and Brander.  If you know of any other wineries that make a Colson Canyon vineyard designate wine please drop me an email.

Here are some random snapshots of food, wine and other miscellany.  Cheers!

Dragonette winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis

Dragonette winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis with a bottle of MJM

De Su Propia Cosecha

De Su Propia Cosecha red (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah)

Pouring Consilience wines at Blush in Santa Barbara

Me pouring Consilience wines at Blush in Santa Barbara

lunch at Terravant

Lunch at Terravant (a fun place to taste wine - ask for a tour)

first meal at the new house

This is the first meal at the new house -we hadn't unpacked much yet

Dragonette 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

Dragonette 2008 Sauvignon Blanc - it makes unpacking boxes better

McPrice Myers L'Ange Rouge

McPrice Myers 2007 L'Ange Rouge at Side Street Cafe (we were too tired to cook)

Tre Anelli 2008 Diavolessa

Tre Anelli 2008 Diavolessa - red blend of Dolcetto, Barbera, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel

first course of salad and oysters at Flatbread

First course of salad and oysters at Flatbread

Blissed out at Flatbread

Happiness is eating at Flatbread

deer

What a fun surprise - a deer in my yard

2007 Duckhorn Decoy

2007 Duckhorn Decoy at Urban Wine Company in Omaha's Old Market district

La Buvette

La Buvette - you'll think you're in France, but it is really Omaha's Old Market district

wall of wine at La Buvette

One of the walls of wine at La Buvette

Foggy morning

The view from the patio - cool foggy mornings help make good Pinot Noir

no more fog

Foggy mornings turn into warm, clear days

Barrel tasting at Dragonette
Barrel tasting at Dragonette (photo courtesy of pixillusion.com)

Dragonette with the wine thief

Dragonette extracting wine with a wine thief (photo courtesy of pixillusion.com)

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Farm to Table to Mouth at Root 246

March 8, 2010 in Uncorked Musings | 2 comments

Root 246 - a restaurant by Bradley OgdenA restaurant called Root 246 opened about a year ago in Solvang.  This caused quite a stir because the chef is Bradley Odgen (yes, *that* Bradley Odgen).  Needless to say, touristy Solvang, most notable for its kitschy Danish architecture,  doesn’t have any other restaurants featuring award-winning, celebrity chefs like Odgen.    Jason and I have eaten on the outdoor patio in the summertime.  This time, in light of the fact that it is February (and cold), we opted to sit in the dining room.

Menu at Root 246 a Bradley Ogden restaurant

Menu at Root 246

Odgen’s cooking style in three words is simply “farm to table”.  Naturally, the menu changes often – depending on what is in season.    Jason and I wanted to try many things on the menu so we decided to order a number of different appetizers in lieu of entrees.

Amuse Bouche at Root 246

Amuse-bouche of steelhead trout, shitake and a ginger soy emulsion

Shortly after ordering we received a delicious and beautiful amuse-bouche of steelhead trout and shitake mushroom dressed with a ginger soy emulsion.   I love these unexpected, tiny treats from the kitchen.

We ordered the “Artisan Cheese Plate” which came with thin slices of warm, toasted raisin bread, almonds, local honey and house made blood orange balsamic jelly (which was so fantastic I wanted to take some home).   All the cheeses sounded

Artisan cheese plate with house made blood orange balsamic jelly and local honey

Artisan cheese plate with house made blood orange balsamic jelly and local honey

so wonderful, we couldn’t pick just one.   We ordered the cave aged Marisa from La Valle, Wisconsin.  This sheep milk cheese is aged for six months in a cave.  It was earthy and rich and really tasty.  We also had the Ascutney Mountain cheese from Hartland, Vermont.   It is made from raw milk and is aged for no fewer than eight months.  It is firm, buttery and nutty – similar to a European alpine cheese.  Lastly, we chose a French cheese, called Comte Reserve des Granges from (yes, you guessed it) Franche-Comte, France.   Made from cow’s milk, this is a nutty and buttery cheese that melts in your mouth.  Cheeses like this one are a perfect alternative to dessert (not that we’ll be skipping dessert).

warm "Bautista Farms" spinach salad, La Quercia proscuitto, quail egg and Minus 8 vinaigrette

Warm "Bautista Farms" spinach salad, La Quercia proscuitto, quail egg and Minus 8 vinaigrette

Next up was the warm “Bautista Farms” spinach salad, La Quercia proscuitto, quail egg and Minus 8 vinaigrette.  The spinach was thicker and more crisp than any I’ve had before, rather more like swiss chard than spinach.   Bautista Farms is located in nearby Arroyo Grande so the spinach is super-fresh.

Sliders with Atomic Horseradish

Beef sliders with "atomic" horseradish

After the salad, we tucked into the beef sliders with atomic horseradish and fries with house made ketchup.  These were off the bar menu which offers more casual fare than the dining room menu.  The sliders were great except I really had my heart set on some spicy horseradish – after all, the menu said “atomic”.  In reality, the kick from the horseradish was “sub-atomic”.   With that said, it complemented the flavor of the beef and didn’t overpower the dish – which is probably what the chef planned.   The fries, served in a paper cone (a fun little nod to street food fare)  were warm and crisp and didn’t last on the plate very long.   The sliders tasted especially good with Barrel 27‘s 2006 “Right Hand Man” Syrah.   Barrel 27 is one of my favorites from Paso Robles.   Winemakers McPrice Myers and Russel From are really making some fabulous wine up there.

Miso glazed pork belly with crisp pork and mushroom "spring roll" and soy caramel

Miso glazed pork belly with crisp pork and mushroom "spring roll" and soy caramel

We also ordered the miso glazed pork belly with crisp pork and mushroom “spring roll” and soy caramel!  This was decadent – the flavors all melded together as the tender pork belly melted in my mouth.  Nom, nom, indeed!

Obviously, Jason and I were enjoying our food, what I haven’t mentioned yet is great waitstaff.  Our waiters (there were about 4 of them making sure we had enough bread, food, wine and water) were very attentive.  When Jason asked about a particular wine, the waiter offered to bring him a taste.  I really wish more restaurants would do this.  It is a real drag to order an unfamiliar wine (and too often the waiter cannot tell you anything about it) only to find that it isn’t something you like, in the slightest.  Thankfully the Root 246 staff is wine-centric enough to a) really know the wine list and b) offer a taste of a wine to a curious imbiber.  Kudos!

After all this delicious (and beautifully presented) food, we thought it best to order dessert, actually desserts.  As usual we couldn’t pick just one.  Jason ordered the butterscotch pudding “taster” with coffee-chocolate fudge cookie.  Both the pudding and the cookie were really wonderful – and the size of the dessert is perfect for one person to have a few bites of sweetness at the end a meal.  I ordered the 246 donut “puffs”, served with little cups of  hot fudge, Tahitian vanilla bean custard and apple compote.  I’d pictured donut holes in my head when I ordered this, so I was very surprised to get sticks.   The sticks are meant for dunking into any of the little cups.  It was a fun and tasty riff on donuts.

Organized shelves of food

Every shelf shows the date that the fruit arrived

One of our wonderful waiters asked us if we wanted a tour of the kitchen.   I cannot imagine why he asked me this question…maybe it was the fact that I kept photographing the plates of food?  hmmmm… Of course we took him up on his offer!   I learned that Root 246 doesn’t have a freezer – everything is fresh.  The produce is used within two days from when it is delivered.  Immediately upon delivery, all the fruit and herbs (organic and as local as possible) are washed and then stored on dated trays or in see-through bins.   Root 246 uses local, organic foods whenever possible.  You can taste the quality and the freshness – just take one bite of the spinach salad!   But don’t take my word for it – go check it out yourself.  And if you like to watch FoodTV, be sure to request the table *in* the kitchen!   It is tough to get that table on Saturdays, so call a few weeks ahead to make your reservation.

Here are a couple more photos we took on our tour:

Jason and Anne - interlopers in the Root 246 kitchen

Chef de cuisine Church

Chef de Cuisine Church in his element

chef footwear

Gotta dig the Converse! No Crocs here.

Pork belly

Pork belly - it's not just for breakfast anymore!

Spices in the Root 246 kitchen

Spices in the Root 246 kitchen

How can you screw up auto-focus? Sigh. Jason, Bradley Ogden, Anne

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6/18/09 Dinner at Jane

August 18, 2009 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

It was way too hot to cook tonight so my husband and I headed downtown in search of a casual dinner.  We found ourselves on State Street next to the Arlington theater at Jane.   If you’ve ever eaten at the Montecito Café you’ll notice that there are some of the same menu items found on Jane’s menu.  This is because both restaurants are owned by the same people and so they chose the menu “favorites” from Montecito Café and included them on the menu for Jane.

Jason and I were seated upstairs and dove into the wine list.   The by-the-glass list seemed a bit small to me, I wanted more choices.   With that said, there were some lovely wines on the list from Consilience, so we were happy.   It was too warm outside to drink red wine so I went with a perfectly chilled glass of Consilience Viognier (a nose of honeysuckle and orange blossom with a taste of crisp apple and pear).  I love this wine – the florals on the nose are absolutely heady – and yet it is dry on the palate.  Yum!  It went perfectly with my salad of fresh greens, grilled shrimp, smoked salmon with tarragon dressing.   Jason had the Greek salad with lamb sausage that went well with the Consilience Zinfandel (a big wine with flavors of black raspberry, plum and spices).  This restaurant has an appealing menu with enough options to make anyone happy.  I love all the entrée salads and the portabella mushroom sandwich.  Jason likes the burgers and the pasilla chili appetizer stuffed with Emmentaler cheese – seriously, do NOT pass that one up!  The pasilla chili has a spicy smoky character that is mellowed by the cheese – it is truly a match made in heaven!

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5/24/09 Dinner at the Ballard Inn

June 2, 2009 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

Jason and I had a wonderful dining experience at the picturesque Ballard Inn restaurant last night.  We were seated immediately at a romantic two person table near the fireplace.  We took a look at the wine-by-the-glass list and were impressed with the carefully chosen list of fabulous –mostly local- wines.  I ordered a glass of the 2007 Ampelos Rosé of Syrah (gorgeous deep pink color, bright taste –no oak, no malolactic fermentation, nose of citrus, watermelon, florals, mineral qualities, soft tannins).   Ashley, our young but very well informed and professional server, recommended a wine for Jason – the Kaena Hapa (a mouth filling, fruit/spice bonanza of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre – nothing short of WOW).  Kaena (which means “potential for greatness” in Hawaiian) is the personal label made by Mikael Sigouin whose day job is head winemaker at Beckmen. This talented and hardworking young winemaker is officially on my radar as one to watch!  Potential for greatness, indeed!  But, I digress.  Getting back to the food, we started off with two beautifully presented appetizers.  First, room temperature short rib meat with truffle oil served on a bed of watercress, garnished with small dollops of aioli and four purple potato crisps.  I’ve never thought of making a salad out of short rib meat, but this was amazing – moist, flavorful and rich, but not too heavy to eat in the summertime.  And who knew potato chips could be so decorative – and pretty?  Our second appetizer was crispy sweetbreads served with mizuna salad and arugula with macadamia nut pesto.  All the different textures and tastes in this dish blended harmoniously together.  Wow!  Ashley surprised us with a hamachi sashimi appetizer with soy-yuzu vinaigrette which paired beautifully with the Ampelos rosé.  Our entrées arrived soon after we finished the hamachi.  Jason’s entrée was the crispy skin barramundi with chive risotto and soy mushroom broth.  Barramundi is a white fish, though not as delicate in taste or texture as halibut.  Its firm texture and rich taste was complemented well by the chive risotto.  Jason ordered the 2007 Kaena Hapa Blanc (a white Rhone-style blend of  Grenache Blanc and Roussanne – well balanced, elegant, tropical fruit notes, luscious mouth feel and a long finish- only 170 cases made) to go with his fish.

Duck at the Ballard Inn

Duck entree at the Ballard Inn

I ordered the pan seared duck breast with sweet potato purée and balsamic reduction.  I decided that the Kaena Hapa (red) that we had with our appetizers would be wonderful with the duck – and it was!  Dessert was almond panna cotta with strawberries and coconut tuile, and a bottle of 2005 Cold Heaven Late Harvest Viognier (wonderful florals on the nose, rich on the palate with peach, apricot and honey).   Chef Budi Kazali, who was recently won the 2009 Ultimate Chef competition, came out of the kitchen for a few moments to greet diners.   Jason and I were happy to thank Chef Kazali in person for all the amazing food we enjoyed tonight!

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5/23/09 Ethan Lindquist's New Releases

June 2, 2009 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

2006 Ethan Sangiovese

2006 Ethan Sangiovese

I was in Los Olivos today, so I stopped by the Qupé tasting room to see what Ethan Lindquist was up to.  In addition to the Qupé wines, he was pouring a few wines from his own label, Ethan.  His 2006 Sangiovese is wonderful.  It was so wonderful that I bought a few bottles to take home – as though I need more wine.  I guess I am working out the difference between “need” and “want”.  Well, I clearly wanted the Sangiovese – it is such a good summertime wine.  Plus it is so food friendly you can pair it with practically anything!  The fruit for this wine was grown at the Hearthstone Vineyard in Paso Robles on the west side.  It was aged for 30 months in neutral French oak barrels.  The neutral oak really allows the bright red fruit and spice flavors to shine.  I also bought each of Ethan’s vineyard designate Syrahs.  The first one was the 2006 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Syrah.  The fruit for this wine is from Beckmen’s outstanding, biodynamically grown Purisima Mountain Vineyard block 6.  Ethan went “old school” on this one – the whole clusters of grapes were foot stomped and fermented with native yeast in small open top fermenters.  In order to add many layers of flavors, complexity and a solid tannin structure, the skins and stems were left in contact wine for 4 weeks.  This was made to age – I’d let it sit at least four years.  The second vineyard designate Syrah was the 2006 Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard Syrah.  The fruit was grown in the cool Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County.  Typical of a cool-climate Syrah, it has notes of white pepper, leather and earth.  Ethan says it is one of the “softest and most elegant Syrahs I have ever made”.  This one can be aged for many years as well…but if you get impatient and open it soon be sure to give it plenty of time to breathe.  For best results decant it AND give it a good hour to open up. Thankfully the Sangiovese doesn’t require any additional aging.  On my way home, I picked up an authentic, super thin crust, Italian style pizza topped with prosciutto and asparagus from Via Vai.  Jason and I shared it with the Sangiovese.   What a wonderful way to end the day!  My only regret is that Ethan made a really small number of cases – only 100 cases of the Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard,75 cases of the Sangiovese and 75 cases of the Purisima Vineyard Syrah.  Get it while you still can!

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05/16/09 Tre Anelli's Debutante Party

May 30, 2009 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

Tre Anelli tasting room in Los Olivos

Tre Anelli tasting room in Los Olivos (photo credit: Michael Wilsker pixillusion.com)

Tonight is the official debut of Tre Anelli’s two new releases, the 2007 Centellinare (a Super Tuscan style red blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel) and the 2007 Lagrein (a little known varietal that deserves its time in the spotlight).  For more details on these wines, please see this earlier post.  Wine club members gathered in the tasting room to try out these new wines.  Winemaker Brett Escalera was there mingling and answering lots of questions about wine.  Great wine tastes even better with fabulous food and guests were treated to an array of tasty foods from Louise’s Kitchen Table including Carolina-style pork sliders (tender slow-cooked pork shoulder, tangy secret sauce served on dinner roll sized buns with a hint of sweetness – these were soooo good), crab shooters (crab avocado, and tiny heirloom tomatoes served in shot glasses – colorful, tasty and fun to eat), assorted cheeses, salami, and hummus (flavorful and rich with tahini and garlic).   What a wonderful evening – great wine, fabulous food and friends to share it with!

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05/14/09 Ampelos, Puttanesca and Ahi – Oh my!

May 30, 2009 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

We invited some friends, Shannon and Norene, over for dinner tonight.  Since it was a weeknight, we didn’t have all day to cook – so we used some of our tried and true, easy and fast recipes!  We started with a really colorful and fast raw ahi tuna appetizer.  Simply finely dice sushi-grade ahi tuna and then mix it with a little bit of sesame oil, fresh scallions and sesame seeds.  Serve it with rice crackers. My husband and I have this as a light dinner with a green salad on summer nights when it is too hot to cook.  If you want to make this dish into something with a more formal presentation (as we did for our guests tonight) then simply add a few more steps.  Thinly slice shallots into half rings and lightly flour and fry until crispy, and then set them aside.  Next chop an avocado into small cubes.  Get a small bowl with high sides (we used a ramekin that was about 2.5 inches across) and lightly oil it with sesame oil.  Then spoon in a layer of avocado followed by a layer of ahi – gently press it all into place and then flip the bowl over onto a plate and gently tap until the fish/avocado comes out in pretty dome shape.  Garnish with the fried shallots and serve with rice crackers.  This was lovely with the 2007 Ampelos Rosé of Syrah (my current favorite rosé).  Another easy and fast appetizer that we served was blanched asparagus (thin spears work best) with goat cheese and prosciutto.   Blanch the asparagus and then pat it dry.  Then lay out slice of prosciutto and spread some softened goat cheese on it.  Lay a piece of asparagus on top the prosciutto and roll it all up.  This tasted really good with the lightly oaked 2005 Domaine Alfred Estate Chardonnay that Norene brought.

2005 Domaine Alfred Chardonnay

2005 Domaine Alfred Chardonnay

Dinner was grilled swordfish steaks in a puttanesca sauce with roasted root vegetables.   All the fish we served tonight was from Kanaloa – a great source for fresh fish here in Santa Barbara.  Here is the recipe for the tangy, spicy puttanesca sauce (it is great on pasta too):

¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
5 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons capers (drained)
1 can crushed tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
20 Greek (kalamata) olives (in a pinch I’ve substituted green Spanish olives)
6-8 fresh basil leaves
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Using medium heat, sauté garlic in olive oil for a couple minutes.  Next add the chopped anchovies, capers, tomatoes, chopped olives, oregano and cook until the flavors meld – about 10 to 15 minutes.  If your sauce seems too thin, turn up the heat for a few minutes and allow the liquid from the canned tomatoes to cook off.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Buon Appetito!

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05/05/09 Time for Prosecco

May 26, 2009 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

Prosecco -Italian Sparkling wine

Prosecco -Italian Sparkling wine

The Sundowner winds are blowing warm, dry air tonight.  With a warm night like this, it seems apropos to take a break and enjoy a glass of cool sparkling wine.  Tonight Jason and I popped open a bottle of Prosecco.  Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) is festive and refreshing.  Plus it is an easy to find and economical alternative to its pricier EU cousin, Champagne.  In fact, our local Trader Joe’s has a nice Prosecco for under $10.00.  Do your part for America’s Economic Stimulus Plan – go buy some Prosecco.   Arrivederci!

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05/02/09 The Old Market in Omaha Nebraska

May 26, 2009 in Uncorked Musings | No comments

Jason and I visited Omaha, Nebraska a few times in the past few years for business.  Just before our first trip, a friend (an Omaha native) recommended that we visit a part of the city called the “Old Market”.  The Old Market is a lively area rich with art studios, restaurants, wine bars and loft apartments.  Back in the mid 1960’s, the Mercer family, owners of many disused warehouses decided to revive the area by turning creating an district of shops, art studios, and restaurants.  This brought a lively and creative community to the area – and the Old Market was born. Each year we look forward to visiting the Old Market and eating at La Buvette a Mercer-owned restaurant and wine store– which looks and feels like a Parisian café complete with the chalkboard menu.  With well priced wines from around the world and an ever-changing menu of seasonal foods, La Buvette is a happening spot all day and well into the night.  My idea of a perfect day in Omaha’s Old Market would be lunch at La Buvette at an outside table.  I’d choose a bottle of wine and then linger over my lunch – savoring every bite.  Then I’d head over to Jackson Street Booksellers and spend some time browsing through the amazing selection amassed by Amanda, the proprietor.  Then in the evening, I’d make sure to go to The Boiler Room restaurant.

The Boiler Room

The Boiler Room

I did just that on a recent trip to Omaha.  Thankfully, I made a reservation because all the tables were full when we arrived. The space is literally a former boiler room (hence the name) with raw brick walls and an industrial feel.   The walls are decorated with large photographs that have been modified to look like paintings.  Chef Paul Kulik, cooked in Europe for many years and also did a stint at the renowned Avec in Chicago.  After years abroad, Kulik an Omaha native, wanted to bring his culinary skills home to the Old Market and open his own restaurant.  I can attest to the fact that Kulik’s dream is a diner’s delight!  His staff is very attentive – but not overbearing – how refreshing!   The Boiler Room even has its own Master Sommelier (one of only about 120 in North America), Jesse Becker.  We enlisted Becker’s help in choosing a Prosecco that would pair well with our appetizers.   Our first course started with luscious celeriac potage with verjus and sorrel.  We also had a plate that combined lamb bacon, a poached egg, braised rhubarb, and parsley salad topped with crème fraiche.  I cannot even express how wonderful this was, the tastes and different textures made eating pure joy!  The entrees were just as impressive.   My tender veal shoulder with cippolini onions and creamy risotto was beautifully presented and tasted wonderful!  We also tried the short rib steak served with rapini – also delightful.  Becker chose a luscious Châteauneuf Du Pape a 2001 La Crau de Ma Mére (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend – with red berry and white pepper flavors) for our entrees.  Becker’s wine choice was spot on – and so was EVERYTHING about the Boiler Room.   Go there – it is SO worth a trip to Omaha!

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