Saturday, March 29, 2014
Just a Thought
A few people have questioned me on the wines we take to do the Chinese dim sum, dinners. They felt that some of the bigger wines, like Cabs, Zins etc were not good pairings. The food that we get at these authentic Chinese places usually have bold flavor. It is not you typical American style Chinese food. Just the opposite. So far we have not been disappointed in our selection of wines. Plus we usually stay for awhile after eating to have conversation and more wine. Not everything has to be matchy, matchy all the time. Enjoy food and wine and don't be so uptight about being correct.
Tercero Wines and Delius Restaurant
Friday, March 28, 2014
Larry Shaeffer of Tercero wines finally made it to Delius tonight. www.deliusrestaurant.com. Tried to get a dinner together last year but did not quite work out, This dinner was sold out a month ago with no menu decided. Shows what good wines and food will do. I was anxious to compare this dinner with the Tercero wine dinner that I attended a few weeks back at Restaurant Christine in Torrance.
Part way through the dinner the earthquake hit. We only felt one out of three. The chandler swung quite a bit. Soon as it hit people started with their phones. All these lights popped up in the dinning room. Checking to see where it was. Quite interesting how our society has changed over the last 30 years.
First Course: Seared Wild Scallop, Corn Pudding, Roasted Pine Nuts. Scallop was cooked perfectly Perfectly paired with a 2012 Tercero Grenache Blanc. I am glad the scallop had a really good sear on it so it contrasted with the corn pudding. Visually it need a touch of color which the sear gave. White scallop, pale pudding and pale pine nuts. Taste wise it was excellent.
Second Course: Rhubarb Apple Stuffed Pork Loin, Watercress, Currants, Celery Root Puree. This was the best dish of the night. Pork was moist and had excellent flavor. The rhubarb really added a little punch to the meat. The celery root puree was creamy and just enough flavor to compliment the pork. Wine served was a 2009 Tercero Larner Vineyard Grenache. Excellent pairing.
Third Course: Rack of Lamb, Creamy Polenta, Baby Brussels Sprouts, Blackberry Coulis, Lamb was very tender, cooked perfectly and had no gamey taste at all. The polenta was creamy (Restaurant Christine was rustic). The blackberry coulis pulled this dish together. Paired with a 2010 Tercero White Hawk Vineyard Syrah. Again a beautiful pairing.
Fourth Course: Grilled Flat Iron Steak, Beluga Lentils, Roasted Baby Carrots, Juniper-Rosemary Demi. I am not a big lentil fan. For lentils they had good flavor. My own personal taste would have been another grain, like farro or quinoa or even potatoes. Steak was tender, had good flavor. The demi added just the perfect touch but I pushed the lentils around on the plate like a kid does when they don't want to eat something. Made it look like I ate some of them. Wine poured was a 2010 Tercero, The Climb, Syrah-Petite Syrah Blend. Great wine. Big but not overly jamy. I was impressed with this wine.
Dessert was a Strawberry Shortcake (the old fashioned kind, not spongy) Meyer Lemon Sorbet and Lemon Curd. The lemon and strawberry really played off each other.
An excellent dinner with good wines. My comparison to the dinner at Restaurant Christine - Delius wins hands down. Christine was good but not on the same level. Price was almost equal but Chrstine was inclusive. But for the difference in food, service and ambiance I will hands down take Delius Several other people that did both dinners said the same thing and they had never been to Delius before.
If things work out right there will be another Tercero dinner at Delius on April 19. The same menu with some slight adjustments to pair with different wines. Also working on another Clos Pepe dinner at Delius in July.
Now if this small restaurant in Signal Hill can produce food of this caliber and pair wines this well why can't the WOPN, Bacarra Resort, Sea Smoke Wines and Maison Louis Jadot Wines do the same. I paid a little over $100 for dinner at Delius, had excellent food, good wines etc. The two dinners at WOPN came to $650 and were dismal. Poor quality food, mediocre pairings and rip off on prices. WOPN and the board of same should be ashamed of themselves for the screwing they gave everyone. I will probably rant about this for many months to come
Larry Shaeffer of Tercero wines finally made it to Delius tonight. www.deliusrestaurant.com. Tried to get a dinner together last year but did not quite work out, This dinner was sold out a month ago with no menu decided. Shows what good wines and food will do. I was anxious to compare this dinner with the Tercero wine dinner that I attended a few weeks back at Restaurant Christine in Torrance.
Part way through the dinner the earthquake hit. We only felt one out of three. The chandler swung quite a bit. Soon as it hit people started with their phones. All these lights popped up in the dinning room. Checking to see where it was. Quite interesting how our society has changed over the last 30 years.
First Course: Seared Wild Scallop, Corn Pudding, Roasted Pine Nuts. Scallop was cooked perfectly Perfectly paired with a 2012 Tercero Grenache Blanc. I am glad the scallop had a really good sear on it so it contrasted with the corn pudding. Visually it need a touch of color which the sear gave. White scallop, pale pudding and pale pine nuts. Taste wise it was excellent.
Second Course: Rhubarb Apple Stuffed Pork Loin, Watercress, Currants, Celery Root Puree. This was the best dish of the night. Pork was moist and had excellent flavor. The rhubarb really added a little punch to the meat. The celery root puree was creamy and just enough flavor to compliment the pork. Wine served was a 2009 Tercero Larner Vineyard Grenache. Excellent pairing.
Third Course: Rack of Lamb, Creamy Polenta, Baby Brussels Sprouts, Blackberry Coulis, Lamb was very tender, cooked perfectly and had no gamey taste at all. The polenta was creamy (Restaurant Christine was rustic). The blackberry coulis pulled this dish together. Paired with a 2010 Tercero White Hawk Vineyard Syrah. Again a beautiful pairing.
Fourth Course: Grilled Flat Iron Steak, Beluga Lentils, Roasted Baby Carrots, Juniper-Rosemary Demi. I am not a big lentil fan. For lentils they had good flavor. My own personal taste would have been another grain, like farro or quinoa or even potatoes. Steak was tender, had good flavor. The demi added just the perfect touch but I pushed the lentils around on the plate like a kid does when they don't want to eat something. Made it look like I ate some of them. Wine poured was a 2010 Tercero, The Climb, Syrah-Petite Syrah Blend. Great wine. Big but not overly jamy. I was impressed with this wine.
Dessert was a Strawberry Shortcake (the old fashioned kind, not spongy) Meyer Lemon Sorbet and Lemon Curd. The lemon and strawberry really played off each other.
An excellent dinner with good wines. My comparison to the dinner at Restaurant Christine - Delius wins hands down. Christine was good but not on the same level. Price was almost equal but Chrstine was inclusive. But for the difference in food, service and ambiance I will hands down take Delius Several other people that did both dinners said the same thing and they had never been to Delius before.
If things work out right there will be another Tercero dinner at Delius on April 19. The same menu with some slight adjustments to pair with different wines. Also working on another Clos Pepe dinner at Delius in July.
Now if this small restaurant in Signal Hill can produce food of this caliber and pair wines this well why can't the WOPN, Bacarra Resort, Sea Smoke Wines and Maison Louis Jadot Wines do the same. I paid a little over $100 for dinner at Delius, had excellent food, good wines etc. The two dinners at WOPN came to $650 and were dismal. Poor quality food, mediocre pairings and rip off on prices. WOPN and the board of same should be ashamed of themselves for the screwing they gave everyone. I will probably rant about this for many months to come
Monday, March 24, 2014
Dim Sum on a Monday
Monday, March 24, 2014
I took this Monday off as a furlough day. Trying to ease my way into retirement, One Monday a month off until June then 2 Mondays off.
Six of us gathered today at the Seafood Palace. Terry was recovered enough from his hip surgery to attend. Nice to see him up and around again. He expects about six months of rehab and recovery.
Started out with a Sweet Sour soup. Its always good. Then a new standby dish. The shrimp rolled in seaweed and fried. Also had the baked BBQ beef buns. A plate of Chinese Broccoli for vegetables.
Steamed ribs showed up along with a ground pork, mushrooms rolled in rice and then steamed in a lotus leaf.
A dish we have had several times was ordered, Shrimp in a soft noodle like wrapper. Good flavor but very hard to eat because it is so slippery, but I persevered and managed the chopstick routine. A plate of Beef with snowpeas, carrots and chestnuts was put in front of us. It disappeared fast.
A new dish - Salt and Pepper Pork Spare Ribs. I really liked this dish and hope we have it often. Finished with a Beef and bok choy with carrots over soft fat noodles. Love those noodles.
A mini egg tart was presented and we all demolished ours. All this food with tax and tip came to $9 per person. You cannot go to a fast food place anymore for that amount.
Wines were really good. I brought a 2002 and 2004 McKeon-Phillips BPR Cabernet Sauvignon. I was concerned about their age but they both were showing well. I think that the 2002 is just past its peak so I am glad I opened it. Need to clear out some of my older California wines.
2006 McKeon-Phillips Leonardo
2007 Artesa, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Tyler, Clos Pepe Vineyard, Pinot Noir
2007 Reverie Malbec, Primiere Napa Valley, Lot 048 Reserve, Diamond Mountain. This is a special wine that is made by several winemakers in Napa Valley and used for auctions only.
It will be nice when I have a few more Mondays off work so I can do Dim Sum during the week more often. Less crowded and cheaper.
I took this Monday off as a furlough day. Trying to ease my way into retirement, One Monday a month off until June then 2 Mondays off.
Six of us gathered today at the Seafood Palace. Terry was recovered enough from his hip surgery to attend. Nice to see him up and around again. He expects about six months of rehab and recovery.
Started out with a Sweet Sour soup. Its always good. Then a new standby dish. The shrimp rolled in seaweed and fried. Also had the baked BBQ beef buns. A plate of Chinese Broccoli for vegetables.
Steamed ribs showed up along with a ground pork, mushrooms rolled in rice and then steamed in a lotus leaf.
A dish we have had several times was ordered, Shrimp in a soft noodle like wrapper. Good flavor but very hard to eat because it is so slippery, but I persevered and managed the chopstick routine. A plate of Beef with snowpeas, carrots and chestnuts was put in front of us. It disappeared fast.
A new dish - Salt and Pepper Pork Spare Ribs. I really liked this dish and hope we have it often. Finished with a Beef and bok choy with carrots over soft fat noodles. Love those noodles.
A mini egg tart was presented and we all demolished ours. All this food with tax and tip came to $9 per person. You cannot go to a fast food place anymore for that amount.
Wines were really good. I brought a 2002 and 2004 McKeon-Phillips BPR Cabernet Sauvignon. I was concerned about their age but they both were showing well. I think that the 2002 is just past its peak so I am glad I opened it. Need to clear out some of my older California wines.
2006 McKeon-Phillips Leonardo
2007 Artesa, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Tyler, Clos Pepe Vineyard, Pinot Noir
2007 Reverie Malbec, Primiere Napa Valley, Lot 048 Reserve, Diamond Mountain. This is a special wine that is made by several winemakers in Napa Valley and used for auctions only.
It will be nice when I have a few more Mondays off work so I can do Dim Sum during the week more often. Less crowded and cheaper.
Monthly Gathering of The Wino Flock
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Off to Santa Monica for our monthly wino's gathering. Seemed like everyone decided to carpool today. Maybe the new parking restrictions in the neighborhood had something to do with it. Followed David & Judy down Wilshire Blvd to Stan's. David passed up a parking space on the left and went up the block looking for something else. I whipped a "U" ey and nailed the space. I could always parallel park really well. I had nailed the space, parked and had the engine shut off when David passed me trying to get the space. Snooze you loose.
Weather was chilly and damp. But the tents were set up and long tables underneath with lots of chairs. Stan made a beef dish and a pork dish in the crockpots. I did not try the beef but the pork was very good. Lots of appetizers but not one dessert showed up.
A couple of interesting wines among the 27 lined up. A vertical of Stolpman Hilltops Syrah, 2007, 2008 and 2009. A 2009 Saxum Bone Rock Syrah - that bottle emptied fast. There are a few double pourer' in our group and when a really good wine comes in they seem to take more than their fair share. A good line up today. The day seemed much more friendly than some gatherings in the past.
Off to Santa Monica for our monthly wino's gathering. Seemed like everyone decided to carpool today. Maybe the new parking restrictions in the neighborhood had something to do with it. Followed David & Judy down Wilshire Blvd to Stan's. David passed up a parking space on the left and went up the block looking for something else. I whipped a "U" ey and nailed the space. I could always parallel park really well. I had nailed the space, parked and had the engine shut off when David passed me trying to get the space. Snooze you loose.
Weather was chilly and damp. But the tents were set up and long tables underneath with lots of chairs. Stan made a beef dish and a pork dish in the crockpots. I did not try the beef but the pork was very good. Lots of appetizers but not one dessert showed up.
A couple of interesting wines among the 27 lined up. A vertical of Stolpman Hilltops Syrah, 2007, 2008 and 2009. A 2009 Saxum Bone Rock Syrah - that bottle emptied fast. There are a few double pourer' in our group and when a really good wine comes in they seem to take more than their fair share. A good line up today. The day seemed much more friendly than some gatherings in the past.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Wine Seminar and Dinner at King's Fish House
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Today was Margie's March Wine Activity. Started out with a seminar at Total Wine on Oregon and Washington wines. Good seminar and informative. Discount on wines featured. Many people took advantage of the offer. Me, I am drinking, not buying. I have got to get the number of bottles I have down. I use a spreadsheet to keep track on my wines but it is becoming a chore. I go to look for a wine and it's not where I expected to find it. I have taken a written inventory of all the wines twice but I still have some problems. Really need to get the number of bottles down to about 250 and I will be happy.
After Total Wine we drove a few blocks to Kings Fish House. 16 of us for dinner. They had 2 booths and a table of 8 set up for us. This really split the group. I am beginning to think that these dinners should be kept at no more than 12. Again you could only converse with those right next or across from you. Wines basically stayed on the table where there were first set, so again I tended to only try the wines right in front of me. Since I knew I would be ordering raw oysters, I kept a bottle of Chablis under the table and put my other bottle on the table to share. I wanted to make sure I had a wine I really liked with the oysters and this was the only way to do that. At the dinner at 555 I put a bottle on the table and kept a bottle of Champagne next to me because I wanted with my oysters. Someone spotted the Champagne and it went down the table and I only got a small pour of it. I did share the Chablis with another person that was having oysters and after I finished my plate I did put the remaining Chablis on the table for everyone.
Everyone around me ordered fish of some sort. I did not see what was ordered at the far end of the table and the other booth. Along with the oysters I ordered the Sea Bass and it was good. Just a tad overcooked for me but I realize restaurants have to cook to certain temperature for safety reasons.
A wide assortment of wines showed up but it seemed like a lot of Chardonnays were staring a me.
2007 Rusack, Rancho Santa Rosa, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir
2009 William Fevre, France, Chablis,
2011 Testarossa, Santa Barbara County, Chardonnay
2011 Sonoma Loeb, Sonoma County, Chardonnay
2011 Loumar, Temecula Valley, Riesling
2008 Williams Seylem, Precious Mountain Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir
2009 Domaine Carneros by Tattinger, Brut
2010 Sbragia Family Vineyards, Gamble Ranch Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Chardonnay
2010 Longoria, Tempranillo
2012 Ancien, Pinot Gris
???? Wolf Vineyards, Edna Valley, Chardonnay
???? Coelho, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir
2012 Tablas Creek, Picpoul Blue
2007 Badge, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir
2010 Koehler, Santa Ynez Valley, ?????
2004 Gloria Ferrer Cuvee Royal
2009 Buena Vista, Carneros, Pinot Noir
NV River Road, Russian River, Clara's Cuvee Brut
Today was Margie's March Wine Activity. Started out with a seminar at Total Wine on Oregon and Washington wines. Good seminar and informative. Discount on wines featured. Many people took advantage of the offer. Me, I am drinking, not buying. I have got to get the number of bottles I have down. I use a spreadsheet to keep track on my wines but it is becoming a chore. I go to look for a wine and it's not where I expected to find it. I have taken a written inventory of all the wines twice but I still have some problems. Really need to get the number of bottles down to about 250 and I will be happy.
After Total Wine we drove a few blocks to Kings Fish House. 16 of us for dinner. They had 2 booths and a table of 8 set up for us. This really split the group. I am beginning to think that these dinners should be kept at no more than 12. Again you could only converse with those right next or across from you. Wines basically stayed on the table where there were first set, so again I tended to only try the wines right in front of me. Since I knew I would be ordering raw oysters, I kept a bottle of Chablis under the table and put my other bottle on the table to share. I wanted to make sure I had a wine I really liked with the oysters and this was the only way to do that. At the dinner at 555 I put a bottle on the table and kept a bottle of Champagne next to me because I wanted with my oysters. Someone spotted the Champagne and it went down the table and I only got a small pour of it. I did share the Chablis with another person that was having oysters and after I finished my plate I did put the remaining Chablis on the table for everyone.
Everyone around me ordered fish of some sort. I did not see what was ordered at the far end of the table and the other booth. Along with the oysters I ordered the Sea Bass and it was good. Just a tad overcooked for me but I realize restaurants have to cook to certain temperature for safety reasons.
A wide assortment of wines showed up but it seemed like a lot of Chardonnays were staring a me.
2007 Rusack, Rancho Santa Rosa, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir
2009 William Fevre, France, Chablis,
2011 Testarossa, Santa Barbara County, Chardonnay
2011 Sonoma Loeb, Sonoma County, Chardonnay
2011 Loumar, Temecula Valley, Riesling
2008 Williams Seylem, Precious Mountain Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir
2009 Domaine Carneros by Tattinger, Brut
2010 Sbragia Family Vineyards, Gamble Ranch Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Chardonnay
2010 Longoria, Tempranillo
2012 Ancien, Pinot Gris
???? Wolf Vineyards, Edna Valley, Chardonnay
???? Coelho, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir
2012 Tablas Creek, Picpoul Blue
2007 Badge, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir
2010 Koehler, Santa Ynez Valley, ?????
2004 Gloria Ferrer Cuvee Royal
2009 Buena Vista, Carneros, Pinot Noir
NV River Road, Russian River, Clara's Cuvee Brut
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Tercero Wines & Restaurant Christine
Monday, March 10, 2014
Restaurant Christine. www.restaurantchristine.com is a new place for me. Within a 10 minute drive from work but not in my normal geographic location for dinners. I tend to stay away from the South Bay area because it is so freeway challenged. I had some very good reviews on this restaurant and when Larry Schaffer from Tercero wines was scheduled to do a dinner there I decided to go for it. Apparently Christine and Larry have known each other since they were toddlers.
They had originally said 4 tables of 10 but it came down to 4 tables of 11. At the table I sat at half were fans of the restaurant and did not know anything about the wines. The other half just the opposite.
We started out with 3 hors'd'oeuvre's. Sweet Corn Tartlets, Havana Barbeque Shredded Pork with Queso Blanco & Scallions. (outstanding) , Vegetable Shu Mai Dumplings with Thai Glaze (outstanding), and Petite Caprese salad Tartlets, Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil & Olive Oil (very good) Paired with a 2012 Tercero Grenache Blanc. I do like this wine a lot.
First Course: Spicy Shrimp Bisque, Scallop Quenelle and Truffle Creme Fraiche. Excellent bisque, just the right about of bite to it. Wine was a 2012 Tercero Viognier. I am not a big fan of Rhone white wines but this Viognier was not overly floral and very food friendly. Good choice with the soup.
Second Course: Slow Braised Duck Leg Confit with Three Mushroom Risotto, Natural Jus. Duck was flavorful and I could cut it with a fork. Risotto was excellent. Wine poured was a 2010 Tercero Mouverdre. Good pairing
Third Course: Szechuan Pepper Dusted Hanger Steak with Asiago Soft Polenta, Brown Butter Broccolini and Beurre Rouge. My dis on the dish was the steak was sliced way too thin. It was cooked very well. But I could not get any taste of the Szechuan Pepper. The Polenta was "rustic". I prefer softer and I could not get the taste of the Asiago cheese. Flavor was good but the least favorite dish of the evening. A 2009 Tecero Cuvee Loco was paired with this dish. Ok pairing but somehow I found something lacking here.
Dessert was a wonderful Warm Apple Strudel with Salted Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream. This dessert was very good and I did eat every morsel. I did notice that there was an inconsistency in the size of the portions on peoples plates. But I wish we had a lighter dessert after having a rich bisque, risotto and polenta. Seemed too heavy a dessert after having all the starches. Frankly I would have loved to have this in the morning when I read my newspaper.
But a very successful dinner with good solid wines. I would be interested in attending another wine dinner at Restaurant Christine.
Looking forward to the Tercero Wine dinner at Delius Restaurant on the 28th. It will be an interesting comparison.
Restaurant Christine. www.restaurantchristine.com is a new place for me. Within a 10 minute drive from work but not in my normal geographic location for dinners. I tend to stay away from the South Bay area because it is so freeway challenged. I had some very good reviews on this restaurant and when Larry Schaffer from Tercero wines was scheduled to do a dinner there I decided to go for it. Apparently Christine and Larry have known each other since they were toddlers.
They had originally said 4 tables of 10 but it came down to 4 tables of 11. At the table I sat at half were fans of the restaurant and did not know anything about the wines. The other half just the opposite.
We started out with 3 hors'd'oeuvre's. Sweet Corn Tartlets, Havana Barbeque Shredded Pork with Queso Blanco & Scallions. (outstanding) , Vegetable Shu Mai Dumplings with Thai Glaze (outstanding), and Petite Caprese salad Tartlets, Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil & Olive Oil (very good) Paired with a 2012 Tercero Grenache Blanc. I do like this wine a lot.
First Course: Spicy Shrimp Bisque, Scallop Quenelle and Truffle Creme Fraiche. Excellent bisque, just the right about of bite to it. Wine was a 2012 Tercero Viognier. I am not a big fan of Rhone white wines but this Viognier was not overly floral and very food friendly. Good choice with the soup.
Second Course: Slow Braised Duck Leg Confit with Three Mushroom Risotto, Natural Jus. Duck was flavorful and I could cut it with a fork. Risotto was excellent. Wine poured was a 2010 Tercero Mouverdre. Good pairing
Third Course: Szechuan Pepper Dusted Hanger Steak with Asiago Soft Polenta, Brown Butter Broccolini and Beurre Rouge. My dis on the dish was the steak was sliced way too thin. It was cooked very well. But I could not get any taste of the Szechuan Pepper. The Polenta was "rustic". I prefer softer and I could not get the taste of the Asiago cheese. Flavor was good but the least favorite dish of the evening. A 2009 Tecero Cuvee Loco was paired with this dish. Ok pairing but somehow I found something lacking here.
Dessert was a wonderful Warm Apple Strudel with Salted Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream. This dessert was very good and I did eat every morsel. I did notice that there was an inconsistency in the size of the portions on peoples plates. But I wish we had a lighter dessert after having a rich bisque, risotto and polenta. Seemed too heavy a dessert after having all the starches. Frankly I would have loved to have this in the morning when I read my newspaper.
But a very successful dinner with good solid wines. I would be interested in attending another wine dinner at Restaurant Christine.
Looking forward to the Tercero Wine dinner at Delius Restaurant on the 28th. It will be an interesting comparison.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Dim Sum at Seafood Palace
Sunday. March 9, 2014
Henry, being left alone by his wife today arranged for us to do Dim Sum at the Seafood Palace. As always Dim Sum is a last minute thing. Nothing is planned ahead of time. Just 3 of us today but we had such a good time. Sat down at 11:30 and left at 3:00. We killed off 3 bottles of wine and 3 pots of Chrysanthemum tea.
We had a variety of dishes, so much so I was stuffed toward the end but kept eating. Deep fried Ground Shrimp wrapped in seaweed, Shrimp Dumplings, Steamed Spareribs with black bean sauce, White Radish Chinese Style, (steamed and fried), Fried Tripe, Baked Pork Bun, Fried Shrimp Balls on a sugar cane skewer and Beef with Scallions. Topped it off with a Mango Custard Tart.
We drank a NV Segura Viudes Cava, 2007 McKeon Phillips BPR Cabernet and a 2007 Huber Barrel Select Pinot Noir (which was drinking beautifully).
Henry, being left alone by his wife today arranged for us to do Dim Sum at the Seafood Palace. As always Dim Sum is a last minute thing. Nothing is planned ahead of time. Just 3 of us today but we had such a good time. Sat down at 11:30 and left at 3:00. We killed off 3 bottles of wine and 3 pots of Chrysanthemum tea.
We had a variety of dishes, so much so I was stuffed toward the end but kept eating. Deep fried Ground Shrimp wrapped in seaweed, Shrimp Dumplings, Steamed Spareribs with black bean sauce, White Radish Chinese Style, (steamed and fried), Fried Tripe, Baked Pork Bun, Fried Shrimp Balls on a sugar cane skewer and Beef with Scallions. Topped it off with a Mango Custard Tart.
We drank a NV Segura Viudes Cava, 2007 McKeon Phillips BPR Cabernet and a 2007 Huber Barrel Select Pinot Noir (which was drinking beautifully).
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
WOPN & Bacara Resort In A Nutshell
Resort is beautiful even in the rain.
Service was outstanding.
Seminars and Grand Tastings were excellent.
Nice tote bag with a hardback book on Pinot and a DVD of Sideways. Also a bottle of wine in the room to take home.
Wines were good but mostly nothing overly special that was served with lunch and dinner. There were a few exceptions. Whomever did the wine and food pairing needs to get another job. 2 lunches and 2 dinners and beef was the main course with every meal. We are drinking Pinot folks not Cabernet. . Where is the duck, lamb, pork, salmon, ahi, quail, ????
Service was outstanding.
Seminars and Grand Tastings were excellent.
Nice tote bag with a hardback book on Pinot and a DVD of Sideways. Also a bottle of wine in the room to take home.
Wines were good but mostly nothing overly special that was served with lunch and dinner. There were a few exceptions. Whomever did the wine and food pairing needs to get another job. 2 lunches and 2 dinners and beef was the main course with every meal. We are drinking Pinot folks not Cabernet. . Where is the duck, lamb, pork, salmon, ahi, quail, ????
Day 3 Evening - WOPN at the Bacara Resort
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Still raining, so time to call for the cart to take me to the Louis Jadot Wine dinner.
After being scanned (our badges are scanned for every event) we headed down to the wine cellar at the Miro Restaurant and claimed our seats. Again two long tables but not as many people so it was not the tight squeeze like last night. Amuse Bouche were passed around and again like last night I only was served two. Did not get to taste the Savory Carrot Cake with Gorgonzola Espuma. I did get the Confit Tomato Tart with Sweet Onions and the Roasted Pear with Iberco Ham. Both were good but not great. A 2011 Pernand Vergelesse Clos de la Cross de Pierre Blanc was served. A nice wine to start off with and it was a decent pairing.
First course was a Garden Party Salad, Young Lettuces, Basted Goat Butter Baby Carrots, Chevre Croquettes with a Beet Root Vinaigrette. Very large pieces of red lettuce, almost like someone could not take the time to tear them into smaller pieces. You must use a knife to cut them. The vinaigrette was non-existent. Dry, dry, dry. Also again one carrot was so raw and left whole - not edible. Wine was a Beaune 1er Cru Greves Blanc. Did not pair well with the salad. Good on its own.
Second course was set in front of me. Plate was very hot (like keeping food warm hot) on it was a piece of Crispy Skin Steelhead Ocean Trout, (very dry) Chestnut Spatzele, Candied Bacon (almost to the burnt stage), Garden Herbs, Crispy Quinoa (looked for it but did not find it) and a Walnut Maple Emulsion. Pathetic. Paired with a 2010 Nuits Saint Georges. Good wine but where is the good stuff we paid through the nose for.
Third course was served. Sous Vide Tenderloin of Wagyu Beef (why sous vide a good piece of meat ?) void of flavor. What a waste of meat. Why not grilled so there is some flavor. A Brown Butter Celeriac Puree, Blackberry Pearl Onions, Black Sea Salt and Truffle Demi Jus rounded out the plate. The Celeriac Puree was good along with the onions. I looked for truffles in the jus but could not find those. Probably ran away with the Quinoa from the last course. A 2010 Gevrey Chambertin was served. Again a good wine but not Grand Cru.
Fourth course was a cheese plate and like yesterday it was the best dish brought out. A Camembert Foam, Shaved Tome de Savoie, Fried Olive Bread and Quince. A glass of 2011 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules was the wine. Good pairing.
Dessert - should say DISASTER - Sweet Mascarpone Stuffed Crepes, Ruby Red Grapefruit Segment, Vanilla Bean Citrus Caramel and Braised Marcona Almonds. What is the idea of grapefruit and cream ??? The crepe was thick and gummy. I took two bites and shoved it aside.
I can do a far better job of menu planning and wine pairing than whomever did this fiasco.
So at $350 for a dinner - no Grand Cru wines, mostly Villages. And food that again sucked. Another rip off. Yes I know they did not specify Grand Cru wines but at the price of this dinner you would think that they could come up with a few. I do a fair amount of wine dinners and these two I had this weekend are by far the worst. These are no more that $125 dinners and that is a stretch and the only reason for that comment is because of the wine. I am doing a wine dinner on the 10th and the 28th and would wager money the wines will be just as good, even if they are different and the food will be far better and the price will be in the $100 range each.
Still raining, so time to call for the cart to take me to the Louis Jadot Wine dinner.
After being scanned (our badges are scanned for every event) we headed down to the wine cellar at the Miro Restaurant and claimed our seats. Again two long tables but not as many people so it was not the tight squeeze like last night. Amuse Bouche were passed around and again like last night I only was served two. Did not get to taste the Savory Carrot Cake with Gorgonzola Espuma. I did get the Confit Tomato Tart with Sweet Onions and the Roasted Pear with Iberco Ham. Both were good but not great. A 2011 Pernand Vergelesse Clos de la Cross de Pierre Blanc was served. A nice wine to start off with and it was a decent pairing.
First course was a Garden Party Salad, Young Lettuces, Basted Goat Butter Baby Carrots, Chevre Croquettes with a Beet Root Vinaigrette. Very large pieces of red lettuce, almost like someone could not take the time to tear them into smaller pieces. You must use a knife to cut them. The vinaigrette was non-existent. Dry, dry, dry. Also again one carrot was so raw and left whole - not edible. Wine was a Beaune 1er Cru Greves Blanc. Did not pair well with the salad. Good on its own.
Second course was set in front of me. Plate was very hot (like keeping food warm hot) on it was a piece of Crispy Skin Steelhead Ocean Trout, (very dry) Chestnut Spatzele, Candied Bacon (almost to the burnt stage), Garden Herbs, Crispy Quinoa (looked for it but did not find it) and a Walnut Maple Emulsion. Pathetic. Paired with a 2010 Nuits Saint Georges. Good wine but where is the good stuff we paid through the nose for.
Third course was served. Sous Vide Tenderloin of Wagyu Beef (why sous vide a good piece of meat ?) void of flavor. What a waste of meat. Why not grilled so there is some flavor. A Brown Butter Celeriac Puree, Blackberry Pearl Onions, Black Sea Salt and Truffle Demi Jus rounded out the plate. The Celeriac Puree was good along with the onions. I looked for truffles in the jus but could not find those. Probably ran away with the Quinoa from the last course. A 2010 Gevrey Chambertin was served. Again a good wine but not Grand Cru.
Fourth course was a cheese plate and like yesterday it was the best dish brought out. A Camembert Foam, Shaved Tome de Savoie, Fried Olive Bread and Quince. A glass of 2011 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules was the wine. Good pairing.
Dessert - should say DISASTER - Sweet Mascarpone Stuffed Crepes, Ruby Red Grapefruit Segment, Vanilla Bean Citrus Caramel and Braised Marcona Almonds. What is the idea of grapefruit and cream ??? The crepe was thick and gummy. I took two bites and shoved it aside.
I can do a far better job of menu planning and wine pairing than whomever did this fiasco.
So at $350 for a dinner - no Grand Cru wines, mostly Villages. And food that again sucked. Another rip off. Yes I know they did not specify Grand Cru wines but at the price of this dinner you would think that they could come up with a few. I do a fair amount of wine dinners and these two I had this weekend are by far the worst. These are no more that $125 dinners and that is a stretch and the only reason for that comment is because of the wine. I am doing a wine dinner on the 10th and the 28th and would wager money the wines will be just as good, even if they are different and the food will be far better and the price will be in the $100 range each.
Day 3 Afternoon - WOPN at the Bacara Resort
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Seminar over and time to make the trek to Miro for lunch. Again a line of white umbrellas walking in the rain.
Today we sat at a table for four and our dining companions were Dick and Jeanne Dore of Foxen. Delightful, down to earth people. They had already heard about the dinner the night before. Apparently a lot of people are voicing their opinions and complaints.
We had printed menus today. More biggie wheels apparently were in attendance.
We started off with a Provencal Fish Soup, herb roasted Santa Barbara Prawns, Soffrittio and Basil Aioli, Very good. Lots of flavor. Too bad this wasn't on the menu last night.
Grilled Hanger Steak with Boulangere Potatoes, Farm Root Vegetable and Bordelaise Sauce. Only problem with this dish was the root vegetables. The kitchen doesn't seem to want to cook vegetables at all. I like "al dente" but this is not even close to that. Meat was good, sauce also.
Dessert was a Coconut Panna Cotta with Pistachio Biscotti. Again a nice dish, good flavor.
Lots of wine being poured. Really have to pace myself at this point. After lunch we headed to the ballroom for the Grand Tasting. Today there are 135 wineries. Some of the big boys are here today pouring.
Ran into a least a dozen people I knew that came up for this tasting. So many wines and since I have been tasting since 9Am again it is a complete overload. At least I could find a small table outside to sit down at and get some fresh air. So many people inside. But a really great time, everyone seems to be in an extra good mood. Lots of good appetizers. The place is packed. Some people only come for this part of the weekend activities.
So like yesterday I cut it short and hop a ride on the cart back to my room. Need to rest and clean up for tonight's Louis Jadot wine dinner in the wine cellar room. Should I look forward to this dinner after last nights disaster ? Only a few hours until I find out.
Seminar over and time to make the trek to Miro for lunch. Again a line of white umbrellas walking in the rain.
Today we sat at a table for four and our dining companions were Dick and Jeanne Dore of Foxen. Delightful, down to earth people. They had already heard about the dinner the night before. Apparently a lot of people are voicing their opinions and complaints.
We had printed menus today. More biggie wheels apparently were in attendance.
We started off with a Provencal Fish Soup, herb roasted Santa Barbara Prawns, Soffrittio and Basil Aioli, Very good. Lots of flavor. Too bad this wasn't on the menu last night.
Grilled Hanger Steak with Boulangere Potatoes, Farm Root Vegetable and Bordelaise Sauce. Only problem with this dish was the root vegetables. The kitchen doesn't seem to want to cook vegetables at all. I like "al dente" but this is not even close to that. Meat was good, sauce also.
Dessert was a Coconut Panna Cotta with Pistachio Biscotti. Again a nice dish, good flavor.
Lots of wine being poured. Really have to pace myself at this point. After lunch we headed to the ballroom for the Grand Tasting. Today there are 135 wineries. Some of the big boys are here today pouring.
Ran into a least a dozen people I knew that came up for this tasting. So many wines and since I have been tasting since 9Am again it is a complete overload. At least I could find a small table outside to sit down at and get some fresh air. So many people inside. But a really great time, everyone seems to be in an extra good mood. Lots of good appetizers. The place is packed. Some people only come for this part of the weekend activities.
So like yesterday I cut it short and hop a ride on the cart back to my room. Need to rest and clean up for tonight's Louis Jadot wine dinner in the wine cellar room. Should I look forward to this dinner after last nights disaster ? Only a few hours until I find out.
Day 3 Morning - WOPN at the Bacara Resort
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Rain and more rain. Decided to do breakfast in the restaurant rather than the continental freebie. The freebie is set up in an open hallway leading to the room the seminar is being held in. With the rain and wind I want to be inside. The view of the waves was again spectacular. Of course coming back after eating the water was so deep that I had to go back to the room and change shoes. Called for a cart to take me to the main building.
Doors opened promptly at 9AM. we secured a seat smack in the middle of the first row. Today's seminar is on Burgundys = The Insider Wines of the Cote d'Or. Very informative and educational. Wines were done in flights of 2 and we had to pick out which wine was what. 50/50 chance of making a right decision. Flight 1 was a no brainer. Surprisingly I did get quite a few right.
Flight One - 2012 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rose and 2010 Domanie Bruno Clair Marsannay "Les Longeroies"
Flight Two - 2010 Domaine Pierre Gelin Fixin "Clos Napoleon" and 2010 Domaine Jean-Marc et Hugues Pavelot Pernand-Vergelesses "Les Vergelesses"
Flight Three - 2010 Domaine Simon Bize Savingy-Les-Beaune "Aux Grands Liards" and 2010 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Savigny-Les-Beaune "Les Narbantons"
Time for a 20 minute break to reset the glasses, warm up with a cup of coffee etc.,
Flight Four - 2020 Domaine Remi Jobard Monthelie "Les Champs Fulliot" and 2010 Domaine Jean et Gilles Lafouge Auxey-Duresses "La Chapelle"
Flight Five - 2010 Domaine Philippe Colin Charssagne-Montrachet :Les Chenes" and 2010 Domaine Vincent Girardin Santenay "Les Gravieres"
Flight Six - 2006 Domaine Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne and 2005 Domaine D'Ardhuy Corton "Clos du Roi"
The 2010 Domaine Vincent Girardin Santenay "Les Gravieres" was my favorite. All were good but that was my pick.
I know very little about French wines - the names are hard to pronounce and too much is on the label for my elderly brain. But I do enjoy drinking them.
Time to head over to Miro for lunch.
Rain and more rain. Decided to do breakfast in the restaurant rather than the continental freebie. The freebie is set up in an open hallway leading to the room the seminar is being held in. With the rain and wind I want to be inside. The view of the waves was again spectacular. Of course coming back after eating the water was so deep that I had to go back to the room and change shoes. Called for a cart to take me to the main building.
Doors opened promptly at 9AM. we secured a seat smack in the middle of the first row. Today's seminar is on Burgundys = The Insider Wines of the Cote d'Or. Very informative and educational. Wines were done in flights of 2 and we had to pick out which wine was what. 50/50 chance of making a right decision. Flight 1 was a no brainer. Surprisingly I did get quite a few right.
Flight One - 2012 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rose and 2010 Domanie Bruno Clair Marsannay "Les Longeroies"
Flight Two - 2010 Domaine Pierre Gelin Fixin "Clos Napoleon" and 2010 Domaine Jean-Marc et Hugues Pavelot Pernand-Vergelesses "Les Vergelesses"
Flight Three - 2010 Domaine Simon Bize Savingy-Les-Beaune "Aux Grands Liards" and 2010 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Savigny-Les-Beaune "Les Narbantons"
Time for a 20 minute break to reset the glasses, warm up with a cup of coffee etc.,
Flight Four - 2020 Domaine Remi Jobard Monthelie "Les Champs Fulliot" and 2010 Domaine Jean et Gilles Lafouge Auxey-Duresses "La Chapelle"
Flight Five - 2010 Domaine Philippe Colin Charssagne-Montrachet :Les Chenes" and 2010 Domaine Vincent Girardin Santenay "Les Gravieres"
Flight Six - 2006 Domaine Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne and 2005 Domaine D'Ardhuy Corton "Clos du Roi"
The 2010 Domaine Vincent Girardin Santenay "Les Gravieres" was my favorite. All were good but that was my pick.
I know very little about French wines - the names are hard to pronounce and too much is on the label for my elderly brain. But I do enjoy drinking them.
Time to head over to Miro for lunch.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Day 2 Evening Dinner - WOPN at the Bacara Resort
Friday. February 28, 2014
I was so looking forward to this "high end" Seasmoke dinner tonight. Paid extra to attend. If you bought a separate ticket for this dinner it was $300. So I am expecting a lot. Dinner was held in the Wine Cellar Room of the Miro Restaurant. The cellars boasts 11,000 bottles. All glass front and impressive. They let a few of us into the cellar to look around.
Two tables of 22 were set up. This was advertised as limit of 38 and they had 44. Squeezed into the seats. Appetizers were passed around. I got 2 of the 3. A Tuna Tartare on Compressed Cucumber and a small bowl of White Cheddar Popcorn. They missed me on the Escargot tray. The popcorn was not that good. I get better white cheddar popcorn buying the Pirates Booty.
We started out with a their Sea Spray which is some kind of attempt for a "champagne" type beverage. I had this a few weeks ago at a dinner. It sucked then and it still sucks. Nothing to it. Non-descript.
Then a 2011 Chardonnay was poured. I skipped on this because I know how oaky it is. First course was a California Grouper Crudo with Easter Egg Radish, Tapioca Crackers and Truffle Soy. The grouper was sliced very thin but still had connective tissue so it was difficult to cut. Also had no flavor, so I have no idea what the soaked it in. It tasted like it was just sliced and set on the plate and you were supposed to use the Truffle Soy to marinate it in. Cracker was good.
Second course was Tuscan Kale and Golden Raisin Tortellini, Compressed Granny Smith Apple. Celeriac Cream, Shaved Percorino and Parsley Oil. This had great flavor, the downside was the pasta for the Tortellini was tough. Tasted like it had been over worked when they rolled it.
2011Ten and 2006 Ten were poured. They 2011 was too young. the 2006 was a bad year in the Sta. Rita Hills and it showed in the wine.
Third course was Braised Prime Short Ribs of Beef "Coq au Vin" with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Thumbelina Carrots, Onion Soubise, Hobbs Bacon, Natural jus. Wherethe "Coq au Vin" came in I have a clue. nothing coq au vi n about it. The short rib was good but I would question the "prime" I had to use a knife to cut it because of the fatty layer that connected the meat. Sauce was good. mushrooms were button not chanterelle. Carrots were raw etc.
A pair of 2006 Ten and 2006 Southing (from a magnum ) were poured.
Fourth course was a cheese plate. Just like lunch this was the best part of the meal. 18 Months Comte Cheese, Raw Cow Milk Marcel Petite, Pontarlier, France and a Fourme d'Ambert Cheese. Cow Milk, Jean d'Alos, Auvergne, France. Drunken Orange Prune Marmalade and Rye Toasts.
Then the poured a 2011 Seasmoke Grappa of Pinot Noir. I like Grappa so I had no problem with it but some people do and you tell by their faces when they tasted in. But why did they pour this when dessert was served ??? We were served a Tainori Chocolate Bavarois, Expresso Cake, Burnt Sugar Nougat Espuma, and Fluer de Sel. Very good.
So here I an expecting a really fabulous dinner and hopefully library wines at the high price this was costing . I got mediocre food, new wines, a bad year in wine. Service was fabulous but that does not make up for the fact they we were ripped off. I was not the only one upset. It became the talk the next day between people who attended. This dinner should not have been more than $125 at the most. And as I heard the "International" dinner which was included in the ticket price was basically the same and people were not happy with that dinner.
With wine somns, cellar masters etc., what happened ???? Very poor wine and food pairing. So where does the blame lay. The restaurant, the winery that was pouring ???? I can do a much better job than they did and I have. Frankly I am very disappointed, ticked off and feel this was a big scam.
I was so looking forward to this "high end" Seasmoke dinner tonight. Paid extra to attend. If you bought a separate ticket for this dinner it was $300. So I am expecting a lot. Dinner was held in the Wine Cellar Room of the Miro Restaurant. The cellars boasts 11,000 bottles. All glass front and impressive. They let a few of us into the cellar to look around.
Two tables of 22 were set up. This was advertised as limit of 38 and they had 44. Squeezed into the seats. Appetizers were passed around. I got 2 of the 3. A Tuna Tartare on Compressed Cucumber and a small bowl of White Cheddar Popcorn. They missed me on the Escargot tray. The popcorn was not that good. I get better white cheddar popcorn buying the Pirates Booty.
We started out with a their Sea Spray which is some kind of attempt for a "champagne" type beverage. I had this a few weeks ago at a dinner. It sucked then and it still sucks. Nothing to it. Non-descript.
Then a 2011 Chardonnay was poured. I skipped on this because I know how oaky it is. First course was a California Grouper Crudo with Easter Egg Radish, Tapioca Crackers and Truffle Soy. The grouper was sliced very thin but still had connective tissue so it was difficult to cut. Also had no flavor, so I have no idea what the soaked it in. It tasted like it was just sliced and set on the plate and you were supposed to use the Truffle Soy to marinate it in. Cracker was good.
Second course was Tuscan Kale and Golden Raisin Tortellini, Compressed Granny Smith Apple. Celeriac Cream, Shaved Percorino and Parsley Oil. This had great flavor, the downside was the pasta for the Tortellini was tough. Tasted like it had been over worked when they rolled it.
2011Ten and 2006 Ten were poured. They 2011 was too young. the 2006 was a bad year in the Sta. Rita Hills and it showed in the wine.
Third course was Braised Prime Short Ribs of Beef "Coq au Vin" with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Thumbelina Carrots, Onion Soubise, Hobbs Bacon, Natural jus. Wherethe "Coq au Vin" came in I have a clue. nothing coq au vi n about it. The short rib was good but I would question the "prime" I had to use a knife to cut it because of the fatty layer that connected the meat. Sauce was good. mushrooms were button not chanterelle. Carrots were raw etc.
A pair of 2006 Ten and 2006 Southing (from a magnum ) were poured.
Fourth course was a cheese plate. Just like lunch this was the best part of the meal. 18 Months Comte Cheese, Raw Cow Milk Marcel Petite, Pontarlier, France and a Fourme d'Ambert Cheese. Cow Milk, Jean d'Alos, Auvergne, France. Drunken Orange Prune Marmalade and Rye Toasts.
Then the poured a 2011 Seasmoke Grappa of Pinot Noir. I like Grappa so I had no problem with it but some people do and you tell by their faces when they tasted in. But why did they pour this when dessert was served ??? We were served a Tainori Chocolate Bavarois, Expresso Cake, Burnt Sugar Nougat Espuma, and Fluer de Sel. Very good.
So here I an expecting a really fabulous dinner and hopefully library wines at the high price this was costing . I got mediocre food, new wines, a bad year in wine. Service was fabulous but that does not make up for the fact they we were ripped off. I was not the only one upset. It became the talk the next day between people who attended. This dinner should not have been more than $125 at the most. And as I heard the "International" dinner which was included in the ticket price was basically the same and people were not happy with that dinner.
With wine somns, cellar masters etc., what happened ???? Very poor wine and food pairing. So where does the blame lay. The restaurant, the winery that was pouring ???? I can do a much better job than they did and I have. Frankly I am very disappointed, ticked off and feel this was a big scam.
Day 2 Afternoon - WOPN at the Bacara Resort
Friday. February 28, 2014
Seminars were over about 12;:30. Glad to be inside. The wind and rains pounded the building. Trees were bent over, almost prone. Quiet a sight through the windows. Now to make the trek to the Miro Restaurant for lunch. This entails leaving one building and walking a short distance to the restaurant building. At least the rain subsided for a few minutes. So a line of large white umbrellas marched down the pathway.
Open seating so we picked a table next to the large windows. The waves were big and did it look cold and nasty out.
Seated at the table was a couple from San Diego that took the train up. The wife turned out to be the San Diego distributor for McKeon-Phillips wines when Ardison was alive. Another couple that owned RN Winery in Paso Robles and the media lady that we shared a table with last night.
This lunch was included in the ticket price. Wine was poured generously. Some left from the seminars and more wine than was contributed by winemakers in attendance. Unfortunately it was a mish mash of wines and the pairing with the lunch was hit and miss. But there was a lot of wine being poured. So cannot complain too much. But a high end resort should be able to crank out better food than they did. But on the other hand the service was impeccable.
We started out with a salad of butter lettuce, whole leaf with a non-discript dressing which some people had more drizzled on than others. Mine was dry. A couple of pieces of red grapefruit segments and avocado were on the side.
Main course was beef cheeks on a bed of pureed potatoes. Small baby vegetables also were on the plate. Beef was good, potatoes were good, vegetables were "al dente" - which meant close to raw. Could not get a fork into them .
Dessert was a cheese plate with honey and dried fruit. Best part of the meal beside the rolls they offered, They had a olive roll that was outstanding. I requested that at every meal afterwards.
After lunch we headed to the ballroom where the Grand Tasting was being held. Fortunately no rain for our walk. Entered the ballroom and there were 90 wineries set up and ready to pour for us. Stations of appetizers were set up. Many people coming to the tasting bought tickets for that particular event only The appetizers were good. I could have skipped lunch and had better food.
After about two hours of tasting I hit my brick wall. I have been tasting wine since 9 o'clock this morning - practically non stop. And there is the "high end" Seamoke dinner tonight at 7 PM.
Time to head to the villa and rest a bit, clean up and head out for some more food and wine.
Seminars were over about 12;:30. Glad to be inside. The wind and rains pounded the building. Trees were bent over, almost prone. Quiet a sight through the windows. Now to make the trek to the Miro Restaurant for lunch. This entails leaving one building and walking a short distance to the restaurant building. At least the rain subsided for a few minutes. So a line of large white umbrellas marched down the pathway.
Open seating so we picked a table next to the large windows. The waves were big and did it look cold and nasty out.
Seated at the table was a couple from San Diego that took the train up. The wife turned out to be the San Diego distributor for McKeon-Phillips wines when Ardison was alive. Another couple that owned RN Winery in Paso Robles and the media lady that we shared a table with last night.
This lunch was included in the ticket price. Wine was poured generously. Some left from the seminars and more wine than was contributed by winemakers in attendance. Unfortunately it was a mish mash of wines and the pairing with the lunch was hit and miss. But there was a lot of wine being poured. So cannot complain too much. But a high end resort should be able to crank out better food than they did. But on the other hand the service was impeccable.
We started out with a salad of butter lettuce, whole leaf with a non-discript dressing which some people had more drizzled on than others. Mine was dry. A couple of pieces of red grapefruit segments and avocado were on the side.
Main course was beef cheeks on a bed of pureed potatoes. Small baby vegetables also were on the plate. Beef was good, potatoes were good, vegetables were "al dente" - which meant close to raw. Could not get a fork into them .
Dessert was a cheese plate with honey and dried fruit. Best part of the meal beside the rolls they offered, They had a olive roll that was outstanding. I requested that at every meal afterwards.
After lunch we headed to the ballroom where the Grand Tasting was being held. Fortunately no rain for our walk. Entered the ballroom and there were 90 wineries set up and ready to pour for us. Stations of appetizers were set up. Many people coming to the tasting bought tickets for that particular event only The appetizers were good. I could have skipped lunch and had better food.
After about two hours of tasting I hit my brick wall. I have been tasting wine since 9 o'clock this morning - practically non stop. And there is the "high end" Seamoke dinner tonight at 7 PM.
Time to head to the villa and rest a bit, clean up and head out for some more food and wine.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Day 2 Morning - WOPN at the Bacara Resort
Friday. February 28, 2013
Rain hit hard during the night and it doesn't look good for today. One nice thing about this resort is that every public building or area has lots of umbrellas available for use. Big white, golfing umbrellas. Use one when you leave a place , drop it off at the next and pick up a new one when you leave again. There was even one in the closet of the suite.
Lucky me to have a restaurant right behind my villa. Short walk to the elevator, down 2 floors and short walk to the restaurant door. Had a nice breakfast of Eggs Benedict and a fruit plate we shared. Over priced but its a resort. Could have had the same thing for 1/3 the price at any other restaurant
Headed over to the other side of the complex for the first seminar that started at 9 AM. When we get there there is a continental breakfast buffet set up. This was not in any literature nor did anyone mention it. Could have saved $30.
Burgundy & Oregon Parallels in Latitude was the subject. 6 winemakers from Oregon seated on the stage. We tasted 12 wines, 2 from each winery. representing 6 areas of Oregon. Colene Clemens from Chehalem Mountains. Trisaetum from Ribbon Ridge, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars from Dundee Hills, Ghost Hill Cellars from Yamhill-Carlton, Brittan Vineyards from McMinnville and Evening Land Vineyards from Eola-Amity Hills. I seemed to have a preference for the Colene Clemens and the Ghost Hill Cellars.
A short 20 minute break so they could reset the glasses for the next part of the seminar which was Louis Jadot. All Beaune Clos des Ursules, Premier Cru. 8 glasses this time. Years were 1985. 1990, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The speaker was Frederic Barnier from the winery. I had no preference because frankly by this time I am getting a little palate fatigued. The older wines had the funk nose and taste to them which I don't mind. The younger wines were fresher and tart. But a very good, informative seminar.
Rain hit hard during the night and it doesn't look good for today. One nice thing about this resort is that every public building or area has lots of umbrellas available for use. Big white, golfing umbrellas. Use one when you leave a place , drop it off at the next and pick up a new one when you leave again. There was even one in the closet of the suite.
Lucky me to have a restaurant right behind my villa. Short walk to the elevator, down 2 floors and short walk to the restaurant door. Had a nice breakfast of Eggs Benedict and a fruit plate we shared. Over priced but its a resort. Could have had the same thing for 1/3 the price at any other restaurant
Headed over to the other side of the complex for the first seminar that started at 9 AM. When we get there there is a continental breakfast buffet set up. This was not in any literature nor did anyone mention it. Could have saved $30.
Burgundy & Oregon Parallels in Latitude was the subject. 6 winemakers from Oregon seated on the stage. We tasted 12 wines, 2 from each winery. representing 6 areas of Oregon. Colene Clemens from Chehalem Mountains. Trisaetum from Ribbon Ridge, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars from Dundee Hills, Ghost Hill Cellars from Yamhill-Carlton, Brittan Vineyards from McMinnville and Evening Land Vineyards from Eola-Amity Hills. I seemed to have a preference for the Colene Clemens and the Ghost Hill Cellars.
A short 20 minute break so they could reset the glasses for the next part of the seminar which was Louis Jadot. All Beaune Clos des Ursules, Premier Cru. 8 glasses this time. Years were 1985. 1990, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The speaker was Frederic Barnier from the winery. I had no preference because frankly by this time I am getting a little palate fatigued. The older wines had the funk nose and taste to them which I don't mind. The younger wines were fresher and tart. But a very good, informative seminar.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Day 1 - WOPN at the Bacara Resort
Thursday, February 27, 2014
We made really good time driving from Torrance to Santa Barbara (actually Goleta). Right at two hours.Staying at the Bacara Resort. wwwbacararesort.com. We were able to get early check in, without an extra fee. Resorts fee you to death. My bill has the Daily Room Charge, Hospitality Services Fee, City Room Tax and CA Travel & Tourism Assessment. Sounds like a tax roll.
Resort is 78 acres and lots of paths between the "villas". They use golf carts to travel around in and take you back and forth to the main buildings. Rain had not hit yet so you could get the lay of the land . Which you really need. The resort gives you a map so you don't get lost.
After a few hours rest, I cleaned up a bit ( really a lot) and headed for the event of the night. Mostly trade people, media, winemakers and sommelier's, a couple of them were featured in the movie "Somn". This event started several days ago with the "technical" part - hence the somm's in attendance.
Bar was set up with a large selection of wines brought in by the winemakers. I poured from Sinor-LaValle, Penner-Ash, Soter, & Melville Terraces.
Dinner was a buffet featuring, Panzella Salad, Pasta Salad. Tortellini with Shrimp, Spinach Salad, Halibut and chicken. Standard buffet food altho the tortellini was very good. Dessert was great. Beautiful tiramisu cake and creme brulee.
We sat a table with Deborah Hall from Gypsy Canyon who was sharing her Angelica dessert wine and Rickey Stancliff from Trombetta. Trombetta is a fairly new winery, 2 vintages so far and has a contact with Gaps Crown Vineyard. Very impressed with her wine. Will be checking this one out. A very nice lady and hope her the best in a difficult occupation. A few other winemakers wandered by and poured from their bottles.
After a few hours of eating, drinking, conversing, drinking some more it was time to head back to my room. Early day tomorrow. Seminars and tasting start at 9 am. At least I beat the rain . Heard it start after midnight. It will be a real wet day on Friday.
We made really good time driving from Torrance to Santa Barbara (actually Goleta). Right at two hours.Staying at the Bacara Resort. wwwbacararesort.com. We were able to get early check in, without an extra fee. Resorts fee you to death. My bill has the Daily Room Charge, Hospitality Services Fee, City Room Tax and CA Travel & Tourism Assessment. Sounds like a tax roll.
Resort is 78 acres and lots of paths between the "villas". They use golf carts to travel around in and take you back and forth to the main buildings. Rain had not hit yet so you could get the lay of the land . Which you really need. The resort gives you a map so you don't get lost.
After a few hours rest, I cleaned up a bit ( really a lot) and headed for the event of the night. Mostly trade people, media, winemakers and sommelier's, a couple of them were featured in the movie "Somn". This event started several days ago with the "technical" part - hence the somm's in attendance.
Bar was set up with a large selection of wines brought in by the winemakers. I poured from Sinor-LaValle, Penner-Ash, Soter, & Melville Terraces.
Dinner was a buffet featuring, Panzella Salad, Pasta Salad. Tortellini with Shrimp, Spinach Salad, Halibut and chicken. Standard buffet food altho the tortellini was very good. Dessert was great. Beautiful tiramisu cake and creme brulee.
We sat a table with Deborah Hall from Gypsy Canyon who was sharing her Angelica dessert wine and Rickey Stancliff from Trombetta. Trombetta is a fairly new winery, 2 vintages so far and has a contact with Gaps Crown Vineyard. Very impressed with her wine. Will be checking this one out. A very nice lady and hope her the best in a difficult occupation. A few other winemakers wandered by and poured from their bottles.
After a few hours of eating, drinking, conversing, drinking some more it was time to head back to my room. Early day tomorrow. Seminars and tasting start at 9 am. At least I beat the rain . Heard it start after midnight. It will be a real wet day on Friday.
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