Saturday, March 28, 2015
First wine dinner of the year at Delius, www.deliusrestaurant.com,. I was unfamiliar with the winery, Joyce Vineyards, www.joycevineyards.com,. Looked them up and the founder was a Francis Joyce who apparently moved into the area because of the Laguna Seca race track. He raced in the SCCA series and also LeMans. His son, Russell was the rep tonight along with his fiance and her sister. In the course of the conversation before dinner started I mentioned that this was my third wine dinner of the week and I made the statement that the food tonight would be superior to what I had a Ruth's Chris and at The Watertable at the Hyatt Regency. They had look of disbelief when I said that but they were really impressed with the food afterwards.
First course was Pan Seared Scallops with Sesame, Curly Endive and Chevre. Scallops were cooked perfectly, The endive had just the right amount of dressing. A simple dish but executed well. The wine poured was a 2013 Joyce, Monterey Stele (that's the way they spelled it) Chardonnay. It was clean, crisp a little citrus and green apple. Dijon clone. My style of Chardonnay. Very good pairing.
Second course served was a Duck Terrine, House Pickled Vegetables and Brioche. Terrine was full of flavor but the impressive item was the "vegetables". They were micro, mini. I am talking 1 inch carrots, 3/8 inch beets., turnips, with such a light pickle to them, They were addicting. The Brioche was housemade. A 2014 Joyce, Monterey, Rose of Pinot Noir was paired. Good color, a little bit bigger Rose than some but well balanced. Went perfectly with the food.
Third course was my favorite of the evening. Farro Risotto, Oxtail, Mushrooms and Dried Cherries. The richness of the oxtail and mushrooms with the sweetness of the cherry. My only complaint is I wanted more. Paired perfectly with a Joyce 2013 Monterey, Pinot Noir. Grapes are sourced from 3 vineyards.
Entree was a Grilled Hanger Steak, Squash Puree, Roasted Potatoes (white and purple), Farm Carrots and Sunchokes. The vegetables were cooked enough to get a fork unto them but not so over cooked that they were mushy. I was full by now but I did manage to eat most of this dish. I probably should have taken it home. A 2012 Joyce, San Benito, Cabernet Sauvignon was poured. I am not a big fan of cabs. The wine was good but since I do not drink cabs often I cannot really say how it compares to others. It went well with the dish so that is the most important thing.
Dessert was fabulous. Panna Cotta with a Blood Orange Granita. Excellent flavor but light and refreshing. I prefer this type of dessert after a big meal. Heavy, sweet desserts are a waste for me. I eat them because they are served not because I want them. I very rarely order a dessert after a meal and when I do the majority of the time I am disappointed.
Louise's shallot bread was served tonight. She does not make it as often as she used to so it was a treat.
Patrick Gallardo is the sous chef and for the last couple of years he has been in charge of the menu selection, recipe's and wine pairing. He is doing an excellent job and just keeps getting better. He has a real knack of being able to pair the wine with the food without tasting the wine. I wish I had his instinct.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Italian Dinner at the Watertable
Friday, March 27, 2015
The Watertable restaurant at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach hosted a "Best of Italy Wine Dinner". We had a table of 8 tonight. Dined "al fresco" and the weather and the view could not be beat. It had been super hot during to day so this was a perfect ending to the day.
Prosceo was poured freely before dinner along with the appetizers which have always been good. About 6:45 we were seated for dinner.
Now if you are having Italian wine and the menu is "Italian" you would think the chef would have some idea on how to cook it correctly and not have his own personal spin to the dishes that made them so "non-Italian". We also were told that these wines were only available to restaurants but I found them on line through winesearcher.com
First course was a Friuli Forest Mushroom Risotto, parmesan, crispy proscuitto, chives, lemon scented olive oil. It had good flavors blended in. Best dish of the evening, but personally I think that the rice should have been cooked a bit longer. Risotto should have a very creamy texture. Wine served was Tenuta Ca'Bolani, Aquilis Sauvignon from Fruili. Wine was very acidic and citrusy but the fattiness of the cheese cut the acid quite nicely. A good pairing.
Second course served was a Tuscan Heirloom Tomato Panzanella, pickled cucumbers, rustic bread, capers, arugula, bocconcini, tomato water dressing. Which simply put is bread salad. In Italy they use their leftover bread as a filler in a salad with tomatoes. The bread soaks up the juices from the tomatoes. The chef used large croutons. Why I cannot fathom. You could not get a fork into the crouton. You never would be served a Panzanella in Italy like this one. It looked pretty but it ended there. The wine served with this did not pair well at all. A 2011 Rocca di Montemassi, red blend. Way to heavy for this salad. Wine was tight and had a metallic taste mid palate. None of these wines had been decanted.
Third course was a Piedmont Spring Pea Gnocchi, fresh peas, smoked enfuso oil, percorino cheese, pea tendril salad. This was the worse attempt at Gnocchi I have ever tasted. It was more like fried mashed potato puffs. Gnocchi is a "dumpling". A mashed potato, flour combination rolled in a long round rope and cut into approximately 1 inch pieces then boiled in salted water until they float. Usually served with a brown butter sauce or a marinara sauce. If you can't make them correctly don't bother. To me it shows a chef that hasn't a clue about Gnocchi. Paired with a 2010 Poggio Le Coste Barolo from Piedmonte. This wine was a better pairing with the salad and the red blend was better with the "fake gnocchi".
Main course plated was a Sicily Pan Roasted Lamb Loin, eggplant puree, braised fennel and green olive coriander lamb essesnce.. Lamb was tender but had no flavor. Very bland . Touch of salt before cooking would have enhanced this dish tremendously. The saving part of this dish was the sauce which was excellent. It also was warm not hot. The lamb took a long time to get to the table. I have an idea that the kitchen got over whelmed and couldn't plate fast enough for service. A 2012 Nero d'Avola, Sicily was paired. This wine was the best of the evening The funky nose blew off after I sloshed the wine between two glasses to open it up. I did this with all the reds wines and it helped a lot.
Dessert was a Pistachio Cannoli. chocolate ganache, afforgado ice cream. Ice cream was good, the filling in the cannoli was good. The cannoli itself was way too thick. Made a big mess when you tried to break into smaller pieces. Only way to eat it without destroying the plate was to pick it up with your fingers in one piece and eat it. You should not have to do this. And why did they have a small pile of micro greens on top of the ice cream ? I did not taste them but it looked really dumb. Maybe it was mint or something but I pulled mine off and set them aside. A 2007 Vin Santo, Tuscany wine was paired with this dish. The wine reminded me a lot of a Pedro Ximinez sherry. Rich without being cloying sweet. A very nice wine.
The wine dinners at the Watertable have always been a hit or miss. One time they are excellent and the next time mediorce. This dinner fell into the latter category. And I cannot believe that the person in charge of the wine did not decant them in the morning. These wines needed a minimum of 5 hours decanting time. You do not need fancy decanter . Large water pitchers work well. That is why I asked for an extra glass and took my glass of red wine and poured it back and forth 5 or 7 times to open it up. It made a huge difference in the taste and mouthfeel of the wine. The Watertable has such a great outdoor eating area, ambiance is good, pours of wine are generous, service is awesome but why can they not be consistent with food prep for special dinners ?
The Watertable restaurant at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach hosted a "Best of Italy Wine Dinner". We had a table of 8 tonight. Dined "al fresco" and the weather and the view could not be beat. It had been super hot during to day so this was a perfect ending to the day.
Prosceo was poured freely before dinner along with the appetizers which have always been good. About 6:45 we were seated for dinner.
Now if you are having Italian wine and the menu is "Italian" you would think the chef would have some idea on how to cook it correctly and not have his own personal spin to the dishes that made them so "non-Italian". We also were told that these wines were only available to restaurants but I found them on line through winesearcher.com
First course was a Friuli Forest Mushroom Risotto, parmesan, crispy proscuitto, chives, lemon scented olive oil. It had good flavors blended in. Best dish of the evening, but personally I think that the rice should have been cooked a bit longer. Risotto should have a very creamy texture. Wine served was Tenuta Ca'Bolani, Aquilis Sauvignon from Fruili. Wine was very acidic and citrusy but the fattiness of the cheese cut the acid quite nicely. A good pairing.
Second course served was a Tuscan Heirloom Tomato Panzanella, pickled cucumbers, rustic bread, capers, arugula, bocconcini, tomato water dressing. Which simply put is bread salad. In Italy they use their leftover bread as a filler in a salad with tomatoes. The bread soaks up the juices from the tomatoes. The chef used large croutons. Why I cannot fathom. You could not get a fork into the crouton. You never would be served a Panzanella in Italy like this one. It looked pretty but it ended there. The wine served with this did not pair well at all. A 2011 Rocca di Montemassi, red blend. Way to heavy for this salad. Wine was tight and had a metallic taste mid palate. None of these wines had been decanted.
Third course was a Piedmont Spring Pea Gnocchi, fresh peas, smoked enfuso oil, percorino cheese, pea tendril salad. This was the worse attempt at Gnocchi I have ever tasted. It was more like fried mashed potato puffs. Gnocchi is a "dumpling". A mashed potato, flour combination rolled in a long round rope and cut into approximately 1 inch pieces then boiled in salted water until they float. Usually served with a brown butter sauce or a marinara sauce. If you can't make them correctly don't bother. To me it shows a chef that hasn't a clue about Gnocchi. Paired with a 2010 Poggio Le Coste Barolo from Piedmonte. This wine was a better pairing with the salad and the red blend was better with the "fake gnocchi".
Main course plated was a Sicily Pan Roasted Lamb Loin, eggplant puree, braised fennel and green olive coriander lamb essesnce.. Lamb was tender but had no flavor. Very bland . Touch of salt before cooking would have enhanced this dish tremendously. The saving part of this dish was the sauce which was excellent. It also was warm not hot. The lamb took a long time to get to the table. I have an idea that the kitchen got over whelmed and couldn't plate fast enough for service. A 2012 Nero d'Avola, Sicily was paired. This wine was the best of the evening The funky nose blew off after I sloshed the wine between two glasses to open it up. I did this with all the reds wines and it helped a lot.
Dessert was a Pistachio Cannoli. chocolate ganache, afforgado ice cream. Ice cream was good, the filling in the cannoli was good. The cannoli itself was way too thick. Made a big mess when you tried to break into smaller pieces. Only way to eat it without destroying the plate was to pick it up with your fingers in one piece and eat it. You should not have to do this. And why did they have a small pile of micro greens on top of the ice cream ? I did not taste them but it looked really dumb. Maybe it was mint or something but I pulled mine off and set them aside. A 2007 Vin Santo, Tuscany wine was paired with this dish. The wine reminded me a lot of a Pedro Ximinez sherry. Rich without being cloying sweet. A very nice wine.
The wine dinners at the Watertable have always been a hit or miss. One time they are excellent and the next time mediorce. This dinner fell into the latter category. And I cannot believe that the person in charge of the wine did not decant them in the morning. These wines needed a minimum of 5 hours decanting time. You do not need fancy decanter . Large water pitchers work well. That is why I asked for an extra glass and took my glass of red wine and poured it back and forth 5 or 7 times to open it up. It made a huge difference in the taste and mouthfeel of the wine. The Watertable has such a great outdoor eating area, ambiance is good, pours of wine are generous, service is awesome but why can they not be consistent with food prep for special dinners ?
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Veuve Clicquot Dinner at Ruth's Chris
Wednesday. March 25, 2015
Good thing I left work early. Dinner was scheduled at 6:30. It took me 105 minutes to drive 36 miles. There was a car fire on the 405 in the Carson area and it had everything at a standstill. Not the best way to begin a dinner. But I did beat Doug to the restaurant.
Met Douglas at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Irvine. www.ruthschris.com No one else seemed interested in this dinner. Maybe the price got to them.
This dinner tonight was the leftover people on the reservation list for the dinner last week. That sold out in a matter of days.
We started out with a passed appetizer of Salmon Tartare on crisp cucumber rounds. Nice flavor but this appetizer is being so over done by restaurants. The drink they served with it was a winner. Grand Marnier Smash. Mint leaves muddled with fresh lemon juice. Pour Grand Marnier, mix and add ice. Very refreshing and would make a great cocktail for hot summers months. Doug got the recipe from the beverage manager.
First course was a Chilled Jumbo Shrimp with Honeycrisp Apple, Haricot Vert and Dijon Mustard. The Haricot vert were almost raw. Good thing they were very tiny. Shrimp was excellent and the Dijon added just the right amount of spice. This was served with a Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label. Pour was very generous. At least 5 ounces. But no refills.
Second course was a Lobster Bisque En Cruote paired with Veuve Clicquot Rose. Soup had good flavor of lobster but not many pieces of meat in the dish. Pairing was spot on.
Entree served was a Filet Mignon with black truffle and foie gras butter. Meat was tender and the topping added a depth of flavor. But the filet I had at Chianina had better flavor without any adds to it. Tenderness was the same. Served with a side of pan roasted cremini mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. A 2004 Veuve Clicquot Vintage was poured. Beautiful wine and a nice pairing.
Dessert was a Pear and Almond tart with chamonille tea whipped cream. Good flavor. A tad dry. They poured a Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec. A nice conclusion to the meal.
The wine rep sat at out table. Doug got some information about going to Veuve Clicquot when he is in France in October. Doug also won the door prize which will come in handy for his excursions to the Hollywood Bowl this summer.
This was a good, solid dinner. But nothing truly outstanding. The champagnes will make it memorable. Probably should have been $20 cheaper but you are in an area of the "beautiful people", high rents and snobbery. I would go back to another dinner, pours are generous in size.
Good thing I left work early. Dinner was scheduled at 6:30. It took me 105 minutes to drive 36 miles. There was a car fire on the 405 in the Carson area and it had everything at a standstill. Not the best way to begin a dinner. But I did beat Doug to the restaurant.
Met Douglas at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Irvine. www.ruthschris.com No one else seemed interested in this dinner. Maybe the price got to them.
This dinner tonight was the leftover people on the reservation list for the dinner last week. That sold out in a matter of days.
We started out with a passed appetizer of Salmon Tartare on crisp cucumber rounds. Nice flavor but this appetizer is being so over done by restaurants. The drink they served with it was a winner. Grand Marnier Smash. Mint leaves muddled with fresh lemon juice. Pour Grand Marnier, mix and add ice. Very refreshing and would make a great cocktail for hot summers months. Doug got the recipe from the beverage manager.
First course was a Chilled Jumbo Shrimp with Honeycrisp Apple, Haricot Vert and Dijon Mustard. The Haricot vert were almost raw. Good thing they were very tiny. Shrimp was excellent and the Dijon added just the right amount of spice. This was served with a Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label. Pour was very generous. At least 5 ounces. But no refills.
Second course was a Lobster Bisque En Cruote paired with Veuve Clicquot Rose. Soup had good flavor of lobster but not many pieces of meat in the dish. Pairing was spot on.
Entree served was a Filet Mignon with black truffle and foie gras butter. Meat was tender and the topping added a depth of flavor. But the filet I had at Chianina had better flavor without any adds to it. Tenderness was the same. Served with a side of pan roasted cremini mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. A 2004 Veuve Clicquot Vintage was poured. Beautiful wine and a nice pairing.
Dessert was a Pear and Almond tart with chamonille tea whipped cream. Good flavor. A tad dry. They poured a Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec. A nice conclusion to the meal.
The wine rep sat at out table. Doug got some information about going to Veuve Clicquot when he is in France in October. Doug also won the door prize which will come in handy for his excursions to the Hollywood Bowl this summer.
This was a good, solid dinner. But nothing truly outstanding. The champagnes will make it memorable. Probably should have been $20 cheaper but you are in an area of the "beautiful people", high rents and snobbery. I would go back to another dinner, pours are generous in size.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
March's Gathering of The Flock
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Today was our March's gathering of us winos. Theme today was French Grand Cru's. Somehow I really had a hard time understanding how so many people who profess to be knowledgeable about wine did not know the difference between Gand Cru and First Growth. I am beginning to wonder if these people ever read anything about wine or just drink. I had several people contact me because they thought they had to by a first growth at an expensive dollar amount.
Weather was perfect for an outdoor setting. Kelly and Dimitry's back yard and patio (unofficial commercial plant nursery) had numerous plants in bloom which added to the ambiance. Hummingbirds were in abundance in the late afternoon.
The hosts made Beef Bourguignon, which was excellent, as the main dish. Lots of appetizers and desserts today. No one went hungry.
We had 9 Champagnes, 2 whites and 10 reds . I tasted all the bubblies and whites and then went to the reds. Unfortunately a couple of the reds were already consumed. So those of us who had not started on reds yet got shorted and there were several of us. It seems that the double dippers were out in full force. To me it its amazing how inconsiderate people are. The rule has always been since the inception of the group 14 years ago that before you start tasting wines the second time you ask if everyone has had a chance to go through the line up.
Stan brought a couple of older red wines. A 1990 Chambertin and a 1993 Saint Emilion. Most people don't really care for the taste of older wines but I do. Fortunately the double dippers didn't like them either. That made it good for me the next day (Monday) when we went back to Kelly & Dimitry's to finish the leftover food and wine. I could then taste most of the reds.
I brought a Robert Moncuit, Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger, Brut Champagne. Since tasting this champagne a couple of years ago it has become by "house" champagne. I like a yeasty champagne and this one has all the nuances of a Salon champagne at one tenth of the price.
So another wino gathering taken care of. Next month its some sort of Italian.
Today was our March's gathering of us winos. Theme today was French Grand Cru's. Somehow I really had a hard time understanding how so many people who profess to be knowledgeable about wine did not know the difference between Gand Cru and First Growth. I am beginning to wonder if these people ever read anything about wine or just drink. I had several people contact me because they thought they had to by a first growth at an expensive dollar amount.
Weather was perfect for an outdoor setting. Kelly and Dimitry's back yard and patio (unofficial commercial plant nursery) had numerous plants in bloom which added to the ambiance. Hummingbirds were in abundance in the late afternoon.
The hosts made Beef Bourguignon, which was excellent, as the main dish. Lots of appetizers and desserts today. No one went hungry.
We had 9 Champagnes, 2 whites and 10 reds . I tasted all the bubblies and whites and then went to the reds. Unfortunately a couple of the reds were already consumed. So those of us who had not started on reds yet got shorted and there were several of us. It seems that the double dippers were out in full force. To me it its amazing how inconsiderate people are. The rule has always been since the inception of the group 14 years ago that before you start tasting wines the second time you ask if everyone has had a chance to go through the line up.
Stan brought a couple of older red wines. A 1990 Chambertin and a 1993 Saint Emilion. Most people don't really care for the taste of older wines but I do. Fortunately the double dippers didn't like them either. That made it good for me the next day (Monday) when we went back to Kelly & Dimitry's to finish the leftover food and wine. I could then taste most of the reds.
I brought a Robert Moncuit, Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger, Brut Champagne. Since tasting this champagne a couple of years ago it has become by "house" champagne. I like a yeasty champagne and this one has all the nuances of a Salon champagne at one tenth of the price.
So another wino gathering taken care of. Next month its some sort of Italian.
Tequila
Thursday, March 19, 2015
ABC Fine Wines and Spirits in Long Beach hosted a Tequila tasting today. 3 brands, 13 bottles.
Tres Tonos, El Trueque and Nicho Real. This was the first time that Nicho Real was poured in the US.
Two of the tequilas that I liked the best naturally were the most expensive. I may be easy but I am not cheap. Personally I liked the Tres Tonos extra Anejo (42 months) best. It was priced at $80. The other was a Nicho Real extra Anejo (60 months, French Oak, double distillation) at $100.
No I did not buy, I have a very full liquor cabinet now and do not need to add anything to it.
I did find out a fact that I did not know before. Every tequila house has their own bottle design and it is not used by anyone else. Found that very interesting. And that on all bottles there is a number (eg: NUM1459) You apparently can research a bottle of tequila to see who makes it by that number. Each manufacturer has their own issued number.
ABC Fine Wines and Spirits in Long Beach hosted a Tequila tasting today. 3 brands, 13 bottles.
Tres Tonos, El Trueque and Nicho Real. This was the first time that Nicho Real was poured in the US.
Two of the tequilas that I liked the best naturally were the most expensive. I may be easy but I am not cheap. Personally I liked the Tres Tonos extra Anejo (42 months) best. It was priced at $80. The other was a Nicho Real extra Anejo (60 months, French Oak, double distillation) at $100.
No I did not buy, I have a very full liquor cabinet now and do not need to add anything to it.
I did find out a fact that I did not know before. Every tequila house has their own bottle design and it is not used by anyone else. Found that very interesting. And that on all bottles there is a number (eg: NUM1459) You apparently can research a bottle of tequila to see who makes it by that number. Each manufacturer has their own issued number.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Clos Pepe Pinot Tasting
Saturday, March 14, 2015
I have been planning this tasting for over a year. I have all these wines that have sourced their fruit from the Clos Pepe vineyards. I thought it would be an interesting, insane tasting to brown bag them and rate them
So there was 14 wines, 3 years, 8 winemakers and all Clos Pepe Pinot Noir fruit. Took awhile to get a date that Wes Hagen from Clos Pepe and I could agree on. Worked out perfectly because of the Playground dinner last night.
The really big dilemma was the invite list. I wanted to keep it to 8 people sitting at the table. Not wandering around drinking. Tasting notes and discussion of the wine were important. So after agonizing for months over this I decided to keep it to single invitees. No couples. With Wes, I and Jolie, who donated two wines that left only 5 seats. I also wanted to keep it to people that were fans of Clos Pepe. As it was Wes knew everyone at the table. All but one have been at the big house for events and tastings. We were all knowledgeable about Clos Pepe fruit.
As it is I am sure there will be people that hear about this and feel they should have been part of it. But it was a really tough decision of who was in and who was out. I had to set strict criteria and stick to it once I had made up my mind to what it was.
Unfortunately Wes had to leave early. Oliver, his wife's service dog took a turn for the worse and is not expected to live more than a few days at the most. So Wes came in early and tasted most of the line up before the others arrived. Stayed for about 45 minutes after everyone arrived. He kept detailed notes and left them for us.
It was real interesting to read his notes because I threw in a "ringer" A 2009 Huber Pinot Noir. Huber is just across the road from Clos Pepe so should have some similarities.
He did not indicate which wines he thought was his but he did make a note about "probably B-C" which is Brewer-Clifton and he was right.
I had bread and crackers for the tasting to keep the palate clean. Then I put out a platter with sausage's, salami's, cheese's, pate's, smoked salmon and lamb chops.
Event started at 2:00 and the last two people left a 9:00 - I think by the comments it was a huge success.
Another revelation today was that this is the last year Clos Pepe will be bottling under their own label. A vineyard management company will be coming in to take over the vineyards and Kathryn Hall wines has a 15 year lease on the vineyards (not all the property). The contracts with the other winemakers will be honored. Wes will be moving off the property and looking for a job. That will not be too hard for him to find. Steve and Cathy will continue to live in the big house, the family corporation still owns it all but Steve and Cathy want to completely retire. They are my age and I can't blame them
I have been planning this tasting for over a year. I have all these wines that have sourced their fruit from the Clos Pepe vineyards. I thought it would be an interesting, insane tasting to brown bag them and rate them
So there was 14 wines, 3 years, 8 winemakers and all Clos Pepe Pinot Noir fruit. Took awhile to get a date that Wes Hagen from Clos Pepe and I could agree on. Worked out perfectly because of the Playground dinner last night.
The really big dilemma was the invite list. I wanted to keep it to 8 people sitting at the table. Not wandering around drinking. Tasting notes and discussion of the wine were important. So after agonizing for months over this I decided to keep it to single invitees. No couples. With Wes, I and Jolie, who donated two wines that left only 5 seats. I also wanted to keep it to people that were fans of Clos Pepe. As it was Wes knew everyone at the table. All but one have been at the big house for events and tastings. We were all knowledgeable about Clos Pepe fruit.
As it is I am sure there will be people that hear about this and feel they should have been part of it. But it was a really tough decision of who was in and who was out. I had to set strict criteria and stick to it once I had made up my mind to what it was.
Unfortunately Wes had to leave early. Oliver, his wife's service dog took a turn for the worse and is not expected to live more than a few days at the most. So Wes came in early and tasted most of the line up before the others arrived. Stayed for about 45 minutes after everyone arrived. He kept detailed notes and left them for us.
It was real interesting to read his notes because I threw in a "ringer" A 2009 Huber Pinot Noir. Huber is just across the road from Clos Pepe so should have some similarities.
He did not indicate which wines he thought was his but he did make a note about "probably B-C" which is Brewer-Clifton and he was right.
I had bread and crackers for the tasting to keep the palate clean. Then I put out a platter with sausage's, salami's, cheese's, pate's, smoked salmon and lamb chops.
Event started at 2:00 and the last two people left a 9:00 - I think by the comments it was a huge success.
Another revelation today was that this is the last year Clos Pepe will be bottling under their own label. A vineyard management company will be coming in to take over the vineyards and Kathryn Hall wines has a 15 year lease on the vineyards (not all the property). The contracts with the other winemakers will be honored. Wes will be moving off the property and looking for a job. That will not be too hard for him to find. Steve and Cathy will continue to live in the big house, the family corporation still owns it all but Steve and Cathy want to completely retire. They are my age and I can't blame them
At "The Playground with Clos Pepe"
Friday, March 13, 2015
Very small venue at the Terrior.0 dining area at the Playground 2.0 in downtown Santa Ana, www.playgrounddtsa.com, This area is called the "theater". 18 seats along a long bar. Every dish is cooked and plated in front of you. Quite the "show". The main restaurant is larger and it is advisable to have reservations. If not they open at 5:00, be there at 4:30 and you may get in. Come at 6:00 or it's a long wait. Jolie who has gone there several times now says in the main restaurant there is no corkage. This place is exactly 13 miles from my garage to the parking structure without going on a freeway. I am going to start planning my next foray.
This area of Santa Ana is under going a revitalization. It was impressed. Several new restaurants that have been getting great reviews. Area is very clean in spite of the crowds. I walked around for about 30 minutes checking things out before going in to be seated for dinner.
We started out with 3 Amuse Bouche's. Fava Bean conserva toast with buratta, Scallop Ceviche, Loquat, Red Fresno (chile) and Micro Clintro and a Blumental Potato with Caviar. All were excellent, had great flavors and were small enough not to fill you up. Very generous pours of the 2012 Clos Pepe Homage to Chablis Chardonnay. Perfect pairing.
First course was a Cooked Octopus with Chorizo and Pineapple. The pineapple liquid was so good. Added the right dimension to the Octopus, The 2011 Clos Pepe Barrel fermented Chardonnay was paired. Good pairing. The oak was balanced out by the richness of the dish.
Second course served I think may have been my favorite of the evening. Chino Farms Spring Gargilou. "Gargilou" apparently means everything. 30 ingredients in this dish. All vegetables. Melded together perfectly. I was so impressed. And watching them build 18 plates in front of you was "theater|". Wine poured was a 2011 Axis Mundi Grenache/Syrah. It went very well with the vegetables which I was surprised along with Wes Hagen.
Course Three consisted of a domestic pork that is fed almonds. To mimic the Iberico pork from Spain that is fed Hazelnuts. Beautiful flavor. Served with Arugula, citrus and crushed, toasted Hazelnuts. By this time I am starting to feel full and there are two more courses to go. But I shall persevere. A 2011 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir was the wine selected and a good pairing.
Main course was a Duck Confit, Pickled Cherries, Baby Parsnip, Parsnip Puree and Chino Farms Mustards. The chef apologized to everyone . The duck was overcooked. I was so full it really didn't matter to me. Just less food to eat. The 2012 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir. Again a good pairing.
We were poured a glass of Clos Pepe Pinot Noir Grappa before dessert was served. I will say it did clean your palate. It is a good Grappa, not a big biting one.
Dessert was a Quick Tres Leche with fresh fruit, Chermoya sorbet and Thai Basil. Light but delicious. They served a cocktail called "The Bird Is The Word #2" which was grappa with chartreuse liqueur and probably some other ingredients. It was light, refreshing and went well with the dessert.
All the wines paired well with the food dishes. The restaurant did an excellent job of pairing without having tasted the wines beforehand.
An interesting concept and I do like the open seating. That means I can come by myself and not go through the hassle of trying to find someone that is willing to spend some money to eat. The Terrior.0 is invite only. Want to go. Look at the schedule, email your request and maybe you will invited and maybe not. Prepaid only.
The Playground does a Sunday Supper which you must make your reservation a month in advance. They serve everything that was popular in the restaurant that week. You have no choices and they do not change or substitute for anyone. Have an allergy - forget it. Their website says "maybe this is not the dinner for you".
First street in Santa Ana starts off as Bolsa in Huntington Beach. It is 13 miles from my house so an easy shot for me as the street runs fairly fast. The freeway would probably add 8 miles to the trip.
Very small venue at the Terrior.0 dining area at the Playground 2.0 in downtown Santa Ana, www.playgrounddtsa.com, This area is called the "theater". 18 seats along a long bar. Every dish is cooked and plated in front of you. Quite the "show". The main restaurant is larger and it is advisable to have reservations. If not they open at 5:00, be there at 4:30 and you may get in. Come at 6:00 or it's a long wait. Jolie who has gone there several times now says in the main restaurant there is no corkage. This place is exactly 13 miles from my garage to the parking structure without going on a freeway. I am going to start planning my next foray.
This area of Santa Ana is under going a revitalization. It was impressed. Several new restaurants that have been getting great reviews. Area is very clean in spite of the crowds. I walked around for about 30 minutes checking things out before going in to be seated for dinner.
We started out with 3 Amuse Bouche's. Fava Bean conserva toast with buratta, Scallop Ceviche, Loquat, Red Fresno (chile) and Micro Clintro and a Blumental Potato with Caviar. All were excellent, had great flavors and were small enough not to fill you up. Very generous pours of the 2012 Clos Pepe Homage to Chablis Chardonnay. Perfect pairing.
First course was a Cooked Octopus with Chorizo and Pineapple. The pineapple liquid was so good. Added the right dimension to the Octopus, The 2011 Clos Pepe Barrel fermented Chardonnay was paired. Good pairing. The oak was balanced out by the richness of the dish.
Second course served I think may have been my favorite of the evening. Chino Farms Spring Gargilou. "Gargilou" apparently means everything. 30 ingredients in this dish. All vegetables. Melded together perfectly. I was so impressed. And watching them build 18 plates in front of you was "theater|". Wine poured was a 2011 Axis Mundi Grenache/Syrah. It went very well with the vegetables which I was surprised along with Wes Hagen.
Course Three consisted of a domestic pork that is fed almonds. To mimic the Iberico pork from Spain that is fed Hazelnuts. Beautiful flavor. Served with Arugula, citrus and crushed, toasted Hazelnuts. By this time I am starting to feel full and there are two more courses to go. But I shall persevere. A 2011 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir was the wine selected and a good pairing.
Main course was a Duck Confit, Pickled Cherries, Baby Parsnip, Parsnip Puree and Chino Farms Mustards. The chef apologized to everyone . The duck was overcooked. I was so full it really didn't matter to me. Just less food to eat. The 2012 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir. Again a good pairing.
We were poured a glass of Clos Pepe Pinot Noir Grappa before dessert was served. I will say it did clean your palate. It is a good Grappa, not a big biting one.
Dessert was a Quick Tres Leche with fresh fruit, Chermoya sorbet and Thai Basil. Light but delicious. They served a cocktail called "The Bird Is The Word #2" which was grappa with chartreuse liqueur and probably some other ingredients. It was light, refreshing and went well with the dessert.
All the wines paired well with the food dishes. The restaurant did an excellent job of pairing without having tasted the wines beforehand.
An interesting concept and I do like the open seating. That means I can come by myself and not go through the hassle of trying to find someone that is willing to spend some money to eat. The Terrior.0 is invite only. Want to go. Look at the schedule, email your request and maybe you will invited and maybe not. Prepaid only.
The Playground does a Sunday Supper which you must make your reservation a month in advance. They serve everything that was popular in the restaurant that week. You have no choices and they do not change or substitute for anyone. Have an allergy - forget it. Their website says "maybe this is not the dinner for you".
First street in Santa Ana starts off as Bolsa in Huntington Beach. It is 13 miles from my house so an easy shot for me as the street runs fairly fast. The freeway would probably add 8 miles to the trip.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Nayada On A Monday Night
Monday. March 9, 2015
5 of us met tonight at Nayada in Lakewood. www.nayadathaicuisine.com, Restaurant was surprisingly busy for the start of the week.
We started out with crisp Garlic Wings and Golden Bags. Wings were very good. Crispy and garlicky. The bags were good but nothing special. Then on to Tom Yum Soup. Anxious to compare to the same soup at Issara that we went to last week. Since the dinners were close in time it made it easy to compare. I vote for the soup at Issara. Nayada's was good but the shrimp tasted old or frozen. Issara's shrimp were plump and juicy and very fresh.
Then onto a favorite, Siam Apple Catfish. Deep fried fish with a slaw made of julienned Granny Smith apples and a nice vinaigrette.
Next a new dish we had not had before. Kai Kua. Stir fried flat noodles with pork, cabbage, bean sprouts, peanuts, egg, garlic and mushroom. Good flavor and we all agreed that this was a good dish to keep in our list.
As always Pineapple Fried Rice (Nayada is better than Issara) and white rice.
Another new dish Garlic Pepper Beef. Very flavorful. Beef was tender and just love the heck out of garlic. A plate of mixed vegetables was ordered also.. A good ending to a great meal
We had a bottle of 2008 Schramsberg, Blanc de Noirs Brut Vintage. Finished it off quickly. Several white wines were brought because they go so well with the Thai food along with two reds. Both Pinots were showing very well.
2012 Winzer Kramer, Austria, Gruner Veltliner
2001 Wagner Stempel, Germany, Dry Reisling
2012 Rideau Vineyards, Santa Ynez, Estate Viognier
2007 Roar, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir
2006 Williams Selyem, Russian River, Pinot Noir
Another good dinner with wine and good friends. A nice way to start the week. Two more events this week and then a week to rest. I will need that because in two weeks I have four wine dinners scheduled and I was going to cut back this year. May have to amend that statement.
5 of us met tonight at Nayada in Lakewood. www.nayadathaicuisine.com, Restaurant was surprisingly busy for the start of the week.
We started out with crisp Garlic Wings and Golden Bags. Wings were very good. Crispy and garlicky. The bags were good but nothing special. Then on to Tom Yum Soup. Anxious to compare to the same soup at Issara that we went to last week. Since the dinners were close in time it made it easy to compare. I vote for the soup at Issara. Nayada's was good but the shrimp tasted old or frozen. Issara's shrimp were plump and juicy and very fresh.
Then onto a favorite, Siam Apple Catfish. Deep fried fish with a slaw made of julienned Granny Smith apples and a nice vinaigrette.
Next a new dish we had not had before. Kai Kua. Stir fried flat noodles with pork, cabbage, bean sprouts, peanuts, egg, garlic and mushroom. Good flavor and we all agreed that this was a good dish to keep in our list.
As always Pineapple Fried Rice (Nayada is better than Issara) and white rice.
Another new dish Garlic Pepper Beef. Very flavorful. Beef was tender and just love the heck out of garlic. A plate of mixed vegetables was ordered also.. A good ending to a great meal
We had a bottle of 2008 Schramsberg, Blanc de Noirs Brut Vintage. Finished it off quickly. Several white wines were brought because they go so well with the Thai food along with two reds. Both Pinots were showing very well.
2012 Winzer Kramer, Austria, Gruner Veltliner
2001 Wagner Stempel, Germany, Dry Reisling
2012 Rideau Vineyards, Santa Ynez, Estate Viognier
2007 Roar, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir
2006 Williams Selyem, Russian River, Pinot Noir
Another good dinner with wine and good friends. A nice way to start the week. Two more events this week and then a week to rest. I will need that because in two weeks I have four wine dinners scheduled and I was going to cut back this year. May have to amend that statement.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Maderas' Steak and Ribs Restaurant
Saturday, March 7, 2014
This was Margie's monthly dinner location. See the place almost every week and have never stopped in. www.maderassteakandribs.com. Almost passed it up because of some large construction going on with the building. Looks like the outside is getting a facelift. Dinner was set for 5:30 and we got seated closer top 6:00. The twits on the front desk did not what day it was or anything else. Margie had to go into the dining area and help set up our tables. There were 14 of us tonight.
This was a set menu with 4 selections for the meal. I selected the mixed platter. Chicken, ribs and steak. I was still full from the Paella at lunch that I had a bite of everything to taste it and boxed it all up for take out. The chicken was juicy and tender. The steak was all ready sliced and seemed to have good flavor. The ribs were a little disappointment. Good but not great. It was nice that they were not swimming in a sweet sauce. Portions were very large. Came with green beans and mashed potatoes.
Wines brought tonight were a real mixed bag. I tried one Chardonnay and passed on all the other white wines. All the Chardonnays were oaky and that is not my choice for Chardonnay
I brought a 2009 Stolpman, Santa Ynez, Petite Syrah. Took awhile to open up but it turned out to be a good wine. CJ brought a 2010 Murphy-Goode, Liars Dice, Sonoma County, Zinfandel. One of the first bottles emptied. It was very good. He decanted it in the morning and that is probably what I should have done with the Petite Syrah.
Others wines:
2012 Halter Ranch, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Fiddlehead Cellars, Santa Ynez, Sauvignon Blanc
2012 Deloach, Chardonnay
2009 Rodney Strong Reserve, Pinot Noir - this was a good wine
2012 Lincourt, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Blanc
2009 Cinquain Estate, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah blend
2012 Melville, Sta. Rita Hills, Chardonnay
2012 Martin Ray, Santa Cruz Mts., Chardonnay
2008 Kaiken Ultra, Mendoza, Cabernet Sauvignon
NV Nicholas Feuillatte, Chouiley, France, Brut Champagne - this bottle emptied quickly
2012 Wiens, Temecula, Merlot
2010 Foxen, " Guillermo Grosso", Santa Ynez, Cabernet Sauvignon / Sangiovese
2010 DeRose, Cienega Valley, Cedolini Vineyard, Old Vine Zinfandel
NV Pol Clement, Blanc de Blanc - unfortunately this bottles was bad
NV Bonny Doon, Frambroise - this was excellent
This was Margie's monthly dinner location. See the place almost every week and have never stopped in. www.maderassteakandribs.com. Almost passed it up because of some large construction going on with the building. Looks like the outside is getting a facelift. Dinner was set for 5:30 and we got seated closer top 6:00. The twits on the front desk did not what day it was or anything else. Margie had to go into the dining area and help set up our tables. There were 14 of us tonight.
This was a set menu with 4 selections for the meal. I selected the mixed platter. Chicken, ribs and steak. I was still full from the Paella at lunch that I had a bite of everything to taste it and boxed it all up for take out. The chicken was juicy and tender. The steak was all ready sliced and seemed to have good flavor. The ribs were a little disappointment. Good but not great. It was nice that they were not swimming in a sweet sauce. Portions were very large. Came with green beans and mashed potatoes.
Wines brought tonight were a real mixed bag. I tried one Chardonnay and passed on all the other white wines. All the Chardonnays were oaky and that is not my choice for Chardonnay
I brought a 2009 Stolpman, Santa Ynez, Petite Syrah. Took awhile to open up but it turned out to be a good wine. CJ brought a 2010 Murphy-Goode, Liars Dice, Sonoma County, Zinfandel. One of the first bottles emptied. It was very good. He decanted it in the morning and that is probably what I should have done with the Petite Syrah.
Others wines:
2012 Halter Ranch, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Fiddlehead Cellars, Santa Ynez, Sauvignon Blanc
2012 Deloach, Chardonnay
2009 Rodney Strong Reserve, Pinot Noir - this was a good wine
2012 Lincourt, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Blanc
2009 Cinquain Estate, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah blend
2012 Melville, Sta. Rita Hills, Chardonnay
2012 Martin Ray, Santa Cruz Mts., Chardonnay
2008 Kaiken Ultra, Mendoza, Cabernet Sauvignon
NV Nicholas Feuillatte, Chouiley, France, Brut Champagne - this bottle emptied quickly
2012 Wiens, Temecula, Merlot
2010 Foxen, " Guillermo Grosso", Santa Ynez, Cabernet Sauvignon / Sangiovese
2010 DeRose, Cienega Valley, Cedolini Vineyard, Old Vine Zinfandel
NV Pol Clement, Blanc de Blanc - unfortunately this bottles was bad
NV Bonny Doon, Frambroise - this was excellent
La Espanola Tour and Paella
Saturday, March 7, 2015
La Espanola is a Spanish deli and sausage plant in Harbor City, 3 minutes from where I work. "www.laespanolameats.com", I have gone in and ordered a sandwich to go at lunch time and have bought food items here. But when I saw that Melting Pot Tours was having a "tour" of the facility I was interested. The public does not normally get to see where they make the sausages and the entire manufacturing facility.
We got to see and smell the sausages being cured in the drying rooms along with the grinders, mixers and stuffing machines. A lot of hand work goes into the manufacturing here. After hearing how they do everything I can understand how and why they price their products
After the touring we had a lunch of Paella. La Espanola makes Paella on Saturdays only. You must make a reservation because they only cook enough for those who call ahead. No leftovers here. With Paella we had plates of sausages and cheeses along with bread that import from Spain. It is par baked, frozen then shipped over. La Espanola keeps it frozen until they decide how many they need for a day and then bakes what is needed. This is the same bread they make their sandwiches with. Every table had a couple of bottles of Spanish wine to enjoy.
Alex, the manager gave us some "duck prosciutto" to try. They make it exclusively for an distributor and do not sell it direct. It was so good. Was told that Surfas may sell it so I will have to make a short trip down the freeway to look for it. They table next to ours hardly touched their plate of it so when they left I snagged it. Ate every last piece of it.
Interesting tout with Melting Pot. They do numerous "foodie" tours in the Los Angeles area. May try to do the "Thai Town" tour nect month.
La Espanola is a Spanish deli and sausage plant in Harbor City, 3 minutes from where I work. "www.laespanolameats.com", I have gone in and ordered a sandwich to go at lunch time and have bought food items here. But when I saw that Melting Pot Tours was having a "tour" of the facility I was interested. The public does not normally get to see where they make the sausages and the entire manufacturing facility.
We got to see and smell the sausages being cured in the drying rooms along with the grinders, mixers and stuffing machines. A lot of hand work goes into the manufacturing here. After hearing how they do everything I can understand how and why they price their products
After the touring we had a lunch of Paella. La Espanola makes Paella on Saturdays only. You must make a reservation because they only cook enough for those who call ahead. No leftovers here. With Paella we had plates of sausages and cheeses along with bread that import from Spain. It is par baked, frozen then shipped over. La Espanola keeps it frozen until they decide how many they need for a day and then bakes what is needed. This is the same bread they make their sandwiches with. Every table had a couple of bottles of Spanish wine to enjoy.
Alex, the manager gave us some "duck prosciutto" to try. They make it exclusively for an distributor and do not sell it direct. It was so good. Was told that Surfas may sell it so I will have to make a short trip down the freeway to look for it. They table next to ours hardly touched their plate of it so when they left I snagged it. Ate every last piece of it.
Interesting tout with Melting Pot. They do numerous "foodie" tours in the Los Angeles area. May try to do the "Thai Town" tour nect month.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Recon at Issara
Tuesday. March 3, 2015
Did a recon dinner at Issara, it was OC restaurant week, with Paul and Margie. Wanted to check out a few new dishes for the upcoming wine dinner..
Paul and Margie ordered off the special menu. Paul's choice of artichoke salad as an appetizer was spot on. Very good flavor and I am sure this will show up at the dinner. He also had the Khoa Soi with chicken. Chicken legs with egg noodles and red curry paste. Said the flavor was good but a bit spicy. He ended up with the Mango Sticky Rice topped with Ice cream.
Margie had a green fettachini with chicken, Mu Yong Pork and the Chai tea creme brulee.
I ordered off the regular menu and selected Tom Yum soup with shrimp. This soup is excellent. Also ordered the deep fried sole with green apple slaw. Had 9 pieces of fish so 5 of them went home.
I brought a bottle of 2013 Tercero, Outliner, Gewurztraminer and they brought a 2012 La Montague, Pinot Noir. The gerwuz went excellent with the spicy food. May bring it next week when we go to Nayada for Thai food. The Pinot was very good, a new winemaker. I believe her name is Kimberly Smith. Everyone is talking about her wines.
Did a recon dinner at Issara, it was OC restaurant week, with Paul and Margie. Wanted to check out a few new dishes for the upcoming wine dinner..
Paul and Margie ordered off the special menu. Paul's choice of artichoke salad as an appetizer was spot on. Very good flavor and I am sure this will show up at the dinner. He also had the Khoa Soi with chicken. Chicken legs with egg noodles and red curry paste. Said the flavor was good but a bit spicy. He ended up with the Mango Sticky Rice topped with Ice cream.
Margie had a green fettachini with chicken, Mu Yong Pork and the Chai tea creme brulee.
I ordered off the regular menu and selected Tom Yum soup with shrimp. This soup is excellent. Also ordered the deep fried sole with green apple slaw. Had 9 pieces of fish so 5 of them went home.
I brought a bottle of 2013 Tercero, Outliner, Gewurztraminer and they brought a 2012 La Montague, Pinot Noir. The gerwuz went excellent with the spicy food. May bring it next week when we go to Nayada for Thai food. The Pinot was very good, a new winemaker. I believe her name is Kimberly Smith. Everyone is talking about her wines.
Fund Raiser For Long Beach Symphony
Sunday. March 1, 2015
Freidman's Appliance Center in Signal Hill was the venue for the Third Annual Chef's Challenge which is a fund raiser for the Long Beach Symphony. 5 chefs from the area competed for the "Silver Skillet".
Upon entering the store you poured yourself a glass of wine from a 4 bottle wine dispenser then proceeded to tour the store where 5 chef's stations were set up in the kitchen display area. They used the display stoves and appliances. There were also set up a coffee bar, dessert bar, beer bar, martini bar and two tables with bubbly and wines. A 3 piece music group played in the bath display area (Jazz and Bathz).
All the chefs were setting out appetizers for us to nibble on while we wandered and watched everyone cook their dishes to be judged. Two of them really blew me away. The bacon wrapped shrimp from Keesal, Young and Logan and the Empanadas, (pork,beef, chorizo combined) from Legends. Delius put of their avocado, garlic and grape spread (which is so good) on crostini.
They also had waitstaff passing around appetizers, at least 6 different kinds. So between appetizers and 6 glasses of bubbly I was in a fine mood.
All the dishes cooked for the judges were pork tenderloin with a theme. They were given a secret ingredient. peanut butter or almond butter after arriving at the venue that they had to incorporate into their dish.
Louise Solzman from Delius Restaurant won the chefs challenge this year. The theme she was given was Caribbean. Her pork had jerk seasoning and she incorporated the almond butter into her mashed potatoes.
Looking forward to seeing her "Silver Skillet" dispkayed at the restaurant.
Freidman's Appliance Center in Signal Hill was the venue for the Third Annual Chef's Challenge which is a fund raiser for the Long Beach Symphony. 5 chefs from the area competed for the "Silver Skillet".
Upon entering the store you poured yourself a glass of wine from a 4 bottle wine dispenser then proceeded to tour the store where 5 chef's stations were set up in the kitchen display area. They used the display stoves and appliances. There were also set up a coffee bar, dessert bar, beer bar, martini bar and two tables with bubbly and wines. A 3 piece music group played in the bath display area (Jazz and Bathz).
All the chefs were setting out appetizers for us to nibble on while we wandered and watched everyone cook their dishes to be judged. Two of them really blew me away. The bacon wrapped shrimp from Keesal, Young and Logan and the Empanadas, (pork,beef, chorizo combined) from Legends. Delius put of their avocado, garlic and grape spread (which is so good) on crostini.
They also had waitstaff passing around appetizers, at least 6 different kinds. So between appetizers and 6 glasses of bubbly I was in a fine mood.
All the dishes cooked for the judges were pork tenderloin with a theme. They were given a secret ingredient. peanut butter or almond butter after arriving at the venue that they had to incorporate into their dish.
Louise Solzman from Delius Restaurant won the chefs challenge this year. The theme she was given was Caribbean. Her pork had jerk seasoning and she incorporated the almond butter into her mashed potatoes.
Looking forward to seeing her "Silver Skillet" dispkayed at the restaurant.
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