Monday, May 25, 2009
Was invited to a barbeque for the holiday. There was 14 of us attending today which made for a nice gathering. I will say that the food and company was great. Appetizers were awesome. Nancy made some really nice stuffed eggs that rivaled Rose's. Rose brought baked beans which were excellent. Tri tip, burgers and homemade sausages were grilled. Home brew was brought out along with some very nice wines. It was a nice relaxing day with good wine, brew and wine.
Made up for Sunday.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monthly Gathering of The Wino's
Sunday., May 24, 2008
This was our monthly ritual today. Theme was Wines from South America. Of course Argentina represented the biggest group but there were a few from Chile.
This is the first time in 10 years that I can say I was thoroughly disappointed in the whole day.
This was our monthly ritual today. Theme was Wines from South America. Of course Argentina represented the biggest group but there were a few from Chile.
This is the first time in 10 years that I can say I was thoroughly disappointed in the whole day.
Another Trip To Vino Cucina
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Nine of us gathered tonight at Vino Cucina in Long Beach for dinner. As always the food was great. I had my favorite appetizer "Deep fried baby artichokes stuffed with ricotta & marscapone" . I should order 2 portions and have them as my meal. Had a very nice pasta with fresh tomato sauce and seafood. Different from he one last time. I always try something new when I go to Vino Cucina.
The dining companions were great. We had a great time and they had to kick us out as it was way past closing.
The only negative is that they have raised the price of their corkage to $15. That means we paid $135 in corkage that night. $15 is not to high if you are bringing a $50 bottle of wine. But for as much as we have gone into this restaurant you would think w could get a break.
I know they have a very nice wine list. Most of them inexpensive Italian wines with a few higher end wines. And their house wine is decent. But I always seem to have a bottle at home that I want to see how it is tasting.
The $135 was pure profit for them as most of us bring our own glasses. I won't stop going to this great little place but I may just start buying a carafe of their house wine and bring my own wines to places that are a bit more "corkage" friendly.
Nine of us gathered tonight at Vino Cucina in Long Beach for dinner. As always the food was great. I had my favorite appetizer "Deep fried baby artichokes stuffed with ricotta & marscapone" . I should order 2 portions and have them as my meal. Had a very nice pasta with fresh tomato sauce and seafood. Different from he one last time. I always try something new when I go to Vino Cucina.
The dining companions were great. We had a great time and they had to kick us out as it was way past closing.
The only negative is that they have raised the price of their corkage to $15. That means we paid $135 in corkage that night. $15 is not to high if you are bringing a $50 bottle of wine. But for as much as we have gone into this restaurant you would think w could get a break.
I know they have a very nice wine list. Most of them inexpensive Italian wines with a few higher end wines. And their house wine is decent. But I always seem to have a bottle at home that I want to see how it is tasting.
The $135 was pure profit for them as most of us bring our own glasses. I won't stop going to this great little place but I may just start buying a carafe of their house wine and bring my own wines to places that are a bit more "corkage" friendly.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Franco's Italian Restaurant
Saturday, May 15, 2009
Tonight was the meeting of "CJ's Wine & Dine" group. Franco's is a small restaurant in Cypress and the food is quite good.. There were about 16 in attendance so a lively table it was. I do not keep track of the wines at these dinners so there will be none listed.
We started dinner with a Pesto Pizza. Pesto sauce, bell peppers, fresh chopped spinach, artichoke hearts and garlic. Excellent pizza. I could have had a few more slices of this and called it dinner.
Shrimp Francos was served next. Large shrimp sauteed with sliced green onions, chopped garlic, fresh basil, herbs and wine sauce. They are known for this dish and also was very good.
They then passed a platter of fried zucchini which I passed on. There was way too much food and I could give this up easily.
Soup was a Potato Leek. It was good. Not the best I've had but by far not the worst.
We were then served a plate with Tilapia Franchese. This fish dish was excellent. It had a garlic, lemon, herbs, olive oil and white wine sauce. Also on the plate was Sauteed vegetables, (potato, zucchini, broccoli, asparagus and carrots) and a small portion of pasta.
Last dish was New York steak with Diane sauce and mushrooms. Another excellent dish.
They had a plate of cookies for dessert which was more than enough. I ate too much as it was. If they had eliminated one of the appetizers or the soup it would have worked better. Also I filled up on bread with olive oil & balsamic. Service. was slow and it was a wait between courses. The wines were good. A few low end wines were brought but there were enough of the better quality to satisfy me. My bottle of Fulicano was emptied first so that had to say something for it.
Tonight was the meeting of "CJ's Wine & Dine" group. Franco's is a small restaurant in Cypress and the food is quite good.. There were about 16 in attendance so a lively table it was. I do not keep track of the wines at these dinners so there will be none listed.
We started dinner with a Pesto Pizza. Pesto sauce, bell peppers, fresh chopped spinach, artichoke hearts and garlic. Excellent pizza. I could have had a few more slices of this and called it dinner.
Shrimp Francos was served next. Large shrimp sauteed with sliced green onions, chopped garlic, fresh basil, herbs and wine sauce. They are known for this dish and also was very good.
They then passed a platter of fried zucchini which I passed on. There was way too much food and I could give this up easily.
Soup was a Potato Leek. It was good. Not the best I've had but by far not the worst.
We were then served a plate with Tilapia Franchese. This fish dish was excellent. It had a garlic, lemon, herbs, olive oil and white wine sauce. Also on the plate was Sauteed vegetables, (potato, zucchini, broccoli, asparagus and carrots) and a small portion of pasta.
Last dish was New York steak with Diane sauce and mushrooms. Another excellent dish.
They had a plate of cookies for dessert which was more than enough. I ate too much as it was. If they had eliminated one of the appetizers or the soup it would have worked better. Also I filled up on bread with olive oil & balsamic. Service. was slow and it was a wait between courses. The wines were good. A few low end wines were brought but there were enough of the better quality to satisfy me. My bottle of Fulicano was emptied first so that had to say something for it.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Philo Ridge Wine Dinner at Utopia
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Philo Ridge is a winery that I was not familiar with. Had heard the name but never tasted the wines. Fred Buonanno the owner and winemaker was in attendance. He was very interesting to talk with and had a great sense of humor. The "farm" is fully sustainable. It is 5 miles from the nearest electric grid so everything is solar.
The winery is in the Anderson Valley area of Mendocino County which is known for other "quality" products other than wine. I have heard that Humbolt County produces the best.
First course was "Grilled Pork Tenderloin Dijon Brandy Sauce". This was served with a 2007 Philo Ridge Chardonnay. A nice clean, crisp wine.
Second course - "Roasted Duck Breast in Shallot Balsamic Cream Reduction Sauce". Sauce was excellent. Duck was slightly overcooked for me. I prefer to see "pink" in my meats. This was served with a 2005 Philo Ridge Vino di Mendocino. A blend of Syrah, Zinfanfel, Petit Syrah and Carignane.
Third course was "Grilled Lamb Chop with Fresh Thyme Port Reduction Sauce". Again the sauce was excellent but to me the lamb was overcooked. The wine was a 2003 Philo Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dessert was homemade Tiramisu served with a Laudate Domium White Wine Vintage 2005/2006. They could have left the dessert wine off the menu. I just do not care to have sweet with sweet. To me its overkill. Serve your sweet wines with a cheese course.
All the wines tonight were good. Priced very well. We were also served tastes of the 2007 Gewuztraminer, 2007 Pinot Gris and the 2005 Pinot Noir.
I did purchase a couple bottles of the Chardonnay and the Gewuztraminer to have a few summer wines around. My cellar is 98% red so its nice to have some white available.
Utopia puts on nice dinners for the money. Cost is always $50 and they are generous with their pours. Their sauces are always excellent but I feel for my personal taste they overcook the lamb & duck. Some people like their meat with no pink or red but I am the opposite. I like my meat "just this side of dead".
Philo Ridge is a winery that I was not familiar with. Had heard the name but never tasted the wines. Fred Buonanno the owner and winemaker was in attendance. He was very interesting to talk with and had a great sense of humor. The "farm" is fully sustainable. It is 5 miles from the nearest electric grid so everything is solar.
The winery is in the Anderson Valley area of Mendocino County which is known for other "quality" products other than wine. I have heard that Humbolt County produces the best.
First course was "Grilled Pork Tenderloin Dijon Brandy Sauce". This was served with a 2007 Philo Ridge Chardonnay. A nice clean, crisp wine.
Second course - "Roasted Duck Breast in Shallot Balsamic Cream Reduction Sauce". Sauce was excellent. Duck was slightly overcooked for me. I prefer to see "pink" in my meats. This was served with a 2005 Philo Ridge Vino di Mendocino. A blend of Syrah, Zinfanfel, Petit Syrah and Carignane.
Third course was "Grilled Lamb Chop with Fresh Thyme Port Reduction Sauce". Again the sauce was excellent but to me the lamb was overcooked. The wine was a 2003 Philo Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dessert was homemade Tiramisu served with a Laudate Domium White Wine Vintage 2005/2006. They could have left the dessert wine off the menu. I just do not care to have sweet with sweet. To me its overkill. Serve your sweet wines with a cheese course.
All the wines tonight were good. Priced very well. We were also served tastes of the 2007 Gewuztraminer, 2007 Pinot Gris and the 2005 Pinot Noir.
I did purchase a couple bottles of the Chardonnay and the Gewuztraminer to have a few summer wines around. My cellar is 98% red so its nice to have some white available.
Utopia puts on nice dinners for the money. Cost is always $50 and they are generous with their pours. Their sauces are always excellent but I feel for my personal taste they overcook the lamb & duck. Some people like their meat with no pink or red but I am the opposite. I like my meat "just this side of dead".
Chinese Again
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Tonight our every other month dinner at Duong Son was held. 8 is the ideal number for the size of the food dishes and for good conversation. Someone became ill at the last minute so only 7 tonight
We had no unusual dishes tonight. All the dishes were standards for us but they are so good it doesn't matter. The wines were good and I didn't see to many bottles with any wine left in them.
Salt & Pepper Calamari
Prawns with a garlic sauce
Spicy green beans with sea bass
Beef & Chinese broccoli
Roast duck (a house specialty)
Tofu with shrimp
Dessert was fresh melon and green bean & coconut tapioca.
NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs from New Mexico - always a nice clean sparkling
1999 Bedford Thompson, Mouvedre
2004 Lapostolle Cabernet, Chile
2005 Domaine Schumberg, Les Princes Abbe, Riesling
2006 Pozzan, Mariana, Napa (red wine)
2006 H (ach) Sonoma County, Pinot Noir
2006 Zaca Mesa, Z Gris, Grenanche Rose
2006 Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills, Chardonnay
There also was a dessert wine brought but I neglected to jot the name down.
Hopefully another dinner in late June or early July before Henry leaves for the month of August.
Tonight our every other month dinner at Duong Son was held. 8 is the ideal number for the size of the food dishes and for good conversation. Someone became ill at the last minute so only 7 tonight
We had no unusual dishes tonight. All the dishes were standards for us but they are so good it doesn't matter. The wines were good and I didn't see to many bottles with any wine left in them.
Salt & Pepper Calamari
Prawns with a garlic sauce
Spicy green beans with sea bass
Beef & Chinese broccoli
Roast duck (a house specialty)
Tofu with shrimp
Dessert was fresh melon and green bean & coconut tapioca.
NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs from New Mexico - always a nice clean sparkling
1999 Bedford Thompson, Mouvedre
2004 Lapostolle Cabernet, Chile
2005 Domaine Schumberg, Les Princes Abbe, Riesling
2006 Pozzan, Mariana, Napa (red wine)
2006 H (ach) Sonoma County, Pinot Noir
2006 Zaca Mesa, Z Gris, Grenanche Rose
2006 Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills, Chardonnay
There also was a dessert wine brought but I neglected to jot the name down.
Hopefully another dinner in late June or early July before Henry leaves for the month of August.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Monthly Gathering of The Flock
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Today's theme for our monthly winos get together was " Central Coast Wines Rated Over 90". The over 90 rating helps keep the $10 to $12 bottles from not showing up. Unfortunately in this group there are a few who try to get by as cheap as possible but sure take to everyone else's more expensive wines when it comes time to drink.
There was a very good selection of wines. I brought a 2005 Kynski Bien Nacido, Santa Maria Valley, Pinot Noir. I felt it was one of the best wines that day and it was the first bottle to be emptied which is always a good sign. The 2007 Loredona, Monterey Riesling was very good also.
There were a few wines I was not thrilled with but that always happens.
Next month "South American" wines.
Today's theme for our monthly winos get together was " Central Coast Wines Rated Over 90". The over 90 rating helps keep the $10 to $12 bottles from not showing up. Unfortunately in this group there are a few who try to get by as cheap as possible but sure take to everyone else's more expensive wines when it comes time to drink.
There was a very good selection of wines. I brought a 2005 Kynski Bien Nacido, Santa Maria Valley, Pinot Noir. I felt it was one of the best wines that day and it was the first bottle to be emptied which is always a good sign. The 2007 Loredona, Monterey Riesling was very good also.
There were a few wines I was not thrilled with but that always happens.
Next month "South American" wines.
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