Wednesday, June 5, 2019
My "hot" date got sick on me so I managed to get a seat at another table by being a bit "needy". I arrived first and the staff was in a very controlled crisis. Seems there was a party of seven people that Arte Cafe had no record of a reservation. So staff was scrambling to get a table big enough for them. They took our table of five and converted it to a seven then took a table of 4 and converted to for our five. Their square tables have semi-rounds on the sides that fold down if not needed. It's hidden by the tablecloth. After five minutes or so everything calmed down.
We started out with Florentine Oysters with spinach and hollandaise. These oysters are cooked in the shell with the spinach and sauce on top. Nice, plump and very good. Wine is a 2015 Erath Pinot Gris. $14. Not a big fan of Pinot Gris (Grigio). But I did consume two glasses.
Second course is Dungeness Crab on top of fresh pear "sticks" and Brussels sprout leaves. Pears were fresh and tangy. A good foil for the crab. I liked this dish a lot. A 2014 Erath Willakia Vineyard Chardonnay, $34 was the selection. I could only get a hint of oak on the nose but the taste was very off putting to me. Did not finish the glass.
A 2016 Erath Estate Pinot Noir, #34, was poured. Did not like the herbaceous, stemy taste on the back palate but after it sat in the glass for awhile that softened Decent wine but not my style of Pinot. Others at the table really liked it. A Cedar planked Sockeye Salmon was the next dish. Covered with fresh creamed corn Corn was cut off the cob and blanched. Very fresh. Salmon was a bit dry. Unusual for Richard to dry a piece of fish. Wasn't overly dry but not much moisture on the inside.
Fourth course is a Double Cut Lamb Chop with a goat cheese Bechamel sauce, mashed potatoes and a grilled cauliflower "steak". Meat was tender and cooked perfectly. I really liked the sauce. Interesting flavor. Only issue was everything on the plate was "white". Lamb was covered with the white sauce, white mashed potatoes and white cauliflower served on a white plate. Even a white Endive leaf for decoration. The dish screamed for color. We eat with our eyes also. Paired with a 2015 Erath Price Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir. This wine suited my palate more than the wine before. Dark fruits and a hint of cherry.
Dessert is a fresh mixed berry cobbler with freshly whipped cream. A tad sweet but very good flavors.
A good dinner for the price. $49. With tax and tip it was $100 less than the dinner at Chianina on Monday. Maybe not the level of sophistication as Chianina but more than acceptable for the price. And we got rolls with dinner. I don't particularly like the rolls at Arte and do not eat them very often but at least we get a basket of them.
Everything is relative to the price. Service, food, wine etc., For high dollars I expect a lot more. At Arte I get my monies worth.
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
ZD Wine Dinner at Chianina
Monday, June 3, 2019
I was surprised tonight about how small of a turnout that Chianina, www.chianina.com. had for this ZD Wine dinner. Wines are good, Restaurant is good so why ? Perhaps the menu got into the fray. 3 courses aside from the canapes and dessert and two of them were meats that a lot of people are not partial to. Rabbit and Duck. I grew up on rabbit (easier to get than chicken during WW 2). My take is people want beef and pork. They don't know what they are missing. At a price tag of $130 for dinner people want what is comfy for them.
We started out with a glass of ZD 50th Anniversary Sparkling. 100% Chardonnay. It was on the dry side but had a nice crisp green apple and a pear taste to it. $75. Went very well with the "Assorted Canapes". Chicken Liver Mousse, Rabbit Rillette, Polenta with Caviar, Cucumber wrapped Crab and Raw Oyster with Caviar. I can make a meal out of "bites". These were all good
First course is a Rabbit Porchetta. Porchetta is deboned meat, rolled and cooked with herbs. A selection of spring vegetables, baby peas in pod, green beans and asparagus . All a bit too "al dente": for me. Almost on the raw side. I think it was a extremely thin slice of radish also along with a Nasturtium leaf for good measure. Flavor was good. Personally I found the meat "soft". Not my favorite way of eating rabbit. Paired with a 2017 ZD Founders Reserve Pinot Noir. $90. Big, ripe dark fruits. A bigger style Pinot.
Duck Bolognese is next. A bit salty but better than being bland. Too much pasta compared to sauce and the duck was diced so small that it was hard to tell what kind of meat it was. A 2016 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon was the selection. $75, Very dark, fruity, with a hint of spice, vanilla and a slight toast. I liked the Pinot better with this dish. I felt the Cab was too big for the Bolognese.
Main course is a Chianina Grilled Short Rib. Great flavor. Trumpet mushroom, potato puree (grey color, a big turnoff) and Swiss Chard. My meat was moist, tender and full of flavor. Had a nice fat cap to it. Another plate at the table the fat cap was way to big. Why they can't correct that in the kitchen before it is cooked I don't know. Little things mean a lot. Its known as trimming. This was the best dish of the night besides the canapes. Paired with a 2010 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon $90. Big wine but much softer on the palate than the 2016. The six years on it makes a difference.
Dessert is a Bourbon Vanilla Gelato with peaches. A light ending to the meal but personally I think it was a cop out. Way to easy. Not even a single cookie or wafer to accompany it. A Rosa Lee Sweet Whim wine was served. A blend of Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot, Zinfandel, Merlot and Chardonnay. Nice cherry / raspberry taste. Slightly sweet but not cloying.
We were offered at taste of the ZD Abacus. This years release is a blend of 26 vintages from 1992 to 2017. Price $50 for a "taste". Wine sells for $675 a bottle in 3 packs. ($2,025) Since I would never spend that much on a bottle I wasn't too keen on shelling out $50 just to taste it. Somehow my life will go on without the taste of that wine on my palate.
Dinner was good but not great. Nothing I would swoon over. We asked for some bread and were told it did not come with the "wine" dinner. It used to but guess not anymore. I would have rather had bread or rolls than the fancy presentation of the raw oyster. How much did all that salt, sea weed etc., costs in a large bowl for one oyster ? And the time it took to construct. Looked great but overkill. I have noticed a trend in restaurants lately and I am beginning to think all of them are cutting corners where they can. Food costs have soared, labor costs are going up along with almost everything else.
We had one diner at the table that opted out of the wine. The bill comes and they charged all of us for the wine pairing. which was $40 each. Dinner $90 + $40 equals $130. We did get it off the bill after a bit of arguing. But if they are not allowing people to opt out of the wine pairing they should say that at the very beginning when it was told that one person was not having wine. Not after the fact. Not cool people. Bad tactic and leaves a real bitter taste on customer relations. Patrons should not try to take undue advantage of restaurants ( I know a few - bad Karma) but in turn restaurants should not take advantage of their customers. Customers can leave and go down the street.
I was surprised tonight about how small of a turnout that Chianina, www.chianina.com. had for this ZD Wine dinner. Wines are good, Restaurant is good so why ? Perhaps the menu got into the fray. 3 courses aside from the canapes and dessert and two of them were meats that a lot of people are not partial to. Rabbit and Duck. I grew up on rabbit (easier to get than chicken during WW 2). My take is people want beef and pork. They don't know what they are missing. At a price tag of $130 for dinner people want what is comfy for them.
We started out with a glass of ZD 50th Anniversary Sparkling. 100% Chardonnay. It was on the dry side but had a nice crisp green apple and a pear taste to it. $75. Went very well with the "Assorted Canapes". Chicken Liver Mousse, Rabbit Rillette, Polenta with Caviar, Cucumber wrapped Crab and Raw Oyster with Caviar. I can make a meal out of "bites". These were all good
First course is a Rabbit Porchetta. Porchetta is deboned meat, rolled and cooked with herbs. A selection of spring vegetables, baby peas in pod, green beans and asparagus . All a bit too "al dente": for me. Almost on the raw side. I think it was a extremely thin slice of radish also along with a Nasturtium leaf for good measure. Flavor was good. Personally I found the meat "soft". Not my favorite way of eating rabbit. Paired with a 2017 ZD Founders Reserve Pinot Noir. $90. Big, ripe dark fruits. A bigger style Pinot.
Duck Bolognese is next. A bit salty but better than being bland. Too much pasta compared to sauce and the duck was diced so small that it was hard to tell what kind of meat it was. A 2016 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon was the selection. $75, Very dark, fruity, with a hint of spice, vanilla and a slight toast. I liked the Pinot better with this dish. I felt the Cab was too big for the Bolognese.
Main course is a Chianina Grilled Short Rib. Great flavor. Trumpet mushroom, potato puree (grey color, a big turnoff) and Swiss Chard. My meat was moist, tender and full of flavor. Had a nice fat cap to it. Another plate at the table the fat cap was way to big. Why they can't correct that in the kitchen before it is cooked I don't know. Little things mean a lot. Its known as trimming. This was the best dish of the night besides the canapes. Paired with a 2010 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon $90. Big wine but much softer on the palate than the 2016. The six years on it makes a difference.
Dessert is a Bourbon Vanilla Gelato with peaches. A light ending to the meal but personally I think it was a cop out. Way to easy. Not even a single cookie or wafer to accompany it. A Rosa Lee Sweet Whim wine was served. A blend of Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot, Zinfandel, Merlot and Chardonnay. Nice cherry / raspberry taste. Slightly sweet but not cloying.
We were offered at taste of the ZD Abacus. This years release is a blend of 26 vintages from 1992 to 2017. Price $50 for a "taste". Wine sells for $675 a bottle in 3 packs. ($2,025) Since I would never spend that much on a bottle I wasn't too keen on shelling out $50 just to taste it. Somehow my life will go on without the taste of that wine on my palate.
Dinner was good but not great. Nothing I would swoon over. We asked for some bread and were told it did not come with the "wine" dinner. It used to but guess not anymore. I would have rather had bread or rolls than the fancy presentation of the raw oyster. How much did all that salt, sea weed etc., costs in a large bowl for one oyster ? And the time it took to construct. Looked great but overkill. I have noticed a trend in restaurants lately and I am beginning to think all of them are cutting corners where they can. Food costs have soared, labor costs are going up along with almost everything else.
We had one diner at the table that opted out of the wine. The bill comes and they charged all of us for the wine pairing. which was $40 each. Dinner $90 + $40 equals $130. We did get it off the bill after a bit of arguing. But if they are not allowing people to opt out of the wine pairing they should say that at the very beginning when it was told that one person was not having wine. Not after the fact. Not cool people. Bad tactic and leaves a real bitter taste on customer relations. Patrons should not try to take undue advantage of restaurants ( I know a few - bad Karma) but in turn restaurants should not take advantage of their customers. Customers can leave and go down the street.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Lunch with The Boys at the Diamond Palace
Monday, May 27, 2019
Since it was a holiday today and others did not work we got together for lunch at the Diamond Palace in Westminister. They are still adding more bling to the place. The smaller dining area now has a small stage and small dance floor. Obviously catering to the party crowd. The ambiance is great. We found some of the food dishes are not the quality as it used to me. Others are still quite good. New owners and new chefs.
Started out with an Egg Drop soup that needed white pepper which we applied liberally. Then a plate of Salt & Pepper Calamari. Big disappointment. Could not taste the salt or pepper and the calamari was not tender. This dish is not what we have had in the past.
Then on to stir fried beef with baby bok choy with fat noodles. This dish had good flavor, meat was tender. This is a regular for us to order.
Sauteed scallops with snow peas was a good selection. A bit bland but the scallops were tender and cooked perfectly.
Next was Orange Peel Beef. It had a light bite to it. Not quite as good as before but still a good dish. Meat was tender and had a nice glaze to it.
Wines were on the excellent side today. I brought a 2010 Roar, Sierra Mar, Pinot Noir which was showing really well. I decanted it for about 90 minutes before leaving for lunch.
A 2010 Roar, Garys Vineyard, Syrah. Took quite a bit of time to open up. That is the value of decanting before. It was more than two thirds through the meal before it opened.
2014 Domaine Schlumberger, Riesling, Grand Cru was excellent.
A Pere & Fils, Launois , Grand Cru Champagne, Mesnir Sur Oger Reserve rounded out the selections. Excellent wine and the bottle was emptied quickly.
Another nice lunch with the boys. Four of us today. The fifth could not make it. It has been awhile since the entire group was together.
Since it was a holiday today and others did not work we got together for lunch at the Diamond Palace in Westminister. They are still adding more bling to the place. The smaller dining area now has a small stage and small dance floor. Obviously catering to the party crowd. The ambiance is great. We found some of the food dishes are not the quality as it used to me. Others are still quite good. New owners and new chefs.
Started out with an Egg Drop soup that needed white pepper which we applied liberally. Then a plate of Salt & Pepper Calamari. Big disappointment. Could not taste the salt or pepper and the calamari was not tender. This dish is not what we have had in the past.
Then on to stir fried beef with baby bok choy with fat noodles. This dish had good flavor, meat was tender. This is a regular for us to order.
Sauteed scallops with snow peas was a good selection. A bit bland but the scallops were tender and cooked perfectly.
Next was Orange Peel Beef. It had a light bite to it. Not quite as good as before but still a good dish. Meat was tender and had a nice glaze to it.
Wines were on the excellent side today. I brought a 2010 Roar, Sierra Mar, Pinot Noir which was showing really well. I decanted it for about 90 minutes before leaving for lunch.
A 2010 Roar, Garys Vineyard, Syrah. Took quite a bit of time to open up. That is the value of decanting before. It was more than two thirds through the meal before it opened.
2014 Domaine Schlumberger, Riesling, Grand Cru was excellent.
A Pere & Fils, Launois , Grand Cru Champagne, Mesnir Sur Oger Reserve rounded out the selections. Excellent wine and the bottle was emptied quickly.
Another nice lunch with the boys. Four of us today. The fifth could not make it. It has been awhile since the entire group was together.
Arte Cafe and Guest Chef
Saturday, May 25, 2019
An unusual night for Arte Cafe to host a wine dinner. Holiday weekend but the dinner was well attended. The main dining area was crammed and tight. Richard had a guest chef come in . He was from Ten Ten Restaurant. There is one in Cerritos and one in Artesia. Which place he came from is unknown to me.
We started out with House made Pot Stickers. Nice flavor. I was not taken with a vinegar sauce for dipping. But the stickers themselves had good flavor. I found the dough to be a bit on the "tough" side. My friend Henry's pot stickers are far better. A 2017 Tenet "Le Fervent" Rose, Rhone. France was the wine choice. Not a big fan of this wine
Next is a Carmelized Shrimp and Walnut. Very good shrimp, fresh and cooked perfectly.. A 2016 Eroica, Riesling, WA. is the selection., This was a very nice dry Riesling. Paired well with the shrimp.
Third course is an Egg Soup with white corn and fresh crabmeat. Needed a bit of salt to enhance it. But it was a nice thick soup with good flavors A 2015 Caymus Conundrum wine was poured. I have never been a fan of this wine. A blend of white grapes but it just doesn't knock by socks off.
Fourth dish is a Stir Fried White Fish with back bean sauce along with a Chicken Chow Mein. Fish was good. Fresh and moist with a subtle flavor. The black bean sauce really enhanced the flavors. The Chow Mein was mostly noodles. Not an inspiring dish. A 2016 Erath, Pinot Noir, Oregon. Good wine, typical Oregon Pinot, light and well balanced.
Last main dish is a Stir Fried Pepper Filet Mignon Beef with onion. Small pieces of beef with a nice bite to them. Tender and good flavors. Paired with a 2016 "The Convert" red blend, WA., A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, Cinsult, Mouvedre and Viognier. Bright wine, nicely balanced. hint of pepper and spic. My favorite wine along with the Riesling tonight.
Dessert is Cocoa Dusted Truffles with fresh raspberries. A 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was the selection. OK pairing but not stellar. Truffles were good and the fresh raspberries were a nice final bite.
A good dinner for Arte Cafe. Not great as some as the others but a good showing. Food was good but nothing was outstanding. Typical Chinese dishes that numerous restaurants serve. But the price was right at $49. And two people at the table won bottles of wine in the raffle. Fun evening.
An unusual night for Arte Cafe to host a wine dinner. Holiday weekend but the dinner was well attended. The main dining area was crammed and tight. Richard had a guest chef come in . He was from Ten Ten Restaurant. There is one in Cerritos and one in Artesia. Which place he came from is unknown to me.
We started out with House made Pot Stickers. Nice flavor. I was not taken with a vinegar sauce for dipping. But the stickers themselves had good flavor. I found the dough to be a bit on the "tough" side. My friend Henry's pot stickers are far better. A 2017 Tenet "Le Fervent" Rose, Rhone. France was the wine choice. Not a big fan of this wine
Next is a Carmelized Shrimp and Walnut. Very good shrimp, fresh and cooked perfectly.. A 2016 Eroica, Riesling, WA. is the selection., This was a very nice dry Riesling. Paired well with the shrimp.
Third course is an Egg Soup with white corn and fresh crabmeat. Needed a bit of salt to enhance it. But it was a nice thick soup with good flavors A 2015 Caymus Conundrum wine was poured. I have never been a fan of this wine. A blend of white grapes but it just doesn't knock by socks off.
Fourth dish is a Stir Fried White Fish with back bean sauce along with a Chicken Chow Mein. Fish was good. Fresh and moist with a subtle flavor. The black bean sauce really enhanced the flavors. The Chow Mein was mostly noodles. Not an inspiring dish. A 2016 Erath, Pinot Noir, Oregon. Good wine, typical Oregon Pinot, light and well balanced.
Last main dish is a Stir Fried Pepper Filet Mignon Beef with onion. Small pieces of beef with a nice bite to them. Tender and good flavors. Paired with a 2016 "The Convert" red blend, WA., A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, Cinsult, Mouvedre and Viognier. Bright wine, nicely balanced. hint of pepper and spic. My favorite wine along with the Riesling tonight.
Dessert is Cocoa Dusted Truffles with fresh raspberries. A 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was the selection. OK pairing but not stellar. Truffles were good and the fresh raspberries were a nice final bite.
A good dinner for Arte Cafe. Not great as some as the others but a good showing. Food was good but nothing was outstanding. Typical Chinese dishes that numerous restaurants serve. But the price was right at $49. And two people at the table won bottles of wine in the raffle. Fun evening.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Paul Hobbs Wines at Michaels on Nalpes
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Four of us tonight at Michaels. www.michaelsonnaples.com. Menu looked really good and Paul Hobbs wines are good but a bit pricey.
Started out with a Cold poached shrimp "salad", celery, pickled mustard seeds and greens. Not a fan of these greens but the vinaigrette was good and the shrimp was cooked as it should be. Wine served is a 2016 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley. $40. Small amount of oak on the nose much much more in the wine. Gave most of this wine to someone else at the table.
Second course is a Roasted California Wild King Salmon with sunchoke puree and trumpet mushrooms. Salmon was excellent. Cooked perfectly. Paired with a 2017 Chardonnay, Richard Dinner Vineyard. $68. Not as much oak on this wine so I did finish it myself. It was a good chardonnay and paired very well with the salmon. I would never buy for myself but if you like a bit of oak it was a good wine for you.
Next was Garganelli, hand rolled pasta, Strauss Farm Veal, soffritto. Soffritto was good but not enough for the amount of pasta. Pasta was then on the dry side and had no flavor. Not impressed. Wine is a 2016 Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir. $42. Nice pinot, balanced.A bit big on the fruit but not overly. Since it is a coastal wine a bit more restrained.
Fourth course is a Roasted Squab Breast, cherry mostarda, and Venere (black) rice. Squab was excellent. Cooked perfectly. Mostrada had a nice tang to it. A 2017 Hyde Vineyards, Carneros, Pinot Noir. $75. Much bigger wine than the last. Heavy black fruits. Tannins were more pronounced in this pinot. Not quite a fruit bomb but close to it.
Main dish is a Grilled Aspen Ridge ribeye cap, potato and black truffle gratin with charred leeks. Great piece of meat. Cooked exactly as I like it. Red. Paired with a 2015 Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. If you are cab fan this would be the wine for you.
Dessert is a Pineapple Fritter and a Almond Cake. Fritter was very good. Almond cake is always on the dry side. Ok but I would have rather had 2 fritters.
We also had the "opportunity" to taste the 2015 Beckstoffer, Dr, Crane Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon. $ 201. Did not partake in the "opportunity". 1 oz, $15, 3 oz $34 and 6 oz. $90.
Good dinner. A few hiccups for me. But then I always seem to find the "hiccups".
Four of us tonight at Michaels. www.michaelsonnaples.com. Menu looked really good and Paul Hobbs wines are good but a bit pricey.
Started out with a Cold poached shrimp "salad", celery, pickled mustard seeds and greens. Not a fan of these greens but the vinaigrette was good and the shrimp was cooked as it should be. Wine served is a 2016 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley. $40. Small amount of oak on the nose much much more in the wine. Gave most of this wine to someone else at the table.
Second course is a Roasted California Wild King Salmon with sunchoke puree and trumpet mushrooms. Salmon was excellent. Cooked perfectly. Paired with a 2017 Chardonnay, Richard Dinner Vineyard. $68. Not as much oak on this wine so I did finish it myself. It was a good chardonnay and paired very well with the salmon. I would never buy for myself but if you like a bit of oak it was a good wine for you.
Next was Garganelli, hand rolled pasta, Strauss Farm Veal, soffritto. Soffritto was good but not enough for the amount of pasta. Pasta was then on the dry side and had no flavor. Not impressed. Wine is a 2016 Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir. $42. Nice pinot, balanced.A bit big on the fruit but not overly. Since it is a coastal wine a bit more restrained.
Fourth course is a Roasted Squab Breast, cherry mostarda, and Venere (black) rice. Squab was excellent. Cooked perfectly. Mostrada had a nice tang to it. A 2017 Hyde Vineyards, Carneros, Pinot Noir. $75. Much bigger wine than the last. Heavy black fruits. Tannins were more pronounced in this pinot. Not quite a fruit bomb but close to it.
Main dish is a Grilled Aspen Ridge ribeye cap, potato and black truffle gratin with charred leeks. Great piece of meat. Cooked exactly as I like it. Red. Paired with a 2015 Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. If you are cab fan this would be the wine for you.
Dessert is a Pineapple Fritter and a Almond Cake. Fritter was very good. Almond cake is always on the dry side. Ok but I would have rather had 2 fritters.
We also had the "opportunity" to taste the 2015 Beckstoffer, Dr, Crane Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon. $ 201. Did not partake in the "opportunity". 1 oz, $15, 3 oz $34 and 6 oz. $90.
Good dinner. A few hiccups for me. But then I always seem to find the "hiccups".
Road Trip to Lompoc and the Sta Rita Wine Trail
Saturday, May 18 to Monday, May 20, 2019
First tasting was scheduled for 11:00 AM on Saturday. Left the Casa about 7:30 and arrived in Buellton at 10:10. Good driving conditions and averaged 40 MPH. Met the group at Ken Brown private tasting room at 11:00.
Ken Brown was our host and we tasted numerous wines. Do like his wines. Had a nice "lecture" from the man himself. Bought a couple of bottles of his 2014 Radian Pinot Noir.
Leaving Ken Brown the group headed for Pence Winery which I refuse to set on his property. So headed off to Solvang to the Jules Haus to check on Christmas ornaments. Had lunch at Osteria Grappolo which has been opened for about 2 weeks. Their larger restaurant is in Santa Ynez. Ordered a Risotto al Ragu which was excellent. But the portion was huge. I made the suggestion that they serve a smaller version for lunch.
Our last tasting of the day was scheduled at Spear Winery. Had a wine dinner two weeks ago at Bacchus in Pasadena so I was familiar with their wines. Open for appointments only. Beautiful building made from reclaimed barnwood. I was a bit early but they let me in. While waiting for the limo to arrive with the rest of the group I chatted with Kat Galaway, the winemaker for awhile. Good tasting, beautiful surroundings and great views out the massive windows. Bought a couple of bottles of their Gruner Veltliner.
After leaving Spear I checked in at the O'Carins Inn in Lompoc and got ready for dinner. Dinner tonight is at the "Eatery" at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lompoc. We had a private room off the side which I was thankful for. The restaurant was extremely noisy. Seems to be a popular hangout for the young locals. Menu was interesting for a hotel. Laid back, burgers, sandwiches, tacos. I ordered the Jalapeno goat cheese grilled sandwich and Chicken Tortilla soup. Both were good
Up bright and early on Sunday morning. Had breakfast at the hotel and then off the Longoria for our first tasting. Rick was our host for awhile then turned the actual pouring of his wines over to staff. 6 wines and then they threw in an extra. I purchased a "mini" flight of his Blues Cuvee which was supposed to be a 14, 15 & 16. When I unpacked at home there were two 16's and no 15. Mistake on their part but an irritant to me. Don't live close enough to take it back and exchange it. But I will send an e-mail to let them know. Also bought a couple of his sparkling. Made one year and will not be made again. Too bad because I really like it. Rick said it was too labor intensive.
The nest tasting on Sunday was at LaMontagne in the Wine Ghetto. Tasted 11 wines today. Did buy 3 Pinots / This is where we had lunch. Pizza was brought in. After leaving LaMontagne the group headed back to the hotel and I went to find Morretti. They moved from their location. Found them back in the Ghetto. Vince told me they would be moving again in July to Los Olivos. Indicated that the city of Lompoc was not supportive of the wineries.
Dinner tonight is at the Scratch Kitchen in Lompoc. Have eaten there before and food is good. Ordered the Hailbut, ate one small side of it and had them box it up for me. I am still stuffed from lunch. Way to much food today.
Monday I had breakfast at the hotel and got on the road about 8:30. Need to stop in Newbury Park to visit Norman and Traudl before going home. Traudl gave me several cuttings form her Orchid Cactus plants so I will try and start them at home. Problem is they should not be in direct sun and my balcony is. Will have to try and figure a way to shade them.
Got home about 3:30. Averaged 37 MPH coming home. Nice trip but I was really tired by time I got home. Age is catching up with me. Will have to really consider if I want to do Wine & Fire this year.
First tasting was scheduled for 11:00 AM on Saturday. Left the Casa about 7:30 and arrived in Buellton at 10:10. Good driving conditions and averaged 40 MPH. Met the group at Ken Brown private tasting room at 11:00.
Ken Brown was our host and we tasted numerous wines. Do like his wines. Had a nice "lecture" from the man himself. Bought a couple of bottles of his 2014 Radian Pinot Noir.
Leaving Ken Brown the group headed for Pence Winery which I refuse to set on his property. So headed off to Solvang to the Jules Haus to check on Christmas ornaments. Had lunch at Osteria Grappolo which has been opened for about 2 weeks. Their larger restaurant is in Santa Ynez. Ordered a Risotto al Ragu which was excellent. But the portion was huge. I made the suggestion that they serve a smaller version for lunch.
Our last tasting of the day was scheduled at Spear Winery. Had a wine dinner two weeks ago at Bacchus in Pasadena so I was familiar with their wines. Open for appointments only. Beautiful building made from reclaimed barnwood. I was a bit early but they let me in. While waiting for the limo to arrive with the rest of the group I chatted with Kat Galaway, the winemaker for awhile. Good tasting, beautiful surroundings and great views out the massive windows. Bought a couple of bottles of their Gruner Veltliner.
After leaving Spear I checked in at the O'Carins Inn in Lompoc and got ready for dinner. Dinner tonight is at the "Eatery" at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lompoc. We had a private room off the side which I was thankful for. The restaurant was extremely noisy. Seems to be a popular hangout for the young locals. Menu was interesting for a hotel. Laid back, burgers, sandwiches, tacos. I ordered the Jalapeno goat cheese grilled sandwich and Chicken Tortilla soup. Both were good
Up bright and early on Sunday morning. Had breakfast at the hotel and then off the Longoria for our first tasting. Rick was our host for awhile then turned the actual pouring of his wines over to staff. 6 wines and then they threw in an extra. I purchased a "mini" flight of his Blues Cuvee which was supposed to be a 14, 15 & 16. When I unpacked at home there were two 16's and no 15. Mistake on their part but an irritant to me. Don't live close enough to take it back and exchange it. But I will send an e-mail to let them know. Also bought a couple of his sparkling. Made one year and will not be made again. Too bad because I really like it. Rick said it was too labor intensive.
The nest tasting on Sunday was at LaMontagne in the Wine Ghetto. Tasted 11 wines today. Did buy 3 Pinots / This is where we had lunch. Pizza was brought in. After leaving LaMontagne the group headed back to the hotel and I went to find Morretti. They moved from their location. Found them back in the Ghetto. Vince told me they would be moving again in July to Los Olivos. Indicated that the city of Lompoc was not supportive of the wineries.
Dinner tonight is at the Scratch Kitchen in Lompoc. Have eaten there before and food is good. Ordered the Hailbut, ate one small side of it and had them box it up for me. I am still stuffed from lunch. Way to much food today.
Monday I had breakfast at the hotel and got on the road about 8:30. Need to stop in Newbury Park to visit Norman and Traudl before going home. Traudl gave me several cuttings form her Orchid Cactus plants so I will try and start them at home. Problem is they should not be in direct sun and my balcony is. Will have to try and figure a way to shade them.
Got home about 3:30. Averaged 37 MPH coming home. Nice trip but I was really tired by time I got home. Age is catching up with me. Will have to really consider if I want to do Wine & Fire this year.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Markham Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Not a big crowd tonight so some reason but those who were in attendance were a lively bunch. Also made the odds better for the door prizes. It will be interesting to see what Dina, the rep from Southern brings for door prizes.
The winemaker from Markham, Kimberlee Nicholls is in the kitchen tonight. Gives Richard a bit of a breather from the kitchen.
Started out with Margarita Shrimp (very large), orange zest, cilantro, red pepper and a bit of tequila in a cocktail glass. The shrimp were very fresh and tender. The "cocktail" was refreshing but I did not drink the entire thing. I am not a mixer of alcohols. A 2016 Markham Sauvignon Blanc was the wine selection. A softer style, not very acidic. A bit of Sauvignon Musque and a tad of Semillon. I liked this style much better than the Groth from the dinner the night before.
Second course is a Lemon and Spinach Risotto with white fish fillet. Risotto had excellent flavor. Creamy with a hint of lemon. Not sure what species of fish this was but it was light, tender and moist with a crispy skin. The skin had loads of flavor in it. Paired with a 2015 Markham Chardonnay. I was not a fan of this wine. Too oaky. I felt that the Sau Blanc went better with the fish. Did not finish the Chard.
Third course is a Braised Pot Roast. Braised in a Markham Merlot wine. Herb crusted cauliflower, yellow squash, zucchini squash, potato, carrot, parsnip and green beans. Very good flavor. At this point I am starting to feel stuffed. After a few bites I have it packed up to go. Afterall there is dessert coming up next. Wine selected was a 2016 Markham Merlot. This wine had a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Very well balanced, big, classic fruit flavors. I am not a big Merlot fan but I would drink this one again.
Dessert was a chocolate cake with a chiffon cream top. Light and good. They served a 2015 Markham Cellar 1879 Blend with it. This wine is a blend of Merlot, Petite Syrah, Syrah, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. An excellent wine but not sure if I would pick this out for a dessert. It was OK with it but not stellar.
Another good dinner at Arte Cafe. These are the bargains of wine dinners. Good and reasonable in price. And always door prizes. Tonight Dina had a very odd selection of wines and copies of Wine Spectator Magazine as prizes. I got a bottle of a Spanish Rosato which will be nice this summer when it warms up. Also got a copy of the magazine but since I subscribe to it I gave it away. Food was good. Was not sure of a couple of the pairings. Several people had the same take on it that I did.
Not a big crowd tonight so some reason but those who were in attendance were a lively bunch. Also made the odds better for the door prizes. It will be interesting to see what Dina, the rep from Southern brings for door prizes.
The winemaker from Markham, Kimberlee Nicholls is in the kitchen tonight. Gives Richard a bit of a breather from the kitchen.
Started out with Margarita Shrimp (very large), orange zest, cilantro, red pepper and a bit of tequila in a cocktail glass. The shrimp were very fresh and tender. The "cocktail" was refreshing but I did not drink the entire thing. I am not a mixer of alcohols. A 2016 Markham Sauvignon Blanc was the wine selection. A softer style, not very acidic. A bit of Sauvignon Musque and a tad of Semillon. I liked this style much better than the Groth from the dinner the night before.
Second course is a Lemon and Spinach Risotto with white fish fillet. Risotto had excellent flavor. Creamy with a hint of lemon. Not sure what species of fish this was but it was light, tender and moist with a crispy skin. The skin had loads of flavor in it. Paired with a 2015 Markham Chardonnay. I was not a fan of this wine. Too oaky. I felt that the Sau Blanc went better with the fish. Did not finish the Chard.
Third course is a Braised Pot Roast. Braised in a Markham Merlot wine. Herb crusted cauliflower, yellow squash, zucchini squash, potato, carrot, parsnip and green beans. Very good flavor. At this point I am starting to feel stuffed. After a few bites I have it packed up to go. Afterall there is dessert coming up next. Wine selected was a 2016 Markham Merlot. This wine had a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Very well balanced, big, classic fruit flavors. I am not a big Merlot fan but I would drink this one again.
Dessert was a chocolate cake with a chiffon cream top. Light and good. They served a 2015 Markham Cellar 1879 Blend with it. This wine is a blend of Merlot, Petite Syrah, Syrah, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. An excellent wine but not sure if I would pick this out for a dessert. It was OK with it but not stellar.
Another good dinner at Arte Cafe. These are the bargains of wine dinners. Good and reasonable in price. And always door prizes. Tonight Dina had a very odd selection of wines and copies of Wine Spectator Magazine as prizes. I got a bottle of a Spanish Rosato which will be nice this summer when it warms up. Also got a copy of the magazine but since I subscribe to it I gave it away. Food was good. Was not sure of a couple of the pairings. Several people had the same take on it that I did.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)