Thursday, June 16, 2011

Reserve Lists, Sommelier's Selection, and Captain's List

Whenever you're in a fine dining restaurant and perusing the winelist, it's always fun to ask if they have a Captain's List, sometimes referred to as a Reserve List or Sommelier's Selection.
Of course, there's the possibility that this list is only the $200-plus wines, which are great if the sky's the limit.
On the other hand, this list can be that wine professional's way of presenting some wines that are either obscure or hard to find, limited in production, have a WOW or bang-for-the-buck factor, or just be wines that he or she really wants to move.
At The Palm in West Hollywood, I created a small reserve list to highlight some wines that I thought exemplary and wouldn't be found just anywhere. I also wanted to put them separately to avoid being lost in the rest of the winelist.
Here is what I came up with for the Summer/Fall of 2011:
The Palm West Hollywood Reserve “Sommelier’s Selection”
Personally picked by your wine hosts Sean Ahaus and Jonathan Mitchell

WHITES
Brander Sauvignon Blanc "Au Naturel", Santa Barbara County, 2009- an excellent representation of what Sauvignon Blanc should be. Soft, slightly smoky, and grassy without being overwhelming. It's the free-run juice that comes out of the grape even before pressing. That juicy and ripe! Just $68
Gary Ferrell Chardonnay “Reserve” Russian River 2008 $72- Limited production, it is elegant and intense at the same time.
Talbott Chardonnay "Sleepy Hollow Vineyard", Santa Lucia Highlands 2009 $82- My idea of what Central Coast Chardonnay should taste like. Beautifully balanced.
Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Reserve, Carneros 2008 $80. -This beats you about the head and neck with fury. Big, ripe tropical fruits balanced by toasty vanilla, coconut, and caramel notes. If you like that sort of thing. And I do.
Black Bart's Bride (Marsanne, Viognier, and Chardonnay) Napa Valley 2008 $70-
How often do you get the chance to drink white wines inspired by France's Rhone region? It is wonderful, peachy, melon-y, with hints of Lychee, yet still refreshing. And you don't have to refi the house to buy a bottle
Schlumberger Gewurztraminer "Kitterle" Grand Cru, Alsace, 2005 $100- As good as Gewurztraminer gets! This is a big, rich, almost-sweet expression from an ancient Grand Cru vineyard near the German border of France. THE best! Okay, so it's $100..

REDS
Summerland Pinot Noir "Odyssesy-Thurlstone", Edna Valley 2007 $69. -Love the way this wine balances the red fruit notes classic to Pinot Noir, with smoky earthy, vegetal notes. Silky!
Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, 2009, 90 pts WS, $85 -Super hard to get your hands on, Kosta Browne always over-delivers on gorgeous ripe fruit and fresh acidity, balancing the French Burgundian style with that of the best Sonoma producers. Thank you winemaker Shane Finley!
Remhoogt Estate “Bonne Nouvelle” (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinotage), Stellenbosch, SA 2006 $140 - This wine is a little expensive, as it is made by Michel Rolland the veritable "Midas" of the wine world. It's made in South Africa, where the wines can taste a bit "dirty" redolent of your fireplace or barbecue grill, according to some. This wine gives a touch of that, with the Pinotage in it, but is balanced by ripe, silky Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet. One of a kind!!
Blackjack “Harmonie” Red Wine Blend, Paso Robles, 2008 $168 -If you haven't had Central Coast Cabernets, you need to try this one. Unique and intense, a great wine for steak.
Fess Parker Syrah "The Big Easy", Santa Barbara County, 2004, 90pts WS, $72 - I love Syrah. Unabashedly. This one is rich, round, and juicy, and there just aint much around. Take advantage of it's great price, while you can.
Black Bart's Syrah, Napa Valley, 2007, 90pts WS, $105 - A spicy, drier style of Syrah, more like the French Rhone wines. Takes it's name from the gentleman bandit of yore. Great wine. Great story!
Shane Syrah "The Judge", Bennett Valley, 2008 $90. -Whoop, there it IS. Let this one open up and understand why the French are jealous of our climate. This one gives a nod to the French winemakers with it's herbal, spicy, black fruits, but opens up with an intensity and ripeness that is unique to our climate. Powerful. And again, will NOT break the bank!
Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2005 $92- Iconic. Legendary. Historic. These words come to mind when you think of Heitz, the veritable wine of Napa Valley. This Cabernet is dark, brooding, and won't let you down. Pay homage to one of Napa's greats!
Ramey "Larkmead" Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2006 $120- Wine Guru David Ramey hit it out of the proverbial park with this one, as he continually does. This impressive Cabernet is not easy to find, but well worth the trip. Ramey 1, Wimpy Wine 0.
Darioush Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007, 94 pts WS, $157 -You'll spend a little more at this point but the scores point to unprecedented complexity and concentration when you get to these wines. A relative newcomer to the Napa wine-producing world, Darioush has risen to become one of the most sought-after wines in California.
Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Napa Valley, 2008, 95 pts WS, $210 -Randy Lewis's motto is "Driven to create world-class wines", and this wine is definitely that! With it's rich and dense structure and layer upon layer of gorgeous ripe fruit, this wine IS dinner! Get it while supply lasts!


I hope this example inspires you to take a deeper look into your favorite wine list and/or try a wine you might not have otherwise ordered.
Take chances, try new wines, share it with friends, talk about it, and above all, have FUN with wine! :-)

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Aroma Therapy

http://digital.copcomm.com/issue/31323/68

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Wine Limericks!

Inspired by my a friend of mine who is writing wine Haiku, I started having fun with wine Limericks! Here are a few which I came up with rather hastily. Try for yourself. If you aren't familiar, Limericks have an 8,8,5,5,8 pentameter and you have to rhyme the 1st, 2nd, and 5th lines, as well as the 2nd and 3rd.

Syrah is my favorite grape. It makes my mind go agape. So round and so sweet. It goes well with meat. I dont mind that it smells like an ape.

Merlot is these days under-rated, and even un-sophisticated, but if you ask Paul, whose "Sideways" had gall, he'd say he's still intoxicated!

A great Pinot sits in my hand. It tastes like the fruit and the land. Red fruits and dry earth, it's value is worth ostensibly one hundred grand!

A grape you should try is Malbec, it tastes very rich what the heck, it doesn't cost much, few dollars and such, so it won't put a dent in your check!
Send me yours!

Somm Enchanted Journey

http://digital.copcomm.com/issue/29638/116

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Have fun with wine, at the AIRPORT!!

We all know how trying it is to kill time at the airport. And these days, with additional security, you have to arrive earlier and earlier. So, there you are with 2 hours to kill, and you can't get any reading done with the screaming baby next to you and the incessant announcements distracting you. So what to do? WINE TASTING!
At select airports around the nation, Vino Volo has put in high-end wine tasting bars with wines by the taste, by the glass, by the flight, and by the bottle.
I had the great pleasure of enjoying tastes of the very prestigious "Amon Ra" Shiraz from Barossa Valley in Australia, as well as flights of Pinot Noir (from Santa Barbara, Burgundy, and Oregon), and Big Reds (Meritage from Virginia, Merlot from Napa, and Zin from Lodi)
I kept the name tags hidden so I could have fun doing blind tasting, and turned what might have been a dull wait sitting in a lounge to a fun hour and a half of wine learning and palate training.
Check out the Vino Volo at an airport near you, and have FUN WITH WINE!! :-)
Website is www.vinovolo.com



Thursday, April 21, 2011

Staglin Family Vineyard

On this occasion, I had the great privilege of tasting through the wines of Staglin Family Vineyard.

CEO Shari Staglin, on her way to meet with the President (yes, THE President), swung through Beverly Hills, where she shared 3 Chardonnays and 3 Cabernets with us. The wines are absolutely stellar, and were beautiful expressions of intense fruit with an elegant finish. Here, the video is of me and a few of LA's best-known sommeliers talking about the wines and the tasting.

In addition to making great wines, Staglin donates millions of dollars to IMHRO, the International Mental Health Research Organization. Find their wines at any great restaurant, wine shop, or go online to www.staglinfamily.com

Enjoy, and don’t forget to have Fun With Wine!!!   :-)

IMG_0088me with Jeridan Frye

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Surprise, Surprise!

One of the greatest surprises as of late was discovering the impressive quality of groceries from Costco, which are marketed under the Kirkland name.

The cheeses, smoked fish, coffee, and even pizza have been of such high quality that I IMG_0052just had to try their wine! It turns out that they ARE great, and a great value as well. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon you see here, which I brought to the Boys' Lunch competition, scored 93 points, was enjoyed by all, and was only $19.99! Their other wines are great and are great values as well. Part of keeping an open mind about wine is not being fooled by pretty labels or romantic names. Just taste for yourself!  :-)

http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/ks_wine/#pg18

Boys’ Lunch at McCormack & Schmicks in Beverly Hills

Here we are the world-famous McCormack & Schmicks on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. 14 outstanding wines were tasted (blind, of course) and discussed. Highlight for me was identifying the Silver Oak Cabernet and being spot-on!  :-)

Taste all your wines blind (not knowing what's in the bottle) and don’t forget to have fun with wine!! 

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Tasting Panel Magazine at The Palm


We judged 23 "Aromatic Whites" for this speed tasting hosted by The Tasting Panel Magazine. 8 of LA's top sommelier judges participated in this event at The Palm West Hollywood.
Stay tuned for the complete article which will be published here soon!

On the Air with Tom Leykis this week!

Here is the latest "Tasting Room" show I did with master MC Tom Leykis!
http://newnormalnetwork.com/sites/default/files/TastingRoom04-02-11.mp3
Talking about Summerland Pinot Noirs, Effen Cucumber Vodka, and Maker's Mark 46!
We had a blast and you will too. Grab a glass of vino and sit back and enjoy!
:-)

Friday, February 18, 2011

Quick Jaunt to Sonoma!

 

IMG_2236Sonoma Wine Country is arguably the home of some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the planet, and has always been "the other wine destination" for those seeking to avoid the wine crowds in Napa, but now more and more of us are realizing the true charm of this easy to-get-to jewel.

I only had two days for a getaway to wine country, and with Horizon Airlines now flying right into the heart of wine country, "popping in" couldn't be easier and more affordable.

I left Los Angeles at 8:30 AM, and was at Iron Horse Vineyards, sipping bubbles by 10:30!

At Iron Horse,IMG_2268 not only are they making ten amazing sparkling wines, but also 6 Chardonnays and 4 Pinot Noirs. The Sterling family has become known for top-notch wines as well as a strong commitment to the environment. When you buy a bottle of  their "Ocean Reserve" Sparkling Wine, they donate $4 to establish marine protected areas, in partnership with National Geographic. 

Up the road a tad, I stopped in to visit Shane Finley, winemaker at Kosta Browne, who is pushing the envelope in the world of Pinot Noir. The single-vineyard Pinots are IMG_2326incredibly expressive and unique. Shane took me through barrel after barrel of Pinots that were amazingly opulent, intense, well-structured, and consistent. His track record at Paul Hobbs and in the Rhone speaks for itself. These wines are not for the faint of heart! I could have stayed here all day, but I had to get moving. There were more wineries to visit on this whirlwind trip!

Next on the agenda, Jordan, one of the most beautiful wineries in Sonoma. Tom Jordan struck oil and natural gas in Indonesia back in the 60's, and with that fortune set out to build the most perfect Bordeaux-inspired winery he could. He settled on this gorgeous spot in the Alexander Valley in 1972,IMG_2352 and built one of the most consistent Cabernet houses in California winemaking history. Winemaker Rob Davis has been with him since 1976, taking over the helm from Andre Tchelistcheff, and still turns out this top-notch iconic Cabernet Sauvignon today. We also had the fortune of trying their crisp, Burgundian Chardonnay and even their home-made extra-virgin Olive Oil.

After these 3 vineyard tours, it was time to hit the town and explore Sonoma Town Square. There is no shortage of great restaurants here, including Cyrus, Ravenous, Zin, Willi's Seafood Bar, Rustic, and Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen, just to name a few. I was craving seafood so went with "tapas style" small plates of seafood at IMG_2677Willi's, then went for jazz and after dinner drinks at the Dry Creek Kitchen where a wintry night was countered by a blazing fireplace and a live jazz trio. Great wines by the glass and top-notch mixology were in no short supply here! But I kept it an early night as there was an early morning agenda for more wine tasting!

That 2nd day started with a visit to Cline Cellars, where winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos is making more than 17 different wines!  It is an impressive lineup of Zins, Syrahs, Mourvedres, Carignanes, Viogniers, Marsannes, and Pinot Gris! What a great way to start my day!

It was an IMG_2809incredibly beautiful and windy drive up to Kenwood, on this frost-covered morning. It was my first trip to Chateau St Jean, a stunning 250-acre Estate built in 1920. It is meticulously maintained and has the charm and feel of the Great Gatsby! I was taken on a journey through the impressive lineup of Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Merlots, and Cabernets, including of course, the seminal Cinq Cepages red wine blend that was Wine Spectator's wine of the year in 1996.

It's no wonder that winemaker Margo Van Staaveren was named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2008. The wines and  winery are gorgeous pure Sonoma!

Last stop before popping back onto the Eco-friendly Horizon Q-400, I had the privilege IMG_2905of visiting with Tripp Donelan, whose family makes Donelan Family Wines, formerly Pax. Nobody makes more dense, age-worthy Rhone-style wines than Tripp and family. We tasted through an array of 08 Syrahs such as the Cuvee Moriah, Cuvee Christine, and Kobler Family, as well as some of the 07 Pax gems. These wines are huge and muscular with a long life ahead of them. Impressive wines from an impressive family.

But alas, it was 2:45 PM, and the 3:30 back to LA beckoned. A 10-minute drive from the Donelan's and I am back at the Charles M SchulzSonoma Airport and a one hour flight back home to LA, and back to The Palm for me!

Don't worry, Sonoma, I'll be back soon. You can bet on it!

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The Wine Minute Featuring Jeridan Frye

 

In this video, Jeridan and I have the pleasure of drinking (and talking about) Cheval des Andes! It's a wine venture between Frances prestigious Cheval Blanc and Argentina's much-heralded Terrazas de los Andes. Sorry about the sound quality!!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Top 5 Most Romantic Wines

 

The big V-day is coming! Here are my recommendations for the most romantic wines for Valentine's Day. These tips are sure to impress that special someone!

1. Moet Chandon Rose Imperial- $45

  This lovely, fresh, pink bubbly from the Champagne region of France, will certainly ensure a romantic evening. Great as a starter wine with light appetizers, and also as a wine for the rest of the evening. Looks as sexy as it tastes.

2. Lewis Cellars Sauvignon Blanc- $37

   Another wonderful wine for starting out the evening on a light, yet luscious note. the Lewis Cellars Sauvignon Blanc is redolent of spicy ripe lime, mandarin orange, and gooseberry, with custard and key lime pie notes. A seductive wine for sure!

3. Swanson Merlot- $36

  This is a flagship Merlot boasting classic black cherry, plum, cocoa and spice notes. It is elegant, soft, and silky. No girl could resist it. Men, go buy a bottle and make her yours! 

4. Bolla Amarone- $39

  Amarone is the ultimate romantic wine expression, with it's roots in Veneto, Italy. It is a seductive blend of soft and elegant Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes, which have been patiently dried out on straw mats for months, becoming raisiny and sweet. Then they are crushed, giving this wine complexity and sweetness, properties we hope your Valentine's date will have as well. The Bolla is a steal at this price!

  5. Quady Essencia Orange Muscat- $25

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Last but not least, you need something sweet to enjoy after dinner, with your dessert, or the Valentine's Chocolates, which will overpower that red wine you were savoring with dinner. The Quady Essencia is made from 100% Orange Muscat grapes, giving you gorgeous fresh apricot, peach, and mango notes, without being too heavy or sticky. It is fresh and light, and will leave you wanting more.

Enjoy, lovebirds!!

The Wine Minute Featuring Wei Fung Li

 

Here is wine expert and icon Wei Fung Li at Wino Wednesday on 2-2-2011
Chinese New Year!!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Pinot Days Santa Monica 2011

 

In these videos, I had the chance to speak with some of the top producers and sales people in the Pinot Noir biz.  The wines at Pinot Days emanated from the Russian River Valley to the Santa Lucia Highlands, Oregon to Carneros, and from the Anderson Valley to the Sonoma Coast to the Santa Rita Hills. I tasted through a myriad of great Pinot Noirs, some of the outstanding ones for me, were the wines of Papapietro Perry, La Fenetre, Etude, Domaine Chandon, Cloud's Rest, Patz & Hall, Inception, Ken Brown, Belle Glos, and Siduri, although there were lots more I was unable to taste. Pinot Noir is an obsession. If you catch this bug, watch out, for you will be hooked! Enjoy, and don't forget to have fun with wine!  :-)