Locanda Veneta

This was my first Italian dinner with Yarom & The Hedonists, however, the night just felt different without our chief. No pictures, no facebooking, no 69n tee-shirt. We missed you, Yarom. Get well soon!

For those present, it certainly was a fine night of food and wine. The table's favorite Locanda dishes seemed to be the grilled calamari salad, the polenta with boar ragu (did I get that right?), and the branzino.

We tasted many wines as usual. Ron couldn't resist bringing some vintage boutique champagne ('90 Alain Robert Mesnil) and the first whites just happened to be the perfect producer side by side tasting (we had the '04 Latour v. Bouchard Corton Charlemagne). My vote was for the Latour which really blossomed during dinner and was very nice to revisit with dessert. A '95 Paolo Scavino Bric Del Fiasc Barolo had been decanted before we arrived and went quickly. The '98 Romana Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore and the Bordeaux (sorry, I didn't get the notes) didn't get quite the same attention as Robin's silky '01 Vega Sicilia Valbuena (they didn't make Unico that year), Ron's '79 Grange, and Howard's '02 Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques.

Shout out to Ron and Lana (thanks so much for organizing and hosting the dinner), Ron's son, Andrew (who joined us for the first time), Howard (who I finally met), Michael Gold (for making me feel like I still know a thing or two about wine), and Robin (for making the trek from SD). Great night! Hope to see everyone again soon :)

Katana with Yarom & The Hedonists

Big wine dinner at Katana with Yarom and gang last night. It had been way too long since I've spent a night outside tasting fine wine and sampling Katana's top dishes (that's pretty much how this group rolls two nights a week!). Almost a year to be exact ;)

As usual, I really enjoyed the yellowtail sashimi and tuna carpaccio we started with, but then they brought out the whole fish. It was unlike anything I've ever tasted. The outside was crispy, sweet, savory (maybe some kind of bbq/soy glaze?) and Dawn and I did a pretty good job with our chopsticks scoring a few succulent chunks of meat. Great call with that order, Yarom.

Here are my shoutouts to top wines of the night. All were appreciated and enjoyed, but the follwing my personal favorites:

1975 ZH Pinot Gris

- we started with Ron's champagne and this beauty...cheers :)

1966 Riesling Cabinet

- perfect follow up to the pinot gris with a bit more weight and intensity

1998 Beaucastel CDP

- my man Larry did me the favor of opening this noteworthy red, needed a little time to breathe then climbed until the bottle was empty

1973 Muller TBA

- dessert, thanks Yarom :D

UGC 2007 Vintage Bordeaux Tasting (hosted by Wally's at The Annex, Los Angeles)

As I sit down to write about this event I think it only appropriate to give you some context:

2009’s UGC 2006 vintage Bordeaux tasting was the first “big city” tasting I didn’t work (and by work I mean pour for free for a producer for a chance to taste some wines at the end). I had just moved to California and bought my ticket online, having no idea what to expect. I drove up to LA…it was my first time on the 405 (scary)…and my first time trying to park there (circled the InterContinental twice before parking in the Century City mall garage). I threw on a dress in the car and proudly fixed my sommelier pin to its collar. I hadn’t started the blog yet, so I guess I was there to improve my palate for Bordeaux wines – and maybe meet a fellow corkdork. Hiking up to the InterContinental from the mall garage, I felt prepared, but still nervous. The night before and that morning, I spent studying the characteristics of the different appellations and the top chateaux, but when it came to navigating a large tasting with strangers, it was best to just try to enjoy those few minutes of anticipation…

Suddenly, the holding room was crowded, I was sweating and casually talking to someone about the turnout. I was really just trying to watch what was about to go down. The receptionists were then given the signal to open the doors and we were off to the races. After checking in, I grabbed my glass, smelled it (because I saw everyone else doing that), and headed to the whites, which were stationed to the front left of the room. I didn’t even see there was a price list. Just went by my study guide and made my way from the whites, to right bank Bordeaux, to left bank, and then to Sauternes (or what was left). I took my time, scribbled notes, spit, ate some bread, used the restroom, and drank lots of water. It was a very modest, educational experience.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, this year I will write a different story. Probably because I feel different. My head is in another place - one that has me constantly thinking about my family before myself and trying to make the right decisions about participating in extracurricular activities, like wine tastings.

Sunday night, I buy the ticket at the last minute (secretly hoping the event will sell out so I’m not even tempted to go). I spend every hour before the event working on Drybar tee-shirt designs and Sponsorship Packages. I hail a cab on Santa Monica and call a friend on the walk up to The Annex to meet him in line. I take a look at the price sheet, circle a few chateaux and then ask my friends who they recommend tasting. I swallow and get a little buzz. I’ll give a list below of some flawlessly balanced, fineFINE wines, but no details. I can email them to you, if you like.

The point of this post is that like many physical things in life, my experience with them becomes less about a myopic personal encounter, and more about enjoying the opportunity this thing presents to bring human beings together. Offline.

On Wednesday night, I was in a large, loud room with PEOPLE. Looking into their eyes, backing into them (sorry), feeling their wine spit backsplash in my face, grinning at them with purple teeth, shaking their hands, and giving high fives (like I tend to do after a glass or two).

This made me beyond happy. Yes, the wines were outstanding, but it was also the environment they were tasted in that made me crave awareness for those two hours. Every time I tried to put my head down and take detailed notes, a conversation would start or a friend would say “hi.” This was a time to step away from the minutia and appreciate how fortunate I was to be there.

Thank you to the following chateaux who poured me outstanding wines (I felt bad even putting one and two stars next to some, but had to give them a little credit for somehow standing out among their peers):

M A R G A U X

Chateau Las Combes**

Chateau Rauzan-Segla

P A U I L L A C

Chateau Clerc Milon*

Chateau Lynch-Bages*

Chateau Pontet-Canet*

P E S S A C - L E O G N A N

Chateau Haut-Bailly**

Chateau Pape Clement (blanc and rouge*)

Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte (blanc and rouge*)

Domaine de Chevalier (blanc* and rouge)

P O M E R O L (HAD TO TRY THEM ALL...)

Chateau Clinet*

Chateau Gazin

Chateau La Cabanne

Chateau Conseillante**

S A I N T - E M I L I O N (GRAND CRU)

Chateau Angelus**

Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere

Chateau La Gaffeliere

Chateau Troplong Mondot

Clos Fourtet**

S A I N T - J U L I E N

Chateau Beychevelle*

Chateau Gruaud Larose**

Chateau Talbot*

Italian Sommeliers Association Grand Tasting

This was a trade tasting put on by the Italian Sommeliers Association at Trastevere in Santa Monica. I had the privilege of being invited to taste and write about the wines I was able to taste. Thanks to the Principe Prosciutto di San Deniele for the melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto and breseaola and Ca’D’Oro olive bread which makes me look forward to working in LA that much more...

N O T E

G U I D E :

Winery, Appellation, Name, Grape, Vintage

B U B B L E S :

Banear, Prosecco, Prosecco Frizzante, prosecco, NV

- slightly sparkling, uncork with a corkscrew, crisp, refreshing, lower alcohol (harvest earlier at lower sugar levels), pleasant acidity, not cloying whatsoever

Caposaldo, Veneto IGT, N/A, prosecco, NV

- clean, bright, no cider element (which can bug me in some proseccos) and a but more complex, considering ordering for my wedding

W H I T E S :

Vignalta, Colli Euganei, Sirio Muscato, 100% dry muscat (fully fermented), 2007

- gorgeous + inviting nose, nice mouthfeel, complex white, bitter honey finish

Pescaja, Roero Arneis DOCG, N/A, arneis, 2008

- round, floral, wild herbs, more complex than other expressions of the varietal at the tasting

- world cultures nugget: still locally called “nebbiolo bianco” in Piedmonte

Butussi, Colli Orientali del Friuli, N/A, sauvignon blanc, 2007

- lush wine, very different from both Napa and Marlborough, some vanilla but also crisp, melon, fresh pineapple

- my two cents: I’m always impressed by Friulian sauv blancs and whites in general...there should be more on wine lists (and by the glass)

Carraia, N/A, Carraia, fiano di Sicilia, 2008

- rich winter white, honey, anise, minerals, wine with depth, complexity, and crispness...intriguing

R E D S :

Batasiolo, Alba DOC, Sovrana, barbera,2007

- single vineyard barbera, softer, a primary plus young wine

- my two cents: single vineyard well-made barberas like this one are worth the small premium, especially when compared to young, rough nebbiolos (and usually better value than young barolos if you are buying to drink now)

Cavaliere, Puglia, N/A, sangiovese, 2009

- elegant, integrated, full-bodied, young but well-made

Carria, Sicilia, N/A, aglianico, 2008

- pretty, easy drinking young red, gentle tannin, flavors of black fruit, dark chocolate, approachable acidity and minerality

- pronunciation nugget: the indigenous Italian varietal, aglianico, is pronounced ahl-YAHN-eh-koe

Bibi Graetz Soffocone di Vincigliata, Tosacana, N/A, N/A, 2007

- single vineyard, fine tannin, tart red fruits, delicious with the prosciutto and olive bread

Cantine Sant’Agata, Ruche di Castagnole, Na Vota, ruche, 2007

- a new varietal for me, very impressive: complex, distincitive, raspberry, herbs, great value for wine’s substance

- quick question: “Who drinks ruche?!” (LOVE IT!! I’m so excited to have tried this wine)

Michele Chiarlo, Barolo DOCG, Cannubi, nebbiolo, 2004

- lovely, signature barolo notes, one of the few wines I couldn’t bare to spit

Tenuta di Corllosorbo, Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello, sangiovese, 2004

- roses, red berries, nice balance, (relatively) soft tannin, delicate, had to swallow this one too... :)

Batasiolo, Barolo DOCG (Serralunga), Corda Della Briccolina, nebbiolo, 2003

- Stefano Poggi was pouring the 2003 at the tasting and I had the pleasure of enjoying the 2004 last year at a dinner with him and Fiorenzo Dogliani at CarneVino in Las Vegas after wine Spectator’s Grand Tasting. These are excellent wines that will mature gracefully overtime. If I had to compare, I would recommend the ‘04, but it doesn’t take a genius to recommend a stellar vintage...

Pinot Days, SoCal 2010

Yesterday was my first time attending "Pinot Days", a New World pinot noir tasting, focusing on producers from the glorious west coast of the United States of America. I can be...hmmm...picky (to say it nicely), when it comes to New World pinot noir, liberally using adjectives like "hot," "thin," and "poor value." This tasting offered up the opportunity use some new adjectives. Many of the wines were from the acclaimed 2007 vintage. The single varietal element of "Pinot Days" let me focus on the terroir and style of winemaking for the day's showcase of producers. I was generously granted a trade ticket (thank you!) and took advantage of the extra time I had to take thorough notes. Hope to participate in this tasting for many more years!

With that intro...here goes :)

B E S T

I N

S H O W

Baxter

California, Mendocino, Oppelander Vineyard

Vintage: 2007

Notes: fresh bing cherries, violets, roses, integrated acidity and alcohol, well balanced Richebourg-ish wine of great character and intensity

Comments: The "Phils" (father and son winemaking team) were awesome. Wish I could drink high quality pinot like this more often. I'm looking forward to visiting the estate and getting to know Phil and Phil Jr. better!

Pisoni

California, Santa Lucia Highlands, "Estate" label

Vintage: 2007

Notes: red and dark fruits - tart, dried, and ripe, roses (again!), subtle tea, captivating balance of fruit, alcohol, acidity, and damn fine tannin

Comments: A graceful, yet bold, wine from start to finish. Dances its way across the palate, not missing a beat. Just lovely. Gary and Ed, pleasure to meet you. Gary, thank you for loving and studying Burgundy. Your wine reflects great attention to detail in your vineyard and appreciation of terroir.

George Wine Company

California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley, "RRV V"

Vintage: 2007

Notes: raspberries, red currants, tea, bramble, leaves, potpourri, great balance and palate-forgiving (relatively) low alcohol: 13.5%

(Pause for analogy: George's RRV V is the quiet girl at the party with no makeup. She's polite. She listens, smiles sweetly, and watches the guests' interactions. At the end of the night, you get the guts to talk to her and now you're the one who's speechless.)

Comments: I loved George wines after my first taste at Marche Bacchus when I was living in Vegas a few years ago. At the time, I didn't study or write about wine. I just disliked, liked, or loved what I tasted. I am still loving George's pinots and enjoyed putting a name (and label) with a face at the tasting! Thank you for making a pinot with elegant restraint. There is a delicate, intriguing fruit/earth and young/wise tension in your wines that is always a treat.

P I - N O T A B L E S

(yes, I am a dork)

Arcadian Winery, Jill's Cuvee (2006)

California, Santa Maria, Solomon Hills

Pfendler Vineyards, Sonoma Coast (2007)

Sonoma County, Petaluma Gap

Archery Summit, Red Hills Estate (2006)

Oregon, Dundee Hills

Belle Pente, Belle Pente Vineyard (2006)

Oregon, Yamhill-Carlton

Sojourn Cellars, Sonoma Coast label and Sangiacomo Vineyard (2008)

California, Sonoma County

P L E A S A N T

S U R P R I S E S

A white! (shhhh)

Zotovich Family Vineyards '07 Chardonnay - a delightfully pleasant (and quite well-made) break from pinot

A baby!

An '08 barrel sample from Fess Parker's Ashley's Vineyard (pommard clone) - fresh and tasty :)

A kiwi!

Alana Estate's pretty pinot from Martinborough, New Zealand

A Humphrey Bogart!

Cono Sur's "20 Barrels" '07 pinot noir from Casablanca Valley, Chile - poured by Steve from Wine Exchange (love the OC representation!)

6 Easy Steps to Enjoying Chianti Classico

Step 1: Erase all bad memories of cheap Chianti in a straw covered jug (fiasco)

Step 2: Think about your favorite Italian food

Step 3: Think about how nasty it will taste with a high alcohol new world cab or zin dripping with jam and vanilla

Step 4: Think about how delicious your meal will taste with Chianti Classico, a wine made in Tuscany from the grape, sangiovese – delicate fruit and floral flavor/aroma profile (strawberry, dried raspberry, blueberry, red plum, violet, rose), mild spices (cinnamon, clove, thyme), with moderate to high natural acidity, generally a medium-body, and a drier finish

Step 5: Make new memories with cheap Chianti Classico! Start by trying Lamole di Lamole. It’s $10 at Trader Joe’s and they have a few more in that same price range. Lamole di Lamole is aged 9 months in barriques, clocks in at 13.5% abv, and you should find the 2006 on shelves right now.

Step 6: ENJOY!

Trader Josie

Trader Joe’s impressed me before with their $4 Coastal Syrah and has done it again with two more reds! I recently enjoyed their $10 2007 Dry Creek Valley Reserve Cab and their $5 2008 California Grower’s Reserve Petite Syrah.

They were easy drinking, (relatively) low alcohol wines, 14.5% and 13.5% respectively, with noses and palates richer than you would anticipate given their prices. What a great reminder of the importance of trusting your palate and not graphic designers or name brands. I’ll drink TJ’s Dry Creek Valley Reserve Cab over Silver Choke any day!

Brunello di Montalcino

Poggio Antico 2001 Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, 13.5% abv

Very elegant expression of sangiovese. Winemaker's major attention to detail in fruit selection results in a complex and balanced wine. They even note the specifics of the barrel aging on the bottle (5 years in 500-liter French oak tonneaux then 21/2 in traditional Slovenian oak). Opened it on the earlier side...the wine could use another year or two in the bottle, but still shows quite well with some deep breathing. (Maybe we all show a little better with some deep breathing.)

F. Magnien '05 Chambolle-Musigny, 1er "Baudes"

Day 1 (opened at 4:00pm, double decanted, first review at 5:30pm):

Nose: Leaves, smoke, game, and animal fat. Not as perfume-y as I’d like. Think I can smell the barrel, but also think it will open up more in the next few hours and overnight.

Front palate: Ripe strawberry, raspberry sauce, dried red cherries, know it’s over used, but “fruit-forward” comes to mind (Freddy is known for making “big” Burgundies)

Mid to Back palate: Dissonant. Chalk, herbs, some awkward tannin, bitterness, and heat

Finish lingers. Actually sits quite well on the palate after 20 seconds.

Thoughts: Realize this wine needs some age but imho the fundamentals of alcohol, fruit, acidity, and tannin aren’t ideally balanced. I don’t think the quality (aka attention to detail in his winemaking/$) is high enough here to improve that much with age. Maybe this wine’s availability, is another clue to its quality and aging potential.

Day 2 (re-tasted at 5:30pm):

A much more integrated wine now. A sleepover with oxygen definitely massaged out some kinks...nose is prettier, more seductive...palate is cleaner, some cassis and blackberry – less red fruit now – mineral and herbal elements have matured to project a tasteful presence. Tannin has softened, as one would expect. Really a different wine now. I’m very thankful I saved some for Day 2 :)

Bottom line: This is not a poor to good value wine, as I would have deemed it yesterday. It’s young and really needs oxygen and time if opened this early in its development. I love Burgundies because their unpredictable nature and expense challenge me. As wise men say... Stay curious and stay foolish. I believe buying and tasting the wines of Burgundy is an excellent way to practice this philosophy.

AmByth's '07 Nebbiolo (Glenrose Vineyard, Paso Robles)

This wine needs to breathe. Pour a glass then cork and wait a day or two to revisit. It's a completely different wine. My day two notes follow:

Nose: cherry liqueur, musk/perfume/floral, ripe raspberries and strawberries, hint of vanilla

Palate: Soft tannin, approachable alcohol, surprisingly pleasant acidity, more fruit than a traditional Piedmont nebbiolo or Barolo, but sometimes that's okay

Finish: a bit glycerol and sticky, blackberry preserve and chalk, the minerality offsets the fruit

When I bought this wine in Paso Robles last August, I had no idea it would be this good. The purchase was more of an educational experiment, as I'm quite fond of Barolos. I find AmByth's expression of nebbiolo to be impressive - definitely of a "new world" nature - but well made nonetheless. If you encounter this wine, all I ask is that you give it time to open up. It will soar with exposure to oxygen over time. Promise :)

Learn more about AmByth wines:

http://www.ambythestate.com/about_us.php

1998 Le Vieux Donjon CdP

If there's one thing I've learned from tasting older wines (over 5 years old), it's that they can't be rushed. This '98 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CdP), didn't begin it's ascent until an hour after opening. If you don't have the time or tools to decant, the best thing you can do it to keep pours small - maybe even pour more than one glass at a time per drinker.

This wine initially gave off a nose of apple, smoke, and game, then, after an hour or so, had this distinct scent of earth-candy, baking spices, and roses. The wine was highly concentrated, deep ruby, and primary notes of red and black fruits still graced the palate.

Daddy Like

We drank the '01, but this was the best label image I could find. A very balanced, sexy wine. Thanks for introducing this to me, John! Next time we need to grill some lamb chops to enjoy alongside!

Wine as Art

If you are considering dropping substantial $$ on a special bottle of wine, please consider this review before you choose a typical "100 point" trophy bottle.

In my eyes and, more importantly, according to my palate, this wine is truly unique. Giuseppe Quintarelli, famous for his Amarones, makes another wine called "Alzero." It's cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and a splash of merlot...and drinks like chocolate raspberry sauce. The tannin is so fine and alcohol is so integrated it will leave every tastebud reeling. Sweet, savory, and magical grape juice. The inspiration and discipline that goes into making a wine of this character and quality is humbling. Above is the label from the bottle I enjoyed with Michael at B&B in Las Vegas.

Cru

Last night I met my friend at a restaurant called Cru. According to a few websites, they're famous for their wine list. Well, I had no idea what I was in for. I instantly dove into the twenty pages (maybe 30!) of Burgundies in attempt to pick a bottle for the night. The sommelier there was patient, helpful, and cool - like we wanted to invite him to the club with us cool. After a few too many minutes of shop talk with the somm, leaving my friend to nurse his cocktail, it was time to pull the trigger. I went for the prize vintage and producer. MAJOR value. A 1993 Roumier, Chambolle Musigny for under $300 (at a restaurant). So a village wine, generic AOC classification, but I was fine with that. A '93 premier or grand cru would have quickly launched us to four figure liquid assets.

The food at Cru was a bit of an afterthought. My attention was captivated by our Krug aperitif and the anticipation of the wine. After it was decanted and tasted, conversation and flavors unfolded and evolved on our palates in sync. Couldn't have been a better night...well, maybe if we splurged for a Richeborg :)

(Side note: Cru's address is 24 5th Ave (btw 9th and 10th Street). There is another Cru that sometimes shows up on a Google maps search way way west on 11th Street, where I arrived on time for dinner only to find out I had walked 10 mins in boots to the wrong place. This isn't the first time Karoline and I have failed navigationally. We should know to be more careful by now...)

Viognier Rhymes With Sunday

What do you do on the perfect fall afternoon in Corona Del Mar?

1. Plant yourself with a friend on the Gulfstream patio (...may want to bring your own stems if you're sensitive to glassware)

2. Pop a bottle of chilled white wine and a red, pouring no more than two ounces at a time

3. Snack on peel-n-eat shrimp, ahi with ponzu, and roasted beets with fresh oranges, mint, and walnuts

4. Meet their cool GM, Natalia, and friendly server, Cindy, and invite them to taste the wines

5. Talk about why French wine rocks your world

6. Share a tale or two from the past week

7. Talk about candidates (white and red) for next Sunday afternoon

8. Make it home in time for a lovely fall sunset

INSPIRATION FOR WHITE AND RED PAIRINGS

(I had the pleasure of enjoying the first 2 last Sunday and the last 2 yesterday)

Bonneau du Martray (chardonnay)

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, FR

2006, 13.5% abv

A BIG Sunday wine. Excellent balance and precision. Commanding nose and palate. More oak and butter on the nose than I anticipated. Stimulating minerality and acidity. Citrus and green apple notes. Lemon meringue too. Grand Cru finish that just can't be beat.

Janasse, Vieilles Vignes (grenache)
Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, FR
2003, 14.5% abv
Another BIG Sunday wine that pulled a 180 on us after the militant Charlie. We jumped to liquid dark fruits - silky raspberry, blackberry, and boysenberry. Creamy texture and bakery (and a touch of savory) spices coast along the palate. Opaque purple color. Zero green. Ultra fine tannin. A dichotomy of innocent fruit purity and sinful decadence.

Mathilde et Yves Gangloff (viognier)
Condrieu, Northern Rhone, FR
2005, 15% abv
Integrated alcohol. Beautiful summer sipping wine. Developed aromatic nose with notes of honey and white flowers. Smoothe medium body white. Fun flavors of key lime, peaches, and cream soda.

Vincent Giradin (pinot noir)
Bonnes Marres Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, FR

2001
Guttural, authenic, disciplined. Subtle fruit, more secondary and tertiary notes of spice, herbs, and tea. In no way aggressive on the palate though. A very sophisticated Bonnes Mare. Like a New York woman who always wear black couture with no visible label. Witty too. Maybe I'll be her one day ;)