A Whirlwind of a Wine Week

I love the wine business. Especially when I get to spend the week hanging out with winemakers, winery owners and sommelier friends from out of town.  The New York Wine Experience sponsored by Wine Spectator is a three day event that turned into a week of drinking, eating out and fun which started on Tuesday night and ended this past Sunday. Here are the highlights.

Tuesday

7pm Dinner at Crave Ceviche - My friends Sara, Kate and I had a great dinner with Spanish wine at a new ceviche bar. Afterwards we swung by Cru for vino. Although I was tired I couldn’t think about going home until after the 1985 Giacomo Conterno Monfortino Barolo out of magnum and pork buns from Momofuko were finished….

12:30pm Thursday Lunch at Aureole - I had a wonderful lunch with the charming winemakers of Bodegas Muga, Sierra Cantabria, San Vincente, Emilio Moro, and Alonso del Yerro.

The single vineyard wines from Emilio Moro Malleolus ‘Sanchomartin’ and ‘Valderramiro’ were drinking amazing and it was fun to see the differences side by side.

9pm Wine Experience, Grand Tasting - Critic’s Choice Awards - Since I was running late from work, my job was to ‘power taste’ through wines such as Hirtzberger, Pichler, Krug, Chateau Margaux, Harlan, Sassicaia, Tignanello, Lewis Cellars and Haut Brion in between trying to say hello to friends from Vegas and accidentally running into my ex-boyfriends friends.

Friday

7am - (yes I did write 7am) Wine Experience - Sommelier Room - Richard Betts, Heather Branch and I are on a team of sommeliers whose responsibility is ensuring no corked wine is served during the tasting.  We double blind tasted 75 bottles of Shafer Chardonnay, Jaboulet Hermitage Blanc and Leoville Barton eliminating the ones with flaws.

11pm - after party at Solera Restaurant - The funny thing about after parties following wine events is everyone drinks beer………afterwards we headed back to my old apartment in the east village for some guitar playing.

Saturday-

1pm - Lunch at DB bistro-tarte flambé and Alsace wine lead to a wine celebrity citing of Hubert Trimbach…and his delicious Riesling Reserve

12 midnight - Cocktail Research - Rob Bigelow and Ken Frederickson take us to B-Flat, a great new cocktail lounge with killer martinis. Except for the wasabi martini.

Sunday

8pm - Dinner and drinks- I just had to end the week the way it started, Momofuko pork buns…just this time we skipped the wine in exchange for sake.

It has been exhausting yet so much fun!

Midnight Wine Knowledge

We finally stopped procrastinating and brought back the Nightime Blind Tasting Group.  Last Thursday around 12:00am at Fiamma, while most sommeliers were probably just getting off from work preparing to have a beer, Fred Dexheimer (master sommelier) Andreas Larson (winner of the 2007 Best Sommelier in the World Competition), Brett (BLT Steak), Josh (Cru) and Jarad (Fiamma) and I were just getting started. We were meeting because Andreas was in town. Having just been crowned best sommelier in the world in May, he had tasted in many competition and wanted to share his style with us.  We all brought "classic wine from classic regions" and the fun began.

#1-(it was my wine)- Tasting notes on the nose were exotic, crisp, herbacious, with a touch of old oak, very complex, earthy, oily minerality. Palate was strong bitterness and almost tannic, exotic waxy fruit, strong sense of herbacious notes, sage, citrus.  Initially it was called White Hermitage but most agreed it was too acidic to be from the Rhone.  Andreas nailed the wine calling it 2004, high quality, white bordeaux from Graves....it was in fact 2005, Blanc de Lynches Bages...nice job.

#2-(Josh's wine)- Dark purple color with pigment in the tears, yet transparent, very floral on the nose, red fruit like cranberries and plums, almost smells very ripe, on palate, completely dry with no fruit, floral-earthy-coal, charcoal, medium plus tannins, high acid, medium bodied with no oak....many thought it was Nebbiolo or Sangiovese but turns out it was 2006 Giacosa Dolcetto. (I want to drink more of that).

#3 (Brett's wine)- Neon garnet color, nose is rose petals, ripe red fruit, orange peel, funky old oak, palate is high tannins, light tart red cranberries, high acid, complex, long lasting....we all knew that if it smells and tastes like a Barolo, it probably is a Barolo-1997 Adasi Barolo.

#4-(Fred's wine)- Medium scarlet red with brown on ages (old wine), chocolate, leather, spice, coffee, old oak, stewed veggies, palate is dark black fruit, medium tannins (b/c of age, most had mellowed), great length, kiss of oak, layers of earth flavors.  Everyone but me called it old bordeaux, I was in California good quality Caberent and it was actually Mondavi, Reserve Cabernet 1995.

#5-(my other wine)- Medium scarlet color with hints of brownish orange, very earthy nose, almost no fruit, well developed, cocoa and all spice, palate is medium tannins, medium bodied, high acid, all earth. Leather, smoke and mint.  Almost everyone thought bordeaux, it was actually 1982, Beycheville, St Julien.

As you can see it was a night of great learning and wine tasting and then we went to Blue Ribbon for the afterwork beer.

America's Top Sommelier

What if there was a reality TV show called “America’s Top Sommelier?"

I could picture it now, contestants would be required to put together wine shelves for a wine cellar, pair food and wine for celebrity guest sommeliers, write a wine list within a given budget, blind taste esoteric wines, and train a staff of bartenders and servers in proper wine service. Who would the host of the show be? Kevin Zraly, Robert Parker, Jancis Robinson, Hugh Johnson? What would the tag line of the dismissal be? “Only one person can be chosen to be America’s Top Sommelier, pack up your corkscrew…you’re going home?” ABC, FOX, any takers??

Wow, the idea is so fun. I would definitely audition for this. After all it sounds exactly like a restaurant opening. Which reminds me Primehouse NYC just opened last week…and I am not blogging it simply because it is our restaurant, you just have to check it out. The decanting table is lined with gold leaf, there are over 27 magnums, a flight of dessert wine called “Back to the Future” which features old Madeira, port and armagnac…and the steak is amazing.

New Look

I decided we needed a new look for the blog, after all the old one was green, plain and never updated. (he, he, who could blame me, it was my first time blogging). I also decided that I want to make the blogs less formal long and instead post more often.  With some experience under my belt I would like to start the summer season fresh.  Thanks for bearing with me through my growing pains.  I hope you enjoy the new posts, pictures, links and colors.

Trip to Chicago

I just returned from a week of work in the great city of Chicago.  For those of you who don't know, we have two restaurants there, Blue Water Grill Chicago and David Burke's Primehouse in the James Hotel. 

I always have a great time working at our restaurants and I have the pleasure of traveling out there about every 2 months. Normally I just taste new wines with suppliers, update the wine lists, change the cocktails and work with the management and service staff. On this trip we also added two new cocktails to Blue Water Grill's menu that are amazing.  The "Adriatic" which is a blend of 10 Cane Rum, Lazzaroni Amaretto and White Peach Puree and The "Carefree" which is Plymouth Gin, Pama Liquor, Moscato d'Asti and Grapefruit Juice. 

I also made some time for fun on Saturday at the lake which is about a 5 minute car ride from the downtown area.  It's really cool to see the city skyline from a boat. My friends and I spent the afternoon at this place the locals call the "playpen" drinking sake, Japanese beer and playing music. 

While I normally don't like beer, Kiuchi Hitachino Nest, is my favorite and tastes  great with Sake. I really love the red rice, weizen and white ale.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Kiuchi Brewery Japan

Books and Vegas

Much has happened since the last time I have posted . . .

I finished my wine science book and was so enthralled by it that I started reading a generic science book that I received as a birthday gift from my great friend, Eben. This book is titled"The Canon" by Nathalie Angier. It's intent is to take the reader on a tour of the beauties of the basic science principals and although I have only finished Chapter 2, "Probabilities" I highly recommend it.

Who says what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? About 2 weeks ago I traveled there for work and I'll tell you all about it. We are in the process of building a Dos Caminos restaurant at the Palazzo in the Venetian Hotel. It is being designed by David Rockwell and has a 500 seat capacity and a 50 foot bar. I was so impressed with what they have come up with so far - the restaurant is going to be beautiful. I also had some fun, which included lunch at the Veranda at the Four Seasons (my favorite, hidden spot), dinner at Social House (very good pan-Asian inspired food), dinner at B&B (feels like Babbo in NYC), and the best Cesar Salad in Las Vegas at our very own Fiamma (in the MGM Grand).

Lastly, I have finally closed on my new apartment in Hoboken and am getting ready for my move this weekend.  I am so excited and can't wait to do what every new home owner should do on their first night in their new apartment: sleep on their air mattress and order in pizza while drinking Chianti out of plastic cups . . .

Riedels, my new bed and a trip to the supermarket will hopefully be my projects for next week.

The Science of Wine

I consider myself to be a bit of a geek. I am fascinated with history, math and most important science. I need to understand the "why" behind things in order to remember them.  Currently, I am obsessing over a new wine book called "The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass" by Jamie Goode.  It is definitely the best wine book I have read all year.  In fact it is so good that I am starting it again for the second time.

Even if you aren’t like me, I bet you would find it interesting to know the reason drinking wine in moderate amounts is good for your health.  According to Jamie the antioxidant compounds in wine prevent the oxidation of molecules in the circulation of LDL (bad cholesterol) and the alcohol itself has a positive effect on the lipids in the bloodstream which act as an anti-inflammatory and lower the risk of blood clotting . . .

I don’t know about anyone else but 2 glasses of wine per day sounds much better than taking two aspirin.

Blind Wine Tasting

As I promised last week, I’m bringing blind tasting back...

Partly because I think it is so fun and partly because I want to reward those who take the time to read my blog.  The first person to post the correct answer will be invited to enjoy a bottle of this wine at any of our restaurants the next time they dine with us.  (We would be happy to also arrange the reservation)

The sight of the wine is a medium intense garnet red with a slightly neon-orange tint at the rim; it is bright and has a small amount of fine sediment.  Its legs are slow to form and fall and the tears are medium.

The smell of the wine is medium-high intensity, tons of aromas such as rose petals, potpourri, tar, charred cherries, orange zest and chocolate, no-it’s actually dustier, more like cocoa. It also smells a little musty with no evidence of vanilla or new oak.

The wine tastes concentrated and has great depth of flavors which are the same as on the nose: under-ripe cherries, orange, rose petals and cocoa.  It is medium bodied with very high tannins and high acidity. It makes your mouth pucker and has a long finish.

If you think you know the answer, get in the game. I am requiring that you guess the grape, the region and the vintage.

I also have another question for those of you that don’t feel competitive and just want to post a comment.

What is the weirdest flavor or aroma you have ever encountered in a wine?  My answer is curry and patchouli oil.  If you want to know which wine I got this from, come back and visit me again next week and I’ll tell you!

Organic Winemaking

Over the last few months many of our restaurant guests have been asking me about organic winemaking and what the wine industry is doing to help support a healthier environment. I have been diligently researching this subject, working very hard to drink…uh I mean taste, as many of these great wines as I could find.  I decided that I should write about it this week to pay homage to Sunday’s celebration of Earth Day. First some definitions are needed.

Integrated Pest Management: Introducing natural predators in the vineyards to kill off insects and unwanted bacteria that attack the vines.

Organically Grown Grapes: All chemicals are eliminated in grape growing. This includes synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides; promotes healthy soils and healthy waters around the winery.

Dry Farming: Planting cover crops in between vines to increase the soils ability to hold moisture and eliminates the need to irrigate as well as makes healthier, disease resistant soils.

Organic Wine: Same practice as organically grown grapes in addition to the lack of chemicals used in making the wine. This includes eliminating the use of sulfur dioxide (aka Sulfites) and is very rare. The use of sulfur dioxide helps to stabilize wine so that it doesn’t spoil.

Biodynamic Winemaking: Introduced by the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, incorporates the organic methods with the additional belief that the vineyard is its own ecosystem and that all aspects are important to create harmony and balance.  Biodynamic winemaking takes into consideration the well-nurtured soil, the animals that work in the vineyards, the sun that ripens the grapes etc.  It takes a holistic approach to the well being of the vineyards.

As the world becomes increasingly conscious of our need to care for our environment, more wineries are getting involved to support natural wine making. Some ways that we are seeing this include the decrease in the amount of fertilizers in the vineyards, the use of wild yeasts in winemaking, the elimination of electrical power in the winery, the increase in unfiltered wines, the decrease in the amount of sulfites added (some are needed to preserve the wine, but not in excess amounts) and the introduction of natural pest management.

Leading these movements are wineries like Frog’s Leap in Napa Valley, Chapoutier in Rhone, Domaine de La Romanee Conti in Burgundy, Nicolas Joly in Loire, Marcel Deiss in Alsace and Sinskey in Carneros.

The jury is still out on whether organic and biodynamic processes enhance the wine’s flavor and body.  But most of the time when extra care is taken to nurture and nourish a vineyard, the end result is healthier and longer lasting vines which make for deliciously drinking wines. In the spirit of Earth Day, go out and try a wine from a winery that takes environmental stewardship seriously.  Or stop by one of our restaurants this Sunday and sample the wines on our Earth Day menus.

Stay tuned for next week, I am bringing back the virtual blind tasting for a chance to win a bottle of wine the next time you dine with us!

Winter Wines

I love the warm weather. Give me sun, oceans and beaches any day and I am a happy girl.

But right now I am excited for the winter season. To tell you the truth, I've wanted it to be cold enough to start opening some of the earthy, full bodied red wines I have received for Christmas and pair them with some wild mushroom risotto (which I have been craving desperately). I called some friends and decided that last night was finally the night. There is something about full bodied reds that warm the soul on even the coldest winter nights. Fuller bodied wines do have a higher alcohol, so maybe that’s the warm, fuzzy feeling I'm going for...

We started off with a 2004 Deforville Nebbiolo from Northwest Italy in Piedmont. The wine had notes of candied cherry, powdery soil-chalk and potpourri, and was delicate with softer tannins, similar to Pinot Noir. In other words, the wine was delicious and helped to tie us over while I continually stirred the simmering risotto, slowly releasing its sweet fragrance.

We then moved on to a 1999 Monsanto, Il Poggio, Chianti Classico Riserva from Tuscany. This particular bottle was drinking phenomenally well; the flavors were smoky, earthy, and full of truffles, stewed tomatoes and wild mushrooms. Needless to say, it was the perfect wine to bring out the chanterelle and portobello flavors in our main course.

A few bottles of earthy reds, a bowl of delicious wild mushroom risotto, some excellent cheese from Murray's Cheese Shop (thanks Alexis), and our winter blues were gone. This is when I decided to tell them about my trip to Miami this coming weekend. After all, I like white wine too...