Wines of Navarra 2009

Jan. 22

I found myself back at the W Hotel Union Square for the 2009 Wines of Navarra seminar. I'd been to this seminar before last year, but returned since I'm more than willing to learn some more about different wines.

I recognized Ana Laguna from last year's seminar as she got ready to present about Navarra wines for 2009, but she had a co-host this year. Seasoned winemaker Pilar Garcia-Granero also has the distinction of being the first woman president of the Consejo Regulador Denominacion de Origen Navarra, the governing body for the Navarra D.O..



The winemaking business in Navarra has a strong female presents, though Pilar said that when she first got started 20 years ago this wasn't necessarily the case. One compliment she received during those days was, "Although you are a woman, you make good wine." But nowadays Navarra boasts a large number of women that are involved in winemaking.

Robin Kelly O'Connor, the new director of sales for Sherry-Lehmann who also helps to host the Navarra wine seminars each year, jumped in to say that more women in winemaking is something he's observed around the world as well. He mentioned in particular Chile where close to 40% of winemakers are women.



Like last year, those attending got to hear a bit of background about the Navarra wine region and what was going on the Navarra D.O. around 17-18 wines were sipped during the seminar. While located in Spain, Navarra is also close to France and in particular the Bordeaux region. Also, it possesses varying climates and soils, so though the region boasts its own native grape varieties such as Garnacha and Tempranillo, other wine types such as Cabernet or Merlot are also produced with personalities that can differ quite a bit from those that people traditionally attribute the varieties with. The panel included whites, such as the Cstillo de Monhardin, a Chardonnay; an Enanzo rosé made with 100% Garnacha from Bodegas Campos de Enanzo; Ochoa Red Crianza 2005, a 100% Tempranillo red; and Ars Mácula, a 2004 Red from TANDEM, that is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Earth 2.0, an organic wine from Romero & Miller was scheduled for the tasting line up, but wasn't available during the seminar. Better late than never, the reps from Romero & Miller showed up at the showroom with their bottles of Earth 2.0 as well as the nonorganic Casita Mami line and created a bit of a hubbub. I watched on person who seemed especially excited by the Casita Mami line. I was curious as to who this was so I decided to introduce myself. The gentleman introduced himself as Erik Strait, the sommelier over at Apiary. Neat! I told Erik I couldn't help but notice he seemed particularly excited about these wines. Erik said that the price and quality was right and he was also looking to include more Spanish wines into Apiary's wine list.

However, it wasn't all drinks at this event. there was a plate of Spanish cheese for people to nosh off of as you'd expect at a wine event, but there were also some dishes created by chef Enrique Martinez. While chorizo is always delicious and the other foods I tried were all quite tasty (including an interesting concoction with a bit of asparagus oil it seemed like), the winner of the day for me was the duck liver covered with dark chocolate. Now, I wouldn't eat a whole Snickers' bar sized piece of it, but I was still all about that.

Experiencing Jakewalk

May 15

Matt DeVriendt, owner/operator of The JakeWalk says that while they have a large selection of wines people seem to pay more attention to their cocktail list. "We were serving wine for five dollars a glass. I thought that'd be what got people's attentions."

In fact, if you go to The JakeWalk, you can order a flight of three wines or spirits for half price of the usual glass you'd order.

Not that the cocktail list is an afterthought, it's just not the sole focus or main focus. Matt just wanted people to know that the place does offer a wide variety of other beverage choices.

So though the event was featuring a new cocktail on the menu created by Dave Wondrich, the whole thing was planned out as a sort of mini tour of what you could The restaurant space was dotted with stations serving food and wine. Guests could grab a glass at table and wind their way around the place. Want to try some Jamon Iberico? Hold out your glass and have some Alvear's Fino from Montilla, Spain as well. Or how about trying several cheeses like Essex Street Comte and Stichelton blue cheese? That particular station had on hand the Commanderie de Peyrassol 2007 Cotes de Provence Rose and the Coppo, Brachetto d'Acqui "Passione" DOC, 2006.

If you were in the mood to do a bit of whiskey tasting you could mosey over to one side of the bar that had a hunk of Montgomery's Cheddar you could sample pieces off of and you could get a taste of McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, Springbank 10 Year Single Malt and...and a third one that I seemed to have barely scribbled down that I cannot read. Not surprising I suppose.

Dave Wondrich was behind the bar for a bit and mixed the Jakewalk punch that he'd created for the place that was equal parts fresh lime juice, St. Germain, Resposado tequila, rhum agricole and two dashes of Peychuad's bitters.

If anything, Dave Wondrich taught me a valuable lesson that sometimes solutions in drink making need not be complicated with some sort of deep rhyme or reason. I noticed the cubes of candied ginger sitting in the bottom of the glasses and had to ask why they were sitting at the bottom of the glass. Dave simply answered, "Because if they're already in the drink they won't fall in there."

Beard House dining and drinking with the folks from Disney

May 7
I was drafted by our executive food editor Pam Parseghian to go to dinner at the James Beard House in her stead due to pages still needing to be closed. I was more than happy to agree to go to the Beard House again and this particular evening was showcasing both the food and wine with chefs and Master Sommeliers from Disneyland Resorts as well as Walt Disney World.

It was a Disney evening with tables designated with the name of Disney characters. Guests received pins of characters in case they forgot which table they were seated at. I got a Minnie pin. My face fell a little as I jealously stared at someone else's Winnie the Pooh pin. I love Winnie the Pooh...

The servers wore black and white vests with images of Mickey and the gang, which at the end of the evening during dessert mysteriously changed to a color-splashed version. Even the flower centerpieces on the table had little glowing lights in them that made it look like Tinkerbell was trying to hide in the flower vase and spy on us eating.

"After running after hyperactive kids all day, I'm sure the parents would like to relax with a glass of something," I quipped to Michael Jordan, master sommelier for Disneyland. Wow...wait, that came out wrong and mean and I totally didn't mean for it to sound like that. Let me try that again:

A Disneyland or Disney World trip is basically a dream come true for a kid, but don't forget that kids don't go on trips to Disney alone. Or for that matter, adults may make return trips for nostalgia. It's a family event. Families plan and save months in advance to visit. So why not have a food and drink experience to go with that high expectation? Let's put it this way. If after looking forward to living the princess fantasy in a Princess Diaries Suite or meeting Mickey at a place that's got castles and was built on the foundation of fairy tales, and as a mom and/or dad you've just taken out a couple of vacation days out of your busy schedule...a soggy third-rate corn dog isn't going to cut it (not that there's anything wrong with corn dogs, I inhale the things).

As Dieter Hannig, vice president for Walt Disney World food and beverage new concepts, told everyone at the Beard House that evening "I'm in the storytelling business." If someone is visiting Disneyland or Disney World expecting a magical experience, well good service, food and drink should be part of that as well.

Michael Jordan, master sommelier for Disneyland, said that adults visiting Disneyland are also more well-traveled and knowledgeable about the varieties of wines out there and are willing to try new wines. The wine program encourages the curious to try out new as well as rare wines through by the glass programs so that guests can sample a bit of the wine rather than commit to a whole bottle that may cost several hundreds of dollars. Jordan explained that with the current state of the dollar a lot of foreign tourists are visiting and purchasing more of the expensive wines.

I was glad to meet Michael as well as John Blazon, master sommelier and manager of wine sales and standards for Walt Disney World. Not being a wine expert I always feel better hearing from people who actually know something about wine rather than fumble around with my lack of eloquence in such matters. John and Michael both explained the pairing choices throughout the evening, and even followed up by walking by tables and answering any questions people had after the introduction of the wines for each course.

For example, the first course of white asparagus "floating islands" with American Sturgeon caviar, morel mushrooms and ramp oil was paired with a Laurent-Perrier, Grand Siecle Brut, Tours-sur-Marne NV. As soon as I took I sip I thought, "This tastes like mushrooms."

When I told Michael this, he said that the "mushroomy" flavor I so bluntly described comes from the presence of botrytis in the grapes used to make the wine, which gives it a more earthy and indeed mushroom-like flavor. The food had plenty of earthy flavors from the asparagus as well as the morels as well as some saltiness from the caviar, so this wine was chosen for its flavors that the two could play nice.

Note: I said "The what-what now?" in my head when Michael first said "bitrytus" and it took me several permutations on Google to find the correct spelling.

And after hearing Michael's description of how the grapes for the Chardonnay (Peter Michael, Chardonnay, Belle Cote, Knights Valley '06) were planted in holes blasted into what was basically rock and volcanic ash I did notice it tasted a bit "ashy" but was surprised at how sweet it was because I figured the hard knock life of the particular vine would made the resulting grape all rough and, well, bitter.

Michael said that this wasn't "sweetness," but sucrosity. The rough life it has sort of concentrates the fruit of the grapes.

"Aaah," I said as I thoughtfully nodded my head.

It was nice having a bit of narration going on with my meal, since my knowledge of wines falls under "Well, this is what it tastes like in my mouth right now," then describing very bluntly what it tastes like in my mouth. Hearing about how the grapes for the wines are grown and what flavors to expect was like having a CliffsNotes, and wine was my "Ulysses" — full of different characters, bold and subtle context and side stories to grasp all carried in the scheme of one person's day, or in a sip in the case of wine.

The evening was closed out with the introduction of a sweet sparkling wine that was making its first US debut at this particular dinner (Magicale, Brachetto, PIemonte DOC NV).

Disney also took the dinner as an opportunity to make several announcements. Dieter Hannig announced a new African concept restaurant to open in about 11 months or so. Chef Christine Weissman mad an announcement about Disney's upcoming 3rd Annual California Food and Wine Fest.

Stuart McGuire, director of beverage sale and standards for Walt Disney World food and beverages, also announced three cocktails from the menu for The Wave, a new restaurant at Disney's Contemporary Resort that's set to open in June.

The cocktails announced:

Antioxidant Cocktail
Finlandia Wild Berries Vodka, Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur, Bossa Nova Acai Juice with agave, aloe juice, lychee and freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pure-tini
Purus Organic Vodka, X-Fusion Organic Mango and Passion Fruit LIqueur, and cranberry juice

Agava Nectar Margarita
Partida Blanco Tequila, organic agave nectar and freshly squeezed lime juice


Food and drink from the dinner:

Hors d'oeuvres
Chef Gloria Tae — Golden Wine Winery at Disney's California Adventure

Sherry-roasted figs with Jamon Iberico and Cabrales

Wild Mushroom Suppli with BRaised Pork and Spicy Pickled Cabbage

Shrimp and Sweat Pea Tartine with Candied Garlic and Lemon Relish

Laurent-Perrier, Grand Siecle Brut,
Tours-sur-Marne NV

First Course
Chef Jens Dahlmann — California Grill at Disney's Contemporary Resort

White Asparagus "Floating Islands" with American Sturgeon Caviar, Morel Mushrooms, and Ramp Oil

Pierre Sparr, Riesling, Schoenenbourg
Grand Cru, Alsace '01

Second Course
Chef Tim Keating — Flying Fish Cafe at Disney's BoardWalk Resort

Fennel Pollen-dusted Wild North Atlantic Turbot with Maine Lobster, Celery Root, Leeks, and FEnnel with Tahitian Vanilla-Hazelnut Emulsion and Montegottero Hazelnut Oil

Peter Michael, Chardonnay, Belle Cote,
Knights Valley '06

Third Course
Chef Andrew Sutton — Napa Rose at Disney's Grand Californian Resort & Spa

Crisp Sonoma Duck Confit with Roasted BAby Spring Vegetables and Porcini Msuhroom Essence

Williams & Selyem, Pinot Noir,
Allen Vineyard, Russian River Valley '05

Fourth Course
Chef Scott Hunnel — Victoria & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin with Sun Gold Tomatoes and Garlic Roots and Shoots

Podere Le Poggiarelle,
Carmignano DOCG, Tuscany '04

Dessert
Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek — Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Bakery

Wild Berry Gateau wrapped in Bittersweet Chocolate with Forest Strawberry Sorbet

Magicale, Brachetto, Piemonte DOC NV

Friandise

Caramel-Chocolates with Sea Salt, Pate de Fruit, and Lemon Cookies

A post long overdue

what happened was I set up a blog entry to read over and finish up, but then had to go out of town AND managed to succumb to an insidious week-long cold that had been going around the office, felling colleagues left and right. So without further excuses...

February 8

I headed on over to the received an invitation from Ruth's Chris Steak House to discuss the concept's food and beverages with the two people most qualified to discuss such things. Vice president of culinary and purchasing James Cannon, and vice president of beverages Kevin Boyer.

My colleague Mike Dempsey and I headed over to the 51st Street location for a chance to sample different menu items and talk about them.

Kevin explained that Ruth's Chris was doing a lot to keep up with drink trends with regards to cocktails. For example, fresh-squeezed ingredients or using infusions. For example, Ruth's Chris introduced its own infusion the Lemonessence, which is made by infusing vodka with lemons and is used for some of the new fusion cocktails like The Pear Twist.

The menu also gets a fresh infusion of ideas through a company-wide contest for new food and beverage items. I got to sample one of the winners, a submission from a Dallas Ruth's Chris location, the Orange Citrus Mojito. It is made with orange-flavored rum, Triple Sec, orange juice, fresh lime juice and a splash of soda water.

The Pomegranate Martini is shaken tableside and is an eye-catcher with its deep burgundy and purple liquid served in a martini glass rimmed with yellow sugar.

Kevin also talked about how Ruth's Chris works with suppliers to have available drinks that are especially for Ruth's Chris. Ruth's Chris works with California wine cellar Parducci (owned by Mendocino Wine Co.) for an exclusive Pinot Noir.

Since wine is also served by the glass at Ruth's Chris, opened bottles are cared for with technology such as uses vacuum enclosers and sealers, as well as hand pumped inert gas to help preserve the life of an opened bottle of wine. However Kevin explained, that while technology can help to a degree, in the end it still comes down to the people who serve it. Servers are trained to continuously nose and taste test the wine to make sure it is good to serve no matter when or how many times it was opened.

Another interesting item on the specialty martinis section was the Spicy Mango Martini. It was a drink made with Absolut's limited edition (30,000 cases of the stuff was bottled) New Orleans Vodka, shaken with fresh lemon sour and garnished with a lemon slice and three whole black peppercorns that dotted the floating lemon slice. It was a very simple drink showcasing the mango and black peppercorn-flavored vodka which was created especially by Absolut with 100% of the profits going to various Gulf Region charities.

Besides helping out a cause for a region that's close to the company's heart the cocktail is also an opportunity to have something different and special on the menu.

"We don't want to be all exclusive," Kevin said about beverages such as using Absolut New Orleans or the partnership with Parducci, but he added, "these special things we like to do for the sake of offering something that customers can't get anywhere else."

Kevin said the drink will stay on the menu as long as the vodka is available in locations, but they're disappearing fast.

Drinking (and eating) at the Beard House

When Bret Thorn sent an email to me asking me if I'd go in his stead to a Beard House dinner he would be unable to attend I agreed to go without hesitation. Well, there was a bit of hesitation. "Am I supposed to be dressed real nice? It kind of sounds like it..." I emailed back. Even after a little over two years working for NRN I still feel like a food industry newbie at times, and for me the Beard House is the stuff of fables. Thankfully, Bret assured me that I just had to dress "like a grown-up."

Wednesday night's dinner was themed "A New Hampshire Holiday Dinner" with food created by chefs from New Hampshire hotels and resorts. The dinner was presented by Daniel Dumont, executive chef at Wentworth By the Sea Hotel in New Castle, New Hampshire; Larry Johnson, executive chef at The Balsams in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire; Juho Lee, executive chef at Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in Whitefield, N.H.; and Edward Swetz, executive chef at Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.

However, you ask, "OK, that's cool and all, but where does the drinking come in?" At dinner of course.

During the course of conversation at my table at the Beard House, I explained that usually I was more of a beer and spirits type of person and wine was not my forte. It wasn't anything personal against wine; I had no qualms drinking it when paired with foods as it was at this particular dinner. I was just green when it came to ordering it on my own. So it was a bit of a fun coincidence when later in the evening I turned to my right and got to talking with Oral Kelly, food and beverage director for the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in Whitefield, N.H. While talking to him about what his job description entailed he began to explain about how he created a wine list for people who are not used to drinking wine.

Kelly said that while at a resort you get out-of-towners, it's also important to appeal to the locals since they were to be depended on for year-round business. And Kelly found out that the local crowd tended to define themselves more as beer drinkers so he'd been trying different ways to introduce and sell wine to programs non-wine drinkers.

One way was to promote wine dinners with pairings. He also worked with purveyors to schedule free wine tasting for more exposure.

Pricing also played an important role. Kelly said he tries to populate the wine list with affordable, but good quality wines. He also prices them attractively. While at a restaurants a certain wine may be marked up to $60, he choose to have it available at the resort for $50.

A balance between familiar and new also had to be struck. Kelly said that he likes to include American wines since it's less intimidating than something from outside of the country, but then he'll have something comparable from outside the United States that he can suggest.

Kelly pointed out that the availability of half bottles was part of the success of the wine program. "Someone's not going to buy a whole bottle if they aren't able to finish it."

And of course, he educated his staff to provide recommendations to guide customers towards new wines or just to try out wines.

Kelly said that the most important thing about his job as food and beverage director wasn't about just selling food or just selling beverages, but it was about selling an experience. It made sense to me when I thought about his approach to wines. For someone like me, I'd drink more wine if I knew what I was doing. I have some basic idea, but admit that the whole operation, when taking into account subtle notes and flavors and pairing them with food, was something a little intimidating to me. A strange thing considering how I'd take a sip of a cocktail, then ruminate over what kind of spirits or flavors were present in it. At an event like the dinner at the Beard House, where wine was made part of an experience, it was like a weight was taken off of my shoulders and I was relaxed more to actually sit and taste what I was drinking and contemplate it a bit. Not in a snooty way, but I mean to actually just take note of what was going on in my mouth.

I'm going to rip off Mr. Thorn's format here and provide a list of what I ate WITH what I drank at The Beard House. Just gonna switch the order a bit and highlight the wines up front...you know, like subject headers:

Domaine Carneros by Tattinger Brut Cuvee 2004
New Hampshire trout brandade with anadama crostini
Espresso cumin-crusted New England farm-raised elk carpaccio roll
Pan seared salted cod cakes with roasted corn aioli
Smoked duck breast with celery root slaw
Foie gras and caramelized parsnip tart with roasted pear marmalade
Pickled beausoleil oysters with matsutakes, crystallized lady apple and apple syrup
Pheasant galantine on a bed of pumpkin butter and gooseberry conserve
Maple-cured gravlax of Arctic char and lightly smoked wild Char roe

Clos LaChance Unoaked Chardonnay Hummingbird Series, Monterey County 2005
Roasted pear parsnip bisque
Maine seafood spring roll

Merriam Vineyards Merlot, Windacre Vineyard, Russian River Valley 2003
Cider basted Vermont quail
Maple roasted root vegetable and potato terrine
Cranberry reduction

Four Vines Winery Heretic Petite Sirah, Paso Robles 2005
Variety of New Hampshire venison
Roasted loin en crepinette, sweet and sour quince
Braised fore shank ravioli with celeriac fondant
Hen of the woods ragout

Four Vines Winery Heretic Petite Sirah, Paso Robles 2005
Pierce Hill tomme
Winter truffles, pickled beets and melted onions

Renwood Port, Sierra Foothills, Calif.
Warm chocolate chestnut bread pudding
Eggnog ice cream, red currant sauce