|
Written by Eric Brown
|
|
Monday, 23 June 2008 01:29 |
A MOVEABLE THIRST: Tales and Tastes from a season Napa Wine Country
By Rick Kushman and Hank Beal 
Wiley Paperback Hoboken, N.J. 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0-471-79386-1, 336 pages, $18.95
Reviewed by Michael Eady
August 2, 2007
Napa County, the crown jewel of the California winemaking industry, has somewhere in the neighborhood of 475 wineries. The seemingly Sisyphean task of cataloging, visiting and reviewing each of these has been cheerfully undertaken by authors Rick Kushman and Hank Beal with their new book, “A Moveable Thirst.”
The bona fides of the authors are more than sufficient to the task. Since this is also a buddy story one is tempted to pigeonhole them with a simplistic Abbott and Costello-like characterization, but that would be inaccurate because they make a formidable team for their purpose. Kushman is the Sacramento Bee television columnist who brings his extensive journalistic credentials to the table. Beal is the head wine and liquor buyer and for the Northern California Nugget Market chain. Kushman has the role of the wine novice whose thirst for all knowledge wine related is steadily quaffed as Beal, the straightman, parses out the knowledge in satisfying portions.
The first half of the book explores the Napa Valley itself, physically and culturally, devoting chapters to each of the 11 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) that lie within Napa. These are officially designated regions that have been determined to possess growing conditions that produce uniquely identifiable wines. The second half is the nuts and bolts portion listing wineries by region with salient information visitors will need to know when paying a call. The book offers a lot of tips and useful tidbits that will help visitors prepare for a visit and choose where to go.
Guidebooks have an inherent drawback in that the “use by” date often passes quickly after publication. Given the explosive growth of the wine industry and the attendant tourism in Napa this could prove problematic for such a guidebook. But that would be to miss the point since the book offers much more than maps and vital statistics of wineries (those can be found at the Convention and Visitors Bureau). Kushman’s self-deprecating perspective is front and center here and it works because most of us fall into his camp, that is, we arrive armed mostly with ignorance. It is also reassuring to those who might otherwise be intimidated by the thought of tackling the mysterious and venerated world of wine. Again, Kushman’s light touch delivers the appropriate irreverence necessary to remove the intimidation of the subject brought on by the fatuous wine writing with which most people are familiar. Kushman strips away the chimera of pretentiousness and replaces it with the useful idea of learning and having fun.
One criticism I have here is that the book tends to be too generous in its appraisal of the serving staffs at wineries, too often describing them as knowledgeable and well-grounded in wine. My own experience is that, while that may be true of the mom-and-pop wineries, the larger places are geared to serve a multitude of visitors and their servers are inclined to engage in patter that is too practiced and comes off as programmed information rather than genuine knowledge.
One comes away from “A Moveable Thirst” with an appreciation for the manners and mores of the wine culture of the Napa Valley. More importantly, they remind us that it is supposed to be fun and interesting. Although our intrepid authors did indeed undertake a Sisyphean task, they reveal the slope to be not too steep after all.
Editor’s note: Readers planning to do some winetasting in the Napa Valley may want to check out the Resource Directory of Taste California Travel. The directory has links to the websites of every one of the wineries, as well as links to hundreds of nearby lodging and dining options.
Back to Top ...
Cooking with the California Cajun
By Lanny Kilchrist
2006 Morris Press Cookbooks
125 pages, $19.95 reviewed by Dan Clarke
Lanny Kilchrist has lived in California for quite a few years, but he’s still Cajun.
 A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Kilchrist graduated from The University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette). He settled in Sacramento after being exposed to the area while teaching at nearby Mather Air Force Base. The man knows food in the many definitions exhibited in his adopted state. He’s also a talented home winemaker.
His book is subtitled “A Collection of Recipes by Lanny Kilchrist,” and while there are recipes attributable to him, there are also many from relatives and friends. His book is really an homage to his Cajun heritage. References to his parents, Frank and Rubie Kilchrist, and grandparents, Eunice and Edger Kilchrist and Dalton and Gladys Guidroz are here, as well as recipes from their kitchens. Included in the Lagniappe section is a salute to “The Ladies That Help Make A House A Home.” Kilchrist calls these African American women “the very backbone of our families” and calls their culinary expertise “unquestionable!” He says his respect for these women and the family and friends he grew up around inspired him to publish the recipes, lest they be lost over time. A portion of each sale is donated to people of Louisiana still suffering the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
The author did graduate study in art at Cal State University, Sacramento and that experience led to his founding a business dealing with glass temperature monitors. His wife Sally, also a native of Lafayette and a graduate of Louisiana State, teaches junior high school in Sacramento and is the source of some of the recipes.
The word Cajun has been subjected to many more lengthy and scholarly explanations, but briefly explained, the term refers to people who emigrated from France to eastern Canada (Acadia) and eventually pushed southward to settle in Louisiana. Along the way these Acadians became known as Cajuns as language evolved or corrupted.
The recipes in California Cajun are put forward in straight forward and easy-to-understand English. Kilchrist is never far from his southern Louisiana roots, though, and can segue to reminiscences in dialect when the mood strikes. Included one page before a Wine Tasting Glossary is a list of malaprops compiled by Betty Vigorito. These include (First: as spoken by at least one Cajun and Second: standard English in parentheses):
Hears Hard (Hard of Hearing)
Dementia Republic (Dominican Republic)
Decliner (Recliner)
Allergy on the River (Algae)
Very Close Veins (Varicose Veins)
Creative users of the English language, Cajuns are also creative in their preparation of food. Their Louisiana pantry included cultivated crops, but also the bounty of the diverse wild plants and animals available to people living in rural areas. Couple those conditions with the food consciousness of their French ancestors and you have the elements for an innovative and very tasty cuisine.
A few of the 150 recipes are typical of an era when not every ingredient was freshly sourced. Lanny’s Asparagus Casserole, for instance, includes canned asparagus, crushed Ritz crackers and a can of mushroom soup. However this might sound to trendy Californians, the Cajun transplant insists the dish is not only simple to prepare, but that it really does taste good. Though other recipes are more sophisticated, the techniques are fairly simple and most of the components are available in parts of the country outside Louisiana. A roux, for instance, requires only two ingredients; flour and oil, but being a cornerstone of Cajun cooking, merits preparation instructions and commentary taking all of page 105.
Among the recipes that caught the reviewer’s eye were these two:
Duck Gumbo
3 lbs duck, (3 to 4 large ducks like Mallard or 5 small ducks like Teal or Woodduck)
2 stalks celery, rough chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. Salt
water
Place ducks and rest of ingredients in a large pot and cover ducks with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Remove ducks and set aside to cool. Discard liquid. When ducks have cooled remove skin and debone.
Gumbo
¾ to 1 cup roux
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 lg. green bell pepper, chopped
3 lg. cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb. smoked pork link sausage
6 cups chicken broth or water
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
green onion, chopped
Make roux according to recipe in This and That section. When roux reaches desired color, add chopped vegetables and cook until they start to wilt. Add broth or water and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add seasonings and simmer for 20 minutes. Add duck meat and sliced sausage. Cook on low heat for 40 to 50 minutes. Adjust seasonings according to taste.
Recipe Note: Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onions. Some areas of Southern Louisiana serve potato salad with this gumbo.
--Ellin Busch
--Sally Kilchrist
Gus’ Oyster Stew
2 green bell peppers, grated
2 onions, grated
2 cups water
Grate bell pepper and onions and place in pot with the water and boil until wilted. Remove and drain, save water.
Oyster Stew
5 qts. half and half
1 gal. milk
1 T. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 T. salt
11/2 gal. oysters
1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
1 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in water that was used to wilt onions and bell pepper
green onion tops and parsley, chopped for garnish
Bring half and half and milk to simmer; be careful not to boil. Add vegetables and seasonings and cook for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and Kitchen Bouquet and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Add drained oysters and cook until they curl. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Remove from heat and serve with green onion tops and parsley.
Recipe Note: This will feed several people. If desired, the recipe can be reduced proportionally for smaller quantity.
--Gustavia McZeal
Cooking with the California Cajun, 125 pages, is printed in hard cover/loose leaf format and priced at $19.95. Published by Morris Press Cookbooks, it is available from L K Enterprises ($23.75 including tax and shipping), 5643 Camellia Avenue, Sacramento, Ca 95819, (916) 451-0211.
Back to Top ...
Politics & Pot Roast
By Sarah Hood Solomon
Glenn Foden illustrator 
Bright Sky Press, Albany, Texas 2006.
$24.95
ISBN-10: 1931721793
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
The editor requested that I review this book during the 2006 campaigns but I was involved in them and the week after the election I was in no mood to review any book with politics in the title, even a cookbook. One political commentator has observed that with the announcement of sundry that they are running for president or exploring running for president the next election has begun. For the commentator it was a matter of joy. For the rest of us it is a matter of pain to have the campaigning staring all over again a mere two months after the last national election. Now I have the time to review Politics & Pot Roast and the presidential aspirants of all parties have made it election season again. So the book is topical again.
Americans do not like politics and easily ignore it in the good country in which we live. According to the numbers most eligible people take a pass on voting. Many of us enjoy eating. Some of us like to eat. Fewer still buy and read cookbooks.
The author has provided us some interesting recipes over the 200 plus years of the presidency because the focus of the book is favorite foods and recipes of the presidents of the United States including the current incumbent. All presidents are included so there is no political, let alone partisan, bias to the book.
Ms. Salomon reports that the inspiration for her book was a simple dinner party that she held for thirty women at her home in Washington, D.C. She started with U.S. Grant Roman Punch. “The dishes were labeled with their names and creators, which kept the conversation lively.” Perhaps, the Roman Punch had something to do with the energy of the conversation. It contains sherbet improved with rum, Cointreau and Champagne. Just enough sugar to hide the alcohol.
Her approach to the book was to use original recipes, if available, such as Elizabeth Monroe’s Rose Syrup. If they were not available, she tried to make connections between the Presidents and the chosen dishes. Ms. Salomon used state dinner menus and contemporary cookbooks for recipes. She modernized old ones to reflect modern techniques and conventions of recipe writing, although including the old recipe to allow the reader to fashion a version of the dish. This is surely for the good when old recipes she includes describe measurements qualitatively not quantitatively, such as, “enough” flour or bake “until enough.”
The book is interesting for the light it sheds on food tastes throughout the last 200 years. Even the President who had staff and the White House kitchen was subject to the inconveniences of the foods, techniques and appliances then in use. Be thankful that you have temperature controls and a range that is instantly on as opposed to having to light a wood fire to build up heat while preparing the food to be cooked.
This book is fun and meant to be so. The author wrote so the recipes can be used for cooking. In addition, the accompanying text and illustrations cause grins, chuckles and a laugh or two as well. One of my favorites was the reference to, and quotation of, the Etiquette Rules for State Dinners taken from The White House Cook Book, 1887. “One’s teeth are not to be picked at the table; but if it is impossible to hinder it, it should be done behind the napkin.” Oh yes, there is an appropriate cartoon by the illustrator. Too bad there is no reference to mobile phone and personal assistant device (Blackberry) use at meals, state dinner or not.
The author opens another possibility for a fun evening at dinner in your home. Gather a mixed group of partisans both Democrat and Republican. Prepare dishes from this book favored by presidents of both parties and label them so. Provide a score sheet, which includes each dish and spaces for rating and commenting on them. Ask the gathering to rate the dishes. You will have insights into the quality of the food and of the senses of humor of the guests. See how the Reagan admirer liked a Jimmy Carter recipe. Did the Clinton fans enjoy their Nixon Omelettes? The possibilities are there. What are the hosts communicating when they serve LBJ Chili to anyone?
Politics & Pot Roast has good recipes, interesting history and good humor as well.
______________________________________
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ...
Brazil – A Culinary Journey
By Cherie Hamilton  Published 2005, Hippocrene Books, Inc.
205 pages $24.95
ISBN 0781810809
Reviewed by Mark Webb
Hippocrene Books deserves kudos for its extensive cookbook library, of which Brazil – A Culinary Journey is a part. The publisher has managed to develop an extensive array of cookbooks focusing on less published cuisines, such as “Estonian Tastes and Traditions” and “My Mother’s Bolivian Kitchen.” As is the case with many modern cookbooks, the first-hand experience of the author while living in the country whose cuisine is being featured adds both a personal and cultural perspective that aids the reader and cook in the preparation and presentation of the food. Clearly, Cherie Hamilton has a profound affinity for the cooking of Portugal, which has manifested itself in cuisines from Asia (Macau) to South America (Brazil). If there is any doubt of her expertise, she lists her bibliography in the preface. While interesting, it is a lengthy effort at reciting credentials that is unnecessary. Embracing the cuisine of another country – or even in one’s own – is equal parts training and passion. It is those credentials that should be established in a cookbook such as this. No better example of this is “The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking” (Evans, 1965) by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz.
What follows is an invaluable Introduction that is a geographic, cultural, and historic roadmap of this largest nation in South America and how these various factors influence the diverse cuisine of Brazil. Additional context is provided by the short introductions that precede each of the regional sub-sections of the book. The recipes are easy to follow and well laid ou, even if not all recipes are easy to prepare given the sometimes exotic ingredients. It is also very helpful that the author provides some representative menus for each region near the end of the book, adding to the ability to navigate some of the less familiar recipes with relative ease. The publishers did a disservice to the readers by not including web addresses for suppliers in the “Ingredient Sources” section at the back of the book. Additional research would likely have made the ingredients necessary for some of these dishes more accessible for readers across the United States.
The recipes themselves are fascinating, especially when viewed within the regional context the author sets out in each of the regional sub-sections. The grilled steaks from the Center-West area are straightforward and easy to prepare, as one would expect from a recipe from the rural areas of that country. The idea of marinating beef in melted butter, vinegar, garlic, onions and salt and pepper may cause your cardiologist to intervene, but is so wickedly tempting as to be irresistible. You can almost taste the richness of this grilled beef just by reading the recipe. Reflective of the incredible diversity of this nation, the São Paulo – style Shrimp Couscous reminds you of a dish that should be cooked up in a tagine in North Africa rather than in South America. The author also provides regional appetizers and desserts for a complete dining experience.
There are also many unique recipes in this book that would be the talk of any dinner party. Mato Grosso-Style Fish, for example, utilizes a fruit sauce with bananas and pineapple over fried fish fillets. While this sounds relatively straightforward, this intriguing sauce also uses onion, green onion, black olives, parsley, palm hearts, tomatoes, and tomato puree. If you have access to some of the more exotic ingredients necessary for many of these recipes, then the options truly expand when planning what would be a unique culinary adventure through this country.
This is a book that should be in the library of any cook who periodically seeks to do something different. The style of cooking is a reflection of the many and varied foreign influences that have made their imprint in this country over the centuries. The publisher would have served the public better had it been more determined to provide easy access to some of the ingredients necessary for many of these dishes, but there still remains a wealth of unique recipes that would make for an entertaining and satisfying dining experience.
______________________________________________________
Mark Webb is an insurance executive and gourmet chef. He is married to former actress and director Christina Hamlett, who is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. They reside in Pasadena California, although on any given week Mark may be found at his satellite office – Aioli Bodega España – in Sacramento.
Back to Top ...
César – Recipes from a Tapas Bar
By Olivier Said and James Mellgren with Maggie Pond 
Published 2003, Ten Speed Press
211 pages, hard cover. $29.95
ISBN 1580084893
Reviewed by Mark Webb
Many modern cookbooks go to great lengths to describe the culture and history of the country or region from which the recipes originate. This is a valuable aspect of learning how to prepare cuisines from different lands, especially for those of us who do not plan to go to Provençe or Spain or Italy or Thailand anytime soon. There is something that enhances the ability to create and present a dish when a carefully crafted cookbook evokes the history, sights, sounds, and aromas of distant lands. Cookbooks that highlight a restaurant, as does this of César - a tapas bar in Berkeley, California - add to this cultural immersion personal notes, explaining the hard work and dedication as well as the sense of purpose that goes into creating a successful restaurant.
The authors - Olivier Said, managing partner of César, James Mellgren, writer and expert on Spanish food, and Maggie Pond, César’s executive chef - have gone one better with this collaborative cook book. Not only does it literally take the reader from concept to construction to opening of their restaurant in its amusing and sentimental introduction, but they also share with you every aspect of what a tapas bar is supposed to be, which more than anything else is ambience. In many aspects, this cookbook is more like a menu with instructions. All that is missing is the crowded intimacy that comes from being there yourself. The foreword by Jackson Browne draws a carefully arching line from Barcelona to Berkeley, leaving no doubt about your departure point or your destination on this culinary journey.
As would be expected of a tapas bar, much of the first part of the book is devoted to both traditional Spanish and modern American libations. The opening section on sherries was particularly welcomed. If the traditional start to an evening of tapas is not the direction in which you want to head, the authors go through an extensive array of cocktails covering all the modern trends in martinis, rum drinks, and tequila creations. Clearly, after going through this section, the reader can quickly lay claim to being an expert mixologist.
While it was consistent with the concept behind the book, I was nevertheless disappointed with the terse discussion of wines, which primarily was a quickly listing of regional reds and whites and an interview with one of the other partners at César, Dennis Lapuyade. Frankly, it really doesn’t add to the book or to the knowledge of someone trying to replicate the food and beverage of this fine restaurant to know that he buys between twenty and twenty five cases of wine a week – unless the reader really parties at home. A more extensive explanation of how the regional Spanish wines pair up with the tapas offered at César, or some basic distinctions between Spanish and American wines, would have been more valuable than the note at the end of this section that basically states everything goes with everything and don’t worry about it. That may work in a restaurant, but not every person hosting a dinner at home can buy flights of Spanish reds and whites for the four guests coming over to make sure there is a functional wine list.
Of course, the most significant part of any experience at a tapas bar is the tapas. In this regard, the people at César do not disappoint. The authors start with a brief description of the essentials for the Spanish pantry, a concept that many other cookbooks would do well to emulate. From there, they go through a litany of soups, salads, vegetable, meat and seafood tapas, and even sandwiches. The variety in the offerings is at least in part an acknowledgement that more substantial fare may be necessary at home when planning a dinner. That is unfortunate, since part of the art of serving tapas is in its diversity. Care has to be taken to read the directions carefully, since more than a few of the intriguing recipes are made to serve eight, which might require some awkward paring down if you are planning an intimate dinner with that special person in your life.
Of the many interesting recipes in this book, I was especially intrigued with the Poached Salmon with cilantro and cumin vinaigrette. Its liberal use of jalapeños should make this a dish that is hard to put down even as the temperature is rising. If heat is what you like, I would also recommend the Gambas a la Gallega, which with its liberal use of pimenton is certain to slap around even the most jaded palate. For those who feel that eggs can be eaten any time of the day - and for a good contrast to many of the other meat, seafood, or vegetable dishes in this book - I’d recommend the Migas which, as the authors state, is somewhat of an Old World equivalent of huevos rancheros.
More than anything else, César – Recipes from a Tapas Bar, made me want to hop on a plan, fly to Oakland, and go spend the evening sampling all that this restaurant has to offer. While good for business, it is not necessarily the objective of a cookbook. For the uninitiated, many of the recipes border on unapproachable. Part of the challenge to doing justice to tapas at home is being able to prepare relatively small portions of many dishes. Once again, the authors fail to recognize that most kitchens do not have this capability. A little more direction and a little less narcissism would go a long way to make this book a must have on any culinary shelf.
______________________________________________________
Mark Webb is an insurance executive and gourmet chef. He is married to former actress and director Christina Hamlett, who is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. They reside in Pasadena California, although on any given week Mark may be found at his satellite office – Aioli Bodega España – in Sacramento.
Back to Top ...
The San Diego Restaurant Cookbook
Recipes from America’s Finest City
By Ingrid Croce  2005 Avalanche Records and Books
271 pages including index $29.95
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
The author dedicated this book to the daring restaurateurs who have placed their hearts and fortunes on the line to build their city’s exciting and vibrant dining scene.
I like to cook, share meals with others and look at cookbooks for new recipes. Once or twice I have read a cookbook entirely. In recent years San Diego has been the home of my daughter, son-in-law and grandson so I visit there often. The editor/publisher said, “I have a cookbook that you might enjoy reading and reviewing.” “OK let me see it” was my reply. Maybe the book would help us find a good restaurant or specialty food shop? Might it have a recipe from a restaurant dish we had enjoyed?
What should a cookbook do? The book should provide good recipes explained well. Drawings or photos or the ingredients, utensils, process and the finished product are helpful. It helps that the book presents a style of food or regional specialties. Sometimes a good one features the cooking of a famous chef or school of cooking.
Good and interesting cookbooks might be printed and sold for a good cause or a charity. I search for a copy of the Ida Grove Farmers and Swineherds Auxiliary cookbook frequently but unrequitedly. You know the kind produced on a mimeo machine by one of the members and assembled on one of those snap rings that opens for the holes in the pages. Who could refuse a chance to see real Iowan farmers’ wives’ recipes? Pork chops, summer sausage, pound cake or head cheese anyone? How about a book of the recipes of the various home cafes or eats places that graced small town America before major leagues expanded?
This book is organized by appetizers, first course, soup, salad, pasta, fish, crustaceans, poultry, meat, dessert, breakfast and brunch, growers and vendors. The author informs us of the background of the chef or the restaurant which is the source of the recipe. The recipes are the restaurants and Ms. Croce tells us so that we make the adjustments in amounts for the home kitchen. Many of the recipes are rather appealing. Their scope across many ethnic and American styles of food illustrates the variety that one finds and enjoys in San Diego’s restaurants.
Unfortunately, this volume, which gives the hope for much, delivers less. This book has many recipes and some of them read well and might be good to make and eat. There is a dearth of photos that matter in a cookbook -- pictures of ingredients or what the finished product should look like when completed. The book is replete with photos. There are photos of restaurant front doors, dining rooms, tables, staff, chefs and even a stove with pots and pans on it. However, few of them are of the food that using the recipes would produce. There are good photos of outside scenes of San Diego and nice shots of view from restaurants. Of the more than 100 photos in the book less than two dozen of them show any food or product cooked or raw. When photos of them are in the book they most often introduce one of the sections: poultry, pasta, meat, dessert, etc. Why are not the photos of the foods those for which you have printed the recipes?
The San Diego Restaurant Cookbook is a good looking volume, which provides insights into what is available in San Diego’s restaurants.
www.sandiegorestaurantcookbook.com
Back to Top ...
Cooking to Impress Without Stress
By Annabel Langbein  Published 2003, Graphic Arts Center Publishing
160 pages, 85 color photographs
Review by Christina Hamlett
Back in the days when I used to run a touring theater company, cast parties were not only frequent in number but also easy to plan because (1) everyone brought something and (2) everything bought at a grocery store was thrown into the oven, taken out of the refrigerator, or tossed onto a serving platter.
Such a cavalier approach to home entertaining, however, didn’t lend itself as easily to the orchestration of formal dinners or holiday gatherings for relatives. The amount of time I found myself deciding on the perfect menu was matched only by the amount of time I spent away from my guests doing the preparation and serving.
No wonder I was always exhausted and fading out by the time the dishes were finally cleared!
While New Zealand author Annabel Langbein’s latest release came out 30 years too late for me to effortlessly dazzle my former in-laws and long ago business associates, “Cooking to Impress Without Stress” is a welcome addition to the cookbook collection of anyone in this fast paced day and age who wants to be able to participate in and enjoy his or her own dinner parties.
“Feeling relaxed and comfortable in someone else’s home and enjoying the food they have prepared (no matter how simple) is one of life’s great pleasures,” Langbein begins. She follows this up with what she calls The 12 Commandments of getting organized, setting the scene, and choreographing a memorable brunch, luncheon, dinner or special event. Among them:
- Cook in your comfort zone
- Know your audience
- Delegate
- Don’t fall into the gravy
How many cooks have you known, for instance, who use their guests as unwitting guinea pigs for a complex and untried recipe, aren’t aware if their visitors have food allergies or dietary restrictions, chase helping hands out of the kitchen, or consume one too many adult beverages in order to calm their nerves? Langbein’s dozen commandments alone are worth photocopying and taping up in sight.
She also emphasizes that “elevating an everyday meal to a special occasion doesn’t demand a departure to complicated dishes…it’s the ambience you create that allows people to feel relaxed and spoilt.” To that end, she introduces a number of eye-catching and savory starters that set the scene for a dining experience that will be long remembered. The recipes throughout the text are designed to accommodate 4-6 people but can be adjusted up or down depending on whether you’re dining intimately with your significant other or having friends over for an after-concert buffet or show-stopping desserts and coffee. It’s also interesting to note that Langbein includes metric measurements and displays cooking temperatures in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
What I especially like about this book is that it is written to be sensitive to the amount of time the cook actually has to prepare the meal. Regardless of the length of time involved in assembling the ingredients, however, all of the dishes are readily approachable. A quick dish, such as the Pasta with Salmon, Capers, and Arugula (page 100), for example, can be fixed in less than 15 minutes but promises to be a delightful and flavorful meal that will look as if it took much longer.
Langbein also introduces a Fish and Scallop Pie with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Caper Crumb that can be assembled up to 12 hours prior to the arrival of one’s guests, then slipped into the oven for baking. And let’s not forget the obvious bonus that all evidence of that preparation will have been run through the dishwasher and stored away long before the doorbell rings! On the other end of the spectrum, the almost decadent Roast Leg of Lamb with a red currant or quince jelly jus is remarkably easy to prepare even if it takes hours to cook.
In addition, the author provides the cook with creative options for side dishes and preparation of the main meal that encourages experimentation and variations on the central theme. The above referenced Roast Leg of Lamb, for instance, contains recipes within the margins of the same page that will turn it into a Moroccan-style feast or a North Indian Cardamom and Chilli dish. Various sauces, dips, and preparation pointers add a wealth of opportunities for preparing that special meal and contribute greatly to this being a top shelf resource for your cooking education that doesn’t require you to go strictly "by the book."
A resident of Auckland, Langbein is the author of ten prior cookbooks including the popular Savour series. If the rest of them are as inspirationally tasty and fun to read as this one, you’ll want to add them to your library. They’re guaranteed to make your dining room the most comfy and inviting restaurant in town! 
Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. Her credits to date include 22 books, 118 plays and musicals, 4 optioned feature films, and columns/interviews that appear throughout the world. She and her gourmet chef husband, Mark Webb, reside in Pasadena, California.
Back to Top ...
Secrets of the M*A*S*H Mess: The Lost Recipes of Private Igor
By Jeff Maxwell  Published 1997, Cumberland House
268 pages + TV photos and letters
Review by Christina Hamlett
In 1950, a country bumpkin named Igor Straminsky answered his country’s call to duty and, as an unwitting Army private, soon found himself in the most hostile environment that the planet could ever serve up. No, we’re not talking about Korea. We’re talking about the men and women of the 4077th, who queued up three times a day with plastic trays, growling stomachs, and growing suspicions that they’d more likely meet their deaths at the inept hands of their new cook than they ever would in confrontations with the enemy they’d come to fight.
“Dear Ma,” Igor wrote home, “Instead of letting me work at something I’m good at, they’re gonna make me do a job I don’t know anything about! Radar, the company clerk here, told me that he thinks the Army does that on purpose.”
Still, a job was a job and the beleaguered young private wasn’t going to let the ongoing sarcasm of Captain Hawkeye Pierce dampen his spirits.
Hawkeye: “It’s inhuman to serve the same food day after day. The Geneva Convention prohibits the killing of our taste buds.”
Suffice it to say, Igor had plenty of time to hone his craft (such as it was). His stint in a mess tent chef’s hat, in fact, lasted 8 years longer than the actual Korean War. When the hit television series M*A*S*H finally bowed out in 1983, almost 125 million viewers tuned in to say goodbye, the largest audience ever for a TV show.
“Ma! I’m sure you’ve heard the news…IT’S OVER! I’ll probably be home by the time you get this letter but I wanted to write it anyway. I’ll make everybody dinner when I get there but could somebody else please serve it?”
Fortunately, Igor’s efforts to please the palate weren’t left behind on a helicopter pad. His alter ego—Hollywood actor/writer/entrepreneur Jeff Maxwell—has compiled the best of Igor's mess tent magic into a hilarious book entitled “Secrets of the M*A*S*H Mess: The Lost Recipes of Private Igor.”
Testimonial from Colonel Potter: “There seems to be a misconception here—those recipes weren’t lost! We did our best to hide them.”
Within these wacky pages--which are replete with black and white production stills, “dog-tag” quotes, and letters home—the author not only gives us generous dollops of homegrown culinary advice but demonstrates a talent for memorializing his Army experiences and friendships with his own brand of signature recipes:
- Hawkeye and Trapper’s Swamp Spaghetti
- Winchester’s Upper Crusted Chicken
- Hot Lips Tri-Tips
- Pork Choppers with Barbeque Sauce
- Stuffed Seoul
- Radar’s Teddy Bear Turkey Loaf
- The Colonel’s Kernel Stew
- Toasted Tank Tuna
- Hunnicut’s Homesick Cookies
- Intravenous Drip Dip
Igorism: “Hawkeye told me he went to school for twelve years to be a doctor. I trained in boot camp for eight weeks to become a soldier. It sure takes a lot more time to learn how to save a life than how to end one.”
As clueless as Igor seemed to be whilst unveiling inventive concoctions such as “Cream of Weenie Soup” or “Hot Potato Pucks”, he shows remarkable clarity in laying out instructions that are fun and easy to follow. Whether you’re mustering your troops off to work or school with “Frontline Flapjacks with Chocolate Gravy”, settling in for an evening flick with “Movie Night Popcorn Shrimp,” or dazzling your next book club group with “Forward Marsh Melts”, there’s no denying that Igor knows what it takes to please picky eaters.
Igor: “Peas or carrots, Sir?”
Hawkeye: “Oh, a little of each will be fine.”
Igor: “Good, because I don’t know which is which.”
He has also included a short section on drinks, including “Pre-Op Novocaine Shake”, “Swamp Swill Martini” and “Suicide is Painless”, the latter popularized in song for both the original film and the TV series.
Testimonial from Hawkeye Pierce: “Can’t wait to try the recipes. There are several people I’m trying to kill.”
In real life, by the way, Maxwell is the inventor/purveyor of a kicky Bloody Mary Mix called Chico Rico™ which won a People’s Preference Award in the 2003 International Zesty Foods Show. The mix, which he describes as “Lip Smackin’ Fire & Spice”, is available at Bristol Farms or through his website at http://www.chicorico.biz/order.html.
While dinner is cooking, TV trivia fans will find themselves well entertained with Maxwell’s behind-the-scenes anecdotes, as well the convoluted journey that took this affable actor from the bowels of the Print Department at 20th Century Fox to stand-up comedy to the elation of playing a character with an actual name on a hit series instead of just a credit as “Soldier 1”. The proliferation of candid shots suggest the slap-dash happiness of an overgrown kid who has not only found himself at the summer camp of a lifetime but in the thick of new friendships destined to last forever.
Hotlips: “I thought you might enjoy being the Charity Officer for me. You’d be so good at it.”
BJ: “Oh really?”
Hotlips: “You have such a nice smile. Not liking you is the same as not liking a collie.”
Last but not least are the bittersweet tugs of nostalgia which remind us that the 4077th wasn’t just Igor’s family and his home-away-from-home but a weekly part of our own family as well.
“Dear Ma, We all just found out that Colonel Blake gets to go home. Lucky guy—sure wish I was gonna be on the plane with him!”
In the third season finale, "Abyssinia, Henry", marking actor McLean Stevenson’s departure from the cast, viewers will recall the heart-stopping moment when a stunned Radar announced that Colonel Blake’s plane had been shot down en route to Japan. There were no survivors.
It was moments like this that reminded us of what good writing can be. And it’s books like “Secrets of the M*A*S*H Mess” that demonstrate Private Straminsky has a definite calling in top brass cuisine.
Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. Her credits to date include 22 books, 118 plays and musicals, 4 optioned feature films, and columns/interviews that appear throughout the world. She and her gourmet chef husband, Mark Webb, reside in Pasadena, California.
Back to Top ...
The Presidents’ Cookbook
By Poppy Cannon and Patricia Brooks Published 1968, Funk & Wagnalls
545 pages + Presidential pen and ink caricatures 
Review by Christina Hamlett
Party politics aside, there’s one thing that over two centuries of elected officials who have resided at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can agree on: the enjoyment of a well cooked and satisfying meal. The Presidents’ Cookbook, released in 1968, is a vintage gem that invites readers into the White House dining room to break bread with every president from George Washington to LBJ. And what a treat that is!
Often referred to as life in a fish bowl, America’s First Families have been the precedent-setting hosts of many a social gathering revolving around excellent food, exemplary service, and cognizance not only of foreign dietary customs but sensitivity to the protocol of smart seating arrangements for fostering good will. As early as 1789 when the first official White House chef was hired, George and Martha took pains to craft an ad that would attract only the finest candidates:
A COOK is wanted for the family of the President of the United States. No one need apply who is not perfect in the business, and can bring indubitable testimonials of sobriety, honesty and attention to the duties of the station.
The common assumption that our founding fathers were simple meat ‘n’ potatoes folks who noshed on whatever they could kill or grow is quickly dispelled in the opening chapters. Jefferson, for instance, took advantage of his years overseas to enthusiastically collect recipes and fine wines for what would be considered radically eclectic dinner parties by the standards of the day. Records reveal that during his stint as president, his wine bill alone exceeded $10,000. Dolley Madison, of course, is legendary for making sure that no one ever went home hungry and was known to use any occasion—even a casual drop-in visitor—as a good reason to see that her kitchen whipped up memorable refreshments. Widower Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson may have had a backwoods upbringing but wasted no time embracing the soufflés and crème brûleé served up by the French chef whom John Quincy Adams couldn’t take with him when he left office.
Anecdotes abound throughout the lively text, providing little-known insights on presidential taste buds (Ulysses S Grant liked his steaks burned to the consistency of charcoal), regional influences on the preparation of menus (Zachary Taylor’s fondness for Creole cuisine), decorating trends (Caroline Harrison’s decision to have a china cabinet installed and display all of her predecessors’ dinner plates), the consumption of spirits (Harding and his wife Flo deemed themselves exempt from Prohibition), and cost-cutting measures to set an example for the rest of the country (Mamie Eisenhower declared that leftovers—no matter how small— were not to be thrown out).
It’s not just the history buffs who will be entertained by these chapters, however. Ten or more recipes have been resurrected from each administration and, for the most part, utilize modern ingredients (just in case you were worried you’d have to run out and bag an elk or fry up a couple chipmunks), easy measurements, and utensils and cookware that are on hand in most kitchens. The names alone are worth a look:
- Golden Alligator Spring House Cake
- Williamsburg Buns
- Mugwump in a Hole
- Confederate Apple Pie Without Apples
- Corn Chowder with Bear’s Paw Popcorn
- Rutledge Tavern Squash Pie
- Capitolade of Chicken
- Sailors in Hammocks
- Pineapple Fairy Fluff
- Daniel Webster’s Punch
- Fat Rascals
- Fiddlehead Fern Salad
The most surprising revelation? Presidents throughout history seem to have supported something that contemporary nutritionists have been saying all along: breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. For those who love to plan parties around brunch (and that goes for baby and bridal showers, too), there’s no shortage of waffle, pancake, muffin, and crumb cake recipes as well as fruit cobblers, punches, and pies for every season.
It’s also interesting to note how early administrations prided themselves on strict punctuality when it came to mealtimes. For Martha Washington, this not only applied to when her guests sat down for a White House supper (Democrats were never high on her invitation list) but when they were expected to leave and go back to their own homes. At one particular dinner party, she rose from her place and bluntly announced, “The General always retires at nine, and I usually precede him.”
Much more direct, one thinks, than stifling yawns or trying to artfully nudge guests toward the front door after a long evening.
As of this writing, The Presidents’ Cookbook is out of print. Used copies, however, can be found at Amazon as well as used bookstores and would make a wonderful addition to the shelf of anyone who loves presidential trivia as much as they love culinary adventures.
Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. Her credits to date include 22 books, 118 plays and musicals, 4 optioned feature films, and columns/interviews that appear throughout the world. She and her gourmet chef husband, Mark Webb, reside in Pasadena, California.
Back to Top ...
At Mesa’s Edge
By Eugenia Bone  Houghton Mifflin Company
Hard Cover, 330 pages, $24.
ISBN 0-618-22126-3
Reviewed by Dan Clarke
Eugenia Bone is a New York writer with heavyweight credentials (Saveur, Food & Wine, Gourmet, etc.). In At Mesa’s Edge she has created an intriguing memoir and cookbook.
When her architect husband decides that there’s room in their urban life for a part-time existence in Colorado’s North Fork Valley, Eugenia packs kids and cooking supplies to spend a summer in the West. Ranch property has been purchased, but it needs work. The theme may seem familiar, but who of us hasn’t daydreamed of moving—at least on a temporary basis—to someplace completely different? Crawford, Colorado isn’t Italy or southern France, but it might be as different from New York City as those locales.
In addition to tending sick children and rehabbing the long-abandoned ranch house, she must deal with snakes, skunks, feral cats and neighboring cattle wandering through her vegetable garden. As the newcomer ingratiates herself with the locals, she finds a substantial number who’re deeply food-conscious. The area has long been famed for its fruit production and seems to have a significant number of latter day specialty food producers.
Her recipes acknowledge shared experiences with newly-found Colorado friends and acquaintances, as well as the contributions of family and friends in New York who shaped her love for food and her cooking style. Marilee Gillman’s Tortilla Soup includes broth from her own pheasants, but chicken broth will suffice, says Bone. Asparagus Vinaigrette is a treatment of this basic vegetable dish as prepared by French-born Yvon Gros, who with his wife Joanna, runs the Leroux Creek Inn in Hotchkiss. Bone uses purchased asparagus stalks as well as wild examples found growing in area ditches. The recipe for Fettucine with Wild Mushrooms is from the author’s brother, Cham Giobbi, who discovered Porcinis growing wild in the nearby West Elk Mountains. Leek and Cilantro Pesto Tart is a recipe the author says she took to “a potluck winetasting at Ela Family Farms on Rogers Mesa.”
Bone’s intimate introductions to the recipes makes them seem all the more appealing. Anecdotes from the preceding narrative are in a style similarly personal. Bone’s recollection of little details when old Greek men barbecued lamb at the home of the uncle of her friend painted a vivid picture. Her story of taking a hunter safety class with 12-year old boys to qualify for a Colorado license was funny—and provided a window to a western ethos untroubled by political correctness.
Back to Top ...
Pocket Dictionary of Ethnic Foods
By Daniel G. Blum  Word Craft Publishing
Soft cover, 224 pages, $9.95
ISBN 0-9754894-3-7, LCCN 2004106150
Reviewed by Dan Clarke
Who hasn’t seen phrases on a restaurant menu that seemed familiar, yet not entirely so. Béarnaise and béchamel are both classic French sauces, but are you sure which one you would want on a steak and which one might be appropriate for seafood?
Marsala is a dark, sweet Italian wine. Masala can be either a spice mixture or a general category of Indian dry curry with a spicy sauce. While they do sound alike, they certainly don’t taste alike.
Pad kana or pad prik? They’re both Thai dishes but which one is likely to require a bottle of Singha to put out the fire?
While dining out can be an exciting adventure, it shouldn’t have to be just because you’re worried that you’ll get stuck with something you didn’t really want. Or, worse yet, that you’ll order for tablemates and have them waiting for you to visit the restroom so that they’ll have opportunity to hide some of your wretched selection in a napkin and insist later that they really did like their dinners.
Daniel Blum’s “Pocket Dictionary of Ethnic Foods” will go a long way to save readers from such disasters. Just about the size of a checkbook, it easily fits into a purse or a jacket pocket and contains 1400 brief definitions. Of course, it could also be useful in the home, but it’s in the restaurant setting that critical mistakes can be made. It saves diners from having to admit they’re not as knowledgeable as they’d like to be in front of difficult waiters. It also allows double checking the explanations given by uninformed waiters who try to bluff their customers.
At ten bucks, this little book is invaluable.
Back to Top ...
The Food of Fisherman's Wharf: Cooking and Feasting from San Francisco to Monterey
By A.K. Crump  TCB-Café Publishing
Soft cover, 192 pages $19.95
ISBN: 0-9674898-9-X
http://www.cafeandre.com/
Reviewed by Dan Clarke
To this third-generation San Franciscan, the name Fisherman’s Wharf conjures just a limited strip of that city that borders the Bay. That’s a parochial view, though, and limiting. Countless settlements on the water must have their own fisherman’s wharves and Monterey, some 115 miles south of San Francisco on the Pacific, would be one of them. Many of the restaurants profiled by A. K. Crump would be on or near the fisherman’s wharves of these two cities. Others in the book are not, but are near water and would certainly be encompassed by the subtitle “Cooking and Feasting from San Francisco to Monterey.”
Over 300 color photographs give the reader a good feel for the restaurants featured and for the 24 recipes that are included. “The Food of Fisherman’s Wharf” might be a worthy souvenir for tourists who have visited the area or dined at any of the restaurants featured. It might also whet the appetites of out of state residents contemplating a visit.
Recipes included concentrate on—but aren’t limited to—fish and seafood themes. They seem fairly straightforward and are all credited to restaurants in the area, if not always to their specific chefs. Such references provide the home chef with opportunity to try signature dishes—or adaptations of them—from some very popular restaurants.
Back to Top ...
Florida Spring Training: Your Guide to Touring the Grapefruit League
By Alan Byrd  Published by The Intrepid Traveler
Soft Cover. 224 Pages $15.95
ISBN 1887140476
Reviewed by Michael Eady
“Florida Spring Training” by Alan Byrd should prove to be an indispensable companion to any baseball fan or traveler who might wish to visit the spectacle of baseball spring training in Florida. The thought of “traditional” spring training evokes nostalgic memories of old ballparks populated with hard core baseball fans sunning themselves in the mild spring climes and watching the new prospects show their stuff.
Thanks to television and the insatiable appetite for money professional sports has, this annual rite has transformed from that traditional one of pastoral serenity to one of high energy marketing. The changes that have taken place in the spring training experience are drastic and not altogether very old.
In days of yore -- and by that I mean 1987-88 -- in Scottsdale, Arizona, the San Francisco Giants played their exhibition games in rickety old Indian School Park. I had seats about ten feet from then general manager Al Rosen and the rest of the Giants management brain trust. The perimeter of the park was a fence of tall plank boards where passersby could literally watch the action through a knothole in the wood. Nobody did though because the ridiculously cheap tickets (I believe ours were $8) provided incentive enough to go inside. The park itself and the operations were run by a local beneficient organization called the Scottsdale Chorros and a lot of the money they made supported local charities.
Visitors to spring training in those days arose each morning and scanned the paper to see who was playing whom and where. One decided which game to see and went to the park where good seats were almost always available. The lone exception to this rule was old Ho Ho Kam Park, home of the Chicago Cubs. It was always crowded and tickets went fast. The crowd was the most partisan as well.
In a very short period of time spring training bid adieu to Norman Rockwell and howdy-do to Mickey Mouse and his corporate sponsor pals. The resulting change from staid tradition to sports marketing dynamic is what has created a need for a book like this one and Alan Byrd fills the need exceptionally well.
The book is logically organized, each chapter devoted to one of the spring training venues found in Florida. Each chapter is then divided into sections covering everything from directions to the park, to ticket prices, to what to do before and after the games. Individually each park is appraised as to various amenities. This appraisal is thorough, critical and objective.
Chapter six, for example, is devoted to the Cleveland Indians training base in Winter Haven. First a synopsis of the history there and an overview of what the visitor should expect from his visit. Following this are directions to the park and information on parking. The next section covers tickets – prices and availability, followed by a review of the game program. Food & drink information is to be had along with information on seats, shade and a schematic of the stadium. Byrd also includes observations on one important staple of spring training, the likelihood of obtaining players’ autographs. This is a key aspect to the experience of spring training. Finally, the chapter concludes with listings of bars, restaurants and attractions in the vicinity to see before and after the game.
At the end of the book each park/team is ranked and graded on a scale of 1-10 in five categories. How did the Cleveland Indians do? A lukewarm overall rating of 32. They rated an 8 in both “Intimacy” and “Comfort” but a below average 4 in the “Food & Drink” department. “Autographs” and “Style” were each rated at 6.
I was amused at the correlation between the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and their spring training site, Progress Energy Park, in St. Petersburg. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, since their inception, have had the crappiest record in the league, play in the crappiest stadium and have the crappiest attendance. The spring training acorn, it seems, doesn’t fall far from the tree. The Devil Rays spring training facility was far and away rated the worst. A badly-run organization has a badly-run spring training facility. Quelle surprise!
According to author Byrd, the best of all the Grapefruit League venues is the Vero Beach home to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Fortunately the book is updated annually and this is good because dynamics of what is now big business for the ballclubs and their host cities provide a constant state of flux and fans can no longer rely on the stasis that once enveloped spring training.
As a lifetime San Francisco Giants fan and denizen of the left coast I would like to see Mr. Byrd take his efforts to the Cactus League in Arizona.
Back to Top ...
The Culinary Institute of America’s Gourmet Meals in Minutes
Lebhar-Friedman Books 
Hardcover. 372 pages $40
ISBN: 0-86730-904-0
Many cookbooks seem to be designed to seduce the home chef with beautiful graphics and spectacular presentation. “The Culinary Institute of America’s Gourmet Meals in Minutes” (quite a mouthful of a title) doesn’t disappoint in that department. Ben Fink’s photographs are as good as any I’ve seen. A passionate amateur can enjoy a vicarious meal from every other page, it seems.
But volumes that have only pretty pictures often wind up on the remaindered table at bookshops. More is needed. The promise of turning out great meals in a short time is intriguing, but this bait has been used before. Who wouldn’t want food that was delicious and easily—or at least quickly—prepared? That many books implying such bounty have fallen short of delivering, naturally may make readers wary.
This book from America’s foremost professional cooking school succeeds as a traditional collection of recipes, beautifully accompanied by photos. It would seem to validate the “in Minutes” promise also. But its greatest strength may be the solid information, both theoretical and practical, that is clearly and cogently presented. Simply defined chapters such as Appetizers, Soups, Meats and Side Dishes all include sections with headings like “At A Glance,” “Step-By-Step,” and “Focus On.” In each case, basic information is presented in terms both clear and refreshingly un-technical. Inexperienced cooks should find these tips invaluable.
“Gourmet Meals in Minutes” provides over 200 recipes, none of which looks too daunting for a typical home cook. In each case, the number of ingredients is reasonable and the method is condensed to a just a few paragraphs. In the world of sports, it’s often said that, “The really good ones make things seem simple.” Perhaps the phrase applies in the culinary world, too. Certainly, The Culinary Institute of America should have no shortage of highly qualified chefs. Maybe more to the point is that their mission is to teach how to cook. Pupils in any realm need to build confidence as they start with little successes and proceed to bigger ones. This publication from the Culinary Institute of America will be supportive of beginners’ efforts, but more experienced home cooks will enjoy no doubt appreciate the clarity of the recipes.
Curiously, there is no author credited in the book, though its publicists name Chef John DeShetler, Professor in Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America, as a spokesman. Acknowledgement is given to chefs Olivier Andreini, Bruce Mattel and Michael Skibitcky for execution of the recipes for the photographs.
Editor’s Note: Sample recipes from The Culinary Institute of America’s Gourmet Meals in Minutes follow:
Black Bean and Avocado Crostini
Crostini is a general term that refers to “little toasts” which are usually topped with one or more garnish items. This Southwestern version combines the creaminess of black beans with the heat from the guacamole for a terrific hors d’oeuvre or snack idea.
Makes 8 servings / preparation time: 45 minutes
- 24 baguette slices, 1/4-inch thick
- 1/4 cup Garlic and Parsley Butter (recipe follows)
- 1/2 cup Vidalia onion, small dice
- 2 plum tomatoes, small dice
- 3/4 cup cooked or canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-1/2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 2 avocados
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 24 cilantro or parsley leaves, washed
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Toast the baguette slices in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the outside edges are golden brown. Spread each baguette slice with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic butter. Reserve the toasts until needed.
Combine the onion, tomato, black beans, cilantro, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Peel and core one of the avocados and dice into 1/4-inch pieces. Combine the avocado with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Peel and core the remaining avocado. Slice each half across the meridian into 8 slices. Sprinkle the avocado with the rest of the lime juice to prevent oxidation.
Spread 1 heaping teaspoon of the avocado mixture on each crostini. Top with 1 tablespoon of the black bean mixture.
Garnish with an avocado slice and a cilantro or parsley leaf.
Garlic and Parsley Butter
Versatile and delicious, this is a compound butter used in classical French cuisine. The butter holds well, so make enough to enjoy with crostini, or simply on toasted bread as an accompaniment to pasta dishes.
Makes 2 cups / preparation time: 10 minutes
- 1-1/2 bunches parsley, stems removed
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 pound butter, diced into small cubes, cold
Place the parsley, garlic, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade and pulse until evenly minced and well blended.
Add the cubed butter to the parsley-garlic mixture. Process, scraping down the sides as needed, until the butter is softened and mixture is well blended. The butter should be light green in color.
The butter may be placed into a ramekin, or shaped into a log and rolled in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready for use. The butter can be held for at least a week in the refrigerator, or frozen for several weeks.
Tenderloin of Beef
with Blue Cheese and Herb Crust
Simple and elegant, this dish is a sure winner. Whether serving an intimate dinner for two or a number of guests, the delicious flavors of Madeira and blue cheese are a perfect choice with the beef tenderloin.
Makes 6 servings / preparation time: 30 minutes
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 6 tablespoons Madeira wine
- 2-1/4 pounds beef tenderloin
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 6 tablespoons blue cheese
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup chives, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Combine the butter and flour together.
Bring the beef broth and Madeira to a boil. Whisk in the butter and flour mixture until completely dissolved. Simmer for about 15–20 minutes, until the liquid is thickened and reduced by half. While the sauce is simmering, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the rack of a roasting pan with nonstick spray and place in the pan.
Slice the tenderloin into 6 portions that are approximately 3 inches in diameter and 1-1/2 inches thick. Tie butcher’s twine around the beef medallions so they maintain their shape while cooking, if desired.
Combine the breadcrumbs, blue cheese, parsley, chives, and pepper to form a paste.
Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Sear the medallions until just browned, 2–3 minutes on each side. Arrange the medallions in a roasting pan. Coat the top side of each medallion with 3 tablespoons of the blue cheese and herb crust.
Roast until the crust is golden brown and the meat is cooked as desired, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare, depending on the size of the medallions. If butcher’s twine was used, be sure to remove it. Serve the medallions on a pool of the warm Madeira sauce.
Back to Top ...
The Dancing Gourmet, Recipes to Keep You on Your Toes!
Linda Hymes. Photography by Derek Gaffney 
Lindergaff Books ISBN 0971978204 157 pages $26.
www.dancinggourmet.com
There are a few good cookbooks that provide most of what any aspiring home chef would need to know.
And you could get by on just a basic red wine and a basic white for your table. But wouldn’t life be so much more boring if we didn’t celebrate diversity? With all the cookbooks already in print, does the world need more? Yes, I think so.
Linda Hymes spent a good part of her adult life as a professional ballerina. That’s a world that I know less than nothing about. Yet I found fascinating the background and anecdotes that preface many of her recipes in “The Dancing Gourmet.” Obviously, dancers travel in their work and Hymes was exposed to different cultures. Her exposure to many cuisines gives her inspiration and her education at Le Cordon Bleu in London gives her a credibility that perhaps no other former ballerinas—and few world travelers of any profession—have.
The premise inherent in the title at first seemed a stretch to me and I was poised to dismiss “The Dancing Gourmet” as frivolous and probably targeting way too narrow an audience. That would have been shortsighted. This is not a “diet” cookbook, but the recipes seem both healthy and substantial. They make sense and the photography of many of these dishes (done by husband Derek Gaffney) encourages me to try the recipes.
Pizza Marguerita with capers and red onion is a classic recipe, yet seldom published. Its inclusion is worthwhile on that basis alone, but Hymes’ recollection of encountering pizza-making when performing a Balanchine ballet in Spoleto gives understanding of the dish beyond the usual “ingredients and method.” Insights such as the preface to sea bass wrapped in pancetta, “In ballet, often less is more. Too much effort and the whole picture looks forced, overdone. . . . A dancer must remember equally what not to do. The same is true with fish—keep it simple and don’t overcook it and you’ll never go wrong. . . . ” probably is fair analysis of ballet. It certainly is apt commentary on cooking fish.
“The Dancing Gourmet” is a little offbeat, but it’s worthwhile.
Reviewed by Dan Clarke
Back to Top ...
ICON: ART OF THE WINE LABEL
A Collection of Work by Jeffrey Caldewey and Chuck House 
Published by The Wine Appreciation Guild
S. San Francisco, California ISBN 1-891267-30-2
287 pages. Large format. $85.
Most of the world’s citizens are oblivious to the world of design. At least on a conscious level.
Yet in our industrialized world, it’s a part of everyday life and a factor in nearly every buying decision. Package design is, at the very least, commercial art. In the case of wine, label design can very definitely be commercial. It can also be defined as fine art, as certainly is the case with the works of designers Jeffrey Caldewey and Chuck House as exhibited in “ICON, ART OF THE WINE LABEL.”
With prefaces by Robert Mondavi and the noted English wine writer Hugh Johnson, the reader will find some insight to history of the packaging of wine of the rather recent creation and development of the labels affixed to bottles. Further understanding comes in nine pages defined as “DIALOGUE,” in which designers/authors Caldewey and House give alternating riffs on the nature of wine label design and their part in it. “With a child’s enthusiasm, I stuff my pockets with rocks and twigs from the vineyard, make notes on tabletops, and slip out of bed at midnight to scribble arcane doodles on scraps of paper,” reveals Caldewey of his creative approach to a new client. His colleague Chuck House says that he’s a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and takes a Holmes-like approach to viewing every project as a mystery there for his solving.
Over 100 of their designs are given two-page profiles. A paragraph of background on each selection occupies the left-hand page. On the facing right hand page is a life-size photo of the labeled bottle by the brilliant Robert Bruno.
Perhaps predictably, many of the labels adorn small production, expensive wines. Others present the image of larger volume wines owned by entities more concerned with realities of the marketplace than with vanity. I know that the Forest Glen Cabernet Sauvignon pictured on page 258 is modestly priced. The same variety from Bryant Family Vineyard on page 122 is not. Evaluating the contents of such bottles might be done by “blind tasting,” in which the wine would be sampled without knowledge of its pedigree. If the same method could be employed to judge the quality of art on the outside of the bottle, could I say which was more worthy? I don’t think so. The authors’ comments provide their objectives in designing these two handsome packages, obviously intended for different audiences.
“ICON” is beautifully presented and would be an impressive addition to any wine buff’s coffee table. For wine marketers it would have even greater value.
Reviewer Dan Clarke was asked to leave the only art class in which he enrolled. He may not know much about art, but does know what he likes and appreciates classic automobiles and beautiful wine labels such as those of Jeffrey Caldewey and Chuck House.
Back to Top ...
The Home Exchange Guide
How to Find Your Free Home Away From Home
By M.T. Simon and T.T. Baker 
Poyeen Publishing (www.poyeen.com)
ISBN 1-932534-00-8. 187 pages. soft cover. $19.95
How many times have travelers expressed the wish they could live as the locals do?
Trading homes for a while with one of those locals can be a big step in that direction. Besides having an experience more closely approximating the day-to-day reality of the destination, there can be substantial savings when eliminating hotel bills.
But it’s not for everyone. The authors of “The Home Exchange Guide” have written a how to book, but more importantly, they’ve incorporated a whether to book. Many who’ve heard of the concept of home exchanges find the whole idea intriguing at first, but soon let caution turn to apprehension as they conjure a series of “what if …?” possibilities. Simon and Baker identify many of the potential negatives and give thorough directions on steps that can preclude such problems, or at least, mitigate them should they occur. In addition to the narrative in each chapter they present a series of key issues in a graphic “check list” format.
Two California friends had wonderful experiences with year-long exchanges related to their employment. In each case, there was a direct exchange of houses and cars. One exchanger was a teacher who replaced a Scot, who in turn came to Sacramento to inherit Dennis’ junior high class. The other fellow preached Sundays from the pulpit of an Anglican church in England, while his opposite number took the spiritual reins of a small Episcopal church in the foothills of Amador County. Apparently all went smoothly. Given their positions, the Americans (and, presumably, the Britons) were very responsible people, unlikely to trash anyone else’s house or car. “The Home Exchange Guide” suggests that the typical home exchanger tends to be of good character and prosperous—not the sort to cause trouble. Nonetheless, they guide lays out very comprehensively how to communicate clearly and build in safeguards that will make a felicitous exchange more likely. This seems a well-researched effort; methodical and thorough. The appendix includes information on many organizations facilitating such home exchanges.
Reviewed by Dan Clarke
Back to Top ...
Spinning the Bottle
By Harvey Posert and Paul Franson 220 pages, softcover $39.95
 Few areas of endeavor depend on public relations as much as the American wine business.
Harvey Posert and Paul Franson have collaborated in the publication of this series of case studies in wine-related PR. There’s little about the wine industry these veterans don’t know. While each has written a chapter (Franson penned two), they’ve included case studies from 45 colleagues who are now—or have been in the past—responsible for some of the most professional and creative work in wine’s public relations arena.
In many ways California’s wine industry still suffers from acquiescing to the decision of its major trade organization to abandon collective public relations more than two decades ago. Lack of overall direction may have contributed to some amateurish PR efforts in the ensuing years, but it may also have opened the door for the considerable talents of the contributors to “Spinning the Bottle.”
Can the same principles be applied to promoting a bottle of wine that retails for $1.99 and one that goes for over $100? Maybe the question is irrelevant, but in this volume Harvey Posert devotes two-and-a-half pages to the success story of Bronco Wine Company and Charles Shaw, a.k.a. “Two-Buck Chuck,” while Roger Asleson of Opus One relates his winery’s efforts in securing a number of Maseratis for use in conjunction with the Napa Valley Wine Auction. Different targeted audiences? Of course, but these stories of disparate operations may illustrate the fragmentation of the industry.
It’s doubtful that there is an academic class where one could learn the lessons included in this book. In such a vacuum, “Spinning the Bottle” may be the most important non-textbook those in the wine business have. Chapters are organized alphabetically by author name and are largely anecdotal, presented in the case study method.
While some wine consumers may enjoy this look behind the scenes, the book is written for the trade. It’s easy and amusing reading for those of us in the wine business or allied fields. Not all tales relate raging success. In his chapter My Fraudulent Days as a Wine Expert, David Cawley tells of working with the late actor Vincent Price on behalf of the Wine Institute before losing a substantial cache of wine slated to be used in the promotions. In Done in by a Dachshund, Keith Love recalls a Ch. St. Michelle event he had worked on that was denied major television coverage when all the cameras were diverted to late-breaking news involving a small dog stuck somewhere in the air-conditioning ducting of a motel.
For all the insights the savvy reader could glean from the more anecdotal chapters, there are three sections that speak so lucidly and directly to their subjects that they should be required reading for any winery employee likely to even get close to the PR department. In Some Tips on Wine Public Relations and Tips for Dealing with the News Media, Paul Franson and Kimberly Flowers lay out everything a spokesperson need to know about dealing with the media. Craig Root, writing about Increasing the PR Value of your Tasting Room, outlines common sense values and procedures applicable to any winery tasting room. Were more wineries to adapt his suggestions, they’d create a better long-term impression and increase their tasting room sales, as well.
At $39.95 (plus shipping), “Spinning the Bottle” might be priced a bit steeply for most consumers, but it would be a foolish winery that didn’t invest in several copies for their employees who deal with the public.
Editor’s note: Spinning the Bottle is self-published and not available through regular channels. Further information can be had at www.spinningthebottle.com.
Back to Top ...
Chalk Hill Winery Sommelier Guide To Restaurants in America
3rd edition Chalk Press 2004 
560 pages. Soft cover. $19.95
“Chalk Hill Winery Sommelier Guide to Restaurants in America” is ostensibly aimed at consumers, but restaurant professionals will love it.
Chalk Hill Winery is the publisher of record. They’re also listed as one of six “sponsors.” Ten pages of editorial on the sponsors’ wineries appears in a section near the front of the book, but nowhere else will you evidence of their participation. The sommeliers speak for themselves—their own attitudes and preferences and those of their restaurants are reflected in their responses.
Ron Wiegand, M.W., M.S., Editor of Restaurant Wine and Yves Sauboua, Estate Sommelier for Chalk Hill, penned the introduction and presumably have had much to do with the concept of the guide and with its editing. Six brief initial chapters are written by some of the country’s most noted wine professionals, with each one addressing a topic such as Maximizing Your Wine Adventure in Restaurants or Wine Prices in Restaurants.
The guide devotes 495 of its 560 pages to profiles of American restaurants and their sommeliers, mostly as one page question-and-answer expositions. Categorized alphabetically by state, there’s information on restaurants from Alaska through Wyoming. Most of space is devoted to more populous states, of course, but there’s a definite attempt at inclusiveness. For the consumer who travels, it’s a great resource. Pertinent data such as restaurant locations, phone numbers and web addresses are included, but the careful reader can intuit much more about the house through the sommelier’s responses.
Not all respondents are answering the same questions, though there are recurring themes. Bits of personal information that might never be disclosed in a typical server-diner encounter can be fun.
The question “What Inspired You to Pursue a Career That Involves Wine?” elicits mostly predictable responses, but “What Information Would You Like Your Customers To Know About You?” yields comments more revealing (“I was born in Brooklyn, so don’t mess with me!” David Gordon, Wine Director, Tribeca Grill, or “I worked as a carpenter for fifteen years while moonlighting in this business.” David J. Penner, Maitre D’ and Sommelier, Palm Court Restaurant at the Westfield Conference Center, and “I have a surprisingly small wine collection at home because I think that great wine is made to drink. I have no patience for waiting.” Stewart M. Smith, General Manager and Sommelier, Elephant Walk Restaurant at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort).
Much more of a feel for the styles of the restaurants and of the palates of the sommeliers comes when they offer suggestions to pair with their signature dishes. They can be basic and straight forward (“Osso buco with Brunello di Montalcino.” Armando Dawdy, Corporate Sommelier, Tony’s, and “Cowboy rib-eye with California Cabernet Sauvignon.” Janet M. Easterling, Sommerlier, Ruth’s Chris Steak House), though many are esoteric (“Lobster and scallop-stuffed corn crepe with vanilla bean beurre blanc paired with New World cool-climate Chardonnay.” Thomas P. Burke, Sommelier, Friends Lake Inn. “Branzino al Sale, a whole Mediterranean-style sea bass with a California white blend like Coppola’s Blancaneaux” John E. Aylward, Director of Café Operations and Sommelier, Niebaum-Coppola Café.)
Value to the prospective diner comes in answers to questions about wine list emphases, wine-by-the-glass programs and best value wines. While most readers will appreciate Sommelier Guide to Restaurants in America’s practical information, others may enjoy the personal—and sometimes quirky—revelations of the sommeliers. How else would you discover that, were they not in their current profession, these people would admit to wanting to be “A used car salesman.” (Mark C. Cromer, Assistant General Manager, Buckhead Diner), or “ . . a jazz drummer, writing novels or designing shoes.” (Jeff Morgenthal, Wine Director and Sommelier, Drago), or simply “A clown!” (George Passot, Sommelier, Wine Buyer and Manager, La Folie Restaurant).
Back to Top ...
Chocolate French
Edited by Andre K. Crump 
TCB-Café Publishing, San Francisco, 2003, 190 pages, soft cover. $19.95
reviewed by Dan Clarke
Quirky but appealing, “Chocolate French” is part cookbook, part travel book. And it’s all paean to the charms of chocolate.
Filled with reminiscences and personal observations of chefs, celebrities and chocolate fans, “Chocolate French” isn’t X-rated, but it’s for adults, not children. The subject is sweet, but not simple.
English-speakers who’ve traveled in France or those with a background of school-days French language study will enjoy the observations written first in French (and generally translated to English). “Prenez du chocolat afin que les plus méchantes compagnies vous paraissent bonnes.” from a Marquise de Sévigné letter to her daughter in 1672, seems to be advice both loving and practical. (“Take chocolate, so that the most unpleasant company seems good to you.”)
And the observation of Brillat-Savarin, “Les personnes qui boivent régulièrement du chocolat se distinguent par leur bonne santé et leur résistance à toutes sortes de maladies mineures qui troublent la sérénité de la vie.” is comforting to a current generation constantly being told that anything that tastes or feels good probably shouldn’t be indulged in. (“People who regularly drink chocolate are distinguished by their good health and their resistance to all sorts of minor illnesses that disturb the serenity of life.”)
There are 52 recipes—a cooking adventure for every week of the year. Some are from France, but most are the submissions of American-based chefs, some of French heritage, others not. They’re all presented in English and ingredient quantities are American/English measured, rather than metric.
Many black and white pictures are included. They seem to evoke a mood, rather than illustrate literality. Some, like the aerial view of the Port in Monte Carlo or the jazz band in Nice, appear to have no direct relationship to the topic. Others, such as the shot of the shopfront of chocolatier Debauve & Gallais in Paris, are obvious in their relevancy. Some will appreciate the two pictures of a young Brigitte Bardot, regardless of their attention to the little four-lines of translated poetry linking her with the subject.
Those with general culinary interest will find Chocolate French worthwhile, as will those who enjoy a vicarious trip to that Gallic country. For the many with a more specific obsession for chocolate, the book is a must. As Miranda Ingram is quoted as saying, “Ne croyez pas que le chocolat soit un substitut à l’amour . . . L’amour est un substitut au chocolat.” (“Don’t believe that chocolate is a substitute for love . . . Love is a substitute for chocolate.”)
Back to Top ...
Mountain Vines, Mountain Wines
Written by Casey Young  Photographs by Ken Dawes
Published by Mountain Vines Publishing, 2003, www.mountainvinespub.com, 115 pages, soft cover. $24.95
reviewed by Dan Clarke
The Santa Cruz Mountain appellation produces some of California’s best wine, yet it remains relatively anonymous. “Mountain Vines, Mountain Wines” may go a long way toward remedying that situation.
Casey Young’s text provides a clear picture of the region’s geography and its long history of wine grape cultivation, dating back to the efforts of Franciscan missionaries 200 years ago. This was the land of French-born pioneers of the California industy Charles LeFranc and Paul Masson in the latter part of the 19th Century. For much of the middle of the 20th Century it was iconoclast Martin Ray who upheld the banner of Santa Cruz Mountain-grown wines. By the 1960’s Dr. David Bruce was making wine under his own name and Ridge Vineyards was established with Paul Draper assuming winemaking chores at the end of that decade. Both Bruce and Draper remain very significant players today, but they’ve been joined by many others now making wine here.
Roughly fifty wineries are currently operating in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Young has profiled all of them. Most are small and some may be as much hobby as business for their operators. There are no Gallos or Beringer-Blasses in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but some of its wineries are larger than most wine fans might suspect (Ridge has an annual production of 70,000 cases and Bonny Doon does about a quarter of a million cases each year).
“Mountain Vines, Mountain Wines” provides essential information on each winery—location, varieties made, days of operation, etc. Also included is the web address of nearly every one of the 50. Artisan winemakers seldom lack for personality and the author has done an admirable job in bringing those personalities to the reader. It’s not easy to avoid repetition in doing so many one and two-page profiles, but Young accomplishes the task.
Ken Dawes gives a window on those personalities with his shots of the winery principals. His outdoor photography illustrates the natural beauty of the area. Grape clusters, gnarled old vines, morning mist over steep hillsides—the vineyards of the Santa Cruz Mountains may not be that many miles from the urban sprawl of the San Francisco Bay Area, but they’re a world away.
Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers
By Malcolm Kushner 
Published by Malcolm Kushner and Associates, 168 pages, paperback, $9.95
Reviewed by Dan Clarke
Wine should be a joyous subject. Too often, it’s not—at least not in this country. In Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers, Malcolm Kushner offers levity, instead of tedium.
Organized into 13 chapters, the collection features writings of the author/editor, quips from persons well known and otherwise, and some anecdotes and jokes that may have been rewritten to make the situation fit in a wine context. Sometimes this doesn’t work, as in the case of the reference to a pricey old bottle of “Mouton Lafite Rothschild” found in storage in the Chicago Cubs clubhouse (presumably waiting forever for a pennant winning celebration). However, there are plenty of comments on wine and drink not lost in non sequitur.
Champagne references I liked were:
“The House of Lords is like a glass of Champagne that has stood for five days.”
--Clement Attlee
“You’ve forgotten those June nights at the Riviera . . . the night I drank Champagne from your slipper—two quarts. It would have been more but you were wearing inner soles.”
--Groucho Marx
Some of the comments are more fun for those who have some wine knowledge:
“The wine seems to be very closed-in and seems to have entered a dumb stage. Sort of a Marcel Meursault.”
--Paul Winalski
Some have some depth or pith:
“I’ve taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has ever taken from me.”
--Winston Churchill
“Not all men who drink are poets. Some of us drink because we aren’t poets.”
--Unknown
Others just made me laugh:
“A mind of the caliber of mine cannot derive its nutriment from cows.”
--George Bernard Shaw
“Every time I learn something new it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Like that time I took that home wine-making course and forgot how to drive.”
--Homer Simpson
“My uncle was the town drunk and we lived in Chicago.”
--George Gobel
Longer pieces don’t lend themselves to description here. Some of them were pretty funny; others seemed to be trying too hard. A wonderful touch is the inclusion of many cartoons on the subject from The New Yorker.
There will be some who take offense at parts of his collection of wine-related humor, and not just at the jokes that involve drunkenness. Those people would be the ones with little sense of humor. What’s funny to one person may not be so to another, humor being a very personal matter. It gave me enough amusement to easily justify its price. Ten bucks could otherwise buy you a fairly pedestrian bottle of Chardonnay. And how many smiles would that put on your face?
Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers is available at Amazon.com,
independent bookstores, and directly from the publisher.
Reviewer Dan Clarke writes about wine and food and appreciates a good laugh about either.
Back to Top ...
Cooking With Cajun Women: Recipes & Remembrances From South Louisiana Kitchens
By Nicole Denée Fontenot  Hippocrene Books, October, 2002. Hard cover, 330 pages. $24.95
Reviewed by Lanny Kilchrist
Cooking with Cajun Women is a wonderful book. I am extremely proud of my Cajun background; our food is becoming recognized around the country in a very positive light, as it should be. This cookbook gives a short history of our plight and background which is so necessary to the reader’s understanding of the evolution of our kitchen.
I am also a graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL). The author of this cookbook is one of many people associated with ULL who is working hard to promote and preserve our heritage. Food is always the window to a group of people, in this case hot and spicy food!
The Cajun people are descendents of French immigrants originally from the northwestern part of France. They left their home country due to political and religious pressures. They are European in all senses of the word and French as much as French can be. The recipes that are in this cookbook accurately show this French/European thinking. You will find that certain dishes are given different interpretations. For example, recipes for etouffe or gumbo are similar, but different for each individual who prepares them. This to me is one of the exciting and interesting things about our Cajun kitchen.
I especially enjoy the quotes that accompany the recipes. They give an insight to the person and show the color of our way of life. The tight knit family unit is still alive and well in South Louisiana. I will never forget our family’s mandatory Sunday dinner at grandma’s house on the farm. I was not especially receptive to this mandatory family get together, but I can tell you now that I would give anything to sit at that wonderful oak table and enjoy the magnificent meal that this old and wonderful woman could put together. Grandpa was no slouch in the kitchen, either. In fact, he could prepare Cajun food as well as his wife and he was very responsible for teaching me to cook.
Cooking with Cajun Women tends to let the reader feel that the women were more responsible for the meals than the men. Well, this not entirely correct. The Cajun men that I grew up with certainly could cook and did quite well. Cajun men are more into cooking today than ever before and certainly share the duties in the kitchen and are proud of their fixins!
The depiction of the Cajun has often suffered in accuracy, but this cookbook does a great job of helping folks understand and appreciate what we have in South Louisiana. You will enjoy this book. These words were common to hear while around our Cajun tables, “manger, manger, manger”(eat, eat, eat).
Lanny Kilchrist has resided in Sacramento, California, since he was assigned to teaching duties at Mather AFB at the conclusion of an Air Force career which included 210 combat missions in a B-52. After completing a master’s degree in glass art at California State University Sacramento, he founded L K Enterprises, a company which manufactures computerized temperature controllers for glass.
Lanny recommends readers visit the Cajun land of Louisiana to experience the wonderful food and hospitality firsthand, but cautions that a trip in the spring or fall will avoid also experiencing the summer’s very hot, sticky, and humid climate.
Back to Top ...
Sharpshooter
By Nadia Gordon 
Chronicle Books 2002, 272 pages. $11.95
reviewed by Dan Clarke
Sunny McCoskey is the owner of Wildside, a Napa Valley restaurant. She also solves murders. At least in the pages of Sharpshooter, she does. In what the publisher defines as the first mystery in a Sunny McCoskey series, the chef/sleuth jumps into a murder investigation when her friend, winegrower Wade Skord, is arrested for the murder of Jack Beroni.
Beroni was in the process of inheriting control of the most substantial winery in the area. Many of the locals had reason to dislike him, and maybe even murder him. In any case, someone who was a pretty good shot with a rifle drilled him in the heart one night as he awaited at meeting at the garden gazebo adjacent his vineyard.
Gordon portrays the late Mr. Beroni as an aggressive proponent of a plan for wholesale presticide spraying to thwart the pending invasion of the Glassy Winged Sharpshooter. That sharpshooter is the vector of Pierce's Disease, a real-life threat to the wine industry.
The double entendre is the most obvious of many details designed to give a feeling of authenticity—an insider's view—to the reader. For the most part the author succeeds, although vineyardists and winemakers may be amused at her heroine's measurement of the sugar level of friend Wade Skord's ripening Howell Mountain Zinfandel. Chef McCoskey gets readings of 17 degrees Brix and decides that the grapes would reach the desired level of 24 degrees after a couple more warm days. This is a process that would take weeks, not days. Other details are more credible and Gordon's descriptions of Wildside certainly make it seem that it could be a real café in St. Helena or any other Napa Valley location.
How many Napa Valley murders can be devised as fodder for subsequent books in this series-to-be remains to be seen, but Sharpshooter is worthy on its own. The details and the setting create a book that's fun for wine and food buffs and probably for many mystery devotees, as well.
Reviewer Dan Clarke writes about wine and food. He has worked at a vineyard on Howell Mountain.
Back to Top ...
The Fire Never Dies
One Man's Raucous Romp Down the Road of Food, Passion and Adventure 
Richard Sterling
Travelers' Tales
San Francisco, 2001
285 pages
$14.95
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
The Library of Congress summarizes this book as about anecdotes concerning food and travel. OK, but is it? The title teases us. What is that fire? Is it hungering for food? Or is it another primal need? The cover art shows an Asian woman dressed in a red dress that barely holds in her bosom sitting at a table with some plates of food. It is the sort of book cover (and book) that a junior high school boy would have had to sneak into his room to read. The book's cover still caused many people to question a bald guy in his fifties about the book.
Without telling the "best" parts, what is in the book? This book is a collection of essays about Richard Sterling's adventures from military service in Vietnam to a millennial new year's celebration in a remote village in Baja California and covers a lot of places and activities in between. There are mentions and short discussions of food and even some of cooking in the book, but that does not seem to be what the book is about in chief.
The author includes an essay about eating large insects in a restaurant in Cambodia where the only other diners or customers are a French couple. Sterling tells us about the preparation of the local specialty a large insect. However, this story, as it develops, seems not about the food so much as about the showdown between the author and the Frenchman. Will the effete Frenchman eat the insects since his wife apparently finds eating bugs disgusting?
Another story is about feeding rescued Vietnamese who fled their country in April 1975. The Vietnamese, although hungry, would not eat American beef stew provided by the crew of a U.S. Navy ship. Fortunately, someone decides that Vietnamese might prefer rice. At least in this story Sterling gives us some interesting thoughts about how familiar foods are important to our sense of self and home. They are all the more important in times of stress. Consider the reports of increased comfort foods consumption by Americans after the 9-11 slaughter.
But it appears to me that the real focus of the essays in this book is something else. One story is about the specialized male entertainment venues that existed around and near U.S. military installations in the Philippines. I missed the military and the Philippines. Sportsmen and servicemen I know who have been to the Philippines indicate that these entertainment places did exist. The reports by Sterling more than likely are accurate, given their consistency with other stories. But how is this about food or adventure? It seems pretty well known world you could encounter there. The armed services had films about that at least a generation before.
On a ship between Philippines and Vietnam the author has a strange encounter with the woman who is the barber on that ship. In still another essay some locals in Baja help the author and his friends when one of their four-wheel drive vehicles breaks down hundreds of miles from spare parts and mechanics. Sterling drinks beer with the natives in various mostly tropical locales.
Sterling's stories entertain some times, and at other times infuriate. Presumably for most of us, Sterling tells about places and activities that we will not experience. However, the focus of this publication is wine and food. All things considered, that does not appear to be the focus of this collection of essays.
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ...
The Mystique of Barolo
By Maurizio Rosso, Photography by Chris Meier 
Published by Omega Arte, June 2002
Hardcover. 288 pages, 400 photos
$75. Available only through www.artisanideas.com
Reviewed by Darrell Corti
This is quite an accomplishment as a book. It sets out to deal with the ancient, recent and modern history of one of Italy's iconic wines. It succeeds fairly well. If the reader is interested in knowing about Barolo, this is a terrific overview and compendium. There are the labels of most of all the producers: the famous, the infamous, the not so famous and the up-to-now, unheard of producers.
One very useful part to this book is the map of the subzones of Barolo, the so-called "cru." It is this notion of sub zones of production that has led a lot of small grape growers to now start selling their own production in bottle rather than selling grapes as was done as recently as the late 1980s.
There are historical facts in abundance and bits of historical minutia that warm the cockles of any wine geek's heart. It is a substantial and substantive book.
However, there are some shortcomings. Some are of historical interest: The Marchesa Giulia Vittorina Colbert of the Marchesi di Barolo, was from Normandy, not Paris. I don't think that Thomas Jefferson was a native of South Carolina. Some of the etymological discourses seem to go off in unrelated fashion to the topic at hand. Nebbiolo in north-eastern Piemonte is nicknamed "Spanna," not for the reason given in this work. The term refers to the length of the cluster, the "span" of a man's hand, not the growing length of the vine.
The use of dialectical words is nonexistent. Piemontese is a written dialect of Italian, having a good sized body of literature. The word "Chiaretto in Italian is the "vin ciaret" in Piemontese, clover to "clairet" of the English claret. Wines in the 18th Century were like much lighter in color than now, hence the popularity of the word. Sometimes it is still used by small producers to distinguish their production.
Technology is not this book's strong point. I doubt very much that a nebbiolo wine that had not undergone malolactic fermentation would go sour over time. It may referment, break bottles, if bottled, but sour? Possibly volatile, but sour? It is stated the General Pier Francesco Staglieno, working for Camillo Benso, count Cavour, in 1836, was the first to use closed vat fermentation (I wonder how he did it?), sulpher, and different sized casks. However, the history is interesting and shows that we are not too far away from wine making prehistory if all of the history of making Barolo begins early in the 19th Century. Even the founder of Italian Swiss Colony winery in California, Pietro Carlo Rossi, gets mentioned.
Better knowledge of both viticultural and enological technology and terminology would stand this work in good stead. An example: The term "mildew" is quite specific in viticulture. There is both powdery and downy mildew. In English, devatting is commonly called "racking." It probably is a question which has more to do with which English speaking country is being addressed.
I also doubt whether or not that the early attempts in 1908 at protecting the name Barolo really did lead to the creation of the DOC system of appellation control which was instituted in 1963.
Translations into English leave something to be desired, as do proof readings. A Cantina Sociale is not a "Social Cellar." It is a cooperative cellar. Grenache is translated as "grenage." The family name of Mirafiore is generally misspelled Mirafiori. This is a shame, since it appears to be a hyper correction. It is also one of the most famous names in Barolo, since it belonged to the last private owner of Fontanafredda.
The vicissitudes of nebbiolo and Barolo are well documented: its poor color, excessive tannin, late ripening and general difficulties of production. The "tricks" of the trade are described by some producers, merely hinted at by others. Photographs of the soil and vineyard exposures show the labor intensive viticulture necessary for the production of Barolo, both today and yesterday.
The interviews with the 35 producers who represent the flower of Barolo production are the highlight of this work and its greatest achievement. The interviews really show how some want to continue in a traditional mode; others to become more "international." However, one thing that is really pervasive is the fact that Barolo is a special wine with special characteristics and possibly not for everyone. Fair enough, all wines do not have to be the same, with the same characteristics and taste. Some can be different. It is the drinker who has to come to the wine, not the wine to the drinker. Otherwise, what would be the use for appellations, notions of "terroir," and the reason for having wine growing areas? Everything could come out of the same pot, so to speak.
Some of the verities spoken in the interviews are wonderful. Angelo Gaja, probably the most dynamic of the producers, comes out with a zinger. "Never forget what Enzo Biagi said of the Italian people. 'They forgive everything but success.' "
From the promotional, technical and historical work done in the late 1970s by my old friend Renato Ratti, sadly missed these days, to the traditional methodology explained by Bartolo Mascarello, and the newest Bordeaux styling used by Elio Altare, The Mystique of Barolo shows a wonderful wine in all of its lights: good, bad, indifferent, warts and all, humanizing it and showing that wine is more than a grape, soil technology. It is a culture; a way of life; a philosophical ideal and can be a delicious tasting experience.
Back to Top ...
Adventures in Wine, True Stories of Vineyards and Vintages Around the World
Edited by Thom Elkjer  April 2002, 304 pages, $17.95
Travelers Tales Books San Francisco, California
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
Imagine that you had never drunk a glass of wine with friends or traveled to a place far away. If you are reading this review, that may be a bit much to ask, but you can do it. You would easily spend the few hours that it will take to read every essay and, indeed, every word in this book. Your interest in wine and travel would have been aroused by these stories. They are not just about wine and travel. They speak to the need to experience new tastes, events and places. On the other hand, if you are a savvy traveler, you will find stories about things you have not experienced. Some of them may even inspire you to do something you had not done before or to re-live an old adventure. Whether you are inexperienced or a veteran, this book has stories for you.
The essays portray the diversity of experiences of wine lovers, famous and not. Renowned authors write about their enjoyment of wine. New writers do the same. Prominent wine producers and merchants tell their stories. A psychiatrist from the San Francisco Bay area who makes wine at home writes his story. That man tells us he carried the Chardonnay he made with him to Italy. He traded it for the wine made by the owner of the agriturismo where he stayed outside of Radda. Jan Morris, the well-known historian, gives us some thoughts about loving wine. Kermit Lynch, the Californian importer and merchant of European wines, tells us how dealt with unacceptability of credit cards in a rural French restaurant with a world-class wine cellar. Tim Russo, who worked in developing democracy, describes a political meeting in the Republic of Georgia. "Every political meeting there may potentially end in a supra: a grand, traditional Georgian meal complete with vast quantities of local wine."
The authors led me back to my past and, I hope, my future, with wine. Perhaps you will recall a kind and knowledgeable professor who took the time to explain that good wine was better to drink and more enjoyable than the stuff you sneaked into the dorm and shared with your undergraduate classmates. I did. As you read through the book maybe the first time you had real wine with good food and friends old and new will come to mind. What were you celebrating? Will you remember being asked, "What is that dark brown wine with your dessert?" by a table of French tourists next to you in a restaurant in the Juderia of Cordoba? Likely not, but similar things may have occurred in your time with wine. If they have, you will enjoy reading about such episodes others have experienced.
Most of these essays make me think that an undergraduate education followed immediately by law
school and a law career are all the signs of a misspent youth and a part of an adulthood. Maybe others will read these essays before it is too late for them.
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ...
Life’s a Fish and Then You Fry
by Randy Bayliss  Second Edition, First Edition self-published 1999 as Fear and Poaching: Eating Southeast Alaska
208 pages, 100 recipes, 60 illustrations, $16.95 retail
Alaska Northwest Books
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
For your consideration: a cookbook by a man who consults on hazardous waste cleanups in the state whose seafood he recommends for use in most recipes.
Bayliss begins the first section of the book by discussing the health benefits of eating seafood. He follows through by encouraging the reader to eat seafood and provides quite a few good recipes. The book has more than 200 recipes for all manners of dishes featuring wild pacific salmon, halibut, crab, mussels, and squid. The recipes are simple and straightforward. Most follow the rubric: when you have excellent ingredients let them shine in the dish. He includes dishes that are from Mexican, Asian, Native Alaskan, Scandinavian, French, Italian and other cuisines.
Although the author emphasizes the health benefits of seafood and olive oil, he suggests storing garlic cloves in olive oil. Bayliss writes, "Since most olive oil recipes also call for garlic, store peeled garlic cloves in olive oil. The oil picks up the flavor of garlic and garlic cloves store well, ready for other uses." He also advises readers not to refrigerate olive oil. These appear to be very odd practices to include in a book which so emphasizes health.
Why does it seem odd? In 1989 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged consumers to discard garlic-in-oil and similar products. Firms were told to stop making any such mixes which require refrigeration for safety. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/NEW00120.html
Health Canada has written, " Garlic in oil is a popular home prepared food item which can present a health risk, if stored incorrectly. Improper storage of food products is a frequent cause of food poisoning in Canada. These illnesses can range from relatively mild discomfort such as cramps or upset stomach, to life threatening. One of the most serious risks is that of botulism. Non-preserved garlic in oil (that is, containing no preservatives) is a food that is known to present such an extreme risk and must therefore be handled properly… Non-preserved garlic in oil products are mixtures of vegetable oil and whole, chopped or minced garlic. For safety these products must be continuously refrigerated, from the time of preparation, and should be used within one week." http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/mh-dm/iyh-avs/e_garlic_in_oil.htm. The Calaveras County California Extension Service has a wealth of information about garlic handling and storage at http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/garlic.htm
Bayliss’s suggestion of storing garlic in olive oil astounded me. This book is hard to figure on food safety issues. The author makes his garlic suggestion and a similar one about storing basil leaves in olive oil. On the other hand, he tells us how important it is to avoid harvesting mussels in tidal areas affected by red tide algae. Does he really think that more people will be getting their mussels at the shore than at the market? Why include this warning?
On another strange issue, he is at pains to let us know "don’t eat bait quality herring." Thanks, Bayliss, but I do not do any shopping for my table at the bait shop. Oh, and did I mention the kelp foraging advice complete with illustrations to help us recognize good Alaskan kelp on the beach?
All in all, this book is strange. Perhaps, I am just not "in on" the idea or joke that is essential to understanding it. Sare these oddities the one part Hunter S. Thompson in the book as the cover notes suggest? May be the book is just intended for Alaskans. I’m from Chicago and live in California. Thanks be to God.
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ...
Alligator Dreams: The Story of Greenwood Ridge Vineyards
By Richard Paul Hinkle 
Silverback Books Santa Rosa, California, 119 pages, multiple photos and illustrations, $24.95
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
On a ridge named for an early American explorer of California and the west, Caleb Greenwood, Alan Green grows grapes, makes wines and lives among the vines. Author Richard Paul Hinkle tells us that Green realized early that he couldn't support himself growing grapes, but could by growing grapes and making wines.
Hinkle indicates although it is not a good idea to value a winery solely based on its medal count in competitions and judgings, Greenwood Ridge has such a collection of them a person has to take notice. This he indicates is especially true since Greenwood Ridge is small and its location is removed from the action in Mendocino County.
There are four noble varieties of grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Greenwood Ridge makes wines from each of them and
Zinfandel as well. Hinkle writes a short chapter about every variety of Greenwood's wines. Each chapter is replete with information about the wine, of course. There are also marvelous photos to accompany the text and, in some instances, art commissioned by Alan Green, too.
Green began growing grapes in the 1970's, made wines professionally in the early 1980's, and won a gold medal in 1981 at the Orange County Fair. It was in the early years that the alligator became a part of the Greenwood Ridge label. The contour of the ridge evoked the shape of a gator's head, hence the alligator's dreams of the title. The winery also uses the crocodilian theme in the chocolates, which are sold in its tasting room, Eye of the Dragon.
The owner has participated with a group of local winemakers and grape growers in getting federal approval of the Mendocino Ridge Viticultural Area designation. Hinkle tells us Mendocino Ridge is a unique viticultural area. It exists not in a contiguous land area but across a discontinuous area and it is "based on altitude rather than a wholly connected flat-land surface." It is the altitude, which makes the grapes grown in that area so special.
For those fascinated with the production of grapes and how wines are made, the author has included significant details about the cycles of the care for the vines and the harvesting of the grapes. There is even a well-illustrated "annual vineyard timeline" and "winemaking timeline" replete with drawings of what the vines would look like in the various months of the year. The people who care for the vineyard are credited for their efforts and featured in photos.
The author and Alan Green have cooperated to make not only technical, but also lyrical observations about the grapes and wines of Greenwood Ridge -- bits of brix talk here and there, but a lot more about the love of grape growing and wine making and enjoying them.
This book is a good read. It is the story of a man, his winery and his love of wines and the accompanying parts of the good life that go along with them. Alan
Green and the rest of us who have enjoyed his story and his wines are the richer for it as well.
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ...
In the Devil's Garden - A Sinful History of Forbidden Food
by Stewart Lee Allen 
Ballantine Books, hardcover, 315 pages, $24.00
www.randomhouse.com
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
I received the book from the publisher and at first glance found the title intriguing, "The Devil’s Garden." More seriously, the Library of Congress categorized the book as "1. Gastronomy—History, 2.Food habits—History, 3. Cookery—History" and perhaps hopefully, "4. Menus." Not only is this book is an amusing look at historical foods prohibitions and attitudes, it’s topical, too.
That topicality was immediately apparent. The California Legislature and Governor have recently forbidden selling candy and fatty snacks to children in schools; another bill would have taxed sweetened soda pop. The "evils" of fast food and too hot coffee have been litigated. One California city is considering banning sales of coffee made from beans which do not meet its fair trade and environmental standards.
Those are relatively recent occurrences in the long history of legal or religious authorities and food. Human history started with "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." King James Bible, Genesis Book 3, Verse 17. We all know how that warning turned out. On the other hand, Adam and Eve’s failure to heed the warning led us to our relationship to each other and food. If it’s forbidden, doesn’t that make it more interesting?
Allen tells the history of how certain foods became forbidden. He does it in a way that the reader participates in how the history was uncovered. On his way to a remote monastery in Greece he and his guide become lost in a snowstorm and happen upon the hut of two religious hermits one of whom offers an apple to the lost travelers. The hermit delivers a short speech on how the apple can be seen as a representation of the evil female genitalia. After laughing that this is only taught by the Roman Church, the hermit says it is just an apple so eat it, advice probably gratefully taken after having been hungry and lost in the snow.
However, Mr. Allen does not let us wonder whether the hermit was right. He tells us how and when apples were declared out-of-bounds. Why had apples and cider been written out by the Catholics from below the Alps? Because they were much beloved of the Celtic Catholics whose pagan forebears treasured the apple and its products. A political, doctrinal and liturgical issue takes shape in an attack on the apple. Is this why we are taught that Eve bit the apple in the Garden of Eden and started all humankind on its way?
The book has a chapter devoted to each of the deadly or capital sins -- pride, gluttony, avarice, lust, sloth, blasphemy and anger. Just in case someone reading the book hasn’t sinned to a deadly extent Mr. Allen produces a menu which represents each of the sins. At least as far as food may help you get there. Some of the menus may actually be included for mockery of the cook and the eater such as the gluttony menu which features a pie of songbirds called ortolans which were reputedly served to the late French President Mitterand. There are limits even for the French. Allen tells us eating these songbirds is contrary to French law.
In this and the other chapters the author gives us historical anecdotes about why and how a foodstuff or a preparation was forbidden to some. Even into the present, Indians eschew cooking with basil. Fortunately, the same is untrue of Italians. In Aztec culture the only time commoners were allowed chocolate was when it was mixed with human blood, and if that wasn’t bad enough you only got that treat before you were sacrificed to the gods.
Tomatoes, which are commonplace in the contemporary American kitchen and garden, were once feared as poisonous. Allen tells this story well. Tomatoes have a strong botanical relationship to nightshade and mandrake whose alkaloids make those plants deadly poisonous. Was that the reason or was it because the tomatoes were a representation of body parts and acts, which we are not supposed to discuss?
There are also recipes for some dishes from across the world’s cuisines. They are an indication of the wanderings and varied tastes of the author. Is seared foie gras your taste? Perhaps Five Angry Vegetables done in Chinese style? More to my taste, how about Crostini di Fegato a traditional Tuscan style liver pate on toast? The range of the recipes from poached eggs done in the style of the ancient Romans to the modern Hudson Valley foie gras gives you a good notion that this author loves food -- no matter whether in the garden, on the table, or in a story well researched and told.
In spite of the menus and recipes, this is not a how-to book. It is an interesting look at how the powerful have tried to limit the behavior of people in their realms, temporal or spiritual, throughout human history.
On something as important and fun as food our behavior can be manipulated. Sometime people of political and religious power tell us what to do with our food as related in Mr. Allen’s book. On occasion, other authorities including ourselves can be manipulated into certain attitudes about food which have little or no basis in science or reality. Look at the contemporary view that fatty foods can cause fat and cholesterol to increase in the body. Is it based on faith, manipulation or science? "In the Devil’s Garden" is a book that is fun and thought provoking.
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ...
The Cafes of San Francisco
TCB Café Publishing, soft cover, 192 pages, $15.95 
www.cafeandre.com
Reviewed by B.J. Shepherd
Subtitled "A Guide to the Sights, Sounds, and Tastes of America’s Original Cafe Society," The Cafes of San Francisco satisfies on several levels.
Six authors are credited with its reviews of countless cafes. Two other writers are listed as having provided "other text." Beyond that, comments from observers of the café scene, past and present, San Francisco and beyond, are included.
Crack open this book with a frame of mind too literal and logical and things may seem unfocused. Descriptions and great photos of cafes in San Francisco proper and the surrounding Bay Area provide solid foundation. Additional text, including celebrity quotes, recipes and several days entries in a café habituée’s diary may seem extraneous at first, but their presence goes a long way toward painting the big picture for the reader.
Primarily organized by San Francisco neighborhoods, The Cafes of San Francisco gives back-of-the-book listing of all its cafes alphabetically and by specialty. Live music in general, jazz, Bohemian atmosphere, poetry, dinner service and other emphases all find their own sub-listings.
Just what a café is may not be defined precisely in these pages, but plenty of individual interpretations are exposed. The gamut ranges from four Peet’s Coffee & Tea locations to Plumpjack and Zuni, which are much more restaurants than coffee vendors. Ten food recipes are included in a Cafe Cuisine section—hardly enough to be comprehensive, but they may add to the reader’s enjoyment generally and, in some way, to his overall feel for the café environment.
San Franciscans are frequently accused of an infatuation with their city and themselves. Quotes in these pages from Oscar Wilde ("It is an odd thing, but everyone who disappears is said to be in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the attractions of the next world." --Lord Henry in The Picture of Dorian Gray), and Rudyard Kipling ("San Francisco is a mad city—inhabited for the most part by perfectly insane people whose women are of a remarkable beauty.") tend to support that view, but they’re fun just the same. Also included is a less flamboyant commentary—and certainly a more contemporary one--from Spencer Christian, long-time national television personality who in recent years has relocated from New York City to the San Francisco Bay Area, "San Francisco has the best cafe culture that I’ve personally experienced outside of Europe. In fact, I have often found that the only one I can really compare it to is the cafe culture in Paris, which I often do. You can simply stroll down so many of San Francisco’s sidewalks and find cafes, unknown and unadvertised, where you are able to drop in and have a very nice time."
And what could be wrong with having a very nice time? The Cafes of San Francisco provides entertaining preface to such endeavor.
Buy "The Cafes of San Francisco" now from Amazon.com
Back to Top ...
Passover Cookery
by Joan Kekst 
Five Star Publications, softcover, 168 pages, $24.95
www.fivestarpublications.com
Reviewed by Robert Guildner Ph.D.
Joan Kekst has many years of experience teaching and lecturing on Kosher and Jewish holiday meals. She has a B.A. from Notre Dame College in Home Economics Education and a M.A. in Judaic Culture from Cleveland College of Jewish Studies. She has also has also attended the New York Cooking School and LaVarenne Paris. She works as a Cleveland food columnist and has free-lanced for national Jewish publications. With a sound academic grounding and over twenty years of experience, Joan is especially qualified to deliver a book intended to equip the reader -- whether neophyte or maven to prepare a memorable Passover for the family.
Passover Cookery contains recipes for first courses, soups, kugels, vegetables and salads, main courses and desserts. Detailed and easy to follow guides for setting the Seder table begin the book. The ritual course of the meal and the food cues for each stage are explained. The book is well laid out with easy to read text which is garnished throughout with color photographs and rich graphics. Much appreciated is that each recipe is on one page. I propped the book in the kitchen book holder and did not have to stop and turn back and forth between pages and risk leaving a sample of the ingredients on the pages.
The author includes tips on how to make the holiday specific to your family and shares traditions from her own. While Ms. Kekst gives an overview of the dietary laws and Biblical injunctions that pertain to making a meal that is "Kosher for Passover", the scope of her book extends beyond what at first blush appears to be a rather narrow focus. My family and others can enjoy any of the recipes throughout the year. In fact, several are destined to become " Old Favorites." Moreover, the audience is not limited to homes that keep kosher or even Jewish homes. Gentile readers will find much to reward them in this book as well.
The only thing missing from Ms. Kekst's plate is a more thorough discussion of wine. While the author mentions the place of wine in Passover, there is no discussion of food and wine pairings. The thought of a kosher wine usually conjures up the image of an overly sweet wine with little to recommend it. That may be historically accurate but great strides have been made in recent years. There is no reason why the grape varieties, science and skills of great wine makers found in the general viticultural world cannot be addressed to crafting fine kosher wines. Kosher wines are made in many parts of the world and here in California, we are lucky to have several wineries producing a wide variety of fine kosher wines. There is Gan Eden (www.ganeden.com), Baron Herzog, Hagafen (www.hagafen.com) and Weinstock, for example. So, I encourage the reader to explore kosher wines for Passover as well as those other times wine and food can be enjoyed together.
The central motif of Passover is the Seder. Rich with ritual and teaching aids, e.g. the Seder plate, the meal serves as an annual tutorial for Jews to think about our escape from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land and the meaning of freedom for all of the peoples of the earth. Far more than a collection of delicious recipes Passover Cookery is a heuristic for the Passover season leading the reader not only through cooking the meals but also making the home Kosher for Passover. Our modern lives are very busy ones and this season and its demands can loom as an overwhelming task. Joan Kerst provides highly effective methods for enlisting the help of family members and articulates a model example of Critical Path Management with her "Six Week Countdown to Passover". These two items alone are worth more than the price of the book and will lead many from the slavery of holiday preparation to promised land of holiday enjoyment.
Buy "Passover Cookery" now, from Amazon.com
Robert Guildner Ph.D. is the President of Wolff Solutions, an Information Technology consulting firm in Sacramento, California. He may be contacted at 916.448.1598 or by email at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Back to Top ....
Zinfandel: A Reference Guide to Zinfandel
by Cathleen Francisco 
The Wine Appreciation Guild, 315 pages, $24.95
www.wineappreciation.com
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
As a kid I often looked for a series of books in the local public library called "All About" books. They were good for the beginner introducing himself to a subject but were written with a scrupulous attention to the technicalities that gave texture and structure to the subject as well. This book works similarly. If not "All About" Zinfandel, then it is a very good step toward All About.
What does this book say about Zinfandel? Organized alphabetically by winery the author tells us the name of the winery, its history, ownership, winemaker and winemaking philosophy. She sets out vintage notes for the 1998 vintage as applicable to the winery and its wines.
The book lists for each wine discussed: appellation, composition, vinification and, if applicable, the vineyard. She sets out next, the alcohol percentage, residual sugar, brix at harvest, harvest date, bottling date and production data. The winemaker’s notes let the maker tell us what he wants us to know about the particular wine, well probably just some of it. Some winemakers are generous enough with their knowledge of their wines to include suggestions for food pairings.
As a courtesy to the winery and help to the reader, the author provides winery location, information about visiting it, website and telephone number and a list of the winery’s other wines.
Ms. Francisco writes a glossary. If you have heard a certain term and wondered what it might mean, whether the term is an artful one such as "bouquet" or technical and scientific like "carbonic maceration", the glossary is helpful. By doing this she provides help to getting at both the magic and science of winemaking.
As a further aid she discusses blending varieties in a separate section called A Guide. She names various blending grapes and describes them in terms of what winemakers think they may contribute to a zinfandel. She includes the places of origin or common use of these varieties so the reader can do more research about their attributes. Ms. Francisco gives us a good introduction to tasting wines featuring those grapes.
She also provides a guide to American Viticultural Areas or AVAs. She tells us the origin of the terms in Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regulations and its legal definition. The author tells us a bit about each California AVA and what it means for the grapes grown there and the wines made from them. In addition, she describes the requirements for the use of certain terms such as "county", "vineyard" and "estate" on labels.
The author succeeds in giving a reference guide to zinfandel and much more useful information about wine.
Buy "Zinfandel" now, from Amazon.com
Back to Top ....
The Eclectic Gourmet Guide to Los Angeles, 3rd Edition
By Colleen Dunn Bates 
Menasha Ridge Press $12.95
www.globe-pequot.com
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
California is thought of as the state where seemingly few people are natives. People in California want to enjoy a taste of home, which could be almost anywhere else and probably is. The climate and the work of California farmers produce so many foods that all sorts of plain and exotic foods are available. What is not grown can become available through commerce. Los Angeles with its vast population and numberless restaurants is a great place to taste this treasure trove of food and drink.
Over 15 years ago I came to Los Angeles from Chicago to visit a couple of friends who are Chicago transplants living in Pasadena, a Los Angeles suburb. A few years later I moved to the Pasadena area. Now once again I go to Los Angeles as a visitor. Having dealt with trying to find good restaurants and being limited by the morass that is Los Angeles area traffic I can recommend this book.
Finding the right restaurant in LA can be a daunting task for a resident let alone a frequent visitor or the first time tourist. As Ms. Bates observes, LA offers myriad styles from all over the world—from American diner food to Shanghai-styled Chinese. In what other city can you find a restaurant with Korean flank steak and a selection of tapas?
Ms. Bates has written a guide that displays and encyclopedic knowledge of what is available in LA and where and how you can find it. She makes keen observations and easily appreciated comments about the best dishes and wines. Her wit shines through in asides such as describing the ambience of one place as "Mafia meets your packrat Aunt Mildred . . .," presumably with no offense meant to capos, aunties or the rats.
The author identifies restaurants by name, cuisine, star, price, quality, service, friendliness and value ratings and zone. Areas of Los Angeles and Orange Counties are divided into zones, which are listed in the text and shown on an included map. Each reviewed restaurant’s hours, reservation policy, credit card acceptance, dress, phone and address are listed. Separate lists allow searching by cuisine or zone. With all of that very useful information given you are missing only a companion to dine with and a driver to get you there.
Imagine wanting a steak or a burger or a taco or Sino-Italian food and being able to find them and have a knowledgeable person to tell you how good they will be and how much they would cost. This is a useful book that should help many people make sense of eating well in LA and environs.
Buy the "Eclectic Gourmet" now, from Amazon.com
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ....
Napa Valley: Land of Golden Vines
by Kathleen & Gerald Hill 
The Globe Pequot Press, 306 pages; $15.95
www.globe-pequot.com
reviewed by Dan Clarke
Although "Napa Valley, Land of Golden Vines" has some disquieting inconsistencies and inaccuracies, it’s probably the best and most comprehensive guide to the area.
Wineries are the main attraction, of course, and the book lists locations, phone numbers, varieties produced, open hours and all the other relevant details for most of those that are open to the public. Each winery also receives a couple of paragraphs of narrative to flesh out the basic details that otherwise are available in many free periodicals available to tourists.
Restaurants, lodging and points of interests are also covered as the authors take the reader on a trip up the Napa Valley. Beginning with the Carneros region and moving northward through the city of Napa, the communities of Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, and then the towns of St. Helena and Calistoga at the valley’s northern end, the progression is logical and detailed.
However, "Napa Valley, Land of Golden Vines" does contain a number of errors and ambiguities:
The authors tell us that Marilyn Monroe "used to visit the Calistoga baths when hubby Joe DiMaggio was off playing baseball . . . ". The Yankee Clipper retired after the 1951 season. He married Marilyn in 1954.
On page 87 Beaulieu Vineyards is said to be "the oldest continuously producing winery in the Napa Valley." On page 139 Beringer Vineyards is called "the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley."
The bistro Bouchon "was created by the Keller brothers of the French Laundry (Yountville) and Fleur de Lys (San Francisco)." Thomas Keller is the chef/owner of the French Laundry in Yountville. Hubert Keller is the chef/owner of Fleur de Lys in San Francisco. They are not related. Certainly one would think such inaccuracies wouldn’t be found in a second edition.
Still, the amount of information in the book is substantial and many of the detailed topics are completely accurate and would likely be fascinating insight for most visitors. A 30-page history of the area is included, as are a smattering of vineyard and winery-supplied recipes. While I’m surprised at a number of inaccuracies, they don’t make the book less valuable as a tourist resource. Perhaps an analogy applies—that of a goalie who makes great saves all night, but leaves the fans remembering the few times a puck went past him. Authors Kathleen and Gerald Hill did have a pretty good game in goal and I would commend "Napa Valley, Land of Golden Vines" to California wine country visitors.
Buy "Napa Valley" now, from Amazon.com
Reviewer Dan Clarke writes about wine and food. He doesn’t know much about ice hockey but likes his analogy, nonetheless.
Back to Top ....
How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine
By Jancis Robinson 
Simon & Schuster; 208 pages; $25.
Reviewed by Steve Graham
My Christmas wish for 2001 is that every customer would receive a copy of "How to Taste." Instead of hearing "I only drink Cabernet" or "They make a red Zinfandel, too?" it just might be "I’d like to compare a Marlborough with a Sancerre!"
Jancis Robinson’s "How to Taste, A Guide to Enjoying Wine" is a perfect gift for the wine novice who wants to increase his knowledge and enjoyment of wine. This book strikes a nice medium between the intimidating "THE OXFORD COMPANION TO WINE" that Robinson edited and the popular wine/travel/seen-and-be-seen wine magazines. I would highly recommend "How to Taste" to those who are new to wine and to my wine clients who are very savvy in certain areas of wine—those very comfortable with a few varietals, but who need to stretch their comfort zone to get a full appreciation of the world of wines.
"How to Taste" takes the reader through a well-constructed wine course that puts the importance on doing, or tasting in this case. Each point in the book is discussed in theory and then applied in practice.
The information at the beginning of each subject gives an excellent base on which the practice builds. Those new to wine will appreciate the easy to understand descriptors of each varietal that will make their reading of subsequent publications more enjoyable. Robinson also addresses subjects such as TCA (the foul-smelling compound trichloroanisole given off by wines stoppered with a tainted cork), storage, serving and judging the overall quality of a wine. Even the well-seasoned wine veteran will learn something new. While not as comprehensive as "The Oxford Companion to Wine," "How to Taste" will make a great resource for any future future wine questions.
As she states repeatedly, tasting is what it is all about. After the theory is a highlighted section on practice. Whether with a group of wine professionals or just the gang over for the evening, "How to Taste" will encourage lively discussion, as readers will discover new facets of their own palates. The emphasis of the practice is to have fun while learning about the wines and improving the ability to assess wines, all the while removing the mystique of wine and making it an everyday addition to the table.
The final chapter discusses food and wine pairings, the rules and how to break them, and a concise glossary that gets the beginner up to speed without approaching wine geek-dom.
Professional and to the point, this guide to enjoying wine will make an excellent addition to any wine library. "With How to Taste," Jancis Robinson confirms her place as one of the premier wine writer today.
Buy "How to Taste" now, from Amazon.com
Reviewer Steve Graham is a wine merchant for the Nugget grocery chain in Sacramento, California.
Back to Top ...
Stories and art by Gina Gigli 
Recipes by Ruggero Gigli
Villa Gigli Press
www.villagigli.com
Poco Pane, Poco Vino: a little bread, a little wine
Reviewed by Mike Petersen
After I returned from a recent vacation in Italy a friend pressed this book upon me requesting that I review it for the journal he owns, writes, edits, and manages. Cynicism and skepticism in full flower after having savored the wonderful ingredients and cuisine in Italy, I read the book as an obligation to a friend. Now I owe him a favor for having introduced me to such a great book.
After reading the book in full and being charmed by its every aspect: art, stories and recipes, I tried some of the recipes. Man is endowed with five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. This book is a delight for the eyes to behold just for its wonderful drawings. The recipes and text conjure the wonderful aromas one could expect from the tales told, ingredients described and directions given. When cooked, the recipes enchant the nose. The recipes, when tasted, delight the tongue. But perhaps best for the senses and the heart, is eating these foods with others and hearing the appreciative comments of those with whom you share them.
As I understand the Italian approach to food it is something to be enjoyed and shared, not something which tries to attain the perfected essence of any product or ingredient. The point in using wonderful ingredients to their advantage and yours is not to change them. Gigli succeeds, in my opinion, in getting at the philosophy of the Italian table. A plus is that you do not have to shop at markets in Tuscany to achieve those goals.
Mr. Gigli’s recipes use Californian and American ingredients that are readily available. It means, quite simply, that these wonderful recipes can be made without ordering exotic ingredients from far away places at great expense. Sonoma Jack Cheese is recommended, not some hard to find expensive cheese. The wines paired are Californian varieties. California extra virgin olive oil is recommended where appropriate. Produce available in California shops and elsewhere in the United States is included in the recipes.
You do not have to go out and hunt for tagliatelle in some store or pasta shop. There are simple directions for making it at home. And, if it does not work out as as quite well as if you had done it in a restaurant in Bologna or Florence a thousand times, "no problem"--you have just learned how to do it yourself. However, you could also follow the author’s suggestions and buy the "fresh" pasta at your local supermarket. In either event you will enjoy the recipe produced.
Serious and beginning cooks with an interest in making good Italian food can use this book to advantage. I especially like the way the book can be used as a guide for the fundamentals of Italian cooking. Techniques for baking your own bread, toasting crostini, making your own fresh pasta, preparing the sautéed vegetables to go into the soup or stew are all laid out for you to do by the authors. More sophisticated preparations, which combine these and other recipes, are also in the book. The most important lesson is cook and eat well.
As a good friend with some experience with cookbooks said, "The recipes are each on a single page." For any cook that is a great benefit. You just know that was a conscious choice of the authors. This is another way that the book makes it easy for you to make and enjoy great food.
Poco Pane leaves one envious and joyful that this husband and wife have worked together to craft this book with such style. Here is hoping there is more to come.
Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Back to Top ...
|
|
Written by Eric Brown
|
|
Saturday, 21 June 2008 02:29 |
 2 August 2007
Big House
California
2005 Red Wine, $9.99 (13.5% alc.)
“O.K. So the winery is in Soledad, a little burg in Monterey County that is more famous for a state prison than anything else. The wine's labels—front and back—take advantage of this and whether this is engaging for the prospective customer, we can’t know. In reviewing wines we try to judge what’s in the bottle, rather than what’s on the bottle. It would be easy to dismiss this Big House Red as too ‘cute’ if the wine didn’t taste pretty good. It’s a blend of grapes--some of them Rhone natives, some Italians--in unknown percentages. The alcohol level is reasonable and the flavors are zippy, but not overpowering.”
“Versatile--will accompany many dishes.”
27 July 2007 Mont Pellier, California, 2005 Viognier, $7. (12.5% alc.) “Another alternative to Chardonnay and, in this price range, a much better choice. Nicely floral aromas and just a little spice in the background of this reliable and affordable candidate to accompany Sunday chicken dinner.”
 July 19, 2007
Valley of the Moon, Sonoma County, 2006 Rosato di Sangiovese, $14. (13.5% alc.) “Fairly deeply colored rose. Rich, fruity aromas and flavors—cherry/raspberry. Medium-to-heavy bodied, it’s a very full wine for this category and might be a delightful pairing with many foods that might otherwise call for a lighter red wine.”
“A good option to pour with a variety of grilled sausages or with a roasted or smoked turkey breast.”
June 28, 2007 
Another winner for a Monterey County winery that seems to do a fine job with every variety it makes. Hahn’s ’05 Pinot Noir manages to combine theclean and big flavors of California fruit with some subtlety and complexity worthy of Burgundy. Dark cherry and berry fruit apparent in the nose and on the palate and just a bit of the smokey/woodsy character that makes this grape so intriguing. (Sometimes wine writers can be both accurate and succinct. One at the table when this wine was poured observed, ‘It just tastes good!’).” “Sure, it would be lovely with salmon in that classic red wine-with-fish pairing, but the feral qualities could be picked up by lamb chops rubbed with garlic and herbs and grilled over wood or with short ribs in some slow-cooked method incorporating star anise, lemon peel and some cinnamon.” Hahn Estates,
Monterey,
2005 Pinot Noir $20 (14% alc.).
 June 07, 2007
“Big nose greets the taster and, with a little aeration, is followed by big flavors of blackberry, backed up by some vanilla and just a little cocoa. Foppiano has been one of the best interpreters of this variety over the years and their success has helped encourage the current Petite Sirah renaissance. This ’04 effort shows they still have that touch.” Foppiano Vineyards Russian River Valley 2004 Estate Petite Sirah, $23.00
 May 31, 2007
“Pretty strong evidence here that the Lodi region can supply the warm, dry conditions in which this Spanish grape will thrive. Plenty of dark fruit expression, without the sweet jamminess that's so common in California Zins and Bordeaux varieties these days. Provides enough character to accompany any red meat dinner and with delightfully different flavor profile.” Christine Andrew Lodi 2005 Tempranillo, $14.99
 May 24, 2007
“Beautiful yellow/golden color ordinarily seen only in older white wines, but this Albariño is very young and fresh. With great acidity, it’s friendly to many foods. More than just that acidity, though, is the layering of flavors that make it a sophisticated foil for many seafood entrees. Aromatic and with flavor aspects of apple, stone fruits and citrus.” “Try it with a classic bowl of mussels or grilled shrimp.” Martin Códax Rias Baixas 2006 Albariño, $14.99
 May 17, 2007
“Aromas of white peach and apricot, followed by good fruit and minerality. A clean, long finish. A good wine that is food-friendly and might be a revelation for Americans used to Chardonnay, Chardonnay and more Chardonnay.” “Try with steamed or broiled fish preparations involving ginger.” Wolf Blass So. Australia 2006 Riesling, $12
 May 03, 2007
“Appealing floral aromas of honeysuckle and fruit tree blossoms. Higher alcohol (13.2%) and bigger style in this off-dry wine than in the traditional German and Alsatian versions of the variety, but in this case we like the boldness. Shows some of the spiciness that gives the Gewürz grape its identity, though not a lot.” “Was good accompaniment to a lunch of roasted pork tenderloin and broccoli sauteed in green garlic and dried red peppers.” Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Gewürztraminer, $15.00.
April 26, 2007 “Very attractive wine. There’s a light and ethereal quality, but plenty of flavor and complexity, which is likely from being aged on the lees. Alcohol is 14.2%, but it seems lighter (that’s a good thing) and pairs very well with food.” Abandon Carneros 2004 Chardonnay, $20.00.
April 19, 2007 “Zin, Petite Sirah and a little Carignane from older and renowned vineyard, this wine is all about big, lush fruit. There’s black pepper and some tar and smoke in background. A serious Zinfandel from the state’s best-known specialist in this variety.”
“Would be a nice pick with a big California-Italian dinner that included somebody’s mother’s homemade ravioli in a red sauce and garlic bread, followed by a grilled T-bone and some sautéed red and green peppers.” Ravenswood Dry Creek Valley 2004 “Teldeschi” Zinfandel, $29.99.
April 12, 2007  “Something delightfully different for under ten bucks! Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (64%), with the balance made up of a variety most identified with South Africa, Pinotage (a cross between Pinot Noir and the native Rhone Valley grape Cinsault). We found bright berry fruit, a little smokiness and some very appealing herbal notes. It’s nicely-balanced and not too hot/highly alcoholic (13.5%) and will accompany a wide variety of dishes successfully. More nuances here than you’d expect at the price.”
Sebeka Western Cape (So. Africa) 2006 Cabernet-Pinotage, $8.99.
 April 6, 2007
“A different interpretation of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. There’s some of that racy grassiness and citrus, but there’s also a clear presence of pineapple or other pick-your-tropical-fruit options. An unusual style, but a classy wine in its own way.” “Serve with the clean and simple flavors of a grilled fish such as halibut or dorado/mahi-mahi.” Nobilo Marlborough (New Zealand) 2006 Icon Sauvignon Blanc, $21.99
 March 29, 2007
“Full and big treatment of this grape. Tropical fruit character, but with a baked apple quality. There’s a richness here that could be from the fermentation on the lees or from the oak aging.” “Serve with a pork roast when the recipe incorporates dried fruits (apricots, peaches or pears) or fresh apples.” Ironstone Calaveras County 2004 Res. Chardonnay, $14.99
 March 22, 2007
"A very unusual wine, this Zin is big (15% alcohol) but doesn’t come off as ‘hot’ in the too-high-in-alcohol sense. However, it does have a hot (as in spicy hot) white pepper quality throughout, which seems to get hotter on the finish. Other spicy components include some subtler clove and cinnamon." "Would be interesting to pair like-and-like by serving this with a pork shoulder rubbed with a mix containing some cayenne pepper and slowly roasted in Weber Kettle or similar outdoor cooker" Mazzocco Dry Creek Valley 2004 Quinn Vineyard Zinfandel, $24.00
March 08, 2007 Boeger, El Dorado County, 2005 Walker Vineyalrd Zinfandel,. "Sprightly, peppery and full of flavor. Aromas of juicy blackberriers and black pepper, followed by panoply of berry and plum flavors. Long finish. Some wines invite 'that second glass' Many do not. This Walker Vineyard Zin definitely is in that former category." "Was Delightful accompaniment to a Gascony-inspired dish of pork shoulder braised with Zinfandel and prunes" Walker Vineyard Central Coast 2005 Walker Vineyard Zinfandel, $18.00
 February 22, 2007
“Brings forth two qualities of this variety—the lushness of pineapple or other tropical fruits and the crispness of apple. However, these characteristics are not often in the same bottle (it’s usually an either-or situation). This Chardonnay shows lots of bright fruit and a lingering finish. For just ten bucks, it’s a steal.” “Enjoyed with a broiled fillet of salmon, spice-rubbed and cooked perfectly (almost underdone).” Concannon Vineyard Central Coast 2005 Chardonnay, $9.99
 February 15, 2007
“Delivers dark berry and strawberry qualities with some of the earthiness of Burgundy. Rich, but smooth rather than too-powerful.” “Would be a delight if served with the simplicity of grilled Portobello mushrooms, or with a steak served with side of mushrooms, sautéed in fresh herbs.” Kenwood Russian River Valley 2005 Pinot Noir, $18
February 8, 2007 “Outstanding wine with a mineral quality that adds to overall complexity. Small percentage of Semillon (11%) isn’t as noticeable as in typical white Bordeaux cousins, but may be what gives this Lake County Sauvignon Blanc ‘that something extra.’ ” “Would be a good accompaniment to many fish, fowl and vegetable main courses. Were we in an ambitious mood, we’d prepare Petrale Sole stuffed with Dungeness Crab and napped in a light cream sauce.” Brassfield Estate High Valley 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $16
February 1, 2007 “This blend of grapes native to France’s southern Rhone, but grown on the Central Coast, is an excellent example of what California can produce in this style. Grenache (39%) and Mourvèdre (30%) comprise most of the wine, with lesser percentages of Cinsault (17), Syrah (11), Viognier (2) and Counoise (1). Easy-to-drink, yet showing plenty of complexity. Cherry-like aromas, backed by a little spice and smoke. Flavors include more cherry—but mostly raspberry in the delightful wine.”  “Would be fit complement to many foods, but somehow a cassoulet keeps coming to mind, when considering pairings in this cold weather.”
Bridlewood Paso Robles 2004 Arabesque, $24
 January 25, 2007
“Much to like in this multi-faceted Sauvignon Blanc. Floral, with crispness and minerality, it nevertheless has a richness that would make it a good choice with richer fowl dishes and veal with creamy sauces.” Rodney Strong Vineyards Russian River Valley 2005 Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc, $14
January 18, 2007 “Aromas of dried tea leaves, sachet, dried flowers. Black cherry flavors with a ‘dusty’ background suggesting cocoa and brown spice. Delicate wine, which will reward Pinot Noir fans preferring winemaking style that is more subtle than sledgehammer.” “A good pairing with a grilled lamb chop and something that will pick up the ‘woodsy’ quality—perhaps sautéed wild mushrooms or truffled mashed potatoes.” King Estate Oregon 2004 Pinot Noir, $26
January 11, 2007 “Intriguing spiciness in the nose, followed by deep, intense flavors of blackberries. Toast and cocoa notes in the long finish. “Tasting prior to--and with--a richly-flavored roast pork loin was an altogether happy experience.” Ironstone Calaveras County 2003 Reserve Cabernet Franc, $18.99
January 7, 2007 
“This wine (or, at least earlier vintages of it) gets little respect from wine writers or the newly-hip in the wine business. Only the public likes it and it’s been the number one selling Chardonnay in the world for 16 consecutive years. Typically, a California Chardonnay will exhibit either tropical fruit characteristics (pineapple, mango, etc.) or of the crisper apple and pear traits. This one gives a bit of both with some citrus in the bargain. The ‘California’ appellation on a wine label sometimes means lesser quality grapes than more narrowly-defined growing areas, but that’s not so in this case. Nearly all the fruit came from quality growing regions of Monterey (45%), Santa Barbara (33%) and Mendocino (19%) Counties. Perhaps not trendy and exciting, the Kendall-Jackson ‘Vintner’s Reserve’ Chardonnay is solid, reliable and better quality than many realize.”
“Try with a grilled filet of salmon served with garlic mashed potatoes and steam Swiss chard in support.” Kendall-Jackson California 2005 Chardonnay, $11 |
|
|
Written by Eric Brown
|
|
Saturday, 21 June 2008 02:29 |
|
Updated May 31 2007 Amista, Dry Creek Valley, 2003 Syrah, $24. “Balanced, rich and with such a nice finish. It’s full-bodied--big, but in a good sense and proper food companion.”
“Subtle smokiness makes for intriguing food pairing. Several incomplete, but tempting ideas come to mind. Perhaps serving with slowly cooked short ribs in a preparation featuring star anise, a bit of chipotle rub and some carmelized onion and carrot?” Christine Andrew, Lodi, 2004 Malbec, $14.99 “Ripe, red fruit evokes cherries/cherry pie memories. We found toastiness and a (perceived) sweetness that may be the oak influence. Future vintages may be more to our liking.” Christine Andrew, Lodi, 2004 Petite Sirah, $14.99 “Really deep, dark in color. Hint of spice in the nose and lots of blackberry/blueberry character. A little pepperiness in the finish. A really good example of a big, voluptuous style of Petite Sirah.” Christine Andrew, Lodi, 2005 Tempranillo, $14.99 “Pretty strong evidence here that the Lodi region can supply the warm, dry conditions in which this Spanish grape will thrive. Plenty of dark fruit expression, without the sweet jamminess that's so common in California Zins and Bordeaux varieties these days. Provides enough character to accompany any red meat dinner and with delightfully different flavor profile.” Christine Andrew, Lodi, 2005 “Old Vine” Zinfandel, $14.99 “Like a big glass of raspberry jam. Berries and white pepper in the first sniff. For those who like the big, high alcohol (this one’s 15.5%) style of Zin, this is likely to please.” Folie à Deux, California, 2005 Ménage à Trois Red Table Wine, $12. “This combination of Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is a nice blend of flavors. It’s jammy, but to our taste maybe too sweet on the finish.” Foppiano Vineyards, Russian River Valley, 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $17.50 “This is an O.K. Cab, but shows no particular distinction and nothing about it really grabbed our palate.” Foppiano Vineyards, Russian River Valley, 2004 Estate Merlot, $15. “Blackberry and prominent currant aromas and flavors. This Merlot shows both subtlety and some depth, but seemed just a tad hot on the finish.” Foppiano Vineyards, Russian River Valley, 2004 Estate Petite Sirah, $23. “Big nose greets the taster and, with a little aeration, is followed by big flavors of blackberry, backed up by some vanilla and just a little cocoa. Foppiano has been one of the best interpreters of this variety over the years and their success has helped encourage the current Petite Sirah renaissance. This ’04 effort shows they still have that touch.” Foppiano, Russian River Valley, 2005 Estate Pinot Noir, $23. “Deep cherry and raspberry elements. Not a blockbuster, but reasonably restrained and refined. Decent Pinot Noir at the price.” Ironstone Vineyards, Lodi, 2006 “Old Vine” Zinfandel, $10. “Big, jammy blackberry and plum flavors in a rich and attractive package. A better wine than many priced $5 and $10 more.” Jewell Collection, Lodi, 2003 “Old Vine” Zinfandel, $9.99 “nice red fruits (currants?) and blackberries. Subtlely in the background is the suggestion of ground black pepper.” Kendall-Jackson, Napa (49%)/Sonoma (21%), 2004 “Grand Reserve” Merlot, $26 “Primary impression is berry fruit with some plum and cherry in the supporting cast. Some chocolate and cedar. This is rich, syrupy and smooth.” Kendall-Jackson, California 2005 Syrah $12. “Big blueberry and blackberry qualities, but only a tiny bit of smokiness and no discernable pepper that can be endearing qualities of this variety.” Kendall-Jackson, California, 2003 Meritage, $12. “Nearly equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (49 & 47 percents) with a little Cabernet Franc added. This blended wine exhibits plenty of ripe California fruit in a polished Bordeaux style. Good value, too.” Kendall-Jackson, California, 2004 Merlot, $18. “The ‘California’ appellation on the label isn’t to hide consumer knowledge of perhaps inferior grape sources. Ninety-nine percent of the grapes were sourced from the winery’s estate vineyards in the Counties of Mendocino (48%), Sonoma (30%) and Napa (21%). Beguiling aromas of black cherry cola, wild anise and a liitle vanilla are prelude to flavors of cherry, berry and mocha. This Merlot is a product of the sophisticated and nearly ethereal school of winemaking, rather than in the fat and boorish style.” Kenwood, Russian River Valley, 205 Reserve Pinot Noir, $20. “Deep aroms of cherries with a subtle, soft spice background. Smooth and finishes ‘long.’ “
“Great accompaniment to a Sunday dinner having a truffle-influenced roast chicken as its centerpiece.” Louis M. Martini, Napa Valley, 2003 “Lot 1“ Cabernet Sauvignon, $100. “Martini has made some wonderful Cabernet Sauvignons, and those from the Monte Rosso vineyard in Sonoma County are among my all-time favorite California wines. Even though the current release of that Monte Rosso Cab (’03) now retails for $70, the winery may have suffered from pricing their wines for rational consumers over the years, rather than those with scads of new money. So one hundred bucks for a bottle of Martini wine is a startling departure from their norm.
“Whether it’s four times as good as their ‘normal’ Napa Valley Cab, which goes for $25, depends on your wallet and your point of view. Compare it to other top-end California Cabernet priced around $100, though, and you’ll have to conclude it belongs in that company. ‘Lot 1’ is a big, dense wine, but one that bespeaks breeding and not just power. There are layers of flavors—blackberries, cassis, deep and dark chocolate and even some roasted Italian coffee. For all its power and density, it has a smoothness that makes it a pleasure to drink now. And, of course, it will be better with some more bottle age.”
“It was enjoyed with a New York Strip Steak at a Ruths Chris, but would be worthy accompaniment to any special red meat dish you prepare at home. (Corkage of $25 was charged for the Lot 1, the second bottle of wine opened at our table. A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc we bought to accompany our appetizers ran four times the wholesale price.) Martin Códax, Rioja, 2005 Ergo, $14.99 “Good fruit expression of cherries and raspberries in an understated and sophisticated style. Versatile food-pairer, this Tempranillo would work with many lighter dishes involving tomatoes/tomato sauce and poultry, as well as with pork and red meats.” Red Bicyclette, Vin de Pays d’Oc (France), 2005 Pinot Noir, $8. “This wine is simple, easy-drinking and priced right. While is doesn’t exhibit huge amounts of varietal character, it is recognizable as Pinot Noir and we can’t think of many foods that wouldn’t go well with it.” Rodney Strong Vineyards, Alexander Valley, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $25. “Flavorful—full of berry and plum, this Cabernet is rich, sophisticated and lush in the finish.” Sonoma Creek, Dry Creek Valley, 2005 Merlot, $12.99 “First impression is green and stemmy aspects, but these dissipate somewhat after bottle has been opened a while. Dark cherry and plum qualities come through if you look for them.” Sonoma Vineyards, Sonoma County, 2003 Merlot, $14.99 “Plums and cedar aspects in this respectable and fairly-priced Merlot from a new label.” Uvada, Napa Valley, 2002 Merlot, $30. “A big, rich ‘02 Merlot released as a mature wine in the spring of 2007. Concentrated currant/cassis flavors in a background of subtle mocha, this is a substantial wine and one we liked.” Valley of the Moon, Sonoma, 2003 Cuvée de la Luna, $30. “This blend of grapes native to Bordeaux has been a stellar offering from Valley of the Moon in recent vintages. The winery indicates a more significant percentage of Petit Verdot joins the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc in this year’s release. This 2003 edition exhibits all the deep berry and black cherry qualities of the past in what might be an even denser and more powerful package. Valley of the Moon, Carneros, 2005 Pinot Noir, $20. “Some aromas of wet black tea leaves and cola in this big, hot and spicy wine. Though recognizable as a Pinot Noir, it is more in the style of a big, coarse Zin or Rhone-variety wine. While maybe not the most egregious example, this wine is part of an unfortunate California trend that effectively stifles the charms of Pinot Noir. The variety isn’t meant to be big and burly. What would you pair with this wine? Spice-rubbed barbecued beef ribs? Chili? Jalapeño poppers?” Boeger, El Dorado County, 2005 Walker Vineyard Zinfandel, $18. “Sprightly and full of flavor. Aromas of juicy blackberries and black pepper, followed by panoply of berry and plum flavors. Long finish. Some wines invite ‘that second glass.’ Many do not. This Walker Vineyard Zin definitely is in that former category.”
“Was delightful accompaniment to a Gascony-inspired dish of pork shoulder braised with Zinfandel and prunes” Coastal Ridge, California, 2005 Shiraz, $7. “Refreshingly reasonable alcohol level of 12.5%. Shows jammy red fruit and spice but finishes sweet and syrupy for a sort of Shiraz/Syrah-with-training-wheels effect.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma County, 2004 “Heritage” Zinfandel, $16. “Lots of berries, some cinnamon and nutmeg spicy notes. Nice nose and a lingering finish.” Ironstone, California, 2004 Cabernet Franc, $10. “Really bright fruit (cherry and raspberry) characteristics in this variety that does so well when interpreted by Ironstone.” Ironstone, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $10. “Dark fruit, some oak and a touch of residual sugar will mean good sales in the $10-and-under category.” Ironstone, California, 2005 Petite Sirah, $10. “Fine example of this variety at an attractive price. Big flavors without the too-big alcohol that too often is the rule these days. At 13.5% alcohol, it delivers plenty of plum/berry fruit with some nice background black pepper.
“Try with grilled cut of beef, or maybe with a thick pork chop, given a chipotle-based rub and grilled over mesquite charcoal.” Ironstone, California, 2005 Shiraz, $10. “Dark berries and just a bit of dark chocolate with some of that characteristic Syrah/Shiraz smokiness. Winery offers a right-on-the-money suggestion of serving with Italian sausage and peppers.” Ironstone, Lodi, 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel, $18.99. “Unusual aspects of wet black tea leaves and an odd toastiness make this one perhaps an acquired taste.” Kenwood, Russian River Valley, 2005 Pinot Noir, $18. “Delivers deep dark berry and strawberry qualities with some of the earthiness of Burgundy. Rich, but smooth rather than too-powerful.”
“Would be a delight if served with the simplicity of grilled Portobello mushrooms, or with a steak served with side of sautéed mushrooms.” Mazzocco, Dry Creek Valley, 2004 Quinn Vineyard Zinfandel, $24. “A very unusual wine, this Zin is big (15% alcohol) but doesn’t come off as ‘hot’ in the too-high-in-alcohol sense. However, it does have a hot (as in spicy hot) white pepper quality throughout, which seems to get hotter on the finish. Other spicy components include some subtler clove and cinnamon.”
“Would be interesting to pair like-and-like by serving this with a pork shoulder rubbed with a mix containing some cayenne pepper and slowly roasted in Weber Kettle or similar outdoor cooker.” Moon Mountain Vineyard, Sonoma County, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16. “An appealing wine that’s more in the Bordeaux mold, than the California Cult style. Traditional Cab fruit qualities with some mocha backdrop, it finishes smooth and silky.” Pacific Oasis, Santa Barbara, 2005 Syrah, $14. “Our impressions were: smokey, bitter, dark brown spices. Overall, we found it unpleasant.” Ravenswood, Sonoma County, 2004 Syrah, $20. “Brawny flavors of Syrah abetted by inclusion of some of the varieties native to the southern Rhone, this one has some subtle smoke and white pepper for depth.” Ravenswood, Sonoma Valley, 2004 “Barricia” Zinfandel, $29.99. “Lots of power, but in a bit subtler and more sophisticated style than big California Zins often show. Layers of flavors and long finish.” Ravenswood, Russian River Valley, 2004 “Belloni” Zinfandel, $29.99. “Very deep color and flavors in this Russian River wine that owes a quarter of its volume to a field blend of Petite Sirah, Alicante and Carignane grapes. As with all Joel Peterson’s wines, there’s power and depth, and the Belloni shows a particular dark intensity and long finish.” Ravenswood, Alexander Valley, 2004 “Big River” Zinfandel, $29.99. “Though not designated as ‘old vine’, this Big River Zinfandel comes from vines roughly a century old and displays rich plummy flavors with dusty and smokey overtones. Rich and smooth.” Ravenswood, Napa Valley, 2004 “Dickerson” Zinfandel, $29.99. “Layers of great treats to come shown in the aroma—orange peel, eucalyptus and fennel added to the berry fruit qualities of this variety. Bright fruit with much subtlety. We like the touch in mint in the finish.” Ravenswood, Napa Valley, 2004 Zinfandel, $14.99. “Wonderful ‘dustiness’ in the nose. Raspberries, spice and pepper fill the mouth, but do not assault the palate. Affordable Zinfandel on the sophisticated side.” Ravenswood, Sonoma Valley, 2004 “Old Hill” Zinfandel, $59.99. “Very big wine, intense and with substantial complexity. Three-quarters of the bottle is Zinfandel, the balance a blend of a dozen ‘mixed black’ grapes. It’s a special wine, but whether it’s worth twice the price of the other vineyard-designated Zins from Ravenswood would be a matter of personal choice and finances.” Ravenswood, Dry Creek Valley, 2004 “Teldeschi” Zinfandel, $29.99. “Zin, Petite Sirah and a little Carignane from older and renowned vineyard, this wine is all about big, lush fruit. There’s black pepper and some tar and smoke in background. A serious Zinfandel from the state’s best-known specialist in this variety.”
“Would be a nice pick with a big California-Italian dinner that included somebody’s mother’s homemade ravioli in a red sauce and garlic bread, followed by a grilled T-bone and some sautéed red and green peppers.” Redwood Vineyards, California, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $7.99. “Relatively light in alcohol (12.86%), but full, rich feel in the mouth and appealing flavors of plum and darm berries. A little smokey background gives it some depth and nuance. Redwood Vineyards, California, 2004 Merlot, $7.99. “Easy-drinking. Sweet, cherryish fruit. Simple wine, to be sure, but not unpleasant.” Sebeka, Western Cape (So. Africa), 2006 Cabernet-Pinotage, $8.99. “We like the intriguing herbal nose which gives nuance to this nine-buck wine. Nicely balanced and will accompany a wide variety of dishes successfully.” Talus, Lodi, 2004 Shiraz, $7.99. “Herbal, green olive quality in the aroma and first taste that may not appeal to all. If you get beyond that, there’s some black cherry that we found attractive and reminded us of the soft drink Dr. Pepper. Not a wine that will please everyone, but it shows some personality which is more than can be said for most Cabernet Sauvignon at this price.” 3 blind moose, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $9.99. “True-to-type Cabernet aromas and flavors and with a relatively long finish. Moderate (for California) alcohol level of 13.5% keeps it food-friendly. Name and label graphics may be theme that either appeals or it doesn’t—but even in the latter circumstance, the wine in the bottle is acceptable. Tasting this wine was an unexpectedly pleasant experience. 3 blind moose, California, 2004 Merlot, $9.99. “Black cherry/plum fruit. Mildly bitter and unpleasant flavors overall (but it’s not too expensive).” Beaulieu Vineyard (BV), Napa Valley, 2003 Merlot, $17. “Some dark fruit aromas. A little cocoa present in the background throughout the taste. Fairly long finish. Acceptable, but fails to excite.” Beauzeaux, California, 2005 Red Wine, $9.99. “Clever theme with juggling French clown on label. We had high hopes for this unusual wine from California’s coastal growing regions. It is a creative blend—mostly Zinfandel (68%) and Syrah (21%), the balance of interesting components including Charbono, Valdiguie, Grenache, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah. Trouble is that it tasted more like another ten buck jump-on-the-bandwagon-of-cutesy-marketing than anything we’d try a second time.” Benessere, Napa Valley, 2004 “BK Collins-Old Vines” Zinfandel, $35. “Wonderfully expressed fruit—deep and powerful flavors without overpowering alcohol. Deserves to be included in the first rank of California’s Zinfandels.” Benessere, Napa Valley, 2004 “Black Glass Vineyard” Zinfandel, $40. “Great concentrated raspberry flavors—richness and intensity without overpowering high alcohol. In the world of really good, big California Zinfandels, this one is something special.”
“Would work with something as simple as a good pizza, but better to save for the richness of slowly-braised short ribs in a rich red/brown sauce.” Black Coyote, Stag’s Leap District, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $32. “Owners of this relative newcomer of a winery are justly proud of this fine Cabernet which took a recent double gold (all judges on a panel deeming it worthy) award at the San Francisco Wine Competition. Unusual initial impressions chocolate or cocoa yield to layers of fruit flavor and complexity.” Brassfield Estate, High Valley, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $39.99. “Big flavors from this Lake County entry. We like the blackberry and plum aspects, as well as the herbal and earthy notes.” Brassfield Estate, High Valley, 2004 Pinot Noir, $22.99. “Big Pinot Noir with lots of oak might develop into a nice wine, but at time of tasting (September 2006) it didn’t display much of the subtlety of character found in more sophisticated versions of this variety.” Brassfield Estate, High Valley, 2003 Syrah, $29.99. “Powerful, almost syrupy plum flavors with some cedar and a faint hint of spice.”
“Big wine—big enough to be good pairing with dry-rubbed porterhouse.” Bridlewood, Paso Robles, 2004 Arabesque, $24. “This blend of grape of grapes native to France’s southern Rhone, but grown on the Central Coast, is an excellent example of what California can produce in this style. Grenache (39%) and Mourvèdre (30%) comprise most of the wine, with lesser percentages of Cinsault (17), Syrah (11), Viognier (2) and Counoise (1). Easy-to-drink, yet showing plenty of complexity. Cherry-like aromas, backed by a little spice and smoke. Flavors include more cherry—but mostly raspberry in the delightful wine.” Bridlewood, Central Coast, 2003 Syrah, $8. “Solid example of this variety at relatively inexpensive price. Aromas hint at smokiness and spice as wine opens up to show good dark berry fruit.”
“Slowly grill some ribs or dry-rubbed pork chops to enjoy with this wine.” Bridlewood, Central Coast, 2003 Reserve Syrah, $24. “A bigger and more complex wine than the standard Syrah bottling from this producer, yet still at an alcohol level that will allow it to be a fine choice for the table. Dark fruit aromas and some spice greet the nostrils, followed by blackberry and cherry flavors on the palate. In an era when many wineries are trying for massive Syrah, Bridlewood has the confidence to show restraint. There’s plenty of good California fruit in this bottle, but also enough of that smokey and subtley ‘wild’ quality to remind of the grape’s Rhone parentage.” Cellar Number 8, California, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $10. “Outstanding Cabernet priced at ten bucks and easily worth twice that. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, some Carignane (7%) and Petite Sirah (4%) is included. Cherry and plum fruit with subtle, spicy complexities. Very smooth and finishes long. Pour this alongside a $25 Cabernet for your guests at a nice dinner—see which glasses need refilling first.” Cellar Number 8, California, 2004 Merlot, $10. “Solid value Merlot. Nicely balanced wine with no flaws.” Cellar No. 8, California, 2004 Zinfandel, $10. “Good traditional briary flavors of blackberry with a little white pepper character to add complexity. Good value.” Chalone Vineyard, Monterey County, 2004 Merlot, $14. “Seemed harsh and raw at first taste. Returning to the glass 15 minutes later, the wine seemed to have softened and become a little more harmonious. Aspects of spice, berries and cherries seemed jarring, rather than integrated. Definitely not one of the lusher and plusher Merlots at time of tasting (December of ‘06). Given some age, it may well overtake its sweetish and higher-alcohol competition from the vintage of 2004.” Chateau Diana, Sonoma & Napa Counties, 2003 “1221 Cabernet Cuvée”, $20. “This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (88%) and Cabernet Franc (12%) has great balance. Shows all the elements of a nice bottle of Bordeaux. Even though a little higher in alcohol than we’d like (14.4%), it’s a fine complement to food.” Clos du Val, Stags Leap District, 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, $52. “An especially powerful wine from a Napa winery justly-famed for its finesse. Deeply concentrated flavors with a subtle herbal presence in the finish. Still evolving, this Cab will be even more delightful in another five years.” Coastal Ridge, California, 2003 Pinot Noir, $7. “Recognizable characteristics of the Pinot Noir at a rock-bottom price for this variety. Refreshingly low in alcohol (for California) at 12.5%.” Cosentino, Oakville, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $75. “Deep and lush, it’s pricey but exhibits everything a top-drawer Napa Cab should be. Showed a refinement when tasted in November of 2006, it has the substance to just keep getting better for a decade or two.” Cosentino, Napa Valley, 2003 “M. Coz”, $120. “This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), Merlot (18%) and Cabernet Franc (16%) is a great bottle of wine (it damn well ought to be at the price!). Aroma fills the nose with eucalyptus and herbs. Flavors are rich, supple. Very smooth throughout and with a long finish. Tasted wonderful on September of 2006, but will get even better with a few more years of bottle aging.” Cosentino, Napa Valley, 2003 “The Poet” Meritage, $65. “Blend of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Cabernet Franc (26%) and Merlot (18%) gives this wine a provenance of great fruit. Aromas of blackberries, plums and currants precede smooth and harmonious dark fruit flavors. Plenty of depth here without crossing over to the overpowering.”
“Was worthy accompaniment to medium-rare leg of lamb served with pureed cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions.” Costa del Sol, Napa Valley, 2003 Red Wine, $15. “A blend of Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet grapes, this intriguing wine is bright, juicy and fruity. Complexities come from a little spice and pepper and some coffee or cocoa traits in the background.” Crane Lake, California, 2004 Shiraz, $4.99 “Blackberry and plummy qualities with some white pepper in the background. Seems a little sweetish, but not bad and certainly inexpensive.” Cycles Gladiator, Central Coast, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $9.99 “Herbal aromas that we described as ‘rubbery’ just after pulling the cork seemed acceptable and more appropriately defined as ‘minty’ and possibly ‘mocha-like’ after wine rested in the glass for 10 or 15 minutes. We found this wine undeniably pleasant in the mouth. It’s a good Cab with some personality at a modest price—a rarity.” Cycles Gladiator, Central Coast, 2005 Merlot, $9.99 “Some Merlots are meant to be sort of Cabernets-with-training-wheels. This one stands on its own. Cherry and berry qualities are appealing, but there’s some depth and subtlety here as well. “ Cycles Gladiator, Central Coast, 2005 Pinot Noir, $14. “Dark fruit flavors with a cola-like quality provide sufficient character without losing the ethereal nature of this variety.” Dancing Bull, California, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $12. “Deep and rich flavors of blackberry and black cherries, but moderate alcohol level (13.5%) and subdued tannins make it very easy to drink.”
“Try with traditional roast beef-and-two-vegetables dinner. If there’s any left afterward, serve with a chocolate dessert. It will be a revelation to folks who’ve not enjoyed a red wine in this circumstance.” Dancing Bull, California, 2004 Merlot, $12. “Surprisingly nuanced wine at this price. We liked the toasty—almost smokey—aromas and the flavors of raspberry, strawberry and blackberry. Plenty of flavor, but lower alcohol level (13.35%) than most of the current California crop of Merlots means this wine will be a happy choice to accompany most meals.” Dancing Bull, California, 2004 Zinfandel, $12. “Strong presence of traditional Zinfandel aromas/flavors, but with a little residual sugar that mightn’t please purists. It will find favor, however, with a broad and growing audience who are discovering the charms of this grape variety.” Dog Tail Vineyards, California, N/V Fire Hydrant Red $8.99. “Mostly Cabernet (92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Souzâo), this easy-drinking wine is relatively low in alcohol (13.5%) and has just a hint of residual sugar (.2%). Dog Tail Vineyards, California, 2005 Merlot, $8.99. “. . . enjoyed the name and label graphics more than the content of the bottle.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon $21. “Roasted coffee aromas. Blackberry, currant and spice flavors. In spite of alcohol level of 14.5%, this wine seems like it will accompany food very well.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, 2004 Merlot, $19. “Well-balanced style, more reminiscent of Bordeaux than California (no insult meant to our native land, but that’s a positive). Sufficient fruit in balanced and not-overly-high-in-alcohol (13.5%) treatment means this wines is good companion to food and finds our favor.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, 2003 Beeson Ranch Zinfandel, $30. “Dusty, peppery with spice, lavender and a little orange peel. This is a wine fun to analyze, but more fun to drink.”
“Pair with grilled pork chops that have been rubbed with cracked black pepper and a little herbes de Provence.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma County, 2004 Heritage Zinfandel, $15. “Layers of dark fruit with just the right quotient of spice and pepper, make this one a favorite. Was on the dinner table with a fine Zinfandel from another winery—one that at 14.8% alcohol, was more than a point higher and very much more expensive. Dry Creek’s Heritage Zin won the informal preference poll 5-0.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, 2003 Sommers Ranch Zinfandel, $30. “Plum and cherry in a ‘briary’ presentation we liked very much. Aspects of chocolate and blackberries also present and, in spite of all the layers of concentrated flavor, this Zin is smooth and surprisingly food-friendly.” Edna Valley Vineyard, Edna Valley, 2005 Pinot Noir, $15. “Positive strawberry and cherry aspects in this fairly-priced Pinot Noir from a reliable producer of this variety.” Fat Cat, California, 2004 Merlot, $10. “Big aromas of blackberries and plum also carry a musty overtone (not TCA or corkiness). Background of each sip includes a bitterness. There’s a little cocoa on the finish—perhaps the only attractive aspect of this wine. Foppiano, Russian River Valley, 2004 Pinot Noir, $23. “Reliable and not too expensive example of Pinot from this excellent growing region.” Forest Glen, California, 2003 Cabernet Franc, $10. “Appealing combination of good fruit (berry and cherry) and spice with soft tannins that make it easy to enjoy, rather than insufficient. Versatile food-pairer.” Forest Glen, California, 2004 Merlot, $10. “Soft and a little plummy. Innocuous, but way short of exciting.” Franciscan, Napa Valley, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $27.99. “A nicely structured wine with rich dark fruit flavors (blackberry, plum) and a long finish. Rational alcohol level of 13.5% is one of the factors making this a fine ‘food wine’.” Franciscan, Napa Valley, 2003 Merlot, $21.99 “Rich and flavorful with concentrated blackberry and black cherry flavors up front. A worthy wine for a special dinner at home.” Frei Brothers, Alexander Valley, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $24. “Deep, rich and full of flavor, this Cab shows cassis and cedar on the nose, with a lot of blackberry flavors. Nuances of tobacco, cedar and chocolate (v. subtle flavor similarities, not really those substances added) add to depth of intrigue in this wine.” Gallo Family Vineyards, California, N/V “Twin Valley” Cabernet Sauvignon, $5. “Substantial aromas and dark flavors of currant and berry set against a subtlely spicy background. Nicely balanced wine and a hell of a bargain.” Gallo Family Vineyards, California, N/V “Twin Valley” Hearty Burgundy, $5. “Gallo resurrects the famous Hearty Burgundy in the new Twin Valley line. Very tasty product at reasonable alcohol level and lively acidity is an excellent food-pairer and an excellent value.” Gallo Family Vineyards, California, N/V “Twin Valley” Merlot, $5. “Dark plum and berry aspects.” Generations of Sonoma, Sonoma, 2004 Highway 12, $26. “Perky aromas of raspberry and blackberry with a little background spice. Though still pretty tannic at time of tasting (September 2006), this blend of Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon 34%, Cabernet Franc 33%, Merlot 33%) is a harmonious combination. Decent, straight forward and with an intriguing ‘dustiness’ in the finish.” Genesis (Hogue Cellars), Columbia Valley (Washington), 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16. “Typical Cab fruit is here (raspberries and cherries), but doesn’t dominate because of all the layers of other flavors that make this wine so appealing. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), the blend includes 5% Merlot. These components are standard enough, but the Syrah (11%) and Lemberger (7%), a variety exceedingly rare anywhere but in Washington and Germany, may contribute to the intriguing spice, coffee and tobacco nuances. We like it and think it’s worth a try.” Genesis (Hogue Cellars), Washington, 2003 Merlot, $16. “Lush mouthfeel and raspberry in the mid-palate, followed by chocolate in the long finish.” Genesis (Hogue Cellars), Columbia Valley, 2002 Syrah, $16. “Spicy raspberry and cinnamon aromas. Lively flavors in this sophisticated Washington wine that, at 13.7% alcohol, is much more compatible with food than many California examples of the variety that are a point (or two!) higher on the scale.” Grgich Hills, Napa Valley, 2004 Zinfandel, $30. “Though better known for other varieties, Mike Grgich has called Zinfandel his favorite wine. Year in and year out, he’s made excellent examples of the breed. Typically, they exhibit the sprightly briary and raspberry characteristics of Zinfandel in a balanced and sophisticated presentation. This 2004 delivers plenty of concentrated fruit, though it seems to be bigger than earlier vintages. Perhaps our memory of earlier editions is getting faulty, but this one seems to be slightly more about Zinfandel punch and power, rather than sophistication and elegance.” Happy Camper, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $8.99. “Label featuring a cartoonish rendition of a small Airstream-like trailer sets a feel-good tone evoking camping, I guess. Nice blackberry and spice aspects in an easy-drinking wine, whose soft tannins and slight residual sugar (.5%) will make it appeal to a broad audience.” Happy Camper, California, 2004 Merlot, $8.99. “Pleasant red wine, though of no particular distinction, is fairly priced and is an acceptable companion to food.” Harlow Ridge, Lodi, 2005 Pinot Noir, $9.99 “Light, soft flavors of cherry and strawberry. Not especially memorable.” Huntington, California, 2002 Merlot, $14. “Deep, dark and plummy, but not overripe. Moderate alcohol (13.5%). A pleasant experience.” Ironstone, California, 2003 Cabernet Franc, $10. “Bright flavors of berries and blueberries. Appealing alternative to Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots in this price range.” Ironstone, Calaveras County, 2003 Reserve Cabernet Franc, $18.99 “Intriguing spiciness in the nose, followed by deep, intense flavors of blackberries. Toast and cocoa notes in the long finish. Tasting prior to--and with--a richly-flavored roast pork loin was an altogether happy experience. Ironstone, Lodi, 2005 “Old Vine” Zinfandel, $10. “Dark cherries and cranberries in the flavor, but shows an unpleasant, burnt-rubber quality in the finish.” Jade Mountain, Red Hills Lake County, 2004 Syrah, $17. “Nice wine. Not overly alcoholic. Raspberry/blueberry and a little woodsy. Shows some complexity and restraint.” Kathy Lynskey Wines, Marlborough (New Zealand), 2005 Pinot Noir, $39. “At time of tasting (late November of 2006), we found suppressed aromas of dark fruit and wet tea leaves. Deep, brooding flavors of blackberry and cherry in this wine of great intensity will soften over time—this is a Pinot Noir to put away for a few years.” Kendall-Jackson, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $18. “Deep berry with some ‘dust’ or brown spice in the background of this Cabernet from reliable producer.” Kendall-Jackson, Sonoma/Napa, 2004 “Grand Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, $24. “Big, but refined, this Cab is solid value at $24. Deep cassis and blackberry aspects with the sophistication and complexity of some cedary/smokey notes on the long finish.” Kendall-Jackson, Sonoma/Mendocino/Napa, 2003 “Vintner’s Reserve” Merlot, $18. “Only 13.5% alcohol, this Merlot packs plenty of flavor nonetheless. Big cherry and black cherry aspects in this nicely balanced wine.” Kendall-Jackson, California, 2004 Syrah, $12. “Abundant, up-front fruit and spicy-peppery-smokey qualities in the background that show more clearly as the wine aerates.” Kendall-Jackson, California, 2004 Zinfandel, $12. “With grape sources mostly from coastal regions, this Zinfandel exhibits good flavors of raspberry and blackberry and has a little spiciness reminiscent of dark toasted bread. A reliable product and well worth $12.” Kendall-Jackson, California, 2005 Zinfandel, $12. “Good berry qualities—mostly raspberry, but some blackberry, too. Nice spiciness and briary aspects.” Kenwood, Sonoma County, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $20. “Berry, cola and spice in the nose. Kind of sprightly mouthfeel.” Kenwood, Russian River, 2004 Pinot Noir, $25. “Rich, bright flavors of berry and plum.”
“Pair with duck or smoked turkey.” Kenwood, Sonoma, 2004 Jack London Vineyard Merlot, $25. “Lots of blueberry and blackberry. Some herbal notes in the aroma and it finishes with a little spice.” Kenwood, Sonoma, 2004 Zinfandel, $16. “A lot of raspberry. No pepper, but a little brown spice. Soft and sweetish, this Zinfandel is not bad, but relatively simple and unexciting.” Kenwood, Sonoma, 2004 Reserve Zinfandel, $20. ”Deep aromas of currant and anise/licorice precede flavors of more currant and licorice and lots of blackberry. Serious Zin with plenty of substance, yet not overpowering.” Kenwood, Sonoma, 2004 Jack London Vineyard Zinfandel, $23. “A full, ‘purpley’ Zinfandel, but not too big and hot. Deep blackberry flavors and just a bit spice—a very attractive Zin.” Kenwood, Sonoma Valley, 2002 Merlot, $20. “Though high in alcohol (14.7%), this Merlot seems nicely balanced and exhibits more subtlety than raw power. Plum and cherry qualities with just a little spice in the background.” King Estate, Oregon, 2004 Pinot Noir, $26. “Aromas of dried tea leaves, sachet, dried flowers. Black cherry flavors with a ‘dusty’ background suggesting cocoa and brown spice. Delicate wine, which will reward Pinot Noir fans preferring winemaking style that is more subtle than sledgehammer.”
“A good pairing with a grilled lamb chop and something that will pick up the ‘woodsy’ quality—perhaps sautéed mushrooms or truffled mashed potatoes.” Lake Sonoma, Alexander Valley, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $22. “Deep aromas of berry and currant, backed by cedar. Promise is fulfilled on the palate as lush berry flavors predominate with subtle spices in background.” Lake Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley, 2004 Zinfandel, $18. “Big berry flavors (blackberry and raspberry) in a rich, smooth package. Though 15% alcohol it doesn’t show as ‘hot’ or overpowering.” Legends, Napa County, 2004 Merlot, $28. “The label of this wine from Napa’s Cosentino Winery bears the signatures of the proprietor, Mitch Cosentino, and Boston Celtic great Larry Bird. The reviewer, who started following the Celtics when West Coast talent such as Jim Loscutoff, K.C. Jones and Bill Russell joined the team 50 years ago tried to find virtue in this wine. He failed.” Lindemans, South Africa, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $7.99. “Lots of eucalyptus in this medium-bodied import. Stylistically unusual—at least by California standards—this one might be one of those ‘acquired tastes’.” Lindemans, South Africa, 2005 Merlot, $7.99. “Musty aromas of chocolate and menthol precede berry, licorice and green olive flavors. Not a style we prefer.” Lindemans, South Africa, 2005 Shriaz, $7.99. “Lots of dark berry fruit with some choclatey finish. Not bad, but must compete with much of the Aussie and California product in the marketplace for around eight dollars.” Louis M. Martini, Napa Valley, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $24. “A sleeper whose charms are not immediately apparent when first glass poured. As wine opens up both aroma and flavors develop—aspects of dark cherries and plums with a little cocoa and tobacco here. Not a blockbuster Cab, but a well-structured wine.” Louis M. Martini, Alexander Valey, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, $35. “Deep, rich and easy to like when tasted in its relative youth (December ’06). Perhaps two factors contribute to the ‘approachability’ of this wine—an alcohol level of under 14% (though only just) and the traditional softness of Cabernet grown in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. Plenty of blackberry and cassis flavors with very subtle herb and spice qualities in the background.” Marilyn, Napa Valley, 2004 “The Velvet Collection”, $200. (1.5L) “This blend of Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon (54%) and Oakville Merlot (46%) is a rich melange of blackberry and clove. It’s lush—might we even say voluptuous? The label features that picture of Marilyn Monroe that ran in the first issue of Playboy magazine. “The Velvet Collection” is marketed in a “Stunning 1.5 liter bottle and handsome presentation box” at $200. Strategic yellow bands over parts of Miss Monroe’s body are said to be part of a “Peel and Peek” label that apparently can be removed to reveal the original pose.” MacMurray Ranch, Russian River Valley, 2004 Pinot Noir, $35. “Excellent quality in this wine from a property once owned by the actor Fred MacMurray and now part of the Gallo family of wineries. Exhibits plenty of rich fruit typical of California Pinot Noir and many of the subtleties of that grape as grown in Burgundy.”
“Serve with small loin lamb chops, grilled medium rare.” McWilliams, South Eastern Australia, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $12. “Nice blackberry aromas and flavors, but finishes too sweet for us.” Marr, California, 2003 Cuvee Patrick Reserve, $22. “A blend of nearly equal parts Syrah and Petite Sirah, with inclusion of just 1% Viognier. As the wine ‘opened up,’ aroma of plums and ground black pepper became evident. Flavors of plum and blackberry and more black pepper follow and continue to a fairly long finish. I liked this 15.% alcohol wine, but while it didn’t seem ‘hot’ exactly, I’d like this wine more if it were bottled at a point or point-and-a-half less.” Marr, California, 2002 Cuvée Selena, $18. “Light garnet in color, this 100% Grenache wine is dry, but the flavors remind us of strawberry jam. A little spice adds complexity. We found this unusual wine interesting and fun to drink. Strawberry jam flavor notwithstanding, it’s a good food pairer and will work with a wide variety of dishes.” Marr, Tehama Foothills, 2002 Petite Sirah, $27. “First aroma is of white pepper followed by dark berries and a little smoky quality. Flavors of red and black berries suffused with the smoky, tarry and (sometimes) peppery subtleties that make good Petite Sirah so intriguing.” Marr, Tehama Foothills, 2003 Petite Sirah, $27. “A powerful wine with dense, dark fruit flavors (plum and blackberry). Some wonderful spice notes in this vintage which seems just a shade brighter and more complex that the ’02.”
“Pair with something rich, dark and spicy—perhaps a goulash?” Marr, Sonoma County, 2003 Zinfandel, $26. “Tons of spice in the nose, Deep plum flavors and lots of pepper on the palate, but we found this wine way too big and hot (15.8% alcohol).” Meridian, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $10. “Acceptable, mainstream California Cab at fair price.” Mont Pellier, California, 2005 Pinot Noir, $6.99. “Aromas of cherries, strawberry jam and stewed rhubarb. Though not showing much depth or complexity, lighter alcohol (12.5%) and a soft finish contribute to a respectable, easy-to-sip Pinot Noir at a rock-bottom price.” Montevina, Amador County, 2003 Syrah, $12. “Big, ‘fruit-forward’ Syrah in the popular Aussie manner. Blackberries, blueberries and cola, with just a little smokiness.” Montevina, Sierra Foothills, 2003 Zinfandel, $10. “Not exactly bitter or moldy but this wine didn’t win any friends on our panel.” Montevina, Amador County, 2004 Terra d’Oro Zinfandel, $18. “A substantial Zin in the Amador County style, but not over-big or unbalanced. Toasty aroma opens to deep blackberry flavors. Pepper and other spice notes in the background.” Montevina, Amador County, 2004 Terra d’Oro “SHR Field Blend” Zinfandel, $30. “In earlier days California growers planted their vineyards with the varieties they thought would produce the best combination of flavors for their wine. These vineyards containing several different grape varieties would be picked and crushed together in what became known as a ‘field blend’ style. Though modern grape farming favors planting different varieties in separate vineyard blocks to give the winemaker more control of his ingredients, Montevina has developed a 40-acre throwback to that early method of planting. While Zinfandel (80%) is the predominant grape planted in their SHR vineyard, also there—and in the resultant SHR Field Blend Zinfandel—are Petite Sirah (13%) and Barbera (7%). This combination gives a wonderfully powerful, yet complex wine. Traditional blackberry-and-pepper quality is there, augmented by some cherry fruit and smoky, cola-like notes.”
“Did justice to a great Chateaubriand that was seared, then over-roasted to medium-rare.” Montevina, Amador county, 2004 Terra d’Oro “Home Vineyard” Zinfandel $30. “Strong presence of vanilla and licorice. Has strong and unusual ‘Rhoneish’ aspects of smoke and burned bacon fat. To our taste, it’s overripe and hugely alcoholic (15.5%).”
“Considering food pairing for this wine was difficult—a roast Cajun spice-rubbed goose? Grilled boudin noir? Anything would be a stretch. Better to just buy a more appropriate wine for dinner.” Moon Mountain Vineyard, Sonoma Valley, 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, $35. “Opulent blackberrry flavors with some notes of mocha, too. Long finish in this sophisticated wine that’s not at all overpriced, given the quality.” Napa Ridge, Napa Valley, 2003 Syrah, $12. “No rough edges here. Plummy flavors but definitely not overripe fruit. Some appealing chocolate and coffee in the finish in this Syrah that exhibited more and more personality the longer it was opened.” Napa Ridge, Napa Valley, 2005 Zinfandel, $12. “Raspberries and currants with a nice dusting of spice (a little nutmeg and freshly ground pepper?) there in the finish.” Norma Jeane, California, 2006 Merlot, $10.50. “This blend of Merlot (80%) and Syrah (20%) is product of Nova Wines which calls it ‘A young Merlot’. They also market wines called Marilyn Merlot and The Velvet Collection. This one’s a Beaujolais Nouveau-style wine that was grapes in the vineyards perhaps two to three months before we tasted it in December of 2006. Consensus of four on the tasting panel was that, while this wasn’t really bad wine, none would want to drink it if anything else were available.” Owl Ridge, Sonoma County, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $38. “Achieves difficult task of packing the bottle full of deep, rich Cabernet flavors without seeming too big or ‘over-the-top’. This relatively new producer proves it can compete with some of California’s best—and often pricier—Cabernets. This very smooth ’04 Cab took gold medals at several competitions.” Papio, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $6.99 “Label includes a monkey playing a bugle, which is engaging I suppose. However, it would take more than a whole barrel full of monkeys to making drinking this wine any fun.” Papio, California, 2004 Merlot, $6.99 “Soft and easy drinking Cab with a little residual sugar. Good to pour for folks new to red wines.” Paulo Wines, Texas, 2002 Port, $39.99 “This Texas winery, also the producer of Messina Hof wines, has produced many wines we’ve liked. Unfortunately, their 2002 Port wasn’t among those. We found it thin, and not particularly reminiscent of any Ports we’d had, be they of vintage, ruby, tawny or any other designation. Not recommended.” Prager, Napa Valley, 2003 Petite Sirah, $38. “Dark cherry and cola notes with some oak showing. Big wine suitable for laying down for a while.” Rancho Zabaco, Russian River Valley, 2004 Zinfandel, $28. “A very good, albeit high alcohol (15%), example of Zinfandel from a Sonoma County producer specializing in the variety. If big Zins are your preference, this is a pretty good choice. Flavors of berry and plum in a smooth package.” Robert Mondavi, Central Coast, 2004 Syrah, $11. “Rich in blackberry and cassis with some ground black pepper qualities. Wine is dry, but shows a soft, almost sweetish finish.” Robert Rue Vineyard, Russian River Valley, 2004 Zinfandel, $32. “Production of this wine is, unfortunately, tiny (just 497 cases) but the flavors are huge. Winemaker Carol Shelton has showcased wonderful traditional blackberry and raspberry attributes, as well as the black pepper notes that our favorite Zinfandels usually exhibit. Expensive, as Zinfandels go, but one of the best.” Rodney Strong, Sonoma County, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $19. “Some nice cedary/blackberry aromas that open to flavors of cassis and dark cherries. Still a little tight and tannic when tasted in summer of ’06.” Rodney Strong, Russian River Valley, 2004 Pinot Noir, $19. ”Fresh fruit aromas. Flavors of strawberry and cherry with some toasted oak. Not bad wine now, will be better with a year or two of age.” Rodney Strong, Russian River Valley, 2005 Pinot Noir, $20. “Great nose showing cherry/strawberry characteristics with just a dusting of spice. Excellent fruit—nicely developed for an ’05. Solid Russian River Pinot Noir for a double sawbuck.” San Saba Vineyards, Monterey, 2004 “Bocage” Merlot, $13. “Blackberry and (black) pepper elements evolve to show subtler spice, dill and cocoa are part of the flavor profile, too. Good quality Merlot at the price.” San Saba Vineyards, Monterey, 2004 Merlot, $22. “Substantial fruit flavors of plum and cherry with some untypical—but very appealing—black pepper qualities in the background. Scott Harvey Wines, Amador County, 2003 “Old Vine” Zinfandel, $28. ”There is no official standard for the ‘old vines’ designation appearing more and more frequently these days and some wineries interpret the phrase liberally. In this case, the tag is quite literal. Over half the Zinfandel comprising this wine comes from the DeMille (44%) and Harvey (22%) vineyards. The former is 79 years old and the latter dates to the time of the Civil War. Whatever the provenance of the vines, the wine is a terrific one. It is powerful, but not just big. Plenty of complexity from the opening spiciness through a litany of traditional Zinfandel attributes. Identifiable are cherry and raspberry/blackberry flavors, as well as blueberry. A subtle chocolatey quality is in the background.” Smashed Grapes, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $7.99. “Not bad. Reasonable aromatics and a soft and sweet finish. Decent value at $7.99.” Smashed Grapes, California, 2004 Merlot, $7.99. “Nose seems just a little musty. Finishes with a little toastiness. Drinkable, but not to our taste.” Smashed Grapes, California, 2004 Merlot, $7.99. “Plums/cherries with a little tobacco or coffee in the background. Finishes soft and a bit sweet. Not a style we prefer, but one that will please many—especially those who might not otherwise drink red wine.” Sonoma Creek, Sonoma County, 2005 Pinot Noir, $12.99 “Toasty cherry/black cherry quality. A nice light-to-medium-bodied wine, tending toward the elegant style of Pinot Noir. Good long finish.” Sterling Vineyards, Napa Valley, 2003 Merlot, $22. “Raspberry and black cherry aromas yield to deep flavors of blackberry, more cherry and a little cocoa.” Trinchero, Lake County, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $11.99 “Sourced from the very good red wine country of Lake County, this Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits all the requisite Cabernet attributes at a price that represent good value.” Trinchero, Napa Valley, 2002 Lewelling Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $50. “Perky—spice and herbs in the aroma. Deep and richly flavored with that great cassis character of many Cabernets. Long, stylish finish.” Trinchero, Napa Valley, 2002 Main Street Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $45. “Dusty blackberries at first sniff. Deeply layered flavors of blackberry and cassis in this first-class Cab. Still a little chalky/tannic—likely even better after more bottle ageing.” Trinchero, Monterey, 2004 Merlot, $11.99. “Freshness of bright cherry flavors offset by herbal or tea-like flavors. A solid, if not scintillating, Merlot and a pretty good value.” Two Tone Farm, California, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $9.99 “Spicy cherry and berry aromas and jammy red fruit tastes. We enjoyed a cola-like quality that showed in both the nose and, to a lesser degree, in the taste. Some subtle herbaceous notes give it some intrigue not often found in ten buck wines.” TwoTone Farm, California, 2004 Merlot, $9.99. “Most of today’s inexpensive Merlot is pap, but this is serious wine. Made from grapes sourced primarily from the Napa and Alexander Valleys, it contains a small amount of Syrah from Santa Barbara. There’s currant and spice in the aromas and raspberry in the flavors. Perky, bright wine, rather than much of the ponderous, sweet and alcoholic stuff inside many of today’s Merlot bottles.” Uvada, Oakville, 2001 Merlot, $28. “Very smooth overall, but dark fruit notes show neither exuberance nor nuance. Dry, tannic finish.” Valley of the Moon, Sonoma, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $20. “Big, purpley aromas of cassis and vanilla. Smooth, concentrated dark fruit flavors. Valley of the Moon, Sonoma, 2002 Cuvee de la Luna, $30. “Splendid example of Bordeaux-blend as done in California. Deep, rich, sophisticated." Valley of the Moon, Sonoma, 2004 Sangiovese, $16. “A o.k. California wine, but big and blowzy to tasters who define this variety by Italian standards.” Valley of the Moon, Sonoma, 2003 Syrah, $16. “Big flavors of blueberry and blackberry with some peppery notes. Finishes long. Willowbrook Cellars, Russian River Valley, 2004 Dutton-Morelli Vineyard Pinot Noir, $42. “Dark cherry and strawberry flavors with the classic, almost mysterious, qualities found in top-quality Pinot Noir and red Burgundies (wet tea leaves, cigar box, etc.). An elegant wine—dances on the tongue.” Wolf Blass, South Australia, 2004 Yellow Label Shiraz, $12. “Good combination of power and balance in a fairly-priced rendition of Australia’s signature variety.”
“Deep berry flavors suggest game—venison or quickly-roasted mallard might be good choices.” ZD, Napa Valley, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $50. “A wine of this intensity—and with this pedigree—just has to a ‘long keeper.’ You could put this in the cellar and enjoy it five (and probably 25) years later. It will only get better with further bottle age, but when tasted in December of 2006 we found it densely packed with plum and cassis and overtones of good tobacco and cocoa—an excellent Cabernet and very drinkable even at just two years old.” |
|
Written by Eric Brown
|
|
Saturday, 21 June 2008 02:29 |
|
Updated May 31 2007 Chateau St. Jean, Sonoma, 2006 Gewürztraminer, $15. “Appealing floral aromas of honeysuckle and fruit tree blossoms. Higher alcohol (13.2%) and bigger style in this off-dry wine than in the traditional German and Alsatian versions of the variety, but in this case we like the boldness. Shows some of the spiciness that gives the Gewürz grape its identity, though not a lot.”
“Was good accompaniment to a lunch of roasted pork tenderloin and broccoli sauteed in green garlic and dried red peppers.” Chateau St. Jean, Sonoma, 2006 Riesling, $15. “As the pendulum of public taste and acceptance swings back to Riesling, some very decent examples of this variety are being discovered in California. Actually, this winery has a long history of critical success with Riesling and this examples shows why. In an off-dry style, it makes for very pleasant drinking on its own and, because of its balance, will accompany somewhat spicy foods very ably.” Christine Andrew, Lodi, 2005 Viognier, $12.99 “A little floral in the aroma with clean fruit flavors we think include ripe white peaches. Just a hint of spice precedes the long finish.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Russian River Valley, 2005 Chardonnay, $20. “Pear and stone fruits in the aromas. Not over-oaked or over-the-top, this wine shows layered flavors and good balance. Not spectacular, perhaps, but a very good Chardonnay that will accompany many dishes.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma County, 2003 “Soleil” Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, $20. (375ml) “Here’s a splendid after-dinner wine in the manner of Sauternes (85% Sauvignon Blanc/15% Semillon). Lush flavors of apricot and vanilla in a sweet, but balanced presentation. Try with peach or apricot tarts or experiment with softer, milder cheeses. Or, if you if you’re daring enough to escape the orthodoxy of California political correctness, enjoy it with foie gras. Estrella Winery, California, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $6. “Good graphics on the label and modestly-priced, but not much to recommend it otherwise.” Frei Brothers, Russian River Valley, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc $17. “A quite appealing rendition of this variety that incorporates many of the desirable attributes—some citrus, some grassiness, a bit of tropical fruit and a rich complexity in the background.” Harlow Ridge, Lodi, 2005 Pinot Grigio, $9.99 “Nice nose—melon and citrus. In the mouth it shows creamy citrus qualities. No flaws in this faithful representative of the Pinot Grigio flavor profile, but it somehow does not excite.” Kendall-Jackson, California, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $11. “Reasonably-priced wine projects a lot of Sauvignon Blanc character. Citrus seems in the grapefruit and lime vein, rather than lemon, and while prominent is tempered by a small amount of Semillon. This inclusion softens it a bit and adds depth.” Martin Códax, Rias Baixas, 2006 Albariño, $14.99 “Beautiful yellow/golden color ordinarily seen only in older white wines, but this Albariño is very young and fresh. With great acidity, it’s friendly to many foods. More than just that acidity, though, is the layering of flavors that make it a sophisticated foil for many seafood entrees. Aromatic and with flavor aspects of apple, stone fruits and citrus.”
“Try it with a classic bowl of mussels or grilled shrimp.” Mirassou, Monterey County, 2005 Chardonnay, $11. “Good aromas and nice balance of fruit (crisp apple and some tropicals) with citrussy acidity. A respectable option in the glutted Chardonnay market.” Rockbridge, Virginia, 2006 DeChiel Reserve White Riesling, $17. “White peach and honeysuckle aromas. Bright fruit—sprightly.” Sonoma Creek, Sonoma County, 2005 Chardonnay, $9.99 “Decent fruit may have been crushed for this wine, but we couldn’t tell because of too much oak.” Sonoma Vineyards, Sonoma County, 2005 Chardonnay, $14.99 “We like the pear and tropical fruit aspects and there seems to be good citrus qualities that keep the wine crisp and food-friendly.” Starmont, Napa Valley, 2005 Chardonnay, $20. “Very nice Chardonnay. Lovely balance in this polished and understated treatment of the ubiquitos Chardonnay grape. Clean flavors. Starmont, Napa Valley, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $18. “Solid effort from the better-known label of Merryvale, this Sauvignon Blanc has minimal grassiness, good acidity and the tempering richness of some Semillon (8%).”
“Would work with pasta in cream sauces, as well as with grilled halibut.” Chalone, Monterey County, 2005 Chardonnay, $10. “Good value at $10. Nice floral nose followed by crisp pineapple and pear flavors. Coastal Ridge, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $7. “Ripe Bartlett pears come to mind when tasting this one. It wasn’t unpleasant and had a softness that will please many drinkers whose Chardonnay budget is in this price range.” Concannon Vineyard, Central Coast, 2005 Chardonnay, $9.99. “Brings forth two qualities of this variety—the lushness of pineapple or other tropical fruits and the crispness of apple. However, these characteristics are not often in the same bottle (it’s usually an either-or situation). This Chardonnay shows lots of bright fruit and a lingering finish. For just ten bucks, it’s a steal.”
“Enjoyed with a broiled fillet of salmon, spice-rubbed and cooked perfectly (almost underdone).” Cosentino, Napa Valley, 2005 Chardonnay $28. “Minerally—there’s citrus here with just a little vanilla and some ‘brown spice’ (nutmeg?). Clean, long finish.” Edna Valley Vineyard, Edna Valley (San Luis Obispo County), 2005 Chardonnay, $12. “Stone fruit and citrus are enhanced, rather than eclipsed, by richness brought out by lees stirring and oak aging.” Grgich Hills, Napa Valley, 2004 Chardonnay, $38. “Clean and crisp, as befits a wine made without the more common softening of malolactic fermentation. Plenty of good Chardonnay fruit character in a wine that will wonderfully accompany many foods. “ Ironstone, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $10. “some good green apple and citrus qualities softened by a slightly sweet finish.” Ironstone, Calaveras County, 2004 Res. Chardonnay, $14.99. “Full and big treatment of this grape. Tropical fruit character, but with a baked apple quality. There’s a richness here that could be from the fermentation on the lees or from the oak aging.”
“Serve with a pork roast when the recipe incorporates dried fruits (apricots, peaches or pears) or fresh apples.” Kathy Lynskey Wines, Marlborough (New Zealand), 2005 Chardonnay, $29. “White peach and melon in a mineral-studded package. Interesting wine likely to develop over the next 3-5 years. Kathy Lynskey Wines, Marlborough (New Zealand), 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $19. “Very attractive rendition of the variety that exhibits more minerality than the typically strong grassiness of Sauvignon Blancs from Marlborough.” Kenwood, Sonoma County, 2006 Gewürztraminer, $13. “It’s white, sweet and shows a tiny bit of spice, but by German, French or California standards this is a pallid example of the variety.” Kenwood, Sonoma Valley, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $13. “Grapefruit and fig qualities nicely balanced. Year-in, year-out, Kenwood’s Sauvignon Blanc is a satisfying choice.” Moon Mountain Vineyard, Sonoma County, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $12. “Fresh and crisp, this Sauvignon Blanc is both bracing and gentle on the finish. Good quality.” Nobilo, Marlborough (New Zealand), 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $11.99. “Bracing wine rife with the acidity and grassiness that makes New Zealand S.B. so exciting.” Nobilo, Marlborough (New Zealand), 2006 “Icon” Sauvignon Blanc, $21.99. “A different interpretation of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, it shows some of that racy grassiness and citrus, but there’s also a clear presence of pineapple or other pick-your-tropical-fruit-options. Finishes with just a little sweetness. An unusual style, but a classy wine in its own way." Ravenswood, Sonoma County, 2005 Chardonnay, $15. “There’s just a bit of Muscat here (3%) which could give the nicely floral nose. Citrus (lime?) plays against a rich, viscous mouthfeel. First taste puts a smile on the reviewer’s face. An unusual and quite attractive Chardonnay from a winery known for its big reds.” Robert Mondavi, North Coast, 2005 “Private Selection” Fume Blanc, $16.99. “O.K., but not really exciting example of a wine virtually invented by this producer. No specific complaint about the finish, other than to say it just didn’t appeal.” Rodney Strong Vineyard, Chalk Hill, 2005 Chardonnay, $20. “Rich and creamy and reminiscent of lemon pudding dusted with a little hazelnut.” Sebeka, Western Cape (So. Africa), 2006 Chardonnay, $8.99. “Aroma is interesting, but really obvious residual sugar on the finish spoiled that first impression and made this Chard an unfortunate non-starter for us.” Sebeka, Western Cape (So. Africa), 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $8.99. “Good acidity and nice bright tropical fruit in this easy-drinking and fairly priced wine.” Sterling, Napa Valley, 2005 Chardonnay, $15. “Pear and apple flavors obvious, with the spiciness and perhaps a bit of hazelnut. Wolf Blass, So. Australia, 2006 Riesling, $12. “Aromas of white peach and apricot, followed by good fruit and minerality. A clean, long finish. A good wine that is food-friendly and might be a revelation for Americans used to Chardonnay, Chardonnay and more Chardonnay.” 3 blind moose, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $9.99. “Somewhat musty aromas (but not corked). Toasty, slightly bitter apple and citrus flavors. Abandon, Carneros, 2004 Chardonnay, $20. “Very attractive wine. There’s a light and ethereal quality, but plenty of flavor and complexity, which is likely from being aged on the lees. Alcohol is 14.2%, but it seems lighter (that’s a good thing) and pairs very well with food.” Benessere, Carneros, 2005 Pinot Grigio, $24. “Unusual toastiness in the nose precedes—and possibly overpowers—subtle fruit aromas of pineapple and mango. Lush creaminess in the mouth and flavors of the tropical fruits above.” Brassfield Estate, High Valley, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $16. “Outstanding wine with a mineral quality that adds to overall complexity. Small percentage of Semillon (11%) isn’t as noticeable as in typical white Bordeaux cousins, but may be what gives this Lake County Sauvignon Blanc ‘that something extra.’ ”
“Would be a good accompaniment to many fish, fowl and vegetable main courses. Were we in an ambitious mood, we’d prepare Petrale sole stuffed with Dungeness crab and napped in a light cream sauce.” Chateau Souverain, Alexander Valley, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $14. “A substantially richer than average Sauvignon Blanc because of barrel fermentation (88%), this wine is still crisp and dry and shows traditional citrus flavors associated with the variety.”
Coastal Ridge, California, 2004 Johannisberg Riesling, $7. “Nice floral nose and subtle peach flavors. There’s slight—but not overpowering--sweetness. It’s easy-to-drink, affordable and will go with more food options than most Chardonnay near this price.” Cosentino, Yountville, 2004 Gewürztraminer, $22. “Nicely floral (peach and honeysuckle?). Big mouthfeel, viscous and with some mid-palate minerality. Bright flavors and some characteristic Gewürz spice.” Cosentino, California, 2005 “The Novelist” (White Meritage), $18. “The American-invented category of Meritage wines includes those which are made from the grapes traditionally grown in Bordeaux. To this point, the great majority of these Meritage wines have been red (mostly Cabernet and Merlot-based), but the definition also includes white wines. Like its French cousins produced in Graves, this wine contains both Sauvignon Blanc (63%) and Semillon (37%) and is all the richer and more complex for that alliance. The grassy/citrussy/minerally aspects of the former grape are present, as well as the creamy/figgy contribution from the Semillon.” Dancing Bull, California, 2004 Chardonnay, $12. “Composition includes 16% Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Floral and with pretty good acidity, the wine opens up to an appealing creaminess from mid-palate through the finish.” Dancing Bull, California, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $12. “Exhibits all the personality of the wonderful New Zealand exemplars of this variety that have become so popular in the last few vintages. Citrus and grassy aromas. Good acidity and grapefruit flavors follow. The small Semillon component (4.6%) may be responsible for the little roundness or fullness that makes this wine a complete pleasure.” Dog Tail Vineyards, California, Chardonnay, $8.99. “One more wine with a humorous/non-threatening/cute/tedious (pick your adjective) animal label. We can’t fault the wine in the bottle, though. This respectable Chardonnay showed no faults and is a style that will please most fans of affordable versions of this variety.” Dog Tail Vineyards, California, N/V Watchdog White, $8.99 “This was a pleasant surprise. Pedigree includes 10% Symphony grape component, which provides very appealing floral aromas. Balance of 90% Chardonnay validates solid white wine credentials. Moderate alcohol level and just a bit of residual sugar make this suitable as a nice reception wine and also a good food pairer.
“Tasted before and during a dinner featuring several spicy options, but would also work well with both white and red meats from the grill.” Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, 2004 Estate Fume Blanc DCV3, $25. “Nicely modulated citrus elements of grapefruit & lime. It’s 100% Sauvignon Blanc, (no Semillon), but seems French in pedigree.”
“Try with shellfish or veal picatta.” Edna Valley Vineyard, Edna Valley, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $15. “Very lean, there’s a small amount of Pinot Gris (3%), which may make it a little creamier or rounder in texture, but it remains in the Sancerre and New Zealand style. Definitely not likely to be confused with any other variety, this Edna Valley Sauvignon Blanc will delight fans of the grassy/citrussy tradition.” Fat Cat, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $10. “Nicely balanced mainstream style with some green apple and stonefruit characteristics. Some appealing crispness in this quite decent Chard, but it’s in a very competitive neighborhood, as there are a myriad at this price range.” Folie à Deux, California, 2005 Ménage à Trois White, $9.99 “This innovative blend of Chardonnay, Muscat and Chenin Blanc is undeniably fruity and well made, but it’s not a combination we enjoy.” Forest Glen, California, 2005 Pinot Grigio, $10. “Balanced with a nice interplay between the creaminess and acidity. Solid, if not spectacular.” ForestVille, California, 2005 Gewürztraminer, $5.99. “Floral and little spicy, this wine is fairly crisp and more ‘off-dry’ than sweet. Good Value.”
“Serve as a reception wine or aperitif or with that Cantonese standard, chicken almond, or spicy chicken curries from any culture’s cuisine.” Frei Brothers, Russian River Valley, 2004 Chardonnay, $20. “A very nice wine showing bright fruit flavors of pear and peach. Spice and vanilla add to the complexity.” Gallo Family Vineyards, California, N/V “Twin Valley” Sauvignon Blanc, $5. “Very respectable effort. Understated Sauvignon Blanc with no flaws. Good food-pairer.” Genesis, Columbia Valley (Washington), 2005 Riesling, $16. “Good citrus and stonefruit qualities. Residual sugar of a point-and-a-half and crisp acidity make this an appropriate choice as either aperitif wine or complement to a meal.” Hacienda, California 2005 Chardonnay, $6.99 “One fish in a sea of inexpensive Chardonnay. Acceptable, if undistinguished.” Happy Camper, California, N/V Chardonnay, $8.99, “Citrus and floral aromas. Apple and baked biscuit flavors. Somewhat unusual, we think, but acceptable.” Hayman & Hill, Russian River, 2005 Chardonnay, $14. “A restrained, balanced wine showing some peach and melon character. Names on the label are those of the winemaker/proprietors, Dennis Hill (at Blackstone in Monterey County for 10 years) and David Hayman, who was with Hardy’s in Australia for 25 years. These guys are making excellent wines at prices several dollars less than most of their competition.” Hogue, Columbia Valley (Washington), 2005 Pinot Grigio, $9. “Though there’s just a hint of residual sugar in this wine, the fresh fruit flavors of peach and pear come across in an almost sweet and creamy package. We found this not unpleasant.” Huntington, Sonoma County, 2005 Chardonnay, $14. “Great bright and fresh fruit flavors—green apples, citrus and a little softening pear. Lovely balance and, at $14, quite a bargain. Huntington, Sonoma County, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $14. “All the requisite Sauvignon Blanc characteristics in a harmonious, understated package. Some grassiness, of course, but it’s the mineral quality that is the hallmark of this wine.” Ironstone Vineyards, Pfalz, 2005 Riesling, $9.50 “Real German Riesling from a California wine family with a German heritage (the Kautz family). Sprightly, crisp flavors with a not-quite-sweet finish. Versatile food-pairer.” Ironstone Vineyards, California, 2005 Symphony, $8. “Wonderfully aromatic--one sniff is like walking into a flower market. It’s off-dry, but there’s a bit of acidity. Not a wine we’d suggest with dinner, but one that will please many as an aperitif.” Ironstone Vineyards, California, 2005 Viognier, $10. “Very floral and citrussy aromas and tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and lemon. Kathy Lynskey Wines, Marlborough (New Zealand), 2006 Gewürztraminer, $24. “Nose of rose petals, cinnamon and a little dried tangerine peel. Clean, racy and steely flavors, though at 14% alcohol, it may not be to the liking of those weaned on Alsatian and German renditions of this variety.” Kathy Lynskey, Marlborough (New Zealand), 2006 Pinot Gris, $25. “Bracing aromas of apple and pear, followed by mostly pear on the palate. Has that wonderful Pinot Gris/Grigio duality of crispness and acidity, offset by creamy quality. Kendall-Jackson, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $11. “This wine (or, at least earlier vintages of it) gets little respect from wine writers or the newly-hip in the wine business. Only the public likes it and it’s been the number one selling Chardonnay in the world for 16 consecutive years. Typically, a California Chardonnay will exhibit either tropical fruit characteristics (pineapple, mango, etc.) or of the crisper apple and pear traits. This one gives a bit of both with some citrus in the bargain. The ‘California’ appellation on a wine label sometimes means lesser quality grapes, but that’s not so in this case. Nearly all the fruit came from quality growing regions of Monterey (45%), Santa Barbara (33%) and Mendocino (19%) Counties. Perhaps not trendy and exciting, the Kendall-Jackson ‘Vintner’s Reserve’ Chardonnay is solid, reliable and better quality than many realize.”
“Try with a grilled filet of salmon served with garlic mashed potatoes and steam Swiss chard in support.” Kendall-Jackson, Santa Barbara/Monterey Counties, 2005 “Grand Reserve” Chardonnay, $20. “Aromatic and showing tropical fruit flavors, this wine also includes a little spice in the background. We found the combination of sur lie ageing and influence of oak muddled, rather than enhanced, the fruit. Some will be fans of this style, but it didn’t resonate with us.” Kenwood Vineyards, Sonoma County, 2005 Gewürztraminer, $11. “Early floral aromas. Opens with sweet and fruity peach flavors and meld into long citrussy (lime) finish.” King Estate, Oregon, 2005 Pinot Gris, $16. “Nose shows lushness of peach and pear, as well as more bracing lemon and spice aspects. Flavor owes much to citrus qualities, yet there is also a richness. Great combination of crisp and creamy.”
“Would accompany broad food offerings. A good choice with Coquilles St. Jacques.” Lake Sonoma Winery, Dry Creek Valley, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $16. “Elements of citrus both in the nose and on the palate, but there’s more to this wine than that. Some pear aromas also present and there’s a melon quality to softer and complete the citrus aspects (which are quite specific in our tasting as to include both lime zest and grapefruit). Finishes well.” Lindemans, South Africa, 2006 Chardonnay, $7.99. “Initial impressions of melon and a bit of citrus in a package that’s pleasantly creamy without being too heavy or buttery. Nicely balanced wine and fair value.” Lockwood, Monterey County, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $11. “Crisp and somewhat citrussy with grapefruit flavors. Winemaker’s notes describe a “melon rind” quality, a somewhat unusual description, but accurate.” McWilliams Hanwood Estate, So. Eastern Australia, 2005 Riesling, $12. “Clear evidence that the Aussies can make very respectable dry Riesling. Aromas of orange blossom and citrus in general followed by crisp apple and citrus flavors. Long, clean finish. This wine was poured with grilled chicken breasts and sausages and compared very favorably to an outstanding Austrian Riesling served with the same meal.” Mirassou, Monterey County, 2005 Riesling, $11. “Stone fruit and apple aromas. First sip shows crisp and citrussy, followed by a middle richness and roundness. Off-dry finish that would complement spicy foods as well as fish and shellfish in creamy treatments.” Montevina, California, 2005 Pinot Grigio, $10. “Lovely, clean flavors—full and rich, yet with an overall softness, too.” Owl Ridge, Sonoma County, 2004 Chardonnay, $32. “High standard Chardonnay showing depth of flavor and complexity. Good citrus notes in this well-balanced wine.” Papio, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $6.99 “Acceptable, inexpensive Chardonnay.” Papio, California, 2005 Pinot Grigio, $6.99 “Lightly floral. Mild, easy-drinking.” Rancho Zabaco, Russian River Valley, 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, $18. “A very high standard S.B. showing some lime zest aromas and a minerality that takes the standard flavors for this variety to another level.” Redwood Creek, California, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $7.99. “Nicely aromatic, this is a reliable example of the versatile Sauvignon Blanc variety and is priced well, too.” Rodney Strong Vineyards, Chalk Hill, 2004 Chardonnay, $19. “Good quality fruit from the winery’s Chalk Hill estate given the French battonage treatment (stirring of the lees that settle at the bottom of the barrel), yield a wine with a nice opening aspect of vanilla and the happy combination of contrasting flavor profiles of crispy minerality and lush creaminess.” Rodney Strong Vineyards, Sonoma County, 2005 Chardonnay, $15. “First impression brings baked apples to mind. Enough clean pear and citrus quality to the fruit not to be overwhelmed by the substantial influence of barrel fermentation (41%). Rodney Strong Vineyards, Russian River Valley, 2005 Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc, $14. “Much to like in thIS multi-faceted Sauvignon Blanc. Floral, with crispness and minerality, it nevertheless has a richness that would make it a good choice with richer fowl dishes and veal with creamy sauces.” San Saba Vineyards, Monterey, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $14.95. “Clean and crisp flavors redolent of melon and lime. A clear cut above most of the legion of Sauvignon Blancs priced a few dollars less.” Smashed Grapes, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $7.99. “Recognizable as Chardonnay and showing no obvious flaws, this wine is fair value at eight bucks, but doesn’t rise above the great sea of other brands in the neighborhood.” Smashed Grapes, California, 2005 Pinot Grigio, $7.99. “Some melon and citrus aromas and a nice creamy roundness in the mouth. Finishes cleanly with more crisp citrus aspects. An appealing wine at a modest price.” Sterling, Central Coast, 2005 Pinot Grigio, $13. “Citrussy—good acidity. Not especially creamy initially, but got more so as it sat in the glass. This likely was more a function of refrigerator’s chill wearing off—a nice wine that oughtn’t be served too cold.” Three Thieves, California, 2004 “Bandit” Pinot Grigio, $8.99 (4-pack of 250 ml). “Very practical packaging of 250ml containers (1/3 of a normal bottle of wine) of California Pinot Grigio. The “Tetra Pak” containers hold a decent one-person serving, weigh much less than glass, chill easily and stow easily. They’re small enough to easily fit into a lunch pail, brief case or brown bag to accompany a meal. All the convenience wouldn’t have much relevance if the product didn’t taste good, but this is very decent wine. Bravo!” Trinchero, Napa Valley, 2005 “Vista Montone” Chardonnay, $25. “Clean, bright fruit. Just a little lemony, followed by a minerality and a bit of oak.”
“A rich wine, but one crisp enough to accompany food. Try serving with a Dungeness crab and artichoke gratinée.” Trinchero, Napa, 2005 Mary’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, $24. “Initial strong citrus presence yields to minerality. Seemed one-dimensional at first but a little aeration and continued attentive tasting displayed broad variety of qualities –all in balanced package. Trinchero Family, Santa Barbara, 2005 Chardonnay, $9.99 “From predominantly Santa Barbara grapes, this moderately-priced Chardonnay has rich tropical fruit character and some depth from good structure and acid. A solid value in a moderately-priced Chardonnay.” Trinchero Family, Santa Barbara, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, $9.99. “Crisp and a little grassy with very appealing lime/zest-of-lime aspects. Goes down easy.” Valley of the Moon, Sonoma County, 2005 Pinot Blanc, $16. “Lime zest is the theme in this steely and citrussy Pinot Blanc.”
“Excellent choice to pair with grilled halibut.” TwoTone Farm, California, 2005 Chardonnay, $9.99 “First impression of lemon curd or fresh lemon pudding. Pineapple and the cliché ‘tropical fruit’ aspects within an overall creaminess backed by acidity. Bright, clean flavors—a style we really like.”
“Serve with the simplicity of sole, gentle sautéed in butter and dusted with some toasted hazelnuts.” Woodbridge (Robert Mondavi), Lodi, 2004 Chardonnay, $11. “Floral aromas. Fresh, clean tropical fruit flavors throughout, but there’s citrussy acidity the keeps the creaminess from being too soft or cloying. An excellent Chardonnay at a very affordable price.” |
|
