Rioja Week in Chicago

Next week, October 18-25, Rioja will be invading Chicago for a week of glass pours and pairings in some great restaurants and wine bars.  Rioja Week will be hitting only two cities: ours and New York.  This is something special, as many restaurants do not serve Rioja wines by the glass, though they pair extremely well with food.  

Some may ask "What is Rioja?".



Rioja is wine made in La Rioja, a province in northern Spain.  The main grape varietals permitted are Tempranillo for red, while whites are mainly comprised of Viura, also known as Macabeo.  Other grape varietals used are Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, and Malvasia.  There is a great history of winemaking in this region, which dates back thousands of years.  Wines can range from young and vibrant to aged and  funky, but all are perfect with local cuisine, as well as certain internationals.

Many deals can be had next week, such as $25 or $50 prix fixe menus including wine, $12 bar samplings, or 15-20% discounts on Rioja bottles.  Some of the restaurants/bars included are:

Chicago:  Sushi Samba Rio, 1492 Tapas, Mundial Cucina Mestiza, Mercat al la Planxa, Fonda del Mar, Fiddlehead Cafe, Eivissa, Vivo, Province, Fleming's, Tocco Pizza E Arte, The Red Canary, The Melting Pot, Salpicon, Feast

Naperville:  Meson Sabika, Zaidi's

Evanston:  Oceanique

Arlington Heights:  La Tasca Tapas

So come on out and get yourself a glass or bottle and fiesta!

Oprah Says Tip Ten Percent?!

I have seen Internet buzz where, supposedly, Oprah recently said it was acceptable to tip servers 10% in this economy.  I suppose her point was to tell her audience how to save some money during the current ongoing financial crunch.  There are some sites that say she said it, like ChaCha.com, while reps from Harpo claim she did not.  I know Oprah has always been a staunch supporter of tipping well, and I don't know for certain whether she said it or not, but I know the statement is wrong.  There has been huge Internet backlash regarding the statement, and I would like to add a bit myself.



I have been in the bar/restaurant industry for about 13 years, with a good majority of that making tips as a bartender and a waiter.  Both behind the bar and on the floor, you are expected to be an expert regarding the food and drink your establishment offers.  When a guest asks a question or is looking for a suggestion, your bartender/waiter is expected to be there with the answer.  When you are looking for a dining or bar experience, you expect everything to go right, and it is mostly because of the bartender or waiter. 

Somehow, in our society, the honus of providing a living wage for restaurant service has fallen upon the consumer rather than the employer.  Lawmakers have allowed employers to pay LESS than minimum wage to their employees, even though they are the beneficiaries of that employee's work.  This can apply to any employee who receives tipped income, giving a restaurant owner the luxury of paying its bartenders, waiters, and bussers less than minimum.  In Illinois, minimum wage for tipped employees is 60% of minimum wage, which currently stands at $4.80/hour.  In many states it is less.  How this is construed as legal or correct, I have no idea.  Now while this is not fair to the consumer, it is their responsibility to provide an adequate tip if they plan on dining out.  If you can afford to play, you can afford to pay.

As far as the ten percent thing goes, that just will not cut it.  In many restaurants, a waiter tips out support staff like bussers, food runners, bartenders, sommeliers, and sometimes even hosts/maitre d's.  In alot of those restaurants, 10% of a waiter's sales go for that tip out, leaving the waiter with half of their tips IF they received 20%.  If you live by the ten percent rule, the waiter goes home broke, with less than minimum wage to show for it.  I am sure many do not know about these backdoor stories regarding tipping, but that does not make it untrue. 

There are also many who believe in not tipping on wine.  I once waited on a table that ordered $800 in wine (bottles), and $300 in food, and only tipped me 15% on the food because they don't believe in tipping on wine.  On $1100 in total sales on that table, I was expected to tip out my support staff $110, while the table only tipped me $45 total!  I lost $75 waiting on that table.  I still provided the guests with adequate recommendations regarding the wine list, provided polished stemware, opened and decanted the wine, and continued to pour it during the meal.  If you don't tip on wine, consider the work that goes into all of it, or start going to BYOB restaurants. 

A couple of simple rules to remember when regarding dining out:

1. Go out with a good attitude.  Whatever happened that day to upset you, try not to take it out on others.  Remember, you are out for some atmosphere, a good meal and/or drink- an experience.


2. Tip out the service.  If you had a bad meal, the valet treated you bad, the coatchecker misplaced your coat, the bathroom was dirty, do not take it out on the server.  If they provided you with the service you needed at the table, give them what they deserve.  Complain to the manager about the other stuff.


3. Tip accordingly on complimentary meals, gift cards, coupons, etc.  Too many times have I seen bad form regarding this.  A person gets a complimentary $200 meal, and leaves $10, when they should've left $40.  Another person uses a gift card to pay half their bill, and tips on the new total.  Tip on the entire meal folks, after all, you just saved a ton of cash on your meal anyway.


4. Don't short your friends.  Too many times have I seen a group decide to split a bill, with people giving cash to one person at the table who decides to pay using a credit card.  Then that person leaves a bad tip, despite the fact their friends gave enough for a good one, and pockets the rest.  That displays poor judgement, low class.


5. Tip what they deserve.  I usually start at 18% and, depending on the service, my tip goes up or down.  If I felt the service was slow, uninterested, snarky, or just bad, it goes down.  If it starts off bad, I request a new server.  If service is adequate, they get their 18% (I use the total, not pre-tax), and if they go above and beyond, it can go as high as 25%, though not usually more than 20%.  This is your dining experience.  You should be out for a good time, good drink, good food.

Whatever your practices are, try to remember these intricacies surrounding tipping.  It will help you have better dining experiences, especially in places you frequent multiple times.  Also, as far as saving money in a down economy, why not try a few other practices instead, like not ordering that 2nd drink or that extra appetizer, try sharing a dessert, or purchasing more value based wines.  You can also try cooking at home or ordering take out or delivery.  Don't stiff your servers to try to save a few bucks. 

For a great view through a waiter's eyes, check out Waiter Rant.  The site's author, Steve Dublanica, is a waiter in New York, and not only has alot of experience in his field, he is also a great story teller.  Even if you don't agree with him, you will at least be entertained!

Let me know about any of your experiences or opinions.

(Image courtesy of wikipedia)

At Chicago Gourmet 2009

It was a cloudy, but beatiful weekend, and a great chance to enjoy outstanding wine and local food at Chicago Gourmet 2009.  My wife and I headed down on the Green Line, and then walked over to beautiful Millenium Park, where all the festivities were being held.  There were tents set up everywhere- in case of rain, each one filled with samples from Southern Wine & Spirits brands or local food and beverage options.  It was time to dive in, eat, drink, and enjoy!

We darted for the food tents first, to see what was cooking.  We were greeted by a huge pig on a grill, being cooked and sliced by the chefs from Jose Garces' Mercat a la Planxa.  This was extremely delicious, and started us off with a popular theme now being used by many chefs- pork.  Just recently looked down upon, the "other white meat" is reaching new heights in culinary acclaim.  I have always been a fan, and use pork as a key flavor component in many of my own home dishes.  This can also be served in a group setting at Mercat with advanced reservations.  We also started off with some great pork belly served up by the Four Seasons, smoked sturgeon from Blackbird, and heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella from Keefer's.  Countless other restaurants were onhand, giving out great samples like The Gage, Sunda, Spring, Arun's, Japonais, Hugo's, Mexique, Piccolo Sogno, L20, Carnivale, and C-House.  This was an awesome display of the Chicago culinary scene- one of the best in the world.

Next we headed for the Terlato tent, which was definitely the most awesome wine display.  Many prestigious brands were being poured like Two Hands, Sokol Blosser, Il Poggione, Bollinger (James Bonds' fav Champagne), M. Chapoutier, Chimney Rock, Rust en Vrede, and Terlato Family Vineyards.  Credenzas and couches were set up for ambience and comfort, and it may have been the most relaxed, yet festive tastings I've been to.  We had the fortune of running into Anthony Terlato, who could not have been more inviting.  We were looking forward to his cooking demo with Fabio Vivani.

We made it to a few demos, which were held in the Jay Pritzker Pavillion.  The first we witnessed was with a great trio of chefs: Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate, Bill Kim of Urban Belly, and Stephanie Izard of highly anticipated The Drunken Goat.  They would be cooking with pork and peaches, with recipes that may be included on their own menus.  Chef Kim went with a pork belly sandwich, which may be featured at his new restaurant, Belly Shack, while chef Izard went for pork belly over seared tofu, for a healthy, yet savory offering.

Next, it was time for Anthony Terlato, offering his Santa Margherita Prosecco to the audience, and Fabio Vivani, of Top Chef and Cafe Firenze, cooking up some simple seared tuna.  This was not only a very good sparkling wine, but also an excellent pairing.

There were also many other great demos, including the artistry of seafood & salt, seasonal cuisine, asian delights, and farm to table. 

 

I was amazed by all the fine food, wine, and spirits onhand.  It was filled with delight after delight for the senses!  If you have never been to this 2nd annual event, make sure to be looking for Chicago Gourmet 2010.  It will be worth it!

Check out this St. Supéry Deal!

From now through Monday, October 5, 2009, St. Supéry is offering their 2003 Merlot for $150 per case.  That is a $28 wine you can have for $12.50 per bottle!

The wine is medium-full bodied, has loads of fruits, and hints of herbs and mocha.

Just go to the St. Supéry shop and use the discount code MERLOT150 when you check out.  Life is too short to drink cheap wine, and is even better when you get good wine at a discount!

Napa Valley Vintners invade Chicago!

The Napa Valley Vintners Association was in Chicago on Wednesday, September 16, ready to bring a full array of Napa Valley wine to our taste buds.  I was invited to an intimate luncheon held at Bloomingdale's, and then a walk across the street to Fleming's, where over 80 wineries were pouring some excellent Napa juice.

There was alot going on in the Bloomingdale's demo kitchen.  Fleming's chefs were onhand to make us a fabulous lunch, members of the press were ready to taste some great food and wine, and some of Napa Valley's best wineries were pouring premium selections.  I started off by talking to Hugh Davies of Schramsberg.  He and his family helped turn a rundown winery into the finest producer of sparkling wine in the US.  He was pouring his 1999 vintage Brut sparkling wine out of a magnum, which was aged eight years "sur lie" before bottling.  It had bright acidity, a myriad of fruit flavor, and a touch of creaminess.  A great way to start out a tasting.

We were then directed to our seats, where I was fortunate to sit next to Lisa Broman Augustine of Broman Cellars, and Diana Schweiger of Schweiger Vineyards.  We shared innovative insights to wine and Napa, and tasted some great wines.  Three different Sauvignon Blancs were being passed around:

1. Broman Cellars.  This was my favorite, as the round ripe fruit, especially melons, filled my palate, while the flavor endured with a slightly creamy finish.


2. Honig Vineyard and Winery.  The wine was pleasant and bright, but a bit hot, and had some oakiness to it.  I am not a big fan of oak with this varietal, though it is used alot in California Sauvignon Blanc.


3. Cakebread Cellars.  This had mineral, citrus, and a touch of vanilla, but did not last on the tongue.

We also tasted Cakebread Chardonnay, which was a rich, buttery, extremely oaky version.  Next it was time for some food and red wine.

We kicked off the red wine with David Graves introducing us to Saintsbury Pinot Noir.  We were also served a mini beef wellington, which was small and delicious.  It went well with the large collection of Cabernet Sauvignon we were tasting.  Cakebread, Oakville Ranch, Honig, and Broman Cabs were big, round, and great.  Schweiger Dedication, a blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc, is an extremely complex wine with big fruit flavor. 

Our burgers came just in time, as tasting all these wines can take a toll.  They were prepared with an au poivre sauce, served with au gratin potatoes.  I was delighted to finish off the tasting with my favorite wine of the day, the 1997 Signorello "Padrone", a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc.  It was so elegant, but yet strong- this wine could easily last another 10 years.  This ended the luncheon, and it was time to go to Fleming's and taste more wine!

As soon as I walked in, I was surrounded by wine, producers, consumers, and total atmosphere.  That place was rockin'!  I sampled many wines: Gemstone, Lail, Grgich Hills (I always have to sample their wine!), Celani (thanks for the laughs Gary!), and Baldacci (an awesome, affordable, small production wine from Stag's Leap) were some of my favorites.

It is hard to deny that Napa Valley holds some of the world's greatest wines.  They are always a pleasure to taste, great with food, and not hard to find.  Go out and grab yourself a few bottles and let me know what you think!

Friday Evening at Windy City Wine Fest '09

It was a beautiful Friday evening, and I had a plan- take the Green Line train to east Randolph Street, meet my wife just after work, and enjoy the Windy City Wine Festival.  Everything worked out as scheduled, and we headed to Daley Bicentennial Plaza, which has an amazing view of the city to go along with excellent greenery and flowers.  There was a short line at will call, where we picked up our wristbands and drink tickets, and headed into the fest!

We moved past the stage, where the demonstrations were being held, and decided to circle the park and booths before sampling.  While walking with our sample glasses, my wife received many dirty looks- she is pregnant.  Her only intention was to smell, taste, and spit the wine, but I fear there are too many judgmental individuals in our society.  Feeling uncomfortable, she turned in her souvenier glass for a bottle of water.  It's funny how those same people would say nothing if they saw a pregnant woman smoking or consuming unhealthy or "fast" foods, which could be harmful to a developing baby, while moderate consumption of wine during pregnancy has proven, through reseach, to be helpful in development.  Everything in moderation is the key to life, and unfortunately, a good portion of America has yet to learn this.

So we headed into the tastings, and I decided to go with Illinois wineries.  First was Cooper's Hawk winery and restaurant, located in Orland Park, IL.  I tried their house white blend of mostly Alsatian varietals, and it was a bit off-dry, fruity, and pleasant. 

Next was Illinois Cellars, which makes estate wines in Carrollton.  I tried their white Chardonnel, Apple Wine, and red Norton.  The wines are of decent quality, and when you consider the pricetag ($6.99/bottle), are quite a value for locally grown examples- definitely worth a try! 

We then saw Greg Fischer, of BevArt and Wild Blossom Meadery, from the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago.  Greg owns local bee farms here in both Illinois and Indiana, from which he gets the honey to make mead.  I've tasted much of his product before and it's fantastic, especially when heated or added to beer.  There was quite a line, so I said hi and proceeded onto my favorite Illinois winery, Lynfred.

Lynfred Winery is located in Roselle, IL., and makes wines from local and California grown varietals.  They have a miriad of styles, from sweet fruit wines like cranberry, peach, and rhubarb, to Viognier and award winning Cabernet Sauvignon.  Make sure to visit them and say hi to Christina and the crew (pictured above)!

As for the rest of the wines, I thought the selections were mostly pedestrian.  Many of the labels are nothing different from what I have seen widely available in your local Jewel-Osco or Dominick's.  That is not to say the wine was bad, but just that it was nothing special.

As far as the food goes, many very good restaurants were represented.  Markethouse, Zocalo, and Billy Goat Tavern were among the Chicago reps, with many other goodies from the 'burbs as well.  It was a huge pleasure to meet Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh (pictured to the right) of Hearty Boys catering, and soon to open (November '09), Hearty restaurant.  They are an awesome duo, and Chicago is very fortunate to have them growing in the city.  They even put on a great and informative cooking demo for all to see and learn.

The night was made even better after we left, as we were able to experience part of the performance from the Lyric Opera House in the Pritzker Pavillion.  Even though the venue was packed, we had a great time, and both Millenium Park and Chicago are awesome in the summertime.  

If you unfortunately missed this event, you can still catch the Naperville Wine Festival this coming weekend, or Chicago Gourmet September 26 & 27.  Make sure you enjoy everything Chicagoland has to offer, and tell me about it!

Old Town Wine Crush Music & Comedy Fest

September is bringing alot of wine fun to Chicago, and this festival is centered in the great Old Town neighborhood.  One of the main attractions of Old Town are its comedy clubs, and they will be in the mix this weekend, September 12 &13.  Comedy will be featured in the O'Brien's parking lot on both days, while music will be at the North Avenue stage, highlighted by the Gin Blossoms on Saturday.  Here are more specifics:

There is a $7 gate donation which will give you access to all music, activities, and demonstrations.  The money will also benefit the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association, along with Chicago 2016.  For an additional $40, you will receive a souvenier glass and 10 tastings (1 oz. pours), from a choice of over 30 premium wines.  Marimar, Chateau Graville-Lacoste, Au Bon Climat, Flowers, Ridge, and Bodegas Fernandez are some of the highlights.  $15 for an additional 10 tastings. 

A cooking stage will feature demos from Old Town Brasserie, Kamehachi, The Fudge Pot, Adobo Grill (go say hi to Matt), and Dinotto Ristorante.  There will also be some grape stomping, a la "I Love Lucy", available through preregistration of two-person teams for competition.  There is only room for 8 teams per day, so make sure to get on the list quickly.  If you need more info, check out their site.  Go have some fun, and tell us all about it!

Chicago Community Crush Kick-Off

This past Wednesday, Community Crush: Chicago was launched at our kick-off party held in Rogers Park.  Taste Food and Wine was our host, and they are an awesome wine shop and Euro deli, which had ample space to accomodate all new members of the Community.  Onhand were  four Community Crush: San Francisco 2008 Pinot Noirs to taste, each very different, and gave all a sneak peak at what our Pinot Noir could be like next year. 

This was the first of what will be many gatherings and chances to meet other people who are enthusiastic about wine and Chicago.  Make sure to join the Community online, become part of our wine's life cycle, and say hi to both myself and my co-leader Carol Ludwick.  Our next event is being held at South Loop Wine Cellar next Wednesday, September 16, from 6:30-8:30pm.  We will be tasting more Crushpad wines, and tasting some freshly picked Pinot Noir grapes from the Two Pisces Vineyard, the source of our 2009 wine.  See you there!

Naperville Wine Festival

There is alot going on that involves wine this month in the city, and that also includes the 'burbs.  For the 7th year in a row, the Naperville Wine Festival will be delighting Chicagoland with food and beverage.  Not only will there be over 250 wines present, but also some great local restaurants, and lots of entertainment and demos.  Check out the info:

The event will be held in the historic Naper Settlement at 523 S. Webster St. on Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19.  If you are coming from downtown, the Metra will get you there quickly, and the stop is closeby.  You can purchase tickets in advance for $25 through the website or by calling (847)382-1480.  Tickets can also be purchase at the door for $30, and includes a souvenier glass, a Festival program, 10 tastes, and access to food, demos, and music.  An additional 10 tastes can be purchased for $5, while designated drivers can enter for $10, with the same benefits, except their 10 tastes are replaced by 2 non alcoholic drinks.  Groups of 15 or more receive a 10% discount.  A portion of all proceeds benefits the Naperville Area Humane Society and Naper Settlement.

If you are not the biggest wine fan, you can still enjoy the fest.  Not only will there be lots of food and entertainment, but a Belgian Beer Cafe will be onhand.  It is sponsored by Stella Artois, and will also include Leffe and Hoegaarden beers.  No matter what you like, I guarantee you will enjoy this trip to Naperville and its gorgeous riverwalk.  Treat yourself to a day away from the big city with some wine and Naperville!

Cooking with Wine

Everyone knows what the main function of wine is- to drink!  But it can also be used in the kitchen to help create many of your favorite dishes.  It will enhance meals with a bold flavor, and allow you to create even more interesting beverage pairings.  Here are a few quick rules to remember when cooking with wine:

Rule #1 is to never use a wine you would

not

drink!  A wine's flavor will be present in any dish it is used for, so if you think you can help out your recipe with inferior wine, think again.  I typically drink while I cook, so the wine is there when I need it.  I would not suggest using

Chateau Mouton Rothschild

for cooking, but rather wines that you enjoy in a modest price range.  Never use anything labelled "cooking wine".  This is a cheap wine with additional sodium, being sold for more than it could fetch as a normal wine.  If you don't drink it, don't use it.

There are three main purposes for wine in cooking.  The first is for marinating.  Many meats, especially tougher ones, taste and chew better when they are marinated.  A wine can help break down muscle tissue and tendons, making a tender, soft, and tasty cut of meat.  During the breakdown, blood and other flavor will seep out of the meat into the marinade, making for a tasty braising liquid. 

The second purpose of wine is that same braising or cooking liquid.  A wine will jump up the flavor to any sauce, stew, or braising liquid when added.  Alcohol, sulfites, and water evaporate from the wine, leaving behind the concentrated flavor of the grape juice.  These complex flavors, along with the natural sugars will enhance your meal. 

 The third purpose, and perhaps the most fun, is finishing.  This is when you close the deal and give your meal the finishing touch of flavor, and sometimes flame, that it needs.  A fortified wine, such as Port, Marsala, or Sherry, will enflame a dish, and give it a carmelized crust.  You will also be giving it a desired flavor  profile such as caramel and sweet cherry from Port, nuts from Sherry, or maple and licorice from Marsala.  Finishing a dish can also mean deglazing a pan to create a sauce.  You will pour wine into the just used pan on low temperature, hoping to get all the flavor crusties to mix and meld with the liquid.  The liquid will reduce, leaving behind an extremely concentrated and tasty sauce to accompany your meal.

Make sure that you always pair the proper wine with your dish.  If you're goal is to prepare a pepper crusted skirt steak, marinate it in Syrah/Shiraz.  If you are making a lemon caper sauce for chicken, use Pinot Grigio.  A butter sauce will be optimal with an oaked Chardonnay.  The list goes on and on.  If you have questions about these, leave your comment or ask

@WCWineGuy

on

Twitter

.

(image courtesy of flickr)

5th Annual Windy City Wine Festival

Attention all wine, food, and beverage lovers.  Make sure to pencil in the Windy City Wine Festival on your calendars!  The event will be taking place on September 11 &12 at Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park (337 E. Randolph).  This is a chance to meet winemakers and experts of 250 different wines, along with some of Chicago's finest restaurants featuring a taste of their cuisine.  Here are the specifics:

For $25 in advance or $30 at the gate, you have access to all seminars, demonstrations, musical performances, a Festival program, a souvenier glass, and 10 tastings.  An additional 10 tastings can be purchased for $5.  For $10, designated drivers get the same treatment, except their 10 tastes are replaced by 2 non alcoholic beverages.  A 10% group discount is offered for 15 or more.  Purchase tickets online or call (847) 382-1480.  A portion of the proceeds benefits the Grant Park Conservancy.

Go have a good time, enjoy some music, wine, food, and Blue Moon beer.  And make sure to say hi if you see me at the event!

Chicago Gourmet Food Festival 2009

Chicago Gourmet is on the way- a food and wine festival taking place on September 26 & 27 in Millenium Park.  This is just its second annual occurrence, and it will be a celebration of our city's culinary culture and history, highlighted by Chicago's best chefs and restaurants.  Also, hundreds of wines, local sommeliers, and wine experts will be onhand for tastings and seminars.

Many Chicago personalities like Mayor Daley will be in attendance, along with Chicago's favorite chefs: Rick Bayless (winner of Top Chef Masters) of Frontera Grill, Jose Garces of Mercat a la Planxa, John Coletta of Quartino, Dirk Flanigan of The Gage, Marcus Samuelsson of C-House, Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno, Stephanie Izard (Top Chef winner) of The Drunken Goat, and lots of other local greats.

Awesome food is not the only think on the menu, as wines from Robert Mondavi, Mionetto (one of my favorite sparkling wine producers), and Gaja Wines presented by Gaia Gaja, will be there for tasting, along with famed importer and producer, Anthony Terlato of Terlato Wines International, and his amazing portfolio featured at the Festival's largest tent.

Tickets can be purchased beforehand for $150 for a single day, or $250 for the two day weekend.  There are also upgrades for those who don't mind spending extra, such as Grand Cru tastings for $175 featuring some of the finest wines in the world presented by Master Sommeliers.  Here is a little hint to avoid the ticket price, which may be worth your while: Chicago Dine Around.  Starting now through September 27, if you dine at five different restaurants using their special prix-fixe menu, and attach each receipt to the Chicago Gourmet Dine Around Passport (available at all participating restaurants), you will be eligible for a free one day pass to the Festival.

Make sure to plan ahead and get in on Chicago's greatest food and wine event!

BYOB at Caro Mio

This past Wednesday, my wife and I teamed up with Chris and Kristina Caruso of Vine Times Chicago for a BYOB evening at Caro Mio Italian Restaurant in Lincoln Square.  We found ample inexpensive meter parking just across the street, and walked into a quaint and cozy little dining room.  We were then given water, which is served in pint glasses (great for holding alot of water), a carafe of water for the table, and menus.  Stemware was then presented, and it was time to open the wines!

For our Italian dinner, we both brought Super Tuscans from the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany.  Super Tuscans are great wines made in Tuscany which rebel against Italian wine classification laws.  Wines from this region are traditionally made from Sangiovese, along with a blend of other local grapes (mostly white wine grapes).  They have a history dating back about 40 years, when the head of the Antinori family created one of the first.  Piero Antinori wanted to add Bordeaux varietals to the mix, enhancing the body, texture, flavor, and aromatics to Italy's #1 varietal.  His creation, and my wine choice for the evening, was Tignanello.  I brought the 2001 vintage (retails around $85), a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc.  I love this wine, as it has a great soil and barnyard aroma, mixed with ripe dark cherry, worn leather, and oak on the palate.  There was also small hints of tobacco and chocolate, which proved the complexity of the wine.  The tannins were supple and smooth, making it great with any food, especially Italian.

Chris brought 1997 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve (retails around $70), made from single vineyard, 100% Sangiovese.  It has been produced since 1981 by the Manetti family.  This wine is weighty and big, with larger tannins, dark cherry and plum aroma and flavor, along with some cedar and rich earth.  It is a perfect partner for meat dishes and heavy sauces.

As far as the food is concerned, the menu has tons of options: fresh salads and soups, homemade pastas, veal, chicken, beef, and fish.  We went with a couple of fresh mozzarella dishes to start, one with green beans, and the other a classic caprese.  The mozzarella seemed local, as it was harder textured than the imported soft, rich version.  The green beans were large and delicious, especially when topped with the balsalmic vinegar.  The tomatoes were thick, but a touch less than ripe.  Both a good choice to accompany the bright acidity of the wines.

For dinner, everyone chose homemade pasta (most dishes priced around $20), which is hard to resist when offered.  I went with rigatoni bolognese topped with chicken parmesan- an odd combination, but great for meat lovers.  The dish was large enough to easily feed two, and needless to say, I had leftovers.  All of the pasta was cooked al dente, and tasted fresh, with unbelievable doughy, chewy flavor.  The bolognese sauce had a tomato tang accompanying the soft, salty ground meat.  All of this combined with tender chicken and melted mozzarella was outrageous!  My wife chose the porcini ravioli with chicken, which was an earthy, creamy blend of four monster ravioli and chicken breast topped with a creamy porcini sauce, which could double as a tasty soup.  I know the Caruso's loved their food as well, because we found ourselves doing more chewing, and less talking!

We left no room for dessert, but I will be back to try the tiramisu and more fresh pasta.  I highly recommend this spot, and hope you enjoy the food and BYOB experience as much as us.  Feel free to comment about your experience!

Community Crush Chicago

Winemaking.  It can be mysterious and seem difficult.  I want to start off by saying that anyone can make wine.  But without access to quality vineyards, equipment, winery space, and expertise, making a great wine is almost impossible.  But thanks to Crushpad, the average person has access to all of this.  Choose your varietal, and your grapes will be gathered from California or Bordeaux single vineyards, then turned into a full barrel (about 500 bottles)of great wine by their experts, with prices starting at $5,700. 

Now if you don't want to make that kind of commitment, Crushnet might be for you.  You can be involved with a community barrel, or one that you started with friends, with commitment starting at one bottle purchase.  And for Chicagoans, we have been given the unique opportunity to become part of a remote hands on experience in the creation of a wine.  I have just become co-leader of Community Crush Chicago, an interactive experience with the 2009 vintage of the Two Pisces Vineyard Pinot Noir.  For the low price of $26 per bottle, you will have access to a post-harvest grape tasting, winemaker Noah Dorrance, video updates and live streaming of the wine, post-fermentation and barrel sample wine tasting, designing of the label, and parties with your community of fellow Chicago winemakers!  A full barrel of wine or 511 bottles will be made, so make sure join the group, reserve your bottles, and join the community.

Food & Beverage at Lollapalooza '09

It happens once a year- numerous bands along with thousands of fans flood Grant Park for a weekend of live music, fun, sun, and Chicago.  The neighborhood will be rockin' until 10pm from Friday, August 7 thru Sunday, August 9, as Lollapalooza invades the Windy City.  Big names like Pearl Jam, Depeche Mode, The Killers, Jane's Addiction, Tool, Lou Reed, and Snoop Dogg will be performing for the mobs.  But who will be providing food and drink for the masses?

The lineup for food and beverage is almost as impressive as the music, as many of Chicago's best will be onhand to dole out the grub.  Fast food stallworths like Buona Beef and Greek Delights gyros will be onhand as well as entertaining options like Cans Bar, Adobo Grill, Goose Island Brewpub, and O'Brien's.  Even haute cuisine from Graham Elliot will be available- in a quick and fun version.  Click here for the full menu and here for the map.

As far as beverages go, you can get yourself a best lemonade, Sweet Leaf Tea, or a smoothie.  For adult refreshment, quite a few beers will be representing like Beck's, Hoegaarden, and Stella Artois.   So make sure you enjoy all that Chicago has to offer and drink responsibly!

Class at Culinary Institute of America

On my second day at the Wine Bloggers Conference we split up into eight different buses and headed to  Napa Valley, with our first stop being at the Culinary Institute of America.  It is situated in a humongous greystone building resembling Hogwarts School, minus the magic.  I entered and was amazed at not only the size, but the decor and design as well.

 

 

 

 



After climbing up two stories of stairs, which showed off a great view of the entire entrance hallway, I walked into a large dining room.  It contained a historic collection of California wines encased in glass- I was simply blown away! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The oldest was a bottle of 1875 Isaias Hellman Cucamonga Private Stock Port.  The wine is made from the zinfandel varietal, and was aged five decades before being  bottled post prohibition. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next one I looked at was the 1941 Simi Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon Hotel Del Monte Selection.  The Simi brothers started making wine in 1876 after a tough go at the Gold Rush.  Women led the winery to greatness, as Isabelle Simi hid the wines for prime aging in Healdsburg during prohibition, and later hired the first two female graduates from UC Davis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also had the 1958 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Martini name is associated with bulk wine, but older vintages are great wines and collector items.  Louis was trained in winemaking at the age of 19 in Italy, and returned to his family's California winery to make excellent post prohibition wines.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Onto a bottle of 1962 Inglenook Charbono.  The winery was started in 1879 by Gustave Niebaum and thrust into fame after prohibition.  The property was eventually purchased by Francis Ford Coppola.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another oldie was the non-vintage Sebastiani Barbera Bin No. 132, bottled in 1968.  It was another Italian immigrant founded winery, as Samuele Sebastiani started it in 1904.  They were know known for their zinfandel, and are known for many more varietals nowadays.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

The best wine I stumbled upon was the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay created by winemaker Mike Grgich, now of Grgich Hills Estate, who put his signature on the bottle.  That wine won the white wine category in the now famous 1976 Tasting of Paris.  This event clearly put American wines on the radar of wine lovers and collectors worldwide.

I eventually settled down to listen to a great wine social media seminar conducted by Barry Schuler, former CEO of AOL.  His information was one of the highlights of the conference.  I think much of what he said will inspire wine writers to push to the next level.  I was also very happy because it was one of the few times I had access to Wi-Fi!  The seminar ended around noon, just in time for everyone to move to their bus and move on to lunch.  More on Bus #6 travels tomorrow...

If you get a chance to visit the CIA Greystone, make sure you do.  It is a majestic building- with a huge kitchen!

Go West Young Blogger- Out to WBC '09

A couple of weekends back I had the pleasure of attending the Wine Bloggers  Conference 2009 held in Santa Rosa, California.  Over 270 of the nation's brightest wine writers flooded into the Flamingo hotel for three days of wine, tweeting, writing, and networking. 

The conference kicked off with lunch and then we moved onto speed tasting.  It was a bit like speed dating, as we sat at our tables while winery owners and representatives went table to table pouring wines, and giving out info along the way.  We were supposed to be using social media sites to send out live video and messaging while we tasted, but the hotel had Wi-Fi problems, which unfortunately carried on all weekend long.  Anyway, we tasted a few real gems, the first of which was the biggest value wine of the weekend: 2007 Line 39 Petite Sirah Lake County for $10 is a steal, with its smokiness and fruit depth.  The best wine of the afternoon was 2004 Cornerstone Cellars Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($100).  It had spice, chocolate, and a deep earthy, dark berry flavor which lasted incredibly long.

The next day we were on to Napa Valley, where they had a full day of wine country planned for us, which will be covered soon enough.  You will have to wait until tomorrow to check out my visit to the Culinary Institute of America, St. Supery, Terra Valentine, Quintessa, and Spring Mountain Vineyard.  Until then, grab yourself a glass and enjoy!

Beer and Hearty Belgian Food at Hopleaf Bar

Just another night of casual dining in Chicago brought my wife and I to Hopleaf Bar on Chicago's North Side, close to the intersection of Foster and Clark.  It was an easy ride down Lake Shore Drive, and we found ample parking before heading in for some Belgian delight.

The entrance places you in a bustling bar, where there is open seating for food and drink.  We headed to the rear of the establishment, where there is a small bi-level dining room, an open kitchen, and an outdoor patio.  We put our names on a seating list, then went back to the bar to grab a drink.  This was my biggest challenge, as there are over 40 beers on draft, along with three meads!  I went for the Dogfish Head (one of my favorite breweries, out of Maryland) Festina Peche, a seasonal Berliner Weisse fermented with peaches.  It was dangerously refreshing, as I could see myself guzzling a six pack in no time, and full of slightly unripened white peach flavor.  The bar was unfortunately out of non-alcoholic beers for my pregant wife, but we were quickly summoned to our table anyway, so on to the food!

We started with the Sausage Plate- a plate full of a variety of organic sausages, bourbon pancetta, and white beans.  It was extremely and I could see myself eating it on a nightly basis.  All the flavor of the sausages with the crunchy pancetta fulfilled my meat lover dream.  I would need a beer with more power, so I moved onto the Surly Brewing Company's Bender, a full oatmeal brown ale.  Moving along, we decided to split entrees- an organic Montreal style brisket, and the CB&J, which was crunchy toasted sour dough bread sandwiching fig jam, house made cashew butter, and morbier cheese.  Both were accompanied by Stilton mac and cheese, along with the french fries and garlic mayonnaise gave us the perfect Euro touch.  The brisket was bright pink, and very tender and flavorful- making the ground mustard almost unnecessary.  The mac and cheese was creamy and had good flavor, but was not quite as rich or as much of a knock-out as I expected.  The CB&J, on the otherhand, was an awesome meadley of tastes, with some sweet fruit, rich nuttiness, and creamy cheesey bliss.  It would easily make for the perfect lunch.

As if all of that was not enough, we went for dessert.  The selection process was fierce, but we went with the apple fritters.  Breaded fried apple slices, topped with powdered sugar, and caramel crème anglaise was what the doctor ordered.  It might have been the most delicious ending to one of my favorite dinners. 

All in all, Hopleaf Bar settled my belief in the fact that Chicago has some of the best casual restaurants in the world.  Small neighborhood spots, like this, are spattered throughout the city, just waiting to please hungry patrons, only to turn you into regulars.  It is going to be hard to turn this guy into a regular, since I love to try all kinds of new spot, but I will be back if I love it!  Expect me back at the Hopleaf.

Cheese and Beer at Goose Island Brewery

Recently I was invited to a beer and cheese matchup being held at Goose Island Brewery.  Most people think of wine when it comes to a beverage and cheese pairing, but beer also makes a perfect compliment.  Beers have weight and efferevescence, and flavor profiles can vary from dry hoppy to sweet, along with spice components.  Now, onto some beer and cheese.

The cheeses were brought to us by Neal's Yard Dairy, a cheese vendor out of London, England.  They carry over 60 cheeses, most from the United Kingdom and Ireland, but also some from Italy, France, Greece, and the United States.  We were each presented a plate with two washed-rind cheeses, two cheddars, and four blues.  They were paired off with four different beers.  Here is how the pairing went:

1. Goose Island Willow St. White Ale with Ogleshield and Ardrahan.  The white ale was light and refreshing, with a touch of orange peel and coriander spice flavor.  A fine pairing with the washed-rind cheeses.  Ogleshield is made near Cadbury and has a slightly sweet taste and finish of orange peel.  Ardrahan is made in Kanturk, southwest Ireland, and is full of smokey and nutty flavor.


2. Goose Island Rye Pale Ale with two separate milk harvest Montgomery's Cheddars.  The Rye P.A. had full bitter flavor with some rye spice.  The difference in the harvests for the cheddars was apparent, as the first was grassy and light, while the second was sharper with a bit of horseradish taste.  Depending upon when and where the livestock eats, there can be flavor differences in any cheese.


3. Goose Island Matilda with Strathdon and Colston Bassett blue cheeses.  The Matilda is a Belgian style pale ale with a full, dry, yeasty texture.  I do not think this was the best pairing to go along with the strength of blue cheese- could have used a weightier, darker ale.  The Strathdon was extremely flavor, with the distinct odor and flavor of corn.  The Colston Bassett was very smooth and mild, and made with a vegetable rennet.


4. Goose Island Fleur with Colston Bassett and Stichelton.  The Fleur was made in the same style as the Matilda, but also infused with hibiscus, adding floral sweetness.  This was a pretty beer, but, again, a beer I would not ideally pair with blue cheese.  This Colston Bassett was made with animal rennet, and was easily my pick as the best blue of the day.  It was not just salty and intensely flavorful, but also had a touch of smoked pork on the palate.  The Stichelton was the only organic cheese we tasted, and was easily the most complex.  It had the sharpness of cheddar, salty flavor of blue, and a tasty outside rind.

This was a great experience, and I look forward to more cheese pairings.  I was also reintroduced to Goose Island's new local menu, comprised of awesome seasonal selections made mainly from local farm product and fresh seasonal components.  If you make your way out to the brew pub, let me know which pairings you went with, and how they worked together!

Italy Comes to Chicago

This weekend, July 17-19, Italy will be coming to Chicago's Navy Pier.  It will be a fabulous invasion of food, wine, dance, fashion, and art.  Many workshops and classes are being offered such as cooking, dancing, painting, pottery, and fencing.  You can even go to take some beginner Italian language classes!  Meet some local Italian chefs like John Coletta of Quartino and Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno.  Some Italian American celebrities will also be onhand- Ernest Borgnine and Chicago's very own Dennis Farina.

So come out to the Italian Expo at Navy Pier.  It should prove to be a great cultural experience for all of Chicago.