No, that isn’t a typo or a Piemontese exclamation, Gaia is Angelo Gaja’s very talented young daughter. We at K&L hosted our first southern California Italian wine dinner at La Terza Restaurant on Wednesday, June 13th.

The reception started with guests drinking Ca del Bosco Franciacorta Brut one of Italy’s most famous sparkling wine producers with a variety of Antipasti. The first course was an Insalata di Aragosta (Lobster salad with mache, orange and bottarga) served along with the 2005 Gaja Langhe “Alteni di Brassica” (Sauvignon Blanc) that was drinking brilliantly.

The Pasta course was the truly sublime dish of the evening a stunning plate of Agnolotti di Ossobuco (agnolotti stuffed with veal ossibuco, ricotta, swiss chard and marjoram) that was accompanied by the 2004 Ca’ Marcanda Toscana IGT “Magari” an intriguing blend of Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the Tuscan coast. It was followed by a truly exquisite and perfectly drinking 2003 Gaja Barbaresco; it was probably the wine I would have drunk out of all of them if I had one to choose.

The main course was Lombo di Agnellino (Baby rack of lamb drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and roasted shallots) it was served with two of Gaja’s Cru wines the 2001 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo “Sperss” (one time Barolo vineyard) and the 2001 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo “Sori Tildin” (one time Barbaresco vineyard). The Sperss showed all of the classic Serralunga commune character but was still soft enough to enjoy. The Sori Tildin produced several “Wow's" across the room on the nose alone. It was extraordinary, penetrating and simply captivating. In the mouth it still showed some of the structure the 2001 vintage is famous for and will allow it to age for many years to come.

The 2000 Gaja Langhe “Darmagi” (Cabernet Sauvignon) was served with a selection of Piemontese cheeses that Executive Chef Gino Angelini had specially selected. The “What a Pity” (Darmagi “means what a pity” in the Piemontese dialect) wine was still a little vegetal (Angelo thinks so) but had a luxurious mouth feel and was drinking well.

There were lots of questions but perhaps the most revealing answer was brought forward when Gaia was asked, Why have your top wines, once DOCG Barbaresco and DOCG Barolo, now been labeled Langhe Nebbiolo? Gaia responded that her father, being the driving force behind the idea of presenting single vineyard wines for decades, was tired of people referring to the Gaja Barbaresco as normal, base, everyday, regular or simple. Angelo (Gaia refers to her father with his first name) just couldn’t bear to think that the fruit of all his hard work was simple, regular, base or anything other than GREAT BARBARESCO, so he made all of his CRU wines under the Langhe Nebbiolo DOC where they could stand on their own as vineyard designate wines— making the Gaja Barbaresco THE Barbaresco in the winery!

A spectacular evening and a great intro for K&L Italian squadra to the Los Angeles market.

Greg St.Clair, K&L’s Italian Wine Buyer

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Amongst the list of high priced Tuscan and Piemontese wine that the Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate focus on these days it is hard to get any point scores to attract attention to lesser known wines or for not flashy wine regions. Fortunately you have me to ferret out these less well known and occasionally even bargain wines. The 2003 Le Fabriche Rosso Puglia $14.99 is a simply stunning blend of 40% negramaro, 30% malvasia nera and 30% primitivo. That would make this a Super Puglian if there is such a thing! Although I know many of you are fans of Italy but just in case you don’t know Puglia is the heel of the boot.

2003 has a bad reputation for being a super hot year and it was difficult for the folks in the north of Italy but global warming has been happening for a couple of millennia in Puglia, they know how to deal with hot weather and have already adjusted their canopy management and farming techniques to deal with their weather. In Piedmont if it doesn’t rain nobody knows what to do they’re so used to it raining all of the time, Puglia is like LA, it never rains!

The wine is luscious, however very well balanced. The negroamaro (it literally means black and bitter), is chock full of spice, herbs and has an earthy, gamey flavor which leaves sort of a sultry feel on your palate. A healthy portion of malvasia nera’s bright and more floral character seems to freshen the negroamaro’s earthiness and it lifts coaxes and then weaves the wine’s aromatics into a single yet complex bouquet. Add to that some primitivo that emulsifies the blend giving it a luscious, richness, which envelops your palate while still allowing the spice of the negroamaro and the floral malvasia nera to come through in the long and vibrant finish. Grilled meats (it is summer after all) go very well, or tomato sauced pasta or what the hell just drink it on its own, it’s really delicious.

Greg St.Clair

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Mike and I tasted with Luca Currado last January at his winery “Vietti” and was impressed as always with the excellent Arneis, fun Perbacco and tremendous array of Barbera. What I wasn’t ready for was the truly stunning quality of the 2003 Barolo. You’ve all heard of the heat and drought problems associated with this year, but the job that Luca did on his wines is truly stunning. Rich and full bodied yes but not any trace of anything even close to being overripe; In fact the wines are truly well balanced better so than most of the 2000 Barolo I’ve tasted which was previously thought to be the super ripe “100 point Wine Spectator vintage”. I loved the Brunate’s richness yet with the longer more feminine character that one gets in La Morra it balances out perfectly on the palate. The Rocche is mind numbing, so rich, so concentrated yet still retaining the essential Nebbiolo character that makes Barolo so…..well Barolo. The Lazzarito with its more inherent structure, the hallmark of Serralunga, is dense, powerful, more Rhone like, heady with darker fruit, tobacco and dried herbs. All the wines are stupendous and in very limited supply!
Greg St. Clair

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You might have remembered me waxing poetically (or otherwise) about Montepulciano. No not the town in Tuscany but the grape variety. I really think that this is the greatest “undiscovered” grape variety in all of Italy. It has everything, Sangiovese’s focus and structure, Cabernet’s ease of growing, Pinot Noir’s subtlety and complexity, Grenache’s fleshy nature, Syrah’s spice and yes just about anything good you can imagine. However for “ever” most of the grapes efforts went into Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from co-ops, gigantic, socialistic, low quality driven, and high quantity asking varieties. So if you have ever had one of those Supermarket versions please forget about it!
I’m talking about the real Montepulciano, great wines, with terroir, focus, intrigue, body and they are sensational!! Here are two that I think are superb for both price points.
I’ll tell you a little story to introduce this wine. My Girlfriend, who is in the wine business, never gives me a fraction of an inch in regards to any wine I propose we try, let alone an Italian wine! She started drinking some sparkling wine but I felt I needed a red wine; it was one of those days. She eyed me carefully as I opened this wine (only after pouring her sparkling wine before, of course) the 2004 Pasetti Montepulciano d'Abruzzo $13.99 was just unbelievably focused, aromatic, full of bright spicy flavors, with a great finish… it tasted like a 1999 Brunello. She (my Girlfriend) asked to taste from my glass and as she did her eyes opened very wide and said “WOW, that is really good… is it Sangiovese”? I said almost, it feels like that, she said, “don’t tell me it is….what $30 or $35”? And I said, no my dearest (I call her Carina) only $13.99 @ K&L! (I suffered greatly for that my friends) Anyway I was instructed to buy 6 bottles because it was such a tremendous bargain. The moral of this story is, even for those who are not inherently Italian wine fans like me this wine is truly stunning. It will continue to improve for a couple of years and be on its drinking plateau through 2014. Have it with rotisserie chicken, rich pasta or just in a glass with your significant looking over your shoulder.
Frequently I get surprised by wines from producers I have never heard of before! It is one of the great pleasures of the Italian wine business that one doesn’t get to experience in Bordeaux, where every estate is already known and predictable. Italy is anything but predictable! I tasted the 2000 Bucciacatino Montepulciano d'Abruzzo "Stilla Rubra" $34.99 with two very attractive young sales ladies (a continual problem in the wine business) and was really impressed. Lot’s of “expensive” wine these days has fancy winemakers ladling the wine from small French oak barrels into the bottle, with luscious, sweet fruit and residual toasty vanillin flavors, the Wine Spectator profile. This wine however is down home rustic! It reminds me of the Great Valentini Montepulciano which if you aren’t familiar with you should be and are generally $80+. This wine is really great, it has body, depth, power, complexity and shows its best when it has been open in a decanter for about 6+ hours! This wine feels like a Rhone wine, that fullness in the mouth, breadth, richness, cheek stretching but at the same time it has Brunello like length, focus, complexity and a finish that is endless. Can this wine be this good? Am I pulling your leg? No! this is really dynamite wine capable of aging for another decade + easily but you need to try it now so you can experience the real flavors of a real wine. Trust me on this, it is great.
Greg St.Clair

P.S. A summertime tip, don’t be afraid to put your red wine in your refrigerator to get it to “cellar temperature”. Red wine that is too warm just will lose the fruit focus!

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As of this writing on May 5, only a handful of châteaux have released their 2006 prices. Most of these properties are the lesser-known, lesser-priced châteaux. The more famous ones to open are Sociando Mallet, Gruaud Larose and Chasse Spleen—each about 10% to 18% below 2005 opening prices. We need the big names to open at substantially bigger reductions than this.
Now that Mr Suckling and Mr Parker and K&L have released their reports on 2006, all of the other châteaux can open at prices they think will be attractive to buyers. With the weak dollar, we here in the U.S. are hoping for 30% to 50% price reductions for the top wines of 2006 (versus their 2005 prices). If we see these kinds of reductions, we could have a good futures campaign in 2006 Bordeaux. Meanwhile, the great 2005 Bordeaux are selling very fast and at high prices. —Clyde Beffa Jr

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 9:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new location, a fresh start, a new beginning, a stupid statement...all beginnings are new. Just ask Shirley MacLaine.
Located at 1400 Vine Street, the shop is within walking distance to many famous Los Angeles landmarks such as Kinko’s Chinese theatre, the McDonald’s Tar Pits, and the legendary Hollywood Bowl (not that one; I mean the bowling alley on Sunset). From the awe-inspiring location to the encyclodaedic staff, this K&L is no Mickey Mouse operation!
Eight A.M. The receiving crew readies for the day. Lots of trucks coming, none driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. The radio comes on, playing Stevie Ray Vaughan or, if the crew feels funky, Isaac Hayes.
Not only do these guys coordinate all of the stock shipments to and from K&L, they need to be ready at a moment’s notice to deliver to any one of the thousands of stars that make up the Hollywood constellation. A bottle of Screaming Eagle to Joaquin Phoenix? 1996 Bruno Michel Cuvee Millesime Chamagne to the heirs of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman? Cronin Merlot to Paul Giamatti? You just never know!
Nine A.M. Managers Chip Hammack and Tom Martinez Junior arrive to do their management stretching exercises: twenty finger points, ten punts of menial tasks, ten chair-ups and fifteen watch glances, the latter with five-pound weights. As Dustin Hoffman probably would never say, management is not about heavy lifting, but about staying loose, dodging issues, stretching the truth, dancing around decisions- all of the moves Travolta utilized in “Saturday Night Fever.”
The business day is ready to commence. The amazingly versatile staff, as versatile as Hilary Swank and Mark Wahlberg, is ready for action. This hand-picked staff is so strong that luminaries such as Paul McCartney, Bono and Lindsay Lohan were not even contacted for employment.
Ten A.M: Red carpet rolled out, doors open! The day proceeds smooth as silk, the crack staff imparting vast knowledge in an understated way to their customers, none of which are Gwen Stefani or Charley Sheen, though the staff would have handled them with aplomb.
Ah, K&L Hollywood. What would the perfect day be? Catherine Deneauve buying Ch. Palmer? Can you imagine just a display of Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon separating an awkward moment between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman? Or the 2001 Grand Puy Lacoste being fondled by Paris Hilton in front of astonished shoppers?
Closing time at K&L Hollywood. Dim the lights, lock the doors... oops, unlock the doors, and let Mickey Rourke out.
Another hectic day is over, but the staff is still amped from a day in the trenches and the possibility of waiting on Robert Downey Jr. So, it’s off to the night life, in search of good food and drink. Hey, isn’t that Roseanne Barr riding a tricycle? —Joe Zugelder

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Last month K&L had the pleasure of hosting several of its favorite Rhone-area producers for a packed tasting of their delicious wines at the San Francisco store. For me it was particularly special since I spent two glorious days tasting and touring with two of these vintners last summer in France. The tasting marked the first time I'd seen them in almost a year and was just a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

My two pals - Jean Baptise Meunier (pictured second with an American friend) of Moulin de la Gardette in Gigondas and Rodolphe de Pins of Chateau de Montfaucon outside Chateauneuf du Pape (pictured third avec moi) - spent much of the tasting meeting new friends there to taste their wares and catching up with old acquaintances from the times they'd spent stateside learning about wine. It was a totally jovial gathering and more than a little packed in K&L's tasting room!

"JB" and "Rudi" were joined at the event by a third vintner, the charming Cecile Chassagne, who produces a wonderfully approachable and fantastically priced Cotes du Rhone red under her own name along with a tasty Chateauneuf du Pape that at $20 a bottle is a great deal! Cecile is pictured above with me showing off one of her dynamite reds.

Among my favorite wines of the day was JB's absolutely delicious 2004 Moulin de la Gardette "Cuvee Ventabren," which packs tons of the goodies we love so much in Rhone reds: provencal herbs, lavender, baking spices and lovely concentrated fruit. Yum!

And Rudi's 2000 Chateau de Montfaucon "Baron Louis" - available in limited quantities in magnum - is a total delight: notes of caramelized oak, smoke, herbs and roses harmonize alongside terrifically suave tannins, making the Louis the perfect match for your herbed lamb roast this weekend.

To Cecile, JB & Rudi: we hope you'll be back soon, and in the mean time keep sending us your wonderful wines!

--- Courtney Cochran, aka Your Personal Sommelier, provides personalized wine services to adventurous wine collectors, purveyors and enthusiasts, making wine accessible and fun for those who think outside the mainstream wine box. Visit her site at www.CourtneyCochran.com

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2005 Kooyong "Massale" Pinot Noir Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
AUSTRALIA

I couldn't have been more pleased to tuck into the best Pinot I've ever had from the land of Oz the other day - the 2005 Kooyong "Massale" Pinot Noir from Victoria's Mornington Peninsula! At $22, this beauty drinks like a wine worth quite a bit more than its price tag and boasts just enough forward fruit to sing "New World" but without a hint of the overextraction or jamminess I'm often disappointed to find in New World Pinots.

Due to its proximity to the water, the Mornington Peninsula boasts a cool maritime climate that allows producers such as Kooyong to grow varieties like Pinot that crave cooler climates. In fact, along with up and coming Western Australia, this area is one of Australia's coolest grape growing regions. Keep your eyes on Kooyong, a dynamic new producer that's been making Chardonnay and Pinot from 100% estate grown fruit since 2001, the operation's first release year.

Tasting Notes
The "Massale" is ruby colored with juicy fruit flavors of strawberry, cherry and raspberry backed by a lovely backbone of backing spices and herbs de Provence. Also, watch for notes of sweet cinnamon, dried leaves, anise seed and fennel. Perky acidity means it'll work great with food but also drinks like a song on its own.

Overall, the Massale smells a lot like Russian River Pinot, but with a marked undercurrent of spice and herbs that's totally unique. Its supple tannins mean it'll work fabulously with all sorts of foods, but I would pair it up with a roast pork loin seasoned with herbs de Provence for a killer combo. Yum.

Plus: 90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

--- Courtney Cochran, aka Your Personal Sommelier, provides personalized wine services to adventurous wine collectors, purveyors and enthusiasts, making wine accessible and fun for those who think outside the mainstream wine box. Visit her site at www.CourtneyCochran.com.

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Dear Godmother,
I am writing to thank you for the special gift you sent me over the holidays. This gesture was very thoughtful of you, but quite unexpected as I have never heard from you until now. Heck, that’s o.k. I’m only 48 and plan to live awhile longer, so it’s not like there was any rush or anything.
The lovely box of chocolates was very generous. Although I am allergic to chocolate, I thought 'what the heck, my very own Godmother would never harm me, so I ate a few pieces. Please forgive the hospital stationary I am writing on. I hadn't time to pack.
In no way are you to blame for my present condition. Chocolate just makes me feel funny, so I robbed a bank in the hopes of paying for the psychoanalysis that I need to deal with the lack of a maternal Godparent. Three shrinks and shock therapy costs a lot of money, wow.
But that’s my weakness, and I apologize.
Anyway, I needed a car to get away from the bank, so I pushed an old lady out of her Lexus (gently, I might add) but she was kind of brittle and it was a mistake on my part but I hear hip operations are pretty routine now. I told her I was sorry and that I had no experience with that maternal presence that gives one a little something extra in dealing with life’s ups and downs. No reflection on you, of course. You have a life to live; why should I expect a call or a letter?
So I’m driving the car at a breakneck speed, and wouldn’t you know it I hit a deer. I didn’t mind so much as I never developed an affinity for animals. When the other kids were going to the petting zoo or to Bambi with their Godmothers and such, I was pulling the wings off of moths. “Idle hands” and all that, you know?
I’m in the wine business now Godmother. I sell lots of cool wine like gigantic bottles of Beaulieu Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet. The ’87 (6L, $899.00) is really delicious, one of the best they ever made. We have the 2000 Beaulieu Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon (3L $99.95) and the 1986 Sterling Cabernet 1.5L, a real good deal for $49.95. I like the 3L B.V. the best. It’s so lush and drinkable. I try to keep it to one of those a day.
So anyway, I’m driving the getaway car, and the darn seat cushion spring pops out and cuts a gash in my leg. I swear, people are so lax with auto maintenance. Since the spring was rusty, my leg got infected, and they might have to amputate it. I don’t mention this for you to take pity on me. I’m sure you have a million things going on. Anyway, get well cards take up valuable paper resources, and lord knows my Godmother is good at saving trees!
I’m so silly sometimes, I tried to cook the deer meat on the carburetor of the getaway car (waste not, want not, as you would have taught me, had you known me) but I didn’t leave it on long enough and now I have mad deer disease. I’m a positive person so I think of stomach pumping as a cleansing kind of thing.
Thanks again for the chocolates, Godmother. As you can see, it was the gift that keeps on giving.

Your Godson Joey

(The true part of this story is that my Godmother really did not know that she was, indeed, my Godmother! Pat, please take this as a spoof. We’ll laugh about it, when we finally meet…)

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For those of you who read my column on a regular basis you’ll have noticed a series of name changes to it culminating in the latest “Sul Tappeto Rosso.” Why this change? I’ve moved to Los Angeles, a dramatic change for a San Francisco Bay Area native, and I have really loved the speed and diversity and sheer number of things to do here in L.A.! “Sul Tappeto Rosso” is “On the Red Carpet” in Italian, and being that our store is in Hollywood, what better way to manifest my move.
I’d like to explain a little about how we at K&L look at Italian wines. We travel to Italy two or three times a year visiting up-and-coming as well as storied producers. We import directly from thirteen wineries in Italy from well known, to unheard of but all with a tremendous quality-to-price ratio. In Tuscany we import many wineries, two in Chianti Classico: Rocca di Montegrossi and Poggiopiano, and six in Montalcino: Sesta di Sopra, Baricci, La Fortuna, Pian dell’Orino, Poggiarellino and Ferrero. All of these wineries focus on growing the best quality grapes their soil can produce with the least amount of winemaking possible, letting the grapes make their own statement. From Emilia Romagna we now import Ca’ Berti who produces Lambrusco. No, not that fizzy soda pop you remember from the ’70s this is real wine, yet with a bit of bubbles grown on hillside vineyards and harvested by hand! Our longest relationship has been with Ermacora, the brothers Dario and Luciano, whose much heralded white and red wines from Friuli offer some of the best wines of the Colli Orientali del Friuli. Not far away in Isonzo another young Friulian winery, Blason, is making white and red wines with outstanding price-to-quality ratios snuggled up against the Slovenian border. They are one of our largest suppliers; we buy more than 30% of their production. Silvano Follador is one of most popular new imports. Everyone loves Prosecco, and this Prosecco is really something to crow about! At $10.99 there isn’t another Prosecco that can compare. Lastly in Piedmont, one of the region’s rising stars is Ruggeri Corsini. Nicola Argamante is a vineyard consultant for many of the big names in Barolo. His tiny estate in Monforte d’Alba is making superb wines, with classic expressions of the grape varietals.
All of our wineries produce excellent quality wines but many are from “newer” wineries that don’t often get the press that the more famous wines do. A lot of times this has more to do with understanding how to get your wine in front of some famous critic than whether your wine is good or not. Some critics don’t like to review wines that aren’t imported nationally to all markets or with small productions. Some of our wineries are so small you wouldn’t believe it; Poggiarellino produces a total of less than 500 cases a year! For those of you in Southern California, we’d love you to drop by our new Hollywood store and let us show you some of these wines!
—Greg St. Clair

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Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, football and the smell of a broom closet. Oops, I meant to say the smell of turkey. Thanksgiving turkey… an endless loop of Jim Barr jokes that beg to see the light of day. But Thanksgiving is about history, invasion and Sterling Vineyards wine. Let me take you back to the beginning…
The Santa Maria was the first of the ships to set anchor in the Bay of Pigs. The New World. America. But it looked a LOT like Norway.
Captain Ishmael James Barr (“call me Ishmael”) and his crew reached the rocky shores of Plymouth, Duster on the third Thursday of November. They bore glad tidings. They bore gifts of Sterling wine. Truth to tell, they bore everyone.
The native people greeted the seafaring contingent warily; they’d already coughed up Manhattan for peanuts, and they weren’t about to get shafted again. The usual beads and pleasantries were exchanged (“How about those Yankees?” “You look great! New headdress?”). By and by the discussion turned to the evening meal. “We’ll bring the wine,” said Captain Barr. And so they did.
The table was set for fifty. Not a moveable feast. An amazing array of comestibles assaulted the senses of the contingent: A maze of maize and ferries of cranberries. Haystacks of stuffing. Dams full of yams. Green eggs and hams. And the bird... my word! More wings than an airport runway. More breasts than a Russ Meyer movie. And the Patriots were playing the Chiefs on T.V.
Captain Ishmael’s crew presented the wines: Sterling Vineyards library wines of such breadth, the ’76, ’77 and ’78. ’82, ’84 and ’86. ’87, ’90, ’91 and ’92. Napa bottlings, priced to buy and ready to drink; Reserves, full and rich and concentrated. Diamond Mountain Ranch selections, crafted in the style of the great wines of Bordeaux.
There were larger bottles too: magnums and double magnums, six liters and nine (A whole case in a bottle!). An amazing selection, direct from the winery. Captain Ishmael flushed with pride and the change of life. The Patriots-Chiefs contest began.
The meal was a great success.
Until dessert.
Giant pies made from pumpkins were brought out, scirocco warm and as aromatic as a French subway. What followed may have been the swiftest unraveling of diplomatic relations since the barf in the Japanese Prime Ministers lap thing.
The native people brought out bowls of cream that had obviously been whipped mercilessly. Whipped and whipped, until it flowed no more. The cream lay motionless.
Captain Ishmael was appalled. This blatant violation of the world torture ban would not be tolerated. He and his crew rowed back to the Santa Maria and set sail. As Captain Ishmael J. Barr peered through his telescope, he asked his first mate what part of the cargo hold he had put the Sterling wines that were brought back to the ship. “I thought you brought them,” said the mate.
Reverse gear. Running up the beach. But the table... and the wines... were gone.
Game over. Chiefs won.
—Joe Zegulder

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Jim was a cowboy, rough and tough. He liked to say that he preferred his coffee black and his women blue. The wine he drank was red, and not that fruity stuff, like Beaujolais. He was a Syrah man, a Zin man, a Cabernet man. A real man.
Jim roped steer and steered ropes. Jim drove cattle, drove them through valleys, across streams. Jim drove those cattle, drove them crazy. Jim was deaf, and when his incoherent mumblings reached the ears of the beasts they would bleat mournfully as if asking him to stop. But their cries fell on, well, on deaf ears. The deaf ears of a real man.
Cowboy Jim was hard at work one sunny day, driving the cattle crazy on his way to deliver them to a dude named Hoss down at the Ponderosa. Jim had met Hoss on previous cattle runs. Hoss was a big man with a barrel chest, and he was slightly dense. Hoss was different, for sure. he was fond of show tunes and interior design. He dressed impeccably, and his diction was flawless. But he was a cowboy, a real man, so Jim could forgive Hoss his quirks.
Another thing about Hoss, something that Jim liked a lot: Hoss loved his wine. In the evenings the two cowboys would pull some corks and shoot the bull. Their conversation was easy and relaxed. They were just two manly cowboys drinking hearty red wine. Jim played the accordion and soon learned a number of Ethel Merman tunes so Hoss could sing along.
Hoss and Jim became a team, and traveled together across the cinematic countryside. They had everything they needed: A good horse, a blackened coffee pot, wine... and orchestral backround music. It was the good life.
But there were whispers from the other cowboys. Whispers that Jim and Hoss were... well, a different breed of cowboy. There were horse whispers too, but that’s another film entirely.
Hoss and Jim did not care. They were happy roping, happy riding. Happy singing songs from The Music Man by the campfire. They were a team.
After their workout (they had taken up the sport of Rassling) Hoss opened a bottle of 1995 Palmer ($139.99), and a ’96 Palmer ($129.99) as well. To compare and contrast, Hoss explained, and to pair with duck confit. A new world opened up to Jim. These Palmer wines were vibrant and exciting. Hoss explained that Palmer blended the characteristics of every commune: hearty (and manly) like Médoc, soft and supple like Pomerol and St-Emilion, sturdy and straightforward like St-Estèphe. And with the Fragrance of Margaux. Jim found that the ’95 was fleshy and soft, and brimming with a sweet cherry jaminess. The ’96 was firmer, denser. Manlier, yes, than the ’95. One to drink and one to save.
But as Hoss explained the wines, how Palmer was made from nearly half merlot, Jim grew agitated and fled. He would no longer partner up with Hoss. Jim and Hoss were finished.
Now a lonesome cowpoke, Jim worked alone. And he denied the truth about himself each and every solitary day.
“I ain’t no Merlot drinker…” —Joe Zugelder

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Wonderfully provocative article in the San Francisco Chronicle last thursday on restaurant corkage. This is a hot button issue for wine savvy diners, and your piece exposes the flaws and attitudes with regards to wine markups.

While I don't agree with Pizzeria Delfina's policy not allowing diners to bring in their own wine, the restaurant has created a solid and inexpensive list. Any diner should be thrilled with this situation.
However, Delfina's Stoll says "What if you collected fine tablecloths... so you wanted to bring one in to eat off of?" At my restaurant I would ask my customer "On which table you would like me to drape it?"
Richard Reddington states that "I have investors that I need and want to pay back. How do I make up the profit?" Let me guess: exorbitant corkage and high wine prices? More Reddington: "When you write a budget, you think wine is going to represent a big chunk of your revenue. When it doesn't, the numbers don't make sense." "(Corkage) really undercuts our business model." Sounds like you botched the business model, Richard. Don't make it the diner's problem.
Bobby Stuckey of the French Laundry says corkage is only beneficial to people with a lot of money and not beneficial to the rest of us.
When I look at a restaurant wine list and see Edna Valley Vineyards Chardonnay for 35 bucks, corkage is only for rich people?
Ronn Wiegand says that the markup of wine in restaurants is the same as the food. Great, so the diner pays 200 to 300 percent of the cost on food, and the restaurant says that it can't make a profit unless the same markup is used for wine? Hmmm.
Restaurants CAN offer mature wine. They do not have to cellar the wine for years and charge prohibitive pricing. Some wholesalers offer older vintages that can be ordered and shipped within a day or two. So strike that argument.
Reddington again: "All that corkage really covers is the 12 glasses that get ruined every night." "We broke a $100 decanter the other night, and there's your corkage." You broke a decanter, and that is justification for charging astronomical corkage fees? Not great customer service. That's right, customer. Restaurants are in the food SERVICE business.
On the flip side, the 'BYO' advice listed in the article is golden. Diners, don't bring wine that a restaurant has on its list. And if you DO take advantage of corkage, you should tip as if you purchased wine off of the list.
The do's and don't go both ways. And if you are put off by corkage policies, don't dine at that establishment.
If you don't like commercials, don't watch T.V.

Anyone out there feel the same? Differently? I'd love to hear your comments.
And don't worry, I'm not really this cranky. I wrote the above as a letter to the editor but decided it was too harsh. It still is- but my feelings about this issue still strongly favour a corkage policy and a fiscally responsible wine list.
--Joe Zugelder

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Intro by Ralph Sands {old man of the Sea at K&L} ….For many years my friend and Chef Gary Maffia has been one of the Bay Area's hidden culinary treasures. His first restaurant “The Barberosa” known for its classic French food was a romantic destination and a fixture in Redwood City/Menlo Park for decades. Olivio’s located at 1316 El Camino Real in Belmont Ca. has a décor that reflects his Italian heritage and his Italian food is just a natural for him; but his Paris training and passion are shining as brightly as ever. For special menu requests be sure to contact Gary directly at 650-596-0878. Below is a note from one of my good customers, Mr. Keith Goldstein who was on my “Taste the Greats of Bordeaux Tour” last September. He is a gourmand who has dined at some of the world's most famous addresses. This note was posted 3-31-06 on the Mark Squires, Wine Bulletin Board on Robert Parker.com Cheers! Ralph Sands

Last night, Steve, Gary and I trudged down the Peninsula to have dinner with our good pal Ralph Sands, the irrepressible Bordeaux specialist at K&L. Ralph is off to Bordeaux on Sunday to taste the 05s; he has the most punishing schedule of tasting over there – but one that I am sure most of us would happily suffer through. What a lucky sod Ralph is – after a week in Bordeaux, he is off to Loire and southern Rhone (tip for BDX lovers –get to know Ralph).
Ralph hit a home run again with his restaurant choice – Olivio’s on El Camino in Belmont (yes, really!). Steve and I had dinner on Monday at The French Laundry, so the bar was set pretty high. Well, I will not claim that owner/chef Gary Maffia’s food compared to The Laundry, but I will tell you that it was effin’ delicious and that we had a much more enjoyable time at Olivio’s. Gary (who was trained in France) pulled out all the stops – sourcing wild pheasant, wild venison, fresh morels (in March!), the tenderest of sweetbreads, black truffles and foie gras up the yin yang. It is a down-home, modest place with great atmosphere. Gary treated us like we were at his house; Stan the waiter who tended bar at Le Central in SF for 20 years also had some real stories to tell. A couple of real characters.
Onto the wines:
1996 Pavillon Rouge: dead tasty with a big nose of graphite, leather and blackberries. Minerally with lots of fruit; deep and long. Most impressive.
1982 Leoville Barton: We should have decanted this a lot earlier because it was showing very little. Closed, thin and short tonight. Grabbed a sip at the end of the night and it was beginning to open.
1982 Lynch Bages:Gorgeous. Not a big nose, but beautifully balanced with marvelous tannins and soft fruit. Spicy; a classic cab and an excellent Lynch Bages.
1978 Leoville Las Cases: So fresh, fruity, vibrant and still young. Ralph thought this was the best bottle of 78 LLC he had drunk. A glorious nose but frankly not too much going on.
1966 Leoville Las Cases:The older sister of the 78. A nice, fresh bottle with cedar and leather notes but not really a whole lot left there either.
1966 Pichon Lalande: An initial chlorine nose happily blew off quickly. Real gravelly and minerality but a bit flat with a short finish.
1999 Harlan:This gang of Francophiles had to admit that this was delicious and compelling. Remarkably sweet cassis, chocolate, soft and silky. Could use a bit more grip but gave lots of pleasure.
2001 Zind Pinot Gris Clos St. Urbain Rangen SGN:Great acidity should make this improve immensely for a looong time. I think we drank it way too young, but it is a heck of a wine. Fab aromas of melon, pineapple, honey and butterscotch. Not sure, but I think this was an extremely low production – anybody know?
The menu prepared with a lot of love and passion by Gary Maffia:
Champignon pate with fresh mozzarella and an onion marmalade.
Scallop with foie gras torchon on a bed of spinach finished with a splash of Pernod.
A twofer risotto: one with sweetbreads, truffles, foie gras and pistachios. And one with pheasant, chanterelles and parmesan.
Ravioli with pheasant and truffles served in a sage veal stock with fresh chopped basil.
Wild venison au poivre.
Cheese plate.
Grand marnier soufflé with a fresh berry sorbet.
$100 a head. Corkage was a bit less then the Laundry - $10 a bottle! The appropriate generous tip was left. I understand K&L will be sending daily blogs on their trip next week.

Footnote:
(As wine is of course a subjective form of art, I have to add that while Keith's comments are pretty right on, I was wildly excited about the way the Bordeaux wines showed. 1982 Leoville Barton was perfect, the wine has always had a soft supple texture and is not in the style the estate consistently produces today. The spicy Cabernet from the '82 Lynch Bages was just dead on perfect, as was a bottle of 1978 Lynch that I enjoyed tremendously just last week. Both the Las Cases wines were perfect bottles, reflecting the masculine and linear style of perfect claret. So in short, I was thrilled. The wines showed so clean after breathing with great freshness, elegance and finesse. Exactly why you cellar and drink the wines of Bordeaux)

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Sometimes it’s really hard to tell where the truth ends and unreality begins at this establishment. The saying “truth is stranger than fiction” is never more true than within these walls. In the spirit of the month of fooling, I invite you to play the April True or False game with me.
Our Champagne buyer Gary Westby has introduced all of us to the great Champagnes of Rene Collard. Mr. Collard is a perfectionist to the point of producing a grand total of three vintage-designated wines in the last 26 years. The 1990 Rene Collard Cuvee Reservee Millesime ($49.99) is the third of the latest of the triumvirate. Collard Champagnes show abundant breed and finesse. This bottling, consisting of 90% meunier and 10% chardonnay, is focused and fresh. As no secondary fermentation is induced, the Cuvee Reservee is crisp and intense with notes of melons and peaches. Fresh as a daisy at the sweet age of sixteen.
Westby once went dumpster diving for a bottle of Thomas Kruse non vintage Sauvignon Vert that I tossed out. He drank it! True or false?
1996 was a watershed vintage in Bordeaux, producing wines of great power and longevity. A prolific vintage such as this presents the opportunity for additional bottlings, or “second” wines. The 1996 Pagodes de Cos ($29.99) is such a wine, the little brother to the world-class Cos d’Estournel. The Pagodes carries the house style of exotic ripe black and red fruits and allspice. The quality is absolutely superb, better than many châteaux produced with their flagship bottlings. A great value.
Jim Barr once mistook a plastic decoy owl for a real one, and claimed to have seen it spread its wings. True or false?
Time for dessert: 1997 was not a year for greatness in Sauternes. Yet it is an important one, as these are the wines to enjoy while the longer-lived wines mature. The restaurants of France are so adept at selecting and showcasing wines from years like ’97, as the wines are more evolved and marry with the food sooner. Here in the states we go for the great vintages, disregarding where the wine may be in its aging cycle. The better houses produced wines of balance in ’97, but with the plump, forthcoming fruitiness that suggests early enjoyment. The sweet 1997 Guiraud ($47.99) has two faces: A lovely drink now with warm, buttery fruitiness, and the potential to age gracefully for a number of years.
Clyde Beffa once drove through an outdoor restaurant in the Rhone valley, scattering diners. True or false?
O.K. Two more: Jim Barr is the only K&L employee to throw up on the vines of Château Latour. True or false?
Trey Beffa once listed the city of an Iowa-based customer as Cedar Rabbits. True or false?
Answer: All true of course. —Joe Zugelder

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On a cold day in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to attend an intimate lunch at One Market. The occasion was a vertical tasting of Château Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
The table was occupied by some of the top sommeliers in the city. Mark Bright of Michael Minna, Andrew Mosblech of A16 and Jonathon Tennenbaum of Harris Restaurant. You ask what I was doing there? Who knows. Maybe they needed to bring down the wine IQ at the table.
Our host was owner/winemaker Bo Barrett. He is a straight-forward, speak from the heart style of person, a refreshing personality in this politically correct world we live in, and his knowledge of the Napa valley and winemaking is second to none
Bo’s family has owned the winery (an estate going back to the late 19th century), since the mid 1960s. The wines were first made by the Barretts in 1972, and of course were put on the map when in 1976, the 1973 Chardonnay was voted top wine in a tasting in Paris. The Cabernet Sauvignon has been one of the top Cabernets from Napa Valley since the eighties and they continue to be among the very best, as I can safely attest, based on the following wines enjoyed during lunch:

2004 Napa Chardonnay – This is always one of the best Chardonnays made in California, along with Stony Hill and Mayacamas. The wine has great balance and a strong lemon character. The tropical fruit comes forward on the finish. No oak to speak of and zero malolactic fermentation. Drink/Hold.

1998 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine was the most open of the five. From a much vilified vintage, this wine showed great balance with cassis, smoke and chocolate. The tannins are soft, and this wine will be great another five years. This is not your typical warm-vintage California Cabernet. Drink.

1999 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This was my favorite wine of the tasting. Bright fruit, great structure and a tight, long finish. This wine took a little time to open up but when it did, it was close to perfect. This is a wine that will show greatness for another decade. Drink/ Hold.

2000 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This was one I could never really warm up to. The wine showed good ripeness and balance with mineral and red fruit. The tannins were not quite soft enough for me but it did show itself much better with food. Drink/Hold

2001 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – 2001 is a great vintage in my book overall, and this wine helped me to continue to believe. This wine showed beautiful balance and acidity with ripe fruit, earthiness and soft tannins. It never completely opened up but still was very enjoyable. This one should drink for another 15-20 years. Make this the last one of the five to open up. Hold.

2002 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine was the biggest and most powerful. Black fruits definitely come forward in this wine. Very rich and supple with good structure. This wine opened up eventually and showed a bright nose and a very lush, long finish. One could decant this now and be very happy but I think in 2-3 years this wine will show itself to be outstanding. Hold.
Thanks to everyone at the lunch. It was a very good time.
—Mike Jordan

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By the time this missive reaches you Mike Parres and I will have been sloshing through Italy for a couple of weeks. We will have tasted more than 170 of the new 2001 Brunello di Montalcino—the
sacrifices we make for you! If you haven’t heard before, this 2001 is The Vintage of the Millennium! Sure, it is only the second year of the millennium, true. All the levity aside, this will be a truly great vintage.
This 2001 vintage will be a hybrid of the 1997 vintage’s ripeness, proclaimed by many to be the best, and the balance, length and focus of 1999, proclaimed by most Italian wine insiders as the classic vintage. A freeze hit Tuscany Easter Sunday, 2001, after a balmy early spring. Many vines had budded out, and the initial prognosis looked bad. But nature’s pruning actually made the wines more concentrated. A long growing season (without any global warming, month-long heat spells) allowed the wines to be balanced, showing incredible length and aromatic—sangiovese’s classic characteristics.
For me 2001 is the single best vintage I have tasted. I loved many of the 1997s, but there were many overripe wines. I loved almost all of the ’99s, yet my palate leans toward the more balanced, and I balk at super ripe fruit without acidic balance. The 2001 vintage has everything: concentration, size, color (harder in sangiovese), classic aromatics, balance, length, aging ability and immediate appeal. You will see amongst the critics a more universal acclaim. Daniel Thomases who writes for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and whose palate
generally leans toward the more classic style, wrote about “many flabby and characterless 1997s produced in Montalcino.” He will most assuredly give the 2001 wines high praise. James Suckling who writes for the Wine Spectator and whose palate leans toward the riper has already said this about the 2001 vintage: “They are rich and powerful yet show wonderful balance and length. They are a combination of the structured and tannic 1999s and the refined and fresh 1997s.” He has also thrown out a couple of handfuls of 95+ point scores to whip up the initial press frenzy. The Wine Enthusiast will be doing a big issue on this vintage as well, so be forewarned. The scores will be flying high! I don’t give scores but try and write about character and style. In the upcoming weeks I will be tasting almost the entire DOC. I will be writing my vintage report that will be available to you. I think it is important for most everyone to understand that while scores offer you some insight to the writer’s preference, it may not be yours. Best to talk with someone who knows!
The initial offerings are just coming out now as I write this (February 3, incurring the ire of our crack newsletter staff by being a day late!), and we will have our first offering available in the middle of March. Anyone who is interested in receiving the first offerings and the vintage report that Mike and I will prepare please send an email to greg@klwines.com, and I will get you our first offering.
—Greg St.Clair

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I awoke with a start, my face dripping with perspiration. What a nightmare...there were acrobats and Republicans, cocktail waitresses and an Indian elephant. Man, scary. I looked next to me. There was a tusk sticking out of the covers. Time to get up. There was work to be done. Not by me. I didn’t have any. Semantics.
The door opened. She lit up the room like a nuclear Christmas tree. I was pining already. “Mr. Berg?” she asked with a voice that dripped molten honey. “I have a problem.” So did I. I remained seated.
“I’ve been robbed. Cases of wine from the estate of Pichon Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Three different vintages: 1994, 1995 and 1996. Mr. Berg, I MUST have them back by Saturday. I’m hosting a dinner party for international diplomats. Can you help me?”
The Lord helps those who help themselves. But asking her if I could help myself was out of the question. I assured her that I would do what I could. Even if it took a million years. It’s all about billable hours.
Her name was Tatiana, a liason to the American consulate. The diplomats in question were flying in from Sweden, Norway, Lebanon and Canada. I checked backround information on all of them—clean as a whistle. I searched motive, and found none. My mind raced like Jesse Owens. I ran over scenarios like a monster truck from hell. Nothing.
The Swede was Staffan. He was still bristling over the jokes that Olaf, the Norwegian made (three Swedes leave a bar after one drink. Well, it COULD happen! Haha! Ya sure). Neither were an easy suspect.
The man from Lebanon. He was interesting. Could have cut his teeth on Musar, Lebanon’s finest wine estate, and later developed a taste for Bordeaux. The Canadian? A beer drinker. Doesn’t fit the profile.
One thing was certain; The three vintages of Lalande served a very useful purpose: The 1994 ($159.00) was a tremendous success for the vintage. The bouquet is a kaleidoscope of warm, lush black fruit, and the wine can be enjoyed now. The ’95 ($309.99) is smoother and more debonnair. Smoke, cedar and bittersweet chocolate notes balance the rich red and black fruits. Outstanding. The ’96 ($299.99) is built for the long haul, as one enjoys first the ’94, followed by the ’95. Sweet, rich fruit it has, but the structure for long term aging is ever present.
Time was running out. Time always runs out. But who did it?... Then it hit me like an angry blackjack dealer. I leapt up, grabbed my hat, made the bus in seconds flat…
I burst into the room like a poltergeist on acid. Tataiana spun round like a dervish. The room got as quiet as outer space. Metaphors hung in the air like clouds.
“Tatiana, I have solved the crime. Olaf, please step forward.” A nervous Olaf stepped up. “You may go. Staffan, you may go as well.”
I stared at the Lebanese diplomat, then turned to the crowded room. “This is the thief. I kept wondering: Why three consecutive vintages? Then I realized… Tripoli! Triple, for three vintages! And Tripoli is the capital of Lebanon!” I was smug as a Cheshire cat, really feline good.
Then the Canadian spoke. “Impossible, yknow, eh? I took the wine.”
Gasters were flabbered. Instead of the cheese course, incredulity was served. But I was dining on crow.
“Why? Why did you take my three vintages of Lalande?” Tatiana bellowed like an accordion. The Canadian smiled wanly.
“Hat Trick.” —Joe Zugelder

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another year flying by faster than a Shelby Mustang 500GT! Buyers leaving for all parts of the wine world. Chanty, Elisabeth and I have been back for over a month from Aussie Land. We did find some excellent wines on this trip from the very good 2004 and outstanding 2005 vintages. They should start arriving soon. Speaking of the 2005 vintage, it promises to be very good to great in quite a few wine regions. For sure the wines from the Barossa and McLaren Vale areas of Australia will be superb. Also great reports from Bordeaux and California. The Futures campaign for 2005 Bordeaux promises to be very hectic and fast moving. Other regions are forecasting excellent vintages, and our buyers will tell you what they find on their trips. Let’s all slow down a bit and enjoy this year! —Clyde Beffa Jr

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The Angeles Wine Agency tasting on January 24th 2006
A couple weeks ago I had the great opportunity to attend the 2004 Châteauneuf-du-Pape tasting put on by the Angeles Wine Agency. Over the course of three hours I tasted and took very inspired notes on over 40 CNP’s from the 2004 vintage. What can I say a this point other than, holy smokes!? I am just getting to know this vintage, and I am already head over heals in love. The vintage, at this point displays fantastic potential. Fruit, richness, acidity and length..these CNP’s have got it all. What is going to make a vintage like this difficult is deciding which one’s you like the most. The following wines were, in my estimation, real standouts. The ETA on these wines will be some time in the late spring/mid summer. If one, or two or all of these CNP’s strike your fancy lemme know, and I will keep you posted as they become available. Please excuse all of the non-sequitors.
2004 Domaine Moulin-Tacussel CNP (80% Grenache, 10% syrah, 7 % mourvèdre, 3% cinsault) Rich and forward but in a more traditional sense. Beautiful concentration of blackcurrant and deep cherry fruit, followed by just the slightest hint of roasted herbs, thyme, and stone. The structure is taught and tannins are fine, not coarse. This represents one of the best values in the lineup.
2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Cuvee Tradition ( 90% grenache, 5% mourvèdre, 5% cinsault) Spicy, spicy spicy red fruits and star anise on this puppy. Notes of red plum and dark chocolate. Reminds me of the Dagoba chocolate bar with tiny flecks of chipolte.. Yowzah!
2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Cuvee Cuvee de Mon Aieul (100% grenache)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape in a long blood red velvet gown. Buxom, fleshy and ripe..but always classy. Hey get your mind out of the gutter.. I’m talking about wine!
2004 Le Vieux Donjon Rouge (70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% mourvèdre & cinsault) One of my favorite Châteauneufs..always. More on the classy side with dark, purple fruits, a touch of bramble and nicoise olives. Lovely..
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Cuvee de Quet (65% grenache, 35% mourvèdre) I don’t know if Parker has rated this one, but I bet it will be high. One of the most dense and concentrated of the bunch with an emphasis on black fruits and tea…orange pekoe and lavender. ..shows a lot of class and sophistication despite its big, bad ass proportions.
2004 Cuvee du Vatican Cuvee Tradition (70% grenache, 15% mourvèdre, 15% syrah) Sappy, honeyed nose, with red currant spice box, hibiscus. Lovely balance and concentration and just a hint of earth. Another excellent value for the vintage.
2004 Cuvee du Vatican Reserve Sixtine (50% grenache, 30% syrah, 10% mourvèdre, 10% other..) My favorite super cuvee. Mon Dieu! AWESOME POWER AND GRACE. This cuvee straddles the line between new world seductiveness and old world sophistication. I predict that this one will age as well as Sophia Loren, however the scary thing is that something this intense and breathtaking tastes good NOW! That’s all I can say about this one. Talk amongst yourselves.
2004 Bosquet des Papes Cuvee Tradition (75% grenache, 11% mourvèdre, 9% syrah, 5% cinsault, counoise and vaccarese) Along with Vieux Donjon, Bosquet is always one of my faves. The 2004 Tradition definitely “represents”. Red currents, roses and hibiscus come through on this one. More feminine and elegant rather than big, thick or muscular.. This is no wimpy wine… do not overlook..
2004 Bosquet des Papes Cuvee Chante le Merle (70% grenache, 10% syrah, 15% cinsault, 5% mourvèdre) Bosquets super cuvee. Big, bold but not bad ass. Try this one with the Boislauzon Cuvee de Quet and see who wins.
2004 Domaine des Relagnes Cuvee Tradition (80% grenache, 10% syrah, 10% mourvèdre & cinsault) If you are into purity of fruit, ethereal beauty, wine that dances on your palate, flirts, no teases you with its charm and delicacy (note: I am not saying thin) then you must try these wines. As far as being the “package” in terms of price, quality, and accessibility Domaine des Relagnes over delivers. Cinnamon stick, red fruits, blackcurrant tea..
2004 Domaine des Relagnes Cuvee Vigneronne (65% grenache, 20% syrah, 5% each mourvèdre, cinsault and other..) Black cherry, rosehips with a bit more depth than the tradition. Very subtle notes of stone and that “tar” thing.
2004 Domaine des Relagnes “Les Petit Pieds d’Armand” (90% grenache 10% syrah) Relagne’s super cuvee. Up there with the Chante le Merle in terms of depth, concentration and elegance. Definitely age-worthy but showing beautifully right now, with fine tannins and a silky texture. A few of these will definitely find their way into my cellar/closet!
—Mulan Chan

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 5:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was fortunate to have dined at quite a few nice restaurants in Paris during my three trips there in 2005 and would like to share a few recommendations with you. One of the perks of being in the wine business is that wine goes best with food (but both are rough on the waistline!).
Hiramatsu *(52 rue de Longchamp in the 16th) is fantastic. This restaurant gained its first Michelin star faster than any other. Ph from france 1-56-81-08-80. closed Saturday and Sunday. $$$
Guy Savoy*** (18 rue Troyon-in the 17th) a *** Michelin and one of the best restaurants in the world. In france dial 1-43-80-40-61. Closed Saturday and Sunday nights as are most all 2 and 3 star restaurants in Paris. $$$+
Atelier de Maitre Albert (1 rue Maitre Albert in the 5th-across from river on right bank.. no lunches Saturday or Sunday) for great roasted chicken or lamb shanks. Also it is now under the direction of Guy Savoy. Fax: 011331 53 10 83 23. $
If you saw and enjoyed the movie “Something’s Got to Give,” go to the bistro Le Grand Colbert (2-4 rue Vivienne-behind Palais Royal in the 2nd). Thanks to the movie and the delicious food, it is one of the hot spots on the bistro scene. Owner Joel Fleury. Le.grand.colbert@wanadoo.fr $
If you love caviar, Kaspia (17 place de la Madeleine-right bank high rent district in 8th) is a must stop. And try one of their Russian vodkas with the caviar. www.caviarkaspia.com. Phone: 01133 1 42 65 33 32. $$$ And on the left bank load up at Petrossian (on 144 rue Universite in the 7th). Closed Sunday and Monday. $$
The rather new Astrance ** (4 rue Beethoven-in the 16th across river from Eiffel Tower) was fabulous (only about ten tables) Closed Saturday and Sunday. Phone: 01133 1 40 50 84 40. $$$
La Tour d’Argent** (15 Quai de la Tournelle in the 5th-great view of Notre Dame) did not disappoint. What a great wine list and quite reasonably priced for Paris. They listed but were not serving any wines younger than 1999. Closed Monday and Tuesday lunch. One of the few Paris two star restaurants opened both Saturday and Sunday night. Phone: 01133 1 43 54 23 31. $$$
The new l’Atelier (Joel Robuchon) in the Hotel Pont Royal at 7 Rue de Montalembert (7th) is worth the wait as they do not take reservations-all counter seating, but exquisite food. $$
And if you like Indian food try Yugaraj (14 rue Dauphine-close to Pont Neuf in the 6th)-spicy food-very few tables and good value wine list. contact@yugaraj.com. Closed on Mondays and lunch Thursdays. $-$$
A few good ones in the 7th on Rue St Dominique:
#79-Thoumeiux for great cassoulet and good hearty meals. bthoumieux@aol.com$
#129-Fontaine de Mars. Great bistro cooking-very friendly. Great “Tete de Veau” and southwest France cooking. lafontainedemars@wanadoo.fr $
#135-Violon d’Ingres* is a very affordable starred restaurant in Paris. Closed Sunday and Monday Also very friendly owners and staff. violondingres@wanadoo.fr $$
Also in the 7th, Le Divellec* at 107 rue Universite specializing in seafood. Closed Saturday and Sunday. $$
In the 6th or 5th, some favorites: Rotisserie d’en Face (2 rue Christine off of Rue Dauphine in the 6th) $ owned by Jacques Cagna whose own restaurant Jacques Cagna* is at 14 Rue Grands Augustins, across the street. rotisface@aol.com $$
Brassiere Balzar (49 Rue des Eccoles in the 5th) Phone: 01133 1 43 54 13 67 is a bustling French bistro-noisy, crowded, good steak tartare. $
$$-Expensive $$-Moderate $-Good Value
*** Three Star, of course!
—Clyde Beffa

Posted by Elisabeth Schriber at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

I called my real estate agent the other day and told her I desperately needed to move from Long Beach to Los Angeles proper. In particular, to the 8000 block of W. Third St. No matter that this is an unprepossessing mélange of fortified store fronts, overpriced boutiques and seedy bars about as commodious to residential living as the inside of a recycling bin. This is the place for me, because this is the home of A.O.C. Wine Bar, my new favorite spot to eat in all of Southern California.
You are smirking. I can tell. It’s true I cannot claim to have eaten in all or even half of the top restaurants down here. Maybe there are a few places as good or better than A.O.C. But none of them, I wager, are better for me. Let’s begin with the name, an allusion, of course, to the French system of wine appellations. A.O.C., baby, you had me at hello.
Wine is a big part of the experience at A.O.C., and the wine list is justifiably dense. It’s not the longest list in the world, not by a long shot, but it is filled with an extensive selection of wines by the glass and by the carafe (making it easy for our table of three to try a little of everything) as well as esoteric, food-friendly and, most importantly, well priced by-the-bottle items. It is a pleasure to turn through the narrow pages of this wine list just as it’s a pleasure to sit in one of the narrow, spare and comforting rooms in this bi-level restaurant. There is a notable absence of flash in the place. The walls are creamy and mostly unadorned. The table settings are white on white tablecloths. Many of the tapas-style plates come out of the kitchen in little cast iron pans with white napkins tied around the scalding handles. The servers wear little makeup, even the women, and are dressed in white button-down shirts. So down to earth is the vibe at A.O.C. it comes as a shock to leave the place and to find yourself once again in the heart of L.A.
Do not be fooled by the ‘Wine Bar’ tag on the end of the restaurant’s name. The food here is not at all secondary to the wine. It is serious food, and at the risk of sounding like someone from Berkeley, it is soulful. The plates are all small and meant for sharing, a nice concept in theory. In practice there were a number of those plates on all three of my visits to A.O.C. that didn’t make it across the table. As befits a place serving serious food, the menu changes daily. And yet everyday there will be a thoughtful assortment of cheeses in all four categories (goat, sheep, cow and bleu), charcuterie plus fish, meats and vegetables from the wood burning oven. On our most recent visit to A.O.C. we ordered one of the additions to the printed menu. It was described as a holiday sausage, a boudin blanc ($13), made in house from pheasant and pork grinded to a fine paste and thickened with oats that had themselves been plumped in cream. It was one whitish sausage in a little white dish, a candidate for the most expensive sausage ever eaten, and it was heavenly. Next a similarly itty plate containing two crostini topped with chicken liver ($8) arrived and were eaten so fast by my table mates I did not stand a chance. No worries, I happily monopolized the ‘salad’ of shaved carrots, smashed and whole chickpeas, oven roasted peppers and prickly sweet seeds of pomegranate all tied together with a snappy crème fraiche dressing ($9). Ha ha! To wash these first gems down we enjoyed a carafe (about three and half glasses) of the 2004 Kracher “Illmitz” Pinot Gris ($16), which was pure acid and minerals along with grapefruit and slate. Not your mother’s Pinot Grigio! We also opted for one glass to share of the Jean-Louis Chave Crozes-Hermitage Blanc “Sybele” ($9.50), a richer, rounder white and the ideal wine to match the next barrage of dishes, which included the arroz negro ($13), a cast iron portion of rice as black as the serving dish, topped with a handful of tender calamari rounds and a spoon of melting aioli. It was salty and deep, tasting of seas and secrets. Oh!
Another addition to the printed menu, the oven roasted arctic char ($14) was served again in cast iron, topped with the sweetest skinless peppers and a profound sauce that hinted at herbs, fish skin and salt. The char was pink and salmon like, but without salmon’s too frequent fishiness. Oh! Oh!
Drained were our glasses and ignited our palates, and so we ordered anew! This time a bottle of the wonderful 2002 Jacques Puffeney Arbois Rouge ($56). “It’s a rose!” exclaimed one of my companions, and he was only partly wrong. This was a red so lightly colored it would have been dismissed by many an L.A. wine snob as being too pale to be any good. How sad for they, because this pallid little number absolutely delights, making up for its lack of color with an array of woodsy, fruity aromas and a palate impression that reminds one of red Burgundy, Barolo, Rioja and a touch of something…. Valle d’Aosta, all at once! You know that strawberry jam, the French kind, with the plaid lid?? On the palate it has surprising glycerin. It holds on to your tongue. And yet it is totally lacking in tannins. How bright! How vivid. How alive!
Yes, the ideal red to finish the fish courses and become our bridge to the next array of dishes, which included a grilled quail ($18), so tiny and defeated on its white plate, and yet so shamefully crunchy and good, a dish of Italian broccoli ($8), which was perhaps too salty, and yet cooked to such a toothsome perfection the salt was easily overlooked, and lastly an absurdly tasty order of potatoes cooked in duck fat ($8).
Fat might be the theme of our dinner at A.O.C, either that or salt (more than one dish was over salted, though only on one of our visits). And what better way to add some unneeded fat to your diet than cheese? We chose one from each category, a Brillat Savarin, a sheep’s milk Everona and a curious aged goat cheese called Cana de Cabra ($15 for the three). They were nicely tepid and served without accompanying nuts or bits of fruit. Just white cheese on (another) white plate. And none the worse for it, either.
Finally, our wine glasses emptied once more, we picked at the dessert one of us felt compelled to order. It was a sliver of dark chocolate cake ($10) served alongside two little slivers of peanut nougat and very thinly sliced caramelized persimmons. There was nothing wrong with any of it, and yet it was the weakest link in the meal. Or perhaps we were just full at that point. Or maybe, yes that’s it, we were too sad to enjoy the cake. Our meal at A.O.C had come to end and now all we had to look forward to was that long congested drive home on the 405. That realtor chick better get a move on.
Got foodie tips on the scene down here? Please post your comments!
--Elisabeth Schriber

A.O.C. Wine Bar
8022 W. 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.653.6359

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There are three Boa restaurants (one in West Hollywood, one in Santa Monica and one in Vegas). Yes, it is a ‘chain’ establishment, but it has about as much in common with Sizzler as a Secretary of State, say, shares with an octopus.
To begin with, the restaurants are all quite beautiful. The one in West Hollywood, where we ate on a recent blustery Friday, was clubby and dark with a see-through floor floating above a feng shui assortment of river rocks, and caramel-colored wood paneling on the walls set on a horizontal meant to temper the voices of the diners. And then there are the diners themselves. They are damn hot. Just about all of them. So beautiful are the people eating at Boa, it’s pretty much impossible to imagine a franchise of the place opening in Akron with much success. But here the concept works, well, beautifully.
It’s easy to think, as you’re being led through the tightly packed entrance to your table by a host with the most alarming blue Curacao-colored eyes, and around a maze of little tables around which sit an enviable assortment of anorexics and the men who love them, that the food will be anything but good. But good, it certainly is!
We were positioned in a corner space in a sort of alcove off the main dining area. My chair in particular was sandwiched between a thick pipe running from floor to ceiling, and the back wall. This preposterous seat had nothing to do with my own beauty, or lackthereof, and this is the story I’m sticking to. All in all, I wouldn’t have minded the table had it not been for a group of hyenas sitting at a six top right behind us, whose ‘voices’ catapulted around the little alcove with enough force to keep us from even attempting conversation. This turned out to be just fine, as our mouths were pretty much full the entire three hours of our dinner with some delicious, unfussy food.
The food theme is old fashioned steak house, and the menu includes riffs on Surf and Turf (with an ominous MKT notation where the undoubtedly high dollar amount would appear) and other old-school standbys like Oysters Rockefeller ($14) and The Wedge ($10), an iceberg lettuce wedge under a creamy blue cheese dressing. If the menu makes you nostalgic for the steakhouses of your youth, the prices will zap you squarely back to the present. This place ain’t cheap. Consider, for example, the Dungeness Crab Cake ($15), served with a confit of tomatoes and an herb-flecked aioli. It was full of crab meat, yes, but it was also just one lonely crab cake on a plate. And a pricy crab cake, too. If you started with this and then went on to the Whole Maine Lobster (MKT), as one of my audacious companions did, your dinner could easily reach $75, without wine or dessert. Needless to say, she paid her own tab! Not that it would have made much of a difference if we split the bill evenly, as the appetizers range in price from the soulful and warming Caramelized Onion Soup ($8) to the staid but nicely prepared Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras ($18), and most of the main courses hover well above $30.
The Truffle “Nachos” ($13) were an amusing, decadent take on the white trash standby, but were dolefully absent of truffle flavor. The best starter at the table was definitely the Goat Cheese “Beignet” ($12), a fried breaded hunk of cheese accompanied by a smattering of sautéed eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. It was wonderful with the Verdad Santa Ynez Albariño we ordered (a rounder, richer version than what hails from Galicia). The aforementioned Wedge salad proved that iceberg lettuce can hold its own against mesclun any old day. Even better was the BLT ($12), an addictive breadless combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato doused with an avocado-rich dressing.
Entrees are divided between Surf and Turf types, with a much better selection in the cud-chewing category. The well-seasoned Petite Filet Mignon ($32) is the MINI Cooper of steaks, so tiny it would not satisfy someone with a bad case of body dysmorphia. A better choice, even for a light eater might be the “40 Day Dry Aged” New York Strip ($39), not Fred Flintstone in proportion but ample enough and delicious. No one had the nerve or the expense account to order the Kobe Steak of the Day (MKT), but the Free Range Veal Chop ($37) was unanimously decreed the best of the beefs. All meats were on the undersized side, and all were ala carte, making none of then particularly wallet-friendly. They may, however, be ordered with an accompanying sauce or rub (béarnaise, chimichurri, peppercorn, herbed butter, etc), but this will tack on a ridiculous and slightly offensive $1 charge. I know restaurants are a business, but come on.
Aside from the overcooked not to mention overpriced lobster, we also ordered the Fish of the Day, which was halibut. For some reason it came with a sauce and no additional charge. It was also the only main course to include a side dish, in this case roasted vegetables, which were—like the big hunk of flaky fish—very very tasty and not too delicate to keep up with our red wine choice, a spicy and high-toned Austrian Blaufankisch. Because we did not have an eating disorder, well not one that results in eating abnormally little, we went whole hog for the side dishes (all $8) and were glad we did! The Creamed Spinach was rich, buttery and thick. The Sautéed Seasonal Mushrooms were the regular old brown kind, but still flavorful with garlic notes and deep woodsy-ness. The Mac-N-Cheese suffered from its Lilliputian dimensions but made up for it in rich cheesy wonder. There was almost more cheese than pasta, which seems just about right.
By the time dessert came the table of hyenas had departed. No matter, we were silenced anew by the wonder set before us. It was a cubist rendering of the S’More with a thick spice-covered graham cracker leveraged on a brownie-like hunk of (flourless?) chocolate something and flanked with artisan marshmallows redolent of vanilla. It was rich and complex to the extreme, and so good we were tempted to see what other riches the pastry chef could come up with. Alas, we were finally full, not to mention tapped out!
Leaving the still-crowded and still beautiful dining room at 11 o’clock it occurred to us that Boa Steakhouse is the ideal place to bring a hot new date. For starters, you’ll impress them with your munificence. Plus, you’ll leave after a full meal still feeling sexy and lithe enough to hit one of the clubs down the street or, better yet, a hotel room.
Got foodie tips on the scene down here? Please post your comments!

--Elisabeth Schriber

Boa Steakhouse
8462 W. Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
323.650.8383

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If you live in Southern California and have children, or a significant other enjoying a second childhood, you will be forced to go to Disneyland. And if your children or your sig other wear the pants in your family, you will be going there again and again, as I have this past fall. When you find yourself the unhappy owner of an annual pass to the Home of the Rat, it will hit you all at once, the horrible truth: multiple, perhaps even weekly meals at Disneyland.
Stale churros, lemonade tasting like a public restroom smells, cookies made of vegetable oil costing four dollars apiece, these are some of the gustatory delights offered at Disneyland, the Most Unsavory Place on Earth. And if that wasn’t enough of a deterrent, there’s the total absence of alcoholic salve. No hard stuff is poured at Disneyland (though at the time of writing this I have begun lobbying the folks at Disney to break ground on the Land of Imbibers, best located behind Tom Sawyer’s Island, across the river Styx). A number of fenced off smoking enclosures aside, it’s clear Walt Disney was never big on sin. Not very smart of ‘ol Walt, if you consider how much he might have charged for a beer!
Given the want of booze, the idea of a meal at the destination restaurant in the park is less than appealing. Why wait 40 minutes on hold for a Disney reservationista, or pay through the nose for a bowl of mediocre jambalaya, which you will have to eat while watching obese people float by on their journey through Pirates of the Caribbean, when you can’t even glug a glass of the good stuff to wash it all down?
And so, even the food snob that I am, I do not recommend eating at the ‘stared’ venue in Disneyland. I do recommend eating at Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante, hosted by Ortega. Yes, we too were put off by Ortega reference. Pay it no mind. Ditto the extremely Anglo boys and girls cooking the food. Aside from the sweetened and forgettable jarred Ortega sauces adorning the tables at Rancho Zocalo, it’s easy to forget the restaurant’s host. The service is cafeteria style, but the food is freshly prepared, only a partial rip-off and, best of all, it has taste.
While more ambitious items adorn the wall-mounted menu at Zocalo (barbequed meat, chicken and ribs served with sides), our lunch crew of four chose to go the ‘lighter’ route. Feeling piggish I splurged on two dishes, the Taco Salad ($9.99) and the Camarones al mojo de ajo ($9.99). These were assembled at two separate food stations by two different cast members, and while they would not win any awards outside of the theme park category, they were surprisingly tasty. The salad, served in a big fried tortilla bowl, included refried beans, white and yellow cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, very fresh tomato and onion salsa and a small though tasty dollop of guacamole. It also came with my choice of animal, though I opted for neither. The Camarones, which h