Vinfolio Blog

When planning your trip to Napa Valley, you’ve probably checked off of your list every dinner you’re planning to have, although you may not have considered where to enjoy your lunch. The best kept "secret" is brunch at Redd in Yountville (secret because not many gourmands have experienced it yet). 

Chef Richard Reddington has grown to great acclaim from years of honing his skills in both France and the Bay area. His style is as he describes it, "Napa Valley Food" - fresh, seasonal, and scrumptious. In my mind it beats dinner, allowing for a quieter atmosphere and brighter ambiance when the sun is streaming through the front windows.

I recommend starting with a glass of bubbly, such as the Egly-Ouriet Brut Prestige. Make sure to order some doughnut holes for the table at the time of the wine order. They’ll come piping hot to the table with chocolate, caramel, and raspberry dipping sauces. A stunning start. The highlight for brunch for me is a sashimi of hamachi served over sticky rice with edamame and lime ginger sauce. Other stunners are the breakfast pizza (you can ask to substitute smoked salmon for the prosciutto), huevos rancheros (traditional with chorizo), a lobster club sandwich with bacon and lemon aioli, and the caramelized diver scallops with cauliflower purée and balsamic reduction. For dessert, my top take is the peanut butter – milk chocolate Gianduja (a Swiss hazelnut chocolate confection), served with a peanut honeycomb parfait.

A nicely balanced Kistler Chardonnay will blend with most of the menu. With the meats, which are not overly hearty, a proper pinot will do. Go California with the Brewer Clifton or some Etude from Carneros. Corton le Rognet if you want some Burgundy for the table. Buy some bottles from Vinfolio to take with you. Corkage is nominal. Try it out and make a day of it, with a few winery visits in Rutherford as well (limos recommended). When you’ve finished, please reply to this blog and tell me if I was spot on with the suggestion.
 

2000 Egly-Ouriet - Brut Prestige Millesime $105

2003 Kistler – Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard (IWC 93, WS91) $84

2001 Kistler – Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard (IWC 95, WS 91) $89

1993 Ambroise, Bertrand – Corton Le Rognet (WA 90, WS 91) $125

2005 Brewer-Clifton – Pinot Noir Rio Vista Vineyard (WA 93) $47

2005 Etude – Pinot noir Temblor Vineyard Estate (VF 93) $60

 

Some of my most memorable meals have been Tasting Menus – wine-pairing dinners in which I’ve turned the reins over to the sommelier to lead me in pairing directions that I probably wouldn’t have traveled on my own, and I can honestly say that I’ve never been disappointed. I’m a big fan of variety, and pairing menus offer just that. Last weekend my wife, some friends, and I spent a wonderful Saturday evening dining at the fine restaurant La Toque, in Rutherford (Napa Valley). Each of us ordered the wine pairing with the 5-course tasting menu. We unanimously agreed that the meal and the wine pairings could not have been better. The sommelier, Scott Tracy, was extremely knowledgeable on the wines he was serving, and explained the provenance of each one prior to pouring. Here is the menu for that night along with the wine pairings. I’ve included Vinfolio selections that can easily substitute for each pairing wine. Perhaps you will be inspired to create your own wine-pairing meal at home!

Substitute: 2005 Terlano - Pinot Bianco Vorberg

Substitute: 2006 Knoll, Emmerich - Gruner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Smaragd

Substitute: 2006 Vieux Donjon - Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

Substitute: 2005 Maldonado - Chardonnay Los Olivos Vineyard

Substitute: 2004 Fiddlehead - Pinot Noir 728 Fiddlestix Vineyard

Substitute: 2006 Sineann - Pinot Noir Covey Ridge Vineyard

Substitute: 2004 Phelps, Joseph - Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard

Substitute: 2006 Hirsch - Pinot Noir Estate

Substitute: 2006 Ojai - Viognier Ice Wine Roll Ranch

On a beautiful, sunny day in January I decided to spend some well-deserved R&R in Half Moon Bay and Pescadero with my miniature schnauzer Pinot Noir. The plan was an afternoon of hiking on the beach, enjoying the sunset on the links of the Ritz Carlton, and then having an early dinner at Duarte’s Tavern. I have been enormous fan of this historic restaurant in the sleepy town of Pescadero since a good friend of mine first introduced me to it almost ten years ago. Located between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz, its specialties are of course artichokes and the freshest seafood, as well as Harley Farms goat cheese, (made by Dee Harley, Tim Duarte’s wife.)

The sourdough is always served piping; in fact if you sit at the counter, you may even catch a glimpse of Ron, the fourth-generation Duarte to be working at this landmark establishment, pulling the rounds right out of the oven!  Tim, his son, can also be spotted in the kitchen nine times out of ten.

Depending on the season, and of course my mood, my top picks for a main course are as follows:

Dungeness Crab: as a native Californian, it is imperative to partake of the crab whenever it is in season. When it is this sweet and melts in your mouth, how could you say no?

Crab Cioppino: a true San Francisco tradition, though not even in the City have I had one better.

Abalone Sandwich: very lightly breaded and served on true San Francisco sourdough with lemon; it is just steps from heaven.

They also have a Mexican coleslaw with cabbage from their own garden, cilantro, jalepeno peppers, and lime juice, and not a drop of mayonnaise in sight. After a long afternoon with Pinot, it was just the right amount of crisp, nutritious veggies to balance out the half cream of artichoke and half cream of green chili soup (another Duarte’s must-have) and the abalone sandwich. Of course being a “quasi-regular” for a few years, I knew to order my slice of olallieberry pie in advance. If you have no room after the generous portions, they are more than willing to pack it up to go. A little hint, even if you do have room for pie, order a second slice, as it makes for a fantastic breakfast the next morning! 

This being Pescadero, the wine list is pretty Santa Cruz Mountain-centric, but includes selections from Santa Barbara Coast, and some Napa, Sonoma and French. I started with a 2005 Navarro Sauvignon Blanc. Its acidity cut through the two different soups perfectly, and the herbaceous and green apple quality married nicely as well. This was followed by the 2004 Domaine Séguinot-Bordet Chablis “Réserve Sainte Victoire”. A classic ‘04 with lovely minerality, and a hint of lime pithe and green fruit; it made a perfect foil for the abalone and cole-slaw. Multiple layers of white blossoms, pear, and a hint of honey combined with elegance and length to make this a lovely pairing. After such a wonderful meal, I decided not to push my luck, so I took my pie to-go.

Duart’s Tavern, a James Beard Award winner for Classic American cuisine, is the quintessential small-town tavern with seasonal decorations from the ‘50s covering the walls for all of the major holidays, an inviting staff, and truly some of the freshest seafood (selected every morning by Ron) I have ever experienced. Whether you are a regular or a first-timer, this warm and inviting family-owned and operated tavern will have you trying to find more reasons to drive down Highway 1 just to stop by for a quick bite.

Doesn’t quite rhyme, but you get the drift - a perfect combination for a Saturday afternoon enjoying the beautiful weather in San Francisco with Champagne and caviar.  As with all great food and wine, the timing of when, where and with whom, makes all the difference in the world when it comes to those special memories.

After abandoning my snow shovel in Boston last fall to move to San Francisco, I thought the nonstop January rain would never end.  Thankfully for me, this has all changed. This past Saturday I had a good friend come into town from the Sacramento area that was in desperate need for some San Francisco sophistication, shopping and great food.  

Of course we had to shop, but the highlight of the day was taking a much needed break at Absinthe Brasserie and Bar in the Hayes Valley for an afternoon glass of wine and a light snack.  We scored a great table outside and decided on an ounce of Osetra caviar and some NV Henriot Brut Champagne.

Henriot is a top Champagne producer from the Reims area in Champagne.  They are known for their quality and fresh style.  Part of this comes from the fact that they use only very small quantities, if any, of Pinot Meunier and, a higher concentration than most, of Chardonnay.  As an example, the Non-Vintage Brut is composed of 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir.  Currently we have the '96 Vintage Henriot in stock in 750ml ($66) and magnum ($139), both of which are a fantastic value for the money.

The saltiness of the caviar and champagne, the weight of the wine combined with the weight of the blini’s and caviar.  What can I say, a fine mousse, crisp, fresh, complex and last but least…….elegant. Of course we didn’t want to ruin our dinner at Spruce; I’ll save that for another blog!

A little while back a group of friends decided to celebrate the holidays at my favorite restaurant south of San Francisco, Manresa.  This fabulous place is named after the medieval town in Catalonia and gets much of the cuisine’s inspiration from that region as well as from the European classics and local biodynamic farming.  David Kinch, the Executive Chef, has worked at famous restaurants throughout the world from the Quilted Giraffe in New York, to Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain and everywhere in between and has a style all his own—he created my favorite amuse-bouche in the US, a coddled egg with foie gras, maple syrup and caviar.  What a way to start any meal.  I could certainly do it for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner.

When we first arrived in the private room we were all presented with a glass of Non-Vintage Drappier Val des Demoiselles. It has a wonder balance of fruit and acidity. On the palate, there was a hint of cassis.  This Champagne has lovely freshness, with a breath of toastiness and great length.  Once we were all seated, we were treated to Kobe-style American Beef and Oyster Tartar.  Though I have experienced Manresa on numerous occasions, this dish was a new one me and what a treat!  The marriage between the two very distinct flavors was absolutely superb and it virtually melted in my mouth.  Our second amuse was a daring Kohlrabi and Foie Gras Royale demonstrating Chef Kinch’s knack for blending very different textures with outstanding results.

Our first course consisted of Monterey Bay Spot Prawns on the Planch with exotic Indian spice.  The prawns were so sweet and creamy they melted in my mouth; the sauce had fantastic cumin and coriander; and the combination was very fresh and light as there was no cream to weigh it down at the beginning of the meal.  This delectable dish was served with a 2006 Diatom Huber Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills.  It had a hint of herbaceousness and green papaya.  The 100% malolactic fermentation was certainly apparent and it had a fairly pronounced buttery character.  It was a bit green on the palate, with good acidity, balance, and length.  It was a lovely pairing with the prawns as there was also a good deal of lychee and exotic fruit as well.

This being December in the Bay Area, our next treat was of course Dungeness Crab prepared in a risotto with black truffles.  For those of you who are unaware, we had an oil spill occur in the San Francicsco Bay just before Thanksgiving.  It closed beaches and delayed the official beginning of Crab Season by several weeks.  But good things certainly come to those who wait.  The crab was so sweet, the risotto creamy and cooked to perfection, and who could ever look down their noses at black truffles from Perigord?  To accompany this delectable dish we had a 2002 Gros Frère et Soeur Vosne-Romanée.  With its beautiful ruby color, it was a classic Vosne-Romanée with hints of violettes and that traditional "barnyard" (and I do mean that in the best sense) aroma.  A perfect Côte de Nuits, the wine was lovely and elegant with great acidity and length.  It the end it was the red berry and tobacco that lingered the most.

Our next course was the Guinea Hen poached and then roasted with Winter Vegetable and Citrus.  This was the perfect dish for a cold winter evening with friends.  The hen was rich and moist while the hearty root vegetables were still kept light and savory with the help of the citrus.  This memorable course was accompanied by the 2004 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands.  It had a dark ruby hue and a nose that was all cherry and mint.  There was a good deal of acidity to this Pinot and very fresh for a '04.  The finish had lots of sweetness and a gentle hint of melted brown sugar.

Our main course was an amazing Roast Beef with Yellowfoot Mushrooms and Crushed Potatoes with Horseradish.  The beef was beautifully roasted – just the right amount of pink for me.  The potatoes were from heaven, so sweet from the caramelization accompanied by delectable mushrooms. As this course was fit for a king, we had of course the king of Napa varietals, the 2004 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon, out of magnum.  The deep, opaque aubergine color was amazing.  In the nose were hints of mint, black cherry, and molasses.  On the palate it was almost over the top for the scrumptious yet mild roast beef.  It had huge, mouth puckering tannins, yet the overall body and structure was still fairly restrained.   We enjoyed this wine with a selection of cheeses ranging from a French raw goat’s milk, a harder Spanish goat’s milk, to an American blue wrapped in grape leaves.  Even with the intense color and acidity, this will be a fantastic wine to cellar for a years so as to enjoy it again with prime rib at some date after 2012.  

Our dessert course consisted of Dark Chocolate Fondant and Chicory Cremeux with Caramel Bouillon and hazelnut Ice Cream.  The chicory gave a pleasing crunchy consistency as well as flavor to the dish.  The hazelnut ice cream was a dream.  I have only had its equivalent once and that was in Piedmonte, Italy!  The caramel bouillon was wonderful with elegance and beautiful balance - not too sweet, just enough.  This dish also paired well with the Hourglass.

It was a fabulous way to celebrate the holidays with my dear friends from Saratoga and the fantastic staff at Manresa:  David, the always brilliant and low-key chef, Jeff, one of my favorite wine stewards, and Esteban, the ever welcoming Maître d’hôtel.  Everyone who works at Manresa has a class and professionalism that puts them truly head and shoulders above the rest.  Thank you again Russel and Susan Perry as well as everyone at Manresa.  Happy 2008!

I had an extraordinary experience last month.  I was invited to a special wine dinner at Spruce restaurant in San Francisco and oh my, was it an amazing evening!  Spruce is a product of those gastro-geniuses who created the Village Pub and Pizza Antica. This restaurant is truly a labor of love, as over three years passed between lease-signing and opening night, though I must say the décor, the food, and of course the wine list were certainly worth the wait.
Our evening started with Champagne: a beautiful 1990 Alain Robert, Clos de Mesnil Blancs de Blanc; an incredibly perfumed Champagne with hints of white flower, hazelnut, and spicy ginger.  On the palate, this wine was even more enticing with the richness and fullness of the 1990 vintage, combined with extraordinary vivacity and elegance.  
The first course of seared veal sweetbreads, (one of my favorite dishes), with pancetta, lentils, and glazed apples was perfectly married with a 1993 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne from magnum.   It had beautiful fruit, retaining its youth with none of the “baby fat.”  Fantastic elegance and creaminess encompassed the palate from first sip to last, as did length and acidity, which balanced the richness of the sweetbreads.  
With the main course, a choice of either Poached Halibut, Savoy spinach, caramelized fennel, and Maitake mushrooms; or Honey-Lacquered Duck Breast, cinnamon-dusted foie gras, and plum gastric.  Though I ordered the duck, I can attest to the expert preparation of both, as we were all sharing.  Accompanying these exquisite dishes were a 1970 Château Pétrus ($2,299) and a 1970 Château Trotanoy from magnum.  It was a wonderful comparison: both from magnum, both 100% Merlot, both owned and managed by the same family, and both from my favorite vintage, 1970. They were still very much the rich and vibrant wines that I remembered.  The Pétrus had essence of sour cherry preserves and dark chocolate on the palate, with great acidity and length.  It was a impressive and powerful ’70.  The Trotanoy had a hint of herbaceousness and an almost baked bean taste, (molasses, spice, sugar, and pork), on the palate.  The longer it was in the glass, the more elegant it became.   Both of these chateaus excelled in 1970, and were the perfect foil for the duck with red berry fruits, mocha, and smoked meat.
After the main course, a delectable selection of artisan cheeses was paired with a 1970 Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche.  Though the glass showed just a hint of bricking at the rim, the wine was not a bit oxidized.  Great nose with just a bit of that barnyard aroma found in so many ultra-traditional and older Burgundies.  On the palate, there was lots of fresh strawberry and mint, as well as a whisper of leather.  Elegant and beautiful as it lingered both in the glass and in the mouth, the length dissipated only after several minutes.
And the pièce de résistance was, obviously, the dessert course: Stone Fruit Bruschetta with vanilla olive oil and lemon verbena ice cream paired with an old German Riesling, a 1937 Staatsweingut Kiedricher Gräfenberg Trockenbeerenauslese. This is from one of the premier vineyards in Germany’s Rheingau region.  Though it is 100% Riesling, the color was dark apricot to almost medium ruby red.  It had aromas of coffee, mocha, and orange marmalade.  I do enjoy Sauternes, Ports, and Tokays, but the concentration and richness of this TBA was immeasurably better than any 1937 made outside Germany.  The acidity was so intense and the texture so luscious that the flavors lingered on my palate for at least 15 minutes. I left a little in my glass for another hour to check its progress.  Wow!  It was just as intense and vibrant an hour later as it had been in the beginning.  There is certainly something to be said for the provenance of a wine.  I knew exactly where that bottle had laid from the time it was first bottled until it was opened at Spruce almost 70 years later.
It was almost too much when the 1979 Diebolt-Vallois à Cramant arrived; almost, but not quite.  The Champagne was a stunning medium/dark golden color with a fine mousse.  Though it had reached full maturity, it was not a bit tired.  Both in the glass and on the palate, what struck me most was the combination of apple pie, tart green apples, cinnamon and nutmeg spice, and delightful creaminess.
These pairings made for an unforgettable evening, showcasing the incredible possibilites when the best in food and wine are enjoyed together.