Wine Club Newsletter - May 2020
Here’s What . . . Today
Well, I must say, it has been an interesting month. I hope you are faring well, healthy, keeping yourself occupied, and perhaps taking on a project or two around the house that has been waiting for your attention.
This month, I want to step aside from our usual informational Wonderful World of Wine Newsletter, and give you some thoughts and news as to what is happening with us.
Before I go any further, I want to thank you and all of our WineSellar Club members for being a part of our lives. Your support, your appreciation of what our wine club is all about, plays a substantial role in our ability to carry on through this challenging time. I’m reminded of the Beatles verse, “The love you give is equal to the love you make”. And another quote by Author Mignon McLaughlin, “In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing.”
The love we put into the wine clubs each month, and the return from you is beyond that for me. I love looking for great bargains for you, writing tasting notes, a recipe, and the newsletter. And now, today, as we may be house bound, what could be better than to connect with your friends, loved ones, passions, appreciations, through the message of education, and learning, especially about wine. Hahahahahaha, I LOVE IT!
I know I am drinking more wine than usual, which is going a stretch, one might say. I have been digging into my collection and pulling out wines that I thought I might keep for years to come, even some of he wine club wines I have been saving for later. That’s been fun!
I’ve also noticed that my recycle basket now requires three trips a week to the larger bin, versus the usual one or two trips, because of the bottles and other food containers we’ve been going through. Yeah, and I have to get more automatic dishwasher soap because I have been cooking more and going out less.
I do miss the going out to restaurants, for sure. I do like to cook, and a typical weeknight I come home at about 7:00 pm or so to cook us a nice dinner, and we generally indulge or experiment with a wine or two, because it is our job. I miss our Sunday long lunches out to a restaurant, with a bottle of Rose’ or sparkling wine.
On top of that, restaurant and wine shop work is very time consuming, and we don’t get to spend enough time with all the great friends we have met and known for years. And now being separated from them in a physical sense, we do ZOOM meetings to quench our thirst for camaraderie . . . while we are quenching our thirst with some lovely wine!
On the business side of things, The WineSellar & Brasserie is a bit more blessed than the typical restaurant. Meaning, we have revenue sources that are beyond serving people at a dining room table. We have wine locker revenue, wine club revenue, wine shop revenue, and now take out food options from our wonderful kitchen.
You should check out the menu, I think it is really cool. Of course, I might be biased, but is better than typical take out. We have prepared the food for you, all you have to do for the most part is heat up some water and drop in the sous vide packets for a few minutes, and then WOW!!! You have a Brasserie dinner in your home. And we have wines chosen for you to match your choices! Please check it out on our web site, winesellar.com.
We have been fortunate to keep all employees on payroll, at least for the time being. They have been grateful, and so to have we. We have decided to spend our down time refurbishing our facility. We are cleaning, scrubbing, sanitizing every nook and cranny of our thirty-two year tenure wear in this building.
Morro has his wait staff crew polishing the brass, buffing the metals, scrubbing the floors, and even sanding and staining the handrails leading up the stairs to the restaurant. The WineSellar staff has been lovingly taking orders for take out food, and placing them for curbside pick up, if you like. They also have a fabulous selection of wines to offer you to match your dinner.
We are also doing some painting and repairs, a slight remodel, and Lori has chosen a color palette for our space in The Casual Side and The Brasserie that will please, enlighten, and calm your soul while you savor the wonderful food, wine, and service upon your return to The WineSellar & Brasserie.
I would like to give a shout out to the loyal and dedicated friends who purchased gift cards from us the first couple weeks of this rising event. Lori and I were brought to tears by the appreciation, the wonderment, the joy, the love you showed us. “Cat”, our wonder woman laboring our wine counter, repeatedly said, “You guys have amazing friends” every time a gift card was sold. She’s right, and you are, you are totally amazing, thank you!
Photo taken a few days ago. All the rewards are now removed from the wall as the rails are being stripped and refinished. Anyway, a “before” picture. It’s kind of eerie, but, yet, new opportunity.
2018 Falanghina Del Molise, Fannia, Campi Valero
Growing Region Molise, Italy
Varietal Composition 100% Falanghina
Fermentation Stainless Steel Tanks
Alcohol Content 13%
Suggested Retail $20.00
WineSellar Club Price $17.99
Broad Strokes: 90 Points, Wine Align
Falanghina is an ancient Italian white-wine grape, reportedly of Greek origin. It is also said that Falanghina is the grape variety behind Falernian, the most famous wine of Roman antiquity and the inspiration for Falerno del Massico. There has been a renaissance of interest in Falanghina since the turn of the century, and there is now a movement to restore the reputation of this once-venerated grape.
Most Falanghina is grown in Campania, in southern Italy. The vines thrive in the porous volcanic soils around Mount Vesuvius and the warm Mediterranean climate. The berries are yellow skinned and coated with a thin layer of protective wax.
Appearance:
A slightly understated label, with light font color, almost as if they are trying to be secretive. And the word “Falanghina”, perhaps one of the most important words on the label, is “hiding” in front. The wine is light yellow, clear and nice looking.
Nose:
This wine is really quite aromatic, with scents of white flowers, honey and beeswax over traces of steel and acid. More notes of apple blossom, pear and apple, and a hint of pine, parsley and tarragon. Very interesting indeed!
Texture:
The wine is medium to medium light in body, with good, balanced presence in the mouth. A touch of creamy center persists over the citric acid of tangerine/oranges/grapefruit and mineral essence. Slightly tight finish bodes well for food matching!
Flavors:
Apple and pear fruit dominate the fore palate, with somewhat smoky undertones. Orange zest, honey and beeswax, the wine is gorgeous! Touches of mineral, and of course the herbs are floating in there.
Serving Suggestions:
This wine is incredibly versatile, with the ability to blend in perfectly with a classic linguine and clam dish in white wine sauce, to creamy cheeses, or even just on it’s own. It is mouthwatering, interesting, and provides GREAT quality for price.
2010 Syrah, Hopes Grove
Growing Region Pakipaki, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Varietal Composition 100% Syrah
Fermentation 20 Months, 20% New Oak
Alcohol Content 14.5%
Suggested Retail $35.00
WineSellar Club Price $28.79
Broad Strokes:
From the Winery: A Passion For Quality ….. A Thirst For Great Wines
Crafted exclusively from the hand harvested fruit grown at our hillside vineyard on the north facing limestone slopes of Pakipaki, our exceptional wines are the result of meticulous vine care, selectively low yields, and a traditional wine making style which adheres to the belief that ‘Less is More’, and that wines should reflect a pure expression of their unique terroir.
Our wines have consistently rated over 90 points in both NZ and USA, with our recent 98 pts. & Double Gold medal for the 2010 Silver Lining Syrah at the 2015 International Wine competition in San Francisco.
Appearance:
Good-looking package overall. The word “Grove” gets lost, and I think “New Zealand” and “Syrah” should have been larger. The wine color has a dark cherry skin hue. There is no browning or tawny tinged edges that you would think would be in a wine that is ten years old, AMAZING!
Nose:
Definitely a Syrah, with dark fruits, black pepper, juniper, dates, wet dark earth and some road tar. Love it! There are some bottle age notes that go with it, allowing for a more complex and evolved load of aromatics.
Texture:
The entry is smooth and inviting to your mouth. The tannins have all but disappeared, revealing sweet fruit impressions without the bite. Touch of apple skin acid in there.
Flavors:
Dark berry fruits as in the nose, with black pepper, wet earth, date, fresh herbs, and a hint of balsamic. This wine is unreal for ten years old!
Serving Suggestions:
Because the wine is ten years old, it is at its peak, and should be consumed within two-three hour after opening. It is not often we get an opportunity to enjoy a mature wine without having to cellar it ourselves. Have foods delicate enough to appreciate its softness.
2017 Lydian Cabernet Sauvignon
Growing Region Colombia Valley, Washington
Varietal Composition 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc
Fermentation 30% New French Oak, 18 Months, Unfined
Alcohol Content 14.5%
Suggested Retail $25.00
WineSellar Club Price $22.49
Broad Strokes:
From the Winery: Lydian was established as a new way to experience Washington wine. The team behind the fast-rising success of Avennia brings you another delicious wine that serves as an introduction to a lifetime of wine appreciation and a fresh take on Washington terroir. In music, Lydian refers to a mode, or scale that is used as a building block for some of the world’s oldest and newest masterpieces. This happy sounding mode brings joy on its own, yet when molded and crafted by talented musicians can become a work of timeless art. We believe Washington vineyards produce some of the finest building blocks in the world. With these grapes, and the collective talent behind those growing and working with them, Lydian wines can be as complex, nuanced, and profound as any jazz classic.
Appearance:
I am enthralled by this wine, being an aspiring jazz musician, probably too late to make it good, but I loved playing the model scales for improvising. So here is a wine that is attractive to me by its concept, and great for us, offers much more than that. I love the label and the overall package. BTW, I can’t sight read the notes on the label.
Nose:
Deep and dark, getting some chocolate and graham cracker over a slightly briary rhubarb fruit that has a scent well beyond what rhubarb could bring . . . Unless it is in a pie! Some cookie dough, spices of India, toasted wood add to the lovely mix.
Texture:
Elegant and friendly would be my first takes. Not to tannic, not overpowering, just sensible, with solid foundation and a very harmonious feel in the mouth.
Flavors:
I really like this wine, for its fresh fruit flavors that translate into a sophisticated wine. Some dark berry transfers into a briary mix of strawberry, cherry and red grape flavors, as well as a . . . hint of kumquat!?
Serving Suggestions:
Great for near term drinking, but yes, I would cellar it for a 3-6 year pewiod (Elmer Fudd).
2017 Hermitage, Paul Jaboulet, “La Maison Bleue”
Growing Region Rhone Valley, France
Varietal Composition Syrah, Marsanne, Roussane
Fermentation 20% New French Oak
Alcohol Content 14%
Suggested Retail $80.00
WineSellar Club Price $62.99
Broad Strokes: Robert Parker 95 Points, 94 Points from Jeb Dunnick,
James Suckling, Vinous and Tasting Panel . . . Greatness HERE!
The man credited with starting the family firm was Antoine Jaboulet in the early nineteenth century. Antoine had twin sons, Henri and Paul. Both expanded the business but it was the elder (aîné) brother who had the business named after him giving the full title of the firm: Paul Jaboulet Aîné. The generations passed until Louis and his brother Jean arrived on the scene. Louis was the brains and marketing genius and it was he who, by some accident, made the very first contact with The Society some 40 years ago. Among the first wines ever bought would have been La Chapelle 1961, probably one of the greatest wines ever made.
Appearance:
The Domaine has had the same basic label ever since I started getting into wine, four decades ago at least! Very cool to see that! The hue of the wine is a very dark ruby, and opaque at the core. It sticks hard to he inside of the wine glass, breaking into a brilliant magenta color.
Nose:
Vibrant, sharply focused black/blue fruit aromas are complicated by exotic spice, olive and mineral flourishes. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, potpourri and incense. Exotic spice and mineral notes build with air.
Texture:
The wine is full-bodied, plush and generous without being overripe. It’s young and needs time, but it is still quite lavish, with very fine tannins. It’s sexy, sleek, swanky and assertive, and very well balanced. However, this deserves to be reserved for later, as there’s a lot more to come
Flavors:
All kinds of great flavor sensations: sweet blueberry, black raspberry, truffles, violets, anise, notes of smoke, back olives, hot stones and a bit of tar. The finish of the wine is very expansive, and the finish is impressively long.
Serving Suggestions:
I have had older Hermitages from Paul Jaboulet, and typically they age quite gracefully for an easy two decades. The price of their Hermitage “La Chapelle” is 4-5 times this one, so I think we have a great value here, and you should put away 6 bottles.
Roasted Beet Tartare with Capers, Truffle Oil, Microgreens
Ingredients
- 4 ea. Medium size red beets
- ¼ cup. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sauce
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbl. Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 tbl. Finely chopped chives
- 1 tsp. Finely chopped chervil
- 1 tbl. Capers
- Pinch of salt, pepper (to taste)
Garnish
- 1 tbl. White Truffle oil
- 8 ea. Caperberries
- 1 cup Micro Arugula
Method
- Coat beets with olive oil, place in roasting pan, cover with foil, and place in oven 400 degrees for an hour (until tender)
- While beets are still warm, peel off the skins. Chop into six parts and place in food processor. Pulse until the beet pieces are even, about the size of a lentil
- Remove beet mixture and strain the juice out through a fine mesh colander
- In a separate bowl, combine all liquid sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Place the drained beets in a mixing bowl and add just 3 tablespoons of the sauce
- Add the chive and the chervil
- Gently mix the sauce and herbs until they are evenly coating the beets
To Plate
- Take 1 tablespoon of the sauce and using the back of the spoon, spread a layer in the center of the plate
- Take a circular cookie cutter and place on one side of the sauce
- Spoon into the cookie cutter the beet mix, pressing down slightly to pack it in.
- Gently lift the cookie cutter
Garnish
- Lean a caper berry on the tartare.
- In a mixing bowl, add micro arugula and truffle oil. Toss lightly and place on top of the tartare.