Estate House Restaurant - Scottsdale, AZ

I spent the past couple of weeks in Scottsdale, AZ for my real job.  While there was not a lot of time for getting out I did manage to try a couple of restaurants.  The is the second one; the other is a a couple of posts further down.

This particular evening a couple of co-workers and I were searching for a good meal and happened upon the Estate House by using OpenTable reservations.  I promptly made reservations and we were off.

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted and quickly shown to our table.  Things were not very busy when we arrived, but we were told that it picked up later in the evening and even as we ate it did indeed pickup somewhat.

Being on corporate expense we were somewhat more careful of our selections.  We all decided to skip the appetizer course and go straight to an entre.  We were served fresh, warm bread with silky smooth, soft butter.  I love when restaurants bring soft butter!  There was also an amuse from the chef, but as it was full of bleu cheese I did not partake.  My co-workers were not terribly impressed with the amuse however.

I went with a filet, ordered medium rare which came with a manchego potato cake (86'd for my plate), roasted garlic spinach and Italian chive butter.  They added extra spinach for me and it was fantastic.  The spinach was not wilted down completely but still had a touch of crispness to it.  I wish that there had been more roasted garlic however.  The chive butter was okay; I would have been fine without it.  I was disappointed that the steak was a bit overcooked, leaning towards medium well.

One of my co-workers also had the filet while the other had the NY Strip Steak.  Both thought that their meals were good, but not great.

The wine list was pretty decent and seemed to be mostly moderately priced.  The by-the-glass pricing was actually pretty well priced for a white tablecloth restaurant.  I also had a whiskey sour at the end of my meal.  This was absolutely one of the best that I have ever had --- hand made with fresh juice and simple syrup, it was perfectly proportioned between sweet and sour.

Overall, the meal was good but not particularly noteworthy.  When in Scottsdale again I would be likely to eat here again, but probably would not go out of my way to do so.

Cheers!

2002 Bran Caia "Tre"

It is always interesting to see what you might uncover in the deep, dark back corners of various wine shops.  We have been fortunate on occasion to pick up a real gem hidden because a sloppy clerk or distributor did not bother to rotate the stock so that the oldest was in front.  Gee, I hate it when that happens!  (Ok, I really do with most wines but in cases like this one...)

Actually I can not even tell you that this one was buried; it was actually what was currently being offered.  We have mostly switched our business over to one particular store in the area because they have a great selection and great prices plus they buy a lot of stuff that I do not think most people are shopping for there.  I am not going to name it here, but if you asked really nicely I would probably tell you directly.

Last weekend we picked up a mixed case and I happened to grab a bottle of Bran Caia Tre 2002 from the cellar room.  I did not pay much attention to the vintage until I went to start writing this review.  Why?  These definitely have a lot of aging potential and I did not realize that in December of 2008 we had written about our experience with the 2004 vintage.  I might suggest taking a look at this review before continuing with this one.

....

Now that you are back with us, I am once again reminded how some bottle age can dramatically change a wine.  The 2002 was nothing like the notes I see for the 2004.  This one is massive, with no signs of slowing down.  Lots of smoky earth on the nose, with some black cherry fruit.  The palate was awash with tannins which are very well integrated but still very firm.  There was gobs of fruit with some notes of raisin and tar on the finish which went on for minutes.  This one is also throwing off sediment like there is no tomorrow.  It definitely needs to be decanted.

I suspect that this has another 10 years of exceptional life to it.  Amazing for a $21.99 bottle of wine.

Cheers!

RA Sushi - Scottsdale, AZ

So, I’m in Scottsdale for 9 days for my real job… you know the one that pays the bills? Yeah, that one. I got in Thursday afternoon and since I spent most of the day on a plane I was pretty hungry. I got myself checked into the hotel and then went off in search of dinner. The kind clerk at the hotel had suggested a sushi restaurant and said it was just a couple of blocks… easy walking distance. Well, I passed RA Sushi (which was not the recommendation) and went another block or so before deciding that I was really hungry and did not want to walk any further. A quick walk back and I was good to go.

This looked very promising in terms of atmosphere. There was a lively crowd sitting outside, even at 4:30 in the afternoon. The lighting was subdued inside but not dark. There was amble help and service was prompt and efficient.

RA Sushi runs some happy hour specials from 3 – 7 including half-price appetizers and a subset of the sushi menu, including both nigiri and maki sushi.

I started with my traditional Kirin Lager for a drink and quickly ordered a selection of sushi to get started. I had maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), ikura (salmon roe) as well as a spicy tuna roll. All of it was good, but just not great. There was no question of freshness but it just seemed to lack spirit. The sushi chef did not include any wasabi on the nigiri sushi which does not give it that kick. I boosted the amount of wasabi that I put on it and it was just fine though.

My server also suggested a kaisen ceviche for an appetizer dish. This is meant to be a Japanese take on a ceviche. Included are shrimp, scallops and squid mixed with tomato, avocado and salsa on top of a spring roll shell. The salsa was very fresh and included generous amounts of onion and cilantro. This was a good dish but it just did not really suit my tastes.

There were two facets of this restaurant that simply blew me away. First was the diverse mix of ethnic representation by the staff. Generally speaking I expect that Japanese restaurants are going to have Korean, Chinese and/or Japanese but to have Mexican and Caucasians working was a bit of a shock (and they were working front of the house, not back of the house! One of the sushi chefs is every bit as Caucasian as I am). The other interesting facet was the trendiness of the place. There was loud, but not unbearable, pop playing on the stereo as well as the aforementioned outdoor dining and the “see and be seen” crowd.

If you are in the Scottsdale area and are looking for sushi, this could be a good choice if you are also interested in a more “hip” setting that a traditional Japanese restaurant. However, the offset to that is that the food is more Western in flavor. They looked at me strangely when I ordered ikura and he said he did not have red clam, red snapper or amoebi. Be forewarned.

Cheers!

2007 Toad Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay "Francine's Selection"

We continue on our quest to find an inexpensive, everyday white wine.  This one works much better than our last effort.  I am adding it to our "everyday wine" grouping for now because it was quite tasty while not being very expensive.

Generally we shy away from chardonnay, particularly those from California as they tend to be pretty oaky.  However, when we spy one that is unoaked we sit up and take some notice.  Being clearly identified on the label makes a huge difference for us.

The nose showed some fresh melon.  The initial palate was rich and chewy, with melon and some apple nuances.  On the back, there was a hint of acidity that well balanced the fruit.  This was a big feeling wine in the mouth, but the finish was shorter than expected.

At $11.99 this definitely is an affordable wine that is wonderfully easy to drink.  As with most chardonnay I think this works better by itself than it would with food, but you could pair it up with a salad if you really wanted food with it.

Cheers!

2008 Caposaldo Pinot Grigio

In our never ending search for quality, inexpensive white wines that are suitable for afternoons on the lanai we are constantly on the lookout for something we have not tried.  This was one of those efforts; unfortunately, it did not make the cut.

The initial nose was very ripe with fresh cut flowers and perfume.  But, that is about as good as it got.  The palate was that of overripe pears and baked apples.  It seemed sweetish, even at 12.5% AbV.  Very light-bodied, with a short and bland finish.

Overall our impression was of a wine that did not know where it wanted to go or what it wanted to be.  Somewhat disjointed, with no remarkable qualities to redeem itself.  I hate that I paid $7.99 for it.

Cheers!

Barnacle Bills - Sarasota, FL (Tamiami Trail location)

Saturday, Allison and I had run down to the Sarasota Sailing Squadron and had planned on grabbing a bite to eat at New Pass Grill but being a beautiful, sunny Saturday it was absolutely packed.  So, knowing that the farmer's market was just winding up in downtown Sarasota we elected to try Barnacle Bill's Seafood.

Barnacle Bill's actually has two locations, and we had previously been to the one in downtown Sarasota so were expecting a pretty good lunch.  Boy, were we ever wrong!  It is like two completely different restaurants that happen to share the same name and menus (the menus appear to be very similar based on a quick glance at the website).

The location on Tamiami Trail (or US 41 if you prefer) mostly faces away from the highway, so that driving north it would be very easy to miss it.  We actually thought it was vacant as we first approached the building; it was only after pulling even with it that we saw cars in the parking lot.  The building is very reminiscent of a Red Lobster look from the outside.

Once we entered we were in for yet another shock.  Apparently on a Saturday afternoon this location caters to the senior crowd.  We easily could have been the youngest couple there.  The decor also reflects a more senior oriented environment, somewhat typical of a buffet restaurant.

It was quickly apparent that they were not prepared for service at 1:30 in the afternoon.  We waited several minutes before even being acknowledged and another couple of minutes to be seated.  The menus are paper and the placemats are fish-shaped paper as well.  Definitely not white tablecloth.

After being given considerable time (tongue-in-cheek!) to peruse the menu, the waitress finally came by to take our order.  While she was pleasant enough, she was obviously only there as an order taker.

We both had a cup of seafood gumbo for an appetizer.  Allison said she liked hers a lot.  I thought that the flavor was okay, but a bit smoky... as if the roux had started to burn and they decided to go with it anyway.  Mine was mostly roux and okra.  There were some small bits of crab but no shrimp or sausage to be found.  Even more amazingly to me is that it was served sans rice!  Have you ever been served gumbo without rice?  Wow.

Allison went with a warm seafood salad for her entre.  Shrimp, scallops and fresh fish over fields greens tossed with light soy vinaigrette according to the menu.  Yep, there was definitely some field greens... actually, there was a lot of field greens.  Easily enough for a small family.  5 shrimp, which actually were pretty tasty per Allison, a smallish piece of fish... and where were the scallops?  It must have been their day off.  The vinaigrette was also served on the side as opposed to the salad being "tossed".

I had chosen the shrimp and lobster sandwich which was supposed to be shrimp and lobster lightly tossed with celery, dill and seasoned mayonnaise.  Note to chef: which part of lightly tossed was not clear on Saturday?  I would have had less dill if I would have eaten a sprig of it straight.  Had there not been so much dill in the dish, it probably would have been a decent salad.  You can have it served on a croissant or a roll.  I presumed that a roll would be a hoagie roll, as is typical with this type of sandwich.  Nope, nothing but a fancy hamburger roll... at least it did not appear to be store bought.  A small bit of lettuce and a very thin slice of tomato were included, however they decided to top those with a pickle that appeared to be half the cucumber so I skipped all of that.  The french fries came out cold, like they had been cooked early that morning and then put aside for unsuspecting customers like me.

We would have complained about our meals except for the fact that once our orders were delivered we never saw our waitress again.  That's right... not once after she delivered our food.  Our check was dropped off by a different waitress, the busboy picked it up and the bartender brought it back to us.  We did not leave a very good tip.

Barnacle Bill's gets a lot of great reviews and has been voted tops in Sarasota magazine as well as other awards.  Hopefully it is because of the downtown location.  The restaurant in downtown Sarasota has been very good the couple of times we've dined there.  We will return to that one.  We will not return to this location.

Cheers!

2005 Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel

It has been a good while since we've last tasted anything from Renwood.  The last time was at a wine tasting, where I remember that they were good but did not really stand out.  I wonder if that might not have been a fluke...

I picked up this bottle of 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel the other night on a whim - the $1 off instant coupon did not hurt either :)  At Publix it was $16.99 a bottle.

The inital nose blew us away.  Lots of black cherry fruit and tons of peppercorn spice.  The inital palate was full-bodied.  The palate showed a lot of the cherry fruit but also revealed touches of leather, some smoky oak and firm, yet somewhat gritty, tannins.  There was a lot of spice to this one, which is just the way we like it!  The finish reminded me of the energizer bunny... it keep going and going and going.

This was a fantastic bottle of zinfandel.  The price is just a bit on the high side to consider it an everyday wine, but it is still very reasonably priced considering the quality.

Cheers!

2005 Clos La Chance "Crimson Topaz" Meritage

This was a simple yet pleasant blend of the 5 Bordeaux grapes which were grown in the Central Coast region of California.  An easy-to-drink wine with or without food, you could certainly do worse than to open a bottle of this one.

The nose was full of black fruit, with hints of oak.  On the palate, blackberry and some red cherry intermingled with hints of dusty tannins.  Medium-bodied, with a slightly acidic finish.

I found it on sale on the producer's website for $7.00 a bottle!  Not sure how much of it is available, but at that price it is a very good buy.

Cheers!

2006 Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse

A lot of French Burgundy sold here in the US, and presumably worldwide, is produced by negociants.  These are wine merchants which actually buy up grapes from small growers in a region and then produces a wine under its own label.  Louis Jadot is definitely one of the largest negociants and produces a lot of quality wines.

This Pouilly-Fuisse had very little on the nose but opened up nicely on the palate.  The initial impression was of ripe melon, with traces of chalk and limestone along the edges.  The finish was sharp, full of white flowers and ending with a fair bit of oak but not overpowering like a lot of new world chardonnay.

This was a good wine, unfortunately it was not a great wine.  There was a distinct lack of depth and complexity to this one.  At $20.99 I feel like it was priced more on the name of the producer and less on the quality of the contents.  I have drank a lot of Louis Jadot wines and generally think that they represent good value but I cannot recommend this one at this price.

Cheers!

Wine Tasting at The Butcher's Block - Sarasota, FL

So, I have previously mentioned our recent discovery of The Butcher's Block and tonight was my first experience with their monthly tasting.  I was expecting more, but still had a great time and enjoyed one of the best tastings since leaving Birmingham.

There were 4 tables of wine and several tables with various food and cheese from the store.  There was a decent sized crowd, but not so many as to make it difficult to get to the tables for tastings.  The caliber of the wines was definitely a notch up from what we have been seeing, perhaps in part due to the $10 cover or perhaps just a different approach to what a tasting should be.

I managed to hit all of the wine tables, although in a couple of cases I did not taste everything.  All but one of the tables had some sort of tasting sheet, some with more detail than others.  If the tasting sheet included comments/notes about the wine, those are included in quotes and blue text.  All of my comments are in red text.

These tastings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month, from 7 PM to 9 PM.  Hope to see you there next time.

Cheers!

Table 1 (Transatlantic Fine Wines)

I did not realize until I got home that there were no vintages on the tasting notes.

Pascal Jolivet Sancerre, Loire Valley ($19.99) – We recently reviewed the 2007 here and I think that those notes accurately reflect this tasting.

Saddle Rock Chardonnay, Santa Monica ($10.99) – This was a touch on the oaky side but not overwhelmingly so.  There was good melon and floral notes throughout.

Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc Rose, Mendocino ($24.99) – Ripe strawberry nose, with hints of earthiness on the back palate.  A decent, albeit not great, Rose.

Saddle Rock Merlot, Santa Monica ($13.99) – This was definitely a fruit forward styled merlot.

Saddle Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Monica ($13.99) – No tasting notes, and it did not stand out in my recollection.

D’Arenberg Love Grass Shiraz, Australia ($18.99) – You generally can not go wrong with D’Arenberg and this is no exception, although it was much more subdued that I would have expected.  The spiciness on the finish was mostly outweighed by cherry fruit early on.

Table 2

There was not a tasting sheet for this table, and I only wrote down what I tried... there were several other bottles on this table that I did not try. 

2006 Vierlas, Spain ($13.99) – A blend of 48% Syrah, 20% Tempranillo, 15% Merlot, 9% Graciano, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Garnacha this was… different.  Not spicy, not fruit, not bold, not mellow… it just sort of was.  I am glad that I tasted it here rather than buying a bottle of it.

2006 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veneto, Italy ($15.99) – 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese this is always one of my favorites… full-bodied, but lighter than in past vintages, with lots of mocha, dark fruit and a hint of leather on the palate.  30% of the fruit was also dried Amarone style and this gives some subtle hints of raisin.  Very, very smooth wine.

2007 Lyeth Meritage, Sonoma County ($15.99) – 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.  I was hoping for a lot more from this generally good producer but instead found a wine that was rough edged, with gritty tannins and grapey fruit.  Maybe it just needs some age but right now this was not good at all.

Table 3

2005 Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexander Merlot, Colchagua Valley ($23.99) – "Powerful and deep structure that surprises.  Soft and chewy palate that evolves towards a long and pleasant finish with a very well achieved balance."  Fruity, but with some firm tannins.

2006 Chalone Monteray Pinot Noir, Monteray County ($13.99) – "Entices the palate with silky layers of dark cherry and raspberry woven with nuances of floral and spice.  These bright, expressive aromas and flavors come from grapes grown in Monteray County, in California’s Central Coast AVA."  I pretty much agreed with this description.

2006 Chalone Monteray Cabernet Sauvignon, Monteray County ($9.99) – “Opens with dark fruit aromas, cassis, fragrant oak and a touch of black licorice.  On the entry, the full-bodied fruit glides across the palate, layering rich blackberry and red stone fruit stitched with vanilla, oak and spice.  The flavors linger through the finish, where they are met by fleshy tannins and good acidity.” Overall I agreed with the description but found it to be a bit astringent and showing green pepper on the finish.  Lighter style that I would have preferred.

2003 Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford County ($19.99) – “Captures the true essence of Rutherford… With opulent dark berry, black cherry, cocoa, anise, forest loam and mineral notes, the wine has well-integrated oak spices that heighten alongside fruity aromas for a long, lingering finish.” Nice, solid black fruit with notes of cocoa and mineral that is extremely smooth.

Table 4 (Rob the wine guy)

2007 Gordon Brothers Chadonnay, Washington ($15.99) – “Notes of pear, golden delicious apple and English toffee initially greet the nose followed by subtle floral notes – lush, satin mouth-feel with flavors of honey, tangerine and pineapple.  A lingering finish accentuated by bright acids.”  You definitely could taste the toffee in this one, which was pretty interesting.  This was not a bad chardonnay but since we are not big chardonnay fans…

2007 Mac Rostie Chardonnay, Carneros-Napa ($19.99) – “Inviting aromatics reminiscent of baked custard and lemon oil with balanced layers of apple and tropical fruit, the finish is clean, crisp and refreshing, inviting another sip.”  I have tasted this in the past without caring for it so went ahead and passed this time.

2008 Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir, California ($14.99) – “100% Pinot Noir… enjoy aromas of cherry cider, plum jam and spice cake – notes of cherry cobbler, fresh plum and toffee.” This was definitely a lighter styled pinot noir with a lot of bright fruit.  Not my favorite of the evening.

2006 Coltibuono Chianti Classico Reserve, Tuscany ($15.99) – “Made from selected sangiovese vineyards located in the best Chianti Classico microzones.  Enjoy fruit forward aromas and flavors of forest berries, spices, lether, moist earth and dried plum, ready for drinking immediately.”  Tasty, inexpensive Chianti that definitely showed some earthiness and plum.  Would certainly work well with a lot of dishes.

2005 Luzon Altos de Luzon, Spain ($16.99) – “50% old-vine Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Tempranillo – enjoy enticing perfume of mineral, garrigue, blueberry and blackberry layered fruit flavors fermented in French and American oak for 12 months, enjoy over the next 8-10 years.”  Enjoy that is if you like it.  Not a big fan (ok, I actually do not like it at all!) of Monastrell I was hoping the cabernet and tempranillo would help it out.  Nope. 

2006 Marietta Cellars Petite Sirah, Sonoma ($20.99) – “…seriously intense notes of blueberries, blackberries, camphor and flowers are accompanied by a boatload of tannins, but they are relatively civilized in this big, full-bodied wine.  It should soften over the next decade, hold steady for another 10-15 years and still be alive at age 30.”  Reading the description almost makes me wish that I had actually tasted it (I know, I know!) but I have never met a petite sirah that I liked and I have actually had this one in the past.  And I personally do not believe that it will make it to age 30 either.

2006 Torbreck “The Steading”, Barossa ($34.99) – “…an alluring perfume of garrigue, damp earth, clove, kirsch and black raspberry…” This is another one of those producers that just can not seem to make a bad wine.  This was seriously good stuff and a great finish to the evening.  Full-bodied, with gobs of black fruit and a solid core of silky tannins.

Boston Lobster Feast - Orlando, FL

Do you like lobster?  Do you like all-you-can-eat lobster?  Do you also like over 60 different seafood choices for one low price?  If you don't, then you can quit reading now.  Otherwise...

Allison is a member of the Sarasota Bay Parrothead Club.  One of their members actually lives in Orlando and invited some folks up this past Saturday to head over to the Boston Lobster Feast for some lobsters.  This is actually a restaurant, and not an event!  We went back and forth about whether we were going to make the drive, but in the end decided to give it a go and boy are we ever glad that we did.

A couple of things that you should know about this.  1) Get there early.  Before 6 PM the buffet is $32.95.  After 6 PM it goes up to $37.95.  While the price difference is not huge, it is worth going early to beat the crowd which seems to line up before they open.  2) While there is a menu, the only reason to go is for the buffet.  Check their website and you can print a coupon which is good for including drinks (non-alcoholic) or a discount on alcoholic drinks.  3) Go with a crowd.  Yes, they have some two and four top tables but the fun is having a large group of people.  There were 8 of us and we had a blast!

Now, this is a buffet but in terms of quality this was pretty darn good.  Yes, some of the lobsters were a bit overcooked but they are turning them out by the hundreds... I also sampled some fried clams that were quite tasty, steamed vegetables (very al dente) and lobster bisque which was surprisingly good.  Other offerings include multiple types of oysters, shrimp, crab legs, fish (salmon in particular in a couple of variations) and even some sushi rolls and simple pieces.

The service was pretty good considering how busy it was.  For tables of 7 or more, there is an automatic 18% gratuity but our waiter was worth it.

Go when you are hungry!  There are two locations in Orlando - we went to the one on International Drive.

Cheers!

Gary & Allison enjoying some lobsters

We ate a good bit of lobster... Gary had at least 4!

The crowd in front of the

Boston Lobster Feast mobile

Wine Dinner @ The Tuscany at Freedom Village with Taste Dining & Travel

The past Friday we once again had the priviledge of attending a delectable wine dinner over at The Tuscany at Freedom Village.  If you missed our post about our previous wine dinner there, you may want to check it out here.

As with all of the Taste Dining & Travel wine dinners, this one was for a cause.  In this case it was the Women's Resource Center of Manatee.  We had the privilege of sitting with a great group of folks, including Neal & Vanessa from Taste Dining & Travel, the executive director of Freemdom Village & his wife (Kevin & Jane) as well as Lisa from the Women's Resource Center who was instrumental in getting WRC connected with Taste Dining & Travel to make this dinner possible.  We once again were blown away by executive chef Luciano Silva's creations as well as the fantastic service from all of the staff.  We were saddened to learn that there is no longer a Sunday brunch at The Tuscany but they do serve lunch during the week that is open to the public.  I urge you to give them a try; you will not be disappointed.

The dinner consisted of a starter course, salad, entree and dessert and each course was paired with a complimenting wine.  I would also like to give Chef Silva a big thanks for making mine cheese free to accomodate my allergy.

1st Course

Sabor d' Quattro Risotto

The Four Finest Combination of Arborino

Porcini with Seared Quail, Roasted Acorn Squash & Sweet Pea, Black Truffle and Hudson Valley Foie Gras, and Reggiano & Maine Lobster.

Each appetizer portion was perfectly cooked and presented in a delighful display of color and contrast.

The wine pairing with this course was the 2008 Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc from Sonoma County.  Everybody at our table was surprised at how floral this fume blanc was.  It hinted at being somewhat "fat" on the palate as opposed to the normal acidity that you would expect to find.  It worked well with the course, but personally I would have like one with a bit more zip to it.

2nd Course

Organic Baby Mache Field Greens

Accompanied by Red & Yellow root & vine vegetables, camembert and a pomegranate vinaigrette.

A refreshing salad with a nice mix of vegetables to accompany the greens.  The vinaigrette was nicely acidic, which helped to cleanse the palate in preparation for the main course.

The wine served with this course was the 2007 Macon-Villages Cave de Lugny Chardonnay Bourgogne.  An interesting choice, this wine was lighter in style that can be expected from a good Bourgogne but it worked well with all of the ingredients.

3rd Course

Filet Mignon

Center-cut filet mignon seared to perfection and served with a parmesan potato biscuit and garden green asparagus which was finished with a black cherry demi glace.

or

Pancetta Wrapped Chilean Sea Bass

Over Yukon au gratin and a vegetable souffle, finished with black fig beurre blanc

I went with the filet, which was paired with a 2008 Bodega Septima Malbec from Argentina.  Instead of the biscuit, Chef Silva paired mine with a creamy polenta that was finished with red pepper (at least that is what it appeared to be!).  Cooked absolutely perfectly, the meal was a true delight.  While the malbec was tasty in its own right, it really did not seem to mesh well with the dish.  It was a bit more dry and earthy, whereas I prefer a more full-bodied, tannic styled red.  In any event, everybody seemed to like the wine.

Allison stayed with the fish, and said that it was very tasty as well.  It was paired with 2008 Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc.  If you read this blog very often at all, you know this is one that we love a lot and I was happy to see it being offered.

4th Course

Freedom Village Trio Dolce

Crema of Cheese with fig coulis, Creme de Pot of Chocolate with Chambord and Crystal Vanilla Creme Brulee

I believe that this is the signature dessert dish at The Tuscany as it is what we had for dessert last time.  In any case, it was every bit as good now as it was then.  I made short work of both the chocolate, which was a rich, dark chocolate similar to a very heavy mousse as well as the vanilla creme brulee.  Dessert was paired with Sandeman Tawny Porto which again worked reasonably well and was a good balance to the differing level of sweetness in the dishes.


As always, we had a fantastic evening and are already looking forward to the next event.  If you are in the area and have not tried The Tuscany, I seriously urge you to get out there and partake.  And if you have not attended one of the Progressive or Wine Dinners hosted by Taste Dining & Travel, then you need to check out their website or pick up a copy of the magazine (available throughout Sarasota) and come on out for the next one!

Cheers!

2007 Bramblewood Zinfandel

Back in May of last year we reviewed the 2006 Bramblewood Zinfandel and since that time have drank a pretty good bit of it as it turned out to be pretty darn good and very consistent.

Recently, the 2007 vintage was released and I picked up a couple of bottles to try.

The two vintages appear to be pretty similar, with the 2007 being slightly more closed and having less of the earthiness and more of a fruit and spice profile.  The fruit is pretty dominant but there is still a good bit of spice.  There is still a bit of cocoa on the finish.

At this point, I definitely would prefer to drink the 2006 but I suspect that this one will develop as well.

Cheers!

2006 Raymond Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

This is another one that we used to drink on a fairly regular basis but for whatever reason had fallen off our list.  We were both very pleased that I grabbed a bottle the other day.

This is a very well balanced cabernet that is not overtly tannic.  While the tannins are definitely present, they are more reminiscent of an aged cabernet where have burned off but with the fresh fruit of a young wine.  Full of black cherry and currant, this was extremely silky throughout.  The finish hinted at some white chocolate and lingered moderately.

Generally I would recommend putting some food up with a cabernet, but this one actually does better by itself in our opinion.  While it would certainly work with food, I think you would lose the nuances of this fantastic wine.

This is also drinking very well right now, and I do not think that it will significantly improve with age.  However, I think it will stay consistent for 4-5 more years before any tapering off.

Cheers!

2007 Xiloca Garnacha

This past weekend we found a new wine shop for us here in the Sarasota area.  Not that it is a new shop, just new to us.  The cool bit is that it is actually a butcher's shop so we found a great source for quality meat and a fantastic wine store.  Check out The Butcher's Block if you are in the area.

There were a couple of bottles open for tasting while we were there.  We liked this one enough to bring a bottle home with us.  And we enjoyed it just as much at home with our steaks as we did in the store, so it was a good decision.  And the price was tough to beat... $11.99.

The nose was full of red and black fruit, notably cherry but also some blackberry.  We were somewhat concerned that this might be a fruit bomb as there was nothing on the nose to suggest anything else, but from the first sip to the last drop there was a solid core of black pepper that blended nicely with the fruit.  The only negative to me on this one was the very short finish that it had.

Cheers!

2008 Rosenblum Cellars "Vintner's Cuvee" Sauvignon Blanc

We were disappointed with this sauvignon blanc.  Not that it was bad mind you, but it was certainly not the style we like.

This was a rich, fat sauvignon blanc that did not exhibit the zesty, mineral style that we love so much.  Rather there was lots of white flowers and perfume on this, with peach notes across the palate.  There was little, if any acidity, that showed itself.

If you like fruity, white wines this might be a good choice for you.  If however you prefer the New Zealand style of sauvignon blanc, I would look elsewhere.

Cheers!

2005 Franciscan Merlot

What is up with us and merlot lately?  For the longest time I can not remember us ever drinking merlot; heck, I do not even remember trying any at tastings.  But here we are again writing about a merlot that we have recently drank.

Okay, in fairness this is one that I have always liked but it had gotten so expensive in Birmingham ($22-23/bottle if memory serves) that because of my general disdain for merlot I had let fall off the radar.  I noticed a bottle the other day for $15.99 so decided to give it a try, and am very glad that I did.

This is not a fruity merlot like a lot of them are.  Neither is it light, or even medium, bodied.  This is serious merlot.  Drinking this blind you would think that it was an aged cabernet, without the tannin structure.  Lots of black fruit underneath with some chocolate on the finish which lingers a long, long time.

If you are not a fan of merlot but do like full-bodied, solid wines you might do yourself a favor and check this one out.

Cheers!

Upcoming Events in Sarasota/Bradenton

There are a lot of sources detailing upcoming events in a given market.  A couple of good ones for the Sarasota/Bradenton area is This Week in Sarasota and Local Wine Events (which is also good for a lot of other areas as well).  So, I am not planning on trying to recreate what is also out there on the Internet.

However, there are several events over the next couple of weeks that we plan on attending that are worth mentioning:

This coming Friday, March 5, at 6:45 will be attending the next Taste Dining & Travel dinner.  Once again being held at The Tuscany at Freedom Village.  We previously went to a wine dinner at the Tuscany (see this review) and are very much looking forward to returning.  The cost is $55 per person.

On Saturday, March 6, will be at Michael's Wine Cellar for the monthly wine tasting.  This is always a great event with a large number of wines from around the world being tasted.  Unfortunately, at this time of the year it is extremely crowded in a relatively small space so getting to taste everything (or even most things) can be a challenge. Free for Connoisseur Club members and $10 to join if you are not already a member.

This past Saturday we discovered a new butcher's shop here in Sarasota.  We have been looking for a good one since moving here and have at last found it.  The Butcher's Block has an excellent selection of meats as well as a range of other produce and essential foodstuff.  What is outstanding though is their extensive wine selections.  There is a wide range of wines from around the world, as well as a very nice temperature controlled cellar for high-end wine and a good selection of large format (1.5 liter) bottles.  Every month, on the second Tuesday, they also hold a wine tasting from 7 - 9 pm and the next one will be Tuesday, March 9.  The cost is $10 per person.

Finally, On Wednesday, March 17 (which happens to be St. Patrick's Day) there is a wine tasting over at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits on University Parkway from 5:30 - 7:30.  I may even venture a guess that there could be some green beer here as well (but that is just a guess!)  $10 per person.

We hope to see you at one (or more) of these events.

Cheers!

If there is enough interest in this, I will be happy to start regularly posting of events that I know are upcoming.  Drop us a note and tell us what you think.  And if you are hosting an event that you would like to see posted, also drop us a note.