Tony's Wine Corner

California's Grape Harvest Running Late

2010-10-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

I was up in the Central Coast of California this week to pick my Chardonnay grapes for Little Anthony. Grapes all over the region are still hanging on the vine. However, this can mean even better wine.
My colleague, friend and wine expert, Patrick Comiskey, wrote an excellent article about the late harvest.
*Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Renee Nault

Trends in Cheese

2010-08-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

Patch dot com came in the store the other day and asked us about the history of The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills and what the trends are in cheese. Here's a short video from their visit with us.
"The gourmet world is fashionable just like clothing, shoes, cars, movies...."

Roses and Apple Cider Balsamic Salad Dressing

2010-06-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

I've been asked what wine will excite a summer of laid back, easy to fix fare.

Roses are the perfect wine for summer since they're light,
excellent chilled on ice or in the fridge.
They especially go great with seafood, salads and light goat cheeses.

Three great Roses* to drink right now:

Palmina Pinot Grigio $21
Central Coast of California

Fermented on the skins for 15 days, the wine has a beautiful, pinkish hue.
It's an excellent example of how Pinot Grigio is related to Pinot Noir.

Saint Andre de Figuiere 2009 $18
Cote de Provence

Very Elegant and Pretty Wine

This is the poor mans Domaine Ott @$45

Domaine Phillipe Gilbert 2009 $28

From the Menetou-Salon area, next door to Sancerre, in the Loire Valley

This rose is made from Pinot Noir grapes and is hard to get.

How Rose Is Made

Roses are made from the skins of the red, black or purple grapes used to make red wines, but taste more like a white wine.
Don't confuse rose with zinfandel just because they are both light pink in color.
Zinfandels is made from the zinfandel grape and white grapes, and it's usually a bit sweet and not dry, unlike white wines which are more dry and not usually sweet.
The difference between white and red winemaking is white wines get crushed, pressed and fermented, while red wines ferment on the skins.
Dry, yet flavorful, roses have gotten better over the years
because now they're made on purpose. They used to be a by product of red wine.

During saignee (French for the word bled and pronounced son yeah), the correction process of the fermentation of the principal wine varietal,
or "bleeding off the vats" the lighter colored juice was allowed to ferment.
Now roses are made more often with maceration, which is direct contact with the skins of the grapes.
The red wine grapes are crushed and and the skins and the juice stay together for a designated period of time, days or weeks, depending on what the vintner is
trying to accomplish.
The color and the flavor are the result of how long the skins and the juice are allowed to stay together.
That's why rose has the characteristics of a white wine but it's made with red grapes.

Two Chevres

Minuet Goats Milk Cheese from Andante Dairy in Petaluma, California
(great served with creme fresh)
A former biochemist and dairy scientist, Soyoung Scanlan is the cheesemaker.
Le Chevrot, from the Loiree has a little bit of the barn aromatic.

Simply Summer Dinner

Goat Cheeses*

Light Seasoned Salad of Mixed Field Greens
Apple Cider Balsamic Dressing*
Edmund Fallot Dijon Mustard*
Grilled Herbed Whole Fish
Prepare the fish:
Pack with aromatic herbs in the cavity (think south of France)+
Sprinkle salt, pepper, drizzle with olive oil
Bake or Grill

Apple Cider Balsamic Salad Dressing

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - we have a very special olive oil from the Raffanelli Vineyard
Grown in the Dry Creek Valley AVA and pressed from hand-picked, estate-grown olives, the oil is unfiltered and the hand-crafted hobby of David Rafanelli. It seems like he spends more time making this oil than he does making his wines, it's that good!!
(Speaking of Zinfandel, we are the only ones who carry their Zinfandel,Cabernet and Merlot.)
Edmund Fallot Dijon Mustard
Shallots - thinly siliced or minced
Add a little Lemon Juice and a little bit of
the Apple Bouqet Methode Balsamique from Normandy
* Product available at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
*Photo Credit Anya Wabnig

_________________________________________________________________

More About The Herbs Used in the Cuisine of The South of France.
This perfect explanation is from the We Love France Blog:

"The local Provence cuisine exploits the profusion of regional herbs such as lavender, thyme, sage, rosemary, basil, savory, fennel, marjoram, tarragon, oregano, and bay leaf and they are included generously in all the dishes in one combination or another.

Herbes de Provence (Provençal herbs) is a mixture of dried herbs gathered in the Provence countryside invented in the 1970s to meet the ever rising public interest outside of the region. The mixture typically contains rosemary, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, thyme, and sometimes lavender flowers and other herbs. The proportions vary by manufacturer but thyme usually dominates the taste produced by the herb mixture. These mixtures are predominantly used to flavor grilled foods such as fish and meat, as well as vegetable stews. The mixture can be mixed with olive oil and added to foods before cooking to infuse the flavor into the cooked food, or during cooking, but they are rarely added after the cooking is complete."

Secrets of Sonoma and The Wine Road

2010-02-27T13:43:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share some highlights of my recent tasting tour of Sonoma County and give you a sneak peek at what we’re going to have in the store soon.
I started at some Russian River wineries during Sonoma's annual Winter Wineland. This gave me an opportunity to participate and observe the wine industry as a customer, versus a buyer.
Three American Viticultural Areas (AVA) or appellations, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley and the Russian River Valley, provide the perfect growing conditions for a wide range of varietals.
Many wineries in this northern part of Sonoma County are part of The Wine Road. The Wine Road isn’t a specific road, it’s a group of wineries in these three valleys.

I took a tour of Hansel winery, given by the owner, Steve Hansel.
According to him, “This location is ideal for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as the nights and mornings are cooled by coastal fog yet the mid-days warm up to perfect grape ripening temperatures. Temperature swings of 40 degrees are very common.”

Two of my Hansel Favorites
07 Chardonnay Estate Cuvee Alyse
It's affordable, fantastic, lean, well-structured and crisp, as in not over the top.
07 Pinot Noir South Slope
Is round and rich on the finish.
http://walterhanselwinery.com/

Then I went to over to Woodenhead. Their tasting room was packed.
Woodenhead's wines are tasty and priced right.
Two Woodenhead Wines I Like
07 Pinot Noir, Humbolt County
06 Zinfandel, Braccialini Vineyard, Alexander Valley
http://www.woodenheadwine.com/

Christopher Creek
The Wasserman Family know how to grow things. Their website says the winery, in addition to growing grapes, has been farming oranges and olives in the Central Valley of California for the past 35 years.
I liked the 2007 Viognier, Russian River
You can read their own wine notes here:
http://www.christophercreek.com/wine/2007viognier.asp

Littorai
Littorai is located over in Western Sonoma County
From their website:
Littorai: a plural noun formed from the Latin word litor-, which means the coasts.
Ted Lemon, co-founder of Littorai, says, “The property where the winery is located is farmed biodynamically, using only organically certified materials. It is farmed as a self sustaining, integrated and diversified farm.”

We'll be getting these two excellent wines made in the classic burgundian style.
In fact, these two wines are rarely seen at retail, and since they are really food friendly, they usually make an appearance on restaurant wine lists.
These wines are exceptional with cheese.
07 Savoy Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley
08 Les Larnes Pinot Noir, also from Anderson Valley
http://www.littorai.com/

The map of Sonoma County’s appellations

Happy New Year, I'm Off To The Fancy Food Show!

2010-01-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys,

Happy New Year to You All! The last few weeks were busy and successful and I thank each and every one of you who came in for a little or a lot of holiday cheer.

I'm off to the Fancy Food Show to find new and exciting things for you. If you haven't heard of it, here's a link. This is one of the largest food shows in the world, a real feast for the palate!

Then, as if that wasn't enough adventure for one person, I'll be in Napa and Sonoma for one week to see old friends and new things.

We also have the winners of the sixth annual American Artisanal Treasure Awards. I'll post the announcement with a photo of the winners.

FYI, if you missed the Hooks 15 year aged cheddar or want more, we have a waiting list going for the next batch that comes out in March, email info@cheesestorebh.com.

You can read about Hooks and other "Wow Factor" cheeses we carry at TastingTableLA.com

Oh, and just to tease you, there will be soon be an update on our barrel of Hospice de Beaune!

Until next time, enjoy January.

Tony

Autumn Braised Chicken Dinner

2009-10-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

The weather finally turned true to the season with cooler days and nights.

Keep on grilln', but it's time to get the stew pot out!

Equipment:

You'll need an aluminum rectangle tin foil pan or a Le Cruset (Sur la table is even having a sale right now!) or other French stew pot. Let me know how it turns out.

Chicken: Choose thighs, breasts and legs and season with your favorite poultry or bbq rub.

Mix the following ingredients for the sauce:

garlic - minced or chopped to taste

ginger - chop up a small chunk and then as the sauce cooks down, you can add more to balance out the flavor.

red wine - I use my leftover syrah ha ha!

orange juice - 2 to 1 to the red wine

sliced shallots or finely chopped onion

Grill the chicken until it is almost done - to get some color on it and to seal it.

Move chicken to the tin foil rectangle roasting pan and add the sauce.

Place the foil pan on the grill, and braise chicken on low heat, flipping occasionally, until the meat is falling off the bone.

To finish cooking in your stew pot instead of a tin foil pan, transfer the chicken to a Le Cruset or other stovetop cooking stew pot, add the sauce and finish braising over low heat on the stove.

Season with salt & pepper if desired.

Serve with roast fingerling potatoes, grilled fennel and grilled asparagus

Pair with a red wine, chilled slightly. Something from the south of France, a

rhone varietal, like a Vacqueyras.

Vacqueras is a bit rustic. See if you can taste the herbs and minerals of the terrior of the region.

Don't Heat Up The Kitchen Chicken BBQ Dinner

2009-09-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

It's Labor Day Weekend and I don't need to say it, but I will, it's hot hot hot!
Here's a simple meal I put together to avoid heating up the kitchen
in triple digit weather.

Ingredients - no, I don't measure things out. It's a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

Chicken Breasts, Thighs and Legs
Your Favorite BBQ Rub
Finely Chopped Onion or Slivered Scallions
Shredded Ginger
Chopped Garlic
Red Wine - I use some of my leftover garage wine -Little Anthony Syrah
Aluminum Pan - Make a rectangle pan out of aluminum foil, large enough to hold all the meat, or use a disposable aluminum pan

Cover the chicken with the rub and grill until it's almost done.
Let the coals cool down a bit or turn the grill on low.
Put chicken and ingredients in the pan and back on the grill.
Flip the chicken occasionally, add a little red wine as the sauce cooks down.
Cook until the meat is falling off the bone.

Serve with grilled asparagus or fennel and roasted fingerling potatoes

Wine Pairing - slightly chill some Pinot Noir or Vacqueryras (made from Syrah and some Grenache) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacqueyras_AOC

Little Anthony and the Garagistes

2009-06-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

Garagiste - Yes, I confess, I am a garagiste.
What's a garagiste? The name originated with a group of innovative wine makers in the Bordeaux region who wanted to make a style of wine that was less traditional and didn't take as long to age, and their wine was referred to as garage wine, "vins de garage," and so the name garagiste was born.
Little Anthony was born when I started making wine in 2003 with the encouragement from my friend and mentor, Mike Bonaccorsi, and innovation aside, it's not easy making wine that is really drinkable, especially in the garage.
But by 2005, I'm happy to say, Little Anthony received a Gold Medal at the Orange County Fair.
The 2008 Chardonnay turned out great. The grapes are from the Herman Vineyard in Carneros, California. It's clean, light, crisp, and very sauvignon blanc in style. There's no oak and no secondary fermentation.
The '07 Syrah aged 18 months in French Oak, and these grapes were from the Larner Vineyard, up in Santa Ynez, California.
This vintage is intense, with spice and enough acid for a balanced finish.
Making wine at home is fun, rewarding and it's always great to give barrel samples to friends and family.

Get Swanky-Daring Pairings-Cocktails & Cheese

2009-04-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

We've got a long standing camaraderie with Nic's Martini Lounge and Restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Larry Nicola's our friend in the ongoing pursuit of good food, good wine, good spirits...
So you shouldn't be surprised to learn we are in cahoots on four martinis featuring cheese.

DARE TO GO THERE

1. Wine & Cheese Martini: Idol Vodka (made from Chardonnay and Pinot grapes) with Pinot Noir juice, served up with a slice of Morbier cheese. Idol Vodka is a French vodka made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from Burgundy, France.
Morbier is a creamy cow's milk cheese from Franche-Comte, France, characterized by the flavor of nuts and fruit and an aroma of fresh hay.
The yellow-brown or pale gray rind is thick, moist and leathery with a creamy brown crust and the interior is comprised of two layers of glossy, yellowish-ivory paste, separated by a thin flavorless layer of ash, which separates the morning milking from the evening milking.

2. Maytag Repair Man: Skyy 90 Vodka served up with a Maytag Blue Cheese Stuffed Olive.

3. The Popes in Town: Mezzaluna Vodka served up, with blueberries and garnished with Gorgonzola. Mezzaluna is an Italian vodka made from Semolina grain.

4. What a Nice Pear You Have: Grey Goose La Poire Vodka. Add pear juice and top with a shave of Parmesan cheese

Wine Tip - Try White Wine With Sushi

2009-03-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

With the warmer weather tempting our palates to lighter fare, now is
the perfect time to venture beyond traditional sushi and beverage
pairings. Try a crisp white wine instead of Saki or Japanese beer.

Trends in Wine and Affordable Luxuries

2009-03-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

Trends for Spring 2009 Wines to Drink Now

Riesling and other light, bright whites are starting to be trendy right now. Lower alcohol and good acidity make them food friendly and perfect for cheese and light meats. Typically, there’s an about face from season to season. The big reds of winter give way to the lighter whites of spring/summer.

Cork or Screw Cap?
The screw cap works great for some wines you can drink immediately. This year, Mommessin’s Beaujolais Nouveau ‘08 came in a plastic bottle with a screw cap. The plastic bottle was cute, lightweight (cheaper shipping costs) which added a fun flair to the idea of Beaujolais, and only $10.00 a bottle. But overall, cork finished is still far superior. The wine doesn’t breath naturally without a cork. Wines do breath with a cork.

The Last Word: Decanting

To decant or not to decant, that is a good question. Most wine merchant’s wine on the shelf is for immediate drinking. Ask the wine purveyor as the starting point, as this person is probably familiar with the history of the wine. When the wine is big and tight, it needs to be opened and oxygenated. There are some grape varietal Syrahs that are ready to drink and some that need to be opened up one hour before, as an example. It all depends on the producer and the vintage. Some wines are closed and more tannic and need to age – these need to be decanted if you can’t wait for the wine to mature in the bottle. Decanting gives the wine a head start. You can always do a rough decant. Open the wine, pour it into something and then pour it right back into the bottle. Enjoy!

Affordable Luxury

Artisanal Honeys – in stressful times, people feel comfortable splurging in a little luxury to enjoy when they are spending more time at home. With the continuing problem of colony collapse disorder, honeys of all kinds will become more precious.

Green Tea Oil – made from the buds, food item du jour green tea oil works best as finishing oil. Recipes of the Pacific Rim call for it. Try it when preparing scallops, mussels and langoustines. Tip: Green Tea Oil can take a higher heat with low smoke.

Restaurant Menus – the economy is spawning lots of new small bite and tapas-like items. People like to try new things and still get some bang for their buck.