OENOTRI - A Southern Italian Restaurant in Downtown Napa

Jenny Benzie and Sur Lucero

Having lived on the East Coast for more than five years now, it is easier sometimes to get to European wine destinations than those on the West Coast.  It has been some time since I visited Napa (the town and/or the wine area), especially since I moved to Florida from California.  Oh, my - how Napa has grown and changed!  I was fortunate enough to be invited by Angela and Seth Raynor (owners of The Pearl on Nantucket where I worked this summer) on an end-of-season thank you/research and development trip with the chefs and managers of their three restaurants.  With seven out of ten in our group being chefs, needless to say... there was going to be a lot of food involved in our East Coast Meets West Coast adventure.

Open Kitchen at Oenotri

First stop along the way was OENOTRI, located in downtown Napa across from the AVIA Hotel.  The restaurant features Southern Italian cuisine while showcasing 'local, fresh, in-season ingredients.'   Specials for the evening our written on brown butcher paper on the wall at the bar.  Another feature of Oenotri are the pizzas from the wood-fueled oven.  Our group was hosted that evening by Maria Helm Sinskey, Culinary Director at Robert Sinksey Winery.  Maria had arranged with Chefs Curtis de Fede and Tyler Rodde a special tasting menu for us that high-lighted what the restaurant does best (see the attached menu).  The restaurant was full this evening and people were waiting for our tables at the bar as we left.  Tourists and local wine peeps alike could be seen in this bustling place, a great sign that an Italian restaurant is so well supported in Napa Valley.

I have been on several wine and culinary adventures; you soon learn to pace yourself throughout the evening for both food and wine.  I was delighted and surprised to see Sur Lucero as our Sommelier for the evening!  Sur and I traveled together just a year ago in Italy as recipients of the Banfi Vintners Scholarship through the Guild of Sommeliers.  While Sur chose all Italian wines for us, he told me that 35% of his list are wines from the Napa Valley.

Maria Helm Sinskey, Sur Lucero, Angela Raynor

Let the meal begin: our selection of house-cured meats was amazing.  I loved the presentation on the 'lazy-susan' made from the end of a wine barrel.  Our wine selection as an aperitif and for the first course was Tiefenbrunner's Feldmarschall 2008.   The wine is made from Müller-Thurgau (riesling x sylvaner), a grape that matures early, is lower in acid and mildly fruity. This is a winery high in the Dolomiti of Italy where I have had the pleasure to visit many years ago.



Our treviso/puntarella salad was delicious.  Fresh, crisp, slightly bitter - which I thought would be somewhat of a challenge for wine pairing.  Sur proved this not to be the case - Biondi M.I. 2007 from Etna (Sicily, think volcano...), made from a blend of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio.  This wine was decanted and had a slight bitterness as well that matched accordingly with the food.



 

Next came the house-made pennette with mozzerella di bufala.  The cheese becomes delightfully stringy as it cools, so this dish is called the 'telephone wire' as you pull a bite to eat.  The simplicity and execution of this dish made it a winner for the chefs in my group.  Our wine pairing (another winner with the challenge of tomato sauce) was Arnaldo-Caprai 'Collepiano' Sagrantino di Montefalco 2004.



I was most impressed with our last wine and talked about it the rest of my trip.  Macarico Aglianico del Vulture 2004 from Basilicata.  (Mind you, when I was first studying wine, someone in my study group came up with 'Vultures eat Basil' to remember that the wine region and the grape go together!)  This wine had depth, character and resonated on my palate obviously for days later.  Its' strength and meatiness was a nice accompaniment to the mild gaminess of the cotechino and blood sausage with parmesan fonduta.

And my favorite course - dessert! - was a winner for all.  Something that may seem not so hard to make, yet usually falls apart easily, our vanilla bean panna cotta was just firm enough to wiggle on the plate and still stay intact.  Bravo!  While the pears added a nice flair to the plate, I would have preferred another piece of the dolce.

What a fabulous way to start my trip - great food, new and old friends, and wines to prepare my palate for a week long of tasting!

Guild of Sommelier Tasting - Typicity of Bordeaux

As a member of the Guild of Sommeliers, you are offered a handful of Educational Foundation Enrichment Tastings throughout the year.  I happen to be fortunate to live in an area of Florida where there are 8 Master Sommeliers in close proximity who donate their valuable time and effort to facilitate these events for those of us aspiring to learn more about wine.

This week found about 35 us in Ft. Lauderdale for a two-hour tasting on the Typicity of Bordeaux.  Opening remarks and introductions were made by Andrew McNamara, MS, followed by a brief overview of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux is located in the Gironde department of western France.
The maritime climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Gironde River that runs through the region as it splits into the Dordogne and Garonne.
Merlot is planted more than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Now to the juicy part...the wines!
There were two flights of four wines each that were tasted blind.  I was seated at a table with Eric Hemer, MS, as moderator, and 5 other sommeliers.  We went through the wines in a round-robin style, calling out descriptors as they came to us, then Eric made a tally at the end of each wine for everyone's 'final conclusion' as to what region in Bordeaux the wine came from, was it a 'classified' wine and the vintage based on the character of the wine and key 'markers.'

WINE 1: slight orange color on rim, not as vibrant in color; herbaceous nose, combination of red & black fruit components, old school in style (not so fruit-forward) with grippy tannins.
Chat Lafleur-Gazin, Pomerol 2006
WINE 2: medium ruby dark color with staining on the glass; dark fruits, tobacco leaf, cocoa, sweet spices; ripe fruit tanning and barrel spice, fleshy on palate and bit austere.
Chat Malmaison, Moulis-en-Medoc, Cru Bourgeois 2004
WINE 3: almost opaque, deep color; powerful nose of blackcurrant, new French oak; new school 'Michel Rolland' style with high extraction and ripe, chewy tannins
Chat Fonplegade, St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2006
WINE 4: deep purple hue; slight raisiny, concentrated dark dried fruits, black tea; powerful tannin and length
Chat La Louviere, Pessac-Leognan 2005

After a brief break and re-fill of the wine glasses, we were on the second flight - all classified growths, all same vintage, all left bank.
WINE 1: lightest in color, but rich opulence; violet, layered, exotic; dry tannin, sous bois and earthy
Chat Giscours, Margaux, Grand Cru Classe 2004
WINE 2: tea leaves, meaty aroma, dark cherries, dried tobacco; juicy palate, luxurious, weighty, drying oak tannins (my favorite wine of all we tasted)
Chat Ducru-Beaucaillou, St. Julien, Grand Cru Classe 2004
WINE 3: pencil lead, dried tomato leaf, pruny, dried fruit; firm tannin, moderate in length (reminded me some of an Italian wine)
Chat Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Paullac, Grand Cru Classe 2004
WINE 4: opaque, inky color; lots of new oak, blackberry, mocha/cocoa; hi tannin, hi alcohol, oak monster, slight bitterness, lots of texture
Chat Cos d'Estournel, St. Estephe, Grand Cru Classe 2004


Special thanks to the other Master Sommeliers on the panel: Virginia Philip, Juan Gomez and Brian Kozial (not pictured).  Support and funding for the wines was from Sopexa and Southern Wine & Spirits, while the sight location was compliments of Morton's. 

To learn more about Bordeaux wines, check out my Le Bordeaux Buff friends - Rebecca Chapa and Megan Wiig!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation on Nantucket

After living in South Florida full-time for almost 5 years, I decided it was time to do what so many of my clients do and head North for the summer.  Nantucket was the perfect destination for me as I had already visited there a handful of times  for the annual Nantucket Wine Festival held each year as a pre-season event the weekend before Memorial Day.  I also a few restaurant connections as several employees from the Palm Beach area restaurants have been flocking to this island as well for years.

I landed a job as the Sommelier at The Pearl, one of three restaurants on island owned and operated by Seth and Angela Raynor.  The Pearl features coastal cuisine with an Asian influence and is open mid-May through mid-October with this being their 11th year.  My duties this summer were simple - show up, sell wine and have fun!  With all of these requirements met, I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of my summer adventure (in no particular order)...

- My Wednesday Wine Beach Club - What better way to bond with your co-workers and enjoy the many splendors of the beaches Nantucket has to offer!  Our wine selections varied each week based on what was in the cooler at The Cellar, Epernay or sometimes even Hatch's.
Below is a small sampling of some of our vinous libations...
Week One:  Pirineos Mesache Somantano White 2008
                    Segura Viudas 'Aria' Cava NV
                    Reffault Rose Chinon 2009 (yum!)
Week Two:  Chateau Soucherie Anjou Blanc 2009
                    Chateau de Campuget Rose Costieres de Nimes 2008
                    Chapoutier 'Bellerouche' Rose Cotes-du-Rhone 2008
                    Cristina Ascheri Gavi 2008
Week Three:  Angrove's Nine Vines Grenache/Shiraz Rose So. Australia 2008
                      Notte di Luna Vernaccia di San Gimigniano 2009 (almost lost friends on this purchase)
Week Four:  Clos de la Pepiere Muscadet Sur Lie 2009
                     Shaya Verdejo 2008
                     Sansilvestro Piemonte Cortese 'Adelasia' 2008
                     Domaine la Manarine Cotes du Provence Rose 2009
                     Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava NV
Week Five:  Wishing Tree Unoaked Chard Western Australia 2008
                    Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc Sonoma County 2009
                    Domaine Horchart Rose Cotes du Provence 2009
Week Six:  Well, you get the picture...

- Working with Sam Mason, famous NYC Pastry Chef, formerly of WD-50, has a show 'Dinner with the Band' and owner of Lady Jay's bar in Brooklyn.  Sam had something to offer everyone at the restaurant - front of the house, back of the house and guests included.  He shared his recipes, his insights and talents with anyone who was willing to learn.  His humbleness and dedication to his craft and sharing with others made everyone a bit melancholy after he departed from his three week stint.  Not to mention, dessert is my favorite!

- Being re-introduced to Jim Clendenen, the mind behind Au Bon Climat winery. The Raynor's have been fans and friends of his for years.  He and I talked about my former days at Michael's in Santa Monica where we first met.  We also discussed the Cuvee Daniel Chardonnay that he makes and was served during my time at Cafe Boulud.  I look forward to seeing him again at Daniel Johnnes' La Paulee Burgundy event in the spring.  This man is a walking wine encyclopedia! 

- My favorite dinner place on island (not including where I worked) was Straight Wharf Restaurant.  While I only had so many nights off all summer as I was mostly working, I made a point to try as many restaurants as I could around the island.  It just so happened that I made it to SWR three times, the last two within the final weeks of leaving Nantucket.  Whether I ate in the dining room or the buzz of the bar, I was always impressed with the service, the food and the wine selections.  Meo-Camuzet Corton 2000 literally brought me to tears.  Thanks so much to Scott Fraley, General Manager, for always accommodating me and Carlos when we arrived so late in the evening and without reservations!

- My favorite wines of Summer 2010: (all served by the glass @ The Pearl)
Chateau d'Esclans 'Whispering Angel' Rose Cotes-du-Provence 2009 (Nicknamed the 'Screaming Devil' by the end of the summer; it was so good, it was bad!)
Martinsancho Verdejo Rueda 2009 (This reminded me of my month-long trip to Spain last year; this region is  considered a 'sister' region of white wines to the red wines of Ribera del Duero.)
Pol Roger Champagne Brut NV (AKA The Jolly Roger; if champagne doesn't make you happy, then pass your glass over to me...)

As the dog days of summer have come to an end, I will treasure my new friendships, the memories that we created together and the fabulous experiences I had working at such an incredible establishment.  I look forward to being able to return to Nantucket - to do it all over again next summer!
















                    

Friends of Jupiter Beach - Food and Wine Festival

Who is not ready to partake in some fabulous food and wine, while at the same time, helping for a noble cause? This Saturday, May 8th, from 3pm-6pm, at the Riverwalk Events Plaza, will be the first food and wine festival organized by the Friends of Jupiter Beach (FJB).

And what makes this group so noble? The proceeds from this event help to support the FJB's efforts to keep Jupiter Beach clean and dog-friendly. For any of you that have a canine as part of your family (my Coco Pazzo, a Jack Russell Terrier/part Whippet is nine), you realize the importance of an open space where your dog can run free, interact with other dogs and take a nice dip in the ocean. This is prime example of where the phrase 'it's a dog's life' is most enviable.

If you see below (or here) for more details, look at the top row of wine vendors - third from the right... Pour Sip Savor will be there at the event promoting its' assemblage of sommelier services. My father, Bruce, will also be in town visiting this weekend. We hope to see you there!

The Great Wine Seminar - almost here!

When I first moved to the Palm Beach area almost five years, I was searching the internet to find out what local wine events were available in the South Florida region. I came across 'The Great Wine Seminar,' read the listing of wines that were being presented and immediately called to offer my free sommelier services of opening, decanting, pouring, etc. for the event. I have heard of this before - wine events where the sommeliers do not pay or get paid to attend, but they get the honor and privilege of tasting all the wines for you (just like the court jester) and being there at 7 am in order to do so (worth it!). On the other end of the line was Arlette Cataldo, financial advisor by day, wine connoisseur (and other titles) the rest of the time. She and her husband Bob had been organizing this one-of-a-kind wine event for almost twenty years at this point. While she was gracious enough to chat with me at the time, she also explained that this was not that type of event - there were no sponsors, everything (including the wine) was bought and paid for with nothing donated and they already had someone to handle the wines. Therefore, my sincere offer was declined.

Bob and Arlette Cataldo

However, I was not completely deterred from the situation. Since that time, I would like to think that Arlette and I have become wine friends. On several occasions, she and Bob, who live in the Stuart area, would gather a handful of friends (some stretching as far south as Miami) and they would all meet at a central location with bottles of wine in every hand! This meeting place just happened to be at Cafe Boulud, where I was the sommelier at the time. Here it was that I was able to taste some of the treasures that every one had to share, and it was also here that Arlette was able to see me in action as a sommelier and gain the confidence in me that she needed for us to move forward in our relationship with wine. Was it a test on both sides of the coin? Perhaps, but good food, incredible wine(!) and fellowship were all shared on enough occasions that this was the year that I got the call!

Arlette knew that I had left the restaurant to pursue my own business in wine called Pour Sip Savor. I had spoken with her on a handful of occasions recently, one of those times was to invite her to the Drink Ribera Vega Sicilia seminar recently held at The Setai in South Beach. Tempting as it was, she declined since Pablo Alvarez, owner of the winery, was not going to be in attendance. The one time that Arlette and Bob did attend a wine dinner that I facilitated while at Cafe Boulud was the 'Fete de Bordeaux,' featuring the wines and proprietors of Cos d'Estournel, Chateau Leoville & Langoa Barton and Chateau Lynch-Bages. You see, Arlette, as someone who is not 'in the business' as we would say, has made herself so well connected in the world of wine over the years, that she already knew the guests of honor at this dinner. Clive Coates, Master of Wine and a leading wine authority, is not only acquainted with Arlette and Bob (they have brought him in for dinner at Cafe Boulud as a guest before!), but he stays with them at their house when visiting South Florida. Therefore, each property that is invited to participate in 'The Great Wine Seminar' is in direct correlation to the relationship that Arlette has cultivated with the winery over the years of her connoisseurship. She gets the response from the wineries to participate due to the genuine hopes of creating a wine tasting event that for the consumer is more intimate, passionate and personal than what you would possibly experience at a larger style event.

So, about that call that I received...unfortunately for him, but one of the two wine handlers, who has been doing this seminar for years!, was not able to commit to the dates for the seminar this year. Therefore, I was honored when Arlette called and asked me to fill his place. I am thrilled to not only be able to taste the wines being featured this year, but also to have the opportunity to personally meet the proprietors of the wineries in such an intimate setting.

'The 25th Annual Great Wine Seminar' is being held April 30th-May 2nd, 2010, at the Eden Roc Hotel in South Beach ( previous years have been held in West Palm Beach) and being moderated by Roger Bohmrich, Master of Wine. Wine personalities in attendance include Pierre Lurton of Chateau d'Yquem and Chateau Cheval Blanc, Eric Rousseau of Domaine Armand Rousseau, David Pearson of Opus One and Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger pouring his Comte de Champagne. Saturday's gourmet dinner will be prepared by Chef Olivier Saucy of Cafe Maxx - yum!

Because of the greatness of this event (therefore, the name of it), and I realize that this event may not be affordable for many, I do encourage anyone that could possibly afford it to attend - the price you would pay for such an experience I truly think outweighs the cost. For more information about the event or to register, click here. I hope to see you this weekend!

See what the experts have to say about Ribera del Duero

As some of you may know, I was fortunate enough to take a month long adventure to Spain last September. I saved all my pesos/euros/pennies/whatever and mapped out a wine, food and cultural adventure for myself. I rented a car and drove from the Atlantic to the Adriatic and numerous stops in between. To say that this trip changed my life is not far from the truth.

Upon my return from Spain, I decided it was time to branch out from the restaurant world and discover new opportunities for myself in wine. A friend of mine recommended me to be the Brand Ambassador of Ribera del Duero wines for the South Florida region. Why not? I had just been to the region, I speak enough espanol (Tu eres muy guapo...) and I have good relations with many of the wine industry peeps here. I knew it would be a positive challenge, as this is the first time ever that RDD has done a promotion in the United States and they had a lot of goals they want to achieve.



In January, I traveled to NYC for the Ribera del Duero Grand Tasting event that was held at the Puck Building. I was accompanied by the other Brand Ambassadors - Rebecca Chapa of San Francisco, Megan and Brian Wiig of Chicago, Roger Kugler of New York, and April Cullom, the National Brand Ambassador based in NYC. This tasting event featured over 100 producers from the region - again, the first time that an event like this had ever been done by the Denominacion de Origin outside their own region.


This week, I will be visited in Miami/South Beach by April, the team from Gregory White PR who is managing the campaign, and Eduardo Uribe Cane, Director of Communications for the Consejo of Ribera del Duero. Looking forward to that Vega Sicilia seminar, hasta pronto!


To find out what the experts are saying about Ribera del Duero, click here.