Category: pinot noir

Jackson Family Wines dinner at Ling’s Wok Shop

The north Scottsdale flex casual restaurant Ling’s Wok Shop rings in the Chinese New Year with an Asian inspired five course dinner paired with Jackson Family Wines. The wines are sourced from Jackson Family Wines properties in California, Oregon and Italy. Wednesday, January 25th at 6:30 guests will celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with this one of a kind dinner for $88++ per person. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 480-801-6524.

FIRST COURSE
Dim Sum Sampler with Steamed Dumpling, Pork & Shrimp Dumpling, and Spicy Chicken Wonton
paired with Brewer-Clifton Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay

SECOND COURSE
Cantonese-Style Sea Bass with Ginger and Lop Cheong
paired with Diatom Santa Barbara Chardonnay

THIRD COURSE
Peking Duck with Hoisin and Green Onion
paired with WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir

FOURTH COURSE
Char Siu Pork Tenderloin with Asparagus
paired with Hartford Family Russian River ZInfandel

HAPPY ENDING
Cheesecake with Vanilla-Orange Sauce
paired with Benvolio Prosecco

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Robert Sinskey Vineyards and Huss Brewing dinners coming to Quiessence

February is quick upon and social calendars are filling up. Quiessence at The Farm is hosting two special dinners’ pairings its seasonally grown vegetables, herbs and edible flowers with food friendly wine and beer. Chef’s Dustin Christofolo’s Tasting Menus pairs with wines from Robert Sinskey Vineyards followed a week later with beer from Huss Brewing Co. Robert Sinskey Vineyards

Robert Sinskey Vineyards dinner

Thursday January 30th at 6:00 p.m. the Napa Valley winery food driven wines will compliment Chef’s menu with much coming from the farms own Seed to Soil Garden. The five course meal is $95 per person plus tax & 20% gratuity.

First Course paired with 2016 Abraxas

Cauliflower Soup- Poached Scallops, Braised Greens, Currants

Second Course enjoyed with 2016 Vin Gris

Arizona Aged Beef Carpaccio -Bread Spoon, Parmesan Aioli, Pickled Shallots, Tempura Herbs

Third Course pairs 2014 Pinot Noir

Tortelli di Zucca- Rabbit Confit, Crushed Hazelnuts, Borage Flowers

Fourth Course paired with POV

Guinea Hen Roulade- Wrapped In Tessa, Crimson Lentils, Wild Mushrooms,  Grilled Daikon Radish, Red Pepper Jam, Fried Sage

Fifth Course paired with Pinot Gris Late Harvest  

“The Farm At South Mountain” Preserved Apple Pie- Vanilla Ice Cream, Lavender Honey Drizzle

Huss Brewing Co. beer pairing dinner

Huss Brewing’s Brewmaster Jeff Huss will join guests for this dinner on Thursday February 6th at 6:00 p.m. Starting on the patio with a beer cocktail and passed appetizers. The Arizona Beer Week celebration moves to the solarium for dinner. Limited seating is available for $85 per person plus tax & 20% gratuity.

1st Course Paired with Scottsdale Blonde

Wild Shrimp And Carrot Risotto- Roasted Carrots, Tomato Vinaigrette, Parsnip Chips, Chervil

2nd Course paired with Koffee Kolsch

Smoked Diver Sea Scallops Dusted With Espresso- Sunchoke Puree, Fingerling Potato Chips, Tempura Button Mushrooms, Koffee Kolsch Gastrique

3rd Course paired with Papago Desert Sage

Two Wash Ranch Chicken Fried Cornish Hen- Herb Aioli, Sous Vide Turnips, Preserved Farm Buddha Hand Citrus, Kale

4th Course paired With Copper State IPA

Artisanal Cheese Board- Nuts And Savory Jams Served With Grilled Noble Bread And Lavosh Crackers

Seats are limited for both dinners and can be reserved by calling (602)276-0601 or going to the Open Table links for the Sinskey dinner and for the dinner with Jeff Huss. Quiessence at The Farm is at 6106 S. 32nd St. Phoenix 85042.

 

Brie and Nikki Bella pair their wines at Hearth ’61 cuisine

Since their not body slamming their opponents in the wrestling ring anymore, twin sisters Brie and Nikki Bella are stomping grapes at their Napa Valley winery, Belle Radici. They launched the winery with partner Ryan Hill in 2017 and is Italian for “beautiful roots”. Belle Radici wines along with wines from Hill’s Hill Family Estate Winery will be poured on Sunday September 15th at Hearth ’61.

The dinner is part of the Mountain Shadows Resort’s Sunday Supper Club with food prepared by Chef Charles Wiley. Chef Wiley will be joined in the kitchen by Elements at Sanctuary executive chef Beau MacMillan. The pair worked together at Element’s when Wiley was executive chef and mentored MacMillan.

They’re collaborating on a four-course menu that includes Black Garlic Braised Beef Cheek and Honey Crisp Apple and Daikon Radish Salad.

The monthly Sunday Supper Club pairs wines or spirits with Chef Wiley’s modern cuisine. Upcoming dinners include Rombauer Vineyards on October 20th and Champagne Henriot on December 8th.

Dinner starts at 6 p.m. and each seat is 474 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 480-624-5400.

Mountain Shadows Resort is at 5445 E. Lincoln Dr. Paradise Valley 85253.

Fleming’s Steakhouse Pinot Noir Smackdown

I was recently invited to taste some of the Pinot Noirs put on the new Fleming’s 100 wines by the glass list. Having gone through my Pinot Noir phase before it’s popularity skyrocketed in 2004 with the release of the movie “Sideways” it takes a lot to impress me specifically a well-balanced Pinot that is not to oaky and toasty and more fruit driven.

With 8 wines tasted 7 were from California and Oregon and 1 was from New Zealand and here is what I thought of them….

2009 Garnet from Monterey County is made from all estate grown fruit near the Santa Lucia Highlands this wine was medium in body with a hint of spice, good fruit and dry. It finished smooth and had a bit of hazelnuts and cedar.

2010 A to Z Wineworks sources their fruit from at least 16 different Oregon vineyards. It had a nice nose of berries, made like most Oregon wines in a Burgundian style emphasizing toasty oak and minerals it was drier and powerful.

The 2009 Three Saints from Santa Maria Valley was a favorite. Made from all estate grown fruit from vineyards not far from the Pacific, that leads to cool ocean breezes and a longer growing season adding complex flavors. This wine was a was big, with hints of strawberries on the nose and on the palate along with wildflower aromas.

2009 MacMurray Ranch in the Sonoma Coast area was once owned by actor Fred Macmurray of TVs “My 3 Sons”. This wine is aged in both American and European oak and has a ruby color. With easy current and berry flavors this wine was well-balanced.

The 2009 Cambria “Julia’s Vineyard” from Santa Maria Valley is a Cab drinkers Pinot as it’s full-bodied with big oak and toast is very obvious. It’s aromas of cherries and berries give way to vanilla and cinnamon ion the palate along with some earthy flavors before its long finish.

2009 Migration is made by Duckhorn Vineyards and the fruit comes from the cool climate of Anderson Valley. It’s another big Pinot and is both spicy and fruity. The acidity makes for good food pairing along with a smoky finish and dry finish this would also make a cab drinker happy.

The 2010 Belle Glos “Meiomi” sources fruit from up and down the coast in all Monterey, Santa Barbara and Sonoma counties. Owned by Caymus Vineyards Wagner family, it’s made by 3rd generation winemaker and grandson of the founders Joe Wagner. This wine is medium in body, with a good fruit finish. It’s a good representation of the families traditional wine making along with 21st century innovation. Its long finish is worth savoring.

The 2010 Saint Clair “Vicar’s Choice” from Marlborough, New Zealand was the only imported Pinot and has a very old world nose and style. Known for their Sauvignon Blanc they are gaining a reputation for Pinot Noir as this wine has already garnered 2 Gold Medals. With well-balanced tannins and acidity it covers the palate with toasty oak and red cherries. A mellow finish offers up a hint of vanilla.

After tasting through these 8 Pinots I feel confident that each of their styles will pair well with any number of entrees that Fleming’s has to offer.

The Search for the Perfect Bottle of Wine

Whether your a consumer, restauranteur or wine retailer you’re always on the search for the perfect bottle of wine, well I’m here to tell you like Santa Claus & the Easter Bunny, it doesn’t exist. Whether I was selling wine to consumers or wine buyers I’ve come across many who spend way to much time looking, tasting & researching for that perfect bottle. What I find interesting is many are those who are looking in the under $10 price point. With wine being subjective, everybody has their opinion on what a wine should be and what perfection is. I remember working with one restauranteur who was looking for a Pinot Noir for his by the glass list for months and tasted him on almost every one in my portfolio, and after he tasted with me and other sales people he finally made a decision. Fortunately for me it was one I showed him. Another was still considering a $6.50 bottle of red for over 6 weeks, that they had already mentioned they liked. Searching for the perfect wine is the motivation for many consumers & buyers.

Nowadays there are is an ocean wine on the market from all over the globe, and more on the way, so it’s no wonder that people think that perfection is somewhere out there a drift. So for those of you that are on the search, just keep in mind it’s not the destination but the journey.

2008 Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir


Started in 1989 by transplanted east coasters Walt & Joan Flowers fulfilling their dream, have made Flowers Winery into a staple on the northern California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir scene. From high a top their vineyards in Sonoma, Walt & Joan and their team, make wine from estate vineyards, Flowers Ranch and Camp Meeting Ridge and other vineyards from throughout the Sonoma Coast.

Using several different clones the 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is light in color, yet bold on the palate. Aged in French oak and coming mostly from Flowers estate vineyards it’s made in a Burgundian style, as it has good toasty oak and good fruit, along with mild tannins it offers balance and complexity. Leather and spice make for a nice finish. This wine will be at it’s best in the short term. Pairs well with roasted meats and salmon. 13.8% Retails about $45.

Wines for the Holiday Season



As the holiday season starts one of the hardest decisions people are going to make is “What wine should we drink with…..”. This post will give you a quick ides of what to look for at your favorite wine retailer.

Pinot Noirs is a versatile grape that will go well with turkey, ham and and all the fixings. Oregon, California or the Burgundy region of France are the ones to look for. You’ll want a well balanced Pinot that can stand up to all you will be enjoying them with. Expect to pay about $20 for a good, solid Pinot Noir.

Beaujolais is another red wine that works well with holiday meals. Made from the Gamay grape from the Burgundy region of France, Beaujolais is lighter and fruitier than Pinot Noir. Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the 3rd Thursday of November and is from the most recent harvest and is a celebration of the harvest. Beaujolais should run less than $20 and Nouveau should be less than $12.

For the white wine drinkers at the table a Riesling works well. A Riesling from Australia, California or Germany would drink well. The crisp acidity & the mild fruit offer a great combination and should compliment your meal. Again find one that is well balanced. You can find a good Riesling for less than $18

Batlle of the under $10 Pinot Noirs


As I was cruising the aisles at Trader Joe’s last weekend, I found myself looking at some wines and wondering “Russian River pinot noir for $8.99, really”. Yes, I know there’s a grape glut and the economy has gone south, so grapes and juice can be bought for less than a gallon of milk, but I had to wonder, is it any good? Under normal circumstances(good economy & balance of supply and demand for grapes) conventional wisdom says that pinots noirs under $12 usually aren’t very good. Why you ask, well pinot noir grapes are thin skinned and need to be handled w/ care and it’s a very finicky grape and a bit harder to turn into wine. Why that is I don’t know, ask a winemaker. So a friend and I doubled back and picked up a couple of bottles to see if it we could do a price to quality comparison.

1st wine we tasted was the 06 Mission Point from Central Coast. Probably one of, if not the oldest of pinots on the shelf this pinot seemed like the vines were to young or harvested to early. Stemy and green on the palate, the fruit component was dry and there was to much wood. This wine was out of balance and actually got returned for something else. 1 cork of out 5.

Then we tasted the 08 Hamilton -Stevens Russian River which had a good nose, soft & spicy on the palate, it had good fruit. A well balanced wine and hard to beat for $9.
3 1/2 corks out of 5.

Both wines cost is $8.99. So in the end it’s buyer beware, sometimes you do need to spend a bit more for certain quality expectations or if you’re looking for a easy drinking $9 they are possible to find, but you may have to taste a few to find them.