Bacchanalia

I've moved

2008-05-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

To a more permanent home.

WineCetera

Cheers!

Master Sommelier

2008-05-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, I traveled to DC to take my first step towards becoming a Master Sommelier. You may ask yourself: "Self," you ask, "what the heck is a sommelier and how the heck does one become a master?" Simply put, a sommelier (pronounced soh-mill-YAY) is a wine steward for a restaurant. They manage the entire beverage program, manage the floor during business hours, and make recommendations to guests about food and beverage pairings. So how does one become a master, and what's the point?

The Master Sommelier title is bestowed by The Court of Master Sommeliers, an international organization that tests and certifies individuals at four different levels to signify their level of qualification for being a sommelier (a.k.a. how big of a wine geek someone is). The first level (which I passed this last weekend) is titled Introductory. This is a whirlwind tour of the major wine producing regions in the world, followed by a 70 question multiple choice test. They help you along the way, and if you can answer questions such as "Which of the following is known for its sweet wine production: A)Sancerre, B)Montbazillac, C)Barsac, or D)Listrac?" You can pass just fine. (The answer, by the way, is Barsac, which is situated in Bordeaux just north of Sauternes). Only a 60% is required to pass, and supposedly 95% of people who attempt this level succeed.

From introductory, one passes the certified exam (which comprises a service and blind tasting test) and works towards advanced (which, as the name implies, requires a much more advanced level of knowledge). Both of these are also 60% to pass, but are far more in depth. Upon completion of the advanced certification, one must wait a year and be invited to attempt the master exam.

The Master Sommelier exam requires an inane amount of knowledge coupled with a nearly flawless palate to assess 6 wines blind. Oh yeah, and there's a huge service component where you have to serve other master sommeliers. Also, the benchmark is bumped up from 60% to 75% at this level. Very few people succeed. To date, there are only 158 people in the world who hold this title. For the foodservice professional, this is like climbing Mount Everest.

And so, I have resigned myself to years of studying and tasting with the hope that someday I can be one of these select few. Why? I've found my niche in life, and it happens to be wine, so why not learn everything there is to learn. I welcome you to journey with me along the way.

Review: Hendrick's Gin

2008-04-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

According to Hendrick's Gin, their product is preferred by 1 out of 1000 gin drinkers. If this is true, than I am one in a thousand. While I assert that this is simply a clever marketing ploy aimed at exclusivity, I will admit that I could see how the typical gin drinker would find Hendrick's somewhat offputting. For starters, it is a rose petal and cucumber infused gin which, while it still possesses the juniper aroma characteristic to traditional gins, presents a stark contrast to such London Dry offerings such as Beefeater and Bombay. Yet, the smoothness and complexity that Hendrick's brings to the table is compelling and convincing. Try it with house-made tonic (recipe follows) or simply straight up, shaken, with a garnish of cucumber. Either way, you wont be disappointed.

Overall Rating: 96

Tonic Water (Recipe courtesy of The Wild Drink)

2 teaspoons of ground Cinchona Bark
Zest of 1 pink grapefruit
500g sugar
1 litre water
1/2 teaspoon citric acid

Add everything except the sugar to a pan. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 20mins, stirring regularly to remove lumps. After 20mins strain the hot liquid through a tea towel into a large container such as an ice cream tub, do it whilst it’s still hot and it strains faster. You should be left with a gunky brown mess all over the tea towel and a brown coloured liquid in the tub. Next add all the sugar to the liquid whilst it’s still hot and stir it in until the syrup becomes translucent.

Review: Provenance Merlot 2004

2008-04-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

While it is easy to see the variety of blockbuster cabs coming out of Napa, one must look a little harder to find great examples of other varietals. In the case of Merlot, I find that it can be hit or miss. It seems to me that many winemakers either try too hard to make a merlot that is like a cab, or they care too much about their cabs and forget about their merlots.

Now what if a winery were to concentrate on taking what makes a merlot great and attempt to produce a stellar example from that grape? Provenance's near stellar 2004 offering achieves just that. At 100% merlot, it pours a deep, lush purple that fills the glass. The aromas are so intense that they hit the nose before even bringing the glass towards you. When you do, you are treated to a rich aroma of chocolate, licorice, strawberries, cherries and creamy vanilla. On the palate, you are further rewarded with a smooth, velvety wine that boasts a balanced smoothness with a complex richness. Mocha, chocolate covered strawberries and cherries are complemented by plum and blackberry notes. While the finish doesn't last forever and the characteristic lack of noticeable tannins may lead some to feel this wine is weak, it is an immediately enjoyable, velvety smooth offering that would pair well with roasted pork, chicken, or lamb, or with grilled vegetables.

Overall Rating: 94

The American Dream

2008-04-12T23:48:00.000-07:00

It was a warm fall day in 2006. My companions and I had been escorted to a set of tables in a clearing near what appeared to be a country cottage. The sun beat down beautifully as the sounds of the Napa river streamed briskly past us. We sat waiting for lunch, shaded by a grove of trees and welcoming the breeze that was picking up through the valley. The excitement of the harvest seemed to breath and pulsate from person to person. At my table, we began to enjoy a selection of sandwiches and salads that had been prepared for us earlier by the vineyard's chef.

My hosts, a man in his 60's, and his wife began to tell us the story of how they founded the winery nearly thirty years ago. He had been a mechanic in San Francisco, and on the weekends, he would drive the hour drive up into Napa to work on the vines that he had purchased there. At that time, the majority of the valley was used for growing crops such as fruits (plums and prunes being very popular) and vegetables. Yet, there were pioneers who would recognize the potential for the area; it was as if they could see how perfect this Eden would be, how renowned it would become. My host continued for many years to enjoy his hobby on the weekends, traveling back and forth between Napa and San Francisco, before finally settling into the full-time wine business he had started.

My hosts and dining companions on this sunny afternoon were non-other than Jack and Dolores Cakebread of Cakebread Cellars. While their wines now connote prestige and world-renowned quality (not to mention a rather hefty price tag), the people behind the wine were sincere, down to earth people who cared about genuine hospitality and something good to eat and drink. As I sat having lunch with them, I couldn't help but think of what an honor it was. It isn't every day that you have lunch with legends. Yet, these perceived legends were more concerned with talking about the local farmers market than global wine economics. They talked about their family and how each of them play a part bringing the wines to fruition. To them, this was their home. This Eden was their paradise found.

Over a year later, I look back fondly on that afternoon. Having lived in Napa Valley for four months prior to this lunch, I learned to appreciate the two very different sides of Napa Valley: what Napa is, and what Napa is perceived to be. The Cakebreads represent what Napa is at its core: a home to farmers and visionaries pursuing the American Dream.

Yes, there are many self made millionaires who simply bought a piece of the action. And yes, Napa is the second largest tourist destination in CA next to Disneyland. But these millionaires and jet-set tourists will probably never understand the foundations and spirit that this valley's reputation was built upon. Where were they when Napa was known for it's prunes rather than it's pinots. It is the Mondavis, the Grgichs, and the Cakebreads that made Napa what it is today.

Jack and Dolores: Cheers to the American Dream.

Review: Chateau Bonnet Entre-Deux-Mers 2006

2008-04-10T17:07:00.001-07:00

French for “Between Two Seas,” the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux lies between the Dardogne and the Garonne rivers just south of St. Emilion and east of the city of Bordeaux. Although the label represents a grand chateaux, much of the Entre-Deux-Mers region is comprised of rolling countryside and farmland. By law, the Entre-Deux-Mers appellation is strictly for the production of white wines. Like many Bordeaux whites, this wine represents a blend of several varietals; in this case, 50% sauvignon blanc, 40% semillon, and 10% muscadelle. It pours a clear yellow/green color with a hint of copper at the rim. On the nose, there isn’t a huge amount going on, however the notes of gooseberry, hay, floral tones and lime zest present a decent offering. The palate, however, leaves more to be desired. This is a fairly fat wine (most likely attributed to the 40% semillion) that doesn’t go too far. The acidity is there, but it is almost drowned by the breadth of the oak and vanilla. Ultimately, the wine gives away the crispness and freshness of the varietals in favor of a rich fatness that sits on the palate until it falls away without giving much enjoyment on the tongue. However, this is still an entirely drinkable, albeit simple, white wine. And for $9.99 a bottle, it is also a far better value than many wines at its price point. Try it with roasted poultry, game-foul, and fattier fish such as salmon or tuna.

Overall rating: 74

Review: Chateau Le Coteau 2003

2008-04-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

The left bank of the Gironde river is home to the famed Haut-Medoc region of Bordeaux. It is here that some of the world’s most exemplary red wines are produced. Unfortunately, it is also home to some of the most expensive. As such, it can be somewhat difficult to find a truly great wine. Unfortunately, the Chateau Le Coteau is not one of these wines. However, it is a certainly enjoyable and very intricate offering from the Margaux appellation. Along with Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Saint-Estephe, Margaux represents one of the major four communes in the Haut-Medoc. Here, the “left bank” style of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blends preside (“right bank” style refers to a blend predominantly consisting of Merlot). Margaux, however, represents the more delicate and intricate of the communes. This wine is a testament to that. It pours a fairly opaque garnet/ruby color with slightly tawny edges. On the nose, a wonderful array of scents arise, including cherries, green pepper, violets, mocha, oak, vanilla, cured meats and tobacco/cigar box. On the tongue, the drinker can enjoy a fair amount of bell pepper and cassis from the cabernet, paired with strawberries and cherries from the merlot. All of this if accompanied by a not-so-subtle presence of oak that could use several more years in the bottle to mellow out. It isn’t a huge jammy mouth feel, but it still stands up well. The finish is intricate, albeit short, and the complexity warrants a second glass. Try it with the classic pairing of roasted lamb, or be bold and go for some game meats such as hare and boar.

Overall Rating: 87

Review: Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

2007-10-20T21:09:00.000-07:00

The oldest food regulation law still enforced today dates to 1516 in Germany. It states that only barley, hops, and water would be used to produce beer (the fermentation process and yeast's role were not well known at the time). While this law is still enforced in Deutschland, many other countries often use various other ingredients to produce a wide variety of beers.

One such ingredient that originated in several English stouts is rolled oats or oatmeal. The use of these oats creates an abundance of sugar that allows the beer to ferment to a smoother, sweeter brew that complements the traditional malted barley and dry hops.

In the case of the Anderson Valley Brewing Company (based out of Mendocino County in Northern California), their brew pours a thick, richly dark stout with a very thick, rich head. On the nose the beer gives a strong note of hops followed by coffee and mocha. On the palate, the beer is incredibly smooth and full, starting with a sweet and creamy carmel flavor that leads to a very round espresso and cocoa taste. On the finish, the dry bitterness of the hops kick in leaving a complex finish that begs for more.

Overall this is a very balanced stout that has incredible complexity and fullness, even if being a bit too biting on the finish.

Final score: 94

Review: Unibroue La Fin Du Monde

2007-10-19T21:38:00.000-07:00

This review comes in the wake of my trip to Napa Valley, so naturally, I'm reviewing a beer. I'll have more on Napa soon (including some winery reviews), but until then, enjoy this.

Unibroue (based out of Quebec) is one of my absolute favorite breweries. Granted, you will pay a premium for their beers, but it is certainly worth the cost. This particular bottling, titled La Fin Du Monde (The End of the World), is a Belgian style triple fermented Ale sur lees. With both wine and beer, sur lees means that the fermented product is aged with yeast particles left unfiltered from the beverage. This produces a particularly toasty and yeasty product that boasts a warm, inviting and complex note on the palate (think vintage champagne).

In the case of La Fin Du Monde, we find a beer that hints of the glories and complexities of some of the most intricate Belgian ales (I'm sure I'll give many future talks on the glories of these beers). On the initial pour, the beer produces a good amount of head and looks to have a golden, malty color with a good amount of cloudiness (due to the sur lees fermentation). The nose boasts of banana, brown sugar, toast, carmel, yeast, vanilla, and slight amounts of citrus. On the palate, you get a smooth, low carbonated beverage that lasts a great amount of time of the palate. Lots of great toasty yeast, carmel, and malt flavors give a solidly structured beer that would pair well with many chicken and pork dishes.

At a heafty 9% alcohol by volume, this beer certainly packs a punch. And at nearly seven U.S. dollars for a 750 ml bottle, this beer is something to be savored similarly to a fine wine. This is one great quality about premium beers: they are far more economically feasible than some of the greatest wines. Ounce for ounce, any gastronome on any budget can taste some prime beer examples without breaking the bank. You could easily present this wine as an accompaniment to one of your finest dinners, or save it in your cellar and age it for awhile to see where it goes. Either way, this beer presents a solid offering with a lasting impression.

Final rating: 93

To Napa

2007-10-14T01:24:00.001-07:00

I will be leaving tomorrow for a five day conference in Napa. look for details in the coming week.

Of Mice and Men

2007-10-13T00:20:00.000-07:00

Today I had to cut off an entire table from drinking due to the fact that one of the gentlemen was clearly drunk. He was exhibiting exaggerated movements, slurred speech, and droopy eyes. I've done this many times in the past (particularly in Boston), and thought nothing of it.

Before he left, he confronted me, and asked me why I cut him off. When I explained the signs in his behavior that indicated intoxication, he said that a mentally retarded person would exhibit the same signs and asked me if I would not serve a mentally retarded person. I said no, and that I took offense to that statement and he stormed off.

The interesting part of this is that I had someone accuse me of the very same thing around 6 months ago in Boston.

I don't understand why people feel the need to get so angry when we chose to do the right thing and obey the law in order to preserve their safety and our assets. I understand that restaurant x,y,z would probably still serve you. We wont, end of story. Oh right, drinking confuses judgment (just look at your college years).

This brings me to the point of this post. Since this is a blog dedicated to all things drinkable, I feel I must stress that, while we all overindulge from time to time, please have the maturity to realize when this happens in a public, family friendly restaurant, and act as accordingly as one who is drunk can. This may be asking too much, but, for everyone's sake, please try. Once you safely get home, feel free to chug all the everclear you can get your hands on and pass out on your bathroom floor.

Thanks.

Shaken, not Stirred

2007-10-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

As I sat down for lunch today at a Japanese restaurant in West LA, I gazed upon the cocktail list and was invited to indulge upon one of the various "apple and pomegranate sake martinis." My neighboring table ordered one and what arrived had a neon green hue that made me think of something you'd get if you added sake to a juice box of ecto cooler mixed with a packet of fun dip. Does anyone here actually remember what a martini is made from?

Gin. A martini is made with gin. Do I need to repeat this? For some reason, this is a fact that escapes most people. While there are many drinks that have arisen claiming to be martinis, they are all imposters. These wolves in sheep's clothing hide themselves under the guise of an up glass (what most people call a martini glass), in order to be associated with the classic gin cocktail of the same name. One must not confuse these Benedict Arnolds with the real deal. Granted, some of these up cocktails are rather tasty, and certainly even I am prone to enjoying a dirty vodka "martini" from time to time, but at the end of the day we must not lose sight of reality. A martini is made with gin.

For those of you who have never actually had a real martini (and I'm sure that there are many of you out there), go to your nearest liquor store, get yourself a quality gin and some dry vermouth, and get shaking. I've included a recipe below in order to help you out.

Take your time. Chill your glass in the freezer prior to service. Use a jigger to precisely measure your ingredients. Shake or stir with care (some argue that shaking bruises the gin, I argue it's personal preference and prefer mine shaken). Set up your garnish in the glass (either an olive or a lemon twist will do), pour yourself a cocktail, adopt a pseudo British accent and kick back and relax while enjoying the glory that is a classic martini. (*note: you can, and probably will, enjoy your martini without the British accent, I just feel that it heightens the experience).

The Martini
2 1/2 Oz Gin
1/2 Oz Dry Vermouth
Olive or Lemon Twist for Garnish

Combine gin and vermouth in a shaker with ice
Shake or stir well
Strain into glass with garnish
Enjoy!

---------------------------------------------

Note: I am still a firm believer that you should drink whatever you enjoy. Once you have tried the classic martini, if you find you don't enjoy it, don't drink it. Feel free to enjoy the fruitinis that have become so popular, but for the love of god, please don't call it a martini.

Review: Hugel et Fils Riesling "Jubilee Hugel" 2002

2007-10-11T13:30:00.001-07:00

As you can read in my last post, I absolutely love Alsatian Rieslings. Of course, one thing that must always be remembered is that, with any wine, some producers are better than others. Alsace is no exception. In any region, there are bound to be some bad producers, some good producers, and a handful of very good to great producers. Hugel et Fils is one of these producers in Alsace that makes some superb wines.

When I was there, I picked up a bottle of their Jubilee Hugel 2002 Riesling. I finally opened it the other day, and here are my thoughts:

Clear and pale grey/green in color, this wine has a complex nose in the glass of white peach, apricot, honeydew, pears, rubber, and a slight wet stone smell.

On the palate, it shows the beauty of Alsatian riesling. It has a strong acidity that surrounds such up front fruit flavors as dried apricots, peaches, kumquats, and lemons which all lead into a long finish of minerality (almost making me think of mineral water such as san peligrino). The finish lasts a good length and ends with a crisp finish that keeps the palate sharp.

This is a very balanced wine that is a very good example of an Alsatian Riesling. It would pair very well with fish or poultry that has been prepared with some kind of citrus such as seabass en papillote or chicken picatta as well as porkloin that has been prepared either grilled or broiled and rubbed with fresh herbs.

Final rating: 90

My love Affair with Alsatian Riesling

2007-10-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

I love white wine. There, I said it. I know what you're thinking: "Any real oenophile can't possibly love white wine. After all, the first duty of a wine is to be red, right?" And if all I'd tasted of white wine was the mediocre chardonnay plonk of California's central coast, I might be inclined to agree with you. But please, my dear friends and readers, judge a wine grape not by the color of its skin, but by the content of its character.

I submit that there is no better example of this than the riesling grape. Sure, riesling may have a stereotype associated with it of being a sweet wine (for example, the often amazing trokenbeerenauslese dessert wines of Germany), but this is simply one style of an incredibly versatile grape. One reason that riesling is often made in such a sweet style lies in its acidity. Many winemakers (particularly the Germans) seek a certain degree of balance in their wines. Because the riesling grape has such a high acidity, many winemakers attempt to offset this bite by allowing more sugar to remain in the wine. A sweet wine certainly isn't a bad thing, however the common production and accessibility of this wine style results in a profiling of riesling as "that dessert wine."

This is not always the case. For proof I submit to you the French region of Alsace. Situated in the northeastern part of France on the German border, this cooler climate area is known for primarily producing white varietals such as riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, and pinot blanc, as well as the occasional red from pinot noir (difficult to find in the U.S., but worth the hunt).

I had the great pleasure of spending a week in Alsace last spring, and was delighted by the wine, food, and culture in this unique region. Bordered to the west by the Vosges Mountains, and on the east by the German border, Alsace has changed political hands many times in the past several centuries due to various take-overs and treaties (it has remained French since the end of WWII). As a result, you find a region that is fiercely French minded, yet still bears a strong German cultural influence. Just look at the wine from this region. While many of the grapes grown here are German varietals, the wine-making style is decidedly French. Internal balance is less of an issue. Here, the winemakers focus on producing a wine that, while still being balanced, produces a complexity and backbone that is particularly suited for serving with food.

While visiting Alsace, I took the opportunity to try as much wine as humanly possibly, and I was not disappointed. While I certainly enjoyed all of the varietals the region had to offer, I fell madly in love with many of the reislings that, with each glass, impressed me to no end. Here, rieslings are made in an INCREDIBLY dry style (bone dry, as my former wine professor would call it). This allows the natural acidity of the grape to maintain a strong presence. It also results in a decidedly unsweet wine that often boasts such wine snob descriptors as apricot and other stone fruits, lemon zest and other citrus, flint and strong minerality, and petrol (yup, like gas, only it tastes good and gets you drunk).

What all of this amounts to is a wine that pairs amazingly well with food (acidity is good for that) and leaves you feeling refreshed and wanting more. It is a strong wine that can hold up to a great deal of foods, yet (in the best examples) it is a wine that possesses a delicate finesse that lasts an eternity on the palate. Drunk with some of the local Choucroute (brined cabbage with meats) and muenster cheese, Alsatian rieslings stand out as some of the best wines in the world, proving that a wine need not be red in order to be wonderful.

To Your Health...

2007-10-11T11:46:00.001-07:00

Welcome! Sit back, put up your feet, and take a long sip of whatever your libation of choice may be. Here at Bacchanalia, we like to drink. Better still, we like to share our drinking thoughts with you. What will follow is a collection of reviews, history, thoughts, and ideas about all manner of potent potables. From artfully crafted wines, to micro-brewed beers, there is a great variety of drink out there that extends beyond the common American pilsner into a world of exciting discovery. Everyone is welcome to journey with us, so relax, breath in deep, and enjoy!