MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
"Cafe
Scene Paris" (1872) by Henri Gervex ❖❖❖
IN THIS ISSUE GIVING DALLAS ITS DUE By John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER BKB By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR WHAT I'M DRINKING NOW By John Mariani ❖❖❖ GIVING DALLAS ITS DUE By John Mariani "Blue Bonnet Spring" (2014) by Rick Turner
I’ve spent a good deal
of time rolling my eyes whenever my friends and
colleagues in the food and travel media show their
ignorance about Dallas by referencing stereotypes
that might just as easily be applied to anywhere
in Texas, so I’m not about to do that here. For,
not only is Dallas very different from any other
city in Texas, including nearby Fort Worth, it is
now the state’s most diversified, having weathered
both the
recession and the recent drop in oil prices far
better than other cities so intimately tied to the
oil industry. Such
spaces of course beg for major arts events, which
include Broadway shows at the Opera House; an
adaption of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
at the Dallas
Theater Center; and staged readings of the Complete Works of
William Shakespeare at the AT&T
Performing Arts Center.
❖❖❖ NEW YORK CORNER
The
likelihood
of my trekking out to the Hamptons during the
summer is somewhat less than the prospect of my
climbing Mount McKinley in winter. Getting there
is sheer agony. Open nightly for dinner. ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
❖❖❖WHAT I'M DRINKING NOW By John Mariani I suppose I drink
nearly as much white wine as red, but I find the
former rarely impresses me as does the latter
for the distinctions within varietals and for
the importance of terroir and microclimates. Thus,
over the last few weeks, these reds have given
me as much pleasure as wine for thought. Beringer Private
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ($165)—Always in the Big Leagues
of Napa Valley winemaking, Beringer’s Private
Reserve has been winning prizes since the early
1980s for this big, chewy cab, now made by Laurie
Hook in a more balanced way than in the past. At
14.6 percent alcohol it skirts being a blithering
blockbuster, and it shows strong evidence it will
only get better in the next five to ten years.
Virna Lisi in
"The Secret of Santa Vittorio" (1969)
G 2011 Tribute to C.P. ($320)
–South African vintners have been working very
hard to give their country’s wines the cred of the
Old World’s, so when Denis
Dubourdieu and Giorgio Dalla Cia teamed up
winemaker Mia Fischer to make this oddly named blend
of Syrah,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, they
were out to match the Premier Crus of Bordeaux.
With grapes selected
from five different vineyards across the Western
Cape area (with only 1,943
bottles produced), the producers are extremely
selective in the vineyards, picking and sorting
the best, healthiest grapes, which are then hand
crushed. I found this bottling very impressive,
big, bold and a little high in alcohol (15%) but
showing abundant dark fruitiness and tannins tamed
by the Merlot component. It’s boldly priced along
the lines of French cru appellations. Il Fauno di Arcanum
2010
($30)—This Tuscan estate was purchased in
1994 by the Jackson family in the Chianti Classico
region, whence come many of the so-called “Super
Tuscan” Bordeaux-style blends. That
hyper-inflated moniker has pretty much been
dismissed by now, but Arcanum is definitely
producing a Bordeaux blend—56% Merlot, 23%
Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1%
Petit Verdot--that still shows its rustic Italian
style. “Il
Fauno” was supposedly a guardian god of the
territory, where the grapes often ripen early in
rich, clay soils. Winemaker Pierre Seillan
capitalizes on the terroir to produce a truly
luscious I.G.T. wine that rides on its own name
for recognition, and it’s been very successful in
the market at a price far below other Tuscan
beauties of its kind. Josh Cellars Pinot
Noir
($17) –Ever surprising for its consistency,
balance, fruit and price, Josh Cellars produces an
array of wines to be enjoyed any night of the
week, and the Pinot Noir has plenty of cherry
flavors that make it so good with lamb, pork and
wild salmon. Producer
Joseph Carr wants more people to drink wine, and
if that’s going to be the case, he wants most of
them to drink his. Blank Grace Family
Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 ($116) –The Grace Family
Vineyards name, begun by stockbroker Dick Grace,
is one of the most respected in California
viticulture, having established their reputation
in partnering with Caymus and Hartwell Estate
Vineyards. Other estates used their grapes, which
began with one acre back in 1976. The newest
arrangement is with Blank Vineyard, owned by Alan
and Chotsie Blank, in Rutherford, dating back to
the 2001 vintage.
With just 13.8% alcohol this Cabernet
Sauvignon is soft even now. The
price is actually down from some of the earlier
vintages, and I see this on the web for $75 and
up. Tenuta di Ghizzano
Il Ghizzano
2012
($15-$19)—Seven centuries seems long enough to
pretty much guarantee consistency, and Tenuta di
Ghizzano has been made by the Peciolini family
that dates its viticultural heritage to the 14th
century. The estate is in the Colline Pisane
region, near Pisa, and all the family’s wines are
certified organic.
By long tradition the grapes (85%
Sangiovese, 15% Merlot) are crushed underfoot,
using indigenous yeasts, and the finished wines
come in at a delightful 13.5% alcohol. Such a wine
distinguishes those of the Colline Pisane
tradition, which is to make wines that are easy to
drink and difficult to forget. Maison Roche de
Bellene Volnay Vielles Vignes 2011
($35)—This is a new maison
negoçiant bought by Nicolas Potel, who is
focusing on vielles
vignes (vines 40 years old or more) and
terroir and
farming according to the
principles of lutte
raisonée (“sustainable viticulture”). The name
derives from "Belenos," a Greek god of sun and
beauty and the origin of the city name, Beaune. The
Pinot Noir vines in this parcel run 46 to 62 years
of age, with clay and limestone soil that gives it
excellent minerality. The wine spends 15 months in
oak barrels, 20% of them new, and the end result
is an enchanting Volnay with characteristic Pinot
Noir fruit, liveliness, and an admirable 13
percent alcohol.
Melka CJ 2012 ($65)—With 20 years experience
under their belts,
Philippe and Cherie Melka have been making
single vineyard wines in Napa with names like
Jumping Goat, Mekerra, and CJ, their largest
production wine, which draws on the best local
producers. The
CJ (an acronym of their children’s names) is made
unblushingly in a big Cabernet Sauvignon style, at
15.2% alcohol, and it’s going to make those who
love that style very happy without knocking them
off their seats. Philippe
trained in Bordeaux vineyards, Cherie studied
microbiology in Arizona, and the two make a good
match, as shown in their distinctive,
terroir-driven wines with value in mind. Even
today only 1,500 cases are made and are 100%
Cab—something you don’t see all that often anymore
in Napa.
THEN THEY JOINED
MIKE HANLINE
❖❖❖
Any of John Mariani's books below may be ordered from amazon.com. I'm proud and happy to announce that my new book, The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books), has just been published through Amazon and Kindle. It is a novella, and for anyone who loves dogs, Christmas, romance, inspiration, even the supernatural, I hope you'll find this to be a treasured favorite. The story concerns how, after a New England teacher, his wife and their two daughters adopt a stray puppy found in their barn in northern Maine, their lives seem full of promise. But when tragedy strikes, their wonderful dog Lazarus and the spirit of Christmas are the only things that may bring back his master back from the edge of despair. WATCH THE VIDEO! “What a huge surprise turn this story took! I was completely stunned! I truly enjoyed this book and its message.” – Actress Ali MacGraw “He had me at Page One. The amount of heart, human insight, soul searching, and deft literary strength that John Mariani pours into this airtight novella is vertigo-inducing. Perhaps ‘wow’ would be the best comment.” – James Dalessandro, author of Bohemian Heart and 1906. “John Mariani’s Hound in Heaven starts with a well-painted portrayal of an American family, along with the requisite dog. A surprise event flips the action of the novel and captures us for a voyage leading to a hopeful and heart-warming message. A page turning, one sitting read, it’s the perfect antidote for the winter and promotion of holiday celebration.” – Ann Pearlman, author of The Christmas Cookie Club and A Gift for my Sister. “John Mariani’s concise, achingly beautiful novella pulls a literary rabbit out of a hat – a mash-up of the cosmic and the intimate, the tragic and the heart-warming – a Christmas tale for all ages, and all faiths. Read it to your children, read it to yourself… but read it. Early and often. Highly recommended.” – Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Pinkerton’s War, The Sinking of The Eastland, and The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury. “Amazing things happen when you open your heart to an animal. The Hound in Heaven delivers a powerful story of healing that is forged in the spiritual relationship between a man and his best friend. The book brings a message of hope that can enrich our images of family, love, and loss.” – Dr. Barbara Royal, author of The Royal Treatment. ❖❖❖
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FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to four excellent
travel sites: Everett Potter's Travel Report: I consider this the best and
savviest blog of its kind on the web. Potter is a
columnist for USA
Weekend, Diversion, Laptop and Luxury Spa Finder,
a contributing editor for Ski and a frequent contributor
to National
Geographic Traveler, ForbesTraveler.com
and Elle Decor.
"I’ve designed this site is for people who take
their travel seriously," says Potter. "For
travelers who want to learn about special places
but don’t necessarily want to pay through the nose for
the privilege of staying there. Because at the end
of the day, it’s not so much about five-star
places as five-star experiences." THIS WEEK: NEPAL
EARTHQUAKE; KENTUCKY DERBY; LATTER FROM PARIS; THE
WHITNEY MUSEUM.
Eating Las Vegas is the new on-line site for Virtual Gourmet contributor John A. Curtas., who since 1995 has been commenting on the Las Vegas food scene and reviewing restaurants for Nevada Public Radio. He is also the restaurant critic for KLAS TV, Channel 8 in Las Vegas, and his past reviews can be accessed at KNPR.org. Click on the logo below to go directly to his site.
Tennis Resorts Online: A Critical Guide to the World's Best Tennis Resorts and Tennis Camps, published by ROGER COX, who has spent more than two decades writing about tennis travel, including a 17-year stretch for Tennis magazine. He has also written for Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, New York Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Esquire, Money, USTA Magazine, Men's Journal, and The Robb Report. He has authored two books-The World's Best Tennis Vacations (Stephen Greene Press/Viking Penguin, 1990) and The Best Places to Stay in the Rockies (Houghton Mifflin, 1992 & 1994), and the Melbourne (Australia) chapter to the Wall Street Journal Business Guide to Cities of the Pacific Rim (Fodor's Travel Guides, 1991).
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher: John
Mariani.
Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani,
Robert Mariani, Misha
Mariani,
John A. Curtas, Edward Brivio, Mort Hochstein,
Andrew Chalk, Dotty Griffith and Brian Freedman. Contributing
Photographers: Galina Dargery, Bobby
Pirillo. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.
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