Articles about Wine & Spirits
Texas’ Best Sommelier Video: Winning Moments
Texas’ Best Sommelier was crowned on Monday at the Four Seasons in Austin. You know all about it. See what really happened. Watch video of the winning moments as Kim Wood, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, and D’Lynn Proctor, Wine’tastic, tie for third and The Mansion on Turtle Creek’s Scott Barber takes first. Thanks to Kyle Kearbey for editing my shabby attempt at becoming at videographer.
Get Ready to Wine With Me
Miss Amy sends word that Sevy’s Grill is hosting an “Italian Inspirations” wine dinner. However, our Restaurant 101 teacher gets an F in press release 101–she outlined every delicious detail of the event without listing the date. So until she sends me that, I can only tell you that at 6:30 pm, you can have a glass of wine and an amuse bouche before sitting down to a four-course meal paired with wine for only $59.95 per person. Full menu and contact info below. Ready, set, go.
Update: Stop the hate e-mails, folks. I am just trying to have a little fun. The dinner is August 25th. And yes, I get an F in linkology. (more…)
Has Anybody Seen Bottle Shock?
The movie, not the price of below-average Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. I have not but I can’t wait. The film showcases “The Judgement of Paris.” a wine tasting event held in 1976. I remember the controversy created when, after a blind tasting, the snooty French judges rated California Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons over the French wines. It was Miracle on Ice for American wine. Just after the brouhaha, I began working at La Cave (Hi, Frank!), the first wine bar in Dallas, and I watched many a customer reenact the scenario of comparing French wines to Californian–it was great for the wine business. But, I digress.
Long story, short: Dali Wine Bar& Cellar just sent out a press release proclaiming “Bottle Shock Invades Dali.” Seems tomorrow, Wednesday, August 20th, they are going to “present a grand tasting of stellar wines presented by nationally acclaimed wine educator, Master of Wine Joel Butler, from 4:00-7:00pm.” I read the whole release for the Bottle Shock connection and found only this: “Top scoring wines will include selections from Antinori, Chateau St. Michele, and the famed Stag’s Leap “Artemis”… crafted from fabled vineyards that movies are made of.” Yes, I’m being nitpicky, but boys, why the stretch? Do the real deal. Anywhoo, Butler is always interesting, the space is gorgeous, and who doesn’t like wine. Jump for wines and more info. (more…)
Lawry’s to Serve Prime Kangaroo
OK, so I’m just kidding about Lawry’s The Prime Rib serving kangaroo, but it’s a hot topic in the all-things-green world. Many eco-foodies propose eating kangaroo burgers as one “cure” for global warming. Not kidding, you can’t make this stuff up.
To get you in the “roo” spirit, Lawry’s execuchef, Matt “Melon Head” Melton, will host an Australian Wine Dinner featuring Aussie-inspired dishes paired with Australian Kangarilla Road wines. The dinner is set for Friday, August 22 at 7pm. The cost is $69 per guest, plus tax and gratuity. Call 972-503-6688. (I should be congratulated for not referencing “shrimp on the barbie.” Whoops. Since I slipped, let me ask you this: does that phrase refer to a short Ken doll? Always curious.)
Texas’ Best Sommelier 2008: Dallas’ Scott Barber
The Mansion on Turtle Creek’s Scott Barber is named Texas’ Best Sommelier 2008. The prize–$2500 for Court of Master Sommelier education and bragging rights for a year. Two Dallas sommeliers tied for third place–D’Lynn Proctor from Wine’tastic and Kim Wood from Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. Second place went to San Antonio’s Laura Atkinson. Congratulations, all. Photos and video clips to come.
Texsom Update: Washington Seminar
Washington State is not all as rainy as Seattle. It’s hard to imagine growing grapes in Washington until you realize there is a rainshadow effect that stops the rain heading too far east, barely making it past the Cascades Mountains. Nestled between that mountain range and the Rockies is the Columbia Valley where the majority of Washington wines are produced. Shayn Bjornholm, M.S. and educational director for the Washington Wine Commission, said the area is ideal for growing grapes because although the region is techically a semi-continental desert, there is a 40 degree shift at night that allows the grapes to cool. We focused on Syrah, which is quickly becoming Washington’s signature varietal. The area is peppered with old, dormant volcanoes. The evidence is in the soil, which is rich with basalt. It drains well and lends an old-world minerality that is rare on this side of the Atlantic. Technical Alert: Washington does not have to graft their vines to combat Phylloxera. The little pests cannot thrive in Washington because of the intense heat and wind (correction: sandy soil). With very few exceptions, most vines must be grafted from France to Napa. Washington is one of about three or four regions worldwide that can survive without grafting. Of course it could be said that these Syrahs will show a natural expression of the fruit than cannot be achieved even in the Rhone region of France where the grape is indigenous. They’re studying this. I’m sure once they can prove that’s true, we’ll all hear about it. Follow the jump for tasting notes for six outstanding Syrahs.
Congratulations D’Lynn Proctor
I ran into Wine’tastic sommelier D’Lynn Proctor today after he completed his grueling exam. He’s one of seven Dallas sommeliers competing for the title of Texas’ Best Sommelier. We’ll find out the winner at Monday night’s Grand Tasting. Proctor was also recently named Best New Sommelier in America 2008 by Wine and Spirits magazine. Congratulations, D’Lynn.
photo courtesy of Texas Sommelier Conference 2008
Texsom 2008 Photo Gallery
I know it won’t replace the thrill of being here personally, but check out the photo gallery. I’ll add photos over the next two days, so check back often.
photo courtesy of Texas Sommelier Conference 2008
Master Sommeliers, Shiner, and The Salt Lick
We piled in the tour bus heading to Driftwood, Texas for a night of beer, wine, and barbecue at The Salt Lick–the official kick-off party for the 2008 Texas Sommelier Conference. The bus was filled with several of the most influential Master Sommeliers in the country. Naturally, I thought the ride was going to be punctuated by heated debates about acidity levels in Sangiovese grapes or something along those lines. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Turns out, Master Sommeliers really like beer. Shiner Bock and Lone Star to be exact. Several of the most influential MS’ in the world had the bus driver stop at a roadside liquor store to grab a few cases for the group. This is going to be a fun weekend. Once we arrived at The Salt Lick, Ray Wylie Hubbard was getting ready to start a set as the wine corks started to pop. Check out a video of Hubbard playing while Master Sommeliers Guy Stout and Fred Dame (in the white cowboy hat) dance a few lucky ladies around the room. Follow the jump for a list of my favorite wines of the night (all from Australia) and more blurry pics. I will have many more in focus pics in the coming days.
More Great Drinking Deals, This Time from Sevy’s
Amy Severson sends along this note on the heels of my Nove post:
Just to let you know: Sevy’s all-day, everyday prices for beer are $3.50 domestic, $4.50 import. Our house wines by the glass average $7 and our bartenders know what a REAL pour is. Patio weather is just around the corner so keep us in mind!
Sounds great, Amy. Is it time to drink yet?
Live Blogging from the Texas Sommelier Conference
This weekend I will be heading down the Austin for the Texas Sommelier Conference. I will be live blogging all-day on Sunday and Monday between seminars. Be sure to tune in. Expect highlights, pics, and interviews with local sommeliers and the Master Sommeliers in town to judge the Texas’ Best Sommelier contest and lead seminars. In preparation and training for the working weekend, I am on a strict diet of Viognier and New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, increasing the number of glasses I drink each day. One of my poor co-workers is training for a marathon. Training for a sommelier conference is much more fun. Texas’ Best Sommelier will be announced Monday evening.
Tastings Galore
So you aren’t interested in any of the wine tastings going on this month. Well, how about a beer tasting? The Libertine Bar is hosting its monthly beer dinner on August 26 at 7 pm, featuring specialty ales and lagers like El Salvador Pilsner and Unibroue Blanche de Chambly. And to complement the flavors of the featured five, they’ve gone the extra step and paired them with mouth-watering dishes like lobster sliders and mascarpone mushroom ravioli. Lobster sliders? I’d go just to try those. The dinner is $40 and reservations are required.
Where to Bend Your Elbow/Paw This Labor Day
Petfinder.com sends word today of a few local watering holes where you can hang with your pooch over Labor Day. Jump if you’re interested. (And comments are open for those who can add to this list.)
Deerfield Ranch is Zinfully Delicious
The Abacus dining room broke out in a hushed murmur at a recent wine and cheese pairing when Deerfield Ranch Winery Winemaker Robert Rex said the velvety smooth Zinfandel we were imbibing was 17.5 percent alcohol. Reverberations of “but it’s not hot,” and “there’s no burn, how it that possible?” bounced around the room before Rex explained his Buchignani Garcia Vineyard Zinfandel was made with a specialized yeast that can live and thrive in juice with up to 18 percent alcohol. Adding to the comlexity, Rex said the vines were 115 years old giving the wine an elegance and body. This Zinfandel is the reason the varietal is so close to my heart. It’s big, bold, and unexpected. I’m still locating where you’ll be able to buy it locally, but you can get it online here.
LightCatcher Winemaker Dinner
If you’re looking for something to pique your palate this weekend, then head over to LightCatcher Winery in Fort Worth on Saturday to get a chance to taste the Sangria Summer Port (a new release) at this month’s Winemaker Dinner. Winemaker Caris Turpen sets the menu and pairs each dish with one of her wines. The paella paired with a refreshing rosé sounds like the perfect summer nosh. Click here for details.
Gay Boys Two-Time Me
OMG, I feel like Susan Hayward in I’ll Cry Tomorrow. You know, the movie with the greatest tagline EVER: ” Filmed on location; inside a woman’s soul.” At one point Hayward’s character, Lilian Roth, has it all–fame, fortune, a thriving career, and a stable of gay men to style her fabulous wardrobe.
Then–poof–and the puffs are gone. (Sorry I’m mixing my FagHag movies here.)
I backfill here to get you up to speed: just a couple of weeks ago Les Boys over at Gay List Daily ran their first their “Hooray for Hags” profile which featured me. Today I wake up to find they are recommening THIS!
Oh, I’m spinning out. My inner-Lilian is coming forward: “I can’t be anything except what I am! Look, look–what did you drop that bottle for? What are you trying to do, drive me crazy? Go on, GET THE BOTTLE! GET IT NOW!”
(Exit stage left.)
Chef Casey Thompson Leaves Shinsei Restaurant
Ding, dang I take part of the morning off to pay bills and the world continues on without me. I know it’s all over town, but I’m going on the record here: chef Casey Thompson sent out this e-mail this earlier:
“My years as executive chef of Shinsei have been a wonderful experience. At this time, I am currently exploring a variety of culinary opportunities. I appreciate the opportunities provided to me at Shinsei and wish them all of the best for the future.”
Methinks she’s got something in the bag because, let’s face it, the future isn’t looking to good to the majority of us. Perhaps she’s leaving town. I don’t know. I will, however, do my best to find out. I think Shinsei should hire Lisa Garza.
How to Order Your Sambatini
Last night was our annual Best of Big D party, which, this year, was a dressed-up affair held at the Dallas Galleria in a space sandwiched between Grill on the Alley and SushiSamba. Pre-party festivities included drinks with Eric and Stephanie at SushiSamba’s bar, where we were able to take advantage of the restaurant’s happy hour specials. I ordered the Sambatini (for just $5), made from juices, muddled citrus fruit, and Bacardi rum. Steph ordered hers with citron vodka instead of rum, which was an improvement over my version. SushiSamba also offers $5 beer and well drinks, $5 samba rolls, and $5 appetizers (hello, green bean tempura) during its 5 to 7 p.m. happy hour. Bottoms up.
Videos of Domaine Chandon Winemaker Jim Kress
Domaine Chandon Winemaker Jim Kress stopped by the D offices recently to talk about some exciting new still wine offerings. Of course you know and love their sparkling wines, but did you know they produce a memorable Pinot Meunier? Check out these video clips for more detail about each wine.
2007 Unoaked Chardonnay
2007 Unoaked Pinot Noir Rose
2006 Carneros Pinot Meunier
2006 Carneros Pinot Noir
National Ice Cream Soda Day? Really?
As you can imagine, we get some pretty ridiculous press releases here. But according to Kelly David at 5W Public Relations in New York–and, apparently, according to GQ and the New York Times, she says–root beer is all the rage! So, Dishers, do yourselves a favor and make an ice cream soda this Sunday, aka, National Ice Cream Soda Day! But if you’re going to do it, throw some vodka in the mix, will ya? Which brings me back to said press release–the company in question represents Three Olives Vodka, so she kindly sent along recipes for ice cream sodas, adult-style, featuring root beer, cherry, and vanilla vodkas. (One of Three Olives’ newly released flavors is tomato! Blech!) I can’t make this stuff up, folks. Stay with me after the jump for recipes. (more…)
Do You Like Fresh Italian Cheese?
I do, I do. So does Paul DiCarlo over at Jimmy’s Food Store. Paul just announced that next week he is doing a pre-order of two of my favorites: burrata and stracchino. I still dream about an arugula salad and cherry tomatoes topped with a couple of dollops of warm burrata drizzled with olive oil I ate in San Francisco. Don’t go crazy ordering it, once it’s made, burrata only keeps 4 or 5 days. Stracchino, with a taste that is sort of a cross between buttermilk and brie, lasts a little longer–say 10 days–but Mr. DiCarlo says that it freezes well. So there you have it. But where would Italian cheese be without Italian wine? I am so glad you asked. Jimmy’s is having a wine closeout on Vivante, a dry Lambrusco, which is “perfect for a summer BBQ.” Regularly priced at $10.99, Mr. D has marked it down to $5.99 a bottle or $30 fir a 6-pack. E-mail paul@jimmysfoodstore.com your cheese orders. Get off the couch and hit the store for the wine. 4901 Bryan at Fitzhugh. 214-823-6180.
Calling All Chefs: Go Texan for Dine-Out Day
Come on, chefs. We don’t need Sonoma’s fancy Cowgirl Cheese when we have the mother of all artisan cheeses (Paula Lambert’s Mozzarella Company) in our own backyard. This Oct. 1 is the inaugural Go Texan Dine-Out Day and the Texas Department of Agriculture is asking chefs all over the state to create special Texas menu items served with Texas wines as part of its Go Texan Restaurant Round-Up. October is also Texas Wine Month. The whole month. It will be your duty as a Texan to drink wine. When will you ever hear that again? Click here to sign up for the Go Texan Restaurant Round-Up. Why should local restaurateurs consider this? Follow the jump to see the perks listed in the TDA’s press release.
Texas’ Best Sommelier Competition
It’s that time of year again. Time for Texas’ wine smarties to cleanse their palates and sharpen their foil cutters because Texas’ Best Sommelier Competition is set for Aug 17-18 at the Four Seasons in Austin. You might remember this article about its founders James Tidwell and Drew Hendricks and the poor souls that put themselves through the rigors of wine education training. Hey. It’s hard work, people. Well, expect to get the inside scoop this year because I will be heading down to Austin to do a bit of live blogging. Not only is there a fancy competition, but two days of seminars given by Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine. I can’t wait. The competition is by application only, but the seminars are open to the public. I hear Fred Dame, MS and president of the guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation, is going to be there. He’s reason enough to attend. The guy’s a genius. Here’s a link to the schedule and registration.
Rick Stein’s Steakhouse Closes
Thanks again to Teresa Gubbins for the news: Rick Stein’s closed Tuesday. People, hug a farmer and feed a chef. Please.
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