Köfererhof & Waldgries, Waldgries & Köfererhof

Just last week, Mallory and I had the opportunity to attend a wine dinner at Cinghiale in Harbor East.  Now, anyone who knows Foreman Wolf restaurants well knows they put on spectacular wine dinners.  It's stellar food (that is created specifically for the event - not just menu items paired with various wines) combined with multiple wines for each course, almost always combined with a winemaker.

This dinner followed the same vein, but had two fantastic winemakers and wineries represented instead of the usual one.  In this case it was Köfererhof and Waldgries, from Alto Adige, just on the Italian side of the Austrian border.  Once part of Austria-Hungary until annexed by Italy in 1919, the Austrian and Germanic influences on both the cuisine and the wine is evident.  Even the winery's literature is in German and Italian.

Winegrowing and winemaking in Alto Adige predates Roman times, and has been ongoing for over 3,000 years.  It is not an easy place to make wine, as the region is located within the Southern Alps and Dolomites.  Vineyards are often located on steep, terraced slopes that need to be harvested by hand, due to the inability to get equipment on that gradient.  While nearly 60% of the wine made here is white, Aldo Adige is actually home to two indigenous red grapes, Schiava and Lagrein.  We'll get into that a bit more later.  13,000 acres of land are under vine in Alto Adige, which translates into nearly 4,000,000 cases of wine produced annually.  For comparisons sake, the Napa Valley produces over 9,000,000 cases annually.

Anyway, on to the main event!  Köfererhof and Waldgries were each represented by their respective winemakers, Guenther Kerschbaumer and Christian Plattner.  Everyone at the dinner had the opportunity to interact with Guenther and Christian (sometimes through a translator, as Guenther spoke very little English), and we had the opportunity to hear about each winemaker's philosophy on winemaking, thoughts on the region, and perception of their (and each others!) wine.

From our interactions, we learned that Köfererhof consists of barely 12 acres of vineyard at the base of the Dolomites.  Their plantings are at elevations of between 2,300 and 2,600 feet.  Guenther's wines tend to be closer to Austrian in style than Italian.

Waldgries began producing wine in 1242 (not a typo!)  Only 18 acres under vine here, Christian thoroughly enjoys working with Alto Adige's indigenous grapes, and most of his production comes from them.

Food for the evening began with passed antipasti, including a charcuterie plate that included Speck, Smoked Duck Breast, and Pork Testa Terrine.  A skewer of Grilled Calf's Liver and Sweetbreads soon materialized as well, sandwiching a sumptuous mushroom.  First of all, let me say I could eat charcuterie all day long.  And the skewer, with the creamy sweetbreads and rich liver was much better than I could have imagined.  But trying it with Köfererhof and Waldgries wines elevated it to a different level.  

Mallory and I started out with a taste of the 2013 Köfererhof Pinot Grigio, which acted as a perfect method of awakening our palates.  Much different than Pinot Grigio from farther south, this one was only slightly acidic and had a very pleasant finish.  The 2013 Waldgries Sauvignon (Sauvignon Blanc), however, was sublime.  The nose was spectacular - I can still remember feeling as if I was standing in a field of wildflowers while inhaling its aroma.  Never have I experienced a Sauvignon with such an intense aspect of florality.  And on the palate, the balance was exquisite.  Barely a hit of acid and with a creaminess more reticent of something that sees oak (think Lail Vineyards Georgia Sauvignon Blanc), it was my absolute favorite of the night.  We rounded off the antipasti course with a gem of a red wine that handled itself surprisingly well with the varying tastes and textures of the charcuterie and organ meats.  The 2013 Waldgries St. Magdalener Schiava is low in alcohol (session wine?), only moderately acidic, and quite fruity.  This could easily be an everyday drinker for me - a high-end "deck wine" if you will.  I'm quite sorry to say that after the Sauvignon, it became a bit of an afterthought.

After sampling through the three wines, we were directed to our chairs and the Primo of Schlutzkrapfen, a rye ravioli filled with the perfect amount of spinach and ricotta and served in a light sauce of black trumpet and hedgehog mushrooms.  Mallory always says that she knows I like something when I cut it into tiny pieces in order to savor it; this dish fit that bill exactly.  I cut each piece of ravioli into four tiny pieces in order to savor it!  Accompanying this course were three Köfererhof wines representing the 2013 vintage: Müller Thurgau, Sylvaner, and Kerner (See the theme? Köfererhof only makes white wine).  All three wines matched beautifully to the course, but I happened to prefer the Kerner.  Most of the dinner guests enjoyed the Sylvaner the most, but for me, the aromatics of the Kerner along with its raciness helped cut through the earthy mushrooms in order to highlight the pasta.  Apparently, Kerner is the everyday wine of many who reside in Alto Adige, and you're likely to find it on quite a few dinner tables.  I can live with that!

Our Secondi was up next, and was a main course of Pine Smoked Venison Leg with Fermented Blueberries, Roasted Parsnips, and a hint of Lavender.  Cinghiale's Executive Chef Julian Marucci and his kitchen team knocked this one out of the park.  Looking like a sliced Filet Mignon upon arrival at the table, the meat was cooked a brilliant medium rare and finished with a tasty sear that left an amazingly subtle crust.  After first taste it was quite clear this was not a Filet - it was lighter than steak, with a great, lightly-smoked flavor that accentuated the wines with only a slight hint of game.  Having it with the fermented blueberries made for an explosion of tastes that instantly transported me to a pine forest.  With this we were served a white wine and two reds: 2013 Köfererhof Gewurtraminer (served in Burgundy glasses to accentuate the aromatics) and a mini-vertical of 2012 and 2013 Lagrein from Waldgries.  While the Gewurtz was wonderful and reticent of some of the best Alsatians I've had (though still with it's own characteristics, of course), you had to have blueberries on your fork along with the venison to appreciate it.  It was the Lagrein that stole the show with this course.  The table seemed to enjoy the 2012 better, as it had mellowed quite a bit from when it was bottled and had rounder edges.  But I preferred the 2013.  Full-bodied and earthy with just the right amount of tannins, this wine powered through the crust, the smokiness, and the hint of lavender to leave nothing but the purity of the venison on the palate.  And to me, the tannins helped to extend the finish as well.

Dinner ended with small pours of the 2011 Waldgries Moscato Rosa to accompanya smorgasbord of Dolci: Apple cake, fresh donuts, and hazlenut crescent cookies for the table.  Accompaniments were brought out as well, including lemon curd to go with the donuts (Mallory's favorite!)  Nothing was too sweet, which certainly contributed to the wonderful pairing with the Moscato Rosa.

All in all, we had an amazing evening.  We left full, but not too full.  Happy, but not too happy (if you know what I mean).  Foreman Wolf knows how to put on an event, and this one was no slouch.  Service was stellar, but unobtrusive.  Chef Mariucci came out to greet the guests, and Lindsay Willey, Foreman Wolf's Chief Sommelier, was there throughout the evening to talk with guests and answer questions. 

Bring on the next one, guys.  Mallory and I will be there.

Author's Note: Foreman Wolf goes beyond food and service when it comes to these events - they advertise the cost of the evening as inclusive of tax and tip.  While this may not be a big deal to most people, the cost of a $100+ wine dinner skyrockets when tax and tip are included later on.  Think about it - add about 7% for tax (food and alcohol are taxed differently in Maryland!) and 18%-20% for gratuity, and the cost of your $100 five course dinner just got a hell of a lot higher.  Inclusive pricing also provides one more benefit; no checks at the end of the night.  You pay in advance, and when you're ready to leave, you leave.  No waiting on servers to deliver the check, then run your card, then bring it back.  There is no awkward moment of splitting the check with friends (or with your wife), and you know, up front, what the whole evening is going to cost.  Why don't more places do this?  

The Four Graces - Surprise, Surprise!

You know how every now and the, something just jumps out at you as being satisfying in a way you never imagined?  Well, that happened to me and Mallory at The Four Graces Winery.

A little bit of background may be needed here, as it's been awhile since I have posted.  Soon after my last entry, Mallory and I took a trip out to Oregon to visit Portland and the Willamette Valley.  Time and life got away from me, and I'm just now getting back into posting.  But I digress.  We had three days of winery visits scheduled and The Four Graces wasn't on any of our lists as having to visit.  However, thanks to the magic that is Airbnb, we rented a house that sat on a vineyard in the Dundee Hills.  That vineyard happens to hold the estate fruit that belongs to The Four Graces.

Having some extra time before we had to leave for the airport, we decided to check out the tasting room of the winery whose Pinot Noir fruit we'd been eating directly off the vine for the last three days (mind you, we weren't trespassing - we were told we were free to wander the vineyards and sample what was still hanging on the vines, as harvest had just wrapped up a few days earlier).  I couldn't have been more pleased at our experience there.

Pulling into the small parking lot right off of Highway 99W in Dundee, we came across the historic white farmhouse that serves as The Four Graces' tasting room.  Stepping inside, we were immediately greeted by the jovial Francois and his partner in crime, Paul, along with a raucous crowd of older gentleman who were there picking up their wine club shipments.  It was quite a warm, inviting atmosphere to step in to on a rainy Tuesday morning on our way to the airport!  Francois proceeded to direct us to the nearest tasting bar, where he poured us a healthy taste of 2013 Pinot Gris while telling us about the property and the history of the winery.

The Four Graces Winery was founded in 2003 by Paula and Steven Black with the purchase of their now-eponymous vineyard in the Dundee Hills, and was promptly named in honor of their four daughters.  Two years later, they expanded the winery's holdings by taking over the operation of the Doe Ridge Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton in order to diversify their offerings and create wine from a different area of the Willamette.  Now, The Four Graces produces single varietal bottlings of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc under the steady hand of renowned winemaker Laurent Montalieu.  The Black family has experimented with Low Impact Viticulture and Oenology at the Doe Ridge Vineyard, farming 20 acres of their holdings there sustainably, and 20 acres biodynamically.

While listening to all of this, I was quite enjoying the Pinot Gris in my glass.  A wonderful entry level white wine offering from the Willamette, I was quite enamored with the mineral aspects that shone through.  Moving on the the 2013 Willamette Pinot Blanc, we were able to contrast the styles of the two grapes, with the Pinot Blanc coming across with a bit more fruit and brightness from what I can remember.

From here, Francois took us on to the reds and the Pinot Noir.  This is where the tasting really took off.  As part of your tasting, you are only meant to have two Pinot Noirs, the 2012 Yamhill Carlton and the 2012 Dundee Hills.  But Francois snuck in our first extra pour, one of their entry level 2012 Willamette Pinot Noir.  At $32 retail, it may be a bit pricy to consider entry level, and I would probably compare this one more to a California style Pinot than an Oregonian as the fruit shines through moreso than the terroir.  Tasty and well balanced nonetheless, it's a very nice wine.  But my favorites were yet to come.

What I would say are the showcase wines of The Four Graces, their higher end Pinot Noirs are actually single vineyard Pinots from either the Doe Ridge Estate Vineyard or the Black Family Estate Vineyard.  There are two wines solely sourced from each of those vineyards, with different characteristics reticent of the terroir that simply shines in these beautiful expressions of the fickle Pinot Noir grape.

First, we were poured the 2012 Yamhill Carlton Pinot Noir.  Nine months in French oak contribute a fantastic softness to this wine that really pulls in the earthiness of the sedimentary soils known as Willakenzie.  $45 for a wine of this caliber was a steal.

Next, Francois took us on to the 2012 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, made from the vineyard in which the Tasting Room was essentially standing.  Also aged for nine months, this gem has the terroir of the jory-soiled Dundee Hills screaming from the glass.  As Mallory and I found out, we thoroughly enjoyed Dundee Hills wines above those from other AVA's, and the two offerings from The Four Graces that were made with Black Family Vineyard-sourced fruit were quintessential examples (more on the other one in a moment!).  The typical Oregon Pinot quality of cherry and a bit of cola was evident, but so was the extreme level of earthiness that comes from the iron rich soil in the Hills.  Again, for $45, buy cases if you can find it!

At that point, we were finished with what was on the tasting sheet.  But Francois had other plans for us, and into our glass he poured us a 2011 Black Family Estate Pinot Noir.  Walking us out into the vineyard, he proceeded to show us the exact area within the vineyard that housed the blocks used in this wine.  To us, not much is better than standing in a vineyard, sampling the result of thousands of hours of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears.  But when you do that while staring at the exact blocks that contributed to the wine in your hand?  It's a transcendental experience.  I felt as if I was truly a part of The Four Graces at that point; drinking a spectacular wine with a finish that lingered forever, getting lovely dark fruit on the palate and recognizing the backbone that will keep this wine drinking well for years.  I still can't get over it.  The best part of it all?  It still wasn't over.

Not much left after harvest!

Francois took us back inside where he took us back to Yamhill Carlton, in the form of the 2011 Doe Ridge Estate Pinot Noir.  Here, the dark cherry lept out, as did something that reminded me of my grandparent's house (spices? leather? maybe a hint of tobacco or something like that?) that rounded everything out and brought it together at the same time.  Another spectacular bottling that truly is a wonderful example of Oregon Pinot Noir.

Our tasting finally finished, Francois offered to allow us to revisit anything that we had tasted and obliged us with a mini horizontal of the Doe Ridge and Black Family side by side, as well as a horizontal of the Yamhill Carlton and Dundee Hills Pinots.  Through all of this, while comparing and contrasting and deciding what we were to take home with us, Francois indulged us in tales of his time living and cooking in France (he was a chef in Burgundy, and Mallory and I were engaged in the city of Beaune), even giving us restaurant recommendations for when we return.  It was during this conversation that we realized we had to get moving to the airport, and after one last taste of the Black Family Estate Pinot Noir - and after signing up for the Four Graces Wine Club - we were on our way back to Baltimore.

I must say, our hour and a half at The Four Graces was some of the best time we spent in the Willamette.  Francois and Paul made us feel 100% at home and part of the family.  Never were we pushed to buy wine or join the club, even though we had every intention of doing so.  The Black Family and Lauren Montalieu have done a superior job in crafting wines for every palate and wallet, while still doing what they want to do.  From top to bottom, you cannot go wrong with a visit to The Four Graces.  Just ask questions, be engaged, and be interested - your curiosity will be rewarded tenfold with knowledge, conversation, and enchanting wine.    

Author's Note: In the Spring of 2014, Foley Family Wines purchased The Four Graces from the Black Family.  Discussing this with Francois and Paul, they are convinced this is a good thing for the future of The Four Graces.  Bill Foley is apparently a hands-off owner, and the changes he has instituted have so far only benefited the consumer.  For example, Foley uses the power of volume from his various holdings to keep shipping costs exceptionally low - $15 per shipment to the east coast.  While more change will surely be in store (already, the nod to the Black Family in the Four Graces crest has become a nod to the Foley Family in the most recent club shipments), hopefully Mr. Foley will continue his trend of staying out of the winemaking side of things while only improving the business aspects.  So far, so good, as Laurent Montalieu has been retained as winemaker!

An Evening at Aggio

About a week and a half ago, Mallory and I and another couple met at Chef Bryan Voltaggio's newest establishment, Aggio. The same concept as Aggio in Washington, DC (though this one is stand-alone as opposed to within another restaurant concept), this is Chef Voltaggio's first foray into Baltimore.

His timing is perfect, with the dearth of good Italian restaurants in Baltimore (Cinghiale aside!). And the evening was near perfect as well.

Aggio is located just outside the "gates" of Power Plant Live, where the Asian restaurant Tatu was once located. It is a couple of storefronts down from the Power Plant Live plaza, which limits the noise and the hullabaloo and hopefully restricts some of their patrons from stumbling in. Entering the restaurant seemed to challenge some people, as we saw more than one group attempt to come in via the patio doors, which were locked. A series of planters block the main entrance, funneling diners entering from the west onto the patio. When you go, make sure to enter underneath the awning!

The footprint of the space is the same as when it was Tatu, though there is new lighting, upgraded seating, and a new color scheme. I'm not quite sure why, but Italian and Italian-American movies were being projected onto the wall near the front entrance.

Mallory and I sat down at the bar to wait for our friends and ordered a quick drink. The first thing we noticed? The lights are bright. If you don't like to feel as if you're in the spotlight, the bar proper may not be for you. Ask to sit at one of the tables against the side wall if that's the case. The second thing we noticed? The bar is top shelf. No displays of flavored vodkas or Pucker; just lines of top-notch Italian apertifs and digestifs, fantastic high-end spirits, and an upper shelf of quality whiskey and Scotch.

After our friends arrived, we were seated at our table. Again with the lighting! It was a great table far from traffic patterns and the bar area, but directly underneath a seriously bright, undimmable (trust me, we asked!) CFL. I'm all for lowering your energy costs, but a good doc could have operated by that light! After a few minutes, we spoke to our server and he graciously offered to relocate us to a darker section of the restaurant. We were much obliged.

After being handed the menu - and having a few minutes to look it over - our group decided to forgo main courses and instead make a meal of piccolo piatti, antipasti, and primi. It was a decision we did not regret.

Note: As I cannot speak to the plates our friends had, I will only be commenting on dishes Mallory and I had.

Upon placing our orders, we asked to meet one of the Sommeliers, Chris Coker, who happens to be a bit of a legend on the Baltimore wine scene. Chris has a history of working at some of the best wine-centric restaurants in the city. From Corks with Jerry Pellegrino, to Blue Grass in South Baltimore, to Jack's Bistro before moving to Aggio, Chris has a reputation of finding spectacular bottlings for the price point that pair amazingly well his chef's menus. He did not disappoint! We simply told Chris that we wanted two bottles - a red and a white - that would pair reasonably well with what we were trying to order (not an easy task when we had six plates total, and eight different dishes, to pair). His choices turned out to be perfect.

After we had ordered our food and wine, a server started the meal off on a high note with bread for the table accompanied by housemade whipped ricotta cheese and a Parmesan funnel cake. Yes, you read that right. Parmesan. Funnel. Cake. Now the housemade ricotta put any other ricotta I've had around here to shame. But this was Parmesan funnel cake! The same consistency of the stuff you get at the state fair (though not nearly as greasy!), but with a tangy twinge of Parmesan that elevated it to massive heights!

A few seconds after we were done fighting over the scraps of funnel cake, our wine arrived. Chris had chosen a 2013 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis to match our first few courses, and a 2011 Passopisciaro Etna Rosso as the red to round out dinner. The Roero Arneis went amazingly with the Burrata courses we had. The full bodied white wine matched the creaminess of the burrata and was unfazed by the peaches and prosciutto the cheese was resting on. Fantastic dish + wonderful wine = happy couple! Everything on the plate played off of and enhanced the other ingredients while leaving the burrata as the star attraction. The beets paired well with the wine also, as the combination of pine nuts, rosemary, and beets along with peppery arugula simply shined.

After a bit of a break, the first course of pasta arrived. First the Lasagna, then the Ricotta Gnocchi. We counted at least nine layers on the lasagna dressed perfectly with a lamb bolognese and accented with a unique smoked pecorino. Certainly the most labor intensive lasagna I've ever seen, and one of the best too. Next time, I'll take a double! Then, the Ricotta Gnocchi, which had just the right amount of heat on the back end thanks to chili flakes in the pomodoro, and just a bit of fat from pancetta that made it great with the Etna Rosso and not too bad with the Roero Arneis.

This is where the evening became a bit more interesting. As Aggio has pretty much impeccable service, they employ a team technique to your table, which means you are taken care of by a number of servers, seemingly without one in charge. It makes for a wonderful service, but holes can develop - which is what happened to us. Seemingly our team forgot to fire our second course of pasta! However, after about 40 minutes (thankfully the company - and the wine - was wonderful) Chris returned to our table, apologized for the delay and offered us complimentary dessert and another glass of wine to accompany our final savory course. This was completely unexpected, most welcome, and really topped the evening off. And the wine, a 2012 Bruno Rocca Nebbiolo Langhe, was spectacular, not to mention off-list. Oddly enough for a Nebbiolo, this was bright and fruity with only a hint of tannin for structure.

A few moments later, our final pasta dishes came out. First, the Corn Cappellacci. If anyone has ever been to Volt (Chef Voltaggio's first restaurant, in Frederick, MD), you know how wonderful the Corn Ravioli can be. This is just as good; seemingly summer on a plate with some basil and slowly cooked tomatoes accompanying a bright, fresh pillow of pasta stuffed with corn and ricotta. It was the highlight of the meal. Then onto the Strozzapretti, with an oxtail ragu highlighted by a bit of orange flavoring and bittered by dark chocolate that really hit it off with the Nebbiolo.

We wrapped up the meal with two wonderful desserts, Affogatto and Tiramisu. The Affogatto was the traditional dessert, with a perfectly pulled espresso poured over salted caramel ice cream (our choice!). It was a unique combination to say the least, but one that worked pretty well. But it was the Tiramisu that really surprised us, as when it arrived it looked absolutely nothing like traditional Tiramisu. Instead, it took a page from the Volt book of whimsy and came to the table deconstructed, with mascarpone ice cream, a coffee "cloud", and coffee-chocolate "soil" topping the dish. It was presented wonderfully, and came together rather spectacularly at the end.

After a wonderful evening, our group departed Aggio happy, satiated, and ready to return. The night was incredible, and Chris Coker and the rest of the Aggio team made a group of everyday people feel like the most important table in the restaurant. Though not perfect, Aggio took responsibility for their mistakes, and made things right - something not many restaurants are willing to do nowadays. For that reason alone, we would return. But the food, the wine, and the service made it an experience we soon won't forget. Aggio, we will be back.

I'm On a Boat!

This past Friday, Mallory and I took advantage of an invitation to attend a Benovia Winery tasting aboard the M/Y Bella Una, a 127-foot super yacht that was docked at the Harborview Marina and Yacht Club in south Baltimore.  It was truly the experience of a lifetime and one that may not be duplicated any time soon.

The yacht was moored at K-dock, the farthest from the Yacht Club entrance.  After walking down past numerous other docks (and wondering if we were headed in the right direction), we came to a gated entrance that an attendant had to open for us.  With the exception of the Tiki Barge, this is clearly the dock reserved for the super yachts.  A number of 100+ footers were moored here, with the Bella Una being the second one past Tiki Barge.  Even though we never left the dock, it turned out to be the perfect viewing location of everything happening on the water.  The marina was right in the middle of the Star-Spangeled Spectacular, and there were tall ships, military vessels, and private watercraft all around us.

Upon checking in - and being asked to remove our shoes - we boarded the vessel and were immediately greeted with a glass of Benovia's 2013 Rose of Pinot Noir.  It was the perfect way to begin our evening, and is a gorgeous pairing for an evening on the water.  At $24 retail, get a case!

From there, it was into the salon where there were two tasting stations (Chardonnay at one, Pinot Noir at the other), an hors d'oeuvre station, and a flat paneled television that rose up out of its housing in a wooden cabinet to display incredible views of the Benovia property.

We began tasting through the Chardonnay being offered:

2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay - A tasty Chard primarily from Benovia's Martaella estate vineyard, blended with the wares of a few other Sonoma County growers.

2012 Ft. Ross-Seaview Chardonnay - What was described to us the most "Burgundian" of Benovia's offerings coming from selected blocks in the Charles Vineyard near the town of Seaview, CA.

2011 La Pommeraie Chardonnay - My favorite of the bunch, aged for 16 months in a combination of new and old oak from a vineyard that was once an apple orchard (hence the name - Pommeraie is "apple orchard" in French) on the edge of Green Valley.  Though more new oak is used in this than the Ft. Ross-Seaview, its presence is much more nuanced here and - to me - integrated more seamlessly.

As the salon was getting a bit crowded during our tasting (and along with not wanting to be "those people" who crowd tasting tables never to allow other guests to taste), we began exploring the boat.  Moving upstairs, we found a sitting room that had been turned into yet another tasting salon.  This appeared to be the sitting room for the main cabin (though don't quote me on that), which was not open to the group tasting.  Deciding to see what more there was, Mallory and I went outside and climbed the stairs to the sun deck, complete with hot tub, bar, and wonderful views of downtown Baltimore.

It was up here next to the fly bridge (where my wine glass is resting in the above photo) that we camped for awhile, enjoying the wonderful harbor breezes and drinking in the view during the Baltimore sunset.  It also didn't hurt that the Bella Una crew was continually bringing canapes and hors d'oeuvres up to us, either!

Pretty soon, we had exhausted the Chardonnay offerings and moved onto the Pinot Noir that was in the downstairs salon:

2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - As with the Russian River Chardonnay, this is a blend of Pinot from Benovia's estate vineyards along with select fruit from other Sonoma County growers.  Very approachable, this is a wine you could easily sip all night long.

2012 Martaella Pinot Noir - The first of the single vineyard estate Pinot Noir bottlings, this is a brand new offering for 2012.  There seemed to be a bit more depth and concentration than the Russian River.  I liked this more and more as the evening went on and I had the opportunity to revisit it.

2012 Tilton Hill Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - Another single vineyard bottling, this Pinot Noir is sourced from the coldest of Benovia's estate vineyards, this one located on the coast only a couple of miles from the ocean.  The vineyards have been planted at high density, forcing the vines to fight harder for water and nutrients resulting in smaller vines with fruit of a higher intensity than expected.  The vineyard was planted in 2009.  Hands down, this was my favorite offering of the evening.  Although I think this might get a bit better as time goes on, it's already smooth and refined on the palate, with a nose that jumps out at you screaming, "It's Pinot, you jacka$$!!"  This is the very first offering of Tilton Hill Pinot Noir that Benovia has produced.

2012 La Pommeraie Pinot Noir - This Russian River single vineyard Pinot is sourced from the same Frei Road vineyard as the Chardonnay (obviously!) and is coopered the same way too.  For me, it was quite interesting to see how nearly identical oak aging can affect white wine and red wine so differently.  I'm sure service temperature played a role as well, but to me there was more of an oak influence here. 

Shuttling between the "tasting room" on the main deck and our spot on the sun deck got a bit tiring, so we again explored the boat a bit as it continued to get darker, taking in different views of the city from different parts of the boat.

It was during this time of exploration that we caught a fantastic view of the Pride of Baltimore II making its way under full sail into the Inner Harbor.  This on-the-water view was simply unbeatable.

We then moved our way upstairs to round out the tasting.  At the final table were:

2012 Cohn Vineyard Pinot Noir - Truly a spectacular representation of California Pinot Noir.  Made from 44 year old vines from the Cohn estate vineyard outside of Healdsburg, this wine is extremely difficult to find outside of the winery (or events like this!) - only 149 cases were produced.  Dry- and organically-farmed, these old vines (by California standards, at least) only produce a yield of one ton per acre.  This wine has staying power too, with quite a finish.  All in all a beautiful wine, and Mallory's favorite of the evening.

2012 Sonoma County Zinfandel - Another very nice wine, this - to me - is a perfect representation of Sonoma County Zinfandel that can stand up with the Ridge's of the world.  Also coming from the Cohn Vineyard, it's a fruity Zin that has an intensity on the palate that proves to be stellar with dark chocolate (as we found out first hand).

It was up here that we learned the Bella Una has more than a cursory connection to Benovia Winery.  It's owned by Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane, the husband and wife proprietors of Benovia.  When we first got the invite, the name of the boat rang a bell, but I couldn't figure out why. After learning this interesting piece of information, I checked the listing of what we have in the cellar, and there it was! 2011 Bella Una Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.  Old media information from the Benovia website states it's a blend from the Dutton Manzana Vineyard and Martinelli Vineyards.  As Benovia still utilizes Martinelli vineyards (they own the Frei Road vineyards from which La Pommeraie Chardonnay and Pinot Noir comes from), I can only speculate that the Dutton Manzana Vineyard was not used for any of their offerings this time around.

Armed with a little more of the history of Benovia Vineyards from talking with Joe for a bit, we spent the rest of our evening walking around the vessel, exploring the bridge and the bow area, revisiting some of our favorites from the evening, and simply soaking in all that our great city of Baltimore has to offer on what proved to be one of the best nights of the year to be out on the water.

Apologies for the quality of the photos - it was quite dark when we disembarked!

The World's Most Expensive Cabernet Franc

This past Thursday, Mallory and I had the pleasure of attending a Winemaker's Tasting at Bin 604 Wine Sellers in Harbor East.  The winemaker whose wares were being featured that evening?  None other than Jonathan Maltus of Château Teyssier and World's End.

Maltus had quite a busy few days in the Baltimore area, with a wine dinner scheduled at Farmstead Grill and tastings at both Bin 604 and Bin 201 Wine Sellers in Annapolis.  But it seemed the real reason he was in town was to visit Robert Parker at his Monkton home, bottles of his newest releases in tow.

That aside, the experience with Jon Maltus was the most informative I've been fortunate enough to take part of at Bin 604, and without a doubt the best set of wines I've ever tasted through at the shop.  Cheers to the folks at The Bin who were able to bring him in.

The wines that were featured at the tasting were:

World's End:
2010 "If Six Was Nine" Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
2009 "Wavelength" Sugarloaf Mountain Proprietary Red
2010 "Good Times, Bad Times" Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Château Teyssier:
2010 ChâteauLaforge Saint Emilion Grand Cru
2010 Vieux Château Mazerat Saint Emilion Grand Cru
2010 "Le Dôme" Saint Emilion Grand Cru

Author's Note: For those who aren't aware, for Winemaker's Tastings at The Bin, part of your tasting fee is refunded to you in the form of a credit for wines tasted that evening.  Yet another no-brainer reason to go!

The evening began with Maltus telling us his background and how he got into the wine industry.  A Nigerian educated in the United Kingdom (and self-referred to as British), Maltus started in the oil and gas industry before taking his leave and ending up in the wine business, first in Cahors and then Bordeaux.  He also dabbled in the Barossa Valley for awhile before planting some roots (no pun intended) in the Napa Valley.  Maltus was part of the pioneering "garagiste" movement in the late 1990's and early 2000's when the rise of The Wine Advocate and it's considerable affect on winemaking and wine pricing in Bordeaux began taking affect.  To Maltus' credit, this has led a wine he once sold for $15 to earn "100 points" from Mr. Parker and catapult to a $210 price tag.

Second Author's Note: My disdain for points systems and someone with a not-quite-objective palate having a massive affect on how wines are made, priced, and purchased is no secret, but even I must admit that having anyone who does this sort of thing for a living believe your wine is completely flawless is a feat or herculean proportions.  Well done, Messrs. Maltus, Whyte, and Beziat!

The night progressed into the tasting, beginning in Napa Valley with the World's End wines.  Starting with the 2008 vintage, World's End was Maltus and Co.'s attempt at emulating the Château Teyssier wines using Napa fruit.

Our first taste, of the "If Six Was Nine" from 2010, was a perfect palate-setter and a sign of things to come. While the wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a blend of three vineyards that combines fruit from the valley floor, the slopes, and the mountains.  It's a wonderful expression of Napa Valley quality at a price point (a bit north of $50) that isn't too far out of the realm of possibility.  If you're looking for an approachable way to get into quality Napa Cabs, this just might be it.  A word of warning, however - "If Six Was Nine" could absolutely be a gateway drug into the dark and dangerous world of three figure price tag wines!

Moving on, we came to the 2009 "Wavelength."  Truly, this wine was on a different wavelength (pun intended that time!) as it sees Syrah (my all time favorite grape!) blended with Cabernet Franc (one of my all time least favorite grapes), all coming from a single vineyard, the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard.  It's exceptionally unique, and would come highly recommended from me if you're looking for something non-traditional.  I challenge you to find something similar!

The final World's End taste was by far the highlight of the show.  The "Good Times, Bad Times" offering is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced solely from Andy Beckstoffer's To Kalon Vineyard.  Not that Maltus had other plans, but uniquely enough Andy Beckstoffer prohibits those winemakers who buy grapes from him to do any sort of blending with his fruit.  Thankfully for consumers, this allows each and every expression of To Kalon fruit to be pure and unadulterated, showcasing the product of the gravelly, loamy soil.  This leads me to two points: 1) Jump on any To Kalon Vineyard offering you find.  Andy Beckstoffer won't sell to just anyone, so you're pretty much guaranteed to be drinking someone's labor of love and not just a massive conglomerate's offering of a bottle of plonk with a prestigious vineyard name on the label, and 2) This wine is so damn good that it allowed me to break through my own personal psychological barrier of no single bottle of wine being worth more than $125.  "Good Times, Bad Times" retails for $135.

At that point we moved on to the Château Teyssier offerings, named after the 18th century château in Saint Emilion the Maltus family calls home.  We were started off with the 2010 Château LaForge, which is actually it's own château that was purchased from the daughter of the local blacksmith (get it? LaForge?) back in the 1990's, with the original vineyard being pieced together from various parcels that were "seized" as payment of unpaid blacksmithing bills.  You see, it was well within the rights of business owners to take bits and bobs of land as legal tender when bills could not be paid.  That, my darlings, is how the original vineyards of Château LaForge came to be.  Priced a bit high for my tastes (nearly $70), this wine nevertheless is a wonderful expression of right bank fruit from four different Grand Cru vineyards in Saint Emilion.  It's a bit tight on the palate, but with some decanting will surely soften up.

The next Teyssier offering was the 2010 Vieux Château Mazerat.  Also it's own château, VCM (as it goes by) is actually the Château that the vineyard contributing fruit to Le Dôme goes with.  This stellar blend of Merlot and Cab Franc is quite tight and probably won't be at optimum drinking conditions for at least another five years. My favorite of the Teyssier options we tasted, VCM is also a favorite of Maltus - Jon mentioned it would be his desert island wine if he were forced to choose just one of his own.  If you're looking to buy Bordeaux to lay down, and don't mind drinking "FUC*ING MERLOT", give it a shot.  It isn't cheap at $131 retail, but if you have the disposable income is certainly worth the investment.

The final wine of the evening was the pièce de résistance, 2010 Le Dôme.  The 100 point king, this is the world's most expensive wine made predominantly of Cabernet Franc (75%).  After tasting many, many Cab Francs that have been immensely disappointing, I was looking forward to one that may have changed my opinion and help build its campaign of being a grape that is capable of standing a bit more on its own.  I do have to admit, this was a fantastic wine, the best Cab Franc I've ever had.  But was it perfect and priced appropriately at $210?  I just don't think so. Le Dôme is an incredibly structured wine that lasts forever on the palate, draping your tongue in velvet, and really is ready to drink now (though I think it will get better!).  But I personally believe there are better wines out there for a much lower price point (see: "Good Times, Bad Times").

Third Author's Note: Check out the labels of the VCM and Le Dôme.  Reflecting upon the fact that the two wines are exact opposites in terms of percentage of Merlot vs. Cabernet Franc, the labels are exact opposites as well.

Any way you look at it, you won't go wrong with Château Teyssier or World's End wines.  Both portfolios are more expansive than we had the opportunity to taste, and I would happily buy anything we did not taste "blind."  Mr. Maltus, if this post ever crosses your desk, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the best tasting I've been a part of at Bin 604.  Well done, good sir.

Cain Vineyard & Winery - "I already love it and I haven't even put it in my mouth."

Oh, she said it alright.  That quote came directly from Mallory, my wife.

We were in the Napa Valley.  Or, to be a bit more specific, almost 2,500 feet above the valley floor, way up on Spring Mountain.  It was in the tasting room of Cain Vineyard & Winery, a medium sized winery that produces some pretty stellar Bordeaux-varietal wine.

Cain has about 90 acres under vine (on a 550 acre ranch) and an annual estate production of about 4,500 cases.  Their overall case production is about 20,000.  They only produce red wine, with a grand total of three wines seeing market: 

Cain Cuvée, an approachable blend of two vintages of Bordeaux varietals (Merlot is traditionally the dominant varietal in this wine) that comes from fruit harvested from a number of valley floor vineyards. This wine is never the same, as the winemaker seeks out variations year over year in order to build a "refreshing" wine that appeals to novice and seasoned wine drinkers alike.

Cain Concept is an energetic, Cab-heavy blend predominantly from the benches of Oakville, St. Helena, and Rutherford.  It is still a Bordeaux blend, though Malbec is not used (just like in the Cuvée). Certainly more complex than the Cuvée, this is a more refined bottle of juice.

And finally, Cain Five.  Their flagship blend of the five noble Bordeaux grapes is completely estate grown. The mountain fruit is enlivened in this blend, creating an herbacious exoticism in the wine that mirrors many of the wild herbs and flowers you'll find growing around their property.  It does not disappoint.  I have a strange feeling this wine will be "around" for awhile, so if you get it, don't be afraid to let it sit (though it's fantastic now!)

With that out of the way, I'll get on to our story.  We had started our day in the house we rented in the city of Sonoma, about 30 miles from Cain.  The issue is that only about 20 of those miles are "highway" - the other 10 miles are through some of the windiest roads you'll see this side of Portugal.  The drive takes you up the Sonoma side of Spring Mountain, through Redwood groves on roads barely wide enough for two cars to pass side by side.  We were with another couple, and I was thankfully in the front passenger seat.  Knowing the ride in front of us, my wife downed some Dramamine before departing the house.

Cain was our first tasting of the day, at 10:00am.  To get those 30 miles from Sonoma, we had to leave at 9:00am.  By the time we reached the winery, my buddy's wife was so carsick she could barely move.  That's how windy those roads were.

But oh, was it worth it once we got there!  Beautifully manicured grounds overlooked the vineyards about 500 feet below.  The facility itself was made of stone, and looked like it had been constructed in the early 1900's (Cain Vineyard & Winery opened in 1980).  It simply belonged there.

Following a brief tour of the winery, we were led into a gorgeous tasting room with windows that opened to the outside.  It was there we were seated with a couple from Georgia who were on their honeymoon.  Cain was the very first winery they chose to visit.  They chose wisely, but had no idea what they were getting into with our group.

Matt, our guide for the morning, led us through a tasting of all three of the current releases, as well as a historical comparison for the Cain Five.  It was this 2004 edition of Cain's flagship that led to "the quote".  Matt poured us the wine, starting with my wife who was seated on his left side. I was seated to Matt's right, next to my buddy.  His wife sat next to mine, and our newly married friends from Georgia sat across from us to complete the table.

As Matt sat back down, our group started through the ubiquitous swirl and sniff routine.  We had barely begun when it happened.

"I already love it and I haven't even put it in my mouth."

My first look was to my right, and after a couple of seconds of silence, I countered with, "That's what she said."  The entire group lost it, with Matt just shaking his head, muttering, "I didn't want to say it."  Our Georgian friends were absolutely horrified.

Well folks, that's what you get when you travel with our group!  It completely set the tone for the rest of the day, both for us and seemingly the newlyweds as well.  Sorry guys.

While appearing to wrap things up, Matt asked my wife and I what we typically drink.  Without thinking, we pretty much spouted out in unison, "Syrah!"  Matt disappeared for a moment and came back with Cain's Estate Syrah, an experimental wine made in microscopic quantities and released only through allocation.  It was a huge treat.  The Cain Estate Syrah is quite simply the best Syrah I have ever tasted from California.  Hands down.  Better than Plumpjack's bacon-bomb and even better than the Rhone Rangers I've been able to sample, Matt allowed us to purchase one bottle, but I would have taken a case if I could have.  Should you ever see this wine, buy it, no questions asked.  You can thank me later.

Our visit to Cain Vineyard & Winery was a huge success.  If you're out in Napa or Sonoma and can stomach the drive, I highly urge you to get in touch with Cain to schedule a visit.  And be sure to ask for Matt. 

Beginnings

"I already love it and I haven't even put it in my mouth."**

No, this won't be that type of blog, but it will be that type of blog!  You see, I'm doing this for myself (and, well, maybe a bit because of the pressure from my wife, Mallory, and friends!).  Therefore, what I put on this blog will be what I want to be on there.  It won't be about telling you what to eat or drink, or where to go next.  It will be telling you about what I ate or drank, where I went, and where I want to go next!  That means that every now and then, you're going to get quotes like the one you see above.

This blog will be about tales of friends eating and drinking together in the best establishments around Baltimore and the world (totally our opinion, mind you!), thoughts I had about a certain meal or bottle of wine, and musings on our travels around this planet we spend our time on.  I've been told that it is I who (apparently) have the book knowledge about the things we do and the places we go, and my wife who has the ability to put her senses into words.  That means I'll get this out of the way now - The "notes" you may see on this blog about various wines will probably give you more background about the wine itself and what it may pair with, but will be a bit lighter on what you're "supposed" to smell or taste.  If you read about a scent or a taste in a post from me, it's most likely because it smacked me in the face like Daniel Plainview slapping Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood. And you will almost never see me referencing a "score" or "points" in anything I myself write.

You will also most likely not see photos of dishes or presentations.  I'm really not one to pull out a camera in the middle of a dark dining room to take multiple-angle photographs of something that will be in my stomach a few minutes later.  For me to do so, the plate - or the place - needs to be absolutely striking.

Therefore, I truly hope any who comes across this blog enjoys what they read and maybe learns a thing or two.  The posting schedule might be a bit erratic at first until I get a rhythm down, and hopefully my blogging skills will improve the more I do post.  It will be my pleasure to share this aspect of my life with you, so please enjoy!

**To be explained in my first "real" post.