Fess Parker Mackie's Blend Syrah 2002

The Central Coast Mackie's Blend Syrah is the least expensive Syrah that Fess Parker produce. The 2002 is less supple in fruit and more heavy on the tannins than the single vineyard Syrahs that Fess Parker makes. Raspberry and light, smokey tobacco and perhaps a hint of vanilla emerges on the nose. The raspberry follows you to the palate with tart cherry and red currant and tons of tannins that ends in a long finish. A not to shabby Syrah at $18, with nice varietal characteristics.

Foxen, Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir, 2004

Foxen belongs (according to me) to the top tier of Pinot Noir producers in Santa Ynez Valley. The 2004 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir is their least expensive Pinot Noir ($30 at the winery) and the majority of the grapes comes from Foxen's own Block Eight of the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The nose reveals red cherry and berries. The cherry carries through on the palate with slight pepper notes and minerals. It ends in a pleasant finish with sufficient tannins. This is a good wine, while their other Pinots are great wines. I would pay the extra cost for their single vineyard Pinots. Especially the Julia's Vineyard ($46) or even better double my money to get the Sea Smoke Vineyard ($64) which is a true stand out. Probably one of the best central coast Pinots of the 2004 vintage. Well, that is if you can get a hold of it...

www.foxenvineyard.com

Duoro Valley

There has been a lot of buzz lately around the Duoro Valley in Portugal, famous for it's ports. The buzz however it is not about the port this time but about their red wine called Duoro wine. During the last couple of years the quality of their nonfortified red wines has radically improved, been discovered, and more importantly, been tickeling minds of the potential of these wine for the future, if quality continues to improve. Could they rival the port?

I went to our local BevMo today to pick up a bottle and to see what the hype is all about. I picked the most expensive Duoro wine they offered (a Wiese and Krohn for a daunting $9.99...), in hope to get a feel for what this valley is capable of.

The Wiese and Krohn "Valtorto" 2004 has restrained dark fruit and cherries on the nose. Once in your mouth the spicy plum and dark fruit is quickly drowned by a long spicy finish with tart tannins. This is a wine that requires a meal. A rich beef dish would be my choice.

This is my first Duoro wine and I need to taste more before having an opinion... However I think this particular bottle would be more enjoyable after some time in the cellar, or maybe just even decanted an hour before consuming.

Fess Parker Chardonnay II

Included in our last shipment from Fess Parker Wineclub was the 2004 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay. I have earlier reviewed Ashley's Vineyard Chardonnay from Fess Parker of the same vintage. This wine is a blend of that vineyard, Rodney's vineyard, White Hills vineyard and other premium vineyards in Santa Barbara County. This is a wine of the same spirit as the 2004 Ashley's Vineyard but not quite as refined as a single vineyard wine.
On the nose you get pear and tropical fruit. The palate shows more tropical fruit with citrus and light oak that ends in a long silky finish with round creaminess and soft acidity. A great every day Chardonnay for $18, or join the wineclub and get it for $14.40, www.fessparker.com. Great on it's own or with a light salad or other lighter meal. Rated 87 by Robert Parker. This is a great crowd pleaser with quality!

Las Vegas Dining

We just spent 3 night in Las Vegas and aside from shopping, going to a show and a little gambling we had time for some fantastic food. Las Vegas is another one of those places where there is such an large selection of dining opportunities that it can be very hard to decide where to go this trip and what to save for the next... But at the end of the day you have to make a choice...
We started of the first night with BOA Steakhouse at Caesars in The Forum Shops. We have previously had dinner at the namesake sister restaurant at the Sunset strip in Hollywood and wanted to see if the Vegas restaurant stood up to the original in L.A. We started of with the BOA Chop Chop, a great little salad with artichoke, salami, olives, tomatoes, aged Provolone and chick peas. I continued with the 40 day dry aged New York Strip with Bluecheese Crust and a Cabernet Reduction. This could have been great except from the fact that I ordered it medium rare and it came out medium +. Not having the energy to return it and wait for a new steak I ate it and felt a little disappointed... My husband on the other hand had a succulent, flavorfull dish of Syrah Braised Short Ribs with Parsnip Puree, Baby Carrots and Asparagus. We ordered two side dishes as well, Horseradish Potatoe Gratin and Sauteed Wild Mushrooms. Both excellent. We fininshed with S'Mores "All grown up" constructed of Kahlua Chocolate Cake, Marshmallow Sauce, Dulce de Leche Icecream topped with a homemade Graham Cracker. We had a bottle of 2003 Fiddelhead Seven Twenty Eight, Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. A great balanced Pinot showcasing dark fruit and plum with nice cool tannins. Overall a very good meal if it wasn't for my poor overdone steak...

Night #2: We decided to return to a restaurant we dined at a couple of trips ago, Emeril Lagasse's Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian. Our first dining experience at this Creole influenced Steakhouse was fantastic and we were hoping for a re run. My husband started with the Hearts of Romaine Salad with Creamy Bluecheese Dressing topped with Crisp Pancetta while I just had to try the Creamy Lobster Risotto on a Mirror of Lobster Sauce Reduction. For main course I had the Cajun Spice Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Creamed Spinach. This time made to perfection! I savored a great, super tender filet with tons of flavor. My husband opted for a Tagliatelle with Creamy Chicken, Artichoke and Sundried Tomato. Very rich and creamy indeed, almost to heavy... After this rich meal we had no room for dessert... Again overall a great meal with the filet as the stand out. Minus points for the overly heavy and creamy pasta dish which could have been made lighter. The Loster Risotto also suffered of this rich creaminess and would have been more enjoyable if less heavy...
Night #3: Tired after two late night in the city that never sleeps we decided to stay within our hotel, Bellagio, for dinner. We were curious to see what Sensi had to offer and made reservations. This casual restaurant offers Italian, Asian, grilled and seafood classics in a minimalist, contemporary environment where the kitchen is the center. Separated from the dining room with only floor to ceiling glass walls you can witness the creativity in the kitchen as you dine. I just have to start to talked about the wine we had which was an outstanding Pinot Noir from the Central Coast. The 2003 Bonaccorsi Fiddelstix Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir shows great dark cherries, plum and blueberry on the nose with a beautiful balanced palate of dark fruit and berrries and tannins to support a long highly enjoyable fininsh. What a great Pinot! One of the best that I have come across in a long time. Bonaccorsi is a favorite of mine since a couple of years and this one surely will not disappoint anybody... Find it at www.wine-searcher.com from $49.99.
Now to the food. We started of by sharing the appetizer size Italian Thin Crust Pizza with Home Made Italian Salami, Tomato and Asiago Cheese. Great little crisp pizza to share with true Italian simplicity showcasing the fresh ingredients. Crisp Skin Salmon with Braised Oxtail Ravioli on a bed of Braised Cabbage and Poached Red Beets was my main course and a what an enjoyable one. The perfectly cooked, moist salmon paired great with the flavor intense ravioli and tender beets.
Chicken in Creamy Butter Red Curry Sauce with Indian Naan Bread and Basmati Rise smelled wonderful on my husbands plate and sneeking myself a bite my taste buds confirmed what my nose had predicted. A wounderful spicy curry perfect for future cold winter days.
Chocolate was the choise for dessert and contained of a Warm Center Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Icecream. A perfect ending to the meal.
Two other places worth mentioning are Todd English's Olives at Bellagio, where we had lunch one of the days (they have a great Seared Tuna Salad).

The best Margarita (for this trip at least) in Las Vegas can be found at Bobby Flay's MESA at Caesars, made from El Tesoro Platinum Teqiula, fresh lime juice and a splash of Grand Marnier.
Can't wait for the next trip and new food adventures...

Sierra Foothills Cabernet Franc

I have reviewed wines from Mt Vernon Winery before and now it's time for their Cabernet Franc. We opened the Mt Vernon Winery 2003 Placer County Cabernet Franc tonight (this was my first time tasting this variety from this winery). Met with restrained, dark cherries and plum on the nose I expected a conventional California Cabernet Franc and I was not let down on the palate. With dark berries, oak and firm tannins that lingured in the mouth this a pleasing good quality Cabernet Franc. Nothing exceptional or suprising, just solid and good.
At $23 @ www.mtvernonwinery.com it is well worth a try.

Chateau Crillon

We got a bottle of 1999 Chateau Crillon Cotes Du Ventoux from a friend Thanksgiving weekend and had it earlier this evening with a friend. I was not quite sure what to expect not having had a wine from this specific region of Languedoc before. This wine is made of 60% Grenach and 40% Syrah. It was very interesting to see how it changed. When I first poured the wine it had a almost "moldy" berry on the nose with an uninteresting, plain, fruity palate with short finish. So we opened the Koehler Syrah (review below) instead. But after letting it sit for an hour we thought we would give it a second try. What a change! Nice, earthy red currant and cranberries on the nose with more modest berries and fruit on the palate. Still not a huge finish, but more interesting with some nice tannins...
I am glad to have experienced this development of a wine in the bottle (I did not even think it was worth while decanting after my initial tasting...).

Foxen Canyon Trail Syrah

Tonight we are having a Koehler Winery 2004 Santa Barbara County Syrah (after not liking the first bottle we opened),(see above). Thought it would pair nicely with the hearty beef, barley and vegetable soup we had for dinner. The pairing was not perfect but good enough. The reason beeing that this is a very, almost to, fruity Syrah. The nose carries dark plum and berries, and once in your mouth you can taste rolling, round, plump, dark berries and fruit. The finish is long and all fruit. I am missing some additional tannins for a more balanced structure, but all in all it is a nice syrah. Best enjoyed on it's own because of the heavy, ripe fruitiness. Do not waste your time on this Syrah if this is not your style...