To Cork or Not to Cork

Ah, yes...time for a quick discussion on corkage fees, i.e. the fee charged by a restaurant for bringing a bottle of wine to the meal.

In these uncertain economic times, the idea of bringing your own wine to circumvent paying high restaurant prices might seem like a good plan; however, a few points of etiquette should be followed.

Corkage fees can range anywhere from $10-50 per bottle and most restaurants have a maximum bottle limit of 2-750ml bottles per table (A magnum size bottle is normally considered 2 bottles). The fee is charged to cover wine service (not gratuity), wine glass breakage, glass washing and some of the lost revenue from not selling a bottle off the restaurant's wine list. Remember that restaurants are in the business to turn a profit and beverage sales are a major component of the equation.

Note that BYOB is not always available in some states due to varying liquor laws.

Chiefwino's Corkage Tips:

1. Always call the restaurant in advance and inquire about corkage. Also, check the restaurant's website to see if the wine you would like to bring is available on the list. NEVER bring a wine that is already on the list as many restaurants will not serve it.

2. Do not bring an inexpensive bottle of wine or bottles that are very common on grocery store shelves. The idea behind corkage is to allow you to bring a special bottle, perhaps an old vintage wine you have been saving for a special occasion or something very unusual. If you do bring an old vintage, you are absolutely entitled to having the wine decanted and the use of the restaurant's finest stemware.

Note: If you are dining in a more casual establishment, the "special" rule need not necessarily apply as many casual spots have dismal wine programs with a majority of the selections not being overly food friendly (think over-oaked and fruit bomb wines). But do stay away from common brands and grocery store items so as not to appear "cheap" to the restaurant's staff. A nice non-descript Italian white or Southern French wine should do just fine.

3. Make sure to REMOVE price tags from the bottle being brought to the restaurant (see actual photo above). Nothing is worse than showing exactly what you paid for a bottle you have brought. Also, bring the wine in something other than a brown bag (think wine gift bag) for fear of being pegged as "cheap" from the get-go.

4. ALWAYS tip as if you had purchased the bottle from the restaurant as the server still had to perform wine service without a higher check total. Use your best guess as to what the wine might have cost.

5. Offer the Sommelier or Wine Steward a small sample, especially if you have brought a very special wine. This is common courtesy and will you help earn points with the service staff.

6. Lastly, if you can consume more wine after finishing your own bottle, consider purchasing a bottle from the restaurant's wine list. Some restaurants may even waive the corkage fee with the purchase of a bottle.

When in doubt, call the restaurant in advance and speak to a manager or the Sommelier to inquire on their specific corkage policy if you have questions.

Cheers!

Vin in Raleigh

Would you believe that one of America's hottest wine bars is located in Raleigh, North Carolina? Well, believe it. Located in an old ice cream factory in downtown Raleigh lies the hip and friendly Enoteca Vin. Exposed brick walls, wood floors, a large wrap-around bar, 30-bottle cruvinet system and Ashley Christiansen's American-French-Mediterranean fusion cuisine combine to create a food and wine mecca in the good ol' South.

Dishes not to miss:

Wagyu Beef Tartare with Fallot Mustard and Cornichon

Cauliflower Soup with Braised Apple and Black Tea Cured Bacon

Pommes Frites with Malt Vinegar Mayonnaise

Braised Kurobuta Pork Shoulder with Goat Cheese Gnocchi, Lentils, Roasted Beets and Mint

Brown Butter Scallops with Chanterelles, Pink-eyed Peas and Crispy Collards

For wine, diners can choose from over 50 wines by the glass and a reserve list of old wines, including a 1978 Meursault from Jobard--for a mere $125 a bottle. By the glass wines can be sampled in various sizes: 1.5 ounce, 3 ounce, and 5 ounce--perfect for creating a customized flight.

Wines to try:


2002 FX Pichler Riesling Smaragd 'Steinertal', Austria--steely, mineral notes, bit of petrol and lime peel. Smooth, medium bodied, lingering finish. Dry.

1999 Prager Chardonnay Smaragd 'Weissenkirchen', Austria--aromas of honey, apricot, straw, earthy undertones, seems unoaked. Rich. Medium bodied.

2001 Eric Ross 'Saralee's' Pinot Noir, Russian River--cherry and red raspberry aromas, sweet spice and floral undertones. Light tannins, easy drinking.

2004 Bedford Road Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand--dark plum and fresh raspberry notes, touch of herbal aromas with earthy undertones. Medium bodied.

410 Glenwood Avenue
Raleigh, North Carolina
919.834.3070

Photos coutesy of chiefwino.com

Pumpkin Pie Anyone?

Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar celebrates fall with a special six-course Pumpkin Tasting Menu with wine pairings. Chef Richard Brandenburg has created a sumptuous menu using pumpkin (which is a fruit by the way) in a number of unexpected ways. Wines have been paired by nationally-renowned wine consultant, Leslie Sbrocco, author of the newly released book, The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to sample the spectacular menu with Leslie Sbrocco while discussing her new book. Here is a run down of the pairings:

Slivered Scallop Ceviche and Roasted Pumpkin with Arugula and Peppers
Paired with Hoffstater Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, Italy

Wine Notes: aromas of pineapple, honeysuckle, zesty lemon citrus on the palate, crisp finish. Nice acid for pairing with the scallops and acidity of the dish.

Crispy Sardine and Pumpkin Confit with White Balsamic Ginger Sauce
Paired with Michele Chiarlo Cotese de Gavi, Veneto, Italy

Wine Notes: Full and rich with honey and lemon citrus notes. Medium bodied. Not a horrible pairing; however, the wine seemed a bit dry for the sweetness of the pumpkin confit. A riesling or traminer from Alto Adige would have been a better selection.

Bone Marrow Ravioli and Pumpkin Risotto with Basil Pesto
Paired with Antinori Cervaro Della Sala, Umbria, Italy

Wine Notes: Blend of Chardonnay and Grechetto. Powerful and rich, apricot and sherry-like nut aromas, with earthy/mushroomy notes on the palate. Full-bodied. Great pairing with the nutty flavors of the risotto and pumpkin seeds. Also good body match.

Savory Pumpkin Pie and Roast Quail with Wild Mushrooms and Port Sauce
Paired with d'Arenberg 'Ironstone Pressings' Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre, McLaren Vale, Australia

Wine Notes: An amazing wine from the 1999 vintage. Aromas of dried cranberry, mushroom/earth notes, a touch of cedar. Medium-bodied. Matches well with the quail and mushrooms. Pumpkin pie is amazing....very savory as no sugar is added.


Venison Loin with Pumpkin Ice Cream, Morello Cherry Sauce and Chesnut Puree
Paired with Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo, Piedmont, Italy

Wine Notes: Aromas of dark cherry with a hint of chocolate, smooth on the palate with a big tannin bite. Could have been softened through decanting. Nice match for the meat and also the cherry and nut flavors in the dish.

Pumpkin Spiced Cake and Mascarpone Cream
Paired with Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Rhone Valley, France

Wine notes: aromas of spice and apricot followed by a touch of honeysuckle on the palate. Sweet enough to handle the dessert but not overly cloying (too sweet/thick). Nice body match between wine and dessert.

The Pumpkin Tasting Menu is offered through Thanksgiving for $60 plus $20 for the wine flight.

Urbana Restaurant & Wine Bar
2121 P Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202.956.6650

Photo courtesy of Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar

Le Bar-A-Vin

Enjoy this feature I have running in the October issue of Where Washington Magazine.

Begone mint juleps!

Washington, DC loves wine.

The capital leads the nation in per capita sales and consumption of wine. Could it be those embassy soirees? Those lobbyist-politico schmooze fests? Nooooo. Credit these stats to the growing sophistication of Washington diners, who ask that their food be paired with something more exciting than the house Chardonnay. But wine matters not just at the big-list, power steakhouses. Consider the latest trend: the wine bar-cum-restaurant, in France le bar-a vin, that touts unique and esoteric vintages and contemporary foods to match.


Bar Pilar

Locale: In the hoppin’ 14th and U zone, 2 blocks from the U-Cardoza Metro and next-door to neighborhood fave and sister spot, Café Saint-Ex.

Feel: Reminiscent of a Parisian wine bistro—dimly lit, exposed brick walls, antique wrap-around wood bar and nautical artifacts. “Pilar,” after all, takes it name from the beloved boat of a famed barfly, Ernst Hemingway. Must see (after a few glasses of vino): the instant photo booth in the rear.

Scene: Casual crowd of 20- and 30-somethings from the neighborhood and a smattering of out-of-towners

List: Small, yet smart and well-priced. Choices range from boutique Italian, Spanish, and French, with a few Californians, to bottles from Greece and Slovenia. Glasses $4-8, bottles $16-70.

Food: Chef Barton Seaver keeps changing his Italian inspired small bites, all designed for pairing. Think potatoes and Moroccan paprika aioli paired with 1+1=3 Xarel-lo, a light and refreshing white from the Penedes region of Spain, or seared ahi tuna with pea shoots paired with Rose of Cabernet from Domaine de Montmarin of the Languedoc region, southern France.

1833 14th Street, NW, 202.265.1765
Washington, DC

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar

Locale: Two blocks southeast of the Capitol on a bustling stretch of Penn Ave.

Feel: Upscale bistro with exposed brick walls, cozy seating and a long bar for mix-and-mingle. Upstairs an intimate lounge with sofas.

Scene: An energized crowd of late 20s-30s Hill-staffers, Capitol Hill denizens and maybe a Congressman or two.

List: Over 40 wines “on tap” (à la cruvinet) by the glass and half-glass and 100 by the bottle, most from Sonoma County, CA and Italy.

Food: Drew Trautmann’s unpretentious Mediterranean cuisine, honoring organic ingredients and local produce. Think squash blossom-goat cheese ravioli with Margaret Anne Tocai/Arneis of Mendocino County, a zingy, fresh white with notes of green apple, lemon and racy acidity. Or local sweet corn risotto, chanterelles and in-house prosciutto with Ascheri Dolcetto d’Alba, a light, fruity Piedmontese red.

223 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 202.544.8088
Washington, DC


Tallula Restautant

Locale: Hip Clarendon ‘hood in Arlington, Virginia at Washington Blvd. and Pershing Drive. Façade’s neon sign says EAT!

Feel: Unpretentious pair of lounges plus dining room and adjoining wine shop for take-out.

Scene: Neighborhood spot for after-work crowd—bureaucrats, young professionals, even Boomers.

List: More than 70 by the glass or half glass, 300 by the bottle, some “boutique” bottlings under catchy heds like “tickling your nose,” “wickedly ponderous.”

Food: Nathan Anda’s spins on classic American include fried green tomatoes paired with Champalou Vouvray, a slightly off-dry white with notes of peach, white flower and zingy acidity. Also seared foie gras and caramelized pineapple with Lillypilly Noble Blend, an intense, luxurious dessert wine with notes of orange blossom and tropical fruit. Note: the Amuse Yourself menu of bites like baby burger with black truffle butter, duck spring roll, beer-battered corn dog, steak tartare.

2761 Washington Boulevard, 703.778.5051
Arlington, VA

Oya Restaurant & Lounge
(Yours truly developed this wine program.)

Locale: One-half block north of the Gallery Place Metro and the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in the hoppin’ Penn Quarter.

Feel: Show-biz LA meets Miami with a red crocodile skin bar, white leather lounge seats, 2.5 ton chain-link curtain and a 20-foot waterfall.

Scene: A mix of late 20s to 40s crowd with the occasional celebrity (recent sightings: Hillary Clinton, Wolf Blitzer, Patrick Ewing). Weekday sushi cocktail hour.

List: Esoteric mix of international wines divided into flavor profiles (think fresh/lip-smacking whites, juicy/savory reds) plus a few Virginia wines from star producers. Wines by half-glass complement small plates.

Food: Jonathan Seningen’s French-Asian small plates and Chef Tu’s sushi rolls. Think hanger steak and horseradish flan paired with Santa Barbara Winery Syrah, an intense red with aromas of black currant, leather and a touch of spice, or seared chicken with peanut dressing and pea shoots served with a glass of Blenheim Vineyards Chardonnay from Dave Matthews’ winery in Charlottesville.

777 9th Street, NW, 202.393.1400
Washington, DC

Bardeo

Locale: Cleveland Park’s restaurant row, few steps south of the Cleveland Park Metro and beside fine dining sibling Ardeo.



Feel: Contemporary vibes from sleek purple leather booths, long marble bar and intriguing photography by Russian émigré artists the Gerlovins.

Scene: Smart after-work crowd of young professionals stopping for a quick bite and ‘hood folks, some famed journalists, who can’t resist create-your-own wine flights.

List: Full glass, half glass or flights from interesting Old and New World wines.

Food: Christopher Bradley’s American small plates: goat cheese salad (beets, baby frisée and walnuts) paired with Valdelainos Verdejo, a crisp Spanish white, or tuna melt panini paired with Tyrrell’s “Lost Block” Pinot Noir from Australia.

3311 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 202.244.6550
Washington, DC

Vino Volo

Locale: Bustling Terminal C at Dulles International Airport, next to Gate C4!

Feel: Atypical, upscale lounge with warm woods, leather club chairs, wrap-around tasting bar and a shop for wine on the fly. The name is a clever play on “wine flight.”

Scene: Mix of business and leisure travelers killing time before their next departure.

List: Organized as eight themed tasting flights (like Taste of Virginia, California Kings, Barbecue Reds).

Food: Snack-sized small plates paired to the themed flights. Sample chickpea and sausage chili paired with Artesa Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a robust red with black currant, black olive and vanilla notes, or smoked salmon rolls paired with Rappahannock Cellars Viognier, a Virginia wine with intoxicating tropical fruit aroma.

Washington Dulles International Airport, Terminal C, 703.661.1999
Dulles, VA


Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar

Locale: Beside the glam Hotel Palomar two and a half blocks west of Dupont Circle.

Feel: Swank with dim lights, velvet couches, dramatic wall of ‘U’-labeled wines and open kitchen.

Scene: Hip crowd of travelers and ‘hoodies from late 20s and up.

List: A large book of California, French and Italian wines by the glass or quartino (one and a half glasses of wine)

Food: Imaginative northern Italian and southern French cuisine by Chef Richard Brandenburg. Faves: corn-battered, gorgonzola-stuffed figs with balsamic drizzle paired with Nino Franco Prosecco, a light-hearted bubbly with green apple and pear aromas, or pea agnolotti (sp?) with lobster and chorizo paired with Teruzzi e Puthod’s Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a refreshing Tuscan white with floral and almond notes.

2121 P Street, NW, 202.956.6650
Washington, DC


Charlie Palmer Steak

Locale: One block from the U.S. Capitol anchoring a sleek office building at Constitution Avenue and Louisiana Avenue.

Feel: Power dining without the stuffy steakhouse décor thanks to large, open dining areas, a gurgling waterfall and mod furnishings like oversized leather chairs. Horizontal, showcase wine cellar flanks the passage from bar to dining.

Scene: Powerbrokers from Capitol Hill, K Street lobbyists, plus foodies in the know.

List: All-American wines from 40 of the 50 states. Sommelier Nadine Brown says, “The last 10 states are extremely difficult to source because of antiquated liquor laws.” Amen.

Food: Progressive American fare by Bryan Voltaggio. One fine match of terroir: grilled Idaho wagyu sirloin paired with the powerful and rich Sawtooth Syrah from Snake River, also Idaho. Or grilled peach and blue cheese salad paired with Montinore Estate Gewürtztraminer of Oregon, a white with rose petal and lychee nut aromas and a crisp finish.

101 Constitution Avenue, NW, 202.547.8100
Washington, DC



Photos of Oya, Bardeo, Vino Volo courtesy of the restaurants; photos of Bar Pilar, Tallula, Sonoma by Andrew Stover

Wine Bar Divine

A good wine bar is hard to find. A good wine bar is even harder to find in Washington, DC. Sure there are a number of amazing culinary gems with rockin' wine lists in DC, yet nothing quite like the bar-a-vins of Paris.

Enter: Bar Pilar.

Located in the hoppin' 14th and U Street corridor, Bar Pilar is reminiscent of a cozy Parisian wine bistro in both atmosphere and flavor--specifically, it reminds me of a spot in Paris called L'Ecluse near the Champs Elysées (64, Rue François 1er, 75008 Paris).

From the creators of Café Saint-Ex, Bar Pilar features a daily changing menu of Italian and Spanish inspired small plates and a small, yet smart wine list, with most wines by the glass under $7.

The menu features items such as chorizo with white beans, eggplant ratatouille, potatoes sauteed in olive oil and garlic with a Moroccan paprika ailoi, seared tuna with pea shoots, and beet carpaccio with goat cheese, mint and pine nuts.

Wines at Bar Pilar are generally on the esoteric side, focusing on small, boutique Italian, French and Spanish wines, with a few domestic options and even selections from Greece and Slovenia.

Of particular interest were the Anselmi Garganega, an aromatic white with notes of white peach, citrus and rose petal; the 1+1=3 Xarel-lo, a fantastic, crisp and refreshing white made from one of the native Spanish Cava grapes; and the La Place Tannat from Southwestern France, a robust red with notes of earth, cedar and dried red fruits.

If the menu and wine list alone aren't enough to persuade a visit, certainly the photo booth at the rear of the restaurant is worth a peek--especially after a few glasses of vino.




Bar Pilar
1833 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC
202.265.1751



Images from www.barpilar.com

An A-List Spot in L.A.

When in Rome, you do as the Romans do and when in L.A., you visit A-List hot spots. I am on biz trip to L.A. for 2 weeks and earlier this week, I dined at A.O.C., the brain-child of James Beard-nominated chef, Suzanne Goin and sommelier, Caroline Styne.

A.O.C. (Appellation d'Origine Controllee, which stands for Appellation of Controlled Origin and refers to French Wine Law) features small plates served family-style and 50 wines by the glass. The menu is divided into various sections, including cheeses, charcuterie, salads, fish, meat, and items prepared in the restaurant's on-site wood burning oven.


Items not to miss: the lomo and two chorizo charcuterie plate; corn and avocado salad with chili, lime and cilantro; braised pork cheeks with horseradish gremolata; grilled skirt steak with aged balsamic aioli.

The wine list encompasses as much imagination as the cuisine. I indulged in a glass of Aussie Muscadelle from Hewitson. Fresh and lively, with notes of melon and citrus, this was a wonderful pairing to the corn and avocado salad.



A.O.C, 8022 W. Third Street,
Los Angeles, California
323.653.5359

Photos courtesy of www.aocwinebar.com

Getting back into the Swing...

Finally back in the Northern Hemisphere with much to report on wines from Uruguay and Brasil. I tasted some amazing examples of what both Uruguay and Brasil can produce and some not so amazing examples. I'll save the details and photos for a later post, once I have a chance to review my notes and retatse a few of my souvenirs.

Back in May, while away on a business trip to Augusta, Georgia, I had the opportunity to visit a wine tasting bar in the Charlotte, NC airport devoted to the wines of the Yadkin Valley. Yadkin is located approximately 1.5 hours North of Charlotte, near Winston-Salem, NC. I had never tasted any wines from NC, so I decided to belly-up to the bar and sample.

The best wines produced in this region seem to be crisp, refreshing whites, like Riesling and Sauv Blanc, and also Chambourcin, a spicy, earthy red, popular in wine regions along the East Coast.

My favorite of the bunch is from Shelton Vineyards --the 2003 Yadkin Valley Riesling. Clean and crisp, with green-apple and pear flavors. Slightly sweet, I was amazed with this wine's bright acidity, especially since North Carolina is a fairly warm region for growing grapes.

Another wine of note, was discovered during my stay in the Radisson Riverwalk Hotel in Augusta during my biz conference. One evening, a number of colleagues decided to meet in the hotel bar for post-dinner cocktailing. Since I am not much of a cocktail guy, I decided to take a gander at the wine list. I was expecting boring California Chardonnays and Merlots, but was surprised to find a tantalizing collection of both New World and Old World selections. Who wudda thunk it....in Augusta, Georgia!

My colleague Stacey and I opted to share a bottle of the 2004 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley of Chile. Located Northwest of Santiago, Casablanca is known for popping out clean Sauv Blanc and subtle Pinot Noir.

Stacey was quite impressed. She had never tried a Sauv Blanc from Chile. Notes of herbs, grass and lemon on the nose, with grapefruit, lemon and mineral to grace the palate. Crisp, lingering finish with notes of lemon and grass. This is definitely the sort of wine for a hot and humid day in Washington. Enjoy a glass on your patio by itself or paired with a spinich salad dusted with goat cheese.