Old Town Wine Crush Music & Comedy Fest

September is bringing alot of wine fun to Chicago, and this festival is centered in the great Old Town neighborhood.  One of the main attractions of Old Town are its comedy clubs, and they will be in the mix this weekend, September 12 &13.  Comedy will be featured in the O'Brien's parking lot on both days, while music will be at the North Avenue stage, highlighted by the Gin Blossoms on Saturday.  Here are more specifics:

There is a $7 gate donation which will give you access to all music, activities, and demonstrations.  The money will also benefit the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association, along with Chicago 2016.  For an additional $40, you will receive a souvenier glass and 10 tastings (1 oz. pours), from a choice of over 30 premium wines.  Marimar, Chateau Graville-Lacoste, Au Bon Climat, Flowers, Ridge, and Bodegas Fernandez are some of the highlights.  $15 for an additional 10 tastings. 

A cooking stage will feature demos from Old Town Brasserie, Kamehachi, The Fudge Pot, Adobo Grill (go say hi to Matt), and Dinotto Ristorante.  There will also be some grape stomping, a la "I Love Lucy", available through preregistration of two-person teams for competition.  There is only room for 8 teams per day, so make sure to get on the list quickly.  If you need more info, check out their site.  Go have some fun, and tell us all about it!

Chicago Community Crush Kick-Off

This past Wednesday, Community Crush: Chicago was launched at our kick-off party held in Rogers Park.  Taste Food and Wine was our host, and they are an awesome wine shop and Euro deli, which had ample space to accomodate all new members of the Community.  Onhand were  four Community Crush: San Francisco 2008 Pinot Noirs to taste, each very different, and gave all a sneak peak at what our Pinot Noir could be like next year. 

This was the first of what will be many gatherings and chances to meet other people who are enthusiastic about wine and Chicago.  Make sure to join the Community online, become part of our wine's life cycle, and say hi to both myself and my co-leader Carol Ludwick.  Our next event is being held at South Loop Wine Cellar next Wednesday, September 16, from 6:30-8:30pm.  We will be tasting more Crushpad wines, and tasting some freshly picked Pinot Noir grapes from the Two Pisces Vineyard, the source of our 2009 wine.  See you there!

Naperville Wine Festival

There is alot going on that involves wine this month in the city, and that also includes the 'burbs.  For the 7th year in a row, the Naperville Wine Festival will be delighting Chicagoland with food and beverage.  Not only will there be over 250 wines present, but also some great local restaurants, and lots of entertainment and demos.  Check out the info:

The event will be held in the historic Naper Settlement at 523 S. Webster St. on Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19.  If you are coming from downtown, the Metra will get you there quickly, and the stop is closeby.  You can purchase tickets in advance for $25 through the website or by calling (847)382-1480.  Tickets can also be purchase at the door for $30, and includes a souvenier glass, a Festival program, 10 tastes, and access to food, demos, and music.  An additional 10 tastes can be purchased for $5, while designated drivers can enter for $10, with the same benefits, except their 10 tastes are replaced by 2 non alcoholic drinks.  Groups of 15 or more receive a 10% discount.  A portion of all proceeds benefits the Naperville Area Humane Society and Naper Settlement.

If you are not the biggest wine fan, you can still enjoy the fest.  Not only will there be lots of food and entertainment, but a Belgian Beer Cafe will be onhand.  It is sponsored by Stella Artois, and will also include Leffe and Hoegaarden beers.  No matter what you like, I guarantee you will enjoy this trip to Naperville and its gorgeous riverwalk.  Treat yourself to a day away from the big city with some wine and Naperville!

Cooking with Wine

Everyone knows what the main function of wine is- to drink!  But it can also be used in the kitchen to help create many of your favorite dishes.  It will enhance meals with a bold flavor, and allow you to create even more interesting beverage pairings.  Here are a few quick rules to remember when cooking with wine:

Rule #1 is to never use a wine you would

not

drink!  A wine's flavor will be present in any dish it is used for, so if you think you can help out your recipe with inferior wine, think again.  I typically drink while I cook, so the wine is there when I need it.  I would not suggest using

Chateau Mouton Rothschild

for cooking, but rather wines that you enjoy in a modest price range.  Never use anything labelled "cooking wine".  This is a cheap wine with additional sodium, being sold for more than it could fetch as a normal wine.  If you don't drink it, don't use it.

There are three main purposes for wine in cooking.  The first is for marinating.  Many meats, especially tougher ones, taste and chew better when they are marinated.  A wine can help break down muscle tissue and tendons, making a tender, soft, and tasty cut of meat.  During the breakdown, blood and other flavor will seep out of the meat into the marinade, making for a tasty braising liquid. 

The second purpose of wine is that same braising or cooking liquid.  A wine will jump up the flavor to any sauce, stew, or braising liquid when added.  Alcohol, sulfites, and water evaporate from the wine, leaving behind the concentrated flavor of the grape juice.  These complex flavors, along with the natural sugars will enhance your meal. 

 The third purpose, and perhaps the most fun, is finishing.  This is when you close the deal and give your meal the finishing touch of flavor, and sometimes flame, that it needs.  A fortified wine, such as Port, Marsala, or Sherry, will enflame a dish, and give it a carmelized crust.  You will also be giving it a desired flavor  profile such as caramel and sweet cherry from Port, nuts from Sherry, or maple and licorice from Marsala.  Finishing a dish can also mean deglazing a pan to create a sauce.  You will pour wine into the just used pan on low temperature, hoping to get all the flavor crusties to mix and meld with the liquid.  The liquid will reduce, leaving behind an extremely concentrated and tasty sauce to accompany your meal.

Make sure that you always pair the proper wine with your dish.  If you're goal is to prepare a pepper crusted skirt steak, marinate it in Syrah/Shiraz.  If you are making a lemon caper sauce for chicken, use Pinot Grigio.  A butter sauce will be optimal with an oaked Chardonnay.  The list goes on and on.  If you have questions about these, leave your comment or ask

@WCWineGuy

on

Twitter

.

(image courtesy of flickr)

5th Annual Windy City Wine Festival

Attention all wine, food, and beverage lovers.  Make sure to pencil in the Windy City Wine Festival on your calendars!  The event will be taking place on September 11 &12 at Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park (337 E. Randolph).  This is a chance to meet winemakers and experts of 250 different wines, along with some of Chicago's finest restaurants featuring a taste of their cuisine.  Here are the specifics:

For $25 in advance or $30 at the gate, you have access to all seminars, demonstrations, musical performances, a Festival program, a souvenier glass, and 10 tastings.  An additional 10 tastings can be purchased for $5.  For $10, designated drivers get the same treatment, except their 10 tastes are replaced by 2 non alcoholic beverages.  A 10% group discount is offered for 15 or more.  Purchase tickets online or call (847) 382-1480.  A portion of the proceeds benefits the Grant Park Conservancy.

Go have a good time, enjoy some music, wine, food, and Blue Moon beer.  And make sure to say hi if you see me at the event!

Chicago Gourmet Food Festival 2009

Chicago Gourmet is on the way- a food and wine festival taking place on September 26 & 27 in Millenium Park.  This is just its second annual occurrence, and it will be a celebration of our city's culinary culture and history, highlighted by Chicago's best chefs and restaurants.  Also, hundreds of wines, local sommeliers, and wine experts will be onhand for tastings and seminars.

Many Chicago personalities like Mayor Daley will be in attendance, along with Chicago's favorite chefs: Rick Bayless (winner of Top Chef Masters) of Frontera Grill, Jose Garces of Mercat a la Planxa, John Coletta of Quartino, Dirk Flanigan of The Gage, Marcus Samuelsson of C-House, Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno, Stephanie Izard (Top Chef winner) of The Drunken Goat, and lots of other local greats.

Awesome food is not the only think on the menu, as wines from Robert Mondavi, Mionetto (one of my favorite sparkling wine producers), and Gaja Wines presented by Gaia Gaja, will be there for tasting, along with famed importer and producer, Anthony Terlato of Terlato Wines International, and his amazing portfolio featured at the Festival's largest tent.

Tickets can be purchased beforehand for $150 for a single day, or $250 for the two day weekend.  There are also upgrades for those who don't mind spending extra, such as Grand Cru tastings for $175 featuring some of the finest wines in the world presented by Master Sommeliers.  Here is a little hint to avoid the ticket price, which may be worth your while: Chicago Dine Around.  Starting now through September 27, if you dine at five different restaurants using their special prix-fixe menu, and attach each receipt to the Chicago Gourmet Dine Around Passport (available at all participating restaurants), you will be eligible for a free one day pass to the Festival.

Make sure to plan ahead and get in on Chicago's greatest food and wine event!

BYOB at Caro Mio

This past Wednesday, my wife and I teamed up with Chris and Kristina Caruso of Vine Times Chicago for a BYOB evening at Caro Mio Italian Restaurant in Lincoln Square.  We found ample inexpensive meter parking just across the street, and walked into a quaint and cozy little dining room.  We were then given water, which is served in pint glasses (great for holding alot of water), a carafe of water for the table, and menus.  Stemware was then presented, and it was time to open the wines!

For our Italian dinner, we both brought Super Tuscans from the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany.  Super Tuscans are great wines made in Tuscany which rebel against Italian wine classification laws.  Wines from this region are traditionally made from Sangiovese, along with a blend of other local grapes (mostly white wine grapes).  They have a history dating back about 40 years, when the head of the Antinori family created one of the first.  Piero Antinori wanted to add Bordeaux varietals to the mix, enhancing the body, texture, flavor, and aromatics to Italy's #1 varietal.  His creation, and my wine choice for the evening, was Tignanello.  I brought the 2001 vintage (retails around $85), a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc.  I love this wine, as it has a great soil and barnyard aroma, mixed with ripe dark cherry, worn leather, and oak on the palate.  There was also small hints of tobacco and chocolate, which proved the complexity of the wine.  The tannins were supple and smooth, making it great with any food, especially Italian.

Chris brought 1997 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve (retails around $70), made from single vineyard, 100% Sangiovese.  It has been produced since 1981 by the Manetti family.  This wine is weighty and big, with larger tannins, dark cherry and plum aroma and flavor, along with some cedar and rich earth.  It is a perfect partner for meat dishes and heavy sauces.

As far as the food is concerned, the menu has tons of options: fresh salads and soups, homemade pastas, veal, chicken, beef, and fish.  We went with a couple of fresh mozzarella dishes to start, one with green beans, and the other a classic caprese.  The mozzarella seemed local, as it was harder textured than the imported soft, rich version.  The green beans were large and delicious, especially when topped with the balsalmic vinegar.  The tomatoes were thick, but a touch less than ripe.  Both a good choice to accompany the bright acidity of the wines.

For dinner, everyone chose homemade pasta (most dishes priced around $20), which is hard to resist when offered.  I went with rigatoni bolognese topped with chicken parmesan- an odd combination, but great for meat lovers.  The dish was large enough to easily feed two, and needless to say, I had leftovers.  All of the pasta was cooked al dente, and tasted fresh, with unbelievable doughy, chewy flavor.  The bolognese sauce had a tomato tang accompanying the soft, salty ground meat.  All of this combined with tender chicken and melted mozzarella was outrageous!  My wife chose the porcini ravioli with chicken, which was an earthy, creamy blend of four monster ravioli and chicken breast topped with a creamy porcini sauce, which could double as a tasty soup.  I know the Caruso's loved their food as well, because we found ourselves doing more chewing, and less talking!

We left no room for dessert, but I will be back to try the tiramisu and more fresh pasta.  I highly recommend this spot, and hope you enjoy the food and BYOB experience as much as us.  Feel free to comment about your experience!

Community Crush Chicago

Winemaking.  It can be mysterious and seem difficult.  I want to start off by saying that anyone can make wine.  But without access to quality vineyards, equipment, winery space, and expertise, making a great wine is almost impossible.  But thanks to Crushpad, the average person has access to all of this.  Choose your varietal, and your grapes will be gathered from California or Bordeaux single vineyards, then turned into a full barrel (about 500 bottles)of great wine by their experts, with prices starting at $5,700. 

Now if you don't want to make that kind of commitment, Crushnet might be for you.  You can be involved with a community barrel, or one that you started with friends, with commitment starting at one bottle purchase.  And for Chicagoans, we have been given the unique opportunity to become part of a remote hands on experience in the creation of a wine.  I have just become co-leader of Community Crush Chicago, an interactive experience with the 2009 vintage of the Two Pisces Vineyard Pinot Noir.  For the low price of $26 per bottle, you will have access to a post-harvest grape tasting, winemaker Noah Dorrance, video updates and live streaming of the wine, post-fermentation and barrel sample wine tasting, designing of the label, and parties with your community of fellow Chicago winemakers!  A full barrel of wine or 511 bottles will be made, so make sure join the group, reserve your bottles, and join the community.

Food & Beverage at Lollapalooza '09

It happens once a year- numerous bands along with thousands of fans flood Grant Park for a weekend of live music, fun, sun, and Chicago.  The neighborhood will be rockin' until 10pm from Friday, August 7 thru Sunday, August 9, as Lollapalooza invades the Windy City.  Big names like Pearl Jam, Depeche Mode, The Killers, Jane's Addiction, Tool, Lou Reed, and Snoop Dogg will be performing for the mobs.  But who will be providing food and drink for the masses?

The lineup for food and beverage is almost as impressive as the music, as many of Chicago's best will be onhand to dole out the grub.  Fast food stallworths like Buona Beef and Greek Delights gyros will be onhand as well as entertaining options like Cans Bar, Adobo Grill, Goose Island Brewpub, and O'Brien's.  Even haute cuisine from Graham Elliot will be available- in a quick and fun version.  Click here for the full menu and here for the map.

As far as beverages go, you can get yourself a best lemonade, Sweet Leaf Tea, or a smoothie.  For adult refreshment, quite a few beers will be representing like Beck's, Hoegaarden, and Stella Artois.   So make sure you enjoy all that Chicago has to offer and drink responsibly!

Class at Culinary Institute of America

On my second day at the Wine Bloggers Conference we split up into eight different buses and headed to  Napa Valley, with our first stop being at the Culinary Institute of America.  It is situated in a humongous greystone building resembling Hogwarts School, minus the magic.  I entered and was amazed at not only the size, but the decor and design as well.

 

 

 

 



After climbing up two stories of stairs, which showed off a great view of the entire entrance hallway, I walked into a large dining room.  It contained a historic collection of California wines encased in glass- I was simply blown away! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The oldest was a bottle of 1875 Isaias Hellman Cucamonga Private Stock Port.  The wine is made from the zinfandel varietal, and was aged five decades before being  bottled post prohibition. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next one I looked at was the 1941 Simi Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon Hotel Del Monte Selection.  The Simi brothers started making wine in 1876 after a tough go at the Gold Rush.  Women led the winery to greatness, as Isabelle Simi hid the wines for prime aging in Healdsburg during prohibition, and later hired the first two female graduates from UC Davis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also had the 1958 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Martini name is associated with bulk wine, but older vintages are great wines and collector items.  Louis was trained in winemaking at the age of 19 in Italy, and returned to his family's California winery to make excellent post prohibition wines.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Onto a bottle of 1962 Inglenook Charbono.  The winery was started in 1879 by Gustave Niebaum and thrust into fame after prohibition.  The property was eventually purchased by Francis Ford Coppola.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another oldie was the non-vintage Sebastiani Barbera Bin No. 132, bottled in 1968.  It was another Italian immigrant founded winery, as Samuele Sebastiani started it in 1904.  They were know known for their zinfandel, and are known for many more varietals nowadays.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

The best wine I stumbled upon was the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay created by winemaker Mike Grgich, now of Grgich Hills Estate, who put his signature on the bottle.  That wine won the white wine category in the now famous 1976 Tasting of Paris.  This event clearly put American wines on the radar of wine lovers and collectors worldwide.

I eventually settled down to listen to a great wine social media seminar conducted by Barry Schuler, former CEO of AOL.  His information was one of the highlights of the conference.  I think much of what he said will inspire wine writers to push to the next level.  I was also very happy because it was one of the few times I had access to Wi-Fi!  The seminar ended around noon, just in time for everyone to move to their bus and move on to lunch.  More on Bus #6 travels tomorrow...

If you get a chance to visit the CIA Greystone, make sure you do.  It is a majestic building- with a huge kitchen!

Go West Young Blogger- Out to WBC '09

A couple of weekends back I had the pleasure of attending the Wine Bloggers  Conference 2009 held in Santa Rosa, California.  Over 270 of the nation's brightest wine writers flooded into the Flamingo hotel for three days of wine, tweeting, writing, and networking. 

The conference kicked off with lunch and then we moved onto speed tasting.  It was a bit like speed dating, as we sat at our tables while winery owners and representatives went table to table pouring wines, and giving out info along the way.  We were supposed to be using social media sites to send out live video and messaging while we tasted, but the hotel had Wi-Fi problems, which unfortunately carried on all weekend long.  Anyway, we tasted a few real gems, the first of which was the biggest value wine of the weekend: 2007 Line 39 Petite Sirah Lake County for $10 is a steal, with its smokiness and fruit depth.  The best wine of the afternoon was 2004 Cornerstone Cellars Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($100).  It had spice, chocolate, and a deep earthy, dark berry flavor which lasted incredibly long.

The next day we were on to Napa Valley, where they had a full day of wine country planned for us, which will be covered soon enough.  You will have to wait until tomorrow to check out my visit to the Culinary Institute of America, St. Supery, Terra Valentine, Quintessa, and Spring Mountain Vineyard.  Until then, grab yourself a glass and enjoy!

Beer and Hearty Belgian Food at Hopleaf Bar

Just another night of casual dining in Chicago brought my wife and I to Hopleaf Bar on Chicago's North Side, close to the intersection of Foster and Clark.  It was an easy ride down Lake Shore Drive, and we found ample parking before heading in for some Belgian delight.

The entrance places you in a bustling bar, where there is open seating for food and drink.  We headed to the rear of the establishment, where there is a small bi-level dining room, an open kitchen, and an outdoor patio.  We put our names on a seating list, then went back to the bar to grab a drink.  This was my biggest challenge, as there are over 40 beers on draft, along with three meads!  I went for the Dogfish Head (one of my favorite breweries, out of Maryland) Festina Peche, a seasonal Berliner Weisse fermented with peaches.  It was dangerously refreshing, as I could see myself guzzling a six pack in no time, and full of slightly unripened white peach flavor.  The bar was unfortunately out of non-alcoholic beers for my pregant wife, but we were quickly summoned to our table anyway, so on to the food!

We started with the Sausage Plate- a plate full of a variety of organic sausages, bourbon pancetta, and white beans.  It was extremely and I could see myself eating it on a nightly basis.  All the flavor of the sausages with the crunchy pancetta fulfilled my meat lover dream.  I would need a beer with more power, so I moved onto the Surly Brewing Company's Bender, a full oatmeal brown ale.  Moving along, we decided to split entrees- an organic Montreal style brisket, and the CB&J, which was crunchy toasted sour dough bread sandwiching fig jam, house made cashew butter, and morbier cheese.  Both were accompanied by Stilton mac and cheese, along with the french fries and garlic mayonnaise gave us the perfect Euro touch.  The brisket was bright pink, and very tender and flavorful- making the ground mustard almost unnecessary.  The mac and cheese was creamy and had good flavor, but was not quite as rich or as much of a knock-out as I expected.  The CB&J, on the otherhand, was an awesome meadley of tastes, with some sweet fruit, rich nuttiness, and creamy cheesey bliss.  It would easily make for the perfect lunch.

As if all of that was not enough, we went for dessert.  The selection process was fierce, but we went with the apple fritters.  Breaded fried apple slices, topped with powdered sugar, and caramel crème anglaise was what the doctor ordered.  It might have been the most delicious ending to one of my favorite dinners. 

All in all, Hopleaf Bar settled my belief in the fact that Chicago has some of the best casual restaurants in the world.  Small neighborhood spots, like this, are spattered throughout the city, just waiting to please hungry patrons, only to turn you into regulars.  It is going to be hard to turn this guy into a regular, since I love to try all kinds of new spot, but I will be back if I love it!  Expect me back at the Hopleaf.

Cheese and Beer at Goose Island Brewery

Recently I was invited to a beer and cheese matchup being held at Goose Island Brewery.  Most people think of wine when it comes to a beverage and cheese pairing, but beer also makes a perfect compliment.  Beers have weight and efferevescence, and flavor profiles can vary from dry hoppy to sweet, along with spice components.  Now, onto some beer and cheese.

The cheeses were brought to us by Neal's Yard Dairy, a cheese vendor out of London, England.  They carry over 60 cheeses, most from the United Kingdom and Ireland, but also some from Italy, France, Greece, and the United States.  We were each presented a plate with two washed-rind cheeses, two cheddars, and four blues.  They were paired off with four different beers.  Here is how the pairing went:

1. Goose Island Willow St. White Ale with Ogleshield and Ardrahan.  The white ale was light and refreshing, with a touch of orange peel and coriander spice flavor.  A fine pairing with the washed-rind cheeses.  Ogleshield is made near Cadbury and has a slightly sweet taste and finish of orange peel.  Ardrahan is made in Kanturk, southwest Ireland, and is full of smokey and nutty flavor.


2. Goose Island Rye Pale Ale with two separate milk harvest Montgomery's Cheddars.  The Rye P.A. had full bitter flavor with some rye spice.  The difference in the harvests for the cheddars was apparent, as the first was grassy and light, while the second was sharper with a bit of horseradish taste.  Depending upon when and where the livestock eats, there can be flavor differences in any cheese.


3. Goose Island Matilda with Strathdon and Colston Bassett blue cheeses.  The Matilda is a Belgian style pale ale with a full, dry, yeasty texture.  I do not think this was the best pairing to go along with the strength of blue cheese- could have used a weightier, darker ale.  The Strathdon was extremely flavor, with the distinct odor and flavor of corn.  The Colston Bassett was very smooth and mild, and made with a vegetable rennet.


4. Goose Island Fleur with Colston Bassett and Stichelton.  The Fleur was made in the same style as the Matilda, but also infused with hibiscus, adding floral sweetness.  This was a pretty beer, but, again, a beer I would not ideally pair with blue cheese.  This Colston Bassett was made with animal rennet, and was easily my pick as the best blue of the day.  It was not just salty and intensely flavorful, but also had a touch of smoked pork on the palate.  The Stichelton was the only organic cheese we tasted, and was easily the most complex.  It had the sharpness of cheddar, salty flavor of blue, and a tasty outside rind.

This was a great experience, and I look forward to more cheese pairings.  I was also reintroduced to Goose Island's new local menu, comprised of awesome seasonal selections made mainly from local farm product and fresh seasonal components.  If you make your way out to the brew pub, let me know which pairings you went with, and how they worked together!

Italy Comes to Chicago

This weekend, July 17-19, Italy will be coming to Chicago's Navy Pier.  It will be a fabulous invasion of food, wine, dance, fashion, and art.  Many workshops and classes are being offered such as cooking, dancing, painting, pottery, and fencing.  You can even go to take some beginner Italian language classes!  Meet some local Italian chefs like John Coletta of Quartino and Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno.  Some Italian American celebrities will also be onhand- Ernest Borgnine and Chicago's very own Dennis Farina.

So come out to the Italian Expo at Navy Pier.  It should prove to be a great cultural experience for all of Chicago.

Lunch with Gaia Gaja

Just after a press conference for Chicago Gourmet 2009, I had the pleasure of meeting the Vice President of one of the world's greatest wineries, Gaia Gaja.  The Gaja Winery is located in the small town of Barbaresco in northwest Italy, and has been making wine since 1859.  When Gaia joined the winery team in 2005, that ensured Gaja would be family run and owned for five generations.  We met at Spiaggia Cafe for lunch, where they preset a table for us with three Gaja wines.  With so much heritage, history, and great wines, I am sure we would have much to talk about.

After selecting our lunch choices, we began to talk about her travels.  Gaia travels often, representing Gaja wines around the globe, even in far away markets such as Japan (her next stop), and India.  She loves visiting exotic places, learning new languages, and meeting different people.  I found out Chicago is one of her favorite cities- she really likes our welcoming metropolis, wine knowledge, and burgeoning restaurant business.  Her favorite restaurant stop was at Piccolo Sogno, where she enjoyed very authentic food from Chef Tony Priolo.

Gaja Winery has been a global presence ever since Gaia's father, Angelo, brought his family's Barbaresco to the forefront beginning in 1961.  His innovative techniques and marketing not only created opportunity for his wines, but also for the rest of Italy.  He has been described as "the force behind Italy's wine revolution."  Aggressive business sense, as well as appreciation for the future, has led to family acquisitions of new vineyards in Barolo, Montalcino, and Bolgheri.  Since Gaja Winery only makes wine from family held vineyards, they are always seeking and, because of their reputation, sought out by prospective sellers of land with excellent grape growing potential.  This, along with Gaja Distribuzione, which offers some of the world's best wines to Italian shoppers, keeps Gaja on the cutting edge of wine technology and marketing.

As our lunch arrived, we sampled the wines, the first of which was the 2005 Gaja Barbaresco.  I thought the vintage would need more aging, but it was very elegant and pleasant.  Gaia instructed me that their Barbaresco is made extremely lively in youth, with bright fruit and hints of Nebbiolo's characteristic tar and licorice.  As the wine ages, it can become a bit muted, only later to flower into a mature, powerful, and classic wine.  All Gaja wines are only vinified in acceptable growing seasons, or vintages, ensuring high quality, reliability, and aging potential.

The next two wines were both from separate single vineyard sites in Montalcino, where Gaja makes Brunello out of the local Sangiovese varietal.  Once they are aged four years in house, both the Rennina and Sugarille sites make excellent wines.  The Rennina is more subtle and silky than the much larger Sugarille, with ripe cherry, tobacco, and leather scents and flavors.  The Sugarille is a powerful wine, carrying deep dark fruit, cocoa, and spice, along with an extra long finish.  They went well with our cuisine- Margherita pizza and gnocchi with wild boar ragu.  The ripe acidity and slight sweetness of tomatoes are the perfect complement to Sangiovese based wines.

The Gaja Winery does make many other great wines- 16 to be exact, along with 12 different grappas.  One is even named after Gaia and her great grandmother, Clotilde Rey- the Gaia & Rey Chardonnay out of the Langhe DOC in Piedmonte.  The vineyard was planted in 1979, Gaia's birthyear, and has become known as Italy's greatest white wine.  They also produce a wine named after Gaia's younger sister, Rossana- the Rossj-Bass, which is a Chardonnay with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc.  Three single vineyard Barbaresco wines are also made, along with one Barolo, and three Piedmonte blends.  And, for the more frugal shopper, the three Bolgheri wines are made starting at $40.  The Promis, Magari, and Camarcanda are all blends, using mainly Bordeaux varietals, and come from terroir ideal for creating strong wines with ageing potential.

For this lunch, I would like to thank Phil Rozen of Terlato Wines International, Barbara Edelman of Barbara Edelman Communications, and Gaia Gaja.  Her family not only makes great wines, but with her charm and knowledge, she makes an excellent lunch companion.

Fun, Sun, and Wine

If you are looking for something to do during your lunch hour today, try some Twister!  Make your way to the Park Grill in Millenium Park.  Always a good spot for some food, but today, there will be a rather large Twister mat set up under a tent in the south patio from 11am to 3pm.  Almost 1000 sq. ft. of Twister mat, expecting over 1000 contestants on a beautiful sunny Chicago day. 



For adult refreshment, complimentary Seven Daughters Winemaker's Blend will be onhand and sure to please.  A California blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat, and Gewurztraminer with tons of fruit and a bit of spice.  The wine will also be available on the Park Grill's extensive list, which, along with their beer selection, will offer some great summer drink options. 

So treat yourself to a stress reliever, enjoy the weather, and grab some vino!

Make Your Own Wine with Chiarugi Hardware

On my quest to find more places in Chicago that can help the average person make wine, I stumbled upon Chiarugi (KEY-AH-RU-GEE for those of you who have a hard time with Italian pronunciation) Hardware in Little Italy at 1412 W. Taylor Street.  As soon as I walked in I was greeted by the owner, Paul Rinaldi. Paul grew up in the neighborhood, and his family has owned the store for over 50 years.  The store's focus has shifted from supplying italian families to helping young University students, but he seems more than happy with the change.  The shop is full of tools and basic household supplies, and I was able to pick up two small propane tanks for the grill.  They also have many basic supplies for wine making like yeasts, acids, corks, bottles, and bentonite for filtering. 

Paul knows a bit about making wine, and all about the supplies.  A couple essentials which are not at the store are barrels and juice.  The oak barrels have become somewhat pricey to keep an inventory, but are available at a number of online sites.  The juice or whole grapes are available yearly in a lot on 35th and Racine from August to October.  The supplier gets all product from California, and I will have more info when the lot opens.

In the meantime, stop in and say hi to Paul, grab some supplies, and wait for the juice to roll in.  You could be on your way to making some good homemade wine!

Naperville 4th of July Weekend Ribfest

Independance Day 2009 is here, and the Windy City Wine Guy and family decided to head out to Naperville for Ribfest.  If you like smokey BBQ, rock and roll, and good suburban family fun, you should make your way out there.  Many tips on how to get there, best plans, and food and beverage for this yearly event are up for grabs in this article.

If you are coming from the city, like us, you have many options.  We drove straight there using I290 to I88, but you can also take the Metra straight there.  Once we arrived, we parked in the Burlington parkling lot, where the Metra drops off, and proceeded to the free shuttle which took us to Ribfest- extremely convenient.  The shuttle runs all day, from multiple lots. 

You will have no problem finding food and drink, as it is spread throughout the park, with the BBQ close to both music stages.  We tried ribs from Sgt. Oink, and they were flavorful, meaty, and tender.  They seemed more Texas in style, with a flavorful dry rub, accompanied by smokey sauce.  We also sampled pulled pork sandwiches from Aussom Aussie BBQ Co. which was extremely tender and rich.  They had an extremely spicy sauce to try on the side which was at an atomic level!  Both made good cornbread.  I really wanted to try a double deck sandwich made by Porky 'N' Beans of pulled pork and beef brisket, but had no room left.  I did save a bit of room for some fried dough covered with powdered sugar.

The beverage options were limited.  They had vending machines and fresh squeezed lemonade for non-alcoholic choices, while Miller Beers MGD and Miller Lite was there for adults at $5 each.  Zinfandel and Chardonnay from Dancing Bull Wines in California were the wine choices, a great option for mass vending- definitely offers value.

If you go, bring a blanket and some foldup chairs.  Pick out a spot to camp out that is in close proximity to food, beverage, Port-o-lets, music, and an exit.  Fireworks are always on July 4th, with Chicago fireworks being on July 3rd.  For all additional info, check out the Ribfest site- they offer detailed maps, transportation options, entertainment schedules, and the menu.  Hope you all have a great time and stay safe!

4th of July Wine Picks

So the 4th of July weekend is upon us and now it's time to add the finishing touches to your shopping list.  Whether you are grilling, BBQ-ing, cooking in, or ordering out, these are some sure-fire picks to please all palates.



We are going to start off with a couple of good rosé wines.  Now you have to have a sparkling choice, since it is a holiday.  And for that I choose the Mionetto "il" Rose NV ($9.99) sparkling wine from northeastern Italy.  It has a great nose full of raspberry, along with minerality, bing cherry, and light crisp bubbles.  Great with almost any food options.  I also chose a still rosé, the 2008 Gustave Lorentz "Le Rosé" of Pinot Noir ($10.99) from Alsace.  A bit more depth and fruit flavor, it is light enough to enjoy on a hot sunny day- and very versatile with food.





Moving along, we may have some guests who think of sparkling or rosé as a bit "phoo-phoo".  These next cool picks aim to please.  2008 Tabali Viognier ($10.99) has honey citrus, peach, fresh herb, and creamy texture- excellent with fried foods.  For another honey toned wine, we have the 2007 Simonsig Chenin Blanc ($10.99) from Stellenbosch, South Africa.  This wine is packed with tropical flavor and complexity.  Next we move to 2007 Leitz Dry Riesling ($14.99) from the Rheingau in Germany.  Apricot, lime, and a floral nose are enough to tackle most spicy dishes.  For the ultimate summer wine, try the 2007 Puiatti "Zuccole" Pinot Grigio ($16.99) from Friuli.  This version has a bit more weight than your usual, with apples and pears, perfect with anything from seafood to spice. 

No party would be complete without beer, and my choice is the North Coast Brewing Co. Blue Star Wheat Beer.  There might be nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than an ice cold wheat beer, and this one packs light hops and citrus fruit flavor.  Stick it in the cooler and enjoy the food and fireworks.

For those that need some red wine, I would choose to go with wines packed with fruit, so off to Australia.  Red Heads Studio presents 2005 Barrel Monkey Shiraz ($16.99).  Full of red rich fruit and light spice.  For a bit more, try 2006 Kilikanoon Killerman's Run Shiraz Grenache ($18.99) blend.  Charred red fruit and chocolatey coffe flavor on this well balanced wine will make it the hit of the day.  Both wines are the perfect complement to BBQ and sauces.

No matter what you pick, I hope you all enjoy your holiday, and stay safe.  As for me, I will be indulging in Rib Fest '09 in Naperville!

 

(image courtesy of flickr)

Straight Facts: Mexican Coke

During a visit to one of my new favorite Printer's Row eateries, Flaco's Tacos, I noticed they sold Mexican Coke.  Now, I have had it before, and know much about it.  But I am very sure that many of us in this country have no clue what the exact difference is.

The major difference between the Coke made in this country and in others, like Mexico, is high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS.  HFCS is a sugar substitute made completely of corn.  The glucose from corn is chemically modified, and becomes an inexpensive product with sugar sweetness and longer shelf-life.  Since real sugar is a bit more expensive to get a hold of, and corn is readily available in the US, many American products include this manmade product.  It is proven to be harder to digest, and relatable to health problems such as obesity, liver disease, and diabetes. 

Mexican Coke is made with real sugar, instead of HFCS, just like many European products.  My favorite such product is San Pellegrino Aranciata.  They have distributed it here with HFCS, but is available with no sugar substitute at many specialty Italian shops, like Panozzo's in the South Loop. 

OK- time to get on my pulpit.  I am very glad that many people are becoming more health conscious, but I hope that everyone is willing to take a good look at the ingredients of everything you buy.  Do not take it for granted that the companies making these products are looking out for your best interest- they are run by corporations, whose main goal is $$$, not your health or safety.  These facts also do not reflect well upon our government.  It seems that other countries, like Mexico and the EU, are more concerned with the health of their people than with how much money corporations can save.  We are a part of the greatest country in the world.  It is very important that we remember that, and also realize that the people are still in control.  If we refuse to purchase these products, they will stop making them.  If we voice our displeasure with our elected officials enough, they will work for us.  For a bit more about this all Natural talk, check out this link.

Also, if you get a chance, check out Flaco's Tacos.  Not only can you order online and pick up your food in the blink of an eye, but they make fantastic, homemade Mexican.  Their grilled tilapia tacos are awesome, along with the carne asada.  And their homemade salsas are the best I've had, especially the green salsa.  Check it out if you're in the neighborhood, and let me know what you think!