MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
Bird's Custard ad, circa 1928 ❖❖❖
IN THIS ISSUE By John A. Curtas FLAMBOYANT FAN OF LA NOUVELLE CUISINE CHRISTIAN MILLAU DIES AT 88 BY John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER IMLI By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR WHAT I'M DRINKING NOW By John Mariani ❖❖❖ ON THE TEXAS BBQ TRAIL Part One By John A. Curtas Photo by Lee Russell (1940) from Library of Congress
Back
in the day, you went barbecue hunting with
only your nose as a guide. If you were
lucky, you had an
address or a scrap of newspaper (or a
weather-beaten magazine article) in your
pocket, and the best you could hope for was
to find a local and ask for directions,
which were always of the "go down 'bout two
miles and look fer Pete's Garage and take a
left" variety. Mostly though, you just drove
around until you saw the cars and smelled
the smoke. Your nose told you you were
pointed in the right direction, and the cars
(always a mix of everything from beat-up
pickups to brand new Mercedes), let you know
you'd found the real deal. ❖❖❖ FLAMBOYANT FAN OF LA NOUVELLE CUISINE CHRISTIAN MILLAU DIES AT 88 By John Mariani
Christian
Millau might actually have preferred to be
remembered as the erudite author of award-winning
books like Galloping
with the Hussars: In the Literary Whirlwind of
the Fifties, but instead he will always be
the man who championed la nouvelle
cuisine in its infancy back in the 1960s. Millau died
last week in Paris at the age of 88.
❖❖❖ NEW YORK
CORNER
By John Mariani IMLI
Just two months old,
Imli is focusing on the small plates traditions
of regional India and the results are exciting.
Owners Mervyn Winston, Ram Reddy and Albin
Vincent, along with Chef Manuel Butler, are
channeling the all-day cafés of Mumbai, but
doing so in one of the most stylish interiors on
this restaurant-rich stretch of First Avenue. Imli is open for lunch Mon.-Fri.; brunch Sat. & Sun.; dinner nightly. ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
WHAT I'M DRINKING NOW By John Mariani Louis
Pommery
California Brut Sparkling Wine ($24)—This
is actually the first California sparkling wine
created by Champagne Pommery—just released—which
is careful not to call it Champagne. Made of
96% Chardonnay and 4% Pinot Noir, it is in the
vivacious style of Pommery, with good
effervescence, and at $24 a terrific sparkler
indeed. Taking
advantage of the warm sun—which France’s Champagne
region wishes it had more of—boosts the fruit,
including a lemony acidic freshness that buoys the
peach flavor.
An excellent party wine, if your parties
have a sophisticated guest list. Casillero del Diablo
Chardonnay Reserva 2014 ($8)—This Chilean
estate is among the vast holdings of Concha y Toro
and is located near the cooling breezes of the
Pacific Ocean in the Limari Valley. The
minerals in the soil do well by this remarkable
Chardonnay, easily as fine as others three or four
times the price. It spends time both in French oak
and stainless steel tanks and shows very pleasing
acidity alongside good tropical fruit. A real
bargain in every way. RoseRock
Chardonnay 2015 ($27)—French vigneron
Joseph Drouhin has been making wine in Oregon
since 1987 and led the way for the scores on
Americans to follow the company into the
Willamette Valley.
This Chardonnay is made in the high
elevation of the Eola-Amity Hills, cooled by the
temperatures within the Van Duzer corridor. The
vintage of 2015 was an exceptional year
weather-wise, and this wine came from three blocks
as each found its own ripeness. It is the
antithesis of over-oaked, sweet West Coast
Chardonnays and more in the subtler Burgundian
style. Symmetry
Meritage 2013 ($40)—I’m a big fan of what
Rodney Strong produces at reasonable prices and
this, one of his finest, has all the bright fruit
you expect from a Bordeaux-style blend of 76%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet
Franc, 4% Malbec and 4% Merlot. Sixteen
months in French oak has mellowed its tannins and
now, four years old, it is ready to enjoy but will
last a long while into the next decade. Pio
Cesare Barbaresco Bricco di Treiso 2013
($129)—Pio Cesare has a history in Piedmont that
stretches back 135 years, and today their
Barbaresco takes the best of the traditional
methods of making this long-lived wine and new
techniques that keep it fresh and fruited.
Winemaker Paolo Fenocchio, here since 1981, knows
every inch of soil on three plots of land from the
family property, Family Vineyard Cascina Il
Bricco, in the village of Treiso. Made
from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, the wine is vinified at
unusually high temperatures in steel tanks, with
skin contact maceration for 25 days, and 30 months
in oak, which gives both complexity and real
character to the wine, taming the tannins along
the way. Vietti
Nebbiolo Perbacco 2014 ($20)—This
Piedmont
wine from the Langhe is a lighter, less complex
bottling than Barolo or Barbaresco, both made from
the same grape (some wine from Vietti’s same
vineyards actually goes into their Barolo
Castiglione), and for that it is well worth
drinking sooner rather than later. The 2014 is
just fine right now, with a sensible alcohol
level, 13.8%.
It’s certainly not lightweight but not
heavy in texture either, making it ideal for game
birds this fall. Castello
Banfi
Brunello di Montalcino 2012
($80)—Castello Banfi was not just instrumental in
revolutionizing the staid vineyards around
Brunello but shared all the knowledge Banfi
acquired and shared it with their competitors in
Tuscany. This
is their flagship Brunello of 100% Sangiovese,
which depends on careful grape selection followed
by vinification in temperature-controlled hybrid
stainless steel and wood tanks, with skin
contact for 10-12 days, then ages for two years in
various sizes oak barrels, then for another 8-12
months in bottle before release. The result is a
wine that has mellowed and begun to reveal its
special qualities of balance and finesse, though
it will go on for decades.
WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE LOVELY PARTING GIFTS WILL BE
“Everything
is bigger in Texas.”
"Los Angeles is a huge city."--Eater.com
(9/17). ❖❖❖
As
Summer winds its way to autumn, we are reminded of the
fragility of Mother Earth and her bounty. As an
importer representing several family wine makers from
around the globe, I often like to point out that all
the wines that we represent are green, some of them
greener than others. The greenest of all are
classified as Biodynamic or certified Organic.
One of the most interesting selections of
eco-balanced, organic and biodynamic wines comes to us
from Chile and the vineyards of Emiliana.
Organic farmers rely on crop rotation, crop residues,
animal manures--including llamas (below)--and
mechanical cultivation to maintain soils productivity
and health, to supply plant nutrients, and to control
weeds, insects and other pests. To call a wine
organic in the US, government regulation says that it
must be produced from 95% organically grown
ingredients with no added sulfites. If you add
sulfites in the relatively minimal amount of 100 parts
per million, you can only say that the wine is “made
from organically grown grapes.” Now, not to go
into a chemistry lesson, but it is virtually
impossible to make a wine without that modest dose of
sulfites, at least if you want to drink it beyond ten
feet of the cellar it was made in and wish it to
survive any moderate amount of aging.
Recommended – green
wines for Spring: Natura
Chardonnay In the cool coastal Pacific climate of
the Casablanca Valley, organically grown grapes are
hand picked during the last week of March, and
vinified in stainless steel tanks, free of the
domineering influence of oak. On the nose,
tantalizing citrus aromas of grapefruit and lime blend
with notes of pineapple, all of which reappear on the
palate and finish with balance thanks to the wine’s
freshness and natural acidity. Delicious with
spring salads and seafood dishes.
Natura Carmenere – From the rustic isolation of the
Colchagua Valley, this intense and voluptuous offers
aromas of cherries, chocolate and spice, coming
together in ramped up volume on the palate with soft,
round tannins and firm, well-balanced structure.
Great balance between fruit and oak, with a long,
juicy finish.
Novas Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva – Hailing from the San Antonio Valley’s
thin rocky and clay soils, the organic grapes for this
wine are harvested by hand in March and undergo
fermentation in stainless steel to preserve their
bright fruit character. Herbal notes mixed with
citrus and soft floral hints fill the bouquet; the
taste is medium bodied with grapefruit flavors joined
by a delicate acidity and a touch of minerality.
Novas Pinot Noir Gran Reserva – The grapes for this wine are grown in the
cool, coastal Casablanca Valley’s permeable sandy loam
soils, and harvested by hand. After a cold soak
on the skins, the wine is aged for 8 months in French
oak barrels to add character, depth and
roundness. Bright ruby red in color with attractive
aromas of berries, strawberries and notes of spice and
cocoa, this wine bursts with fruit flavor, layered
with earthiness. Delicious with white meats, light
sauces, full flavored fish and shellfish, cured ham
and sushi.
For more information please visit http://www.banfiwines.com/winery/emiliana/ ❖❖❖
Any of John Mariani's books below may be ordered from amazon.com. The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books) is a novella, and for anyone who loves dogs, Christmas, romance, inspiration, even the supernatural, I hope you'll find this to be a treasured favorite. The story concerns how, after a New England teacher, his wife and their two daughters adopt a stray puppy found in their barn in northern Maine, their lives seem full of promise. But when tragedy strikes, their wonderful dog Lazarus and the spirit of Christmas are the only things that may bring his master back from the edge of despair. WATCH THE VIDEO! “What a huge surprise turn this story took! I was completely stunned! I truly enjoyed this book and its message.” – Actress Ali MacGraw “He had me at Page One. The amount of heart, human insight, soul searching, and deft literary strength that John Mariani pours into this airtight novella is vertigo-inducing. Perhaps ‘wow’ would be the best comment.” – James Dalessandro, author of Bohemian Heart and 1906. “John Mariani’s Hound in Heaven starts with a well-painted portrayal of an American family, along with the requisite dog. A surprise event flips the action of the novel and captures us for a voyage leading to a hopeful and heart-warming message. A page turning, one sitting read, it’s the perfect antidote for the winter and promotion of holiday celebration.” – Ann Pearlman, author of The Christmas Cookie Club and A Gift for my Sister. “John Mariani’s concise, achingly beautiful novella pulls a literary rabbit out of a hat – a mash-up of the cosmic and the intimate, the tragic and the heart-warming – a Christmas tale for all ages, and all faiths. Read it to your children, read it to yourself… but read it. Early and often. Highly recommended.” – Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Pinkerton’s War, The Sinking of The Eastland, and The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury. “Amazing things happen when you open your heart to an animal. The Hound in Heaven delivers a powerful story of healing that is forged in the spiritual relationship between a man and his best friend. The book brings a message of hope that can enrich our images of family, love, and loss.” – Dr. Barbara Royal, author of The Royal Treatment. ❖❖❖
❖❖❖
FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to four excellent
travel sites: Everett Potter's Travel Report: I consider this the best and
savviest blog of its kind on the web. Potter is a
columnist for USA
Weekend, Diversion, Laptop and Luxury Spa Finder,
a contributing editor for Ski and a frequent contributor
to National
Geographic Traveler, ForbesTraveler.com
and Elle Decor.
"I’ve designed this site is for people who take
their travel seriously," says Potter. "For
travelers who want to learn about special places
but don’t necessarily want to pay through the nose for
the privilege of staying there. Because at the end
of the day, it’s not so much about five-star
places as five-star experiences." THIS WEEK: BEST
NEW RESTUARANT IN PARIS
Eating Las Vegas
JOHN CURTAS has been covering the Las Vegas
food and restaurant scene since 1995. He is
the co-author of EATING LAS VEGAS – The 50
Essential Restaurants (as well as
the author of the Eating Las Vegas web site: www.eatinglasvegas.
He can also be seen every Friday morning as
the “resident foodie” for Wake Up With the
Wagners on KSNV TV (NBC) Channel 3 in
Las Vegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher: John
Mariani.
Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani,
Robert Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Geoff Kalish, Mort
Hochstein, and
Brian Freedman. Contributing Photographer: Galina
Dargery. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.
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