MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
THE CLOISTERS, NEW YORK
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IN THIS ISSUE A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN THE BRONX By John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER CASA LEVER By John Mariani CAPONE'S GOLD CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR THE WINES OF MONTEREY'S SCHEID FAMILY By John Mariani ❖❖❖ On this week's episode of my WVOX
Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. December
22 at 11AM EST, I will be reading
"A Child's Christmas in the Bronx,"
followed by a recording of Dylan Thomas
reading "A Child's Christmas in
Wales." Go to: WVOX.com.
The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.
❖❖❖ A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN THE BRONX By John Mariani Note:
It's become something of a tradition for me to
republish this memoir each year in Mariani's
Virtual Gourmet, which is in the book Almost
Golden I co-wrote with my brother Robert and
originally an article in the New York Times.
Maybe it didn't
snow for Christmas every year in the Bronx back in
the '50s. But my memory of at least one perfect
snow-bound Christmas Eve makes me think it did
often enough that I still picture my neighborhood
as white as Finland in those days when I lived
along the choppy waters of the Long Island Sound.
You
always knew what people were cooking for Christmas
because the aromas hung in the hallways of the
garden apartments and the foyers of their
homes—garlicky tomato sauces, roast turkeys, rich
shellfish stews, and the sweet, warm smells of
pastries and breads could make you dizzy with
hunger. When you went out into the cold,
those aromas would slip out the door and mingle
with the biting sea-salted air and the fresh wet
snow swept in off the Sound. ❖❖❖ NEW
YORK CORNER
CASA LEVER 390 Park Avenue 212-888-2700 By John Mariani Twelve years ago Casa Lever was opened
by SA Hospitality Group in the totemic 1952
Lever House building on Park Avenue, of which
the AIA
Guide to New York City said, “This is
where the glass curtain wall began.” The
interior, then, had to be impressive as well,
originally designed by Mark Newson and updated
by William T. Georgis. Today the
premises retain the glamor and grandeur of a
kind rarely attempted these days, and it is
still a joy to see the dazzling bar lounge and
to walk down a ramp into the main dining room
with its surrounding wood slats, roomy black
leather booths, cozy alcoves and to the rear a
stage-like area; its walls are hung with some of
Damian Hirst’s more
subdued dotted artwork. Lunch and dinner are
served Mon .-Fri. NOTE: NYC Health Dept.
rules require both staff and guests 12 or older
to show proof they have received at least one
dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
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CAPONE’S
GOLD
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
“Andare la
massa viene conclusa,” said the priest,
telling the people the mass was over and they
could leave. © John Mariani, 2015 ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
THE WINES OF MONTEREY'S SCHEID FAMILY By John Mariani "The Gang of Four": Kurt Gollnick, Heidi, Al and Scott Scheid
Back in the 1970s, with
Napa Valley’s wines in their ascendancy and Sonoma
soon to follow, Monterey was known more for grape
growing than winemaking. One of the pioneers in the
region was Al Sheid, who in 1972, was selling 100%
of its grapes to wineries. In the decades to follow
the estate began making its own wines. Al’s eldest
son, Scott, left Wall
Street for Monterey in 1986. In 1988, Kurt Gollnick,
who had previously farmed for Bien Nacido Vineyards,
was brought on as General Manager of Vineyard
Operations. A few years later, daughter Heidi, who
had been working as a business valuation consultant
after earning her MBA, also joined the business.
While in New York, she sat down with me for an
interview over dinner. What
did
you do before joining the family winery? Did you
avoid it until you did so? I
grew up in Costa Mesa, California and earned both BS
and MBA degrees from University of Southern
California. Early on, I fell in love with the
restaurant business and waitressed my way through
both high school and college, eventually managing
the very first California Pizza Kitchen in Beverly
Hills. Deciding that restaurant life in the ‘80s was
not conducive to living a long life, I switched
gears, earned my MBA with an emphasis in Finance and
joined the valuation consulting practice at Ernst
& Young. While on maternity leave from E&Y
with my firstborn, I began visiting the Scheid
offices to help the controller out with some
projects, namely converting his manual green ledger
spreadsheets to Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets. Yes,
that’s how I spent my maternity leave. As I was
preparing to return to E&Y, my father and
brother approached me and asked me to stay, making
me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I
didn’t really “avoid” the family winery, it just
wasn’t on my radar screen. I earned my MBA and was
working really hard, trying to make a name for
myself in the male-dominated finance field. Before
having a child, I thought that was my career path.
But after having Siena, having more control over my
life and working situation became important and the
appeal of the family business and working in the
wine industry revealed itself. When
did the winery decide to shift from selling grapes
to making its own wine? The
original grape purchase contracts that our company
was built upon were 30-year contracts. Diageo had
indicated to us that they didn’t intend to renew
them as they were planning on divesting themselves
of the wine segment. So we were faced with a lot of
grapes coming back into our portfolio with no home.
We began talks with a number of wineries and many of
them wanted to do contract wine arrangements versus
contract grapes due to processing limitations at
their own wineries. So in the early 2000s, we began
making wine from our grapes at various custom crush
facilities around the state and selling it under
contract. We realized that this was going to be our
path and the ability to make wine gave us a lot more
flexibility and control in being a supplier to other
wineries. So in 2005, we built Phase 1 of our
state-of-the-art winery and in 2007 we doubled the
size to its present capacity of about 30,000 tons. While
having the ability to supply both grapes and wine to
other wineries gave us more flexibility, it still
left us at the mercy of year-to-year market
conditions and our fate was tied to the success of
other companies’ brands. We decided it was time to
put the third leg on the stool, so to speak, and we
launched our branded goods division in 2011. The
transition of being a supplier to others to
producing brands under our own labels is still
ongoing. We currently use about half of the grapes
we grow for our own brands and sell the remainder to
other wineries as either grapes or wine. You
make 700,000 cases of wine annually. How much of
that is under the Scheid family label? We
make about 15,000 cases annually under the Scheid
Vineyards label. Are
the majority of all your wines under $15? 60%
to 70% of our sales are over $15 a bottle and 30% to
40% are under $15. With
so many wines in the marketplace now and a wine
glut worldwide, does price have a greater impact
now than in the past? That’s
a deceivingly complex question! The worldwide wine
glut seems to be shrinking and there are actually
some varietals, like sauvignon blanc, that are in
short supply. There is also the trend of
premiumization, where it appears through looking at
off-premise data, consumers are drinking less wines
but drinking better (higher price point) wine. There
are certainly an incredible number of wines on the
market, both domestic and international. I don’t
think that necessarily means consumers are
incentivized to purchase cheaper wines (and I’m not
sure if that is what you are asking). I think the
price consumers are willing to pay for a bottle of
wine has a lot to do with psychology. There was that
moment in time where Two Buck Chuck seemed to be
taking over the industry and people were buying it
by the caseload. There was loads of press about how
you don’t have to pay more than $5 for a delicious
and satisfying wine. But then, the recession ended
and people went back to paying more. Today, domestic
wines over $15 retail are growing in sales and it’s
a healthy segment of the wine market. So if I
understand your question to mean, are people more
price sensitive now because there are so many wines
to choose from, I’d say the answer is no. But like I
said, it’s complicated. Are
cult wines overly promoted by the media to deserve
the outlandish prices some have? Hmmm
… cult wines are like Ferraris. Some people just
really want that over-the-top status wine because it
brings them its own kind of joy. I don’t see
anything wrong with that. There are great wines at
$15 that over-deliver at the price point. There are
$1500 wines that aren’t 100 times better but they
may bring the buyer 100 times more joy simply
because they are considered rare and special. Me? I
drive a Mini Cooper, so you’re probably asking the
wrong person. Tell
me about your commitment to the climate,
environment, and sustainability. We’ve
been a conscientious steward of the land since we
were founded in 1972. Back then, sustainability
certifications didn’t exist, but once they did, we
jumped on board and certified 100% of our estate
vineyard acres through the Certified California
Sustainable program. We were also the first Global
G.A.P. certified vineyard in the U.S. We embrace
low-impact farming and winemaking methods, such as
composting 100% of the winery’s grape pomace, stems
and seeds, and spreading it back onto the vineyards,
recycling 100% of the winery wastewater for use on
the vineyards, and 100% herbicide-free farming, to
name a few. In 2020, we certified our fist organic
vineyard. We are currently farming 1,500 acres
organically, which should all be certified with the
harvest of 2023. In
addition to these earth-friendly practices, our
certified sustainable, state-of-the-art winery is
powered by 100% renewable wind energy generated by
an on-site, 400-foot tall, 1.85-megawatt wind
turbine that harnesses the power of the Salinas
Valley’s dependable winds. In 2020, this turbine
generated 3.7 million kilowatt-hours, equivalent to
a reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 3,000
tons. In addition, each year it produces enough
excess renewable energy to provide power for up to
125 homes in the local community. We received
the California Green Medal Environment Award in
2019.
Who
else in your family is involved in the business?
What are your children doing? My
father, Al Scheid, is the Founder & Chairman of
the Board of Scheid Family Wines. My brother Scott
is President and CEO. I have 3 children, ages 29, 27
and 22. My eldest, Siena, is a financial manager;
Cooper is a sales rep for Southern Glazers Wine
& Spirits, and my youngest Owen is in college
majoring in Economics and Computer Science. Fingers
crossed that one or more of them decide to join the
company in the future but no pressure, I want them
to do what makes them happy. How
did your MBA in finance help you in the wine
business? The
early part of my career at Scheid Family Wines was
spent doing a lot of forward planning and financial
analysis. We had to replant almost every acre that
we owned in the ‘90s due to phylloxera, which took a
lot of negotiating with the banks and the wineries,
as well as looking out pretty far into the future to
make sure we could make it through the down years.
With such a huge investment required to plant
vineyards and build a winery, you better have a
sound financial plan in order to earn a return! How
did you come up with the name Sunny with a Chance
of Flowers? I
worked with a great creative director, Theresa
Scripps. It was actually Theresa who came up with
the name and I just fell in love with the whole
concept when she presented it to me. We had been
working on a ‘better for you’ wine option and then I
met Theresa who brought me this wonderful brand
concept and voila,
we decided to marry the two. Tell me why you
believe your Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and
proprietary red blend differ from others in the
market at those price points. All of the wines in our global portfolio are produced from our sustainably certified, family-owned estate vineyards. With so many wine brands turning to the bulk wine market, the fact that we grow our own sustainably certified fruit and bring it into our estate winery means that we provide consistent quality from vintage to vintage. We control the process from grapes to glass and we over-deliver on quality at every price point we produce. Are
the wine of regions like Monterey and Salinas
Valley now competing well against better known
appellations like Napa and Sonoma? Napa
is, of course, globally recognized as a premier wine
growing region. Monterey has far to go to reach that
kind of status but having said that, the Central
Coast in general, and Monterey in particular, has
found a great audience in the $15 - $25 price range.
Our Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs can compete with the
best wines of our state and we produce a wide range
of varieties from the diversity of our vineyards and
climate zones. Do
those regions that were previously known for wine
in bulk now understand that their terroir can make
wine every bit as good as anywhere in California? Absolutely!
As more great wines are produced that bear the
Monterey appellation, rather than being blended into
another appellation’s wines, the reputation and
credibility continues to increase. How
does the coolness of the region help? With
the chilly Monterey Bay at the top of the valley and
two mountain ranges running down either side – the
Gabilan Range to the east and the Santa Lucia Range
to the west – the Salinas Valley maintains its cool
coastal conditions due to the influence of the
Monterey Bay. Beneath the bay is a massive submarine
canyon spanning sixty miles wide and two miles deep,
the largest and deepest of its kind off the Pacific
Coast. This “Blue Grand Canyon'' provides a climatic
pathway that deeply connects the ocean to the wine
growing regions of Monterey and makes the Monterey
AVA different from any other coastal wine growing
region. How
much of your wine is sold on premise and what
percentage of that of your total wines? Currently
about 20% of the wines we produce are sold
on-premise. Do
bloggers and these so-called influencers have much
effect on line sales? I
believe they do have an effect, although it’s hard
to quantify and really depends on the type of brand
you have. For start-up brands that are strictly DTC,
I would think bloggers/influencers are extremely
important in order to acquire customers. We don’t
have any brands in our portfolio that follow that
model, so our strategy is to work with
“micro-influencers” that have a loyal following and
that are believers in our brand. Particularly with a
brand like Sunny with a Chance of Flowers that has a
national footprint, bloggers/influencers are part of
a 360 degree marketing strategy and can help
increase brand awareness where many people live … on
their phones. You
refer to “weekday wines,” like Sunny. What do you
mean? For
me, a weekday wine is a wine that is more moderate
in alcohol. You can have a glass or two and wake up
early the next morning with no brain fog, ready to
attack the day. Personally, I feel like there’s
something missing if I don’t have a glass or two of
wine each evening. It’s my way to wind down from the
day and I really look forward to it! But I was
finding as I got older that having two glasses of a
14% ABV wine wasn’t doing me any favors. I could
really feel it in the morning when that alarm goes
off at 5:30 a.m. So I started seeking out lower
alcohol wines and there just weren’t many out there,
particularly from California. The difference between
a 14% and 9% ABV wine in how you feel the next
morning is significant. So Sunny is my go-to weekday
wine … and also the weekday wine of my 29-year-old
daughter and 85-year-old mom.
JUST IN TIME FOR THE
HOLIDAYS!
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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. ❖❖❖
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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."
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. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher
Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish.
Contributing
Photographer: Galina Dargery. Technical
Advisor: Gerry
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