Cooper's Hawk makes Wine-Food Pairings Foolproof with Good Results

Making wine accessible, inexpensive and well-paired with good food:  that’s what Cooper’s Hawk restaurants have accomplished.  And if my math is not too bad, I think they bring several million a year to the bottom line too.

My brother claims that he doesn’t know one wine from another.  He does.  He knows if a wine is red, white, pink, or sparkling.   Regardless of this claim, in fact he appreciates when wine and food pair well, and this is what Cooper’s Hawk makes easy. 

I loved the menu.  The wine list is substantial, with at least 30 wines to choose from, all made by Cooper’s Hawk from grapes trucked in from California, Oregon and Washington and a few other states. The 60,000 square foot facility in Southwest suburban Chicago will soon be expanded to 80,000 square feet with a goal of 100,000 square feet.   Current case production is 175-180,000 cases, according to Indianapolis restaurant manager Matthew Kehret.  (The website notes “over 125,000 gallons” a year.)    Indianapolis is one of 6 locations in the Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants group; more are planned soon for other Indiana and Ohio locations. 

Rob Warren is the primariy winemaker, collaborating with owner Tim McEnery.  Warren’s chops include Kacaba Vineyards in the Niagara region of Canada, and Tarara winery in Virginia.

At the side of each wine on the menu, there is a “bin number”.   On the other pages of the menu – appetizers, main entrees, desserts – are listed brief descriptions of the items on offer, and those items also include a Bin Number.    There is also a Life Balance Menu, part of the group’s recognition of trends in healthy eating.

I chose the “custom tasting” option on the wine list ($15.99).  After my brother and I had decided on our food choices, we looked at the Bin Numbers, and then ordered the wines for the tasting according to the suggested pairings.   The pours, by the way, were generous.   Our pairings:

·         Caesar Salad.  Viognier (bin 76).  A classic new world style Viognier.  13.5% alcohol

·         Caprese Flatbread.  Sauvignon Blanc (bin 78).  A bit metallic to my taste, but not objectionable.   12.5% alcohol

·         Beef tenderloin sliders.  Cabernet Zinfandel (bin 94) .  A blend of 60% cabernet and 40% zinfandel.  Not as hearty as I would have assumed it would be, but a nice drinkable red that’s beef-friendly.  13.5% alcohol.

·         Bacon-wrapped scallops with roasted pineapple and a white rice pilaf.  Gewurztraminer (bin 73).  Nicely sweet but not over the top, and a good pairing.  13.5% alcohol.

Our server presented us with the wine club brochure at a strategic moment, that is to say, after a few glasses of wine.   The wine club has some nice features, such as the ability to earn “points” for every dollar spent at the establishment, and for 350 points you receive a $25 certificate good towards dine-in or carry-out food.   You can choose to join the wine club in four categories:  variety, red, white, sweet.

If you sign up to receive one bottle of Sweet wines each month, you’ll pay $16.99.   For the other categories, it’s $18.99.

So let’s say you join at the $18.99 price.  That’s $228 a year.  (You can cancel at any time, but why would you?  The wine pick-up parties and special events for wine club members are reputed to be great fun!)

With 4000 wine club members in the E. 96^th Street, Indianapolis, establishment alone, that’s over $900,000 in revenue yearly.   (And membership keeps growing!   This establishment has only been open for 18 months….).    Let’s say, generously, that the cost of goods sold is about $4 per bottle.  That’s $192,000 a year.     So the wine club brings down to the bottom line OF JUST THIS ONE ESTABLISHMENT, a healthy $700,000.  

Of course there are marketing costs.  But the restaurant was pretty busy and I have a hunch that that operation covers its own expenses, and then some.    The servers are not sommeliers, WSET or other high-priced labor.  There’s a lot of automation in place in assigning tables and calling diners by those vibrating devices that you are given when you check in.  There's a wine tasting area and a gift shop too.

I like this model.  They’ve got a great thing going.  You really need to see the operation for yourself.  It’s a great way to introduce a wine-shy public to the concept of food and wine pairings in a way that guarantees them a nice experience.

I hope to meet Tim McEnery in person someday.  He and wife Dana have created an impressive enterprise since opening their first winer/restaurant in 2005 in Orland Park, IL.    The website doesn’t give me a clue to the name of the enterprise, but I’ll ask him when I meet him.

In the meantime, you too can “meet” Tim virtually at http://www.coopershawkwinery.com/    Go to the PressRoom to see the short video.  Impressive. 

Lakeside Dining with Great Wines at Long Eagle Grille, Hyatt Recency Incline Village

To my mind, there is no lakeside dining quite as beautiful as the Lone Eagle Grille at Hyatt Regency-Incline Village.  It has one of the best wine by the glass lists in the Tahoe region, and I like particularly that they list their wines “from light to full bodied”;  the wine tasting notes below are in that order.  The list changes all the time of course, but here are some that I enjoyed, paired with their exquisite food.  

The Dr. Loosen Riesling 2009 is a bit frizzante and oh so yummy.   At a mere 8.5 percent alcohol,  this popular Riesling comes from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer area of Germany.  It is vibrant, fruit-driven,  with luscious pear, peach and apple aromas.   Its crisp sweet-tart quality paired nicely with broccolini tempura.  $10/glass, $39/bottle.  

The Lenotti Pinot Grigio 2010, from the Veneto region of Italy  is light and fresh.  You might taste citrus mid-palate, but certainly the minerality is perfect with the pairing of butternut or sweet corn soup.      12.5 percent alcohol.  $10/glass, $39/bottle.

The Talbott “Kali Hart” Chardonnay 2009 , Monterey County, is nice and juicy, fruity and sweet at the finish.  Aroma of mandarin and honeydew, with tastes that hint of pineapple and mango, vanilla and a bit of butter.It is named after the youngest of the Talbott children and that may contribute to its playful personality!  It’s very flavorful, medium-bodied, and perfect with salmon.   14.9 percent alcohol.  $14/glass, $55/bottle.

Davis Bynum Pinot Noir 2009, Russian River Valley, elicited some thoughtful commentary from Lone Eagle wine steward John Marti.   “This represents what I believe is a true California pinot.  It is full bodied, concentrated, featuring balanced and well-focussed fruit.  It is rich and soft, not as spicy as an Oregon pinot.”   Paired beautifully with a panko-coated portobello mushroom.  14.5% alcohol.   $14/glass, $55/bottle.

The Rosso Passo 2009, a Sangiovese and Merlot 50/50 blend from Veneto, Italy, was perfect with the vegetarian dish of wild mushrooms.  It’s an earthy, woodsy, food friendly wine.  12.5% alcohol.   $11/glass, $43/bottle.

The Opolo Summit Creek Zinfandel 2009 just has a big YUM beside it on my tasting notes.  I adore Opolo wines, and Lone Eagle has a great selection of them.  They paired it with a chocolate duo, and what’s not to love?  15.6 percent alcohol, so take it slow.  $13/glass, $51/bottle.

Another big YUM for the Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, a beautifully balanced wine that is incredible every year.  Paired with a buffalo tenderloin.  14.5 percent alcohol.  $16/glass, $61/bottle.

The Lone Eagle Grille is located at 111 Country Club Drive, Incline Village, Nevada, USA 89451.  Tel 775.886.6899

When you want to give a gift, I suggest a case of wine.



Martin Keck enjoying his gift

 When you want to give a gift with more than the usual thought behind it, for such occasions as Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, I suggest a case of wine.

My wine geek friend PJ has a formula to help choose a nice case: “three French, three Italian, three California, three everywhere else. Of those, I suggest eight red bottles, four whites. Include some Bordeaux and some Rhone varietals, a Chianti and a Sparkling. Throw in a California Chardonnay or Cabernet.”

I used this formula as a guide for my son’s Christmas gift. He already had an Italian Chianti and Australian Riesling, so I bought 10 bottles. My tab was $160. This almost-case was a great gift, and affordable. My list is below.

Two from Italy, both reds

Barbera del Monferrato 2009, a biodynamic wine from Cascina Zerbetta, Italy. This is a red wine, 14 percent alcohol, with low sulfite levels, from a small grower in Italy’s Piedmont region. It’s a rich full-bodied wine with some tartness and earthiness, with nice tannins on the finish. A second Italian red was the Borgonero 2005, Borgo Scopeto, Toscana from Castelnuovo Berardenga A dry red wine at 13.5 percent alcohol

New Zealand, white

The 2011 Field of Stones Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough. This also is a Wall Street Journal Wine Club selection. Intense flavors of lemon, thyme and guava with crisp acidity and a lingering minerality. 12.5 percent alcohol.

Four from France: Two Reds, A White, and  A Sparkling White, 

For the first red, the Bordeaux Superieur 2008, Chateau de Bonhoste, a Grand Vin de Bordeaux from Famille Fournier. This red wine, 12.5 percent alcohol, is a blend of 70 percent Merlot, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 10 percent Cabernet Franc. Garnet-red in color, a baked-fruit bouquet, full body, soft and well balanced, and a nice fruity finish. The second red was the Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007, Laudun, Chateau Courac. 14 percent alcohol.

For the sparkling, the Brut Champagne, Nicolas Feuillatte of Chouilly, France. 12 percent alcohol.

The second white with the Chablis Millesime 2009, Simonnet Febvre of Grand Vin de Bourgogne. 12.5 percent alcohol.

Red from Argentina

I chose the 2009 Malbec, Viña Amalia, Reserve Single Vineyard, Valle de Uco, Mendoza . Fine red fruit aroma, with a fresh taste and well-balanced medium tannins. Flavor of plums and vanilla. 14 percent alcohol.

South Africa, a white

My pick was the Warwick 2010 Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc, from Stellenbosch. Warwick cellar lies on the celebrated slopes of the Simonsberg Mountains in Stellenbosch. Pear and peach aromas, and a pleasant minerality. 13 percent alcohol.

A California white

The 2009 Tessa Chardonnay from Sarapo Family Wines, Sonoma County rounded out the selections. 14.5 percent alcohol

Give your local wine shop your budget, PJ’s generic shopping list, and they should be able to approximate the selection and the cost.

What I don't know about Malbec

This blog-post title is a bit deceiving, because I do know a fair amount about Malbec.  Primarily this knowledge has been gained by tasting, and I enjoy this rich and wonderful wine.

But What I Don't Know About Malbec is going to be a diminishing amount of non-knowlege because... I am going to Argentina and Chile in March 2012 to taste, learn, and write about Malbec.

In the summer of 2010, at the Wine Blogger's Conference in Walla Walla, I spent the better part of a sultry summer evening working on an essay that I submitted to WineBow.  As the writer of a wine column in a California newspaper, and a frequent blogger about wine and the wine business, I asked this impertinent question in my essay:  "Mal who?"     It's actually a good question, because a lot of wine drinkers are unfamiliar with the nuances of this grape and the wines made from it.  That needs to be changed, and now I get to help in that mission.

Every wine writer can benefit from more knowledge, and courtesy of WineBow, I'll be on-the-spot in March 2012 in order to learn all I can, and write about the wine and the experience.

So, look for more on this topic in blogposts to come.  Salut!

The Lodge at Galena and L'Uva Bella Wine Gallery - a Great Combination!

L’Uva Bella Wine Gallery in Reno has a great wine selection and is dedicated to wine education. Debby Bullentini, the tireless proprietor of the shop in Reno’s Summit Sierra center, extends her skills in matching wine and food pairings to a monthly event at the Lodge at Galena on Mount Rose Highway, between Reno and Incline Village.

Wine Wall at
L'Uva Bella

It’s impossible to resist Debby’s enthusiasm, and she effortlessly leads diners through a menu prepared by Chef Lindsay Ellinger that’s been designed to match wines from L’Uva Bella. As autumn, and soon winter, is upon us now, the food and wine pairings reflect the season.

As an aperitif, Debby chose the Carbo Cava Brut, a Spanish sparkler that is fermented in the bottle. The blend of grapes (60% Xarel-lo, 30% Macabeo, 10% Parellada) results in a very pale yet brilliant yellow wine. Fine light aromas for this fruit and floral wine make it an exquisite mouth-filling Brut. Parellada, a white grape variety of Catalan origin specially grown in Catalonia, along with Macabeo and Xarel•lo, are the three traditional varieties used to making sparkling Cava’s, a Catalonian specialty. 11.5 percent alcohol, $12.99 the bottle.

The first course, a ragout of pork, tomato and white beans is a hearty dish that paired well with the Brokenwood Semillon from Australia. This is a wine from the Hunter Valley, a wine region that’s a daytrip from Sydney. Brokenwood makes this 100% Semillon with a classic New World style, using this revered Old World grape. The color is a luminous green/yellow that lets you anticipate the zesty lemongrass aroma. The structure of the wine is tight, but the citrus and slightly acidic finish is a perfect complement to the hearty pork dish. 11 percent alcohol, $20.99 bottle.

The Vina Sardosol Blanco 2008 from the Navarra region of Spain was a good pairing with the salad course. Generally, salads are difficult to pair with wine, but this salad from Chef Lindsay of mixed beets with mustard and baby greens was well suited to this wine with its minimal acidity, nice bouquet, and apple-apricot floral notes. The blend is 70% Chardonnay and 30% Viura. 13.5 percent alcohol, $10.99 bottle.



Swai and Grenache Noir



Domaine Lafage

I hadn’t heard of the fish Swai, but this is an Indonesian species much like Sole, and it is delicious! Baked with lemon, lentils and zucchini, it paired nicely with the Domaine Lafage Grenache Noir 2008, a French wine made from the Rhone varietal Grenache.

The blackcurrant fruity taste of the wine, with medium tannin, and a rich and concentrated palate was great with the Swai. This brilliantly-red wine is considered a vin de pays, a “country wine”, which is a step above table wine in the French wine classification. A website tour (www.domaine-lafage.com) notes that the Estate is located on the road between Perpignan, the former capital of the Kings of Majorca, and the Mediterranean seashore. Six generations have grown grapes and made wines in this Estate in Catalonia. Travel bug, anyone?



Desserts really should come first in any dinner, despite what your mother said. The chef’s yummy poached pears with chocolate-coffee sabayon, accompanied by homemade sugar cookies, was incredible with the Sandeman’s Founder’s Reserve Ruby Port. Sandeman’s has made port since 1790, and this traditional ruby-red port had powerful flavors and a wonderful brightness to it. $23.99 bottle.

More information on wine offerings at L’Uva Bella Wine Gallery at http://luvabellawinegallery.com/. They are located at 13925 South Virginia St., Suite 248, (next to Dillard’s), Reno NV 89511. Phone 775 831 1110 for info and hours. The Lodge at Galena is located at 17025 Mount Rose Hwy, Reno. Phone 775 849 2100 for hours.

Everything Pairs Well with Bubblies, Even Holiday Cookies...

Holiday cookies and champagne is a perfect pairing, but then everything seems to pair well with champagne. Forty neighbors recently joined me in my San Francisco winter pied-à-terre to toast the holidays and exchange cookies and good cheer. I hadn’t yet received all the notes below from Tahoe-based wine shop owners, so I was on my own at Costco. Since I also love Prosecco, there was plenty of that affordable bubbly too. You will find many nice choices at nearby wine shops without the bedlam of a Big-Box store during this holiday season.

First, a few official definitions, provided by The Champagne Bureau. Do an internet search for more interesting information!

• Brut NV (Non-vintage) is usually a blend of wines from several years and a number of 'crus.'

• Rosé Champagne is produced by macerating the black grapes or by adding locally produced red wine to the blend.

LOCAL CHOICES:

Debby Bullentini, proprietor of the L'uva Bella Wine Gallery in the Summit Sierra shopping center in Reno recommends Brut Souverain NV, which originates in Reims, France. $53.99 the bottle.

“First of all, I love the history of Henriot, since 1808 they have passed down the tradition of champagne making,” notes Debby. “The champagne is well balanced, but delicate. Beautiful small, tight bubbles race up the side of the flute with great white flowers, citrus and acidity on the palate. This wine can be served as an apertif, or even throughout a meal. To be specific, I think it will pair really well with fish, light dishes, and maybe something topped with an apricot/mango salsa.”

Marsha Wagner of Dockside 700 Wine Bar and Grill in the center of Tahoe City notes that they sell Freixenet Cordon Negro, Spain, for $12 per bottle. This is the Number One imported sparkling wine in the world! It is crisp, clean and well balanced with a medium body. Flavors are apple, pear and bright citrus and a crisp touch of ginger. Dockside 700 also offers many wonderful food treats to accompany your festivities.

Caroline Vogt, wine buyer, at the Tahoe House Bakery & Gourmet near Tahoe City offers four bubblies for customers to pick up along with the wonderful appetizers, cheeses and baked goods that would go so well with holiday celebrations. Segura Vindas, a Brut Reserva CAVA from Spain, sells for $11 the bottle. It is created from a blend of reserve and non-vintage wines, and the aroma combines white fruits, citrus and tropical fruits, and light floral notes.

A California producer, J Vineyards, makes a lovely Brut Rose. At $27 the bottle, the winery describes this pinky sparkler well: “crisp, red berries, blood orange, lemon peel, concentrated flavors, perfect balance, effervescent, elegant The other J option is J Cuvee 20, which is their signature sparkling wine, made in a style that’ss both elegant and balanced. This is a blend from the fine cool-climate vineyards in the Russian River Valley. $23 the bottle.

The Piper Heidsieck Champage Brut, $39 a bottle, consistently gets high praise from Wine Spectator Magazine: "Firm and lightly toasty, this offers ripe flavors of quince paste, candied orange peel, grilled nuts and ground ginger. Shows fine balance and a pleasant juiciness that builds to the mouthwatering finish.”

Whatever you choose, your holiday will be so much more fun with a sparkling wine! Happy New Year!

LOCATIONS FOR THE TAHOE-AREA SHOPS MENTIONED:

L'uva Bella Wine Gallery, Summit Sierra Center, 13925 South Virginia St., Suite 248, Reno, NV 89511 tel: (775) 851-1110

Dockside 700 Wine Bar & Grill, 700 N Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145. (530) 581-0303

Tahoe House Bakery & Gourmet, 625 W lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145 (530) 583-1377

Excellent wine-food pairings in Tahoe City at Dockside 700

I think that Dockside 700 is going to be my new favorite place in Tahoe City for a convivial glass of wine. I really liked the vibe there at their elegant and friendly bar, and the adjoining restaurant features pleasant music, not too loud. Top the experience off with a very good wine-by-the-glass list with reasonable prices and a balance of familiar and more adventurous wines, and they have simply got it all. If that weren’t enough (but it is), the heated-in-winter and screened-in-summer enclosed porch has a wonderful lake view. Suggestion: take your wine out there!

Owners Marsha Wagner and David Richardson have been in the business of preparing delicious food since 2005, starting with Ice Box Kitchen, a take-and-bake “sous vide” concept with freshly-prepared entrees offered in a deli case a few steps from the wine bar. “We think that wine is a complement to food,” says Marsha “We deliberately decided to build a wine list that is unique in the area and features very food-friendly wines.” Almost all Dockside 700 wines by the glass range from $5 to $7 per glass, and can be bought by the bottle too. There are wonderful pairing s with the happy hour appetizer menu. Happy hour begins at 4 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m., seven days a week.

Our tour of the Dockside 700 wine menu started with their top sellers: Cuvaison Chardonnay, Sobon Zinfandel, and Justin Cabernet.

The 2009 Cuvaison Chardonnay uses grapes sourced from Carneros. It is a bright yet light golden-colored wine, with an aroma of honeysuckle and notes of white peach and pear blossom. On the palate you’ll taste apricot and peach, with a hint of nutmeg and a nice toasty oak. Cuvaison is a favorite of Marsha’s, in part because of their commitment to sustainability and their use of solar power. 14.2 percent alcohol.

The 2010 Sobon Zinfandel is a personal favorite of mine too, since you all know by know that I think the wines from Sierra Foothill wineries are among the best that California has to offer. This Old Vine Zinfandel blended from several of  Sobon's estate vineyards in Amador county is a fragrant, rich, full bodied zin with very forward, fruit driven flavors. It is 97 percent Zin and 3 percent Petite Syrah, with final alcohol percent of 14.9. Just released in October 2011, it is meant for every day consumption but the winemaker notes that it will improve in the bottle for the next five years. Yummy with Dockside 700’s artichoke dip appetizer!

I was lured by the meatball sub on housebaked bread and the suggested pairing with the Justin 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles. Somewhat of an entry-level Cabernet, the aroma is fruity, and the taste of ripe red and black fruit with a touch of spice makes it easy to drink. Nicely textured tannins provide that underpinning for pairing with burgers, stews, meatballs. 14.5 percent alcohol.

Sold by the bottle only, the Phelps Fog Dog 2008 Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast is medium-bodied with a fresh crisp initial taste and a spiciness and balance thereafter. The first sip, which is fresh, lean and crisp, follows through with a spicy mid-palate and finishes with firm, balanced and pleasant acidity. 13.5 percent alcohol.

The sister wine to this is 2009 Phelps Fog Dog Pinot Noir. Ask if they have any left! The winemaker notes that it is “loaded with vibrant red fruit, tangerine peel… simply bursting with red raspberry, plump red cherry and rhubarb.” 13.5 percent alcohol.

Dockside 700 is located at 700 North Lake Blvd, Tahoe City. Tel 530-581 0303. Menus (but not wine list) are at www.dockside700.com.