Mother's Day 2011

Mother’s Day dinner this year was spent with family and very good friends at Il Capriccio Ristorante in Whippany, NJ. I have lauded the food here in previous blogs and this occasion was equal to previous meals. As my waistline has been expanding lately, I have been eating less these days (8lbs less to date). So I limited myself to Calamari “Affogati”, a magnificent dish in which tender calamari are stewed with spring peas in a tomato and basil sauce. It is light and full of the flavor of the sea.

When I arrived at the restaurant owner/chef Tony Grande was having dinner with his family. As I wished them a happy Mother’s Day I could not help but notice that they were enjoying spaghetti and meatballs. It looked and smelled so good, that my entrée choice was made on the spot. I was glad I did. A beautifully simple dish made with quality ingredients.

Other dishes that were enjoyed that day included Vitello Tonato, a poached loin of veal, thinly sliced and served with a creamy tuna and caper infused mayonnaise; stuffed artichoke hearts; Scrigno di Mare, a wonderful combination of shelled lobster, prawns and day boat scallops with oyster mushrooms in a “Salsa Americaine” and Beef Short Ribs “Stracotto”, slow cooked boneless “Piemontese” beef short rib “Al Vino Rosso” served with risotto alla Parmiggiana with English peas.

Food like this cries out for great wine and I am happy to report that our selections did not disappoint. We began with a 2001 Ronchi di Cialla Ciallabianco from magnum. This is a beautifully crafted white wine made from the native grape varieties and native yeasts of Friuli Venezia. A blend of Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo Friuliano and Picolit, the wine has a wonderful freshness and exhibits an amazing bouquet & palate of candy but without the sweetness. It is beautifully balanced, round and delicious on the palate with an elegant finish. $55/$119. 56º Wine, Bearnardsville, NJ

For reds we began with one of my very favorite wines and in my opinion one of the greatest wines ever made, the 1990 Edoardo Valentini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Valentini’s wines are amongst the most beautifully crafted wines you will ever find. Decanted for 4 hours the wine began to open in the final hour and display its beauty. Completely round and delicious. It is one of those great wines that are hard to explain and must be tasted to appreciate. Sergio Esposito, owner of Italian Wine Merchants in NYC says on their web site, “Edoardo Valentini was known locally as the “Lord of the Vines.” This resolute old-timer disregarded all modern conventions and wrapped his operations in a shroud of mystery, fervently guarding his production techniques from outsiders. His Trebbiano takes on uncommon colors, aromas, depth, complexity, and ability to age. Valentini's wines display a startlingly natural character, their individual quirks only enhancing their profound charm. Taking years to develop their full profile, the wines often need plenty of aeration to blow off the occasional hint of reduction. This all falls perfectly in step with one of Valentini's favorite lines, Natura non facit saltus or “Nature doesn't leap.” Valintini wines do not come cheap and are not easy to find, especially the 1990. If you do find it expect to pay $150 to $200 a bottle.


Next we moved onto a 1990 Quintarelli Amarone. I have lauded Quintarelli wines in previous blogs and this bottle was flat out awesome. Quintarelli’s ability to integrate the underlying sweetness of Amarone in these wines is just amazing. Balanced, pure, complex and with a remarkable finish it is a wine you think about for days after drinking. Round and soulful. Very expensive. Fortunately my good friend Gino who brought the wine had purchased it many years ago for much less than the $700 price tag the wine has now.

Quintarellli again delighted our palate and senses with the next bottle, a 1997 Alzero. I have had this wine on a number of occasions over the past few years and the experience is always memorable. It is made from 100% Cabernet Franc and in the same method as Amarone. As I have said before there are simply no words to explain it. It must be tasted to be experienced and appreciated. $350.

We closed out this terrific day with two great dessert wines, beginning with a 350 ml bottle of Quintarelli 1997 Bianco Amabile del Cere Bandito. The wine is made from grapes (Garganega, Trebbiano & Saorin) that have been "attacked" by "noble rot" ala Sauternes. Very rare, the wine has only been released a few times during Quintarelli’s lifetime. The wine is only produced in great vintages and is then “banished” as the name “Bandito” suggests. It possesses a seamless balance of tannins, acidity and sweetness. In short it is a profound dessert wine. $240. De-Vino Wine Boutique in NYC carries an amazing selection of Quintarelli wines including the Amabile.

The second bottle of dessert wine was a 2003 Chateau Climens Sauternes that was amazing. From a great vintage, the wine showed wonderful balance and a candy-like finish. As good, no as great as this wine was, it was, in my opinion simply no match for the Amabile. $90.

When you drink wines like these you you are rewarded with a remarkable wine experience. They seem to transport you to where they were made.

Until next time,

Saluté

Grandma DeRosa's Lasagna

Along with my passion for good wine is my passion for pasta, or macaroni as we called in when I was growing up in Newark, NJ. My preference for old world traditionally made wine is extended to my preference for food, especially pasta. Simple dishes made with fresh, quality ingredients ring my bell every time. And for me there was no better traditionally made macaroni than my grandmother’s homemade ravioli and lasagna (I once at 43 of her ravioli in one sitting).

My grandparents, like most of the Italians in our neighborhood, came from the Provence of Avellino, Italy and grandma’s cooking was steeped in the tradition of Avellino, especially for holidays like Easter Sunday. The aforementioned ravioli or lasagna were the center of the meal on these occasions. In my opinion these two pastas did not have then, nor now any peer. They were and still are tops amongst my favorite pastas. Typical of Neapolitan cooking these pastas had no meat filling. They were about the ricotta filling and the gravy (Sunday Sauce as it is known today). The gravy meat was served after the lasagna. Easter Sunday usually meant Lasagna, meatballs, sausage, braciole and salad.

I still remember with great fondness and anticipation watching grandma prepare the ricotta filling after she made the pasta. I was always rewarded with being able to scrape the bowl and finish every bit of the ricotta mixture when the lasagna was complete. The flavor and texture will always be amongst my fondest memories. My mother gave me grandma's recipe and I have been making the lasagna for years, especially for Easter Sunday. And keeping with tradition the entire family comes to our house for the sumptuous repast. In addition to the great food and wine, we are now blessed with 3 beautiful grandchildren to share the celebration with.

Grandma DeRosa's Lasagna Recipe

3 lb. ricotta, drained over night
shredded fresh mozzarella
a lot of Italian parsley, minced
grated pecorino romano cheese
6 large eggs
salt & pepper to taste
homemade lasagna noodles (preferred)

It is essential to drain the ricotta in a colander overnight to remove the excess water. If you do not the lasagna will be messy and runny. I have not given quantities of parsley and pecorino cheese. My guide is my memory of what the mixture should taste like from all of my bowl lickings. If I were to measure I would say about 1 1/2 cups of cheese and 4 or 5 tablespoons of chopped parsley. I suggest you taste the mixture as you make it and decide when you feel it is right.

Place ricotta in a colander and allow it to drain it’s water over 3 to 6 hours, or preferably over night. Mix ricotta, eggs, parsley, pecorino, salt and pepper until well incorporated. Adjust flavoring to your taste by adding more pecorino, salt and pepper as needed. Blanch lasagna noodles in boiling water for 1 minute and then remove to an ice bath. Using a 9 by 13 pan, put a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of lasagna on top of the sauce. Cover the lasagna with a layer of ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of the shredded mozzarella. ladle more sauce on top of this layer. Repeat with 5 or 6 more layers. Ladle tomato sauce on top of the top lasagna noodle, sprinkle with romano cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. When done, allow lasagna to sit for 30 minutes so that it may set. It is essential to let the lasagna rest for 30 minutes so that it is nice and firm when you serve it. Serve with meat and additional tomato sauce.

I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with the antipasto, another holiday tradition. In addition to the usual suspects such as roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, provolone, grilled artichokes, etc. Pizzagaina, the traditional Easter Pie, makes an appearance. I purchased the Pizzagaina this year at Buono’s Prime Meats and Deli in Little Falls NJ. Owner Jimmy told me it is made in Brooklyn and he has been purchasing it for more than 15 years. It was truly outstanding…one of the best I have ever had. It had a great moist texture and the meat and cheeses complimented each other beautifully. A bit rich, but OOH so good. This year I also included Rock Shrimp Arrabiatta, easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. Thanks to Mario Carlino, chef/owner of Divina Ristorante, North Caldwell, NJ for the recipe.

Rock Shrimp Arrabiata (Divina Ristorante)

1 lb rock shrimp
sliced fresh garlic
olive oil
vegetable oil for frying
flour
Clam juice
chicken broth
red pepper flakes
chopped fresh parsley
white wine
oregano
salt and pepper

Make sauce in a large skillet. Sauté garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes, add white wine and reduce by 1/2. Depending on how many shrimp you have, add enough clam juice to make a sauce when fried shrimp are added. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth, oregano, salt and pepper.

Coat shrimp with flour, shaking off excess. Pre-heat a deep fryer set at 375º (if you have no fryer, heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan). Fry shrimp for 60 seconds in fryer, remove, shake off excess oil and add to skillet with sauce. Incorporate over medium heat for 30 seconds, add parsley and serve.

With the appetizers we had Non Vintage Parigot & Richard Cremant de Bourgogne Rosé. Since it is from Burgundy and not Champagne, the wine can not be called Champagne even though it is made in the traditional methode champagne manner. No matter what it's called, the wine is terrific. Lively and balanced on the palate it entices your taste buds. The finish is clean and pure, and at $17 a bottle an absolute steal. 56º Wine, Bearnardsville, NJ.

The main course consisted of the aforementioned lasagna with homemade gravy (called Sunday Sauce these days) meatballs, sausage and braciole. The white I choose here was a 2003 Roagna Langhe Bianco Solea. Roagna’s wines are steeped in traditional style wine making. While they are known for their incredible Barbarescos and Barolos, this white is an example of how delicious white wine can be. A blend of about 70% Chardonnay and white Nebbiolo that sees no skin contact during fermentation, it exhibits incredible purity on the palate with an elegant feminine finish. $26. Wine Legend, Livingston, NJ. Oh, one more thing, this is another Louis Dressner selection who I mentioned in my last blog.

For the red wines I opted for a comparison of old and new world. The new was represented by Domenico Clerico Barolo Per Cristina 2001, while the old was represented by 1996 Valentino Rocche Dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano di Perno. Both wines were decanted for 3-4 hours.

Clerico pleasantly surprised me. I expected it to have a lot of oak due to Barrique aging, however the oak was well integrated and the wine was pleasant to drink. It was nicely balanced, showed layers of complexity and had a lengthy finish. What it did not have is the sense of place that a traditional Barolo has. It had no soul and at a hefty $150 - $200, dramatically over priced in my opinion.

The Valentino Rocche Dei Manzonni on the other hand was a beautiful crafted old world Barolo that exhibits an enticing bouquet on the nose with a lengthy finish. The wine is balanced, complex an wonderfully pure & elegant on the palate. The wine has soul and is delicious. It is drinking really well right now. $95. de-vino boutique, NYC.

For dessert I opened a 2003 Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes. While d’Yquem is not my favorite dessert wine, the 2003 is magnificent. I have had this wine on 3 occasions now and it has been spectacular each time. In fact, it may be the best d’Yquem I’ve tasted. It is full of tropical fruit such as bananas & pineapple and vanilla, and most importantly for me it lacks the medicinal finish as I usually experience with these wines, A simply delicious wine. Wines like this unfortunately do not come cheap. Expect to pay around $300.

Until next time,

Saluté

A memorable old wine & a terrific young one

Teobaldo Cappellano was a gentle giant (He passed away in 2010 at much to early an age). I had the pleasure of meeting him when my wife and I visited his estate in 2008. A friend and terrific wine writer, Alice Feiring, first told me about “Baldo” and suggested that I visit him. She said I would love his wines as they are traditional and amongst the best Baroli you can find in Italy. She was right. I tasted his 2004 & 2005 from the barrel and they were wonderful expressions of old world wine making. The wines displayed incredible purity, balance and earthiness on the palate. They had soul. While I was very impressed with the wines, I was even more impressed by Baldo, a striking figure, well over 6 feet tall with a very mild, gentile and as I perceived sagacious manner. He spoke of the importance of quality ingredients prepared with simplicity, i.e. don’t mess with what Mother Nature has given us, rather help her to express it. His wines certainly underscored his comments. So I began to buy his wines and enjoy them. A few months ago I had an opportunity to purchase a few bottles of his 1964 Barolo from Chambers Street Wines. As providence would have it the day the wine arrived, my good friend Gino (who is in the wine business and is very knowledgeable regarding wine, especially old vintages) stopped by. The 1964 Cappellano Barolo was all I needed to convince him to join my wife and I at dinner that evening. Older bottles of wine are often a crapshoot. Well if this were craps, we kept rolling sevens and elevens. Upon opening, the wine had a rust brown hue as one expects from older wines. The nose and first sip enticed our senses. Within an hour, the rust brown was now a strawberry red that deepened as time passed, something neither of us have ever experienced before. In the second hour the wine became more translucent in color and on the palate it just soared. We were swooped up and transported to Piedmonte. Here was Mother Nature preserved for 47 years. The wine was simply delicious and awesome. It was easily the best old Barolo either of us has ever drunk. The wine continued to evolve with each sip bringing a new delight. This was truly a magnificent wine experience. I only wish I had purchased more than 3 bottles as there appear to me no more around. Fortunately his current wines are available and if you like the wines of Bartolo Mascarello, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Aldo Conterno, Giacomo Contero and Bruno Giacosa you would do well to add Cappellano to your cellar as his wines are of the same caliber.

Louis Dressner an importer of traditionally made wines is the importer of Cappellano wines. He also is the importer of the wines of Alice and Olivier de Moor from the Chablis region of Burgundy in France. Their wines are terrific and a great value. Prior to dinner we drank a 2007 De Moor Chablis Bel Air et Clardy. The wine showed a wonderful balance and purity on the palate with a lengthy citrus finish. $22. Available at Chambers Street Wines.

BTW, if you have not read Alice’s book The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. It is a must read for any wine lover.

Until next time,
Saluté

A couple of lunches with good friends

Believe me when I tell you that most days I prefer a simple bowl of soup and a sandwich, burger or hot dog for lunch. However I am fortunate to have friends that not only share my passion for good food and wine, but also are also very persuasive in enticing me to break from this preference and indulge in a lunch with great food and great wine on occasion. Such was the case when Tony & Jack invited me to Il Capriccio Ristorante in Whippany, NJ in late February. I have lauded the food at Il Capriccio in previous blogs and this lunch was once again superb.

We began with manila clams in spicy white wine broth; perfectly cooked crustaceans in a sauce that demands that you sop up every last drop with good crusty Italian bread. A decanted bottle of 2003 Gravner Anphora Ribolla Gialla drank beautifully with the clams, but then again I have never had a bottle of Gravner that did not drink beautifully with whatever I was eating. Ribolla Gialla is a white grape from the Friuli Venezia region of Italy. Gravner is close to the Slovenian border in Gorzia, Italy. In my opinion he is one of the great winemakers in the world. Talk about Old Word traditional wines, here is one of the masters. His wines go through an extended fermentation in beeswax-lined clay amphorae, which are specially made for him and transported, from Georgia, Russia. The wine is then transferred to large barrels of Slovenian oak where it rests for another three years before bottling. The result is a magnificently pure wine that is a complete expression of nature. To quote the man ““I am convinced that wine is a product of Nature, not of Man, whose role therefore is to accompany its maturation process while avoiding any artificial intervention”. Amen.

His long maceration process of 7 to 8 months on the grape skins produces a wine with an absolutely gorgeous orange/yellow hue and mind-boggling complexity, balance and purity. THIS IS A WHITE WINE THAT IS MEANT TO BE DRUNK AT RED WINE TEMPERATURE. In fact the wine should be decanted for a minimum of 3-4 hours before drinking. If you drink this wine cold, you will miss it. The wine continues to evolve with each sip. It is a true wine experience. If you prefer your white wines very cold, skip this one. But I digress, well a bit any way. Back to the ’03 we drank. Two words describe it: stunning and delicious. Nothing else can or need be said. This is a wine with soul. (Did I just say something else/?)

On a side note, a while ago I met a close friend of Gravner (Joskel is his first name) who comes to the US periodically to promote the wines. He suggested that the next time I opened a bottle and did not finish it to put the cork back in and put it back in the wine cellar for a month, and then try it. Well I did, and I was amazed at how good the wine was. It had lost nothing. The wine was only slightly oxidized and had taken on a bit deeper orange hue, but was still perfectly balanced and delicious on the palate. $85.

Next up on the menu was homemade papparadelle pasta with a sauce of fresh capon. It was amazing. We had two reds with this. First was a 1998 Guigal Chateau d’Ampuis Cote-Rotie. 100% Syrah, this bottle was very good. It started out a bit tight, even after an hour of decanting. Began to open in hour 2. Nice pepper and spice and sense of place. Enjoyable now, but will definitely benefit from more cellar time. $95

Alongside this we had a 1996 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Cannubbio that was just superb. Another traditional winemaker, Francesco’s wines a beautifully crafted. This bottle sang today. Glorious bouquet of the earth and the grape. Pure, complex and balanced on the palate, with a lengthy finish. The essence of old world Barolo. $80

A few weeks later, with friends Emil and Howard, found me having lunch at one of Montclair, NJ newest and hottest dinning spots, Salute Brick Oven Bistro on Glenridge Ave. Baccala cakes, pasta fagioli and rock shrimp arrabiatta are among my favorite items here and we had them all along with 3 fabulous wines.

We began with a 2001 Gravner Breg Anfora. The Breg is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling Italico, Chardonnay & Pinot Grigio. It is made in the same manner as the Ribolla Gialla mentioned above. Again the wine was just superb. Pure and delicious on the palate with a lengthy finish. $85

Next up was a 1967 Angelo Gaja Barbaresco. I am not a big fan of Gaja wines. He has become more modern in his methods the past 10 years or so. He adds the Barbera grape (about 5%) to his Barbarescos. Since this does not conform to recent changes in Italian winemaking law in Piedmonte, he cannot put the word Barbaresco on the label. To be labeled a Barbaresco the law states that the wine must contain 100% Nebbiolo. I also find his current wines to be a bit over extracted. Add to this the very high price the Gaja name commands, I pass on his wines. The 1967 however was absolutely terrific. Probably made by Angelo’s father this was a beautiful example of an old world Barbaresco. Brownish red and a bit oxidized upon opening, the wine just kept evolving after being decanted. Within 30 minutes we knew we were in the presence of a spectacular wine and the next hour only confirmed. It showed a great sense of place. A wine with a great deal of soul. If Gaja made his wines today like this wine I would bite the bullet and pay the price. Thanks Emil for bringing this one.

The last wine (thank you Howard), 1994 Quintarelli Alzero is one of the great wines of all time. It is impossible to describe this wine other than to say it is completely round and delicious. The wine is made from predominantly Cabernet Franc and in the same method used to make Amarone, in which the grapes are dried for several months prior to vinification. The resulting wine is unbelievably rich in color and ethereal on the palate. A wine that provides a provocative wine tasting experience. I have had the 1996 and 1997 vintages of this wine and each is superb. Alas greatness does not come without a price. Expect to pay a price in the mid $300 range for this wine.

Allow me to close this blog with an old proverb (I believe Arabian) Emil sent me:

“Good wine praises itself”

Until next time,
Saluté

Dinner at Nick & Caren's House

Nick Cusano and I became friends a number of years ago when I hired him to design our new home. As I got to know him I learned that not only was he a fantastic architect, Cusano Associates, but that we both shared a passion for cooking (and I might add eating). We became good friends. A couple of weeks ago we were invited to one of his many Saturday night dinners at his home along with some of his other friends. It was a great evening of food, wine and lively conversation.

Pre-dinner pickings included mozzarella de bufala, grilled sausage, hot peppers, Nick’s homemade foccia (the man is an incredible baker). Nick’s friend Tommaso is Nick’s equal in the bread-making arena and his baguettes were amazing. The recipe for his bread is from the book “My Bread” for those bakers out there who might be interested.

The pre-dinner wines included a magnum of 2004 William Fevre Chablis Montée de Tonnerre and a bottle of 2006 Riecine La Gioia . In my opinion, the best French Chardonnays come from the Chablis region and along with Raveneau, Fevre is one of the regions most outstanding traditional winemakers. I find the wines from Chablis to be much more elegant than those from Montrachet or Meursault. The Montée de Tonnerre is a Premier Cru wine with amazing freshness, minerality and purity. Absolutely round and delicious on the palate. At $45 per bottle, $110 per magnum, it is an outstanding value.

The Riecine La Giaia is a Super Tuscan, Sangiovese based wine that is blended from various vineyard parcels with different soil types which adds to the complexity of the wine. Dark garnet in color, it is a more modern style wine that drank very nicely, although, at least for me, the oak influence was a bit too pronounced. The wine had good balance and a soft finish, albeit a bit oaky. Around $50 a bottle. 56º Wine, Bearnardsville, NJ.

Dinner began with Italian Wedding Soup, my contribution to the menu. The recipe is from Lidia Bastianch’s new book “Lidia Cooks From The Heart of Italy”. It is a delicious soup brimming with flavor. I am happy to report that all enjoyed it. The recipe can also be found on Lidia’s website, Lidia's Italy.

Next up was a terrific pasta dish that Nick had learned from the Contessa Lelia Passi on his last trip to Venice, Italy. The Contessa studied under Mara Martin owner and chef of Da Fiore Ristorante in Venice. I had the pleasure of eating at Da Fiore a few years ago. The restaurant is among my “5 Best Restaurants in the World”. The seafood is pristinely fresh and must me tasted to appreciate. There really are no words for food like Mara Martin prepares. If you are in Venice, it is a must visit. In any case Nick’s pasta echoed the style of Da Fiore, simple and flavorful, it was a wonderful combination of scallops, onion, thyme and broccoli with penne pasta.

This was followed by a prosciutto wrapped filet mignon braised in a sauce of wild mushroom, onion, red wine and tomatoes. It was served over a bed of soft polenta. Cooked to perfection, it was tender and juicy. Simply delicious.

With these dishes we drank a 1998 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape from magnum and a 2007 Felsina Fontalloro. Beaucastel is one of my top 3 favorite producers of traditionally made CDP (Rayas and Bonneau are the others). I opened it 4 hours prior to drinking, the last 2 in a decanter. The wine was terrific. It showed a great sense of place with an earthy nose, beautiful balance & purity on the palate and a marvelous finish. While CDP laws allow producers to use all 13 grape varieties from the Chateauneuf area, Beaucastel is the only one that I know of that actually does this. A strong percentage of Mourvèdre and Grenache (30% each), Syrah 10%, Counoise 10% Cinsault 5% and the rest divided up amongst the remaining grape varieties: Vaccarèse, Terret noir, Muscardin, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc, Roussanne. (I know if you are counting there are only 12 grapes here). About $90 a bottle, $200 a magnum.

For me the Felsina Fontalloro was a pleasant surprise. I expected a big modern style, over-extracted Super Tuscan wine. Instead the wine was more traditional in style. Nicely balanced and complex on the palate and a soft lingering finish. The only draw back, in my opinion, was the rather pronounced oak that Barrique aging usually imparts on a wine. Based in the Chianti Classico region, Fèlsina only grows Sangiovese grapes. The Fontalloro is a Sangiovese based Vino di Tavola (IGT), with the wine sources from old vines in three top vineyards that straddle the border between two of Chianti’s top regions: “Classico” and “Colli Senesi”. It is produced from vines that are in excess of fifty years of age, and aged in small French oak barrels (Barrique) for fifteen to eighteen months prior to bottling. About $36 a bottle.

We finished the evening with a delicious Torta Tres Leches (3 milks cake) made by Leila. It was moist and oh so delicious. The perfect end to a perfect evening.

Thank you Nick and Caren.

Aozora and Riesling

This past month I had the opportunity to try a couple of terrific new wines from the Mosel region of Germany along with some great food.

One of Christmas presents I received was the book “reading between the wines”, by Terry Theise. Mr. Theise “is an importer of boutique wines from Germany, Austria and Champagne.” As I have long been a big fan of the Riesling grape, I devoured the book in short order. It is a terrific book with great insight into experiencing the wine of artisanal wine makers. Two of the wines I tried were from the cellars of Alfred Merkelbach and Willi Schaefer, both in Germany.

I can think of no better restaurant to compliment Riesling wines than Aozora in Montclair, NJ. Aozora is billed as a French/Japanese restaurant. The multi-page menu has an extensive selection of both cuisines as well as pristinely fresh sushi and sashimi. Ah, but Aozora is much more. Chef/owner Nelson Zip is one of the most talented chefs I have ever encountered, especially when it comes to traditional Chinese food (Nelson is Chinese), which is not on the menu. However, during the week, with advance notice of a day or two, he will prepare authentic dishes from his native China for you such as General Tsao’s Chicken and Moo Shoo Pork; the likes of which you have never before experienced. These are not the humdrum, starchy dishes that are staples in Chinese fast food restaurants. Rather they are spectacular culinary dishes that transport you to mainland China.

Armed with my Riesling, my wife and I and our regular Friday night group of foodies headed over to Aozora. We began with sushi & sashimi. Amberjack sashimi with basil oil; sushi sandwich which consists of smoked salmon, kanikama, spicy sauce & fried leek served on a homemade rice cracker. The combination of flavors and textures will have you clamoring for more. Hamachi roll with Jalapeño peppers; grilled octopus in a sesame Japanese sauce, delicate spring rolls and homemade dumplings in a peanut butter sauce rounded out the appetizers. A 2009 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett, citrusy and pure on the palate, dry with beautifully balanced residual sugar, was a perfect compliment to both the sushi and prepared appetizers. Each sip of the wine lingered until the next one. Round and delicious. Oh, and by the way this bottle is Willi Schaefer’s entry level Riesling. It comes with a screw cap and costs all of $17 a bottle. Rarely will you find a wine this good at such a price. 56º Wine, Bernardsville, NJ.

Main courses included the aforementioned General Tso’s Chicken (pre-ordered). Incredibly light and served over rice noodles, it tantalizes the palate. Whole lobsters (pre-ordered) in a spicy ginger & scallion sauce were perfectly cooked and oozed with flavor. Alas, the pièce de résistance was an amazing preparation of sliced beef with a Japanese curry sauce served in an edible Japanese pumpkin (pre-ordered). The combination of the sweetness of the pumpkin meat with the spiciness of the curry and fork tender beef was simply amazing. Bring Kleenex because you may find tears of joy rolling down your cheeks with each bite you savor. With these dishes we enjoyed a 2008 Alfred Merkelbach Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett #9 #10. Enticing citrus bouquet and feminine elegance and balance on the palate. Wow, what a wine. The essence of a sense of place and traditional wine making. Price? Hold on to your hat, $12. Wine Legend, Livingson, NJ. I was absolutely floored by this wine. Both of these wines are from the portfolio of Terry Thiese. Says Mr. Thiese of Merkelbach, “The clearest imaginable look into pure Mosel. Vivid, toe-curling clarity of fruit and terroir make this my most beloved Mosel agency”.

While writing this blog I had lunch with my friend Emil at Aozora. Since it was his first time there, I introduced him to a few of the pre-mentioned items. For wine we had a 2005 Kistler Chardonnay, Vine Hill Vineyard that drank very nicely. It was nicely balanced and only a hint of oak. It tasted more like a French Montrachet than the usual over oaked, over extracted California Chardonnay. Kistler wines are not easy to come by unless you are on their mailing list. And they are pricey, usually in the $80 - $150 range.

Next we had one of my all time favorite wines, 1995 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste Hune. The Trimbach estate, located in Alsace region of France, has been producing world-class wines for more than 400 years. Clos Ste Hune, a tiny 1.38 hectre vineyard, is the crown jewel of Trimbach. Wines from Clos Ste Hune are built for cellaring. Today’s bottle, while 16 years old, is just beginning to come of age and should last another 25 years at least. The wine possessed a gorgeous hue of golden straw. It displayed amazing purity, balance and depth on the palate. A round and stunning wine, which just kept evolving in the glass. Unfortunately this wine does not come cheaply. Current market prices are above $200 per bottle.

Aozora does not have a web site. It is located at 407 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair N.J. 973.233.9400

Super Bowl XLV

For the past 4 years a group of friends have come to our house to watch the Super Bowl and partake of good food and wine. Everyone brings something and a grand time is had by all. This year was no exception.

Our gastronomic indulgence began with two stuffed breads from Bono’s Italian Specialties, Little Falls, NJ. These stuffed (actually overstuffed) breads are delicious. Today we had pepperoni & mozzarella bread and Italian hot dog bread. Alongside the breads was Tina’s magnificent eggplant casserole. She fries cubes of eggplant in olive oil than mixes this into a perfectly seasoned San Marzano tomato sauce. Finally she tops it with some Parmigiano Reggiano chesse. An amazing dish.

For our buffet we feasted on George’s mixed green salad with his delicious homemade vinaigrette; Gene’s famous pulled pork sliders with his spicy BBQ sauce (secret ingredient to the sauce he confessed is Root Beer). The sliders were topped with coleslaw Bill and Linda brought from Pennsylvania. It was a beautiful compliment to the pulled pork sliders. Bill claims it came from a very good deli in West Chester, PA.

Along side the pulled pork was Cosmo’s Hot sausage with peppers & onions. With sausage from Garutto’s Butcher Shop in Nutley and the culinary expertise of Il Grande Cosmo, these made excellent sandwiches when served on Vitiello Bakery (also Nutley) Italian rolls. Finally there were my meatball sliders. I make these with a mixture of beef and veal and I fry them as opposed to baking them before putting them into the sauce. If I must say so, they are crowd pleasers. For dessert we enjoyed pastries from Vaniero’s Bakery in NYC compliments of Peter & Amelia and homemade brownies compliments of Gerri G. Everything was delicious. My thanks to all for their contributions. And now, on to the wines:

The Whites:

2008 Pepiere Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie les Gras Moutons Cuvee Eden. The grape, Melon de Bourgogne, is grown in the Loire Valley in France. This is a terrific crisp white wine that is pure and beautifully balanced on the palate and at $15 a bottle a great buy. The wine is imported by Louis Dressner Selections. Mr. Dressner’s portfolio is comprised of small artisanal producers who’s wines, in Mr. Dressner’s own words, “…are honestly crafted”. If you see his name on a bottle, rest assured it is a wine worth trying. Any wine I have tasted from one of his selections has never disappointed me.

2008 Ceretto Arneis Blange, my wife’s favorite wine. From the Rorero region of Piedmont, Italy the wine has a little spritz when first opened. It drinks very easily and is quite good. About $22 a bottle.

The Reds:

Two of the wines were unfortunately seriously flawed. My good friend Gino had them in his cellar and thought we should try them. The first was a 1925 Chateau Margaux. The fill of the bottle was short, not a good omen. The wine was brown and terribly oxidized. The second bottle was a 1964 Barbera & Figli Barolo. This wine, while the fill was fine, suffered from the same fate as the Margaux.

1981 Castello Banfi Brunello. This wine was superb. It showed amazing youth for its age. There was a brown tint to the wine, but the nose was earthy and enticing. On the palate it was pure and balanced. It was a great expression of an old world Brunello. Thank you Cosmo.

2006 Camille Giroud Marsannay Les Longeroles (2 bottles). The favorite wine of the day for most of the ladies, and rightfully so. This Bourgogne level wine was delicious. The wine expressed the essence of youth, freshness and purity on the palate. Delightful. Camille Girould is one of my favorite producers of old world Burgundy. While the Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines from this vineyard are quite expense the entry level (Bourgogne) wines like this Marsannay are very affordable at about $25 a bottle. They offer a great introduction to the elegance that the Pinot Noir grape exhibits. The winery was purchased in 2001 by Ann Colgin, the cult California wine maker. Winemaking however is under the excellent direction of David Croix, who continues the old world tradition of winemaking. Thank you David.

1997 La Spinetta Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina. The California wine drinkers in the crowd really enjoyed this wine. La Spinetta wines see 100% new oak thus attributing to, at least for me, a more modern style wine similar to most California wines. Personally I do not feel that the $90 price tag is a bit to steep for this mediocre juice.

1999 Quintarelli Valpolicella. If you have read my previous blogs you will know that I am a huge fan of Quintarelli wines. These are beautifully crafted wines. Open these wines several hours (even a day or two) before drinking and you will be rewarded with a majestic wine experience, as was the case with this bottle. Completely round and delicious. Nothing more to say. $70.

1997 Bertani Amarone. This was a gift I received a couple of years ago. I thought we would compare it with a 1998 Quintarelli Amarone. No contest. While the Bertani was pleasant to drink it lacked the purity, balance and lengthy finish of the Quintarelli. It was a ho-hum wine with a $150 price tag. The Quintarelli, which will set you back $300+ for a bottle, is a classic Amarone that is worth every penny.

1996 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato. Outstanding. Still in its youth the wine offers a preview of what a spectacular wine this is going to be in 4 or 5 years. A classic expression of the beauty of the Nebbiolo grape and the Piedmonte terroir. Pure elegance on the palate. Monprivato is a 6 hectare vineyard that the Mascarellos now own all of, making this great site now a monopole along the lines of La Tâche. $150.

1989 d’Yquem capped the evening. A spectacular vintage. Pure nectar on the palate with a rich, opulent finish. The wines of Chateau d’Yquem are amongst the most sought after wines in the world and so command a very high price. I was fortunate to obtain a bottle in 1999 for a fraction of the $350 - $400 price one would have to pay today. For what it is worth d’Yquem was Thomas Jefferson’s favorite wine.

Wonderful food, terrific wine, the company of good friends and an exciting football game contributed to a most enjoyable Super Bowl Sunday.

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers for their Super Bowl victory.