Spent last week in Boston on business. Visited one of my favorite restaurants, Legal Seafoods, several times. Also tried Skip Jacks, another seafood restaurant that I can recommend. As a result, I’ve got a couple of new wines tonight.
MacMurry Ranch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, ~$16.00. Light in color with a nose of cherries and raspberries. Very light with notes of cherry, vanilla, and a touch of spice on the palate. Nice red wine for fish.
Reilly’s “Old Bushvine” Grenache, Clare Valley, Australia. $15.00. Very interesting wine. Dark red color. The nose is filled with strawberries. Dense wine with distinct notes of chocolate-covered strawberries and mulled fruit. Very nice. Would be an excellent winter wine for sipping by a fire or accompanying a steak. I’ve gotta find this one.
As I believe I’ve mentioned in earlier blogs, a good way to taste wines is through flights: 1 oz offerings of 3-4 wines. What is cool about some of these is that the wines offered far exceed what you’d probably spend on a wine. I had a Tawny Port flight at Legal Seafoods Restaurant last week that included a sampling of a $20.00 10-year old, a $50.00 20-year old and a $90.00 30-year old tawny…for $14.00. Excellent value and incredible wines. I’ll review them next.
Until then, Ciao!
The Death Whisperer Series
The Death Whisperer Series available at https://www.amazon.com/author/dmichaelolive
Friday, October 24, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Third Crappy Wine
I had a senior moment this past weekend because I couldn’t remember the third crappy wine I suffered through. Then I found my notes had fallen under my desk. The third member of the bad category is a Nederburg Pinotage ($11.00), a South African wine.
Pinotage is a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Apparently the South Africans call the latter a Hermitage. Thus, the name Pinot-age. Clever. It’s grown extensively in South Africa with small amounts in New Zealand and California. It’s flavour is often described as smoky and earthy. Quite frankly, this one had a distinct aftertaste of gunpowder. Ya know, like that awful smell on the Fourth of July? Even its bouquet wasn’t particularly pleasant. So, my recommendation is don’t waste your money. Instead, get yourself a bottle of Cartlidge and Brown Pinot Noir. You enjoy it!
Ciao!
Pinotage is a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Apparently the South Africans call the latter a Hermitage. Thus, the name Pinot-age. Clever. It’s grown extensively in South Africa with small amounts in New Zealand and California. It’s flavour is often described as smoky and earthy. Quite frankly, this one had a distinct aftertaste of gunpowder. Ya know, like that awful smell on the Fourth of July? Even its bouquet wasn’t particularly pleasant. So, my recommendation is don’t waste your money. Instead, get yourself a bottle of Cartlidge and Brown Pinot Noir. You enjoy it!
Ciao!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Good and bad wines
Well, it's been two weeks since I blogged on wines and for good reason. In the past two weeks I have managed to drink some pretty mediocre to bad wines and had nothing good to recommend. But then I got to thinking that maybe I should warn you about them. I did have one really good new wine, an Elk Cove Pinot Noir. So first the good:
Elk Cove Pinot Noir, 2006: Normally this is a $30.00 bottle but I got it on sale for $24.00 so it passes the under $25.00 test. Rich, ripe, plum and cherry flavors with a bit stronger alcohol taste initially. Very smooth palate grading to a subtle cherry aftertaste. As my wife said after tasting the two reds below, "You really can taste the difference between the good and the bad…and this one was very good, indeed!
The bad:
Rosenblum Cellars 2005 Mourvedre, San Francisco Bay. $11.00. It had a bouquet of violets, smoke, spice, and a bit of cherry, but the taste was strange. Slight graphite taste lingered on the palette. Not good.
Seghesio Pinot Grigio 2006. $18.00. Pinot Grigio is a good warm weather wine. It's usually light, crisp and refreshing. The Seghesio Winery makes some very good wines, notably their old vine zinfandel. This, however, was not one of their better wines. The bouquet was citris and lemon. But the wine was quite bitter initially. It was tough to get by the initial bitter taste. Believe it or not, dropping a couple of ice cubes muted the bitterness and it wasn't bad then. But it's sacrilege to put ice in a wine. Stick with their zinfandel.
That's all for now
Ciao!
Elk Cove Pinot Noir, 2006: Normally this is a $30.00 bottle but I got it on sale for $24.00 so it passes the under $25.00 test. Rich, ripe, plum and cherry flavors with a bit stronger alcohol taste initially. Very smooth palate grading to a subtle cherry aftertaste. As my wife said after tasting the two reds below, "You really can taste the difference between the good and the bad…and this one was very good, indeed!
The bad:
Rosenblum Cellars 2005 Mourvedre, San Francisco Bay. $11.00. It had a bouquet of violets, smoke, spice, and a bit of cherry, but the taste was strange. Slight graphite taste lingered on the palette. Not good.
Seghesio Pinot Grigio 2006. $18.00. Pinot Grigio is a good warm weather wine. It's usually light, crisp and refreshing. The Seghesio Winery makes some very good wines, notably their old vine zinfandel. This, however, was not one of their better wines. The bouquet was citris and lemon. But the wine was quite bitter initially. It was tough to get by the initial bitter taste. Believe it or not, dropping a couple of ice cubes muted the bitterness and it wasn't bad then. But it's sacrilege to put ice in a wine. Stick with their zinfandel.
That's all for now
Ciao!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wines for the football Season
I've got two really nice wines for you tonight. A refreshing white and a luscious red. Great for watching football in your home. Of course, being a Bears fan, the wine helps take the edge off continual disappointment.
Matua Valey Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007. $12.00: I am really impressed by the wines that come out of New Zealand. I haven't had a bad one yet and they offer tremendous value. Virtually every one is under $25.00. This sauvignon blanc was excellent. According to their website, Matua Valley Wines began as a small, family-run winery in West Auckland, New Zealand, in 1973. The winemakers are two brothers, Ross and Bill Spence. If you've ever had gooseberry jam (my grandmother used to make it), you'll like this wine. The bouquet is distinctly citrus and I tasted notes of gooseberry, intense grapefruit, pear and a touch of passion fruit in the mouth. Dry with a crisp, refreshing finish.
2006 Novy Sonoma County Syrah, $19.00: The Wine spectator gave this wine 90 points and I've never had a wine rated that highly by them that I didn't like. Syrah is the great red grape of the Northern Rhone, responsible for such fine wines as Hermitage and Cote Rotie. Big, dark and spicy, wines made from this varietal can age as well as Bordeaux. The varietal is gaining popularity in the United States as well as other countries. Since the 1970's, Syrah has spread throughout the Southern Rhone, and Provence regions of France, where it is being bottled as a single varietal wine or in blends. This wine had an explosive nose with cherry and berries enveloping my senses. It had incredible layers of raspberry, cherry, blackberry, a touch of blueberry, and chocolate in the mouth. It's soft, velvety and dry and has only a mild taste of alcohol. Very nice. I will definitely lay in a few bottles of this one.
Oh my gosh! the Bears beat Philadelphia. the world will probably end tomorrow so I've gotta finish this syrah.
Ciao!
Matua Valey Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007. $12.00: I am really impressed by the wines that come out of New Zealand. I haven't had a bad one yet and they offer tremendous value. Virtually every one is under $25.00. This sauvignon blanc was excellent. According to their website, Matua Valley Wines began as a small, family-run winery in West Auckland, New Zealand, in 1973. The winemakers are two brothers, Ross and Bill Spence. If you've ever had gooseberry jam (my grandmother used to make it), you'll like this wine. The bouquet is distinctly citrus and I tasted notes of gooseberry, intense grapefruit, pear and a touch of passion fruit in the mouth. Dry with a crisp, refreshing finish.
2006 Novy Sonoma County Syrah, $19.00: The Wine spectator gave this wine 90 points and I've never had a wine rated that highly by them that I didn't like. Syrah is the great red grape of the Northern Rhone, responsible for such fine wines as Hermitage and Cote Rotie. Big, dark and spicy, wines made from this varietal can age as well as Bordeaux. The varietal is gaining popularity in the United States as well as other countries. Since the 1970's, Syrah has spread throughout the Southern Rhone, and Provence regions of France, where it is being bottled as a single varietal wine or in blends. This wine had an explosive nose with cherry and berries enveloping my senses. It had incredible layers of raspberry, cherry, blackberry, a touch of blueberry, and chocolate in the mouth. It's soft, velvety and dry and has only a mild taste of alcohol. Very nice. I will definitely lay in a few bottles of this one.
Oh my gosh! the Bears beat Philadelphia. the world will probably end tomorrow so I've gotta finish this syrah.
Ciao!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
German wines
Some of my favorite wines are from Germany. I love Rieslings, Spätleses and Ausleses. Of course the question that always arises is “What’s the difference?” Since I’m going to review a Hirschbach & Söhne Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spätlese classified as a Qualitätswein mit Prädikat, I thought it might be a good idea to give a little background on the wines to Germany along with the review. German wines are produced according to a quality scale based on the ripeness of the grapes at harvest time. In general, riper grapes produce richer, more complex wines. So, here goes:
Qualitätswein/QbA. [kval-ee-TAYTS-vine] German for “quality wine.” QbA is an acronym for Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete, which means a quality wine that comes entirely from one of the 13 designated wine regions in Germany. This is an estate’s basic wine and can often be a very good value, especially from top-rated producers. Chaptalization (adding sugar to improve ripeness) is allowed in QbA.
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat/QmP. The word Prädikat [PRAY-dee-cot] literally is the grammatical term, “predicate.” Prädikat wines are “predicated” on a certain level of quality, of which there are six: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese. These are the finest of German wines. No chaptalization is allowed.
Kabinett. This is typically the lightest and most delicate style that an estate will produce. Kabinett is made from normally ripe grapes picked early in the harvest. In a region like the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Kabinett will be quite light and delicate, with just seven to eight percent alcohol. These wines tend to be light and fruity. They are great everyday wines.
Spätlese. [SHPAYT-lay-zuh] German for “late-harvest.” Spätlese has more richness and body than Kabinett because the grapes are allowed to ripen for an extra week or more. Once harvested, the wine can be fermented fruity (lieblich), half-dry (halbtrocken) or dry (trocken), depending on the preferences of the winemaker. Most are a bit sweeter than the Kabinetts. They also have a higher alcohol content.
Auslese. [OWS-lay-zuh] Auslese means “selected from the harvest.” This is the Prädikat level for overripe, late-harvested grapes that are selected cluster by cluster. Often made in the fruity style with residual sweetness, Auslese is considered by most winemakers to be their finest achievement (aside from the rare dessert wines). The sweetness comes from allowing a mold, the botyris, to grow on the grapes. The grapes begin to shrivel and the sugar content is more concentrated. Top winemakers often make several Auslese from different selections based on botrytis levels. In this case, the wines are distinguished by AP Number, by gold and long gold capsules or by stars after the vineyard name, depending on the winemaker's preference.
Beerenauslese/BA. [BEAR-en-ows-lay-zuh] Beerenauslese means “berry selection.” Beerenauslese is a rare dessert wine made from extremely overripe grapes that are fully shriveled by the botrytis mold. The grapes are selected one berry at a time. It’s a tedious process and results in a magnificent dessert wine, very sweet and $$$!
Eiswein. [ICE-vine] Quite literally, ice wine. One of the rare dessert wines, made from overripe grapes that have frozen solid on the vine. They are harvested and pressed while still frozen, so that only concentrated grape juice is extracted. Most of the water stays in the press as ice, so the resulting wine is very concentrated.
Trockenbeerenauslese/TBA. [TRAW-ken BEAR-en OWS-lay-zuh] Germany’s greatest and rarest dessert wine. Trocken (dry) here refers to the individually selected berries, which have been completely shriveled by the botrytis mold. It does not refer to the taste of the wine, which is quite the opposite of trocken. They are very sweet and rich. You should have them with a selection of cheeses or alone as they are extremely filling.
So, tonights wine is a Hirschbach & Söhne Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spätlese classified as a Qualitätswein mit Prädikat. From the information above, you should be able to recognize that it's a high quality with a fair amount of richness and complexity. This wine has a bouquet filled with apple and honey. In the mouth it has ripe floral, apricot, and citrus flavors overlayered with a slight honey taste. Not overly sweet but very fruity with a bit of minerality to it. Nice wine.
So, until next time,
Aufwiedersehen!
Qualitätswein/QbA. [kval-ee-TAYTS-vine] German for “quality wine.” QbA is an acronym for Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete, which means a quality wine that comes entirely from one of the 13 designated wine regions in Germany. This is an estate’s basic wine and can often be a very good value, especially from top-rated producers. Chaptalization (adding sugar to improve ripeness) is allowed in QbA.
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat/QmP. The word Prädikat [PRAY-dee-cot] literally is the grammatical term, “predicate.” Prädikat wines are “predicated” on a certain level of quality, of which there are six: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese. These are the finest of German wines. No chaptalization is allowed.
Kabinett. This is typically the lightest and most delicate style that an estate will produce. Kabinett is made from normally ripe grapes picked early in the harvest. In a region like the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Kabinett will be quite light and delicate, with just seven to eight percent alcohol. These wines tend to be light and fruity. They are great everyday wines.
Spätlese. [SHPAYT-lay-zuh] German for “late-harvest.” Spätlese has more richness and body than Kabinett because the grapes are allowed to ripen for an extra week or more. Once harvested, the wine can be fermented fruity (lieblich), half-dry (halbtrocken) or dry (trocken), depending on the preferences of the winemaker. Most are a bit sweeter than the Kabinetts. They also have a higher alcohol content.
Auslese. [OWS-lay-zuh] Auslese means “selected from the harvest.” This is the Prädikat level for overripe, late-harvested grapes that are selected cluster by cluster. Often made in the fruity style with residual sweetness, Auslese is considered by most winemakers to be their finest achievement (aside from the rare dessert wines). The sweetness comes from allowing a mold, the botyris, to grow on the grapes. The grapes begin to shrivel and the sugar content is more concentrated. Top winemakers often make several Auslese from different selections based on botrytis levels. In this case, the wines are distinguished by AP Number, by gold and long gold capsules or by stars after the vineyard name, depending on the winemaker's preference.
Beerenauslese/BA. [BEAR-en-ows-lay-zuh] Beerenauslese means “berry selection.” Beerenauslese is a rare dessert wine made from extremely overripe grapes that are fully shriveled by the botrytis mold. The grapes are selected one berry at a time. It’s a tedious process and results in a magnificent dessert wine, very sweet and $$$!
Eiswein. [ICE-vine] Quite literally, ice wine. One of the rare dessert wines, made from overripe grapes that have frozen solid on the vine. They are harvested and pressed while still frozen, so that only concentrated grape juice is extracted. Most of the water stays in the press as ice, so the resulting wine is very concentrated.
Trockenbeerenauslese/TBA. [TRAW-ken BEAR-en OWS-lay-zuh] Germany’s greatest and rarest dessert wine. Trocken (dry) here refers to the individually selected berries, which have been completely shriveled by the botrytis mold. It does not refer to the taste of the wine, which is quite the opposite of trocken. They are very sweet and rich. You should have them with a selection of cheeses or alone as they are extremely filling.
So, tonights wine is a Hirschbach & Söhne Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spätlese classified as a Qualitätswein mit Prädikat. From the information above, you should be able to recognize that it's a high quality with a fair amount of richness and complexity. This wine has a bouquet filled with apple and honey. In the mouth it has ripe floral, apricot, and citrus flavors overlayered with a slight honey taste. Not overly sweet but very fruity with a bit of minerality to it. Nice wine.
So, until next time,
Aufwiedersehen!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Wines From My Chicago Vacation
Back from vacation and after eating pizza, hotdogs, and White Castle cheesesliders all week, I'll be hitting the crosstrainer for some extra time. New wines for you:
Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet 2005: $14.00: Elegant, bold, rather complex for a wine at this price. Long finish. Good fruit, a hint of vanilla and a touch of oak. Excellent for any ocassion.
Firesteed Pinot Noir 2006: $15.00:Oregon Pinot's are generally some of the best in the U.S. and often their prices reflect it. So, Firesteed is a nice find. Medium bodied; Ruby red ;Cherry & berry bouquet. Bright cherry and berry flavors with hints of earth and vanilla, and a refreshing Pinot at less than half the price of many bottlings.
Dalla Vina 2004 Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley: $24.00: Cabernet Franc's as some of my favorite wines, but they're hard to find. Very few people know about them and I have to special order them from my local wine shop. They're sort of a softer Cabernet Sauvignon, somewhere between the Cab and the Pinot. Very smooth. This wine assaults your nose with a huge bouquet of currants, spice, vanilla, notes of herbs, cola and violets. The palate is deep, flavored with of black cherry and black currant with hints of coffee and toasty oak. The wine screams “Grill me a steak!”
More later.
Right now I'm sipping a Hirschbach & Sohne Riesling Spatlese which I'll review later. Gotta tell ya, though, it's killer.
Ciao!
Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet 2005: $14.00: Elegant, bold, rather complex for a wine at this price. Long finish. Good fruit, a hint of vanilla and a touch of oak. Excellent for any ocassion.
Firesteed Pinot Noir 2006: $15.00:Oregon Pinot's are generally some of the best in the U.S. and often their prices reflect it. So, Firesteed is a nice find. Medium bodied; Ruby red ;Cherry & berry bouquet. Bright cherry and berry flavors with hints of earth and vanilla, and a refreshing Pinot at less than half the price of many bottlings.
Dalla Vina 2004 Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley: $24.00: Cabernet Franc's as some of my favorite wines, but they're hard to find. Very few people know about them and I have to special order them from my local wine shop. They're sort of a softer Cabernet Sauvignon, somewhere between the Cab and the Pinot. Very smooth. This wine assaults your nose with a huge bouquet of currants, spice, vanilla, notes of herbs, cola and violets. The palate is deep, flavored with of black cherry and black currant with hints of coffee and toasty oak. The wine screams “Grill me a steak!”
More later.
Right now I'm sipping a Hirschbach & Sohne Riesling Spatlese which I'll review later. Gotta tell ya, though, it's killer.
Ciao!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Chicago
Tonight, I’m writing from the Marriott Suites in Oakbrook outside Chicago. I’m actually taking six days of vacation and Chicago is my home town, a place I love to come back to. Now, although I’ve eaten at some very upscale places in Chicago, i.e. Charlie Trotter’s, when I come home, I go for my favorite comfort foods. Nothing glamorous, and in almost all cases, not particularly healthy…but delicious!
First up: Hot dogs. Chicago is known for them and don’t give me any crap about New York. I lived in New York as a child and have been back to visit and both their hot dogs and pizza are inferior. What is that brown garbage they put on a hot dog in New York anyway? You call that sauerkraut? Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw and the sauerkraut you get on your dog is the real thing. A Chicago dog has a Vienna dog topped with things like bright green sweet relish, yellow mustard, onions, tomatoes, a dill pickle slice, and, if you feel like it, hot peppers. Or you can have it with sauerkraut too. It’s a complete meal. My favorite place is Henry’s on Ogden Avenue just west of Austin Blvd. For $2.39 you get a dog with fries wrapped up in a single large piece of wax paper. I usually order three at a time. No wine or beer as they don’t have a license. Just go with a soft drink.
Next, pizza. Deep dish was invented here. None of that soggy flat anemic crap you get in New York. My favorite is stuffed pizza, another Chicago tradition. Giordano’s invented it, and I’ve been eating it since the original one opened in Marquette Park. Now they’re pretty much all over Chicago. The pizza consists of a thin crust layered over the bottom of a deep pan. Then they fill it with cheese, and other goodies, top it with a second thin crust, incredible tomato sauce, and you’ve got a two inch behemoth. It comes in 10, 12, and 14 inch sizes. My wife and I split a medium and take the leftovers back to our hotel for a late night snack. The pizza is filling, so rather than a beer, we go with a red wine. In this case, I recommend a Clos du Bois Merlot, deep red color, fruity bouquet, and a blend of cherry, raspberry, and cassis flavors. For two, get a bottle. It’s 7.25 per glass. Tonight, ours was stuffed with cheese, spinach and mushrooms. My favorite, however, has Canadian bacon and mushrooms. The best in the world, no argument.
Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t hit my favorite place for breakfast—Omega’s on Ogden Avenue, just west of Main Street in Downers Grove. The restaurant is Greek and has all kinds of comfort food for lunch and dinner, but I go for breakfast. Great omelets, with my favorites being feta cheese or lox and onion. Also the traditional ham, cheese, etc. But if you go, I would recommend one of two breakfast entrees. The first is their junior apple pancake. It’s more like a coffee cake, about 9 inches in diameter and an inch thick filled with apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a custard-like dough, baked to perfection. Under no circumstances get the regular size. The junior is more than enough! The second thing to try is the Dutch baby miniature pancake. It’s like a giant puffy turnover and you smother it in butter, maple syrup and a touch of fresh squeezed lemon. The large size is called a German pancake but it’s big enough to feed the state of Connecticut.
Back at the hotel, I like to stop at a liquor store and buy a bottle or two of wine rather than get anything from the hotel. The average mark up at a hotel is at least 3X plus, if you order through room service, there’s a service charge, built in tip, etc. A $15.00 bottle of wine will cost you $50.00. So, first I tried a New Zealand Riesling as their wines are really outstanding. The wine was a Giesen East Coast Riesling, $13.00. Wow! What a find! Surprising. Clean, crisp, and slightly sweet, but not as cloying as some Rieslings. Sort of midway between a traditional Riesling and a Sauvignon Blanc. Hints of citrus with a touch of honey. Refreshing. This is one of the best whites I’ve had in a while and I’ll definitely look for this back home.
That’s it for now. I’ve still got three bottles of wine to review…but I’ve got to drink them first. So until next time.
Ciao.
First up: Hot dogs. Chicago is known for them and don’t give me any crap about New York. I lived in New York as a child and have been back to visit and both their hot dogs and pizza are inferior. What is that brown garbage they put on a hot dog in New York anyway? You call that sauerkraut? Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw and the sauerkraut you get on your dog is the real thing. A Chicago dog has a Vienna dog topped with things like bright green sweet relish, yellow mustard, onions, tomatoes, a dill pickle slice, and, if you feel like it, hot peppers. Or you can have it with sauerkraut too. It’s a complete meal. My favorite place is Henry’s on Ogden Avenue just west of Austin Blvd. For $2.39 you get a dog with fries wrapped up in a single large piece of wax paper. I usually order three at a time. No wine or beer as they don’t have a license. Just go with a soft drink.
Next, pizza. Deep dish was invented here. None of that soggy flat anemic crap you get in New York. My favorite is stuffed pizza, another Chicago tradition. Giordano’s invented it, and I’ve been eating it since the original one opened in Marquette Park. Now they’re pretty much all over Chicago. The pizza consists of a thin crust layered over the bottom of a deep pan. Then they fill it with cheese, and other goodies, top it with a second thin crust, incredible tomato sauce, and you’ve got a two inch behemoth. It comes in 10, 12, and 14 inch sizes. My wife and I split a medium and take the leftovers back to our hotel for a late night snack. The pizza is filling, so rather than a beer, we go with a red wine. In this case, I recommend a Clos du Bois Merlot, deep red color, fruity bouquet, and a blend of cherry, raspberry, and cassis flavors. For two, get a bottle. It’s 7.25 per glass. Tonight, ours was stuffed with cheese, spinach and mushrooms. My favorite, however, has Canadian bacon and mushrooms. The best in the world, no argument.
Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t hit my favorite place for breakfast—Omega’s on Ogden Avenue, just west of Main Street in Downers Grove. The restaurant is Greek and has all kinds of comfort food for lunch and dinner, but I go for breakfast. Great omelets, with my favorites being feta cheese or lox and onion. Also the traditional ham, cheese, etc. But if you go, I would recommend one of two breakfast entrees. The first is their junior apple pancake. It’s more like a coffee cake, about 9 inches in diameter and an inch thick filled with apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a custard-like dough, baked to perfection. Under no circumstances get the regular size. The junior is more than enough! The second thing to try is the Dutch baby miniature pancake. It’s like a giant puffy turnover and you smother it in butter, maple syrup and a touch of fresh squeezed lemon. The large size is called a German pancake but it’s big enough to feed the state of Connecticut.
Back at the hotel, I like to stop at a liquor store and buy a bottle or two of wine rather than get anything from the hotel. The average mark up at a hotel is at least 3X plus, if you order through room service, there’s a service charge, built in tip, etc. A $15.00 bottle of wine will cost you $50.00. So, first I tried a New Zealand Riesling as their wines are really outstanding. The wine was a Giesen East Coast Riesling, $13.00. Wow! What a find! Surprising. Clean, crisp, and slightly sweet, but not as cloying as some Rieslings. Sort of midway between a traditional Riesling and a Sauvignon Blanc. Hints of citrus with a touch of honey. Refreshing. This is one of the best whites I’ve had in a while and I’ll definitely look for this back home.
That’s it for now. I’ve still got three bottles of wine to review…but I’ve got to drink them first. So until next time.
Ciao.
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