William Hill Estate: Napa Valley Bench Blend Chardonnay. Wine On Line Rating: A Major

William Hill Estate : Napa Valley

Wine On Line Rating: A Major

 

 

 

 

 

2007 Bench Blend Chardonnay

Astounding example of what California CAN do with this so often maligned grape. Exquisite elegance, finesse, balance, subtle fruit and what a finish. Lovely with anything, from Pea Soup to Sausage to Salmon to Triple Crème Cheese or solo. A Personal favorite.

 

Varietal Origin: Napa Valley: 100% Weimer Clone from Carneros
Titratable Acidity: 0.56 g/100ml
pH: 3.35
Residual Sugar: 0.55 g/100ml
Alcohol Level: 14.2%
Harvest Dates: September 12, 2008

Wine Tasting Notes

The 2007 Reserve Chardonnay is creamy and complex displaying intense fruit aromas and flavors of white peach and ripe pear. The stone fruit combine with toasty oak, vanilla and coconut notes that extend through the rich, lingering finish.

Viticulture Notes

A dry winter and warm, dry spring initiated an early start to the 2007 growing season. The weather remained fairly mild through the harvest months with the only heat spike occurring in early September. Temperatures cooled throughout the remainder of September which slowed the ripening of certain varietals and set a good pace for the rest of harvest. This allowed winemakers to focus on bringing in and crushing one variety at a time. Many wineries waited until the very end of harvest to pick some of the later-ripening varieties, and were rewarded with a very high quality crop. Overall, the 2007 crop was much smaller and produced lower alcohol levels in the wines than in 2005 and 2006, but quality is exceptional.

Winemaker Notes

The Chardonnay grapes were hand harvested at night and then gently pressed as whole clusters prior to fermentation to maintain varietal aromas and flavors. The must was inoculated with the QA 23 yeast strain to initiate primary fermentation. Grape solids were left in the fermenting juice to add complexity and style. After primary fermentation was complete, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel in order to enrich the mouthfeel and further add complexity to the finished wine. The Chardonnay wine was aged in new and one-year old French oak barrels. The wine was filtered and fined and bottle aged 6 months prior to release

            Wine On Line Rating: A Major

Disclosure

Copyright 2011http://www.culinarygourmet.com/disclosure By Nancy Walman Copyright 2010 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved Disclosure By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved Disclosure

Amazing Wines for the New Season from Arnaldo Caprai

As we approach fall, wine-lovers inevitably turn to

Technorati Tags: Italian,wine

wines that pair well with the flavors of the season.  Arnaldo Caprai produces wonderful white and red wines that will make you forget all about the end of the summer and look forward to the cool weather.

Arnaldo Caprai, one of the most beloved winemakers in the Umbria region, produces Grecante Grechetto 2008 DOC ($19.99), a delicious and complex wine that makes a fantastic pairing with fish, cheese and white meat-based dishes. The wine is made from 100% Grechetto grapes, which offers a beautiful and well balanced mix of floral and intense fruit aromas, followed by fresh and crisp flavors of citrus and tart pineapple. The combination of fruit and floral notes will remind you of the best days of summer. 

Arnaldo Caprai also produces Montefalco Rosso DOC 2007 ($23.00), a stunning, full-bodied red wine that's delicious paired with stews, steaks, and  hearty autumn dishes.  This wine is best enjoyed when the weather begins to cool and enjoyed with all of the season's goodies.. The complexity of the Montefalco Rosso is obtained by the blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, and 15% Merlot. This combination of varietals offers notes of ripe red fruits with delicate hints of vanilla, and a long elegant finish.

SD26 Sets A New Standard For Contemporary Italian Fine Dining. Rating: A Major

19 East 26^th Street

Madison Square Park North

New York, NY 10010

Telephone 212.265.5959

Fax 212.399.5672

Email SD26NY@SD26NY.com

Website www.SD26NY.com

Hours SD26 Wine Bar & Lounge

11:30am – midnight Monday through Sunday

Dining Room

Lunch 11:30am – 2:30 pm Monday through Friday

Dinner 5:30 – 11:00 pm Monday through Saturday

Dinner 5:00 – 10:00 pm Sunday

 Owners / Operators Tony May & Marisa May (Photo Credit Robert Caplin)

Cuisine Contemporary Italian cuisine

Wine List More than 10,000 bottles with an emphasis on Italian selections

Credit Cards Visa, Mastercard & American Express

Restaurant Overview Total seating capacity: 299+

On three levels

Ground Floor

70-seat Wine Bar and Lounge

138-seat Main Dining Room

Exhibition Kitchen with 8-seat Chef’s Table

Salumi and Cheese Display

Upper Level

60/120-seat, Private Dining Rooms

Lower Level and Wine Cellar

Connoisseur Wine Room for private dining

Executive Chef Matteo Bergamini (Photo credit Beatriz Cifuentes)

SD26 REINVENTS ITSELF AT MADISON SQUARE PARK

Interior Photo Credit Beatriz Cifuentes

After a 20 year run, Tony May and his daughter Marisa have moved and morphed their celebrated restaurant-icon to a stunning location on East 26th Street at Madison Square Park, fusing authentic Italian flavors with a striking, modern setting. 

SD26 is the first American restaurant created by internationally-acclaimed Italian designer Massimo Vignelli, who took the 14,000 square foot raw space and created a tri-level restaurant featuring rich colors of gold and red, artwork from renowned fiber artist Sheila Hicks, and secluded alcoves for guests and VIPs to gather. Offering guests multiple dining and drinking settings, SD26 features a 70-seat wine bar and lounge; a 138-seat dining room with imported prosciutto and cheese, hand-cut to order; an exhibition kitchen, and Chef’s Table for up to 8 guests. Upstairs, a 65-seat private dining mezzanine overlooks the dining room. A 14-seat private wine cellar downstairs features an esteemed collection of vintage and special format bottles from Italy’s top producers.Upon entering SD26, guests are greeted by a 24-bottle enomatic system offering 1, 2 or 4 ounce pours of red and white selections, ensuring that every glass tastes as fresh as the first poured, while surrounded by sweeping views of Madison Square Park.

Interior Photo Credit Beatriz Cifuentes

Executive Chef  Matteo Bergamini features a menu of contemporary Italian cuisine. Rather than focusing on one particular region of Italy and sticking to the rigid format of appetizer, pasta, entree, dessert, the menu invites diners to eat as they wish with all dishes served in small or large portions. Knockouts include, perfectly timed Imported White Asparagus topped with a Baby Egg and Summer Truffles (a special), a variety of incredible Artesian Hams and Cold Meats (favorites include Pata Negra from Spain, Culatello, Center Cut Of Prosciutto, Aged 18 Months  from Emiglia Romagna  and Guanciale pork cheeks cured with spices, rosemary and garlic and Lard, thick pork fat cured with herbs, salt and pepper). All House-Made Breads are to die for.

A Selection Of Hand Cut Gems (Signature dishes photo credit Joshua Bright)

Other options offer the best Veal Sweetbreads in Coffee Essence Olive Oil And Baby Turnips imaginable, melt in your mouth Beef Cheeks ,Braised In Red Wine, with Onion Marmalade and San Domenico classics like Soft Egg-Yolk filled Ravioli with Truffled Butter and Pappardelle with wild boar ragu.

Lovers of the offal will adore splendid renditions of  Tuscan Tripe with cannellini beans and tomato  (from the bar menu) and a Thursday lunch special: bollito misto, the ultimate boiled dinner.

At lunch, SD26 offers an Il Quadrifoglio menu for guests to enjoy a nutritionally balanced, one-course meal of four individual dishes designed to provide an optimal balance of ingredients.

We chose an early Saturday night dinner to experience SD26 and loved the look, which managed to woo and wow, while retaining a warm intimate feeling. We had a wonderfully comfortable banquette with a full view of the striking open kitchen. Despite the high ceilings, the sound level was gentle on the ear. (Some nights there is live music).

The service staff is young, enthusiastic, beautifully trained and guiding. With a well constructed cocktail, we delighted in navigating the hi-tech wine selection. (leave your iPhone apps at home). The expansive SD26 wine list of more than 10,000 bottles is presented using the state-of-the-art Smartcellar system and wireless digital menu. The list features hand-selected, well-known and newly discovered wines with a strong influence from Italy and selections from France and California.

An interesting compensation arrived in the person of the inspired wine director, Maurizio Antolini, who honored our requests: Italian, red, offbeat grape, full body, soft tannins and compatible acid. Although we enjoy Super Tuscans and Barolos, we requested he  look for the wines he considered  the most interesting and offering the best value.

He returned with three bottles and was keen on the Sagrantino di Montefalco Taccalite Tiburzi, 2006 from Umbria. In the $100 range (about double its retail price), it was a glorious specimen, with a deep purple color, earthy tannins and medium-full body. 15 minutes in the glass and it was heaven. (Highly recommended).

The Miraculous Uovo di Raviolo Above (Signature dishes photo credit Joshua Bright)

 

Desserts and cheese dazzle. We adored a crunchy Chocolate hazelnut bar with orange emulsion and the lightest Pannacotta with balsamic vinegar reduction and strawberries. But I am a cheese freak and  chose a selection of cheese as well.They were superb; served room temperature and in perfect condition. Cookies and espresso made the ideal finish.

SD26 shimmers with a youthful crowd enjoying the fabulous food, warm greeting and NY-style international atmosphere. Tony May was the first to introduce New Yorker’s to genuine Italian cuisine. As the the definition of Italian food has grown, so has May’s awareness of retaining integrity, while keeping up with global gastronomic evolution. That, above all, is why SD26 is New York’s best Italian restaurant. 

The Not-To-Be-Missed Chitarra (Signature dishes photo credit Joshua Bright)

 

Copyright 2010 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure

Classic and Signature Tapas At El Porron: Una Tasca Moderna

El Porron is located at 1123 First Avenue at 61^st Street and is open for lunch and dinner on Sunday to Thursday from 12 PM – 11PM and on Friday to Saturday from 12 PM – 12AM. For reservations, please call 212-207-8349.

 

 

Authentic Spanish Cuisine Hits The Upper East Side

If you’ve never used a porron before, just look at the exuberant how-to photos lining the walls of El Porron, This amazing Spanish Tasca. The latest project by Gonzalo “Mr. G” Bermeo of Long Island City’s much-loved El Boqueron,

An ode to the Catalan blown-glass vessel that pours wine through a point spout that leads directly into your mouth, El Porron is decidedly a family affair, conceived by Mr. G with his son and front-of-house director, Diego (an astonishing knowledgeable and professional young man) and executed with the teamwork of his Poconos-based restaurateur brother, Mario.

The Sparklingly Attractive Dining Room (Above) Supports Fine Dining in the True Sense of the Word

At the heart of its mission, El Porron aims to recreate the best of Spain’s culinary and cultural offerings, all from its brick-walled, contemporarily outfitted slice of the Upper East Side. After traveling their native Spain extensively, Mr. G and Diego broke down their experiences and translated them to a New York state of mind: An endless array of Spanish wine bottles lining the restaurant’s shelves and bar, There are lovely flowers, comfortable banquettes, and terrific lighting. Service is warm and helpful.

Regional dishes to exemplify the country’s broad offerings, and a meticulous sense of authenticity and pride in developing the menu and wine list’s unconventional offerings. Don’t let the reasonable prices deceive you. El Porron is a class act.

A night at El Porron may start with cold tapas, then hot—stay for entrees and paella or linger longer for a flight of Spanish wines and sangrias.

Open the appetite with the Escalibada al Estilo de la Abuela, a cold salad of roasted eggplant, red peppers, sweet onions and salted cod, all with a lightly pickled flavor at once sweet, tangy, and refreshing. Queso manchego con membrillo kicks up a classic combo of cheese and quince by piling it onto raisin pecan bread—a sweet and salty number with real pizzazz.

Hot tapas benefit from Mr. G’s love affair with sauces. A best-seller of calamares al ajillo (Above) sounds no different from other versions until it arrives at the table: whole, pillowy tubules of fresh baby squid redolent of the white wine and garlic flavors that explode on the palette with unusual brightness. It’s impossible to resist sopping up the briny, spicy wine sauce with the bread alongside. Pulpo a la Gallega, a traditional dish from Galicia, is equally addicting, with sliced chunks of tender octopus, spicy and sweet, slathered in a sauce of house-made Spanish pimenton and Mediterranean sea salt.

Those who prefer dishes from the land—admittedly a minority in Spain—will find good company at El Porron, where traditional albondigas de ternera, or veal meatballs, are among the best that the city has to offer. Impossibly tender with the crunch of slivered almonds atop, they’re served in a clay dish filled with the leek, carrot, celery and tomato stew that gives them their delicately balanced flavor.

A baby Lamb Chop (special) was available in both tapas or entree portion ($15 or $28). It was tender and succulent. Let’s hope it becomes a regular.

Some favorites can be ordered as tapas portions or entrees, such as the Vieras con Tocino, or bacon-topped scallops—a Navarran classic. Covered in a bacon crumble rather than getting the more typical wrap-around treatment, they’re a delicate pleasure served in a velvety white asparagus sauce whose earthiness makes an unexpected pair for the mostly oceanic flavors. Also a surprise? The grilled tiger shrimp, or gambas a la plancha—they traditionally eat the shells in Spain, which explains the amazing concentration of sweetly charred flavor on their crispy exterior.

Heartier entrees include a Pollo con Pisto—the Spanish take on ratatouille—with eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and onion atop a juicy portion of grilled chicken breast. Salmon Fresco a la Plancha makes for a lovely summertime treat as well: the farm-raised catch gets a pick-me-up from a citrus-berry reduction to contrast its natural fishiness.

Adventurous souls must order the Mollejas Al Espuma De Cava Y Ajo * crispy sautéed sweetbreads in a garlic & cava reduction, served over julienned seasonal roasted vegetables and the miraculous Callos Madrilenos mildly spicy stew of braised tripe, chorizo, pig's feet, morcillo & assorted traditional meats-a madrid classic that puts the French version to shame.

The whole spread can be washed down with a bottle of wine or a few glasses apiece—either way, the all-Spanish list contains an abundance of rare varietals that aren’t to be missed. Txakolina is a Basque favorite—an up-and-coming, hard-to-find effervescent wine that’s drunk as commonly as water abroad. Albarino, a grape whose popularity is just starting to climb here in the States, comes in three varieties at El Porron, making for a fascinating tasting flight by the glass. Prefer more traditional Spanish reds like Tempranillo, Rioja, or Garnacha? They’re all on the list, available by the bottle or the glass, hand-picked by Diego after extensive tasting throughout Spain’s best vineyards. (Check out Monastrell (Mourvedre) hails from Yecla, a small and rather obscure wine region in Southeastern Spain, near Jumilla. Very dark reddish-purple in color, it shows almost a bluish cast and an off-beat white, incorporating a blend of five local grapes, producing a sprightly and engaging food companion.

Whichever route you go, save room for dessert, which, in keeping with the theme, brings some of Spain’s less-exported traditions stateside. Favorites include the Flan de Mocca, a coffee-infused flan made with Colombian coffee, and the Torrejas, or strips of French toast soaked in Rioja and caramelized to a brulee-like exterior.

It’s all executed by Mr. G himself, drawing on his 25+ years in the business beginning at El Cid and most recently culminating at El Boqueron, where the influences of his once-mentor Clemente Boscos and other notable Spanish chefs earned him his reputation as a tapas authority in his own right. The emphasis is on sauces that amplify the scope of traditional tapas preparations, making them more exotic, exciting, and compelling as a whole

One of the few restaurants in this area of town that dares to break the tried-and-true Italian mold, El Porron brings serious Spanish food and wine to lucky residents of the upper east side and lays claim to being the finest Spanish kitchen in New York City.

Torrejas, or strips of French toast soaked in Rioja (Above)

Copyright 2010 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure

Classic and Signature Tapas At El Porron: Una Tasca Moderna

El Porron is located at 1123 First Avenue at 61^st Street and is open for lunch and dinner on Sunday to Thursday from 12 PM – 11PM and on Friday to Saturday from 12 PM – 12AM. For reservations, please call 212-207-8349.

 

****

Authentic Spanish Cuisine Hits The Upper East Side

If you’ve never used a porron before, just look at the exuberant how-to photos lining the walls of El Porron, This amazing Spanish Tasca. The latest project by Gonzalo “Mr. G” Bermeo of Long Island City’s much-loved El Boqueron,

An ode to the Catalan blown-glass vessel that pours wine through a point spout that leads directly into your mouth, El Porron is decidedly a family affair, conceived by Mr. G with his son and front-of-house director, Diego (an astonishing knowledgeable and professional young man) and executed with the teamwork of his Poconos-based restaurateur brother, Mario.

The Sparklingly Attractive Dining Room (Above) Supports Fine Dining in the True Sense of the Word

At the heart of its mission, El Porron aims to recreate the best of Spain’s culinary and cultural offerings, all from its brick-walled, contemporarily outfitted slice of the Upper East Side. After traveling their native Spain extensively, Mr. G and Diego broke down their experiences and translated them to a New York state of mind: an endless array of Spanish wine bottles lining the restaurant’s shelves and bar, There are lovely flowers, comfortable banquettes, and terrific lighting. Service is warm and helpful.

Regional dishes to exemplify the country’s broad offerings, and a meticulous sense of authenticity and pride in developing the menu and wine list’s unconventional offerings. Don’t let the reasonable prices deceive you. El Porron is a class act.

A night at El Porron may start with cold tapas, then hot—stay for entrees and paella or a linger longer for a flight of Spanish wines and sangrias.

Open the appetite with the Escalibada al Estilo de la Abuela, a cold salad of roasted eggplant, red peppers, sweet onions and salted cod, all with a lightly pickled flavor at once sweet, tangy, and refreshing. Queso manchego con membrillo kicks up a classic combo of cheese and quince by piling it onto raisin pecan bread—a sweet and salty number with real pizzazz.

Hot tapas benefit from Mr. G’s love affair with sauces. A best-seller of calamares al ajillo (Above) sounds no different from other versions until it arrives at the table: whole, pillowy tubules of fresh baby squid redolent of the white wine and garlic flavors that explode on the palette with unusual brightness. It’s impossible to resist sopping up the briny, spicy wine sauce with the bread alongside. Pulpo a la Gallega, a traditional dish from Galicia, is equally addicting, with sliced chunks of tender octopus, spicy and sweet, slathered in a sauce of house-made Spanish pimenton and Mediterranean sea salt.

Those who prefer dishes from the land—admittedly a minority in Spain—will find good company at El Porron, where traditional albondigas de ternera, or veal meatballs, are among the best that the city has to offer. Impossibly tender with the crunch of slivered almonds atop, they’re served in a clay dish filled with the leek, carrot, celery and tomato stew that gives them their delicately balanced flavor.

A baby Lamb Chop (special) was available in both tapas or entree portion ($15 or $28). It was tender and succulent. Let’s hope it becomes a regular.

Some favorites can be ordered as tapas portions or entrees, such as the Vieras con Tocino, or bacon-topped scallops—a Navarran classic. Covered in a bacon crumble rather than getting the more typical wrap-around treatment, they’re a delicate pleasure served in a velvety white asparagus sauce whose earthiness makes an unexpected pair for the mostly oceanic flavors. Also a surprise? The grilled tiger shrimp, or gambas a la plancha—they traditionally eat the shells in Spain, which explains the amazing concentration of sweetly charred flavor on their crispy exterior.

Heartier entrees include a Pollo con Pisto—the Spanish take on ratatouille—with eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and onion atop a juicy portion of grilled chicken breast. Salmon Fresco a la Plancha makes for a lovely summertime treat as well: the farm-raised catch gets a pick-me-up from a citrus-berry reduction to contrast its natural fishiness.

Adventurous souls must order the Mollejas Al Espuma De Cava Y Ajo * crispy sauteed sweetbreads in a garlic & cava reduction, served over julienned seasonal roasted vegetables and the miraculous Callos Madrilenos mildly spicy stew of braised tripe, chorizo, pig's feet, morcillo & assorted traditional meats-a madrid classic that puts the French version to shame.

The whole spread can be washed down with a bottle of wine or a few glasses apiece—either way, the all-Spanish list contains an abundance of rare varietals that aren’t to be missed. Txakolina is a Basque favorite—an up-and-coming, hard-to-find effervescent wine that’s drunk as commonly as water abroad. Albarino, a grape whose popularity is just starting to climb here in the States, comes in three varieties at El Porron, making for a fascinating tasting flight by the glass. Prefer more traditional Spanish reds like Tempranillo, Rioja, or Garnacha? They’re all on the list, available by the bottle or the glass, hand-picked by Diego after extensive tasting throughout Spain’s best vineyards. (Check out Monastrell (Mourvedre) hails from Yecla, a small and rather obscure wine region in Southeastern Spain, near Jumilla. Very dark reddish-purple in color, it shows almost a bluish cast and an off-beat white, incorporating a blend of five local grapes, producing a sprightly and engaging food companion.

Whichever route you go, save room for dessert, which, in keeping with the theme, brings some of Spain’s less-exported traditions stateside. Favorites include the Flan de Mocca, a coffee-infused flan made with Colombian coffee, and the Torrejas, or strips of French toast soaked in Rioja and caramelized to a brulee-like exterior.

It’s all executed by Mr. G himself, drawing on his 25+ years in the business beginning at El Cid and most recently culminating at El Boqueron, where the influences of his once-mentor Clemente Boscos and other notable Spanish chefs earned him his reputation as a tapas authority in his own right. The emphasis is on sauces that amplify the scope of traditional tapas preparations, making them more exotic, exciting, and compelling as a whole

One of the few restaurants in this area of town that dares to break the tried-and-true Italian mold, El Porron brings serious Spanish food and wine to lucky residents of the upper east side and lays claim to being the finest Spanish kitchen in New York City.

Torrejas, or strips of French toast soaked in Rioja (Above)

Copyright 2010 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure