Denis Dubourdieu Clos Floridène Graves Blanc 2010
Pronounced aromas of bruised pear skin, smoke, crushed walnuts and musk melon. Silky and full on entry with moderate, well-integrated oak that gives way to a surprisingly racy, mineral finish. It’s brighter than the nose belies, and nicely balanced. Fleshier notes subside to limestone and gravel intertwining lemon pith, the finish is actually quite mouthwatering. […]
Millésima 2016 Wine Blog Awards
Last Tuesday I received notification that I’d been selected as a finalist in Millésima’s prestigious Wine Blog Awards—a huge honor, since this is the first time I’ve entered my writing into any sort of competition. I’m also incredibly flattered to have been chosen, because the other finalists are writers I’ve long admired, including Pamela Heiligenthal’s […]
Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb with Fingerling Potatoes and Léoville Las Cases
I love simplicity—in cooking and in maintaining a garden, there is something about a recipe that combines simple flavors, with few ingredients, but does so in a way that the dish has absolute balance and harmony. Such is the case with a rack of lamb, which from a home cook’s standpoint is very simple to […]
Château Léoville Las Cases 1989
The 1989 Léoville Las Cases possesses a deep inner perfume of red currant, rose petals, balsam, graphite and sandalwood. Elegant and weightless, with fine tannins that spread evenly across the palate, like damask silk. There is a wonderful, regal and almost undefinable quality to this second growth. It exhibits both fantastic purity and balance, and […]
Veal Chops and Pomerol
This recipe, albeit simple, hails from the year I spent in Carmel, California, at the invitation of a former wine buyer and his wife. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this story, my year in Carmel is what launched my career as a writer. One could see the ocean from the house, and […]
Crème Brûlée with Sauternes
This is my go-to recipe from the Culinary Institute of America. It’s fool-proof as recipes go, and there is little motivation on my part to change it. Of course, there are infinite variations on this theme. Try infusing the cream with lavender or cardamom seeds, for example. Or substitute honey for sugar. Add subtle lift […]
Scottish Beef Stew Topped with a Phyllo Dough Crust
My take on classic Scottish Beef Stew—the butteriness Phyllo dough crust adds a delicious dimension of flavor and texture. I’ve also substituted leeks for yellow onions and flat iron steak for beef chuck. The flat iron, while more expensive is ultimately more tender. And for me, this is the perfect sort of dish to serve […]
Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse 2000
A splendid Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse. Opens with floral aromatics that descend to deeper notes of steeped blackberry, black cherry, charcoal, camphor and dried sage. Structured, powerful fore-to-mid palate tannin with acidity to match, this feels too young at this point, as though it’s not yet fully knit together. Medium-plus finish with herbal notes, and subtle minerality. […]
Dourthe Sauvignon Blanc Bordeaux La Grande Cuvée 2013
Often overlooked in the US, Bordeaux blanc can be a fantastic value, as is the case with this wine from Dourthe. Lean and wiry, perhaps in part, owing to vintage, Id love to taste a compare the 2013 to a warmer year. The primary expression is herbal, with a nose of gooseberry and boxwood and […]
Château d’Yquem 1998
What can be said about d’Yquem can only be expressed in poetry, even in a modest vintage like 1998. It is an inner sanctum, a fragrant garden, a poignant release that is both profound and glorious. Descriptors cannot do it justice, sensual and honey-drenched layers of apricots, vanilla bean, creme brûlée and almond pastry. Viscous […]