scrappydog's Profile
Which has Better Food: Calamigos or Malibou Lake?
We attended a wedding at Malibu Lake last summer. Food was a little bit above average for a sit down wedding dinner.
2010 - What are you drinking?
At a recent bar-b-que for a crowd, a couple of magnums of the 2003 Silver Oak Alexander Valley. Served direct from the bottles with no decanting. I know this wine has its detractors, but it was a crowd pleaser at this event. Deep purple, nice mouth feel, tastes of dark cherry, cocao and a little spice. Medium long finish.
Trader Joes White wines
While there is plenty of "so-so" wine at TJs which can be avoided, I like the Marqués de Cáceres (Rioja) white wine which retails at TJs in SoCal for $5.99 and the Big House White (California blend of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Malvasia Bianca, Orange Muscat and Muscat Canelli) which retails here for $6.99. In my opinion, both are great as summer patio wines / party wines.
A "big" California Red for my French cousin
I took a quick look at the online inventory for Total Wine in Phoenix, and though there are many good suggestions in this thread, not that many are available at Total. I might pick the Montelena Estate Cabernet or the Stags Leap Fay Cabernet from what I saw on the list. If you have other stores available, in my opinion, Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Red would be a nice choice, in addition to some of the wines others have already mentioned.
Very new to wines, one basic question.
I agree with Carswell's points. Just storing the open wine in the refrigerator will likely double it's shelf life. Pouring the wine into a smaller (clean) bottle and refrigerating is probably sufficient at your current level. For more expensive wines, maybe one of the inert gas systems makes sense.
There is one other option not yet mentioned - invite a friend over for dinner, and enjoy the good wine with good food and good company. Guaranteed to enhance the experience and cut down on leftovers.
2010 - What are you drinking?
It is the first time I have tried it. I would definitely buy it again. We served it with a variety of heavy appetizers, but it has me thinking about some potential food pairings.Recommended by a wine shop owner that knows me well. Another example of the benefits of dealing with a good local wine shop.
2010 - What are you drinking?
Hosted a champagne tasting for 12 people featuring the following:
A - Pierre Gimonet Blanc de Blancs
B - Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs
C - Lallier Cuvee EnzoE Brut
D - Rene Geoffroy Brut
E - Gosset Brut
F - Billecart Salmon Brut Rose
G - H Billiot Fils Brut Rose
H - Rene Geoffroy Brut Rose
The WOTN by popular vote was H - Rene Geoffroy Brut Rose. Runner up was F - Billecart Salmon Brut Rose.
What are you drinking right now?
With Grilled NY strips and sides:
2002 Longboard Vineyards Redgrav Vineyard Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple color. Moderate tannins. Plenty of fruit: dark cherry / cassis and a little spice. Nice wine with the chow.
CA Central Coast South Wines/Wineries
A couple of threads that might be helpful:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/575302
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/551941
What are you drinking right now?
We have been slacking off lately on posting notes, due to a busy schedule. We resolve to try harder in the coming year. Yesterday with turkey and a apple - cranberry stuffing: 2007 Radio-Coteau La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Deep garnet color, velvety smooth and unlike almost any California Pinot that I have had. ABV 14.4%. Very old world in style. Outstanding on its own and excellent with the meal. Also serve a Point Concepcion Chardonnay for the white wine fans.
Need a Wine please
Congrats. You have gotten several good recommendations already. I would add most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs to the list ( Nobilo, Kim Crawford, Babich, Brancott, etc). They are widely available, moderately priced and generally fruity.
How About A New What Are You Drinking ?
Yesterday morning watching Macy's Thanksgiving Parade with friends and oatmeal / cranberry cookies - '92 DP. A nice way to kick off the holiday.
Later in the day - 2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc / Voigner blend (great wine at a highly affordable price) and Dain 2005 Pinot Noir "Rebel" - Santa Maria Valley. ABV 13.9% - ruby red color, nice mouth feel. Lots of cherries / berries. A nice wine with our meal.
A week ago with steaks and sides - 1997 Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. ABV a pleasant 13.2%, deep garnet color and well integrated tannins. Blackberry, cherry and a little tabacco / spice. Also opened the '94 vintage of the same wine, but sadly it was toast (oxidized).
Wine as a Hostess Gift for Thanksgiving
How about a sparkling wine (a domestic version of Champagne) ? Roederer Estate Brut (Alexander Valley) is usually fairly widely available and might be available at Kroger (Ralph's which is owned by Kroger carries it in California.) It would work with Thanksgiving if your host wanted to open it, but would do just fine on it's own on another occasion. It is usually priced at around $22 to $25, but is on sale for the holidays in many areas for around $18 currently. It is one of the better sparkling wines that is widely available and moderately priced.
I do not have a good recommendation for a Merlot, as I don't know what would be available at the stores you have listed. In a supermarket, I would normally pick up something like Columbia Crest Grand Estates for around $10 to $12 (or less if on sale.)
Sale on CA Wines....What's the Killer Buy Here?
I had the 2004 Tapestry about a year ago and was not impressed. (Posted a comment on the "How about a new what are you drinking" thread.) I have not had the 2005, but I would have to hear something good from someone whose palate I trusted before I would try another. The 2004 was priced locally (SOCAL) somewhere between $20 and $30 by the single bottle if I recall correctly. By the way - the listing for Tapestry must be an error - it can't be a Napa Valley wine from Washington - Columbia Valley. I suspect they meant to say California - Napa Valley.
How About A New What Are You Drinking ?
I have tried a number of these different Pali Blends: Alphabets (Williamette Valley), Bluffs (Russian River Valley), and Huntington (Santa Barbara County). All in the $18 to $20 range. Posted comments on a couple of them on this thread. All decent wines for the money. Had not thought about aging potential until your post. I have stocked up on a few because I thought they were good values, so undoubtedly, I can try to (or unintentionally) age a couple.
Tips for Sagebrush Cantina Lunch Survival
In my opinion, they do a better job with breakfast (served until Noon on Saturday). Is there an option of going earlier?
Otherwise, I second the burger suggestion.
How About A New What Are You Drinking ?
Last weekend a California red wine extravaganza with lots of friends and sliders and other heavy appetizers:
2006 Justin Vineyards Isosceles Paso Robles
2005 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
2006 Orin Swift Papillon Napa
2004 Palhmeyer Merlot Napa
2003 Chalk Hill Estaes Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
2005 Hoopes Vineyards Oakville Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
One bottle of champagne for 9 People?
I agree with chefd and the rest of the posters. I think 9 or 10 people would be the maximum before it became unworkable. It will not be a full flute, but it will be enough for each person to enjoy the wine with that course. To me, there is even more pleasure in sharing good wine with good friends than consuming good wine alone. Your plan allows everyone at your dinner participate in the fun.
Malibu Week Respite; Where to Dine?
We are also big fans of Sage Room and appreciate the willingness of the kitchen to allow substitutions or make something special even if it is not on the menu ( within reason, of course). It is a small local place with charming atmosphere and no view. We have always enjoyed outstanding service at Sage.
Our opinion of The Sunset calibrates closely to the review in the LA Times. It has a great view, and is a popular place with a lot of action going on. In my opinion, if you order carefully, you can get a good meal, but we have had several mediocre experiences. A couple of times we have been, the service has been uneven. (For example, the sides show up after dinner is nearly complete despite repeated requests to check on them.) One time the fish was over-salted to the point that salt was the predominant flavor. In every case, the restaurant made an attempt to rectify the problems. Nonetheless, it hovers below greatness in our opinion - not terrible, but just not great. I do like the wine program at The Sunset, and the bar does a good job on cocktails. So for us, it has become more of a drinks and appetizer place than a dinner place.
We are also fond of Terra Restaurant (further south on PCH near Dukes.) We like the fresh vegatable sides have had great fish and pasta dishes here. We have found the service excellent, in a relaxing, non-rushed way that we enjoy.
For salads, sandwiches and pizza, we like Pizzarea Spruzzo in Zuma. Very informal with a nice rooftop deck for outdoor dining. Reasonable prices, good happy hour, and pleasant service. It is a family friendly place so expect families / kids if you go.
We generally enjoy Taverna Tony's. It is a popular place with good food and good service. Definitely on the louder end of the spectrum.
Coral Beach Cantina - stick to beer, Salsa and chips. The margeritas are sub-par, and there is no reason to eat mediocre mexican anywhere near LA.
Hope you enjoy the week in paradise.
How About A New What Are You Drinking ?
With grilled filet, steamed broccoflower and mashed potatoes: 2006 Jada "Passing By" (Paso Robles). A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. Deep purple color, plum / blackberry flavors with moderate tannins and a moderate long finnish. ABV a whopping 16%, but luckily no noticable heat. Not a bad wine, but there are probably many others I would prefer in this price range or less. About $39 locally.
Wine serving protocol
I agree with C Oliver, et al. One should take control of the situation if it gets annoying. If it is just the two of us at dinner, and both our glasses are nearly empty, I usually do not mind the server pouring for both of us. However, I would still prefer to pour our own. Most servers are only doing what they think is expected and have been told to do. It does annoy me when an inexperienced server overfills glasses, as if it were iced tea and should be filled close to the brim. (I experience this infrequently, but definitely take control of the bottle in such situations.)
Need rec: for 3 Bottles for 5 STAR RESTAURANT
bp -
Politeness provides plenty of good advice. You stated above that you were willing to spend up to $100 per bottle at a wine shop and pay the $30 corkage fee. Accordingly, if you can find wines you like on the list in this range or lower, you may be within your comfort zone. Also while you could give the sommolier carte blanche to suggest any wine on the list, there is nothing wrong with asking the sommolier for suggestions in a particular price range if you want to stay within a certain budget. If you find this awkward, simply pointing to a selection on the list at a price within your comfort zone and asking for suggestions in that price range is another way to achieve the same result. The sommolier will know all the possible wines at various price levels that will be good matches for the food. Tell the sommolier that your wife's favorite wine is Reisling. The sommolier will take this into account and either recommend a nice Riesling or something similar that he thinks your wife might like.
If the bottle of Jordon Cabernet you recieved as a house-warming gift has special meaning to you, bring it for the meat-eaters. This might be particularly true if the person that gave it to you is in your dinner group as it allows you to enjoy the gift with the person who put the time and thought into buying it. I would normally adhere to the unwritten rule of etiquette (Scott M mentions this above) that you should not bring a wine on the restaurant's list. However, I would bend the rule for a special bottle that had meaning to me, particularly if I was also ordering something else from the restaurant's list. (Providence does not post its wine list on-line, so you have no way to know if it is on their list other than calling in advance.)
Another point, as you have 10 people in your dinner party. keep in mind that a standard 750 ml wine bottle is equal to about 25 ounces, and thus six 4 ounce glasses (small) or four 6 ounce glasses (more typical). Accordingly, I usually count on five glasses of wine per bottle. Accordingly, if, as you say, half of your group are wine drinkers, the three bottles provides three glasses per person, roughly. As I recall, Providence has a very good wine by the glass selection, so if you get to the point where another bottle does not make sense, the b-t-g selections might help out.
Regarding your comment above that you are a wine "newbie", don't sweat it - everyone on chowhound (and even the sommolier at Providence) were wine newbies at one time. Wine appreciation is a fun hobby that is conducive to good times with good friends and good food. It should never be intimidating or stressful.
If you still want recommendations for byo, let us know.
Sounds like you should have a great evening regardless of your approach.
Need rec: for 3 Bottles for 5 STAR RESTAURANT
What would you like to spend per bottle?
Are you happy with a mix of white and red wine for the three bottles or do you want three bottles of a single wine?
(By the way, you might find a local shop that would have better choices than BEVMO depending on your location.)
How About A New What Are You Drinking ?
Sadly, looks like they are shutting down the Winery:
http://wineindustryinsight.com/?p=5232
How About A New What Are You Drinking ?
With grilled filet, sliced beefsteak tomatoes and peas/cauliflower:
2001 Crocker and Starr Stone Place Cuvee. Deep purple color, lots of chocolate and black cherry flavor, with mild, well resolved tannins. Nice mouth feel and a nice long finish. ABV 14.2%. A very enjoyable wine that I would buy again.
The Grill on the Alley Westlake Village Re-opening
We have eaten at Hamptons several times, although it has been a while since we have been. The food was very good, as was the service, and the property is beautiful. It definitely does not suffer from the "hotel" restaurant syndrome. In my opinion, it aims for a more "high-end" niche of the market than TGOTA. The menu at Hamptons offers less variety than TGOTA, but enough to accomodate most tastes, and the options are slightly more complex ( but well prepared.) In my opinion, The Grill offers more basic options, all well prepared. I also believe the atmosphere at The Grill is more relaxed. I might eat at Hamptons once a year or maybe twice. I could eat at The Grill once a month and be totally happy.
Mastro's, in my opinion is better compared to other steak houses. Everyone has their favorites. The main difference for me at Mastro's is that I constantly feel the pressure of the upsell, more so than other similar restaurants. Grill on the Alley is a really good choice when a minority of the dining party are in the mood for steak. The steak eaters will get a good steak cooked to order with the usual steak house sides available; the rest of the dinner party will have more non-steak options than the typical steak house provides.
The Grill on the Alley Westlake Village Re-opening
They had a fire back in June. The fire started in the sign out front on the roof, but the water damage has kept it closed for a couple of months.
The Grill on the Alley Westlake Village Re-opening
I know the feeling - I have always wanted to try the chicken pot pie, but can never pass up one of my other favorites.
The Grill on the Alley Westlake Village Re-opening
I definitely agree with Les on the Scallops, Short Ribs (fallin' off the bone) and Ruby Red Lemon Drop Martini. I would also recommend the Calamari from the appetizer menu and the Salmon, Sea Bass and Veal Chop from the dinner menu. The grilled Filet is fine and always cooked exactly to order, but no better or worse than any reputable steak house.
Restaurants near local beaches
In Zuma, Spruzzo's might work. Pizza, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and other entrees (fish, chicken, beef). Nice outdoor patio with view. definitely family friendly. Full bar if that matters.
