2015 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne lieu-dit Clavin

WSET Tasting Note

This wine has medium+ intensity aromas of florals (violet), black fruit (black cherry), herbs, spice (licorice) and earth. It is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) tannin, high alcohol and a medium (+) body. The flavors are concentrated with black cherry, violet, licorice and spice. The finish is medium (+) and this is a very good quality Côtes-du-Rhone.

Producer

Domaine de la Vieille Julienne is a hidden gem in the Southern Rhone Valley. It is currently run by 5th generation owner/winemaker Jean-Paul Daumen who has embraced biodynamic winemaking practices since taking over the estate in 1990.

The estate sits at the northern limit of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and enjoys 50 acres of old vines. The vineyards are planted on north-facing slopes, providing ideal microclimates in this Mediterranean climate. The soils are rocky/sandy and the vineyard is planted in parcels but all plots are field blends. All harvesting is done by hand. In the winery, natural yeasts are used to express terroir and vintage, and the wines enjoy a long slow fermentation followed by 18 months aging in foudre. All wines are bottled without fining or filtering.

Region

Côtes-du-Rhône is a, typically entry-level, classification that covers the entire Rhône Valley, which is located in Southern France. Domaine de la Vieille Julienne is specifically located in the Southern Rhône Valley, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Southern Rhône Valley is heavily influenced by the nearby Mediterranean Sea, enjoying mild winters, hot summers, low rainfall, and plenty of sunshine. The Mistral (wind) plays an important role in the Rhône Valley as this strong, cold, northwesterly wind blasts this region that doesn’t have slopes for protection. Soils vary throughout the region, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are typically Grenache-based blends.

2016 Fallon Place Zinfandel

SommSelect Blind Six

WSET Tasting Note

This wine is deep ruby with purple reflections. The nose has a medium (+) intensity with aromas of bright, candied cherry, raspberry jam, strawberry, raisin, florals, and a hint of pepper and spice. This wine is dry (though jammy enough that it almost seems sweet), with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins that linger in the mid-tongue, high alcohol, and a full body. The flavor intensity is medium (+) with primary fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry, strawberry, and raisins shining through. There’s also a detectable hint of florals, pepper, and spice. The finish is medium, and the wine is of good quality.

Producer

Fallon Place is, in their own words, a “San Francisco winery producing single-vineyard designate wines from select vineyards in Sonoma County.” This means that they source fruit from vineyards in Sonoma County rather than owning the land, and they transport the grapes to their winemaking facility in San Francisco to make the wine.

Fallon Place’s focus is on producing premium quality wines from single-vineyard sites in Sonoma County that farm sustainably and organically. At the helm is winemaker and proprietor Cory Michal who studied at both UC Davis and Université de Bourgogne. Michal mirrors his preference for sustainable and organic viticulture in the winery where he practices minimal intervention and uses native yeast fermentations.

Region

Chalk Hill AVA is located in the northeast corner of the Russian River Valley AVA within Sonoma County. This AVA is warmer than most of the Russian River Valley because the area is hilly and the hills block some of the cool breezes coming from the Pacific Ocean. Being further inland also results in a warmer climate.

What does a warmer climate mean? Vintners trade in their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in favor of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc. Bring on the alcohol.

It’s also notable that the area has white volcanic ash soil (even though common sense would tell us chalk) and vineyards are planted on the valley floor all the way up to 500m.

Fallon Place sources their fruit from Landa Vineyard which is on a steep hillside facing southwest. Here the soils are a rocky mix of spreckels loam, river-wash, and felta gravelly loam. The steep slope and well-drained soil produces small, intense, thick-skinned berries from the 40-year-old vines.

Varietal

Zinfandel is not a widely planted grape. It is found mostly in California, where 100-year-old vines aren’t uncommon, and also in Puglia, Italy. Zinfandel is typically very jammy with red fruits like raspberry, blue fruits like blueberry and black fruits like blackberry. The acidity is normally medium(+), tannins are normally medium and the body is normally medium-full. If you like fruit-forward, jammy, and bold, Zinfandel is a great option for you.

2018 Erste + Neue Pinot Grigio

SommSelect Blind Six

WSET Tasting Note

This wine is a pale lemon. The nose has medium intensity aromas of white blossom, yellow apple, lemon peel, and melon rind, along with a wet stone minerality and a hint of lees. The wine is dry with medium acidity, medium alcohol, and a medium body. The flavors are medium and reflect the aromas - florals, yellow apple, lemon peel, melon rind, wet stone, lees. The finish is medium. This is a good quality wine that is ready to drink now and is not suitable for aging.

Producer

Erste + Neue was established in 1986 and is a merger of two former wineries that have been around since the early 1900s. Since 2016 they have aligned their winemaking practices with the Cantina Kaltern, a historic and principal co-operative in the Alto Adige DOC. Erste + Neue still harvest all grapes by hand, and they ferment and store wines in stainless steel tanks to preserve fresh fruit aromas while allowing long contact time with fine yeasts to develop a more nuanced product.

Region

Alto Adige is a wine region that lies in Northern Italy at the foothills of the Alps. The climate is continental, but the mountains to the north protect from colds winds, plus warm air currents in the valleys coupled with 300+ days of sunshine and a large diurnal temperature shift create great conditions for ripening grapes while retaining acidity. There is a great variety of soil in the area, and most vineyards are planted on the lower slopes of hills. You will typically find single-varietal wines from this region, with 60% of production being white wine.

Varietal

Pinot Grigio is the second most popular varietal in Alto Adige, and high demand for the wine has led to an increase in plantings. While mass-produced Pinot Grigio can be simplistic and inexpensive, Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige can be particularly aromatic with brighter acidity and a hint more alcohol. Look for Pinot Grigio from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige in N. Italy.

2015 Roberto Voerzio Langhe Nebbiolo di San Francesco

WSET Tasting Note

This wine is pale ruby. It has medium (+) aromas of florals (rose), red fruits (cherry, currant), spice (white pepper) and a hint of leather. The wine is dry with high acidity, medium tannin that is fine-grained, medium (+) alcohol, and medium (+) body. The flavor intensity is medium (+) with rose, cherry, currant, white pepper, and leather. The finish is long.

Producer

Roberto Voerzio is a family-run winery founded in 1986 in La Morra. This is a cult favorite in the region, known for having the lowest yields in all of Barolo. The family mixes traditional and modern winemaking methods, including vineyard work done by hand, utilization of natural yeasts, minimal sulfur addition, and no fining or filtering. Thus providing you with a terroir-driven wine that represents a specific place and time.

Region

The Piedmont region lies in northwest Italy and is home to some of Italy’s most prized wines. The Langhe region lies within Piedmont and is responsible for producing a majority of said prized wines. The area, which has a continental climate heavily influenced by the Alps, is most well-known for intense, long-lived Nebbiolo. (Piedmont means “foot of the mountain”)

The Langhe encompasses Barolo and Barbaresco, but wines labeled Langhe Nebbiolo DOC tend to lie on vineyard sites outside of these DOCG regions on less ideal vineyards. These wines are often made by excellent producers (like is the case here) and offer fantastic value, especially in great vintages.

Varietal

Most Nebbiolo is found in northwest Italy, specifically Piedmont. This black grape produces wine that has flavors and aromas of florals (rose, violet) and red fruits (cherry, plum) with some expressions showing leather and spice. Nebbiolos typically have a full-body, very high tannins, high acidity and medium (+) – high alcohol. It’s not an easy grape to cultivate, and high prices tend to be associated with the wines.

2017 Etienne Sauzet Bourgogne

2017 Etienne Sauzet Bourgogne enjoyed on 11/9/19 at Ema with LT & KR

WSET Tasting Note

This wine is pale lemon. The aroma intensity is medium with primary aromas of green fruit (apple), citrus (lemon peel), stone fruit (white peach) and florals (chamomile). There are secondary aromas of yeast (yogurt). The wine is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, and medium body. The flavor intensity is medium with apple, lemon peel, peach, and chamomile. The finish is medium (+). This is a very good wine that is ready to drink now but is suitable for further aging. 

Pairing

The delicate flavors and zippy acidity in this wine paired quite well with many of the dishes that we enjoyed, making it a great option at a small, shared plate restaurant like Aba. In particular, the flavors and weight were wonderfully balanced against the Grilled Moroccan Spiced Chicken Cutlet (toasted pine nut, lemon caper, parsley) and the acidity against the Whipped Feta (crushed pistachio, olive oil, lemon zest) was particularly pleasing. 

2017 Etienne Sauzet Bourgogne at Ema

Producer

In the early 1900s, Etienne Sauzet created Domaine Etienne Sauzet with 12 ha (29 acres) of vineyards that he inherited and purchased in Puligny-Montrachet. The Domaine has been passed down (and slightly expanded upon) for four generations, now in the hands of Sauzet’s great-granddaughter Jeanine and her husband, Benoit Riffualt. Winemaking practices have been modernized to include improved vinification techniques and biodynamic farming (organic farming since 2006, biodynamic since 2010). As Jeanine puts it, ‘“Sauzet” are still six-letters which ring as an homage to Chardonnay’. 

Region

Etienne Sauzet is located in the Puligny-Montrachet AOC which lies in the Cote de Beaune, the southern part of the Cote d’Or within Burgundy. That’s a mouthful: Burgundy > Cote d’Or > Cote de Beaune > Puligny-Montrachet AOC. Here’s a great map via Wine Folly:

Map via Wine Folly

To break it down from big to small, we’ll start with Burgundy as a whole. In general, Burgundy’s climate is continental with cold winters and short, warm summers. Burgundy is known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, two grapes that ripen early making them suitable for this climate. Then we scale down to the Côte d’Or, a 30-mile-long area full of complexities with the individual site being very important and each village having its own character. The Côte d’Or lies on a range of hills, so the vineyard’s specific aspect, altitude, slope degree, and soil all influence the final quality of the grapes and the wines. The region is comprised of soils with various types of limestone and clay. Then we dig down to the Côte de Beaune which is the southern half of the Côte d’Or. The Côte de Beaune has more clay in its soils that the Côte de Nuits and the soils are deeper - Chardonnay is the star. Puligny-Montrachet AOC lies within the Côte de Beaune and is one of the finest white wine-producing regions in Burgundy and the world.

Varietal

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is an incredibly versatile grape. It can be grown in a wide range of climates and is made in a wide range of styles. In cooler climates, you find green fruit and citrus notes while warmer climates produce wines with tropical aromas. The use of oak is producer dependent and imparts flavors like toast, spice, and caramel.

The Côte d’Or is a moderate climate that often produces Chardonnay with ripe citrus, melon and stone fruit. The body is typically medium to medium (+) and the acidity is medium (+) to high. For this wine, Sauzet ages half the wine in wood, but only 10% of the wood is new. This imparts slight oak nuances without being overwhelming.

What I Drank | Nov 8

This week was full of fun memories made with great friends. A baby was born, we partook in a surprise birthday dinner at El Ideas and we enjoyed a cozy, and delicious, Friendsgiving. Needless to say, a lot of wine was consumed, and these three bottles were my favorites: 

1. Ehlers Estate 2012 Cabernet Franc  & 2. Gandona Estate 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon 

We brought the Ehlers Cab Franc and the Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon to dinner at El Ideas. The Cab Franc was perfect as we transitioned into the meat courses, but weren't yet eating red meat.  This wine has both black and red fruit notes with slight vanilla and is a great way to mix up your red wine game. The 2012 Gandona Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was a treat, and we only opened it in celebration of a great friend. The beautifully structured Pritchard Hill Cab was the perfect accompaniment to the red meat dishes, and was a wonderful way to wind down the meal. 

3. Wilson & Wilson 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

We (I) decided on a nightcap after El Ideas, and headed to my favorite neighborhood spot - The Bristol. Wilson & Wilson's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is, hands down, my favorite Cabernet Sauvignon in its price range. It's beautifully balanced and has old Napa Valley elegance that you don't always find today. We might not have need another bottle, but this wine is always worth enjoying. 

*I do sell both the Gandona Estate and the Wilson & Wilson Cabernet Sauvignon. That being said, I still enjoy them enough to spend my own money on the wines :) 

Cheers! 

Brunch at Publican

Why People Dine Here

Paul Kahan
Awarded Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation in 2013 and Best Chef of the Midwest in 2004, Kahan has received international acclaim for Blackbird, avec, The Publican, Big Star, Publican Quality Meats and Nico Osteria. Plus, Anthony Bourdain told the Chicago Tribune that “any place run by Paul Kahan” is his favorite for food in Chicago. 

Pork 
Spicy pork rinds, anyone?

Craft beers & cocktails 
The extensive international beer list developed by partners Donnie Madia, Eduard Seitan and Terry Alexander, features 100 ales, lagers, stouts and ciders

Communal Tables 
Love it or hate it, communal tables are a large part of the Publican experience.

Brunch 
Listed as one of “America’s Best Brunches” by Travel + Leisure

Patio
Though the season is short, Publican’s patio, set back from the hustle and bustle of both Randolph and Halsted, is an excellent way to enjoy a beautiful Chicago day. 

Location 
Right off Randolph Row, Fulton Market has long been home to some of Chicago's best restaurants and is rapidly gaining popularity in anticipation of the Google office opening in the (hopefully) near future.

What We Ate

smokin' mary [Few White Whiskey (Evanston, IL), chipotle house mix, stout]
If you don't like whiskey, stick to the traditional bloody mary. The bartender steered me down the more adventurous route, which I appreciate, but they whiskey flavor was overpowering and I'm not a big whiskey drinker. 

brioche french toast [pecan granola, mascarpone, cranberry syrup & maple]
Delicious french toast that was the perfect density and just the right amount of sweetness. 

lobster scramble [creme fraiche, espelette, pickled shallot & toast] 
Easily some of the best eggs I've ever had. The scrambled eggs were cooked to perfection, fluffy and decadent, and the lobster was the icing on the cake. I'm more of a savory person and this dish was my favorite. 

Why It's Great

After six years in business, many restaurants will open and close, shift focus or fizzle out of the spotlight. The Publican, however, has remained a staple in the Chicago dining scene since it opened in 2008. Having a chef like Paul Kahan is a start, but even an amazing chef can lose it's luster when consumers are presented with new, exciting options on a weekly basis. I think it's the simple, but incredibly well executed combination of a great chef, a seasonal, local menu, a strong and interesting beverage program and a great atmosphere. 

It's nice dining at the same restaurant, where you've come to expect high quality in a familiar atmosphere, but where you can also enjoy different culinary experiences from an ever evolving menu. 

 

Winemaker Series - Julien Fayard

Julien Fayard is a native of Saint-Étienne, France. He grew up in the French Riviera and earned his masters in agribusiness and winemaking while in university.  

After school, Julien worked in both Provence and Bordeaux where he defined his core winemaking style at Château Lafite-Rothschild (he even lived in Lafite’s grand château for a period), Smith Haut Lafitte and Chateau Sainte Marguerite (a Cru Classé winery located in the Cote d'Azur). At Château Lafite-Rothschild Julien managed the vineyard crew, experimented with canopy management and worked on red fermentations, malolactic fermentations and blending and barrel aging. At Smith Haut Lafitte, Fayard managed the vineyard team and at Chateau Sainte Marguerite he served as Assistant Winemaker for two years.

Julien’s wife Elan is a Bay Area native, and in 2006 the two decided to make Napa their home. Julien had spent much of 2003 working in Quintessa’s cellar, and upon returning to Napa quickly became Phillipe Melka’s right-hand man, spending five years as Director of Winemaking for Atelier Melka. During this time, Julien further developed his winemaking skills and his intimate understanding of the valley’s vineyards with Atelier Melka’s variety of clients including Lail Vineyards, Gemstone, Dalla Valle, and more.

In Napa, Julien says he learned his attention to detail and how to not excessively intervene in the winery. His philosophy is to produce wines that express pure, terroir-driven specificities and characteristics. He believes that as a winemaker, one doesn’t control the wine but rather wine style is the result of a combination of soil, climate and vineyard management. Wine style is a combined expression of the fruit, soil, vines and climate.

“As a winemaker, my job is to bring out the best qualities that the vines have provided. I don’t seek to make a style of wine but more so to make wine that sings of it’s place, it’s history and it’s uniqueness. That’s my goal as a winemaker, to make wines that are pure expressions of their environment and not mask it. Wines with an identity.” 

Julien beautifully blends the legacy of French tradition with a touch of California style in his Azur Wines.