New Wine Shop and Girls' Night Out!

We have another wine shop way out in the boonies of the North, and I had the opportunity to visit it last weekend.

Vino 100, located at 7220 West Azure in Las Vegas, 89130, is a terrific little shop which everything that I need. The Vino 100 name comes from the wall of wines priced $25.00 or lower. Yes, they have high-end wines as well. They also sell a variety of wine-related foods, have a few spirits, and a humidor.

They also have glasses, corkscrews, candles, dishes, decanters, etc., etc., whew. Like I said, I could live there!

Natalie and Teresa are the co-owners of the shop, and all you have to do is show up. Natalie – who could easily be described as bubbly – waxes enthusiastic about the store. And, I have to admit, they have some great ideas that are out of the norm.

For example, instead of having a list of Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Robert Parker, etc., ratings, they have a “barometer,” which displays the individual wine characteristics instead of one person’s opinion. So instead of depending on the usual descriptors (big, jammy, fawns dancing through meadows, nuances of toast, etc.), the barometer will tell you where on the scale it is from dry to sweet and from light to full-bodied. Very interesting concept, and one that takes out the subjectiveness of only one person’s judgment.

Anyway, I got the complete tour of the store (yes, and spent money. It was inevitable) and enjoyed the V-Twin Winery of Sonoma’s wines. Because it was Bike Fest weekend, they were in town to present their wines. Vino 100 has daily tastings by the way.

Located near North Tenaya via the Ann Road exit of the 95, it’s an easy trip to the Tenaya Village Center. Don’t bother to Google it – Google is screwy. Use Mapquest instead.

Girls' Night Out!!

First Wednesday wine tasting at Jimmy’s was wonderful as two of my friends and I made it a girls’ night out. Sharon and Mary joined me as we enjoyed six different cheeses and four wines. The cheeses were Henri Hutin Couronne, a double-cream Brie from France; Corazon de Ronda, a smooth sheep’s milk cheese from Spain; Humboldt Fog Cypress Grove, an incredible goat’s milk cheese from California; Tillamook Cheddar; King Island Dairy “Roaring Forties” an Australian Blue Cheese; and Parmigiano-Reggiano. All were yummy, all were as different as cheeses could be, and the individual cheeses matched well with the wines …with some experimentation, of course!

The wines were as follows:

NV Evolution – 9 varietal white

2004 Full-Sister Semillon (Stanley Lambert)

2002 Coteaux du Languedoc (Domaine de Nizas). This was an SMG – Syrah 60%, Mourvedre 35%, and Grenache 5%. My favorite Rhône combo, with different proportions.

2005 Pinot Noir French Cuvee (RVTZ – pronounced Rootz – Cellars) Vin de Pays d’oc – France

There were also three Breckenridge beers available for tasting, with the Vanilla Porter being my favorite. Wayyyy too quaffable!

We were having such a good time that we decided to have dinner. Sharon ordered the evening’s special, “The Art of Tapas,” which had Asian appetizers of Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables, Spicy Tuna Roll, Japanese salad with Edamame & Pecans, and served with Spicy Soy Sauce, Pickled Ginger, and Wasabi. There was enough food for two people!

Mary ordered the Parkway Tuna Sandwich, and I ordered my usual favorite, The Crossings Tri-Tip Salad, which is a dinner by itself.

My cost for the cheese, wines, and dinner as a member of Jimmy’s Grape Beginnings Wine Club? With Tax, it came up to $19.64. I could even fit it into my budget!

Combatting Swirl Envy

Don’t forget to sign up for the class, being held next Tuesday. Along with the usual beginning wine etiquette items, we will be learning how to pop, pour, and store! See you then!

A Rosé by Any Other Name and Wine in Vegas. And Neophyte to Wine Snob Stuff

The wonderful tasting for the Tex and Fritz’s Wine Club Thing on Saturday night turned out much better than I could have hoped. We were a small group, but with the plans made ahead of time, there were just enough folks to fill up the space around the table and to enjoy the wonderful Rosés that I had purchased for our enjoyment.

There were only seven members due to several last-minute cancellations. As always, I had a fun time hosting, selecting the Rosé wines, and preparing the tasting notes and voting sheets. Because I had to “know” the wines in order to make sure that they were in the right sequence and not diminish the wines that were poured first, I did not actively participate in the blind tasting. I poured the wines and supplied enough glasses so that the members could compare each wine with the other. What a lovely sight! The Rosés were beautiful and reflected the colors of the Rosé rainbow, from a pale salmon pink to bright candy pink to a sheer garnet. The refreshments included appetizers of fresh fruits (strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, and dried cherries because these aromas are characteristically found in Rosé wines), Fontina and Gruyere cheeses, two different Pasolivo olive oils, dipping bread, homemade salsas, and a smoked beef brisket. For dessert there was watermelon "pizza" and vanilla ice cream.

Thanks so much to Tex and Gidget for the following compliment: The last time Irene prepared her delicious dry rub beef brisket was @ Michael Breyer's tasting and it disappeared very quickly. This time there were fewer people attending & Irene prepared more brisket, but the result was the same: no leftovers for her to eat later!!

I apologize for the delay in getting this tasting report out to you, but my camera died and according to the “service” contract that I had purchased when I bought the camera a few months ago, it had to go out for “service.” I figured that the Rosés wouldn’t last that long so here I am. And, yes, I feel like I’m getting “serviced,” particularly since this is the second camera in less than ten months that has gone belly up. Pardon my rant.

Check the end of this entry for details on the wines for the tasting.

The first Neophyte to Wine Snob Experience classes will be held at Valley Cheese and Wine during the third week of September. I will have complete information in next week’s update, and should have information on upcoming Paso Robles tours.

One of the questions I am always asked is in regards to the relevance of wine in Las Vegas. After all, it’s “only” Las Vegas. Not “Wine Central” by anybody’s estimation. We’re known for casinos, showgirls, the mob, and lots and lots of glitz. I can understand this perception because wine is largely available to the tourists at the tourists’ restaurants on The Strip, often at wildly inflated, breathtaking prices, usually triple or more of retail. Too many local restaurants have tried to do The Strip “thing” and mark up their wines to extortion levels as well, hoping that people are too ignorant to notice or too absorbed or embarrassed to say anything.

Too bad. Because we’re up to our nostrils in wine, and can kick anyone’s butt on the prices and the quality at our local joints. As many of you know, Marché Bacchus is my favorite with wine list QPRs (Quality/Price Ratio) that are hard to beat. Others may cost a little more, but are far from the abusive prices of the tourist areas. Jimmy’s Café, King’s, and Bleu Gourmet are great examples of establishments that provide wonderful food and the ability to purchase wine at great restaurant-reasonable prices.

Even as people get more and more savvy about wine, there will come a time (I predict) when people will start to question the exploitation prices on many restaurants’ wine lists, and will let their dollars speak for them by patronizing those places that offer wines at sensible prices. People eat out more and are beginning to realize that McDonald’s does not offer an ethereal dining experience. And people like my youngest son are learning that beer doesn’t offer much to a romantic candlelight dinner. (There’s a story there, by the way). Newspapers, articles, magazines, and online reports laud the health benefits of wine, and obscure grapes that make fabulous wines are being rescued from the brink of extinction. Many of these wines go for a song and a prayer at the local retail shops, and the sticker shock on the restaurant wine list may be moderated as people realize that wine is a food. After all, even children receive it around the family tables in Europe. Except for Antarctica, grapes are grown on every continent, and wine is enjoyed by most truly civilized countries. Unbelievably, wine grapes are grown in every state in the United States.

So when you find a restaurant that offers good food, great ambiance, and sensible wine prices, raise your glass in salute and drink up! And visit them often. As consumers, it’s a good thing to show your support and help with their success. (Did I sound like Martha Stewart or what?!?)

When you come to the blog and read the updates, be sure to read the Wine Quote of the Week. Many of those quotes go back to antiquity and reflect the relationship that civilized man has had with wine since the dawn of time. For those of you who are biblically inclined, Noah knew what he was doing!

There are wine tastings every day in Las Vegas. Every day. The tastings may range from the weekly free pourings at some of our favorite retail shops, such as Khoury’s, Valley Cheese and Wine, Las Vegas Wine Company, Steak, and Marché Bacchus to special dinners, discounts, and tastings for wine club members such as the Grape Beginnings club at Jimmy’s Café or the wine club at Roy’s. Lee’s Discount Liquor not only has weekend tastings, but also sponsors big wine events during the course of the year. If you’re looking for a wine tasting in Las Vegas and can’t find it, then you’re not looking hard enough!

Heads up on an upcoming event! The Second Annual HenderZIN Festival will be held on October 13 in the parking lot of Khoury’s on Eastern. I went last year, spent a LOT of money on phenomenal Zinfandels, and loved every moment of it. At $50.00 a head, it’s a bargain! Go to their website for contact information.

Next week: Time for the Neophyte to Wine Snob Experience


And here are the wines! Thanks to Tex for supplying the very detailed tasting notes:

Wine #1 was pale pink in color with a tinge of salmon, aromas & flavors of watermelon, strawberries & minerals with additional flavors of cherries, mint, herbs & pepper. This was the 2006 Domaine de Souviou Rosé (a blend of 60% Cinsault, 30% Grenache & 10% Mourvedre), Bandol, France -- 90 pts Wine Enthusiast -- 13% alcohol -- $27.

Wine #2 was pink in color with an orange-brown tinge, aromas & flavors of watermelon & strawberries, more intense in flavor than the first wine, with additional flavors of raspberries, mild tannins & a long finish. This was the 2005 Casa Mireles "Romanze" Rosé (a blend of 97% Syrah & 3% Pinot Noir), San Luis Obispo, CA -- 14.2% -- $17.

Wine #3 was raspberry in color with earthy aromas of currants; creamy flavors of currants, raspberries & strawberries with licorice on the finish. This was the 2005 L'Uvaggio di Giacomo Il Gufo Barbera Rosato (100% Barbera), Lodi, CA -- 12.5% -- $9.

Wine #4 was raspberry in color with aromas of red currants, cherries & roses; flavors of red currants, red apples & watermelon. This was the 2006 Artero Rosado J. Tempranillo (100% Tempranillo), La Mancha, Spain -- 12.5% -- $13.

Wine #5 was light cherry red in color with an oxidized nose reminiscent of Madera, bread dough, apples & vanilla with some tannins. This was the 2005 Palm Cellars "The Bearded Poodle" Rosé (60% Syrah, 30% Grenache & 10% Zinfandel), Paso Robles, CA -- 14.1% -- $13 ONLY @ Khoury's (only a few bottles left). This was the favorite Rosé of the night. (Irene’s note – if there’s any left, it’s only at the Khoury’s on Eastern)

Mike Frankel treated the group to a 2006 L'Aventure Rosé (72% Syrah & 28% Cabernet Sauvignon), Paso Robles, CA -- 14.8%. Thanks, Mike, for providing this delightful Rosé.

A Little This 'n A Little That

Thanks to those of you who have responded so positively to the articles posted on this blog, both in writing and in person. I received a few questions this week, but before I answer any of them, there’s wine stuff to cover!

First, I need to correct an oversight. Somehow I completely neglected to mention Jimmy’s Café’s wine club, Grape Beginnings. The fee is $49.00 annually, and each member receives at 10% discount on the prices of wines by the glass or by the bottle, free corkage on Wednesdays, once a month wine dinner discount, and invitations to winemaker’s dinners. I think there are a couple of other perks, but these are the ones that I’ve used. I especially like the free corkage Wednesdays because it has allowed me to bring a couple of my treasures out to share with friends, and that paid for the membership after just a couple of visits. If you don’t understand anything else about me, know that I’m all about the budget!

Roy’s! Roy’s wine club met last Tuesday at the Roy’s restaurant on E. Flamingo. I was not able to go because of a prior commitment, but several of my friends attended. One of them reported that two of the wines had been damaged by heat. I haven’t covered Roy’s (yet), but plan to in the future. I thought that this observation was an important one to mention now, however, because the heat in enclosed cars can be a killer. Never, ever, ever leave wine in a car during late spring, summer, or early fall here in Vegas. You’ll have boiled juice. A couple of friends of mine always keep a portable cooler in the trunk of their cars so that if they run across a deal in wine (or food or whatever), they have a place to store it until they get home. Just by opening up the cooler and purchasing some ice, whatever is put into the cooler won’t be overheated and will keep until it can be properly stored at home. At about $20 +/-, it’s well worth the investment. That’s on my purchase list. As soon as I can fit it into my budget.

By the way, Roy’s made good on the cooked wines, and undamaged wines were poured in their place.

Website News! The tentative launch date for Vegaswineaux.com will be the weekend of July 21/22. We are working diligently to make sure that when the website is launched, it is attractive, usable, and informative. I will let you know how the progress is going and hope to be able to give you an exact date in about two weeks.

Red Wines for Summer! Next week is July 4, and what are you drinking? With my mother and aunt (who are, incredibly, not wine drinkers) over to the house, my choices will be limited to something along the lighter and fruitier side of the spectrum. I had wonderful luck with a great brisket at the Tex and Fritz’s Wine Club thing a couple of weeks ago, and the wines were all Zins from California. So I plan to smoke another brisket for the girls and serve Riesling and Zinfandel. I understand that Rieslings – preferably along the demi sec lines – are a great accompaniment to barbeque. We already know that Zins are. I have served Riesling to them before and they loved it. I will be forced to try both types with the different foods I’ll be cooking. Damn.

I don’t enjoy Cabs and Merlot as much as I usually do during the summer, but Zinfandels, Syrahs, and Petit Sirahs, although bruiser wines, still are great with summer fare. They go well with the heavier foods of summer – barbequed ribs, roasts, briskets, lamb, etc. – without losing their character competing with rubs, spices, and sauces. Incredibly, a big fruity Petit Sirah (a là Rosenblum Heritage Clones or Four Vines Heretic) is also a fantastic pairing with chocolate. Who knew that a big red like Petit Sirah and dark chocolate could be considered health foods!

Of course the backbone of oenophilia for the summer is light white wines. I have lots of basil and an alien life form tomato plant growing in my garden this year, which, along with Mozzarella from Trader Joe’s and fruity extra-virgin olive oil and black salt from Pasolivo, make wonderful Caprese. Pairing that with a Pinot Grigio (Issa Khoury introduced me to Kris PG), add up to near perfection. The bright green leaves of the basil, the snowy Mozzarella, the tiny, perfectly red grape tomatoes all drizzled with golden green EVOO with a grinding of black salt make a beautiful presentation. The Kris is not an overdone bomb such as Santa Margherita, and is what a good quality (and budget friendly at about $12) Pinot Grigio is supposed to be. Crisp and fruity without being sweetish, it is the quintessential Pinot Grigio. Tastes like summer! Having that meal out on the patio on a warm evening is summer personified. Are you jealous?

I have Answers!

I received one question that asked, “how do you find the restaurants?”

I have a secret formula that I use in order to decide which restaurants to patronize. It is called “word of mouth.” Nothing is better than a first-hand recommendation from someone whose palate you respect. Once you remove yourself from the “only the Strip has restaurants” mentality, you will find that Vegas is rich in small, wine-friendly establishments that aren’t out to gouge you because you happen to be vacationing here. Most of the locals restaurants that I’ve visited have had reasonable prices, great services, and restaurant-decent wine prices. As an aside, you should know that with very few exceptions, you will always pay too much for wine in a restaurant. However, it’s often a good opportunity to try a wine that you may have only heard about or to try a new wine and don’t want to experiment with it without having a meal for accompaniment.

The next question asked me about myself.

While I do have some general information about myself in the “About me” link on the right side of this page, I will go into more detail when the website launches. Stay tuned!

There were several other questions, but I answered them in this week’s posting!

My Rant for the Week! As you know from my review of a local restaurant a couple of weeks ago, high restaurant wine prices rankle me. Unfortunately, those high prices feed into people’s perception of wine as a snob drink and not as an integral part of the meal. Beer, for instance, is considered part of a meal in the U.S. I think that explains the discrepancy in relative prices between beer in wine. As an example, a restaurant customer can purchase a 16oz glass of imported beer on tap for about $5.00. On the other hand, a wine of relative quality and retail price may cost twice that or more for about 1/3 the amount of beverage. Once restaurateurs and customers buy into the idea of wine as food, then I think we will see more sensible pricing on menus.

News Flash! In the May 16, 2007, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the following has been reported:

The large research team did a pooled analysis of 12 prospective studies that included 530,469 women and 229,575 men with maximum follow-up times of 7–20 years. Compared with nondrinking, alcohol consumption (…equivalent to slightly more than one alcoholic drink per day) was associated with a decreased risk of renal cell cancer. …Associations between alcohol intake and renal cell cancer were not statistically different across alcoholic beverage type (beer versus wine versus liquor). …Conclusion: Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a lower risk of renal cell cancer among both women and men in this pooled analysis. (JNCI, Abstract, May 16, 2007)

Next week, we’ll talk about White Zin and how even that has a place in a Wineaux’s cellar!

Grape Expectations!

After pondering a question that was posed to me Tuesday night at Jimmy’s, I finally came up with a suitable answer. The question was why do I do what I do; in other words, why the Blog and why this particular niche? The answer is simple: I am a regular person. Like most other regular people I know, I like to get the most out of every dollar (I’ve been told that I know how to pinch a penny till it screams), but at the same time, don’t mind spending a little extra if the quality is there. I don’t like getting ripped off, and I like to be taken seriously. Bundle all those together along with a gift for writing and a passion for wines and good food, and you have, well, *me.*

One of the reasons I like Paso Robles so much, for instance, is because there is a real Wine Country with people who have a genuine passion for their wines, make wines of wonderful quality, and except for a couple of notable exceptions (i.e., Turley and Linne Calodo), sell their wines at everyman prices. Most of the winemakers - and their staff - are also so very *nice*! In other words, they make you want their wines, love their wine country, and want to learn more, just by being genuine, regular folk.

Jimmy’s Café had a tasting of Stanley Lambert wines Tuesday night for members of the wine club, Grape Expectations. The whole evening fit beautifully into my philosophy.

Lindsay Stanley – an unpretentious, craggy Aussie with a wicked sense of humor – was the MC Tuesday night and regaled us with stories about his life down under and his lifelong interest in wines. I was fortunate enough to be seated at the table where Jeff, Ali, Jody, and Chris were also being entertained by Lindsay’s ribald stories and sparkling banter.

I have to share some Lindsayisms with you:

“To make wine you don’t have to be clever – I’m living proof of that.”

(Referring to the Merlot in Black Sheep as a single varietal) “We Aussies think of Merlot the same way as we think of foreplay – totally unnecessary!” (the women booed him).

“Its my female wine – spend a lot of money on it and it never says thank you.” (more booing).

There were several others, but this is a “family” column, lol.

According to Jimmy, the wine evening was thrown together at the last minute to accommodate the guest appearance of Lindsay, but the menu didn't seem "last minute" at all. It was beautifully prepared and presented. Period.

The first course was Zucchini-Wrapped Jumbo Scallops over Celery Root Puree with Sweet Garlic and Basil Pesto. Absolutely delicious, and the wrapped scallop had been hand tied with a strand of chives, giving it a gift-wrapped appearance. As “they” say, presentation is everything. The wine paired with this delicious appetizer was Stanley Lambert’s 2005 Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc. As Mr. Stanley explained, the terrain of Adelaide is similar to that of New Zealand, whose Sauvignon Blancs have become a modern-day phenomenon. He noted that the similarity between the two styles is almost indistinguishable, and he was quite correct.

The surprise came when he and Elliot also served their 2002 Full Sister Semillon and their 2004 Pristine Chardonnay. These two were not on the menu!

The second course was Grilled Double-Cut Lamb Chops in Fresh Herbed Butter with Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Gold Beets. Okay, so that I won’t have to say it again, *everything* was delicious. This dish was served with the 2002 Thoroughbred Cabernet Sauvignon. For me, it was an *almost* ideal pairing. To go along with the other surprises of the evening, the 2001 Black Sheep (Shiraz, Malbec, Merlot), 2005 Sensitive Cousin Pinot Noir, 2001 August Shiraz, and their flagship wine, the 2004 Family Tree Shiraz. My favorite with the lamb chops was the Family Tree, a Shiraz with a lush, velvety texture and the characteristic dark fruit, cherries, and black pepper with an amazing and subtle undertone of eucalyptus.

The final course was Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake with Crème Chantilly. Yum. Served with the Choc-a-Bloc Australian Tawny (Mr. Stanley said that they don’t use the word “Port” because that indicates that it came from Portugal) which was perfect with this dessert.

My only criticism for the evening is a very personal one. I hate Reidel "O" glasses. It's the whole swirl thing, you see. :-)

Jimmy Stanfill, the proprietor of Jimmy’s Café, is a cherubic man with a genuine passion for fresh food and good wines. The prices on his menu reflects his and Michaelina’s (isn’t that a pretty name?) belief that good food should be affordable. The food is genuinely fresh and the recipes are Jimmy's own. Jimmy’s Café is located at 8427 W. Lake Mead Blvd., just about ½ block east of Rampart in Las Vegas. Their phone number is 869-3663.

You *have* to try the Crossings Tri-Tip Salad. I had it with a luscious, full-bodied Zinfandel. Yum.