People & Places

Mimosa Brunch at The Tasting Room

Mar14

March 14, 2013 by VineSleuth 1 Comment

For those of you lucky enough to live in Houston, all four The Tasting Room locations offer a new take on the traditional mimosa Champagne brunch.

Rather than just offer one orange mimosa, the Tasting Room offers a selection of fresh, house-made juices and purees to go along with their list of sparkling wines.

The experience is totally custom, and a lot of fun, too. I checked it out at the CityCentre location.

First we picked a bottle of bubbles for the table, which are all discounted during brunch, with bottles ranging from $34 – $139, and then we picked a few fruit juices.

We went with the Argam Cava at $34, and white peach, raspberry, strawberry and blood orange juices to start. Then we mixed and matched and tried all the combinations we could concoct. I liked that I could try so many things and didn’t have to commit to one from the start.

My favorite turned out to be the white peach, with the Blood Orange in a close second.

We also indulged in some of their delicious brunch dishes:

Crab Cakes and Eggs

Chicken and Biscuits

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

(Ummm… is it safe to admit there were only two of us and we sampled all of that??)

And yes, they tasted even better than they looked–each and every one.

The crab cakes had a great kick with the jalepeno, yet they were not nearly as spicy as I imagined they would be. They were rich and delicious and a great Texas nod to eggs benedict.

The chicken and biscuits were what I would imagine a southern grandma making back in the day (or do they still do that?), but made modern with a touch of arugula salad and a truffle vinaigrette. The coating on the chicken was perfectly crisp, the gravy was creamy, and the salad made me think that maybe my brunch wasn’t as unhealthy as it was. (Okay, that probably didn’t make up for the rest. But a girl can dream.)

The lemon ricotta pancakes? Those were like dessert…fresh, sweet and perfect. Yummmmmmm.

If you’re in Houston, swing by any Tasting Room location on a Saturday or Sunday for brunch. You’re sure to love it!

The four Tasting Room locations are:

CityCentre
Uptown Park
River Oaks
Kings Harbor in Kingwood

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Texas Wineries

Mar5

March 5, 2013 by VineSleuth 1 Comment

Earlier this year I visited a thriving winery, helped prune the vines, and was home just about two hours later. And I live in Houston, Texas, in case you forgot.

Paradox House Vineyards

Did I hop a jet to California? New York’s Finger Lakes? Of course, not! I drove to Industry, Texas to Paradox House Vineyards, which grows grapes for Pleasant Hill Winery and Haak Vineyards and Winery in Santa Fe, Texas.

Before this I had absolutely no pruning experience and no gardening experience of any kind to speak of. But, as I got there, I was handed some clippers and given basic instructions. So off I went, clipping away the extra parts of the vines so that the vineyard team would have an easier job doing the more specific pruning later.

I joined a group of about 30 other volunteers in the vineyards, many of whom had volunteered vintage after vintage. I was definitely the newbie. I’m still not sure how I ended up on Doug and Linda’s invitation list, but I am so thankful I did.

I loved knowing that I was helping to contribute the wines that would come one day, and I also enjoyed chatting with everyone, just listening to their stories. We talked about wine, of course, but we also talked about travel, child rearing, farming, politics–pretty much everything, as we clipped and clipped down each row.

And then, once we were finished with one block, we moved on to another, until all the vines were pruned and we headed to the house for Doug’s delicious Texas chili and wine. The wine was made from the Blanc du Bois grapes from another vintage, and we had a few other wines as well–our reward for a morning of work.

A few of my fellow pruners also brought homemade wines to share, and there was plenty more visiting. They talked about harvest in the heat of summer through the years and Texas vineyards helping each other out. Children laughed and played on the lawn and parents, grandparents and friends enjoyed lunch, wine, good weather and great company.

I might have started out as the lone stranger in the bunch, but I ended up feeling almost like family.

Texas Wineries

You might think you need to be in California, Oregon, Washington, or New York to experience the wine country, or you may also think that you need to be a wine writer.

But living here in Houston puts us so close to some wineries that produce delicious wines and can give anyone who wants it a full winery experience, just a few hours away from home.

Don’t believe me?

Just ask Houston’s own Russ Kane, who has been discovering Texas wines for years and reporting on his impressions through his blog, VintageTexas, and in his book, The Wineslinger Chronicles: Texas on the Vine.

The Wine Slinger Chronicles shares the stories of Texas wineries, winemakers and winery owners in a way that any lover of Texas or wine would enjoy. I promise this book is not just for wine geeks, it’s for anyone who likes to read interesting stories, and we all know that Texas holds a countless number of great stories!

Reading Russ’s blog or his book will open your eyes to so many winery experiences and wines that are very close to home.

(If you’re in Houston, you can get your own copy of The Wine Slinger Chronicles at Brazos Books, Barnes & Noble, and online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or an author-signed version at Russ’s website.)

Another great site that reports on Texas wines is Texas Wine Lover, written by Jeff Cope, who, along with his fiance, Gloria, has visited more than 170 Texas wineries. Jeff also maintains a listing of Texas vineyards as well as wineries, so if you’re looking for either a winery or vineyard to visit, Jeff can probably guide you in the right direction.

Both men have inspired me to learn more about my home state’s offering in wine, and I hope you find they do the same for you!

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Crú Food & Wine Bar

Sep25

September 25, 2012 by Jenn K. Leave a Comment

Houston ladies, join your girlfriends at Crú Food & Wine Bar in The Woodlands or at Kirby & Westheimer every Thursday night for Girls Night Out and receive 1/2 off all Champagne bottles all night long! Cha-CHING!

Plus, every Sunday evening, everyone can get 33% off all bottle wines. Taking advantage of these kinds of deals makes for a great opportunity to be daring and try different wines and champagne than normal… or just enjoy your favorites.

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Houston Wine Merchant: July Domestic Red Wine Sale

Jul25

July 25, 2012 by Jenn K. Leave a Comment

In Houston? All domestic reds at Houston Wine Merchant are on sale through July 31, 2012. This is a great time to stock up on your favorite Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Red Blends, and more! Here’s the sale breakdown on their in-house inventory:

10% off from $12.99 – $38.99
15% off from $39.99- $129.99
20% off from $130.99+

Which wine are you going to enjoy?

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Chateau La Nerthe and L’Olivier

Jul19

July 19, 2012 by VineSleuth 2 Comments

Living in Houston definitely has its perks… awesome people, incredible arts (all kinds) and world-class restaurants, to name a few things I love about my city.

Back in June, I was treated by Pasternak Wine Imports, who imports some very delicious wines, to a meal with several other bloggers at one of those amazing restaurants, L’Olivier Restaurant & Bar, paired with Chateau La Nerthe wines. We all also had the opportunity to chat with Export Manager Christophe Brasil. And what a night of wine, food and conversation it was!

This was my first time to experience L’Olivier, the joint venture between Olivier Ciesielski, who, among other culinary accomplishments, spent more than a decade as the executive chef at Houston’s legendary Tony’s, and Mary Clarkson.

I was eager to see what would be on the menu and taste the wines which I knew would be extraordinary. I was far from disappointed.

I was greeted with a glass of Prieure de Montezargues Tavel Rose 2011, a blend of Grenaches, Cinsault Clairette, Syrah, Mouvedre, Carignan and Bourboulence which has just been released. It was refreshing and crisp, with a full body and notes of grapefruit, raspberry and a bit of peach. I loved the lingering finish.

Once it was time for dinner, we all took our seats and were met with our first course:

The tropical ceviche of scallops, white fish, pineapple and shrimp was light and yet flavorful, and was well matched by the Chateau La Nerth Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. The wine was high in acid, and the combination whetted my appetite for what was to come. As you can see here, we were all mesmerized by the effects from the dry ice that was under our bowls of ceviche:

And L’Olivier’s Olivier Ciesielski, Sommelier James Watkins and the wines of Chateau La Nerthe continued to impress from there:

We had this scallop…

with this…

The Chateau La Nerth Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir 2009, a blend of Roussanne and Clairette, was served with the scallop, and was delightfully aromatic and full bodied.

And then this amazing pork tenderloin, haricots verts (See I did take French in high school.) and some kind of amazing potato cheese pastry…

with these two big, bold reds…

The Domaine de La Renjarde Cotes du Rhone Villages 2009, a blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvedre was a bold, complex wine with rich black fruit flavors and a long, luscious finish. La Petite Fontaine Cotes du Rhone 2010, a blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan, was similar, yet had amazing spice and just the right amount of tannins for my palate (just enough to let you know they are there without overpowering the fruit). I could have enjoyed either of those all night, but my favor was for La Petite Fontaine Cotes du Rhone 2010. I like a little spice in life. But there was more wine to be poured…

The last two wines of the evening, the Chateau La Nerth Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2007 and the Chateau La Nerth Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Cuvee des Cadettes 2005, were served with a roquefort cheese terrine, with figs and apricots and fruit macerated in the Cuvee des Cadettes. At this point, I was very much in heaven and very thankful to have invited my husband to drink lightly so he could drive us home. I enjoyed both wines, but the Cuvee des Cadettes was especially silky smooth, with deep flavors.

Everything about this meal was exquisite, from the impressive and yet still comfortable decor, to the easy-going attitude of our super-knowledgeable hosts, to the perfectly crafted and served wines, to each course designed down to the smallest detail. Nothing was overlooked. James, who I could tell places a great importance on appropriate wine service, decanted many of the wines two hours prior to our dinner so they would really shine.

If you are in Houston, I strongly recommend you make a point to visit L’Olivier for lunch, dinner or brunch soon… before everyone else discovers it and you can no longer get a reservation. Yes, it is that exquisite.

And if you are in Houston or not, consider any if these wines when you are looking for something that is definitely a cut above. If you are like me, you will be delighted.

L’Olivier Restaurant & Bar

240 Westheimer Rd.

Houston, TX 77006

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Modus Operandi Sauvignon Blanc at Hawthorn

Jul13

July 13, 2012 by VineSleuth Leave a Comment

Last night my husband and I dined at Hawthorn in the Upper Kirby District of Houston for the first time and I was served a wine that I have been thinking about since that first sip, so I had to share it with you.

I was at the restaurant initially to learn more about their virtual sommelier wine list and their wine program, but I’ll have to tell you more about that later.

Today, I need to tell you about that wine I tried.

Soon after arriving, Cory Graff, Hawthorn’s operating partner, took me into the wine cellar, showed me the new wine lockers for regular guests, and asked me if I preferred to try a white or red. I told him I was up for whatever he would like to pour and, I don’t know how he did it, but he most certainly made the right choice for me.

He grabbed a bottle with a pale yellow label and told me a bit about Modus Operandi, a smaller production winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California and its Sauvignon Blanc.

I was poured a glass and took it in.

It definitely had that clean taste of a Sauvignon Blanc, but had a much fuller body and richer flavor than I was expecting. There wasn’t any grassiness, and it was was smooth and velvety, with nice minerality. The finish was long, rich and delicious and not what I would have expected from a Sauvignon Blanc.

Now, I am a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, but the ones I typically drink have much more a crisp flavor and a lighter body. There was something about this one that just seemed, well, luxurious.

I must not be alone in my assumptions that most Sauvignon Blancs are crisper, because Cory smiled and explained that the wine is in fact 100% Sauvignon Blanc, not a blend, as one might expect from that smooth texture.

If you’d like to try this wine at home, I could only find it on the winery’s website. But if you’re in Houston, you can could drop by Hawthorn and enjoy a bottle there while it lasts. If you like what I like, you’ll love it!

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Crú Food & Wine Bar Sale

Jul3

July 3, 2012 by Jenn K. Leave a Comment

CRÚ Food & Wine Bar is offering 50% off all their summer menu food items this Wednesday for 4th of July. This is a great way to save some money while still getting to enjoy some fabulous wine and yummy food as we celebrate our nation’s birthday! This offer is valid at both Houston locations. A little about this local wine bar:

CRÚ Food & Wine Bar offers a glimpse into the sophisticated world of wine. This esteemed wine bar features over 300 wine selections from all over the world. Along with our exclusive award-winning wine list, we also offer an extensive brunch and lunch menu, and a large selection of artisan cheeses and stone oven fired pizzas. Our talented chefs delicately prepare each delectable dish with exciting fresh and seasonal ingredients that will pair perfectly with our selection of premium wines.

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Vanessa Trevino Boyd of Philippe Restaurant + Lounge

Mar19

March 19, 2012 by VineSleuth 5 Comments

Before I met Vanessa Trevino Boyd for the first time, I admit I was a bit nervous.

After all, she is brilliant when it comes to wine, having created and collaborated on some of the country’s most highly-regarded wine lists. Food and Wine agrees.

Food and Wine magazine just named Vanessa as one of their top sommeliers of 2012. And they only picked 7.

So walking into the tres chic Philippe Restaurant + Lounge, where she is the sommelier, I’ll admit I was hoping not to look or sound like an idiot. And, of course, I was hoping she’d have some great tips I could share with you.

I was led to a table covered in wine glasses to wait for her and I flipped through the pages of the massive wine list of large-producing wineries and smaller-producing wineries from all over the world. The wine list is diverse in price, varietal and geographic region. And yes, there are a lot of wines there I would not want to attempt to pronounce in front of many people.

Soon Vanessa came over, extended a hand and a smile, and I had a good feeling about the interview.

She asked about VineSleuth, which set me at ease, and then I got to work asking her the questions.

How did she get here?

Back in the beginning, Vanessa thought she would be an actress by now, not an award-winning sommelier. She left Texas to study theatre at Northwestern University.

Like many aspiring actresses, Vanessa took to restaurant work, but unlike most aspiring actresses, this restaurant work led to sommelier and culinary study in New York, which led to working for a wine director whom she described as “insanely cute.”

This inspired her throw herself in to learning more about wine.

“I would practice pronouncing the wines correctly until I had it right,” Vanessa said.

She studied, tasted and learned… and started being noticed.

Acclaim in New York

Soon she was collaborating on the wine list at the Alain Ducasse concept in the St. Regis Hotel in New York, Ardour, and then developing the wine and spirits program at MEGU, also in New York, and basically making an incredible name for herself.

Back to Texas

Chef Philippe Schmit was brilliant to invite her to be a part of Philippe Restaurant + Lounge when he learned she was moving back to Texas. While she waited for the restaurant to open, Vanessa worked at The Tasting Room nearby in Uptown Park. (Which, coincidentally, is another one of my favorite spots to drink wine in Houston.)

About her list at Philippe

In building and maintaining the list at Philippe, Vanessa said it is important to her to have a wine list with a lot of variety, yet still have a unifying message. She says the wines on her list at Philippe are “global and well-balanced.”

“It makes me happy when people are refreshed by a wine, not clobbered over the head,” Vanessa said.

The wine list also boasts a wide selection of wines by the glass, making it easy to try a variety of wines and not have to settle on just one or two for the table, or try a glass before committing to a bottle.

Wine pricing and value at Philippe

She works to keep the prices competitive and flavors interesting as a part of her strategy:

“I keep our markups conservative,” Vanessa said. “I want to encourage people to order a second glass or bottle. They might explore something new when it is affordable.”

I wondered if a higher price meant a higher quality wine on her list.

“My wine list has a lot of great values on it,” Vanessa said. “And when you spend more on my list, you are getting a better wine, but all the wines on it are delicious.”

Helping people find the right wines

With a collection of well-known and not-as-well-known wines, how does the average guest know what to order? You ask the sommelier, of course.

“When I see people flipping through the list, I usually go over and ask if they want to talk about anything on the list,” Vanessa said.

“Someone at the table always has an idea, so I try to ask questions that aren’t intimidating, but can help.”

She said she usually offers three suggestions, and she always wants to be sure the guests end up with the right bottle for them.

“The server usually does the wine service, but if I can tell anyone is apprehensive about a bottle and I think it is a good fit, I’ll be sure to serve the wine so I can see their reaction,” Vanessa said. “I can usually tell right away if they really do like it. If not, I whisk it away and offer another.”

Sommeliers have secrets

Vanessa explained to me that she, like any good sommelier, hides quite a few secrets to be discovered on Philippe’s wine list.

They are not there to fool anyone, but to offer treasures for those who are willing to look or simply ask.

“Good sommeliers share the secrets in the wine list,” Vanessa said. “If they don’t, then they aren’t a good sommelier.”

What about the cheapest wine on the list?

“Don’t be fooled by the least expensive wine on a wine list. Often the secrets are there. Everything on a good wine list should be delicious,” Vanessa said.

As we wrapped up, I was completely at ease and sad to end the interview. My nervousness was completely gone. I could have listened to her talk about wine and her experiences all day long.

She was a great listener and also a great source of fascinating wine knowledge.

My bet is that is exactly how she is with each guest at Philippe.

Philippe Restaurant + Lounge

1800 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston

713-439-1000

Open Monday – Saturday

Wanna know a tip from Vanessa on remembering your favorite (and not so favorite) wines? Click over to see her Tip for Wine Tasting Notes.

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Jacob Fairchild of Max’s Wine Dive

Oct20

October 20, 2011 by VineSleuth 2 Comments

So now that you know a little about my first experience at Max’s Wine Dive, I can go ahead and introduce you to Jacob Fairchild, who is the wine sales manager there. He gets to travel the world, meet with winemakers and taste some very delicious wines… and then bring them back home for the rest of us to enjoy at Max’s or in our own homes.

“What? At home? I thought Max’s was a wine bar?” you must be thinking. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that.

Back to Jacob:

So Jacob is a Houstonian who thought he wanted to become a band director, but the love of the grape (and the attempt at coordinating band parents) made him re-think that one. And Houston wine drinkers should be thankful.

Jacob switched gears while at the University of Houston, earning a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, and was one of Conrad N. Hilton College’s first students to pursue a minor in beverage management and marketing. While in school, he began working at Max’s Wine Dive in 2008, opening the Austin location in May 2009, the same month he graduated. And he has enjoyed shaking up people’s perceptions of wine and coming up with innovative promotions ever since.

He hosted a regular The Price is Right-type game with wine, where guests would taste a mystery wine and guess the prices. The winner, or whomever could guess the closest retail price without going over the price, would win a bottle take home.

“I must have a unique angle,” Jacob explains.

Jacob also wants all of the Max’s wait staff to not just serve wine, but to have an understanding and love of wine.

“We offer a very aggressive employee discount on wine so they can taste it at home,” Jacob said. “The best way to learn about wine is to drink it.”

In addition to just enabling staff to buy wines at a deep discount, though, he is also committed to training, educating and empowering each and every employees. Eight of the 11 servers on staff are taking the Certified Specialist of Wine exam next week and Jacob is preparing them for the rigorous 100-question exam through weekly lessons and required study sessions.

“It is a very detailed exam and I am taking them through it, making the information applicable, walking them through region by region,” Jacob said.

The exam is just around the corner: October 26. The national pass rate is 30%, but I have a feeling there will be many shouts of celebration once this team gets the results, especially with Jacob as their guide. His enthusiasm for wine is infectious and he makes it all make sense and seem so simple.

Jacob hopes that in educating his staff, his staff will be even more confident in suggesting wines for customers.

“I want our servers to be your tour guide and then become your partner in buying wine,” Jacob says.

He is quite liberal in enabling staff to offer tastes of wines and encourages staff to ask questions of the customers to get an idea of what they might enjoy, rather than just guess.

And then, once the guests have had a great experience at Max’s Wine Dive, just like Walt Disney World, he likes to send everyone home with a little bit of the magic.

“When someone leaves, I want them to feel like they met someone who understands them,” Jacob said. “And I want to hook them up with some good wine to go!”

Yep, Max’s not only serves wine, it also sells it by the bottle and by the case. And if you aren’t sure about a bottle to add to your case, they’ll give you a taste of it first to be sure you are will enjoy what you buy.

In addition to his in-restaurant duties, Jacob enjoys traveling to wineries and experiencing the wines there, too.

On one trip to winery in Oregon he enjoyed tasting several wines in the different growing areas within one vineyard and was able to see the makeup of the ground or the terroir and how it impacted the wine.

“The wine was the same, yet different because of the soil,” Jacob said. “At the bottom where there was more clay, the wine had a bigger feel.”

When asked who is wine hero might be, Jacob didn’t hesitate a second.

He said that those who have had wineries for decades are the rock stars.

He mentioned Aurelio Montes, of Santiago, Chile, whom Jacob had the opportunity to meet on a recent winery visit. Jacob explained that Montes helped shape a movement to plant vines along the slopes of the valleys in Chile, rather than just on the valley floor, thus taking Chile to a new, more lucrative level of wine production. Montes’ vision enabled Chile to grow to produce luxury wines and gain more notice from the rest of the wine world. His new way of thinking and risk revolutionized the wine world in Chile.

Hmmm… no wonder Jacob likes him so much. Didn’t he say he likes to have a unique angle, too?

Visit Jacob and his team at Max’s Wine Dive at 4720 Washington Ave. at Shepherd in Houston.

Max’s Wine Dive HOURS:

SUNDAY: 9am to 11pm

9am to 11pm
Brunch: 9am to 3pm

MONDAY: 4pm to 11pm

4pm to 11pm
Dinner: 4pm to 11pm
Happy Hour: 4pm to 7pm

TUESDAY through WEDNESDAY: 4pm through Midnight

Dinner: 4pm to Midnight
Happy Hour: 4pm to 7pm
“Reverse” Happy Hour: 10pm to 12am (discounts on food only)

THURSDAY: 4pm through 2am

Dinner: 4pm to 2am
Happy Hour: 4pm to 7pm
“Reverse” Happy Hour: Midnight to 2am (discounts on food only)

FRIDAY and SATURDAY: 10am through 2am

Brunch: 10am to 3pm
Dinner: 4pm to Midnight
Happy Hour: 1pm to 7pm
“Reverse” Happy Hour: Midnight to 2am (discounts on food only)

Phone 713.880.8737

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Max’s Wine Dive in Houston, Texas

Oct19

October 19, 2011 by VineSleuth 3 Comments

This was just one of the signs that greeted me as I went to meet with Jacob Fairchild, the director of wine sales for Max’s Wine Dive in Houston.

“Merlot is the new Merlot,” said another one.

Obviously I was in for a treat. But I knew that already.

About two weeks prior to the interview I was out on a hot date with my husband and we stopped by Max’s Wine Dive for a glass of wine on our way to dinner at another restaurant.

The bartender was friendly and didn’t flinch when my husband asked for a taste of two wines before deciding on one. (I was focused on the bubbles I knew I wanted. No need to taste.)

We hadn’t intended to eat at all, but the menu was absolutely tempting and I knew I wouldn’t have the opportunity to taste drunken bread pudding anywhere else, so I went for it and swore I would just have a bite. Or two. When it came, I remained determined not to eat too much and stuck to my guns… after the third or fourth bite.

Max’s decor is diner dive casual, a bit of funky mixed in with classic. They have one large booth, lots of tables and chairs and a great bar. I think that the bar is really where all of the action is. (Jacob agreed with me on this, by the way.)

One of the bonuses of sitting at the bar is that you get to really see what is going on, what is being poured (including wine on tap!) and you get to meet not only the bartenders, but also fellow diners.

I noticed a couple eying my bread pudding and let them think I was doing them a favor by passing my dish on to them after scooping a few bites onto my plate, but really it was all I could do to keep myself from eating the whole dish myself!

Anyhow, we had a great start to our night and I sent a tweet of thanks to Max’s Wine Dive and off we went to dinner.

Then I noticed that the tweet had been responded to right away. So of course I was impressed with the social media team at Max’s and tweeted back a request to chat with someone about wine and, alas, my meeting with Jacob was born.

So what did Jacob and I talk about?

Soil, band parents, travels to Chile, sending home the magic, and wine world domination. But we’ll have to get to that tomorrow. I’ve already shared enough for today…

One more sign to leave you with:

I guess tweeting on a Friday night wasn’t work.

Max’s Wine Dive

4720 Washington Ave. at Shepherd in Houston

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