Point, click and bid on bottles

Each year, oenophiles in the Northern California area anxiously await the Sonoma Valley Harvest Auction. This year, anyone with an internet connection can take part...

Beginning in August, anyone can bid online on selected lots. As part of the 2008 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, this first-ever online auction will offer approximately forty lots from Sonoma vintners and businesses to raise money for local charities. For this year’s inaugural online auction, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend teamed up with cMarket, an on-demand, online auction platform designed solely for organizations engaged in fundraising for nonprofit causes, to create a virtual auction experience to complement the weekend’s festivities.

Starting on August 1st and continuing throughout the month, visitors to http://www.winecountryweekend.cmarket.com/ can bid on select lots that will vary in value from $100 - $3,000. Sample lots include a special jeroboam (6L) bottle of 1991 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon, a romantic weekend in the wine country, and terrior tasting from La Crema featuring four large-sized bottles from the family owned estate in the Russian River Valley. All money raised will benefit more than fifteen charities that support students, children, farm workers and people in need.

Wine lovers, hit those keys!

Sweeter, Kinder Gin

New Amsterdam gin is billed as a Dutch style gin that's "distinctly smoother, and with crisp citrus notes." Like other new offerings on the market, it's designed to appeal to the non-gin drinker, who may have been overwhelmed in the past by harsh, very juniper-y spirits. Makers claim that it's so smooth it's really meant to be drunk straight (hence its full name, "New Amsterdam Straight Gin.")

Before sampling any of it neat, I used it in a gin and tonic. Now, I'll admit that I didn't use any of the less sweet, more gourmet tonics on the market like Q Tonic or Fever Tree (I used that old standby Schwepps.) But the resulting drink was really sweet. Too much so for me. But rather than judge it prematurely, I thought I'd sample some of it solo. It still tasted really sweet, at least to my palate (and that of my husband.)

However, if you shy away from super strong, botanically filled gins, New Amsterdam may be one to try. A 750 mL bottle retails for about $14, and once they ramp up their website, they should have availability listed.

Regardless of my tasting experience with the stuff, I still have that "They Might Be Giants" song lyric (and melody) stuck in my head: "Even old New York, was once New Amsterdam..."

Lots and lots of suds

I dined at Alexandria's Rustico a few nights ago, where encyclopedia of beer and all-around super nice guy Greg Engert paired suds with dishes on their current tasting menu. I had some memorable plates, including goat cheese stuffed figs that were to die for, fried pork trotters, Cornish hen under brick, and 2 of their fantastic pizzas--mushroom and spinach; and gulf shrimp with fontina cheese.

Greg's choices took me all over the beer world, to likely places like Belgian and Germany, and more unlikely ones like Italy. To end the evening, he selected a Gouden Carolus, a Belgian Blond Ale, to pair with warm blueberry pie with whipped cream and ginger syrup. The beer had some nice fresh fruit, without being at all sweet, as well as some spice. The yeast strain used in the brewing gives aromas of overripe bananas.

***If you go, try to reserve the chef's table--four seats that overlook the kitchen and guarantee lots of attention from Greg and Chef Morales.

Bubbly and Takeout

No need to save the sparkling wine for special occasions--bubbly is the occasion. I enjoy it with everything from fried chicken or potato chips (the bubbles cut the fat and grease), to Thai and Indian curry (the effervescence tames the heat).

For some more casual food matches with sparklers, check out my article in the latest issue of Modern Luxury DC.

The Jupiter Cocktail

If you happen to have a bottle of Parfait Amour on hand and are looking for recipes that use it (a little goes a LONG way), try the Jupiter cocktail. It's a classic concoction featured in Ted Haigh's book "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails.). Chantal Tseng whipped up one last week at The Tabard Inn:

Jupiter Cocktail
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1/4 oz orange juice
1/4 oz parfait amour

Shake in iced cocktail shaker & strain Serve in a cocktail glass (4.5 oz)

Grab the bottle opener...I need some bubbly

I was lucky enough to receive some bottles of Domaine Chandon a few weeks ago to sample for a sparkling wines piece I wrote. Two of the bottles were curiously missing the cork, foil and cage typically of most traditional method sparkling wines...

Domaine Chandon's Etoile Brut ("star" in French) prides itself on having "freedom to break from all traditional limitations and commonly accepted rules in sparkling winemaking." Thus, they use a crown closure (AKA a beer cap...) with some lovely ribbon on top, to seal their bottles.

I was actually a bit nervous to keep this on my wine rack. Would it hold? Would it explode in the middle of the night, leaving precious (and sticky...) bubbly residue on my walls? I mean, I figured the winemakers knew what they were doing, but it's just a bit...unconventional. But c'est le point, I guess...

It was refreshingly easy to just grab my bottle opener from the side of my fridge and pop open the bottle. I thought maybe the wine wouldn't have that much effervescence--a safety precaution for the lack of a cage. But it was fully sparkling. And delicious, with some ginger and honey, and some apple and pear.

Etoile also comes in a rose version, which retails for $50. (The Brut retails for $40.)

So, next time you crave a bottle of the fizzy stuff, embrace the beer cap, and grab the bottle opener. Cheers!

Etoile

Politics is not the only game in town...

There's lots of great drinking to be had as well! Catch up on what's happening at four DC-area hotspots: Zola, Brasserie Beck, EatBar and The Source, in my article in Patterson's The Tasting Panel magazine.

It's always better with bitters

I spent an enjoyable (and enlightening) time last week at the Tabard Inn, where Chantal Tseng whipped up some delicious cocktails, and Derek Brown gave me a lesson in bitters. Derek carted his personal stash of bitters to the bar--both store bought ones from Fee Brothers, The Bitter Truth and Regan's, as well as homemade ones that he and his mixology friends whipped up, like smoked chocolate, holy mole and black strap sassafrass.

No, we didn't taste most of them, which would have rendered our palate numb and pretty much useless. Since bitters are all about the aromatics, we just put a few dashes in the palm of a hand, rubbed our hands together, and sniffed. It's amazing how potent they are, and how just a dash or two can change a cocktail from being one-dimensional to incredibly complex. I've added several kinds to my own bar at home (I really like Fee Brothers orange), and I'm really glad more and more mixologists are once again turning to these classic cocktail ingredients.

Chantal makes a mean Sazerac, the New Orleans standard made with Peychaud's bitters. You can watch her in action on this video. She throws and twirls the glass in the air to coat it with Absinthe, and uses a decent amount of lemon peel to add citrus flavor and more aromatics--heresy to some Sazerac fans, but I think it adds a beautiful brightness to a drink that otherwise may be a bit heavy for some. I'm not a whiskey fan, but I was digging it.

The other eye-opener for me was to taste a traditional martini--she made one with Beefeater--with a few drops of orange bitters added. Again, these bitters add a fresh brightness to the classic libation. Bitters are included in the original martini recipe, but somehow over the years they fell out of favor. I'll never look at the martini the same way again.

Go to The Tabard Inn on Thursday evenings to check our Chantal's featured concoctions--she's been known to pull inspiration from her well-marked copy of "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails" (to which she referred last week to find with a recipe that used Parfait Amour, which she happened to have a bottle of. She whipped up the Jupiter cocktail.)

Derek Brown is the Sommelier at Komi Restaurant. You can also see him on WineTasteTV.

Oh rickey, you're so fine (I couldn't resist...)

The basic recipe for a rickey calls for 1.5 oz of gin (or whiskey, if you prefer), and a half ounce of fresh lime juice over ice in a highball glass. You can sweeten it with sugar, simple syrup or agave syrup if you like, or keep it tart, and top with club soda and a lime wedge.

The rickey actually originated in DC in the late 19th century by "Colonel Joe" Rickey, a lobbyist whose favorite watering hole was Shoomaker's off Pennsylvania Avenue. Joe preferred whiskey, but many fans (myself included) prefer gin.

July was the first annual Rickey Month, and eight of DC's top bars created their own versions, including Bar Pilar, EatBar and Hudson. My fave was Chantal Tseng's of The Tabard Inn, whose Rive Gauche Rickey really had everything I love: Aviation gin, St. Germain, Lucid Absinthe, lavender, fresh lime and sparkling wine (Charles de Fere).

Head to the Adams Morgan location of Bourbon tonight between 6-8 PM, where the best rickey in town will be revealed. There's no cover, and Bourbon is located at 2321 18th Street NW.

One Margarita with air, please

Every once in awhile, I enjoy a well-made Margarita on the rocks. I love the flavor of the salt rim, but not the unsightly look of flakes left on my upper lip.

Washington, DC's Oyamel Cocina Mexicana, owned by Jose Andres, found an inventive solution to my cocktail pet peeve. They top their Margaritas with salt air--kind of like a seafoam, if you will. Read about it in my recent article in Cheers magazine.

Loire Valley Wines and Summer Foods

I just got a useful postcard in the mail from the Loire Valley Wine Bureau, giving wine suggestions for popular summer foods. I've always been a huge fan of wines from the Loire. Unfortunately, they often stand in the shadows of their more popular sisters from Bordeaux and Burgundy, but LV wines have such a fresh quality to them--perfect for summer foods. They are usually more approachable much earlier one, too, which is great for someone like me who is all about instant gratification. Here are their suggestions, with some comments from me:

Oysters and Muscadet (**The mineral notes in the wine match those in the bivalves, and the refreshing bit of spritz is akin to squirting a lemon wedge on the shellfish)

Seared scallops and Sancerre, Anjou or Saumur Blanc (**All great matches, but my fave is the racy, crisp Sancerre.)

Lobster rolls or crab cakes and Vouvray (**What's great about this white winner is that styles range from dry to sweet, but even the sweeter styles retain acidity well. And as with Muscadet, there is a bit of spritz. An off-dry style will go well with the sweet lobster meat. If the variation in style is frustrating for you, ask someone helpful at your local wine store, find a producer or two you like, and stick with it.)

Burgers and grilled sausage and Chinon or Bourgueil (**I just love Chinon. It's bright and fresh, and a great example of a well-made Cabernet Franc-based wine.)

Barbecue and Rose d'Anjou or Cabernet d'Anjou (**Rose wines, with their strawberry or raspberry notes, nice acidity and bit of spice, are perfect for barbecued ribs or chicken. Roses are a great compromise between a white and a red, especially during summer.)

A party on the beach and Cremant de Loire or Saumur Brut (**I never turn down a sparkling wine, and the Loire makes some elegant ones. They can be a bit more difficult to find than other French bubblies, but they are definitely worth seeking out.)

For more info about Loire Valley wines, go to the bureau's website.

Looking for something to do tonight?

Why not head to Mrs. K's in Silver Spring for:their Sunday night special?

Located just outside the nation’s capitol at 9201 Colesville Road, Mrs. K’s Tollhouse Restaurant, with its exquisite gardens and terraces, and cool stone and brick wine cellar aptly named The Wine Press, is an ideal escape. To help combat the rising temperatures and cost of travel, Mrs. K’s is offering the perfect way to spend Sunday evenings from 5 PM to 8 PM, with half price bottles of wine and half price, tempting small plates. This seasonal savings offering includes 30 selected vintages such as Catena Alta, Malbec; Hartford Court, Pinot Noir and Vineyard 29, Cabernet Sauvignon ranging in price from $17.50 to $177.50 per bottle. Small plates normally priced between $8 and $24, are available for $4 to $12 each. Mrs. K’s also serves 45 wines by the glass ranging in price from $7 to $18. The “Wine & Dine” offering is available now through October 15th.

The Baobab Tree, Cape Gooseberries and Juniper, Oh My!

In my continuing quest to sample all the amazing new gins out there, my search recently led me to Whitley Neill. The slogan says it all: "Inspired by Africa. Made in England." Botanicals beyond the typical juniper include cape gooseberries and the the citrus fruit from the African baobab tree. (If you can't quite picture the flavor of the former, think of the taste of a really aggressive, racy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc--it usually has some gooseberry notes.) As for the citrus fruit from the baobab tree--I've never had that before, though just the mention of that tree reminds me of one of my favorite childhood books: Le Petit Prince.

To give a brief history: founder Johnny Neill's family's distilling and brewing links go all the way back to 1762 when his ancestor Thomas Greenall formed a company called Greenall Whitley. Neill was born less than half a mile from the Greenall's family distillery in Warrington, England. His father was Director of the distillery and ran the brewery and his Great grandfather was Managing Director. The Greenall family currently distills Bombay Gin and Bombay Sapphire Gin under licence for Bacardi.

Two years ago, independently, and after much research and experimentation with botanicals at a separate distillery, Neill launched Whitley Neill London Dry Gin into the on-trade in London.
The company donates 5% of their net profits to Tree Aid, a charity which helps some of the poorest people in Africa secure an income from Trees. They also donate $1.00 from every bottle sold at Hyatt hotels to the charity.

It's a great backstory, and a great cause, but the proof is in the pudding (i.e. does it make a good G&T?) Neill claims it makes the best one in the market, and I have to agree that it's damn good. The gin has wonderfully refreshing citrus flavors, which mix so well with (my preferred tonic) Fever Tree (whose quinine, incidentally, is sourced from the bark of a rare tree in Africa...)

Whitley Neill has racked up a bunch of awards since its launch, including a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Check the website for more info and cool recipes to try. I'm not sure how readily accessible it is in the DC area, but I'll check and repost...

Cucumber White Sangria Recipe

Here is the recipe for the Cucumber White Sangria that I enjoyed the other evening, courtesy of Blue Duck Tavern.

***If elderflower syrup is hard to come by, I would recommend using St. Germain Elderflower liqueur if you have it, or just using simple syrup. The floral flavor wasn't overwhelming, so even though it adds a cool note to the drink, it's not the end of the world if you omit it.

Cucumber White Sangria
Courtesy of Blue Duck Tavern, Washington, DC

5 slices cucumber
3 oz Sauvignon Blanc (St. Supery or another crisp SB)
1 oz Van Gogh Vodka (or another vodka)
1 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 oz White Cranberry juice
1/2 oz Elderflower syrup

Mix all ingredients and pour into large wine glass. Add ice.

Ducking Out of the Heat

Last evening, I had a wonderful dinner at Blue Duck Tavern, located inside the Park Hyatt in DC. Yes, the lovely patio was open, but we opted to stay out of the heat, and instead took a table right by the kitchen. (Calling BDT's culinary space an "open kitchen," by the way, is a major understatement. I felt like at any given moment I could have stepped over, grabbed a saute pan and made my own scallops. Not that I could have done a better job than the chefs, mind you.)

The food was sublime--sauteed crispy softshell crabs, sauteed scallops with fennel and anise, Mettwurst (fermented sausage, new on the menu), fries tripled fried in duck fat (they are the antithesis of "frites," and pretty much looked like mini 2x4s. Delish.), homemade cornbread, and the best succotash I have ever had in my life.

And to start off the evening, I tried their Cucumber White Sangria. Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows that I absolutely cannot turn down a cucumber-based drink. Case in point: I've gushed over Gnome's Water at EatBar, and the Gordon's Cup from Bon Appetit, and anything else I can get my hands on that contains the slender, cool veggie.

This cocktail was made with Sauvignon Blanc, Van Gogh vodka, Triple Sec and Elderflower Syrup. It was served in a large wine glass, over ice, with several cucumber slices as garnish. Very. very. refreshing. Run to the Tavern and ask for one.

Sip Some Tomato Air

Recently I wrote an article for Cheers about the margaritas topped with salt air (instead of rimmed with salt) at Jose Andres' Mexican kitchen Oyamel in Washington, DC (it's not in print yet, but I'll post it when it is). They are visually striking, and unusually delicious.

To celebrate Spain's La Tomatina Festival, his restaurant Jaleo will be offering tomato-inspired drinks, one of which will have that air garnish.

(For those of you unfamiliar with La Tomatina, it's a 63 year-old Spanish tradition that takes place the last Wednesday of August in the small town of Buñol. This epic food fight begins when more than 300,000 pounds of ripe tomatoes arrive to the center of the town at the Plaza de Pueblo. Thousands of people then gather each year to participate in this wild batalla as the delicious seasonal treats become missiles leaving everyone and everything splattered with tomato pulp. You may have seen it sometime in the news--super messy, but it looks really, really fun.)

Along with some fantastic-sounding tomato-based dishes, Andres will be offering the Dirty Tomatini topped with tomato air; and the Tomato Mimosa with Tomato Granite.

These specials will start on July 28, and continue through August 10. For more info, go to Jaleo's website.

Celebrate with Belgian Brews

Today is Belgium's Independence Day. Why not head to DC's Brasserie Beck for the celebration? From 11:30 AM until closing time at 11 PM, Chef/Owner Robert Wiedmaier’s popular 165-seat restaurant is offering up 18 delicious Belgian draft beers, at half price, ranging from $3-$6 each, to toast Belgian Independence Day. It commemorates Belgium’s anniversary of separation from the Netherlands in 1831, and the formal establishment of the kingdom with the crowning of Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg, who agreed to support the constitution drawn up by the National Congress. This one-day only celebration is Beer Specialist Bill Catron’s brainchild and the “knighted” beer expert is offering up the following beers available in the restaurant, bar and outdoor patio.

Beers featured include the following: Delirium Tremens; Gouden Carolus Ambrio; St. Louis Framboise; Gouden Carolus Hopsinjour; Gouden Carolus Tripple; Gouden Carolus Classic D'or; Kasteel Tripple; Kasteel Donker; Blanche des Bruxelles; De Koninck; Hoegaarden; Leffe Brune; Stella Artois; Bavik; Piraat; Kasteel Rouge; Brigand and Gulden Draak. Brasserie Beck exemplifies a traditional, chic image of old Europe’s Belgium train stations. The spacious bar boasts over 126 Belgian Beers and ten different beer taps, making it the most comprehensive Belgian Beer list in the city and the restaurant recently opened its expansive patio that is also friendly to those wishing to enjoy a good cigar.

Brasserie Beck is located on 1101 K Street, NW and serves lunch Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 5 PM, dinner Monday-Thursday 5 PM to 11 PM, and Friday and Saturday, from 5 PM to 11:30 PM; Sunday brunch is offered from 11:30 AM to 8 PM. For reservations call 202.408.1717 and visit http://www.beckdc.com/

The Wine *Rack*

So I was watching Jay Leno the other evening, and he did a segment called "Sold or Not Sold," where inventors looked for markets and distributors for their products.

One proposed product was billed as the "Wine Rack." A little web search led me to their website. I'll let the text on the site tell you what the product does:

"Turn an A cup in to double Ds AND sport your favorite beverage for yourself and your friends! Better than a boob job and cheaper too! Not to mention the savings on over priced drinks. Take a bottle of wine, a mixed drink or even a fifth of your favorite hard stuff to the movies, concerts, ball games, even PTA meetings. Sporting a rack that will turn heads and serving a beverage that will have guys standing in line for a sip of your secret stash! With a simple blow into the tube it's easy to keep that full look even as you drink from your secret stash."

So basically, you fill this gadget with your favorite beverage, strap it on, and enjoy drinking up to more than a bottle of wine, hands free. And as the beverage depletes, just inflate to keep your rack looking perky.

Apparently, there is a market for this product, and it sells for $29.95. Interested? Check out the site.

Lots of Wining in DC

Over the past year, wine bars have been popping up all over in DC and the surrounding area. Coincidentally (or not), many of them start with V--Veritas, Vinoteca, and Vinifera--which can make it difficult to keep them straight.

Never fear. Just refer to my primer in Modern Luxury DC which gives the best of the best of DC's wine bars.

Cheers to Eight Years of Wedded Bliss...

Just wanted to send a virtual toast to my husband Mike. We are celebrating eight wonderful years of marriage today...