Wine, Beer and Restaurant Reviews

I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any F&#%ing Merlot! Oh Yes We Are! Bohemian Highway Merlot

Any one who saw the game changing film about wine, Sideways, will never forget that line. They say Merlot took a big hit in sales as a result.

Years later the grape is regaining popularity especially with creative wine marketing efforts like this from Bohemian Highway Wine who bottle and market this delightful wine, Bohemian Highway Merlot.

This very inexpensive Merlot is really a great, bright flavorful, beautifully faceted ruby red wine that is just so pleasing. The wine went great with this simple Asian Chicken salad inspired by a lunch at Yotel, NYC.

Best Hambuger in New Jersey Competition Winner Mystery Revealed - It's Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant in South Orange

A few months ago I heard about a New Jersey Hamburger competition. It was not the Best Burger Showdown by NJ Monthly Magazine, although they do features some of the best hamburgers in New Jersey. Nor was it New Jersey’s Best Burgers found on Jersey Bites, there some good ones there too. Since I love burgers I was very curious.

I heard about this contest from Nell since the restaurant she works with Nicole's Ten had made a special burger for the contest.  But that was the end of it. There was a site for voting www.burgersandzin.com but that is now closed.

The contest turned up again as a part of the 2012 New Jersey Wine and Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort where the winner was to be announced. The competition was called "The Big Cheese" and was sponsored by the Star Ledger and Terra d'Ora vineyards the makers of some great Zinfandel wines, which happen to go great with burgers. 

So here it is the winner a big beautiful alligator, antelope, and pork burger with napa cabbage, sauteed onions, and special spicy aioli from Gaslight Brewery, Pub and Restaurant in South Orange.

Let me tell you it is very good, but to get it well you need some connections.

Qupe Winery Bien Nacido in northern Santa Barbara County, Makes Some Very Good Wines

I am not a Big California wine buff, but when my friend Carol Berman, Class in a Glass/Travelling Sommelier, Facebook messaged me to come over to Magnolias Wines this past Saturday I could not resist.

I know she has great taste in wine and I like her recommendations. I was out running errands when her message popped upon my smart phone so I headed over.

She was pouring two wines from Bob Lindquist's Qupé Vineyard.

A California Chardonnay I really liked, why? Because it drank like a fine Meursault, Cameron Hughes Chardonnay Lot 273 Monterey County Arroyo Seco

Enjoyed this lovely Chardonnay from California with a nice home cooked dinner out of Dreena Burton's great cookbook "eat,drink & be vegan."

As we tasted this wine Diana's eyes popped wide open with a big smile across her face and I knew why. She did not believe it was California Chardonnay saying, "I don't usually like California Chardonnay." She happens to love French Chardonnay especially when it comes from Meursault in Burgundy, where they make Chardonnay as nature intended. No heavy Oak. We have had Mersault on many special occasions, a lot of cherished memories.

This beauty won 90 points from Wine Spectator and first came on the market in the mid $20's. Wine competition being what it is, a buyers market, you can now find this most excellent wine for close to $12. Best place to try is www.winechateau.com

Two Awesome Sonoma Pinot Noirs We Loved

When I think of Pinot Noir I think of Burgundy, Washington State, and lately South America. These two wines re-opened my eyes, nose, and taste buds to the beautiful Pinots that are produced in Sonoma, California. 

Sonoma Coast Vineyards Freestone Hills 2009 Pinot Noir and Capiaux Chimera 2009 Pinot Noir. The first paired very well with a wonderful Szechuan dinner at NY Times and WS Journal reviewed Cheng Du 23. The second we enjoyed with a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with family in Minneapolis.