By:Marcia Abramson
Having visited just about every California vineyard in Napa, Sonoma, Monterey, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria Valley, I was pleasantly surprised to find West Coast Kendall-
Jackson Wines in New York City for a gala wine tasting. No worries about flight delays and cancellations. In less than one hour, I was at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York for a fascinating evening of imbibing 10 prestigious Great Estates and Stature wines of Kendall-Jackson. Wine tasting in California is a wonderful experience, except that most of the wines I enjoyed were not sold in New York State for tax reasons. But Kendall-Jackson is available here, at fine restaurants and in local liquor stores at suggested prices of $8.99 for the Collage collection of the Zinfandel and Shiraz blend to the Stature at $125 a bottle of Chardonet Sauvignon. Most of the Great Estate Wines like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot and Chardonet Sauvignon range in price from $25 to $45 a bottle. My preference is the Stature, Chardonnay, which was described by wine connoisseurs and authors, Anthony Dias Blue, Andrea Immer, Diane Teitelbaum and Kendall-Jackson's winemaster, Randy Ullom, as the pinnacle and filet mignon of wine making. It sells for $60 a bottle.
This wine tasting differed from the usual wine tasting that I have attended in California, New York State's Finger Lake region, Canada's Quebec province, New Mexico and Long Island's North Fork, in that Four Seasons' Executive Chef Christian Albin prepared a sensational dinner. It was served in the famous Pool Restaurant with the appropriate seasonal correct decor. The wine pairing of food included a trio of Fois Gras with Vintner's Reserve Riesling, scrumptious baked Maine Diver Scallops with Perigord black truffles and Great Estates Chardonnay. It also included a Ragout of Squab, Pigeon and Quail with Reserve Pinot Noir, a potato crusted Copper Ridge Salmon Noir with caviar Merlot sauce served with Grand Estates Merlot and a portion of double loin of lamb with morel mushrooms paired with Great Estates Cabernet Sauvignon. Everything was mouth watering, but quite frankly, I could have done without the little birds.
The best time to visit the vineyards and wineries is during the grape growing season. The lush green vines and ripening white and red grapes provide wonderful photo ops. Cool climates are also ideal for grape growing and produce ripe intensely flavored fruit. I learned the smaller the grape, the better the wine flavor. The care and choice of the cooperage or barrels of mostly imported oak wood is an important part of the fermenting and the aging of wine as well. Another interesting thing I observed was that a good number of the vintners are women. Most tours conclude with a wine tasting.
The Kendall-Jackson's wine tasting was by invitation only, but your local wine or liquor store can supply you with information as to the locale and cost of tastings.
Apropos of tastings dentally, New York City's Tenth Annual Summer Restaurant Week will take place June 25 through 29, 2001 with more than 120 of the city 's best restaurants offering prix-fixe, three-course lunch menus for just $20.0 1 - a fraction of their usual cost. I understand that approximately 200 restaurants will participate at the launching ceremonies on June 21 with tasting portions from table set outside their entrances during lunchtime at a charge of $3 to $5. The restaurants will contribute a minimum of $1 per portion to Citymeals-on-Wheels and Share Our Strength, two leading hunger relief organizations. At these prices you might want to splurge on a wine beverage to enhance your meal.
Restaurants will start taking reservations one month prior to the starting date of Summer Restaurant Week. For more information log on to www.nycvisit.com. The list of participating restaurants for Restaurant Week and Restaurant Day will be available on May 29. However, if you are an American Express Cardmember, you can obtain an advance copy of the list beginning May 14 by calling (212) 484-1238. I took advantage of this great bargain and enjoyed my luncheon at Le Cirque two years ago and didn't mind too much picking up the tab for my Kendall-Jackson Merlot. Incidentally, Merlot has become the most popular red wine requested in restaurants now.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
I can answer additional questions via e-mail address: mascribe@aol.com
