Talula's Garden: Not Too Late To Enjoy The Garden

One of the cutest and lushest outdoor dining spots in Center City is the patio at Talula's Garden, this year's new urban daughter to Amy Olexy's much lauded rural Talula's Table in Kennett Square.

Yes, the temperatures are dipping and the season for dining under the stars is quickly fading, but it's not too late to eek out a few more weeks of outdoor dining. Talula's Garden is stretching the al fresco season as long as it can with it's new staff of outdoor heating lamps.Talula's Garden is not just a restaurant with "seasonal American food inspired by the farm and garden" by Amy Olexy, but is also a restaurant by Stephen Starr, who is undeniably a master at designing themed restaurants. Theme for Talula's Garden: farm and garden. For all of you out there that swoon over Urban Outfitter's home and garden shop, Terrain, you are going to love Talula's Garden; it was hit with the same rustic and repurposed, but deliberate and chic design aesthetic.

Mix-and-match dinnerware lends to the rustic, chic vibe.

Wanting only a drink and small snack some place on the way home after traipsing through the city, we recently warmed up under a heat lamp for a glass of wine on Talula's patio just off Washington Square Park — a perfect place to escape the harsh edges of the city and unwind.Determined not to let summer slip away, I ordered a glass of Millbrook rosé at the patio bar.A few weeks ago I was tasked with finding bottles of vegan wine (animal products are often used as fining agents), and this is not made easy by wine labels, which almost never disclose if a wine is or is not vegan. Keys such as the one above on Talula's Garden's wine menu are very much appreciated.

Now, if only Talula's Garden would put a similar key on their dinner menu to denote vegetarian and vegan items, although I'm afraid not much at Talula's Garden is vegan. (Vegan dishes can be made at Talula's Garden. Check out Living On The Vedge's glowing experience.)Only wanting a small nibble, we decided on a cheese plate since cheese is one of Olexy's passions. From the six cheese plates on Talula's Garden's menu, we went with The Locavore cheese plate featuring six cheeses made in the region, and accompanied by drips and drops of honey, jams, dried fruits, and nuts, as well as a bowl of mixed breads.There's nothing I like more than sampling and comparing foods side to side. On their own, each of the six regional cheeses are great, but, side by side, there were some definite standouts (Pipe Dreams Ashed Goat Log and Birchrun Hill's "Fat Cat").

My absolute favorite cheese, though, was the Bailey's Dairy Ricotta, which is actually Talula's housemade Ricotta with cow milk from Bailey's Dairy. I was amazed at how sweet, buttery and creamy this cheese was, and declared it a perfect topping for apple pie — or any dessert that would couple with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

The garden at Talula's Garden is quite a nice little sidestep from the city sidewalks, and we hope to get back to the garden soon while the weather is still amenable.

Talula's Garden
210 West Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA 19106

(215) 592-7787

Lotte Wine Chocolat

Mon Cheri is the lofty standard to which I compare all liquor candies. Nothing came close to that intense shot of filling...until now. Lotte's Wine Chocolat was a last minute addition to my most recent napaJapan order, but it blew me away.

With the pink background, sparkly glass of wine, and cute font, the packaging is clearly appealing to a certain type (myself included), but it came up short of the elegant look I think Lotte was going for. The chocolate contains 3.3% alcohol, and the package also reminds consumers to use discretion about driving.


The format was quite similar to Mon Cheri, only on a smaller scale. The milk chocolate shell had a mildly sweet milky flavor, but it was almost irrelevant; the filling was most definitely the star of the show.

The liquid center tasted strongly of sweet, brandy-like liquor. The filling had a slightly fruity flavor that reminded me most of cherries. It was sharp on the tongue and went well with the smooth chocolate. It was a bit on the sweeter side, but that boozy kick was a fantastic surprise!

A-

Lotte website

Va La Family Farmed Wines

Many times I've started to write a post on Va La, my favorite winery in Southeastern Pennsylvania, but have aborted the mission because 1) the pictures I've taken in the past were seriously bad, and 2) while I love wine, I'm uncomfortable about confidently describing wine.

Well, I've finally taken some half-decent photos, and while I can't banter like a sommelier, all that matters with wine is that if you like it, you like it. And I like Va La's wine!As well as the wine, I enjoy visiting Va La's vineyard and tasting room in Avondale, PA, a tiny town — if you can even call it that — I somehow found myself living in for eight months (long story). Just a ten minute car ride from Kennett Square, and an hour from Philadelphia, a trip to Va La makes a nice weekend getaway.

Hit up other wineries along the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, as well, if you really want to make a day out of it. Va La is sneaky, though, and doesn't show up on the official Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, but don't miss Va La! It's the best of the bunch.
Sitting on 7 acres of land that has been in the family since 1928, Va La vineyards grows all of their grapes (save but a few from other local vineyards) for their wines. Production is small at Va La, producing on average 500 - 750 cases of wine per vintage, but some as little as 250 bottles. You must go to Va La to buy the wine; you will not find it at wine stores.

You'll find quirky mixes like the big, robust Mahogany blended with malvasia nero, barbera, charbono, sagrantino, la grein, carmine, teroldego, and petit verdot; and, if you're very lucky, a straight-up nebiolo. The wines aren't cheap (most bottles range from $25 - $45), but, remember, this is a small operation.

I admire Va La's passion for making good wine, but most of all for making wine that they want to make, how they want to make it. Fittingly, "va la," which means "go there" in proper Italian, also means "piss off" in the vernacular.I must warn you, before you even drive up the driveway lined with rows of grape vines to the picturesque stone and wood barn, you will smell Avondale's signature scent. Avondale is smack in the middle of mushroom country. Mushroom production — and the compost involved in mushroom production — smells like a loaded baby diaper.

Do not let the abominable smell discourage you. Your nose will adjust in a few minutes, and I actually find that Va La wines taste finest when sipped on premises with eau de compost swirling about. I guess it's true; a wine's terroir is best enjoyed while standing on the terrain in which it was grown.Sidle up to the tasting bar on the lower level of the barn for a $10 tasting of wines, or hit the upstairs art gallery for the $20 tasting of wines. The family and friends who man the bar are always chipper and eager to explain each wine and their food pairings. The tasting pours are healthy (no measured pour spouts here!), and the pairings with local Pennsylvania Noble Cheddar, ShellBark Hollow Farm goat cheese, and Neuchatel chocolate are fabulous.When you're done with your tasting, mosey around the barn to sample olive oils, jams, and marinated mushrooms. I cried when Sunny Dell Foods burned down in 2006, and thought I'd never have their teriyaki marinated mushrooms again, but they rebuilt, and I grab a jar every time I stop in at Va La.You're going to find Va La so cozy that you'll want to stay. Buy a glass of wine (or a bottle), grab some local cheeses from the cooler along with some crackers, and head upstairs to the gallery where there are plenty of tables.
If it's nice outside, go out back and hang on the deck or under the backyard pergola, where many weekends there's jazz music from Glenn E. Williams, Va La's official house band, or wood fired pizza for sale cooked on the back of the aptly named Wood Fired Pizza truck. Yep, you're going to want to go ahead and get a bottle and stay a while.The best part about Va La is the owner and winemaker, Anthony Vietri, and his sarcasm-filled email newsletters. I highly suggest you sign up for the newsletters (scroll down) to be in the know about weekend festivities, and, of course, new wine releases. Va La is also good about updating on Facebook, if that's your thing.

Va La Family Farmed Wines
8820 Gap Newport Pike (Rt. 41), Avondale, PA 19311
610-268-2702

Tirol Wine

Even though I know next to nothing about wine, I do know that Wine is not a very descriptive name for a flavor. From the package, it can be assumed that this is a red wine flavored Tirol, but even that doesn't add much.

My favorite red wine is Shiraz, which can have a strong bite, but there is a whole spectrum of red wines ranging from sweet to dry and beyond. The mystery Wine Tirol was purchased from napaJapan (4 for $3.29 US) just before Christmas, and limited quantities are still available.


The dark chocolate was of decent quality and had a bit of a chocolate liquor flavor to it. In terms of texture, it had a good snap and a slow melt on the tongue. The jelly in the center was thick and sticky like a fruit gem, but didn't taste like wine. This Tirol was more like grape jelly in dark chocolate, and while it was very good, there was no hint of that "luxurious aftertaste" the packaging mentioned.

Maybe they were aiming for dessert wine, but even that has more bite than this mild Tirol. There was a slight sourness at the finish, but it lacked the rich, complex end note that distinguishes sweet wine from grape juice. Even though this Tirol was tasty, it was misleading, so I have to account for that in my rating. This could be a good thing for those who don't like wine, but I wish Tirol had taken the concept just a bit further.

B+

Tirol Website

Domaine Hudson Revisited

The second restaurant review to grace this blog (whoa! that was over three and a half years ago) was for Domaine Hudson, a wine bar and restaurant in downtown Wilmington that I was smitten with when they first opened in late 2005, and am still smitten with to this day. Ask me for a fine dining recommendation in Wilmington, and Domaine Hudson is the first name out of my mouth.

I don't get around to frequenting most of the restaurants I review, simply because there are so many good, new (to me) restaurants to experience, but there are a handful of restaurants that I do return to, and Domaine is one of them, although, I don't frequent Domaine nearly enough, seeing as how they are so close to my house and I enjoy them immensely. Being bone tired and unpresentable after work, and staying in Philly on the weekend are my excuses.

Of all my visits to Domaine Hudson, I've never taken pictures of their food, even for the initial review, so I thought I'd show you some of what Domaine dishes up.

In full disclosure, the owners, Tom and Meg Hudson, know me and know that I write this food blog. They did not know me when I wrote my initial review, but Meg, sharp woman that she is, recognized me the second I walked in their restaurant after writing the review, and called me out in the nicest way possible. Meg and Tom chat me up when I visit, but they do this with all of their customers.
3 wines, 3 ounces, $3 each. The glasses were fuller before it dawned on me to take a picture.

Domaine has a great daily happy hour deal from 5-7pm -- 3 wines, 3 ounce pours, $3 each. Three related wines are up for offer, and you could order just one, but the happy hour deal is a great way to compare three wines and make mental notes all wine connoisseur-like at about half price.

Domaine Hudson is a restaurant with wines as their specialty, and, surprise, they have great wines! Every time we go, we're always writing down what we drank so we can shop for it later. Chat up the server or the owners (sitting at the bar best for this) and they'll help you find a wine you like. One evening, after rating five wines and having my ratings match exactly with Meg's, I learned to just ask Meg what her favorite wine is on their ever changing wine list.

Oh, and if wine's not your thing, Domaine now has a selection of craft beers in bottle. Everybody gets a little love!

The changing menu is not vegetarian heavy, but there are a few dishes, and the chef, Jason Barrowcliff, who has been there since day one, will gladly make a veggie plate. We tend to go for the wine, cheese, and dessert because it somehow seems more decadent, but recently we went all out and had a full meal. It helps that Domaine offers a prix fixe menu of three courses for $35 all the time. And, as always, meat eaters win with the prix fixe.
This complimentary roll with a crusty exterior and soft interior reminds me of the fab rustic rolls I made a while back.
While Domaine's menu changes frequently, I don't think I've ever not seen the baked brie and arugula salad with walnuts, pears, and roasted shallot vinaigrette. It's perfect, and I think patrons would object if it went missing.
These caramelized Brussels sprouts with exotic mushrooms, micro-greens, and aged sherry vinaigrette are some of the best Brussels sprouts I've ever had. I think it was the earthy mushrooms that elevated them to the next level.
This macadamia nut and Parmesan crusted swordfish with asparagus, wild rice, and leek-saffron sauce was said by the boy to be the best cooked piece of swordfish he's ever had.The vegetarian cauliflower and chickpea stew with peas, carrots, and mushrooms in a mushroom broth, topped with sun dried tomato and olive tapenade is a hearty, mild, mushroom-y stew that draws pep from the tapenade. Oh, and it pains me that the chickpeas were undercooked on the one visit I took pictures for a "revisit" on the blog, since I've never had anything wrong with any dish at Domaine Hudson, but there it was.
"Drunken" tiramisu is a sort of deconstructed tiramisu with lady fingers and espresso with vanilla and coffee ice cream. This was the boy's dessert, and while his plate was cleaned, he confessed to preferring a traditional tiramisu.
Domaine Hudson has the best creme brulees! I mean it. The creme part is so thick, creamy and rich, and the brulee part is thick and crunchy. Never a big creme brulee person, I ordered one a few years ago from Doamine, and it knocked my socks off. Since then, I order creme brulees wherever I go, and no one has offered up a creme brulee to match. I find any combination of grainy or runny custards, and over burnt or thin and bendy caramelized sugar tops at other places. Get the creme brulee!

And that's a "revisit" to Domaine Hudson. I really need to go more often. My excuses are lame. What's yours?

Domaine Hudson
1314 N. Washington St., Wilmington, DE 19801
302-655-9463
Mon- Thurs,5-10:30p.m.
Fri-Sat., 5 - 11p.m.

Win a Man...and Wine

What? I can win an attractive, intelligent man bearing wine for $10?

Quit your Craigslist missed connections searches. For a $10 donation to Menu for Hope, a worldwide food blogger’s fundraising campaign with proceeds going to the UN World Food Programme to benefit hungry farmers in Lesotho, Africa, you can buy yourself a raffle ticket to win a man with wine (Sommelier services from David McDuff of McDuff’s Food & Wine Trial).

What? You like to get around? Ok, here’s another man with wine – David Snyder of Philafoodie is offering a prize of two class gift certificates to the Wine School of Philadelphia.

More info on the sommelier service prize here.
More info on the gift certificates to the Wine School of Philadelphia here.
List of other prizes you could throw $10 at – all for a good cause.

Beneluxx

(My camera hates darkness. Sorry for the cruddy shots.)

Popped into Beneluxx, the new wine, beer, cheese, and chocolate-tasting restaurant located down the stairs on 3^rd Street this past weekend. Remember SoMa and A Bar Named Sue? That’s where Beneluxx is located.

The gist of Beneluxx is that you can sample wine, beer, cheese, and chocolate by the ounce –fifty wines, thirty beers, thirty cheeses, and twenty chocolates. Fondue, mini pizzas, sandwiches, sausages wrapped in galette, soups, and salads are offered, too. Fun!

Skreeeeeeeech! (Needle on vinyl.)

Before I start my long rant (it's always the whiners that write long reviews), let me say that nothing we put in our mouths from Beneluxx was bad and everyone working there was amiable. I write this with the utmost love for Beneluxx, and I hope someone will tell them to read this review. (I looked for a comment card, but there wasn’t one.)

When sitting down at the tables equipped with glass-rinsing systems (fun when drunk!) lining the wall across from the bar, the first thing you notice are bottles of bleach solution attached to the wall between EVERY table. The small sign below the bottles recommends that cautious individuals use the bleach solution to spritz surfaces. This. Is. Fucking. Weird. Is the owner O.C.D.! Any germaphobe is already packing Purell and antibacterial wipes. Take these bottles down at once. Weird. Weird. Weird.

The menu! Oh, god. Where do I start? Um…if you have to warn your customers that the menu is a novel when handing it to them, you might want to rethink it. The menu is horribly organized; it took us a good fifteen minutes to decide on the first drink order. It didn’t help that not a single one of our three menus included the same pages (some missing, some in different order).

My partner actually designs how people use information, and he tells me that the “information hierarchy” is poorly designed on Beneluxx’s menu. I dig holes in the dirt for a living, and I could tell that this menu was poorly designed. We spent a lot of time flipping back and forth between pages that logically and visually didn’t relate to each other.

The pairing suggestions were unhelpful. Listing five wines (nothing specific; just Zinfandel, Merlot, Reisling…) next to each cheese is like telling me to throw a dart. Towards the back there were two more pages with pairing suggestions (redundant!) for a select few cheeses, beer, chocolate, and wine. Just an example: all but one of the cheese and wine suggestions were for goat cheese. I like goat cheese, but, if you don’t, you’re screwed.

I’m not a professional information architect, but may I suggest handing me three pages only...

Page One

• Side One - White wine organized from light to heavy.
• Side Two - Red wine organized from light to heavy.

Page Two

• Side One - Cheese organized by texture.
• Side two - Chocolate grouped into white, milk, semi-sweet, and bitter-sweet.

Page Three

• Side One - Beer. I’m not a beer drinker, so have no suggestion for organization, but alphabetical wasn't working for the beer drinkers in my group.
• Side Two - Other food menu items.

Can’t fit it all? Yes, you can! Pare down the descriptions to essential words. Get rid of those unhelpful suggestions, and rely on the in-house experts. Intensively train your staff, so they are also knowledgeable. The staff was nice, and I could tell the non-expert staff was making an effort to learn. I know you’ve only been open a couple of weeks, but their knowledge will come in time.

Beneluxx, please hire a professional to design your menu. If you did already, fire them. Every day you have a customer struggle with the menu like we did, is a day you lose customers.Ok, I’ll keep this short…

Go ahead and sample all of the beers at Beneluxx. At around sixty cents per ounce, it’s not expensive to sample all thirty. Yes, it's more expensive than buying a few beers, but.... One ounce of beer is about two small sips – not much – but it’s fun to sample and compare. Plus, you can depress the glass washer to your delight.

Sampling all the wines will put a dent in your pocket. Sample a few, and settle on one or two for the rest of the evening.

Sample as many cheeses as your colon can handle. One ounce of cheese (you can order more than one ounce of any item, but we stuck with one ounce for everything) is perfect for sampling, and the prices are not outrageous. I went with three goudas – goat, cow, and sheep’s milk – for comparative eating. My partners went with two different cheeses each. We all shared like good kids.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but one ounce of chocolate is a bit much if you’re sampling a few different kinds. Half of this plate went into my bag and was eaten for breakfast the next day. I found the chocolate sampling the most interesting. There was even a chocolate that – gasp – I didn’t like. It tasted like beer!!

Hungry, we tried a few items from the food menu. The traditional Swiss fondue came in a tiny ramekin with bread. Additional accompaniments can be ordered for a charge. We went with the apples. There was barely enough cheese for the bread and apples, so I wonder what happens if you order more than one accompaniment?

All of Beneluxx’s mini-pizzas include meat. The Iberian, with chorizo, La Peral Blue Cheese, port Dijon cream, Spanish onions and peppers was the most interesting, so all three of us vegetarians forwent the chorizo. This pizza was flavor-packed with salty, pungent blue cheese, caramelized onions, and sweet port Dijon cream. A winner!

Sampling by the ounce is always more expensive than going whole hog, but look at it as a learning experience. Food was good, sampling was fun, but getting there was painful. Hopefully, Beneluxx fixes the menu train wreck, and gets on with gettin’ on.

Beneluxx, 33 S. 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA, 19106 Tues.-Thurs., 5p.m.-midnight; Fri. and Sat., 5p.m.-2a.m.; Sun. and Mon., closed.

Kreutz Creek Wine Tasting Room

Philly’s restaurant darlings are the BYOB’s. Well, West Chester just turned the tables with local PA winery Kreutz Creek’s BYOF Wine Tasting Room. That’s right, BYOF as in food!

Kreutz Creek Vineyards opened a wine tasting room a few weeks ago right in the heart of college student-saturated downtown West Chester after learning from their initial tasting room opening in Media, PA. Before you go thinking stuffy wine tasting room with snobs serving up samples and a harpist in the corner, this joint feels like a real bar – ya know, people out for relaxed, good-time drunk-bonding with friends.

Sidle up to the bar and sample four of the locally made wines for free, or sample ten for $5. Then buy a glass or bottle of one of their red, white, rose, sparkling, or dessert wines when you decide which one you like. And don’t forget to bring your own food!

On a visit this weekend, high bistro tables lining the wall were filled with diners eating takeout containers of eggplant Parmesan, hoagies, sushi, and even cookies from home – all at the same table. A party in the back of the room ordered in pizza. No, really. They had it delivered to the tasting room.

No one at Kreutz Creek is going to kick you out for bringing in outside food. The tasting room does offer a cheese plate, but that’s it.

Kreutz Creek is selling wine. And good wine. But I’m afraid the wine may be lost on some of the mostly college crowd that fills the bar on the weekends.

Overheard as I sat at the bar and shared a $20.99 bottle of Kordeaux, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot:

College Girl: This is the worst wine I’ve ever tasted. It’s horrible.
College Guy: Yeah, I’m not a fan. I’m just chuggin’ it.

We, of course, snickered.

At Kreutz Creek’s Tasting Room you’re getting an outstanding bargain: bar ambiance ($0), quality bottle of local wine at retail price ($10.99 - $49.99), and an invite to bring in your own food ($0 - $?). There’s also free entertainment ($0) on the weekends. That’s why we were there; to see our friend sing. (Her singing head and toned strumming arm is at the end of the bar in the picture.)

Fabulous idea, even if the wine is lost on a few folks.

Kreutz Creek Vinyard's West Chester Tasting Room, 44 E. Gay St., West Chester, PA, 19380
Hours not determined as of this post writing.

Chick's

With so many wine bars in Philly, how does one choose? While I have been to a handful, I have not been to all. Eager to try more, I took a recent article in the Philadelphia Weekly that featured wine bars, nixed those I had been to, then chose what seemed to be the least pretentious establishment and closest wine bar to my Philly digs – ‘cause walking is the only way to travel when drinking.

We chose Chick’s, a small bar on the corner of 7^th St. and Kater St. just off the path from busy South St. in Bella Vista. The interior is very charming with its cozy, dark bar and tin tile ceiling, but the weather was absolutely perfect, so we dined outdoors. The wine list obviously is the star at a wine bar, but I had been drinking mixed drinks previously, so did not feel like following up with a heavy red wine. I chose a Prosecco to keep that light, bubbly feeling afloat. My partner started with the house Pinot Noir just the see if the house wine was up to snuff. The house Pinot Noir was fine, but he decided on a fuller, heavier Grenache with the recommendation of the server.

I started with the roasted beets, goat cheese, and mache listed under the vegetable small plates section of the menu. I’m rarely disappointed with beets, and this dish was no exception. The beets were perfectly tangy from vinegar and complimented by the creamy, mild goat cheese. This small plate was not minuscule like some small plates at wine and tapas bars, but perfectly portioned.

The Taleggio cheese plate came with plenty of bread, although I would have liked to see the cheese paired with cherries or some other accompaniment.

The Gorgonzola and fig flat bread was the star of the table. You just can’t beat the classic pairing of fig and Gorgonzola cheese. Again, the portions were substantial, and thank goodness, because we wanted all of it.

The brie, pear, and onion marmalade panini had my name on it, as one of my favorite sandwich spreads in onion jelly or onion chutney. I was disappointed with the panini. The sandwich could have used a little more brie and pear to balance out all that bread, which was the most perfectly crisp panini I’ve ever had. Mostly I was disappointed with the onion marmalade. The sandwich contained what appeared to be caramelized red onions that were slightly bitter, not a sweet onion marmalade. Again, this sandwich was another example of sauce (or absence of sauce) making or breaking a sandwich. The panini came on top of a stack of skinny fries which were the crunchiest, happiest skinny fries I’ve ever had, unlike the floppy, sad skinny fries I usually run into.

We were stuffed, but had to try dessert. The attentive, but unobtrusive server recommended the dark chocolate crème brulee. The crème brulee was not as rich and thick as some crème brulees I’ve had, but that was not a concern. The dessert was fabulous, and the caramelized bananas on top were the pièce de rèsistance.

The price and pretension at Chick's is low, and the quality and service is high. I can get behind that.

Chick’s Café and Wine Bar, 614 S 7th St, Philadelphia 19147
Phone: 215-625-3700

Wine Appreciation Class III

Photo by Pixelcore
The last installment of my Introduction to Wine Appreciation class covered sparkling wines and dessert wines.

I like dry Champagne, but find most dessert wines cloying with all their sweetness. I was afraid I was not going to be able to fully partake and I certainly did not want to appear to be a lightweight.

I was actually surprised with liking most of what we sampled. I only passed on finishing one glass and that was only because I wanted to make it to the port that topped the evening off.

The process of making sparkling and dessert wines and their differences gets complicated, so click away and study up.

What we sampled:
Gruet Brut, New Mexico
Villa Jolanda Prosecco, Italy
Cascinetta Vietti Moscato d’Asti, Italy
Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin, France
Moscatel Ainzon, Spain
Graham’s Six Grapes Port, Portugal

-I liked the Gruet Brut better than the Prosecco because it was the drier of the two sparkling wines and had a better bubble due to the fact that it was produced using the traditional method.

-At first I didn’t like Cascinetta Vietti Moscato d’Asti because it was lightly sweet and reminded me of Champagne and I don’t like sweet Champagne, but I came around to it.

-The Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin had a distinct and interesting flavor imparted by fungus – Botrytis.

-The Moscatel Ainzon was very sweet and due to its high, 15% alcohol content, very thick. I made my partner down this one so I could continue sampling.

-Graham’s Six Grapes Port is slow sippin’ – very sweet and 19.5% alcohol.

Favorite Wine of the Night – Cascinetta Vietti Moscato d’Asti has floral and melon overtones and is slightly fizzy so is reminiscent of Champagne - it’s actually a frizzante. Move over mimosa! With 5.5% alcohol, this will go well with French toast for breakfast.

Favorite Event – Finding myself, once again, in the men’s bathroom!

That was my last wine class. Now I’m left cold turkey jonesin’ for some alc and higher ed.

Wine Appreciation Class II

photo by svanes
I was an excellent student and didn’t ditch my second Introduction to Wine Appreciation class. The whole thing is sort of a Friday happy hour held in an academic setting - industrial carpet and dry-erase boards. Wine and marker huffing!

The second class was devoted to discussing and sampling red wines. I enjoy both white and red wines. My only problem with red wines is that many make me horribly sleepy and some give me headaches. I haven’t figured out which ones to stay away from.

We tasted six wines made from different grape varieties, starting from the lightest to the heaviest: gamay, pinot noir, tempranillo, sangiovese and canaiolo blend, and a shiraz.

2004 Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais – France
2004 Castle Rock Pinot Noir – California
2000 Lan Rioja Crianza – Spain
2003 Renzo Masi Chianti Rufina – Italy
2001 Heritage Road Shiraz – Australia

I was expecting to walk out finding at least one love, but I didn’t. The Beaujolais was a little too sweet. I also did not care for the Chianti, which contains sangiovese. I’ve tried other sangioveses, and I just don’t care for that grape - perhaps because of its high acidity and bitterness.

I was not disappointed, though. I would purchase the other four wines, especially since most cost less than $12.

Favorite Experience – Smelling and tasting. The wine selection evoked sweet grape juice, nutmeg, almond, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, caramel, prunes, and hazelnut – not all in one wine.

Favorite Wine of the Night – Lan Rioja Crianza – Made from the low-acid tempranillo grape, this wine tasted of vanilla, chocolate and coconut.

New Vocabulary Word – The small space of air in a wine bottle is called ullage.

Wine Appreciation Class

I’m taking a three-part Introduction to Wine Appreciation Class at Temple University with my boyfriend. We decided to forgo the edible underwear for Valentines and get each other a wine class and a sushi class. It’s a little classier gift.

Temple offers a few wine classes. I wasn’t sure where I fit in, so I started at the beginning. I should know loads more about wine than I do. My dad is a wine aficionado and a wine judge. We had a wine cellar in our house and I’ve been sipping wine since I was a wee one. My sister is a wine and cheese buyer. I contribute my small wine knowledge to sticking my fingers in my ears whenever my Dad speaks. If only I could go back and not be a pissy teenager.

John McNulty, who has been teaching wine for over 20 years, teaches the class I’m taking. He also has a wine shop in New Jersey and a radio show about wine. He’s quite a fun guy and made the two-hour class on Friday evening go by in a flash.

The first class was devoted to white wine. We sampled six varieties and discussed the look, aroma, and taste of the wines. We filled out a sheet on each wine and noted our impressions. It was interesting to see what others thought. I particularly had a hard time pinpointing smells, which is odd because I have a good nose. I can tell you a wine is fruity, but which fruit exactly…? When another student yells it out, a light goes on. Ah yes, grapefruit! I’ll need practice with the smells, but John notes that no impression of a wine is wrong. Taste is subjective.

After tasting six wines and discussing, the evening was over. We had all loosened up a bit from the beginning of the class, thanks to the wine and good times. The wine did me just right as I somehow found myself in the men’s bathroom. Embarrassingly the teacher ran into me as I was heading out. I hope he had enough wine to erase that memory.

Favorite wine of the night – Annabella – a buttery, smooth Chardonnay from California that I thought smelled of gardenias, but no one else did. I know a gardenia, that’s for sure. What do they know?

Favorite piece of information - The metal screw cap that’s becoming more popular with good wine is called a Stelvin closure. Add that to your vocabulary.

Domaine Hudson - Wine Bar

Update: See my new review of Domaine Hudson with food porn!

You know nothing about wine, so you blindly choose one from the restaurant menu. You're never impressed with the wine you order. You write off liking wine. You're not the problem! It's the poorly thought out wine list at most restaurants. What you need is someone that offers good wine, and is happy to help you discover what you like. What you need is Domaine Hudson.

Domaine Hudson is a quaint little wine bar that opened late last year in downtown Wilmington. The best part about Domaine is that it's a couple of blocks from my house, so I can liberally enjoy myself and walk home responsibly. This is a major selling point. I initially rented an apartment in downtown Wilmington thinking that I would be in walking distance of places of interest - restaurants, bars, parks. I quickly found out that downtown is DEAD after the bankers go home; many restaurants are only open to serve the lunch crowd. So, I was excited when I noticed their sign on Washington St. For you, the wine will be their selling point.

The first time I visited, I went alone and sat at the bar. I went around 6 and was one of three people there, but the evening crowd quickly filled the cozy bar and dining area. The bartender handed me a two-page, paper wine menu which breaks the wines into categories - white, red, champaigne, and dessert. You can order a 1.5, 3, or 5 ounce glass of wine. This system allows you to try out a new wine to see if you like it, or sample flights of wine without committing yourself to a full glass. A 1.5 ounce glass of red or white wine costs $2.25 to $4.50. A 3 ounce glass costs $4.50 to $9.00. A 5 ounce glass costs $7.50 to $15.00. These prices seem reasonable, but, before you know it, you can sample yourself into a hefty wine tab. If you're feeling confident in your choice of wine, you can order the bottle, but this is a less fun approach. I recommend enjoying an evening of sampling wines and discovering a new favorite. It's fun.

Domaine Hudson also offers a food menu of appetizers, small plates and larger plates that change seasonally. Their vegetarian options are limited, but I'm accustomed to this. I can eat two of the salads, one of the appetizers, the cheese plate, and the desserts. No problem - wine, cheese, and dessert are a dream come true. The chef kindly made me my own dish of roasted vegetables and potatoes served with a curry sauce, which was tasty. I would never make such a special request, but the befriended man next to me at the bar decided to speak for me - men can be such asses. Sorry and thank you, chef!

On another occasion I sampled one of the cheese plates. You can order one variety of cheese from a list of about five different cheeses. The large hunk of cheese is served with bread, crackers, and fruit. That night the cheese plate was accompanied by figs and slices of red delicious apples - the worst apple around, as far as taste and texture. I did not hesitate to comment about this faux pas on the comment card. I also commented on the lack of warm desserts offered - three of the four desserts listed were ice cream or sorbet and it was December. On my next visit, I noticed that three of the four desserts were warm desserts. Perhaps they listened to me. I haven't had another cheese plate, but hopefully they acted on that suggestion, too.

If you're inexperienced or afraid of wine, don't let this stop you from trying Domaine Hudson. The servers will suggest wines to sample or pair with your food. The owner will probably engage you in conversation and make wine suggestions. He's not hard to miss; he's the blonde man in a sports jacket that looks horribly nervous about his new business venture (he used to be an accountant). His wife, on the other hand, looks like she's got a grip on everything. I'm betting it was she who brilliantly located the wine bar next to my apartment.

Domaine Hudson
1314 N. Washington St., Wilmington, DE 19801
302-655-9463
Mon- Thurs,5-10:30p.m.
Fri-Sat., 5 - 11p.m.