There are quite a few farm to table dinners these days. How about a Long Island Sound to table dinner? Chef Plum's latest Underground Dinner was held on the docks of Norm Bloom and Son's Norwalk facility on June 25, 2016. Wines were provided by Renee Fontaine of 3 Badge Enology. With perfect weather, fresh seafood paired with wine, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary.
0 Comments
I received an invitation to the second annual Southwest Wines of France Gourmet French Fries Competition that was held on June 16, 2016. The event was presented by WINE ENTHUSIAST at the Hotel Eventi in New York City. Spending the afternoon tasting gourmet fries and wine seemed like a good idea. The event was well organized and set up with five stations. A chef at each station presented their take on the fries along with an assortment of wines from Southwest France.
6/5/2016 0 Comments Portugal Part 4 Quinta do TedoI had the unexpected pleasure of visiting Quinta do Tedo during our trip. Due to a schedule change by our riverboat we scrambled to find a way to get from Porto to Régua to meet our tour guide from CMTour. Thanks to the flexibility of Carlos, the owner of CMTour, we were able to work things out. We boarded a train at 7:15 AM in a downpour that lasted all day and ended up in Régua much earlier than we had originally planned. We were met by Bruno, our excellent guide, who suggested a stop at Quinta do Tedo. How could we say no?
5/6/2016 0 Comments Portugal part 3 Bar do BinhoSintra is one of the most popular places to visit in Portugal. Located about 28 km from Lisbon it is quite accessible for a day trip. Famous for its palaces and decorative gardens there is much to see. We made a quick stop at Bar do Binho and marveled at their Port selection. It was early into our trip and I wasn't ready to start lugging bottles around for the next 2 weeks. We had appointments at some Quintas and Port lodges towards the end of the trip so I decided to hold off on buying. The owner of the shop was kind enough to offer a taste of a Port from 1963. It was a treat to taste a wine that was made before I graduated high school. Fully mature for sure but still showing a range of flavors. I honestly didn't pay close attention to prices. We were due to meet up with our group and had to rush out. I wish we had time to try a flight of wines and to look for some rarities I could afford. Next time....
My wife and I were looking to have lunch in Branford and found Nellie Green's Restaurant tucked away in the middle of a boat yard and directly on the water. You can't see it from the road but thankfully there were signs to guide us. We were warmly greeted by Mike Savinelli, the owner, and noticed a sign announcing a wine dinner featuring Gundlach Bundshu wines. The menu looked interesting and I have not had any of the Gundlach Bundshu wines in quite a long time. I figured I would see how lunch went before deciding about attending. We had oysters on the half shell, a shrimp wrap, and the lobster roll. The meal was excellent and as we sat at the window looking out at the water we both felt we should return for another meal. The Gewurz was a big hit at our table. Dry, spicy and with enough acidity to make it work nicely with the calamari. The wine dinner was exceptional. It is rare that you get a combination of fine wines, delicious food and great service. Often these types of dinners drag on with long lulls between courses or wine brought out well after the dish it is to be paired with has been served. Not so this night. The staff worked hard and brought out Chef Jason Truscio's dishes right after each wine had been served.
4/22/2016 0 Comments Lieb Cellars Long IslandI had the opportunity to visit Lieb Cellars during a brief visit to Long Island recently. I heard that they were making Pinot Blanc with grapes coming from some fairly old Pinot Blanc vines. Located a bit off the beaten path, which I like, you have to make the effort to find them. It is worth the time. A great way to start any tasting is with a bubbly. Lieb has two, both excellent. The Blanc de Blanc is 100% Pinot Blanc and ages almost three years before disgorgement.
We booked a tour for our first evening from the "We Hate Tourism Tours" folks. We were to see some of the sights(without tourists) and have a meal in a local restaurant. More about the tour company later. The meeting point was just past this corner. We met up with Marcos, our guide, and two other German couples that would be part of our group. Although we were tired from the flight, Marcos had enough energy to get us all in the mood for an interesting night. Our first stop was for dinner at Lucimar, a hidden gem of a restaurant. This is the type of place you always hope to find when you travel, a place where locals go and is welcoming to strangers. As soon as we sat down the Vinho Verde flowed and the food kept coming. Our waitress was fantastic, she made sure that everything was just right and did it with a smile. By the end of the meal we all acted like old friends. Next up were the famous Lisbon pastries. We ate these beauties at the Belém Tower. We were the only ones there, unlike the next day when there were so many tourists you could hardly get close to it. We took a walk to a facility next to the tower, the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown. The Center is trying to help humanity in any number of ways. The architecture is also quite stunning. We had one more stop to enjoy some Port and then called it a night. I heartily recommend this tour and the tour group if you like to go off the beaten path and avoid the crush of tourists. If you have Marcos as a guide tell him Jon sent you and talk to him about Jim Morrison and The Doors.
4/11/2016 0 Comments Portugal Part 1This is the first of several blogs about Portugal. I had the pleasure of spending time in Lisbon, the Douro and Porto, with a few side trips thrown in for good measure. It is a beautiful country with warm, friendly people. The food and wines are unique and outstanding. I'm already thinking about a return trip. The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, LisbonA great collection in a setting that does not overwhelm you. The museum was inaugurated in 1969 and contains over 6,000 pieces.
3/20/2016 0 Comments Rosé BubbliesAh, Spring! Although some are just starting to think of Rosés now, they are great all year long. And if they have bubbles, even better. We celebrated a friend's birthday last night with her favorite, sparkling Rosé. The first sparkler was a little known wine from Savoie in France. Bugey Cerdon is made with Gamay and other grapes such as Poulsard and is lightly sweet but quite refreshing. With colors that ranged from barely tinted like the Pommery to full on pink and with flavors that ranged from toasty and yeasty to fresh and fruity, these wines were a treat to taste. Many thanks to our hosts, Pam and Ric, and Happy Birthday Pam! Well, not all the wines were pink.
On Monday, January 4, 2016 I attended another tasting organized by Vin Marottoli of Wine Lover's Tours. Vin brings back wines from his many trips and sets up one of a kind tastings with wines generally unavailable in the US. Tonight it was wines from the Jura region of France and Switzerland. The Jura is a small region east of Burgundy and just west of Switzerland. Although Arbois in Jura was the first AOC in France, wines from the Jura are relatively unknown in the US. The Jura now contains four AOCs, Arbois, created in 1936 along with the Chateau-Chalon AOC, L'Etoile AOC, and Cotes Du Jura AOC. There are also three product AOCs as well. The white grapes used in the Jura are Savagnin and Chardonnay. The modern wines from the Savagnin grape show a mix of citrus, peach and minerals. They are a nice change from the wines we usually see on wine shop shelves. The Varone Heida and Lornet Nature stood out and got rave reviews from the tasters. While the other whites were very good those two made a big impression.
The Jura has a traditional style of wine made from the Savagnin grape that is quite different from the those mentioned above. Vin Jaune-Yellow Wine. Vin Juane is 100% Savagnin and after fermentation is aged in oak casks for 6 years and 3 months at a minimum. During this time a veil of yeast forms and protects the wine from oxidation. The result is a wine that remind some a a dry sherry. The finest come from the Chateau-Chalon AOC. |
Archives
March 2023
CategoriesAll 1963 Dow's Port Alsace Wines Ancona's Wine Arizona Wine Australian Wines Bar Do Binho Barolo Benvenuto Brunello 2015 Benvenuto Brunello 2015 Big Macs And Burgundy Brunello BYOB Calҫotada Calҫots Carnnubi Boschis Cesani Chateau D'Esclans Chef Plum Chianti Classico Dinner Underground Doctor Vineyard Domaine Huët Domaine Huët Dönnhoff DRC Dr. H. Thanisch Eataly English Wines Fiasco Bottle Garrus German Wine Dinner Golden View Firenze Gordon's Wine Bar Gran Selezione Greek Wines Gulbenkian Gallery Gundlach Bundschu Home Winemaking I Fabbri Italian Wine Tasting Jura Kawa Ni Krewe Ofcork La Rioja Alta La Tache Liberty Rock Tavern Lieb Cellars Lisbon Loire Valley Luciano Sandrone Maltose Express Nellie Green's New Orleans Parade Old Port Old Vines Pais Grapes Park Central Tavern Parkwood Cellars Portugal Pre Phylloxera Quinta Do Tedo Rosé San Gimignano Sharing Wine Sintra Slow Wine 2017 South African Wines Switzerland Wines The Wine Cellar Tre Bicchieri Trimbach Ungrafted Vines Veracious Brewing Company Vin Jaune Vino And Fries Virtual Tastings Virtual Wine Classes In CT Virtual Wines Tastings Voerzio Whiskey Dinner Whispering Angel Wine Pairings Wine Parade Wines Of Southwest France World Cup 2018 WUNDERWEIN Dinner Zachys' Festa D'Italia |
Thank you Jon, everyone enjoyed the wine tasting and we were all elated with your knowledge and insight into wine education. Just a wonderful experience. 3/24 Bristol Thank you so much for a great night, we had the best time! Wilton 1/24
|
Testimonials
|
Hi Jon, know that all of us greatly appreciated the experience you created last weekend. I have also shared your Sauv Blanc recommendations with Meredith and the rest of the group, for which they were thankful. Thank you again and don’t be a stranger.
Manchester 5/23 Just wanted to say thank you. Everyone enjoyed your presentations and the wines. There is only 1 unopened bottle! Greenwich 12/22 Jon, thank you so much for an informative and fun presentation! We all loved ALL of the wines! Thanks a million for being part of a wonderful night! 7/24/21 J.W. Trumbull Jon,
Thank you again for everything you did for making my husband's party a wonderful experience. I am especially thankful for the manner in which you handled the size and complexity of the party. The feedback I got was positive and everyone enjoyed the wines. They definitely will be looking out for some of the new favorites.. JV Oxford For several years the community at Waterview Landing in Shelton has sponsored an annual wine tasting afternoon held at our gazebo. It’s an informal event; everyone brings one or two bottles of their favorite wines and some munchies. Our resident wine expert, Jon Haight, moderates the event, and always makes the experience both educational and enjoyable. Jon is extremely knowledgeable about wines, both domestic and foreign. Typically Jon will rank the wines by white and red, and by maturity. Since he does not know beforehand what wines will be available it is impressive to watch his skill in sorting the wines. As the tasting progresses Jon describes the nuances of each wine and does so in terms that are easily understood. We learn, we enjoy, and a good time is had by all. Speaking for the folks at Waterview Landing, we are thankful that Jon is resident, and would hope that others can benefit from Jon’s knowledge and skills. He is excellent at what he does and has a great sense of humor to boot. Alan W. Morton President, Waterview Landing Homeowners Association Dear Jon, I wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for providing our Lions Club with a very educational and entertaining evening on October 27, 2010. The presentation you did on the basics of wine tasting combined with that of a general knowledge of Chilean Wines and Ports provided us with a very informative program that our membership enjoyed. Maybe we could consider doing this on an annual event. Thanks again. Joe Charbonneau President, Manchester Lions Club |