Category Archives: Wine

Dallas Best Cellars Wine Dinner May 9

EVITE3by Steven Doyle

The Dallas Best Cellars Wine Dinner, Thursday May 9, 2013, salutes the city’s top sommeliers with a special night of world‐class wines, hand-picked from their portfolio and poured in your glass. The dinner is an intimate gathering of influential business and community leaders who help fund the Promise for a Cure.  This inaugural event will showcase a four‐course gourmet dinner crafted by James Beard Award nominee and the “Father of Southwestern Cuisine,” Dean Fearing of Fearings at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.       Continue reading

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Barlow Wines And The Second Floor Bistro: A Perfect Pairing

barlow1by Melissa Robert

As spring in Texas refuses to make a choice between the chill of winter and the warmth of summer, now is the perfect time to gather with friends to discover new wines and enjoy an excellent meal. Last night I was fortunate to do both at the private dining room, Prive, located next to The Second Floor Bistro inside the Westin Galleria Dallas. Chefs Scott Gottlich and Daniel Tarasevich brought in Barr Smith of Barlow Vineyard for a memorable dinner and wine experience comprised of four courses and four featured Barlow wines.

If you haven’t seen the Prive space yet, it’s beautifully appointed. From the chic hanging lighting fixtures, which I’d love to have one or two of, to the elegant high back white leather chairs, this private dining room was the ideal location for the evening. As guests arrived, they were greeted with a glass of Spanish cava and an affable hello from Gina Gottlich, sommelier to both Bijoux and The Second Floor Bistro. Eager food and wine lovers chatted around the sleek bar area and absorbed the ambiance of smiling faces and aromas beginning to waft in from the kitchen; an enticing menu awaited diners at their seats.    Continue reading

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A Good Value Chardonnay

Edna Valley 2011 Chardonnay.1by Andrew Chalk

California’s Central Coast might be described as ‘antifragile’. Its soils seem to adapt to a large range of grape varieties so as tastes change, so can the varietal mix. A case in point is the 2011 Edna Valley Vineyard Chardonnay from California’s Central Coast AVA (American Viticultural Area). It is a fairly large production wine (a quarter of a million cases) that nonetheless manages to express the characteristics of New World fruit and a light touch of oak that will assure it a large audience. It is widely available in Dallas and has a suggested retail price of $15.

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A Pleasant Pinot

2010 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Reserve, Russian River Valleyby Andrew Chalk

2010 McMurray Pinot Noir

Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs are characterized by intense, ripe, forward fruit. Soft tannins. Raspberry flavors and a lusciousness imparted by generous use of French oak. This wine fits the template perfectly but sells for somewhat less than you may be used to paying for Pinot Noir ($37 SRP) and it should be in wide distribution,

Enjoy this wine with pork, veal or duck.

My bottle was a sample provided by the winery.

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An Everyday Red… 2011 Bridlewood Blend 175, Central Coast, California

Bridlewood 2011 Blend 175 (2)by Andrew Chalk

Think of a northern Rhône wine with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah blended in and you have a summary of the varietal makeup of this $15 blend. Despite the Cabernet component, the green pepper and tannic qualities that might imply are firmly reined in.   Continue reading

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Côtes du Coeur Gala Featured Spectacular Auction Lots, Wines and Food

wine-decanterBy Robert Peynaud

The main ballroom of the Hilton Anatole in Dallas was the setting for the 2013 Côtes du Coeur Gala on Saturday night.  The gala is the high point of Côtes du Coeur , the American Heart Association’s, wine-centric event which raises funds for research aimed at eradicating heart disease.

The event features a live and silent auction and a sumptuous Continue reading

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Winemakers Flood Into Town for 2013 Côtes du Coeur

Ramey 2011 Ritchie.1By Robert Peynaud

Friday night was the “Grand Tasting” part of the 22nd annual Côtes du Coeur, the premiere wine charity event of the season in Dallas. The event supports the work of the American Heart Association in eradicating heart disease.

Ramey 2009 Chardonnay, Ritchie Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County is representative of the quality level of the wines donated to the Côtes du Coeur Grand tasting which is always on the Friday before the Saturday Auction.   Continue reading

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Meet Clive Coates At A Very Special Wine Dinner

clivecoatesby Jennifer Thomas

Coquerel Family Wine Estates of Dallas and  Calistoga, California, in conjunction with Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Balliage de Dallas, Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin and Pogo’s Wine & Spirits, will host a special Burgundy wine dinner featuring world-renowned master of wine and author Clive Coates at Lakewood Country Club, located at 6430 Gaston Ave., on Sunday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Coates is one of the leading authorities on wine and an award-winning author of numerous books including “The Wines of Burgundy,” “The Wines of Bordeaux” and “The Great Wines of France.” He published “THE VINE,” an independent wine magazine, for 241 issues.  Continue reading

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