Wine Review: 2007 Kaiken Malbec, 2006 Creta Roble Tempranillo

2007 Kaiken Malbec
I got this bottle as an early birthday present from my friend John. From reading the label, it appears to be a mix of Argentinean and Chilean Malbec ("the best from both side of the Andes"), although the location of Kaiken is Mendoza, Argentina.

The wine is a a dark purple color with little-to-no translucency.

The aroma is initially dark grape, sweet cherry, and tobacco, but is followed by strong alcohol if you delve deep into the glass.

Quite acidic wine. Fairly tannic. Prevalent vanilla pipe tobacco flavor.

Looks like a $12.00 bottle (according to the web). Nice buy at this price. We enjoyed it while re-watching Sideways on a sunny winter Sunday afternoon. I would definitely recommend this wine as a great value all-purpose red wine.

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2006 Creta Roble Tempranillo

The 2006 Creta Roble is a 100% Tempranillo from Spain. We enjoyed this wine after the Kaiken Malbec. I have this, this wine even better than the first.

The color is also a dark purple, but a little more maroon than the Kaiken.

The aroma is somewhat similar to the Kaiken with a strong alcoholic nose, but is a little sweeter. Faint oak.

The wine is super smooth and incredibly drinkable. The flavor is of dark, rich fruit. Light tannins.

God bless Tempranillo. This might beat out Ramon Bilboa's Tempranillo. I have to have it again. No doubt it's a steal at the $12 we paid at Ashe's in Knoxville.

(Photo: Brandy Blaylock)

Lunch Today

Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Smoked Bacon and Creamy Cucumber Pico de Gallo

(Photos: Brandy Blaylock)

Dinner Tonight

White Wine & Herb Rotisserie Chicken (from The Fresh Market)

Sweet Potato Risotto (homemade)

Sauteed Swiss Chard (homemade)

Ken Wright Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir Nysa Vineyard

(Photos: Brandy Blaylock)

Restaurant Review: Kanpai of Tokyo

I ate at Kanpai of Tokyo today in snowy Knoxville, TN. Check out my review on Yelp.

The quick and dirty:

Kanpai of Tokyo - 4/5 stars

Solid traditional Japanese food in a enjoyable sushi bar setting; the freshly-made crispy spring rolls are to-die-for!

New Year's Resolution Update: T. Ho Review

I recently ate at T. Ho Vietnamese Oriental Restaurant, one of my 25 "new-to-me" restaurants to visit in 2010. The full review is up on my Yelp page.

The down low:

T. Ho Vietnamese Oriental Restaurant - 4/5 stars

Inexpensive, tasty noodle bowls. Charcoal grilled pork was a highlight.

The Best Meal...Ever

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Las Vegas, NV
Friday, December 4, 2009
Menu Decouverte
with Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir

(Click image to enlarge.)

My Favorite Red Wine Experiences...

I often keep the corks from some of my favorite bottles of wine to help me remember what I enjoyed and on what occasion. After going through a bag of corks today, I figured it was about time to actually write some of them down. Here's a list of what I consider to be some of the top red wine producers and recommended releases from those wineries, along with the awesome places I drank them.

Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I first had Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards wine at Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys in Las Vegas on a recent vacation. The 2004 Conn Valley Eloge was recommended to me as a substitute for another wine that was out-of-stock. Wow, what luck, as this was one of the best Bordeaux-style red blends I've had.

Bell Wine Cellars - Napa Valley, CA, USA

Another one of my fabulous finds on the Northshore Brasserie's wine menu was the 2006 Bell Claret. Much like the Newton Claret, the Bell Claret is a rich, dark full-bodied Bordeaux-style red blend. I like to pick up a bottle every couple of months from Harvest Towne Wine & Spirits in North Knoxville.

Buoncristiani Family Winery - Napa Valley, CA, USA

Before visiting Tom Colicchio's Craft in Atlanta, GA, my girlfriend and I did a little research on the wine menu. After finding five or so New World reds in our price range, we checked the online reviews. It was hard to beat the raving comments about the Buoncristiani 2005 O.P.C. Napa Valley Proprietary Red. So, when went, that's what we ordered. This wine alone was worth the visit. It's an amazing deeply-colored, rich red blend.

Franciscan - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I first had Franciscan's red wine blend, Magnificat, at Knoxville's fabulous Northshore Brasserie on half-price wine night. It was the recommendation of our server, who said it was a favorite of the bartender. It immediately became one of my favorites. I also regularly buy their 2004 to 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, which are some of my go-to bottles in the $25 range. Franciscan is a great place to visit, too, in Napa Valley.

Jack Larkin - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I discovered Napa Valley's Jack Larkin at the bar of the Yountville, CA restaurant REDD. My girlfriend and I stopped in for a pre-Ad Hoc dinner drink and enjoyed a half bottle of Jack Larkin's Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfortunately, I don't have a record of the vintage. I believe it was 2005 or 2006. I hope to find it again one day.

Ken Wright Cellars - Carlton, OR, USA

I typically don't drink Pinot Noir. I've just never really enjoyed the flavor; that is, until I had Pinot Noir from Ken Wright Cellars. When pondering which wine to order to accompany my Discovery Menu meal at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas, a fellow diner recommended Ken Wright Pinot. Both he and our server thought it would be a good fit for the menu, which included seafood and red meat, but also still be enjoyable to a non-Pinot Noir fan, while also being affordable. They were right, no pun intended. I think I had the 2006 Carter Vineyard, but I am not 100%, as there are many different Ken Wright releases from various vineyards.

Lail Vineyards - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I randomly picked the 2005 Blueprint Red, a cuvee of Bordeaux varietals, while dining at Charlie Palmer's Aureole in Las Vegas. Luckily, it was a great one and it has a nice bottle with a cool etched bird drawing on it.

Louis M. Martini - Napa Valley, CA, USA

I had heard of Louis M. Martini before visiting Napa Valley, but had somehow confused it with wines more like Beringer. Little did I know Martini is an amazing producer of red wine. I did a tasting of various red wines from their Monte Rosso Vineyard at their tasting room, from their Syrah to Cabernet Sauvignon. I often buy their 2004 to 2006 Cabernet Sauvignons, which range from $18 - $30, depending on the vineyard (Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, or Monte Rosso) and vintage. Make sure you ask them to go to the cellar under the tasting room and get a piece of the amazing prosciutto if you visit.

Newton Vineyard - Napa Valley, CA, USA

Back in 2008, before I really started drinking red wine, a group of co-workers bought a couple of bottles of red wine for an after-party to celebrate a big group accomplishment. One of those wines was Newton's 2006 Claret. Oddly enough, we drank the wine in black plastic solo cups, but this was the defining moment in my "wine career" thus far. The Newton Claret was a dark purple - almost black - and had the most amazing aroma and taste. It was certainly the start of my love for red wine.

Roy Estate - Napa Valley, CA, USA

On a summer 2008 trip to Las Vegas, I took notice of the nice bar at Emeril Lagasse's Delmonico Steakhouse, and made a mental note to stop in on a future trip. This past winter, I did just that and ordered a glass of Roy Estate's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a little pricey ($25 per glass), but was quite enjoyable (and fresh, I might add). I'm on the lookout for a full bottle.

Other great recommended red wines:

Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon, Richland, WA, USA

Bogle Vineyards Phantom 2006 Phantom, Clarksburg, CA, USA

Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA, USA

Hahn Estates Meritage Central Coast, Soledad, CA, USA

Langtry Estate & Vineyards Guenoc North Coast Victorian Claret, Middletown, CA, USA

Luca Vineyards Syrah Double Select (no website)

Kokomo Winery Cuvee, Heraldsburg, CA, USA

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia

Ramon Bilbao Crianza, Haro, La Rioja, Spain

Rex Hill Pinot Noir, Newberg, OR, USA

You Dropped It on the Floor - Do You Eat It?

Check out this funny flow chart from Andy Wright at SFoodie (SF Weekly) that will help you decide whether or not you should eat food that you've dropped on the floor:

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/01/you_dropped_food_on_the_floor.php

Emeril Green

Emeril Lagasse was one of the first chefs I watched on television, alongside Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Curtis Aikens, and others on the Food Network. Emeril was my favorite, but I became disinterested as his shows became incredibly "commercial" throughout the 2000s.

Fortunately, it's been really exciting to watch his new show, Emeril Green, on Planet Green. If you haven't seen Emeril Green, make sure to check it out. It's by far one of the most informative cooking shows on television and certainly much better than Emeril's last program on Food Network, Emeril Live. No "bams." No Doc Gibbs & the Emeril Live Band. And no clapping for "gaaarrrliccc!" Instead, it's a return to form for Emeril - reminiscent of his presence on the classic Food Network show, Essence of Emeril, from the mid-to-late 90s.

Keep an eye out for the "Divine Wine" episode, where Emeril visits the Frog's Leap Winery in Napa Valley to discuss wine pairings with food. It's a great episode.

Mockingbird Favorites in Knoxville

This is a great list of Knoxville favorites from Mockingbird:

http://www.mockingbird-events.com/2009/12/26/mockingbird-favorites-in-knoxville/

Knoxville Food Finds from Mockingbird Events

Check out these Knoxville food finds from Mockingbird Events:

http://www.mockingbird-events.com/2009/12/22/knoxville-food-finds/

http://www.mockingbird-events.com/2010/01/07/more-knoxville-food-finds/

McDonald's Mac Snack Wrap

I just saw a commercial for the new McDonald's Mac Snack wrap - a new way to enjoy a Big Mac. Not so sure about this one. Looks like a Big Mac taco. I kinda like the Big Mac the way it was (even though I haven't eaten one in years.) Check it out for yourself:

http://www1.mcdonalds.com/macsnackwrap/#/home

(The music is kind of fun, isn't it?)

Wine Review: 2005 Ramon Bilbao Crianza Rioja

Ramon Bilbao's 2005 Crianza Rioja is a 100% Tempranillo Spanish red wine. According to the bottle, it is aged for 14 months in the barrel and 8 months in the bottle.

The color is a medium magenta / purple.

The wine initially has a strong alcoholic nose, but ultimately softens up. (This wine needs about an hour to reach full potential.) There's an array of aromas - sweet, dark berries, light roasted coffee, slight smoke, and even a little herb. It's almost like a dark (not so sweet) dessert in a glass.

The wine is medium bodied. It's tannic, but really smooth.

This wine has enough structure to stand up to roasted red meats, but can also work with poultry and fish.

Ramon Bilbao's Crianza Rioja has become my "go-to" wine lately. Priced at approximately $15.00, I recommend it for any occasion, from casual weekday home-made meals to parties to, of course, pairing with tapas.

The Grub Scout Challenge: Dead End BBQ, Le Parigo

I knocked out 20% of my challenge to eat at all ten of the Knoxville News Sentinel's Grub Scout's top ten restaurants of 2009 yesterday, eating lunch at Dead End BBQ and enjoying late night snacks and wine at Le Parigo. Check out my reviews on Yelp.

The quick and dirty:

Dead End BBQ - 3/5 stars

Average, affordable BBQ in a hip, modern restaurant in Bearden. Pulled pork was the highlight. Service was solid.

Le Parigo - 4/5 stars

Amazing French food in an out-dated space. Yes, the crispy pork belly was to-die-for, but update the damn decor! Nevertheless, I'll be back to try the entrees.

Wine Review: 2005 Casa de la Ermita Crianza

I am currently enjoying a bottle of 2005 Casa de la Ermita Crianza, a Spanish red wine blend. I've recently become interested in Spanish red wine after having a couple of excellent bottles from Ramon Bilbao, so I picked up this bottle (along with a few other Spanish reds) at Smoky Mountain Wine & Spirits in South Knoxville.

"Crianza" generally refers to Spanish wine that has been aged at least one year in oak barrels, although the label states this particular wine spent 9 months in new oak. The label also reveals this wine is composed of 40% Monastrell (a grape I am unfamiliar with), 25% Tempranillo, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Petit Verdot.

The wine is translucent with medium brownish ruby color. The aroma is actually fairly typical of New World blended red wines, especially California clarets. It has a light wood and herbal smell and a light to medium body with medium to high tannins. The prevalent flavor is dark fruit (mainly grapes and blackberries) with a vanilla finish.

The Casa de la Ermita Crianza is a great value, priced at approximately $15.00. Though I most likely will not seek it out in the future for myself, I would recommend it as an approachable solid red wine for group events, parties, etc.

Beer Review: Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

I recently had a bottle of Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, as an after-dinner drink at home. I've enjoyed Sam Adam's Chocolate Bock in the past and was excited to try Ommegang's attempt at a chocolate beer.

The beer was poured from a 750 ml bottle into a glass bourbon snifter. It had a dark, thin appearance with seemingly little to no carbonation, yet it also had serious lacing around the glass.

The aroma was (unsurprisingly) sweet and rich with hints of dried fruits. The mouth-feel was thin and silk-smooth, but was followed-up by a dryness similar to red wine or chocolate. The hops cut through the flavor along with a coffee-like bitterness. Each drink leaves you with an appropriately strong chocolate after-taste.

I would recommend splitting this beer amongst 2-3 people. Though it is excellent by itself, I suspect Ommegang's Chocolate Indulgence would pair well with roasted lamb, mushroom risotto, and a cheese plate.

Metro Pulse "Yummm!" Guide, 2010 New Year Resolution: Visit 25 "New" Knoxville Restaurants

Knoxville's alternative weekly newspaper, Metro Pulse, released their winter 2010 "Yummm! Guide to Knoxville Area Restaurants" a little over a week ago. It's easy to forget how many restaurants this town has and, thus, how many I've not visited, until you see them in one huge list. So, for one of my new year's resolutions, I have picked 25 "new-to-me" Knoxville-area restaurants to visit in 2010.

(It's important to note, however, that I have actually been to a couple of these previously, but I feel like they're worth re-visiting for one reason or another. I'll point these out.)

First up are the 10 restaurants I've promised to visit from the Knoxville News Sentinel's Grub Scout's top 10 Knoxville restaurants of 2009. These include:

1. Cafe 4*

2. Le Parigo

3. R.T. Lodge

4. Dancing Bear Lodge

5. Apple Cake Tea Room

6. 501 Arthur

7. Coolato Gelato

8. Dead End BBQ

9. Longhorn Steakhouse

10. Echo Bistro & Wine Bar

In addition to these 10 restaurants, I've picked the following 15 restaurants from the Metro Pulse's restaurant guide:

11. S&W Grand**

12. Steamboat Sandwiches

13. Bonefish Grill***

14. RouXbarb

15. Seasons Cafe

16. Ho Ho

17. Pizza Palace

18. Chandler's

19. Sunspot

20. La Rumba

21. Altruda's

22. Red Onion Pizza

23. Savelli's

24. T. Ho Bistro / The Pint House

25. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

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Notes:

*Cafe 4 - I have been to Cafe 4 previously, but I plan to re-visit solely to complete the Grub Scout's list in its entirety.

**S&W Grand - I have been here a couple of times already; however, it is a very new restaurant and I think I want to start giving new restaurants at least 6 months of being open before I write an official review.

***Bonefish Grill - I went here once with a large group and don't really remember the food, but ever since then I've heard great things, despite the fact that it's a chain.

Top Knoxville Restaurants of 2009

I just came across the Knoxville News Sentinel's Grub Scout's top 10 Knoxville eateries of 2009.

Read the list here:

http://www.knoxville.com/news/2009/dec/28/grub-scout-our-resident-foodie-picks-his-top-10-lo/

I was shocked and amazed to see Longhorn Steakhouse on the list. How could that possibly be one of the top 10 restaurants in this city...for anyone? Even more shocking were the restaurants not included. How could this list not include, say, the Northshore Brasserie? I tried to be fair and took a step back to really evaluate the list.

I soon realized that I actually haven't dined at most of these restaurants. In fact, I've never even heard of a few of them, namely Dancing Bear Lodge, Apple Cake Tea Room, and 501 Arthur. Being a "foodie" (for lack of a better word), I am suspicious that after nearly four years in this city I am not familiar with these restaurants. Perhaps I am truly missing something...

This also got me thinking - what are my top Knoxville restaurants of 2009?

So, I've decided I am going to visit and review all 10 of the Grub Scout's top 10 Knoxville restaurants of 2009. I'll post updates here and on Yelp with my progress.

In the meantime, I've listed my top Knoxville restaurants of 2009 below. It's important to note these are my local favorites of 2009, not my all-time best-of-Knoxville list. I've also included some of my favorite food and drinks from these establishments from 2009.

Charlietuna's Top 7 Knoxville Restaurants of 2009:

1. Northshore Brasserie

-Beef Short Rib, Calamari Steak, Pomme Frites, Charcuterie Plate, Chef's Specials, Hoegaarden

2. Soccer Taco (Market Square)

-Carnitas tacos from the "Real Mexican Team" menu, Top Shelf Margarita with Don Julio Anejo

3. Manhattan's

-Blackend Fish Tacos, Magic Hat #9

4. Hard Knox Pizzeria

-Marciano Pizza, "Heavyweight" Beer (Woodruff Alt)

5. Sangria's

-Black Ink Calamari, Bread & Olive Oil, Ramon Bilbao Crianza Tempranillo

6. The French Market

-Turkey Baguette, Chocolate Croissant, Fruit Crepes, LavAzza Coffee & Cappuccinos

7. Sitar Indian Cuisine

-Vegetable Korma, Bengan Bhurtha, Indian Tea

Honorable Mentions:

Chez Guevara

Taste of Thai

Cigar Bar (closed)

Pete's Coffee Shop

The Bistro at the Bijou

S&W Grand

Tomato Head

Da Vinci's Pizza

Solid "Chain" Restaurants:

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Romano's Macaroni Grill (surprisingly, yes)