On the Art of dining Well

The “Art” of dining is exactly that, an art. For the connoisseur, it begins and ends with the right frame of mind. Approaching a fine meal, hopefully shared, requires the mind to relax so as to fully enjoy the sensory feast to follow.

In this regard, there are many choices to be made, but the ritual of Artful Dining is best accomplished in small steps, each leading to the next as a musical composition leads a listener through a stirring melody.

No matter the taste preferences or style of cuisine to be enjoyed, there is one simple pleasure that a true connoisseur looks forward to in order to bring the meal to a sumptuous end…a cigar and a fine liquor, each a hand-crafted labor of artisans, perhaps through many generations.

Certainly the more politically correct among us will scoff at such a notion, for the wafting of any smoke in a dining environment is most often seriously frowned upon. But, an opinion proffered by Garison Keillor, of Prarie Home Companion fame, puts this in to perspective. The estimable Mr. Keillor correctly called Political Correctness “a mean-spirited fastidiousness”. With this in mind, a True Gourmand doggedly pursues one of Life’s simple pleasures without guilt or fear of condemnation.

The master cigar maker is like the master wine-maker; they both are working with an agricultural product where flavors change from one growing season to the next. How each craftsman “blends” batches from one year and/or from different plots of land determines the consistent style of a brand. People choose a grape varietal and winery because the taste profile remains stylistically similar each year. So too with cigars, where aging, blending and meticulous handling are hallmarks of the great houses.

The basics of enjoying a fine cigar begin with a choice of how a cigar looks, which includes its shape, color, width and length. The next step is to be aware of how the cigar feels in the hand. Then comes the aroma of a cigar unlit. Again, as in the appreciation of a fine wine, spending a moment to notice the smallest details, such as in the way a cigar smells BEFORE fire is applied gives subtle hints as to what lies ahead.

The final step gives the most pleasure. Lighting a high-quality cigar and watching the first dreamy billows of smoke rise brings all the senses to the party. The relaxed sound of a breath exhaled. The sight of a lazy puff of aromatic smoke that drifts past the nose. This is a rare treat in a very hurried and mostly artificial world.

Anto’s Cigar Lounge in Long Beach's ultra trendy, Belmont Shore, offered an evening of cigar discussion and enjoyment for this article. Anto, himself, along with Jack, his knowledgeable and accommodating manager, brought forth several examples of the best of the best.

First, there was the Davidoff 100th Anniversary. The “Anniversary” in question is that of the birth of Zino Davidoff, the company founder. Davidoff’s were among the most highly prized of the Cuban cigars for most of the last century and their outright relocation to the Dominican Republic sent shockwaves through the cigar-smoking world.

This particular cigar has a medium “body” to it as it is smoked with smoothness and an almost “creamy” finish that reveals the exquisite blending and precise hand rolling that the company has always been known for. It retails for $29.

Next was the Arturo Fuente Opus X. The House of Fuente has accumulated an impressive “back stock” of bundled tobacco, which is used to seamlessly blend from one year to the next so as to keep a very consistent product coming to market.
The Opus X is the top of the line for the biggest cigar producer in the Dominican Republic. This is full-bodied, beefy smoke that is both rich and spicy. If you are a cigar newbie, stay away from this beauty. It also retails for $29.

The last cigar for the evenings review was from Paul Garmirian. Dr. Garmirian, chemistry P.H.D., began this Dominican based company 15 years ago and now is widely acclaimed for his studious approach to cigar manufacture. It is a small, family run company that is not widely distributed but is nonetheless sought after by aficionados.

I’d like to thank Anto and his staff for a pleasant evenings passing, spent comfortably speaking with men about the earth and it’s many bounties. They have the right products for the connoisseur. You'll also find an atmosphere where one can relax and enjoy, in an unhurried way, some of the finest works of those Artists whose canvasses are a wisp of smoky pleasure.

Long Beach - Where the Queen Mary Lives

Long Beach, California is a city that used to apologize for it self. Long Beach, once home to one of the largest U.S. Navy bases and Naval shipyards in the world as well as McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft, was also often referred to as “Iowa by the sea”, because so many Iowans had moved to Long Beach and surrounding areas to avoid the harsh midwestern winters.

Long Beach is currently home to over 600,000 residents. Where the downtown district once was crowded with sailors and merchant seamen from around the globe, sophisticated retail and hospitality establishments now flourish and the streets teem with shoppers and diners who seek quality in life.

Today, Long Beach is a city driving as hard and fast into the future as the cars that race it’s streets during the Long Beach/Toyota Grand Prix. People from all around the world immediately recognize the postcard view of the Long Beach shoreline because of the presence of the iconic Queen Mary. It’s 2007 and Long Beach no longer has anything to apologize for.

The city is a Southern California hub. A rapidly expanding port, one of the largest anywhere, brings foreign goods to eager U.S. consumers as it also ships America’s products to a waiting world. Half way, between Los Angeles and Disneyland, Long Beach is a destination for countless conventioners and tourists who treasure its waterside beauty and modern amenities.

A thriving downtown nightlife and entertainment culture gives the city a most cosmopolitan feel. Because of this, hip homebuyers snap up loft-type condominiums soon after they come to market. The city-wide restaurant scene is a complimenting mix of well-respected national chains and fabulous freestanding operations. Small, boutique eateries dot the local landscape and offer the adventurous diner a diverse culinary experience.

The rest of the country may look upon Southern California (or SoCal) as merely being just a homogenous continuation of the Greater Los Angeles Sprawl, but the discerning traveler is fast realizing that Long Beach stands alone as a singular point of interest.

Make Long Beach part of your itinerary when visiting “The Left Coast”. If you already live somewhere in Southern California, make a point of coming to “The Beach” for an evenings entertainment. You’ll soon become one of the many who understand that Long Beach is nobody’s stepchild anymore.

-Gordonn Blue

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The Yard House...in Long Beach

This past December marked the 10th anniversary of what has become a behemoth in the food and beverage industry, The Yard House. Long Beach is still home to the flagship operation but 15 other stores in 6 states now join it.

What is it about this concept that produces gross revenues estimated to be in the vicinity of $115 million a year? One could certainly point to their upscale designs occupying prime real estate or the very deliberate selection of music that loudly plays. Perhaps it’s the highly acclaimed “American Fusion” menu that boasts over a 100 items created by Executive Chef Carlito Jocson.

Well, yes, those are all important to this chains success. But, It’s beer that steers this ship. In Long Beach, there are 250 separate beers on tap. That’s right, on tap. This is no small feat. It takes approximately 5 miles of tap lines to service the bar. And, think of this: there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000 gallons of beer being cooled by nearly 2,000 gallons of coolant per hour. These are heady (the pun is intended) numbers.

The ideas that are behind the Yard Houses phenomenal success are fairly obvious. What isn’t so apparent is their management philosophy. Steele Platt, Founder and CEO, Harald Hermann, President and COO and the above-mentioned Carlito Jocson were enlightened enough to offer equity shares to key employees. What this does is makes owners of the management staff. Customers benefit because there is always somebody on premise that thinks and acts like an owner. The term “customer care” then takes on a much higher meaning.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons that The Yard House has won so many industry awards. If only more operations were so inclined.

-Gordonn Blue

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Mckenna's on the Bay...in Long Beach

The years have quietly slipped by much as the boats now do past the windows of McKenna’s on the Bay. McKenna’s is not a new name to Long Beach. It was in the early 70’s and late 80’s that the original McKenna’s was making friends in what is now the Claim Jumper.

John Faber, a Long Beach native, (Wilson class of ’56) was/is the past and present owner. McKenna’s Creek, as it was known back then, was the crowning jewel in a chain of restaurants under the now defunct Fiddler’s 3 banner. Several years ago, BanCorp, owners of the Alamitos Bay Landing, approached the semi-retired Mr. Faber to discuss building a restaurant at the former site of Moose McGillicudy’s. Fire had destroyed the original structure, which had also been the home of Hungry Jose’s, way back when. Fortunately, John said “yes”.

McKenna’s on the Bay takes full advantage of this prime piece of Long Beach real estate. The light off shimmering water reflects through the windows and warms the Cherry Wood interior. Flames from the wood fired grills in the very open kitchen flashes off stainless steel and etched glass.

I visited this stylish eatery on a Thursday night. Normally, I would have, as a dinner companion, a member of the fairer sex. Not this night. It was my youngest son’s 13th birthday and I wanted him to experience fine dining. We have eaten thousands of meals together, but we have rarely “dined” together.

How I go about crafting a perfect dining out experience is to first, peruse the wine list. There are many occasions when the evening’s wine is chosen first and the food is then matched after. My eyes poured over the listings, which include nearly 30 wines by the glass. This is an enlightened way to market pedigreed wine. (Sadly, I saw no dessert wines listed).

I had in mind a meal beginning with freshly shucked oysters. McKenna’s even proclaims a small counter seating space as an “Oyster Bar”. Here a diner may sit and watch skilled hands open the delectable bivalves for immediate enjoyment. There were three varieties available this evening. There were Fanny Bay’s from British Columbia, plump, well formed and slightly sea-salty, Malpec’s, a mild and delicate type and Kumamoto’s, renowned in these parts. My plate consisted of a sampling of all three ($17.50 per dozen) and I pronounced the Fanny Bay’s to be this night’s winner.

Our server, Michael, was in confident control of the experience. He was in total synch with what I had envisioned for the evening. I had already internally selected the Frogs Leap Sauvignon Blanc ($8.50 per glass) as my first course wine. When I placed the order for the oysters, he promptly suggested a Sauvignon Blanc. Had he read my thoughts or did this personable young man posses superior product knowledge? It was the latter. The Frog’s Leap had the right balance of crisp acidity and fruitiness to balance out the seductive textures of the oysters.

I have another peculiar way of selecting a main course. I like to put my server to the test. I give basic parameters as to type of entrée and ask that the server and the kitchen collaborate on what my meal will be. There is pressure on both the front and the back-of-the-house personnel to step up to the plate, so to speak. I am absolutely trusting the staff to select the type of preparation and style of presentation for my meal. I want them to “sign their work”. Deep down, professionals love this challenge.

Michael and the Boys in the Kitchen certainly rose to the occasion. He brought me a beautiful piece of apple wood grilled Wild Salmon ($28). If you have had Salmon before but all you’ve ever had was farm-raised fish, then you really haven’t ever had Salmon. No joke. It’s like the difference between powdered milk and whole milk. They both have the word “milk” in the name, but the comparison stops there.

My Salmon was plated in the modern fashion, meaning vertically. The base was Vodka, Basil Cream Sauce that had a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar “spider-webbed” through it. Resting on the base was a bed of a pan-fried, crusted Risotto. The Salmon was next, topped with sautéed Spinach. The entire dish was garnished with a slice of heirloom tomato and a basil/tomato chiffonade.

Again, Michael and I were on the same page. I was intrigued from the beginning with the La Crema Pinot Noir ($12 per glass) and was hoping that I would have some excuse for ordering it. Salmon is perhaps the only fish where a light bodied red, such as Pinot Noir, might be a suitable companion. Michael had immediately suggested this varietal and I once again was impressed by his product knowledge. The velvet sheen smokiness of the La Crema played in perfect harmony with the wood fire inspired Salmon.

My son has still not developed the adventuresome palate that his old man has, so he was content to have the mesquite-grilled top sirloin and jumbo battered prawns as his entrée ($38). Professional kitchens tend to use a simple color system for identifying meat preparation. The Top Sirloin came out the precise shade of pink that says, “medium rare”. The prawns were enormous and the batter was “tempura-like” not quite as light, but surely not heavy, “pancake-like” either. Both entrée’s came with a salad and I ordered the house Caesar salad to be served AFTER the main-course. This old habit dies hard.

I must stop for a moment to talk about subtle touches that speaks volumes about a restaurant. Upon walking in to any restaurant, I can immediately spot those operations that take the little stuff seriously. If they fail to take care of the smallest details, what makes me think they are up to the bigger, more important stuff? What is the tip off? “Sidework”. If the staff isn’t energized to clean and refill the salt and peppershakers after each shift, for example, that’s a bad sign. If the tables all have a different way of being set up, that’s a bad sign. Are the bathrooms a mess early in the shift? Not good. Long wait between the time you sit down and the time SOMEONE comes to your table? Uh oh.

McKenna’s is old school when it comes to the small touches. Everything points to a combined staff that takes pride in their work and leaves nothing to chance. I love the fact the when ketchup came to the table for my son’s shoestring fries, it wasn’t in some crusty half-filled bottle. It was in what is called a “monkey dish” in the trade, meaning a small wide bowl. Nice touch. Your water glasses are smallish “milk” glasses and the water “pitcher” is actually a glass milk jug…remember those? I liked the presentation.

John Faber has another winner on his hands. This is not by accident. He knows what he is doing and has the right people doing the right jobs for him. He also has the good fortune to be located in a spot most restrautuers would gladly make a deal with the devil to have. But as good as the view is, the best view is that of the plate.

McKenna’s on the Bay is open 7 days a week for dinner. Lunch is served Monday thru Friday. They have a full bar and live acoustic entertainment on occasion. All major credit cards are accepted. Reservations are always suggested but not required. Valet and Self Parking are also available and there are proper moorings if you come by boat. The phone number is (562) 342-9411. They are located in the Alamitos Bay Landing restaurant/shopping complex overlooking the Long Beach Marina, near the back road bridge to Seal Beach.

-Gordonn Blue

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Yen Sushi and Sake Bar in Long Beach

The time that I spent living in Hawaii gave me a deep appreciation for the ways in which fresh fish can be prepared. It has to do with, not only the freshness of the basic product, but the reverence in which it is treated. In the cultural mixing pot that is Hawaii, all have this same serious approach to fish.

Similarly, my life in Seattle was all about great seafood. Feasting on Salmon the way it was meant to be prepared, cooked over an alderwood fire like the indigenous peoples of the Northwest have been doing for countless millennia, gives one a connection with the food that is part gastronomic and part spiritualistic. There is a communion with the fish that generates a respect you never get from eating a steak.

This is probably why I am drawn to the cuisine of Japan. Here is a culture that is all about Ritual. This reflects in the way in which the food is both prepared and presented and it shows true reverence. This island nation sustains itself on the sea and so it befits their culture that they demonstrate a deep appreciation for the bounty the sea provides. Maybe it’s also because the sea can be a very dangerous place to make a living. The effort it takes to bring fish to the table cannot be underestimated.

I have stumbled into hole-in-the-wall sushi joints where I was the only Caucasian and felt so at home because I shared in the love for what was placed before me. I have also posed with the fabulous people in the swank spots where the seeing and the being seen was more important than the appreciation for the skills of the men behind the simple, artful counters. Guess which ones were really the most fun.

Long Beach has a respectable array of quality sushi restaurants. Devotees of a particular establishment will argue loudly about why their favorite place is the best. This is good. It shows passion and loyalty and a sense of ownership to one’s favorite hangout.

One of the standout businesses that call Long Beach home is Yen Sushi and Sake Bar. It was here that I stopped by for lunch and a lesson in Premium Sake.

Yen is two-year old business that occupies prime real estate between Bono’s and La Creperie on 2nd street in Belmont Shore. I like the minimalist, artistic interior where nothing distracts from the business at hand, enjoying quality fish presented in a very eye-catching manner. I also appreciate the style of service which is friendly, and yet, in a very quaint way, formal. Modern day service often mistakes familiarity with friendliness. At Yen, you are accorded the respect that you deserve. You are treated as an honored guest and not merely as a customer. There is a difference.

One of the features that separates Yen from the others is the high-quality selection of premium Sake that is available. I have learned, over the years, that Sake can be as nuanced and interesting as any single malt or vineyard select. And, like with any agricultural based product, it starts in the earth.

Let’s first answer the age-old question. Is Sake a wine or a beer? This is like, “is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?” Well, a tomato is a technically a fruit and Sake is technically a beer. Not a wine? No. Wine uses fruit, which during the fermentation process, yeast eats natural sugars, which it converts to alcohol. Beer uses grains which must have its starches converted to sugar, which is then fermented into alcohol. This is a two-step process that wine doesn’t have to go through.

One of the by-products of fermentation is the creation of both heat and carbon dioxide. Traditional beer captures the CO2, which is where the bubbles come from. Sake allows the CO2 to escape into the atmosphere. No bubbles. Sake is also produced in a brewery where you would expect beer to come from.

But, I digress. The quality of any given Sake is a direct result of the quality of the rice used and the milling process, which is where the whole fermentation thing gets going. In milling rice for a premium Sake, the object is to get to the center of the grain where the starches are. The Japanese call this the Shinpaku or “White Heart”. Everything else, the proteins, fats, amino acids, which all negatively affect final flavor, have to be milled away to get to this desirable core.

The two highest grades for Sake are Ginjyo (Premium) and Dai Ginjyo (Super Premium). In the former, 40% of the grain must be milled away. In the latter, 50% of the grain must be milled away. And, the rice isn’t good old Uncle Ben’s either. There are exacting classifications for which varieties can be used. This whole process IS VERY DELIBERATE.

Yen has a fair selection of each of these two high quality styles and I would urge anyone who seeks to experience the finer things in life to partake. A final word on the enjoyment of Premium Sake: True Aficionados know that heat disrupts the balance found in great Sake; therefore they are best enjoyed chilled. Be prepared to open the wallet, though. This amount of dedication and handcrafting doesn’t come cheap. But neither does a top-end Single Malt Scotch or a Single Barrel Whiskey or a well aged Blue Agave Tequila, not to mention a Grand Cru Bordeaux.

I liked Yen Sushi and Sake Bar for lunch. It was prompt, but unhurried. It was healthy and it satisfied both my appetite and my artistic sensibilities. I promised myself to return on a Thursday evening when they have a live Jazz combo performing. The thought of jazz played in this intimate space with its extremely gracious staff serving a lively crowd on a Belmont Shore Thursday sounds rather appealing, don’t you think.

Yen Sushi and Sake Bar is located at 4905 E. 2nd st (at St Joseph Ave.) (562) 434-5757
Lunch is served Monday thru Friday from 11am to 3pm.
Dinner is served every night of the week
Live Jazz on Thursday from 7pm to 9:30pm
All major credit cards are welcome

-Gordonn Blue

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Temecula Valley...So Cal's very own "Wine Country"

Mention the name "Wine Country" to most Californians and they immediately envision the area just north of San Francisco comprised of the three counties of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino. Without a doubt, this area has been the epicenter of California's emergence as a world-class producer of outstanding wine for the past 40 years.

But, It would be a grievous error to assume that this is the ONLY "Wine Country" in California. There is another notable area which has been producing award-winning wines for several generations that is only now coming into its own and is gaining the respect of wine drinkers everywhere...Temecula Valley.

Temecula Valley is it's own AVA or "American Viticulture Appellation" and is in the Southwestern corner of Riverside County, located 500 miles South of San Francisco and is equidistant to San Diego and Orange County.

Temecula Valley is part of what is known as "The Inland Empire" and is at an elevation of 1,400 feet above sea level on a plateau between peaks of the Coastal Mountain Range. Although the average rainfall is low and the days during growing season are very warm, the nights are cooler because of the ocean breeze drawn through "The Rainbow Gap" and "The Santa Margarita Gap".

These low passes in the Coastal Mountain Range are perfect conduits for cool air from the sea, air that lingers throughout the night and into the morning which quality vinifera" loves. It's all about microclimates and Temecula Valley makes the most of what it has been blessed with.

Wines from here are made from vines that find near perfect drainage in the decomposed granite that makes up the valley floor. Even higher up on the adjacent hillsides, the soil is perfect for grape varieties that need "dry feet".

I traveled to this very accessible wine country the past weekend with my special someone and sampled some of the best that the Temecula Valley wineries have to offer. We were fortunate as a guide for the experience, Peter Poole, former owner of Mount Palomar Winery and currently a much sought after consultant to new and existing ventures in the area.

Peter and I have known each other longer than either one of us will readily admit too. I've watched him over the year's take a small winery that his father had begun in the 60's and turn into one of the most prestigious, award winning operations in the State

Peter was one of an early group of California winemakers to plant Italian varieties in their vineyards, such as Cortese (Piedmont's very best white wine, also known as Cortese di Gavi) and Sangiovese, a Tuscan favorite This grape is the main component of Chianti and is also used to produce the exquisite Brunello di Montalcino

These "Cal-Italia" grapes produce some outstanding wines that both pay homage to the land from whence they came as well as being very much a part of the New World where production techniques are as modern as modern can be.

The climate of Temecula Valley is ideally suited for these and grape varieties found in the Rhone Valley of France such as Syrah and Viognier, the former being a full and intense red and the latter being a steely and refreshing white.

Peter had decided that we should inspect a representative group of wineries that spanned the economic breadth of Temecula Valley operations. We would visit a high-end, high dollar winery, a moderate, family owned one and a modest winery where the colorful character of the owner permeated every nook and cranny.

South Coast Winery, Resort and Spa is an impressive structure that houses a first class restaurant, a full service spa and individual "villa's" that are richly appointed and offer the weary vinophile luxurious respite after a hard days tasting. The winery itself is a fully functioning, large-scale facility that has been turning out some impressive wines.

We purchased the requisite "5 tastes" package which include glassware for $10. It was a very busy Saturday and the staff behind the counter were scurrying to service the large volume of visitors to the tasting room. We started with whites and I led with the Viognier. This is NOT one of my favorite varietals. Too many Viogniers that I have tasted recently have a finish reminiscent of the white "pith" of a grapefruit. This sourness does not fit my ideal of a wine as a food companion.

I must acknowledge that the variety has become quite popular with those expanding their wine vocabularies and I know I should respect it's Old World heritage. I just don't find a usefulness to the wine when there are so many others that I find more desirable.

We also sampled both of the currently available Chardonnays as well. One was the 2005 Barrel Select Chardonnay, which spent 10 months in new French oak barrels and the other was the 2006 Chardonnay sans Chene which was fermented in stainless steel and has never seen even a splinter of wood.

The obvious purpose of the two disparate production methods is to show off the skills of the winemaker and to highlight both the quality of the raw product, (the grapes) and the ways in which the same ingredients can be so different in taste when aged in oak or not.

The pendulum swing between overly oaked California Chardonnays of the recent past and the steely, under oaked Chardonnays more aligned with classical Burgundian standards and now more in vogue is very telling.

When California Chardonnays were all the rage, the French begrudgingly, started to copy the California style, foregoing the centuries of wine making techniques that wines such as Grand Cru Chablis are known for. But, there was a curve in the trend line and now as the French are giving more oak to their wines, Californians are seeking cleaner tastes where wood is not something you’re hit over the head with.

My own pronouncement on the two I sampled were that either could stand alone as a wine of substance and pedigree. I found them both interesting and both worthy of future investigation.

Next on the list was a 2005 Muscat Canelli. Italians have been cultivating this variety for thousands of years and its DNA can be found in every noble variety of the Old World. In Italy, it is known as Moscato di Canelli. We know of the grape primarily from its transformation into the sweet, sparkling Italian Asti Spumante. One other interesting bit of information about this “Mother of all Grapes” is that it is currently being grown and produced into wines in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, California and Oregon as well as in many other countries around the world.

Peter directed us to another of his favorite spots for our next visit. This time we would stop in at Stuart Cellars. The owner/winemaker of this 36-acre vineyard is Marshal Stuart and he was present at the tasting room on this particular Saturday. Marshall has a viticulture degree From UC Davis and has put together a varietal palette that allows him to create wines that showcase their geographic largesse.

His whites include a Riesling, a Viognier, a Pinot Grigio, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay and a Blanc de Noir, White Merlot. All of these varietals benefit from the microclimates around Temecula and Marshall Stuart works his land in a very intelligent way.

His Reds give a nod to Italy with an award winning Sangiovese. The remainder of his red wine production is split between the Bordeaux classics; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. He bottles them in a blend called Tatria and he also offers them as stand-alones.

There is a Pinot Noir at his winery, but the grapes come from Santa Barbara and as much as I treasure this aristocratic grape, I was looking for a sense of Terroir. I chose only to drink from wines that had their genesis in the valley proper.

There is much to like about Stuart Cellars. The wines are very approachable and the scale of his operation, which includes his comfortable tasting room, made me want to visit again.

The last stop for the day was at one of the oldest wineries in the Valley and one that showed very little accommodation to being a 21st Century tourist destination...Hart Winery. Peter has spoken very highly of the owner of this rustic, no nonsense winery. The winemaking community throughout history and from all over the world has among it certain special breeds. These are the “characters”, the iconic personalities from which legends, myth and lore spring.

Perhaps Joe Hart is such a man. There is a sense of creative forces behind his image. He cannot be thought to be merely the same size as Life.

His tasting room is simply space adjacent to his production facilities. One step through the door and I knew I was at a winery. It was the smell of grapes and barrels and all the other things that make wine, wine. I was comfortable and at ease in a nanosecond.

His wines are mostly vineyard designated. I appreciated this. This trend of hyper explaining Place when making wine is enlightened. It also shows a craftsman’s pride in signing the completed work. If you understand that wine is so very connected to the soil and the sun that falls on that patch of earth, then considering the vineyards uniqueness predescribes the wine.

An example of Hart Winery is a 2003 “Old Vine” Zinfandel that originates from the Lopez Ranch in Cucamonga Valley. The vines are 84 years old and are very low producers. The vineyards are atop alluvial soils of rock and gravel which drains any water that falls on the vines naturally. There is no man-made irrigation.

Granted this particular wine does not originate from Temecula, but it shows where Hart’s head is. His other offerings are spread between classic Rhone-style wines like Syrah and Grenache, as well as a Spanish influenced Tempranillo, A Cal-Italia Sangiovese, and the Bordeaux triumvirate of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

When I go back to Temecula Valley, I know that I will pay a return visit to Hart Winery. I am also sure that I will again seek out the wines of Stuart Cellars. As much as I liked the wines at South Coast Winery, I felt way too much like I was just another “fresh of the chartered bus” tourista. The tasting room was too big, too impersonal, too much like Orange County and not enough like Temecula. I’ll drink their wines again, I’m sure. I just won’t subject myself to their visitor accommodations.

There are more trips for me to make to Temecula Valley, more wines to drink, more laughs to share with my old friend, Peter. I’m looking forward to the Fall and post crush celebrations. I will, of course being sharing with you the highlights of these visits.

And, finally some advice: Don’t ignore Southern California’s very own ‘Wine Country”. You’ll think you know about California wines, but you won’t really know.

-Gordonn Blue

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Gordonn Blue - Food and Beverage Insider

My name is Gordonn Blue. I have been in and/or around the Food and Beverage business for over 30 years. I have owned them, managed them, merely slaved in them and called on them as a vendor. I've ran doors, waited tables, popped corks, tended bar and cooked. I've picked the cigarette butts out of the urinals and cleaned the grease traps. I LOVE restaurants - I HATE restaurants. But one thing is for sure, I KNOW restaurants.

I am also an epicurean by nature as well as being extremely knowledgeable about wines of both the old world and new. There is no substitute for experience.

I will be posting various reviews, articles, commentary, musings and juicy restaurant gossip on a regular basis. My opinion is gold to those who'll heed.

For those who would disagree with what they find here, I can only say how profoundly disinterested I am.

Stay tuned for information and my (hopefully) entertaining viewpoint on this fascinating segment of our American culture. This blog is for those who only spend their money in restaurants as well as for those who toil in them for meager tips and scant recognition.

-Gordonn Blue

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