Champagne Dumangin with Gilles Dumangin

We are very excited to have Gilles Dumangin, fifth generation Champagne producer for the house of Dumangin, as our very special guest for our Wednesday Nite Flites this week.  We met Gilles a few years ago at a French Embassy trade event featuring producers seeking representation in our region.  We fell in love with his wines and were very excited when George Brown of Vino Wholesale added them to his portfolio.  We've carried Brut Cuvee 17 from the start, added the Brut Rose last year and brought in his Premier Cru this past week, all of which you will taste in this super exciting flite nite! 

Valentine's Day treat, compliments of George Brown

The little house of Dumangin was founded by Hippolyte Dumangin in the 1890s. His descendants have maintained control of their domaine through five generations, with Gilles Dumangin, Hippolyte's great, great grandson now in charge, still assisted by his father, Jacky. The two run this successful family business from their base in Chigny-les-Roses, a small Premier Cru village lying on the Montagne de Reims, almost directly between Reims and Epernay. Jacky and Gilles tend five hectares of vineyards, scattered around Chigny-les-Roses and the nearby villages of Rilly-la-Montagne, Ludes and Taissy, the latter a little further north, right on the outskirts of Reims. The Montagne de Reims, Champagne's most northerly region, is Pinot country, and both Pinots feature quite heavily in the Dumangin portfolio.

So here's the deal, we are anticipating that this will be a very popular event so we will take reservations for two time slots, 6-7pm and 7-8pm.  We can accommodate 18 people per time slot so if you want to ensure you'll get in to taste these lovely wines and meet Gilles, please call for a reservation, 504.304.0635.  We will still accept walk in providing we have availability.  The flite is $15 for three really amazing bubblies presented by pretty cool Frenchman....

From the Dumangin webite:

Brut 17 ($45):  This cuvee made roughly of a third of each champagne grape (Meunier, Pinot Noir & Chardonnay) got its name from the tank where Jacky & Gilles Dumangin originally blended the the wine in. A balance in favour of younger wines rather than reserve cuvees, a blending that create a fresh, fruity, young champagne that will make your parties more festive. 

Brut Rose ($56):  A recipe for success: Jacky & Gilles Dumangin have chosen to blend their best wines & decrease their volume of vintage produced every year to create this unmissable pink Champagne. It is the result of 85% white champagne & 15% red wine (from the Dumangin family vineyards ) blend. The white part (54% Chardonnay & 46% Pinot Noir) ensure a powerful structure and a remarquable finesse. The added 15% red wine from Pinot Meunier create a fruity character & a delicate light salmon colour. 
 
Premier Cru ($85):  Blanc de Blancs at its best . Harvested at late maturity, carefully seletced grape from one only vineyards at the exit of Chigny Les Roses… The Chardonnay is fully expressed in this complex and fine Champagne. Keeping potential of at least 5-8 years, it releases its extra-long finish with honey notes and a flowery bouquet.

Cooking from the Box, Roasted Root Vegetables

Nothing is more simple and satisfying roasted root vegetables, and the turnips in the last few Hollygrove boxes have presented us the perfect opportunity to throw them into our usual mix.  I asked our friend and customer Jane one day how she liked to prepare turnips and her answer was roasted, of course with onions, a little olive oil and sea salt.

So that's what we've been doing lately, dressing them up a bit with fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar, and we've become addicted!  Last week the box came with freshly pulled onions, sweet potatoes and baby turnips so we combined the three for a delicious beta carotene rich side dish.  So if you've never tried roasted turnips before, now is the time!

ingredients
-2 sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 1-1/2" chunks
-2 large turnips (or 6-8 baby), washed and quartered
-2 small onions quartered
-2 T. olive oil
-Needles from 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
-1/2 t. sea salt
-1 t. balsamic vinegar

directions
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Take cut root vegetables and put them in a large mixing bowl.  Add olive oil , rosemary needles, sea salt and balsamic vinegar.  Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly in the bowl until veggies are coated with the oil.
-Put on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until veggies are soft.

La Sardegna Wine Dinner at the Italian Barrel

Join us Tuesday, March 6th with Antonio Molesini for an intimate wine dinner featuring the wines of one of Italy's most diverse islands.  A beautiful menu to pair with the wines created Chef/owner Samantha Castignetti, incredible atmosphere in a true Italian style trattoria and Antonio's informative and comedic presentation make this a don't miss event.  Reservations made through Swirl at 504.304.0635, $75 all inclusive.  The event is limited to 25 participants and prepayment is required.

Italian Barrel

430 Barracks Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

6:30pm Cash Bar

7:00pm Dinner

Antipasti

Insalata del Mare

paired with Santadi Villa Solais Vermentino di Sardegna

Insalata

Fresh greens with strawberries, goats cheese and balsamic vinaigrette

 paired with Santadi Grotta Rossa Carignano del Sulcis and Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva

Primi

Pasta Arribiata 

paired with Sella & Mosca Terre Rare

Secondi

Veal Chop with sauteed vegetables

paired with Agricola Punica Barrua Isola Dei Nuraghi

Dolce

Cappuccino Gelato and coffee

This Week at Swirl Wine Bar + Market

Happenings
Hold on to Your Wine Glass, March is Packed with Great Events! 
With everyone distracted by parades, parties and costume making, I tend to keep the month of Mardi Gras a little on the lighter side in terms of events.  However, I have made up for that with a vengeance for the month of March and am not sure how I'll still be standing at the end of it!  But when great opportunities knock, you have to go for it! 

This week we'll have our regularly scheduled Wednesday Nite Flites with Kimi and Mike at the bar pouring a beautiful flite of Pinot Noirs from around the world.  Our Free Friday tasting this week will feature a special evening of French wine, food and art as we dedicate the night our to our friends and neighbors at Cafe Degas.  Jacques Soulas and Jerry Edgar, owners of one of New Orleans' best French restaurants will be in the house doing a book signing of their cookbook released late last year.  This evening will also be an opening art reception for Jacques Soulas' work which will be one display at Swirl through mid April.  And don't forget our Saturday Happy Hour from 4-6pm with Hollygrove Market, see details below! 

Next week join us with Antonio Molesini for an intimate wine dinner at the Italian Barrel in the French Quarter featuring the wines of Sardinia, one of Italy's most diverse islands.  A beautiful 5 course menu to pair with the wines created by chef/owner Samantha Castiglione, incredible atmosphere in a true Italian style trattoria and Antonio's informative and comedic presentation make this a don't miss event. Check out the details below and I'll be posting the menu and pairings later today on our facebook page and blog. We limit this event to 25 participants and spots are going quickly! 

Hollygrove Market at Swirl                                          
Saturday afternoons are heating up at Swirl as we pair up with Hollygrove Market to be THE place to pick up your box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour. How to sign up for a Hollygrove Box pick up at Swirl:   
    visit hollygrovemarket.com
    click on: Order box now
    click on: Order Here for Pickup at our Satellite Locations
    add a box to your shopping cart and any other items listed
    at check out, choose *swirl as your location to pick up your box!
*To get your box delivered at swirl you need to order before 8am on Saturday

Events 
Wednesday Nite Flites, February 29, 6-8pmJoin Mike and Kimi at the bar a flite of Pinot Noirs from around the world! Flites are $12-$15 and feature 3-2oz pours of really amazing juice.  No reservations required, just pull up a seat at the bar and get your boarding pass! 

Special Event! Friday Free For All, March 2, 6-8pm
Join us for a special evening of French wine, food and art as we dedicate our Friday tasting to our friends and neighbors at Cafe Degas.  Jacques Soulas and Jerry Edgar, owners of one of New Orleans' best French restaurants will be in the house doing a book signing of their cookbook released late last year.  This evening will also be an opening art reception for Jacques Soulas' work which will be one display at Swirl through mid April.  The event is free and open to the public. 

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 3, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box!

Special Event! La Sardinia Wine Dinner at the Italian Barrel, Tuesday March 6, 6:30pm
Join us with Antonio Molesini for an intimate wine dinner featuring the wines of one of Italy's most diverse islands.  A beautiful menu to pair with the wines created Chef/owner Samantha Castiglione, incredible atmosphere in a true Italian style trattoria and Antonio's informative and comedic presentation make this a don't miss event.  Look for the menu and pairings in next week's email!  $75 all inclusive, reservations made through Swirl at 504.304.0635.  The event is limited to 25 participants and prepayment is required. 

Special Event!  Sherry Flites, Wednesday, March 7, 6-8pm
George Brown joins us for a new, highly rated, nicely priced lineup of Spanish Sherry.  Taste 3 sherries of very different styles and learn about the production process while you sample some Spanish cheeses, nuts and olives!  Flites are 3-2oz pours for $15.

Special Event! Book Reading and Signing with Local Author Constance Adler, Thursday March 8, 6pm
We're pairing up with Maple Street Books and one of our neighborhood authors to celebrate the release of Constance Adler's book, "My Bayou", a vividly described memoir that charts a personal and spiritual transformation along the fabled banks of Bayou Saint John.  As a special treat, the reading will be an excerpt from the book that took place while Constance was at a Swirl in 2006.  For more information on Constance and her book go to her website at constanceadler.com 

Friday Free For All, March 9, 6-8pmJuan Hernandez from Domaine Select Wine Estates and Jared Breaux from International will join us for a tasting of 4 great wines from his portfolio, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!  

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 10, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Louis Dressner Selections Tasting, Tuesday March 13, 6:30pm
Join Greg Knaps from Lirette Selections for a tasting of six of our favorite wines from the Louis Dressner portfolio.  The Dressner portfolio specializes in naturally made wines that speak to a sense of place, wines that are soulful and are never over-processed. These are wines from vignerons with no aspirations of fame, glory and ‘monster’ scores. They only strive to farm their land with respect and provide pure drinking pleasure!  The tasting is $12 and reservations are recommended.  Call 504.304.0635 to hold your spot. 

Special Event! Champagne Flites with Gilles Dumangin of J.Dumangin & Fils Champagne, Wednesday March 14, 6-8pm
Producer of one of our favorite Champagnes, Gilles Dumangin, will join us for our very special flite nite as her pours 3 of his gorgeous Champagnes, including his Premier Cru, Rose, and Brut Cuvee 17!  This will be an unforgettable evening with some truly wonderful wines!  Flites are 3-2oz pours for $15.  More details TBA, I may need to take reservations for this one! 

Friday Free For All, March 16, 6-8pmGeorge Brown joins us for a tasting of 4 great new Spanish wines from his portfolio, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!  

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 17, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Special Event!  A Saint Joseph's Day Altar and Celebration at Swirl, Sunday March 18th from 3-5pm
Join us for an afternoon of Sicilian wine and food commemorating the relief St. Joseph provided during a famine in Sicily. Traditional food will be lovingly prepared by our Sicilian patrons and we will feature a selection of wines from the island by the glass at the bar.   

Wednesday Nite Flites, March 7, 6-8pmJoin Mike and Kimi at the bar for our weekly flite nite! Flites are $12-$15 and feature 3-2oz pours of really amazing juice.  No reservations required, just pull up a seat at the bar and get your boarding pass!

Friday Free For All, March 23, 6-8pmBeth Kehn joins us for a tasting of elegant, beautiful wines from Evening Land, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!   

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 24, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Wednesday Nite Flites, March 28, 6-8pmJoin Mike and Kimi at the bar for our weekly flite nite! Flites are $12-$15 and feature 3-2oz pours of really amazing juice.  No reservations required, just pull up a seat at the bar and get your boarding pass! 

Friday Free For All, March 30, 6-8pm
Join us for our regularly scheduled tasting of 4 free wines, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!   

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 31, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Antonio's Italy, May 26-June 2
Sorry, this trip is full! Copies of our itinerary and pricing can be viewed here:  Antonio's Italy

Swirl and Savor
Our wine and food blog...here are a few from the past 2 weeks, but there are lots more at swirlandsavor.

Recent Posts 
Tips for Your Hollygrove Box
"This is the second time we've ordered the Hollygrove Box and I am really excited by the contents this week!  One of the things that is great about this box, besides the fact that the produce is about as fresh as it can be and that we are supporting local farmers, is that it makes us be creative with fruits and veggies that we may not normally purchase.  Kerry has coined it as "thinking inside the box" and I just love experimenting, looking up recipes online and talking to others about what they've done with the contents of their box."  Click here to see what was in the box and recipes to try,  Hollygrove Tips

Simple Lemon and Garlic Pasta
Often working until 8 or 9pm, dinner during the week is usually a late night affair.  Needless to say we keep our cooking simple on those nights, things we can quickly throw together for a healthy, balanced meal.  Standard fare is Kerry's simply fried, fresh Gulf fish, or my Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp with Garlic) with a big salad and pasta.  The other night I made one of my favorite, quick pasta dishes with lots of lemon and garlic..."  Click here for the recipes, Pasta. 

A Little Cup of Italy
"I'll never forget the first time I had an affogato.  Simultaneously exhausted and invigorated after a long flight to Roma and a puddle jumper to Catania, we had just arrived in Sicily.  It was October and our first try at organizing a wine and food tour in Italy.  As one of our partners in crime, Cynthia Nicholson, went to the rental place to start the long process of Americans renting cars in Sicily, she sent us across the street for a shot of caffeine..."  Click here for the post:  Affogato

Hope to See You Soon!
Beth, Kerry, Matt, Mike, Kimi and Sangi

Swirl Wine Bar & Market
3143 Ponce de Leon Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
504.304.0635
swirlandsavor.blogspot.com

Simple Lemon and Garlic Pasta

 Often working until 8 or 9pm, dinner during the week is usually a late night affair.  Needless to say we keep our cooking simple on those nights, things we can quickly throw together for a healthy, balanced meal.  Standard fare is Kerry's simply fried, fresh Gulf fish, or my Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp with Garlic) with a big salad and pasta.  The other night I made one of my favorite, quick pasta dishes with lots of lemon and garlic.  It is so simple yet so good, I think I need to make it again this week!  I paired it with the 2010 Paco & Lola Albarino, wonderful!

Serves 2
Ingredients:
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T. Butter
2-3 Cloves of garlic
Big pinch of pepperincino
Zest of one lemon ( I used a small meyer lemon)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 - 1/3 cup of dry white wine (I used whatever remained in my glass...)
2-3 T. Fresh chopped parsley (we got beautiful parsley in our Hollygrove Box)
1/2 lb. angel hair pasta (I like angel hair best with this recipe, but was out so I used spaghetti)
1/2 Cup grated Piave Cheese (can sub parmigiano)

Salt and pepper to taste

-Put a large pot of water on to boil.  Just before it reaches it's boiling point, take a large skillet and put on medium high heat.  Once skillet is warm, and olive oil and butter and heat until they begin to bubble.  Throw in garlic, lower heat to medium.  When garlic begins to sizzle, add pepperincino; stir to keep garlic from burning.
-Put pasta in boiling water and start timer. Angel hair pasta cooks quickly, in 3-4 minutes
-As garlic softens and begins to turn golden, add lemon zest, lemon juice and wine.  Bring sauce to a fast simmer for a minute or two to cook off the alcohol.  Add chopped parsley and a few pinches of salt.
-Pasta should be ready to drain and then immediately add to skillet with sauce.  Mix to allow sauce to coat the pasta, add a little of the cheese and then salt and pepper to taste.
-Plate, top with a little more cheese and smile :)

Tips for Your Hollygrove Box

This is the second time we've ordered the Hollygrove Box and I am really excited by the contents this week!  One of the things that is great about this box, besides the fact that the produce is about as fresh as it can be and that we are supporting local farmers, is that it makes us be creative with fruits and veggies that we may not normally purchase.  Kerry has coined it as "thinking inside the box" and I just love experimenting, looking up recipes online and talking to others about what they've done with the contents of their box. 

This week for our $25 we got Baby Purple Cabbage, Beets, Green Onions, Strawberries (from Fekete Farm-Hungarian Settlement),  Sweet Potatoes (from MS), Popcorn Rice (from Campbell Farms-Gueydan), Organic Grapefruit (from Shwars Citrus- Braithwaite), Organic Naval Orange (from L’Hoste Citrus-Braithwaite), Natural Arugula, Natural Kale (from HM&F-NOLA), White Button Mushrooms (from Red Hill Mushroom-Independence), Roma Tomatoes (from Barrilleaux Farm-Cut Off), Natural Microgreens (from Good Food Farm-NOLA) plus I ordered a dozen Farm Fresh Eggs to be delivered with my box.  You can add a few other things as well to your online shopping cart before you check out, like milk, polenta, grits and more, that will be delivered to the shop with your box.

So as we experiment with new things and recreate some familiar favorites, I just wanted to share some ideas on what to do with whats in the box...

As I was on my run this morning I decided we had to have omelets for breakfast as there is nothing better than fresh eggs!  So I stir fried some of those green onions with the button mushrooms in a little olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper until soft. I then whisked three eggs and put them in another skillet on a low to medium heat skillet with olive oil and butter.  I slowly cooked the eggs, added the mushroom and onion mixture and added shredded aged Gruyere cheese, folded it over and topped with some of the fresh tomatoes and micro greens.  Dish it out with a sprouted grain English muffin and some sliced grapefruit and you have one delicious meal!

Kale can be hard to get right but I've found that blanching first takes the bitterness out, makes the tough greens super tender, and somehow locks in a beautiful, deep green color that’s better than what you started with! It is chock full of vitamin A, and has respectable amounts of calcium, iron, protein, potassium, and vitamin C, not to mention all the phyto-nutrients in that dark green pigment! Try this, I've even had two teenagers tell me they never knew kale could taste so good!click here for my Tender and Delicious Kale post!

Kerry used golden beets for this Beet and Arugula Salad, but any beet will do!  You've got all the veggies in the box, arugula, micro greens, beets and onions so it will be easy to recreate!  Click for the recipe, Sundays are Best.

Photo from Williams Sonoma

During one of our summer beach trips, our friend Rachel made broiled grapefruit.  I'll never forget how the crunchy sugar top gave way to the cool tangy citrus center.  This is not her recipe, but something similar that will get you hooked! Check out the Williams Sonoma recipe here for Broiled Grapefruit.

Now we're trying to find something different to do with that beautiful head of purple cabbage besides slaw!  I'll let you know what I come up and feel free to give suggestions...and if you haven't ordered a Hollygrove box yet, you really should, it's good for your body and your soul!  For directions on how to order a Hollygrove box of fresh local produce, check out my post, Think Inside the Box.

Hollygrove Box Pick Up at Swirl

Think Inside the Box!

Starting February 11, Saturday afternoons are about to heat up at Swirl as we are "pairing" up with Hollygrove Market to be THE place in Mid City to pick up your box of fresh, local produce.  Swirl's Mike Fabianski, who also happens to be the restaurant sales manager at Hollygrove, is coordinating with us to bring the infamous Hollygrove box to the shop on Saturdays.

The $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  To make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!

But you have to order your box so Mike can bring it to the shop.  Just follow a few easy steps on Hollygrove's website to sign up for a Box pick up at Swirl:  
    visit hollygrovemarket.com
    click on: Order box now
    click on: Order Here for Pickup at our Satellite Locations
    add a box to your shopping cart and any other items listed
    at check out, choose swirl as your location to pick up your box!


See you on Saturday!

Taste with Winemaker Baptiste Cuvelier, Tuesday 1/31

Baptiste Cuvelier

Morgan Stroud walked into the shop one afternoon, a winemaker in tow and a bag full of red wines with impressive labels.  Said winemaker was Baptiste Cuvelier, whose wine roots go back to the earlier 1800's and with the current family holdings including Leoville Poyferre, the venerable second growth Bordeaux house in Saint Julien. But Baptiste's family duties have taken him out of France and into South America where he has taken over production at Cuvelier Los Andes, located in Mendoza's Valle de Uco.

Cuvelier Los Andes

Sitting at the bar with the fast talking, energetic, 30 something Frenchman was quite a treat as he is very passionate about his work there and with good reason.  He is making some very impressive wines from vineyards at a dizzying 3,330 feet with the once forgotten Bordelaise variety of Malbec as the star of the show. Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot are also planted on their 150 acres and his lineup includes Bordeaux style blends, single variety bottlings with his Grand Vin blend at the top of the line.  He has also hopped over the mountains into Chile where he is making a natural wine that is definitely our best seller and staff favorite from South America, period.

The press on these wines alone should make you curious about this tasting, but once you have the wines you'll be hooked.  This will be a free tasting with Baptiste Cuvelier on Tuesday, 1/31 from 6-8pm.  We'll be tasting 5-6 of his big reds and you should be there....  Here are a few of the wines we'll be tasting:



Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:

2009  Cuvelier Los Andes Coleccion, 92 Points
The 2009 Collecion is a blend of the varietals. Purple in color, with a brooding bouquet, it is a dense, structured, rich wine with impeccable balance, volume, and length. It has the structure to evolve for 2-3 years but can be approached now. It, too, is a great value. Cuvelier Los Andes is owned by Bertrand and Jean-Guy Cuvelier, part-owners of renowned Bordeaux Chateau Leoville-Poyferre in Saint Julien. The estate is located in the Uco Valley at the foothills of the Andes and encompasses 115 acres of still young vines.


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
2007  Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin, 92+ Rating
The 2007 Gran Vin is a blend of 73% Malbec, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot aged in French oak for 18 months. Saturated purple in color, it offers up an alluring bouquet of smoke, incense, Asian spices, and black cherry, with a hint of chocolate in the background. Full-bodied, layered, and opulent, the wine has superb depth of flavor, excellent integration of oak, tannin, and acidity, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Dive it 4-6 years more bottle age and drink it from 2014 to 2027.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:
2007 Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Malbec Mendoza, 93 Points
($62; 100% malbec) Saturated bright ruby. Very ripe, pure nose offers currant, graphite and smoke, plus hints of exotic Venezuela n chocolate and violet pastille. Wonderfully dense, rich and ripe yet primary and fresh, with a palate-saturating crushed blackberry flavor. A superb and tactile expression of malbec, with a firm tannic structure for aging but considerable high-toned early appeal.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:
2009 Cuvelier Los Andes Malbec Colecion Mendoza, 90 Points
($18) Full ruby. Crushed dark berries, bitter chocolate and licorice on the nose. Thick and powerful but silky for all its density. Intriguing salty and earthy nuances contribute to the chewy impression of extract. Very ripe, serious, concentrated wine with just enough acidity to maintain its shape. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins. A lot of wine for the price.

A Little Cup of Italy

I'll never forget the first time I had an affogato.  Simultaneously exhausted and invigorated after a long flight to Roma and a puddle jumper to Catania, we had just arrived in Sicily.  It was October and our first try at organizing a wine and food tour in Italy.  As one of our partners in crime, Cynthia Nicholson, went to the rental place to start the long process of Americans renting cars in Sicily, she sent us across the street for a shot of caffeine, an obvious necessity for two deliriously tired women who were preparing to drive a car from Catania, up the slopes of Mount Etna to our agriturismo.

As many times as we've been to Italy, we still marvel at the quality of espresso/cappuccino you can get at a simple roadside stand or gas station.  So here we were in this dinky little place across from the car rental office (think Airline Highway...), and there it is on the menu, affogato al cafe.  How could one pass up this creamy, sweet, bitter darkly rich beverage on a day like this when a little sugar and caffeine will go along way?  Freshly brewed espresso poured over a scoop of gelato and served in a glass, it was the perfect jump start for the drive up the volcano and set the tone for the rest of the trip where amazingly good food and drink abounded!

So I got a little craving for it today, and although there are a number of places I could order affogato in New Orleans, I just wanted to make it myself and sip on the sinfully delicious beverage as I typed this blog entry.  But that required a stop at my favorite Italian cafe, Brocato's, because I knew that I had to have my current flavor obsession, their panna cotta gelato.  Kerry wanted to kill me for coming home with not one but two pints of liquid sugar, but how could I pass up the seasonal blood orange ice while I was there?  

Anyway, affogato al cafe (literally drowned coffee) is about as simple as it gets.  Brew a shot or two of good expresso and pour it over a cup of your favorite flavor of gelato.  How little or how much of each you use is entirely up to you and your waistline.  I used a good sized scoop and about a shot and a half of espresso.  I finished it off with a little sprinkling of amaretti cookies and I am just buzzing my way through this entry! 

Root, An Original Take on Comfort Food

The astounding number of new restaurants opening in this city is nothing short of amazing and makes for a long list of places to try when we have the time. Lunch with our friend Linda Smith last week gave me the perfect opportunity to check out one of her new favorites, "Root" in the warehouse district.We wanted to talk with them about the possibility of planning a wine dinner to showcase a great new lineup of Spanish wines that republic is bringing in this spring. Root's creatively fun menu, the totally hip decor and laid back attitude of owners and staff make this spot a a really exiting venue for a Swirl event.

 Root is located on Julia Street in the warehouse district, where the space was most recently the home of "feast" but one I remember as the old True Brew Coffeehouse. Well you would never know it was either of those places as it looks and feels like Root has always rested comfortably in that space. Rested in that although the space has a modern and very cool, well thought out decor, there is a relaxed but confident feel about it that immediately puts you at ease. Lots of natural wood accented by bright green chairs and white leather stools creates a vibrant energy yet warmly comfortable.

We were there for lunch so I decided to order a glass of something cold and white to accompany the balmy January day.  The menu is a nicely mixed presentation of old world and new, eclectic and familiar, offering options to easy bored wine geeks and more traditional drinkers.  I chose the mixture of the two with the 2009 Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc from Zealand to keep me busy until we sampled some of the goodies in Linda's overachieving wine bag.  There is also a really great looking cocktail menu, listing lots of original creations made with only the best artisan spirits, but it was lunch and I knew I had to get back to the shop and be coherent enough to finish up our new wine list in time for Wednesday Nite Flites...

 
On to the food.  Trying to set yourself apart in a city that is so saturated with great eats can be a challenge.  So these guys started with the menu where they divide things into their cleverly coined categories of “Socials,” “Beginnings,” “Middles,” Principals” and “Endings”. "Social" choices (all $8) included house made charcuterie and sausage, pâté and hog’s head-cheese, and more, accompanied by lots of deliciously pickled fruits and vegetables.  We went for the Pate de Campagna, cut into thick chunks studded with pistachios and served with crispy flatbreads, it was a generous portion that could have been lunch on its own!

Potato Chip Crusted Gulf Fish Sandwich

 After such a large starter we went right for the "Principals" with me ordering the Potato Chip Crusted Gulf Fish Sandwich ($12), a thick piece of perfectly fried lemon fish atop sauteed bitter green served on soft warm bread and accompanied by a plate full of fresh, deliciously dressed salad greens.  The flavorful, moist fish was cooked to perfection with a nice crispy crust and was a great combination with the bitter greens and their mayo based sauce.  Linda was in the mood for some red meat so she ordered the Root Burger ($14) on a soft brioche bun with bacon, caramelized onions and aged cheddar.  I didn't try it as I was perfectly satisfied with my fish sandwich but it looked amazing and Linda looked pleased with her choice.

Meyer Lemon Trio

 Dessert is always a must when Linda and I have lunch as we both have a serious sweet tooth.  So for our "Endings" we ordered two which was a little overkill as the portions are gigantic. The Yorkie ($8) was a chocolate covered peppermint pattie with mint chocolate chip ice cream surrounded by coco puffs, all made in house (even the coco puffs), and served with a side of milk! But my favorite was the Meyer Lemon Trio ($8), lemon curd topped with coriander yogurt, lemon Pistachio ice cream sandwich and Meyer Lemon macaroons.  Tart, tangy, sweet, creamy and crisp and wrapped up together in one big fabulous plate!

The bottom line:  really creative take on traditional comfort food with killer atmosphere, a great wine list and original cocktails.  I can't wait to go back and sit at the bar for a drink and to try some of their dinner options.  And I'll keep you posted on that wine dinner because I personally can't wait to see what they come up with!

Root

(504) 252-9480
200 Julia Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Email: info@rootnola.com

Mon – Wed: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Thu – Fri: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 2:00 am
Sat: 5:00 pm – 2:00 am