Tasting 2006 Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz

Winemaker Ben Glaetzer blew into the Chicago area this week amid his annual tour of the States to promote forthcoming releases from the fabulous Barossa Valley in Australia.

Ben gathered with a group of local wine connoisseurs at the acclaimed Hinsdale Wine Shop in the city’s western suburbs (he’s posing here with oenophile Doug Myers, center, and the wine shop’s esteemed founder Sean Chaudhry) and unveiled a spectrum of exceptional types of red wine, foremost among them the 2006 Amon-Ra Shiraz. Ben does not attempt to conceal his lofty expectations for the ‘06, even though it comes on the heels of an ‘04 and ‘05 also both highly regarded. He expects to go three-for-three. The ‘06 growing season was slighty warmer than the previous two, which leads the congenial Aussie to believe the current Amon-Ra will continue to add finesse, elegance and structure as it matures in the bottle.

The nose of the ‘06 exhibits a full measure of dark cherry and toasty hints. On the palate there is a quickly noted complexity and a juicy intensity.

The 2004 Amon-Ra rated 95 points when reviewed by Stephen Tanzer, and the 2005 was a monumental success, earning 98 points from Robert Parker Jr. The ‘06 likely will join their critically acclaimed ranks.

The other news tidbit from the Glaetzer camp is that the Godolphin Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blend has been renamed. Beginning with the 2006 vintage it will be labeled Anaperenna, although the wine is from the same vineyard and even the label image remains intact. The Glaetzers had to yield the Godolphin name due to threatened legal action by a party outside of the wine industry.

Dining Essentials: Custom House

Chicago

Decorated chef Shawn McClain now is more dominant in Chicago than ever with a trio of restaurants. The latest, Custom House, was our dinner destination this week when author and journalist Bruce Schoenfeld arrived in town from his bunker in Boulder, Colo. I was in some knowledgable company, so I listened, savored and sipped for the most part as an evening of conversation — mostly about Spanish wine — unfolded amid the buzz of Custom House, a comfortable, contemporary room adjoining the city’s financial district.

Also at the table was Brian Duncan, wine director at another superb Chicago eatery, Bin 36, and Denver-based Spanish importer Steve Miles. Steve is an independent operator now but was a key player with Eric Solomon’s European Cellars import operations for more than a decade.

I always look forward to dining with Bruce, a former newspaper journalism colleague who contributed extensively to Vintelligence during Hinsdale Cellars’ infancy. No sub-set of wine or food is too insignificant to merit dissection by Mr. Schoenfeld over a meal. He traveled to Chicago to conduct a seminar for a promotional organization called Wines of Spain, a topic on which he is an expert. That event and a tasting featuring 44 distributors the next day also accounted for Steve’s presence. Naturally, both gents arrived at Custom House with Spanish wines ready for decanting.

Beforehand I was treated in the lounge to a light, flavorful dish showcasing various tomatoes — Cherokee purple, yellow cherrys and sliced heirlooms — adorned with an olive oil-based drizzling. Then, we headed into the main dining room which is intimate enough to lend a sense that it’s a happening place, but certainly not cramped.

Someone at the table, probably Bruce, said the Custom House menu and food presentation has a distinct “American” leaning, and that is indeed accurate. Which is not to suggest you are in for jumbo-portioned, meatloaf-and-mashed potatoes options. Everything about Custom House feels contemporary, bold and cutting edge. The dinner menu, nonetheless, is dominated by two main course categories, Meats Braised and Meats Roasted. Fortunately, we had Spanish red wine at the ready.

Two winning choices from the Roasted category were the Prime Flat Iron steak (an increasing popular shoulder cut) I ordered and a Berkshire pork chop with grilled fennel ordered by Brian. The latter was extremely flavorful and delicate. The former was immensely satisfying (served medium rare, sliced), quite similar in taste and texture to a tenderloin. I paired the Flat Iron with a somewhat sinful cauliflower gratin, but there was consensus that a side of roasted baby Brussels sprouts was the best of the night.

Our waiter was friendly and knowledgable, happy to keep the decanted Spanish reds coming. He navigated quite impressively around what had become a sea of stemware. Bruce and Steve contributed four excellent reds, two from Rioja, one of Priorat origin and another from emerging Valencia.

The latter was a 95% bobal (a red grape native to Valencia), the 2004 Bodegas Mustiguillo Quincha Corral, a VdT (or “country wine”) produced in the town of Terrerazo. From Priorat we sampled a Clos Galena 2004 from Steve’s roster, a proprietary red blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane and Syrah. The Riojas were a Marques de Vargas Reserva Privada, a 75% Tempranillo notable for having been aged in 100% Russian oak (which is gaining popularity in various winemaking regions), and a Finca Allende Calvario, a single-vineyard (c. 1945) Tempranillo. It is forecast to age brilliantly but was very approachable during our evening out. (Wine Advocate’s Jay Miller recently rewarded the ‘04 with a 95-point crown).

To close the circle, I referenced three Shawn McClain locations in Chicago. The other two are Green Zebra (vegetable-focused fare) and Spring (seafood).

– Steve Woodward

Refined Wine Country Travel Experiences

USA Today recently spotlighted a growing “appetite for elite culinary adventures” among individuals inspired by wine, food and travel. Private vineyard tours, winemaker seminars and in-home dining events led by top chefs are the essential elements in upscale travel itineraries.

The rise of this total-access trend is the catalyst of a new alliance between HinsdaleCellars.com, the online source for premium wine gifts, and luxury vacation homes management agency BeautifulPlaces.

The promotional agreement means Hinsdale Cellars’ connoisseur clients will receive a 10% discount on weekly published rates when placing a reservation for one of 35 premier wine country villas and chateaus offered through BeautifulPlaces. This is the first important step toward planning travel across the major winemaking regions of northern California and France.

The discount is readily applied when a Hinsdale Cellars referral submits a promotional code (HCELLARS).

“Serious collectors of premium wine maintain very high standards and demand total immersion in the world’s leading wine regions,” said Hinsdale Cellars co-founder Steve Woodward. “We know that any luxury property selected from the BeautifulPlaces roster will meet or exceed our customers’ standards every time.”

Former brand marketing executive Patrick Smith created BeautifulPlaces: Vacation Homes of Distinction in 2003. The homes, principally in Sonoma County wine country, are not simply “rentals” in which typical tourists sleep off a day of overindulgence.

“We combine the services and amenities of a small luxury hotel with the comfort, splendor and privacy of magnificent Wine Country homes to create a truly unique and memorable vacation or business meeting experience,” Smith explains.

These properties are beyond exceptional. Location, design and furnishings are unsurpassed, but these make up only one part of the equation. The core of BeautifulPlaces’ success is its zealous attention to detail and service, from arranging credible nannys, to scheduling private chefs or assuring exclusive access to a private winery or spa, to scoring a tough tee time for a memorable round of golf. Presently, there are 35 homes available to lease through BeautifulPlaces and its co-brand, Country Sojourns. Rates per week range from $2,500 to more than $60,000. At the higher end, choices include the 18-room Chateau Villette near Versailles in France on 185 acres. The entire lineup can be reviewed at the BeautifulPlaces or Country Sojourns web sites.

Hinsdale Cellars clients who reserve and stay in one of these inspired properties before the end of 2007 also will be eligible to earn a $100 gift certificate when referencing promotional code HCELLARS.

About HinsdaleCellars.com
HinsdaleCellars.com was created specifically for individuals who share an unwavering pursuit of lifestyle excellence rivaled only by a passion for supremely well-crafted wine. HinsdaleCellars.com is the essential destination on the internet for anyone inspired by fine wines and enriched by knowledge about the industry and its influencers. Members have access to a wine selection that is limited, carefully assembled and unparalleled, and a wine universe that is constantly patrolled by our Private Stewards. Site content features clarity, depth and relevant, timely dispatches by legitimate insiders.

About BeautifulPlaces.com
BeautifulPlaces was created to serve discriminating vacation and business travelers to Northern California’s renowned Wine Country. Our value proposition is simple. We combine the services and amenities of a small luxury hotel with the comfort, splendor and privacy of magnificent Wine Country homes to create a truly unique and memorable vacation or business meeting experience. Through our Vacation Homes of Distinction program, BeautifulPlaces is opening the door to some of the world’s finest, private, wine country homes and estates. Our properties range in size from a 13,500 square foot architectural statement on a 1,700 acre estate to an elegant two-bedroom villa nestled amidst vineyards. They range in location from Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley in the North to Carneros in Southern Sonoma and Napa counties. And they range in style from historic Napa residences to Tuscan villas and modern architectural masterpieces. BeautifulPlaces is about much more than elegant accommodations. It is, first and foremost about service. Whether you require a nanny to look after your children while you enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting or a round of golf, or you wish to relax in a spa or hire a private chef to prepare a special meal for a small group of friends, we can assist you.BeautifulPlaces is changing the way discriminating travelers experience the many splendors of the Wine Country.

Next Page »