Wine Reviews Archives - Small Barrels Magazine

Review of Delmonico Steakhouse – Venetian, Las Vegas

January 26, 2019 By karin Leave a Comment

Delmonico Steakhouse is a longtime fixture of the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, and just a short and pleasant walk away from the Wynn where we stayed this time. While other restaurants in the Venetian have come and gone, this classic steakhouse owned by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse endures.

We’ve had the pleasure of dining here several times over the years and enjoyed our latest experience this past December, although some of its past magic seemed missing. It could be that we’ve been here a few too many times, have experienced better steakhouses, and that some of the novelty has worn off.

There is a slightly tired look to the decor, a spareness that may have been more fitting about fifteen years ago. Compared with the fresh, open and even whimsical decor characterizing most of the restaurants at the Wynn, Delmonico felt a bit drab and buttoned up – could use a bit of re-imagining. Note that we were not seated in the larger section of the dining room, whose low vaulted ceilings have always intrigued us and made us think of a Tuscan wine cellar. We were seated in a room that was rather square and dimly lit, but maybe also quieter than the main area where large groups seemed to have been assembled.

We started with Emeril’s New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp, apparently the most popular appetizer on the menu which we have never tried. Unfortunately, it didn’t set the best tone. Somewhat overcooked and the promised ‘New Orleans flavors’ a little lacking, even dated maybe? The rosemary biscuit was tasty.

Having said all this, the steak, wine, bourbon selection and overall service was excellent. And let’s get to the wine. Apparently boasting over 2,300 selections, the wine list at Delmonico was indeed impressive and studded with rare finds. We wanted something big – make that huge – to go with our steak. With some guidance from the knowledgeable sommelier, we selected the 2008 Schrder Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (one of their last bottles, apparently).

The wine had a dark, velvety red-black color, with deep dark fruit flavors, like cherry and blackberry. It opened up in the decanter as the evening wore on, and we sipped it slowly, savoring and enjoying. It may well be the first and last time we will ever have this rare, elegant, and bold wine. A perfect match for the rich beef and hearty steakhouse sides.

For him – the 20 oz. bone-in ribeye, and for me the 9oz. filet mignon, both topped with a generous pat of herbed butter. Beautifully cooked, but oh so much food. (Speaking of fifteen years ago, our appetites are not perhaps what they once were…)

Classic sides, served family style, included buttered fresh asparagus and sauteed garlic mushrooms (very good and garlicky.)

Lovely sides, buttered fresh asparagus and sauteed garlic mushrooms

No, we didn’t finish every morsel of our meal but we did enjoy it. And the bourbon list that came out afterward was more than impressive, listing page after page of different bourbons…

Have not seen the likes of this before! I was content to finish the last sips of the Schrader cab, but for my partner – a glass of Pappy Van Winkle – Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B. The smell, deep color, and full-bodied taste was exactly what he was looking for. His theory is you need to grab this whenever you see it, and those occasions have been few and far between. An impressive bourbon menu for the whiskey lover!

Pappy Van Winkle - Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B — Pappy Van Winkle – Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B

Last but not least, we move on to dessert. Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie has been something of a legend in our fond recollections of past Delmonico experiences. The mounds of chocolate shavings and generous drizzle of rich caramel sauce have loomed large in our minds over the years. It’s funny, it was certainly tasty, but not as unique and wonderful as we remembered – of course, it could be a matter of letting good things grow better in your mind.

Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie

Though it didn’t quite match the past experiences of our memories, Delmonico Steakhouse has much for you to enjoy – excellent steak, stellar wine selection, great service and an amazing selection of bourbons.

For more information about Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian, Las Vegas, visit www.venetian.com

Review of 2013 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stardust Heaven- at the Post Hotel, Lake Louise, Alberta

January 16, 2019 By karin Leave a Comment

We wanted a wine with a massive personality, and maximum impact. Can’t go wrong then choosing a California Cabernet Sauvignon with a name inspired by “Ziggy Stardust” and “Stairway to Heaven”.

Selected from the Post Hotel’s renowned wine cellar, this bottle of 2013 Stardust Heaven was a great way to toast the last evening of our Rocky Mountain holiday, and a great (if sometimes quirky) companion for the Tasting Menu in which we decided to indulge. If you’re not going to do a wine pairing experience, there will always be moments when food and wine clash just a little – so you might as well do as we did and make it a standout wine in its own right.

The 2013 Cliff Lede Stardust Heaven is just that – a standout characterized by an inky purple colour (for rock royalty?), bold blackberry and dark berry flavors, as well as earthy licorice notes. And you’ve just got to love the spirit and the story behind it, and all the Cliff Lede “Rock Blocks” wines – the various vineyard blocks are named after class rock tunes by The Who, Pink Floyd, and in the case of our bottle here, Bowie and Zeppelin.

We enjoyed every morsel of the tasting menu, described below, but we don’t apologize for letting Stardust Heaven strut its stuff across the stage and literally steal the show…

Here’s a run down of the fabulous menu (even if it did play back up at times as we sipped our wine…):

Last day of vacation, so we went out with a bang, knowing we were in for the Post’s generous portions and intriguing flavors. We’ve sampled several tasting menus crafted by Chef Hans Sauter in the past – this was one of our favourites.

Duck Breast with Maple Whiskey Ice Cream

Delicate slices of smoked duck breast served with a whiskey ice cream began the feast. It looked gorgeous and the duck was perfect. The ice cream was not perhaps my favourite, but I could appreciate the composition of flavors with the whiskey being a nice match for the smoked meat.

The prawns on the other hand look fairly simple, but the dish was a standout – really, really delicious. Tender and meaty, the prawns’ terrific flavor was beautifully enhanced by the thyme vinaigrette. And the tender, toasty quesadilla with creamy avocado made the dish complete. Easily our favourite course!

The main course was the pork tenderloin and tagliatelle with a rich and creamy porcini mushroom sauce. This is a plate to satisfy a cold-weather craving. I consider this dish “vintage Post Hotel” with its hearty sauce and tender, buttery homemade noodles. While this particular pork tenderloin and tagliatelle dish doesn’t generally appear on the menu, if you’re looking for something similar choose either the veal tenderloin with creamy morel sauce on homemade Spinach fettuccini, or the beef tenderloin “stroganoff” with homemade egg tagliatelle (both dishes have been regular features at the Post for years – with good cause).

Another view of a scrumptious take on a cheese course! — Goat Cheese Mousseline with Plum Compote

This dish – the Goat Cheese Mousseline with Plum Compote – was an unexpected treat. A tangy, creamy, savory dollop of cheese mixed and melded gorgeously with a deeply-flavored plum compote. If I hadn’t been so full, and if there wasn’t an actual dessert course to come, I would have had two. Delish!

Yes, there was dessert – a rich, moist carrot cake thickly laden with cream cheese icing (the reason to eat carrot cake?) – and this is the second time in recent posts that I’ve neglected to grab a photo. My reason is a pretty good one, I think. It was basically the last evening the Post Hotel’s dining room would be open before the five-week closure between Canadian Thanksgiving and ski season. We noticed another couple- fellow port aficionados- nearby. It seemed natural to pull our chairs together, and toast a beautiful meal in a beautiful place together. So, no photo, but great conversation.

A massive wine, a tasty, multi-course feast and lovely new friends – great end to a great vacation!

For more information on dining at the Post Hotel or to view a dinner menu, please visit www.posthotel.com

Review of 2014 Sea Smoke Chardonnay at Fondue Stubli – Lake Louise, Alberta

January 15, 2019 By karin Leave a Comment

We enjoyed the 2014 Sea Smoke Chardonnay, an elegant California wine, on a recent stay at the Post Hotel in Lake Louise, Alberta. While most of our evenings were spent in the comfortable, elegant main restaurant, on this particular night we booked dinner for two at the Fondue Stubli, a cozy nook just off the main dining room, formerly the hotel’s cigar lounge.

We were craving a Chardonnay to pair with our traditional swiss cheese fondue. The 2014 Sea Smoke was very appealing, buttery enough to suit our tastes, but bright and fruity enough to offset the richness of the cheese and heartiness of the charcuterie board – it had almost a light, cleansing effect paired with such rich foods. Something lovely , wispy and evocative about the vineyard’s name, too. Very happy with this choice, especially after all the bold reds we’d been enjoying with our our other meals!

Here are some tantalizing pictures of the rest of our Fondue Stubli experience (the charming restaurant has a small, traditional menu – but all perfectly on point for a traditional fondue experience.).

The Post Hotel Charcuterie Board, heaps of sausages, air dried meats sliced ribbon-thin, fresh house-made pates, and pickled vegetables is generous and delicious, to say the least:

Here is shot of the beautiful, silky traditional Swiss cheese fondue. There had to be far over a pound of cheese bubbling in this pot. We found it impossible to finish, but managed to scoop out just enough to those lovely browned bits that begin to crackle on the bottom…

A taste of port to end the evening, the outstanding Dow’s 1994 Vintage Port.

If you’re at the Post Hotel, do seek out the Fondue Stubli and a bottle of Sea Smoke Chardonnay, apres-ski, or whatever your plans. Be sure to book ahead as there are only a handful or tables (perhaps 5 or 6).

For more information about Fondue Stubli at the Post Hotel, visit www.posthotel.com

Review of 2015 Sine Qua Non Trouver l’arene

January 3, 2019 By karin Leave a Comment

2019 is upon us, and the 2018 Christmas holidays are just beginning to fade from view. What will not fade is the delicious memories of a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. Prime Rib, garlic mashed potatoes and yorkshire pudding was the hearty, tasty meal. But enhancing the yummy fare – or rather, bringing it all together – was a beautiful bottle of 2015 Sine Qua Non Trouver l’arene. Quite the find!

Trouver L'arene Label — Trouver L’arene Label

Bold, deep purple -a dark, regal purple – and truly luscious both to look at and to smell, this wine begged to be decanted. We let it open up as we took our time preparing our meal. When we were ready to sit down, eat, toast the holidays and sip, the most amazing deep, dark fruits emerged. Spices fitting well with the Christmas season danced in every smooth sip. What a special wine!

Like all Sine Qua Non wines, this is not an easy bottle to come by. If you do come across it in your travels, be sure to grab it. You will not be disappointed. Pair it with something rich and leisurely, and enjoy…

Christmas Dinner - Prime Rib with a bottle of Sine Qua Non — Christmas Dinner – Prime Rib with a bottle of Sine Qua Non

Merry Christmas from Small Barrels!

The ‘Four Days of Christmas’ at the Post Hotel

February 5, 2018 By karin Leave a Comment

Deck the Halls…

We returned to one of our favourite Canadian holiday destinations this past December, The Post Hotel (Lake Louise, Alberta). Believe it or not, it was our first time there in the winter.

While not technically the Christmas holidays at least according to the school calendar – more mid-month – the spirit of the season was alive and well all around the tastefully-decorated hotel, including the dining room.

Not only were lovely winter-wonderland features subtly incorporated into the room, like the white branches dotted with lights gracing the ceiling, the windows overlooked a lovely skating rink created each winter at the hotel surrounded by pine trees lit with more white lights. With the Rocky Mountains in the backdrop, even in nighttime silhouette, it’s as magical as it sounds.

A highlight of our stays at The Post is of course the dining. With a wonderful menu and impressive wine list, a beautiful dinner at The Post is the finest way to end the day. (Studying the large wine list in our room in anticipation helped us to savor the experience even more. Find the menus and wine list here.)

Here’s an overview of our festive dining experience at the Post over the course of our four-day December vacation.

Day 1 – Oh, What Fun…

Our trip was shorter than in previous years, so we vowed to make the most of our dining – not at all difficult to do. In fact, at our very first dinner, we decided to go for it – cocktails followed by the six-course Gourmet Tasting Menu and Wine Pairing.

Tasting Menu and Wine Pairings, Post Hotel

The Wine Pairing was welcome new addition to the experience since, as with most tasting menus, it’s hard if not impossible to pick a wine to match the range of offerings. For instance, this particular menu featured both Carpaccio of Angus Beef Tenderloin and Sauteed Deep Sea Scallops with Curry Sauce — no wine solution on earth is going to solve that one. But pair the beef with a glass of Cotes de Provence Rose “Whispering Angel” and the scallops and curry-sauce with a beautiful California chardonnay (Lewis Cellars), and things start to make more sense to the taste buds.

My favourite dish on this menu turned out to be the second course, a cold offering – Tomato Panna Cotta with Basil Espuma. It was creamy, rich and flavourful and matched very well with a crisp glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (Cloudy Bay, 2016).

The venison chop was also lovely, served with a rich port wine game sauce, delicate napkin dumplings and earthy chanterelles mushrooms (so good!). This was paired wonderfully well with St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon (2014, Napa Valley).

I didn’t think I could handle much more, but I ended up being head-over-heels for the dessert, a warmed Grand Marnier and strawberry confection served with warm vanilla cream. Incidentally, this was a substitution for the Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Mousse Bar with Tahitian Vanilla Sauce to accommodate a nut allergy. For anyone with dietary concerns, the Post is wonderfully accommodating and able to make sensational switches so you don’t feel you’re missing out – it’s great!

Day 2 – Let It Snow…

With little planned other than a walk around Lake Louise and a trip to the Temple Mountain Spa later in the day, we took it easy in the morning and enjoyed a lovely lunch in the dining room. We’ve always found lunch to be a quiet affair at the Post; compared to breakfast, the place seems practically deserted and that suited our relaxed mood just fine. We ate well – Eggs Benedict for him, and a truly delicious Ahi Tuna Nicoise salad for me. The range of items offered on the lunch menu is impressive. Soups, salads, burgers, some ‘breakfasty’ items, and heartier entrees – there’s something for everyone and for every mood. Here’s a pic of the generous breakfast skillet to give you a sense:

As the Tasting Menu was identical to the previous evening, we went in a different direction at dinner. Over the years, we’ve found the foie gras irresitable. That night, it was Pan-Seared Québec “Rougie” Foie Gras White Port Wine poached Apples, Celery Purée paired with a glass of Sauternes, of course. I sampled the Bisque of Atlantic Lobster with Diced Lobster, which was prepared with a root vegetable puree. Great with the sweet meat of the lobster!

My main course was perhaps my favourite of the trip: Roasted Alberta “Valley Ridge Farms” Free-Range Chicken Breast, with Thyme, and Chicken Jus Gnocchi with Chanterelles. The chicken was incredible tender, juicy and flavorful. The gnocchi was fantastic, every one a rich, tender morsel balanced by the earthy chanterelles.

For him — the Roasted Alberta “Driview Farms” Rack of Lamb with Herb Crust Lamb Jus with Rosemary Tomato, Spinach and Barley Risotto. The lamb was quite good, but the risotto was the surprising stand out, namely the barley which we were both a little skeptical about. It lent a heartiness to the risotto that seemed to make it better stand up to the lamb.

Our wine was the star of the night, Realm Cellars, “Farella Vineyard” Coombsville 2013. Deep and delicious, it paired beautifully with both of our entrees. A nice find from the extensive wine list.

We capped this wonderful meal with a scrumptious cheese plate accompanied by a very fine vintage port, Quinto do Noval 2000. Dark, bold and unctuous, the sommelier graciously cellared it afterward for us to enjoy the following few evenings of our stay.

Day 3 –The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…

We were determined to work a bottle of fine champagne into our ‘fours days of Christmas’, and yet there were so many intriguing reds to choose from – what to do?

Both.

With our final dinner already planned for Fondue Stubli, we treated ourselves on this last night in the dining room to an exceptionally decadent treat, a bottle of champagne, Krug, “Vintage Brut” 2000. Everything that sparkles in a glass wants to be this. It was phenomenal and went beautifully with our first two courses: I had the Organic Butterleaf Lettuce Salad Mustard Chive Dressing; for him – the Alberta Heirloom Tomatoes with Buffalo Mozzarella Peppery Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic.

The salads were fresh and beautiful, but what came next was awesome: Atlantic Lobster Risotto with Salsify for me, and Homemade Cheese Tortellini Assorted Mushrooms in Creamy Sauce for him.

I actually can’t believe we ate this much or this well. But when you embrace dinner as your evening entertainment, it’s really not that hard. Our main course was the evening’s special dish not listed on the menu. A rib eye prepared for two with port wine sauce, bearnaise, market vegetables and roasted potatoes.

To complement the rich beef and sauces, we enjoyed Chateau Trotanoy (Pomerol 2005). It had a gorgeous deep colour, matched with deep tastes. Very rich, smooth and wonderful.

Day 3 – Fa la la la la…

Fondue Stubli

Tucked away just off the Post’s main dining room in a nook that was once a cigar room, you will find Fondue Stubli, where magical pots of melted cheese and chocolate and charcuterie boards heaped with treats will bring you comfort and joy.

The Charcuterie plate at the Fondue Stubli is outstanding — just look:

As you can readily see, it’s incredibly generous, and beautiful to look at – to say nothing about its deliciousness. The pates prepared in house are particularly wonderful, and the other meats and cheeses scrumptious.

We paired this and the much anticipated traditional cheese fondue with a bottle of Peter Michael Mon Plaisir 2012, a chardonnay that was at once rich and fruity. It tasted like a summer day but matched perfectly with the wintery, mountain-top fare in the fondue room.

Peter Michael Chardonnay "Mon Plaisir" — Peter Michael Chardonnay “Mon Plaisir”

The Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue is also remarkably generous. It could easily feed a hungry table of four, although we did very well considering it was just two of us – and we had the charcuterie to start. The fine cheeses and preparation make this the best cheese fondue we’ve ever tasted – as the Swiss intended.

The chocolate fondue remained tempting despite the filling meal. I declined – maybe on Day One, but on Day Four I truly couldn’t do it! – and enjoyed with my eyes instead. But my partner valiantly made his way through a portion of it, sipping that Quinto do Noval 2000 we had set aside. He assured me the fondue tasted as good as it looked, and it certainly makes for a pretty picture:

Chocolate Fondue

It was a whirlwind of winter wonderland and gourmet food and wine to warm us each night. We would readily return to the Post at this time of year, and highly recommend it!