Vintner's Alliance - Wine

Since 2013, Vintners' Alliance has been serving the online community with an exceptional wine selection.  But, what caught my eye was that they recently expanded their portfolio to include an exclusive selection of vegan wines! For a regular website that is not a vegan-specific website to offer this is pretty unusual and gets me excited about the future of the vegan wine market.

Vintners' Alliance sent me three wines to try -- two from Girasole Vineyards and one from Parducci.  The Girasole Chardonnay was probably my favorite. With hints of golden apple and ripe pear, this $15 bottle is a steal and would be perfect for a summer picnic.

The Girasole Pinot Noir ($18) and Parducci Grenache Reserve ($27) were medium-bodied reds that would best complement heavier meals like a pasta or casserole.

I usually view online wine buying as a pain in the butt mostly because of shipping fees. What makes Vintners' Alliance great is that they offer one-cent shipping. Yep, just a penny! And there is no minimum number of bottles to purchase. So you can just buy one bottle, if you choose, for just one-cent shipping.

They recently partnered with select producers to offer an outstanding assortment of vegan wines. What makes a wine vegan?  Well, a lot of wines use animal-derived ingredients in the filtering or fining process. This process removes tiny particles such as grape skins, stems, and yeast from the wine. Examples of products used in this process are egg whites, gelatin, and isinglass (fish bladders). Wines that are unfiltered are usually vegan as are those that are certified vegan or labeled vegan as were the wines they shipped me.

Additionally, they also offer an organic wine selection. To view both vegan and organic wines, go to their website and scroll down to the lifestyle heading on the left-hand side and make the appropriate selection.  I, for one, am excited to see that they are selling vegan wines and hope this new area of business really takes off for them.  Now for a glass of wine...!

Full Disclosure: Although the wine was provided to me for free to review, that in no way influenced my veracious opinion.

Wine Tasting in Virginia

After having gone wine tasting in Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Yakima, and Willamette Valley, I realized I've never tried wine tasting in my backyard of Virginia. To be perfectly honest, I have only liked a handful of Virginia wines in my life and I didn't think it was worth spending a whole day out in Virginia wine tasting when the wines aren't that great. And, in the end, I was right.

We started at Linden Vineyards in Linden, VA. It wasn't a very nice looking tasting room, at least not compared to those I've been in in California. We tasted a number of wines including a 2011 Chardonnay, 2010 Petit Verdot, and a 2010 Vidal Riesling. I didn't think any of them were worth buying.

So we headed to Glen Manor. Glen Manor is the only Virginia wine I currently have in my wine cellar so I knew they made good wines. They only had three wines available to taste and I liked two of them enough to buy them. The 2010 Hodder Hill and 2011 Rapheus were amazing. The local wine store owner in my neighborhood said the problem with Virginia wines is that they are priced so high compared to California wines that they just aren't worth the money. He's probably right as the wines I bought were $50 and $30 so they weren't cheap.

Next, we headed to Chester Gap Cellars where we tried the 2012 Viognier, 2012 Viognier Reserve, 2011 Merlot, 2011 Cabernet Franc, and 2011 Cuvee Manseng. I didn't enjoy any of them. Not to mention there were children screaming in the tasting room, no bread or crackers, and they didn't provide us any information about the wine. Two thumbs down.

Lastly, we went to Desert Rose Ranch & Winery. This was a fun place. It had a lot of character with the employees dressed as cowboys and random stuff on display. We tried a number of wines and while none of them were very good, it was still a good time.

Reflecting upon this visit, I have reconfirmed the notion that it just isn't worth wine tasting in Virginia. Anyone up for a trip to Napa? Or better yet, Italy? Let's go!

Cork & Fork - Review of Wine Tastings & Giveaway

Cork & Fork's weekly tasting events have been going so well that they built a separate tasting room in the back of the shop. I recently attended the Krupp Brothers Napa Wines event and had a delightful time. The room in the back of the shop is bright and inviting with multicolored prints on the walls and contrasting dark wood tables. This allows patrons to still shop for wine while the tasting event is in session. On this particular evening, the class was entirely about one winemaker -- Krupp.

All of the wines I tasted were fantastic with my favorites being the Black Bart Stagecoach Syrah 2009 ($79.99), Veraison Napa Valley Stagecoach Cabernet 2007 ($84.99), and the Krupp Synchrony Stagecoach 2010 ($129.99). Yes, we really did taste the $130 bottle of wine. What a treat!

Afterwards, fresh bread, olives, and nuts were served and we all had the opportunity to talk to the speakers and discuss wine. What a great night.

New Class!
Well, since all of these events have been going so well, Cork & Fork is now holding a Wine Education Program. The Wine Essentials Class is for the beginner looking to learn more about the basics of wine. This three-class weekly introductory course is designed to cover the basic grape varietals, and old and new world regions as the key to wine tasting and understanding the full wine spectrum.

The instructor is none other than Matt. Stollenmaier. Matt enjoys collecting, studying, and tasting wine, which started as a hobby working in the hospitality industry, but soon became a strong passion. Matt holds the WSET Intermediate Wine and Spirits Education Trust Certificate from the International Wine Center in New York City, Master of Wine Program. He is also a member of the Society of Wine Educators.

I'm excited to announce that I am offering a chance to win a full 3-week Wine Essentials Class (worth $90) with the option to add a second guest for half off ($45). To enter for a chance to win, just complete the form below.

Giveaway details:

• Requirements: just complete the form below
• Prize: a complementary Wine Education Program (3-week series) to be held on 
• Wednesday, November 6 at 7:30 - 9 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 - 9 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 20 at 7:30 - 9 p.m.

• Additional optional prize: add a friend to this class for 50% off ($45)
• Where: Cork & Fork at 1522 14th St. NW in DC (not transferable)
• Deadline to enter: Friday, October 18 by 5 p.m.
• Winners will be announced on this blog on Tuesday, October 22
• For an additional chance to win, like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and let me know that you did so in the comment box below (please indicate the name you used to register for this giveaway). If you already liked my page on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, please just let me know in the comment box below and I'll put you in for a second entry.

Good luck!

Vegan Sommelier

With all the wine tasting that I do and all the trips I've taken to Napa, Sonoma, etc., people are always asking me, "Is wine vegan?" Or better yet, they ask, "Isn't all wine vegan?"  I find it funny that some people think all wine is vegan and some think none of it is.  The truth is that you can find both -- vegan and non-vegan wine. The big problem is that most wine is not labeled as vegan or not and most wine store owners and restaurant sommeliers don't know if their wine is vegan either. That's where John, Gina, and their crew come in as the Vegan Sommelier.

At Vegan Sommelier, they do the work for you by contacting small, family-owned wineries directly to verify if the wines are vegan or not. What makes a wine not vegan, you ask? Many wines are filtered using animal products like fish bladders and egg whites or even the connective tissue of farm animals. Yuck! So, if you want to be sure that animal parts are not in your wine and weren't used in the processing of your wine, go to Vegan Sommelier.

They taste the wines and select only those vegan wines that they deem to be good quality to sell on their website. There you can order reasonably priced wines and have them shipped directly to you. I tried their Domaine du Pas Saint Martin Samur (2007) made from Chenin Blanc, which is a somewhat dry sparkling wine priced at just $18.93 per bottle.

They currently offer a variety of wines from Oregon, France, Italy, Washington, and Australia. I am familiar with the Grochau Cellars Pinot Noir that they have listed on their site -- I'm actually familiar with a different one that they make that is a bit more expensive, but it is one of my favorite wines so I have to assume their lower priced one is good as well.

Vegan Sommelier will work with individuals one-on-one if they are looking to build up their collection of wines or one can just purchase directly from their online store. They offer free shipping on orders of 6 bottles or more and the best part is, they donate a significant portion of their profits to nonprofit organizations that help animals like the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.

They even have their own wine clubs designed to fit anyone's needs such as the premium white, premium red, or mixed box (both whites and reds) club. Um, I'm thinking this would be a great holiday gift!

And best of all, they are local and I absolutely love supporting local businesses. So next time you think about trying a new wine, why not try out a vegan wine from DC-based Vegan Sommelier.

Cork & Fork - Wine Education Class September Giveaway

Cork & Fork, a local wine store in the Logan Circle area, has just announced a weekly series of wine education classes to run from Thursday, September 13 to Thursday, December 27. Most of the classes will be held on Thursday nights from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. with some exceptions noted below.

I had the pleasure of attending the first one held on September 13. The topic was Tour de France and it was led by Stephane Defot, Importer/Distributor of Z Wine Gallery.  We enjoyed fine wine that ranged from $18 per bottle to $50 per bottle while socializing with fellow wine enthusiasts in a relaxed environment. Vegan hors d'oeuvres included fresh French bread with olive tapenade and hummus.

Throughout the night, Stephane told us about the wines and the regions from which they originated. Many were interested to find that one of the French wines we were drinking was aged in concrete--not in oak or stainless steel as is the case with most wine in the US. By the end of the night, we had tried seven great wines, many of which we ended up purchasing at a discounted rate because we liked them so much, met some interesting people, and learned a lot about French wine.  It was such a great time that I'm coming back for more!

The class schedule for the next few weeks is as follows:

• Wednesday, Sept. 19: Merlot and blends. (sold out)
• Wednesday, Sept. 26: Italy. $50/person
• Thursday, Oct. 4: Organic Wines. $50/person
• Thursday, Oct. 11: Greece. $50/person
• Thursday, Oct. 18: Lopez Heredia, Spain. $75/person

Giveaway!
I am pleased to announce that I am offering 2 FREE passes to the class to be held on Wednesday, September 26 (worth $100). All you have to do is choose the correct answer to the multiple choice question below, then you will be entered into a drawing for 2 free passes to that class.

About the upcoming class on Sept. 26: Italy
This country has about as many wines as it had governments. With 20 different regions, hundreds of DOCs and even more indigenous varieties, the amount of wine made in Italy is mind-boggling. Most of the juice, however, remains in the country for thirsty Italians. Wine is food in Italy and it is rare that a meal is consumed without a glass of vino. That said, it's not common to find many folks drinking wine without food either. In turn, it's a match, and a mighty good one at that. In fact, it's safe to say that Italian wine is a foodie wine - one that goes on the table for a myriad of meals.

About the speaker: Nick Materese, Wine Marketer Extraordinaire, Siema Wines
Nick Materese began his journey in food-rich New York indulging in Finger Lakes wines before moving to Arizona to spread his culinary and drinking wings. He has managed several restaurants and wine bars and helped build numerous highly acclaimed wine shops from the ground up. The opportunity to teach about food and wine eventually brought him back to the East Coast. Today, he works for one of metro DC's premier boutique importers and he is also currently pursuing several side projects involving the quest for the perfect pint, eating copious amounts of good food and, of course, sharing stories about exceptional wine and fantastic spirits.

Giveaway details:

• Requirements: just to answer the question below correctly
• Prize: 2 free passes to the wine education class on Wednesday, September 26 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Cork & Fork at 1522 14th St. NW in DC (not transferable)
• Deadline to enter: Thursday, September 20 by 5 p.m.
• Winners will be announced on this blog on Friday, September 21

Good luck!

*Please note that the distributor will not know whether any of the wines are vegan or not.

hope & grace Tasting Salon, Napa

After a long day driving through the rolling hills of Napa, sipping wine at various vineyards, and watching the wildlife, we ended up at a little wine tasting "salon" in Yountville. "hope & grace" was the name of it and we had never heard of it before. When we walked in, it was packed full of people tasting wines. It was a cozy tasting room with a warm feel to it. On the right, there was a sitting room surrounded by little knick knacks you could buy. There was a bar for tasting and, to the left, a table in a separate room at which you could sit while you taste your wines. When we arrived, it was almost closing time so we quickly ordered a flight.

While tasting the wines, we inquired as to the story behind hope & grace. Hope and Grace are the daughters of the winemaker, Charles Hendricks. He had been in the wine business for over 20 years, but this was his first pursuit on his own and it was a relatively new label. We found the wines to be very smooth and of high quality. When I asked about the breadsticks they offered, they showed me which ones were vegan and informed me that all of their wines were vegan as well. Well, that's a plus. This is the first winery I've been to that actually knew offhand if their wines were vegan.

The label on their bottles is very unusual. The picture on the label is actually a painting in this tasting room -- a painting Charles had in his private collection for the past 20 years. He acquired the "Figure in Red," painted by Charles Eckart, from Restaurateur Modesto Lanzone in San Francisco. He chose it for his label because he felt it provoked "emotion, opinion and conversation…just as art and wine should," and it has. It reminds me of the guy from the movie, "Scream."

I have to also mention that I loved their packaging. We decided to join their wine club and also bought some bottles while we were there. They wrapped them up in tissue paper and put them in these very nice, thick bags. I've never had a winery wrap up a bottle that nicely. Their logo is very modern as well.

They offer a selection of wines from many different grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Malbec, and Reisling. I liked one of their Cabernet Sauvignons the best. This label offers extremely limited production wines that are very good.  I would highly recommend stopping by if you are in Yountville and be sure to mention you appreciate them producing vegan wines.

Estadio, DC

After his success with Proof, Mark Kuller decided to try his hand at opening a contemporary restaurant that focused on Spanish cuisine and wine. He called it "Estadio," which means "stadium" in Spanish and opened it in the Logan Circle area in June of 2010. Since then, the popularity of this restaurant has soared as word of its fine cuisine and fine wine spread throughout the city.

My friend and I decided to go to Estadio on a Saturday night around 7 p.m. This usually means a considerable wait as Estadio does not take reservations for parties of less than 6 people after 6 p.m. on any night. When we walked in, we were told there would be a 30 - 60 minute wait. I expected as much. We headed to the bar and just as we were about to order drinks, they said they had seating for us. Wow - in 5 minutes!  We were seated at the bar that allows patrons to watch the chefs in action in their kitchen -- a very cool perspective!

We ordered 2 glasses of wine -- Chris ordered a Tempranillo while I ordered a sparkling wine. I had had that particular Tempranillo before and while I loved it, I wanted to try something different. The sparkling wine was much drier than I was expecting so I asked the waitress if I could order something else and if we could speak to the sommelier. The sommelier approached us quickly to discuss the wine list. He was wearing a t-shirt with a suit jacket and green and yellow tennis shoes -- he was much more casual than I was expecting, but I was fine with that. He advised us on the wines and we ended up ordering a red wine from Rioja -- Bodegas El Indiano El Brozal Rioja Blanco (2009).  This is a great spicy wine that hits you with toasty, warm flavors.

I inquired as to the vegan options and they gave me a different menu that had all of the vegan items in one place. Now, that was a wonderful surprise. I mean, I knew they had vegan options, but for them to take the time to create a vegan menu is going one step above what I would expect. The funny part was that they kept the headings the same as on their regular menu so this menu had an "eggs and fried" section, though, of course, there are no eggs. They also told me that they had discovered that the last item on this menu is not vegan. Other than that, they get a plus one for this one.

We started off with four tapas. The first one to arrive was the blistered padron peppers. These were just peppers that had been fried in a lot of oil topped with shaved sea salt. These hot peppers were delicious, but definitely didn't stand alone as a dish so I was glad there were other tapas coming.

The next plate to arrive was the grilled country bread with tomatoes, olive oil, and sea salt.  This was tasty, but a bit soggy. I would have liked the bread to have been grilled a little more, but, regardless, I still enjoyed this dish.

Next, we received the roasted wild mushrooms with parsley and garlic, which were absolutely delicious. The cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms were sauteed to perfection and lightly seasoned. I loved this dish!

Lastly, we received the sauteed lacinato kale. The kale was blanched and cooked with sherry, garlic, and chili flakes. It was a great texture that went well with the spicy chili flakes.

We had some wine left so we ordered some spicy marcona almonds as well. These were amazing. If you love marcona almonds, you'll really love these.

All in all, this casual restaurant has delectable tapas at reasonable prices ($5 to $8 each). The wine list is great and the service is great. If only they took reservations, they'd be perfect.

Estadio
1520 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 319-1404

Sutra, Seattle

UPDATE: This restaurant has permanently closed.

As I was researching restaurants in Seattle while I was planning my trip, I came across Sutra.  From just what is stated on its website, one would think this was one of the top upscale vegetarian restaurants in the Seattle area. Unfortunately, though, I quickly realized it was not all I thought it would be.  The website didn't actually show pictures of the restaurant, rather just its sign. When we arrived, I thought perhaps we were at the wrong place, but sure enough, this tiny run-of-the-mill building with dumpsters next to it was the restaurant. Already, I wasn't feeling very good about this.

We had arrived a few minutes early so we took a short walk in the neighborhood. Sutra is described as a supper-club type setting with two seatings per night each Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.  Our reservation was for the first seating. At around 6:20 p.m., we went in and were promptly seated near the kitchen. It is a tiny venue that only seats 35 people, but at least there is enough room so you don't feel like you are sitting with the party next to you. The menu is described as 4-course prix fixe "vegetarian" menu.  It states that they can accommodate vegan diets so I was a little worried that this would be a cheese and milk heavy venue that would offer few vegan options. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised to discover that it was 100% vegan. When I called earlier in the day, one of the owners mentioned that they are actually all-vegan, but didn't state so online so as not to scare people away. I guess that is fine, but by stating that they accommodate vegans, one might think they don't serve vegan cuisine regularly. The Millennium in San Francisco also doesn't state that they are vegan on the website, but they don't mention they'll accommodate them. It seems silly and deceptive.

Anyway, we started off by ordering the wine pairing. We were served a Stefany Pizzolato Prosecco while we waited for the first course to be served. During this time, we did a visual scan and discussed the decor inside which was equally as unimpressive as the outside. It was nice that it was an open kitchen so you could watch the chef prepare each course, but the rest of the restaurant left much to be desired. The chairs were cheap folding chairs, the lights looked like they were from Ikea, and the silverware was Ikea-brand. Minus two.

Before they served the first course, the chef rang a gong to get everyone's attention, then spoke a bit about the dishes on the menu. I think that was a nice touch. The first course was described as "Chilled Yellow Watermelon-Lemon Basil-Fresh Cayenne Soup with an Arugula-Carrot-Pickled Fennel Salad finished Truffle Oil and Sesame Crisps."  Yeah, that really is what the dish was called. And not just this dish, but all of them were this descriptive. It was pretty silly.  It is one thing if he was trying to provide an ingredient list, but it is a whole other thing when this is actually the name of the course. Way TMI. The salad, served on a plastic plate, was pretty good. I liked the fennel and lemon taste together, but the sesame crisps just seemed random and unnecessary. The soup was incredibly watery and there was too much cayenne in it. The wine pairing was a white wine -- El Porvenir Laborvm Torrontes, which seemed appropriate.

The second course (I'll spare you the actual description) was a zucchini lasagna with roasted yellow peppers, spigariello (leaf broccoli), and cashew cheese. It was topped with arame, a sea vegetable, olives and a blue chili yuzu dressing. This dish was okay, but certainly not spectacular, and the arame and olives were unnecessary. It felt like the chef was trying to do way too much with each dish in an attempt to sound fancy.  The wine pairing was awful - a rich garnacha, monastrell, tempranillo blend. The dish should have been paired with a light white wine. The wine was overpowering the dish.

The third course was a purple potato gnocchi with capers, parsley and smoked chanterelles in a garlic hempseed sauce. It was served over a bed of kale and Black Cherokee heirloom tomatoes. Woah - there were way too many flavors in this dish! Again, way too much going on! It was very complex. The smoked mushrooms were very off-putting with the gnocchi -- if they had been sauteed in oil, it would have been a nicer flavor. The wine was a Esoterica Chavez-Leeds Vineyard Petite Syrah from "Nappa Valley." The wine was nice, but the misspelling ruined it for me. How does a restaurant misspell Napa?

The fourth and final course was a pecan-fig crusted tart with a caramel cacao coconut cream sauce. The dessert was okay, but not wonderful. I enjoyed the ice cream and thought it was the best part of the dish. The pairing was a wonderful Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth from Oregon.

While the dinner itself was only $35 per person with the wine pairings, tax, and gratuity, it cost about $170 for the two of us, which is not a cheap dinner. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with every aspect of the restaurant from the decor to the food. The service was okay, but nothing to write home about. For that kind of money, I'd expect something better. If you are looking for an okay vegan meal, you can give this place a shot, but don't expect it to be on par with Candle 79.

Sutra
1605 N. 45th St.
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 547-1348

Cork & Fork, DC

When I first moved to the U Street Corridor/Logan Circle area, there weren't any really nice wine stores. I had to buy my wine from U Street Wine and Liquor, Whole Foods, or Yes! Natural Grocers. A few years later, a local wine bar opened a nice wine store called "Cork Market" and everything changed. I soon began buying from them. But then, in May of 2010, a new player emerged and even though their name was similar to the other wine store on 14th Street, I soon discovered just how different they were -- this was "Cork & Fork."

The artwork in the window was created by Dominique's daughter, Antoinette

Cork & Fork, located at 14th and Q Streets NW, has been a welcome addition to this bustling area, bringing fine wines at various price points. Now I know just where to go when I need a great bottle of wine. The family behind this great business is the Landragin's -- Dominique; his wife, Anna; and their daughter, Antoinette. Dominique is a 12th generation winemaker from Champagne, France. In fact, Dominique's family’s winemaking dates back to 1772 when his great-great-grandfather first made champagne. His grandfather was the manager of Veuve Clicquot vineyards in France while his father, Pierre Landragin, was the vineyard manager at Heidsieck Monopole. Dominique graduated from the Beaune Agricultural College, located in Burgundy, in the fields of viticulture and oenology.

I think the first thing I noticed was how pleasant and down to earth he was. Even though he had been a winemaker, he is happy to take the time to help his customers understand his products and the regions from which they originate. From little things such as having a restroom in the store available to customers to bigger things like complimentary wine tastings, the hospitality he offers is unmatched in the area. 

Every Friday and Saturday, they host complimentary wine tastings usually showcasing a number of whites, roses, reds, and even a dessert wine here and there. They usually taste 5 - 10 wines per tasting!  I discovered many of the wines I drink regularly during these wine tastings.

Damien, Dominique, and Matt

Everyone who works there is just as helpful and pleasant as Dominique. He has done a great job at finding knowledgeable, down-to-earth staff members. They often keep the front door open as well. All of this makes for a very inviting atmosphere.

Oh, and did I mention that the selection is fantastic?! All of the wines have been hand picked by Dominique and I'm always pleased with his recommendations. By buying cases of the popular selections, he keeps the prices extremely competitive as well. Have I given you enough reasons to check Cork & Fork out yet?  I could go on, but this post is already too long so I'm signing off and heading over to Cork & Fork to buy some wine.

Black Cat, Boulder

Black Cat is an upscale bistro in downtown Boulder with its own farm from which it sources its vegetables. Although it is not an exclusively vegetarian/vegan restaurant, it had been highly recommended to me by chefs at the cooking school I attended, The School of Natural Cookery, in Boulder.  My friend, Corey, and I dined there last year and it was so enjoyable that I immediately made reservations to go again once I booked this trip. Reservations are encouraged and often necessary.

We were actually seated at the exact same table at which we were seated last year – a quaint bench in the window facing the bar.  Our waiter, Ben, was quick to approach us to explain the menu and the drinks. They have this amazing cocktail list featuring speakeasy-type drinks as well as an extensive wine list. Corey ordered one of the cocktails and I just decided to go with the wine pairing as we already knew we were ordering the 5-course vegan tasting menu…and I wasn’t driving.  The waiter informed us that it is actually 7 courses if you count the intermezzo. Wow. The waiter continued to explain that 70-80% of the food is sourced from their farm and the rest is purchased locally.  He also let us know that the chef would be choosing the entrees and that even he did not know what the chef would choose to serve us until it was served. I love the element of surprise so I was super excited.

We were first served a couple pieces of bread and olive oil. Normally, I wouldn’t even mention bread, but this bread is truly amazing. In fact, I’d say it is probably the best bread I’ve ever had. It is moist, soft, slightly salty…and just amazing. Corey agreed and has even considered asking if he could buy some on a regular basis!

The first course was marinated summer vegetables with spiced walnuts. It was a delicious mix of fresh green beans, root vegetables, broccoli and carrots. The walnuts were exactly what it needed to give it a different kick.  The first wine was a sparkling wine from Austria by V. Szigeti, which was a great pairing.

The second course was a curried coconut soup with a squash blossom from the farm. This soup had a fantastic flavor to it and it was appropriately paired with a minerally white whine from the Franken region of Germany by Hans Wirsching (2009).

The third course was this amazingly fresh Dolmades stuffed with spiced Farro and sprinkled with fine lemon zest. It was laying over an amazing green tomato basil sauce. The basil sauce paired with the citrus gave it a unique and unexpected flavor. The wine pairing with this dish was a sparkling Pinot Noir from France by V. Albrecht.

The fourth course was a lentil fritter surrounded by curried carrots and squash and topped with a pistachio korma. This Indian-inspired dish was absolutely spectacular. I would have been satisfied to have had an entrée of just this dish for dinner.  It was paired with an amazing Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan blend from Cotes du Rhone by Domaine des Escaravailles (2009). This was one of my favorite wines of the night.

I took a few bites before I photographed the lentil fritter. :(

The fifth course was a squash risotto with a creamy coconut base topped with a squash blossom. Again, this dish was delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever had a risotto with coconut milk, but it works quite well with the Arborio rice. This dish was paired with a 100% Gamay from the Beaujolais region of France by Christian Vergier (2009). Very nice.

The sixth “course” was the intermezzo of a sorbet, which was fine, but nothing really special. At this point they brought out not one, but two, dessert wines – one white and one red.  They were both spectacular. The red was a Grenache from Banyuls, France by Les Clos de Paulilles (2008) while the white was a Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc from Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont in Bordeaux, France by Chateau La Rame (2005).

The seventh and final course was a variety of strawberries, champagne-dried apricots, dried apples, and pistachios paired with a dark chocolate sauce. This was a nice light ending to a magnificent meal.

I think the chefs at this restaurant are amazing. I know that there are many of them under the direction of Eric Skokan and they are all amazing.  This has to have been one of the best dining experiences of my life. The dishes were unique, creative, and inventive; the wines were spectacular; and the service was exquisite. It is pricey, but appropriately so at $62 for the tasting menu and an additional $37 for the wine pairing. This is a must-visit restaurant for anyone in the Boulder area. And, for anyone doing a foodie tour of the U.S., this restaurant should be on the top of your list. 5 stars.

Black Cat
1964 13th Street
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 444-5500