"This Week" at Vino and Hiroshi
Facebook: Become Chuck Furuya’s friend
if you love wine, check out my “Wall of Photos” & captions
Wine Writer Stephen Tanzer Launches Winophilia
Wine Tasting—“Red Zinfandel” Wednesday, July 14th 6:00 pm
Saturday Night "Supper" @ VINO Saturday, July 17th
Wine Tasting—“Some of our Favorite Wines from Provence” Thursday, July 22nd 6:00 pm
“Ulupalakua Ranch Spring Lamb” Thursday, July 22nd
Wine Tasting—“2006 Costa de Oro Wines” Wednesday, July 28th 6:00 pm
VINO’s BYOB Dinner: Saturday, July 31st 6PM
Hiroshi July Locally Grown Menu Happy Hour at VINO and Hiroshi
"Now On To Wines"
Facebook: Become Chuck Furuya’s friend
Imagine, the kids are teaching me how to do Facebook. I am definitely not very good at it, but am REALLY excited about what can be done via this venue. As an example, if one looks at the photo section, we have been able to post some really cool pictures of vineyards, wine personalities, etc. Hopefully, this is just the beginning. Remembering the old saying, ”a picture is worth a 1000 words”? Hopefully, these pictures will add more dimension for you in understanding wine, especially ‘good” wine.
Stephen Tanzer Launches Winophilia
As wine enthusiasts well know, one of the very top wine publications is the International Wine Cellar by wine writer Stephen Tanzer. His assessments and insights into wines are usually spot on. Anyway, he has launched a website worth checking out, Winophilia. Check out this month’s “Sommelier Picks”. My post is in there somewhere.
Wine Tasting—“Red Zinfandel” Wednesday, July 14th 6:00 pm
Which is the best Red Zin out of California? If you have read the latest issue of the Wine Spectator, the answer would be the 2007 Carlisle “Papera Vineyard” which garnered 96 points. So we thought let’s check it out. We will taste FIVE superstar Zinfandels (from different vintages)….BLIND. Let’s see who comes out on top.
Here is the line-up…
2002 Scherrer Zinfandel “Old & Mature”
vines planted in 1912, 1978, 1982, 1986, & crafted by a Pinot specialist
2005 Edmeades Zinfandel “Ciapusci Vineyard”
vines planted in the late 1800’s high atop Mendocino Coastal Ridge facing the ocean
2006 Hartford Court Zinfandel “Highwire Vineyard”
100 plus year old vines in the heart of the Russian River valley
2007 Carlisle Zinfandel “Papera Vineyard”
planted in 1934 in the Russian River Valley
2008 Turley Zinfandel “Rattlesnake Ridge”
perched high atop Howell Mountain. 92 to 94 points
There you have it, five sensational wines, two ounces each … $42 a person (not including tax or gratuity).
By Reservations only….533-4476 or email Sade…. svillatora@dkrestaurants.com
Saturday Night "Supper" @ VINO Saturday, July 17th
Saturday Night "Supper" is a new concept for us. For our guests, it offers a three course, value dinner and every one will offer new dishes. Since we will pair wine with two of the courses, it also reiterates the "wine served at the dinner table" culture. Lastly it gives Keith, our staff and of course our regular guests a chance to experience something new. Most importantly, it should be fun! The last 4 were terrific & everyone had a blast! Our next one will be on Saturday, July 17th, starting at 5:30pm.
Here is the menu………..
First course
VINO Fresh Island Fish Salad
Maunawili Farms tender greens with fennel pollen crusted swordfish,
Naked Cow Dairy feta cheese, & a sherry vinaigrette
WINE: 2008 Primaterra Pinot Grigio
Main course
Chef Keith’s Fresh Papadelle Pasta
with braised oxtail ragout
WINE: 2008 Tormaresca “Neprica”
Dessert
Jen’s Homemade Tiramisu
$33 a person (NOT including tax & gratuity)
Just so it is clear, we will offer this menu only on Saturday… individual table seating.
By Reservations only, 533-4476 or email Sade @ svillatora@dkrestaurants.com
Wine Tasting “Some of our Favorite Wines from Provence” Thurs, July 22 6:00 pm
Provence is an amazing, magical region in southern France emptying right into the Mediterranean. They have their own culture, their own style of foods and their own, VERY unique wines. Some of my favorite French wines come from Provence, one from the appellation of Cassis and the other three from Bandol down the coast. Why? Check out my Facebook “photo wall” and see Clos Ste Magdeleine’s incredible vineyard jutting out into one of bluest (with countless hues of blues) waters in the world and you will get an idea. There is truly only one Provence. On this night, we will try FIVE of our favorites…
2009 Clos Ste Magdeleine Cassis Blanc
2009 Clos Ste Magdeleine Cassis Rose
2004 Domaine Terrebrune Bandol
2006 Domaine Gros Nore Bandol
2003 Domaine Tempier Bandol “La Tourtine”
Be careful…..you might get addicted like I did.
There you have it, five sensational wines, two ounces each … $45 a person (not including tax or gratuity).
By Reservations only….533-4476 or email Sade…. svillatora@dkrestaurants.com
“Ulupalakua Ranch Spring Lamb” Thursday, July 22nd
VINO Chef Keith Endo has bought a whole Spring lamb from Maui’s Ulupalakua Ranch & will create some specials on this night.
Wine Tasting—“2006 Costa de Oro Wines” Wednesday, July 28th 6:00
We are HUGE fans of Gary Burk and his Costa de Oro wines. They always are so classy, seamless, intricate, well balanced with superb texture. This is the VERY reason why we asked him to orchestrate our very own CF Pinot Noir, (which we have been absolutely thrilled with each and every vintage.) One of our favorite line-up of these wines are from the much maligned, “ugly duckling” 2006 vintage, generally panned by all the critics, no one says we follow the herd. It is not to be different, it REALLY is because we think these four Costa de Oro wines are superb, in fact even better than the much ballyhoo-ed ‘07’s and ‘08’s. The wines are much more ethereal, earth driven and lighter on their feet without compromising class, intricacy and transparency. We love these wines and think you will too!
Here is the line-up…
2006 Chardonnay “Gold Coast Vineyard”
2006 Pinot Noir “Gold Coast Vineyard”
2006 Pinot Noir “Oro Rojo”
2006 Pinot Noir “Dijon Clones”
There you have it, four sensational wines, two ounces each … $32 a person (not including tax or gratuity).
By Reservations only….533-4476 or email Sade…. svillatora@dkrestaurants.com
VINO’s BYOB Dinner Saturday July 31st 6PM
A new concept, first we ask VINO Chef Keith Endo to create a three course menu and then ask participants to bring what they think are appropriate wines (SERVED BLIND) for two of the courses. Then we compare…sounds like a lot of fun to me AND most importantly should shed a lot of insights into better understanding the how’s and why’s of wine & food pairing. Now, WHO is game? This last one was a kick in the pants good fun….AND very insightful……in fact, quite the learning opportunity. We will announce Keith’s menu shortly.
“Locally Grown” Menu… @ Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas
Chef Hiroshi Fukui will feature a new “locally grown” four course menu each month on SUNDAYS & MONDAYS ONLY.
$35 per person (not including tax & gratuity)
For July…
First Course
Maui Cattle Beef Teriyaki Sushi
pickled red ginger, shiso & white sesame seeds
Second Course
Sous Vide of Kona Cold Lobster Tail
squid ink pasta, brussels sprout, red jalapeno & beurre blanc, white truffle oil
Main Course
Peppercorn Crusted Ahi Steak
Ho Farm’s long beans, Big Island heart of palm with foie gras ponzu demi & pasta
Sweet Course
Hawaiian Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
fresh fruits with mango sorbet
Call now for reservations and be sure to mention that you are having
the Locally Grown Menu to ensure we don’t run out!
Reservations--533-4476 or email Sade…. svillatora@dkrestaurants.com
HAPPY HOUR IN VINO & HIROSHI EURASION TAPAS "at the bar seats only"
We are offering a 50% discount on food for those sitting at the VINO bar and Hiroshi bar from 5:30 to 6:30 pm on a first come first served basis. All orders must be in by 6:30 pm. (Vino food is only available when Vino is open for regular business) It is a great opportunity to have a bite to eat instead of fighting the traffic.
Here is an excerpt from Stephen Tanzer’s Winophilia website which I hope you find as insightful as I do.
André Ostertag, Domaine Ostertag (France). The single most important change I have made in my winemaking practice is not a technical change but a mental one. The change I made is inside me: I learned to be more relaxed about winemaking. I learned to accept that I can’t control everything—every single yeast or bacteria development, every pH or alcohol level. I learned that winemaking is like surfing on a wave. You’re dealing with a living system, and this life force is stronger than you, so the best thing you can do is follow the stream and become the wave.
I’m not a surfer; I live too far from the ocean. It’s just in my imagination! But for me a wine is like a big wave: you have to put your mind inside to really feel its deep soul. And then you are able to accept things you were unable to accept before, things like malolactic fermentation, volatile acidity, reduction, oxidation. All these things you that you previously considered as problems, you suddenly discover they contribute to the personality of your wine. Winemaking is more than technical: winemaking is, above all, spiritual.
And I remember often what René Lafon, my master, said to me as a young student: “Le plus dur dans la vinification ce n’est pas de faire, mais c’est de ne rien faire!” [“The hardest thing during vinification isn’t to do something but to do nothing.”]
Now on to Wines...
Why do we change the wines by the glass so often? The answer is to try and experience the WORLD of wines.
If we change two wines a week, that means 104 new wines to try for the year. That is the fun part of it all, isn’t it?
“Summer” Wines
It is the 2nd week of July, which right in the tenderloin of Summer. It is a time for lighter wines, sparkling, white, rose AND red. Here are two for your consideration. After tasting them, I really believe you will agree, they are really good, especially now.
2009 MARCEL LAPIERRE Raisins Gaulois NEW By The Glass
This is a quintessential VINO style wine, absolutely delicious, incredibly food friendly and gulpable. How did we find this wine? Marcel Lapierre is one of the revolutionary winemaking GIANTS of France’s Beaujolais region. It doesn’t stop there, as his winemaking philosophies and culture resonate throughout France. He is a pioneer and one who has changed the game. Where most may say he is an innovator, if one looks more closely, he is actually going back to basics by farming the grapes and making the wines as naturally as possible. His are not trendy, there is absolutely genius here. His reputation? One can find his Morgon red wines in all of the finest restaurants and rightfully so. He will say his Morgon is his showpiece. I believe this wine is what he would serve at his dinner table. Interestingly though, this cuvee has similar intriguing, dark, granite born characteristics of the vineyard with the generous, ripe, viscous, gorgeous fruit of the remarkable 2009 vintage (which you are sure to hear more and more about) and the classy, seamless qualities only he can do. Well worth checking out!
2008 EVENING LAND Pinot Noir “Wiliamette Valley” NEW By The Glass
Right now VINO is offering the much more masculine Pinot under “The Paring” label. (Insiders know this is from the Screaming Eagle/Jonata group.) As terrific as this may be, we decided to ALSO offer another pedigree Pinot, but one done in a much more feminine, lovely supremely elegant style, therefore much more apropos for sipping in the Summer’s warm weather. These grapes come from Oregon with brighter, more cranberry-wild cherry nuances and vinified by the superstar French winemaking tandem of Dominique Lafon and Christophe Vial.