Friday, July 21, 2017

A Perfectly Peachy Pairing

The Lurton Family Wine Dinner last week was a heartwarming affair for longtime fans of Sevy's Grill. Sevy's is no stranger to wine dinners. In his opening remarks Jim 'Sevy' Severson, owner and chef claimed that it was his 160th and no one doubted him. BUT it was the first time in my sixteen years that Sigel's has hosted a Bordeaux Dinner at Sevy's. They tend more toward the French side of the cookbooks.

The food was delicious, paired perfectly with the wines but the food remained Sevy's through and through. The Duck Confit was rich and filling, the Waygu Porterhouse had just that sweet touch of smoke.

But the knockout punch was the Peach Cobbler with Ham Orchard Peach Ice Cream and what made it great was the seamless transition to the spectacular 2005 Chateau Climens Barsac. The wine's rich flavors of roasted pineapple and baked peaches made it difficult to tell where the flavor of the dessert ended and the wine began. Truly glorious. So much so that most diners drank most of their wine. Which is rare. Usually glasses of Sauternes remain untouched. Dallas does not like sweet wine.

And that's the end of the post. Almost. About the wine:

Although the two appellations are neighbors, Barsac wines tend to be a little fresher and less creamy than Sauternes  due in large part to the silt soils. The 2005 Climens was just beginning to transition from its primary flavors to its mature secondary flavors which are caused by the slow aging and oxidation of the wine. Vivid flavors of pure perfumed fruits and sugars begin to take on the flavors of baked, roasted or dried fruits, the sugars begin to caramelize and the wine becomes richer and more complex. The  color changes as well darkening from yellow gold to rich burnished tones.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Still Buzzin 1.0: Tequila with David Suro-Pinero

My head's still buzzin' after the three and a half hour master seminar/tasting with the legendary David Suro-Pinero the other day. It was a small knowledgeable group and David was able to use his Tequila 101 slides but go way beyond the basics. Way beyond. Rather than me summarize, I found this recording of a training class he did a year or so ago. Take the time, if possible have a spot of Tequila and enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LG1MISYiiI

written May 2016, never posted.

What's Buzzin' in My Head: Tequila

No, it's not that. I did not sample a few too many last night. Though I did mean to have a spot of something but I fell asleep instead.

No, I attended a tasting, well it was more like a seminar on artisanal Agave distillates with the legendary Tequila producer and advocate David Suro. David is from Jalisco but wound up opening a Mexican restaurant twenty years ago in Philadelphia that he ambitiously named Tequilas, although at the time he could only source five major label Tequilas from the state controlled liquor stores in Pennsylvania. For the last twenty years David has pursued the highest quality Tequilas with a passionate intensity, becoming not only a producer with his own labels, but a major voice in the industry.

And make no mistake, David loves to share his passion for all things Agave. I could go on, but go to You Tube and search David Suro Tequila and spend some time. Here's a link to a presentation he did a couple of years ago. He starts at the basics and expands. Take some time, have a glass of Tequila and enjoy.

David Suro-Pinero Presents Siembra Azul

If you want a deeper discussion read Divided Spirits by Sarah Bowen. Available from Amazon.

Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal and the Politics of Production

Oh, we did taste.

Written May 2016, never posted.