JUNE 2021
EVENT REPORT:
PRESIDENT’S COUPLES SPRING FLING 2021
ALSO INSIDE • Right Bank vs. Left Bank in Bordeaux Blast from the Past • Upcoming Omaha Branch Events
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
EDITOR’S E
CORNER
very April, it is Omaha Branch tradition that the President has a couple’s event. One year into his two year term, President Mark Stokes chose Happy Hollow Club. The new Executive Chef, Brendon Brown gave us an imaginative dinner on a nice spring evening. It was nice enough that some HHC members were playing golf. Read about the dinner in the Event Report within. Lowell Wilke asked me to do a story on the difference between Bordeaux Right and Left Banks. He is going to have that wine comparison at his June Event at Au Courant. Bordeaux is a large area, and there seems to be an exception to every rule. But one of the first things you typically learn about Bordeaux is this split between the Left and Right Banks of the River Garonne. So what is the difference? The short answer is that the Right Bank has more Merlot and is softer. But why is Merlot prominent? Not surprisingly, the answer boils down to terroir, and what kinds of soil the different grape varietals prefer. Give the article a read. You will probably find something you didn’t know even if you are familiar with Bordeaux. Les Zanotti gave me some pictures for Blast from the Past. The nice thing was, this time, all the people were identified. Some members have had trouble reading the Gazette on issuu.com, Or, they don’t want to sign in, which means you can’t even read the Gazette at all. They prefer a PDF since all you have to do is click it open. We have decided to offer it in both formats. In your email, a PDF will be sent along with the issuu.com link. The advantage of issuu.com is that you can see both right and left pages, like a paper magazine. Our PDF only lets you view one page at a time.
Tom Murnan Cover Photo: President Mark Stokes, Executive Chef Brenden Brown, Donelle Stokes. Photo by Tom Murnan
“It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong.” F ro m T he Best of t he Cockle Bur comp il ed a nd edi t ed by H a rry B Ot is, 3rd P residen t 1973-1974
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
EVENT REPORT:
President’s Couples Spring Fling 2021 Written by Tom Murnan Photos by Tom Murnan & Ron Policky
O
ne year into his two year term, President Mark Stokes chose Happy Hollow Club, and with it Executive Chef Brenden Brown, to cook our Couples Spring Fling themed wine dinner. We had the dining space that faces the east and the 18th hole with its gorgeous view of the grounds. The group was cozy in this smaller room, with 40 people attending. Quaffing our quality Branch Cellar wines, we accompanied them with an unusual Cocoa & Coriander Foie Gras Mousse Barquettes and Scallop Ceviche in Cucumber Cups. An imaginative dish, the decadent and umami foie gras was piped onto small boat carved vegetable base with chocolate dusted atop the liver. The scallop appetizer was more traditional, sitting atop cucumber slices, mixed with corn kernels and spices. Our first sit down course was basically a high end salad with a cheesecake which was not sweet. Aged White Cheddar Cheese Cake with Granola Crust, Prairie Breeze, Crème Fraiche Apple Silk, Peppery Greens, Golden Raisins, Pickled Onions, Sweet Bacon, and Apple Cider Vinaigrette were the building blocks of this course. The Lucien Crochet Sancerre 2018 was a nice minerally white wine pairing. The Crème Fraische dressing was wine friendly and complemented the Sancerre.
Colorado Lamb two ways was second. Roasted Chop, Braised Neck Noisette, Minted Pea Puree, Sherry Glazed Cippolini, Cranberry Citrus Gremola and Natural Juices composed this complex dish with many different flavors. The two ways were baked Rack of Lamb and a noisette, which in French is literally hazelnut, but they are describing a round piece of meat, in this case, made from the neck meat and then braised. A deeply brown sauce joined the two cooking methods. It was interesting to compare the two cuts of lamb. We had two wines to pair, both Pinot Noir based. The Louis Latour Corton 2012 came from France. Corton is an important appellation in Burgundy. This was contrasted to the Goldeneye Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley 2016. The California wine was riper and more rounded, while the Corton was structured and a little dryer. Our last meat course was Sous Vide Prime Strip Loin, Pommes Dauphine, Glazed Vegetables, Os à Molle de Boeuf with Sauce Marchand de Vin. The beef was slowly cooked in water pouch to preserve its flavors and exit its bath at just the right cooked temperature, then given a quick browning on a very hot pan. Os à molle is
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a baked slice of marrow bone with its soft marrow inside, which serves to enhance the flavor of the beef. Pommes Dauphine are mashed potatoes wrapped with choux pastry and deep fat fried, making for a very light styled potato side. This time our red wines turned to Cabernet Sauvignon. We compared Hall Winery 1873 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2013 to Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2017. The Hall emerged as the better wine, mostly perhaps because if its older age. But both wines paired well with the beef. Flourless Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Essence, Fresh Blackberries and Praline finished our meal. Dense and intensely chocolat-ly it was a great match to the Taylor Fladgate Vintage Porto. Vintage Ports always seem to go well with a bit of chocolate. Thanks goes out to Executive Chef Brenden Brown and his talented cooking and wait staff. Service was attentive, and the meal delicious. Thanks as well to our producer, President Mark Stokes, who coordinated everything and selected the wines.
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
RIGHT BANK VS. LEFT BANK IN BORDEAUX BY TOM MURNAN
I
f there is just one takeaway idea you should remember on the difference between the Left Bank and the Right Bank in Bordeaux, and this is a vast simplification, it is that the Left Bank (LB) is Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, while the Right Bank (RB) favors Merlot and Cabernet Franc. So this means that the LB wines tend to be more structured, tannic and require longer aging than the RB, which, because of its higher percentage of Merlot, is a bit softer and less tannic on the palate. Again, this is a simplification and there are a lot of exceptions. Familiarize yourself with the map of Bordeaux. The Gironde estuary takes water from two major rivers, the Garonne and Dordogne, and sends it to the Atlantic Ocean. Looking northward on your map of Bordeaux, the LB is on the west side of the Gironde Estuary and the Garonne River. The Northern LB includes the Médoc, Haut Médoc, and communes of Margaux, St-Julien, Pauillac, St-Estèphe, Moulis, and Listrac. The Southern LB includes the areas south of the city of Bordeaux: PessacLéognan, Graves and Sauternes. There is a total of 14,926 Hectares under vine. The RB is on the east and north side of the Gironde Estuary and Garonne River. It includes the communes of St-Émilion, Pomerol, Lalande de Pomerol, St-Émilion Satellites (St-Georges, Montagne, Lussac and Puisseguin), Castillion & Francs, Bourg & Blaye, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac.
Pauillac, from the Left Bank, has more First Growths than any other AOC
Right Bank Premier Grand Cru Classe A
TERROIR
Terroir is the key to understanding why Cabernet is predominantly grown in the LB, while Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown in the RB. To start out, the soil of Bordeaux is rather poor for regular agriculture, but inhospitable soil is good for growing grapes. The reason for the difference in dominant grape blends is due to soil differences. Certain grape varietals prefer different kinds of soil. The soil consistency does Page 14 · 2021 ·
three things. 1. It makes the temperature of the soil warmer or cooler which affects the vine roots. 2. It allows for more or less water to get to the roots. 3. It controls the flow of nutrients and minerals to the grape vine. So, for example, clay is cooler than gravel. Clay also holds more water than gravel, which could be important in times of drought. But if the clay has gravel below it, it will drain excess water away naturally. And the flow of minerals, especially nitrogen, to the vines is important. The LB has mostly gentle slopes with varying degrees of gravel, sand, limestone, clay and stones, which is good for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon. So, for red varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon is king, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Lesser grape varietals are Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere. White varietals include Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Gris. About 1% consist of Colombard, Folle Blanche, and Ugni Blanc. Primarily, for the LB, the soils are gravel based. This forces the grapes to dig deep into the soil past the gravel to seek nutrients. Gravel also reflects sunlight back onto the leaves and radiates heat back at night. The RB is known for its limestone, clay, gravel, iron and sand deposits. For example, there is a famous limestone plateau that runs through St-Émilion, which also includes clay and loam. Towards the bottom of the slope you get a mixture of clay, sand and limestone called Calcaire. Limestone came from ancient sea beds and consists mostly of sea shells but also the remains of sea animals. It gives the vines a high concentration of calcium carbonate. Limestone retains water in dry seasons, and sheds water in wet.
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
It also imparts minerals while adding pH to the soil. Moving towards Pomerol, the soil changes to gravel, clay, limestone, and sand which Cabernet Franc especially likes. Clay is produced from degrading limestone, which is why you frequently find both limestone and clay in the same areas. Clay retains water and minerals. St-Émilion grows 70% Merlot, followed by Cabernet Franc, because of its affinity to clay soil. Likewise, Pomerol's dominant grape is 70% Merlot, again because Merlot prefers clay. Pomerol has a ridge of clay called the Pomerol Plateau. Besides retaining water, clay also expands and contracts, making it easier for the vines to burrow their roots, but the best clay is dense and virtually impenetrable. Château Petrus has blue clay soil, called Smectite clay, considered the best of the clays. It is so dense that it is almost impossible for the vine roots to penetrate. The entire vineyard is on blue clay. All the best Pomerol properties are on the Pomerol Plateau. So, RB varietals are primarily Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Total area under vines just for St-Émilion and Pomerol is 6369 hectares.
OTHER DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LB AND RB
Left Bank Château Latour in Pauillac
The famous 1855 Classification was a LB affair. The greatest wine marketing idea even to this day, the quality of wines were divided into 6 sections, from First Growth to 5th Growth, with Château d'Yquem (Sauternes) being given a one-step-higher rank of First Growth Superior. This famous classification was only for the Médoc, however. Since 1855, there has been only one change, when Château Mouton Rothschild was raised (with a lot of lobbying by Baron Philippe de Rothschild) from a Second Growth to a First Growth. One problem with no updates on the wines is that properties would sit on their laurels and slowly degrade in quality. This was especially true in the 1970s. With the advent of professional wine reviewers, their ratings have prompted properties to strive for the best. White wines were also included in the 1855 ranking, especially Sauternes and Barsac. > June 2021 · Page 15
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
< In contrast, the RB did not rank their wines for another 100 years. Their rating system came out in 1955 and is called the St-Émilion Classification. It has the advantage that it can be adjusted every 10 years. In reality, though, it has not been done in 10 year intervals. Rather, changes were made in 1969, 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2012. Properties have been elevated or demoted based on the quality of their wine, which would seem to be a more user friendly approach for the aficionado who wants to seek out the best wines. In fact though it can be confusing with changes all the time. Another major difference between the 1855 Medoc Classification is that in the St-Émilion system, the evaluation is based on the terroir and the vineyard, not the actual bottled wine that comes from the château. The 1955 Classification of St-Émilion wines have four levels: 1. Premier Cru Classé A. Originally only Ausone and Cheval Blanc, but in 2012 Angelus and Pavie were added. 2. Premier Grand Cru Classé B. Approximately 15 Châteaux, including Canon, Canon La Gaffelière, Figeac, Clos Fourtet, La Mondotte and Troplong Mondot 3. Grand Cru Classé Wines From St Emilion. Approximately 63 Château including Barde Haut, Corbin, Fleur Cardinale, Clos de la Madeleine, Ripeau, and La Tour Figeac, among others. 4. Grand Cru. Currently more than 200 properties. RB Pomerol, the smallest major Bordeaux appellation at 800 hectares with vines, still does not have a classification system despite having such luminaries as Château Petrus, Le Pin and Lafleur which cost more than a Medoc First Growth. LB Graves instituted a classification in 1959 since only Haut Brion was included in the 1855 Classification. Sources: thewinecellarinsider.com/ wine-topics/what-is-the-difference-between-right-bank-and-left-bank-bordeaux-wine/; thewinecellarinsider.com/ bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/ graves-pessac/haut-brion/; thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/dirty-little-secret-soilterroir-bordeaux/; thewinecellarinsider.com/ bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/ list-of-current-st-emilion-classifications/;
Pomerol's Château Petrus
Right Bank's Château Ausone in St-Emilion
thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-emilion/premiergrand-cru-classe-st-emilion-producer-chateau-vineyard-guide/; Map of Bordeaux: https:// shop.winefolly.com/products/bordeaux-wine-region-map-poster?variant=16876056069¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAjwvMqDBhB8EiwA2iSmPO5cT5PZ4iJMbtkjiok4_YI9twFr-BaU1ljcX-0UyWicxEtf1uBw3hoC8N8QAvD_BwE; Cover Map: https:// www.thesommelierchef.com/article/left-right-bank-bordeaux-difference
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Photos from Les Zanotti. Year Unknown. Pat Brookhauser
Jeff Deeths 12th President & Chairman of the Council of Management over the entire IWFS
L to R Penny Davis, Herman Goldstein 13th President, Morris Caudle
Dick Coffey
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
John Fischer, 18th & 26th President, Penny Davis, Herman Goldstein 13th President
Tom Gallagher, 14th President Dick Booth
Erwin Siegler (standing), 16th President Art Burcher
Lee Roberts, 20th President
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
UPCOMING OMAHA BRANCH EVENTS Mark Your Calendars! JUN
MODERN EUROPEAN CUISINE AND WINES COUPLES DINNER Au Courant Producer: Lowell Wilhite
JUL
STAG Flemings Bordeaux vs. Insignia Napa Cab Producer: Mike Wilke
6 8 26 11 10 7 AUG
STAG Venue TBD Producer: Tad Singer
SEP
FOURTH ANNUAL FESTA ITALIANA DINNER POOLSIDE, COUPLES Doctors Iris & Gary Moore Lake House Pasta Amore Chef Enzo Producer: Mike Wilke
OCT
STAG Trap Shoot at Harry A Koch Trap & Skeet Range Rhone Ranger 6 dinner at Champions Run Producer: Tom Murnan
NOV
STAG 801 Chophouse 100 point Napa Cab vs. Bordeaux First Growth Producer: Dave Thrasher
HOSTING AN EVENT? Let us know when, where and a little bit about what’s going on! We would love to include YOUR event on the calendar! Email details to: murnantom@gmail.com
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
June 2021 Purpose: To meet communication and service needs, to broaden participation and understand and to be an information exchange for the membership of The International Wine & Food Society in the Americas. Publisher: Todd Lemke Editor: Tom Murnan Graphic Designer: Omaha Magazine, LTD.
THE INTERNATIONAL WINE & FOOD SOCIETY OF LONDON, ENGLAND OM A H A, NEBR A SK A BR A NCH - E X ECU T I V E COM MIT TEE PR ESI DENT: Mark Stokes............................................................... mark_stokes@aig.com
This Quick Response Code (QR-Code) can be scanned with a scanner app on your smart phone to take the reader directly to the Omaha Branch web site.
V ICE PR ESI DENT / SECR ETA RY: Dave Thrasher.................... dave@supportworks.com TR EASU R ER: Les Zanotti................................................................ zanol@cox.net
W I N E CELLA R M ASTER: Duke Matz....................................... dmatz@darland.com M EM BERSH I P CH A I R M A N: Joe Goldstein.............................. goldie2@cox.net
Joe Goldstein Steve Hipple Todd Lemke
B OA R D O F D I R E C T O R S : John Matthews Duke Matz Tom Murnan
Tad Singer Mark Stokes Dave Thrasher
Lowell Wilhite Mike Wilke Les Zanotti
KEEP IN TOUCH! Please notify Club President, Mark Stokes, 402-679-7317 or via email at mark_stokes@aig.com to let him know if you are interested in hosting an IWFS event.
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE MEMBERS WILL BE POSTED ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Like us on FACEBOOK (IWFSOmaha): facebook.com/IWFSOmaha and follow us on TWITTER (IWFSOmaha): twitter.com/IWFSOmaha
All versions of Wine & Food Gazette are published monthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha, NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000. No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. The opinions expressed in this publication, except as specifically stated to the contrary, are solely the opinion of the author and do no necessarily represent the views of the Board of Governors of the Americas. The International Wine & Food Society, LTD., the publisher and any officer, director, member or agent thereof. The international Wine & Food Society does not endorse advertisers’ products and is not responsible for damages incurred from the use of such products nor does it guarantee such products.