JULY 2021
EVENT REPORT: BARBEQUE, WINE & CIGAR STAG AT VICTORY LANE
ALSO INSIDE • Winery Profile: Château Larcis Ducasse, Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B 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
CORNER
EDITOR’S ow. Now for something completely different! The W venue for our Barbeque, Wine and Cigar Stag was fabulous. This takes the concept of a man cave to a whole new
level. The first in the Omaha area, Victory Lane is the result of Robert Foster and three other investors to provide a great venue for their antique and special cars and motorcycles. Foster, and partners Scott Rouse, Bill Peel, and Mike Welniak checked out sites in four other major cities before investing. It was conceived as a safe and secure place to store collector's vehicles in a showroom atmosphere where it would also function as a gathering spot for parties, other car collectors, or just guests. It is not a vehicle repair area. There are 55 units condominiums, so you can sell the space if you ever need to leave. There are three sizes of customizable floor plans, from 850 to 1,190 square feet. Some condos have a mezzanine, for example. The units can hold from 4 to 8 vehicles. Victory Lane has a race track vibe to it, complete with a 30 foot tall flag tower which includes a viewing platform. Inside each unit there are 25 foot ceilings with appropriately large garage door(s). Owners can customize the inside, but not the exterior. Foster said 70% of the stalls are sold, but there is enough land to expand. Finding the perfect location took four years. They wanted to be near the open road, on the edge of town, but near restaurants and other amenities. They succeeded brilliantly. So, the car theme jazzed up our wine and barbeque food theme. Master Smoker Leonard Hawkins provided us with some bodacious BBQ. It seemed the perfect culinary selection for a laid back car party. I liked Foster's 1962 Corvette and the 1958 BMW Isetta 300, the Bubble Car, a tiny three wheeled vehicle. One less wheel meant the German tax man couldn't charge you as much. Daniela De La Guardia of DLG Cigars was also on hand to help with the service, but more importantly to provide hand-rolled cigars which she rolls herself. Read about the event described by event producer Duke Matz in this Gazette. At the June 6 Modern European Cuisine and Wine couples event at Au Courant, we compared a Right Bank Bordeaux to a Left Bank. The Right Bank selection was Château Larcis Ducasse Grand Cru Classé B from the Saint Emilion area of Bordeaux. Saint Emilion started its own classification system a century after the more famous Medoc (Left Bank) classification. They have divided their top wines into Classé A and B. Many of these top wines are underrepresented in our market place, so I thought a winery profile on Larcis would be educational. Give it a read. 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: Robert Foster's 1962 Corvette. Photo by Tom Murnan.
“I've got insomnia so bad, doctor, I can't even sleep when it's time to get up.” 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
July 2021 · Page 3
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Event Report:
BARBEQUE, WINE & CIGAR STAG AT VICTORY LANE V I C TO R Y L A N E | T H U R S DAY, M AY 13 , 2 0 2 1
E V E N T C H A I R S : R O B E R T F O S T E R & D U K E M AT Z
B
Written by Duke Matz Photos by Tom Murnan & Ron Policky
uilding on the Omaha Branch’s prior May cigar stag events, the 2021 version reappeared at a new venue with a new culinary theme and new cigar vendor. Needless to say, this BBQ, Wine & Cigar Stag was a great success with 48 attendees, including 16 guests. The event was held in Robert Foster’s personal unit in the recently opened Victory Lane, Omaha’s only private car condo complex. The garage venue was adorned with Robert’s collectible cars and motorcycles and a very full bar. Many thanks to Robert for offering to provide the location and co-hosting the event. Attendees were greeted by a selection of fine wines from the Omaha Branch Cellar and a selection of charcuterie. They were also encouraged to peruse the cigar display provided by DLG Cigars and to peruse the open car condos nearby. After quaffing, the attendees were treated to a four-course meal prepared by competition smoker, Leonard Hawkins of Baby Back BBQ. Each entrée course was accompanied by a traditional and a non-traditional wine pairing so attendees could compare each on a side-by-side basis. The first dish was smoked chicken breast with a broccoli raisin salad, paired with a Maximin Grunhauser Harrenberg Riesling Kabinett 2018 (WS93, RP92) and for
the non-traditional pairing, A.P. Vin Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014 (WS93, RP93) from the Omaha Branch cellar. While an informal survey of the tables showed that most preferred the sweetness of the Riesling with the smoked chicken, some did prefer the fruitiness of the Pinot Noir. The second course was Leonard’s signature baby back ribs with a delicious corn salad and baked beans. This dish was paired with Turley Juvenile Zinfandel 2014 (WS92, RP92) and Domaine Villeneuve Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (WS94, RP91), both from the Omaha cellar. Most preferred the bold fruit of the traditional Zinfandel with the pork ribs, but the peppery Châteauneuf-du-Pape provided an interesting contrast, especially when BBQ sauce was added to the mix. The final entrée course consisted of brisket burnt ends with potato salad and a dinner roll. The succulent beef brisket was paired with Catena Alta Malbec 2016 (RP94) and Lewis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (WS94). The slightly less traditional pairing of Cabernet gave the traditional Malbec a good run for its money in votes when paired with smoked beef. This was likely due to the popularity of Lewis Cabernet in the group as evidenced by the fact that most preferred the Lewis over the Catena Malbec when considered on its own.
Page 4 · 2021 ·
The final dessert dish of sour cream pear pie with Doisy Vedrines Sauternes 2009 (WS94, RP93) was a good pairing (no pun intended) but the dish was, frankly, a notch below the entrée dishes since most of us were satiated after three meat courses. As the dinner came to a close, the cigar presentation by Daniela De La Guardia of DLG Cigars took center stage while attendees chose their evening cigar from an assortment of Cuban seeded hand-rolled cigars grown in the soils of the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras. Members and guests lingered into the late hours of the evening visiting as a cloud of thick tobacco smoke loomed softly above the seemingly bottomless wine glasses. Again, thanks go to Robert for providing such an interesting venue for a stag event. In addition, Robert and I would like to thank Leonard and his assistants, as well as Daniela and her two wine servers, for seamlessly working together to set the food and wine, and clearing the tables between courses with the precision of a well-tuned sports car. Ha, I had to get the car reference in this report somewhere…
July 2021 · Page 5
Page 6 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 7
Page 8 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 9
Page 10 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 11
Page 12 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 13
Page 14 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 15
Page 16 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 17
Page 18 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 19
Page 20 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 21
Page 22 · 2021 ·
July 2021 · Page 23
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
WINERY PROFILE: CHÂTEAU LARCIS DUCASSE, GRAND CRU CLASSÉ B Written by Tom Murnan
L
ike many Bordeaux Right Bank wines, Château Larcis Ducasse does not appear to have much presence in the Omaha area and maybe that is because it is not a Left Bank wine. But the 2009 Larcis Ducasse was served at our Modern European Cuisine and Wines event at Au Courant in June. Perhaps it is because it is not Cabernet Sauvignon based. In fact, it has no Cabernet Sauvignon at all, but it is still a Bordeaux. The Château has been around since the 16th century, where its wines were already sought after. By 1787, a written record shows that a wine merchant from Libourne, Pierre Beylot was reported to have paid a very high price for the Château’s wines. In 1841, Lecoutre Beauvais, in his newspaper Le Producteur, wrote that Larcis Ducasse produced one of the best wines of Saint-Émilion. In 1867, then owner Pierre Ducasse won a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exposition, the first gold medal for the Château. The exceptional terroir was cited as a reason for the superior wine. The current family of owners began in 1893, when Henri Raba purchased the property. The Raba’s owned ships that operated out of Bordeaux and were also merchants. He poured money into improving the property by building a modern gravity fed winery and rebuilding the terraces on the steep vineyard land. The 1898 Cocks et Féret guide specifies that Mr. Raba “recently had a large vat room built with a rolling press on rails on the first floor where the harvest carts arrive directly.” Cocks and Féret wrote the classic reference
book on Bordeaux called Bordeaux, its Wines, and the Claret Country in English, which was quickly translated into French. Henri Raba died in 1925 and his wife and son, André, took over the property. André was killed by the Nazis in 1941 when they occupied his estate. They accused him of listening to British radio and imprisoned him, where he died. His niece Hélène Gratiot-Alphandéry inherited the property in 1941, and the estate has been in the Gratiot-Alphandéry hands until the present. In 1955, one hundred years after the Medoc classified its wine on the Left Bank, Larcis Ducasse was ranked a Premier Grand Cru Classé B. Recall that in the Saint-Émilion classification system, there are only four level A 1er Grand Cru Classé estates: Chateaux Angélus, Ausone, Cheval Blanc and Pavie. Larcis Ducasse’s property abuts Château Pavie. Recall also that the Saint-Émilion classification ranks terroir, not necessarily the wine that comes from the terroir. Larcis has one of the best terroirs in Saint-Émilion. Just 11.3 hectares, it is planted to 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc. Basically, Larcis Jacques-Olivier Gratiot, Co-Manager
Page 24 · 2021 ·
has three different levels of topography. The highest, or top level, has a southern exposure which gives better sunlight to the vines. This is called the Plateau de Saint-Émilion, made up of limestone, clay and chalk. The middle is quite steep. Known as the Grand Côte de Saint-Émilion it consists of a blend of chalky limestone, marl, sand, silt and clay soil. This is called the Molasses of Fronsadais, a type of soil structure comprising mainly clay and limestone on a bedrock of limestone-clay-sandstone. The Château’s web site describes the molasse (the French word for molasses) as “a soft sedimentary rock of lake origin. This very calcareous white clay gives our wines a dazzling, luminous character, with notes of white fruits and citrus fruits, for the pleasure of lovers of great fresh, energetic and vibrant wines.” This “molasses” is found in numerous areas of Bordeaux. Finally, on the lower level, called the “Pied de Côte de Saint-Émilion” you find clay and sand. It gives the most opulent and generous wines. Sheltered from the north winds and benefiting from the temperature regulation brought by the Dordogne river, the terroir is ideal for Merlot and Cabernet Franc. As a result of this shelter, the risk of spring frost is minimized and the nights are temperate in summer. Grapes are whole berry fermented, and the juice flows by gravity to cement tanks for fermentation, which lasts between 25-28 days. Pigeage, or punching down the grape skin cap, is done at this time. Once in the barrel, malolactic fermentation takes place. 67% new French oak is used, and the wine ages in oak between 18 to 20 months. About 4,000 cases are typically made per season. The quality of the wines had slipped by 2002, so the family hired two consultants, Stephane Derenoncourt and Nicholas Thienpont, to turn things around. They created a new vineyard drain system. They then changed the harvest practices. Before the estate harvested in 2 or 3 days, but now harvest takes place when the fruit is ripe, and may extend from
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
2 to 3 weeks. In 2005, organic farming was introduced. Older plantings have 6,600 vines per hectare, while more recent replantings have between 7,500 to 9,000 vines per hectare. Yields are kept low. The wine we tried at the Au Courant event was just 25 hectoliters per hectare. Their efforts have born good fruit, so to speak. Since 2015, the Wine Advocate has given them 95 points or higher, with the 2020 vintage given 96-98 points. Besides the Grand Vin, a second label, Murmure de Larcis Ducasse, is now marketed. Sources: https://www.thewinecellarinsider. com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/ bordeaux/st-emilion/larcis-ducasse/; https:// www.larcis-ducasse.com/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocks_%26_F%C3%A9ret; Inside Bordeaux: The Châteaux, Their Wines and the Terroir by Jane Anson, Berry Brothers & Rudd Press 2020.
THE ORIGINAL COPPER PLATES USED FOR “BORDEAUX AND ITS WINES” COCKS & FÉRET 1850-1908
July 2021 · Page 25
This image of Château Larcis Ducasse was used in the book Bordeaux and Its Wines published by Cocks and Féret between 1850 and 1908.
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Photos from Mike Dunn & Roger Peterson
Page 26 · 2021 ·
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
UPCOMING OMAHA BRANCH EVENTS Mark Your Calendars!
JUL
8
AUG
26
SUMMER BASH AT FLEMING’S STAG Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse Bordeaux vs. Phelps Insignia Cabs Producer: Mike Wilke
KICK BUTT CABS & BORDEAUX STAG V Mertz Producer: Tad Singer
SEP
11
FOURTH ANNUAL FESTA ITALIANA DINNER POOLSIDE, COUPLES Doctors Iris & Gary Moore Lake House Producer: Mike Wilke
OCT
STAG Trap Shoot at Harry A Koch Trap & Skeet Range - Rhône Ranger 6 dinner at Champions Run Producer: Tom Murnan
10
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
July 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 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.
PR ESI DENT: Mark Stokes............................................................... mark_stokes@aig.com 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 BER SH I P CH A I R M A N: Joe Goldstein.............................. goldie2@cox.net
B OA R D O F D I R E C T O R S : Joe Goldstein Steve Hipple Todd Lemke
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.