L'Italo-Americano

PAGE 20 L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012 be made in the display area, it adds more value to the restau- rant," he declared. Our choice this night was the Vintana & 100 Wines a Cohn Double Win BY FRANK MANGIO CONTRIBUTOR as each new restaurant has set up wine as the lead attraction, with big bold bars and billboard style have opened recently in Escondido and Hillcrest amid great praise for their strategic use of wine with their impres- sive food service. Vintana and 100 Wines are the latest cre- ations of the Cohn Restaurant Group, now numbering 15 loca- tions in San Diego, established 25 years ago with the legendary Corvette Diner in 1987. A paradigm has been set here Two "shout out" restaurants St. Michelle Eroica Riesling for the appetizer and salad startup portion of the menu., a true favorite and a collaboration of German and Washington State wine country influences, with just the right acidity and sweet- ness. The main entrée of Vintana's signature Filet Trio had great support with an '09 Argyle "Nuthouse" Pinot Noir from Amity Hills Oregon. It possessed a smoky, licorice, berry flavor that was silky and smooth from start to finish. This steak was served in three pieces, each one with a different spread on top: bone marrow butter, bearnaise sauce and garlic blue cheese. Sides included seasonal mushrooms and prosciutto asparagus. Executive Chef who is also a partner at Vintana is Deborah Scott, who has teamed up with the Cohns since 1995 at Kemo Sabe in Hillcrest. A 30 minute freeway trip south from Vintana will get you to Hillcrest and the casual, cozy, old world wine den and bistro, The brilliant It's all smiles with General Manager Kristi Keller and Executive Chef Kathryn Humphus at the new 100 Wines in Hillcrest. ferent when you come back" The wine program at 100 Wines is novel and significant. It's old world and California by design. Customers can browse selections by price categories of 20 wines under $20, 30 wines under $30, 40 under $40 and some sparkling and dessert wine options. The bar has craft style cocktails as well. While each format of a Cohn arugula and toasted walnut salad. Entrees include Free Form Ravioli with Pecorino, Pear, Mozzarella and Butter Sage Sauce… a recipe I picked up in Florence, Italy. We want diners to share everything. We're changing it seasonally so expect something new and dif- Simplify Wines On Thanksgiving DAVID WHITE TERROIRIST.COM to worry about, and it's no won- der why so many wonderful at- home chefs dread the holiday. Keep calm. With wine, at least, culean task. Cooking gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce is always more complicated than expected. Then there's the anxi- ety of any family gathering -- will politics or off-color jokes derail the dinner? Add wine to the list of things just about every host. Preparing a giant bird is a her- Thanksgiving strikes fear in German immigrant Hermann Weimer "discovered that the cool climate and gravelly soils of the Finger Lakes were similar to his family's vineyards in the Mosel Valley." Producers in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Michigan are also making some stunning Riesling. White wines inspired by Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, or a blend with those grapes. With reds, think refreshment. France's Rhone Valley also make for a good match on Thanksgiving. Look for typically avoid jingoism, pur- chasing a foreign wine on Thanksgiving just doesn't seem right. So when you head to the store, embrace your patriotism and pick up something domestic. And don't hesitate to buy local. The Pilgrims didn't import their turkey from a faraway land. Second, follow there's no need to stress. First, buy American. While I the strategy of San Francisco C h r o n i c l e wine editor Jon Bonné, who advises his read- ers to select a roster of three wines This means avoiding wines with lots of tannin, so steer clear of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. It also means finding a wine with vibrant acidity, so avoid anything described as heavy or full-bodied. Pinot Noir is the most popular choice on Thanksgiving, but it's difficult to f ind Greg Provance is General Manager at the new Vintana resort style restaurant in Escondido. point of purchase as soon as guests come through the front entrance. Greg Provance is the personality to know at Vintana. As General Manager he orches- trates a large retail wine depart- ment where the customer can pick and choose from value priced wines with a wide variety of price points, then take the bottle to a dining table where it's uncorked and serviced for just $15. "We like wine choices to 100 Wines. This Cohn creation is sentimental, rustic and small- plate inspired. Executive Chef Kathryn restaurant varies wildly in food selection and design, they all share an "obsession with hospi- tality." See www.100wineshill- crest.com, and for Vintana, access www.dinevintana.com. Wine Bytes •Wine Loft in Carlsbad pre- sents a Stolpman Tasting Event with owner Peter Stolpman Sun. Nov. 18 from 1:3o to 3:30pm. Try 8 of his best wines. $40. pp. RSVP at 760-944-1412. •The annual winter warehouse Humphus calls it "home style food, prepared simply with Mediterranean flavors." I asked her for some typical examples of her style. "The lamb meatballs are wonderful starters, easy to share, and comes with lemon- cumin yogurt. Then there's the dry roasted beet, burratas, Oceanside; all imported and mostly German and Austrian. Live music and specialty foods offered while you taste the newest arrivals. $15. cost. More details at 800-371-9463. •Eating out for Thanksgiving? wine tasting is Sat. Nov. 17 from 2 to 5pm at Schlossadler International Wines in Check out these great destina- tions for Nov. 22: The San Diego Marriott Marina Kitchen with its 3 course bay view din- ners from 2 to 9pm for $30. ea. RSVP at 619-699-8222. Amaya at the Grand Del Mar Resort has a 3 course prix-fixe menu being served from 11:30 to 8pm. Price is $75. pp. Call 858-314- 1996. Country, Café Champagne at Thornton Winery has a Thanksgiving buffet from 12 Noon to 5pm with all the holi- day Champagne & Mimosa for $65. RSVP at 951-699-0099. Frank Mangio is a renowned favorites including wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. He is one of the leading wine commentators on the web. View and link up with his columns at www.taste- ofwinetv.com. Reach him at mangiompc@aol.com. In Temecula Wine avoiding bottles that are too sweet -- look for "brut" or "extra brut" on the label. Old standbys like Domaine Chandon are better than ever before, and these days, there are some exciting sparklers coming from states outside California. If you can find them, consider Gruet from New Mexico, Thibaut Janisson from Virginia, or Argyle from Oregon. For the white wine, remember example, isn't a powerful wine - - so won't stand up to mashed potatoes and gravy. Equally important, an in-your-face Cabernet Sauvignon lacks finesse, so will smother your food. Look for refreshing wines with body. For the sparkler, this means sure you select wines with power and finesse. This is easier than it sounds. A simple Pinot Grigio, for headaches -- the last thing you need is a guest asking which red matches the stuffing or which white goes better with the sweet potatoes. So keep it simple and let guests drink whichever wine they prefer. You'll also want to make three wines creates needless confusion. Thanksgiving already causes white, one red, and one sparkling. Anything beyond -- one enough climate Syrah or Grenache is a better bet. Both are fruity enough to satisfy the guests who like big reds, and elegant enough to han- dle than $20. That's why cool- one for less Thanksgiving. Just be sure to find one from a cool-climate region like Washington or California's coastal regions. Anything from a warm climate could overpower your food. If you're looking for something the cornucopia of good a bit unusual, consider a Riesling, either dry or slightly sweet. New York has been pro- ducing high quality Riesling for more than 30 years, ever since with turkey and can cut through just about every component of your meal -- from sweet flavors like cinnamon to the bitterness of green vegetables. If you're looking for something to look for body. Bold Chardonnays work well a bit unusual, consider a Blaufrankisch, Austria's signa- ture red wine. It's similar in pro- file to Pinot Noir, but generally a darker and spicier. New York's Red Tail Ridge makes one that's worth finding. Gamay Noir, the grape of Beaujolais, is also a good match. A few producers in Oregon, California, and New York are making delightful wines from this grape. Finally, and most importantly, the founder and editor of Terroirist.com. His columns are housed at Wines.com, the fastest growing wine portal on the Internet. have lots of wine on hand! David White, a wine writer, is

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