Fine Wine & Dine Choices for Thanksgiving

by Frank Mangio
Home for the holiday is a choice many Americans make.  The biggest travel date of the year is Thanksgiving Day as relatives and friends assemble with great food, wine and conversation, the centerpiece of this day to count your blessings.

But the reality is many more people are counting their blessings and making wine toasts in smaller gatherings in fine restaurants, and leaving the cooking and the dishes to chefs and the wait help. TASTE OF WINE has selected a number of fine restaurants with superior  menus and wine lists for this special occasion  for your consideration.  They’ll raise your holiday spirits and cast a glow to make it a day to remember.

Amaya La Jolla, with its regal atmosphere and rich textures leads our choice for
luxury dining this Thanksgiving.

Amaya la Jolla.  A breathtaking renaissance revival with a regal atmosphere. Amaya is serving a 3 course menu from 12 to 8pm. Entrée selections range from roasted turkey breast & leg with cherry stuffing, to Filet of whole roasted beef tenderloin or seared Chilean Sea Bass.  $65. per adult.  Camron Woods is the Executive Chef. For reservations call 858-750-3695.

Morada at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.  Recently renovated and set in the heart of the “Village,” with hours from 11:30 to 8pm. Choose from a 3 course menu created by Executive Chef Todd Allison.   $69.50 per adult.  RSVP at 800-843-4661.

Marina Kitchen at the Marriott Marquis, San Diego Marina.  Modern comfort cuisine.  Executive Chef Aron Schwartz has created a contemporary buffet menu, capturing the nostalgia that diners feel when eating a home-cooked meal.  Hours from 1:30 to 7pm.  Highlights include:  herb roasted turkey at the carving station or roast Brandt Beef New York.  $48. per adult.  RSVP at 619-699-822.  Includes panoramic views of the bay.

Vineyard Rose at South Coast Winery & Resort. Temecula Wine Country is perfect for a wine/food adventure.  Entrees include roasted turkey breast & braised dark meat $39., cabernet braised beef short rib $43., or oven poached Alaskan cod $42.  All are  4 course meals included in the price.  Call 951-491-8077 for an RSVP.

Vigilucci’s Seafood & Steak House, Carlsbad.  Served from 12 to 8pm.  Choose your entrée from 3:  hand carved turkey breast, pasta with butternut squash, walnuts and ricotta or risotto with butternut squash, mussels, clams, rock shrimp and bay scallops.  3 courses for $39. per person.  RSVP at 760-434-2580.

Wines to Enjoy at Thanksgiving
Here are five wines, all reasonably priced for what their value is at the Thanksgiving dinner table.  Each food course will come alive and taste so much better with these delicious choices:

J Cuvee 20 Brut, Sonoma ($28.) Grown in the Russian River Valley. Non vintage sparkling wine, for toasting and reception.

Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc, Sonoma, 2012. $14.  100% Sauvignon Blanc. Flavors of grapefruit, lemon, mango and guava. Aged in stainless steel.  Crisp freshness.  Serve with fish appetizers, salads.

 
Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley, 2010. $50.  Cool climate north of Napa Valley. 4 vineyards and 19 clones of Pinot make this a celebrated wine.  Lovely with turkey.

Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma 2009.  $28.  Only the best vineyards in Sonoma are selected from mountains and hillsides. Intense concentrated grapes.  Beef dishes will be the selected cuisine for this powerful wine. 17 month barrel aged.

Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel Sonoma, 2009.  $30.  Considered the master Zin maker in California, with four generations of wine making mastery.  Try this one with a rich chocolate based dessert. It will cap a truly memorable Thanksgiving wine-based feast.

Wine Bytes
Wines to be Thankful For is the theme of the tasting event Fri. Nov. 22 at 6 pm at Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas.  Check out the list and pricing at 760-479-2500.

San Diego Wine Company has a Champagne and Sparkling Wine event Sat. Nov. 23 starting at 11am.  Cost is $25. with RSVP only, at 858-586-WINE.

Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula Wine Country presents a wine and food pairing Sun. Nov. 24 from 2 to 4pm in the Garden View Terrace Room.  The secrets of wine and food pairing will be revealed. $49. for 5 wines and five food samples. RSVP at 951-699-9463.

Black Friday at Orfila in Escondido is Fri. Nov. 29 from 9am to 6pm.  No charge for admission, with live music from 12 to 2pm and 3 to 5pm. Big discounts on wines and accessories.  Details at 760-738-6500 x 22.

VINZ Wine Bar in Escondido is pushing music and dancing on the weekends.  Classic rock on Sat. Nov. 30.  Check times at 760-743-8466.

Art Meets Music Meets Wine & Food at Amaya La Jolla

by Frank Mangio
Prospect Street in La Jolla is squeezed with many restaurants vying for prominence.  Some have a west-facing view of the Pacific which may give them an edge, but only one has that “wow” look, with curb appeal reminiscent of a Venetian Palazzo or Roman Villa, with dramatic wrought iron, gold leaf and cubic stone mouldings. Presenting the newAmaya La Jolla!

This urban dining work of art is the sister restaurant to the original Amaya at the Grand Del Mar resort. Both were architecturally carved by the masterful Warren Sheets, evoking a European style interior warmth and elegance from floor to ceiling.

Camron Woods is the Executive Chef at the new Amaya La Jolla, after five years at the original Amaya at the Grand Del Mar.

Familiar faces from the original Amaya lead this new addition to the La Jolla dining scene, including Manager Nolan Seu, Lead Sommelier Andrew Adelson and Executive Chef Camron Woods, the star chef since the original Amaya opened 5 years ago.

“I always get asked about what is different in the menu and the wines between the two Amyas,” Woods observed.  “The answer is not that much.  I worked many years perfecting the Amaya menu and we want to keep our favorites coming with this new location.  The only new feature here is the Southern specials every night.  I get an opportunity to cook the food that I grew up with in the South,” he happily explained.  It all adds up to luxury dining with a casual, fresh feel.

The wines are global and regional consisting of 300 labels with surprising value:  all are under $100.  There is also an impressive lineup of 20 wines by the glass.  I had a bottle of Lewis “Mason’s” Cabernet from Napa Valley, a provocative taste sensation ( $95.) to complement the smoked King Salmon, a perfect pairing.

Amaya La Jolla is open for lunch and dinner daily. Live entertainment nightly in the lounge from 7pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday nights from 7:30pm to 11:30pm.  Valet parking available in front of Amaya. Visit  www.amayalajolla.com.

IPad Your Wine Choices at Flemings
Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar has rocked the restaurant world with an exclusive customer service:  the Flemings WiNEPAD, a custom app on iPad that helps guests easily navigate the restaurant’s wine list tableside or at the bar. All 65 locations have it offered complete with label-specific tasting notes.

Ashlee Cote table server and Casey Eades Operating Partner for Fleming’s La Jolla, demonstrate the new WiNEPAD with a bottle of Ladera Howell Mt. 2008 Cabernet.

That’s only the beginning of what this wine-centric device can do to customize your wine experience.  It has the ability to match up your current mood for a particular tasting wine with the “What’s Your Mood” function. Whites range from Fragrant and Fruity to Rich and Elegant.  Reds include Big & Intense, and Rich & Voluptuous.  Sweet wine moods feature Sweet & Mouthwatering and Sweet & Powerful. Other fun settings are: wine list , recommended wines, perfect pairings, spin the bottle, share the wine and other fun information. Check out the “Fleming’s 100,”an exclusive collection of 100 wines served by the glass.  Fleming’s is well-deserved its reputation as the steakhouse destination for lovers of fine wine.   See more at www.FlemingsSteakhouse.com.

Wine Bytes
North County Wine Company in San Marcos is celebrating its 3rd Anniversary Sat. July 27 all day and til 9pm.  Huge selection of great wines at 50 cents a taste.  Food and raffle drawings.  The night before, from 5 to 9pm, “big gun” tasting flights from $10. ea. and more.  Details at 760-744-2119.

The San Diego Country Festival happens Sat July 27 from 1 to 4pm at Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo.  $25. in advance, $30. at the door.  Over 20 San Diego wineries will be there for tasting.  Food vendors will have tasty snacks. Silent auction.  Call 858-487-1866.

Carruth Cellars in Solana Beach is doing a wine tasting and art raffles Sun. July 28 from 6 to 9pm to benefit breast cancer research.  Hors d’oevres and live music.  $40. in advance, $45. at the door. Call 760-458-3130.

Fleming’s La Jolla offers a First Friday event, Fri. Aug. 2 from 5:30 to 7pm, with “Fleming’s Reserve” featuring the best of the best. Most are reds from Napa Valley, paired with small plates.  Cost is $55.  RSVP at 858-535-0078.