Picking Up Good Vibrations at the New Chandler’s at Cape Rey

by Frank Mangio
Hospitality and world class cuisine have found a new home in the beautifully re-freshed Chandler’s in the Cape Rey Resort along the Carlsbad beachfront. The new mantra at Chandler’s is “local, coastal and unexpected,” words to live by with the new cuisine team led by Culinary Director Teri Mcillwain.  This breath of freshness began a year or so ago.

Now it’s in the eyes of all who welcome you to Cape Rey and Chandler’s. Mcillwain is fun to be around.  She embraces the local Carlsbad community. “I love Carlsbad,” she enthusiastically declared.  “It’s our hometown and we want to serve it.  My great mission is to have our diners feel that they are coming to my home for a meal.  Over time we have lightened and freshened up the menu and expanded the wine and craft beer list.

Chandler’s Culinary Director Teri  Mcillwain.

We placed an Alaskan King Salmon and a Whiskey Brined Jidori chicken on our seasonal coastal menu.  The chicken is premium and  flavorful, with peach, mustard, fresh-shelled beans and local greens. I love it when the daily farm truck pulls up and I can do some tasting and personally approve the garnishes and sides for the day.”

The spirit of discovery courses through the wines, both by the glass and by the bottle. The knowledgeable staff takes a favored varietal and comes up with a best-of-breed brand that’ll soon become a permanent favorite.

Chandler’s of Carlsbad has its Whiskey brined Jidori chicken as its signature menu feature,
with cherizo beans, white peach, local greens and carmelized cippolini onion.
Fresh fruit opened the meal.

My wine “wow” list has the opener, a Barth Riesling from the Reingau district of Germany, 2014.   Next up was a familiar Chardonnay from the Frank Family of Napa Valley, 2013.  Finally with my Jidori chcken, I chose the Davis Bynum Russian River Sonoma Pinot Noir 2014.  Now here’s the eye-opener.  All these wines were by the glass, lovely on the palate and worthy of a premium bottle.

Cape Rey, poolside, has its Sunset Terrace, a light-hearted venue with live entertainment on select evenings, a 3 to 6pm Happy Hour with themed events and specials you will love, some delightful surprises in small bites, wines by the glass, cocktails and craft beers.  On Mondays, it expands to all evening.

The Sunset Music Series is top shelf with free pop music concerts the last Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30pm.  See the OttoPilot Band  July 28th, Funk Shui Planet August 25th and Aquile on September 29th.  Live music also makes for fun every weekend.

 The best complimentary perk at Cape Rey is the magnificent ocean view, especially at sunset.  Soak it in without getting wet, by the pool or in Chandler’s farm-driven  restaurant. There, enjoy the glow and spirit of Chef Teri Mcillwain who is focused on fresh and flavorful food. Visit CapeRey.com for more.

Wine Bytes
University of San Diego has its Wine Classic, Sat. July 16th starting  at 6pm. Vintners dinner is featured with a 4 course meal and wine pairings, Zinfandel blending seminar and live music.  Cost is $95.  For an RSVP call 619-260-4819.

Solterra Winery and Kitchen in Leucadia presents a Summer Wine Blending Class, Tues. July 19th from 5:30 to 7:30pm. $45. ea. for the class.  Call 760-230-2970 for your place.

The So Cal Food & Wine Festival is planned for Tues. July 19th from 6 to 10pm at Ramona Mainstage downtown Ramona.  10 local top chefs cook a variety of cuisine accompanied by wine pairings from 10 premium wineries.  Live entertainment.  This event to benefit the Center for Community Service.  $89. per guest.  Tickets at ramonamainstage.com/socal-food-wine-festival/ or call 760-789-7005.

Il Fornaio in Del Mar and Coronado has its latest Festa Regionale menu, this time celebrating the cuisine from Puglia, Italy, until July 24th.  Enjoy dishes such as Petto di Pollo a Carciofi, plus Puglia wines.

Banfi – the Pursuit of Excellence, Accomplished

by Frank Mangio
A few weeks ago at Solare, a lovely Italian restaurant in the Pt. Loma district of San Diego, packed with fans of the great international wine favorite Castello Banfi and Banfi Vintners, I was presented with Banfi’s Sentinel Award for excellence in wine journalism.

The Sentinel is an icon that shows in most of the Banfi labels.  He is a medieval sentry holding the banner of truth and excellence. In my nearly 11 years and a gazillion hours of writing TASTE OF WINE, this is our peak moment in its history. I was humbled and thrilled by the surprise announcement that this was one of only 15 such Sentinels in the world.

TASTE OF WINE column founder and senior editor Frank Mangio was awarded the
Sentinel for excellence in wine journalism, in a ceremony presented
by Cristina Mariani-May,  co-CEO of Banfi Vintners.

When I got hold of my senses and settled down, I have to say, holding the Sentinel was kind of like winning and holding an Oscar, only the Sentinel was fully clothed, an icon with a suit of armor.

Castello Banfi has been an icon in the wine world ever since the brothers Harry and John Mariani founded Banfi in 1978 when they purchased some 7,000 acres at the foot of Montalcino, a mountain town in Tuscany , Italy. It surrounded a commanding castle, the 755 year old Poggio Alle Mura.  The Marianis acquired vineyards of Sangiovese cloned Brunello di Montalcino, and in 1984, they added the castle itself, which they re-named Castello Banfi, only the third family to own the castle in its romantic and noble history for some seven centuries.

Banfi has carefully researched its soil, climate and wine expression, to build a family of wines for every consumer budget. The estate fruit is selected from a constellation  of single vineyards, picked from rolling hills and lush valleys, and carefully nurtured.  The ultimate crown jewel is the Banfi Brunello, pursued by many for its wine excellence. It is showing all of its power in the 2010 vintage, a vintage of enormous character and quality.($54.99)

The 2010 was released this year, five years after harvest.  Most of the Sangiovese-cloned grapes were aged in French oak barriques with a small amount in Slavonian oak casks.  The Brunello was also aged further in bottle for 12 months. This a richly intense ruby red wine with dark fruity tones of cherry sensations, adding  to licorice and spices. Castello Banfi has evolved from a state-of-the-art winery and vineyard, adding an antique glass museum, historic Balsameria, Tuscan Taverna and El Borgo, villas with rooms and suites in the vineyard.

It’s holiday time and you don’t want to miss Banfi’s Piemonte Rose Regale, an exquisite sparkling red.($17.99)  Enjoy hints of rasberry, strawberry and rose petals with crisp acidity.  Serve cold with seafood, spicy fare and especially desert chocolates.  See more at castellobanfi.com.

Wine Bytes
Solterra Wine and Kitchen in Leucadia has a New Year’s Eve Prix Fixe dinner and wine pairing from 5:30 to Midnight for $60.  Pairings with the dinner $80., with half glasses.  Call 760-230-2979 for details.

North County Wine Company in San Marcos is celebrating New Year’s Eve and will be open from 11 to 10pm with a big selection of wine, beer and champagne.  All glasses of wine from the regular menu will be half price. Give the Tobin boys a ring at 760-653-9032.

Pala Casino Spa and Resort’s Oak Room will have a special menu for New Years’ Eve for $109. per person.  Select from one of four entrees:  Filet Mignon, Lobster Tail and Filet Mignon, Bone-in Filet Mignon and Pan Seared Alaska Halibut.  The 507 room hotel is available for overnight stay.  Call 760-510-5100 or 877-946-7252.

Chandler’s Restaurant off the Coast Highway in Cape Rey Resort has a New Year’s Eve dinner from 4:30 to 10pm.  New Executive Chef Terry McIllwain has choices for every taste.  5 entrée choices at various prices.  Details by calling 760-683-5500.

Tasting the History of BV. Part 3 of the Napa Valley Wine Journey

by Frank Mangio
It’s been a long, prosperous journey for this now world famous wine growing region, since Charles Krug established Napa Valley ’s first  commercial winery in 1861.  His success opened the door to a wave of growth, and by 1889, there were some 140 wineries cranking out bottles including well known names that we are familiar with , like Beringer, Inglenook and Schramsbrerg.

Beaulieu Vineyards (better known as BV) was founded in 1900 by George de Latour, one of the early pioneers who recognized the Napa Valley ’s potential to make great wine, especially in and around Rutherford.

Jeffrey Stambor is now the  winemaker for BV wines located in Rutherford, in  the Napa Valley .

In 1938 Latour  traveled to France to find a  winemaker who could bring the expertise of European style winemaking to the Napa Valley .   He found Andre Tchelistchef, an aristocratic Russian, who would revolutionize winemaking in the valley with techniques that are still used today.

Jeffrey Stambor, the 3rd and current winemaker for BV, recalled his time with Tchelistchef , who had created the Georges Latour Private Reserve Caberrnet Sauvignon, one of the most revered Cabernets in Napa Valley .  I sat with Stambor at a private  Reserve  Retropective Tasting of 6 vintages of these wines starting with the most collected of the Lartours, the 2002.

“The greatest benefit of aging wines is the development of complexity,” he said.  “The style of the wine by the winemaker is passed on with time and vintage improvement.” See BVWines.com.

Shari and Garen Staglin of Staglin Family Vineyard, founders
of the Music Festival for Brain Health.

 Of the 700 or so wineries in Napa Valley, 95% are family owned.  None reach out more to the greater world than the Staglin Family. On day 5 of my journey to the valley of the greatest grapes, I found myself in the middle of a miracle:  the 21st Music Festival for Brain Health. Experiencing its 21st year, it’s an event that has raised 221 million dollars for the research and treatment of brain illness.  Most wineries raise a glass of their wine and see a lovely liquid that they could grow with.

The Staglins saw it as a means to grow a national movement to improve life for people with brain disorders, making a difference in making the road to recovery a possibility. The Staglin Family, Shari and Garen, with son Brandon and daughter Shannon, presented to guests: a  Brain Symposium, a Wine Reception of only the very best of Napa Valley in their Caves, a Concert Performance by Melissa Etheridge and a VIP Dinner. This year they would raise 4.1 million dollars from this event. See staglinfmily.com.

Another remarkable winery to place on your must see list next time you visit Napa Valley is HALL Wines, a high end producer of premium wines. It has a sister winery, WALT Wines in Sonoma with some of the best Pinot Noir I have ever tasted, that come from the Willamette Valley in Oregon and the Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast, Napa Valley and the Central Coast of California. My recommendation would be the 2013  WALT “Gap’s Crown” from the Sonoma Coast ( $75.); fruit forward, bountiful berry flavor with along finish.  HALL Wines in Napa Valley is an art lover’s delight with modern art and architecture. The wine to enjoy and fall in love with is the 2012 Kathryn HALL  Cabernet sauvignon, named after the owner. ($150.)  It is rewarded with a stunning 97 points… perfect balance and elegance. hallwines.com.

Castello di Amarosa is a city within a winery.  Built as an Italian renaissance castle, it has 8 stories of stone, including a great hall and grand barrel room, most of it underground.  On the night I visited, it had a Grape Stomp Competition with dozens of six member teams squashing those poor little grapes, to be the first ones to fill a bottle with juice.  It was hilarious. See castellodiamarosa.com.

Some readers have asked that a list of favorite Napa Valley wines be presented at a future column. We will do that soon . You can learn lots more about the 2015 harvest by visiting napavalleyvintners.com.

Wine Bytes
Tuscany Restaurant La Costa has the Peter Marin Jazz Quartet Sat. Nov. 7th at 7:30pm.  Tickets $25. advance, $30. day of show.  Call 760-929-8111.

Firenze Trattoria in Encinitas welcomes Grgich Hills Estate
Wines for a wine dinner Tues. Nov. 10th at 6pm.  Master winemaker Kevin Vecchirelli joins with a presentation.  $95.  pp.  RSVP at 760-944-9000.

Chandler’s along the coast in Carlsbad, presents its Executive Chef and a Truffles 5 course dinner experience Nov. 5th, 6th and 7th.  Italian chef Fabrizio Facchini presides.  Call 760-683-5500 for an RSVP.

Encinitas Wine Merchants, in the Kohl’s Center in Encinitas, has a 20% off on all wines in the bar, on a six bottles mix or match program.  Get the details at 760-407-4265.