Dolce’s New Location is Sweet Dining

by Frank Mangio

About 5 years ago, old world Italian wines and cuisine came to Rancho Sante Fe with the romantic name( for Italian sweet bread and wine), Dolce Pane Y Vino.  Success was immediate, so fast forward to 2016 and the newest Dolce at the Highlands has come to Carmel Valley in the new Pacific Highlands Center .

Like its parent restaurant in the ranch, the new and vivacious Dolce treats its guests with an expansive dining room, and a bar that seems endless from the front door to the kitchen.  It has both community tables and tables for two or four, with views of very large and comprehensive wine racks, created by the GM for both locations, Steve Flowers. The wait help on my visit was Gwen Blome, who was quick to point out her favorite wines.  She was particularly excited by the showcase

Dolce at the Highlands is the new Italian style restaurant in Carmel Valley with delicious new Mediterranean style cuisine served up with gusto by table servers  like Gwen Blome.

Champagne chosen for the meal, the Nicolas Feuillatte Brut NV from France. The shimmering gold bubbly has an enticing fruity nose showing savory texture and refined bubbles. This is a lively dry Champagne for appetizers, or a long happy party. ($34.).

Other wine menu whites worth noting were the B Cellars White Blend 2012 and the Arneis “Barola Bianca” white from Piemonte Italy .

Chef Rhoelle Gabriel came to the table and spoke about her California influenced style of Mediterranean-American farm fresh food.   Her favorites included a “Regiatelle” pasta dish with Calabria style meat sauce, and a “Branzino” Italian style Sea Bass fish dinner entrée with potatoes and greens. This was washed down with a bottle of Napa Valley Laird Meritage “Jilian’s Blend” Red, 2013. ($44.)

The prized dish at Dolce at the Highlands is The “Branzino” Italian style Sea Bass.

Come prepared for a wine and dine experience at Dolce’s.  The atmosphere is perfect, with a wide choice of wines and menu entrees. Reservations are recommended at 858-847-2740, or visit dolcephr.com.

Quality Wine Dinners Excel at Vittorio’s
Back to back wine winners, world’s apart, have been on the marquee at Vittorio’s, also in Carmel Valley .  Last month, the popular Italian restaurant featured Chateau Montelena Napa Valley wines with  a five course dinner. Thursday May 26th at 6pm, one of the south of France ’s finest wineries, Gerard Bertrand, will open their best from the Languedoc District. The main course will live up to consistently great supporting menus Vittorio’s is known for:  Roasted Lamb Chops with Hazelnut Crust and Grilled Asparagus will be served with a 2013 Chateau de l’Hospitalet La Reserve Rouge. Cost will be just $49.50 per person.

A favorite at the Chateau Montelena dinner was the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, a luxurious vintage, rich in flavor. ($50.) RSVP Vittorio’s for the May 26th date at 858-538-5884.

Wine Bytes
Capri Blu in Rancho Bernardo has a Roth wine dinner Wed. June 1st at 6pm.  This Sonoma winery is family owned and makes only full flavored wines. Classic Bordeaux style wines are on the menu. Call for details at 858-673-5100.

Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas is planning their annual Oysterfest for this year on June 11, 2016, from 4 to 7pm. Call for more details at 760-479-2500.

South Coast Winery in Temecula is presenting a Celebrity Chef Dinner Fri. June 17th from 6 to 11pm.  Claudia Sandoval, a master chef winner, will direct a champagne cocktail hour, 7 course dining journey with South Coast and Carter Estates wines, live music and a copy of Claudia’s cookbook.  $195. per person.  Visit store.wineresort.com for more details and tickets.

Napa: Into the Valley of the Greatest Grapes-Part 2

by Frank Mangio
It’s day two of my journey to the center of the wine universe, Napa Valley .

This 30 mile long by five mile wide wine country is one of the smallest with just 4% of California ’s wine grape production.  Yet, it generates $13 billion dollars annually for the local economy and accounts for 1/3 of the wine sold in the U.S. It’s been well documented that the leading varietals in Napa Valley are Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Both were brought over from France and both Napa brands have beaten the French versions in high profile competitions.

Napa Valley has a dry Mediterranean climate, found only on 2% of the Earth’s surface which helps make it a consistently sought-after location for premium wines. There are nearly 500 wineries and I would venture to say that nearly all make Chardonnay and Cabernet, the top selling varietals in California.

In measuring the 2015 season, you have to go back to the winter of 2014 when a dry, warm winter resulted in small clusters of grapes on the vines with highly concentrated flavors.  According to the Napa Valley Vintners, this resulted in early bud break and a long flowering period.  In the Summer, everything got accelerated when a surge of hot temperatures  made for a quick conclusion to the season.  The first grapes for sparkling wine were picked on July 22nd and by October 10th, it was all over for the most part, about a month less than normal.  Napa Valley, like most other wine countries in California produced significantly less fruit this year, but what was collected is producing a high concentration of flavor.  Stacy Vogel, winemaker for Miner Winery said “we had one of the earliest harvests on record, with very low yields, half of what we produced in the great 2112 harvest.  The smaller cluster led to concentrated berries that gave us deep flavor and color.  We’ll wait about two years to bottle so they can fully develop.”

Ryan Hill of Hill Family Estate had a similar assessment when he reported that “we had a lot of heat in winter. January felt like May.  The spike in temperatures affected production to something like 2 to 4 tons of grapes per acre, about 60% less than normal.  In some cases with newer vineyards, costs will exceed sales.”

A Visit with the “Godfather” of Napa Valley
 Mike Grgich can “read” a grape better than anyone I know. Since 1958, when Miljenko “Mike” Grgich arrived in Napa Valley from Croatia to make wine, first for some of the leading winemakers of that era, then for his own winery, he has had a keen knack for knowing  when to hold them and when to pick them.

Hall of Fame winemaker Mike Grgich, at his Calistoga home in Napa Valley
with wine columnist Frank Mangio.

 
His legacy is well known worldwide, starting with his 1973 Chardonnay creation for Chateau Montelena that competed with similar wines at the famous Paris Tasting of 1976.  The Grgich-made Chardonnay defeated the French entries, a shock heard round the world of wine that put Napa Valley  firmly in a position of respect and fame.  It was only a year after this event that Grgich founded his own winery, Grgich Hills Estate.

He would later win the Great Chicago Chardonnay Showdown  of 1980, beating 221 other Chardonnays from around the world, including France for a second time, with a 1977 Chardonnay.  It was the first wine produced at his new winery, and today still tastes outstanding.

Grgich has now given the responsibility for winemaking and production to his Croatian nephew Ivo Jeramaz, and operations to his daughter Violet Grgich.  His 10 year Communications and Marketing Manager is Ken Morris, considered the most knowledgeable in the Napa Valley .

Never one to rest on his accomplishments, the 92 year old Grgich is thinking bigger these days. “I am now writing a book on my life as I know it, and I am helping to write a movie  on the real story of the Paris Tasting, from the book “Judgment of Paris.”  Shooting has already started on the movie with the star of the shoot, Mike Grgich.  The Napa Valley “Godfather” of Wine is reaching for new heights of fame. Read more at grgich.com.

Read more about the TASTE OF WINE Napa Valley Harvest Tour  Part 3, in next week’s column.

Wine Bytes
Seasalt Seafood Bistro presents a Luca Wine Dinner, Wed. Nov. 4th at 6pm.  Luca is an Argentina wine with many awards.  5 course dinner will pair with the wines.  $55. pp.  Call 858-765-7100 for an RSVP.

Twenty/20, in the Sheraton Hotel Carlsbad is planning a Whiskey Tasting event, Thurs. Nov. 5th at 6pm.  Delicious small plate pairings.  $55. ea.  Call 760-827-2500 for a place.

PAON Restaurant & Wine Bar Carlsbad has a Tolosa Wine event Wed. Nov. 4th from 6 to 8pm.  $20. charge.  More by calling 760-729-7377.