Goldschmidt Premiers Wines at Bentley’s

by Frank Mangio
I love a quality steakhouse. Once through the front door, the décor, the courteous service, the white table cloths on the rich walnut tables, the worldly red wines and steaks on the menu all promise a memorable dining experience.

Bentley’s Steak and Chop House in Encinitas adds one more savory essential for the success story that it is: unbeatable VALUE!
I first learned of this dining oasis when I attended a premium winemaker event to present Nick Goldschmidt and his Goldschmidt, Boulder Bank and Forefathers line of fine wines. Goldschmidt is a globe-trotting, non-stop wine impresario. He led wine production and marketing for world class producers in 8 countries over 20 years including New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile and now in the Alexander Valley of Sonoma in California. He has a PHD in Horticulture and sources his own grapes.

Nick Goldschmidt,left, world-class winemaker and wine new product developer shares a table at Bentley’s in Encinitas with Charlie Plummer of Hess Collection Wines.

Under his name brand, Goldschmidt offers a wide range of labels and varietals including: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz and several blend offerings. All wines are single vineyard, single appellation and single vintage. What stood out for me was his 2006 Vborny Vineyard Alexander Valley Cabernet. The vineyard sits on a knoll just East of Geyserville. This provides excellent exposure for the grapes and allows a long hang time. The cab possesses rich, concentrated flavors, a signature for the skills of Nick Goldschmidt and his most important accomplishment.

Bentley’s has been offering this kind of quality both in their wines and menu items. It’s a product of some 40 years of experience that the owners have in the steak restaurant business. Dave Reese, the General Manager since the day Bentley’s opened in June of 2008, grew up on a 2,000 acre cattle ranch and gets to the heart of Bentleys when he says “we all share the same vision that everything must be of the highest value. We hand cut our USDA prime center cut Filet Mignon. Our presentations must be a perfect fit for the diner and over-deliver on quality. When I select wines for the menu, I refuse to know the price. If I feel it’s a worthy wine then it must come under our price estimates, so we can pass it on to the customer.”
Passing value on to the customer has kept Bentley’s increasing its popularity, even as the restaurant business is hanging on nationwide decreasing numbers and even tougher spending numbers in restaurants and bars, down over 3% last year.

At Bentley’s you can enjoy a “Super Sunday” full dinner of your choice of center cut Filet Mignon, Salmon or Prime Rib including hot bread and a side dish for $15. “Surf and Turf” Mondays are equally generous with a choice of Whiskey Peppercorn Flatiron Steak, Filet Mignon or Prime Top Sirloin for $15. Add $10. more for a “Surf” choice of Lobster, Shrimp Scampi or King Crab Legs. Reservations are suggested for this super popular value combination by calling 760-632-9333.

This same team that owns Bentley’s has operated Carver’s Steak and Chops in Rancho Bernardo. Check for almost-daily wine specials in the bar and dining room, like ½ price wines and free corkage for your bottle. When I last checked, Bentley’s was running a premium bottle of wine with dinner for just $15.

Bentley’s is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday and dinner Monday through Sunday at 5pm. Cocktail hour is Monday through Friday 2 to 6:30pm. For the full menu and wine list go to www.bentleyssteak.com. For more on Nick Goldschmidt, access www.goldschmidtvineyards.com.


Wine Bytes

The Crossings Golf Course Country Club in Carlsbad is hosting a Monte Carlo Night Fri. March 6 from 6:30 to 9:30pm to benefit Friends of Aviara Schools. Enjoy wine and other libation tastings, appetizers, Vegas style gaming, and raffle drawings. Cost is $85. pp. RSVP at 760-602-9727.

Become a Certified Specialist of Wine with classes by Charrie Foglio, Wine Instructor for the San Diego Culinary Institute. First classes start Mon. March 8, 6:30 to 9:30pm at San Diego Wine Storage. For details contact 619-244-4224 or email sommelierguild@cs.com.

Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, Wed. March 10, 5:30 to 7:30pm, welcomes Rupert Symington of Symington Family Estates with great Portuguese wines including ports. Cost is $20. in advance. Call 760-745-1200.

La Costa Wine Company offers “The Truth About Wine & Cheese,” Sat. March 13 from 3 to 5pm. Learn about textures, aroma and flavors. Four artisan cheeses and 5 wines will be tasted. Public cost is $40. WC members $36. Couples $68. Call 760-431-8455.

The 2nd Annual Rhythm & Vine, a Music Food and Wine Festival in Escondido’s North County Fair Mall off I-15, will be held Sat. April 17 starting at 6pm, to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Diego County. Over 60 award-winning wineries and 35 top chefs from gourmet restaurants will be on hand, including 3 live concerts, all for the general admission price of $75. in advance, $100. at the door. A VIP package is available for $125. in advance, $150. at the door. Silent auction. Applications are still being accepted for wineries, breweries, spirits and restaurants. Space is free with a donation to the event’s silent auction. Ticket information at 858-578-9463, or go to www.rhythmandvine.org.

Half Bottles Spotlighted at Updated Humphries

by Frank Mangio

San Diego has some venerable names in its restaurant history and none have a more romantic reputation than Humphreys on Shelter Island. So when I heard that this anchor spot had undergone a major makeover of the décor, dinner and wine menu, I had to see and experience the upgrades.

Humphries and the adjacent Half Moon Inn are hallowed grounds for me, having done all the communications for this intimate, south-seas format many years ago.

I have enjoyed countless music events on the grounds at the Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. It could be the most intimate venue in the country to see big names in the music business.

At Humphreys new format, I was struck by the positioning of the tables so that each had a view of the bay and marina. Cool, maritime colors are relaxing and inviting. The new executive chef is Paul Murphy (seen in the accompanying photo). He has created a modern, global menu to accent his French-trained skills. You may know him from his previous work at El Bizcocho in Rancho Bernardo and Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe.

I chose the seared Blue Crab Cakes and Treviso Salad for starters. The paired wine was an ’04 Trefethen Chardonnay. I then moved into a gorgeous Prime Rib with rock-salt crusted mash potato, au jus. That’s when the red wine accompaniment arrived: a half bottle d’Arenberg, “the Dead Arm” McLaren Vale 2002 from Australia. Humphreys knowledgeable manager, Shauna Aguirre, personally selected this varietal, and it was a home run.

Half bottles make a lot of sense in a restaurant environment. With its three- serving content, it’s perfect to complete the bottle in one sitting. If your companion likes something else, ordering up another half bottle won’t break the budget. And Humphreys has some household names that I never knew made a scaled down bottle: Grgich and J Lohr Chardonnay, Beaulieu and Chateau Montelena Cabernets and Opus One Meritage.

Humphreys also has dinner packages wrapped around a number of their summer concerts, that include up-front seating. You can also have the dinner package, concert, plus a guest room at the half Moon Inn. For more information or to make a reservation, call 619-224-3577 or visit www.humphreysrestaurant.com.

Wine World Mourns the Passing of Robert Mondavi
Robert Mondavi, the icon of Napa and one of the most respected winemakers in all the world, died on May 16th. He was 94. He was the father and founder of the American fine wine industry. He started his first winery in Napa in 1966, believing that world-class wine could be produced in California. His innovative spirit and techniques brought his Robert Mondavi Winery to the pinnacle of greatness, culminated by the Opus One Winery, a Meritage masterpiece. His Italian roots held firm with his message that wine and food are created equal, and he wanted to see a bottle of wine on every American table.