The Stage House

The Stage House in Scotch Plains New Jersey could be considered an "oak". It's housed in a building so old it still has the bollards with hooks to tie your horse, while you go inside for some of the best food in Union County.

Now, let's be honest. Union County (despite it's proximity to NYC and obscene wealth) is not a hotbed of culinary excellence. It's disappointing, but true. We could only hope for more restaurants on par with the Stage House. Tom Britt (formerly of the mighty "The Frog and the Peach" in NB) has continued the long tradition of this NJ staple with overseeing a superior waitstaff (dont get me started about the hostess), and by supporting the truely talented kitchen master Eric Hambrecht. I dont know Chef Hambrecht, but his reputation is stellar and consistent.

You can tell a restaurant is great by all the great chef's who list it on their resume's. The Stage House can be found on some of the Garden State's most powerful resumes. It's always seemed, to me, to be a launchpad for great careers. I can name 5 killers off the top of my head who have their own showcase restaurants, all of whom speak fondly of their training at this particular restaurant.

I'll get to the details. I had ravioli of short ribs with peas and mushrooms that wanted for nothing. An excellent first course. For an entree I went again with the braised Beef Ribs that worked perfectly with my appetizer, as a different preperation on what had to be a special piece of meat. This course had the delicate sweetness of pomegranate and red cabbage that I thoroughly enjoyed. I only chose it over a seafood selection because of the wine we were drinking, I didnt want to change gears mid-meal. I wont mention the brand (as it doesnt deserve to be printed), but let's just say it was typical, but not awful.

My guest had to be pushed into trying the gnocchi (which is ricotta based instead of the traditional flour creation I grew up with), and she almost got to finish it alone. Her Tuna entree was good, but I'm anxious to see the next stage of Tuna creations. It's about time this ingredient had a breakthrough.

Overall, The Stage House doesnt need any help. They know what they're doing and only get better each year. They have a tavern and an outside seating area that rocks 3 seasons (heatlamps allow us to continue to enjoy the outdoors deep into the Fall). I cant think of a better alternative in the Westfield/Summit/Scotch Plains corridor, and if you havent found it already, I strongly recommend it.

False Idols

I dont have a lot of idols. There are some people that I admire, but idolatry I usually save for unattainable women, or cars I strive to one day have in my garage. People, in my opinion, do not deserve to be idolized. We're all guilty of something, we all have a skeleton somewhere in a closet or under some bed.

Sometimes when I hear people talking about Tony Soprano, it makes me mad. They have such respect and sympathy for a sociopathic murderer, whose moral compass was probably broken before he even entered his teenage years. It also angers me when some asshead, with whatever sliver of Italian ancestry, lightly infers a possible connection to La Cosa Nostra. Like it's a badge of honor to have an uncle who kills, steals, intimidates, or wears a tracksuit all day. Get a job already, any moron can be a criminal.

I was speaking on the phone this afternoon to my lifelong friend Joe. I've known Joey since I can remember, and both our dad's were the kind of men who got their dead asses out of bed every morning and set out to make an honest living to raise their rapidly growing families (not to mention provide for the expensive tastes of both our mothers). These guys had tremendous responsibility, and never buckled. If they needed something, or suffered a failure, they just worked harder. If you're going to idolize somebody, these are much better candidates.

I'm going to print my prediction of the demise of Tony Soprano. I've been saying it out loud for years, but people just dont seem to remember. Tony Soprano is going to jail. He's not going to slither through the bars like a Gigante or even "Uncle Junior", he's going to the can..... like Gotti.
He's going to get booked, tried, and then convicted. Probably because one of the younger meatheads gets a parking ticket and sings like a bird. The last scene is going to be him being ushered into his cell, orange jumpsuit covering his gorilla body, he's going to turn dramatically back towards the camera and sit on the bed that's built into the concrete wall. Then they're going to close the door. Good.

Tater Salad at the Taj Mahal

Saw Ron White last night at the Taj in Atlantic City. Ron White is one funny cat.

Very little material was familiar... and his new stuff was rock solid.

It really makes you think about commitment and dedicating yourself to your craft.

The sum total of failure this guy must have had before he made it to a point where he could make a living must have been amazing. His big break came after Jeff Foxworthy broke through, and took Ron along with him to open his shows. Which seems to sort of be the catalyst for the "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" series. You really dont know when/where/how the tipping point will come about, but if you keep at it, sometimes it happens.

We're waiting for our tipping point here at www.avawine.com . Maybe we can open a show or two for Larry the Cable Guy. Or a publicity stunt of some type. I'm giving it major thought.

Greetings from Augusta National

Now, before all you fanatics get excited, I havent yet met Tiger Woods. Although it might happen. Tomorrow night I'm going to an event hosted by Jim Nance, which promises to be fun.

I'm sure the food will be good. Both Tiger and Jim would have to come over to me and introduce themselves, as I'd sooner stick a fork in my eye than join the flock of freaks who hound celebrities and athletes.

I'm down here with Maybach working the event, and so far things are going fairly well. I drew high card and scored the master bedroom in the house we're renting (local people rent their homes out during the Master's week, schools coincide their spring breaks so kids can go too).

I've only had to eat fast food once ( ok twice, but that ends today). And the weather is just about perfect. Northern Georgia is beautiful... that is not to be refuted.

I had to put to sleep my IBM thinkpad laptop. I had her for 5 years. She was a good old girl.

So this is my first blog with my new Toshiba.. it's got all kinds of cool stuff, I'm sure in 5 years I'll figure some of them out.

Muscardini Cellars Joins the Fold

Another excellent example of how passion and dedication can produce some of the finest varietals the entire WORLD has to offer. Truly a family affair, Mike Muscardini puts his name on each and every bottle of wine, and that's your assurance it's going to be great.

We are elated to welcome Muscardini Cellars to our portfolio of the finest California Boutique wineries.

"Through Muscardini Cellars, the Muscardini family shares their zest for life and profound appreciation for the fruit of the vine with the Muscardini Cellars artisan wines. The mission of Muscardini Cellars is to culminate the knowledge, tradition and respect of more than a century of family experience in the industry with wines that artfully capture flavor and spirit. "

We at www.avawine.com welcome you to enjoy these hard to find selections. To learn more about Mike and his beloved winery, goto www.muscardinicellars.com !

Have you seen 300?

I love movies about heart. Rocky, Forrest Gump and the Blues Brothers were all movies about heart.

Nicol and Mike Duffy have heart. They make wines they are proud of, they put their family and friends and reputation first. They dont sell out, and they dont cave and make wines to adhere to those tastes that are popular with the weirdos who rate wines. They stand on their ground and wait for the rest of us to come around.

I saw 300 last night. I enjoyed it more because before I left for the theater, I had a glass of Optima's Chardonnay. Life is better after a glass of anything from the Duffy's.

http://www.avawine.com/wineries-optima-wine-cellars-c-42_194.html?osCsid=974b4c58c1d8876a62a0a073b120f057

Drop The Hammer

I'm not a hippie.

And I dont even really hate corporate America. Heck, without it we wouldnt have the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. But I think it's been made pretty clear, I hate corporate wines.

Maybe I'm a walking contradiction? Perhaps. I dont like Gallo wine, but I like the story of Ernest Gallo. People who strive and punch and kick and keep striving and punching and kicking inspire me. This guy did all that.

A few years ago Alan and I had an appointment at some winery somewhere that had the "boutique" moniker attached to it. We were warmly greeted and while we were being shown around, the secret came out. Old Ernesto had just snatched up that winery to become part of his new "boutique" program. Turns out we just missed him (and his helicopter landing) by about a day. I would have liked to have met him, and told him how well his selections work on cleaning the rims of my car.

I wouldnt have done that, I dont go out of my way to introduce myself to famous people (Jessica Alba being an exception), but if by happenstance we crossed paths I would have been respectful and jocular. Neither terms would be used by anyone to describe me otherwise.

Cafe Maxx / Pompano Beach, Florida

Eve Ainsbury is difficult to explain. She's brilliant, she's British, and she's about 7'8 in heels.
Which makes her all but the very best of dinner companions. Dining with Eve renders "people watching" impossible, as the entire establishment is always watching her.

I asked her to join me in trying a restaurant not far from where I stay in South Florida, Cafe Maxx in Pompano Beach. It's one of those places that is fine dining, and rests completely on word of mouth for advertising. No elaborate dedicated building, no floorshow of a waitstaff, just dedicated professionals thoroughout. Appropriate decor, open kitchen, and a menu so full of excellent dishes it makes things difficult. The way it should be.

Eve was coming off some whacky "eat nothing but nuts and berries" diet, which I suspect is part of some secret science experiment to see just how thin someone can get before they get taken up and away by a strong wind (must be something she learned as a top fashion model while only 15 years old! in London). So she was ready to dig into something extrodinary. I was too, but I'm a food snob and consider it a sport.

As we had cocktails and looked over the menu, I felt this was going to be an epic event. But in the back of my mind I knew at least one part of this was not going to go down easy, the wine list.
Without going into a diatribe or rant about Corporate wines, let's just say I chose the Swanson "Alexis" from Napa Valley. It was fine.

Eve ordered off the evening specials list, a Salmon Steak that looked like it might still be moving. She obviously loved it because all conversation ended once it hit the table. A brighter orange I have never seen. I chose what I later found out to be one of their signature dishes, the "Three Peppercorn Filet Mignon", and I'm not ashamed to say I did not offer to share. This slice of absolute brilliance was pliable to the touch, cut easier than a perfectly ripe tomato, and melted on your back teeth, not unlike a fine selection from the wine list is supposed to do. Chef Oliver should give a clinic to other chef's on what is "Medium Rare". I'm certain there must have been vegatables, and probably even a starch of some sort, but I dont recall. I was very focused.

The owner/partner in charge of the front of the house (of course) came over after we were done.
I felt as though we may have come off as rude to Mr. Broek, neither of us could really speak. We were in that zone you find yourself after you've had a uber-satisfying experience. I can think of a few parallels, but will save them for another blog (or not).

This meal would have benefitted a great deal had they been complimented by the following selections:

Buoncristiani "O.P.C" http://www.avawine.com/wineries-buoncristiani-winery-c-42_213.html?osCsid=3d031b41d8b39c45e018a2121b05728b

Core Wine Company "Hard Core" http://www.avawine.com/wineries-core-wine-company-c-42_212.html

And this evening SCREAMED to be together with Vic Bourassa's Harmony3
http://www.avawine.com/bourassa-vineyards-2003-harmony3-6pack-p-294.html

When in Rome, drink Chianti, I guess. This meal was excellent despite having to drink some mashed corporate mess. It only makes my resolve even stronger.

Plagarism at it's Absolute Finest

http://www.gapingvoid.com/

Sometimes I read something and it makes me feel inadequate.

Like if you were to play 18 holes with Tiger, or drive a few laps with Dale, Jr.

This guy Hugh McLeod figured it out. He's the mouthpiece for this funky little South African Vineyard, and some other high end folks who probably dont really care so much about mass exposure and mobs of people buying up their wares.

He also draws these odd little cartoons on the backs of random business cards. At first glance they just seem to be rants intended to be funny, but the more you read.. the more they offer a glimpse into his soul. They represent what he's feeling, and that's always potent.

In college we learned that the more personal we got in our writing, the stronger our readers would identify with our work. It's that line an artist crosses when they give you a glimpse of what is really inside them, it draws us further in.

As usual, I'm going to make a connection to one (or all) of my wineries.

Actually, I'll skip that this time.

The Defense Rests

Jerold O'Brien was twenty-two years of age and a young Air Force pilot when he first recognized his interest in wine. Over the years, his travels to various parts of the world offered exposure to many different cultures, and their food and table beverages. "The more I tasted, the more I wanted to know, particularly about the wines. Why were they different? What was it about the soil, climate, grape variety and winemaking practices that produced the unique qualities of various wines?"

In 1970, Jerold moved to San Francisco, the center for the wine industry in the Western Hemisphere, where he began taking classes and working part time in wineries. "The more I met the great people in the wine business, the more I wanted to be part of this industry." In 1973, he found an 18-acre parcel in the Santa Cruz Mountains, then an abandoned orchard sitting atop a 2,100-foot ridge overlooking the Monterey Bay.

After several years of preparing plans and studies, he secured permits for the house, vineyard and winery building. In 1979, the winery was bonded. Purchased grapes were used for the initial production of wine and Silver Mountain was born.

Today, Jerold has an extensive background in the combination of art and science that is winemaking. The commitment to excellence, sense of adventure and fearless approach to challenge that he developed as a combat pilot are the very traits that make him shine as a winemaker. Jerold avoids technological shortcuts and instead uses traditional techniques like extended maceration and hand punch-downs.

He channels his time and energy into one specific goal: creating premium, world-class wines at reasonable prices. Jerold carefully inspects every barrel of wine to ensure the quality and flavor for which Silver Mountain is known. His old-world attention to detail and passion for wine will continue to make Silver Mountain Vineyards a standout in the wine industry.

NOTE FROM WM: Is there anything else you need to know?

http://www.avawine.com/wineries-silver-mountain-vineyards-c-42_197.html

Hidden Gem

According to our sales reports, many of you are overlooking one of our most precious hiddens gems.

William Broll is a grower/producer out in the Sierra Nevada who simply will not compromise.
His style and hard work shine clearly in all his selections, most notably in my opinion, in his Cabernet Sauvignon.

After the Superbowl a few friends decided they were done with the keg beer, and wanted to try something new. Never wanting to miss out on an opportunity to prove to them that the wineries I work with are far superior to the mishmashed marketing heavy wines they buy in the stores, I popped the cork on a bottle of Broll Mountain Vineyards 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon.

I poured the customary droplets into their glass, showed them how to properly give the juice the air it needs to breathe, and watched their faces as the wine hit their back teeth. Smiles.... All smiles.

Pepper... licorice..... spices. This selection doesnt waste much time in getting to know your taste buds. It moves right in. We welcomed it into our mouths with open arms. I think you should too, it makes a terrific mouthguest.

I'll pay for the shipping and deliver this excellent example of California Boutique wine directly to your door. If you hate it, call me and I'll refund your money without the 20 questions.

http://www.avawine.com/wineries-broll-mountain-vineyards-c-42_187.html

Letter to Rachel

We've just hired a new girl in Southern California. She's going to be doing her own blog so I'll let her introduce herself, trust me.. she doesnt need my help in introducing herself.

She's gearing up to do her first tasting.. and I'm jamming out on my computer trying to give her the appropriate "Gipper" speech... while trying to avoid either of us sounding like sleazy used-car salesmen (apologies to all refurbished automobile consultants in the audience).

I read it again.. and felt it should be posted.. black eyes and all. Buckle Up.

"Big corporate wines have networks where the managers can source grapes they need from other managers, because their job is to make enough to meet demand.
Our producers dont have jobs, they make wine because they cannot imagine doing anything else.
Quality and Taste suffer with corporate wines. Ask them if they know the winemaker of their favorite brand? Tell them you just introduced them to winemaker who's wine they're drinking right there that night. Tell them that your producers dont put crap into bottles that have their names on them, because they're accountable. They would consider it "rude" to fill a bottle with something less than superior. Tell them what your producers do when they dont like the way their juice is coming along (they sell it to the corporate wineries so they can meet demand). Let them know that a lot of the "labels" that they're buying now dont even have vineyards. Some kooky artsy weirdo in the marketing department came up with a bogus story.. and a catchy aestheticly pleasing label.. and all that's left is sourcing juice to fill the bottles that those labels get glued to. So they go out to their manager network to get whatever wine is specified, or available... it doesnt really matter... they're not buying the wine... they bought the label."

It's The Same All Over

I've been bouncing around southern California all week. And since I dont live here (yet), I frequently am forced to take my meals at restaurants. Now this probably sounds wonderful to some of you, and it is (sometimes), but sometimes when you're on the road you just want to grill a piece of chicken, slice a tomato, and be done with it.

What makes it worse is being subjected to the garden variety wine lists these restaurants so proudly display. Like serving that bottle of Zinfandel found in any local liquor store with a funny name for $45 is such a treat. Seeing that same bottle in the aisles for $14, it gets my dander up.

A rising star in the www.avawine.com arsenal is Fallbrook Winery. They're located between here and Temecula up in the hills, and they're selections have been very warmly received by our wine club members over the years. I met their winemaker last February, and quite frankly he could have cared less about me or my stupid website. He makes wine, and if you cant speak in that language, he'd just assume be doing something with his grapes.

The result is some pretty spectacular selections. If you're in the market for a Merlot, look no further. By clicking this link, you get twelve bottles of a Merlot you cant find anywhere else, for about the same price as those marketing gimmick selections I talked about up top. And I'll even pay for the shipping.

http://www.avawine.com/fallbrook-winery-2003-merlot-reserve-p-119.html

AVAWine.com Proud to Present: Core Wine Company!

Dave and Becky Corey are the two people behind the operation of CORE, involved in every aspect of the family run business. After working in different areas of the vineyard & winery industry for many years, they decided to take the plunge and introduced the CORE label in 2001. The focus is working with Mourvedre and Grenache, making blends that feature these varietals. Their vineyard sources include grapes from the Cuyama Valley in Santa Barbara County. Currently, they purchase small amounts of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon from Barnwood Vineyards and farm a 17.5 acre vineyard (Alta Mesa Vineyard) on a long-term lease.

Total production available for sale this year will be just under 1000 cases. They are fully integrated into their business--from growing the grapes to selling winery direct to all CA accounts which currently represents about 55 on and off-premise accounts.

All of us at www.avawine.com are thrilled to be bringing you such a high-quality California Boutique wine. The Corey's are what we promised you, and delivering selections such as these are what we're all about!

Purchasing Corey Wine Company wines is easy, and just a few clicks away.
We pay for shipping, why not introduce yourself to quality?

http://www.avawine.com/wineries-core-wine-company-c-42_212.html?osCsid=6a9e1f5ef605603939aec31daa49ef32

Cooper-Garrod and Escafeld Vineyards Come Aboard!

Two more perfect examples of what we are trying to respresent have decided to join the www.avawine.com team. Both produce fantastic wines, both refuse to become something less than honest, and both can be delivered directly to your door without spending a dime on shipping costs. This further proves that you can get the highest quality wines California has to offer for the exact same price you're presently paying for the inferior conglomerate corporation smorgasboard labels at the wine shop.

First up, Escafeld Vineyards is owned and operated by Steve and Elsbeth Wetherill. Located in Jolon (pronounced "whole-own"), they're nestled in the northern foothills of the San Antonio Valley appellation in Monterey County, California. Steve & Elsbeth purchased land for their vineyard in 1997 and today Escafeld Vineyards is crafting wines from three acres of own-rooted Merlot grapes and two acres of Zinfandel. Additionally, 2 acres of Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot & Malbec) were prepared and planted in 2002/2003.

Elsbeth keeps a very interesting online blog, if you'd like to check it out click here:

http://www.escafeld.com/diary/

Escafeld's selections can be purchased by clicking here:

http://www.avawine.com/wineries-escafeld-vineyards-c-42_210.html

Next, the family owned and operated Cooper-Garrod Vineyard. When I learn someone has served our country in wartime, I generally become very interested. George Cooper served with the 412nd Airborne Division in the European Theater. Can you believe that? One of our producers was a Thunderbolt pilot in WWII! It's humbling to think about the bravery and raw courage those guys have.

I would sit at his side and listen for hours as my Uncle John described how he and his squad mates stormed the beach at Normandy, and how his younger brother Joe died defending "The Slot" in the Pacific. I have an immense respect for the men and women who pitch in to serve our country, and am proud and honored to have the opportunity to work with Cooper-Garrod Vineyards.

After the war George pitched in at NASA! and finally retired in 1973. After producing enough wine to accomodate his friends and family for 20 years, he decided to share it with the rest of us. That was 23 years ago. I think it's safe to say the Coopers and the Garrods have a firm grasp on what they're doing. He's got a nephew overseeing the vineyard, and his son and daughter-in-law look after everything else. Apparently there's a whole bunch of family members running around keeping this a working farm and stable, probably in very much the same way it did when it was founded in 1893.

We at www.avawine.com invite you to enjoy what is certainly a tremendous creation, and as always its just a few clicks away.

http://www.avawine.com/wineries-escafeld-vineyards-c-42_210.html