I've just returned from an epic excursion touring through Napa Valley, followed by a few days in San Francisco. The main focus was tasting wines and eating fine foods. I'm not sure a secondary focus existed besides having a good time, something that was as natural as breathing. The weather in Napa was about as good as it gets, with sunshine and temperatures reaching 80 degrees each day, it was hard to imagine a more perfect setting for touring the hillsides.
Napa, day one
We flew into Napa on Saturday morning on a private jet. It was a Learjet 45 and the crew consisted of Wirt and Linda Yerger, Andrew Kriss (Cafe Kandahar's Sommelier), and myself. It was a short flight, approximately 1 and 1/2 hours from Kalispell, and thoroughly enjoyable. There is something about being on a private jet that lends a feeling of joy. I'm quite certain the destination and the company played a major role as well. We picked up our rental car at the airport and headed towards our first wine tasting of the day at David Arthur Vineyards. A delightful setting tucked up in the hills above Rutherford, this was a wonderful way to start our tasting. We still managed to get a little lost and show up late, an event that set the tone for our experience throughout the weekend.
Tyson, our host, knew plenty about the history of the winery, as well as, my background as a chef. It was impressive to say the least to be welcomed by someone who knows all about me, before having to say anything. We sampled four wines, a sauvignon blanc, a meritaggio, a cabernet sauvignon, and finally the elevation 1147 cabernet. The latter wine retails at about $150 a bottle, the others are not shy with price either. That said, as often is the case with small boutique wineries, you pay for what you get, and quality is usually not sacrificed within this realm. We were even able to enjoy several barrel samples from future vintages, something that is by far my favorite part of tasting wines. The youthful expression of the wine, while still in its aging process, is a way to fully experience the oak within the barrels and taste the transformation in progress.
Next up was Kuleto, a winery now owned by Bill Foley and partner Pat Kuleto. Pat Kuleto is an icon in San Francisco due to his multiple Restaurants he owns. His winery looks like something one might find in Italy, complete with impressive Gardens, rows of Vineyards, Olive trees, Culinary facilities, and one of the most beautiful views that exists in all of Napa. The wines match the spectacular setting as well, a taste of elegance and craftsmanship are apparent throughout the five wines we tasted. We began with a Rosato, followed by a tour of the facility, then a Sauv Blanc, a Syrah, a Pinot, and two different Cabernets (one vineyard designate).
The next stop was Oakville Grocery to enjoy some much needed lunch! It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and we still had two more wineries to visit. We enjoyed some delightful sandwiches made on Artisan bread with quality fillings. We then headed south to the Oak Knoll district to enjoy Boyd Family wines. This is a small private winery who only ships to those on their mailing list or those lucky enough to visit the winery. Its basically a very small high quality word-of-mouth place. We arrived and were welcomed by three very friendly dogs and invited to tour a magnificent home. We then proceeded to sit on the porch with Stan and his wife Joan. We tasted a Rose, a Big Ranch red (a blend of cab, merlot, syrah, and malbec), a Syrah, and a Cabernet Franc. The Syrah was easily one of the best Syrah I have ever tasted from the United States, rivaling Cote Rotie in France in terms of beauty. The Cab Franc was equally impressive, as was the friendly and welcoming hospitality of Stan and Joan.
We still had one more winery to visit at the north end of the valley, Merus. It was after 5pm when we arrived at this tranquil setting in Howell Mountain. Another winery owned by Bill Foley, this facility was a modern representation of what money, property, and fine wines can create in Napa. We toured through the underground caves that stretched into the mountain, housing the many barrels of wine in the halls. Merus's wines were the highlight of the day, specifically their Cabernet Sauvignon, as we all agreed (except Linda) it was the wine of the day. After a full day of tasting at wineries that do not allow the public to visit, except by appointment, we were enamored by our experience of tasting so many fine wines.
We took the Yerger's to the Calistoga Ranch, a resort beyond luxurious, tucked away in a canyon in the lush hillside of Calistoga. Andy Kriss and I headed south for dinner at Morimoto Restaurant. Most of you may know Morimoto as one of the original Iron Chefs. We arrived at this Restaurant ready to indulge in a night of food tasting. We opted for a glass of bubbly to begin, while waiting for a table at the bar, as wine held little appeal at that moment. The Restaurant was huge, bustling, and vibrant. We sat down and prepared for our feast. For the next few hours we went to town on their menu, sampling dishes like we were food critics who did not have to pay for the bill. We held zero discretion at what we ordered like the excited foodies we were. Carrying a steady buzz into the dining experience assisted with our "no fear" approach. The menu was as enormous as the dining room itself, so navigating through the offerings took some time. We gladly sipped our bubbly, as well as the complimentary sake that was offered (we guessed it was from having to wait for our table and us being in the business). Our menu selections went something like this:
Sashimi:
*(Toro) Fatty Tuna
*(Ikura) Salmon Roe
*(Uni) Sea Urchin Roe
Cold Plates:
*Raw Oysters (Kumumotos)
*Toro Tartare (Wasabi, nori paste, sour cream)
*Oyster Foie Gras (oyster, foie gras, uni, teriyaki)
*Lamb Carpaccio (wasabi leaf, scallion-ginger dressing)
Hot Plates:
*Foie Gras Chawan Mushi (duck breast, wasabi, sweet soy)
*Morimoto Bone Marrow (teriyaki, five spices)
*Foie Gras Takoyaki (pickled ginger, sauce perigord)
*Beef Tartare (asparagus flan, egg yolk, teriyaki)
*Kakuni-Pork Belly (rice congee, soy-scallion jus)
This menu we selected reads like a masterpiece. In fact, I enjoyed just typing the ingredients as some of my favorite foods are listed above. The dishes themselves, however, were not a masterpiece. Its not that it was disappointing necessarily, although it would be easy to fall into that realm, its just that it wasn't inspiring in the sense we expected. Don't get me wrong, though, most would fail to recognize the subtle details that kept this symphony of ingredients becoming a worthy masterpiece.
We opted for wine pairings with each course, so we had probably five different pairings throughout the meal, consisting of three different sakes, a pinot noir, and a zinfandel. All in all it was quite an experience. Needless to say, towards the end of the meal, we were buzzing like a couple of bumble bees in a busy hive. We chose to share our experience with our favorite personnel of the evening, the manager Eduardo. We were adamant in saying that we enjoyed our experience before diving into what we thought would be valuable feedback for their establishment. The conversation went something like this, with my voice in quotes: "Look what you have here is a platform, albeit a wonderful platform, yet there are subtle underlying details that are preventing you from becoming a springboard for the next level. I mean platforms are great, and all, but a springboard will catapult you to the theme you are portraying the Restaurant to be." The details consisted of a lack of seasoning on the Lamb Carpaccio, the same scenario with the Pork Belly, and a few other minor nuances that, in the end, can make all of the difference. Eduardo was extremely receptive to our feedback. So much so, that when the bill came, after the chartreuse and fernet-branco we enjoyed, none of the wine pairings were on the bill!! I couldn't believe it, but they comped all of our wine pairings. Still we managed to rack up a $275 tab between the two of us. We decided we would need a cab to escort our critic minded intoxicated selves back to the hotel. We arrived back at the hotel around 1:30am.
Napa, day two:
The next morning we were up and at it, bright and early (8:30am), with a hazy dense fog across our heads. Thankfully we had a breakfast buffet to quickly grab some fruit, guzzle some juice, and make our way back to the north end of the valley (a 45 minute drive) to pick up the Yerger's for yet another day of wine tasting. We arrived at Kelly Fleming winery at 10:30am. Ever heard of Fleming steakhouse? How about P.F. Changs? P.F. stands for Paul Fleming. And due to the success of those two ventures, Kelly Fleming (Paul's wife) created Kelly Fleming's wines. This villa outside of Calistoga was an absolute gem. One of the more beautiful facilities we visited, as well as a newer facility, for a small winery the building itself was absolutely incredible. Kelly sat with us and gave us a tour of the winery, complete with temperature controlled underground caves, a gorgeous setting, and a professional kitchen. Once we immersed in another wonderful setting such as this, the haze from the night before faded away as if the beauty of the property was the sun and it burned off the fog of our minds as clarity reigned.
Kelly's wine were definitely unique, as she practices organic farming with all of her grapes. We tasted a Sauv Blanc and her Cabernet, both outstanding representations of those particular varietals. Her Cabernet carried a superb balance and a elongated finish. We spoke about her sister (who is an amazing photographer), and her daughter (whom I hope to meet someday), we certainly were welcomed warmly and felt like family before the end. Come to find out Kelly enjoys going to Jazzfest in NOLA, something I am very fond of enjoying each year. She also invited me back to cook in her kitchen sometime! I was honored at the invite and will most certainly take her up on that offer in the near future!
We then went to Joseph Phelps, a well known producer down in St. Helena. This was probably how most people picture and experience Napa. We check in and we were handed a glass. We then proceeded to a station. There were many other people around. Immediately the connection with the wine was lost, as the winemaker/owner was not talking to us nor were they providing us with a tour. Instead we had random employees pouring from bottles with people sprawled about. The view was equally spectacular, as was the facility, but the thumbprint was not there. As a result the wines were somewhat unimpressive, despite the fact that many would recognize this producer as a stand out amongst the Napa Valley. We even tasted Insignia and Backus, both expensive bottles of wine ($150-$200, respectively) and were far from moved. In fact it tasted like mass produced, high quality juice, but not the hand crafted, artistic representation we were used to sampling. We got out of there as quick as we could.
We then went to Taylor's refresher (now called Gott's roadside), for a delicious burger and the quintessential lunch experience in St. Helena. It was really fun sitting outside and eating good food, preparing for our next tasting at the Napa Valley Reserve. The Napa Valley Reserve is a private facility located next to the Resort at Meadowood. Its practically a country club for wine folks, membership is a paltry $175,000, in a gorgeous setting. The membership buys you a couple of rows of grapes, where you can actually participate in the wine making process. The winemaker who oversees the production is none other than Bill Harlan of Harlan Estate. Harlan's wines routinely sell for $800 or more a bottle, and the past vintage wines will go for as much as $4000 or more. This is the big leagues, without a doubt. The library at the Napa Valley Reserve houses one of Thomas Jefferson's original notebooks. The facility at the Reserve was something out of a movie. The wine caves that exist (still under construction) are gigantic 60,000 square feet of underground tunnels. Its incredible what exists underground there. It is all temperature controlled with heated floors (for fermentation) and a cooling system above to keep the temperature absolutely perfect. If there is a more impressive facility on the planet, I wouldn't believe it till I saw it considering the unbelievable setting. There are several kitchens on site, that frequently showcase the likes of Thomas Keller, Gary Danko, and other notable west coast masters. When the owner, who provided the tour for us, offered an invitation to come and cook there, I about stopped breathing. How exciting! The Cabernet was as good a wine as one will ever taste. It was flawless in its approach, sublime in the finish, and perfect in a way that only a brilliant and impeccable wine can be. This was the pinnacle of our tasting in Napa. In the end, Carol (the owner) provided us with a bottle of 2004 Reserve. We decided to bring this with us to dinner at French Laundry.
Before dinner, however, Andy Kriss and I decided to go and visit my good friend Ryan Hill of Hill Family Vineyards in Yountville. I met Ryan in 2007 during the Whitefish Food and Wine Festival. He has since participated in several wine dinners Cafe Kandahar has done. We toured his property and his family's organic farm, which regularly provides produce for the French Laundry. There were over 150 different fruit trees on the property, with tons of different herbs, vegetables, blossoms, etc.. It was a culinary treat to tour such amazing delicacies. We sampled six different varieties of figs, as well as handful of other wonderful items. We had to stop sampling because of what came next, the most anticipated dinner of the year! Before we left the property, however, we toasted a glass of bubbly and prepared for the big feast.
The French Laundry:
We arrived on time for the highly anticipated dinner at 7:30pm. Honestly, there was a hint of nervousness as we walked inside. We did not know what to expect. I mean if ever there was hype surrounding a particular restaurant, this is it. We were greeted by several staff members upon entering and waited for the Yerger's to arrive. I introduced myself to the Maitre D, as he is good friends of someone who assisted with the Reservation, and we asked for the "Perkins experience." Randy Perkins is the person who helped with the whole process. We were sat in a quiet room with low ceilings. At first, we were not really sure if we were able to talk or not as the tables next to us seemed very serious. Of course, we broke the silence rather quickly. Champange was immediately offered upon seating; naturally we obliged, and toasted to our wonderful weekend in Napa and the moment. It was surreal to be sitting in French Laundry and getting special attention from the Maitre D. Up to this point the service was carefully and methodically particular, each movement was done with grace, every step with conscious precision. The captain inquired if we were all okay with foie gras. All of us smiled widely and responded with yes, with the exception of Wirt. The captain said no problem and that Wirt would have something else. The captain returned and said he spoke with the chef, and the chef insisted that he would be eating foie gras. We then mentioned to Wirt that if he didn't eat it, we most certainly would.
The dinner began, shortly thereafter, we never actually saw a menu. Normally when dining at French Laundry, you choose between two nine course tasting menus, one vegetarian and one regular for $250. Once again, we never saw a menu, the dinner just happened. And it happened like this (taken from my notes, at dinner):
*Pate a Choux, Gruyere, Bechamel
*Canape: Scottish Salmon Tartare, Chive Creme Fraiche, Savory Cone
*Chilled Melon Soup, Lemon Verbena Foam, Hass Avocado, Cilantro
*Island Creek Oysters, Tapioca Pearl Sabayon, White Sturgeon Caviar
*Santa Barbara Uni, Sake Granita
*White Truffle Custard, Sauce Perigordine (served in an egg shell)
*Cherry Tomatoes, Eggplant Puree, Basil, Pinenut Tuille, Nicoise Paint
*Foie Gras Mousse, Genoise Cake, Fennel Bulb Marmalade, Strawberries, Pistachios
*Lubina, Horseradish Creme Fraiche, Marble Potatoes, Baby Beets, Golden Peas
*Butter Poached Lobster Tail, Berigole (Artichoke) Emulsion, Chantrelles, Baby Carrots
*Whole Roasted Squab Carving, Grape Consomme, Cippolini Onions, Hog Bacon
*Chicken Breast, Golden Corn, Sweet Pepper, Bacon Vinaigrette
*Veal Scallop, Burgundy Truffles, Chestnut Foam, Swiss Chard, Veal Chest w/ Veal Mousseline
*Cavatina, Brioche, Cinnamon, White Honey Pudding, Raisins
*Filo Orchard Apples, Soda, Shaved Apples, Prune Fritters
*Coffee/Doughnuts: Cappucino Semi-Freddo, Cinnamon Brioche, Whipped Milk
*Peanut Butter Semi-Freddo, Nut coating, Banana Sorbet, Chocolate Ganache
*Peach Tart, Peach Whip Cream, Mocha
*Truffle Tasting: Coffee, Thai, Cherry, Banana, Passion Fruit, Peanut Butter, Hazlenut, Ganache
*Strawberry Cookies (to take with us)
19 courses. The first six courses were served cold. Then there was a vegetarian, then foie, then seafood, then poultry, then meat, and of course the continuous revolving dessert action. It was a truly a fantastic experience. Each dish was served in a different vessel, some dishes containing a stack of three of four plates, each so very unique in its composition. The construction of each plate was carefully thought out, the execution of the menu was an absolute masterpiece. The service was impeccably thorough. There are so many details about this affair that a book could be written about it. Let me just say that of all the dining experiences I've enjoyed, this ranked up there with the best of them.
We drank the bottle of champagne to begin, followed by a Phillipe Colin, 1er Cru, Chassagne-Montrachet, 2005, and then a Patz and Hall, Jenkins Ranch, Pinot Noir, 2007, and finally the Napa Valley Reserve 2004. The wine was a delicate touch to the full spectrum of flavors we were experiencing. The meal lasted five hours from start to finish. The expectations were extremely high and each one was met, without a doubt. There were two minor faux paus, yet even those could not take away from a memorable experience. When I got up to use the bathroom, my napkin was not replaced and I had to ask for one. Again a minor flaw and one that happened when the service staff was at its busiest moment. The only other mistake was I asked one of our food runners where the black salt was from, he never returned with the answer. All that being said, every other detail was met with professional and unmatched courtesy. When food was place on the table, it was done by a minimum of two people, when it was picked up, it was the same. The presentation of the food, both on the plate and by the service personnel was carefully constructed and delivered.
One funny note to mention before delivery of the final course, I decided to play a joke on the staff. I asked the table to take their spoon and place it underneath the table. When the staff came to the table to deliver the food, they immediately did a 180 degree turn as fast as their feet would allow. The look on their faces was priceless. We then put the spoons back on the table, so when the next person came to set, they noticed we were already set for the course. They actually got a pretty good kick out of it and shook our hands. The captain explained to us that someone could get fired for something like that happening, and laughed at the situation because it genuinely confused everyone there initially. Now I would never do this at the crunch time, but at the end of a nineteen course meal it seemed appropriate.
We toured the kitchen and met the chef de cuisine (Keller is rarely there nowadays), as well as we toured the wine cellar. It was a magical night, one I will never forget. I also now have an in at the French Laundry, as the Maitre D thoroughly enjoyed the glass of Napa Valley Reserve we offered him, so reservations will never longer be a problem. Paying the bill, however, will be the hardest part! Even still, the bill between the four of us totaled $1600. Thankfully, we were treated for the evening.
And so to sum it up, the song in the title, is an Elton John tune named Daniel. Leaving on a plane seemed like a fitting beginning. And even though I didn't go to Spain, I might as well have.. Napa is as magical as Spain, and I feel like a star in the face of the sky....
