• Home
  • Tastings and Events
    • Blind Bishop Open
  • WSET In-person Courses
    • WSET Level 1 Award in Wines Course and Examination
    • WSET Level 2 Award in Wines Course and Examination
    • WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Course and Examination
    • School Policies
  • WSET Online Wines and Spirits Courses
    • WSET Level 1 Award in Wines Online Course and Examination
    • WSET Level 2 Award in Wines Online Course and Examination
    • WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Online Course and Examination
    • WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits Online Course and Examination
    • WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits Online Course and Examination
    • School Policies
  • About Dilek Caner MW
  • Contact

Dallas Wine Education Center

Wine List Review: Oak

By Dilek Caner MW Leave a Comment


Wine

What I like most about Oak’s wine list is its balance between the geeky and mainstream wines. It gives the diners the option of adventure while offering comfort with the familiar and tasty. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to see some winepairing suggestions for specific menu items.

Let’s start with the mark-ups which are between 2.5 -3 times of the wine’s general retail prices. That’s still within the higher end of the standard range. But it fails to promote experimentation. Well-marketed Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label will have its following at its list price of $120 but why not sell Gaston-Chiquet “Tradition” a little lower than $115 or Pierre Peters, a fabulous Blanc de Blancs from the Grand Cru Mesnil-sur-Oger, a bit less than $140? Fewer people will have heard of these two wines  and a little incentive could give them the opportunity to discover something new and delicious. I completely understand that mark-ups vary by restaurant, but it always feels good to have a couple of “great values” on a list which I thought lacked at Oak.

Another issue with the wine list, at least in our experience, was availability. Our server came back with the information that the first wine we ordered, Scala Dei “Prior” Priorat, 2008 ($65) was not available. Then we ordered L’Ecole 41 Merlot from Walla Walla Valley ($65), but instead of the Walla Walla Valley, a bottle that said L’Ecole 41 Columbia Valley was presented, without any explanation. Here, it may be useful to know that L’Ecole’s Columbia Valley Merlot generally sells for about 30% less than its Walla Walla Merlot. When I pointed out that this was not the wine we ordered, our server disappeared for about 10 more minutes and came back with the information that the bottle we ordered was again not available. By then, our appetizer courses had finished and we were well into the main course. At this point we gave up and ordered a Gustav Lorenz Pinot Noir Rosé 2012 from Alsace ($58) which showed up at the table midway into our main courses.

Perhaps this was an unfortunate time to visit Oak as we were later informed that there was a management transition at the restaurant and they were looking for a new Manager/Wine Director. Hopefully a dedicated and competent Wine Director who will also work as a floor sommelier will improve matters in a short time.

Food and service

The starters that we’ve ordered were good but not great. The Braised Hearts of Palm did not show any evidence of having been braised, and tasted like they just came out of a can. The heirloom tomato in the same dish however was fresh, in season and full of flavor. Among the main courses, we liked the meat dishes we ordered better than the fish dishes. The Niman Ranch Pork Chop and its side of local greens were perfectly seasoned and cooked. The BeefTenderloin was truly divine as it was perfectly charred on the outside and cooked to an absolute perfection inside. The glazed carrot when combined with the miso mustard and a piece of the beef had just the right combination of the sweet and savory flavors.

The service could use improvement in a few areas. Our server was polite and courteous with a good command of the menu, however, he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to make sure that a bottle of wine arrived at the table before we were almost finished with our food. The supporting staff were rather impatient with the collection of items from the table, reaching for a few of the dishes while we were picking up a last morsel from the plate. Maybe the future manager could address some of these issues as well.

Even after a few hiccups during this visit, I would still go back to Oak for some of the brilliantly executed dishes and to see how they fare with some of the wines on the list.

A few food and wine pairing suggestions at Oak

Crispy Frog Legs
with spaetzle, vermouth, fine herbs 
  • Zonin Nerello Mascalese Brut Rosé Veneto, Italy ($9 by the glass)
  • Sigalas Assyrtiko Santorini, Greece ($55)
  • Patz & Hall Chardonnay “Dutton Ranch” Russian River Valley, California USA ($72)
Poached Asparagus
with crab, morel mushroom, sherry emulsion

Asparagus is a toughie, being poached makes it even harder. I’d either do something aromatic and savory like Sauvignon Blanc to go above it, or stay neutral with a Pinot Blanc to make it shine.

  • Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc “Te Muna Road” Martinborough, New Zealand ($13 by the glass, $52 by the bottle)
  • Josmeyer Pinot Blanc Alsace, France ($11 by the glass, $44 by the bottle)
  • Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio Collio, Italy ($60)
  • La Battistina “Nuovo Quadro” Gavi, Italy ($42)
Wild Salmon Tartare
with radish, meyer lemon, pineapple
  • Le Caprice de Clementine Grenache/Cinsault Rosé Côtes de Provence, France ($9 by the glass)
  • Salmon Run Gewürztraminer Finger Lakes, USA ($44)
  • Au Bon Climat “Hildegard” Santa Maria Valley, USA ($78) – This one is a blend of mainly Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.
Copper River Salmon
with sunchoke, baby artichoke, leek, watercress
  • Copain Pinot Noir “Tous Ensemble” Anderson Valley, USA ($14 by the glass, $55 by the bottle)
  • Gaston Chiquet “Tradition” Brut Champagne, France ($115)
  • Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, USA ($145)
Niman Ranch Pork Chop
with spring onion, local greens, green strawberry mostarda
  • Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Wachau, Austria ($11 by the glass, $44 by the bottle)
  • Cune Rioja Reserva, Spain ($65)
  • Long Shadows “Sequel” Syrah Columbia Valley, USA ($98)
Beef Tenderloin
with glazed carrot, miso mustard, dill
  • Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla, Spain ($12 by the glass, $45 by the bottle)
  • Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga, USA ($25 by the glass, $100 by the bottle)
  • Ridge Zinfandel “Lytton Springs” Dry Creek Valley, USA ($85)
  • Chateau Musar Bekka Valley, Lebanon ($105) – A Cabernet blend
  • Paolo Scavino “Bric del Fiasc” Barolo, Italy ($275)
Goat Cheese Ravioli
with sorrel, green garlic, pimentón
  • Schloss Vollrads Riesling Kabinett Rheingau, Germany ($14 by the glass, $55 by the bottle) – FYI, this will certainly be sweet but a beautiful match for the goat cheese and green garlic
  • Henri Bourgeois “Les Baronnes” Sancerre, France ($50)

 

 

Wine List Review: Spoon Bar & Kitchen

By Dilek Caner MW Leave a Comment

oysters-kevin-marple

Photo credit: www.spoonbarandkitchen.com

For our meal at John Tesar’s Spoon, we went as a group of four so that we could try as many different dishes as we can as a group and order more than one bottle of wine.

Wine

Every Sunday, Spoon sommelier Madeleine Thompson offers about 10-12 wines by the bottle at half price. “Those are the wines I would like people to try,” says Thompson, who picks several lesser-known varieties and regions for her list. If you’d like to drink like an insider, leave yourself to her able hands and she’ll pick something tasty in your price range. Or browse the half-price list and try something new at a price you won’t regret. On the Sunday we were there, the list featured a 2009 Talenti Rosso di Montalcino at $40, a price very close to what it would cost at a wine store, hence an almost a BYOB deal.

For our meal we picked two wines from the main list: A Cava by Mercat and a 2003 Dirler Riesling from the Alsace Grand Cru Kessler both of which were excellent accompaniments to Spoon’s cuisine. We were especially happy to have found an older Riesling from an excellent producer at the very fair price of $95.

Spoon’s list is especially strong in the sparkling and white wine categories. It is refreshing to see that, instead of the most obvious names the list includes some of the tastiest but more subtle wines such as 2006 Chartogne-Taillet Brut ($200), 2007 Vilmart Grand Cellier ($250) and 2005 Annamaria Clementi Brut Rosé by Ca’ del Bosco ($275). If you feel like a glass of crisp, fresh sparkling rose and don’t mind a bit of an adventure, try the Hugo Sparkling Rosé made from the Zweigelt grape in Austria.

White wines varietiesAmong the whites there are many delicious avenues you can take. If you want freshness with a tad bit of a fullness in your wine go with Weingut Knoll’s 2005 Loibner Vineyard Federspiel Grüner Veltliner ($75) from Wachau and if you like unoaked, fresh, crisp, cool-climate Chardonnay, try 2012 “Terroir Découverte” Chablis by Patrick Piuze ($54). Both of these wines are perfect accompaniments to almost anything on Spoon’s menu.  Increasing your wine budget to a higher level can get  you a bottle of 2011 Francois Mikulski Meursault ($140) which is a classic with typical Meursault characteristics including nuttiness, slightly oxidative yellow apples and a clean limestone minerality.

Your white options do not end here. 2012 Valle Dell’Acate “Zagra” 2012 Grillo ($45) from Sicily and 2012 Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet ($50) from Languedoc provide opportunities to taste something out of the ordinary without breaking the bank.  If cost is not an issue and you are celebrating, order the 2002 Ruinart “Dom Ruinart” Blanc de Blancs Champagne ($350), one of the most elegant and precise blanc de blancs from a great vintage in Champagne.

Spoon’s list has a surprisingly large selection on rosés and I would order each and every one of them on different occasions, though one of them particularly catches the eye: 2012 Arnot-Roberts Touriga Nacional “Rosé” ($65) from California. This one is made from Port’s flagship grape Touriga Nacional by a very reputable producer. I can’t wait to taste this the next time I am there.

If you must have a red and nothing but a red, an impressive section on Pinot Noir follows. Among the red Burgundies, I have my eye on 2008 Domaine Michel Lafarge “Les Caillerets” 1er Cru Volnay ($200). Granted, 2008 is not a stellar vintage in Burgundy overall. It is a vintage that separated the wheat from the chaffe and Lafarge is definitely the wheat and a legendary one at that. If you were looking at an acclaimed Burgundy vintage such as 2005 or 2010 you could never buy it at this price on a wine list, even from a slightly lesser producer. Besides, 2008 red Burgundies are drinking quite well right now.

There are some interesting Oregon and California Pinot Noir selections as well, but if you are into the big reds such as Bordeaux or California Cabernet Sauvignons, you are on your own here. I love those too but I would not go for these here with a mainly seafood menu, especially when there are such enticing alternatives on the wine list.

Overall, we were very happy with Spoon’s wine list.

Food

scallop-crudo-kevin-marple

Photo credit: www.spoonbarandkitchen.com

We ordered all the crudos in the menu and for me, they were the most delicious part of the menu. Cuttlefish and the Pacific Uni were both outstanding and there was not one crudo dish that didn’t make the grade. It is quite amazing that they can offer such freshness in crudos and perhaps the reason for the high prices of these items. Actually, that would be my only issue in going for a repeat; I would love to go back and do the same once in a while but at $18-$19 per crudo, it can only be an occasional treat.

For the main dishes, the Arctic Char and the Swordfish were both right on the money, and the Skate was cooked to perfection but we had one reservation about the tomato compote on it. The brown butter, lemon and capers completed the Skate, however, the tomato compote tasted slightly metallic as if it was made from canned or preserved tomatoes.

The desserts were exceptional and so was the Milk Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel Foam we were offered as palate cleanser between the main course and dessert. The chocolate and caramel had just the right amount of sweetness and a true chocolate taste without being overly rich and the  It took all my self-control to not go for another round that included all the desserts that were featured that night. The desserts were so palatable that a real dessert-lover could go through the whole list without feeling heavy in the end. Kudos to pastry chef David Collier.

Subscribe to our email list

Location:

Blind Bishop
310 Sunset Ave.
Dallas, TX 75208

Phone:

972-863-9835