Wednesdays, July 8, July 22, and August 8, 2009

All sets starting at 7:00pm and as always…NO COVER

Julie Clark is well known in the Urban Folk genre.  Clark’s second full-length CD of all-original material, Change Your Mind, is crystal clear – both in terms of Clark’s vivid lyrics and the pristine sonic quality of the recording itself. You can see straight to the bottom of its sparkling pool of widely diverse emotions.

Newest Album Release "Change Your Mind"

From the ebullient hopefulness of the opening track “Change Your Mind” to the raucous fun of “I’d Do ‘Em All (if I could),” Clark’s songwriting addresses a broad range of human experience with surprising honesty and insight. Throughout Change Your Mind, Clark sings of love in its many forms, such as the poignant hope of restoring closeness with a sibling in “Growin’ Up” and an intense longing to be desired romantically in “Jacket.”

We are extremely excited and proud to have such a talent in our home. Please come by and enjoy these scheduled performances.  Our restaurant is elegant yet casual and always smoke free.  A great place to relax and enjoy wonderful live music.

See you there.

We have been lucky enough to get a trio from the local group Fuzzband to perform for us every Monday Night with the first set kicking off at 6pm.

Future schedule is not certain yet, but we hope to make this continues to be a standard event. Colley Avenue simply does not have enough musical options (if any) so we think it’s time to change that. This will be our first run so come and enjoy.

There is NO COVER CHARGE and we run some great specials throughout the night! Our intent is to simply have some fun and go from there.

So take advantage and enjoy some good music this Monday Night. Remember, every Monday first set starts at 6pm.…Cheers!

I know what you’re thinking, but much like quality wine can’t be determined by its label alone, a good place for breakfast can’t be determined simply by its name. The Winehouse is well known for its almost encyclopedic collection of wines, offering varietals from all over the world. I’d eaten dinner twice at the Norfolk restaurant – once at its old location on the corner of Colley Avenue and West Olney Road and again shortly after it reopened in its new location a few doors down from the Naro Expanded Cinema – so I knew the evening offerings were first-rate. I was excited to learn they offered brunch and enthusiastically set out to test The Winehouse’s morning fare.

Accompanied by two friends, we arrived at the restaurant on a warm Sunday morning in March, shortly after its 11 a.m. opening for brunch. As we stepped inside the dark foyer, we were greeted cordially by the hostess who, upon our request, led us back out to sit at a table under the purple awning of the restaurant’s sidewalk veranda.

Winehouse Egg's Sardou

I opted for a lighter beverage from the menu – the Big Red mimosa ($5.50), a mixture of champagne, cranberry juice and a splash of orange liquor. We also ordered a round of coffees ($1.95 each), hoping the caffeine would drive away any residual sleepiness. The clocks had jumped ahead overnight, and the effects of the lost hour and a late night lingered despite the brilliance of the morning sky.

We were still the lone outside diners when the drinks arrived and our earnest waitress had taken our food order: eggs Sardou with bacon, French toast stuffed with the restaurant’s “signature” filling and a side of bacon, and the breakfast burrito with sausage. My friends’ Bloody Marys ($6) were garnished with a lime wedge and green olive on a bamboo skewer. Sneaking a sip from one of the two tomato drinks on the table, we collectively agreed they were good, though not the best we’d ever had. I felt it could use more kick. One friend added a bit more salt to his. But it was made with a generous pour of alcohol and in my friend’s words, “It’ll get you going.”

The Big Red mimosa was more simply presented in a traditional champagne f ute. It was exactly what I’d hoped – cool and refreshing with a touch of sweetness. The strong coffee, continuously filled by the wait staff, lifted our mental fog. Blues played on the Bose speakers overhead, and I lamented the fact that of all the items that were not available that morning, the Winehouse Beignets were it. According to the menu, the Beignets are made in-house and served with a raspberry dipping sauce. I was curious to see how they compared to the deep-fried confection I was introduced to in New Orleans, but our waitress gave me the bad news when I tried to order them for the table.

I felt almost instantaneous food envy when the plates arrived. The French toast dish sat on the table to my right – Texas toast piled angularly like an egg-battered Pikes Peak, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with whipped butter ($6.95). For an additional $1.50, my friend’s slabs of toast were stuffed with the restaurant’s “signature” cream cheese and berry filling. He refrained from using the syrup that came with the dish so he could taste the unadulterated flavor of the toast.

The breakfast burrito was placed diagonally across from me – a hearty portion of scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes and my friend’s choice of Havarti cheese enveloped by a warm tortilla ($8.95). He noted that the roasted tomato salsa accompanying the burrito had just the right amount of onion and a nice smoky quality to it with a hint of chipotle. The burrito eventually provided a bit of a challenge, though. Thanks probably in part to the Bloody Mary, he felt full sooner than he expected.

He wasn’t alone. Later on, we observed a couple having at least half of their breakfast burritos boxed to-go. Clearly they’d faced the same internal wall and knew when to say, “When.” My friend ultimately recruited our help and there was little leftover to bother boxing up. As it turns out, I needn’t have envied my companions’ meals because my Eggs Sardou ($8.95), with its lovely yellow hollandaise crown, was the real star at our table. Though I paused admiringly before breaking the whites of my poached eggs, the dish was more than just a beautiful presentation.

Once released, the egg yolks melted onto a layer of fresh sauteed spinach below, which sat on a foundation of perfectly cooked potatoes, onions and artichoke hearts. Having nibbled a bit from everyone else’s dishes, as they had mine, I feared each layered bite would have to be “the last one.” But I managed to soldier on, finishing the bacon that accompanied my dish and saving my orange slices from the mostly empty plate before it was collected by our waitress.

The three of us sat in contented silence and waited for a round of the house Cava to arrive. Tables had filled up around us, and the rest of Ghent seemed to have stretched its arms to take in the new day. Passersby included men in short sleeves – some in shorts, women in sun dresses with hair casually pulled into loose buns, joggers and couples walking arm-in-arm or hand-in-hand. Some folks strolled along Colley Avenue, others moved purposefully. Everyone was clearly enjoying the spring-like reprieve from the wintry chill that had gripped Hampton Roads less than a week before. And at least a couple stepped around the corner of the outdoor dining area to check out The Winehouse based on the dishes they saw on the tables around us.

The dry Spanish sparking wine known as Cava arrived after a short wait. It was crisp and cool, and cleansed the palate. Never having tried Cava before, it was an inexpensive introduction at $1 a glass for each of us. In lieu of dessert, we opted for another round of drinks. When we finally pushed ourselves away from the table, only crumbs and empty glasses remained as evidence of our time spent there. By then, the veranda was full of mid-day diners, as was the restaurant’s interior, or so it seemed as we walked through to the front door.

One final thought lingered in my mind as my companions and I made our way up Spotswood Avenue to the car: “Guess I’ll be back for those beignets.”

Jennifer Smith, who owns The Winehouse Bar and Bistro with her husband, Brad, said they’ve offered Sunday brunch since the restaurant reopened at its new location in September. The New Orleans native spoke enthusiastically about the relatively new brunch menu which evolved as a result of a brainstorming session with sous-chef, Tim Barker. Dishes such as eggs Sardou and baked eggs were inspired from an old Cajun cookbook, Smith said. The goal was to make the dishes unique, but accessible, presented almost as an introduction to her hometown’s culinary heritage. It’s been so successful, she said, they decided to add a Saturday brunch as well.

Check the Web site for more information,
www.mywinehouse.com.

Here are some other reasons to check out The Winehouse Bar & Bistro

- More than 200 bottled wines to choose from – at least 81 available by the glass.
- Happy Hour from 3:30-6:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday, which features a $5 menu, half-priced house special martinis, and off-menu wine by the glass.
- Wine tasting starting at 3:30 p.m. daily, featuring unfinished bottles of wine from the night before.
- Half-priced bottles of wine Tuesday nights and half-priced entrees Sunday nights.

THE WINEHOUSE BAR AND BISTRO
is at 1517 Colley Ave. in Ghent. Reservations are recommended
on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Call (757) 622-7777, or visit
www.mywinehouse.com/reservations to reserve a table online.

See you then! Cheers.

You can always see pictures of recent events and our restaurant in our image gallery. But, here are a few of our favorites.

	The view of our entrance from Colley Ave.
	No matter the address, we absolutely know how to have good time!
	The new tasting room can be really cozy…

Again, in the image gallery, we have quite a few more posted so feel free to browse. Look for more coming soon.

2007 Vina Robles Red4

We recently introduced one of their newest blends to our humble home. It is called Red4 and hails from their HuerHuero vineyard in Paso Robles, CA. It is a primary blend of Petite Syrah and Syrah. To be honest, we don’t come across Petite Sirah/Syrah blends very often which is a pity, because this particular wine is a gem.

During our initial wine tasting we were first struck by the color which seemed to maintain much of the typical Petite Sirah characteristic of purple hue and rich reds. The wine guide from Vina Robles calls it correctly by stating the wine “highlights the structure of Petite Syrah and the spice and cherry qualities of Syrah”. But, they forgot to mention the richness of flavor produced by the combination. The Petite Sirah seems to bring out the natural fruit of Syrah that is typically hidden by the tannic finish.

The types of red wine typically consumed in our little market is almost always dominated by fruit forward reds with a rich and soft finish which is typical of Petite Sirah, but the addition of Syrah provides some much needed structure and always this wine to be both great with food, or by itself.

Some tasting notes: Love the color. The aroma is a strong combination of the unmistakable spice of Syrah and blackberries. The taste is lush with just enough tannin to highlight its subtle qualities.

At The Winehouse Bar & Bistro, we don’t rate our wines. We simply simply label as drink or do not drink. For us, this beautiful wine is a definite drink.

Additionally, sweet white blends of Semillon, Sauvingnon Blanc and Muscadelle as well as dry white blends of Sauvignon blanc and Semillon are also produced. There are 57 individual appellations in Bordeaux and 9 defined A.O.C. districts, five major: Medoc, Pomerol, St.-Emilion, Graves and Sauternes, and four lesser: Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Cotes de Bourg, Cotes de Blaye, and Entre-deux-Mers.

French Wine Region Bordeaux

Wines identified in Bordeaux can either be labeled by a proprietary name or the Chateau (vineyard with attached house), but all will list the A.O.C. designation (appellation). Each district also manages a separate and unique system of quality classification to identify those wineries considered of the highest quality.

Remember, this is just a quick reference. This topic is deep and you could spend a lifetime emersed and still not know everything there is to know about French wine. But, this should be helpful. I will dig deep into each sub-region in later articles.

Medoc

Situated on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, Medoc is considered the “800lb gorilla” of Bordeaux with a disproportionate amount of France’s notable wines coming from this district. All A.O.C. controlled wines from Medoc are red and are blended with more Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot.

Medoc utilizes a chateau ranking system categorized in 1855 by quality (referred to as Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855) into five “growths”. The first growth, or Premier Cru (1st Cru) signifies the highest quality Chateau in Bordeaux. of which only five exist. Additional classifications may also include (in order of quality), Grand Crus, Grand Crus Bourgeois and Crus Bourgeois. This method of classification is no different than a hotel being ranked in quality as “four stars”.

The most notable chateaux are Chateau Lefite-Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion (Haut-Brion is actually located in the Graves district south of Medoc).

There are eight appellations within Medoc; Medoc (means northern area of Medoc), Haut-Medoc, Margaux, Paullac, St. Julien, St. Estephe, Moulis and Listrac. There are six inner appellations to Haut-Medoc listed in the Appendix of this training guide.

The Region of Alsace

French Wine Region of Alsace

Located on the northeastern border adjacent to Germany and Switzerland, Alsace produces wine based primarily on Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris and Muscat.

The wines produced by this region will be labeled by the appellation Alsace or Alsace Grand Cru. The primary difference being the Alsace Grand Cru designation dictates the vineyard source to be from a “top-class vineyard” with a lower yield (insuring greater grape concentration).

Riesling and Gewurztraminer account for over 40% of the Alsatian (al-say-shen) wines produced and as a whole, Alsace accounts for nearly 20% of the wine production of France.

• Alsace Riesling: Most notable for its “bone dry” and austere taste with scents of the classic Riesling including apple and lemon, as well as the occasional petroleum.
• Alsace Pinot Gris: Richer than its Riesling counterpart, tons of fruit, luscious flavor with scents of candied fruits.
• Alsace Muscat: Huge floral scents, fruits like apricot on the nose but the taste is “bone dry”.
• Alsace Gewurztraminer: Tons of spice, candied fruit and nuts on the nose with a velvet texture and tastes of pineapple, apricot, sometimes even ginger with higher amounts of residual sugar.

California has over 427,000 acres (1,730 km2) planted under vines and ships close to 500 million gallons of wine per year accounting for almost 90% of the total wine produced in the United States. There are over 107 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), including the well known Napa, Russian River Valley, Rutherford and Sonoma Valley AVAs. The Central Valley is California’s largest wine region stretching for 300 miles (480 km) from the Sacramento Valley south to the San Joaquin Valley. This one region produces nearly 75% of all California wine grapes and includes many of California’s bulk, box and jug wine producers like Gallo, Franzia and Bronco Wine Company.

Over a hundred grape varieties are grown in California including French, Italian and Spanish wine varietals as well as hybrid grapes and new vitis vinifera varieties developed at the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. The seven leading grape varieties are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Zinfandel.

North Coast

The North Coast includes most of the northern coast of California, north of San Francisco Bay.  The large North Coast AVA covers most of the region.   Notable wine regions include Napa Valley and Sonoma County and the smaller sub AVAs within them.  Mendocino and Lake County are also part of this region.

Napa Valley is California’s 3rd highest tourist destination behind the Golden Gate Bridge and Disneyland and worthy of its own discussion. Some of the worlds biggest names can be found within this small section of the North Coast region.

North Coast's Napa Valley

Joseph Phelps: Most notable for Bordeaux style red, vineyards in Stags Leap, Rutherford, St. Helena and Oakville.

Cakebread Cellars: Reputation built on big, rich Chardonnays, first vintage bottled in 1973, primary vineyard is Rutherford A.V.A.

Opus One: Founded in 1979 as collaboration of Mondavi and Rothschild, Bordeaux style blend of Cab, Cab franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot
Silver Oak WineryPrimary focus on Cabernet Sauvignon with vineyards in Alexander Valley A.V.A. and Oakville A.V.A.

Although it is not required to memorize the history or location of every California A.V.A., it is wise to pay very close attention to Napa and its sub-appellations.

Central Coast

Includes most of the Central Coast of California and the area south and west of San Francisco Bay down to Santa Barbara County. The large Central Coast AVA. Notable wine regions in this area include Santa Clara Valley AVA, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, San Lucas AVA, Paso Robles AVA, Santa Maria Valley AVA and Santa Ynez Valley. Most Notable:

Paso Robles: Centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California’s Central Coast and is the fastest growing A.V.A. in California. Varietal’s produced primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zin, Chardonnay, home to Vina Robles Winery.

Santa Lucia Highlands Located in Monterey County, at 1200sqft above sea level, primary grape produced is Chardonnay; most notable wines produced are sourced from winery located in another region of California.

South Coast

Includes portion of Southern California, namely the coastal regions south of Los Angeles down to the border with Mexico. Notable wine regions in this area include Temecula Valley AVA, Antelope Valley/Leona Valley AVA, San Pasqual Valley AVA and Ramona Valley AVA.

Traditionally, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes dominated the acreage here. However, in recent times the climate of the South Coast has fostered a new age of growing hearty Rhone, Italian and Spanish grapes, perfect for red varietals such as bold Syrah, spicy Tempranillo and white varietals such as crisp Pinot Grigio.

There are almost twenty-five wineries in this area. Callaway Vineyard & Winery is the largest producer; others include Maurice Car’rie Vineyards & Winery, Culbertson Winery, and Mount Palomar.

Central Valley

– Includes California’s Central Valley and the Sierra Foothills AVA. Notable wine regions in this area include the Lodi AVA and Clarksburg AVA. Central Valley Wineries produces the majority of the state’s wine, yet few producers use the name on their label. This is because many people associate the region with mass produced, cheap wines. Some notable areas:

Lodi: Primarily small family farms, Zinfandel do very well in the area. Abundance Winery is located here and we carry many wines sourced from this A.V.A.

Clarksburg: Clarksburg Wineries are located in the Sacramento Delta. Much of the fruit is purchased by non-resident wine producers, but a handful of Clarksburg wineries are turning heads with Chenin Blanc and Petite Sirah.

French Labels

Generally, most wine regions within France follow the same basic principles as shown by the Bordeaux example below. But, there are fundamental and sometimes very subtle differences from region to region.

French Wine Label

Cru Bourgeois is an official classification for Bordeaux.Château Lamothe Bergeron is the name of the wine.1988 is the vintage date (the year of production). 12% is the alcohol level of the wine, and opposite, the bottle volume The Appellation Contrôlée of this wine. A.O.C. or appellation is the sign of highest quality in France. Each wine area his its own controlling body which ensures standards. This particular appellation is Haut-Medoc, a sub district within the Medoc district of Bordeaux. Mis en Bouteille en Château means the wine was made and bottled by the proprietor, not blended by a third party. Usually a good sign. Note: Bordeaux specific labels are presented in greater detail within the regional review section of the guide.

Spanish Labels

Generally, the labels are intended to convey information about the contents within the bottle; however, the majority of the jargon on the bottle has little to do with what you will actually be drinking – tending to confuse the average customer and server. Additionally, the labels will be, almost exclusively, in Spanish making it even more difficult. Here are the most important phrases helping to identify the wine within the bottle.

La Rioja Alta is the producer. Vina Ardanza is the name of the wine and below, the equivalent of Mis en Bouteille au Château: bottled by the proprietor. Reserva is the quality classification of the wine – there are strict rules for what is plain Rioja, Rioja Reserva, and Rioja Gran Reserva. Denominación de Origen Calificada – the official stamp of quality in Rioja.

Spanish Wine Label

German Labels

German wine labels are notoriously difficult to read. Apart from the problems Germany brought upon itself during the 1970s and 80s by bottling huge amounts of over sweetened, cheap wines for the UK market, it has always had another problem with the consumer: its obscure and complicated labeling.

French Wine Label

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer – specified region of origin.1989er – year of vintage Avelsbacher Avelsbach is the Village and Hammerstein the vineyard from which the wine comes. Riesling - grape variety. Kabinett is a degree of quality within the Qualitätswein mit Prädikat category, which is Germany’s highest category. Lesser wines are marked simply, “Qualitätswein” or “QbA”. Below this comes “Tafelwein”. AP number – strict legal tests have been completed on this wine. Erzeugerabfüllung - the equivalent of “Mis en Bouteille au Château” again – producer bottled.

United States Labels

All wine bottle labeling in the U.S. falls under the guidelines set by the American Viticultural Area definitions and thus follow typical varietal standards. Although reading the label is not difficult, some of the rules can be confusing. Here is a summary of American wine labeling laws.

Growing Region
85 percent of grapes must come from the specified A.V.A.

Varietal Content
General: 75 percent must be listed varietal
Oregon: 100 percent must be listed varietal with exception of Cabernet Sauvignon which requires 90 percent varietal.

Estate Bottled
100 percent of grapes must come from vineyards owned or controlled by the winery, in the same A.V.A. as the winery.

”Vintner Grown” or “Proprietor Grown”
Used if the vineyard is in a different A.V.A. from winery

Vintage
95 percent of grapes must come from the specified vintage