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A Great Wine Program - Ruth's Chris, Destin

I rarely find memorable experiences at chain restaurants, much less outstanding wine programs and service. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Destin, Florida delivered a completely unexpected pleasure on a recent visit.

Intriguing Diddle-Speak

Intriguing Diddle-Speak

My wife and I arrived early for a reservation and decided to have a cocktail at the bar. Beverage Director Skot Harville overheard my request for the wine list, which he delivered. After browsing, I asked which wines were drinking well that he would recommend to go with dinner. Without hesitation he suggested the Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino 2010, priced with a hefty markup at $150. Everything was proceeding as I would expect at an upscale chain restaurant, with somewhat impersonal exchanges building up to a high-dollar wine pitch.

But the conversation expanded as we enjoyed our cocktails and studied the list. Skot described the Brunello in depth, asked questions about our wine preferences, and we discussed various regions of Italy. Next, he surprised us when he began bringing out bottles for us to taste, each served in a new glass with a significant pour. First there was Southern Belle Precious Syrah 2011, a Spanish wine supposedly finished in old Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon barrels. It was full and spicy initially, then as promised, wood-charred and sweet on the finish. As interesting as the wine was, the back label verbiage might have been even better. He followed that with a new bottle of Cheval des Andes 2010, a joint project of Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. A Malbec-based Bordeaux blend, it was almost black, with floral and minerals heaped upon layers of dark berries. As he opened the bottle, he justified out loud that he would save the rest for a large group that evening. We would have enjoyed either of the other wines, but chose the big Brunello for dinner, which was opened at the bar for a quick gasp of air. We lingered several minutes after finishing our drinks enjoying the wine talk. 

Our table had been ready for twenty minutes, but there was no pressure to be seated. "Whenever you are ready", said the hostess. Dinner was excellent, with solid team service. Skot checked at the table to confirm we agreed the Brunello drank well with our steaks. The pairing was very nice, although I saved most of the wine to savor after the meal. It was bold, but not too big, with burned edges, very dry, and long-lasting. I returned to the bar before we left to thank Skot and snap photos of the earlier wines. I mentioned my interest in the Cheval des Andes, and he allowed me to purchase a bottle for just above his cost, a nice discount from retail price. 

This Ruth's Chris experience, dominated by the basics of great service, wine and steak, is my favorite from a large-scale steakhouse. It would have been better than average had I not been engaged by Skot at the bar, but his attention and interest put it over the top. When in Destin, be sure to look him up.

Ruth's Chris Steak House - 15000 Emerald Coast Parkway, Silver Shells Resort, Destin, FL 32541

Ruth's Chris Steak House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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Wine Tasting By The Glass - Stonehorse Cafe

A restaurant with a strong wine program can provide the setting for a by the glass wine tasting, and potentially turn you onto your next go-to bottle. Recently at Stonehorse Cafe, three of us shared the following wines and observations.

Cultivar Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 - This was the unanimous favorite. Very dark and powerful, with spicy sweet finish, and requisite vanilla note. $28 (retail)

Coppo L'avvocata Barbera d'Asti 2012 - My top pick, but I'm a Barbera fan. Red fruits and a spicy effervescence. $14

Scarpetta Barbera del Monferrato 2012 - We all agreed on this for our bottle with lunch. Fruity, though darker, with earthiness. $16

Telmo Rodriguez LZ Vinedos de Lanziego Tempranillo 2011 - Jammy with smoke. Very pleasant and lengthy. Only one of us was a fan. $18

Recuerdo Malbec 2012 - Full of dark berries and currant, a little grassy. $16

Chateau La Hase Bordeaux Blend 2012 - Very mild, suffering against the bigger and fruitier opponents. It had no chance in this lineup. $14

 

Tasting several wines the glass can be an informative and fun social experience, and our impromptu session led us to a few bottles to seek out for the full experience. Take advantage of your dining out opportunities to experiment, and find the next big wine on your list. 

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Post-Holiday Wine Shopping On A Budget

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Wine Picks from An Evening of Wine and Roses 2014

Many tasting notes will originate from my home base of Tulsa. Recently, I attended An Evening of Wine and Roses, under a sunny sky in the Tulsa Rose Garden. After tasting almost fifty wines, here are my favorite discoveries:

  1. Poggio al Tesoro Sondraia Bolgheri 2011 (Premier Tasting) - Intense, delicious, and begging for beef.
  2. Highway 12 Carneros Highway Pinot Noir 2012 - A lively Carneros.
  3. Bodegas Faustino I Gran Riserva Rioja 2001 (Premier Tasting) - Earthy and rustic, with a multitude of awards.
  4. Bodegas La Candalaria Cubo Tempranillo 2011 - Straightforward value pick.
  5. Tempus Alba Malbec 2011 - Balance of spices and jams.

Honorable Mention to Black Sheep Finds Holus Bolus Syrah 2011 from the Premier Tasting, and its inky octopus label.

Among restaurants, Mahogany Prime Steakhouse was the winner, serving up their standard event dish, a medium-rare, thickly-shredded prime rib. Old School Bagels offered a tasty dessert treat with samples of several of their mountainous cookies.

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