Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio 2011

Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio 2011 BYOB at Ozark House Restaurant in Bloomington, IL

Headed downstate again, we planned a stopover in Bloomington, IL for dinner at Ozark House Restaurant. They who were featuring BBQ specials night so we took BYOB this Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio 2011. We recently tasted the latest release 2014 which prompted me to go back and taste the 2010 vintage release, so I pulled this 2011 from the cellar for a comparison tasting. Clio was a great accomaniment to the BBQ Chicken, Ribs and Pork Loin features.

We didn't finish the bottle so we held some Clio over which we tasted with grilled filet steaks a couple nights later. The Clio was actually too big, bold and powerful for the beef steaks and we switched to a Napa Cabernet, holding the Clio for some hearty cheese and dark chocolates after dinner.

I wrote recently how Clio is the one Spanish wine we collect each year and hold in our cellar in a vertical collection of a series of vintages. It is a consistently high-achieving highly rated wine in a style that we like - big, full bodied, bold, with concentrated forward fruit. It begs for hearty cheeses, spicy pasta, or BBQ so it was an ideal selection to take to Ozark House for BBQ night specials.

This 2011 Clio, like the two other vintages tasted recently is big, full bodied, concentrated forward fruit flavored wine. Consistent with and as noted in my last tasting three years ago, this was dark garnet colored, but it was less polished than some recent vintages with a slight 'tinny' edge, the dark black and red berry fruits give way to cassis, anise, and a layer of expresso with moderate acidity, medium plus tannins and high alcohol on a long full finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1721431

http://bodegaselnido.com/en/

http://www.theozarkhouse.com/

Lewis Ethan's Syrah BYOB at Jack's Steak House Bloomington, Illinois

Lewis Ethan's Syrah BYOB at Jack's Steak House Bloomington, Illinois

Traveling this week through Bloomington, Illinois, we dined at Jim's Steak House and took BYOB the latest vintage release of Lewis Ethan's Syrah, one of our favorite labels from one of our favorite producers. Named for the grandson of Indy racecar driver Randy Lewis, we collect this, their line of Cabernets, and their oldest grandson namesake Alec's Blend, also the name of our youngest son. With the Laverne and Shirley-esque 'L' moniker on the label, this has become somewhat of a signature wine for our family with our family lineup of Linda, Erin Leigh, Lucy (grand-daughter) and namesake Lucy (grand-mother), and the Long family heritage.

Jim's Steak House is a welcome discovery in Bloomington, a regular destination for my business travels where I've been stymied in finding a nice fine dining establish in the tertiary city, until now.

Jim's is a classic midwestern steak house with a focused menu featuring dry aged beef and a selection of seafood entrees. A bit dated and showing its age, it has a somewhat awkward interior layout, but the food was good and the service hospitable, friendly and professional. Its ideal for a business dinner, upscale casual dining or a special occasion dinner outing - 'big city' dining experience in the heartland.  There are also Jim's locations in Peoria which I will look forward to visiting.

My New York strip was perfectly prepared in my favored 'Pittsbugh' style, and the dinner salad, potato and side of creamed spinach were appropriately prepared, presented, and were satisfying. Linda's black and blue steak salad was a bit disappointing with less the crisp fresh lettuce and a lesser mediocre cut of skirt or round steak.

A limited basic winelist offers a selection of generally available American wines from the range of core varietals at standard prices. Their hospitable corkage policy allowed us to pick up this feature label and try the latest release of a favorite label. The Lewis Syrah was a perfect accompaniment to our steak dinner.

Lewis Cellars Ethan's Napa Valley Syrah 2013

Dark inky garnet colored, full bodied, rich concentrated core of black and blue fruits give way to a layer of vanilla, spice, and a hint of what Lewis calls 'bacon fat', and a bit of alcohol heat that softens over the course of the evening, finishing with tongue coating tannins. Lacked graceful staying power as it was a bit flabby the next day, but delicious initially after given time to settle.

RM 92 points.

http://cellartracker.com/w?2163857

http://www.lewiscellars.com/

http://www.jimsbloomington.com/

Clos du Val Napa Cabernet 1991

Clos du Val Napa Cabernet 1991 BYOB at Ozark Bloomington

During our trip this week through Bloomington, IL, we dined at two different steak houses, Ozark House Restaurant and Jim's Steak House which I write about in a follow on blogpost. We discovered and stopped at Ozark House Restaurant and took BYOB this 1991 vintage Clos du Val Stags Leap District Napa Cabernet.

We had a reservation at the Ozark House and we were warmly welcomed on arrival by Nathan, the gracious and hospitable host. Ozark is a quaint setting with rustic knotty pine cedar paneling that feels much older than its 70's era founding. Its situated in a picturesque residential neighborhood opposite a city park.

The dining room is warm and inviting with the paneling, stylish artwork and corner booths with mood lighting and linen tablecloths.

The menu offers a broad selection of beef, chicken, seafood, porkchops, lamb and BBQ. The wine list is minimalist. Hence, we brought a special selection of vintage Napa Cabernet from 1991. I look forward to returning for the BBQ, especially given their BYOB friendly policy.

The dinner was homey with modest entrees and imaginative salads and sides but was highlighted by the attentive friendly personable service.

Clos du Val Stags Leap District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1991 

There is a case of this vintage label on closeout in the premium wine cellar room at Binny's in Bloomington. Being one year removed from our son's birthyear, of which we hold a horizontal collection, and the birthyear of his girlfriend, we were drawn to obtain and taste this vintage selection.

The label represented on the '91 release is the vintage design which has in recent years been replaced by a distinctive differentiable design for the premium Stags Leap District label, versus the Napa label. Also, it was interesting to taste this relative to their current vintage release which has achieved high marks, which we've obtained for our cellar.

This was bright ruby color, medium-light bodied, bright expressive tart cherry fruit accented by tones of cigar and hints of earthy leather showing classic character from its age of 25 years.

RM 88 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=346629 

http://www.theozarkhouse.com/

Lancasters Steak & Seafood with Benton Lane Pinot Noir

Benton Lane Pinot Noir with Salmon at Lancasters Bloomington

For a dinner on the road last week in downstate Bloomington, IL, I settled in Lancaster's Steak and Seafood restaurant downtown. Dining alone is one of the worst parts of traveling on the road so I usually select fast food or a place to get it over with quickly. If I do venture on sit down dining, I'll be adventurous and seek a place that might prove distinguishable. Laying over in Bloomington, I chose Lancaster's thinking I'd do classic, safe midwest fare.

Dining alone allows but one glass of wine which makes the selection typically challenging to find something worthwhile let alone notable. I'll also seek the best pairing of food and wine available which is difficult when limited to the by-the-glass selection. My foray was further daunting when I opted for a baked salmon entree tempting fate for seafood in a rural inland tertiary city. What a delightful surprise in this pairing choice - baked salmon and an Oregon Pinot Noir - a real winner!

Lancaster's Baked Salmon entree featured honey, Dijon and toasted almond crusted, maple-soy glaze, roasted asparagus and a choice of side dish - mashed roasted potatoes.

For the wine selection I chose a by-the-glass selection from the wine list, Benton Lane Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2010.

The pinot was nicely structured and bold enough to stand up and nicely complement the sweet maple and forward soy glaze. Medium bodied, slightly opaque ruby colored, it presented red berry and strawberry fruits giving way to a layer of spice accented by smoke and pepper with hints of mocha on the moderate finish.

The wine was such a hit I bought a bottle at Binny's upon arrival home and we enjoyed it with artisan cheeses and fruits later in the week. It provides a nice QPR - quality price ratio at $22. We drink very few Pinot's because our favorites are all in the $60 range - not realistic for our daily drinking budget. This is a nice discovery.

I've seen the Benton Lane label (or lack thereof) many times but this was the first time I'd ever tasted it. Their packaging features a painted bottle featuring a postage stamp facsimile label - very creative, stylish and memorable. I'll definitely revisit it and keep some on hand for casual easy drinking at a reasonable price point.  

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1362849

http://www.lancastersrestaurant.com/

The baked salmon entree selection.

Lancaster's was tastefully decorated, comfortable, stylish, almost cosmopolitan in a historic rustic building with tin-type ceilings and brick walls. The  selection was good, prices acceptable and service personable, folksy and friendly. Most notably, the tempting food and wine pairings were numerous and my first adventure, despite being a bit daring, was a hit. I'll be back for more and look forward to my next trip downstate!

The Benton Lane imaginative and fun packaging design.