Battle of the Napa Chefs: Benefit for the Blue Oak School

This past Saturday I was invited to attend The Battle of the Chefs, a fundraising event at the Culinary Institute of America for the Blue Oak School in Napa. I live tweeted the event but there was so much going on, it was beyond the limits of twitter to capture it.

Battle of the Chefs was an Iron Chef style competition pitting Chef Michael Chiarello, of Yountville's Bottega Restaurant, against Chef Ken Frank of La Toque in Napa.

All the elements were in place:

* A stadium kitchen courtesy of CIA

* A panel of judges

* Two Top Chefs

* And in the role of Alton Brown—Barry Schuler co-founder of Blue Oak School and owner of Meteor vineyard. You can read more about Meteor and Schuler (the Mayor of Coolsville) in one of my previous posts here.

Kitchen Stadium

Playing sidekick and co-commentator to Barry was Oscar Renteria of Renteria vineyards. The judges included -- Lee Hudson, Michael Higuera, Wendy Rupprecht, Ramzi Deeik and Eugenio Jardim who was recently honored as one of Sunset magazines Top Sommeliers.

Tracy & Barry Schuler (left) Chef Chiarello and guest (right)

While Schuler, Master of Ceremonies, riffed on new Iron chef style slogans to replace “Whose Cuisine Will Reign Supreme?” such as: Whose Meal is the Real Deal? Which Cook Is Off The Hook? Who Will be the Master Cooking Tasker? Who’s Chow will Wow? Whose Food Will Be Real Gued?? …you had to be there for that last one …the crowd began to speculate on what the secret ingredient might be.

Thankfully the slogans were interrupted by the moment we had all been waiting for—the unveiling of the Secret Ingredient. Cue dry ice and strobe lights…and the ingredient was—Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Oh what a curve ball! On with the show!

It should be noted that I can not be 100% sure on some of the ingredients used and items created as there was a slight audio problem in the beginning of the show and it was quite difficult to hear much of what was going on. But to the best of my recollection here is what the Chefs prepared.

Chef Michael Chiarello--

Appetizer: Cabernet infused gnocchi. Burrata over fava bean greens and butternut squash.

Entrée: Cabernet caviar with smoked lamb tenderloin.

The entrée was presented with an inverted glass of smoke from the vine cuttings that the lamb was prepared with. Hmm… Where might have Chef Chiarello learned this technique? Last time I smoked anything under a glass it was in college and it did not involve lamb. But it certainly wowed the judges as they took a whiff of smoke then tucked into the lamb. Style points noted

Chef Ken Frank surrounded by fans

Chef Ken Frank:

Appetizer: As I mentioned it was hard to hear and see from the top of the stadium, but it sounded like his app included cheddar cheese tapioca. And I think green peppercorns also played a role in there somewhere. But suffice to say everything Chef Frank made smelled amazing.

Entrée: Grass fed beef prepared with snails and mushrooms and a traditional bordelaise sauce.

I can now fully appreciate what it must be like to go to a live taping of Iron Chef or any cooking show for that matter. It is sheer torture. You hear the sizzle and smell the aromas, but you can’t taste a single morsel--only watch helplessly as the judges’ taste the dishes and contort their faces into expressions of ecstasy and approval. Oh yes, watching is torture! It would have been nice to taste the food too. But seeing as the event was all in support of the Blue Oak School, it’s understandable and forgivable.

During the intermission guests were treated to a selection of wines from Pahlmeyer and Renteria vineyards. I tried the Pahlmeyer Cabernet and I really loved its elegant dusty leather and smokey blackberry flavor and wish I could have paired some of Chef Frank's entrée along with it.

One of the highlights of the break was getting the chance to meet and speak with Salvador Renteria and his wife, Maria Louisa. We chatted about the beauty of the Napa valley and how much Napa resembles parts of Italy. The Renteria’s were so engaging and it turns out they have a daughter named Marcella, which is my name too. No wonder we hit it off.

After the intermission we returned to the stadium for the results. The tension was as thick as the smoke in the air. And the result was---split! Chiarello was declared king of the apps while Chef Frank won best Entrée.

In the end it was a win for both, but most of all a win for the Blue Oak School, where the first class of 8^th graders will graduate this year. If you live in Napa and want to know more about The Blue Oak School click here.

The Napa Patch also covered the event and you can read that account here.

VinRoc Wine Caves-Digging Deep on Atlas Peak

It’s been over 15 years since I drove to the top of Atlas Peak in Napa valley. Back then I was pulling a horse trailer and going to three day events at the Wild Horse Ranch facility just below the peak. But last Sunday I drove up to visit the wine caves at VinRoc, a small boutique winery run by Kiky Lee and Michael Parmenter.

The area has changed a lot over the years. There is more development in the way of homes and oddly enough, a Pet cemetery at the lower end of the road. But as the road climbs higher and higher up the mountain it remains relatively open and unspoiled. Just past the ranch where I used to take my horse, nestled below the mountain peak, is VinRoc. The views across the valley from the estate are jaw dropping and the birdseye view of the open ranch land below is spectacular.

VinRoc is relatively new venture but the vision Michael and Kiky have had for the grounds and their wines have been in the works for over a decade. Their small micro vineyard, planted just below the home and cave, is only five acres and they currently produce three wines: the signature VinRoc Cabernet Sauvigun, a special red blend called RTW for Red Table Wine, and a Granache-Barbera Dry Rose under the Enjoie label.

The winery reception room and main residence are nearing completion and we were given a tour by Kiky, the mastermind behind the design. The main home is open and spacious with thick stucco walls that offer insulation from the hot summer days and cool nights. The structure is well integrated into the land. It almost looks as if it just sprouted up organically after a wild winter rain. It’s deep grey color and stone roof blend seamlessly into the rocky landscape, the gentle curves like open arms giving a warm embrace to the valley below.

Outside under a pergola overlooking the vineyard, we tasted some of the Enjoie label Rosé. It’s color was a light salmon and it had a delicate bouquet of violet and plums. Drinking it made me forget the cold wind and I could almost imagine it was a warm bright day. I always appreciate wine for the sense of place it brings to the table and the Rosé reminded me of an afternoon in Provence. Then Michael showed me the back of the bottle which mentioned how a sunny day in St. Paul de Venice at La Colombe D’or had inspired them to create their very own rosé for the summer table.

We also tried a 2007 cab/merlot blend called RTW, for Red Table Wine. The RTW had chocolate, plum and black cherry notes, with a smooth finish. After our picnic in the wind, we retreated to the caves to tour the facility and sample the 2006 VinRoc Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition to housing the barrels and wine making equipment, the cave also has many clever artistic touches by Kiky. The Atlas Peak AVA has volcanic soil, primarily tufa from material that has been ejected into the air and scattered about the land and most of the Cave was carved from tufa as well.

The VinRoc winemaking approach is based on super micro management. They literally make the wine by hand a ton at a time. By working in small batches each section of the vineyard can be harvested at it’s peak and optimal maturity. You can watch a video here made by a Japanese TV crew and hear Michael explain the process. Note: Michael's part is in English the rest is in Japanese.

The VinRoc approach to wine is one of patience and it seems to be working. We tasted the 2006 Cabernet and although it seemed a bit closed at first, it warmed up nicely with notes of dark berries, cedar, graphite and spice. I would have liked to try several more glasses, but the drive down Atlas Peak road was still waiting for me. I did buy a bottle of the RTW and Rosé for further tasting at home.

If you get the chance, I strongly suggest you give VinRoc a call and make an appointment to visit the caves. Michael and Kiky exude a relaxed, unhurried attitude that makes you want to hang out with them all day. Their great enthusiasm for the winemaking process is paired with a “Wow, this is pretty darn cool!” sense of awe and wonder. And their genuine respect and gratitude for what they have is reflected in their personalities and through their wines.

Haber Family Vineyards

Sue-Marie and Ron Haber

Recently I was invited to a tasting of the 2006 Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon with Ron and Sue-Marie Haber at the haber family vineyard on Howell Mountain outside Angwin.

It’s always great to meet new winemakers who are excited to share what they love, and especially nice to meet people who are as unpretentious as their wine.

Ron and his family have been in the construction business for several generations and specialize in metal and glass systems for commercial structures. Many of the glass edifices and decorative elements you see in major buildings in New York and around the country are work of the W&W Glass Company.

Thus it is fitting that the label for their first release the 2006 Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon is a windowpane through which you see the moon and the stars above the mountain ridge. Reflected back by the moonlight is the Haber logo. It’s a clever label that encapsulates the elements of Haber’s past achievements and the prospects for the future.

The bottle we tasted was decanted the evening before and I noticed many changes in the wine as we sampled it. Ron is a fan of mountain fruit and his wine reflects that bold flavor. I detected deep berry fruit but also notes of chocolate and even mint. Sue-Marie laid out a lovely lunch including some roasted figs, which she at first thought too ripe and sweet to serve, but I thought they were just right with the wine.

Winemaker Tim Milos, who also creates wine for Rubissow and Howell at the Moon, gave us details on the soil, weather conditions and the challenges of growing in this particular region.

For now the wine is in its early stages, but I think a nice lamb and butternut squash stew might coax it out of its shyness. Haber’s background creating glass structures of integrity, strength and elegance may prove to be good experience for making wine with the same characteristics. And just as the label depicts, the Haber wine is a wine for reflection.

The Details:

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Aging: 20 Months

Fermentation: 85% French New Oak

Bottled: August 15^th 2008

380 cases produced

$80 a bottle