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B.Y.O.B. (BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE) TRIAL IS OVER AT CAPRICCIO
Tonight Thursday 11/5/09 was our last night of our two week trial of BYOB at Capriccio. The results? Well, I received a lot of feedback (emails and conversations) and the conclusion is just what I had suspected - but it was very good to have confirmation. This summary is very specific to Capriccio:
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Not a lot of interest in buying cocktails.
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A lot of interest in continuing buying wines at the restaurant.
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A lot of interest in bringing own bottles
So the quick and easy answer here is to drop our Mixed Beverage License (MB) and obtain a Wine and Beer License (WB). With a WB License we could sell wine and also allow our customers to bring their own wine.
But things are not so simple in our world (specially when it is regulated by a government office). My initial investigations indicate that we cannot "downgrade" from one license to another (it would be too easy and too logical). Instead we need to cancel our license (loosing all monies already invested) and apply for a new WB License (going through the entire application process all over again, pay new license fees, post a new bond, etc.)
But I am not giving up yet. There is still more investigation to do. Worst case scenario is that we will have to wait until our current license expires in September of 2011.
Whatever the outcome is I promise to continue bringing great wines at fantastic values.
Cheers,
Gerry
PS: I hope you had the chance to try the BYOB program while it lasted and thank you very much to all that took the time to give me great feedback. |
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NEW MENU AT CAPRICCIO Our new menu at Capriccio is getting rave reviews. We have added several new Main Course items as well as a few new Tapas. Please go to our web site to check it out:
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BACK FROM TUSCANY!
CHAPTER 9 - CASTELLO ROMITORIO, MONTALCINO - SEPTEMBER 23
As usual we had our very nice breakfast prepared by our personal chef Alessandra and by 9 AM we were on the road to visit the Castello Romitorio winery in Montalcino.
The Castello Romitorio estate was acquired by Sandro Chia in 1984 and he spent several years restoring the 12th century castle and transforming its lands into vineyards. Sandro Chia is one of the world's leading contemporary artists with studios in New York City and in Florence (and, of course, at Castello Romitorio).
We were welcomed by Tullia and Daniele and proceeded to walk the fields and appreciate all the art placed in the most unsuspecting places:
We were just in time to see the harvest work:
And here is Daniele explaining the process with that passion that you find in Italian wine makers:
Art again! This time in the aging rooms:
And here we are at the Castello doing what we do best: eat and drink wine!
Becki and Hunter showing how to do it:
This was a fantastic 4 course lunch paired with Rossos and Brunellos and cooked by this fantastic lady at the Castello's impeccable kitchen:
Now, here is a great story: this lady is married to the wine master at the Castello. Here he is separating grapes for Brunellos and Rossos (just by looking at them and touching them):
Well, this happy and hard working couple used to own the land next to Castello Romitorio and they sold it for 5 million Euros (about US$7 million) a couple of years ago. Why are they still doing this? obviously not for the money. They are passionate about what they do and can't imagine doing anything else. Here in America we would probably be going crazy trying to figure out how to grow those 7 million into 15 million (and probably having a heart attack in the process). Life here in Tuscany is simple; and the wines are so good because this is really not a business but a life long journey - and the passion shows!
We truly enjoyed every minute we spent in Tuscany but Castello Romitorio was really special, maybe because we got into real contact with the real local life.
An interesting point: Castello Romitorio Brunello's label was not approved by the US authorities because of its "graphic" nature. So they found another piece of art by Sandro Chia that could be approved for the American market. Here is a picture of the label (that you will not find anywhere in the US):
Isn't that just absurd? It is like prohibiting pictures of Michelangelo's David because of its "graphic" nature. Anyway...what it really matter is what is inside the bottle; and I can assure you that this Brunello is just amazing!.
Cheers,
Gerry |
FEATURED WINES OF THE WEEK
We are celebrating the conclusion of our 2 week BYOB trial at Capriccio with a pair of absolutely fantastic Argentinean wines. I just discovered them this week and was really impressed.
At Mezzanotte we are also featuring 2 fantastic Brunello di Montalcino. We visited both wineries during our trip to Tuscany and fell in love with them.
FEATURE WINES AT MEZZANOTTE
Brunello di Montalcino - Canalicchio di Sopra - Bottle 115
This wine is rated an outstanding 93 by Robert Parker. We visited this small family run 15 acre estate during our visit and were captivated by this brilliant garnet colored wine. Delivers roses and dried berries on the nose. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins, chocolate, berry and vanilla. Long and caressing.
Brunello di Montalcino - Tenuta Friggiali - Bottle 115
Friggiali Brunello di Montalcino is one of my favorite classically styled Brunello. Italian wine purists love this wine. Tannins are superbly integrated with more fruit concentration then normal. Will age out superbly to medium bodied, concentrated core of pure elegance. Full cedar, plum and tobacco.
Brunello di Montalcino - Castello Romitorio - Bottle 115
What can I say? This is one of the wineries we visited while in Tuscany in September - we all fell in love with their wines! Gorgeous nose of spicy plum, currant, leather, and tobacco. Round, smooth, and spicy on the palate. Relaxed finish with black cherry, smokey notes, and sweet spice. Just outstanding!
FEATURED AT CAPRICCIO AND MEZZANOTTE
Malbec Reserve - Salentein - Mendoza, Argentina
Bottle 39 - Glass 10
A bright violet color with shades of ebony, this stunning wine boasts intensity and depth in the glass. Aromas of fresh, ripe plums, cherries and spice are complemented by a hint of tobacco from aging in oak barrels. This complex Malbec offers flavors reminiscent of ripe red berries, with a fine concentration and the sweet tannins typical of the variety. The wine continues to reveal its structure and balanced acidity through its deliciously long finish.
Pinot Noir Reserve - Salentein - Mendoza, Argentina
Bottle 39 - Glass 10
This is a very unique Pinot Noir and highly recommend it. It presents a beautiful ruby red color with brick nuances (due to its age). On the nose it presents subtle aromas of dried cherries, roasted almonds, vanilla and a touch of tobacco. The taste is lush and powerful. This well-structured wine reveals the perfect balance of its soft and sweet tannins. The pure pleasure of this Pinot is experienced through its long finish. |
