OCTOBER 2020
Event Report THIRD ANNUAL FESTA ITALIANA DINNER POOLSIDE
ALSO INSIDE • In Memoriam: Past President Erwin Siegler • Joseph Phelps Vineyards Profile • 49th Formal Dinner • Blast from the Past • Upcoming Omaha Branch Events Page 1 · 2020 ·
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
CORNER
EDITOR’S
H
ave you ever had one of those moments where you thought you did everything right but in reality you stepped in it? That was me in the last Gazette. I knew what I wanted to say, but no one else did. The first version of the Event Report on the Summer Stag for the Ages at Flemings was reading like I blamed the event producers for not breathing the tasting wines long enough. That was because I failed to write some bridge sentences that made it clear that our fearless duo of Mike Wilke and Mark Stokes were in no way responsible for the short breathing time. The restaurant was. This has been corrected. Mea Culpa. Our 16th President, Erwin Siegler, died on 9-11-2020 from pancreatic cancer. Read the tribute to Erwin. Erwin was present at the very beginning of the Omaha Branch.
It was one of the hotter days of the year for The Third Annual Festa Italiana Dinner Poolside, but it didn't rain and get so windy that all the wineglasses had to be taken off the tables like two years ago. The Italian feast with Italian wines definitely made it worth a little heat and humidity. This was another catered tour de force by Chef Leo Fascianella, who always has a handful of Sicilian treats for us. But it wouldn't have happened without Doctors Gary and Iris Moore offering us their beautiful poolside patio, and Mile Wilke doing all the rental duties such as setting up the tables, china, glasses etc. Check out the story.
We continue to profile wineries used for the Flemings summer stag event where we featured two 100 point Cabernet Sauvignons. Last month it was Shafer. This month it is Joseph Phelps. Joe was a contractor from Colorado who went out to San Francisco to build the BART transportation system. He got bit by the wine bug and built a winery in Napa. He was one of the first to have a proprietary label, which he called Insignia. We tasted the 2007 Insignia, which was rated 100 points by Robert Parker Jr. COVID-19 made us postpone the 49th Formal Dinner, which has been called the President's Event lately because it has been held in April, when, every two years, the new president is elected and the old president is saying goodbye. That event is upon us and the presidential switch-off 6 months behind us. I hope you attend the October 11th Couples event at Eagle Run. The Formal has been a tradition from the beginning of the club's inception, and was first held in 1972, at the end of the first season. We are having a stellar wine line-up comparing Château Beaucastel to its American cousin, Tablas Creek. By the time you get this gazette, registration should be active, but will close in a few days. I have included a copy of the first Formal Dinner in the Blast From The Past section. It lists all the members of the newly created 1971 Branch. If you are having trouble reading the gazette on your cell phone, when you arrive at the issuu.com link, towards the bottom, click on...the three horizontal dots. Choose Download. Once downloaded, it is easier to enlarge the Gazette. That's how it worked on my Android. Not sure about Apple. Enjoy!
Tom Murnan The Doctors Moore's poolside retreat at dusk with torches lit. Photo by Tom Murnan.
“No opportunity is ever lost—the other fellow takes those you've missed.” From The Best of the Cockle Bur compiled and edited by Harry B Otis, 3rd President 1973-1974
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
In Memoriam :
PAST PRESIDENT ERWIN SIEGLER O
ur 16th President of the Omaha Branch, ERWIN SIEGLER 1987 - 1987 died on 9/11/2020 from pancreatic cancer. He was 84 years old. Executive Chef and Businessman Erwin was Born in Germany. He emigrated from Switzerland in 1963 where he went to work at the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis. He next moved to Omaha and arrived on Halloween, 1970, where he worked at the Radisson Blackstone Hotel’s Orleans Room. He was in charge of the food service for the whole hotel. In 1973 he moved to the Ramada Hotel on 72nd Street in Omaha, again in the food service. In 1976, he started his own catering business called Siegler Catering. The Branch would meet there for their monthly branch business meeting at lunch time, at 108th and Mockingbird. Erwin was among the earliest consultants to the Omaha Wine & Food Society, now called the IWFS Omaha Branch. Erwin went so far back with this Branch that he knew a bit of the history before it was even a Branch of the International Wine and Food Society. Dr. Richard Booth, a long time member and Board Member,
Erwin Siegler receives an IWFS Certificate of Appreciation from James Rimmer at the French Café in 1977. Page 4 · 2020 ·
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
who never wanted to be president, was the physician to Leonard Kulakofsky, who became the first president. Then “the French guy” came in, John G. Chauce. John worked for Northern Natural Gas company. Leonard and Booth met occasionally at the Blackstone Hotel. Then they made it every week for awhile. Erwin was working as a chef at the Blackstone. They would meet in the Black Horse, a little meeting room in the Blackstone. It would seat 12 to 15 people. They used to go to the restaurant cafeteria to order lunch. Mark Schimmel would join them. They would ask Chef Siegler to make them something for lunch, usually fish. But Booth never ate, saying he was not hungry. It was only later that Erwin discovered that Dr. Booth did not like fish! But he would never tell Erwin that. They had four guys: Booth, Kulakofsky, Schimmel and Chauce. Erwin would work the lunch hour and go home until dinner at 5:00 pm. But then those guys would make Erwin stay. From these small beginnings a wine and food club was formed. Although he was not a member in 1971, he was the club’s culinary expert then. Once a year a formal dinner was held called the Annual Dinner (now called the Formal Dinner) and Erwin was the first chef of that series which began in 1972. Erwin was the Omaha Branch’s first food consultant. He was a member of the Board for many years. He became President in 1987 but did not fill his term of office. When asked why, he cited Ralph Turkel, another board member, as constantly being an obstacle to him and just decided to let Ralph run things. He was awarded the IWFS Certificate of Appreciation in 1977 by President James Rimmer, and in February, 1990, an IWFS Citation for Excellence presented by President John Fischer. Erwin was on the Board until 2004, when he moved to Ft. Calhoun. He spent his retirement in his Ft. Calhoun home. For more about Erwin and our history, go to IWFS.org, log in and access the Omaha Branch, then click on Branch History, then History of the IWFS Omaha Branch.
Erwin Siegler, Lionel Have, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller
October 2020 · Page 5
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Event Report THIRD ANNUAL FESTA ITALIANA DINNER POOLSIDE Story by Tom Murnan // Photos by Tom Murnan & Ron Policky
T
he cicadas were singing in the early evening, a sure sign that autumn was approaching. But not just yet. It was a typical late summer day, hot and humid with just a slight breeze. But, hey, it was not raining, nor so windy we had to worry about the wineglasses getting broken, like in the first Festa Italiana
Food
I thought I would change things around and write about the food and the wine separately this time. Let’s start with the food. We are blessed to have such a culinary celebrity in Chef Leo Fascianella who is first of all willing to leave his establishment and cater for us, and secondly, to have such high quality Italian cuisine. My wife Mary is of Sicilian stock, as is Leo, and when she says this is like my mom or dad used to make, that is a high praise indeed. Take the sausage we had for the Secondo Corso. What we gobble down in minutes actuality takes a lot of effort, good ingredients and organization. Leo sources some things from his own farm, like the tomatoes and basil, essential Italian ingredients. The marinara sauce and Tomato Bruschetta are a good examples of use of the best ingredients. The sauce was used for the calamari, and the bruschetta was a standalone appetizer. Homemade with fresh produce at the height of the tomato season. The lamb chops, grilled onsite, is another tradition for our poolside dinner. Nicely grilled, and very large, you have to be careful you don’t over-eat the aperitivo or you won’t make it to the end of the meal. And don’t forget the house made pasta used in the ravioli, and the Cavatappi pasta on the second course. Little touches like the house made croutons on the Caesar salad add to the Sicilian authenticity. I very much enjoyed the complex Bolognese sauce on that Cavatappi pasta, enhancing the Lillo’s Italian sausage. What makes it Italian? Besides a good lashing of garlic powder, the fennel seeds are the essential Italian touch. The Grilled Beef Tenderloin was nicely done, but really came alive with the Brandy Mushroom Sauce and the wine. The grilled zucchini, red and green peppers, and asparagus rounded off the plate with some color and, of course, flavor. Italians love to grille peppers. Tiramisu can be a bit tricky to pull off, and I’ve had my share of bad ones. But this was spot on, nicely moist, and attractive with the chocolate and raspberry drizzle (red and black) crisscrossing on the plate beneath it. The telltale flavor of coffee is an essential part of tiramisu, and it was present. > Page 6 · 2020 ·
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Wines
< As a Branch, our members have great strengths in appreciating West coast wines, such as Napa and Sonoma. Less so with French, and even less on Italian. You get rusty if you don’t drink Italian wines much. But like most European wines, their wines compliment the individual country’s cuisine wonderfully. Such was the case at our poolside banquet. But like most European wines, they don’t tell you what the grape variety is in the bottle, just the area, and you are supposed to know from that. Our Primo Piatto course served a Tornatore Pietrarizzo Etna Bianco 2018. The word Etna gives you the clue that this wine comes from Sicily, in fact, on the slopes of Mount Etna. The winery began in 1865 by the Tornatore family. Their white wine was made from the Carricante grape. I found it lean, minerally with green apple and peach notes, and zesty acidity. A great match to our Caesar Salad. The Secondo Corso wine was a La Colombina Brunello di Montalcino 2010. OK, what is the grape variety? It’s easy to get confused. You have Barolo not so far away. But Barolo uses the Nebbiolo grape. Then there is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Both have the word "mont" in them. I get confused, you think. But what about Brunello? It’s the same as Chianti, Both use the Sangiovese grape. Brunello is often compared to the Pinot Noir of Burgundy. It’s soft, with blackberry, black cherry, violets and leather, a marriage made in heaven with our Cavatappi pasta with Bolognese sauce topped with homemade Italian sausage. And Bolognese has ground pork and beef in it, making it a step above simple spaghetti sauce. (By the bye, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo mostly has the Montepulcano grape in it, with up to 15% Sangiovese allowed. For once, an European wine area that names the grape!) Our Terzo Corso found us with a Planeta Burdese Sicilia Menfi DOC 2013. Planeta is a well known Sicilian winery. Burdese means,
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in the local Sicilian dialect, Bordeaux, and this wine is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc. I found it had sharp acidity, with fruity, ripe and rich red fruits, just the thing for a nice piece of Nebraska tenderloin with Brandy Mushroom sauce. Another home run for Italian wines. The Quarto Corso was a special treat. Antinori Muffato della Sala 2009. Antinori is a longtime wine family which began winemaking in 1385. Their biggest innovation was in 1974 when they were one of the first Super Tuscan winemakers with their introduction of Tignanello, a Bordeaux blend that used Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc instead of Italian varietals. If you thought this reminded you of a Sauternes, you were exactly right. It was affected with Botrytis Cinerea, or noble rot, the same as in Bordeaux. The grape varieties are Sauvignon Blanc (50%), the same as in Sauternes, but then they use the Italian varieties Grechetto (30%) and Drupeggio (20%). The honeyed flavors come from the Botrytis, but there is also dried fruit and nut flavors. Very much like a Sauternes but a little less sweet and a bit lighter in body. I loved it. So, many thanks are in order for our 3rd Festa Italiana Dinner Poolside. First, many thanks to the Doctors Moore for the use of their beautiful facility an stunning pool. We greatly appreciate your loaning us your home for the evening. Thanks to Chef Leo Fascianella and his efficient crew of chefs and wait staff for handling the service with aplomb. Finally, if it wasn’t for Mike and Rhonda Wilke and their cadre of helpers, who set up the tables, gave rides to the parking lot some distance away and in short arranged all the logistic, this meal couldn’t have happened. It is a lot more work to cater an event than to have it at a restaurant. The Branch thanks all of you who helped to bring this meal off as a triumph delux.
October 2020 · Page 21
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
JOSEPH PHELPS VINEYARDS PROFILE
BY TOM MURNAN
Last month we brought you
the story of Shafer Vineyards because it was one of the two 2007 wines that received a perfect 100 score from Robert Parker Junior's Wine Advocate. Today, we present the winery behind the other 100 point wine: Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Joseph Phelps was a successful building contractor in Greely, CO. Hensel Phelps Construction Co. had decided to expand their business in the San Francisco area in the mid 1960s, building bridges and dams for the BART transportation system. One of his first commissions in the 1970s was to build the Souverain Hill winery (now Rutherford Hill) by St. Helena. But even before this, he was interested in wine and had California grapes next-day aired to his Colorado home where he made wine in his basement. He had a cellar which included Bordeaux First Growths for $7.00. Ah, the good old day prices before everybody became interested in wine. In 1973 he purchased the 600 acre Connolly cattle ranch in Spring Valley and Joseph Phelps Vineyards (JPV) was born. He built the winery buildings through his construction company and had them ready for the harvest nest year. He planted a wide variety of grapes in that first effort. He had 100 acres of Zinfandel, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah since no one really knew what would be the best varietal for the property. His first winemaker was Walter Schug (whose fame today rests on California Pinot Noir). 1974 was the first harvest. Riesling had been selected because it could be sold quickly, a kind of cash cow. Phelps made two major contributions to the California wine scene. First, he re-introduced Syrah, which was a major grape in the 19th Century, but was neglected by
Joseph Phelps
the 1970s. He introduced the first labeled California Syrah varietal in 1974, his first harvest, when he purchased fruit from a 6 acre plot owned by Christian Brothers. The vines came from France with vine stock brought over in 1935. He later introduced Viognier, and experimented with Rh么ne varietals, so much so that he was considered a Rh么ne Ranger in the 1980s when he introduced the Vin du Mistral label. Today, very little Syrah is produced at JPV. His second major accomplishment was to establish the proprietary label. Joe had the idea that he would select the best grapes every year and bottle it separately. It might be Riesling one year, Syrah the next or Cabernet Sauvignon. He didn't want to use the designation Reserve on the label because there were no rules on what reserve meant, and many wineries were using the term. He decided on the name Insignia while shaving one day. Page 22 路 2020 路
That way he could be flexible with what vineyard he used, what blend went into Insignia, and since it was proprietary, his competition could not use the name. This was in line with the thinking of Robert Mondavi, who was in the process of trying to move California away from generic names like Burgundy or Chablis on jug wines at the same time. Insignia remained the only proprietary name until Opus One was introduced 10 years later. The Cabernet Sauvignon was outstanding in 1974, so that was the grape used for the first Insignia, and was labeled as a red table wine. The use of Cabernet Sauvignon quickly became a tradition. Large oak vats were used at that time, but gradually Bordeaux sized oak barrels were introduced since the early 1990s. Today the wine ages for 24 months in 100% new oak barriques, and production varies between 12,000 and 15,000 cases a year. The wine is a Bordeaux blend of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. The fruit comes only from estate vines. Over time other vineyard land was purchased, which if you look on a map, zig zags around Napa County. Today the Phelps family owns and farms 425 acres of vines in Napa Valley on nine estate vineyards in St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap District, Oak Knoll District, South Napa and Carneros. Other vineyard areas include Stags Leap, Rutherford, Spring Valley Ranch, Los Rocas, Barbiza, Backus, Banca Dorada, Yountville, Carneros and Suscol. The original Home Ranch has 130 acres of olive orchards, wine grapes, and fruit orchards. In 1999, the majority of the Home Ranch land had been turned over to the Land Trust of Napa Valley and will be preserved as a conservation easement consisting of open space for wildlife. One mistake Joseph made was in not purchasing the Eisele Vineyard. This 35 acres was one of the most celebrated vineyards in California, owned by Milton Eisele, southeast of Calistoga. Conn Creek, Ridge,
and JPV all made wine from the Eisele vineyard. At JPV, Eisele was used as the backbone of Insignia. However, Joe passed up buying the vineyard in 1989 when the Eiseles first put it up for sale. It was bought by a junk bond dealer, who had to sell it in 1990, but Joseph passed again. His last JPV vintage of Eisele was in 1991. Joseph's son, Bill, would love to have the chance to buy it if it ever goes on sale. Third time's a charm? It may be too late. In 1990, Bart and Daphne Araujo purchased Eisele, and in turn, in 2013, French business man Francois Pinault, owner of Chateau Latour in Pauillac, purchased Araujo Eisele through his holding group, Artemis. The second most important label behind Insignia is Backus. It produces 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard is planted on steep slopes in the Oakville Corridor. From Backus, you can see Screaming Eagle and Rudd Estate. Despite being most well known for Cabernet Sauvignon, Joseph also loved Pinot Noir. He had a home in Burgundy. October 2020 · Page 23
He has vineyards on the Sonoma Coast and Carneros raising pinot Noir from these cooler site areas. Joseph died in 2015 at the age of 87. The family winery is now being run by his 4 children, and the next generation. Biodynamic, Organic and sustainable farming techniques are now used when possible. To date, The Wine Advocate has awarded four perfect 100-point scores to the 1991, 1997, 2002, and 2007 vintages of Insignia, and a 99 to 1974 and 2016. Sources: https://www.josephphelps.com/ napa-valley/; https://www.naplesillustrated. com/the-legacy-of-joseph-phelps/; https:// www.wine-searcher.com/m/2013/05/10things-every-wine-lover-should-knowabout-joseph-phelps-vineyards; https:// www.thewinecellarinsider.com/california-wine/joseph-phelps-california-wine-cabernet-sauvignon/
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
49 Formal Dinner th
BY TOM MURNAN
I
n a tradition that started in 1972, the year after the founding of the Omaha Wine & Food Society, as it was called then, had its first couples formal dinner. The Branch is continuing its custom by holding the 49th Formal Dinner. The first dinner was held at the ballroom of the Radisson Blackstone on November 17, 1972. Leonard Kulakofsky was the first president. Leonard was the owner of the old Central Market at 16th and Harney Streets, known for its choice cuts of beef. Interestingly, the reason for the meal was right on the menu card: "In Honor of the Wives of the Members in recognition of their support and tolerance." Since the Branch was founded with all male membership, the dinner was a recognition of thanks for all those women who let their husbands attend this Branch of the "International Wine and Food Society of London, England" without them. The first Annual Dinner was placed under the culinary care of Chef Erwin F. Siegler, who had moved to Omaha to work at the Blackstone. Sadly, Erwin just passed away on 9/11/2020. Only four wines were served (the 1964 Chambertin Burgundy was served twice, once for the Rack of Lamb entrée, and the same wine for the cheese course just before dessert. A Bordeaux first growth was served as well, the 1962 Château Haut Brion.
First President, Leonard Kulakofsky
33rd & Past President Tom Murnan
Fast forward to October 11, 2020 where we will continue the tradition. For a number of years, it event was advertised as the President's event, or the Changing of the Guard when a president had reached the end of his second year term in April. It was Les Zanotti (our 11th president) who called my attention, as outgoing president, of the longstanding tradition and showed me what the menu card used to look like. So I designed the menu card to be the same as more recent formal dinners. Everything was a go for April until COVID-19 reared its ugly head and disrupted all large gatherings. But luckily, I believe we are back on track again. We have a stellar wine line up where I will contrast the renown Châteauneuf-duPape Château Beaucastel, to its American cousin, Tablas Creek, based in Paso Robles,
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34th & Current President Mark Stokes
California. Tablas Creek is half owned by the Perrin family, who run Beaucastel, and half by their American importer, the descendants of Robert Haas. I ordered magnums of Tablas Creek's equivalent of Beaucastel, their Esprit de Tablas, and we will compare them to the Beaucastel vintages in our Branch cellar. It will be a special vinous treat. Please do not be afraid to come because of the pandemic. The club will be using various protocols to promote our safety. Go to Blast from the Past to read the 1972 menu. All 41 members were listed on the program. Don't wait too long after the Gazette comes out to sign up. Registration ends October 6th. I hope to see you there!
Blackstone Hotel, Site of First Annual Dinner
Champions Run
October 2020 ¡ Page 25
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
IWFS Omaha First Annual Dinner Menu (November 17, 1972)
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
UPCOMING OMAHA BRANCH EVENTS
Mark Your Calendars!
OCT.
11
NOV.
8
DEC.
13
COUPLES
49th Formal Dinner | Champions Run Tablas Creek & Château Beaucastel: Kissing Cousins? Producers: Tom Murnan & John Klemke
STAG
801 Chophouse at the Paxton Sit down tasting: Mouton Rothschild vs. California 100 point Cab Producer: Dave Thrasher
COUPLES
Happy Hollow Club Holiday Wine Dinner Producer: Duke Matz
HOSTING AN EVENT? Let us know when, where and a little bit about what’s going on! We would love to include YOUR event on the calendar! Email details to: murnantom@gmail.com
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
October 2020 Purpose: To meet communication and service needs, to broaden participation and understand and to be an information exchange for the membership of The International Wine & Food Society in the Americas. Publisher: Todd Lemke Editor: Tom Murnan Graphic Designer: Omaha Magazine, LTD.
THE INTERNATIONAL WINE & FOOD SOCIETY OF LONDON, ENGLAND OM A H A, NEBR A SK A BR A NCH - E X ECU T I V E COM MIT TEE This Quick Response Code (QR-Code) can be scanned with a scanner app on your smart phone to take the reader directly to the Omaha Branch web site.
PR E SI DENT: Mark Stokes............................................................... mark_stokes@aig.com
V ICE PR E SI DENT / SECR ETA RY: Dave Thrasher.................... dave@supportworks.com
TR EASU R ER: Les Zanotti................................................................ zanol@cox.net
W I N E CELLA R M ASTER: Duke Matz....................................... dmatz@darland.com M EM BERSH I P CH A I R M A N: Joe Goldstein.............................. goldie2@cox.net
B OA R D O F D I R E C T O R S : Derek Burdeny Joe Goldstein Steve Hipple
Todd Lemke
John Matthews Duke Matz
Tom Murnan
Tad Singer
Mark Stokes
Dave Thrasher
Mike Wilke Les Zanotti
Lowell Wilhite
KEEP IN TOUCH! Please notify Club President, Mark Stokes, 402-679-7317 or via email at mark_stokes@aig.com to let him know if you are interested in hosting an IWFS event.
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE MEMBERS WILL BE POSTED ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Like us on FACEBOOK (IWFSOmaha): facebook.com/IWFSOmaha and follow us on TWITTER (IWFSOmaha): twitter.com/IWFSOmaha
All versions of Wine & Food Gazette are published monthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha, NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000. No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. The opinions expressed in this publication, except as specifically stated to the contrary, are solely the opinion of the author and do no necessarily represent the views of the Board of Governors of the Americas. The International Wine & Food Society, LTD., the publisher and any officer, director, member or agent thereof. The international Wine & Food Society does not endorse advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; products and is not responsible for damages incurred from the use of such products nor does it guarantee such products.