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New Zealand wine is more than the grassy, highly acidic Sauvignon Blancs they are so famous for. There is alot of quality wine and importer NZ Wine Navigator, with the help of Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas, has hand-picked some of these wines for the US market. I had the pleasure to meet Cameron Douglas when he was in LA for a lunch with wines from the NZ Wine Navigator portfolio which I wrote about in my column in the Napa Valley Register. Sharing the story below. There is more to New Zealand wine than Sauvignon Blanc and the first few labels that come to mind. Of course, that may be hard to believe when Sauvignon Blanc makes up approximately 84 percent of New Zealand’s exports.
But, New Zealand offers breadth and depth beyond the grassy, citrusy Sauvignon Blancs. An afternoon with Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas demonstrated that as he introduced 10 wineries from throughout New Zealand that represent higher quality wines at competitive prices.
The wines are part of NZ Wine Navigator, America’s New Zealand wine specialist. NZ Wine Navigator was founded by Graham Painter who, during a visit to the U.S., was disappointed by the selection of New Zealand wines available on our retail shelves.
If you are looking for somewhere to eat that will satisfy everyone, Granville is the answer. Looking for healthy food, they have it. Craving comfort food, they have it. Dining with someone with dietary restrictions, Granville's menu has a lot of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes. And the best part, the food at Granville tastes really good. Granville currently has four locations. Burbank and Glendale have been open for almost a decade each. The Studio City location opened three years ago and one-and-a-half years ago, the West Hollywood location opened. I had been to the Studio City location a few times, as it is a favorite local spot of my parents. But I ventured to the West Hollywood location, located on the corner of Beverly Blvd where Jerry's Deli stood for many years. And what a beautiful transition! The architecture is modern with concrete arches covering the windows. Inside, the space is large, open and bright with skylights that let the light flow in and live trees add a freshness to the space.
Sometimes there is perfect synergy in a wine and food pairing. It goes beyond just working well together to actually elevating both the food and the wine, resulting in only one response, "WOW!" These "wow" moments do not happen all the time and I had one this week. This perfect pairing of Palmina 2010 Nebbiolo, Sisquoc, Santa Maria Valley with Rock Crab with a truffle sauce at Maude Restaurant is the Please The Palate pick of the week. The current regional theme at Maude is the Central Coast. The Central Coast menu was launched in July and I went for the first time in early July. It is a menu comprised of the bounty that the central coast has to offer, from fresh seafood to vegetables. And the wine pairings celebrate the delicious wines coming from Santa Barbara and more. One of my favorite dishes was the Rock Crab, served in the crab shell, and topped with truffles. The Rock Crab was paired with the Palmina 2010 Sisquoc Nebbiolo, Santa Maria Valley.
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