Richard Vayda — Director of Wine & Beverage Studies

Holiday Wines from Around the World

aday — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 19:29:18 +0000

Holiday Wines from Around the World aday Thu, 12/20/2018 - 14:29 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/wine%20header.jpg.webp?itok=i8UtcX5V Richard Vayda resolves the December dilemma: selecting wines for holiday hosting. December 20, 2018

By Richard Vayda — Director of Wine & Beverage Studies

Welcome to that time of year when we all fret over what we are going to eat and drink, especially when we are planning for guests. The question of which wines to drink continually comes up in my classes, perhaps most often in our core wine class, Wine Essentials.

Fortunately, this six-session survey of the world’s bounty of grapes – covering 60+ wines – offers some great holiday selections. Due to availability, the wines change regularly, but following are some of our current highlights.

Session one of the series offers a great overview of the varied wine types and styles produced. Many could be holiday picks, and a class favorite from Argentina is the Pulenta Gran Corte VII, a Bordeaux grape variety blend that is heavy in Malbec, super lush and savory. It’s a great choice for a rich main dish such as braised meats like short ribs. On day two we move to France and enjoy some classic choices from the Bourgogne and Bordeaux regions. Many of these are great dinner party selections, and if your plans call for beginning with oysters and other shellfish – or perhaps a fresh crudité – the Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, from Simonnet-Febvre, is for you.

Our next stop is Italy where we travel up and down the boot. Again, there are so many good possibilities for this time of year – Chianti, Barolo, Amarone. The elegant Brunello di Montalcino, Fattoria dei Barbi though, is a perfect match with roasted meats or a rich mushroom ragout. Looking at Spain and warm climate areas in the fourth session, we have perhaps the largest variety of wine styles from a single area. A standout that would be a great match with rich desserts, like a caramelized apple tart, would be the delicious Jerez sherry, Lustau Deluxe Cream Capataz Andres, a luscious sherry from southern Spain made with sun-dried grapes.

The next stop is the western U.S., reviewing wines from up and down the coast. Our current Cab, the Newton Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon, offers us a big, dense-structured red, perfect for the festive roast lamb or beef dish – or a rich plate of cheeses. On the final day of Wine Essentials, we look at the world of sparkling wine. Whether white, rosé or red, these wines are perfect for any day, but especially celebrations. It’s difficult to choose between Prosecco, Cava and Crémant. I also serve two delightful Champagnes to study contrast, and a class favorite is the Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs Vintage from California's North Coast. This wine’s perfect for rich veal and poultry dishes or an end-of-evening treat!

There are too many wines and too many choices – but no reason to ever fret! The wonderful truth is that there is no perfect celebration wine and food combination! Taste and preferences are very subjective, so your first concern should be your likings and what would please your guests. Even though I have been conducting ICE’s Wine Essentials class for almost two decades, the six sessions still go by too quickly to savor all the wines fully. Thankfully, there are always additional occasions for tasting, future holidays to celebrate and more wines to enjoy. I hope to lift a glass with you at perhaps this class or one of our many other wine explorations. Happy holidays and cheers!

ICE Wine Classes

Wine Recreational Classes Holidays Beverage

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Sip Like a Sommelier this Holiday Season

ohoadmin — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 14:00:59 +0000

Sip Like a Sommelier this Holiday Season ohoadmin Wed, 11/16/2016 - 09:00 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/quentin-dr-178096-unsplash.jpg.webp?itok=zL_U2cAi November 30, 2021

By Richard Vayda — Director of Wine & Beverage Studies

To ensure that you make the best “pour” decisions this holiday season, I’ve put together a list of picks that will fit any festive feast. Below are my recommendations, choices that are built on conventional wine wisdom but vary depending on your personal preference.

The recommended wine for holiday turkey seems to always be Beaujolais, a wine region in eastern France. Like liquid cranberry sauce, wines from Beaujolais exhibit tart strawberry and other fruity notes — plus the acidity balances with rich sauces that often accompany our sacred bird.

Instead of buying a simple Beaujolais, why not try a Cru Beaujolais (“Cru” meaning a vineyard or group of vineyards of recognized quality) from one of the northern villages of the region, such as Broilly or Juliénas.

Recommended:

Michel Tête Domaine du Clos du Fief Cuvée Tradition, Juliénas, France

Prefer something a bit richer or more savory? Try a Pinot Noir, which happens to be a perfect match for heartier stuffings. To keep it American, head to Oregon for lighter, earthier versions. If you prefer more ripe fruit flavors, a Northern California Pinot would be a better choice.

Recommended:

Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR

While rich and buttery foods pair well with Chardonnay, salty foods also love a touch of sweetness. Why not try a local Riesling from New York's Finger Lakes region? Personally, my holiday meal plan features goose, so for a little more richness and spice, I might jump to a Finger Lakes Gewürztraminer.

Recommended:

Grgich Hills Chardonnay, Napa, CA
Frank Konstantin Semi-Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, NY
Eminence Road Farm Winery Elizabeth’s Vineyard Dry Gewürztraminer, Finger Lakes, NY

Lest we forget: celebrations call for bubbles. Sparklers — especially rosés, are flexible wines that pair with a variety of foods. Champagne, of course, is a reliable choice, but U.S. winemakers are producing fine sparkling wines all around the country.

Recommended:

Gruet Brut Rosé, Albuquerque, NM
Domaine Carneros Cuvée de la Pompadour Brut Rosé, Napa, CA

Don’t let dessert stand alone — a semi-sweet or sweet bubbly wine always works, but for something richer, a ripe Muscat would be a nice choice. The stone fruits, orange and floral notes of a California Muscat might just be the perfect cap to your meal.

Recommended:

Quady Essensia Orange Muscat, San Joaquin Valley, Madera, CA

The reality is that holiday spreads contain dishes with a multitude of tastes and flavors, so a selection of wines might be required. Let your guests have fun making their own match — after all, what could be more fun than sipping your perfect pairing surrounded by the ones you love?

Learn more about Intensive Sommelier Training at ICE.

Wine Thanksgiving Holidays

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Uncorked: What Makes a Wine “Good”?

ohoadmin — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 17:03:53 +0000

Uncorked: What Makes a Wine “Good”? ohoadmin Tue, 10/20/2015 - 13:03 October 20, 2015

By Richard Vayda — Director of Wine & Beverage Studies

Recently, in the first session of my Introduction to Wine class at ICE, a student posed the question that plagues many new wine drinkers: “What makes a wine good or great?” The question was more than fair, considering we had spent the evening tasting a variety of wines and noting the worthy qualities of their differing characteristics. Light, heavy, young, old, dry, sweet — could they all be good? Well, the short answer is yes.

Before delving into a more detailed look, first we have to recognize that one’s sense of taste is quite personal and subjective. Likewise, context — when, where and with whom we taste a wine — plays a critical role. From there, we also need to make a distinction between assessing a good wine vs. a great wine.

For now, let’s take a look at a few things to examine in determining if it’s a good wine. Does the wine look the way it should? Most wines are vinified to be clear, which can be an initial indication of their stability. Not that a cloudy or powdery wine is always bad, but you should ask: should this glass look this way? If it isn’t clear, it might be an intentionally unfiltered wine or come from a small, rustic producer.

Additionally, wines should generally look their age. Young wines usually have a brighter, lively color, where older vintages, wood-aged varieties or wines made from riper, raisin-like grapes will have deeper, mellowed hues Does the wine smell the way it should? Are there any off-odors on the first smell? Did you get a whiff of mold or rotten egg? Again, young wines should predominantly showcase fresher, vibrant smells, while older and wood-aged wines may offer some earthier notes suggesting time and decomposition. We also want to look for correct grape varietal characteristics — for example, apple or pear notes in Chardonnay and dark berries in Cabernet Sauvignon.

Does the wine taste the way it should? Taking into account the grape variety, point of origin and age, how does it feel and taste in the mouth? Most young whites should have a bright or assertive acidity. Young reds, on the other hand, may feature assertive tannins. Older wines typically offer a softer, rounder, smoother mouth feel. These are all widely ranging sensations, but all can be correct and good. Finally, pull some air over the wine in your mouth — how do the flavor and finish continue and expand the experience? Does the wine fit in the context of the current situation? A good wine should be appropriate to the moment. Is it right for the time of day, occasion, food and company? Are you at a casual summer lunch or an elaborate holiday feast? Will the wine serve as a quiet accompaniment or a central point of conversation to wine-savvy friends?

We all have our favorite wines, but a good wine choice for a particular moment may not be your go-to favorite. Even the most ardent drinker of robust reds has to reconsider wine choice when eating fresh clams on a hot day! Does the wine represent a good value? This is yet another subjective question, but it’s an issue that influences the equation significantly. First, one person’s view of an inexpensive bottle may be another person’s definition of luxury. Then, we also have to be realistic as to what represents a value from a particular region or producer. A wine that may be considered high priced from one area or winery might represent a bargain price point from another!

Limiting how much we spend, however, doesn’t mean that we have to skimp on "good." For example, if the occasion calls for a sparkling wine — or you just feel like having something bubbly — you don't need no need to buy French champagne. Many other regions make great sparklers, so why not try a North Fork Long Island brut?

So, returning to my intro class, all the wines we tasted that evening were good examples of what those wines should have been — and, therefore, great teaching wines as well. In the end, most of us are just looking for a little enjoyment from our wine, and enjoyment can be hindered by over-thinking the bad vs. good vs. great question. In the end, the only real way to develop your sense of what makes wine good or great is, quite simply, to drink more of it.

Ready to put your palette to the test? Click here to learn about wine studies at ICE.

Wine Culinary Education

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Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs: Suzanne Goin

ohoadmin — Wed, 28 May 2014 21:42:37 +0000

Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs: Suzanne Goin ohoadmin Wed, 05/28/2014 - 17:42 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Meet%20the%20Culinary%20Entrepreneurs%20Suzanne%20Goin1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=ZCdQci7i May 28, 2014

By Richard Vayda — Director of Wine & Beverage Studies

Fresh off her most recent nomination for a James Beard Award, Suzanne Goin – celebrated chef, restaurateur and cookbook author – charmed and informed our students and industry attendees as the latest guest in ICE's ongoing series, Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs.

The featured speakers are noted foodservice business leaders from all corners of the industry – winemakers, bakers, chefs, distillers, restaurateurs, bar owners, cheesemongers and more – who are invited to share their backgrounds, successes and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. While every guest brings a unique and inspiring tale to tell, because of my own French culinary background, I was particularly excited to moderate this discussion with Suzanne, and the two hours did not disappoint.

Goin began by sharing how an early interest in cooking began the foundation for her career in the food industry. That curiosity led her to some extraordinary places, first among them an internship at the legendary Ma Maison (called by Zagat one of "13 restaurants that changed LA dining forever") while still attending High School in Los Angeles.

After heading east for undergraduate studies at Brown University, Goin resumed her career in restaurants by working at such famed establishments as Chez Panisse, owned by the legendary chef Alice Waters in Berkeley, California, and Olives, the first restaurant by chef Todd English, in Boston. Her next step was France, where she worked at restaurants of equal or even greater acclaim, including Alain Passard's three Michelin-starred restaurant, L’Arpège. Suzanne eventually made her way back to Los Angeles where she worked her way up to executive chef at Mark Peel's critically acclaimed restaurant, Campanile. Quite a résumé, for a young chef!

Photo credit: Lucques.com

After establishing a strong skill set in the world's top kitchens, Goin felt ready to open a place of her own. When asked how she knew it was the right moment, she recalled that it was just a gut feeling; something she felt driven to do at the time. In 1998, Lucques was born – the first of several restaurants she has opened with her business partner Caroline Styne. Serving French and Mediterranean-influenced California cuisine, the inviting, rustic restaurant was an immediate success. Goin was named one of the "Best New Chefs" by Food & Wine Magazine the following year.

Goin shared the ups and downs of opening her first restaurant, in particular, stressing the importance of the location and setting. “Find a space with soul,” she advised. With renewed confidence and experience under her belt, Goin's second restaurant, a.o.c., debuted in 2002 and was quickly celebrated by the critics.

The concept featured small plates (then, a cutting-edge concept) with superior wines by the glass. Today, Goin owns and operates several restaurants, as well as casual marketplace dining concepts, and says there is more to come. Among her top lessons she learned along the way: be wary of unnecessary start-up expenses, exemplified by the beautiful but far-too-expensive tufted banquettes she installed at one location. (Goin confided that, while lovely to look at, they took a very long time to pay for!)

In addition to offering practical advice about operating and expanding business ventures, Goin stressed the importance of a good working relationship with any partner — mutual respect, communication and clear delineation of duties are key. She also passed on many of her thoughts about staff management, recounting several anecdotes of nurturing and motivating employees. Obviously having a great deal of respect for her staff, she commented that all business owners “owe [their employees] some mentorship.” Goin was full of wisdom, offering great insights into starting and operating a successful business. But perhaps, as one of my students commented, the best part of the event was to meet a celebrated restaurateur and chef that was also unusually genuine and sincere. Beyond her talent in the kitchen, her attitude is yet another great reason to pay Chef Goin a visit on your next trip to L.A.!

Suzanne Goin (center) with ICE Director of Wine & Beverage Studies Richard Vayda (left), and ICE President Rick Smilow (right).

Restaurant Management Demos & Lectures Entrepreneurship

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Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs: Daniel J. Daou of Daou Vineyard and Winery

ohoadmin — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 20:06:27 +0000

Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs: Daniel J. Daou of Daou Vineyard and Winery ohoadmin Wed, 04/02/2014 - 16:06 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Meet%20the%20Culinary%20Entrepreneurs-%20Daniel%20J.%20Daou%20of%20Daou%20Vineyard%20and%20Winery_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=uf9n_eoo April 2, 2014

By Richard Vayda — Director of Wine & Beverage Studies

A great bottle of wine—it often seems like such a simple pleasure. But the vision, planning, labor and skill required to infuse joy into every bottle is not always so apparent to the drinker.

On a recent Thursday, ICE students, guests and staff learned about this process as part of ICE's ongoing Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs series, where guest speakers from all walks of the food and beverage industry share their experience and advice.

(From left) Daniel Daou and Richard Vayda, ICE's Director of Wine Studies

"Treat" is really the right word for this talk, as winemaker and vineyard owner Daniel J. Daou not only inspired the audience with his story but also offered a tasting of some of his premium wines as well. As the Director of Wine Studies at ICE, I was particularly interested in the Daou's insights as a winemaker about what really goes into every bottle.

Born in Lebanon and raised in France, Daou recounted his professional journey, culminating in the recent completion of his lifelong goal: becoming the proprietor and winemaker at a family winery. Although winemaking is a rather recent career for him, the roots of his passion date back to his early childhood in Lebanon, where the natural beauty of an olive grove sparked his interest in products of the earth.

Growing up in France, Mr. Daou became enamored with wine, especially those of the Bordeaux region. This led to his dream of owning a vineyard that could produce distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon. But the wine would have to wait. Daou first came to the U.S. while working for a successful technology and computer business, which helped set the stage for opening his own winery.

After being mentored by highly experienced Bordeaux winemakers from Château l’Evangile and Château Lascombes, Daou started his search for the perfect Cabernet site. He initially looked at areas in Napa, but quickly realized that the spot for his dream wine was elsewhere. Drawing on his science and technology background, Daniel recounted to the class how he framed his search by looking for particular soil types – calcareous terroir, similar to the Bordeaux – as well as ideal climate conditions. In 2007, he decided to purchase an area of land in Paso Robles, California, defined as an American Viticultural Area (AVA). Soon thereafter, the area was defined as a sub-region called the Adelaida District.

Over the course of the talk, Daou touched on the time, money and wherewithal required to start a winery. Since his newly planted vines would not yield quality fruit for a few years (and thus no cash flow), he started off producing his standard Daou Cabernet Sauvignon from purchased grapes from other areas of Paso Robles. When Daou's vines matured, he began crating wines from his own estate-grown grapes, including the Daou Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and the flagship Daou Estate Soul of a Lion.

Applying traditional methods used in first-growth Bordeaux – low vineyard yield, free-run juices and new French barrels – along with modern techniques like frequent phenolic testing, the quality of Daou Vineyard wines quickly garnered the attention of the public and critics alike. Daou wines have earned praise and top scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast and more. Further, Daou Vineyards was named The Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine’s "Winery of the Year" in 2013.

From left: A representative from Daou Vineyards & Winery, Daniel Daou, ICE Chief Marketing Officer Brian Aronowitz and Richard Vayda.

Although the pursuit of great Cabernet Sauvignon was the inspiration for Daou Vineyards & Winery, the portfolio now includes other limited production wines. Daou makes some delicious whites, including a Chardonnay, a Viognier, and a lovely Grenache Blanc, which Daniel told me was inspired by his need for "something to go with sushi”.

For our tasting that evening, we enjoyed the Daou Reserve Chardonnay, the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and the Reserve Seventeen Forty – a Cabernet Franc-based wine. All the wines exhibited great balance, structure, and finesse, evidence of Daou's dedication in every sip. In closing, Mr. Daou offered some advice on entrepreneurial success to the audience: “Follow your passion, keep your focus and always strive for quality.” The wine in front of us was proof enough that this business formula yields spectacular results.

Wine Demos & Lectures

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Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs: Top Chef Harold Dieterle

ohoadmin — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 22:48:50 +0000

Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs: Top Chef Harold Dieterle ohoadmin Fri, 01/10/2014 - 17:48 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Meet%20the%20Culinary%20Entrepreneurs-%20Top%20Chef%20Harold%20Dieterle_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=DVgBGIFn January 10, 2014

By Richard Vayda — Director of Wine & Beverage Studies

What exactly makes a "Top Chef"? Well, you could win a contest on a popular TV show, or perhaps run top-rated restaurants — or better yet, both.

During ICE's ongoing Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs lecture series, ICE students, instructors and guests were fortunate enough to hear Top Chef winner and highly-regarded restaurateur, Harold Dieterle, shares his experience.

Born in Long Island and educated in New York, Dieterle's background presents an appealing scenario to aspiring chefs and restaurateurs, especially for our students who come from the New York area. His work history includes stints at well-known Manhattan spots, including 1770 House and The Harrison. He explained that his early interest in food came from helping with family suppers of traditional Italian and German fare. Dieterle claims to have polished his skills further in his high school Home Economics class (and also confessed that he thought it was a great place to meet girls). Relying on his experience cooking and working in the foodservice industry, Dieterle competed and won the first season of Bravo’s Top Chef in 2006. Yet, given his multiple successes since then, this fact barely came up in our conversation.

The year following his Top Chef win, Dieterle opened his first restaurant, Perilla, with partner Alicia Nosenzo. When asked about financing this initial venture, Harold remarked that, despite his success on Top Chef, it still took a good year to pull the funding together. Winning the TV contest certainly made opening a restaurant easier, but investors are still generally wary of investing in a restaurant unless its owner can point to previous successes. "You have to be able to sell yourself to secure investor funds," Dieterle stressed.

When it came to discussing the development of his three West Village restaurants and the challenges posed by each — specifically, juggling his time between them — Chef Dieterle had some very practical advice. The partners wanted to develop businesses where they knew their audience and could better cater to their needs, hence the same neighborhood location. Perilla (New American with Asian Accents) is the more casual place for locals, having many regular clients that return frequently. Kin Shop (contemporary Thai Cuisine) was given 2 stars by the New York Times and was born from his interest and travels to Thailand, whereas The Marrow (contemporary German and Italian cuisine) taps into his family roots. From a logistical standpoint, having the restaurants located within walking distance of each other made them easier to manage. Still, an owner has to spend the time where it is most needed.

The Marrow, being the youngest and perhaps most complicated sibling, gets the majority of Dieterle's attention, while the more mature Kin Shop runs like a well-oiled machine. Harold was also very candid about some of the more practical aspects of food service, such as cost percentages and lease negotiations — highly deliberated topics in Culinary Management classes. “Kin Shop may have a better food cost percent, but one of the other operations is more profitable.”

“Our first lease, we probably paid more than we should have and the construction was difficult, but it was a good experience that made the next negotiations easier.” Further, Dieterle offered some earnest insights into relationships with partners and investors, concerns that are often discussed among graduating ICE students. According to Harold, communication, honesty, trust and maintaining the business focus are key to good associations. Harold worked with his partner, Alicia, at one of their earlier restaurant experiences were she was Director of Operations.

They knew each others' skills and they brought complementing talents to the table. Frequent meetings about each others' business activities and problems keep the discussions centered and forward-moving. Concerning investors, he advised searching for people that want to be part of the business for the right reason and to maintain frank and open communication. After this fast moving and varied discussion, Harold was asked if he had a final thought to leave with aspiring entrepreneurs, something that might help them when the road gets tough. His advice: “Keep focused, keep inspired. That’s what keeps you going.”

Pursue entrepreneurship in ICE's Restaurant & Culinary Management program.

Restaurant Management Business of Food Demos & Lectures Entrepreneurship