The Art of hand-crafted wine and food explored

Craft Dallas and Newton Vineyard join Jim White and the KRLD Dinner Club for a spectacular wining and dining experience.

Ask five of your best wine friends to name their favorite Napa Valley wines and I betcha NewtonVineyard is somewhere on their list. Newton's picturesque vineyards overlooking Napa Valley were planted on Spring Mountain beginning in 1977. Su Hua and Peter Newton believed in the quality, character and rich flavors of higher elevation fruit. Newton eventually became one of the world's most desired wines. We are pleased to present a special pairing of Newton Vineyard varietals with a four-course menu from Craft Dallas in Victory Park on Tuesday October 27th. Seating for this special dinner is limited to 40 guests and is priced at $120 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Our special guest of honor is Ellen Flora, Senior Wine Ambassador and National Spokesperson for Newton Vineyard. According to Ellen, “There is no other property in Napa Valley as unique in such a faceted positioning of steep hillsides and the pioneering arrangement of these vines. The wines from this property are truly about the place – the ultimate terroir story."

Tom Colicchio's craft | DALLAS received 4 Stars from The Dallas Morning News. craft | DALLAS is known for its unique marriage of the finest ingredients, haute cuisine and family-style service. The food prepared at craft | DALLAS is a celebration of the integrity of seasonal ingredients and skillful execution. This unique dining experience serves as the perfect culinary companion to the wines from Newton. Complimentary valet will be provided. For Dinner Reservations Please Contact Michelle Tran at 214-397-4177. Get more details at the "KRLD Dinner Club with Jim White" website. And now for the pièce de résistance, the pairing:

First Course
Roasted Turbot, Braised Baby Fennel and Razor Clams
Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay 2006, Napa Valley

Second Course
Muscovy Duck, Quince Confit and Baby Turnips
Newton Unfiltered Merlot 2005, Napa Valley

Third Course
Wagyu Beef Cheeks, Celery Root Purée and Braised Horseradish
Newton "Red Label" Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa Valley
Newton Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley

Fourth Course
Pain Perdu, Brown Butter-Hazelnut Ice Cream
Riche, Domaine Chandon Sparkling Wine, California

Nana at the Hilton Anatole is creating a Revana Vineyards Wine Dinner with special guest Dr. Madaiah Revana on Thursday October 22nd. Chef Anthony Bombaci is putting together a lavish four-course meal to pair with the wines. Cost per person is $200. Call 214-761-7470 for reservations.

A good time event for a cause happens on October 19th at Palomino, dine during "Celebrate the Cure" and the restaurant will donate 10% of sales. Just call 214-999-1222 for reservations.

Clay Pit in Addison has some tempting events on the schedule for you to experience: "Souther Spice Food Festival" on October 17-18th, and a "Taste of Punjab" on October 24-25th. Get details at www.ClayPitDallas.com.

Chef Jean-Marie Cadot and his partner Gaspar Stantic are hosting a fabulous Louis Latour Wine Dinner Tuesday, October 27th at Cadot Restaurant. The price is only $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity. The restaurant has only been open a few months and already is gaining a big following. No wonder when two of our finest chefs get together, the results should be great, . and they are, at Cadot! It's located in the one-time Mediterraneo space at Preston Road and Frankford in far North Dallas.

For details on the dinner visit their website: www.CadotRestaurant.com or call 972-267-5700 for reservations. See the tasty menu below. Bon appétit!

Reception Menu
Cheese Gougere
Snail in Pastry
Smoked Salmon Rosace on Toast
WINE: SIMONET CREMEANT ROSE
First Course
Warm Venaison Terrine en Croute with Black Currant and Frissee Salad
WINE: H. FESSY MOULIN A VENT 07
Second Course
Filet of Trout with Crawfish and Morels Sauce
WINE: L. LATOUR CHARDONNAY ARDECHE 07
Third Course
Traditional Beef Bourguignon Stew
WINE: L. LATOUR MARSANNAY ROUGE 06
Fourth Course
Warm Chocolate Gratin with Griottes
WINE: L. LATOUR PINOT NOIR

Our friends at White Rock Coffee, Nancy and Bob Baker, are in an Autumn state of mind. Their cool java boutique is pulling out the pumpkin stops! Stop by Pumpkin Lattes, Pumpkin Chai, Pumpkin Spiced Tea, Pumpkin Scones, Pumpkin Muffins, bread, cheesecake, brownies (got tired of writing pumpkin!), even Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. And, join them October 17th, 2-5 p.m. for a Susan G. Koman fundraising event: "Cupcakes for the Cure". White Rock Coffee is located at 10105 E. Northwest Highway in Dallas, 75238.

How decanting will make you appreciate that wine even more (from our friends at Bottle Notes)

Why decant?

Most wine drinkers have seen the sculptural, wide-based wine vessels, but some may think they're just for show. On the contrary, many believe you should never drink a good bottle of wine without decanting it--and for good reason.

The best explanation for decanting a young wine that we’ve heard came from Tim Mondavi. He compared an undecanted wine to a green rose bud, closed and not fragrant. Pouring wine into a decanter helps that young wine "open up" and progress to a point where its aromas fill the glass, and your nose.

As wine is poured into a decanter, and as it sits in the wide basin, it interacts with oxygen in the air. This causes certain changes in the 500+ chemical compounds that exist in wine. While this may not be necessary for a bottle of Two Buck Chuck, you can certainly benefit from decanting a good young bottle.

Wines that have aged for more than 10 years do not need this opening up as much. However, decanting older wines separates the wine from any sediment that settled over time. In this case, you should pour the wine into a decanter, moving the wine bottle as little as possible and leaving enough wine in the bottle to prevent the sediment from getting into the decanter. If this sounds intimidating, you can always bring your bottle to a restaurant and have a sommelier decant the wine for you before your meal.

So give it a try–you'll undoubtedly notice the difference! To see some of our favorite decanters go to bottlenotes.com/decanters


The Zagat Guide to New York City Restaurants is out. Contact ZAGAT.com to buy the single guide for $15.95 or the "New York City Four Pack" that includes New York City Shopping, Restaurants, Lightlife and the City Food Lover's Guide, for $46.80. A $15 savings over purchasing the guides individually. Yummy see you at Balthazar for lunch!

Food trend to watch: Liquor-laced shakes spike sales
at trendy food outposts around the country

Just like Grandma used to make? No wonder Grandpa was smiling!

Offering chef-driven flair with a cherry on top, spiked milk shakes are emerging as signature adult beverages at several upscale burger concepts around the country. Boasting names such as the Bourbon Malted, Grandma's Treat and the All Nighter, these liquor-laced concoctions offer comfort-food appeal with a grown-up twist when paired with their longtime partner, the burger, operators say. "In the food and beverage realm, it really doesn't get more comfortable than a burger and a shake," says John Rothstein of Laurent Tourondel's BLT Restaurants.


Remember, living well is the best revenge. Living well has nothing to do with being ostentatious.

Cheers! Jim