Dirk and Ellen Scherschlich operate the Bacharacher Hof Hotel and Restaurant. Dirk elevates traditional German fare to high art, and Ellen runs a tight ship on the floor of the restaurant. We raided the wine list on our two visits to the restaurant (both were great meals), and were looking for the best way to “re-create” the experience at home after a tough week.

Slowly-cooked, tender veal in a cream sauce with chanterelles, bracketed by red bliss potatoes, and spargel (asparagus) was as close as I could get, and I took the occasion to pamper ourselves with one of the most extraordinary wines I’ve had from Jochen Ratzenberger – his 2002 Wolfshöhle Großes Gewächs, a selected, late harvested Riesling (auslese) fermented dry. An incredible pairing!

A little of this wine is still available in all three of our stores ($60 per bottle), and it’s a bargain. Perfectly mature, and complex, and a perfect example of terroir. This brilliant wine could not have been produced anywhere else on Earth. Bravo, Jochen! Here’s our “official” tasting note:

The Ratzenberger family moved to the Mittelrhein from East Germany in the 1950s, and young Jochen Ratzenberger first began to make wine in 1994. The 8-hectare estate, west and north of the town of Bacharach, includes holdings in the three steep vineyards of blue-black Devon slate: Steeger St. Jost, Posten, and Wolfshöhle.

In 2002, the membership of the VDP (Verbund Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) issued regulations governing the production of Großes Gewächs (Grand Cru) wines; only approved varieties of grapes, from approved parts of classified vineyards are allowed. The grapes must qualify as Spätlese in ripeness, and the wines must be either dry, or lusciously sweet. The rules permit chaptalization, so Großes Gewächs wines may not be labeled as QmP (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat).

The Wolfshöhle Großes Gewächs was harvested at auslese (selected late harvest) ripeness and fermented dry, producing a wine of amazing aromatic and textural complexity rivaled only by the Premier, and Grand Cru of Burgundy.

Wow. Susan and I had the most outrageous raw fish ever at Matt Ito’s (photo above) Fuji in Haddonfield.

I know it’s not nice to “rub it in,” but unbelievable as it may seem to our New York clientele, the Philadelphia suburbs of South Jersey have the best freakin’ sushi on the East Coast.

We took the perfectly preserved remnants of a bottle of Sergio’s Langhe Bianco Riesling Hérzu and it was absolutely stunning!

Next time you’re “out for sushi,” either at Fuji or Sagami, pick a bottle of Hérzu – it’s bangin’ with raw fish.

Posted by David Moore

Susan and I had a rare opportunity to have dinner together (our work schedules are way outta hand) on Saturday. A great past experience took us to Bistro 7 on Third Street just north of Market. Chef/Owner Michael O’Halloran has a wonderful “farm to fork” ethic, and presents a weekly menu based on what he finds available.

We brought 2 bottles with us, even though we knew we wouldn’t finish either. We’d had the Clos du Poyet Muscadet before, but Susan hadn’t yet had the Barbera d’Alba Serra Boella from Paitin. I’d just done a tasting with Giovanni Pasquero-Elia in our New York store, and knew she’d love it.

The highlights of the meal were the escargot with the Muscadet, an outrageous pairing of pulled pork in a densely-flavored rosemary sauce with the Barbera, and the Rhubarb/Strawberry concoction that ended the meal. This is a wonderful BYOB that seems to fly under a lot of folks radar, but it’s busy, so I imagine everyone who knows about it is trying to keep a “secret.”

Posted by David Moore

Finally, our new cooktop was installed, and we had the first opportunity to use it this past Sunday – just in time to celebrate a successful visit from Peter Jakob Kün last weekend – so…

…a lovely tenderloin of Niman Ranch pork found it’s way to the Dutch Oven on the new cooktop (above – it’s induction, not radiant electric) with a reduction of demi-glace, red wine, mirin and soy, with shiitake and one clove of garlic…

…which was washed down with an equally delicious bottle of Riesling Trocken from Peter Jakob Kühn, who was kind enough to sign the bottle. Delicious together!, And…I can cook with abandon again. Now if only Susan and I were in the same place at the same time more regularly…

Posted by David Moore

During Sergio Germano’s visits to our stores, we were answering lots of questions about which wine we’d serve with particular dishes. Tasting his Barbera, for example, I proclaimed it perfect for lasagna (of course, I’d never had it with lasagna, I just know it’s drunk with tomato-sauced, cheese-laden pasta in Piemonte).

So, putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak, last night Susan and I did the big Barbera ‘n Lasagna Taste-Off. We’ve been a bit busy these last few weeks, so I let the Severino family provide the lasagna, and grilled vegetables for the meal…besides, I’d bet their lasagna was a lot better than mine, and I was right. Fresh, handmade pasta, laden with cheese, and a delicious marinara – perfect!

I chose two Barberas: A Barbera d’Alba from Sergio Germano, and the just-arrived, Barbera d’Asti from Roberto Ferraris. Both are off-the-charts, wonderful renditions, and neither tastes like the other.

Sergio’s Barbera, for example, is a bright, snappy red, with a structure typical of the wines from his village of Serralunga. Roberto’s Barbera is typical Asti, all plush, dense, black fruit, with a fine “grain.”

Which worked better with our lasagna? That’s a tough call, and subjective. I loved Sergio’s with the grilled eggplant and peppers, and aromatically it sang with the marinara. Roberto’s was seamless with everything, and delicious – but just a touch “polished” for the setting. Both are going to have a home in our fridge…it’s hard to imagine wines more flexible.

Posted by David Moore