Drink This of Vegas Seven, Bob Barnes

A Few Sips From the Beverage Program at Robert Irvine’s Public House

Last May, celebrity chef Robert Irvine drew attention to his announcement of plans for a dining concept at the Tropicana when he rappelled 22 stories down the side of the resort. Now, a year later, the Food Network TV star and host of the syndicated talk show The Robert Irvine Show opens his first Las Vegas restaurant, Robert Irvine’s Public House, on July 27.

The 275-seat space, situated on the northern side of Tropicana’s casino floor, offers a varied beverage program. As the eatery’s motto is “There is no greater happiness than a full pint and a full plate,” it should come as no surprise that beer is a star, with 32 taps and 30 cans and bottles offered. The selection includes brews that are not the usual suspects on the Strip, such as Prairie BOMB Imperial Stout, Evil Twin Old Fashioned Lemonade IPA, Unibroue La Fin du Monde and Mikkeller Beer Geek Dessert. Local beers are not left out, with the likes of Able Baker Brewing IPA and Chris Kael Impale’d Ale, as well as Tenaya Creek 702 Pale Ale, Hauling Oats Oatmeal Stout and Bonanza Brown Ale.

More than a dozen signature cocktails are available, and as Patrón is Irvine’s spirit of choice, you’ll likely be enjoying El Karma—Patrón Reposado, Mixwell Mojave Grapefruit Soda, lime wedges, grapefruit peel and chili aleppo salt. The restaurant also has a namesake cocktail, the P.H.T. (Public House Tonic), a concoction with Plymouth Gin, Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic, a cucumber strip, lemon and lime wheels and fresh mint. Irvine emphasizes that all of the libations are made with fresh fruit and vegetables. Several cocktails use beet or carrot vodka from Boardroom Spirits—“a line of vodkas, gin, Scotch and bourbon—and we’ll be using all of them,” he says. Irvine is a partner in the company.

Oenophiles have options of red, white and sparkling, with an emphasis on California and Pacific Northwest wineries, along with selections from Italy, New Zealand and France. Brand highlights include Eroica Riesling, Whispering Angel Rosé, Argyle Pinot Noir, Stags’ Leap Artemis Cabernet and Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc.

“We have something for everyone and a lot of drinks you won’t find anywhere else,” Irvine says. “I want people to get out of their comfort zones and try something different. And you’ll be able to enjoy a good drink and a good meal and not have to spend your mortgage.” 

Read the entire article here.

Bigger Than Your Head, Frederic Koeppel, July 2017 

"No kissy-face little princess of complacency, here’s a pinot gris from New Zealand that will make you take it and yourself seriously. It’s also quite delicious. The Mt. Beautiful Pinot Gris 2015, North Canterbury, fermented and aged in a combination of old oak barrels and stainless steel tanks, producing a pale pale gold wine that deftly balances an appealing almost lush, talc-like texture with the litheness and fleet crispness of bright acidity. 

Aromas of heather and hay, roasted lemon and lemon balm, lime peel and grapefruit get a big assist from burgeoning notes of damp flint and limestone, with an ineffable wafting of lilac and graphite. On the palate, structure is the main event, fashioned along the lines of bracing salinity and seashell-chalk-limestone minerality; while squaring your shoulders for that admittedly supple onslaught — and this is a shatteringly dry wine — enjoy the tasty and attractive flavors of fresh apples and spiced pears, all aimed toward a finish of cloves, steel and grapefruit rind. 

The slight tension between texture and structure keeps the wine lively and exciting. 14.5 percent alcohol. Drink through 2019 to ’21 with grilled fish, seafood risotto or, a favorite at our house, cod stew with leeks, potatoes and chorizo. Production was 1,450 cases. Excellent. About $19."

The 2017 harvest wrapped up at the end of April, and now we mostly wait and see what this year’s vintage expresses. We asked Ben Weaver, our Assistant Winemaker, to comment on each varietal. 

It seems like just yesterday that the vineyard was covered in lush green vines as far as the eye could see. Now, it lies dormant in the middle of New Zealand's winter. We have however begun one of the most arduous, careful and resultantly most expensive activities that takes place in the vineyard each year. It lays the groundwork for the next vintage's success ... and that activity is pruning! 

Linda Kissam, FoodandWineTravelChix.com, July 2017

Ahoy Matey’s! The summer boating season is officially underway.  What will you be sipping on those easy breezy nautical moments this year?

Rosé wine and food pairings are a natural for the warm summer months – especially when served aboard a boat. Sail, power, or canoe … all offer a perfect setting for a refreshing glass of Rosé.

Rosé wine has made a stunning comeback in the past few years. And why shouldn’t it? Rosés are seductively fun, drinkable wines that are versatile enough to go with a light deck lunch to a knock-out main salon dinner combo. There are enough styles out there to please everyone.

Many Rosés possess excellent flavor profiles.  The best ones are drier and crisper than one might expect – which allows for a full display of flavors and aromas. But there is a place for a wide range of flavors and style, all of which are explored in this article.  Remember, in the end, if YOU like it, it is a winner.

The aromas and flavor of Rosés are primarily influenced by the particular grape varieties used to produce the wine but also the method of production also plays an important part. To make most Rosé wines, red grapes are lightly crushed and left to macerate with their red skins for a little while (anywhere from a few hours to a few days), after which the juice is strained out from the solid stuff (called “must”) and fermented in tanks. A true Rosé is made from red grapes, not a mix of red and white grapes, although there are Rosés offered that have been blended with white grapes to help “punch up” color and taste or present a new style into the market.

Drinking is believing. The world of Rosé wines is made up of flowers and fruits expressing natural freshness. Don’t expect a Rosé wine to present with the strength and the power of red wines, you’ll be disappointed. Do expect summer in a glass; red flowers and fruits. Think watermelon, roses, red currants, and raspberry. On occasion you may pick up lilac, Jolly-Rodger and bubble gum notes.

Pairing Tips

Which foods pair best with Rosés? Rosés are made for warm summer evenings, patio dining, friends and memories. Serve dishes that fit with that kind of setting and you’re on the right road.

Do not pair Rosé wine with foods that will drown out its delicate flavor. So stay clear of: tomato sauces, red meat dishes, butter, heavy creams, eggs, and overpowering aromatic spices.

Light pasta dishes – like linguine with olive oil, garlic, and mussels – make a wonderful choice for roses. Some stuffed pastas work – like a vegetable-stuffed cannelloni, or a ricotta stuffed ravioli. The trick is that if cheese is used, is should be extremely light, mild and neutral in flavor, almost whipped in texture, or otherwise an easily paired, not-pungent cheese.

Seafood dishes that focus on the minimal preparation to let the seafood flavors shine – lobster tail, lightly grilled crab cakes, and shrimp cocktails will complement a well-structured Rosé.

Summer salads of course are also an excellent option – just steer clear of bitter greens like kale that will quickly smoother your Rosé glass with all the wrong flavors. Instead think of water-filled vegetables and fruit like iceberg lettuce, chard, bok choy, clementines, pomegranate kernels, watermelon slices, apple slices, and strawberries.

Summer foods, like tomato salads, olives, and vegetables right off the grill come to mind.  Rosés love impetuous flavors: salty, a little spicy, summer herbs like basil and oregano, and, of course, garlic.  Prosciutto and melon? Perfect. Toasts with tapenade? Even better. Pork sausages right off the grill are terrific with Rosés, grilled vegetables such as peppers, zucchini and eggplant, seasoned with handfuls of basil and sprinkled with good olive oil.

Lastly cheeses.  Many cheeses can be challenging to wines, usually overwhelming their character, but rosés hold up very well to a number of cheeses, especially those of Spain. Try a tangy and earthy Roncal or Idiazabal, a Zamorano or Majorero sheep’s cheese, and finally try one of the many Cabrales blue cheeses now available in the US.

It is now up to you to learn what goes best with Rosés. Keep in mind that Rosés are enjoyed year around, especially by Mediterranean food enthusiasts. They are at their best when served chilled. However, when too cold they lose their delicate aromas and flavors. If served too warm, the residual sugar in many Rosés produce an unpleasant, cloying sensation and the overt fruitiness of the wine can create the sensation of drinking warm punch.

At a recent tasting aboard my Grand Banks boat, I found the following to be amongst the best Rosé wine picks for the summer boating season – for a variety of reasons.  Each has its own place in my on-board bar.   Enjoy!

Rosé Tasting

Comparing domestic and international sparkling, still, blended, single varietal, lo-cal and can.

Mt Beautiful Rosé 2016. $20. New Zealand: I am a big fan of this winery.  This wine is traditionally made from Pinot Noir juice pressed off after light contact and fermented in barrel and tank. Summer floral notes, a hint of herbaceousness and penetrating red berry aromas on the nose. Dry on the palate with good acidity. Juicy watermelon and pink grapefruit notes make this medium bodied wine a winner. Ranked second in the tasting, but a case could easily be made for first place."