Wines Du Jour

Wines Du Jour Wine is Food. We are offering fine choices of wines that are paired with quality food at each of the current weeks host upscale restaurant.

Wines Du Jour has weathered the test of time with great panache and continues to offer a playful yet impactful weekly food and wine menu for its viewers/listeners and invited guests alike. Wines Du Jour has weathered the test of time (over 18 years every Thursday) with great panache and continues to offer a playful yet impactful weekly food and wine menu for its viewers/listeners and invited guest

s alike. Every week, for well over thirteen years, Wines Du Jour has set the stage for a featured winery and three of their wines. Everyone will have an opportunity to taste and compare these wines in a somewhat informal setting. This syndicated program will engage all of your senses while adding to your wine and even your food knowledge. The goal is always to offer a broadcast that will be informative to both the listener and the invited guests at the event including both the novice and wine expert. As an executive Chef, educator, Las Vegas wineau, cookbook author and Lifestyle expert, Les Kincaid shares recipes, offers resources and tips to help make your everyday enjoyment of food and wine a bit more delicious. Wines Du Jour currently airs every Thursday evening.

Wines Du Jour anticipates offering our first winemaker dinner on Thursday, October 28, 2021 with Steve Felten owner/wine...
07/17/2021

Wines Du Jour anticipates offering our first winemaker dinner on Thursday, October 28, 2021 with Steve Felten owner/winemaker of Felten Cellars https://feltencellars.com/ Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

05/05/2021

It's been awhile since we have seen each other. I hope during this difficult time you, your family and friends continue to stay healthy and safe.

Many of you have reached out to inquire about when Wines Du Jour will resume its weekly events and upcoming trips. Today I'm reaching out to you to hear about your interest in a couple of different trips we are currently thinking about offering to you in the near future.

The first opportunity to join us is a day outing to the Pahrump Valley area for a fun day of visiting 3 different wineries, tasting their wines and enjoying a lunch sometime in October. We anticipate renting a van for transportation to and from so no one needs to worry about drinking and driving. If you would like to be added to the "interest list" please send an email to [email protected] with the names in your party for further details when they are available .

The second opportunity to join us is a relaunch in May 2022 for our canceled Oregon trip last year due to the pandemic. For those of you who were signed up for this trip I know how disappointed you were to not be going. If you would like to be added the "interest list" for this experience please send an email to [email protected] with the names in your party for further details when they are available. *Please note, as before, this experience is very limited and we anticipate selling out quickly.

We look forward to a better time when we can gather together again and celebrate with friends over a wonderful glass of wine at a future Wines Du Jour show. Until then raise a glass and cheers to a brighter future. "Wine is Food"

We look forward to seeing you soon...

Cheers,

Les Kincaid

Bandito Latin Kitchen & CantinaLet's celebrate Cinco de May a bit early this year! Call a friend and join Wines Du Jour ...
04/29/2019

Bandito Latin Kitchen & Cantina

Let's celebrate Cinco de May a bit early this year! Call a friend and join Wines Du Jour Thursday, May 2 at Bandito Latin Kitchen!
RSVP to [email protected] to reserve your seat today...
Arrive to the show early and enjoy their HAPPY HOUR FROM 4:30 PM TO 6:30 PM DAILY
Bandito Latin Kitchen & Cantina was born from the desire to serve Mexican food favorites in new and inventive ways. They prepare each dish with the best ingredients and serve it to you within their stylish and contemporary Mexican restaurant. Bandito offers a variety of cocktails, wine, beer, and tequila. Yet, it’s their smokin' fresh margaritas that tend to steal the show in both presentation and taste. And with happy hour seven days a week, every day is Margarita Day.
In June of 2017, Bandito opened to much excitement among local Mexican and Latin food lovers in Vegas. Located only a block and a half from the Las Vegas Strip, our stunning 4,000-square-foot-industrial-style space showcases towering ceilings, 35-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows, and a romantic outdoor patio with stunning views. An open and bustling kitchen adds atmosphere and excitement to the dining room, making Bandito the most unique Mexican restaurant in Las Vegas.

Event Location:
Bandito Latin Kitchen
Hughes Center
325 Hughes Center Dr.

Event Date: Thursday, May 2, 2019
Event Time: 7:00 to 8:00 PM on air.
Guests: Please arrive at 6:30 PM.

Event Cost: Just $25.00 per person
(cash/check/credit cards)

Event RSVP: Email [email protected] with the names of each attendee in your party.
I will confirm you’re RSVP with an email back to you. This assures you and your guests a seat for the show.

Les Kincaid

02/08/2019

Wine & Food Pairing Information

First look For Flavor Links.
Check the flavor profile of wine typically relates to specific foods. Create a good match by pairing the ingredients in your food with you wine. Just smell chocolate in your Syrah? Then pair it with your chocolate ganache dessert. Typically, try pairing your wine with any sauce that is being served rather than the food itself

Wine and Food Pairing Information:
Champagne: Pair champagne with anything that is salty. Because most dry sparkling wines are a bit on the sweet side and they pair particularly well with salty foods.

Sauvignon Blanc: Check out Sauvignon Blanc when pairing a dish with a tart dressing or a sauce.

Pinot Grigio: This varietal pairs well with light fish dishes.

Chardonnay: Choose Chardonnay when pairing wine with fatty fish or fish with a rich sauce.

Off-Dry Riesling: This wine pairs well with sweet and spicy dishes. Riesling is a terrific dish to balance out spicy Asian and most Indian dishes.

Moscato d’Asti: This very sweet sparkling wine goes well with most fruity desserts.

Rosé Champagne: Looking for a great crowd favorite that works with pretty much anything? This is it.

Dry Rosé: For rich, cheesy dishes, this dry rosé is a great choice.

Pinot Noir: Discovering earthy flavors when trying to pair your Pinot Noir and ingredients like mushrooms and grilled Salmon.

Malbec: This hearty, bold wine goes great with sweet-spicy barbecue sauces.

Zinfandel: Most Zinfandels are rustic and rich and go great with pâtés, mousses, and terrines.

Cabernet Sauvignon: You’ll discover that Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with a juicy red meat.

Syrah: Syrah healthy flavors go very well with highly spiced dishes.

Les Kincaid

02/07/2019

Screw It Up!

For years now I chat with restaurateurs and hear the latest hot industry topics. Much of the talk has been about screw caps, or Stelvin Closures, and how to deal with them Discover several ways to present a screw-capped bottle of wine with as much integrity and ceremony as those closed with corks from the sommeliers standpoint.

Slights & Murmurs
The restaurant industry’s use of alternative closures is nothing new. Bag-in-box wines, for example, have been successfully utilized in establishments for years, especially in casual concepts. But instead of being publicly celebrated, box wines have been hidden behind the bar, clandestinely used for their by-the-glass orders. This second-class treatment has everything to do with perception of the public. Though a box wine’s closure affords bartenders expedience and ease and its air-free container enhances the wine’s shelf life by a lot, spigot service is not perceived by the customers as being nearly as impressive as pulling and presenting a cork.

The Stelvin closure falls victim to similar prejudice, although not by everyone.
Many wine-savvy consumers already understand its benefits. Ironically, customers whom we have successfully “traded up” from jug or box wines or who have not been privy to the screw-cap movement are seemingly the most perplexed or put off when presented with a screw cap.

Customer Information
Because more and more bottles have these closures—including ultra-premium selections—it’s important to allow customers to be consumers and acclimate them so that they are not unpleasantly surprised when a wine they order is uncapped before their eyes at their table. As a restaurateur, one good way to begin is to decide whether you want to address screw-cap wines on your wine list. Of course, your staff can simply answer guests’ concerns on a case-by-case basis. Or you can tag the bottles on your list with an asterisk and include on the menu a brief explanation of Stelvin closure benefits. Better yet, you could create a section on your list that highlights alternative-closure wines, including those with synthetic corks, and let people know why they’re all the rage.

Some facts in support
Of screw caps that you can present either verbally when serving a screw- top bottle or in writing on your list. First, they have been around for a long time—mostly in the domain of food products and soft drinks, where they’ve been proven to guarantee freshness. Additionally, cork, being a natural material, is imperfect. Its failure rate—i.e., wines affected by cork taint stemming from the closure itself or from the winery—is 2 to 15 percent, depending on whose research you rely on. That’s the percentage the winery has to absorb from return bottles and that’s costly
Touting Taint-Free
The failure rate is not so evident to most consumers. Even if they are drinking one affected bottle out of every ten, they may not know it because they usually can pick up on only the most blatant offenders. (You know the ones—those with the moldy cardboard smell.) In most cases, cork taint simply takes the edge off the wine. Maybe the fruit is not as bright or the wine is off or not as lively. This is especially unfortunate for restaurants because, rather than recognize that the wine is flawed, patrons are more likely to think the particular selection they chose from your list simply wasn’t very good. And surely you want your customers to have faith that you offer a quality selection in both food and wine. But you can reassure your guests that, while most people may never be able to identify a mild case of cork taint, a twist-off top eliminates the possibility of buying and consuming a wine that should taste better than it does.
Finally, there are numerous studies that demonstrate that screw tops are conducive to red- and white-wine age ability and longevity, including a recently released four-year comparative study by Hogue Cellars, which states: “Screw-cap closures proved to hold fruit and maintain freshness more effectively than natural and synthetic corks.” In a nutshell, screw tops ensure consumers a better product and make it easier to open and reseal their favorite bottles. What’s not to like about that?

Screw-Cap Stigma
A large part of the dilemma has to do with perception. Historically, these types of closures have been used almost exclusively for lower-end wines. As a result, most consumers—especially those who have moved up from jug and screw-cap bottles to varietal wines with cork closures—associate these user-friendly twist-tops with low-brow selections. The irony, of course, is that now that the screw cap has embraced all tiers of the industry, we have to convince these guests that they’re trading up by selecting 750 ml bottles with jug-like twist tops. Another barrier that slows these clients’ willingness to wholeheartedly embrace the screw cap is that simply unscrewing it is not as romantic as pulling a cork. As a result, restaurant staffs are often baffled by how to ceremoniously open a quality bottle with a screw cap. These issues are becoming more and more commonplace for restaurants as wineries continue to move away from cork in favor of screw caps. As members of the wine-service community, it is our job to help the wine industry eliminate the screw cap’s stigma and show our customers that formal wine service is not adversely affected by these closures.

Sommeliers do the Twist
From a service perspective, all wines need to have classic presentation at the table. Just because screw tops are different from cork closures doesn’t mean you shouldn’t present a screw-top bottle with the same formality. Just as a bottle of sparkling wine deserves the same service fanfare as Champagne and a synthetic cork is presented even though it’s not created from cork bark, the newly elevated screw cap is worthy of a dignified presentation. But how?

• First, prepare your mise en place. When opening a screw-top bottle
at the table, you won’t need a corkscrew. But you will need a napkin, and you’ll still want to have an ice bucket nearby, if that’s a usual element of your wine service.
• Second, present with panache.
The presentation itself is identical to normal wine service: present the bottle with the label facing the guest at eye level and repeat the name and vintage that was ordered. If
the guests raise an eyebrow about the screw cap, you have the perfect opportunity to educate them on its merits, which I outlined above.
Next, open the wine, but not with your bare hand. Instead, open
the bottle as you would a bottle of Champagne: take a serviette, place the screw cap and neck of the bottle in the serviette, close it around the bottle neck so your whole hand
is around it, and slowly twist the bottle to break the seal and remove the screw cap. Once the cap is off, do not present it. Simply pocket it in case you need it later, taste the guest on the wine, and proceed with normal wine service.
• A few side notes: Make sure you don’t tilt the bottle too much while opening it. Stelvin closure bottles tend to be fuller than cork-closed options (another bonus to twist-tops!), so holding it the way you would a traditional bottle might result in a little spillage. Also, you should keep the removed and pocketed screw cap along with your extra corks in an ice bucket, just in case your customers, where legal, decide to take the bottle home with them.

If you want to make your customers comfortable with their screw-cap selections on your list, you have to eliminate the misperception that a twist-top equals a cheap wine. One of the best ways to do that is by making sure your staff treats these wines with the same dignity and respect that they would any fine wine. Wine is Food.

Les Kincaid

02/04/2019

Types of wine you should know

Here’s a quick reference to the most popular wine varieties and how to pair wine with food. I’ll describe the different types of wine per district and variety names (Riesling, pinot noir, etc.). It does not describe the styles of wines by color, sweetness, or fizz.
Please find here below basic varietal descriptions and pronunciations, tasting terms, plus suggestions on pairing the wines with food.
A variety is the type of grape. It is written here with a lower-case initial. If only one variety is mentioned on the bottle label, then the wine is called varietal and is named after the grape with a capital initial (Riesling, Pinot Noir, etc.). A varietal wine primarily shows the fruit: the grape variety dominates the wine flavor.

Types of white wine grapes


1. Riesling (Rees-ling) Food-wine pairing: dry versions go well with fish, chicken and pork dishes.
Districts: the classic German grape of the Rhine and Mosel, Riesling grows in all wine districts. Germany’s great Rieslings are usually made slightly sweet, with steely acidity for balance. Riesling from Alsace and the Eastern USA is also excellent, though usually made in a different style, equally aromatic but typically drier (not sweet). California Rieslings are much less successful, usually sweet and lacking in acidity for balance.
Typical taste in varietal wine: Riesling wines are much lighter than Chardonnay wines. The aromas generally include fresh apples. The Riesling variety expresses itself very differently depending on the district and the winemaking. Rieslings should taste fresh. If they do, then they might also prove tastier and tastier as they age.

2. Gewürztraminer
(Gah-vurtz-tra-meener) A very aromatic variety.
Food-wine pairing: ideal for sipping and with Asian food, pork and grilled sausages.
Districts: best-known in Alsace, Germany, the USA West Coast, and New York.
Typical taste in varietal wine: fruity flavors with aromas of rose petal, peach, lychee, and allspice. A Gewürztraminer often appears not as refreshing as other kinds of dry whites.
3. (Shar-doe-nay) Chardonnay was the most popular white grape through the 1990’s. It can be made sparkling or still.
Food-wine pairing: it is a good choice for fish and chicken dishes.
Districts: chardonnay makes the principle white wine of Burgundy (France), where it originated. Chardonnay is grown with success in most viticultural areas under a variety of climatic conditions.
Typical taste in varietal wine: often wider-bodied (and more velvety) than other types of dry whites, with rich citrus (lemon, grapefruit) flavors. Fermenting in new oak barrels adds a buttery tone (vanilla, toast, coconut, toffee). Tasting a typical Californian Chardonnay should give citrus fruit flavors, hints of melon, vanilla, some toasty character and some creaminess. Burgundy whites can taste very different.
4. Sauvignon blanc (So-vee-nyon Blah)
Food-wine pairing: a versatile food wine for seafood, poultry, and salads.
Districts: New Zealand produces some excellent Sauvignon Blancs. Some Australian Sauvignon Blancs, grown in warmer areas, tends to be flat and lack fruit qualities. Of French origin, Sauvignon Blanc is grown in the Bordeaux district where it is blended with Sémillon. It is also grown extensively in the upper Loire valley where it is made as a varietal wine.
Typical taste in varietal wine: generally lighter than Chardonnay — Sauvignon Blanc normally shows a herbal character suggesting bell pepper or freshly mown grass. The dominating flavors range from sour green fruits of apple, pear and gooseberry through to tropical fruits of melon, mango and blackcurrant. Quality unoaked Sauvignon Blancs will display Smokey qualities; they require bright aromas and a strong acid finish; they are best grown in cool climates.

Types of red wine grapes

5. Syrah (Sah-ra or Shi-raz) Shiraz or syrah are two names for the same variety. Europe vine growers and winemakers only use the name syrah.
Food-wine pairing: meat (steak, beef, wild game, stews, etc.)
Districts: syrah excels in France’s Rhône Valley, California and Australia.
Typical taste in varietal wine: aromas and flavors of wild black-fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins.
Toffee notes if present come not from the fruit but from the wine having rested in oak barrels.
The Shiraz variety gives hearty, spicy reds. While Shiraz is used to produce many average wines it can produce some of the world’s finest, deepest, and darkest reds with intense flavors and excellent longevity. You’ll discover Syrahs of value and elegance by reading my reviews of French wines.
6. Merlot vine picture (Mer-lo) Easy to drink. Its softness has made it an "introducing" wine for new red-wine drinkers.
Food-wine pairing: any will do.
Districts: a key player in the Bordeaux blend, merlot is now also grown on the US West Coast, Australia, and other countries.
Typical taste in varietal wine: black-cherry and herbal flavors are typical. The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common.
7. Cabernet sauvignon (Ka-ber-nay So-vee-nyon) widely accepted as one of the world’s best varieties. Cabernet sauvignon is often blended with cabernet franc and merlot. It usually undergoes oak treatment.
Food-wine pairing: best with simply prepared red meat.
Districts: cabernet sauvignon is planted wherever red wine grapes grow except in the Northern fringes such as Germany. It is part of the great red Médoc wines of France, and among the finest reds in Australia, California and Chile.
Typical taste in varietal wine: full-bodied, but firm and gripping when young. With age, rich currant qualities change to that of pencil box. Bell pepper notes remain.
Vanilla notes if present come not from the fruit but from the oak treatment. They increase review ratings but may overwhelm the varietal taste.
Another article deals with the health benefits of polyphenols.

8. Pinot noir

(Pee-no Nwar) One of the noblest red wine grapes — difficult to grow, rarely blended, with no roughness.
Food-wine pairing: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, lamb and Japanese dishes.
Districts: makes the great reds of Burgundy in France, and good wines from Austria, California, Oregon, and New Zealand.
Typical taste in varietal wine: very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.
Yet pinot noir is very transparent to the place where it is grown. The staggering range of wines produced makes it pointless to define which personality is the best expression of the variety.

Les Kincaid

02/04/2019

About Distilled Spirits you should know

There are many distilled spirits available today, though there are just six base liquors that form the foundation of the majority of cocktails and liqueurs. Brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey are each unique and have distinct styles within themselves.
Discover the basic characteristics of each of these liquors to give you an understanding of what makes each special and how
1. Brandy Distilled From: Fruit. Primarily grapes, though apple, apricot, cherry, peach, and other fruits are also used.
Flavor Profile: Fruity burnt wine.
Aged: Typically aged in oak, varies by style. Often blended.
Produced In: Worldwide. Certain regions of the world produce specific styles of brandy such as Cognac and Armagnac.
Styles: Cognac, Armagnac, Spanish Brandy, Pisco, American Brandy, Grappa, Eau-de-vie, Flavored Brandies
Alcohol Content: Typically 40 percent alcohol/volume (80 proof)
Regulations: No distinct worldwide regulations. Some of the styles must be produced in certain regions. There is also a system for indicating the age of brandies.
Cocktail Profile: Brandy was used in a number of classic cocktails and tends to be used in more sophisticated drinks that include just a few ingredients. Many modern brandy recipes are breaking this mold, however, and experimenting with brandy in some very unique flavor combinations.
2. Gin Distilled From: Neutral grains such as barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Flavored with a variety of botanicals, which vary by brand.
Flavor Profile: Herbal, dry. The primary flavor that defines gin comes from juniper berries, thus the 'piney' aroma and taste.
Aged: Typically un-aged.
Produced In: Worldwide
Styles: London Dry Gin, Plymouth Gin, Old Tom Gin, Genever, New American Gin
Alcohol Content: Typically 40 to 47 percent alcohol/volume (80 to 94 proof)
Regulations: No distinct worldwide regulations. Juniper is the 'accepted' defining quality.
Cocktail Profile: Gin's dry profile makes it a perfect candidate for dry (non-sweet) cocktails, including many classics and martinis. It is a nice base for cocktails with just a few ingredients and pairs well with some of the lighter fruits and, naturally, works well with herbs.
3. Rum Distilled From: Sugar. Either molasses or pure sugar cane.
Flavor Profile: Sweet. Toasted sugar. Varies by style and region.
Aged: Light rum is typically un-aged and other rums are often aged in oak barrels to some extent. Due to climate, aging times vary greatly with warm climate rum requiring less barrel time than those in colder climates. Often blended.
Produced In: Worldwide
Styles: Light Rum, Gold Rum, Dark Rum, Over-Proof Rum, Spiced Rum, Cachaca, Flavored Rum
Alcohol Content: Typically 40 percent alcohol/volume (80 proof). Over proof rums can reach 75 percent alcohol/volume (150 proof).
Regulations: No distinct worldwide regulations. Some regional laws and traditions; an example is that Cachaca must be produced in Brazil.
Cocktail Profile: Rum's sweeter flavor makes it one of the more versatile spirits. It was one of the first liquors to be mixed into drinks, so there are some nice classic rum cocktails to choose from. It is the obvious base for tropical drinks. On the other side of the spectrum, it also appears in a number of warm cocktails.
4. Tequila Distilled From: Agave
Flavor Profile: Vegetal, earthy with semi-sweet and spicy tones.
Aged: Blanco tequila is un-aged. Other tequilas are aged, often in used whiskey (bourbon) oak barrels. Gold tequila is blended.
Produced In Mexico only. Agave spirits produced outside of Mexico cannot be labeled 'tequila.'
Styles: Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, Extra-Anejo, Gold (Other agave spirits are mezcal, pulque, sotol, raicila, and baconara, but these are not tequilas.)
Alcohol Content: Typically 40 to 50 percent alcohol/volume (80 to 100 proof).
Regulations: Tightly regulated by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) under the Appellation of Origin, first adapted in 1978.
Cocktail Profile: Tequila has a great flavor profile for mixing into a variety of cocktails. There are, of course, the margaritas and frozen cocktails in which tequila is mixed with any fruit imaginable. It also makes a perfect base for spicy cocktails and is very popular for party shots.
5. Vodka Distilled From: Neutral grain (rye, corn, wheat, etc.) or potato. Some are distilled from beets, grapes, and other bases. Vodka can be the 'catch-all' category for white spirits that fit nowhere else.
Flavor Profile: Neutral alcohol/ethanol. Varies greatly depending on the base and added flavorings. Distinguished more by texture: oily vs. medicinal.
Aged: Typically un-aged.
Produced In: Worldwide
Styles: Clear vodka is typically distinguished by the base it was distilled from and/or the region it was produced. Flavored vodkas are a popular category.
Alcohol Content: Typically 40 to 50 percent alcohol/volume (80 to 100 proof).
Regulations: No distinct worldwide regulations.
Cocktail Profile: Vodka's neutral taste makes it the most versatile spirit available today. Vodka cocktails can be found on almost every imaginable flavor profile from sweet to savory, fruits to herbs and spices. Martinis and shooters are popular vodka drinks as well.
6. Whiskey Distilled From: Malted grains which vary by style. Can include a mixture of corn, rye, wheat, barley, etc.
Flavor Profile: Roasted, malted grain with oak undertones. There are distinct characteristics in each style.
Aged: Typically aged in charred oak. Some styles, such as bourbon, require new barrels while others use a mixture of new and previously used whiskey or wine barrels. Moonshine is the primary exception to aging. Some whiskeys are blended while others are single malt or straight.
Produced In: Worldwide
Styles: Irish Whiskey, Scotch, Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, Tennessee Whiskey, Canadian Whisky, Blended Whiskey, Flavored Whiskey, other emerging styles based on location (e.g. Japanese Whisky)
Alcohol Content: Typically 40 to 50 percent alcohol/volume (80 to 100 proof). Some are higher.
Regulations: Most styles have their own distinct regulations governed by the country of origin. Some, such as those labeled 'blended whiskey' alone, is not prone to tight regulations (that is not to say they are not regulated).
Cocktail Profile: Whiskey is another of the more versatile cocktail bases available and with so many styles, there is the opportunity for great diversity in flavor profiles. It mixes well with other liquors to create complex drinks and it pairs well with a number of fruits, particularly the darker fruits. Warm drinks are also very popular with whiskey.

Les Kincaid

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