The muy caliente Las Vegas summer days have arrived. Popular winter heavy red and white wines are no longer appetizing. The lighter styles of Spanish sparkling, white and red wines are thirst quenching and refreshing for the scorching summer days and nights in Las Vegas.
The only dry sparkling wine growing area with any reputation outside of France is Spanish Cava. Cava spreads out behind the coastal cities of Barcelona and Tarragona. Freixenet is the second largest Cava firm in Spain, and produces the most well-known Cava. Freixenet Brut Cava Cordon Negro NV is a great representation of the dry style of Cava. It has a firm structure and crisp revitalizing finish.
The Rueda wine growing area in the north-central area of Spain is known for its clean crisp dry white wines made almost entirely from the Verdejo grape. The winery Vina Fila produces a Verdejo Blanco blend from the vineyard, Las Brisas, in Rueda. All vintages have a ripe, racy, refreshing characteristic.
The Tierra de Castilla wine region in the heart of Spain near the historic city of Toledo houses one of Spain’s well-known wineries, Osborne.
The Osborne family has been making one wine, Osborne Solaz, at their winery in Tierra de Castilla since 1772. The 80 percent Tempranillo, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon blend shows good fruit and floral aromas. It is smooth and light in the mouth with a surprising firm tannic finish for its pedigree. LW
DINING
OGDEN: HOME OF REFRESHING SERVICE
BY LINDSEY WHIPPLE
Celebrated Bay Area chef Bradley Ogden — whose extraordinary innovation on classic “farm fresh” American cuisine has earned him national praise and a plethora of top culinary awards — opened his first restaurant outside of California in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace. Ogden’s new restaurant has brought him one of the most prestigious awards in the culinary world, the 2004 James Beard Foundation award for best new restaurant in the country.
Walking into Bradley Ogden’s restaurant from the cacophony of the casino floor is like walking into the peace and serenity of the northern California seaside town of Big Sur. The restaurants décor is welcoming with its Earth tones and ocean themes.
It is beautiful to find a restaurant where the service, food and wine are exceptional. When all three are in sync, it is no question why a restaurant will be acclaimed. Servers at Bradley Ogden’s were polite, energetic and willing to have fun with guests. The sense of timing amongst Bradley Ogden’s service team is amazing and refreshing to experience.
Farm fresh and American is the premise of the cuisine and wine at Bradley Ogden. Interesting, creative and colorful starter dishes — such as the Maytag Blue Cheese Soufflé with candied walnuts, rhubarb jam and eight brix verjus, and the Seared Hawaiian Swordfish with sunchoke and watermelon radish salad, avocado and white soy dressing — display Ogden’s brilliant infusion of classic and American cuisine.
The entrées are an American dream. Options range from Florida Red Snapper, Wild Alaskan King Salmon, Colorado Cedar Spring Lamb Rack, Kobe-style New York Strip and a South Dakota Bison Tenderloin.
Save room for dessert because they are heavenly. The chocolate tasting desert is the favorite among the seven deadly sins to choose from. The chocolate tasting includes a chocolate donut, Espresso Molten cake pot de créme, and chocolate ice cream.
In the kitchen, there’s a wood-burning grill and a staff that includes 12 Culinary Institute of America graduates, and among them is Ogden’s son, Bryan. It is no wonder why the food is outstanding.
“It is great at times,” Bryan Ogden said, “but can be frustrating because my dad is old school. For the most part it is great.”
The wine list, like the cuisine, has both classic wines and new world style American wines. The superb wine list ranges from classic, classified Boudreaux growths to American cult classics, such as the wines form Sine Qua Non Winery. The wines by the glass, mostly boutique American wines, were unusually served in a mini carafe, which held two glasses of wine.
The menu prices at Bradley Ogden are moderate to high, and worth the splurge to dine at the best in the country. Dinner is served from 5 to 11 p.m. Visit www.caesars.com to view Bradley Ogden’s menu. LW
WINE
