The Omaha Metro
Event Report: Oktoberfest
California Rhone Rangers Part 2
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I don’t mean to brag but I finished my 14-day diet food supply in 3 hours and 20 minutes
Event Report: Oktoberfest
Railcar Modern American Kitchen was the site of our 2025 Oktoberfest. We were under the capable hands of Executive Chef-Owner Jared Clarke. We actually had two kinds of beer to choose from during quaffing and the Branch quaffing wines, but no food. The dinner courses were all Germanic, with an Onion-Apple Tart to start things off when we sat down, followed by Smoked Trout Rillette. Rillet when referring to fish means shredded. My favorite course was the Pork Schnitzel & Herb Spätzle, or dumplings with crispy capers. Beer-Braised Short Rib with Roasted Carrot & Parsnip Purée, Caraway Jus and Crispy Onions was out entrée. It started braising with the bone in, but that was mercifully removed before coming to the table. Braising time was 4 hours making the Wagyu so tender. Dessert was a Black Forest Tort, or a flourless chocolate cake
Story by Tom Murnan. Photos by Tom Murnan
Some of the wine selections were above average. Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Chenin Blanc is a classic French wine you seldom see because of its small production. It is considered one of the best Loire wines available. Moelleux means it is sweet, and since it was paired with the onion-apple tart, it was a very nice match. Many associate German wines with being sweet, but we had a dry version with the Dr Loosen “Red Slate” Dry Riesling 2023 was just that, dry, and was a perfect match to the trout. Dr. Loosen is a 200-year-old winery that is one of the best producers of the Mosel. The label touts the red slate terroir and lets US buyers know it is not sweet with the word DRY having its own label above the main label. Pinot Noir is always a good match with pork, and the Beaux Frères (not the Beaux Freezers (sic) as listed on the table menu card…darned auto spell!) worked well. Roger Sabon is a well known Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer. His 2017 Réserve was a good match. The only wine I didn’t think was that good of a match was the Sandeman Tawny 20 year. Many thanks to Jason Sullivan who hosted his first solo event, and to Chef Clarke and his attentive staff. It was great!
California Rhone Rangers Part 2
Last month, we discussed the beginnings of the Rhone Rangers movement in California, which began in the early 1980’s. During that time, wineries such as Bonny Doon, Joseph Phelps Winery, Qupé Wine Cellars and Cline Cellars Winery began the process of planting Rhône varietals throughout the state, from Paso Robles to Sonoma. Consumers began paying attention as the wines got better and the winemakers determined where the best places to plant would be, adjusting their winemaking from Cabernet and Merlot to Syrah and other Rhône grapes. In the 1990’s, the Rhône Rangers moved into the second phase of innovation. French Rhône wineries began investing in California, notably Château Beaucastel from Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tablas Creek Vineyard Robert Haas, American owner of Vineyard Brands, had been importing wines from the Perrin family of Château Beaucastel for many years. The two developed a partnership in 1985, and in 1989 purchased 120 acres of property in the Las Tablas district west of Paso Robles. The site was selected for its limestone soil, rugged terrain and similar weather to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The weather here is hotter during the day and cooler at night than in France. They imported vines from Beaucastel, and after a three-year quarantine by the USDA, were allowed to propagate and graft cuttings in their own nursery. Syrah, Mouvèdre, Counise and Grenache Noir comprised the red grapes. The whites consisted of Viognier, Marsanne, Picpoul Blanc and Grenache Blanc, some of which had never before been in California. 1997 was their first harvest. By 2003, they received their organic certification, but currently they use Biodynamic techniques. The winery uses only Rhône varietals. Their signature red is Esprit de Tablas, made from Mouvèdre, which is similar to Beaucastel. Esprit de Tablas Blanc is made from Rousanne. Côtes de Tablas red is made from Grenache and Côtes de Tablas Blanc from Viognier. Their least expensive line is Patelin de Tablas, some of which is sourced from outside the estate. The red comes from Syrah, the white from Grenache Blanc, and the rosé from Grenache. If there were any anxieties in the April 1999 Wine Spectator article about the quality (the first wine was only two years old, then), there was nothing to worry about now. Tablas Creek has turned out to be one of the finest wineries in California using Rhône varietals.
Other early Rhone Rangers were Zacha Mesa Winery & Vineyards which began in 1972, Qupé has also been in the forefront of making Rhône varietals for decades.
For our 11/21/2025 event at Le Bouillon, you will be asked to determine which grape is dominant in your glass. Grenache and Syrah are both full-bodied red wines, but they offer distinct flavor profiles based on their dominant fruit characteristics, savory or spicy notes, and tannin structure. Grenache typically presents with bright, sweet red fruit, while Syrah leans towards darker, richer fruit flavors.
Story by Tom Murnan. Photos by Tom Murnan
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