Professor Bainbridge...on law, politics, religion, culture & food

Dinner at Nora

While in DC on a business trip, I had dinner with my colleagues at Nora’s, an organic restaurant in Northwest Washington:

In April 1999, Restaurant Nora became America’s first certified organic restaurant. This means that 95% or more of everything that you eat at the restaurant has been produced by certified organic growers and farmers all who share in Nora’s commitment to sustainable agriculture. Nora always offers seasonal, fresh organic food, prepared in a healthy, balanced way and enjoys a “big following” of environmentalists and politicians, who can eat here with a clear conscience, knowing that what’s on their plate hasn’t polluted the environment, is healthy for them, and tastes good too.

As I’ve complained before, one of the downsides of having a wine blog is the prospect of being handed the wine list and being told to pick something. Talk about pressure. But I think I pulled a couple of minor gems off the eclectic wine list.

Prieler Seeberg Pinot Blanc (Neusidelersee, Austria) 2006

This was a gamble. Austrian wines are way outside my comfort zone, but I adore good Pinot Blancs. When well vinified, they have most of Chardonnay’s upside without the over-powering oak that makes so many Chards undrinkable with food. I knew Austria has been on a roll in recent years, producing a growing quantity of sweet and dry white wines worthy of attention. Having pulled the trigger on that basis, I was rewarded with a crisp dry white wine, with citrus, melon, pear, and apricot associations. Grade: B++

The Ojai Vineyard Syrah (Santa Barbara County) 2005

This was a slam dunk. The Central Coast of California is becoming one of the world’s premier sites for great Syrah, challenging both the Rhone and Australia. The Ojai Vineyard is one of the most reliable Central Coast producers. The 2005 vintage is likely to be exceptional, with lower alcohol levels and significantly larger yields than normal. I figured this wine would be drinkable now, albeit offering the potential for improvement with medium term cellaring. I was right. It offers a complex mix of wild blueberry and blackberry, boysenberry, and spices in a firm, concentrated, and intense wine. There’s more than a dash of smoke and game on the finish, which adds interest. Grade: A-

If I lived in DC, I suspect Nora would be one of my regular haunts. The wine list is eclectic but well matched to the menu and not unreasonably marked up over retail. The menu suffers a bit from the overt sincerity of true believers in the merits of organic food, but has plenty of options for crunchy con carnivores like yours truly.