El Gaucho’s Own Cask-Age Whiskey Cocktail

The change of the seasons not only means a change in foliage and temperatures outside, but the exchange of our light salads and fruity cocktails for heartier fare and a beverage to warm us from the chilly fall days.  We love fall, and this year, our bartenders challenged themselves to create a fall cocktail menu that delivers twists to old classics: twists that are sure to help any body in need of warmth and good cheer.

In keeping with our business model of providing fresh, locally sourced products, El Gaucho bartenders teamed up with local craft distillery, Woodinville Whiskey, to create our own cask-aged whiskey cocktail.  After diligently testing, tasting, and playing with flavor combinations, the team landed on a concoction worth serving to the most discerning El Gaucho guest.

When a new whiskey is distilled, it is colorless, and possesses only the flavor and aroma of the grain and the alcohol.  It is only through aging in charred oak that the whiskey acquires its color, complexity, and richness of flavor.  The “aging” is due to the reactions of the alcohol through the oxidation and extraction of chemicals from the oak.

The most difficult aspect of the entire process is patience.  In small batches of a gallon each, it requires at least 4 weeks for the flavors to mellow and work their magic.  El Gaucho’s initial batch was made in a 7-gallon container, so you can imagine the team’s excitement when it was finally ripe for serving.  Unlike traditional cocktail creation, where you realize immediate results, the team was forced to wait 6 weeks to taste the fruits of their labor. No pressure!

Make your own with Whiskey Kits from Woodinville Whiskey Co.

Another important component is the barrel itself, and the type of wood used.  Woodinville Whiskey provides gallon size barrels made of American Oak, which is aged for 18-24 months after the tree is cut and is generally denser than European Oak.  Barrels are also pre-toasted for 45 minutes prior to charring. This whole process promotes a complex flavor profile, and the smaller barrel size provides a greater surface area to volume ration, because more wood is in contact with the liquid. The end result is a warm, complex cocktail worth waiting for!

AQUA by EL Gaucho and El Gaucho in Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue all feature the cask-age whiskey on the Signature Cocktail fall menu.  Try the Cask-Aged Manhattan, using our in-house aged Woodinville White Dog Whiskey, with sweet vermouth, cherry brandy, Peychaud’s bitters, and a cherry, or the Sazerac, with Woodinville Whiskey, anisette rinse, simple syrup, bitters, and an orange twist.  The Woodinville Cask-Aged Bourbon and Woodinville Rye are also offered on our menu.

Woodinville Whiskey Co. sells Whiskey-making Kits, so after coming in and sampling our version, you can also try your hand at making your own. Check them out online at WoodinvilleWhiskeyCo.com.

Cheers!

Woodinville Whiskey Co.’s Bourbon and Rye

Stewardship is the foundation of what we do.  Our definition, “the careful and responsible management entrusted to one’s care,” means that we are not only stewards of our guests, suppliers, and the assets we maintain, but also of our fellow employees.  One of the ways we are able to exercise this is by investing in the training and education of employees, and the Washington State Culinary Apprenticeship program, through Renton Technical College, is one way we achieve this.

Corporate Executive Chef and Partner Ken Sharp began his career at the Olympic Hotel while still in high school, where he was encouraged by the chef to attend the Washington State Chef’s Apprentice Program.  Ken earned his culinary arts degree through that program, and has enjoyed a long and successful culinary career.   One of the favorite parts of his job now is helping to mentor aspiring chefs who are eager to hone their craft and learn the skills necessary to realize their own successful culinary arts career.

El Gaucho Seattle Sous Chef Jonathan Garcia

The program demands a huge commitment from both the chef and the apprentice.  It typically takes three years to complete, requiring 6,000 hands-on hours and mastery of ten stations around the kitchen, such as prep, pantry, sauté, grill, baking, scullery, sauces, soups, and yes, even dishwashing.  In addition to the time working in the restaurants, classroom training includes 4-hours a week, with additional homework and testing.  There are usually 12-15 students in the program at any given time.

Many aspiring culinary professionals cannot take time from work to solely attend school for full time training, so the apprenticeship is the best of both worlds, as it provides classroom instruction with the more theoretical aspects, and then on-site training with the host restaurant.

The greatest benefit to an employer in hosting an apprentice is having a committed and loyal employee that is willing to learn.  The apprenticeship program gives the chef and apprentices the tools and guidance to achieve a goal oriented “mentor” relationship.

El Gaucho is currently sponsoring two aspiring chefs through this program:  Jonathan Garcia at El Gaucho Seattle, under Executive Chef Matt Brandsey, and Martin Balke at El Gaucho Bellevue, under Executive Chef John Broulette.

Jonathan started with El Gaucho five years ago and has worked his way up to his current position of Sous Chef.  Ken and Matt both saw Jonathan’s drive and desire to further his skills, so they offered to sponsor him in the apprenticeship program.  He jumped at the opportunity to learn more and become certified in a profession about which he is so passionate. Since the age of eight, Jonathan has worked beside family members in area restaurants around the Pacific Northwest.  His ultimate goal is to become Executive Chef, and this program will certainly help him attain that goal.

El Gaucho Bellevue Culinary Apprentice Martin Balke

Martin Balke was born in Germany, but grew up on a family dairy farm in Chehalis.  He realized his love of cooking when he was preparing to enter the Army and needed to lose weight, since he was tipping the scales at 300+ pounds.  Instead of eating fast food, he started preparing his own meals, realized he enjoyed it and had a knack for it, and lost a lot of weight doing it.  Instead of going into the Army, he entered the apprenticeship program on his own, where he was paired with El Gaucho Bellevue.  Not all students who enter the program are able to find a sponsor, so Martin is thrilled to be working with us.

We are excited to work with and watch these two fun and dynamic personalities as they grow and develop into the chefs they aspire to be.  By being good stewards and “paying it forward,” we all reap rewards…and so do our taste buds!

We are excited to feature the talented people behind the scenes – those who create and prepare the tasty treats that we all get to enjoy in our restaurants.  Each month we will be introducing you to the gifted and passionate individuals who make up our culinary team. Bon Appétit!

Matt Brandsey, Executive Chef at El Gaucho Seattle

“From a very young age, I’ve always associated food with togetherness,” Matt says. “Both my mom and dad were really good cooks.  My mom experimented a lot in the kitchen, and my dad was always manning the grill. He was also an avid hunter, so we always had some sort of wild game hanging around.  When they cooked, the smells spread throughout the house.  Although this was a huge influence in my culinary upbringing, I was never as excited about the food as I was about just being together.”

Chef Matt Brandsey

Matt grew up in Prior Lake, Minnesota, and after high school received a degree in culinary arts from Hennepin Technical School.  After a few restaurant gigs, his brother encouraged him to apply for work on a cruise ship, and he landed a job at Cruise West in Seattle as a sous chef.  For 18 months, he traveled up and down the west coast from Juneau, Alaska to Cabo, Mexico. This is where he met his wife, Tessa.  Shortly thereafter, they moved to Chicago, where he was the Executive Chef for Travelers Tavern Hospitality, and opened up two of their three locations.  Seeking change, he worked with Rick Tramonto at TRU before moving back west.

Even with his culinary training and years of experience under his belt, it wasn’t until his time at TRU that Matt realized that he wanted this to be his career for life.  Training on the risotto-soup station, the sous chef handed Matt a spoonful of lobster and truffle risotto, and said, “This is what this should taste like, every time – no excuses.”  Amidst all of the chaos in the kitchen, Matt’s taste buds came to life.  “I’d never had anything like that before. From that point on, I knew I wanted to make food like that all of the time. That one dish completely changed who I was as a chef.”

El Gaucho Seattle Executive Chef Matt Brandsey

With his move back west, he became head chef at Pour at Four, a wine bar in Tacoma, for three years, and then was recruited to Executive Chef of Sea Grill in Tacoma (formerly owned by El Gaucho Hospitality).  From there he was transferred to sous chef at AQUA by El Gaucho, and eventually landed the Executive Chef position at El Gaucho Seattle.

Though Matt has had many professional achievements, his proudest accomplishment, hands down, is being dad to 5-year-old Tallulah and 2-year-old Finnegan. Free time is all about the family, whether that entails swim lessons, gymnastics, hide-and-go-seek, or watching Toy Story 2.  Matt also likes to play guitar, the drums, and practices hot yoga and P90x.

Even though Matt cooks up some mean dishes, his favorites include either his mom’s chicken wild rice soup, or his mother-in-law’s smoke duck gumbo.  “If either of these were my last meal, I’d die happy,” he exclaims.

One of Matt’s favorite recently read books is Eleven Madison Park’s Cookbook. “Daniel Humm is an amazing chef. This book changed how I look at food and execution,” says Matt. Another winner is Leonardo’s Notebooks, which changed the way Matt looks at everything.  “Completely mind-blowing,” he says.

Matt is known for his calm demeanor. “If Gordon Ramsey was ying…I’d be yang,” he says (describing the hot-headed, celebrity British chef of Hell’s Kitchen fame).  What he enjoys most about working at El Gaucho is his involvement with talented individuals and amazing ingredients every day.  “It is truly world class in all aspects.  I also love that one of the foundations of the company is giving back to the community.  I love that we have the opportunity go serve lunch every month at the Union Gospel Mission and be a part of their annual Catalyst dinner (fundraising event).”

Want to learn more? Visit Chef Matt himself and try one of the delectable items he and his culinary team will create for you every night, at El Gaucho Seattle.

We’ve all heard the love affair we Seattleites have with our coffee – we drink more of it per capita than any other U.S. city.  With the grey, dreary weather we get nine months out of the year, we need our “upper” in some way, right?  Recently we learned that Seattle is also a top quaffer for another beverage – Scotch whisky.  That’s right, this distilled beverage evidently has some prudent followers in Seattle.  And it makes sense, too, since it helps warm the body and soul on cold, wet nights.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Bottles

El Gaucho has always been proud to offer many fine Scotches and whiskies, for what is better than sipping on a dram after enjoying a nice big steak?  But now, guests to El Gaucho Seattle will be able to try some of the rarest whiskies in the world: single cask, single malt Scotch whisky.  Why is this so special?  Let us explain.

Taste rare single cask and single malt Scotch from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at El Gaucho Seattle

According to “Mental Floss,” the main difference between Scotch, whisky, and bourbon is geographic, but there’s also a difference in ingredients and spellings. Scotch is whisky made in Scotland, while bourbon is whiskey made in the U.S. (notice the spelling differences?). Scotch is made mostly from malted barley, while bourbon is distilled from corn.

Now that we understand what Scotch is, let’s dig deeper.  There are five distinct categories for Scotch:

1) Blended Scotch Whisky (Dewar’s, Johnnie Walker Red, Cutty Sark brands) are produced and matured in Scotland for at least 3 years and made from one or more single malts combined with aged grain whisky.

2) Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (Johnnie Walker Green) are a blend of single malts, from more than one, single malt Scotch distillery.

3) Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glenmoranglie) are blends of casks of single malt whisky, from one distillery in Scotland, and are made from only one grain – barley.  They are aged in Scotland for a minimum of 5 years and bottled in Scotland.

4) Single Cask, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (independent bottlers – Gordon & McPhall, Signatory, Old Malt Cask) are produced from the contents of one single cask of single malt Scotch whisky. Most independent bottlers are whisky brokers – their main business is to sell and trade casks or whisky used to make blends.

5)  Single Cask, Single Malt Scotch Whisky, bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.  These whiskies are produced from a specially selected single cask or single malts, bottled at cask strength, without dilution or chill filtration, and are selected by an independent tasting panel.

El Gaucho Seattle is a “Society Spot” for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMSW), offering these rare single cask Scotches, was founded in 1983 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has grown internationally, with more than 25,000 members.  Until last week, the 6,000 society members living in the United States only had access to Scotches through annual extravaganzas produced by the U.S. Society Branch.  Society members had only the panel’s descriptive tasting notes to rely on when making a purchase decision. Not any more!  We are thrilled that El Gaucho Seattle has been chosen to be only one of three locales in the country to be a SMWS “society spot.”  (The other two locations are in Drumbar in Chicago and Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, D.C.)   SMWS Society members and El Gaucho guests alike will now be able to taste these exclusive Scotches.

Currently, eight SMWS Scotches are on the menu at El Gaucho Seattle.  What are you waiting for?  Whether you are a discerning Scotch connoisseur, or just dipping your toe in the water, come explore the world of Scotch whisky with us.

Tableside Caesar Salad is one of El Gaucho’s most popular dishes served in our restaurants. El Gaucho Seattle server Brooke Lee shows you how to make this classic at home. You can also find the recipe on our website at http://www.elgaucho.com/Recipes.html. Served at El Gaucho Seattle, El Gaucho Bellevue, El Gaucho Tacoma and El Gaucho Portland.

“I grew up in a wine-drinking family and the whole food, wine, friends, happiness thing was always appealing,” Winemaker Tom Glase told us recently. “I love everything about wine: making it, selling it, drinking it…the smile it puts on people’s faces.”

Winemaker Tom Glase

That passion is obviously what drives Tom to be the winemaker at not one, but two wineries: Beresan and Balboa.  We are excited to welcome him for two special winemaker dinners featuring each one– Beresan at El Gaucho Tacoma on Friday, March 22^nd, and Balboa at El Gaucho Seattle on Saturday, March 23^rd.

El Gaucho loves wine, too, and wine dinners are one of our favorite ways to celebrate.  Quite often, the evening is nothing short of magical.  It’s a fun mix of lecture and party, where strangers become friends, and taste buds dance.

“The goal when pairing wine with food is to elevate what the food AND the wine would be by themselves,” explains El Gaucho Seattle Wine Captain James Parsons. “The wine makes the food taste better and the food makes the wine better when paired correctly.”

Tom’s intention when making his wines is simple: “It should taste like I love my job.”  Tom is shared by the two wineries, as well as the equipment used for processing and the wine grower.  Everything else is different.

The upcoming dinners will showcase the differences in the wines.  Vive la Vida, or “Live the Life” is the theme for Friday’s dinner at El Gaucho Tacoma: a 5-course meal with a Hispanic flare including scallop ceviche, duck empanada, cabrito sopé, and New York mole.  “I’m excited about the mole and 2009 Carmenère pairing at this dinner,” Tom said. (Click here for a full menu).

On Saturday, Balboa at El Gaucho Seattle will also have some stand-out pairings: smoked mussels in Brodo with the2009 Balboa Sangiovese is sure to be a crowd pleaser. “I love pairing red wine with ‘seafood’ because it’s an exception to the rule,” James explained. “This is a cool, avant-garde pairing that sings!” Tom is excited for the 2009 Mith pairing that evening. (Click here for a full menu)

“Balboa has been a staple on our list for years, and I am always pleasantly surprised at the quality of the wines for the price,” James said. “They are great with food; great by themselves.  This is a tremendous menu and wine offering for the price.”

Make plans to join us for one, or both, of these incredible dinners.  Please call the restaurants for reservations: El Gaucho Tacoma, 253.272.1510, or El Gaucho Seattle, 206.728.1337.

Celebrate Washington Wine Month with us at these other events:
McCREA Wine dinner at AQUA by El Gaucho
Saturday March 16th at 6:30 pm

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card Winemaker dinner
with Eric Dunham of Dunham Cellars at AQUA by El Gaucho
Friday, March 22nd at 6:30pm

Call 206.956.9171 for reservations.

Join us for Taste Washington
the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event
March 23 & 24th at CenturyLink Field Events Center

Leonetti

Wine and steak – it’s just hard to have one without the other, and personally, it’s our favorite pairing at El Gaucho.  Partnering with local businesses and sourcing their products is an important element of our core values, and wine is no exception.  After a long and successful run featuring Long Shadows brands on our Wine List, we are excited to offer the wines of Figgins Family Wine Estates, which includes Leonetti Cellar and FIGGINS.  Also featured in our “Great Wines of the Northwest” is Doubleback, whose proprietor is former NFL Quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

If you know Washington Wines, you need no introduction to Leonetti Cellar, as they produce some of the most sought after wines in the world.  Founded in 1977 by Gary and Nancy Figgins, Leonetti Cellar is the oldest winery in the Walla Walla Valley.  Gary planted his first vine on his family’s homestead that originally produced onions.  A self-trained winemaker inspired by his Italian heritage, Gary took a no-compromise approach when deciding to make wine commercially, fulfilling a lifetime dream.  Winemaking acclaim came early and often, and demand quickly outstripped the winery’s production, which is limited to this day.

Three decades later, Leonetti Cellar is now under the helm of Gary & Nancy’s son, Chris Figgins, who maintains their absolute dedication to no-compromise winemaking, and to produce the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese in the world.  Chris recently launched FIGGINS, an estate grown, single vineyard wine from the 32-acre Figgins Estate Vineyard.  FIGGINS is a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Merlot.  He and his team have spent the past several years cultivating this land into what they believe is one of the finest vineyards in Walla Walla Valley.  The goal from the beginning has been to elevate the potential of this special site through viticultural and winemaking wisdom.

“We are so proud to have the wines of Figgins Family Wine Estates featured at El Gaucho.  This partnership, now spanning decades, has enabled both of us go grow and flourish and we strive to bring world class food and wine to the world right here in our home state,” Chris said.

Chris also collaborates with lifelong friend Drew Bledsoe for Doubleback wines.  Having grown up in Walla Walla, owning a winery for Drew has been a longtime aspiration that would allow him to combine his passion for fine wine and love of home.  In 2007, Drew returned to his hometown to plant his estate vineyard, McQueen, in the SeVein Vineyards of Distinction.  Also in 2007, Doubleback was launched, an estate-focused winery with the goal to produce ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla.

Come taste for yourself these incredible wines from Washington.

Currently on our Wine Menu Feature: *2011 Leonetti Merlot, 2010 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese, 2010 Leonetti Cellar Reserve, 2009 FIGGINS Estate Red, *2010 Doubleback Cabernet.

*Denotes by the glass available.

El Gaucho’s President and COO Chad Mackay shows you how to make an easy version of our Peppercorn Sauce in this video. You can also find the recipe on our website at https://www.elgaucho.com/Recipes.html. We serve the more “complex” sauce in our restaurants, found at: AQUA by El Gaucho, El Gaucho Seattle, El Gaucho Bellevue, El Gaucho Tacoma, and El Gaucho Portland. Come in and try it!

El Gaucho Hospitality receives national Restaurant Neighbor Award, gifts prize money to Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2013
OLYMPIA, Wash. —The WRA is proud to congratulate El Gaucho Hospitality for receiving the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) 2013 Restaurant Neighbor Award. The iconic Puget Sound restaurant was honored in Washington D.C. today during the NRA’s Public Affairs Conference in Washington D.C., where El Gaucho Hospitality owner Paul Mackay accepted the award.

The NRA selected El Gaucho Hospitality, in the mid-size business category, from a field of applicants throughout the country. During the past decade, El Gaucho Hospitality has donated more than $3 million across dozens of local charities, including Boys and Girls Clubs, American Heart Association, Ronald McDonald House, The Heads Up Youth Foundation, Seattle Humane Society and Medical Teams International, among others.

Of particular significance is the company’s commitment to serving the city’s homeless population at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission (UGM). Twice a month, a team of volunteers from El Gaucho and AQUA by El Gaucho prepares, transports and serves lunch to more than 250 men at the Mission. This group has served more than 10,000 meals so far, and works closely with UGM on its event and fundraising efforts.

“It’s been said that the greatness of any society is measured by how it treats the weakest of its citizens,” said Jeff Lilley, president of UGM. “Seattle would then be measured to be one of the great cities, because of the presence and heart of Aqua/El Gaucho. They are helping change a city. They are helping to change lives. And we are honored to have them in our community.”

In addition to the Restaurant Neighbor Award, El Gaucho Hospitality received a $5,000 check from the NRA; and at 11:30 on Thursday, April 18, El Gaucho will present these winnings to UGM , as a show of its continued commitment to partnering in the mission of bringing hope to the city’s neediest residents.

“El Gaucho Hospitality embodies the spirit of service that we often see within the restaurant industry,” said Anthony Anton, WRA president and CEO. “We are so proud that this team of dedicated women and men has been recognized for the quiet and steady work they are doing to make Seattle a better place.”

The National Restaurant Association developed the Restaurant Neighbor Award to raise awareness about the restaurant industry’s contributions in local communities across the country and to inspire other restaurant operators and owners to make even greater contributions in their communities.

For information on coverage of Thursday’s check presentation to Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, please contact Heather Donahoe at 615-319-1157.

________________________________________
Washington Restaurant Association
510 Plum Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501
800.225.7166
http://www.WRAhome.com

Wicked shrimp is one of our most popular menu items, and now you can make it at home! AQUA by El Gaucho’s Executive Chef Steve Cain shows you how in this video.

It’s Grilling Season!

It looks like summer is officially here in the Pacific Northwest, and that means it’s time to fire up the grill!  Before you light the coals, read some tips from our chefs on how they prepare a great steak in our restaurants.

El Gaucho Corporate Executive Chef Ken Sharp grilling up great steaks!

Selecting the Cut:
It all begins with choosing the perfect piece of meat. Our Corporate Executive Chef Ken Sharp recommends selecting from the superior cuts found only in Niman Ranch All-Natural Certified Angus Beef® Brand steaks. Because less than one percent of all beef raised in the United States meets this strict standard, you can be sure that your steak will embody unsurpassed flavor and tenderness, even before it meets the flame. Depending on your particular taste, you can select from the most tender cuts, like our custom-aged Certified Angus Beef® Brand Filet Mignon, to the most flavorful, like our Niman Ranch All-Natural Certified Angus Beef® Brand 28-day dry-aged New York or Frenched Rib Chop.

El Gaucho Chefs at the grill for an outdoor event.

Getting the Grill Ready:
When it’s time to fire up, our chefs suggest Kingsford charcoal—it’s the brand we trust for all of our grilling needs. Once the coals are glowing red, sprinkle all sides of your steak with El Gaucho Seasoning, using approximately 3⁄4 tsp. per pound of meat.

Cooking the Steak:
Place the meat on the grill for 3-4 minutes. Turn the meat over in the same direction and continue grilling for another 3-4 minutes. Turn the meat over once more, this time rotating it at a 45° angle to obtain crisscross marks and to ensure that the meat is evenly cooking. Finish by turning the steak over until you have achieved your desired level of doneness. A pocket thermometer of 0° to 220° comes in handy and can be obtained from your local grocer. Remember that the grilling time will change depending on the cut of beef.

At special events, El Gaucho grills steak in Josper Wood Stone ovens.

At El Gaucho, the internal temperatures for the varying degrees of doneness are:
110° = Rare (cool in the center)
120° = Medium Rare (warm in the center)
130° = Medium (pink in the center)
140° = Medium Well (trace of pink)
150° = Well (brown throughout)

Add El Gaucho Seasoning to spice up your favorite meat

With El Gaucho Seasoning and El Gaucho Wicked Spice, you can bring a little taste of your favorite restaurant to your very own grill. They are also great for barbequing chicken, pork, lamb, or veal. Use approximately 3⁄4 tsp. per pound.

You can find the spices at Metropolitan Market in the Seattle area, Zupan’s in Portland, or call ahead to your local El Gaucho restaurant for pick-up.  You can also order online by visiting our website: Order El Gaucho Spice, and, coming soon to a very large online retailer. Stay tuned for details!

If music be the food of love, play on. ~William Shakespeare

Ambiance is a key part of the El Gaucho experience, and music plays an important element in setting the stage at our restaurants, which is why we are proud to offer live music, 7 nights a week.  We are excited to introduce the talented and passionate musicians who share their gift with us.

Paul Richardson, one of El Gaucho Seattle’s talented musicians, has released one CD and is working on his second.

Paul Richardson has shared his musical gift with us every Sunday and Monday evening at El Gaucho Seattle since joining our team in August 2009. “When I was a toddler, I heard my first 78 record and was hooked on music,” he says. “Being able to express myself and change the mood in a room is a great gift.” 

Paul is a self-taught musician, starting at the age of five.

Paul taught himself how to play piano at just 5-years of age.  He was “forced” to learn the drums and played them for 10 years, which he now admits has helped his timing. 

Throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s, he played keyboard and synthesis, mostly focusing on rock, pop and Top 40 genres.  He’s become known for his ability to play left-handed bass while playing the keyboard with his right.

Paul has shared his musical talent throughout the world, sharing the stage with greats such as Herbie Hancock, Chuck Mangioni, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Savoy Brown, Ernestine Anderson, Maya Angelou, The Dalai Lama, and many more.  He’s also played at the Beijing Olympic Village, Hong Kong, and numerous times around Mexico. He’s released one CD and is working on his 2^nd.

Paul visited the Great Wall of China before playing at Beijing Olympic Park

Even with his accomplished musical career, Paul works in another: for 32 years, he has worked as a Communication Technician, System Analyst, and Plant Engineer.  Most importantly, he and his wife have raised four daughters and now have 6 grandchildren, as well as a Doberman Pinscher (“the world’s biggest lap dog,” he says). In his “spare” time, he enjoys photography and exploring new great spots to eat.

El Gaucho Seattle’s Paul has performed throughout the country and the world.

Paul was raised in Tacoma and graduated from Stadium High School.  Among his friends and family, he’s known as being a support system for everyone, as well as being a “music software and computer geek.” He admits that he almost starts crying whenever he plays a sad song, and while he can’t name a favorite song, evidently his most requested song at El Gaucho is Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”  Some of this other favorites include Mexican food, Jameson Irish Whiskey, the book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, and TV shows “Game of Thrones” and “Big Bang Theory.”  His mantra is, “Change is a process, not an event.”

Want to learn more? Visit Paul’s website at http://www.paulrichardsonmusic.com/, or better yet, hear him live at El Gaucho Seattle every Sunday and Monday night.

If music be the food of love, play on. ~William Shakespeare

Ben Fleck plays at AQUA by El Gaucho Tuesdays-Sundays at 6pm

Ambiance is a key part of the El Gaucho experience, and music plays an important element in setting the stage at our restaurants, which is why we are proud to offer live music, 7 nights a week.  We will be introducing you to the talented and passionate musicians who share their gift with us.

Usually, our blogs are story form, mostly featuring the varied and interesting people who are a part of our company.  This one, however, we decided to do a bit differently.  As you’ll soon discover, any changes to this question and answer format would just not be the same.  Therefore, we give you Ben Fleck.

What is your full name?
Benet J. Fleck Sr.

Do you have a nickname/what do coworkers call you?
“Bubbles”

Why “Bubbles”?
That’s from my butt implants!  Okay. It’s not real. I made it up. Nicknames stick. “Champ?” “Fingers?”…

Where were you born?
I was born at Seattle General Hospital in 1960. I was the biggest baby born there in ten years, and I still am.

So how big is big?
10 1/2 pounds. My poor mom. Could she ever forgive me? Forgive dad? We’ll just have to wait for the Benet Fleck story to come out of Hollywood.

Ben Fleck not so long ago

Did you grow up in Seattle?
Grow up? Funny. I grew OLDER on Capitol Hill, here in Seattle. From Saint Joseph’s grade school (No wonder I retain a peculiar penchant for physical women who wear black and white) then off to get punched through O’Dea High School. In between, I delivered newspapers, played soccer, threw snowballs, discovered beer, replaced Catholicism with the Beatles, Steely Dan, Credence Taylor, Thelonius and Jethro Tull  and the other British invasion, worked at Ivar’s Restaurant, Swedish Hospital, took piano lessons, worked at Safeway, Muzac, then attended North Seattle Community College before graduating Cornish College of the Arts, Cum Laude, in the jazz department in piano and composition.

Walk us through your career journey to your present position. When did you start playing at AQUA?
I performed in all sorts of bands: Basement rock ‘n roll to smooth jazz’s Tony Gable and 206. Then there was funk, blues, rock, salsa, and even country bands. I love theater. I made music for many of them in Seattle: Act, The Rep, Intiman, Group, New City, Odd Duck, Arts West, Seattle Public Theatre.  I will be hosting a staged reading of my new musical, “Eve and Eddie” soon, before submitting it to The Village Theater’s new musicals program. Broadway, here we come!

In the meantime, I played in most of the bigger structures you see around this town, on boats, and in the hotels. I was at the Sheraton for 13 years before I turned around and realized that you could spend so much time somewhere. I spent a lot of time in bars studying life before I realized that I may as well get a job in one. I played outside the Georgian Room at the beautiful and forbidding Fairmont Hotel for one year before I hired on The Waterfront (now AQUA), 12 and 1/2 years ago. I taught piano along the way and am thinking about remounting this part of my life as Ms. Wells Fargo relentlessly knocks upon my door…

Ben played at the opening of the Chihuly Garden of Glass. He brought Windex for Mr. Chihuly, just in case.

Where else do you currently play?
I play private events anywhere I am needed. People who have hired me have been very kind and welcoming. The Space Needle 50th anniversary was wonderful. The opening of the Chihuly Garden of Glass was spectacular (I brought Windex for Dale, just in case). AQUA patrons have been bold enough to hire me as well.

Who or what influenced you to become a musician?  Was there a “defining moment” when you realized you wanted to do this for a living?
I was 14 and bussing tables on 15th avenue at The Beau Jardin. An old guy used to come in on Saturday afternoons for his vodka tonics and cigarettes. “What do you do when you’re not here?” he asks through a cloud of Winstons. I say, “I play piano.” He says, “Play piano- the piano player always gots work.” And I say, “Yeah?” And he says, “Yeah, the piano player always gots work.”

There was that. And playing in the penthouse of the Sorrento Hotel for a reception, the beautiful party hostess insisted that I take a break, “Have some food.”… I was on the roof-top veranda looking over the warmed August city with a glass of champagne, Brie, crackers and grapes. You do the math.

Do you play other instruments? If so, what?
Bass, drums, guitar, harmonica, keyboard things…none well…

Who is your musical idol?  Now and as a child and in between?
Paul McCartney, Stephen Sondheim, The Keith Jarrett Trio, Don Ho, Django Reinhardt, Mozart, Cole Porter, Johnny Rotten, Miles Davis, Ennio Moricone, Bud Powell, The Beastie Boys, and Primo Kim of course.

Ben admits, “I spent a lot of time in bars studying life before I realized that I may as well get a job in one.”

Anyone fun or famous you’ve played with or shared the stage with?
I got called to play with Bo Diddley once. That was cool. “I’m a M-A-N- Maaaan!” On stage for the Ivar’s Fourth of July they used to have near the pier. I played with Chuck Berry once. Go Johnny Go. That was an honor, and I told him so. I gigged with Kenny G. a couple times. So many musical “sweethearts” over the years. Being near/on a stage with theater actors is very compelling. I am involved with this still, in my new musical comedy, “Eve and Eddie.”

Tell us more about Eve and Eddie.
We are still tweaking a bit, then rounding up 8 actors, a director and a location for a staged reading with music. I’ll let you know as things get into place. Warm weather, out-of-towners, and work are prevalent things right now. It is funny, and the songs are good.

What is your favorite song to play?
“(Still) I Think Of You” from “Eve and Eddie.”

What are your most important accomplishments, both personal and professional?
Helping create two beautiful children. Learning over the years, what love is, and what it is not.

Ben with his family

Tell us a bit about your family.
My dad was laid off from Boeing in 1970 with a wife, a new house and eight kids. I am one of the last here in Seattle… alive… The Chippewas took the rest… though we fought hard…

What are you known for?
I am known mainly for my strength. That, and being a huge coward. And I can levitate myself. Oh, I can play piano and hold a conversation. This causes me to see double the rest of the night. Don Julio! Where are you?!

What are some of your hobbies?
Voodoo dolls, witchcraft, Scientology, and kites… Okay, enough with the cajoling. One of my hobbies is; I like to think.

What’s a little-known thing about you that you don’t mind sharing?
I lost a bet with Mickey at the bar one night about a certain election.  “The loser has to get the opposing president’s name tattooed on his ass.” So…I have a tattoo of the name, BUSH, (in the font of a dollar bill) on my LEFT butt cheek. It’s my only tattoo. I’ll show it to anyone who asks…

Tell us some of your favorite things.  This can include food, drink, book, TV show, movie, song, quote or mantra, place.
I love long walks on the beach. Sunsets. Someone to hold hands with and confide in… WAIT A SECOND!!! I thought this was E-Harmony!!!

Favorite Food? PCC clean. Organic-real…NON Monsanto. Don’t even get me started here.

Drink? Don Julio Tequila with a beer chaser… and everything else. Red, white and clear.

Book?  “Go-Dog-Go!” of course. I like writers who tell the truths. Twain and Hitchens. I’m reading Homer’s, “The Illiad” right now. It’s really funny. Try reading it aloud with a Yiddish accent sometime.

Mantras? 

“If you think something is weird, it probably is.”

“Never trust a person who starts a sentence with: “Trust me…”

“The answer is the question.”

“The answer is, Love.”

“Okay, Washington, Legalize pot… But, c’mon guys, just don’t smoke it all the time.”

and the same with: “Enough with the Prozac, people!”

Ben playing with admirers at AQUA.

What is your favorite thing about working for AQUA by El Gaucho?
The people that I work with. They provide humor, love, hard work, intelligence, companionship and even cigarettes when needed. It’s cool… Swanky, you know. I even get to play the sunsets.

The guests can be very interesting. You are always meeting someone with a story. ”People watching” is what they call it, right?

I really love the Puget Sound. The water. I ate oysters with Ivar when I worked there in food prep a hundred years ago. He paid well, and it was hard work. That’s why his bobble-head is on my piano. He was a pioneering waterfront restaurateur icon.

Is there is anything else that you’d like to share with us?
People tell you things at the piano. Things you may not need to know…”You know those hotels on Panama Bay with all the lights on at night? (“Uh, no”) They are all booked up, but no one stays in ‘em. That’s how they launder the U.S.’s money…”

I sort of grew up in restaurants and hotels, from the back of the house through the front. I have known Paul Mackay for a long time. I played at El Gaucho Seattle 1 and 2 nights a week for years before I played Pier 70. I like his style. We have similar philosophies about the restaurant business. Good people doing good work with good intentions, and you’ll get a good product. Have fun. Location helps…

I’d like to thank everyone involved for putting up with me for so long. Stop by and see me sometime! Ta-ta.

Benet Fleck performs at 6 pm Tuesdays through Sundays at AQUA by El Gaucho on Pier 70 in Seattle.

El Gaucho Bellevue Executive Chef John Broulette shows off our Wagyu beef

El Gaucho Hospitality was founded on seven key “pillars,” which continue to drive our company forward today. One of those pillars, “building a strong community,” encompasses many groups, two of which include employees and our guests.

“ReImagine,” is our company theme this year, and our President and COO, Chad Mackay, asked each restaurant to brainstorm ideas regarding deconstructing and rebuilding the entire El Gaucho Hospitality experience for our guests, our fellow coworkers, and the community. Over 14 pages of ideas were generated, one of which was to create Guest Advisory Boards for each property, in order to engage with key guests who fully believe in our mission, and encourage our continued success.  We consider it an honor that 60 community members and our guests – 12 for each location – accepted our invitation to participate on our board for a two year term.

The first Guest Advisory Boards gathered last month, and each proved to be unique, energetic, with lots of commentary and ideas. Some of the feedback included the ability to offer special and very high-end on our menus, simply because sometimes an occasion calls for a “splurge:” something just a little more special than what we already offer.

Sourcing for that “something special” started immediately, and we quickly discovered Imperial Wagyu beef.  “Similar to Niman Ranch and Certified Angus Beef®, (our beef partners) their standards are extremely high, and this incredible beef pleases both American and foreign tastes,” explains Chad.

Wagyu beef is known for its even marble texture. This beef rates a 10-12 (extremely high) on the Japanese Beef Marbling Standards Scale.

Wagyu literally translates to “Japanese cow,” is known for its marbling characteristics and quality, and it demands a high price. In several areas of Japan, beef is shipped with area names from which it comes: examples of Wagyu include Kobe, Mishima, and Matsusaka beef.

Imperial is a cooperative of seven farmers in the U.S., which happens to be the first certified Wagyu beef brand in the U.S.  Like our beef partners Niman Ranch and Certified Angus beef®, Imperial Wagyu cattle genetics are meticulously tracked and maintained, and are the backbone to creating this extraordinary beef: the Wagyu are paired with Angus to produce offspring that combine the best of both breeds.  Of all the beef raised in the U.S., only .008% meets Imperial Wagyu designation standards.

Wagyu is graded on the Japanese Beef Marbling Standards Scale instead of the USDA Grading Scale, because of the genetics.  The Imperial Wagyu is consistently a 10-12 rating – the highest grade rating given on the Japanese scale, and even higher than the Prime grade on the USDA quality scale (the highest grade given). As a comparison, USDA Prime rates as a 7 on the Japanese Beef Marbling Standards Scale.

Also like Niman Ranch cattle, Imperial Wagyu are fed only all-vegetarian diets and are never given growth hormones, stimulants, or other antibiotics. They are grain fed for over 400 days (that’s over a year!), which promotes the even, high-marbled, and smooth texture, creating the characteristics for which Wagyu is known.  Research has shown that Wagyu beef naturally has more Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids than traditional beef, because the cattle are fed slowly, over long periods of time.

El Gaucho’s Wagyu NY strip steak is wet-aged for 3 weeks, and dry-aged for 1 week.

We are proud to offer this incredible Wagyu as a NY strip steak, which is aged a total of 28 days: 3 weeks wet-aged, and 1-week dry-aged (all of El Gaucho’s beef is dry-aged for 28 days).

“The beef is very rich, and we recommend it be shared, which is why it’s on our starter menu as an 8-10 oz. appetizer,” Chad explains.

Are your taste buds ready for a savory, melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu experience? It will be available in all El Gaucho Hospitality restaurants Friday, September 6th. We look forward to seeing you!

An Epic Family Story and Epic Wine

“The Pampas” is a mural in El Gaucho Seattle’s Wine Room that owner Paul Mackay commissioned from artist Nina Mikhailenko. It’s a typical scene of the Argentine Gauchos gathering on the open plain, or pampas.

El Gaucho steak and Argentine wine – these two were meant to be together.  Because of our brand’s namesake, we have always had an affinity for things from Argentina, including our cooking style over the open flame and, of course, wines.   If you are a wine lover, then you’re probably familiar with Mendoza, Argentina, and then you’ve probably heard of Catena wines.  Their family history reads like a classic novel, a sort of South American version of “Gone with The Wind.” 

The story begins in 1898 when Nicola Catena sailed from Italy to Argentina to start a new life. It’s rumored he ate raw steak every morning for breakfast in celebration of his new homeland. Known for being a “tireless optimist,” he planted his first grapes in Mendoza.  In Italy, Malbec was a blending grape, but Catena suspected it would find its hidden splendor in Argentina. 

Catena Zapata 2001 Malbec. The wines reflect a family’s century long journey to create.

Nicola’s grandson, Nicholas, was a PhD graduate in economics and was the “quiet revolutionary” who took his family business and vineyards to a new level.  He became a visiting professor at UC Berkley in the early 1980s and he fell in love with California wines; Napa particularly became an inspiration.  Argentina was viewed as a bulk wine producer at the time, and after he returned to his homeland, he began selling off his table wines and focusing on quality. 

Catena invests heavily in researching microclimates, elevations and terroir, and many of Catena vineyards are planted at nearly 5,000 ft. elevation level in the Andes’ Mountain foothills.  The best grapes have been meticulously identified, and these historic rows are manually farmed and hand-tended.

Alfredo Bartholomaus will host the Bodega Catena Zapata wine dinner on Sept 19th at El Gaucho Seattle

Part of Nicholas’ vision was to become a player on the world stage, and in 1988 he approached Alfredo Bartholomaus, about introducing Catena wines to the U.S. market, and he agreed.  Known among the wine community as a pioneer of South American wines, Alfredo played a huge role in advancing these wines to their current acclaim in the industry.  He also founded his own winery, Billington Wines, which he sold in 1985, and was honored as Wine Advocate’s “Wine Personality of the Year” in both 2001 and 2005.

To showcase these exceptional wines, we are thrilled to offer seats to a very special, seven-course wine dinner hosted by Alfredo himself at El Gaucho Seattle, September 19, 2013. Catena’s big steak wines perfectly compliment El Gaucho’s Certified Angus Beef® Prime steaks and chops.  Attendees to this exclusive event will have the first opportunity to purchase Catena’s 2009 Malbec collection at exclusive El Gaucho retail pricing. If that doesn’t entice you, maybe these amazing scores will:

Catena Alta Malbec, Mendoza 2009,  94 Points Robert Parker
Catena Nicasia Vineyard Malbec, Mendoza 2009, 93 Points Wine Spectator
Catena Adrianna Vineyard Malbec, Mendoza 2009, 94 Points Wine Spectator
Catena Argentino Malbec, Mendoza, 2009 95 points Robert Parker
Catena Zapata Nicolás Catena Zapata, Mendoza, 2009, 94 Points Robert Parker

The Bodega Catena Zapata wine dinner at El Gaucho Seattle line-up.

Executive Chef Matt Brandsey and Wine Director James Parsons have collaborated in the creation of the Bodega Catena Wine Dinner.  This dinner shows off the culinary team at El Gaucho Seattle like no other wine dinner in recent memory, highlighting unexpected dishes executed with traditional Gaucho flair.  Each course is paired with one of Catena’s brilliant Chardonnay or robust Malbec varietals, reflecting a family’s century-long journey to create.

Be a part of this epic event and join us to try these sought-after wines. Seats are limited, so call 206.728.1337 for more information and reservations. To view a full menu, visit our website: elgaucho.com.

El Gaucho offers many Northwest Distillery Brands, including Dry Fly and Big Gin

There are so many reasons to love living in the Pacific Northwest: we’re coming off of one of the most incredible summers on record since the 1950s; the Seahawks, and local university football teams (Huskies, Cougs, Ducks, AND Beavs), are all off to respectable, if not killer, season starts; and if you love a perfectly crafted beverage made locally, your choices are exceedingly increasing.

Since the state of Washington passed a “Craft Distillery” bill in March of 2008, the local liquor landscape has changed dramatically.  There are now 37 distilleries (at last count, but growing!) in the state, gaining a stronger market presence, and producing excellent products that can stand tall next to the giant world-wide labels with which they now share the shelf.

What defines a “craft distillery?”  In the state of Washington, they are distinguished from their larger counterparts by the amount of spirits produced, which is a maximum of 60,000 proof gallons per year, and a minimum of 50% of the raw materials used for production must be grown in Washington state. The laws are bit different in Oregon, which is also a burgeoning industry – spirits produced in Oregon now account for an impressive 12% of the state’s liquor sales.

Northwest Vodkas reflect the tastes of the region: Oola, Soft Tail, Glass, Sun Liquor, and Gridiron

Lucky for us, Washington has fantastic agricultural products to source from, which this new generation of artisan distillers is brilliantly using to reflect our region. The products most notably used are: wheat, barley, apples, grapes, cherries, and berries.

In keeping with our business model of providing the best locally sourced products on the menu, El Gaucho has created space on our shelves to offer many of these fantastic Pacific Northwest spirits.  While these brands might produce other products, here’s just a peek at what we carry:

2Bar Spirits: located in Sodo, makes a corn-based Moonshine and wheat-based Vodka.
Batch 206: located on Elliott near Interurban, Batch 206 Vodka is made from dry-farmed grains.  Their Counter Gin is made of “carefully infused 8 botanical ingredients into high-purity grain spirits.”
Captive Spirits: located in Ballard, make “Big Gin,” which has a “burnt orange & juniper nose, finishing with a savory spice.”
Gridiron: El Gaucho’s own grape-based vodka label, produced by Glass Distillery.
Glass: located in Sodo, Glass Vodka is grape-based.
Dry Fly: one of the oldest distilleries in the state and based in Spokane. We carry their “Washington Wheat Whiskey” and Dry Fly Gin.
Oola: located on Capitol Hill, we currently carry their Citrus Vodka.
Soft Tail: located in Woodinville, their vodka is a lighter style and gluten-free, since they use apples.
Sun Liquor: another Capitol Hill locale, Hedge Trimmer Gin is made from non-malted, non-GMO organic wheat.
Tatoosh: Seattle based Whiskey and Bourbon.
Woodinville Whiskey: located, guess where?, and produce Rye and Bourbon.

Oregon’s laws are different from Washington’s, and they have  a much longer history of producing craft spirits. El Gaucho Portland’s menu offers some terrific Oregon-made spirits, which  include Aviation Gin, Crater Lake Vodka, and many more.  For a full menu, visit us online at www.elgaucho.com

Tatoosh Bourbon and Woodinville Whiskey are locally made and popular with El Gaucho guests.

With so many new, local brands now available, it’s hard not to catch the spirit. We dare you to try something new, and switch up your usual cocktail order next time you wander in to your local watering hole.  Plunk your hard-earned money down to support a local entrepreneur who is crafting liquid deliciousness.  Our bartenders and servers would love to assist in steering you towards a palate-pleaser that benefits local businesses and economy.

If music be the food of love, play on. ~William Shakespeare

Ambiance is a key part of the El Gaucho experience, and music plays an important element in setting the stage at our restaurants, which is why we are proud to offer live music, 7 nights a week.  We introduce you to the talented and passionate musicians who share their gift with us.

Daniel Davison, pianist at El Gaucho Seattle, was the third employee hired by the company – only after owner Paul Mackay and Executive Chef Ken Sharp.

“Start the magic,” were the three words El Gaucho owner Paul Mackay would say to cue pianist Daniel Davison to play when the restaurant doors were about to open for the night. Paul’s vision for El Gaucho’s “dinner as theater” concept clearly meant that ambiance was a key ingredient to the meal, and setting the tone meant live music: so much so that the third employee hired – only after himself and Executive Chef Ken Sharp – was pianist Daniel Davison.  That was December 1996, and Daniel still plays Tuesday through Saturday every week at El Gaucho Seattle.

Daniel says he never had the “What am I going to do?” question in his head. His father listened to great jazz and he was greatly influenced by 50s and 60s jazz artists like Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Chick Corea. He formed his first band at 15 years old in Toppenish, Washington, where he grew up. His parents would drive him to his gigs in the late 60s; the 70s included playing in Central Washington University’s jazz band, and following college, a myriad of rock, jazz-fusion, and hotel bands followed. During the 80s he found “mild” success and a lot of travel, but as Journey’s song, “Faithfully” says, “…the road ain’t no place to start a family,” and the same was true for Daniel – the travel was taking its toll.

He entered the wine business, but still managed to perform on the side.  He played a gig for a wine shop’s grand opening, (“for a bottle of Leonetti and a cigar”), and, through mutual friends, learned about Paul opening El Gaucho Seattle.  Paul and Daniel were introduced, but El Gaucho was still yet to open.  Later that year, Daniel happened to be walking by the old Seamen’s Union Hall on 1^st and Wall – the eventual home to El Gaucho Seattle. He meandered in and left a note for Paul on his desk, “If you’re still looking for a musician, call me.”  Two weeks later, he auditioned for Paul and Ken. As they say, the rest is history.

Since opening night, Daniel has played to thousands of people, including an impressively long list of celebrities. “This room has seen it all.”  He recalls, “One night a guy came in and tipped me $200. Four days later he was arrested as the biggest con man to hit Seattle, according to The Seattle Times. I guess I was the only winner in that scenario,” he chides.

Daniel’s three daughters: Caitlynd, Sara, and Jessica. His youngest has only known her dad to have one job.

When he’s not entertaining our guests, Daniel enjoys family time with his wife, Lisa (they’re celebrating their 25^th wedding anniversary in November), and three daughters: Caitlynd Jean, a junior at Seattle U, Sara Dakota, a “precocious” 18-year-old and junior at WSU, and Jessica, a sophomore at Kent Meridian, who, he notes, has never known him in any other job. In fact, Paul recalls a few times the girls coming down to El Gaucho after school and doing their homework while Daniel set-up for the night.

Daniel commissioned this painting by artist Nina Mikhailenko, which graces his first CD cover, and hangs above the grand piano at El Gaucho Seattle where he plays.

Above the El Gaucho Seattle grand piano where he plays, hangs a painting of Daniel himself.  It’s the same artist Paul commissioned to adorn the restaurant walls with scenes depicting it in action. Daniel commissioned it personally and used it for the cover for his first CD, which leads to another fun story in the El Gaucho history.

“July 4, 1998, Paul let me be in the restaurant completely by myself, which was a bit spooky, to record my first CD,” he explains. “I spent the day and locked up around 6pm. I went home and later that night was by my wife’s side to help her have our third child. That was a big day!”

“Playing the music I love and getting paid for it is a blessing that few can do,” he says. “I will always be indebted to Paul Mackay for that opportunity. I have a great gig.”

Daniel performs every Tuesday-Saturday at 6:00pm at El Gaucho Seattle.

El Gaucho Bellevue Wine Captain Joseph Romero recently traveled to Napa Valley

Joseph Romero, current wine captain at El Gaucho Bellevue (he recently transferred from El Gaucho Tacoma), joined 12 wine buyers from around Washington state to visit Napa Valley last month.  Besides the opportunity to drink great wine, the main purpose of the trip was to expand El Gaucho’s Napa wine portfolio and stay current on the wines from this epic region.

“What a treat, as a buyer, to be able to appreciate the work of so many still in the pursuit of perfecting the winemaking craft,” Joseph exclaims. “So many things we read and hear about – the wine, winemakers, and terroir – cannot be conveyed the same way as actually experiencing it, like I was able to enjoy on this trip.”

“Napa Valley, in all its allure and mystique, is a Mecca of sorts for those of us in the new generation of wine professionals.  Wine education is a life-long journey; and for me, as a wine buyer and sommelier, it is my job to not just merely tell you, the guest, about a product, but to help translate what the wine represents for those who create it; it’s not just learning about the history of great wineries, but understanding the heritage of great people. At the center of any great wine anywhere, is heart, and winemakers represent a community of pioneers and risk takers.  I came away from this journey with a better sense of self and where I stand amongst the great palates of the northwest and beyond,” he concludes.

Going into Jarvis – 45,000 sq ft bored out of the earth

The itinerary was packed for three days, and included visits to the following: Miner Family, ZD Winery, Jarvis Estate, Honig Estate, Spottswoode, Paradigm, Ehlers Estate, Paraduxx, Orin Swift, Stony Hill Vineyards, Brassfield Estate, Storybook Mountain Vineyards, and Signorello Estate.

Joseph brought back three spectacular wines to add to the El Gaucho wine list.  He notes that 90 percent of the wineries they visited are family owned and operated, and he loves partnering with winemakers who have the same philosophy in business and product as El Gaucho Hospitality (which is also family-owned and operated).  “It’s not the story of the wine, but the people behind it who make it compelling,” Joseph notes.

Ehlers Estate 2010 “one twenty over eighty,” which numbers represent the perfect blood pressure. All proceeds from this wine are donated to international cardiovascular research, which EhlersEstate has donated over $30 million toward. It’s now on El Gaucho’s wine list for $105/bottle.

Ehlers Estate, in St. Helena, is one of the wines he brought back and added to the wine list.  “I love their story,” says Joseph. “They have employed the same family for 37 years to tend to the vines.  You never hear of that!” he exclaims.  The vineyard site for Ehlers was established in the late 1800s and is the highest valued property in Napa at $700/acre.  Their wine, “one twenty over eighty”, which numbers represent the perfect blood pressure, is now on our wine list for $105/bottle. All of the proceeds from this wine directly support international cardiovascular research, and Ehlers Estate has donated over $30 million to this cause.

Another addition to El Gaucho’s wine list is from ZD Winery.  ZD stands for “zero defects” and they pride themselves on their product.  Joseph notes that again, the quality and heritage of hospitality, which is represented in each ZD vintage and bottle, is the perfect marriage with El Gaucho’s philosophy.  Joseph was able to procure 2 bottles of Abacus, a Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wine (there are only 9 bottles allocated for the entire state of Washington), which are on our wine list for $750. Joseph notes that even the Abacus wine bottle is special – it was created just for the wine and is patented. The magnum bottle of Abacus sells for $4,000 (sorry, it is not on our list).

ZD Carneros Pinot Noir pairs perfectly with steak, and is a wine to watch, according to Joseph. It’s now on the El Gaucho’s Wine list for $115/bottle.

2011 ZD Carneros Pinot Noir has also been added to our wine list for $115/bottle.  Joseph says, “This is a great wine to pair with steak. Pinot Noir is up and coming in California,” Joseph says, “and is something to keep your eyes on.”

Enjoy these new finds or any of the many wines available on our wine list at El Gaucho. Cheers!

Ehlers Estate is the highest valued acreage in Napa at $700/acre

Inside the Miner Family cellar

Gaucho – the Argentine equivalent of the cowboy.  These free-spirited and skilled horsemen wandered on horseback, living off the land and protecting their patrons (ranchers), by tracking down lost cattle. The term itself means orphan or vagabond, and was coined in the 18th century to refer to the horsemen who roamed the Pampas (open plain).  Like cowboys, the life of a Gaucho has been romanticized and is mostly an image of the past: the Gaucho culture has been celebrated by poets, and immortalized as the idol of the Argentine people.

Enrique Veliz, currently at El Gaucho Bellevue, is our own Gaucho, hailing from Argentina

Enrique Veliz, a busser and expo at El Gaucho Bellevue, could be considered a modern-day Gaucho. He hails from Trenque Lauquen (translates to “Round Lake”), population 15,000 and 350 miles west of Buenos Aires in Argentina, which borders on the Pampas.  While a horse is not his first mode of transportation, nor does he inhabit the open plain and wrangle cattle, today’s Gaucho is more a feeling than a way of life. “It’s a simple life.” he explains, “Complete freedom, solitude, and the opportunity to choose.”

You could say that Enrique inherited this feeling and way of living from his dad, and probably many generations before him.  His father traveled the world wherever he could find work, and was gone for months at a time.  When Enrique turned 16, he asked his parents if he could “vacation” in Uruguay.  Knowing full well what this meant, his parents helped him obtain a visa, which allowed him to travel anywhere he wanted for 15 days. Fifteen days turned into 3 years.

Enrique, at home in Argentina with his horses

During that time, Enrique worked various jobs in the many locations to which he traveled: he picked fruit, did masonry, and worked in restaurants.  He challenged himself to get a feel for the culture wherever he went.  After he returned home at the age of 19, he worked for IBM and obtained his college degree in both Literature and Latin.  He married and had children, but his Gaucho heart wanted to roam.  The U.S. was not high on his list for places to go, but he decided on a short trip to visit family in Philadelphia, and eventually found himself in Seattle.

“The only thing I knew about Seattle was that Bill Gates, Jimi Hendrix, and Nirvana were from here,” he laughs.  As fate would have it, he became a U.S. Citizen in 2003, and in 2005 started working at El Gaucho Seattle. Over the course of eight years, Enrique has been back and forth at least 10 times, spending anywhere between two months to a year at a time, employed by El Gaucho.

Argentinian horses near Enrique’s home in Trenque Lauquen, bordering the Pampas

Enrique explains his home in Argentina is sustained by the polo industry and soybeans.  “Gauchos” are all over, and traditions are kept alive through festivals, holidays, rodeos, and the food.  He explains “asade” is a whole cow (fur and all) cooked over the open flame, and that rodeos, or “domas” are how the Gaucho spirit is kept alive – through the interaction with the earth, with the horses, and the point of connection between the people.

This concept of the open-pit charcoal broiler (asade), was brought to Seattle by Jim Ward, who opened the original El Gaucho in 1953. Our CEO, Paul Mackay, worked for Jim through the 1970s and equally loved this style of preparing beef.  After the original El Gaucho closed in 1985, Paul worked to reopen it, and succeeded in 1996 when he opened the current location of El Gaucho Seattle in Belltown.

The typical open-pit Argentinian style of cooking meats

Enrique plans to return to his family (he has three children and a grand-child) in Argentina after the first of the year, and go back to teaching high school.  He is also working on his Ph.D. in Middle-Age Literature (1300-1700) from the University of Buenos Aires.

When asked if he’ll return to Seattle, he shrugs and says, “Only He knows,” pointing up. “But I have the opportunity to choose.”

Spoken like a true Gaucho.

Enrique and his daughter with their horses in Argentina

Excerpt from the epic poem “The Gaucho Martin Fierro,” translated by Jose Rafael Hernández in 1872:

The Life of a Gaucho

“A son I am of the rolling plain ,
A Gaucho born and bred;
For me the whole great world is small,
Believe me, my heart can hold it all…

I was born on the mighty Pampas’ breast,
As the fish is born in the sea;
Here I was born and here I live
That I take away with me.

And this is my pride: to live as free
As the bird that cleaves the sky;
I build no nest on this careworn earth,
Where sorrow is long, and short is mirth.

Then gather around the hearken well
To a Gaucho’s doleful story,
In whose veins the blood of the Pampas runs,
As a bandit grim and glory.”

Enrique and his daughter fish on the many lakes around the Trenque Lauquen area.

“Wine is sunlight held together by water,” ~Galileo Galilei

Estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at Col Solare

This phrase, from the 16^th century, could have been a foreshadowing of the wines made on Red Mountain and, specifically, Col Solare, which literally translates to “shining hill.”

Over forty El Gaucho Hospitality employees were graciously invited to the 40-acre estate last Monday to see first-hand the beautiful facilities, learn more about the special wine-making techniques, and understand the fascinating Red Mountain terroir.  It was on the four-hour bus ride from Seattle to Benton City, WA, that the team learned El Gaucho Hospitality is the number one seller of Col Solare in the country.

El Gaucho Hospitality enjoyed a sunny day at Col Solare

Referred to as the crown jewel of Red Mountain, Col Solare sits atop one of the many rolling hills identifying the region – remnants of the Missoula floods that formed the distinctive landscape millions of years ago.  Its stately presence and commanding view over the valley is nothing short of extraordinary; the winery itself is old and new world combined, with a modern, curved roofline, but an old-world, 56’  bell tower.  The precisely planted vines fan out in a Southwest/Northeast orientation, and create a shaded effect on the fruit zone from 1-4pm, the hottest hours of the day.  The open canopy on both sides allows for “even” ripening, ensuring the grapes avoid sunburn. Col Solare is the only vineyard planted this way.

The Col Solare estate on Red Mountain in Eastern Washington

After our group was offered a glass of 2008 Col Solare, winemaker Darel Allwine (yes, that really is his last name. Rumor has it that during his interview process with Columbia Crest in 1996 for a cellar/barrel worker he was hired for his name. Six months later, he knew the wine industry is where he belonged) guided us through the equipment and winemaking process on the crush pad, through the fermentation tanks, and the three temperature-controlled barrel rooms.  It was easy to visualize the hand-picked grapes coming off the fields, then feeding through the Mistral (“air” in French) sorting system, which destems but keeps the fruit whole, to yield the highest quantity possible for the press.

Col Solare Winemaker Darel Allwine explains winemaking on the crush pad

Through this process, Darel and his team taste the wines 2-3 times/day, because the juice evolves so quickly.  Depending on the harvest that season, the wines might go through a conventional pump-over system, or through a “rack return” process, which is the trick of taking the juice from the bottom of the barrel and pouring it back over the grapes.  From there, the grapes are aged 22 months in new tight-grained French oak.

Red Mountain is known for its rich, black fruit characters and is the #1 AVA for red wine in the state. Much of this is due to the sandy loam soil, which contains fractured basalt, and the high Ph content of the soil (8.3-9%). This, with the combination of a dry climate (average rainfall is 6-8”), causes the vines to struggle and produce beautiful grapes.

Varietals planted in the 28-acre vineyard include Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and even some Carmenere.  Darel says the Carmenere is finicky and typically likes really hot weather, which is why it thrives in regions of Chile, and why they haven’t yet done anything with their estate grown; however, with 2013 being such a hot, dry year that could soon change.

Just part of the amazing lunch we enjoyed on our field trip

Col Solare is a partnership between Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Antinori family from Italy, who have over 600 years of winemaking experience.  Darel explains that Col Solare’s goal is, “To be the best Cabernet Sauvignon wine in the state through three aspects: intensity, ageability, and authenticity.”

Every job has its perks, and for El Gaucho Hospitality employees, the commitment to staff education and development, as well as having access to fantastic wines like Col Solare, and winemakers, like Darel Allwine, is one of them.  The El Gaucho team was already a huge fan of these delicious wines, and no doubt will continue after this day-long excursion, seeing the land itself, experiencing such fantastic hospitality, and witnessing the passion from the Col Solare team.

The ever-hospitable Col Solare team

“El Gaucho and AQUA by El Gaucho have already created many fans and ambassadors of Col Solare,” said Director of Luxury Wine Sales for Chateau Ste. Michelle Estates, Joe Aschbacher.  “We so appreciate El Gaucho’s support of Col Solare, and we will keep the excitement for this brand and others in our portfolio at a high level.”

Want to try this quintessential Red Mountain blend for yourself? El Gaucho currently offers the 2007 Col Solare on our Luxury Wine List.

Among the Col Solare vintages the team got to taste, the 2013 was one of them – appropriately served in a beaker.