There is a special place which is perfect for, well, anything! Girls’ Night Out, business meetings, lunch or dinner with friends or family, date night, and having a drink at the bar while listening to live music are just some of the many reasons to make the time to visit. Where is this place which is perfect for any occasion you may say? Why, Seasons 52 of course…an upscale, casual restaurant which is sweeping the country and setting the trend for creative, healthy eating paired with a unique and finely tuned wine list both sure to satisfy any foodie and wine lover.
Seasons 52 rightly prides itself for its goal to deliver appealing, fresh (think expansive farmer’s market) menu choices which are of normal, healthy portions. In fact, nothing on the menu is over 475 calories and that includes desserts which are meant to satisfy…not send guests into a sugar coma. Natural cooking techniques are emphasized and wood fire grilling, brick oven cooking, caramelizing vegetables and more are strategies used to make the natural flavors shine! The broad menu changes with each season with local produce, meats, and cheeses reflecting the variety of flavors and colors which help define it.
But let’s talk about the wine!! Being the wine lover I am, I was thrilled to be invited to enjoy the Flights and Flatbreads experience at Seasons 52 in the Chicago area. George Miliotes, Master Sommelier, chose three wine flights which will pair with your choice of their Signature Flatbread. Once you have selected your flight and have tasted, you may choose your favorite for a full glass. An added plus? A flight, flatbread, and glass of wine will cost a mere $15!! Interesting to me was the “Acclaimed Series” (cost is $20 and absolutely worth it!) which included a taste of St. Hallet Gamekeeper’s Reserve, Shiraz Blend 2010 from Australia, Tarima Hill Monastrell 2010 from Alicante in Spain, and Seven Falls, Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 from Washington. Wines in this series are rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator, Robert Parker, or Wine Enthusiast. My choice for a full pour (and this was a tough call) was the Seven Falls with its intense fruit aromas and tastes, vanilla, blueberry, and a rounded mouthfeel…ahhhh!
The “Spectacular Whites” flight for $15 included Raats Family Original Chenin Blanc 2011 from South Africa, Casillero del Diablo Viognier 2011 from Chile, and Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2010 from Sonoma County. The flight of “Remarkable Reds” consisted of Macedon Pinot Noir 2010 from Macedonia, Santa Cristina Sangiovese 2010 from Tuscany, and Juntos Merlot 2011 from Alicante in Spain. The selection of tastes and textures in all of these wines from around the world are meant to educate and please those who are newbies to wine as well as those who are aficionados! My Millennial family members who accompanied me to the Flights and Flatbreads experience chose the Viognier from Chile and the Sangiovese from Tuscany as their full glass. Both were happy wine lovers, too!
The selection of flatbreads was no less unique and after some difficult decision making we chose the Garlic Pesto Chicken, Steak and Cremini Mushroom, and Fig and Goat Cheese with Bacon and Arugula, their seasonal flatbread. All presented a burst of flavor with each bite, and paired oh-so-well with the wines we chose. Other flatbreads included Artichoke and Goat Cheese, Ripe Plum Tomato, and Spicy Chipotle Shrimp. Are you hungry yet?? These are offered daily until 6pm – a perfect excuse to go for lunch, happy hour, or ______ (you fill in the blank)!
One special wine new to the list as of September 17 deserves a mention. George DuBoeuf’s Jolie Saison 2012 is a beautiful Gamay from the Beaujolais region of France. Not only did I participate in a webcast/virtual tasting of this wine a few weeks ago, I recently paired the Gamay with dinner at Seasons 52. Red with purple highlights in the glass, the aromas of black fruit, blackberries, strawberries, and cassis were enticing. But what I also loved were the soft tannins and structure. This is truly an easy drinking wine which is not only elegant but versatile. At dinner, I paired the Jolie Saison with a three mushroom flatbread, organic salmon and roasted vegetables. To find a wine which enhanced the flavors of each choice is a rarity indeed. One glass is $11 and a bottle is $44. George Miliotes added the wine to his list of “Drink Them Before They’re Famous”! And I did!!
Setting the trend with healthy, seasonal food, an exceptional wine list carefully crafted by a Master Sommelier, a warm environment which is conducive to any occasion, and reasonable prices is what all restaurants should have as their aspiration. Fortunately for all of us, Seasons 52 has not only set the trend, it’s on top of it!
Cheers to fine wine and food! ~ Cindy
NOTE: If you are in the Chicago area or plan to be, visit Seasons 52 at their new location at The Shops at North Bridge, 55 East Grand Avenue, which opens October 17.
