Join us for an Ecologically Friendly, French-inspired Box-a-Palooza tasting event.

France’s food culture is known for sophisticated cuisine AND high quality table wine often served from a box – that’s right the BIB (Bag in Box)!

It makes sense – one box equals 4 bottles of wine with the packaging weight of less than a single bottle = less waste, less expense. Plus, the BIB design doesn’t allow air to reach the wine, so the wine won’t oxidize in a few short days (as it would with an open bottle).

Join us on Friday, June 9th to taste some good quality French wines (you may recognize one that was served in bottle at a previous OTG dinner!) available at great savings in a super convenient box along with bites from Sprezzatura – let’s break the Franzia-created stigma and enjoy wine from a box!

And yeah – New York Times wine writer Eric Asimov just wrote an article on (good) box wine, and yeah, he suggests a box wine that we already arranged for this tasting – apparently great minds enjoy good wine in a box!

Here is our line up:

Rose  Chateau Tassin Bordeaux Rose 2022

White Maison du Grand Pre Bourgogne Blanc 2021

White Chateau Tassin Bordeaux Blanc 2021

Red   Maison du Grand Pre Bourgogne Rouge 2020

Red   Chateau Moulin de la Roquille Bordeaux Cotes de France Cuvee l’Esperance 2018

LOGISTICS: The price is person. Stop by anytime between 5pm-7pm (note we will stop pouring at 7pm). We will send location details with confirmation the week of the event.

It’s been a minute – and we are starting small – but we are venturing back to IN PERSON gatherings. You are invited to a very special (and space limited) event of 6 Wines paired with 6 Tapas.

When an opportunity came up to taste a new range of Spanish wines at Joe Barsotti’s secret Strip District location, we jumped at the chance to put together SIX Spanish wines with SIX Spanish Tapas (from Chef Jason Sicher) with lots of good information about both so we all learn while we sip and taste. 

Note that for this event the price is person. Tasting will start at 6:30pm and we’ll send location details with confirmation the week before the event.

Please note that all sales are final. If you find you are unable to use your seats, please contact Kate and Jack and they will see if there is someone on the wait list who can use them (although this is not guaranteed).  Thank you.

Welcome to 2023!!! We still aren’t geared up for in-person gatherings – but thanks to Kate Romane and her team at Black Radish we can still bring you fabulous food and of course – wine.

Speaking of wine – we hope you are sitting down – because Jack was able to find two wines that he had never tasted before … and with the white wine he had never heard of the grape before … WHAT?!. But don’t worry – both wines are now fully vetted and Jack-approved.

We hope you’ll join us on this veggie-inspired adventure and start the year exploring new wines. We will have a Zoom gathering at 6:30pm.

Dinner for Two 
white fish pate with crostini

classic caesar salad with spinach, radicchio, and romaine, bread crumb, parm and pepper

eggplant parmesan with tomato, basil, fresh mozz, parsley, and parm

flourless chocolate brownies with berry mess

BOTTLES – yep – TWO BOTTLES – of wine 
Jack curated two wines (one white – one red).

Join us for a final dinner in 2022 with Chris and Beth Barnes from Chris James Cellars!

Many of you enjoyed the dinner a year ago when we featured a 2016 Chris James Cellars Oregon Pinot Noir with a Pittsburgh Connection (Co-Founder Beth is from Pittsburgh!). We received many comments that the Chris James Pinot Noir was fantastically smooth, fruitful and satisfying – and hundreds of bottles were purchased afterward.

SO… It’s BAAACK, in a new vintage!   This time we have the opportunity for the founder/owners Chris and Beth to share the story of Chris James Cellars and specifically their commitment to making world class Oregon Pinot.  (Don’t fret, we’ll have a white wine as well!).

Making everything taste yummy together is our dear friend Jen Saffron and her team at Sprezzatura.

We will have a Zoom gathering at 6:30pm.

Dinner for Two 
Carrot spread and crostini

Lamb ragu and tagliatelle 

Roasted squash

Citrus fennel salad with green Sicilian olive

Lemon almond cake

BOTTLES – yep – TWO BOTTLES – of wine 

Please note that all sales are final. If you find you are unable to use your seats, please contact Kate and Jack and they will see if there is someone on the wait list who can use them (although this is not guaranteed).  Thank you.

In Pittsburgh spring can mean a lot of things – snow, sun, rain, wind – but one thing is guaranteed … we will have a fabulous meal thanks to Kate Romane and her team at Black Radish.

Jack was up to the challenge and is surprising us with interesting wines from the west coast (an albariño from California – what?!). We hope you’ll join us on this adventure as we transition seasons.

We will have a Zoom gathering at 6:30pm.

Dinner for Two 
antipasto box (calabrese, fresh mozz, olives, pickle, roasted veg)

house bread

romaine wedge. lemon vinaigrette. bleu cheese. focaccia crumble. prosciutto crumbs. cucumber. radish

cavatappi with hot sausage bolognese. feta. oregano

flourless chocolate mess. nutella. hazelnuts 

BOTTLES – yep – TWO BOTTLES – of wine 
Jack curated two wines (one white – one red).

Please note that all sales are final. If you find you are unable to use your seats, please contact Kate and Jack and they will see if there is someone on the wait list who can use them (although this is not guaranteed).  Thank you.

Welcome to fridgid friggen 2022!   As we write this note, we feel like everyone could use a winter warm-up.

Our incredible community-focused-friend/chef Jen Saffron and her Sprezzatura Team have curated a menu that will surely keep us warm until the spring thaw arrives. To meet the quality of the menu, we’ve curated equally solid wines from one of the world’s great and most historic regions: Bordeaux. Check out the details below for the first Off the Grid of 2022.

Each purchase includes dinner for TWO PEOPLE, and TWO BOTTLES of wine. If you would like to join us – please purchase, and we will send confirmation and pick up directions.

We will have a Zoom gathering at 6:30pm.

Dinner for Two 
Homemade grissini and olive feta mint dip

Italian farro with blistered cherry tomatoes 

Beef, caramelized onion and mushroom stew

Citrus fennel arugula salad

French chocolate espresso mini tart 

BOTTLES – yep – TWO BOTTLES – of wine 
For this round Jack has curated two wines from France (one white – one red).

Please note that all sales are final. If you find you are unable to use your seats, please contact Kate and Jack and they will see if there is someone on the wait list who can use them (although this is not guaranteed).  Thank you.

How can you have dinner from a restaurant that isn’t even open?!? ONLY with Off-the-Grid is the answer! 

We have never been limited by realities of ‘normal’ food experiences, and during Covid, we are thinking outside-the-box by getting restaurant food outside-the-restaurant. This month we’re going even further with a restaurant that isn’t even open yet!

Two time James Beard nominated Executive Chef Jamilka Borges has agreed to make a special OTG dinner for us to share her culinary inspiration. The wines for this dinner are as interesting as the Chef, including a Muller Thurgau (typically found in Switzerland and Austria) and a red blend of Corvina and Merlot (not typically found in Northern Italy).

If the chef, menu, wines and date appeal to you, join us for this “only-OTG” dinner!

Dinner for Two 
Focaccia bread with sage and chanterelle butter

Kabocha squash sformato, pears, walnuts and endive salad 

Tamarind braised lamb, spiced beets, rice polenta

Coffee and caramel flan, sweet cream, coconut granola 

BOTTLES – yep – TWO BOTTLES – of wine 
For this round Jack has curated two wines (one white – one red).

Please note that all sales are final. If you find you are unable to use your seats, please contact Kate and Jack and they will see if there is someone on the wait list who can use them (although this is not guaranteed).  Thank you.

Welcome back to Off the Grid! We hope everyone has enjoyed the summer. OTG is back with some new and different experiences to share starting with a wine tasting.

The short story: Great opportunity to taste and learn about fantastic wines from an up-and-coming French winemaker featured in 11 Michelin starred restaurants!

The long story:  In 2010, Jack met the estate owner of Chateau d’Or et de Gueules who was in Pittsburgh to introduce her wines to the US market. Jack sat next to Diane de Puymorin through an extended lunch where they discussed Diane’s approach to winemaking in her relatively new Southern Rhone (Costieres de Nimes) estate. Since then we have included (when available) Chateau d’Or et de Gueules wines for a number of Off the Grid events. Fast forward to a 2018 trip through Southern France where we visited the estate, met Diane and tasted the full line of current releases. For a time Diane’s wines became unavailable in the US Market – even though Château d’Or et de Gueules was recently elected to the top 100 Best Wineries in the World by Wine and Spirits magazine – UNTIL NOW!!!  Although not available in PLCB stores, the Cleveland-based warehouse operator is permitted to sell directly to consumer – SO we thought it would be fun to coordinate a tasting for our Off the Grid family.

We have selected 3 wines for this event:

• Les Cimels Costieres de Nimes White 
• Les Cimels Costieres de Nimes Rose 
• Trassegum Costieres de Nimes Red

Joining us for this tasting will be Pierre Marcelin (U.S.A. Brand Ambassador) who will be happy to lead us through a tasting and discuss Chateau d’Or et de Gueules.

Details

• What: Virtual wine tasting – 3 bottles (white, rose, red)
• When: Tuesday, September 14 at 6pm
• Where: Zoom
• Cost: $50 gets you 3 bottles of wine and a fabulous presentation by Jack and Pierre Marcelin (U.S.A. Brand Ambassador)
• Can’t attend: You can still order the wine if you want to taste on your own and Jack will share the slides from the live event.
• Deadline: Reserve by Sunday 9/5 to make sure your wine is here before the tasting.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate said of Ch. d’Or et de Gueules
“Proprietor Diane de Puymorin turns out these distinctive wines from Costieres de Nimes, which are all different blends that carry Provencal names nearly impossible for Americans to pronounce. But don’t let that stop you from trying these wines, as they all have loads of character.”

While we wait for the month of May to become legitimately Spring-like, our minds turn to lovely fresh flavors and brightly intense wines. Our good friend and flavor-evocateur Jen Saffron and her Sprezzatura Team offered us a menu we think will resonate with any Spring-Lover in our midst!  The wines are Vegan and Organic, which matches well with the menu. We hope you can join us for our tasty menu and succulent wines.

Each purchase includes dinner for TWO PEOPLE, and TWO BOTTLES of wine. If you would like to join us – please purchase, and we will send confirmation and pick up directions.

We will have a Zoom gathering at 6:30pm.

Dinner for Two 
Crostini with a roasted pepper olive tapenade dip

Roasted pork + golden roasted potatoes with ramps 

Fresh Green Bean, Artichoke and Black Olive salad with preserved lemons

Spring Greens from Tiny Seed Farm with radishes, snap peas and shaved cheese

Strawberry Marsala Cake

BOTTLES – yep – TWO BOTTLES – of wine 
For this round Jack has curated two wines from Spain (one white – one red).

Please note that all sales are final. If you find you are unable to use your seats, please contact Kate and Jack and they will see if there is someone on the wait list who can use them (although this is not guaranteed).  Thank you.