Las Vegas Weekly

May 13, 2010 · 3:06 PM

Counter Intelligence: Frank Sinatra’s family to launch wines at Wynn

By Robin Leach

Theo Schoenegger of Sinatra in the Encore.

Photo: TVT

Hot off the grill! Cheers! It will be a real salute to Frank Sinatra’s legacy next month when the superstar singer’s family celebrates the launch of Come Fly With Me, the award-winning 2007 Sinatra Family Estates Cabernet Sauvignon. Named for Frank’s first No. 1 album, the limited-edition wine is the collaboration of Danielle Price, executive wine director of Wynn Resorts, and Sinatra’s three children Tina Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra Jr. and granddaughter Amanda Erlinger.

The 2007 Sinatra Family Estates Cabernet Sauvignon was produced from estate vineyards near the northern end of Napa Valley. “This special vintage is a true testament to Mr. Sinatra as an entertainer and as someone who appreciated fine food and wine,” Danielle said. “It is an honor to raise a glass with Frank’s beloved family.”

On June 18, Wynn teams with the Sinatra Family to host a celebration at Sinatra in Encore, the only restaurant sanctioned by the Sinatra family to bear Frank’s namesake. After cocktails and canapes under the stars in the Sinatra courtyard, guests will enjoy a four-course menu of Italian dishes presented by Sinatra’s three-star executive chef Theo Schoenegger. Guests also will preview La Voce, the Sinatra Family Estates Italian wine slated for release in September.

Theo says he’ll serve Gamberi e Cannellini alla Toscana (Santa Barbara spot prawns, cannellini beans, rosemary oil) paired with Bella Vista Franciacorta, while Agnolotti con Tartufo Estivo (small pockets of pasta, bufala ricotta, fine herbs, fresh summer truffle) is accompanied by the La Voce Sangiovese. The 2007 Sinatra Family Estates Cabernet Sauvignon is paired with Fileto di Bue (beef tenderloin, porcini mushrooms, red wine braised spring onions).

“We are very excited about this wine and our collaboration with Danielle and this beautiful resort ,” Amanda said. “My grandfather loved exceptional food and wine, and this dinner at his namesake restaurant couldn’t be a better way to celebrate.”

The seated four-course dinner is $175 per person. To purchase tickets, please contact Rustin Jensen at (702) 770 -2249, and for more information on Sinatra Family Estates, go to SinatraFamilyEstates.com.

*Mandalay Bay chefs Susan Feniger and Rick Moonen were declared safe on last night’s tough, grueling episode of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. Season 2 began with 22 chefs, and Rick and Susan are left standing now competing with four others as they go into next week’s Champions Round. Jodi Adams of Boston was KO’d last night, leaving New Yorkers Marcus Samuelson and Johnathan Waxman, Canada’s Susser Lee and Chicago’s Tony Montuani competing against our two hometown heroes.

I sat with Rick at his RM Seafood to watch the show, in which he triumphed with a $5,000 win in the Quickfire round, which he donated to our Three Square food bank. He created a shrimp sloppy Joe with truffle oil for Bart Simpson and received the high score of 4 1/2 stars from The Simpsons stars Matt Groening and Hank Azaria. Susan served up a four-star win with marshmallows and chocolate.

But the tough part was the elimination challenge, where Rick had to turn an awful monkfish liver and black chicken used only for broth into a surf and turf taste treat. Said Rick: “Black chicken is one emaciated wild bird.” Susan fared worst, getting sloppy sea cucumber and kangaroo leg. It was the first time she’d cooked kangaroo. They were given 2 1/2 hours to cook. Both were voted safe, but just two stars awarded to Susser, who won the charity donation prize, beat Rick.

We’ll be back Wednesday with our two Mandalay chefs as they seek to go even farther on television’s most-watched food competition.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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