win May 2004

win@thebarn.com

3 participants
8 discussions

[wine] Bubbly at Chez Kallsen this friday, other notables.

by Jim L. Ellingson

This week. Tuesday. Liq. Depot sale tasting. 5:30 to 7:30. List of things to be poured on the web site. Complete sale list also. Wednesday. Zipps presale tasting. $20 (advance reservations only). Sale starts Friday. Contact Zipps to make your reservation or FFI. Presale tasting only specials will be better than Zipps sale prices. Tasting is from 4 to 8 on Wednesday 26 May at The Movement Arts Ctr. No "regular group" on Thursday. Friday. We're invited to the Kallsen's for a World Class Time! This looks to be a good sized event (say 20+ people?). Details below. 1. RSVP w/ Angela or Jason 2. Bring a pinot wrapped in foil (per couple) 3. Bring a Sparkling or a Dessert wine (per couple) Terry Theise is coming to town next Month. Here's a note from Joyce w/ details. <BEGIN Bubbles-gram>> Subject: Terry Theise - June 16 - 6:30-9:30 Greetings! If you haven't already heard Terry Theise will be returning in June. Once again, Surdyk's is allowing me to offer a discounted ticket price of $25 if you sign up with the "Joyce Hegstrom/Bubbles" group. To take advantage of this, you need to call Karen Blakeman at the store (612) 379-3232 and indicate to her that you are with my group. Hope to see you there! Joyce Terry Theise German Wine Tasting (99391) Sample some of the finest wines Germany has to offer. If you haven't been to a Terry Theise tasting, you're in for a treat; if you have, you already know! Held at the Milennium Hotel - 1313 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis You can now make your reservation on-line! Surdyk's Price: $27.00 <<END Bubbles-gram>> Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 14:48:41 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: Bubbly, Pinot, Desert at Jason's on 5/28 User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.1i Greetings, Forwarding this for our friends Jason and Angela Kallsen. Date is next Friday. Thursday wine group is invited. Please RSVP. Wrap the Pinot bottle(s) in foil for this event. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from Jason Kallsen <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> ----- X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu) Reply-To: <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> From: "Jason Kallsen" <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> <<SNIP>> Subject: Bubbly and Pinot at Jason's Friday May 28th Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 09:50:38 -0500 X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510 Save the date! Friday, May 28th starting at 6pm at our house. An ultra-casual evening of bubbly, Pinot, and many friends. Significant others and kids all welcome! Each couple should be (bring) a bottle of bubbly or dessert wine, and one bottle of Pinot Noir wrapped in foil (be sure to take the capsule off). If you are in the wine wholesale business, you cannot bring a Pinot that you yourself sell. We'll supply basic glassware (bring your Riedel if you wish), hickory smoked pork loin, good cheese, and good bread. Please rsvp to this email or call the house at 651-690-2513. We're located at 1906 Palace Avenue, Saint Paul. Directly two blocks north of Saint Kate's, just east of Prior Avenue. Link to a map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US <http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=250&addtohistory= &searchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=1906+Palace+Avenue&city=&state =&zipcode=55105&search=++Search> &countryid=250&addtohistory=&searchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=19 06+Palace+Avenue&city=&state=&zipcode=55105&search=++Search++ Hope you can make it! If there are others you want to invite, let us know. Jason and Angela Kallsen PS: Jim: Please forward this email to the Thursday night group. Jason Kallsen World Class Wines, Inc. pager 612.579.9398 voice mail 952.941.8785 x301 ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 * ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Sonoma Cab's at JP's Tonight!

by Jim L. Ellingson

Mostly an update. The wet weather is making us look pretty smart. I may be a bit late. ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 10 May 2004 16:27:59 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] Sonoma Cabs at JP's Greetings, Sounds like the split squad had lots of fun last week. I know the Napa Valley Vintners thing was a hoot. This week, it's Sonoma Valley Cabs at JP's Bistro. Bob's making the reservation for 8 people, 6:30 on Thursday. They can certainly accomodate more, but 8 is our best WAG. JP's American Bistro 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 Bob Lori Betsy Nikolai Russ Jim Ruth Gregory Annette S. No Word from Bus-bopin'-Billy... The Busses are back, maybe Bill Will Be 2? RIP to Marimar. Many thanks to Marci and Brian. They were such wonderful hosts on so many occassions. We look forward to dining with them somewhere down the line. Cheers, Jim * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] California at Oddfellows Tonight

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Mostly an update. I phoned in a reservation for six people at 6:30 this evening. They don't open until 4:00, so there's a chance they're booked up and we can't get into Oddfellows. As a plan B, Let's pencil in Bobino as a fall back. It's only a block from Oddfellows. If there's no room at Bobino, maybe we should just head down by the river w/ our brown bagged bottles. <grin> Info pasted below is from the 30 second wine advisor GERMAN LABELS, CALIFORNIA BARBERA Cheers, Jim Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 16:31:01 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com, "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> Subject: California at Oddfellows User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i Greetings, Heading to Oddfellows this week. Russ's California Dream is for Non-Cabernet and Non-Napa wines from California. Potential options include Syrah, Cal Ital, Zins and all the whites. Should be lots of fun. Oddfellows / Boom 612-378-3188 401 E Hennepin Minneapolis, MN 55414 Who's coming out to play... Five For Fining Russ Lori Nikolai Jim Louise Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> ----- X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu) Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 14:52:33 -0400 (EDT) To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu Subject: The 30 Second Wine Advisor - German labels, California Barbera From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> X-Sender: <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Wednesday, May 19, 2004 ___________________________________________________________________ TODAY'S SPONSOR: * California Wine Club Not all wine clubs are alike! http://www.cawineclub.com?Partner_ID=winelovers ___________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE * GERMAN LABELS, CALIFORNIA BARBERA We catch up on odds and ends * SEGHESIO 2001 SONOMA COUNTY BARBERA ($22.79) An old-country-style Barbera from California. * ADMIN NOTE We'll publish only on Monday next week as I travel in France. * ADMINISTRIVIA Change E-mail address, frequency, format or unsubscribe. ___________________________________________________________________ GERMAN LABELS, CALIFORNIA BARBERA While I'm dealing with last-minute pre-travel chores - including packing - before taking off for Burgundy and Champagne this weekend (more about how that will effect next week's publication schedule below), let's devote today's space to a couple of quick follow-ups on recent Wine Advisor articles. Today's tasting report features a really exceptional California Barbera, the Italian-born grape variety that's the subject of this month's inquiry in our Wine Tasting 101 wine-education program. Although it's not a budget wine by any stretch, if you like hearty, rustic Old World reds, I think you'll find it $20 well-spent. First, though, let's return briefly to Monday's discussion of German wines in general and the delicious 2002 Mosel Riesling from St. Urbans-Hof in particular. In speculating about why so many wine lovers find German wine daunting, I mentioned polysyllabic words and complicated wine labels as possible issues. One good approach, as several of you pointed out in follow-up E- mails, is to skim lightly over the arcane language of AP numbers and Pradikats and Oechsle numbers and simply rely on the names of specific producers who've built a track record of quality and consistency over time. This is not bad advice, and of course many of us do the same with trusted producers from every wine-producing nation. But how to choose a quality producer? One option for Germany is to check the label for a tiny logo that features a stylized heraldic eagle and grape bunch, the trademark of the Verband Deutscher Pradikats-und Qualitatsweinguter, VDP for short, the Association of German Pradikat Wine Estates. The logo is pictured in our HTML/graphics edition. Text-only readers may view it at http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa040519.phtml This trade organization - akin to the Gallo Nero ("Black Rooster") producers in Chianti - traces its roots back to 1897, and now comprises more than 200 of Germany's most respected wine producers. Its process is conservative, and its rules are strict: "From vine to wine, member estates are obligated to exceed the legal norms set for all German wines." As marketing concepts go, this one is exceptionally discreet. The VDP logo on Monday's wine measures just 1/2-inch in height and is placed at the side of the label, beneath the bottle size, alcoholic content and that inscrutable AP number. But it's worth looking for - even if you have to tote a magnifying glass to the wine shop - if you're looking for producers who take their German wine seriously indeed. The VDP Association's Website, http://www.vdp.de/ is available in German and English - click the button for your choice of language, then click "Philosophy" followed by "The Association" for a detailed description of the VDP organization and how it works. ___________________________________________________________________ TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE To participate in Wine Tasting 101, our free wine-education program in which wine lovers taste an assigned wine each month and discuss it in a civil online environment, visit http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/wt101.phtml You'll find a round-table online discussion on today's topic in our interactive Wine Lovers' Discussion Group, where you're always welcome to join in the conversations about wine. http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=1&tid=51037&mid=432401 If you prefer to comment privately, feel free to send me E-mail at wine(a)wineloverspage.com. I'll respond personally to the extent that time and volume permit. ___________________________________________________________________ SEGHESIO 2001 SONOMA COUNTY BARBERA ($22.79) This is an inky, dark reddish-purple wine, with luscious, fruit- forward aromas of deep, plummy fruit, a whiff of blueberries and a dash of vanilla. Swirling in the glass brings up intriguing elements of smoke, toast and even a hint of rare, red meat. Bold aromas lead into full and ripe flavors, tart acidity framing warm black fruit. A rustic Barbera in the Old Country style, it would make an interesting "ringer" in a flight of Northwestern Italian reds. (May 15, 2004) FOOD MATCH: Rare beef is its natural companion, but it made a surprisingly good partner with a hearty but meatless dish of potatoes baked with Swiss Emmentaler cheese accented with fresh dill and a shake of cayenne. VALUE: Above everyday wine prices at $20-plus, but it's more than an everyday wine. Fair value. (The "suggested retail" price on the winery Website is $25.) WHEN TO DRINK: Barbera isn't traditionally made for cellaring - in its native Piemonte, it's for drinking up while the more pricey Barolo and Barbaresco matures in the cellar. But this wine's power, intensity and balance suggest that it won't suffer if you hold it for a few years. WEB LINK: You'll find a 2001 Barbera fact sheet on the winery Website here: http://www.seghesio.com/Barbera2001.html FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: Compare prices and find sources for Seghesio Barbera on Wine-Searcher.com, http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Seghesio+Barbera/-/-/USD/A?referring_site… ___________________________________________________________________ ADMIN NOTE: NEXT WEEK'S PUBLICATION SCHEDULE As I mentioned above, we'll be spending this weekend in Paris, followed by a week touring Burgundy with a quick side trip to Champagne. Because of this travel schedule, the Wednesday and Friday editions will take a brief vacation next week, as will the Thursday Wine Advisor FoodLetter. Assuming that the demons of technology don't curse this plan, however, I do intend to distribute the regular Monday editions on May 24 and May 31, although they may appear in your mailbox a few hours or even a day off schedule. I'll also make every effort to post periodic trip reports, tasting notes and photos on WineLoversPage.com, and encourage you to check our Front Page frequently if you would like to follow along. We'll resume the regular publication schedule at the first of June. ___________________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: * 30 Second Wine Advisor, daily or weekly (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/index.shtml * Wine Advisor FoodLetter, Thursdays (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/foodletter.shtml * Wine Advisor Premium Edition, alternate Tuesdays ($24/year) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/premium.phtml ARCHIVES: For all past editions: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/thelist.shtml CONTACT US E-mail: wine(a)wineloverspage.com SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: For information, E-mail wine(a)wineloverspage.com ___________________________________________________________________ ADMINISTRIVIA To subscribe or unsubscribe from The 30 Second Wine Advisor, change your E-mail address, switch from weekly to daily distribution, or for any other administrative matters, click to http://www.wineloverspage.com/admin.php?id=20970&cs=7d1109b668af1f87d36d12e… We welcome feedback, suggestions, and ideas for future columns. We do not use this list for any other purpose and will never give or sell your name or E-mail to anyone. All the wine-tasting reports posted here are consumer-oriented. In order to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, I purchase all the wines I rate at my own expense in retail stores and accept no samples, gifts or other gratuities from the wine industry. Wednesday, May 19, 2004 Copyright 2004 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved. ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Bubbly, Pinot, Desert at Jason's on 5/28

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Forwarding this for our friends Jason and Angela Kallsen. Date is next Friday. Thursday wine group is invited. Please RSVP. Wrap the Pinot bottle(s) in foil for this event. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from Jason Kallsen <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> ----- X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu) Reply-To: <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> From: "Jason Kallsen" <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> <<SNIP>> Subject: Bubbly and Pinot at Jason's Friday May 28th Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 09:50:38 -0500 X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510 Save the date! Friday, May 28th starting at 6pm at our house. An ultra-casual evening of bubbly, Pinot, and many friends. Significant others and kids all welcome! Each couple should be (bring) a bottle of bubbly or dessert wine, and one bottle of Pinot Noir wrapped in foil (be sure to take the capsule off). If you are in the wine wholesale business, you cannot bring a Pinot that you yourself sell. We'll supply basic glassware (bring your Riedel if you wish), hickory smoked pork loin, good cheese, and good bread. Please rsvp to this email or call the house at 651-690-2513. We're located at 1906 Palace Avenue, Saint Paul. Directly two blocks north of Saint Kate's, just east of Prior Avenue. Link to a map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US <http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=250&addtohistory= &searchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=1906+Palace+Avenue&city=&state =&zipcode=55105&search=++Search> &countryid=250&addtohistory=&searchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=19 06+Palace+Avenue&city=&state=&zipcode=55105&search=++Search++ Hope you can make it! If there are others you want to invite, let us know. Jason and Angela Kallsen PS: Jim: Please forward this email to the Thursday night group. Jason Kallsen World Class Wines, Inc. pager 612.579.9398 voice mail 952.941.8785 x301 ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] [jellings@me.umn.edu: California at Oddfellows]

by Jim L. Ellingson

Resending this.... BTW, Liq. Depot Tasting is today. Sale starts today. List is on line at liquordepot.com. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 16:31:01 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com, "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> Subject: California at Oddfellows User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i Greetings, Heading to Oddfellows this week. Russ's California Dream is for Non-Cabernet and Non-Napa wines from California. Potential options include Syrah, Cal Ital, Zins and all the whites. Should be lots of fun. Oddfellows / Boom 612-378-3188 401 E Hennepin Minneapolis, MN 55414 Who's coming out to play... Five For Fining Russ Lori Nikolai Jim Louise Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> ----- X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu) Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 11:54:35 -0400 (EDT) To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu Subject: The 30 Second Wine Advisor - Gruner mit Spargel From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> X-Sender: <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Friday, May 14, 2004 ___________________________________________________________________ TODAY'S SPONSORS: * CALIFORNIA WINE CLUB Summer Sippin' Wine Sale http://www.cawineclub.com?Partner_ID=winelovers * RANCHO SAN DIEGO TRAVEL Tour Argentina and Chile http://www.wineloverspage.com/tour/ranchosandiego.shtml ___________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE * SPARGEL MIT GRUNER Another candidate for world's best asparagus match. * SOLLNER 2002 "WOGENRAIN" WAGRAM DONAULAND GRUNER VELTLINER ($13) Racy and tart, with a lovely stony minerality: Classic GV. * WINE TRAVEL Join us in Austria ... and Burgundy. * ADMINISTRIVIA Change E-mail address, frequency, format or unsubscribe. ___________________________________________________________________ SPARGEL MIT GRUNER Monday's dissertation on finding the perfect wine to go with fresh spring asparagus turned out to be another of those topics that inspired an unexpected flurry of E-mail and online forum responses. Along with a lot of support for my assertion that a "grassy" Sauvignon Blanc makes a natural companion for these vernal spears and the usual choir of praise for Riesling as the wine that goes with everything, a few enthusiasts spoke up for Alsatian Muscat (the drier the better) as an ideal match. But perhaps the strongest claim came from the Austrian contingent and those who love Austrian wine: Gruner Veltliner ("GV" for short), these advocates say, may be the best match of all - particularly for the thick and tender white spears that Germans and Austrians call "Spargel," a seasonal treat that's just about at its peak right now. (By coincidence, I was in Austria - and visited Donauland and the neighboring Wachau region - on this very day in May, 1998. I still remember how Spargel - and Gruner Veltliner - appeared at just about every meal except maybe breakfast.) GV is one of my white-wine favorites, a topic I took on just a month ago in a report on Austria and its wines in the April 12 Wine Advisor. For today's tasting report, let's take a look at another tasty GV, this one from the lovely Donauland region near Vienna. ___________________________________________________________________ TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE Want to talk about matching wine with asparagus, or for that matter matching food and wine in general? You'll find a round-table online discussion on today's topic in our interactive Wine Lovers' Discussion Group, where you're always welcome to join in the conversations about wine. http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=1&tid=50913&mid=431353 The discussion that followed Monday's report on Sauvignon Blanc with asparagus is still online, too, at http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=1&tid=50806&mid=430342 If you prefer to comment privately, feel free to send me E-mail at wine(a)wineloverspage.com. I'll respond personally to the extent that time and volume permit. ___________________________________________________________________ SOLLNER 2002 "WOGENRAIN" WAGRAM DONAULAND GRUNER VELTLINER ($13) This very fine GV comes from the Wagram ("Vah-grahm") sub-region in Austria's Donauland ("Danube-land") growing area, a scenic spot on the north bank of the Danube not far northwest of Vienna. A clear, very pale straw color, it offers pleasant aromas of honeydew melon with a whiff of peppermint. Ripe white fruit and fragrant white- pepper flavors are built on racy, zippy, lemon-squirt acidity; a pleasing "stony" minerality develops with time in the glass, adding flavor complexity and texture in the finish. U.S. importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, Pa. (April 30, 2004) FOOD MATCH: A natural with white or green asparagus, as noted, and fine with poultry, pork or fish, GV is one of the most versatile of food wines. We served it with a marlin steak pan-seared Sicilian- style with lemon, garlic and oregano. VALUE: A white wine of finesse and quality, more than fairly priced in the lower teens. WHEN TO DRINK: Drinking well, but you needn't fear keeping it under cool conditions for a few years. WEB LINK: The winery Website is currently available only in German. You'll find the specs on the Wogenrain GV here: http://www.weingut-soellner.at/ger/wogenrain.html FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: In the U.S., ask your local merchant to seek this wine through Weygandt-Metzler, the Pennsylvania-based importer. Check the winery Website under "Bezugsquellen" ("Supply Sources") for distributors in many countries: http://www.weingut-soellner.at/ger/bezugsquellen.html Wine-Searcher.com's database contains only a limited reference to Sollner's wines at http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Sollner/-/-/USD/A?referring_site=WLP ___________________________________________________________________ WINE TRAVEL: JOIN US IN AUSTRIA ... AND BURGUNDY I'm delighted to partner with the respected California-based touring company Food and Wine Trails for a seven-day "Austrian Wine Experience" tour this coming Sept. 25-Oct. 1. We'll visit wineries in three of Austria's top wine-producing regions - Wachau, Kamptal and Burgenland - as well as taking in the rich world of art and culture (and food and wine, of course!) in Vienna. For a quick summary and details, visit http://www.foodandwinetrails.com/html/wines_of_austria.html We're leaving next Friday for a week in Burgundy (plus a day in Champagne), hosting a wine tour of the region with our friends at French Wine Explorers. We have an eager group ready to go, but I'm told that there may still be room for one or possibly two more. This will be a memorable tour, with VIP-style visits at several top producers plus four-star lodging and meals at some of Burgundy's top restaurants including the classic Lameloise. If you're a world- class procrastinator and would still like to join us, get in touch with me pronto at wine(a)wineloverspage.com. For details about the tour, see French Wine Explorers, http://www.wine-tours-france.com/BurgundyWineTours.htm ___________________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: * 30 Second Wine Advisor, daily or weekly (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/index.shtml * Wine Advisor FoodLetter, Thursdays (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/foodletter.shtml * Wine Advisor Premium Edition, alternate Tuesdays ($24/year) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/premium.phtml ARCHIVES: For all past editions: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/thelist.shtml CONTACT US E-mail: wine(a)wineloverspage.com SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: For information, E-mail wine(a)wineloverspage.com ___________________________________________________________________ ADMINISTRIVIA To subscribe or unsubscribe from The 30 Second Wine Advisor, change your E-mail address, switch from weekly to daily distribution, or for any other administrative matters, click to http://www.wineloverspage.com/admin.php?id=20970&cs=7d1109b668af1f87d36d12e… We welcome feedback, suggestions, and ideas for future columns. We do not use this list for any other purpose and will never give or sell your name or E-mail to anyone. All the wine-tasting reports posted here are consumer-oriented. In order to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, I purchase all the wines I rate at my own expense in retail stores and accept no samples, gifts or other gratuities from the wine industry. Friday, May 14, 2004 Copyright 2004 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved. ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 * ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

(no subject)

by Russell Cattelan

list test

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Sonoma Cabs at JP's

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Sounds like the split squad had lots of fun last week. I know the Napa Valley Vintners thing was a hoot. This week, it's Sonoma Valley Cabs at JP's Bistro. Bob's making the reservation for 8 people, 6:30 on Thursday. They can certainly accomodate more, but 8 is our best WAG. JP's American Bistro 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 Bob Lori Betsy Nikolai Russ Jim/Louise The Busses are back, maybe Bill Will Be 2? RIP to Marimar. Many thanks to Marci and Brian. They were such wonderful hosts on so many occassions. We look forward to dining with them somewhere down the line. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> ----- X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu) Date: Mon, 10 May 2004 17:11:35 -0400 (EDT) To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu Subject: The 30 Second Wine Advisor - Eat your veggies, drink your wine From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> X-Sender: <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Monday, May 10, 2004 ___________________________________________________________________ TODAY'S SPONSORS: * Rancho San Diego Travel http://www.wineloverspage.com/ tour/ranchosandiego.shtml * California Wine Club http://www.cawineclub.com?Partner_ID=winelovers ___________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE * EAT YOUR VEGGIES, DRINK YOUR WINE Matching wine and ... asparagus? * DRYTOWN CELLARS 2002 AMADOR COUNTY SAUVIGNON BLANC ($12; $5 on sale) Crisp and citric, lightly grassy, a great buy. * BUTTONWOOD FARM 2001 SANTA YNEZ VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC ($14; $6 on sale) A dash of Semillon adds texture and flavor. * CALIFORNIA WINE CLUB Summer Sippin' Wine Sale with The California Wine Club! * RANCHO SAN DIEGO TRAVEL Tour Argentina and Chile! * THIS WEEK ON WINELOVERSPAGE.COM A visit to Alsace and the Mosel, and talk of ungrafted vines. * LAST WEEK'S WINE ADVISOR INDEX Links to recent articles in the Wine Advisor archives. * ADMINISTRIVIA Change E-mail address, frequency, format or unsubscribe. ___________________________________________________________________ EAT YOUR VEGGIES, DRINK YOUR WINE One of the great joys of spring for me, right up there with the green leaves and flowers and the fact that it's not cold, is the sudden profusion of really delicious, fresh locally grown vegetables. Oh, sure, it'll be a while yet before garden tomatoes, eggplant and corn are in (not to mention peaches and strawberries and other such good things). But crisp fresh spears of asparagus, tender young spinach and a wild variety of spring field lettuce is enough to light up a smile ... and to inspire a hunger for an all-veggie dinner even in the most ardent of omnivores. As I've noted before, wine's long heritage springs from meat-eating cultures, and our favorite beverage has evolved to accompany meat, poultry and fish. Sure, wine will serve to wash down "non- traditional" foods. But is it possible to get the same kind of "oh, wow!" reaction from a food-and-veggie match that carnivores enjoy with Bordeaux and lamb, Meursault and lobster or Burgundy and beef? Well, maybe. I would submit wild mushrooms and Pinot Noir as a match right up there with the best of meat-and-wine combinations. And assuming you don't have vegan requirements, adding cheese to any meatless dish will bring it up to meet compatible wines. But how about those fresh spring vegetables? Can any wine improve upon the beautiful unadorned simplicity of the season's first spinach or asparagus? A flood of E-mail suggestions from readers following an exaltation of grilled asparagus in last Thursday's Wine Advisor FoodLetter prompted another all-veggie dinner over the weekend, and this time I followed my own advice and paired it with a couple of Sauvignon Blancs. According to the conventional wisdom, the combination of crisp, citric tartness and pleasantly herbal "green" character of this popular white variety makes it a natural with simple green vegetables, and this seemed to hold true. The wines' relative subtlety didn't overwhelm the delicacy of the vegetables, and the "herbaceous" flavors followed the traditional wine-matching principle of pairing wines with foods that show similar characteristics. The result was subtle, not bold: Think of black- and-white by Ansel Adams, not Technicolor by Disney; or a Chopin piano sonata, not a Tchaikovsky overture. ___________________________________________________________________ TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE What's your experience matching wine with simple veggie fare? If you'd like to tell us about it, you'll find a round-table online discussion on today's topic in our interactive Wine Lovers' Discussion Group, where you're always welcome to join in the conversations about wine. http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=1&tid =50806&mid=430342 If you prefer to comment privately, feel free to send me E-mail at wine(a)wineloverspage.com. I'll respond personally to the extent that time and volume permit. ___________________________________________________________________ The wines I selected for today's tasting are on the list of sale items currently available in the cut-rate "Summer Sippin' Sale" going on at The California Wine Club: DRYTOWN CELLARS 2002 AMADOR COUNTY SAUVIGNON BLANC ($12 winery retail/$5 sale) This clear, very pale straw-color wine offers appetizing aromas that could serve as a textbook example of good California Sauvignon Blanc: Fresh citrusy grapefruit blended with a delicate "grassy" note reminiscent of summer meadows that becomes more evident when you swirl the wine in the glass. Crisp and fresh flavors follow the nose, and zingy acidity makes it a palate-cleansing food wine, with tart citrus persisting in a long finish. (May 9, 2004) FOOD MATCH: A fine seafood wine, but its crisp and tangy mix of citrus and herbal flavors makes it a natural for vegetarian pairing with fresh green vegetables. VALUE: This wine was fairly priced in the lower teens at the time of release; its $5 sale price at California Wine Club makes it a no-brainer for summer sipping. WHEN TO DRINK: Light-styled Sauvignon Blancs are best drunk young. I would enjoy this over the next year or two. WEB LINK: The winery houses its Website on a personal page, http://www.mindspring.com/~nancy.freire/drytown/index.html FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: Currently on sale in California Wine Club's "Summer Sippin" sale, http://www.cawineclub.com/cgi-bin/cawine/Promo_Sales?page_number=1 Find Drytown Cellers' wines on Wine-Searcher.com, http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Drytown/-/- /USD/A?referring_site=WLP ___________________________________________________________________ BUTTONWOOD FARM 2001 SANTA YNEZ VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC ($14 winery retail/$6 sale) This clear, pale-gold wine shows a sunny yellowish hue. Slightly musky and very ripe, mixed melon aromas add intriguing floral notes in a wine that seems to pick up distinct character from the 10 percent Semillon that's blended with the Sauvignon Blanc. Full- bodied and rich, lip-smacking melon fruit is built on a lemony-tart acidic structure, with earthy nuances adding complexity and a hint of peach-pit bitterness in the finish. (May 9, 2004) FOOD MATCH: Worked fine in a vegetarian-matching experiment with grilled asparagus and lightly steamed spinach; also recommended with pork or shellfish. VALUE: Fairly priced at the $14 winery retail; worth buying by the case at the $6 blowout offer in California Wine Club's summer sale. WHEN TO DRINK: Not meant for long-term aging, but body, richness and earthy complexity might make an interesting experiment in cellaring for a year or two. WEB LINK: You'll find the Buttonwood Farm Website here: http://www.buttonwoodwinery.com/ FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: Also available cut-rate during California Wine Club's "Summer Sippin" sale, http://www.cawineclub.com/cgi-bin/cawine/Promo_Sales?page_number=1 Find Buttonwood wines on Wine-Searcher.com, http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Buttonwood/-/- /USD/A?referring_site=WLP ___________________________________________________________________ SUMMER SIPPIN' WINE SALE WITH THE CALIFORNIA WINE CLUB! Click here to order from a selection of wines priced from $5 - $10.50. Perfect wines for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, beach BBQ's and grilling parties with friends: http://www.cawineclub.com/cgi-bin/cawine/Promo_Sales?page_number=1 Check out this recipe for Sensational Summer Sangria: 1 - 750 ml bottle of chilled Santerra Cellars Dolcetto (on sale for just $6 per bottle) 1/2 cup Peach Schnapps 2 tbsp. Cointreau (or other orange liqueur) 2 tbsp. sugar 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half 1 lemon and 1 orange sliced 1 - 10 oz. bottle chilled club soda Ice cubes Mix first 8 ingredients in a tall glass pitcher. Refrigerate at least 30 min. Mix in club soda. Fill 6 wine glasses with ice, pour Sangria over ice and serve! Brought to you by The California Wine Club ~ America's only wine service featuring real-working, smaller, family-owned California wineries! Call 1-800-777-4443 or visit http://www.cawineclub.com?Partner_ID=winelovers Tour participants will visit Nicol�s Catena's new state-of-the-art winery at Agrelo, Mendoza. ___________________________________________________________________ RANCHO SAN DIEGO TRAVEL: TOUR ARGENTINA AND CHILE! You are invited to a special wine tasting tour of Argentina and Chile, Dec. 1-11, 2004, hosted by Michael Schachner, food and wine consultant, writer for Wine Enthusiast magazine, and author of several articles on Chilean and Argentinean wines. Tour featuring Buenos Aires - Mendoza - Santiago - Santa Cruz - Colchagua Valley, home to many of the best Chilean wineries. Tour highlights: small escorted group - private tasting - leisurely designed for cultural visits and free time - dining at some of the finest restaurants of South America - Wineries especially selected by Mr. Schachner. December is the best time of the year in Southern Hemisphere. Tour space limited - For information and to receive your color tour brochure by mail, contact Bernard Streiff by email: ranchobernard(a)yahoo.com Bernard Streiff - Certified Travel Counselor Rancho San Diego Travel - CST #2001 489-10 3733 Avocado Blvd. La Mesa, CA 91941 Tel (619) 670-7425 ___________________________________________________________________ THIS WEEK ON WINELOVERSPAGE.COM Here are links to some of our recently published articles that I think you'll enjoy: * BUCKO ON WINE: Alsace and the Mosel As our new releases columnist, Dr. Randy "Bucko" Buckner spends a good bit of his time sampling U.S. wines and jotting down his notes. But he's a great fancier of Old World wines too, and happily he took along his notebook and camera during a recent visit to Alsace and the Mosel. Here is his report, with plenty of photos and tasting notes: http://www.wineloverspage.com/bucko/alsacemosel.phtml * WINE LOVERS' DISCUSSION GROUP: Vineyards on ungrafted vines A visitor to Australia is impressed by Chateau Tahbilk's gnarled old Shiraz vines that date back to 1860, and asks what other famous vineyards boast ancient or ungrafted vines. http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=1&tid =50519&mid=429286 ___________________________________________________________________ LAST WEEK'S WINE ADVISOR INDEX The Wine Advisor's daily edition is usually distributed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (and, for those who subscribe, the FoodLetter on Thursdays). Here's the index to last week's columns: * Zin vs. Norton (May 7, 2004) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa040507.phtml * Discovering Uruguay (May 5, 2004) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa040505.phtml * WT101: Barbera (May 3, 2004) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa040503.phtml * Complete 30 Second Wine Advisor archive: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/thelist.shtml * Wine Advisor FoodLetter: Grilled asparagus (May 6, 2004) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tsfl040506.phtml * Wine Advisor Foodletter archive: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/foodlist.phtml ___________________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: * 30 Second Wine Advisor, daily or weekly (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/index.shtml * Wine Advisor FoodLetter, Thursdays (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/foodletter.shtml * Wine Advisor Premium Edition, alternate Tuesdays ($24/year) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/premium.phtml ARCHIVES: For all past editions: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/thelist.shtml CONTACT US E-mail: wine(a)wineloverspage.com SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: For information, E-mail wine(a)wineloverspage.com ___________________________________________________________________ ADMINISTRIVIA To subscribe or unsubscribe from The 30 Second Wine Advisor, change your E-mail address, switch from weekly to daily distribution, or for any other administrative matters, click to http://www.wineloverspage.com/admin.php?id=20970&cs=7d1109b668af1f87d36d12e… We welcome feedback, suggestions, and ideas for future columns. We do not use this list for any other purpose and will never give or sell your name or E-mail to anyone. All the wine-tasting reports posted here are consumer-oriented. In order to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, I purchase all the wines I rate at my own expense in retail stores and accept no samples, gifts or other gratuities from the wine industry. Monday, May 10, 2004 Copyright 2004 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved. ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Notes from Erte, Nothing this week.

by Jim L. Ellingson

Not meeting this week. Many of us are going to the Napa Valley Vintners Assoc. tasting, Childrens hospital bennefit, at the Milwaukee Road Depot. Thursday night, 7:00, $75, but $40 is tax deductable. Probably not meeting next week. Next week, the NE Mpls Neighborhood Tasting is on Thursday. Grand Tastings and Bennefit is on Friday at the Convention Center. Loots of wine sales on-going. Haskell's Nickel Sale ends on Saturday. 20/20 sale at Surdyks. 20 % off any wine over $20. S. Lyndale (at 50th?) sale. France 44 sale starts Friday. Mix/match case prices are quite good. Cheers, Jim Many thanks to Russ for sharing his excellent notes. Australians at Erte . 4/29/2004 Thursday night wine group. Tasted blind, in paper bags, as usual. W1 . nice clean floral nose with late petrol overtones, riesling or not very spicy gewurz? Good flavor, as it smells, excellent freshness, nice aperitif. 2001 Pipers Brook Estate Gewurztraminer . Tasmania. The winemaker is Andrew Pirie, who made several legendary (possibly even mythical?) tiny-production Aussie sparkling wines about a decade ago. W2 . very vegetal nose, presumably sauvignon blanc, this is pretty much what they mean when they call SB wines grassy or weedy? Rich wine, tastes as it smells which is to say firmly planted on the vegetal side of the aromatic spectrum, possible touch of residual sugar, finishes with power but not extreme length. Needs compatible food given the very strong vegetal aromas. 2000 Omaka Springs Sauvignon Blanc . Marlborough. (New Zealand rather than Australia. Getting old; not at all oxidized, but the grassy smells are dominating as the wine begins to lose its primary fruit.) 1.1 . medium purple, good-sized fruity-funky shiraz nose, gamy grilled meat, sweet and tannic, lots of acid structure, decent power and length. 2000 Deakin Estate Shiraz . Victoria. 1.2 . deep color, attractive sweet oak and fruit nose, some alcohol on nose, tastes as it smells including the alcohol, big wine in balance, true tasting through a focused finish, very good. 1996 Yalumba "Growers" Shiraz . Barossa. 1.3 . medium, maturing color; more finesse and less power on nose than preceding wines; light body, lacks acid structure, again gaminess in the fruit, decent finish, just OK quality. 2000 RBJ "Vox Populi" . Barossa Valley. 2.1 . deep, dark color; reticent but clean nose, middleweight, lacks fruit, good balance though; finish sneaky long but not very authoritative, lacks power; overall, the wine lacks concentration, excessive vineyard yield?? 1993 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon . South Australia. 2.2 . very dark color; DEEP shiraz nose, black fruits, meaty; round, fruity, weighty, alcohol, tannin, all in good balance, tasty! Big finish, still quite tannic, this is very good drinking. 1998 Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz . Coonawarra. 2.3 . very dark; big mentholyptus black fruit and sweet peppers cabernet nose; distinguished mouth entry, characteristic cabernet astringence, very aromatic midpalate with lots of black curranty fruit, tannic midpalate, finishes with good power, length and smoother tannins, outstanding wine. 1994 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon . South Australia. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 7 months

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