win December 2006

win@thebarn.com

5 participants
18 discussions

by Jim L. Ellingson

No idea who's planning to be there. Fred P and the Gregory's are otherwise detained. Vin du jour is Tuscan. Menu is on line para link below. Reviews from Rake and MN Monthly. Yes: Bob Jim (if the flu lets up) Bill and freind? Roger and friend? Betsy? Lori? Annette? Karin/Nicolai? Russ/Sue JJ Dave Cheers, Jim The Rake Secrets of the City © Rake Publishing, Inc. | visit www.rakemag.com December 2006 RESTAURANT: Il Vesco Vino With its creaky floors, exposed brick, and multiple fireplaces, the Victorian manse at 579 Selby has always welcomed diners with casual elegance. When it housed The Vintage Restaurant, the food reviews were mixed, but with the opening of Il Vesco Vino (The Bishop.s Wine), the cuisine finally matches its surroundings in terms of both quality and comfort. The venerable family behind I Nonni and Buon Giorno discreetly took over the space and brought in their honored Italian recipes for dishes like ventresca tuna, beef carpaccio, grilled octopus, and a dense and satisfying gnocchi.all paired with interesting wines offered by the carafe. 579 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-222-7000; www.ilvescovino.com ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Greetings, Last I heard, we're doing Tuscan wines at Il Vesco Vino at 6:30 on Thursday.... can anyone confirm or confound? Anything shaking for New Year's Eve (aka Amature Night)? Cheers, Jim Just when you think it's impossible for MN Monthly to criticise anything or anyone, they come out w/ this: New Vintage A historic St. Paul address turns its tables to become Il Vesco Vino, a welcoming trattoria New Vintage Terry Brennan I can still hardly believe the Vintage in St. Paul lasted as long as it did, surviving its share of infamous incidents. There was the alleged drug bust.something about a cook having crystal meth shipped to the restaurant. And the memorable evening during which a pre-heart-surgery Garrison Keillor knocked back numerous glasses of wine. And, finally, the unfortunate event involving a very ticked-off marine biologist who had been served monkfish in the guise of lobster. One local critic remarked that the place had .a shameful and appalling history of consistently serving some of the worst food I have ever eaten in a .nice. restaurant.. It was time for the Vintage to go.and last September, after nearly a decade in business, it did. In its place, we have Il Vesco Vino (Italian for .the bishop.s wine,. perhaps a spoof on The Bishop.s Wife, a classic holiday film in which an angel played by Cary Grant is sent to help a church leader get his marriage back on track). Considering the pedigree of its owners, who include the Marchionda family (owners of the I Nonni Italian restaurant and Buon Giorno market in Lilydale), and Wally Buffalo (I Nonni.s former sous-chef, who most recently headed Nochee), Il Vesco Vino shouldn.t require divine intervention. With its inviting fireplaces and friendly staff, Il Vesco Vino feels like a more casual cousin of I Nonni.polished stone tabletops versus white linens. You can walk in off the street, bring the kids, and avoid the drive to Lilydale. Photo by Terry Brennan The elegant 1880s duplex (which is divided into multiple rooms on two levels, with banquet space on the third and fourth floors) feels cozier than I Nonni, whose architecture riffs on the neighboring McMansions. On busy nights, though, Il Vesco Vino.s unusual space becomes a liability. With no softening textures, chatter bounces off brick instead of staying private. The hiss of the steaming espresso machine stifles conversation like an airplane overhead. When someone cracks a joke at a table of six, it elicits a deafening roar. The noise level makes the place feel less like a restaurant and more like a bar, as does the garish ceiling-mounted television. And while the exclusively Italian wine list (unique but approachable, not too expensive, and available in cute carafes) seems appropriate for a light meal, many of the snacking items weren.t very impressive. There.s nothing wrong with the simple plates of meats or cheeses, or the tonno e fagioli (cooked tuna, cannellini beans, onion, lemon, and oil), except that they.re the sorts of things you.d be perfectly capable of making yourself at home. Of the fried snacks, or fritti (the Neapolitan staple has its own section on the menu), the baccalàsalt-cod fritters) and arancini (rice and mozzarella balls) had delicate crusts, but inside was an indistinguishable, flavorless gruel. The buffalo carpaccio had the opposite problem: too high a PSI.peppercorns per square inch.rating, overwhelming the flavor of the meat. A sample of the tasty house-made meatballs led us to believe we.d be better off eschewing finger food for heartier fare. Served in a faintly sweet tomato sauce, the meatballs had the same rich, homey characteristics found in the restaurant.s best pastas. The menu avoids the standard sauces, like Bolognese and Alfredo, and instead features ingredients from southern Italy. I was somewhat skeptical about the braised goat leg in the ziti all.Avellinese, after mixed experiences with the sometimes tough, gamey meat at African and Jamaican restaurants. Instead, the goat was as tender as pot roast. Combined with tomato and mild caciocavallo cheese, then baked to create the slightest crust, it was ideal comfort food. From the seaside selection of pastas, the lasagna nera satisfied us most, its squid ink pasta bridging the flavors of seafood and béamel. The straightforward pasta was the most disappointing: the gnocchi alla sorrentina were dense and pasty as a Chef Boyardee product. Photo by Terry Brennan A number of the secondi courses succeeded in their smart, simple compositions and, hovering just under $20, they offer a good value. Both of the fish dishes I tried.red snapper, paired with slices of roasted eggplant and a pickled beet salad; and halibut, served with sweet corn, grapefruit, and basil.were imaginative preparations with lively flavors, based more on Buffalo.s inspiration than Italian tradition. Again, there were entrécontradictions: the braised beef short ribs were a hit, complemented with a splash of spicy oil and a side of pert lentils (if you tend to pooh-poo this overlooked legume, these should change your mind). But the mushy, over-salted veal was passed over after a couple of bites. Nothing on the dessert list screamed there.s no way you.re leaving without at least one bite. And, as it turned out, the ho-hum Neapolitan doughnuts didn.t seem worth lingering over, nor did the icy gelato. (I pouted a bit when remembering the heaven-sent stuff served at cafénear the Vatican.) To make sure Il Vesco Vino doesn.t become known as .the bishop.s whine,. perhaps Cary Grant could don his wings and drop on by for a visit? Il Vesco Vino 579 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-222-7000 Open Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Sunday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations not necessary but recommended on weekends. Parking in adjacent lot or on the street. Prices appetizers $6.$13, entré $14.$21

18 years, 11 months

[wine] Re: Sparkling fwd WPost

by Betsy Kremser

Bob made a reservation for 8(?) people at Il Vesco Vino. >>> "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> 12/27/2006 11:25 AM >>> Greetings, Last I heard, we're doing Tuscan wines at Il Vesco Vino at 6:30 on Thursday.... can anyone confirm or confound? Anything shaking for New Year's Eve (aka Amature Night)? Here's some thoughts on bubbls from today's Post. Cheers, Jim <snip>

18 years, 11 months

[wine] Sparkling fwd WPost

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Last I heard, we're doing Tuscan wines at Il Vesco Vino at 6:30 on Thursday.... can anyone confirm or confound? Anything shaking for New Year's Eve (aka Amature Night)? Here's some thoughts on bubbls from today's Post. Cheers, Jim NEWS | OPINIONS | SPORTS | ARTS & LIVING | Discussions | Photos & Video | City Guide | CLASSIFIEDS | JOBS | CARS | REAL ESTATE <A TARGET="_new" HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/34c8/3/0/%2a/n%3B41985313%3B0-0%3B1%…"><IMG SRC="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/advertisers/newsweek/health/112706/300…" BORDER=0></A> It's All About the Bubbles By BEN GILIBERTI Wednesday, December 27, 2006; F02 T o ring in 2007, nothing beats a bottle of French champagne, which has the style, flavor, complexity and, yes, the tiniest dancing bubbles of any sparkling wine. With prices dipping to about $25 at retail outlets this year, champagne has become a distinctly affordable luxury. For larger gatherings or smaller budgets, other sparkling wines, at prices as low as $10, can also make for delightful imbibing. These champagnes are listed in order of personal preference based on quality and value. For inexpensive sparklers, my highest rating goes to the most shameless imitators of French champagne. Resources for finding wines include http://www.winesearcher.com and http://www.wineaccess.com. Call stores to verify availability. Prices are approximate. FRENCH CHAMPAGNE Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve ($30): Aggressive pricing makes this toasty, full-bodied offering irresistible. Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut ($35): This aperitif-style champagne is magically racy, with marvelous clouds of bubbles. Aubry Brut Premier Cru ($30): Lovely honeyed apple with subtle smoky finish. Medium-bodied. Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top ($28); Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top Premier Cru ($40): Explosively fruity and bright with bubbles that just won't quit. The Premier Cru has more body. Roger Pouillon & Fils Brut Cuvee de Reserve ($36): Beautiful focus with warm, mellow flavors of toast, ginger and pear. Piper-Heidsieck Brut ($27): The low-price leader among the big houses delivers a full quotient of yeasty fruit and lively effervescence. Bertrand-Delespierre Brut Tradition Premier Cru ($38); Bertrand-Delespierre Brut 2000 Premier Cru Millesime ($50): Mouth-filling pinot noir flavors and toast-ginger bouquet. Joseph Perrier Brut Cuvee Royale ($39): This medium-bodied brut offers intriguing notes of mineral and smoke with spiced apple and pear flavors. Pommery Brut Royal ($38); Pommery Brut Apanage ($46): Brut Royal is fresh and racy, and Apanage adds a mellow notes from older reserve wines. Jean Laurent Brut Blanc de Blancs ($35); Jean Laurent Brut Blanc de Noirs ($35): Although one is made from chardonnay and the other from pinot noir, both have authoritative flavors and bounteous bubbles. Louis Roederer Brut Premier ($40): Yeasty and toasty, with a rich overlay of coffee/mocha notes on the husky fruit. Pascal Doquet Brut Blanc de Blancs ($45): Rich bouquet followed by ripe, toasty apple and pear fruit flavors. Deutz Brut Classic ($34): Zingy citrus and apple fruit ride over the palate on clouds of tiny bubbles. Pol Roger Brut Extra Cuvee de Reserve ($35): Impressive, full-bodied; can be enjoyed now or cellared for one or two years. Canard-Duchene Brut Cuvee Leonie ($39): Fresh, robust and lively. Taittinger Brut La Francaise ($36): Subtle and elegant as always. INEXPENSIVE SPARKLING WINES Charles de Fere Brut Blanc de Blancs Reserve ($10; France); Charles de Fere Jean-Louis Brut Blanc de Blancs ($9): The chardonnay-dominated reserve is champagne-like, with notes of toast, citrus and apple. The Jean-Louis is lighter and nicely crisp. Both are amazing for the money. Gruet Brut Blanc de Noirs ($15; New Mexico); Gruet Brut ($15): Great structure and character in these unlikely sparkling wines from New Mexico. Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs Brut Sonoma County ($15; California); Gloria Ferrer Brut Sonoma County ($15; California): Both offer lots of robust pinot noir character. The blanc de noirs is huskier. Saint-Germain Brut French Sparkling Wine ($10): Lively, fresh and tasty. Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut Columbia Valley ($12; Washington); Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs Columbia Valley ($12): Fresh fruit flavors with a vibrant finish. Do you have a question for wine columnist Ben Giliberti? E-mail him atfood(a)washpost.com. -- -----------------------------day, December 27, 2006; F02 WINE OF THE WEEK Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut Champagne ($39; France) Tastes Like Honey, apple and citrus, with vanilla, coffee and smoky mushroom on the finish. The bouquet is of grilled nuts and bread. Grape Varieties60 percent pinot noir, 25 percent chardonnay, 15 percent pinot meunier. What's Special About It Although Special Cuvee is classified as a standard non-vintage brut, it has the authoritative flavors of a top-of-the-line champagne such as Dom Perignon, Roederer Cristal and Krug Grand Cuvee. Serve With Veal and poultry recipes using mushrooms or truffles. How It's Made While most champagne houses use modern, temperature-controlled stainless-steel fermentation tanks, Bollinger uses traditional oak barrels for the first fermentation, which adds a warm, toasty character. Bollinger also uses a high percentage of older reserve wines, which are added to younger wines for the second fermentation in the bottle. Winery Bollinger has been owned and managed by the same family since it was founded in 1829, a rarity in today's era of corporate control. Bollinger relies on its own vineyards for nearly two-thirds of its grapes, an unusually high percentage for a major house. Geography The Champagne region is a glorious fluke of nature. Its dry, chalky soil is almost useless for growing anything but vines, and it is situated so high in the northern latitudes that the grapes can barely ripen. The complex mineral notes from the soil and the steely acidity imparted by the cold climate combine to create a vibrant and complex sparkler unlike any other in the world. On the Label"By appointment to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II Purveyors of Champagne, Champagne Bollinger S.A." Queen Victoria granted Bollinger the Royal Warrant as Official Champagne to the Court in 1884. The connection with the Brits remains strong. Winston Churchill guzzled with abandon, and James Bond's Aston Martin sports a refrigerated bottle in the center console. Vintage Note Bollinger Special Cuvee is a non-vintage brut, or, more aptly, a multi-vintage blend. Blending of vintages is used by virtually all champagne houses to maintain a consistent house style from year to year. Historical Sip Bollinger owns the vineyard that produced Thomas Jefferson's favorite wine from champagne. However, unlike most champagnes today, it was a still wine. Where to Get It Bollinger is imported nationally by Paterno Wines International and is widely available in area retail shops. For more information on availability, check http://www.paternowines.com/locator. * 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 *

18 years, 11 months

[wine] Right Bottle Wrong Wine

by russellmccandless＠frontiernet.net

The following is from Wine Spectator on line: Right Bottle, Wrong Wine Right Bottle, Wrong Wine Counterfeit bottles are multiplying as the global demand for collectible wines surges Posted: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 By Mitch Frank There's a joke in the restaurant world that Las Vegas dining rooms serve more Château Pétrus 1982 in a year than the Pomerol estate ever made. Sadly, that may not be a gross exaggeration. Rajat Parr, wine director for Michael Mina's restaurants in San Francisco and Las Vegas, remembers when his staff at one of the four Vegas venues told him of a customer who ordered three bottles of '82 Pétrus the previous night. "He drank the first bottle," said Parr. "And sent the second bottle back--it didn't taste right to him--but he loved the third bottle." Inspecting the corks and empty bottles, Parr was embarrassed to realize that the first and third bottles were fakes; the second was the real thing. There is a growing fear in the wine industry that counterfeit bottles are on the rise. While it's impossible to know how widespread the problem is, some insiders fear as much as 5 percent of wines sold in secondary markets--the prized bottles collectors cellar for a decade or more--may be fakes. Globalization, trade and technology have all made counterfeiting easy, and not just in wine. The World Customs Bureau estimates that $600 billion of counterfeit goods--clothes, luggage, consumer electronics, cigarettes and yes, wine--are sold every year. Computers can effortlessly reproduce ornate wine labels, and counterfeiters have learned how to fake out consumers' palates. In 2002, Hong Kong customs officials uncovered 30 bottles of fake Château Lafite Rothschild 1982, today worth about $800 per bottle at auction. The counterfeiters had simply bought bottles of Lafite 1991, a much weaker vintage, then worth only $100 a bottle, and relabeled them. Last year, an Italian court convicted four men of selling fake Sassicaia 1995 in Tuscany from the back of a Peugeot hatchback; a raid on a warehouse found 20,000 bottles of the fake super Tuscan. Vigilance is growing, but not as quickly as the demand for small-production, ageworthy wines. The auction market is booming, with sales growing 375 percent between 1994 and 2005, as eager new collectors have driven up prices. That's proved tempting to counterfeiters, and scared some wine buyers away. "We get 50 offers of rare wines for sale every day," said Richard Betts, wine director for Montagna at the Little Nell in Aspen, a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner. "They can't all be legit." Betts only buys from one auction house, preferring to buy direct from private collectors he knows. Auction houses are quick to defend themselves, however. Acker, Merrall & Condit president John Kapon insists that all consigned wines are carefully inspected and that he'll often cut the capsule to inspect the cork before he'll accept a wine. "Most important, though, is knowing who you're dealing with," said Kapon. "We try to work only with large collectors we know and trust, whose wines we've tasted in the past." Kapon and Parr both believe the wineries need to be doing more to safeguard their products. "If you're going to charge $750 a bottle, you have a responsibility to the consumer," said Kapon. Some producers have taken action, such as developing innovative new ways to mark bottles with serial numbers or by engraving the glass. One Italian company created what it calls a talking wine label, while Italian producer Arnaldo Caprai introduced the smart cork to some of its bottlings. However, "It is a problem for old vintages because no precautions were taken," explained Jean-Luc Thunevin, owner of Château Valandraud. Many Burgundy and Rhône producers didn't brand corks until the 1980s, and some top Bordeaux châteaus kept limited records of volumes and bottlings before the 1950s of the wines they produced. Trying to prevent future counterfeits, some producers are taking an active interest in how their wine is distributed. Champagne Louis Roederer created its own U.S. distribution firm to exercise greater control over where their top cuvée Cristal goes. But until more producers take additional steps, the onus is squarely on the buyer. Parr, for one, keeps a collection of empty bottles and old corks so he can study what the classics should look like. "You want people to be careful, but not to panic," said Betts. (End)

18 years, 11 months

[wine] WSJ.com - A New Wine-World Order

by Betsy.Kremser＠co.anoka.mn.us

*Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified. You have received the following link from Betsy.Kremser(a)co.anoka.mn.us ******************** If you are having trouble with any of the links in this message, or if the URL's are not appearing as links, please follow the instructions at the bottom of this email. Title: WSJ.com - A New Wine-World Order This article will be available to non-subscribers of the Online Journal for up to seven days after it is e-mailed. Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to access the sent link: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMail… Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to SAVE THIS link: http://www.savethis.clickability.com/st/saveThisPopupApp?clickMap=saveFromE… Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to forward this link: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=forward&etMailT… ******************** Email pages from any Web site you visit - add the EMAIL THIS button to your browser, copy and paste the following into your Web browser: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=browserButtons&…" ********************* Instructions: ----------------------------------------- If your e-mail program doesn't recognize Web addresses: 1. With your mouse, highlight the Web Address above. Be sure to highlight the entire Web address, even if it spans more than one line in your email. 2. Select Copy from the Edit menu at the top of your screen. 3. Launch your Web browser. 4. Paste the address into your Web browser by selecting Paste from the Edit menu. 5. Click Go or press Enter or Return on your keyboard. ********************

18 years, 11 months

[wine] Proven Pinots at Emmas. 6:30

by Jim L. Ellingson

Mostly an update. Hovering at 13. Small, gentle pours please. Proven Pinot at Emmas. 6:30 on Thursday (our usual day and time) Weather could be messy. After dinner WILL NOT be a good time to be looking for your ice scraper, your washer fluid or your jumper cables. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- > On 12/19/06 1:27 PM, "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> wrote: > > > Emma's Restaurant and Lounge > > > > A low-key neighborhood sweetheart with fine-dining aspirations, Emma's is > > where you'll find young chef and owner Emily Streeter cooking her likable > > French-touched classics. For dinner you'll find carefully made bistro classics > > as well as more ambitious showpieces. Streeter works particularly well with > > flavors along a single theme: One wintertime special of goose fat-braised duck > > crusted with fines herbes and served in a smoked tomato duck stock with > > potatoes, leeks, and fresh baby fava beans was unforgettable. During weekend > > brunch, unpretentious dishes like fried-egg cutouts and French toast as fluffy > > as bed pillows brighten every table--and cost the same as at nearby style-less > > diners. Emma's back lounge is a hidden oasis, and the wine, cocktails, and > > privacy are a welcome after-dinner treat for those who want a drink, but not a > > bar. American Posh. $$-$$$, Breakfast / Brunch, Great Bar. > > 2817 Lyndale Ave S, Mpls.; 612.879.5800 > > > > Proven Pinots at Emmas. 2817 Lyndale (was 3 Muses?). > > Bob > > Lori > > Betsy > > Annette S > > Jim > > Warren/Ruth/Steve > > Karin/Nicolai Dave T > Jeff G. Fred Petters > > Cheers, > > Jim > >

18 years, 11 months

[wine] CA Bubbles, 6:30

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Our standard day and time is 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. FYI/FYE December 20, 2006 The Pour Napa Sparkle to Make a French Nose Twitch By ERIC ASIMOV Calistoga, Calif. OLIVE trees more than 100 years old arch over a wide forest lane on Diamond Mountain, a little southeast of this rustic spa town on the northern tip of the Napa Valley. The sun glints through the slender leaves, and occasionally the Napa Palisades show their craggy ridges off to the north. Hugh Davies grew up on this land. He was born in 1965, the year his parents, Jack and Jamie, founded Schramsberg Vineyards and dedicated themselves to producing world-class sparkling wine. Now he is 41 and president of Schramsberg. Dressed in a flannel shirt, jeans and a quilted blue vest, he greets cellar workers in Spanish. He has a confidence born of doing what comes naturally. Still, when I asked him why some producers of sparkling wine in California persist in calling it .Champagne,. it touched a nerve. .The notion of French Champagne still has a perception of quality and luxury,. he said, adding that Schramsberg itself dropped the .Champagne. from its label around 2000. Playing catch-up with the French is difficult. But with sparkling wine, nothing is easy . not growing the grapes, not making the wine, not putting it in bottles. Even selling it is a challenge, except at the approach of the new year, when holiday thirst demands fizz. Going into the sparkling wine business in California, then, requires considerable determination, along with a dollop of ignorance of the hazards lying ahead. Jack and Jamie Davies were generously equipped with both back in 1965, when they acquired an abandoned vineyard on Diamond Mountain, with a crumbling gingerbread house and a network of cool caves that had been dug into the hillside by Chinese railroad workers in the 1870s and .80s. But they also had ambition, enough to want their sparkling wine to be among the world.s best. They called their wine Schramsberg after Jacob Schram, who bought the place in 1862, built the house and planted 100 acres of grapes. The Davieses issued their first sparkling wine, a 1965 blanc de blancs, at a time when nobody was making Champagne-style sparkling wines in California. True to form, their path to greatness was not easy. But now with Hugh, the youngest of their three sons, at the helm, Schramsberg can take its place in the world.s sparkling pantheon. In fact, American sparkling wines, at least the elite, have never been better. Several dozen California producers now make sparkling wine in the style of Champagne, but the best are Schramsberg, Roederer Estate and Iron Horse. Of these, Schramsberg has the best story by far, a story of perseverance in the face of obstacles, to do what nobody else had done. The story, of course, is no good without the wine, and Schramsberg sparkling wine is very good, indeed. The biggest seller today is the vintage blanc de blancs, made entirely from chardonnay. The 2002, which goes for around $25 a bottle, is dry, crisp and delicate with just a touch of pleasing yeastiness. The high-end 1999 J. Schram, an $80 bottle, is richer and yeastier, with toasty, caramelized flavors that combine with a floral creaminess to achieve depth and complexity while retaining its delicate texture. The J. Schram is 74 percent chardonnay and 26 percent pinot noir. The 2000 Schramsberg Reserve, an equally expensive bottle, takes the opposite approach and is dominated by pinot noir, giving it more tangible fruit flavors, though it remains crisp and elegant. In 2006, just in time for the boom in roséparkling wines, Schramsberg issued its first J. Schram roséa 1998 vintage, dry yet deliciously juicy and structured, with berry and fruit flavors, though it is primarily chardonnay. The roséetails for $120, unheard of for an American sparkling wine. .You can make extraordinary cabernets outside of Bordeaux, and great pinot noirs outside of Burgundy,. Mr. Davies said. .Maybe it.s the one category of wine where it.s not yet understood that you can make beautiful sparkling wines outside of Champagne.. Regardless, the top Schramsberg cuvé are superb sparklers and would be extremely difficult to pick out from a lineup of Champagnes. California produced plenty of .Champagne. when the Davieses were getting started, just as it was making boatloads of .Burgundy. and .Chablis.. Some of it was even bottle-fermented in the true Champagne fashion, though the two leading producers, Korbel and Hanns Kornell, were using grapes like French colombard, chenin blanc and Johannisberg riesling in their sparkling wines. Fair enough, but not the traditional Champagne grapes of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. After moving from Los Angeles, where Jack had been an executive, the Davieses began to restore the old house. They rid the tunnels of a legion of bats, and insisted on planting their Diamond Mountain vineyard with pinot noir and chardonnay, even though little of either grape was planted then in California. There was only one problem. As with much of the Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain is cabernet country. The summers here can be too warm for pinot noir and chardonnay, and this part of Napa is especially unsuited for grapes destined for sparkling wine, which are best when barely ripe, when the acidity is razor sharp and before the sugar levels shoot up. In the Champagne region of France the grapes rarely ripen enough to make a good still wine. But for Champagne they are just right. In California, sparkling wine producers have to grow grapes in cooler regions, like Carneros or Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, and then pick them early before they ripen completely. It.s tricky and difficult, and it is one reason that California sparkling wine can often taste overly fruity and dull next to the more focused Champagne model. The Davieses struggled with the fruit from their vineyard, always supplementing it from other sources. Today, Schramsberg gets grapes from 83 vineyards, from Marin to Mendocino Counties, leading to a logistical nightmare at harvest time. The estate vineyard was replanted in 1994. .Once we decided to replant, it didn.t take too long for cabernet to enter the mind, and other Bordeaux varietals,. Hugh Davies said. The first release of the J. Davies cabernet sauvignon was the 2001 vintage. The 2003 J. Davies is polished, restrained and elegant, without the rugged tannins of some other Diamond Mountain cabernets. .I think there was a little bit of chagrin for all of us, but we convinced ourselves that we could really make a go of a cabernet-based wine,. Mr. Davies said. Schramsberg sparkling wines were recognized early on. They were first served at the White House in 1972, at a state dinner. The first barrage in the invasion of California by French Champagne producers also took place in the 1970s, and eventually included such famous names as Moë& Chandon, Piper-Heidsieck, Mumm, Deutz and Roederer. Despite all their expertise, only Roederer Estate, in the Anderson Valley, has consistently produced great sparkling wines. Meanwhile, the Schramsberg sparkling wines have never been better. Jack Davies died in 1998. Jamie Davies remains chairwoman of Schramsberg, although Hugh is largely running the place. From under 1,000 cases of sparkling wine in the first few years, Schramsberg now makes more than 55,000 cases. Regardless of the quality of California sparkling wine, Hugh Davies feels that it doesn.t get a fair shake next to Champagne. To prove a point, he has held tastings around the country, matching Schramsberg.s best bottles against Champagne.s best. Schramsberg usually does pretty well. .Our point is not to say we.re better than those guys,. he said, .but we have to be aggressive in our marketing, because people are not going to give us the benefit of the doubt.. Paying $120 for a bottle of the sparkling roséight say otherwise. -- ------------------------------ * * 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 *

18 years, 11 months

[wine] Pinot at Emma's

by Jim L. Ellingson

Emma's Restaurant and Lounge A low-key neighborhood sweetheart with fine-dining aspirations, Emma's is where you'll find young chef and owner Emily Streeter cooking her likable French-touched classics. For dinner you'll find carefully made bistro classics as well as more ambitious showpieces. Streeter works particularly well with flavors along a single theme: One wintertime special of goose fat-braised duck crusted with fines herbes and served in a smoked tomato duck stock with potatoes, leeks, and fresh baby fava beans was unforgettable. During weekend brunch, unpretentious dishes like fried-egg cutouts and French toast as fluffy as bed pillows brighten every table--and cost the same as at nearby style-less diners. Emma's back lounge is a hidden oasis, and the wine, cocktails, and privacy are a welcome after-dinner treat for those who want a drink, but not a bar. American Posh. $$-$$$, Breakfast / Brunch, Great Bar. View Map 2817 Lyndale Ave S, Mpls.; 612.879.5800 > > While we're at it. Looks to be a bigger group next week. Proven Pinots at Emmas. 2817 Lyndale (was 3 Muses?). Bob Lori Betsy Bill and Linda? Warren/Ruth/Steve Jim Annette S Roger and ? Karin/Nicolai Jeff G. Cheers, Jim

18 years, 11 months

[wine] Notes from Zipp's bubbly tasting 12-18-06

by russellmccandless＠frontiernet.net

Happy holidays to everyone. Sorry I'll miss the excursion to Emma's. (And what is a "proven" pinot, anyhow?) Will hope to see you Thursday evening, 12-28, assuming we meet that night. Safe traveling to those who will be on the road. Zipp's Bubbly Tasting 12-18-2006 Ambience: a stand-up tasting with water and crackers on the concrete floor in Zipp's back room. On the other hand: Riedel glassware, plenty of wine, and the price of the tasting (free) was oh so right. PROSECCO (did not taste any of these) Paoni Col Vetoraz Nino Franco Rose CAVA Cristalino (not tasted). 2000 Juve y Camps Brut Nature ? the traditional cava blend of macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo, with little or no dosage. Very cava nose, dry as dust, stinky in a good way from the old-school grapes. Tastes as it smells, lacks aromatic force and turns surprisingly (unharmoniously?) sweet at the end, pretty good length though. Won't be everyone's cup of tea but you could sip this outdoors with tapas on a warm evening?. NV Castillo Perelada Brut Rose ? their high end cuvee with the Salvador Dali black and gold label, forgot to write down the name. Nose identifiably cava, very dry, smells attractively of strawberry. Midpalate structured, volume, lots of fruit, astringently dry (a touch tannic?), smooth transition to a forceful, delicious, characterful and very long finish. Yum! Very individual. Costs as much as cheap (real) Champagne, but worth it. NEW WORLD Korbel Brut (not tasted). Domaine Ste Michele Blanc de Noirs (not tasted). Roederer Estate Brut, Anderson Valley ? not tasted on this occasion, although I've had the current release of this wine 2-3 times in the past couple of months and enjoyed it very much, plenty of rich fruit (and plenty of structure, but not austere as this wine often is on release), perhaps reflective of the warm growing conditions in 2003 and/or 2004. Roederer Estate Brut Rose, Anderson Valley ? initially seemed very austere and thus more in the usual Roederer California style, reserved on the nose and so structured in the mouth that it seemed to lack fruit ? until you chew it for a while, then the fruit comes out. I may have failed to notice that it was served too cold. Really excellent length. Fine prospects in the cellar at only $21. NV Jansz (Australia) ? the blend is from Victoria, Tasmania, and one other appellation. Faint oxidized brown sugar aroma and flavor, not much structure, did not care for this at all compared to the two fine roses that preceded it. EUROPE, NON-CHAMPAGNE Simonnet-Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne (not tasted). Baumard Cremant de Loire ("Carte Turquoise") ? not tasted on this occasion, although this was very successful with a rich crab bisque at a wine dinner we attended recently. At the price ($15+) I personally prefer the California bubblies, but others may prefer the Loire flavor profile. This is clean, nicely structured, well made and affordable. 2000 Richter Sekt (Riesling) (not tasted). 2001 August Kesseler Spatburgunder Weissherbst ? Rheingau. Methode champenoise (or klassische flaschengarung, if you prefer). Oeil de perdrix color. SO2 on nose but it blew off with aeration of the wine. Nose pure clean fruit and flowers, herbal undertones; German flavored mouth entry in the sense of the flowers and spices (not the diesel fuel), delicious, this has real finesse, the finish very forceful and very long, snappy dry, this is excellent. You get several dollars change back from your $20; fine value. CHAMPAGNE NV Philipponnat Royale Reserve ? Philipponnat's basic nonvintage brut. This particular bottle, disgorged March 2003, smelled old, oxidized, funky and unattractive. No way to know whether the bottle was representative, but basic n.v. brut closing in on four years post disgorgement is getting pretty old. NV Bollinger Special Cuvee ? not tasted on this occasion, although I'd certainly recommend the wine, having bought a case of it last month. 1996 Bollinger Grande Annee ? nose massive, pure, the chardonnay dominant at this point in its evolution, may I curl up with this please; midpalate weight, force, finesse despite its great size, a whiplash of acidity late, flavor goes on and on. QUITE oaky at the moment, as the pinot noir aromatics don't seem very developed yet and pinot noir is undoubtedly well over half the cuvee. Amazing wine; may we all live to drink this at its peak (2020?). 1996 Pol Roger Brut Rose ? initially reticent nose of wild strawberry, licorice, sweet lemons; huge on the midpalate, very intense fruit struggling (but not yet succeeding) to balance the searing 1996 acid structure, a touch bitter (tannic?), finish leaves your mouth tingling. Genuinely difficult to drink now, although exciting! This is YEARS away but I'd be very, very surprised if it didn't turn out well. 1998 Dom Perignon ? SO2 on nose, to the point that I can't tell you what it smelled like; in the mouth good aromatic force, class, finesse, tastes of quite a few different fruits; intrusive acidity on transition, then finishes as it tastes, with very good but not outstanding length. Pleasant enough (except for the over-sulfured nose), but against the competition at the tete de cuvee level, this lacks volume, mass, and flavor authority. 2000 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion ? nose of flowers, anise, quince, tangerine, mint, peach; tastes sweet and pure, considerable fruit, midweight, fascinating flavor; absolutely gorgeous finesse transition to an increasingly intense and delicious finish. The best wine here, albeit the '96 Bollinger may be better some day. Affordable; this costs about the same as two bottles of cheap Champagne. Probably lots of potential for development with time in the cellar, but so delicious now ? why wait? SPECIAL GUEST NON-SPARKLING PINOT NOIR 1999 Bollinger Cote aux Enfants, Coteaux Champenois Rouge. Bollinger's single-vineyard still pinot noir from Ay. Silenced the room. Tasting notes would not do the wine justice. Definitely recommended to pinot noir fans. Something of a rarity: in the 1999 vintage, 327 cases.

18 years, 11 months

[wine] trying to remember the wines at Jim & Louise tonight

by Jeff Grossman

There were sparkling x3, white x4, red x4+3+3, and sweet x2. Sparkling: (champers), Roederer +3 yrs, Roederer White: (Bordeaux), ?, (sauvignon-semillon Vdp D'Oc), Macon-Lugny "Les Charmes" unwooded chard Red x4: (cheapie), (another 1989), Ch. Meyney 1989, Mt. Veeder Red x3: Ch. Grolet 2003, Blue Rock 2001, Opus One 1995 Red x3: ?, Ch. Les Gravieres, Ch. Lynch-Bages 2001 Sweet: (Italian), (Yakima late-harvest gewurz) Can anyone fill in the rest? --- The winery I was trying to remember -- that makes a very nice pinot but a terrible syrah -- is Penner-Ash. The Italian winery Maculan makes *four* sweet wines: Torcolato, Dindarello, Acininobili, and Madoro. --- Finally, a big Thank-You! to Jim and Louise for opening up their home for the event, and for providing wonderful steak and breads (and plates and flatware and glasses and...). Jeff

18 years, 11 months

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