Bob made reservations for 10 at Krua Thailand on Thursday, June 6.
Sparkling wines and Rieslings are the styles of choice.
Krua Thailand
432 University Ave W
Saint Paul, MN 55103
651-224-4053
It's on the south side of University between Arundel and Western.
Bring glasses. Bob says they don't have much in terms of glassware to
offer.
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Greetings,
This week, Red and Ready wines at Auriga.
Sparkling/white/ringer/dessert wines always welcome.
Auriga Rest.
1930 Hennepin Ave, Mpls, 55403
612-871 -0777
Who: (mostly guesses)
Wine Pro Lori
Wine Pro Emeritas Bob
Betsy
Annette S.
Ruth
Bill
Nicolai
Give Bob a call. 612-672-0607
Cheers,
Jim
Choose Big, Bold American Reds for the Fourth
Wednesday, June 28, 2006; F07
Because charcoal grilling imparts such strong smoky flavors to foods, it cries out for a red wine with enough depth and dimension to stand up for itself. This translates into a full-throttle bouquet, lots of ripe fruit and a finishing dollop of vanilla from aging in new oak barrels.
The wine should also be American. Though I'm hardly a chauvinist when it comes to great wine, America n wines are better suited to the barbecue precisely because they epitomize the New World style of winemaking, where bigger and bolder are usually better.
Along with Red Flyer (my Wine of the Week), the following are my picks for a festive Fourth of July.
Liberty School 2004 Syrah "Central Coast" ($15; California; distributed by Winebow): With a perfect name for the Independence Day holiday, the Liberty School syrah delivers plush, stylish syrah fruit reminiscent of a pricey French Hermitage, a favorite wine of Thomas Jefferson while he was U.S. minister to France.
Trentadue 2003 Old Patch Red ($13; California; DOPS): Loaded with savory red fruit flavors, this traditional California field blend of zinfandel (52.5 percent), carignan (14.4 percent), sangiovese (20.3 percent) and petite sirah (12.8 percent) is a knockout.
Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles ($14; California; Constantine): This chewy Rhone-style blend of grenache, counoise, syrah and mourvedre serves up delectable blackberry and cassis fruit accented by flavors of American oak.
Eos 2002 Petite Sirah ($17; California; NDC): This imposing petite sirah from Paso Robles offers a complex bouquet of mocha and vanilla fruit, followed on the palate by fat, juicy flavors of blueberry and cassis, and a finish of round tannins.
Ravenswood 2003 "Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel" ($14; California; NDC): Juicy cherry and plum flavors give this classic interpretation of American zinfandel a soft, lush impression on the palate.
Pedroncelli 2001 Petite Sirah "Dry Creek Valley" ($14; California; DOPS): A full bouquet of violets, black pepper and plum gives way to a bright shot of smoky blackberry and black cherry fruit on the palate, and smooth tannins on the finish.
BEST BUYS UNDER $10
Smoking Loon 2004 Syrah ($10; California; NDC): Excellent concentration for the price range, jammy strawberry fruit is highlighted by oak notes.
Pepperwood Grove 2004 Syrah ($7; California; NDC): Clear, pure fruit, with nice weight on the palate. Serve lightly chilled.
Hogue Cellars 2003 Syrah "Columbia Valley" ($9 to $10; Washington; Bacchus): Relatively full-bodied with firm tannins, this will stand up quite well to charcoal-grilled steak.
Francis Coppola Presents Syrah 2004 ($10; California; NDC): This robust red offers layers of vanilla-accented blackberry fruit and a hearty finish.
Desolation Flats 2004 "Rustler's Red Wine" ($10; California; Bacchus): The Italian refosco grape adds a distinctive plummy note to this fresh blend of zinfandel and petite syrah.
Ben Giliberti, The Post's wine critic since 1987, can be reached atfood(a)washpost.com.
WINE OF THE WEEK
Red Flyer 2003 "California Red Table Wine" ($9; California; DOPS)
Food Match Born in the USA for the BBQ grill. Serve lightly chilled with steak, ribs or chicken in barbecue sauce.
In the Glass Vibrant purple color, with deep ruby highlights at the rim. A full bouquet of vanilla, spice and black cherry is followed on the palate by oodles of lush strawberry/cranberry-like fruit, finishing with a crescendo of ripe tannins.
Grapes Syrah (75 percent), durif (16 percent), mourvedre (4 percent), carignan (4 percent), grenache (1 percent). Although this is a classic French Rhone grape blend, the 12 months of aging in French and American oak barrels is a California touch.
Geography From Monterey County, on California's central coast, where the wind and fog interact with the sun to slow the grapes' ripening, leading to a growing season that is up to two months longer than in warmer regions such as Napa Valley.
On the Label Inspired by the posters for sci-fi flicks such as "War of the Worlds." Also a subtle nod to Bonny Doon Vineyard's pioneering Le Cigare Volant Rhone-style blend, which depicts an extraterrestrial cigare volant ("flying cigar") on its label.
Where to Buy It Distributed to retail shops in the Washington area by DOPS Wholesale. For more information, visit http://www.redflyerwine.com/ .
TELL US WHAT YOU THOUGHT
If you give Red Flyer 2003 a try, send your comments to food(a)washpost.com. We may excerpt them in an upcoming issue.
--BEN GILIBERTI
� 2006 The Washington Post Company
--
------------------------------ *
* 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 *
I'm hosting a gathering at my place on Friday evening, July 7,
2006...Steak on the Egg. Bring a bottle of wine and something to share.
You can arrive any time after 6 p.m.
1373 Spencer Rd. W
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 651-647-1541
Please RSVP so I can figure out how much steak to get.
Betsy
It's a good night to join us. Group will be manageable and style
is certainly approachable.
Good seats available.
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:01:06 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: [wine] Merlot (gasp) at Erte (ahhh).
Greetings,
We're heading to Erte. Wine du jour is Merlot from anywhere.
Whites, sparkling, stickies, ringers always welcome.
Erte Restaurant.
329 13 Ave NE, Mpls 55413
612-623-4211
6:30 on Thursday.
Few confirmed, 6 or 8 would be my guess.
Bob
Betsy
Annette
Jim
Roger?
Janet?
Mark/Gloria?
your_name_here??
Regrets
Karen Filming it,
Nicolai ditto (sequel?)
Russ
Lori
More Regrets:
Warren and Ruth are "camping". Taking mushroom hunting to new highs!
Bill's blasting bits.
Fred is traveling the world.
Cheers,
Jim
WINE
Misunderstood Merlot Deserves Another Chance
Wednesday, April 12, 2006; F05
BEN GILIBERTI
If you've recently made up your mind that merlot is not for you, I have two recommendations: taste more merlots and check out a new Web site called Merlot Fights Back ( http://www.merlotfightsback.com ).
The site, which features detailed information on soil, climate and other factors that affect the quality of merlot, is the leading edge of an ambitious campaign undertaken by Napa Valley's Swanson Vineyards to bolster merlot's flagging popularity. In addition to the Web site, Swanson winemaker Chris Phelps has embarked on a nine-city tour touting what he refers to as merlot's "complex uniqueness." The tour features tastings of not only the merlots that Swanson produces from its 50 acres of vineyards in Napa's Oakville district, but also those of quality producers elsewhere in California and in Italy, France and South America.
"What we're trying to show is that when merlot is planted in the right soils and climate, it's one of the world's great grape varieties," Phelps said.
While conceding there are many insipid merlots, he blames not the grape but the red wine boom, which caused merlot to be planted in unsuitable places, sullying the reputation of all merlot. "I wonder if Miles [the merlot-phobic character in the 2004 movie "Sideways"] even realizes that the '61 Cheval Blanc he opened on his birthday was almost 50 percent merlot," Phelps said.
The lovely Swanson 2002 Merlot ($30) is a prime example of merlot's quality potential. Phelps's training at Chateau Petrus in Pomerol comes through in the tight focus of the fruit and the weaving in of subtle cassis and mineral notes on the finish.
Swanson stands in good company. The following merlots are highly recommended based on the combination of quality and value. Prices are approximate.
Beringer 2003 Merlot "Napa Valley" ($19; California; distributed by Washington Wholesale): This sumptuous merlot is a knockout. Vigorously fruity, with warm, ripe tannins, it has the power and concentration to embarrass most cabernet sauvignons. Match with grilled steak.
J. Lohr Estates 2002 Merlot "Los Osos" ($16; California; NDC): Deep purple in color, this merlot from the Paso Robles region of California serves up a powerful bouquet of toasty vanilla, cassis and blackberries, followed on the palate by ripe, fleshy fruit. This deserves prime lamb chops (limited supply).
Chateau Lauriol 2003 Bordeaux ($12; France; Alain Blanchon Selections: The second wine of the respected Chateau Puygueraud in the Cote de Francs region of Bordeaux, this has an intriguing nose of spice and light cedar, followed on the palate by polished flavors of berry and cassis. Much class for the price.
Domaine de Montpezat 2003 Merlot "Les Enclos" ($12; France; Kacher Selections): Offering a full quotient of rustic charm for which the wines of the southern French region of the Languedoc are justly famous, the generous red and black fruit flavors of this wine are tailor-made for grilled red meats.
Kendall-Jackson 2003 Grand Reserve Merlot ($25; California; NDC): Grand Reserve Merlot comes primarily from Kendall-Jackson's premium hillside vineyards in Sonoma. The red berry fruit is lush and layered, with a finishing sheen of vanilla from aging in new oak barrels. Medium in body, it will match well with poultry and salmon but has sufficient structure to handle red meat.
Tortoise Creek 2005 Merlot ($8 to $9; France; Henry Wine Group): Although this is from the small village of St.-Chinian in the Languedoc, it has the pure berrylike fruitiness and complexity of a young petite chateau from the St.-Emilion region of Bordeaux. Its bright fruitiness makes it a superb aperitif red. Exceptional value.
Castillo de Monjard�n 2002 Merlot Deyo ($22; Navarre, Spain; Winebow): The French-influenced Navarre region enjoys a long history with merlot. This generously oaked wine offers layered fruit with a fresh bouquet of vanilla, bing cherries and cassis.
Domaine de St. Antoine 2004 Merlot ($10; France; Robert Kacher Selections): This youthful wine from the Costieres de Nimes region of southern France offers exuberant fruit, moderate tannins and notes of Provencal herbs in a pleasing, drink-now style.
American Winetasters Society 2003 Merlot "Stags Leap District" ($16; Napa; Wine Partners): This is blended from the overproduction of several respected wineries in the prestigious Stags Leap district of Napa, and displays a violet scented bouquet, followed by silky fruit on the palate. Light to medium-bodied, it matches best with veal, duck or roast chicken.
Ben Giliberti, The Post's wine critic since 1987, can be reached atfood(a)washpost.com.
� 2006 The Washington Post Company
--
------------------------------ *
* 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 *
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2006 17:50:48 -0600
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: [wine] Southern Hemisphere Cabs at Erte
Greetings,
We're heading to Erte. Wine du jour is Merlot from anywhere.
Whites, sparkling, stickies, ringers always welcome.
Erte Restaurant.
329 13 Ave NE, Mpls 55413
612-623-4211
6:30 on Thursday.
Few confirmed, 8 or 10 would be my guess.
Bob
Betsy
Lori
Annette
Janet
Karen
Nicolai
Jim
Russ?
Roger?
Mark/Gloria
your_name_here??
Regrets:
Warren and Ruth are "camping" with the birds and the bees..... bzzzzzz
Bill's blasting bits.
Fred is traveling the world.
Cheers,
Jim
WINE
Misunderstood Merlot Deserves Another Chance
Wednesday, April 12, 2006; F05
BEN GILIBERTI
If you've recently made up your mind that merlot is not for you, I have two recommendations: taste more merlots and check out a new Web site called Merlot Fights Back ( http://www.merlotfightsback.com ).
The site, which features detailed information on soil, climate and other factors that affect the quality of merlot, is the leading edge of an ambitious campaign undertaken by Napa Valley's Swanson Vineyards to bolster merlot's flagging popularity. In addition to the Web site, Swanson winemaker Chris Phelps has embarked on a nine-city tour touting what he refers to as merlot's "complex uniqueness." The tour features tastings of not only the merlots that Swanson produces from its 50 acres of vineyards in Napa's Oakville district, but also those of quality producers elsewhere in California and in Italy, France and South America.
"What we're trying to show is that when merlot is planted in the right soils and climate, it's one of the world's great grape varieties," Phelps said.
While conceding there are many insipid merlots, he blames not the grape but the red wine boom, which caused merlot to be planted in unsuitable places, sullying the reputation of all merlot. "I wonder if Miles [the merlot-phobic character in the 2004 movie "Sideways"] even realizes that the '61 Cheval Blanc he opened on his birthday was almost 50 percent merlot," Phelps said.
The lovely Swanson 2002 Merlot ($30) is a prime example of merlot's quality potential. Phelps's training at Chateau Petrus in Pomerol comes through in the tight focus of the fruit and the weaving in of subtle cassis and mineral notes on the finish.
Swanson stands in good company. The following merlots are highly recommended based on the combination of quality and value. Prices are approximate.
Beringer 2003 Merlot "Napa Valley" ($19; California; distributed by Washington Wholesale): This sumptuous merlot is a knockout. Vigorously fruity, with warm, ripe tannins, it has the power and concentration to embarrass most cabernet sauvignons. Match with grilled steak.
J. Lohr Estates 2002 Merlot "Los Osos" ($16; California; NDC): Deep purple in color, this merlot from the Paso Robles region of California serves up a powerful bouquet of toasty vanilla, cassis and blackberries, followed on the palate by ripe, fleshy fruit. This deserves prime lamb chops (limited supply).
Chateau Lauriol 2003 Bordeaux ($12; France; Alain Blanchon Selections: The second wine of the respected Chateau Puygueraud in the Cote de Francs region of Bordeaux, this has an intriguing nose of spice and light cedar, followed on the palate by polished flavors of berry and cassis. Much class for the price.
Domaine de Montpezat 2003 Merlot "Les Enclos" ($12; France; Kacher Selections): Offering a full quotient of rustic charm for which the wines of the southern French region of the Languedoc are justly famous, the generous red and black fruit flavors of this wine are tailor-made for grilled red meats.
Kendall-Jackson 2003 Grand Reserve Merlot ($25; California; NDC): Grand Reserve Merlot comes primarily from Kendall-Jackson's premium hillside vineyards in Sonoma. The red berry fruit is lush and layered, with a finishing sheen of vanilla from aging in new oak barrels. Medium in body, it will match well with poultry and salmon but has sufficient structure to handle red meat.
Tortoise Creek 2005 Merlot ($8 to $9; France; Henry Wine Group): Although this is from the small village of St.-Chinian in the Languedoc, it has the pure berrylike fruitiness and complexity of a young petite chateau from the St.-Emilion region of Bordeaux. Its bright fruitiness makes it a superb aperitif red. Exceptional value.
Castillo de Monjard�n 2002 Merlot Deyo ($22; Navarre, Spain; Winebow): The French-influenced Navarre region enjoys a long history with merlot. This generously oaked wine offers layered fruit with a fresh bouquet of vanilla, bing cherries and cassis.
Domaine de St. Antoine 2004 Merlot ($10; France; Robert Kacher Selections): This youthful wine from the Costieres de Nimes region of southern France offers exuberant fruit, moderate tannins and notes of Provencal herbs in a pleasing, drink-now style.
American Winetasters Society 2003 Merlot "Stags Leap District" ($16; Napa; Wine Partners): This is blended from the overproduction of several respected wineries in the prestigious Stags Leap district of Napa, and displays a violet scented bouquet, followed by silky fruit on the palate. Light to medium-bodied, it matches best with veal, duck or roast chicken.
Ben Giliberti, The Post's wine critic since 1987, can be reached atfood(a)washpost.com.
� 2006 The Washington Post Company
--
------------------------------ *
* 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 *
Bob did get reservations at Erte.
Betsy
>>> "Betsy Kremser" <Betsy.Kremser(a)co.anoka.mn.us> 06/20/06 4:13 PM >>>
The owner of the Porter House is on vacation and Mark doesn't think the
manager will let us in without the owner's approval. So, I'll let Bob
know we're back to the fall-back position...Erte...this week. Mark said
he would continue his efforts in getting us into the Porter House.
Betsy
>>> "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> 06/20/2006 11:16 AM >>>
Greeting,
Anyone know where we're going this week? Last I knew is was
Merlot somewhere, but I don't think the where had been determined.
(Erte was an option, but we were going to try someplace new.)
Cheers,
Jim
The owner of the Porter House is on vacation and Mark doesn't think the
manager will let us in without the owner's approval. So, I'll let Bob
know we're back to the fall-back position...Erte...this week. Mark said
he would continue his efforts in getting us into the Porter House.
Betsy
>>> "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> 06/20/2006 11:16 AM >>>
Greeting,
Anyone know where we're going this week? Last I knew is was
Merlot somewhere, but I don't think the where had been determined.
(Erte was an option, but we were going to try someplace new.)
Cheers,
Jim
As I mentioned last night, Mark S. is trying to get us into the Porter
House off of 35E and Little Canada Rd. Hope to know later today whether
we can go there.
Betsy
>>> "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> 06/20/2006 11:16 AM >>>
Greeting,
Anyone know where we're going this week? Last I knew is was
Merlot somewhere, but I don't think the where had been determined.
(Erte was an option, but we were going to try someplace new.)
Cheers,
Jim
----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor
<wine(a)wineloverspage.com> -----
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2006 10:25:24 -0400 (EDT)
To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu
Subject: 30SecWineAdvisor: More Merlot
From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com>
THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Friday, June 9, 2006
________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
IN THIS ISSUE
* MORE MERLOT Continuing our inquiry into whether the bad rap on
Merlot
is justified.
* MACROSTIE 2002 "KELTIE BROOK" NORTH COAST MERLOT ($14) Well-made,
nothing complex, but balance and acidity make it a table wine than
your
average Merlot.
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MORE MERLOT
Continuing the discussion I started on Monday about our Wine Tasting
101
topic on Merlot this month, I realize that the memorable insult in
Sideways had such an impact that I almost feel a need to apologize
when
I post a Merlot tasting report.
Almost, but not quite.
After all, a big part of being an open-minded wine enthusiast is to
question the conventional wisdom and, when confronted with a wine rule
or custom, check it out. While some wine rules ("don't sip good wine
from a coffee mug") make more sense than others ("don't drink red wine
with fish"), experience remains the best teacher. An appropriate
skepticism about the things you're told can pay dividends ... in wine
as
in life.
So, putting the character Miles's snarky comment about Merlot out of
my
head, I opened a relatively modest California Merlot the other night,
basing my choice on a trustworthy wine merchant's advice ... and
enjoyed
a pleasant surprise. The 2002 "Keltie Brook" Merlot from California's
North Coast (a catch-all appellation for fruit from Napa, Sonoma,
Mendocino and Lake counties) might not qualify as a sought-after
"cult"
item, but this second label from the MacRostie winery in Napa, made
from
purchased fruit, boasts balance and a good acidic structure that lifts
it well above the soft, plushy "chocolate-covered-cherry" character
that
makes mass-market Merlot popular with everyone but wine geeks.
________________________________________________________________________
MACROSTIE 2002 "KELTIE BROOK" NORTH COAST MERLOT ($14)
Dark blackish-purple, garnet edge. Plums and cherries, pleasant fresh
fruit on the nose and palate, nicely balanced by snappy acidity. Well-
made, nothing complex, but balance and acidity make it a much better
table wine than your average Merlot. (June 7, 2006)
FOOD MATCH: Just about any pork, veal or poultry dish would do; it was
fine with pork country-style spareribs scented with fennel seed in a
pilaf-style dish with orzo.
VALUE: Not at all unreasonable at $14, which was a dollar below the
winery price.
WHEN TO DRINK: Not really meant for aging, but it's not going anywhere
in a year or two on the wine rack.
WEB LINK:
The winery Website features information on all the MacRostie wines
including the Keltie Brook line, and offers online sales where the law
permits.
http://www.macrostiewinery.com/
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and locate vendors for Keltie Brook Merlot on Wine-
Searcher.com:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Keltie%2bMerlot/-/-/USD/A?referring_site=…
________________________________________________________________________
TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE:
To read and comment on today's column in our non-commercial WineLovers
Discussion Group, you can click directly to it at
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?p=10599#10599
To browse and participate in the overall Merlot discussions in Wine
Tasting 101, start with this forum topic, and feel free to post a
reply
at any point in the "thread."
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?t=1484
Today's article is cross-posted in our Netscape WineLovers Community,
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Friday, June 9, 2006
Copyright 2006 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 *
Greeting,
Anyone know where we're going this week? Last I knew is was
Merlot somewhere, but I don't think the where had been determined.
(Erte was an option, but we were going to try someplace new.)
Cheers,
Jim
----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> -----
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2006 10:25:24 -0400 (EDT)
To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu
Subject: 30SecWineAdvisor: More Merlot
From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com>
THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Friday, June 9, 2006
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IN THIS ISSUE
* MORE MERLOT Continuing our inquiry into whether the bad rap on Merlot
is justified.
* MACROSTIE 2002 "KELTIE BROOK" NORTH COAST MERLOT ($14) Well-made,
nothing complex, but balance and acidity make it a table wine than your
average Merlot.
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MORE MERLOT
Continuing the discussion I started on Monday about our Wine Tasting 101
topic on Merlot this month, I realize that the memorable insult in
Sideways had such an impact that I almost feel a need to apologize when
I post a Merlot tasting report.
Almost, but not quite.
After all, a big part of being an open-minded wine enthusiast is to
question the conventional wisdom and, when confronted with a wine rule
or custom, check it out. While some wine rules ("don't sip good wine
from a coffee mug") make more sense than others ("don't drink red wine
with fish"), experience remains the best teacher. An appropriate
skepticism about the things you're told can pay dividends ... in wine as
in life.
So, putting the character Miles's snarky comment about Merlot out of my
head, I opened a relatively modest California Merlot the other night,
basing my choice on a trustworthy wine merchant's advice ... and enjoyed
a pleasant surprise. The 2002 "Keltie Brook" Merlot from California's
North Coast (a catch-all appellation for fruit from Napa, Sonoma,
Mendocino and Lake counties) might not qualify as a sought-after "cult"
item, but this second label from the MacRostie winery in Napa, made from
purchased fruit, boasts balance and a good acidic structure that lifts
it well above the soft, plushy "chocolate-covered-cherry" character that
makes mass-market Merlot popular with everyone but wine geeks.
________________________________________________________________________
MACROSTIE 2002 "KELTIE BROOK" NORTH COAST MERLOT ($14)
Dark blackish-purple, garnet edge. Plums and cherries, pleasant fresh
fruit on the nose and palate, nicely balanced by snappy acidity. Well-
made, nothing complex, but balance and acidity make it a much better
table wine than your average Merlot. (June 7, 2006)
FOOD MATCH: Just about any pork, veal or poultry dish would do; it was
fine with pork country-style spareribs scented with fennel seed in a
pilaf-style dish with orzo.
VALUE: Not at all unreasonable at $14, which was a dollar below the
winery price.
WHEN TO DRINK: Not really meant for aging, but it's not going anywhere
in a year or two on the wine rack.
WEB LINK:
The winery Website features information on all the MacRostie wines
including the Keltie Brook line, and offers online sales where the law
permits.
http://www.macrostiewinery.com/
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and locate vendors for Keltie Brook Merlot on Wine-
Searcher.com:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Keltie%2bMerlot/-/-/USD/A?referring_site=…
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Friday, June 9, 2006
Copyright 2006 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 *
> on 6/12/06 5:46 PM, Jim L. Ellingson at jellings(a)me.umn.edu wrote:
>
> > Greetings,
> >
> > We're doing "Tuscany" at Arezzo.
Bob has made the reservation for 10.
> > This is probably a hard limit as we're at the round tables.
> > (vines of the round table?)
> >
> > Bob has negotiated a $5 per person charge in
> > leu of corkage. Menu is on line. Wine list is not on line....
> >
> > Prices are reasonable, w/ $10-12 pizza and most entrees (Primi) under $20.
> >
> >> Who confirmed
> >
> > Bob
Betsy
> > Warren and Ruth
> > Dave T
> > Jim and Louise
Russ (may be a bit late)
Annette S.
Bill
> >
> >
> > Arezzo Ristorante
> > 612 285-7444
> > 5057 France Ave S, Minneapolis, 55410
> > www.arezzo-ristorante.com
> >
> >
> Jim,
>
> Ruth and I will be there on Thursday... why was I not assigned to a
> team?
>
> Warren, a team of one.
>
Which wines will stand the test of time?
- W. Blake Gray, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Click to ViewClick to ViewClick to View
Just as Americans often marry the wrong person (judging by the divorce rate), we often choose to cellar the wrong wine.
One of the most common wines for people to age for many years is Champagne. Couples get a bottle as a wedding present and save it for their silver anniversary, or some other special occasion that may never arrive.
Ironically, while older Champagne has fans, it may be the ageworthy wine that novices are least likely to appreciate.
As Champagne ages, its effervescence dissipates, the crispness disappears, and if all goes well, it becomes a rich, mellow, almost-still wine that bears little resemblance to the frisky bubbly served at a wedding reception. Maybe there's a message in that.
"Some Champagnes are not meant to be aged," says Stephane Lacroix, wine director and sommelier for the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. "People get a nonvintage Champagne for a wedding present, and they say, 'Let's try it in 10 years.' They won't like it."
Another common mistake is stockpiling wines from grapes harvested in a year of personal importance -- the year you were married, or your first child was born -- regardless of whether that vintage or varietal is ageworthy.
"People get very emotional about old vintages," Lacroix says. "There's more of an emotional connection to the bottle than to the taste of the wine itself."
So which wines should you age?
With the caveat that you must have the proper storage (see "How should wine by stored," Page F5), and that there are no hard-and-fast rules, here are a few guidelines.
Wines worth aging
Fortified wines, like Port and Madeira. These are the most ageworthy of wines. If you really want to lay aside wine for your silver anniversary, these are your best bets.
The reason is the higher alcohol and sugar levels of these wines. Both alcohol and sugar act as antioxidants, slowing down the natural deterioration of wine over time.
Fortified wines that predate the United States are drinking well now.
"The oldest wine I had was a Madeira from 1745 and that was still brilliant," says Larry Stone, a master sommelier and general manager of Rubicon Estate in Rutherford. "Madeira just might keep getting better with age."
Stone says some dessert wines, particularly those with good acidity and higher alcohol, will also age for decades.
Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines, from California, Bordeaux and elsewhere. Cabernet Sauvignon is the focus of many oenophiles and the auction market for a reason: With the possible exception of Barolo, well-balanced Cabernets are the only non-sweet wines likely to be better in 15 years than they are upon release.
Great Cabernets can last far longer than that. At the Paris tasting re-enactment last month, wine professionals on both sides of the Atlantic raved about the 1971 Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon, which finished first overall.
And at a private tasting in San Francisco last month of pre-1980 California wines, one of the stars was a 1953 Martin Ray Winery California Cabernet Sauvignon, which was like a delicious blackberry pie in which one could taste the individual berries.
But just because the label says Cabernet Sauvignon, or Bordeaux, doesn't mean the wine's drinking window will extend until the polar ice caps melt and San Francisco goes underwater.
"Ninety percent of the wines from Bordeaux won't age more than 10 years, with improvement," Stone says. "Some vintages drink better young."
So how can you tell if a Cab will improve in your cellar? Will it develop alluring secondary characteristics like notes of violet or mint? Will its tannins soften until they caress your tongue like a silk-draped courtesan? Or will it simply die in the bottle, losing its fruit and tasting like little more than dust?
The first rule, as with all wines, is to know the producer. Some make their wines to age; others do not.
Stone cautions that tasters have to be trained to recognize the characteristics that allow a wine to age well. Tannins -- chemical compounds found in red wine that make it taste "dry" -- are important, because they protect the wine from deterioration. But it's not enough to recognize that a wine is very tannic -- it also has to have balance.
"Structure, acidity and concentration," Lacroix says. "When you taste this wine, it has tannic structure. It has nice acidity and very concentrated fruit."
For all wines you plan to cellar, not just Cabernets, sommeliers recommend buying a 12-bottle case and tasting one wine every six months to a year, so you can appreciate its development -- and avoid discovering, too late, that the wine is past its peak.
Italian reds. Nebbiolo-based reds from Barolo and Barbaresco are among the world's most ageworthy wines, gaining fragrant, floral aromas over time. However, because they are changing in nature, the longevity of current releases is unpredictable.
Giancarlo Paterlini, co-owner and wine buyer for Acquerello restaurant in San Francisco, recently held a series of tastings of Barolos from the 1950s, '60s and '70s and discovered to his surprise that the wines from the '50s were best. The reason is that winemaking was more primitive, Paterlini says, and the wines were released with ferocious tannins.
"Back then, wines in Italy were made by farmers," Paterlini says. "Also, Italy was very poor in those days. People did not invest in barrels and equipment. In those days, wine was made in a fashion that for the first 10 years, you could not drink it."
Paterlini says of today's wines, Amarone has as much longevity as Barolo, as does a good Brunello di Montalcino. Super Tuscan blends with high percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon may also age well.
Riesling, particularly from Germany. Most white wines don't improve much with age, in part because they are so low in tannins. German Riesling -- high in acidity and sugar -- is the big exception.
"Rieslings are virtually immortal," says Mark Squires, a wine educator and consultant who runs the bulletin board at wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr.'s Web site, erobertparker.com. "They age as well as the best red wines. Riesling (fans) talk the same way Bordeaux people talk."
Note that wines from particularly ripe grapes, such as Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, are higher in sugar and alcohol than most Rieslings -- giving them the same antioxidant protection as Ports and Madeiras.
Age with caution
Pinot Noir. Everything about Pinot is unpredictable, and aging is no exception.
Generally, the recommended drinking window for Pinot Noir is not as long as for Cabernet Sauvignon. Most Pinots are best within 10 years of harvest, while many Cabernets are just starting to open up at that point. But some legendary Burgundies -- which are made of Pinot Noir -- age as well as the finest Cabs.
Many sommeliers caution Pinot fans not to age their wines too long, because, as Stone says, "Most Pinot is delicious young. I think most Pinot is meant to be enjoyed within the first five years," particularly the newer, more fruit-forward styles from California.
Because that view is widely held, Pinot-philes like Jamie Kutch can find tremendous values in older wines compared with Cabernets, which can stay high-priced for decades.
Kutch, 32, became so entranced by the taste of older Pinot Noirs that he quit his job on Wall Street to move to San Francisco to make wine -- he hopes his Pinots will be ageworthy. He says he has tasted about 200 Pinots aged 10 years or more and has tasting notes on all of them.
At his apartment, he opened two bottles from the Summer of Love: a 1967 Louis M. Martini Mountain Pinot Noir and a 1967 Inglenook Estate Bottled Napa Valley Pinot Noir that he acquired for just $15 each. He bought them from a store in Chicago that had good storage and had been unable to sell them since their release.
Here's one of the odd things about old wines: the Martini was clearly the better of the two when the bottles were tasted by themselves: It still had bright cherry fruit along with a soft leather character. The Inglenook had no fresh-fruit flavors, only orange peel, earth, raisins and spice. But with roast duck, bought whole in Chinatown, the Inglenook was better.
"Do you want to eat a piece of duck and then put a grape in your mouth?" Kutch asked. "Or would you prefer to eat a piece of duck and have notes of earth, leather and orange peel?"
That's the reason some sommeliers recommend older wines -- because they're less tannic and their flavors more subdued, they won't overpower a dish. In fact, the opposite is the worry.
Lacroix says, "Older wines are more delicate and elegant. You don't want to have them with any sauce that is overly sweet or powerful. Not too much seasoning, or salt, or powerful flavors. If you really want to enjoy the bottle of wine that you've stored for so long, you should plan the menu around it."
Chardonnay. Whether or not your Chardonnays are worthy of aging depends completely on the style of wine you like. If you like it rich and buttery, drink now.
Rajat Parr, wine director at Michael Mina restaurant in San Francisco, says that many Northern California Chardonnays are "low-acid wines that will fall apart after a couple years."
But if you like a Burgundy-style Chardonnay, with vibrant acidity and interesting minerality -- rather than tropical fruit flavors -- try putting some aside for five to 10 years to see how the secondary flavors develop.
"I used to age Chardonnay and white Burgundy," Stone says. "I have been disappointed by both. There are great ageable white Burgundies, but you have to know the producer and even then you might be disappointed."
Shiraz/Syrah. Some Syrah-based wines from the Rhone Valley region of France -- most famously from Hermitage -- are considered very long-lived. But for lesser wines, their ageworthy reputation may have as much to do with their rustic tannin levels as anything else.
"Most Rhone wines I would drink within 10 years," Stone says bluntly. "They really will not improve beyond that."
As for Australian Shiraz (what the grape is called Down Under), with the notable exception of Penfolds Grange, very few were made to high-quality standards 20 years ago, so there isn't much of a track record. Keep in mind these wines are popular because they're so approachable now.
Sparkling wine. Assuming you prefer your bubbly mellow and rich, rather than crisp and refreshing, be advised that the best aged sparkling wines are not those that have been sitting in a collector's cellar.
Instead, they have been undergoing long, slow secondary fermentation -- which creates the fizz -- at the winery until they are released as "late disgorged" wines many years after harvest. These are more expensive because the winery has done the maturing for you. You'll have much better luck with a recently released late-disgorged wine than a much older, ordinary vintage wine.
Even then, aged wine fans "can get crazy about it," Squires says. "You get people who want Champagne to have no bubbles. They want it to not taste like Champagne anymore. Why not just buy something else?"
Merlot. The great Merlot-based wines of Pomerol in France certainly can age, as can some Merlots made from mountain fruit in Napa Valley.
But this ignores the principle pleasure of Merlot -- it's more approachable, earlier, than Cabernet Sauvignon.
"One of the great things about a great bottle of Merlot is you don't ever feel like you're robbing the cradle," Scott Tracy, sommelier at La Toque restaurant in Rutherford, said last year. "You're not punished for waiting five years, and you're not punished for drinking it now."
If your cellar space is limited; why devote space to a wine you can enjoy today? Ignore Myles from "Sideways" and drink Merlot, but don't stockpile it for your dotage.
Zinfandel. Enologist Andre Tchelistcheff, one of the men most responsible for bringing post-Prohibition California winemaking into the modern era, is credited with the observation that old Zinfandel eventually begins to taste like old Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a mixed blessing. Old Cabernet Sauvignon can be wonderful. But it doesn't have Zinfandel's uniquely spicy, brambly character.
"I personally don't think Zinfandel is a very good ager," Squires says. "Even when you're dealing with the very best wines, like Ridge Lytton Springs, it doesn't taste like Zinfandel. It tastes like somewhat odd Bordeaux."
If you want to appreciate the Zin-ness of Zinfandel, drink it within about five years of harvest.
Wines to drink now
Sauvignon Blanc. Not one sommelier or wine expert interviewed for this article would say they had ever had a good aged Sauvignon Blanc. It's odd, because Sauvignon Blanc is a genetic parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, the most ageworthy of non-fortified wines. But still, this is a fresh wine to drink now.
Pinot Grigio. Because Americans' affection for Pinot Grigio is recent, we may be tempted to throw a bottle in the cellar for five years. Save yourself the trouble -- others have tried.
"Pinot Grigio doesn't seem to age very well," says Lee Miyamura, a winemaker for Meridian Vineyards in Paso Robles. At least she answered the question; some others just laughed.
Anything that costs $15 or less upon release. Lower-priced wines, worldwide, are made to drink now. Winemakers don't want to say their wines aren't ageworthy, but putting a $12 wine in your cellar for 10 years is ignoring its reason for existence.
"We want consumers, when they're at a supermarket, to pick up a bottle of our wine and enjoy it that night," Miyamura says. "We're trying to present a fruity, easily approachable wine."
If a cheap wine tastes too tannic to drink, it's not that it needs time -- it's simply poorly made.
In the past, "to say a wine was ageable, that was the answer to everything," Stone says. "It explained why a wine doesn't taste good today."
If an inexpensive wine doesn't have good fruit flavors now, it's not going to acquire them in your closet. Drink something else and chalk it up to experience.
Ros�. Squires says he recently attended a tasting of a prominent French ros� producer where he was served a 5-year-old wine that the producer proudly pointed out still had some fruit flavors.
"He proved the wine could hold," Squires says. "But have you gained anything?"
Ros� is the quintessential drink-now wine. And there's nothing whatsoever wrong with that.
E-mail W. Blake Gray at wbgray(a)sfchronicle.com.
Page F - 6
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/06/15/WIGBHJDEBA1.DTL
----- 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 *
