win May 2007

win@thebarn.com

8 participants
10 discussions

by Jim L. Ellingson

----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 11:28:14 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> What I know of who's coming and an article on Rieslings from the SFGChronicle. Many of the app's we sampled with 3M group were boring. Entrees were good. Reservation if for 10 people at 6:30. Style du jour is Riesling, but anything you think will go w/ spicy food is a good bet. Bob, Betsy Annette Ruth Jim Annette will be bringing a case (?) of that wonderful Pio Cesare Moscato di Asti. Bob and I are in for a least 1 bottle each. Cheers, Jim Krua Thailand 432 University Ave W (3 east of Dale, 1 west of Western) St Paul, MN 55103-1933 Phone: (651) 224-4053 ----- Forwarded message from Betsy Kremser <Betsy.Kremser(a)co.anoka.mn.us> ----- Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:46:14 -0500 From: "Betsy Kremser" <Betsy.Kremser(a)co.anoka.mn.us> To: <wine(a)thebarn.com> Subject: [wine] Rieslings at Krua Thailand Bob made reservations for 10 at Krua Thailand on Thursday, 31 May. 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. ----- End forwarded message ----- Refreshing German Rieslings are sweet, but not to a fault - W. Blake Gray, Chronicle Staff Writer Thursday, July 6, 2006 Click to View The worst thing about the World Cup is that it ends too soon. The world's greatest, most popular sporting event takes a whole month, but just when the biological clock gets accustomed to 7 a.m. games, and the neighbors are used to screams of "Goooooaaal!" at 7:15, the whole shebang's over. If the finale on Sunday leaves you thirsting for more, extend the Cup feeling with the greatest wine of host country Germany -- Riesling. German Rieslings are consistently among the most excellent wine bargains. The best ones are complex, delicious and refreshing. Plus, they're generally low in alcohol, allowing you to have one more glass than usual. But there's a catch: A word that rhymes with "neat" and "petite" and has come to be an expletive for many wine lovers. Instead of speaking this verboten word aloud, we use polite euphemisms like "off-dry." So I'll say it out loud: Yes, most German Rieslings are sweet. But the good ones balance that out-of-favor characteristic with high acidity, making them food-friendly and thirst-quenching without being cloying. Sweetness isn't such a bad thing for food pairing. Because of it, German Rieslings go nicely with spicy dishes that make other wines taste unpleasantly "hot" (high in alcohol). German Rieslings are among the few wines that go well with Thai food, with its complex combinations of spicy and sour elements. They're good with Mexican food as well. Bad nun flashbacks Unfortunately, German wines' reputation is stained for many Americans by the lingering stigma of Blue Nun -- as iconic for the bad-taste 1970s as bell-bottoms or wild-colored polyester shirts. Beyond the specter of the Nun, the complicated labels on German bottles have also hampered their acceptance in the U.S. market. While language is a barrier, it's not the only one. Many Americans have a passing understanding of French wine lingo, as much of it has been accepted into English. Spanish and Italian wines more or less follow the French model; if you understand appellation controlee ("name controlled," it signifies the region where the grapes were grown), then you can figure out its equivalent in Spanish and Italian. German wines require learning not just new words, but new concepts. The most important is ripeness level -- grapes for Auslese wines are riper than those for Spatlese, so the wines are sweeter. Kabinett grapes are less ripe than Spatlese. In the bargain price range, though, you don't usually have to worry about these classifications, as most cheap German Rieslings are QbA -- a more general classification with less ripe grapes. It's an indication of how confusing German wine labels are that few of these wines actually say "QbA" anywhere on the bottle. You just have to surmise it from the absence of the other terms. Ironically, because the grapes are less ripe for less-expensive wines, the resultant wines are usually less sweet, making them ideal for people who believe that adjective is derogatory. My favorite wine this week is from a producer that understands the marketing value of modern labels. The 2005 Schmitt Sohne Relax Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10) has a strikingly cool blue bottle that gives orders in huge white letters to people with a Blue Nun fixation: "Relax." And enjoy it -- the delicious flavors of peach, pear and apricot have a slight, fruity sweetness. The 9.5 percent alcohol level means that if you can normally drink two glasses of 14 percent alcohol wine, you can have three glasses of this. I had the 2005 Rudi Wiest Rhein River Rheinhessen Riesling ($10) with takeout rotisserie chicken and it was a wonderful match. The wine's apple and quince flavors tasted vibrant throughout its long finish. The 2003 Rudi Wiest Selections Mosel River Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10) is also pretty good, if simpler, tasting mostly of apple. It's sweeter than the Rhein River version. German from California The 2005 Ironstone Vineyards Pfalz Riesling ($10) is a multicultural oddity; a German Riesling from a California winery. Ironstone Vineyards was founded in 1990 in Murphys, in Calaveras County, by the Kautz family, whose ancestors were winemakers in the Pfalz region of Germany. Ironstone specializes in red wines but wanted to add a white wine; however, the family wasn't growing white grapes, so they looked overseas to Zimmerman-Graeff & Mueller, a German producer that makes wine for several other companies as well. ZG&M made Ironstone a proprietary blend for this delicious wine, which smells and tastes of lychee and fresh-cut flowers. Crisp and slightly sweet, the wine has vibrant acidity that makes it refreshing and food-friendly. Three well-respected German producers make similarly fine Rieslings in the bargain price range. The 2003 Loosen Dr. L Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10), 2004 Two Princes Nahe Riesling ($11) and 2003 S.A. Prum Essence Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($11) all have an apple and brown sugar character. The Essence, another wine with a modern nickname, also offers hints of apricot and toast, and is a bit less sweet than the other two. None has an alcohol level higher than 10 percent. The 2005 St. Urbans-Hof Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10) looks more traditional, with a religious icon and plenty of German terms on the front label. It's the most unusual of the wines recommended here, with strongly green, herbal aromas and flavors of green apple, apricot and green-leaf lettuce that linger on a medium-long finish. With the exception of the Ironstone wine, of which 10,000 cases were imported, the problem with recommending German Rieslings is that most are low-production wines that may not be easy to find. Riesling Down Under Enter the world's mass producers: the Aussies. The 2005 Banrock Station South Eastern Australia Riesling ($5) is an excellent deal for the price. Many Australian Rieslings are bone-dry, but this is in the German style, slightly sweet but not cloying, with flavors of lemon-lime and mango. Finally, for people who think sweetness is a plus, not a curse, the 2005 Hardys South Eastern Australia Riesling ($19 for 3-liter box) is unabashedly for you; it's like a liquid candied apple. And the bag-in-box style will preserve the wine in your refrigerator for as long as four weeks after opening, perhaps long enough for the pain of Australia's exit from the World Cup on a bizarrely awarded penalty kick to fade. No matter who wins the Cup on Sunday, a toast with the greatest varietal from the host country is appropriate. And since it's low in alcohol, you can also drink a cup to a better performance by the U.S. team (sigh) in South Africa in 2010. Shopping list These are the best deals The Chronicle found this week. Rieslings 2005 Banrock Station South Eastern Australia Riesling ($5) 2005 Hardys South Eastern Australia Riesling ($19 for 3-liter box) 2005 Ironstone Vineyards Pfalz Riesling ($10) 2003 Loosen Dr. L Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10) 2005 Rudi Wiest Rhein River Rheinhessen Riesling ($10) 2003 Rudi Wiest Selections Mosel River Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10) 2003 S.A. Prum Essence Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($11) 2005 Schmitt Sohne Relax Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10) 2005 St. Urbans-Hof Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling ($10) 2004 Two Princes Nahe Riesling ($11) E-mail W. Blake Gray at wbgray(a)sfchronicle.com. Page F - 3 URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/06/WIG65JOL5F1.DTL -- ------------------------------ * * 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 Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

18 years, 6 months

[wine] June 5 Tasting

by karin

Hi All: this sounds promising, as the wines are listed and I like Tryg's food Twin Cities Wine Club Premium Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Champagne Education from John Glas of Wineglas Trygs Restaurant in Uptown Tuesday, June 5 6:00 to 8:30 pm Minneapolis, MN 55416 612-920-7777 www.trygs.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- $18 Payable to Hennepin Lake for the wine. I will collect $18 from each participant and send it to Hennepin Lake. Includes the trivia prize wine. $57 Payable to Trygs (Includes tax and tip) for the food. Note: $50 is for food and a $7 fee per person goes to Wineglas. Total per person for everything: $75 Summary of the Event: The Twin Cities Wine Club is filling a void with wine dinners in the Twin Cities. It is very difficult to try premium wines at a dinner without paying a fortune. With my partners Trygs Restaurant and Hennepin Lake we can now offer a world-class wine experience for just $75 per person. All of the wines are hand picked by myself and meet the highest standards of excellence at each price point. The Wines Chardonnay (With House Salad) 2005 Wente Riva Ranch Arroyo Seco $13.99 2004 Ramey Russian River Valley Chardonnay $32.95 2004 Newton Unfiltered Napa Valley Chardonnay $48.95 Pinot Noir (With Appetizers Chicken Pesto Flatbread) 2005 Harlow Ridge Pinot Noir $7.55 2003 Mueller Emilys Cuvee Russian River Pinot Noir $38.95 2004 Hartford Arrendell Vineyard Russian River Valley $58.95 Champagne/Sparkling Wine (With Entrees) Pick one Entree 1. Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon 2. Oak Grilled Salmon 3. Wood Fire Rotisserie 4. Orange Lacqueur Chicken Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut NV Sparkling Wine $15.45 Nicolas Feuillatte Brut NV Champagne $25.95 Bollinger Special Cuvee NV Champagne $39.95 Dessert Wine breakdown: The wine cost is based on every 18 people who attend Total: $280.65 x .10 tax = $308.71 total or $18.00 per person for the wine Food breakdown: Food includes a salad, an appetizer, an entree, desert and tax/tip. Also includes use of the facility and the Wineglas fee for education and planning. Total: $57 per person $75 per person for the entire event!

18 years, 6 months

[wine] TN Pinots at Ingredients Cafe 5-10-07

by Russell McCandless

TN Pinot Noirs at Ingredients Café 10 May 2007 Very pleasant evening. Restaurant review: ambience C+, food B+, value for money A. Too bad White Bear Lake is, from our viewpoint, in northern Wisconsin someplace. Bill of fare: Tempura shrimp, mango, chorizo (think there was roast sweet potato too) Goat cheese & mushroom tart, arugula, 25-year-old balsamic Roast duck breast, figs, braised cabbage Baby rack of lamb, ratatouille, rosemary jus (regrettably, no one brought Bordeaux) Flourless chocolate cake w/ bananas Foster White 1: clear rich color, attractive floral aroma, is this a dry Riesling? Tastes more like chenin, excellent balance, big fruit and acid snap in the mouth, minerals and herbs, trace alcoholic at transition, finishes a touch sweeter than it tastes, excellent length, very fine. 2006 Overstone Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough. (Im not usually a fan of NZ SB, but this was a terrific bottle.) Rose 1: nice color; nose of artificial strawberry with a touch of dead potato, not tasted. 2006 Yangarra Rose McLaren Vale (60% shiraz, 40% grenache). Bubbly 1: rose, medium reddish, dark as sparkling rose goes; nose pinot and minerals, fresh fruit as it warms; rich, structured, flavorful and extremely dry; finishing aromatics fill the palate, good but perhaps not outstanding length, very fine New World bubbly. 2000 Iron Horse Brut Rose, Sonoma Green Valley. Bubbly 2 (white): sweet fruit nose; sweet and tasty, high dosage and soft compared to preceding wine but attractive; clean, good length, nice wine. NV Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley. (This wine tends to taste structured to the point of austere, but seemed sweet and soft after the very low dosage Iron Horse. This particular bottle was reportedly about a year old.) White 2: at this point I had some of the very spicy chorizo and shrimp in my mouth; thus no detailed notes. Snappy mineral sauvignon blanc with the substance to stand up to, and wonderfully complement, the deliciously rich and hot spicy shrimp dish. 1999 Stonestreet Sauvignon Blanc, Upper Barn Vineyard, Alexander Valley. Pinot noirs tend not to show well in hot weather, and tonight was not an exception. 1.1 odd light color; very strong nose of freshly struck match (another guest said ashtray); not tasted. 2004 Nackenheimer Spatburgunder Rotwein Trocken, Binz. 1.2 too much VA on nose for me, not tasted. 2001 Echelon Pinot Noir, Central Coast. (Probably not a representative bottle, although for what it is, this is pretty old.) 1.3 corked. 2003 Pinot Noir Trocken, Pfalz, Alfred Bonnet. 2.1 medium to light color; intensely floral-dirt nose, with a fruit component that smells very young; smooth, decent depth of flavor, tannin, acid, sap, red fruits; good aromatic finish, good length, interesting midweight. 2000 Claudia Springs Pinot Noir, Mendocino. (I was surprised this wasnt a younger wine.) 2.2 dark color for pinot; nose dumb, although I like what little I can smell; midpalate alcohol, shoe polish, wood, red fruits, dirt, unusual but interesting; alcoholic transition and finish, fruit returns late but wood very obvious; fruit level improved as the wine aired. Not sure whether this is starting to be too old, or not old enough; probably the former. 1999 Cambria Pinot Noir, Bench Break Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley. 2.3 clear medium purple; another dumb nose (were battling kitchen smells to some extent) but whats perceptible is OK; lovely mouthfeel, smooth and rich, medium fruit level; nice transition but the wine goes away quickly, lacks flavor authority overall. 2005 Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula (Australia). (Not expensive, so I wasnt expecting La Tache, but this was disappointing. The wine may possibly need more time to rest up from its journey across the Pacific.) 3.1 corked. 3.2 rich deep color; earthy smoky nose; in the mouth a hottish wine, red fruits, tannin; quite hot at transition, finish goes away soon. 2003 Chorey-Cote-de-Beaune, Tollot-Beaut. (May be a casualty of the 2003 heat wave, but its hard to resist the impression this wine might be better somewhat younger, or somewhat older, or just on a different evening. Wonderful producer.) 3.3 clear medium purple; rich sweet Dijon clone in the New World nose with real depth of primary fruit; big wine in the mouth, again lots of primary fruit, wood is just barely over the line into offensively cotton candy oaky (for my particular taste); alcohol on transition and finish, VERY long. Despite its virtues, not special on this particular evening. 2004 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. 3.4 looks and smells aged and interesting; nose of red and black fruits, forest floor, intensity and balance; good transition, good length, more fruit and flavor authority would be nice but this is extremely well balanced and attractive overall. 1999 Saintsbury Pinot Noir, Carneros. (Very good match with the rosemary sauce on the lamb, whereas that sauce with the sweetness of the Kosta Browne wine was a train wreck.) Dessert deep gold; intense piney nose, vin santo? Rich citrus pear stone fruit taste, plenty of acid to carry the considerable sweetness, long and smooth, very good indeed. 2001 Witness Tree Sweet Signe, Eola Hills.

18 years, 6 months

[wine] Wine?

by karin

Hey: so nothin' going on this eve? how was Ingredients??? thumbs-up? any events planned anytime soon, winewise? TreVina was decent - nice food. Chris was pouring from Wine Co, always entertaining....wines were less expensive but decent (Nicolai will carry 2 of them in his store), pretty surroundings. -Karin

18 years, 6 months

[wine] Lady in The Wine Cellar

by Alicia Anderson

18 years, 6 months

[wine] New wine publication may be of interest

by russellmccandless＠frontiernet.net

Dear friends, The Sonoma Wine Journal is a new (first issue Spring 2007) journal of wine commentary and criticism focused, although not exclusively, on boutique Sonoma County wineries. If you're interested in receiving it - free, at least so far - the editors may be contacted at sonomawinejournal(a)gmail.com. If you'd like to see the first issue, just let me know and I'll forward it to you. Regards, Russ

18 years, 6 months

[wine] TreVina tasting

by Karin Teder

Hi All: this sounds interesting....anyone game? and has anyone tried this restaurant? the price is right, too! -Karin A Rake's Tour of World Flavors visits TreVina Italian Steakhouse Wed., May 16 at 6 p.m. Destination: Milan Chef William Salvador, born just north of Milan, brings a taste of authentic Italy to Minnesota. TreVina features a menu where everything is made from scratch, from breads and sauces to gnocchi rolled by hand to steaks and fresh fish butchered in house. Enjoy dishes with distinct flavors expertly paired with wine. Join The Rake, Whole Foods Market, and The Wine Company for a monthly food and wine experience. Travel to the best restaurants in the Twin Cities and sample wine and cuisine from regions far and near. Includes a multiple course tasting menu and wine pairings. Wed., May 16 6 p.m. TreVina Italian Steak House 200 North Concord Exchange South Saint Paul Only $40 per person Reservations are required, and space is limited. Tax is included in the price, gratuity is not. To make reservations, click here. Menu for TreVina Italian Steak House FIRST COURSE - WILD MUSHROOM TARTLET Oyster, Crimini & Shiitake Mushrooms sauteed in homemade pesto, served in freshly baked puff pastry and topped with warm herb cream sauce Wine TBD SECOND COURSE - GNOCCHI Hand made gnocchi in creamy Roquefort-sage sauce Wine TBD THIRD COURSE - PORK TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS Hand-butchered medallions of pork filet, pan-seared with fresh rosemary, Kalamata olives & sweet marsala wine; served with potatoes gratin dauphinois Wine TBD DESSERT - NAPOLEONE Freshly baked puff pastry layered with homemade pastry cream & fresh strawberries World Flavors: Explore New Tastes Co - presented by: The Rake, Whole Foods Market, The Wine Company, Peace Coffee, and The Electric Fetus

18 years, 6 months

[wine] 5/10/07 - Ingredients Dinner - Final Reservations Needed

by jhegstrom＠csom.umn.edu

Hi A reminder that we will be meeting at Ingredients in White Bear Lake this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Wine of the night is pinot noir. Cost is $55/including tax/tip/meal. I will need your reservation by noon tomorrow to get the head count to the chef. joyce jim louise russ sue lori sheila MENU: Tempura shrimp, Mango and spicy chorizo goat cheese and mush tart, arugala 25 year old balsamic roasted duck breast figs and braised cabbage baby rack of lamb, rattitulli with rosemary jus Flourless choc cake, Bananas and carmel Cheers! Bubbles

18 years, 7 months

[wine] [jellings@me.umn.edu: Ingredients Wine Dinner - thur - May 10th]

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Looks like (some of us?) we're taking another week off. I'm including an article on Gin from the times. Strong marks for Plymouth, Seagrams and Gordons. C, J ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 11:26:50 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] Ingredients Wine Dinner - thur - May 10th] Just wanted to get this out, onto your calendars. Limit is 12. There has been some pre-selling in order to set the date. Joyce Russ/Sue Lori Alicia Jim/Louise Sheila ----- Forwarded message from jhegstrom(a)csom.umn.edu ----- Subject: Ingredients Wine Dinner - thur - May 10th To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu, jellings(a)me.umn.edu From: jhegstrom(a)csom.umn.edu Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2007 09:05:07 -0500 Jim I've set up a dinner for the Thursday night wine group up at Ingredients, which is right across the street from Ursula's in White Bear Lake. Cost is $55 which includes meal, tax and tip. Wine of the night is pinot noir. I need to let Ingredients know about numbers Tuesday the 8th. I was thinking about sending the announcement out around May 1st....or would you like to do it? If you want you could put a short sentence in your next group e-mail which mentions Ingredients dinner on May 10th. I'll also call Bob and let him know. JJ Tempura shrimp, Mango and spicy chorizo goat cheese and mush tart, arugala 25 year old balsamic roasted duck breast figs and braised cabbage baby rack of lamb, rattitulli with rosemary jus Flourless choc cake, Bananas and carmel May 2, 2007 Spirits of The Times No, Really, It Was Tough: 4 People, 80 Martinis By ERIC ASIMOV HAVE I told you about my 80-martini lunch? I exaggerate. Actually, four of us shared 80 martinis, so it was really a 20-martini lunch. Frankly, once you get past the first 12 martinis, it might as well be 80. But it was worth it. The occasion was the spirits panel.s martini tasting. Florence Fabricant and I were joined by Audrey Saunders, bartender extraordinaire and an owner of the Pegu Club on West Houston Street, and Pete Wells, editor of the Dining section, who has written extensively about drinks. The subject was supposed to be solely gin. But because gin is often consumed in a martini, we decided to taste the gin as expressed through the world.s most famous (and perhaps least understood) cocktail. We discovered that while great martinis require great gins, great gins don.t necessarily make great martinis. The gin category has exploded in the last decade, with distillers offering unusual riffs on the classic theme. Some of these make for striking gins, although they struck out as martinis. Our task was to sort out which gins produced classic martinis, which added welcome nuances and which really ought to seek another line of cocktail. Before we discuss the findings, though, we need to clear up a little matter. It.s come to my attention that some people believe martinis are made with vodka. I hate to get snobbish about it, but a martini should be made with gin or it.s not a martini. Call it a vodkatini if you must, but not a martini. Gin and vodka have as much in common hierarchically as a president and a vice president. Vodka can fill in for gin from time to time and might even be given certain ceremonial duties of its own, but at important moments you need the real thing. Vodka generally makes a poor substitute for gin in a martini or any other gin cocktail. The panel found common ground here. Each of us is partial to the classic martini made with gin, although Audrey was sensitive to the desires of her clientele. .You have to revisit which generation is drinking the martini,. she said. .We might be classicists, but is the newer generation?. Still, after perhaps 8 or 10 martinis, Audrey fessed up, referring at one point to .a generation lobotomized by vodka.. Indeed, gin is more of a thinking person.s spirit. Vodka is neutral in aroma and flavor, which is also how gin begins life. But where vodka stays neutral, gin is infused with botanicals . a witch.s pantry of roots, berries, herbs, dried fruits and spices . dominated by the piney, breezy aroma of juniper berries. Other common botanicals include angelica, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, lemon peel, licorice, fennel and ginger. It is the closely guarded combination of botanicals that makes each gin distinctive. The dividing line between vodka and gin has always been the addition of juniper to gin. But among the spirits sold as gin today, some have reduced juniper to a secondary component while others seem to have dispensed with it altogether. We found that cardamom was prominent in quite a few of the 20 gins we had stirred into martinis. .You see cardamom over and over,. Audrey said. .It.s exciting but you have to guard the category or you.ll just be drinking flavored vodkas.. Speaking of guarding the category, let us now speak of the martini itself. Daunted at the prospect of mixing 80 cocktails, we handed that task over to Allen Katz, a mixologist who consults with Southern Wine and Spirits and with Martha Stewart Living Radio. Mr. Katz set a few parameters: the martinis would be stirred, not shaken; we would sample them as he made them so they would all be fresh; and they would include vermouth. This last is a touchy subject among martini drinkers, many of whom have reduced vermouth.s role to no more than waving an unopened bottle in the direction of the glass. .With the exception of a few artisan bars and restaurants, most people might get a 9-to-1 ratio, or just gin,. Audrey said. A martini is also not a martini without vermouth. What is a cocktail but a blend of disparate elements into a harmonious new whole? We used Noilly Prat Original French Dry vermouth in a proportion of five parts gin to one part vermouth, perhaps a bit more gin than might have been ideal (try 4-to-1), but we wanted to make sure that the gin was featured prominently. A century ago the typical martini recipe called for orange bitters. Most great cocktails do require at least three ingredients. But as we.re already being rigid on the vodka issue, I won.t press the case. Let.s get to the tasting. In our martinis, we looked for balance, persistence and character. A martini without balance cannot be elegant, and a martini ought to be a model of elegance. By persistence I mean flavors that linger long enough to savor, intrigue and refresh, a combination that demands another sip. Too little persistence, and there.s no intrigue. Too much, and it won.t refresh. Our favorite martini gin, Plymouth English Gin, could not have been more stylish and graceful. Plymouth has the classic juniper-based gin profile, yet it is uncommonly subtle and smooth. Still, it is assertive, its complexity emerging slowly but distinctly, the proverbial fist in a velvet glove. By contrast, our No. 2 and No. 3 gins emphasized power. The Junipero, made in small quantities by the distilling branch of the Anchor brewery in San Francisco, came on strong with the traditional gin flavors of juniper and citrus, hitting all the right notes, though a little self-consciously. The No. 3 gin, Cadenhead.s Old Raj from Scotland, at 110 proof, or 55 percent alcohol, was by far the most powerful gin we tasted: Tanqueray and Tanqueray No. 10 at 94.6 proof were the next highest. But while Old Raj packed a punch, its muscularity came across as bright and in control. Two standbys of the American cocktail cabinet fared well as martinis. Seagram.s Extra Dry came in at No. 4. We found it surprisingly complex in the glass, with fruit, herbal and gingery spice notes, yet it didn.t stray far from the gin ideal, while Gordon.s London Dry adhered to the straight and narrow, with a slight emphasis of spicy cardamom and nutmeg aromas. Tanqueray London Dry made a classic though quiet martini. Its livelier cousin, Tanqueray No. 10, with its emphasis on citrus flavors, may work well neat or with tonic, but was discordant in a martini. In fact, in the context of a dry martini, few of the newer, hipper gins worked. Aviation is a popular gin out of Portland, Ore., but its predominant flavors of wintergreen, vanilla and anise had no place in a martini. Nor did the menthol and peppermint in G.Vine, a new French gin, the pronounced melon fruitiness in Hamptons, made in Minnesota, or the cinnamon emphasis in No. 209 out of San Francisco. .What was really striking was how un-dry some of these were . like bathing in canned fruit or a postnasal saccharine drip,. Pete said. We didn.t reject all of the less conventional gins. With its floral aromas, Hendrick.s from Scotland seemed to work from a different palette of botanicals, and it made for a lively, colorful martini. Bombay Sapphire was sort of jazzy . a martini that intrigued without really hanging together. Both Quintessential and Martin Miller.s hit odd notes, though they made pretty good martinis. We each had a favorite that didn.t make the top 10. I liked Citadelle, a new-wave French gin. I felt its unconventional citrus flavors merged well with evergreen aromas, but the others disagreed. Likewise, Audrey was pleased with that old standby Beefeater, while I found the flavors indistinct. Florence, who adores Tanqueray, liked the Tanqueray No. 10 as well, while Pete was more inclined to the G.Vine than the rest of us. Still, the disagreements never really got out of hand. When you.ve just shared 80 martinis, you.re inclined to smooth things over. Tasting Report: I.ll Take My Juniper Berries With Personality BEST VALUE Plymouth English Gin $22 *** 1/2 82.4 proof 1 liter Subtle and elegant with crisp, lingering flavors of citrus and juniper: a martini in a dinner jacket. (Importer: Absolut Spirits, New York) Junipero Anchor Distilling $35 *** United States 86 proof 750 milliliters Smooth, clean and very dry with assertive, classic flavors of juniper and citrus: a martini with one eyebrow raised. Cadenhead.s Old Raj Dry Gin $50 *** Scotland 110 proof 750 milliliters Powerful, muscular and hot, but in a good way: a martini with a punch. (Preiss Imports, Ramona, Calif.) Seagram.s Extra Dry $15 ** 1/2 80 proof 750 milliliters Surprisingly complex, with fruit, ginger, juniper and citrus flavors: a martini with a thesaurus. Tanqueray London Dry Gin $22 ** 1/2 England 94.6 proof 750 milliliters Crisp with a hint of mint and juniper flavors: a martini peeking out from librarian.s glasses. (Diageo, Norwalk, Conn.) Hendrick.s $40 ** 1/2 Scotland 88 proof 750 milliliters Unusual, intriguing floral aromas: a martini in a Hawaiian shirt. (William Grant & Sons, New York) Gordon.s London Dry $12 ** 1/2 United States 80 proof 750 milliliters Gentle and harmonious with cardamom and nutmeg aromas: a martini in a gray flannel suit. Bombay Sapphire London Dry $30 ** England 94 proof 1 liter Jangly flavors of mint, herbs and citrus, with detectable alcoholic heat: a neurotic martini. (Bombay Spirits, Miami) Quintessential London Dry $30 ** England 80 proof 750 milliliters Smooth and direct, but with an odd, bittersweet flavor: a martini with a blemish. (White Rock Distilleries, Lewiston, Me.) Martin Miller.s London Dry $32 ** England 80 proof 750 milliliters Soft and slightly sweet, with floral aromas, but not a hint of juniper: a martini in pedal pushers. (Skyy Spirits, New York) WHAT THE STARS MEAN: Ratings range from zero to four stars and reflect the panel.s reaction to the gins, which were tasted with names concealed. The panelists this week are Eric Asimov; Florence Fabricant; Pete Wells, editor of the Dining section; and Audrey Saunders, an owner of the Pegu Club in Manhattan. The tasted gins represent a selection generally available in good retail shops, restaurants and over the Internet. Prices are those paid in liquor shops in the New York region. Tasting coordinator: Bernard Kirsch

18 years, 7 months

[wine] Tony Soter on Cabernet

by russellmccandless＠frontiernet.net

(The following op-ed piece recently appeared on Steve Tanzer's web site. Thought it would be of general interest.) Tony Soter on Cabernet. April 2007 By Tony Soter, Soter Vineyards and Etude Wines Napa is blessed with an abundance and diversity of well-drained volcanic and alluvial soils and (until recently) an ideal climate that is warm enough to consistently ripen Cabernet but cool enough to stretch into October so that ripening is more often than not complete (not just sweet) and redolent with complex layers of nuance. But lately things are getting weird. When I say weird, I mean the convergence of global warming, numb palates seduced by alcoholic slipperiness, and too many new, insecure winery owners wanting to outgun the next guy by offering bigger-is-better wines. Add to the mix more than a few "mercenary" winemakers/consultants who can dial-in the excess to produce so-called "winning wines." Then, they are followed like lemmings by lesser talents who can at least imitate. Did you know that many of the wines receiving the high scores of late are not just over 14%, they are way past 15% right on up to the top-scorers: 16%? This reduces winemaking to picking raisins and getting one's fermentation technology honed to eke out a semblance of dryness at these extraordinary alcohols. But who cares if they are not totally dry anyway; it always worked for Chardonnay. There are also some unintended consequences viticulturally (replanting Napa to vertical trellising without regard to row orientation, for example) that combine to make it more difficult to protect the fruit from its most likely flaw. . .sunburn and shrivel. But this seems to be only a challenge for those of us that detest the new-wave excesses. Sunburn and shrivel are just what too many winemakers are waiting for today.though they will tell you it is physiological ripeness.they likely couldn't recognize it if they had to and wouldn't like it if they did. Essential to graceful, ageworthy cabernet that will smell more interesting with time is a whole range of aromatics or aromatic precursors that are "baked out" of grapes grown in too warm a climate or allowed to get over the top in so-called 'ripeness.' Forget the alcohol imbalance for a moment [those who like tinkering can get a machine involved to fix it]. What if that impressively ripe young wine has no future?.as the fruit fades nothing takes its place.its best moment is shortly after its release.is it coincidental that this is when they are judged? Credit Jim Laube's retrospectives looking back a decade or more for evidence that the wines have more than early flash. But I predict that many of the recent phenoms won't age worth a damn. To say nothing of the fact that they are hardly drinkable even now. But that may be a personal preference. After all, some of these wines are fairly interesting oenological curiosities. Freak show characters make for good entertainment, but take one home for dinner and you'll regret it, big-time. Not only do they not compliment a meal of nearly any sort, you get dizzy before you've had your third small glass and a headache the next morning if you do manage to finish the bottle.this is fun? What style do I aim for and has that changed over the years? I like power and ripeness, but more important are layers of complexity and finesse of structure (balance) and ultimately an irreducible quality of density, sap, or substance. This is a core of grape essence that is true richness. It can be masked by coarse, heavy-handed extraction that leaves the wine with too much tannin to be balanced. This was common decades ago but today we have learned to manage tannins. (I now fear that the marketplace is so tannin-phobic that they equate any tannin as a flaw) This substance or sap can also be imitated by very high alcohol and very low acidity. Most people call these wines round, full bodied, fleshy etc. but to me they are akin to excess makeup and augmentation: you can tell it isn't the real thing. How do I measure maturity and when to pick? I walk in the vineyard often, taste the fruit, consult the weather, be intimate with the vine, commune with nature, even consider praying. Being the "decider" is lonely work. It is the first in a series of irreversible directives. the consequences one has to live with. Fruit for winemaking improves with long hangtime, but there comes a point when it is not improving any longer, or when it incurs damage and begins to deteriorate because the vine can no longer sustain itself, let alone the fruit. Push it to the edge, but capture it before it goes over. Ripeness alone will make for hollow, slippery wines .those shallow wines that don't have any lingering impression and fail to leave a character stamp. Therefore, great sites and rigorous farming are essential elements of success, in my view. Low crops, low vigor, and stingy irrigation regimes (if the vines are not dry-farmed) are keys. Organic farming, sustainable farming, and biodynamics are all good approaches and in some form essential. They are all part of the solution vs. conventional farming and we should not spend too much effort discriminating between them in some false search for who is "holier than thou." Interestingly, I do not believe these techniques are strictly speaking quality contributions to the wine. Sustainable farming is a quality enhancement for the environment and a guarantee of purity for the customer that should be a responsibility of every winegrower. Do we use clones or mass selection? We use clones in a way that gives us a mass-selection-like result. That is to say we select numerous sites and clones and blend for the desired diversity. In the case of Etude Cabernet, the wine comes from some 8 vineyards representing a range from Calistoga to Napa and this includes 9 different clones of Cabernet. Soter Vineyards has a new wine in barrel made from a co-fermented blend of Cabernet Franc and several heritage or 'heirloom' Cabernet Sauvignon clones that were painstakingly selected and propagated in a new vineyard. This project originated 6-7 years ago and we are looking forward to bringing it to market in a couple years. This is a Napa Valley project that will be seen under a new label made and sold by Soter Vineyards.

18 years, 7 months

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win May 2007