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[wine] NYTimes.com Article: Brushing the Dust Off an Old Label

by jellings＠me.umn.edu

The article below from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by jellings(a)me.umn.edu. /--------- E-mail Sponsored by Fox Searchlight ------------\ THE CLEARING - IN THEATERS JULY 2 - WATCH THE TRAILER NOW An official selection of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, THE CLEARING stars ROBERT REDFORD and HELEN MIRREN as Wayne and Eileen Hayes - a husband and wife living the American Dream. Together they've raised two children and struggled to build a successful business from the ground up. But there have been sacrifices along the way. When Wayne is kidnapped by an ordinary man, Arnold Mack (WILLEM DAFOE), and held for ransom in a remote forest, the couple's world is turned inside out. Watch the trailer at: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/theclearing/index_nyt.html \----------------------------------------------------------/ Brushing the Dust Off an Old Label June 30, 2004 By ERIC ASIMOV NO matter how much you love the wines, it's not easy to make sense of Burgundy. The region's organization is so sprawling and its nomenclature both so confusing and repetitive that many people, if given the choice of a Volnay or a Vosne-Roman�e, settle for a nice Bordeaux. One solution is to read a book, like Matt Kramer's excellent "Making Sense of Burgundy." But most people would rather enjoy wine than study it, and besides, a lot has changed since that book came out in 1990. More typically, people rely on brand names to ease decision making. It's a marketer's dream when a beer drinker becomes a Bud drinker, and brand names can take a lot of the confusion out of wine buying. But brand names change, too, and so do their connotations. Consider the case of Bouchard P�re & Fils, one of the oldest names in Burgundy (not to be confused with Bouchard-A�n� & Fils, another of those maddening repetitions). Perhaps 10 or 15 years ago, a discerning Burgundy buyer might have skipped right by the Bouchard brand. Despite its legacy - the firm had passed through nine generations of family ownership since 1731 - the wines were often dull assembly-line fare. The excitement in Burgundy was with the small growers and producers, not the big names. But in 1995, the Bouchard family sold the firm to Joseph Henriot, who began investing in improving the vineyards and winemaking. The result has been a stunning revitalization. The Bouchard comeback was on full display last week at a dinner at Montrachet in TriBeCa, where Bernard Hervet, Bouchard's managing director, brought with him a selection of outstanding recent wines along with some older vintages. Mr. Hervet, who joined Bouchard in 1989 under the old regime, experienced the turnaround firsthand. Before Bouchard was sold, he said, he did not have the budget to improve the quality of the wines. Bouchard was suffering, he added, because it did not remember what had made its wines great in the first place. "In the 1970's and 80's, Burgundy growers and n�gociants forgot that without great grapes there would be no great wines," said Mr. Hervet, a tall, lean man who looks like the proverbial banker from Bordeaux rather than the earthy Burgundian farmer. "They thought they could solve problems in the vineyards with technology." Liberated from budget constraints, and given the mandate to improve, Bouchard replanted its vineyards, replaced its cellar equipment and re-established its winemaking philosophy. "No huge wines," Mr. Hervet said. "It's a question of balance. It's a shame to confuse length and power." Hundreds of winemakers earnestly mouth similar words like scripture, but tasting a selection of Bouchard's 2002's made clear that these were sculptured, precise wines, shaped for subtlety rather than power. The Beaune Clos de la Mousse was light-bodied and elegant, with fruit aromas that perfumed the air, a contrast with the more robust and tannic Beaune Teurons. A Beaune-Gr�ves, with the evocative name Vigne de L'Enfant J�sus, seemed to combine the structure of the Teurons with the expressive fruitiness of the Clos de la Mousse. Perhaps the clearest indication of the changes at Bouchard were the three vintages of Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuv�e Carnot, from 1999, 1990 and 1964. The '99 was still a baby, fresh and harmonious with aromas that reminded me of truffles. The '64 smelled powerfully of truffles and chocolate and still tasted pure and balanced. The '90 also had truffle aromas, a signature of the vineyard, I guess, but it was noticeably sweeter than the other two wines and seemed vaguer, lacking their clear-cut lines. To emphasize the effect of Mr. Henriot's ownership, Mr. Hervet brought along three vintages of William F�vre Chablis, from the grand cru vineyard called Les Clos. F�vre's Chablis used to be notorious for their heavy oak flavors, the last thing you would want to taste in the lean and minerally wines of Chablis. That was before Mr. Henriot bought the domaine in 1998. Now the wines are lively and nuanced. "It was a pity, in my opinion," Mr. Hervet said, expelling air with his cheeks in the French manner that expresses exasperation and disbelief. "We completely changed the style to be more pure, more minerally." All of the wines we tasted were made from top Bouchard vineyards. Bouchard's more modest wines, Mr. Hervet said, are intended to be easy and uncomplicated, balanced and fruity, requiring no explanation to enjoy. As if to show that nothing can be truly predictable in wine, we also tasted three vintages of Bouchard's Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte, a white Burgundy from a vineyard adjacent to the more famous and costly Montrachet. One, a 1992, a pre-Henriot vintage, was every bit as lovely as a 1997 and a 2000. Nonetheless, the evolution of Bouchard is clear. It is not just small domains that are making great Burgundy, and Bouchard can now be placed with other n�gociants like Louis Jadot and Joseph Drouhin, which despite their volume of business keep their eyes on quality. "Bouchard used to be a reference when Burgundy was showing badly," Mr. Hervet said, "and I hope it's now a reference when Burgundy is showing well." http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/30/dining/30POUR.html?ex=1089608017&ei=1&en=… --------------------------------- Get Home Delivery of The New York Times Newspaper. Imagine reading The New York Times any time & anywhere you like! Leisurely catch up on events & expand your horizons. Enjoy now for 50% off Home Delivery! Click here: http://homedelivery.nytimes.com/HDS/SubscriptionT1.do?mode=SubscriptionT1&E… HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales(a)nytimes.com or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

21 years, 5 months

[wine] Syrah/Shiraz @ JP's?

by Betsy Kremser

Is anyone interested in tasting syrah/shiraz at JP's on Thursday night? Betsy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Betsy Kremser Betsy.Kremser(a)co.anoka.mn.us Health Planner/Policy Analyst Anoka County Community Health & Environmental Services 763.323.6096 (voice) 763.422.6988 (Fax)

21 years, 5 months

[wine] Henn-Lake Tasting, Summer whites.

by Jim L. Ellingson

FYI, The Hennepin Lake Tasting is Wednesday. Hennepin Lake Liquor Store 1200 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 825-4411 Are we meeting on Thursday? Cheers, Jim A Dozen Summer Whites for $24 or Less These quaffable wines come with flavors and prices that help them go down easily It's hard to beat a chilled glass of white wine on a hot summer day. There are lots of wines to choose from, but some of the most refreshing are those that are light in style but with good concentration of flavor and crisp acidity. These characteristics can be found in wines from around the world, and many are very affordable. -- Alison Napjus Wine Score Price FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO Falanghina Sannio 2003 90 $17 Aromas of lemons and rhubarb turn to minerals, melons, and honey. Medium- to full-bodied, with lovely acidity and a long, ripe fruit aftertaste. Delicious. One of the best values in Italian white. Drink now. From Italy. 70,000 cases made. -- J.S. JACOB'S CREEK Riesling South Australia Reserve 2003 89 $13 Dry, tangy, a vivid style offering green apple and quince and lovely floral notes as the flavors linger. Drink now through 2008. 50,000 cases made. -- H.S. CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley Horse Heaven Vineyard 2002 88 $15 Bright and juicy, crisp with herbal pear and fig flavors on a lean, jazzy frame. Drink now. From Washington. 23,000 cases made. -- H.S. COLLAVINI Pinot Grigio Collio Villa Canlungo 2002 88 $15 Very clean, with light pineapple, honey and pear aromas. Medium-bodied, with good acidity and a long, flavorful finish. Subtle yet rich for a Pinot Grigio. Best yet from here. Good value. Drink now. From Italy. 24,000 cases made. -- J.S. CONUNDRUM California 2002 88 $24 Round and ripe, with a panoply of melon, orange rind, pear and floral tones. Tangy citrus notes and a hint of vanilla shape the intense finish. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli, Viognier and S�millon. Drink now. 60,000 cases made. -- J.L. DI LENARDO Tocai Friulano Grave del Friuli Toh! 2002 88 $10 Very good richness of fruit in this white with pineapple and fresh peach character. Medium-bodied, with good fruit and a medium to long finish. Lovely juice. Very good value. Drink now. From Italy. 3,500 cases made. -- J.S. SOUTHERN RIGHT Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape 2003 88 $10 Very tangy up front, with lemon, chive and floral notes, and a crisp, juicy finish. Very tasty and a fine value. Drink now. From South Africa. 2,000 cases imported. -- J.M. PIERRE SPARR Riesling Alsace 2002 88 $10 Aromatic, offering floral, quince and ripe apple notes backed by a vibrant structure. It's almost glycerinelike in texture and beginning to show some maturity. Good, lingering finish. Drink now. From France. 13,000 cases made. -- B.S. YALUMBA Viognier South Australia The Y Series 2003 88 $9 Beguilingly lithe and fragrant, not as explosively aromatic as some Viognier, but rife with honeysuckle, pear and melon flavors that keep echoing appealingly on the dry, open finish. Drink now. 3,500 cases imported. -- H.S. BOLLINI Pinot Grigio Trentino 2003 87 $11 Aromas of minerals and lemon rind follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with good fruit and a minerally finish. Real Pinot Grigio here. Drink now. From Italy. 80,000 cases made. -- J.S. CA' RUGATE Soave Classico San Michele 2002 87 $11 Tasting this is like biting into a freshly sliced apple. Medium-bodied, with good acidity and a dry, fruity pear and apple finish. Drink now. From Italy. 16,000 cases made. -- J.S. WHITEHALL LANE Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2002 87 $15 Understated, but with very good concentration and balance to melon, hay, peach and passion fruit. Crisp citrus and cedary vanilla fold into the finish. Drink now. From California. 7,310 cases made. Don't miss our Smart Buys archive. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 5 months

[wine] Terry Theise Tasting on 16 June

by Jim L. Ellingson

A reminder from Joyce about the Terry Theise tasting next week. Also, an article about inter-state wine shipping. Some of us are going to Campiello for the Henn-Lake tasting. Has anyone seen the tent? This was a very big and somewhat crowded event at the Calhoun Beach Club. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from jhegstrom(a)csom.umn.edu ----- Subject: Terr y Theise - June 16 - 6:30-9:30 To: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> Cc: wine(a)thebarn.com, wine-bounce(a)thebarn.com From: jhegstrom(a)csom.umn.edu Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 08:23:05 -0500 Greetings! If you haven't already heard Terry Theise will be returning in June. Once again, Surdyk's is allowing me to offer a discounted ticket price of $25 if you sign up with the "Joyce Hegstrom/Bubbles" group. To take advantage of this, you need to call Karen Blakeman at the store (612) 379-3232 and indicate to her that you are with my group. Hope to see you there! Joyce Terry Theise German Wine Tasting (99391) Sample some of the finest wines Germany has to offer. If you haven't been to a Terry Theise tasting, you're in for a treat; if you have, you already know! Held at the Milennium Hotel - 1313 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis You can now make your reservation on-line! Surdyk's Price: $27.00 MATTERS OF TASTE The wine shipping news David Shaw June 9, 2004 Supporters of laws that ban wineries from shipping directly to consumers in many states . especially wholesalers who now act as middlemen and would like to have all wine sales continue to go through them . invoke all manner of justification for their position. They say they're trying to abide by the United States Constitution and to ensure that appropriate sales taxes are collected and, above all, to help states "protect their communities . [and] safeguard their children . " as Juanita Duggan, president and CEO of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, said when the U.S. Supreme Court agreed last month to hear two cases that involve direct shipping. Right. When all else fails, invoke those poor, helpless kids. If the Supreme Court rules against Duggan and her allies, I can just see all those impatient 14-year-olds e-mailing their orders to Napa and waiting three weeks for their Screaming Eagle to arrive. When the Supreme Court takes up this case later this year, justices will be reviewing just two states' laws, but their ruling could affect all 24 states that now forbid direct sales to consumers. These states essentially rely on the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition but threw a legislative bone to the temperance movement by giving states broad authority to regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages within their borders. I hope the court throws all those states' laws out the window. I hope the justices rule that wineries in California and elsewhere can ship their wines directly to consumers in every one of the 50 states. A Federal Trade Commission study last year said consumers could save "as much as 21% on some wines" if they were able to buy them directly from the wineries. That's why wholesalers oppose the change; they'd lose money if wineries could bypass them and ship directly to individual consumers. Although consumers in California probably wouldn't be greatly affected by such a decision . at least not directly . it's still a huge issue here. California is by far the biggest wine-producing state in the country, accounting for two-thirds of the nation's wine sales. All the other states combined produce only about 7% of the wine consumed in the United States. West Coast arrangement California residents can buy directly from California's more than 850 wineries . just as residents in other states can buy directly from wineries in their states . and California also has reciprocal agreements with Oregon and Washington that permit wineries in each of these states to sell to customers in the other two. I don't want to be chauvinistic, but I have to say that with all those fine California, Oregon and Washington wines already available, I really don't see a significant number of Californians suddenly spending a lot of money to buy the wines of, say, New York, Ohio and Texas. But a favorable Supreme Court ruling would allow residents of California . or any other state . to call a California winery and order wine as a gift to be sent to a friend or relative or business acquaintance in another state. Would opening new domestic markets for California wines mean that consumers in California might have more trouble finding the California wines they want . or have to pay more for them? "No," says Rich Cartiere, editor and publisher of the Calistoga-based Wine Market Report. "There's plenty of California wine available, and there's too much competition among too many brands, California and foreign imports, many of them being offered at discount prices, for California wineries to get away with raising prices." Direct shipping throughout the country could be an enormous windfall for California wineries, though, simply because they could sell more wine to more customers. This should make the wineries healthier, and since the wine industry contributes $33 billion to the state's economy, the state's economy should get healthier too. But that's not why I favor eliminating the ban on direct shipping. The ban just seems discriminatory to me. Over the years, the Supreme Court has generally interpreted the Commerce Clause in the U.S. Constitution in ways that limit such state-by-state discrimination . "economic Balkanization," the court called it in another case . and I hope the justices will do likewise now. If I lived in New York (or Michigan) . the two states whose bans are the basis of the pending Supreme Court case . why should I only be able to direct-order wines made in New York (or Michigan)? Why shouldn't I be able to buy by phone, online or through the mail any wine from California and Oregon and Virginia and any other state that makes wine that appeals to me? And why shouldn't wineries be able to sell to anyone, anywhere, who wants to drink their wines and is willing to pay for them? Even a favorable Supreme Court ruling wouldn't allow foreign wineries to ship directly to customers in the U.S. because federal import and customs regulations, not state laws, prevent that. But if, like me, you tend to root for the underdog . the little guy . in most situations, there's another reason to hope the Supreme Court overturns the direct shipping ban within the United States. Big fish, little fish The big wineries, in California and elsewhere, can survive under the current system. They may not like it. They may be able to make even more money if the system is changed. But at least they're in the game. The biggest 25% of the country's almost 3,000 wineries sell more than 80% of the wines consumed nationwide, and wholesalers are happy to work with them. Most wineries are small, family-owned operations, though, with volume so slight that wholesalers don't find their business worth taking. These wineries get shut out of interstate sales altogether under the current system; they can't ship directly to consumers, and they can't ship indirectly, through wholesalers. Collectors and casual drinkers alike should have direct access to these wines. Direct sales from wineries to consumers are a relatively small piece of the wine pie at present, accounting for only $200 million of last year's $18 billion in total wine sales. But that number would increase significantly if wineries could sell directly to consumers everywhere. The Supreme Court should make that possible. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- David Shaw can be reached at david.shaw(a)latimes.com. To read previous "Matters of Taste" columns, please go to latimes.com/shaw-taste. ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 5 months

[wine] Details re Henn Lake Tasting on Wed

by Jim L. Ellingson

Wednesday's Weather looks pretty good for a tent-tasting. A wee bit breezy w/ a 30% chancs of rain and temps in the 70's. Wednesday...Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 70 to 75. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Wednesday Night...Increasing clouds. A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 55. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Wine-tasting to benefit Hennepin-Lake neighborhoods is June 9 Hennepin Lake Liquors, 1200 W. Lake St., hosts its 22nd annual charity winetasting Wednesday, June 9 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in a tent in the Campiello's parking lot, 1320 W. Lake St. Food will be provided by the restaurant and wine by Hennepin Lake Liquor. All proceeds go to participating neighborhood groups, including the Calhoun Area Residents Action Group (CARAG), Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association (LHENA), East Calhoun Community Organization (ECCO), East Isles Resident Association (EIRA) and Kenwood Isles Area Association (KIAA.) "After doing business in the community for a number of years, we decided to give something back," said Phil Colich, owner of Hennepin Lake Liquors for 29 years. Colich said the event is Minnesota's longest-running charitable wine-tasting. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Each participating neighborhood sells tickets as a fund-raiser, but tickets can also be purchased at Hennepin Lake liquor. Revenue from tickets sold at the store will be split among the participating neighborhoods. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] FW: A note from Jason

by Jim L. Ellingson

Thanks to Angela and Jason for hosting a great party. C, J ----- Forwarded message from Jason Kallsen <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> ----- Reply-To: jason(a)twincitieswine.com From: Jason Kallsen <jason(a)twincitieswine.com> To: "'Jim L. Ellingson'" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> Subject: Many thanks to the Thursday group Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 23:07:28 -0500 (Jim: please pass this on) Thanks to all who came to the party last Friday. It was wonderful to see everybody again, to taste great wine, and have great conversation. Many thanks and we'll do it again in the future! I'll be sending out a list of wines that were opened for the historians out there. The apple ice Canadian dessert wine was of particular interest. Turns out it was brought by Sara from the Wine Company (who showed up with and left with Kris Igo). She got it as a gift from one of the instructors at the culinary school at the Institute of Arts, a fellow who was from Canada. Here's some recent restaurant news: Brian Crouch, former chef at Marimar, is working under Steven Browne at Levain. As he told me "I'll be there for at least a year getting my ass kicked and learning more than I ever thought possible." Keep your eye on Brian in the future. A roasted beet salad I had at Pizza Biga (opposite side of Turtle Bread from Levain) was outstanding. Scott Pampuch is about 4 weeks away from re-opening the n.e. thyme caf? spot. He's running into kitchen code issues (with the new ownership not much got grandfathered in). It will be called Corner Table. I've talked to him about the Thursday group and he looks forward to cooking for you again. His sous chef is a guy named Keven Kalstren (I think that's the spelling) who trained in Bordeaux. Before ne thyme closed Annette Peters and I had possibly the best lobster based seafood bisque I've ever had, made by this guy. Annette immediately picked it out as French-trained. The new chef at The Modern is doing well ... Phillip Brecht. He seems to have a great touch with Italian inspired dishes. Does anybody know where Stewart Woodman's new restaurant is going to be? If you do, please let me know. Also, don't miss Dara's review of Red in this week's City Pages. Keep in touch, Jason Kallsen Jason(a)twincitieswine.com ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] S. French, S. Italian at Muffuletta TONIGHT

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Looks like we'll be 10 tonight! <fwd> We've got an invitation to Muffuletta. Not sure if the chef will still have any morels on the menu. Warren's Wine Wish is for labels from Southern France and Southern Italy. Perhaps it was to chase away the cold from the wet and windy Memorial Day weekend. Muffuletta Cafe St. Anth. Park 2260 Como St. Paul, 55108 651-644-9116 Best WAG at the guest list: Lori Bob Betsy Warren and Ruth Jim Nikolai Russ McC Bill "I'm from 'Jersey so you can understand my reluctance to travel East of the Mississippi" Sobolewski Annette Stadelman Cheers, Jim Cheers, Jim -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] California at Odfellows Tasting Notes

by Jim L. Ellingson

Last of three. Note that Russ was considerably more timely about getting these out than I was in posting them to the list. Cheers, Jim Californians at Oddfellow's . 5/20/2004 Theme: California, non-Napa, non-cabernet. A small but select group gathered to enjoy, among other treats, some awesome venison chops with grilled veggies. W1 . light color, fresh and attractive smoky nose, sweet and tasty mouthfeel, very long on the finish, doesn't taste of any particular grape (at least not to my inadequately experienced palate) but this is delicious, very good quality. 2000 Foxen Chenin Blanc . Santa Barbara County. W2 . very sharp nose, excess SO2 and/or ketone? Not tasted. 1999 Lorca Pinot Gris . Monterey County. W3 . big, attractive chardonnay, lots of acid structure for California, indeed could use a little time in bottle to integrate the acid, tasty wine with power and length. Very good quality, and may well be better a year or two from now. 2001 Foley Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard . Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara). W4 . brown-looking, oxidized smelling, not tasted. Consensus was that this bottle was catastrophically corked, rather than having gone over the hill in its youth. A previous bottle, perhaps 12-14 months ago, was fine. 2000 Foley Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard . Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara). R1 . purple color suggests Beaujolais, reluctant nose, light body, not much fruit, tannin and alcohol in evidence, touch of chocolate, finish OK at first, then trace of some artificial flavor late, overall impression is thin. 1999 Chateau Souverain Merlot . Alexander Valley. R2 . medium purple, very crystalline; attractive nose, slightly tannic aroma suggests Bordeaux grapes, then on second nosing it smells more like syrah, touch of smoked meat and blacker fruits; medium weight mouth entry, good structure, red fruits increasing in aromatic force as one holds the wine in the mouth; quite smooth and fruit-driven on the finish, an extremely well balanced light to midweight, very good indeed. 1993 Geyser Peak Reserve Shiraz . Alexander Valley. With air, the wine got maplier and more tannic, the wood becoming more obvious, but retained its excellent balance. R3 . medium purple, possibly a touch of spritz? Young pinot color, vegetal nose in balance with adequate fruit; considerable fruit on midpalate, retaining the vegetal characteristic, very good with olives, touch of funky flavors (in a good way), could this be pinot noir? Considerable power, high-toned fruit and chocolatey oak on the finish, quite good with Oddfellow's excellent food. 1999 Abundance Vineyards Syrah, French Camp Vineyard . Paso Robles. Opened with air; a nice complex, food-friendly Syrah without excess weight. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Surdyk's Chapoutier Tasting Notes

by Jim L. Ellingson

More tasting notes from Russ. Add Russ and Bill S. to the list for tomorrow (total = 9) M. Chapoutier tasting . sponsored by Surdyk's - 5/18/2004 Wines tasted non-blind. 1997 Hermitage Blanc, Chante Alouette . medium gold, lightest color of the three whites. Sizeable sweet/sour honey nose; midpalate seems aromatically closed, and the wine seems rather soft in the sense of lacking acid structure; finish somewhat shy on fruit (closed?), a touch alcoholic, very long though. Later, after having tasted thru the first six wines, this was a terrific match with the Fourme d'Ambert blue cheese. 1996 Hermitage Blanc, Chante Alouette . gold color both deeper and brighter; much bigger nose than first wine, beeswax and maturing white grapes and apricots, wood smoke, high "wow" factor; rich and sweet midpalate with lots of fruit; finish powerful, complicated and long; very good indeed, one to buy. 1996 Ermitage Blanc, de l'Or�e . quite dark gold; massively concentrated nose, the preceding wine pitched more toward baritone with the volume turned up; midpalate smokier and more serious than preceding wine, not so much weightier as far more concentrated, alcohol more obvious, a touch aromatically closed? Very large, powerful finish. Outstanding quality, and by far the largest wine of the evening, much bigger than the reds. Later, with the cheese, a pronounced and delicious honey hard candy smell and taste. 1993 Ermitage (rouge) le Pavillon . ultra dark color with a trace of brick at the edges; distinguished, deep Syrah nose, lots of smoked meat character, not a lot of fruit; pepper and red fruits on mouth entry, midweight; finishes as it tastes, the fruit fading moderately fast to low volume but then lasting a very long time. Good example of how distinguished vineyards produce fine wine even in off vintages. 1998 C�te-R�tie les B�casses (Chapoutier's "regular" C�te-R�tie) . lighter than preceding wine but still quite dark, crystalline, faint touch of maturing quality to edge color; very primary nose, still reluctant, smoked meat; delicious and quite tannic midpalate with considerable acid structure, black pepper, minerals; smooth transition to a big finish, then closing again but long and true, then smoked meat coming on extra strong late in the finish, and then the fruit coming up again! Highly promising young wine, one to buy. 1998 C�te-R�tie la Mordor�e . very young purple, some sediment but falls bright; much more forthcoming nose than preceding wine, with obvious fancy oak, very primary; big bright red fruit and black pepper midpalate, the sweet oak flavors again obvious but well integrated, yummy wine, very tannic; smooth transition to near runaway truck power on finish, very pure, very primary, at this stage of its development uncomplicated in comparison to the "regular" but much bigger and sweeter. Later, with the cheese, a lot of floral quality on the nose, and the wine impressed with its finesse, very light on its feet in spite of its size. Also tasted, with the cheese: 2001 Ermitage (blanc) le M�al and 2001 Ermitage (blanc) de l'Or�e, and an unfortunately corked bottle of 2001 C�te-R�tie la Mordor�e. The '01 le M�al was almost shockingly dissimilar to the 1996 wines, all primary fruit and minerals, reminded me very strongly of young grand cru Chablis, granted that it's not made from chardonnay. The '01 l'Or�e was far more obviously concentrated and viscous, and had lots of the smoky quality of its 1996 older brother. These two 2001 whites were extremely different and both of superb quality. The Fourme d'Ambert, the extra aged Mimolette, and especially the St-Nectaire were all cheeses to try again in the future. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Sonoma Cabs at JP's

by Jim L. Ellingson

Thanks to Russ for sharing his excellent notes. Sonoma Cabernet at JP's American Bistro . 5/13/2004 Note: winetasters' noses and palates had heavy competition from kitchen smells and spicy food on this particular evening. The kitchen smelled delicious and the food tasted delicious, but as a result, my notes may be even farther off the mark than usual. As the notes reflect, I found several wines fairly inscrutable, and of course I'm anything but an expert at tasting young cabernets. Bubbly . NV Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley. Clean and attractive nose, well structured wine rich enough to balance its acid, quite good. This particular wine, after being a house favorite for a decade, had been tasting thin and sharp to me (upon release, at least) for a couple of years. Annette S. reported that this bottle is the current release; good to see them back on form. W1 . Lovely fresh nose with bright white grapey fruit, Sancerre? (Nope, got the grape wrong immediately!) Plenty of fruit in the mouth, excellent snappy acid balance, excellent length, outstanding aperitif. 2002 Macon-Lugny Les Charmes, Cave de Lugny. Speaks extremely well of the vintage, as well as the skill of some young winemaker, when the local cooperative in Lugny produces this quality. 1.1 . Dark color, cloudy? Alcoholic, characteristically cabby nose; moderate fruit in mouth, very tannic and acidic finish, seems very young but is there a touch of maderised flavor? 1996 Gallo of Sonoma, Reserve Cabernet. 1.2 . Dark, crystalline, glyceral legs, generally deeper-looking; an earthier, less forthcoming nose than first wine, less fruit and more wood; round and bright fruit flavors in the mouth, smooth finish, good length, doesn't seem that serious but it sure is tasty! 2000 Roo Cabernet, Coonawarra. I really like this appellation. 1.3 . Dark, again crystalline and showing substantial legs, much the best nose of the first flight, currants and cedar, bit of a jammy Aussie-style touch on the nose; midpalate pleasant enough, lacks fruit at first, then the wine really started to open with 10-15 minutes' air, finish lengthened and fruit came up. 1997 Sebastiani Cabernet, Appellation Selection, Sonoma. This was quite good with the main course, after it had been open an hour. 2.1 . Dark, jammy looking; smooth, fruit-driven wine giving an Ozzy impression from nose thru finish, very long, plenty of chocolatey oak, rather shiraz-tasting but excellent of its style. 2001 L de Lyeth Cabernet, Sonoma. 2.2 . Dark; touch of prune on nose; smooth and sweet mouthfeel, overly sweet? Alcoholic power is prominent; overall impression is another smooth, fruit-driven wine that rather lacks cabernet character. 1991 Benziger Cabernet, Sonoma. 2.3 . Assertively spicy and herby nose, plenty of fruit too; midpalate very sweet and tannic, big fruit, lots of fancy wood, fruit seems to lack length, is the finishing power mostly just alcohol or is the tannin still drying out this young wine on the back end? 1994 Gundlach Bundschu Cabernet, Rhinefarm Vineyard, Sonoma Valley. 2.4 . Ultra dark, crystalline look. Considerable depth and varietal character on nose; a smooth, sweet, powerful midpalate; finishes with runaway truck power, spice chest and black fruits, a terrific bottle showing very well tonight in spite of its apparent youth. 1999 Kendall-Jackson Cabernet, Great Estates, Napa Valley. 3.1 . Dark color, glyceral-looking; attractive nose of balanced fruit, wood and alcohol, lacks varietal character though; extremely smooth, round and sweet midpalate; finishes rather briefly for its size. 2000 Napanook by Dominus Estate, Red Wine, Napa Valley. 3.2 . Very dark and leggy. Dark fruit nose with impeccable balance. Midpalate impression is a great big wine rather hiding its fruit, going thru a closed stage? Very powerful finish, again giving the closed impression despite the wine's considerable size, difficult to evaluate, improving with air but the tannin also grows more prominent with air. 2000 Dominus, Napa Valley. Also tasted, two tasty faux Burgundians from south of the bay: 2001 Carpe Diem Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, Firepeak Vineyard, and 2002 Carpe Diem Chardonnay, Edna Valley, Firepeak Vineyard. Thanks to Annette S. for letting us sample these wines. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

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