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[wine] Southern France, S. Italy at Muffeletta

by Jim L. Ellingson

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 Here's some info on "150 best buys" from the Speculator. There are several French and Italian producers on the list of 50. I've included the article. Follow the link to the lists. Cheers, Jim Editors' Picks: Smart Buys An insider's guide to uncovering terrific wines at reasonable prices all around the globe Posted: Monday, March 08, 2004 By Kim Marcus Winery profiles: Editors' Picks: A - D Editors' Picks: D - O Editors' Picks: O - Z Also: View the full list of wines in PDF format The wine world today is an expanding universe, filled with tens of thousands of wines, accelerating in quality and diverging in style. Wine lovers have never before enjoyed such abundance and diversity. Want a crisp white? Try a South African Sauvignon Blanc. Looking for distinctive, full-flavored reds? Explore Argentina, with its Malbecs. Seeking Europe's next up-and-coming wine region? Venture to Campania, near the toe of the Italian boot. While the wide range of wines on the market today is a boon to enjoyment, it also presents challenges in separating the good from the bad (and sometimes, the ugly). Fortunately, you don't have to use all your spare time ferreting through the thousands of bottlings available from the five major winemaking continents. That's where Wine Spectator editors come in. Among them, the eight editors who taste wine on a regular basis have accumulated more than a century of tasting experience. In addition, they regularly travel the globe in search of exciting wines and are constantly probing the frontiers to see what's new and notable. It's not a search without a budget, however. Quality and price are inextricably linked; while it's our goal to find out where you can get the most bang for the buck, the buck is still up to you. Faced with the cornucopia of quality wines available, wine buyers break down into three general groups. The first group will pay any price for quality. These lucky few have the resources, and the desire, to buy the best of the best; their cellars are full of outstanding and classic wines. The second group, because of budgetary constraints or undemanding palates, will only pay up to a certain amount for a bottle of wine. Their limit may be $5 or $10 or slightly more; their goal is to find the best they can for the price. In between these two falls the third, and most demanding, group. These consumers have Champagne tastes and Budweiser pocketbooks. They may not be able to afford the world's greatest wines, but they won't settle for plonk to save a dollar or two. Their dream is to find very good to outstanding wines at reasonable prices. Call them the Smart Buyers. This report is for them. Of course, few of us are wedded to a single group: People move constantly from one to another. It may be that you shift into different buying strategies depending on the occasion. For big parties, you stick with budget wines, but when the in-laws come to dinner, you spring for prestige bottles. Or, you may collect Napa Cabernets and be willing to pay top dollar to cellar the best, but want to spend less for the wines you drink every day. If you are a Smart Buyer, however, you will accept nothing less than first-class quality, but you won't take out a second mortgage to pay for it. When exploring new regions in Italy or Spain, you set a limit on prices in order to reduce your risk. In more established wine categories, you search out experienced producers who provide distinctive wines at honest price levels. "People expect value," declares California winemaker Jed Steele, who has worked at wine companies large and small and now runs his own show at Steele Wines. "It's not that I envision making wines for the masses, but I've always felt wines should be reasonably priced." With this in mind, Wine Spectator editors set out to search the world for Smart Buys and the vintners who make them. They were given general quality- and price-parameters with which to target the Smart Buys: scores of 88 to 92 points (very good to outstanding) on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale; prices mostly in the $15 to $25 range. This search uncovered 50 producers who are at the forefront of making high quality wines at the best possible prices. The highest-rated wines top out at 94 points; the lowest-scoring wines clock in at 86 points. All but three of the 150 wines we've listed cost $30 or less per bottle; the average score is 89 points and the average price is $19. In addition, the wines we selected are made in generous quantities, and most of the producers we recommend should be represented in major U.S. wine markets. The Smart Buy terrain is most fertile where winemaking is pursued with passionate precision and an efficiency spurred by the balance sheet. More often than not, its ranks are filled with visionary vintners and winemakers who are committed to making memorable wines with unique flavors. Thus, this report avoids large corporate wineries that produce whole ranges of wines, even those that indeed offer wines meeting our criteria. (This includes producers such as Gallo in California, Rosemount in Australia, E. Guigal in France.) Smart Buyers are generally already familiar with these wines. Instead, we concentrated on smaller, lesser-known wineries that focus their portfolios on this sweet spot of price and quality. We also wanted a broad diversity of regions, grape varieties and wine styles. Our 50 Smart Buy producers hail from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and the United States. Each makes at least three wines that meet the criteria and has a consistent track record. Barring disastrous vintages, this ensures that these producers can be relied upon to deliver notable wines year in and year out -- not only those we highlight in this report. In Europe, you can chose from grapes that are familiar, or ones you've never heard of. Indeed, European bureau chief James Suckling's selections include a mix of producers -- some striving in traditional regions, some setting the pace in emerging ones. In Bordeaux, for example, Suckling has selected three lesser ch�teaus owned by vintners with interests in leading estates; you get the experience and standards of the best, but from areas that can't command top prices. One of the best examples is Ch�teau Puygueraud in the backwater C�tes de Francs appellation near St.-Emilion. The Thienpoint family, who also make great Pomerol at Vieux-Ch�teau-Certan, offer two Puygueraud wines from the 2000 vintage, a reserve (91 points) and a regular bottling (89) that each cost less than $20. Both wines are Bordeaux blends based mostly on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. All of Suckling's Italian picks are from the southern part of the nation, which he believes will be the next source of great Italian values. One of the most intriguing wines from this region is Falanghina Irpinia 2002 made by Terredora in Campania. The 2002 (90, $14) is a refined rendition of this obscure grape. The Iberian Peninsula is a hotbed for path-breaking wines. According to the results of tastings by executive editor Thomas Matthews, Spain is leading the charge with rich, ripe red wines from the Toro region, such as J. & F. Lurton Toro El Albar Barricas 2000 (89, $15). Spanish whites, long a weak link, are scoring highly as well, including Bodegas Godeval Valdeorras Vi�as Godeval 2001 (89, $14), a vibrant wine made from the Godello grape in the province of Galicia. Then there is Portugal, my area of expertise, which is in the midst of a quality revolution that is transforming its formerly lackluster red table wines. At their best, Portuguese reds are reminiscent of the robust and meaty-tasting wines of France's Rh�ne Valley, especially with the likes of Quinta do Vallado Douro 2001 (90, $14). Elsewhere in Europe, look to Germany for refined and pure-tasting whites. Its value appeal, like that of many other Smart Buy regions, is propelled by a lack of cachet in the market, which you can profit from. Outstanding quality Rieslings are widely available for $20 or less a bottle. Senior editor Bruce Sanderson makes the case with vineyard-designated wines by Meulenhof, including its Riesling Sp�tlese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2002 (93, $20). If you fancy white Burgundy, you will have to pay a premium, but Smart Buys do exist. Senior editor Per-Henrik Mansson recommends looking outside the expensive terroir of the C�te d'Or to surrounding appellations. Thus, one of his top wines comes from southern Burgundy near M�con, the J.-A. Ferret Pouilly-Fuiss� Les Sc�l�s Cuv�e Sp�ciale 2001 (88, $28). Some of the most exciting ground for Smart Buys lies in the Southern Hemisphere. South Africa, for example, has shaken both the stigma of apartheid and the sloth of governmental regulation to produce wines worthy of recognition. Among senior editor James Molesworth's favorites is Buitenverwachting Sauvignon Blanc Constantia 2003 (90, $15). If you are looking for hearty, full-flavored reds, it may be time to check out Argentina. There, Molesworth has been following the rise of the formerly obscure Malbec grape. The Dominio del Plata Malbec Mendoza BenMarco 2002 (91, $20) is one of the best, with a perfumed aroma and ripe and meaty flavors. Australia also remains a center for quality reds with its fruit-driven Shirazes, Grenaches and Cabernets. One of editor at large Harvey Steiman's leading Smart Buy producers is Bleasdale in the Langhorne Creek district of South Australia. It has been able to benefit from the region's lack of notoriety and the high quality of the grapes it grows to make supple and generous Shirazes and Cabernets in the $12 to $20 range. Finally, there is California. While its reputation for values has suffered of late because of a plethora of $100-a-bottle Cabernet Sauvignons, it can still put forward plenty of Smart Buys. Just don't expect Napa Cabernets. Instead, it's best to explore farther afield. One of senior editor James Laube's highest-scoring Smart Buy reds is the Rosenblum Zinfandel San Francisco Bay Carla's Vineyard 2001 (92, $23), a wine made in the bayside city of Alameda, in a rented space, from an appellation -- San Francisco Bay -- that didn't exist 10 years ago. These are just a few of the wines made by our 50 Smart Buy producers. In the pages that follow, you will be able to read their stories, learn about their winemaking techniques and zero in on their best wines. It's the inside scoop on how to buy the smartest wines for your money in the world today. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 6 months

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

by Jim L. Ellingson

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

21 years, 6 months

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

by Jim L. Ellingson

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

21 years, 6 months

[wine] California at Oddfellows Tonight

by Jim L. Ellingson

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

21 years, 6 months

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

by Jim L. Ellingson

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

21 years, 6 months

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

by Jim L. Ellingson

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

21 years, 6 months

(no subject)

by Russell Cattelan

list test

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Sonoma Cabs at JP's

by Jim L. Ellingson

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

21 years, 6 months

[wine] Notes from Erte, Nothing this week.

by Jim L. Ellingson

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

21 years, 7 months

[wine] Oz at Erte TONIGHT

by Jim L. Ellingson

An Update, and a "Value" list from 10/03 Speculator ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 16:35:32 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com, "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> Subject: Aussies at Erte User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i Back on for Aussies at Erte. ----- 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 Subject: [wine] Erte is Postponed. Nothing this week. On Mon, Apr 19, 2004 at 04:55:53PM -0500, Jim L. Ellingson wrote: > Greetings, > > Nic's Pick is for Australian wines at Erte. > > Erte Restaurant. > 329 13 Ave NE, Mpls 55413 > 612-623-4211 > > > Nikolai > Jim/Louise Lori Bob Betsy Russ McC > > Please let me know so that I/Bob can update the reservation (8 seats). > > Best, > Jim > Global Wine Values: Australia Fruit-forward wines with an edge Posted: Tuesday, October 07, 2003 By Kim Marcus Global Wine Values A roundup of 200 affordable wines from five continents Europe A powerhouse for firm-flavored wines United States Look to California and the Northwest The Best of the Rest South America and South Africa With some of the world's most technologically advanced winemaking and cutting-edge grapegrowing, Australia enters the values ring with a strong advantage. Add to those factors a warm, dry climate delivering optimal conditions during the growing season and a fruit-forward wine style that is gaining popularity the world over, and it's easy to see why Australian reds and whites are almost always near the top of the value charts. The quintessential Down Under red wine is Shiraz, which is the Australian name for what is known as Syrah in most of the rest of the world. In the values category, Shiraz usually offers ripe, full-bodied reds marked by plum and dark cherry flavors. These are wines that go down easy, with soft tannins and spicy finishes. Australian vintners also like to blend their grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are often combined, with the Cabernet contributing appealing herbal and berrylike flavors. The Riverina Estate Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia Bushman's Gully 2001 represents one of the best quality/price ratios in this report . This wine is plush and polished, with currant and berry flavors. It comes from an emerging region and illustrates why Australia can produce so many good wines at low prices: inexpensive land, mechanized harvesting that reduces labor costs, and deft winemaking that squeezes the most flavors possible from the grapes. Australia's white wine offerings are led by Chardonnay. In this price range, many of the wines show fresh fruit flavors dominated by citrus, peach and pineapple, with spicy elements as well; more buttery-tasting wines usually cost more due to the expense of fermenting and/or aging in pricey oak barrels. Australian Values Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends Wine Score Price RIVERINA ESTATE Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia Bushman's Gully 2001 88 $5 OXFORD LANDING Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz South Australia 2000 87 $9 ALICE WHITE Cabernet-Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2002 87 $8 PENFOLDS Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia Rawson's Retreat 2002 86 $9 ANGOVE'S Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia Classic Reserve 2000 85 $9 HARDYS Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz South Eastern Australia Nottage Hill 2000 85 $8 LINDEMANS Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia Bin 45 2002 85 $8 ALICE WHITE Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 ROTHBURY Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2001 84 $7 BLACK SWAN Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2002 83 $8 Shiraz and Blends Wine Score Price LINDEMANS Shiraz South Eastern Australia Bin 50 2002 86 $8 ROSEMOUNT Shiraz-Cabernet South Eastern Australia 2002 86 $9 BULLETIN PLACE Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2000 85 $8 DE BORTOLI Shiraz-Cabernet Savignon South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 KISSING BRIDGE Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2000 85 $6 MCGUIGAN Shiraz South Eastern Australia The Black Label 2001 85 $8 PEACE South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 TYRRELL'S Shiraz South Eastern Australia Moore's Creek 2002 85 $8 ALICE WHITE Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 PEACE Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2002 84 $8 STONEHAVEN Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2001 84 $6 BLACK SWAN Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2002 83 $8 BLUE TONGUE Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2002 83 $7 DE BORTOLI Shiraz South Eastern Australia Deen Vat 8 2001 83 $6 HARDYS Shiraz South Eastern Australia Stamp of Australia 2001 83 $6 ROTHBURY Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2001 83 $7 CROCODILE ROCK Shiraz Murray Valley 2001 82 $6 STONEHAVEN Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2001 82 $6 YELLOW TAIL Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2002 82 $7 Other Red Wine Score Price ROSEMOUNT Grenache-Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2001 86 $9 HARDYS Merlot South Eastern Australia Nottage Hill 2001 85 $8 ALICE WHITE Merlot South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 LINDEMANS Merlot South Eastern Australia Bin 40 2002 84 $8 ROTHBURY Merlot South Eastern Australia 2001 84 $7 PENFOLDS Merlot South Eastern Australia Rawson's Retreat 2002 82 $9 White Wine Score Price OXFORD LANDING Sauvignon Blanc South Australia 2002 87 $9 KISSING BRIDGE Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2001 85 $6 LINDEMANS Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Bin 65 2002 85 $8 OXFORD LANDING Chardonnay South Australia 2002 85 $9 PEACE Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 PENFOLDS Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Rawson's Retreat 2002 85 $9 ROSEMOUNT Chardonnay-S�millon Australia 2002 85 $8 ROTHBURY Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 STONEHAVEN Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 ALICE WHITE Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 ALICE WHITE S�millon-Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2002 85 $8 ANGOVE'S Chardonnay South Australia Bear Crossing 2002 84 $7 JACOB'S CREEK Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2002 84 $9 LINDEMANS S�millon-Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Cawarra 2002 84 $8 PENFOLDS Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Koonunga Hill 2002 84 $9 ANGOVE'S Chardonnay South Australia Classic Reserve 2002 83 $9 COCKATOO RIDGE Chardonnay South Australia 2002 83 $7 HARDYS Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Nottage Hill 2002 83 $8 DE BORTOLI Chardonnay Riverina dB 2002 82 $6 HARDYS Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Stamp of Australia 2002 82 $6 ROTHBURY Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2001 82 $7 WYNDHAM ESTATE Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Bin 222 2002 82 $9 YELLOW TAIL Chardonnay South Eastern Australia 2002 80 $7 -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

21 years, 7 months

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