FYI
June 16, 2009
Alcohol.s Good for You? Some Scientists Doubt It
By RONI CARYN RABIN
By now, it is a familiar litany. Study after study suggests that alcohol in moderation may promote heart health and even ward off diabetes and dementia. The evidence is so plentiful that some experts consider moderate drinking . about one drink a day for women, about two for men . a central component of a healthy lifestyle.
But what if it.s all a big mistake?
For some scientists, the question will not go away. No study, these critics say, has ever proved a causal relationship between moderate drinking and lower risk of death . only that the two often go together. It may be that moderate drinking is just something healthy people tend to do, not something that makes people healthy.
.The moderate drinkers tend to do everything right . they exercise, they don.t smoke, they eat right and they drink moderately,. said Kaye Middleton Fillmore, a retired sociologist from the University of California, San Francisco, who has criticized the research. .It.s very hard to disentangle all of that, and that.s a real problem..
Some researchers say they are haunted by the mistakes made in studies about hormone replacement therapy, which was widely prescribed for years on the basis of observational studies similar to the kind done on alcohol. Questions have also been raised about the financial relationships that have sprung up between the alcoholic beverage industry and many academic centers, which have accepted industry money to pay for research, train students and promote their findings.
.The bottom line is there has not been a single study done on moderate alcohol consumption and mortality outcomes that is a .gold standard. kind of study . the kind of randomized controlled clinical trial that we would be required to have in order to approve a new pharmaceutical agent in this country,. said Dr. Tim Naimi, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Even avid supporters of moderate drinking temper their recommendations with warnings about the dangers of alcohol, which has been tied to breast cancer and can lead to accidents even when consumed in small amounts, and is linked with liver disease, cancers, heart damage and strokes when consumed in larger amounts.
.It.s very difficult to form a single-bullet message because one size doesn.t fit all here, and the public health message has to be very conservative,. said Dr. Arthur L. Klatsky, a cardiologist in Oakland, Calif., who wrote a landmark study in the early 1970s finding that members of the Kaiser Permanente health care plan who drank in moderation were less likely to be hospitalized for heart attacks than abstainers. (He has since received research grants financed by an alcohol industry foundation, though he notes that at least one of his studies found that alcohol increased the risk of hypertension.)
.People who would not be able to stop at one to two drinks a day shouldn.t drink, and people with liver disease shouldn.t drink,. Dr. Klatsky said. On the other hand, .the man in his 50s or 60s who has a heart attack and decides to go clean and gives up his glass of wine at night . that person is better off being a moderate drinker..
Health organizations have phrased their recommendations gingerly. The American Heart Association says people should not start drinking to protect themselves from heart disease. The 2005 United States dietary guidelines say that .alcohol may have beneficial effects when consumed in moderation..
The association was first made in the early 20th century. In 1924, a Johns Hopkins biologist, Raymond Pearl, published a graph with a U-shaped curve, its tall strands on either side representing the higher death rates of heavy drinkers and nondrinkers; in the middle were moderate drinkers, with the lowest rates. Dozens of other observational studies have replicated the findings, particularly with respect to heart disease.
.With the exception of smoking and lung cancer, this is probably the most established association in the field of nutrition,. said Eric Rimm, an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. .There are probably at least 100 studies by now, and the number grows on a monthly basis. That.s what makes it so unique..
Alcohol is believed to reduce coronary disease because it has been found to increase the .good. HDL cholesterol and have anticlotting effects. Other benefits have been suggested, too. A small study in China found that cognitively impaired elderly patients who drank in moderation did not deteriorate as quickly as abstainers. A report from the Framingham Offspring Study found that moderate drinkers had greater mineral density in their hipbones than nondrinkers. Researchers have reported that light drinkers are less likely than abstainers to develop diabetes, and that those with Type 2 diabetes who drink lightly are less likely to develop coronary heart disease.
But the studies comparing moderate drinkers with abstainers have come under fire in recent years. Critics ask: Who are these abstainers? Why do they avoid alcohol? Is there something that makes them more susceptible to heart disease?
Some researchers suspect the abstainer group may include .sick quitters,. people who stopped drinking because they already had heart disease. People also tend to cut down on drinking as they age, which would make the average abstainer older . and presumably more susceptible to disease . than the average light drinker.
In 2006, shortly after Dr. Fillmore and her colleagues published a critical analysis saying a vast majority of the alcohol studies they reviewed were flawed, Dr. R. Curtis Ellison, a Boston University physician who has championed the benefits of alcohol, hosted a conference on the subject. A summary of the conference, published a year later, said scientists had reached a .consensus. that moderate drinking .has been shown to have predominantly beneficial effects on health..
The meeting, like much of Dr. Ellison.s work, was partly financed by industry grants. And the summary was written by him and Marjana Martinic, a senior vice president for the International Center for Alcohol Policies, a nonprofit group supported by the industry. The center paid for tens of thousands of copies of the summary, which were included as free inserts in two medical journals, The American Journal of Medicine and The American Journal of Cardiology.
In an interview, Dr. Ellison said his relationship with the industry did not influence his work, adding, .No one would look at our critiques if we didn.t present a balanced view..
Dr. Fillmore and the co-authors of her analysis posted an online commentary saying the summary had glossed over some of the deep divisions that polarized the debate at the conference. .We also dispute Ellison and Martinic.s conclusions that more frequent drinking is the strongest predictor of health benefits,. they wrote.
(Dr. Fillmore has received support from the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation of Australia, a nonprofit group that works to prevent alcohol and substance abuse.)
Dr. Ellison said Dr. Fillmore.s analysis ignored newer studies that corrected the methodological errors of earlier work. .She threw out the baby with the bathwater,. he said.
Meanwhile, two central questions remain unresolved: whether abstainers and moderate drinkers are fundamentally different and, if so, whether it is those differences that make them live longer, rather than their alcohol consumption.
Dr. Naimi of the C.D.C., who did a study looking at the characteristics of moderate drinkers and abstainers, says the two groups are so different that they simply cannot be compared. Moderate drinkers are healthier, wealthier and more educated, and they get better health care, even though they are more likely to smoke. They are even more likely to have all of their teeth, a marker of well-being.
.Moderate drinkers tend to be socially advantaged in ways that have nothing to do with their drinking,. Dr. Naimi said. .These two groups are apples and oranges.. And simply advising the nondrinkers to drink won.t change that, he said.
Some scientists say the time has come to do a large, long-term randomized controlled clinical trial, like the ones for new drugs. One approach might be to recruit a large group of abstainers who would be randomly assigned either to get a daily dose of alcohol or not, and then closely followed for several years; another might be to recruit people who are at risk for coronary disease.
But even the experts who believe in the health benefits of alcohol say this is an implausible idea. Large randomized trials are expensive, and they might lack credibility unless they were financed by the government, which is unlikely to take on the controversy. And there are practical and ethical problems in giving alcohol to abstainers without making them aware of it and without contributing to accidents.
Still, some small clinical trials are already under way to see whether diabetics can reduce their risk of heart disease by consuming alcohol. In Boston, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are recruiting volunteers 55 and over who are at risk for heart disease and randomly assigning them to either drink plain lemonade or lemonade spiked with tasteless grain alcohol, while scientists track their cholesterol levels and scan their arteries.
In Israel, researchers gave people with Type 2 diabetes either wine or nonalcoholic beer, finding that the wine drinkers had significant drops in blood sugar, though only after fasting; the Israeli scientists are now working with an international team to begin a larger two-year trial.
.The last thing we want to do as researchers and physicians is expose people to something that might harm them, and it.s that fear that has prevented us from doing a trial,. said Dr. Sei Lee of the University of California, San Francisco, who recently proposed a large trial on alcohol and health.
.But this is a really important question,. he continued. .Because here we have a readily available and widely used substance that may actually have a significant health benefit . but we just don.t know enough to make recommendations..
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/health/16alco.html?_r=1&hpw=&pagewanted=p…
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
FYI.
June 12, 2009
Jean Hugel, Alsace Winemaker, Dies at 84
By ERIC ASIMOV
Jean Hugel, a leading force in resurrecting the Alsatian wine trade after the devastation of World War II and the longtime head of one of the best-known and oldest producers in Alsace, died Tuesday in Ribeauvillé, Alsace, France. He was 84.
The cause was cancer, his nephew Étienne Hugel said.
For people who began drinking wine in the 1970s and ’80s, discovering the wines of Alsace, in their slender, fluted bottles, was no small pleasure. Thanks to Mr. Hugel’s efforts to introduce his wines to the rest of the world, many of those bottles bore the name Hugel & Fils.
The Hugel company had produced wine in the small village of Riquewihr since it was established in 1639. For centuries, Alsace, the frontier province in northeastern France just across the Rhine from Germany, had been passed back and forth between the French and the Germans, depending on who had won the last battle. When Jean Hugel was born, in 1924, Alsace had only recently become French again, with the end of World War I. By the time he came of age, during World War II, Alsace was again in German hands.
While the history of winemaking in Alsace stretches back centuries, only after World War II, when the province was back in French control, did Alsace take its place as one of the leading French wine regions. Johnny Hugel, as Mr. Hugel was known in the wine trade, was a leading voice in promoting Alsatian wines and in pushing for the adoption of rules to govern wine production in Alsace.
He played an especially important role in developing rules for producing the sweet wines known as vendange tardive, or late harvest, and sélection de grains nobles, made from grapes affected by botrytis, the fungus known as the noble rot.
Minute quantities of late-harvested sweet wines had always been made in Alsace, but by the mid-20th century, quality levels were no longer enforced, and myriad mediocre wines were being sold under generic German terms like spätlese and auslese. Mr. Hugel drafted proposals for strict standards governing the production of these wines, along with French names for them. The proposals became law in 1984.
Mr. Hugel was less successful as chairman of a commission charged with identifying the best vineyards in Alsace, which were to be designated grand crus. Influential growers outside the grand cru areas, not wanting to be left out, argued for their inclusion. Unable to match their political power, Mr. Hugel dropped out. When the grand cru system was established in the 1990s, some of the vineyard sites were more than twice as big as Mr. Hugel had judged to be deserving of the designation. Hugel, along with several other leading houses like Trimbach, refused to use the grand cru designation on their labels.
Mr. Hugel is survived by his wife, Simone, and two daughters, Dominique and Judith. After leading the family business from 1948 to 1997, he ceded the reins to his nephews, Étienne, Jean Philippe and Marc, members of the 13th generation to run the company.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
Than water. No mention of milk.
Recall the Governator, back in his body building days.
Reporter: "Mr. Schwartzsenager, as a body builder, you must drink a lot of milk."
Ah-Nold: "Milk is for babies. Men drink beer."
FYI!
Published on Cleveland Leader (http://www.clevelandleader.com)
It's Better To Drink Beer After Exercise Than Water
By Julie
Created 11/02/2007 - 8:47pm
Researchers at Granada University in Spain have come across a discovery that will undoubtedly please athletes and sports enthusiasts - a pint of beer post-workout or match is better at rehydrating the human body than water.
Professor Manuel Garzon, a member of Granada's medical faculty, made the finding after tests on 25 students over several months. Researchers believe that it is the sugars, salts, and bubbles in a beer that may help people absorb fluids more quickly.
The subjects in the study were asked to run on a treadmill at temperatures of 104F (40C) until they were close to exhaustion. Once they had reached the point of giving up, researchers measured their hydration levels, motor skills, and concentration ability.
Half of the subjects were given two half pints of Spanish lager to drink, and the other half were given just water.
Garzon said that the rehydration effection in those who were given beer was "slightly better" than those who were given only water. He also believes that the carbon dioxide in beer helps quench thirst more quickly, and that beer's carbohydrates replace calories lost during physical exertion.
The average person loses around 1 liter (33oz) of water for every hour of exercise in sweat. Rehydrating after a workout is crucial, as a lack of hydration is more likely to make one feel tired, fuzzyheaded, and suffer from headaches.
Based on the results of the study, researchers recommend moderate consumption of beer as a part of athletes' diets. "Moderate consumption" for men is 500ml per day, and for women is 250ml per day.
So that explains why Babe Ruth was so good. His method of training was nearly 100 years ahead of its time.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
Something Old, Something New
By Dave McIntyre
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Much debate about wine today (and yes, you rather have to be obsessed with wine to follow the discourse) centers on the modern vs. the traditional. Modernization is said to be the enemy of traditional wine, creating a global sameness that strips variety and interest from our daily tipple.
But sometimes modernization can be the savior of the traditional. Consider Spanish white wines, for instance. After the phylloxera root louse decimated Europe's vineyards in the late 1800s, most white-grape-bearing vineyards in northern and northwestern Spain were replanted with phylloxera- resistant hybrid varieties or the high-yielding palomino, which does wonders when fortified in sherry but renders an insipid table wine.
It's easy to understand why: With their livelihoods ruined, growers naturally opted for more reliable grape varieties. When Spain's wine renaissance took hold in the 1970s and '80s, vintners began planting the traditional vines again and making their wines using modern techniques such as temperature control and fermentation in stainless-steel tanks. Everything old was new again.
That's why white wines such as albariñgodello and verdejo are increasingly popular today as alternatives to the ubiquitous chardonnay. These three grape varieties are the headliners of Spanish whites, leading a list that includes such obscure grapes as viura, xarello and hondaribbi zuri (the main grape of a Basque wine called Txakoli). Anyone trying to cross off names from a list of grape varieties tasted should spend time savoring Spanish white wines.
Albariñolds pride of place among Spanish whites. It hails from Rias Baixas in Galicia, in the country's northwestern corner, centered on the city of Santiago de Compostela. Albariñ flavors have been compared to those of Riesling and Viognier, with an emphasis on apricot and peach flavors and bracing acidity plus generous alcohol levels (around 13 percent) that give it rich body. One fanciful story (discredited by DNA testing) would have us believe albariñs indeed Riesling, brought to Spain by German pilgrims. Albariñ popularity has led to its migration to the United States; two D.C. area wineries, Chrysalis Vineyards in Virginia and Black Ankle Vineyards in Maryland, make excellent versions.
"In albariñ you can find aromas of apricots, white flowers, sea salt, oyster shells, tropical fruits and minerals," said Aurelio Cabestrero, former sommelier at Taberna del Alabardero and Marcel's in Washington. "They pair well with oysters, sushi, all kinds of seafood and even taste good by themselves." He is the region's leading importer of his native country's wines under his Grapes of Spain label.
Godello is another indigenous grape from Galicia, though it has not become as fashionable as albariñThe best godello wines hail from Valdeorras, in the eastern part of Galicia, which is more inland than Rias Baixas and protected from the maritime influences by mountain ranges. Aromatic and mineral, godello gives wines of impressive structure and finesse. Cabestrero finds "jasmine and honeysuckle, with more weight than a typical albariñ
While albariñnd godello strive for aristocracy among Spanish white grapes, verdejo celebrates the commoner. Verdejo is the main white grape of the Rueda region in northwestern Spain, where it produces enticing wines reminiscent of sauvignon blanc, with its grassiness and fresh herbal flavors. A good verdejo smells like Colonial Williamsburg on a cool spring evening after a cleansing rain, with boxwood and ivy breathing heavily in the musky night air. Rueda wines often blend verdejo with viura, another Spanish white grape that is the mainstay of white Rioja. Keswick Vineyards, near Charlottesville, makes an excellent verdejo.
Most Spanish white wines on our shelves today are made in the modern style, with temperature- controlled fermentation and other techniques designed to preserve acidity and freshness. But occasionally we can still find wines in a more traditional, oxidative style, especially from Rioja, a region that is reaching for a balance between the modern and traditional styles with its more famous red wines.
Two wines topping today's recommendations illustrate the contrast of modern and traditional styles. The Lagar de Cervera Albariñ007 is fresh and vibrant, fermented in temperature- controlled stainless-steel tanks to preserve its freshness and acidity. It shows lime, apricot and peach flavors -- an orchard in a glass -- followed by a long and complex finish. The Medrano Irazu 2005 white Rioja, made entirely with viura, is traditionally styled. It is fermented in oak barrels with a daily stirring of the lees to give it complexity and body, enhanced by extended bottle aging. This wine shows oxidation; it could easily seem over the hill to drinkers accustomed to the modern, stainless-steel style of white wines, yet it is vibrant and lively in the glass. Its flavors are more earthy and mineral than fruity.
Ironically, Medrano Irazu is not an old winery; it was founded in 1985. Its white Rioja is another example of the modern and traditional blurring in Spain.
Dave McIntyre can be reached through http://www.dmwineline.com or food(a)washpost.com.
Recommendations
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The retail market is behind the eight ball on Spanish whites, and many of these are primarily available in restaurants.
Lagar de Cervera Albariñ007 *** Rias Baixas, Spain, $23
Fresh, intense and vibrant, this wine shows more complexity than most albariñ combining citrus and orchard fruit flavors. It is not for fans of subtlety.
Bacchus: available in the District at Broad Branch Market, Wide World of Wines; on the list at Cork Wine Bar, Jaleo, Posto, PS 7's, Zengo. On the list in Maryland at Clyde's Tower Oaks.
Medrano Irazu Barrel Fermented White 2005 ** 1/2 Rioja, Spain, $20
This wine shows some age, with oxidized orchard fruit, earthy minerality and good complexity. Authorities in Rioja recently approved use of international varieties such as chardonnay and sauvignon blanc to make their region's viura wines more fruity to meet consumer demand. This 100 percent viura speaks for maintaining traditional purity.
Potomac Selections: available in the District at Ace Beverage; on the list in Virginia at 2941, Willow.
Amestoi Txakoli 2007 ** Getariako, Spain, $20
>From the Basque country of Spain's north coast, this slightly sparkling wine is ideal for summer sipping, with racy acidity with refreshing citrus flavors: sort of like Sprite without the sugar. Olives tame the acidity and round out the wine.
Bacchus: on the list in the District at Proof, Sei.
Guitian Godello Joven 2006 ** Valdeorras, Galicia, Spain, $18
Delicious and complex, this has peach and apricot and just a hint of the tree to give it interest.
Winebow: available in the District at Calvert Woodley, MacArthur Beverages; on the list at Mendocino Grille & Wine Bar.
Basa Blanco 2007 ** Rueda, Spain, $11
>From winemaker Telmo Rodriguez, who is rapidly gaining a cult following for his high-quality wines from various regions of Spain, this Rueda is peachy, but focused and mineral as well. It is a lovely white for seafood such as grilled prawns.
Monument: available in the District at 1 West Dupont Circle, MacArthur Beverages, Paul's of Chevy Chase; on the list at various Clyde's and Chef Geoff's restaurants, Cafe Salsa, Creme Cafe, Veritas Wine Bar.
Nessa Albariñ008 * 1/2 Rias Baixas, Spain, $15
A delicious example of albariñthis will appeal to Riesling lovers with its crisp acidity, apricot flavors and perfect balance.
Grapes of Spain/Elite: available in the District at Pearson's, Whole Foods Market Glover Park; on the list at Bistro Napoleon, Cashion's Eat Place, Ceiba. Available in Maryland at Calvert Wine & Spirits in Cockeystown, the Wine Cellar in Annapolis, the Wine Source in Baltimore; on the list at Jalapeñin Annapolis and La Tasca in Baltimore. Available in Virginia at Au Domaine in Alexandria, Cecile's Wine Cellar in McLean, Whole Foods Market in Vienna; on the list at Hank's Oyster Bar in Alexandria, Panache Restaurant in Tysons Corner.
Prado Rey Birlocho 2008 * 1/2 Rueda, Spain, $10
It's racy and grassy, sort of like a Riesling-sauvignon blanc cross, combining apricot, passion fruit and melon flavors. Delicious wine. New to the market.
Touton: available in the District at Paul's of Chevy Chase, Watergate Wine & Spirits; available in Maryland at Country Boy in Wheaton, Franklin's General Store in Hyattsville; available in Virginia at Ashburn Wine Shop, Whole Foods Market Vienna.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Jon BonnéChronicle Wine Editor
Sunday, June 7, 2009
We live in the days of $4 Pinot Noir. Consider what that means.
True, the Pinot in question may be a Trader Joe's rock-bottom special (Blue Fin, a Fred Franzia effort), but it's symptomatic of where Pinot's star turn has led.
If even the once-rarefied Pinot can tumble down the value ladder, those who traffic in blue-chip Pinot need to be on their game - doubly so with a continued grim outlook for pricy wines.
That means you, Russian River Valley. If there's an epicenter of Pinot fame in California, that particular slice of Sonoma still has traction.
Yet our recent panel tasting of nearly 40 Russian River Valley Pinots, mostly from 2007 with a handful from 2006, provided fewer chances for optimism than I had expected. Certainly 2007 was a good year for vintners to show off, with a long, unhurried harvest, extended and essentially split in two by a September cool stretch, and lower yields that promised nuanced and intense fruit.
Fruit we got. Most of the wines had no shortage of black fruit flavors, but many had little more going on upstairs. Plump was a word that came to describe many wines.
Helping me survey the field were two San Francisco wine directors: Jeff Anderson of Gary Danko and Brian Gavin from Conduit. We were excited to get a snapshot of benchmark Pinot in a strong year.
To their credit, the wines generally showed less oak than in the past few years, perhaps a sign that Pinot Noir's keepers are making good on their claims to retrench on new-barrel fever. Alcohol levels were mostly dialed down a bit, either a sign of the vintage or a calculated decision to choose grace over might.
Still, these were largely expensive wines, and considering that, the adjectives circling around the table were a surprise - not just "plump," but "monochromatic." Too many times, we hunted in vain for the vibrant or vivacious. The overt fruitiness was fine, and fans of Russian River Pinot certainly want their wines packed with dark fruit flavors. But at the prices being asked - fewer than 1 in 6 wines was under $30 - there needs to be something more. A bit of curious earth and spice, at a bare minimum.
And here's why: Even forgetting the rise of $4 Pinot, the grape's mainstreaming has allowed enough nuanced examples to hit shelves under $20 that an old-guard appellation like Russian River needs to work doubly hard. Especially when married to what seemed like a troubling lack of acidity in many wines, plump black fruit sounds more like a recipe for cocktail-party Zinfandel than age-worthy Pinot.
Luckily, among our 10 recommended wines were a host of familiar names and sites - wineries like Dutton-Goldfield and the De Loach family's Hook & Ladder. They were joined by newer labels under the hands of known talents - wines like Sequana, made by James MacPhail, who shines under his own MacPhail label; or the single-vineyard Suacci Carciere, made by Ryan Zepaltas, who works with Adam Lee's Siduri as well as his own Zepaltas label.
Though most wines from the trickier 2006 vintage filtered onto the market a while ago (and are, I suspect, lingering on shelves) we encountered a few late-releasing gems. One, from a pioneering Russian River name, was among the tasting's true standouts.
Tom Dehlinger releases his estate wines later than most, and the newly available 2006 shows the potential of the area's style - strong, dark fruit, ample oak and yet a mineral verve on the palate that reminds you it's Pinot in your glass. Since Dehlinger first planted vines in 1975, there's a full-circle gratification to finding such energy and drive in such a well-established wine.
That said, much of the excitement has moved on. A new model of Pinotphilia has been advanced by energetic but land-poor enthusiasts toiling in warehouses and begging for lots of fruit to create their vineyard-designate lineups. (Consider this the Williams Selyem legacy.) Increasingly, they are turning to the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley, where the cutting edges lie.
Russian River Pinots are neither cheap nor, with few exceptions, in short supply. So monochromatic won't do for a world that drinks in Technicolor.
2006 Dehlinger Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($48):
Tom Dehlinger enjoyed the benefits of 2006's better yields, with a relatively early harvest (ending by Oct. 2) on his various estate parcels, the youngest of which was planted in 1989. It's quintessential Russian River - dark but nervy, with clay and musky black cherry on the nose. A powerful, distinct presence to it, with a palate lifted by bright mineral and grounded in broad tannic power. No nonsense here; this is serious, intense winemaking, as Dehlinger has long provided from his red soils outside Sebastopol.
2006 Donum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($65):
Made by owner Anne Moller-Racke (formerly of Buena Vista) and Kenneth Juhasz (who also makes Auteur) from a relatively early mid-September harvest off Donum's holdings in the Russian River area. Strong oak and loam notes intersect on the nose, with distinct sweet cherry and blackberry fruit at the core. An almost meaty tang arrives to lift the profile, but at the core is generous, sweet fruit and ripe tannins that give it guts. Bold stuff.
2007 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($38):
This well-established label is in fine form with its benchmark blend of five parcels. A notable oak presence steps up, but the dense palate of plum skin, cherry and sassafras surges through. Intense and unabashed, all the more so given a modest 13.5 percent alcohol.
2007 George Wine Co. Leras Family Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($69):
An ambitious and somewhat spendy project from winemaker George Levkoff, a onetime bond trader who caught the Pinot bug with help from Williams Selyem and Hirsch Vineyards. From a parcel owned by longtime grower Nick Leras, it's full of rich, dark berry and cocoa, with a bit of savory twang from soy and mint notes, and a structure built on fine, lingering tannins round it out.
2007 Hook & Ladder Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25):
Russian River pioneer Cecil De Loach seems to be carrying the torch for affordable, enjoyable Pinot. A classic approach, tense and tangy, with tamarind, cola and dry earth aromas atop ripe - but restrained - black cherry fruit. Gratifying, if more of a cocktail-party wine.
2007 Kenwood Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($18):
Kenwood, owned by Korbel's Gary Heck, and its winemaker Pat Henderson pulled off impressive results for a 36,000-case wine. Roasted berry notes and fresh red cherry are underscored by an herbal hint. Tension and length from mildly gripping tannins. A very good value.
2007 River Road Vineyards Scarlett Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($30):
Notably concentrated and rich, with a heavier hand on the oak. But deep black fruit gets counterpoint from a buoyant, tense structure, reining in the lavish style.
2007 Sapphire Hill Sapphire Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($40):
Tim Meinken makes the wines for this project, located on the site of the old Levi Grove ranch southwest of Windsor near Sonoma-Cutrer. Big, but subtle, with tangy orange peel highlights amid loamy earth and thyme aromas. Vivacious, if a bit tannic, with fruit notes hinged on wild strawberry and plum skin. Lots of momentum.
2007 Sequana Sundawg Ridge Vineyard Green Valley Pinot Noir ($50):
An inaugural vintage from the new project created by Hess Collection President Tom Selfridge, with wines made by James MacPhail. This designate (from a vineyard apparently named to rile English teachers) is packed with opulent blackberry and dark fruit, matched by an equally hearty, dark nose - musk, damp earth and sachet. At 15.1 percent alcohol, it's a blockbuster, although with deep extraction and intrigue to pull it off.
2007 Suacci Carciere Suacci Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($48):
The young Suacci vineyard southwest of Sebastopol is on a strong upswing, enjoying its second commercial release made by the talented Ryan Zepaltas from fruit picked in early October and aged in around 40 percent new oak. Deeply stylish, with notes of cola, bright berries, tamarind and fenugreek, and a sappy, weighty palate. Rose and cocoa on the finish provide even more depth. Alluring and powerful.
E-mail Jon Bonnét jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/07/FD8217USNV.DTL
This article appeared on page E - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
French wine slips from perch as number one exported wines worldwideJune 9, 2009Wines from Italy, Spain and Australia ending up on more menus and more tables around the globeOnce considered far and away the undisputed best and market-leading wines in the world, wines from France have been battling stiff competition from other countries in the past couple of decades. However, it always retained the number one spot, in terms of both perception and reality, with more French wines being exported than wines from any other country.
But all this is changing. While wine production in France is declining, it is increasing in other countries that are known wine producers, such as Australia, Spain, Italy and the US. Once considered inferior to French vintages, wines from these countries routinely take home prizes in competitions. And there are new players coming to the field: Argentina and Chile, and even China and India.France has been slow to acknowledge the changing landscape and slow to react. Marketing has not traditionally been a French forte, and it must not have seemed necessary in industries in which France has been historically predominant, such as wine and high fashion. Indeed, for many years, French output in these areas spoke for itself, becoming world-famous and sought-after virtually without any marketing efforts. The reputation French wines enjoyed around the world was largely unchallenged.But now, with globalization a reality, French winemakers are starting to
realize that that world is changing, and that not only do they not have a corner on the market, that they may not have much of a market at all if they don’t get out there and hustle, as gauche as it must seem. Competition has brought prices down, and more people are consuming wines, both inexpensive table wines and more costly wines as well. Besides not being marketed as aggressively as wines from other countries, wines from France suffer from other disadvantages where the average and less sophisticated consumer is concerned.The long traditions that have made French wines great are also a barrier to their popularity overseas. For example, other countries, including the US, while often mentioning the region of origin, label their wines based on the type of grapes used. This gives the consumer, especially one without an extensive education in the history or wine, a much better idea of what to expect than the French system. French wines are all labeled
based on appellation, or area of origin, what the French call “terroir”. Terroir refers not only to the location but also to the conditions of the climate and the soil in the area, and many other subtle factors may also contribute. These do affect the grapes and the wine produced from them, and fierce battles are fought among French vintners over who may or may not call their wine a Chablis premier cru based on whether vines grow in a patch of dirt a few hundred feet in one direction or the other. Many different types of grapes may be grown in the the same AOC region (appellation of origin), yielding different wines that are nonetheless labeled with the name of the place rather than the varietal. But while wine enthusiasts in France and small coterie of connoiseurs in other countries understand this language, most consumers are lost when reading a French wine label. But they know what they are getting with a Spanish Rioja, an Australian Shiraz or
a Napa Valley Chardonnay. And this clarity is contributing to sales as much or more than any actual preference for what’s inside the bottle, especially for supermarket shoppersThe idea that French wines should follow the lead of the rest of the world and be labeled by grape variety for purposes of marketing is met by horror by most in the French wine business. Certainly, those who have defended for years, perhaps centuries, the right to a certain appellation are the most vociferous opponents to change. And those who know France know that no change, especially in a heavily regulated industry, ever comes quickly in France, even if some people may desire it. There are a few in the French wine industry who see the writing on the wall (or the label) and have made the case that French AOC rules are too complicated for anyone to understand. Some propose retaining appellations but also adding the grape varieties to the labels.It remains to be seen whether a
compromise will ever be reached, and if that happens before wines from France all but disappear from all but the most discerning tables in other countries.
Growler is a word I've had to define many time.
Today, it's word of the day.
Not sure there's a similar word for the
container used to fetch wine.
FYI, Montreal is fantastic.
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Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:18:04 -0400
From: Wordsmith <wsmith(a)wordsmith.org>
To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu
Subject: A.Word.A.Day--growler
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This week's theme: Words having many unrelated meanings
growler (GROU-luhr) noun
1. One that growls.
2. A container (as a pail or pitcher) brought by a customer to fetch beer.
3. A small iceberg.
4. A four-wheeled cab.
5. An electromagnetic device for testing short-circuited coils.
[From growl, from Middle English groule, grollen (to rumble), probably of
imitative origin.]
Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=growler
-Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)
"When Euro-metal comes to mind it can often rouse visions of hairy,
horn-helmeted growlers howling about faraway lands and legendary times."
Fawnda Mithrush; Primordial: Thoroughly Modern Metal; Vue Weekly (Edmonton,
Canada); May 7, 2009.
"The two-story building will feature a to-go bar on the first floor for
beer aficionados to buy and fill growlers."
Rachael Fisher; Brewing Company on the Move; The Anchorage Daily News
(Alaska); May 1, 2009.
"We sailed the 30-mile stretch of the Atlantic Sound, otherwise known as
Iceberg Alley. The smaller, granite-hard growlers are to be avoided just
as deftly as the enormous floating glacial islands."
Neill Johnston; Cool Cruise Among Ice and Penguins; Birmingham Post (UK);
May 15, 2009.
"So this growler will get into Audi R8 territory for about a third of the
Audi's $130,000 starting price tag."
Jeremy Cato; New Challenger Even Better; The Globe and Mail (Toronto,
Canada); Feb 19, 2008.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
This came out on Tuesday. Not sure how I missed it.
Sorry If I double posted it.
To Quote/paraphrase Randall Grahm.
"Rose'. For those who know (or get it), and those who don't."
Rosé20 & less
Lynne Char Bennett
Sunday, May 24, 2009
More...
On this holiday weekend, the unofficial start of summer, thoughts turn to chilled, refreshing wines like dry roséThe versatility of a dry pink makes it easy to pair with warm-weather dishes.
Rosés often made from red Rhone grape varieties, both single varietals like Syrah and Grenache, and blends. Pinot Noir rosé a favorite - is generally more expensive because of the cost of the fruit.
The past few years have seen a rise in the amount of roséroduced. Many wineries seem to take roséore seriously, rather than making it as a by-product of their red wines. More wineries are jumping on the bandwagon as demand increases, so there is plenty of rosén the marketplace now to try.
Here are some recommendations, but taste around to find your favorite as a refreshing accompaniment to summer fare.
2008 Angove Nine Vines South Australia Grenache/Shiraz Rosé$13)
The Nine Vines brand of Angove, one of Australia's oldest family-owned wine companies, gets its name from the nine vines remaining in its original historic Adelaide vineyard. Bright cherry and spiced raspberry aromas and flavors; shows a bit more body and fruit intensity. Good acidity with hint of plum skin-like tannins on the finish. 70 percent Grenache; 30 Syrah. (Importer: Trinchero Vineyards)
2008 Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare California Rosé$15)
Santa Cruz-based Randall Grahm, who has produced wine since 1983, put a flying saucer on the label to poke a little fun at the Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1954 decree banning alien spacecraft from landing in vineyards. A slightly spiced, refreshing light quaffer with a hint of astringent bite on the finish. Almost 60 percent Grenache with smaller amounts of Cinsault, Roussanne, Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache Blanc.
2008 El Coto Rioja Rosado ($12)
Since the release of El Coto de Rioja's first bottling in 1975, the Rioja Alta winery - which now owns about 65,000 American oak casks - has become a leading brand in both Spain and Europe. The floral perfumed nose has highlights of red cherry and plum; delicate palate of light strawberry with slight skin tannins on the finish. Made from equal parts Grenache and Tempranillo. (Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons)
2008 Paul Jaboulet Aî Parallele 45 Cotes du Rhone Rosé$13) F
Founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet, this winery is still run by the Jaboulet family. The name refers to the 45th latitude of France's Rhone Valley. This dry roséhows strawberry, cherry and red raspberry juice. Very refreshing, with tart cherry and good acidity; an initial hit of tartness segues to a long finish. Contains 50 percent Grenache, 40 Cinsault and 10 Syrah. (Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons)
2008 Robert Hall Rosée Robles Hall Ranch Paso Robles Rosé$14) W
Winery founder Robert Hall purchased his first vineyard in 1995 after deciding to settle in Paso Robles. Winemaker/director Don Brady came on board in 2001, and now works with a wide range of grapes, including most Rhone varieties. Medium bodied with red raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors with a hint of tangerine peel, plus enough acidity and stuffing to take on foods like roast pork or a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. A blend of 47 percent Grenache, 41 Syrah and 6 each of Cinsault and Mourvedre.
-- To learn more about rosésee the links with this story on sfgate.com/food.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/24/FDOJ17MK0G.DTL
This article appeared on page E - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Rethink pink
After tasting 135 domestic rosé here are our top picks
Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, May 23, 2008
Roséas finally shed its sweet label. But with so many wineries scrambling to make a dry roséare the new arrivals any good?
Production of premium American roséhas dramatically increased (see the accompanying story). Last year, The Chronicle Tasting Panel evaluated 81 domestic pink wines, 12 of which we recommended. This year the numbers were even higher, as U.S. wineries flooded us with 172 dry still rosé After excluding wines released more than a year ago and those not readily available at retail in the Bay Area, there were still more than 135 contenders to consider. We strapped in for a long ride.
(Click here for the domestic roséicks.)
More wineries - noticing customer interest and rosé increasing sales - are producing pink wine. Roséan be made three ways. The traditional method is to crush red grapes, then bleed off some juice - referred to as "saignee" - to intensify the color and tannins of the remaining juice. Another method becoming more prevalent is choosing grapes specifically for rosépressing the whole clusters, allowing minimal skin contact, then fermenting it like white wine. Less usual is blending red wine with white wine for a resulting pink.
Saignee rosés made by seasoned winemakers like Storybook Mountain's Jerry Seps, who has been making between 100 and 300 cases of Zinfandel roséor the past 12 years, and roséewcomer Blackbird Vineyards, which just released its first vintage of 400 cases made from 80 percent Merlot and 20 percent Cabernet Franc.
Paul Leary, Blackbird's chief marketing and operating officer, says the production of roséas not been part of the winemaking regimen, but something both he and proprietor Michael Polenske decided to do as roséovers.
oséf pinot noir
Other winemakers choose the whole-cluster route. Richard Sanford, founder and owner of Alma Rosa Winery and the co-founder of Sanford Winery, has been making whole-cluster Pinot Noir roséince 1976. Sanford and his wife, Thekla, love dry Pinot Noir Vin Gris for its unique flavor profile, aging it to develop some roundness - the 2006 vintage will soon be released.
"Pinot Noir, with its subtle tannins and raspberry fruit quality, makes a beautiful rosé Sanford says. He prefers it to other grape varieties that have more aggressive tannins and can't bring himself to make rosérom anything else, despite the rising cost of Pinot Noir grapes, which curtails his production.
On the flip side, Beam Wine Estates' large-volume Clos du Bois entered the roséarket last year with 4,600 cases of its inaugural 2006 vintage, which had limited distribution. Winemaker Erik Olsen had wanted to make a dry French-style roséor some time but became more motivated after a trip to Southern France, where he thought it remarkable how much roséas consumed - "more roséit seemed, than anything else," he says.
The Clos du Bois rosérogram combines saignee with whole-cluster press. Olsen picks some roséesignated Syrah vineyards at 22.5 Brix, a measure of the grapes' ripeness - about three to four weeks earlier than Syrah destined for red wine. Earlier harvest means lower sugar (therefore lower alcohol) and more acidity, which is maintained with cooler harvest temperatures, one reason the grapes are picked at night or early in the morning.
Syrah, Olsen says, is a natural base grape to use for roséecause it is readily available and affordable. For the 2007 vintage, Clos du Bois upped its production of Sonoma County Roséo 20,000 cases.
Besides Pinot Noir, Syrah and Grenache, Sangiovese also make good rosé
Washington state's Barnard Griffin Winery, founded in 1983, began its rosérogram almost by accident. Owner-winemaker Rob Griffin's interest was piqued by the amount of dry roséine distributors were carrying from Spain and Southern France. Griffin's friend, grower Maury Balcom, planted 4 acres of Sangiovese, which Balcom intended to make into red wine. Washington-grown Sangiovese, Griffin noted, often makes a mediocre wine, but its fruit is well defined. Picking Sangiovese early for rosénhances its high acidity and the tannins are mitigated by avoiding overextraction.
Griffin says, "I made 600 cases of Sangiovese rosén 2001 almost as a lark and it became successful beyond our wildest expectations. It seems that wines that make the lightest reds make the best rosé a lesser degree of ripeness and bright, fruit-driven characteristics that come on early - like Sangiovese, Pinot Noir and some Cabernet Franc - are best in Washington."
ast coast pink
While The Chronicle's Tasting Panel mostly reviewed West Coast roséthe East Coast is no stranger to it. Wolffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons, Long Island, first made 42 cases of rosén 1992. Only one or two Long Island wineries were making roséhen, but now almost every winery makes one, according to Wolffer winemaker and technical director Roman Roth.
Roth, who began his winemaking career in Germany before moving on to Australia's Rosemount Estate, then to Saintsbury in Napa Valley, makes roséy blending white wine and wine made from red grapes. Roth says this blended style complements his red wine program - for instance, using Cabernet Sauvignon for rosén cooler years when it wouldn't do as well vinified as a red wine.
Wolffer Rosé the 2007 vintage is a blend of 40 percent Chardonnay, 35 Merlot, 17 Cabernet Sauvignon and 8 Cabernet Franc - sells out each summer, even with the increase from 2,500 to 4,000 cases in 2006.
Domestic wineries are making more solid roséBut during this year's panel tasting, 135 wines and 25 recommendations later, we discovered none that soared. Though we liked more wines, the highest rating was 2 1/2 stars; last year, three wines reached the 3-star mark.
What's happening? While more wineries are jumping onto rosé bandwagon, the net effect seems to be that there are more subpar wines on the shelves. The panel found bottles that had volatile acidity, apparent bacterial off flavors and uneven winemaking. But there was still plenty to enjoy.
The challenge of rosé future is to continue introducing wine lovers to dry pinks while maintaining the quality in the face of ever-expanding production. Winemakers need to discover the grape varieties, appellations and winemaking techniques that make the best rosé
I can't wait until next year's tasting.
nside
Chronicle Wine Selections F4 | Recipes for rosé5
E-mail Lynne Char Bennett at lbennett(a)sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/23/WIAG10PADK.DTL
This article appeared on page F - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
The Chronicle Wine Selections: Dry Imported Roséynne Char Bennett
Friday, May 16, 2008
More stores and restaurants are responding to consumers' growing interest in roséine, which has become the hot quaffer to quell the heat of warm weather. Both imported and domestic roséare becoming increasingly available - a good thing since more consumers are discovering them.
Most rosécurrently on retail shelves are imports, accounting for 76.6 percent of U.S. roséales, according to the Nielsen Co. Still, the number of domestic versions, which we will review next week, is also increasing dramatically.
Practically every winemaking region produces this enjoyable pink drink. A similar diversity of grapes make these wines, including red Bordeaux and Rhone varieties, Barbera and Tempranillo, as well as more obscure grapes like Gaglioppo and Zweigelt.
Rosés made with juice from red and black grapes that has had minimal contact with the dark grape skins, which contribute color and a small amount of tannins to the wine.
Last year, the panel tasted 72 imported roséfrom 14 countries, recommending 11. This year's imports numbered 93, of which 17 are recommended below - a pleasant improvement from last year's less promising showing. Relatively few wines were submitted again this year, including last year's 3-star R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Crianza Rioja RoséBut the number of new entries this year underscores the diversity of choices available on shelves.
The majority of our recommendations are from France, which comprised more than 25 percent of the wines we tasted. The French have been making roséor a while and for the most part doing it well.
While the wines ranged from light- to medium-bodied, the panel enjoyed those with good fruit expression, moderate intensity, zippy acidity and great balance. Most had minimal tannins - as roséhould - but several showed a little grip, which adds textural interest. Well-made roséenerally garners a solid 2- to 2.5-star rating, though occasionally a few rise above. All should be enjoyable. Try a few bottles, find your favorite and stock up for the summer.
Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Bastianich Venezia Giulia Rosato ($15)
Earthy nose with loam and herb roots; high-pitched floral note above cherry, dried blackberry, and spice aromas and flavors. Exotic and lean with mineral bounce and grip on the palate. From winemaker and restaurateur Joseph Bastianich, who founded Italian Wine Merchants and whose mother is culinary expert Lydia Bastianich. This wine is 100 percent Refosco - a lesser-known Northern Italian red grape. (Importer: Dark Star Imports)
Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Cantina Terlan Alto Adige Lagrein Rosé$17)
Slight musky aromas with citrus and olive. Dense, almost meaty texture; intense dusty blackberry. Medium body, brightness and grip with great expression. From Italy. (Importer: Banville & Jones Wine Merchants)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Cascina La Ghersa Piage Monferrato Chiaretto Barbera ($15)
Slight funk and musk on nose amid tart raspberry and lemon zest, plus earth and mineral notes. Straightforward with bright, acidic backbone. From Italy. (Importer: Epic Wines)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigue Coteaux du Languedoc Rosé$12)
Slight herb and chive blossom notes over strawberry and passion fruit aromas; lean, fresh palate with plum, cherry and mineral nuance. Made with 50 percent Mourvedre, 40 Syrah, 10 Grenache Noir. From France. (Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant)
Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Domaine du Jas D'Esclans Cru Classe Cotes de Provence Rosé$23)
More complex, aromatic nose but less intensity on palate; strawberry, orange peel, chopped herb with pink grapefruit peel and grip on finish. Contains 60 percent Cinsault, 30 Grenache, 10 Carignan. From France. (Importer: Organic Vintners)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Domaine Saint Andre de Figuiere Le Saint Andre Vin de Pays du Var Rosé$10.50)
Light salmon color with light, delicate body. Strawberry, plum skin and some mineral with fresh herb and a hint of cotton candy on finish; straightforward with mouthwatering acidity. French, with 25 percent each Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. (Importer: Dee Vine Wines)
Rating: TWO STARS 2006 El Portillo Mendoza Malbec Rosé$11)
Meaty, peppery, earthy and soy notes under the sweet-tart currant, strawberry with tart citrus and herbal punch on finish. Spice, zippy acidity and grip in this straightforward Argentine wine. (Importer: San Francisco Wine Exchange; the 2007 vintage is imported by Palm Bay International)
Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Fra Guerau Montsant Rosé$15)
Floral aromatics, roasted cauliflower, loam and caramel hints with crushed blueberry and peach skin on finish. A stoic, dark-toned effort with plenty of structure. Montsant is within Spain's larger Tarragona region. Made with 50 percent Merlot, 25 Syrah, 25 Garnacha. (Importer: Freixenet)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux Rosé$10)
Meaty nose of bacon, underripe berry and nectarine with some underlying gravel and tannin on the clean fruit finish. Produced from 50 percent Cinsault, 40 Grenache and 10 Syrah by Jean Pierre Perrin - a member of France's Perrin family of Chateau de Beaucastel. (Importer: Vineyard Brands)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Librandi Ciro Rosato ($14)
Crushed strawberry with peppery spice. Ripe, plush; a little alcohol showing. Mineral punch and grip on the finish. The wine is 100 percent Gaglioppo, which is prevalent in Calabria, Italy; when vinified as red wine, it has been described by some as a straightforward Nebbiolo. (Importer: Winebow)
Rating: THREE STARS 2007 Loimer Kamptal Roséable Wine ($15)
Stony slate, strawberry-rhubarb compote and crushed blackberry aromas and flavors. Lean, grippy, taut profile with lengthy finish. A standout for the price. It's 100 percent Zweigelt, which is Austria's most widely grown red grape - a 1922 cross between Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent. (Importer: Vin Divino)
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Mas Grand Plagniol Costieres de Nimes Rosé$12)
Full, weighty and a bit fleshy with a ripe but dry finish. Sweet cherry, ancho chile, cinnamon and plum aromas; similar flavors plus plum skin and some tannic grip on finish. Good even with medium-rare grilled beef. From France. (Importer: Winewise)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Sabine Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Syrah-Grenache Rosé$11)
Named after winemaker Charles Bieler's daughter; cherry, peach pit and spiced, peppery finish. Weight and body enough to pair with pork and rare ahi tuna. Contains 70 percent Syrah, 30 Grenache from France. Good value. (Importer: Trinchero Vineyards)
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Triennes Vin de Pays du Var Rosé$21)
Dry dusty berry, red apple skin; lean with good acidity. Edgy, with pretty fruit on the palate. Pink grapefruit peel and slight grip on the finish. Outperforms its light profile. From France. (Importer: The Sorting Table)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Vignerons des Caves de Provence L'Estandon Cotes de Provence Rosé$11)
Sweet raspberry, candied cherry Jolly Rancher and watermelon, with a spun sugar note on the nose, but lean and lively on the palate. Focused and tapered with slight pepper on the finish. Nice summer quaffer from France. (Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines)
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Vignerons du Mont-Ventoux Les Demoiselles Coiffees Cotes du Ventoux Rosé$11)
Straightforward cherry, tangerine and mineral with herbal hint; lean acidity, light-bodied with long, focused finish. French-made blend of 50 percent Grenache, 30 Carignan and 20 Cinsault. (Importer: International Vineyards)
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Vignerons du Mont-Ventoux Cotes du Ventoux O Rosé$13) Concentrated tart fruit on nose, plenty of mineral and herb, with watermelon, orange blossom and peach skin. Well-balanced French roséith less-ripe berry and an acidic backbone; even better with food. (Importer: International Vineyards)
Panelists include Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle staff writer and wine coordinator; Jeff Berlin, sommelier, A CotéJon BonnéChronicle wine editor. For more recommended wines, go to sfgate.com/wine.
Key: Rating: FOUR STARS Extraordinary Rating: THREE STARSExcellent Rating: TWO STARS Good
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/16/WIT810HM6V.DTL
This article appeared on page F - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle
--
------------------------------
* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
