FYI
At the Corner of Hollywood and Vine
By Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Wednesday, July 2, 2008; F05
Due to open in theaters across America in August, "Bottle Shock" is bound to be the next "Sideways": a dramedy that not only fuels the wine craze in America but also creates new demand for featured wineries and their bottles.
We'll use our next column to report on our screening of "Bottle Shock," a film loosely based on the historic 1976 "Judgment of Paris" tasting that saw California wines vanquish the French in a blind competition. But first we want to explore the impact that even a fictional story depicted on film can have on wine fortunes.
Case in point: Vermont Restaurant is a neighborhood place in Los Angeles featuring a limited but impressive list of selections from small, high-quality wineries. In 2002, several of those selections were from nearby Santa Barbara, including the Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Highliner Pinot Noir. Back then, "we were told by Gray Hartley and Frank Ostini that Vermont Restaurant was the largest purveyor of Hitching Post wines, second only to the winery itself," co-owners Michael Gelzhiser and Manuel Mesta recalled in a recent e-mail.
Then the popularity of 2004's "Sideways" brought scores of tourists to this once-overlooked wine region and to Hitching Post's namesake restaurant, where they ordered the Highliner (one of protagonist Miles's favorites in the film) by name.
Hartley and Ostini started having a hard time getting the Highliner and saw prices rise before learning that it was "Sideways," a film they still haven't seen, that led to the winery's inability to keep up with demand, which quadrupled within a year.
The film's continued popularity has also spiked demand for other featured wines, most famously all of the pinot noirs that fare so well in the region's cool and mild oceanside climate.
Is the rise of Santa Barbara wines merited, or just lucky? We tasted several from wineries featured in the film to find out.
Sanford Winery & Vineyards: Before "Sideways," this pioneer of the Santa Rita Hills region took a full 12 months to sell its annual production, according to the winery. This year, Sanford expects to sell the same amount in seven months.
Made in accordance with its "seven standards of sustainability," the barrel-fermented 2006 Sanford Santa Barbara County Chardonnay ($25) has delightful tropical-fruit flavors with perceptible minerality and a long, toasty, lemony finish. The wine is a blend of grapes from four esteemed vineyards, and its resulting complexity shone most brilliantly with roasted chicken while also working with shellfish and fish.
Sanford's pinot noir is Karen's pick this week. The 2006 Sanford Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir ($34; $30 at Total Wine), which is aged for 10 months on French oak, still manages to stay on the light-and-fruity side of the varietal's spectrum. It's ideal for serving this summer with cold poached salmon, tuna tartare or baby lamb chops.
Foxen Winery: Foxen makes some stunning wines. With its notes of apple, the 2006 Foxen Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Chenin Blanc ($20) is an ideal match for chicken or fish. The 2006 Foxen Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir ($54) is an earthier pinot with a tart cherry finish. The 2005 Foxen Range 30 West ($35) is a merlot-dominant Bordeaux-style blend (also containing cabernet sauvignon, malbec and petit verdot) that is delicious with baby lamb chops, yet full bodied enough to stand up to grilled steak.
Firestone Vineyard: One of the original wineries in Santa Barbara County, Firestone makes offbeat versions of several varietals. The 2007 Firestone Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($14) is a California-meets-New Zealand-style SB with light grassy notes accenting its bright, tart grapefruit flavors. The 2007 Firestone Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley Gewuerztraminer ($13) is uncharacteristically low on floral qualities and high in acid and citrus flavors, but still compelling. Pair with either salads or seafood.
Fess Parker Winery (called "Frass Canyon" in the film): Andrew, who had a prized coonskin cap as a kid, was especially happy to taste the quality coming out of the former "Davy Crockett" actor's winery. Andrew's pick this week is the velvety, full-bodied 2006 Fess Parker Santa Barbara Pinot Noir ($25; $22 at Total Wine). But even the NV Frontier Red Lot No. 81 California Red Wine ($10) delivers impressive quality for the price, so this red blend is one to consider buying by the case to accompany grilled red meats at summer parties. With its toasty notes and nice acidic balance, the light-bodied 2006 Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Chardonnay ($18) is a refreshing accompaniment to summer seafood and chicken dishes. The 2006 Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Viognier ($22) is such a deliciously lush, full-bodied wine, with flavors of peach cobbler (peaches, vanilla, hints of caramel), that we'd prefer saving it to enjoy this fall or winter.
Explaining the need to walk, not drive, to dinner at the Hitching Post on their first night in Santa Barbara wine country, Miles told Jack in "Sideways" that "with the wine list these people have, we don't want to hold back." Like the owners of the Vermont, we were won over by many of the region's impressive wines. So don't hold back.
Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, authors of "What to Drink With What You Eat" and the forthcoming "The Flavor Bible," can be reached through their Web site, http://www.becomingachef.com, or at food(a)washpost.com.
KAREN'S PICK
2006 Sanford Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
RATIONALE This light-bodied and brightly fruited pinot is a delightful option with summer fare. Give it at least 20 minutes to breathe before drinking, and this wine's sharply spicy notes will round out.
COUNTRY United States
REGION California's Santa Barbara County
WINEMAKER Steve Fennell
PRICE $33
GRAPES pinot noir
COLOR dark purplish-red
AROMAS ripe black cherries and blackberries with notes of powdered ginger
FLAVORS juicy black cherries and blackberries with firm tannins and notes of vanilla and gingerbread
ALCOHOL 14.5 percent
PAIRS WITH poached salmon, rare tuna, baby lamb chops
DISTRIBUTORS District: Washington Wholesale
Maryland: Reliable Churchill
Virginia: Virginia Imports
ANDREW'S PICK
2006 Fess Parker Santa Barbara Pinot Noir
RATIONALE This pinot is as big and bold as Karen's pick is light and bright. Decant it, or at least pour it into glasses so it can breathe, and the hot, jammy flavors will become velvety smooth.
COUNTRY United States
REGION California's Santa Barbara County
WINEMAKER Blair Fox
PRICE $25
GRAPES pinot noir
COLOR dark reddish-purple
AROMAS black cherries and plums with baking spice and licorice notes
FLAVORS earthy black cherries and blackberries with a velvety texture and a dark-chocolate-covered cherry finish
ALCOHOL 15.5 percent
PAIRS WITH beef, even rare steaks; lamb; salmon; tuna
DISTRIBUTORS District and Maryland:
DOPS
Virginia: RNDC
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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 *
July 2, 2008
The Pour
Reds on Ice? It.s Not Heresy
By ERIC ASIMOV
BROTHERS and sisters, I am feeling the heat. I am feeling the sweat on the back of my neck and the hot, wet air pressing against my chest like a rock on my heart.
My collar is open, my sleeves are pushed up, and when I look out into the glare of the sun I ask you this:
Do I want something hot to drink? No, I do not.
Do I want something served to me at what the ill-informed call room temperature? No, I do not.
Do I want something cool and refreshing, something that will revive my spirit, stir my soul and go hand-in-hand with outdoor grilling? Yes, indeed.
Now, nobody needs a sermon promoting the joy of a cool drink in the summertime. But I.m talking about red wine.
Sometimes a glass of white wine is not enough. Nor is a beer, an iced tea or a lemonade, though heaven knows few things are better than a tart lemonade in a beaded glass on a hot summer.s day.
While it is well understood that these beverages are served chilled, for maximum sustenance in the summer we do have one more river to cross, and that, my friends, is red wine.
It may be hot, but . repeat after me . we want red wine. It may be humid, but . say it again . we want red wine. It may be oppressive, but . louder, now! . we want red wine.
Yes, we want red wine. And how are we going to drink this red wine?
That.s right, chilled! Cold, cool, brisk, whatever you want to call it, we are going to enjoy this red wine at a temperature that refreshes, restores and revitalizes even the most exhausted soul.
Now, I.m sure you.ve been told that you cannot chill red wine, that you must drink it at room temperature, whatever that means.
These people who give you these rules, do they tell you that room temperature is as fluid as a sinner.s conscience, depending on whether said room is in a Louisiana bayou in July or in a stone cellar in Scotland in November? Of course they do not.
But even stone cellar temperature is sometimes not cold enough. Sometimes we demand right-out-of-the-refrigerator cold, and yes, my friends, we can enjoy a red wine like that.
Some of you may have heard me preach of lambrusco, the foaming, almost purple sparkling wine from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
No, not the semi-sweet fizzy stuff that was so popular in the 1970s, but the real, dry, earthy lambrusco, from producers like Medici Ermete, Vini, Vittorio Graziano and Villa di Carlo. Served icy cold, it.s wonderful with just about any simple dish, be it fried chicken or pizza or burgers.
But you say you want a real wine (as if lambrusco weren.t real enough)? You say you want an American wine because it is, after all, practically the Fourth of July?
I wouldn.t argue with you, not one bit. I.d reach for the zinfandel.
Yes, indeed, though you must be careful about which kind of zinfandel, and which red wines in general, you chill in the fridge. Big, heavy red wines like most zinfandels are not suited to the cold. They close up so all you can taste is oak and alcoholic heat. Oak and alcohol do not work in the cold, so avoid them.
But if you choose a more graceful type of zinfandel, like something from Dashe, Nalle, Sky or Quivira, then, my friends, you.ve got a wine that takes to a chill.
Of course, you wouldn.t want to overdo it. Unlike the lambrusco, which you can drink straight out of the fridge, you want to take the zinfandel out and let it sit for half an hour or, if you.re starting from scratch, just stick it in the fridge to cool for 45 minutes before drinking. If chilled but not ice cold, you.ve got yourself one refreshing beverage.
The same lighter-bodied principle holds for pinot noir. I recently tried an experiment with a 2004 Calera Mount Harlan Cuvé I had a glass at room temperature, which was about 72 degrees, and the wine was flat . as weighty as a flannel shirt in a sauna.
But after chilling for about half an hour, the wine was set free, offering a pretty cinnamon scent and lithe fruit.
As I said, heavier wines don.t take to the cold, nor do wines that promise subtlety and complexity. So save your Barolo and Barbaresco, your Bordeaux, Napa cabs and Burgundy . although, come to think of it, a nice Bourgogne might be just the thing chilled.
But temperature is a funny thing. The cooler a wine is, the less aromatic it gets, and the fewer complexities emerge. If it gets too cold, all you taste is tannins. So you.ll want to choose your wines for chilling carefully, looking for generous wines that find greatness in their capacity to offer simple pleasures rather than profundity.
I don.t mean you should drink great wines warm, though. Even the best red wines need to be a touch cool to flourish . 65 degrees maximum, not 75. If only more restaurants understood that ice buckets are better suited for cooling off reds than over-chilling whites. Yes, an especially hot place is reserved for those who serve their reds too warm and their whites too cold.
But, my friends, let us not stray from our subject. Instead, let.s think of this weekend, when you.re grilling your burgers and steaks, your salmon and chicken and ribs, and you want your red wine cool.
Can I get a barbera? Yes, indeed, a good straightforward barbera, like a 2006 Paitin Barbera d.Alba, is a wonderful thing chilled, when its bright fruit pops right out.
Likewise, cabernet francs from the Loire Valley can be so refreshing lightly chilled, like a 2006 Chinon Les Granges from Bernard Baudry, which was smoky, pliant and fruity with a plate of spicy kung pao shrimp, or a Rioja crianza.
And let us not forget Beaujolais, especially from the lighter crus like Brouilly, Chiroubles or St.-Amour, or even a Beaujolais Villages: the 2006 vintage is just right, right now. Nor should we forget the gamay wines from other places . like the gamays from Clos Roche Blanche in the Loire . just beautiful chilled.
You might take a chance on something unknown, a zweigelt from Austria, for example. I recently had a chilled cabernet sauvignon from the Spanish region of Navarra that was light, juicy and oh-so-refreshing on a steamy night.
I found an unexpected red, a 2006 CuvéGranit Vin de Pays from Domaine de la Pepiè, better known for its exceptional muscadets. This wine was earthy and light, perfect chilled though it may have a lot more to offer in a few years. And it was $12.99.
Possibilities abound, like a frappato from Sicily, ruby red and full of fruit.
Dare I mention merlot? Especially the herbal, earthy merlots from the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia?
I would not steer you wrong. Can I get an amen?
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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 *
Many of you may have already seen this if you are on the Artisan
Vineyards e-mail list. Would anyone be interested in chipping in $20
towards this event? Right now the bid is around $335 and was thinking
about bidding $400 tomorrow. The auction ends at 2:00 p.m.. I have
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Let me know if you would like to be part of the group1
Thanks.
Bubbles
VALUED AT $500
A guided tasting of organic and biodynamic wines on Artisan Vineyard’s
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Restrictions: The winning bidder should contact Larry Colbeck from
Artisanwines.com personally, after the auction, to establish date and
time for the tasting. Preferable, the offer will be scheduled before the
MN weather turns chilly, as the tasting will be held outside.
To benefit Slow Food Minnesota
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Bid on the Patio Wine Tasting
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:58:30 -0700
From: ArtisanVineyards.com <cathy(a)artisanvineyards.com>
Reply-To: cathy(a)artisanvineyards.com
To: joyce hegstrom <jhegstrom(a)csom.umn.edu>
Artisan Vineyards Logo Top
Artisan Vineyards Logo Middle
Only 2 days left!
Artisan Vineyards Logo Bottom
Only 2 days left! Bid Now!!
The Slow Foods Usa auction is happening right now on eBay and it is well
worth your time to check out all the items they have up for bid. Of
particular interest to you is the item donated by Artisan Vineyards...a
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to the highest bidder. This item will benefit a Minnesota youth
program. Hurry to this eBay Auction website
<http://echo4.bluehornet.com/ct/3095148:3438372329:m:1:185133916:B176C7C9213…>
to make your bid for the best party of the summer!
Wine fermentation barrels.
Rosé Crisis Over!
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<http://echo4.bluehornet.com/ct/3095149:3438372329:m:1:185133916:B176C7C9213…>
we have in stock.
Pears fermenting in wine.
Fresh Taste Festival
Save August 17th for a fantastic event at Nicollet Island
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<http://echo4.bluehornet.com/ct/3095150:3438372329:m:1:185133916:B176C7C9213…>
for more details.
Artisan Vineyards, Saint Paul, MN 55103
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June 4, 2008
The Pour
Burgundy Learns to Bottle Consistency
By ERIC ASIMOV
POMMARD, France
THE black clouds gathered last week over the Côd.Or, the slender 30-mile-long swath that comprises the great vineyards of Burgundy. And for at least the fifth day in a row they burst forth, drenching the vineyards shortly before the critical period of flowering, when the grape bunches begin to form on the spindly vines.
Rain is the farmer.s blessing, when it comes at the right time and in the right amount. But when the ground is saturated and the air is warm, the resulting moisture and humidity is a curse that can threaten the grapes with mildew and rot.
In past decades such weather might have spelled doom for the year.s vintage. But nowadays it means something else entirely. .It means more work for us,. said Benjamin Leroux, 33, the manager of Comte Armand, one of the best producers in Pommard in the Côde Beaune, the southern half of the Côd.Or. .All the things we.re doing in the vineyard right now, we.re insuring the vintage..
Twenty years ago nobody could have predicted that Burgundy could be trusted to produce reliably good wines in tricky vintages. As captivating as the great wines of Burgundy could be at their heights, too often they revealed their depths . diluted, overly acidic wines that seemed to vary not just vintage to vintage but almost bottle to bottle. The only thing consistent about the region was its inconsistency.
Just last month Robert M. Parker Jr., the wine critic, repeated the old saw when he wrote in his column in Business Week, .Red Burgundy is the ultimate minefield of the wine world . notoriously unreliable, often disappointing, and rarely living up to its illustrious reputation..
In fact, the quality of Burgundy . red Burgundy in particular . has risen strikingly over the last two decades. From the smallest growers to the biggest houses, the standards of grape-growing and winemaking have surpassed anybody.s expectations. These days, Burgundy has very few bad vintages, and among good producers, surprisingly few bad wines.
The best producers, like Domaine de la RomanéConti and Armand Rousseau, always managed to achieve a high standard, but nowadays the bar has been raised for everybody. And it.s not just the Côd.Or, the heart of Burgundy, that has shown such improvement. Surrounding areas like the CôChalonnaise and the Mânnais, still part of Burgundy, are producing better wine than ever, at not unreasonable prices. Sure, you can still find bad Burgundy. But really, it.s not hard to find bad wines from any fine wine region.
.It.s not so much an improvement as a blooming,. said Becky Wasserman, an American wine broker who has lived in Burgundy since 1968. .It.s a realization of potential..
I spent five days in Burgundy last week to get a first-hand look at the reasons for the surge in quality. In traveling the Côd.Or from Marsannay in the north to Santenay in the south, visiting two dozen producers, tasting hundreds of wines and drinking not quite that many, it was easy to see that this leap upward has been 25 years in the making, an eternity in the Internet world but a split second at the rhythmic agricultural pace of viticulture.
Most striking of all was the number of young producers making superb wines, whether they have taken charge of their family domains or started out new. In Marsannay, perhaps the least-esteemed commune in the Cô de Nuits, the northern half of the Côd.Or, Sylvain Pataille, 33, is turning out excellent reds, whites and rosé In the Hautes-Cô de Nuits, once a backwater in the hills, David Duband, 37, is producing light, fresh regional wines from his ancestral vineyards, along with a series of more ambitious, elegant reds from grand cru vineyards like Éhezeaux and Charmes-Chambertin. Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, 35, in Vosnes-Romanéhas reclaimed some of the greatest vineyard property in the north, which his family had leased out for years, and is making wines of purity and depth.
Meanwhile, in Meursault in the south, Arnaud Ente, who took over his father-in-law.s vineyards in the 1990s, is turning out small amounts of whites of focus and clarity that show tremendous minerality. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, 36, left his father.s domain, Marc Colin et Fils, and set up shop in Chassagne-Montrachet, where he is making light yet intense, mouthwatering whites.
.Half the superstar domains today didn.t exist 20 years ago,. Clive Coates, author of .The Wines of Burgundy. (University of California Press, 2008), told me in a recent interview. Few could have envisioned such a level of quality back in the early 1980s, a time when Claude Bourguignon, a French soil scientist who, with his wife, Lydia, works with numerous wine estates, famously said that the soil of the Sahara had more life in it than the soil of Burgundy.
.It was a shocking wake-up call,. Ms. Wasserman said, and it was heard by the first wave in the vanguard of the new Burgundy, young vignerons like Dominique Lafon in Meursault, Christophe Roumier in Chambolle-Musigny and Éienne Grivot in Vosne-Romané
Their first order of business was to wean the soil off two decades worth of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. The postwar dependency on science and industry had dealt a severe blow to Burgundy, which more than most wine regions prided itself on its soil. The nuances of terroir, the semi-mystical French term that encompasses earth, atmosphere, climate and humanity, were said to be transmitted to the wines by the qualities of the differing soils throughout the Côd.Or.
Over the next 20 years a great many producers turned to organic farming, and others adopted biodynamic viticulture, a particularly demanding system that takes a sort of homeopathic approach to farming. These days it.s the rare farmer who still uses chemical herbicides in the vineyard.
.The soils are alive again,. Mr. Bourguignon said by telephone last week. .They.ve really changed, and it.s one of the reasons the wine has changed..
Burgundy vignerons take pains, however, to make clear that they are not doing anything new. As Mr. Leroux pointed out, organic viticulture is simply a return to the pre-World War II methods.
.We can now understand what our grandparents were doing,. said Jean-Marie Fourrier of Domaine Fourrier in Gevrey-Chambertin. .We.re rediscovering the logic of the past..
Domaine Fourrier was moribund, with no market for its wine, when Mr. Fourrier took over from his father, Jean-Claude. Fourteen years later he exports wine to 27 countries and has just finished construction on a new fermentation room. His wines are pure and light-bodied, embodying the grace and finesse for which Burgundy.s best wines were always known.
Prosperity is evident all over Burgundy, and every domain seems to be adding on, building a new cellar or a new winery, buying a tractor, or hiring workers. It.s a far cry from 20 years ago when domains were going out of business and sales of Burgundy in the United States were plummeting.
Now, despite the plunge of the dollar, American thirst for Burgundy has never been higher, and the opening in the last few years of new markets like eastern Europe and Asia, along with demand for the widely acclaimed 2005 vintage, has sent prices for Burgundy soaring higher than ever. Much of the profit seems to be going back into the wine.
.It.s a virtuous cycle,. said Jeremy Seysses, who has joined his father, Jacques Seysses, at the helm of Domaine Dujac in Morey-St.-Denis, one of the best producers in the Côde Nuits. .Our wines have never sold so well or for so much money, which is bad for the consumer, I guess, but we can now afford to invest in the extra worker, the new equipment, in taking the time necessary to make great wine..
A decade ago you might still find cellars in Burgundy without the equipment to control the temperature in vats of fermenting wine, by then standard in the rest of the winemaking world. Nowadays that.s unthinkable. With increased knowledge has come a premium on hygiene in the cellar and precision in the vineyard. Where once farmers who sold their grapes to néciants were paid by quantity, winemakers who bottle their own production today know that they are judged and paid on quality.
.Everybody is aware that Burgundy has a lot of competition and people don.t buy it because it says on the label, .Bourgogne,. . said Vénique Drouhin, who, with her three brothers, has taken over from their father leadership of Joseph Drouhin, one of the biggest and best producers in Burgundy.
Profits and the willingness to put them back into the business have helped to save vintages like 2007, which was marked by rain and hail. Twenty years ago, said Mr. Leroux of Comte Armand, the domain would have played it safe in a vintage like 2007. It would have picked the grapes quickly over the course of a week even though ripening was uneven, both to protect itself against further bad weather and so that the part-time pickers would not have to be paid for so long. .This year it took us 21 days,. Mr. Leroux said. .We stopped for seven days and I had to pay the pickers to do nothing, but the payoff in quality was great..
Back in the .80s, a year like 2007 could have been a disaster along the lines of the notoriously poor 1984 and 1975 vintages. Instead, tasted from the barrel, where the .07s are currently aging, the Comte Armand reds were fresh and minerally, the various crus in Pommard and Auxey-Duresses differing markedly in density and nuance according to where the grapes were grown, yet all lithe and agile. When they are released next year, the .07s may not be judged among Burgundy.s best, but they certainly will be enjoyable, at least.
Mr. Leroux is typical of younger vignerons in Burgundy today. Unlike previous generations, who often began working in the fields as teenagers and never got far from their homes, they were trained in viticulture and enology. They.ve traveled the world, working in places like California, New Zealand, South Africa and even Bordeaux. Perhaps most importantly, they are not afraid to share knowledge.
.They all know how to taste,. said Dominique Lafon, the Meursault superstar whose domain, Comtes Lafon, is one of Burgundy.s leading estates. .The older generation was only tasting their own wines and were not sharing as much as now..
As consistently good as red Burgundy has become, white Burgundy still has a thorny issue to solve. The wines, when young, can be delicious and show every indication of being capable of ripe old age. But beginning with the 1996 vintage, some of the best white Burgundies began oxidizing in the bottle after seven or nine years.
Responding first with denial, then consternation, all of Burgundy now concedes the problem, which seems to have waned since the 1999 vintage. Its source has been elusive, although most people seem to blame corks treated with peroxide. Some vignerons are taking the time to hand-wax the tops of their bottles to keep oxygen out.
Regardless of the stability that Burgundy is able to achieve, absolute consistency will never be possible. It.s antithetical to the nature of the pinot noir grape, which is proverbially fickle and troublesome to grow, and to the nature of artisanal winemaking, which takes as a matter of romantic faith that greatness only comes with risks.
.Burgundy is and will always remain the anti-product,. Ms. Wasserman said. .Burgundies react differently according to their age, according to the weather, according to the ambiance. It.s nice to have natural things that react..
June 4, 2008
Bargain Seeking
By ERIC ASIMOV
FEW Burgundies are cheap, but good values nonetheless abound.
The best big houses make superb wines. They include Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, Bouchard Pè & Fils and Joseph Faiveley. Drouhin.s Laforet Bourgogne blanc, a Chablis-like white, is about $10.
The CôChalonnaise has fine values like Jacqueson in Rully (the .06 La Pucelle is superb), Françs Lumpp in Givry, Michel Juillot in Mercurey and Faiveley.
Some of the best Burgundy producers also make less expensive cuvé. Look for Bourgogne blancs or Bourgogne aligotéfrom Michel Lafarge, Sylvain Pataille and Domaine Roulot, and Bourgogne rouges from Georges Roumier and Ghislaine Barthod.
Also look for St.-Aubin from Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Fixin from Louis Jadot and Savigny-les-Beaune from Chandon de Briailles.
June 4, 2008
Recipe
Asparagus With Chardonnay Sabayon
By ERIC ASIMOV
Adapted from Fabienne Escoffier, Ma Cuisine, Beaune, France
Time: 30 minutes
Salt
24 fat spears of green asparagus, trimmed and bottom third peeled
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup chardonnay
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper.
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pat dry.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter. In another small saucepan, simmer wine with shallot until reduced by half, about 3 minutes; cool. In a stainless steel bowl, with a mixer at medium speed or by hand, whisk egg yolks with 1 tablespoon water and wine mixture until foamy. Set bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and continue whisking until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue whisking to cool mixture slightly, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in melted butter one tablespoon at a time, then lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide asparagus on 4 dinner plates. Spoon sabayon across asparagus. Pass remaining sabayon in a sauceboat.
Yield: 4 servings
--
------------------------------
* 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 *
June 4, 2008
New Hints Seen That Red Wine May Slow Aging
By NICHOLAS WADE
Red wine may be much more potent than was thought in extending human lifespan, researchers say in a new report that is likely to give impetus to the rapidly growing search for longevity drugs.
The study is based on dosing mice with resveratrol, an ingredient of some red wines. Some scientists are already taking resveratrol in capsule form, but others believe it is far too early to take the drug, especially using wine as its source, until there is better data on its safety and effectiveness.
The report is part of a new wave of interest in drugs that may enhance longevity. On Monday, Sirtris, a startup founded in 2004 to develop drugs with the same effects as resveratrol, completed its sale to GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million.
Sirtris is seeking to develop drugs that activate protein agents known in people as sirtuins.
.The upside is so huge that if we are right, the company that dominates the sirtuin space could dominate the pharmaceutical industry and change medicine,. Dr. David Sinclair of the Harvard Medical School, a co-founder of the company, said Tuesday.
Serious scientists have long derided the idea of life-extending elixirs, but the door has now been opened to drugs that exploit an ancient biological survival mechanism, that of switching the body.s resources from fertility to tissue maintenance. The improved tissue maintenance seems to extend life by cutting down on the degenerative diseases of aging.
The reflex can be prompted by a faminelike diet, known as caloric restriction, which extends the life of laboratory rodents by up to 30 percent but is far too hard for most people to keep to and in any case has not been proven to work in humans.
Research started nearly 20 years ago by Dr. Leonard Guarente of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed recently that the famine-induced switch to tissue preservation might be triggered by activating the body.s sirtuins. Dr. Sinclair, a former student of Dr. Guarente, then found in 2003 that sirtuins could be activated by some natural compounds, including resveratrol, previously known as just an ingredient of certain red wines.
Dr. Sinclair.s finding led in several directions. He and others have tested resveratrol.s effects in mice, mostly at doses far higher than the minuscule amounts in red wine. One of the more spectacular results was obtained last year by Dr. John Auwerx of the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in Illkirch, France. He showed that resveratrol could turn plain vanilla, couch-potato mice into champion athletes, making them run twice as far on a treadmill before collapsing.
The company Sirtris, meanwhile, has been testing resveratrol and other drugs that activate sirtuin. These drugs are small molecules, more stable than resveratrol, and can be given in smaller doses. In April, Sirtris reported that its formulation of resveratrol, called SRT501, reduced glucose levels in diabetic patients.
The company plans to start clinical trials of its resveratrol mimic soon. Sirtris.s value to GlaxoSmithKline is presumably that its sirtuin-activating drugs could be used to treat a spectrum of degenerative diseases, like cancer and Alzheimer.s, if the underlying theory is correct.
Separately from Sirtris.s investigations, a research team led by Tomas A. Prolla and Richard Weindruch, of the University of Wisconsin, reports in the journal PLoS One on Wednesday that resveratrol may be effective in mice and people in much lower doses than previously thought necessary. In earlier studies, like Dr. Auwerx.s of mice on treadmills, the animals were fed such large amounts of resveratrol that to gain equivalent dosages people would have to drink more than 100 bottles of red wine a day.
The Wisconsin scientists used a dose on mice equivalent to just 35 bottles a day. But red wine contains many other resveratrol-like compounds that may also be beneficial. Taking these into account, as well as mice.s higher metabolic rate, a mere four, five-ounce glasses of wine .starts getting close. to the amount of resveratrol they found effective, Dr. Weindruch said.
Resveratrol can also be obtained in the form of capsules marketed by several companies. Those made by one company, Longevinex, include extracts of red wine and of a Chinese plant called giant knotweed. The Wisconsin researchers conclude that resveratrol can mimic many of the effects of a caloric-restricted diet .at doses that can readily be achieved in humans..
The effectiveness of the low doses was not tested directly, however, but with a DNA chip that measures changes in the activity of genes. The Wisconsin team first defined the pattern of gene activity established in mice on caloric restriction, and then showed that very low doses of resveratrol produced just the same pattern.
Dr. Auwerx, who used doses almost 100 times greater in his treadmill experiments, expressed reservations about the new result. .I would be really cautious, as we never saw significant effects with such low amounts,. he said Tuesday in an e-mail message.
Another researcher in the sirtuin field, Dr. Matthew Kaeberlein of the University of Washington in Seattle, said, .There.s no way of knowing from this data, or from the prior work, if something similar would happen in humans at either low or high doses..
A critical link in establishing whether or not caloric restriction works the same wonders in people as it does in mice rests on the outcome of two monkey trials. Since rhesus monkeys live for up to 40 years, the trials have taken a long time to show results. Experts said that one of the two trials, being conducted by Dr. Weindruch, was at last showing clear evidence that calorically restricted monkeys were outliving the control animals.
But no such effect is apparent in the other trial, being conducted at the National Institutes of Health.
The Wisconsin report underlined another unresolved link in the theory, that of whether resveratrol actually works by activating sirtuins. The issue is clouded because resveratrol is a powerful drug that has many different effects in the cell. The Wisconsin researchers report that they saw no change in the mouse equivalent of sirtuin during caloric restriction, a finding that if true could undercut Sirtris.s strategy of looking for drugs that activate sirtuin.
Dr. Guarente, a scientific adviser to Sirtris, said the Wisconsin team only measured the amount of sirtuin present in mouse tissues, and not the more important factor of whether it had been activated.
Dr. Sinclair said the definitive answer would emerge from experiments, now under way, with mice whose sirtuin genes had been knocked out. .The question of how resveratrol is working is an ongoing debate and it will take more studies to get the answer,. he said.
Dr. Robert E. Hughes of the Buck Institute for Age Research said there could be no guarantee of success given that most new drug projects fail. But, he said, testing the therapeutic uses of drugs that mimic caloric restriction is a good idea, based on substantial evidence.
--
------------------------------
* 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 *
Sheila Stewart would like to invite all of you to a wine dinner she has
set up on June 16th at Cafe Vin; 6:30 p.m.
$65 includes tax/tip and wine!
5555 Xerxes Avenue South in Minneapolis
Greeting
Wine: Pinot Blanc
Food: Sautéed olives
First Course
Wine: Whole Cluster Pinot Noir
Food: Sea Scallops with truffle mushroom cream sauce
Second Course
Wine: Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Food: Grilled Copper River Salmon with arugula-grape salad
Third Course
Wine: Reserve Pinot Noir
Food: Pork Tenderloin with haricots verts, grilled
peach,orange reduction and saba
Fourth Course
Wine: Grand Cuvee Pinot Noir
Food: Rack of Lamb with wild mushroom potato gratin, mint pesto
Dessert
Wine: Pinot Noir Port
Food: Chocolate tres leches cake
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Make every e-mail and IM count. Join the i'm Initiative from Microsoft.
<http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/Join/Default.aspx?source=EML_WL_%20MakeCount>
--
NOTE NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS:
jhegstro(a)umn.edu
(there is no "m" at the end of hegstro)
As you konw, Craftsman has requested an
accurate headcount no later than tomorrow morning.
Here's the list as I know it.
Bob
Betsy
Ruth
Russ/Sue
Jim/Louise
If you've contatact Bob, great.
Thanks to all who yea-ed or ney-ed.
Style is rose' and Petite Syrah.
Cheers,
Jim
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 09:07:37 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: [wine] TBD at Craftsman, rose' ratings (fwd)
Heading to Craftsman next week. Short week.
Wine style is still being debated, although rose' was
suggested. List of pairings in the SFGC makes a good
case for rose.
OTOH, I've stopped bringing rose' to the group because
I find the wines to be so much more pleasant w/o the kvetching.
(e.g. the 2.5 star rated Eye of the Toad dry PN Rose I've
brought in the past.)
Zin or Syrah might also work w/ the Craftsman menu.
Cheers,
Jim
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:25:18 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: [wine] Craftsman tonight
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 10:53:50 -0600
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Greetings,
Thursday at 6:30.
The Craftsman Restaurant
4300 E. Lake St. (NE Corner)
Minneapolis
612.722.0175
www.craftsmanrestaurant.com
Hwy 55 to Lake, then East to 43rd.
Hwy 94 to Cretin, South to Marshall, west to 43rd.
River Road to Lake, west to 4300.
Here's my best guess at the list.
Lori
Betsy
Bob
Ruth
Russ/Sue
Jim/Louise
Ruth
Warren
Dave T.
Cheers,
Jim
Rethink pink
After tasting 135 domestic rosé here are our top picks
Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, May 23, 2008
Rosévary in color from pale blush to raspberry, dependi...
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.
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.
Roséf 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 Olson 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. Olson 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, Olson 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."
East 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.
Inside
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
THE CHRONICLE WINE SELECTIONS: Domestic Dry RoséFriday, May 23, 2008
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 A to Z Wineworks Oregon Rosé$13) Dark, ripe aromas and flavors of herb, bright berry and chocolate hints; a dusky, straightforward palatal grip with black plum skin on the finish. Basic but pleasing.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Balletto Russian River Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($16) A hint of earthiness underlies apricot, tangerine and some candied berry aromas; bright, juicy berry flavors are straightforward and refreshing.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Barnard Griffin Maurice Balcom Vineyard Columbia Valley Roséf Sangiovese ($12) Fresh, full strawberry with a touch of waxed red apple; intense strawberry flavors and sweet fruit core are balanced by buoyant acidity.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Bonterra Vineyards Mendocino County Rosé$14) This inaugural release is made from organically grown grapes. Cherry/strawberry Jolly Rancher, bright raspberry, mint and light peach aromas with fresh, focused palate. 54 percent Sangiovese, 24 Zinfandel, 22 Grenache.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Bybee B Vineyards & Habitat Russian River Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($24) The aromatic nose of black cherry and raspberry is a bit stoic; light but still substantial palate of cherry lozenge, dried citrus peel and red cherry on finish. Some structure from the healthy grip.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Clos du Bois Sonoma County Rosé$12) The perfumed nose offers floral notes with fresh lime, watermelon, pureed raspberry and hints of sugar but has a lean, clean palate. Intriguing bit of minerally grip on the finish. 70 percent Syrah, 30 Merlot.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Clos LaChance Pink-Throated Brilliant Central Coast Rosé$14) Straightforward ripe strawberry, huckleberry and pear, with a push of orange pith on the finish. A solid wine - fruit-forward but dry. 71 percent Grenache, 20 Syrah, 9 Pinot Noir.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Crane Brothers Eye of the Crane Napa Valley Syrah Rosé$20) Light aromatic red cherry, fresh herbal strawberry and pear but a touch of sulfur dioxide upon opening. Bright entry on palate with segue to nice fruit flavors but flattens a touch at the finish.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Epiphany Santa Barbara County Grenache Rosé$16) Tart red cherry, basic blackberry and citrusy tang with herb notes. Linear and a bit blocky on the lengthy finish but bright and food-friendly.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Fleur de California Carneros Vin Gris of Pinot Noir ($13) Luscious cherry and strawberry fruit with nose reminiscent of Jolly Rancher; dry, more serious palate with a zippy mouthful of ripe cherry and huckleberry. Lively and straightforward.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Heitz Wine Cellars Napa Valley Grignolino Rosé$18) California has about 100 acres planted to Grignolino, which means "many pips" in the Italian dialect of its native Piedmont region. Focused acidity and tannins nicely balance the cranberry, tart Bing cherry, nectarine and plum skin. Nuanced with great definition; one of the better Grignolino roséHeitz has made.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 La Crema Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Rosé$20) Some mineral, pine and dusty notes on the nose underscore sweet, brambly berry and subtle peach aromas and flavors. High-toned and fresh with real Pinot Noir depth.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Lazy Creek Vineyards Anderson Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($25) Light-bodied with lively acidity. Savory spice, fennel, cumin and florid peach tones; juicy, bright and invigorating with a depth on the finish from nuanced tannins.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Loomis Family Vineyards Air Napa Valley Rosé$12) More dry baking spice and loam atop the red fruit nose. Cranberry, lemon zest and Bing cherry flavors but the fresh, juicy palate is a bit compressed and underfruited for its style. 57 percent Syrah, 24 Grenache, 19 Mourvedre.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Lynmar Estate Russian River Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($20) Musky overtones amid sweet but delicate, tangy raspberry aromas; red berry flavors with a slightly soft, floral and rounded finish that shows a bit of alcoholic heat.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Montevina Terra d'Oro Amador County Rosé$14) Lilting red fruit with hints of mint, rose and underlying dusty character. An acid-driven palate with dense fresh cherry, nectarine and tart apple flavors. Tart, grippy finish goes better with food. Nebbiolo with 6 percent Syrah.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 SoloRosa Napa Valley Rosé$17) This "only roséwine is made from ripe Atlas Peak fruit and offers big gushes of dried orange skin, peach and tangy red berry with a balancing touch of tannic grip. 90 percent Sangiovese, 10 Syrah.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zin Gris ($19) A substantial, earthy style with loam, rustic plum, dark ripe berry and high-toned hints. Plump palate of strawberry-rhubarb compote with bright citrus core offers some depth and grip.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Toad Hollow Eye of the Toad Sonoma County Dry Pinot Noir Rosé$10) Aromas of light strawberry, cherry and sweet herb with a slight dusty nuance. Light and dry with sweet cherry depth on the lively palate; pretty, with a welcome touch of tannic grip.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Toulouse Anderson Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($22) Concentrated fruit nose with a lurid, almost sweet palate that some people will love, and a tangy finish to lift it. Dense black raspberry, cherry and mandarin orange aromas; ripe strawberry and peach flavors
Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Trentadue Monte Lago Vineyard Clear Lake Grenache Rosé$10) Attractive light rose color. Some high tones plus a pingpong of citrus and strawberry jam. A bit heavy on sweet fruit but has a bright, lively palate despite the touch of alcoholic heat on the finish.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Valley of the Moon Sonoma County Rosato di Sangiovese ($16) Attractive aromas of savory fresh herb, chive and raspberry; some dustiness on the nose. Sweet red fruit echoes on the palate; fresh and clean but a bit of heat shows on the finish.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Ventana Vineyards Arroyo Seco Dry Rosado ($18) Heavier aromas with dark, earthy red fruit wrapped with lots of pepper and herb notes; lively palate with notable grip, which balances the dense mouthfuls of fruit. 90 percent Grenache, 10 Syrah.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Wattle Creek Yorkville Highlands Rosé$17) Some interesting earth, meatiness and spice on the nose amid apricot jam, tangerine and stewed raspberry aromas and flavors. A tangy, linear finish. 95 percent Syrah, 5 Petite Sirah.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Wolffer Estate The Hamptons Roséable Wine($15) Light salmon color. Fairly complex nose with aromas and flavors of light herb, citrus, peach, mineral leanings and loamy nuance. Great length and vibrancy. 40 percent Chardonnay, 35 Merlot, 17 Cabernet Sauvignon, 8 Cabernet Franc. Limited availability.
Panelists include: Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle staff writer and wine coordinator; Jon BonnéChronicle wine editor; Richard Dean, sommelier, Campton Place. For more recommended wines, go to sfgate.com/wine.
Key: Rating: FOUR STARS Extraordinary Rating: THREE STARSExcellent Rating: TWO STARS Good
Winery-only rosé
Many wineries make small amounts of roséor their club members and tasting room sales; occasionally they can be found on restaurant wine lists. Here are some recommendations, some of which may also be ordered online:
2007 Amity Vineyards Willamette Valley Ravenous Rosé$18)
2007 Arrowood La Rose Lasseter Vineyards Sonoma Valley Roséable Wine ($20)
2007 Blackbird Vineyards Arriviste Napa Valley Rosé$25)
2007 Frog's Leap La Grenouille Rougante Rutherford Pink ($14)
2007 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Napa Valley Malbec Rosé$18)
2007 Hartford Court Sonoma Coast Roséf Pinot Noir ($22)
2006 McDowell Valley Mendocino Grenache Rosé$14)
2007 Navarro Vineyards Mendocino Rosé$17)
2007 The Ojai Winery California Rosé$16)
2007 Sebastiani Eye of the Swan Sonoma County White Pinot Noir ($13)
2007 Stoller JV Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Rosé$17)
2007 Summerland Winery Paso Robles Grenache Rosé$15)
2007 Tolosa Edna Valley Roséable Wine ($18)
2007 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Vin Gris of Pinot Noir ($18)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/23/WIT810HN4F.DTL
This article appeared on page F - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle
----- End forwarded message -----
--
------------------------------
* 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 *
Heading to Craftsman next week. Short week.
Wine style is still being debated, although rose' was
suggested. List of pairings in the SFGC makes a good
case for rose.
OTOH, I've stopped bringing rose' to the group because
I find the wines to be so much more pleasant w/o the kvetching.
(e.g. the 2.5 star rated Eye of the Toad dry PN Rose I've
brought in the past.)
Zin or Syrah might also work w/ the Craftsman menu.
Cheers,
Jim
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:25:18 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: [wine] Craftsman tonight
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 10:53:50 -0600
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Greetings,
Thursday at 6:30.
The Craftsman Restaurant
4300 E. Lake St. (NE Corner)
Minneapolis
612.722.0175
www.craftsmanrestaurant.com
Hwy 55 to Lake, then East to 43rd.
Hwy 94 to Cretin, South to Marshall, west to 43rd.
River Road to Lake, west to 4300.
Here's my best guess at the list.
Lori
Betsy
Bob
Ruth
Russ/Sue
Jim/Louise
Ruth
Warren
Dave T.
Cheers,
Jim
Rethink pink
After tasting 135 domestic rosé here are our top picks
Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, May 23, 2008
Rosévary in color from pale blush to raspberry, dependi...
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.
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.
Roséf 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 Olson 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. Olson 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, Olson 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."
East 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.
Inside
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
THE CHRONICLE WINE SELECTIONS: Domestic Dry RoséFriday, May 23, 2008
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 A to Z Wineworks Oregon Rosé$13) Dark, ripe aromas and flavors of herb, bright berry and chocolate hints; a dusky, straightforward palatal grip with black plum skin on the finish. Basic but pleasing.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Balletto Russian River Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($16) A hint of earthiness underlies apricot, tangerine and some candied berry aromas; bright, juicy berry flavors are straightforward and refreshing.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Barnard Griffin Maurice Balcom Vineyard Columbia Valley Roséf Sangiovese ($12) Fresh, full strawberry with a touch of waxed red apple; intense strawberry flavors and sweet fruit core are balanced by buoyant acidity.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Bonterra Vineyards Mendocino County Rosé$14) This inaugural release is made from organically grown grapes. Cherry/strawberry Jolly Rancher, bright raspberry, mint and light peach aromas with fresh, focused palate. 54 percent Sangiovese, 24 Zinfandel, 22 Grenache.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Bybee B Vineyards & Habitat Russian River Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($24) The aromatic nose of black cherry and raspberry is a bit stoic; light but still substantial palate of cherry lozenge, dried citrus peel and red cherry on finish. Some structure from the healthy grip.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Clos du Bois Sonoma County Rosé$12) The perfumed nose offers floral notes with fresh lime, watermelon, pureed raspberry and hints of sugar but has a lean, clean palate. Intriguing bit of minerally grip on the finish. 70 percent Syrah, 30 Merlot.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Clos LaChance Pink-Throated Brilliant Central Coast Rosé$14) Straightforward ripe strawberry, huckleberry and pear, with a push of orange pith on the finish. A solid wine - fruit-forward but dry. 71 percent Grenache, 20 Syrah, 9 Pinot Noir.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Crane Brothers Eye of the Crane Napa Valley Syrah Rosé$20) Light aromatic red cherry, fresh herbal strawberry and pear but a touch of sulfur dioxide upon opening. Bright entry on palate with segue to nice fruit flavors but flattens a touch at the finish.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Epiphany Santa Barbara County Grenache Rosé$16) Tart red cherry, basic blackberry and citrusy tang with herb notes. Linear and a bit blocky on the lengthy finish but bright and food-friendly.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Fleur de California Carneros Vin Gris of Pinot Noir ($13) Luscious cherry and strawberry fruit with nose reminiscent of Jolly Rancher; dry, more serious palate with a zippy mouthful of ripe cherry and huckleberry. Lively and straightforward.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Heitz Wine Cellars Napa Valley Grignolino Rosé$18) California has about 100 acres planted to Grignolino, which means "many pips" in the Italian dialect of its native Piedmont region. Focused acidity and tannins nicely balance the cranberry, tart Bing cherry, nectarine and plum skin. Nuanced with great definition; one of the better Grignolino roséHeitz has made.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 La Crema Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Rosé$20) Some mineral, pine and dusty notes on the nose underscore sweet, brambly berry and subtle peach aromas and flavors. High-toned and fresh with real Pinot Noir depth.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Lazy Creek Vineyards Anderson Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($25) Light-bodied with lively acidity. Savory spice, fennel, cumin and florid peach tones; juicy, bright and invigorating with a depth on the finish from nuanced tannins.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Loomis Family Vineyards Air Napa Valley Rosé$12) More dry baking spice and loam atop the red fruit nose. Cranberry, lemon zest and Bing cherry flavors but the fresh, juicy palate is a bit compressed and underfruited for its style. 57 percent Syrah, 24 Grenache, 19 Mourvedre.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Lynmar Estate Russian River Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($20) Musky overtones amid sweet but delicate, tangy raspberry aromas; red berry flavors with a slightly soft, floral and rounded finish that shows a bit of alcoholic heat.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Montevina Terra d'Oro Amador County Rosé$14) Lilting red fruit with hints of mint, rose and underlying dusty character. An acid-driven palate with dense fresh cherry, nectarine and tart apple flavors. Tart, grippy finish goes better with food. Nebbiolo with 6 percent Syrah.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 SoloRosa Napa Valley Rosé$17) This "only roséwine is made from ripe Atlas Peak fruit and offers big gushes of dried orange skin, peach and tangy red berry with a balancing touch of tannic grip. 90 percent Sangiovese, 10 Syrah.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zin Gris ($19) A substantial, earthy style with loam, rustic plum, dark ripe berry and high-toned hints. Plump palate of strawberry-rhubarb compote with bright citrus core offers some depth and grip.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Toad Hollow Eye of the Toad Sonoma County Dry Pinot Noir Rosé$10) Aromas of light strawberry, cherry and sweet herb with a slight dusty nuance. Light and dry with sweet cherry depth on the lively palate; pretty, with a welcome touch of tannic grip.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Toulouse Anderson Valley Roséf Pinot Noir ($22) Concentrated fruit nose with a lurid, almost sweet palate that some people will love, and a tangy finish to lift it. Dense black raspberry, cherry and mandarin orange aromas; ripe strawberry and peach flavors
Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Trentadue Monte Lago Vineyard Clear Lake Grenache Rosé$10) Attractive light rose color. Some high tones plus a pingpong of citrus and strawberry jam. A bit heavy on sweet fruit but has a bright, lively palate despite the touch of alcoholic heat on the finish.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Valley of the Moon Sonoma County Rosato di Sangiovese ($16) Attractive aromas of savory fresh herb, chive and raspberry; some dustiness on the nose. Sweet red fruit echoes on the palate; fresh and clean but a bit of heat shows on the finish.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Ventana Vineyards Arroyo Seco Dry Rosado ($18) Heavier aromas with dark, earthy red fruit wrapped with lots of pepper and herb notes; lively palate with notable grip, which balances the dense mouthfuls of fruit. 90 percent Grenache, 10 Syrah.
Rating: TWO STARS 2007 Wattle Creek Yorkville Highlands Rosé$17) Some interesting earth, meatiness and spice on the nose amid apricot jam, tangerine and stewed raspberry aromas and flavors. A tangy, linear finish. 95 percent Syrah, 5 Petite Sirah.
Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2007 Wolffer Estate The Hamptons Roséable Wine($15) Light salmon color. Fairly complex nose with aromas and flavors of light herb, citrus, peach, mineral leanings and loamy nuance. Great length and vibrancy. 40 percent Chardonnay, 35 Merlot, 17 Cabernet Sauvignon, 8 Cabernet Franc. Limited availability.
Panelists include: Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle staff writer and wine coordinator; Jon BonnéChronicle wine editor; Richard Dean, sommelier, Campton Place. For more recommended wines, go to sfgate.com/wine.
Key: Rating: FOUR STARS Extraordinary Rating: THREE STARSExcellent Rating: TWO STARS Good
Winery-only rosé
Many wineries make small amounts of roséor their club members and tasting room sales; occasionally they can be found on restaurant wine lists. Here are some recommendations, some of which may also be ordered online:
2007 Amity Vineyards Willamette Valley Ravenous Rosé$18)
2007 Arrowood La Rose Lasseter Vineyards Sonoma Valley Roséable Wine ($20)
2007 Blackbird Vineyards Arriviste Napa Valley Rosé$25)
2007 Frog's Leap La Grenouille Rougante Rutherford Pink ($14)
2007 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Napa Valley Malbec Rosé$18)
2007 Hartford Court Sonoma Coast Roséf Pinot Noir ($22)
2006 McDowell Valley Mendocino Grenache Rosé$14)
2007 Navarro Vineyards Mendocino Rosé$17)
2007 The Ojai Winery California Rosé$16)
2007 Sebastiani Eye of the Swan Sonoma County White Pinot Noir ($13)
2007 Stoller JV Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Rosé$17)
2007 Summerland Winery Paso Robles Grenache Rosé$15)
2007 Tolosa Edna Valley Roséable Wine ($18)
2007 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Vin Gris of Pinot Noir ($18)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/23/WIT810HN4F.DTL
This article appeared on page F - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Terry has had to postpone his visit here by one week. The Thursday June 12th tasting will be happening on Thursday June 19th. Same time and place and price, just one week later. Please call Surdyk's and reschedule or make arrangements with them. 612-379-3232. Hope to see you all there the following week. Lori Ames
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Click for free information on obtaining a second mortgage.
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Some nice ideas for summer fare.
You Can Have Your Wine and Eat It, Too
By Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Wednesday, May 21, 2008; F05
There's a surefire secret to creating synergy between a dish of food and a glass of wine: Make sure the same wine is in each.
Some of the greatest wine and food pairings in history are based on that principle. For example, boeuf bourguignon (beef braised in red wine) served with red Burgundy is what we consider a holy grail pairing that all food lovers should experience at least once. Whether it's boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin, when the same wine used for slow-cooking the protein also ends up in your glass accompanying the dish, it creates a natural bridge between the two.
Of course, cooking changes a wine's flavor: As it heats up and alcohol evaporates, the flavors intensify. Beware of cooking with wines that are already high in acid; concentrated acidity can prove overwhelming. When you start with a wine that is smooth and fruity, the results can be divine.
Case in point: Inspired by the excellent book "Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine With Food," by Evan Goldstein (with recipes by his mother, San Francisco chef Joyce Goldstein), we recently made a Swiss-style cheese fondue. Slowly melting a pound of Gruyere over a double boiler with one cup of Gewüminer, we thickened it with a teaspoon of cornstarch and flavored it with a clove of garlic plus pinches of nutmeg and white pepper. As we dipped cubes of bread into the fondue, we sipped the remaining four glasses of the wine and savored the experience of the same round, fruity flavors in the cheese and in our glass.
With the fondue, our wine of choice was a 2005 Hugel et Fils Gewüminer ($19), a deliciously rich, full-bodied white with pear and litchi fruitiness and notes of ginger and cinnamon that is Andrew's pick this week. Anyone who enjoys dipping apples into cheese fondue would find this wine especially refreshing with their next potful. Keep an eye out for the 2006 vintage ($24), which is just starting to hit wine store shelves.
With Karen's pick, the rich and velvety 2006 Wente Vineyards Riva Ranch Chardonnay ($18), Wente executive chef Jerry Regester recommends serving caramelized scallops with mushroom risotto. Playing off that idea, Andrew decided to test seared scallops with two butter sauces he made using two different wines. One was the Wente chardonnay. The other was the lighter and crisp-as-an-apple 2006 Domaine de la Quilla Sevre et Maine Muscadet ($12). Both wines are aged "sur lie" (on the lees, or yeast and grape sediment) for eight months, when they pick up their creamy textures and complex flavors. Reducing the wines emphasized the chardonnay's light lemon and vanilla flavors and the Muscadet's herbal, almost grassy notes. Again, each version of the scallops showed a remarkable affinity for glasses of the wine it contained, which became even more evident when tasting the two against each other.
For better pairings, consider incorporating wine at any point in the cooking process:
Before, marinate meats in wine-based marinades, which serve to soften tough meat fibers as they add flavor.
During, poach fish in white wine broth, braise red meats in red wine sauce, stew fruit in sweet wine.
After, deglaze the cooking pan with wine and a little stock to create a sauce to pour over the dish.
Knowing to add a dash of the wine you're drinking to a dish can be helpful even if you don't cook: In restaurants, when we've found ourselves up against a less-than-optimal pairing, one of us has dribbled a bit of the wine we're drinking into a sauced dish to help the match along. (Don't add too much, because the alcohol isn't cooked off and can overpower the food.)
The other night, we ordered dinner in: mussels in green curry. Before it arrived, Andrew reduced one-third cup each of two New Zealand sauvignon blancs that we chose for their tropical-fruit profile, which pairs well with mussels and spicy Thai flavors. The green curry was split into two batches, and each was spiked with a couple of tablespoons of one of the reduced wines. When we tasted each version with its respective wine, food and drink seemed magically to melt into one another.
For the aforementioned mussels, reducing the 2005 Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($10) concentrated its green- mango-dominant tropical-fruit flavors, which played beautifully off the coconut-milk-based curry. Reducing the lemon- and grapefruit-dominant 2006 House of Nobilo Icon Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($20) brought out its herbal notes and minerality, which played off the brininess of the mussels. Our biggest surprise was seeing how even when pairing similar wines with such a spicy dish, the subtle differences became more evident through this treatment.
You can always tell when you hit upon a wonderful wine and food pairing, because it fills the space between the two. When you can find a way to add a splash of whatever is in your glass to what you're eating, not only does that space disappear, but an entirely new flavor experience replaces it.
Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, authors of "What to Drink With What You Eat," can be reached through their Web site, http://www.becomingachef.com, or at food(a)washpost.com.
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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 *
