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[wine] [jellings@me.umn.edu: Syrah at JPs]

by Jim L. Ellingson

Updating the list (8), trimming the articles, C U tonight. While it is a "First Thursday" I doubt there will be many scooters at Delanos for the Norton Owners Group mtg. ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 10:51:09 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] Syrah at JPs Greetings, Syrah from anywhere. Even France. :) Thursday at 6:30. Call Bob (612-672-0607), e-mail the list (wine(a)thebarn.com) or reply to me if you can make it. Bob Ruth Bill Annette Russ Alicia Jim/Louise JP's American Bistro 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 Parking: Meters were free after 6 or 6:30. Side streets may be an option. Pay lot behind the restaurant. Cheers, Jim jP American Bistro It was a summer night, the sun was setting, and the sky above Lyndale Avenue was a flamingo and sapphire riot, and we sipped bubbly wine while watching the oh-so Lake-and-Lyndale passers-by: the gossip boys with their little dogs, the motorcycle men on their rumbling hogs, the punk-rock girls upon their clunky clogs. It was a lovely summer night, like so many, and I remember it only because of the head-turning shock of what arrived on the plate at our outdoor table: A salmon entree of such enchanting subtleness that the whole street crowd should have paused to gather round and point. The salmon in question seemed raw, through it wasn't. It was low-temperature olive-oil poached until it was firm as custard and twice as creamy, then paired with a ripe avocado, roasted until it was black on one exposed surface and plush as clouds. The two rich, creamy things were united with a vinaigrette of preserved lemons, decorated with grass-green chive oil, and further adorned with teensy perfect cubes of marinated shallot and preserved lemon peel. Every bite captured the easy joy of summer, and it was the rare dish that could make an everyday day one whose memory I'll keep for a lifetime. jP American Bistro, 2937 Lyndale Ave. S.; Minneapolis, 612.824.9300; www.jpamericanbistro.com

18 years, 8 months

[wine] Syrah at JPs

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, I'm posting the info I have. Perhaps someone who was at Sapor last week can refine the infor regarding this weeks tasting. (i.e. is it just Syrah? From anywhere? etc.) Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2007 13:43:49 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Thursday at 6:30. Call Bob (612-672-0607), e-mail the list (wine(a)thebarn.com) or reply to me. Guesses all around: Bob Lori Betsy Ruth Bill Annette Russ/Sue Jim/Louise Joyce Nicolai/Karin JP's American Bistro 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 Cheers, Jim jP American Bistro It was a summer night, the sun was setting, and the sky above Lyndale Avenue was a flamingo and sapphire riot, and we sipped bubbly wine while watching the oh-so Lake-and-Lyndale passers-by: the gossip boys with their little dogs, the motorcycle men on their rumbling hogs, the punk-rock girls upon their clunky clogs. It was a lovely summer night, like so many, and I remember it only because of the head-turning shock of what arrived on the plate at our outdoor table: A salmon entree of such enchanting subtleness that the whole street crowd should have paused to gather round and point. The salmon in question seemed raw, through it wasn't. It was low-temperature olive-oil poached until it was firm as custard and twice as creamy, then paired with a ripe avocado, roasted until it was black on one exposed surface and plush as clouds. The two rich, creamy things were united with a vinaigrette of preserved lemons, decorated with grass-green chive oil, and further adorned with teensy perfect cubes of marinated shallot and preserved lemon peel. Every bite captured the easy joy of summer, and it was the rare dish that could make an everyday day one whose memory I'll keep for a lifetime. jP American Bistro, 2937 Lyndale Ave. S.; Minneapolis, 612.824.9300; www.jpamericanbistro.com THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS Napa Valley Syrah - Lynne Char Bennett Friday, September 29, 2006 Napa Valley, known more for its Cabernet Sauvignon, also produces other red wines, including Syrah. While this variety is represented, its production doesn't nearly approach that of the South Central Coast or neighboring Sonoma County for that matter, from where we recently received almost 80 wines for a tasting. The Napa Valley Syrahs submitted are generally more medium-bodied with dark fruit -- berry, cherry and plum, hints of earth and/or eucalyptus and moderate tannins. The wines' balance "hides" the alcohol for the most part, which flits close to or is more than 15 percent in several cases. Here are our recommendations from the 21 wines tasted. TWO STARS 2002 Burgess Napa Valley Syrah ($16) Looking for a wine to have with chocolate? This wine's aromas are reminiscent of a chocolate fudge sundae with blackberries and toasted nuts to boot. There's also some acidity and supple tannins, which equate to an unconventional but approachable Syrah for the price. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Cuvaison Carneros Syrah ($30) More medium-bodied, this straightforward quaff has cherry cola and pine aromas. There are juicy plum, cherry and raspberry flavors with moderate tannins on the finish. ________________________________________ THREE STARS 2004 HdV Carneros Syrah ($60) Elegant and complex, this wine has a subtle gaminess with underpinnings of blackberry, black cherry, dusky herb and a hint of earth, while the lengthy palate is awash with ripe concentrated fruit, spice, leather and velvety tannins. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Novy Napa Valley Syrah ($23) An intense nose foreshadows the dark fruit and significant menthol/eucalyptus that integrates with plum skin, blackberry and a slight tarry note. There's lively acidity, grainy tannins and high alcohol that's more evident on the finish. ________________________________________ THREE STARS 2004 Novy Page-Nord Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah ($32) This unfined and unfiltered Syrah delivers soft black fruit with hints of tar, molasses and toast. This is the more elegant, stylish sister, though the hit of alcohol (15.5 percent) brings it down a notch. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Peju Province Napa Valley Syrah ($32) Black cherry, cola, licorice, hints of dried herb and roasted coffee flavors pack this full-bodied wine, which has firm tannins and enough acidity to balance its concentrated fruit. ________________________________________ THREE STARS 2004 Sand T Cellars Brookside Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah ($28) This winery, with the Ridley turtle logo, makes just one wine. It's medium-bodied and gentle with a light spice and camphor nose, which hovers above the bright raspberry and dark cherry fruit with touches of tar and caressing tannins. This wine is available only at the winery. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Spencer Roloson La Herradura Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah ($38) This earthy, barnyard-y wine with appealing rusticity receives a lift from its very sweet, ripe blackberry fruit and touches of mint. Roast coffee flavors accompany the soft, dense fruit, while sandy tannins complement the weight and style. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Turnbull Wine Cellar Oakville Syrah ($30) The inclusion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in small amounts contributes to this wine's big, rich aromas and flavors that include hints of cedar, vanilla and roasted coffee atop the soft, dark fruit. The coating tannins are a bit overpowering and it could use more acidity. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Voss Napa Valley Syrah ($20) A dark black fruit nose with cassis, black plum, fig and licorice hints leads to a lively palate with cherry-berry acidity and oak. Petit Verdot (9 percent) and Viognier (2 percent) contribute structure and aromatics to the blend. ________________________________________ RATING KEY: FOUR STARS...Extraordinary, THREE STARS...Excellent, TWO STARS...Good Page F - 6 URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/09/29/WIGLJLB0V11.DTL THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley Syrah - Lynne Char Bennett Thursday, August 31, 2006 More Syrah is being produced throughout California, and Sonoma County is no exception. More than 70 Syrahs from Sonoma County were submitted to the tasting panel, with approximately half from Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley. We'll give our recommendations for those this week. The remainder -- from Sonoma County and its other subappellations -- will follow in an upcoming edition. The Russian River Valley, noted primarily for its Pinot Noir, is fairly close to the ocean and has a climate cooler than many areas of Sonoma County. This translates to Syrah grapes with potential to retain vibrant acidity. Zinfandel is Dry Creek Valley's claim to fame, but very good Syrah is being made there, too. TWO AND A HALF STARS 2003 Adobe Road Winery Sorpresa Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($38) An intense nose of blackberry and luscious ripe red berry and a hint of smoky cedar give rise to a luscious, dense palate of blueberry, blackberry, herb and dark chocolate. Though this big wine shows a little alcoholic heat on the finish, its crisp acidity and structured tannins provide balance. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Bella Vineyards Lily Hill Estate Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($38) Grenache (9 percent) is blended into this wine, which is still a youngster. Mouth-coating tannins don't obscure the bright, juicy blackberry, cherry, citrus and mocha flavors that end with a touch of white pepper on the finish. ________________________________________ TWO AND A HALF STARS 2002 Blackstone Reserve Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($28) This complete and balanced wine is a bit more oaky and earthy in style, with some leather and air-cured meat atop the berry and milk chocolate aromas. Rich, juicy red plum, blackberry and currant gives way to coating tannins and tart acidity on the long mocha-like finish. ________________________________________ TWO AND A HALF STARS 2004 Longboard Vineyards Dakine Vineyard Russian River Valley Syrah ($45) Oded Shakked grew up in Israel as a surfer before he became a winemaker and founded Longboard Vineyards. Small amounts of Zinfandel, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Grenache are blended into this Syrah, creating a seductive nose of blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate, herb, lavender and leather. The palate's rich, sweet black plum, mint, spice and bright acidity balance the tannins and slightly higher alcohol. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Longboard Vineyards Russian River Valley Syrah ($28) This big wine has great concentration with lots of dense, jammy blackberry and ripe plum flavors to accompany its floral and cedary aromas. There's plenty of spice and evident tannins, with a bit of licorice and cherry cola that give it more character. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Lost Canyon Trenton Station Vineyard Russian River Valley Syrah ($35) The enticing nose of violet, herb and sweet, ripe fruit -- black cherry, blackberry and plum -- isn't fully appreciated on the palate, which offers attractive berry, plum, mocha, spice and tar but finishes with slightly sharp acidity and grainy tannins that detract somewhat. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Novy Russian River Valley Syrah ($27) There's a slight disconnect between the nicely balanced nose of sweet ripe fruit, cigar box and spice and the palate, which has quite a bit of tannic grip and acidity with a touch of alcoholic heat. Still, it shows nice blueberry, citrus, olive, black tea and peppery spice flavors. Expect an October release for this limited production wine, which will evolve with time. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Ridge Lytton West Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($36) A rather delicate nose of violet, dark berry, mocha, earth and touch of coconut leads to an understated though balanced palate of red plum, black cherry cola and black pepper that sets it apart with its restrained style. There's bright acidity and a touch of mineral on the moderate finish. This wine is available only through the winery. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Rocinante Palindrome Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($25) This wine doesn't advertise its 14.9 percent alcohol, but integrates it with sweet aromas of mint, lavender, herbal soap and a dense, inky palate with tangy acidity and mouth-coating tannins. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Russian Hill Ellen's Block Russian River Valley Syrah ($30) A slightly less juicy, fruity wine than its sister below, this Russian Hill has a dark fruit nose with overlying clove-type spice and meaty aromas. Drier fruit flavors of blueberry and plum end with cocoa on the finish, plus a tart blackberry acidity that is food-friendly. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2002 Russian Hill Windsor Oaks Summit Russian River Valley Syrah ($36) More evident fruit both on the nose (blackberry and blueberry, plus leather and cocoa) and palate can be found in this wine, with rich, ripe plum, berry and touch of prune that finishes with supple boysenberry and bright acidity. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Taft Street St. Emydius Acres Dry Creek Valley ($18) This more rustic style of wine has chewy tannins and bright acidity in its midpalate. Dusty black currant, blueberry, cedar and black pepper flavors are enhanced by faint aromas of bacon fat and orange peel. ________________________________________ TWO AND A HALF STARS 2004 Trecini Russian River Valley Syrah ($24) Rich violet, smoky bacon and air-cured meat and plum aromas lead to blackberry and currant with touches of chocolate and coffee on the finish. The bright, predominant red fruit acidity combines with soft-coating tannins to engage the palate and will support rich, braised meat dishes. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

18 years, 8 months

[wine] [bdl525@yahoo.com: Wine Tasting TODAY & THIS SAT!]

by Jim L. Ellingson

Looks to be good weather for wine tasting. Drop down and see Nicolai. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from Brenda Szoka <bdl525(a)yahoo.com> ----- Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 12:21:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Brenda Szoka <bdl525(a)yahoo.com> Subject: Wine Tasting TODAY & THIS SAT! To: Jim Acker <acker(a)netapp.com> Greetings Again! Just a reminder that we will have wine tasting TODAY from 4-7pm! But if you cant make it dont worry, youll have another chance. We are excited to let you know that we have two additional vendors here this SAT. From 4-7pm. A great opportunity to stop in for all of your holiday needs! We will be tasting the following wines on Sat. Du Boeuf Macon Villages & Beaujolais Villages Washington Hills Riesling Cambria Chardonnay Dynamite Merlot Fetzer Riesling Hope you can join us for one or both events! Have a Happy Easter! Cheers, Your friends at Black Diamond Liquor --------------------------------- Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check. Try the Yahoo! Mail Beta. ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

18 years, 8 months

[wine] TN current release Moet Hennessy wines

by Russell McCandless

Thought I'd share tasting notes from a golf club wine committee meeting earlier this week. Wines tasted nonblind, without food. All these are from the Moet Hennessy corporate family. Chandon Rose - California. Medium color; attractive if uncomplicated nose, clear strawberry tones; flavorful and structured midpalate, much less sweet than the nose leads one to expect, in fact this is quite dry, trace of a tannic bite, this would be good with food; finishes as it tastes, good length. Solid value. Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial. I'm not generally a fan of sweet champagne, and this did not change my mind. Smells like sekt, albeit really good sekt. In the mouth and on the finish, inadequate acid structure to cope with the high dosage, and not a lot of flavor interest. Chandon Riche - California. Labeled "Extra Dry." Very attractive and quite complex nose featuring muscat, although this certainly doesn't smell like Asti. Full and rich, much better acid structure and/or less sugar than the Nectar Imperial, attractive flavor continues the complexity of the nose, quite long, this has the acid balance of a good German spatlese and would cope very well with spicy and/or sweet food. Much, much better than the Nectar Imperial, and half the price or less. Pinot noir, chardonnay, muscat, meunier, pinot blanc. Note: with the muscat content, this will not age; making sure you're getting a fresh product is recommended. 2005 Newton Chardonnay (Red Label), Napa 83 percent, Sonoma 17 percent. Forthcoming and attractively citric nose, little or no oak in evidence; in the mouth a midweight, lacks acid structure, in fact surprisingly flabby given the way it smells, residual sugar? Good mineral push on finish, and good length. Potentially OK as a before-dinner cocktail but this doesn't have enough acidity to work with most foods. 2003 Newton Claret (Red Label). Forthcoming nose of sweet dark berries, wood, just a trace of excess alcohol; light to medium body, balanced fruit and tannin, commercially uncomplicated but can't deny that this tastes good! Attractively herbal on the finish, again shows its alcohol just a little but this is quite good for a basic food-friendly Bordeaux blend. Merlot 60 percent, Cabernet Sauvignon 24 percent, Cabernet Franc 11 percent, Petit Verdot 5 percent. (2004 is the vintage in current release, but the 2003 will still be in a lot of stores.) 2003 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Trinders Vineyard, Margaret River. Darker color, smells much more substantial than the Newton, dark fruits and minerals on nose, clear but not dominant bell pepper and herbs undertone; big wine in the mouth, a touch closed in the middle; then a forcefully aromatic finish, obvious but delicious French oak to go with the fruit, excellent length. With air, the midpalate opened considerably but the finishing tannin became more obvious; still quite young. A personal favorite appellation; a wine of real character that smells and tastes like it comes from someplace in particular. Cab 60 percent, merlot 40 percent. 2004 Green Point Shiraz, Victoria. From far southwestern to far southeastern Australia. Dark but not opaque. Aroma leaps from the glass; a glass was poured and set in front of me while I was still taking notes on the previous wine, and I could smell it clearly without picking it up. Smells of yummy young shiraz fruit, although subjectively less serious, less pedigreed than the previous wine; in the mouth bright acidity, red fruits, black pepper, not overtly oaky, good-sized but not a trace heavy, everything in balance; finishes as it tastes with the pepper note quite forceful but again, no one characteristic sticks out, I really like the balance of this wine. This couldn't help but be terrific alongside grilled meat. As an expression of cool-climate shiraz-syrah, much more successful than most Californians, and a far cry from the too-common jammy South Australia fruit bomb.

18 years, 8 months

[wine] [jellings@me.umn.edu: Zins at Sapor]

by Jim L. Ellingson

An update and an article on matching eggs with wine. ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 08:18:42 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: Zins at Sapor ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:45:04 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: Zin/Primitivo at Sapor tomorrow Been a while since we've been to Sapor..... Stay Dry. Cheers, Jim Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 11:25:05 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 16:12:23 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com We're going to Sapor at 6:30 on Thursday. Style du jour is Zinfandel $5 per person in leu of corkage. Part of their wine list is on their web site. If you happen to bring something that's on the list or the shelf (easier than you might think. Ask Russ about a split of something obscure he'd bought at a winery that was on their shelf as well.... ) we'll just save it for another week. We're never short of wine. http://www.saporcafe.com/ 428 N. Washington, Mpls 612 375 1971 Yes Ruth Bob Lori Nicolai Josh Karin if her cold gets better Sapor is very close to Sam's Wine Shop (closes at 8:00 M-Th). ----- End forwarded message ----- The Precarious Balance of Oak and Yolk By Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg Wednesday, March 28, 2007; F07 Wine isn't the first thing that might come to mind when you think about eggs. After all, it's bad form, not to mention a warning sign of alcoholism, to drink before noon. But since egg-based dishes, despite their breakfast connotations, play so well in other meals, especially this time of year, the question arises: What wine should you drink with them? Joshua Wesson of the Best Cellars retail chain once told us memorably: "Wood and eggs are an awful combination. If you want to make someone suffer, serve them barrel-aged chardonnay with an egg salad sandwich!" Of course, then we had to taste the combination of a particularly oaky chardonnay and egg salad for ourselves. It struck us as a cross between tinfoil and one of Harry Potter's more distasteful Every Flavor Beans. Our tongues still haven't forgiven us that research. In general, savory egg dishes such as omelets, frittatas and quiches are well-matched by a dry champagne, especially blanc de blancs (that is, 100 percent chardonnay), or sparkling wine. Chardonnay -- unoaked or very lightly oaked, of course (as if you could forget) -- works, too. A general rule of thumb for identifying an unoaked chardonnay: The lighter the color and the lower the price, the less likely it is to have spent time in expensive oak barrels. More important, check the label. While some indicate the wine is "unoaked" or "oak free" (as does the smooth-textured St. Supery Estate Oak Free Chardonnay), wineries sometimes have fun with their wording. For example, Trevor Jones christens its unoaked chardonnay "Virgin," and Four Vines describes its own as "Naked." Let the dominant flavors of the dish guide you, as eggs fade to the background when matched with vegetables and herbs, both of which suggest a lightly oaked or unoaked sauvignon blanc. Or, if the egg dish is heavy on breakfast meats, such as a bacon-laden quiche Lorraine or a ham omelet, consider a dry Alsatian pinot gris or even a light-bodied red, such as Beaujolais. At an elegant brunch, we once enjoyed a delicious lobster omelet that was magically elevated by its pairing with a white Burgundy. Sweeter egg-based brunch items such as custardy French toast are well matched by sweeter sparkling wines. Look to demi-sec (semi-sweet) or doux (sweet) champagnes, or the sweet Italian sparkler Moscato d'Asti. (We're fans of Marchesi di Gresy Moscato d'Asti La Serra.) If your French toast is topped with fruit such as berries or bananas, it would be delightfully complemented by Brachetto d'Acqui, a sweet red sparkling wine. If all you have on hand is dry sparkling wine, which will wilt under the sweetness of your dish, consider adding a compatibly flavored fruit juice, such as pear or litchi, to create your own mimosa. Few people celebrate eggs with as much gusto as do natives of Spain, where they are eaten at all times of the day. Eggs not only are served up in the ubiquitous Spanish tortilla or fried in olive oil for dinner, but also are commonly featured after dinner, in the form of creme Catalan and other custard-like desserts. We turned to Spanish native Antoni Yelamos of Jaleo Wine Shop in Crystal City, who also selects wines for award-winning chef Joséndrés restaurants, and he recommended a few of his favorites. Dry Spanish sherry, such as La Gitana (a favorite we share with Yelamos), is one ideal accompaniment to tortilla. You'll want to drink sherry chilled and fresh, as it doesn't store well. The Spanish sparkling wine cava is another perfect match, and Yelamos recommends one called 1+1=3 Cava Brut. "Its depth of flavor brings it very close to champagne," he says. For fried eggs, too, he sees cava's mix of acidity, freshness and bubbles as the ideal accompaniment. A purist, he recommends cooking the eggs soft, not hard, allowing full appreciation of the way the bubbles cut through the richness of the yolks. Sweet sherry can be a lovely accompaniment to a custardy flan-like dessert. We're longtime fans of oloroso sherry, but Yelamos turned us on to Bailen oloroso, which starts sweet with notes of chocolate and caramel but finishes dry. "It's a very nice balance to flan's richness," he enthuses. The old American oak barrels (called butts) used in the making of sherry are much larger than regular wine barrels, by the way, so far less sherry comes into direct contact with the oak. That, plus the butts' age, means that far less oak flavor is imparted into the sherry -- or into the eggs you drink it with. Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, award-winning authors of "What to Drink With What You Eat" and several other books, can be reached through their Web site,http://www.becomingachef.com, or atfood(a)washpost.com.

18 years, 8 months

[wine] Zins at Sapor

by Jim L. Ellingson

----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:45:04 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: Zin/Primitivo at Sapor tomorrow Been a while since we've been to Sapor..... Stay Dry. Cheers, Jim Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 11:25:05 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 16:12:23 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com We're going to Sapor at 6:30 on Thursday. Style du jour is Zinfandel $5 per person in leu of corkage. Part of their wine list is on their web site. If you happen to bring something that's on the list or the shelf (easier than you might think. Ask Russ about a split of something obscure he'd bought at a winery that was on their shelf as well.... ) we'll just save it for another week. We're never short of wine. http://www.saporcafe.com/ 428 N. Washington, Mpls 612 375 1971 Yes/Guess: Ruth Bob Russ Jim More guesses.... Lori Roger LeClair Annette S Dave Sapor is very close to Sam's Wine Shop (closes at 8:00 M-Th). ----- End forwarded message ----- What's really in that wine? New federal labels may tell us more than we want to know. By Corie Brown Times Staff Writer March 28, 2007 EVER wonder what goes into a bottle of wine? The story winemakers love to tell on the bottle label is one of a mystical alchemy of climate, soils, ancient practices and long traditions. Wine labels tend to focus on romance; the small amount of government-mandated information includes the percentage of alcohol, a warning against consuming wine when pregnant or driving, and a disclosure of sulfites. It might be disenchanting if the label also listed the chicken, fish, milk and wheat products that are often used to process wine. And it would be hard to maintain the notion that wine is an ethereal elixir if, before uncorking, consumers read that their Pinot Noir or Syrah contained Mega Purple (a brand of concentrated wine color), oak chips or such additives as oak gall nuts, grape juice concentrate, tartaric acid, citric acid, dissolved oxygen, copper and water. The mention of bentonite, ammonium phosphate and the wide variety of active enzymes used to make some wines would end the romance. Federal regulators are considering revamping the rules governing wine labels, and if changes are made, the information revealed may surprise many wine buyers. Additives that supplement what nature failed to provide in an individual wine . tricks of the trade that winemakers rarely talk about . could soon be listed in detail on the labels. The wine industry, through the Wine Institute, the industry's chief lobbying arm, is opposing the regulatory changes. But could new regulations be good news for consumers? Wine industry consultants familiar with the subject are divided on the question. Supporters, such as Leo McCloskey, president of Enologix, a Sonoma, Calif.-based wine consulting company that has analyzed the chemical composition of 70,000 wines, say the best wines don't rely on additives. If ingredients were listed on wine labels, the finer wines would stand out. "The wine industry is completely unregulated," he says. "It would be so useful to have labels that detail everything in a wine. It would tell the consumer what they are drinking." But critics of the federal initiatives say ingredients labels would make widely accepted winery practices unnecessarily controversial. "Why freak out the ignorant when we are adjusting something that is already there in the wine?" says Clark Smith, chairman of Vinovation Inc., a Sebastopol, Calif.-based wine industry "fix-it shop." Smith uses additives of all kinds to turn unsuccessful batches of wine from his 1,200 winery clients into salable products. On the labels of the wines he makes, under his own Wine Smith label, he discloses whether he has used wood chips for mellowing or if he's brought down alcohol content using a controversial process known as reverse osmosis. But, Smith says, most of his clients don't share his attitude of openness, and he sees no harm in keeping consumers in the dark. Links to additives WIDELY accepted processing practices account for some of the additives in wine. Fining . the practice of using animal proteins such as egg whites to remove impurities . can result in some of those proteins remaining in the wine. The aging of wine in oak barrels adds not only oak tannins but also can leave traces of wheat paste used to make the barrels. Animal proteins (chicken, fish, milk) and wheat are examples of allergens potentially present in wine that would be listed under new requirements now being finalized by federal regulators. Questions remain about how to detect these allergens and how much of a particular allergen needs to be present to warrant listing it on the label. The rules for wine, however, are all but certain to be enacted in the next few months to satisfy allergen labeling rules for all foods and beverages mandated by Congress in 2004. There is a separate federal initiative on a slower track to list all of the ingredients in a wine as well as the calorie, fat and carbohydrate counts. Proposed ingredient and nutrient rules are expected to be released later this year for public comment. Because nearly all processed foods and beverages are required to disclose ingredients and their nutritional values, why aren't they already listed on wine labels? Blame the different policies of different regulatory agencies. The Food and Drug Administration considers ingredient disclosure a health issue, but the FDA isn't directly responsible for regulating alcoholic beverages. That's the job of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB, a division of the Treasury Department. The last time the Treasury Department pushed for ingredient labels on alcoholic beverages was in the 1970s during the Carter administration. But by the time the regulations were ready to be finalized, President Reagan was in the White House. The regulations were rescinded by executive order before they could go into effect. The 2004 congressional mandate requiring allergen labeling specifically includes alcoholic beverages. Once the door for label rule changes was opened, consumer groups led by the Center for Science in the Public Interest pressed the TTB to revive the 1970s idea of ingredient disclosures on wine labels. Proposed rules to that effect are expected to be published for public comment later this year. The wine industry is seeking an exemption from the allergen labeling act, says Wendell Lee, general counsel for the Wine Institute. As for the broader ingredient labeling, Lee says, "We oppose mandatory ingredient and nutrient labeling. When you are forced to convey information that we don't see as useful, it doesn't justify the cost of testing and label modification. It's $5,000 just to redesign a label." Allergens are a health issue. Congress has decided that people who are highly allergic to milk, fish, chicken and wheat, the only major allergens that are legally allowed in wine, need to be warned. The Wine Institute argues that there's no way to prove the allergens are present in wine. At the same time, there is no way to prove that they aren't. Removing tannins MILK, fish and chicken products are introduced to wine as fining agents. Albumen from egg whites, milk proteins and isinglass, from sturgeon bladders, may be added to wine to remove tannins, reducing excessive astringency. Fining also clarifies by separating out residual grape solids and yeast. The animal proteins attach to these solids, sink to the bottom of the tank or barrel and are left behind, says Gordon Burns, co-founder of ETS Laboratories in St. Helena, a leading wine industry testing laboratory. "Is there some slight trace of these agents left in the wine? It is very difficult to detect," Burns says. Because there are no minimal standards for allergens, one molecule remaining in a tank of wine is considered as harmful as a bucketful of them. "The rule is going to keep labs like mine in business," he asks, "but for what?" The allergen labels are a marketing nightmare, Lee says. To prove the allergens don't exist in wine, the industry needs to develop a simple, inexpensive test for their presence. But no one now knows how to do that. As it stands, he says, "If a winery uses allergens in fining, then they are going to have to put them on the label." How many wineries fine their wines? Nearly everyone does some kind of fining, Burns says. It is part of the winemakers' craft and art. Wheat could be an issue for high-quality wines aged in oak barrels. The paste used in oak barrels contains wheat flour. It's possible that traces of wheat end up in all barreled wine, but it is not something that has been monitored. The other ingredients allowed to be used in wine made in the United States are spelled out in federal regulations. In general, each country has its own rules on additives. The celebrated wine regions of France have traditionally struggled to produce grapes with enough sugar. So, in France, it's OK to throw beet sugar into the grape juice before fermentation to enhance the flavor. California typically produces wine grapes with high sugar levels. Adding sugar isn't allowed, but adding water during fermentation is OK. In France, however, it is not allowed. At first glance, it appears that the United States has taken a purist approach to winemaking. Beyond the yeasts and enzymes used to vinify wine, and the sulfur dioxide used to preserve it, with rare exceptions American vintners may use only grapes and grape derivatives in their wine. Over the years, however, the wine industry has deconstructed wine grapes into their various parts, as well as discovered other ways to reproduce the essence of what comes from grapes. The parts are concentrated into additives used to enhance whatever is lacking in the wine produced by an individual winemaker. Mega Purple is one of the more notorious additives. Anil Shrikhande, vice president of research and development for Constellation Wines, which manufactures it, says Mega Purple is 100% grape juice concentrate from grape varieties known as Rudy Red, Central Valley and Royalty. Although it is intensely sweet, it is used primarily to add color. It comes in white, pink, red and purple. Introduced in 1992, Mega Purple is sold to various food processors as a natural coloring agent. Twenty percent of the 50,000 gallons produced each year is sold to the wine industry, Shrikhande says. Then there are the flavor enhancers . grape juice concentrates from particular grape varietals . Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, etc. The concentrates, made by several companies, add varietally specific flavors and sugars. Enhanced flavor POWDERED and liquid tannins may be sprinkled into wines to enhance flavor and structure. Oak chips can be thrown into wine vats for a jolt of oak flavor without spending the time and money on barrel aging. There are several powdered acids that can be added when the natural acids are missing. A fashionable additive is oxygen, which is pumped into wine slowly enough to be absorbed. Such "micro-oxygenation" can speed up the aging process, particularly in red wine, in a way that captures more color and creates finer, softer, less astringent tannins, says Vinovation's Smith, a proponent of the technique. Often, these wines are easier to drink at an earlier age. "We can only use additives that supplement what is already in the wine, or what is conventional, like oak extractions," Smith says. "And you can't make wine without exposing it to the oxygen in the air." Winemakers can add tartaric, citric and malic acids and still be operating as purists because acids are found in grapes, Smith says. Enzymes that come from a wide variety of sources can be added because their job is to help the yeast to ferment the wine. "For all of the posturing about terroir, very little wine sells because it is distinctive," Smith says. "Additives are cosmetics. They are supposed to enhance, improve a wine. [Wine enhanced this way is like] a beautiful woman whose makeup is invisible. It's the clumsiness of the winemaker who is using the additives that is the problem." Those wines end up tasting "tarted up," he says, instead of improved. McCloskey of Enologix sums it up. "A great wine is obvious. It doesn't need any additives." However, any winemaker who doesn't control what's happening in his vineyard is using additives in his wine, McCloskey says. "When you can't create the value in the vineyard, you have no choice but to create it in the winery. "The industry lives and breathes on the story of being a natural product. But there is a lot of fast food in wine." The problem with listing additives, says Lee, the Wine Institute general counsel, is it could change consumer perception of all wines. "Wine would look engineered instead of natural," he says. corie.brown(a)latimes.com * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

18 years, 8 months

[wine] Wine

by Karin Teder

Hi All: did anyone take notes during last Thursday's tasting (notes you'd consider sharing?) was the food fabulous? and what's this week's theme/location? -Karin

18 years, 8 months

[wine] Re: Who??

by Jim L. Ellingson

Hi Russ, He's a larger than life fellow who used to live here. B-Bob K likes to relate the tale of this 6'4", 300 lb guy running around in his Scooby Doo pajamas, including the cape, the morning after his NYEve tastings. He's known for bear hugging people, hoisting them off the ground. Day job is selling orthodontics (?). He occasionally writes about wine. I'm coming up empty on Google, so I may not have the correct spelling. Beavin? Bevin? Beven? Beaven? C, J On Tue, Mar 20, 2007 at 07:29:00PM -0500, Russell McCandless wrote: > I give up; who the heck is Russell "Scooby Doo" Bevin? > > R. > > -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

18 years, 8 months

[wine] Wine Wrhse fire was arson.

by Jim L. Ellingson

FYI/FYE. The "well traveled man who even tried Sumo wrestling in Japan" sure sounds like Russel "Scooby Doo" Bevin. Cheers, Jim Wine keeper charged in blaze Federal prosecutors allege he set $250 million fire to hide warehouse fraud Matthew Yi, Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writers Tuesday, March 20, 2007 Insurance adjuster Richard Reimche investigates the wareh... (03-20) 04:00 PDT Sacramento -- A Sausalito businessman set fire to a huge warehouse on Mare Island in 2005 to cover up a scheme in which he sold wine that vintners and collectors had paid him to store, federal prosecutors charged Monday as they wrapped up an investigation into a blaze that resulted in wine losses of up to $250 million. Mark Anderson, 58, who subleased space at the Wines Central warehouse, was charged in federal court with 19 felonies, including arson, interstate transportation of fraudulently obtained property, fraud and tax evasion. Anderson, the owner of Sausalito Cellars, was supposed to ship bottles to clients around the world upon request, but much of the wine was missing when the owners requested it, prosecutors say. Anderson was at the warehouse Oct. 12, the day a fire gutted the 244,000-square-foot concrete and steel building, said McGregor Scott, U.S. attorney for California's eastern district. The warehouse contained 6 million bottles of wine owned by 92 wineries and 43 private collectors. Authorities initially pegged the damage at $100 million, but the actual figure is actually nearly $250 million, investigators said Monday. Two firefighters were injured battling the flames. "Mark Anderson put lives at risk to cover his tracks," Scott said. "Due to his greed and deceit, he now faces 19 felony counts and many years in a federal penitentiary." A federal grand jury returned the indictment Thursday, and Anderson was arrested at his Sausalito home Friday, Scott said. Anderson appeared Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero in San Francisco to hear the charges. He did not enter a plea, and no bail was set. He will be transferred to Sacramento because the fire occurred in the eastern district, Scott said. Matthew Bockmon, a federal public defender appointed to represent Anderson, declined comment Monday. But a relative of the defendant said she was surprised by the charges. "It doesn't fit the picture of Mark," said Judy Fraser, Anderson's cousin. "He's a huge part of the community and a very good person, too." Fraser and her husband, former Sausalito Councilman Stephen Fraser, both said Anderson is a well-traveled man of many talents who used to work as an international banker and an attorney and even tried his hand at Sumo wrestling during a stay in Japan. Anderson is a well-known figure in Sausalito, the couple said. He is a fine-arts photographer who wrote columns for the Marin Scope, a newspaper in Sausalito, and served on the city's Arts Commission, Sister City Committee and Parks and Recreation Commission. Federal authorities, however, painted Anderson as a greedy businessman who committed a violent crime to cover his tracks. Pointing to five large photos of the warehouse after the fire, Stephen Martin, an agent in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said, "This is what happens when a motivated arsonist takes something as simple as a flame and he plans a violent attack on people's livelihoods for his personal gain." At the time of the fire, Anderson already faced charges in Marin County Superior Court for allegedly embezzling thousands of cases of wine. The 17-month investigation, which involved local fire and police agencies as well as the Internal Revenue Service, targeted Anderson because the blaze started in the area of the warehouse he had rented and he was seen there on or about the time the fire started, Scott said. But the prosecutor refused to say Monday how the fire started. Jack Krystal, Wines Central's chief executive, said Monday that on the day of the fire, Anderson was moving his stock out of the warehouse because he was evicted for failing to pay his rent. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *

18 years, 8 months

[wine] Fw: Oriel wine dinner

by jhegstrom＠csom.umn.edu

FYI I've been asked to pass this on. http://surdyks.com/scripts/eventView.asp?idproduct=5475 also; Surdyk’s welcomes the Oriel Winery to a multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Michael Saughnessy of Bellanotte and wines from Oriel winery. Oriel is a new, global brand making fine wines from the best appellations around the world. From the vineyards of Dan Goldfield we will be sampling Oriel’s “Dylan” Chardonnay, the “Jasper” Pinot Noir and the “Hugo” Zinfandel, the “Trifola” Barbera comes to us from Antonio Deltetto I Alba, Italy. The dinner will be held at Bellanotte Restaurant on March 28, 2007 at 7:30pm. $75.00 per person / attendees will receive a $20.00 gift certificate for Surkyk’s Liquor and a $20.00 gift certificate for Bellanote on a future visit.

18 years, 8 months

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