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by Jim L. Ellingson

Sonoma Coast vs. Russian River Valley refinement By Dave McIntyre, Published: July 30 .I don.t like chomping on a toothpick or eating buttered popcorn with dried mangoes sprinkled on it,. Kathleen Inman said. We were discussing chardonnay, of course. Inman.s own wine was nothing like the caricature of California chardonnay she had just described. Lemony and creamy, with flavors of apricots and pears, it glided across my palate with grace and ease, lingering like a lover.s memory. I need to drink more chardonnay, I thought . at least more like this, if I can find ones like this. Inman is co-owner and winemaker at Inman Family Wines, in the Russian River Valley area of Sonoma County. The valley is famous for its chardonnay and pinot noir; it.s a .cold-climate. region, where ocean air streams through and cools nighttime temperatures, helping the grapes preserve acidity. Inman calls her winemaking .natural,. as in, .no additions, no subtractions.. That means she does not use commercial yeasts to ferment the wines or enzymes to boost color. Nor does she .correct. a wine.s acidity or sugar level in the winery. The flavor notes of her chardonnay . especially the citrus . are typical of the area. .The balancing acidity is the hallmark here and is maintained even for people trying to make chardonnay in a riper style,. says Rod Berglund, owner and winemaker at Joseph Swan Vineyards. .We tend to have a lush mouth feel, and I think that.s from the long hang time we have here,. he adds, referring to the longer growing season that allows vintners to harvest later. Some wineries have tried to persuade the federal government to expand the boundaries of the Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area, a reflection of the region.s success and the price premium conferred by its name on a label. With success comes maturity, and some winemakers I spoke with said they are in search of greater elegance. .A lot of us are heading toward a lighter, more food-friendly style,. says Mick Schroeter, head winemaker at Sonoma-Cutrer winery. That change holds for pinot noir as well as chardonnay. Russian River has darker-side-of-pinot tendencies: deep color and black-fruit flavors rather than the more herbal characteristics the wine achieves in other parts of Sonoma County. As Inman and I savored the Inman Family 2009 Thorn Ridge Ranch pinot noir during her recent visit to Washington, I asked her to explain the difference between the wines of the Russian River area and those of the .extreme. Sonoma Coast, where pinot noir and chardonnay grow at higher altitudes and much closer to the ocean. She started with a technical answer about herbal flavors and tannic structure, then focused on the wines. texture, a rather subjective aspect that can befuddle the literal-minded. (It helps to have a glass or two.) .Sonoma Coast is more silk, while Russian River is velvet,. she said. The aesthetic and even the cultural ramifications of her analogy are debatable; ultimately, it comes down to a stylistic preference. Sipping the Thorn Ridge Ranch pinot, I was quite happy with velvet. McIntyre blogs at dmwineline.com. On Twitter: @dmwine. More from Food: 5 Russian River Valley wines to try Wine Recommendations ...Exceptional ...Excellent..Very Good Availability information is based on distributor records. Wines might not be in stock at every listed store and might be available at additional stores. Check Winesearcher.com to verify availability, or ask a favorite wine store to order through a distributor. Russian River Valley wines are found more often on restaurant wine lists than on retail shelves, primarily because of limited production. Inman Family Pinot Noir 2008 ... Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Calif., $30 This wine features delicious black-fruit flavors, a hint of spice and the suggestion of a hidden story line waiting to emerge with the next sip. I certainly wanted to keep on drinking it. Also look for the Olivet Grange and Thorn Ridge bottlings. Broadbent Selections/Country Vintner: Available in the District at Ace Beverage; on the list at Corduroy, Elisir. Available in Maryland at Richburn Discount Liquors in Columbia, Total Discount Liquors in Eldersburg, the Wine Merchant in Lutherville; on the list at Bluegrass in Baltimore. On the list in Virginia at Poplar Springs in Casanova. Inman Family Chardonnay 2011 ..1 / 2 Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Calif., $32 A lovely chardonnay; it has flavors of lemon curd and peach, plus enough acidity to give it structure and a long, complex finish. I don.t understand why more stores don.t carry this gem. Broadbent Selections/Country Vintner: On the list in the District at Corduroy, Old Ebbitt Grill. Martin Ray Chardonnay 2012 ..1 / 2 Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Calif., $19 Lively and finely balanced, this citrusy and toasty chard is a crowd-pleaser at a reasonable price. Country Vintner: Available in the District at Paul.s of Chevy Chase. Available in Maryland at Georgetown Square Wine and Beer. Available in Virginia at Dominion Wine & Beer in Falls Church, Oakton Wine Shop, Wegmans (various locations). Hartford Court Pinot Noir 2011 ..1 / 2 Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Calif., $40 This wine, from the Green Valley subsection of the Russian River Valley appellation, showcases the dark-fruit character of pinot noir from this region, with Bing cherry and black berry flavors. Monument/Republic National: Available in the District at Calvert Woodley, Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits, Harry.s Reserve Fine Wine & Spirits, Pearson.s, Wagshal.s Deli, Whole Foods Market (P Street); on the list at Marcel.s. Available in Maryland at Balducci.s, Beer Wine & Co. and Georgetown Square Wine and Beer in Bethesda; Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits and Bin 201 in Annapolis; Bin 604 Wine Sellers and the Wine Source in Baltimore; Highland Wine & Spirits; Montgomery County Dispensary in Potomac; Roots Market in Olney; the Wine Rack in Ocean City. On the list at Black.s and Grapeseed in Bethesda. Available in Virginia at Out of Site Wines in Vienna, the Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop in Reston; on the list at L.Auberge Chez Fran�ois in Great Falls. Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay 2011 Russian River Ranches .. Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Calif., $22 Sonoma-Cutrer has had success in marketing its chardonnays for restaurants. This single-vineyard wine from its estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley is an example. Washington Wholesale/Reliable Churchill: On the list in the District at BLT Steak, Bullfeathers, Georgia Brown.s, the Monocle, Paolo.s, Rosa Mexicano (Chevy Chase), Sea Catch. Available in Maryland at Georgetown Square Wine and Beer in Bethesda. -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 5219 Elliot Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55417 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *

12 years, 4 months

[wine] Ageability vs Score

by Jim L. Ellingson

Thanks to Jason and Wine Co for the link to this. C, J The connection between high scores and ageability 15 comments Posted by steve on Jul 11, 2013 in Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Tasting, Wine Critic, Wine Writing | 15 comments It.s funny that I never really thought about it until recently, when I was browsing through my reviews in Wine Enthusiast.s database and realized that I had chosen the special designation of .Cellar Selection. for about 80% of my highest scoring wines. If you.d asked me what parameters form the basis of a high score (let.s say anything above 95 points), I would have referred you to the magazine.s guidelines. They say things like .truly superb,. .great complexity,. .memorable,. .pinnacle of expression,. .complete harmony and balance,. .absolute best,. but the guidelines are silent on the question of ageability. Had you pressed me to more fully explain a high score, I suppose at some point the .A. word would have arisen. But in and of itself, .ageability. does not equal great wine. Many wines will age, some for a long time, yet are not particularly complex or beautiful, either in youth or in old age. And yet, my highest scoring wines, from this year alone, include Williams Selyem 2010 30th Anniversary Pinot Noir, Rochioli 2011 West Block Pinot Noir, Freemark Abbey 2009 Sycamore Vineyard Cabernet, Flora Springs 2010 Hillside Reserve Cabernet, Tantara 2010 Gwendolyn Pinot Noir, Matanzas Creek 2010 Journey, Terra Valentine 2010 K-Block Cabernet, Stonestreet 2010 Rockfall Cabernet, B Cellars 2009 Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Cabernet, Jarvis 2007 Estate Cabernet, Von Strasser 2010 Sori Bricco Cabernet, Sodaro 2009 Doti-Sodaro Blocks 2 and 6 Cabernet, and, another Beckstoffer coup, Janzen 2010 Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard Cabernet. All 95 points or higher, all Cellar Selections. What I look for in predicting ageability are two things, or three, depending on how you define them. First is an immediate reaction (from the nose/palate via the brain) of stunned impressionability. It.s a simple .Wow!. factor, although of course there.s nothing simple about it. Now, any wine can possess the .Wow!. factor without being ageable. A lot of it has to do with what Dr. Leary called .set and setting,. i.e. where you are (the external circumstances) and your mindset (subjective factors). A silky Beaujolais, like the one I had the other night, achieved the .Wow!. factor, because it was a warm evening, I had slightly chilled the bottle, and with it I enjoyed a soy-glazed tuna burger (homemade) and the company of someone special to me. But that Beaujolais was not an ageable wine, and if I were scoring it, I would have given it around 90. The next thing I look for, in determining ageability, is an immature quality that makes the wine, good as it is, undrinkable, this latter word used in the old British sense of .too young to enjoy now. (although I.m always careful to point out that even a California wine that.s .too young to enjoy now. is, of course, enjoyable now, if you like it that way. The Cellar Police will not slap you into Guantanamo). What makes a wine .too young now,. for me, are, usually, dense tannins that numb the palate, but this is not so great a problem as it used to be (in California or in France) because modern tannin management regimes render even the hardest tannins more mellifluous (the adjective .mellifluous. being a good example of its own definition). A greater problem is what I call the unintegrated quality of a young wine.s parts. Those parts include oak, fruit, alcohol, acidity and tannins, and if they feel (in the mouth) like a herd of cats, each going its own way, resistant to corralling, then the wine is unintegrated. A subset of this is that California fruit can be overwhelming in youth, a detonation of jam that makes them too obvious..Tammy Faye Bakker,. in the words of a Frenchman I know who crafts wines (or seeks to) of greater finesse and control. The final aspect of determining ageability is the history and reputation of the winery. I make the previous two determinations blind, but this third factor weaves its way in when I take the bottle out of its covering bag. If I.ve already determined that the wine is ageable, that is going to appear in the review; but if I then see that it.s a wine I know for a fact ages well (say, a Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir), that seals the deal, as they say. In general, I don.t like to stretch the window of ageability too far into an uncertain future (the way RMP does), but if I know the wine has a good history of hitting, say, 10 or 20 years, I.ll say so. (Corison Cabernets are a good example of this.) Which obviously makes it difficult when the wine is a new brand, without history, of which there are many, particularly in those bastions of ageability, Napa Valley Cabernet and cool-climate Pinot Noir. But, going through my highest-scoring wines, I see very few new brands among them. Mostly they are the older, traditional names, which is just as you.d expect. -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 5219 Elliot Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55417 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *

12 years, 4 months

[wine] The Only Forbes List you need.

by Jim L. Ellingson

Stay cool, http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/06/05/how-bubbly-can-boost-brai… Cheers, Jim -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 5219 Elliot Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55417 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *

12 years, 5 months

[wine] Fwd: Wine Doc SOMM Premieres + Helen Mirren in THE AUDIENCE Continues

by Karin

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul <info(a)mspfilmsociety.org> Date: Wed, Jul 3, 2013 at 2:19 PM Subject: Wine Doc SOMM Premieres + Helen Mirren in THE AUDIENCE Continues To: karin(a)umn.edu Having trouble viewing this email? Click here <http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=peayh7n6&v=00190LnairEyt…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoY05Jgvx6gNxDkNlhhJO9HHyLI9i41ImkFo…> * Happy 4th of July! Welcome to our new eNewsletter layout! * * Let us know what you think. <info(a)mspfilmsociety.org> * * * Many thanks to everyone who attended our *Becoming Traviata Opera* event on July 1. It was a great success which we plan to replicate with other featured events like the SOMM Wine Tasting + Screening on July 8 (see below). <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoa9ALFxBps-4g2M6WgZIdDjLcVyiY-DYEL3…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoaze6YeayeeU86pOtRPajH9_5fCA9xpnjja…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoYJae7LBOIf2Oua7UyxIWMc2JjkMDFnTXBm…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoYAG82v4D4ggo9zHFNJn0b2KWR16w7hkbkK…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoa4M0NP-Yf1cCkPQxwpvS6kXc-FARxArj8f…>July 3, 2013 * Become a Film Society Member<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoYw98ULJTs0zf9YVGEbFrX8aMNTWq1eL0G9…> | Renew Your Membership<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoYw98ULJTs0zf9YVGEbFrX8aMNTWq1eL0G9…> | Donate<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobUxdPJ1mwaF-4Q6NjfBDrFrKmoSJXuL2jb…> * <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoYRGZoqDttbri1XsRtAXa1MRP416py23nRC…> *SOMM<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoYRGZoqDttbri1XsRtAXa1MRP416py23nRC…>opens at The Film Society * *July 5 - 11 with a special Wine Tasting Event on July 8 at 6pm* SOMM is a humorous and illuminating documentary on the mysterious Court of Master Sommeliers and the massively intimidating Master Sommelier Exam. Shrouded in secrecy, access to the Court Of Master Sommeliers has always been strictly regulated and cameras have never been allowed anywhere near the exam, until now. *Special Wine Tasting + Screening - July 8 at 6pm<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoan0F_eaAaGrP4IIWQXBmCOZRicXItCzSez…> * - Attendees can sample multiple wines, snack on complimentary hors d'oeuvres, and try their hand at playing Sommelier with a blind tasting hosted by Bourget Imports and presented by CMS Certified Sommelier April Amys. Special event pricing applies -- members get a discount! *...read more<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoYRGZoqDttbri1XsRtAXa1MRP416py23nRC…> * <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobErA84Q4wEE0wYS_g9sq_yZmccWqdtnPml…> *National Theatre Live: The Audience<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobLmdXy_nmRcUwZ6451p1opyN0WVoAtdy2H…> * *July 4 - 7* $20 General Admission, $15 Film Society Members Helen Mirren gives a breathtaking performance as the Queen in Peter Morgan's marvellous play *The Audience*. For sixty years Elizabeth II has met each of her twelve Prime Ministers in a weekly audience at Buckingham Palace - a meeting like no other in British public life - it is private. National Theatre Live is a groundbreaking initiative of London's National Theatre that broadcasts the world's finest stage performances to cinema screens to 22 countries around the globe. ...read more<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobLmdXy_nmRcUwZ6451p1opyN0WVoAtdy2H…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobHDiSiIymRHoTro5E-6Xpe_W3unGZmQBY0…> *In The House<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobHDiSiIymRHoTro5E-6Xpe_W3unGZmQBY0…> * *July 12 - 18* In honor of Bastille Day, this 2013 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival favorite, starring Kristin Scott-Thomas, returns for a week-long run! François Ozon's gorgeous *In The House* is fueled by the same tension and repression that can be found in Ozon's masterpiece *The Swimming Pool*. The writings of an imaginative student who fictionalizes the hidden lives of a classmate's family reinvigorates a failed novelist, who opts to push the boy creatively. *...read more<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobHDiSiIymRHoTro5E-6Xpe_W3unGZmQBY0…> * mspfilmsociety.org<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoY05Jgvx6gNxDkNlhhJO9HHyLI9i41ImkFo…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobDCRv3Mprk5Fnh_Wem6Sc8OvKr064A0VwT…> *The Look of Love<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobDCRv3Mprk5Fnh_Wem6Sc8OvKr064A0VwT…> * *July 19 - 25* "Entertaining, racy, gloriously retro-tacky. Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan's fourth feature collaboration is a vivid period whirlwind that impressively showcases the comic thesp's more dramatic side." -Dennis Harvey, VARIETY *...read more<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBobDCRv3Mprk5Fnh_Wem6Sc8OvKr064A0VwT…> * <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoaWyxZCqDoMpOSGvEfUDtPHdLTx8wcUoJK7…> *4th Annual Twin Cities Polish FilmFest<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoaWyxZCqDoMpOSGvEfUDtPHdLTx8wcUoJK7…> * *August 9 - 15* Celebrating the best of new and classic Polish Cinema as part of the 2013 Twin Cities Polish Festival. *...read more<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoaWyxZCqDoMpOSGvEfUDtPHdLTx8wcUoJK7…> * <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoZOAXqfKy4m7rg5XVB1ZD7STKEin6R1lY9S…> In No Great Hurry<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoZOAXqfKy4m7rg5XVB1ZD7STKEin6R1lY9S…> *Monday, July 29 at 7:30pm* You can make this screening happen at The Film Society! *...read more<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001HvGORUXlBoZOAXqfKy4m7rg5XVB1ZD7STKEin6R1lY9S…> * *Major Support Provided By: * The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul is supported in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the State's general fund and its arts and cultural heritage fund and its arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. 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12 years, 5 months

[wine] CA Wine Style - Dirty and Rowdy

by Jim L. Ellingson

California Wines Score Style Points By ERIC ASIMOV The polarizing years of California wine are over. No longer can its styles be summed up in a descriptive phrase or two, like plush, concentrated cabernet sauvignon; lush, jammy pinot noir; buttery oak-bomb chardonnay; or extravagantly ripe, blockbuster zinfandel. Those dominant styles gave the impression of a monochromatic wine culture, in which more was good and even more was better. Many people embraced these wines and still do. But a significant minority dismissed them and California wines in general, though in truth, a careful search could have always turned up producers who valued finesse and subtlety but were largely ignored by critics. Now California can be characterized by its stylistic diversity. Partly, this is because of a widening and maturing of consumer tastes. These days, the public is less reliant on two or three dominant wine critics who essentially share the same perspective. More important, though, a new wave of energetic California winemakers has helped to push stylistic boundaries while bringing more attention to older producers who had been considered behind the times or out of fashion. These newer producers have been shaped by the same worldwide diversity of wines as their audience. They have been inspired not just by Bordeaux and Burgundy, Napa Valley and a neighboring producer whose wines received 100-point scores. Instead, they.ve looked to the traditions of northeastern Italy and the Jura, of Galicia and Sicily, of the Rh�ne Valley, Slovenia and many other lesser-known regions that make this moment so exciting for wine lovers. Their aim is not to slavishly copy these wines, but to be loyal to their inspirations while reflecting their California origins. Some of these new-wave producers have been recognized as stars in their own right, like Arnot-Roberts, Copain, Scholium Project and Wind Gap. Many others are on the rise, gradually gaining attention as their wines are tasted and their names passed around. Few own land yet, and if they do it.s in less-acclaimed regions. Most buy grapes from trusted vineyard sources. Many, in fact, have full-time jobs in the wine industry and make their own wines on the side. They exist, and excel, largely outside the realm of the familiar wine authorities whose scores in the past could have made or broken a winery. Most make small amounts of wine, and so particular bottles are often difficult to find. Here are 10 of them, in alphabetical order, all producers worth seeking out in case you spot them in a store or on a restaurant wine list. Bedrock Wine Company specializes in intense wines made from very old vines, with the aim of capturing and expressing California.s wine heritage. Its zinfandels are simultaneously powerful, richly fruity yet agile and well balanced, perhaps not surprising since Bedrock was founded by Morgan Twain-Peterson, son of Joel Peterson, the founder of Ravenswood, a signature zinfandel producer. I especially like Bedrock.s Ode to Lulu ros�, made of old-vine mourv�dre in the Bandol style, fresh, vibrant and lightly floral with an underlying savory note and a steely spine of acidity. Birichino, a new venture from alumni of Bonny Doon Vineyard, makes wines from Mediterranean grapes grown on the Central Coast and in Lodi. I.ve yet to have the ros� or the malvasia Bianca, but I loved its 2011 grenache from the Besson Vineyard; fresh, fragrant, sweetly fruity and deliciously spicy. Broc Cellars makes excellent, nuanced, reasonably priced wines from a variety of sources, including zinfandel and Rh�ne-style grapes, but I especially enjoyed a spicy, gently fruity, slightly herbal cabernet franc from Paso Robles. Chris Brockway, the winemaker, is also involved in Broadside, which makes a terrific, reasonably priced cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles that is a great value. La Clarine Farm makes wines that are alive in the glass. Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel own land in the Sierra foothills, which they farm according to the principles of the Japanese agricultural philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka. They purchase grapes from like-minded farmers. I love their minimalist approach in the vineyard and the cellar, and I.ve loved all their wines, whether mourv�dre, ros� or the 2011 Piedi Grandi, a blend of nebbiolo, mourv�dre and syrah that is precise, savory, juicy and just plain delicious. Dirty & Rowdy, a side project of two couples in the wine industry, makes the sort of wines you cannot mass-produce . naturalistic, hazy to the point of cloudy, with whites made somewhat in the style of reds so that you can feel the tannins. The 2011 s�millon, a grape with much untapped potential, was brilliant, with a lip-smacking texture and subtle aromas and flavors that kept me coming back for more. There.s also a mourv�dre, a grape that, like the s�millon, is rewarding renewed exploration. Donkey & Goat winery has its own manifesto, and how can you not love a winery with a manifesto? This husband-and-wife team (don.t ask which is the donkey) does a fine job of abiding by its minimalist principles. I.ve enjoyed many of its Rh�ne-style wines, especially its Prospector mourv�dre . there.s that grape again . a powerful yet balanced wine with savage dark fruit and a refreshing, savory edge. Kesner Wines is the creation of Jason Kesner, who has quite the day job. He.s the assistant winemaker and vineyard overseer at Kistler Vineyards, a trailblazing Sonoma producer of chardonnays and pinot noirs. Under his own label, he makes excellent chardonnays and pinot noirs that are models of precision and restraint, as well as a grenache and a red blend. Martian Ranch and Vineyard uses a variety of Spanish and French grapes to produce wines that are otherworldly in their calibration and deliciousness . fresh, refreshing, complex and intriguing. I have especially liked the lively albari�o and the beautifully fragrant grenache blanc. Why Martian? The proprietor, Nan Helgeland, named Martian Ranch after her sons, Martin and Ian. Disappointingly prosaic? Perhaps. As the Web site says, .The Martian seen occasionally on the premises is as much a mystery to her as it is to anyone else.. Massican makes a captivatingly refreshing white out of ribolla gialla, tocai friulano and chardonnay, as well as a chardonnay and a sauvignon blanc, which demonstrate that Napa can do crisp and lively as well as weighty and powerful. By day, Dan Petroski is the winemaker at Larkmead, a historic property that makes fine if conventional Napa Valley wines. At Massican, Mr. Petroski shows a fascinating alternative side of Napa. Matthiasson is another example of the antithesis of Napa Valley.s glamorous side. Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson are farmers, essentially . he is a leading vineyard consultant . and their wines bear an agricultural stamp, as fresh, lively and alive as the best produce from a farmers. market, made from grapes that they either grow themselves or monitor before they purchase. Their wines are a pleasure, whether Friulian varieties blended with s�millon and sauvignon blanc, straightforward chardonnay, an unusual refosco, a shapely merlot or a mouthwateringly tangy ros� made from syrah. I haven.t even mentioned Anthill Farms or Ceritas, Los Pilares or Petrichor Vineyards, Natural Process Alliance or Lioco. Nor should old-timers be forgotten, like Edmunds St. John and Qup�, Porter Creek and Corison, Clos Saron and Ojai, Au Bon Climat and Littorai. California is an awfully big wine-producing world. It.s time to embrace it. -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 5219 Elliot Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55417 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *

12 years, 5 months

[wine] 2010 Napa Cabs

by Jim L. Ellingson

By Jon Bonn� June 9, 2013 It feels like it's been years that we've been talking about the trials of the 2010 vintage. Now, finally, the wines, in the iconic form of Napa Cabernet, are upon us. The controversy over 2010 in Napa Valley is diminished only by the fact that nail-biting 2011 is sitting out on the horizon, with wines that required even more diligence - or, in many cases, salvage work. To 2010: Napa does not smile much when cooler vintages come along, and not only was this cool, but it was also what can best be described as "complicated." Cold and wet early on, and cold through the summer, it was marked by several heat spikes that made for uneven ripening and a lot of sunburn (although thick-skinned Cabernet was better positioned to endure than most). Add to that more cool weather that prolonged harvest through the better part of October - with some dastardly rain to boot. Who in this most scrutinized of California appellations stood to win in such a hope-dashing year? Those who picked on the early side of rain, and a few on hillsides who managed to tough it out until it was dry again. More than that, it was those vintners who thought ahead and decided to adjust their expectations given the year - to pick early, perhaps, to trade their usual definition of ripeness for the security of fruit in the cellar. It has been a while since we've seen so many wines in the lineup under 14 percent alcohol. Hence what shone in the tasting were more traditionally styled wines, bottles from those who picked slightly early and aimed for a sleeker, more subdued approach. That didn't mean the wines were shy; bottles from Dominus, Snowden and Larkmead have no shortage of amplitude. But even these show a relative restraint in their fruit, a focus that Napa doesn't always embrace. It is no surprise that some wines we often look forward to tasting, such as those from Cathy Corison, only recently made it to the bottling line. Here was a year that nodded back to the aging beliefs of old - that a proper Napa Cabernet might require an extra stay in the cellar before its debut. Mastering the year Now for the grand "but." California winemaking being as programmatic as it can be, I also encountered a number of wines that hinted at nature overwhelming a vintner's savvy. Wines that displayed the jam- and raisin-like characters to which we've grown familiar, along with a thin or hollow texture that hinted at plans gone awry. Wines that displayed both overripe characteristics and the green tinge of under-ripeness - a mix not inherently unpleasant, but a hard one to master and in many cases, one not mastered. Wines that seemed to jam the square peg of a cold year into the round hole of Napa Valley abundance. This isn't to throw water on the 2010s across the board. Among the top wines there was a deliberate effort to sort out successful lots. At that top level, it's worth noting that some of the best wines are absolutely ravishing - including bottles long since sold, like the 2010 Kapcsandy Estate Cuvee. Uneven playing field But looking broadly, it is an uneven playing field, which is why my recommendations include a balance of affordable and successful choices, in the interest of crediting good work at modest prices. The battle over Napa's preferred style, and its approach to ripeness, has always begun among its elites - but it can no longer be that way. Is Napa bound to the lavish style that has brought it recent fame and spiraling prices? Or can it be more nimble in its approach? This is why 2010, and 2011 as well, was a decisive year for the valley, one that stood to define how Napa represents itself to the world. The best wines are exceptional, and they offer lessons to the valley as a whole. 2010 Dominus Estate Napanook Yountville Red ($59, 14.5% alcohol): Dominus' second wine was almost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon (98 percent) in this vintage, and with just 20 percent new oak, it's a great snapshot of mid-valley Cabernet. (The regular Dominus has yet to arrive.) Fully fleshed and complex, with green olive and wet stone and a sleekness of blackberry fruit. Particularly focused for the Napanook style, and worthy of a cellar stay. 2010 Larkmead Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($75, 14.7%): In the cellar, Andy Smith and Dan Petroski managed a true success for the vintage at this historic Calistoga property. It's big, dense, surprisingly lush for a 2010, with almost chewy black fruit and a deep, burnt-herb complexity matched by just enough savory oak. The tannins are forward enough to require time, but it's got that mix of tension and opulence that marks Larkmead's ability to bridge classic and modern styles. 2010 Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette Spring Mountain District Red ($125, 13.8%): Although this historic property has kept a low profile, the 2010 vintage brought a number of shifts, including more Cabernet Franc (up to 36 percent) and a consulting hand to winemaker Jac Cole not usually in the Napa roster: Patrick Leon, ex of Mouton-Rothschild. (Bernard Hervet of Burgundy's Faiveley is also helping.) Their work yielded an Elivette, available later this summer, markedly different than recent vintages, one that nods to an earlier Napa style without giving up its Californian bones. Great ancho chile and pencil-lead aromas underscore the pleasure of the fruit. It's a great modern Napa expression, as is the fragrant, nutmeg-scented 2010 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon ($75, 13.6%). 2010 Snowden The Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($42, 15%): Diana Snowden Seysses brings her talents with another grape (she also works with her husband at Burgundy's Domaine Dujac) to her family's longtime Napa property. Their second wine may not have the tannic depth of the 2010 Snowden Reserve ($80, 15.5%) but it manages to be similarly spicy and robust without losing the freshness to its black currant flavors. Its suppleness shows a very thoughtful eye toward finessing tannins. 2010 Stony Hill Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($60, 13.5%): The McCrea family's second vintage in the Cabernet realm, after 60 years in Napa, delivers beautifully. Set for release in a few months, and again grown from a dry-farmed parcel on their Spring Mountain site, it's subtle and pleasingly leafy, with eucalyptus and roast-coffee accents to vibrant red currant fruit. 2010 Antica Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55, 14%): It was the sort of vintage to favor skilled hands like the Antinori family and Antica's manager, Napa veteran Glenn Salva. A precise, mineral-edged effort, with rosemary accents, inky plum flavors and tea-like tannins. Still young, but an excellent example of a focused higher-elevation expression from their Atlas Peak site. 2010 Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($50, 13.9%): For those who view Montelena in the "stalwart" category, here was a year to reward Bo Barrett's long experience. This larger-production blend is tight-knit and spicy, with fleshy cherry fruit, nutmeg and a dusty tannic aspect. It might not hit the highs of a more even vintage, but those classic Cabernet bones are on full display. 2010 Hess Allomi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($30, 13.7%): Hess' large planting near Howell Mountain remains a great source for affordable Napa bottles, and no different this year. The wood tannin (25 percent new American oak) shows through, but it's perfumed and sleek, with black currant and peony. 2010 Quintessa Rutherford Red ($145, 14.5%): A true success of the year, with the Huneeus family and winemaker Charles Thomas finding perfumed, almost delicate overtones to a wine that's still lush with Rutherford fruit. Cassia, dried thyme, violets and subtle, silken cherry flavors that brighten up toward the finish. Beautifully stylish, with 85 percent new oak that's deftly integrated. 2010 Turley Wine Cellars The Label Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($42, 14.5%): The famed Zinfandel house has tossed its hat into the ring with a more traditional approach to Napa. Made from an organically farmed parcel near Larry Turley's estate north of St. Helena, this is a tribute to the more modest 1970s Napa Cabs - even if its label is an exploration in sans-serif modernity. It's Cabernet without pretense, full of dried-mint brushiness, fresh flowers and dried cherries. There's a dryness to the tannins, too (hence the '70s homage) and a chicory-like bite. If not the most complex of the lot, it serves its purpose precisely. 2010 Terra Valentine Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon ($45, 14.9%): Another win from Spring Mountain. There's ample mountain tannin, but also a fantastic definition and relatively little (20 percent) new oak, which allows a distinct graphite aspect and tarry undertone to match fresh blue fruit and raspberry flavors. 2010 Cliff Lede Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon ($70, 14.8%): Lede taps one of those all-star Napa teams - Philippe Melka and David Abreu - in addition to winemaker Chris Tynan for a robust, fashionable effort that balances jammy fruit with warm oak (54 percent new), pencil lead and black tea accents. A kirsch-like warmth fills the end, and ties the style together deftly. 2010 Buehler Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($25, 14.1%): The Buehlers and winemaker David Cronin continue to defy the wonders of Napa economics. This latest effort, mixing 30 percent estate fruit with valley floor grapes, has enough body to be full and complete, with a slightly forward oak presence but also great black currant flavors and chewy tannins that rival its Estate ($36, 14.1%) bottling. 2010 Charles Krug Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon ($29, 14.5%): The Peter Mondavi side of the Mondavi family certainly has the long know-how in Napa to finesse a vintage like 2010. The Yountville entry from their appellation series is ripe and plummy, a no-pretense Napa Cab accented by mace, dried juniper and a winning valley-floor dustiness. 2010 Stags' Leap Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($53, 13.9%): This longtime name now owned by Treasury Wine Estates used a mix of estate and purchased fruit for its latest effort, which shows a focused approach for the vintage: lots of plum, and a black-olive aspect, and dusty if slightly rough-edged tannins. Give it a year. Panelists: Jon Bonn�, Chronicle wine editor; Joshua Haberman, wine director, Harris' Restaurant; Kelli White, sommelier, Press. Jon Bonn� is The San Francisco Chronicle's wine editor. Find more of his coverage at sfchronicle.com/food/wine. E-mail: jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jbonne -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 5219 Elliot Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55417 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *

12 years, 5 months

[wine] The first wine blog to list ingredients!! Probably NSFW

by Russell McCandless

For those who might have missed it, herewith yesterdays posting on the HoseMaster of Wine blog (www.hosemasterofwine.blogspot.com <http://www.hosemasterofwine.blogspot.com/> ): THE FIRST WINE BLOG TO LIST INGREDIENTS After months of soul searching and consideration, and in the interest of transparency and full disclosure, I have decided to list the ingredients and processes that go into each piece on HoseMaster of Wine. I am hopeful that my candor and honesty will spread throughout the wine blog world. As it stands now, when you read a wine blog you have no idea what went into the blog, aside from alcohol-fueled stupidity and the vocabulary of a porpoise, i.e. whistling through the blowhole. Nothing harmful is ever added to a HoseMaster of Wine article, though nausea can be a direct side effect. If you find yourself becoming slightly nauseated when reading, its wise to either induce vomiting, or, if youre uncomfortable sticking a finger down your own throat, heres a link <http://www.palatepress.com/> that should work. Once youve read through the ingredients, demand of other bloggers that they do the same for their blogs. Ask yourself, what are they hiding? Consider never reading any wine blog that doesnt list its ingredients. Many are dangerous and cause irreparable brain damage; others are known to have caused cutting. I know a woman who cannot read Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman without slowly slicing her forearms with a Ginsu knife. While clearly appropriate, this is dangerous behavior induced by the blogs content. At least the knife isnt dull. And, also, remember not to vote for any wine blog nominated for a Poodle Award that hasnt fully disclosed its ingredient list. This would set a terrible precedent. Winners could do harm to unsuspecting new readersthere have been reports of headaches, sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, but those reports are unconfirmed, and why would you believe my wife anyway? The wine blog world is nearly ten years old now. Isnt it time we disclose what were made of? ACTIVE INGREDIENTS Venom: It takes plenty of venom to produce HoseMaster of Wine. Most wine blogs have very little venom content. In fact, most have little content at all. Remember, if you have been bitten by one of my blog posts, it will hurt for a moment, but dont panic. Rather than overreact, experts recommend you suck it. Wine: Inebriation is a key ingredient and I never skimp. I ask that you use HoseMaster of Wine responsibly and in moderation. Do not operate heavy machinery while reading. Do not read if you are pregnant. If you are thinking about becoming pregnant, call me. Operators are standing by, but I dont care if they watch if you dont. If reading the blog with a group, please use a Designated Reader who is to remain sober and never laugh. Well, the never laugh part is easy. Artificial Sweeteners: Occasionally something sweet appears in HoseMaster of Wine. Trust me, this is artificial. Thought: Only tiny bits of thought are ever used in the production of HoseMaster of Wine, but at least its not some stupid compendium of links to other websites that takes no goddam thought at all. Wit Substitutes: In the absence of wit, which is known to be carcinogenic, I use wit substitutes. Common wit substitutes include puns, long sentences that sound like wit but really arent, sarcastic remarks that widely miss the mark (often called snarky by ignorant shitheads), and Randall Grahm sloppy seconds. Wit substitutes are rarely found in wine blogs, which seem to prefer going entirely witless. Irony: Just listing irony is ironic. Isnt that ironic? Hell, I put the ron in ironic. And without a condom. Meat Byproducts: Strictly to protect against unwanted Spam. WARNINGS HoseMaster of Wine was produced in a facility that handles my nuts. If you are allergic to my nuts, you are advised to read another blog, or to ingest a small part of my nuts on a daily basis until the allergy subsides. HoseMaster of Wine has been known to cause birth defects in lab rats, like we give a fuck about lab rats. If after reading HoseMaster of Wine you have an erection lasting more than four hours, well, thats just about average. Try harder. Objects appearing in HoseMaster of Wine are closer than they appear. By law, HoseMaster of Wine is allowed to contain small pieces of rat turd, otherwise known as the Hundred Point Scale. Do not use HoseMaster of Wine in an enclosed space. The fumes are explosive. If you smell anything resembling Grüner Veltliner, immediately open the windows and shout, It wasnt me, it was the dog. In an actual emergency, an oxygen mask will drop from the ceiling. Place the mask over your face, inhale like you have emphysema, and say, Luke, Im your father. Void where prohibited by law. Posted by <http://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705> Ron Washam, HMW at <http://hosemasterofwine.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-first-wine-blog-to-list-in gredients.html> 8:00 AM 28 <http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6745003136564123305&postID=86378297 76745442642> comments: Labels: Dept. <http://hosemasterofwine.blogspot.com/search/label/Dept.%20of%20Lame%20Premi ses> of Lame Premises

12 years, 6 months

[wine] karin@umn.edu sent you a link to content of interest

by karin＠umn.edu

karin(a)umn.edu sent you a link to the following content: 10 Coolest Pieces of Wine Gear http://www.Oddee.com/item_98551.aspx The sender also included this note: useful? -- Sent via a FeedFlare link from a FeedBurner feed. http://www.google.com/support/feedburner/bin/answer.py?answer=78966&topic=1…

12 years, 7 months

[wine] Galloni gone; Parker's revenge?

by Russell McCandless

(Surely available elsewhere too.) Today's posting on Tyler Coleman's excellent blog (www.drvino.com <http://www.drvino.com/> ) includes a send-up of the potential consequences of Bob Parker resuming coverage of California wines for WA - enjoy :-)

12 years, 8 months

[wine] Choosing up sides in Montalcino

by Russell McCandless

Coverage of the latest artillery fire in the Brunello wars appears in the free portion of Jancis Robinson's website today: http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a201304012.html

12 years, 8 months

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