Some programs of interest on the History Channel tonight.
CST
Time Program
6 Saloons
7 Coffee
8 Distilleries
9 Brewing
Rebroadcast:
11 Coffee
12 Distilleries
1 a.m. Brewing
Cheers,
Jim
From: Aleconner(a)AOL.COM
Subject: Craft beer on History Channel, Wednesday 11/16
Comments: To: boss(a)bitsmail.com
To: CBS-HB(a)LISTSERV.UIC.EDU
Precedence: list
Forwarded from brewing industry PR:
Wednesday night at 10 PM Eastern time, 9 PM Central time, the History
Channel will air a new episode of Modern Marvels that focuses on... BEER!
Among the show's highlights will be a segment on the genre-bending brews
from Dogfish Head, and a brief appearance (near the end of the program) by the
mighty canned beers from Oskar Blues Brewery.
The show is preceded by a Modern Marvels show on distilling, you won't wanna
miss that either.
Get details here:
_http://www.historychannel.com/modernmarvels/?page=upcoming_
(http://www.historychannel.com/modernmarvels/?page=upcoming)
----- Forwarded message from Bob Paolino <rpaolino(a)execpc.com> -----
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:25:38 -0500
Reply-To: rpaolino(a)execpc.com
From: Bob Paolino <rpaolino(a)execpc.com>
Subject: Re: Craft beer on History Channel, Wednesday 11/16
To: CBS-HB(a)LISTSERV.UIC.EDU
Precedence: list
The two shows mentioned in the Oskar's Blues press release (distilling
and brewing) aren't the only shows that would be of interest to this
group. The preceding two hours are on saloons and (let's face it,
beergeeks are often also coffeegeeks) coffee.
Now go have a beer,
Bob Paolino
"Are Canadians just Americans who carry hockey sticks instead of guns,
or is there more to it than that?"
--"This Canadian Existence"
Wisconsin Public Radio
( ) ASCII ribbon campaign
X against HTML e-mail:
/ \ Friends don't send friends HTML-bloated messages!
A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
Q: Why is top-posting frowned upon?
----- 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 *
Here's the info on the champagne tasting on December 1st (Millenium Hotel).
If you call the store at 612-379-3232 and ask for Zack or Lynn and mention
the "BUBBLES DISCOUNT" your admission price is $30. Hope to see you in a
few weeks!!!!
Holiday Champagne Tasting Event
SAMPLE OVER 60 SPARKLING
WINES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Retaste The Familiar And Taste The Unique
• Cutting-edge Sparklers
• Italian Proseccos
• Top French Champagnes
• Tête De Cuvées
• Our Exclusive Small Production Champagnes Imported By Terry Theise
Millennium Hotel
1313 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Thursday, December 1, 2005 | 7pm to 9pm
Join Us For This Grand Event.
Surdyk's Everyday Low Price: $35.00
Erik has asked that I forward this on to the group........Our annual
invitation to the Garage Fest!!!!
Garage Party-Beaujolais Nouveau
The Freeburg/Igo family will host their annual Beaujolais Nouveau
celebration in honor of the international release of the famous French wine
on:
Thursday November 17th ? 6:30 until 11 pm
South Minneapolis
4204 10th Ave. South, Mpls 55407
(10th is just two blocks east of Chicago Ave)
Please bring an inexpensive bottle of wine to be opened and shared-
anything will work really.
Feel free to bring friends and children to hang with Lars and Fritz while
they are up.
RSVP appreciated but not required.
Simple French themed food will be provided- baguette, really good butter,
ham, mustard, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, olives and a bit of chocolate.
We?ll also have some home fermented draft cider and non-alcoholic beverages
available.
The party will be in our cozy wood stove heated garage- dress warmly and
wear your beret.
Questions/Directions/RSVP- Eric 612-220-6693 or efreeburg(a)aol.com
Greetings,
Doing an old favorite (Pinot) at a new venue (Fugaise) makes for a
very full list. Please be careful about the size of your pours and
also be warry of the sediment in the bottles.
Our host suggested a prix fix menu. Perhaps we can do that next time.
W/ such a large group, ordering, plating, pacing and sharing will be a zoo....
My guess is the duck will be popular.
Cheers,
Jim
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
>
> Greetings,
>
> Bob's out west in the cellar, but he left a voice mail.
> Menu at Fugaise features fish, tuna, salmon and duck.
> He suggested fish freindly whites and Pinot Noir.
>
> We need to give Joyce an update on the count by Wednesday.
> Fugaise is at 308 E Hennepin. Best bet are the 4 hr. meters
> in the lot above Bobino.
>
> Fugaise
> 308 E. Hennepin Ave.
> Minneapolis, MN 55413
> (612) 436-0777
>
> Yes:
>
> Joyce
> Bob
> Betsy
> Warren/Ruth
>
> Jim/Louise
>
> Russ/Sue (Monday)
Roger L (Monday)
Annette (Tues 1:45)
Karin/Nicolai (Tues 2:15)
> That's 13 seats and 11 pours, unless I missed someone.
> Cheers,
> Jim
WINE OF THE WEEK
2004 Hartford Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, California
S. Irene Virbila
October 26, 2005
Pinot Noir is so pricey these days it's a minor miracle to find one in the $20 range that you'd actually like to drink. It makes me wonder if the people at Hartford Family Winery are some kind of saints. Their wonderful Pinot Noir . from estate vineyards in cooler-climate Sonoma (Green Valley, Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast) . is priced like a bargain but tastes of luxury. It's got true Pinot character, a silky texture and hints of black cherry and raspberry. And it's bottled unfined and unfiltered like the big guys too. Small is beautiful.
This Pinot Noir is, of course, tremendously food friendly. Drink it with fall's stews and daubes, with roast chicken and duck, a grilled piece of meat, a beautiful cheese.
*
Quick swirl
Region: Sonoma
Price: About $20
Style: Burgundian
Food it goes with: Daubes and other stews, roast birds, grilled meat, cheese
Where you find it: Hi-Time Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463; Manhattan Fine Wines in Manhattan Beach, (310) 374-3454; Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454; and Wine House in Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731.
>
>
>
> --
> ------------------------------ *
> * 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 *
--
------------------------------ *
* Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
----- End forwarded message -----
--
------------------------------ *
* Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
Liquor Depot's
31st Anniversary Sale
October 27th - November 19th
Savings in every department. 15% - 40% Off Over 3000 Wines. 15% Off
All Cordials and Liqueurs. See our ad in Thursday's Star Tribune (B
news) for more specials.
Free In-Store Tasting
Thursday, October 27th
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Greetings,
Bob's out west in the cellar, but he left a voice mail.
Menu at Fugaise features fish, tuna, salmon and duck.
He suggested fish freindly whites and Pinot Noir.
We need to give Joyce an update on the count by Wednesday.
Fugaise is at 308 E Hennepin. Best bet are the 4 hr. meters
in the lot above Bobino.
Fugaise
308 E. Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 436-0777
Yes:
Joyce
Bob
Betsy
Warren/Ruth
Jim/Louise
Anyone else would be a guess on my part....
Cheers,
Jim
Small bite
Kathie Jenkins
St. Paul Pioneer Press
Published: Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Reviewing restaurants is constantly surprising. The places you think will be great often aren't worth the hype, and vice versa. Fugaise (pronounced foo-gays), which debuted last week in Northeast Minneapolis, is in the latter category. Lunch there was better than expected.
Chef/co-owner is Don Saunders, who was previously chef at A Rebours in St. Paul. He has kept the menu small and buys top-notch ingredients. There's a simple mixed green salad tossed with wild strawberries, toasted hazelnuts and little bits of creamy brie. The butternut squash soup is enhanced with shaved pecorino and pumpkinseed oil.
Wait until you taste the ribbonlike pasta with prosciutto, asparagus and truffle oil . it makes one of the best lunches in the Twin Cities. Even the desserts here . a chocolate tart with pear sorbet and olive-oil cake topped with peach confit and English stilton . are better than most.
With such good food in sophisticated but understated surroundings, Fugaise proves moderately priced restaurants don't have to be a bore.
Small Bites are first glances . not intended as definitive reviews . of new or changed restaurants.
Now open: Fugaise -- elegant but casual French fare
,
October 6, 2005
"Are we at the right place?" asked my friend as we walked into Fugaise. It's true, the entrance to the new northeast Minneapolis restaurant, little more than a long corridor, doesn't make an ideal first impression. But our trepidation ended once we strolled through a cheerful little bar and into a suave dining room of pale silver-gold tints, a handsome parquet floor, crisp linens, pleasant lighting and thought-provoking paintings by Duluth artist Daren Steneman. The overall effect is a little reminiscent of George Clooney -- elegant, but not intimidating.
After cooking at La Belle Vie and Vincent -- and then running the show at A Rebours -- chef-owner Don Saunders is now his own boss, crafting a distinctive, seasonally minded dinner menu of six appetizers ($9 to $12) and a half-dozen entrees ($21 to $32).
The food has an air of French formalism, but with a lighter, cleaner spin: mushroom dumplings floating in a clear chicken consomm�, beet-flavored fettuccine with a slim dairy finish, a butter-knife tender rib-eye dressed with earthy hedgehog mushrooms and a ruddy red currant reduction, juicy pork tenderloin over an apple-celeriac pur�e.
Desserts ($6 to $7) include a springy olive oil cake with a peach confit and a dastardly dark chocolate tart with a sprightly pear sorbet. One-fourth of the all-French wine list falls in the $30-or-less category.
Fugaise, 308 E. Hennepin Av., Minneapolis, 612-436-0777, www.fugaise.com. Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Brunch 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Rick Nelson
THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
-
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Here are the panel picks from 50 Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs from 2002 and 2003 tasted for today.
________________________________________
2003 Alderbrook Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $24
Body: Medium-full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Ripe nose of black cherry, rosemary, pine and spice; juicy black cherry, black raspberry, vanilla, black pepper and anise flavors; tart cranberry finish; great balance; soft mouthfeel.
________________________________________
2003 Bearboat Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $20
Body: Medium
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Lean, elegant style. Nose of cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, cassis, dried leaf and toast; similar flavors plus hint of licorice; bright acidity; wonderful with food.
________________________________________
2003 David Bruce Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $40
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Subtle nose of cherry, dried cranberry and pencil shavings; ripe black cherry, cassis, raspberry, citrus peel and white pepper flavors; slightly alcoholic; long finish.
________________________________________
2003 De Loach Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $18
Body: Medium-full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Mushroom, black cherry, toasted pine nuts, rose petal and leather aromas; ripe black cherry, blackberry, plum, tobacco and loam flavors; supple tannins; mouthwatering acidity.
________________________________________
2002 Deerfield Ranch Cohn Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $48
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Smells of vanilla and wild blackberry with hint of toast; similar on palate, plus baking spice, truffle and dark chocolate; rich and seductive; polished tannins.
________________________________________
2003 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $35
Body: Medium-full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Nose of blueberry, black cherry, raspberry and pine; cranberry, dried cherry, citrus, vanilla and toast flavors; round on palate; silky tannins; nice balance.
________________________________________
2002 Forchini Proprietor's Reserve RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $22
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Cherry, herb, pine, soy sauce and oak on nose; flavors of juicy black cherry, cassis, licorice and black pepper; cranberry on finish; young - needs time for tannins to soften.
________________________________________
2003 Fritz Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $30
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Herb and rose on nose, though toast and earth dominate; mushroom, soy sauce, black cherry, black tea and tobacco flavors; excellent acidity; long, fresh raspberry finish.
________________________________________
2003 Gary Farrell Russian River Selection RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $34
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Aromas of Bing cherry, truffle and vanilla with juicy blackberry, black plum, raspberry and licorice flavors with hints of spice; round and deeply flavored; lush tannins.
________________________________________
2003 Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $60
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Aromas of toasted marshmallow, pie crust, cherry and mushroom; root beer, black cherry, tart plum and vanilla flavors; pert acidity; light coating tannins. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 Harvest Moon Vineyards & Winery RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $18
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Ripe black cherry nose with hint of baking spice; palate starts with ripe strawberry and cherry pie filling; soft in the mouth until a tannic close. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 J Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $28
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Aromas of cherry pie, ripe blackberry, boysenberry, tea leaf, earth and baking spice; black cherry and vanilla flavors with touches of citrus and smoked meat; round tannins.
________________________________________
2003 Lost Canyon Saralee's Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $38
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Beautiful nose of black plum, black cherry, raspberry and rose; similar flavors; supple tannins, full, luscious, great balance. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 Lynmar Quail Hill Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $45
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry-semidry
Comments: Strawberry compote, cherry, tar and dust aromas; similar flavors with jammy black and red fruit and black pepper; round tannins; hot finish.
________________________________________
2003 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Olivet Lane Pinot Noir
Price: $54
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Pretty Bing cherry, leather and spice nose with a hint of mint; black cherry, cranberry, mushroom and cherry cola flavors; polished and elegant. Low production.
________________________________________
2002 Russian Hill Estate Vineyards RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $30
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Mushroom, earth, soy sauce, black cherry and currant nose; supple texture, plush tannins; ripe black plum, cola and spice flavors; mouthwatering acidity. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 Russian Hill Tara Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $42
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Truffle, toast, herb and wet earth aromas with herb notes; rich, ripe cassis, black cherry, raspberry, black tea and cinnamon flavors; silky tannins; great balance. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $42
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Outstanding; the panel favorite. Exotic nose of blackberry, black cherry, herb and toast; boysenberry, raspberry, vanilla and licorice flavors; bright acidity; balanced.
________________________________________
2003 Woodenhead Buena Tierra Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $46
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Rose, raspberry, pomegranate, blackberry, cassis, earth, mushroom, dried herb and white pepper aromas and flavors; tart acidity; Burgundian style. Low production.
________________________________________
Panelists: Lynne Bennett, staff writer/wine coordinator, The Chronicle; Linda Murphy, wine editor, The Chronicle; Rom Toulon, sommelier, Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco; Oscar Val Verde, general manager, 2223 Restaurant & Bar, San Francisco. Wines listed are generally available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores and wineries.
The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Here are the panel picks from 50 Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs from
2002 and 2003 tasted for today.
________________________________________
2003 Alderbrook Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $24
Body: Medium-full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Ripe nose of black cherry, rosemary, pine and spice; juicy black
cherry, black raspberry, vanilla, black pepper and anise flavors; tart
cranberry finish; great balance; soft mouthfeel.
________________________________________
2003 Bearboat Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $20
Body: Medium
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Lean, elegant style. Nose of cherry, red raspberry,
cranberry, cassis, dried leaf and toast; similar flavors plus hint of licorice;
bright acidity; wonderful with food.
________________________________________
2003 David Bruce Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $40
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Subtle nose of cherry, dried cranberry and pencil shavings; ripe
black cherry, cassis, raspberry, citrus peel and white pepper flavors; slightly
alcoholic; long finish.
________________________________________
2003 De Loach Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $18
Body: Medium-full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Mushroom, black cherry, toasted pine nuts, rose petal and leather
aromas; ripe black cherry, blackberry, plum, tobacco and loam flavors; supple
tannins; mouthwatering acidity.
________________________________________
2002 Deerfield Ranch Cohn Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $48
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Smells of vanilla and wild blackberry with hint of toast; similar
on palate, plus baking spice, truffle and dark chocolate; rich and seductive;
polished tannins.
________________________________________
2003 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $35
Body: Medium-full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Nose of blueberry, black cherry, raspberry and pine; cranberry,
dried cherry, citrus, vanilla and toast flavors; round on palate; silky
tannins; nice balance.
________________________________________
2002 Forchini Proprietor's Reserve RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $22
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Cherry, herb, pine, soy sauce and oak on nose; flavors of juicy
black cherry, cassis, licorice and black pepper; cranberry on finish; young -
needs time for tannins to soften.
________________________________________
2003 Fritz Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $30
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Herb and rose on nose, though toast and earth
dominate; mushroom, soy sauce, black cherry, black tea and tobacco flavors;
excellent acidity; long, fresh raspberry finish.
________________________________________
2003 Gary Farrell Russian River Selection RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $34
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Aromas of Bing cherry, truffle and vanilla with juicy blackberry,
black plum, raspberry and licorice flavors with hints of spice; round and
deeply flavored; lush tannins.
________________________________________
2003 Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $60
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Aromas of toasted marshmallow, pie crust, cherry and
mushroom; root beer, black cherry, tart plum and vanilla flavors; pert acidity;
light coating tannins. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 Harvest Moon Vineyards & Winery RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $18
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Ripe black cherry nose with hint of baking spice; palate starts
with ripe strawberry and cherry pie filling; soft in the mouth until a tannic
close. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 J Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $28
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Aromas of cherry pie, ripe blackberry, boysenberry, tea leaf,
earth and baking spice; black cherry and vanilla flavors with touches of citrus
and smoked meat; round tannins.
________________________________________
2003 Lost Canyon Saralee's Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $38
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Beautiful nose of black plum, black cherry, raspberry
and rose; similar flavors; supple tannins, full, luscious, great balance. Low
production.
________________________________________
2003 Lynmar Quail Hill Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $45
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry-semidry
Comments: Strawberry compote, cherry, tar and dust aromas; similar flavors
with jammy black and red fruit and black pepper; round tannins; hot finish.
________________________________________
2003 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Olivet Lane Pinot Noir
Price: $54
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Pretty Bing cherry, leather and spice nose with a hint
of mint; black cherry, cranberry, mushroom and cherry cola flavors; polished
and elegant. Low production.
________________________________________
2002 Russian Hill Estate Vineyards RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $30
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Mushroom, earth, soy sauce, black cherry and currant
nose; supple texture, plush tannins; ripe black plum, cola and spice flavors;
mouthwatering acidity. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 Russian Hill Tara Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $42
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Excellent. Truffle, toast, herb and wet earth aromas with herb
notes; rich, ripe cassis, black cherry, raspberry, black tea and cinnamon
flavors; silky tannins; great balance. Low production.
________________________________________
2003 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Price: $42
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Outstanding; the panel favorite. Exotic nose of blackberry, black
cherry, herb and toast; boysenberry, raspberry, vanilla and licorice flavors;
bright acidity; balanced.
________________________________________
2003 Woodenhead Buena Tierra Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir
Price: $46
Body: Full
Dryness: Dry
Comments: Very good. Rose, raspberry, pomegranate, blackberry, cassis,
earth, mushroom, dried herb and white pepper aromas and flavors; tart acidity;
Burgundian style. Low production.
________________________________________
Panelists: Lynne Bennett, staff writer/wine coordinator, The Chronicle;
Linda Murphy, wine editor, The Chronicle; Rom Toulon, sommelier, Four Seasons
Hotel, San Francisco; Oscar Val Verde, general manager, 2223 Restaurant & Bar,
San Francisco. Wines listed are generally available but may not be in all
stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores and
wineries.
--
------------------------------ *
* 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 *
Add Fred to the list. Hoping the Howell Mt. bears don't join us....
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 15:32:15 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: [wine] Current Fr. Whites, Zins at Oddfellows
Greetings,
This week, we're doing current release French Whites and
Zinfandels at Oddfellows.
Oddfellows is one block east of Surdyks on Hennepin.
I haven't really heard from anyone besides Annette, Russ,
so these are mostly guesses. Tables are small, so
make the reservation for 8? 10?
Reminder that we go to La Fugaise next week. We're down for 10 people,
but we want to provide Joyce and the rest. w/ an update by next
Tuesday.
Betsy
Bob
Lori
Annette
Karin
Nicolai
Jim
Fred
Cheers,
Jim
Growlin' good grapes
Howell Mountain's intense fruit attracts winemakers and bears alike
- Steve Pitcher, Special to The Chronicle Thursday, October 20, 2005
Not all connoisseurs of Howell Mountain wine grapes are human.
Grower Mike Beatty, whose Black Sears Vineyard sits near the highest point on the mountain in northern Napa Valley, tells of a particular female black bear, easily identifiable because she was minus a claw on one paw, that frequently dined on his premium Zinfandel grapes.
Hoping for relief, Beatty summoned Napa County Animal Services, and an officer lured the bear into a culvert trap and trucked her away. The next harvest, the same bear was back in his vineyard. This went on for a few of years, and finally Beatty asked the animal control officer where they took the bear.
"To Lake County," the officer replied, where the bear was let loose.
Turns out that when tourist season got under way in that county and the bear became a nuisance, Lake County Animal Control would trap her and truck her to Pope Valley, just east of Howell Mountain. The bear would then find her way back up the mountain to Black Sears Vineyard and resume feasting. You have to admire such fruit loyalty. And with grapes like these, it's no wonder.
Howell Mountain is the source of exceptionally bold, full-bodied and rich Cabernet Sauvignons, Zinfandels and Merlots. The distinctive character of the grapes, different from those from the Napa Valley floor, led to the region being recognized in 1983 as Napa Valley's first subappellation -- shortly after Napa Valley itself became an American Viticultural Area (AVA).
The reasons for the distinctive flavors are mostly climatic. During the day, Howell Mountain is cooler than most of Napa Valley, but it's warmer at night. And it's above the fog line -- in fact, that's where the AVA officially starts.
These conditions are perfect for growing grapes that are small, tightly clustered and powerfully concentrated, for intense fruit flavors in the wines. In addition, the grapes develop thick skins that yield rich tannins.
Climb to the vantage point of the modest shopping plaza in Angwin village, Howell Mountain's only town, under brilliant morning sunshine. Napa Valley down below might resemble a great basin filled to overflowing with billowing, whitish-gray meringue.
The fog line -- technically an inversion layer, the elevation above which fog typically does not rise during the summer growing season -- forms the minimum altitude of the AVA.
"We determined that to be 1,400 feet above sea level," says Beatty, also a co-proprietor of Howell Mountain Vineyards.
How was it determined?
"A group of Howell Mountain wine folks met at Beatty Ranch one dark and rainy night, spread out a topographic relief map, and anchored it with bottles of Howell Mountain Zinfandel, of course," he says.
Howell Mountain is located northeast of St. Helena, above the Silverado Trail, between Napa Valley to the west and Pope Valley to the east. Wineries on this mountain are mostly tucked away in woods along side roads and open by appointment only.
There are 14,000 acres within the Howell Mountain AVA, although fewer than 500 acres are currently planted to producing vines, which is less than the planted acreage on the mountain in the 1890s, and a tiny fraction of the 44,671 acres planted to vines in all of Napa Valley.
>From the air, however, it is evident that there's considerable vineyard development in the works, so vine acreage is certain to increase. So will the number of wineries, of which there are now at least 10.
Several non-resident wineries buy Howell Mountain grapes under contract. Others -- including Beringer Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars, Duckhorn Vineyards and Pina Cellars -- have their own vineyards on the mountain.
The fruit is not cheap, and neither are the wines made from it. But the grapes are sought after because of Howell Mountain's growing conditions.
"Daytime temperatures from May through September are as much as 10 degrees lower on the mountain than those of the valley" once the valley's fog burns off, says Beatty, who has lived and farmed on the mountain since the 1970s. "This protects the vines from the heat stress that typically weakens the grapes' acidity."
Despite its mountain nomenclature, the Howell Mountain AVA is more accurately described as a high, rolling plateau, with vineyards carved out of thick forests of oak, pine and fir. From a low-flying aircraft, I saw that there are few really steep hillsides here, such as those that dot the Diamond Mountain District on the other side of the valley.
Like majestic Mount St. Helena, Howell Mountain is the result of volcanic activity, although it was not a volcano itself. Rather, the mountain was formed by tectonic activity that pushed it up from below. It is, however, covered by vast quantities of pale tuff, which is white volcanic ash that has been compressed over time. Red and brown volcanic loam and iron-rich red clay complete the soil profile.
"These soils are nutrient-poor, thus stressing the vines to produce intense wine from small clusters of berries," Beatty says. "Our soils are completely different from the rich, alluvial soils of the Napa Valley (floor), where crop thinning and canopy management are necessary to control vigorous growth. With our thin, rocky, well-drained top soils, vigor is naturally limited up here."
The earliest plantings on Howell Mountain were mostly Zinfandel, Napa Valley's grape of choice in the late 1800s, and is still an important variety today, the source of some of the mountain's best wines.
Its reputation as a fine-wine region can be traced back to 1889, when a red wine -- most likely Zinfandel -- from the Howell Mountain Winery, built by French emigres Jean Brun and Jean Chaix in 1886, was entered in the International Wine Competition of the Paris Exposition and took a bronze medal. A Howell Mountain "Claret" -- again, probably Zinfandel -- from neighboring Liparita Winery, built by W. F. Keyes in 1880, won the Grand Prize at the 1900 Paris Exposition.
Both Howell Mountain Winery and Liparita became "ghost wineries" in the wake of Prohibition in the 1920s and '30s, as did nearby La Jota winery, which dates to 1898. Of the three, only the original Liparita Winery on Los Posadas Road, just outside Angwin, languishes today as a silent relic of the past, while the Liparita brand of wines, produced elsewhere, keeps the name alive.
The Brun and Chaix winery, with its massive, 30-inch-thick stone walls, has been restored by proprietors Pat and Anne Stotesbery as a fully operational, gravity-flow winery, and is now home to Ladera Vineyards, a gently rolling, 185-acre estate with some 75 acres planted to vines.
Ladera, which focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon under the direction of winemaker Karen Culler, is one of Howell Mountain's most accessible wineries for visitors with an appointment.
The Stotesberys came to Napa Valley in 1996 and Howell Mountain in 2000 by way of Montana, where they operated a sizable cattle ranch in Big Sky country for several years.
The ranch has been sold, but, says Pat, current president of the Howell Mountain Vintners & Growers Association, "I don't miss it. This is still agriculture, and it has totally replaced ranching for me."
La Jota Vineyard Co., owned by Markham Vineyards since 2001, has also been resuscitated as a boutique winery, where winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls annually produces about 4,000 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah from the 29 acres of vines on the 41-acre estate, which is not open to the public.
While Zinfandel launched Howell Mountain as a wine region, and continues to be the passion of such producers in the AVA as Howell Mountain Vineyards, Lamborn Family Vineyards, Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery and D-Cubed Cellars, today the majority of the mountain's vineyards are planted to Bordeaux varieties, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
One of the first to focus on quality Cabernet Sauvignon was Randy Dunn who, with his wife Lori, bought and revived a 5-acre Cabernet vineyard on Howell Mountain in 1978, with financial assistance from the owners of Caymus Vineyards in Rutherford, for which he was then making wine. His inaugural 1979 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon garnered much critical acclaim and attracted consumers' attention to Howell Mountain as a source of outstanding Cabernet.
In 1991, by then devoting full time to his own winery, Dunn bought the nearby 47-acre Park-Muscatine vineyard, with 15 acres planted to Zinfandel, Carignane and Petite Sirah. This was the principal vineyard from which Ridge Vineyards president and winemaker Paul Draper purchased grapes to make many memorable vintages of Ridge Zinfandel, variously labeled "Howell Mountain" and "Park-Muscatine Vineyard" in the 1980s. Dunn replanted it mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon.
"It was basically a matter of economics," Dunn says. "In those days, a winery could get maybe $7 to $10 for a bottle of Zin, but a Cab would sell for $15 to $25 or more. And besides, my expertise was with Cabernet rather than Zinfandel, and Cab was what I wanted to make."
Dunn's massively proportioned, complex and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignons -- one designated Howell Mountain, the other Napa Valley -- are widely considered to be among Napa's greatest wines. His winemaking style has remained consistent all these years.
"I'll continue to make tannic wines, wines of maximum extraction," Dunn says, "because we have the right fruit for that style of long-lived wine on this mountain. But I don't want hot alcohols, so I harvest at a reasonable Brix (ripeness level), and will decrease the alcohol as necessary by various methods to achieve balance."
His Cabernets spend more than two years in barrel, stored in caves dug into the hillside of his rustic mountain property.
Dunn, an admitted "tree-hugging dirt worshipper" (or so declares the bumper sticker on his truck), confides that while his Napa Valley-designated Cabernet previously contained some fruit from the valley floor, it is now made entirely from Howell Mountain fruit, some from his 35 acres of estate grapes and some purchased from other Howell Mountain growers. He says he can't have two Cabernet Sauvignons designated as Howell Mountain, so consumers buying the Napa Valley Cab are getting a bonus.
Merlot made from Howell Mountain grapes is a powerful statement of the varietal, exhibiting more Cabernet-like muscularity and depth than typical Napa Valley Merlot.
Beringer's Merlot from the Bancroft Ranch is the most well-known example, attracting connoisseurs and collectors since its first vintage in 1987. The rolling vineyard lies at an elevation of 1,800 feet on the western slope of Howell Mountain. The vines produce small, intensely flavored berries with powerful, concentrated fruit flavors.
Beringer obtains grapes from two other vineyards at 1,800-foot elevation on Howell Mountain -- Beringer-owned Steinhauer Ranch, and Rancho del Oso, owned by Betty O'Shaughnessy, who has her own eponymous winery. Oso means bear in Spanish; the vineyard and winery are named after the red bear that climbs the deer fence and cavorts in the reservoir on the property.
Duckhorn also makes a Howell Mountain Merlot in a bold style similar to the Beringer wine and has also invested heavily in vineyards on the mountain, which are planted primarily to Bordeaux varieties.
"Growing grapes on Howell Mountain can be a logistical nightmare," says Duckhorn's winemaker, Mark Beringer. "Water is scarce, cultivation is challenging and yields are low. Yet working with the grapes from this mountain is a winemaker's dream."
His sentiments are echoed by every winemaker on Howell Mountain and those elsewhere lucky enough to obtain some of its precious fruit.
Dennis Johns, the proprietor/winemaker at White Cottage Ranch Winery, says, "We drink what we can, and sell the rest."
A taste of Howell Mountain
Winemakers say the aromatic descriptor of "raw red meat" that frequently shows up in their reds comes from extended contact of the juice and spent yeast during fermentation. A pretty violet scent is also common.
Zinfandel
2002 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Ranch Howell Mountain Zinfandel ($38) -- Spicy, very appealing nose of black raspberry and black cherry accented with a subtle meaty component. Concentrated, round and plush with copious berry fruit complemented by freshly crushed black peppercorn and a touch of dark chocolate; medium-full, supple tannins.
2001 Summit Lake Howell Mountain Zinfandel ($22) -- Shy aromas of red berry dusted with cinnamon and anise, along with black pepper. Richly textured with medium tannins, the concentrated flavors echo the nose; tapers to a wonderfully spicy close.
Merlot
2001 Atalon Keyes Vineyard Howell Mountain Merlot ($60) -- Red cherry and raspberry, a touch of red meat, subtle mint and cedar define the nose. Elegant, with medium tannins, smooth texture and luscious black-fruit flavors that extend to a graceful finish.
2001 Beringer Bancroft Ranch Howell Mountain Merlot ($75) -- Vibrant, intense aromas of roasted meat and smoke, blackberry and black plum, brown spice and subtle orange zest. Powerful and muscular with ripe, chewy tannins and a juicy core of rich blackberry and black cherry, enhanced by notes of cocoa and mint.
2001 Duckhorn Howell Mountain Merlot ($70) -- Wildly aromatic with freshly crushed blackberry, cocoa, dried sage and a hint of mint. Complex and richly textured with medium-full, integrated tannins, it's powerful yet harmonious, offering a deep core of blackberry and cassis tinged with red raspberry, nutmeg, bittersweet chocolate and creamy oak.
Cabernet Sauvignon
2001 Bravante Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($45) -- Complex, alluring scents of red currant, cassis, black olive, raw meat and a touch of mocha. Full-bodied and muscular, with substantial tannins and copious dark berry fruit. One for the cellar.
2002 Cakebread Dancing Bear Ranch Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($75) -- Inaugural bottling from this 30-acre vineyard planted in 1999. Enticing nose of wild blackberry, subtle mocha, violet and dried lavender. Round, rich and powerful with intense dark berry fruit and evident, though supple tannins.
2002 Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($50) -- Focused aromas of wild blackberry, cassis, mineral, mocha and a violet note. Silky smooth with ripe, supple tannins, it's polished and generous, with abundant berry fruit accented by warm spice and sweet herb; llingering finish.
2002 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($70) -- Rich, lovely aromas of ripe, freshly crushed dark berry, black currant and white pepper. Full-bodied with ripe, powerful tannins, a velvety texture and intense, concentrated, liqueur-like extracted berry fruit flavors that goes on and on.
2002 Highlands Beatty Ranch Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) -- Up-front scents of black fruit, violet, dried thyme and glove leather. Round and juicy with medium tannins and ripe berry-red raspberry fruit, this Cabernet is more elegant than powerful, and lends itself to pairing with a thick, juicy steak.
2002 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) -- Enticing scents of lightly toasty oak, blackberry and black cherry fruit and a hint of mocha. Plush and velvety smooth with supple, medium-full tannins and tiers of berry-cassis fruit, dark chocolate and vanillin oak. Generous and elegantly extracted.
2002 La Jota Anniversary Release Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) -- Forward, unmistakable note of violet precedes ripe black fruit and mocha scents. Concentrated, deep, complex flavors of chocolate-covered cherry and blackberry liqueur, with a hint of white pepper and mineral.
2002 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) -- Exotic scents of cassis and blackberry accented by a red-meat note. Opens with air to reveal sweet vanilla oak and dark chocolate. Juicy and generous with polished tannins and harmonious flavors. Wickedly rich.
2001 Pina Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($54) -- Intriguing nose of red meat, black olive, smoke, red berry and cassis. Bold and full-bodied, with ripe, sinewy tannins, intense, highly extracted dark-berry flavors and a wonderful aftertaste. Several years of cellaring recommended.
2002 White Cottage Ranch Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) -- Aromas of red meat, nutmeg, licorice, cassis and black cherry. Round and silky with medium tannins, this is an elegant Cabernet that finishes with a spicy flourish tinged with minerality.
-- Steve Pitcher
Steve Pitcher is a San Francisco wine writer and a contributing editor for the Wine News magazine. E-mail him at wine(a)sfchronicle.com.
Page F - 1
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/20/WIGDCF8QG21.DTL
Greetings,
This week, we're doing current release French Whites and
Zinfandels at Oddfellows.
Oddfellows is one block east of Surdyks on Hennepin.
I haven't really heard from anyone besides Annette, Russ,
so these are mostly guesses. Tables are small, so
make the reservation for 8? 10?
Reminder that we go to La Fugaise next week. We're down for 10 people,
but we want to provide Joyce and the rest. w/ an update by next
Tuesday.
Betsy
Bob
Lori
Annette
Karin
Nicolai
Jim
Cheers,
Jim
washingtonpost.com
Made for Each Other
By Ben Giliberti Wednesday, April 13, 2005; Page F07
T he perfect pairing of wine and food is an art. When done well, both the wine and the accompanying dish taste better, a classic example of the whole being more than the sum of its parts. While there are many excellent pairings, the match of Sancerre wine and Crottin de Chavignol cheese is one that comes close to perfection.
The wines of Sancerre and its neighbor, Pouilly-Fume, are the ultimate expression of the sauvignon blanc grape. Although this variety is grown in California, New Zealand and Bordeaux, nowhere does it achieve more raciness, complexity and breed than in France's Loire Valley. Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, which are produced on opposite banks of the Loire River, are considered the region's best sauvignon blancs. Sancerre is a bit racier and brighter, and Pouilly-Fume tends to be deeper and denser, but only a brave soul would try to distinguish them in a blind tasting. In quality, they are indistinguishable.
Crottin de Chavignol cheese springs from the same region of the Loire as these two wines, and is an official "label of origin" goat's milk cheese. Although it originated in the village of Chavignol, which also produces Sancerre, it is now also made in five nearby towns: La Charite-sur-Loire, Pouilly, Donziais, Cosne and Cher. Many consider it France's most distinctive goat cheese.
Pairings of a region's cuisine and wines such as this are often felicitous. For example, Piedmontese wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco go famously with the musky wild truffles of the area; the minty, cedar notes of Pauillac wine are a splendid match with the locally raised lamb. The terroir, or combination of soil, climate and culture of certain regions, seems to imbue the food and wine with a special affinity.
But compared with even the best wine and food pairings, the harmony between the tangy goat cheese and the spirited wine of the Loire is quite remarkable. They share a mineral, lemon-thyme note that is both distinctive and delicious. One explanation is that the Alpine goats of the area forage on grasses and brush that have picked up the chalky notes of the limestone soil, which is similar to the soil in the better vineyards. Wild thyme is also prevalent here, and goats everywhere are known to feast on such herbal brush. Matching Chavignol with Loire sauvignon blanc is fascinating.
Crottin de Chavignol is meant to be enjoyed at different stages of maturity -- which is common for wine, but relatively rare for cheese. Fresh from the cheese vat, it has a creamy texture and a mild, nutty taste. At this point, somewhat paradoxically, the best match is an older Pouilly-Fume or Sancerre, both of which also develop mellow, nutty notes four to five years after the vintage.
About four months later, when the cheese reaches full maturity, it develops a dense, often crumbly interior and a delectably robust, slatelike flavor. This strength makes it a perfect foil for young Pouilly-Fume and Sancerre, vibrant wines that burst with assertive character.
At intermediate stages, the wine and cheese can be enjoyed in any combination. This is also a good time to serve the cheese warm and grilled with toast, or in chevre salad. Both wines and the cheese are available locally. The 2002 and 2003 are excellent vintages for Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume and predominate in wine shops now. Young Crottin de Chavignol, which along with other good goat cheeses has become quite popular, is flown in weekly to better cheese and grocery markets in the Washington areas.
The following are my favorite Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumes from recent tastings. While both wines can sell for $50 or more, many examples are more modestly priced and offer excellent value for wines of this caliber. Approximate prices are in parentheses along with the distributor in case your wine store needs to order them.
Domaine Girard Sancerre 2003 La Garenne ($18; Louis/Dressner Selections /Wine Partners): This delectable wine is from a family estate in the village of Chaudoux, directly north of Chavignol. This cuvee is from the estate's best vineyard, La Garenne, a 5.5-acre plot with chalky, limestone soil that lends a distinctively flinty, mineral note to the wine. In 2003, La Garenne's well-drained slopes allowed the grapes to achieve exceptional ripeness, yielding a wine with aromas of spring flowers, mandarin orange and herbs, followed on the palate by intense flavors and a brisk finish that cries out for goat cheese.
Domaine Thomas & Fils 2003 Sancerre "La Crele" ($21; France); Domaine Thomas et Fils 2003 Sancerre "Grand Chaille" ($24; Kacher Selections/Washington Wholesale); Vivacious and loaded with exotic, tropical fruit aromas and flavors, the La Crele bottling slightly out-pointed the estates' new, more expensive Grand Chaille in my tastings. Both are excellent. The chief difference is that the La Crele emphasizes freshness and liveliness of fruit, while the Grand Chaille weighs in with classic, mineral tones.
Francois Cazin Cheverny 2003 Le Petit Chambord ($12: Louis/Dressner Selections/Wine Partners): This excellent value offers an intriguing alternative to the 100 percent sauvignon blanc wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. By law, wines from Cheverny, which is located west of Sancerre, must be a blend of varietals. Le Petit Chambord is 81 percent sauvignon blanc and 19 percent chardonnay. Because the soils are a bit heavier than in the Sancerrois, chardonnay ripens well here; its inclusion adds a note of light honey to soften the steely intensity of sauvignon blanc.
Philippe Raimbault 2003 Pouilly-Fume "La Montee des Lumeaux" ($21; Country Vintner): This refined sauvignon blanc wine offers a deft balance between delicate floral notes and firm, flinty fruit. Bright citrus notes enliven the palate, and brisk acidity extends the fruit through the distinctive finish. Quite fine.
ALSO RECOMMENDED (in order of preference): Patient Cottat 2003 Sauvignon Blanc ($9; good value); Pascal Jolivet Sancerre 2003 ($20); Herve Seguin 2002 Pouilly-Fume ($21); Vincent Delaporte Sancerre Chavignol ($21); Merlin-Cherrier 2003 Sancerre ($22); Patient Cottat 2002 Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly-Fume ($18); Henry Natter 2002 Sancerre ($25); Pascal Jolivet Pouilly-Fume 2003 ($20).
� 2005 The Washington Post Company
----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> -----
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 13:41:18 -0400 (EDT)
To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu
Subject: 30SecWineAdvisor - WT101: French whites
From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com>
X-Sender: <wine(a)wineloverspage.com>
THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Wednesday, July 6, 2005
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IN THIS ISSUE
* WT101 - FRENCH WHITES Let's celebrate Bastille Day by toasting freedom
and independence with something French, cool and white.
* M. CHAPOUTIER 2002 BELLERUCHE C�TES-DU-RH�NE BLANC ($11.99) Minerally
and complex, an exceptional value in a Rh�ne Valley white of unusual
subtlety and style.
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WT101 - FRENCH WHITES
Bastille Day is coming up on July 14, and most people have pretty much
put that embarrassing "Freedom Fries" thing behind us, so there couldn't
be a better time for a toast to the international ideal of freedom that
just about everyone shares.
That's a toast in French wine, of course, and owing to the heat and
humidity of the season, something French, white and properly chilled
should be just right.
And while you're at it, you might want to drop by our Wine Tasting 101
Forum, where this month's topic covers the rather broad territory of
"French white wine," with Boston-based wine writer Thor Iverson as the
guest host and expert.
Iverson has penned a brief overview of French white wines and a quick
regional overview of Loire Valley whites for your enjoyment. He'll be
adding more information about other French white-wine regions, and he
and other experts will be on hand throughout July to respond to your
questions and comments.
A key purpose of Wine Tasting 101, of course, is to help you gain
confidence in tasting wine and sharing your thoughts about it with
others by providing easily digestible information and useful advice as
you try your hand at writing wine notes in a friendly, supportive
environment. I hope you'll grab a glass of something French and white
and drop by the forum to give it a try.
________________________________________________________________________
WEB LINKS:
The home page for Wine Tasting 101 is
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/wt101.phtml
You can read Iverson's overview there, or as a forum topic where you can
respond interactively,
http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=7&tid=63029&mid=541481
His articles about Loire Valley whites are here:
* SHORT PRIMER: the sauvignons of the Loire Valley:
http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=7&tid=62976&mid=540914
* SHORT PRIMER: the chenins of the Loire Valley:
http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=7&tid=63119&mid=542151
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find a round-table online discussion in our interactive Wine Lovers'
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If you prefer to comment privately, feel free to send me E-mail at
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M. CHAPOUTIER 2002 BELLERUCHE C�TES-DU-RH�NE BLANC ($11.99)
This clear, light-gold wine shows the intriguing minerality and
pleasantly oxidative character that often begins to show in Rh�ne whites
even after just a year or two in the bottle: White fruit, beeswax,
honey, a hint of almond, a whiff of banana oil and a sense of wet
granite, so complex and shifting that it takes a while to sort it all
out. It's a bit more straightforward on the palate but very pleasant,
white fruit and stony minerality; tart acidity builds a firm structure
and lasts into a long finish. U.S. importer: Paterno Imports, Lake
Bluff, Ill. (July 4, 2005)
FOOD MATCH: I'd suggest it as a classic match with freshwater fish or
goat cheeses, but it also made a great cross-cultural pairing with
vegetarian Chinese dim sum dumplings.
VALUE: Belleruche, an "affordable" Northern C�tes-du-Rh�ne from the
excellent Chapoutier, is generally an excellent buy in both the red and
the white, and this one is no exception.
WHEN TO DRINK: The oxidative nature of Rh�ne whites makes aging a bit
iffy, as rich complexity can tip into Sherrylike oxidation with time;
while they stay on the tightrope, though, they can be great, and at this
price you can afford to risk saving one or two for the sake of science.
Note that the 2003 vintage, which is likely to be a fatter, fruitier
wine, is now available, but the 2002 (which was not as disastrous a year
in the Northern Rh�ne as the South) should still be widely available in
wine shops.
WEB LINK:
The Chapoutier Website is presented in French and English. Use this link
for the English-language home page; then click "Our Wines" and use the
"Vineyards and Wines" pulldown menu at the right to select "C�tes-du-
Rh�ne: Belleruche white."
http://www.chapoutier.com/chapoutier/gb/default.html
The U.S. importer has an article about Chapoutier here:
http://www.paternowines.com/wines/france/m_chapoutier/
You can use the menus in the left-hand column to find fact sheets on
Belleruche and Chapoutier's other labels.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and seek vendors for Barefoot Cellars on Wine-
Searcher.com.
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Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Copyright 2005 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved.
----- End forwarded message -----
The New York Times
October 19, 2005
Wines of The Times
Loire Reds Liked It Hot
By ERIC ASIMOV
ACROSS Europe, the 2003 vintage provoked disbelief. In regions where winemakers ordinarily pray that their grapes will ripen sufficiently before autumn, a torrid heat wave sent them scurrying back from their August vacations to pick the grapes before they turned into raisins. This was California weather, not the sort of marginal growing climate in which vintage anxiety is the trade-off for wines that can scale the heights.
Extreme heat can throw everything out of whack. Ripening is accelerated, and if growers do not pick the grapes at the right time, they will have too much sugar, resulting in wines that are higher in alcohol, with jammy, baked flavors and without the crisp zing that makes them refreshing. Great uncertainty awaited the 2003's.
The early indication is that the reds are faring much better than the whites. The 2003 Beaujolais vintage was excellent, rife with wines of unusual intensity. And, as the Dining section's wine panel found out in a tasting of 25 red wines from the Chinon and Bourgueil regions of the Loire Valley, the 2003 vintage was superb there as well.
Perhaps this should not be surprising. Chinon and Bourgueil benefit from hot weather more than most regions. The reds are made from the cabernet franc grape, which in the Loire Valley produces wines that offer a fragile teeter-totter balance of fruit, mineral and herbal flavors. If the grapes do not ripen fully, either because of the weather or because they are picked too early, those herbal flavors can become vegetal, resulting in wines that are nastily reminiscent of green bell peppers and canned peas and corn.
But the 2003's we tasted were lively, with great acidity. And if the wines had slightly more alcohol than usual, they were still well balanced.
That balance is precisely what makes these wines so unusual. At a time when the world is gravitating toward wines that taste of nothing but fruit and oak, these wines preserve their earth, mineral, raspberry and herbal flavors, which together create complexity and character.
"It's so nice to taste wines that aren't about fruit, fruit, fruit," said Karen King, beverage director at the Modern, who, along with our second guest, John Slover, a sommelier at Cru, joined Florence Fabricant and me for the tasting.
As much as we all loved the wines, we also agreed that they were not for everyone. People who prize power and lush fruit above all else will probably not like these Loire reds, which are taut and subtle.
"They're not easy in the sense of having obvious flavors, like oak and fruit," Mr. Slover said. Ms. Fabricant was more blunt, calling them take-no-prisoners wines.
By that she meant you would not want to hand out these wines at a party. They really require food to show their best side, and luckily they go with just about anything.
For me, the presence of a few reds from Chinon or Bourgueil immediately elevates a wine list. Stocking a bunch of cabernet sauvignons and pinot noirs is a no-brainer, but adding a few Loire reds indicates that somebody is thinking about the wine.
Our tasting was not entirely of the 2003 vintage. We included 8 bottles from 2002, a vintage that was good and far more typical, and 17 from 2003. But the 03's dominated our top-10 list, 8 to 2, and given the conventional wisdom that Bourgueils and Chinons are best consumed 3 to 10 years after the vintage, the relative age was irrelevant.
Our favorite wine, the '03 Chinon Vieilles Vignes from Philippe Alliet, offered the classic interplay of flavors along with a clear suggestion of ripe fruit that is perhaps not typical of a Chinon in another vintage, but it was certainly not heavy.
Our No. 2 wine, Les Galichets, an '03 Bourgueil from Catherine and Pierre Breton, had great purity and the sort of precise balance found in the best Loire reds, and at $15 it was half the price of the Alliet.
The Bretons make several other cuv�es, including a 2003 Trinch, our No. 8 wine. This wine is intended for immediate consumption, slightly chilled. It had a barnyard note to its aroma that we liked but does put some people off. Trinch, by the way, is the sound of two glasses clinking, as rendered by the French.
Other top names among our favorites included Bernard Baudry, whose '03 Franc de Pied seemed a classic Chinon, and Charles Joguet, whose wines have been longtime standard-bearers for Chinon. Joguet's '03 Clos du Ch�ne Vert was big and complex, with more oak than some others. Another Joguet, Les Varennes du Grand Clos '03, made the list. It, too, seemed richer than the other wines but, again, well put together.
As for the 2002 wines, two made our list. The 2002 Vieilles Vignes Chinon from Domaine du Colombier was balanced and appealing. The 2002 Chinon Tradition Graves from B�atrice and Pascal Lambert offered peppery herbaceousness and fruit.
Our tasting included 16 bottles from Chinon and 9 from Bourgueil, for no other reason than that's what we found in our shopping.
The two areas are near each other in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley. Bourgueil is north of the Loire River, just east of St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, which also makes good cabernet franc wines. Chinon is south of the Loire, near the Vienne River, which flows into the Loire.
It is often said that Bourgueil wines are a little more tannic than Chinon wines, which are a little more fragrant. Frankly, in a blind tasting, I couldn't tell the difference. I was happy with either.
Tasting Report: Balancing Fruit, Mineral and Herbal Flavors
Philippe Alliet Chinon Vieilles Vignes 2003
$30
***
Savory and spicy, with mineral, earth and herbal flavors; light-bodied and balanced. (Importer: Jeroboam Wines, New York)
Catherine and Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Galichets 2003
$15
***
Perfectly balanced with fruit, mineral and floral aromas; light and complex. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)
Bernard Baudry Chinon Franc de Pied 2003
$25
***
Light, elegant and classically balanced with herb, fruit and mineral flavors. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)
BEST VALUE
Sauvion Bourgueil Vall�e de la Loire 2003
$10
***
Complex and full with persistent fruit, herb and mineral flavors. (Le Reine Importing, New York)
Ch�teau de Coulaine Chinon Bonnaventure 2003
$17
** �
Lively and tangy with flavors of plums and spices. (Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.)
Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Ch�ne Vert 2003
$33
** �
Aromas of forest, herbs and dried fruit; more oak than some others. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants, Berkeley, Calif.)
Domaine du Colombier Chinon Cuv�e Vieilles Vignes 2002
$18
** �
Crisp texture; aromas of berries, mint, tobacco and olives. (Baron Fran�ois, New York)
Catherine and Pierre Breton Bourgueil Trinch 2003
$13
** �
Olives, earth and spice aromas with a barnyard note; a wine that you'll like or hate. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)
Charles Joguet Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos 2003
$28
**
Fuller bodied than some with flavors of rich fruit, earth and olives. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.)
B�atrice et Pascal Lambert Chinon Tradition Graves 2002
$16
**
Highly aromatic with lively, peppery fruit flavors. (JF Wine Imports, Venice, Fla.)
* Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company
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* 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 *
You can call Surdyk's at 612-379-3232 and ask for Lynn or Zack . Mention
the "bubbles" discount and you can get in for $30. (no discount on
website, sorry).
Will let you know about "bubbles" discount for champagne tasting on
December 1st as soon as I know price, etc.
Joyce
WHO: Surdyk’s welcomes world famous importer Terry Theise for an exclusive
Wine Tasting Event
WHAT: Wine Tasting with 15 selections from Mr. Theise’s outstanding
portfolio of only the best wines from Germany, Austria and France
WHERE: Millennium Hotel, 1313 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis MN
WHEN: November 10, 2005 6:30 – 9 pm
HOW MUCH: $35 per person – reservations required to attend this exclusive
event. Please go to surdyks.com or call 612/379-3232 to reserve your seat.
Surdyk’s is proud to announce our next exclusive Wine Tasting event with
Terry Theise, world-famous importer of Estate grown German and Austrian
wines, and a cutting edge importer of Champagnes. He represents many of the
finest estates in Germany and Austria, including Müller-Catoir, Dönnhoff,
and J.J. Christoffel in Germany, as well as Brundlmayer, Schloss
Gobelsburg, and Nigl in Austria. He selects only the finest offerings from
each of his estates; every wine he puts his name to is of the highest
quality.
Mr. Theise was recently honored with a very prestigious American Wine Award
from Food and Wine magazine. He was named Outstanding Distributor/Importer
of the year for 2005. Of his wines, Terry is quoted as saying, “I cherish
them all, as European white wines that display a similar grace, freshness
and clarity and come to us from geographically complex soils after hundreds
of years of trial and error.”
Mr. Theise will be on-hand to walk us through each exquisite offering from
his portfolio. His passion for his work is phenomenal and contagious.
Please join us as he presents the results of the highly anticipated 2004
vintage of German and Austrian wines. This is a one of a kind tasting that
is not to be missed!
Space is limited, so go to surdyks.com or call 612/379-3232 today to
reserve your seat!
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