>From the SFChronical via our friend Bruce:
----- Forwarded message from Bruce Adomeit <badomeit(a)startribune.com> -----
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 15:45:25 -0500
From: Bruce Adomeit <badomeit(a)startribune.com>
To: ondcuff(a)aol.com, Sms55113(a)aol.com, jellings(a)me.umn.edu,
Subject: Responses to Amador article in S.F. Chronicle
If you read the email from me about Amador wine shenanigans, you'll be interested in these letters, which the S.F. Chronicle published today. /bruce
Vintners, readers respond to "Drama in Amador"
-
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Editor -- W. Blake Gray's article on Aug. 11, "Drama in Amador," is great fiction, up there with nukes in Iraq. Mr. Gray, so desperate for a story, dug up 10-year-old events. He then allowed himself to be duped. Mr. Gray never bothered to go visit the Grandpere Vineyard at Renwood Winery, nor did he care to see the evidence that proves his story was the fantasy of the Harveys, to whom he refers as "Terri" and "Scott." He used bush-league techniques such as not using my first name, not mentioning my teenage children or my wife, Rene, the namesake of the winery. He tried to discredit me by quoting someone who has no firsthand knowledge of the facts, nor lived in Amador County when they occurred.
The truth is simple: Scott and Terri Harvey created Grandpere Vineyard in 1994 across the street from their own vineyard. The new vineyard was sold to Renwood in 1995. The Original Grandpere Vineyard owned by Ms. Harvey has phylloxera, whether she admits it or not, along with much of Amador County. Her vineyard is a mix of new Barbera, new Zin and old vines. Her quality was not to Renwood's standards, and we want to buy 100 percent old-vine Zinfandel, so we did not renew her contract in 2001. Renwood wanted to be the peacemaker, so we did buy Ms. Harvey's and Mr. Binz's winery stock in 2002, so they could keep their vineyard.
Mr. Gray did not tell the whole story when he said we prevailed in court. Mr. Harvey sued Renwood twice -- once in Amador County, then in Napa County -- and lost both times. He settled his federal trademark case after the BATF ruled that Renwood has the rights to Grandpere and Grandpere Vineyard. The hidden costs were the lost bonuses for employees who made great wine at Renwood during this waste of time and money. Instead of promoting Amador County and the great wines the county produces, when the press comes calling, some people want to talk about adultery. At Renwood, we make wine, create good jobs and promote the great grapes grown in our county.
Mr. Gray did the readers a further disservice by attempting to compare three different vintages of wines, made up of different grapes. Some of the wines tasted contained various quantities of the original Grandpere vineyard grapes. Renwood's 2002 Grandpere Zinfandel is big, bold and spicy, full of rich aromas of blackberries with subtle hints of cocoa. Renwood produces Grandpere from 100 percent original cuttings, on head-pruned vines. Future generations will be able to enjoy Zinfandel from California's oldest known vines. We invite you to see for yourself and taste the difference.
ROBERT I. SMERLING
Founder & CEO
Renwood Winery
Plymouth
Editor -- I read with great interest your article. I've been involved in the Amador County wine community for more than 25 years -- as a retailer during the 1980s, communications director at Montevina Winery during the 1990s and, currently, adviser to the Amador Vintners' Association and several Amador County wineries.
There's much I could say about Robert Smerling's various allegations, but two things, in particular, deserve a response.
First, Smerling did not put Amador County on the wine map. That distinction belongs to North Coast wineries like Sutter Home Winery, Ridge Vineyards, Mayacamas Vineyards and Carneros Creek Winery, which during the late 1960s began producing spectacular Zinfandels from Amador's pre- Prohibition vines.
Those wines attracted a new generation of vintners to the region -- Cary Gott at Montevina, Leon Sobon at Shenandoah Vineyards/Sobon Wine, Buck Cobb at Karly Wines and Ben Zeitman at Amador Foothill Winery -- who further cemented Amador's reputation as a source of high-quality Zinfandel and other wines.
Second, never in my hundreds of visits to Amador have I heard or seen anything that could remotely be construed as anti-Semitism. (I'm Jewish.) I believe the region's Jewish vintners -- including Zeitman, who has been at Amador Foothill for 25 years -- would say the same.
It's unfortunate that Robert Smerling failed to acknowledge the contributions of the wine pioneers who preceded him and made accusations that risk tarnishing the reputation of a wonderful region to which he ostensibly is committed.
STAN HOCK
Kensington
Editor -- "Drama In Amador" is a clear example of irresponsible journalism.This drama that you refer to took place nearly a decade ago. Great scoop!
Amador County is producing a bevy of new and exciting wines from both long-established wine families and bold, invigorating newcomers alike, and this tabloid-style reporting does a tremendous disservice to your readers, the reputation of your Wine section, the Amador region in particular and the wine industry in general.
I certainly hope that this sort of writing is more an aberration for an otherwise well-edited section, and I look forward to reading more fact-based reporting rather than the wild and self-serving claims from, at best, questionable sources.
THOMAS A. QUINN
Folsom
Editor -- Congratulations for a well-researched and informative article.
It is true that we are a very tight-knit community, and I have found it to be a very trusting, generous and welcoming one. In my 29 years of living here and making wine, I have lived, worked, collaborated with and known the many Jewish families who are winemakers, winery owners, vineyard owners and neighbors in our community. I can assure you that they are all loved and respected.
I know that scandal and controversy sells, but how about balancing the story with one about a couple, now married 47 years, who raised their six children while starting a winery, and now are passing that very thriving business on to those children?
LEON SOBON
Founder
Sobon Family Wines
Editor -- Very interesting story, but as a huge, huge fan of C.G. di Arie (I think it's the best Zinfandel on the planet), I don't know if I should curse you -- I would hate to see my supply lines dry up.
But thanks for an entertaining read -- seems like microclimates can affect more than just the grapes. I learned a lot about an area (and a vineyard) that I've been a fan of for a very long time.
ANDREW CONWAY
Folsom
Editor -- I bought grapes from Scott Harvey's former Grandpere vineyard for home winemaking from 1985 through 1995. He used to charge us $400 for a half-ton of fruit and never changed his prices. He seemed to enjoy teaching about winemaking and sampling our product. I would bring him a couple of cigars and we would have a great time.
When he was unable to sell us any more Grandpere, we bought grapes from different vineyards from him, the last being from Bowman Vineyard behind Vino Noceto and Domaine de la Terre Rouge.
There are those in Amador who would like to Napa-ize the Shenandoah Valley and those who would like to preserve its heritage and keep it similar to what they have. Due to the pressure of real estate and the growing population, the area may become developed in the near future. An example would be how Cadenasso Winery in Fairfield finally gave way to development. Wooden Valley Winery has to be feeling that pressure also, as I was in Suisun Valley a couple of weeks ago and could see the houses edging closer.
Thanks for the article; it was insightful and painfully honest.
CARL BURKE
Sacramento
----- 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 *
An Update. Some new info. I had a "YES" from annette, this week and
last, but apparently didn't move her out of the "Guess List" pergatory
and into Yes List Nirvana....
I have some additional info regarding Bill, Russ.
BTW, the wine list for the LD tasting is on line at
http://www.liquordepot.com/
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 17:18:44 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: Zins at Sapor on Thursday
User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i
Updates as I know them. Also an article on pairing wine w/ spicy food.
Liq. Depot Sale tasting is this Thursday at 5:00.
We're going to Sapor at 6:30 on Thursday.
Style du jour is Zinfandel. $5 per person in leu of corkage.
Probably going to Bobino, tasting menu, on 9/8/08.
Ruth is going to the fair several times.
Not sure who's coming on Thursday. Will guess.
Sapor, 6:30 p.m. on Thursday $5 per person in lieu of corkage.
Recall that we got into some hot water when someone inadvertantly
brought something that they claim was on their list.
I belive it was a Zin from Seghesio and/or Ch. Souvreign....
Never mind that it was a different vintage and blah-blah-blah...
Anyway, part of their wine list is on their web site.
If you happen to bring something that's on the list
(easier than you might think. Ask Russ about a split of
something obscure he'd bought at a winery that was on
their shelf as well.... ) We'll just save it for
another week. We're never short of wine.
http://www.saporcafe.com/
428 N. Washington, Mpls
612 375 1971
Yes/Guess:
Annette S
Warren/Ruth (will be there if the clouds are sufficiently dark)
Betsy
Bob
Nicolai
Jim
More guesses....
Lori
Roger LeClair
Dave
Bill won't be there tonight or next week or at Bobino on 9/8
Russ is planning to join us on 9/1, 9/8
Sapor is very close to Sam's Wine Shop (closes at 8:00 M-Th).
Tasting Menu for 9/8/08 at Bobino.
$36 per person plus tax, tip, etc.
Menu also available
Need to supply a good estimate of the number of people who
want the Tasting Menu by Tuesday 9/6/08
Open question: Is this Any Pinot or Basically Burgundy?
Bubbles Pinot/Burgundy Tasting Menu
September 8th, 2005
Bobino Cafe
Amuse Bouche
Fresh Black Mission Fig, Fourme D??? Ambert Moussiline, Local Arugula
.Poached Foie Gras au Torchon
Braised Apricot, Braeburn, Cabbage, Brioche Croustade
Crispy Leg of Duck Confit
Taleggio Panna Cotta, Pickled Cherries, Hazelnut, Port
Roasted Beets
Endives, Watercress, Humboldt Fog, Smoked Tomato-Orange Caramel
Rare Seared Ahi Tuna
Wild Mushrooms, Truffled Charred Onion, Red Wine Demi
----- 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 *
An Update.
BTW, the wine list for the LD tasting is on line at
http://www.liquordepot.com/
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 17:18:44 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: Zins at Sapor on Thursday
User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i
Updates as I know them. Also an article on pairing wine w/ spicy food.
Liq. Depot Sale tasting is this Thursday at 5:00.
We're going to Sapor at 6:30 on Thursday.
Style du jour is Zinfandel. $5 per person in leu of corkage.
Probably going to Bobino, tasting menu, on 9/8/08.
Ruth is going to the fair several times.
Not sure who's coming on Thursday. Will guess.
Sapor, 6:30 p.m. on Thursday $5 per person in lieu of corkage.
Recall that we got into some hot water when someone inadvertantly
brought something that they claim was on their list.
I belive it was a Zin from Seghesio and/or Ch. Souvreign....
Never mind that it was a different vintage and blah-blah-blah...
Anyway, part of their wine list is on their web site.
If you happen to bring something that's on the list
(easier than you might think. Ask Russ about a split of
something obscure he'd bought at a winery that was on
their shelf as well.... ) We'll just save it for
another week. We're never short of wine.
http://www.saporcafe.com/
428 N. Washington, Mpls
612 375 1971
Yes/Guess:
Warren/Ruth
Betsy
Bob
Nicolai
Jim
More guesses....
Lori
Roger LeClair
Annette S
Dave
Sapor is very close to Sam's Wine Shop (closes at 8:00 M-Th).
Tasting Menu for 9/8/08 at Bobino.
$36 per person plus tax, tip, etc.
Menu also available
Need to supply a good estimate of the number of people who
want the Tasting Menu by Tuesday 9/6/08
Open question: Is this Any Pinot or Basically Burgundy?
Bubbles Pinot/Burgundy Tasting Menu
September 8th, 2005
Bobino Cafe
Amuse Bouche
Fresh Black Mission Fig, Fourme D??? Ambert Moussiline, Local Arugula
.Poached Foie Gras au Torchon
Braised Apricot, Braeburn, Cabbage, Brioche Croustade
Crispy Leg of Duck Confit
Taleggio Panna Cotta, Pickled Cherries, Hazelnut, Port
Roasted Beets
Endives, Watercress, Humboldt Fog, Smoked Tomato-Orange Caramel
Rare Seared Ahi Tuna
Wild Mushrooms, Truffled Charred Onion, Red Wine Demi
Updates as I know them. Also an article on pairing wine w/ spicy food.
Liq. Depot Sale tasting is this Thursday at 5:00.
We're going to Sapor at 6:30 on Thursday.
Style du jour is Zinfandel. $5 per person in leu of corkage.
Probably going to Bobino, tasting menu, on 9/8/08.
Ruth is going to the fair several times.
Not sure who's coming on Thursday. Will guess.
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 14:16:44 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Greetings,
Muffuletta was wonderful. Very relaxing in the back room.
Sapor, 6:30 p.m. on Thursday $5 per person in lieu of corkage.
Recall that we got into some hot water when someone inadvertantly
brought something that they claim was on their list.
I belive it was a Zin from Seghesio and/or Ch. Souvreign....
Never mind that it was a different vintage and blah-blah-blah...
Anyway, part of their wine list is on their web site.
If you happen to bring something that's on the list
(easier than you might think. Ask Russ about a split of
something obscure he'd bought at a winery that was on
their shelf as well.... ) We'll just save it for
another week. We're never short of wine.
http://www.saporcafe.com/
428 N. Washington, Mpls
612 375 1971
Yes/Guess:
Warren/Ruth (if it's raining. Being on a stick is no excuse for being soggy)
Betsy
Bob
Nicolai
Jim
More guesses....
Lori
Russ
Roger LeClair
Annette S
Dave
Karin
Sapor is very close to Sam's Wine Shop (closes at 8:00 M-Th).
August 17, 2005
Choosing Bottles to Face the Heat
By ERIC ASIMOV
WHAT do Thai, Japanese and Chinese food have in common? Not to mention Indian and Mexican food, Middle Eastern and Haitian, and, as long as we're at it, barbecue?
When deciding what to drink with any of these cuisines, the reflex is usually to grab a beer. Or a Coke. Or water - lots of water.
I have no problem with any of those choices. Beer in particular is especially appealing with all of these cuisines, although most restaurants serving these foods have been the absolute last to discover the world of great craft beers.
Wine - the right wine - can go beautifully with any of these foods. It's not necessarily better than beer, but if you love wine why shouldn't you be able to enjoy it with Thai, Haitian and anything else? The key is choosing the right wine, because when you are dealing with foods that are forcefully spiced, and often with lots of chili heat, many wines can easily be overwhelmed.
It's understandable that people rarely select wine with any of these cuisines. These foods do not come from wine-making regions. They are made for beer or even whiskey.
Cultural attitudes can also play a role. As Americans are in the habit of associating beverages with social aspirations, well, let's just say that you have a better chance of finding wine at a Nascar race than you do at a barbecue pit.
So what is the right wine to go along with these foods? More often than not, it's Champagne. No wine, believe it or not, is as versatile with so wide a range of food as Champagne, and that especially includes foods that are assertively spiced. Chicken chaat with chili, cilantro and that icy feeling in the top of your mouth that comes from coarsely ground Indian black salt? Champagne is your baby. Griot, the Haitian dish of pork chunks that are marinated in vinegar, chili and lemon juice, then fried? You won't go wrong with Champagne. Sichuan twice-cooked pork? Champagne, definitely.
Champagne is a great choice with sushi. And if you go to Blue Smoke in Manhattan, a barbecue pit mutated into an urban New York restaurant, where you will actually find a wine list, go directly to the Billecart-Salmon. It's the perfect, and perfectly ironic, choice with the smoky pulled pork. Can it be mere affectation that R.U.B., the barbecue joint on West 23rd Street, offers Dom P�rignon with its Taste of the Baron, a big sampler special for two, all for $275? Well, maybe it can, but if money's no object, you would not be sorry.
On first glance, it's obvious why Champagne would go so well with beer cuisines. It's the bubbles. But that doesn't explain all of it. Cava and prosecco have bubbles, but they don't have the intensity of Champagne. California sparkling wine has bubbles, but it often is a little too heavy to refresh. I recently tried a sparkling shiraz from Australia with falafel and hummus with hot sauce, and frankly, I wish I had used more hot sauce to drown out the thick, sweet yet bitter flavor of the shiraz. No, the bubbles are important, but Champagne also has a crucial element that the other sparkling wines too often lack: high acidity.
Acidity gives wine snap and zest. It gives it a sense of freshness and helps to stimulate the palate. Even sweet wines, like a German riesling auslese, when balanced by acidity, can be thoroughly refreshing. Good acidity in a wine is essential if it is to accompany foods that aren't typically thought of as good with wine.
Thai food is generally ceded to the beer camp. It's hard to beat a great pilsner with a spicy Thai curry, but you know what? A good Bourgueil comes awfully close. Bourgueil, a village in Touraine on the Loire, produces reds from the cabernet franc grape that can be raspy with acidity, but when the acidity is balanced by sufficient fruit you have a delicious wine. Are Bourgueils, along with similar wines from the neighboring villages of Chinon and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, great wines? No, but they are great food wines.
If you don't believe me, have a meal at Holy Basil, a Thai restaurant in the East Village. Pimnapa Suntatkolkarn, the chef and an owner, has constructed a wine list that I wish could be a model for every moderately priced restaurant, and she always offers a good Loire red. At a meal there I tried a 2002 Bourgueil "Les Galichets" from Catherine and Pierre Breton, as well as a 1995 Rioja Reserva from L�pez de Heredia. The Rioja is wonderful, and about twice the price of the Bourgueil, but with a pungent, tart yet balanced dish like crisp duck with panang curry and kaffir lime? The Rioja had no business on the table. The Bourgueil, though, was perfect - refreshing and stimulating. The Rioja no doubt would receive a higher score in a blind tasting, but at a Thai dinner, the Bourgueil blew it away.
Ms. Suntatkolkarn believes in choices, though, and she has wisely put on her list such versatile wines as a Mosel riesling from Selbach, a Saint-V�ran from Daniel Barraud, two whites that combine good acidity with fine mineral flavors, and a Brouilly, an easygoing yet intense Beaujolais from Ch�teau Thivin. These are wines that I would not hesitate to drink with most highly spiced cuisines. She might want to add a Champagne or two, and, alas, reconsider her beer selection.
Other red wines can be versatile, too, like barbera from Piedmont in northwestern Italy, for one, and C�tes-du-Rh�nes, unless they are too oaky. Burgundy and mellow pinot noirs, of course. Sushi and pinot noir is a surprisingly excellent combination, though you need to be careful. Burgundies are generally good choices, because they have sufficient acidity, but American pinot noirs can often be too sweet.
With one recent sushi dinner I tried an Oregon pinot noir that I have enjoyed, a 2002 from Francis Tannahill called the Hermit. Unless you pour on the wasabi and soy, sushi depends on a subtle interplay of quickly etched flavors, and the rich, intense Tannahill was overwhelming. A much better choice was a 2000 Carneros Heritage Reserve from Schug, a low-key pinot noir with good acidity. Like the Bourgueil, it was the kind of wine that doesn't necessarily win high marks in the ratings wars, but proves itself at the table.
Cabernet, merlot and other Bordeaux varietal wines may be among the world's most popular, but when it comes to foods off the wine trail, they tend to be overbearing brutes. Tannins, which are generally plentiful in cabernet, and spicy foods are like rivals whom you don't want to invite to the same party. Inevitably, they'll butt heads. When cabernets age and the tannins soften, the roles reverse, and it's the spicy food that does the bullying. But like the best-intentioned matchmakers, evidence doesn't stop some Bordeaux and cabernet lovers from placing their favorite wines in ill-conceived pairings.
Until he sold his restaurant, Henry's Evergreen, on the Upper East Side a few years ago, the owner, Henry Leung, offered an excellent list of powerful California cabernets with Cantonese food. With such bottles I found myself wishing for a steak. Fortunately, Mr. Leung offered some fine rieslings and other choices to go with the house specialties.
Perhaps the most famous Vietnamese restaurant in Paris is Tan Dinh. It's not the food that has won it acclaim, although it's very good, but its list of Pomerols. I could not nearly afford one of the better Pomerols. But the bottle I tried was thought-provoking. I had two thoughts, actually: Bring on some roasted lamb, or bring on the Champagne.
--
------------------------------ *
* 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 *
Greetings,
Bobino is booked up this week. Brian is no longer there.
Look for a tasting menu for some later date, perhaps 9/1/08.
So we need an alternate destination for this week..
Liq. Depot Sale starts this week, w/ a tasting at 5:00 on Thursday.
I would prefer something closer to the Depot but am open.
Things Close include:
Erte
The Modern Cafe
Sapor
(your suggestions here)
I've posted an article on the Dry Creek Valley from the
Wine Enthusiest.
Cheers,
Jim
Al Vento was good fun. That place is very busy, and for good reason.
Next week, Brian at Bobino will put together a Pinot/Burgundy
tasting menu for us. Joyce is handling the details.
Early guess at a head count is at least 12.
Will be exciting w/ the large stems and the small tables.
Cheers,
Jim
DRY CREEK VALLEY
Always known for its Zinfandels, this Sonoma Valley wine region is worth a visit for friendly tasting rooms pouring Rh�ne varieties and the quirky charm of Healdsburg.
Drivin. Dry Creek
Only 16 miles long and 2 miles wide, Dry Creek is easy to tour. Two days should do it, one for each of the roads that traverse the valley.s length. There are about 50 wineries in the AVA (see the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley.s Web site, www.wdcv.com, for details). Overnight, you.ll want to stay in Healdsburg.
The west is the best
West Dry Creek Road offers the greatest visual bang for your buck. Here are Everett Ridge, Forth, Pezzi King and Lambert Bridge. Just beyond Lambert Bridge is A. Rafanelli, which requires an appointment. Around the corner is another Dry Creek pioneer, Quivira. A few miles north is Preston. A final stop on West Dry Creek, up in the hills before it dead-ends, is Zin specialist Bella Vineyards.
The leisurely east
A drive up Dry Creek Road brings you to Zinfandel producers such as Deux Amis, Wilson, Nalle and Mauritson. Just beyond, you.ll see the old Dry Creek Store, a convenient place to stop for lunch. Don.t forget to turn onto Lambert Bridge Road to visit Dry Creek Vineyard.in many ways the valley.s mother ship. To the north is Unti Vineyards. Also on Dry Creek Road is the Family Wineries tasting room, shared by six wineries. (See www.familywineriesdrycreekvalley.com.) A few miles on, Yoakim Bridge offers very good Zinfandels and Syrahs. One of the final wineries on Dry Creek Road is Ferrari-Carano. Their wines are good, but most bear a Sonoma County, not Dry Creek Valley, appellation. The same is true of the last winery on Dry Creek Road, Lake Sonoma, worth a visit for its value wines and incredible down-valley view.
Also worth visiting are Mazzoco and Ridge/Lytton Springs, both well east of Dry Creek Road, and Seghesio, which is closer to Healdsburg on Grove Street. Gallo of Sonoma.s tasting room is in Healdsburg.
It.s a warm spring day in the Dry Creek Valley. S�bastien Polhan is outside the winery at Unti Vineyards, where he.s winemaker. He.s looking downvalley, where the nearly treeless valley floor undulates gently along Dry Creek, which, in rainy wintertime, rushes down to the Russian River, 12 miles southeast.
Polhan, who was born in the south of France, looks up at the sky. .It seems to me, knowing the Languedoc-Roussillon and the southern Rh�ne Valley, that the climate is similar to here,. he observes. .Not a huge temperature difference between winter and summer, and fairly dry..
Dry Creek Valley has had a long history of grapegrowing and winemaking. The Native American Pomo people called it Mihikaune, or Dry Creek Valley, for the stream that.s nothing but an arroyo seco, a dry wash, by high summer. The first grapevines were planted by California-born Mexicans in the 1830s. Following the Gold Rush in the 1850s, Americans who had failed to strike it rich in the Sierras emigrated toward the coast. They planted the Mission grape, which made .a rude wine,. according to an 1879 history of the region. At some point, probably during the Civil War, someone planted the noble grape that would establish Dry Creek.s reputation: Zinfandel.
Zinfandel.s delicate balance
Dry Creek.s heat makes Zinfandel dependably good. Days are warm to hot, and almost totally rainless, throughout summer and harvest. The best fruit doesn.t come from the bottomlands, where soils are generally too fertile. Instead, it is grown in the benchlands and up into the foothills and mountains; here, yields are low, and flavors are intensely concentrated in the well-drained, nutrient-poor, gravelly clay loams, whose red color testifies to their volcanic origins.
Zinfandels crafted here are rarely overly alcoholic or have residual sugar. The absence of these flaws, which are so commonly found elsewhere, is a testament to the technical abilities of Dry Creek.s vintners. .Balance is what comes to mind for Dry Creek Zin,. declares Scott Adams, who co-founded Bella Winery. .And they are ripe in fruit,. he adds, .especially from up here [in the north],. where the heat builds with each mile further from the Russian River. That word, .balance,. comes up in every discussion of Dry Creek Zin. .I.m looking for a nice, full-bodied, round, complex Zin, and above all a balanced one,. says Rafanelli.s winemaker, Rashell Rafanelli-Fehlman. Instead of concentrating on single-vineyard Zins, as does Bella, she makes only one, a blend from vineyards from around the valley.
Then there.s Doug Nalle, whose Zins define an earlier-picked style that makes the wines ageworthy and, maybe, more food-friendly. He blames .market pressures. for inspiring vintners to let their grapes get riper and riper with each vintage.
Other wineries that do a consistently good job with Zinfandel include Deerfield Ranch, Forchini, Preston, Ridge.s Lytton Springs bottling, Unti, Alderbrook, Fritz and Quivira.
The E&J Gallo winery also crafts very good Dry Creek Zins under a variety of brands, especially Rancho Zabaco and Gallo of Sonoma. Gallo, in fact, has a very long history in the valley, and is by far the largest vineyard owner. They long used the old Frei Brothers brand, which was founded in 1900, for grapes for bulk wine, and have lately resurrected the brand as the source of Merlot with a Dry Creek Valley appellation. Gallo.s Frei Ranch production facility, located in terraformed hills above Dry Creek Road, is huge, and about to get bigger after the county approved plans for its expansion, in June 2005.
Top Wines of the Valley
Two notes: Wine Enthusiast will publish a Syrah tasting feature in the September issue; for that reason, we.re not including Syrah reviews in this mixed case. Also, in this article, I single out only wineries in Dry Creek Valley, and only wines made from grapes grown there. But look also for some outstanding Dry Creek Valley wines from outside wineries: Zins from Rosenblum, Imagery, Ridge and Rancho Zabaco; Carlisle.s Syrah; and Chardonnays from Clos du Bois and Handley.
93 Rafanelli 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley); $40. Starts with aromas of cassis and black cherries.now one is the star, then the other. Finally, new oak kicks in. It hasn.t begun to come together yet, but when it does, you.ll find a rich, dense wine, with a wonderful tease of tannins. Drink 2008.2012.
92 Forth 2002 All Boys Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley); $18. Here.s a nice Cab that.s easy to like for its ripe berry, chocolate, olive and herb flavors and rich, smooth texture. Yet it has complexity. Drink now for the sheer exuberance of youth.
92 Unti 2003 Grenache (Dry Creek Valley); $26. With a little Syrah and Mourv�dre, this young, dark purple wine is tight, tannic and acidic. It needs time. Even as little as six months should soften it, and tease out the sweet cherry and spice flavors. Finishes with fabulous complexity.
91 Lambert Bridge 2002 Crane Creek Cuv�e (Dry Creek Valley); $50. Mainly Merlot, this Bordeaux blend is enormously rich in sweet cassis, cherry and cedar. It.s assertive, yet possesses an elegant architecture of rich, dusty tannins and crisp acids. Hold for at least five years.
91 Mauritson 2001 Growers Reserve Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley); $33. Far more tannic and concentrated than Mauritson.s regular Zin. Its blackberry, blueberry and pepper flavors are just delicious. Still, it should benefit from a few years of aging.
90 Bella 2002 Belle Canyon Estate Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley); $30. This fine example of a Dry Creek Zin is very forward in ripe cherries and raspberries, but possesses great structure from rich tannins. Deeply satisfying, it has fine balance and elegance.
90 Nalle 2003 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley); $26. Here.s a young, dark Zin with vibrant tannins and high acids that frame blackberry and cassis flavors. With alcohol below 14%, it.s quite elegant. Should develop well through the decade.
90 Thumbprint 2002 Schneider Vineyard Merlot (Dry Creek Valley); $30. Forward and inviting aromas of violets, black cherries, vanilla and charred oak join roasted meat and grilled wild mushroom notes, in this smoothly textured, complex Merlot. It.s gentle in tannins, with a taste of currants in the finish.
89 Preston 2003 Cavallo Barbera (Dry Creek Valley); $25. Purple in hue, this full-bodied wine has powerful aromas of plum sauce, cherry pipe tobacco and white pepper. It.s tannic but very soft, with a dry, cherry-leather finish. Try this assertive wine with bold fare.
87 Dry Creek Vineyard 2003 DCV3 Fum� Blanc (Dry Creek Valley); $25. Ripe and creamy, with fleshy peach and melon aromas brought to attention by notes of jalape�o and grass. Like the nose, the palate deals mostly ripe melon and peach flavors with touches of grass, white pepper and greens. Bulky and full.
87 Quivira 2003 Fig Tree Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Dry Creek Valley); $16. From estate grapes, this intensely flavored wine shows citron, lemongrass and fig flavors, brightened by acid. Semillon, barrel fermentation and sur lie aging all bring a rich, nutty creaminess, and a slight sweetness, to the finish.
The Sauvignon Blanc story
Dry Creek was declared Sonoma.s second American Viticultural Area in 1983 (the first was Sonoma Valley, a year earlier). Zinfandel.s success was crucial to making that happen, but the rapid rise of Sauvignon Blanc also contributed.
In 1972, Dave Stare started Dry Creek Vineyard, the first new winery in the valley since Prohibition, and one of the varieties he planted was the grape he.d fallen in love with while traveling in France.s Loire Valley. .The county farm advisor told me that nobody could grow Sauvignon Blanc here,. Stare recalls, with a rueful grin. .He recommended Chardonnay, Riesling or Gew�rztraminer. I ignored his advice and planted Sauvignon Blanc.. It was a perfect fit: Sauvignon Blanc thrived in the vigorous bottomland soils Zinfandel didn.t like.
Dry Creek Sauvignon Blancs are made in various styles, from grassy and unoaked to creamy, barrel-fermented bottlings like Dry Creek Vineyard.s DCV3 (which they call Fum� Blanc). .You get somewhat of a range of expression, depending on picking levels,. confirms Julia Iantosca, winemaker at Lambert Bridge. Iantosca looks to pick at higher brix, .so you move into more fresh alfalfa character, a sweeter green quality, and also lemongrass with hints of melon.. That.s an apt description of the classic Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc, which is usually crisp in acidity, too. Iantosca likes to blend in a tiny amount of Viognier, about 3 percent, because .it enhances Sauvignon.s character and aromatics.. Like many others, she recently began using the Musqu� clone of Sauvignon Blanc, which adds a Muscat-like perfume to the wine.
Cab.s uphill struggle
The earliest Dry Creek Cabernets generally exhibited a dusty, herbal character that was not as rich as a Napa Cab. But better viticultural techniques in recent years, as well as improved clones and warmer harvests, have tended to make the Cabs fruitier. Dry Creek Vineyard.s general manager, Don Wallace, finds .big cherries and chocolate flavors, with hints of coffee,. in his Endeavor Cabernet, grown from an eastside vineyard. Rafanelli-Fehlman, whose Cabernet is arguably the valley.s best, credits hillside plantings for the wine.s balance and longevity. .The grapes have thick skins that hold up well to heat. You can let our Cab hang in the vineyard [until it.s ripe]..
Goin. Rh�ne
In the California-wide sprint to achieve star status with Rh�ne varieties, Dry Creek is right up there at the head of the pack.
.All of the Rh�ne varieties do well in Dry Creek Valley.Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne,. declares Bill Frick, owner of Frick Winery. (He might have added Mourv�dre, which loves the heat.)
Dry Creek.s climate, as Polhan observed, is remarkably similar to that of the Southern Rh�ne Valley. There were probably always some scattered French varieties mixed in with the old Zinfandel vines.Carignane, Alicante Bouchet.which, as Frick points out, is one reason why Dry Creek Zins were so good from the start. .They were field blends,. says Frick.
In 1977, vintner Lou Preston installed a couple of acres of Syrah. He.d started with the usual suspects, Zin and Sauvignon Blanc, but soon, what he calls .unusual varieties. captured his fancy. Preston did something unusual: He planted his Syrah and Petite Sirah side by side. His explanation? .The two grapes sounded alike.. Today, Preston.s Vogensen Ranch Syrah-Sirah is a rich, hearty blend that.s not unlike a good Languedoc red.
Frick hopped onboard the Rh�ne train later, in the late 1980s. He had been growing Napa Gamay in his sparse, dry hillside vineyard, and although it made .a spectacular wine, like a big Pinot Noir, people pooh-poohed it. So I thought, what else can I grow in this kind of ground? I planted Syrah..
Unti Vineyards. George Unti and his son, Mick, arrived a little later and also planted Syrah, to four different clones. .Zinfandel we grow because, when you.re in Dry Creek Valley, you have to,. jokes Polhan. But when it came to choice, the Untis planted Rh�ne grapes, as well as Sangiovese and Barbera. Slowly but surely, Dry Creek vintners began to appreciate, not only the valley.s suitability for Syrah and other Rh�nes, but the public.s embrace of them.
Adams, at Bella, had begun with Zinfandel, but turned to Syrah when he realized that .Zinfandel and Syrah have an affinity. Syrah has the same weight as Zin, the same bold character, with a different flavor profile.. A Dry Creek Valley Syrah is a warm-climate wine. You don.t get the dark color, or the sturdy tannins and bright acids, of a Santa Maria Valley or Sonoma Coast Syrah. Instead, the best are dramatically rich and hedonistic in jammy, chocolaty fruit.
Not everybody in the valley is going the Rh�ne route. There are only about 300 acres of Syrah today throughout the A.V.A., compared to 2,226 acres of Zinfandel. But Dry Creek Syrah and Rh�nes are grabbing the attention of sommeliers and connoisseurs. .Zinfandel will be the King of Dry Creek forever,. declares Frick, .but Rh�ne varieties have a real future..
Hot, Hot Healdsburg
No wine town has become so glitzy, so fast, as Healdsburg.
The town.s founder, Harmon Heald, one of those failed Forty Niner gold miners, would hardly recognize his old settlement, but the Plaza he staked out is still there. Lined by redwoods, it.s at the center of a district of restaurants, antique shops, art galleries, bookstores, clothing boutiques, kitchen supply stores and tasting bars.
Longtime residents are awed by how upscale Healdsburg has become. .I.ve seen a lot of changes, and it.s great,. says Rafanelli.s winemaker, Rashell Rafanelli-Fehlman, .but there are times you wish you could go back..
Downtown Healdsburg is about strolling and people watching, shopping, wine tasting.and, after all that exercise, eating.
Dining
Barndiva, 231 Center Street; tel: 707.431.0100; www.barndiva.com. Open just a year, this watering hole is packing them in. .We don.t really know what Barndiva is,. says the young general manager, Lukka Feldman, whose mom owns it. Barndiva is a restaurant, lounge, cruising ground, place to hang out and listen to loud music, and most definitely a spot to drink. Open late, it.s casual-hip, attracting an eclectic crowd. The mostly-Sonoma wine list probably boasts the town.s most extensive by-the-glass selection.
Bistro Ralph, 109 Plaza Street; tel: 707.433.1380. Supposedly the first modern restaurant in Healdsburg, this small, lounge-style space, right on the Plaza, offers chops, duck, veal and seafood with Mediterranean touches. The wine list, thorough and imaginative, is all Sonoma, and cuts across all varieties and blends. Good by-the-glass selection, with many below $10.
Cyrus, Les Mars Hotel, 29 North Street; tel: 707.433.3311; www.cyrusrestaurant.com. Cyrus had buzz before it opened earlier this year, thanks to co-owner Nick Peyton and chef Douglas Keane, who both did stints at Masa.s, Gary Danko and Jardiniere. Then, once it opened, it moved immediately into Sonoma.s top rank of restaurants. After a caviar-and-Champagne presentation, you can order off the menu or do the tasting menu (7 courses, $85; $47 for wine). Cyrus.s wine list relies a bit heavily on famous names, but sommelier Jason Alexander says he.s searching for less predictable brands. Great cheese cart, great desserts.
Dry Creek Kitchen, 317 Healdsburg Avenue; tel: 707.431.0330; www.hotelheadsburg.com. It.s remarkable how DCK has meshed with the style of Healdsburg. It feels like a veteran, even though it opened only a few years ago. Founded by celebrity chef Charlie Palmer, DCK.s food is prepared with new chef de cuisine Michael Voltaggio.s refined sensibilities. The big wine list is all Sonoma, although it could have a greater by-the-glass range. The tasting menu, especially when paired with wines selected by DCK.s sommelier, Leo Hansen (who.s also the winemaker at Stuhlmuller), offers the best opportunity to graze. Desserts are outstanding.
Madrona Manor, 1001 Westside Road; tel: 707.433.4231. The restaurant at Madrona Manor [see .Lodging. for more information] is a glamourous destination, a place locals go to for a celebration. Just minutes outside town, in a Victorian hillside mansion, Madrona offers California interpretations of classic fare, using the best local ingredients. The large, flashy wine list has a good representation of Sonoma County and Napa Valley bottlings.
Ravenous Cafe & Lounge, 420 Center Street; tel: 707.431.1302. Housed in an old Victorian cottage, Ravenous offers California cuisine in a warmly intimate, casual space. Menus change daily. Ravenous is a favorite for hungry winemakers who like big portions. .It.s not foofy, so to speak,. says Bella.s Scott Adams, adding, .It.s food you might make for yourself.. There is a good selection of Dry Creek Valley and Sonoma County wines, at reasonable prices.
Zin Restaurant and Wine Bar, 344 Center Street; tel: 707.473.0946. Zin.s fare is rustic and hearty. The food, served in a spartan, barn-like space, has a homemade feel, and entrees are large. The wine list is serviceable, with the accent on Zinfandel, and glass pours are generous and inexpensive. Zin is popular with a younger, blue-jeans-and-earrings crowd that includes a good number of cellar rats. Lodging
Hotel Healdsburg, 25 Matheson Street; tel: 707.431.2800; www.hotelhealdsburg.com. When HH opened, back in 2001, some people thought it was too big, too Bauhaus for Healdsburg. If you.re looking for faux-French palatial, go elsewhere. HH is about zinc, stone and steel, glass sky bridges, natural fabrics and plank-wood floors.
Morning buffet, included in the price, offers eggs, smoked salmon, yogurt, piles of fresh fuits, bagels, the whole nine yards, served in the modernistic lobby.
Madrona Manor, 1001 Westside Road; tel: 707.433.4231; www.madronamanor.com. Located 3 minutes outside town, this romantic inn and restaurant is housed in an ancient Victorian mansion perched on a hill, with a gorgeous view. B&B-style rooms are luxuriously cozy; some offer jacuzzis. The inn also has a large heated swimming pool. Rates from $245-$485 a night, for two.
Les Mars Hotel, 27 North Street; tel: 707.433. 4211, 877. 431.1700; www.lesmarshotel.com. Les Mars, which opened just last March, is the counterpoint to Hotel Healdsburg. It.s grand style in the European tradition. From the antique-filled lobby to the suites, with four-poster beds, 19th century prints, fresh orchids, Louis XVI bureaux and gas fireplaces.not to mention jars of Bulgari lotions in the bathroom.this is upscale all the way.
The suites are airy and quiet. Rates range from $495 to $995. Tout Healdsburg is talking about Les Mars, and it.s safe to say it will be a while before anything opens in the area that outclasses it.
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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 *
Al Vento was good fun. That place is very busy, and for good reason.
Next week, Brian at Bobino will put together a Pinot/Burgundy
tasting menu for us. Joyce is handling the details.
Early guess at a head count is at least 12.
Will be exciting w/ the large stems and the small tables.
Cheers,
Jim
----- Forwarded message from Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net> -----
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Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 11:40:09 -0500
From: Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net>
To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu
User-Agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022
Subject: red, whites and pinks
X-Spam-Score: 1.051 (*) HTML_10_20,HTML_MESSAGE
X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.51 on 128.101.142.227
Jim, here are the brief notes. I thought it was great fun, no bad wines and
good food. A nice variety.
The theme was red and whites with a lighter touch for the warm weather.
Pink wines and sparkling was also encouraged. We were sequestored in the
back room at Muffuletta.
Billecart-Salmon NV Champagne / led off the evening and I kept a bit in a
glass until the end. It was very nice, creamy and mature but not at all
tired. "one of the most dependable NV champagnes available" ... for $27
Pine Ridge 2003 Chenin Blanc (81%) Viogner (19%) / Some tasters sensed
the presence of the Chenin in this nicely balanced, restrained wine. Some
guessed old world.
Omaka Springs 2002 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc / wow, green pepper that
never softened. Crisp and very lively but a bit sharp.
Mankloof Wine Collection 2003 South African Chenin Blanc / varietal had
most of us stumped but after pulling the bag we could see a similarity with
the Pine Ridge. Sweet fruit flavors and little acidity, seemed very warm
blooded.
Dr. Konstantin Frank 2001 Johanisberg, Finger Lakes Riesling / seemed old
world to some (a good thing) pungeont nose and dancing acid. A well
proportioned reisling.
Lawson's Dry Hills 2004 Marlborough Pinot Noir Rose / We all liked this
pretty, deeply colored rose wine. Strawberry and raspberry fruits in nose
and flavor with charming, nearly dry finish. Why do we not drink more rose?
go to Solo Vino for a vast selection.
Louis Tete 2001 "La Tot" Beaujolais Village / this one has appeared on
previous Thursday evenings. A true country French wine with an edge of
gravel to temper its soft approachable fruit.
Mas de Gourgonnier 2002 Le Baux de Provence / perhaps the darkest wine of
the night, not heavy though, with some earth and floral notes along with red
fruit and texture on the palate.
August Kesseler 2002 Spatbergunder Rheingau "Cuvee Max" troken / the wine
of the night if only because it was such a welcome surprise. We sensed Pinot
but the bottle shape was wrong (silly us). Some spice and dill notes, proper
acidity and a lingering herbal red fruit finish. Good with the salmon and
dashi.
Monsanto 2000 Chianti Classico / several picked up on the Italianate
nature of this red but we missed Tuscan origin. Be aware that wild boar is
on the Muffuletta specials sheet and this wine made the best match with
that. very balanced and elegant with no indication that its ready to quite
being very good.
----- 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 *
Jim, here are the brief notes. I thought it was great fun, no bad wines and
good food. A nice variety.
The theme was red and whites with a lighter touch for the warm weather.
Pink wines and sparkling was also encouraged. We were sequestored in the
back room at Muffuletta.
Billecart-Salmon NV Champagne / led off the evening and I kept a bit in a
glass until the end. It was very nice, creamy and mature but not at all
tired. "one of the most dependable NV champagnes available" ... for $27
Pine Ridge 2003 Chenin Blanc (81%) Viogner (19%) / Some tasters sensed
the presence of the Chenin in this nicely balanced, restrained wine. Some
guessed old world.
Omaka Springs 2002 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc / wow, green pepper that
never softened. Crisp and very lively but a bit sharp.
Mankloof Wine Collection 2003 South African Chenin Blanc / varietal had
most of us stumped but after pulling the bag we could see a similarity with
the Pine Ridge. Sweet fruit flavors and little acidity, seemed very warm
blooded.
Dr. Konstantin Frank 2001 Johanisberg, Finger Lakes Riesling / seemed old
world to some (a good thing) pungeont nose and dancing acid. A well
proportioned reisling.
Lawson's Dry Hills 2004 Marlborough Pinot Noir Rose / We all liked this
pretty, deeply colored rose wine. Strawberry and raspberry fruits in nose
and flavor with charming, nearly dry finish. Why do we not drink more rose?
go to Solo Vino for a vast selection.
Louis Tete 2001 "La Tot" Beaujolais Village / this one has appeared on
previous Thursday evenings. A true country French wine with an edge of
gravel to temper its soft approachable fruit.
Mas de Gourgonnier 2002 Le Baux de Provence / perhaps the darkest wine of
the night, not heavy though, with some earth and floral notes along with red
fruit and texture on the palate.
August Kesseler 2002 Spatbergunder Rheingau "Cuvee Max" troken / the wine
of the night if only because it was such a welcome surprise. We sensed Pinot
but the bottle shape was wrong (silly us). Some spice and dill notes, proper
acidity and a lingering herbal red fruit finish. Good with the salmon and
dashi.
Monsanto 2000 Chianti Classico / several picked up on the Italianate
nature of this red but we missed Tuscan origin. Be aware that wild boar is
on the Muffuletta specials sheet and this wine made the best match with
that. very balanced and elegant with no indication that its ready to quite
being very good.
Greetings,
Our friends at the MN Craft Brewer's Guild put on a great event.
Expect over 100 hand crafted beers and meads from 30 regional
breweries. It's also your chance to meet w/ the brewers.
Tix available on the web site.
Cheers,
Jim
----- Forwarded message from David H Berg <bergbrew(a)juno.com> -----
To: mcbg(a)mncraftbrew.org
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 07:53:19 -0500
Subject: ABR Update
How many new breweries will we have this year? It's anyone's guess, but
how's this for starters:
Arcadia
Avery
Breckenridge
Great Divide
Lakefront
Surly
I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple of others. But I'm noticing
that a lot of people I know will attend have not purchased tickets yet.
Why not? Why wait? The constant waiting/procrastinating of Minnesotans
is the main reason events get cancelled. If I had half a brain, I would
have cancelled the event when our partner dropped us. Looking at the
number of tickets sold to date, I should have my head examined for not
cancelling now. So, if you plan on attending, buy your ticket now. Tell
all your friends to do likewise. Let's make sure there is an ABR next
year.
David Berg
Head Brewer, Bandana Brewery
President, Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild
http://www.mncraftbrew.org
----- 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 *
FYI. Looking for extras. 40% off during the taping.
----- Forwarded message from "Louise A. Stich" <Louise.Stich(a)mci.com> -----
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 16:13:24 -0500
From: "Louise A. Stich" <Louise.Stich(a)mci.com>
Subject: FW: Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels
Ok to spread the word...
Louise
_____
From: Mary Leonard, Chocolat Celeste [mailto:mary@chocolatceleste.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 4:07 PM
To: mary.leonard(a)prodigy.net
Subject: Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels
The Food Network's latest show called Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels wiill be
visiting Chocolat Celeste tomorrow from 5 to 6:30 PM.
We are very excited about the visit. During the hour, we need customers to
be on film and in the background.
If you are in the neighborhood or you would like to make a trip over, we
will be sampling our new truffle flavors with wine.
All purchases made during the filming will be a 40% off.
Spread the word.
Thank you.
Mary Leonard
Chocolat Celeste
2506 West University Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55114
651.644.3823
"The Official Chocolatier of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra"
A 2004 nominee for - BEST AMERICAN ARTISANAL CHOCOLATIER
______________________________________________________________________
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----- 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 *
Mostly an update:
----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> -----
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 16:16:47 -0500
From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu>
To: wine(a)thebarn.com
Subject: Italian at Al Vento
User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i
X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by mail.enet.umn.edu id j7FLGlv6036723
Greetings,
Muffuletta was wonderful. Excellent, creative food.
This week, we're going to Al Vento. See the review below.
Wine du jour will be open Italian. Ringers always welcome.
Yeses and guesses:
Warren/Ruth
Bob
Bill
Jim
Louise
Lori
Karin
Nicolai
----- Forwarded message from Bruce Adomeit <badomeit(a)startribune.com> -----
Subject: City Pages review of Al Vento, this month's Cork&Fork venue
? Vol 26 ? Issue 1259 ? PUBLISHED 1/19/2005
Red Sauce Reverie
Southern Italian food goes over gangbusters in Southern Minneapolis
by Dara Moskowitz
Al Vento
5001 34th Ave. S., Minneapolis
612.724.3009
www.alventorestaurant.com
What does Jonathan Hunt, the charming 29-year-old behind the long dark locks, the South Africa-raised, Miami-trained, teetotaling son of missionaries know about Southern Italian food? Enough to pack the house at his new far-south Minneapolis restaurant Al Vento every single night.
I mean packed. Like a can of sardines in a Tokyo subway car in Times Square at midnight on New Year's. Packed.
Seriously. Try to get a table. I dare you.
These days they book about two weeks out, and for me, I've frittered away hours of my precious and ever-more-fleeting youth cooling my heels at the bar at Al Vento, staring longingly at tables filled with people looking gorgeous beneath the dim orange lights, and flushed with unusual Italian wines.
So what, besides the buzz, is the big draw? Bruschetta topped with olive tapenade. Caesar salad. Spaghetti with meatballs. Pizza scattered with sausage crumbles. New York strip steak with mashed potatoes. Tiramisu and cr?me br?l?e. Sound like a revolution to you?
Me neither, but, evidently, a sturdy neighborhood Italian joint holds as much magical appeal in this part of town as a SpongeBob Band-Aid has for someone with a booboo.
So how's the food?
It's pretty darn good! You can start your meal with bruschetta, those little slices of olive oil-gilded toast, topped with a fresh chopped mixture of tomato and basil, a spoonful of tangy caponata, that marinated eggplant salad, or mashed olives in a tapenade spread. A plate bearing one of each costs $4. Baked mushroom caps filled with a nubbin of Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, and such, are fine. Crab cakes-- yes, crab cakes--are embellished with two sorts of aioli, one made with basil, the other sweetened with roasted red bell peppers, and have all the light, creamy, and crispy appeal of well-made crab cakes.
An almost totally charming appetizer is fashioned from slices of cold smoked salmon twirled around a spoonful of mascarpone cheese and festooned with fresh pomegranate seeds. The dish has texture to burn, with the silky fish, slick mascarpone, and popping pomegranate, and tastes fleeting and joyful. That is, as long as you skip the super-hard rounds of toast that lurk beneath the composition, which I found to be nearly too crisp to eat.
Giant blue prawns wearing wide belts of kataifi, that shredded phyllo dough, were good when the restaurant was slow (or rather, when I dined quite late): fresh and crisp, as dynamic with their potato-chip-crisp outsides and sweet insides as any sweet shrimp from a sushi bar. When the place was slammed, though, those same shrimps were served cold and shriveled, and cold cooking oil poured from their shells. I couldn't tell you why the things were served in a small dish of chilled caponata on either occasion.
All the salads I tried were very good. The Caesar ($6) was a particularly craveable version, in which nice, whole, young leaves of romaine were dressed with a perky, garlic-laced, but very creamy dressing, the composition enhanced by lovely thin planks of crouton and golden sheets of very good-quality Parmesan. Pizzas are all made on a sweet, rich crust: The fennel sausage one ($10) was scattered with chubby chunks of sweet sausage separated from one another by pools of melted goat cheese; the simple basil-tomato one topped with mozzarella made fresh at Al Vento, was as sweet, homey, and pleasant as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Pastas are the restaurant's most reliable menu section, and please note that chef Hunt and his staff make them all fresh everyday, even the spaghetti. Two of the best dishes I tried in all my visits to Al Vento were pastas. The first was a simple spaghetti tossed with tomato sauce, the pasta mounded over two big veal meatballs, each piquant with plenty of parmesan cheese, and meltingly tender ($12). The other standout was a variation of fettuccini in clam sauce ($15) made with pleasantly al dente fettuccini, allowed to stand on its own and not drowned in oil or butter, just touched with the right amount of garlic and oil, surrounded by lots of pink curls of well-cleaned shrimp and tender clams lolling prettily in their shells. It might have been the best fettuccini in clam sauce I've ever had in Minnesota.
--
------------------------------ *
* 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 *
