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[wine] Loire, Rhone at A' Rebours on Thursday

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Had some nice Merlot at JP's. FYI, FFR (for future reference...) JP's has a *limited* number of very nice stems that they use to sell their premium wines. Last Thursday, all of these nicer stems were in use. SO, in the future, they would prefer that we : 1. Ask for stems. 2. Understand that the good stuff may not be available. Maybe they'll find a different place for us to sit. That way, we're not tempted to use the stems and we won't be blasted w/ the wonderful aromas from the kitchen. ("Hey, are you getting seared thai chili on the nose?") This week, the group goes to St. Paul. A Rebours 410 St. Peter, 55102 651 665 0656 Annette Bob Lori Betsy Roger Fredd? Nicolai Sounds like the rest. is in the Hamm building? Better parking is away from the X and the Ordway. e.g. on 6th, Wabasha, 7th, etc. Meters are free after 5:00. Vallet Parking available. If your coming via I-94, then take the 10th st. exit to St. Peter, Right on St. Peter. Better parking on Wabasha, and on 6th st. One ways all around. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from ANNETTE <mandastad(a)msn.com> ----- HI Jim We decided to do Bordeaux and Loire at the new French bistro in St. Paul - A Rebours - owned by the Bakery on Grand people with Michael Morse at the helm. I set the res. for 8 people. Let me know a count by Wed. if possible. I won't be there until after 7:00. The restaurant is on St. Peter street just west of Kinkaids and the St. Paul Hotel. Street parking or Lawson Bldg. ramp. Annette S. July 9, 2003 >From the Loire, Whites With Bite By FRANK J. PRIAL MENTION the Loire Valley to a white-wine lover and chances are he or she will immediately think sauvignon blanc. There are other white wine grapes, of course. At the mouth of the Loire River, near the city of Nantes, the grape is muscadet. Oh yes, and the harsh, untamed gros plant that is supposed to go well with oysters. Chenin blanc dominates Touraine, from Anjou and Saumur westward through Tours and Vouvray, but then slowly at first, sauvignon blanc begins to take over. >From around the city of Tours and on to Orl�ans, where the Loire begins its long, leisurely arc to the south, sauvignon blanc is the white wine grape of choice. At Sancerre on the west bank of the river and Pouilly-Fum� on the east, it truly comes into its own. Quincy and Reuilly, 30 miles west of Sancerre on the banks of the Cher, are also part of this world, with their own wines made from the white sauvignon grape. Of these sauvignon blancs, Sancerre is the best of the lot, with Pouilly-Fum� a close second. Local experts, unless they recognize a friend's wine, often have difficulty telling the two wines apart although some experts say the Fum�s are a bit fuller-bodied and richer. And at times, the Dining section's tasting panel had the same difficulty as we went through 15 Sancerres and 13 Pouilly-Fum�s (not to be confused with Pouilly-Fuiss�, a wine from the M�con region in southern Burgundy made from chardonnay grapes). We decided to taste them nicely chilled one boiling afternoon because, in the words of Eric Asimov, one of our regular panelists, "they are such friendly, relaxing summer wines." Mr. Asimov was joined on the panel by two other regulars, Amanda Hesser and me, and a guest, Daniel Johnnes, the wine director of Montrachet restaurant. After having tasted all 28 glasses, Mr. Johnnes called them a good sampling of what's happening in the Loire Valley. He said: "There are many different styles of these wines, and it becomes a matter of the commercial wines versus those showing the heights these wines can reach." And there were a good many wines that met all the criteria for a refreshing easy-to-drink Loire white. That is, they had a vivacity and crispness to them, that sharp bite that comes from good acidity. And they had a smoky, flinty flavor and aroma that tells us where these wines come from: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fum�. Most of the wines we tried were made in the traditional style, aged briefly in steel tanks or large, old barrels to retain the pungency of the sauvignon blanc grapes without adding a new oak flavor, as is often done in California. But a small group of Loire winemakers are experimenting with oak. Sometimes this is done with sensitivity, softly buttressing the sauvignon blanc flavors; often, the oak is overbearing. A glance at any map of Central France will help explain why Sancerre and Pouilly-Fum� stand out among sauvignon blancs. Chablis, which makes some of the greatest of all white wines, is only 50 miles to the east and shares its special terrain, chalk on Kimmeridgian marl, with Sancerre and Pouilly to the east (and Champagne to the north). In our sampling, we tried to hold the line at $25 a bottle. Except for one at $30, they ranged from $13 to $25, with the average price just over $17. Of our top 10 wines, six were Pouilly-Fum�s, four were Sancerres. Our top wine, with three and a half stars, was a Sancerre, Raimbault's 2002 Apud Sariacum ($15). It was also our best value, but isn't the easiest wine to find. Mr. Johnnes found the Raimbault "juicy, ripe and delicious." I found it to be more Californian that Loirean. Also at three and a half stars was a 2001 Pouilly-Fum�, Les Berthiers, from Domaine Gilles Blanchet ($18). Mr. Johnnes liked its "richness and precision," its "stony mineral finish." Two wines each garnered three stars, both Sancerres: a 2002 La Croix au Garde from the Domaine Henry Pell� ($21), and a village wine from Richard Bourgeoise ($15). Everyone liked the mineral qualities in the Pell�. The Bourgeoise wine was Ms. Hesser's favorite. One wine captured two and a half stars, a 2001 Pouilly-Fum� Les Pentes from Serge Dagueneau, the uncle of the more famous Didier Dagueneau of Pouilly-Fum�, whom many consider one of France's finest winemakers. Much of Serge's winemaking is done by his daughters, both of whom have worked in the Napa Valley. Didier Dagueneau's wines, which we did not include, as they start around $50, can be stunning, though they're hardly classic Pouilly-Fum�. He ages them in small oak barrels and achieves a richness and complexity unheard of in these wines. The wines we tasted were traditional feisty sauvignon blancs. In "The Wine and Food Guide to the Loire" (Henry Holt, 1996), Jacqueline Friedrich has fans sensing a move to a softer, California style, and she has them paraphrasing the poet and murderer Fran�ois Villon. "Where," they ask rhetorically, "are the Sancerres of yesteryear?" Our exercise indicated that the change has yet to happen. It had better not. Screw tops at the ready, New Zealanders are waiting in the wings. And they make terrific sauvignon blanc. Takes your breath away, mate. Tasting Report: A Welcoming Liveliness BEST VALUE Raimbault Sancerre Apud Sariacum 2002 $15 *** 1/2 Juicy, ripe and delicious, Daniel Johnnes said. Frank J. Prial called it a California-style wine, big, solid and rich. Eric Asimov found it pungent, fresh and lively. Amanda Hesser detected pineapple and mint in the nose and praised the long finish. Domaine Gilles Blanchet Pouilly-Fum� Les Berthiers 2001 $18 *** 1/2 Prial lauded the wine's beautiful nose and rare intensity. Johnnes found richness and precision, and a stony mineral finish. Asimov called it piquant, airy and herbal. Smoky and vivid, Hesser said. Domaine Henry Pell� Sancerre La Croix au Garde 2002 $21 *** Asimov found a rare complexity and depth in this wine. A lot going on, said Hesser, who detected passion fruit and pineapple aromas. Prial liked a mineral touch and long finish. Johnnes called it juicy, vibrant and concentrated with great minerality. Richard Bourgeoise Sancerre 2002 $15 *** Hesser's favorite: she liked its delicacy and clarity. Prial detected a wet stone aroma and praised the acidity. Johnnes liked the brightness and crisp finish. Asimov called it was a classic Sancerre with mint and lemon aromas. Serge Dagueneau Pouilly-Fum� Les Pentes 2001 $20 ** 1/2 Good concentration with presence and persistence, Johnnes said. Asimov found it lively but narrow, a simple wine. Hesser called it coarse, without much clarity. But Prial enjoyed its attractive touch of citrus. Marnier-Lapostolle Ch�teau de Sancerre 2001 $15 ** Asimov detected aromas of hay and sweetgrass and a touch of honey that he said added richness. Hesser, too, found honey and an earthiness. Johnnes noted a quality of minerals and decay, which he found appealing. But Prial tasted a sweetness that he didn't care for in sauvignon blanc. Langlois Pouilly-Fum� Ch�teau Les Pierre-Feux 2001 $16 ** Nicely balanced with a nice bite to it, Prial said. Hesser felt the nose lacked freshness, but liked the softness in the mouth. Johnnes found an attractive peachy quality. Asimov called it tart and minerally. J. C. Chatelain Pouilly-Fum� Domaine de St. Laurent-l'Abbaye 2001 $13 ** Lively, bright, delicious to drink, Asimov said. Prial liked the balance, acidity and finish. Hesser called it vibrant, but Johnnes felt it was light. Henri Bourgeois Pouilly-Fum� La Porte de L'Abbaye 2001 $15 ** Prial found the nose flowery and the wine vibrant. Fresh and clean with a snappy finish, Johnnes said. Hesser termed it drinkable but not intuitive. Asimov called the flavors clear but found it too tart. Domaine A. Calibourdin Pouilly-Fum� Cuv�e du Bois Fleury 2000 $17 ** Ripe with a long finish, but lacks concentration, Johnnes said. Hesser detected lots of fruit, lots of lemon zest. Prial called it correct and pleasant, though bland, and Asimov liked the rich aroma but felt it lacked character. -- ------------------------------ * * 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] Merlott at JP's TONIGHT

by Jim L. Ellingson

Mostly an update: Looks like an N of at least 10. ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] Not Exactly Sideways at JP's Greetings and Salutations, We're doing something unusual this week. MERLOT. Going to JP's. The discussion and formulation went something like this. It was at/near the end of our Burgundy tasting, and the Duck was fantastic, but the wines were mixed.... Brgndy, when it's on, is incomparable. But the fickle grape is less than consistant, reliable, etc. Short version: High expectations, frequent dissappointment, occasional ecstasy. Now for something completely different.... We rarely do merlot, but when we do, we are usually very pleasantly suprised.... Karin had been to JP's, and Karl was/is/always_has_been eager to host the Thursday group. JP's American Bistro JP Samuelson Karl, Cheryl 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 Yes/Guess: Betsy Bob Lori Warren/Ruth Jim Annette S. Roger Assumed Yes/Not on line: Nicolai Cheers, Jim Plush merlot reveals soul Tim Teichgraeber Special To The Star Tribune Published March 31, 2005 Merlot sometimes catches flak for not having as much personality as other grapes. Cabernet is known for deep black currant fruit and sturdy tannins. Pinot noir has finesse, more delicate fruit and subtle earthiness. And syrah is brooding, spicy and meaty. What's the particular charm of merlot? What merlot can offer is rich red and black fruit without the hard tannins of cabernet. The signature of great merlot is an unmistakably plush, velvety texture that I can only liken to the feel of a fur coat. It's likeable rather than temperamental, and reliable more often than amazing. Merlot is more politician than artist. And like a good politician, every once in a while merlot shows that it has some heart and soul. All it needs is the right vineyard site and a winemaker that takes it seriously. . 2002 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Merlot Columbia Valley Washington ($25). This Washington estate consistently produces superior merlot, and this vintage is no exception. A personal favorite of mine, it's flush with rich plum, blackberry, raspberry, earth and tobacco aromas and flavors, generous mid-palate flavor and texture through the long, even finish with hints of dried herbs and chocolate. *** 1/2 (Phillips Wines) . 2001 Rutherford Hill Merlot Napa Valley ($25). From a winery that prides itself on merlot, here's one that's worth boasting about -- the best it has produced in a while. It has tightly wound bittersweet chocolate, black cherry and brambly blackberry flavors, dusty tannins and a rich, plush mouthfeel. *** 1/2 (Johnson Brothers) . 2002 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Merlot Peumo Chile ($15). Quality is on the upswing in Chile these days, and here's a perfect example. From its saturated color to the luscious plum, cherry, mineral, anise, tobacco and vanilla flavors, this silken red is sure to please. *** 1/2 (Paustis Wines) . 2002 Echelon Merlot Central Coast ($13). There's a lot to like about this exceptionally balanced merlot with deep blackberry and black cherry fruit flavors seasoned with anise, vanilla and dried herb notes. Artfully made and very reasonably priced. *** (Phillips Wines) Poorly kept secret . 2002 Cypress Merlot California ($9). Bargain hunters shouldn't overlook veteran grape grower Jerry Lohr's Cypress line of varietal wines, including this juicy, deep and balanced merlot with rich toast, black cherry, plum and herb flavors and fine, dusty tannins. *** (Griggs Cooper) startribune.com Close window Last update: March 30, 2005 at 3:00 PM First rule of wine etiquette -- relax Tara Q. Thomas Denver Post Published March 31, 2005 There's no need to get in a lather over wine etiquette. Most of the rules still passed off as "wine etiquette" tips went out with the advent of central heating. Unless you're serving a crusty 20-year-old bottle of wine, leave the decanters in the cupboard. Most wines today don't need to be opened until you want to drink them. It's nice to have glasses with thin lips and graceful, long stems, which both look nice and keep your greasy fingers from mucking up the view, but don't get uptight about it. Use what you have, because the first rule of wine etiquette is to remain relaxed. Wine is about pleasure, after all. Now that those two biggies are out of the way, here are some other tips that will ensure that your guests are comfortable and the wine flows smoothly. . Have water and nonalcoholic beverages easily accessible for those who don't want to drink alcohol. Teetotalers should not feel like they are making a scene. . Taste a wine before filling the glasses to make sure it isn't corked. There are few more uncomfortable situations than having to tell your host the wine she served is flawed. . Fill glasses a little less than half full so the wine can be swirled without spilling. Swirling isn't an affectation: Most of what we interpret as flavor comes from scent. . When pouring wine, keep the neck of the bottle off the lip of the glass. . Keep a napkin handy to catch any drips, too. A stain on the tablecloth or your guest's blouse is far more gauche than holding a napkin under the bottle, ready to catch drips. . Refill glasses before they are empty, but don't be too eager to keep them topped up, or your guests might feel rushed to drink more. . If you're serving many wines, have a container handy where guests can discreetly dump any wine they would rather not finish. . Traditionalists will want to fill ladies' glasses before the men's, pour from the guests' right, and hold the bottle so that the guest can view the label as you're pouring. Unobtrusiveness trumps tradition, however, so if pouring from the right means sticking your arm between two people engrossed in conversation, pour from a different side. . You don't have to open bottles brought by guests. They are gifts, for you to do with what you want. Local distributors Local distributors willing to take calls are listed at the end of each review. They can refer you to retailers who carry these wines. .Griggs Cooper and Co., 651-646-7821 .Johnson Brothers, 651-649-5800 .Paustis Wine Co., 763-489-4120 .Phillips Wines, 651-637-3300 **** Exceptional *** Highly recommended ** Recommended * Satisfactory Tim Teichgraeber, formerly of Minneapolis, is a San Francisco-based wine writer and entertainment attorney. He can be reached online at tim(a)timskyscraper.com. Copyright 2005 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. ----- 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] Not Exactly Sideways at JP's

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings and Salutations, We're doing something unusual this week. MERLOT. Going to JP's. The discussion and formulation went something like this. It was at/near the end of our Burgundy tasting, and the Duck was fantastic, but the wines were mixed.... Brgndy, when it's on, is incomparable. But the fickle grape is less than consistant, reliable, etc. Short version: High expectations, frequent dissappointment, occasional ecstasy. Now for something completely different.... We rarely do merlot, but when we do, we are usually very pleasantly suprised.... Karin had been to JP's, and Karl was/is/always_has_been eager to host the Thursday group. JP's American Bistro JP Samuelson Karl, Cheryl 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 Yes/Guess: Betsy Bill Bob Lori Russ/Sue Jim Warren/Ruth Assumed Yes/Not on line: Nicolai Roger Cheers, Jim October 27, 2004 WINES OF THE TIMES A Welcome Drop in the Ocean By ERIC ASIMOV FROM a marketer's point of view, California merlot was the great industry success story of the 1980's and 90's. From almost nowhere 25 years ago, merlot achieved the dream status of becoming a generic term for red wine. "I'll just have a glass of merlot," became the default at-a-loss order at bars, restaurants, weddings and bar mitzvahs, the way in earlier years, "I'll just have a glass of chardonnay," meant give me white wine, any white wine. >From a wine lover's point of view, though, California merlot became a joke, a punch line for the sort of confected, characterless wines that are generic in the worst sense of the word. It is still a remarkably popular wine, though a significant number of knowledgeable wine drinkers would almost prefer a glass of dishwater over the dread merlot. Is this mere snobbery? Or to put it another way, is it the quality of merlot that has been diluted, or its status? To take on the question, the Dining section's wine panel tasted 25 California merlots. We decided to give merlot its best shot, choosing to taste wines only from the Napa Valley, California's prime source for Bordeaux grapes like merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Plenty of merlot comes from Napa, but most California merlot comes from the vast Central Valley, from Lodi south to Bakersfield, an area that is to Napa as agribusiness is to the family farm. This is the stuff that is shipped by tanker, pumped by hose and packaged in things like airline splits and gallon bag-in-a-box containers. It doesn't have to be bad, but it usually is. The Napa Valley, on the other hand, prides itself on the quality of its wines, and prices many of them accordingly. In an effort to spread out the pricing, we tasted 8 bottles that cost $25 or less, 10 between $25 and $50 and 7 costing more than $50. My colleague Florence Fabricant and I were joined by two guests, Christopher Shipley, wine director of the "21" Club, and Scott Mayger, wine director of WD-50. Of course, we all had feelings about California merlot, which we put aside as best we could. Mr. Mayger expressed the most positive view. He said that merlot's silky tannins and jammy flavors made it a good steakhouse wine. Having been the wine buyer in a steakhouse back in the late 1980's and early 90's, when merlot's popularity took off, he has tasted plenty of it. "I couldn't find enough merlot to buy," he said. He added that the character of California merlot has changed since then, becoming firmer and more tannic. I confess that I've never had much use for California merlot. Merlot is no doubt an important grape, but as a wine it always seemed to have little reason for being. What makes merlot important is its role in the classic Bordeaux blend of grapes. In the M�doc, it almost always plays a secondary role to cabernet sauvignon, generally adding soft tannins and generous flavors to the more austere cabernet. Merlot plays a greater part in the blend in St.-�milion and Pomerol, where with some exceptions . most notably Ch�teau P�trus, which is 99 percent merlot . it usually accounts for maybe 40 to 70 percent of the blend. This is significant because in California a wine can be labeled with the name of a grape only if that grape makes up at least 75 percent of the wine. Why would California insist on making a wine primarily of merlot when in Bordeaux few wines short of a P�trus would presume to do the same? It's not because increasing the percentage of merlot makes a better wine, but because it means that the wine can be sold under the varietal name. In other words, the merlot category is defined by marketing rather than winemaking. Having said this, we did find some enjoyable wines. Our top wine, a '99 from Liparita Cellars for $40, was bright and balanced, with good structure. Mr. Mayger called it the most Bordeaux-like of the wines. Our best value, a 2000 from St. Sup�ry for $18, was likewise balanced, with attractive fruit, herbal and oak flavors, while our No. 3, an '01 Starmont from Merryvale, was concentrated, with attractive coffee flavors. If only wines like those were the rule. Too often, the merlots showed bitter vegetal flavors or candylike sweetness, or were overwhelmed by oak. Ms. Fabricant divided the 25 wines into two categories: those with complexity that were well made and enjoyable to drink, and those that were one-dimensional and washed out, perhaps made from grapes that lacked concentration. Mr. Shipley, too, found washed-out wine. Even the more concentrated wines, he said, suffered from over-manipulation at the hands of winemakers. Too many, for example, tasted as if acid had been added to make up for what the grapes lacked in natural acidity. Only two of the seven wines priced at over $50 made the cut, the smallest percentage of any price category. The most expensive bottle in the tasting, a $72 2000 Duckhorn, one of the big names in Napa merlot, was rejected unanimously. It could be that we did not taste the best choices. Merlots like Beringer's Bancroft Ranch and Pahlmeyer are considered top-notch, but are superexpensive and hard to find. Or perhaps Napa and the rest of California are not the best sources of American merlot. I've had merlots from Washington State that showed firmness and character. Or maybe it comes down to marketing. In an effort to appeal to a new and fast-growing market for merlot, too many winemakers planted merlot in the wrong places and made poorly conceived wines. The market for merlot may now have peaked. The number of acres planted with merlot continues to grow in Napa, according to the California Agricultural Statistics Service, but not so quickly. If anything, California merlot has become a cautionary tale. It is not enough to plant vines willy-nilly to appeal to a growing market. Getting in on the act is not a formula for making good wine. Take heed, California syrah makers. Tasting Report: Some of the Best of a Dubious Lot Liparita Cellars Napa Valley 1999 $40 ** 1/2 Appealing berry flavors, well balanced with oak and tannins; some depth and structure. BEST VALUE St. Sup�ry Napa Valley 2000 $18 ** 1/2 Smoky flavors of cherries, chocolate and eucalyptus; soft tannins. Merryvale Napa Valley Starmont 2001 $25 ** Bright cherry and chocolate flavors, with coffee aromas and pleasing texture. Niebaum-Coppola Rutherford 2000 $44 ** Big and oaky, with dense, concentrated fruit flavors. Selene Wines Napa Valley 2001 $52 ** Good structure; needs exposure to air to reveal fruit flavors. Shafer Vineyards Napa Valley 2001 $46 * 1/2 Flavors of smoky fruit and bell peppers; standard issue. Hartwell Vineyards 2001 Stags Leap District $60 * 1/2 Balanced, with plum, chocolate and mint flavor, but very sweet. Joseph Phelps Vineyards 2000 Napa Valley $40 * 1/2 Shiny character, with flavors of chocolate, mint and cherry Life Savers. Cosentino Winery 2000 Napa Valley Reserve $38 * 1/2 Smooth, with mint aromas and candied fruit flavors. Clos Pegase Napa Valley 2000 $25 * 1/2 Simple and fruity, with pleasingly round texture. -- ------------------------------ * * 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] Burgundy at 510 on Tomorrow/Thursday, Wine Haiku

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, This may well be our last trip to the 510 under current management. Wine du jour is Burgundy. The 510 Restaurant 510 Groveland Ave MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55403 Phone: 612-874-6440 I'm reposting Russ's notes from our last go. Here's a wag at who's coming. I'll ask Bob to up the reservation to 10 people. We'll be at/near/over the limit of 10 pours, so please please please be careful about the amount you are pouring and about sediment. Bob Betsy Lori Bill Nicolai Joyce Dave T Jim/Louise Ruth-less Fred Petters Roger (So far, Fred and Louise are "Maybes"). Regrets from Annette S, Warren G, Russ/Sue. Wine Enthusiast Vintage chart says: (2003 back to 1989) 2003 02 01 2000 1999 98 1997 1995 1993 Cotes de Nuits (red) 89 92 88 84 89 88 89 92 90 85 88 80 86 91 88 Cotes de Beaune (red) 89 91 87 84 88 87 90 91 91 85 87 NR 84 92 88 2000, 2001 may be ready. 1999 and older is probably ready according to them. Go to winemag.com FFI Cheers, Jim Burgundy at The 510 Restaurant Calm comfort and class All around and in the glass To soon it will pass ----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> ----- X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu) Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 13:08:49 -0500 (EST) To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu Subject: 30SecWineAdvisor - Wine haiku From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> X-Sender: <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Wednesday, March 23, 2005 ________________________________________________________________________ TODAY'S SPONSORS: * CALIFORNIA WINE CLUB Wine Sale Going on Now! http://www.cawineclub.com?Partner_ID=winelovers * FRENCH WINE EXPLORERS Meet me in the Rhone! http://www.wine-tours-france.com/RhoneValleyWineTour.htm ________________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE * WINE HAIKU A lovely, creative wine "blog" that makes me wish I had thought of it first. * CAMPUS OAKS 2001 LODI OLD VINE ZINFANDEL A fruity Zinfandel from The California Wine Club wakes up my inner poet. * ADMINISTRIVIA Change E-mail address, frequency, format or unsubscribe. ________________________________________________________________________ WINE HAIKU In a field as tradition-bound and conservative as writing about wine, it is a rare and beautiful thing to encounter a concept so new and so appealing that upon encountering it you can only suck in your breath and say, "Damn! Why didn't I think of that?" I'm in just that state today, shocked and awed and immensely amused by the work of New York wine lover Lane Steinberg, who pens a delightful wine "blog" in which he posts periodic wine-tasting reports - always on red wines - in the strict poetic form of the Japanese haiku. Don't laugh. This is seriously good stuff. Antoine Rodet Gevrey-Chambertin (France) 1998 The nose was like dog Soaking wet from heavy rain But it drank like dreams Haiku - literally "short verse" in Japanese - is a deceptively simple verse form, said to have originated as a drinking-party game but turned into an art form by the 17th century Japanese poet Basho. Translated into modern English, haiku is a short, three-line poem. Strictly interpreted, it should include one line of five syllables, one line of seven syllables and a final line of five: Five syllables first Then exactly seven more With five to finish It's not counting syllables that makes haiku poetry, though, but choosing the words that will trigger an emotional response. Haiku, it is said, "by its very nature asks each reader to be a poet" because, if well-done, it all but forces you to come up with a vivid visual image that finishes the work that the poet started. Steinberg, who credits his elderly junior high school English teacher, Miss Gimpel, with introducing him rather unwillingly to haiku, clearly gets that. "It seems to me that haiku is the perfect vehicle to encapsulate all aspects of red wine, from the mysteriously sublime to the numbingly mundane," he said. "These haikus provide a quick blast of an impression without getting too specific. If the haikus are good, you should be able to taste them in your mind." With almost 60 wine haikus on his "blog" and counting, Steinberg does this very well indeed. I love 'em! Marquis Phillips Shiraz (Australia) 2002 A velvet hammer The blood of an animal Heretofore unknown Carmen Reserve Pinot Noir (Chile) 1999 Some people like this I could barely swallow it Mogen David's Ghost Damn, why didn't I think of that? ________________________________________________________________________ WEB LINKS: Lane Steinberg's Red Wine Haiku Review is online, frequently updated, at http://redwinehaiku.blogspot.com/ Steinberg welcomes E-mail comments, questions, even compliments, at lanealla(a)nyc.rr.com ________________________________________________________________________ PRINT OUT TODAY'S ARTICLE Here's a simply formatted copy of today's Wine Advisor, designed to be printed out for your scrapbook or file or downloaded to your PDA or other wireless device. http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/print050323.html ________________________________________________________________________ TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE If you'd like to ask a question or comment on today's topic (or any other wine-related subject), you'll find a round-table online discussion in our interactive Wine Lovers' Discussion Group, where you're always welcome to join in the conversations about wine. http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=1&tid=59735&mid=511353 If you prefer to comment privately, feel free to send me E-mail at wine(a)wineloverspage.com. I'll respond personally to the extent that time and volume permit. It's been many years since I earned my bachelor's degree in English, and my days as a poet are well behind me. But, inspired by Steinberg's work, I couldn't resist taking a shot at posting today's tasting report in a somewhat less ethereal poetic form than haiku: ________________________________________________________________________ CAMPUS OAKS 2001 LODI OLD VINE ZINFANDEL There once was a big Zin from Lodi, Full of ripe berry fruit and melodi- ous oaky vanilla, as strong as a gorilla, A poem more vinous than ode-y. (March 21, 2005) FOOD MATCH: A delight both as an ingredient and an accompaniment to long-braised, tender lamb shanks, stripped from the bones and shredded in its own sauce over rigatoni. WEB LINK Campus Oaks is made by the Gnekow Family winery. Its Website, listed on the label, is currently down. http://www.gnekow.com/ FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: This wine is a current offering from The California Wine Club. Call 1- 800-777-4443 or visit http://www.cawineclub.com/?Partner_ID=winelovers ________________________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: * WineLoversPage.com RSS Feed (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/rss/ * 30 Second Wine Advisor, daily or weekly (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/index.shtml * Wine Advisor FoodLetter, Thursdays (free) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/foodletter.shtml * Wine Advisor Premium Edition, alternate Tuesdays ($24/year) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/premium.phtml ARCHIVES: For all past editions: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/thelist.shtml CONTACT US E-mail: wine(a)wineloverspage.com SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: For information, E-mail wine(a)wineloverspage.com ________________________________________________________________________ ADMINISTRIVIA To subscribe or unsubscribe from The 30 Second Wine Advisor, change your E-mail address, switch from weekly to daily distribution, or for any other administrative matters, click to http://www.wineloverspage.com/admin.php?id=20970&cs=7d1109b668af1f87d36d12e… We welcome feedback, suggestions, and ideas for future columns. We do not use this list for any other purpose and will never give or sell your name or E-mail to anyone. All the wine-tasting reports posted here are consumer-oriented. In order to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, I purchase all the wines I rate at my own expense in retail stores and accept no samples, gifts or other gratuities from the wine industry. Wednesday, March 23, 2005 Copyright 2005 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved. ----- 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] Burgundy at 510 on Thursday.

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, This may well be our last trip to the 510 under current management. Wine du jour is Burgundy. The 510 Restaurant 510 Groveland Ave MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55403 Phone: 612-874-6440 I'm reposting Russ's notes from our last go. Here's a wag at who's coming. Limit 10 pours please. Bob Betsy Lori Bill Nicolai Joyce Dave T Jim/Louise Warren/Ruth Wine Enthusiast Vintage chart says: (2003 back to 1989) 2003 02 01 2000 1999 98 1997 1995 1993 Cotes de Nuits (red) 89 92 88 84 89 88 89 92 90 85 88 80 86 91 88 Cotes de Beaune (red) 89 91 87 84 88 87 90 91 91 85 87 NR 84 92 88 2000, 2001 may be ready. 1999 and older is probably ready according to them. Go to winemag.com FFI Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from "russellmccandless(a)frontiernet.net" <russellmccandless(a)frontiernet.net> ----- From: "russellmccandless(a)frontiernet.net" <russellmccandless(a)frontiernet.net> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] TN Burgundies at 510 on 12-16-2004 W1: sharp/thin on nose, full and smoky midpalate, thins out on finish. Ballot-Millot, 2002 Bourgogne Chardonnay. W2: rich oaky chardonnay nose, midpalate lacks structure, pedigreed white Burgundy flavor, finish emphatically alcoholic, pretty good though. Verget, 2002 Saint-Veran "Vigne de St-Claude." W3: excellent smoky nose suggestive of Chablis, midpalate lacks structure, interesting and attractive tasting wine but lacks W2's flavor distinction, finishes with good length but only fair power. Mestre-Michelot, 1999 Bourgogne Chardonnay. W4: amylic licorice nose, OK midpalate, citric finish, lacks interest. Bouchard Pere & Fils, 2002 Puligny-Montrachet. (Highly disappointing, if this was a representative bottle.) W5: mute nose with SO2 showing, big sweet citric and characteristically chardonnay midpalate, touch unconcentrated but tasty, good length, nice wine. Joseph Drouhin, 2002 Beaune 1er Cru, Clos des Mouches. (Still needs some time.) 1.1: young looking; small but round and rather new world pinot nose, astringent and medicinal mouth entry, tannic, decent fruit and structure, some alcohol showing and short on fruit at the finish, good wine though. Antonin Rodet, 1998 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Vieilles Vignes. 1.2: lighter young color; pure but bashful nose; lacks concentration but OK fruit, some tannin; aromatic finish, more attractive tonight than 1.1 but generally a smaller wine. Louis Auguste, 2002 Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits. 1.3: color suggests more age; very reticent nose of spice, licorice, acid; full-smooth mouth entry, medicinal fruit; quite alcoholic on finish, shortish too. Pierre de Champvigne, 1996 Mercurey 1er Cru, Clos Voyen (Chevaliers de Tastevin bottling). (Some doubt expressed at table about whether this was a perfect bottle, although of course this is pretty old Mercurey.) 1.4: deep red, sizeable pure nose with the alcohol showing, big spicy alcoholic wine in the mouth, some tannin, lots of structure, big aromatic finish is the best feature, lacks length though. Mestre-Michelot, 2002 Santenay 1er Cru, Gravieres. 2.1: full purple; rich and meaty nose; full and smooth, lots of fruit without much sweetness, focused and true; finishes as it tastes, some alcohol but considerable finesse, excellent length, extremely good bottle. Vincent Girardin, 2001 Santenay 1er Cru, Gravieres. (This has put on weight since release and was showing very attractively tonight.) 2.2: medium to light red, nose medicinal but characterful, smooth mouthfeel but still tannic, midpalate lacks fruit, at an awkward age? The wine has presence all the way thru to the finish but seems to be sleeping? Jean-Jacques Girard, 2002 Savigny-les-Beaune. (Needs retasting. As a 2002, probably not "asleep" in the sense of what wines often do around their fourth year, but could be suffering from shipping shock or some such.) 2.3: medium red, color showing some age; very reticent nose; hard, medicinal, peppery, lacks fruit in this company, big wine though; in this company, no finish. Rene Engel, 1999 Vosne-Romanee. (This one, on the other hand, may well have been asleep. Good producer, fine vintage.) 2.4: dark red; sizeable cola nose, big astringent, medicinal unsweet fruit in the mouth, really good, moderately aromatic finish with more sweetness showing, decent length, could use time, this is very good. Maurice Ecard, 2001 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru, Narbantons. (This one has REALLY put on weight since release.) 3.1: light red, lovely if not large sweet nose, smells of pure young red berry fruit; smooth midpalate, lots of darker fruits, tannic at the back end, highly aromatic finish, lovely wine, extra long. Bouchard Pere & Fils, 2002 Beaune 1er Cru, "Beaune du Chateau." (Reportedly available at Surdyk's priced in mid-$20s; remarkable value at that sort of price.) 3.2: dark color showing some age, distinguished maturing nose, mineral and vegetal components in addition to the fruit; smooth, smoky midpalate with BIG fruit, vegetal tastes following thru from the nose, very well structured; big aromatic and alcoholically hot finish, still needs some time. Joseph Roty, 1995 Gevrey-Chambertin, Cuvee de Champs-Chenys. 3.3: quite dark; big tarry nose; some lack of concentration and fruit but the flavor is distinctive; some tannin left but seems mature, power and length not all one could wish for. Faiveley, 1990 Beaune 1er Cru, Champs-Pimont. 3.4: dark color, sizeable nose still mostly primary, midweight in the mouth, balanced, smooth and pure, very attractive, minerals and tar with the fruit, flavor almost suggests nebbiolo, dark red cherry, touch of alcohol showing; excitingly smooth transition to finish, sweet and aromatic, good length, this is excellent. Bertagna, 1995 Vougeot 1er Cru, Clos de la Perriere. (Reported to be currently available at Haskell's. Caveat emptor.) Merry Christmas! ----- 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] [jellings@me.umn.edu: [jellings@me.umn.edu: Pentastico at Muffeletta]]

by Jim L. Ellingson

One last update... Bill can't make it this evening... He will try to contact Bob. Perhaps Bob is working the Big S sale... Also an article on bargain wines, this time from the SF Gate Chronicle ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 14:49:17 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] [jellings(a)me.umn.edu: Pentastico at Muffeletta] User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i X-list: wine Mostly an update. Warren and Ruth will fill the empty spots. Last I heard, Lori was still off line, so you may want/need to call her... Looks to be wet and windy on Thursday through Friday. Recall that tommorrow is "Amature Night 2". Lots of folks out having green and black beer cuz they's just so Irish.... Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 17:00:18 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: Pentastico at Muffeletta User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i OK, Pentastico isn't a word, but Pentastyle is. Limit 10 people and 5 courses. General idea is to pair up w/ someone and tackle a course. Warren and Ruth have offered to fill in the gaps. See the more detailed menu below, as well as Warren's work number. Menu has a Roman Flare.... Course / Wine style Who's bringing it... 1. Appetizer Sparkling/Italian white Russ and Betsy 2. Pasta Course Reds from Italy (chianti?) Wrn/Ruth/Lori 3. Primi/Monkfish Bolder Whites and/or Fish friendly Red as befits the course. Bob and ??? 4 Secondi/Lamb Reds Pinot and/or S. Italy Nicolai and 1 of above 5 Cheese/Dolce Dessert wines, port, ??? Jim/Louise Who's a comin' Warren and Ruth Jim/Louise Russ Bob Betsy Lori Nicolai Bill Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net> ----- Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 12:55:42 -0600 From: Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net> To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu User-Agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022 Subject: menu hints for Thursday Jim, Here is what I have for our menu on Thursday. Starters / Zucchini blossoms stuffed with crab mouse some other small bites perhaps to include pheasant, marinated olives, baby artichoke with butter and mint. Pasta / Truck Driver's Pasta tomato based with caper, olives. sweet pepper. A hint of pepper heat but not a spicy dish is this traditional "Roman" pasta. Fish / Monkfish with garbanzo beans Expect JD to do something unexpected when you see "garbanzo" beans. He said "mild" but Monk fish can be fairly full bodied of itself. Braised Lamb / Roman style We are focusing on Roman cuisine this month so I think there will be something southern Italian about this dish. Assorted cheeses / Dolce along with a selection of cheeses perhaps an apple or pear based sweet. I'm thinking ten people, five courses, each person is assigned a course, two people on each. Prepare to have a white and red wine poured side by side, perhaps more than once. Ruth and I will take what ever others leave us as far as assignments go. E-mail me if you need an idea on something or call me at Muffuletta, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday day. 651-644-9116. Warren G ----- End forwarded message ----- Pop a cork for some bubble and squeak - Bargain Wines, Special to The Chronicle Thursday, March 17, 2005 Click to View Celebrations for St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, generally revolve around the wearing of the green and drinking of the brew. But, the luck of the Irish is with you today because this week's bargain picks ring in spring and add a few coins to your end-of-the-rainbow pot of gold. When it comes to food for St. Paddy's Day -- whether you're serving pork loin with apple relish, potato soup or bubble and squeak (potatoes and cabbage) -- look for a wine with vibrant acidity and a dash of sweetness. A top spot to turn for aromatic whites that fit that description is Washington state. The 2003 Snoqualmie Vineyards Columbia Valley Chenin Blanc ($7) is off- dry, light and fresh with delicate peach aromas. The 2003 Columbia Crest Two Vines Columbia Valley Gewurztraminer ($8) is floral; spicy notes waft from the glass and are joined by melon flavors and a balanced touch of sweetness. It's a joy to sip. For Riesling lovers, look for the 2004 Blackstone Monterey County Riesling ($10). On the dryish side of the Riesling scale, it overflows with zesty lemon-lime freshness. If a dry white is your preference, pick up the 2004 The Little Penguin South Eastern Australia Chardonnay ($8). Smooth and oaky, it has lush lemon creme pie flavors. Another Aussie winner is the 2004 Oxford Landing South Australia Viognier ($9). Viognier is a tough wine to pull off for a bargain price, but this charming wine ranks as one of the best under-$10 versions around. It's fleshy and floral with true Viognier character. What about wine to sip alongside the traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage? You can't go wrong with ros�. The 2003 Fetzer Vineyards Valley Oaks California Syrah Ros� ($9) is a substantial dry ros� with loads of juicy, red fruit flavors. Bottled under a screw cap, this terrific wine is one to stock by the case for spring and summer. Another wine that pairs well with corned beef and cabbage is the 2003 Delas Cotes du Ventoux ($10). Made from a blend of mostly Grenache with a healthy dose of Syrah, it is spicy and hearty with a vibrant quality that matches the tang of the cabbage. The grapes are grown on the slopes of Mont Ventoux in France's Rhone region. Cotes du Ventoux reds are reminiscent of those from their well-known neighbors, Cotes-du-Rhone. For big bold reds to complement Irish lamb stew or roast lamb, start with 2004 Yellow Tail South Eastern Australia Shiraz-Grenache ($7). Yellow Tail is the phenom of the wine world because of its widespread popularity. Most of the hype has been about its Chardonnay and Shiraz. However, this power-packed blend is nearly half Grenache, which adds an earthy kick to the wine, making it an ideal pick with lamb. The 2003 Cristobal 1492 Mendoza Bonarda from Argentina ($10) is a full and flavorful wine with licorice aromas and a streak of bright acidity that will pair well with lamb, burgers or hard cheeses. Bonarda is a red variety originally from the Piedmont region of Italy that is now far morewidely planted in Argentina. If you're looking for a wine with serious muscle, the 2002 Vina Cornejo Costas don Rodolfo Cafayate Valley Tannat ($10) is it. Nearly black in color, this meaty, smoky red with dark fruit flavors is tannic but incredibly complex for the price. Tannat is a variety of grape famous in French wines from Madiran. When grown in the high-altitude vineyards of Argentina's Salta region, where vines are planted up to 6,000 feet above sea level, Tannat becomes even more intense. Shopping list These are the best deals The Chronicle found for this week. WHITE 2003 Snoqualmie Vineyards Columbia Valley Chenin Blanc ($7) 2003 Columbia Crest Two Vines Columbia Valley Gewurztraminer ($8) 2004 Blackstone Monterey County Riesling ($10) 2004 The Little Penguin South Eastern Australia Chardonnay ($8) 2004 Oxford Landing South Australia Viognier ($9). PINK AND RED 2003 Fetzer Vineyards Valley Oaks California Syrah Ros� ($9) 2003 Delas Cotes du Ventoux ($10) 2004 Yellow Tail South Eastern Australia Shiraz-Grenache ($7) 2003 Cristobal 1492 Mendoza Bonarda ($10) 2002 Vina Cornejo Costas don Rodolfo Cafayate Valley Tannat ($10) Leslie Sbrocco is author of "Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine" (William Morrow, 2003). E-mail her at wine(a)sfchronicle.com. Page F - 2 URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/03/17/WIG60BPTAQ1.DTL ----- 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] [jellings@me.umn.edu: Pentastico at Muffeletta]

by Jim L. Ellingson

Mostly an update. Warren and Ruth will fill the empty spots. Last I heard, Lori was still off line, so you may want/need to call her... Looks to be wet and windy on Thursday through Friday. Recall that tommorrow is "Amature Night 2". Lots of folks out having green and black beer cuz they's just so Irish.... Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 17:00:18 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: Pentastico at Muffeletta User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i OK, Pentastico isn't a word, but Pentastyle is. Limit 10 people and 5 courses. General idea is to pair up w/ someone and tackle a course. Warren and Ruth have offered to fill in the gaps. See the more detailed menu below, as well as Warren's work number. Menu has a Roman Flare.... Course / Wine style Who's bringing it... 1. Appetizer Sparkling/Italian white Russ and Betsy 2. Pasta Course Reds from Italy (chianti?) Wrn/Ruth/Lori 3. Primi/Monkfish Bolder Whites and/or Fish friendly Bill and Red as befits the course. Bob 4 Secondi/Lamb Reds Pinot and/or S. Italy Nicolai and 1 of above 5 Cheese/Dolce Dessert wines, port, ??? Jim/Louise Who's a comin' Warren and Ruth Jim/Louise Russ Bob Betsy Lori Nicolai Bill Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net> ----- Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 12:55:42 -0600 From: Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net> To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu User-Agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022 Subject: menu hints for Thursday Jim, Here is what I have for our menu on Thursday. Starters / Zucchini blossoms stuffed with crab mouse some other small bites perhaps to include pheasant, marinated olives, baby artichoke with butter and mint. Pasta / Truck Driver's Pasta tomato based with caper, olives. sweet pepper. A hint of pepper heat but not a spicy dish is this traditional "Roman" pasta. Fish / Monkfish with garbanzo beans Expect JD to do something unexpected when you see "garbanzo" beans. He said "mild" but Monk fish can be fairly full bodied of itself. Braised Lamb / Roman style We are focusing on Roman cuisine this month so I think there will be something southern Italian about this dish. Assorted cheeses / Dolce along with a selection of cheeses perhaps an apple or pear based sweet. I'm thinking ten people, five courses, each person is assigned a course, two people on each. Prepare to have a white and red wine poured side by side, perhaps more than once. Ruth and I will take what ever others leave us as far as assignments go. E-mail me if you need an idea on something or call me at Muffuletta, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday day. 651-644-9116. Warren G ----- End forwarded message ----- washingtonpost.com High Marks for the Lower End By Ben Giliberti Wednesday, March 16, 2005; Page F05 Are you spending more on wine, but enjoying it less? Lots of us feel that way. It's because the prices of the best French, Italian and Napa Valley wines have increased beyond reason for the average wine drinker. About 20 years ago, for example, I could satisfy my obsession for Chateau Leoville-Las Cases, one of my favorite Bordeaux, for less than $15 a bottle. Today, a good vintage of the same wine is more than $90. Even though part of this increase is simply inflation, I can't help but feel I'm being gouged. But that's only the story from one segment of the market, the high end where wines like Leo-Las Cases reside. What about the other end, the wines that most people drink? When I first became interested in learning about wine, in the late 1970s, $3 to $4 was my normal price range. Today, because of inflation, the equivalent prices would be about $9 to $11. Comparing this low-price category then and now, I can say with total assurance that we have it better today. Not just a little better; light-years better. I recall all too vividly that many of the $3 wines I bought were seriously marred by volatile acidity (they were vinegary) or by oxidation. Today, by contrast, seriously flawed wines are rare, even in the lowest price range. But the biggest difference is the abundance of fruit. Back then it was a scarce commodity. Today you don't have to spend even $9 or $11 to get a wine with plenty of ripe fruit and a hint of complexity. It's available for as little as $5 -- if you shop carefully. What better proof than the wines below, which are among the best I have tasted in the budget category recently. Prices are approximate. Yellow Tail 2004 Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon ($7; Australia): Just a few years after its entry to the U.S. market, Australia's Yellow Tail is now the top-selling imported wine. The latest addition to its lineup, this explosively fruity blend of 60 percent shiraz and 40 percent cabernet sauvignon, suggests why. It's a knockout best buy. The grapes come from the New South Wales region of Australia, a moderately warm region that produces plump, fruity wines. They are expertly vinified by Casella Wines, a quality-conscious, family-owned winery with state-of-the-art facilities. The firm cabernet sauvignon grape is used to provide a proper backbone, while the shiraz billows out with oodles of fresh red berry and cassis fruit. The result is an exuberant but balanced wine that will appeal to casual and serious wine drinkers alike. It could go well with classic bistro food, such as steak and french fries, sausages or chicken in wine (Washington Wholesale, 202-832-5600). Walnut Crest 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon "Rapel Valley" ($5 for 750 ml; $8 for magnum): You won't find an inexpensive claret from Bordeaux this good, because the prices in France have gone up so much. Unfortunately, you won't find many from Chile either, because vintners there don't seem to make many of them. But as this wine shows, Chile has great potential for cabernet sauvignon and merlot, particularly in this price range, which Bordeaux and California have totally abandoned. This deeply colored cabernet has a fine nose of cassis, berry and mint, and on the palate, surprisingly complex flavors of black/red berry fruit seasoned with toasted oak from barrel aging. This will go well with all classic Bordeaux/cabernet matches, such as lamb, beef, stews and roasted poultry. At $8 or less for a magnum, it's almost too good to be true (NDC, 202-388-8207). Alice White 2004 Chardonnay ($6 to $7; Australia); Alice White 2004 Merlot ($6-$7; Australia): Although Alice White is heavily marketed as a "fun brand" -- industry parlance for fruity wines targeted at younger, casual wine drinkers -- the wines offer more than a cute kangaroo on the label. In fact, all the Alice White wines I have tried offer excellent value. In 2003, the shiraz was the clear winner, but with the newly released 2004 vintage, the chardonnay and merlot take the lead. The chardonnay offers bright cinnamon and citrus notes on the nose and a clean, mid-weight palate of classic fresh apple chardonnay. The merlot emphasizes lightness and freshness, offering zingy red-berry fruit and a hint of Chianti-like briskness on the finish. The chardonnay is a perfect aperitif, while the merlot is suited for serving with pasta in tomato sauce and with roast chicken or turkey (NDC, 202-388-8207). Santadi Grotta Rossa 2002 Carignano Del Sulcis ($11; Italy): This spicy, rather subtle wine from the island of Sardinia is charming. Fashioned by cult winemaker Giacomo Tachis (of Sassicaia), it has notes of earth, pepper and herbs, with excellent persistence in the mouth. It's an ideal match for poultry, white and light meats, and salmon (Bacchus, 410-633-0400). Chateau Haut La Pereyre 2001 ($12; France): This wine nails what a petit chateau Bordeaux should be, but all too rarely is today -- an affordable wine that, while neither as deep nor as concentrated as a Grand Cru, still captures the refinement that makes Bordeaux so special. Pretty aromatics of violets and cassis lead to a light- to medium-bodied palate of ripe red berry fruit with light tannins. Thankfully, the unripe, vegetal notes that are absolutely killing the demand for petits chateaux are totally absent here (Vintage '59/Country Vintner, 800-365-9463). -- ------------------------------ * * 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] More Mondovino

by Jim L. Ellingson

March 16, 2005 THE POUR Shake Wine, and Look What's Stirred Up By ERIC ASIMOV IF you want to start a fight, mention the documentary "Mondovino" to people in the wine business and step back. The film, by Jonathan Nossiter, argues that the homogenizing force of global commerce is threatening the distinctiveness of local cultures. But like "Fahrenheit 9/11" it has so polarized its audience that attention has veered away from the issues it raises. Instead debate has centered on Mr. Nossiter and whether he has portrayed his subjects responsibly or used them unfairly to further his argument. "Mondovino," which opens in New York next Wednesday, has been a hit in France, though a much debated one, and has been screened for people in the wine business. Watching it, it's easy to detect where Mr. Nossiter stands. Like a modern Thoreau, he offers a starkly divided world in which the monolithic forces of wealth, technology and marketing are at war with a pastoral peasantry. On one side in his portrayal are those who see wine as a commodity rather than an expression of history and culture. With modern technology and proper marketing, they can create a product in California or in Argentina or in France that makes you feel as if you are in a vineyard in Chianti. Obsessed with numerical ratings and salesmanship, these people value artifice over authenticity. Exhibit A in Mr. Nossiter's brief are companies like the Robert Mondavi Corporation and winery owners like Garen and Shari Staglin, millionaires who built an Italianate villa on a hillside once covered by forest in the Napa Valley. As Mr. Staglin gestures at the sweep of his property, which he says "was created out of nothing," you can practically hear frontiersmen slaughtering herds of buffalo. The villa, Mr. Staglin says, "is a showcase for our wines, our lifestyle, our commitments to charity." In figurative league with them are wine consultants like Michel Rolland of Pomerol, who in the film epitomizes a sort of soulless approach to winemaking, along with wine publications like The Wine Spectator and influential wine critics like Robert M. Parker Jr., whose powerful grip on world tastes makes him an overarching figure. Mr. Rolland has accused Mr. Nossiter of lies and betrayals, while Mr. Parker has denounced the film on the Web site erobertparker.com as "lying, distorting, misrepresenting and intentionally perverting people's points of view." On the other side are several small winemakers who speak with a wisdom seemingly borne of centuries of intimate contact with the earth. They are not concerned with image and see themselves as caretakers of a patrimony rather than lords of the manor. Typical among them is Hubert de Montille in Burgundy, whose funny suspenders and tart outlook place him among the canny locals who populate rustic romances like "Toujours Provence." Neal Rosenthal, an American wine importer who in the film is shown in sympathy with traditional winemaking practices, says that those who take their portrayals personally are missing the point. "I don't think it's about any individual," he said. "I think the film has sympathy for the place that wine has had in our Western culture for many centuries, and it's expressing a concern for something that is threatened." Mr. Nossiter relishes his role as a provocateur. "Under no circumstances do I want the audience to agree with me," he said in an interview. He insisted that he feels great sympathy with all the subjects in his film and that his intent was "getting inside the skin of globalization." "The film is polemical but not Manichaean," he said. "I don't believe there is good and bad." Even so, when Mr. Rosenthal portrays the wine world as "a battle between the resistance and the collaborators," it's hard not to believe that Mr. Nossiter agrees. He even goes out of his way to make explicit links between fascism and what he calls monopolistic thinking about wine. He digresses into seemingly irrelevant areas, for example asking Mr. Rolland's chauffeur, sitting in his car, why he does not go into wineries with his boss. The chauffeur is then shown behind a gate, clearly of the exploited class. The linkage is so provocative that more subtle points are lost. For example Mr. Parker, who comes off far better in the film than he may think, reflects on the days when he began writing about wine. He was influenced by Ralph Nader, he says, and as a consumer advocate was motivated by "the idea that everything's controlled by money and big business." Twenty-five years later Mr. Parker is the one in power, but the point floats by untouched. Other paradoxes pass unremarked. Aim� Guibert, owner of Daumas Gassac, a winery in the Languedoc, seems to be one of Mr. Nossiter's good guys. With a shock of white hair and a rugged countenance, he speaks from his vineyard as a man of nature, yet his pronouncements are as orotund as those from the commercial types. He speaks of winemaking as "a religious relationship between man and nature," and says: "It takes a poet to make a great wine. That's been replaced by wine consultants." Cut to Mr. Rolland. Unsaid is that Mr. Guibert went into the wine business with the help of �mile Peynaud, a great consultant of a previous generation. Mr. Nossiter also fails to pursue some important points to their logical end. For instance he allows Leo McCloskey, a consultant, to suggest that periodicals like The Spectator and The Wine Advocate, Mr. Parker's publication, offer good ratings in exchange for advertising. No effort is made to get a response; The Spectator vigorously denies this, and Mr. Parker does not accept advertising. Such flaws can alienate an audience that might be willing to debate other points. The most interesting character by far is Mr. de Montille of Burgundy, who seems able to take a long view. "It's not quite imperialism, but when you have power, as the U.S. does, you impose your culture," he says. "It's logical. Rome tried to impose its tastes." It's an important thought, and though Mr. Nossiter's villains aren't all Americans, it's worth discussing. Unfortunately that chance has been squandered. All you can hear is the shouting. -- ------------------------------ * * 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] Mondovino, a wine film

by Jim L. Ellingson

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-matters16mar16,1,6188156.column?… MATTERS OF TASTE What's behind the buzz David Shaw Matters of Taste March 16, 2005 It was a surprise hit at the Cannes Film Festival, then a box-office sensation throughout France . both a succ�s d'estime (the critics loved it) and a succ�s de scandale (many people in the wine world hated it, and a few threatened lawsuits over it). It is "Mondovino," a documentary about the increasing globalization and homogenization of the world's wines, and while it won't open in this country until next week (in New York) and late next month in L.A. (April 29 at the Nuart Theater in West Los Angeles), it's already creating big buzz in local wine circles. "Mondovino" has had invitation-only screenings for the media and/or wine lovers in New York, Boston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and ever since it was screened for several dozen wine lovers in Beverly Hills early this month, cyberspace has been filled with their commentary on it. I've received at least two dozen e-mails about "Mondovino," and virtually every serious wine person I've met recently has asked, "What do you think of 'Mondovino'?" A documentary about wine . especially one that so few Americans have yet seen . may seem an unlikely topic for so much chatter, but Jonathan Nossiter, who made the film, insists it's not actually about wine. "I didn't want to make a film about wine, and I'm glad I didn't," he told me when he was in Los Angeles recently. "I can't imagine anything more boring or pretentious than filming a bunch of people sitting around drinking wine and using the world's most ridiculous vocabulary to describe it." Well, yes. But Nossiter, 43, an award-winning filmmaker, has made a film that is very definitely about wine. "Mondovino" is a jeremiad on what Nossiter sees as a struggle for the very soul of winemaking, a global war between Old World traditionalists who want to make wines from indigenous grapes, wines true to their terroir, and greedy, power-mad entrepreneurs and their acolytes who all want to make the same kinds of simple-minded, easy-drinking wine everywhere in the world, pushing out the old-timers. A simplistic view In "Mondovino," everyone who has had any success, power or wealth is depicted as evil, and anyone who's a peasant or who seems to be a small farmer turned winemaker is good. The world just isn't that simple, though, and some of Nossiter's heroes run pretty big operations themselves. Oscar Wilde once said that the only artists he had known who were "personally delightful" were "bad artists." Good artists, he said, "exist simply in what they make, and consequently are perfectly uninteresting in what they are." But Nossiter is far more interesting than his film. He's intelligent, provocative, able to explain in compelling terms what's happened in recent years to winemaking and filmmaking and society at large. His film, however, is simplistic, reductionist, heavy-handed and unfair. Nossiter is the son of the late Bernard Nossiter, a highly regarded foreign and diplomatic correspondent for the Washington Post and New York Times, who died in 1992. The Nossiters were always on the move . India, France, Greece, Italy, England . and as a result, Jonathan speaks six languages and is comfortable in at least as many cultures. "Mondovino" is clearly the work of someone steeped in politics and world history. Nossiter likens the small wine growers in Burgundy to the French Resistance during World War II, opposing the "collaborators" in the movement toward a globalized taste in wine. In conversation, Nossiter criticizes Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush for the "dumbing down of American culture," "the infantilization of taste," the "choking off of free trade and real diversity" and "the glorification of greed and oligopoly" that he says led directly to the "homogenization and infantilization" of the world's wines and of Hollywood movies. Nossiter clearly sees himself . or at least one part of himself . as the cinematic heir to his father's journalistic tradition. And yet there is nothing even faintly journalistic about "Mondovino." Although Nossiter went to great lengths in our interview to distance himself from the Michael Moore school of propagandistic documentary making, "Mondovino" is the viniculture version of "Fahrenheit 9/11." "What I don't like about Michael Moore's movie," Nossiter told me, "is that he sees everything in black and white, and reduces everything to the most infantile level." But in "Mondovino," Nossiter does exactly what he accuses Moore of doing in "Fahrenheit 9/11." In fact, I came away from my interview with Nossiter thinking, "I didn't see the movie he thinks he made." The primary evildoers in "Mondovino" are Michel Rolland, the French wine consultant who advises hundreds of wineries in 12 countries; Robert Parker, the all-powerful wine critic; and the Robert Mondavi family, which is seen trying to stretch its dastardly tentacles into the virgin soil of France and Italy. Nossiter's thesis is that these folks . Rolland and Parker in particular . are destroying the individual, indigenous nature of the world's wines by helping to make (in Rolland's case) and then praising (in Parker's case) just one kind of wine everywhere in the world, regardless of local traditions and terroir. There is no question that in an effort to tap into the lucrative American market in particular . to appeal to what is known, variously, as the "California" or "American" or "international" palate . an increasing number of wineries throughout the world are making wines that taste very similar and that ignore native grapes and native culture. Rolland is the consultant to many such wineries, and Parker has awarded high scores to many of their wines, thus ensuring their high prices and rapid sales and encouraging others to emulate this approach to winemaking. But it is also true that there are more good wines available now, made in widely varying styles, than ever before . and many of them are made from indigenous grapes. As Parker told me last week, "The diversity of wine styles and the number of artisanal winemakers are far greater now than when I started writing about wine 25 years ago. "How many world-class wines were made from Italy's indigenous grapes . Aglianico, Nero d'Avola or Piedrosso even a decade ago? Look at the Rh�ne, where 25 years ago you had maybe half a dozen famous estates in Ch�teauneuf-du-Pape. Now you have 50 or 60 good estates making serious wine. "How about Spain, where so much wine was industrial swill 25 years ago, and you now have glorious old vine cuv�es of Mourv�dre, Tempranillo, Mencia and Grenache/Carignan as well as great wines from such exciting new regions as Toro, Priorato, Jumilla and Bierzo." Nossiter is probably best known for what he calls "fiction films," among them "Sunday," which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997. But he has also made several documentaries, including "Searching for Arthur," a study of director Arthur Penn. Before he turned to filmmaking full time, Nossiter spent 15 years as a waiter, sommelier and wine consultant to restaurants in Paris and New York. A four-year effort He initially looked on the making of "Mondovino" as an opportunity to return temporarily to that world, to take a brief break between two fiction films. He wound up spending four years, traveling to three continents and interviewing more than 300 people to make the picture. "I was overwhelmed by the intensity and complexity of the family relationships I found in the wine world," he says. "It occurred to me that there is something quite magical in what happens when children inherit land and vineyards from their parents and then try to express themselves concretely through the land and the grapes and wines the land yields. "It's a vast, global soap opera . 'Dallas' among the vines . and it's also a very accurate mirror of the world at large. And yet wine is the one product on Earth that is both agriculture and high culture. I love potatoes, but society's aspirations are not captured in the potatoes we eat. "All that seemed to me to make for a good breeding ground for a film." Now, he says, he's going to turn the film . and hundreds of feet of outtakes . into a 10-part DVD series. The DVDs may sell well in France. Wine has long been integral to the culture there, so it isn't surprising that "Mondovino" made the front page of Le Monde, the country's most prestigious newspaper. But all the early chatter notwithstanding, it's difficult to envision hordes of Americans trooping to the theater or buying the 10 DVDs. Of course, Nossiter may have a secret weapon. Dogs. Dogs are everywhere in "Mondovino." Everyone involved with wine seems to have at least one dog, and they get a lot of time on camera. Nossiter sees them as characters in his movie, "the real masters of many of these [wine] domains," as well as emblems of "the details, the particularity of each place I filmed." The dogs mostly seem to appear, though, as symbols of Nossiter's black-and-white world. The good guys . the traditional Old World winemakers . have cute, cuddly dogs. The bad guys . the globalists . have fierce, barking dogs. Or worse. Nossiter says that even though he's a cat lover, he couldn't resist Parker's frequently flatulent English bulldog, George, omnipresent when Nossiter visited the wine critic at his home in Monkton, Md., camera in hand. "Here's a guy whose nose and palate are insured for a million dollars, a guy whose judgments affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide," Nossiter says, "and he's got this big, farting bulldog. That's a detail I couldn't make up." Maybe he should have named the movie "The Million-Dollar Nose and the Farting Bulldog." That might attract a larger American audience. Unfortunately, flatulence does seem an apt symbol for this film. Had it been fashioned more evenhandedly, it could have triggered a worthwhile debate, both in the wine industry and among amateur wine lovers, about the making and the marketing of wine in the modern world. It might even have engaged many non-wine folks. As it is, "Mondovino" will mostly trigger discussion about how poorly the film is made, and it will appeal only to those who are already convinced of its thesis . and only if they can stay awake for its full, interminable 2 hours and 15 minutes. David Shaw can be reached at david.shaw(a)latimes.com. To read previous "Matters of Taste" columns, please go to latimes.com/shaw-taste. -- ------------------------------ * * 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 *

20 years, 8 months

[wine] Pentastico at Muffeletta

by Jim L. Ellingson

OK, Pentastico isn't a word, but Pentastyle is. Limit 10 people and 5 courses. General idea is to pair up w/ someone and tackle a course. Warren and Ruth have offered to fill in the gaps. See the more detailed menu below, as well as Warren's work number. Menu has a Roman Flare.... Course / Wine style Who's bringing it... 1. Appetizer Sparkling/Italian white Russ and ??? 2. Pasta Course Reds from Italy (chianti?) 3. Primi/Monkfish Bolder Whites and/or Fish friendly Red as befits the course 4 Secondi/Lamb Reds Pinot and/or S. Italy 5 Cheese/Dolce Dessert wines, port, ??? Jim/Louise Who's a comin' Warren and Ruth Jim/Louise Russ Bob Betsy Lori Nicolai Karin Bill Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net> ----- Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 12:55:42 -0600 From: Warren Gregory <wbgregory(a)qwest.net> To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu User-Agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022 Subject: menu hints for Thursday Jim, Here is what I have for our menu on Thursday. Starters / Zucchini blossoms stuffed with crab mouse some other small bites perhaps to include pheasant, marinated olives, baby artichoke with butter and mint. Pasta / Truck Driver's Pasta tomato based with caper, olives. sweet pepper. A hint of pepper heat but not a spicy dish is this traditional "Roman" pasta. Fish / Monkfish with garbanzo beans Expect JD to do something unexpected when you see "garbanzo" beans. He said "mild" but Monk fish can be fairly full bodied of itself. Braised Lamb / Roman style We are focusing on Roman cuisine this month so I think there will be something southern Italian about this dish. Assorted cheeses / Dolce along with a selection of cheeses perhaps an apple or pear based sweet. I'm thinking ten people, five courses, each person is assigned a course, two people on each. Prepare to have a white and red wine poured side by side, perhaps more than once. Ruth and I will take what ever others leave us as far as assignments go. E-mail me if you need an idea on something or call me at Muffuletta, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday day. 651-644-9116. Warren G ----- 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 *

20 years, 8 months

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