[wine] Any Pinot at Muffuleta

Greetings, Greats views, foods and wines at Lee and Melisa's last week. Thanks for hosting. This week, we've been invited to Muffuletta. 6:30 pm on Thursday the 6th. Muffuletta Cafe 2260 Como St. Paul, 55108 St. Anthony Park 651-644-9116 Style du jour is "Any Pinot". Pinot Blanc, Gris, Grigio. Heck, even pinot noir. Yes Warren/Ruth Russ Betsy Bob Guess: Lori Nicolai Karin Roger Bill Janet Directions: Take Hwy 280 to Como, go east up the hill and then to the second light (Carter). Alt: Take Snelling to Como, West to Carter. Have fun. See you next week. Cheers, Jim THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - Thursday, September 22, 2005 Here are the panel picks from 50 Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs from 2002 and 2003 tasted for today. ________________________________________ 2003 Alderbrook Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $24 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Ripe nose of black cherry, rosemary, pine and spice; juicy black cherry, black raspberry, vanilla, black pepper and anise flavors; tart cranberry finish; great balance; soft mouthfeel. ________________________________________ 2003 Bearboat Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $20 Body: Medium Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Lean, elegant style. Nose of cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, cassis, dried leaf and toast; similar flavors plus hint of licorice; bright acidity; wonderful with food. ________________________________________ 2003 David Bruce Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $40 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Subtle nose of cherry, dried cranberry and pencil shavings; ripe black cherry, cassis, raspberry, citrus peel and white pepper flavors; slightly alcoholic; long finish. ________________________________________ 2003 De Loach Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $18 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Mushroom, black cherry, toasted pine nuts, rose petal and leather aromas; ripe black cherry, blackberry, plum, tobacco and loam flavors; supple tannins; mouthwatering acidity. ________________________________________ 2002 Deerfield Ranch Cohn Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $48 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Smells of vanilla and wild blackberry with hint of toast; similar on palate, plus baking spice, truffle and dark chocolate; rich and seductive; polished tannins. ________________________________________ 2003 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch RRV Pinot Noir Price: $35 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Nose of blueberry, black cherry, raspberry and pine; cranberry, dried cherry, citrus, vanilla and toast flavors; round on palate; silky tannins; nice balance. ________________________________________ 2002 Forchini Proprietor's Reserve RRV Pinot Noir Price: $22 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Cherry, herb, pine, soy sauce and oak on nose; flavors of juicy black cherry, cassis, licorice and black pepper; cranberry on finish; young - needs time for tannins to soften. ________________________________________ 2003 Fritz Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $30 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Herb and rose on nose, though toast and earth dominate; mushroom, soy sauce, black cherry, black tea and tobacco flavors; excellent acidity; long, fresh raspberry finish. ________________________________________ 2003 Gary Farrell Russian River Selection RRV Pinot Noir Price: $34 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Aromas of Bing cherry, truffle and vanilla with juicy blackberry, black plum, raspberry and licorice flavors with hints of spice; round and deeply flavored; lush tannins. ________________________________________ 2003 Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $60 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Aromas of toasted marshmallow, pie crust, cherry and mushroom; root beer, black cherry, tart plum and vanilla flavors; pert acidity; light coating tannins. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Harvest Moon Vineyards & Winery RRV Pinot Noir Price: $18 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Ripe black cherry nose with hint of baking spice; palate starts with ripe strawberry and cherry pie filling; soft in the mouth until a tannic close. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 J Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $28 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Aromas of cherry pie, ripe blackberry, boysenberry, tea leaf, earth and baking spice; black cherry and vanilla flavors with touches of citrus and smoked meat; round tannins. ________________________________________ 2003 Lost Canyon Saralee's Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $38 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Beautiful nose of black plum, black cherry, raspberry and rose; similar flavors; supple tannins, full, luscious, great balance. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Lynmar Quail Hill Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $45 Body: Full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Strawberry compote, cherry, tar and dust aromas; similar flavors with jammy black and red fruit and black pepper; round tannins; hot finish. ________________________________________ 2003 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Olivet Lane Pinot Noir Price: $54 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Pretty Bing cherry, leather and spice nose with a hint of mint; black cherry, cranberry, mushroom and cherry cola flavors; polished and elegant. Low production. ________________________________________ 2002 Russian Hill Estate Vineyards RRV Pinot Noir Price: $30 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Mushroom, earth, soy sauce, black cherry and currant nose; supple texture, plush tannins; ripe black plum, cola and spice flavors; mouthwatering acidity. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Russian Hill Tara Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $42 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Truffle, toast, herb and wet earth aromas with herb notes; rich, ripe cassis, black cherry, raspberry, black tea and cinnamon flavors; silky tannins; great balance. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $42 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Outstanding; the panel favorite. Exotic nose of blackberry, black cherry, herb and toast; boysenberry, raspberry, vanilla and licorice flavors; bright acidity; balanced. ________________________________________ 2003 Woodenhead Buena Tierra Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $46 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Rose, raspberry, pomegranate, blackberry, cassis, earth, mushroom, dried herb and white pepper aromas and flavors; tart acidity; Burgundian style. Low production. ________________________________________ Panelists: Lynne Bennett, staff writer/wine coordinator, The Chronicle; Linda Murphy, wine editor, The Chronicle; Rom Toulon, sommelier, Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco; Oscar Val Verde, general manager, 2223 Restaurant & Bar, San Francisco. Wines listed are generally available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores and wineries. The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Here are the panel picks from 50 Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs from 2002 and 2003 tasted for today. ________________________________________ 2003 Alderbrook Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $24 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Ripe nose of black cherry, rosemary, pine and spice; juicy black cherry, black raspberry, vanilla, black pepper and anise flavors; tart cranberry finish; great balance; soft mouthfeel. ________________________________________ 2003 Bearboat Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $20 Body: Medium Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Lean, elegant style. Nose of cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, cassis, dried leaf and toast; similar flavors plus hint of licorice; bright acidity; wonderful with food. ________________________________________ 2003 David Bruce Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $40 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Subtle nose of cherry, dried cranberry and pencil shavings; ripe black cherry, cassis, raspberry, citrus peel and white pepper flavors; slightly alcoholic; long finish. ________________________________________ 2003 De Loach Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $18 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Mushroom, black cherry, toasted pine nuts, rose petal and leather aromas; ripe black cherry, blackberry, plum, tobacco and loam flavors; supple tannins; mouthwatering acidity. ________________________________________ 2002 Deerfield Ranch Cohn Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $48 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Smells of vanilla and wild blackberry with hint of toast; similar on palate, plus baking spice, truffle and dark chocolate; rich and seductive; polished tannins. ________________________________________ 2003 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch RRV Pinot Noir Price: $35 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Nose of blueberry, black cherry, raspberry and pine; cranberry, dried cherry, citrus, vanilla and toast flavors; round on palate; silky tannins; nice balance. ________________________________________ 2002 Forchini Proprietor's Reserve RRV Pinot Noir Price: $22 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Cherry, herb, pine, soy sauce and oak on nose; flavors of juicy black cherry, cassis, licorice and black pepper; cranberry on finish; young - needs time for tannins to soften. ________________________________________ 2003 Fritz Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $30 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Herb and rose on nose, though toast and earth dominate; mushroom, soy sauce, black cherry, black tea and tobacco flavors; excellent acidity; long, fresh raspberry finish. ________________________________________ 2003 Gary Farrell Russian River Selection RRV Pinot Noir Price: $34 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Aromas of Bing cherry, truffle and vanilla with juicy blackberry, black plum, raspberry and licorice flavors with hints of spice; round and deeply flavored; lush tannins. ________________________________________ 2003 Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $60 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Aromas of toasted marshmallow, pie crust, cherry and mushroom; root beer, black cherry, tart plum and vanilla flavors; pert acidity; light coating tannins. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Harvest Moon Vineyards & Winery RRV Pinot Noir Price: $18 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Ripe black cherry nose with hint of baking spice; palate starts with ripe strawberry and cherry pie filling; soft in the mouth until a tannic close. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 J Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $28 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Aromas of cherry pie, ripe blackberry, boysenberry, tea leaf, earth and baking spice; black cherry and vanilla flavors with touches of citrus and smoked meat; round tannins. ________________________________________ 2003 Lost Canyon Saralee's Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $38 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Beautiful nose of black plum, black cherry, raspberry and rose; similar flavors; supple tannins, full, luscious, great balance. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Lynmar Quail Hill Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $45 Body: Full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Strawberry compote, cherry, tar and dust aromas; similar flavors with jammy black and red fruit and black pepper; round tannins; hot finish. ________________________________________ 2003 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Olivet Lane Pinot Noir Price: $54 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Pretty Bing cherry, leather and spice nose with a hint of mint; black cherry, cranberry, mushroom and cherry cola flavors; polished and elegant. Low production. ________________________________________ 2002 Russian Hill Estate Vineyards RRV Pinot Noir Price: $30 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Mushroom, earth, soy sauce, black cherry and currant nose; supple texture, plush tannins; ripe black plum, cola and spice flavors; mouthwatering acidity. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Russian Hill Tara Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $42 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Excellent. Truffle, toast, herb and wet earth aromas with herb notes; rich, ripe cassis, black cherry, raspberry, black tea and cinnamon flavors; silky tannins; great balance. Low production. ________________________________________ 2003 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Price: $42 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Outstanding; the panel favorite. Exotic nose of blackberry, black cherry, herb and toast; boysenberry, raspberry, vanilla and licorice flavors; bright acidity; balanced. ________________________________________ 2003 Woodenhead Buena Tierra Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir Price: $46 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good. Rose, raspberry, pomegranate, blackberry, cassis, earth, mushroom, dried herb and white pepper aromas and flavors; tart acidity; Burgundian style. Low production. ________________________________________ Panelists: Lynne Bennett, staff writer/wine coordinator, The Chronicle; Linda Murphy, wine editor, The Chronicle; Rom Toulon, sommelier, Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco; Oscar Val Verde, general manager, 2223 Restaurant & Bar, San Francisco. Wines listed are generally available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores and wineries. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *