[wine] Current Fr. Whites, Zins at Oddfellows

Greetings, This week, we're doing current release French Whites and Zinfandels at Oddfellows. Oddfellows is one block east of Surdyks on Hennepin. I haven't really heard from anyone besides Annette, Russ, so these are mostly guesses. Tables are small, so make the reservation for 8? 10? Reminder that we go to La Fugaise next week. We're down for 10 people, but we want to provide Joyce and the rest. w/ an update by next Tuesday. Betsy Bob Lori Annette Karin Nicolai Jim Cheers, Jim washingtonpost.com Made for Each Other By Ben Giliberti Wednesday, April 13, 2005; Page F07 T he perfect pairing of wine and food is an art. When done well, both the wine and the accompanying dish taste better, a classic example of the whole being more than the sum of its parts. While there are many excellent pairings, the match of Sancerre wine and Crottin de Chavignol cheese is one that comes close to perfection. The wines of Sancerre and its neighbor, Pouilly-Fume, are the ultimate expression of the sauvignon blanc grape. Although this variety is grown in California, New Zealand and Bordeaux, nowhere does it achieve more raciness, complexity and breed than in France's Loire Valley. Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, which are produced on opposite banks of the Loire River, are considered the region's best sauvignon blancs. Sancerre is a bit racier and brighter, and Pouilly-Fume tends to be deeper and denser, but only a brave soul would try to distinguish them in a blind tasting. In quality, they are indistinguishable. Crottin de Chavignol cheese springs from the same region of the Loire as these two wines, and is an official "label of origin" goat's milk cheese. Although it originated in the village of Chavignol, which also produces Sancerre, it is now also made in five nearby towns: La Charite-sur-Loire, Pouilly, Donziais, Cosne and Cher. Many consider it France's most distinctive goat cheese. Pairings of a region's cuisine and wines such as this are often felicitous. For example, Piedmontese wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco go famously with the musky wild truffles of the area; the minty, cedar notes of Pauillac wine are a splendid match with the locally raised lamb. The terroir, or combination of soil, climate and culture of certain regions, seems to imbue the food and wine with a special affinity. But compared with even the best wine and food pairings, the harmony between the tangy goat cheese and the spirited wine of the Loire is quite remarkable. They share a mineral, lemon-thyme note that is both distinctive and delicious. One explanation is that the Alpine goats of the area forage on grasses and brush that have picked up the chalky notes of the limestone soil, which is similar to the soil in the better vineyards. Wild thyme is also prevalent here, and goats everywhere are known to feast on such herbal brush. Matching Chavignol with Loire sauvignon blanc is fascinating. Crottin de Chavignol is meant to be enjoyed at different stages of maturity -- which is common for wine, but relatively rare for cheese. Fresh from the cheese vat, it has a creamy texture and a mild, nutty taste. At this point, somewhat paradoxically, the best match is an older Pouilly-Fume or Sancerre, both of which also develop mellow, nutty notes four to five years after the vintage. About four months later, when the cheese reaches full maturity, it develops a dense, often crumbly interior and a delectably robust, slatelike flavor. This strength makes it a perfect foil for young Pouilly-Fume and Sancerre, vibrant wines that burst with assertive character. At intermediate stages, the wine and cheese can be enjoyed in any combination. This is also a good time to serve the cheese warm and grilled with toast, or in chevre salad. Both wines and the cheese are available locally. The 2002 and 2003 are excellent vintages for Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume and predominate in wine shops now. Young Crottin de Chavignol, which along with other good goat cheeses has become quite popular, is flown in weekly to better cheese and grocery markets in the Washington areas. The following are my favorite Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumes from recent tastings. While both wines can sell for $50 or more, many examples are more modestly priced and offer excellent value for wines of this caliber. Approximate prices are in parentheses along with the distributor in case your wine store needs to order them. Domaine Girard Sancerre 2003 La Garenne ($18; Louis/Dressner Selections /Wine Partners): This delectable wine is from a family estate in the village of Chaudoux, directly north of Chavignol. This cuvee is from the estate's best vineyard, La Garenne, a 5.5-acre plot with chalky, limestone soil that lends a distinctively flinty, mineral note to the wine. In 2003, La Garenne's well-drained slopes allowed the grapes to achieve exceptional ripeness, yielding a wine with aromas of spring flowers, mandarin orange and herbs, followed on the palate by intense flavors and a brisk finish that cries out for goat cheese. Domaine Thomas & Fils 2003 Sancerre "La Crele" ($21; France); Domaine Thomas et Fils 2003 Sancerre "Grand Chaille" ($24; Kacher Selections/Washington Wholesale); Vivacious and loaded with exotic, tropical fruit aromas and flavors, the La Crele bottling slightly out-pointed the estates' new, more expensive Grand Chaille in my tastings. Both are excellent. The chief difference is that the La Crele emphasizes freshness and liveliness of fruit, while the Grand Chaille weighs in with classic, mineral tones. Francois Cazin Cheverny 2003 Le Petit Chambord ($12: Louis/Dressner Selections/Wine Partners): This excellent value offers an intriguing alternative to the 100 percent sauvignon blanc wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. By law, wines from Cheverny, which is located west of Sancerre, must be a blend of varietals. Le Petit Chambord is 81 percent sauvignon blanc and 19 percent chardonnay. Because the soils are a bit heavier than in the Sancerrois, chardonnay ripens well here; its inclusion adds a note of light honey to soften the steely intensity of sauvignon blanc. Philippe Raimbault 2003 Pouilly-Fume "La Montee des Lumeaux" ($21; Country Vintner): This refined sauvignon blanc wine offers a deft balance between delicate floral notes and firm, flinty fruit. Bright citrus notes enliven the palate, and brisk acidity extends the fruit through the distinctive finish. Quite fine. ALSO RECOMMENDED (in order of preference): Patient Cottat 2003 Sauvignon Blanc ($9; good value); Pascal Jolivet Sancerre 2003 ($20); Herve Seguin 2002 Pouilly-Fume ($21); Vincent Delaporte Sancerre Chavignol ($21); Merlin-Cherrier 2003 Sancerre ($22); Patient Cottat 2002 Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly-Fume ($18); Henry Natter 2002 Sancerre ($25); Pascal Jolivet Pouilly-Fume 2003 ($20). � 2005 The Washington Post Company ----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> ----- Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 13:41:18 -0400 (EDT) To: jellings(a)me.umn.edu Subject: 30SecWineAdvisor - WT101: French whites From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> X-Sender: <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Wednesday, July 6, 2005 ________________________________________________________________________ TODAY'S SPONSOR * MAISON DE LA FRANCE AND WINES OF FRANCE Win 1 of 4 trips to France! Pick your wine tour deal to France; enjoy free in-store tastings in selected US cities! http://fr.sitestat.com/mdlfr/franceguide/s?US_wineloverspage_spring05&n… ________________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE * WT101 - FRENCH WHITES Let's celebrate Bastille Day by toasting freedom and independence with something French, cool and white. * M. CHAPOUTIER 2002 BELLERUCHE C�TES-DU-RH�NE BLANC ($11.99) Minerally and complex, an exceptional value in a Rh�ne Valley white of unusual subtlety and style. * MAISON DE LA FRANCE AND WINES OF FRANCE Win 1 of 4 trips to France! Pick your wine tour deal to France; enjoy free in-store tastings in selected US cities! * ADMINISTRIVIA Change E-mail address, frequency, format or unsubscribe. ________________________________________________________________________ WT101 - FRENCH WHITES Bastille Day is coming up on July 14, and most people have pretty much put that embarrassing "Freedom Fries" thing behind us, so there couldn't be a better time for a toast to the international ideal of freedom that just about everyone shares. That's a toast in French wine, of course, and owing to the heat and humidity of the season, something French, white and properly chilled should be just right. And while you're at it, you might want to drop by our Wine Tasting 101 Forum, where this month's topic covers the rather broad territory of "French white wine," with Boston-based wine writer Thor Iverson as the guest host and expert. Iverson has penned a brief overview of French white wines and a quick regional overview of Loire Valley whites for your enjoyment. He'll be adding more information about other French white-wine regions, and he and other experts will be on hand throughout July to respond to your questions and comments. A key purpose of Wine Tasting 101, of course, is to help you gain confidence in tasting wine and sharing your thoughts about it with others by providing easily digestible information and useful advice as you try your hand at writing wine notes in a friendly, supportive environment. I hope you'll grab a glass of something French and white and drop by the forum to give it a try. ________________________________________________________________________ WEB LINKS: The home page for Wine Tasting 101 is http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/wt101.phtml You can read Iverson's overview there, or as a forum topic where you can respond interactively, http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=7&tid=63029&mi… His articles about Loire Valley whites are here: * SHORT PRIMER: the sauvignons of the Loire Valley: http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=7&tid=62976&mi… * SHORT PRIMER: the chenins of the Loire Valley: http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/index.phtml?fn=7&tid=63119&mi… ________________________________________________________________________ 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/print050706.html ________________________________________________________________________ TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE In addition to the WT101 links above, 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=63155&mi… 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. ________________________________________________________________________ M. CHAPOUTIER 2002 BELLERUCHE C�TES-DU-RH�NE BLANC ($11.99) This clear, light-gold wine shows the intriguing minerality and pleasantly oxidative character that often begins to show in Rh�ne whites even after just a year or two in the bottle: White fruit, beeswax, honey, a hint of almond, a whiff of banana oil and a sense of wet granite, so complex and shifting that it takes a while to sort it all out. It's a bit more straightforward on the palate but very pleasant, white fruit and stony minerality; tart acidity builds a firm structure and lasts into a long finish. U.S. importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, Ill. (July 4, 2005) FOOD MATCH: I'd suggest it as a classic match with freshwater fish or goat cheeses, but it also made a great cross-cultural pairing with vegetarian Chinese dim sum dumplings. VALUE: Belleruche, an "affordable" Northern C�tes-du-Rh�ne from the excellent Chapoutier, is generally an excellent buy in both the red and the white, and this one is no exception. WHEN TO DRINK: The oxidative nature of Rh�ne whites makes aging a bit iffy, as rich complexity can tip into Sherrylike oxidation with time; while they stay on the tightrope, though, they can be great, and at this price you can afford to risk saving one or two for the sake of science. Note that the 2003 vintage, which is likely to be a fatter, fruitier wine, is now available, but the 2002 (which was not as disastrous a year in the Northern Rh�ne as the South) should still be widely available in wine shops. WEB LINK: The Chapoutier Website is presented in French and English. Use this link for the English-language home page; then click "Our Wines" and use the "Vineyards and Wines" pulldown menu at the right to select "C�tes-du- Rh�ne: Belleruche white." http://www.chapoutier.com/chapoutier/gb/default.html The U.S. importer has an article about Chapoutier here: http://www.paternowines.com/wines/france/m_chapoutier/ You can use the menus in the left-hand column to find fact sheets on Belleruche and Chapoutier's other labels. FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: Compare prices and seek vendors for Barefoot Cellars on Wine- Searcher.com. http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Chapoutier%2bBelleruche/-/-/USD/A?referri… ________________________________________________________________________ MAISON DE LA FRANCE AND WINES OF FRANCE Click Here & Spring Over to France with Maison de la France and Wines of France! This is your chance to win one of four trips to the Rhone-Alps or Provence regions with Air France! 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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, July 6, 2005 Copyright 2005 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved. ----- End forwarded message ----- The New York Times October 19, 2005 Wines of The Times Loire Reds Liked It Hot By ERIC ASIMOV ACROSS Europe, the 2003 vintage provoked disbelief. In regions where winemakers ordinarily pray that their grapes will ripen sufficiently before autumn, a torrid heat wave sent them scurrying back from their August vacations to pick the grapes before they turned into raisins. This was California weather, not the sort of marginal growing climate in which vintage anxiety is the trade-off for wines that can scale the heights. Extreme heat can throw everything out of whack. Ripening is accelerated, and if growers do not pick the grapes at the right time, they will have too much sugar, resulting in wines that are higher in alcohol, with jammy, baked flavors and without the crisp zing that makes them refreshing. Great uncertainty awaited the 2003's. The early indication is that the reds are faring much better than the whites. The 2003 Beaujolais vintage was excellent, rife with wines of unusual intensity. And, as the Dining section's wine panel found out in a tasting of 25 red wines from the Chinon and Bourgueil regions of the Loire Valley, the 2003 vintage was superb there as well. Perhaps this should not be surprising. Chinon and Bourgueil benefit from hot weather more than most regions. The reds are made from the cabernet franc grape, which in the Loire Valley produces wines that offer a fragile teeter-totter balance of fruit, mineral and herbal flavors. If the grapes do not ripen fully, either because of the weather or because they are picked too early, those herbal flavors can become vegetal, resulting in wines that are nastily reminiscent of green bell peppers and canned peas and corn. But the 2003's we tasted were lively, with great acidity. And if the wines had slightly more alcohol than usual, they were still well balanced. That balance is precisely what makes these wines so unusual. At a time when the world is gravitating toward wines that taste of nothing but fruit and oak, these wines preserve their earth, mineral, raspberry and herbal flavors, which together create complexity and character. "It's so nice to taste wines that aren't about fruit, fruit, fruit," said Karen King, beverage director at the Modern, who, along with our second guest, John Slover, a sommelier at Cru, joined Florence Fabricant and me for the tasting. As much as we all loved the wines, we also agreed that they were not for everyone. People who prize power and lush fruit above all else will probably not like these Loire reds, which are taut and subtle. "They're not easy in the sense of having obvious flavors, like oak and fruit," Mr. Slover said. Ms. Fabricant was more blunt, calling them take-no-prisoners wines. By that she meant you would not want to hand out these wines at a party. They really require food to show their best side, and luckily they go with just about anything. For me, the presence of a few reds from Chinon or Bourgueil immediately elevates a wine list. Stocking a bunch of cabernet sauvignons and pinot noirs is a no-brainer, but adding a few Loire reds indicates that somebody is thinking about the wine. Our tasting was not entirely of the 2003 vintage. We included 8 bottles from 2002, a vintage that was good and far more typical, and 17 from 2003. But the 03's dominated our top-10 list, 8 to 2, and given the conventional wisdom that Bourgueils and Chinons are best consumed 3 to 10 years after the vintage, the relative age was irrelevant. Our favorite wine, the '03 Chinon Vieilles Vignes from Philippe Alliet, offered the classic interplay of flavors along with a clear suggestion of ripe fruit that is perhaps not typical of a Chinon in another vintage, but it was certainly not heavy. Our No. 2 wine, Les Galichets, an '03 Bourgueil from Catherine and Pierre Breton, had great purity and the sort of precise balance found in the best Loire reds, and at $15 it was half the price of the Alliet. The Bretons make several other cuv�es, including a 2003 Trinch, our No. 8 wine. This wine is intended for immediate consumption, slightly chilled. It had a barnyard note to its aroma that we liked but does put some people off. Trinch, by the way, is the sound of two glasses clinking, as rendered by the French. Other top names among our favorites included Bernard Baudry, whose '03 Franc de Pied seemed a classic Chinon, and Charles Joguet, whose wines have been longtime standard-bearers for Chinon. Joguet's '03 Clos du Ch�ne Vert was big and complex, with more oak than some others. Another Joguet, Les Varennes du Grand Clos '03, made the list. It, too, seemed richer than the other wines but, again, well put together. As for the 2002 wines, two made our list. The 2002 Vieilles Vignes Chinon from Domaine du Colombier was balanced and appealing. The 2002 Chinon Tradition Graves from B�atrice and Pascal Lambert offered peppery herbaceousness and fruit. Our tasting included 16 bottles from Chinon and 9 from Bourgueil, for no other reason than that's what we found in our shopping. The two areas are near each other in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley. Bourgueil is north of the Loire River, just east of St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, which also makes good cabernet franc wines. Chinon is south of the Loire, near the Vienne River, which flows into the Loire. It is often said that Bourgueil wines are a little more tannic than Chinon wines, which are a little more fragrant. Frankly, in a blind tasting, I couldn't tell the difference. I was happy with either. Tasting Report: Balancing Fruit, Mineral and Herbal Flavors Philippe Alliet Chinon Vieilles Vignes 2003 $30 *** Savory and spicy, with mineral, earth and herbal flavors; light-bodied and balanced. (Importer: Jeroboam Wines, New York) Catherine and Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Galichets 2003 $15 *** Perfectly balanced with fruit, mineral and floral aromas; light and complex. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York) Bernard Baudry Chinon Franc de Pied 2003 $25 *** Light, elegant and classically balanced with herb, fruit and mineral flavors. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York) BEST VALUE Sauvion Bourgueil Vall�e de la Loire 2003 $10 *** Complex and full with persistent fruit, herb and mineral flavors. (Le Reine Importing, New York) Ch�teau de Coulaine Chinon Bonnaventure 2003 $17 ** � Lively and tangy with flavors of plums and spices. (Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.) Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Ch�ne Vert 2003 $33 ** � Aromas of forest, herbs and dried fruit; more oak than some others. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants, Berkeley, Calif.) Domaine du Colombier Chinon Cuv�e Vieilles Vignes 2002 $18 ** � Crisp texture; aromas of berries, mint, tobacco and olives. (Baron Fran�ois, New York) Catherine and Pierre Breton Bourgueil Trinch 2003 $13 ** � Olives, earth and spice aromas with a barnyard note; a wine that you'll like or hate. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York) Charles Joguet Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos 2003 $28 ** Fuller bodied than some with flavors of rich fruit, earth and olives. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.) B�atrice et Pascal Lambert Chinon Tradition Graves 2002 $16 ** Highly aromatic with lively, peppery fruit flavors. (JF Wine Imports, Venice, Fla.) * Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company -- ------------------------------ * * 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 *