[wine] Brdx Grapes from Anywhere at JP's

Mostly an update, and an article on half glasses of wine. ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 16:39:24 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] Bordeaux Style Grapes from Anywhere at JP's Greetings, Great food, interesting wines at Vincent. Thanks Annette for getting us in. Thanks to Dave T. for the Dujacs (2!). Heading to JP's this week. Vin du juor is Bordeaux style grapes (Sauv. Blanc, Cab Sauv., Cab Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and a couple of others) from anywhere. Varietals and Blends, although I suppose blends are more in brdx character. A rough estimate of the vintage charts is that most anything from 1997 or older is drinking well now. Dial that forward to 2000 or '01 for Washington and Australia. For California, it's 2000, 98 and 94 and older. Thursday Brdx grapes from anywhere at JP's JP's American Bistro JP Samuelson 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 9 Confirmed: bob lori ruth Russ/Sue jim/louise/susan_hickman Anette S. 4 likely suspects. Christopher nicolai karin bill Cheers, Jim Progressive Sale at the Cellars. Not sure how many of Brian's wines are still being stocked or are in stock. The Half-Glass Makes a Splash By Candy Sagon Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, January 25, 2006; F01 Is the glass half-full? Yes, it is -- and that's a good thing when it comes to wines by the glass at several young, energetic restaurants in the area. Instead of offering the typical choice of a glass of wine or a bottle, these wine-serious places think customers should be able to order an even smaller serving (for a commensurately smaller price). The half-glass, or taste, as some restaurants call it, is 2.5 to three ounces of wine -- just enough to sip with an appetizer course and then, perhaps, order another half-glass of a different wine to enjoy with an entree. "Everyone loves having another option. It lets them try things they've never had," said Danny Boylen, general manager of Notti Bianche, which opened in May near the Kennedy Center and offers 18 wines by the half-glass. At 6-month-old Sonoma on Capitol Hill, servers will even offer customers a splash of wine to sample if they're having trouble deciding among the 15 whites and 25 reds offered by the half-glass. It's an even tougher decision at Tallula in Arlington, where all 76 wines offered by the glass are also available by the half-glass, or at Grapeseed in Bethesda, which boasts 95 half-glass choices. Dino, an Italian restaurant and wine bar that opened in Cleveland Park in July, takes another tack. Nine reds and seven whites are offered in two sizes: a three-ounce pour called an ombra and an eight-ounce carafe called a quartin , which can easily be shared by two people. "This is the traditional way they do it at the wine bars in Italy," said service director Justin Guthrie. The response from customers, he adds, "has been fantastic. We change our wines by the glass pretty frequently, so this is an opportunity to try a lot of things in quantities you wouldn't normally get." People also like being able to taste an expensive wine without having to spring for an entire bottle, said Jeff Heineman, Grapeseed's chef-owner. They might balk at spending $70 on a bottle of wine they've never tried, but they're willing to spend $17.50 for a glass or $8.75 for a taste. "Customers really embrace the tasting thing," he says. "It just works to let them try more kinds of wine." Here's a sampling of restaurants in the area offering a generous selection of wines by the half-glass and the glass. A half-glass pour is about three ounces; a traditional glass of wine is about six ounces. (A standard bottle of wine contains about 25 ounces, or enough for about four glasses of wine.) Sonoma, 223 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, 202-544-8088. Troy Bock, general manager and sommelier: "We first began doing half-glasses at our sister restaurant, Mendocino, in Georgetown. For this location, we wanted the list to have more Italian wines to go with the food we offer." Wine list: 15 whites, 25 reds by the half-glass. One to try: Ajello Furat ($7 half-glass, $10 glass). "It's a Sicilian wine, a blend of Nero d'Avola, merlot and syrah and a little cabernet. It has a full-bodied flavor with a little spice." Perfect match: "The Furat with the Muscovy breast of duck, parsnip puree, mini bok choy and balsamic jus. It's a natural match with the wine's fruit and slightly spicy finish." Tallula, 2761 Washington Blvd., Arlington, 703-778-5051. Josh Radigan, general manager: "People like to create their own flights, like ordering three half-glasses of different cabernets and comparing them." Wine list: 76 wines by half-glass. One to try: Ayles Garnacha ($3.50 half-glass, $7 glass). "It's from Spain, made from the grenache grape. It's medium-bodied with aromas of cranberry and a little spice. It's a very versatile wine." Perfect match: The Stolleis Trocken Kabinett Riesling ($3.50 half-glass, $7 glass) with the duck confit appetizer. "The confit is served with sausage and beans. It's an Alsatian dish that was just made for this dry Riesling. The wine cuts the heaviness of the food." Sette Osteria, 1666 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-483-3070. Raimondo Russo, general manager: "People like to pair half-glasses with each course. Or they order a glass with dinner and a half-glass to enjoy while lingering after the meal." Wine list: Italian wines only. Six whites, 12 reds by the half-glass. One to try: Le Volte, Ornellaia ($6 half-glass, $12 glass). "A modestly priced wine from a famous winery known for its expensive super-Tuscans. It's a blend of sangiovese, cabernet franc and merlot." Favorite match: The Lacryma Cristi del Vesuvio ($5 half-glass, $8 glass), with any of the pizzas. "The wine is made from grapes grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius, and the combination with our stone-baked pizza crust is fabulous." Notti Bianche, 824 New Hampshire Ave. NW, 202-298-8085. Danny Boylen, general manager: "People tell us they like ordering a half-glass when they're going to the theater and don't want to get sleepy." Wine list: Eight reds, eight whites, two sparkling by half-glass. One to try: The Grappler ($5 half-glass, $10 glass). "It's by Twenty Rows, and it's a red I adore. The staff loves it, too. It's a big, round zinfandel softened by some syrah and cabernet. It's a gentle giant." Perfect match: Cla ($6 half-glass, $12 glass) with the stuffed rack of pork with white bean puree and braised kale. "Cla is medium-bodied and rich with a little pepper on the finish, which complements the prosciutto stuffing and the kale." Grapeseed, 4865 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 301-986-9592. Jeff Heineman, chef-owner: "People don't always want two full glasses of wine with a meal, but two half-glasses are perfect." Wine list: 95 wines by the half-glass, plus 12 dessert wines and 11 ports. One to try: D'Arenberg Hermit Crab ($4.50 half-glass, $9 glass). "It's an Australian white. The winery always has these strange names for their wines, like Dead Arm. This one is a great blend of viognier and marsanne that works with a lot of different foods." Perfect match: Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage ($7.75 half-glass, $15.50 glass). "From Day One, everyone has loved this wine with the filet mignon we serve with oxtail-mushroom ragout and horseradish mashed potatoes. The salinity of the wine goes really well with the rich sauce." Dino, 3435 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-686-2966. Justin Guthrie, service director: "Ninety percent of our wines are Italian, but occasionally I throw in a California or Oregon and a few French." Wine list: 22 wines in three-ounce and eight-ounce sizes. One to try: Costanti Brunello ($7 half-glass, $18 glass). "You definitely won't see this offered by the glass at other restaurants. Brunellos are big wines and this one, from a small winery in Montalcino, is a particularly elegant example." Perfect match: Ciacci Piccolomini Rosso di Montalcino ($5 half-glass, $13 glass). "This is 100 percent sangiovese from just south of Chianti. It goes well with our beefsteak with salsa verde or our pappardelle with wild boar because the wine is from the same area as these recipes. They have each other in mind." � 2006 The Washington Post 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 *