----- Original Message -----

From: Jim L. Ellingson

To: wine@thebarn.com

Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 12:05 PM

Subject: [wine] Got Wood, Town Talk

Looking to be at Town Talk this week.
Back up is Arezzo.

Vin du jour is in Bill's able hands.


Bill
Dave
Lori
Jim/Louise
Warren/Ruth
Betsy
Bob
Russ/Sue

I'll be off line until wedesday.

C,
J


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Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 12:39:39 -0400 (EDT)
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Subject: 30SecWineAdvisor: Oak and Chardonnay
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THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Monday, May 12, 2008
________________________________________________________________________
TODAY'S SPONSOR

* CONNOISSEURS' SERIES This exceptional program brings you the kind of
rare, limited-production California jewels that are often available only
on tightly allocated mailing lists. Call The California Wine Club at 1-
800-777-4443 to join or learn more.
http://www.cawineclub.com/connseries

________________________________________________________________________
IN THIS ISSUE

* OAK AND CHARDONNAY Today we take another look at a perennial wine
question: Does Chardonnay need oak?
* DUTTON GOLDFIELD 2004 DUTTON RANCH RUED VINEYARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
CHARDONNAY ($45) From Connoisseurs' Series: From Connoisseurs' Series:
Butter, smoke and tropical fruit reveal a New World style, but it's
handled very well indeed.
* A TO Z 2006 OREGON CHARDONNAY ($16.99) Delicious Chardonnay presents
an oak-free balance of clean fruit and subtle minerality.
* THIS WEEK ON WINELOVERSPAGE.COM Jorge Eduardo Castillo offers ways to
make wine with dinner more exciting; Randy Buckner reviews 100 new
releases; and our WineLovers Discussion Group debates the value of
vacuum wine-preservation accessories.
* ADMINISTRIVIA Change E-mail address, frequency, format or unsubscribe.

________________________________________________________________________
OAK AND CHARDONNAY

A few months ago, we took a close look at a perennial wine question:
Does Chardonnay need oak?

Today let's return to this issue, prompted by recent tastings of an
Oregon Chardonnay that expresses the "un-wooded" style with unusual
purity; and a higher-end California Chardonnay that's undeniably opulent
in the oak-and-butter style but carries it off with grace thanks to its
complexity and balance.

The un-oaked example, A to Z 2006 Oregon Chardonnay, takes an unusually
pleasant approach to Chardonnay for my tastes. In many New World
regions, Chardonnay au naturel can be a bit fat and soft, a combination
that can benefit from a kiss of oak to give it structure. A to Z's
Oregon model, however, is in no way pudgy. Clean and fresh, true fresh-
apple flavors, subtle minerality and crisp acidity comes together in a
package that needs no oak.

Today's oaked example, Dutton Goldfield 2004 Dutton Ranch Rued Vineyard
Russian River Valley Chardonnay, one of this month's offerings from
California Wine Club's excellent, high-end Connoisseurs' Series,
presents plenty of butter and a dollop of smoky oak in a distinct New
World style. But it's made well, with subtle balance and intriguing
complexity that brings these flavors together in a stylish combination.

Oak or no oak? With wines as well-made and delicious as these two,
there's no reason for debate: I'm happy either way.

________________________________________________________________________
DUTTON GOLDFIELD 2004 DUTTON RANCH RUED VINEYARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
CHARDONNAY ($45 retail; $40 per bottle for half or full case orders by
Connoisseurs' Series members)

Clear light gold. Butter, smoke and tropical fruit reveal a New World
style, but it's handled very well indeed, rich on the palate but fully
dry and properly acidic, complex and textured. With relatively
restrained 13.7% alcohol and excellent balance, this is an exceptional
California Chardonnay, opulent but balanced, even elegant. A fine match
with a thick, pan-roasted pork chop. Only 564 cases were made. Winery
Website: http://www.duttongoldfield.com/ (May 3, 2008)

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: The Dutton Goldfield 2004 Rued Vineyard
Chardonnay is part of this month's shipment in California Wine Club's
Connoisseurs' Series and is available for additional orders by
Connoisseurs' Series members. Call 1-800-777-4443 to join or learn more.

________________________________________________________________________
A TO Z 2006 OREGON CHARDONNAY ($16.99)

"No Wood," the label proclaims, and this transparent straw color wine
does present a clean expression of Chardonnay, fresh and subtle apple
aromas as pure as the scent of slicing into a fresh Granny Smith. Crisp
apple flavors plus a hint of lime and a touch of stony minerality; dry
and tart, nicely shaped by mouth-watering acidity. I'm not always a fan
of unwooded Chardonnays, which sometimes come across too neutral, but
that's no problem with this delicious wine with its good balance of
clean fruit and subtle minerality. (May 9, 2008)

FOOD MATCH: A natural match for freshwater fish. It was fine with
walleye fillets baked with a topping of cornmeal, Parmigiano-Reggiano
and fragrant West African "grains of paradise" pepper.

VALUE: The middle teens represent a fair range for this very good
unwooded Chardonnay.

WHEN TO DRINK: No great rush, but I don't see it as a candidate for
cellaring.

WEB LINK:
For the winery fact sheet on this Chardonnay, click
http://www.atozwineworks.com/chard.html

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Unfortunately, because of its single letters, "A to Z" does not appear
to be searchable on Wine-Searcher.com. To locate distributors in many
states of the U.S., see the winery Website,
http://www.atozwineworks.com/distributors.html

________________________________________________________________________
TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE

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or wine in general, you're always welcome to drop by our online
WineLovers Discussion Group. This link will take you to the forum home
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To contact me by E-mail, write wine@wineloverspage.com. I'll respond
personally to the extent that time and volume permit.

________________________________________________________________________
PRINT OUT TODAY'S ARTICLE
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printed out for your scrapbook or file or downloaded to your PDA or
other wireless device.
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/2008/05/oak_and_chardonnay-print.html

________________________________________________________________________
THIS WEEK ON WINELOVERSPAGE.COM

* VINO 101: Thinking Out of the Box
People want to have fun when they go out to dinner. Jorge Eduardo
Castillo suggests some creative ways to provide his guests an
unexpectedly fun experience.
http://www.wineloverspage.com/vino101/outofthebox08.phtml

* BUCKO'S WINE REPORTS: 100 new wines
With warm spring and summer days around the corner, our attention turns
to crisp white wines and friendly reds. Randy "Bucko" Buckner reports on
wines from $6 to $105, sure to fit any occasion and pocketbook.
http://www.wineloverspage.com/bucko/bucko0508.phtml

* WINELOVERS DISCUSSION GROUP: Vacu-Vin: Does it work?
A reader's question about the Vacu-Vin (and other wine-preservation
systems that work by using a plastic pump to remove some air from a
partially consumed bottle) generates a spirited discussion on our
WineLovers Discussion Group. Read the conversation, and join in, at this
link:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15656

________________________________________________________________________
LAST WEEK'S WINE ADVISOR INDEX

The Wine Advisor's daily edition is usually distributed on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays (and, for those who subscribe, the FoodLetter on
Thursdays). Here's the index to last week's columns:

* The World of Wine in 2058 (May 9, 2008)
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/tswa20080509.php

* Fine, affordable Malbec (May 7, 2008)
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/tswa20080507.php

* Bits and pieces (May 5, 2008)
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/tswa20080505.php

* Complete 30 Second Wine Advisor archive:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/archives.php

* Wine Advisor FoodLetter: Pork chops Li�goise (May 1, 2008)
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/food/tsfl20080501.php

* Wine Advisor Foodletter archive:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/food/archives.php

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All the wine-tasting reports posted here are
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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.

Monday, May 12, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved.

----- End forwarded message -----

--
------------------------------
*  Dr. James Ellingson,                 jellings@me.umn.edu  *
*  University of Minnesota,           mobile : 651/645-0753  *
*  Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN  55104   *