Mostly an update: Also, a list of "ringers", CA Syrah's, from the San Fran Chronicle. Next week, we're invited back to Garagista Beaujoulais Nouveau at Kris/Eric's. 4204 S. 10th St., Mpls. I'll forward the announcement to the list. Typically, we meet for dinner first, and then slide over to the garage. C, J ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 15:54:49 -0600 To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: Australian wines at Oddfellows Greetings, Had some very interesting wines at JP's. The 3 whites covered a lot of ground. First flight of reds featured one New World and Three Old World. Final flight had 3 NW and 1 OW. This week, Bob's brother Dave's in town. What do you do w/ two Kyllingstads? Why you go to Oddfellows. Style du jour is "Australia". Reds, whites and ringers... Sparklings, desserts, etc. Oddfellows / Boom 612-378-3188 401 E Hennepin Minneapolis, MN 55414 Who's coming? Bob Dave K Betsy Bill Nicolai Jim/Louise According to the wine enthusiast, bigger reds from OZ need about 7 years in the bottle. Their 2004 vintage chart shows the '97 Hunter's to be peaking w/ even the 1989's still drinking well, although there are some lesser years in the mix that have fallen flat. Barossa and Coonwara are a bit more age-worthy. Latest peak Barossa is 1994. Latest Coonwara is 1986, although the 1997's are drinkable. Check it out for yourself at winemag.com. Cheers, Jim The Chronicle's Wine Selections: South Central Coast Syrah - Thursday, November 11, 2004 CHART: Here are the panel picks from the 46 South Central Coast Syrahs from 2000, 2001 and 2002 tasted for today. 2001 Anapamu Cellars Paso Robles Syrah Price: $20 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Nose of roasted meat, spice, leather and lots of oak; blackberry, raspberry, plum, caramel, chocolate and earth flavors; rather simple, with a soft, supple texture. 2001 Austin Hope Paso Robles Syrah Price: $37 Body: Full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Raspberry, blackberry, soy sauce, mesquite, herb, nutmeg, straw, earth and black pepper aromas and flavors; a little barnyard and tons of toasty oak; Limited production. 2001 Baileyana Edna Valley Syrah Price: $18 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Raspberry, savory herb, smoke, pencil shavings and oak aromas with hint of meatiness; flavors of berry, vanilla and thyme; soft, supple texture; full and ripe; nicely balanced. 2001 Beckmen Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley Syrah Price: $25 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Very good and a panel favorite. Nose of black fruit, raspberries in Tupperware, spice and hint of barnyard; vanilla-oak inlays; jammy fruit, black pepper, coating tannin; rich, lush and long. 2001 Bedford Thompson Santa Barbara County Syrah Price: $25 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good and a panel favorite. A brawny style with black fruit, chocolate mint, roasted meat, bacon fat and sweet smoke; chewy and tart; gripping tannins; extracted, long and intense. 2002 Clos LaChance Central Coast Syrah Price: $18 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Very good and a panel favorite. Black cherry, raspberry, plum, herbes de Provence, black pepper, vanilla, tar and chocolate hints on nose and palate; chewy tannins; tart, focused finish. 2002 Concannon Selected Vineyards Central Coast Syrah Price: $12 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Bright ripe stone fruit nose -- plum and apricot with red cherry, oak and meaty aromas; deep berry, plum and black pepper on the palate; finishes with crisp acidity. 2001 Curtis Vogelzang Vnyd Santa Barbara County Syrah Price: $18 Body: Full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Aromas of violet, sweet baked berry, plum, blackberry, caramel and earth; dense raspberry, black fruit and coffee flavors with oaky notes; firm tannins, a little heat on the finish. 2002 Eberle Lonesome Oak Vnyd Paso Robles Syrah Price: $16 Body: Full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Shy nose of ripe berry, raisin, bacon and baking spice; blackberry, blueberry and chocolate flavors; coating tannins, high alcohol; needs time to integrate. 2002 IO Ryan Road Vnyd San Luis Obispo County Syrah Price: $35 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Very good and a panel favorite. A powerhouse wine with aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, spice and vanilla; great texture; rich and intense with a balanced, earthy finish. 2002 Jan Kris Paso Robles Syrah Price: $10 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Ripe, fleshy nose of blueberry, apricot skin, citrus, strawberry jam and clove; bright raspberry, black fruit and orange zest flavors; simple but balanced. 2002 Lin Court Santa Barbara County Syrah Price: $20 Body: Medium-full Dryness: Dry Comments: Earthy, meaty aromas with ripe raspberry; flavors of boysenberry, plum, licorice, smoked meat and coffee; balanced alcohol and acidity; soft berry finish with root beer notes. 2002 Rideau Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley Syrah Price: $38 Body: Full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Very good. Restrained cherry, leather, spice and oak nose with flavors of citrus, blueberry and vanilla; nice acidity, velvety texture. Limited production, winery only. 2002 Robert Hall Paso Robles Syrah Price: $18 Body: Full Dryness: Dry-semidry Comments: Dill and barnyard aromas with meat and berries; fruit bomb on the palate -- rich, earthy berry, blueberry and blackberry jam; lush, long and concentrated. 2002 Rosenblum Cellars Fess Parker Vnyd Santa Barbara County Syrah Price: $24 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Smoky, air-cured meat aromas carry to the palate; blueberry, raspberry, leather, spice and black pepper aromas and flavors; lush, mouth- filling tannins; a ripe fruit bomb. 2001 Talomas Basket Press Reserve Central Coast Syrah Price: $50 Body: Full Dryness: Semidry Comments: Bacon fat, meaty, earthy nose with some cigar box and coffee grounds; sweet raspberry, vanilla, smoke and heavy oak flavors; a lush, supple fruit bomb. Low production. 2001 Zaca Mesa Santa Ynez Valley Syrah Price: $20 Body: Full Dryness: Dry Comments: Nose of blueberry, raspberry, plum and dried meat; similar flavors plus chocolate, caramel and mint with tar and a little dill; lots of ripeness and oak; earthy finish.. Panelists: Jeff Anderson; wine buyer, The House Restaurant, San Francisco; Rick Jones, wine consultant, Fairfax; Chaylee Priete, wine director, Greens Restaurant, San Francisco; Oscar Val Verde, wine consultant, 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. Page F - 3 URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/11/11/WIG859OLD81.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 *