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January 2006
A ‘Heart of Darkness’ for Valentine’s Day
Really, what else would you expect from the producer of a wine called “The Heart Has Its Rieslings?”
Randall Grahm and his Bonny Doon Vineyards have once again gone above and beyond in the creative marketing category, offering up a rather — shall we say — untraditional Valentine’s Day gift for those who view this particular holiday with a jaundiced (or a cried-out) eye. (Click on “continue reading”…)
Sure, the winery also offers the gift box for true love it calls the He Loves Me Kit, which it describes as “one of those rare gifts that can be shared and enjoyed by both the recipient and the giver!” It consists of a bottle of Framboise, a candle, matches, massage oil, and milk chocolate — “all the ingredients for a memorable Valentine’s Day (or evening, as it were).”
And for those who have crashed and burned on the road to romance, Bonny Doon offers the He Loves Me Not Kit, targeted for those who “believe no holiday is as sickening and annoying as Valentine’s Day (and who) feel that Icky-sweet candies and cute, cuddly stuffed animals are just the combination to make a person sick to their stomach … Our ‘Loves Me Not’ box is for the those looking to temporarily forget an annoying partner —- or for the friend in need of a little un-Valentine pick-me-up.”
The box includes a bottle of Bonny Doon’s “rich and unforgiving” Heart of Darkness red wine, a voodoo doll, bittersweet chocolate, purifying soap, and an eraser —- “all the ingredients to purge oneself of the ghosts of loves lost, of Valentine’s past.”
That Randall.
Now I know we Ohioans have been conditioned to assume that ordering wine from a California winery to be shipped into the state is illegal and punishable by death, but that’s not the case anymore, remember? Ohio is listed on Bonny Doon’s web site as one of the states it will gladly ship to. The “love me/love me not” kits are $14.99 plus shipping. (If these kits are available locally, and we can avoid the hassle of shipping, then by all means, let us know about it by posting a comment!)
So if you’re looking for just the right gift for your honeybunny — or if you know someone who is looking to leave their previous honeybunnies in their rear view mirror — here’s your chance.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Wine and bourbon jump into the same corporate bed
Anybody out there ever mix bourbon and wine over the course of an evening?
Well, here are some folks who do just that — 365 days a year.
They head up the largest liquor company based in the good ole’ USA, and today they unveiled a “new corporate identity” to reflect that hey, we’re sophisticated wine folks, too. Good thing, since it turns out the same company that makes Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark also produces the following wines (and I’ll bet each and every one of you reading this has had one of these labels at SOME point): Clos du Bois, Geyser Peak, Wild Horse, Gary Farrell, Buena Vista, Atlas Peak, William Hill, Haywood, Canyon Road, Cockburn’s Port and Harveys Bristol Cream sherry.
Yep, those wines are now part of the renamed Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., which, by the way, is itself a subsidiary of Fortune Brands, Inc., a $7 billion company.
Head spinning yet? Well, read on. Here’s what today’s (1-30-06) press release announcing the “corporate rebranding” of Jim Beam Brands had to say:
“Jim Beam Brands Worldwide, Inc., today unveils its new corporate name and visual identity: Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. The change of name comes six months after affiliates of the Company closed the transaction to purchase a number of former Allied Domecq brands from Pernod Ricard, and just as the legal transfer of assets relating to the acquired brands is substantially completed. The acquisition, which propelled the company into a leadership position globally, was a key impetus behind changing the company name.
“This acquisition transformed JBB Worldwide into a new global leader in premium spirits, and made us a stronger player in U.S. wines,” said President and CEO, Tom Flocco. “It redefined who we are, what we stand for and what we are capable of achieving in the future. …
The company has adopted a new visual identity …. The logo features a contemporary interpretation of a traditional quality seal or hallmark at its core…. Inside the seal resides a single letter “B” to represent “Beam,” - a nod to the company’s legacy and its flagship brand. The treatment encourages interpretation of the “B” literally as “Beam” the company name, and figuratively, playing to the double-entendre of “beam” as it relates to light, balance and structural support.
“The quality seal clearly denotes the craftsmanship, heritage and premiumness that our brands have in common. And we like how the individual ‘B’ allows us to play on the word beam,” said Mr. Flocco. “A beam of light focused brightly on our future is a great analogy for the direction our business is moving. The idea of a balance beam symbolizes our increased stability, scale, and equilibrium around the world. A support beam suggests the role we play in providing ‘support’ for our business units around the world, bringing them together under one solid structure.”
Hey, folks — yeah, you corporate types — can I squeeze in a comment here?
You obviously put a LOT of thought and effort into that new logo of yours.
I sure hope you put as much effort into making great wines.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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A ‘corked’ shoe?
This one comes courtesy of one of the editors at the web site for Wines & Vines, a trade publication. A nice little day-brightener, especially after our robust exchange regarding corked wines.
A sales rep for a major cork supplier recently had a problem with—I kid you not—a TCA-tainted shoe. Every time the guy walked into the conference room for a meeting, his co-workers suddenly noticed an awful TCA stink (which, for a cork manufacturer, is as welcome an aroma as freshly fried bacon at a vegetarians’ convention). After giving the man a sniff-down, his colleagues discovered that one of his shoes was tainted with TCA, which is a fairly common problem with leather goods. Rather than continue trailing eau de TCA in his wake, he returned the offending shoes to the place of purchase: an upscale shoe store in San Francisco’s Union Square. Just imagine this guy trying to explain to the store manager that his shoe (just one of them, mind you) was “corked.” That just goes to show that TCA doesn’t limit its diabolical work to wine corks.
May you be blessed with a TCA-free day …
Mark Fisher
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Hey beer drinkers: Care for a bag of pork rinds with that six-pack?
Stereotype beer drinkers? Who, me?
Why do that, when they do such a fine job of it all by themselves?
Check out the results of a study published by the British Medical Journal about the grocery-buying habits of beer drinkers compared to wine drinkers. Researchers analyzed 3.5 million transactions over six months and concluded that:
Wine buyers bought more olives, fruit and vegetables, poultry, cooking oil and low-fat cheese, milk and meat than beer buyers … Beer buyers bought more ready-cooked dishes, sugar, cold cuts, chips (crisps), pork, butter or margarine, sausages, lamb and soft drinks than wine buyers.
I can see the t-shirts now: “Beer Drinkers: Keeping Cardiologists Busy Worldwide.”
And yes, I enjoy a fine brew on occasion myself — especially when I’m breaking out one of those delicious old TV dinners from the freezer …
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Here’s what WE’LL be tasting this weekend in Dayton
Mmmmmm-mmm. Yum! What more is there to say?
Well, yeah, I can always come up with somethin’. Wayyyy down at the bottom of this list is a tasting at Little Sonoma in West Chester featuring Burnet Ridge, the winery down in suburban Cincinnati where Chip Emmerich makes wines out of California grapes. And Burnet Ridge was just profiled in this Cincy Business Courier story that is worth your while.
And one more thing: This tasting list comes to us courtesy of a local wine listserve, for which I am eternally grateful. Cheers! Mark Fisher (Click on “continue reading” to view the tastings list.)
Jay’s Kitchen Door
Friday, January 27, 2006 4-8 pm
Surprise champagne, 2003 Bocquenet Nuits St. Georges, 2001 Sierra Cantabria Crianza, 2003 Juan Gil Spanish Red Table Wine, 2003 Termes Numanthia.
Saturday, January 28, 2006 1-6 pm
2003 Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, 1999 Boisrenard Chateauneufdu Pape, 2000 Chateau Prieure-Lichine.
Jay’s 30th Anniversary Luncheon: Saturday, February 18 12:30 PM RSVP 222-2892 $75: Celebrating Jay’s thirty years of great seafood and wine will be five wine representatives with their own wines and stories to tell about working with Jay.
Amuse Buche – Caviar-Smoked Salmon Flutes, Saffron-Buckwheat Crepe with a Ragout of Lobster and Chantrelle Mushrooms in a White Wine Cream Sauce, Three Crab Smoked Tomato Bisque with Basil Oil and Boursin Cheese Crouton, Phyllo Shredded Shrimp with Mixed Greens, Spiced Almonds and Fried Brie with a Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette, Duo or Seared Filet and Chilean Sea Bass in a Crawfish-Morel Mushroom Sauce with Truffle Oil, Anniversary Surprise Dessert.
Arrow Wine & Spirits -– Kettering
Saturday, January 28, 2006 11-4 pm
2004 White Haven Sauvignon Blanc, 2003 Ramey Chardonnay Carneros, 2002 Domaine Des Terres Talmet, Cinsault, 2004 Cline Ancient Wine Zinfandel, 2001 Chateau de Pibarnon, Bandol rouge.
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd
Saturday, January 28, 2006 11am-5pm
2004 Solo Rosa Dry Rose, 2002 Parker Station Chardonnay, 2001 Vinaguarena Spanish Red, Lot 18 Bookwalter Red Blend, 2003 Porter Creek Carignane, 2003 Sketchbook Cabernet Sauvignon.
Note: Saturday, February 11 will be Super Saturday at both Arrow stores! A minimum of twenty wines to chooses from, different wines at each store.
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood
Friday, January 27, 2006 5-8 pm
2004 Wellington Roussanne, Alba Liza Tempranillo 2004, 2004 Cambria Pinot Noir, Merryvale Starmont Cabernet 2002, IO Ryan Roads Syrah 2002, two brown bags!
Saturday, January 28, 2006 1-6pm
Allegrini Soave 2004, Domaine Serene Pinot Noir 2003, Andretti Sangiovese 2003, Hess Collection Cabernet 2001, Dutschke St. Jakobi Shiraz 2002, Bonus Bottle!
Beers: Allagash Special Reserve Ale Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Stout
DLM Washington Square
Thursday, January 26, 2006 5-8 pm
2004 Marea Pinot Grigio, 2001 Franciscan Cuvee Sauvage, 2002 Bleasdale Shiraz Cabernet, 2002 Duckhorn Paraduxx, 2001 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Mystery Wine!
Saturday, January 28,2006 12-5pm
2004 Tenuta le Calcinaie Vernaccia, 2002 Mt. Eden Estate Chardonnay, 2003 Bocquenet Nuits St. Georges, 2002 Ricasoli Formulae, 2003 Bernard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonus Bottle!
Dorothy Lane Springboro
Friday, January 27, 2006 3-7pm.
Joseph Phelps Sauvignon Blanc, Beringer Napa Chardonnay, Buehler Zinfandel, Alex Valley Cabernet.
Saturday, January 28,2006 12-5pm
Selene Sauvignon Blanc, Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Zinfandel, Flor de Pingus.
Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook, OH
Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 – 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30 – 8 pm.
Wines beginning Friday, January 27, 2006:
2003 Big Tattoo White, Claiborne & Churchill Dry Riesling, Segrel Albarino, Domaine Serene Cote Sud 2001 Chardonnay, Renzo 2004 Dolcetto, Enzo Boglietti 2004 Dolcetto d’Alba, Torremoron 2004 Ribera del Duero, Descendientes de J. Palacios 2004 Petalos del Bierzo.
Saturday Snacks: Chicken Artichoke Roulades, Cajun Crab Spread, Sausage & Peppers.
Upcoming Events at Cuvee: Noah Winery Winemaker Dinner Thursday, February 9, 7:00 PM, $65 per person: Braised Pork Belly from White Marble Farms served with Black Pepper Gastrique and a Gratin of Yam with Goat Cheese paired with Noah Duarte Zinfandel; Exotic Mushrooms in Ancho Cream over Creamy Polenta with Mascarpone topped with a mix of Grilled Portabellini, Avocado, Tomato, and Cotija Cheese paired with Noah Merlot; Wine Braised Veal Shanks with Root Vegetables and Roasted Garlic.
Paraiso Vineyards Winemaker Dinner Monday February 20 South African Wine Dinner Monday, March 20 www.cuveewinebar.net
B. R. Scotese
Fairfield Wine tasters! Wednesday, February 1, 2006 4:30 pm will find many of the Fairfield Wine group at B. R. Scotese! The restaurant is no smoking on Wednesdays! Guecbenzu 2003 Vierlas (Syrah, Merlot, Tempranillo, Cab), Pavillion 2003 Napa Cabernet, Porter Creek 2004 Carigane, Foris 2002 Pinot Noir, Pietra Porzia 2004 Frascati, Condado de Haza 2002 Tempranillo.
Grapes of Ruth
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 7:00-????? YMCA STRONG KIDS FUNDRAISER: CELEBRITY BARTENDERS WILL BE ON HAND TO SERVE YOU.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2:00 PM, 2ND ANNUAL CHILI COOK-OFF
WEDNESDAY , FEBRUARY 8, 6:OO-8:00 PM - WHITE WINE CLASS
Market Wine Imports, 2nd Street Public Market
Saturday 10-3 PM Frerrira Tawny Port, Martin & Weyrich Un-oaked Chardonnay, Aresti Gewurtraminer, Paisaje Barrancas (Red Blend, Argentina).
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian Store
The Deli’s Wine of the Month: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese.
Little Sonoma, 6078 West Chester Road, West Chester, OH. 513-942-9463. Located two blocks north of Union Centre Blvd. at the corner of Muhlhauser and West Chester Roads Please call Little Sonoma at 942-Wine (9463) to make reservations
Friday, January 27th - 6:30
Burnet Ridge Wines with Wine Maker Chip Emmerich. This local wine maker uses California grapes to produce wines from his North College Hill facility. Wines will include Chardonnay Melange à Trois, Sauvignon Blanc Patiana Organic Vineyard, Purple Trillium North Coast, Que Syrah Mendocino Hill Vineyard, and Three Kings Cabernet. Reservations are recommended
Saturday, January 28 Casual Tasting Blended Wines, 4-7 pm
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Caution: Contents of this page may be habit-forming
The online votes have been tallied, and here are the best food- and wine-related blogs on the ‘net, courtesy of WellFed.Net. As you’ll see, Vinography — which is included among the wineblog links on the right-hand side of “Uncorked” — captured the title as best wine, beer or spirits web log. Congratulations to Alder Yarrow, Vinography’s author, and to all of the nominees!
Check out the best of the best food blogs, too. But handle with care. Content is potentially addictive. Do not operate heavy machinery while reading …
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Veleta Continues to Impress with Wines Available ONLY in Dayton, Ohio
When I first chatted with Dr. Juan Palomar a year ago, the retired Washington Twp. surgeon proclaimed his love for California wines and outlined his goal of making California-style wines from the vineyards he planted in his native Spain.
A year later, his goals and palate have evolved —- and so have his wines.
The newest releases from his Veleta label are grown and produced near the village of Ugijar below the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains in the south of Spain, and they wear their geographic heritage proudly.
That’s immediately evident by the grape variety for his white wine, Vijiriega, which Palomar said is native to Spain and virtually unheard of in the United States. Palomar blends it with 15 percent chardonnay to produce a wine of deep straw color, exotic and flowery aromas and refreshing, zingy acidity. The 2004 Veleta Vijiriega isn’t for those who love fruity, oaky wines, but it’s a fine aperitif and would pair well with light dishes, and it’s a bargain at $9.99.
The 2003 Veleta Tempranillo ($10.99), from the grape variety that produces Spain’s majestic Riojas, has earthy, distinctly European aromas and smooth, balanced flavors. It spent a year in oak barrels before release, but the barrels were not new, so the fruit shines through.
The 2003 Veleta Cabernet Sauvignon ($12.99) is balanced — the fruit, oak and acidity blend in the flavors so no one component dominates — giving it a restrained, European-style elegance rather than a California in-your-face pizazz. It’s a cut above other cabs in its price range.
And Palomar has released a new blended red, the Veleta 2004 Nolados ($13.99), which includes 40 percent cabernet sauvignon, 40 percent cabernet franc and 20 percent tempranillo. The signature herbal notes of cab franc show up in the aromas, and the flavors are broad and deep, finishing with a tannic bite that suggests this wine will improve with age.
These are distinctive wines, made in limited quantities, sold at bargain prices given their quality, and unless you’re in southern Spain, they’re only available in Dayton, Ohio. Now that’s something to celebrate — if you live in southwest Ohio!
For more on Juan Palomar and his wines, click on “Continue Reading”
The following story was published in the Dayton Daily News in December 2004:
Dr. Juan Palomar’s retirement from medicine has left more time for his second career.
Good thing, since that second career requires monthly trips back to his native Spain.
Palomar, a 56-year-old retired surgeon and urologist, leaves his Centerville home for days at a time to fly to southern Spain to tend to his expanding vineyards and other epicurean business interests there. It’s clearly a labor of love — and local wine enthusiasts are benefitting from his passion.
Just ask the couple who attended the Dorothy Lane Market holiday show in November and tasted Palomar’s wines there. “They told me my wine was too cheap, that I should charge more,� Palomar said, smiling broadly.
Palomar produces wines, olive oil and other specialty foods under the Veleta label from land overlooking the village of Ugijar, nestled in a valley below the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains, 10 miles from the Mediterranean Sea.
It’s here, in his boyhood home, that Palomar decided to plant vineyards — Spanish varietals such as tempranillo, yes, but mostly cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and chardonnay, because, well, he likes California wines. He launched the winery prior to his retirement from medicine — brought on by arthritis in his hand — in August 2002. His wines and other products dot the shelves of several local grocery stores, wine shops and specialty foods stores.
“Most people think that it’s only strangers in far-away, exotic places that produce wines, and the bottles just magically appear here,â€? said Todd Templin, Dorothy Lane Markets’ director of wine and beer sales. “Juan is right here, and that really allows us to get a global perspective.”
Palomar said the project “started as a simple quest: to grow the type of grapes and make a wine similar to the wines from the Napa Valley.� That requires significant toiling in the vineyards, and although his arthritis stopped the surgeon from practicing medicine, it did not stop him from pruning grapevines, removing plant shoots and “green-harvesting� unripe grapes midway through the growing season to help ripen remaining grapes.
“Truly, I didn’t know what I was getting into,� Palomar said.
While the magnitude of the quest slowly revealed itself, Palomar simply became more determined to succeed — for himself, and for his Spanish neighbors.
“I see the good feelings that this enterprise has brought to the local villagers,â€? he said. “They are as proud as I am of having a product from their land recognized in Spain and sold as far away as the United States.”
At the conclusion of one of his frequent visits, after he has dealt with what he calls the “thousand little errands and problems that need to be solved,� Palomar said: “I get a feeling very similar to the one I had as a surgeon after I tackled a complex case, and will not rest until the operation is successfully completed many hours later.
“It is also a feeling of pioneering a good idea that improves the quality of life of your neighbors.�
Thanks, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Breaking news: ‘Two-Buck Chuck’s’ maker loses yet another round over use of ‘Napa’
Bronco Wine Co., the maker of “Two-Buck Chuck” and a slew of other wines, lost in court again — and I do mean again — in its legal fight over the use of the term “Napa” on some of its wine labels. This time it was no less than the U.S. Supreme Court that dealt a blow to Fred Franzia’s company by refusing to hear Bronco’s appeal of a California Supreme Court decision that didn’t go Bronco’s way.
You remember Mr. Franzia. He was the subject of our earlier Uncorked post entitled Convicted Felon as Wine Folk Hero? No Thanks.
Think Fred will get the hint this time?
Yeah, me neither.
Fred’s batting average on this fight isn’t so great. But man oh man, his attorneys must be laughing all the way to the bank.
I’ll bet ole’ Fred is already scheming to find new ways to do what he wants, court decision or no court decision. It’s the American way. Or at least, it’s Fred’s way.
For more, take a gander at Stealing a Wine’s Place of Birth and take a look at what the winning side had to gloat — I mean, say — by linking to the Napa Valley Vintners news release on the topic
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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An inside glimpse into how liquor is marketed to young drinkers
A public relations person pitched a story to me via email on ShotLuge Stands and ShotSucker Straws. I found the company’s web site fascinating.
For those of you who (like me) haven’t recently frequented bars that cater to young drinkers, patrons in those bars sometimes enjoy drinking shots of their favorite liquor from …
…a tilted ice block. The shot travels down a luge-like trail carved in the ice and into the patron’s mouth. ShotLuge sells a stand for the block of ice to rest in (“optimal angle for liquid to flow”) and straws.
The company’s web site suggests to college bars that ShotLuge products “are as essential today as the beer tap was last century.”
Here are some promotional suggestions from the products’ maker for bar owners:
• Patrons buy a ShotLuge wristband for $5
• Patrons get unlimited ShotLuge Shooters all night … and consider having a second wristband level at $10, for unlimited ShotLuge shots of your nightly liquor promo i.e. Jack Daniels, Captain Morgan, Jager(meister).
And how to generate some enthusiasm for the ice shooters, just in case the “unlimited” part of the offer isn’t enough of an enticement? Here’s what the folks at ShotLuge suggest:
Have a hot, dynamic female (Shooter Girl) to ‘sell’ the ShotLuge. This is critical! Dressed provocatively, she needs to dance, whistle and wave the crowd in to try the ShotLuge. ShotLuge inspires a pack mentality. If she can draw a crowd around the ice, everyone will participate.
I chatted with Mark Frank, the co-owner and vice president of ShotLuge. Frank said he and a partner noticed the popularity of ice-block shots and are providing products that offer a “cleaner, safer way” to do ice shots. He pointed out that the ShotSucker straws are made of “FDA-approved plastic and are disposeable.”
The language regarding the “hot, dynamic female” is buried on the site, Frank said, and “probably could have been worded a little differently.” He said he might change the wording, but noted that, “In the bar industry, you need something that can get people’s attention.”
The company has been quite successful, Frank said. “People love this. It’s very fun, and bars can make money off of it.”
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French wine dispute turns really crappy
Okay, let me see if I’ve got this straight: A group of winemakers in Bordeaux get angry with a guy whose job it is to sell their wine because they think he’s selling it too cheaply. So to protest his actions, the winemakers dump a ton of manure outside his office to make their point. And they suggest there may be more where that first ton came from. (Of that, I have no doubt.)
Can anyone envision this happening here in the U.S.?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Hah! I KNEW The Whole Wine-and-Cheese Pairing Was Overrated…
At least twice in my wine columns for the Dayton Daily News — once in 1997, once in 2002 (thank goodness for electronic archives!) — I have suggested that the whole wine-and-cheese thing was WAY overrated.
Now, I have a study to back me up. I mean, like, an actual STUDY. (Click on “Continue Reading”…)
Decanter.com tips us off to the story headlined “Wine and Cheese Incompatible, Says Research”. The story apparently appears in a publication called New Scientist, and the results of the test conducted at the University of California Davis will be formally published in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture in March.
Now, mind you, I fully acknowledge that there are a few classic pairings — goat cheese and Loire Valley sauvignon blancs such as Sancerre or Poully Fume, Roquefort and fine aged Sauternes, Reggiano with Nebbiolo-based Italians — that complement each other beautifully. In these pairings, the cheese makes the wine better, and vice versa.
But in a whole host of other haphazard pairings of cheese and wine, the cheese gets in the way, or does the wine no favors at all. A pungent, strongly flavored cheese and a young, tannic, oaked cabernet? Have MERCY…
Still, I KNOW I’m in the minority on this. Too many cheddars have lined up next to merlots over the decades for mine to be a prevalent opinion. But for one moment — one brief, shining moment — I can bask in a tiny ounce of VINDICATION.
Hah!
What are YOUR thoughts on wine and cheese?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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A Wild and Wooly Wine Weekend aWaits
If his customers and the traffic on I-75 cooperate, my fellow wine blogger Jens at Cincinnati Wine Warehouse will make it to the Jay’s Kitchen Door tasting tonight, perhaps between 6 and 7. Otherwise, here is the list (courtesy of a local wine listserv) of fine libations that stand poised to caress our palates this weekend in the greater Miami Valley. Cheers! Mark Fisher (Click on “Continue Reading” to access the wine tastings list).
Jay’s Kitchen Door
Friday, January 20, 2006 4-8 pm
2004 Highfield Sauvignon Blanc, 2003 Marcarini Ciabot Camerano Barbera di Alba, 2001 Edmond St. John Los Robles Viegos (Red), 2001 Chateau Fortia Chateauneuf du Pape, 1999 Chateau L’Evangle.
Saturday, January 21, 2006 1-6 pm
NV Ruinart Champagne, 2002 Joseph Phelps Pastiche, 2002 Robert Biale Spenker Zinfandel, 2001 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa).
Jay’s is offering lunch 11:30 am – 2 pm every Friday in 2006.
Jay’s 30th Anniversary Luncheon!!! Saturday, February 18 12:30 PM RSVP 222-2892 $75
Celebrating Jay’s thirty years of great seafood and wine will be five wine representatives with their own wines and stories to tell about working with Jay. Amuse Buche – Caviar-Smoked Salmon Flutes, Saffron-Buckwheat Crepe with a Ragout of Lobster and Chantrelle Mushrooms in a White Wine Cream Sauce, Three Crab Smoked Tomato Bisque with Basil Oil and Boursin Cheese Crouton, Phyllo Shredded Shrimp with Mixed Greens, Spiced Almonds and Fried Brie with a Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette, Duo or Seared Filet and Chilean Sea Bass in a Crawfish-Morel Mushroom Sauce with Truffle Oil, Anniversary Surprise Dessert.
Arrow – Kettering
Saturday, January 21, 2006 11-4 pm
NV Rosenblum ‘Vin Blanc Extraordinaire’, 2004 Evans & Tate Chardonnay, 2003 Leaping Lizard Pinot Noir Carneros, 2004 Baker’s Gully Shiraz, 2003 Ramey ‘Diamond Mountain’ Red Wine, NV Jonesy Antique Tawny.
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd
Saturday, January 21, 2006 11am-5pm
2004 Jacob’s Creek Dry Riesling, 2004 Evans & Tate Chardonnay, 2003 Col Des Vents Corbieres, 2003 Craneford Shiraz, 2001 Martin Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood
Friday, January 20, 2006 5-8 pm
TK Adelaide Hills 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Beuhler 2004 Zinfandel, Marquis Phillips 2004 Sarah’s Blend, Marengo ‘Brico Viole’ 2001 Barolo, Lion’s Peak 2000 Lionesse, Brown Bag!
Saturday, January 21, 2006 1-6pm
Pecan Stream 2004 Chenin Blanc, Las Rochas 2003 Reserve Granacha, Marquis Phillips 2004 Shiraz, Pavillion Rouge 2001, Gaja 2002 Marcanda, Bonus Bottle!
Beers: Harvey’s Tom Paine Original Old Porter Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
DLM Washington Square
Thursday, January 19, 2006 5-8 pm
2002 Anne Gros Bourgogne Blanc, 2003 Anne Gros Bourgogne Red, 2002 Whitehall Lane Merlot, 2001 Santadi Rocca Rubia Reserva, 2001 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon, Mystery Wine!
Saturday, January 21,2006 12-5pm
2003 Chateau St. Michelle Canoe Ridge Chardonnay, 2002 Black Jack Alix de Vergy Pinot Noir, 2002 Portico del Castillo Monastrell, 2004 Rosenblum Paso Robles Zinfandel, 2001 Fattoria Sant Attiano, Mystery Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro
Friday, January 20, 2006 3-7pm.
Lions Peak Chardonnay, Wellington Merlot, Columbia-Crest Reserve Syrah, Steltzer Cabernet.
Saturday, January 21,2006 12-5pm
Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet, Mugneret Vosne Romanee, Mugneret Nuits Chaignots, Chateau Quinault.
Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook, OH
Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 – 7 pm; Friday and Saturday 11:30 – 8 pm
Wines beginning Friday, January 20, 2006
Eola Hills Pacific Blanc, Kaituna Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Wilhelm Walch Pinot Grigio, Hundred Acre Gold, K Vintners Magnificent House Wine, Monkey Business Merlot by Selby, Chateau Les Quatre Filles Cairanne, Rosenblum Paso Robles Zinfandel.
Upcoming Events: Noah Winery Winemaker Dinner Thursday February 9; Paraiso Vineyards Winemaker Dinner Monday February 20. For more information: www.cuveewinebar.net
B. R. Scotese
Fairfield Wine tasters! Wednesday, January 25, 2006 4:30 pm will find many of the Fairfield Wine group at B. R. Scotese! The restaurant is no smoking on Wednesdays!
SIPS
1035 S. Main Street, Centerville (close to Kroger and Elder Beerman)
Wine tasting every Saturday 6-8pm, by the glass tasting; Beer tasting featuring Bells (Kalamazoo) Wheat Beers and 3 Mt. Carmel beers
Market Wine Imports
2nd Street Public Market, Saturday 10-3 PM: Tanguro Malbec
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian Store
The Deli’s Wine of the Month: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
Trader Joe’s (Kettering)
Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8
Feudi Zirtari Blanco 2004 - Sicilia, Feudi Zirtari Rosso 2003 - Sicilia, Sassoregale 2003 - Maremma Toscana.
Winds Café (Yellow Springs)
WINE 101 - a class for the new wine drinker, or as a refresher course. Two consecutive Saturdays, January 21st and 28th. Call the Wine Cellar for more information. 937-767-9441.
Little Sonoma, 6078 West Chester Road, West Chester, OH, 513-942-9463. Located two blocks north of Union Centre Blvd. at the corner of Muhlhauser and West Chester Roads Please call Little Sonoma at 942-Wine (9463) to make reservations.
Friday, January 20th - 6:30 - 8 pm
Five exceptional wines from Monarchia Cellars from Hungary
Saturday, January 21 Casual Tasting 4-7 pm
January 24, 6:30-8 pm Wine 101, Part 2, Old World versus New World Wines
Grapes of Ruth (Springboro)
Wines available for tasting beginning Friday January 20: byington chardonnay, argiola costamolino vermento di sardegna,alexander valley merlot, villa antinori toscana, enlace cabernet sauvignon, waterbrook syrah, domaine peysson cotes du rhone.
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Clash of the $10.99 Aussies: One Clear Winner
Identically-priced wines, both blended reds from Australia, both recommended within the last week, offered the opportunity to open them side by side and have a good old-fashioned duel in the sun — well, more of a duel on the dining room table with a full slab of barbecued ribs.
The first wine: 2003 Marquis Philips Roogle Red Shiraz-Cabernet: 60 percent shiraz, 40 percent cabernet. The challenger: 2004 Pillar Box Red: 57 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent shiraz, 11 percecnt merlot. Both cost $10.99 Ohio retail.
No contest.
The Marquis Philips had plenty of …
…structure, fine acidity, a dollop of oak treatment — and surprisingly little fruit. It’s a hollow wine and finishes with an astringent note. I kept going back to it, expecting it to change, open up, whatever. It didn’t.
The Pillar Box Red gushes fruit, but stops short of being an over-the-top bomb. It has aromas of raspberries and blackberries that carry through to the flavors, which are concentrated and long. Not a complex wine, no oak shadings, no spicy or earthy components, just a purple teeth-stainer that delivers pure pleasure.
The Pillar Box made the ribs better. The Philips — at least on this night, from this bottle, with this meal — didn’t.
Pillar Box wins the bout on a TKO.
(Photo by Jim Witmer)
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Dayton Daily News Alumnus Flourishes at Wine Spectator Magazine
Three weeks ago, I opened one of the Wine Spectator magazines that tend to pile up in my home. I’m a WS subscriber, but I usually skim through them pretty quickly, especially over the holidays, unless something catches my eye.
Something caught my eye.
The Dec. 31 feature story entitled Inside the Mind of a Wine Collector was an insightful, perceptive and entertaining peek at the behaviors and motivations of wine collectors (NOTE: Wine Spectator charges a fee to subscribe to its web site, even if you already have a magazine subscription, but it also allows web readers to obtain a free “three-day pass” to take the web site for a test drive. So you can gain access to the linked-to article after going through the registration process, though you may have to do some URL copy/pasting … ).
The article snagged me, reeled me in, and made me read it to the end. And it just kept getting better and better, finishing with a snort-laugh-inducing quiz entitled “What stage of collecting are you in?” It was, quite simply, great stuff.
I wasn’t surprised when I flipped back to the beginning of the piece and saw who wrote it: Tim Fish.
Tim lived in Dayton from 1984 to 1989 and wrote feature stories for the Dayton Daily News, first for the now-defunct Sunday Magazine and later for the Lifestyle section. His wife Peg Melnik was a reporter for the Springfield News-Sun. Tim left Dayton to work for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat in Sonoma County, California (now why would ANYONE do such a thing?), eventually becoming the paper’s food and wine writer. He joined a New York Times Co.-owned wine web site called WineToday, which was ahead of its time but didn’t last. He started writing for Wine Spectator, and was hired full-time by that magazine in 2002 and now holds the title associate editor. To get a flavor of his more news-oriented coverage, check out Despite Damage, Fire Spared Some Bottles.
Peg now has Tim’s former job at the Santa Rosa newspaper, covering wine, and the two have a 14-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son.
Tim and Peg pooled their talents a few years back to produce a wine-country tour guide entitled The Napa and Sonoma Book: A Complete Guide, which is now in its seventh edition. (THAT link does NOT require a three-day pass …)
What is it about Wine Spectator and the Miami Valley? Jim Gordon, a West Milton native, spent more than a decade as a writer and editor with the magazine. We must produce great palates here, or great writers, or both.
Tim says he and Peg are having fun. Based on what we read under his byline, we believe him.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Hey Wine Drinkers: Got Spirit?
So, what do you drink when you’re not drinking wine?
Ohio’s liquor-control folks on Tuesday (1-17-06) released its “Top 10” list of best-selling liquors for 2005 along with overall sales figures for the calendar year, which set records for both volume and dollars ($611.5 million, up 7.1 percent from 2004, and 9.7 million gallons, up 3.7 percent).
I guess popping a bottle of Champagne to celebrate would be inappropriate.
Ohioans are drinking more liquor, and they’re drinking better, according to Rae Ann Estep, superintendent of the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Liquor Control, who noted “a continuation of the trend of consumers buying more premium-priced products.”
Still, the number one seller in the state for two decades and counting is the cheap Kamchatka Vodka, which sells for $7 for the 750-ml bottle. I would call it “astonishingly cheap,” but one other entry into the top 10, Korski Vodka, sells for $6.65. It’s a big favorite of seniors on fixed incomes and of college students of legal age, the liquor manager at Arrow Wine & Spirits’ Far Hills Avenue store said.
But the top 10 list is not all about cheap booze. The $23.15 Crown Royal — a popular Christmas gift and a huge December seller -— rounds out the top 10, thanks in part to my colleague and Leadbelly Boy Ray Marcano.
And then there’s the $22.85 Jagermeister, a favorite among the younger generation of imbibers who mix it with Red Bull to make “Jager-bombs.â€? The “liqeur” from West Germany is nestled in fourth place.
I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting Jagermeister. I asked three people what it tasted like. One scrunched up his face and replied, “It tastes like cough medicine.” The second person — unprompted — replied, “It tastes like cough medicine.” The third person, again unprompted, was slightly more specific: “Tastes like Nyquil.”
Yum.
My father — not much of a wine drinker, unless he was visiting my grandpa, when the two of them polished off a bottle of Gallo White Port before dinner — preferred martinis and Manhattans. Tequila, he said after tasting MY generation’s Jagermeister, tasted like kerosene.
But I digress. Below (and in the Dayton Daily News on Wednesday) you’ll find the top 10 list for Ohio liquor sales. (Click on “continue reading to access the list)
Kamchatka Vodka
Jack Daniels Black Label
Bacardi Light Rum
Jagermeister
Absolut Vodka
Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
Black Velvet Canadien Whiskey
Jim Beam Bourbon
Korski Vodka
Crown Royal Candadian Whiskey
What’s YOUR favorite?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Back-to-Back Home Runs: Robert Pecota Syrah
So, I’m mindin’ my own business Saturday afternoon, enjoying just a sip or two of wine at Cuvee, when a gentleman comes in and asks Cynthia about syrahs. They talk a while, then Cynthia mentions the Robert Pecota Syrah that the wine shop has on the shelf, and finally, Cynthia turns in the general direction of where I’m chillin’, minding my OWN business thankyouverymuch, and puts me on the spot:
“Isn’t this the wine you wrote about?”
Um, yes. Yes, it is. Back on New Year’s Eve, in a blog entry entitled The Top Wines of 2005. I wander over to the shelf. Yes, I say, I wrote about the 2001 vintage of this wine. Served it at a wine dinner, where t went over quite well. Later wrote of the wine that, “THIS is the style of California syrah I’ve been waiting for. It blends the lush fruit that is the hallmark of California reds with the earthy and mineral nuances that make syrahs of the northern Rhone (Hermitage, Cote-Rotie, Cornas) so fascinating and delicious.”
Is that bottle you’re holding, perchance, the 2001 I gushed over? Well, no. All but one bottle on the shelf was, in fact, the new vintage, the 2002.
Hmm. What to do?
So, in the spirit of research, I bought an opened the 2002. This is a wine bar, after all. Work is hell.
And allow me to say: Oh yes. Oh yes indeed.
This syrah costs $19.99 in Ohio (which, if you’ve been reading the last couple of posts on Ohio’s wholesale wine wars, means that it either costs $7.99 in surrounding states, or $24.99 in surrounding states, depending on which side you’re on. But I digress.)
And at that price (which remained the same for the new vintage), it’s a bargain. The 2002 — from a Napa Valley winemaker who found the fruit he wanted in Monterey County — is even more French in style than the 2001. It’s got a bit of “the Funk” to it — earthy, forest-floor aromas, just a hint of barnyard — but a solid core of California fruit carries the day, and the wine has a lengthy, classy finish that begs the next sip. Fine juice. Others at the wine-tasting table seemed to agree.
This wine’s not for the faint of heart. It’s not for lovers of soft, fruit-and-oak-laden cherry bombs. It’s not for … oh heck, if you don’t like it, buy it anyway, then send it to ME!
I’ll do the right thing. Just like I did Saturday.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Wine Bill’s Sponsor Says Some Opponents ‘Just Want to Protect Their Monopolies’
This story published in the Dayton Daily News on 1-15-06.
By Mark Fisher
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS — A wholesale wine proposal fermenting in the Ohio General Assembly will either lower prices, stimulate competition and expand choices for consumers — or it will reduce selection, have little or no impact on prices and throw thousands of Ohioans out of work.
Those two starkly contrasting scenarios emerged last week as the bitter battle over Ohio’s wholesale wine laws spilled over before state lawmakers…
A bill sponsored by State Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, would:
— eliminate Ohio’s mandated minimum wholesale markup of 33.3 percent on wines, leaving the markup to be negotiated between wine wholesalers and retailers. Seitz said his proposal also would specifically prohibit preferential pricing practices.
— eliminate the exclusive geographic territories that restrict wineries and other wine suppliers from having more than one wholesaler in any particular region of the state.
— make it easier for a wine producer or importer to switch from one wholesaler to another.
— allow wholesalers and retailers to purchase wine on credit.
It would also change other rules that govern how wholesalers operate in the state — changes that the overwhelming majority of Dayton-area fine-wine retailers oppose.
The proposed changes have stirred considerable controversy within the wine industry: the bill’s first hearing Tuesday before the Ohio House of Representatives Finance and Appropriations Committee attracted a standing-room-only crowd of 150.
And the tone of the testimony had the tension of a shaken-up bottle of Champagne, starting with Seitz, the bill’s sponsor, accusing some of the bill’s wholesaler opponents of “just wanting to protect their monopolies.”
Legislators’ questions, however, suggested some are concerned about the impact on existing wine wholesalers and retailers, and the bill’s fate is uncertain.
The rhetoric on both sides of the debate has left local wine enthusiasts, such as Doug Lehrer of Centerville, in the middle. Like other consumers, Lehrer said he would love to see lower prices, but is concerned about the impact of the proposal on Dayton’s “vibrant, progressive wine community.”
The cornerstone of that wine community is the diversity of independent wine shops, and any legislation that harms those shops in favor of “big-box stores” will ultimately hurt consumers, Lehrer said.
Seitz said his research suggests Ohio is one of only two states — Washington is the other — to still have state-mandated wholesale minimum markups on wine. Such markups were implemented after Prohibition in part to discourage cut-rate sales of alcohol.
Under Ohio’s three-tiered wine distribution system, a bottle that a winery sells to a wholesaler for $10 is marked up to a minimum of $13.33 when sold by the wholesaler to a retailer. The retailer is then required to sell the wine to consumers for at least $20.
Seitz’s proposal would not affect wine’s 50 percent minimum state-mandated markup from the retailer to the consumer.
In his sponsor testimony before his fellow legislators, Seitz said he wanted to avoid the fate of past efforts to overhaul wine pricing laws that failed after strong resistance from retailers.
The bill’s proponents, who have formed the Coalition for Fair Wine Laws, brought some wine country glamour and clout to their witness list. Testifying before legislators were Iron Horse Vineyards co-owner Joy Sterling, whose Sonoma County sparkling wines have been served at the White House for four consecutive administrations, and Pete Downs, vice president for government affairs for Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates and chairman of the legislative committee for the Family Winemakers of California. And bill sponsor Seitz also released a letter from Federal Trade Commission staff that supports his position.
The staffs of the FTC Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Competition, and Bureau of Economics said in a letter to Seitz that passage of the bill “would increase wholesalers’ incentives to lower wholesale prices. … if enacted, the proposed legislation is likely to lead to lower wine prices for Ohio consumers, and may increase the variety of wines from which Ohio consumers can choose.”
Kendall-Jackson’s Downs said minimum wholesale markups “serve no purpose other than to assure a particular level of wholesaler profits at the direct expense of Ohio consumers.”
For beer, Ohio sets a minimum retail price but does not specify a wholesale markup.
Timothy Bechtold, senior counsel for the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio — which opposes the legislation said in a letter to legislators that the FTC has no authority to regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages in the state. Ohio’s history, Bechtold said, “has taught us there are social costs that need to be balanced against purely economic considerations when the product in question is alcoholic beverages.”
But the costs will be far more than social, according to Ohioans for Choice and Competition, the umbrella group of several wine retailers, wholesalers and others opposing the legislation.
The coalition said the legislation, if it becomes law, would “result in the loss of anywhere from 3,200 to 6,800 jobs at Ohio distributors, retailers and wineries, as more and more power is placed in the hands of mega-retailers and mega-wholesalers.”
And the coalition names names, singling out Texas-based wine wholesaler Glazer’s, which moved into the Ohio market five years ago, as the driving force behind the legislation, with the aid of large retail chains such as Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart-owned Sam’s Club, World Market/Costco and Meijer. The bill would allow Glazer’s “to seize control of vast segments of the Ohio wine market,” a coalition report said.
A.J. Hammer, who sold his northeast Ohio wine importing company to Glazer’s in 2002 and who now works for the wholesaler, acknowledged Glazer’s is spearheading the effort to change Ohio’s laws, but said hundreds of smaller wine-retail outlets and restaurants have signed on to support the effort. And Hammer said the bill would allow Ohio to reclaim wine sales it is now losing to Ohioans buying their wines in other states because of the Buckeye state’s higher prices.
But the overwhelming majority of fine-wine retailers in the Dayton area oppose the legislation and are listed among the members of the opposition group, Ohioans for Choice and Competition. The retailers include Marshall’s Wine and Liquor, Boston Wine Cellar, The Little Store, Miami Valley Wine, Dorothy Lane Market, Cuvee Wine Bar & Cellar, the Winds Wine Cellar, Grapes of Ruth and Arrow Wine & Spirits.
Ruth Hagedorn, owner of Grapes of Ruth wine shop in Springboro, said she’s not convinced the bill would lead to lower prices for consumers. She visited Los Angeles in recent weeks — California has no minimum markups — and found wine prices there to be “the same or higher on the more common brands like Kendall-Jackson, Blackstone and Yellowtail,” although lower on Champagnes, Hagedorn said. The larger retailers she shopped had only a limited selection of wines, she said.
Denny Freyvogel, who operates Arrow’s Centerville store, said he believes the bill is a precursor to eliminating the retail markup and will squeeze out smaller wholesalers and ultimately smaller retailers. Large wholesalers, Freyvogel said, “will want to deal almost exclusively with big-box retailers.”
Seitz said he would not accept “in any way, shape or form” any amendments that would affect the retail markup. But in the advisory letter he requested from the FTC, bureau staffers apparently felt compelled to comment on the retail markup anyway, noting that it “limits price competition and protects inefficient, high-cost retailers from competition from more efficient rivals, all to the detriment of wine consumers in Ohio.”
Seitz’s bill was introduced in the previous session of the Ohio General Assembly but did not receive a hearing. The Cincinnati legislator wouldn’t predict his bill’s chance of passing, other than to say, “Go ask the House leadership.”
House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, said so far he hasn’t seen much support for the bill. If that were to change, the House Republicans would give it a look, he said.
From Mark: An earlier posting last week that simply mentioned the bill and that a hearing was scheduled on it drew two dozen fascinating and insightful comments that you can find by clicking on these underlined words of the post’s title, Eliminating Ohio’s Wholesale Markup on Wines.
YOUR thoughts?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Ohio’s Wholesale Wine Wars
I have written a story tentatively scheduled to appear in Sunday’s Dayton Daily News that details Tuesday’s legislative hearing on House Bill 306, the proposal that would eliminate the state-mandated minimum wholesale markup (but not the retail markup) on wines in Ohio and make other changes in the state’s wine-wholesale laws.
As for the hearing: You should’ve been there. It was something. As I’ll say in Sunday’s story, it had the tension of a shaken-up bottle of Champagne.
(My first post on this topic, Eliminating Ohio’s Wholesale Markup on Wines, generated two dozen spirited, fascinating and insightful responses.)
The two sides in this debate don’t seem to like each other much, and that became apparent early in Tuesday’s three-hour meeting, when the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, said of some of the Ohio-based wholesalers who oppose his bill: “They just want to protect their monopolies.” The comment prompted
some unappreciative murmurs from the standing-room-only crowd of 150 people in the Ohio Statehouse hearing room.
The event didn’t lack for glitz, glamor and heavy hitters. Seitz and the bill’s proponents brought in Iron Horse Vineyards co-owner Joy Sterling, whose Sonoma County sparkling wines have been served at the White House for four consecutive administrations, and Pete Downs, vice president for government affairs for Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates and chairman of the legislative committee for the Family Winemakers of California. Sterling said Ohio’s current law that makes it very difficult for a winery to switch wholesalers is hurting her winery’s strategy. Downs said minimum wholesale markups “serve no purpose other than to assure a particular level of wholesaler profits at the direct expense of Ohio consumers.â€?
Opponents say the proposal would squeeze out smaller retailers and wholesalers, trigger the loss of thousands of jobs and have little or no impact on wine prices (keep in mind the proposal does not seek to eliminate the 50 percent minimum retail markup on wines, just the 33.3 percent wholesale markup).
A coalition of the bill’s opponents singles out Texas-based wine wholesaler Glazer’s, which moved into the Ohio market five years ago, as the driving force behind the legislation, and says they’re working with the aid of large retail chains such as Wal-Mart, World Market/Costco, Sam’s Club and Meijer. The bill would allow Glazer’s “to seize control of vast segments of the Ohio wine market,â€? a coalition report said. A Glazer’s employee says the bill would allow Ohio to reclaim some of the business it has lost to Ohioans buying their wine from outside the state.
It appears the overwhelming majority of Dayton-area fine-wine retailers oppose the bill: the coalition against the legislation lists as members Marshall’s Wine and Liquor, Boston Wine Cellar, The Little Store, Miami Valley Wine, Dorothy Lane Market, Cuvee Wine Bar & Cellar, the Winds Wine Cellar, Grapes of Ruth and Arrow Wine & Spirits. We talk to a handful of them for the story.
As I indicated in my initial post, I’m not sure what to think about this brouhaha. But after spending up-close-and-personal time this week with advocates on both sides of this issue, Here are two things I’m reasonably certain about: (a) the supporters are most likely exaggerating the bill’s benefits, and (b) the opponents are most likely exaggerating the bill’s negative impact.
I’ll post the full DDN story on Uncorked very early Sunday.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Another Glorious Weekend for Dayton-Area Wine Tasters
To find the still-sizzling entries on “Eliminating Ohio’s Wholesale Markup on Wines” or “Uncork This: Putting an End to Corked Wines,” either scroll down from this index page or look down on the right-hand side of the page for the list of “More Recent Entries.” If you haven’t checked those posts for a couple of days, they’re worth revisiting, because both have generated an extremely robust number of replies and comments. which continue to pour in.
Meanwhile, here are the wine tastings, dinners and events in the Dayton area and beyond, courtesy of a local wine listserv. For those of you checking out “Uncorked” from outside southwest Ohio: Doesn’t this list just make you want to move here? (Click on “continue reading to access the list…)
Jay’s Kitchen Door
Friday, January 13, 2006 4-8 pm
NV Jordan Sparkling Wine, 2001 Casa Girelli Syrah, 2001 Chateau Les Fies de La Grange, 2001 Whitehall Lane Cabernet, 2002 Fox Creek J.S.M.
Saturday, January 14, 2006 1-6 pm: Ardie Bonnano Wines
Jay’s is offering lunch 11:30 am – 2 pm every Friday in 2006.
Jay’s 30th Anniversary Luncheon!!! Saturday, February 18 12:30 PM RSVP 222-2892 $75
Celebrating Jay’s thirty years of great seafood and wine will be five wine representatives with their own wines and stories to tell about working with Jay.
Amuse Buche – Caviar-Smoked Salmon Flutes, Saffron-Buckwheat Crepe with a Ragout of Lobster and Chantrelle Mushrooms in a White Wine Cream Sauce, Three Crab Smoked Tomato Bisque with Basil Oil and Boursin Cheese Crouton, Phyllo Shredded Shrimp with Mixed Greens, Spiced Almonds and Fried Brie with a Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette, Duo or Seared Filet and Chilean Sea Bass in a Crawfish-Morel Mushroom Sauce with Truffle Oil, Anniversary Surprise Dessert.
Arrow – Kettering
Saturday, January 14, 2006 11-4 pm
2003 Dr.H. Tanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett, 2004 Benziger Carneros Chardonnay, 2003 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot, 2003 Pride Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Castle Rock Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, 2004 Mitolo G.A.M Shiraz.
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd
Saturday, January 14, 2006 11am-5pm
2004 Con Class Rueda (white), 2004 Michael Sullberg Merlot, 2003 Las Rocas Garnacha, 2002 Four Roads Shiraz-Grenache-Viognier, 2002 Brothers In Arms Shiraz-Cabernet, 1999 Chevillon Nuit-Saint-Georges.
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood Friday, January 13, 2006 5-8 pm
Vincent Pouilly Fuisse 2001, Rudd Chardonnay 1999, Dancing Coyote Petite Sirah 2003, Noah Merlot 2000, Limb Vineyards Patterson Hill Shiraz 2000, Brown Bag!
Saturday, January 14, 2006 1-6pm
Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2001, St. Francis Claret 2001, Marengo 2001 Barolo, Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages 1999, Bonus Bottle!
Beers: Rogue Shakespeare Stout Monty Python Holy Grail Ale
DLM Washington Square
Thursday, January 12, 2006 5-8 pm
2004 Domaine de Saint Antoine Rose, 2003 Verget Chablis “Vaillons�, 2004 Tally Chardonnay Oliver’s Vineyard, 2003 Babich Pinot Noir, 2003 Pride Merlot, 1999 Lail Vineyards Red Wine, Mystery Wine!
Saturday, January 14,2006 12-5pm
2004 Reverdy Cuvee Les Coutes Sancerre, 2003 Las Rocas Granacha, 2002 Elio Grasso Barbera d’Alba, 2000 Culler Syrah, 2003 Pahlmeyer Jayson, Mystery Wine!
DLM Springboro
Friday, January 13, 2006 3-7pm.
Ferrara Greco di Tufo, Noah Los Chamizal Zinfandel, Marcarini Barbera d’Alba, Freestone Cabernet.
Saturday, January 14,2006 12-5pm
Austin Hope Roussanne, Rochioli Chardonnay, Showket Sangiovese, Showket Cabernet.
Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook, OH, Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 – 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30 – 8 pm.
Wines beginning Friday, January 13, 2006
Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc, Meeker Lobster Cove Life’s A Beach Chardonnay, Yalumba Viognier, Domaine Massamier La Mignarde Cuvee des Oliviers, Catacula Zinfandel, Laetitia Pinot Noir, Pride 2002 Merlot, Warre’s 2000 Vintage Port, and Cynthia will be adding some great finds during the day!
www.cuveewinebar.net
B. R. Scotese
Fairfield Wine tasters! Wednesday, January 18, 2006 4:30 pm will find many of the Fairfield Wine group at B. R. Scotese! The restaurant is no smoking on Wednesdays! 2003 Paul Blanck (Alsace) Riesling, Mountain View Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Zinfandel Duxoup Syrah.
SIPS - 1035 S. Main Street, Centerville (close to Kroger and Elder Beerman) Wine tasting 6-8pm, by the glass tasting
Five mystery wines in which tasters can try to guess the grape, region, producer. Winning guessers will receive prizes!
Grapes of Ruth
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18 6-8:00PM: INTRODUCTION TO WINE TASTING - LEARN THE BASICS OF WINE PRODUCTION,WINE TASTING,AND WINE TASTING TERMS. THE CLASS WILL BE $20.00 AND RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.
Market Wine Imports, 2nd Street Public Market
Saturday 10-3 PM
Limoncello; Chateau Donjon, Minervois Grande Tradition; Caves de Estezargues, La Montagnette - Cotes du Rhone; Pierre Boniface, Apremont White.
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian Store
The Deli’s Wine of the Month: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
Trader Joe’s Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8
La Cheteau 2004 - Vouvray, Chateau Nenine 2002 - Premiere Cotes de Bordeaux, Excelsior Cabernet 2004 - South Africa (Wine of Origin Robertson).
Winds Café – Yellow Springs, Ohio
WINE 101 - a class for the new wine drinker, or as a refresher course. Two consecutive Saturdays, January 21st and 28th. Call the Wine Cellar for more information. 937-767-9441.
Little Sonoma, 6078 West Chester Road, West Chester, OH 45069. 513-942-9463. Located two blocks north of Union Centre Blvd. at the corner of Muhlhauser and West Chester Roads
Please call Little Sonoma at 513-942-Wine (9463) to make reservations
Thursday, January 12th: Salsarita’s Spanish Tasting, 6-8 pm Salsarita’s will partner with Little Sonoma in hosting a Spanish Wine Tasting complete with a Fresh-Mex Buffet (from 6-7pm.) Four Spanish wines have been selected to taste (one white and three red).
Friday, January 13th - Cabernets & Chocolate, 6:30 pm
California Cabernets paired with artisan chocolates from Cincinnati’s Marble Hill Chocolatier. Marble Hill Chocolatier. Special tasting is $25 per person at the door, and reservations are required.
Cabernets offered include: Peirano Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Lion’s Peak Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmody McKnight Cabernet Sauvignon, Silver Wines Cabernet Franc, Tin Barn Vineyards Tombs Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Lion’s Peak Cabernet Port.
January 14th Casual Tasting 4-7 pm, four wines
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Chairman of International Screwcap Initiative Says Acceptance Growing
The entry entitled Uncork THIS: Time to Put a Stop to Corked Wines has generated two dozen comments and counting. This one would have been number 25, but I decided to separate it from the rest and put a little extra spotlight on it, primarily because of the author: Michael Brajkovich, the chairman of the newly formed International Screwcap Initiative that we mentioned in the earlier posting. Here’s what Mr. Brajkovich had to say:
Your thoughts about corked wines echo my own frustration whenever I open a bottle of cork-affected wine, and it occurs far too often.
It is this frustration that led many of us to look seriously at alternatives. The Clare Valley Riesling guys had started the ball rolling again in 2000, and we followed suit in 2001 with the formation of the NZ Screwcap Initiative.
Our job in this part of the world appears largely to be done, with acceptance of screwcaps as a viable alternative just about complete. So we now need to concentrate on those other International markets where we sell our wines. To do this we will band together with other screwcap users from around the globe to break down the barriers to acceptance of the screwcap.
Acceptance has been very good in the UK, and in the USA things are going very well after some initial resistance, but this still needs work.
The “Old World” of Europe is a different story, however. The wine market there is inherently more conservative, and needs some effort convincing, and these are the areas where we need to be be concentrating.
There are now a number of alternative closures to natural cork, including the synthetics and also the category of “technical corks” which have improved their performance considerably, and this has to be a good thing overall. However, we still feel that the screwcap offers the best and most consistent results. I think our experience over the last 4 years bears that out, and the 20-30 year old screwcapped Rielsings from South Australia that I have been priveleged to taste certainly show it as well.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Michael Brajkovich Chairman, International Screwcap Initiative.
I’ve e-mailed Mr. Brajovich a couple of follow-up questions, starting with what a “technical” cork is, but also wondering just how DO they plan to “break down the barriers to acceptance to the screwcap,” some of which were voiced in the comments on our previous posting on the subject.
Thanks, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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We Are Not Alone…And That’s a GOOD Thing!
If you’re looking for the posting on Eliminating Ohio’s Wholesale Markup on Wines and the robust feedback it is generating, click on the underlined words in this sentence, and rest assured we’ll return to that topic Thursday or Friday. Likewise, if you’re looking for the entry entitled Uncork THIS: Time to Put a Stop to ‘Corked’ Wines, which has generated equally robust feedback, click on the underlined words.
On to the good news:
More Americans than ever are drinking wine, as the beverage near and dear to our hearts reclaims its place at the …
… family dinner table, according to a new Wine Market Council survey detailed in Decanter magazine
Between 2000 and 2005, the wine drinking population in the U.S. increased by 31 percent among adults in households with a household income greater than $35,000, the survey found. Over the same period, the number of adults drinking beer and/or spirits but not wine decreased by 25% percent.
Wine is increasingly chosen as an accompaniment to meals in “casual chain” restaurants, and at home when all the family dine together, the survey found.
See, I told you we should have kept this little secret to ourselves. Better run to the wine store and stock up before they start jacking up the prices …
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Uncork THIS: Time to Put a Stop to ‘Corked’ Wines
My wine-tasting buddy celebrated a milestone wedding anniversary last year by inviting four other couples to a Cincinnati-area restaurant. To transform the occasion into something even more special, he brought along a three-liter bottle — equivalent to four standard-sized bottles — of 1985 Caymus Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon, one of California1s most highly regarded and prestigious red wines.
The bottle was corked.
A few weeks ago, the same friend brought to a tasting a 1995 Huet Vouvray Cuvee Constance, a legendary dessert wine from France’s Loire Valley that earned a perfect 100-point score from both Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and by Wine Spectator magazine – a rare feat indeed.
It too was corked.
In both cases, the taint hadn’t permeated the wines completely. That almost made it more maddening. The faint aromas of wet cardboard, damp basement, old socks, wet dog — whatever your description of the smell associated with trichloroanisole, or TCA — were just enough to sabotage what should have been mind-blowing wines.
Whether you knew it at the time or not, you’ve tasted TCA-tainted wines. It can happen to an $80 cabernet just as easily as an $8 wine. Estimates vary on how many wines are turning up corked these days: Most run 3 to 5 percent, some reach 7 percent and higher. I’m beginning to suspect the higher estimates may be more accurate.
Ladies and gentlemen, to borrow from Shakespeare, we have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and it’s now time to take arms against this sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them. In other words: Enough!
Screwcap producers say their twist-offs represent The Answer, and just in the last few days, a group of New Zealand winemakers have decided to take their campaign for screwcap closures global through an International Screwcap Initiative.
Meanwhile, makers of synthetic corks tout their products, while producers of natural cork insist they can resolve the problem.
I’m leaning toward the screwtop solution.
Too many synthetic corks I’ve encountered don1t want to budge from the bottle. I’ve had corkscrews break in my hands while trying to remove synthetic corks. If these closures are ready for prime time, they haven’t shown it.
And I’m wary of the reassurances from the natural cork producers. To those whose product has fouled far too many wines already, I say: prove yourselves.
The International Screwcap Initiative –- an offshoot from an effort by a group of New Zealand winemakers — have already attracted the support of some large-scale French winemakers. More importantly, perhaps, long-term studies are underway to determine how wines age under a screwcap closure. I’m hoping for positive results.
Some wine aficionados — as well as some who pretend to be — bemoan the loss of the tradition-filled ritual of cork removal. I’ll mourn that loss, too. For about 30 seconds.
I am very interested in knowing what you think about this topic. Pick a question, or weigh in on ‘em all:
— Would you have any hesitation in buying wines closed with a screwcap? What about with synthetic corks? Have you had any negative experiences with those alternative closures?
— What’s your experience been with cork-tainted wines?
— What should my unlucky wine-drinking buddy do about his misfortune? Should he attempt to contact the wineries at this point to complain about wines that were 8 and 20 years old upon consumption? (I know I’d be willing to testify that these wines were not oxidized – they were corked. Period.)
And last but not least: if everybody moves to screwcaps, does that mean I have to change the name of my wine blog to “Unscrewed?”
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Eliminating Ohio’s Wholesale Markup on Wines
According to the Coalition for Fair Wine Laws, the House Finance and Appropriations Committee will hear testimony at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday (1-10-06) in Room 313 of the Ohio Statehouse on House Bill 306, legislation sponsored by State Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, that would eliminate the wholesale (distributor-to-retailer) markup on wines in Ohio and make other changes in the state’s wine laws, including the elimination of mandaatory exclusive geographical territories for wine distributors. It would NOT affect the minimum state-mandated markup from the retailer to the consumer. I want those in the industry to help us make sense of this bill and its potential impact, if it becomes law.
Just by way of background: Ohio has a three-tier distribution system for wine that prohibits wineries from selling their wines directly to retailers, but instead requires them to sell their wines to licensed wholesalers, which supply retailers. State law currently requires wholesalers to mark up their wine prices by a minimum of 33.3 percent, and retailers to mark up their prices by a minimum of 50 percent. So a wine that a winery sells to a wholesaler for $3.33 is marked up by the wholesaler to $4.44 and by the retailer to $6.66. The proposed legislation would eliminate the first mandated minimum markup (from $3.33 to $4.44 in the example we’re using) but does not affect the second markup (from $4.44 to $6.66).
The coalition that strongly favors the legislation says that Seitz will “distribute and detail an in-depth report from the staff of the Federal Trade Commission on the likely positive impact of the legislation on competition and pricing for Ohio’s wine industry.”
This bill is opposed by Ohioans for Choice and Competition and by many Dayton-area wine retailers who believe it will reduce competition and squeeze out smaller wine wholesalers and distributors.
Can those inside (and outside) the industry help us consumers make sense of this fight? I know one question that crosses my mind: Does it make sense to eliminate one markup but not the other?
Let us know what you think …
**Update: Look for more on this topic on “Uncorked� either Thursday or Friday, including bill opponents’ response to the FTC report described above. The Dayton Daily News also will publish a follow-up story on this issue in either Sunday or Monday’s paper.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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The Owner of ‘Wine Opinions’ Research Firm Responds
On Dec. 28, I posted an entry entitled Decanter Magazine vs. Robert Parker: a Good Ole’ Cat Fight, about the escalating rhetoric between the British-based magazine and the world’s most influential wine critic.
That posting prompted a couple of e-mails from John Gillespie, owner of Wine Opinions, a research firm whose survey of wine drinkers was part of the brouhaha. Gillespie corrected me that …
… it was him, and not Decanter magazine, which issued the press release that suggested a “backlash” against Parker’s influence on wine-buying decisions. The magazine did send out an e-mail alert to the survey and released it under its “Latest News” heading late last month.
Here are excerpts of what else Gillespie had to say:
I am the owner of Wine Opinions, an Internet consumer research provider to the wine industry. My partner, Christian Miller, and I have more consumer research experience in the U.S. wine industry than anyone else. I also am the president of Wine Market Council, a non-profit trade association working to increase wine consumption in the U.S. Our Wine Market Council ongoing consumer research dates back to 1994. We are, in fact, holding a conference in St. Helena to announce the results of the most recent council research.
As you can see (from the Wine Opinions original press release), Decanter did not “glean a backlash.” We used the term to describe the fact that for every person who finds Parker’s ratings somewhat or very influential, there are three people who go out of their way to say he exerts absolutely no influence on them.
Please note that we make no analysis or qualitative judgment of Mr. Parker’s ratings or his point-of-view. We do state in the study that he is indeed quite influential with a significant number of high-end consumers - more, in fact, than the sum total of persons who either read the Wine Advocate or visit Parker’s site. We merely point out that he also carries significantly higher negative consumer responses than any other critical venue. Decanter and everyone else who reviews our survey results can draw their own conclusions, but the creation, execution, and analysis that comprises the Core Track report (of which the Parker/Spectator influence segment was one of several) is peer-reviewable and scientifically sound.
I e-mailed Mr. Gillespie a few questions about the use of the term “backlash,” which I thought suggested a change in consumers’ opinions over time, and about our not being able to see the wording of the questions without paying the nearly $500 Wine Opinions is charging for copies of the study. He replied:
Our use of the term “backlash” was not to describe an event over time (we might have used “erosion,” “reversal,” or “waning” of influence if that is what we had meant). This is not a study comparing responses over time, though we will ask this question again in a survey next year and at that point we will have tracking data. Backlash can, indeed, imply an event over time, but it also means an adverse reaction to a thing or event. In this case, what we mean is that Parker’s high negative ratings counter the small but strongly positive response to his reviews. Again, we do not conclude that Robert Parker is either not influential or is losing his influence, only that he polarizes high end consumers to the extent that his negatives (lowest rating) outweigh his positives (top two ratings) by a ratio of 3 - 1. The key point is not that Parker has fewer people citing him as very or extremely influential - it’s that the distribution of his ratings between none to moderately influential is extremely skewed towards “1 (no influence at all)” when compared to other media sources. For example, Parker elicits more than twice the percentage of negative “1” ratings as does the Wine Spectator - or any other media venue included in the survey.
While we have not posted the survey questionnaire itself, there are a number of charts and graphs on the Wine Opinions site that show data taken directly from the response tabulations. You can see these at this link: http://wineopinions.com/december-core-track.html#. We do not release the questionnaire, full data tabulations or the report itself, because it is for sale, and has already been purchased by leading wine producers, importers, and wholesalers in the U.S.
So there you have some clarifying comments from Mr. John Gillespie.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Takin’ It to the Blogosphere: Kinkead Ridge Vineyards
The newest wine blog to hit cyberspace is from the folks at Kinkead Ridge Vineyards and Estate Winery Weblog. The winery has appeared in this space before, most prominently in October when we posted on Ohio Wines Quietly Opening Some Eyes — and Minds. And its wines grace the shelves of several local wine shops. So for a behind-the-scenes peek at the maybe-it’s-not-so-darn-glamorous-after-all life of a midwestern grape grower and winemaker — including how to plug a leaky oak barrel with a pencil — drop in on the newest wine blog on the block by clicking on the winery’s name in the first sentence.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Dusting Off and Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Wine Tasters
A full and complete list of tastings has been restored now that the holi-daze have passed. And as you can see below, the folks at Arrow Wine & Spirits on Far Hills have most definitely gotten into the spirit of welcoming us back after taking some very busy holiday weeks off. My salivary glands are already …
…working overtime. As always, this tastings list comes to us courtesy of a local wine listserv. So feast your eyes now, and your palates later. Cheers! Mark Fisher
Jay’s Kitchen Door
Friday, January 6, 2006 4-8 pm
2002 Guenoc Magoon Vineyard Chardonnay, 2003 Mazzi Valpolicella, 2001 Stella Maris (Northstar) Merlot, 2003 Steltzner Cabernet, 2002 Chateau Beychevelle.
Saturday, January 7, 2006 1-6 pm
NV Bolinger Brut Champagne, 2001 E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 1999 Chateau Fontenil, 2001 Chateau Dissan.
Jay’s first Cooking Class of 2006 will be held Saturday, January 7 and there are openings. The cost is $40. Osso Bucco is one of the recipes and the class is definitely hands-on, so bring your aprons and remember to wear appropriate shoes. RSVP - call Joe, 222-2892. Also remember that Jay’s is offering lunch 11:30 am –2 pm every Friday in 2006. Other Jay’s events include:
Italian Luncheon with Ardie Bonnano, Saturday, January 14 12:30 PM RSVP 222-2892, $60. Diver Sea Scallops with Stewed Escarole and Cannelini Beans, Mixed Greens in a Spinach Frittata Socle with White Balsamic Vinaigrette, Seafood Lasagna, Petite Grilled Veal Chop with Chianti Reduction and Roasted Baby Vegetables, Pine and Almond Shortbread with Spumoni and Espresso Chocolate Sauce.
Jay’s 30th Anniversary Luncheon! Saturday, February 18 12:30 PM RSVP 222-2892 $75: Celebrating Jay’s thirty years of great seafood and wine will be five wine representatives with their own wines and stories to tell about working with Jay. Amuse Buche – Caviar-Smoked Salmon Flutes, Saffron-Buckwheat Crepe with a Ragout of Lobster and Chantrelle Mushrooms in a White Wine Cream Sauce, Three Crab Smoked Tomato Bisque with Basil Oil and Boursin Cheese Crouton, Phyllo Shredded Shrimp with Mixed Greens, Spiced Almonds and Fried Brie with a Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette, Duo or Seared Filet and Chilean Sea Bass in a Crawfish-Morel Mushroom Sauce with Truffle Oil, Anniversary Surprise Dessert.
Arrow Wine & Spirits – Far Hills Avenue at East Dorothy Lane
Saturday, January 7, 2006 11-4 pm, Special “Welcome Back Tasting�
NV Andre Cold Duck, NV Carlo Rossi Blush (from magnum), NV Paul Masson Rhine Castle, MV Mogen David Concord, NV Gallo Hearty Burgundy “Twin Valley,â€? NV Sheffield Tawny Port. Note: Sadly, this list was NOT what Arrow served on Saturday …. talk about a bait-and-switch! We were forced to drink the likes of Paolo Scavino 2001 Barolo instead …. Oh well, maybe next time….*
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)Oakwood
Friday, January 6, 2006 5-8 pm: Boyer-Martenot Bourgogne Blnac 2003, Chapoutier Belleruche 2003, Robert Pecota Merlot 2001, Hendry Pinot Noir 2003, Domain Anges Le Roc Des Anges 2002, Brown Bag!
Saturday, January 7, 2006 1-6pm: Alexander Brut Champagne, Waterford Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Two Hands Syrah Angels Share 2004, Sansi Barbera di Asti, Covenant Cabernet Napa 2003, Bonus Bottle!
DLM Washington Square
Saturday, January 7,2006 12-5pm: 2004 Honig Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc, 2002 Louis Jadot Saint Aubin, 2003 Jean Garaudet Clos des Mouches, 2000 Parker Coonawarra Estate Shiraz, 2003 Paringa Cabernet Sauvignon, Mystery Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro
Friday, January 6, 2006 3-7pm: Lincourt Chardonnay, Barclay & Browning Zinfandel, Woodward Canyon Merlot.
Saturday, January 7,2006 12-5pm: Carpe Diem Chardonnay, Cayuse Syrah, Cloud View Red Wine, Robert Foley Claret.
Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook, OH, Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 – 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30 – 8 pm.
Wines beginning Friday, January 6, 2006: Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc, Meeker Lobster Cove Life’s A Beach Chardonnay, Yalumba Viognier, Domaine Massamier La Mignarde Cuvee des Oliviers, Catacula Zinfandel, Laetitia Pinot Noir, Pride 2002 Merlot, Warre’s 2000 Vintage Port. Beer: Barrelhouse Belgian Winter Ale. For more information: www.cuveewinebar.net
B. R. Scotese: Fairfield Wine tasters! Wednesday, January 11, 2006 4:30 pm will find many of the Fairfield Wine group at B. R. Scotese! The restaurant is no smoking on Wednesdays!
SIPS - 1035 S. Main Street, Centerville (close to Kroger and Elder Beerman) Wine tasting every Saturday 6-10 pm, by the glass tasting Saturday, Tim Barens, 8:30 pm
Market Wine Imports, 2nd Street Public Market
Saturday 10-3 PM: 2003 Moreau Vouvray, 2004 Prendo Pinot Grigio, 2003 La Caraffa Sangiovese, 2004 Gustav Dickensheid Dornfelder (Silver Label).
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian Store
The Deli’s Wines of the Month: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese.
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country Shopping Center, Kettering
Sunday 4-7 pm and Tuesday 6-8 pm: Castineira Albarino 2004 - Rias Baixas, Spain, Manina Carmenere 2003 - Maipo Valley, Chile, Celliers du Beauregard 2004 - Cotes du Rhone, France.
Winds Café – Yellow Springs, Ohio
WINE 101 - a class for the new wine drinker, or as a refresher course. Two consecutive Saturdays, January 21st and 28th. Call the Wine Cellar for more information. 937-767-9441.
Cheers!
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Over the (Oak) Barrel with Madonna
My Riedel runneth over today, so I offer up a trio (I can’t get away with writing the words “threesome” and “Madonna” in the same post, can I?) of news items for your consideration:
First, Madonna — we assume you’ve heard of her — is joining forces with …
…Celebrity Cellars for commemorative editions of wine in her honor, according to a news release that graced my e-mail inbox Wednesday. The bottles “will be labeled with a beautiful photo of Madonna illuminated by a mirrored disco ball” which comes from a recent photo shoot for her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” CD. The series will include California cabernet sauvignon, pinot grigio and a de-alcoholized wine called UnWine.
Hey, you heard it here first.
At least Madonna can boast some serious family wine connections, unlike some of the other artists that have Celebrity Cellars collectibles such as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead and Frank Sinatra. Madonna’s father, as you recall, founded Ciccone Vineyard & Winery in northern Michigan.
Secondly, speaking of no-alcohol wines, we received this query from frequent Uncorked contributor Cynthia, whom we”ve helped out before with food-and-wine pairings and other topics. Here’s her question:
Ok, I admit it. I overindulged during the holidays and am now committed to a few weeks on the wagon. Are there ANY decent non-alcoholic wines out there yet? I tried Fre a few years back but I wasn’t impressed. A nice dinner just doesn’t seem the same without a glass of something besides water!
Anybody got any suggestions for Cynthia?
And finally, thanks to another regular contributor, wine baron Matt Perrone, for tipping me off to the newly released 2004 Barrel Report on WineBusiness.com on trends on the use of oak in wine. I know my palate has shifted mightily on this subject over the years, from fully embracing the heavily oaked wines in my youth to being barely able to tolerate oak if it’s noticeable — especially in white wines — today. Thoughts?
Thanks, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Wine Blog Wednesday #17: Kim Crawford and the Kiwi Reds
Kim Crawford and the Kiwi Reds: Sounds like a great name for a rock band, doesn’t it? But it’s simply the theme of this month’s Wine Blog Wednesday, when wine bloggers from around the world pick a wine from within a theme and review it. This month, the theme was red wine from New Zealand, and I found a Kim Crawford 2004 Marlborough Pinot Noir for $17.99 that met the rather demanding criteria perfectly. Mind you, I didn’t have a whole lot to choose from here in Dayton, Ohio, where wines arrive via Pony Express.
Just kidding, just kidding. On to the wine!
Kim Crawford 2004 Marlborough Pinot Noir: This wine wears its cold-climate origins proudly. For starters, here’s what it’s NOT: plummy, opulent or new-world style. What it IS: a sleek and racy (I’ve been reading my Spectator …) pinot that puts its acidity right up front — but its makers succeed in building a complete and balanced wine around that acidity. Aromas of bing-cherry fruit with a touch of tea-leaf and cola that follow through on the palate, with the refreshing tartness emerging on the finish.
This pinot would pair beautifully with Oven Roasted Wild Mushrooms with Goat Cheese and Chile Oil. Production notes for the wine are available at the following link to the Kim Crawford Wines Web Page.
The compilation of WBW #17 reviews will be posted in a few days on the wine blog entitled The Corkdork. The reviews always make for a fun read.
By the way, last month for Wine Blog Wednesday #16 I jumped the gun a bit in directing you to the wrapup of Wine Blog Wednesday: Judging a Wine By Its Cover. But that compilation of tasting notes by wine bloggers throughout the country is now available at An Obsession with Food (and Wine).
Label photo by Skip Peterson
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Wine Country a Flooded Mess, but Vineyards Should Emerge Unscathed
Welcome back! We’ll get to the deluge in California Wine Country in a second, but in case the holiday caused you to miss the last week or so of Uncorked, here’s a quick update with links to the entries you might have missed: We posted a list of Top Wines of 2005 (hey, if the Spectator can do it, so can we!). Time’s a wastin’ to enter my fellow wine blogger’s Dr. Vino’s Year End Wine Quiz 2005 in which Dr. Vino is giving away a case of wine for top prize! And we explored Decanter Magazine vs. Robert Parker: A Good Ole’ Cat Fight, which we’ll revisit again in the coming days. (My thanks to John Gillespie, owner of Wine Opinions, for pointing out that his firm, and not Decanter magazine, issued the news release we wrote about.)
Now, on to the news of the day (other than the Buckeye bowl victory, of course. Irish fans: care for a “Ginn” and tonic this morning?). You may have seen dramatic video in recent days on the flooding in northern California, which prompted the following story from the Associated Press:
Storms Make Mess in Calif. Wine Country
By MICHELLE LOCKE
The Associated Press
NAPA, Calif. (AP) - Winter storms made a mess in California’s wine country, but the rains were not expected to wash out the region’s valuable grape crop, officials said.
Weekend storms washed debris over vine trellises, knocked down posts and sent soil downhill. But with the 2005 harvest … safely in weeks ago and the vines dormant for the winter, vintners were not expecting serious problems.
“There’s certainly been a lot of vines under water, but they’ve been under water before,” said Nick Frey, executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association, on Monday.
The big problem facing vintners was repairing damage to downed posts and flooded equipment, cleaning out the rubbish washed in by urban floodwaters and digging out from sediment.
Hillside growers face the opposite problem of building up soil eroded by the storms.
The storms hit hard over the weekend, swelling the Napa River to 5 feet above flood stage and swamping several downtown blocks. Napa officials said about 600 homes and 150 businesses were flooded, causing about $50 million in damage. Estimates for vineyard flooding were not immediately available.
There'll be debris washed up and there probably was some debris taken off the property,'' said Chris Carpenter, winemaker at the Cardinale winery in Oakville.The vines are pretty resilient and they’re all shut down, so they can be completely submerged and they’ll all come back.”
People have planted crops in flood areas for millennia,'' he said.What’s happened is they’re also starting to plant houses in flood areas because they’re beautiful places to be in.”
So, maybe this week might not be the best time for your wine country getaway, unless you want to take your mop and your squeegee with you.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Hey Buckeye Fans: What Wine Goes Best with Irish Stew?
I’m thinking something red … yeah, red, that’s the ticket … something that is almost scarlet in the glass … now wouldn’t that be delicious!
You?
Happy New Year, enjoy the Fiesta Bowl, and Go Bucks!
POSTGAME ADDENDUM: I think I found the PERFECT libation for this game: a “Ginn” and tonic!
Slurp, Slurp. Mmmmmmmm….
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Some Fun for New Year’s Day
If you’re looking for the Top Wines of 2005 entry, simply click on the underlined words in this sentence.
If you want to have a little New Year’s fun, check out my fellow wine blogger’s Dr. Vino’s Year End Wine Quiz 2005 in which Dr. Vino is giving away a case of wine for top prize!
It’s a fine little diversion. And by the way, I got ‘em all right but one …
Cheers, and Happy New Year!
Mark Fisher
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