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May 2006
The ugly side of the Fleurs de Fete
Folks: I’m on the road, but I got this message from Eric Jerardi as a comment on our Fleurs de Fete coverage that shows a different side of the Fleurs de Fete than anything we’ve explored so far, that’s for sure. Here’s Eric:
“Mark, thank you for letting everyone know how much time, money and effort goes into this event from those of us who participate in it. To offer a bit of perspective from the other side of the table, I found that many people were rude with an inconceivable sense of entitlement. If you give $50 to charity and get to try loads of wine and great food, aren’t you coming out ahead? I actually had two people complain to me about running out of food who thought that we, the business owners, split the profits from the event. All I could say is “wow.â€? To top it off, after the event a 6L bottle of Bordeaux was stolen from my table as well as 10 or 12 of my wine DVDs. I hope the jackass who took my property got their $50 worth.”
Wow.
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Armed with fresh gold medals, Ohio wines head to Dayton WineFest
A few items of business before we get to Ohio wines: First, Uncorked will be on “research sabbatical” for the next week while we travel to Paso Robles, CA for a whirlwind tour of that up-and-coming wine region. Stay tuned for more great stuff after our grueling research!
Second, apologies for failing to post the wine tastings this week, but congratulations to Niki, who swept to victory in the first-ever Uncorked caption contest. Niki wins the top prize of — (drum roll, please) — our undying love and affection. And she didn’t even vote for herself!
Third, if you’ve not explored my other wine-blogging gig as editor of and contributor to Wine Sediments, now’s a good time, because the post that’s up on that site now is a reintroduction of sorts, and it includes links to “Greatest Hits” — the best posts of recent months by the international panel of bloggers who contribute to the site.
But, we move on. Take a peek at this, and consider the following good news:
Ohio Wine Festival returns to Second Street Market June 2-3
Ohio wines have snagged a few prestigious medals at some recent wine competitions — and that’s good news for those considering the Market District Ohio WineFest June 2-3 (next Friday night and all day Saturday) at the National City 2nd Street Public Market.
You remember Ohio wines, don’t you? They’re the wines some connoisseurs love to disrespect just because of their …
… place of birth (and I am not without sin over my lifetime, either, though I ain’t no Connie-Sewer). In fact, Ohio wines have made great strides in recent years, with more wineries opening and greater variety available. The whites have been tasty for a while and are still improving; the reds have made huge strides in quality, though a cool growing season can still produce unflattering wines.
And now comes hard evidence of the growth in quality. Ohio wines are getting noticed at wine competitions — and we’re not talking about the Ohio State Fair, but about real competitions that atract entries from all over, including California.
The 30th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition and Riesling Championship named a Ferrante 2005 American Riesling the winner of its “Best Semi-Dry Riesling� category, while Maize Valley won “Best Fruit Wine� for its non-vintage cherry wine. The riesling medal comes with an asterisk: The winning Ferrante wine was made from west-coast grapes from the Columbia Valley. But the competition received nearly 2,100 entries from 12 countries, 35 states and two Canadian provinces.
And the Geneva, Ohio-based Ferrante took some top honors at the 25th Riverside (CA) International Wine Competition, which drew 3,000 entries. The winery’s 2005 Grand River Valley Golden Bunches, a dry riesling, was chosen as the Sweepstakes Best White Wine, the only non-California wine to earn such a designation, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. And yes, it was made from Ohio-grown grapes.
Ferrante also won gold medals for 2004 Grand River Valley Vidal Blanc and 2004 Vidal Ice Wine. Breitenbach Wine Cellars in Dover took gold medals for Raspberry, Apricot and Pink Catawba wines.
All this had state agriculatural officials gushing.
“The fact that Ohio wines can travel to California and beat out West Coast wines in the viticultural epicenter of the nation shows just how far our Ohio wines have progressed in the last five years,� said Fred L. Dailey, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Ferrante and Breitenbach are among the dozen Ohio wineries headed to the local wine festival next weekend, although we don’t know whether they’re bringing their award-winners. A couple of other wineries that Dayton-area readers may be more familiar with — Valley Vineyards in Warren County and Kinkead Ridge down near Ripley — also will be here, as will The Winery at Versailles from Darke County.
If you’ve got a thing for Ohio wines — or heck, if you’ve got something against them, but are willing to learn — you’ll want to check out this event. Sadly, I’ll miss the darn thing because I’ll be out of town, but I want to hear what you thought, so post a comment on Uncorked and we’ll get them onto the site!
Here’s how to go. More details will be in Friday’s Dayton Daily News, in both the Life section in my Taste of Wine column and in the Go! section, if all goes as planned.
What: Market District Ohio WineFest, where a dozen Ohio wineries will pour samples
Where: National City 2nd Street Public Market at East Second and Webster streets, on the east edge of downtown Dayton
When: Friday June 2nd from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday June 3rd 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Why: Because Ohio wines are worth checking out, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised, that’s why.
Cost: $15 ($13 in advance) on Friday, 10 sampling tickets included ($5 for designated drivers and youths, no sampling tickets); free admission on Saturday with wine samples priced by the taste or bottle. Advance tickets available at National City Bank branch locations.
More enticements: Food will be provided by market district food merchants. Craft demonstrations by regional artisans. Live music. And you get to keep the glass.
More information: www.2ndstreetpublicmarket.com
Thanks and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Cast your votes in the Uncorked Caption Contest
First of all, Sacre Bleu! California absolutely flushed poor France in the red-wine re-enactment of the 1976 Paris tasting held yesterday in London and Napa, and I carve it up and wash it down in my posting today on Wine Sediments. It’s worth the click.
But on to — um — more weighty issues: We asked, you answered in our caption contest to the following photo, so now it’s time to vote for your favorite:
It was difficult narrowing the entries down, but I did. Choose from among:
(A) “I’ll see your Riedels and raise you….THIS!” (from Niki)
(B) “I heard you could get that filled at Trader Joes for $1.99” (from Wine-O)
(C) “Cialis. The OTHER white wine.” (JB)
(D) “And this one I’ve named ‘the old Johnny Holmes’ … .” (by anon)
(E) Write in your own!
Click on “Post a comment” to make your vote count. Sorta like “American Idol,” only we’ll call this “Uncorked Idle.”
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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One very large caption contest
A handful of other wine blogs have had some fun with photo caption contests. Why not Uncorked?
Submit YOUR favorite caption to the photo above. The best entry wins — our undying love and devotion. (Note: other blogs have given away REAL prizes.)
Me first, me first:
— The doctor SAID I should limit myself to one glass of wine per day!
What can you come up with? By all means, post a comment and share your caption!
Thanks and cheers …
Mark Fisher
PS: Today is the day for the commemorative tasting of the Great 1976 Paris Wine Tasting that Shook the Wine World. Can’t you just feel the egos bristling? This should be fun …
(Photo by my Dayton Daily News colleague Dave Long, who also owns the wooden glass pictured)
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If this menu doesn’t tempt you, face it — your taste buds are dead
To go directly to “Rate the Fleurs de Fete,” click here. Now, why do I insist that the food served at the Fleurs is darn near worth price of admission all by itself?
Sit back, get comfy, and take a look at what was served Sunday: (Please click on “continue reading”)
— C’est Tout: salmon, shrimp and asparagus mousse
— Wellington Grille: sliced ahi tuna on fried wonton drizzled with sauce
— Jay’s Restaurant: scallops and shrimp with red peppers, pine nuts and crabmeat; spinach salad
— Oakwood Club: Grilled salmon, mussels
— Citilites at the Schuster: smoked salmon and cream cheese
— Carver’s: shrimp and beef tenderloin
— Coldwater Cafe: Crab cake and sauce
— Benham’s: Shrimp mousse & smoked trout
— Giovanni’s: Bowtie pasta with a sausage-mushroom-tomato cream sauce
— Jerardi’s Little Store: Rosemary ham and roast beef on baguette with risotto
— Dewey’s: Pizza topped with feta, black olives, tomatos and ‘shrooms
— Nothing but Noodles: Bowtie pasta with basil pesto sauce, potstickers
— Parmizzano’s at the Dayton Marriott: Spaghetti noodles with garlic and chile flakes
— Toone P Wiggins: Terrine of roasted vegetables with fresh spinach and basil with red-pepper sauce
— Thai 9: Coconut shrimp, egg noodle shrimp
— Chantilles: Grilled chicken on focaccia with basil pesto sauce
— Dublin Pub: Hearty meat-and-potato stew
— Pacchia Prima: Breaded and fried portabella mushrooms with banana ketchup and a praline-butter cream-almond-chocolate dessert
— Mandalay Banquet Center: Strawberry, key liime, mango, white chocolate mousses in edible dark chocolate cups
— Mamma Disalvo’s: Pasta with tomato sauce
— Dorothy Lane Market: DLM bread and Killer Brownies
— Peerless Mill Inn: Portabella-stuffed ravioli with creamy crab sauce
— Bahn Mai Thai Cafe: Spicy calimari salad, grilled chicken with peanut sauce and skewered marinated pork
— McKenna’s at Holiday Inn in Fairborn: Crab cakes.
— Bullwinkle’s: Shreded beef barbecue and pasta salad (as per reader Jim)
— Central Perc: Gourmet coffee
(If you see anything that needs to be corrected, tell us by posting a comment!)
No, I didn’t try every food item, but everything I tried was very, very good. The two dishes I found most creative AND delicious were the Wellington Grille’s sliced ahi tuna on fried wonton — it had a few drops of some sort of intensely flavored sauce drizzled on — and the banana “ketchup” that Pacchia Prima served with the fried portabellas — doesn’t sound like it would be good, but it was.
The food consumed at the Fleurs de Fete was ALL DONATED to the event by the restaurants, according to Arrow Wine’s Mike Frank, one of the event’s chief organizers. For that matter, all of the wines consumed are also donated, Frank said.
But heck, with a food lineup like that, who needs the wines?
Wait, did I just say that??
A very big thank-you for my “research associate” for this portion of Fleurs de Fete coverage, Julie Fisher.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Rate the Fleurs de Fete
Thanks for your comments so far, and keep ‘em coming!
I thought there was a lot to like about the 15th Fleurs de Fete Sunday. But there was also a misstep or two, and room for improvement.
Let’s make one thing clear: This is a charity event for a good cause, and a lot of folks — and I do mean a LOT of folks — in the wine and restaurant trades volunteer a tremendous amount of time toward making it work. They bust their butts for many many hours prior to the event, then spend an exhausting day — for many, the only free day they have all week — to bring this event to us.
And the Fleurs de Fete is a resoundingly successful event, growing steadily over the years into a real behemoth, attracting close to 2,000 people, many of whom come in from out of town. It’s been so successful and well-run that it has spoiled us a bit (for comparison purposes, check out my wine blogging colleague Lenn’s description of a charity beer event that was so oversold that folks who had purchased advance tickets were turned away at the door, and the event shut down early, courtesy of the fire marshals, apparently. Yee gads, what a fiasco!).
So the Fleurs de Fete has set the bar high, and we expect a lot. And frankly, we get a lot. The quality of the food was again outstanding this year (more about that later), and increasingly, it’s the variety and quality of the food that make this event so worthwhile. The quality of the wines, overall, was very good for an event of this type and size. There seemed to be more room under the tent this year, a bit more space between the wine tables and the restaurant serving stations — though I shudder to think how crowded it might have been if it had rained and those who spread out to the tables and blue skies surrounding the tent had sought refuge under the Big Top. As it turned out, the weather was gorgeous, as was the setting at the Carillon Historical Park, and the event, all in all, was a success.
Still, there were shortcomings that many festival-goers pointed out to me Sunday or have written in the comments section of this posting. Among them:
(Please click on “Continue reading”)
— Some of the two-dozen restaurants ran out of food too early.
— Some of the higher-end wines disappeared too quickly. This is a thorny issue. If distributors brought only those wines that they had an adequate supply of to serve for free to nearly 2,000 people, the selection would go down — and then we’d complain about that. So there’s a balance there somewhere.
— Those who arrived at the stroke of 1 p.m. didn’t get into the event at the stroke of 1 p.m., that’s for sure. And that made the previous two shortcomings that much more aggravating for some festival-goers. Not sure what the answer to this one is, either. Letting people into the tent before 1 p.m. to explore — but not sample — the wine and food selections is one option, but that may just shift the problem to earlier in the afternoon, push back the setup schedule and cause people aggravation that they’ve got to wait until 1 p.m. by state law to sample the wines. Allow people to sample food for a half-hour before pouring the wines? Sounds appealing, but that would hasten the problem of running out of food early and frustrate those who want to enjoy wine with their food, as Bacchus intended. Anybody else got suggestions?
— The cancellation, with no advance notice, of the popular and entertaining live wine auction was a mistake. If you’re going to advertise a live auction for 364 days, don’t kill it without plenty of warning. Those who fretted that the wines donated were not of a sufficiently high quality to sustain a live auction or that not enough lots were donated by an early deadline did not consider the dynamics of the crowd of this event. This crowd enjoys the live auction, and has enjoyed it for many years, and would probably bid on a mixed-case lot of Gallo Hearty Burgundy and Charles Shaw wines if given the opportunity. On Sunday, they weren’t given that opportunity. That said, the silent auction seemed to attract spirited bidding.
Again, these are, in the broad scope of things, nitpicks. The Fleurs de Fete’s supply problems and logistical challenges should not discourage people from attending, because the positives far outweigh the negatives. But organizers do need to put their heads together a bit to keep things humming for future years.
You can help. Tell us — and the festival’s organizers — what you thought of the event. Or if you didn’t attend, tell us why not.
Tomorrow, we’ll write a bit more about the food at the Fleurs de Fete, which again may have been darn near worth the price of admission by itself.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Festival isn’t ALL that’s going on this weekend….
Even while gearing up for Sunday’s Fleurs de Fete — and a big thank you to those who helped me compile the final Top Ten Fleurs de Fete survival tips that were published in today’s Life section of the Dayton Daily News — local wine folks STILL find the time to present to us a full slate of weekend wine tastings.
Is there no limit to their endurance? Is there no limit to OUR endurance??
We are not worthy…
For those of you who are attending the Fleurs de Fete, remember we’ll want to hear your opinions and feedback right here on Uncorked Sunday night and Monday. And for those who don’t intend to go — the reviews will be worth reading!
And over at Wine Sediments today, my colleague Lenn finds plenty to like in an Arizona red — and plenty NOT to like in an Arizona white — as he soldiers on in his quest to taste Fifty Wines from Fifty States.
To view the list of this weekend’s wine tastings and other upcoming wine events, which comes to Uncorked courtesy of a local wine listserve, click on the “continue reading” link below….
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
Jay’s Kitchen Door
Friday, May 5, 2006 4-8 pm, Saturday, May 6, 2006 1-6 pm.
Arrow – Kettering
Saturday, May 20, 2006 11-4 pm
2004 Verget Vaucluse, 2005 Mathews Piersporter Goldtropchen Riesling Kabinett, 2003 Kios, 2003 Lancatay Malbec, 2004 Amon-Ra.
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd
Saturday, May 20, 2006 1am-5pm
2004 La Lanterne Vouvray Demi-Sec, 2004 Kenwood Sonoma Pinot Noir, McNab Ridge Fred’s Red, 2002 Martin Vineyards Dry Creek Zinfandel, 1998 Chateau Leoville Barton.
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood
Friday, May 19, 2006 5-8pm
Groth Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2004, Archery Summit Pinot Noir 2004, Groth Napa Cabernet 2002, Bordino Barbaresco 2000, Brown Bag!
Saturday, May 20, 2006 1-6pm
Domaine Serene Cote Sud 2001 Chardonnay, Mercurey Vieilles Vignes 2004, Lancatay Malbec 2003, Chateau d’ Esteau Bordeaux 2001, Chalk Hill Cabernet 2001, Darioush Cabernet 2000, Bonus Bottle!
Beer: Lion’s Stout Lagunitas Shut Down Ale
DLM Washington Square
Thursday, May 18, 2006 5-8pm
‘05 De Meye Shiraz Rose, ‘04 Sinskey Abraxas, ‘04 Hewitson Miss Harry Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre, ‘04 Jelu Syrah, ‘02 Gaja Ca Marcanda Magari, Mystery Bottle.
Saturday, May 20, 2006 12-5pm
Tour the Globe with Don Monnin: ‘03 Hugel Jubilee Gewurtztraminer, ‘04 Simi Chardonnay, ‘04 Siduri Pinot Noir, ‘04 Elyse Howell Mountain Zinfandel, ‘04 Two Brother’s Tattoo Red, Mystery Bottle!
DLM Springboro
Friday, May 19, 2006 3-7pm
Chateau de Roquefort Rose, Raymond Reserve Chardonnay, Taft Street Pinot Noir, Kinkead Ridge Cabernet.
Saturday, May 20, 2006 12-5pm
Mondavi Fume Blanc Reserve, Arcadian Chardonnay, Foris Pinot Noir, Mondavi Reserve Cabernet.
Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook
Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 – 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30 – 8 pm, www.cuveewinebar.net
Wines beginning Friday, May 19, 2006
Bug Juice (Rinaldi)2004 Moscato D’Asti, Bollini 2004 Pinot Grigio, JUNO 2005 Chardonnay, Handley 2003 Dry Creek Chardonnay, Domaine Olivier 2004 Pinot Noir, Red Rock 2004 Merlot, Poggiotondo The Blend, 3 Rings 2004 Shiraz.
Beer: Harpoon Summer Kolsch
Food: Carrot Cake, Open Faced Prime Rib Sandwich
Market Wine Imports
2nd Street Public Market
Saturday 10-3 PM
2004 Twisted River Late Harvest Riesling, 2005 Dezzani Moscato d’Asti, 2003 Hugo Shiraz, 2001 Rockledge Zinfandel, 2003 Opic Sangiovese.
B. R. Scotese
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 4:30 pm
The restaurant is no smoking on Wednesdays!
Moet Nectar Imperial Rose, Domaine Chandon Chardonnay, Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir, Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier, Kunde Estate Merlot, Kunde Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian Store
Wine Tasting – every third Wednesday of the month in conjunction with their Meal of the Month! www.disalvosdeli.com. The Deli’s Feature Wines: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
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 www.LittleSonomaWines.com
1) Friday Tastings have been moved to 7 pm for the spring/summer. 2) Beginning in May we will be closing at 7 pm on Saturdays. 3) Memorial Day hours (Monday, May 29th) will be 10-4 pm.
Friday, May 19, 5-8 pm Tasting at the Café Summer Picnic Wines, reservations recommended
Saturday, May 20, 4-6 pm The Road to Riesling - Four Rieslings, no reservations necessary
Friday will be a drop-in tasting with five wines, summer salads, picnic barbeque and dessert. Check in at Little Sonoma and then find the Cornerstone Café at the east end of the plaza for food and wines.
Trader Joe’s - Town & Country Shopping Center, Kettering
Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8
Charles Shaw Chardonnay (2005): California Charles Shaw Merlot (2004): California Feudo Zirtari Rosso (2003): IGT Sicilia, Italy
Grapes of Ruth
ALSACE LUCIEN ALBRECHT PINOT BLANC, DON MIQUEL GASCON VIOGNIER CLOS DU VAL CHARDONNAY, CLOS DU VAL MERLOT, CLOS DU VAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON, ARGYLE PINOT NOIR, ROSENBLUM PETIT SIRAH, ROSENBLUM MOURVEDRE, TALTARNI BRUT TACHE.
Madison’s Bistro Wine Dinner, June 21, 2006 7 pm. Featuring ROSENBLUM CELLARS 5531 Far Hills Ave Lamplighter Square
Between Rahn & Whipp Roads
937-435-7080 Make your reservations now!
L’Auberge
Tuesday, May 23, 2006 @ 7PM
Julia Miller - Vintner Select
Italy with Gordon Hullar - Owner of Vintner Select & Importer of Italian Wines
Ferrar Greco di Tufo, 2004, Grimaldi Dolcetto, 2004, Correggia Barbera, 2003, Seghesio Barolo La Villa, 2001.
Middletown Fine Wine Wine Tasting Sat. May 20, 4300 Lewis St.(513-423-3631)
Six wines, 4-6pm
Chateau Lascaux Blanc, Cusumano Insolia, Rosenblum La Paws Blanc, Regis Minet Pouilly Fume, L. Manciat Pouilly Fuisse, Terra Valentine Cabernet.
National City Ohio WineFest at the 2nd Street Public Market
Friday June 2 is Preview Night fro 5pm - 10pm
Entertainment provided by Khalid Moss
Adult Sampler—-$15 and includes: Entry into festival grounds, Souvenir Wine Glass, 10 Sampling tickets (additional tickets are $.50), Purchase wines by the glass. Designated driver/youth—-$5 and includes: Entry into festival grounds, Purchase wines by the bottle for carry out only
Presale tickets may be purchased for $13 at: National City 2nd Street Public Market and Dayton National City branch locations
Saturday June 3 11am - 8pm
Entry is FREE all day!! Featuring: 12 Award winning Ohio wineries. Live music by Danny Voris, Tim Jennens, Bob Bo Jak, and Rum River Blend, Craft demonstrations by regional artisans. Ohio wines by the sample, glass, or bottle and souvenir wine glasses. www.2ndstreetpublicmarket.com
Kinkead Ridge Winery Open on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in Ripley at 904 Hamburg Street, (937) 392-6077.
2006 White Wine Releases / Memorial Day Weekend (also see www.KinkeadRidge.com/htm/wines.htm)
2005 Kinkead Ridge Riesling, 2005 Kinkead Ridge white Revelation, a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend.
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Wine industry titan sounds off about feds watering down the vintage rules
Anthony J. Terlato, chairman of Paterno Wines International and Terlato Wine Group, has built wine industry career that spans five decades. He has worked as a retailer, distributor, importer, marketer, winery owner and vineyard owner. His marketing folks say Terlato “has made a lifetime commitment to fine wine and has been at the forefront of the evolution of the fine wine industry,” and judging from his credentials, it’s hard to argue. Terlato also has been invited to serve as a judge in next week’s re-enactment of the 1976 Paris tasting and has plenty to say about the fairness of that event as well.
But for now let’s listen to what Terlato told me in a telephone interview about the the U.S. Treasury Department’s ill-guided decision to relax the rules for vintage-dated wines produced in America:
“That will go down as one of the most horrendous decisions in the history of the wine industry,” Terlato said.
The treasury department relaxed the rules for vintage-dated wines to allow for the addition of up to 15 percent from any other vintage — up from 5 percent under the current regulations — for the vast majority of wines made in America.
Terlato lobbied against the change — hard. In a letter Terlato sent a letter to William Foster, chief of the regulations and procedures division for the treasury department’s alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau, back in August 2005, Terlato questioned why the U.S. would want to reduce its standards to compete against wine-producing countries more concerned about quantity than quality.
“We should continue using our energy and resources to not just maintain the standards, but to raise them when possible to protect the integrity of our wines, so that in the coming decades we can be recognized as the finest wine-growing appellations in the world.”
Hear hear.
Terlato goes on to tell the feds, “It’s nonsense to say the concept that blending 10 percent more of another vintage will improve the overall quality of our wines. From my point ov view, this is a blatant effort to stretch ‘good’ vintages with ‘off’ vintages.”
Got a great vintage, but the yields were down? No problem. Just blend in some of last year’s not-so-hot vintage that you’ve still got lingering in the tanks — or heck, some wine from five years ago, if you want — and voila! 15 percent more wine from the “high-quality” vintage to sell to the unknowing consumer.
Under the feds’ rule change, this won’t be allowed to happen in some of the most prestigious wine-growing regions. But the point is, it shouldn’t be allowed to happen at all — anywhere in the U.S.
But don’t just take MY word for it. Take Tony Terlato’s.
Then let him tell you what he thinks the ground rules should be for next week’s “Paris — 30 years later” tasting.
Leet’s hope the organizers of that event listen more closely than the feds did.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Sam’s Wine in Chicago settles; win a winemaking trip to Bordeaux
Many of you have heard of, or visited, or purchased wine from Sam’s Wine in Chicago. Well, according to a story about Sam’s in the Chicago Tribune (free registration required), it seems Sam’s ran afoul of some prosecutors who accused the wine store (not affiliated with Sam’s Club of Wal-Mart fame) of extorting money from liquor distributors and operating an illegal warehouse and company.
And Sam’s Wine has agreed to pay a record $300,000 fine and shut down for the first three days of 2007 to settle the case — without admitting any wrongdoing, of course. In fact, Sam’s president vigorously denies the store did anything wrong, but according to the Tribune, settled because the investigation was “too taxing and distracting for the company, and the risks of losing the case were too great.” (Tribune’s summary of the presiden’ts words).
All-righty then. Moving on.
Loathe that I am to point you to contests, this one’s too cute to pass up: Decanter.com and a winery in Bordeaux are teaming up for a winemaking challenge that you can enter and win a week in Bordeaux at harvest. The contest involves using your winemaking skills to blend and produce a “virtual” red wine for Chateau de Sours in Bordeaux. When your wine is “complete,” a team of virtual tasters will determine whether your blend deserves a gold, silver, or bronze medal — or worthy of the “Paintstripper Booby Prize.”
And over at Wine Sediments today, my colleague Tom Wark writes a piece aimed at those who like wine for more than just the buzz and the taste, and finds evidence that the U.S. wine industry is finally growing up. View Tom’s Wine Sediments post here. While you’re there, check out my other Wine Sediments blogging colleague Jamie Gabrini’s beautifully written piece from yesterday on the Vernal Vivacity of Vermentino.
Thanks for reading, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Top 10 Survival Tips for the Fleurs de Fete
Well, actually, I left room for you to suggest the final three survival tips.
Last week I gave you the particulars on the Fleurs de Fete (pronounced flur-duh-fet), the largest wine-and-food event in the Miami Valley, in a posting entitled Fleurs de Fete: Other Cities WISH They Had an Event Like This. Today, I offer the insider’s tips that will help you get the most out of the 15th annual offering of this charitable event to be held at 1 p.m. Sunday (5-21-06) at Carillon Historical Park. (I’ve been to ‘em all, with the exception of one in the early years when I was on a beach in North Carolina with my in-laws.)
First, if you’ve been holding off buying your ticket to see what the weather looks like for this Sunday’s event, the extended forecast looks quite favorable, with a forecast of partly cloudy (we’ll say mostly sunny) skies and a high of 70 degrees. Perfect wine-tasting weather!
I published these tips in the Dayton Daily News last year, and I’m sure that this year, with the advent of Uncorked, you will step up and offer your own suggestions to round out this list: (Please click on “Continue reading”)
— Arrive early. Early check-in (checking IDs, putting on wristbands) again will be at a special tent in the parking lot to streamline the proceedings at the 1 p.m. opening bell. But don’t expect folks to start early even if there’s a large crowd itchin’ to get started. They’ve got to wait until 1 p.m. for legal reasons (it’s a Sunday, and Ohio clings to its foolish “Blue Laws” …)
— Make a quick pass around the tent to see what the two dozen or so restaurants and other food purveyors are serving to plan your food attack, while your festival partner can do the same for the 300 wines. If food lines start getting long, then split up to maximize snackage opportunities.
— Don’t wear white; too much spillage potential. Do wear comfortable shoes — leave the stilettos for another occasion when you’re not tromping around in grass and mud.
— When you’re poured a sample of wine, and there’s a line of folks with empty glasses behind you, for crying out loud, step out of the way! Your fellow festival-goers in line behind you will thank you. Consider this one of the 10 Commandments rather than a Survival Tip.
— Drink water. Drink lots of water.
— Go slow on the wine consumption — you’ve got plenty of time — and if you don’t like a wine, or just want a small sip, use the dump buckets to pour out the wine in your glass and move on.
— Even if don’t intend to buy, stay the final hour for the live auction. It can feature some rather frenzied — and always highly entertaining — bidding wars
Now I KNOW y’all can improve on this list. Got any other words of advice for those of us poised to descend on this year’s Fleurs de Fete? Click on “Post Your Comment,” and check back to read what others had to say!
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Readers react to the promise of Fleming’s Wine Bar
In yesterday’s post, I waxed eloquent about how much readers’ comments add to Uncorked, and you folks are affirming the wisdom of my words. In case you missed these comments that are still coming in on Friday’s entry entitled One HUNDRED wines by the glass?, take a look at the half-dozen comments below to see what’s going on. And just so you know: Some of the excellent questions raised here I will try to get an answer to by contacting the folks in charge of Fleming’s. Great stuff, and thanks! Here are the comments, with the most recent at the bottom: (Please click on “continue reading)
By kirk
May 12, 2006 09:23 AM | Link to this I happen to have had dinner at Flemmings just last week,and have had the pleasure to dine there in several cities. They give local opperating partners flexibility on wine lists, and do live up to the web site hype. They wield a good deal of clout with us suppliers because of the volume they do. Rest assured that if they follow corporate protocol they will get some of those cool wines. But this is a scatch my back I’ll scratch yours kind of business — if the account doesn’t carry Markham by the glass, for instance, don’t expect the marketing company or distributor to make Rochioli avialable.
By Larry
May 12, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this How about some Missouri wine- show me. 100 wines by the glass isn’t bad for a chain, but it’s all going to depend on price. Also wondering how they’ll q\c 100 open bottles of wine. We’ve already had one dry-aged prime steakhouse flop in short order, so I have my doubts about the Dayton market being able to support a Ruth Chris’\ Morton’s level of operation.
By Fred
May 12, 2006 03:14 PM | Link to this “Wine Bar� reminds me of the old “Rumpole of the Bailey� series, when the Barristers would repair to Pomeroy’s Wine Bar after work. I wonder if Fleming’s will be offering “Chateau Thames Embankment� for Mark to report on.
By Tyler
May 15, 2006 09:09 AM | Link to this Quality not quantity Mark! Make sure to ask which bottles have recently been opened…
By wine-o
May 15, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this Tyler has a good point. Will there be a cruvinet or other gas system for the 100 wines? On top of this those systems merely prolong the life of the wine- Some say up to a week, some say up to 3 weeks. I hope the $20 glass of Nickel & Nickel (or better yet the $12 glass of Cain Cuvee) was recently popped. Also, every wine served at the optimum temp? I really wish them luck on this. Having some experience with this I can tell you that Americans are perfectly ok with drinking their wine at room temp, and they may get more complaints than compliments for a CA Cab at cellar temp. It is refreshing to see that even the big boys are taking a serious approach to wine though. Maybe they will eschew the $mith & Wollensky 3x retail markup for a more wine fan-friendly approach. One can only hope.
By some one who knows
May 15, 2006 11:49 AM | Link to this Not only can Fleming’s deliver on it’s goal to provide 100 wines by the glass but they have a system in place that makes sure that every bottle is not open longer than two days. Because they are so well known with the wineries I have seen some great buys and very hard to find wines in my travels to Fleming’s. Get ready Dayton, here it comes!!!!
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A Mother’s Day Tribute to Uncorked Readers
Uncorked quietly reached a milestone of sorts last week with the receipt of its one-thousandth comment. Considering this blog has existed only since last September, that’s quite an accomplishment, and you, the readers of Uncorked, deserve all the credit. We’ve gotten commentary and criticisms and apologies and insight from all over the globe, literally, and I am constantly amazed at the reach that the Internet and World Wide Web has brought to humble little sites such as this one. I’m still havin’ fun, and I hope you are too. Keep ‘em coming!
Our friend Todd R., who graduated earlier this month from the University of Dayton and is about to start a job in the Cincinnati area, delivered the 1000th, for which he wins no prize whatsoever other than our thanks and admiration. Thanks, Todd, and thanks to the authors of the first 999!
Now, don’t forget that Allison Steltzner of Steltzner Vineyards will be at Arrow Wine & Spirits’ Centerville store from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. MONDAY, May 15, 2006, to pour several of her family’s wines for sampling. See you there!
Meanwhile, over at Wine Sediments today, a guest columnist explores some of the world’s lesser-known and overlooked dessert wines, while our British blogging friend Andrew Barrow weighed in yesterday with an entry entitled, “Who Cares Where a Wine is From?” Click here to check it out. Cheers, thanks for reading and commenting, and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Mark Fisher
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Desperate Housewives’ Teri Hatcher Proclaims New Use for Leftover Wine
Throw away your Vacu-Vin, your Private Preserve, your nitrogen and your argon gases.
Leftover wine — say, the kind a wine shop might have after a Saturday tasting (yes, the list is below) — isn’t for drinking. it’s for bathing, silly. So says Teri Hatcher in an American Online interview.
“In terms of taking care of yourself, I recommend a number of things that I do myself; from something as simple as taking a hot bath at night after the kids are in bed, to a trick that I know and love: if you’ve found that you haven’t been able to finish a bottle of wine, instead of throwing it away you can keep that wine and put it in your bathtub. … Wine has a natural skin softener and exfoliant in it, and it just makes you feel luxurious. And it has that coupon-esque, ‘I didn’t waste anything,’ recycling feel to it. So in a lot of ways it’s a really great, tiny little trick to take care of yourself.”
So take care of YOURself today during the Saturday wine tastings. Note especially the appearance today at Arrow Wine’s Centerville store of a rep from J. Lohr winery and the special Monday night tasting featuring Allison Steltzner of Steltzner Vineyards in the Napa Valley.
Sorry this information — which comes to us via a local wine listserve — is late this week and hasn’t been “prettied up,” but the information is all here for those who click on “continue reading” …
Jay’s Kitchen Door Friday, May 12, 2006 4-8 pm 2004 J Vineyard Pinot Gris J Vineyard Vintage Brut J Vineyard Pinot Noir 2002 Cakebread Merlot 2002 Jordan Cabernet
Saturday, May 13, 2006 1-6 pm 2004 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc 2002 Chalone Pinot Noir Monterey 2002 Chateau St Michelle Indian Welles Merlot 2000 Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet
Arrow – Kettering Saturday, May 13, 2006 11-4 pm 2004 Tohu Unoaked Chardonnay 2004 White Truck Pinot Grigio 2004 Parker Station Pinot Noir 2001 Arrowood Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Domaine de Nizas Carignane
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Saturday, May 13, 2006 1am-5pm Meet Amber Lee, Representative for J. Lohr Winery. Amber will be featuring the following wines: 2004 J. Lohr Chardonnay 2002 J. Lohr Merlot 2003 J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 J. Lohr Valdigué 2005 J. Lohr Riesling
Monday May 15, 5-7 pm
Meet Allison Steltzner, Co-owner of Steltzner Vineyards, Napa Valley. Allison is Richard Steltzner’s daughter and will tasting and discussing the current releases: 2005 Allison Rosé 2003 Steltzner Claret 2003 Steltzner Merlot 2003 Steltzner Cabernet Sauvignon …and more!
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood Friday, May 12, 2006 5-8pm Ochoa 2005 Rose Goisot 2004 Bourgogne Aligote Siduri 2004 Pinot Noir Ciacc Ateo 2002 Super Tuscan Duemiludue 2002 Barbaresco Brown Bag!
Saturday, May 13, 2006 1-6pm Dorado 2003 Portuguese Alvarnoho Handley 2003 Sauvignon Blanc Chateau Roquefort Les Mures 2004 Mason Merlot 2001 Rombauer 2003 Zinfandel Heitz Cabernet 2001 Bella Oaks Bonus Bottle!
Beer: Lindeman Peche Lambic Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca Artesian White Ale
DLM Washington Square The Thursday night tasting was Saturday, May 13, 2006 12-5pm ‘05 Verget Cotes du Luberon Rose ‘04 Foxy White
‘03 Gypsy Dancer A&G Vineyard Pinot Noir
‘03 Les Fiefs de la Grange St Julien ‘00 Quintessa Mystery Bottle
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, May 12, 2006 3-7pm Goisot Bourgogne-Aligote Jayson Chardonnay Il Cuore Barbera Godwin Red Wine
Saturday, May 13, 2006 12-5pm Kallstadter Steinacker Riesling Kabinett J Pinot Noir Chalk Hill Merlot Salus Cabernet
Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 – 7 pm Friday and Saturday 11:30 – 8 pm www.cuveewinebar.net Wines beginning Friday, May 12, 2006 Saracco 2004 Moscato D’Asti Laurenz & Sophie 2004 Gruner Veltliner Terlano 2004 Pinot Bianco Arcadian 2002 Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay Argentiera 2004 Poggio Ai Ginepri Arcadian 2002 Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir Domaine La Bouissiere 2003 Vacqueyras “La Ponche”
Beer: Stoudt’s Gold Munich Style Helles
Market Wine Imports 2nd Street Public Market Saturday 10-3 PM Jelu Shiraz 2004
Jelu Malbec 2004 Finca Flichman Chardonnay 2002
National City Ohio WineFest at the 2nd Street Public Market Friday June 2 is Preview Night fro 5pm - 10pm Entertainment provided by Khalid Moss Adult Sampler—-$15 and includes: Entry into festival grounds Souvenir Wine Glass 10 Sampling tickets (additional tickets are $.50) Purchase wines by the glass
Designated driver/youth—-$5 and includes: Entry into festival grounds Purchase wines by the bottle for carry out only
Presale tickets may be purchased for $13 at: National City 2nd Street Public Market and Dayton National City branch locations
Saturday June 3 11am - 8pm Entry is FREE all day!! Featuring: 12 Award winning Ohio wineries Live music by Danny Voris, Tim Jennens, Bob Bo Jak, and Rum River Blend, Craft demonstrations by regional artisans Ohio wines by the sample, glass, or bottle and souvenir wine glasses. www.2ndstreetpublicmarket.com
B. R. Scotese Wednesday, May 17, 2006 4:30 pm The restaurant is no smoking on Wednesdays!
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian Store Wine Tasting – every third Wednesday of the month in conjunction with their Meal of the Month! www.disalvosdeli.com. The Deli’s Feature Wines: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
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 www.LittleSonomaWines.com
1) Friday Tastings have been moved to 7 pm for the spring/summer. 2) Beginning in May we will be closing at 7 pm on Saturdays. 3) Memorial Day hours (Monday, May 29th) will be 10-4 pm.
Friday, May 12, 7 pm: Rodney Strong Night at Little Sonoma! reservations recommended ~ 513-942-Wine (9463) Rodney Strong Friday’s wines include: Sonoma County Chardonnay Russian River Pinot Noir Sonoma County Merlot Knotty Vine Zinfinadel Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Saturday, May 13, 4-6 pm: Great Values from Chile
Trader Joe’s Tastings, Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8 Trader Joe’s - Town & Country Shopping Center, Kettering Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8 King Shag Sauvignon Blanc (2004): Marlborough, New Zealand Torres San Valenti (2004): DO Catalunya, Spain Il Valore Primitivo (2004): IGT Puglia, Italy
Grapes of Ruth WINES AVAILABLE FOR TASTING ALSACE LUCIEN ALBRECHT PINOT BLANC DON MIQUEL GASCON VIOGNIER CLOS DU VAL CHARDONNAY CLOS DU VAL MERLOT CLOS DU VAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON ARGYLE PINOT NOIR ROSENBLUM PETIT SIRAH ROSENBLUM MOURVEDRE TALTARNI BRUT TACHE
Allisten Manor Restaurant May – “Wines of the World� Wine Dinner Friday, May 12, 2006
Madison’s Bistro Wine Dinner, June 21, 2006 7 pm. Featuring ROSENBLUM CELLARS 5531 Far Hills Ave Lamplighter Square
Between Rahn & Whipp Roads
937-435-7080 Make your reservations now!
L’Auberge Tuesday, May 16, 2006 @ 7PM Julia Miller - Vintner Select Presenting wines from Spain
Kinkead Ridge Winery Open on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in Ripley at 904 Hamburg Street, (937) 392-6077.
Kinkead Ridge Winery will be on WHIO Radio, Dayton, noon May 13: 1290 WHIO radio interview with the winegrower
2006 White Wine Releases / Memorial Day Weekend (also see www.KinkeadRidge.com/htm/wines.htm) 2005 Kinkead Ridge Riesling 2005 Kinkead Ridge white Revelation, a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend.
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One HUNDRED wines by the glass?
No, it won’t make us wine lovers suddenly abandon our favorite locally owned and wine-friendly restaurants. But Thursday’s announcement that Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar is headed to the Greene appears to be a development worth toasting by local wine enthusiasts.
The fact that this chain of high-end steakhouses (why is my wallet quivering?) includes “Wine Bar” in its name bodes well. With a wines-by-the-glass list that promises to include Qupe, Cain, Elyse, Kenwood and Rombauer, and with wines from producers such as Silver Oak, Shafer, Au Bon Climat, Nickel & Nickel, Rochioli, Vincent Girardin and Gruaud-Larose listed on their web site’s version of their reserve wine list (let’s see if they can bring all those wines into their Dayton location), it’s clear this place has the potential to be a serious destination spot for wine enthusiasts. (And another nit: all those bottles and not a single French syrah??)
Recognizing as we do that there’s occasionally a bit of a gap between what’s promised on a web site and what’s delivered in the glass, here’s what Fleming’s says about its wine program:
“There are 100 wines on our list, including many hard-to-find boutique wines, and all of them are available by the glass. To help you make your selection, the list is progressive, meaning the wines are listed in intensity, from lighter to fuller. We also offer Wine Flights-trios of 2-ounce servings in individual carafes-so you can experience different tastes, compare and contrast, and discover new favorites. And for those who want a truly memorable experience, we have a Reserve List of over 80 wines from the world’s most exceptional vineyards, available by the bottle. Climate-controlled wine rooms ensure that every glass of wine is served at optimum temperature. And our gracious staff ensures that you receive a prompt response to any questions you may have.”
Hmmm. Intriguing. Bring it on, Fleming’s. Welcome to Dayton, and when you open your doors months from now, we’ll be ready to scrutinize you to see if you live up to your promise.
Meanwhile, over at Wine Sediments today, my blogging colleague Lenn evaluates a merlot from Oklahoma. Yes, Oklahoma.
Thanks and cheers!
Mark
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Man vs. Machine: Which is the better wine taster?
First they took our jobs. Then they beat us in chess. Now, even our palates are in danger of being replaced by computers.
In an article entitled Machine against man in wine tasting competition, ChemieDE, a Berlin-based company involved in the chemical industry, writes about a humans-versus-computer challenge in which a panel of “wine experts” competed against a machine in predicting price, region and quality of wines. The machine nearly matched the panel’s judgment in predicting region and quality level, while both human and non-human had problems predicting the price, though the humans won by a nose. (Sorry ….)
The one area in which the computer was the clear winner: speed. Apparently, the computer doesn’t need to swirl and sniff. But I’ll bet it spits.
Kim Houng Ngo, part of the team that programmed and calibrated the computer to evaluate the wines, said, “For us it is all about mathematics and data.”
Um, yeah, those are the first things I think of too when I stick my nose into a glass of fine aged Burgundy ….
Over at Wine Sediments today, I write about Uncorked reader Rip’s comment to yesterday’s Uncorked post. Rip essentially outed all of us wine writers for making up all those fancy descripitions of wines. Do check out my newly revised tasting notes of Mouton and Yellowtail in light of Rip’s revelation.
Thanks for reading, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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The best Wine 101 class EVER
What is it that you want to know most about wine?
That question was posed by a reader of Food & Wine Magazine’s June edition, and it piqued my curiosity. I’d like to hear from you: What kinds of things would you like to learn about wine? What kinds of topics do you think your friends would be interested in?
And to you retailers and restaurant folks: What do you think your customers want to know about wine? What has worked — and not worked — in your Wine 101-type events?
Speaking of the excellent Food & Wine magazine, Lettie Teague writes in the June issue on Rosé: Underrated or Overhyped? Teague mostly concludes: overhyped.
First of all, perhaps Teague should come to Dayton, because she must not have access to the fresh and vibrant and engaging rosés we are fortunate enough to have on our shelves here in our little slice of wine heaven in Ohio. In fact, in her article she states that many of the three dozen wines she purchased were older vintages and tasted over the hill. Well, um, yeah.
(Note to local retailers: if you’ve got aging pinks on your shelf, and they’re not among the handful of rosés that age or at least hold well, do yourself and your customers a favor: take ‘em off the shelf. Save them in the back room and sell them to the next customer who comes in and expresses a preference for well-aged rosé. Yes, it may be a while. But you’ll find comfort in knowing you’re doing the right thing.)
Lettie rarely gets it wrong. This time, she got it wrong.
And before we leave Food & Wine magazine, note on the magazine’s home page that editors have a feature called “Blog Watch” that presents the “Top Five Blog Posts of the Week.” Sure hope they’re reading Uncorked and Wine Sediments, as well as WellFed.net’s food blogs. We could be famous someday!
Of course, the New York Times is already famous, especially its wine blog author Eric Asimov, who weighs in this week with an entry entitled Judging Merlot but could have been titled “Slamming California Merlot.” The piece stands in contrast to my Wine Sediments colleague and Fermentation author Tom Wark’s piece last month on merlot. Or maybe not.
By the way, Wark writes today on WineSed on how he broke into the wine business — and how you can too. Just in case you’re looking for a career change.
Maybe you can teach one of those Wine 101 classes. What do you think the best Wine 101 class would include?
Thanks for reading and commenting, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Fleurs de Fete: Other cities WISH they had an event like this
First of all, over at Wine Sediments today, check out my piece entitled Gallo’s ‘Rebranding’: Is There No Limit to Wine Markekting Chutzpah? “Family Vineyards?” Yeah, right. And Wal-Mart is a little country store.
Now, moving on. If you’ve never been to the Fleurs de Fete — the outdoor food-and-wine event to be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 21 at Carillon Historical Park — you really should consider it this year. Here’s why:
The food: In recent years, restaurants have gone all out to impress festival-goers in the hopes folks will keep them in mind when they go out to eat in the coming weeks and months. I believe the food alone may be well worth the price of admission to this event. And based on what this blog’s readers had to say about the similarly priced Cincinnati International Wine Festival grand tastings, it’s the food that distinguishes the Fleurs de Fete from similar charity wine fundraisers in other cities.
The Wines: No, you won’t find dozens of rare, super-premium, highly allocated wines at the Fleurs de Fete. Wineries and distributors simply can’t offer those wines at an event attended by 1,700 people. But there is a broad selection of 300 wines, most from California, in all styles. This event provides a golden opportunity to explore new varietals and new wine-growing regions, because if you don’t like the first sip, you can toss it out and move on to something else.
The fringe benefits: The music from the Doug Simon Jazz Quartet is great. The people-watching doesn’t get any better. The live auction is a fine source of fine entertainment on SO many levels. The money you spend benefits the Dayton Wellness Connection, formerly the Dayton Area Heart and Cancer Association. And you get to keep the glass!
Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the door, and they may be purchased at the following locations, according to a Wellness Connection news release: Arrow Wine & Spirits, Boston Wine Cellar, Cuvee Wine Bar & Cellar, Dorothy Lane Market, Grapes of Ruth, Jerardi’s Little Store, Leaf & Vine, Miami Valley Wine & Liquor, Montage, The Winds Wine Cellar, Wine Works or by calling 937-223-4117 ext 112 as well as on-line at the Wellness Connection web site.
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Two more dive into the wine-blogging pool — but the size of their splashes may differ
First it was the New York Times, now it’s USA Today.
What am I, the pied piper here? Or should I just assume that imitation is the finest form of flattery?
In his blog that is scheduled to launch May 12, Jerry Shriver of USA Today will carve out a niche as the nation’s bargain hunter. Here’s what Jerry intends to do:
“Every day, I’ll post a recommendation of a bottle that costs $15 or less in stores and that is available in most major markets. Working with wines I encounter in trade tastings, wine-judging competitions, restaurants and bottles I buy on my own, plus samples sent by wineries, I’ll sort and select the ones that stand out from the crowd. The idea is to test the oft-repeated assertion that more good-quality, low-cost wine is available to consumers now than at any point in history.”
This is one ambitious endeavor. To taste enough wines to recommend one every day — and to limit the scope of possibilities to those wines under $15 that are available in most major markets — well, let’s just say Jerry is biting off one very large chunk of challenge. I hope his palate survives.
Welcome to the wine blogosphere, Jerry!
And that also goes for another of the newest wine bloggers, Michelle Lentz, who lives in northern Kentucky just south of Cincinnati and has launched My wine education: Adventures in the World of Wine. Michelle is a technical writer and editor who likes to read, travel and enjoy wine. We’ll extend Ohio’s southern border just a bit and add her to the growing list that we detailed last month in Ohio rules the Wine-Blogging Pool.
And lest you think that all wine writing is stuffy and boring, by all means check out this San Francisco Chronicle piece in which staff writer W. Blake Gray invites Dashiell Hammett to “ghost-write” a bargain wines column — and the fun begins.
Meanwhile, over at Wine Sediments today, guest columnist Jeff Lefevere of GoodGrape fame weighs in with a fine entry entitled Hoisting wine snobs on their own petards. And yesterday, British wine blogger Andrew Barrow of Spittoon posed the question Why do newspapers treat wine as poor cousin?
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy — and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Toasting the Dayton and Miami Valley wine scene
More evidence of our thriving wine community here in the Miami Valley (which I write about today in the “hard-copy” edition of the Dayton Daily News, on page D16 — my twice-monthly column has moved from Wednesdays to Fridays now) emerged last night at the VERY well-attended Max Ferd. Richter German wine tasting at Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar and featuring the proprietor of the 300-year-old German estate, Dirk Richter. I didn’t get to spend as much time tasting and chatting as I would have liked, but it was apparent the place was hopping and the wine was flowing. HIghlights included the 2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett and the 2004 Veldenzer Ellsenberg Riesling Kabinett, both $18.99, and the still-youthful 1989 Veldenzer Ellsenberg Spatlese for $29.99 (Yes, a well-made 17-year-old Spatlese for under $30).
If you attended and have thoughts, please post a comment…. And the same with the Dorothy Lane Market Pastry Show, also held last night, and which I missed.
But all that’s in the past — and our eyes turn to the future. Here’s the consummate list of wine tastings, dinners and other events coming up this weekend and beyond in the Miami Valley. It’s brought to you by the kind folks — well, kind folk — who oversee a Dayton-based wine listserve and who compile this list that “Uncorked” then passes along. Click on “Continue reading” to view the list of events, and thanks for reading and contributing to a thriving community!
Mark Fisher
Jay’s Kitchen Door
Friday, May 5, 2006 4-8 pm
NV Chandon Etoile, 2001 Clos Les Lunelles, 2002 ChateauHaut D’Ages (Pauillac), 2002 BV Tapestry, 2003 Chateau Pibran (Pauillac).
Saturday, May 6, 2006 1-6 pm
1999 Francois Jobard (Meursault), 1997 Domaine Prieure Roch Nuit St Georges, 2000 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel, 2002 Rombauer Cabernet.
Arrow Wine & Spirits – Kettering
Saturday, May 6, 2006 11-4 pm
2004 Ercavio (Spanish White), 2004 Burgans (Spanish White),, 2004 Alba Liza (Spanish Red), 2004 Petalos Del Bierzo (Spanish Red), 2003 Le Roc Des Anges (French Red), 2004 Elyse Zinfandel, Korte Ranch.
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd
Saturday, May 6, 2006 1am-5pm
2003 Big Horn Ranch Chardonnay, 2004 Hahn Pinot Noir, 2002 Chateau St. Jean Merlot, 2001 San Silvestro Barbaresco, 1998 Chateau Lavabre Pic-Saint Loup, 2002 Ortman Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Dezzani Moscato D’Asti.
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood
Friday, May 5, 2006 5-8pm
Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc, 2004 Melville Pinot Noir, Rodney Strong 2002 Zinfandel, Sequoia Grove 2002 Cabernet, Achaval Ferrer 2004 Malbec (Arentina), Barnett Vineyard 2003 Spring Mountain Cabernet, Brown Bag!
Saturday, May 6, 2006 1-6pm
Chateau Lamothede Haux 2005 White Bordeaux, Toad Hollow 2005 Rose (Pinot grapes), E.D. Boequent 2002 Echezeaux, E.D. Boequent 2002 Echezeaux, d’ Arenberg Grenache 2001, Chateau Paviel de Luze 2001, Bonus Bottle!
Beer: New Holland Blue Goar Doppledock Unibroue 15 Boulder Beer Single Track Copper Ale
DLM Washington Square
Saturday, May 6, 2006 12-5pm
‘04 Wild Horse Chardonnay, ‘04Fess Parker Pinot Noir, ‘01 Rocking Horse Zinfandel, ‘01 Fess Parker Syrah, ‘01 Clos Pegase Merlot, ‘02 Vinum Cellars Slow Lane Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dorothy Lane Springboro
Friday, May 5, 2006 3-7pm
Benziger Chardonnay, Nepenthe Tryst, Barnett “Sleepy Hollow” Pinot Noir, The Prisoner.
Saturday, May 6, 2006 12-5pm
Seabiscuit Ranch Chardonnay, Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir, Bettinelli Merlot, Sequoia Grove Cabernet.
Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook
Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 – 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30 – 8 pm, www.cuveewinebar.net
Wines beginning Friday, May 5, 2006
Happy Cinco de Mayo. Cuvee will also celebrate Seis de Mayo on Saturday.
Mike-arita, Shafer Red Shoulder 2004 Chardonnay, Ceja Vino de Casa 2003 Pinot Noir/Syrah, Keller Estates La Cruz Syrah, Cain Five 2002.
Beer: Negra Modelo Modelo Especial Stoudt’s Gold Munich Style Helles on Draft
Friday night-Chile Con Queso Dip & Chips Saturday-Spicy Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Market Wine Imports
2nd Street Public Market
Saturday 10-3 PM
Aromas de Turis White Sangria, 2002 Samantha Star Chardonnay, 2001 Paradisio Merlot, 2004 Rocca Angelo Barbera, Also tasting a variety of German Rieslings.
B. R. Scotese
Wednesday, May 10, 2006 4:30 pm
The restaurant is no smoking on Wednesdays!
Alma Rosa 2004 Pinot Gris, Alma Rosa 2004 Chardonnay, Alma Rosa 2004 Pinot Noir, Errazuriz 2003 Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon.
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian Store
Wine Tasting – every third Wednesday of the month in conjunction with their Meal of the Month! www.disalvosdeli.com.
The Deli’s Feature Wines: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
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 www.LittleSonomaWines.com
1) Friday Tastings have been moved to 7 pm for the spring/summer.
2) Beginning in May we will be closing at 7 pm on Saturdays.
3) Memorial Day hours (Monday, May 29th) will be 10-4 pm.
Friday, May 5, 7 pm ~ The Wines of Yalumba, reservations recommended.
The Yalumba Y Series of varietal wines celebrates the exuberant personality and colorful 150 year history of the Hill Smith Family of Yalumba.
Saturday, May 6, 4-6 pm ~ Uncorked! ~ Stellar Screw Cap Wines,
Trader Joe’s - Town & Country Shopping Center, Kettering Friday 1:30-4:30 and Tuesday 6-8 — No Sunday tasting this week!
Caves des Perrieres (2004): AOC Pouilly-Fume, France, Falcon Ridge Lodi Zinfandel (2004): AVA Lodi, California, Villa Borghetti (2004): DOC Valpolicella Classico, Italy.
Grapes of Ruth
WINES AVAILABLE FOR TASTING STARTING FRIDAY, MAY 5
ALSACE LUCIEN ALBRECHT PINOT BLANC, DON MIQUEL GASCON VIOGNIER, CLOS DU VAL CHARDONNAY, CLOS DU VAL MERLOT, CLOS DU VAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON, ARGYLE PINOT NOIR, ROSENBLUM PETIT SIRAH, ROSENBLUM MOURVEDRE, TALTARNI BRUT TACHE.
Allisten Manor Restaurant
May – “Wines of the World� Wine Dinner, Friday, May 12, 2006
Madison’s Bistro Wine Dinner, June 21, 2006 7 pm. Featuring ROSENBLUM CELLARS 5531 Far Hills Ave Lamplighter Square Between Rahn & Whipp Roads
937-435-7080, Make your reservations now!
L’Auberge in Kettering
Tuesday, May 9, 2006 @ 7PM
Julia Miller - Vintner Select
Special guest: Andrea Lederle of Handley Cellars
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It’s time to face reality on ‘underage’ drinking
This week brought news that Underage drinkers consume 17.5 percent of all spiritous beverages sold in the U.S., to the tune of nearly $23 billion a year.
What’s your reaction to this story?
Here’s mine: The drinking age of 21 is a farce Take a stroll on … (please click on “continue reading”)
… just about any college campus and spend a few minutes talking to students age 18-20. The “legal” drinking age is a complete joke. And if you think stricter enforcement is the answer, you’re living in la-la land.
It’s kind of sad the following argument has become trite and cliched, because no one has really come up with a good response to it: How is it that this country has the power to send an 18-year-old off to fight and die, but that 18-year-old can’t walk into a restaurant and order a glass of beer?
Well?
Meanwhile, on Wine Sediments today, I write an entry entitled Relaxing the Vintage Rules Makes No Sense. Did you know some huge wine conglomerates just convinced the feds to make it easier to mislead wine consumers? I didn’t either, until yesterday. Wouldn’t it be nice if American winemakers saved their lies for the back label?
And an update: you’ll recall I wrote earlier this week about what big chickens some French winemakers were for trying to duck a head-to-head comparative tasting between their wines and California wines for the 30th anniversary of the Great 1976 Tasting that Rocked the Wine World.
Turns out some California winemakers are also running away squawking as well.
And as usual, the best analysis of the brouhaha comes from my Wine Sediments blogging colleague Tom Wark’s Fermentation site. Tom cuts through the smoke and lays the blame squarely on those who deserve it.
And don’t forget tonight’s (5-4-06) Riesling tasting with Dirk Richter of Weingut Max Ferd. Richter. It’s from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Cuvee in Bellbrook, and best of all, it’s a drop-in tasting, no reservations required, so you can spend two minutes or two hours there….
Thanks and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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An open plea to Wine Spectator: Give us real news, not smiling pictures of Marvin Shanken!
When you’re the top dog, like Wine Spectator is among wine publications (at least in terms of its circulation of 380,000-plus), everything you publish invites scrutiny. The top dog is always the most convenient target, the most fun to ridicule.
But man oh man, sometimes the Spectator makes it so easy.
I refer to the May 31 edition — the one with New York “Wine Country” featured on the cover. If you’ve got the magazine, check out Page 16, and the photograph and short story with the headline “Not Your Typical Pro-Am.”
The photo shows Wine Spectator Marvin Shanken standing in the clubhouse of a country club in Juno Beach, Florida, alongside four blokes with whom he just finished a round of golf. The group includes golfing legend Gary Player and current PGA powerhouse Ernie Els. Els has his arm around Shanken, and all are grinning, holding glasses of wine and staring into the camera.
“A golf match of power players took place at the Seminole Golf Club in early March,” the story reports breathlessly, before concluding with, “The outcome of the game will be reported in the June issue of Cigar Aficionado.”
I can hardly wait, Marvin.
Now, I don’t know whether there’s a monthly quota of photos of smilin’ Shanken that the Spectator’s editors must meet — I seem to recall I’ve seen a few over the years, especially around Wine Experience time — but this one, well, let me see how I can put this delicately.
It’s not news. Not a drop. Not a sub-atomic particle. I’m really happy for you that you got a chance to play golf with Ernie Els and Gary Player. You must be thrilled too, maybe even a bit star-struck. But this “story” has no place in a self-respecting wine publication that strives to maintain high journalistic standards. And if none of your staffers have told you that, Marvin, well, I will.
Your magazine is a fine publication that does an excellent job covering the wine industry. Elsewhere on the same page as this here’s-me-and-my-golfing-buddies piece are stories headlined “Wine Retailers Push for Shipping Rights” and a Wine & Health feature headlined “Wine Drinkers May Keep Weight Off, Eat Healthier,” along with a brief report on wine consumption trends. Fine stories all.
Here’s my vow. You can write this down. When I’m publisher of my own powerful and influential wine publication, I will never ever allow my photo to grace its pages.
I have a feeling I won’t have too much trouble fulfilling that vow.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
PS Check out Wine Sediments today for Jamie “The Wine Chick“‘s piece entitled Sunbaked Bliss on a Sunday afternoon, and in case you missed it, my entry entitled French Run Squawking From Fair Flight.
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Makers of Two-Buck Chuck admit defeat — finally
Bronco Wine Co. and co-owner Fred Franzia, makers of Charles Shaw and a slew of other wines in California, have finally — finally — thrown in the towel in their long and stupid legal fight over using the term “Napa” on wine labels.
Looks like Fred finally got the hint after losing round after round in the courts and running out of legal options. Such a shame. You’ll recall we wrote about Fred back in November in an entry entitled Convicted Felon as Folk Hero? No Thanks. And again after he lost yet another legal round in January.
But wait! Before the ink is even dry on the settlement decree, here comes the Los Angeles Times with a profile of Franzia in Sunday’s editions. Not quite fawning, but close.
What this country needs — well, what this country’s wine industry needs, anyway — is a real hero.
Any nominations?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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