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February 2007
Finally, a state with more ignorant alcohol laws than Ohio
Who’d’ve thunk it? This makes Ohio look cutting-edge.
A story on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s web site entitled Grocers want wine tastings, but sobriety advocates find idea hard to swallow details the efforts of a group called the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention to derail legislation that would allow a handful of Washington State grocers to offer beer and wine tastings under stringent rules.
The group told the newspaper that grocery stores are simply the wrong environment for events that promote alcohol consumption, regardless of the rules they follow.
“The more children and adolescents are given a favorable impression that the community supports alcohol and alcohol use, the more likely they are to engage in behavior like drinking,” a spokeswoman said.
Gee, I’ve tasted wine in Dorothy Lane Market and in other grocery stores in Ohio for decades now, and y’know what? I haven’t noticed a single child being influenced in a negative way by the tastings.
Have you?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Gearing up for the Cincinnati International Wine Festival
For one weekend a year, many Dayton-area wine lovers turn their attention southward.
No, not Florida. Too far south. Tempting, though.
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival enters its 17th year this year with a few new wrinkles and a lot of old favorites. The Grand Tastings — the festival’s centerpiece that captures the most attention among us northerners — will be held March 23-24 in the Grand Ballroom on the third floor of the newly completed Duke Energy Center at 525 Elm St. in downtown Cincinnati.
The festival organizers have scheduled three Grand Tastings, during which 135 wineries offer more than 600 wines for sampling: 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. March 23, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 24, and again from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 24. Tickets for the evening tastings cost $65 in advance, $70 at the door; the shorter afternoon tasting is $50 in advance, $55 at the door. Advance tickets are available at several Dayton-area wine shops. Last year’s Grand Tastings drew about 6,000 people in total, including winemakers and volunteer pourers.
This year, festival organizers are adding some food options to the Grand Tastings: they will include 10 food booths organized by Kroger that will offer samples of items such as pastas, pita chips, chocolates, and deli-style meats in addition to the food that the festival’s caterer has provided in previous events, according to Michelle Powell, the festival’s executive director.
The meager food offerings has been a criticism of festival-goers who otherwise gave last year’s event good reviews. We Miami Valley wine enthusiasts are no doubt a bit spoiled by the dazzling food selection of this region’s premier wine event, the Fleurs de Fete.
The Cincinnati wine festival grand tastings portion “is not meant to be dinner — it is a wine tasting,” Powell said.
The festival has other events that throw more of a spotlight on dining, including a series of winery dinners at Cincinnati-area restaurants on March 22, and — new this year — a Charity Auction and Luncheon on March 24 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza’s regal Hall of Mirrors. A reception starts at 10 a.m., the auction at 11 a.m., with the luncheon following the auction. Tickets are $125 for the auction and luncheon, $50 for the auction only. The auction will include limited-release bottlings, winemaker-signed large-format bottles, rare wines and trips to wine destinations such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy and California.
Carolyn Wente from Wente Family Estates will serve as honorary chair for this year’s grand tastings.
All events benefit various arts, education, and health and human services charities in the greater Cincinnati area Since 1991, more than $2.25 million has been raised and donated to local charities. For more information on tickets and a complete list of events, go to the festival’s web site at www.winefestival.com or call (513) 723-9463.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Nothing like a little decomposing whale blubber to make a wine taste great
Okay, so the blubber’s long gone. The rest of the prehistoric whale is still around, and it was just discovered in the vineyards of a big-name Tuscan winery. It’s in this Wine Enthusiast Online story, and it’s kinda cool. I like the winery’s response: “Talk about unique terroir.”
Just think of the marketing possibilities here …
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Readers have their say on wine wholesalers and ‘3-tier’ pricing
Last Monday’s entry entitled Three-tier wine pricing system and the wholesalers who love it quietly generated some very interesting and varied responses, many of which came in late in the week and might not have captured your attention. Included is a rather provocative comment by the author of the piece that prompted the Uncorked entry. Here’s what he and others had to say:
We’ll start with Paul (NOT Paul R., as Paul R. points out in a subsequent comment), who contends that the three-tier pricing system “serves a very useful and productive role in the distribution of wines.”
First you must remember that 80% percent of the wines on shelves are controlled by less than 10% of the “wineries” in this country. These huge corporations have the clot, buying power and ability to create brands that has the ability to control all shelf space in Ohio. Second, 90% of the wineries in the US and certainly most international brands are small, have no marketing sales force and certainly do not have the financial wherewithall to “compete” against the biggest wine companies. Wholesalers act as their sales force, marketing arm and introduce consumers to thier brands, something that would never happen without the middle tier. So, if you want little choice, don’t not want to support smaller, family owned and operated wineries and can find your wines all on your own, maybe the 3 tiers are outdated, otherwise, I don’t think so. It is a myth sold by the largest wineries and the largest wine corporations. The end result would be less variety and eventually higher prices.
Tom Wark, author of the Fermenation piece that prompted the Uncorked entry, had this to say:
Wholesalers regularly respond to criticisms of the state-mandated use of the wholesaler tier by asking us to imagine life without the wholesaler altogether. Let’s do that for a second….. ….Nope…can’t do it. We would not have a wine industry without a wholesale tier. Now, let’s imagine not having a STATE MANDATED wholesale tier in which nearly all wine must first be “brought into the state” by the wholesaler…….. ……………….. ………………. ……………… Sorry…that took a while. I was imagining all sorts of things: retailers calling winereis they’ve read about and ordering 3 cases that are then shipped to them via UPS or another carrier. ….I was imagining consumers being able to buy what they want from whomever they want. ….I was imagining retailers taking advantage of a national market for wine with no wholesaler imposed barriers. ….I was imagining fewer barriers to the creation of smaller, boutique wholesalers that specialized and had a motivated sales force.
Paul R. let it be known he wasn’t the Paul who filed the initial comment, whom Paul R. suggested …
seems to think almost all wine comes from California (how else could 80% of all wines on the shelf come from the large California wineries?). And that wholesalers are the primary reason that small wineries exist. Seems he also missed the point that Mark’s discussion was about the between a three-tiered PRICING system, not the three-tiered marketing/sales/delivery system. Bob’s comments generally mirror my own. But I would also point out that retailers in areas such as New York and Washington, DC, where there is no government imposed price structure, and where many stores purchase directly from the wineries (or from foreign exporters), tend to have much better representation of small wineries, foreign and domestic, than do wine stores in price controlled, wholesaler dominated states such as Ohio. Unfortunately, once you begin to compromise to the free market system, the impetus seems produce more and more restrictions, rather than remain just a little restrictive. Certainly wholesalers play a useful role in wine marketing and sales. But let’s not get carried away with their importance!
Sunny offered a perspective of a wine retailer:
The 3-tier is flawed yes, but I believe that there is more diversity of product and protection for both the small companies and the consumer in this than in the alternatives that are presented in an effort to change the laws here in Ohio, which, btw, are never attempts to abolish the system altogether and go to a free-market style. They always seem to be attempts to “tweak” the current system with the benefits going to the big boys. The 1st Paul’s comment about 80% of the wine coming from a handful of wine conglomerates are correct, as anyone who deals with mass-market brands is aware, and this applies to worldwide wine, not just the CA stuff. 90% of AU wine hails from 4 companies. While as a small retailer I would love to be able to call a winery in France and get what I want instead of paying the ridiculous markups from my distributor (and then pass them along to the customer) but can I afford to do that for more than just a few wines? Or better yet, in the print industry if Borders or Walden or other large chain stores are unwilling to carry a book nationwide, many publishers are unwilling to even publish the book. If Target won’t carry the wine nationwide will it be worth it for a giant distributor to bring the wine in to the country? If that distributor won’t carry the wine will the giant importer bother to buy it from the winery? If it the only option at the winery is the giant importer and they are biting, will it even be made?
Uncorked reader Bob accused me of revisiting this topic “only to get my blood boiling.”
Paul is correct that wholesalers do provide a valued service. That said, they should not need a government mandate that they be involved in all transactions. Any company that provides a useful service and value to the consumer should be able to survive, if not flourish, in an open market environment. There are other companies involved in certain aspects of the distribution process. Frequently the wholesalers are buying from an importer. I doubt that the wholesalers object too much if they are able to bypass and importer and purchase directly from the producers. The less government involvement there is in any market process the better that market is able to serve the consumers. Good wholesalers should be able to do fine financially without relying on government mandated markups and restricted distributions. It would sure be nice to see the Ohio Legislature step up and look out for the consumers for a change.
Reader Gary suggests the system discourages retailers from bringing in hidden gems:
Having lived in states where a free market exists and where the true value of a good distributor becomes quickly known to the retailer I think the system can work for the benefit of all parties. I regularly travel to visit wineries and buy product that is not currently available in Ohio from retailers I frequent. When I ask them about certain wines they have little or no interest in pursuing them because most of them know little about the product they sell. The can only tell you about the products that the distributor stocks their shelves with. There are exceptions to this comment and I don’t mean to infer that all retailers fall into this catagory. My frustration as a wine consumer is that I look to my local wine store for those “hidden gems” that I might not otherwise find; not the latest version of product from the “big guys”. Until there is a groundswell of consumer outrage that reaches the halls of Columbus I am willing to visit the great boutique wineries of California, Washington, Oregon, and other well known regions to seek out the true gems.
And while most focus on the possible dismantling of the three-tier system, an Ohio winemaker reminds us that some in Columbus want to expand the three-tier system to force Ohio wineries to sell all of their wines that way:
If the laws change and we need to distribute all of our wine through a distributor, we’d have to close the doors, and everything we’ve tried to do to revitalize the Ohio River Valley as an agri-tourism destination for grapes and wine is at risk. See our web site home page (www.KinkeadRidge.com) “Legislative Alert” to read about some of the things that have happened in other states.
Wow, great stuff. Thanks to all who contributed, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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The ‘myth’ of low yields?
This piece in Wine Business Monthly that vigorously attacks as “myth” that low yields equal high wine quality has been around a while, but I missed it when it was first published, and I’ll bet you did too. There’s no doubt the conventional wisdom, led by the One and Only Robert Parker, suggests concentrated wines can ONLY be made from low-yielding grapevines.
Wonder who’s right?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Winemaking’s dirty little secret
Winemaking’s dirty side — its literal dirty side — will be exposed Tuesday.
That’s according to this press release from the folks at the Discovery Channel:
DISCOVERY CHANNEL’S DIRTY JOBS EXPLORES THE SOILED SIDE OF WINE MAKING
— Host Mike Rowe Gets Grubby in Napa Valley on March 6 at 9 PM ET/PT—
Silver Spring, MD — DIRTY JOBS host and pseudo-apprentice Mike Rowe gets down and dirty in Napa Valley — and learns some valuable wine making skills in the process.
Mike’s duties in the vineyard begin at the crack of dawn, when he teams with the workers to hand-pick the grapes off the vines. First, the spiders, raisins, goo and mold must be removed from the grapes before they can be de-stemmed and crushed. Once squashed, the grape juice is pumped into tanks where it will ferment and become wine. The dirtiest part of the process involves draining the tanks; that is when Mike physically climbs into the tanks to dig out the remaining skins and seeds. By the time he finished, Mike will be fully covered in sticky, congealed wine and grape skins and the tanks will be ready for the last step of being flushed out with water for a final cleansing. …
This World Premiere episode of DIRTY JOBS airs Tuesday, March 6 at 9 PM (ET/PT) on Discovery Channel.
So there you have it. Leave it to Uncorked to dish the dirt …
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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To this weekend — and beyond!
Coupla quick things before we get to The List: Mark your calendars for the 17th Annual Cincinnati International Wine Festival, for which tickets are now available at many of the wine shops that grace our tastings list. The Grand Tastings that attract the most Dayton-area wine lovers will be March 23-24, and the winery dinners on March 22. I’ll write more about this event next week.
And although Wednesday has suddenly turned into wine tasting central around the Valley, don’t overlook Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar’s special wine tasting in the restaurant’s bar from 5-7 p.m. I stopped by this week and tasted four wines — including a captivating Sea Smoke pinot noir and a powerful Italian blend from legendary producer Gaja — along with four appetizers, all for $15.
And note that on Thursday of next week, Jay’s Restaurant will host a wine dinner featuring the wines of Frescobaldi — an Italian winery I wrote about more than a decade ago in the Dayton Daily News and then visited five years later during my one and only visit to Italy. The winery traces its roots to 1308 — 1308! Good heavens, Christopher Columbus wasn’t even born yet. And the winery is run today by the 30th generation of the family that founded it. And we think we have wine history here in America!
All that and more is YOURS for but a click of the mouse on the “continue reading” link below … thanks to the folks who assemble this information for a local listserv, and cheers!
Jay’s Kitchen Door Friday, February 23, 2007 4-8 pm 2005 Domaine de Menard 2004 Carneros Creek Reserve Pinot Noir 2001 Beringer Napa Valley Cabernet 2001 Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello 2003 Chateau Branaire-DuCru
Saturday, February 24, 2007 1-6 pm 2003 Louis Latour Grand Ardeche 2004 Gerard Raphet Chambolle Musigny 2001 Chateau Gruaud Larose 2002 Leoville Barton
Call 222-2892 for reservations to any of the following wine events!
Thursday, March 1, 2007 Frescobaldi Wine Dinner - $65 with Scott Finaly, Folio Wine Partners Sautéed Mussels, Shrimp and Scallops tossed with Smokey Bacon and Ripe Tomatoes in a White Wine-Herb Broth garnished with Basil-Tomato Bruschetta Mushroom Tart Salad with Boursin Cheese, Grapes, Spinach and Endive Dijon-Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Cheddar-Roasted Garlic Smashed Redskins Haricot Verts and Red Onion, Mushroom and Pepper Compote with Balsamic Jus Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd
Thursday, March 22, 2007 Chateau St Jean Wine Dinner $60
Arrow - Kettering Saturday, February 24, 2007 11-5 pm 2005 melville viognier, estate, “verna’s” 2005 rubens 2004 mas donis 2005 domaine des cassagnoles, reserve selection, “cuvee gros manseng” 2005 joel gott cabernet ssauvignon, “815” 2005 de lisio shiraz
Doug Simon’s Music Schedule -Saturday, March 3, 2007, 8-12 pm Pacchia
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM OakwoodFriday, February 23, 2007 5-8pm La Spinetta Lidia Chardonnay 2003 Masi Valpolicella 2005 Lolonis Merlot 2001 Directors Cut Zinfandel 2005 Steltzner Reserve Cabernet 2002 Brown Bag
Saturday, February 24, 2007 1-6 pm Jean Vesselle NV Brut Villa Simone Frascati 2005 Ken Wright Carter Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005 Fantaleoni Chianti 2005 Masi Campofioria 2003 La Spinetta Vigneto Stordei Barbaresco 2001 Bonus Bottles
Beers: Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock Barrel House Winter Ale
DLM Washington SquareThursday, February 22, 2007 5-8 pm 2005 Chateau Vari Bergerac Sec 2005 Picket Fence Pinot Noir 2004 Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2005 Plungerhead Zinfandel 2003 Duxoup Charbono Mystery Wine!
Saturday, February 24, 2007 12-5 pm 2005 Kerpen Riesling Spatlese * 2003 Megawatt Zinfandel 2003 Dancing Coyote Petite Sirah 2005 Canblau Monstant 2003 Croix de Beaucaillou Saint-Julien Mystery Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, February 23, 2007 3-7pm 2005 Hexamer Riesling 2005 Don Olegario Albarino 2003 Finca Sophenia Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Two Hands Angels Share Shiraz 2001 M. Cosentino Meritage
Saturday, February 24, 2007 12-5 pm 2002 Austin Hope Roussanne 2005 Grgich Hills Fume Blanc 2001 Collumella Vindemia 2003 Penfolds RWT 2001 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
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 Wine Tasting Menu Friday, February 23 -Thursday, March 1, 2007 Nikolaihof Hefeabzug 2005 Gruner Veltliner Monte Volpe 2005 Pinot Grigio Matetic EQ Sauvignon Blanc 10 Mile Red Mas Igneus 2002 Barranc dels Closos Priorat Matetic EQ 2004 Pinot Noir Decoy 2004 (Duckhorn)
Beer: Mt. Carmel Stout Saturday Snacks: Kobe Ribeye with Ginger Mache Salad and Hawaiian Spearfish Taco
DiSalvos Deli and Italian Store Wine Tasting - every third Wednesday of the month in conjunction with their Meal of the Month! www.disalvosdeli.com. The Delis Feature Wines: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Saturday, February 24, 2007 11 am - 5 pm 2005 Caposaldo Pinot Grigio… 2004 Chanson White Burgundy… 2004 Chanson Burgundy Pinot Noir… 2005 Masi Valpolicella… 2004 Tamari Malbec… 2003 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country Kettering Tastings Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8. New wines from our Fearless Flyer this week. Blue Fin Chardonnay (2005) California; Tres Pinos Merlot-Cabernet-Syrah (2005) AVA Paso Robles, California; Three Knights Cabernet Sauvignon (2003) AVA Knights Valley, California.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar ( at The Greene ) 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays from 5pm to 7pm in the bar. There will be four different two ounce tastes every week and will provide different appetizers through out the night to pair with these wines. Features for Wednesday February 28th 5pm to 7pm FLOWERS, Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Andreen-Gale Cuvee, 2004 OJAI, Syrah Santa Barbara County, 2004 L’ECOLE, Apogee Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla Walla Valley, 2003 BRANCAIA, Toscana Il Blu, 2004
L’Auberge L’Auberge’s next 7 pm Tuesday night tasting, will be announced.
Pacchia Wine Tasting Every Thursday will feature at least 6 wines for to taste, discuss, and enjoy from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. When your your tasting is finished, you will receive a credit for the $10 fee applied to the purchase of any dinner entrée in Pacchia Prima or any bill of $20 or more in the café. Live music! Thursday, February 8, 2007 6 pm - 8 pm!
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 Thursday, February 22, 7 pm ~ Mitchell’s Wine Dinner Salmon Carpaccio, Orange Scallop Ceviche Chateau St. Michelle, Riesling
Ginger and Carrot Puree Toasted Head Chardonnay
Filet Mignon Or Pan Roasted New Zealand King Salmon Estancia Pinot Noir
Sweet Melon Granita Michele Chiarlo, Moscato
Friday, February 23rd, 7 pm ~ Sauvignon Tasting Saturday, February 24th, 3-6 pm ~ OTBN (Open That Bottle Night)
Winds Cafe Yellow Springs Call 937-767-9441 to make reservations for events. Wine Classes Saturday, March 3, 2007 and March 10, 2007 3 pm Wine 201
El Meson “A Taste of the World” at El Meson, 903 East Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, Ohio 45449 (937) 859-8229, Fax (937) 859-8220, www.ElMeson.Net Tapas and wine pairings for the month of February. Wine and Tapa Pairings Red wine and Tapa Cheese Plate- Manchego Cheese, Spanish Goat Cheese, Quince, Olives, and Bread 2002 Muga Reserva, Spain Empanada Rellena 2002 Arboleda Syrah - Chile Corn Tamale with Beef 2004 Mont Gras Quatro, Reserva - Chile
White wine and Tapa Seabass Ceviche 2005 Ceja Vina de Casa- California Corn & Zucchini Quesadilla 2006 Aresti Sauvignon Blanc- Chile Shrimp al Ajillo 2003 Weinert Chardonnay- Argentina
The Wine Gallery & Cafe 424 East Third Street Dayton, Ohio 45402 937-224-WINE
Everyday is Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery with 16 different flights. Open 11:30AM to 9:30PM M-Th and 11:30AM to 1:00AM Friday Saturday. Feb 28 2007 Gallery Wine Bar and Cafe,6-8 P.M. Dos Rojos TGM Camelback Blackwing Shiraz Trois Freres Chardonnay Laurent Miquel Viognier Domaine Grand Veneur Cote De Rhone Le Champauvin 2004
Market Wine Imports2nd Street Public Market Saturday, February 24
Villa di Giovanni Wednesday, February 28, 2007, 1100 E.Dayton Yellow Springs Rd. 5-7 p.m. 2003 Barbera d Asti Monferrato 2004 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo - Farnese Valpolicella - Tedeschi
TomKatz Wine Tasting Wednesdays Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Phone: 937-743-8111 Address: S.R. 73 just East of I75
La Petite France 3177 Glendate-Milford Road Cincinnati, Ohio www.lapetitefrance.biz Call 513-733-8383
The restaurant presents a “Taste of France” featuring gourmet specialties from seven different regions of France on the last Friday of each month, they will offer a special three course dinner from the Alsace, Bordeaux, Brittany, Dijon, Normandy, Provence, and Toulouse regions of France.
Friday, February 23rd gourmet specialties from Normandy. $40 Aperitif Kir Appetizer Crepe au camembert with mornay sauce gratinee Entrée Pork tenderloin a la Normande with Calvados sauce Dessert Chausson aux pommes (baked apple pastry)
On Friday evening, March 16th at 6:30 pm, will host a wine dinner tasting entitled “Ciao Italia”. Aperitif “La Cata” Vermentino, Sella & Mosca 1st. Course Fiano de Avellino Bianco, Feudi di San Gregorio Mache and field greens with pears and hazelnuts in a vinaigrette dressing 2nd. Course Dolcetto d’Alba, Marchesi di Barolo Seared salmon with endive chutney, brie cheese, and raspberry coulis 3rd. Course Morellino di Scansano, La Doga Panceta-wrapped roasted beef tenderloin with wild mushroom risotto 4th. Course Nero d’Avola, Feudo Arancio Italian cheese tasting 5th. Course Moscato Legatura Veneto, Mionetto Mixed berries with zabaglione
Madison’s Italian Wine Dinner Call for reservations. Tuesday, March 13th, 2007
Duo of fennel tastes - fontina and pancetta puff, shrimp butter tartines, caponata on foccacia crostini Spumante Rose’ extra dry
Crispy polenta and a variety of mushrooms with marjoram and truffle oils Marna’ White Meritage
Veal Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese sprinkled with gremolata Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico D.O.C. 1999
Blood Orange Granita
Grilled Lamb Chop, Spicy Brocoletti, roasted new potatoes, bell pepper-lamb stock reduction Podere Sapaio Volpolo 2004
Chocolate Decadence Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico D.O.C. 2001
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Women & Wine wants to recognize the most woman-friendly wine shops
Very soon, I’m going to write a full story in the Dayton Daily News and on Uncorked on the topic of how women are treated in the male-dominated wine world (thanks in part to your help. But for now, check out what Women & Wine is doing about it: launching a program to find and recognize wine retailers “whose stores feature an atmosphere that appeals to both novice and experienced wine buyers,” the group says.
“With so much choice in the marketplace, we want to inspire women to drink the best wine for their budget — whether it’s $10 or $100,” says Julie Brosterman, CEO & Founder of Women & Wine. “Our ‘Trusted Source’ retailer designation is a way for consumers to know the shop has staff willing to answer even the most basic questions, make recommendations in their price range — and that the culture of the shop is to build a trusted long-term relationship with their customers.”
In other words, wine shops where the following words do NOT come out of ANYONE’s mouth: “Here, honey, why don’t you try this nice white zin?”
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Fetzer goes French in a classic bait-and-switch — but at least they admit it
What do YOU think of this? I’m still trying to decide.
Yesterday, Fetzer Vineyards introduced a Valley Oaks Pinot Noir sourced primarily from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France.
Now, Fetzer isn’t the first, and won’t be the last, California winery to search out foreign grapes and/or wine to augment their domestic lineup. (Fetzer’s spokesman, James Caudill, points out that Fetzer itself did it recently with a Valley Oaks Riesling from Germany, though that wine is available only in some states.) Some source wines elsewhere for quality reasons, some do it for price reasons, or some combination of both (okay, mostly price). In this case, because of the strong demand for pinot noir juice in California, it appears Fetzer can’t make the wine it wants to — at the price ($9) and quality and quantity that it desires — from homegrown grapes.
And give ‘em credit: unlike some of their competitors, Fetzer is being right up front about its practice, as evidenced by the press release.
But still, when wine drinkers see “Fetzer Valley Oaks” on the front label, you know they think they’re buying a California wine.
The press release notes that:
The new Pinot Noir features the traditional Valley Oaks label and trade dress, matching the balance of the Valley Oaks line, with the back label declaring “Pinot Noir — France Vin De Pays D’ Oc”.
Hmmm. So the back label states clearly the wine’s place of origin, while the front label gives what will undoubtedly be for many consumers a misleading impression of the wine’s birthplace.
I’m sure Fetzer has spent gazillions of dollars building up the “Valley Oaks” brand name recognition and wants to capitalize on that.
But why not call the wine what it is on the front label: “Fetzer Bargain Pinot Noir from France, Where Excess Juice Flows Like Giant Rivers and Can Be Bought For a Song”?
Not enough room on the label, you say? THIS is why I never went into marketing …
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Maybe this crybaby wine magazine editor needs to look in the mirror first
Decanter.com this morning offers up a story about the the demise of Wine X magazine and its editor’s complaints that the wine industry’s ignorance and short-sightedness doomed the magazine to failure after eight years.
Take a look at his comments, and answer me this: are you, like me, getting just a bit tired of listening to high-profile people blaming others for their failures?
Although I’m not in the target demographic that Wine X sought so hard to cultivate, it always seemed to me that the magazine was, well, trying too hard to appeal to that demographic.
Yes, that makes me just an old fuddy-duddy. But others of more youthful ilk shared the opinion. Take a look at this opinion piece from Salon.com from 1999. Here’s an excerpt:
Is there a smart, well-written … wine ‘zine out there for wine-drinkers of modest means, but discerning tastes? Wine X isn’t it. … Frankly, I don’t know how these folks have made it to Volume 3, Issue 5. Who reads this swill?
Okay, that might be a bit extreme — the magazine made it for nearly eight more years.
But rather than casting around for scapegoats for the demise of the magazine, maybe the folks at Wine X should just look in the mirror first.
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Three-tier wine pricing system and the wholesalers who love it
Might one say that my blogging colleague Tom Wark of Fermentation fame has a strong opinion about the three-tier wine pricing system and the role that wine and spirit wholesalers play within that system?
One might, if Tom’s entry entitled Goodbye Mob, Hello Liquor Wholesalers is any indication.
Here’s an excerpt from Wark’s posting:
Recently in Texas the two largest wholesalers there gave $1.6 Million to elected officials in a 10 week span following the November elections. These “donations” came at the same time the wholesalers were lobbying to change a law that would allow them to become much more powerful and profitable in the state at the expense of others in the alcohol trade. Wholesalers not just in Texas but across the country are constantly asking that laws be changed or laws be kept in place. It does not matter how silly the new law may be or how archaic and detrimental to free trade the old law may be. The commonality between all the things the wholesalers ask for is that it benefits them and makes them more powerful at the expense of alcohol producers, alcohol retailers and consumers. Take for example this situation. Last year the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois lobbied to change the law in Illinois to both stop any direct shipment of wine to consumers and to remove the privilege IL wineries had to sell directly to retailers and restaurants. What do these two position have in common? They both hurt wineries and will increase the profit of wholesalers. Consumers and local retailers would also be hurt.
Wark goes on to explore the role of the mandatory three-tier alcohol pricing system — a model that Ohio has embraced — and suggests those models are outdated and hurt consumers.
Two things need to be pointed out: Tom Wark was recently appointed the executive director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association, whose interests, shall we say, don’t always coincide with alcohol wholesalers’ interests. But it’s also true that Tom was writing posts very similar to this one well before that appointment.
What to make of this?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Blue Moon in Centerville closes
I was at Miami U. in Oxford late yesterday and last night watching my youngest son swim in his final high school swim meet and didn’t know about my colleague Stephanie Irwin’s story on the Blue Moon in Centerville closing until I checked the DDN web site early this morning.
I got to know Greg Fitzgerald, who owns the restaurant along with his wife Beth, several years back when he invited me to host a few wine dinners at the former Blue Moon in the Oregon District, which closed in November. This most recent news is a shame, not only for the Fitzgeralds, but also for the Blue Moon’s employees and its customers.
Feel free to post a comment either here on Uncorked or on the comment portion of the news story.
Mark
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A sure cure for cabin fever
Wow: Super Saturdays at both Arrows, a Jay’s anniversary dinner that includes a 2003 Mouton, a Napa Valley winery owner making the rounds at Cuvee, Chantrell’s, and Arrow South, wines and beers to prepare us for Fat Tuesday (and be sure to check out next Tuesday’s DDN Life section for a recipe for the world’s best Jambalaya, by the way), heck, even a mid-week special tasting with Ardie … Lord in heaven, where to begin? Well, I’ll begin with a word of thanks to the listserve that compiles this amazing and ever-expanding list of tastings, dinners and events — and you can begin with a click of your mouse button on the “continue reading” link. A world of wine — and I do mean a world of wine — awaits you …
Jay’s Kitchen DoorFriday, February 16, 2007 4-8 pm Dan Greathouse from Heidelberg will be there to discuss the wines! 2004 Chateau Monbusque Two vintages of Chateau Fleur Cardinal
Saturday, February 17, 2007 1-6 pm Chateau Chateau Theiully Blanc 2003 Chateau Reysson 2003 Chateau Clauzet 2001 Chateau Les Cruzelles 2003 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Reservations still available! Call 222-2892 for reservations to any of the following wine events!
Anniversary Luncheon - Bordeaux Saturday, February 17, 2007 12:30 pm - $75 Jumbo Seared Sea Scallop, Beet Chutney and Sweet Potato Fritter Confit of Duck in Crispy Phyllo Dough with Salad Greens and Sweet and Sour Sauce Cheese and Pate Plate Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Béarnaise Sauce, Haricot Verts, Glazed Baby Carrots, and Wild Mushrooms Peach Tart with Almond and Hazelnut Crust
Accompanied by: 2003 Chateau Reysson 2003 Chateau Clauzet 2001 Chateau Les Cruzelles 2003 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Thursday, March 1, 2007 Frescobaldi Wine Dinner - $65 with Scott Finaly, Folio Wine Partners Sautéed Mussels, Shrimp and Scallops tossed with Smokey Bacon and Ripe Tomatoes in a White Wine-Herb Broth garnished with Basil-Tomato Bruschetta Mushroom Tart Salad with Boursin Cheese, Grapes, Spinach and Endive Dijon-Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Cheddar-Roasted Garlic Smashed Redskins Haricot Verts and Red Onion, Mushroom and Pepper Compote with Balsamic Jus Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd
Thursday, March 22, 2007 Chateau St Jean Wine Dinner $60
Arrow - Kettering Saturday, February 17, 2007 11-5 pm arrows super saturday - 02/17/07 11am until 5pm both locations 50+ different wines (25 at each store) priced per taste no reservation necessary. 2005 step rd chardonnay 2005 milton park shiraz 2005 black wing shiraz 2005 foxglove chardonnay, edna valley 2003 masia carreras 2004 protocolo red 2002 dashe cabernet sauvignon, alexander valley 2003 domaine cheze, saint-joseph, cuvee prestige de caroline 2005 albert mann pinot gris, cuvee albert 2004 dominique cornin pouilly fuisse, clos reyssie 2003 frei brothers cabernet sauvignon reserve, sonoma 2005 macmurray ranch pinot gris, sonoma coast 2004 foley chardonnay, santa rita hills 2005 foley pinot noir, santa rita hills 2003 foley syrah, santa rita hills 2002 marques de gilida brut exclusive reserva 2005 plungerhead zinfandel, dry creek 2004 trentadue old patch red 2006 andeluna torrentes, white nv romariz porto, reserva latina 2004 apex merlot vega sindoa cabernet sauvignon/tempranillo 2005 la spinetta moscato d’asti, bricco quaglia 2005 handley gewurztraminer, anderson valley 2004 clos du mont olivet chateauneuf du pape, la cuvee du papet
Doug Simon’s Music Schedule - Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, 7-11 pm Pacchia, Saturday, March 3, 2007, 8-12 pm Pacchia
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM OakwoodFriday, February 16, 2007 5-8pm DeFaveri Rose Prosecco NV Fontaleoni Vernaccia 2005 Donn Luna Cabernet/Merlot Avignonesi Vino Nobile de Montepulciano 2003 Sapaio Volpolo 2004 Brown Bag
Saturday, February 17, 2007 1-6 pm Crabilis Vermentino 2005 Jean Lallement Brut NV Chateau Lascauv Cote Languedoc 2001 Schild Estate Shiraz 2005 Clio 2004 Il Roverone Amarone 2000 Bonus Bottles
Beers Fisdher Amber St. Bernadus Abt 12
DLM Washington Square Thursday, February 15, 2007 5-8 pm 05 villa simone frascati 05 chiarlo “le monache” 03 dynamite merlot 04 la chance pinot noir 00 amaone della valipolicella classico Mystery Wine!
Saturday, February 17, 2007 12-5 pm Fi fi’s mardi gras fun Oyster bay sauvignon blanc Malle sands chardonnay Dustys desire shiraz Monkey business merlot Jester cabernet Toad hollow cacophony zinfandel Abita beers from Louisiana and many more surprises!!!!
Dorothy Lane Springboro
Friday, February 16, 2007 3-7pm 03 Mondavi Napa Chardonnay 04 Jean-Claude Brouilly 03 Murrietas Well Meritage 02 Penny’s Hill Shiraz
Saturday, February 17, 2007 12-5 pm 05 Thibert-Parisse Macon-Prisse 04 Fess Parker ” Bien Nacido” Pinot Noir 03 Justin Isosceles 01 Ristow Cabernet
Special Tasting with Mr. Ardie Bonanno Wed. Feb 21,2007 6-8pm. 04 Le Fonti Sangiovese 04 Le Fonti Chianti Classico 03 La Gerla Rosso di Montalcino 01 La Gerla Birba 01 La Gerla Brunello
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
Thursday, February 15th 5-7 PM Drop-in Tasting at Cuvee Cuvée welcomes Susan Curtis, owner of Jocelyn Winery and mother of winemaker Brandi Jocelyn Pack, from Jocelyn Lonen Winery, in Napa Valley, Atlas Peak Appellation.
Wine Tasting Menu Friday, February 16-Thursday, February 22, 2007 Kracher Illmitz 2005 Pinot Gris Domaine de Beauregard 2005 Muscadet Sattler 2005 Zweigelt Neyers High Valley Vineyards 2005 Zinfandel Ty Caton 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Beer: Stoudt’s Fat Dog Stout
February 19th-Sashimi Wine Dinner at Cuvee 6 PM Reservations Required.
DiSalvos Deli and Italian Store Wine Tasting - every third Wednesday of the month in conjunction with their Meal of the Month! www.disalvosdeli.com. The Delis Feature Wines: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Saturday, February 17, 2007 11 am - 5 pm Meet Susan Curtis, owner of Jocelyn winery and try: 2003 Jocelyn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Jocelyn Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Jocelyn Lonen Carneros Chardonnay 2005 Jocelyn Lonen Reserve Russian River Valley Chardonnay As well as: 2005 Beringer III Century Chardonnay… 2004 Chateau St. Jean Etoilé Fumé Blanc… 2005 Beringer III Century Pinot Noir… 2004 Beringer III Century Merlot… 2004 Beringer III Century Cabernet Sauvignon… 2005 Dynamite Chardonnay… 2004 Dynamite Zinfandel… 2004 Archetype Cabernet/Shiraz… 2005 Almira “Los Dos” Grenache/Shiraz… 2001 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon… 2004 Hidden Mesa Chardonnay… 2004 Matilda Bay Cabernet/Shiraz/Merlot… 2004 Martin Family Red Rooster Zinfandel… 2003 Martin Family Cabernet Sauvignon… Nino Franco Prosecco…2005 Clos La Chance Chardonnay… 2005 Pinocchio Nero d’Avola… 2004 Rosenblum Rockpile Zinfandel… 2003 Vieux Mas des Papes Rouge… 2005 Gnarly Vine Chardonnay… 2004 South River Cabernet Franc… 2003 Leonard Nero d’Avola/Syrah… 2004 LeBine Valpolicella… 2004 Oak Ridge Old Vine Zinfandel…
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country Kettering Tasting Tuesday 6-8 —- No Sunday tasting this weekend. TJ Chilean Collection Chardonnay (2005); TJ Chilean Collection Merlot-Carmenere (2005); TJ Chilean Collection Cabernet-Merlot (2004).
L’Auberge L’Auberge’s next Tuesday night tasting, will be in February at 7 pm.
Pacchia Wine Tasting Every Thursday will feature at least 6 wines for to taste, discuss, and enjoy from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. When your your tasting is finished, you will receive a credit for the $10 fee applied to the purchase of any dinner entrée in Pacchia Prima or any bill of $20 or more in the café. Live music! Thursday, February 8, 2007 6 pm - 8 pm!
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in The Greene in Beavercreek will be featuring the following wines in the bar from 5pm to 7pm for $15 per person with paired appetizers: Newton, Chardonnay Napa Valley, 2004; Sea Smoke, Pinot Noir Santa Maria Hills Southing, 2004; Gaja Ca’Marcanda, Tuscany Magari Italy, 2002; Faust, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2003. These wines will also be available by the glass or flight that night only as well. This is a great chance to try some hidden gems from our reserve room.
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 Friday, February 16, 7 pm ~ High-End Wine Tasting Saturday, February 17, 3-6 pm ~ Wines from Where? Thursday, February 22, 7 pm ~ Mitchell’s Wine Dinner
Winds Cafe Yellow Springs Call 937-767-9441 to make reservations for events. Wine Classes Saturday, March 3, 2007 and March 10, 2007 3 pm Wine 201
Tuesday, February 20 is Mardi Gras! Escape this dreary Ohio cold and celebrate Fat Tuesday at the Winds with luscious fried oysters, tableside flambeed Bananas Foster, and New Orleans classic cocktails, the Hurricane and the Sazarac. Make reservations now, 937-767-1144.
El Meson “A Taste of the World” at El Meson, 903 East Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, Ohio 45449 (937) 859-8229, Fax (937) 859-8220, www.ElMeson.Net Tapas and wine pairings for the month of February. Wine and Tapa Pairings Red wine and Tapa Cheese Plate- Manchego Cheese, Spanish Goat Cheese, Quince, Olives, and Bread 2002 Muga Reserva, Spain Empanada Rellena 2002 Arboleda Syrah - Chile Corn Tamale with Beef 2004 Mont Gras Quatro, Reserva - Chile
White wine and Tapa Seabass Ceviche 2005 Ceja Vina de Casa- California Corn & Zucchini Quesadilla 2006 Aresti Sauvignon Blanc- Chile Shrimp al Ajillo 2003 Weinert Chardonnay- Argentina
The Wine Gallery & Cafe424 East Third Street Dayton, Ohio 45402 937-224-WINE
Everyday is Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery with 16 different flights. Open 11:30AM to 9:30PM M-Th and 11:30AM to 1:00AM Friday Saturday.
Market Wine Imports 2nd Street Public Market Saturday, February 17
TomKatz Wine Tasting Wednesdays Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Phone: 937-743-8111 Address: S.R. 73 just East of I75
Villa di Giovanni Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 1100 E. Dayton Yellow Springs Rd. 5-7 p.m.
La Petite France 3177 Glendate-Milford Road Cincinnati, Ohio www.lapetitefrance.biz Call 513-733-8383
The restaurant presents a “Taste of France” featuring gourmet specialties from seven different regions of France on the last Friday of each month, they will offer a special three course dinner from the Alsace, Bordeaux, Brittany, Dijon, Normandy, Provence, and Toulouse regions of France.
Friday, February 23rd gourmet specialties from Normandy. $40 Aperitif Kir Appetizer Crepe au camembert with mornay sauce gratinee Entree Pork tenderloin a la Normande with Calvados sauce Dessert Chausson aux pommes (baked apple pastry)
On Friday evening, March 16th at 6:30 pm, will host a wine dinner tasting entitled “Ciao Italia”. Aperitif “La Cata” Vermentino, Sella & Mosca 1st. Course Fiano de Avellino Bianco, Feudi di San Gregorio Mache and field greens with pears and hazelnuts in a vinaigrette dressing 2nd. Course Dolcetto d’Alba, Marchesi di Barolo Seared salmon with endive chutney, brie cheese, and raspberry coulis 3rd. Course Morellino di Scansano, La Doga Panceta-wrapped roasted beef tenderloin with wild mushroom risotto 4th. Course Nero d’Avola, Feudo Arancio Italian cheese tasting 5th. Course Moscato Legatura Veneto, Mionetto Mixed berries with zabaglione
Chantrell’s Banquet Facility, Catering & Restaurant 20 Commercial Way Springboro, Ohio 45066 937-743-6073
Friday Feb. 16th 7pm, Wine Tasting Dinner. A five-course dinner featuring fine wines from Napa Valley’s Jocelyn Winery and meet Susan Curtis the proprietor who will speak on the family owned winery and the awards they have won. Jocelyn¹s wines have won two gold metals in the Cincinnati wine shows and were voted best value Cabernet in wine spectator.
Grapes of Ruth
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar ( at The Greene ) 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays from 5pm to 7pm in the bar. There will be four different two ounce tastes every week and will provide different appetizers through out the night to pair with these wines. Features for Wednesday February 21th 5pm to 7pm Newton, Chardonnay Napa Valley, 2004 Sea Smoke, Pinot Noir Santa Maria Hills Southing, 2004 Gaja Ca’Marcanda, Tuscany Magari Italy, 2002 Faust, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2003
The Inn at Versailles
The Winery at Versailles(937) 526-3232 www.wineryatversailles.com Valentine Dinner on Feb 17th Wine and Chocolate Night on March 30th
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These cows will drink better than you will tonight
Red wine with beef? Even the cows agree it’s a perfect match. Only their cab-merlot blend comes mixed with hay.
Yes, some Australian farmers are taking the red-wine-with-beef match to the next level, feeding each cow in their herd a liter of cabernet-merlot blend per day to improve the flavor and quality of the beef, according to a story in the London-based Telegraph entitled Vintage red decanted to gourmet cows.
The wine ain’t no plonk, either. It costs 20 Australian dollars a bottle. Isn’t it uplifting to discover that a herd of cattle in Australia will be drinking better than you will tonight? What’s next, handing the cows a wine list?
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Washington State wine with a distinctly local flavor
Windy Point Vineyards
Mike Libbee had to find something to do.
The Dayton-area native — he’s a 1970 graduate of Miamisburg High School and taught American History at Miamisburg Junior High School for a few years after his graduation from Bradley University — had retired after a career in the U.S. Army. Libbee settled in Washington State with his wife, who was a native of the Yakima Valley (the two met in Germany when he was an army officer). He and his wife had already spent more than four months hiking the Pacific Coast Trail.
Libbee looked around and noticed he lived within five miles of some up-and-coming Yakima Valley wineries. So now, he spends some retirement time marketing his neighbors’ fermented grape juice, dabbling in sales and persuading folks to stop by their tasting rooms.
(Not that people need much persuading. Another wine industry friend with a local connection — Jim Gordon from Wines & Vines — just wrote a piece for his publication entitled Washington Wineries Sold 6.4 Million Cases in which he charts the growth of Washington State wines.)
But back to Mike Libbee. Last month, the retired army officer had a homecoming/family reunion of sorts, coming back to visit with his mother and father and two sisters who still live in the Dayton area. And he brought some of his neighbors’ wines to sample, which he poured for me and some folks at Arrow Wine.
The stars of his offerings came from Windy Point Vineyards in Wapato, Washington. The winery’s 2004 Syrah that sells at the winery for $19.99 was a shining example of what the syrah grape can achieve in the Pacific northwest. It combines the depth of raspberry fruit that hot-climate syrahs have with the racy, refreshing acidity of syrahs from the northern Rhone. And it’s a wine both an experienced wine enthusiast and someone who is just beginning to like red wines could enjoy together.
The 2004 Windy Point Exclamation Point ($18.99) blends 60 percent cabernet franc and 40 percent merlot that again seems to combine the best of both worlds: old world structure with new world fruit. It’s a more youthful, deeper wine than the syrah and improves in the glass, suggesting a bright future in the bottle.
Windy Point’s wines aren’t currently distributed in Ohio, but that could change sometime in the future. Check the winery’s web site for more information and availability — a winery spokeswoman says Windy Point CAN ship to Ohio.
Or better yet, plan a trip to Washington Wine Country. I’d bet you find other folks around who have Dayton-area connections. And who need something to do in their retirement.
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Ohio wine-grape growers watching the bitter cold snap with a wary eye
The sub-zero temperatures that spread over the state last week got me thinking about our Ohio wine producer friends and the potential impact the cold might have on their tender young grapevines. I know some wineries around southwest Ohio and west-central Ohio have struggled — or in some cases have been put out of business — because of extreme winter cold damaging or killing their vines.
So rather than just sitting around wondering, I decided to ask. Here’s what some Ohio winemakers said:
First of all, Don “Woody” Woodward from Old Firehouse Winery is keeping a close watch on the temperatures for winemaking reasons as well as grape-growing reasons:
As you are probably aware, we don’t raise our own grapes here at Old Firehouse Winery. I found it interesting when we all became concerned for our Ice Wines with the warm January weather . But I do want to relay something to you about another effect that weather (temperature) has on wines that no one has really touched on- natural Cold Stabilization. Since we are only 200 feet from the Lake Erie shore, we always rely on the cold weather to cold stabilize our wines and drop out the tartaric acid. I was in a panic in early January. If the temps stayed in the low 40’s, we would not have been able to cold stabilize. We do not have any refrigerated tanks, or any cooler larger than 8 by 14. So I was relieved when the weather started staying in 20’s. Of course, there is no additional benefit to this arctic blast. That said, I certainly hope the more tender vines like Gewurztraminer do not get affected. It took me three years to find a stable source of Gewurz grapes.
Keith Pritchard from Slate Run Vineyard was mildly reassuring:
It’s really hard to tell as every winter is different, at least here in Central Ohio that is the case. Going from there, Grapevines are usually more susceptible to rapid drops in temperature or some varieties real low temperatures below -12ºF. We really haven’t had or come close to either of these, so most varieties it should be only minimally affected. We were a bit warm in January and some early variety vines buds were pushing some white tips, like they were coming out of dormancy, these could be affected if they weren’t able to harden off after this “awakening”. What it amounts to, is we really won’t know until we start pruning in April. Maybe even later if buds were damaged in an irregular fashion.
Joanna at Buccia Vineyard also suggested the temps weren’t quite low enough to do significant damage:
We have had several really cold days. at this temperature, it is hard to get anyone to make a snow angel in the vineyard, but we do not expect any vine damage. Lake Erie is our friend. we had 1 degree three days in a row in the morning, but that should not be a problem.
And Wes Gerlosky, winemaker at Harpersfield Vineyard, said winemakers are walking a very thin line:
I can only speak for our vines at Harpersfield Vineyard, primarily because the ramifications of winter cold are very site- and variety-specific. During the last 72 hours our overnight lows have remained in the 2-5 degrees above zero F range. These temperatures in and of themselves will not damage the buds or canes of the vines that we grow in our vineyard: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. However when temps drop into the -5 to -10 below zero F range for a protracted period of time, we will experience cane and bud damage. This damage is contingent upon the severity and duration of the cold. So it is easy to see the tenuous line that we walk with regard to winter weather:the difference between 2 degrees above zero and 8 degrees below zero is not that much! However with regard to cold-tender grape vines that variance can mean, come fall, the difference between a full crop and a much diminished one. There are other mitigating factors as well. Elevation of the site, proximity to a large body of water, clonal selection (not all the clones of a given variety, say, Pinot Noir are of an equal hardiness level) the crop load of the previous vintage, the condition of the canes and buds when they entered dormancy and a myriad of other factors all influence winter hardiness.
So there you have it, straight from the source! Or, in this case, sources. Thanks to the winemakers and grape growers who responded.
Is spring here yet?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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The finest wine blogs in America
We’ve marveled from time to time about the explosion of wine blogging both here in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world.
Well, here’s a good way to see what all the hubbub is about: Check out the 2007 American Wine Blog Awards that my friend and colleague Tom Wark from Fermentation has put together. You can view the finalists in several blogging categories and vote for your favorites. There are some very entertaining and informative sites among the finalists, along with some awesome wine writing. All in a medium that essentially didn’t exist a few short years ago … Mind-boggling!
So click, enjoy, vote — and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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‘American Idol’ producers fall in love with Paso Robles, buy vineyards, and plan to get corkscrewed
Lordy, I don’t know where to begin with this story from Decanter.com about the British-born zillionaire producers of American Idol becoming “smitten” with Paso Robles (no shocker there — it is, after all, a tiny slice of heaven) and buying a big vineyard there.
The dynamic duo now plan to produce a television series about their trials and tribulations in harvesting their first crop, which will become a 2006 vintage cabernet-based blend. They’ll call the series — which is scheduled to air on a British network, but stay tuned, I bet it ends up on American telly as well — “Corkscrewed.”
Lordy, lordy lordy, I don’t know where to begin. Only in ‘Murrica.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Some fruit of the vine to chase away the cold
Plenty of options — and I do mean plenty — to take the chill off this weekend and beyond. All available to you with a simple click of the mouse button on the “continue reading” link below — thanks to the efforts of a local wine listserv and to the wine retailers and restaurant owners who are out there bustin’ their butts 365 days a year so we can have a good time. Why not reward their efforts?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
Jay’s Kitchen DoorFriday, February 9, 2007 4-8 pm 2005 Robert Pecota Sauvignon Blanc 2001 Beringer Alluvium Red 2003 E.Guigal Cote d’ Rhone 2003 Chateau Destieux 2000 Abadia Retuerta Cuvee Palomar
Saturday, February 10, 2007 1-6 pm 2002 Beringer Alluvium White 2005 Laetitia Pinot Noir 2002 Stella Maris Merlot (Northstar) 2003 Shafor Napa Cabernet
Call 222-2892 for reservations to any of the following wine events!
Anniversary Luncheon - Bordeaux Saturday, February 17, 2007 12:30 pm - $75 Thursday, March 1, 2007 Frescobaldi Wine Dinner - $65 Thursday, March 22, 2007 Chateau St Jean Wine Dinner $60
Arrow - Kettering Saturday, February 10, 2007 11-4 pm 2005 toad hollow chardonnay 2004 domaine royere 2004 leaping lizard cabernet sauvignon, reserve napa 2004 cimicky “autograph” 2005 s2 2003 chateau pavie macquin
arrow’s super saturday - 02/17/07 11am until 5pm both locations 50+ different wines (25 at each store) priced per taste no reservation necessary.
Doug Simon’s Music Schedule - Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, 7-11 pm Pacchia, Saturday, March 3, 2007, 8-12 pm Pacchia
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood Friday, February 9, 2007 5-8pm Pol Roget NV Brut Chanson Macon 2004 Eye of The Toad Rose 2006 Le Fonti Sangiovese 2004 Abadia Rivola 2003 Petite Rousse Syrah 2004 Brown Bag
Saturday, February 10, 2007 1-6 pm Gruet NV Brut Rose Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay 2004 Kangarill Road Shiraz 2004 La Gerla Brunello 2001 Rudd Proprietary Red 2003 Bonus Bottles
Beers Carlsberg Jacobsen Blonde New Holland Dragon’s Milk
DLM Washington Square Thursday, February 8, 2007 5-8 pm 2005 Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2005 Clerico “Visadi” Dolcetto d’Alba 2004 La Spinetta “Ca di Pian” Babera d’Asti 2000 Mazzian Abbone “Faset: Barbaresco 2002 Gaja “Ca Marcanda” Magari Mystery Wine!
Saturday, February 10, 2007 12-5 pm Fifi’s “Wines of Love” Tasting 2005 Toad Hollow “Eye of the Toad” Rose 2005 Chateau des Valentines “La Caprice de Clementine” Rose 2005 Pure Love White 2004 Menage a Trois Red 2004 D’Arenburg “Love Grass” Shiraz 2001 Chateau Quinault “L’Enclos” St-Emillon Grand Cru Penfold’s “Grandfather” Port
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, February 9, 2007 3-7pm 05 Fontaleoni Vernaccia 05 Fontaleoni Chiati 03 Bongiovanni Barbera d’Alba 03 Le Fonti Vito Arturo
Saturday, February 10, 2007 12-5 pm 05 Constantini Frascati 03 Spinetta Chardonnay 04 Spinetta Barbera D’Asti 01 Spinetta Barbaresco
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 Wine Tasting Menu Friday, February 9-Thursday, February 8, 2007 Saturday, February 10th, a Valentine inspired afternoon. Noon-4PM
Heidi Tolchinsky of Wineworks, Ohio will present the wines. Kiss Chasey White Wine SoloRosa Rose Peirano “The Other” White Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay Dancing Coyote Tango Megawatt Zinfandel Magnet Pinot Noir Vision Cole Ranch Pinot Noir Sweet Caroline Dessert Wine Beer: Stoudt’s Fat Dog Stout
Jim Hiller will play acoustic guitar.
Chef Chris will prepare lunch for two.
Thursday, February 15th 5-7 PM Drop-in Tasting at Cuvee Cuvee welcomes Susan Curtis, owner of Jocelyn Winery and mother of winemaker Brandi Jocelyn Pack, from Jocelyn Lonen Winery, in Napa Valley.
Atlas Peak Appellation
Monday, February 19th-Sashimi Wine Dinner at Cuvee 6 PM Reservations Required.
DiSalvo’s Deli and Italian StoreWine Tasting - every third Wednesday of the month in conjunction with their Meal of the Month! www.disalvosdeli.com. The Delis Feature Wines: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Saturday, February 10, 2007 11 am - 5 pm
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country Kettering Tastings Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8. great wines for Valentine’s Day. Schloss Biebrich sparkling (NV) Sekt, Germany. Monasteriolo sparkling (NV) DO Cava, Spain. Barefoot Bubbly (NV) California. Benton Lane Pinot Noir (2005) Oregon.
L’Auberge l’Auberge’s next Tuesday night tasting, will be in February at 7 pm.
Pacchia Wine Tasting Every Thursday will feature at least 6 wines for to taste, discuss, and enjoy from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. When your your tasting is finished, you will receive a credit for the $10 fee applied to the purchase of any dinner entrée in Pacchia Prima or any bill of $20 or more in the café. Live music! Thursday, February 8, 2007 6 pm - 8 pm!
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 Friday, February 9th, 7 pm ~ Celebrating Italian Wines! Saturday, February 10th, 3-6 pm ~ Old Vine Wines Friday, February 16, 7 pm ~ High-End Wine Tasting Saturday, February 17, 3-6 pm ~ Wines from Where? Thursday, February 92, 7 pm ~ Mitchell’s Wine Dinner
Winds Cafe Yellow Springs Call 937-767-9441 to make reservations for events. Wine Classes Saturday, March 3, 2007 and March 10, 2007 3 pm Wine 201
El Meson “A Taste of the World” at El Meson, 903 East Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, Ohio 45449 (937) 859-8229, Fax (937) 859-8220, www.ElMeson.Net Tapas and wine pairings for the month of February. Wine and Tapa Pairings Red wine and Tapa Cheese Plate- Manchego Cheese, Spanish Goat Cheese, Quince, Olives, and Bread 2002 Muga Reserva, Spain Empanada Rellena 2002 Arboleda Syrah - Chile Corn Tamale with Beef 2004 Mont Gras Quatro, Reserva - Chile
White wine and Tapa Seabass Ceviche 2005 Ceja Vina de Casa- California Corn & Zucchini Quesadilla 2006 Aresti Sauvignon Blanc- Chile Shrimp al Ajillo 2003 Weinert Chardonnay- Argentina
The Wine Gallery & Cafe424 East Third Street Dayton, Ohio 45402 937-224-WINE
Everyday is Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery with 16 different flights. Open 11:30AM to 9:30PM M-Th and 11:30AM to 1:00AM Friday Saturday.
Market Wine Imports 2nd Street Public Market Saturday, February 10
TomKatz Wine Tasting Wednesdays Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Phone: 937-743-8111 Address: S.R. 73 just East of I75
Villa di Giovanni Wednesday, February 14, 2007, 1100 E. Dayton Yellow Springs Rd. 5-7 p.m.
La Petite France 3177 Glendate-Milford Road Cincinnati, Ohio www.lapetitefrance.biz Call 513-733-8383
The restaurant will present a “Taste of France” featuring gourmet specialties from seven different regions of France on the last Friday of each month, they will offer a special three course dinner from the Alsace, Bordeaux, Brittany, Dijon, Normandy, Provence, and Toulouse regions of France.
On Friday evening, February 9th at 6:30 pm, a wine dinner tasting entitled “European Wine Experience”.
Wednesday, February 14th, A very elegant four course dinner. Ladies will receive a red rose! There is an “Early Seating Special” from 4 to 6pm.
Chantrell’s Banquet Facility, Catering & Restaurant 20 Commercial Way Springboro, Ohio 45066 937-743-6073
Friday Feb. 16th 7pm, Wine Tasting Dinner. A five-course dinner featuring fine wines from Napa Valley’s Jocelyn Winery and meet Susan Curtis the proprietor who will speak on the family owned winery and the awards they have won. Jocelyn’s wines have won two gold metals in the Cincinnati wine shows and were voted best value Cabernet in wine spectator.
Grapes of Ruth Thursday, February 8, 6- 8 pm Champagne Tasting and Raw Seafood Bar Marquis De Latour Rose Chandon Brut J Sparkling Brut Bottega Petalo Moscato Veuve Clicquot
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (at The Greene) 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays starting February 7th from 5pm to 7pm in the bar. There will be four different two ounce tastes every week and will provide different appetizers through out the night to pair with these wines. They will even have it during Valentines Day. Features for Wednesday February 14th 5pm to 7pm Moet & Chandon, White Star Champagne France Gloria Ferrer, Blanc de Noirs Sonoma County Schramsberg, Mirabelle Rose Napa Valley Duval-Leroy, Brut Champagne France
The Inn at VersaillesFriday, February 9th. Heidelberg Distributing will be here to help us pour and get you excited about vineyards such as Arrowood, Cline, Michael David, Estancia, Conn Creek and Lake Sonoma
The Winery at Versailles (937) 526-3232 www.wineryatversailles.com Valentine Dinner on Feb 17th Wine and Chocolate Night on March 30th
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Sexy foods,sexy wines, sexy restaurants — are you sensing a theme here?
My wife and I asked some of our colleagues to name three romantic restaurants in Dayton. Some folks had to think long and hard to get to three.
It’s not that we don’t have a wealth of restaurants in the region. Many have an intimate atmosphere, many have quality food, many have attentive service, and many have well-executed libations, including a great wine list. But not that many have all of those things.
But in tomorrow’s (Friday’s) Dayton Daily News Go! section, I hammer out a story that ventures to list the Miami Valley’s Top 10 Romantic Restaurants — a list that will, I suspect, invite some dissent (I can think of another half-dozen that belong on the list, including some that I’ve taken my honeybunny to for anniversary celebrations with great satisfaction, but a “Top 16” list just didn’t sound quite right … Besides, if you scroll to the bottom of the story from the above link, you can suggest your own addition, or heck, even your own Top Ten!)
If you can’t land a reservation next Wednesday night, you can always consider an intimate, seductive dinner at home. To help you get into that mood, check out today’s Life section for a story on “Seductive foods that nourish love’s sizzle”. Some stunning images accompany the newspaper’s package on aphrodisiac foods.
After writing those two pieces for the DDN this week, believe me, I needed a long, cold shower. But you — you want still more? Good golly, you are insatiable.
How about we direct you to Sexy Wines for Valentine’s, written by our friend Peg Melnik, who once upon a time was a Springfield News-Sun reporter.
Okay, I’m spent.
Until tomorrow.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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How much faith should we put in these wine magazines’ ‘restaurant awards?’
I emailed a few follow-up questions to Wine Enthusiast magazine’s editors after yesterday’s post entitled Local restaurant wins national wine award, and received a prompt reply from Samara D. Genee, Wine Enthusiast’s assistant editor. Here’s what Samara had to say:
We do not send people out to evaluate restaurants in person due to the sheer volume of applications. We do, however, require the application be submitted with a complete wine list and sample menu, including any documentation of staff training, promotions (wine dinners, contests, events, anything the restaurant does to promote wine and its wine programs), wine storage, etc. Based on such information, we make determinations on the quality, originality, selection and appropriateness of the wine list and program at each restaurant, contacting the restaurant for additional information if need be. In the same manner we take into consideration the wine service, stemware, storage and value.
There’s just something about handing out awards like this based solely on paper applications that bugs me (some of the restaurants being considered for top-tier awards are visited, but it appears most are judged solely on the paperwork thety submittted). (Note: late Wednesday, in a subsequent email exchange with Samara, she indicated that Wine Enthusiast visits “about half” of the restaurants thath apply.)
At least the Enthusiast requests a bit more detail in its application than Wine Spectator does, and charges less for it ($100 vs. $250). And the Enthusiast calls its contest “Restaurant Awards” rather than the even more misleading “Dining Guide.” As we noted back in July, how can Wine Spectator call its awards program a “dining guide” when it makes no effort to evaluate the dining experience in the vast majority of restaurants to which it hands out awards?
Do not misunderstand me: In no way am I suggesting that Villa di Giovanni is not deserving of an award for its wine list. In fact, the readers of Uncorked were filled with unanimous praise for the job Tony Spaziani and his family are doing in Fairborn. That, to me, speaks volumes in terms of validating the award.
Because let’s face it: word of mouth from those we trust who have had first-hand experience means far more than what a distant magazine has to say any day. Any day.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Local restaurant wins national wine award
If I gave you just one or two guesses, you might not identify the local restaurant that won a Wine Enthusiast magazine Restaurant Award of Distinction for its wine list and service.
It’s Villa di Giovanni.
The restaurant at 1100 Dayton-Yellow Springs Road in Fairborn (near I-675) was one of only nine restaurants in Ohio — and the only one in the Dayton area — to receive one of the awards, for which restaurants nominate themselves and submit an application. I’d love to link to the awards list, but the magazine’s web site has so far seen fit to link only to the 2006 winners of its “Award of Ultimate Distinction”, the most prestigious of three categories. But I purchased a good old-fashioned hard copy of the magazine last night, and there on page 44 of the February 2007 edition was Villa di Giovanni, in all its glory.
Applicants for the awards are asked to submit sample menus, wine lists and answers to a questionnaire “crafted to shed light on the culture of wine in their establishments,” Wine Enthusiast says. The magazine says it evaluates wine lists not only on their size, “but also on the quality and the synergy with the cuisine offered.” (Giovanni’s web site proudly proclaims its wine list is “100 percent Italian.”)
Other factors in the evaluation include creativity, service, staff education, presentation, stemware and value, Wine Enthusiast says. The magazine suggests its evaluation is more in-depth than Wine Spectator’s, which Uncorked has written about before, but it does not appear the Enthusiast visits every applicant as part of its evaluation.
This I do know: Giovanni’s stepped up when B.R. Scotese’s closed and began offering a Wednesday after-work wine tasting for many of the former Fairfield Wine folks who would congregate in Scotese’s bar for wine-tasting Wednesdays. I haven’t made it out there for one yet. How are these going?
And congratulations to Tony Spaziani and his family for the recognition.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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And for the ultimate take on Restaurant Week, we go to …
YOU!
Of the more than two dozen comments Uncorked received last week about the Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Week, the following two summed the promotion — and its potential benefits that go well beyond the charitable donations involved — the best.
The first comes from a reader who identified himself as “Cheffie:”
As a person who has been in the industry for over three decades, believe me when I say that anybody who is griping about “not making money” not only doesn’t get what the program is about, but should be taken to task for not creatively engineering menus that warrant both return visits based upon the obvious and provide “some” level of profit. Remember gang that this is a time when most restaurants are devoid of any patrons. This is the cheapest advertising any operation can get - they are being paid to have people come, dine and be “WOWED”….And a savvy owner will realize that these customers should leave with a little something “extra” if he truly understands the power of this promotion and choose to maximize and exploit what should be a marketing bonanza! No real out-of-pocket expense, lots of customers and unlimited upside potential! Now those are the ingredients for a great recipe…(Sorry, but couldn’t pass up on the cheese, no culinary pun intended!)
And lest there be one restaurant owner or manager or server out there who assumes that ALL Restaurant Week diners are leeches who come in only because the of meal price with no intention of ever returning, an Uncorked reader named Jim submitted this comment on his dining experience:
We went to Lincoln Park Grill last night, the first year they’ve participated. We chose it because it was close by. Salads were very nice, main meals also good, although my wife thought the Seared Tuna would have gone with the wasabi a bit better if it had been done with sesame instead of cajun spices. The desserts (were) perfect. Portions were nice too, not too large. Wine selections were good. Our first time there, and first time going out as part of restaurant week, and we’ll repeat both.
I imagine for restaurant owners and employees and supppliers, the logistics of Restaurant Week are maddening, and the week’s profits must be razor-thin or even nonexistent. But based on customer response and just the general buzz that this event creates, Dayton-area diners flat-out love the idea. And the two comments above offer some pretty compelling arguments to continue this promotion — and to build on the momentum for subsequent Restaurant Weeks.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Riesling sales surge, and there are some darn good rieslings for it
First off, if you’re looking for the “Comments on Restaurant Week” entry, click here to view the post and the 18 responses generated by it (there’s some interesting reading there …). But for now, we have some very good rieslings to move on.
The San Francisco Chronicle calls it a “Riesling comeback”. And it comes despite the grape’s stubbornly problematic reputation as an enological lightweight, summed up by the Chronicle as, “The less consumers know about wine … the more likely they are to view Riesling as invariably sweet and terribly unfashionable and to fear that enjoying a glass would expose them as rubes.”
Well, count me as Number One Rube. I love rieslings and the delicate balancing act between sweetness and acidity that the best rieslings possess. They can be delicious by themselves before dinner, but they also can be fabulous food wines.
In fact, one of the two wines I recommended (in Wednesday’s Dayton Daily News) for tomorrow’s Super Bowl was the 2005 Jos. Leitz Dragonstone, a lip-smacking riesling from Germany that costs in the $15-$17 range.
(By the way, if you want to see first-hand why I’m a print journalist and not a broadcast journalist, you can laugh at the video that Jim Witmer and I appear in entitled “Super Bowl food: beer vs. wine.” Go to the DaytonDailyNews.com home page and scroll down to the “Video” on the right-hand side of the page, then click on the “Super Bowl food” link. I’ll never be Jim Baldridge.)
The Chronicle package notes that “Riesling sales climbed 29 percent in 2006, more than any other white wine variety,” so apparently, the word is getting out. And German winemakers are helping fuel that surge by streamlining their labels, the Chronicle reports. It doesn’t hurt a bit that many rieslings, especially the Germans, are a bit lower in alcohol than other white-wine varieties, not to mention their ability to improve with age.
“Rube,” my foot. I love my rieslings, and I will enjoy a glass during the Super Duper Bowl, thankyouverymuch. What do YOU have lined up to drink during the game?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Still MORE restaurants join the wine-tasting wave
First off, if you’re looking for the “Comments on Restaurant Week” entry, click here.
And after reading the dozen-plus comments from readers about their Restaurant Week experiences (and perhaps adding your own), c’mon back and check out the upcoming wine tastings and dinners that are a part of this entry.
There’s good news: More restaurants are joining the wine-tasting and dinner trend. Chantrell’s in Springboro has a Napa winemaker dinner in the works for Friday Feb. 16th at 7p.m., and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar at The Greene are poised to launch Wednesday evening tastings — 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the bar. We’ll be taking a closer look at Fleming’s and its 100-selections-by-the-glass wine program in the near future.
As you can see, our humble little list of wine events is growing, and by leaps and bounds. Remember, a great deal of human effort is required to compile and post these lists, and my extreme thanks goes out to the Dayton-based wine listserv that does that work for its subscribers and for the readers of Uncorked. The addition of even more drop-in wine tastings and of restaurants seeking to do winemaker dinners represent tangible proof of just how dynamic our wine community is.
That’s something to raise a glass to. Cheers! And click on the “continue reading” link below to access the all-important wine tastings and events list….
Jays Kitchen Door Friday, February 2, 2007 4-8 pm 2004 Drouhin Puligny Montrachet 2004 Steltzner Pinotage 2004 Frogs Leap Cabernet 2001 Torre Muga
Saturday, February 3, 2007 1-6 pm NV Duval-LeRoy Brut 2004 Toad Hollow Rod’s Pride Pinot Noir 2003 St. Clement Oroppas 2001 Chateau Montrose
Call 222-2892 for reservations to any of the following wine events!
Anniversary Luncheon - Bordeaux Saturday, February 17, 2007 12:30 pm - $75 Thursday, March 1, 2007 Frescobaldi Wine Dinner - $65 Thursday, March 22, 2007 Chateau St Jean Wine Dinner $60
Arrow Wine & Spirits — Kettering Saturday, February 3, 2007 11-4 pm nv beaumont des crayeres champagne, grand reserve 2006 ken forrester petit chenin 2006 pillar box white 2004 nell pinot noir 2002 veraison synchrony, napa, stagecoach vineyard 2004 vinedos alonso del yerro
arrow’s super saturday - 02/17/07 11am until 5pm both locations 50+ different wines (25 at each store) priced per taste no reservation necessary.
Doug Simon’s Music Schedule - Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, 7-11 pm Pacchia, Saturday, March 3, 2007, 8-12 pm Pacchia
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM)
DLM Oakwood Friday, February 2, 2007 5-8pm Il Cuore Chardonnay 2004 Marquis Gelida NV Cava Domenico Clerico Arte 2002 Tamari Malbec 2004 Napa Cellars Cabernet 2004 Brown Bag
Saturday, February 3, 2007 1-6 pm JJ Vincent Chardonnay 2005 Carneros Creek Reserve Pinot Noir 2004 Napa Cellars Zinfadel 2003 Margan Syrah 2002 Gundlach Bundschu Cabernet 2004 Bra Caia (Super T) 2004
DLM Washington Square Thursday, February 1, 2007 5-8 pm 2005 Taburno Falanghino 2005 Elsa Bianchi Malbec 2004 Domaines des Relagnes Chateauneuf du Pape 2003 Tyrus Evans Syrah 2002 El Seque Alicante Mystery Wine!
Saturday, February 3, 2007 12-5 pm Fifi’s Wishing She Was At The Super Bowl Tasting 2005 Toasted Head Viognier 2005 Hangtime “Force Canyon” Pinot Noir 2003 Dark Horse Zinfandel 2004 D’Arenburg “the Footbolt” Shiraz 2003 Chateau La Garde Pessac-Leognan Extra Point Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, February 2, 2007 3-7pm 05 Foxglove Chardonnay 03 Teira Zinfandel 02 Sequoia Grove Cabernet 00 Lake Breeze Shiraz
Saturday, February 3, 2007 12-5 pm 02 Whitford Chardonnay 03 JC Cellars Rockpile Syrah 03 Trinchero Chicken Ranch Merlot 03 Anomaly 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 Wine Tasting Menu Friday, February 2-Thursday, February 8, 2007 Pot Luck tasting this week, some wines to be included: Delisio Quarterback GSM De-Fin-I-Tive Pinot Noir Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandra Chardonnay Domaine Drouhin Oregon Laurene Pinot Noir Day in the Country Chardonnay Saturday Snacks: Asian Chicken Sandwich (The Cloppert) Italian Style Hot Dog
Saturday, February 10th-Valentine’s Tasting with Heidi Tolchinsky of Wineworks, Ohio. Noon-4 Valentine inspired wines. Snacks for Two.
Monday, February 19th-Sashimi Wine Dinner at Cuvee 6 PM Reservations Required.
DiSalvos Deli and Italian Store Wine Tasting - every third Wednesday of the month in conjunction with their Meal of the Month! www.disalvosdeli.com. The Delis Feature Wines: Ecco Domani Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Saturday, February 3, 2007 11 am - 5 pm 2005 Ceja Vino de Casa White Blend… 2004 Il Couré Chardonnay… 2004 Ceja Vino de Casa Red Blend… 2003 Ceja Pinot Noir… 2002 Ceja Cabernet Sauvignon
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country Kettering Tastings Sunday 4-7 and Tuesday 6-8. Santa Barbara Landing Chardonnay (2005) AVA Santa Barbara County, California; Du Peloux Merlot-Carignane (2005) VdP Pays de Vaucluse, France; Villa Cerrina Montepulciano (2004) DOC Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy.
L’Auberge LAuberge’s next Tuesday night tasting, will be in February at 7 pm.
Pacchia Wine Tasting Every Thursday will feature at least 6 wines for to taste, discuss, and enjoy from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. When your your tasting is finished, you will receive a credit for the $10 fee applied to the purchase of any dinner entrée in Pacchia Prima or any bill of $20 or more in the café. Live music!
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 Friday, February 2nd, 7:00 pm The Wines of Toad Hollow Vineyards Sat, February 3rd, 3-6 pm Sonoma Valley Wines
Winds Cafe Yellow Springs Call 937-767-9441 to make reservations for events. Australian Wine Tasting - Friday February 2nd, 7 pm Wine Classes February 3, 2007 3 pm Wine 101 Saturday, March 3, 2007 and March 10, 2007 3 pm Wine 201
El Meson “A Taste of the World” at El Meson, 903 East Dixie Drive, West Carrollton, Ohio 45449 (937) 859-8229, Fax (937) 859-8220, www.ElMeson.Net Tapas and wine pairings for the month of February. Wine and Tapa Pairings Red wine and Tapa Cheese Plate- Manchego Cheese, Spanish Goat Cheese, Quince, Olives, and Bread 2002 Muga Reserva, Spain Empanada Rellena 2002 Arboleda Syrah - Chile Corn Tamale with Beef 2004 Mont Gras Quatro, Reserva - Chile
White wine and Tapa Seabass Ceviche 2005 Ceja Vina de Casa- California Corn & Zucchini Quesadilla 2006 Aresti Sauvignon Blanc- Chile Shrimp al Ajillo 2003 Weinert Chardonnay- Argentina
The Wine Gallery & Cafe 424 East Third Street Dayton, Ohio 45402 937-224-WINE
Wednesday, February 7 from 6PM to 9PM
Saturday, February 3rd from 7PM to 10PM LIVE MUSIC PRESENTED by The Duo of Brian & Rick
Market Wine Imports 2nd Street Public Market Saturday, February 3
TomKatz Wine Tasting Wednesdays Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Phone: 937-743-8111 Address: S.R. 73 just East of I75
Villa di Giovanni Wednesday, February 7, 2007, 1100 E. Dayton Yellow Springs Rd. 5-7 p.m.
La Petite France 3177 Glendate-Milford Road Cincinnati, Ohio www.lapetitefrance.biz Call 513-733-8383
The restaurant will present a “Taste of France” featuring gourmet specialties from seven different regions of France on the last Friday of each month, they will offer a special three course dinner from the Alsace, Bordeaux, Brittany, Dijon, Normandy, Provence, and Toulouse regions of France.
On Friday evening, February 9th at 6:30 pm, a wine dinner tasting entitled “European Wine Experience”.
Wednesday, February 14th, A very elegant four course dinner. Ladies will receive a red rose! There is an “Early Seating Special” from 4 to 6pm.
Chantrell’s Banquet Facility, Catering & Restaurant 20 Commercial Way Springboro, Ohio 45066 937-743-6073
Chantrell’s will host a wine dinner on Friday Feb. 16th at 7p.m. featuring Napa Valley’s Jocelyn Winery and Susan Curtis the proprietor will be coming to speak on the family owned winery and the awards they have won.
Grapes of Ruth Thursday, February 8, 6- 8 pm Champagne Tasting and Raw Seafood Bar
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar ( at The Greene ) 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays starting February 7th from 5pm to 7pm in the bar. There will be four different two ounce tastes every week and will provide different appetizers through out the night to pair with these wines. They will even have it during Valentines Day.
Wines to be featured Wednesday February 7th Gundlach-Bundschu, Gewurztraminer Sonoma Valley, 2004 Sonoma-Cutrer, Sonoma Coast Russian River Ranches, 2004 MacMurray Ranch, Sonoma Coast, 2005 Seghesio, Sonoma County, 2005
The Winery at Versailles (937) 526-3232 www.wineryatversailles.com Valentine Dinner on Feb 17th Wine and Chocolate Night on March 30th
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