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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2007 > November
November 2007
The restaurant-closing rumor that refuses to die
News Flash: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is NOT closing.
Repeat: NOT closing. At least, that’s the word from the guy who runs the place.
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked the question, “Have you heard Fleming’s is closing,” I would be able to retire. Quite comfortably. To a desert island. Of my choosing.
The rumor that Fleming’s demise was imminent has been around for what seems like the day after the upscale chain steakhouse at The Greene opened. It seemed to reach a crescendo a couple of months ago, to the point I called Seth Brown, the managing partner who oversees the Beavercreek Fleming’s, and he flatly denied it. He must have been telling the truth, because, well, Fleming’s didn’t close.
But in recent days, the rumor reignited. Uncorked readers attempted to post comments to my entry about Rue Dumaine hiring Fleming’s wine director stating that Fleming’s was about to shut down as if it were fact.
So I called Seth Brown — again — this morning to see whether anything had changed regarding Fleming’s fate since we last talked. It had not.
“Fleming’s has no intentions to ever close,” Brown said. “We have exceeded all our budget expectations and have had great success here … . Dayton has supported us.”
Brown acknowledged that his restaurant has received calls from concerned customers asking about the rumors. He couldn’t say exactly how many such calls Fleming’s has received.
Brown said he doesn’t know how the rumors started, but said he may know why they don’t seem to die so easily.
“I think it’s the strength of competition,” Brown said. “The independent restaurants are in fair competition with us, and we are all seeking the same diner.”
The restaurant recently expanded its Wine Wednesday promotion an extra hour, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and is planning a “Thank you Dayton” tasting for Dec. 12.
Lisa Grigsby, the marketing director for the Miami Valley Restaurant Association, said she has heard the Fleming’s closing rumor “a million times,” and suspects it may come from customers who don’t see a packed dining room on Friday and Saturday nights (“They don’t realize they have private dining rooms that may be full”) and that Fleming’s, like many restaurants, may have overhired when it first opened. In addition, “There has been so much glorification of The Greene, some people want to find a chink in its armor,” Grigsby said.
But sometimes, Grigsby said, “some people just get a perverse joy out of predicting doom.”
Hey wait — isn’t that what journalism’s for?
Your thoughts on the rumor that wouldn’t die?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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What ARE those wacky Daytonians drinking, anyway?
A couple of things to note about this week’s wine-tastings list, which comes to Uncorked courtesy of a Dayton-based wine listserv. First, the savvy folks at Arrow Wine & Spirits have wisely chosen to split up their “Super Saturdays” between the two stores, rather than holding them on the same Saturday. This Saturday, it’s the Centerville store. Meanwhile, note that this is the last tasting of the year at the Arrow Far Hills store in Kettering, as the store saves its parking spots during the busy holiday season for the customers more likely to get in and out quickly.
But take a moment or two to note the wines that populate this tastings list: the sparklers are starting to come out in time for the holidays (Bollinger, Piper Sonoma, Schramsberg, Gruet); some of California’s best producers are represented here (Grgich Hills, Jordan, Chateau St. Jean, Patz & Hall, Freemark Abbey, Sonoma-Cutrer, Qupe, Cinnabar and more); prestige Italian bottlings from the likes of Antinori (Solaia, Tignanello) and Gaja, to spotlight just a few. Are we blessed or what?
All that, and it looks like Savona Restaurant in Centerville will launch monthly wine tastings in its lounge.
It’s a great time to be alive — and to be a resident of Dayton, Ohio. Just don’t let anybody in on our little secret ….
Click on “continue reading” to access the tastings list, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
Jay’s Kitchen Door Friday, November 30, 2007 4-8 pm NV Bollinger Brut 2005 Hanna Sauvignon Blanc M. Chapoutier ‘Belleruche’ Cote Du Rhone 2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot 2005 Gaja Margari 2004 Antinori Solaia
Saturday, December 1, 2007 1-6 pm NV Bollinger Brut 2005 Hanna Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Chapteour Belleruche Cote du Rhone 2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot 2005 Gaja Margari 2004 Antinori Solaia
December 1, 2007 12:30 pm $55, tax and gratuity included Christmas Wine Luncheon with Paterno Imports Poached Salmon and Walleye Mousse with Shrimp in a Saffron Hollandaise Sauce 2005 Hanna Sauvignon Blanc
Prosciutto Wrapped Tuna with Artichoke-Spinach Risott and Roasted Pepper Coulis 2005 Chapoutier Belleruche Cote du Rhone
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Au Gratin Potatoes and Fresh Vegetables 2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot and 2005 Gaja Magani
White Chocolate-Mango Crepes with Yuzu Sabayon Sauce NV Bollinger Brut
Arrow Far Hills — Kettering Saturday, December 1, 2007 11-5 pm This is the last Arrow Kettering tasting of the year! 2006 Gerard Boulay Sancere 2005 Guillemot-Michel Macon Villages 2004 Penfolds Bin 389 2001 Sierra Cantabria Rioja Reserva 2003 Felix Callejo Family Reserva NV Buller & Son Victoria Tawny
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM) Oakwood Friday, November 30, 2007 5-8pm Piper Sonoma NV Brut Geil Riesling Kabinett 2006 Saintsbury Garnet Pinot Noir 2005 Chateau Micalet Haut Medoc 2005 Peter Howland Pinelodge Vineyard Shiraz 2004 Brown Bag
Saturday, December 1, 2007 1-6 pm Schramsburg NV Rose Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay 2005 Daniel Bocquenet Nuits St. George 2005 Napa Wine Company Zinfandel 2004 Chateau Parenchere Esprit Bordeaux 2005 Freemark Abbey Bosche Cabernet 2002 Bonus Bottles!
Beers: Bornem Belgian Double, New Holland Pilgrims Dole
Champagne Tasting! Wednesday, December 19 from 5:30 to 8:30
DLM Washington Square Thursday, November 29, 2007 5-8 pm 2006 Verget Pouilly Fuisse 2005 Bruno Colin Chassagne Montrachet Rouge 2006 Owen Roe “the Kilmore” Pinot Noir 2006 Villa Pozzi Nero d’Avola 2001 Lealtanza Rioja
Saturday, December 1, 2007 12-5 pm 2005 La Crema Chardonnay 2006 Donhoff Estate Riesling 2004 Peter Howland “Pine Lodge Vineyard” Shiraz 2004 Peter Howland “Langley Vineyard” Shiraz 2004 Peter Howland “Parson’s Vineyard” Shiraz 2005 Clos du Bois Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Encore Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, November 30, 2007 3-7pm 00 Rutherford Hill Laroche Chardonnay 04 Everett Ridge Zinfandel 05 Hendry Napa Pinot Noir 01 Grgich Hills Cabernet
Saturday, December 1, 2007 12-5 pm 05 Patz & Hall Chardonnay 01 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages 99 Jadot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 04 Flor de Pingus
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 Tasting from Friday, November 30 -Thursday, November 22, 2007 Powers 2006 Muscat Canelli Guillemot-Michel 2005 Macon Villages Quintaine Black Chook 2006 VMR Freemark Abbey 2004 Chardonnay Caves des Papes 2005 Cotes du Rhone Chateau de Parenchere Cuvee Raphael Bordeaux Green & Red Chiles Canyon Vineyard 2005 Zinfandel
Beer: Left Hand Brewery Milk Stout Food: TBA
Saturday, December 8 Cuvee Bubble Bash Annual Champagne/Sparkling Wine Tasting Music by Michael and Sandy Bashaw Food - Caviar, Beef tenderloin, Lamb Chops, Lobster Fromage Torte, Escargot and more! $75-Reservations, please.
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Centerville Friday, November 30, 2007, 5-7 pm Beer Tasting English Ales Hen’s Tooth… Whitbread Pale Ale… Old Peculiar… Mackeson Triple Stout… Old Speckled Hen
Saturday, December 1, 2007 11 am-5 pm 937-433-6778 Super Saturday! Taste 25 super wines, including: 2003 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon… 2005 Godolphin Shiraz/Cabernet… 2005 Clos de Los Siete… 2003 Arcadian Chardonnay… 2002 Delectus Syrah
The Wine Gallery and Cafe, Corner of 3rd and Wayne Friday, December 7, 2007 from 5:30PM to 8:30PM Three Saints Chardonnay Three Saints Pinot Noir Three Saints Merlot Three Saints Cabernet Sauvignon
Market Wine Imports, Second Street Public Market Saturday, December 1, 2007 from 9am to 1pm Black Ridge Chardonnay Black Ridge Merlot Black Ridge Syrah Red Crush
Therapy Cafe, 452 E. Third St., Therapy-cafe.com Nov. 30th: Arabian Night..belly dancing show by Alimah’s band and dinner
December 1, 2007 from 4-9 pm Theme is Southern Hemisphere. Complimentary tapas and deserts will be provided. Bodegeas Weinert Carrascal Susana Balboa Ben Marco Malbec d’Arenberg Stump Jump Giant Steps Chardonnay Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc Blue Grove Hill Cabernet-Merlot Terrunyo Carmenere
and Sunday football!
Dec. 7th: Salsa Nights with Miami’s own DJ Danny featuring Spanish cuisine
Sunday evening, December 9th, 5 PM. Dinner, Bordeaux wine, and music event with proceeds to benefit Camp Emanuel. Eric Jerardi and his band will perform to celebrate their new “Get real wine series” Bordeaux DVD release. Everyone who attends will receive a complementary copy of the new DVD or his new CD release. Tickets cost $75 per person (of which $35 will be tax-deductible) and are available at Therapy Café or Jerardi’s Little Store.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays 5pm to 8pm in the bar. Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Notice - extended hours SCHRAMSBERG, Mirabelle Rose Napa Valley, NV LEWIS, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2005 KINKEAD RIDGE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Ohio River Valley, 2005 ANTINORI, Tignanello, Toscana Italy, 2004
A Taste of Wine 90 S. Main St Miamisburg, OH 937.247-1120 Beginning 11/30. Liocco Chardonnay, Rueda Con Class, Cinnabar Mercury Rising, Domaine de Noire Chinon, Qupe Syrah, Gruet Champenoise Brut NV, Charles de Fere Rose Dry Sparkling Wine.
Champagne & sparkling tasting, Tuesday, 12/4 at 7pm - call 937-247-1120 to reserve a seat.
The Star City Arts Society’s first “Dinner and a Show” in Historic Downtown Miamisburg. December 6 - for more information, call 937-304-9468 between 10am and 5pm.
Winan’s Chocolates (Dayton Mall) December 1, 2007 Ice Wine Tasting
December 15, 2007 Champagne Tasting
Miami Valley Wines in Huber Heights This Saturday featuring the following wines from 4-7pm. Broquel- Cabernet-Sauvignon 2000-Argentina Broquel-Malbec 2002-Argentina Broquel-Chardonnay-2001-Argentina Rudoff Muller-Eiswein 2004 -German
Trader Joe’s in Kettering. Tastings Thursday 6:00 to 8:00 and Sunday 4:00 to 7:00. Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay (2005) AVA Santa Maria Valley, California. Peachy Canyon Zinfandel (2005) AVA Paso Robles, California. Nerello del Bastaro Nebbiolo (2002) Italy. Ironstone Obsession (2005) California.
Cork-n-Vine Wine Cellar in Troy, Ohio November 30th - Dec 6th Biltmore Xmas White Blend Franciscan Chardonnay, Napa Valley Chapoutier Belleruche Cote du Rhone Trinchero Vista Pinot Noir, Napa Valley Penfolds 138 Old Vine Australia( If you have never had a GSM, this is the one to try…. Outstanding) Frescobaldi Tenuta Di Castiglioni, Italy ( Cabernet Sangiovese blend)
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
Savona Restaurant, Centerville 610-9835 Monthly wine tasting and appetizer presentation in the lounge. Wednesday, December 5, 2007 5pm - 7pm 6 wines featured along with appetizers. Reservations are not needed.
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Talented French winemaker dies in farming accident
Nicolas Reverdy (right) with importer Peter Weygandt
Ann Boucher, owner of Serendipity Wine Shop in Columbus, has received word of the passing of Sancerre winemaker Nicolas Reverdy, and has penned a touching tribute entitled “Lest we forget how fragile we are” on her blog.
Reverdy’s wines have been a common sight on Dayton-area wine shelves, and his Sancerres have consistently represented among the very best expressions of French sauvignon blanc. Boucher, who spent time with Reverdy at his domaine, notes that he was a “vibrant, young, and dedicated winemaker (and professional rugby player)” who was “struck down in his prime.”
Photo courtesy Ann Boucher/Serendipity Wine ShopTweet
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Wine marketing gobbledygook
So, in an email from WineBusiness.com of the wine industry’s daily news links, one entitled “Marcel van Stuijvenberg announces the start of Comfortable Wines” catches my eye. “Comfortable Wines?” Hmmm. Wonder what all that’s about. So I glance at the summary of the story, which reads:
The enterprise will support a select group of wine business leaders to grow their export depletions. Targeted trading partners will find consistently delivered and dedicated customer service within passion and effectiveness. Comfortable Wines will serve both emerging and established companies indicating change and a willingness to grow their scope with dedicated bandwidth.
And I think, hmmm. I do believe I now know less about this Napa-based enterprise than I did before I looked at the summary. I know: I’ll go to the Comfortable Wines web page and it’ll clear up the mystery for me. And on the home page, I find the following excerpt in the explanation for what the company does:
Success and achievement are not built on a ‘Rosetta stone’ that fits all, rather by sustained work and focus for a selected group of producers that are keen on long term positive positioning and relationships in profitable markets abroad. Our partnership is the conduit from the brand to the trade as well as consumer in targeted sales and custom marketing activities. Recognition of distribution potential and brand building opportunities are the foundation of our collaborations. Intuitive and researched understanding of the needs and beliefs of the markets will drive growth to our community of selling wine.
And at this point, I recognize just what a stoopnagle I must be to not fully understand the breathtaking jargon, the marketing gobbledygook, that drives the wine industry on a daily basis.
And yet somehow I’m very glad that I don’t understand.
So tell me — what does this outfit do, in English, please? Is it something along the lines of, “Hey, we’ll help you unload your excess wine overseas?”
And if so, why not just say it?
Just wondering ….
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Eric Jerardi’s wine appreciation goes international
It’s been two years since we wrote about Eric Jerardi’s first “Get Real Wine Series” DVD, which focused on the blues guitarist and local wine shop owner’s trip to Napa and Sonoma wine country.
Well, Eric’s back with a second installment — and this time, Eric’s gone international. His second DVD is entitled “Bordeaux,” which pretty much explains the content matter. The new DVD isn’t yet available on the GetRealWine web site as of this writing, but will be soon.
And just as musicians throw a CD-release party, Eric will team with Therapy Cafe in downtown Dayton for a DVD-release party — well, dinner and a party, really — on Dec. 9. Here are the details:
Date & time: Sunday evening, December 9th, to start at 5 PM
Place: The Therapy Cafe, downtown Dayton, 452 E. Third Street
Event description: Dinner, wine, and music. First, wine (or cash bar) and hors d’ouerves. Then a buffet-style dinner that Eric will help cater with more wine. The wine, of course, will be Bordeaux. Then the Eric Jerardi Band will perform until whenever.
The main purpose of the event is to celebrate Eric’s new “Get real wine series” Bordeaux DVD release. Everyone attending will receive a complementary copy of the new DVD (or Eric’s new CD release, if they prefer)
Benefactor: Proceeds will benefit Camp Emanuel, a camp for children with developmental disabilities or hearing impairments.
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NEXT Thanksgiving, dinner’s at Tony’s house!
Welcome back from the long, luxurious Thanksgiving break! Whilst you were away, your Uncorked host has decided where you and I and ALL of the readers of Uncorked will spend Thanksgiving 2008: at Tony’s house. And I’m sure the gracious and magnanimous Tony will agree to put out the same Thanksgiving menu that he served last Thursday for all of us — wines included. Right?
All in favor?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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One hundred (or so) reasons to give thanks
And they’re all embedded in the following wine-tastings list, which comes to Uncorked through the heroic efforts of a Dayton-based wine listserv. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Mark Fisher
Jay’s Kitchen Door Friday, November 23, 2007 4-8 pm 2003 Collio Marna 2003 E.Guigal Crozes-Hermitage 2002 Loredan Gaspanini Capo Di Stato 2004 Jumilla Clio 2000 Château La Gaffelière (Saint Emillon)
Saturday, November 24, 2007 1-6 pm NV Henriot Champagne 2005 Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Franc 2000 Banfi Brunello 2002 Leoville Poyferre
December 1, 2007 12:30 pm $55, tax and gratuity included Christmas Wine Luncheon with Paterno Imports Poached Salmon and Walleye Mousse with Shrimp in a Saffron Hollandaise Sauce 2005 Hanna Sauvignon Blanc
Prosciutto Wrapped Tuna with Artichoke-Spinach Risott and Roasted Pepper Coulis 2005 Chapoutier Belleruche Cote du Rhone
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Au Gratin Potatoes and Fresh Vegetables 2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot and 2005 Gaja Magani
White Chocolate-Mango Crepes with Yuzu Sabayon Sauce NV Bollinger Brut
Arrow Far Hills - Kettering Saturday, November 24, 2007 11-5 pm Taste over 20 Fabulous wines including: 2006 Owen Roe Abbotts Table 2005 Rancho Sisquoc River Red 2006 Amon Ra 2003 Coppola Rubicon Estate Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Bertani Amarone 2006 Tait Ball Buster Shiraz 2004 J Laurent Cremant 2000 Chateau La Combe Bordeaux 2003 Giribaldi Barbaresco 2004 Robert Mondavi Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM) Oakwood Friday, November 23, 2007 5-8pm Nicholas Feullate NV Brut Champagne Paso Creek Merlot 2005 Domaine Chapelle St Joseph Varqueryas 2003 Peter Howland Parsons Vineyard Shiraz 2004 Isole Olena Cepparello Super T 2003 Brown Bag
Saturday, November 24, 2007 1-6 pm Ca Ronesca Mara 2003 Robert Mondavi Carneros Chardonnay 2005 Etude Pinot Noir 2005 Chateau de Parendere Bordeaux 2004 Antinori Tignello 2004 Schild Moorooroo Shiraz 2003 Bonus Bottles!
Beers: He Brew Jewbelation Ale, Reindeers Revolt Ale
Champagne Tasting! Wednesday, December 19 from 5:30 to 8:30
DLM Washington Square Thursday, November 15, 2007 5-8 pm Happy Thanksgiving!
Saturday, November 24, 2007 12-5 pm NV Duval Leroy “Paris Label” Brut 2006 J &Ha. Strub Riesling Kabinett 2006 Penner Ash Pinot Noir 2005 Goats du Roam 2005 Paso Creek Merlot 2005 Orren Swift “The Prisoner” Encore Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, November 23, 2007 3-7pm NO TASTING
Saturday, November 24, 2007 12-5 pm 05 Nickel & Nickel Truchard Chardonnay 06 The Prisoner 04 B. Cellars Blend 24 04 B. Cellars Blend 25
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 Tasting from Friday, November 23 -Thursday, November 22, 2007 Patritti Shargen Sparkling Shiraz Moselland 2006 Winter Label Riesling Emmolo 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Kestrel Lady in Red Reverie 2002 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Charles Cimicky 2005 Reserve Shiraz (arriving sometime Friday) Kaesler 2006 Amon Ra (arriving sometime Friday)
Beer: He-Brew Messiah Bold, Shmaltz Brewing Company Food: Matar Aloo with Nan and Basmati
Saturday, November 24-Cuvee Artisan Street Fair! Noon-5PM Holiday shopping in one easy stop! Beads by Yvonne Porter, Handmade Purses from Bali, Jewelry by Barb Heidenreich, Massages by Ann Williams, Pottery and Raku Pottery by Marie-France Johnson
Monday, December 3 Kinkead Ridge Wild Game Wine Dinner - Sold Out Poached Wild Halibut with Julienne of Vegetables and Noried Butter Sauce Greenbrier Pheasant with Cognac Sauce and Mushrooms Yak on a Hot Tin Roof with Pomadoraccio Relish Antelope Pot Roast with Root Veggies in Wine Jus Prime Rib of Elk with Broth du Ripley, Butternut Squash and Caramelized Pearl Onions Goat’s Milk Ricotta Tart
Wines Viognier Roussanne Riesling Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc
Saturday, December 8 Cuvee Bubble Bash Annual Champagne/Sparkling Wine Tasting
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Centerville Friday, November 23, 2007, 5-7 pm Beer Tasting Heavy Seas Brewery Small Craft Warning Uber Pils… Heavy Seas Brewery Loose Cannon-Hop 3… Heavy Seas Brewery Red Sky at Night- Saison Ale… Heavy Seas Brewery Winter Storm Warning “Category 5” Ale Anheuser-Busch Winter Bourbon Cask Ale
Saturday, November 24, 2007 11 am-5 pm 937-433-6778 2006 Toad Hollow Chardonnay… 2006 Chateau Lamothe Bordeaux Blanc… 2005 Montoya Cabernet Sauvignon… 2006 Owen Roe “Lady Rosa” Syrah
The Wine Gallery and Cafe, Corner of 3rd and Wayne Saturday, November 24, 2007 Special Tasting from 7PM to 9PM with the sounds from Jazzy D and Dimples.
Therapy Cafe, 452 E. Third St., Therapy-cafe.com Nov. 30th: Arabian Night..belly dancing show by Alimah’s band and dinner Dec. 7th: Salsa Nights with Miami’s own DJ Danny featuring Spanish cuisine
Sunday evening, December 9th, 5 PM. Dinner, Bordeaux wine, and music event with proceeds to benefit Camp Emanuel. Eric Jerardi and his band will perform to celebrate their new “Get real wine series” Bordeaux DVD release. Everyone who attends will receive a complementary copy of the new DVD or his new CD release. Tickets cost $75 per person (of which $35 will be tax-deductible) and are available at Therapy Café or Jerardi’s Little Store.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays 5pm to 8pm in the bar. Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Notice - extended hours JORDAN, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2005 DUCKHORN, Merlot, Napa Valley, 2004 JORDEN, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2003 COVENANT, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2004
Cork-n-Vine Wine Cellar in Troy, Ohio November 23-30 Biltomore Christmas White(blend) J.Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay Gordon Merlot Rodney Strong Knotty Vine Zinfandel St. Francis Cabernet Estancia Meritage
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, November 23rd - Warm Winter Reds Saturday, November 24th - More Warm Winter Reds Tuesday, November 27th, 7 pm ~ Wine Dinner at Greek Isles Restaurant ~ $35 per person
Kinkead Ridge Winery 904 Hamburg Street Ripley OH 45167 937-392-6077 www.KinkeadRidge.com November 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Annual Barrel Tasting and release of the 2005 Petit Verdot. 2006 Viognier/Roussanne, 2005 Cabernet Franc, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Syrah, 2005 Petit Verdot. And a barrel tasting of four 2006 red wines
Harmony Hill in Bethel, Burnet Ridge Winery and Henke Winery in Cincinnati are also participating in the barrel tastings!
Harmony Hill Vineyards 2534 Swings Corner Pt. Isabel Road, Bethel, Ohio 45106 (513) 734-3548 Fax: (775) 402-7424 www.hhwines.com
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Thanksgiving, vicariously
I’m headed to the basement of little Methodist church in New Lexington, Ohio for a wine-free Thanksgiving meal with a few dozen in-laws.
There’s noplace I’d rather be.
However, should you see fit to share a description of your Thanksgiving meal, and what wines you enjoyed it with, just to give me a little vicarious lift on this fine holiday, well, let’s just say I’d be most appreciative.
Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Mark Fisher
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New Wash. Twp. restaurant hires away Fleming’s wine director
Talk about a double-take.
Late Monday morning, I walked into Rue Dumaine — the restaurant owned by chef Anne Kearney and her husband, Tom Sand that will open next week in Washington Twp. — and the first person I saw was not Anne, wasn’t Tom — it was Scott Robbins, the wine director for the Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar at The Greene.
Whoa. Where am I again?
Make that former wine director at Fleming’s. Robbins has left the chain steakhouse to work for the independent Rue Dumaine.
Nothing against Fleming’s, Robbins said. “Just a chance to work with some very special people,” he said.
Robbins, and a native of Covington in Miami County, was the first and only wine director for the Fleming’s that opened in early 2007. Now he’ll oversee the wine, spirits and beer selections and the bar at Rue Dumaine.
Tom Sand got to know Robbins because Robbins was his customer — Sand worked for a wine distributor, and Fleming’s has a 100-wines-by-the-glass list, much of which was selected by Robbins. So Sand knew what he was getting when he convinced Robbins to jump on board of the new venture.
Is there any broader significance here? What do you think?
Rue Dumaine will open Nov. 27 next to Arhaus Furniture near Sam’s Club on State Route 725.
Mark Fisher
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Ohio wineries capture gold at AWS competition
The results are in from the American Wine Society’s 2007 Commercial Wine Competition, and Ohio wineries once again did very well.
Ferrante Winery captured a gold medal for its 2006 Gewurtztraminer, Terra Cotta Vineyards grabbed gold for its non-vintage Vidal Blanc and Kinkead Ridge scored gold for its 2006 Viognier/Roussanne. (The judges must have been smoking something in the back room to give Kinkead’s ‘05 cabernet and syrah bronze medals rather than something more prestigious, but hey, we can agree to disagree, right?)
The AWS judges also liked one of the wines that showed very well at the recent Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo wine competition that I helped judge earlier this month, giving the 2004 6th Sense Syrah from the Michael-David Winery a gold medal. The wine won double-gold in Houston and retails for around $17.
Congratulations to the golden Ohio wineries!
Mark Fisher
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What wine goes with Wolverine meat, again?
I chose an Argyle 2002 Brut, a lovely sparkler from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Shared with all my neighbors immediately upon the conclusion of The Game.
For a wine with no residual sugar, the wine tastes sooooooo sweet to this Ohio State alum and his OSU alum wife.
And memo to Michael Hart, in light of that little taunting move you performed in the first half, and all the jawing you did all game: Hope you enjoyed every one of your 45 yards rushing — and your four-loss senior year.
Go Bucks, and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Sediment forces Drouhin to suspend distribution of Beaujolais Nouveau
Maison Joseph Drouhin has temporarily halted distribution of the ‘07 Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau after some distributors noticed sediment in their bottles. The following news release was sent out by Honora Horan of HH Communications on behalf of Drouhin:
DROUHIN’S BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU WITHDRAWN IN SELECT MARKETS
New York, November 15 — Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., the importer and marketer of the wines of Maison Joseph Drouhin, has temporarily halted distribution of the Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau 2007. A few distributors around the United States who received their allotment of the wine just before its officially sanctioned release date, November 15 at 12:01 AM, noted sediment in some of the bottles.
“This decision was made for the correct reason,” said Chris Ryan, chief executive officer of Dreyfus, Ashby. “Consumers expect a brilliant, fresh Nouveau - with no sediment - from Maison Joseph Drouhin, one that is elegant and balanced and typical of its terroir. Rather than disappoint our loyal customers, we prefer - and the four Drouhin siblings who manage the family-owned firm concur - to withdraw the wine, take a financial hit, but preserve the well-deserved prestige and integrity of the Drouhin name.”
At present the exact nature of the sediment is not known. Samples have been sent to a laboratory for analysis.
“The wine itself tastes extremely good,” said Laurent Drouhin, who, as the Drouhin responsible for the U.S. and Caribbean markets, tasted the wine in Chicago yesterday. “We suspect the problem is related to something in the transport and shipping of the wine. But the Drouhin name is of paramount importance to our family and we do not wish to chance alienating our trade customers or consumers. Here we have tasted the wine and think it is particularly good, but its appearance is, in some problem bottles, off-putting.”
Dreyfus, Ashby imported 6,500 cases of the Beaujolais Nouveau. The wine is not being shipped until it has been personally checked by Laurent Drouhin, Dreyfus, Ashby senior management, or a highly qualified wine expert at the distributor. The wine in the parts of the northeast, Texas, Chicago, Florida and Colorado has been found to be up to Drouhin standards, excellent, in fact, and is being distributed to on- and off-premise customers. In other markets it is being held until it has been checked. If found to have sediment, the wine is being destroyed.
Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. is a national importer and marketer of a carefully chosen portfolio of fine wines and spirits. Headquartered in New York City, Dreyfus, Ashby markets its products in all 50 states through a network of wholesale customers.
(end of press release)
What do you think? Sure sounds like the folks at Drouhin acted swiftly and responsibly — though it’s a bit of a shame that many American consumers react negatively to sediment in wine. At the tasting table last night at Arrow, when this then-rumor came up, there was no shortage of volunteers to take the “flawed” wine off of Drouhin’s hands — for the right price, of course …
(See also the SEattle Weekly’s coverage by “Voracious” blogger Maggie Dutton, who wrote about this issue earlier this week … )
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Stag’s Leap captures Best of Show at Houston wine competition
Stags’ Leap 2004 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon captured the top prize of “Grand Champion Best of Show” at last week’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.
The competition just this morning released its list of winners that were selected by a panel of judges (including me).
The Stags’ Leap Cab was judged the best of 1,969 entries from 606 wineries from 16 countries around the world, according to the rodeo’s news release.
Orogeny Vineyards 2005 Green Valley Pinot Noir was voted Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show — the equivalent of runner-up (so if the Stags’ Leap is unable to perform her duties … well, you know). Both wines were double-gold medal winners in the initial portion of the wine competition’s judging.
While the Stags’ Leap ($45) and Orogeny ($36) excelled, those looking to spend a bit less for darn good wine might consider the Marquis Philips 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($15), which won the competition’s “Top Value Wine” designation and also took home double-gold.
I’m not sure that ‘06 cab has made it to the Dayton marketplace yet, but by chance, I had an opportunity to taste two of that wine’s stablemates, the Marquis Philips 2005 Shiraz and ‘05 Marquis Philips Sarah’s Blend Cab-Shiraz, a few weeks ago. Both are sturdy, robust, well-made red wines, so if you can’t find the ‘06 cab, consider those two ’05s as worthy substitutes.
The 2004 6th Sense Syrah from the Michael-David Winery was another double-gold winner at a reasonable price: $17.
But the best value award in my book goes to the Pacific Rim 2006 Chenin Blanc, at $9.99, which captured double gold and “Top White Wine” honors. A Chenin Blanc! As a fan of that grape (especially in the Loire Valley), I’m pleased and a bit surprised.
The consensus winners all scored high on my judge’s card — and I’d bet they’d score high on your palate as well.
Congratulations to the organizers of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition on the swift turnaround on the results and for a well-run competition. The champion wines will be awarded their hardware — in this case, buckles, chaps and saddles — on Feb. 18, 2008 on the floor of the Reliant Astrodome.
- Prices mentioned here reflect the retail prices provided to the wine competition. Ohio prices may differ.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Two good nouveaus, and a tastings list to take us well beyond
The after-work crowd at Arrow Wine & Spirits in Kettering last night was meager — the turnout for the release of Beaujolais Nouveau doesn’t seem as robust or enthusiastic as it did years ago — but the first-of-the-vintage 2007s held up their end of the deal.
The ubiquitous Georges Dubouef was a solid, well-made winner, and the Ohio retail price of $12.99 is less than what the wine is selling for in northern California, according to my blogging colleague and fellow wine judge Mike Dunne. The Domaine Manoir du Carra ($13.99) — a nouveau I’m not familiar with, but which comes from well-regarded importer Fran Kysela — and the Mommessin ($12.99) were also impressive. Only the Bouchard Aine & Fils ($14.99) was a mild disappointment — and it was the most expensive of the quartet. Are there others out there worth trying?
One glance at the following wine-tastings list will convince you that there are PLENTY of non-nouveau wines worth trying this weekend and beyond, so without further ado, fresh from the Dayton-based wine listserv that compiles the data for its members and for Uncorked, here is the super-duper tastings and events list for our ever-expanding Miami Valley wine world:
Jay’s Kitchen Door Friday, November 16, 2007 4-8 pm High End Red Burgundies!
Saturday, November 17, 2007 1-6 pm 2004 Les Cailloux Chateauneuf du Pape 2003 Chateau Lafon-Rochet 2003 Chateau Lascombes
December 1, 2007 12:30 pm $55, tax and gratuity included Christmas Luncheon with Paterno Imports
Arrow Wine & Spirits — Kettering Beaujolais Nouveau, Thursday, November 15 All Day! Georges de Boeuf Bouchard Mommesin
Saturday, November 17, 2007 11-5 pm 2006 Clean Slate Riesling 2005 Chalone Chardonnay 2004 St. Michelle Indian wells Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Boarding Pass “First Class” Shiraz 2006 Patricia Green Reserve Pinot Noir 2000 Dow’s Crusted Port
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM) Oakwood Friday, November 16, 2007 5-8pm Coteaux D’Ancen Rose 2006 Chavigny Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Nyers Byrd-Cooper Merlot 2005 La Crema Sonona Coast Pinot Noir 2005 Mt. Veeder Cabernet 2004 Brown Bag
Saturday, November 17, 2007 1-6 pm Pretty Sally Rose 2006 Cavas Submarinas Muscat/Chardonnay 2006 Four Graces Reserve Pinot Noir 2005 Podere Sapaio Volpolo 2004 Chateau Lassegue St Emilion 2003 J. L. Chave Hermitage 2004 Bonus Bottles! Beers: Stone Double Bastard Stout, St Ambrose Oatmeal Stout
Champagne Tasting! Wednesday, December 19 from 5:30 to 8:30
DLM Washington Square Thursday, November 15, 2007 5-8 pm 2005 Desert Wind Viognier 2004 Goat Roti 2004 Neyers Byrd-Cooper Merlot 2005 Alberto Longo Capoposito 1999 Senerio de Pecina Reserva Encore Wine!
Saturday, November 17, 2007 12-5 pm NV Thorne-Clark Sparkling 2006 Pretty Sally Rose 2003 La Milla Jumilla 2003 Keenan Merlot 2002 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Encore Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, November 16, 2007 3-7pm 06 Lioco Chardonnay 05 Toad Hollow Pinot Noir 03 Panther Creek Pinot Noir 04 Estancia Meritage
Saturday, November 17, 2007 12-5 pm 01 Schoffit Gewurztraminer 06 Patricia Green Croft Pinot Noir 06 Drew Gatekeepers Pinot Noir 04 Toad Hollow Rod’s Pride
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 Beaujolais Nouveau, Thursday, Nov. 15 All Day! Food: Smoked Chicken Bruschetta, Pate Assortment, Escargot Beaujolais
Tasting from Friday, November 16 -Thursday, November 22, 2007 Smoked Chicken Bruschetta, Pate Assortment, Escargo Beaujolais Thursday, November 15, all day Wolfberger Cremant Brut Rose Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc Jocelyn Russian River Chardonnay Terre del Falco Chianti Ferrari-Carnaro Siena Raices de Aza Tempranillo
Beer: TBA Food: TBA
Saturday, November 24-Cuvee Artisan Street Fair! Noon-5PM Holiday shopping in one easy stop! Beads by Yvonne Porter, Handmade Purses from Bali, Jewelry by Barb Heidenreich, Massages by Ann Williams, Pottery and Raku Pottery by Marie-France Johnson
Monday, December 3 Kinkead Ridge Wild Game Wine Dinner - Sold Out Poached Wild Halibut with Julienne of Vegetables and Noried Butter Sauce Greenbrier Pheasant with Cognac Sauce and Mushrooms Yak on a Hot Tin Roof with Pomadoraccio Relish Antelope Pot Roast with Root Veggies in Wine Jus Prime Rib of Elk with Broth du Ripley, Butternut Squash and Caramelized Pearl Onions Goat’s Milk Ricotta Tart
Wines Viognier Roussanne, Riesling Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc.
Saturday, December 8 Cuvee Bubble Bash Annual Champagne/Sparkling Wine Tasting
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Centerville Friday, November 16, 2007, 5-7 pm Beer Tasting Boulder Beer Company Planet Porter… Boulder Beer Company Sundance Amber Ale… Boulder Beer Company Hazed and Infused Dry Hopped Ale… Boulder Beer Company Mojo IPA
Saturday, November 17, 2007 11 am-5 pm 937-433-6778 Henriot Brut Champagne… 2006 Toad Hollow Pinot Noir Rosé… 2006 Cavas Submarinas Muscat/Chardonnay… 2006 Patricia Green Reserve Pinot Noir… 2005 Louis Bernard Chateauneuf du Pape… 2003 Veraison Cabernet Sauvignon
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country at Stroop and Far Hills Tasting Thursday 6:00-8:00, Sunday 4:00-7:00.
The Wine Gallery and Cafe, Corner of 3rd and Wayne Saturday, November 17, 2007, 2007 Noon to 10PM
Wednesday, November 21, 2007, 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM Drop by for a last minute wine tasting before the Holiday.
November 24, Special Tasting from 7PM to 9PM with the sounds from Jazzy D and Dimples.
MARKET WINE IMPORTS (2nd Street Market) Saturday November 17, 2007, 2007 10AM to 1:00PM Winter wines in preparation for Thanksgiving
Therapy Cafe, 452 E. Third St., Therapy-cafe.com Sunday, November 11, 2007 from 4-9 pm Thanksgiving Day Wines Complimentary tapas and deserts will be provided. and Sunday football games! Adelsheim Pinot Gris Mountain View Vintners Pinot Noir Carneros Toad Hollow Amplexus Brut Cremant Garretson Twist & Shout Red Cuvee (Rhone style blend) Gruet Brut sparkling wine Handley Gewurztraminer Sausal Zinfandel Alexander Valley
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays 5pm to 8pm in the bar. Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Notice - extended hours PATZ AND HALL Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch, 2005 CRISTOM Willamette Valley Mt. Jefferson Cuvee, 2005 IL BORRO Sangiovese Toscona Polissena, 2004 DARIOUSH Napa Valley, 2004
Palermo’s 2667 South Dixie Dr. 299-8888 12 - 5pm, Saturday, November 17, 2007 And during the wine tasting, Palermo’s will have an ALL U CAN EAT pasta special for $10, lasagna, manicotti, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, baked ziti and more.
Winan’s Chocolates (Dayton Mall) Thursday Nov 15th: The Biltmore Collection The Biltmore Collection, including the Biltmore’s Signature Christmas Wine.
Miami Valley Wines 6565 Brandt Pike Huber Heights, OH 45424 Friday, November 16, 2007 5-9 pm Honey Wines Valley Vinyard Honey Wine from Morrow Ohio Bunratty Meade from Ireland Oliver Camelot Mead from Indiana Redstone Meadery Honey wine with Vanilla Beans & Cinnamon Sticks from Boulder Colorado Redstone Meadery Black Raspberry Nectar
El Meson Veleta Wine Dinner November 20, 2007 7:00 pm Reservations 859-8229 Dr. Juan Palomar will start appetizers with a Cava rose (100% Pinot noir blanc de noir), followed by two whites, the Vijiriega (the native Alpujarra´s grape) and the Chardonnay, then two reds, Tempranillo 04 and Nolados 05 and finishing with desserts, the white Cava made with vijiriega grapes. $65 per person (tax and gratuity included)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Salsa Dinner Dance night
A Taste of Wine 90 S. Main St Miamisburg, OH 45342 937-247-1120 This week: Dunham Cellar’s 4 Legged White, Maysara Pinot Gris, Barnard Griffin Merlot, Shoo Fly Aussie Salute, and Coniglio Cabernet Sauvignon
November 16, a Great Lakes Beer Tasting from 5 - 8pm
Chin’s Ginger Grill in Tipp City, http://www.chins-ginger-grill.com Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Kinkead Ridge Dinner
Cork-n-Vine Wine Cellar in Troy, Ohio November 9-16 J. Lohr Riesling J. Lohr Arroya Vista Chardonnay(Buttery with a taste of caramel and vanilla) Turner Road Merlot Berringer Pinot Noir Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz Simi Alexander Valley Cabernet.
Next Week: Coppola Diamond series Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Directors Cut Chardonnay Russian River 2005 Directors Cut Pinot Noir Sonaoma Coast 2006 Directors Cut Zinfandel Dry Creek 2005 Coppola Diamond Series Merlot 2005 Directors Cut Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Bella Vino formally Grapes of Ruth Sunday & Monday Closed Tuesday & Wednesday 11:30am - 8pm Thursday 11:30am - 10pm Friday & Saturday 11:30am - 11pm Thursday, November 15, 2007 6pm - 8pm for a tasting of German Wines
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, November 15th, 5-8 pm - Beaujolais Nouveau has Arrived!
Friday, November 16th, 5-8 pm - Thanksgiving Wines Saturday, November 17th, 3-6 pm - More Thanksgiving Wines
La Petite France 3177 Glendate-Milford Road Cincinnati, Ohio www.lapetitefrance.biz Call 513-733-8383 Thursday, November 15, 2007, Traditional Nouveau Beaujolais wine tasting party! Special $35 four course menu selected to go with the Nouveau Beaujolais! Goat cheese crepe, pumpkin soup or house salad, grilled flank steak forestiere with spinach flan, mashed carrots and parsnips. For dessert, we will offer marbled chocolate mousse
Kinkead Ridge Winery 904 Hamburg Street Ripley OH 45167 937-392-6077 www.KinkeadRidge.com November 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Annual Barrel Tasting and release of the 2005 Petit Verdot. 2006 Viognier/Roussanne, 2005 Cabernet Franc, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Syrah, 2005 Petit Verdot. And a barrel tasting of four 2006 red wines
Harmony Hill in Bethel, Burnet Ridge Winery and Henke Winery in Cincinnati are also participating in the barrel tastings!
Harmony Hill Vineyards 2534 Swings Corner Pt. Isabel Road, Bethel, Ohio 45106 (513) 734-3548 Fax: (775) 402-7424 www.hhwines.com
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Houston wine competition goes for the gold
Top: Judges at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition go about their business. Bottom: Glenn Cordua, one of the event’s organizers, evaluates a series of wines. (Photos by Mark Fisher)
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition just keeps getting bigger and better. And my teeth just keep getting blacker and blacker.
I can tell you that because I’ve seen the wine competition “from the inside” for two years now, having served as a judge for the wine competition in 2006 and again just last weekend (thus the graying teeth). The results of the competition are scheduled to be released very soon, perhaps as early as tomorrow (11-16-07).
What, you might ask, in your (and initially, my) midwestern naivete, could a rodeo possibly have to do with a wine competition?
Plenty. Texans are serious about their wine. Just ask folks such as Charles M. “Bear” Dalton, the chairman of the rodeo’s wine competition, or Bear’s fellow event organizer Glenn Cordua, a former restaurateur who teaches at the University of Houston. (To continue reading — and to view a photo that will tell you more about how Bear got his nickname than words possibly could — click on the “continue reading” link).
“Bear” Dalton supervises the wine competition’s wrapup
Bear serves as wine manager for a wine retailer in Houston called Spec’s. He has slogged through the vineyards of Burgundy, Bordeaux, Argentina and Chile, and all other corners of the world, to bring back the best for his customers. And they buy it. They buy it in vast quantities. In short, it’s not all about Lone Star (or Shiner Bock) beer in Texas.
The rodeo’s wine competition that Dalton and Cordua help oversee has an objective to “become the largest and most successful wine competition and auction in the world.” (I guess the idea of doing things small doesn’t fly in this state.) This year, it received 1,969 entries, up from 1,575 last year (only a handful of the entries are Texas wines, by the way. It is truly an international competition). And the wine-related tastings, auctions and other special events have become a powerful fundraiser for the show, which, among other things, provides scholarships for Texas students to attend college.
The panel of judges for this year’s wine competition included sophisticated palates of the caliber of Mike Dunne, wine writer for the Sacramento Bee; Mike Lonsford, wine writer for the Houston Chronicle (until he retires in a few weeks); Wendy Narby, a British-born wine and food consultant who has spent the last two-decades plus in France leading wine tours for various entities and teaching English to Bordeaux winemakers; Mike Kerrigan, British-born cellar rat at Story Winery in Plymouth, CA, in the Sierra foothills (how did they score the zin.com web domain?); G.M. “Pooch” Pucilowski, a certified wine educator who oversees the University of Wine and the California State Fair Wine Judging Competition; Sterling Steves, an attorney in Fort Worth who has not only written about wine but who also has led legal challenges that have allowed Texans to order wine from out-of-state retailers; and Shirley Nelson, who has written extensively about wine from her base in New Mexico.
Yes, I know, I know, what were they thinking to invite a grape-stained Buckeye blogger to such a prestigious event? I can only assume they were desperate for one more out-of-town judge.
Hey, at least I didn’t embarrass my Yankee self this year as badly as I did last year. Even if that bottle really was corked.
Day 1 of the judging is rather brutal (take my word for it) as our five-member tasting panel — one of 15 such panels that consisted mostly of wine industry pros and some knowledgeable consumers — evaluated 121 wines, filling up our spit buckets with cab-syrah blends, muscats, gewurz’s, dessert wines, pinot gris/pinot grigios and Rhone-style red wines. Our panel set the bar high, handing out precious few gold medals, but many more bronzes and silvers. Other panels did much the same.
Day 2 is a bit more rewarding and a lot less grueling. A single panel of about two dozen judges evaluates the 40 or so top wines (gold-medal winners) from the previous day to pick what is essentially the “Best of Show” and the best wines in each category (sparkling, red, white, dessert). The major winners get saddles, chaps and buckles in addition to the usual medals and ribbons. Then, in the spring of 2008, when the livestock show and rodeo is held, they’ll have an auction of oversized bottles of the major award winners.
I’m quite anxious to find out myself what wines were the winners.
Until then, I’m brushing vigorously.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
The sea of wine in the wine competition’s back room. (Photos by Mark Fisher)Tweet
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Did nouveau kill Beaujolais?
With the release of Beaujolais nouveaus poised to occur tomorrow (11-15-07) and many local wine shops planning tastings, it’s time to consider Beaujolais. All of Beaujolais.
Matt Kramer, who writes for our good friends at Wine Spectator, offers up a provocative proposition in the Nov. 30 edition of the magazine in his column entitled Beginning Again in Beaujolais.
Kramer argues that because of the once-overwhelming success of the Beaujolais Nouveau marketing campaign, wine drinkers began to associate Beaujolais solely with nouveau — at the expense of the high-quality cru Beaujolais from regions such as Morgon, Regnie and Moulin-a-Vent, which share the same birthplace and grape — but little else — with Beaujolais Nouveau.
“… Beaujolais Nouveau nearly destroyed Beaujolais,” Kramer writes. “Even the best marketing campaign runs its course. Beaujolais Nouveau, you might say, ran out of esteem.”
It would be a shame if this “guilt by association” caused further harm to producers such as the one Ann Boucher of Serendipity wine shop in Columbus profiled in her “Red Wines for Thanksgiving” email update that arrived in my inbox yesterday. Pierre Chermette, Boucher wrote, “practices sustainable agriculture, uses only wild yeast to ferment his wine, does not chapitalize (add sugar), and avoids sulfites at bottling. Oh, and by the way, he doesn’t filter, either.”
And after all that effort and commitment to quality, what does a bottle of Chermette Beaujolais Tradionelle 2006 go for even in Ohio, where the three-tier system mandates minimum markups at the wholesale and retail levels? $14.99. But many consumers won’t touch it, because when they think of Beaujolais, they think only of nouveaus.
So by all means, allow yourself the guilty pleasure of stopping by your local wine shop (Arrow Wine & Spirits, for example, sent out an email this week announcing they’d be tasting multiple nouveaus all day Thursday, and if you’re a retailer with similar plans, by all means, post a comment and let us know!) to sample the first wines of the 2007 vintage — the gluggable, unpretentious nouveaus.
And when you’re done, search out a salesperson and ask about cru Beaujolais.
You may discover a whole new side of the gamay grape.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Vanity, thy name is Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator believes that we are so intensely interested in its “Top 100 Wines of 2007” that it has launched a Top Ten Countdown all this week. That’s right — the magazine “revealed” its picks for wines number 10 and 9 on Monday; 8 and 7 will be “revealed” today; 6 and 5 on Wednesday; 4, 3 and 2 on Thursday (THREE selections! Be still my beating heart!); and … the number 1 Wine of the Year on Friday.
Gosh, I’ll have to wear my Depends that day. The excitement and anticipation may be too much.
Oh, but that’s not all. The Spectator also offers us videos of its editors explaining why each wine in the top 10 were chosen.
Does this strike anyone else as just a teensy bit presumptuous on the Spectator’s part?
Perhaps those in the wine industry who have a dog in this hunt are sitting around on pins and needles awaiting this Grand Proclamation.
For the rest of us, I somehow suspect this doesn’t quite rise to the level of whether black smoke or white smoke belches from the tower at the Vatican.
But I also suspect the Spectator doesn’t realize that.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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$1 billion deal rocks the wine industry
Okay, I’m rounding up, but not much. The $885 million sale of Fortune Brands’ U.S. wine business to Constellation Brands involves some brands you just might have heard of — Clos du Bois, Geyser Peak, Wild Horse, Buena Vista Carneros and Gary Farrell, among others.
Constellation — which owns wine brands such as Almaden, Inglenook, Robert Mondavi Woodbridge, Monkey Bay, Ravenswood, RH Phillips, Toasted Head, Hogue, and many, many more — bills itself as the “largest maker of wine by volume in the world.”
Guess it just got a little bigger.
Any thoughts on whether this is a good thing or a bad thing? What impact might it have on us consumers?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Despite gender bias, Italy sparkles
The Tiber River, Rome (photo courtesy Niki Foor)
While my notes from Houston ferment to the proper fruit-tannin-alcohol balance, I’ll turn the entire blog over to Uncorked reader Niki Foor of Beavercreek, who traveled to Italy recently with her husband and who has graciously offered to allow us to live vicariously through her. Here’s a slice of Italian life — food, wine, and gender bias in glorious display — entitled First stop, Roma! (Please click on “Continue reading”)
By Niki Foor
Fresh off the plane, hungry and thirsty, we checked into our Trastevere B&B; stowed our stuff and took off on foot to explore. Trastevere, right across the Tiber River from the historic center of Roma, is a neighborhood where many Romans actually live, and it was Sunday afternoon, a time when many locals go out to eat with family and friends. The large pile of fresh porcini mushrooms at Il Galeone, a local trattoria, along with the convivial groups of Italians sitting and chatting in the sunshine convinced us this would be a good place for our first meal in Italy. We ordered a bottle of mineral water and a bottle of 2006 Gotto D’Oro Superior Frascati, a local wine from the Roman wine region of Lazio. It was a nice golden straw color and slightly effervescent, crisp, dry, and cold; perfect with the fritto misto (mixed fry) we shared. The fried anchovies, fried stuffed squash blossoms, and fried ricotta were all wonderful, as were the sauteed porcinis which were our second course. Too full for anything more than espresso to finish, we walked back to the B&B to rest a bit before hitting the streets again.
Roma is not only the capitol and largest city in Italy; it’s also the best place to taste the widest variety of Italian wines. That fact can make the prospect a bit daunting since Italy is the largest wine-producing country in the world. It’s possible to find more obscure Italian wines from all Italian regions in Roma than in any other city; many times one can find wines in Roma that are no longer available in the region where they are produced. With that in mind, we visited two wine bars (enotecas) in Roma recommended by Maureen B. Fant, author of Trattorias of Rome, Florence, and Venice.
The first enoteca, Cul de Sac, is near the Piazza Novena. We sat outside and pursued a wine list the size of the Beavercreek telephone book. There was one page for California wine, one page for Australian wine, several pages of French wine, one page for Germany and another for the rest of the world, and the rest were all Italian. Each Italian region was listed on at least several pages, and the sections for Tuscany, Friuli, and Piemonte were even larger.
Since I’m the wine geek in the family and my very patient husband was hungry, I asked him to choose the food we’d eat so I could pick a wine to match, figuring that strategy would at least help me narrow the choices. He chose smoked buffalo shoulder, which came in very thin slices, topped with extra virgin olive oil and black pepper. That called for a red wine, and I selected the 2004 Marco Felluga Refosco, a variety not often seen here in Ohio. Refosco is a grape native to northern Italy, especially Friuli and Trentino, and makes a powerful, tannic wine with flavors of currants and plums. This one was a deep purple-burgundy color and had a nose of tobacco, leather, and dark fruits. On the palate, it showed mulberries, tart cherries, and a hint of bitterness. It matched beautifully with the buffalo shoulder.
The second enoteca we visited in Roma was Cavour 313. This is near the Coliseum, which we visited at night in order to enjoy viewing that historical sight all lit up. This was a pre-dinner visit (Italians eat dinner late), and we were on vacation, so a bottle of bubbly appeared to be warranted. I’d long wanted to try Franciacorta, a sparkling wine from the Lombardy region of Italy, reputed to rival Champagne in complexity and elegance. I ordered the NV Cavalleri Franciacorta Brut Blanc de Blanc, made from all Chardonnay grapes. The wine smelled of toast and green apples, it was a beautiful pale gold color, and was filled with tiny pin-prick bubbles, and had a long, lingering finish with a touch of lemon zest on the palate. At 25 Euros, (about $37 given the abysmal exchange rate), this wine was a much better value than a comparable Champagne, in Roma at least.
Cavour 313, by the way, was the first place in Italy where the server presented the wine to me to approve. Although I was obviously the one pursuing the wine list and ordering the wine, in every other establishment, the server presented the wine to my husband for approval. In the spirit of “When in Rome….” I asked my husband not to make an issue of it, but rather to just taste the wine, and if he suspected anything might be wrong with it, to then offer me his glass. Setting his equality principles to the side, he did as I asked, but we were both happy when servers in upscale enotecas appeared to understand that the wine world is no longer a boys-only club!
Note: on the last night of our Italian vacation, again in Roma prior to flying home, we celebrated the end of our travels with another bottle of Franciacorta. This time we had the 2002 Bellavista Gran Cuvee, a mixture of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This wine had a yeasty, toasty nose similar to brioche, luxurious pin-prick bubbles, and flavors of tart apple and pear which danced on our tongues. At 30 Euros, it was another real winner!
Roof of the B&B (photo courtesy of Niki Foor)
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Arrow tasting — bulls-eye?
I’m writing during a brief break Sunday in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Wine Competition, where my teeth have turned a lovely color of greyish-black from evaluating 121 wines (our panel had it easier than others) … But hey, y’all (I AM in Texas, after all) need to help me out. My flight doesn’t get back tonight until after 11 p.m., so I am unable to attend the Arrow holiday bash tonight. If you go, let me know how it was — wines, food, crowd, etc.
Thanks and cheers!
Mark Fisher
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The best damn wine tastings list in the world
Well, okay, the best damn tasting list in Dayton, Ohio. Because after all … We are the world. Many thanks to the Dayton-based listserv that compiles the BDTLITW.
I’m Houston-bound this weekend for a return engagement as a judge at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition. Here’s hoping I don’t embarrass my Yankee self as badly as I did last year.
I still say the wine was corked …
I won’t get back from Texas in time for the Arrow Wine holiday tasting Sunday night, so be ready to let me and other Uncorked readers know how it went!
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
Jay’s Kitchen Door Friday, November 9, 2007 4-8 pm 2005 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Patricia Green Pinot Noir 2004 Simi Landslide Cabernet 2004 Mt Veeder Cabernet 2004 Franciscan Magnificat
Saturday, November 10, 2007 1-6 pm Ice Wine Tasting - Niagra Peninsula
Saturday, November 10, 2007 10:30-2 pm Cooking class - entrée will be cooking a whole duck! And Blend your own Magnificat! You taste and blend the 5 varietals that make up the Franciscan Magnificat, a Meritage. Jay will be the judge. The winner with the blend closest to the Franciscan Magnificat will win a bottle of Magnificat. Limited reservations available. $45 RSVP 222-2892
November 8, 2007 7pm $55, tax and gratuity included Franciscan Wine Dinner with Rick Cole Pumpkin seed encrusted Sea Scallops with Vanilla Bean Cardamon Sauce 2006 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Salmon mousse wrapped in Cabbage with Wild Mushrooms in a Pinot-Noir Sauce with Truffle Oil 2005 Estancia Pinot Noir Monteray County
Marinated Seared Lamb Loin with Braised Root Vegetables, Savory Sweet Potato with Apple Cider Reduction 2001 Simi Landslide 2004 Mt Veeder Cabernet
Bleu Cheese, Sundried Cranberries and Mascarpone Cheese Triangles Jackson Triggs Vidal Ice Wine from the Niagara Peninsula
December 1, 2007 12:30 pm $55, tax and gratuity included Christmas Luncheon with Paterno Imports
Arrow Far Hills - Kettering Saturday, November 10, 2007 11-5 pm 2005 venta la ossa 2005 brewer-clifton chardonnay, mount carmel 2005 brewer-clifton pinot noir, rio vista 2003 lamilla 2006 feuillarde macon-prisse 2005 fortress sauvignon blanc 2006 marquis philips shiraz
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM) Oakwood Friday, November 9, 2007 5-8pm Kamiak White 2006 De Moor Bourgogne Blanc 2005 Calera Selleck Vineyard Pinot Noir 2003/2004 Penner Ash Syrah 2005 Simi Alexander Valley Cabernet 2004 Brown Bag
Saturday, November 10, 2007 1-6 pm J. Adam Riesling Kabinett 2006 Verget Terriors de Cote d’Or 2005 Penner Ash Pinot Noir 2006 Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet 2004 Mas de Can Blau 2004 Leal Ranza Rioja 2001 Bonus Bottles! Beers: Bon Veux Dupont, Lagunitas Cappucino Stout
DLM Washington Square Thursday, November 8, 2007 5-8 pm 2006 A.J.Adam Dhron Riesling Auslese 2005 De Moor Rosette Chablis 2005 Chateau Fortia Chateauneuf du Pape 2005 Chateau Pey Latour Encore Wine!
Saturday, November 10, 2007 12-5 pm Fifi’s Found a Few New Favorites 2006 Willi Schaefer Riesling Kabinett 2005 Tangent Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Rocky Gully Shiraz Viognier 2005 Patricia Greene Pinot Noir 2004 Chateau Belgrave Haut-Medoc Encore Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, November 9, 2007 3-7pm 2006 Orin Swift Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Penner Ashn Pinot Noir 1999 Cuvee Du Vatican Chateauneuf du Pape 2003 Atlas Peaks Cabernet
Saturday, November 10, 2007 12-5 pm 2005 Yves Boyer Martenot Meursault 2006 Patricia Green Estate Pinot Noir 2005 The Guilty Shiraz 2003 Cain Concept Benchland
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 Tasting from Friday, November 9 -Thursday, November 15, 2007 Elio Perrone 2006 Bigaro Moscato Montaribaldi 2005 Roero Arneis Steele Chardonnay Cuvee Senorio de Sarria 2004 Villa Buonsera Casa Eri 1999 Chianti Classico R & B 2005 Swingsville Zin
Beer: He-Brew Messiah Bold, Shmaltz Brewing Company Food: No food
Saturday, November 24-Cuvee Artisan Street Fair! Noon-5PM Holiday shopping in one easy stop! Beads by Yvonne Porter, Handmade Purses from Bali, Jewelry by Barb Heidenreich, Massages by Ann Williams, Pottery and Raku Pottery by Marie-France Johnson
Monday, December 3 Kinkead Ridge Wild Game Wine Dinner
Saturday, December 8 Cuvee Bubble Bash Annual Champagne/Sparkling Wine Tasting
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Centerville Friday, November 9, 2007, 5-7 pm Beer Tasting Founder’s Brewing Co. Centennial IPA… Founder’s Brewing Co. Dry Hopped Pale Ale… Founder’s Brewing Co. Breakfast Stout… Founder’s Brewing Co. Scotch Ale
Saturday, November 10, 2007 11 am-5 pm 937-433-6778 2006 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Clos du Bois Merlot 2005 Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Geyser Peak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country at Stroop and Far Hills Tasting Thursday 6:00-8:00, Sunday 4:00-7:00. Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer (2006) AVA Columbia Valley, Washington. Estancia Chardonnay (2006) AVA Monterrey County, California. Old Moon Zinfandel (2005) California. Blackstone Zinfandel (2005) California.
Therapy Cafe, 452 E. Third St., Therapy-cafe.com Friday Nov. Nov. 9, 2007, Noche Latino Night including Tequila tasting from 7-9 PM followed by Salsa dance lessons.
Sunday, November 11, 2007 from 4-9 pm California ABC Complimentary tapas and deserts will be provided. 2005 Eroica Riesling 2003 Robert Skinskey Vineyard Merlot 2002 Belle Valle Cab. Sauv 2005 Benziger Cab. Sauv 2004 Chateau de Roquefort 2004 Chateau de Serame 2003 Pasanau Ceps Nous and Sunday football games!
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays 5pm to 7pm in the bar. Wednesday, November 14, 2007 SONOMA-CUTRER Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Russian River Ranches, 2005 SYNCLINE Syrah Columbia Valley, 2005 SIMI Merlot Sonoma County, 2003 DRY CREEK Dry Creek Valley Endeavor, 2004
Palermo’s 2667 South Dixie Dr. 299-8888 12 - 5pm, Saturday, November 10, 2007 And during the wine tasting, Palermo’s will have an ALL U CAN EAT pasta special for $10, lasagna, manicotti, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, baked ziti and more.
Winan’s Chocolates (Dayton Mall) Thursday Nov 15th: The Biltmore Collection The Biltmore Collection, including the Biltmore’s Signature Christmas Wine.
Miami Valley Wines 6565 Brandt Pike Huber Heights, OH 45424 This week featuring 4 Spanish wines. Riente-Albrino Gran Fuedo-Rose Gran Fuedo-Red Blend w/Temparillo Gran Fuedo-Reserva w/Temparillo
El Meson Veleta Wine Dinner November 20, 2007 7:00 pm Reservations 859-8229 Dr. Juan Palomar will start appetizers with a Cava rosé (100% Pinot noir blanc de noir), followed by two whites, the Vijiriega (the native Alpujarra´s grape) and the Chardonnay, then two reds, Tempranillo 04 and Nolados 05 and finishing with desserts, the white Cava made with vijiriega grapes. $65 per person (tax and gratuity included)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Salsa Dinner Dance night
A Taste of Wine 90 S. Main St Miamisburg, OH 45342 937.247-1120 Saint Julian St J Riesling, Macon Lugny Les Charmes Chardonnay, Green Point Pinot Noir Rose (Yarra Valley), Soiree Pinot (Oregon), and Cain Cuvee.
November 16, we will be having a Great Lakes Beer Tasting from 5 - 8pm
Tuesday, November 12 at 7 pm RSVP Wine Class: Let’s Talk Turkey - wines to go with your Thanksgiving Feast -
Cork-n-Vine Wine Cellar in Troy, Ohio November 9-16 J. Lohr Riesling J. Lohr Arroya Vista Chardonnay(Buttery with a taste of caramel and vanilla) Turner Road Merlot Berringer Pinot Noir Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz Simi Alexander Valley Cabernet.
Coppola tasting on Nov. 14th from 5-8pm.
Bella Vino formally Grapes of Ruth Sunday & Monday Closed, Tuesday & Wednesday 11:30am - 8pm Thursday 11:30am - 10pm Friday & Saturday 11:30am - 11pm
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, November 9, 2007 7 pm Distributor Year-End Values
Saturday, November 10, 2007 3-6 pm Italian Wines with Appetizers
La Petite France 3177 Glendate-Milford Road Cincinnati, Ohio www.lapetitefrance.biz Call 513-733-8383 Thursday, November 15, 2007, Traditional Nouveau Beaujolais wine tasting party! Special $35 four course menu selected to go with the Nouveau Beaujolais! Goat cheese crepe, pumpkin soup or house salad, grilled flank steak forestiere with spinach flan, mashed carrots and parsnips. For dessert, we will offer marbled chocolate mousse
Kinkead Ridge Winery 904 Hamburg Street Ripley OH 45167 937-392-6077 www.KinkeadRidge.com Last Day for the public is September 22, 2007 11 - 5 Reopening for a special barrel tasting the Saturday after Thanksgiving! Harmony Hill Vineyards 2534 Swings Corner Pt. Isabel Road, Bethel, Ohio 45106 (513) 734-3548 Fax: (775) 402-7424 www.hhwines.com
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First Tang, now this: NASA research fights wine headaches
Wow, talk about technology transfer.
Check out this morning’s Decanter.com story on a NASA researcher’s efforts to end wine headaches. The device — created by a University of Berkeley chemistry professor who himself suffers form wine-induced headaches, and who is working on research for NASA’s Mars Organic Analyzer, assuming you know what that is — detects the compounds in wine that are most likely to cause headaches (beyond alcohol, presumably). That way, headache-sufferers could pick and choose wines least likely to deliver the sledgehammer to their noggins.
I believe I read in another story about this device that the current version is the size of a briefcase (they’re trying to shrink it). Can you imagine one of your dinner guests carrying this into your home and demanding a few drops of every wine you’re planning to serve through the course of an evening for his “pre-screening” purposes? That would be a conversation starter.
I think I’d rather serve the guy a martini instead.
Do you know anyone who suffers from the wine-headache malady? What do they do about it? Would they use this device, if it were a bit more portable?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Butch Cassidy and the Cabernet Kid: Paul Newman wades into the wine pool
Paul Newman is poised to release his own wines under the Newman’s Own label that also produces his salad dressings and spaghetti sauces. Loved Newman’s quote from the news release: “Wine was the only thing missing at dinner time. Now the meal is complete…”
So now, let’s play “rename Newman’s movies” to complement the new wine theme:
How ‘bout “Butch Cassidy and the Cabernet Kid?”
“The Verdicchio”?
“Cool Climate Luke”?
Any others come to mind?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Which wine goes best with a Bruce Springsteen concert?
What kind of wine goes best with The Boss?
None, it turns out.
My sweetie and I, giving ourselves a late wedding anniversary present, drove to Cleveland Sunday to attend a concert by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. We’d seen Bruce a few times before — okay, maybe a dozen times — dating back to before we were married (I still have a ticket stub for the Oct. 4, 1980 show at Riverfront Coliseum, a ticket I paid $6.50 for, by the way). We were able to book a hotel room directly across from Quicken Loans Arena, so all was good.
We set out 90 minutes before the show to find a bite to eat and perhaps a delightful glass of vin for moi. We didn’t figure on just how overwhelmed every eatery within blocks of the arena would be. You see, not only was the downtown entertainment district filled with concert-goers, but the Cleveland Browns were playing a 4 p.m. game just around the corner. Everyplace was jammed to the rafters with people watching the game. We stepped into one place, but it became apparent over time that we were never going to get the attention of a server. We found a second, even nicer, place that was still seating customers in a “martini bar” in the basement (there were no televisions down there, which is the only reason seating was still available).
The place even had a wine list(!). I settled on a glass of A to Z Pinot Gris and a Carneros Creek Pinot Noir. Well, in my mind I settled on those wines. Because once again, no server ventured anywhere near our table, and the place was slammed so badly that I feared we’d never get our food before the concert started. Up, out, and farewell, leaving behind my pinot dreams.
A Mexican restaurant that had a carryout window saved the day. I still haven’t found a wine that pairs well with a carnitas burrito, but it was a moot point anyway, since “wine to go” was not an option. We held our precious burritos close to our bodies and waded upstream back to our hotel rooms. The burrito was delicious with a delightful can of Sprite. I think it was a 2007.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m not complaining. The confluence of a sold-out concert and a sold-out football game side by side on the same night triggered a Perfect Storm for these bars and restaurants.
Besides, this night was all about Bruce, not juice.
For those who’d like to know, here was the set list for the Cleveland show, courtesy of Backstreets.com. The tour debut of Saint in the City — now THAT made up for my missing pinots! And the Kitty’s Back/Born to Run/Dancin’ in the Dark encore — well, let’s just say it was the Sauternes and Foie Gras of the night. Cheers! Mark Fisher
Setlist for Cleveland show:
Radio Nowhere
Night
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City
She’s the One
Livin’ in the Future
The Promised Land
Town Called Heartbreak
Tunnel of Love
Be True
Devil’s Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
(Encore)
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Kitty’s Back
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land
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The pause that refreshes
Please pardon your Uncorked host for an ever-so-brief period while he travels to Cleveland with his honeybunny for a li’l ol’ concert. How does one spell Bruuuuuuuuuuuuce?
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Week’s tastings include a special anniversary event
Quite a tastings list again this week (we are truly blessed), headed up by what looks like it will be a boffo anniversary tasting Wednesday night at the Wine Gallery at Third and Wayne downtown, and by the “Big Red” tasting at Arrow Far Hills on Saturday, among others. Thanks to the efforts of the Dayton-based wine listserv that compiles all of this information, it’s available to you for free, free, free, requiring nothing more than a click of your mouse on the “continue reading” button. For info regarding Cincinnati-area tastings, check out Michelle’s My Wine Education blog. Cheers!
Jay’s Kitchen Door Friday, November 2, 2007 4-8 pm 2004 Chateau St Jean Le Petite Fume Blanc 2004 Pedestal Merlot 2004 Sequel Syrah 2001 Palmaz Vineyard Cabernet 2004 Chateau Monbousquet
Saturday, November 3, 2007 1-6 pm Moet Chandon NV “Nectar” 2005 Green and Red Tiptoe Vineyard Zinfandel 2002 Casa Piedra Alta Cabernet 2001 Chateau Clos de Loratiore 1999 Cannon La Gaffeliere
November 8, 2007 7pm $55, tax and gratuity included Franciscan Wine Dinner with Rick Cole
December 1, 2007 12:30 pm $55, tax and gratuity included Christmas Luncheon with Paterno Imports
Arrow Far Hills - Kettering Saturday, November 3, 2007 11-5 pm “Big Red Tasting” Saturday November 3 11-5 Arrow Far Hills Store Taste 25+ Big Time Reds, including 03 Chateau Ponet Canet 06 Prisoner 2000 Fonseca Vintage Port 04 Chester Kidder 04 Cenit All wines price per taste
Dorothy Lane Market (DLM) Oakwood Friday, November 2, 2007 5-8pm NO TASTING due to the DLM Holiday Show on Nov. 1
Saturday, November 3, 2007 1-6 pm Domaine Carneros Brut 2004 Verget Chablis 2006 Everett Ridge Russian River Pinot Noir 2005 Midnight Cellars Full Moon 2005 Domaine Relagnes Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2004 La Petite Mouton 2004 Bonus Bottles! Beers: Rogue Chocolate Stout, Coopers Vintage Ale
DLM Washington Square Thursday, Nober 1, 2007 5-8 pm NO TASTING due to the DLM Holiday Show on Nov. 1
Saturday, November 3, 2007 12-5 pm Fifi’s “Feelin’ Funky” Wine Tasting 2005 De Moor Bourgogne Chitry 2006 Hunter’s Pinot Noir 2005 Boarding Pass Shiraz 2005 Midnight Full Moon Red 2004 Chateau Fleur Haut Gaussens Bordeaux Encore Wine!
Dorothy Lane Springboro Friday, November 2, 2007 3-7pm 06 Domaine des Corbillieres Touraine 05 Faive Bourgogne Blanc 05 Faive Bourgogne Pinot 02 Les Pagodes de Cos Saint-Estephe
Saturday, November 3, 2007 12-5 pm 05 Crocker Starr Sauvignon Blanc 05 Frank Family Chardonnay 05 Talley Rosemary’s Pinot Noir 01 Grgich Hills 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 Tasting from Friday, November 2 -Thursday, November 8, 2007 Chrismont Riesling Praxis Chardonnay Chateau Guiruad Bordeaux Blanc Six Foot Six Shraz Villa Buonsera Casaeri Chianti Classico RMB Cabernet
Food: TBA Beer: Mt. Carmel Nut Brown
Monday, December 3 Kinkead Ridge Wild Game Wine Dinner
Saturday, December 8 Cuvee Bubble Bash Annual Champagne/Sparkling Wine Tasting
Arrow Centerville 615 Lyons Rd Centerville Saturday, November 2, 2007 11 am-5 pm 937-433-6778 2006 Domaine du Manoir Muscadet… 2005 Klingenfues Pinot Noir… 2005 Destiac Bordeaux… 2005 Tobin James Reserve Zinfandel… 2004 Senorio de Sarria Graciano
Trader Joe’s, Town & Country at Stroop and Far Hills The Wine Gallery and Cafe, Corner of 3rd and Wayne Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM JW Morris Gewurztraminer (2006) California. Mark West Chardonnay (2005) AVA Central Coast, California. Mark West Pinot Noir (2006) California. Peachy Canyon Zinfandel (2005) AVA Paso Robles, California.
THE WINE GALLERY Corner of Third Street and Wayne Avenue Saturday, November 3rd from 2PM to 8PM 2006 Elana Walsh Pinot Grigio 2005 McNab Ridge Pinotage
CAFE ANNIVERSARY WINE TASTING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2007 5:30PM TO 9:30PM Wines: 2005 CG Arie Southern Exposure Zinfandel, California 2005 Klingenfus Pinot Noir, Alsace NV Hill of Content Sparkling Shiraz, Australia 2005 Heavyweight Red, Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, California 2003 Domaine Georges Bruet Vouvray Moelleux, France 2006 Strub Riesling ‘Soil to Soul’, Germany 2001 Brunello di Montalcino, Donatella Colombini, Italy NV Cremant Brut, Wolfberger, France 2005 Chrismont Riesling, Australia 2004 McNab Ridge Petite Syrah, California 2003 Elderton ‘Command’ Shiraz, Australia 2006 Spann Vineyards, MOJO, California Quinta do Crasto Douro Tourisa Nacional, Portugal 2004 Krupp Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon, Stage Coach Vineyards, California 2005 Massena, The Eleventh Hour, Barossa Valley, Australia 2003 The Standish, Barossa Valley, Australia
Beers: Founders, Breakfast Stout Bell’s Double Cream Stout Bell’s Double Cream Expedition Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale Duchesse de Bourgogne
Live Music and Complementary Buffet For Advance tickets or Reservations call 937-224-WINE
MARKET WINE IMPORTS (2nd Street Market) Saturday November 3, 2007, 2007 9AM to 1:00PM Wines for the season! Stop by and check out the spiced wines.
Therapy Cafe, 452 E. Third St., Therapy-cafe.com Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 4-9 pm Complimentary tapas and deserts will be provided. and Sunday football games!
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 937-320-9548 Wine Wednesdays 5pm to 7pm in the bar. Wednesday, November 8, 2007 CUVaison Chardonnay Carneros, 2005 argyle Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 2005 e. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2003 camberley Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch, 2004
Palermo’s 2667 South Dixie Dr. 299-8888 12 - 5pm, Saturday, November 3, 2007 And during the wine tasting, Palermo’s will have an ALL U CAN EAT pasta special for $10, lasagna, manicotti, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, baked ziti and more.
L’Auberge
November 8th Pinot Noir Wine Dinner at L’Auberge $95 RSVP
Amuse bouche White chocolate and Russian caviar
Wine: Monmousseau Brut NV, Loire
Course Two Foie Gras Roasted Scallops with fall mushrooms and fennel puree Wine: Todd Hollow “Rod’s Pride” Pinot Noir 2005, Russian River
Course Three Bacon roasted Quail with sausage and brioche bread stuffing, Brussels sprout leaf salad Wine: Gypsy Dancer “Emily Ann” 2005, Willamette Valley
Course Four Duo of Milk Fed Veal with turnip and carrot tiles, sweetbreads Wine: Bouchard Aloxe-Corton 2005, Cote de Beaune
Course Five Tasting of Chocolate Spiced hot chocolate, molten cake, frozen hazelnut chocolate terrine Wine: Adelsheim “Deglace” 2003 Willamette Valley
Following Dinner there will be a Silent Auction of unusual wines sold at special prices
Winan’s Chocolates (Dayton Mail) Thursday Nov 1st: The Thanksgiving Taste Wines selected to complement the Thanksgiving Day Feast. Also, Winans will be sampling premium roasted seasonal coffees and Handmade Gourmet Chocolates.
Thursday Nov 15th: The Biltmore Collection The Biltmore Collection, including the Biltmore’s Signature Christmas Wine.
Bella Vino (formerly Grapes of Ruth) GENESIS Washington State Riesling LA CREMA Sonoma Coast Chardonnay J LYNNE Russian River Valley Chardonnay LUDOVICUS Terra Alta Pinol SHARECROPPER’S Pinot Noir BREMERTON Tamblyn
Sunday & Monday Closed Tuesday & Wednesday 11:30am - 8pm Thursday 11:30am - 10pm Friday & Saturday 11:30am - 11pm
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, November 2nd, 7 pm ~ High End Reds Tasting, Reservations required Saturday, November 3rd, 3-6 pm Best Buys from Wine Spectator
La Petite France
3177 Glendate-Milford Road Cincinnati, Ohio www.lapetitefrance.biz Call 513-733-8383 November 9, 2007 6:30 pm $60 RSVP Fabulous French Wines Dinner Vouvray, Remy Panier Bordeaux Blanc, Chateau Bonnet Crawfish, bacon, and collard greens stuffing
Cotes du Rhone, J Vidal Fleury Warm beet soup with dill cream
Chorey Cotes de Beaune, Tollot Beaut Pan-roasted duck breast with lingonberry sauce and whipped turnips
Graves, Baron de Montesquieu Pumpkin custard profiteroles with caramel sauce
Kinkead Ridge Winery 904 Hamburg Street Ripley OH 45167 937-392-6077 www.KinkeadRidge.com Last Day for the public is September 22, 2007 11 - 5 Reopening for a special barrel tasting the Saturday after Thanksgiving!
The Inn at Versailles J. Lohr wine dinner menu 11/2/07, 7:00pm, RSVP 937.526.3020, $885 Bay Mist White Reisling Spicy Tuna Tartar
Arroyo Seco Chardonnay Saute’d Georges Bank Hake with a white wine and lemon crème sauce
Wildflower Valdigue Maytag Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad
Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon Maple Glazed and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Green Onion & Parmesan Cheese Polenta
Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Slow Mesquite Smoked & Roasted Locally Grown Buffalo Broil with Baby Organic Glazed Carrots
Green Mountain Organic French Roast Black Cherry Gelato Martini
Harmony Hill Vineyards 2534 Swings Corner Pt. Isabel Road, Bethel, Ohio 45106 (513) 734-3548 Fax: (775) 402-7424 www.hhwines.com
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The DLM Holiday Show experience
Just back from the Dorothy Lane Market 2007 Food and Wine Show, and as always, if you attended, I’m interested in what you thought of the event. Please click on “post your comment” below and — well — post your comment. All are welcome.
I’ll go first.
Yes, the $70 admission price sets a high bar. But this event delivers. Consider the food alone: Alaskan King Crab, shrimp, oysters, roasted Coleman prime New York strip loin, Icelandic rack of lamb, a cheese bar, a charcuterie bar, a mammoth dessert bar … you get the idea.
And a new wrinkle this year: restaurateurs Wiley of Meadowlark serving braised chicken and Anne Kearney of Rue Dumaine, scheduled to open on or about Nov. 27, serving duck breast … Good heavens, if someone were to just go for the food, and the food alone … well, let’s just say they wouldn’t leave hungry.
The wines were varied, and overall, they were outstanding. Some of the best wines that France (Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Bordeaux, Champagne), Italy (including Barolo and Barbaresco), California (you name it) and Australia (see California) have to offer. (What was YOUR favorite?)
As often happens at events such as these, some wines ran out a bit too soon. But only a few. The food was plentiful, from what I could see — there was even crab left at the end of the night (obviously, we were not pulling our weight …)
Most important, the event was not oversold as it was a couple of years ago (that was your assessment as well as mine). In most areas at most times, it was comfortable to move around, and lines were tolerable. Letting people into the store early rather than making attendees wait in a line in the cold outside (perhaps an idea the Fleurs de Fete could consider, although the logistics may make it more difficult) is a brilliant idea for this event. No one gets a jump on tasting, since no one serves until the appointed start time. But no one stands in a long line outside, either.
All in all, a fine time. But that’s just my opinion. What’s yours? Got comments, praise, criticism, suggestions for improvements? Send ‘em our way. Your voice will be heard.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Gearing up for the DLM holiday show
The Dorothy Lane Market 2007 Holiday Food and Wine Show is tonight, and as usual, we’ll be curious to hear your comments on how the show went.
The event has been sold out for at least eight days. How do I know that? Because I procrastinated too damn long (even after reminding all of YOU about the event weeks in advance) before logging on to purchase my ticket, only to be greeted with the “sold out” notice a week ago today.
But a friend’s wife decided not to make the trek up from suburban Cincinnati and sold her ticket to me instead, so thanks to her and some luck, I’ll be there.
DLM took many positive steps last year to ease the occasional gridlock that plagued the 2005 holiday show. That seemed to be the consensus of Uncorked readers, anyway.
This event sets the bar high every year in both the quality of the food served and the wines poured. Obviously, its popularity and the demand for tickets bear that out.
Let’s see if the folks at DLM raise the bar another notch this year. Drop by Uncorked late tonight or tomorrow to read what attendees thought, and to post your own comments.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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