Louie the Wine Guy

May 3, 2004

There is a lot going on in town right now, with some big sales ending and another in full swing. Byerly’s/Lunds’ sale is done, and the Haskell’s Nickel Sale goes through May 8. Surdyk’s is back on the scene with its “20/20” Sale through May 8,, during which they are featuring twenty percent off all wines in the store that “normally” sell for twenty dollars or more. This is another case where I should make my “consumer alert” about inflated “normal” prices. One small example: Surdyk’s lists Conundrum (a must-try this summer season!) at $26.99 regular price; with twenty percent off, it would be $21.59. By comparison, Wayzata Wine & Spirits (not known for its good values) lists Conundrum at $23.99, and if you attend the “Sipping by the Bay” tasting/fundraising event (more on this later), you get a fifteen percent discount for a sale price of $20.40.

Another brief plug for Sam’s Club & Costco. They feature great prices for low-end wines, but are of special note in the high-end category, which you would not expect. For instance, Sam’s carries Viader regularly. This fabulous product, a Cabernet, Merlot & Cabernet Franc blend, retails at most places for around $90 a bottle. At Sam’s they sell the 750ml for about $55, and the 375ml for $29.99. If you want to have something very special for a Mother’s Day toast, pick up the 375ml bottle. It is a treat.

The big news this week is a tasting report from three events last week. The first was a tasting and fundraiser for the Twin West Chamber of Commerce, where some twenty wines were shown. Among the whites, where a regional comparison of chardonnay was the focus, the entries from Napa (Burgess) and Sonoma (Clos du Bois) showed best over the central coast offerings from Concannon and Castle Rock. The fifth entry in this group was from Pedroncelli of Dry Creek region of Sonoma, and this was picked last.

A special bottle, not available in our market but worth ordering directly from Napa, was the Husch sauvignon blanc. Very clean and smooth, it’s a great wine for summer fish dinners. Topping the list in the white wine department was Bonny Dune’s Muscat Vin de Glaciere dessert wine. Wow! At eighteen percent residual sugar, this luscious treat would be the perfect finish to that special evening which you began with Viader. The “ice wine” sells for $18.99 for the 375ml bottle.

On to the reds! My collection here offered a wide range, from the “good value”of Penfolds “Rawson Retreat” merlot ($6 at Sam’s) to the wildly eclectic and very over-priced ($45) Blockheadia Zinfandel. Nevertheless, this Rhone-style wine was by far the hit of the evening, though the ’99 Burgess Zinfandel showed very well, as did the ’99 Mt. Veeder Cabernet (my favorite, but then I am a fool for Napa mountain-grown cabernet!).

Other reds of note: Laurier Pinot Noir, Charles Shaw (of “2-buck Chuck” fame) Merlot, River Oaks Cabernet, and Purple Moon Shiraz, all direct from California entries and all worth checking out if you travel anywhere Trader Joe’s has a store. (There are rumors about TJ coming to Minnesota. If anyone has inside information about this development, please let me know.)

A very special finale for the red wine enthusiasts at this event was a port from Shafer Vineyards of Napa Valley fame. Absolutely spectacular! Worth $30 for a half bottle? Most definitely.

The second tasting event was the aforementioned “Sipping by the Bay” fundraiser put on at the Wayzata Country Club by the local Lions. This was your more typical tasting event with around seventy wines offered, with perhaps one-third of those worth tasting. I guess that they want to offer something for everyone, but really—Yellow Tail Shiraz?

To give the French a break, I did try the Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse, and it was pleasant, but was it worth $21.69? Perhaps my palate has become dulled by the over-fruity and sometimes over-oaked California chardonnays. The French white Burgundies just don’t do it for me like they used to. Perhaps this would not be true if I were tasting a $50 Mersault or Puligny Montrachet, but, then again, how great are the high-end California chards, like Ferrari Carano and Newton? At the lower end of the spectrum, I’ll take California any time. And the Australian chards? They do etter, in my opinion, with the reds. Among the better chardonnays shown were Fess Parker, Kunde, Clos Pegase, and Toasted Head (very oaky!). And, of course, the Conundrum, which unfortunately still gets listed as a Caymus product, which it isn’t. Conundrum is a blend of chardonnay with several other grapes…a touch sweet, but very smooth. A truly perfect picnic wine.

The other “Burgundy” grape, pinot noir, was well represented by David Bruce, La Crema, Kenwood, and Morgan. All very nice to my taste, and even more to my nose. There isn’t a better wine bouquet than pinot noir. (A word of note about Tin Roof’s rose of pinot noir—there are more and better dry rose wines appearing on the market all the time. Check them out. They are great summer wines, and many, like Tin Roof and Bonny Dune, are available with screw caps, which only makes them easier to sneak into parks and other places you are not supposed to bring alcohol.)

The bigger reds like merlot and cabernet and zinfandel were topped by the Terra Valentine Cabernet from Spring Mountain. Don’t get me started on how great the Spring Mountain appellation truly is! Terra Valentine may not be the best producer on Spring Mountain (they have some amazing competition with the likes of Pride Mountain, Frias Family, Guilliams, and Paloma, to name a few), but their product is very good and they are owned by the Minnesota Wurtele’s. Gotta support our friends and neighbors. Clos du Val showed very well (if that is news), and the Trefethen Cab was solid. A bit disappointing to my taste were the cabs from Alexander Valley, like Geyser Peak and Frei Brothers.

In my next report I will share my experience at the Napa Valley Vintner’s Association event on May 6. And we will also look further into what is happening on the local wine scene during May. As we Minnesotans can all agree, everything begins looking lovely in May, when the season opens on outdoor grilling, picnics, boating, cabins, and al fresco dining in the city. What a great time to share exciting new wines or old favorites. Enjoy this fabulous month!


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