August 18, 2004
For a wine drinker, especially one who prefers the big reds, cool August weather is not all bad news. Out the other night to the Metrodome, to witness the trouncing of my beloved Yankees (I can’t help it, I grew up there!) by those bully Twins, I was intimately aware of how summer is all about beer.
Even as I scan the local retail shops in search of wine features, most are highlighting beer sales, even a few special beer tastings. Now, Louie the Wine Guy appreciates a frosty brew from time to time, but I am glad for the return of “wine season”. All those fall sales, the release of Nouveau Beaujolais, and so forth.
As for what wine action is in fact going on at the retail markets, here’s a brief overview:
Aurora Wine Shop in Chaska is featuring a German wine sale through August 25, with all German wines in stock at twenty percent discount.
Cost Plus World Market wine shops around town (five locations) are featuring the wines of Bonny Dune and Cline’s Red Truck. As a side note, Pat Miles’ WCCO radio show last week carried the topic “fun wines and new trends.” Bonny Dune has long been a leader in both these categories, with fanciful labels, good values, and, of course, those novel screwcaps. Cline’s Red Truck is a fine example of “meritage” wines, blends that make the most out of the grapes that don’t make the grade for the higher-priced single varietal wines.
South Lyndale Liquors is featuring Clos du Bois this month, with the whole line of regional varietal wines at $8.99 a bottle. Clos du Bois is a big name in the industry, an operation that puts out wines at several quality and price levels.
France 44 has a similar feature going with the wines of Washington State’s Hogue Cellars. From the Johannisberg Riesling (quite decent) at $6.97 to the Genesis Series(good to very good) at $11.97, this is a sale worth checking out. And you can taste the Hogue wines Saturday, August 28 from 2-5pm. France 44 will also offer its monthly “Values Tasting” on September 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m. There is so much going on at this shop (with classes etc.), that you might want to visit their website at www.france44.com.
The big boys, Surdyk’s, Hennepin-Lake, Haskell’s and Byerly’s/Lunds, are laying low until September. Stay tuned.
As for events and tastings to report, we need go no further than the latest, and some might say the greatest, Napa Valley Block Party on Lake Minnetonka on August 14, hosted by yours truly. This Saturday night affair featured wines from the four locally owned Napa Valley vintners: Terra Valentine, Ladera, O’Shaughnessy, and Fantesca. Leading up to the tasting of the featured wines, we sampled from the following list. I add my very brief tasting notes, with a zero to four star rating.
White wines: (remember that this is not Napa Valley’s strong point)
+ Coppola Bianco($10): not pleasant; sharp, perhaps even sour; no stars
+ Hess Select Chardonnay($10): great value, nice fruit; 2 stars
+ Chappellet Chenin Blanc ($12): a bit sour; not soft; 1 star
+ Napa Wine Company Pinot Blanc ($15): a nice sipper; 2 stars
+ Napa Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc ($15): ok food wine; 11/2 stars
+ Beringer Chardonnay ($14): surprisingly smooth; 2 stars
+ Coppola Diamond Chardonnay($15): a bit sharp; 1 star
+ Markham Chardonnay($17): very good, best value under $20; 3 stars
+ Long Vineyards Pinot Grigio($20): very fine; great food wine; 3 stars
+ Chateau Montelena Johannisberg Riesling($25): exquisite; 4 stars
Red Wines: (meritage)
+ Barlow ’01 Red ($31): amazing extract; fabulous! 3 ½ stars
+ Buonocristiani ’99 OPC Red ($27): very smooth; delightful; 3 stars
+ S. Anderson Stag’s Leap District Claret ($22): a crowd favorite; very fine cab merlot blend; 3 ½ stars
+ Bennet Lane ’01 “Maximus” ($25): the latest creation of Dave Phinney of “The Prisoner” fame; unbelievable, for the price; 3 ½ stars
Varietal Wines:
+ Castle Rock ’03 Pinot Noir ($13): very pleasant sipper; great value; two stars
+ BV ’01 Cabernet ($15): a disappointment; one star
+ Pope Valley ’01 Merlot ($20): rich and velvety; yum!; 3 stars
+ Frank Family ’99 Cabernet ($30): a crowd pleaser; solid; 3 stars
+ Kennick ’01 Zinfandel ($27): zinnnngg! A fruit bomb! 2 ½ stars
Featured Wines:
+ Ladera ’01 Merlot ‘Howell Mt.’ ($48): very soft; almost subdued; 3 stars
+ Terra Valentine ’98 Cabernet ($40): still tight, tannic; bordeaux-like; 2 ½ stars Terra Valentine ’99 Cabernet ($40): more accessible; 3 stars
+ Fantesca (Shadow Lace) ’01 ‘Spring Mt.’ ($50): great body & fruit; 3 ½ stars + O’Shaughnessy ’01 Cabernet ‘Howell Mt.’ ($58): yowza! Clearly the powerhouse of the group; a perfect wine; 4 stars
Dessert wine:
+ Prager Port Works ’01 Royal Escort LBV Port ‘Paladini Vineyard’ ($50): once again we see testimony to the reality of how good a Napa port can be; incredibly delicious! 4 stars
Before closing this report, I wanted to mention my pleasure at meeting with Duane and Susie Hoff, the owners of the new winery Fantesca, who live here in Chanhassen. They introduced me to their wine over dinner at their home, and the experience confirmed for me again how lovely it is to know the people and the stories behind the wine.
When I begin to lead tours in Napa Valley this October we will spend a day on Spring Mountain, visiting Fantesca and Terra Valentine and several other places where the people and the stories add so much to the glory of these wines. Getting off the valley floor, to some of the smaller operations, opens doors to relationships with the owners and winemakers that makes visiting wine country so special.
To find out more about upcoming Napa Valley Block Party cruises and about these California wine country tours, log onto my website:
See you in September!
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