Louie the Wine Guy

July 22, 2004

Hot time, summer in the city… and everyone is off to the cabin or congregating on Lake Minnetonka. Not a big boating enthusiast, my excursion to Lake Minnetonka on Sunday for the Napa Valley Block Party Wine Cruise was my first nautical venture in quite some time. I was amazed by the lake’s activity level on a Sunday afternoon, especially the traffic jam of boaters around Big Island. I marveled at the central role this lake boating scene must play in many of their lives.

This is truly a wide world in which we live. Everyone finds his comfort, carves out a little niche. For me it’s Napa Valley, and I am very excited to announce the beginning of a regular schedule of trips to my slice of paradise. I will be escorting a group of travel agents to San Francisco and Napa Valley in August before beginning tours for the public this October.

There is no better way to learn about wine than to see how it is made. An idea like “terroir” becomes simple and clear when you actually walk on the soil, see the varied topography, and learn why these factors influence the end product. The slogan you can see on the famous Napa billboard, set smack in the middle of a vineyard with rolling hills in the background, reads: “To a grape, this is Eden.”

Back in Minnesota’s slice of paradise, Lake Minnetonka, the wine cruise offered a unique view. Minnetonka’s lakefront homes, many opulent beyond description, are all oriented towards the water. If you tried to view them from the road, you would either see the “back door” or nothing at all. While I served samples of wine from the best wine region in the world, guests viewed architectural splendor.

So about the wine: We sampled a wide range of bottles, all from Napa Valley. Many of these featured wines were samples from my spring trip to Napa, wines not available in the local retail market. One of my goals as a wine educator is to teach people about the ease of ordering wines directly from Napa, whether from the winery itself or a Napa retailer. I picked up the phone on Monday, talked with my buddy Dan at Back Room Wines, and will receive my shipment of Bennett Lane’s “Maximus” on Friday.

Bennet’s “Maximus” is made by winemaker Dave Phinney, of “The Prisoner” fame. Since “The Prisoner” has reached cult status and is not scarce, “Maximus” is an able replacement. Check into one of my upcoming events for an opportunity to try this fabulous wine. Then you can order your own supply and experience Napa heaven without the high price. “Maximus,” like its predecessor, sells for under $25 a bottle.

Other standout bottles from the wine cruise include:

Crane Brothers Syrah ($28) Ripe, lush & meaty, it makes a great summer wine.

Chateau Montelena Estate Zinfandel ($30 at the vineyard, less in our local market) A real crowd pleaser, everyone wanted more of this gem.

Duckhorn “Paraduxx” ($45) Naturally a popular wine, and as Duckhorn has made quite a name for itself here in Minnesota, the wine did not disappoint.

Whitehall Lane ’99 Reserve Cabernet ($80) Understandably elegant.

Prager Port Works Petite Syrah Port ($50) People went nuts over this stellar dessert wine; even those not familiar with port loved this ambrosia.

Long Vineyards Botrytis Johannisberg Riesling ($30) Like the port, this wine was a new experience for many and absolutely stunning. “Better than sex” is often used to describe a wine like this!

Greg Varner, owner of Excelsior Vintage and sponsor of the Napa Valley Block Party cruises, received great feedback on several wines from his collection: Rutherford Ranch Cabernet ($15 – everyone was impressed that, for this price, a cab could be so smooth and lush); Sterling Chardonnay($18 – simply put, a solid Napa wine); Luna Pinot Grigio ($20 – one of the best white wines coming out of Napa); even the inexpensive DeLoach White Zinfandel ($10) received rave reviews for being a great picnic/boat sipper.

The upcoming Napa Block Party Wine Cruise on August 14 promises to be as grand. A special touch will be the opportunity to sample the Napa wines from wineries owned by Minnesotans which the Star Tribune recently showcased. Ladera (their merlot is to die for!), O’Shaughnessy, and Terra Valentine will be among the featured wines.

And in the works is a potential vertical tasting of Frias Family Cabernet to celebrate its representation in Minnesota by The Wine Doctor. The Frias collection at the Napa Valley Vinter’s Association tasting back in May greatly impressed Mikael Thollander, the Wine Doctor chief. For myself and many others this was the hottest winery of the whole event. Stay tuned for this event.

And another opportunity with Louie the Wine Guy looms on the horizon. I will be leading two private tours of Napa Valley this October. Arrangements are being made by World Class Travel, and details will be available soon.

Keep enjoying our fabulous summer!