FEATURE STORY
Galicia’s Terroir-Driven Wines
By Gerry Dawes
Over the course of some ten trips to Galicia over the past six years and from tastings in scores of bodegas, I have become enamored with their grace, which comes from often delicious but seldom overripe fruit, a fine acidic balance, and moderate alcohol levels—attributes that contribute to an exceptional affinity for a wide range of food and cooking styles. Even though many of them are rustic or works in progress, they show a distinct mineral-laced terruño—Spanish for terroir, the quality of earth (minerality) and sense of place—that sets them apart from any other white wine in Spain. In the best of them, this haunting minerality becomes imprinted on the drinker’s palate and makes one wish that the bottle would never end.
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Down to Size
By Doug Frost, MS, MW
t is the age-old question: Does size matter? In the case of wine lists, bigger is not always better. Wine lists that are too extensive will frighten many, if not most, customers. Most guests need to feel confident when they are spending money on wine, and there is nothing more intimidating than being handed a list that makes War and Peace seem like a novella. A list that is easy to read and easy to navigate will instill this confidence in your patrons. Your wine list should make every diner feel smart and should encourage the diner to spend.
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Breaking Out the Bubbly
By Serafin Alvarado, MS
During my five-year tenure as a sommelier for Charlie Trotter’s Restaurant, I was exposed to a great deal of Champagne and sparkling wine. Because the restaurant did not serve cocktails, sparklers took center stage as the aperitif of choice and sometimes as the wine served throughout the meal. I witnessed the transformation of sparkling wine from its role as a simple celebration enhancer to a versatile wine filled with fine-dining possibilities.
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Top-Down Training
By Marnie Old
Wine, beer, and spirits are complex products, and servers must feel as comfortable discussing beverage options as they do menu items. Well-informed employees have more self-confidence and take more pride in their performance. Operations with active training programs see growth in their sales and in their return business, as well as a reduction in staff turnover.
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Taste of Cypress Comes to North America
KEO Beer, the much-loved brew of Cyprus, has now become available in Ontario, following a surge of demand from visitors to the Mediterranean island who were hoping to recapture some vacation splendor back home.
In the production of KEO Beer, only the finest imported pilsner malt from Europe is chosen, keeping with the tradition and quality known of the pilsner. Highly selected hops and extra choice hops are also imported to be used in the perfect combination to ensure the production of a top-quality beer in every respect.
KEO Beer is the only beer on the island of Cyprus produced by the “chill sterilization” method, the most expensive system which produces the highest quality beers abroad. In combination with a minimum three month maturation period in underground refrigerated cellars, the chill sterilization method gives KEO Beer its unique flavor and guards against any loss of taste.
KEO Beer, a Gold medal winner among bottled lagers worldwide, is represented in Ontario by Equis Trading, Inc, a New York based marketing firm.
Go to KEO.
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From Randy Caparosa: Alabriño - Its What's for Dinner
When serving a multi-course meal paired with wine, there is often a need for a good "tweener" – bridging the gap between, say, an appetizer served with lighter white and a white meat course calling for a fuller bodied white like Chardonnay. In this instance, a bottle of Albariño, a medium-bodied Spanish wine might make the perfect dinner guest.
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Big Keep Getting Bigger
Will the recently announced "strategic joint venture" between Southern Wine and Spirits and Glazer's create "a national company with unprecedented geographic reach that will enable us to more effectively service our suppliers and build their brands through enhanced and more efficient utilization of resources" or will the new mega deal just give small wineries and distilleries a tougher road to accessing the market?
Decide for yourself after reading more.
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Rewarding Excellence?
Have you ever wondered what kind of investment is required to obtain a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for your restaurant? Would you believe that all it takes is "$250 and Microsoft Word. Restaurant not actually required?” Apparently that's all it took Robin Goldstein, author of the newly published The Wine Trials to obtain the prestigious award for his Milan "restaurant" Osteria L’Intrepido (Fearless Critic).
Read more about the sting and decide what it all means for you.
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Days of Wine and Popcorn: Judgement of Paris Comes to the Big Screen
Perhaps inspired by the recent success of "Sideways," a new movie about the legendary 1976 Paris Tasting called "Bottle Shock" has just come to the big screen. During the May 24, 1976, event, French judges shocked the wine world, and themselves, by selecting a made-in Napa cabernet sauvignon as winner in a "blind" tasting that pitted California vintages against their made-in-France counterparts. While the movie is "based on a true story," it is certain to bring wine lovers a little closer to the event that is credited with jump-starting the California wine industry.
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Spanish Invent Electronic Wine-Tasting Tongue
Barcelona's Institute of Microelectronics has developed a hand-held electronic tongue that measures various wine parameters such as sugar and alcohol content, age and specific wine type. Designed for quality control within the fine wine industry, the device can be used to prevent wine fraud and an objective measure of the quality of a wine.
The Electronic Tongue contains six sensors, which detect substances characteristic of a certain wine variety. Acid, sugar and alcohol are measured and from these specifics the age and variety of the wine can be determined.
Still in the early stages of development, the Electronic Tongue is the creation of Cecilia Jiminez-Jorquera and her colleagues from the Barcelona Institute of Microelectronics. She said of their collaborative efforts, "The device is based on similar principles to the human tongue and is sensitive to just five different tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, acidic and umami (savory). Our results have demonstrated the potential of using multi-sensors as electronic tongues not only for distinguishing the samples according to the grape variety and the vintage year, but also for quantitative prediction of several sample parameters.”
Researchers hope the Electronic Tongue, when perfected, will be an even more effective judge of fine wine than the human palette.
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WINE 2.0 New York, September 18th, 2008
Wine 2.0, Wine Library TV, and Web2.0 Expo are sponsoring an evening of wine and technology. Wine 2.0 New York will feature over 1,000 friends from the wine, technology and venture capital community, tasting over 100 wineries' best wines. On display in the Wine 2.0 technology showcase will be Wine 2.0 startups who are changing the way wine is made, marketed or sold.
Wine Library TV Star Gary Vaynerchuk will be hosting Wine 2.0 New York and will be producing a podcast live during the event.
Wine 2.0™ is creating a family of web-based and live experience-based businesses providing value added services for the wine industry and wine consumers with specific focus on the next generation wine consumer. Wine 2.0 events feature emerging technology companies, services and communication tools that are changing the world of wine by focusing on various categories including winery direct sales, online wine retailing, community driven ecommerce, education and virtual wineries. Wine 2.0 has hosted thousands of wine trade and consumer advocates, and over 150 wineries and wine technology companies at numerous events since its founding. Tickets went on sale online only August 1, 2008.
For Information and Reservations
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Oregon's Grand Cru Estates Creates Exclusive 'Barrel-Size' Winery for Wine Club Members
Here is a business model that some wineries may want to explore. With Grand Cru Estates in Oregon's Willamette Valley, individuals can create their own barrel of ultra-premium Pinot Noir to match their personal palate - and leave all or some of the work up to a team of award-winning Oregon vintners. Partners Domaine Danielle Laurent and Bailey Estate Vineyards have created Grand Cru Estates, an exclusive winemaking club that offers equal parts prestige with hands-on winemaking opportunities. "We want club members to work alongside us in the vineyard and in our winemaking facility or simply enjoy their custom-made wine at home," says Laurent Montalieu. The 13,000 square-foot winemaking facility broke ground in July 2008 in the Yamhill Carlton AVA.
Members of Grand Cru Estates choose their level of involvement as they create a barrel (25 cases) of their own premium Pinot Noir. Each membership allows exclusive interaction with the winemaking team both in the vineyard and in the winery. "This is a great opportunity for wine lovers to participate in the entire process from selecting a vineyard site and participating in harvest to producing a custom label design," says Montalieu. "We are available to help our members in whatever capacity they envision. Some members may let us do all the work and simply put their name on the label and others may want to be part of the entire process." Club membership is available immediately beginning with the 2008 fall harvest with an initial membership fee of $5,000 for the first 30 founding members, along with a $20,000 fee for each member barrel.
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Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Joins Forces With America's Second Harvest for the Second Annual Give Hope Campaign
For the second consecutive year, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi is proud to join forces with America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network, during the holiday season to help raise funds for and awareness of hunger in America through the Give Hope Campaign. The campaign will run from October 1 to December 31, 2008.
America's Second Harvest is the largest charitable hunger-relief organization in the U.S. with over 200 member food banks nationwide. Giving back to the community was always a part of Robert Mondavi's life. His generous spirit has had a profound impact on numerous charitable foundations for many decades and Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi is dedicated to upholding that legacy.
Robert Mondavi was a pioneer in the promotion of wine, food, and the arts as an integral part of gracious living. This holiday season is the perfect time to enjoy those key elements of life with friends and family while helping those who are less fortunate. The centerpiece of the Give Hope Campaign is a charity auction hosted on eBay featuring numerous unique experiential packages. The 2007 charity auction raised over $28,000 for almost 450,000 meals through the America's Second Harvest network. All proceeds generated will benefit America's Second Harvest and its over 200 member food banks. In addition, Woodbridge will match every dollar consumers donate up to $50,000 through GiveHope.
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Spanish Wine Production to Increase 20 Per Cent by Next Harvest
The president of the association of vine-growers of the Serrania de Ronda, Francisco Retamero, said recently that this year’s wine production will increase by 20 per cent; 100,000 wine bottles more than last year.
Nonetheless, Retamero remained cautious and emphasized that the climate could still pose a possible threat to this prediction.
However, he said that the growth in production was a result of two fundamental factors: the rise in the number of cultivated hectares (200) and the increase in the number of cellars in Ronda and along the region.
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Wines From Spain's 'Great Match: Wine and Tapas' To Visit New York, Dallas, And Orlando This Fall
This October, Wines from Spain, a division of the Trade Commission of Spain, will continue its 15th annual Great Match: Wine & Tapas tasting tour in New York, Dallas and Orlando, Fla. The Great Match Dallas is offered exclusively to trade and media, while the New York and Orlando events will also offer consumer components following each trade tasting. Participants will have the opportunity to taste more than 300 current release wines, highlighting Spain's indigenous varietals.
“From the Albariños of Green Spain and the Sherries of Andalucía to the rich reds and sparkling Cavas of the Mediterranean Coast, the Great Match provides an opportunity to sample from more than 75 producers representing many of Spain’s 67 Denomination of Origins,” said Katrin Naelapaa, director of Wines from Spain. “This year’s theme, Vivacious Varietals, will highlight the many indigenous varietals of Spain, including up-and-comers Mencía, Monastrell and Verdejo, as well as the more established varietals, such as Tempranillo and Garnacha.”
For reservations or more information for wine and restaurant industry professionals and media.
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Bar Service And More From Dellie Rex
Dellie gives us a professional's view of restaurant service as she reports on how Aaron DeLang at The Summer House on Nantucket made her day.
Dellie Rex also asks, "is climate change affecting Bordeaux" and she reports on Drew Skalaban's tasting of 2005 Chateau de Sales from Pomerol and 1989 d'Issan at the Santé Restaurant Symposium Bordeaux seminar sponsored by The Wine Trust.
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from the may 2008 issue of santé magazine |
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UP & COMING: Desmond "Desi" Echavarrie
Extended Coverage and Interview
Conduct a Google search on Desmond "Desi" Echavarrie, and you'll be bombarded with articles about the young sommelier's achievements, awards, and praises from diners. At just 26 years old, Echavarrie has already tapped into resources and accolades coveted by many seasoned professionals. In 2004 he was named Best Young Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers. That same year he took the gold at the Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs, a Chaine des Rotisseurs competition open to just ten sommeliers from across the country.
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The Wines of France: The Essential Guide for Savvy Shoppers
Jacqueline Friedrich
Ten Speed Press
While all pocket-sized wine guides are marketed to consumers, they do serve as on-the-ready reference resources for over-extended beverage managers and sommeliers. When it comes to French wines, there is no better guide than The Wines of France, The Essential Guide for Savvy Shoppers. The subtitle may suggest a consumer-centric treatment, but Friedrich’s book contains a wealth of knowledge garnered over the years by a consummate wine authority and writer. This smart volume, organized by wine region in ten chapters, is filled with razor-sharp insights and with Friedrich as mentor, restaurant buyers can’t miss choosing stellar French wines for their lists.
Buy at amazon.com >> At Home in the Vineyards
Susan Sokol Blosser
University of California Press
Blosser's personal memoir paints a brilliant history of the birth, growth, and current state of the Willamette Valley wine industry simply by chronicling her life, which was inextricably linked to the forming of a friendly wine community among wine pioneers and like-minded farmers; the shaping of land-use and wine laws; the creation of the Oregon Wine Advisory Board; the International Pinot Noir Celebration, and Oregon Pinot Camp; and the establishment of sub-appellations. Her keen insights, razor-sharp memory, and honest reporting bring her---and the Willamette Valley's---story into living color. Anyone who has experienced the wit, charm, and intelligence of Susan Sokol Blosser first-hand will recognize her clear voice that rings through the book's pages. For those who have not met the author in person, her book serves as a wonderful introduction.
Buy at amazon.com >> Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2007: 30th Edition
Hugh Johnson
Mitchell Beazley
The world's largest selling wine book has been updated for 2007. Summing up 30 years of wine illumination and criticism can't be all that easy, but Johnson doffs his cap to California for launching the varietal revolution and acknowledges that the wines of Greece, Sicily, and Georgia have yet to be fully discovered. This cordial and open-minded man whose books have inspired many a wine pro hasn't lost his critical edge; he takes to task the problem of increasing alcohol levels in his Agenda 2007 introduction. A Selection For 2007 includes recommendations for Exploring Riesling, Quirky Southern Hemisphere, Discovering Sherry, and Organic and Biodynamic. Coverage of Australia and Germany is both detailed and filled with real personality. On the other hand, the book provides more space for France than other countries to the point of giving Bordeaux its own section while allowing others in France, such as Champagne, to suffer. And East of the Rockies takes up more space than the total of Canada. But these are very minor quibbles. If there's only one book you give to your novice wine-drinking friends to introduce them to the subject, make this the one. The perfect stocking stuffer.
Buy at amazon.com >> Perfect Pairings
Evan Goldstein, MS
University of California
This magnificent, well-organized presentation of Goldstein's ideas about wine-food matching is an indispensable reference. The book's subtitle, A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food, is wholly appropriate, as Goldstein presents basic keys to understanding wine and food, as well as lucid charts that perfectly complement his insightful prose.
Buy at amazon.com >>
FEATURE STORY
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