Submitted by The Wine School of Philadelphia
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Date: Friday, June 20th Part of the Wine by Region Series Tickets (or Seats) Available: 20 |
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With the Euro rising and the cost of French and Italian wines going through the roof, American wines are suddenly some of the best values on the market. Tonight, we will explore the wines of California, Oregon, Washington State, and more, and discuss strategies for buying in this new wine economy.
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List Price: Price: $37.99 |
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Submitted by The Wine School of Philadelphia
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Part of the Wine 101 Series Tickets (or Seats) Available: 20 |
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The smart & fun class that over two thousand people have attended since 2001, and still sells out every week! The premise of this class is to introduce the most important building blocks of wine knowledge. Come with an open mind, because we will also dispel many of those wine myths that are too often bandied about.
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List Price: Price: $37.99 |
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Submitted by The Wine School of Philadelphia
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Date: Friday, June 13th Tickets (or Seats) Available: 20 |
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The smart & fun class that over two thousand people have attended since 2001, and still sells out every week! The premise of this class is to introduce the most important building blocks of wine knowledge. Come with an open mind, because we will also dispel many of those wine myths that are too often bandied about.
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List Price: Price: $37.99 |
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Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes
Having enjoyed (and re-ordered) the Goisot’s red I was looking forward to seeing how ’sister’ would show.
Goisot Bourgogne Blanc Cotes d’Auxerre
“La Gondonne” 2004
Saint-Bris-Le-Vineux,Burgundy, France
100% Chardonnay..and spends
12 months in oak. Very strong aroma of
butterscotch..which decreased with airing..
some honey and flowers as well….
on the palate..very ‘old vine’ feel..
and after checking I was told
30+ year old vines….
so there’s hope for me yet!
A Chablis..chalky-slate style…
and decent acidity….oak not overdone..
Points 15.5
Submitted by The Cheap Gourmet
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Stores are offering free ice cream between the hours of noon and 8:00 pm on Tuesday, April 29th. Reason being is Ben and Jerry need your help to make a political statement. Ben and Jerry’s label their ice cream as free of recombinant bovine growth hormones or rBGH/rBST. In other words, they don’t add dangerous chemicals to their ice cream and they are proud of it.
However, Monsanto, the giant chemical company who manufactures rBST and other deadly chemicals are trying to ban the labeling of milk as hormone-free. Monsanto claims these labels are unfair because they imply hormone-free milk is safer than milk laden with the chemicals they manufacture. I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer to eat pure ice cream and dairy products over products loaded with chemicals and hormones.
If you believe that you should have the right to know what chemicals are added to your ice cream and want to protect your consumer rights, it’s time to join the crusade. Doing so, will earn you a free cone and let your voice be heard!
All you have to do to get your hormone-free cone from Ben and Jerry’s is visit Citizens for Health website to download and sign the Ben & Jerry’s thank you letter. Then take the letter to the nearest scoop shop to claim your free cone and your right to hormone-free ice cream.
Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks
This recipe always reminds me of my grandmother. She made the best Swedish Meatballs and the sauce was incredible. Here is my own variation that I make today. I like to serve mine over wide egg noodles. Now you don’t have to travel to Ikea for some of these meatballs!
1 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
3/4 cup instant potato flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated allspice
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mix the ground beef and pork together. Next, mix in the rest of the ingredients except for the butter and oil. Add one tablespoon of butter. Work until mixture is smooth.
Form the mixture into balls no larger than a walnut. Heat the remaining butter and oil in a skillet. Fry a few meatballs at a time and shake the pan so that the meatballs brown on all sides. Continue to fry about 3-5 minutes for each batch. Remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve the pan drippings.
Sauce:
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup light cream
pan drippings
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and allow to thicken.
Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes
Sunday’s comprise of playing football (soccer) in the morning..watching some on TV later..and every second sunday..doing my Radio Show. Today..sunshine…warm…a quick photo of a bird in it’s nest in the garden..not sure for how long though as the local cat is prowling..but I have put up poles to prevent it getting a running leap.
The football pitch was dry for the first time in weeks….perfect. We drew 4-4 (not perfect)..and I scored a great headed goal (I chose the word ‘great’ carefully..awesome would have been too much)..and injured my right hand (also not perfect)..so off to the doctor’s
tomorrow. After a lazy hazy afternoon…no Radio Show today..so chose a good bottle and sat outside for the first time this year. Simple food of sliced potatoes from the oven with some bacon and salami….and…….this is what you have been waiting for (all the above is of no interest to anyone except me and the cat…so…..)……..
A Pinot Noir from California. A favourite vineyard of mine. Jim Clendenen has a large range of PN’s and I have never been disappointed. I wanted to try the 2005 but this was offered so..here we go.
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Au Bon Climat ‘Le Bon Climat Vineyard’
Pinot Noir 2004
California, U.S.A
Cool, slightly reserved bouquet at first… I like to open wines and ‘live with them’ as they develope…after all..I’m going to spend 2 hours with this one…After 45 minutes it opened up….and became as ‘one’ with the flavour…which was attractive from the word go…very up-front..loads of jammy fruit…ripe strawberries..some cherry..some marzipan…reined in oak..with good acidity…will age well…
Points 18
Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes
Swiss cheese…everywhere.
Swiss watches..easy to buy..if your pocket is deep enough(remember this point as we continue).
Swiss women…no..that’s not right..where was I?…….ah yes..
Swiss Wine.
You walk into any wine store or supermarket and you see thousands of bottles of it.??!!..If you really do..you have been eating too much cheese!!
The truth is..you hardly ever see it on general offer..only from ’specialists’.
There used to be a Swiss chain of restaurants in Germany..Mövenpick..but all you ever got was a white Fendant!
Have times changed?…well..not really…the Swiss keep their wines to themselves..but I have found a few goodies..Gantenbein and Chappaz. As to prices..remember the Swiss watches?
It depends what you will pay for a wine..the prices of the two below are in my price range (I haven’t got one really…as all wine freaks will identify with)..BUT..are they worth what is in the glass?
Domaine Simon Maye
Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes 2005
Wallis, Switzerland
Palish colour..cool, dusty strawberry nose…a rustic style…dry tannins…fruit at the back…
This was enjoyable..but down the list of wines that I would buy at this price. This costs €30..so I expect a liitle more..at least € 5 too much…but they have to subsidise the cheese you know..
Points 16.75
This house is known for it’s Syrah..and I was after their Vieilles Vignes..which had very good reviews…but I could only obtain the simple bottling.
Domaine Simon Maye
Syrah 2003
Wallis, Switzerland
Deep dark colour…earthy aromas..chunky & funky..really rude nose…but one-dimensional..I kept hoping somewhere the flowers would appear from the desert…but it remained reserved and slightly boring. At € 23 I would prefer this French Syrah..better value.
Points 15
Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes
My first sin was…
it’s none none of your business….
and although this is probably the first Zinfandel I have made tasting notes of….
I must have had a glass pushed in front
of me at some time…
I made preliminary precautions before deciding what to try..after reading so many negatives
about the grape….and this one is probably
not the most typical. After tasting it..
anything less elegant would not have
been my style.
Green & Red Vineyard
Chiles Mill Vineyard Zinfandel 2005
Napa Valley, California, U.S.A.
Smoke…some dried plums on the nose….a fairly big mouthful..like stuffing a whole bowl of raspberries in at once….but there is an elegance and coolness that reins it back in…medium soft tannins..and a spicy touch. The 14.5% Alcohol left it’s mark…but I stopped at the halfway stage..otherwise a pounding head in the night would have lost it a point!
Points 16
Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes
After tasting this grower’s Nicodemus I wasn’t 
sure what style I would be
getting here. Agreed…the
aforementioned wine was a mix of other
grapes…but can Bordeaux growers
produce Burgundy…see what I mean?.
Well..if you had blindfolded me and
let me taste 10 different bottles of
Spätburgunder…I think I would have
chosen the correct one. A case of the
grower putting his own mark on the
wines..and why not..cos in this case..
it works.
Submitted by The Wine School of Philadelphia
Sella & Mosca 2004 Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva, DOC, Sardegna
Located in the northwesteren part of the island, Sella & Mosca has become Sardinia’s signature winery. Its vast acres of vineyards have made it and Argiolas the names most synonymous with wine from this ancient culture.
Cannonau is Garnacha…but nothing like its Spanish ancestor. It is potent, leathery, earthy and infused with the “macchia” that grows wild in the rocky, untraveled interior. Mouth filling flavors of dark forest berries ride along on mild waves of tobacco and dry herbs. There is a tannic structure that provides a solid foundation without sacrificing the primal, rustic nature of the wine.
The best Sardinian wines are simple, direct, authentic - and this fits the description. Have it with lamb or pork. Even better, with one of the unusual pastas found only in Sardinia accompanied by a local pecorino. Or orzo tossed with fresh herbs and drizzled with olive oil.
Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes
The recent tastings on the blog have been from a mixed case..and although a few scored higher…this and the Goisot were not only very good..but well-priced..this littl
e gem costs
€ 17…and it’s beautifully packaged..
look at that photo!
David Reynaud, along with his mother Marceline, runs this vineyard. Up until 2002 production was sold to the local co-operative but then David decided to bottle under his own label which needed a new cuverie.He makes two cuvées of red Crozes from three very different and separate plots. The top cuvée, Les Croix, is made from grapes from a plot of older vines (over fifty years old).
Domaine Les Bruyeres
Crozes-Hermitage
Les Croix Vieilles Vignes 2004
Rhône , France
A soft ‘Jungle Book’ funky Syrah(100%)..
spices and tobacco..really lovely mouthful..soft, plush..light raspberry fruit..just a touch of tannins..very sexy..what more can you ask for?..
and a tip..open and drink..in my opinion..needed no airing.
Points 16.5
Submitted by Wine Reviews from the Wine School
What a polished, silky, modern wine, amazingly appealing now but with years of evolution ahead of it. The nose is rich with deeply stewed fruit, cigar tobacco, and an underlying note of black peppercorn. Yet despite its silky texture and sweet ripe red-berry fruit on the palate, the tannins maintain a real sense of grip. This wine embodies what makes 2005 such a benchmark year: The ripeness and generosity of fruit is held in check by gorgeous acidity–a rarity in such a hot vintage.
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Submitted by Wine Reviews from the Wine School
Date: Friday, June 6th
Time: 7:30 – 9:30pm
Classroom 101
Guest Sommelier: Paul Rodriguez of Tinto
Tickets (or Seats) Available: 15
Imagine two of the city’s top wine professionals competing to create the perfect food & wine pairing… and all for you! We pit one of Philadelphia’s top sommeliers against one of our top wine educators. Those attending try each of the food & wine pairings, and get to choose the winner.
This evening, we are thrilled to welcome Paul Rodriguez of Tinto. He presides over one of the most interesting, delicious wine lists in Philadelphia. Will his expertise in the wines of Spain, Italy, France, and seemingly everywhere else propel him to victory? Join us to find out!
Choose: Premium (+$10.00)
Discount
Which is right for you?
List Price: $73.99
Price: $53.99
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Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes & Memories
Two continents, same vintage, same grape..and a similar result
Cristom Pinot Noir
Sommer’s Reserve 2005
Oregon, U.S.A.
This wine is a blend of different
vineyard sites, including the estate
vineyards, all within the Willamette Valley.
The “Sommers Reserve” designation means
it is a barrel selection of the favourite
lots as well as being aged longer
in the barrels.
Medium ruby colour….dark cherries
aroma, juicy fruit….some sweet oak…cinnamon…dry, silky tannins…
but an austere style…needs a year or two….missing that ’sexy’ touch…
Points 16
Domaine Lorenzon Mercury 2005
Burgundy, France
Bruno Lorenzon is the man that flies the
flag for this village.
Found in many french restaurants as an
alternative to higher priced Burgundies.
Reserved nose…slightly burnt aroma…
delicately fruity…dark fruits..tight tannins..
and with airing the acidity dominated.
Not a good time of it’s life..still austere…
again..a year or two.
Still not ’sexy’ enough for me. Now..where is that photo of Claudia Cardinale (and don’t dare anyone say..Who Is She?)
Points 15.5..the wine I mean!
And for those who wanna know:
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Submitted by Wine Reviews from the Wine School
First Flight
1. Gunderloch 2005 Dry Riesling, Rheinhessen (GR)
Second Flight
1. Beyond 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Constantia (SA)
2. Cousiño-Macul 2006 Chardonnay “Antiguas Reservas,” Maipo Valley (CH)
Third Flight
1. Coldstream Hills 2006 Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley (AS)
2. Falesco 2006 Sangiovese, Umbria (IT)
Fourth Flight
1. Las Rocas de San Alejandro 2005 Garnacha, Catalyud (SP)
2. Craneford 2005 Shiraz, Barossa Valley (AS)
Fifth Flight
1. Falesco 2005 Merlot, Umbria (IT)
2. Jardin 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch (SA)
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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons cooking wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons ginger, diced
1/2 lb. lean beef steak, cut into thin strips
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch-strips
Fry onions and ginger quickly in peanut oil. Add beef and cook 3-4 minutes. In separate bowl mix wine, salt, sugar, soy. Add sauce to beef and cook several minutes. Serve with hot rice.
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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog
Don’t let the name scare you, this is a Swedish dish handed down from my grandmother. Enjoy!
6 large potatoes
3/4 cup cream
1/4 lb. butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 ounce package of frozen spinach
2 tablespoons chipped chives
1 teaspoons fresh dill
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Submitted by Vino Keeno, The Grapevine for the Recreational Wino
Chateau Petrogasm, I LOVE you. I want to pop several corks with you, and find myself in a compromising position in the morning. Yes, I’d even do the walk of shame for you, Chateau Petrogasm. My butt is firmly planted on the bandwagon. I’ll be your largest sycophantic follower.
What in the heck is Chateau Petrogasm?
It is a wine review website, of course. What did you think it was?
Why all the gushing?
Because the lovely folk at Chateau Petrogasm have boiled the art of wine reviewing down to it’s purest form. Never before have I seen a more brilliant take on the whole industry. Their style exposes the feeling of the wine, in a way that transcends words, obliterates language barriers and says more than any verbose wine label, sniffy descriptor or hoity-toity tasting note could accomplish.
How do they achieve such a feat?
Simple. They just post one image as the wine review. A photograph. That’s it. No aromatic intangibles. No descriptions of dirt or vines or climate. No lengthy discourses on flavors you’ll never pick up on. One picture.
As a graphic designer and wine lover, I am in awe of the simplicity of their wine reviewing tactics. Jealous as hell I didn’t think of it, but mainly, I want to bear Chateau Petrogasm’s love child. And if I could drink all of those spendy wines in the process, that wouldn’t hurt either.
Well played, Chateau Petrogasm. I humbly genuflect. And I’ll see you at 8.
(Click here to see which wine was reviewed with a photo of a horse’s ass.)
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Submitted by Vino Keeno, The Grapevine for the Recreational Wino
Treana Red 2004
$36.99
Wine Label says:
Treana Winery is located in Paso Robles, at the center of California’s Central Coast. Having spent more than two decades developing vineyards in and around Paso Robles, the Treana Red blend reprewsnet grape varieties best suited to the region’s unique calcareous soils and distinctive climate. The Treana vineyards are planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon. This proprietary red blend is a complex, elegant wine with up-front, dark fruit characteristics, good tannin structure and a long, silky finish.
Treana wines represents a fresh dimension to our state’s viticultural diversity. SNORE.
Rabbi Tuchman says:
After that lengthy, verbose and somewhat boring label, we decided to make this review concise.
The wine is smooth with a sweet subtle nose. It has hints of coffee and berries. All in all, we really enjoyed this bottle tonight with our chicken dinner salads and will buy another one soon.
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Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes & Memories
Age ain’t nothing but a number to be correct….
Recently read in Decanter magazine that German wine labels are still confusing to consumers…the writer then explained ‘It’s easy..when you know how.’
This photo of the most EXTREME example made me smile. It is much easier nowadays…once you learn the main words. Generally it is the Riesling wines that maybe confuse the most people.Red wines are fairly easy in comparison…Which leads me to today’s wine…Nelles 1479 B48 Spätburgunder…which got me thinking…All those who are scared of wine-lists in restaurants..unable to pronounce the names..expecting a grin from the sommelier…would have things easier with ‘We’ll take a white with the starter..the 353 A47..followed by a red 3216 X22…’
The chinese..who are taking over the world at the moment..would have no trouble with numbers on their restaurant menus….
But enough of this frivolity…
Nelles named the wine after the birth year of the winery. His top Spätburgunder is a B52..this B48 being the next one down.At about this age..the second wines I have tried from the Ahr always show much better..this is no exception.
Nelles 1479 B48 Spätburgunder
Ahr, Germany
Gentle, classy aroma…creamy with wild fruits…the silky smoothness on
the palate is backed up with a dose of oak..some vanilla and soft approachable tannins…some spiciness…a real delight..and so drinkable….I almost emptied the bottle..these wines are just so enticing…
As to marking..it almost made the magic 18…maybe it will in a year.
Points 17.75
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Submitted by Wine Reviews from the Wine School
Which Wine Schooler would you vote for?
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Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes & Memories
The estate is located in the commune of Winterbach in Württemberg.The wine-growing tradition of the family goes back to the early 16th century, but the current wine estate was only established in 1949, and was only fully converted to winemaking ten years later. From the outset, Jürgen Ellwanger has sought to produce high quality, although he really only made the
breakthrough to the production of top-level wines with the foundation of the Hades group in 1986, whose members are among the pioneers of barrique-matured wines in Germany. The is a cuvee of Merlot & Cabernet Cubin (developed and subsequently released in November, 1999, this cross is reported as derived from Cabernet Sauvignon & Lemberger parentage by the Weinsberg/Württemberg Research Station, Baden, Germany)
Jürgen Ellwanger Nicodemus
‘Hades’ 2005 Barrique
Württemberg, Germany
Thick, deep aromas of cherries and dark
berries, pepper with some cedar and a
cool vanilla note lingering.
Concentrated..fine dusty tannins…
packed to the hilt…showing a trace of softness..the oak trying to show itself…
but this is built to last…still very young…
good finish. Difficult to appraise..needs 4-5 years.
A Bordeaux of this quality would cost you more..
the price here is 28 Euros.
Points 17.25 +
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Submitted by Wine Reviews from the Wine School
Antiche Vigneti di Cantalupo “Primagenia” 2005, Piemonte
The Colline Novarese DOC is located in the smaller cluster of designated zones in northern Piemonte that includes Gattinara and Ghemme, two familiar names for devotees of Nebbiolo. The regulations for both allow for the inclusion of Vespolino, a blending grape that also shows up with Bonarda in the Oltrepo Pavese region of Lombardy.
Wines from the Novarese area are noticeably smoother, softer, and able to be consumed earlier than their Langhe cousins. There is less earth and tar and the floral aspects more subdued. This Nebbiolo-Vespolino blend from Cantalupo in the town of Ghemme is indicative of its origins…fresh, food friendly, more cherry and raspberry than typically woodsy Nebbiolos from farther south. The tannins are already mild, the acidity keeping the fruit bright throughout.
Like Chiavennasca from Valtellina this is another version of one of Italy’s noble red grapes that illustrates the diversity of Italian wines and serves as a point of comparison to more renowned Nebbiolos.
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Submitted by Wine Reviews from the Wine School
Mastroberardino 2004 Sannio Falanghina, Campania (IT)
Ch. de Tracy 2005 Pouilly Fume, Loire (FR)
Marina Piper 2003 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills (OR)
Las Pizarras del Jalon 2005 Garnacha, Calatayud (SP)
Graham Beck 2001 Syrah “The Ridge”, Cape Peninsula (SAfr)
Dutschke 2003 Shiraz “St. Jakobi”, Barossa Valley (AU)
Badia di Morrona 2000 “N’Antia”, Tuscany (IT)
Veramonte 2003 “Primus”, Casablanca Valley (CH)
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