Mpls.St.Paul Magazine - Eat + Drink - Wine + Spirits

Wine to Go? Get It in the Box

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:40:03 GMT

Inspired to try some of our cover story’s bike trips, hikes, and outings? Don’t forget the wine. Box wine is affordable, often quite good, and very transportable. It’s becoming more and more acceptable, and the quality has come a long way. The selection is huge, most boxes are environmentally friendly, and some wines are organic. Most important, they’re light, so you can carry a lot. Wine selection from Liquor Boy, 5620 Cedar Lake Rd., St. Louis Park, 952-512-2200, liquor-boy.com

Big House
The Birdman 2011
(California)
Grape: Pinot grigio (Big House also makes Cardinal Zin in a box)
Price: $17.99
• Bright, light, crisp, lemony, and easy to drink as a cocktail. It would be great out on the patio, on the boat, by the pool, or on your next picnic.

Bota Box
RedVolution 2011
(California)
Grape: Zinfandel, cabernet, merlot, syrah, and petite sirah
Price: $16.99
• Blends are hot right now. This one has dark berry fruit, full-bodied flavor, and a soft finish. All in all, it’s a nice glass of wine for a BBQ or pizza night.

Duca del Frassino 2011
(Venezie, Italy)
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon and corvina—a grape used in Italy’s Valpolicella wines
Price: $14.99
• A nice way to transition into red wine, this one goes down easily. With tart cherry, raspberry, and a bit of vanilla sweetness, this cabernet is softened with corvina, a lighter styled red. Be careful to count your refills.

Bota Box
Malbec 2011
(Mendoza, Argentina)
Grape: Malbec
Price: $16.99
• Probably the hottest grape going right now, malbec is a nice replacement for cabernet. It’s similar in style but with no need for aging to soften the tannins. This wine has cherry and strawberry fruit with a little spice. Spaghetti night has a new friend.

Bill Coy runs Vintage U, which organizes wine tastings, classes, and events for corporate groups, wine enthusiasts, and the general public. Reach him at VintageU@msn.com.

Life's Short, Have Dessert First

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:22:45 GMT

March in Minnesota can wear on you. But if you look on the bright side, little things can give you a pick-me-up, like dessert. Dessert wines are often overlooked, but they are a great way to add something special to an evening, whether it’s a formal dinner or a quick visit with friends.

Selection from The Wine Shop, 17521 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, 952-988-9463, wineshopminnetonka.com

Chateau Menate Sauternes 2008
(Sauternes, Bordeaux, France)
Grape: Semillon, sauvignon blanc
Price: $35.99

Sauternes is a wine and a place. Dessert wines from here are elegant, complex, and age-worthy. Full of honey and vanilla components with beautifully balanced acid, this wine is rich but not syrupy.
Pairing: Neal’s Yard Stilton Blue from France 44 Cheese Shop or a lemon bar from Broders’ Cucina.

Matzin Late Harvest
Zinfandel 2005
(Lodi, California)
Grape: Zinfandel
Price: $21.99

This one is harvested late for higher sugar content, and the fermentation is stopped to leave sweet notes of strawberry and blackberry. Don’t worry, the spice remains—it’s even a bit dry on the finish with good tannic acid.
Pairing: Chocolate opera cake from Chez Arnaud Bakery.

Kracher Auslese Cuvee 2010
(Burgenland, Austria)
Grape: Welschriesling, chardonnay
Price: $19.99

The complexity of this wine was a huge surprise. You get tart apples and ripe pear, honeysuckle and caramel. Styled like a very expensive Sauternes, the finish lasts for what seems like five minutes.
Pairing: The apple crisp from the Salty Tart—get a little of the wonderful caramel to drizzle over the top.

Isole e Olena
Vin Santo 2004
(Tuscany, Italy)
Grape: Malvasia bianca, trebbiano
Price: $62.99

These grapes are dried for three months to concentrate the sugars, then pressed and fermented with a wine/yeast mix from the previous year, and finally aged for six years in oak and chestnut barrels. The end result is a sweet, fruity, nutty wine with caramel and burnt orange on the finish. Wow.
Pairing: Bread pudding from Heartland Market.

Chilling and Diluting Whiskey

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:41:02 GMT

Nature’s saying everything should be ice-cold right now, but at the risk of being struck down by a rare winter bolt of lightning, I might suggest that doesn’t include your whiskey. I think all whiskey (bourbon, Scottish, Irish, you name it) can become emasculated if overchilled. I’d like to touch on two points here: the temperature of the spirit being enjoyed and the proof of said sprit.

When you use ice to chill and dilute a whiskey, picking the right amount can be quite a tricky thing. Any spirit you taste that’s higher than 66.6 percent proof or so will be too “hot”—too highly proofed—and will overpower and weaken your taste buds. That’s why true connoisseurs will dilute their whiskey with water, down to 55 to 60 percent or so, to be able to fully appreciate the spirit’s flavor. Some people like their whiskey chilled too (I suggest root-cellar temp), but using ice will keep the dilution rate and temp constantly in flux, so I suggest diluting your whiskey to an exact predetermined proof by using distilled water and then chilling it with something that won’t melt over time. The Scottish prefer chilled whiskey stones (although some say they impart a mineral taste), but I suggest using pre-chilled marbles. They look super cool and, being made of glass, will not affect the taste.

Have fun experimenting with different dilution percentages of the same whiskey and contemplating the subtle and nuanced differences. That should help kill some time until spring arrives.

—

Johnny Michaels is the author of North Star Cocktails and a master mixologist at La Belle Vie and Icehouse.

Four French Wines for the Perfect Romantic Dinner

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:35:50 GMT

The thought of France conjures up romance. So why not bring a touch home for this cold month of February? These wines will take you on a little tour and help make up a perfect romantic dinner. A hint when it comes to understanding French wines: Most are named for their place of origin, not their grape. Selection from Cork Dork Wine Co., 4726 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls., 612-721-9463, corkdorkwineco.com

JJ Laurent-Perrier Brut NV

(Champagne)
Grape: chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier
Price: $35
• This wine smells like a warm, fresh buttered croissant, staying with the French romance theme. Beautiful Champagne, it’s elegant and will impress.
Pairing: Someone you “like” like.

Domaine du Rin du Bois Touraine 2011

(Loire Valley)
Grape: sauvignon blanc
Price: $11
• Tours, in the province of Touraine, is the capital of this region where the main white grape is chenin blanc but sauvignon blanc is also widely planted. This wine is crisp and bright with minerals and lemony acid.
Pairing: Oysters or scallops.

Chateau Fonguillon 2010

(Bordeaux)
Grape: merlot, cabernet franc
Price: $16
• The silky, softer side of Bordeaux, this St. Emilion is complex but subtle. Balanced berry fruit, tannins, and earthiness make it food friendly and wallet friendly.
Pairing: Beef tenderloin with grilled asparagus.

Chateau de Hauterive Chemin de Compostelle 2009

(Cahors)
Grape: malbec
Price: $15
• The main grape in Cahors, just east of Bordeaux, is malbec. (Argentinean malbec is also French.) This wine is lush and full-bodied with blue and blackberry fruit, spice, pepper, and a bit of earthiness.
Pairing: Rib eye with Gorgonzola and sweet corn mashed potatoes.

Bill Coy runs Vintage U, which organizes wine tastings, classes, and events for corporate groups, wine enthusiasts, and the general public. Reach him at VintageU@msn.com.

Liver Detox: Milk Thistle

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:46:29 GMT

Whew! Happy New Year, indeed. Time to take a little break from all the full-tilt merrymaking we’ve been doing. I’ve always noticed a two-week surge in non-alcoholic beer sales in January.

Nowadays, it seems we can’t go 15 minutes without hearing about someone’s all-out detox or cleansing program. I tip my invisible cap to these people. I’m no rookie when it comes to going to extremes, but after the holidays, I seriously wonder if a sudden full-scale detoxification of my system just might kill me.

For those of us who enjoy the sporting life, whose daily bread often comes in liquid form, I have always endorsed the supplemental use of an herb called milk thistle (widely available at vitamin and drug stores). You just take a pill or two a day, much like any multivitamin. Milk thistle helps your liver function at a higher level, helping you eliminate toxins more quickly to bounce back a little faster. If you mistreat your liver from time to time, why not balance things out and be nice to it, too?

It’ll help you enjoy 2013 to the fullest.

Johnny Michaels is the author of North Star Cocktails and a master mixologist at La Belle Vie and Icehouse.

New Year, New Wine

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:04:58 GMT

Let’s dump some of our old standbys and branch out in 2013. With so many countries, grapes, and styles of wine out there, we could all use some fresh choices and places to discover them. I found Elevated Beer Wine Spirits, a new shop with new wines, to help me. Elevated Beer Wine Spirits, 4135 Hiawatha Ave., Mpls., 612-208-0973, elevatedbws.com

JJ Vincent Cremant Brut NV (Burgundy, France)
Grape: 100 percent chardonnay
Price: $28.99

Cremant, a sparkling wine made in France but outside of Champagne, is created using the same process as Champagne but has a more affordable price. It’s creamy with that fresh-baked bread smell on the nose. Toast the New Year with something you can drink all year round.

E–1 Espana Orin Swift by Dave Phinney 2011 (Spain)
Grape: garnacha (grenache), tempranillo, and carinena (carigan)
Price: $16.99

This Spanish red blend is full-bodied, rich, and PURPLE. You’ll enjoy great blackberry fruit and a bit of spicy cedar on the finish. It won’t replace Côtes du Rhône or your favorite Oregon pinot noir, but it will be a nice addition to your lineup.

Villa di Capezzana 2007 (Carmignano, Italy)
Grape: 80 percent sangiovese, 20 percent cabernet sauvignon
Price: $29.99

While tasting this wine, all I could think of was a fat rib-eye steak. A change of pace for you big Napa cab boys (and girls), this affordable Super Tuscan has black and blue berry fruit, nutmeg spice, and is a bit leathery on the nose. Big and full-bodied, it will age for a while.

Pares Balta Blanc de Pacs 2011 (Penedes, Spain)
Grape: 45 percent parellad, 34 percent macabeu, 21 percent xarello
Price: $13.99

I can’t pronounce the grapes in this one, and it doesn’t matter. It’s delicious. This fun white blend from Spain, with pear and apple notes and clean lemony acid, is something for New Zealand sauv blanc fans to try this year. This still wine is made from the grapes that are most often used in cava.

Bill Coy runs Vintage U, which organizes wine tastings, classes, and events for corporate groups, wine enthusiasts, and the general public. Reach him at VintageU@msn.com.

The Gift of Wine

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:51:08 GMT

Wine lovers come in all shapes, sizes, and income brackets. So, to fit the needs of all the wine enthusiasts on your list, we need to bounce around the world a bit. Selection from North Loop Wine & Spirits, 218 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., 612-338-5393, northloopwine.com.

House Party

White
Tresa Rina Ianca 2010 (Sicilia, Italy)
Grape: 70 percent grillo, 30 percent viognier
Price: $13.99
• This choice is medium-bodied with a flowery nose and peach fruit. You’ll want to select a white in the middle so the pinot grigio people like it as well as your chardonnay friends.
Red
Sila-Mencia 2009 (Monterrei, Spain)
Grape: 100 percent mencia
Price: $16.99
• Silky with a little oak and raspberry fruit, this ready-to-drink wine gives you something that big jammy red lovers will like as well as guests who are stuck on pinot noir.

Host/Hostess Gift

Szigeti NV (Burgenland, Austria)
Grape: 100 percent gruner veltliner
Price: $19.99
• Bubbles make people smile, so you can’t go wrong with this thank you gift. With a nice balance of apple fruit and tart acid, it features a unique grape made in a true champagne method. This one over-delivers in the price range.

The New Wine Lover

Lagone “Super Tuscan” 2008
(Tuscany, Italy)
Grape: 50 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon, 25 percent cabernet franc
Price: $21.99
• Lush and complex with dark plum cassis fruit, Super Tuscans are Italy’s version of a Meritage or Bordeaux blend. A good choice for newbies, it will broaden their palate with a different grape blend and maybe a new country.

The Collector or Snob

Blackbird Vineyards Arise 2009
(Napa Valley, CA)
Grape: 53 percent merlot, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon, 22 percent cabernet franc
Price: $66.99
• Wow! This is the same blend as the wine above but with an entirely different style and price. It’s a big, bold, structured wine that I feel a little bad drinking so young (not that bad, though). It will age well and only get better.

Bill Coy runs Vintage U, which organizes wine tastings, classes, and events for corporate groups, wine enthusiasts, and the general public. Reach him at VintageU@msn.com.

Scotch Needs to Breathe, Too

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 10:25:05 GMT

We’ve all heard of the benefits of letting wines breathe before we swill them down. Well, the same physical principles also apply to spirits: Adding a little oxygen to the liquid starts to change it and open up the flavors that have been sitting there waiting for you. I have recently begun using an aerator when serving high-end/top-shelf spirits. It’s a great way to take an already spectacular liquid and make it just a little bit better (which is what we Americans, pleasure consumers that we are, are constantly seeking to do, right?). This technique seems to work best with Scotch, bourbons, and cognacs or liquids that have been aged and maybe spent time in a barrel. It tends to mellow and soften the flavors, removing some of the astringency. You can easily find the excellent Vinturi spirit aerator at Target for about $30, but you can also use a red wine aerator with the same success. It might be the best holiday present you ever buy for your boss—you know, the one who thought she had everything? You’ll be the hit of the holiday party. Now let’s see that Christmas bonus!

Johnny Michaels is the author of North Star Cocktails and a master mixologist at La Belle Vie and Icehouse.

New Traditions: Wine Pairings for the "Big Dinner"

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:42:31 GMT

Every year I field multiple questions on pairing wines for the “big dinner.” Fact is, there are as many wine tastes as there are people. While the old standbys may be tried and true, why not push the envelope a bit and find a new favorite for friends and family? Selection available at Stinson Wine, Beer and Spirits, 2315 18th Ave. NE, Mpls., 612-789-0678.

Pratsch Gruner Veltliner 2011

(Niederosterreich, Austria))
Grape: 100 percent gruner veltliner—organic
Price: $14.99
* A wine for the cook, this one is light, lemony, and clean. A little apple and melon fruit make it an easy sipper throughout a long day of cooking. As the saying goes, “I always cook with wine and sometimes put it in the food.”

Domaine Cazes Le Canon 2011

(Catalanes, France)
Grape:Blend of
muscat and viognier (vee-own-YAY)
Price: $11.49
* A new twist for those riesling lovers, this wine has nice honey sweetness with a bright
flowery nose and a hint
of peach. It goes well with turkey, but be
sure to save some for your pie!

Chateau de Manissy Tavel Rosé 2011

(Tavel, Rhone, France)
Grape: A blend of grenache, carignane, syrah, and cinsault
Price: $18.99
* Not white, not red— this one is just right. Complex and full- bodied for rosé, it’s dry with strawberry and raspberry fruit, spicy notes of nutmeg, and burnt orange. If you want to pick one fun wine for the whole meal, this is it.

Domaine Noellat Marsannay- la-Cote 2009

(Burgundy, France)
Grape: 100 percent pinot noir
Price: $35.99
* A great wine for that more intimate, elegant dinner, this one will pair beautifully for the foodie diners who substitute duck or goose for the traditional turkey.

Dante Reserve Merlot 2010

(Oakville, California)
Grape: 97 percent merlot, 3 percent cabernet sauvignon
Price: $9.99
* Medium bodied and a true crowd pleaser, this one has nice berry fruit with soft acids. Affordable for the larger group, it fits right in with that turkey and cranberry sauce.

Bill Coy runs Vintage U, which organizes wine tastings, classes, and events for corporate groups, wine enthusiasts, and the general public. Reach him at VintageU@msn.com.

Hot Bottle Tip: Barolo Chinato

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:58:23 GMT

Ready to try something new? I’m super excited to tell you about a product that’s been around but is new to our distributors here in Minnesota. It’s a fortified wine from Italy called Barolo Chinato (key-NAH-to), and it is like the best sweet vermouth you’ve ever had.

Made from only the highly esteemed nebbiolo grape (famously from the Piedmont region), fortified with grappa (a grape-based brandy), bittered with cinchona bark (from which we get quinine) instead of the usually used wormwood, and then infused with bold indigenous Italian botanicals, the end result, as you can imagine, is robust, rich, and just awesome! It can be used in place of sweet vermouth when making classic cocktails, such as the Manhattan, or sipped straight as a dessert wine while nibbling on some dark chocolate by a warm fire. In fact, this could be a great hostess gift for someone cooking you a big feast.

I really like the Cocchi brand. It’s locally available at Surdyk’s, but ask your favorite liquor store for it by name. Then enjoy adding a new bottle to everyone’s repertoire.