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Newsletter

November, 2009

• Tasting Calendar
• Whites
• Reds
• Roses
• Sparklers
• Dessert
• Chasing Chehalem: One of Oregon's Rock Stars
• On the South African "Savanha"
• Archives

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TASTING CALENDAR

WINE DINNER AT THE SUMMIT FEATURING THE WINES OF APPELLATION WINE COMPANY

Thursday, November 19th
We were finally able to corral Scott Woodward, principal of Appellation Wine Company, for a wine dinner. He always seems to be in one end of the country or another. You might recall that we featured Scott and his company in our last newsletter. Scott represents a consortium of small family owned wineries and grape growers who were previously a part of the revered Chalone Group… before it was sold to a massive liquor corporation. These wineries make wines that "go against the grain." Wines that are not ponderous giants with massive extraction and mind-numbing alcohol. Rather, stylish wines that don’t bulldoze fine dishes like those prepared by the Summit’s gifted kitchen. Scott will bring a selection of five wines that will be carefully matched with a multiple course dinner. The tariff per diner is only $69 (plus tax and gratuity). The date is Thursday, November 19th, kicking off at 6:30 pm at The Broadmoor’s Summit Restaurant. To reserve seats or pose questions about the dinner, call us at Coaltrain (475-9700). It promises to be a magical evening.

SOUR FEST DEUX

Wednesday, November 18th
We are proud to announce the second annual sour beer tasting! This sit-down event will be a treat. We will feature some mouth-puckering brews from the most renowned brewers in Belgium, as well as beers from talented American brewers. The Warehouse will provide substantial food to balance the impressive line-up of beers. Join us Wednesday, November 18th at 6 pm. Call Coaltrain (475-9700) to reserve your spot.

COALTRAIN HOLIDAY WINE SALE TASTING

Thursday, December 10th
Here we go again…our most hedonistic wine tasting of the year. You will be able to sample many of the tasty wines we are offering in our annual Christmas Wine Sale. Yes, it is a try before you buy event. These are carefully selected wines from the 1,000s we taste in the course of the year (what a job!). There will be gems from around the world. Also, a selection of "hand crafted" beers will be present for your delectation. To top it off, we’ll have live " unplugged" music! The tasting will take place on the eve of December 10th, running from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The venue is The Warehouse Restaurant, 25 W. Cimarron, which will prepare hors d’ouevres to complement the libations. The cost per taster is $35. Please call us to reserve your slot (475-9700). A ton of fun is guaranteed.

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THANKSGIVING ALERT 2009!

While Thanksgiving is the national day of mourning for all patriotic turkeys, it is the national day of feasting for most all Americans. This means lots of eating and drinking, but of course. Though the traditional Thanksgiving feed is often met with fear and loathing when considering the wine/food matches, it is really quite easy. On the traditional table, young, fresh wines—white, red and rose—will do the job admirably. Few wines, actually, will fail the turkey test. But we realize that the Thanksgiving dinner has morphed away from turkey (to the fowls’ relief) and all the "fixins" in many American homes. Ducks, geese, wild game, lamb, beef, fish and un-American delicacies such as "foie gras" appear on many plates. This can make things a little trickier. For instance, you would want sweet wine with "foie gras." These "new Thanksgiving dishes" might require the personal recommendations of one of our worldly "wine experts." Usually found napping in the back.

Whatever the theme of your Thanksgiving celebration, we offer a few of our favorite feasting wines with some of the dishes with which they might shine brightest.

WHITES

2007 Napa Cellars Reserve Chardonnay, Mount Veeder, $25.99: This really will send you to the clouds. It’s beautiful and hypnotic. It has 100 percent French oak aging which is totally ethereal, not saturnine. Made by Joe Shirley who was formerly winemaker at Sonoma Cutrer. Get it while you can… only 150 cases were made! 90pts Wine Enthusiast. TRY IT, PERHAPS WITH PHEASANT BREAST AND WILD RICE.

2008 Momo Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, $17.99/Sale $15.99: One of the most delicious Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs we’ve had this year. It has a huge nose with the expected grapefruit, herb and earth. Big in the mouth, yet totally urbane and charming. WITH OYSTERS OR GOAT CHEESES, IT WOULD BE A DREAM.

2008 Jerman Ribolla Gialla, $22.99: Ultra-exotica from the Friulia zone of northeast Italy. It’s round, yet crisp with ineffable floral aromas. Silvio Jerman’s ability to combine freshness with richness has made him one of Italy’s most esteemed winemakers (Italian winemaker of the year multiple times). THIS WOULD BE THE BOMB WITH TURKEY, SEAFOOD OR HARD CHEESES.

2008 Maculan Pinot & Toi, $13.99/Sale $11.99: Fausto Maculan is a very funny guy. As he says, "I may not be the smartest winemaker, but I’m not stupid." This is his introductory white blend of Tocai, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc. Annually, it is soft, charming and satisfying. TRY IT WITH THE BIRD OR ALONE, BEFORE THE MEAL.

2008 Donnhoff Riesling, Nahe, $21.99/ Sale $18.99: Herman Donnhoff is with no doubt one of the world’s supreme winemakers. His wines have grace, style and a crafty pinch of power. This is his "intro" wine and it shows what he can do at a reasonable price. Granny Smith apple essences abound. TRY WITH HAM OR SPICY SIDE DISHES.

2007 Rocca dei Leoni Falanghina, $18.99/Sale $14.99: This dry, complex white from outside of Naples is quite an amazement. With each sip it provides new flavors. It’s really tough to compare it with anything. It’s like its Napolitano provenance. THIS IS A WINE THAT COULD COVER CLAMS IN A LINGUINI CREAM SAUCE OR SHRIMP PREPARED ANY WAY.

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REDS

2007 Domaine de la Garrigue Vacqueras, $19.99/Sale $17.99: We are “garrigue” kind of people. That rocky, scruffy, thorny part of southern France. There is something “rough and tumble” about these red wines, not gentile and polite. Here is a big boy, but a good boy from the fine, noteworthy 2007 vintage. The price is frankly unbelievable for the quality. IF YOU ARE UP FOR IT, TRY IT WITH ROASTED PIGEON OR WILD BOAR.

2005 Castaño Solanera, Yecla, $16.99/Sale $12.99: The mighty chestnut. Never have we been disappointed with a wine from Castaño, even though they produce 300,000 cases of wine. This bottle is rich and complex. Mourvedre is the base with a little Cabernet and Syrah along for the ride. TAKE A SHOT WITH LAMB OR MANCHEGO CHEESE.

2007 Losado, Bierzo, $23.99/Sale $19.99: “Los locos de Bierzo.” If you don’t know what we refer to; it is a burgeoning wine zone in Galicia near the city of Ourense. Galicia is where we get the fab Albarinos and Godellos. But this, of course, is red. Mencia is the grape. The best Mencia, like this, have a satin texture and a bit of kick on the end. GREAT LAMB POTENTIAL OR AT THE FINISH OF THE DINNER WITH SOME CABRALES CHEESE FROM NEIGHBORING ASTURIAS.

2006 Consentino, “The Zin,” Lodi, $21.99/Sale $17.99: A “Zin lovers” Zin to be sure. It’s big, but not ponderous. And it’s not sweet or jammy. There is depth and enchantment here. MIGHT BE A HAPPY MARRIAGE WITH A FRIED TURKEY OR A ROASTED BIRD WITH SAUSAGE STUFFING.

2006 Buttonwood, Hawk Red, Santa Ynez, $12.99/Sale $10.99: You know, if you were sitting, drinking this alone, you might take it for an Haut-Medoc from Bordeaux. Well, it is indeed composed in an “Old World” style. And the grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon (60 percent) and Cabernet Franc (40 pecent). To boot, it spends some time aging in French “barrique.” It would be hard to find an Haut-Medoc as good as this at this remarkable price! LAMB, PRIME RIB AND RED MEATS, IN GENERAL, WOULD FLY WITH THIS BIRD.

2008 Painted Wolf Pinotage, South Africa, $14.99/$12.99: One of most delightful Pinotages (cross of Cinsault and Pinot Noir) we’ve tasted in several years. It avoids the burnt rubber aspects of many of its peers. It gives the warm body of Cinsault and the finesse of Pinot Noir. WILD FOWL, PARTICULARLY DUCK, WOULD FORM AN AGREEABLE SYNERGY HERE.

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ROSES

2008 Leo Rose, Pfalz, $15.99/Sale $12.99: This is a little different than a typical French Provencal rose. There is more body weight and a tickle of sweetness. PAIR IT WITH HIGHLY SEASONED SIDE DISHES, MAYBE EVEN GUACAMOLE OR A PIZZA.

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SPARKLERS

Canella Prosecco, $16.99/Sale $13.99: Prosecco is the red hot pre-dinner sparkler in Italy and most other places in the developed World. It’s light and gentle with tiny bubbles that are friendly on the tummy. It comes from northeast Italy and Prosecco is the name of the grape. DRINK IT ALONE WHILE AWAITING THE MEAL’S START OR WITH ANTIPASTI.

Cremant du Jura, Nicole Deriaux, $23.99: Now here’s one you won’t see every day. It’s a sparkling wine made in the French Jura, above Switzerland, by the Champagne method. The grape is Chardonnay, called "Melon d’Arbois" in these parts. It’s very much like "real Champagne" at half the price. IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO TRY WITH A "POULET DE BRESSE" IN A "VIN JAUNE" SAUCE OR A MORBIER CHEESE TART. AH, ALL THE JURA GOODIES AT ONE SITTING.

Bouvet, Brut Rose, Loire, $14.99/Sale $11.99: A classic from the Loire Valley. It’s a dry sparkling rose with tons of refined aromatics and flavors. It’s a "killer" deal in fine sparkling wine. TRY IT AS AN APERITIF OR HAM AS THE MAIN EVENT.

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DESSERT

Niepoort Tawny Port, $16.99: Dirk Niepoort and his brilliant winemaker, Jorge Borges, never disappoint. This is an acutely balanced port (fruit, sugar, alcohol) with a little age that gives it far more complexity than a young Ruby Port. IT WOULD SHINE WITH ANYTHING CHOCOLATE, BLUE CHEESES AND EVEN PUMPKIN PIE.

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CHASING CHEHALEM:
ONE OF OREGON’S MATURING ROCK STARS

We have been Chehalem "groupies" for years. Harry Peterson-Nedry, a North Carolina-born chemist, created the Chehalem line in 1990. In 1993, he brought to market Pinot Noirs from his family’s Ridgecrest Estate on Ribbon Ridge, near the town of Newberg in the now famous Willamette Valley. Today he sources his fruit from several vineyards such as Corral Creek and Stoller. And he makes a lot more wines than Pinot Noir. Actually, today Pinot Noir is 60 percent of his 12,000 case production. There are Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris in the mix. These are as distinguished as his Pinots. What always dazzles us is the purity of the fruit in his wines. To quote Harry, "Wine is preserved fruit. Complexity and interest is provided by the fruit’s inherent beauty, terroir nuances from where it is grown, and cellar influences from barrel, yeast, and winemaking magic." How right-on! Here’s what we have:

2007 Chehalem Inox Chardonnay, Willamette, $18.99/Sale $15.99: No wood. "Inox" is winemaking slang for stainless steel. Lordy, what a wine! There is jasmine, pear, kiwi, lime, pineapple, fruit candies and stone. This beauty is firmly acid-driven and also richly emollient. We could drink it all day long. This would be wonderful with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

2007 Chehalem Dry Riesling, Corral Creek, Willamette, $22.99/Sale $16.99: Good grief what a delightful Riesling. It has a bit more body than the great German species. It strikes you as not being bone dry. But there are steely, limey essences that make us swoon with pleasure. Incredibly it comes from 26-year-old vines that produce barely a ton per acre. We love Riesling with turkey and all the trimmings.

2005 Chehalem Pinot Noir, Ridgecrest Vineyards, Willamette, $44.99/Sale $29.99: What a price for a wine coming into "prime time." It offers rich Pinot flavors and elegance as well. To be more specific, there is red-black fruit, mineral-earth, light tannin and a creamy texture. Only 24 barrels were made. Snag some and enjoy it over the next year or so. A fabulous Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving.

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ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN "SAVANHA"

On Africa’s Western Cape resides a winery called "Savanha." We tasted the line-up a few weeks past and were duly impressed. It seems that the winery has benefited from its sunny, coastal setting. There it enjoys long sunlight hours, cooling breezes of the sea, nutrient-rich soils and the perfect degree of mountain sloping vineyards which allows for catchment of the scarce summer rains. Winemaker Frans Smit grows the usual South African suspects—Steen (Chenin Blanc), Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Merlot, Pinotage, Syrah, etc. We were particularly taken by three and immediately put them in Coaltrain. We think the price/quality ratio is hard to beat. Check them out below.

2007 Savanha Sauvignon Blanc, Special Reserve, $14.99: Pretty assertive but not quite as much as a New Zealand Sauvignon. It first grabs you with aromas of gooseberry, nettles and grass. There is juicy passion fruit on the palate. Actually, it gives lots of flavors that are tuned perfectly. It shows what they can do in South Africa with this grape.

2008 Savanha Sun, Pinotage/Shiraz, $9.99: Pinotage (a cross of Cinsault and Pinot Noir) is the enigmatic grape of South Africa. At times, it can display burnt rubber aspects (no we are not alluding to the infamous "necklacing" in those parts). Not here. Frans Smit gives an equlibrated wine that is berries and plums with just enough of that South African funk to make it interesting. The blending of the Shiraz with the Pinotage seems to broaden and soften the flavors.

2006 Sejana Merlot, $29.99: This is a single vineyard wonder from Savanha’s home estate in Stellenbosch. The winery considers it its "flagship" and it should. The wine gives you sumptuous cocoa, roasted vanilla and dark plum essence. In the mouth you will note velvety smoothness with rich, ripe fruit that is precisely integrated with the French oak in which it has been aged for 18 months. By the way "Sejana" means trophy in the native language. And this wine is deserving of the name.

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