Digest San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, June 9, 2005

Carneros conundrum, Thom Elkjer

Even after 20 years, Napa-Sonoma region struggles to define its identity

Auction Napa Valley doubles its cash haul, W. Blake Gray

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Salmon and Pinot Noir

Recipe:

Prosciutto-Wrapped Salmon with Warm Corn-Mushroom Salsa

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: North Central Coast Pinot Noir, priced from $12 to $55.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Taupiniere a ripened goat cheese from Laura Chenel of Sonoma County. It pairs with crisp whites like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, June 16, 2005

Pinot Lightens Up, Janet Fletcher

Critics may disparage it, but Pinot Grigio’s undemanding nature captivates consumers.

UC Davis study challenges class wine-cheese pairings, Janet Fletcher

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Direct shipping passes in Connecticut . . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Grilled meat and Cabernet Sauvignon

Recipe:

Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops with Seasonal Vegetables

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, priced from $6 - $25.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Bleu d’Auvergne pairs with Riesling when young, with Sauternes or Port when more mature.

The story behind the story that made wine history, W. Blake Gray

Bargain Wines, W. Blake Gray

Red blends priced from $4 to $10.

The Cocktailian, Gary Regan

Featured cocktail: Rauch using Laphroaig, Black Mozart liqueuer and tamarind juice

(sorry no link available)

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, June 23, 2005

On the Rocks, Richard Carleton Hacker

The single malt scotch shortage is double trouble for distillers and consumers.

Beer of the Month, Linda Murphy

‘Lawnmower’ lagers deliver on flavor

Bargain Wines, Leslie Sbrocco

Easy-drinking wines for summer, both red and white, priced $10 or less.

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Wine adds $9.5 billion to Napa economy . . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Light summer food and Sauvignon Blanc

Recipe:

Vegetable Frittata

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County priced from $12 to $25.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Tomino, a soft cow’s milk cheese from Italy is usually found on the antipasto platter. This marinated cheese pairs well with a dry rosé.

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, June 30, 2005

Tony’s World, Linda Murphy

Importer-vintner Anthony Terlato brings some of the globe’s finest wines to America

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Viansa sold to 360 Global Wine . . . new shipping law in New York . . . and more.

The Cocktailian, Gary Regan

Featured cocktail: Thai Boxer using Charbay Vanilla Bean Rum

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Salad and rosé

Recipe:

Watermelon & Avocado Salad

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Domestic rosé, priced from $23 to $8.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Maytag Blue pairs with Anchor Porter.

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, July 7, 2005

Grapes of good hope, Doug Frost

South African wine freed from apartheid’s shackles

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Allied Domecq to be sold . . . glassy-winged sharpshooter assessment continues . . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Tartare and rosé

Recipe:

Tartare of Ahi

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Imported Rosé priced from $33 to $7.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Italian Robiola is a mild cheese to pair with light reds or dry whites.

Books, Linda Murphy

Review of “The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr.and the Reign of American Taste” by Elin McCoy

Bargain Wines, W. Blake Gray

Reisling and Gewurztraminer, priced at $10 or less.

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, July 14, 2005

Decanting Demystified, Janet Fletcher

Most wines – young to old, red or white – could use a little air

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

New rules for vintage labeling . . . direct shipping news . . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Lamb and herbs complement Pinot Noir

Recipes:

Lamb & Rice Dolmas

Onion-Butter Sauce

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Santa Lucia Highlands (Monterey County) Pinot Noir, priced from $54 to $25.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

La Peral is a mild Spanish blue cheese that pairs well with sparkling wine or sherry.

World View, Jancis Robinson

Bordeaux still pours tastes on its own terms – for now.

The Cocktailian, Gary Regan

Featured cocktail: Mouresque and Pastis Provencale using Pastis.

Bargain Wines, Leslie Sbrocco

Reds, whites and pinks, off the beaten path, priced $10 or less.

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, July 21, 2005

Peterson’s Progeny, Olivia Wu

Most famous for his daughters, unassuming California wine pioneer Richard Peterson finally puts his name on a wine’s front label.

Fame lets (Heidi Peterson) Barrett take more chances, Linda Murphy

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Bag-in-box wines are gaining popularity . . . Restaurant Wine magazine Topp 100 list . . . shipping news . . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Chiles and Riesling

Recipe:

Curried Chicken & Mango with Toasted Almonds

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: West Coast Rieslings, priced from $19 to $8.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Goat Gouda from Holland pairs with beer and dessert wines.

Spirits, Gary Regan

Drink Cognac like the French -- mixed

Recipes:

Lutteur III Horse’s Neck

Amour Sanglant

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, July 28, 2005

Golden Oldies, W. Blake Gray

There’s more than just fruit in old-vine Zinfandel – its earthy flavors are history in a bottle. Did white Zinfandel save these vines?

Old-vine farmers wonder, what would Dad think? (This article quotes eGullet's own Mary Baker.)

Bargain Wines, Leslie Sbrocco

Italian wines, $10 or less.

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

In a recent Gallup poll, 39 percent of respondents said they drink wine most often, 36 percent prefer beer . . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Tomatoes and Meritage

Recipe:

Tomato-Onion Tart

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: California Meritage other than Napa and Sonoma counties, priced from $80 to $15.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Grilling works with Hallumi cheese from Cyprus, pair it with ouzo or a dry rosé.

The Cocktailian, Gary Regan

Featured cocktail: Seelbach Cocktail using bourbon, bitters and champagne.

Edited August 4, 2005 by PamelaF (log)

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, August 4, 2005

Recognizing wine’s taste of place, Linda Murphy

And it's all legal, at least in the United States. Winemakers here can use what the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) calls semi- generic place names like "Champagne," "Burgundy," "Port," "Sherry," "Chablis" and "Chianti" (Italy), on their labels, as long as these words are accompanied by a U.S. geographic location, like "California" or "America."

It galls European vintners, and me, to see these wines, which are prohibited in the 25-member European Union. The EU finds "California Champagne" and similar terms to be misleading and confusing to consumers, as well as harmful to the image and value of wines produced in the regions that rightfully claim the origin name.

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Pinot Noir may be in short supply . . . new process to defeat cork taint . . . shipping news . . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Corn and Chardonnay

Recipe:

Chilled Corn Chowder with Shrimp

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Chardonnay from Sonoma County, other than Russian River and Sonoma Coast, priced from $40 to $16.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Fresh burrata is similar to fresh mozzarella and pairs with an aromatic white wine.

Beer of the Month, Linda Murphy

Sierra Nevada Summerfest

Spirits, Gerald D. Boyd

S.F. bartender beats Italians at their own game

Recipes:

Bitter Delight

Indian Summer

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, August 11, 2005

Drama in Amador, W. Blake Gray

Great grapes, hard feelings ferment at landmark California vineyard

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Florida approves direct shipping . . Calloway Coastal winery has been sold . . . federal tax on alcohol industry repealed.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Rich olive sauce pairs with Merlot

Recipe:

White Bean & Olive Sauce

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Washington State Merlot, priced from

$52 to $9.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Berkswell, English sheep's milk cheese pairs well with medium intensity reds, Madeira or sherry.

Bargain Wines, W. Blake Gray

California Merlot (and one from Australia) all $10 or less.

The Cocktailian, Gary Regan

Featured cocktail: Madam Geneva using Pimm's No.1

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, August 18, 2005

Burgundy’s bouquet on a budget, Linda Murphy

Taste the region’s famous character for $30 or less

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Negotiations between U.S. and Europe regarding wine names . . . Florida and Wisconsin direct shipping changes . . .and more.

Spirits, Amanda Gold

Just what San Francisco needed – a $650 cocktail

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Chardonnay pairs with halibut and summer vegetables

Recipe:

Halibut with Summer Vegetables & Saffron Nage

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Russian River Valley & Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, priced from $50 to $12.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Sierra Nevada Cheese Co. makes an old-fashioned cream cheese that can make great summer appetizers, it pairs well with a dry rosé.

Bargain Wines, W. Blake Gray

Cabernet Sauvignon priced at $10 or less.

Great Tastes, Linda Murphy

This is a new series on wine tasting notes from Chronicle Wine section staff.

This week: a tasting of nine Louis M. Martini Winery Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignons from 1979 to 2001.

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, August 25, 2005

Best budget brands, W. Blake Gray

Our 10 favorite brands deliver consistent quality and value for $15 or less

Bogle Vineyards

Castle Rock Winery

Concha y Toro

Don Sebastiani & Sons

Falesco

Hogue Cellars

McManis Family Vineyards

McWilliam's Hanwood Estate

Three Thieves

Villa Maria Estate

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

New 187 ml plastic bottles appeal to young buyers . . . and more.

The Cocktailian, Gary Regan

Featured cocktail: Pink Sink using Absolut Kurant vodka

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Pinot Noir, lavender and duck

Recipe:

Duck with Lavender & Plums

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Carneros Pinot Noir priced from $50 to $10.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Gex is a creamy blue cheese from France. It pairs well with dessert wines.

Letters to Wine

[PamelaF]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, September 01, 2005

Cabernet the Corison Way, Dan Berger

Long time Napa winemaker, Cathy Corison, bucks the trend of making higher-alcohol blockbuster wines

It’s official: This month celebrate California wine, W. Blake Gray

Wine Business Insider, Cyril Penn

Bronco loses another round in their ongoing suit over the name “Napa” . . and more.

Pairings, Lynne Char Bennett

Cabernet Sauvignon and beef

Recipe:

Meat-in-a-loaf, a.k.a. Oklahoma Beef Wellington

The Chronicle’s Wine Selections: Sonoma County AVA Cabernet Sauvignon priced from $10 to $45.

The Cheese Course, Janet Fletcher

Toma Piemontese pairs with white wines.

Bargain Wines, Leslie Sbrocco

Whites and Pinks, all priced at $10 or less.

Spirits, Amanda Berne

Beer cocktails

Letters to Wine

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, September 8, 2005

10 Tough Matches, Lynne Char Bennett

Some foods just aren't all that wine-friendly, clashing like a pair of band cymbals (think of bitter greens washed down with an oaky, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon). However, take comfort in knowing that there is a wine for every dish, and that like kids, all it takes are a few rules -- guidelines, actually, because nothing is hard and fast in matching food and wine -- for harmony to prevail.

Bargain Wines: White After Labor Day, W. Blake Gray

Beer of the Month, Linda Murphy

A comparison of West Coast Wheat Beers just in time for our Autumn "Summer".

Pairings: Shrimp Dish Shells Out Plenty of Flavor, Lynne Char Bennett

Pairing Curried Shrimp with Pinot Gris.

Recipe:

Curry-Dusted Shrimp with Slaw

The Cheese Course: An Irish sea breeze delivers what Gubbeen needs for flavor, Janet Fletcher

Giana initially intended to make a cheddar-style cheese, but the wheels kept becoming infected with Brevibacterium linens, a flavor-inducing bacterium that is essential to some washed-rind cheeses -- such as Muenster -- but definitely not welcome in cheddar. The moist, salty air around the Gubbeen dairy is just what B. linens likes. So rather than fight nature, Ferguson changed her tack and began making a washed-rind cheese with vegetable rennet and pasteurized milk.

Whet your palate with a Bob-Tailed Nag, doo da, doo da, Gary Regan

The Bob-Tailed Nag is a lightly fragrant, Manhattan-style drink with subtle herbal notes that complement, rather than detract from, the whiskey.

Recipe:

Bob-Tailed Nag, Adapted from a recipe by Jonny Raglin of Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Francisco.

Edited September 10, 2005 by eje (log)

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, September 15, 2005

A Highly Polished Drink, W. Blake Gray

...take grains of the right kind of rice and polish away half of their mass, and you've got the raw material to make a drink every bit as sophisticated, subtle and fascinating as the finest Pinot -- daiginjo sake.

Including "sake basics" and tasting notes for a few daiginjo sakes.

Wine Insider: Bourdeaux Wineries Cut Production, Cyril Penn

Pairings: Fried green tomatoes go from standard to sublime, Lynne Char Bennett

Pairing Pinot Grigio with Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches

Recipe:

Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches

The Cheese Course: Snack on an affordable Vermont cheddar, Janet Fletcher

Vermont's Cabot Creamery Vintage Choice Cheddar

North Coast harvest reports show far less Pinot Noir than expected, W. Blake Gray

Mount Eden Chardonnays stand test of time, Linda Murphy

Tasting Mount Eden Chardonnays 1976-2001

A new generation brings change to traditional Alsace winemaking, Diane Teitlebaum

In the last two decades, a group of young winemakers -- some from outside the region -- has brought energetic, independent thinking to Alsace, thanks to their sophisticated enology, viticultural and business education, often obtained elsewhere.

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, September 22, 2005

Uncork New York , Dave McIntyre

Over the past three decades, a growing number of vintners in the Finger Lakes, Long Island and to a lesser extent the Hudson River region have been quietly changing the definition of New York wine.

New York now the third largest wine producing state after California and Washington. NY Wineries now allowed to ship wines direct to consumers. Tasting a few NY Rieslings, Chardonnays, and Merlots.

Wine Business Insider: Trade agreement preserves 'California Champagne', Cyril Penn

Trade agreement reached last week between the US and EU allows certain CA sparkling wine producers to continue labelling their wine 'Champagne'...The Sanfords leave Sanford: Richard and Thekla Sanford are leaving the Buellton winery they founded in 1981...Massachusetts is considering making it more difficult to buy wine online or through catalogs...Sales of so-called "adventure" wine brands have more than doubled in the last two years...

Copia Wine Awards

Andy Beckstoffer (right) of Rutherford-based Beckstoffer Vineyards receives Copia's "Grower of the Year" award.

Letters to Wine

Pairings: Feeling peckish? Try squab and Pinot Noir, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Four-Spice Squab with Onion Compote & Herb Salad

THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Roaring Forties Blue blows in from an Aussie isle, Janet Fletcher

Blue Cheese from Tasmania!

The Cocktailian: The Professor finds a quick study for the Stanford Cocktail, Gary Regan

Recipe adapted from a recipe by Colin Field, head barman at the Hemingway Bar at Ritz Paris Hotel in France:

Stanford Cocktail

Winning picks for tailgating, Leslie Sbrocco

Informal, easy to drink reds and whites.

BENEFITS

Doobie Brothers benefit at B.R. Cohn...108th annual Valley of the Moon Festival in Sonoma...Former 49ers coach Bill Walsh will be one of the hosts at a fundraiser Sunday in Woodside...Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County will hold its annual black-tie gala and auction Oct. 15 in Windsor...Rohnert Park's PBS affiliate, KCRB, will host its annual Wine and Epicurean Auction Oct. 7-9 and Oct. 14-16...Robin Williams will tell jokes and Ken Frank, of La Toque restaurant in Napa Valley, will cook at "Diamonds in the Rough," a $2,500-per-person dinner on Oct. 8 to benefit the Parkinson's Institute.

Edited September 23, 2005 by eje (log)

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, September 29, 2005

Cocktail Chic, Laura Compton

...the Bay Area's gastronomic culture has inspired bartenders to raise the bar and take their cues from the kitchen.

Recipes:

Temptation from Range Restaurant

Pomegranate Manhattan from Frisson Restaurant

Ginger Kaffir Limeade from Slanted Door Restaurant

Talking to 'Bar Chefs' from many bay area restaurants including Absinthe, Aziza, Frisson, and El Dorado Kitchen.

Wine Business Insider: Grape harvest may exceed expectations, Cyril Penn

Winemakers cross fingers for a few more dry weeks...Vincor rejects hostile takeover attempt by Constellation...Opus One stays as it is...Constellation announces agreement to purchase HRM Rex Goliath brand from Hahn.

Letters to Wine

Pairings:Viognier dances to salsa and pan-seared fish, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Tomato, Avocado & Asian Pear Salsa with Pan-Seared Fish

THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS: California Viognier

Liberate this Swiss cheese from the fondue pot, Janet Fletcher

Better known for its key role in fondue than its merits as a table cheese, Vacherin Fribourgeois deserves consideration on its own.

Bargain Wines: Pinot Noir and Syrah: opposites that just might attract, W. Blake Gray

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, October 6, 2005

Bringing France To Berkeley, W. Blake Gray

The world's wines keep getting bigger, but Kermit Lynch fights the trend by spending half of each year driving France's back roads, looking for something smaller.

Berkeley wine importer Kermit Lynch and his search for "finesse" wines.

Lynch turns a failed job hunt into an ideal lifestyle, W. Blake Gray

Joseph Swann "...started making Pinot Noir," Lynch says. "I went up to taste it and I thought, the new vintage is really terrible. But how can I tell him his wine is terrible? We won't be friends anymore. So I made the decision to stop selling California wines. Luckily, I was in Berkeley where people were willing to support a French wine importer."

Fortunately, the Pinots released by Joseph Swan Winery have improved. Their Zinfandels remain outstanding.

An English defense of the New World, Jancis Robinson

I am concerned about the prevailing myth about French wine producers being much more "pure," noble and artisanal than their New World counterparts not just because it is inaccurate. As one who loves French wine, I am worried that this sort of inaccuracy will encourage the average mediocre vigneron (grape grower/winemaker) in France to believe there is no need to make any effort to improve the quality of what he or she produces. It is enough, according to this myth, simply to be French.

Letters to Wine

Wine Business Insider: Canada's largest wine company tries to sell itself, Cyril Penn

Vincor expected to be sold...Who's who and where.

Bargain Wines: Chardonnay lovers, this column is for you, W. Blake Gray

Beer of the Month: Make merry with Marzen, Linda Murphy

'Tis the season for Octoberfest. If you can't get to Munich, don't forget Octoberfest By The Bay.

The Cocktailian: Fate joins gin, lychee for a Fukien Mist, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Fukien Mist

Adapted from a recipe by Chris Hopkins, bartender at Ana Mandara restaurant in San Francisco.

Pairings:Potatoes with punch for full-bodied Syrah, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Roasted Potatoes with Eggplant & Tomato

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Sonoma County Syrah

The Cheese Course: Character comes with time for Dutch 'farmer cheese', Janet Fletcher

Tasting delicious Dutch aged Gouda or "Boerenkaas".

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, October 13, 2005

A brush with crush , W. Blake Gray

Intellectually, I know lots of stuff about high-end Zinfandel -- tight clusters, uneven ripening, variable-size berries, blah blah blah. Out there with a cuchillo in my hand, trying to figure out where the grapes are attached to the vine (harder than it sounds), I forget all of it -- all I want to do is fill my tub. Green, undersized grapes, botrytised, dried-out grapes, grapes dropped on the ground -- sorry Seghesio drinkers, I threw 'em all in. If you don't like the 2005 vintage, blame me.

Intrepid reporter W. Blake Gray spends a day participating in Seghesio's wine harvest.

Forget giant spiders; little bugs are scarier, W. Blake Gray

Writeup of "The Botanist and the Vintner" by Christy Campbell.

Benefits: Hop Kiln music festival supports hurricane fund

Hop Kiln benefit in Healdsburg...Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma Black Tie Gala...Domaine Carneros Greta Garbo tribute...Rohnert Park Wine and Epicurean auction...Geyser Peak winemaker blending at Elle Decor Magazine event.

Pairings: A childhood favorite matches Chardonnay, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Sunday (Chicken) Noodle Soup

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Carneros Chardonnay

The Cheese Course: Bandage-wrapped Wensleydale isn't hurting for flavor, Janet Fletcher

Just in time for the new Wallace and Gromit movie, a write up of Wensleydale!

Spirits: Handmade Texas vodka wallops the corporate products, Wes Marshall

Tito's corn based Vodka.

Recipe:

The Batini

This is the "2004 Official Drink of Austin," created by the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas.

Letters to Wine

This year's grape harvest keeps looking better, W. Blake Gray

"The colors are phenomenal on the wine -- they're black at the get-go," Ballentine said this week. "What has been good this year (is that) we haven't had that September heat spike of 105-degree weather that dehydrates the berries. That's been better for flavor development."

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, October 20, 2005

Growlin' good grapes , Steve Pitcher

Not all connoisseurs of Howell Mountain wine grapes are human.

Grower Mike Beatty, whose Black Sears Vineyard sits near the highest point on the mountain in northern Napa Valley, tells of a particular female black bear, easily identifiable because she was minus a claw on one paw, that frequently dined on his premium Zinfandel grapes.

And a roundup of Howell Mountain wines.

Wines cooked in warehouse fire could still be sold , W. Blake Gray

In June 2000, a fire at a warehouse near Calistoga led to more than 80,000 cases of wine being declared destroyed. "Declared" is the key word, and therein lies a warning for victims of last week's wine warehouse fire in Vallejo.

Rich Frank, owner of Frank Family Vineyards, said an insurance company paid him for the cost of the wine and then resold it cheaply with the same labels, charging a middleman less than $2 a bottle for wines that retailed for about $65.

Letters to Wine

Pairings: Portobellos add substance to a vegetarian sandwich, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Portobello & Tomato Sandwich

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Napa Valley Syrah

The Cheese Course: A Gruyere stand-in doesn't take long to hit its stride, Janet Fletcher

Made from unpasteurized cow's milk, Le Marechal resembles Gruyere in texture and flavor, but the former is much smaller -- about 14 pounds versus 60 pounds. As you would expect, the small wheels age faster, so Le Marechal at five months, its minimum age at release, has almost as much character as a year-old Gruyere.

The Cocktailian: Steeped in fine cocktail lineage, this drink gets its kick from tea , Gary Regan

Recipe:

Earl Grey Marteani

Adapted from a recipe by Audrey Saunders, co-owner of Pegu Club in New York City.

It's time to pop the corks and Zorks of some hearty wines, Leslie Sbrocco

It's a classic Northern California fall. Leaves are turning shades of vibrant red, orange and yellow while temperatures are soaring. The juxtaposition of Indian summer invites sipping hearty comfort wines that serve up palate-tingling refreshment.

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, October 27, 2005

Interlocking ambitions , Thom Elkjer

John Scharffenberger's original wine venture, "Eaglepoint Ranch is run by agrarian idealists".

Older wines at the heart of Vallejo warehouse fire, W. Blake Gray

Much more wine survived the Oct. 12 fire in the Wines Central warehouse in Vallejo than originally feared. However, the bad news is the fire was apparently set -- and the damage appears worst -- in an area where some of the most valuable wines were stored.

Letters to Wine

Pairings: Taste the earth in mushrooms and Mendocino Pinot Noir, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Mendocino County Pinot Noir

What? A round up of Anderson Valley wines and no Lazy Creek? Great wine and nice people! Plus they have a very attractive pig!

The Cheese Course: Campus creamery captures Cougar Gold in a can, Janet Fletcher

When a friend brought me a tin of Cougar Gold cheese, I had low expectations for the contents. Cheese in a can? But the moist cheddar-like cheese inside was delightful, and I have since learned that this longtime specialty of the Washington State University Creamery has a veritable cult following in the Northwest. The dairy turns out 160,000 30-ounce tins a year and sells them briskly, almost entirely by mail order.

Wine Business Insider: Are you Overwhelmed, or a Satisfied sipper?

Constellation Wines releases study which purports to easily classify wine consumers...Pinot Grigio sales continue to sky rocket...Diageo will not purchase Allied Domecq N.Z. Assets will remain with Pernod Ricard...Group Laroche has completed its acquisition of L'Avenir Estate Wine in South Africa's Stellenbosch region...Sidney Frank (Grey Goose, Jagermeister) takes the leap into wine.

Edited October 28, 2005 by eje (log)

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, November 3, 2005

Brewmeisters' pub crawl, Linda Murphy

Four professional brewers took an out-of-touch beer lover on a pub crawl last month through their favorite haunts in the Bay Area. The itinerary was based on beer selection, ambience and the storytelling opportunities that arise when brew, bars and buddies hook up.

Our intrepid reporter drinks with brew masters at Zeitgeist, Toronado, Black Horse, Pelican Inn, Barclay's, and The Bistro.

The Cocktailian: A belt of bourbon stands up to the herbs in a drink named after a 6-toed cat, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Beezer Cocktail

Adapted from a recipe by William "Chili Bill" Eichinger, bartender at Finnegan's Wake in San Francisco.

Wine Business Insider: Coppola buys landmark winery in Geyserville

Foster's Wine Estates announced this week that it intends to sell its winery in Geyserville to the Coppola including the Chateau Souverain brand...Small bottles, screw tops, and "critters" new hot marketing tools for wine makers.

Pairings: Feed a need for chocolate before dessert, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Savory Chocolate Sauce

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Italy's tangy, hard-headed Testun makes a comeback, Janet Fletcher

In the dialect of Piedmont, in northern Italy, testun refers to a hard-headed person. It's also the name, not coincidentally, of one of the hardest cheeses made in the region, a raw-milk cheese that has enjoyed a revival in recent years.

Bargain Wines: A restrained style goes a long way, Leslie Sbrocco

An international selection of, "restrained wines meant for sipping and pairing with a wide variety of dishes."

Benefits

"Sample dessert wines for a good cause Saturday at a walk-around tasting at Far Niente Winery in Oakville...Enjoy the agricultural bounty of Sonoma County on Nov. 7 while aiding in the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort...Toast educational opportunities in Marin County by sampling 13 Champagnes and sparkling wines on Nov. 10 at Sam's Anchor Cafe...Charitable bubbles for HIV groups...Five Healdsburg tasting rooms have combined forces to sponsor a Holiday Stroll to benefit hurricane-damaged neighborhoods in New Orleans...KGO-TV weatherman and oenophile Spencer Christian will be the master of ceremonies for a wine auction Nov. 19 to benefit the Napa Valley Language Academy."

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, November 10, 2005

Breeding ground, W. Blake Gray

"I call Central Coast the wine asylum."  Moorman and Stolpman assistant winemaker Peter Hunken, 31, wanted to make their own smaller-production wines with their own state-of-the-art equipment.  But they couldn't afford the sophisticated machines they wanted on their own, so they recruited two of their friends...to invest with them.

"Everything is done on a human scale," Moorman says. "The tanks are all 2 tons because one man can move a 2-ton tank by himself. To me, it's the difference between a small restaurant and a big restaurant. The best food is always in small restaurants."

Following passions from the Dead to big reds, W. Blake Gray

Grape-stained hands are a mark of pride, W. Blake Gray

Leaving rural Zimbabwe with the gift of pancakes, W. Blake Gray

Winemaking really can be a matter of life or death, W. Blake Gray

From ballplayer to dropout to winemaker, W. Blake Gray

Bargain Wines: Forsake the tried-and-true reds for something a little different, W. Blake Gray

Beaujolais, Petit Sirah, Sangiovese, Valdiguie, and some field blends.

Wine Business Insider: A 107-year-old winery on Howell Mountain changes hands

Jess Jackson's Artisans & Estates has acquired La Jota Vinyards...Vincor feels the takeover bid from Constellation "significantly undervalues" their company...Marketing wine to China...French wine official proposes creation of new wine category.

The Cheese Course: Nibble Brinata and savor the uplifting story behind it, Janet Fletcher

Made by a Tuscan agricultural cooperative called Il Forteto, Brinata has a thin, velvety rind that looks like it was dusted with snow....Cut a wedge and you will find a moist, milky interior, sliceable but floppy. The paste is off-white, with lots of small eyes and a delicate, cultured-milk aroma.

Pairings: Liver bread pudding has the stuff to take on Cabernet, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Chicken Liver Bread Pudding

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $50 & More

All due respect to Ms. Bennet; but, if I'm having a >$50 cabernet, it is not going to be accompanying a chicken liver bread pudding...Erik

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, November 17, 2005

SWEETS FOR THE SWEET , Lynne Char Bennett

Pairing dessert wines with food.

Recipes:

Pear Upside-Down Polenta Cake

The slightly sweet cake is good on its own, served with vanilla ice cream, topped with fresh fruit or with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Most white dessert wines, including demi-sec sparkling wine, pair well with this cake.

Fuyu Persimmon & Goat Cheese Tart

This wonderful tart is perfect for dessert or as part of a brunch buffet. The herbs enliven the tart and make it sparkle. White dessert wines with fruit aromas and flavors, including ice wine, will complement this tart.

Gorgonzola-Stuffed Dates

Serve these nibbles as a mildly sweet ending to dinner or as part of a cheese course. A triple-cream, washed-rind cheese also works in this recipe. Serve with an oxidized or fortified wine.

Pear & Fromage Blanc Crepes

The sweetness of this dessert is adjusted by the amount of honey in the sauce...Serve the crepes with a slightly sweet sparkling wine or late harvest white wine.

Sweet Crepes

This recipe is adapted from the Food section's Roving Feast columnist (and eGullet contributor!) Marlena Spieler.

SWEETS FOR THE SWEET , Lynne Char Bennett

Various methods used to make sweet wines.

Wine Business Insider:This year's cool weather could mean lower-alcohol wines, Cyril Penn

Grape growers from around optimistic about the quality of 2005's harvest...In October, Yellow Tail became the first varietal wine brand in industry history to sell more than 1 million cases in the United States in one month...the French extremist group CRAV (Comite regional d'action viticole) struck again during the night of Nov. 9, emptying vats in three different wineries near Beziers....Constellation Brands chief executive Richard Sands "may be willing" to increase a $900 million takeover bid for Canadian winemaker Vincor International Inc...Pennsylvania, a state with a monopoly on wine sales, is expected to open to winery-to-consumer direct shipping...Who's who and where.

Bargain Wines: A loaded table calls for fruit-forward wines, Leslie Sbrocco

For Thanksgiving, "...your best bet is to uncork wines with loads of fruity character, so stay away from whites with too much oak and reds with strong tannins."

The Cocktailian: Bartender dreams up the Menage au Poire, Gary Regan

Recipe:

Menage au Poire

Adapted from a recipe by Victoria Damato-Moran, bar manager at Tony Nik's in San Francisco.

Letters to Wine

The Cheese Course: A triple-cream is thrice as nice, Janet Fletcher

With the holidays approaching, many party givers look to triple-cream cheeses, those luscious cream-enriched creations that clamor for sparkling wine, behave well on a buffet and suit the indulgent mood of the season. France's Brillat-Savarin is one of the stars of this category, an ultra-rich concoction that often leaves tasters licking their knives. Is it cheese, or is it dessert?

Pairings: Roasted vegetables versatile enough for a holiday table, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Lemon-Mustard Sauce

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Oregon Pinot Gris

[eje]

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Healdsburg for the holidaze, Amanda Gold

Wineries offer a break from feasting, family

Thanksgiving is one of the first weekends to celebrate the end of the wine grape harvest and taste new releases. It's the perfect therapy for the holiday's madness. The air is crisp and the leaves continue to boast brilliant shades of rust and gold. Bottles of wine make great gifts, and a little wine tasting is welcome after logging a full day with the family.

And if you get tired of wining, stop by Bear Republic in Healdsburg or if you're coming from the south, Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa!

Letters to Wine

Wine Business Insider:Napans donate $1 million for children's health, Cyril Penn

The Napa Valley Vintners has created a $1 million Fund for Children's Health using proceeds from the 2005 Auction Napa Valley event....small wineries have more valuable real estate and make more expensive wines...A recent survey commissioned by a maker of synthetic corks revealed that 31 percent of wine-drinking consumers perceive the change from natural cork to screw caps as negative.

Pairings: Enjoy holidays the Oregon way, with pumpkin and Pinot, Lynne Char Bennett

Recipe:

Pumpkin Soup with Five Spices

The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Oregon Pinot Noir

The Cheese Course: Tomme Crayeuse challenges an old favorite and wins, Janet Fletcher

You won't find Tomme Crayeuse (tohm cray-YUHZ) in many reference works on cheese, as it is a relatively new invention. Created about eight years ago by the French affineur (cheese maturer) Max Schmidhauser, working with a cheesemaker, this new tomme is an attempt to make a cheese that resembles Tomme de Savoie but with more personality. I'd say they've succeeded.

Bargain Wines: Light makes right at the holiday table, W. Blake Gray

Thanksgiving is not a meal where wine is expected to play a starring role.  Instead, wine on Thanksgiving has to be like the quiet guy in Penn & Teller -- suavely supportive, while the turkey, stuffing and fixin's get the applause. At the end of the meal, you want the hosts to say, "That wine you brought went really well with everything."

Don't overlook Livermore for a holiday-themed wine weekend, Amanda Gold

Edited November 24, 2005 by eje (log)