Where Have I Been?

It's summer, what can I say? I have a hard time sitting and writing when the weather is nice. I like to go to the lake (White Bear Lake, specifically) and watch the miles of beach, which was lake 3 years ago. My eating and drinking over the summer have been fun but not exceptional. Although last weekend we took part in an annual summer event. The Robert Sinskey Vin Gris Challenge. This is the 4th or 5th summer we've done this. We spend an afternoon on our friends, Link and Anju's, pontoon boat drinking Sinskey Vin Gris and snacking. We are big fans of the Vin Gris, it is in my humble opinion the best rose on the planet. We've been to the winery in Napa with Link and Anju a couple of times. We had a bottle of the 07 and 08 along with a tomato tart and veggie spring rolls. The snacks were fabulous and the wine was awesome. The spring rolls had some zip to them but the rose countered the heat nicely. The winner was the 08, unanimously. The 07 was very nice but the 08 was fresher and cleaner. It wasn't like the 07 was tired, it was still showing nicely but not as well as the 08. The evening wasn't over. We retired to the house and tried a L'Aventure Rose which was stunning, not the usual strawberry notes one finds in rose but bigger bolder berries. It offered a nice segue into dinner. We had grilled, glazed shrimp and rice. Simple fare but it was wonderful with a Fantesca Cabernet. The 04 Fantesca is just hitting it's stride. Rich and delicious, the tannins fading away and letting the flavors of the grape take center stage. It paired wonderfully with the shrimp. After dinner we sat on the deck watching the sunset with a bottle of L'Aventure Syrah. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Look Who's Cooking

I get a couple of nights off a week. I like to cook dinner on my quiet evenings at home. Last week I pulled out a recipe from Provence. We started with a couple of boneless pork chops. Olive oil heated in a pan, added some garlic and fresh ginger and seared the cops on both sides. Lower the heat and add a third of a cup of chicken stock and fresh thyme and parsley. Simmer until the liquid is almost gone, turn the pork and add a third of a cup of white wine and simmer until the liquid is almost gone. Flip the pork over, add another 1/3 cup of stock and simmer until the liquid is almost gone, flip and repeat with the wine. The last turn I topped the pork with a cranberry mustard. Remove the pork and saute half an apple sliced thin. Set the pork on brown rice with a side of green beans and the apple and voila. I opened a 2000 Robert Sinskey Four Vineyards Pinot Noir which was just gorgeous, hints of caramel, orange zest and dark cherry. A perfect complement to a wonderful meal.

Fred Peterson was Here

Last week we had another wine dinner at Ursula's Wine Bar and Cafe in beautiful downtown White Bear Lake (did I mention I owned it) with Fred Peterson of Peterson Winery in the Dry Creek Valley of Northern Sonoma County. Fred is one of the good guys in the wine business, he's gracious, knowledgeable, fun and makes great wine. We started the evening with his Zero Manipulation which is mostly carignane, it was a bit tart at the start but with food it shaped up nicely. The first course was a roasted mushroom and housemade boursin tart, a lovely way to start the evening and it was paired with Peterson Sangiovese. The combination was stellar with the mushroom and the sangiovese complementing each other perfectly. Grilled peach and bleu cheese with strawberry balsamic paired with Fred's Tradizionale Zinfandel came next and the peach, blue cheese and zin was a delightful flavor combination. The Dry Creek Zinfandel was served with reddened catfish, lime and watercress. The pairing worked beautifully, the zin did not overpower the catfish and the catfish stood up to the zin. We finished with smoked venison tenderloin, wild rice-apple salsa and micro herbs and a glass of Peterson Cabernet Sauvignon. The cab was outstanding, soft and luscious, dark cherry flavors and a satisfying finish. The venison was perfect, nice and tender and the salsa and herbs was a winning dish. Fred is such a nice man and his wines are great, add a little food and what could be better.

Dinner with an Aussie

On occasion at the restaurant (Ursula's Wine Bar & Cafe in case you have forgotten) we entertain visiting winemakers with 5 course dinners and wines paired with the course. April 6 we were fortunate to have Stuart Blackwell from St. Hallett in the Barossa Valley in Australia as our guest. The winemaker dinners are fun, the winmaker generally has great stories, terrific insight and he shares his take on how to make great wine. We started the evening with an olive and sundried tomato tapanade pair with Poachers Blend. Poachers Blend is semillon, sauvignon blanc and riesling. There is just a touch of sweetness. It made a wonderful aperitif with the semillon shining in the blend. A spicy mango shrimp served with riesling was up next. The reisling was fairly dry but was a great match for the shrimp. Gamekeepers Reserve is a blend of shiraz, grenache and touriga nacional. A wee bit lighter red that was served with chicken pot pie to which was added tomato, red pepper and sweet potato to meld better with the red and I must say it worked beautifully. The Faith Shiraz was simple and straight forward. It was controlled and very drinkable. A rack of lamb with mint sauce paired very well. Finally we had a New York strip with a Yukon gold and chevre gratin and crispy leeks serve along side the Blackwell Shiraz. I loved the Blackwell. It was a classic with hints of pepper, leather and berry fruit. It was stylish and sophisticated with a rough edge. Stuart was a delightful guest, his manner and charm made for a warm evening on a chilly day.

Birthdays Come But Once a Year

As is customary, my wife had her birthday this year. We were both working at Ursula's so I didn't have to spend big bucks on a huge night out. The subdued affair was sublime yet thoughtful. Dinner was simple she had haddock and I had pasta. The haddock was pan seared and served with asparagus and risotto. It was lovely. My pasta was penne with garlic sausage and a little balsamic, keep it simple. For a birthday I think bubbles are always appropriate. We opened a split of Gruet Blanc de Noir. It's made in New Mexico and is wonderful. Crisp and clean, with teeny tiny bubbles. I marvelous reminder of summer on an unseasonably cool March night. We went home after work and watched a Thin Man movie with a bottle of O'Shaugnessy Cabernet. This is a stellar cab. Howell Mountain fruit (which I adore), a beautiful close to a delightful day.

Open That Bottle Night

Periodically the Wall Street Journal declares open that bottle night. What they are doing is giving people permission to open that bottle that they have been saving for a special occasion. Usually a special occasion never quite comes around, hence open that bottle night. I had a bottle of 2004 Domaine Serene Cote Sud Chardonnay sitting in the cellar that wasn't going anywhere. On February 28 we popped it open for dinner. Dinner was a simple pasta with sun dried tomatoes, asparagus and balsamic vinegar but the wine was outstanding. It was well balanced, the right amount of acid and the flavors were delicious. Hints of vanilla and nuance of caramel that filled your mouth and wanted to sit there all night long. I should open that bottle every weekend.

I Love My Job

I got a tough job. I talk to people, pour wine, somebody makes dinner for me every night, I have to answer the phone and people make me try wine. I know you feel real sorry for me. Ursula's Wine Bar & Cafe has a corkage fee of $7. When people bring in their own wines we charge the fee. Quite often people ask me to sample their wines. In a 2 week period in January I had the privilege to try the following wines. Auberg Pinot Noir 2006, Russian River Valley-delicious, Walnut Block Sauvignon Blanc 2007, from New Zealand it is not over the top but refined and elegant, Sterling Syrah from Napa, an 04 that was tasting wonderfully, Geyser Peak Cab 02 which was very nice, Elyse Korte Ranch Zin 2006 that was fabulous, big rich and luscious, Seghesio Old Vines Zin 02 which still had charm and fresh fruit. The highlights of my vinorific wanderings were a 2005 Clio Jumilla from Spain, the grape is monastrall and this baby was big and juicy and chewy and stunning. A customer brought in a 1998 Bryant Family Cab. Bryant is a cult wine, I've never seen one and I'm glad I got to try one, it was delicious. Joseph Phelps Insignia 2001 was a delight, I've never been disappointed in an Insignia. We did have a barker in the group, a 1998 Pine Ridge Howell Mountain Cab that was weak and flabby, it sadly had no zip or zing. I know you feel badly about all the on the job hardships I endure but I'm willing to take one for the team.