NOVEMBER IS FOR (BEAUJOLAIS) LOVERS!

As we turn the calendar one more page, it’s time to start thinking Beaujolais! This is typically THE month for these tasty wines…November 17^th heralds the international release of Beaujolais-Nouveau, and Thanksgiving meals practically beg for a few good bottles of Cru Beaujolais.

As you prepare to finalize your plans for the coming month, let me remind you that we’ve still got a few amazing Beaujolais available…and there’s no turkeys in this bunch:

Item #51264 – M. Lapierre “Raisins Gaulois, Cuvee X” – Nouveau-style, but longer-lived. 100% 2010.

Item #69394 – 2009 Cedric Vincent Beaujolais – 89pt Parker

Item #77064 – 2010 Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais – a few cases of magnums (#77062) still available.

Item #51214 – 2009 Charly Thevenet Regnie – 90pt Parker, 92pt Tanzer…less than 10cs remain!

Item #73164 – 2010 M. Lapierre Morgon – 92pt Parker

All of these wines are drinking beautifully, but supplies are limited. Please let your QWS rep know if you’ve any interest in securing these wines for your customers…thanks!

DUVAL-LEROY DOUBLE VISION!

Wine Spectator has always raved about Champagne Duval-Leroy. The magazine tapped the NV Brut as a "Top 100 Wines of the World" twice over the course of five years. Well, the winery is still on a roll...both the NV Brut and Rose just earned 92 Points!

BRUT NV - #63684
ROSE NV - #63664

Siduri & Beckmen Score Big in Wine Spectator!

This just in from Wine Spectato:

"12 Tempting California Reds

New reviews of California Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, Syrah and more

MaryAnn Worobiec
Posted: October 17, 2011

Siduri tops this week's list of new reviews from California with two wines—one a single-vineyard (Sierra Mar) and one from Russian River Valley—that showcase Siduri's strength as one of the top producers of Pinot Noir in California...

...wo wines in this report stick out for their value: The Beckmen Cuvee Le Bec is a big mouthful of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Counoise...

SIDURI Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Sierra Mar Vineyard 2010 Score: 92

Fresh and snappy, with ripe, vibrant black cherry, wild berry and red plum flavors, this defines pure, ripe dark fruit. Full-bodied and impeccably balanced, ending with a persistent finish. Drink now through 2018. 408 cases made. —J.L.

SIDURI Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2010 Score: 91

Intense and pure, with vivid boysenberry and huckleberry flavors that are racy and complex. Well-focused, long and persistent on the finish. Drink now through 2017. 1,639 cases made.

—J.L.

BECKMEN Cuvee Le Bec Santa Ynez Valley 2009 Score: 90

A real mouthful that packs in ripe, potent, powerful dark berry, spice, loamy earth and black licorice notes. Firm, chunky and rustic, yet charming, ending with a long, chewy finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Counoise. Drink now through 2018. 3,500 cases made.—J.L."

Iowa. REAL Iowa.

I am predicting that one of the newest additions to the Arts & Crafts portfolio will also be one of the most-talked about at tomorrow's trade tasting*: Cedar Ridge Distillery of Swisher, Iowa.

I discovered Cedar Ridge back in July...after a protracted search for an real Iowa craft distiller. I say 'real' because a lot of buzz has been generated by a company that markets an Iowa rye whiskey. Well, I know for a fact that this "Iowa Rye Whiskey" is actually made in Lawrenceberg, Indiana. Not a week would go by without a retailer or barkeep asking me if I could get said Rye. "Why do you want it?" I'd ask, with the typical response being, "I want to support a local whiskey distiller", to which I'd respond, "So, you think southern Indiana is 'local'?"

Once I explained the charade being perpetrated by this unnamed whiskey peddler, the buyers would shrug and say, "Let me know when you get a real Iowa distiller."

Well, folks, Cedar Ridge is as real as it gets. A working vineyard and distillery, crafting spirits from Iowa grapes and grain in Iowa. And, let me tell you, what they're crafting is really good. While I went to them looking for whiskey, I left with not only their their Iowa Bourbon, but vodka, gin, rum and brandy, too. You owe it to yourself to try them all.

And, just in time for the holidays, the folks at Cedar Ridge have introduced an "Age Your Own Whiskey" kit. This kit contains a 750ml of their 100-proof Unaged Whiskey, a 1-liter charred white oak aging barrel complete with instructions on how to age the whiskey to perfection.

Join me in saying 'hello' to our neighbors to the south. I am sure Cedar Ridge will find a home in many of Minnesota's leading establishments soon.

I hope one of them is yours!

*And, if you're not aware of tomorrow's trade tasting, you must be living under a rock. Thursday, October 6th, 3pm until 8pm at the Quality warehouse at 7900 Chicago Avenue South, Bloomington. The tasting is open to all members of the Minnesota beverage trade.

Harvest Update!

This just in from Adam & Diana Lee at Siduri/Novy:

"Just a brief update from a very, very busy winery. We've been a bit slammed with grapes lately....some of it because they were ready (a warm spell pushed ripeness) and some of them because it is supposed to rain, a lot, starting tomorrow afternoon (1-3 inches). We are letting fruit that is clearly not ready hang thru the rain (Pinot, one Chardonnay vineyard, Syrah, Grenache, some Zinfandel) but have madly been bringing in fruit that is ripe, or ripe enough that there was more to lose than gain by letting the clusters hang. Yesterday started at 3am and ended around 9pm....today (Sunday) is a bit more mellow with only about 10 tons of fruit and a bit of pressing. But tomorrow (Monday) looks like a cluster....well, it looks busy. Over 40 tons of grapes....ugh.

We did take this picture of the 2011 Novy Papera Vineyard Zinfandel being harvested and thought it looked pretty so wanted you all to see it."

THE SONG (DOES NOT) REMAIN THE SAME.

WE'RE CHANGING OUR NAME! The Fine Wine Division will now be known as the Arts & Crafts Division. This name change reflects our inclusion of craft beer and artisan spirit producers. Come check out some of the new additions to our portfolio at the Quality Trade Show on Thursday, October 6th!

WINE OF THE WEEKEND: 2009 Melville Estate Pinot Noir

"Melville is one of the better known properties in Santa Barbara. The estate makes a wide range of wines under the direction of oenologist Greg Brewer, and also sells fruit to a number of other producers. The 2009 Pinot Noirs in particular are standouts. Brewer vinified the Pinots with one-third whole clusters.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills makes for an excellent introduction to the wines of this appellation. It is a wonderfully fresh, vibrant wine graced with exquisite finesse and class. Sweet, floral notes reappear on the finish, adding lift and subtlety. This is classy juice. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.
91 Points."

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Item # 76334

Kermit Lynch Portfolio Tastings: Three, Amigos!

Next week we'll be playing host to Greg Powell, Kermit Lynch's "Man in the Midwest". Greg has graciously agreed to host three separate tastings highlighting wines from the Kermit Lynch portfolio. The tastings are designed to permit you the maximum flexibility in your schedule, as well as help with those of you who might be ‘geographically challenged'. Here's the schedule:

RED STAR LOUNGE

600 E. Superior Street, Duluth

Monday, September 19^th – 1:30pm Until 4:30pm

NICOLLET ISLAND INN

95 Mirriam Street, Minneapolis

Tuesday, September 20^th – 1:30pm Until 4:30pm

THE UNIVERSITY CLUB

420 Summit Avenue, St. Paul

Wednesday, September 21^st – 1:30pm Until 4:30pm

We will be pouring at least three dozen amazing wines from both France and Italy, with sale pricing available on the entire Kermit Lynch portfolio. Your QWS reps will be handing out invites, but you don’t need to wait until they do…consider yourself (and your staff) invited! RSVPs are essential…please contact me to let me know if you can make it. I hope that you can!

Here's Waldo.

When it comes to wine, I only have three pet peeves. The first is when people refer to a grape variety as a 'varietal', the second when people mispronounce Paso Robles (it's "Paso Row-Bulls", not "Paso Ro-bless"). My third? When people misspell Beckmen Vineyards as "Beckman".

Seeing "Beckman" on a wine list, or in a retail newsletter has become my version of Where's Waldo. I'm always searching for it. Sadly, I find the error all too often. Is it really that difficult for people to spell correctly?

Tom Beckmen and his son, Steve, have really done a LOT to raise the standard of Central Coast wines in general, and Santa Ynez wines in particular. Their Biodynamically-farmed Purisma Mountain Vineyard is the source of some of the best fruit in the County. Their fruit and the wines they make from it deserve your attention and respect. So, please, enough with the "A".

Last week I was perusing my latest issue of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. This issue included a great report on California's Central Coast by Antonio Galloni. Thumbing through the section devoted to Santa Barbara County, I was a bit surprised to find no reviews on Beckmen wines. Continuing on to Galloni's report on Paso Robles, I came across - you guessed it! - the Beckmen reviews. While I was happy to read some great reviews - and, yes, he spelled Beckmen correctly - I was amazed to find such a geographical blunder by such an esteemed publication. Come on, Mr. Galloni, invest in a map!

Okay...enough ranting. Despite his being geographically challenged, Galloni's reviews were good...and here they are:

2009 BECKMEN "Le Bec Blanc" - #75344
"The 2009 Le Bec Blanc is a rich, burnished wine endowed with considerable richness and fatness in its fruit. It has just enough minerality to lend balance to its extroverted, opulent personality. The Bec Blanc is 46% Marsanne, 38% Roussanne and 16% Grenache Blanc. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. 88 Points."

2009 BECKMEN "Cuvee Le Bec" - #75334
"The 2009 Cuvee Le Bec is a fabulous wine for the money. Wild cherries, flowers and smoke are some of the notes that jump from the glass in this powerful red. Readers won’t find a ton of finesse here, but the wine compensates for that with its superb drinkability. Sweet red fruit and licorice add complexity on the finish in a rustic wine that is ideal for everyday drinking. The Cuvee Le Bec is 45% Grenache, 34% Syrah, 14 % Mourvedre and 7% Counoise. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. 89 Points."

2009 BECKMEN Syrah - #75324
"The 2009 Syrah Estate possesses dazzling purity and length in a cool, inward style that stands a bit apart from some of the more opulent wines in this lineup. There is a level of delineation in the aromas and flavors here that is quite striking. A vein of minerality frames the inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. 91 Points."

2011 Harvest Report from Duval-Leroy

Guilane Godot, Export Director at Champagne Duval-Leroy just sent us this summary of the 2011 harvest:

"This year's Champagne harvest came to its end. In our own vineyards, the last grapes were picked on September 3rd. Since August 17th (just before the beginning of the harvest) the climate has remained as unpredictable as it has since the month of May: a few very hot days, rainy and sometimes very heavy rainy periods, and some fresher, more temperate days. These were not ideal conditions for the finale to the maturation cycle. The growers had to be very careful with their picking priorities according to:

• - the maturity, which was very variable from a vine to another
• - the sanitary conditions of some “Meunier” and more occasionally of “Pinot Noir” locations

Some locations postponed the beginning of the harvest for a few days. The harvest reached a maturity of 9 and 10 degrees of alcoholic strength and acidities between 7.5 to 8 gms. Degree levels are therefore a little lower than forecast. Our plot “Clos des Bouveries” was harvested at 10 degrees of alcohol.

With an early harvest, we could expect to have degree levels on average slightly higher. This unusual climate for the end of August disturbed the evolution of the maturation cycle. The sanitary conditions of the Chardonnay grapes were perfect throughout the harvest. Some areas of Meunier were more prone to botrytis, as well as some plots of Pinot Noir.

With a large potential size of harvest, the winegrowers could make a good selection of grapes during the picking. Even if it is too early to make a definitive judgement, it seems that the 2011 harvest is qualitatively good on average. It will not be as great a vintage as 2008, but this will be a good year for blends of great Chardonnay (for example, Clos des Bouveries) and locations of excellent Pinot Noir. All this will be confirmed during the first tasting of the vins clairs. As of today we are optimistic."

#63684 - NV Brut (12x750ml)
#63681 - NV Brut (1x3L)
#63644 - 2006 Brut "Paris"
#63664 - NV Brut Rose
#63654 - Blanc de Chardonnay
#63624 - 2004 "Clos des Bouveries"
#63314 - 1995 "Femme"

ROBERT KACHER BURGUNDY DINNER!

If you're free on the 29th, please make every effort to join Anne Markovich-Girard from Robert Kacher as she hosts a Burgundy dinner at the Sofitel!

It IS the Beaus You Know...

The latest issue of Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate recently crossed my desk. In it there is some great press for our California and Washington State producers (more on both soon), as well as for some of the exceptional Beaujolais we have in-stock. Like pink wines (which I extolled of here), Beaujolais are fun - seriously fun - wines that beg to be served at your Thanksgiving Day table. Heck...they deserve a place at the table every day of the year!

Here are the reviews...

DOMAINE MARCEL LAPIERRE

“RAISINS GAULOIS” Cuvee XI – Item #51264

“From vines in a less-than-top location behind his winery, Lapierre bottles a “vin de France” known as 2010 Raisins Gaulois that epitomizes several of this estate’s cardinal virtues and is in effect its Beaujolais nouveau. (“But if I labeled it that way,” insists Mathieu Lapierre, “nobody would buy it.”) Light and refreshing but at the same time subtly soothing in mid-palate impression; bursting with strawberry and blackberry whose tart berry skins – along with a nip of CO2 – enhance a sense of finishing invigoration, this is eminently quaffable stuff (much more so than had been the corresponding 2009) to enjoy over the next few months while waiting for the arrival of a 2011. A suggestion of nuttiness reflects the wine’s low sulfur. 88 Points.”

2010 MORGON – Item #73164 (12x750ml), Item #73162 (6x1.5L)

“Fresh raspberry and strawberry touched with brown spices and provocatively wreathed in musky peony-like floral perfume are underlain with rich nut oils. In a manner familiar from many of the best Lapierre vintages, this manages to be seductively soothing and subtly creamy yet animating and refreshing. There is a mouthwatering mineral savor to the long finish that I can only liken to lobster shell reduction. Mathieu Lapierre believes that the prolonged, relatively cool carbonic maceration he favors promotes natural antioxidants so that a wine like this has impressive stability from the open bottle despite its absence of sulfur. If you have a cold cellar, try to save a portion of this for 4-6 years. 92 Points.”

DOMAINE DUPEUBLE

2010 BEAUJOLAIS – Item #77064 (12x750ml), Item #77062 (6x750ml)

“Dupeuble’s 2010 Beaujolais – representing the huge cuvee offered stateside, reflecting numerous but virtually exclusively granitic parcels and vines from 60-80 years’ age – is loaded with fresh red raspberry and sour cherry. A snappy suggestion of apple as well as this wine’s juxtaposition of subtle creaminess with refreshment put one a bit in mind of a white wine. Energy and purity of fruit go a long way toward profound satisfaction even if the wine itself is not terribly complex. Enjoy it over the next 18-24 months. 88 Points.”

DOMAINE CEDRIC VINCENT

2010 BEAUJOLAIS – Item #69394

“Cedric Vincent – for more on whom, consult issue 190 – has rendered a 2010 Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes that gushes with tart red raspberry and sour cherry, a combination of crunchy, tart seedy notes; piquant cherry pit; and salt and chalk serving for lots of back-end invigoration. This might not be especially complex, and it might be a bit lean, but I guarantee it will deliver infectious refreshment and prove admirably adaptable at table over the next 18-24 months. 87 Points.”

DOMAINE CHARLY THEVENET

2009 REGNIE “GRAIN et GRANIT” – Item #51214

“Diverse, bittersweet floral perfumes mingle with dark berries, prune, and walnut oil make for a striking nose, then inform a palpably extract-rich palate to which cherry pit and dark chocolate add further bittersweet allure. Yet for all of its low-toned, torrefactive richness and caressing texture, this positively bursts with bright, primary finishing juiciness and mouthwatering salinity. There’s almost something disconcertingly bipolar about this contrast, but I think it represents a phase through which the wine is passing, and there can be little doubt that this impressive Regnie will be worth following for at least several more years. 90 Points.”

WINE OF THE WEEKEND: 2010 Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge, "Pourpre", Maxime François Laurent.

Maxime is the son of legendary vintner, Philippe Laurent, who - alongside his wife, Michèle, founded Domaine Gramenon in 1990. In short order, Gramenon became one of the superstars in the Southern Rhone, and the wines remain to this day in very high demand. Sadly, Philippe passed in 1999, leaving Michèle and Maxime to carry on. And carry on they have...the wines have never been better.

While crafted in the Gramenon cellars, "Pourpre" is bottled under the Maxime Laurent label. It is sourced from 50 to 80 year-old Grenache vines, and is an absolute joy to drink. Think generous amounts of blue and purple fruits, with a hint of smoke and Provencal herbs. Weighty, almost unctuous, yet not at all ponderous. The main concern here is gulping this wine too quickly. Better have a few extra on-hand at your next barbecue...it will go fast.

Item #73764

It's Pink, Not Plonk.

Labor Day approacheth. Summer is nearly over, kids are returning to school, football season is starting, and wine buyers start planning a focus towards generous, warming red wines for the Fall. If you're buy wines - be it for a wine shop, restaurant or for your own consumption - will you please do yourself a favor? Don't stop buying rosé wines.

To be sure, Americans are drinking more dry rosé now more than they ever have. In the two years I've lived in Minnesota I've witnessed a dramatic increase in demand for these pink beauties. And while that's certainly a good thing, I remain puzzled by folks who think pink wines can only be sold/drunk/appreciated during the Summer months.

Nonsense. And, if you'll kindly indulge me, let me explain why this is so.

Rosés don't turn to vinegar six months after release.
In addition to nice fruit, most dry rosés exhibit great acidity and structure...characteristics that mean the wine will drink well for 2-3 years. Do you stop selling/drinking Sauvignon Blanc once Summer is over? Nope. Think of rosés as you would most white wines.

Rosés are some of the most-versatile wines out there.
Skeptical? Imagine a four people dining out. One orders pork chops, one seared ahi tuna, another a Caesar salad with anchovies and the other a hangar steak. Cabernet? No way, Pinot? Not with those anchovies and lemon. And don't even bring that bottle of oaky Chardonnay to the table. A nicely chilled bottle of pink is just the ticket.

The "my customers have been conditioned to stop drinking rosés now" excuse.
Is that so? By whom? Any good retailer or sommelier becomes successful by selling their clients the perfect wine. It's their job to steer the consumer in the right direction...and sometimes that direction is towards a bottle of rosé. Wine is all about expanding horizons, not limiting them. If we were to hold firm to wine 'traditions', Gray Riesling would still be the nation's #1 white wine, and consumers would have never heard of Viognier, Tempranillo, Blaufrankisch, etc.

And let me ask you this: if rosés can only be sold during the summertime, why are rosé Champagne and white Zinfandel are enjoyed year-round?

We're coming into THE SEASON for rosés.
To be sure, a chilled bottle of dry pink is great pool-side, but I'll argue that it's even more at home around the holiday dinner table. We are about to enter that time of year when we consume more ham, turkey and root vegetables than ever. These types of food practically scream, "Serve me with rosé!" And, as the snow begins to fall, pink wines are a nice way to start an evening...not to mention remember that Springtime is just around the corner.

Still not convinced? Then please invite me over, and I'll bring a bottle of rosé that's sure to make you a believer. By the way, these are some of my favorites from the 2010 vintage that are perfect this time of year:


Mas du Guiot,
Costieres de Nimes - 74604
Chateau de Lascaux,
Coteaux du Languedoc - 52095
Sainte-Eugenie,
Corbieres - 72454
Font e Michelle,
Cotes-du-Rhone - 70324

PICTURE PERFECT.

“Cassis wines are proof that God loves us and wants to see us happy."

- Benjamin Franklin

Okay, so I’m paraphrasing here, but the sentiment holds true…at least for me. If was given the chance to own a vineyard anywhere in the world it would be located in the tiny seaside hamlet of Cassis. More specifically, it would be the vineyard of Clos Ste. Magdeline. There is no finer, more-picturesque vineyard in the world, nor better example of how vines are an expression of the people, culture and cuisine that surround them.

Growing wine here is tough…not only in that the steep, craggy seawalls are treacherous for men and vine alike, but – surrounded by such scenic beauty – the real estate prices and pressure to turn vineyard land into condo developments mean winemaking is a costly proposition. Luckily for us there are folks like the Sack-Zafiropoulos family who are deeply committed to the land. The vineyard is organically-farmed, and the wines are amazing in their subtlety and versatility.

We were fortunate enough to have secured a small allocation of Clos Ste. Magdeline’s 2009 white, and it's textbook Cassis Blanc...subtle aromas of flowers, honey and nutmeats. There's ample acidity to balance the weight, and the wine practically begs for all things Mediterranean. Grilled fish, shellfish, hummus, tapenade...you name it, this wine will tame it.

Sadly, less than 10 cases of this stellar wine remain, and it won't remain here for long.

ITEM #52025

Ste. Magdeleine’s Cassis has Marsanne in it, almost 50%…At Cassis, where the vineyards are right on the Mediterranean, the Marsanne gives its honey with a smell of the sea (l’iode, as the French say). Vines were not planted at Cassis in order to receive high scores. Cassis was and is a fishing port where the people of Marseille like to play on weekends. Vines were planted in order to have something to drink with the local catch. Seafood. Cassis. It’s a natural.

—KERMIT LYNCH