Enjoy wine and the food

David Frost in Woodbury

2009-10-02T23:39:00.000-05:00

David Frost golfer/wine maker from South Africa is coming to town...
check this link for the news when:

Casa Lapostolle Merlot 2006

2009-10-01T23:02:00.000-05:00

I just tasted a very nice 2006 Casa Lapostolle Merlot,

follow the Lapostolle on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/Lapostolle?ref=nf

Clos Apalta 2005 has been elected Wine Spectator's Wine of The Year 2008 !

I will have to find it here in Minnesota and create my

own opinion about it.

Top Ten Wine & Spirits Sale Woodbury,MN

2009-04-30T22:38:00.003-05:00

I just came back from the red wine tasting tonight...it was very good to find something special for this summer.

Here are some pics from tonight...

Red Varieties from Argentina

2009-02-08T10:57:00.005-06:00

Argentina has been making wine since the 1500s, tracing its wine heritage back to Spain, France and, perhaps surprisingly, Italy.

Cavernet Sauvignon

Due to its great capacity of adaptation to all kinds of weather, Cabernet Sauvignon is considered the king of red varieties. Its grape, native from Burdeaux, France, produces a wine with remarkable acidity, rough and with a strong presence of tannins. Once matured, it turns out to be a tasty wine with full body. It has intense colors and a complex aroma of fruit, truffles, coffee, green peppers and cassis.
It often benefits from being aged for several years.
In our country, it is grown along the entire wine route. It is ideal to accompany meat, stews, pasta and desserts.

Cluster: loose though compact, bluish black and conical in shape.
Grapes: small, with thick skin, round, black and juicy.
Ripeness: late, ideal for temperate areas with a soft autumn season.

Malbec

Originally grown in the Southeast of France, this grape has turned into the premier wine from Argentina, where it has found the most propitious ecological features for its development. Argentinian malbec has become worldwide known and has been awarded well-deserved medals in enological contests. It acquires different features according to the weather and soil conditions where it is grown. In the area of Maipú, Mendoza, it reaches its highest development, surpassing other regions in the country. It produces wines of pleasant taste, medium body with certain earthy notes and an intense purple color. Of vigorous texture and taste, it has a touch of rusticity in the palate. Cluster: mid-sized and quite loose. Grapes: Spherical, small or medium-sized, bluish black in color, thin skin and soft pulp. Ripeness: first late season.

Tempranillo

This grape was originally grown in Spain, in the area of Rioja. Tempranillo is one of the most widespread varieties in Argentina; however, it had not been used in the making of fine wines until recently. International demand forced winemakers to rediscover the potential of this grape.
It produces wines of medium alcoholic content, well-balanced, aromatic and suitable for aging in wooden casks. With a frank palate, this wine has a velvety taste when aged. It has notes of wild fruit, black plums, cherries and raspberries.

Cluster: medium-sized, compact and elongated.
Grapes: they present moderate size, round shape and normal to hard skin. They are intensely black.

Syrah

Its origin is quite controversial and has not been defined yet. The most widespread version asserts this grape was originally grown in Shiraz, Persia and that it is 3,000 years old. It is said that it was introduced in Europe through the Sicilian port of Siracusa. Another version about its origin assures it comes from Southern France.
The truth is that Syrah is strongly tannic and suitable for long aging in wood. This vine of intense aroma, solid and austere, is reminiscent of spices such as cloves, cinnamon and pepper, fruit like raspberries, wildberries and figs and a touch of dark chocolate. Light and fresh, it has a silky texture and has a long aftertaste.
In our country, this variety is gaining remarkable acceptance in the Province of San Juan. It combines perfectly with matured cheese, pasta with red sauce, meat, stew and pizza.
Cluster: mid-sized to small, compact, with cylindrical shape.
Grapes: Elliptical bluish black grains. Thin but resistant skin. Juicy and pleasant pulp.
Ripeness: medium maturity.

Merlot

Genetically related to Cabernet Sauvignon, although they do not feature the same capacity of adaptation, this grape was also originally grown in the Southwest of France.
As a varietal, Merlot develops well in Alto Valle, in the Province of Río Negro, Luján de Cuyo, Maipú, and Cruz de Piedra in Mendoza and in the Pedernal Valley in San Juan and it has given very good results in Patagonia.
It is generally used as a blend in the making of Cabernet Sauvignon, to which it provides a soft touch of roundness to harmonize its harshness.
This grape produces sophisticated, elegant and round wines of full body. Notes of fruit -plums and morello cherries-, roses, spices, black pepper and cinnamon are present in its taste. The wine presents violet and red tinges whereas its brightness is not too intense.
Cluster: compact, bluish black, with conical shape.
Grapes: thin skin, round and black
Ripeness: early

Pinot Noir

This is one of the grapes that make up the blend of most French champagne. Originally grown in the area of Bourgogne, France, Pinot Noir produces extremely soft, fresh and fruity wines, with a very good bouquet, an acidity that makes it quite vivid and persistent in the palate without being aggressive. Besides, its color is pale though attractive, varying from a soft red when it is young to an orange shade after having been aged from 8 to 10 years. As this grape requires cold weather to manage good results, in our country, very good products are being obtained in the Valley of Uco in Mendoza and in the Valley of the Neuquén River in Patagonia. This wine is exported or used to make sparkling wines. Cluster: medium, compact and elongated Grapes: small, slightly ovoid. They have soft thin skin and much coloring matter. Ripeness: requires long maturation in fresh weather

Ercavio from Spain

2009-01-25T00:27:00.003-06:00

This is a winner.

Ercavio. Located just outside Toledo in the region of Castilla LaMancha,

The 2005 Ercavio Roble is a remarkable value. Produced from 100% Cencibel (Tempranillo), this is a custom cuvee selected by importer Eric Solomon, and was aged for 5 months in French and American oak. Purple colored, with fragrant spice box, tobacco, blueberry, and blackberry aromas, this full-bodied effort has gobs of ripe fruit, a firm structure, and a 40-second finish, not bad value for a sawbuck. Although this well-made wine will surely evolve for 2-3 years, who will have the patience? This is one to purchase by the case."

Enjoying the summer 2008

2008-08-10T15:18:00.003-05:00

I HAVE SOME MORE WINE FOR YOU TO TRY ,WE WERE JUST BBQ ING HERE AT OUR HOUSE TONIGHT AND TRIED THIS ...Footbolt Shiraz maintains a wonderfully textured palate with significant bottle age. Gentle, grainy black olive flavors balance the sweeter coffee, chocolate and occasional mint characters. The hallmarks of McLaren Vale, d'Arenberg, and The Footbolt Shiraz; a soft, rich middle palate, terrific texture and a long rolling finish, can reside with this wine for a number of years. Here I have a little quize for you :what is what in those 2 glasses,would you know?
I got this bottle I think 2 y ago.THE WINE IS CLOSER TO PENFOLDS BIN 389 Cab/Shiraz this was outstanding.Absolutely worth every $ I spent on it.It is very vibrant, lively aromas are immediately apparent without any need to swirl the glass.I am not going to write about it ,you should simply try it....I was BBQ this and my plate looked like that:
I think you should try it ASAP,both vintages are outstanding by my standards.

...02.29.2008...

2008-02-29T21:49:00.004-06:00

Welcome everybody,witajcie w ten niecodzienny dzien jakim jest luty 29.

Tym razem mialem okazje probowac cala game Rieslingow z Niemiec.Oto pare fotek.

Today we taste more wine

2008-02-22T08:20:00.010-06:00

I am going to Wine Styles today to taste some Chilien wine ,here there are:

I just came back so here are some my notes from the tasting:
Terra Andina http://www.terrandina.cl/
Sauvignon Blanc Central Valley, Chile
Unoaked Chardonnay Central Valley , Chile
Reserva Carmenère uwielbiam ten szczep winogron Central Valley , Chile
Merlot Central Valley , Chile
Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley , Chile
Ten cab jest wielki i wyrazisty,jak tylko go powachasz juz wiesz ,ze masz 'cab" przed soba.
Te wino zadowli wielu przy dobrym kawalku wolowiny z BBQ polaczonym z dobry serem zoltym ,niezbyt skomplikowanym .
Altos de Terra Andina
Carmenère/Carignan Central Valley , Chile :
miale okazje probowac Reserva Carmenere/Carignan: pochodzi ze starego regionu Cauquenas zmiszanego z winogronami Carmenere z Maipo Doliny.Smak wina jest bardzo zlozony ,ze smakiem czarnej pozeczki i palonej papryki.Smak jest bardzo unikalny i latwy do zapamietania.Smak z podniebienia jest gladki,bogaty,elegancki .mieszanka ta jest wysmienita z ostrymi potrawami z BBQ.

Uwazam ,ze wiekszosc win z Chile jest wysmienite,zobaczcie na polozenie,z jeden strony ocean a z drugiej Andy.Przemysl maja malo rozwiniety wiec nie ma zanieczyszczenia...raj,po prostu raj.
Napisze w weekend jakie mi smakowaly i byly dobre wg mojego gustu.

...witam Was wszystkich a wiec wrocilem z testowania i jak to zawsze bywa ze mna wyszedlem z paroma butelkami w reku.Oczywiscie " pare " butelek bylo zupelnie z innej polki. Jestem zafascynowany winami z poludniwej Ameryki i tak wiec mialem zupelna "uczte" winna,nie tylko moglem probowc wina z Terra Andina ale rowniez pare z Argentyny(ktore zreszta najbardziej mi smakowaly,San Rafael Cabernet 05,zupelna rewelacja,piekny cab z lekka domieszka owocu,bylem zupelnie zaskoczony). Otworzono u nas nowy sklep z winami,tam bylem,zupelnie kameralnie ,spokojnie,mozna porozmawiac z roznych regionach i preferencjach. Dzis wieczorem byl rowniez reprezentat z Chile na US,wiec moglem wiele dowiedziec sie.

Winter 2008

2008-02-14T17:55:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone,
this year winter is much colder but we do not giving up and still drinking wine and BBQing all what we can.
Please scroll down to review my movies from last summer, we had a lot of fun creating them.
Enjoy your wine !

Swieta

2007-12-21T22:24:00.001-06:00

I wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2008

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-11-22T16:22:00.000-06:00

This is what I found 6 m ago and what we are going to enjoy during our Thanksgiving dinner tonight.
The color of the Petite Sirah is intensely purple like a well ripened plum.The aromas of dense jamy blackberry and blueberry are complimented by a smoky, spicy oak bouquet with hints of tar, chocolate and mocha. One might expect a wine with this color and density to be astringent and tannic, but the flavors are of bright zesty sweet red fruits. The wines body is rich and full of well-rounded and softened oak tannins. The finish is surprisingly succulent and lingers minutes after swallowing the wine.

Wine tasting at Haskell's 2007

2007-09-30T18:38:00.000-05:00

As every year b4 the big sale we were invited to Wine tasting at Haskell's last Saturday.
Here is what we tried:

BBQ 4th ... BBQ numer 4

2007-07-19T17:45:00.000-05:00

Witam na BBQ 4 ,tym razem jest z nami Grazynka z rodzinka...nie widzielismy sie szmat czasu .
Oto co szykujemy na jej przywitanie:

wlasnie dzisiaj probujemy nowe winko Bodegas Antonio Candela Carro Tinto z Hiszpanii,mieszanka 50% Monastrell,20% Syrah,20% tempranillo i 10% merlot.
It reveals terrific fruit intensity, copious black cherries and wild mountain berries, and notions of licorice, flowers, roasted meats, and chocolate. With supple tannin, low acidity, and abundant fruit, it is a joy to drink as well as a spectacular value.
Jest po prostu wysmienite,polecam.

Dania z winami

2007-07-06T22:51:00.002-05:00

Mielismy wspanialy weekend.Sobota byla "zabujcza" na tarasie +45C .Wyobrazacie sobie...
Oto pare win i pare dan , wszystko bylo cudowne.
Pozdrawiam

I found a winner at Byerly's, ...David Frost Cabernet Reserve 1998 - Tribute to the Legends Gene Sarazen (Label by LeRoy Neiman)...25% off the prize.
I also had a chance to try it with a Merlot 1999...wow. It was just poor pleasure.I am sure You would love it.The 1998 Cabernet is the best wine produced by David Frost wines yet. The wine growing region, Paarl, in South Africa is known for being a relatively warm area, large and spread out with wide valley floors and high mountains. Residing at the same latitude south as Spains’ Sherry region is north, Paarl itself is about 30 miles northwest of Cape Town.

Professional golfer David Frost and his brother Michel are producing wines of world quality and in this instance a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% French oak, 60% new. The result is a wine capable of 7-10 years cellaring with notes of .
Enormous nose of black currant and plum notes signal what is to follow ...,anise, leather and sweet oak notes. The palate shows great roundness and integration of tannins. Mineral and black fruit aromas mix with the smoke and toasty oak notes given by the extended time. This wine is coming to be it age 10 year old.

My friends try it, you will not be disappointed.

Hidden place to eat at La Jolla,California

2007-06-24T00:34:00.001-05:00

I just came back from the dinner at La Jolla....I was just walking ,walking,could not find any place to eat where I did not have to wait for an hour before they let me in and suddenly ...here we go :The Brockton Villa restaurant.
That was great choice a treat ,food was great ,view ...to die for .They took me right away ,no waiting.Before I ate I ask for

Soljans Hawkes Bay Merlot/Cabernet/Malbec 2004 New Zeland

It has a full bodied roundness with good tannin structure,Merlot – 1/3rd 18 Months in mainly French oak barriques. Cabernet Franc – 18 months in French and American oak barriques. Malbec – 18 months in seasoned French oak barriques.I could taste a cedar and vanilla edge to the plum and blackberry flavours from the grapes

Then I had special dinner presented by the Chef Steven Brown

at "The Brockton Villa" 1235 Coast Blvd. La Jolla, Ca 92037 ,phone: 858 454 7393 located right on the ocean. I complemented him about his creation: Lemon & Oregano Rubbed Free-range Chicken Grilled Spring Vegetables/Natural , be cause it was just outstanding. I also tasted
Pierre Boniface Vin de Savoie Apremont 2004 to complement his composition.

I could not just leave with out saying anything,as you can see his presentation was also just right. Later I ordered cappuccino with a cinnamon .
Before I left Steve found a little time to came out and talk to me ,it was very nice of him to do it.
We had a little chat about food and wine.
The atmosphere was very European, nobody rushed me to leave, I was left for myself to enjoy a great view of the sun on the horizon.

I would recommend this place to everyone,it is off the main street( I am really glad) ,right on the ocean.
Steve and entire staff are so dedicated to quality you can see it as soon as you enter their property,by the way Mellisa did excellent job helping me choosing my wine for the dinner.
Steve you can be proud of you and your staff -GREAT JOB GUYS..
I am giving you 4 stars ****.

BBQ part III arrived .

2007-06-17T15:36:00.000-05:00

Today is Father's Day... BBQ part 3 is in motion,it has arrived..

Hello to our BBQ part 2,witamy oto:BBQ czesc II

2007-06-10T10:51:00.001-05:00

Witam serdecznie do BBQ part 2 z Woodbury,Minnesota.
Dzis bedziemy probowac wlasciwie tylko jedno wino z Poludniowej Afryki...dodajmy ,ze bardzo dobre

Witam serdecznie,I am back :):)

2007-06-03T22:35:00.000-05:00

Welcome everybody,
witam wszystkich oto mam dla Was maly film z mojego tarasu gdzie robilem super BBQ,poledwiczka z warzywami.
Here you can watch me grilling(BBQ) a nice piece of pork lion with veggies and garlic bread.
This great dish was presented with a glass of La Joya Shiraz from Chile.
Just watch it and enjoy it please.

Czekolada

2007-05-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

Nie moge sam uwierzyc...nigdy nie zrobilem zdjec czekolady....juz to nadrabiam,popatrzcie

My newest ...moje najnowsze nabytki

2007-04-19T23:31:00.001-05:00

Witam serdecznie,
ostatnio zakochalem sie w winach z poludniowej Ameryki :Chile ,Argentyna i Nowej Zelandii.Poludniowa Afryka zaczyna rowniez byc wysmienitym wyborem na wieczorne kolacje.
Oto moje najnowsze nabytki...jestem ciekaw jak bede smakowac.

Hello again

2007-04-19T23:27:00.000-05:00

Here you can see me and my teacher Fritz Derstroff Wine Master from Oestrich -Winkel Weingut in Germany where I had a pleasure to work under his watchful eye.
During his visit in America in 2004

Enjoy

2007-04-10T21:48:00.001-05:00

April 1st 2007 Enjoy the flavor

2007-04-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

W kwietniu 2007

Drugi dzien testowania/2nd day of wine tasting in Top Ten Wine & Spirits

2007-04-01T17:33:00.000-05:00

Dzisiaj udalo mi sie probowac wspaniale biale wina z calego swiata w sklepie Top Ten Wine &Spirits oto macie przyklad co wybralem/
Today again I had a chance to go to the Wine Tasting at the Top Ten Wine & Spirits store .
It was a rainy evening but full of people inside.
I tried to stay with the white wine only ,this is what I choose to buy:

Testowanie wina/Wine tasting 2007

2007-03-29T22:57:00.001-05:00

Dzisiaj udalo mi sie probowac wspaniale wina z calego swiata w sklepie Top Ten Wine &Spirits oto macie przyklad co wybralem:

Wina z Chile, wines from Chile

VARIETAL:	100% Carmenère.
HARVESTING:	By hand in the third week of April.
AGING:	It stays four to six months in American oak barrels.
COLOUR:	It has an intense plummy red colour.
AROMA:	It is elegant, fine, fruity, remembering berries and plums, with notes of chocolate, caramel and pepper.
FLAVOUR:	It is a well balanced wine with a heavy fruity presence of mature red fruits with wood overtones, a toasty, spicy flavour (tobacco and bacon).
GOOD WITH:	Elegant dinners with fine red meats or wild fowl. Pate de fois gras, ethnic cuisine and seasoned dishes. Serving temperature between 18- 20°C. You have to check the link to Dona Loena from Chile,click on the label. There you can see a new way to store the wine...under water.It is deep,bright-red wine with shades of violet.Complex and elegant as a whole,characterized on the nose by ripe fruit,with hints of spices and mocha.It is round on the palate with a medium-body

USA

Castle Rock Pinot Noir was produced from grapes grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Sheltered by the Cascade Mountains, this area is on the same latitude as France’s Burgundy region, and in the past thirty years it has gained international recognition as one of the most prestigious appellation for this cool-climate varietal. This elegant medium-bodied wine offers aromas of cherry and spice. On the palate the wine gives flavors of berries, cinnamon, black cherry, sweet vanilla, oak, and floral notes, with a long velvety finish. This versatile wine pairs well with lamb, chicken, veal, salmon and light pasta dishes.

Australia

A terrific buy from Australia , the 2004 Juveniles is a tank-fermented and aged blend of Grenache (60%), Shiraz (20%), and Mataro (20%) made from 40-150-year old vines. Provencal-like notes of garrigue, pepper, spice, sweet cherries, and black currants jump from the glass of this elegant, medium-bodied effort. With superb fruit as well as purity, and no hard edges, it can be enjoyed over the next 2-4 years.

South African Wines

These wine selections are the result of extensive research and numerous visits to the producers in South Africa and we believe these are some of the best wines South Africa has to offer. We source these wines directly from the wineries and can offer all our wines at outstanding prices.

Their catalog has wines from several different price points. The Maankloof line is entry level wines. They are "entry

level" in pricing, but not in quality. Mountain River wines are midpriced and our selections showcase the diversity of varietals available to South African

winemakers. Zevenwacht and La Cave are our premium wines and have won many awards one of them in Minneapolis 2007 at the Wine and Food Show.

Maankloof - 2004 Cabernet

SauvignonVineyards

It is round on the palate with a medium-body.Area: Western Cape

Wine Colour: Rich; ruby red colour

Taste: Delicate taste of chocolate and berries. Is read to drink now.

And the last one from Washington State

later on I will present more pictures of the white wines I purchased yesterday...keep checking.
Enjoy

I just came back from Haskell's wine tasting