Jane's Weekly Wines 
from the Atlanta Wine School

PRINT AND GO VERSION
September 14th, 2006
American Rhônes: The Next Chapter in American Winemaking
	
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Rosenblum Cellars Roussanne Fess Parker Vineyard 2003
Santa Barbara County, CA

Full-bodied dry white wine; medium deep golden straw. Fresh, ripe golden fruits
 aromas, from pears to quince, honey and honeysuckle attend the aromatic 
 spices of these aromas; while fruit flavors reach for juicy quince, with 
 its spicy character, and Asian pear apple. Fruit has evolved but still 
 tastes fresh, and acquired depth and character. Voluptuous texture. 
 Owned and operated by the actor who played Davey Crockett back in the 
 1860s, this vineyard has a microclimate that features cool evenings, 
 warm days and moderating breezes off the Pacific Ocean. The new French 
 clones of Roussanne yield a richer, more intense wine. Sloping vineyards 
 with alluvial soil. Grapes are ttrellised vertically for enhanced sun 
 exposure.  Hefty alcohol, 14.8$) but the wine doesn't read "hot." 
 Serve moderately chilled, about 55 degrees, in tall tulip-shaped glasses.

Exotically flavored (but not hot) foods; veal cooked with braised onions 
and raisins, mango, red pepper chicken salad; sautéed soft-shell crabs 
with a bit of curry powder in the flour used for dusting; ginger-flavored 
salmon covered with vegetables; creamy slightly spicy pastas (hot or cold), 
aged mild cheeses, such as aged Gouda, Gruyère or Emmentaler

Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC
$22
88

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Zaca Mesa Viognier 2005
Santa Ynez Valley, CA

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium golden straw. Aromas of exotic flowers 
(honeysuckle, jasmine, orange blossom), exotic fruit flavors capture a taste 
of honey (not its sweetness), Asian pear apple, white peach, lychee nut, 
touch of quince. Aromas hint at sweetness, but palate is dry, with a clean, 
crisp finish Stainless steel fermented, with three months in neutral French 
oak. Wine is not oaky, but the roundness on the palate suggests use of oak. 
Not the flavors. Brilliantly done. Twelve-year-old vines, La Jota and Tables 
clones. Serve moderately chilled, about 55 degrees, in tall tulip-shaped glasses.

Thai-style cold shrimp or chicken with lemongrass (but no heat), sushi, 
Chinese and Vietnamese that's not wicked hot made with seafood or chicken; 
lots of Southern fare, including curried chicken salad, collard greens, 
fried chicken with honey mustard sauce; barbecue with full-bodied spicy 
(but not hot) sauce; salmon croquettes, creamy mild goat cheese

Georgia Crown
$16
92

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Qupé Marsanne 2005
Santa Ynez Valley, CA

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium straw.  Aromas of white peach, honeysuckle, 
flavors offer white peach, minerality, orange zest, complexity. Silky texture. 
Long finish. Good acid-backed fruit. Neutral French oak maintains fresh fruit. 
Consider decanting about 30 minutes ahead of serving moderately chilled, about 
55 degrees. Grapes: 84% Marsanne and 16% Roussanne, with 76% of the Marsanne 
from Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos (Santa Ynez Valley), 8% Marsanne 
from Rozet Vineyards in Paso Robles, 10% Roussanne from the Stolpman Vineyard 
near Los Olivos, and 6% Roussanne from the Bien Nacido Vineyard (Santa Maria 
Valley). Owner Bob Lindquist is another Rhône pioneer. 

Fried chicken with honey mustard; grilled shrimp and scallops; smoke salmon 
terrine; mild curried chicken salad, mildly seasoned Asian seafood and 
chicken dishes, deep-fried catfish; paella; salmon croquettes, chicken 
pot pie, pork steaks with mustard cream sauce, creamy mild goat cheese

United Distributors
$19
90

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Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel 2003
Paso Robles, CA

Full-bodied dry red wine; translucent dark cherry red. Intense blackberry aromas; 
with the suggestion of white pepper, followed by delicious companion flavors, 
with some notes of dried currants, displaying firm but fruit-derived 
(not aggressive) tannins. Alcohol apparent (14.8%), but fruit is generous, 
and rich foods will tame it.  Grapes: Mourvèdre (50%); Syrah (27%); Grenache 
(16%) and Counoise (7%).--the red Rhône wine classics.  Big but balanced. 
Founded in 1989, Tablas Creek is an offspring of famous Château de Beaucastel 
in the Rhône Valley. Serve cool, decanted for several hours, at about 65 
degrees, in large funnel-shaped glasses. Potential keeper if well cellared 10-15 years.

Pâtés and terrines; Chinese pepper steak (or tofu, chicken or pork); 
beef satay; smoked meats; light curries (really good); simple roast duck or 
Chinese duck; such as Peking duck, moo shoo pork; teriyaki; Provençal beef 
stew (with black olives, etc.); braised beef ribs; pulled pork barbecue with a 
brown, spicy (but not hot) sauce; grilled Cornish hen brushed with seedless 
blackberry jam thinned with some of the wine, aged nutty cheeses (Parrano, 
Emmentaler, aged Gruyère), dark chocolate

Empire Distributing
$40
93

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Writer's Block Grenache 2005
Lake County, CA

Medium-bodied dry red wine; translucent ruby red. Aromas of A bit tight, shy 
in the aromas, but what's there suggests ripe red fruits. Flavors focus on red 
currants, cherry, and red raspberry. Alcohol's a little ahead of the fruit, but 
cooling it down will boost the fruit and suppress the burn. Very gentle oak, 
wisely resisting the temptation to oak it up to make up for light fruit, but 
a little too much vanilla in the finish (American oak?). For Grenache, this 
one's a mite light, but that lightness supplies opportunities for interesting 
food pairings that a heavier version wouldn't permit. Vines quite young. 
Grapes: Grenache; Syrah; Counoise.  Jed Steele's son Quincy is making his 
first forays into winemaking before going off to Dad's alma mater (U.C. Davis) 
to study the subject. Tweaking this very fine start should be his master's thesis.

No spice, as that only kicks up the burn. But great with lighter fare, 
such as tapas, veggie lasagna, pork steaks with port/cream sauce; pasta 
(either hot or cold) with creamy but not spicy sauces; pimento cheese, 
fried chicken; braised oxtails, smoked beef brisket with mild barbecue 
sauce, red beans 'n' rice (yum!), Asian hangar steak with Ponzu dipping 
sauce, teriyaki, roast pork loing with apricot chutney and mashed sweet 
potatoes (another yum!)

Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC
$16
85

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Project 3000 Grenache 2003
Lake County, CA

Full-bodied dry red wine; medium deep dark ruby red. Aromas of dark fruits 
with a touch of exotic spice (cardamom?) Luscious dark fruit flavors; 
tasty fruit-derived tannins. Dark plum lies at the core of these flavors. 
Pretty hefty alcohol, 14.8%, and finish is a little hot. Grape: Grenache; 
10% Syrah. Lake County lies just north of Napa/Sonoma, and these eastern 
facing vineyards lie close to the ocean e at 3000 feet above sea level. 
First vintage; three-year-old vines. Amazing. Serve at cool room 
temperature, about 60-65 degrees, in large bowled tulip-shaped glasses. 

Full-bodied foods: Braised oxtails or short ribs of beef, perhaps cooked 
in Grenache; prime rib; roast pork loin or duck stuffed with croutons 
and dried dark fruits; pâtés and terrines; meat pies and casseroles; 
smoked meats

Ultimate Distributing
$25
88