RFN # 16, pub. 7/9/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter
No. 16
July 9, 2009

The Newsletter is affiliated with no one but its author
Please respond to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line and you will be removed from the list.
Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

Well, friends, I’ve just returned from my new addiction, china wh… just kidding, disc golf it is. A little piece of exercise, a little good clean sweat, and a few shouted expletives to see my too-expensive little Frisbees shanking their way into oblivion, deep in the bramble. Which bramble also has wings, as I found while frustratedly searching the field on the last hole, when an angry bee gave her life to ruin my pinky toe’s afternoon. Oh well, swollen toes were a symbol of great power among the Incas. Maybe I should eat come quinoa. Or maybe I should shut the hell up and get to it, ne?

Last week I was invited to yet another fantastic tasting courtesy of Triage (for whom I am not a paid shill, by the way… although my resume can be found on FB, Triagiens!), once again at the elegant digs at Eco PDX (2289 N Interstate, PDX; http://www.ecopdx.com/), a fabulous entombed and salvaged wood furniture place. As soon as I buy a house, this is where I will get my furnishings- it’s absolutely gorgeous in there, including the world’s loveliest easy chair, a wooden-slat recliner as only God intended… But last week I was there to taste Californian wines, NOT recline on affordable furniture, so onward.

Readers, I know you now recognize Triage as one of the best distributors in town- this is not just a result of great customer service, or even their wonderful book, but it is also a question of consistency of taste. They pick, almost without fail, wines I find to be elegant, structured, and impeccably well-made. So when you hear they’re showing wines from California, you have to take notice. Here’s the thing with our fair southern neighbor state: it offers more variety of vineyard land than almost anywhere outside of Europe. The range of styles it’s possible to produce there surely make it the New World equivalent to France in that regard. That means that those gushing oakbombs that get hung with all the big sexy scores are not at all what California does best. At their best, Callie wines effortlessly combine New World fruit with Old World structure and class. It’s a big reason why ossified old Bordeaux, even if it’s one of my favorite wine regions on the planet, is less and less thought of as the standard for excellent Cabernets, for instance. The very best from California are increasingly just as good as anything from overseas… OK, maybe it’s I who am gushing here (ahem, Barolo, yes yes, Chablis, ok, I get it, shut up, Riggs), but you get my overly prolix point: California rocks!

California Tasting, by Triage Wines, at EcoPDX

2007 Mark Elke Chardonnay Anderson Valley $20
Yes, there’s oak here, people. Get over it and move on. This is a very nice iteration of the often cloying style of Chard that obtains down here. Cool climate vineyards allow for the development of fine acidity, and the flavors of filberts, lemon zest, and stones swirl on the palate. Not too heavy at all, this would be excellent with poultry.

2006 Walter Hansel Chardonnay North Slope Russian R. Valley $43
Yes, this is a big boy. I dunno if it has gobs of fruit, but it definitely leans towards the hedonistic fruitbomb end of things. I’m only half-kidding there- the nose of this wine opens up with a big, woody California terroir funk, all animal flesh and R-rated briny undercurrents, and the palate is lush with lemon meringue and sweet earth. I think this would pair best with friendly debauchery.

2008 Copain Rosé Tous Ensemble Anderson Valley $17
The marked smokiness to this rosé of Pinot Noir has it dressed up as Pinotage. Compelling, sassy flavors of dried roses and stones flow into a beautifully crisp finish with great balance. This is wine made for barbecued ribs. Or BBQ chips and a sunny deck? Hmmm…

2006 Copain Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard Anderson Valley $43
The most interesting California Pinot I have tasted in some time, this wine has none of the tomato-y, stewed qualities that so many from down there have. I’m not trying to be a chauvinist here, either, it’s just that I like my Pinot like I like my dinner companions: intelligent, feminine, complex, and light. I’m not a fan of opaque Pinot Noir, in other words. This beauty, though… The nose is all wild strawberries and hazelnuts, and these flavors coil around a core of wonderful citron acidity and river stones, finishing with a fan of mouthwatering minerality, soooo delicate and pretty. This is the real deal, folks.

2007 Radio-Coteau Syrah Las Colinas Sonoma Coast $50
The soft, pencil-lead and boysenberry nose of this wine immediately made me think of the Syrahs of Ojai, from much further south. There is a counter-intuitive melding of the massive and delicate here that I have really only encountered in high-end Callie Syrahs. They’re much different than anything from Australia or Washington in that regard. Fruit-forward, yet finesse-driven, this is a wonderful, elegant wine.

2007 LIOCO Indica Mendocino $20
A smoking little blend (yeah, I went there) of Carignane, Petit Sirah, Mourvèdre, and Grenache that’s way too balanced and light for its own good. It’s a wine all about bright, sunny wild cherries, with a balancing note of earth and acid. A great value in this style of wine.

2005 Stolpman Sangiovese $37 (Santa Barbara)
I haven’t loved a Cal-Ital this much since I used to get Jim Clendenen’s Bricco Buon Natale wines, which were a similar riot of structure, earth, and acidity. The nose shows beautiful cranberry lift, stones-after-rain, and cherryskins. On the palate the wine is richer, but maintains its bloody focus, passing through sheets of blueberries into a head-spinning finish that is long and mineral-driven, with a tiny hit of sweetness on the very end. What a tremendous food wine!

2004 Farella-Park Merlot Napa Valley $25
I have to say, it’s not often that my notes for a Napa Valley Merlot begin with WOW! …that said, it’s exactly the right word in this case. Filled with layers upon layers of high-tone fruit that entwine with tarry, almost Primitivo-like flavors, while never being ponderous or stewy, the wine glides effortlessly through maritime notes and oolong tea leaves, into a finish with perfect balance and eminent restraint. Very nice indeed, the most exciting Merlot I've had in some time.

2008 Arnot-Roberts Chardonnay North Coast $34 (no oak)
A bit of funky terroir in the nose opens up into beautiful, starry acidity and lip-smacking Meyer lemon purity. Lithe and racy while maintaining a silky texture on the tongue, this is a Chard for folks who think they don’t like Chard. And, yes, it was made in 100% stainless steel. Very impressive.

2007 Arnot-Roberts Syrah California $37
The nose here is all bloody, erotic funk that Frenchifies (not French fries, mind you) upon aeration, leaning into peppery cherryskins. On the tongue it’s all flesh and dark berries, with gorgeous, briny Rhône-style Syrah fruit bursting with Californian exuberance. Plush in the mouth, the finish is clean and middle-length.

…and my star winery at the tasting, Tres Sabores…Biodynamic, northeastern facings… Complete and total yumminess, across the board…

Tres Sabores
2007 Sauvignon Blanc “Farina” Sonoma Mountain $20
Hands-down, my favorite Californian Sauv Blanc ever. I like grassiness, but there is none. I do not like cat piss, and there’s also none of that. Even the tendency to slough over into Kiwi tropicality is avoided here. Instead, what you have is a gorgeous, cool-climate white wine grown on very poor soil, and it shows. The wine sings with big, bright limes and fresh mandarins, with a Buddha’s hand citron hit at the back. Chalky minerality, sage leaves, and bright acids knit the whole thing together. Yes yes yes! And at this price? Whew…

2006 ¿Porque No? Zinfandel Blend $24
You’ll first notice the wonderful, airy lightness of this wine. Dark cherries and dried apricots preen, bustling into a plush finish with just the right savory hit at the end. Zinophiles rejoice! Zinophobes, come closer, ¿Porque No? won’t hurt you…

2005 Zinfandel Rutherford $33
The nose is all damiana flowers over bloody, grilled oranges, floral and showing great pedigree. In the mouth, the degree of subtlety and grace with which such a usually heavy grape is handled is nearly astonishing. No cola or Dr. Pepper here, this is all bright red berries and earth, with a wonderfully acidic finish, not at all heavy.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Perspective Rutherford $69
This almost magnificent cab shows a big, brooding, glowing-ember core of cherries and mossy sage, with animal eroticism and wet stones as undertone. Pencil lead terroir and concupiscent acidity coil like a cat’s tail around gorgeous, deep red fruits (think more red currant and less cassis). This will age with great beauty, though she is a massive temptress right now. Maybe you should lay in a half-case, just to be safe.

California goodness! Website frustration, though, still working on that… Coming soon!

But there is an important non-wine-related date looming on the horizon, the Relay For Life! Join our lovely sisters in their fight against breast cancer, and get some exercise while you’re at it.

SW Neighborhoods Relay for Life
July 18-19th
10am-10am
Sign up your team at www.relayforlife.org/swneighborhoodsor
...or just come check out the event anytime that day...
There will be bands, food, movies, a silent auction from 2-5pm, and a luminaria ceremony at 10pm.
We need your help, neighbors!

And remember, you can now follow me at twitter.com/riggs5000!

OK, I’m off into the golden afternoon, y’all, a glass of Evesham Wood Vin d’Une Nuit Rosé of Tempranillo all a-bead in my hand. I wish you a pleasant, safe weekend, and we’ll see you real soon!

yrs,
Riggs

--
Riggs Fulmer
Wine. Words. Music.

Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
-Aristophanes

RFN # 14, pub. 6/11/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter

No. 14
June 11, 2009

The Newsletter is affiliated with no one but its author
Please respond to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line and you will be removed from the list.
Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

Friends, the nexus of May/June can be one of the most climactically irritating on the calendar, bi-polar as the weather is this time of year. Fifty degrees and drizzle upon awakening, then a humid sun-break in the afternoon when the temperature soars into the eighties, leaving you all a-sweat in your long sleeves and trousers. Of course, that’s the price we pay to live in paradise, and if you think it’s bad out here, move to the Mississippi Valley for a year, or maybe Washington D.C, where you have no idea on any given day what the heck the sky will look like.

Personally, I don’t mind the clouds- but only on days like today, as they tend to distract me from my newslettering duties. That was NOT the case with last week, by the way; I just didn’t have anything for you. This week, however, is a different animal, friends. Having been to tastings all across town, including the inestimable Storyteller Wines (5511-B SW Hood, PDX; www.storytellerwine.com) and Bar Avignon (2138 SE Division, PDX; www.baravignon.com), and one big boy at 28th Avenue’s own Navarre, I have much wine to discuss with you.

But, without farther adieu (gotta love that self-defecating humor, right?), on we go to the wine. This week, as I mentioned, I was lucky and most pleased to be invited to an amazing Spanish winetasting by my friends at Triage:

José Pastor Selections, hosted by Triage Wines, at Navarre

Navarre (10 NE 28th, PDX; navarreportland.blogspot.com) is a great little restaurant, and by little I don’t mean to condescend- it’s actually a cozy space right off of East Burnside. The food is wonderful, and plentiful, and the staff suitably lovely. But this last Tuesday the place was brim-full of some of the most exciting Spanish wines I’ve tasted in years.

José Pastor is a man after my own heart, it seems. I’m kind of a terroir slut, as you may have noticed these past months, and when I read a guy write this about his selections, I have to smile, “Our producers emphasize Spain’s indigenous grape varietals and above all else, work with their land to handcraft honest wines with a sense of place. To this end, they use indigenous yeast during fermentation, and oak treatment and filtering is kept to a minimum.” Ah, Señor Pastor, your wisdom rings like poetry in my ears… Okay, I’m gushing again, but this was an afternoon of great juice. Before we begin, know that many of these wines are quite rare, and need to be special-ordered. Call your local wine-shop for availability, and do not hesitate, as these wines will not be around forever…

2001 Castell Sant Antoni Cava Gran Reserva $43
In Sideways, as the two gadabouts perch on the tasting room bar at Sanford, Miles archly declares, “Usually they start you out on wines with training wheels, but this…” I felt much the same way to be knocked out of my socks by the first wine on the table, this exquisite Cava. Gorgeous and expressive, with delicate mousse, the limeflowers-and-bread nose hangs over a core of positively Champagne-like structure and effortless, grin-worthy length.

2008 Urki Txacoli Blanco $22 (Getariako Txacolina)
Basque wine! Kerouac once wrote “Les poissons de la mer parlent breton,” but I bet they actually speak Txacoli, as there are arguably no finer wines with seafood than these gems from the shores of the Bay of Biscay, just west of the land’s great northward turn into France. This wine is textbook Txacoli, which is to say a riot of wonderfully steely maritime stones, killer acidity with Meyer lemon lift, and a long, crisp finish full of dancing minerality.

2008 Masia de Bielsa Tinto $13 (Campo de Borja)
I loves me some inexpensive Garnacha, it’s true, even if they can be a little one-trick-pony in their iteration. What do you expect, right? Well, I did not expect this wine to be anything like as affordable as it is when I tasted it. The bouquet was pretty, red berries and blood, while on the tongue it’s floral and earthy, with an actual minerality to its black raspberry finish. Lay this one in by the case.

German Gilabert Cava and Cava Rosé (NV) $16
These two gems are the best values in bubbly I’ve seen in a looong time. Hey, Cristalino’s great, but if you can get five times the wine for just under twice the price…? The white is beautiful, all lime skins and stones, and the pink, made from 100% Trepat, is an epiphany of wild cherries and mountain strawberries, wound around a core of citrus and minerals. Just awesome, both of them.

2006 Mas de Negre $24 (Priorat)
When I go to Spain, I plan to spend a lot of time in my favorite Iberian wine region, the Priorat. Topographically, linguistically, and also organoleptically, this region offers something of a mash-up of Mediterranean France and Spain. How can you go wrong? This wine, a blend of Cinsault and Garnacha, shows pretty French cherries, bloody roses, and silky tannins, with a clean, meat-loving finish. 100% organic juice. Very nice indeed.

2008 Verasol MCS $11 (Jumilla)
This little Monastrell-driven gem is a fantastic value. The wine’s robe is a lovely, almost fluorescent purple, and in the mouth it’s fresh and bright, berries and garrigue herbs, with great length. Yum!

2007 Enología Temera Alodio $18 (Ribeira Sacra)
The Ribeira Sacra is in many ways the most exciting up-and-coming wine region in Europe. Ancient vines of a noble indigenous varietal (Mencia), steep, craggy vineyards, exceptional climate… an importer’s dream! This wine shows sweet, spicy stones with thrilling boysenberry concentration and bright, lifting acids. Yum!

2005 Enología Temera “Temera” VV Mencia $30 (Ribeira Sacra)
Old-vine Mencia from the precipitous slopes above the River Sil, this wine was aged in cherry wood (!), and is indeed as distinctive and charming as you’d imagine. An explosion of raspberries and fresh garden roses, this is a lot like a Spanish version of Lacrima di Morro d’Alba in its floral cascade. Like God’s own rose pastilles, this amazing wine must be tasted to be believed.

Guímaro (Ribeira Sacra)
2007 Blanco $30
2008 Mencia $18
2007 Mencia, old vines $43
2007 Mencia, old vines, single-cluster fermented $43
These wines are all so amazing that I had to write them up en masse. If that seems a little counter-intuitive, consider that the incredible, positively French styling of these wines (which remain solidly Spanish all the while) is their earmark, top to bottom. The white, composed of 80% Godello and 20% Treixadura, has a nutty, Arbois-like nose, with fresh coconuts that are reminiscent of an excellent daiginjo sake. The reds, all 100% Mencia, are celebrations of glorious limpid cherry flavors, white peppercorns, bacon fat, earth, blood, minerals, roses… The whole-cluster in particular would be a great ringer for your next Northern Rhône tasting. I only describe them in Gallic terms for want of the proper vocabulary- these wines will surely coin a phrase or two two of their own over the next few years. This is a winery to be watched.

2008 Tajinaste Listán Negro Tradicional $22 (Tenerife)
The oldest stocks of the grape used here, Listán negro, were planted on the estate back in 1914. Though the majority of the juice here comes from much younger vines, the expression of site is unmistakable, and welcome. Great clarity and vibrant color greet the eye, while on the tongue it’s all gushing wild cherries, salmonberries, and black peppercorns. Delicate and finesse-driven, this completely un-oaked red is one that could easily pair with hearty seafood.

2008 Primitivo Quiles “Cono 4” $13 (Alicante)
Please, hispanophones, no dirty jokes about the name. “Conos” are the type of foudres used in the production of this precocious little wine, made in the joven style, which, as the name implies, is all about freshness. What a value here! Who ever thought Monastrell could masquerade as Bourgogne Rouge, all round cola and sweet cherries, with a touch of sotto bosco and minerals? Now I believe.

Herederos de Argüeso (Sanlucar de Barrameda)
San Leon Clasica Manzanilla (375mL) $10
Argüeso Amontillado $29
Argüeso Oloroso $29
Argüeso Amontillado Viejo VORS $160
What better way to finish than with the mind-expanding sherries of Herederos de Argüeso? If you haven’t discovered Sherry yet, do yourself a favor and do it now. For one thing, you will likely be surprised at how dry they are, particularly Manzanillas. Argüeso's version shows wonderful oceanic acids and roasted nuts, with a long, refreshing, herbal finish- and is a tremendous value, to boot. The Amontillado is a smoky, earthy explosion of raw almonds and roasted hazelnuts, with sun-bright citric acidity and incredible length. The Oloroso combines these flavors with positively R-rated sexy, animal flesh, erotic and compelling. But the dazzling Amontillado Viejo… Wow. A stunning cascade of cedar fronds, stones, roasted chestnuts, cherryskins, and clean, intimate, salty flesh. Soooo lifted, a poem in a bottle, completely inspiring; the wine makes you feel as though you’ve just fallen in love. My notes peter out, bemused and almost shell-shocked, “Agate ocean breeze, gleaming sunny olive acids, orgasmic length…” Yes.

Basta, basta! On to comestibles!

The Village Hut Neighborhood Grill
7674 SW Capitol Hwy, PDX
503.768.3975

This charming little space, just a building away from the Lucky Lab in Multnomah Village, is pretty easy to overlook, as I did for some time after moving to the Village. One visit changed all that. Not only does the place immediately welcome you with its rough-hewn aesthetic, all swinging screen doors and a staff that is genuinely happy to see you, but it opens up to a beautiful open-air seating section in the back that could easy seat almost thirty. And, oh yeah, the food is damn good too: this is the best bento shack I've ever found!
Specials boards trumpet an amazing array of proteins: wild ahi, halibut, lamb, tempeh, tofu, all available on a bed of crisp salad greens, or delicious, made-to-order stirfries, heady with lifting garlic and a constellation of broccoli, zucchini, and sweet onions. You might just be driven mad with hunger as you wait for your food, much of it grilled out in the air on the back deck, filling the place with its aromas- which is not to say the wait is long. Remember, though, that there is often only one cook, and portions are made to order, so plan accordingly. To-go portions are huge, and come with a green salad and a gleaming wedge of summer-sweet watermelon. Prices range from $7-$12, and their selection of beers and wines is small, but excellent. On a recent visit I saw Reverdito Barbera and Sierra Nevada Summerfest lager- perfect!
The nest time you’re in the Village, make sure to give them a try. You’ll be glad you did, and so will the friendly, engaging owner, J. Harris, or “chief cook and bottle washer,” as he dubs himself. Tell ‘em the RFN sent you.

and while I'm thinking of it...

If you’re looking for a new movie and album to check out, look no further.

Rent “Let The Right One In” (“Låt den rätte komma in”) immediately. It is the most creative vampire movie I have ever seen, set in the stark drifts and brick of Sweden. A love story between an 12-year-old boy, bullied by his classmates, and a mysterious dark-haired girl with eyes liquid and glowing as an artic pond at dusk, who has somewhat esoteric culinary tastes…

For your new album, I’m offering up an old jewel I recently found for the first time, David Crosby’s lovely, intimate recording “If I Could Only Remember My Name.” This is his first solo work, although “solo” is a misnomer, as it features the Great Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra, which includes Jerry Garcia, Joni Mitchell, Jorma Kaukonen, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, and others. Songs like “Crying” and “Traction in the Rain” positively drip with early-Seventies sensuality, set in the redwood groves of Marin County, with plush harmonies and blushing, plaintive instrumentation. There's even an autoharp on here! Short and sweet at 37 minutes, this is good kissin’ music, if you time it right…

Well, that’s enough for now, friends. There are fewer wines to discuss next week, so we’ll move beer, camping tips, and CoTM to Issue # 15.

And remember that our local Relay For Life crew are holding their big event to benefit breast cancer treatment and awareness on July 18-19, right up the road at Wilson High School. Information can be had at John’s Marketplace, the Lucky Lab, and throughout the Village; or you can contact me here, and I will point you in the right direction. More to come!

Have a beautiful, safe weekend, friends! We’ll see you next week…

Yrs,
Riggs

--
Riggs Fulmer
Wine. Words. Music.

Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
-Aristophanes

RFN # 13, pub. 5/30/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter
No. 13
May 29, 2009

The Newsletter is affiliated with no one but its author
Please respond to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line and you will be removed from the list.
Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

Short and sweet, this week, friends, short and sweet. I haven’t been to any full tastings in a minute or so, and have been dealing with some roommate-finding issues over this way… and I know you don’t want an entire Newsletter full of my ramblings… Once prolix, now terse, we forge on:

The one event I did attend was the UEFA Champions League Final, held (shown) at Agency Sports Guild, a toney little spot just across the street from PGE Park. It was a festive day in general; the Beavers were playing to what sounded like a Jonas Brothers crowd (I think it was Take Your Middle-Schooler To The Game day or something), the sun was high, and I was ready not only to see Messi versus Ronaldo- having read no less than two articles on the tilt, I am now a socc.. ahem, futbol expert- but also to taste some delicious wines from Scott Paul. Hosted by Mr. Wright of the aforementioned winery and Michael Alberty of Storyteller Wines, it was a heck of a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Scott was pouring a mini-vertical of Audrey Pinot Noir, and Michael had brought some regionally-appropriate wines (it was a pro-Barça crowd, definitively), to wit:

2004 Scott Paul Audrey Pinot Noir
The nose was expansive, a big, piercing blast of boysenberry and raspberries, round and pure, underset by a waft of blueberry skins and forest floor. On the palate it was soft and silky, with roasty dark cherry flavors coiling together on the clean finish.

2005 Audrey
The bouquet was all starry, sanguine wild cherries, with a soft hit of green peppercorns. In the mouth it was leaner than the ’04, lithe and poised, with greater lift. Sweet strawberries and cherries abound, and the finish is hung with silky tannins. Almost mamages to be thirst-quenching!

2006 Audrey
This was the one I ended up drinking the most of- although that’s as likely because everyone else downed the 2005 as anything else… No, to quote Bill Maher, I kid, I kid, for the 2006 was maybe my favorite. The nose was a riot of sexy, enticing mossy black cherry. In the mouth it preened like kirsch liqueur, with wonderfully sunny, bright acidity and wonderful length.

…and before we go I need to announce tomorrow's upcoming Beer Tasting…

HEATER-ALLEN TASTING, SAT, 5/30, at STORYTELLER WINES
12-5 PM 5511-B SW Hood, PDX
www.storytellerwine.com
www.heaterallen.com

And I quote, “This Saturday, May 30th we will be tasting all the new Heater-Allen batches at Storyteller. Noon to 5PM. 2009 IsarWeizen, Mediator Doppelbock, Pils, Schwartz and more! No charge. Not even for you, Riggs. Alert the Maltoids and hopheads!”
Now, I’m not sure what a maltoid is- wait, those are those curiously strong English mints, right?- or why I should be expected to pay a stiff fee to attend, but I can assure you that I will make the time to stop in there and taste these beers. Brewed out in wine country, they are the finest German-style beers in the state. Hell, if you throw Berkeley’s Trumer Pils out, they’re the best I’ve had from anywhere other than Deutschland.
Be there! It’s gonna be blazing hot anyway, perfect for lager!

All right, friends, into the Purple World go I! Happy Weekend, and kudos to those of you who managed to make it out to go tasting last weekend. A dear friend described it as “absolute perfection.” Sorry I missed it!

--
Riggs Fulmer
Wine. Words. Music.

Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
-Aristophanes

RFN # 12, pub. 5/21/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter
No. 12
May 21, 2009

The Newsletter is affiliated with no one but its author
Please respond to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line and you will be removed from the list.
Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

Well, friends, I’m returned from my sojourn in the steamy southlands, having suffered gas station food, sunburn, hives, and California drivers along the way. It was well worth the trip, although I have absolutely nothing of vinous import to impart, unless you count the Thai restaurant review I promised. I visited Siam Lotus, on Haight Street, and I’ll give you the skinny post wine.

But, without furthur ado (ahem), let’s get back to what’s important: Italian wine! Just a few golden weeks ago, at the fabulous Italian winetasting I attended courtesy of Triage, I tasted some of the most delicious, esoteric Oenotrian wines I’ve had in some time, to wit:

Degustazione di Vino Italiano, Triage Wines

This was, as I mentioned, a great tasting. The folks over at Triage are known for such, and this one was typical, from the huge boulder of Reggiano to the brilliant array of completely interesting, extra-Piemontese wines. I’ll get it started with a reprise of the two wines from this tasting I’ve already written up…

2007 Muri-Gries Lagrein Rosato $14 (Südtirol)
This rosato sees no skin maceration at all- the free-run juice is already pink in color. This wine is actually their traditional wine; they did not make a red Lagrein until recent years, in response to international demand. Made to this day by monks, this little charmer preens with cranberries and summer hay. On the palate its minerality will make you blush, twining around and through blueberries, fresh melon, and mossy stones. Soft, but with excellent lift, this is a wonderful rosé.

2006 Lonardo Grecomusc’ Campania Bianco IGT $27 (Campagna)
Grecomusc’ (pron. Grek-o-moosh) is an indigenous white grape to the region. This is the first I’ve had, and I shore do hope it ain’t the last! The nose only hints at the sunny opulence below, all sweet papaya skins and banana. Then comes the breathtaking, mouth-watering cascade of galactic minerality, starfruit, and gushing key limes and citron zest. My notes read, “Gorgeous! Say it again! Gorgeous!”

…and now, the best values…

2006 Felline Alberello Rosso Salento $10 (Puglia)
A regionally typical blend of Primitivo and Negroamaro, this bloody little gem is a perfect burgers-and-steak wine. Its sweet, stewed, Amaron-y cherries call out for grilled flesh, and there’s even a touch of minerality to the finish. Very nice.

2006 Montellori Chianti DOCG $12
Perfect, thirst-quenching Chianti, possessed of old-school structure, but hung on a graceful, new-styled frame. The wine is all sexy, animal leather and black cherries, with wonderful minerals and typically Italian earth in the mouth.

…and the highlights…

2006 Camillo Donati Malvasia dell’Amelia $18 (Emilia-Romagna)
A beautiful nose of hops and spring flowers is knit with rich cedar and dried herbs. This lightly sparkling wine is slightly cloudy, and a darker amber hue than most bubblies. This is due to extended maceration- indeed, the house vinifies their reds and whites in the same fashion. Persistent and absolutely delicious, this wine is in many ways reminiscent of a dry Belgian Saison ale. The long, dry finish goes on and on.

2006 Ca’ de Noci Bianco Frizzante Querciole $25 (Emilia-Romagna)
This wine is 100% Spergola, a native white grape possessed of naturally high acidity, making it particularly well-suited for sparkling wines. A big, bold, cheesy nose of Reggiano and stones hovers over a piercing, sexy sourness. 10 days’ maceration on the skins and unfiltered bottling make this an esoteric, animal little beauty, quite worth seeking out.

2006 La Biancara di Angiolino Maule Pico $35 (Veneto)
Almost like a super-Soave, this Garganega wine has the kind of R-rated nose that initiates crave…as do the shamelessly concupiscent. The nose is cheerfully dirty, showing sexy flesh, hops, and lemons. In the mouth it twirls and preens, completely pretty, all stones and limes, with excellent length and lip-tickling acidity.

2006 Noussan Torrette $28 (Vallé d’Aoste)
What a remarkable red wine! Composed of indigenous varietals (Petit Rouge, Cornalin, and Vien de Nus), the juice is a celebration of sweet, piercing dark cherry and Italian blueberries. Gorgeous and expansive in the mouth, it flaunts perfect minerality on its medium-long finish. So sexy and delicious- yum!

2002 Rainoldi Valtellina Superiore Riserva “Sassella” $35 (Lombardia)
The locals here claim that Nebbiolo, or, as they call it here, Chiavennasca, is native to this northern region, that the Piemontese are mere upstarts with the grape. Whatever the truth, they make some really nice wines from it up in the mountains. This one, smelling for all the world like a well-aged Oregon Pinot, but with darker fruit, shows wonderful expanse. It is a wash of delicious herbs, cherries, and blood, a deft balance of weight and lift.

2004 Nusserhof Lagrein Riserva $25 (Südtirol)
Always one of my favorite Lagreins, this wine is all cherry compote and chocolate, sotto bosco blood and jam. The finish, alive with starry acids, has a killer wild cherry minerality. Unusually light on its feet, this is a beautifully serious wine.

2005 Montesecondo Chianti Classico $25
A geeky, delicious celebration of old world Chianti. The nose is all barnyard trumpet oil and cherryskins, while in the mouth the hops, blood, and wild cherries show fabulous extraction, and a surprising fan of roasted nuts graces the finish. Raw and refined- classically Tuscan.

2006 Occhipinti Siccagno Nero d’Avola $36 (Sicily)
Maybe the best Nero d’Avola I’ve ever had, the grapes for this wine are grown at the very edges of vegetative possibility, high in the arid crags of the Sicilian mountains. This wine, in its sexy, feminine complexity, is like a desert flower. Its savage beauty sings of sweet black raspberries and stones, bloody roses, wild cherries, and the Mediterranean wind. Not too heavy, with great balance… OK, I’m smitten, what can I say?

...all right, now you’re ready for my

WHERE TO EAT THAI WHEN ROAMING THE UPPER HAIGHT RECOMMENDATION

Have you ever wondered where to eat Thai when roaming the Upper Haight? Nothing will complement that bag of incense in your hand like the succulent, spicy fare at Siam Lotus Thai Cuisine (1705 Haight St., San Francisco, CA). The specials board is awash in yummy seafood, and all the hits are seemingly available, as I found when I ordered their pad ga prau (spicy basil). The tofu was perfectly fried, the vegetables plentiful and fresh, and the spicy brown sauce was lifted by the abundance of fragrant basil leaves. And, at $12 with a soda, not too bad a deal when visiting the big city. It was a lot better than the $9 torta I experienced the next day!

OK, then. Sorry if you were hoping for all sorts of juicy stories from my adventures on the Bus, but it was really quite a tame little voyage. Our driver is a born-again Christian teetotaler, after all! This did cut into my plans to finally get some use out of my albariño thermos, but I made it through nonetheless.

I hope the week away from the RFN found you all well; personally, I’m feeling just like Nixon: tanned, rested, and ready! We’ll see you next week. Have a great, safe weekend.

And remember to check out all the action over at The Purple World: http://riggsfulmerwine.blogspot.com !

--
Riggs Fulmer
Wine. Words. Music.

Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
-Aristophanes

RFN # 11, pub. 5/7/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter
No. 11
May 7, 2009

The Newsletter is affiliated with no one but its author
Please respond to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line and you will be removed from the list.
Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

Big news, friends, big big news! The Newsletter has finally made the great leap to the internets, or at least found its own apartment there. I am pleased to announce the launch of my new website, The Purple World, which will be an expanded version of the RFN, basically. At this point we’re still in the beta phase, I guess (I’m going to pretend that I know what that means, I heard a computer guy say it once), but it will grow with us all. You will find back issues of the Newsletter, as well as expanded commentary and more detailed tasting notes- at least once I get there! The url is http://riggsfulmerwine.blogspot.com. I look forward to getting an actual big-boy site up and running soon, so stay tuned for that. Until then, the googleverse will have to suffice!

However, this week’s RFN is basically just going to serve as an entrée to The Purple World, as a huge batch of news has just ripened and dropped into my lap… Let’s just say it involves me getting in the ’91 Tercel posthaste, driving to Vancouver, then to Milwaukie, then to Pleasant Hill, and eventually ending up, guitar in hand, outside a brightly-painted bus south of San Francisco. Tough work, but someone’s got to do it, brothers and sisters, and it will be my honor to represent the greater RFN community to the fullest. Unfortunately I’m not really being paid much for my services, so it’s unlikely you’ll get a scintillating review of The Slanted Door or a super-hip SF winebar, but you just might get an article about a strip-mall Thai place. Fingers crossed!

There are big wine things for us to discuss as well, including the amazing Triage tasting from last week, and, of course, the Portland Indie Wine Fest! These events both deserve detailed coverage, which they’ll get next week, but here are a few tidbits to tide you over until then…

From Triage:

2007 Muri-Gries Lagrein Rosato $14 (Südtirol, Italy)
This rosato sees no skin maceration at all- the free-run juice is already pink in color. This wine is actually their traditional wine; they did not make a red Lagrein until recent years, in response to international demand. Made to this day by monks, this little charmer preens with cranberries and summer hay. On the palate its minerality will make you blush, twining around and through blueberries, fresh melon, and mossy stones. Soft, but with excellent lift, this is a wonderful rosé.

2006 Lonardo Grecomusc’ Campania Bianco IGT $27 (Campagna, Italy)
Grecomusc’ (pron. Grek-o-moosh) is an indigenous white grape to the region. This is the first I’ve had, and I shore do hope it ain’t the last! The nose only hints at the sunny opulence below, all sweet papaya skins and banana. Then comes the breathtaking, mouth-watering cascade of galactic minerality, starfruit, and gushing key limes and citron zest. My notes read, “Gorgeous! Say it again! Gorgeous!”

And, from the Indie Wine Fest:

2007 Thistle Wines Pinot Blanc
One of my favorite Oregon whites year after year, and this year is no exception. A celebration of limpid flavors and bright acidity, the nose is alive with lemon meringue and pain grillé. On the palate this flavors continue on, with surprising richness up against a racy spine of rippling minerals and earth. Perfectly balanced.

2007 J. Scott Cellars Viognier
Jonathon Scott has struck out on his own, which is not to say this Vio of his isn’t a home run. Up and over the right field wall at new Yankee Stadium it flies… OK, enough with the baseball metaphors. This is Viognier made with an almost German sensibility, its typical, delicate stonefruit flavors and hit of residual sugar perfectly balanced against wonderful acidity and minerals. But the real beauty is in its airy lightness on the tongue. The bit of sugar is compelling rather than cloying, a perfect foil to spicy Asian cuisine, for instance. Try it with, say, prawns Kung Pao, and you’ll see just what I mean.

All right, friends, I’ve got to get on the road. I can’t say I’m not beside myself with excitement, but I am sorry to cut our time together short. I’ll be back up and running next week, with anecdotes and updates from the great south country, and maybe a review of the Shins’ shows up here at the Crystal Ballroom (their cover of Neil Young’s “Helpless” last night was as lovely a version of that song as I’ve ever heard).

Happy Weekend, here’s wishing you barrels and barrels- nay, botti-full!- of sunshine… And, to those of you in Columbia, South Carolina, who are being graduated this weekend, congratulations- and make sure to watch out for those pesky cell phone cameras! Just ask that Phelps guy…

A più tardi!
yrs,
Riggs

RFN # 10, pub. 5/1/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter
No. 10
May 1, 2009
!May Day Edition!

The Newsletter is affiliated with no one but its author
Please respond to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line and you will be removed from the list.
Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

***EDITOR'S NOTE: Redact the following section*** Good afternoon, friends. I hope you’re all reading this in the wee hours, having spent the day out and about in the fickle May sunshine. I sat in my parking lot for ten minutes, does that count as a lazy day in the sun? It’s going to have to, because more than the sunshine is looming on my day’s horizon- there’s a little tilt down Houston way this evening that has me all a-twitter (in the pre-2007 sense of the word), so I’d better put nose to grindstone immediately, lest I devolve into a series of increasingly irritating basketball metaphors. Who wants to read about acids boxing out residual sugar, or Cab Franc taking it to the hole? Not me. The very idea has my keyboard sneering back at me, so I’ll respond to her admonition and get right down to work.

Well, we all know how that turned out, don’t we? In fact, the delay of the RFN this week was in pure sympathy with our metaphorically fallen warriors, slain by the foul southern Redcoats. Oh well. If there were only an elixir that, if it couldn’t purge our sorrow, could at least dull its edges and allow us to proceed into the weekend dry-eyed… Oh yeah, wine!

Frederick Wildman and Sons, Spring Tasting at the Museum of Contemporary Craft

Last week I promised coverage of the excellent Wildman tasting, made possible by the mad geniuses at Odom, that followed on the heels of our yummy luncheon at Ten01- and here it is. Held just off the North Park Blocks at the beautiful Museum of Contemporary Craft (724 NW Davis, www.museumofcontemporarycraft.com) on a sunny day not unlike this one, the tasting promised to be excellent. As I mounted the stairs through a rainforest of plush green crochet, pendulous lianas of yarn that hung from high ceiling to floor, I knew I was in for it. This place really is lovely, with warm, attentive staff who never seem to project the “ahem, can I help you?” vibe that cools the air in many a like installation.

Upstairs, in a clean, minimally decorated room, Cynthia Challacombe and crew held court over a fascinating array of wines from the New and Old Worlds. These were my favorites:

2007 Nino Negri Ca’Brione Bianco $34
An absolutely fascinating blend of “white” Nebbiolo (a Valtellina specialty, it seems, made from free-run juice, thus no color extraction), dried Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. The nose has a rich, sylvan hit of honeycomb and anise; these flavors perch calmly over an underpinning of tropical minerality and creamy pineapple earth, with a long, round finish.

2005 Nino Negri Quadrio Valtellina Superiore $22
Made up predominantly of the local version of Nebbiolo, known as Chiavennasca (pron. Kya-ven-ask-a), fleshed out with around 10% Merlot, this wine shows a nicely limpid robe and meaty nose. Expressively herbal and cherried in the mouth, the finish is all stones and minerals.

2006 Pascal Jolivet Sancerre “Sauvage” $34
Jolivet is a local star in the Loire Valley, his Sauvignons among the most distinctive and freshest in expression. With this one, the nose sings with sweet, creamy limeflowers. On the palate it shows bright key limes, fiddlehead ferns/ sotto bosco, and stones; sweet fruit hovering over hard citrus candies, with kissing, soft acids on the finish.

2003 Domaine de Lagrézette Château Lagrézette $31
Is this Malbec as God intended? Maybe not exactly, as it also sees a small amount of Merlot and a drop or two of Tannat. Whatever its divine street cred, this serious little wine is about as affordable as a wine can be that will effortlessly age a decade and a half. Basically Cahors, it shows brick, clay, dried cranberries, and cacao in the nose. On the palate it’s all about broad-shouldered earth, with suitably muscular tannins and blueberry skins, and a long, food-loving finish. Drink now, or even better, wait 5-10 years…

2007 Egon Müller Scharzhof Riesling $25
Perfect German Riesling. How can one country produce so much perfect wine? I think those who produce clunkers are immediately relegated to the bowels of some government mail room for breaking wine regulations. Whatever the cause, the proof is in the pudding. This little gem is gorgeous and full of light, with intense, bright, creamy Pink Lady acidity on the long, earthy finish.

This week I attended a tasting hosted by one of my favorites, Triage Wines, over by their warehouse off of Interstate. The tasting was amazing, and featured non-Piemontese Italian wines, including one of the most interesting bubblies I’ve ever tasted. The tasting deserves its own column entire, and I’ll cover the event in detail next week, but I can’t wait to share a wine that must now take its place in the ever-expanding Summer Value pantheon. This week it’s a red wine, your first new BBQ wine of the season, though more than serious enough to handle more uppity fare…

2006 Montellori Chianti DOCG $12
This organically-grown Chianti offers more Tuscan stuffing per dollar than any wine in recent memory. Not a New Worldy super-extracted oakbomb, but rather an elegant, rustic interpretation of its birthplace, the nose is all sexy, animal leather and black cherries. Under these aromas swirl delicately savage flavors of blood, tobacco box, and cherry, a cascade of wonderful minerality and Italian earth. Ridiculously good at this price.

For the sake of mnemonic stimulus, here are the two Summer Value Whites, revisited:

2007 Oisly-et-Thesée Touraine $9 (Loire Valley)
Distributed by Grape Expectations, this wine is pure, citric Sauv Blanc juice, unencumbered by wood or heavy handling. It just glows with white grapefruit, apple skins, starfruit, and stones-after-rain, with a lip-smacking finish of perfect minerality and acids. At this price, there is no finer wine of this varietal.

2005 Tim Adams Riesling $10 (Clare Valley, Australia)
Dry like Alsatians or Austrians, yet unmistakably Clare Valley, this wine is textbook Riesling in the nose: slate, sunny lemons, briny acidity, and a waft of terroir. On the tongue it is almost bursting with elegant freshness, with a wash of wonderful minerals that only grows brighter as the wine unwinds in the glass. I know a certain caviste at a famous beer/ wine store in Multnomah Village who just might have lots of this wine…

All right, back to Blazer mourning for a minute or two. Seriously, though, people, they did way better than any of us might have expected, and if we’d rather have had the Spurs (whom we’d doubtless have pounded into submission), it was good to get a real test and see the boys get banged around a little bit. I’m already fired up for next year! How can I wait…? Oh yeah, that one game with the pigskin… Those teams from Eugene and Phillie in midnight green... OK, I can handle it now.

Relay For Life First Friday Meet and Greet!

If you’re reading this on May Day, and you’re somewhere near Multnomah Village in SW Portland, make sure to stop by the booth of Relay For Life, right in front of the Lucky Labrador (7675 SW Capitol Hwy). Relay For Life is a wonderful charity contributing greatly to cancer research and survivor support- visit them to make a donation, find out more info, sponsor a Relay team, or just to chat with the charming, lovely young folks (wo)manning the booth. Grab a pint while you do so! They can tell you far more than I, but I’ll point out that their Relay is set to take place at Wilson High School on July 18-19, so you’d better get involved now. These are wonderful people with a powerful, urgent cause; even if no one you know has dealt with cancer, in today’s increasingly artificial world, where ersatz sweeteners and grotesque faux-fats clog our foods (and arteries!), cancer awareness and prevention are ever more important. Make yourself proud and stop by the Relay For Life booth, and tell ‘em the RFN sent you.

All right, then. I’m off to gaze wantonly at Mt. Hood while wiping away my tears with an old Theo Ratliff jersey (oh yeah, I liked them Blazers back when it was WAY uncool to do so… does that make me a Blazers hipster?), and then maybe some asparagus casserole, who knows? And, before I forget, go read some Marx or something. ‘Tis the season, right? Cue the Internationale…

Happy Weekend, friends, and look for big news next week in the Newsletter. See y’all then!

yrs,
Riggs

RFN # 9, pub. 4/23/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter
No. 9
April 23, 2009

The Newsletter is affiliated with no one but its author
Please respond to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line and you will be removed from the list.
Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

There’s been a skirmish in the heavens all day, and I’ll freely admit that I’m taking advantage of every sun-break there is while writing to you today, friends, but there are nonetheless many exciting things to tell you about, so when the clouds have the upper hand (or whatever appendage a cloud might have), I’ll be back here at the helm, filling you in.

Despite the fact that, technically speaking, April’s Cuisine of the Month has been Mexican, and despite the mountains of suggested recipes that have been piling into my inbox, I am absolutely compelled to tell you about an amazing sushi place just off Stark… But that’s for later. First we must talk Champagne Lunch- and next week I’ll tell you all about the subsequent, much larger tasting in some detail.

Pol Roget Tasting 2009, by Frederick Wildman and Sons, at Ten01

I was beside myself to attend the amazing Pol Roget Luncheon last week, courtesy of Frederick Wildman and Sons. It took place at 2008’s Restaurant of the Year, Ten01 (1001 NW Couch St, PDX, http://www.ten-01.com), which was a perfectly elegant setting for such wonderful champagne. The food was breathtaking, a perfect match for these wines; many of us chose the special, aiguillette of halibut with arugula salad. The salad was elegant and simple, with shaved radishes and peppercorn vinaigrette, a perfect foil to the long, thin, perfectly broiled pieces of halibut, which were succulent and delicious. Topped with wildcrafted fiddlehead ferns, it was an exquisite Northwestern treat: too bad it was all us Oregonians noshing on that while our French host- the handsome Laurent d’Harcourt, Directeur Export at Pol Roget- had the scallops!

On to the wine:

Pol Roget is one of the premier Champagne houses, producing benchmark wines of impeccable class and expression. In existence in Epernay since 1849, their style is one of the most distinctive among the great houses. A cellar markedly deeper than many others in the region allows their wines to ferment at a lower temperature, producing their trademark fineness of mousse. Never compromising or altering their wines for export, they offer textbook purity and incredible consistency. In recent years, this is thanks largely to the efforts of their Chef de Cave, whom they lured from Krug in 1999, Dominique Petit. M. Petit is “not always smiling, not speaking any English,” but is a genius at his work with a clear vision and steady hand. These wines are not inexpensive, nor for the dilettante, but something much closer to works of art that are to be treasured in the drinking- all the while remaining fresh, charming and feminine. Very special indeed.

Pure Brut Non-Vintage $70
Responding to the challenge of French wine critics, this is Pol Roget’s non-dosage Champagne, allowed to ferment in total unadulteration. The nose is all bright lemons, almonds, and maritime breeze. On the palate it is super-clean, with rose petals and wonderful acidic lift. The finish is long, with nice terroir and roasted nuts.

Brut Reserve “White Foil” $54
For pure value this was my favorite wine here. I can think of few Champagnes that offer so much for so few ducats. Composed of equal parts Pinots Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, the nose is butterscotch, Meyer lemons, and fresh-baked baguette, twined around stargazer lilies. These flavors echo on the palate, here met with hazelnuts and long, sexy limeflowers and hops on the finish. So persistent and delicious!

Brut Vintage 1999 $99
Made up of 60/40 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which grapes come from 20 Grand and Premier Cru vineyards, this wine highlights the wonderful ’99 vintage in superb fashion. It’s all focused limes and spice, with starry acidity, fabulous yeasty elegance, and pedigree. A study in classic expression. Also damn yummy.

Brut Rosé 2000 $99
The pink color of this wine comes from the addition of approximately 15% Vin Rouge de Champagne, a still red wine from sites suited for such grapes (relatively few and far between in snowy Champagne). The rest is 50% Pinot Noir and 35% Chard. The color is blushing and lovely, and the nose is right in line, showing warm lemons and strawberry blossoms. Clean and round, nearly explosive Pinot fruit fills the mouth, all wild cherries and hopflowers. The long, thirst-quenchingly acidic finish shows notes of fresh spearmint.

Brut Blanc de Blancs 1999 $122
The Chardonnay for this gorgeous wine comes entirely from Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs. Meant to be drunk young, it is a study in deftness and grace. The bouquet is a riot of cherryskins and cedarwood over flesh, citron, and white peppercorns. In the mouth it is positively R-rated, seething with exotic Burgundian lychee and Key limes, and a looooong, ultra-clean finish that leaves you ready for the next sip immediately.

Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1998 $250
Rarely have I tried a “flagship” wine that so thoroughly lived up to its billing. How often have we tried the Reserve of a wine we love, only to find it a ‘roided-up version of its little sister? That is emphatically not the case here. As the house literature says, “the wine is made with an approach very close to that of Sir Winston himself, ‘My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best.’” The bouquet is an exquisite, swirling cascade of roasted nuts, lemons, fresh lilies, and stones-after-rain- intoxicating in and of itself. I sat and smelled this wine for a good five minutes before I tasted it. On the palate, sweet fruit up front coils around wild cherries, walnuts, and limeflowers, with sun-bright acidity all over the long, clean finish. And, by the way, paired with the halibut aiguillette? Stunning.

Rich Non-Vintage $70
This is Pol Roget’s sweetest Champagne, basically an “Extra Dry” (which counter-intuitively means sweet, sigh). This is perfect for the lover of great bubbly who wants something a little softer- the wine really does feel “richer” than dryer-style Champers. The nose is dried apples and wildflowers over fresh-buttered bread and wet stones. On the palate it shows light sweetness to its generous, round fruit, but finishes smooth and almost dry.

All right, finished with lifestyles of the rich and famous? On to my latest recession-busting yummy white wine, an early contender to join last week’s Oisly-et-Thesée as another great Summer Value White:

2005 Tim Adams Riesling $10 (Clare Valley, Australia)
Are there still those among you who instantly think Riesling to be sweet? Cue Governor Palin, “Say it ain’t so…” OK, maybe don’t let’s get ole Sarah involved or somebody’s likely to get an backside full of buckshot. Anyway, this Riesling gives the lie to that saccharine notion- it is bone dry in the classically Australian fashion. Indeed, Australia is one of the world’s great Riesling-growing nations, which might be a little surprising. Dry like Alsatians or Austrians, yet unmistakably Clare Valley, this wine is textbook Riesling in the nose: slate, sunny lemons, briny acidity, and a waft of terroir. On the tongue it is just bursting with elegant freshness, with a wash of wonderful minerals that only grows brighter as the wine unwinds in the glass. I know a certain caviste at a famous beer/ wine store in Multnomah Village who just might have lots of this wine…

All right, the moment you’ve all doubtless been waiting for. My amazing sushi odyssey, the one I mentioned to you earlier? Why, it was right next door to Ken’s Artisan Pizza, at

Bamboo Sushi, 310 SE 28th, Portland
www.bamboosushipdx.com

Earlier in the warm Friday evening, at a fun, boisterous Rhône Valley tasting at Mt. Tabor Fine Wines (4316 SE Hawthorne), I heard this place mentioned. Apparently they had tuna carpaccio. We were hungry after all that Grenache, and thought, hell, let’s try it.
Good lord, I had no idea what I was in for! This killer spot is the first certified sustainable sushi restaurant in the United States, and we should be proud to have them right here in Portland. I have never had better sushi anywhere. My friend encouraged me that we wait for a spot at the bar, where the mad genius chefs would hook us up with the best stuff. Good idea. Gently browbeaten by my companion and somewhat intimidated by the intense hipster chef (who was as personable as humanly possible in the teeth of a rush, being peppered with questions), I gave over and tried things that would have been almost unthinkable to this southern Kentucky boy a few years ago. Raw quail egg! Aji mackerel! Things I couldn’t even identify- normally a complete deal-breaker for me, I’m embarrassed to say. And it was all, every single bite, phenomenal. A special shout-out has to go to the scallops, which were served raw in juniper-infused olive oil: the best scallops of my life. But the crown jewel? Remember how I mentioned that carpaccio earlier? (I’m having a moment of reverent silence here… OK, all set) Their Albacore Carpaccio was a nearly religious experience- and clearly a pagan one, seeing as it was like an instantaneous collage of the best kisses of my life… I’d say it was like making out with the Goddess, but that might offend some folks, so I’ll demur. This was the greatest new thing I’ve tried in recent memory. Thin, leaf-shaped slices of beautiful albacore glisten and entice on the plate, and in the center of each cut is a dollop of pure luxury: house-smoked cipollini onions, pickled shiitakes, momiji, ponzu, chervil, and Japanese sea salt. You fold the fish over this button of exquisite flavor, and into the mouth, where it melts on the tongue like butter, a crashing wave of smoke and salt that reminds of coastal bonfires, high, wild evenings under windy stars. It must be tasted to be believed. If you like sushi, hell, if you don’t think you do but might want to be educated, go here at once. On top of everything else about this beautiful place, the prices are competitive, the drinks stiff, and the service excellent. Tell ‘em the Newsletter sent you.

All right, folks, that’s about all for this week. I hope you’ve been out there in the sun, be-pinking your pallid rainforest cheeks. Here’s wishing you a safe, happy weekend, and we’ll see each other again next Thursday.

yrs,
Riggs