it is just grapejuice

http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2009/02/sipping_sampling_oregons_best.html

From today’s Vail Daily:Starting at the wine’s source  Giuseppe Vajra and three of his family’s wines will romance diners at Splendido on Friday By Wren Wertin WREN@VAILDAILY.COM   BEAVER CREEK — He’s young, pas sionate and Italian; who wouldn’t want to meet second-generation winemak er Giuseppe Vajra? He and three of his wines will be at Beaver Creek’s Splendi do at the Chateau on Friday during dinner. Diners can avail themselves of his presence or not; it’s up to them.  “So often, winemaker dinners can be overwhelming,” chef-owner David Wal ford said. “This way, people can decide what kind of experience they want.”  That experience can include half or full pours of any of the wines, priced starting at $4.50. Walford and beverage director Scott Yenerich have made rec ommended pairings for the regular menu in addition to a couple of special entrees for the evening. (Look for a net tle- mushroom sauce.) G.D. Vajra Vineyards wines are imported by Suzanne Hoffman LeBlanc and her husband, Dan, of Dolce E. Dani Wine Imports LLC. Pri vate collectors for many years, the cou ple lived in Europe and fell in love with the wines of Piedmont, Italy. Then they returned to the U.S.  “In order to keep enjoying the wines, we had to import them,” Hoffman LeBlanc said. “ The Vajras are some of the most passionate people, so con nected to the soil and what they do.”  Vajra’s father, Aldo Vajra, has been producing biodynamic wines since he began in 1971. In layman’s terms, that’s pesticide-free wines. It’s become a hot trend now, but 30 years ago it wasn’t politically important. It speaks of Aldo Vajra’s commitment not just to his wines but to his land.  “He won’t release his Barolo just to be tasted by critics,” Hoffman-LeBlanc said. “He always says, ‘A wine speaks for itself. It doesn’t need ratings.’” Storied vintages   But sometimes wines improve with stories, and on Friday, that’s where Giuseppe Vajra comes in. Certainly he can explain the technicalities of each wine, but he’s also full of the romance and history of every vintage. He was raised on it.  “When you go to Piedmont, it’s an immersion into wine and food,” Hoff man- LeBlanc said. “No one talks poli tics.  The biggest arguments come from whether something was a ’96 vintage or a ’98.”  Giuseppe Vajra has a history of bringing that passion with him. He spoke to a group in Beaver Creek two years ago.  “ There’s an advantage to talking to the winemaker,” Yenerich said. “Of course you get insight into the way they produce their wine and what they want to get out of the grapes. But you also get to see what they see — not only what the wine once was but what it’s going to be.”  “Winemakers are a little like chefs: They’re passionate and emotional about what they do,” Walford said, laughing. “ The more you can under stand the source of a wine, the more you can appreciate it.”  Vajra wines are done in the tradition al Italian style, Yenerich said. They have nice, earthy qualities, coupled with fla vors of velvety fruits. They’re often on Splendido’s wine list, which is interna tional and savvy.  “ This is an evening that lets people try things, to taste and compare and to meet Giuseppe,” Hoffman-LeBlanc said. “We’re not trying to just sell more wine but let people have this experi ence and meet this young man who’s going to be one of the hottest names in Piedmont wines very soon.”  Special Sections Editor Wren Wertin can be reached at wren@vaildaily.com. If you go … What: G.D. Vajra wine exploration. Where: Splendido at the Chateau, Beaver Creek. When: Friday during normal dinner service (6 to 10 p.m.). Cost: Wines by the glass from $9 to $16; normal a la carte menu pricing. More information: Call 970-845-8808, or visit www.splendidobeavercreek.com.

http://www.independent.com/news/2009/feb/19/wine-cask-evicted/

http://www.villagevoice.com/slideshow/view/245963

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/06/FDU615JVTF.DTL

Come try the wines from Betts & Scholl at Vin48 on Tuesday the 17th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm.  It is open to the public and costs $25.  It will be hosted by winemaker and Master Sommelier Richard Betts, and you never know there might even be a little Hermitage there!!

Well, since we seem to be revisiting recently why don’t we do this….

What is the grape used in Cahors?

Answer:  Malbec, and a hell of a lot better one than the one you probably know about already…

Hey Everyone! It’s been a while, expect new food stuff coming soon from the east coast… In the meantime be sure to check out a couple of my recent favorites: devour.tv ( my dear friend Clara does the news), the L20 blog( Laurent Gras of L2o, Chicago) and “Spain, on the road again” (as good as food TV gets). Talk to you soon!-LV 

http://www.thewinenews.com/decjan0708/cover.asp