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Wine of the Month Club “Pick-
Up” Party and Tasting
Friday - March 9
5 to 8PM
Open house style. Make this your day to
come in to pick up your Wine Club Selec-
tions for the month, have a seat and sam-
ple 3 of this month’s wine club wines
paired with 3 of our gourmet cheeses and
breads. Free to Wine Club Members.
$12. for Guests. A great way to taste a few
new wines and unwind on a Friday after-
noon!
Wine of the Month Club “Pick-
Up” Party and Tasting
Friday - April 13
5 to 8PM
Open house style. Make this your day to
come in to pick up your Wine Club Selec-
tions for the month, have a seat and sam-
ple 3 of this month’s wine club wines
paired with 3 of our gourmet cheeses and
breads. Free to Wine Club Members.
$12. for Guests. A great way to taste a few
new wines and unwind on a Friday after-
noon!
Southern Hemisphere: Latin
Lovers and Aussie Shiraz
Saturday - April 28th
6:00 - reception
6:30 - dinner
This evening highlights 8 wines of the
Southern Hemisphere, where its harvest
season now .. So, in a whirlwind tour we
will enjoy 8 Chef Ty creations and Sum-
mer Little’s favorite Latin Lovers, Aussie
Shiraz and others.
$79. includes tax and gratuity for
Members
Marriage of Food & Wine
Continued
Our Upcoming Wine Dinner
in April
Roast Chicken & Paprika
Pictures from February’s
Wine Dinner
The Wine Insight of Charles
Baudelaire
Monthly Club Selections
Don't get me wrong; I like
water. It's a refreshing neces-
sity. But meals with wine are
tastier and more memorable
than any meal with just wa-
ter.
Grapes are food from which
we take juice. Then, the
juice is preserved through
the process of fermentation.
That process renders the
juice dynamic and reactive.
Sure, it preserves it longer
from spoilage, the same as all
fermentation does (think
Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Yogurt,
etc.), but fermentation also
renders its own flavor influ-
ences in addition to that
charming psychotropic effect
that relaxes us. And I can
definitely digest better when
I am relaxed. Trouble comes
if I have too much, I also
think I can dance better.
In Italian, there is not a di-
rect translation for, "He's
drunk." Their phrasing
comes at it from the other
direction. "He has not had
enough to eat." This concept
of food balancing wine is at
the foundation of our rela-
tionship with the beverage;
but it seems fraught with so
many pitfalls.
And this my friends boils
down to the real secret. I
hope I'm not violating any
super secret Sommelier
code, or threatening my job
security by admitting this, but
its one of those secrets we all
know instinctively anyway.
Super simple and, in retro-
spect, obvious. And here it
is: "It is as hard to make hor-
rible food and wine combi-
nations as it is to make to
make amazing ones.". There,
the cat's out of the bag.
Horrible combinations... Let
me think.... Peanut butter
and Pinot Gris are pretty
useless together. Fat King
Salmon and young, tannic
Cabernet Franc are a pretty
good waste of each other's
talents. In fact, milk choco-
late and Cabernet Sauvignon
is a personal match made in
Purgatory. While they are
delicious and somewhat
decadent alone, they remain
perfect foils to each other's
virtues. Same goes for choco-
late and Champagne; who-
ever thought of that was sim-
ply piling luxury on luxury
with the logic that more must
be better. As if putting caviar
on truffles atop Lobster
stuffed with Foie Gras would
be the best dinner. (I think
my cholesterol went up just
typing that.)
There are the somewhat
"classic" mismatches like As-
paragus and any wine
(though we have found Alsa-
Riding a wave of cool European wine selections,
Guests savored 8 courses of adventurous chef-
prepared cuisine with 8 of our best pairings from the
Continent. It was a fine evening of food and wine, dar-
ing and sumptuous; commentary was provided by
Beverly’s own Summer Little. Please join the party for
Beverly’s Wine Club:
Categories of Membership
1. Starving Artist - $20 or less Red, White
or Both These wines are selected with a
price in mind, and they are the best wines
under $20. Period. Some from Europe,
some from Australia, some from Idaho -
but always, the best we have tasted and can
sell under $20. Usually, these are wineries
we have just discovered and they won’t re-
main in this price category very long.
2. Soirée Vin - $25-$50. Red, White or
Both Wine that can last the night long.
Often, wine this good only requires one
bottle to make the entire evening memora-
ble. These wines come from the best sell-
ing “price section” of our extensive wine list,
and it contains wines that command atten-
tion. Look for familiar names here from
Walla Walla, Napa Valley and Piedmont as
well as great discoveries from all over.
3. La Mode - $55.-$100. Red, White or
Both These wines hit the heights of celebra-
tion. Often listed on wine lists above $150.,
these wines are from wineries recognized as
being at the top of their game. In most
cases, these are wines we have in our cellars
and have had the benefit of a few years cel-
laring to bring out the best spectrum of fla-
vor. This feature is incomparable to other
wine clubs. Access to older vintages may be
the single best reason to choose at least one
bottle from this category.
4. Premier Cru - $110. to $200. Red Only
These are red wines with a world-class pedi-
gree. Often premier and grand cru appel-
lated wines from France, well-known Ba-
rolo, aged Amarone, classified growth Bor-
deaux and cult-quality Napa offerings.
These are wines for the serious collector
and are necessarily limited in quantity.
5. Grand Cru - $210 or more Red Only
Wines that top the chart of rarity, august
reputation and price: Romanee-Conti, al
Forno, Hill of Grace, Peter Michael, Quil-
ceda Creek, Harlan, Colgin, and others
round out these choices. There is no better
way to add to a great collection of wines
than by joining this category. These selec-
tions come from our cellars exclusively and
have been carefully treated.
A note to [email protected] with your
selection gets you started!!
STARVING ARTIST
7006 - White - 1004 Skylark Chardonnay “Alondra” 2009, Mendocino CA - $20./36.
The distinctive note in this tropical/citrus chardonnay is its lack of oak barrel flavor impressions. Ro-
bust flavors of tropical (not sweet!) citrus and balanced with a creamy texture from lees stirring, round
out an otherwise picture perfect Cali Chardonnay. Small boutique production means hand-crafted…..
7007 - Red - 334 Milbrandt Merlot “Estate” 2006 Columbia Valley, WA - $20./36.
From the sun kissed Wahluke Slope, this merlot boasts of long days basking in the heat of the day. Aro-
mas of dark berries, mocha, earth and leather, give way to flavors of bright red pomegranate and black-
berries, hints of anise and cinnamon. Finishing with smooth, satiny tannins and mellow acids, this wine
is delightful with any number of food selections…..
SOIREE VIN
7026 - White— 826 Olsen Estates Chardonnay, Yakima Valley 2008 54./32.
A creamier NW Chardonnay will be difficult to find. And not creamy like buttery, but the texture of
this wine is simply smoother than the rest. There are balanced impressions of French oak barrels and a
little “butter”, but only enough to balance out the nearly overripe (but NOT sweet) pear and yellow deli-
cious apple characters that mark this wine….
7027 - Red - 3760 Domaine Clape Cotes du Rhone 2008, Southern Rhone, France - $40./54.
This is easily the best bargain out of France’s Rhone Valley I have seen in more than a year. While
Cotes du Rhone typically represent the bottom tier of Rhone wine classification, in this case, Domaine
Clape has made one that rivals every single village wine produced that year….
LA MODE
7046 - White - 831 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Sonoma County CA 2009 $62./$75.
The loveliest chardonnay from Sonoma, this concentrated and almost “heady” example carries a texture
that most wines have to use oak barrels to achieve. Not this one - the concentration of the fruit and just
a little oak leaves that silky mouthfeel intact and foregoes the bolder vanilla and full-on butter impres-
sion of so many other Cali Chardonnays….
7047 - Red - 2621 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2008 $80./95.
John Abbott’s wines are always among Walla Walla “biggest” versions of Cabernet, and this one seems
to merit a little further cellaring for its youthful tannins and somewhat “closed” flavors as of press time.
That said, the flavors coaxed out with our decanter included more of a hard blackberry, solid minerality
and of course the dark cassis and notes of pure vanilla. Medium-full textured; and to hear the wine-
maker’s description, “old-world Bordeaux flavors….
PREMIER CRU RED
7064 - 4486 Chateau Hosanna 2001 Pomerol, Bordeaux $160./210.
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, Robert Parker describes this as the Cheval Blanc of
Pomerol. Admirable complexity and purity, it possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as wonderful
notes of blueberries, mint, espresso, and white chocolate. Opulent, rich, and pure, with a seamless inte-
gration of acidity, tannin, and wood, it is a beautiful wine built for drinking before 2015 in my conserva-
tive book (Parker goes out to 2024).
GRAND CRU RED
7084 - 4145 Tenuta Dell’ Ornellaia “Masseto”, Bolgheri 1999 320./425.
Merlot only, so get ready to have your horizons broadened. This 1999 is another powerful, fresh and
vibrant expression of this wine. Still youthful, it is a big wine with layers of dark fruit that open in the
glass shows a looooong finish and remarkable balance. It is stunning vintage as well. My friend Mr.
Parker scores it a 95 (up from his initial 93) and rates its best drinking now to 2019. There is some un-
mistakable “Italian” flavor quality to this wine, but it is aged in small French barrels. It deserves those
barrels too, as it has a powerful concentration of fine tannin, fruit and alcohol that is only neatly touched
by barrique aging. Save this for a few years and let it be an extra sauce next to the Braised Short Ribs
and Demi-Glace.
No matter what your wine cellar needs or wine education level, we can encourage you to enjoy Beverly’s
for a glass of wine and join our Wine Club to broaden your wine horizons!
“If wine disappeared from human production, I believe there would be, in the health and intellect of the planet, a void, a deficiency far more terrible than all the excesses and deviations for which wine is made re-sponsible. Is it not reasonable to suggest that people that never drink wine, whether naive or doctrinaire, are fools or hypocrites….?” Charles Baudelaire, Author of “L’Ame du Vin”, 1857
That Italian wines
provide sommeliers
with the easiest wine
and food pairings?
It’s true.
The native acidity in
Italian wine coupled
with its usual lack of
tannin, or “dry” acid-
ity lets it build gusta-
tory bridges with
food that most other
wine regions would
miss. Plus, they’re a
good value and re-
mind us of our native
NorthWest wine-
making….
Oven-Roasted
Rosemary Chicken
with Smoked Paprika
Ingredients:
8 large bone-in Chicken thighs
5 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
16 sprigs fresh Rosemary
Preheat to 450 degrees. Make
slits across the width of each
chicken thigh.
Mix Paprika with a dash of salt,
lay it into each slit. With an-
other slit, incorporate the entire
sprig of Rosemary.
Place on rimmed baking sheet
and roast for 40-45 minutes.
tian Muscat fares very well), but Kimchi, in all of its incarna-
tions, remains aloof of any pairing outside of really cold, in-
nocuous beer or vodka. On the other side of the coin, I can't
think of a wine that does not go well with polenta... and the
nearly as friendly "Pizza" can be topped to make any wine
more delicious...
I always relish trying the truly great pairings we discover; but
in the middle of all that, most wine goes with most food
pretty well. You almost have to try to screw it up, so relax.
But like any good marriage counselor, there are guidelines
that make the chances of success that much more likely:
1. Pair heartier foods with heartier wines. Not sure which
wines are hearty? Visit some wineries, ask your favorite wine
pro, and taste, taste, taste.
2. Pair heartier, heavier wines with more aggressive cooking
methods. Poached preparations have a delicacy that posi-
tively compliments lighter wines; fire-grilled, charred, manly
meats are also hunting for big flavored wines.
3. When in Rome... This works for classic European recipes
best. If you are preparing Italian cuisine, drink Italian wine.
Duh.
4. Sweet foods make wine seem sharp by comparison; sour
foods make wine seem fruitier. Apples, berries, mangoes and
maple syrup will all make your wine seem crisper; mustard,
vinaigrette, lemon and bleu cheese will round any sharp
edges off your wine.
5. Dry wine carries flavor better. Hot peppers rinsed down
with water makes them seem even hotter, dry wine acts the
same to our palates. Conversely, sweeter wines mask food's
intensities to keep them from seeming overbearing. For the
same reason, make sure the dessert wine is sweeter than the
dessert itself, or the wine will seem sharp by comparison.
And so take whatever makes sense to you and use it pay
close attention to the flavors on your palate. You will find
some new ones, disagree with some old ones, and the whole
process will be more interesting than water.