The Wine Guy Uncorked

Wine Sale Fri and Sat Nov 26 & 27

Leonard Logan — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:58:44 +0000

Elizabeth’s Café & Winery
Elizabethscafe.com
elizcafe@charter. Net
Duck, North Carolina

ANNUAL FALL SALE

This year we are offering a wide range of collectable wines.
Offered ONLY Friday and Saturday November 26 and 27
Noon until 4:00

Tastings for bottle and case sales
Pre-Priced Tables of wine
Light Snacks

CHAMPAGNE

Bollinger 1997 Vieilles Vignes Francaises Blanc de Noir Brut $450.00 book price SALE $225.00.
Bruno Paillard Brut Champagne (N.P.U.) Nec Plus Ultra 1990 $290.00 book price SALE $250.00
Krug Non-Vintage Grand Cuvée Brut Champagne $280.00 book price SALE $220.00
Krug 1995 Vintage Brut Champagne $450.00 book price SALE $325.00
Krug Champagne Clos de Mesnil 1989 $750.00 book price SALE 600.00
Krug Champagne Clos de Mesnil 1990 book price $898 SALE $700
Perrier-Jouët Fleur de Champagne 1995 Brut Collector’s 3 Liter Bottle in a Hand-Made Mahogony
Locking Case (We are told there are only a few of these presentation bottles in the United States)
Book Price$5,000.00 negotiate with Leonard
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 1998 Brut Champagne $350.00 SALE $290
Roederer 1999 Cristal Brut Premier Champagne $425.00, SALE $255
Roederer 2000 Cristal Brut Premier Champagne $425.00 SALE $202
Salon 1983 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Le Mesnil $ 350.00 SALE $150
Salon 1985 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Le Mesnil $425.00 WS auction $506.00 SALE $325
Salon 1988 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Le Mesnil $425.00 SALE $325
Salon 1990 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Le Mesnil $525.00 SALE $450
Salon 1996 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Le Mesnil Book $750.00 SALE $450
Perrier-Jouët 2002 Fleur de Champagne Brut Rosé Book $425.00 SALE $325
Roederer Cristal 2000 Rose Book $725.00 SALE $505
Taittinger 1996 Brut Rose Comtes de Champagne Book $350.00 SALE $250
Veuve Clicquot 1995 La Grand Dame Rose Champagne Book $600.00 – SALE $400.00

Burgundy White

Joseph Drouhin 2002 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru $250.00 sale $150
Joseph Drouhin 2007 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru $250.00 sale $150
Joseph Drouhin 2002 Beaune Blanc Les Clos des Mouches $140.00 sale $84
Joseph Drouhin 2007 Beaune Blanc Les Clos des Mouches $140.00 sale $84
Joseph Drouhin 2000 Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche $520.00 sale $312
Joseph Drouhin 2001 Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche $520.00 sale $312
Joseph Drouhin 2002 Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche $650.00 sale $390
Joseph Drouhin 2000 Bâtard Montrachet $330.00 sale $198
Joseph Drouhin 2001 Bâtard Montrachet $325.00 sale $195

RED BURGUNDY
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot 1998 Mazis Chambertin $116.00 SALE $69
Joseph Drouhin 2006 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru $342.00 SALE $ 205
Joseph Drouhin 2007 Chambolle Musigny $95.00 SALE $ 58
Joseph Drouhin 2002 Vosne-Romanée Petits Monts $130.00 SALE $78
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 1996 $199.00 SALE $120
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares Grands Cru 1996 $425.00 SALE $255
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Grand Cru Cuvee Vielles Vignes 1993 $400.00 SALE $240
Joseph Drouhin 2007 Nuits-St.-Georges $64.00 SALE $40
Domaine Comte Philippe Senard 1998 Corton en Charlemagne $110.00 SALE $66
Joseph Drouhin 2002 Vosne-Romanée Petits Monts Recolte du Domaine $130.00 SALE $78

BORDEAUX
Chateau Lafite-Rothschild Pauillac 1990 $1,350.00 WS 95, Sale $899.
Château Pétrus 1994 Grand Vin Pomerol $2,225.00 Sale $1335
Château Pétrus 1996 Grand Vin Pomerol $2,500.00 Sale $1500
Château Pétrus 1997 Grand Vin Pomerol $2,250.00 Sale $1350
Château Pétrus 1998 Grand Vin Pomerol $5,000.00 Sale $3000
Château Pétrus 1999 Grand Vin Pomerol $3,000.00 Sale $1800
Château Pétrus 2000 Grand Vin Pomerol $5,000.00 Sale $3000
Château Pétrus 2001 Grand Vin Pomerol $2,500.00 Sale $1500
Château Pétrus 2004 Grand Vin Pomerol $3,000.00 Sale $1800
Château Pétrus 2005 Grand Vin Pomerol $6,500.00 100 Rated Wine Initial release price $4,975.00 Sale $3900.
Château Pétrus 2006 Grand Vin Pomerol $3,500.00 Sale $2100
Château Certan de May 1997 Pomerol $220.00 Sale $132
Château L’Evangile 1996 Pomerol $304.00 Sale $182
Château Latour à Pomerol 1998 Pomerol $150.00 Sale $90
Château Latour à Pomerol 2004 Pomerol $140.00 Sale $84
Château Latour à Pomerol 2005 Pomerol $190.00 Sale $114
Château 2004 Plince Pomerol $80.00 Sale $48
Château 2005 Plince Pomerol $120.00 Sale $72
Château Rouget 2005 Pomerol $140.00 Sale $84
Château Siaurac 2005 Lalande de Pomerol $75.00 Sale $45
Château Belair 1999 St. Émilion Premier 1st. Grand Cru Classé $130.00 Sale $78
Château Belair 2000 St. Émilion Premier 1st. Grand Cru Classé $150.00 Sale $90
Château Belair 2001 St. Émilion Premier 1st. Grand Cru Classé $125.00 Sale $75
Château Belair 2004 St. Émilion Premier 1st. Grand Cru Classé $130.00 Sale $78
Château Belair 2005 St. Émilion Premier 1st. Grand Cru Classé $180.00 Sale $108

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Araujo 2000 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $475.00 sale $285
Araujo 2001 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ½ bottle $240.00 sale $144
Araujo 2002 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $240.00 ½ bottle sale $144
Araujo 2003 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $475.00 sale $285
Araujo 2003 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $240.00 ½ bottle sale $144
Araujo 2004 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $475.00 sale $285
Araujo 2005 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $475.00 sale $285
Araujo 2006 Estate Bottled Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $450.00 sale $270
Araujo 2003 Meritage Red Altagracia $160.00 sale $96
Araujo 2004 Meritage Red Altagracia $175.00 sale $105
Araujo 2005 Meritage Red Altagracia $175.00 sale $105
Barnett Vineyards 2001 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “Rattlesnake Hill” Spring Mountain District $450.00 sale $270
Beaulieu Vineyard 2002 BV Georges De Latour Private Reserve NapaCabernet Sauvignon $155 sale $93
Beaulieu Vineyard 2003 BV Georges De Latour Private Reserve Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $165.00 sale $99
Beringer 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Private Reserve $225.00 sale $135
Beringer 2004 Napa Valley Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $150.00 sale $90
Caymus Vineyard 2000 Napa Valley Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon $185.00 sale $111
Caymus Vineyard 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Special Select $198.00 sale $118
-Caymus Vineyard 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Special Select $235.00 sale $141
Caymus Vineyard 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $110.00 sale $66
Coppola Family (Niebaum-Coppola) 2001 Rubicon Napa Valley Red Wine $180.00 sale $108
Coppola Family Estate 2002 Napa Valley Rutherford Estate Grown Cask Cabernet Sauvignon $140.00 sale $84
Copolla Family Estate 2003 Napa Valley Rutherford Estate Grown Cask Cabernet Sauvignon $145.00 sale $87
Diamond Creek 2001 Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon $250.00 sale $150
Diamond Creek 2001 Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon $295.00 sale $177
Diamond Creek 2001 Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon $250.00 sale $150
Diamond Creek 2002 Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Thirtieth Anniversary $250.00 sale $150
Diamond Creek 2002 Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon Thirtieth Anniversary $250.00 sale $150
Diamond Creek 2002 Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon Thirtieth Anniversary $250.00 sale $150
Diamond Creek 2003 Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon $270.00 sale $162
Diamond Creek 2003 Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon $270.00 sale $162
Diamond Creek 2003 Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon $270.00 sale $162
Dominus Estate 1998 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $150.00 sale $90
Dunn 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain $300.00 sale $180
Dunn 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain $250.00 sale $150
Dunn 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain $250.00 sale $150
Dunn 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain $200.00 sale $120
Dunn 2003 Napa Howell Mountain $200.00 sale $120
Far Niente 1990 Napa Valley Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon $290.00 sale $174
Far Niente 1993 Napa Valley Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon $260.00 sale $156
Fourteen 2004 Napa Valley Meritage $250.00 sale $150
Harlan Estate 1996 Napa Valley Red Wine $799.00 sale $499
Harlan Estate 1997 Napa Valley Red Wine $1,200.00 sale $999
Harlan Estate 1998 Napa Valley Red Wine $950.00 sale $570
Harlan Estate 2001 Napa Valley Red Wine $1,200.00 sale $799
Harlan Estate 2003 Napa Valley Red Wine $2,500.00 sale $1499
Harlan Estate 2004 Napa Valley Red Wine $2,500.00 sale $1499
Harrison Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 $250.00 sale $150
Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Martha’s Vineyard 1998 $225.00 sale $135
Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Martha’s Vineyard 1999 $225.00 sale $135
Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Martha’s Vineyard 2002 $250.00 sale $135
Heitz 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard $120.00 sale $72
Lewis Cellars 2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $300.00 sale $180
Lewis Cellars 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $375.00 sale $225
Lewis Cellars 2005 Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $375.00 sale $225
Lewis Cellars 2005 Cuvee L Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $750.00 sale $450
Lewis Cellars 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $210.00 sale $126
Lewis Cellars 2006 Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $375.00 sale $225
Robert Mondavi 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $175.00 sale $105
Robert Mondavi 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard $200.00 sale $120
Robert Mondavi 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard $200.00 sale $120
Opus One 2005 $250.00 sale $ 150
Outpost 2005 Tru E Cabernet Sauvignon $175.00 sale $105
Joseph Phelps 2000 Insignia Napa Valley $205.00 sale $123
Joseph Phelps 2003 Insignia 30th Anniversary Napa Valley $225.00 sale $135
Joseph Phelps 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Insignia Napa Valley $295.00 sale $177
Quintessa 2003 Rutherford Napa Valley Red Meritage $225.00 sale $135
Quintessa 2004 Rutherford Napa Valley Red Meritage $225.00 sale $ 135
Quintessa 2005 Rutherford Napa Valley Red Meritage $250.00 sale $ 150
Ridge Monte Bello 1998 Red Meritage $175.00 sale $105
Ridge Monte Bello 2000 Red Meritage $176.00 sale $105
Round Pond 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon $160.00 sale $96
Round Pond 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon $140.00 sale $84
Round Pond 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon $140.00 sale $84
Rudd Oakville Estate 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon $225.00 sale $135
Rudd Oakville Estate 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon $450.00 sale $270
Shafer 2003 Hillside Select Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $375.00 sale $225
Spottswoode 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon $225.00 sale $135
Stags Leap Wine Cellars 1999 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon $200.00 sale $120

Browse our wine book at the restaurant for Other offerings from our cellar and wine list which will be available for this sale

Thanksgiving Feast 2010

Jason Hibbets — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:00:12 +0000

Going to be on the Outer Banks this Thanksgiving? Are you looking for a place with incredible food, wine, and art? Elizabeth’s Cafe has over 20 years of experience serving our cooked-to-order Thanksgiving feast.

Join us for a Thanksgiving Feast on Thursday, November 25, 2010. Seatings at 1:00, 4:00, and 7:30 pm.

See our Thanksgiving Day menu and make your reservations today, by calling (252) 261-6145.

Curious about what’s on the menu? See some of the wine we’ll be serving and menu items we’re prepping in the kitchen:

APPETIZERS

Our Flame Grilled Bar-B-Que Shrimp served with Mango Chutney
Smoked Mozzarella Ravioli with white truffle cream sauce

Wine: Dopff & Irion 2008 Alsace Pinot Blanc

SOUP COURSE

Elizabeth’s Scallop and Brie Bisque with Granny Smith Apples
Sweet Potato Bisque with a Frangelica Crème Fraiche

Wine: Dry Creek 2009 Chenin Blanc Clarksburg California

TURKEY COURSE

Roasted Fresh Tom Turkey Carved to order and served with:
Leonard’s Famous Stuffing
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Giblet Gravy
Baked Candied Yams
Corn Pudding
Green Beans

Wine: Joseph Drouhin 2010 Beaujolais Noveau

ENTREES

Chardonnay Poached Salmon topped with a Lobster Cream Sauce
Chateau Briand – the finest Prime Aged Tenderloin (cooked medium rare to medium) carved and served with a Courvoisier Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

Wine: White and red choices by Leonard

Wine Closures, bottles and wine historical facts

Leonard Logan — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:49:47 +0000

Wine closures, bottles and interesting wine historical facts.

I began this article by studying the origin of wine- which may have been in Mesopotamia.. There is evidence of wine from 5400 BC. As I researched writings for this article I went far afield discovering interesting historical facts. A full discussion of the origin of wine would take an entire volume at least. –“Too long”, says my editor, so we will look at bottles, closures and a few wine facts..

Wine storage and bottles has an interesting progression. Early bulk wine storage during the First Dynasty of Egypt (from 3100 BC to 2890 BC) was in large pottery vessels called amphorae with pouring spouts. Closure of the vessels was accomplished by stoppers of cloth, leather, cork or fired clay- all sealed with mortar. A small CO2 release hole was left open – later to be sealed after fermentation. Early Amphorae even had markings with production information, including year, maker and vineyard source – indicating an organized wine production.

As civilization progressed the Romans developed glass blowing and glass bottles became favored for wine storage. The wine was usually visible. However, since glass blown bottles varied in size there was no easy way to determine the quantity of wine contained in each bottle. This was such a perplexing situation that it became illegal to sell wine in a glass bottle. This was unacceptable and merchants eventually began selling wine in measured amounts to customers who provided their own bottles. Bottles were continued to be made in different shapes until the demand for flatter bottles that could be laid down on their side for aging. The bottles began to hold 500 to 800 ml and eventually gravitated towards 750 ml.

The different wine regions selected bottles that were ideal for their wines.

In 1979, when there was a desire to adopt metric measurement , the US standardized the volume of wine in a bottle at 750ml. The European Union also asked winemakers to adopt one standard size bottle. The US mandated 750ml was chosen to make it easier to import and sell wine in the US. The 750ml size is now the usual size for wine world-wide.

Early wine closures included wood and rags and eventually corks. Corks have unique properties for use as a wine closure. A cork is light, impermeable to liquid, wear resistant and has incredible compressibility. Corks natural cell structure is impossible to replicate. A cork is formed of a honeycomb of tiny cells made from suberin, a complex fatty acid and filled with an air like gas. There are approximately 800 million cells in an average cork. The cork is the only solid that can be compressed to about half its width without losing any flexibility or increasing in size in another direction. A cork also has what is called “elastic memory”. This means that when compressed a cork constantly wants to return to its original size. The cork exerts an even pressure against the surface of the bottle neck. There have been many closures developed to replace cork which has sometimes tainted wine with an desirable tastes and odors called “Cork Taint.” As an example think of a wet dog in a phone booth or old wet cardboard. There are estimates that 5% of wine is ruined at the winery because of cork taint. One of the reasons for the formal tasting of a new bottle opened at the table is to detect the cork taint. Not by smelling the cork but by sniffing the wine.

Great effort has gone into the development of an alternative closure. Many wine makers I have talked to like screw top closure.

In our consumptive society wine is not held long before drinking. American wines are often ready to drink when purchased. Some wines need additional bottle storage before opening. In our mind there is a perception that a wine served from a screw cap bottle is an inferior wine like a jug wine.

Most alternative closure methods that completely block oxygen from entering the bottle haven’t been tested on long aging wines. It isn’t known if the loss of the tiny amount of air that enters a bottle thru a cork over time has an adverse effect on long term aging. I am unsure. There is a loss of flair in opening a world class wine with a twist off cap. Wine makers who are making these world class wines have the most to gain from closures that would keep the wine vibrant and untainted.

Wine making in the United States would be the world’s best were it not for several set-backs. The most important being Prohibition – a thirteen year period that essentially decimated the US wine industry.

The Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act made it illegal to manufacture, sell or transport all beverages containing alcohol. The unintended consequences of Abolitionists movement was to increase the number of saloons, to introduce the imposition of Income Tax ( to make up for lost revenue from sale of alcohol) to begin organized crime, to change drinking habits from enjoying fine wine with meals to glugging cheap liquor. The wine industry was devastated. Only 20 percent of California Wineries survived. The country that was just beginning to savor wine with meals were funneled to speakeasy’s. Saloons in New York City were illegal but doubled in number during prohibition. Most vintners were caught unaware of the consequences of the alcohol ban. They couldn’t believe it applied to wine and their industry was going to be destroyed.

Eager enforcement resulted in the destruction of barrels of aging wine and root stocks and mature vines just reaching their best production were plowed under. The 1920 wine crop was not harvested.

There were over 700 wineries in California at the outset of Prohibition. When finally repealed only 140 Wineries remained. It took 70 years for California to again have as many wineries as it had when Prohibition began. The wineries that remained were essentially destitute having survived by making sacramental wine, medicinal wine tonics and kits for home wine makers. The Volstead Act permitted citizens to make up to 200 gallons of non-intoxicating cider and fruit juices a year. However, the Act never defined the term “non-intoxicating.” Home wine makers could purchase grapes and grape concentrates. One company sold compressed grapes in brick shapes with a warning label that advised: “WARNING: Do not place this brick in a one gallon crock, add sugar and water, cover, and let stand for seven days or else an illegal alcoholic beverage will result.”

The vestiges of Prohibition still survive in some of the laws involving sale of wine. When we opened Elizabeth’s 21 years ago our sign could not feature the term “Wine” (however, the corporate name could be used) hence our name “Elizabeth’s Café & Winery” Is on our sign although we don’t now and have never made wine. It just indicates we are a recognized wine related restaurant- offering nightly wine dinners.

The Wine Guy, Leonard Logan, a wine judge and lecturer is the proprietor of Elizabeth’s Café in Duck. His blog, The Wine Guy, is available at Elizabethcafe.com send questions and comments to elizcafe@charter.net.

Memories

Leonard Logan — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:36:56 +0000

THE WINE GUY- Memories

I was going to write an article responding to some quotes in The New York Times and other newspapers that “Fine Dining was dead”. This I don’t believe. However, there are various levels of “fine dining.” If you mean the pretentious fake French speaking waiters who mispronounce “Meritage” the American word for Claret or Bordeaux blend made in California, and who look down on their guests as if they were unworthy to dine in their fine dining restaurant- then I say Good Riddance. But if they mean a non-pretentious restaurant that has exceptional servers well trained in the art of food and wine pairing serving the freshest ingredients available at reasonable prices- then I say they are wrong. And the number of guests returning to Elizabeth’s year after year would also agree.

It is amazing how much our senses key our memories. Can you remember the first song that was “your and your first crush’s song” – and when you hear it are memories rekindled- even from Junior High School? It is the same thing with a spectacular meal, an incredible wine experience, a wonderful play, a movie that touched you, a book, music, anything that involved your senses and an experience.

I have had the pleasure of assisting friends with their memories that involve a very special or unique bottle of wine. We love it when a guest enjoys a wine so much they reminisce about it years later. But not all incredible wines have to be enjoyed in a traditional setting- like a restaurant, in your home, or on your deck. Some of my best wine memories are not all at Elizabeth’s. I had the pleasure of knowing a young lady who believed a special bottle of wine should be opened and consumed at a unique location. We opened a bottle of Chateau D’Yquem that had been chilled in a West Virginia stream and sipped it while nibbling on homemade Macaroon cookies sitting on a picnic table in a fine misty rain. We had a bottle of Duckhorn Merlot sitting by a duck pond at the Williamsburg Inn while snacking on French bread and cheese. I remember our drinking a bottle of Salon Champagne while watching a sun set and a bottle of Bollinger RD Champagne the next morning at sunrise. I have had so many bottles of Krug, one of my favorite Champagnes, but none was as memorable as the one shared sitting on steps by the ocean filled with phosphorescence while my companion sang a song she composed on the spot.

I love to share a bottle of Perrier Jouet Champagne on Elizabeth’s porch with my friends- the list of friends who have enjoyed PJ on the porch is limitless – for I sit with friends on the porch throughout the year. Each new bottle rekindles memories of past times together. The stories grow and often return to a shared moment over dinner or while drinking something very special.

Some magazines have created lists of one hundred great wines you have to taste before you die. That may be taking the concept too far. I think there are much fewer that I consider a must try experience. Te wine should be enjoyed with friends and a meal. To drink a world class wine in your closet by yourself so you can drink it all is missing the unique experience. It must be shared.

My maybe top 10 list:

1. Joseph Drouhin 1985 Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche. Considered by all wine authorities as the fines Chardonnay ever produced – scoring 100 on every review. This was a wine I featured at our Millennium New Years Eve party. Although most of the guests preferred red wines this wine won the best of evening award and most of our guests agreed it was the finest bottle of Wine they had ever enjoyed. There is none available anywhere at any price.

2. Krug Champagne 1990 Clos de Mensil. A once in a lifetime experience – only for a really special occasion. This is the finest Champagne still available although very difficult to find. Any vintage of Krug Clos de Mensil is spectacular but this vintage is the best of the best. This wine was also featured at one of our New Years Eve celebrations.

3.Bollinger 1990 RD (Recently Disgourged) Champagne. This is an aged in the bottle 1990 Grand Anne and was spectacular. Madame Lily Bollinger, the widow of Jacques Bollinger who died in 1941, ran the famous Bollinger Champagne House during the German Occupation of France and until her death in 1977. During an interview in the early 1960’s Madame Bollinger was asked if she drank Champagne. She replied:

“I only drink Champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I triffle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.”

I agree, it is the one wine I could not live without- it goes with all food and is a celebration of life.

4. Salon 1985 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Le Mesnil. One of the most highly regarded Champagnes released in the last fifty years. A wine we enjoyed at several New Year’s Eve celebrations. Very few cases of Salon are imported each year. Any Salon is perfect because if a vintage is not up to their high standards it is not released.

5. Lewis Cellars 2005 Cuvee L Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – the latest in the superior Cuvee L. Only one hundred fifty 3 bottle cases produced. “Toasty, smoky oak spices, chocolate, clove and caramel aromas jump off the line. Racy black currant and Turkish coffee flavors are smooth on the track, with super-wide tannins providing tenacious grip through the twisties. Great mileage too!” Randy Lewis was a race car driver- hence the references in his description of this wine.

Any Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon is incredible. The Napa Cabernet, the Reserve and the Cuvee L are increasing more complex and wonderful. These wines receive outstanding ratings and are difficult to obtain. If you search one of these wines out you will be rewarded. Before attaining its cult status Elizabeth’s offered The Lewis Napa Cabernet Sauvignon by-the-glass.

Wines I haven’t had but hope to:

6. Chateau Petrus 2005 Grand Vin Pomerol. The 100 rated best of all Petrus wines. I may not live long enough to enjoy this wine. It needs to remain in the cellar for at least 5 to 10 years. Well, maybe I will be able to try it. Considered by some wine writers and wine enthusiasts to be the finest Red Wine in the world – certainly the most expensive.

“A sleeping giant. Dark ruby in color, showing aromas of blackberry, crêpe and green olive, with a hint of mineral. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a super-caressing mouthfeel. Turns to coffee, dark chocolate and berry. Chewy yet balanced. Very, very long in the mouth. The finish is absolutely breathtaking. Best after 2013 THE WINE SPECTATOR Collectibile Selection 3/31/2008 A 100 Rated Wine”

7. There are literally hundreds of wonderful wines, and space permitting in a future issue I will list more of my favorites.

Wines I enjoy everyday.

8. Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne- Our House Champagne. The wine we serve on our porch and our gift to our face book friends. “This is what you expect a prestige Champagne to look, smell and taste like. Poised and stylish, it layers sharp citrus fruit with spicy wood and light toast. Layers of citrus, tangerine and flower blossoms unfold elegantly; lime and grapefruit accents add interest, and above all it comports itself with impeccable balance, precision and grace. THE WINE ENTHUSIAST 93 points”

9. Clark-Claudon Vineyards 2003 10^th Anniversary Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. My new favorite. “The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate exhibits an evolved dark plum/ruby color already revealing some lightening at the edge. Nevertheless, it is a tasty, seductive effort displaying notes of plums, licorice, black currants, figs, and soy. This medium-bodied, fleshy Cabernet appears to be on a fast evolutionary track, so consumption over the next 7-8 years is recommended. The Wine Advocate December 2006.”

10. Any wine you really like that is a step up and doesn’t break the bank is a good wine for you to begin your memories.

I can remember incredible meals I have enjoyed with friends and can visualize each plate and the ambience of the setting . Do you have memories that are recalled when you sip a particular wine, or hear a special piece of music, or have a particularly wonderful meal?

If so please share them with me. If I get enough I may include your memories in my next column.

By the way ‘Meritage” is pronounced rhyming with “heritage” not “Marry taj”

“May all your pains be Champagnes” Elizabeth’s Toast.

Leonard Logan, Proprietor of Elizabeth’s Cafe & Winery in Duck North Carolina for its entire 20 years, is a wine judge, wine writer and wine consultant. He can be found sipping Champagne or Clark-Claudon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Elizabeth’s with new and old friends almost nightly. If Leonard sits at your table when he makes his rounds towards the end of the evening the chances are you will sip some extraordinary wine. If you have any questions or comments or ideas contact Leonard at elizcafe@charter/net or elizabethscafe.com

Summer Wines

Leonard Logan — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:09:05 +0000

THE WINE GUY May 2010

Summer Wines

You are sitting outside on a deck enjoying an Outer Banks summer breeze and you want a refreshing glass of wine. Remember back when you were little and how good a glass of lemonade tasted during a hot summer day? The primary reason was because of its refreshing acidity.

It is fairly easy to answer the question, ”What wines are best in summer? “ It is a wine you find refreshing and drinking it is an enjoyment to be shared.

Almost all articles that have tried to answer this question have listed a number of wines that would be perfect for a summer day or evening on the deck by name and varietal. However, not all the wines would be available and you might pass by a perfect wine varietal looking for a recommended wine. It would be better if I listed a few things you should look for in a wine without directing a search for a certain producer’s wine. We will concentrate on Varietals.

Just like lemonade is refreshing, acidity is the most important component for a refreshing summer wine. If a wine doesn’t have sufficient acidity it tastes flat, flabby and dull- like a coke left out in the sun. If it has too much acidity it tastes tart and sour- like drinking unsweetened lemon juice or vinegar. You can tell a lot about acidity when you know the climate of the growing area. Grapes grown in cooler climates generally have higher acidity than those grown in warmer climates.

Ask your wine purveyor or wine shop friends. A few local wine shops sponsor tastings that provide an opportunity to taste a number of wines. Or visit a restaurant that offers wine tasting flights and discover wines you like. We have wine tasting in the day and offer wine dinners nightly.

If you want sweetness and blandness with no complexity continue to drink adult kool-aid, white Zinfandel. You are not alone, it is one of the most popular wines, however, you should use kids Kool-Aid it is cheaper and doesn’t quench a thirst because of its high sugar content. Don’t confuse the wonderful rose wines from Provence, an incredible Rose, with White Zinfandel. French Rose – Tavel is the best known and is produced in the Rhone region mostly from Grenache. It is a real wine.

Medium to High Acidity is generally found in Chenin Blanc, French Chablis, Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc wines (same varietal just a different name and the varietal that makes the wonderful Loire Valley Wine- Sancerre) are high in acidity and very refreshing. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines are distinctive and have hints of grapefruit. Gruner-Veltliner a crisp wine from Austria has grapefruit flavors and hint of pepper

Low acid wines such as Pinot Grigio ,Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer although light in body are not as refreshing.

A Short shopping list:

Pinot Blanc

It was once believed that Pinot Blanc was related to Chardonnay. It is now known that Pinot Blanc is part of the Pinot Family. However there is still some confusion concerning Pinot Blanc. Much of the “Pinot Blanc” of Australia is in reality Chardonnay and according to research at University of California at Davis some of the Pinot Blanc vines in California are really Melon de Bourgogne. This variety is widely planted in the Loire Valley of France and identified as Muscadet. With the exception of a few areas in the Loire and Alsace this variety is not very noteworthy. However, when careful selection is made these high acidity and low sugar level wines can be crisp, dry and medium-bodied with character.

Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc

Sauvignon blanc produces crisp wines that should be drunk young. Sauvignon Blanc wines produced in France, like Sancere and Pouilly-Fume, will usually show a flinty characteristic. Those produced in Australia, New Zealand, Italy and South America will show acidity and a grassy, herbaceous aroma and flavor. Those produced in California are beginning to show less grassy characteristics.

. The best of the French wines made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc grapes are produced in the Loire Valley as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. They are crisp and tart – usually with a flinty character.

The Dry White Wines of Bordeaux are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon that has been aged in oak barrels.

Robert Mondavi gave this varietal a new name when he released an oak aged Sauvignon Blanc as Fumé Blanc. The California Sauvignon Blancs are often blended with some Semillon in an effort to reduce the traditional grassy tinge to the wine.

Sémillon

A white wine grape that is planted throughout the world. By itself, Sémillon generally produces wines that are not well rounded. However, when combined with Sauvignon Blanc, the resulting wines can be extraordinary. Sauvignon Blanc adds the missing acidity and aroma while Semillon lessens the grassiness of Sauvignon Blanc.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc generally produces a high acid wine with complex flavors. It is the grape making the wonderful Loire Valley Vouvary. The wine can be expensive. A great example of a US Chenin Blanc is made by Dry Creek a Sonoma winery and vineyard. “The winery has made a specialty of this variety for years, always taking care to keep prices low, and consumers are the beneficiaries. … bright and zesty, with intense flavors of fresh-picked green apples and white pepper. Nice as an aperitif, or an alternative to Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.” — S.H. THE WINE ENTHUSIAST

Gruner Veltner

Gruner Veltner is a white grape producing a light to medium bodied, pale, crisp slightly spicy wine grown In Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Slovenia. This wine is beginning to generate favorable press and is still reasonably priced.

My Favorite Summer wine drink

My favorite summertime wine drinks are a wine or Champagne spritzer . The wine spritzer is made by adding wine to ice and soda water. I like to use a good Chardonnay which provides body and flavor. A Champagne spritzer (Perrier Jouet Champagne over ice- no soda water added) is my own concoction, It is very refreshing, easy to drink and reduces the alcohol you consume.

Lastly drink a full glass of ice water for every glass of wine you consume. You will thank me for that tip the morning after.

Enjoy your summer.

Are Inexpensive Wines Worth the price?

Leonard Logan — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:02:26 +0000

Recently, a guest at Elizabeth’s Café declined the offer of an Oregon Pinot Noir on our nightly wine dinner expressing that she “hated Pinot Noir”. She found Pinot Noir “harsh and not at all velvety smooth“as I described the wine in our wine book. In response to my questions she said that she had drunk French Pinot Noir often and just doesn’t like it. Unfortunately, she and a number of beginning wine drinkers were lured into the inexpensive wine section and drank a wine that was called pinot noir but didn’t show true varietal characteristics. This is not unusual.

When a beginning wine drinker tastes a very inexpensive wine without knowing what the varietal tastes like there is little likelihood they will recognize other varietals. Just in case you have forgotten or never knew – “Varietal” is a term describing wines made predominantly from one variety of grape and that show the grapes characteristics.
The particular wine she tried was Red Bicyclette, produced by Gallo and identified by the winery as “world acclaimed Pinot Noir from Languedoc “. Although Gallol lists the percentage of Pinot Noir, (2005 100%, 2006 85% and 2007 88%), in fact there was very little, if any, Pinot Noir in the bottles. The mislabeled wine has resulted in criminal charges against the French producers and other suits for fraud and a potential class action suit against Gallo for duping the public.
At the trial of the French producers for fraud it was proven that inexpensive Merlots and Syrah were substituted for Pinot Noir in the wine sold to Gallo as Pinot Noir. The defense said the Americans with their “gauche palettes didn’t even notice the difference. Not a single American consumer complained.” The attorney pointed out The Wine Spectator had given the 2006 vintage a score of 83 points.
It seems a little unfair for the French attorneys to blame the American Wine Drinking public for failing to uncover this fraud. Although the wine was sold to and consumed here in the United States- it was sold at a very low price which assured it would most likely not be purchased by those consumers used to drinking fine wine or at least those understanding the characteristics of varietals like Pinot Noir.
Those perpetrating the fraud relied on the inexperienced American wine buying public to fail to recognize that the wine was not a Pinot Noir as advertised. They knew they could sell mislabeled wine as long as it was inexpensive.
French authorities say that millions of gallons of wine from southern France were fraudulently sold as pinot noir and exported to the United States over the last four years.
There is a big market for inexpensive wine in the United States- it is just sad that a lot of this wine is bad and will not help encourage wine drinking by those who buy it. There are some wine buyers who don’t like wine and who would rather drink a beer and have fast food then a gourmet meal with wine. But there are good wines that are inexpensive. Maybe not $2.25 but for $10.00 and definitely there are great wines for approximately $50.00
Some of the producers offering inexpensive wine of necessity have to cut corners. Buying the inexpensiveest available grapes is one option. Thompson seedless grapes, which are bland and do not make a good wine, are often used as filler to bulk up jug wines and other low cost wines. To get oak flavors from a inexpensiveer source than the utilization of French Oak Barrels a few producers add wood chips instead of investing in expensive oak barrels. Oak chips impart intense oak flavoring quickly but do not provide the subtle oak flavors shown by wines made in oak barrels. .Money is saved since the oak chips speed up the release of the wine – saving at least one year and barrels don’t have to be purchased. Prior to 2006 it was illegal to add wood chips to wines made in France – that law has changed.
I have been told that some unnamed producers added manure to wine before filtering to give it an earthy barnyard nose. I can’t confirm this and I was told the practice was abandoned.. However, the Italian weekly L”Espresso reported, April 5, 2008, they had discovered that Italian producers of inexpensive wine had produced at least 70 million liters of inexpensive wine containing acid, manure and fertilizer.
If you experience headaches after consuming inexpensive wine it may not just be the wine. If it was Italian wine it may not have been sulfites.
At seminars and wine tastings I tell all who are interested in learning about wines that it is one of the most interesting courses you will ever take- for you are the professor and you grade the papers. Your palate controls
Everyone should buy a good wine but not everyone should buy a world class incredibly expensive wine. Unless you want to start the course for wine appreciation the inexpensive wine is not a bad buy provided it tastes good to you. There have been a number of studies tending to show that the average consumer cannot reliably tell the difference between higher and lower quality wine of the same varietal. One such study by researchers at Caltech and Stanford examined the relationship between the price of a bottle of wine and the perception of quality between the wines. Generally, the wine with the higher price was perceived as the better wine, although in some instances it was the exact same wine being tasted with just a difference in price.
There is no guarantee of excellence even for expensive wines. Some very high priced wines, such as Chateau Petrus, have been victimized by counterfeit bottles and labels. The only safe purchase of a world class renowned wine is one purchased from the producer on initial release or from their library collection. Wines sold at auction and on the internet are often fake bottles. There are several examples of wines being cellared by world renowned collectors that have been identified as fakes. Various estimates are that 50% of some world class wines are counterfeit.
I have tried in my seminars to use analogies but it is difficult. If you attempt to compare wines to automobiles there is the analogy that not everyone should buy or even drive a Lamborghini Gallardo which accelerates from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, has a top speed 199 mph and costs $220,000. Just as not everyone should buy a bottle of 2005 Chateau Petrus, a 100 point rated wine considered one of the best Petrus ever made and released at a cost of $4950.00. There has to be some common ground between these two extremes. The automobile purchased doesn’t have to be a used Yugo. Likewise; the wine doesn’t have to be plonk (a terrible tasting wine – often identified as panther pee.).
I try and think of comparison of prices instead of automobiles. Is the 2005 Petrus 500 times better than the wonderful 2003 Clark-Claudon Napa Cabernet Sauvignon? NO. Without even considering that the Clark won a blind taste testing against a number of incredible wines including a Chateau Petrus the decision to spend almost 500 times the cost of a really good wine to taste a collector wine doesn’t make sense. The Clark Claudon Cabernet Sauvignon is around $100.00 dollars.
Is the Clark Claudon 10 times better than most $12.50 wines? YES. Definitely. But if all wine tastes the same to you- the answer would be a resounding no.
My advice for all who want to get the best enjoyment for the least expense is to start keeping a wine journal. Write down every wine you try, its price and how much you like or dislike it. Write in your journal the varietal and producer from the labels, where the wine is from, and perhaps the food pairing (important later) but don’t get bogged down. Remember wine is a food wine and will offer different characteristics with different food. It is best to write down a few notes as you drink the wine. You will not be able to remember later. When you find a wine you like star it. Chances are you will like other wines of similar price, varietal and producer location.
If you want to learn about wine try and taste as many wines as you can. Go to shops or stores where you can sample wines. Look for tasting events and wine dinners. Elizabeth’s offers wine dinners every night and varietal tastings during the week. There are plenty of wine tasting opportunities o n the Outer Banks.
The Wine Guy, Leonard Logan, a wine judge and lecturer is the proprietor of Elizabeth’s Café in Duck. His blog, The Wine Guy, is available at Elizabethcafe.com send questions and comments to elizcafe@charter.net.

NBS 032010

THE WINE GUY
I conclude all of my wine tasting seminars with the following comment: “If you like a wine it is a good wine, if you don’t like a wine it is not a good wine for your pallet-regardless of what scores the wines have received from magazines, professional wine writers and shelf talkers. “
Recently, a guest at Elizabeth’s Café declined the offer of an Oregon Pinot Noir on our nightly wine dinner expressing that she “hated Pinot Noir”. She found Pinot Noir “harsh and not at all velvety smooth“as I described the wine in our wine book. In response to my questions she said that she had drunk French Pinot Noir often and just doesn’t like it. Unfortunately, she and a number of beginning wine drinkers were lured into the inexpensive wine section and drank a wine that was called pinot noir but didn’t show true varietal characteristics. This is not unusual. . When a beginning wine drinker tastes a very inexpensive wine without knowing what the varietal tastes like there is little likelihood they will recognize other varietals. Just in case you have forgotten or never knew – “Varietal” is a term describing wines made predominantly from one variety of grape and that show the grapes characteristics.
The particular wine she tried was Red Bicyclette, produced by Gallo and identified by the winery as “world acclaimed Pinot Noir from Languedoc “. Although Gallol lists the percentage of Pinot Noir, (2005 100%, 2006 85% and 2007 88%), in fact there was very little, if any, Pinot Noir in the bottles. The mislabeled wine has resulted in criminal charges against the French producers and other suits for fraud and a potential class action suit against Gallo for duping the public.
At the trial of the French producers for fraud it was proven that inexpensive Merlots and Syrah were substituted for Pinot Noir in the wine sold to Gallo as Pinot Noir. The defense said the Americans with their “gauche palettes didn’t even notice the difference. Not a single American consumer complained.” The attorney pointed out The Wine Spectator had given the 2006 vintage a score of 83 points.
It seems a little unfair for the French attorneys to blame the American Wine Drinking public for failing to uncover this fraud. Although the wine was sold to and consumed here in the United States- it was sold at a very low price which assured it would most likely not be purchased by those consumers used to drinking fine wine or at least those understanding the characteristics of varietals like Pinot Noir.
Those perpetrating the fraud relied on the inexperienced American wine buying public to fail to recognize that the wine was not a Pinot Noir as advertised. They knew they could sell mislabeled wine as long as it was inexpensive.
French authorities say that millions of gallons of wine from southern France were fraudulently sold as pinot noir and exported to the United States over the last four years.
There is a big market for inexpensive wine in the United States- it is just sad that a lot of this wine is bad and will not help encourage wine drinking by those who buy it. There are some wine buyers who don’t like wine and who would rather drink a beer and have fast food then a gourmet meal with wine. But there are good wines that are inexpensive. Maybe not $2.25 but for $10.00 and definitely there are great wines for approximately $50.00
Some of the producers offering inexpensive wine of necessity have to cut corners. Buying the inexpensiveest available grapes is one option. Thompson seedless grapes, which are bland and do not make a good wine, are often used as filler to bulk up jug wines and other low cost wines. To get oak flavors from a inexpensiveer source than the utilization of French Oak Barrels a few producers add wood chips instead of investing in expensive oak barrels. Oak chips impart intense oak flavoring quickly but do not provide the subtle oak flavors shown by wines made in oak barrels. .Money is saved since the oak chips speed up the release of the wine – saving at least one year and barrels don’t have to be purchased. Prior to 2006 it was illegal to add wood chips to wines made in France – that law has changed.
I have been told that some unnamed producers added manure to wine before filtering to give it an earthy barnyard nose. I can’t confirm this and I was told the practice was abandoned.. However, the Italian weekly L”Espresso reported, April 5, 2008, they had discovered that Italian producers of inexpensive wine had produced at least 70 million liters of inexpensive wine containing acid, manure and fertilizer.
If you experience headaches after consuming inexpensive wine it may not just be the wine. If it was Italian wine it may not have been sulfites.
At seminars and wine tastings I tell all who are interested in learning about wines that it is one of the most interesting courses you will ever take- for you are the professor and you grade the papers. Your palate controls
Everyone should buy a good wine but not everyone should buy a world class incredibly expensive wine. Unless you want to start the course for wine appreciation the inexpensive wine is not a bad buy provided it tastes good to you. There have been a number of studies tending to show that the average consumer cannot reliably tell the difference between higher and lower quality wine of the same varietal. One such study by researchers at Caltech and Stanford examined the relationship between the price of a bottle of wine and the perception of quality between the wines. Generally, the wine with the higher price was perceived as the better wine, although in some instances it was the exact same wine being tasted with just a difference in price.
There is no guarantee of excellence even for expensive wines. Some very high priced wines, such as Chateau Petrus, have been victimized by counterfeit bottles and labels. The only safe purchase of a world class renowned wine is one purchased from the producer on initial release or from their library collection. Wines sold at auction and on the internet are often fake bottles. There are several examples of wines being cellared by world renowned collectors that have been identified as fakes. Various estimates are that 50% of some world class wines are counterfeit.
I have tried in my seminars to use analogies but it is difficult. If you attempt to compare wines to automobiles there is the analogy that not everyone should buy or even drive a Lamborghini Gallardo which accelerates from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, has a top speed 199 mph and costs $220,000. Just as not everyone should buy a bottle of 2005 Chateau Petrus, a 100 point rated wine considered one of the best Petrus ever made and released at a cost of $4950.00. There has to be some common ground between these two extremes. The automobile purchased doesn’t have to be a used Yugo. Likewise; the wine doesn’t have to be plonk (a terrible tasting wine – often identified as panther pee.).
I try and think of comparison of prices instead of automobiles. Is the 2005 Petrus 500 times better than the wonderful 2003 Clark-Claudon Napa Cabernet Sauvignon? NO. Without even considering that the Clark won a blind taste testing against a number of incredible wines including a Chateau Petrus the decision to spend almost 500 times the cost of a really good wine to taste a collector wine doesn’t make sense. The Clark Claudon Cabernet Sauvignon is around $100.00 dollars.
Is the Clark Claudon 10 times better than most $12.50 wines? YES. Definitely. But if all wine tastes the same to you- the answer would be a resounding no.
My advice for all who want to get the best enjoyment for the least expense is to start keeping a wine journal. Write down every wine you try, its price and how much you like or dislike it. Write in your journal the varietal and producer from the labels, where the wine is from, and perhaps the food pairing (important later) but don’t get bogged down. Remember wine is a food wine and will offer different characteristics with different food. It is best to write down a few notes as you drink the wine. You will not be able to remember later. When you find a wine you like star it. Chances are you will like other wines of similar price, varietal and producer location.
If you want to learn about wine try and taste as many wines as you can. Go to shops or stores where you can sample wines. Look for tasting events and wine dinners. Elizabeth’s offers wine dinners every night and varietal tastings during the week. There are plenty of wine tasting opportunities o n the Outer Banks.
The Wine Guy, Leonard Logan, a wine judge and lecturer is the proprietor of Elizabeth’s Café in Duck. His blog, The Wine Guy, is available at Elizabethcafe.com send questions and comments to elizcafe@charter.net.

NBS 032010

Is Wine A Good Investment?

Leonard Logan — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:56:18 +0000

THE WINE GUY- IS WINE A GOOD INVESTMENT?
During these difficult economic times investment gurus are discussing in economic and trade magazines different ways to make money and recommending wise investments. One direction they are pointing is investing in fine wine.

For the past twenty years I have been asked if acquiring Wine is a good investment. The economic magazines are now beginning to write about the advantages of investing in wine explaining their interest with statistics that wine has appreciated more than almost anything- – fine art, stocks, bonds,, precious metals,. Decanter.com has reported that fine wine has outperformed stock indexes in Britain and the United States.

It is apparent this would be a perfect time to explore wine as an investment.
I certainly have invested in wine for my restaurant, Elizabeth’s Café & Winery in Duck. Our wine list has garnered the most awards of any restaurant in the South East. However, my investment is for our restaurant wine cellar to give guests a plethora of one of a kind world class wine selections to accompany their dinner.

Decanter, an English Wine Publication reports “In the last 20 years fine wine has also outperformed a number of equity and fixed income indices including the FTSE 1000. For long term investors (as opposed to shorter term speculators) a well chosen and balanced wine portfolio should provide annualized returns of 10-12% per annum. Wine is less volatile than stocks and shares, making it a less risky investment.” Felixsalmon.com quoting Decanter’s wine investment guide. See also, Dave Sokolin’s book INVESTING IN LIQUID ASSETS and the book by Evelyn Resnick, WINE BRANDS
PLUSES FOR INVESTMENT

Arguments may certainly be made favoring investment in wine, by citing historic examples of significant appreciation of wine purchases. An example described in www.wineeducation.com as a best case scenario is the 1961 Chateau Latour, a French wine from Bordeaux. “On release in 1961 dollars, it cost $3.00 to purchase. Currently it is selling at auction for approximately $500… This is a return on investment of just over 15% annually for 35 years!” This is an unusual example. The author uses another example of a Chateau Latour from the 1975 vintage. Released at $20 it would only garner $75 at auction. A ROI of 6.5%.

Last May the London Financial Times featured a special section on Wine Investment. It seems the Chinese in Hong Kong have begun to invest heavily in wine and wine futures. Wine futures involve the purchase of un-released wines based primarily on reviews by wine writers scoring wines based mostly on tasting barrel samples. The Financial Times claimed there had not been a five year period in the past 20 years where fine wine would have yielded a negative return. The Chinese were attempting to corner the fine wine market to artificially increase demand.

Example

Salon 1996 was essentially cornered by “Big Boy” Bob Rosania which artificially increased the price to record levels. A normally very difficult to obtain allocated wine it became almost impossible to obtain. Elizabeth’s always had a sizeable allocation but the price increase was so great that I refused to purchase all my allocated wines. I do have some but the price is obscene- although the Champagne may be the best Salon ever and after awhile the price will catch up to auction prices that people are willing to pay to have the pleasure of drinking this exceptional wine, it was still over-priced at release.

“It is understandable that those who have a passion for wine turn cold at the thought of wine investment, an activity driven by very different values. But even they should reflect on the ever-present need for the financing of long term wines as they mature. A century ago it was the Bordeaux merchants who bought barrels of young wine and aged them in quay-side warehouses to mature, and of course to acquire value. Forty years ago the baton passed t importing merchants to hold large stocks over many years, and to reap the rewards from so doing. In the last two decades individuals have had greater access to fine wines in their youth, in large part because producers choose not to finance the stock themselves. Whether you buy two and sell one, or buy ten and sell ten, you are contributing to this process.”

“The complaint is frequently heard that fine wines are consumed too young. Making mature wine available in the market place is the final outcome of the investment process,” Hugo Rose Master of Wine Decanter .com
Many became “accidental” wine investors. Those consumers who bought more wine than they planned to consume, with the intention of selling the remaining bottles to help finance their wine purchase.
See also: “Wine as a medium term investment vehicle” Walter C. Labys and Bruce C. Cohen West Virginia University Oxford Journals And, WINE INVESTMENT FOR PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION: HOW COLLECTING FINE WINES CAN YIELD GREATER RETURNS THAN STOCKS AND BONDS by Mahesh Kumar Hardcover July 2005. Professor Kumar asserts that wine prices aren’t influenced by the same sort risks that affect stocks and bonds, recession, inflation, etc., and are far less volatile

I had been a proponent of investing heavily in a chosen wine discovered at a private tasting. I would often buy the entire North Carolina and Virginia allocation of an exceptional limited availability wine. When the selected wine was ready to drink I would make it available to our guests who understood they were drinking a wine generally unavailable in their local wine market. My investing has changed because of price fluctuations and the variable maturity time for certain wines. We are now seeking reasonably priced wines that are forward and drinkable when placed on our wine list.

We have sufficient investment level wines in our cellar for the serious wine collector or guest. Most guests are like me. When I look at a restaurant wine list I want a reasonably priced wine that will be an excellent example of the varietal. For a very special occasion I want the best wine I can afford at the time.

PROBLEMS

Wine may not increase in value- remember, it is only worth as much as someone is will to buy it from you.

The wine collectibles market is not easy to understand. Who or what is causing a wines value to go up or down.

Wine is for drinking- this is a given.

American Wines are not necessarily priced by value but by the demand for the wine. Demand can be created by high ratings by wine reviewers.
It often takes up to 10 years to determine if a wine is truly exceptional.
There are rules prohibiting the sale of wine by unlicensed individuals.

Currency fluctuations, market conditions and other economic conditions affect the wine price.

There is a sizable cost to properly store and preserve wines.

A FALLING MARKET

On January 15, 2009 The Wine Spectator reported that wine value estimates have been reduced by 30 to 40 percent in the aftermath of the world-wide financial crisis. James Suckling wrote on his Wine Spectator Blog December 19, 2008 how the Bernard Madoff scandal could hit the wine investment industry. There is tremendous speculation on the 2005 Bordeaux, considered the finest vintage in recent history. There are wine funds in the United Kingdom that have invested tens of millions of dollars in top Bordeaux wines. There are supposed to be thousands of cases representing the investments. There have been some fraud cases but what if all those wine owners decide to sell their wine back to the French negociants because of the decline of the pound against the euro. Does that wine really exist? I would rather know I can hold the bottle of wine I purchase and can display it for a guest at Elizabeth’s than be told it is being held for me in Europe.

It is now apparent Hong Kong investors now own 15 to 20 percent of the world’s total of fine wines. But did their attempt to corner a share of the worlds market help or hurt wine prices? Wine prices may not be immune to the world’s financial health as we had been led to believe. In October 0f 2008, Bordeaux took a 25 percent drop on the Liv-ex , the leading fine wine exchange, followed by a 5.5 percent drop in November. However, this was a small drop compared to the 43 percent drop for the Nikkei 225 and the 60 percent drop for the Hang Seng, Hong Kong’s benchmark index.

PROBLEMS AND ADDITIONAL COSTS

Professionally managed storage is of paramount importance for bottles intended for investment, whether the wine is owned by a wine fund or an individual collector. Bottles cellared in a personal storage space may lose potential market value, because verifying their provenance becomes more difficult. Paul Sullivan, Food and Wine, October 2008.

Other problems:
Counterfeit bottles and labels is an increasing problem. The best most expensive wines are targeted. The Wine Spectator’s article on counterfeit wines featured Chateau Petrus- the most expensive of red wines and almost impossible to obtain. WE buy our Chateau Petrus directly from Christian Moiex, the owner and wine maker.

Corked wine- All bottles that are sealed with corks can be susceptible to corking. Usually that cannot be discovered until the bottle is opened.
Cooked wine- Wine that has been exposed to excessive heat is a continuing problem. Especially when wine restaurants are failing and their improperly stored wine become available on distributors lists or wine shop shelves.
Oxidation- caused by faulty wine making or bad cork- oxygen comes into contact with the wine. Can’t be discovered until the bottle is opened.
No sediment- in older vintages is a clue that the bottle may have been refilled with a lesser wine.

IS WINE a GOOD INVESTMENT- NO if you are purchasing it for re-sale. YES, if you are going to eventually drink it.

IN MY OPINION- although wines that are carefully selected for purchase have a good chance of increasing in value, wines should be purchased for eventual consumption. Just be happy that you are able to drink a great wine that you purchased at a reasonable cost even if that wine has increased in value. A fifty dollar bottle of wine that has increased in value to two hundred dollars is still, for you, a fifty dollar bottle of wine. Enjoy it and tell your friends who are sharing the wine with you – your story of how astute you were to select that wine and how lucky you all are to be able to drink the two hundred dollar bottle of wine together.

A good goal might be the motto of The Croaker Wine Society, organized by some friends of Elizabeth Café, “I will die with no good wines in my cellar” Drink up.

THE WINE GUY is Leonard G. Logan, Jr. The proprietor of Elizabeth’s Café & Winery of Duck

Elizabethscafe.com; elizcafe@charter.net;

New Year’s Eve Celebration – December 31, 2009

Jason Hibbets — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:47:44 +0000

On New Year’s Eve, Elizabeth’s turns 21. It is hard to believe that Elizabeth’s has been featuring food and wine pairing dinners for twenty full years. Elizabeth’s began as a wine-friendly restaurant concept from opening night and was one of the first restaurants in North Carolina to prohibit smoking inside the restaurant–which was not as popular then as it is now. The philosophy has been to select wines first and then create pairing food utilizing the best and freshest ingredients available.

Elizabeth’s always does something special for New Year’s Eve. This year, there are two seating times available, 7:15 PM and 8:30 PM. The entire restaurant will ring in the New Year with a toast. Enjoy Perrier Jouët Brut Champagne, noise makers, and stupid hats at midnight.

See our New Year’s Eve menu’s and make your reservations before it’s too late by calling (252) 261-6145.

Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving Feast 2009 Menu

Leonard Logan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:03:53 +0000

Scarborough Faire Shoppes, Duck, NC

(252) 261-6145

Thursday, November 26, 2009 Seatings 1:00, 4:00, and 7:30 pm

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

This meal is similar to a luxury cruise line feast – order as much as you like – but please no doggie bags.

Everything, except the turkey, candied yams, corn pudding, stuffing and giblet gravy (prepared all Wednesday night by Brad- Leonard is too old sore and tired to do it any more) will be cooked to order. Our kitchen size will require us to prepare appetizers first and then follow the menu order – we can’t backtrack. Sorry, we can’t serve any sauces on-the-side.

INITIAL CELEBRATORY WINE
Perrier Jouët Grand Brut Champagne

APPETIZERS (1 or both)

Our Flame Grilled Bar-B-Que Shrimp served with Mango Chutney
Smoked Mozzarella Raviolis with white truffle cream sauce
Dopff & Irion 2007 Alsace Pinot Blanc

SOUP COURSE (1 or both)

Elizabeth’s Scallop and Brie Bisque with Granny Smith Apples
Sweet Potato Bisque with a Frangelica Crème Fraiche
Dry Creek 2008 Chenin Blanc Clarksburg California

TURKEY COURSE

Roasted Fresh Tom Turkey Carved to order and served with:
Leonard’s Famous Stuffing
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Giblet Gravy
Baked Candied Yams
Corn Pudding
Green Beans
Joseph Drouhin 2009 Beaujolais Noveau

ENTREES (1 or both)

Chardonnay Poached Salmon topped with a Lobster Cream Sauce
A Chardonnay selected by Leonard from the Cellar for each Seating

And / or

Chateau Briand – the finest Prime Aged Tenderloin (cooked medium rare to medium) carved
And served with a Courvoisier Shiitake Mushroom Sauce
A Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage or Merlot selected by Leonard from the Cellar for each seating

And/or

Clark Claudon 2003 10th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon (upgrade $15.00)

VEGETABLES

Yukon Gold Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onion

BREADS and RELISHES

Our Bread Basket and Butter, Muffins, Homemade Corn Relish and Mother’s Cranberry Relish

DESSERTS
Our Traditional Assorted Home-baked Desserts – created for this dinner

Prix fixe: $95.00 includes wines, $65.00 without wines – $25.00 children under eight

- Tax and a 20 percent service charge will be added

THREE SEATINGS 1:00 to 3:45 – 4:00 to 7:00 – 7:30 to ?

Phone 261-6145 for reservations (which are required)

Leonard G. Logan, Jr., Owner – Brad Price, Executive Chef and resident artist

Please remember our seating times. We need to clear the restaurant no later than 15 minutes before the next seating.

Restaurant Wine Pricing and a few more quotes

Leonard Logan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:42:40 +0000

Restaurant Wine pricing.

In our current economy restaurant patrons seek bargains when selecting wines.

“The first step to finding better deals is understanding the formula behind most restaurant wine pricing. The standard restaurant markup is about three times the wholesale cost, or about twice the retail price. In most restaurants, the markup decreases as the wholesale price of the bottle increases. An inexpensive bottle might be priced three to four times its wholesale cost, while a pricy wine may be marked up only 1.5 times. This so-called progressive markup helps sell more expensive wines.” Juliet Chung, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, Life & Style, August 15, 2008.

This is not the formula we use at Elizabeth’s- our wines are more reasonable, however, this is a good quote to consider when comparing restaurant wine lists.

When comparing wine prices consider the additional expense a restaurant must spend to store and properly serve the wine. Wine should be stored in temperature controlled cellars or cool areas of a restaurant and when it is served in expensive glassware, like Riedel, there is a significant breakage expense. There is, for the best restaurants, an expense of training and tasting for servers. The really good restaurants have a serving staff that can perfectly pair a wine to the menu and the restaurant guarantees their recommendations ( taking back a bottle the guest doesn’t like.)

Becoming familiar with wines at your local wine store, or by trying a wine dinner where food is paired with wine, is a perfect way to begin your training. A few restaurants will have the best examples of varietals on their by the glass program and they will give you a sip to help you in your wine selection. Unfortunately, most restaurants select inexpensive wines to serve by the glass and charge enough to pay for the bottle from the first glass pour. We have never done that. Well, we drink open unsold bottles and we want to only drink really good wine. Life is too short to drink bad wine.

When comparing by the glass wine lists look at the size of the glass pour. If the pour is 4 ounces the restaurant can get 6 glass pours from a bottle, if the pour is 6 ounces, the restaurant can only get 4 pours from a bottle. As an example, at Elizabeth’s we select the best example of a varietal we can obtain which is often a highly allocated wine, change the glass list daily, serve the wine in appropriate Riedel glasses and use a six ounce pour.

Articles are appearing in Wine and restaurant magazines recommending prix fixe wine dinners as a way to increase wine sales. We, at Elizabeth’s, have been offering prix fixe wine dinners nightly for almost all of the twenty years we have been open. Look at the wines being offered and compare the price of the wine dinner with the wine list and menu.

When shopping in wine shops try to take advantage of tastings offered by your shop to fine tune your palate and wine knowledge to assist you in selecting wines you like. We offer tastings and flights of wine at our wine bar. You should be able to taste a wine when you are purchasing a quantity.

Once you have selected your wine for you and your guests you should raise your glasses in a toast.

Cultural Toasts
Chinese: Ganbei! (dry your cup)
Dutch: Prost! (health)
English: Cheers!
French: Santé! (health)
German: Prost! (cheers)
Hebrew: Le’chaim! (to life)
Irish: Sláinte! (to your health)
Italian: Per cent’anni! (for one hundred years)
Italian 2: Salute (health)
Japanese: Kanpai! (dry your cup)
Russian: Vashe zdorovie! (to health)
Spanish: Salud! (health)
Welsh: Iechyd da! (health)

Americans don’t tend to have a single word toast. They normally toast to something in particular – friendship, love, the person at the event, and so on. Elizabeth’s By the glass list contains a note: THIS IS NOT A RECESSION it is “A pre-boom”- Celebrate with a glass of Champagne and The Traditional Toast at Elizabeth’s: “May all our Pains be Champagnes”

Wine Quotes

In one blog I listed some famous wine quotes. Here are a few more, from Benjamin Franklin.

“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.”
– Benjamin Franklin

Long version:
“We hear of the conversion of water into wine at the marriage in Cana as of a miracle. But this conversion is, through the goodness of God, made every day before our eyes. Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, and which incorporates itself with the grapes, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.”
– Benjamin Franklin

Short version:
“Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
– Benjamin Franklin

Not from Benjamin Franklin but appropriate:

In victory, you deserve Champagne, in defeat, you need it.
Napoleon

Drink a glass of Champagne- not Sparkling wine, but real Champagne. You will be glad you did.

Leonard Logan, Proprietor of Elizabeth’s Cafe & Winery in Duck North Carolina for its entire 20 years , is a wine judge, wine writer and wine consultant. He can be found sipping Champagne or Clark-Claudon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Elizabeth’s with new and old friends almost nightly. If Leonard sits at your table when he makes his rounds towards the end of the evening the chances are you will sip some extraordinary wine. If you have any questions or comments or ideas contact Leonard at elizcafe@charter.net or elizabethscafe.com