Des Moines Wine and Food Connection

Industry Tasting No. 4 - Okoboji Wines

Okoboji Wines has an extensive portfolio of small to mid-size wineries from around the world. Many of these wines are only available for tasting at this show so your avid wine and food guy bucks up and works the room hard to bring the best and most interesting wines to Casa di Vino. This tasting is always my most challenging and it always seems to take a toll. I tasted 115 wines at the 2007 Okoboji show and a record (for me) 165 wines in four hours last year. This years grand total came to 145 wines; 7 sparkling, 34 whites, 92 reds, 2 dessert wines & 10 sake. I definately felt ratty this morning.  

Industry Tasting No. 3- Johnson Brothers

Johnson Brothers industry tasting was yesterday afternoon(tuesday) at Prarie Meadows Conference Center. Unfortunately so was a Casa di Vino wine tasting. That left me with just over an hour to run around and taste. I tasted 44 wines including; 1 sparkling, 11 whites & 32 reds. Johnson Brothers probably has the largest portfolio in the state but much of the wine is geared towards volume sales and supermarkets. I did finds some interesting wines though including a pinot noir from Oregon's Belle Glos, a top notch (and top $$$) sauvignon blanc from St. Supery (Virtu), and a wonderful German riesling from Dr. Hermann amongst others. These wines should be gracing CDV's shelves over the next few weeks. Stop by and taste what's new and exciting.   

Industry Wine Tasting No. 2 - Glazer Distributing

Glazer Distributing put on their industry tasting Thursday evening at Foxboro Convention Center here in Johnston. It was nice having only to go a half mile from Casa di Vino. I tasted 6 sparkling, 18 whites, 44 red & 2 Scotches. That's correct, Glazer distributes liquor also. The liquor bottles were only suppose to be out to show off but as I was wrapping up my tasting I noticed the fill level was down in a couple of the scotch bottles. SO... I asked for a tipple. Tasted two different bottlings of Glenmorangie. One aged in Sherry casks, one aged in Sauterne barrels. Noticibly different tastes with the Sauterne bottling having a slightly sweet note. Very nice.

Tasty tastes

Just a quick note on some of the goodies we've tasted around Casa di Vino lately:

Forte Canto 2005 Negroamaro: From Puglia, the heel on the boot that is Italy, this beautiful red has a deep purple color, soaring nose, and wonderful black and blue fruit. Notes of dark chocolate, and cocoa on the palate. The back label is all in Italian and tells a story about men with strong voices(I think) but I can't figure the rest. The wine certainly sings. A fine steak wine. 

St. Urbans-Hof  2007 Riesling QBA: Although just a Qualitatswein (though estate bottled), this wine bursts from the glass with a mouthful of pineapple and citrus. This could easily be mistaken for a Spatlese that would cost twice or three times the price. A big hit at CDV's tasting.

Fat Cat 2008 Pinot Noir: This California Pinot Noir is a great little value. Your wine guy here is always on the lookout for value P.N. beacuse they're more difficult to find than good value Cabernet or Shiraz. This wine delivers nice red and blue fruit with a bit of spice. It won't make old bones but for a good, rich  pinot with a bit of complexity here's your bottle.  

Paul Deau NV Cuvee Speciale Blanc de Blanc:  Pol Deau is a French sparkling wine, a Blanc de Blancs from the Bordeaux region. It is a blend of three grape varietals: Ugni Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This wine is crisp & bright. Great for cutting though rich dishes, this wine is also super with a Thai coconut curry. In addition, for the price it's also fine for blending into Mimosas and Kirs. This wine went over big at Casa di Vino's anniversary party. It will be one of our go-to wines for the coming holiday season.

These are just a few of the goodies we've tasted lately. With the coming industry tastings your wine and food guy will be on the lookout for new values and great keepers for us to enjoy during the holidays. Stop into CDV or keep posted on this blog for more of what's good. If you're drinking something fun we want to know about it 

Drink well, 

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine and Food Guy, Des Moines Wine and Food Connection  

Marquis Philips 07 Grenache

Australia has made it's reputation with Shiraz but another grape with a lesser reputation seems to go hand-in-hand with Shiraz. "Grenache" or as it's called in Spain "Garnacha" is often considered a minor player, but in places like the Rhone Valley in France, Shiraz and Grenache compliment each other and work together to produce some of the finest blends made in the world. Along with Mourvedre and a smattering of other grapes Rhone blends like Chateauneuf-du-Pape rank among the greatest wines produced.

Casa di Vino 5th Anniversary

Thank You Des Moines:

Thank you for making Casa di Vino the best kept wine secret around. Of course we’re not really a secret. Those that know wine know the Casa. Those that want to grow and learn and expand the range of wines that they enjoy know the Casa. Casa di Vino may not be the biggest, we may not be the trendiest, but we’re certainly the most diverse and eclectic shop in town. A White Syrah??? Casa di Vino just poured one (the first I’ve ever seen) at our “Strange and Unusual” tasting this week. Mead’s, Retsina’s, Agioritikos? Who else is going to pour and present these things to you?

Casa di Vino’s mission is to keep Des Moines wine drinkers on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the world of wine. For five privileged years I’ve had the honor of bringing these fine wines to you. Casa di Vino looks forward to continuing to lead this trend on into the future. We hope you’ll spread the word and continue letting us share pleasures with you.

*****Casa di Vino will be celebrating our anniversary on Saturday, August 8^th from 1-4 PM. Join us as we celebrate with great wine, tasty snacks, live music & fun games. It should be a rave.  Hope to see all of you there.

Thank you all for your support,

Howard (Laura & Sanya)  

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine and Food Guy, Des Moines Wine and Food Connection

 

 

In The Glass

Castle Rock Winery has just come out with another Pinot Noir to go with the seven appelations they already produce. Winemaker August "Joe" Briggs produces a mind boggling range of wines each year from a variety of grapes and the quality is amazingly consistent. Their new Pinot Noir is a "Central Coast" designation. Produced with grapes from the central coast of California this wine has nice complexity and richness with red and blue fruit character. A persistent blueberry note shows throughout. Casa di Vino just added this wine and your wine and food guy has had a fair bit of it pass through his glass recently. The wine pairs superbly with a piece of grilled salmon w/blueberry sauce. For the price it's a steal.  

Howard Bernstein, Owner

Casa di Vino

Des Moines Wine and Food Connection