I was recently looking back on my photos from our trip to California last spring, and realized I’ve got some good stories and info to share that will be especially helpful for anybody planning a Sonoma wine vacation anytime soon. So here is part one of the West Sonoma Coast.

To begin with, let’s be clear about the stretch of land we’re talking about. The West Sonoma Coast (see top map) hugs the Pacific Ocean from roughly Bodega Bay to the Mendocino County border. This is not simply the “Sonoma Coast AVA” (see bottom map) you can see above. The West Sonoma Coast is the area right on the oceanside.

See, the “Sonoma Coast AVA” (the large pink blob in the map above) was a patched together afterthought when they organized the Sonoma County AVAs decades ago. What officially became “Sonoma Coast AVA” includes ‘filler’ areas that simply didn’t fit into Sonoma Valley, Russian River Valley, etc. There are spots of Sonoma County AVA that are so far inland that to have the word ‘Coast’ associated with them is tragic.

So for part of our trip we focused on the coast, with one particular winery destination in mind. More on that soon.

Between Bolinas and Bodeaga Bay, there are pockets of beach that make for a great stop for a few hours of wandering. Excellent chowder is to be found in Bodega Bay, and oyster shacks abound. Be sure to pack a picnic or at least some meat and cheese along with a bottle of wine to enjoy.

North of Bodega Bay, toward Jenner (our destination for the night) the coast becomes far more rugged and the wind more powerful. All the trees and shrubs in this area are permanently windblown due to the influence off the ocean.

Going a little further up the coast, we happened upon the footings of houses that used to be right on the cliff. When we first visited this area 13 years ago, the houses were already hanging right on the edge, and even today people live in houses that I would be freaked out to even stand in. We came across a house with an ‘order of abandonment’ stapled to the door just one month earlier.

Another view of the cliff. Would YOU want to live in those houses in the distance? Yikes!

Our destination for the next two nights was a little cabin just outside of the town of Jenner, at the River’s End restaurant and resort. We got Cabin 1, which is on the top of the hill and literally ten steps outside of the bar and restaurant. Highly recommended, and made for an easy trek home after dinner.

How is that for a view?

River’s End was fantastic, and it was great having the restaurant next door. Word to the wise: I ignored my own advice the first night and sat in the restaurant instead of the wine bar area. The restaurant as good, the service was, well, interesting, and the people around us were fellow tourists. The second night we sat at the bar (as I always suggest you do when traveling in wine country). The menu was more affordable, they had specials by the glass they didn’t offer in the restaurant, the bartender was interesting, and we got to meet a local old timer who lived in the hills of the Sonoma Coast and told us story after story of planting Pinot Noir and Carignane in the hills in the 1970’s in order to make wine for him and his friends. You don’t get stories and interactions like that by sitting in the restaurant! It was obvious the bar was for the locals and the restaurant was for the tourists … as is the case so often in these coastside towns. Word to the wise.

The next morning, hanging out where the Russian River dumps into the ocean. Seals were fishing and playing right below us.

So the goal of the West Sonoma Coast days were two fold: a heavy dose of total relaxation, and a visit to a very special place that has been on my radar for ten years but I never got up there until now: Hirsch Vineyards. More on our amazing visit to Hirsch coming soon.

Welcome new readers who found me through the Terroirist’s daily email! I focus on events, tastings, and goings-on in the Twin Cities area, but if you want to read more of my “for the rest of the world” stuff check out the Vino Manifesto and my work at The Wine Company’s blog.

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What is the best wine you’ve ever had? In August I wrote a short blog post about this question, exploring the fact that context can shape the memory of a wine as much as quality. When a great wine (a term I don’t use loosely) combines with a great experience, the magic can happen.

In the post exploring what a ‘best wine’ is, I never do answer the question myself, so I figured I’ll do my best to answer it here. Below are the five best wines I’ve ever had in my life (in no particular order). My personal definition of what makes for a ‘best wine’ tends to be more specific to the situation rather than the quality of the wine itself (though to make this list it has to be damn good). Many of these are older wines or not readily available, and some of them were tasted years ago … in other words this has nothing to do with “Five wine I think you’d love” but rather “Five wines that moved me and shaped my life.”

(Note: Read the descriptions I give and you’ll understand why these choices are more about the occasion and less about trying to smell hedonistic raspberry in the glass.)

Going left to right (I save special bottles after I’m done with them, and put them in the rafters of my garage … that’s how I could make this photograph.)

1997 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 375ml. Not a great vintage in Burgundy, but I didn’t care. When I saw it on the wine list I had to have it. We (my wife Angela and I) were at Chandon’s Etoile Restaurant in Yountville, California for her 30th birthday in February of 2000. It was our first trip to wine country, though I had been working at Surdyk’s as a wine consultant for over three years. It was the trip that solidified for me that I chose a great career path. Angela had an all day spa treatment (while I hit about ten tasting rooms) and looked ravishing. But we were “Napa-ed out” on Chardonnay. I wanted acidity and brightness instead of heavy oak. We saw this on the list, ordered it, and immediately the Sommelier was at our table thanking us for ordering “the gem of the selections … you have no idea how hard it is to sell Burgundy when you’re in Napa Valley.” I clearly remember having scallops with a blood orange sauce and the wine was the perfect pairing.

1995 Clos de Papes Chateauneuf du Pape. This bottle is special for three reasons. 1) It was the first really really really good bottle I bought at Surdyk’s when I started working there. It was $40 which was more money at the time than I should’ve spent, but I bought it and adjusted that month’s budget. I stashed it in our basement and it basically started our wine cellar. 2) We saved it for all of a couple of years (patience is not a virtue of mine), and decided to pop it for our fifth anniversary on August 27th, 1999. By that time we had a few more pennies in the bank and decided to go out to eat, to La Toscana in Minneapolis. I called and asked for the wine manager to confirm corkage, and he said “Well, $15. Or free if you give me a taste.” 3) I met the wine manager later that evening and gave him a taste, a man by the name of Wil Bailey. Fast forward fourteen years and Wil and I work side by side at The Wine Company. It makes the memory of the wine even better!

2004 Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage. So as you read with the Puligny-Montrachet, we were in Yountville for dinner celebrating Angela’s 30th birthday in 2000. We returned to Yountville ten years later to the day, for her 40th birthday in February of 2010, when we had lunch with our son Spencer at The French Laundry. Every wine list has a bargain (I firmly believe this), and it took about fifteen minutes but finally I found it: the gem of Maxime Graillot, son of Alain Graillot, from the Domaine de Lises Crozes-Hermitage. A stunning wine through and through, simply one of the best Syrahs I’ve ever had, and especially important to our family for it was Alain Graillot himself who poured the first glass of wine for our son when we visited his estate in 2007. Raising a glass to fine memories, we savored every drop of his son’s wine.

1988 Ridge Monte Bello. I enjoyed this with my friend and co-worker Josh Landy this on a freezing cold December night in 2012, in Duluth at Bellisio’s Restaurant. Every Monday night at Bellisio’s is half price wine night, and there are many gems to be found in their book including this. Honestly, I hesitate to tell you because I want to save every last bottle for myself. Possibly the best wine made in California, period. Age-worthy as a tortoise. Twenty five years is idea. The retail price of this wine would normally be about $300 if you could find it. I won’t tell you how much it is on Mondays at this restaurant, but it’s under $100. I suggest bringing some Riedel Cabernet stemware to enjoy it to perfection. Oh my god that wine was good. It also goes to show that to make the list of “best wines ever” price is a consideration. If I paid $300 for the bottle it would have been the same juice, but harder to enjoy.

2003 Seghesio Ambassador Cuvee “Spencer Special.” I was lucky enough to sell the wines of the Seghesio family from 2001 to 2010. Pete and Cathy Seghesio are the real deal, just incredible people, and even though they sold their winery I still support it because Pete has asked me to (I have not yet noticed a change in style of the wines, but I’ll be the first to let you know when I sense it … Ted Seghesio is still making the wines so even though the family doesn’t own it the wines are still stellar). In 2003 I was part of the small club of Seghesio “Ambassadors” that sold the most of their wines nationally in 2002. This small group went to California and dived head first into the world of the Seghesios, making sausage with Ed and Pete Sr. (RIP), pruning vines with cousin Jimmy, cooking ragu with Rachel Ann (RIP), and best of all blending our own cuvee of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah with Ted. My blend became known as the “Spencer Special” in hommage to my son, and when the wine arrived a year later it became the rarest Seghesio wine in all of Minnesota (only 12 bottles made). Fast forward to 2010, and I left my job at World Class Wines, and in celebration (or maybe to forget the fact I had no job or plan of what to do) we popped this bottle at Meritage and raised a glass.

I always have a hard time with the ‘best of’ question because it’s like trying to grip a handful of water. The moment you think you’ve got a hold, it slips out and you get a new idea. So I went though my 2013 pictures and grabbed the first that hit me.

“Best” to me always means “a great memory” or “an amazing situation” or simply a moment I want to go back to. In March 2013, Angela and I couldn’t take the Minnesota winter anymore and spontaneously bought tickets to San Francisco and wine country. We used some miles with American Airlines to purchase the tickets, which turned out to be a great thing indeed.

The day of the flight it was five degrees fahrenheit in Minnesota, and we took a cab to the airport. The lines for security were astronomically long (Spring break’s first wave to warm destinations), the worst we’ve ever seen. Most security lines were at 90 minutes, which means we might miss our flight. We went to the American Airlines counter to get our boarding passes and were kindly told “Oh, since you used miles you are flying priority. Here are your free drink passes, you can board with First Class, and you can use this security bypass line right here.” Boom!

On the plane, our priority drink vouchers magically doubled, and as we finished our second round we flew over San Francisco looking down on a perfect spring afternoon beaming on the city followed by a perfect landing and quick journey to the car rental area, where we were upgraded for free to a better vehicle.

We were starving, and headed for Zuni Cafe, our regular first stop whenever we land in the city. Pulling up toward Zuni, a parking spot opened right in front. We had a hard time walking in because of the crowds (many larger groups waiting for tables). Even the bar was packed. We asked the hostess how long for a table and she said about an hour or more, but, wait, hold on, you’re just two people? We have a small table upstairs!

At the little table at the top of the stairs at Zuni Cafe.

We nestled into the coziest table in one of the greatest restaurants in our favorite city. The wine list arrived, and I’ve always believed that there’s a bargain to be had. Searching carefully, we happened upon the Chateau de Bellevue Lussac St. Emillion 1998 … a terrific Bordeaux vintage for the Right Bank … for only $40. It was showing its 15 years of age gracefully and beautifully, with roasted red fruit aromas, integrated and seamless tannins.

This might not have been the single best wine I had in 2013, but it was one of the best wine moments of 2013. With the famous Zuni Cafe Roasted Chicken it was a perfect start to what would be a perfect vacation. Every aspect of that week was, as American Airlines would call it, priority!

Here’s the thing: I love eating out. I love supporting honest and true restaurants with chefs that give a damn. But I don’t like how much it costs. Always on the lookout for a bargain, I’ve figured out the perfect three day wine escape, which happens to be in Duluth, Minnesota.

Duluth has one of the most vibrant dining scenes in the state. I don’t know if it’s the challenge of the climate, the influence of Lake Superior, or the hands-on attitude of the residents, but Duluth deserves the reputation of the “San Francisco of the North” for its culture, cuisine, and beauty. A great book has been written by James Norton (of Heavy Table) called Lake Superior Flavors that does an outstanding job of discussing the food and drink culture all around the big lake (including Canada and the Upper Peninsula), but I’m going to focus our discussion on enjoying wine while eating out in Duluth.
 

Day One (Monday)

Drive to Duluth. Stop at Gordy’s Hi-Hat on the way for a burger and shake. Check into your hotel of choice. Bum around. Shop at Duluth Pack. Buy stuff for Christmas presents (get it out of the way!). Watch the bridge go up and down. Then when your dinnertime reservation approaches, head to Bellisio’s on Canal Park. 

Bellisio’s is owned by the same group that owns Grandma’s Saloon, and was opened in the 1990’s to cater to the upscale crowds that were just starting to spend more time (and money) in Duluth. It was one of the first restaurants in the state to have a wine preservation system, and today serves over 125 wines by the glass. But you’re not here for glasses, for Monday night is half priced bottles of wine night.

There are serious gems to be had. I’m not going to reveal the ultimate steal on the list for I want to buy the remaining bottles myself, but suffice to say it’s a 1988 Cabernet blend from one of the top names in American wine, which at auction sells for over $300 a bottle but at Bellisio’s on a Monday it’s under $90. Deals like that abound, and you’ll be paying below retail price on almost every bottle you order. Do yourself a favor and check into a hotel within walking distance!
 

Day two (Tuesday)

The first full day on your trip is a wonderful day to start at Amazing Grace Cafe for a delicious breakfast then head upstairs to Northern Waters Smokehaus, where the GREATEST smoked fish in Duluth is available. Buy a whole smoked whitefish, some good cheese and meat, and head to a local liquor store for some dry rosé or Sauvignon Blanc. Then head up the shore, find a good beach to hang out on, and have a terrific picnic. 
 

After the afternoon festivities and a nap, it’s time for dinner and you’ll head to Zeitgeist Arts Cafe at 222 Superior Street in Downtown Duluth. Zeitgeist is a restaurant I dearly wish would replicate itself in the Twin Cities. A serious wine and beverage program, detailed but unpretentious food, and a vibe that is second to none (plus being attached to a great movie theatre and arts stage is a huge bonus!).

So why here? Because Tuesday night is half price bottles AND GLASSES at Zeitgeist. One of the top food and wine combos I’ve ever had occurred at this bar: Novelty Hill Rousanne from Washington State with a winter squash ravioli with wild mushrooms. I was in heaven. Do yourself a favor (again) and check into a hotel within stumbling distance.
 

Day three (Wednesday)

A good day to relax. Walk through the great parks of Duluth, or even drive up the shore and visit Gooseberry State Park. Perhaps your hotel has a hot tub? This is a good day to use it, for you’ll need to recharge your batteries to get ready for the final dinner.

I’ll say it loudly and proudly: New Scenic Cafe is my favorite restaurant in the state. I have never ceased to be blown away by the food, each and every bite of each and every dish. Chef/proprietor Scott Graden is a genius and an artist, plus he’s a savvy businessman (a rare combo in the restaurant business). His menus are incredible (hint: his new cookbook is a must have), and his wine list is second to none. Not based on depth (it’s relatively compact) but because of the carefully curated selections offered at prices far below most restaurants. However, Wednesday night is half priced bottles AND glasses at The New Scenic Cafe (FYI — Tuesday nights have the same deal).

A wine lover can’t afford to NOT go here!
 

New Scenic Cafe. Photo from Star Tribune article on Lake Superior fishing.
A great read!

A recent wine list showed the kind of deals you’re likely to find (selections and prices from Spring of 2014 … Scott’s wine list changes often so this is offered just as an example). 

Frog’s Leap Chardonnay, $36. A great price on this wine at retail is around $30. Most restaurants charge $50. On half price night at New Scenic it’s an insane $18.

Jim Barry Lodge Hill Dry Riesling, $32. One of the most dynamic dry Rieslings made in the world, and at $16 on half price night you simply cannot ask for more!

Palacios “Camins del Priorat”, $34. Many of you have enjoyed this wine in my Priorat classes, and even at $34 I would consider this a great buy. However, at $17 it’s an insane deal.

Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon, $132. Good luck finding this at $66 retail. Possibly one of the greatest wine deals in the state of Minnesota. 

Do yourself a favor an hire a ride from your hotel in Duluth to your dinner at New Scenic Cafe!
 

Day Four (Thursday)

To help mop up all that wine from three nights of great dinners, stop at The Anchor Bar in Superior, Wisconsin, for a T.W.A. Whaleback burger (a 2/3 pound behemoth which will set you back all of $6.00). Then drive home carefully (food coma will be on the horizon).
 

A final reminder

Even though you got a great deal on a bottle of wine, be sure to tip your server appropriately. I often get asked what that means. Here is my formula when bringing in my own wine or buying bargain wines at insane prices: I tip 16-20% on the food, then add $10-15 per bottle of wine assuming the service was good and the wine didn’t involve decanters or extra fancy crystal, etc. (obviously things change if you’re talking about uber-expensive or older bottles). 

So a meal of $100 of food plus two bottles of wine = $20 + $15 + $15 = $50 tip. Yes, that is generous. That’s the whole idea. 

And always tip in cash … it helps the server feel the immediacy of appreciation and gives them the funds to enjoy a night out.

And always, always, always offer a taste of something special to the server, the manager on duty, and the head chef. It’s good karma that goes a long way.

Ever look back at your personal calendar and wonder how you pulled it off?

That’s the case with me and December of 2015, for sure the busiest month I’ve had in quite some time. In terms of wine classes and education, it was phenomenal, and in terms of my personal life it was one of the best, period.

Quick recap of wine classes and events from December 2015

• December 2nd: Brunello and Beyond. An exploration of the big reds of southern Tuscany, focusing on Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino. Highlights included popping nearly 20 year old Brunello and discovering just how incredible that wine can be when perfectly aged.
• December 4th: I arranged and served the wine for a catered wine dinner for a local family. This was their Thanksgiving, and they wanted to make it special, memorable, and as they described “a top level restaurant experience in our house.” Working with amazing caterers, we pulled off a world class meal for them.
• December 5th: A fun afternoon of Intro to Wine Part One at North Loop Wine and Spirits for 25 guests.
• December 7th: Valpolicella, Ripassso, and Amarone class. A great experience, covering the range of styles and key producers. How often does one end up with range of wines like that in front of them at once?
• December 9th: Classic producers of Napa Valley. One of my favorite classes of the month. Heitz Cabernet, Caymus Special Select, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Trefethen Dry Riesling, and many more gems from producers founded in the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s were featured.
• December 10th: A private tasting for a group of 16 co-workers who wanted to unwind from the pressures of their job and learn about fermented grape juice. Good times had by all!
• December 11th: Private dinner and wine tasting for a small group at a local country club. Goal was to open their eyes to new wines and new ways of thinking about wine. (Wanted to get them out of an Apothic Red rut, to tell you the truth.)
• December 12th: Open House at Kallsen Studio, and people started picking up their gift certificates and free Riedel stemware.
• December 15th: Cool Climate Gems of California was a blast, focusing on the regions of the (true) Sonoma Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands, (western) Paso Robles, and Santa Barbara County focusing on Sta. Rita Hills.
• December 16th: Announced the first wine travel experience for our new venture, The Flying Grape. First trip will be to Portugal in October of 2016. Will people sign up? Nervousness was in the air.
• December 16th: Presented Bubbly and Dessert Wines at the Campus Club at the University of Minnesota. My tastings with them are always a blast, and chef Beth Jones pulled out all the stops on this 50 person event.
• December 18th: Drove to Chicago to pick up our son for winter break. Went to one of our favorite casual places, Two Zero Three Wine Bar and Coffee at the Virgin Hotel. Nothing fancy there, just six wines by the glass and good coffee drinks, but the vibe is casual and awesome and not rushed. A good place to chill out for a bit. Then dinner at Roka Akor, which might have been the best dinner I’ve had in the last ten years. Simply incredible. My favorite part? I paid the bill via Apple Pay through the Open Table app, effectively allowing me to not have to look at the bill until the next morning (when I nearly fainted). Was it worth it? I will rarely say this about a meal that expensive, but yes. Huge thanks to Jim Stahl for the suggestion.

  Spencer and Angela laughing at something inappropriate in The Onion, at Two Zero Three wine bar and coffee shop, in the Virgin Hotel in downtown Chicago. This is a great place for hanging out casually, which can be hard to do in the urban center of a big city (where “turning tables” is the name of the game). Check them out the next time you’re in the Windy City.

• December 19th: To help balance the budget after dinner at Roka Akor, we ate at Harold’s Chicken Shack, a favorite of my son’s. A terrific article on this location is found on Serious Eats, with this outstanding description: “There’s a fine line between juicy fried chicken and recklessly greasy fried chicken, and Harold’s crosses it with glee. Take a bite of thigh or drumstick and you may find a river of juice running down your chin. That’s a trait more associated with burgers than fried chicken, but Harold’s often has a brawny, burger-like aspect; at many locations, the chicken is fried in a mix of vegetable oil and beef tallow.”
• December 22nd: The annual Sparkling Wine Masterclass covered all things bubbly from Prosecco to Cava, from Champagne to Moscato d’Asti. A terrific night to enjoy the peace of wine during the frantic last second Christmas shopping season.
• December 24th-27th: I herby declare that Christmas Eve should fall on a Thursday every year. The four day weekend was so needed!
• December 29th: Champagne Masterclass Part One: Best of the Big Houses. Bollinger. Veuve Cliquot (rosé!), and even KRUG were served while we learned about the production process and some of the advantages big houses have in certain vintages.
• December 30th: Champagne Masterclass Part Two: Farmer Fizz! The best way to end the year of classes. A personal favorite topic, and with my wonderful wife Angela in attendance we sipped our way through Gaston Chiquet, Moussé, and a stunning three bottle side by side comparison of Pierre Gimonnet NV Brut, 2008 Oenophile Extra Brut, and 2006 Special Club. What a night!
• December 31st: The day started at my daytime job, as social media marketing head of The Wine Company, a local fine wine importer and distributor. This was my last day at the job before diving head first into full time self-employment, and the staff was good enough to call everybody together to gather and raise a glass to me and the future. We enjoyed many fine wines, all from the Northern Rhone (my pick!), great cheeses, wonderful meats, and tons of laughter. We went home to clean up before heading to Meritage for our annual New Year’s Eve dinner at the two seats right next to the oyster case (which we didn’t get at first, a couple that walked in right before us got them. Urgh! But about 20 minutes later they were gone and we could slide over. Yay!).
• During dinner at Meritage, clinking glasses to success and the future, we got email after email as people confirmed their seats for the upcoming Ultimate Portugal Experience. The trip is now sold out!
• January 1st: after a relaxing morning at home with the family, I flew out to New Orleans for four days by myself to plan the master strategy for the upcoming year (I do a trip like this every year, looking back and looking forward and setting goals).

How’s that for a month? Am I exhausted? Not really. It’s amazing what positive energy and momentum can do to a person (along with gallons of coffee). In the end, and this is the truth, I’m doing what I love doing and who I’m doing it for. In many ways it doesn’t feel like work. It just feels like a good time.

What’s coming up in 2016? So many cool things. Now that I’m fully independent I can spread my wings in bigger ways, for I’ll have more time to organize larger events and ideas. The travel business is part of that. So is a consulting business for wholesalers, importers, wineries, retailers, and restaurants.

Onward to 2016! Bring it on!

– Jason Kallsen, from a sunny desk in New Orleans, which I have to leave soon to fly back home. More on New Orleans next week.

For me, this is what the wine industry is all about.

Mid Summer, 1995: The Mall of America had been open for three years, and the hottest restaurant in the Mall was California Cafe. I was there waiting tables, scrapping together every bit of money I could while attending the University of Minnesota. I didn’t know wine, but I was starting to get into it. I asked the wine manager what to buy to learn about Pinot Noir. He suggested a wine from Knudsen Erath in Oregon. Traveling to northeast Minneapolis, going to Surdyk’s for one of the first times in my life, I bought a bottle of it, the 1992 vintage. I ate ramen for dinner for a week, but in exchange I enjoyed every drop of that wine.

March, 2002: I just started a new job as a sales rep for World Class Wines, a leading local fine wine distributor. We sold Erath Vineyards, and I took a sample bottle of the single vineyard Knudsen to Thomas Liquors. Mike Thomas tasted it with me, paused, looked at the glass, paused some more, and looked up. “Damn! Yes, send it. I’ll take a case!”

January 3rd, 2009: At 10pm on a rainy winter evening, I drive from Portland to Willamette Valley, the first time I visited Oregon. I was trying to find the house I’d be staying in for the night, but had poor directions. It was dark, cold, foggy, and rainy.

Willamette Valley can be a confusing place to visit for the first time because the vineyards and the wineries are in the hills, while the highway and other agriculture is in the valleys. Add to that the darkness of a winter night and rain pounding on my windshield. As expected, and common for me, I took a wrong turn, finding myself on Highway 12. I drove slowly uphill, took a random left turn, and hit a dead end. Turning the car around, my headlights hit old vines, standing proud in the night. It was the Knudsen Vineyard next to Erath winery.

June 1st, 2011: My wife and I were in Willamette Valley on a vacation ahead of a convention in Portland. We had an appointment with one of the legends of the wine industry, Rollin Soles, original founder of Argyle and his own personal brand, ROCO (I love those wines!!). We met Rollin at the Argyle facility and he asked “So what we drinkin’ today?” in his southern drawl.

Rollin grabbed three bottles of Argyle sparkling and some stemware. “Let’s go! Get in the truck you knuckleheads!”

For the next two hours we were Rollin’s only audience. It was one of the best wine experiences of my life, driving the hills with somebody who basically created an entire industry, hearing story after story. We ended up driving up a back road, toward a little cabin on a hill. Grabbing the stemware and the bottles, we proceeded to enjoy two more hours on the porch of the little cabin, overlooking the Knudsen Vineyards, drinking wine made from those vines.

“This is it. This is one of the original vineyards. This is one of the best. Doesn’t get better than that, partner!” is what I remember Rollin saying while sipping on his bubbly. The Argyle Spirthouse Pinot Noir, one of their best year in and year out, comes from this vineyard. I had enjoyed that wine for years. I never knew precisely where it came from.

Yesterday: May 17, 2016, Borough Restaurant, Minneapolis: Contacted by a local distributor (Libation Project), I was invited to lunch with Page Knudsen Cowles, managing owner/partner in the legendary Knudsen vineyard.

The Knudsen family have always been farmers not winemakers, and has long term contracts with Argyle in particular. But a few years ago they got the bug to make their own wine. The first release (2012), all 100 cases, evaporated instantly. They decided to add a Chardonnay. Production levels are up on their two wines, all of 260 cases for the 2014 Chardonnay and 200 cases for the 2013 Pinot Noir.

There isn’t much wine.

Highlighting lunch was two library wines that Page was able to get her hands on during an estate sale. The 1983 and 1985 Knudsen Erath Pinot Noirs. Both were magical, though the 1985 showed a touch more evolution. The 1983 was a show stopper. Dried red fruits, mellow spice, tobacco, and bright raspberry all in an elegant light to medium bodied 33 year old wine. It was marvelous.

One of the best parts? Finding out Page and I are neighbors! Unbeknownst to me, the managing partner and co-owner (with her siblings) of one of the top vineyards in Willamette Valley lives in Saint Paul.

Connecting with Page was the kind of experience I live for. It ties together a range of experiences that I’ve had over the years, and allows a new chapter to open up. I asked Page if she want to do some events with Twin Cities Wine Education. She said yes. Look forward to meeting her yourself!

It was one of the first Pinot Noirs I purchased, and one of the first I sold on the wholesale side. I got lost on my first drive into the hills of Willamette Valley and ended up at that vineyard. I raised a glass with one of the legends of the business. I enjoyed 30+ year old Pinot Noir while tasting the amazing new releases marking a new chapter in the life of this family. All connected by one vineyard. 

For me, this is what the wine industry is all about.

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Note: These are wines to seek out, but not easy to find. Thomas Liquors, France 44, and Sunfish Cellars are the main supporting retailers. At the lunch were buyers from Henry & Sons, The Wine Shop in Minnetonka, as well as North Loop Wine and Spirits … I would imagine the wines will also be available at those stores soon (contact them for details or watch their Facebook feed).

For more on the story of Page and her family check out a fantastic and comprehensive article on the Great Northwest Wine website.

Last December, anticipating a long, cold, snowy winter, Angela and I bought tickets for San Francisco to escape up to Napa and Sonoma for a few days in February. 

We landed on Wednesday the 15th of February and returned the following Monday. Yes, we missed out on a 60+ degree weekend in the Twin Cities, instead having to endure 45 degrees and rain in wine country. But you know what? We were in Napa and Sonoma, so it was okay.

Here’s a quick summary of some of the things we did, saw, and tasted.

The impact of the floods
Rain, rain, and more rain. After five years of serious drought, the rain is coming at just the right time. Sometimes too much rain, and the possible failure of the dam near Sacramento was on everybody’s lips. In terms of the wine world, and Napa and Sonoma in particular, they are as happy as can be. Cover crops are growing in a super healthy way, the vines are dormant but the root systems are finally getting a drink, and local aquifers are filling up. Check out dramatic video of the reservoir just east of Napa Valley: for the first time in years the overflow spillway tunnel is in use. Standing water was in many vineyards, but the Russian River and the creeks were not overflowing on our trip (they were seven days before, but had since gone down). We took the time to explore the fish hatchery on the north end of Dry Creek Valley, and the coho salmon and steelhead trout were running full tilt up Dry Creek, and you can see the monster fish jumping up the ladder at the hatchery. I’ve never seen that before and it was awesome … next time you’re in Dry Creek Valley take a moment to visit Warm Springs Fish Hatchery, just two minutes away from Ferrari Carano winery.

The buzz of the 2016 vintage
Many are already calling it the greatest vintage ever in both Napa and Sonoma. Perfect weather, lower yields, stressed vines making incredible fruit. This is on the heels of amazing 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 vintages. We are in an amazing moment for California wine drinkers.

A few of the wineries we visited
We were there on business, of course, but we didn’t pack our schedules as tightly as we normally would. We aimed for longer visits to select properties mainly to taste barrel samples and get a bead on the 2015 and 2016 vintages.

Alexander Valley Vineyards: continued improvement on all wines, which have been above average for the last five years or so. These are great wines at perfect and reasonable prices. Their Cabernet and Merlot programs are particularly good, the Zinfandels are polished and delicious, and we learned that Pinot Noir can indeed be grown successfully in Alexander Valley if you plant your vines in certain pockets near the Russian River.

Failla: one of the top winery visits we have ever experienced. Located on Silverado Trail toward Calistoga, the wines of Ehern Jordan are sublime and seductive. Some of the best in California at the moment. No wonder he was featured in a 2015 Wine Spectator article.

Chappellet: Angela had never been up to Pritchard Hill, so we wound our way up to 2000 feet above Napa Valley to catch up with winemaker Phil Titus, who I haven’t tasted with in over 15 years. Massive investment is happening at this legendary property (the second winery to open up after Prohibition, after Mondavi) and the wines are better than ever. The Pritchard Hill Caberent Franc is one of the best representations of that grape that I’ve ever had.

LIOCO: I finally met Matt Licklider, the other half of the founding team of LIOCO (I’ve had many a drink with his business partner, Kevin O’Connor, over the years). We tasted through a full range of the current releases, plus some library wines including the 2006 Klint Vineyard Pinot Noir, the very first LIOCO wine I ever had. I love what these guys are doing and many of you know how much I like to support them. I’m putting together an order of single vineyard wines from them for a LIOCO class this summer or fall. Stay tuned.

Ridge: No trip to Sonoma is complete without stopping at the Lytton Springs property of my favorite winery in America. The tasting room was packed but the staff was super accommodating, allowing us to hole up at the tasting bar and rifle through current and past releases. The quality from the old vineyards they farm has been steady during the drought, but the rain is allowing them to breathe a big sigh of relief. We procured a wide range of library wines from them, and look forward to presenting them in an upcoming class.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Healdsburg SHED: A must stop destination, and the Spanish sardine appetizer was the highlight food of the trip. I’m still dreaming about it.

Bergamont Alley: In Healdsburg, just off the square across the street from Willi’s Seafood Bar. Hipster central, with a wide selection of great wines to enjoy with grilled cheese sandwiches. The service is too cool for school style (i.e. you kinda have to work to get your server’s attention) but the quality of the wines and the look/feel of the space makes up for it.

Breakfast at Healdsburg Grill: Nothing better and incredibly affordable.

Calistoga Pottery: We stop here on every trip to catch up with Jeff and Sally, make sure they are doing well, buy some more pottery for the kitchen (we’ve been buying their wares for 17 years now) and get the inside scoop on restaurants to visit. They are always on the front end of what is pure, awesome, and important. Their suggestion for the Napa Valley restaurant of the moment: Two Birds One Stone, by the former chef of the now closed but soon to reopen Cyrus (where I had my favorite dish of all time: the Cyrus Barolo Risotto with White Truffles). Our schedule didn’t allow us to get there, but that just gives us a reason to return soon! Another great reason to go: complimentary corkage on one bottle of wine!

We had the best bread of our lives, thanks to WildFlour, who we happened to drive by one day and couldn’t resist the smell in the air. A must visit if you’re in the extreme end of the Russian River and Green Valley.

Many more notes and photos to share over the coming weeks.

It was a great trip, even though it was sunnier and warmer in the Twin Cities. Go figure. I hope everybody enjoyed the weird warm weekend by popping a bottle of rosé and sitting on the patio!

Greetings from the mountains of southeastern Arizona!

One of my (many) Google airfare alerts is for Phoenix, and about six weeks ago a round trip fare of $150 direct on Delta popped up. The dates happened to fall right on top of Spencer’s spring break. We grabbed it, rented a little house in Bisbee via Airbnb for a few nights, and here we are!

Bisbee is an awesome little town, about 3.5 hours southeast of Phoenix (it’s the next town south of Tombstone, but without the tacky tourism). It’s an artist community with staircases for streets and fantastic ghost tours.

I preach during my wine classes that when in Europe, never drink outside of the region you are in. “What grows together goes together” is the common saying. Well, the Arizona wine industry is growing and booming so I’m drinking quite a bit of the local hooch during our vacation here. The two main wine regions are around Wilcox (about an hour north of Bisbee and an hour east of Tucson), and near Jerome (an hour north of Phoenix, just south of Sedona).

The advantage they have in Arizona is that they can grow vinifera, the main family of grapes we know and love for wine (vinifera dies at temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why we need the University of Minnesota to develop new hybrids that can survive the artic plunge of the hinterland). Obviously, hot weather varieties are the main thing in Arizona, so the varieties of the Southern Rhone are particularly well suited. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Marsanne, and Rousanne are all commonly planted.How are the wines? Like most emerging wine regions (including Minnesota) go by producer first. Some people have the touch, some do not. Because of the heat, the alcohol levels in Arizona wine tend to be a touch elevated (15%+ is common) but if made by the right hands balance can be achieved. The producer we are enjoying the most is Keeling Schaefer Vineyards, who have a tasting room in Wilcox. Their Viognier as well as their GSM blends have made us very happy the last few days.

Exploration of place is one of the great joys of living a wine life. Take a chance when you’re in one of these emerging wine regions, be it Arizona or Minnesota. I’m working on setting up an “Updates on Minnesota Wines” class for some point this summer, bringing in the winemakers that I think are redefining the future of Minnesota wine.

And for Arizona? Maybe we’ll plan a trip out here next year with a small group. Who’d be up for an escape to the desert in February 2018? Drinking some Viognier under a cactus, I’ve found, is a good way to spend a day.

Tis the season of vacations, or planning the winter getaways. When it comes to being a wine lover in the Twin Cities, we are lucky to have easy access to both the west coast and to Europe in general. Booking a great wine vacation to Oregon, Sonoma, Washington, Santa Barbara, Finger Lakes, or France is a piece of cake. Having a great experience while there, well that’s a different matter.

Here is my current best advice for wine travelers in the Twin Cities

Photo: tasting top notch wines at Ojai Vineyard’s tasting room, Ojai, California, February 2018. A visit to a place like Ojai Vineyards, which is no longer distributed in Minnesota (sad face) ensures we can procure wines we can’t get back at home (happy face). That’s a big part of wine travel for us … bringing home gems that make our friends jealous! Plus having liquid memories of a great day.

When possible, fly Southwest

Two free checked bags make it possible to bring home a ton of wine. Southwest’s free ticket change policy has saved our butts numerous times as well. Note: Southwest doesn’t show up on search engines such as Google Flights. Always, no matter where you are going, take a second to look for the Southwest flights and see what happens. When the TCWE group went to California two weeks ago, we flew Southwest direct from MSP to Oakland, which makes for a quick and easy drive up to Napa (one hour, all freeway). A little hunting and a little patience got us those direct flight tickets for about $230 each.

Don’t forget about the Sun Country direct flight to Santa Rosa

Sun Country is not my favorite airline by any stretch, after leaving my friend Scott and his wife abandoned in Mexico last winter. They are cost-cutting left and right, and customer service is going the way of Spirit and Frontier (whom I refuse to fly on … life is too short to get that mad). However, all that being said, there is something magical about getting on at MSP and getting off at Charles Shultz International Airport, located in the heart of the Russian River Valley, Sonoma County. The flight is Friday-Monday (weekend getaway) through August, when it switches to Thursdays only. Flights are running $300-450 round trip, but watch out for the Sun Country nickel and diming on luggage, seat assignments, etc.

Buy a Vin Garde Valise

A vingardeWHAT? A Vin Garde Valise. This is an incredible suitcase specifically made for wine travel, with a twelve bottle capacity, a great guarantee, lightweight, and perfect to bring home your gems from a trip. See their website for more details. Angela bought me one of these for Christmas last year, and it’s already helped us bring tons of wine home from all corners of our travels, with no fear of breakage at all.

But if you don’t want to spend $400 on a suitcase …

Get a 12 bottle foam shipping box from ULine (or better yet ask a friendly wine retailer if they have an extra laying around … they often do. Or contact me, I might have an extra) and bring it with you to help carry back your gems.

Hint from a regular reader, Jim: be sure to use your styrofoam cooler to store bottles purchased on hot days. It’s amazing how hot it can be in wine country, and many a bottle have been destroyed because they were just tossed in the back seat before starting that big two hour tasting or lunch. Take good care of your wine, and if necessary buy a cooler and a bag of ice.

And into that suitcase or foam box on the way out, here’s what to pack

This is the best money saving advice I can give. In your checked in Vin Garde Valise or foam box, pack the following: a thin cutting board (like the plastic sheet ones), a cheese knife or two, a bread knife if you wish, a wine opener, and two GoVino glasses. Then, after you arrive, stop for a quick stock up of water (LOTS of water), some good cheese, some meat, and a loaf of yummy artisan bread. You now have all you need for a spontaneous picnic with a great view at any point of the trip.

When Angela and I wine travel, we spend more on our lodging (ensuring great views of vineyards and vistas) and less on eating out. We eat a big lunch, but tend to enjoy dinner at our Airbnb or hotel, because of our little kit we packed and brought. This saves us a ton of money, but also releases us from fear of drinking and driving, plus it allows us to soak in the very reason we wine travel: to be in the region, smelling the air and looking at the vines. Plus it makes going to bed early a bit easier to accomplish (I’m a morning person).

Join Thrifty Traveler Premium

Local travel guru Jared Kamrowski (husband of Zipp’s wine buyer Erica Komrowski) runs one of the top travel hacking sites on the web: Thrifty Traveler. What is travel hacking? It’s finding ways to travel cheap or free, and having a system to be on the lookout for special deals and mistake fares. Joining the regular newsletter is free, but the Premium newsletter is where the real action is. A few days ago round trip from MSP to Sydney Australia came up for under $800. Flights to Europe for under $500 is common. A mistake fare roundtrip to New Zealand from any airport in the USA for $237 surfaced not that long ago. Most importantly, this newsletter will help you know about pricing trends in the world of airline travel, and give you a good sense of when to buy tickets. Also, they can give you incredibly valuable advice on how to best use a stockpile of airline miles or use a credit card you might already have in hand to access airport lounges around the world. See the Thrifty Traveler website for details.

If going to Portugal, get in touch with Catavino

Our good friends and former Minnesotans Ryan and Gabriella Opaz are the number one source for info, tours, advice, and help when it comes to visiting Portugal (which I consider the top wine destination in Europe at the moment, in terms of bang for the buck, being still under the radar, quality of food and people, and joy of travel). Gabriella literally wrote the book on Portuguese wine and food (available in hardcover in the USA in August … learn more and pre-order now on Amazon). Every dollar spent with Catavino multiplies in enjoyment and quality of experience while in Portugal (where the language barrier and ease of getting lost can add up quickly). Learn more at catavino.net.

Lastly, plan your trip carefully

Some wine regions (Napa, Willamette Valley) are compact. Some wine regions (Washington State in general, Santa Barbara, Sonoma) are quite diverse and spread out. Know how long it will take to get from point A to point B, and don’t overbook your days.

I like to travel with two set appointments per day, at the most. One at 10am (forces you to get up, get a good breakfast, get going) and maybe another around 2:30 or 3:00pm. In between is a good filling lunch and exploring, plus some time after the afternoon appointment for exploring or dropping in open-to-the-public tasting rooms.

Nothing ruins a wine trip faster than looking at your watch and trying to figure out how to stop the amazing experience you are having at winery A to rush to another experience at winery B, knowing that winery C and D are coming up as well. Wine travel is about slowing down, taking in the views, and grabbing opportunity. When you suddenly find yourself at a winery atop Spring Mountain on a perfect day, and the host says “That concludes our tasting but if you want to buy a bottle and enjoy the view our picnic tables are all yours,” well, you want to do the right thing. Say yes, grab that cheese and meat from your car, and make some memories over a bottle and view.

So what’s the status of The Flying Grape?

Some of you remember a few years ago Angela and I started a separate business, The Flying Grape, for taking small groups on wine tours around the country and around the world. We took one trip to Portugal with an incredible group (and had Catavino handle all the details and organization), but that was it.

Upon returning from Portugal, we realized we needed more flexibility in terms of being home and taking care of aging parents (specifically my dad, who passed last November). So we stopped the idea of leading tours. However, plans are underway to revive the website as a catch-all for our wine travel advice and journeys, making it a one-stop-shop for what to do when going to Oregon, Sonoma, Napa, Santa Barbara, and more. Hopefully we’ll have it up and running by the end of the year, and we’ll fill you in further as we get closer.

The post Wine Pro tips and tricks for Wine Travel appeared first on Twin Cities Wine.

8 am Friday I landed. 6 am Sunday I departed.

46 hours. That’s what I had in Seattle, and boy I made the most of it.

It had been too long, many years, and I returned to enjoy sights, sounds, tastes, views, and new discoveries.

I was flown out for the weekend by the Washington State Wine Commission, who found a couple of dozen sommeliers, retailers, and educators from around the country to bring out for the big Taste Washington food and wine spectacular, plus dinners and seminars with many of the best wine people in the state. Thank you to all who made this possible.

Here’s a summary of the weekend, along with some hints and tips for visiting this great city.

Hint: JUMP BIKES

Jump is owned by Uber, who have done a great job building a competitor to the Lime bikes that descended upon Minneapolis last year. I had never used any bike-sharing services and tried them both out. Not only were the Jump bikes far more comfortable to ride, but they are fifteen cents a minute straight up (Lime bikes are one dollar unlock fee plus fifteen cents a minute). This made for incredibly easy, cheap, and healthy transport in Seattle, even if just for a couple of blocks. Got three blocks to get to my destination? Five minutes plus pocket change later I’m there!

The electric assist on the bikes made all but the steepest hills navigable (though it was fun to note how many bikes ended up closer to the harbor as the day went on).

Destination: THE SPACE NEEDLE

No secret that this is a destination, but I’m writing this for people who are like me and highly sensitive to tourist traps and spending too much money that you’ll regret later.

After hopping off my Jump bike at the base of the Space Needle, I was frustrated to see the $32 per person price tag. I started to walk away, muttering something about rip-off pricing when it struck me: this is why I’m here, to have experienced new things, and it’s a perfect day in Seattle, and it’s only me here and not the whole family, so dammit just do it!

Not only do I have no regrets, but it was also simply one of the coolest things I’ve experienced in years. There are a couple of bars on the top, serving pretty decent Washington wines at (relatively) reasonable prices. The views are of course spectacular. But the highlight is the world’s largest rotating glass floor, making for a spine-tingling experience, to say the least. Thumbs up, five stars, totally worthwhile. See my video on Facebook!

Destination: PIKE AND WESTERN WINE SHOP

It’s always good to know where the great wine shops are in a city. A shop where curation is taken seriously and the customer comes first (as opposed to pushing house brands because they have a big margin). Pike and Western, just off the northern end of the Pike Place Market and down from the original and first Starbucks, is such a shop.

But stopping by there isn’t just about grabbing a great bottle. It’s about seeing a shop where they toss out the verbose and ego-driven shelf-talker and instead have some FUN. This isn’t a new idea. Ax-Man Surplus, the king of the funny shelf-talker, is a good example. But it’s not often done in the wine business, where stuffy attitudes and scores prevail. Note: one local shop that does it well is Zipp’s Liquor, sometimes using pretty dark humor to get a point across (my favorite at that shop: “This wine was served on the Titanic. That went well.” 

Dinner: BRIMMER AND HEELTAP

Brimmer and Heeltap, 425 NW Market Street, Seattle WA 98107
http://www.brimmerandheeltap.com
I was lucky enough to join the principals of Avennia Winery, Gramercy Cellars (Master Sommelier Greg Harrington), and Hedges Family Estate (Christophe Hedges) for what turned out to be one of the best dinners I’ve had in years, at Brimmer and Heeltap.

The restaurant is off the tourist path, located in a super cool neighborhood about 15 miles north of downtown. The weather was incredible, the private room’s garage door was wide open (facing west, with the sun setting). This is the type of restaurant I love so much: casual yet professional, with an eye on complex dishes and great wine.

A little sidenote (some of you know this about me): I’m pretty cynical when it comes to most restaurants. I find there is a huge amount of simply really good out there and very little exceptional or daring in the dining scene of most cities. Our course there are exceptions but I don’t happen to find them often.

Brimmer and Heeltap, with just one meal, renewed my faith in what a great restaurant can be. Take a look at this menu, imagine each dish is perfect and vibrant and layered and complex, then multiply that emotion. 

Across from me was Christophe Hedges of Hedges Winery in Red Mountain. He and I hit it off, with a long and fun discussion on wine, the wine business, salespeople, distributors, direct to consumer sales, trends, and this being Washington, weed.

Distraction: CINERAMA

Those that remember the old Cooper Theater in St. Louis Park know what I’m talking about. The HUGE curved screen that filled your vision, and was the precursor to IMAX. Alas, the Cinerama theatres started to be knocked down during the multiplex boom of the 1990s, leaving only three in the country. Paul Allen of Microsoft bought, restored, and saved this gem in downtown Seattle.

They were showing Dumbo, which I didn’t have interest in seeing (plus it would’ve used up 7% of my time in Seattle) but they did let me into the lobby to see the displays, including the original Adam West Batman costume and the original Christopher Reeve Superman costume.

Distraction: THE PIKE PLACE NEWSSTAND

Growing up in the 1970s in Minneapolis, my father’s office was located in the building on the corner of 8th and Hennepin, and down the street (and eventually across the street) was the original Shinder’s. I spent a huge amount of my childhood there, browsing the world of magazines and newspapers (which sparked my curiosity about geography, which eventually led to wine). In Dinkytown was the famous Dinkytown newsstand (the original on the train bridge). Going to college, that was a hangout for me. The old-school newsstand is a rarity to find today, but luckily you can still find it in the Pike Place Market. Good times.

Dining: SERIOUS PIE

Over ten years ago I happened upon this place, and it was the first of the ‘elevated pizza’ destinations I had ever been to. You have to understand: I don’t just love pizza. I LOVE pizza. It’s a thing for me, much as wine and travel are. I’m happy to report it’s still busy as can be, full of good customers sharing family-style tables, and that the crust is still the best in the country. We’re not going to debate this fact. The best in the country. Sorry, Pizzeria Bianco. Sorry, Pizzeria Lola. Love you guys, but Serious Pie wins.

Special moment: LISTENING TO THE WINE GREATS

The Saturday morning seminar I attended was a look back at the founding of the fine wine industry in Washington. Just like in Willamette Valley, we are blessed to still have many of the first generation, the founders, with us today. On the panel were none other than Gary Figgins of Leonetti Cellar (the very first to plant vines in Walla Walla), and Rick Small of Woodward Canyon (who made the show-stopping 1987 Cabernet that we recently poured in our History of Washington Wine class with Chad Johnson). Also on the panel were Ted Baesler of Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Betsy Wittick of Bainbridge Vineyards on Bainbridge Island, with the conversation led by Bob Betz MW, of Betz Family Winery.

The main takeaway was how young the industry still is. For the first ten years or so, Leonetti and Woodward Canyon were basically bumbling around: no sense of the best terroir, the best spacing, and the best clonal material for top-level wines. They emphasized how slow the process of terroir discovery can be, with years between planting vines and finally making wine. But both humbly said, “We are making progress.”

And are they ever. In the lineup of the tasting, a couple of superstar wines were included. Leonetti Reserve 2010 from Walla Walla Valley was a 100 point Parker wine, roughly $250 a bottle. Woodward Canyon Dedication Series Cabernet Sauvignon 1986 proved the beauty of an aged Washington gem. 

Ted Baseler of Chateau Ste. Michelle said that what Washington is missing is “our Judgement of Paris moment. There is no doubt we are making some of the best wines in the world. We are getting the scores.” As he continued, he said they are getting the attention from the wine press but what they are missing is the breakthrough moment with the consumer, where the consumer seeks out Washington wines above others.

During the question and answer section, one astute attendee asked a zinger: what up and coming wineries or winemakers should we keep an eye on? They hemmed and hawed a bit (it’s political hot potato: who do you vocalize support for?) but finally, it was either Rick Small that mentioned one. What did he say? Resonance? Resistance? Renovation? I didn’t quite catch it, but I remembered what it kinda sounded like.

Event: THE BIG TASTING

NAVIGATING ‘TASTE WASHINGTON’
I’m not one for crowds. But in terms of a big show, this was the best I’ve ever been to. Clean, well organized, tons of food, and very good wineries. Because there are so many great Washington wineries, the show was dominated by them rather than faceless distributors or big retailers (though Total Wine did have a booth there, pouring their “Winery Direct” wines to the very few people that walked up to them). The amount of variety was incredible, with easily 95% of the wineries being new to me. Plus, since I don’t know the Seattle dining scene, I didn’t know who was the hot shit chef of the moment vs. a chain burger place.

So with great fun, I got to be a consumer, not a wine insider.

Walking up to wineries, I didn’t know them and they didn’t know me. It was fascinating to see how they presented themselves. I love studying marketing and sales techniques, and this was a perfect place to do some experiments. What happens if I act ignorant? What happens if I act snobbish? How about if I say I love Napa Valley wines? Some handled the questions well, others did not. 

The event also gave me a chance to say hi to friends and winery favorites: Dusted Valley Vineyards, Tamarack Cellars, Two Mountain, Treveri, and many more. But shows like this are difficult for the wineries, having to be on-point and engaged with everyone all day, so I mainly said a quick hello and got out of their way.

After many many tastes and bites, it was time for the next part of the day: a ballgame (with a special discovery). 

Take me out to the wine game: Mariners vs. Red Sox

The Washington Wine Commission arranged for a private suite for the Mariners vs. Red Sox game, with some great food (sushi!) and special guests. One was James Mantone of Syncline Wine Cellars, a fantastic winery that has been on my radar but I hadn’t yet tried. They are a small operation, available in Minnesota via the distributor Bourget Imports, and James is the real deal: humble as can be, human and thoughtful, but with some clear ideas on his wines and what he wants to make for the world. Well worth seeking out.

Then there was another winery there. One I didn’t recognize. Four wines were open so I thought I’d give them a shot.

The first sip of the first wine was like hearing an incredible guitar solo for the first time in your life. This was serious juice, something very special, and I looked at the label. Reynvaan Family Vineyards. Reynvaan … that was the winery mentioned in the earlier seminar with the legends of the business

Mike Reynvaan was there, and we had a tremendous discussion about what fine wine really means, marketing wines when there isn’t enough to go around but the scores keep rising, and how to sustain a business model where a balance between direct to consumer, restaurant placements, and select retailers are all they really need. Reynvaan is a serious wine and a highlight of the weekend.

Dining: RN74

For wine geeks like myself, the closing of the original RN74 in San Francisco was tragic. A breakup of sorts, full of pain and despair. The saving grace was that the Seattle RN74 was not only staying open but would inherit the leftovers from the San Francisco location.

A wine lover’s trip to Seattle is not complete without a visit to RN74.

Sitting at the bar I devoured the Red Burgundy flight, which was comprised of 2012 Domaine Rapet Beaune “Bressanes” 1er Cru, 2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey “Ceps Centenaires” 1er Cru Santenay, and 2014 Lignier-Michelot Vielle Vignes Chambolle-Musigny. Service, of course, was top notch and it didn’t hurt that the somm recognized me from a trip to Walla Walla two years ago. 

TIME TO SLEEP AND RECOVER!

By the time I was done with the flight of Burgundy I was spent. I knew I had to wake up in four hours to catch an early flight. Adieu, Seattle. Thank you for a wonderful visit!

The post 46 Hours in Seattle appeared first on Twin Cities Wine.

First, a little background on the business of wine bars. There is probably no harder way for a restauranteur to make money than to open a wine bar. Unlike a coffee shop, you can’t take it to go. Unlike a taproom, you’re making far less margin. And unlike the beer world, you can’t down three or four wines and still be upright. Most customers have one glass or two while taking up space for an hour or two. The turn rate is low. It’s a tough way to make money.

Then you have cities like Minneapolis used to be and St. Paul still is, that have excessive rules in place regarding the percentage of revenue that has to be food vs. alcohol. To maintain compliance, you have to operate as more of a restaurant than simply a wine bar. (The elimination of the ’70/30′ law in Minneapolis directly led to the ability of Troubadour Wine Bar to open up. Wine bars like Troubadour are all over the place in Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco but are difficult to open here.) Additionally, in urban Minnesota you cannot operate as a joint on and off sale destination unless you’re a taproom (growler sales) or Minnesota farm winery. In many other urban areas, including Washington and South Dakota, a wine bar can also sell wine as a retailer, opening revenue streams that work to pay the bills.

So in Sioux Falls, we visited two great wine bars, yet there are even more that we didn’t have time to hit. Yes, in little Sioux Falls on the prairie they are kicking our Twin Cities’ butts when it comes to wine bar culture. If you’re traveling to or through Sioux Falls, these are the places to hit.

WINE TIME ON MAIN
330 S Main Ave., Sioux Falls, SD
https://www.winetimeonmain.com
Located just up the hill and around the corner from Minerva’s, the old-school steakhouse destination restaurant of the area.

Wine Time on Main opened just last fall, ahead of a deep and difficult winter. They are just off the beaten path, but free covered and attached parking probably saved them during the harsh winter months. It’s compact, modern, stylish, and sexy.

And they offer 240 wines by the glass.

Yes, you read that right.

And not just a mass of cheap stuff. Nowhere in the country have I come across a selection such as this, where a wine geek can burn through a lifetime of savings on the quest to try many of the great wines of the world, all served in correct Riedel stemware and at the proper temperature. Preservation is done through the Coravin system, with the servers well versed in handling the machinery.

Owner/founder Bob Novak is often there (he’s the guy in the background of the photo above). He used to be in the garbage business, but his love of wine and travel led him to make this (pretty astounding) leap into the wine bar business.

Most wines are available in 3oz, 6oz, 9oz, and bottle service. Prices, when you really look, are a touch high (a good litmus test is to see where Veuve Cliquot Champagne NV is priced at … normal retail is around $50-60, sale retail in December is usually $40-50, the normal restaurant price should be under $100 … here it’s $119.50). But in terms of access and availability to the rarest wines of the world, a higher markup is fine with me just for the access to gems. Plus, hunt a bit and you’ll find bargains (I enjoyed the Walt Pinot Noir). In the end, a slightly higher markup in exchange for dependably fresh wines served at the right temperature and in good stemware is a trade I’ll make anyday.

Want to try the incredible Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet? 3oz for $62.50.

What to try the 2015 Spottswoode Cabernet (100 points)? 3oz for $55.80.

How about Chateau Haut Brion? No prob! $170.75 for 3oz.

Don’t think all the wines are like these. There is a solid list of more affordable selections as well, but the window I’d suggest hitting is the $15-25 a glass range. That is where the biggest bang for the buck is found at Wine Time on Main, with some good names and good vintages that will make you happy. For food, the cheese and meat board is highly recommended.

Overall, Wine Time on Main is a great destination especially after a filling dinner and you seek out a taste of something special in a very chill atmosphere. In any city, even New York and San Francisco, it’s an uphill battle to sell wines by the glass of this level. But with innovations such as the Coravin, it’s now possible for a market like Sioux Falls to support a wine bar concept such as this. If an ambitious sommelier found the right 1000 square foot space in Minneapolis I think it would work here as well.

R WINE BAR
322 E. 8th St.
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
https://www.rwinebar.com

Many of you have been to my wine classes at North Loop Wine and Spirits in Minneapolis. If you took that room, raised the ceilings about six feet, expanded it about five or six times, and put it on the main floor with windows all around, you get the feel of this incredible location. Stone walls, old wood beams, the kind of atmosphere only time (and not architects) can create.

R Wine Bar opened this past winter in a very happening area of Sioux Falls, near the river and downtown, where farm-to-table restaurants, breweries, bakeries, butcher shops, and hotels are opening left and right. The “R” in the name is Riccardo Tarabelsi, born in Florence, Italy, who has run some of the better restaurants in Sioux Falls for years and is now his own boss.

Okay, here you go: this is the exact concept for a wine bar that I want in the Twin Cities. An approachable and affordable list, a happening scene with live music, simple food (antipasti, panini, salumi, dolce … wonderfully simple and clean), private spaces for wine classes, and a dedicated customer base that fills the room on a regular basis.

There is a complete lack of pretention at R Wine Bar. And it’s all about the wine. Yes, you can get a Bud Light or a local craft brew. Yes, you can get a cocktail (nothing fancy, thank you … that will come in the lower level speakeasy due to open this summer). Yes, you can get enough food to call it dinner. Best of all, when the sun goes down and the lights are dim, everyone looks good in this room.

Twenty-one wines by the glass, ranging from $7 to $14. There are some big brands on the BTG list (La Marca Prosecco, MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir … they can do better), but some gems to be had as well (Kuleto Native Son from Napa, for instance). I don’t know if they are picking Raymond “R Collection” wines because they like them or because of the name, but the preponderance of that brand on the list prompted me to ask the server if the wine bar is owned by Raymond Winery.

The real wine power is found in the by the bottle list, which is heavy on but not exclusive to Italy. The layout is fantastic, giving a little geographical info and some background on the regions before showing a crisp and curated selection of wines. You can find a ton of great wines here in the $30-40 range by the bottle. Argiolas Cannonau for $32? Yes, please.

Our server was the owner’s son, a sharp as a tack 18-year old that did a better job explaining the wines than most servers I’ve encountered lately in the Twin Cities. Staff training on wine knowledge is definitely something lacking in our neck of the woods (and something I’m trying hard to change!).

TWO MORE WINE BARS that we didn’t have a chance to get to.
We got good insider info regarding these places, with a dependable thumbs up from people we trust.

Bin 201 Wine Bar
201 E. 11th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
http://www.bin201sf.com

Bin 201 looks to be another fine destination, but without the ambition of the two listed above. Big names such as Coppola, Kendall-Jackson, and Stella Rosa dominate the list. Private parties look to be their specialty, and Enovac machines allow for self-service of wines by the ounce (much like WINO, the Wine Institute of New Orleans, one of my favorite wine bars in the country). The private wine room looks like a tremendous destination for private events. See their gallery here: http://www.bin201sf.com/gallery.php

The Market
196 East 6th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
https://themarketsf.com
Menu and wine list: https://themarketsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Website_Menu_10_4.pdf

It’s a good sign when the first thing on their website says “Wine Bar Cusine!”

The Market is a culinary center and destination, with a strong retail and wine bar presence. Their wine by the glass program is tight, with a few bigger names but some smaller production gems at great prices. Graziano Zinfandel for $7. Neyers Red Blend for $14. Siduri by the glass. There’s some good stuff here.

The menu reminds me of our dearly departed Toast Wine Bar, which filled a need in the local wine community: great wines with simple cheese, meat, and flatbread plates. A recreation of Toast is desperately needed in the Twin Cities, please!

SUMMARY
Who woulda thunk? Sioux Falls?

Here’s my take. What’s interesting about markets like Sioux Falls, Fargo, Rapid City, Des Moines, etc. is that there is a vibrant but small wine scene combined with passionate people and affordable rents. In bigger markets, such as the Twin Cities, rents and other factors (new minimum wage laws without a tip credit for one) make opening wine bars like this prohibitive if not impossible. The numbers don’t add up. But pay half the rent, have the ability to sell at retail as well, and suddenly there is viability.

Head on down to Sioux Falls. It’s a great weekend escape. Stop in Pipestone on the way (where my extended family is from) and have the broasted chicken at Lange’s Cafe. Stop at Round Lake Vineyards on your way back, then head north to Jeffers Petroglyphs. A Friday morning to Sunday night trip that you’ll really enjoy.

The post The amazing wine bar scene in … Sioux Falls? appeared first on Twin Cities Wine.

Some Stories from Portugal

*** Many thanks to those that followed my journey in Portugal by liking, commenting, sharing, and retweeting the updates that came through via #douro14. I promised each action would put you in the hat for free tickets to the Champagne Masterclass. I actually made a little scrap of paper for each like, comment, share, and retweet (while enjoying a bottle of Douro wine of course), and put them into the bucket and asked for a drumroll as I picked three. I’m happy to announce the following have won a free ticket each to the Champagne Masterclass 2014: Maria M., Jeff B., and Judith S.! I’ll be contacting each of you via email. ***

My journey to the Douro Valley in Portugal in mid-October was a life changer. In the upcoming months specific parts of the story will be told via articles both here and elsewhere, but suffice to say the city of Porto and the region of the Douro are now on the top of my list for travel suggestions.

Here is a short overview of a few of the stories that are being expanded to full articles soon.

Eating Like A Local In Porto Means Simply Eating

On my first full day in Portugal, my friend Ryan Opaz and I went for a long walk covering many miles to help me get a sense of the city of Porto and a couple of neighboring communities. As we walked along the Douro river, to where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, one thing became clear: tourism has not yet hit this beautiful place. Riverfront and oceanfront properties were full of cafés, bars, laundromats, pet food stores, shoe repair shops, and small grocery markets. No sign of a single chain restaurant. No sign of major development or neon lights. Though I have never been to Havana, I couldn’t help but make the analogy: I was in a time warp.

Our long saunter included stops at several cafés and a glorious lunch of grilled sardines and many bottles of wine. At least in the part of Porto we were in, if you wanted to eat at a restaurant you had no choice other than to eat like a local. Keep in mind this was two blocks from the ocean, six blocks from one of the most beautiful public parks in the world, and within a ten minute cab ride from the city center. In any other major city, this would be full of American chain restaurants or at the very least restaurants that have no soul (like the restaurants near Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, or any restaurant with a view of the Coliseum in Rome).

Port: The Ultimate Blended Wine

Look at the photo below. It’s a vineyard containing many 100+ year old vines on the Quinta do Seixo property (part of Sandeman). The tapestry of colors that you see shows the variety of grape selections in this small space. One thing I learned during the trip, which I wasn’t expecting at all, was the fact that many old vineyards in the Douro contain over 100 DIFFERENT VARIETIES. In the end, it’s the blending of these varieties that makes Port so special. There was a trend toward efficiency a number of years ago, planting one variety per vineyard, but some of the more interesting young producers are going back to the old ways and doing mixed field blends. Super cool.

Wine Travel On A Budget? Just Say Douro

The main cost of visiting the Douro Valley is simply getting your butt to Porto. Once you are there, you’ll be amazed at how far the Euro goes. As Ryan was pointing out to me, a coffee (espresso) that is two Euro in Italy and one and a half in Spain is only sixty cents in Porto (and even cheaper in the countryside) … and it’s of higher quality. Dining out and getting the bill is like a comedy routine in the making: five people, six bottles of wine, appetizers and entrees and dessert for all plus some dessert wine for … what? … does that say 70 Euro? Yep, about $20 per person total. Plus, being Europe, taxes and tips are built into the price. You pay what you see.

Hotels? A four star in the city can be had for under $100. Transport? Taking the train from Porto through the Douro Valley (possibly the most beautiful train ride in Portugal or Spain) will set you back about $20. Snacks for lunch? Figure a buck or two.

Where The Old Bottles Are Waiting For You: Porto

The Portuguese have been through economic and social hell over the last hundred years, and at certain points families (and especially widows) found themselves in a pickle, needing a bit of cash. The wine cellar in the basement became an easy thing to liquidate, and local wine shops and restaurants happily paid a few bucks for wines that many considered too old.

But here’s the secret: they’re not too old. Evidenced by the popping of a 1969 white wine from Colares that Ryan Opaz acquired just down the road from his house that was a mind-blower (“From my local little bottle shop” he said). Granted, it’s a bit of wine roulette, and not every old bottle you find is good, but access to affordable bottles twenty, thirty, even fifty years old is easy in Portugal. It’s not uncommon to find 30+ year old wines for under $20 at restaurants … but you have to ask for the ‘other list’ to find them (or just ask to see the cellar and make an offer on some wines).

More stories coming! Some exciting announcements in the next few weeks which tie into this trip … can’t wait to share more with you!

The post A few stories from Portugal appeared first on Twin Cities Wine Education.

What happens when you’re a wine lover in one of the most popular destinations in the country? As you read this, we are just landing from a glorious seven day escape to Florida. 

We had never been to Florida before, much to the amazement of friends. We love the desert, and Arizona is our normal escape path when the winter monster decides to settle in back home. But this year was different, a milestone birthday for Angela, and in her words “When I turn fifty I want to feel like I’m five!”

Being huge Harry Potter fans, there was really only one clear choice: we would head down to Universal Studios Orlando visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, ride the Hogwarts Express, and enjoy a Butterbeer in Hogsmead. More on the details of that part of the trip later (good god it was awesome). After a few days in the chaos of the amusement park, we would head down to Sanibel Island for a few days of beach time.

Diagon Alley at sunset. Just incredible!

Being a wine lover at an amusement park

Universal Orlando is quite an operation, competing with Disney World, and one of the draws they have created is an area called CityWalk.

If you’re craving Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville or Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, CityWalk is your place. Promo graphic from OrlandoInsider.

CityWalk is a compact, over the top, neon orgy, jammed-pack scene of restaurants, bars, and entertainment of all sorts. It sits directly across the (man-made) canal from the main entrances to the parks and thus is open to the public. Leave your car in the mega ramp, go through security, walk a block on the elevated pedestrian path, and you’re there.

It’s clear the restaurants are run by Universal Orlando, not as individual entities. Some restaurants are designed for this location alone (VIVO Italian Kitchen, the Chocolate Emporium, a ‘burger meets sushi’ concept called CowFish, and the “NBC Sports Cafe and Brew”) and others you have heard of before but the license, branding, and recipes come from the restaurant groups (Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Voodoo Doughnuts, the BK Whopper Experience, etc.). This is much like the restaurants at the MSP airport, where the airport and their food service company lease the name and branding and food of Smack Shack, Red Cow, Black Sheep Pizza, etc.. If you’ve ever eaten at the airport and wondered why the food isn’t as good as it should be, that is why.

The goal of CityWalk is popularity and profitability (I’m all for both), and if a restaurant doesn’t meet their numbers then out they go. Just like at MSP.

The food at all the restaurants in CityWalk can be summed up as such: calories to replace those you burnt during the day, in the shape of various flavors that will not offend anyone.

So it’s a tourist hotspot, obviously. So what about the wine?

When you’re in a place like this, it’s hard to be a wine lover. Wine lists here are built to last and be very profitable, which means larger brands that will not run out of stock, and brands that are known to the average wine drinker. 

Hopping from restaurant to restaurant it’s clear that some particular national wine brands have done a good job at selling their wares to the decision-makers (unlike a standard restaurant-wholesale sales rep relationship, places like this tend to work directly with the wineries or wine groups on the ‘national program’ and skip over the wholesale sales rep commission, thus carving about 5-8% out of the cost of the wine. This is a common arrangement with higher-end national restaurant chains too, such as Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. The wholesaler still delivers the wine, but there is little or no ‘meeting with the rep’ to taste what’s new). 

So if you’re into Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc or Murphy-Goode Merlot you’re in luck. 

The prices are pretty standard. $9-15 a glass for most wines is the range like it is at most places, but the quality level is just a step lower.  I was happy to see Cline Zinfandel commonly available, so I helped deplete quite a few glasses of that.

Part of the problem for wine lovers in a situation like this is that the profitability and revenue expectations of the restaurant ensure a low-quality wine program even when there’s a high-quality cocktail or beer program. Let me explain.

Most cocktails get served at an 8-14% cost. That $10 cocktail you ordered, which is made with top-quality ingredients, by hand, right in front of you (up the theatrical value) probably has $1.40 built into it. The happy hour cocktail for $6 that you slam a few of? Maybe fifty cents cost, not including the ice.

Beer is cheap for the restaurant and a moneymaker when served by the pint. Figure anywhere from seventy-five cents to two dollars cost, for a drink that will sell for $5 -$10. From the why-not-just-drink-water Coors Light to the local craft brew, there is something for everyone, and the cost percentages range from 10% to 20%. And beer drinkers tend to not stop with one beer.

Angela of house Ravenclaw, in Diagon Alley.

Then there’s us. The wine drinker.

We tend to nurse a glass. Enjoy one, maybe two. And maybe over the course of a couple of hours.

Wine is perishable, unlike beer in a keg or in a bottle, and unlike sprits on a shelf. Once it’s opened the restaurant has a few days to pour it off or dump it out.

Wine is confusing for consumers and even more so for the young server. Unemployment rates are at an all-time low, and thus it’s nearly impossible to find and train good service staff at restaurants (and even harder to have reliable workers in the kitchen, where they make a quarter of what a server does). Thus, easier to have big brands that the management think will sell themselves.

Then you have the big brands, pushing their big deals for the big park. Better pricing, secured placements, guaranteed availability. Lower costs per glass = more profitability. The customers will order a $10 glass of wine, so why pour one with $2.50 cost built-in? Why not use this one and get it down to $1.80?

And wine doesn’t make as much money as cocktails or beer. As much as we gripe about the cost of wines at restaurants (where a glass often covers the cost of the bottle, i.e. a 25% cost if you pour 6oz glasses or four to a bottle) it pales in comparison to cocktails or beer. But cocktails are impossible to price out quickly in your head, and beer is cheap enough that nobody really cares.

So us wine lovers have a problem.

You end up with a wine list that is safe, predictable, and devoid of personality. But it sells, because wine drinkers like to drink wine, and seeing the sales numbers reinforces to the powers that created the list that they are doing the right thing. You see this in full force at TGI Fridays, Chili’s, and Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. You see the silent hand of this effect locally at the likes of Crave and other restaurants. Even some of our reliable and awesome local restaurants bite at this poison apple.

And this leads to the crux of this essay: what is a wine lover to do in a situation like this?

There is no ‘hunting for the bargain’ because there is no bargain to be had.

There is no ‘ask the somm for a suggestion’ because there is no somm and the staff has not been trained in on wine.

In this situation, there are three options, all viable.

1) Hunt the wines by the bottle, knowing that you may find some bigger bang for the buck as long as you’re willing to enjoy 750ml of the stuff.

2) Have the commercially produced big-name wine by the glass and don’t try to have a ‘wine moment’ with it. Instead, have a ‘drinking fermented grape juice without thinking about it’ moment.

3) Have a cocktail. 

Back to Diagon Alley

If you are into creativity, if you are into theater, if you are into immersive experiences such as a Renaissance Fair, and obviously if you are into Harry Potter, you must get to Orlando and visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and specifically Diagon Alley.

It’s beyond magical. It’s fully immersive. It’s jaw-dropping. And it’s so inspiring, knowing that all of this came out of the brain of JK Rowling. 

Like three excited little kids we zoomed to Olivander’s Wand Shop as our first stop in order to, you guessed it, pick out our hardware for a week of casting spells and charms and making magic happen. 

Inside Olivander’s Wand Shop

Olivander’s is worth the price of admission alone, and far more impressive than videos you’ll see on YouTube can portray it, which means you jump over an already high bar. Without taking up an hour talking about all the details let me leave it at this: at Olivander’s, like in the rest of Diagon Alley, each and every single little minutia of detail has been thought out. 

The boxes are piled high. The immersion into the magical world is real. The sounds of joy and excitement are in the air. You carefully choose from all the different wands, packaged in amazing boxes with the Olivander’s logo on them. So many to choose from! Do you pick by type of wood, or by a character from the books? Personally, I was drawn to the ‘vine’ wand for obvious reasons.

After you buy your wand, assuming it’s one of the ‘interactive’ wands, you get to wander Diagon Alley and make magic happen. Find the right spot, wave the wand in the right way, and wonderful things occur in the storefronts on with the water fountains. It’s fantastic.

It’s magic.

I only wish my wand could make a shitty glass of wine taste better. VINO MELIOREM!

Alas, time for another cocktail.

I can’t state this with enough conviction: if you’re a fan of Harry Potter, put Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando on your shortlist. It will change your life!

The post Vino MELIOREM! (grab your wand) appeared first on Twin Cities Wine Education.

I had not been on a plane since the pandemic began, so I couldn’t pass up an offer from Southwest Airlines that I learned about through Thrifty Traveler: register for the promotion, take one round trip flight this season, and earn unlimited two-for-one status for travel this January and February.

(For those that don’t know about Thrifty Traveler, it’s founded by our friends Jared and Erika, and is a must-subscribe service for anyone who loves to travel. Sign up here.)

So I bought a round trip ticket to Chicago just to earn the promotion. My original booking was first flight out of MSP at 6:25am, land at Midway, maybe have time for a bathroom break, and take the next flight home back to MSP, landing at 11am, just in time for brunch with the family.

Then I started to see the weather reports, predicting a PERFECT day in Chicago. Being Southwest Airlines, they allow free ticket changes for everyone (which, along with two free checked bags, makes them awesome). So I changed the ticket and mapped out a whole day in the Windy City.

Here I’ll step you through my entire solo day in Chicago, Sunday October 17th 2021, through photos and stories, including wines consumed (and the best wine by the glass bargain I’ve ever found), food devoured, and total amount spent. Here we go!

OFF TO THE AIRPORT! It’s 4:45am, and I have barely slept because I always fear missing an early morning flight. I’m also one of those people that like to show up super early at the airport, not worry about anything, and enjoy some food and drink. So I’m already running on fumes.

BREAKFAST AT BARRIO in Terminal Two. The breakfast sandwich at Barrio is one of my favorite ways to start a day. It’s a delicious and absolutely perfect sandwich. The coffee was hot and strong. Awesome way to begin. $16.73.

ON THE PLANE! My first plane ride since January 2019. Full flight, early morning, quiet, and kinda weird feeling packed in with all these fellow travelers. My Covid anxiety started to go up, but I fell asleep pretty quick so that solved that.

ON THE TRAIN! I love flying into Midway and taking the Orange Line into town. We did this regularly when Spencer was going to school there. There’s a special deal right now for an all day CTA pass for trains and buses for only $5.00. Check!

INTO CHICAGO, AT THE ROOSEVELT TRAIN STOP, which is a main connecting hub for the other trains. This is also the neighborhood that Spencer lived in during college, so it was good to be back. I headed downstairs to the Red Line (subway) to go south into Chinatown.

8:30 AM. CHINATOWN! Not as big and busy as Chinatown in San Francisco, but still a wonderfully tight community and a fun morning walk. The goal was Dim Sum at Three Happiness, an insider’s secret 24 hour Dim Sum institution in Chicagoland.

Alas, Three Happiness was not open. Nor was most of Chinatown. By then it was 9:10 in the morning and most Dim Sum places don’t open until 10 or 10:30.

But I knew a secret!

IMPERIAL is a wonderful restaurant on the second floor of the Chinatown marketplace. It’s a little hard to find, but is a favorite of locals. What’s nice here is they don’t have Dim Sum steam carts, but rather everything is made ala carte to order. After breakfast at Barrio, and knowing I had a big day ahead, I only ordered a couple of items.

BBQ Pork Rice and Crepe Roll, plus a delicious order of Shrimp and Corn Dumplings. Total cost with tip: $13.42.

Back into the city and wandering around: the Bears were playing the Packers at noon at Soldier Field, so the fans were out and the tailgating was starting! Cornhole, beer, and music all around.

I found a nearby Peet’s Coffee and Tea for a few hours of work on the laptop.

From the Printer’s Row/South Downtown area I walked all the way up Michigan Avenue to see the sights. I love the Chicago Institute of Arts so much, but time was limited.

During the whole day the only transportation I took was the train from the airport to the city, and the quick jaunt down to Chinatown. Otherwise, it was all on foot and bike, at least ten miles or so. My feet are so sore!

Destination: Al’s #1 Italian Beef! Even after years of going to Chicago multiple times a year when Spencer lived there, I never made it to Al’s. Time to solve that problem.

I ordered it classic “Hot Beef, wet” meaning spicy peppers and the bun is dipped into the au jus before building the sandwich. This makes for great flavor but you have all of three or four minutes to eat it before it falls apart completely. Man, this was good! The French fries at Al’s #1 were equally fantastic, the best I’ve had since the State Fair.

POPS FOR CHAMPAGNE is still cranking, but I’ve always found them horribly expensive. Plus after the Hot Italian Beef I didn’t want to be burping all afternoon, so I kept walking.

TIME FOR EATALY! And also time for me to tell you what feels different there.

As many of you know, Eataly is one of my favorite destinations. It’s heaven for the lover of Italian wines and food. The marketplace along with all the restaurants have been consistently incredible, but this was the first time I’ve been back since the pandemic hit.

Things have changed at Eataly, as expected. You can see the impact of the labor shortage, and they have rearranged things quite a bit. The seafood and meat centered restaurants are not open, nor is the Birra beer garden. They are not serving wine by the glass in the wine shop area. Most of the restaurant area is now just the Pizza and Pasta concept, but strangely they don’t have the eat-at-the-bar area open.

And overall, things just felt kinda chaotic and messy. Bits of food on the floors. Abandoned glasses and cups around the space. Shelves not organized. Don’t get me wrong, I still had a blast, and it’s still a must-go destination, but it’s just different.

So I went downstairs to near the Gelateria to have a quick glass of wine, my first of the day.

That’s what a $15 “glass” of Gavi di Gavi looks like at Eataly.

My guess is that it’s about four ounces, maybe even three and half. The person at the counter poured it into a plastic cup even though she had stemware right in front of her. “Can I have it in a glass?”

“No, we’re using cups now.”

“But other people have stemware, they are walking around with it. Like that person,” as I pointed out someone three feet away.

“Oh they got that upstairs. We’re not doing stemware down here.”

Okay, whatever.

The downstairs area between the pasta station, the coffee station, and the gelato was PACKED. Chicago is enforcing mask wearing in all indoor spaces including restaurants (no admittance without a mask on), but masks are not required when eating and drinking, which is what EVERYONE was of course doing there.

So my covid anxiety kicked in, and I was mad about the price of a tiny cup of wine, so I drank it quick and got out of there after buying some pasta to take home for Spencer.

Time to walk it off. Time to head to a good wine bar.

Oh no!!! What happened to The Purple Pig wine bar! It’s now a Chik-Fil-A … what the hell is the world coming to?

My frustrations with Eataly were still simmering when I came across what used to be the location of one of the top wine bars in America. Cue the sad face.

Then I walked twenty steps further down the sidewalk …

Do I read that right?

The Purple Pig moved to new digs just across the way from the old location. They did this in December 2019, just ahead of covid hitting the US. The new location is laid out quite similar to the old, and as far as I can tell it’s the same tables, bar, and wall decorations. The main thing is a bit more elbow room (you couldn’t get tighter packed than you did at the old location), and a much larger kitchen. The energy is still the same, with the music blasting, and good (rich and filling) food being served.

I was still trying to sweat out my Hot Italian Beef sandwich, so I opted for a glass of wine. A nice white from Portugal. Look, it even came in a glass! How fancy!

If you take your cell phone camera out and scan this image, you’ll see their current wine list and menu.

Time to walk (and ride) off some of the day’s food and drink! I hoofed it to the Riverwalk, then sauntered in perfect weather to the lake.

By that time I my feet were screaming at me, so I picked up a Divvy Bike for a few miles.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day in the city, with loads of people out and about. The Grant Park area in particular was amazing at sunset, and I enjoyed about an hour of watching the kids at the skateboard park. My flight out was at 9:30pm, and I wasn’t opposed to getting to the airport early and just whipping out the laptop to work a bit, but why pass up time in Chicago?

Plus, I was feeling a bit stung by the costs of things at Eataly and Purple Pig. Maybe I’m just jaded after 18 months of not eating out, but the prices just kinda shocked me. Combined with the crowds, I was just not feeling what I wanted to from this trip.

I wanted one more stop. Maybe a bit more food.

Then I walked into one of my best travel wine moments … ever.

Aureilo’s Pizzeria is just off the corner of Roosevelt and Michigan Avenue, right where I happened to find myself after a couple hours at Grant Park and before hopping on the Orange Line back to the airport.

I wasn’t feeling like thick Chicago-style pizza (not after that afternoon sandwich!), but these guys offer a great thin crust and well as a “Lil” size six inch pie. Perfect.

Even better, the three people across the bar from me were WAY DRUNK. Just crazy shitfaced, laughing and swearing and being told by the bartenders and managers to keep it down. I love a good drunk show. Man they were loud! I should have shot a video but I was afraid they’d see me.

And then …

I’ve always said there is a bargain on every wine list. Sometimes “bargain” means an off the radar wine that simply delivers more than others. And other times “bargain” means BARGAIN.

Look at this. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc for $11 a glass. Coppola Claret for $11 a glass. Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio for $12 a glass. And Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon for TEN DOLLARS A GLASS!!!!

What the hell?

I looked at the rack and there is was, so I ordered it.

Opening a fresh bottle for me!

So what’s going on here? How in the world are they pouring a $60+ (retail) Cabernet for $10 a glass? Most steakhouses in Chicago charge well over $100 for this wine.

Who knows. I don’t know if they have mis-priced it, or if the fact that Duckhorn is now publicly traded and only works with mega-distributors that will do whatever it takes to show depletions (sales) has anything to do with it, but I’ll take it.

To the tune of three glasses while I watched a football game and the drunk people.

Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon with a Miller Lite coaster. This picture says it all.

And the pizza was awesome. Total bill with a generous tip: $48.12.

One final stop at a favorite donut shop, Stan’s, to have dessert. $2.46 for a glazed donut.

Mmmmmm … donuts.

Back on the Roosevelt stop for the Orange Line to head back to the airport.

Arrival back at MSP Terminal Two. Exhaustion was just starting to really set in.

And back in the car just after 11pm.

What a day!

WHAT MY ONE DAY CHICAGO ADVENTURE COST

Southwest Airlines, MSP to MID round trip: $114.72
Breakfast at Barrio in Terminal Two: $16.73
CTA one day pass for trains and buses: $5.00
Dim Sum at Imperial: $13.42
Tea at Peet’s Coffee, with tip: $4.00
Al’s #1 Italian Beef sandwich with fries: $14.35
Eataly, one tiny little plastic cup of wine: $16.77
Purple Pig, one glass of Portuguese white: $16.53
Divvy Bike rental: $3.80
Aurelio’s Pizza Chicago, with small pizza and three glasses of Duckhorn Cab: $48.12
Stan’s Donuts: $2.46
One beer at Midway Airport before flying home: $13.00 (yikes, don’t buy beer at airports!)
MSP one day parking: $19.00

GRAND TOTAL: $287.90

Plus, now I have two-for-one Southwest Airlines flights during January and February. Florida, Arizona, California, and maybe Hawaii, here we come!!

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