The Coast News (Page 1)

B10 THE COAST NEWS
DEC. 16, 2011
Wine Spectator names the most exciting wines of 2011
FRANK
MANGIO
Taste of Wine
Each year Wine
Spectator, the most respected
wine publication in the world,
compiles the top 100 wines
reviewed the past 12 months.
They were selected from some
16,000 new releases that were
blind tasted and placed into a
100 point scale according to:
quality (the wine’s score),
value (the price), availability
(cases produced) and what
they call the “X Factor” or
excitement level.
In this year’s list, 12 countries
were represented, with
the average wine score of 93
on the 100-point scale. The
average cost per bottle was
$44.
Before we list the top ten
(my editors would balk at giving
me two pages for the top
100), a couple of interesting
points. Aside from California,
which had 28 in the top 100,
Italy came in 2nd with 20,
ahead of the 3rd most popular,
France. The most popular
grape varietal was Cabernet
Sauvignon in a tie with Pinot
Noir. What wasn’t clear but
was clearly evident was the
performance of Sangiovese,
the signature wine of Tuscany,
the wine capital of Italy.
Tuscany had 10 in the top 100.
a victory for the wineries that
bottle Sangiovese and its premium
clone, Brunello.
I also want to note that
the annual TASTE OF WINE
Top Ten Tastes will publish the
week of Jan. 1. We continue to
search for the very best wines
for the dollar and will continue
to so until the deadline of
Dec. 25.
Wine Spectator’s Top
Ten:
1 — Kosta Browne Pinot
Noir Sonoma 2009. $52.
2 — Kathryn Hall
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Valley, 2008. $90.
3 — Domaine Huet Loire
Valley France, 2009. $69.
4 — Campogiovanni
Brunello Di Montalcino, 2006.
$50.
5 — Dehlinger Pinot Noir
Sonoma, 2008. $50.
6 — Baer Ursa Blend
Columbia Valley Washington,
2008. $35.
7 — Quinta do Vallado
Touriga Douro Portugal, 2008.
$55.
8 — Domenico Clerico
Barolo Italy, 2006. $90.
9 — Alain Graillot Crozes-
Hermitage Syrah Rhone
France, 2009. $55.
10 — Chateu de St-Cosme
Gigondas Grenache France,
2009. $58.
Vigilucci’s Piemonte-
Inspired White Truffle
Dinner
When the world’s leading
producer of Italian Barolo
Wines comes to San Diego
County, that’s Beni di Batasiolo,
it chooses the leading Italian
Restaurant Group, and that’s
Vigilucci’s. This night was special
since all menu offerings
were laced with truffle mushrooms.
These elusive delicacies
are at times priced up to $500
per truffle.
The white, or as the
Italians call them “Tarufi”
Truffles, are the gourmet
sought-after treasures in
Northern Italy that are served
shaved.
Vigilucci’s expertly presented
them in dishes such as:
Asparagus with Cauliflower
Soup, Fettuccine Pasta with
Poached Egg,and a grilled Filet
Mignon with Polenta.
The wine to match the
steak was the Barolo Riserva
Batasiolo DOCG 2004. This
wine is made from the
Nebbiolo grape grown on the
hills of Serralunga d’Alba in
the Barolo District of
Piemonte, Italy. It’s aged in oak
for 3 years followed by a minimum
2 years in bottle prior to
release ($64). Batasiolo also
makes Barbera and Dolcetto,
Stefano Poggi of Beni di Batasiolo, tastes the Barolo Reserva 2004,
before serving at Vigilucci’s in Carlsbad. Photo by Frank Mangio
among others. See their story
at batasiolo.com.
Wine Bytes
Bel Vino Winery, formerly
E’LOUISE
ONDASH
Hit the Road
Egypt has its pyramids,
London the Crown Jewels, and
Paris the Louvre,but Cleveland
has the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame.
And while there are no
Mona Lisas or priceless tomb
treasures, Rock Hall’s riches
include Elvis’ purple 1975
Lincoln Continental Mark IV;
the outfit Bruce Springsteen
wore on the cover of his “Born
in the U.S.A.” album; Lead
Belly’s 12-string Stella acoustic
guitar; and (ta da!) Madonna’s
“Like a Virgin” bustier.
These are only a few of the
Stuart Cellars in Temecula,
has a Jingle and Mingle
Holiday Party Dec. 16 from 6
to 9 p.m. Live entertainment,
appetizers, wines and ports
relics and artifacts you’ll see at
this architecturally stunning
Cleveland icon that sits on
Lake Erie’s shore.
Even if there were nothing
in it, the building itself could
stand on its own. Designed by
internationally renowned
architect I.M.Pei,the Rock Hall
is reminiscent of the Louvre,
and no wonder; Pei designed
that, too. The Rock Hall’s 162foot
rectangular tower supports
a Louvre-like pyramid that
opens onto a 65,000-square-foot
plaza. The melding of several
geometric shapes gives the
complex a different look from
every angle.
The open, expansive,
industrial-like interior is no less
stunning.
Its criss-cross maze of
pipes, chrome, glass and cantilevered
spaces is downright
will be served with ice cream.
$30. Call (951) 676-6414.
Holiday Wine Cellar in
Escondido presents their
annual Holiday Grand Tasting
Dec. 17 from 3 to 6 p.m. Over
100 wines will be spotlighted.
Advance purchase of $30. Call
(760) 745-1200.
Wines from Tuscany are
being served at Bacchus downtown
San Diego Dec. 16 from 4
to 8:30 p.m., including some
Brunellos and Chianti
Classicos. Cost is $25. Find
out more at (619) 236-0005.
North County Wine
Company in San Marcos opens
up Wines That Make Great
Gifts on Dec. 16, between 4 to
10 p.m. $15. Call (760) 744-
2119 for details.
Orfila Winery in
Escondido celebrates with
Holiday in the Vines, with
music, entertainment, wine
and food, Dec. 18 from 6 to 9
p.m. Classic rock and classic
holiday songs from the
Aftershock Seven. RSVP at
(760) 738-6500 ext. 20.
Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur
certified by Wine Spectator.
His library can be viewed at www.tasteofwinetv.com.
(Average Google certified
900 visits per day) He is one of the top
five wine commentators on the Web.
Reach him at mangiompc@aol.com.
Egypt may have its pyramids,
but Cleveland can claim the Hall
dizzying. Warning: If you don’t
like heights, close your eyes on
your way up the escalators, but
if you do, you’ll miss the collection
of crazy colored, East
German Trabant cars from U2’s
Zoo TV Tour suspended from
the ceiling like so many giant
ornaments.
And yes, that’s a giant hot
dog hanging there, too. The 15foot
flying frankfurter was used
as a prop by the band Phish.
The quartet climbed aboard
during a 1999 New Year’s Eve
performance on the Big
Cypress Seminole Indian
Reservation in Florida.
If you can tear yourself
away from the lobby, you’ll find
seven levels of exhibition space
that includes both permanent
and traveling exhibits,each one
more fascinating than the
other. On the day we visited, we
spent more than six hours at
the Rock Hall and didn’t see it
all.
Some advice: There are
several theaters within the
Rock Hall, but start on Level 3,
where a multi-media production
introduces visitors to all of
the inductees.
E’Louise Ondash is a freelance writer living
in North County. Tell her about your
travels at eondash@coastnewsgroup.com.