WINES OF THE TIMES - Kazimierz World Wine Bar

VINO ROJO “roses are red, violets are blue,
if you don’t like this wine list, oh well”
(I guess it’s true, there is no rhyme or reason to this thing)
’06 Avignonesi prugnolo gentile blend,
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy, half bottle………………….35
shared a bottle of this exquisite VNdM with Rich, our intrepid cellar master, across the street at Marcellinos;
this neighborhood has us a bit spoiled, as we’re walking distance from Marcellinos amazing housemade pasta,
fine French fare at Petite Maison, the Chi-Town vibe at Don & Charlie’s, farm-to-table next door at FnB,
old school barkeeps like George at Ciao & TR at Grotto, new wave mixologists such as Chris at Kaz &
Tyson at Casablanca, at this point I’m considering a move into the wine cellar myself (though it’s a bit nippy)
'10 Argyle pinot noir, Willamette, Oregon.......................................................................................36
’99 Bürklin-Wolf st laurent blend, estate, Pfalz, Germany............................................................36
’09 Demure cabernet sauvignon, D’Anbino Vineyard, Paso Robles..............................................36
’08 Hearst Ranch rhone blend, Three Sisters, Paso Robles............................................................37
when the producers of American Idol want to hire an American Winemaker, they turn to the one & only Adam LaZarre,
and if he’s not an actual American Idol, then John Wayne was really an expatriate French mime on extended holiday
(Adam also says that I’m his illegitimate father, which may be true, since winemaking skill typically skips a generation)
'06 Novy nebbiolo, Stolpman Vineyard, Ballard Canyon, Santa Ynez..........................................37
’06 Berger zweigelt, Haid Vineyard, Kremstal, Austria..................................................................37
’08 Domaine Chahut et Prodiges grolleau, Coup de Canon, Touraine, France............................37
’09 Hahn bordeaux blend, meritage, Central Coast........................................................................38
first of all, the Hahn wines are paragons of that elusive price-to-quality formula, particularly this all-five blend of
Bordeaux varietals (cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec, petit verdot); second, the Arizona rep for
Hahn is our good friend Bob Mauchmer (a moniker which he assures me is Norse for ‘ginger machismo’)
’07 Setzer zweigelt, Weinviertal, Austria..........................................................................................38
'09 Chateau Thivin gamay, Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France..................................................38
’08 Masseria Li Veli negroamaro, riserva, Salice Salentino, Salento, Apulia, Italy.....................38
’07 Les Palliéres grenache blend, Gigondas, Rhône, France, half bottle........................................39
why is this so freakishly terrific? is it the connection to the Brunier family of Vieux Télégraphe chateauneuf fame?
perhaps its the ridiculously ripe 2007 vintage in Rhône? maybe the addition of mourvèdre and clairette to the mix?
like I tell the crew, ours is not to question why, ours is but to pour and then pour some more of this crazy half bottle
’07 Pierce Ranch touriga nacional, San Antonio Valley, Monterey...............................................39
’06 Selby cabernet sauvignon, Sonoma..............................................................................................39
’10 Ridge zinfandel/kitchen sink blend, Three Valleys, Sonoma....................................................39
point one: Paul Draper and Ridge have enjoyed more consistent success for a longer time with California zin than anyone
point two: Ridge Prez Donn Reisen was a marketing genius, and he never sued me for using 'kitchen sink' as a descriptor
point three: very hinky blend of petite sirah, carignane, grenache, alicante bouschet and phenomenal aforementioned zin from
point four: equally hinky blend of Sonoma’s trio of wine-producing valleys; Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River
point is: at some point you should stop reading this drivel and start drinking, already
’06 Umathum zweigelt, Burgenland, Austria...................................................................................39
we liken this zweigelt to Uma Thurman, as, like her, it is an enticing exotic beauty, sort of pinot noir meets film noire
(and, for the record, my Best Actress Oscar pick for 2003, Uma Thurman, ‘Kill Bill Volume One’, unreal)
‘09 Dos Cabezas rhone/petite sirah blend, El Norte, Sonoita, Arizona.........................................39