Four Emus 2004 White, Western Australia
Refreshing, crisp, with notes of grapefruit, gooseberries, and apricots. Bright, yet soft, this is a versatile wine for lighter fare. Pair it with fish, pasta, fowl, and seafood. A good value sporting a Stelvin closure. -BF $11
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Zenato Pinot Grigio, Veneto, Italy
Exceptional pinot grigio! According to a reliable source, Zenato Pinot Grigio is the best seller in the Winebow Portfolio. Considering Winebow imports millions of bottles of wine, that's an impressive title. There is a hint of pineapple on the fore-palate and as the wine develops in the mouth it offers up flavors of green apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The finish tastes like ripe peaches.
-BF $12
Bonnie Brae carries this wine.
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Spy Valley 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlbough, New Zealand
Kiwi sauvignon blancs are known for their biting acidity and pronounced citrus flavors. This example of New Zealand sauvignon blanc is very polished compared to its peers. There are prominent flavors of grapefruit on the palate, but they are soft and elegant. Hints of melon on the mid-palate. It still has good acidity, but is much more quaffable.
-BF $15
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German wines--Don't be intimidated by all those syllables
The German wine system is complicated and yet it is completely organized. Learn it once and you'll always be able to figure it out. In fact, once you learn the German way of categorizing wine, you'll consider it simple, compared to the likes of Bourgogne or Bordeaux. Germans name their wine according to the amount of sugar in the grapes when they're picked. This usually equates to measures of longer hang time.
     Germany, like many European countries, assigns quality in its wines by designating a table wine. Most wine available in the United States is either rated QbA or QmP. Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) means it is table wine. Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) means the wine has reached one of the six quality designations.
     Ripeness is the determining factor when it comes to categorizing a wine. Since Germany does not receive as much sun as other growing regions, the grapes can sometimes be slightly under ripe. Vintners leave a touch of grape juice unfermented, to cut the strong acidity. This grape juice is called residual sugar. Lower alcohol content is often a clue the wine has residual sugar. The only reason German wines are sweet is because they are too acidic.
Read more . . . .

Knipser 2005 Rose Cuvée
Very light orange in hue, light cherry dominates the nose. Produced with pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon grapes, the winemakers fashioned a savory (you’ll crave more) and elegant rose. Serve this with starters and anything lightly cooked, particularly seafood.
This wine is part of the Magellan Wine Imports portfolio. Read more Knipser reviews.
-MAM $22
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Schmitges Estate 2005 Grauschiefer Riesling Trocken
Grauschiefer means grey slate and refers to the vineyard, which provided the reisling grapes. Trocken means dry. Thus, a dry reisling exhibiting minerality: this offering possesses a mouth-watering quality. The nose is somewhat reminiscent of a chardonnay – a little buttery.
This wine is part of the Magellan Wine Imports portfolio. Read more Magellan reviews.
-MAM $16
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Batterieberg 2005 Detonation Riesling
An offering created for the American palate, which comes off more like a Sauvignon Blanc. Light fruit and mineral flavors mingle, accented by acid. The name Detonation refers to the vineyard, which was created in 1850 by blasting out the side of a mountain. A great story and a great label combined with a great price. Pair this with spicy or Asian foods. Bring it as a gift, it makes great conversation.
This wine is part of the Magellan Wine Imports portfolio. Read more Magellan reviews.
-MAM $14
Hampden Warehouse Liquormart carries this wine.
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Batterieberg 2004 Rotschiefer Riesling Trocken, Germany
Grown in red slate soil, mineral and citrus meet the nose. Apple and unripe peach strike the mid-palate and spice trails behind. Salty foods will find a compliment in this wine.
-MAM $20
This wine is part of the Magellan Wine Imports portfolio. Read more Magellan reviews.
Herritage Wine & Spirits carries this wine.
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Crush
In wine country, the locals call harvest "crush." Crush is the hectic, sleepless, sticky, backbreaking time of year from late summer until sometime after Thanksgiving. Crush is beyond harvest. Grapes have a very short shelf life if they are intended for wine and need be crushed within hours of being plucked from the vine. Picking the grapes ends one elaborate process, but starts another. I guess that's why it's called the wine industry and not the grape industry; it's called crush, not pick.
      During the build up to crush, there is a magical occurrence in the vineyards. Veraison occurs when the sugar in the roots, vines, and leaves, which performs the work of photosynthesis, moves to the grape berries. This movement of energy causes each grape berry to change color in a gradual, dramatic, and distinct manner. Many things can be determined by this extraordinary transformation of color. Seasoned winemakers read how the grapes change color to predict when picking should occur and the uniformity or lack thereof, determines the consistency of the cluster. Read more . . . .
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Snake River Zonker Stout, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Very dark, nearly opaque with a good firm head. There's a roasted, smoked quality about this beer that I just can't get enough of. The chocolate malt marries well with a good dose of espresso flavor. This is one of the best stouts on the market. Robust, creamy, smoky, with an underlying flavor of milk chocolate. Great balance between malty sweetness and bitter hops. It gets better and better as it warms up. I like to leave mine out for 30 minutes before opening it.
Serious Stout Drinkers Only!
-BF $8 a six pack
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Avery India Pale Ale, Boulder, Colorado
A little bit cloudy with an intense yellow color with a honey'ed nose. Dense malt flavor with citrus hopiness on the mid-palate. Its polished bitterness is a refreshing change of pace on the finish and it even offers a touch of creaminess. Smooth, well crafted, a well made IPA.
-BF $8 a six pack
Bonnie Brae and Corks carries this beer.
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Great American Beer Festival This year is the 25th anniversary of the Great American Beer Festival. The festival has grown exponentially from its roots. Last year nearly 30,000 people visited the Denver Convention Center to taste the best brews the US has to offer. A commemorative beer marks this silver anniversary. The recipe comes from festival founder Charlie Papazian and the beer, called '25th Year Beer' is brewed by Boulder Brewing. Look for the beer in local retail stores and at the Boulder Brewing table at the festival. For more information about the commemorative beer go to http://www.beertown.org/events/gabf/celebrate.htm To buy tickets go to http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/5b1mkx.
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