5418 St Croix Trail
North Branch, Minnesota 55056
651-317-2100
Guelbenzu "Evo" Red Wine Add
Osborne 'Solaz' Tempranillo-Cabernet Add
Dow's LBV Port Add
Wines are recomendations only and may not be carried by this store.

Guelbenzu "Evo" Red Wine

Attributes:
Producer:

Bodegas Guelbenzu
Region:

Spain
Varietal:

Dry Red Table Wine
Bottle Size:

750 ML

2005: WineAdvocate Rating: 91
Flavors:

black currant, blackberry, mineral, oak, spice box, tobacco

2004: Tanzer Rating: 89
Complexity:

deep, focused, rich
Flavors:

berry, cherry, herbs, pepper, plum, spicy
Fruit:

sweet

2004: WineAdvocate Rating: 89
Body:

medium-bodied
Flavors:

oak, spice box
Texture:

silky

2004: WineAdvocate Rating: 91
Fruit:

ripe

2003: WineAdvocate Rating: 87
Complexity:

deep
Compliments:

well-made
Flavors:

cherry, currant, earth, spicy

2003: Tanzer Rating: 89

2002: Tanzer Rating: 87
Acidity:

soft
Complexity:

suave
Flavors:

currant, flowers, herbs, licorice, peppery, tobacco

2002: WineAdvocate Rating: 87
Texture:

silky, smooth

Food Matches:
Cheese: Aged Cheddar, Goat Cheese, Sharp Cheddar, Soft Pungent Cheese
Fruits & Nuts: Almonds, Dates, Figs & Raisins, Hazelnuts
Herbs & Spices: Cilantro, Coriander, Cinnamon, Cumin, Saffron
Poultry & Eggs: Coq Au Vin, Roast Chicken with Herbs, Roast Turkey
Red Meat: Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Beef Stew, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Ham, Spicy Sausage, Wild Game - Elk, Caribou, Moose, Venison
Vegetables: Artichokes, Beans, Green, Beans, White, Carrots, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Gazpacho, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Peppers, Swiss chard or Kale, Tomato, Vegetable Gratin or Stew, White Aspargus with Mustard Vinagrette

Spain:

This mountainous country possesses more vineyard land than any other country on earth, and ranks third in wine production after France and Italy. Spain is best known for its red Riojas and its Sherries, however other wines and regions are quickly gaining notoriety. Like France, Spain divides wine into categories; table wine at the bottom level and quality wine at the top, with a large emphasis on geographical origin. VdM (Vino de Mesa) is a basic table wine. VC (Vino Comarcal) wines are a level up. VdlT (Vino de la Tierra) refers to one of the country’s 25 distinct regions, and each wine possesses a local character. At the top level, only about fifty wines are considered DO (Denominacion de Origen). These wines come from the best-known regions and are the equivalent of France’s Appellation Contrôlée. DOC (Denominacion de Origen Calificada) is reserved for wines that adhere to the most stringent regulations. So far, Rioja is the only wine to gain the Calificada classification.

Osborne 'Solaz' Tempranillo-Cabernet

Attributes:
Producer:

Osborne
Region:

Spain
Varietal:

Proprietary Blend - Red
Bottle Size:

1.5 L

2003: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86
Compliments:

pleasant

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 87
Complexity:

rich
Flavors:

cherry
Fruit:

good fruit

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 85
Acidity:

soft
Complexity:

deep
Compliments:

tasty
Flavors:

plummy, ripe cherry, spice

1999: WineAdvocate Rating: 87
Body:

medium-bodied
Complexity:

deep, supple
Flavors:

berry, cherries, earth

1999: WineEnthusiast Rating: 82
Acidity:

tart
Body:

lean
Fruit:

sweet

Food Matches:
Cheese: Aged Cheddar, Goat Cheese, Sharp Cheddar, Soft Pungent Cheese
Fruits & Nuts: Almonds, Dates, Figs & Raisins, Hazelnuts
Herbs & Spices: Cilantro, Coriander, Cinnamon, Cumin, Saffron
Poultry & Eggs: Coq Au Vin, Roast Chicken with Herbs, Roast Turkey
Red Meat: Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Beef Stew, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Ham, Spicy Sausage, Wild Game - Elk, Caribou, Moose, Venison
Vegetables: Artichokes, Beans, Green, Beans, White, Carrots, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Gazpacho, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Peppers, Swiss chard or Kale, Tomato, Vegetable Gratin or Stew, White Aspargus with Mustard Vinagrette

Spain:

This mountainous country possesses more vineyard land than any other country on earth, and ranks third in wine production after France and Italy. Spain is best known for its red Riojas and its Sherries, however other wines and regions are quickly gaining notoriety. Like France, Spain divides wine into categories; table wine at the bottom level and quality wine at the top, with a large emphasis on geographical origin. VdM (Vino de Mesa) is a basic table wine. VC (Vino Comarcal) wines are a level up. VdlT (Vino de la Tierra) refers to one of the country’s 25 distinct regions, and each wine possesses a local character. At the top level, only about fifty wines are considered DO (Denominacion de Origen). These wines come from the best-known regions and are the equivalent of France’s Appellation Contrôlée. DOC (Denominacion de Origen Calificada) is reserved for wines that adhere to the most stringent regulations. So far, Rioja is the only wine to gain the Calificada classification.

Dow's LBV Port

Attributes:
Producer:

Dow's
Region:

Portugal, Other
Varietal:

Late Bottled Vintage Port
Bottle Size:

750 ML

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 91
Flavors:

plum, raisins
Fruit:

concentrated

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 89
Flavors:

chocolate, spice
Fruit:

ripe

1997: WineEnthusiast Rating: 89
Flavors:

black cherry, plum
Fruit:

fruity

1996: WineEnthusiast Rating: 90
Acidity:

fresh
Flavors:

berry

1995: WineSpectator Rating: 82
Body:

medium body
Flavors:

berry, cherry

1994: WineSpectator Rating: 83
Aromas:

floral
Body:

medium-bodied
Complexity:

rustic
Flavors:

earth, grapey, violet

1994: Tastings Rating: 91
Body:

full-bodied
Complexity:

complex, deep, rich, supple
Compliments:

powerful
Flavors:

chocolate
Fruit:

sweet

1992: Tastings Rating: 81
Acidity:

bright
Aromas:

floral
Body:

medium body
Flavors:

plum

Food Matches:
Cheese: Blue Cheese
Desserts: Bread Pudding, Cakes, Chocolate, Chocolate Cake, Pecan Pie
Fruits & Nuts: Plums, Walnuts

Portugal:

Well known for its Port and Vinho Verde wines, Portugal is one of Europe’s leading wine producing countries. It competes closely with Germany for the position of fourth largest wine producer in Europe. Portugal is also the worlds leading producer of cork. Single-handedly it accounts for nearly 70 percent of the worlds commercially traded cork supply.


Late Bottled Vintage Port:

Late Bottle Vintage Port (LBV) is a fortified Portuguese wine, representing port from a single vintage, aged in barrels for 4-6 years and then bottled. Representing good quality wines from good years, the extra years of barrel aging mature the wine more quickly without the decade-long bottle aging. Generally not as substantial as Vintage Ports, some LBVs are fined and filtered prior to bottling while others are not and will require decanting. (See PORT for more information on the region and fortification process.)

Warm French Bread Pudding

Rated

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup superfine sugar
6 eggs
1-3/4 cups milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 cups cubed sourdough French bread
1 1/2 cups dried fruit, cubed
1/2 cup maple syrup

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the milk, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The mixture will look grainy.

Add the bread cubes and the fruit to the mixture, toss, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.

Remove the pudding from the oven and drizzle with the maple syrup. Serve hot or warm.

Yield

Serves 8

Cook Time

Prep Time: 30 mins.
Cook Time: 50 mins.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition information is provided as a resource. Values will vary depending on specific ingredients used.
Serving Size: 1
Number of Servings: Serves 8
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 495 Calories from Fat: 126
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*  
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*  
Total Fat 14.05g
21%  
Carbohydrates 85.33g
28%  
Dietary Fiber 2.92g
11%  
Saturated Fat 7.91g
39%  
Calories 494.59kcal
24%  
Cholesterol 31.25mg
10%  
Protein 7.65g
12%  
Sodium 468.56mg
19%  
Calcium
1%  
Iron
3%  
Vitamin A
9%  
Vitamin C
36%  
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.