Krua Thailand has become one of my favorite local restaurants since I was first inspired to go there my an article in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Since then, I probably end up there an average of 1-2 times/month. The restaurant holds many memories for me of good food, conversations, and experiences.
At any rate, last night's visit was lovely, as usual. Krua Thailand is located on University Avenue in St. Paul, MN just a few blocks east of Dale. If you don't know what you're looking for, there's a good chance you'd miss the spot. The space itself is small, but smells wonderful and feels cozy. The walls are lined with decorations, antiques, and framed articles and accolades. Despite all of the positive press the restaurant has received, I have never been there at a time when it was any more than 1/2 full.
The food is absolutely divine. I have been told by people who would know that it is the only place in Minnesota to get truly authentic Thai food. These people have also said it is possibly the best Thai food in the US. If one is going there for the first time, the pork sausage is an absolute must as an appetizer. It is handmade by the family and is indescribably good. The Pad Thai is the best anywhere, and if you're a person who normally doesn't like curries, have theirs, you will like it. After that, keep going back and go through the rest of the menu items. I have not had a disappointing dish there yet.
Service at Krua Thailand is generally slow and casual, but for a place like this it really doesn't matter. The restaurant isn't trying to be anything but casual. Go there enough, and the service is very sweet and personable.
Krua Thailand does not have a liquor license but is very accommodating if you wish to bring your own bottles. Corkage is between USD 3-4 (for the entire table, not per bottle!) depending on how many bottles you bring. I personally love bringing in my own wines when I go there for a meal. It is not only more cost effective but it is much easier to cater to a group's tastes. It also makes a casual night out with friends feel even more personal.
Last night was a special night, a friend and I made a date to have a bottle of 2005 Hartford Zinfandel that had been gifted to us by a generous acquaintance we made last time we were at Krua together. Below are the reviews of the wines we had.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Riesling (2005)
Most everyone is familiar with the Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling, it is a standard and was part of my "Value Wines" write-up. The Indian Wells line is simply a better Riesling, however normally a premium is charged. This wine happened to be on sale for US 10.99 at The Cellars Wines and Spirits in Roseville, MN. It normally sells for USD 18.99.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery is of course located in the Columbia Valley of Washington.
The nose is lightly floral with hints of sour apple. The body is tart and slightly astringent with melon at the tip of the tongue, more sour apple, and a long, pleasant, slightly nutty finish.
This is a better wine to pair with foods than the Columbia Valley, however I am not certain that I would be willing to pay full price for it when the Columbia Valley is regularly available for between USD 9-11. That said, it was a fantastic deal for the sale price and was perfect with spring rolls.
Hartford Zinfandel (2005)
This was the centerpiece wine of the meal. It was possibly the best red wine my companion or I had ever had. Hartford Family Winery is located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California.
The nose was quite rich with dark fruit flavors, mainly plum and black currant. The body was also very rich. Flavors were fruit forward, with plum and blackberry. There were lots of tannins, but they were very soft. There was also a bit of chocolate in the body and spicy notes of black pepper, clove, and tobacco. The body was generally rich and full, my companion likened it to the feel one gets eating a flour-less cake. The finish was long and pleasant, with reminders of the body and a hint of coffee.
I don't know how much this wine was since it was a gift and I have no intention of looking up how much it was. I will say this though - it is probably more than I would normally spend on a bottle of wine, but worth it for a special occasion. It paired wonderfully with beef in sweet peanut red curry and a fried tilapia.
Fritz Windisch Huxelrebe Beerenauslese (2003)
Our dessert wine for the evening was a lovely little Beerenauslese. Beerenauslese is a German wine designation meaning the grapes must be individually hand-picked and the must weight must meet a designated minimum. Grapes are generally affected by Noble Rot which leaves us with an intensely sweet and flavorful juice.
The nose was surprisingly generic for the complexity in the body. The body gave flavors of lychee, melon, nectarine, dried pineapple, and sweetness of pure cane sugar. The finish reminded one of golden raisins.
This wine has a very low acid content. If one was just having one glass it would be fine, more than one the wine ends up slightly cloying. For USD 17.99 (500 ml) at The Cellars Wines and Spirits in Roseville, MN this is a wine to be sharing among a few friends rather than splitting between 2 people. It is also a great price for a Beerenauslese as they often command very high prices.
Websites:
http://www.ste-michelle.com/indian_wells_riesling.cfm
http://www.hartfordwines.com/wines/zinfandel/
Showing posts with label Riesling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Riesling. Show all posts
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Value Wines
Enjoying wine should not be an expensive endeavor. However, finding decent wine for less than USD 10 is a bit difficult. Finding good wine for that price is even harder. There are plenty of choices if you're willing to spend a little bit of money and enough time tasting.
Always remember that wine pricing is capricious and that wine has a tendency to be a Veblen good.
I'm listing some of my value favorites. All of the wines below are very easy-drinking wines, good for both hobbyists and people who normally don't drink wine. Most of them are easy to pair with food and will also be fine on their own. They are listed in no particular order.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling (2005):
This Riesling is an excellent value and a perennial standard. One will find this offered in many restaurants and it is available at almost any liquor store. The Cellars Wines & Spirits in Roseville, MN currently has it on sale for USD 8.99. It is a very easy white with a bit of sweetness and nice neutral fruit notes. One will easily pick up a bit of apple, pear, peach, and cinnamon in the nose and body. The finish is crisp due to a bit of acidity.
Columbia Crest Two Vines Gewurztraminer (2006)
A good Gewurztraminer is a wonderful thing. A bad Gewurz is one of the most awful things in the world of wine. One should be very cautious with lower-priced Gewurztraminer. This one is USD 6.99 at Lakeridge Liquors in St. Paul, MN and is lovely. The nose has a slight sweet floral character and the body has nice flavors of lychee, mixed fresh fruits, and cloves. The finish is very fruity and refreshing.
Trader Joe's Wines
The following wines are available exclusively at Trader Joe's. They are very well priced because they are sold exclusively at Trader Joe's. All of the prices are from the Maple Grove, MN location.
Lacheteau Vouvray (2006)
The absolute hands-down value king of Chenin Blanc. Available for USD 6.99. This vintage seems to taste just below a demi-sec in residual sugar. There is enough acid to balance out the sugar and make it flexible to pair with various foods. The best pairings would be with spicy foods. The nose is not very complex, mainly apple and honey. The body gives one apple, lime, honey, and a bit of pineapple. The finish is a bit sweet but not cloying.
Black Mountain Pinot Noir (2005)
Due to the "Sideways effect" Pinot Noirs are now typically quite expensive and dare I say overpriced. This one is sold for USD 4.99 and is wonderful. There are definitely better Pinots available, but not for this price. The nose is quite generic, but the body has nice rich dark fruit flavors attached to it with very soft tannins. The finish is short and easy.
Schloss Biebrich Sekt (NV)
"NV" means non-vintage. This particular sparkler is quite nice. Available for USD 5.99, it is great before a meal. It is quite bubbly compared to other sparkling wines, but for whatever reason it still drinks quite easily. The nose is fresh, slightly floral and mineral. The body is just off-dry and will give a primary initial hint of apple-pear followed by the flowers and minerals again.
Charles Shaw Wines (from Trader Joe's)
Yes, "Two-Buck-Chuck". In Minnesota, it is "Three-Buck-Chuck". It makes no difference, there are some excellent wines to be had from Charles Shaw. Notice that I did not say excellent values, excellent wines - period. Don't knock this stuff until you have tried it. It is important to note that due to the high volume of Charles Shaw Wine, there may be quite a bit of bottle variation. All are priced at USD 2.99 in Minnesota.
Charles Shaw Chardonnay (2005)
This is the one you've read about. Double Gold Medal and Best Chardonnay from California at the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. Whether or not it was worthy of this award I do not know. What I do know is that I don't ordinarily like Chardonnays and I liked this one. The nose was very neutral, but the body was buttery, crisp, refreshingly citrusy, and has just enough oak to remind one it was a Chardonnay but not too much where it overpowered the flavor.
Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc (2006)
This is a nice easy choice if you want a Sauvignon Blanc but do not feel like paying the usual prices for other California or French Sauvignon Blancs. The nose is lightly floral and citrusy. The body is generically citrusy and dry with a hint of pineapple flavor. It finishes quickly, but pleasantly. There is a slight bit of grass in the body, but not enough to ruin it, especially for the price.
Charles Shaw Shiraz (2005)
This is a fine value red. Not very complex at all, but has a bit of dark fruit and some pepper and spice. It is quite simply a very easy drinking red that could go with just about anything you'd want to have a red wine with. I personally like this one with beef jerky. Don't bother asking for an explanation, it's just a nice way to finish an evening.
Websites:
http://www.ste-michelle.com/Sub_ColumbiaValleyVineyards.cfm
http://www.columbia-crest.com/wines_two.cfm
http://www.traderjoes.com/
Always remember that wine pricing is capricious and that wine has a tendency to be a Veblen good.
I'm listing some of my value favorites. All of the wines below are very easy-drinking wines, good for both hobbyists and people who normally don't drink wine. Most of them are easy to pair with food and will also be fine on their own. They are listed in no particular order.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling (2005):
This Riesling is an excellent value and a perennial standard. One will find this offered in many restaurants and it is available at almost any liquor store. The Cellars Wines & Spirits in Roseville, MN currently has it on sale for USD 8.99. It is a very easy white with a bit of sweetness and nice neutral fruit notes. One will easily pick up a bit of apple, pear, peach, and cinnamon in the nose and body. The finish is crisp due to a bit of acidity.
Columbia Crest Two Vines Gewurztraminer (2006)
A good Gewurztraminer is a wonderful thing. A bad Gewurz is one of the most awful things in the world of wine. One should be very cautious with lower-priced Gewurztraminer. This one is USD 6.99 at Lakeridge Liquors in St. Paul, MN and is lovely. The nose has a slight sweet floral character and the body has nice flavors of lychee, mixed fresh fruits, and cloves. The finish is very fruity and refreshing.
Trader Joe's Wines
The following wines are available exclusively at Trader Joe's. They are very well priced because they are sold exclusively at Trader Joe's. All of the prices are from the Maple Grove, MN location.
Lacheteau Vouvray (2006)
The absolute hands-down value king of Chenin Blanc. Available for USD 6.99. This vintage seems to taste just below a demi-sec in residual sugar. There is enough acid to balance out the sugar and make it flexible to pair with various foods. The best pairings would be with spicy foods. The nose is not very complex, mainly apple and honey. The body gives one apple, lime, honey, and a bit of pineapple. The finish is a bit sweet but not cloying.
Black Mountain Pinot Noir (2005)
Due to the "Sideways effect" Pinot Noirs are now typically quite expensive and dare I say overpriced. This one is sold for USD 4.99 and is wonderful. There are definitely better Pinots available, but not for this price. The nose is quite generic, but the body has nice rich dark fruit flavors attached to it with very soft tannins. The finish is short and easy.
Schloss Biebrich Sekt (NV)
"NV" means non-vintage. This particular sparkler is quite nice. Available for USD 5.99, it is great before a meal. It is quite bubbly compared to other sparkling wines, but for whatever reason it still drinks quite easily. The nose is fresh, slightly floral and mineral. The body is just off-dry and will give a primary initial hint of apple-pear followed by the flowers and minerals again.
Charles Shaw Wines (from Trader Joe's)
Yes, "Two-Buck-Chuck". In Minnesota, it is "Three-Buck-Chuck". It makes no difference, there are some excellent wines to be had from Charles Shaw. Notice that I did not say excellent values, excellent wines - period. Don't knock this stuff until you have tried it. It is important to note that due to the high volume of Charles Shaw Wine, there may be quite a bit of bottle variation. All are priced at USD 2.99 in Minnesota.
Charles Shaw Chardonnay (2005)
This is the one you've read about. Double Gold Medal and Best Chardonnay from California at the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. Whether or not it was worthy of this award I do not know. What I do know is that I don't ordinarily like Chardonnays and I liked this one. The nose was very neutral, but the body was buttery, crisp, refreshingly citrusy, and has just enough oak to remind one it was a Chardonnay but not too much where it overpowered the flavor.
Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc (2006)
This is a nice easy choice if you want a Sauvignon Blanc but do not feel like paying the usual prices for other California or French Sauvignon Blancs. The nose is lightly floral and citrusy. The body is generically citrusy and dry with a hint of pineapple flavor. It finishes quickly, but pleasantly. There is a slight bit of grass in the body, but not enough to ruin it, especially for the price.
Charles Shaw Shiraz (2005)
This is a fine value red. Not very complex at all, but has a bit of dark fruit and some pepper and spice. It is quite simply a very easy drinking red that could go with just about anything you'd want to have a red wine with. I personally like this one with beef jerky. Don't bother asking for an explanation, it's just a nice way to finish an evening.
Websites:
http://www.ste-michelle.com/Sub_ColumbiaValleyVineyards.cfm
http://www.columbia-crest.com/wines_two.cfm
http://www.traderjoes.com/
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