The first selection takes us to a little known corner of the Bordeaux region in France. More specifically, to the tiny little village of Cadillac. Located on the right bank of the Garonne River, Cadillac is one of just three sweet wine producing areas (Loupiac and St.-Croix-du-Mont are the others) in this region. By far, Cadillac produces much less wine than their sweet wine making neighbors (20 percent as much as Loupiac, 10 percent as much as St.-Croix-du-Mont) and is not very well known as a result. The regulations in the Cadillac AOC state that the wine must be made from botrytized grapes harvested in successive tries. The grape varieties used in Cadillac are identical to those used in the famed Sauternes region - Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. You could, and should, think of Cadillac as poor man's Sauternes - an excellent substitute with the same ingredients but without the hefty price tag (and the pedigree, but who cares). I'm willing to bet that nine times out of ten you could fool your wine loving pals with a Cadillac in a blind tasting format. The second selection takes us to the other side of the world, into the suburbs of Rochester, N.Y. - home of Casa Larga Vineyards. The pride and joy of Casa Larga is their award-winning Ice Wine - Fiori Delle Stele ("flowers of the stars" in Italian). This is the real thing, handmade with the traditional German techniques - it is NOT produced using artificially frozen grapes. Fiori Delle Stelle is made from 100 percent Vidal grapes and was recently awarded Best US Unfortified Dessert Wine at the Atlanta Summit International Wine Competition. The grapes for Fiori Delle Stelle are harvested and pressed while still frozen, producing a highly concentrated nectar, which is fermented into a rich and beautiful dessert wine. Although this wine can be dessert all by itself, it is a must try with a platter of Maytag Blue Cheese, chopped walnuts and dried fruit. For more information on this amazing wine, point your browser to http://www.casalarga.com. TASTING NOTES - hey, give me a break - I'm not Robert Parker, Jr.! 1998 Chateau Labatut-Bouchard [Appelation Cadillac Controlee]: golden straw color, nose is full of honey, peaches and apricots. Rich and lush on the palate, well balanced with a nice finish of tart fruit and shade of almond? This is a dead ringer for real Sauternes at a fraction of the cost ($9.99/750ml), if you can find it. 1999 Casa Larga Fiori Delle Stelle Ice Wine [Finger Lakes - New York]: beautiful golden amber color. Nose is full of fresh peach, apricot, pineapple and a touch of honey. Totally mouth filling, loads of flavor fill the palate with elegance and finesse. Wonderfully rich but not that cloying, sticky feeling. This is liquid silk and a must try. Approximate retail is $20-25 and it's authentic - not made from artificially frozen grapes! That's it, finally! Thanks for the visit. That also brings us to the close of 2001. Stay tuned for next year - The Brat In The Cellar is getting serious in 2002 and will be publishing at least once/month. Several surprises are in store, so please remember to check back on a regular basis. As always, please feel free to write me at cellarbrat1@yahoo.com with your comments, questions and suggestions. Everyone gets a reply! All feedback is welcomed and appreciated. See ya next time from the cellar, and remember wine is more fun than you think. Gunerman writes "The Brat In The Cellar" monthly for the Rochester, NY chapter of Wine Brats. The column is featured on Robin Garr's WineLoverPage.com and mirrored at www.BratintheCellar.com. Wine Brats is a national non-profit organization based in California. They are an active group of adult wine enthusiasts who are mostly young in age but absolutely young at heart. Wine Brats enjoy sharing their passion for wine with their peers and take pride in breaking down the cultural walls that for too long have mystified this beautiful beverage. Ultimately, as a non-profit organization, the Brats' purpose is to attract a whole new generation of adults to the wonders of life with wine. For more information, visit the national site at www.winebrats.org/. Dec. 21, 2001
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