Posts filed under ‘Country’
Where’s Gina? … Visiting Vinchio & Vaglio Serrra
Gina is on her spring tour (Premier Vineyard Tours), taking a group of lucky Seattle travelers on a wine tour of Piedmont, in northwest Italy. Today we got notes from the road on her visit to the wine cooperative for the towns of Vinchio & Vaglio Serra near Asti:
Vineyards of Vaglio Serra; you can see the village of Vinchio (with the tower) in the distance to the left.
The two villages are right next to each other. See the signs on the road.
The winery (the building on the left) is the original whole winery from 1959.
The tasting room is really cool. Best part is you can bring your 32lt or 54lt bottle and “fill up” at their clever pumps… See next two photos:
Price is around 1,50-2,50€ per liter! Winemaker, Massimo, next:
He’s been the interior winemaker since 1981.
Above is their impressive bottling room. Everything is state of the art. My favorite was their robot:
Robot is programmed to do many things; one was sorting bottles after bottling into boxes.
This is the cellar. Mostly Slovenian oak with a little French oak for the Barbara d’Asti like the I Tre Vescovi (which we sell at Portalis!)
Here’s Emiliano (who visited Portalis on his last trip to Seattle). He gave us the tour. He’s pictured here in front of 3 presses. This one is used for single vineyard wines.
Now THAT’s a racking system, for your information! The pallets move back and forth on the rack.
Emiliano did an awesome job! We all enjoyed it very much, and so interesting. We will definitely bring people here in future. Coolest thing…
This co-op was the first winery in northern Italy to go totally solar. Panels are on top of this building. You can see on the sign in front how much energy is being produced. They run totally on solar power! Also, they are biodynamic.
And yes, here is one more of Emiliano giving us an awesome tasting of their Brut Spumante Pinot Noir/Chardonnay & Brachetto Brut.
He’s also sending some vino back to Seattle, including this high-end Barbera ~ only 3000 bottles produced. Two vintages got Tre Bicchiere, including the 2005 which won them Winery of the Year in Italy.
Heading to town for salumi & fromaggio … Ciao from Italia!
Gina
If you’d like to learn more about joining Gina on one of these wine excursions, go to: http://www.premiervineyardtours.com/
Wines from the co-op of Vinchio & Vaglio Serra available at:
Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar
5205 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle WA 98107
206-783-2007
www.portaliswines.com
Demystifying Côtes-du-Rhône
The Rhône Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in France, and one of the most complicated. It is located in between Provence (to the south) and Burgundy (to the north) just west of the Alps. The northern Rhône usually produces single varietal wines whereas the southern Rhône generally produces blends. So, what makes it so complex? The classification process.
First off: what wine is classified as just “Côtes-du-Rhône”? Côtes-du-Rhône wines are the most basic wines of the Rhône region. There are white, red, and rose wines from the Rhône. Most reds/rose wines are made using grenache, syrah, mouvèdre, and cinsaut (it can vary) and most whites are made from the roussane, marsanne, vigonier, grenache blanc or clarette grapes.
So… what technically is the region of Côtes-du-Rhône Villages? Côtes-du-Rhône-villages is an additional AOC region INSIDE of the Côtes-du-Rhône region.
Ok, that must make Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages as the top wine AOC in that area then, right? -WRONG, in addition to the label of ‘Villages’, there are several communes in the AOC region that are allowed to label the wine with their additional local appellation, these appellations are called the ‘Crus’ of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages. There are only 18 named villages out of the 95 communes that make up the Côtes-du-Rhône region. Within these 18 named villages, there are 15 “Crus” villages.
Here’s a list of all the recognized Crus: Beaumes-de-Venise, Chateau Grillet, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Condrieu, Cornas, Cote-Rotie, Crozes Hermitage, Gigondas, Hermitage, Lirac, Rasteau, Saint Joseph, Saint Peray, Tavel, Vaqueryas, Vinsobles.
And of course the most important question: what Côtes-du-Rhône/Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages do Portalis carry?
Domaine Clavel 2007 Syrius Côtes du Rhône Villages St. Gervais
Regular: $19.99 | Insider: $17.99 | Mixed Case: $15.99
Andrieux & Fils 2007 Gigondas
Regular: $27.99| Insider: $25.99 | Mixed Case: $22.39
Domaine de la Vieille Ferme de l’Eoune 2009 Rasteau
Regular: $19.99 | Insider: $17.99 | Mixed Case: $15.99
Le Gravillas 2009 Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône Villages
Regular: $17.99 Insider: $15.99 |Mixed Case: $14.39
Domaine De Marcoux 2009 Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Regular: $84.99 | Mixed Case: $67.99
Cheers!
Kyle
A Conversation with Lobo Hills
I had the opportunity to sit down with local winemaker (and motorcycle aficionado) Tony Dollar and ask him a few questions about his winery, Lobo Hills. Prior to winemaking, Tony had worked in the hospitality/restaurant industry at such places as Canlis. His opening venture into wine was in the winter of 2010 with three wines totaling 234 cases; 2009 Riesling, 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, and a non-vintage Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Lobo Hills aims to produce almost 1,200 cases thanks to the created fan-base in and around Seattle for their wines.
The aim of Lobo Hills wine is to produce ‘wine for food’, in other words balanced and acidic wines that are drinkable throughout a meal. The winery itself is based out of the Dollars’ home in the Wedgewood neighborhood in North Seattle, and uses minimal intervention in its production techniques. Tony sources his grapes from throughout Eastern Washington: white varietals from around the town of Sunnyside, red varietals from near Benton City, the Red Mountain AVA region, and Wahluke Slope.
Since Lobo Hills wine is made with food in mind, I asked Tony what his favorite food pairings were for the vintages carried here at Portalis:
Right Bank Red Blend: Beef stew, or roasted Portobello mushrooms
Cabernet Sauvignon: Beef Tenderloin
Riesling: Grilled Pork medallions or Lemon roasted chicken
Look for new vintages to arrive in April (among them being a new to the market white blend!)
Cheers!
Kyle
Viva Italia! Announcing the Launch of Premier Vineyard Tours’ 2012 Season!
Photo © Red Box Pictures
Premier Vineyard Tours was founded in 2009 by one of our esteemed Portalis colleagues Gina Gregory as a way to directly connect the consumer with the producer. Gina began this company with the hope that it would bring people closer to a passionate appreciation for Italian wines, as travelling throughout Italy had done for her. A Premier Vineyard Tour introduces an exclusive and unique experience to directly connect with many family-run vineyards in different regions throughout Italy. Not only is there the chance to meet producers, but the opportunity to experience the harvest, and of course there are many opportunities to enjoy the final products!
Photo © Red Box Pictures
Now in its fourth year, Premier Vineyard Tours is excited to announce its voyage tour into Piedmont! The tour begins in late May, and will include the famous areas of Barolo, Asti, Barbaresco, Alba & Dogliani. Expect to learn the culture by way of your stomach! This region is not only known for wonderful wines, but also for its lovely truffles! More information and pricing are available on their website here.
Photo © Red Box Pictures
So, what specifically might this fabulous tour include? Experiencing how Barbaresco & Barolo wines are made, eating at Michelin star restaurants surrounded by quintessential examples of rolling vineyard hills and ancient churches, having renowned Italian chefs teaching cooking classes on typically Piedmontese cuisine, and most importantly: many, many wine tastings!
As this tour is close to filling, the next upcoming 2012 tour is headed for another Italian wine region; Tuscany! Expect to visit the picturesque communes of Chianti, Montalcino, and San Gimignano. Many of the vineyards here date back hundreds of years (if not more) and several of the sample itinerary sites mentioned dinners in medieval townships dating back to the 14th century! Expect tours of wineries, tastings galore, and a Tuscan cooking class!
Photo © Red Box Pictures
You can read more about Gina & see past tour photos on the Premier Vineyard Tour website.
Photo © Red Box Pictures
Cheers! Gina
Brachetto, the sparkly red jewel from Piedmont
Vineyards in the Italian wine region of Brachetto d’Acqui in Piedmont by italo losero
Brachetto does not get enough press here in the US. That could be because it does seem a bit off-putting to the unknowing customer. Brachetto is a sweet, sparkling, RED, wine. It’s served chilled and is low in alcohol. Yes, it does sound a bit like a teenage cocktail, but it is in fact quite delicious.
Brachetto is very rare because it is made exclusively in Piedmont, Italy. It is produced using the ‘secondary fermentation’ method that is also used when making other sparkling wines like Asti Spumate. Yeast and sugar is added to the bottle along with the base wine (pressed juice), and allowed to ferment. The trapped carbon dioxide that normally is released during fermentation is trapped and bubbles are produced.
The Brachetto we import from the Co-operative Vincho & Vaglio Serra has intense raspberry flavors, a musky bouquet, but is still quite light. It’s a perfect celebratory sparkler as it stands out against the usual array of traditional bubbles.
I introduced Brachetto to my family this past Christmas, and it was well received by all 5 extremely opinionated members. It is very easily drinkable, aromatic, and has rich honey undertones.
This is not only a great holiday bottle, but would also be greatly received on Valentine’s Day. Who wouldn’t want their sweetheart to surprise them with a beautiful red sparkler? Great to sip or with a special dessert. Try it with a fruit tart, wild berries, hazelnut cake or a chocolate soufflé.
Cheers,
Kyle
A Little Bit about Syrah & Shiraz
Warner Vineyard Shiraz, Giaconda Winery, Beachworth, Victoria
First of all, this is the same grape – a dark grape with thick skin that needs a lot of heat to ripen. It just has a different name, depending on where the grape is grown, but because of the impact of the land, weather, altitude, soil & winemaking style of where the grape is grown, the use of Syrah or Shiraz has become indicative of the style of wine you will get.
It’s unclear where the grape originates, but it was first cultivated in France’s Rhône Valley. Red wines from the Northern Rhône (Hermitage, Côtes Rôtie, St. Joseph & more) are mainly (up to 100%) Syrah (with up to 5% Viognier “to make things more interesting” Jens says). They tend to be higher-end, require aging (due to the level of tannins) and are known for flavors of dark fruit, black olives and a notable gaminess. We don’t carry many Northern Rhône wines are they tend to be pricy and not easily accessible, but if you get the urge to try them out, they are wonderful, lesser-known examples French Syrah.
The vineyards of E. Guigal, Côte-Rôtie, Northern Rhône
Reds from the Southern Rhône also have Syrah, but as a blend of Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Cinsault. These wines are more accessible, a little juicier but still with a lovely, soft earthy spiciness, building from a nice, $12 straight-forward, bottle of Côtes du Rhône to a big, fuller-bodied, old world style Chateauneuf, which is full of liquorice, herbs, and meaty flavors. Jens said that some of the old Chateauneuf houses are starting to produce a New World style which is super fruity, super oaky … and a big disappointment if you’re a traditionalist and like wines to taste like where they’re from.
Vines growing next to rosemary (Baumes-de-Venise, Southern Rhône)
Australian Shiraz is a big boy due to the hotter climate of the regions where it is grown, most famously the Barossa Valley (although it must be noted that many of the more nuanced (and often not available in Seattle) wines are from lesser-known, less hot areas. Jens was in Australia last Februrary, a guest of the Australia Wine Commission for a tour of Victoria Pinot Noir country, but he still had the pleasure of visiting several areas growing top notch Shiraz, e.g. the Giaconda Winery located in Beachworth, north-east Victoria (note the photo – top). For Shiraz (available in Seattle) that show off big, well-balanced wine with the nuance of minty herb that can be Australia’s lovely touch, try: D’Arenberg 2008 Laughing Magpie or for a splurge D’Arenberg 2006 The Dead Arm Shiraz, both from the McLaren Vale Valley & both with a touch of Viognier. An excellent example of 100% Shiraz from the Barossa Valley is John Duval 2007 Entity Shiraz.
South Africa is making some notable Shiraz as well. Still big and dark, they use a yeast additive in fermenting that gives the wine a special smoky flavor. Neil Ellis (known for his Pinotage) makes a tasty, as well Boekenhoutskloof (calling it Syrah) makes a beautiful 100% Syrah.
Last, I will end with the wonderful & varied Syrah coming out of our home state. Washington State sits at the same latitude as the Rhône Valley, so it enjoys many of the same growing conditions, and its Syrah is known for its dark fruit flavors of black currant & blackberry with some nuance of black pepper, licorice, clove, thyme, sandalwood & cedar. WA growers don’t seem to differentiate style by the use of Syrah vs Shiraz on the label, but both styles are readily available (usually called Syrah), from what could be called the “hedonistic pleasure bomb” (as quoted from our friend Catherine Reynolds) style. Wonderful examples of this style are Chris Sparkman Darkness Syrah, Mark Ryan Lost Soul Syrah, Owen Roe Ex Umbris, Darby The Dark Side Syrah. In the other camp you have a leaner, more subdued, arguably more complex wine, with notable examples including Efeste Syrah Jolie Bouche & wines by Chuck Reininger.
Other notable around the world Syrah: California offers up some excellent examples of Syrah. Darioush is perhaps the best known. We currently serve one by the glass at the bar: Qupé. As well Novy has, through the years, produced a nice quaffable, well-priced Syrah. Argentina, while known for Malbec, has several producers offering up exceptional Syrah, try: Benegas 2006 Syrah from Mendoza.
It’s the time of year for these wines, so come pick out a few and go exploring!
Cheers!
Julie
An Interview with Pedro Lopes Vieira of Esporão
A few weeks ago we had special guest, Pedro Lopes Vieira, sales manager of Esporão North America at our Sunday tasting.
Esporão is one our favorite Portuguese producers here at Portalis. The estate is located in Portugal’s remote Alentejo region, located 112 miles southeast of Lisbon. Due to their hot climate, their style of wines are ripe, spicy & very easy drinking. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Pedro for a few minutes as he told me a little bit about himself & his interesting wine journey.
Born & raised in Lisbon, Pedro has always been around wine. His family has operated a small biodynamic winery just for the locals (and themselves) for several decades. As a young boy he played a lot of soccer & always dreamt of playing professionally, despite his father wanting a more collegiate path for him. He accomplished his dream when he was picked up by a professional team from the Lisbon area. Though he enjoyed playing soccer & felt a sense of accomplishment (he played professionally for 5 years) in Pedro’s own words, “I realized I wasn’t a great player”. So Pedro, having been around wine his entire life, decided to give it a chance. Instead of working at the family winery though, he chose another route & landed a job in sales for a local distributor called Food & Wine of Portugal. After several successful years with FWP, they offered him an amazing project he couldn’t refuse, to help open a Portuguese wine market in Canada. So he relocated to Toronto, with his girlfriend (now wife), to help bring Portuguese wines into a new market. “Things were very slow at first,” he said, “so the first two years I also worked in restaurants waiting tables while the new branch of FWP was getting started.” I asked him how his relationship with Esporão began. He said from the beginning with FWP, Esporão was one of the producers in their portfolio, so he was very familiar with the family-owned brand. After 7 yrs in Toronto with FWP, Esporão hired Pedro to represent their brand exclusively. With his new role with Esporão he moved back to Lisbon in 2007 to work more closely with them. Currently Pedro lives in NYC where he has just recently located to help expand Esporão in the US market.
One last questioned for Pedro -
What makes Esporão wines so special? His reply was, “I feel their wines are about tradition & consistency. It’s a huge company producing 14 million bottles a year, yet they are still family-owned since it was purchased in 1973. Their youngest son is now CEO; they’ve kept it in the family, that says a lot about them.” Esporão produces 28 different products including olive oil & has 660 hectares dedicated to vineyards.
We currently we offer the following wines at Portalis:
Esporão 2009 Reserve Branco Reg $16.99 | Mixed Case $13.59
Esporão 2004 Syrah Reg $21.99 | Mixed Case $17.59
Esporão 2004 Quatro Casto Reg $22.99 | Mixed Case $18.39
Selection Extra Virgin Olive Oil $19.99
Cheers,
Gina
J. Strecker Selection Update – Invasion of Spain at Portalis!
A big thank-you to all of you who have so wonderfully supported our direct import wines over the last few months. We’ve had so much fun spreading the “J. Strecker” label all over the city (and beyond). We started out with two containers of French wines that were a big hit right from the start. The best thing about importing wine is that there is always more delicious juice to come…and come it has – with a vibrant red & yellow flag. Move over France, there’s a new wine in town – bold fruit, elegant oak, spice and silk, whatever your dream is — you can find it in our new Spanish line-up.
To say we are excited about our recent container of Spanish wines is a bit of an understatement. Believe me, there is something for everyone here, no matter if your style is old or new world – the wines will take your palate for a ride. The sales team had the opportunity to taste all of the wines the day after they arrived and frankly, we were blown away by how amazing they tasted so quickly from their long journey. Jens, however, was not surprised at all. He hand-selected these wines on one of his buying trips last spring. With a knowing grin on his face, he just watched us as we ‘oohed and ahhed’ over each Spanish delight. He definitely has a gift for spotting quality for the money, and that’s why I will always drink whatever he is pouring. Taste and learn my friends, you too will become a believer.
Below are a couple of my personal favorites, but there are many more to be enjoyed. They range from the easy & smooth-fruited (gulpable comes to mind) to the more chewy, dark-berried, ‘must have a grilled steak right now’ kind of wine. Several of these wines are offered by the glass at the bar, so feel free to stop by and taste for yourself what Spain hasto offer.
Bodegas Maset NV “NU” Reserva Brut Cava
Reg $14.99 | INSIDER $12.99 | Mixed Case $10.39
Grapes: Macabeo, Parellada, Xarello
Aged 30 months in oak casks, this Cava has the quality of a fine French cremant. Pear & almond aromas with a creamy mouth-fill, great acidity with a dry, light citrus finish. When you drink bubbles as much as we do, this refreshing Cava is certainly a blessed discovery.
Bodegas Casto Pequeño 2010 “Chamelin”
Reg $17.99 | INSIDER $15.99 | Mixed Case $12.79
Grapes: Verdejo
Need a “go to” white that’s a crowd pleaser but different from the usual suspects? This Verdejo does not only please, but pretty much everyone that tries it wants their own bottle. Crisp with a mellow-richness, notes of lemon peel & apple. Great with cheese & seafood.
Bodegas Juan Ramirez 2001 Alba de Los Infantes
Reg $17.99 | INSIDER $15.99 | Mixed Case $12.79
Grapes: Tempranillo
From Valdepeñas, a gorgeous red made from 50 year-old vines and aged 15mths in new French oak. Chewy, with dark berry, licorice & cocoa. Finish is bold, dark velvety fruit with a fair amount of grip. Roasted meats, Serrano ham or strong cheese would suit this wine just fine.
Bodegas Marques de Montecierzo 2007 “Emergente” Tinto
Reg $12.99 | INSIDER $11.99 | Mixed Case $9.59
Grapes: 40% Tempranillo, 30% Garnacha, 30% Merlot
Looks can be deceiving. This un-oaked value-priced red has a lot going on in the bottle. From the Navarra region of Spain, this family-owned winery produces top quality wines. Medium-bodied with layers of raspberry, dark cherry & moderate spice. Super easy sipper that will pair well with grilled meats, paella or just on it’s own.
–Cheers, Gina
Produttori del Barbaresco
On my recent trip to Italy, I had the pleasure of visiting some of Piedmont’s famous wine growing sub-zones: Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Asti & Dogliani to name a few. I would love to highlight all of my winery visits here (stay-tuned) and all the delicious food & wine I consumed, but then I’m sure you have other things to do today, right? I decided to feature one of the most interesting visits I had and that was to Produttori del Barbaresco, located literally in Barbaresco the village.
Most of you are familiar with the wines of Barbaresco (lesser known than Barolo – but equal in quality & often cheaper) and the famous producers that put them on the map: Gaja, Giacosa & Produttori del Barbaresco. But did you know the latter is actually an old cooperative and helped establish Barbaresco as one of the most important wines of Italy? I have to be honest, I wasn’t really familiar with how a cooperative winery works. Often cooperatives don’t get the accolades & distinction that a family owned-operated winery may or that it lacks the quality that a traditional winery can produce.
Barbaresco is located in the beautiful Langhe hills overlooking the great River Tanaro. It sits half-way between Torino and the Ligurian coast at over 1200 feet above sea level. With its ancient medieval tower, and only about 700 inhabitants, it is both charming and worth a visit. To understand the beginnings of the cooperative Produttori del Barbaresco you have to go back to the history of the district itself. At that time, Nebbiolo (the grape used in Barbaresco wines) was only grown & sold to make Barolo wine since the district was controlled by nearby Barolo.
Any grapes not used for Barolo was simply labeled “Nebbiolo di Barbaresco”. In 1894 the first cooperative was formed by Domizio Cavazza, who was allowed to form the “ Cantine Sociali” with 9 Barbaresco vineyard owners to make wine in the local castle which he owned. Cavazza understood that the Nebbiolo grown in Barbaresco was characterly different than that of Barolo and he believed in the potential it had as a winemaking zone.
Entrance to the Produttori del Barbaresco winery
Gina in the Produttori del Barbaresco tasting room
The cooperative was forced to close in the 1920′S due to hard economic times, but was revived again in 1958 by the parish priest of Barbaresco. He realized in order for the small vineyard properties to survive, they would have to join forces. He gathered together nineteen small growers and founded the current Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative. The first three vintages were made in the church basement, then they built a winery in the square of the village where it presently resides. Today the cooperative operates 100 hectares between 53 growers. If you’ve done your math right, you’ll realize that each grower only has a small amount of property. The land is divided by hills and each hill has different growers. Many of the families are 4 or 5 generation growers who own their land.
What does it take to be a part of the cooperative? Our guide, Aldo Vacca (Director of Produttori del Barbaresco) explained there were 3 primary rules for the Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative:
1) 100% of the fruit from the growers goes into the cooperative
2) Members are not allowed to vinify on their own or make their own wine
Though the first two rules seem like strict guidelines, 3) - the cooperative pays top dollar for quality fruit, making it very attractive for its members (and thus a waiting list for membership). I asked Aldo who governed the cooperative and its growers? He explained that the cooperative has a board of 9 people made from the family of growers and selected by the family of growers. Every 3 years they elect a new president from the family of growers. Note the emphasis on family? I was really digging this cooperative idea. It is a well-organized system that allows local farmers to focus on what they do best, grow grapes and the potential to make a very good living at it. My eyes were wide-opened! What a fantastic example of a community helping their community by employing people, supporting the farmers and establishing a legacy for future generations.
After our tour of the cellar, we tasted a line-up up of delicious single-vineyard Barbarescos. Complex, full-bodied with tannic structure Barbarescos are approachable young but have the ability to age many years. Below is a list of Produttori del Barbaresco 2005 Cru wines available through special order at Portalis:
Barbaresco Riserva “Asili”
Barbaresco Riserva “Ovello”
Barbaresco Riserva “Paje”
Barbaresco Riserva “Rio Sordo”
Barbaresco Riserva “Pora”
Barbaresco Riserva “Moccagatta”
Barbaresco Riserva “Montefico”
Stay tuned for more. (I leave for my next trip to Italy at the end of September!)
Cheers,
Gina
A tribute to a great beer: Radeberger Pilsner
When we first moved from Dresden to Seattle in the fall of 1999, I remember going to our little neighborhood pub, asking for a good local pilsner, and having the guy matter-of-factly say: oh, we don’t serve any light beer. It was confusing. The standard local drinking beer in Germany – village or city – is pilsner. It is lighter in color, but it’s full of flavor & bite (the best part!), which is what makes it so good with food, be that bratwurst or BBQ.
Radeberger Pilsner is Dresden’s shining star of pilsners … or should I say Radeberg’s shining star, as Radeberg is a village (now a suburb) on the northwestern edge of the city, on your way to the Meissener wine country which is several more villages out on the same road. Jens and I moved to Dresden at the end of December 1994 for him to start his residency in January of the new year. It had already been 5 years since the wall had come down, but you would never have known it. The East German autobahns were in the early stages of being rebuilt (since Hitler’s originals in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s) which was one of the first big capital projects (and one that had still not been completed when we left a decade later) and the city sat in its sad, gray, dilapidated state for several more years after we arrived before the funding came through for the rebuilding to begin.
Attribution: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-60015-0002 / Löwe / CC-BY-SA
We arrived in Dresden after dark that December day, and I remember Jens driving me down to the Altmarkt to see the famous ruins of the bombed Frauenkirche. It was snowing, and the huge flakes were falling slowly over the partially standing walls of the church, still perched within the remaining fallen stones. The Frauenkirche has since been rebuilt, an impressive technical feat as all the stones that were still in the town square at the start of the project (some 50 years after its demise on the evening of February 13, 1945) were chronicled in a sort of outdoor stone museum and then reused in the rebuilding in each of their original positions.
After stopping downtown, we arrived at our little student housing accommodations on Bodelschwingstrasse, the photos of Eric Honecker and Fidel Castro still hanging in the stairwell. Most of the buildings in our area had not been destroyed in the bombing of Dresden, but through lack of money & upkeep during the ensuing years of communism, they were condemned, awaiting money from West Germany to arrive so that they could be renovated and made livable again. (From the East German perspective they would be made unaffordable and therefore still unusable for the locals.)
Friedrichstadt, Fall 1995
There were few restaurants in the town when we first arrived, a legacy of not allowing public places to gather. But right in our neighborhood, next to the hospital, was Riesa Efau, an underground students’ club which had thrived as a meeting place under the old regime and continued to do so after German reunification. It was small and thick with smoke every time you entered. The mood (by Dresden standards) was generally festive, the food was cheap & good (with 2-3 items on the menu any given night), and the beer was Radeberger, served in tall, thin, upright German glass mugs. Radeberger (along with Meissener wine) was one of the few items that the locals could sell to West Germans for hard currency during East German times. And there was a reason it was so sought after as it’s some of the best out there: fresh, with mild flavors of herb & citrus and a nice hoppy bite. It wasn’t available in Seattle when we first moved back, but in the last years it has been imported to this area. Whenever I drink beer (which isn’t that often anymore), it always takes me back.
Hope you get a chance to try it! And better yet, I hope you get a chance to try it in Dresden. You won’t have the experience we did in the early years after reunification (today, it would take some luck to see a Trabi), but the “Pearl on the Elbe” is still a jewel, closer now to its former, pre-World War II glory.
Cheers,
Julie
