Proprietary Blends Make Their Mark
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In the last 30 years proprietary blends–wines that combine two or more grapes in varying proportions–have become increasingly popular among American wine makers. But as American wines have gained a higher profile in the world wine market, some vintners have become increasingly uncomfortable with the available terminology, feeling that catchalls like “private reserve” and “table wine” (the only categories allowed by the ATF) don’t do justice to the sophistication of their signature blends.
After Robert Mondavi and Baron Phillipe de Rothschild joined forces in the mid-70s to create Opus One, the cabernet sauvignon-based blend that became America’s first ultrapremium wine, many vintners followed their lead to create proprietary blends that showcased their individuality and creativity. They hit on names outside the limited vocabulary of American viticulture. The Niebaum-Coppola estate blended cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot to create Rubicon, named for the Italian river once famously crossed by Caesar. Franciscan Vineyards created the red Magnificat in homage to Bach; Caymus Vineyards’ white Conundrum is a complex blend of muscat, chardonnay, semillon, and sauvignon blanc.
Randolph Wine Cellars is a six-month-old retail store with an adjacent bi-level wine bar, the Tasting Room, which offers a stellar selection of 104 wines by the glass (and almost 200 bottles) as well as cheese and charcuterie plates (and a great West Loop view of the skyline). The store carries a growing collection of 800 handcrafted American wines–some produced in batches as small as 500 cases–including the aforementioned 18 American Bordeaux blends. Hultman and owners Brenda and Perry Fotopoulos pride themselves on carefully handling and selecting wines for both retail sales and by-the-glass service, and collaborate to design a list with an eye to both quality and value. (“And we mean value,” reminds a recent issue of their newsletter. “Anyone can select good $50 bottles of wine.”) Hultman’s passion for learning about wine makers and grape varieties keeps them on the cutting edge. “We have relationships with many California and Oregon wine makers, so we have the ability to get wines that aren’t always available for retail. You won’t see them anywhere else in town,” he says.
The venerable Rosebud group of Italian restaurants expands into beef with the opening of Rosebud Steakhouse in the former Shelly’s Back Room space at 192 E. Walton.
