115293 Tue Feb 24 19:19:57 -0800 2004 2 7 Chicago Area 0 628619 Binny's has a current sale going that all Thai diners should take advantage of.... they have the 2001 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer "Furstentum Vielles Vignes" on sale for $15.99. This is a GRAND CRU Gewurztraminer from the 30-hectare Furstentum hillside vineyard that has been producing grapes more or less since at least the 14th Century... classic Gewurz to say the least. They normally price the wine at $26.95, online at some stores it's over $30 and would probably be at least $45 on the typical restaurant wine list. We've had this wine at numerous Thai dinners including a recent food/wine tasting at Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas... BTW, at a recent wine/cheese tasting in Chicago we sampled the following cheeses with both Gewurztraminer (the referenced), and two German Rieslings (one Kab, one Spatlese): Colby, Emmental (both young and "aged"), Edam, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Leyden (w/Caraway), Gouda (young), young Gruyere, aged Gruyere, Appenzeller, Munster, and Parmesan... The clear winners: With Gewurztraminer: 1) "young" Gruyere and 2) "young" Emmental (note the "aged" versions of these cheeses had a "slimy" quality that detracted from the matchup) With Spatlese: 1) "young" Emmental 2) Leyden w/ Caraway 3) Colby With Kabinett: 1) "young" Emmental 2) Gouda So, a very high recommendation to get over to Binny's and take advantage of this incredible sale on an incredible Gewurztraminer, and pick up a slab of Gruyere and Emmental to go along with it! One caution: don't pick up the Mann regular bottling which is only fair... it's the Furstentum selection that is outstanding. Tue Feb 24 19:19:57 -0800 2004 0 Chicago Mike 1 628680 Thanks for the heads up! Just to clarify, is this at both Binny's in the city, the one in Lakeview, or the one more downtown? Also, you probably already know this, but Sam's is having their annual February lots of stuff marked down sale. We went earlier this week and there were some nice sale prices on quite a few German Rieslings. Wed Feb 25 10:20:56 -0800 2004 628619 0 Deflator_Mouse 2 628698 Thanks for the heads up! Just to clarify, is this at both Binny's in the city, the one in Lakeview, or the one more downtown? ************ I've seen the sale at both Binny's locations. Yesterday I cleaned out the bin at the Lakeview, not sure if they have any more cases there. So you might want to call them or go to the one on Grand. They also have a huge store in Skokie. They might take a credit card over the phone to hold some because $15.95 for a Grand Cru this good won't last. Wed Feb 25 12:26:27 -0800 2004 628680 0 Chicago Mike