Are you a Wayzata Country Club member?  This event is for you!

March 27th, 2013

Must Love Bubbles! Enjoy a fabulous night out, paired to one of life’s greatest pleasures, Champagne. Sommelier Leslee Miller of Amusée leads you through discussion of one of France’s most famous wine regions and history of exquisite Champagne house, Veuve Clicquot.

Indulge in a wide range of Veuve’s finests bubbles as Urban Eatery’s Executive Chef, Josh Voge, pampers the palate further with four hand-crafted courses paired to these excpetional wines. Certainly, an event you don’t want to miss!

Dinner Location:  Urban Eatery ~ 2730 West Lake Street, Minneapolis

Dinner & Champagne only $69 per person!  Call 612.920.5000 to make reservations today!

Don’t miss our Annual Aphrodisiac Dinner at…

Aphrodisiac menu 2013 ~ Tuesday February 12^th

With Restaurant Owners: Chef Hector Ruiz, Erin Ungerman & Sommelier Leslee Miller

1^st course

Cremant de Bourgogne served with fresh strawberries-honey drops.

Wine:  De Perrière Cremant de Bourgogne NV ~ Burgundy, France

2nd course

Oyster en Crudo

Wine:  Casamaro Verdejo ~ Rueda, Spain

3^rd course

Lobster- crab ricotta cannoli served over a Mexican vanilla- ginger sauce garnished with a citrus asparagus salad.

Wine:  Señorio De Rubios Albariño ~ Rias Baixas, Spain

4^th course

Honey-lavender scallop served over a avocado mousse, basil assents garnish with  micro bulls blood leaves.

Wine:  Charles Smith Secco Rosé ~ Veneto, Italy

5^th course

Confit asparagus bundle served over a truffle-almond sauce, garnish

apple-fig marmalade.

Wine:  Montoya Pinot Noir ~ Monterey County, California

6^th course

cheese plate with homemade fruit lovers marmalade.

7th course

Almond- garlic crusted filet served over baby spinach, confit carrots, arugula drizzled with fig- 20yr Porto sauce garnished with champagne apple compote.

Wine:  Tikal ‘Patriota’ Bonarda/Malbec ~ Mendoza, Argentina

8th course

Caramelized pineapple served over a vanilla-chocolate mousse garnish with allspice liquor.

Wine:  Domaine Vigneau – Chevreau Pétillant Demi-Sec ~ Vouvray, France

9^th course

Shot of Damiana Mexican Aphrodisiac Liquor

(Listos para la cama y mucho Amor)

AGAINST THE ODDS, ELEVATED SET TO DEBUT IN STYLE
Saturday Party Culminates Grand Opening Week

Navigating a long road filled with some surprising obstacles, two local entrepreneurs are prepared to share their vision with South Minneapolis. Longtime friends Ryan Widuch and Tom Boland were determined to bring a craft beer specialty store that also provided a full selection of wine and spirits to their neighborhood. After over a year of hard work they will celebrate with a grand opening December 3rd through the 8th. The whole week will include many special guests, raffles, giveaways and special discounts

Saturday’s party will feature a full lineup reflecting the decisions made throughout the store: selection without pretense, emphasis on a comfortable atmosphere for all, and ongoing commitment to education.

The Tasting Room schedule will start the education in earnest, building to Saturday’s bill of Lucid Brewing, Leslee Miller of Amusée Wine and Kevin Welch of Boom Island Brewing. Free beer and wine pairings presented by SCRATCH Food Truck and live music DJ’s and performers round out the celebration.

Elevated Beer Wine & Spirits is South Minneapolis’ new craft beer and wine destination. Offering a full service liquor store with a focus on atmosphere, selection and expertise, Elevated Beer Wine & Spirits is taking the modern liquor store to the next level.

*************************************************************************************************************

On Saturday, December 8th @ 4pm – Come join Leslee Miller of Amusée for a fun BUBBLE BATH!  Taste a number of sparkling wines from around the globe, including a brief tutorial regarding  bubblies and the regions they come from.  Taste, explore and stock your cellar with a selection of interesting sparkly goodies from around the globe!

Tasting is FREE, why would you pass it up?

For more information, please contact Ryan Widuch, Tom Boland, or Katie Brennan at 612-208-0973 or email info@elevatedbws.com

Best Sommeliers In Minnesota

October 24, 2012 11:00 AM

The role of a Sommelier, a wine steward with exceptional knowledge and specialized training for wine, is a profession filled with many interesting professionals, not to mention heartfelt stories from people who started out in them. You may think that countries like France and Italy produce the ultimate pioneers for wine around the world. However, Minnesota is home to more than a dozen wineries and enthusiasts of the grape-based libation. To be a Sommelier, you have to be trained and certified. What they do exactly is identify what meals are best with what types of wine and educate wine fanatics on how to get the most out of every sip. This list calls out the best Sommeliers in Minnesota who are full of knowledge about the beloved beverage.

(credit: Jean-Pierre Muller/AFP/Getty Images)

Leslee Miller
Amusée
(612) 655-4839
www.amuseewine.comSommelier Leslee Miller practices this unique profession and is certified through both the International Sommelier Guild and the Court of Master Sommeliers. She has her own business that can be found at www.amuseewine.com. She offers a plethora of wine events for any willing to learn or taste. Miller has worked as a certified Sommelier for eight years and believes wine has to be fun for folks and enjoyable for different kinds of drinkers. Her work includes other areas like cooking and wine classes, corporate functions, private in-home events, fundraising, auctions and restaurant consulting. She is also an international winery consulting and national wine writer.

Gina Holman
Wayzata Wine & Spirits
747 Mill St.
Wayzata, MN 55391
(952) 473-7191
www.wayzatawineandspirits.com

Gina Holman has been working in the restaurant business for 15 years now. She currently works as a certified Sommelier and general manager at Wayzata Wines & Spirits. She arrived at the prestigious and elegant locale in 1994 where she worked at almost every post within the business. She completed the International Sommelier Guild Diploma Program in 2009 and traveled many parts of Europe to learn about regional foods. Holman is a firm believes that when it comes to which wine is the best, it’s a matter of personal preference and should never be frowned upon. She enjoys old-world wines, Pinot Noir and a favorite meal of her’s to make is a traditional chicken Coq au Vin to enjoy with family or friends (with a glass of wine of course).

Related: Best Wine And Cheese Bars In The Twin Cities

Vincent Negret
Cannon River Winery
421 Mill St. W.
Cannon Falls, MN 55009
(507) 263-7400
www.cannonriverwinery.com

Cannon River Winery is located between Rochester and the Twin Cities in the heart of Cannon Falls. This unique winery accommodates all kinds of specialty wine shoppers and experts alike. Vincent Negret, the wine maker and enologist for Cannon River Winery, believes the best wine is sold and made in this small town. When it comes to wine tasting or what is the best brand, it really comes down to the individual. The winery carries 22 different types of wines that are grown locally and the locale offers a beautiful facility with live music and a large selection to choose from.

(credit: Jupiter Images)

Michael Agnew
A Perfect Pint
3725 38th Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 724-4514
www.aperfectpint.netMichale Agnew, unlike the other Sommeliers in the business specializing in wine exclusively, has been noted as Minnesota’s first Certified Cicerone (beer Sommelier). His served as a National Beer Judge with the Beer Judge Certification Program and was deemed a unique award-winning brewer. He writes and publishes a monthly column on beer for the daily newspaper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Prior experience includes acting, directing and producing along with a decade in the food business.

Related: Best Wine Bars In Minneapolis

Anthony Carranza is a freelance writer covering all things Minnesota related to tech, social media, news, and local happenings around the Twin Cities. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

JULIA CHILD

100^TH BIRTHDAY

CELEBRATION

Help us honor Julia Child and all that she brought to Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts

When:  Thursday,  October 4, 2012   6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Where:           Roth Distributing 11300 West 47^th Street   Minnetonka, MN

Cost:              $75.00   Purchase your tickets directly at LocalWineEvents.com

Proceeds benefit the culinary educational grant initiatives of Women Who Really Cook and Les Dames d’Escoffier

~Brenda Langton of Spoonriver, Susan Dunlop of Joan’s in the Park,

Sarah Master of Barbette, Margot Bredeson of Patisserie Margo, Margaret Doran of Margaux Limitee host individual CONVERSATION STATIONS throughout the beautiful kitchen showrooms, sampling Julia-inspired signature dishes and sharing insider tips. Sponsored by Nordic Ware.

~Wines from France, Goldschmidt Vineyards, Sovereign Estate Wine & Joia Soda

~HEADLINER COOKING DEMONSTRATION AND WINE PAIRING with Chef Marianne Miller of Saga Hill Cooking & Events and Certified Sommelier Leslee Miller of Amusée repeated at 6:30, 7:00 and 7:30 in the state-of-the-art Culinary Center. Sponsored by Lunds and Byerly’s.

~SILENT AUCTION includes a piece of Pilliyvut from Julia’s home in Provence

~PHOTO OPP. with Julia silhouette and GUEST PARTY BAGS filled with fun surprises

~SPECIAL APPEARANCE by Julia’s look-alike, Tom Larson

You will not want to miss this event! Bon Appétit!

A very special Vertical Wine Dinner Experience for Wayzata Country Club Members