Around the South Loop: 2011 Volume 3

No Parking
It was an interesting week, even though the Bears didn't make it to the Super Bowl. There was lots of activity surrounding the game here in the South Loop, especially on Wabash Ave., where flatbed trucks were towing cars at a brisk pace. It begs the question, who are these people that park on Wabash during the game? Are they from the suburbs? Are they unable to read the signs posted everywhere? Do they think they won't get towed because they're special? Well, as the photo below illustrates, the tow truck man is no respecter of persons.

Don't park here: Why do Bears fans continue to park on Wabash during home games?

Good-bye South Loop Wine Cellar
Another small business closed its doors in the South Loop. Many may have noticed that the South Loop Wine Cellar hasn't been open since before the December holidays. I was hoping things would improve and owner/operator Amy Garman would be able to stay open, but it wasn't meant to be. I visited the shop many times and attended numerous events there as well. Amy was someone I enjoyed knowing as a local merchant. She contributed several posts on wine to the South Loop Connection, which are still very popular. I wish Amy the best.

I'm sorry that South Loop Wine Cellar is no more.

Car Capital
During the early years of the 20th century, the South Loop was famous for it's many car dealerships and businesses related to the automobile industry. So famous that the area was nicknamed Motor Row. Michigan Ave. was one of the smoothest roads in America at the time and perfect for taking that new coupe out for a test drive. The Buick building, built in 1906, at 1454 S. Michigan was the first Buick dealership in Chicago. For many months it was home to the sales offices of the Marquee and Terrazio condo developments. Just recently, the banner covering the Buick shield came down.

The Buick building was built in 1906.

Art in the Everyday
When I walk around the South Loop, it's interesting to see utilitarian structures take on intriguing shapes and shadows. Even the L tracks above our heads can become works of art. When the light is shining just right, even rusty old steel beams look great.

The L tracks above Wabash Ave.

And the Oscar (nomination) Goes To...
One of the great things about living in a city like Chicago is you don't miss out on anything, even when you're walking to work in the morning. Where else can you see the Academy Award nominations on your commute to the office and on a jumbo screen no less?

The giant screen at CBS on Washington and Dearborn

Perfectly Centered
Remember the picture of the white clock in the lobby of the Chicago Hilton and Towers? During the holidays, it was replaced by a Christmas tree. After the New Year, they put the clock back, but it wasn't centered on the rug and it kind of drove me crazy. Someone from the Hilton read my blog post and had it fixed. See, people do read the stuff I write!

The clock in the Chicago Hilton and Towers lobby is "right" on the carpet.

A Wine Tour of Italy...on the Cheap at South Loop Wine Cellar

Amy Garman, owner of South Loop Wine Cellar at 1442 S. Michigan Ave., hosted a wine-tasting event last night: "Italian Value Wines." The selection included white and red wines, all under $20 per bottle.

Customers sample "value wines of Italy."

Weekly Wine-Tasting Events
Friday night's event isn't unique. The South Loop Wine Cellar hosts wine-tasting events every Friday from 7-9 p.m. Wine-tastings are $5 per person; however, if you're a wine club member, the tastings are free. Wine-tasting events generally have a theme, often focusing on a particular region (like next month's wines from Argentina and Chile) or price point.

Live "background music" by singer-guitarist Starr Peterson

Live Music
Another feature of these wine-tastings is musical entertainment by singer-guitarist Starr Peterson. The music is pleasant, but never overpowers the evening; it's main purpose is to provide live background music (for a sample of her performance, see video below). If Ms. Peterson looks familiar, perhaps you've seen her working at the Bongo Room on the corner of Wabash and Roosevelt. She's been working at the Bongo Room since they opened almost seven years ago.

For future wine-tasting events, check the South Loop Wine Cellar's Web site.

Wine-tasting makes you smile.

Happenings in the South Loop

Wine Tasting
The South Loop Wine Cellar at 1442 S. Michigan Ave. has a great wine-tasting event coming up this Friday September 17, featuring value wines from Italy. Wines that taste great and are easy on your budget; what could be better than that? This Friday's event is from 7-9 p.m. A mere five spot allows you to take this wine-tasting tour of Italy.



New Church
Gospel Life Church at 1921 S. Archer Ave., will be celebrating their opening service this Sunday September 19 at 10:45 a.m. The church is lead by Pastor John Ro. For more information, visit the church Web site.

It’s Rosé season!

by Amy Garman

Rosé misconceptions

Rosé wines are nothing if not misunderstood. There is a common misconception, thanks to white Zinfandel, that all pink wines are sweet – this couldn’t be farther from the truth! While you can certainly find some sweet Rosés, most are dry and delicious.

In the pink
How do they get the pink color? Most Rosés worth their salt are made from red wine grapes; the wine making process starts out exactly the same as it would if a red wine were being made, however instead of fermenting the grape juice with the skins for, let’s say 2 weeks, the winemakers only let Rosé juice ferment with the skins for maybe 24 hours. This way the juice has only a fraction of the time to soak up the pigment from the grape skins, turning it pink instead of the deep burgundy color of red wine.

Perfect middle ground

Other than the color, how are Rosé wines different than white or red wines? Well, the simplest answer is that a Rosé has features of both red and white wine: the crisp refreshing flavors of a white with the extra body and fruit flavors gained from the time spent in fermentation with the grape skins. The perfect middle ground.

Perfect pairings
What foods pair with Rosé wines? Rosé is extremely versatile when it comes to food pairing – especially in the warm summer months when meals often consist of lighter fare and are eaten outdoors. Rosé is a great match with salmon, salads, grilled seafood, or chicken dishes. Additionally, Rosé works well served as an aperitif with charcuterie or cheeses.

South Loop Wine Cellar is featuring 3 really great Rosés this spring: Elk Cove Rosé of Pinot Noir from Oregon: $17.99, Juno Rose of Pinotage & Shiraz from South Africa: $13.99, Capҫanes Mas Donis Rosat of Grenache & Syrah from Spain: $13.99

Amy Garman is the owner of the South Loop Wine Cellar at 1442 S. Michigan Ave.

South Loop Valentine Wine Tasting

Date:     Thursday, February 4, 2010

Time:     6-8pm

Where:   South Loop Wine Cellar, 1442 S. Michigan Ave.

This meeting and networking event will feature recipes and wine pairings for a 3 course meal with samples of the appetizer and dessert.

This is a South Loop wide, all inclusive networking event.

Admission is $5.

Call South Loop Wine Cellar for more information at 312-356-0630

Choosing wines for the holidays

by Amy Garma, owner of the South Loop Wine Cellar

Amongst the flurry of activity - parties, shopping , gift wrapping, food preparation - that accompanies the holidays, don’t let choosing the wines for your holiday feasts add to your stress.  Follow the simple guidelines below for easy delicious food and wine pairings.

Be the perfect party host
If you’re hosting this holiday season, start your party off on a festive note by pairing traditional appetizers like smoked salmon with a light champagne or sparkling wine.  Our customers love the Ruggeri & C. Prosecco Valdobbiadene Black Label ($23.50).  Alternatively, snack on your favorite artichoke dip, veggie tray or appetizer with our 2007 Casa Alle Vacche Vernaccia ($18.50); or try some shrimp cocktail or oysters with a refreshing sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.  We like the 2007 Matthais Roblin sancerre from Fance’s Loire Valley ($27.99) and the Monte Volpe pinot grigio ($15.50).

There's a wine for every dish
With the wide assortment of dishes that might comprise your main course, finding the perfect wine to accompany everything might seem like too great a challenge – but don’t worry.  Food friendly wines like the 2007 Preludio tempranillo ($16.99) or the Row Eleven pinot noir ($22.00) will pair well with most dishes, including turkey, roasts or other wild game.  If you’re planning on serving up some prime rib or succulent steak at your holiday meal, you can’t go wrong with a hearty cabernet sauvignon.  We recommend the 2007 Duckhorn Decoy ($32.99) or the 2005 Cafaro Cab ($40.00).

Sweet endings
But let’s not forget dessert!  If you’re serving a fruity dessert, like a traditional or Dutch apple pie, open a Moscato d’Asti like our 2007 Tranchero from Piemonte, Italy ($19.00) or the Tabali late harvest muscat, from Chile ($15.50).  With a cheese plate, try a tawny port like the Quinta do Noval 10 Year ($35.00) (we hear this also goes well with peanut butter and chocolate Christmas cookies.) 

Need a last minute gift?  Give the sweet, spicy taste of Chicago’s Chriskindlesmarket Gluhwein ($11.99), a traditional favorite served warm, and the perfect antidote to the winter blues.

All of the above wines are available at South Loop Wine Cellar, 1442 S. Michigan Ave.

"Vaccine & Vino" at South Loop Wine Cellar

The South Loop Wine Cellar at 1442 S. Michigan Ave. will be hosting a wine tasting event that includes a flu shot courtesy of the "shot fairy," Thursday September 17, 2009. Yes, you read wine tasting and a flu shot. The shot fairy is Dr. Scott Hanlon. Dr. Hanlon is a board certified family practice physician in practice for 10 years.
 
 A cure for shot anxiety

As a father three boys, Dr. Hanlon knows how important vaccinations are for healthy living. To help his boys with their anxiety about getting shots, he started vaccinating them in their sleep. The shot fairy was born. Now, Dr. Hanlon also sponsors and participates in events like the above to help adults with shot anxiety.

To participate in the Vaccine & Vino, stop by the South Loop Wine Cellar between 7-9 p.m. this evening. To register, visit www.shotfairy.com.

I would like to learn more about wine . . .

by Amy Garman

One of the most commonly asked questions by my customers is, “how can I learn more about wine?” You might be thinking the answer to this question is easy: drink more wine! Unfortunately it is not that simple; what you actually need to do is taste more wine. So what’s the difference between drinking and tasting? Drinking is easy enough: sip, swallow, repeat. Very little attention is paid to the wine itself. Tasting, on the other hand, involves a bit more work. In fact, there are even a few different steps involved–here are the most important ones.

Appearance

Tilt the glass at a 45-degree angle away from you in front of a white background and look at the wine's appearance. Why is this important? This may not be the most important step for beginners, but the color can give you an idea of the region, climate, grape variety, and age of the wine.

Smell

With about a quarter of a glass of wine, swirl the glass in order to activate the aromatics of the wine. Then, don’t be afraid, stick your nose directly into the glass and try to describe a fruit smell, earth smell, and/or a wood smell. If the wine smells like wine, don’t be discouraged, the more you taste, the more you will become comfortable picking out descriptors. Hint: try going out of your way to smell things at the grocery store (produce, spices, and herbs) and then making a mental note. The next time you smell wine, your sense of smell may have awoken!

Taste

Sip a small portion of wine into your mouth, roll it around so it coats all surfaces of your mouth focusing on how it feels and tastes. You can enhance the flavor of the wine by drawing air in through the mouth over the wine (Be careful with this step; you may want to practice this at home before you try this in public.). Try to describe the body, tartness level, alcohol burn, sweetness, and general flavor profile. Complex wines will give you a lot more to talk about, and the flavor will persist long after you have swallowed it.

Final Conclusion

Do you like it or not? In the end this is all that matters! Either way, try to remember the characteristics about the wine you did or did not like; the next time you go shopping for wine, it will be a tremendous help. Also, if this was your first time with a new grape variety or region, was there anything unique about the wine that really stood out versus other wines you have had?

Now that you know the basics, check out your local wine tastings. Most stores host regular tastings; this allows you to taste many varietals at the same time, which will help you compare and contrast the different styles.


Amy Garman is the owner of the South Loop Wine Cellar at 1442 S. Michigan Ave.

Meet Amy Garman

This is one in a series of articles focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurs in the South Loop.

“I enjoy educating people about wine without being pretentious; I love encouraging customers to try new wines.”

That’s part of Amy Garman’s mission at South Loop Wine Cellar. Garman, hails from West Bend, Wisconsin, and remembers taking day trips to Chicago with her parents in her youth. “If you wanted to go to a ‘city,’ Chicago was the logical choice,”she said.

Garman has created a warm and comfortable space at 1442 S. Michigan Ave. The exposed brick interior walls are complimented by warm wood cubbies for the South Loop Wine Cellar’s wine inventory. A former athletic trainer, with a B.S in athletic training. and a master’s degree in secondary education, Garman worked at Elite Physical Therapy across the street from her wine shop’s current location. It was her former profession that brought her to Chicago. But even while she was studying for her master’s degree, Garman dreamed of opening her own wine shop.

A South Loop resident for the last five years, Garman saw the area as the logical place to launch her business. As a resident, she noticed the abundance of condos and other living spaces, but also noticed the dearth of local businesses. “Small businesses help balance the character of a neighborhood,” says Garman. And character is something everyone wants in the neighborhood in which they live, that and convenience. The South Loop Wine Cellar offers customers free delivery, on orders of $25 or more, “Roosevelt to Cermak, State to the lake.” Garman also offers her customers custom gift baskets for both personal and corporate gift giving. Wine tastings start at $5.

South Loop Wine Cellar is a place wine experts and novices can feel at home. With great-tasting wines starting at just $10, there’s a wine for every taste and budget.

The South Loop has more small businesses than it did five years ago, but Garman would like see "an artisan sandwich place and a cool coffee shop south of 14th." We say "amen" to that too! For more information on the South Loop Wine Cellar, be sure to visit her website or stop by in person.