Dali & Vermeer, wine merchants

By CHRIS SHERMAN
Published May 30, 2007

Who could sum up 1, 000 years of wine, arts, history or life in a label?

Salvador Dali, the eccentric, surrealist painter, of course.

So a legendary California winery turned to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg for help. Dali didn't drink much, the museum says, but he rarely turned down a commercial venture.

Gundlach Bundschu, a historic Sonoma County winery known affectionately as GunBun, designs artistic labels for each vintage of its reserve cabernet sauvignon.

A few years ago GunBun started a series of labels celebrating each millennium that humans have enjoyed wine, starting around 4000 B.C. with a cave painting for the first.

When they got to the 2002 vintage, they needed a label for the sixth millennium of wine, which began in the banquet tables of the Middle Ages and ran through Y2K Champagne mania.

Dali's The Ghost of Vermeer of Delft Which Can Be Used as a Table, in the museum's permanent collection, was perfect: The 20th century artist paid homage to a 16th century artist - with a bottle of wine on his table/leg.

One case has arrived at the Dali Museum to be saved for a special dinner, and the museum shop may also sell the wine. It already stocks the sparkling Catalan rose, Perelada, a favorite of Dali's wife, Gala.

GunBun's 2002 reserve is a rich, plummy cab from the winery's Rhinefarm vineyard and should be as much a keeper as the label. It should last until 2022.

The cabernet may be ordered from the winery at www.gunbun.com or (707) 939-3015 for $75 plus tax and shipping.

BEER of the week

Rogue Juniper Ale

In the yin-yang of brewing the sweet and sour balance is usually played by malt and hops. But not always. Lemongrass has been subbed for hops and the mad brewers at Rogue in Oregon and elsewhere have used soba, the Japanese buckwheat, for malt. The Roguish trick here is slipping in juniper, the woodsy, minty berry that perks up gin, to support the hops (Rogue also distills a gin with a spruce flavor).

The result is a very intriguing choice in the India pale ale and bitter wing at Rogue. But not aggressive. The aroma is crisp and floral, the foretaste is a bit sweet, and the juniper most noticeable on the finish. Yet the result is a refreshing, easy drink, the whole more charming than the parts.

For a punchier drink, try the Brutal Bitter or the just released commemorative Imperial Younger's Special Bitter.

Availability: Approximately $6 for 22-ounce bottles in liquor and specialty beer stores.

[Last modified May 29, 2007, 16:48:44]