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Eating and Drinking with Solo Vino's Chuck Kanski: A new take on local wine

  Play Now [4:45]

March 25, 2015

Chateau Eugenie Cahors
Chateau Eugenie is a Malbec from France.
courtesy Chuck Kanski

Owner of full service wine shop, Solo Vino, and wine expert for Minnesota Monthly's New Vintage, Chuck Kanski joins the Current's Morning Show to talk about wine trends in Minnesota and around the world.

On Eating and Drinking, we talk a lot about local food and breweries, but are we talking enough about local wine? And what does that really mean?

"It dawned on me you can drink local Minnesota wineries, but that's not the only way you can enjoy local wine," Chuck says. "I'm going to make the claim that to drink local on the wine scene &helliup; will work if there's a local Minnesota importer."

Chuck brings in an example that is a choice of Chris Osgood — yes, that Chris Osgood, of the Suicide Commandos. It turns out Chris spends a lot of time in France and is a wine importer. "His passion for wine equals his passion for music," Chuck says. "He's a wine geek."

Chateau Eugénie (Cahors) is one of the first wineries which Chris Osgood started importing, along with The Wine Company, more than 15 years ago. The owners of the winery are actually Chris's next-door neighbors in Castelfranc in the southwest of France.

Many more wines are brought to Minnesota with the help of Chris Osgood and his partnership with The Wine Company: Chateau Eugénie, Domaine du Peyrié (also Cahors), Tour des Gendres (Bergerac), Doamine de Ménard (Gascogne), or Chateau Jolys Jurancon Sec.

Minnesota has a rich history of local wine wholesalers importing wine directly to the Minnesota market. When shopping for an imported wine, just look for the stamp announcing the importer. It may be someone from the Twin Cities!

Listen to the complete interview to hear more about local wine importers and about Chris Osgood's involvement in the wine industry.

Chateau Eugénie Cahors can be found at the following retailers:

Solo Vino (St.Paul)
Little Wine Shop (St. Paul)
Sunfish Cellars Wine & Spirits (St. Paul)
Zipps (Mpls)
Hennepin-Lake Liquors (Mpls)
Surdyk's (Mpls)