Olé & Obrigado White Wine Tasting

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Olé & Obrigado is one of the many importers/distributors that service the Hospitality industry in the New York City area.

Their original portfolio focused on wines from the Iberian Peninsula. Last year they acquired a Burgundy portfolio and last October, held a tasting of the new wines in their portfolio that they had acquired.

On March 10th they held a white wine tasting. I assumed that meant the Burgundy wines as well, so I attend the tasting to revisit the wines I had tasted earlier and to taste wines that were not at the October tasting. As a bonus, they also had some red Burgundy to sample.

The event was held at Manhatta restaurant which is perched 60 floors up at 28 Liberty Avenue in lower Manhattan, a tasting with a million-dollar view of lower Manhattan.

This tasting was the first in what was to be a couple of months of several trade and non trade Burgundy tastings.

White

2022 Domaine Thibert Saint Veran Champ Rond: Clear light gold, greenish tint, sweet and spicy tropical fruit on the nose, juicy with roast nut notes, nice acidity.

2022 Domaine Thibert Poully-Fusse Heritage: Clear light gold, greenish tint, ripe white flowers on the nose, moderate fruit with white flower and pineapple notes, ending with firm acidity.

2023 Domaine Albert Grivault Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres: Clear light gold with a greenish tint, ripe flowers and pineapple on the nose, tight with tropical fruit notes, nice acidity.

2023 Domaine Albert Grivault Meursault 1er Clos Perrieres: Clear light gold with a greenish tint, toasty pineapple on the nose, juicy with cinnamon notes, chewy finish, nice acidity.

2023 Domaine Barat Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Millieu: Medium gold, stinky sweet white flowers on the nose, chewy with herb notes, nice balance.

2023 Domaine Lamy Pillot St Alban 1er Cru Les Combes: Clear light gold, green tints, green herbs and tropical fruit on the nose, juicy, ending with lime notes.

2023 Domaine Maillard Corton Blanc Grand Cru: Light gold with a greenish tint, sweet toasty green herbs on the nose, tight fruit with a tight finish.

2023 Domaine Ravaut Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru: Light gold with a greenish tint, closed nose of sweet herbs, tight and dusty fruit with green stem and herb notes, tight finish with lime notes.

Red

2019 Domaine Vincent Ravaut Ladoix 1er Cru Basses Mourottes Rouge: Clear medium brick, roast meat and cooked vegetable on the nose, chewy red fruit ending with crisp tannin and acidity.

2022 Coquard Loison Fleurot Echezeaux: Clear medium purple, warm, crushed black fruit and saline notes on the nose, chewy red fruit, firm tannin and crisp acidity.

2022 Domaine Maillard Pommard La Chaniere: Clear light purple, crushed red fruit and dirty chocolate on the nose, juicy red fruit, firm acidity.

2023 Domaine Lamy Pillot Chassagne Montrachet Champs de Morgeot Rouge: Clear light purple, dusty graphite on the nose, chewy red fruit with plum notes with a nice grip on the balanced finish.

2023 Domaine Lamy Pillot St Aubin Les Argilles: Clear light purple, green herbs on the nose, chewy red leather fruit, chewy long finish, good balance.

2023 Domaine Maillard Beaune 1er Cru Greves: Clear light purple, tar, slate and graphite on the nose, chewy black leather fruit, good grip.

2023 Domaine Vincent Ravaut Aloxe Corton 1er Cru: Clear light purple, graphite and cooked plums on the nose, chewy with tar and dark chocolate notes, good grip.

Zachys Women in Wine Tasting

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I took another trip up to Port Chester, New York to attend another one of Zachys curated wine tastings.

Zachys is a fine wine shop and auction house founded in 1944, they host several wine tastings throughout the year at their store in Port Chester.

This event was a tasting “honoring the trailblazing women who craft exceptional wines, run renowned chateaux, and manage vineyards around the world”.

At the event 35+ wines were poured from the United States, Italy and Argentina.

White

2023 Domaine Drouhin Roserock Chardonnay (Eola-Amity Hills): Clear light gold, sweet floral notes on the nose, juicy with kiwi and green herbs on the finish, moderate tannin and acidity.

2023 Grgich Hills Estate Fume Blanc (Napa Valley): Clear light yellow with green tints, big funky earth notes on the nose, juicy with stone notes, nice grip.

2023 Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc (Burgundy): Clear light gold, tropical fruit and green herbs on the nose, tight with a nice mouthfeel ending with a nice balance.

Red

2016 Fattoria Le Pupille Syrah “Le Pupille” (Tuscany): Opaque dark red, brick rim, sweet tar, cooked fruit and crushed black berry on the nose, chewy and chunky fruit with a chewy dark chocolate finish, dusty balance.

2020 Tolani Tenuta Montbello “Picconero” (Tuscany): Dark purple, ripe red fruit, gun metal and chocolate on the nose, chewy black fruit with slate notes, firm tannin.

2021 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque medium purple, stone, graphite and crushed black fruit on the nose, dense and chewy black fruit, chunky and dusty tannin, nice grip.

2022 Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge (Burgundy): Clear light purple, perfume of barnyard, dirty tar, chewy black fruit with barnyard notes on the finish, nice grip.

2022 Rudd Crossroads Cabernet Sauvignon (Oakville): Clear medium brick, crushed red leather and pickle juice on the nose, chewy black fruit and tannin, nice grip with a long, dusty finish.

2022 Antinori Chianti Classico Gran Selezione “Badia a Passignano” (Tuscany): Clear light brick, crushed rocks, tar and tree bark on the nose, chewy fruit with tar notes, nice acidity.

2023 Domain Drouhin Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills): Clear light purple, dusty tar and cloves on the nose, juicy with chocolate and leather notes, nice grip.

2023 Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc (Burgundy): Clear light gold, tropical fruit with green herbs on the nose, tight with a nice mouthfeel ending with a nice balance.

2023 Freestone-Occidental Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): Clear light purple, tar and green herbs on the nose, juicy red fruit with cola notes, nice balance

2023 Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel “Old Vines” (California): Clear medium purple, tar, saline and cigarette smoke on the nose, chewy and juicy dark chocolate fruit with tar notes and ending with good acidity.

2023 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, perfume of violets and ripe black fruit, tight with firm tannin.

2024 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee (Sonoma Coast): Clear light purple, sweet strawberry on the nose, juicy red berry fruit, nice grip.

Terroirs of Chassagne-Montrachet Seminar 2026

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This seminar was held on March 28th and was part of the La Paulée series of wine dinners and walk around tastings on March 25-28.

Chassagne Montrachet is one of the villages and a wine appellation in the Cote d’Or of Burgundy, France. The wines of the Cote d’Or are some of the most famous, sought after and expensive wines in the world.

The majority of the wines produced in Chassagne-Montrachet are whites made from Chardonnay with reds made with Pinot Noir accounting for about a third of the production.

Any wine geek is familiar with the three Grand Crus of the appellation, Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet and Criots-Batard-Montrachet. These wines are the top of the pyramid with prices to match.

La Paulée began in 1932 as an end of harvest celebration in Meursault, Burgundy and was brought over to New York City in 2000 by Daniel Johnnes. It is now in its 26th year.

The tasting was moderated by Daniel Johnnes and featured winemakers Alex Moreau, Antonin Pillot and Simon Colin whose wines were served.

White

2022 Domaine Simon Colin Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru “Les Chaumees”: Clear medium gold, closed nose of slate and green herbs, juicy with tropical fruit notes, spicy finish, great balance, lasting finish.

2022 Domaine Alex Moreau Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru “La Maltroie”: Clear medium gold with a green tint, stone and pineapple on the nose, chewy and viscous fruit with sweet spice notes on the balanced and long finish.

2022 Domaine Jean Marc Pillot Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot “Les Fairendes”: Clear medium gold with a greenish tint, closed nose, juicy, chewy and viscous fruit with spicy notes on the balance and long finish.

Red

2022 Domaine Jean Marc Pillot Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint Jean: Opaque medium purple, spicy tar, graphite and warm spicy plum on the nose, chewy dark fruit, nice balance, moderate length.

2022 Domaine Simon Colin Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot “Les Brussonnes”: Opaque dark red, perfume of tar, graphite and saline, chewy and silky fruit with spice, forest floor and roast earth notes, nice balance, long finish.

2022 Domaine Alex Moreau Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Cardeuse: Opaque dark red, closed nose of crushed sweet red fruit, chewy and chunky dark fruit, moderate tannin and acidity, finished short.

Skurnick Grand Portfolio Tasting NYC 2026

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There were many trade tastings in March and one of those trade tastings was held on March 3rd when Skurnick Wine & Spirits held their Grand Portfolio tasting.

Skurnick Wine & Spirits is one of the many importers and distributors that service the tri state area around New York. They were founded in 1987 and have a large portfolio of wines & spirits.

Skurnick hosts many small, focused tasting events but since this was a tasting of their entire portfolio, it was a huge event with copious wines and spirits, taking up the entire floor of the event space.

The event was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion event space at 125 West 18th Street in Manhattan.

I spent the afternoon sampling red wines.

2017 Ramey Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyards (Napa Valley): Opaque medium brick, dark chocolate, dried leaf and cooked red fruit on the nose, silky red fruit ending with firm, silky tannin, long finish.

2019 Joseph Swan Vineyards Pinot Noir “Cuvee de Trois” (Russian River Valley): Clear light brick, tar, cola and red cherry on the nose, silky and toasty red fruit with smoke notes, firm tannin and acidity.

2019 Green & Red Vineyards Zinfandel Hemingway Estate Reserve (Napa Valley): Clear light brick, dirt, green herbs and crushed red fruit on the nose, juicy silky red fruit, nice grip.

2021 Ramey Wine Cellars Syrah (Sonoma Coast): Clear medium brick, red licorice on the nose, smoky red fruit with a smoky finish, good grip.

2022 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon “Au Paradis” (Napa Valley): Clear medium brick, crushed ripe red fruit on the nose, silky and chewy red fruit ending with a good grip.

2022 Peter Michael Red Blend “Les Pavots” (Sonoma County): Bordeaux blend, opaque dark red, purple rim, graphite and crushed raspberry on the nose, juicy red fruit with slate notes, nice balance of tannin and acidity.

2023 Criston Vineyards Pinot Noir Paul Gerrie Vineyard (Eola-Amity Hills): Clear light purple, closed nose of tar and white pepper, tight red fruit with a nice grip.

2023 Robert Biale Zinfandel “Black Chicken” (Napa Valley): Clear medium purple, graphite and cigarette smoke on the nose, juicy red fruit with milk chocolate notes ending with tight tannin.

2023 Turley Zinfandel Estate (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, tar and cocoa on the nose, thick, chunky and chewy fruit with a nice grip on the balanced finish.

2023 Turley Zinfandel “Rattlesnake Ridge” (Napa Valley): Opaque dark purple, closed nose of roast chocolate and dusty plum, chewy and dense with slate notes, tight with a good grip.

2023 Robert Biale Petite Sirah “Royal Punisher” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rime, violets, chocolate and crushed black fruit on the nose, juicy and chewy dark fruit with tongue smacking tannin.

2024 Raen Pinot Noir Freestone Occidental Bodega Vineyard (Sonoma Coast): Clear light purple, crushed strawberries on the nose, juicy with red leather notes, moderate tannin and acidity.

James Suckling Great Wines World NYC 2026

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The end of February to early March was a blessed with two outstanding wine tastings held back to back. First there was the Vinous Icons tasting, followed a couple of days later on March 2 & 3 by the James Suckling Great Wines World tastings.

Like the host of the Icons event Antonio Galloni, James Suckling is a wine critic and is Chairman and Editor of an online wine magazine.

Unlike the Icon event, there were no wine dinners or seminars, only two days of walk around tastings featuring 700 wines and 350 producers from 60 wine regions that have been rated highly in Suckling’s magazine.

This is one of the top three tastings of the year that was open to both the Trade and Consumers giving both the opportunity to sample copious amounts of some of the best wines in the world.

The event was held at The Glasshouse event space at 660 12th Avenue on the far west side of Manhattan.

I attended on the first day and was only able to sample a fraction of the wines that were on hand.

Old World

2015 Chateau Phelan Segur (St Estephe): Clear brick, graphite and cooked black fruit on the nose, dense fruit with graphite notes ending with silky tannin.

2016 Domaine de Chevalier (Pessac Leognan): Clear medium brick, tar and graphite on the nose, chewy and juicy fruit, balanced with a good grip.

2016 Chateau Pontet-Canet (Pauillac): Opaque brick, sweet graphite and cooked red fruit on the nose, chewy and silky red fruit with cooked tar notes, good grip.

2016 Chateau d’Issan (Margaux): Clear medium red, tar and sweet black berry on the nose, chewy with slate and graphite notes on the firm finish.

2018 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien): Opaque dark red, purple rim, crushed sweet red fruit on the nose, tight and dense with crunchy tannin and crisp acidity.

2018 Cvne “Imperial” Reserva (Rioja): Opaque medium, red, graphite, petroleum and sweet red fruit on the nose, tight and concentrated red fruit, firm tannin.

2022 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor (Puente Alto): Clear medium red, tarry red fruit on the nose, chewy and chunky with slate notes on the finish.

New World

2018 Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Reserve (Dundee Hills): Clear light brick, tar and green herbs on the nose, juicy red fruit with tree bark notes on the silky finish, nice balance.

2019 Sea Smoke Cellars Pinot Noir “10” (Clea. Rita Hills): Clear medium red, cigarette smoke and petroleum on the nose, tight red fruit with a nice grip and moderate tannin and acidity.

2021 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, closed nose of crushed stone, tight and chewy ending with lip smacking tannin

2022 Tokalon Vineyard Co.“Eliza’s” (Napa Valley): About an equal blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Opaque black, purple rim, tar, graphite and crushed black fruit on the nose, dense and chewy black fruit with slate notes, silky tannin with a good grip.

2022 Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Mt Veeder (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, juicy milk chocolate on the nose, dense and silky fruit ending with lip smacking tannin.

2022 Quintessa Red Blend (Napa Valley): Opaque dark brick, white pepper and crushed red fruit on the nose, chewy dark fruit with firm tannin on the long finish.

2022 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon “Cinq Cepage” (Sonoma County): Opaque dark purple, tar and sweet black cherry on the nose, chewy dark fruit ending with firm and dusty tannin.

2023 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon “Monastery Block” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, cigarette smoke, cooked crushed black fruit on the nose, chewy and dusty black fruit, silky tannin with good acidity on the long finish.

2023 Amici Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Hopper Vineyard (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, dirt and crushed black fruit on the nose, dense, chewy and silky fruit with slate notes on the long finish.

Vinous Icons New York City 2026

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Vinous is an online, subscription based wine magazine hosted by wine writer and wine critic Antonio Galloni. On February 27-March 1, they held their 3rd annual Vinous Icons wine event in New York City.

It was three days of winemaker dinners, collector lunches, seminars with two days of walk around tastings showcasing the iconic wines of the world as determined by Mr. Galloni and the wine critics of Vinous magazine.

The walk around tastings were held on February 27 & 28 and were open to both Trade and Consumers and featured wines from over 120 international estates.

This is, in my opinion, was one of the top three wine tasting events of the year with the opportunity to sample copious amount of some of the top wines of the world.

The event was held at the Pier 60 event space at 60 Chelsia Piers on the west side of Manhattan, overlooking the Hudson River.

As per usual with these mega tastings with so many wines available to sample, I focused my time and energy on the red wines of Bordeaux and Napa Valley. I appreciated the fact that some of the Bordeaux vendors brought older vintages of their wines to sample while the Napa Valley vendors for the most part poured their current releases although there were a handful that poured something older.

Some of what I sampled:

Napa Valley

2001 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, slate, tar and graphite on the nose, silky, dusty dark fruit with a great grip and balance.

2013 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, sweet tar and crushed stone on the nose, chewy dark fruit with dark chocolate notes, silky tannin and a great balance.

2018 Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, slate, mint and black fruit on the nose, chewy dark fruit, silky tannin, good grip.

2021 Grace Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Cornelius Grove” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, crushed black fruit, saline, tar and roast nuts on the nose, thick and chewy ending with crisp acidity and tongue coating tannin.

2021 O’Shaughnessy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mtn. (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, crushed red fruit, dark chocolate and roast nuts on the nose, chewy and dense black fruit ending with a firm finish and acidity.

2022 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, strawberry and green herbs on the nose, juicy red fruit with lip smacking tannin and crisp acidity.

2022 Joseph Phelps Insignia (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, toasty dark chocolate on the nose, tight black fruit with slate notes, very firm tannin and crisp acidity.

2022 Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Red Rock Terrace” (Napa Valley): Opaque dark red, purple rim, sweet red cherry on the nose, juicy red fruit with a tarry finish, good grip.

2022 Diamond Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon “Three Vineyard Blend” (Napa Valley): Dark red, purple rim, crushed black fruit, black pepper and some pickle juice on the nose, juicy black fruit with firm, silky tannin.

2022 Ovid Red Blend (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, toasty roast meat on the nose, very chewy black fruit, firm with slate notes and chewy tannin.

2023 Futo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, stone and sweet forest floor on the nose, chewy and dense with silky tannin and a long finish.

2023 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, saline and sweet red fruit on the nose, chewy and dense black fruit with a dusty grip.

2023 Hall Wines Cabernet Sauvignon “Exzellenz” (Napa Valley): Opaque black, purple rim, fresh herbs and dark chocolate on the nose, chewy dark fruit with firm tannin on the long finish.

Bordeaux

2009 Chateau Montrose (St Estephe): Opaque black, brick rim, dirty tar and dark chocolate on the nose, chewy dark fruit with notes of pencil shavings.

2009 Chateau La Gaffeliere (St Emilion): Clear medium brick, cook fruit, tar, mint and forest floor on the nose, chewy fruit with chewy tannin and a firm grip.

2015 Chateau Giscours La Sirene de Giscours (Margaux): Opaque medium red, closed nose of minty plum, green herbs and white pepper, chewy black fruit with dusty tannin and a nice grip.

2016 Chateau Smith Haut Lafite (Pessac Leognan): Clear medium red, sweet tar and black leather on the nose, chewy black fruit with graphite and stone notes, good grip.

2016 Chateau Lascombes (Margeaux): Opaque dark red, red leather and sweet cinnamon on the nose, tight dark fruit with firm, dusty tannin and a nice mouthfeel.

2017 Chateau Troplong Mondat (St Emilion): Opaque medium brick, cooked fruit on the nose, chewy dark chocolate fruit, firm tannin, long finish.

2018 Chateau Beychevelle (St Julien): Opaque dark red, purple rim, stone and sweet crushed black fruit on the nose, chewy black fruit with graphite notes, great balance.

2018 Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion (Pessac Leognan): Opaque dark brick, tar and ripe leather on the nose, dense and tight and ending with firm tannin.

Benvenuto Brunello Masterclass NYC 2026

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On February 24th, I attended the Benvenuto Brunello wine tasting which was held at an event space at 583 Park Avenue on the East side of Manhattan.

Brunello di Montalcino is a red wine from Tuscany, Italy like its well-known cousin, Chianti. The region became a DOCG (Denominazione Di Origine Controllata) in 1980.

Like Chianti it is made with the Sangiovese grape but with a local clone called Sangiovese Grosso and unlike Chianti, Brunello has to be made with 100% Sangiovese with different aging requirements.

The regular bottling is released five years after the vintage and the Reservas are released six years after the vintage. The 2021 vintage for the regular Brunello which was showcased at this tasting was released in January of this year.

The Sangiovese Grosso grape has high tannin and acidity, they say that makes them good food wines, it also means that they can be a bit hard edged when they are young, especially if you are accustomed to drinking fruit forward, New World wines. Brunello’s like Barolo’s, need years of aging to soften the hard edges.

It was a walk around tasting for members of the Press and Trade to sample the current release vintage of Brunello di Montalcino as well as Rosso di Montalcino from over 48 producers.

I attended the Masterclass which poured five regular and five single vineyard Brunello’s from the 2021 vintage.

“Brunello 2021: Decoding the Vintage”

Masterclass hosted by Gabriele Gorelli, MW

Abbadia Ardenga Brunello di Montalcino: Clear medium brick, red cherry and roasted herbs on the nose, silky red fruit with white pepper notes, moderate tannin and acidity on the long finish.

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino “Vigna Montosoli”: Clear dark red, brick rim, dirty tar and black cherry on the nose, chewy red fruit with tree bark notes, ending with dusty, very tight tannin and crisp acidity.

Argiano Brunello di Montalcino: Clear medium brick, milk chocolate, green herbs and red cherry on the nose, tight and dusty fruit, chewy finish, firm tannin.

Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino “Paesaggio Inatteso”: Clear dark brick, dark chocolate and tarry black cherry on the nose, medium red fruit with pickle juice notes, firm tannin and crisp acidity.

Col D’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino: Clear medium brick, dusty tar, barnyard and roast meat on the nose, dusty red fruit with stone and herb notes on the firm finish.

Corte Pavone Loacker Brunello di Montalcino “Fior di Meliloto”: Opaque medium red to black, crushed sweet black fruit and black tar on the nose, chewy black fruit ending with dusty, mouth filling tannin, moderate acidity.

La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino: Clear medium brick, dusty cardboard, sweet spice and some earth on the nose, chewy red fruit with saline notes ending with firm, tongue coating tannin.

Marchese Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino “Castelgiocondo”: Clear medium brick, dusty dark chocolate and red cherry on the nose, tight red fruit with saline notes ending with very firm tannin.

Podere Brizio Brunello di Montalcino: Clear medium to dark brick, earth and tarry dark chocolate on the nose, juicy red fruit ending with dusty, firm tannin and crisp acidity.

San Polo Brunello di Montalcino “Vignavecchia”: Clear medium brick, barnyard and roast nuts on the nose, juicy red fruit with herbs notes, firm tannin on the long finish.

Zachys Winter Burgundy Tasting 2026

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Zachys is a well-established fine wine shop and auction house. Their store in Scarsdale was a destination fixture for many years until they moved the store further north to Port Chester at 30 Midland Avenue. That’s just under an hour by Metro North rail from Grand Central Terminal.

Like all wine shops, they will host tastings for consumers and occasionally, they will host ticketed, in-depth tastings that are well worth the price of the ticket and the train ride.

On February 28th they held their Winter Burgundy tasting of 20+ wines from the 2023 vintage (with a couple from 2022).

I was impressed by the vintage, especially the white wines. The white wines had nice fruit, structure and acidity and were delicious. The reds were drinking nicely now with, for the most part with none of the “hard as nails” profiles that I’ve gotten with some early vintages in the past. Drinking nicely now, would love to drink them a few years down the road with some more age.

Wines sampled:

2023 Chablis Vauprin Roland Lavantreux: Clear ligh gold, pineapple on the nose, juicy with tropical and melon notes ending with lemon notes.

2023 Domaine Bruno Lorenzon Montagny Blanc 1er Cru Le Choix du Roi: Clear light gold, roasted herbs on the nose, juicy with melon notes ending with a firm grip, long finish.

2023 Domain Bruno Lorenzon Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru Champs Martin: Clear medium purple, tar, cinnamon and cooked meat on the nose, cherry black fruit with earth notes, firm tannin and moderate acidity, long, earthy finish.

*

2023 Joseph Drouhin Puligny Montrachet: Clear light gold, floral, tropical fruits and green herbs on the nose, juicy with stone fruit notes, great balance.

2022 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Rouge Clos du Mouches: Clear light purple, closed nose of tar and cigarette smoke, juicy and chewy with earth notes, silky, firm tannin, long length.

*

2023 Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse Premier Cru: Clear light gold, toast and pineapple on the nose, juicy with melon notes, dusty acidity, great grip.

2023 Louis Jadot Beaune Rouge Clos des Ursules Domaine des Heritiers: Clear light purple, cigar smoke, mint and roast meat on the nose, juicy and silky red fruit with herb notes, balanced.

2023 Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin: Clear light purple, closed nose of roasted tar, juicy with green herb notes ending with tongue coating tannin on the long finish.

2023 Louis Jadot Chambolle Musigny Les Drazeys Domaine Gagey: Clear light purple, closed nose of sweet cinnamon, tight red fruit with crushed rock notes ending with crisp acidity.

*

2023 Domaine Laroche St. Martin Chablis: Clear light gold, toasty, buttery nose, juicy sweet kiwi fruit ending with moderate acidity.

2023 Domaine Leflaive Macon Verze: Clear light gold, green herbs on the nose, juicy with melon notes and ending with nice acidity.

2023 Faiveley Mercurey La Framboisiere: Clear light purple, tar and sweet red leather on the nose, juicy, silky red fruit, silky tannin with stone notes, moderate acidity.

*

2023 Domaine des Heritiers du Comte Lafon Vire Clesse: Clear light gold, toasty nose, juicy with dusty melon notes, great structure.

2023 Domaine de l’Arlot Nuits St. George Clos des Forets St. George: Clear light brick, earth on the nose, juicy, chewy red fruit with a good grip and tongue coating tannin.

2023 Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs: Clear light purple, red tar and roasted meat on the nose, chewy and silky fruit with a good grip.

Cab Franc Forward Grand Tasting NYC 2026

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On February 3rd I attended the second annual Cab Franc Forward tasting which was a tasting of New York State wines made from the Cabernet Franc grape varietal.

Cab Franc Forward is a “movement” redefining Cabernet Franc wines in New York State from wineries that “craft Cabernet Franc with passion, precision and character”. Cabernet Franc is one of the major red varieties in Bordeaux and the main red grape of the Loire Valley in France.

A lot of people don’t realize that New York State is not just big cities but is an agricultural State as well. It ranks about 2nd in wine production in the United States with 11 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas) producing $16.81 billion dollars of revenue for the State.

Cabernet Franc is a parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and is an early ripening varietal which makes it perfect for the cooler climate of New York State.

I remember that in the early days of the Long Island wine region, there was talk that Cabernet Franc would become the defining grape of the Long Island AVA and put that region on the map.

It hasn’t turned out that way, Merlot is still the dominant red grape out on the east end, but most wineries planted it and produce it so you’re able to get a glass of it if you visit the east end wineries. Much of it goes into the rosé wines produced in the region.

The event was held at the Prince George Ballroom located at 15 East 27th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Most of the wineries were from the Finger Lakes and Long Island with a handful of others and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the wines; many winemakers were able to tone down the overly herbaceous and stemmy flavors that I’ve had in the past.

Some of what I sampled:

2024 Damiani Wine Cellars Cab Franc Valois Vineyard (Finger Lakes): Clear medium purple, dirty tar and red cherry on the nose, chewy black licorice fruit with tar notes on the chewy and balanced finish.

2024 EV&EM Vineyards Classic Cab Franc (Long Island): Clear light purple, crushed stone, dried rosemary and smoky raspberry on the nose, tight red fruit with vegetable notes, silky and tight tannin.

2016 Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard Cab Franc Library Vintage in 3 liter (Finger Lakes): Clear medium brick, stinky ripe black fruit, juicy and plummy fruit with good acidity and balance.

2022 Keuka Springs Vineyard Cab Franc Reserve (Finger Lakes): Clear medium brick, fresh rosemary on the nose, juicy red fruit with a nice balance and long finish.

2024 Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars Cab Franc MJW Vineyard Unoaked (Finger Lakes): Clear light purple, tree bark and strawberry on the nose, juicy fruit ending with moderate tannin and acidity.

2021 Lenz Winery Cab Franc Estate Selection (Long Island): Clear medium purple, black cherry and tree bark on the nose, tight black fruit ending with firm tannin and acidity.

2022 Macari Vineyards Cab Franc (Long Island): Clear medium red, smoky and earthy red fruit on the nose, chewy with stemmy notes ending with firm acidity.

2021 McCall Wines Cab Franc (Long Island): Clear medium red, juicy white pepper and cooked vegetable notes on the nose, silky red fruit, dusty tannin with firm acidity.

2024 Marcari Vineyards Cab Franc “Lifeforce” (Long Island): Clear medium red, earthy and smoky red fruit on the nose, chewy fruit with stem notes ending with firm acidity.

2023 Milea Estate Vineyard Cab Franc “Farmhouse” (Hudson River Region): Clear medium red, crushed strawberries on the nose, chewy fruit with some oak notes, firm balanced finish.

2021 Millbrook Winery Cab Franc Proprietor’s Special Reserve (Hudson River Region): Clear medium brick, sweet dirty tar on the nose, chewy sweet fruit with nice structure.

2020 One Women Winery Cab Franc (Long Island): Cloudy medium brick, sweet crushed red fruit on the nose, chewy with dark chocolate notes and tight slate notes on the long finish.

2023 Red Newt Cellars Cab Franc (Finger Lakes): Clear medium purple, smoky and toasty black fruit on the nose, chewy black fruit ending with crisp acidity.

2022 Roanoke Vineyards Cab Franc “Gabby’s” (Long Island): Clear medium purple, toasty tar on the nose, chewy and juicy with black licorice notes, nice balance.

2020 Rosina’s Winery Cab Franc (Hudson River Region): Clear light red, sweet cherry and black pepper on the nose, chewy red fruit, nice balance.

Union Grands Crus Bordeaux NYC 2026

Published on by Bruno DonaggioLeave a comment

The Union Grands Crus de Bordeaux is an organization that promotes the Grand Cru wines of the 132 Chateaux members of the Bordeaux region of France that they represent.

The Union not only promotes the wines, but it also embodies “a spirit of conviviality, sharing and solidarity to showcase the greatness of Bordeaux while respecting its values of authenticity”.

Bordeaux is one of the largest wine producing regions in the world, but the Grand Crus are the elite, limited production wines that get all the attention from the wine geeks of the world.

On January 19th they held their annual New York City tasting of the current vintage to be released. The tasting was held Cipriani’s, an event space at 110 East 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan across from Grand Central Terminal.

The building that Cipriani occupies is a repurposed former bank, built at a time when banks were built to impress you enough for you to deposit your money with them, with vaulted ceilings and plenty of marble.

This year the 2023 vintage was showcased. My research suggested it was a difficult year, but the winemakers were able to pull it off. Drinking these wines with a grain of salt because they are still young and need time to come together, but you can get some idea on how the vintage turned out.

For the most part I was getting a lot of light, red cherry fruit with moderate tannin and low acidity. Of course, there were outliers in the bunch, wines with more body and structure, but for the most part I thought this vintage will be for earlier drinking than for later.

Some of what I sampled:

Vintage 2023

Saint-Emilion

Chateau Canon: Opaque dark red, crushed red cherry and graphite on the nose, dense, chewy and silky with red cherry notes ending with moderate acidity.

Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere: Clear medium red, dirty tar and roast meat on the nose, silky dark chocolate fruit ending with silky tannin and a long finish, nice balance.

Clos Fouret: Opaque medium red, cigarette smoke and roasted tar on the nose, tight and dusty red fruit ending with moderate acidity.

Chateau Grand Mayne: Opaque dark red, closed nose of black licorice, chewy red leather fruit, nice balance.

Chateau Larmande: Clear medium red, strawberry and milk chocolate on the nose, juicy red fruit with firm tannin and moderate acidity.

Chateau Pavie Macquin: Clear light red, smoky red cherry on the nose, tight red fruit ending with firm tannin.

Chateau Valandraud: Opaque dark red, dark cocoa sweet cinnamon and violets on the nose, silky red fruit with green herb notes, silky tannin and moderate acidity.

Pomerol

Chateau Clinet: Opaque medium red, sweet tree bark and smoke on the nose, chewy and silky with rosemary notes, silky tannin with moderate acidity, long finish.

Chateau Le Gay: Clear medium purple, dusty crushed dark fruit and black cherry on the nose, tight red cherry fruit, nice balance.

Chateau Gazin: Clear dark purple, sweet cherry, tar and cigarette smoke on the nose, red cherry fruit, tart finish.

Chateau Petit-Village: Opaque medium red, closed nose of tarry dirt, chewy with roast nut notes ending with firm tannin.

Listrac-Medoc

Chateau Fourcas Dupre: Opaque black, purple rim, closed nose of white pepper, chewy dark fruit with sweet licorice notes on the finish, nice balance.

Haut-Medoc

Chateau Beaumont: Clear medium red, toasty, roasted nuts on the nose, chewy tannin with roast nut notes, crisp acidity.

Chateau Cantermerle: Opaque medium purple, perfume of forest floor, dark chocolate, toast, chewy finish firm tannin and crisp acidity.

Chateau Coufran: Clear medium purple, earth and red cherry on the nose, tight fruit with smoky cherry notes ending with tight tannin.

Margaux

Chateau Giscours: Opaque dark red, smoky dark cherry on the nose, chewy, silky red fruit, balanced with a long finish.

Chateau Kirwan: Opaque dark red to black, closed nose of cocoa and roast meat, tight and gritty with a firm finish.

Chateau Rauzan-Segla: Opaque dark red to black, tarry, fresh rosemary notes on the nose, silky and chewy with tar, dark chocolate and tree bark notes, moderate tannin and acidity.

Saint-Julien

Chateau Beychevelle: Opaque medium red, dirty red cherry and graphite on the nose, chewy and dusty fruit with crushed stone notes ending with moderate to low acidity.

Chateau Branaire-Ducru: Opaque dark red, sweet tar, graphite and red cherry on the nose, chewy fruit with milk chocolate notes ending with silky tannin and moderate acidity.

Chateau Langoa Barton: Clear medium red, closed nose of sweet candy and raspberry dark chocolate, silky red fruit with moderate tannin and acidity.

Chateau Talbot: Opaque medium red, crushed slate and red fruit on the nose, silky red fruit with nicely balance tannin and acidity.

Pauillac

Chateau Batailley: Clear medium red, toasty black pepper on the nose, tight red fruit ending with firm tannin.

Chateau Clerc Milon: Opaque dark red, tarry oak and red cherry on the nose, chewy with slate notes, firm tannin, moderate acidity.

Chateau Grand-Puy-Ducasse: Opaque dark red, roast meat on the nose, chewy and silky fruit ending with firm tannin and low acidity.

Chateau Lynch-Bages: Clear medium purple, tar, tree bark and roast meat on the nose, chewy and dusty fruit with oak notes, firm tannin, moderate to low acidity.

Chateau Lynch-Moussas: Clear medium red, tree bark and milk chocolate on the nose, tight and toasty red fruit, firm tannin and crisp acids.

Chateau Pichon Baron: Clear medium red, crushed black fruit, tar and dried herbs on the nose, tight with firm tannin.

Saint-Estephe

Chateau Cos Labory: Opaque dark red, crushed sweet black fruit, black leather and graphite on the nose, chewy and silky with a smoky finish, long balance.

Chateau Phelan Segur: Clear medium red, purple rim, stone and crushed sweet black fruit on the nose, chunky and chewy dark chocolate with silky, firm tannin and low acidity.