This past Wednesday I attended another night wine tasting, this one sponsored by Dreyfus & Ashby. The event took place at the boutique Setai Fifth Avenue hotel located on 400 5th Avenue. It was a small event. They had three tables of wine, one French, one Italian, and one Spanish plus assorted cheeses and charcuterie. As usual with the night tastings, the vibe was very cool.
I first stopped at the French table and dug into the reds. I started with a horizontal 
of Joseph Drouhin’s 07 and 08 Chorey Les Beaune. It’s always great to try a couple of wines from the same producer from different vintages to see the differences in styles from one year to another. The 09 was dark in color with black berry nose, fruit forward, silky. The 08 was completely different. Lighter in color in the glass than the 09 with a 
classic barnyard Burgundy nose which I love. The fruit was tighter than the 09 with firmer acids on the finish. I enjoyed them both. At the table I also tried the 09 Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin and the 09 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir.
At the next table, they poured the wines from Renato Ratti and the Tuscan wines 
of Ricasoli. The Ratti 07 Barolo “Marcenasco” was very tasty juice. Big nose of pencil shavings and cigar box, silky, mouth-coating fruit with balanced tannins and acid on the finish. I also enjoyed the 07 Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico poured from a magnum. Dark, pruney nose, nice balanced, a bit closed on the finish.
At the Spanish table I enjoyed the 05 Torres “Mas La Plana”, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was poured from a magnum.
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