This past Saturday I attended an in-house tasting at Young’s wine store located at 505 Plandome Road in Manhasset. They had sixteen distributors/importers pouring some of the wines in their portfolios. It was a good cross section of wines from various countries. I’ve been to this event a few times before and they do a good job. Some of the wines I enjoyed:

From Southern Wines and Spirits, the 2009 Stag’s Leap Artemis had a nose of black plums with a very chewy texture. The 2009 Girard Petite Sirah Napa Valley was inky black with chunky but not jammy fruit with a long dusty finish. The 2009 Girard Artistry Bordeaux blend Napa Valley was dark in color with black fruits and menthol on the nose with  juicy and jammy fruit.

From Winebow the 2010 Belle Glos “Clark & Telephone” Pinot Noir was dark, almost black in color, very unusual in a Pinot, very extracted raspberry and sour cherry fruit, a very ripe style of Pinot Noir.

From T. Edwards Wines, the 2009 Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico had toasty, earthy, chewy fruit with good balance while the 2006 Rocca di Montegrossi single vineyard “San Marcelino” had a big nose of violets with dark, tight fruits and a mouthful of tannins on the finish.  The 2008 Sinskey “Four Vineyards” Pinot Noir was a beautiful wine with a nose of cigar box with tight velvety fruit and toasted tobacco notes on the long finish.

From Domaine Select, the 2008 Clos Du Caillou Chateauneuf du Pape had a nose of menthol and earth with chewy, damp earth fruit and a long finish.

From Dubos Imports the 2005 Chateau Gros Caillou St. Emilion had a beautiful nose of black cherry with silky fruit and earth on the long finish. The 2008 Bois Tiffray Lussac St Emilion was a good value Bordeaux with chunky but balanced fruit.

From Tempranillo Imports, the 2009 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha had a big nose of spring flowers with a mouthfull of fruit. The 2007 Victorino Tinto de Toro was black with a nose of cherries and spareribs and a velvety, smoky finish.