On Sunday afternoon I attended a wine and beer event presented by Tap & Cork. It was their “Winter Solstice” party and was a consumer event held at a club called Milk River located at 960 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn on an industrial stretch of the avenue. It was an off the beaten path venue which made for an interesting event. They poured some interesting juice though we had to drink from a plastic cup which always takes some of the fun away from a wine tasting. There was also a “one ticket, one sip” policy but the price of a ticket gave you twenty stubs with the option to buy more which was more than enough for an afternoon of tasting. The event didn’t get very crowded and had a fun vibe to it and an enjoyable afternoon was had by all.
Some of the wines I liked;
2011 Domaine Felix & Fils St. Bris Sauvignon Blanc (Burgundy). Something unusual, a Sauvignon Blanc from Burgundy from the only Burgundy appellation permitted to grow Sauvignon. Nice sipping wine with some grassiness and crisp.
2008 Marquis de Gelida Gra Reserva Cava (Spain). Notes of bread dough on the fruit and was crisp with lemon notes on the finish.
2010 Mouton Noir “O.P.P.” Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley). With hints of earth and strawberry on the nose, light with moderate fruit.
2011 Mouton Noir “Oregogne” Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley). Medium red with barnyard on the nose with bing cherry on the silky fruit with crisp acids on the finish.
2010 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon XVI (Columbia Valley). Dark red with notes of dark berries on the nose with dusty, black cherry on the firm, balanced finish.
2011 Farina “Remo Farina” Valpolicella Ripasso (Veneto). Medium to dark red with notes of black cherry on the nose and was moderate chunky with hints of mint on the balanced finish.
2006 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany). Medium red with notes of dark cherry and coffee on the nose with medium, tarry fruit.
2011 Pappillon Crozes-Hermitage (Rhone). 100% Syrah, dark red in color with a big nose of barnyard, barnyard floor and was rustic and chunky with crisp acids on the good finish.
2009 Domaine Mavette Gigondas (Rhone). Dark red with notes of black pepper and pencil shavings on the nose with roasted coffee flavors on the fruit with very firm tannin on the finish.
2010 Tour De L’Isle Chateaunuef du Pape (Rhone). Dark red with notes of roasted red fruit, dark berries and slate on the nose and was chewy with big tannin on the finish.
2005 Chateau Ramafort Medoc Cru Borgeois (Bordeaux). Equal parts Carbernet Sauvignon and Merlot and was dark red with a nose of minerals and pencil shavings with moderate, dusty fruit that dropped to firm tannins at the end.
2008 Crossroads RGF (New Zealand). A blend of six varieties, it was dark red with notes of toasted coffee and nuts on the nose and was dense and tight with dark chocolate flavors on the finish.
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