One of the events at the Food Network food and wine fest that I look forward to attending is the Grand Tasting. Samples from over 200 of the city’s best restaurants, chefs from the cooking channel and of course plenty of wine and spirits to sample and a lot of people enjoying it all. They had a separate “Wine Gems Collection” room that poured some extra nice juice. It was held at the aircraft hanger sized Pier 94 on 55th Street and 12th Avenue.
After the Grand Tasting, nearby was another event, Meatopia whose motto of the afternoon was “meat, drink, fire, music, the ultimate meat lover’s feast”. The event was held on the rooftop of what once was a parking lot overlooking the East River. It was a crisp Autumn afternoon of meat on the grill, smoke in the air, drink in hand and live music with a great view of the New York City skyline.
Some of what I sampled:
2012 Flowers Winery Chardonnay “Camp Meeting Ridge” (Sonoma Coast). Big nose of ripe mango and vanilla with ripe fruit and you can taste the oak on the finish.
2011 Flowers Winery Pinot Noir “Seaview Ridge” (Sonoma Coast). Light brick in color with dark cherry and turned earth on the nose, cola and red cherry notes on the balanced finish.
2013 Seaglass Vineyards Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara). Medium brick in color with smoky cola on the nose, spicy fruit on the balanced finish.
2012 Paon Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt Veeder). Black, crushed red fruit and mint on the nose, thick, dense, silky tannin, herbs on the balanced finish. Big wine.
2011 Joseph Phelps Vineyard “Insignia” (Napa Valley). Black, closed nose of dark chocolate, dusty herbs on the fruit, firm tannin on the finish.
2011 Inglenook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “Cask” (Napa Valley). Inky black, dried leaf and black pepper on the nose, dense black licorice fruit with great balance.
2010 Inglenook Estate “Rubicon” (Napa Valley). Inky black with a big nose of tar and crushed black cherry, tight silky tannin, firm finish.
2012 Emmolo Merlot (Napa Valley). Inky black, crushed black berries on the nose, with dense licorice sweet fruit. Thick.
2013 Coppola Winery Cabernet Sauvignon “Directors Cut” (Alexander Valley). Black with crushed black fruit on the nose and thick and chewy black fruit.
2010 Torres “Mas La Plana” (Penedes). 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, decanted from a magnum, dark purple with leaf and dark plum on the nose, concentrated fruit.
2012 Tignanello (Tuscany). Dark red, closed nose, dusty, tight dark fruit with firm graphite on the finish.
2010 Alain Voge Cornas “Vielles Vignes” (Rhone). Medium purple with dried herbs on the nose, sour cherry on the finish.
2012 Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf du Pape (Rhone). Medium purple, closed nose of slate, juicy fruit.
2012 Louis Max Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (Burgundy). Medium red, feminine perfume of crushed plums, tight, silky, smoky fruit, firm astringentcy at the finish.
2012 Louis Max Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (Burgundy). Brick color with warm crushed red fruit on the nose, tight with moderate tannins and acid, moderate to long finish.
2005 Marquis de Riscal Gran Reserva (Rioja). Dark brick with warm cooked berries and mint on the nose, chewy black licorice fruit and nicely balanced on the long tarry finish. Nice.
2010 Marquis de Riscal “Baron de Chirel” Reserva (Rioja). They tell me this isn’t available in the States, some Cabernet added, dark red to black with dried leaf and mint on the nose, herb notes on the silky and concentrated fruit, balance.
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