Author: Bruno Donaggio

Bad-Ass Reds

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New York Vintners is a wine shop on 21 Warren Street in downtown Manhattan, a stones throw away from the Trade Center memorial. It’s a very small wine shop that has an event space and kitchen in the back room. They put that back room to good use hosting many wine and food themed events. On Sunday I attended the Bad-Ass Reds wine class which was a sit down tasting of seven wines. The house Sommelier was on hand to discuss the wines.

2015 Manique Rosé of Pinot Noir (Argentina). Not one of the bad-ass reds but the aperitif wine, salmon in color with green herbs and damp earth on the nose, tart red cherry fruit.

2014 Castello di Verduno “Basadone” (Piedmont). Made from the obscure Pelaverga grape varietal, red amber, closed nose of tree bark with more fruit than the color would suggest, silky fruit with earth notes with silky tannin and moderate acids at the end. Different but tasty.

2014 Sean Minor Pinot Noir (Central Coast). Dark red, red cherry jam on the nose, juicy with mint and toast notes on the nose, crisp and balanced finish.

2006 Chateau Clairefont (Margaux). Black with an amber robe, violets, dried leaf on the nose, chunky, mint notes, balanced tannin and acids on the finish.

2005 Calabretta “Nerello Masalese” (Sicily). Dark red with an amber robe, crushed red fruit and slate on the nose, stewed fruit notes, silky tannin and black licorice on the finish.

2013 My Essential Red Blend (Santa Ynez). Black with a purple robe, crushed dark fruit and crushed rocks on the nose, chunky, chewy with dill notes on the juicy and jammy finish.

2013 Tikal “Patriota” (Argentina). A blend of Malbec and Bonarda, black with a purple robe, dark chocolate and anise on the nose, chunky and chewy with firm tannin and acids at the finish.

 

 

Cabernet Franc On Long Island

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Cabernet Franc is one of the varietals used in the classic Bordeaux blend and of Chinon in the Loire Valley. It’s a thinner skinned and earlier ripening relative of Cabernet Sauvignon. At one time on Long Island there was talk around that Cabernet Franc was going to be the varietal that was going to put the region on the map. It was said that the cooler, maritime conditions of the North Fork were perfect for the grape. Alas, it was not to be, Cabernet Franc was never able to dethrone Merlot as the primary grape in the region and wine makers have begun experimenting with other red varietals such as Syrah and Malbec. Cabernet Franc is still used in the Bordeaux blends that the North Fork wineries bottle and is still bottled on its own though some wineries aren’t growing it anymore or  bottling  it as a single varietal.

 

2013 Roanoke Vineyards Cabernet Franc (North Fork LI). Had this at their Love Lane tasting room since the winery tasting room is for members only. Dark red in color, opaque, slate,  and black cherry on the nose with stewed prune notes as the wine opened up in the glass, dense and chunky with black cherry fruit, nice balance.

 

2013 Clovis Point Vineyards Cabernet Franc (North Fork LI). Relatively new winery, began with land purchased in 2001. Dark red to black in color with a purple robe, crushed rocks and dried herbs on the nose with crushed black fruit, chewy with firm tannin on the juicy, dark chocolate finish.

 

2012 Palmer Vineyards Cabernet Franc “Proprietor’s Reserve” (North Fork LI). One of North Fork’s original wineries. Dark amber with a brick robe and cloudy, red licorice on the nose, juicy, red fruit with notes of sour cherry, tart with some green notes on the finish.

 

 

Wine Riot Spring 2016

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This past weekend was the Spring time version of the biannual Second Glass Wine Riot fest which was held at the 69th Regiment Lexington Amory event space on 68 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. It’s a multicity, twice a year wine party.

The booths were separated into wine regions and into wine varietals of mid-range wines that the large crowd of mostly young wine drinkers were soon swarming over.

There were lectures and food booths scattered about.

 

Some of what I sampled:

Doff & Irion Brut Rosé

The Chook Sparking Shiraz

Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve

2014 Dashe Cellars Grenache Blanc

2014 Ramsay Chardonnay

2014 Demoiselles De Castelnau PicPoul

2014 Domaine Michael Buraud Macon-Villages

2013 LaFond Pinot Noir

2013 Lioco Carignan

2014 Valravn Zinfandel

2014 Slingshot Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot

2013 Di Georgio Family Shiraz

2012 Famiglie Merlot

2014 Ca ‘Momi Rosso

2013 Ca “Momi Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

The Big Glou

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This past week was Natural Wine Week in New York City and part of the festivities was the Big Glou wine fest held during the weekend. I had no idea what a glou was but apparently it’s French for gulp which is meant to say that these natural wines would be easy drinking, “gulpable” if you will.  I suppose they could have called the event “The Big Gulp” but that probably would have led to some legal issues with a certain convenience store chain.

The event was “New York’s first natural wine fair of its kind in the United States” inspired by European natural wine salons such as “Dive Boutille” in the Loire Valley and “Vini di Vignaioli” in Emilia-Romagna.  It was a two-day affair featuring over 100 natural wine producers pouring their wines and they are “artisan producers who are committed to farming sustainably and utilizing non-interventionist techniques in the cellar”. What is a natural wine is a bit murky but wines made with minimal technological intervention would be a good working definition. The event was open to the public was held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. I attended the Sunday afternoon session.

The Big Glou was held at the Wythe Hotel located at 80 Wythe Avenue in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The hotel itself is an industrial waterfront area across the street from Brooklyn Brewery and Brooklyn Bowl. Nice space for a wine event, with a brick-lined rooms that gave the place a cave like atmosphere. It was  a popular event and the venue soon filled up with a decidedly young, flannel shirted wearing crowd.

 

Some of my highlights:

2014 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel “McFadden Farm” (Mendocino). Made with carbonic maceration, not a big Zin, medium red, cooked berries on the nose, light bodied but with good, earthy fruit, very drinkable.

2014 Dashe Cellars Carignane “Evangelho Vineyards” (Contra Costa).  From 125 year old vines, medium to dark red, Asian spices and black licorice on the nose, concentrated and silky, finished dropped a bit at the end but tasty.

2013 Dashe Cellars Ancient Vines “Bedrock Vineyard” (Sonoma Valley). From vines planted in 1888, about an equal blend of Zinfandel, Carignane and Mourvedre, medium red with dried herbs on the nose with bright earth fruit, silky finishing with big tannins.

2012 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel “Todd Bros. Ranch” (Alexander Valley). Dark red, warm cooked berries on the nose, chewy with some green stem notes at the end, firm with big fruit and big tannins.

2012 Dashe Cellars “The Comet” (Alexander Valley). Mostly Zinfandel with Petite Sirah and a dash of Carignane, dark black in color, roasted coffee on the nose, tight, concentrated fruit with slate notes, firm tannins and acids.

2014 Broc Cellars Valdiguié (Solano County). Minor variety from SouthWest France, in California used to be bottled as “Gamay”. Clear, medium red, closed nose of sweet fruit, moderate concentrating, light.

2014 Broc Cellars Zinfandel “Vine Starr” (Sonoma County). Medium red , nose of sweet dried herbs, tight with great attack at the beginning and smoothing out in the middle. Interesting wine

2014 Matassa “Romanissa Casot” (Languedoc). A Grenache blend, very light red, minty barnyard on the nose, very extracted fruit for the color, black licorice on the balanced finish.

2014 Matassa “Coume de L’Lolla” (Languedoc). A blend of Grenache and Macebeo, light red, sweet black cherry on the nose, chewy with chewy tannins at the end.

2014 Christine et Gilles Paris “Chiroubles” (Beaujolais). Medium red, crushed rocks, fresh rosemary on the nose, bright dark fruit and slate notes on the finish.

2014 Christine et Gilles Paris “Fleurie” (Beaujolais).  Cloudy dark red, black cherry, medicinal candy on the nose, black cherry on the balanced finish, good acidity.

Other producers sampled:

 

Domaine De L’Octaviin           Domaine Du Coulet

Monte Bernardi                     Castel Noarna

Ronchi Di Cialla                     Croci

Autour De L’Anne                  Domaine Jaulin-Plaisantin

Bodega Cauzon                     Domaine Du Moulin

Partida Creus                        Andrea Scovero

Wine Advocate Matter Of Taste

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This past Saturday, Robert  Parker’s Wine Advocate magazine hosted the Matter of Taste wine event which was called a “no-holds barred tasting experience”.  The reviewers of the wine magazine picked 180+ of their favorite iconic wines of the world and was one stop on a multi-city and multi-national event with a walkabout tasting of 90+ point wines.

The event was held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel located at 80 Columbus Circle on the Southwest corner of Central Park in Manhattan. With a sweeping view of Central Park, it was a perfect venue to spend the afternoon drinking some serious juice.

Some of what I enjoyed:

 

New World

2011 Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay “Trenton Roadhouse” (Sonoma Coast). Gold in color, honey, tropical fruit on the nose with tropical fruit notes on the finish.

2011 Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay “Vine Hill” (Sonoma Coast). Dark gold, toasty honey on the nose with tart, lemon-lime fruit.

2014 Signorello Estate Chardonnay “Hope’s Cuvée” (Napa Valley). Medium gold, white flowers and tropical fruit on the nose, moderate juicy with mango, papaya notes on the firm, balanced finish.

 

2005 Abreu Vineyards “Madrona Ranch” (Napa Valley). A Bordeaux blend, dark red with toasty, mint and slate on the nose, tight and concentrated with good grip on the long finish.

2012 Abreu Vineyards “Madrona Ranch” (Napa Valley). A Bordeaux blend, inky black, mint notes on the nose, juicy, still closed.

2012 Abreu Vineyards “Thorevilos” (Napa Valley). Inky black with dusty, smoky, black fruit on the nose, ripe and juicy with good balance.

2011 Bond “Pluribus”. (Napa Valley). Dark purple, dried herbs on the nose, silky and juicy with moderate tannin and acids at the end.

2013 Donelan Family Wines Syrah “Obsidian Vineyard”. (Knights Valley). Dark red to black with crushed red fruit on the nose, juicy red berries on the fruit.

2012 Donelan Family Wines Syrah “Walker Vine Hill”. (Russian River Valley). Black in color, crushed red fruit and roasted meat on the nose, chewy and dense with mint notes on the balanced finish.

2005 Calera Pinot Noir “Mills” (Mt. Harlan). Medium brick, nose of warm earth and cinnamon, tight with black licorice on the firm finish,.

2012 Calera Pinot Noir “Mills” (Mt. Harlan). Medium purple with fresh rosemary on the nose, red licorice on the moderate fruit, firm acids on the finish.

2013 Lail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Blueprint” (Napa Valley). Black in color, crushed slate on the nose, juicy crushed blueberry on the balanced finish.

2013 Lail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “J. Daniel Cuvée” (Napa Valley). Inky black, mint, crushed blueberry and black fruit on the nose, juicy and minty on the fruit.

2005 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon “Diamond Mt.” (Napa Valley). Inky black, dark, sweet crushed fruit on the nose, tar and graphite notes on the silky and juicy fruit.

2007 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon “Mount Veeder” (Napa Valley). Dark red to black, black cherry, violets and cigar box on the nose, silky, dusty, black rocks on the fruit, silky tannin, delicious fuzzy mouth feel.

2012 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon “Mount Veeder” (Napa Valley). Dark red to black, floral violets on the nose, silky red fruit followed by herbs with lip smacking tannin, tasty.

2012 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon “Nathan Coombs Estate” (Napa Valley). Dark red to black, cooked toasty fruit on the nose, dense, minty with crisp acids.

2012 Signorello Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “Padrone” (Napa Valley). Dark red, purple robe, sweet crushed red berry and graphite on the nose, juicy red berry fruit, structure a bit short.

2005 Vérité  Cabernet Sauvignon “La Joie” (Sonoma County). Dark red to black, big nose of violet, cigar box, concentrated, medium fruit, tight with graphite notes with good acidity.

2012 Vérité Cabernet Sauvignon “La Joie” (Sonoma Coast). Inky black, purple robe, roasted meat and crushed dark berries on the nose, slate notes on the lip-smacking finish, nice balance.

2010 Henschke Shiraz “Hill of Grace”. (Australia). Dark red to black, juicy with very ripe fruit.

2012 Henschke Shiraz “Mount Edelstone” (Australia). Decanted, dark red to black, crushed black berries on the nose, juicy with crushed rock notes on the firm fruit, green herbs on the finish.

 

Old World

2009 Chateau Branaire-Ducru (St. Julien). Dark red to black, crushed dark berries and violets on the nose, tight, concentrated with silky tannin on the finish.

2005 Chateau Gazin (Pomerol). Dark red to black, perfume of dried herbs and crushed rocks, tight, dense, concentrated, firm and balanced.

2010 Chateau Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Leognan). Dark red with a delicate  perfume of violets, silky fruit followed by big tannin and acids.

2009 Chateau La Fleur Petrus (Pomerol). Dark red with dusty black  fruit and roast meat on the nose, dense with smoky crushed dark berries and rocks on the fruit, great balance.

2002 Chateau Leoville Barton (St. Julien). Medium amber with graphite and cigar box on the nose, tobacco notes on the nice, balanced finish.

2010 Chateau Leoville Poyferre (St. Julien). Dark purple, sweet red flowers on the nose, dense, silky with firm acids on the finish.

2008 Chateau Pichon Baron (Paulliac). Dark red, graphite on the nose, dusty, moderate fruit with nice tannins at the end.

2009 Chateau Pichon Baron (Paulliac). Dark red to black, graphite on the nose, slate notes on the moderate fruit, firm acids.

2009 Chateau Pontet-Canet (Paulliac). Dark purple with a brick robe, pretty nose of floral graphite and cigar box with silky graphite fruit, dusty tannins on the long finish, firm but balanced.

2012 M. Chapoutier “Ermitage Pavillon” (Rhone). Dark purple, roasted meat on the nose, crushed stone and dried herbs on the fruit.

Boston Wine Expo 2016

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This past weekend, February 13-14 I attended the 25th anniversary of the Boston Wine Expo held at the  Seaport World Trade Center and Seaport Hotel along the Boston waterfront. With the grand tasting featuring 1,800 wines from over 200 wineries, various seminars, a vintner’s tasting room with high-end wines and chef demonstrations, it’s one of the best consumer wine shows in the country and I look forward attending every year.

Last year was the year of the blizzards in Boston with record amount of snowfall in that city. That year I was able to make it up to the Saturday event only to have a blizzard shut down the event (and the city) on Sunday. Thankfully, this year Boston did not have that problem and Mother Nature cooperated with clear days that weekend in both New York City and Boston. But Mother Nature still had ways to throw a wrench into the works. On Thursday I came down with a stomach virus that knocked the wind out of me and was hoping that by Saturday afternoon, things would calm down.

On both days of the event, the trade is let in a couple of hours before the consumers are and on Saturday afternoon I was at the check-in booth at the start time and ready to go. Unfortunately the lingering effects of the stomach virus keep me from tasting that day. Fortunately on Sunday morning I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to drink some juice.

 

Seminar

Wine Spectator’s Gems Of Napa Valley, a sit-down tasting of fifteen Napa wines.

2014 Honig Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley). Light yellow with greenish tints, grassy  nose, crisp and grassy.

2014 Merryville Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley). Light yellow with green tints, peachy lemon on the nose with moderate peach, grass and kiwi fruit.

2014 Kenefick Ranch White “Pickett Road” (Calistoga). Yellow with greenish tints, lime and spicy nutmeg on the nose, moderate oak on the fruit, balanced finish.

2013 Starmont Chardonnay (Carneros). Light yellow with green tints, closed nose of mango, tight and crisp, balanced.

2013 Artesa Chardonnay “Estate Reserve” (Carneros). Medium gold, hazelnut, oak on the nose with tropical fruit notes and good acidity.

2014 Rombauer Chardonnay (Carneros). Light gold, lime and melon on the nose, medium juicy with menthol notes on the moderate to long finish.

2013 Davies Pinot Noir “Hyde Vineyard” (Carneros). Medium red with dark plum and black olive on the nose, juicy plum fruit and good balance.

2013 Truchard Pinot Noir (Carneros). Medium to dark red, sweet strawberry on the nose, juicy with some green fruit on the finish.

2012 Paraduxx Proprietary Red (Napa Valley). Black with a purple robe, slate and mint on the nose with dark, concentrated fruit and crushed rock notes on the balanced finish.

2012 St. Supéry Merlot (Napa Valley). Black in color with a closed nose of ground charcoal, and dark chocolate, tight with graphite notes on the concentrated finish. Very enjoyable.

2012 Madrigal Petite Sirah (Napa Valley). Inky black, brambly and dark berries on the nose, jammy and juicy with graphite tannins.

2013 Round Pound Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “Kith & Kin” (Napa Valley). Black in color with blueberry and tea on the nose with concentrated, silky tannin and black licorice on the finish.

2012 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Vintner Select” (Napa Valley). Black in color with a light purple robe, raspberry and black olive on the nose,  with juicy red fruit and a crisp finish.

2010 Knights Bridge Winery Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer Dr.Crane Vineyard” (Napa Valley).  Dark red with a purple robe, plum and black cherry on the nose, harsh with high acid on the finish. Not the best in the pack.

2012 Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Special Select” (Napa Valley).  Inky black with blueberry and menthol on the nose, mint and roast meat on the dense and concentrated fruit, dried herbs on the juicy finish. Big wine.

Vintner’s Reserve Lounge

A separate tasting lounge with some extra special juice.

2011 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay Adriana Vineyard “White Stones” (Argentina). Gold in color, ripe mango on the nose with juicy ripe tropical fruit.

2009 Louis Latour Meaursalt-Blagney (Burgundy). Medium gold, floral dried flowers on the nose, tight with earthy floral notes on the firm finish.

2012 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne (Burgundy). Medium gold with dried flowers on the nose, tight and balanced with just enough tropical fruit notes on the finish. Tasty.

2008 Bouchard Père & Fils Meursault “Les Perrières” (Burgundy). The local wine school had a table pouring wines with some bottle age to them. Many were over the hill or on their way there except this one. Medium yellow with a ripe nose, mineral notes on the ripe fruit and nicely balanced.

2005 Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes (Bordeaux). Dark gold, dusty ripe apricot and botrytis on the nose, silky peach fruit with nice acidity and a long finish.

 

2012 Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford). Dark red with a purple robe, closed nose of dried herbs, dense, dusty, chewy with a good grip on the moderate to long finish.

2012 Beaulieu Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Georges de Latour” (Napa Valley). Dark red with a purple robe, floral, black pepper and black fruit on the nose, dense with silky tannin and green herbs on the finish.

2012 Sterling Vineyards “Platinum Reserve”. (Napa Valley). Dark purple, black licorice on the nose, dense and dusty with bright fruit and a firm finish.

2012 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Private Reserve”. (Napa Valley). Dark red, purple robe, slate and crushed rock on the nose, dense and tight with dried herbs on the firm, balanced finish.

2013 Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley). Dark red to black, very fruity nose, chewy dark chocolate fruit. Plush.

2012 William Cole Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Cuvée Clair” (Napa Valley). 100% Cabernet, dark purple with red licorice on the fruit forward juice, good balance.

2012 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon “Bin 707” (Australia) . Dark red with slate and dried herbs on the nose, tight and silky with great balance.

2010 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec “Nicasia ” (Argentina). Dark red, ripe berries on the nose, dense with some salinity on the fruit.

2010 Bodega Catena Zapata “Nicolás Catena Zapata”. (Argentina). Their flagship wine, a blend of  Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Decanted, black in color with a purple robe, slate and crushed rock on the nose, dense and concentrated with herbs and black licorice on the firm and balanced long finish.

2010 Usiglian del Vescovo “Il Barbiglione” (Tuscany). A super Tuscan, medium to dark red with a big nose of stinky black cherry, tight, medium dusty fruit, silky tannin at the balanced finish.

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Winter Rosé

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La Nuit en Rosé is the “world’s first food and wine festival dedicated to rosé wine” with rosé themed events in Los Angeles, Miami and London. In June they host the mega rosé event on the Hornblower yacht in Manhattan which features over 100 rosé wines and is one of the most fun wine events of the year. This past Saturday, they threw a rosé winter garden party.

The event was held at the Art Beam gallery on 540 West 21st Street on the far west side in Chelsea, Manhattan. The venue is across the street from the Chelsea Piers sports facilities and is a brick wall-lined industrial space that was made to look like, no surprise, an outdoor garden. They poured about half of what was poured at the Summer event but that was still plenty of wine to keep everyone happy. The event was open to the public with an afternoon and an evening session. I attended the evening session which soon became filled with a well-dressed crowd enjoying a night out drinking rosé wines.

Some of what I sampled:

Ferrari Brut Rosé

Ferrari Perle

2014 Chateau D’Esclans “Rock Angel”

2015 Chateau D’Esclans “Whispering Angel”

2015 Domaine Sautereau “Sancerre”

2014 Chateau Berne “Impatience”

2014 Domaine Royal de Jarras “Pink Flamingo”

2015 Maison Marcel

2014 Axel Des Vignes

2014 Domaine Bellevue “Touraine”

2014 Lardiley

2015 Domaine de Terravecchia

2014 Chateau de Pourcieux

2014 Chateau de Jonquieres “Cuvee Cersius”

2014 Notre Dame du Quatourze

2014 Chateau La Gordonne

2014 Barton & Gustier Rosé D’Anjou

2014 Domaine Montrose 

 

 

Beer, Bourbon, Bacon & BBQ

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This past Saturday the New York City stop on the 2016 Beer, Bourbon and BBQ fest tour took place. It’s an event that says it will “put a big apple in the mouth of the pig”. The event was held in two sessions, an afternoon event with a bacon focus and an evening event with a bbq focus with both events serving various beer, cider and copious amounts of whiskey.

The event was held at The Tunnel on 608 West 28th Street in Chelsea, Manhattan. It was at rail freight terminal, turned nightclub, turned event space with a very distinctive brick-lined tunnel shaped main room. Unlike last Saturday, the weather cooperated this time around and there was no blizzard to slow things down. I attended the evening session and it was crowded with a young, casual crowd.

 

 

Snowy Day & Pinot Days

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This past Saturday I attended the 5th annual Pinot Days wine fest. The event was held this year as in last, at City Winery on 155 Varick Street in Manhattan. Pinot Days, whose mantra is “serious wine, serious fun” is the largest gathering of Pinot Noir producers in the world. The events are held in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and this week in New York City. In New York over 35 producers were scheduled to show up for this event to pour Pinot Noir mainly from California with a table or two from Oregon and New Zealand as well. At the San Francisco event there over 100 producers in attendance , much more than the New York event but there was still plenty of juice to be sampled on Saturday.

Last Saturday was also the day that a massive snow storm was scheduled to hit the city. There was speculation from high to low on how much snow would actually fall in New York, in fact the city got hit with the second highest accumulation of snow since they started keeping records for that sort of thing in 1869 with the official count at 26.8 inches (68cm) of snow on the ground. That missed the record by just .1 inch. Since the vendors and winemakers were already in town for the event and the product was at the venue, the show went on despite the blizzard and frankly, indoors drinking good wine was probably the best thing to be doing during a raging snowstorm. Many wine drinkers managed to find their way down to Varick Street and the event was surprisingly crowded with many happy drinkers.

In my opinion the 2013 and 2014 Pinots were drinking very well. Some of what I sampled:

 

Sojourn Cellars

2014 Pinot Noir “Sangiacomo” (Sonoma Coast). Medium red with bright cherry nose, silky with some earth on the finish, great balance.

2014 Pinot Noir “Ridgetop” (Sonoma Coast). Medium red with earth notes on the nose, silky with a moderate to long balanced finish.

Proprietor Craig Haserot was kind enough to pour some his limited release (300-400 cases) Cabernet Sauvignon which was mighty tasty juice.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon “Home Ranch” (Sonoma Valley). Dark red to black in color, dusty mint on the nose, chewy and silky, camphor on the firm tannin, great balance.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon “Oakville” (Napa Valley). Dark red to black with a pretty perfume of dark plum and licorice, silky dark fruit, concentrated with great balance.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer Georges III Rutherford” (Napa Valley). Dark red with a purple robe, dark chocolate and dried herbs on the nose, tight and dense with firm tannins and acids on the end. The most austere of the three.

Lula Cellars

2012 Pinot Noir “Costa Vineyard” (Mendocino). From a five acre vineyard, medium red with turned earth and red cherry on the nose and bright, silky fruit and crisp acids.

Waits-Mast Family Cellars

2012 Pinot Noir “Mariah Vineyards” (Mendocino Ridge). From a very small production winery (50-100 case lots). Light brick in color, slate on the nose, chewy with dark chocolate on the nicely balanced finish.

2013 Pinot Noir “Nash Hill” (Anderson Valley). Light red in color, red cherry and earth on the nose, Asian spices on the fruit, moderate to long finish, balanced.

2013 Pinot Noir “Oppenlander” (Mendocino County). Light brick, smoky dark chocolate on the nose with smoky red cherry on the bright finish.

Panthea Winery

2011 Pinot Noir “Londer Vineyard” (Anderson Valley). Another small production winery (1500 case total). Medium red with a pretty perfume of with flowers, mint, silky dark fruit, nice balance on the moderate to long finish.

2012 Pinot Noir “Estate” (Anderson Valley). From a 2.5 acre plot, light purple with dried herbs on the nose with juicy dark cherry fruit and silky acids at the end.

Trombetta Winery

2013 Pinot Noir “Gap’s Crown” (Sonoma Coast). Medium to dark red, prune notes on the nose with silky dark fruit and a great balance.

Chenoweth Winery

2012 Pinot Noir (Green Valley). Only 175 cases produced, medium red, spicy red fruit and some toast on the nose, juicy with firm acids.

Balo Vineyards

2014 Pinot Noir “Estate” (Anderson Valley). Medium red, dried herbs on the nose, bright cherry fruit with firm acids.

Brooks Note Winery

2013 Pinot Noir (Marin County). Very small producer with this bottling at 250 cases, light brick, turned earth on the nose, silky fruit, a little one dimensional but a nice glass of wine.

2013 Pinot Noir “Weir Vineyard” (Yorkville Highlands). 150 cases produced, light purple, tobacco on the nose, smoke, violets and tobacco on the hard finish.

Thomas Fogarty Winery

2012 Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mtn). Medium amber, barnyard on the nose with bright cherry herbs on the bright finish.

Bel Glos Winery

2014 Pinot Noir “Clark & Telephone” (Santa Maria Valley). Dark red, dried herbs on the nose with chewy dark chocolate fruit and good balance. An un pinot, pinot.

Mansfield Dunne Winery

2012 Pinot Noir “Peterson Vineyard” (Santa Lucia Highlands). Light brick with dusty oak on the nose, tight and silky.

Saintsbury Winery

2014 Pinot Noir “Lee Vineyard” (Carneros). Medium red, dried herbs on the nose with bright black cherry, crisp, moderate to long finish.

2014 Pinot Noir “Stanly Ranch” (Carneros). Closed nose, chewy and chunky dark fruit, good balance.

Bernardus Winery

2012 Pinot Noir “Pisoni Vineyard” (Santa Lucia Highlands). Medium clear red, crushed rocks on the nose, juicy, plummy, dark fruit, firm with some heat but tasty.

 

 

 

East Ville Des Folies

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This past Saturday afternoon I attended the East Ville Des Folies which was billed as a “prohibition tasting event”. The event was held at the same venue as last year, Webster Hall at 125 East 11th in Manhattan. Webster Hall which was built in 1886 was an appropriate venue for a prohibition themed event since in one of its various incarnations was Al Capone’s New York City speakeasy in the 1930’s. The place has plenty of dark spaces, nooks and crannies and the event had four floors of spirits, beer, cider and three live bands pumping out music, a good time was had by all.

 

Music:

Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra

Queen Esther’s Quartet

Molly Ryan Quartet

 

Some of what I sampled:

Rekorderlig Cider

Magners Cider

Woodchuck Cider

Ace Cider

Badass Cider

Downeast Cider

Crabbie’s Ginger Beer

High West Rendezvous Rye

Hudson Whiskey Bourbon

Four Roses Single Barrel

Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack

Jack Daniels Single Barrel

Knob Creek Rye

Bird Dog Bourbon

Widow Jane

Jefferson’s Small Batch

Old Forester 1870

Drambuie 15 yr

Redenbachbeer Grand Cru