Author: Bruno Donaggio

Decanter is a British based wine magazine that is similar to the Wine Spectator magazine in that they feature articles on all things related to wine including wine reviews.

Each year they host a wine tasting in London and last year for the first time, they held that tasting in New York City.

On June 10th they held the second annual fine wine encounter tasting in New York City. As in last year, the event was held at Manhatta restaurant located at 28 Liberty Street in lower Manhattan.

The restaurant is on the 60th floor and fortunately, the Canadian wildfire smoke from the previous week was gone and the picture windows in the restaurant provided an impressive view of lower Manhattan harbor.

They brought “world class wines from around the world” with over 50 of the producers on hand to explain what they were pouring. They also held several master classes and a separate tasting of 34 of their Gold, Platinum and Best in Show winning wines from the Decanter World Wine Awards.

It was a selection of wines of the world with France and Italy well represented and Californina and Oregon not so much so.

Some of what I sampled:

Old World

2001 Domaine de Chevalier Pessac Leognan: Clear medium brick, pretty nose of sweet bell pepper and crushed flowers, tight with bell pepper notes on the finish.

2006 Famille Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape: Clear medium brick, tar and ripe fruit on the nose, juicy, mouth filling fruit with herbs notes on the long and balanced finish.

2009 Chateau Potensac Medoc: Clear medium red, tar, spice and crushed red fruit on the nose, juicy with spicy bright red fruit, firm finish.

2011 Marquis de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Rioja: Clear medium brick, crushed red fruit and ripe vegetables on the nose, smokey, tight and tart.

2010 Chateau Pichon Baron Pauillac: Opaque dark brick, pretty perfume of anise, violets and tobacco, silky black fruit with tobacco notes on the finish, good grip.

2009 Chateau Clerc Milon Pauillac: Clear medium brick, stinky tar and tobacco on the nose, tight with firm acids.

2015 Chateau Clerc Millon Pauillac: Medium red, dusty dark fruit on the nose, chewy fruit ending with firm acids.

2010 Chateau Lascombes Margaux: Opaque dark red with a brick rim, crushed blueberry on the nose, chewy, crushed sweet cherry fruit with tar and mint on the long, balance finish.

2011 Chateau Lascombes Margaux: Opaque dark brick, tar and smoke on the nose, juicy and dense with herbs and mint notes on the finish, balanced.

New World

2013 Rutini Apartado Gran Blend Uco Valley: Opaque dark red with a brick rim, tobacco and anise on the nose, juicy red fruit ending with big tannins.

2014 Horsepower Sur Echalas Vineyard Grenache Walla Walla Valley: Opaque medium brick, juicy nose of crushed blueberry with juicy, smoky black fruit with dried herbs on the finish.

2017 Trefethen The Cowgirl and The Pilot Napa Valley: Mostly Merlot. Clear medium brick, smoky ripe fruit on the nose, silky red fruit ending with firm tannins.

2011 Verite La Jolie Sonoma County: Opaque dark red to black, big nose of mint, tar and crushed black fruit, chewy, silky fruit with silky tannins on the long and balanced finish.

2019 Verite La Jolie Sonoma County: Opaque dark red to black, toasty crushed black fruit on the nose, dense and young ending with firm tannins.

2019 Black Stallion Transcendent Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley: Opaque black, crushed red fruit, blueberry and milk chocolate on the nose, chewy, minty fruit with a tart cherry grip at the end.

2019 Daroush Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley: Opaque dark red to black, muted nose of crushed black fruit, chunky and dusty with dark chocolate on the finish, balanced.

2019 Daroush Cabernet Franc Napa Valley: Opaque dark red, crushed rocks and dark chocolate on the nose, juicy with milk chocolate and dried herb notes on the fruit, silky tannins on the finish.