Category: Wine

Chianti In Chelsea

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This year is the 300th anniversary of what is considered the first wine region in the world. In 1716, the Grand Duke Cosimo III set the borders of the Black Rooster production zone for Chianti Classico. The “Classico” zone is one of the eight sub-zones of Chianti in Tuscany.

This past Sunday, Pierre Loti wine bar on 258 West 15th Street in Manhattan held a Chianti fundraiser/tasting for the Wheeling Forward organization. It was a sit-down tasting of nine Chianti Classico and Riserva with commentary by wine educator, Robin Kelly O’Connor.

 

2014 Castellare Chianti Classico

Medium red with a purple rim, toast and a sweet perfume of violets on the nose, tight with light fruit and low tannins and acids.

2014 Santo Stefano Chianti Classico

Dark red with a light brick rim, crushed black fruit and wood notes on the nose, dusty black cherry fruit with moderate tannins and acid.

2013 Lorano Chianti Classico

Medium red, purple rim, big perfume of red cherry and baking spices, moderate red cherry fruit, balanced tannin and acids on the finish. Very drinkable.

2012 Fattoria La Ripa Chianti Classico

Medium red, big perfume of tar and sweet cherry, moderate red cherry fruit upfront and finishes with lip smacking tannins.

2013 Bibbiano Chianti Classico Riserva “Montonello”

Dark red with a pretty perfume of tar and violets, big black cherry fruit with firm tannins on the finish.

2013 Castello di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva

Medium red with a brick rim with tar, leather and pencil shavings on the nose, moderate juicy fruit, sour cherry notes on the finish, moderate tannin and acid.

2013 Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Riserva “Agostino Petri”

Medium red, toasty oak notes on the nose with red and black cherry notes on the fruit, good balance.

2012 Rocca Della Macie Chianti Classico Riserva “Famiglia Zingarelli”

Dark red with a slightly closed nose of black fruit and spice, chunky red fruit with bitter cherry notes and a nice balance of tannins and acids on the finish.

2012 Vecchie Terre di Montefili Chianti Classico Riserva

Medium red with a perfume of tar, graphite, tight fruit finishing with firm tannins and tart fruit.

 

 

 

Syrah On Long Island

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Syrah (Shiraz in Australia), is a varietal found to be indigenous to France. It’s used as a backbone grape for many big and bold wines from the Cote du Rhone and Australia as well as grown in other regions. I remember at one time it was thought it would be the next standout varietal in California but that never panned out and there was a lot of Cali Syrah being sold on those discount mail-order wine sites these past few years. Out East it’s not a big player but there are a few acres of it planted and on this Sunday afternoon I sampled a few. In the cooler growing season in this wine region, I wasn’t expecting big and bold wines.

 

2014 Pindar Vineyards Syrah  37645 Route 25, Peconic.

Pindar Vineyards which opened in the 1980’s is the largest vineyard on Long Island with over 500 acres with 17 varietals planted. It’s one of the more popular stops on the east end wine route and the tasting room was crowded even on this quiet, post holiday Sunday afternoon. It had been awhile since I stopped by this tasting room.

Black in color with roast meat and black licorice on the nose, medium body with sour black fruit and crisp acids. Felt a bit unfinished.

 

 

2014 Bedell Cellars Syrah  36225 Main Road, Cutchogue.

Winery with vines planted in the 1980’s and now owned by film executive Michael Lynne.

Dark red to black in color with a purple rim, roasted meat, dirt on the nose, tight, tart, concentrated dark fruit, neutral flavors with firm tannin at the end.

 

 

2014 Clovis Point Winery Syrah  1935 Main Road, Jamesport.

One of the newer wineries out east with 10 acres of farm land, named after pre-historic native arrow and spear points found on Long Island. One of the wineries that serve their wines in proper wine glasses.

Dark red with a purple rim, notes of asparagus and roast meat on the nose, concentrated and dusty ending with a mouth tightening tannin.

 

 

Pinot Noir On Long Island

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Of all the classic grape varieties, Pinot Noir is one of the most difficult to grow. There was never much hope that Pinot Noir would be the stand out varietal out on the East end but that hasn’t stopped winemakers from trying. Several wineries on the North Fork bottle Pinot Noir and on this sunny Sunday afternoon I tried a few.

 

2014 Martha Clara Vineyard Pinot Noir  6025 Sound Ave., Riverhead.

Medium to dark red in the glass, sweet cherry on the nose, crisp acids up front with red cherry and smoke notes on the light fruit.

 

2013 McCall Winery Pinot Noir “HIllside”  22600 Main Road, Cutchogue.

A real working farm as the earthy scent in the air attests to, the tasting room is in an old potato barn. This wine is the middle of a trio of Pinot Noir they pour, medium red, black cherry and tobacco on the nose with tight, smokey black cherry on the fruit ending with some tartness.

 

2012 Castello di Borghese Vineyard Pinot Noir “Estate”  17150 County Road 48, Cutchogue.

This is the site of the first vineyard (Hargrave) on Long Island in 1973. Medium red, sour cherry on the nose with sour red fruit and some earth on the fruit with some tartness at the end.

 

My pet peeve again.

I don’t mind when the tasting rooms charge wine bar prices for a glass of wine, after all they have a business to run, but I feel that their wines would be better showcased and the wine drinker have a better wine drinking experience if they served their wines in proper glasses instead of the thimble-sized glasses that many of the tasting rooms on the North Fork do.

 

 

Red Blends On Long Island

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Last Sunday was a miserable, rainy afternoon. Why not a drive to wine country? This time around I met a few friends out there to help me sample the local wines.

I had planned on having Sauvignon Blanc tasting but circumstances dictated that I modify my plans. I ended drinking red blends. We stopped at three wine tasting rooms this afternoon.

The first stop of the day was at the Winemakers Studio by Anthony Nappa Wines at 2885 Peconic Lane, Peconic on the north fork of Long Island. It’s a cooperative tasting room featuring the wines of Anthony Nappa and some local wineries that don’t have a tasting room.

2014 Anthony Nappa “Ripasso”. This is the first wine made in this style that I have seen made in Long Island Normally it’s done with Valpolicela in Italy. Ripasso which means repassed in Italian, is when Valpolicela is made using the left over pomace from the fermentation of grapes used to make Amarone. Is usually adds some body and complexity to the wine. In this case Merlot was repassed over the leftover skins of Petit Verdot and Malbec grapes.

Dark red to black with a purple robe, dark chocolate and black cherry on the nose, concentrated, mint notes, tight and dusty with some astringency on the finish. Interesting wine.

 

2010 Osprey’s Dominion Meritage “Flight”. 44075 Main Road, Peconic. Whereas the Winemakers Studio was a sedate drinking experience, this large tasting room was mobbed with plenty of people out enjoying the holiday weekend.

A blend of Merlot, Carmenere and Cabernet Franc. It was nice to try a red with some bottle aging, black in color, crushed blueberries on the nose, chewy fruit with some bell pepper notes, dark chocolate and bell pepper on the moderate finish. Tasty.

 

2010 Pugliese Vineyards Meritage “Sunset”. 34515 Main Road, Cutchogue. Established in 1980 which makes it one of the founding fathers of the wine industry out East, family owned and operated.

A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Black in color, closed nose of dark chocolate, chewy and chunky with licorice and coffee notes on the balanced finish. A fine effort.

 

 

Chardonnay With Some Oak On Long Island

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This past Sunday afternoon I took a drive out to the  wineries on the North Fork of Long Island. It was a beautiful day with moderate temperatures and no humidity, the perfect day to be at a winery sitting on the deck with a glass of wine in hand while looking at a sea of vines with a blue sky above.

Chardonnays are the star of the whites out on the island and my focus this afternoon was to sample Chardonnay that had saw some oak treatment to it whether during fermentation or aging. .

 

2013 Laurel Lake Vineyards Chardonnay “Reserve” (North Fork)  3165 Main Road, Laurel, NY

Estate bottled and 100% fermented and aged in oak. Old school Chard, gold in color, honey-peach on the nose, spicy cinnamon and mouth filling buttery fruit, oak notes throughout the finish.

 

2014 Bedell Cellars Chardonnay (North Fork)   36225 Main Road, Cutchogue, NY

Barrel fermented and steel aged, yellow with greenish tints, lemon-lime custard on the nose, medium fruit with clean, tart lime notes on the finish.

 

2012 Lieb Cellars “No Label” Chardonnay (North Fork)  13050 Oregon Road, Cutchogue, NY

Only available at the tasting room, partially barrel fermented, yellow with greenish tints, bubblegum and tropical fruits on the nose, mango notes followed by toast on the fruit with firm acids on the finish.

 

 

 

Wine Fest At The Golden Nugget

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On Saturday August 27th I attended the International Wine Festival at the Golden Nugget casino. The Golden Nugget is one of a handful of casinos in the marina district a couple of miles off the boardwalk in Atlantic City New Jersey. They have held a wine fest in August for the past several years the theme of which was Cal-Ital which showcased wines from Italy and Italian heritage wines from California. This year the event was changed to an international wine fest with wines from several new and old world countries.

Atlantic City has been going through some tough times lately with several casinos closing down and the city on the verge of bankruptcy. But on this Saturday night, the city and the casinos were alive with gamblers and partiers.

The event had plenty of wines to keep everyone busy for the night along with a live band and a buffet table. Not as many Cali wines as I would have liked but Italy provided a nice selection.

 

Some of what I sampled:

2015 Chateau D’Esclans “Whispering Angel’ Rosé (Provence). Light pink, strawberry on the nose, tart strawberry fruit.

2013 La Crema Chardonnay (Russian River Valley). Yellow with green tints, toasty tropical fruit on the nose with toast and tropical fruit, crisp finish.

2015 Famille Perrin Cotes du Rhone Blanc (Rhone). Light yellow, lime and slate on the nose, clean and crisp with lime notes on the finish.

2014 Domaine Ferret Pouilly Fusse (Burgundy). Toasted oak on the nose with toasty, lime notes on the fruit.

 

2013 Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel (Amador County). Medium red with crushed black fruit on the nose with spicy red fruit.

2013 Chloe N° 249 (North Coast). Medium red with warm, smoky dark berries on the nose, jammy and juicy.

2014 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley). Medium to dark red, green herbs on the nose, tight and concentrated, medium to long finish.

2013 Robert Mondavi “Maestro” (Napa Valley). 50th anniversary bottling, Bordeaux blend, primarily Merlot, medium red, green herbs on the nose, tight with mouth filling tannin.

2013 La Crema Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley). Light red, cherry nose, tight with smoky, cherry fruit.

2014 The Prisoner Wine Co. Zinfandel “Saldo” (California). Medium to dark red, stewed red fruit on the nose with juicy cherry fruit balanced with firm tannin on the finish.

2013 Penfolds  Cabernet Sauvignon “Bin 407” (Australia). Dark red to black, close nose of cherry-mint, firm balance.

2013 Penfolds Cabernet-Shiraz “Bin 389” (Australia). Dark red to black with crushed black berry on the nose, cherry fruit followed by firm acids.

2012 Masi “Campofiorin” (Veneto). Medium red with sweet blueberry and tar on the nose, tight bitter cherry fruit.

2011 Masi Amarone “Costasera” (Veneto). Medium red, forest floor on the nose, tight and tannic with bitter cherry fruit.

2013 Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino (Tuscany). Light red, earthy, barnyard notes on the nose, deeper fruit than what the color suggests, nice balance.

2011 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany). Medium red with cherry leather notes on the nose and fruit.

2012 Castello di Banfi Chianti Classico “Riserva” (Tuscany). Medium red with fresh herbs and tar on the nose, tight with moderate light fruit, leather notes on the finish.

2011 Castello di Banfi Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany). Medium to dark red, crushed dark berries on the nose with mint undertones with dusty, silky red fruit, great balance.

2013 Tenute del Cabreo (Tuscany). Cabernet, Sangiovese blend, medium to dark red, crushed black berries on the nose, tight and tart finish.

2013 Nozzle Chianti Classico “Riserva” (Tuscany). Medium red, violets on the nose, dusty red fruit with silky tannins.

2011 Tenute La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany). Medium red, sweet nose, silky fruit with bitter red cherry fruit.

2013 Ramon Bilbao  Tempranillo “Limited Edition” (Rioja). Dark red with leather and tar on the nose, tart cherry on the fruit.

2013 Argento Bonarda (Argentina).  Dark red, sweet red fruit on the nose with green herb notes on the fruit.

2012 Carmen Petite Sirah “Gran Reserva” (Chile). Medium red, herbs on the nose with chunky, dusty fruit.

2013 Famille Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape (Rhone). Medium red. fresh herbs and tar on the nose, tight and brambly on the firm finish.

2012 Louis Jadot Chateau des Jacques “Moulin a Vent” (Beaujolais).Medium to light red, closed nose of crushed blueberries.rambly on the firm finish.

 

 

Uncorked Wine Fest New York

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This past Saturday afternoon, July 16th I attend the Uncorked Wine Festival which was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion located on 125 West 18th street in Manhattan.

This wine fest was one of several Uncorked wine fests held throughout the country. They are fun wine tasting events and this one featured over 50 wineries, food trucks and music.

While the wines were of mid-level quality for the most part, there was plenty of it and the crowd all seemed to be having a good time on this Saturday afternoon.

 

Some of what I sampled:

NV Tattinger Brut Rosé

NV Bruno Paillard Brut Premiere Cuvee

2015 Jolie Folle Provence Rosé

2015 Starmont Sauvignon Blance

2014 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Chardonnay

2014 Michael Chiarlo Gavi

2015 Azienda Santa Barbara Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

2015 Fiegl Ribolla Gialla Collio

2014 Bret Brothers Macon-Villages

2015 Chateau Maris Picpoul de Pinet

2015 Patrice Moreux Sancerre

2014 Patrice Moreux Poully Fume “La Loge aux Moines”

2014 Proud Pour Sauvignon Blanc “The Oyster”

2015 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Pinot Noir

2013 BonAnno Carneros Pinot Noir

2012 Starmont Vineyards Carneros Pinot Noir

2014 Montinore Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

2013 Steltzner “Claret”

2013 BonAnno Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

FIAF Bastille Day Fest

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This past Sunday on July 10th, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) which is New York’s premier French cultural center, presented their annual Bastille Day festival. It was a three-block long party on East 60th from Fifth Avenue to Lexington Avenue in Manhattan celebrating the best of France in New York and the friendship between France and the United States. Bastille Day is France’s Independence Day

The block party featured food “à la française” from top rated French restaurants and bakeries, performances from cast members of the musical An American In Paris, can-can dancing and live music from the Hungry March Band and Myriam Phiro’s Accordion Trio.

And since no French party is complete without wine, there was a Champagne & Chocolate tasting featuring some of France’s most prestigious champagnes and fine European Chocolates, and a wine, beer, cocktails and cheese tasting with both events held at the FIAF building at 22 East 60th Street. There was also a VIP party hosted at Amali restaurant on 115 East 60th street which featured wines from the south of France.

 

At the wine, beer and cheese tasting I sampled a trio of rosé:

2013 Gérard Bertrand “Thomas Jefferson Brut” Cremant de Limoux. Salmon in color, big bubbles, closed nose of cotton candy, crisp citrus at the finish.

2015 Gérard Bertrand “Gris Blanc”. Copper color with strawberry notes on the nose.

2015 Espitalet des Anges “Villa des Anges” Mostly Cinsault, salmon in color, closed nose, tight with bitter cherry notes on the finish.

Champagne & Chocolate Tasting:

NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé. Light pink in color with an earthy nose.

NV Brimoncourt Blanc de Blanc. Lime notes, bread dough on the nose with the bread dough notes on the fruit.  

NV Piper-Heidsieck Brut. Bread dough on the nose, crisp and tart.

NV G.H. Mumm’s Brut. Bread dough and earth on the nose with lime and earth notes on the finish.

At the VIP party:

2015 La Grezette “Le Rosé de Julie”

2015 RS “Rosé Seduction”

2015 Chateau Lamartine Cahors

2010 Chateau Bouscasse

2015 Domaine de Pellhaut

2013 Chateau de Jonquieres

2013 Domaine du Moulin

 

 

Summer Fancy Food Show 2016

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The Summer Fancy Food Show is a bi-coastal, bi-yearly event that is America’s largest specialty food and beverage show. With over 46,000 industry professionals, 2,500 exhibitors and over 180,000 products, it is the place to find the next big product, next big company and next big trend in the food and beverage industry.

The show took place on June 26-28 and was held at the Jacob Javits convention center on 655 W 34th street in Manhattan. This years partner country was Tunisia.

I attended Sunday for an afternoon of grazing on cured ham, cheese and chocolate and sampling mostly Italian wines.

Italy

NV Arunda Brut Rosé. (Alto Adige). Light salmon in color, crisp.

NV Arunda Brut. (Alto Adige). Dry and crisp with an oily finish.

2015 Ugolini Valpolicella “Pozzeto” (Veneto). The entry-level wine in a trio of excellent Valpolicella, medium to light red, red berry and tree bark on the nose, bitter cherry on the balanced finish.

2012 Ugolini Valpolicella “Rippaso” (Veneto). 100% Corvina, light brick in color, red cherry and leather on the nose, silky red cherry fruit, nice acidity and balance.

2013 Ugolini Valpolicella “Amarone” (Veneto). Dark red with black cherry and bitter almond on the nose, bitter almond notes on the fruit. Don’t taste the 16% alcohol.

2008 Tommasi “Ca Florian” Riserva Amarone (Veneto). Dark brick in color, dark leather on the nose, bitter almond/cherry and leather notes on the great balance.

2015 Francesco Malena “Bianco” (Cirò).  Calabrese wines, this one mostly Greco Bianco, medium gold with dried flower notes on the finish.

2014 Francesco Malena “Rosso” (Cirò). Mostly the Gaglioppe grape, brick in color with leather on the nose with bitter almond and red cherry on the finish.

2012 Francesco Malena “Pian Della Corte Riserva” (Cirò). Dark red with a brick robe, barnyard notes on the nose, concentrated fruit followed by big tannins at the finish.  

2012 Francesco Malena “Cutura Del Marchese” (Cirò). Dark brick, closed nose of roast meat, mouth coating tannin with bitter cherry and fuzzy tannin on the finish.

2013 Carra Di Casata “Arcòl” (Emilia-Romagna). Dark red to black, roasted coffee on the nose, concentrated, silky with roast nut notes on the balanced finish.

2011 Prima Pietra Toscana Rosso (Tuscany). Bordeaux blend, dark red with smoky, roast bacon on the nose, tight dark fruit, black licorice and bitter cherry on the finish.

Cantina Formigine Pedemontana. A co-op in Emilia-Romagna producing Lambrusco with is an excellent low alcohol red wine served  chilled for a Summer day.

NV Rosso Fosco. Made from the Grasparossa clone, purple, dry, crisp black berry fruit, balanced.

NV Sorbara. Sorbara is another clone for Lambrusco I don’t see often, pink in color, crisp and refreshing with some tannin coming through at the finish.

Austria

NV Harkamp Rosé Brut. Light pink with a strawberry nose, crisp with light strawberry flavors on the finish.

NV Harkamp Sauvignon Blanc Extra Brut. Don’t have a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc very often, light yellow in color with roast nuts on the nose, grassy finish.  

Spain

2014 Habla Winery “De la Tierra”. Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon blend, dark purple with dried red fruit and herbs on the nose, tight, firm red leather and earth on the finish.

2014 Habla Winery “Del Silencio”. A blend of three grapes, dark red with crushed red fruit and violets on the nose, tight with firm tannin and dried herbs on the finish.

2012 Habla Winery “N° 14”. 100% Syrah, dark red to black with a purple robe, closed nose of berries and leather, tight and concentrated with dried herbs on the firm finish.

2011 Habla Winery “N° 13”. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, dark red with a closed nose of roasted meat, tight with big tannin and herbs on the finish.

 

 

 

Wine On The High Seas

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Just got back from a cruise vacation. I took a week off and ended up at the port of Miami boarding the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship the “Escape” for a week long cruise that took me to the  U. S. and British Virgin Island and Nassau, Bahamas.  The Escape is a state of the art mega-ship launched last year, at over a 1,000 feet long with 4,000+ passengers and a 1,700+ crew, it’s a mini city on water. To accommodate all of those guests are 28 Bars and Restaurants including a wine bar. That wine bar is  “The Cellars” a Michael Mondavi family wine bar. It’s a small nook on the bar floor of the ship where I spent some time chatting with Rodrigo, the Wine Steward while drinking some juice. They also had one of those wine pouring machines in the café if you wanted a glass of wine with your buffet.

 

Some of what I drank during my cruise:

2014 Marques de Riscal Verdejo (Rueda)

2010 Godelia Mencia (Bierzo). Dark red with a purple robe, roasted meat and bacon with camphor on the end, concentrated with slate notes on the fruit and chewy tannin.

2013 Estancia Pinot Noir (Monterey). Medium red, strawberry jam and black cherry on the nose with some earth notes, strawberry fruit with crisp acidity.

2013 Estancia Meritage (Paso Robles). A Bordeaux blend, dark red to amber with a perfume of crushed dark berries and camphor, silky mint notes on the fruit with firm acidity.

 

I attended a seminar on Riedel glasses and how wines are enhanced with the proper glass.

Pinot Noir glass served with the 2012 Louis Jadot Pinot Noir (Burgundy)

Syrah glass served with the 2013 Spellbound Petite Sirah (California)

Cabernet Sauvignon glass served with the 2013 Wente Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Southern Hills” . (Livermore Valley).